Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8373: Ambush (1)

Chapter 8373: Ambush (1)

Blood Hawk Island functioned as a medium-sized outpost within the Western Defense Line of the Blood Slaughter Sect. Originally, a single disciple in the Refinement Realm managed the territory because of its significant size and strategic positioning along the western front. However, following the integration of the larger islands, its status was officially adjusted to a medium-sized Island.

A fierce conflict was currently erupting on Blood Hawk Island. The Blood Slaughter Sect acted as the aggressors, while the 13 Family Alliance fought to hold their ground. Standing upon the island, Pan Qianlong observed the advancing Blood Slaughter Sect disciples. A breach had been forced into the island’s defensive formation, and a brutal stalemate had formed at the gap, with the sect’s disciples pushing in and the Alliance forces desperately holding them back.

Zhao Hai watched the carnage with a stoic expression before signaling Chang Jun to approach. "Chang Jun, stay here and take command of the assault on Blood Hawk Island," he ordered. "I am taking the Blood Ghost Team to strike Clear Blood Island. If we successfully capture it, this entire campaign will be a triumph."

The location Zhao Hai referred to was a major stronghold within the sect’s Western Defense Line, ranking among the top five largest islands in the region. Although it was the smallest of those five, it remained vastly superior to standard islands. Seizing it would grant them dominance over four of the five major western hubs. With only Blood Mountain Island remaining, the 13 Family Alliance would suffer a devastating blow to their morale.

Chang Jun, however, looked troubled. "Commander, the 13 Family Alliance is acting strangely today. Normally, they would have retreated under this much pressure, yet they remain here to fight. I suspect a trap is being laid."

Zhao Hai replied solemnly, "I am aware that things seem off. This is likely the scheme I predicted the Alliance would use against us. However, that is exactly why we must press forward. I want them to exhaust every trick they have; only when their hand is fully played can we effectively dismantle them. Staying idle only leaves us vulnerable to the unknown. Do not fret over the Blood Ghost Team. Each member carries one hundred puppets, ensuring their safety. You, on the other hand, must remain vigilant despite your own puppet support, as the enemy numbers are vast. If the situation becomes untenable, you have my permission to retreat without seeking further approval. Do you understand?"

After Chang Jun acknowledged the order, Zhao Hai nodded and performed a hand seal, manifesting an Outer Binding Seal. "All!" he commanded. Suddenly, identical clones of Zhao Hai appeared behind every person present, while the true Zhao Hai vanished from sight.

Moments later, Zhao Hai materialized in the Blood Sea surrounding the target island. He immediately deployed Xenomorphs to scout the area. As a major stronghold, the island was defended by fifty thousand soldiers and a fully active defensive array. The disciples appeared to be on high alert, yet everything seemed superficially normal.

Zhao Hai smirked, curious to see the enemy's next move. He released a swarm of Aliens to keep the perimeter under surveillance while commanding his giant sword to rise from the Blood Sea. The moment Zhao Hai and his team emerged, the island’s defenders spotted them. Curiously, the cultivators did not panic. Their leader dispatched a message, and the men calmly readied their magic tools. To Zhao Hai’s surprise, they even deployed several puppets previously captured from the Blood Slaughter Sect, appearing ready to fight to the death.

While Zhao Hai remained unfazed, a spark of anticipation lit his eyes. Their unusual composure suggested something significant was about to happen. He held nothing back. With a mere thought, his massive sword transformed into a towering giant. The giant’s massive hands gripped the island’s protective shield and wrenched it open, creating a massive tear. The giant then forced its head through the gap, and its entire body liquefied, flowing directly onto Clear Blood Island.

In that instant, the cultivator managing the island’s array abruptly deactivated the formation, rendering Zhao Hai’s breach irrelevant. Simultaneously, the defenders roared and lunged toward him.

Zhao Hai laughed, shifting back into the form of a giant sword. Its mouth opened, releasing a flood of cultivators who immediately deployed their puppets. At that moment, Zhao Hai received a telepathic warning from his Aliens. Brilliant white lights flashed outside the island as a massive reinforcement from the 13 Family Alliance appeared. Leading this new force was a cultivator dressed in sky-blue scholar’s robes, who immediately charged toward the fray.

Anticipating this, Zhao Hai barked out, "Regroup and deploy all puppets!" This was the pre-arranged signal for the Blood Ghost Team. Upon hearing it, the members swarmed to his side and unleashed their mechanical throngs.

With ten thousand men each controlling one hundred puppets, a staggering one million machines flooded the battlefield. The sheer volume was overwhelming, literally blotting out the sky and earth, with Zhao Hai and his elite team positioned at the heart of the mechanical legion.

Seeing the puppet tide, the Alliance cultivators halted. The man in the sky-blue robes hovered on a matching blue cloud, staring intently at Zhao Hai. "You are Zhao Hai, I presume?" Yi Xuanming called out. "Escape is impossible. Why not surrender? Our Sect Master holds your talents in high regard. If you yield, he is willing to accept you as an in-name disciple. What is your answer?"

This speaker was Yi Xuanming, serving the most powerful figure in the Blood Sea Realm: the Demonic Corpse Old Man. Zhao Hai was unfamiliar with the man’s identity, as Yi Xuanming operated from the shadows and held no official rank within the Alliance. Even the Blood Slaughter Sect lacked intelligence on him.

Zhao Hai studied Yi Xuanming with amusement. "And who exactly is your Sect Master? I am a Core Disciple of my sect, yet he only offers me the rank of an in-name disciple? That lacks sincerity." Zhao Hai wasn't worried about his team's reaction; their loyalty was absolute, and they knew he had no intention of defecting.

Yi Xuanming chuckled. "Zhao Hai, you have a sense of humor. How can a mere Legacy Disciple compare to the in-name disciple of a Grandmaster? Even the Sect Master of the Blood Slaughter Sect would show him deference. I shouldn't speak his name lightly." He placed a heavy emphasis on the word "Old Man," and Zhao Hai instantly grasped the implication.

Zhao Hai looked at him and said, "You refer to that Old Man, then? I didn't expect his followers to be involved in this mess. You’ve surrounded us, but do you truly believe you can win? If this is a contest of numbers, I believe the advantage is mine." Zhao Hai was correct; between the island defenders and the reinforcements, the enemy totaled roughly two hundred thousand. Facing them were one million puppets. He saw no reason to fear, let alone surrender.

Yi Xuanming smiled thinly. "You must be joking. We have captured your puppets before. Did you think we wouldn't analyze them? We discovered they are quite simple to construct, with most of their arrays exposed. While this makes manufacturing easier, it creates a glaring vulnerability. Look at this." Yi Xuanming held up a seemingly ordinary paper talisman. Zhao Hai noted that the design was entirely foreign to him.

Noticing Zhao Hai’s confusion, Yi Xuanming explained, "You don't recognize it? Unsurprising. This 'Interruption Talisman' was once considered useless and is quite rare. Its sole purpose is to disrupt formations. While it fails against high-level arrays where the Qi flow is too dense to break, it is perfect for these puppets. We have tested them; they work flawlessly. We have produced these in massive quantities. If you do not surrender, we will activate them, and your entire puppet army will become scrap. Do not blame us for what happens next."

Zhao Hai’s expression shifted. He hadn't realized such a specialized tool existed in the Blood Sea Realm. If the talisman truly could sever the energy flow within the puppet's arrays, his mechanical army would indeed be neutralized.

Nevertheless, he remained defiant. "You expect to intimidate me with a few slips of paper? Dream on. I want to see if they actually work. Attack!" With a sharp wave of his hand, the Blood Ghost Team commanded the million-strong puppet horde to charge directly at Yi Xuanming’s forces.