Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8384: Escape _1

Zhao Hai was well aware of the formidable might possessed by an Island Lord-level powerhouse. He had witnessed Ha Jing in combat before. Ha Jing surpassed the Island Lord rank entirely. A typical Island Lord-level figure couldn't endure more than a handful of exchanges against him. The eight grand elders in the Bloody Massacre Sect earned their positions based on raw power, not mere age or tenure.

Yet, it seemed clear that Ha Jing hadn't unleashed his maximum potential while facing off against the Shadow Realm intruders. At the very least, Zhao Hai had gauged Lei Gang's capabilities. Was Lei Gang superior to Ha Jing? That notion was utterly ridiculous. Still, one undeniable fact stood out to Zhao Hai: Island Lord-level experts operated on an entirely superior plane compared to the rest.

Prior to the Dharma Condensation Realm, progressing through the Dharma Refinement Realm, Dharma Essence Realm, Dharma Usage Realm, and Dharma Accumulation Realm hinged on building up Dharma power reserves. Superior techniques allowed for greater accumulation of this power, while inferior ones yielded less. Regardless, once the required threshold of Dharma power was reached, advancement became possible since the necessary strength had been attained.

Advancing to the Dharma Condensation Realm marked a profound shift, however. There, one needed to solidify their Dharma power and ultimately forge a divine spark to qualify as a true Dharma Condensation Realm master. This created an immense divide between Island Lords and regular cultivators. Even their offhand strikes proved impossible for ordinary practitioners to withstand. Moreover, the divine spark enabled them to draw in and wield Dharma power more effectively, along with harnessing the power of faith. Such abilities made them forces not to be trifled with.

In truth, Zhao Hai desired to depart as well. But he recognized that with these Island Lord-level powerhouses now present, escaping via the teleportation array was out of the question. They simply wouldn't permit it. Though they hadn't targeted him earlier, one certainty remained: attempting to flee would provoke an instant assault from them.

That said, Zhao Hai had already devised an escape plan. He glanced at the Island Lord-level experts and grinned. "Seniors, holding me back here serves no purpose. Striking now would merely provoke the elders of the Bloody Massacre Sect. In the end, that brings you no advantage."

The figure positioned before Zhao Hai eyed him coldly and scoffed. "We seek no gains—we just want you dead. Do you truly believe we're clueless? The Bloody Massacre Sect reclaimed all those islands with merely 100,000 troops thanks to you and your formations. Eliminate you, and their forces become headless dragons. Then, we can reclaim the islands bit by bit. Even if the rest scatter, slaying you counts as our triumph."

Zhao Hai regarded them with a smile. "Countless souls have plotted my demise, yet none prevailed. I'm afraid dispatching me won't prove simple for you..." With those words, Zhao Hai's form abruptly vanished from his spot. Prompted by the surge of Qi, the group unleashed simultaneous strikes. Hailing from varied sects, their assaults differed wildly: a streak of sword Qi, a flash of saber light, a spectral claw, a vengeful spirit, and a haze of toxic fumes. All converged on Zhao Hai's former position. But he was gone, his disappearance unseen by any.

As astonishment gripped the attackers, a blood lotus bloomed where Zhao Hai had stood. In their stunned moment, the bronze statue pivoted and seized the lotus. The subsequent statue dissolved into liquid and seeped into the earth. Shock rippled through them, spurring immediate counterattacks on the bronze figure.

A thunderous explosion shattered the bronze statue's frame into fragments, while the blood lotus vanished. Simultaneously, the statue's remains collapsed to the ground. Yet, it didn't fade away entirely—it lay there in shattered pieces, appearing utterly demolished by the impact.

Despite this, their expressions remained grim, for they knew Zhao Hai had slipped away. They never imagined a mere Profound Qi Realm disciple could evade five of them so deftly. The sheer audacity of it both stunned and enraged them.

This reality left them bewildered and directionless. Exchanging glances, they sighed in resignation. Returning to their sects to report the fiasco seemed their only option. They understood their mission had ended in failure. Worse, retribution from the Bloody Massacre Sect loomed. The thought alone induced a pounding headache. Facing a lunatic's vengeance was the last thing anyone desired—yet they had no alternative but to brace for it, amplifying their torment.

The group shared uneasy looks. With no better path, they departed the island in swift blurs. They realized alerting the Thirteen Families Alliance to seize the island would prove futile. Failing to eliminate Zhao Hai complicated matters further. Reporting back was essential, but it invited the Bloody Massacre Sect's wrath. Vengeance was inevitable; they just couldn't predict its form.

Once they were gone, a blood lotus gradually emerged from the island's soil. It expanded steadily until Zhao Hai materialized atop it. His face, however, betrayed clear discomfort. He settled into a cross-legged position on the lotus and gestured. A glob of molten bronze liquid fell onto the statue's shards. The pieces stirred as if revived, merging into a fluid mass that swirled across the island. Before long, the bronze statue reformed completely.

Now, Zhao Hai meditated cross-legged on the blood lotus, eyes shut tight. Clearly, he was recovering his energies. Though he'd retreated into the blood lotus—an extension of himself—the onslaught from those assailants had taken its toll. The lotus had absorbed heavy damage, inflicting severe wounds on Zhao Hai. He focused on mending them.

Luckily, Zhao Hai's physique was extraordinarily resilient, allowing rapid healing. After just an hour in meditation, his injuries had nearly vanished. Rising then, he inspected the bronze statue at his side and nodded. "Good. Now, scout the surroundings." "Yes, sir!" The bronze statue acknowledged and soared off immediately.

During the statue's destruction, Zhao Hai had worried the foes might detect its inner spirit. Thus, he had drawn the core into the blood lotus before burrowing underground. This evaded the Island Lord-level experts' senses, sparing both him and the spirit. The statue's swift restoration stemmed from the intact core.

With the statue dispatched, Zhao Hai dispatched a message to Yan Bei, requesting reinforcements to secure Blood Luring Island. Soon after the note arrived, Yan Bei arrived personally with his team at Blood Luring Island. Upon landing, he hurried to Zhao Hai, scrutinizing him closely before speaking gravely. "You okay? Have those bastards cleared out?"

Zhao Hai nodded. "They're gone. Dodging them wasn't straightforward." "By the way, did you notify the sect? This demands the sect master's attention—we can't manage it alone." Naturally, Zhao Hai meant the enemy Island Lord-level experts, not the Western Defense Line push. Fear never deterred him, so he intended to press the assault there. The line would fall as planned, but vengeance fell to the sect leader and elders.

Yan Bei affirmed with a nod. "I've informed the sect, and they've verified it. Expect the sect master to unleash hell this time. It's not solely about their Island Lord-level ambush—Pan Qianlong's use of the Ten Thousand Infants Ghost Bone demands answers from the Corpse Demon Sect, even if it was his solo stunt."

Zhao Hai grinned. "Excellent, glad you've looped them in. The rest is out of our hands now. We focus on our duties. Start by erecting the island's defensive formation around Blood Luring Island, then handle the rest." Zhao Hai paid little mind to the sect master's reprisals, as they lay beyond his influence. His priority remained his assigned tasks.

Evidently, though, the sect master had no intention of sparing Zhao Hai lightly. While Zhao Hai's group toiled on the island's protective formation, Ha Jing arrived in person at Blood Luring Island. Zhao Hai was deep in the formation's reconstruction when a white flash lit the teleportation array, heralding Ha Jing's arrival.

Spotting Ha Jing, everyone on Blood Luring Island bowed in respect. Ha Jing merely nodded without a word, then fixed his gaze on the saluting Zhao Hai. "Enough, Little Hai. Come with me—I need to discuss something." He drifted aside, and Zhao Hai trailed after him promptly.

Much of Blood Luring Island's structures lay in ruins, none habitable. So, they sought a secluded nook. Ha Jing then conjured a barrier with a wave, sealing their conversation from eavesdroppers. Once secured, he addressed Zhao Hai. "Little Hai, the sect master praises your efforts this round, but I want your take on avenging ourselves against the Thirteen Families. Shall we limit reprisals to just those sects? No demands for them to pull back from the Western Defense Line?"

Zhao Hai grasped Ha Jing's implication at once. The sect master aimed to punish those sects while leveraging the incident to force the Thirteen Families Alliance to abandon the Western Defense Line. It promised dual victories: reclaiming the line without losses and settling scores.

Yet Zhao Hai opposed this approach. He shook his head. "I advise against that, sect master. Target those specific sects for direct retaliation this time. The attackers hailed from the Corpse Demon Sect, Yin Ghost Sect, Sharp Sword Sect, Poisonous Bug Valley, and Yin Yang Sect. I propose we raze five islands from each. That settles the score, but leave the Western Defense Line out of it. Treat their forces there as the full Thirteen Families Alliance. After we eject them on our terms, we can still march on the alliance proper. Demanding withdrawal now strips our pretext for future strikes—they'd claim the issue resolved, making any renewed assault look unjustified and giving them fodder to complain."