Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8390: The big arena (1)

While Zhao Hai and his group were busy restoring the western defense line, Dao Qianzhan and his allies sprang into action as well. They publicly declared that the assault by the 13 Family Alliance on the Blood Slaughter Sect represented the gravest insult yet to the sect. In response, the Blood Slaughter Sect vowed to exact vengeance, effectively launching a declaration of war against the entire 13 Family Alliance.

In reaction to the Blood Slaughter Sect's firm stance, members of the 13 Family Alliance wasted no time in replying. Instead of issuing formal declarations, they promptly summoned the Corpse Demon Sect and various other groups to step in and broker peace. Such interventions were standard practice within the Blood Sea Realm. Often, the mightiest sects would intervene to resolve clashes among lesser ones. Naturally, if a faction lacked sufficient power, it couldn't even approach these giants for aid, much less receive it. On this occasion, the 13 Family Alliance had called upon the five premier sects, with the Corpse Demon Sect at the forefront, to facilitate talks—a move that carried immense prestige.

This approach also signaled the five major sects' own position. Through it, they aimed to warn the Blood Slaughter Sect that they had orchestrated the 13 Family Alliance's earlier maneuvers. Any attempt to strike back would meet with their fierce opposition. Hence, they pushed for mediation as a show of strength.

The Blood Slaughter Sect made its own response equally straightforward. Mediation between the conflicting sides wasn't out of the question. Yet, the undeniable reality remained: the 13 families had united to invade the Blood Slaughter Sect. They couldn't escape without consequences. Soon after, the Blood Slaughter Sect presented a detailed demand for reparations. It included not just an array of resources, but also several islands owned by the 13 families, one of which was a perennial island. Unlike those that materialized when a cultivator ascended to Island Lord status, this was a longstanding landmass in the Blood Sea Realm. Islands of this caliber were priceless assets, and no sect would relinquish them without a fight.

Naturally, the 13 Family Alliance along with the seven other families rejected these terms outright. Still, they struggled to find solid grounds for denial. The Blood Slaughter Sect had meticulously documented every bit of damage inflicted by the 13 Family Alliance—from fallen warriors and destroyed puppets to depleted supplies and the crystals expended in rebuilding efforts. All losses stood itemized with precision.

Representatives from the 13 Family Alliance and the seven major sects never anticipated such a calculated move from the Blood Slaughter Sect. Historically, sect disputes ended through simple mediation without further ado. Never before had any group, like the Blood Slaughter Sect, compiled an ironclad ledger of demands that left no room for debate. Confronted with this unprecedented tactic, they found themselves at a loss for words.

That said, the seven great sects and the 13 Family Alliance weren't pushovers. They refused to yield on the demands, holding their ground with unshakeable resolve. Their demeanor suggested all-out war if the compensation issue wasn't dropped.

Seeing the opposition's genuine defiance, Dao Qianzhan and his companions held back from escalating rhetoric. In truth, their own resolve had softened somewhat. They swiftly suggested establishing a grand disciple arena right within the Blood Slaughter Sect's domain. Disciples from the 13 Family Alliance and the seven major sects would dispatch challengers against the Blood Slaughter Sect's own. Each faction could field up to 1000 participants, following a defensive arena format to determine the ultimate victor. Should the 13 Family Alliance and seven major sects prevail, the Blood Slaughter Sect would abandon all notions of reprisal against the alliance and waive any compensation claims, treating the incident as erased from history. But if the Blood Slaughter Sect triumphed, no reparations would be necessary—they'd launch a direct assault on the 13 Family Alliance, and the seven major sects would stand aside without interference.

This defensive arena setup diverged sharply from typical tournaments. Standard contests tallied victories based on the number of wins per side, with the fewer victors deemed the loser. For instance, in a match with seven per team, losing four—even if the rest won—meant overall defeat. The defensive arena operated differently: challengers from both sides ascended one by one, with losers eliminated from further bouts. Combat ceased only when one team exhausted all fighters. Take seven per side again: if one team downed six opponents but only three in return, their final warrior faced four foes. Yet, should that lone fighter conquer all four, victory belonged to their side. That's the essence of the defensive arena.

The 13 Family Alliance and seven major sects were caught off guard by the Blood Slaughter Sect's bold proposal. They hadn't foreseen using a tournament to resolve their feud. Moreover, it involved only legacy disciples, capping participants at the Dharma refinement realm or below.

While arenas had appeared in the cultivation world occasionally, they weren't frequent occurrences. Smaller clans or sects typically hosted them—not for dispute resolution, but for talent scouting or similar aims. Prestigious sects seldom bothered with such events. Thus, the Blood Slaughter Sect's suggestion left the 13 Family Alliance and seven major sects momentarily stunned, unable to respond promptly.

Yet, clarity returned quickly. They weren't naive. Intelligence on Zhao Hai had reached them, highlighting his formidable prowess. Crucially, he commanded legions of puppets and even a colossal bronze giant whose battle might was legendary. To them, the Blood Slaughter Sect clearly intended Zhao Hai as the anchor defender, overwhelming their challengers and paving the way for an unchallenged strike on the 13 Family Alliance. The catch? Even recognizing the ploy, refusal wasn't viable—it would tarnish their sects' honor, implying fear of the Blood Slaughter Sect. For these titans, prestige often outweighed survival itself.

As a result, every major sect consented. Still, they added a stipulation: no puppets could assist in combat. Fighters must depend solely on personal abilities. Battle corpses and spirit beasts were banned too. This clause baffled the Blood Slaughter Sect's representatives.

The restriction appeared aimed squarely at Zhao Hai, given his reliance on puppets and battle corpses. Barring them would cripple his effectiveness. But it would equally hamstring the Corpse Demon Sect and Poisonous Bug Valley. Though the Corpse Demon Sect boasted diverse techniques, corpse manipulation formed its core legacy. Poisonous Bug Valley cultivators thrived on insect control for warfare. Denying these would leave them vulnerable—did that make sense?

In the end, though, the Blood Slaughter Sect accepted the terms. When consulting Zhao Hai about the arena, they hadn't factored in puppets or battle corpses anyway. Including them would render even Dharma refinement realm elders from other sects helpless against him, let alone legacy disciples.

With the Blood Slaughter Sect's agreement secured, the other sects quickly contested the venue. They flatly refused to host it there. To them, battling on Blood Slaughter Sect turf posed unacceptable risks, breeding constant unease.

Yet, their proposed alternative didn't inspire confidence in the Blood Slaughter Sect either—it lay perilously near Yin Yang Sect territory. They harbored deep suspicions of the other groups' underhanded potential. Staging fights so close to the Yin Yang Sect was a non-starter, fraught with sabotage risks.

Endless debates erupted over the battlefield's location. This single issue dragged on for almost a month without resolution. At last, the Blood Slaughter Sect offered a compromise. Though billed as an arena, disciples could soar freely through the skies. Venue mattered little in truth. Both sides settled on a remote spot distant from all sects, barren of islands or structures. They'd transport their warriors and clash amid the void.

Consensus formed swiftly around this idea, born of mutual distrust. Once the site was locked in, sentinels from each faction arrived to secure it against foul play. Concurrently, they hammered out the arena's guidelines. Overall, the event promised broad openness. Spectators from both camps were welcome, alongside outsiders from other sects or lone cultivators. Such transparency aimed to uphold integrity—if any side resorted to shady tactics, their standing in the Blood Sea Realm would crumble irreparably.

Additionally, bans extended to puppets, spirit beasts, battle corpses, and all external aids. Only personal magical artifacts and innate cultivator skills permitted. These rules went public for universal awareness. Both factions then revealed their rosters: the Blood Slaughter Sect fielded 1000, matched by 1000 from the 13 Family Alliance and seven major sects. The opponents' lineup boasted superior caliber, drawing elite legacy disciples across multiple powers. The Blood Slaughter Sect, lacking such a deep bench, couldn't muster its best without depletion. This pitted them against the combined might of seven giants plus the mid-tier 13 Family Alliance.

The arena announcement exploded across the Blood Sea Realm, sparking widespread astonishment. Lone cultivators and non-combatants from various sects reeled in surprise. No one had imagined resolving the crisis through such a spectacle. Learning it was open to all viewers fueled even greater fervor, particularly among independents. Their numbers swelled as they flocked to witness big-sect disciples in action—a sight they'd long craved. For small-sect members and solos alike, this was an epochal chance. They hurried to claim prime vantage points, determined not to let this millennial event slip by.