Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8422: Half-way (1)

At this moment, Zhao Hai sensed his imminent breakthrough into the second layer of the profound Dharma realm. Truly, until one achieved the Island Lord stage, a cultivator's path remained fairly straightforward. It simply involved steady cultivation and gradual accumulation. Through persistent practice, the dharmic power inside the body steadily grew. Once that dharmic power accumulated to the required amount, advancing to the following realm became feasible. The breakthrough itself proved quite basic in nature. It merely entailed channeling one's dharmic power to widen the sea of Qi within the dantian, fortifying and enlarging it to store more mana—a task that held little difficulty.

Advancing from the Dharma Refinement Realm to the Dharma Condensation Realm, known as the Island Lord level, formed a towering obstacle. Surmounting it demanded great effort. Without doubt, every major realm transition carried its own heavy burdens and needed profound comprehension. Still, when measured against the trial of becoming an Island Lord expert, such challenges paled in comparison.

This advancement marked only a minor realm step for Zhao Hai, rendering it far from arduous. He effortlessly expanded his dantian once more, while the mana coursing through him surged higher. Over the span of a single night, his foundation at the second layer of the profound cultivation realm solidified completely. By morning, Zhao Hai awoke feeling invigorated and clear-headed.

Yet he chose not to venture outside right away. Instead, his mind turned to a pressing issue. During his joint battles with the Bloodsucker Team, he had consistently layered a murderous aura barrier over them. Maintaining that proved taxing, leaving his own fighting strength diminished as he depended on external defenses. Such vulnerability grated on him deeply.

Naturally, the initial attempt to envelop the Bloodsucker Team in a murderous aura barrier had stunned him with its complexity. But after repeated efforts, applying it grew far less burdensome. Coupled with his rising power, he felt confident it wouldn't hinder him anymore during such applications. Still, sustaining the barrier required constant seal-forming, or else it would lose all effect.

To Zhao Hai, this limitation stood utterly intolerable. Thus, he resolved to devise a method for bestowing a killing aura barrier upon the Bloodsucker Team that would free up his own battle capabilities. Ideally, he could even manipulate the barrier itself in combat. This vision embodied his perfect approach to warfare.

But how might he achieve it? Zhao Hai knitted his brow in deep contemplation. Abruptly, an idea sparked in his thoughts. He recalled the blood lotus, which he seldom employed lately. In recent times, he had favored the bronze statue over the blood lotus. For one, he wished to keep the blood lotus's existence hidden from too many eyes. For another, the bronze statue offered its own inner space, eliminating the need for the blood lotus in ferrying people around.

Now, however, Zhao Hai pondered whether having the blood lotus impose a murderous aura barrier on the Bloodsucker Team would allow him to battle freely by their side. After all, the blood lotus formed an extension of his own form. Anything he could accomplish personally, the blood lotus ought to manage as well. Surely this could work?

With that realization, Zhao Hai's gaze brightened. He promptly called forth the blood lotus. A seal materialized swiftly within it. Moments later, a crimson killing intent shrouded his chamber. Zhao Hai exhaled deeply in relief. As the seal faded, the blood-red aura vanished too. A grin spread across his face—he had triumphed.

Stepping from his room, Zhao Hai scanned the surroundings. Numerous Bloody Massacre Sect disciples already populated Lone Mountain Island. The Blood Ghost Team stood guard encircling his quarters, carving out an isolated zone. No other disciples dared approach this perimeter. Clearly, they grasped the distinction separating the Blood Ghost Team from their ranks.

Zhao Hai spared it little thought. He merely glanced out, smiled faintly, then blurred into motion, heading directly to the side hall housing Du Wan Sha and the rest. Upon arrival, two figures awaited him, both at the Refinement Realm. Spotting Zhao Hai, they saluted with clasped fists. One spoke up: "Island Master Zhao, Elder Li has instructed that over the coming days, they will enter closed-door cultivation—please do not interrupt. Handle any matters on your own."

Zhao Hai paused briefly, then nodded. "Understood." With that, he returned their salute with cupped fists, pivoted, and departed. He realized Li Daya and Tu Ling required no seclusion; the one retreating was Du Wan Sha. During their prior encounter, Zhao Hai had detected Du Wan Sha's off-kilter state—not from wounds, but from severe magical energy depletion. This hinted at the grueling fight on Meteoric Island. Likely, Du Wan Sha now focused on replenishing his mana.

Zhao Hai had sought the three elders to strategize against the threats encircling Lone Mountain Island. That morning, upon stirring, he had spotted numerous scouts from the 13 Family Alliance skulking beyond the island. Evidently, word had spread that Lone Mountain Island now belonged to them, prompting this surveillance.

His original plan involved consulting the elders on countermeasures. But circumstances shifted—no discussion proved necessary. They could simply eliminate the intruders. Zhao Hai swiftly rallied several Island Lord experts and spearheaded the Bloodsucker Team's charge from Lone Mountain Island. They eradicated every lurking cultivator from the 13 Families Alliance. A few escaped, true, but that mattered little now.

For five straight days, this pattern persisted. Zhao Hai felt no rush. Daily, he guided his forces to pursue the thirteen families Alliance's cultivators. Satisfaction filled him. On the fifth day, Du Wan Sha emerged from seclusion, fully restored. He then summoned Zhao Hai and the group, assigning him command of 100 Island Masters. He declared Zhao Hai their leader, demanding absolute obedience. Next, he allocated 100,000 cultivators to Zhao Hai's forces and dispatched them toward Flowing Light Island.

Once Zhao Hai's contingent departed, Du Wan Sha rallied his remaining troops, stationing 10,000 on Lone Mountain Island. The main force then activated the portable teleportation array, materializing a thousand miles from the 13 Family Alliance's core island. They avoided closer jumps to evade potential traps. That distance struck the perfect balance—not too near, not too distant.

Assembling there, they surged forward under Du Wan Sha's command toward the 13 Family Alliance's heartland. Yet Du Wan Sha never anticipated clashing with the enemy's army en route. This force numbered 500,000 strong, commanded by 500 Island Lords alongside several family heads. Notably, Yu Fengbo remained absent.

Du Wan Sha eyed the 13 Family Alliance's commanders—the patriarchs of the Mao, Wang, Lu, Gong Sun, and Baili families. Among them, the Baili family head wielded the greatest might, thus assuming leadership.

The Baili family head bore the name Baili Wuya, a strikingly handsome cultivator appearing in his thirties. This youthful vigor stemmed from his clan's potent cultivation method, which uniquely preserved one's looks and slowed aging. Consequently, Baili clansmen often seemed eternally young, though their true years numbered in the seventies or eighties.

Baili Wuya fixed his stare on Du Wan Sha's forces, a flicker of resolve in his eyes. Du Wan Sha caught it and signaled; his army halted. Baili Wuya met Du Wan Sha's gaze and rumbled, "Du Wan Sha, I never imagined your Blood Slaughter Sect would stoop to such卑鄙 tactics."

Du Wan Sha regarded Baili Wuya with a smirk. "卑鄙 tactics? From where does that accusation arise? Moreover, after clashing with your 13 Family Alliance for years, we're well-versed in these maneuvers. You've long relied on the seven major sects' support to challenge our Bloody Massacre Sect. Now, the reckoning arrives—you'll pay dearly."

A flash of fury crossed Baili Wuya's features as he growled deeply, "You know full well the seven major sects compelled us into this. You fear confronting them directly, so you target us instead. The Bloody Massacre Sect merely preys on the weak while cowering from the mighty!" Such sentiments likely echoed through the 13 Family Alliance. Yet they conveniently forgot the relish they once took in aiding the seven major sects against the Blood Slaughter Sect. In truth, much of their support came from eager choice, not mere coercion.

Du Wan Sha scoffed. "Spare us the empty words. Compel you? Could the seven great sects truly force your hand?" If you refused their pressure, you could have yielded to us—we'd have shielded you. But you sided with the seven major sects, betting on their strength and spurning ours. What's left to discuss? At this juncture, such pleas ring hollow. In the Blood Sea Realm, only one can endure: the Blood Slaughter Sect or the 13 Family Alliance. Surrender isn't an option for you."

"Hahahaha, well said—no options indeed! Du Wan Sha, you're spot on; our 13 Family Alliance lacks the might of your ten great sects, leaving us little room to maneuver. But we can refuse to bow to your Blood Slaughter Sect. Annihilating us won't come easily. Witness today the unyielding might of our 13 Family Alliance's warriors!" With a sweeping gesture, Baili Wuya prompted his followers to unleash their magic tools, their eyes blazing with fury as they glared at Du Wan Sha.

Du Wan Sha surveyed them and chuckled. "The Blood Slaughter Sect dispatched just 500,000 this time against your 13 Family Alliance, as our available forces are limited. Yet today, behold another of our sect's formidable techniques!" He gestured sharply, and his disciples mirrored the motion. Ranks of puppets materialized beside them, each warrior commanding a hundred. In such vast numbers, the sight proved utterly intimidating.