Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8435: Eternal life (1)

Number one remained rooted in place, lost in a stupor, yet the glow in his gaze intensified. Zhao Hai observed him and let out a sigh. "You've realized that your Yin soul has been nourished by the iron-soul wood, allowing it to keep developing. You've seen how you can manipulate a puppet's body, crafted from iron-soul wood, which won't decay or shatter. And even if it does break, you can simply swap out sections of it. As long as your Yin soul endures, you'll achieve true immortality. Isn't the goal of cultivation to reach elder status and gain eternal life? But you've uncovered an alternative route to that immortality."

Zhao Hai paused, fixing his eyes on number one. "Even though the fellow disciples who came here with you noticed your death, they didn't grieve much and ignored this puppet entirely. That's why you've managed to exist as a puppet all this time. Being a puppet in the Divine Secrets Sect, where they specialize in creating such constructs, means nobody pays you any mind. You've even overheard the elders' conversations and learned all their hidden secrets. Eventually, you overheard that the elders planned to depart this realm, taking everyone—including all the golems—with them. Did that fill you with fear?"

"You're merely a puppet, one lacking any fighting ability. You couldn't risk exposing your true identity, fearing the elders might eliminate you on the spot. This place offered no conflicts, and no one noticed you, but venturing outside would mean facing crowds of people. There's no assurance that someone wouldn't spot something off about you. You wished to remain here, where safety enveloped you completely."

"You had no desire to depart, yet the elders were determined to go. They aimed to restore the Divine Secrets Sect to glory. This created an irreconcilable clash. With no other options, you ended up slaying them all. Explaining how you did it is straightforward. As an overlooked puppet, no one would suspect you of the murders. Thus, you began your rampage, eliminating every soul present."

"Having wiped out everyone, solitude weighed heavily on you in this empty space. Though transformed into a puppet, your craving for pleasure persisted, leading you to construct various traps. This entire city, along with the mechanisms both within and beyond its walls, and even these structures—all originated from your efforts, didn't they? Creating those devices was effortless for you. You fashioned simple puppets and commanded them to erect the city. As a spectral entity, fatigue never touched you during the work on the city's traps, and your minions felt no weariness either. Gradually, the city and its surrounding mechanisms took shape."

"Despite their lethal nature, these traps possess a stunning elegance. This allure serves not only to deceive intruders but also to provide you with visual delight, much like a captivating film. In this manner, boredom stayed at bay. Still, you never mustered the courage to venture beyond these confines, for this domain is your sanctuary, the stronghold you've fortified yourself."

"Yet eventually, outsiders forced their way in. Though they perished amid the traps, their intrusion sparked a thrill of dominance within you, prompting the creation of numerous combat puppets in this area, correct? And that flickering in your eyes isn't solely from contemplation—it's tied to stirrings of emotion. You're summoning them, calling forth those puppets to safeguard you, aren't you?"

"By all logic, someone in your position would seek a secure hideout, lurking in shadows to witness intruders fall one by one to the traps. But isolation has worn on you for ages; tedium gnaws, urging you to converse with another. A harmless wooden puppet without offensive capabilities raises no suspicions. That's why you've trailed me so closely—I've harbored no doubts about you. Frankly, without sensing the dark spirit's energy from you, I wouldn't have questioned you at all. Even after recognizing this vast spell formation, you stayed above suspicion. After all, who would suspect an unassuming wooden puppet devoid of any attack prowess?"

As Zhao Hai continued, he glanced at number one. The luminescence in number one's eyes blazed fiercer. Just then, Zhao Hai detected the array's full activation. Though positioned at its periphery, he already sensed its formidable energy. He could also perceive hordes of puppets converging rapidly.

Zhao Hai showed no astonishment. He stared at number one and declared gravely, "Even with your vast army of followers, your personal power remains feeble. Do you truly believe you can slip away from me at this proximity? I'm aware this is the formation's boundary, complete with illusory deceptions, but consider this: I've detected the formation and grasped its purpose. Do you imagine it intimidates me? Do you suppose your current capabilities let you evade my grasp? Even if those puppets arrive, what threat do they pose? You're firmly in my control—think they'll risk striking while you're my captive? If they do, don't fault me for responding harshly. Absent your command, how much potency will this formation retain? What fighting strength will those puppets muster then?"

No sooner had Zhao Hai uttered these words than a swarm of puppets surrounded him. They fixed their weapons on him, poised to strike at any instant. Some resembled typical puppets, while the diminutive ones stood merely a foot high, like tiny figures clutching short blades and advancing without a sound. The colossal variants towered over ten meters, wielding massive implements such as hammers and axes. Most astonishing to Zhao Hai were the puppets mimicking humans—flushed complexions, clad in garments, gripping Dharma artifacts. Though their gazes lacked vivacity, they appeared strikingly lifelike.

Zhao Hai's face hardened upon viewing the puppets. He turned back to number one and remarked, "I never imagined your soul harbored such deep-seated resentment. To convert even your sect's elders into puppets—such cold-blooded resolve. It appears your transformation into this wooden form has eroded all feeling from your heart, hasn't it?"

"Hahahaha! Enough with the nonsense. Let me warn you—you can't end me. If you try, you'll perish right here. Just look at your predicament; what's left to cherish? Embracing my existence is ideal. No one interferes in our matters, and none can touch mine. Bound to this form, I'll endure eternally. Isn't that the ultimate aim of every cultivator—everlasting life?" Number one finally responded. His tone retained its wooden stiffness, but the arrogance in his words rang clear. Yet, delivered in that mechanical timbre, the statements evoked an eerie unease.

Zhao Hai regarded number one with a smile. "Is that pride you feel? This is the outcome of your own ruin. Eternal life appeals to me, yes, but as a living being, not reduced to lifeless timber. Should I end up like you, I'd choose death without hesitation."

Number one let out a cold huff. "Spare me the mockery; it changes nothing. Consider my former comrades—even without my hand in it, how many would still draw breath today? Yet here I persist. Doesn't that embody the immortality we've chased? You lot dash about endlessly, seizing what you can, all for that elusive forever. But I've seized it effortlessly. What's not to envy?"

Gazing upon that plump, timid visage, Zhao Hai found no trace of amusement. Hearing such notions in that rigid, emotionless voice left him utterly baffled. He exhaled deeply and replied, "I can't fathom your mindset, but it clashes with mine. My longevity stems from a desire to explore vast realms, behold stunning vistas, uncover distinctions among worlds. Beyond that, I yearn to pierce the veil of these stacked realities. Someday, at the final threshold, I'll uncover its secrets and the force dictating our destinies. True eternity means sharing it with your beloved. Immortality shines brightest alongside love, but stripped of that and all else, what's its worth?"

"Hahaha! Ridiculous nonsense. Without immortality, how will you traverse other realms? What good are they then? Utterly pointless. Far better to revel freely here. Why not join me? Remain, and I'll reshape you similarly. Together, we'll claim eternity, untouched by external strife."

Zhao Hai eyed number one, shook his head, and breathed a regretful sigh. "No, I refuse to exist as you do, so I must end this. It might seem harsh, but necessity demands it. Spare you, and you'll strike me down. Your words sound appealing, but I know you'd eliminate me regardless, correct?"

"That won't be the case. Depart now and stay away forever, and I won't hinder you. I know this hidden portal admits only those below the Dharma refinement realm. When the Divine Arcanum Sect first uncovered this secret realm, we learned as much. Afterward, we installed our teleportation array, permitting Island Lord-level experts and higher to access it. Once you're gone, any future entrants won't escape my grasp." As for us, we'll part ways peacefully from here on—what say you? No clashing interests exist, so let's compromise. You're after legacies, and I can yield all the Divine Secrets Sect's inheritances to you. Deal?"

Zhao Hai studied the puppet and sighed. "I trust your every word, but agreement eludes me. The Blood Slaughter Sect has set its sights on this domain." I never planned a long tenure there initially, but now I intend to commit fully. Thus, I claim this place, and you cannot remain. My apologies, truly. But fret not—I'll bestow upon you a superior form of eternal life. Far better than your current state." With those words, Zhao Hai flicked his wrist, and number one vanished.