Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8465 8465: Scheming (1)

While the thousand days drunk vanilla could indeed intoxicate someone for a full thousand days, it wasn't poisonous at all and posed no real threat. In fact, it offered great benefits to one's cultivation practice. Many major sects relied on it as a key ingredient in crafting powerful medicinal pills. Yet, its extreme rarity meant few had ever laid eyes on it. This particular herb bore a striking resemblance to a commonplace plant. Without its subtle aroma of wine, distinguishing it from regular weeds would prove nearly impossible.

When big sects incorporated the thousand days drunk vanilla into their pill recipes, they always mixed in additional ingredients to prevent the consumer from falling into a drunken stupor. But if you simply steeped it in water and swigged it down straight, you'd plunge into a thousand-day blackout upon waking. Even during that haze, the herb's potent effects could still aid your cultivation somewhat, though nobody in their right mind would choose such a crude approach.

Waking someone under the influence of the thousand days intoxicating vanilla proved remarkably simple. Just splash their face with cold water, and they'd come to shortly after. That's exactly why, in everyday situations, no one bothered steeping and drinking the thousand days intoxicating vanilla raw. It was an utter waste. Refining it into a proper elixir for consumption made far more sense.

This made the thousand days drunk vanilla the perfect tool for scheming against others, since it wasn't any kind of toxin. No poison test could ever uncover it. Once ingested, it left the victim stumbling drunk and senseless, ripe for whatever mischief the plotter had in mind. The sheer danger of such a scenario was chilling. Truly, when it came to underhanded tricks, nothing beat it.

Having snagged this thousand days drunk vanilla herb, Wen Liren and his crew brimmed with delight. Zhao Hai was a master with poisons. Trying to slip him one would likely backfire spectacularly, alerting him in the process. And if he turned the tables with his own deadly brews, the fallout would be catastrophic.

With the thousand days drunk vanilla now in their grasp, handling Zhao Hai became a breeze. Eager flames ignited in everyone's eyes. Capturing him meant prying out the Ghostwind bandits' treasure location. Then, that legendary haul would be theirs, catapulting them into unimaginable wealth.

Wen Liren turned his sharp eyes toward Feng Zhongxin and growled deeply, "Zhongxin, this task falls to you. Think you can pull it off?" As he finished, his gaze burned with intensity, his presence looming like a storm. It felt as if Feng Zhongxin would meet a swift end right there if he balked. And honestly, Wen Liren was of the same mind.

A chill raced through Feng Zhongxin's veins at the sight of Wen Liren's fierce look. He quickly remembered how his earlier behaviors had already sparked doubts in Wen Liren. Any more waffling, and he'd be done for on the spot. So, without another word, he barked, "No problem at all, Wen bro—leave it to me. I've set up a meet with Zou Ming for tomorrow morning. I'll carry the wine along, and we'll nab him right then. But Wen bro, grabbing him on the island might draw too much attention. Here's my plan: I'll head out with the wine come morning and lure him on a job. You all trail us. During the task, I'll slip him the drink, and once he's out cold, we pounce. That way, snatching him off-island keeps all suspicion away."

Wen Liren eyed Feng Zhongxin for a moment before giving a curt nod. "Fine, that's the plan. Wang Liang, you and yours keep tabs on Zhao Hai—don't let him slip away. Everyone else, stand by for tomorrow's orders. Our big break is here. Squeeze the Ghostwind bandits' treasure spot from Zhao Hai, and we're set for life."

The group erupted in thrilled agreement. Excitement pulsed through every one of them like wildfire. They couldn't help it—after over a millennium and countless generations, this moment had arrived at last. The Ghostwind bandits' treasure was within reach. How could joy not overwhelm them?

Wen Liren scanned the eager faces and rumbled low, "Okay, scatter and prepare. Action starts tomorrow. Zhongxin, get some solid rest—that spotlight's on you come dawn." The crew acknowledged him sharply, Feng Zhongxin included. With a dismissive flick of his hand, Wen Liren sent them all from his quarters.

Once the room emptied, Wen Liren rose and peered out the window. He whispered to himself, "After all these years, the wait's finally over." Thrilling sparks danced in his eyes. He'd hungered for this triumph far too long. Now, with victory so close, elation surged uncontrollably. Wen Liren knew full well: once he extracted the Ghostwind bandits' treasure site, the others would meet their end, and the spoils would be his alone. He and his brother would rise to the elite, claim Island Lord status, and perhaps even ascend to higher realms.

Inside his quarters, Zhao Hai reclined in serene composure, lids shut tight. Moments later, his eyes snapped open, and he murmured, "Fascinating. Accomplices still shadowing me. But what's so valuable about me to hold their interest? Fine, let's watch their next move and fish for some intel." With that, Zhao Hai sealed his eyes once more. This round, he slipped into true meditation.

Come first light the following day, knocks echoed at Zhao Hai's door. He sprang from bed and strode over, flinging it wide to find Feng Zhongxin waiting. Zhao Hai blinked in mild surprise. Feng Zhongxin struck a different chord today from recent times—vibrant and full of vigor, which caught Zhao Hai off guard. Puzzled, he queried, "Big brother Feng, what's the great news? You look thrilled to bits."

Feng Zhongxin's face froze at Zhao Hai's remark, a cold sweat prickling his skin. He realized his overeager vibe had nearly given him away. Zhao Hai catching on would spell disaster. Shaking it off, Feng Zhongxin blurted to Zhao Hai, "Nothing major, just in high spirits. Got word today that green vines are fetching top prices. Lucky for me, I know a spot loaded with them—untouched by others. We head there, rake in the cash."

Zhao Hai spotted the evasion in Feng Zhongxin's face but held his tongue. He simply nodded and replied, "Sounds good. Let's head out." He stepped from the room, shut the door firm, then pivoted to face Feng Zhongxin.

Feng Zhongxin bobbed his head and added, "Right behind you. When I heard green vines were booming, I got so pumped I grabbed some wine. We'll crack it open once we arrive for a quick toast. The trek's a ways off—hours, really. There, we sip, unwind a bit, then dive into harvesting."

Zhao Hai gave a quick affirm and trailed Feng Zhongxin toward the island's rim. He also clocked the watchers who'd tailed him before, now tagging along to the edge too. They hung back, split into loose packs, busying themselves along the path to dodge any notice.

Glancing at Feng Zhongxin, Zhao Hai saw no sign he'd clocked them. It hit Zhao Hai then: Feng Zhongxin was thick as thieves with this lot. They might strike today, explaining his buoyant, almost eager mood.

A smirk tugged at Zhao Hai's lips. He itched to uncover their tactics, so he stayed mum. Probing for motives and numbers could yield gold—why they targeted him, how deep the web ran. If the whole gang showed, he'd wipe them out in one go.

Reaching the island's fringe, Feng Zhongxin guided Zhao Hai onward. Their flight stretched longer this time, nearly ten hours, before donning straw hats and plunging into the blood sea. After sinking thousands of meters, a vast canyon yawned below. Vines draped its walls, bearing blazing red leaves. The pair dropped straight to the valley floor.

Zhao Hai eyed the canyon's vine-covered sides and soon grasped the green vines' name. Though their leaves blazed crimson, the stems gleamed verdant. The contrast made for a stunning sight. Small wonder they earned the title green vines. This realm teemed with such odd flora.

Just then, Feng Zhongxin pulled a wine jar free and handed it over to Zhao Hai. He fetched his own, hoisting it high. "Cheers, brother Zou—let's swig deep and recharge before digging in. This spot's my secret, so no rush on our end."

Zhao Hai dipped his head and accepted the jar. He inhaled its scent, then chugged a hearty swallow. Lowering it, he eyed Feng Zhongxin. "Prime stuff. Hits smoother than our last round." The instant the aroma hit him, Zhao Hai pegged it as thousand days drunk vanilla brew. For lone cultivators like them, it was a prized rarity. He'd encountered it before, run every test imaginable. His spatial farm even grew variants, though none matched this pure strain. So, one whiff confirmed the wine's secret. Fear? None. The thousand days drunk vanilla held zero sway over him. He'd farmed it in his space, brewed its boozy essence to boost cultivation without the stupor—second-gen stock that left him clear-headed. Total non-issue.

He'd downed the tainted wine to ease Feng Zhongxin's nerves and draw out his cronies for a clean sweep. Zhao Hai despised loose ends. Persistent pests grated on him fiercely.

As Zhao Hai quaffed the brew, a flicker of glee lit Feng Zhongxin's eyes. He lifted his jar toward Zhao Hai. "To us, brother Zou—bottoms up. We'll chill a spell, then hit the vines." Unfamiliar with the drunk vanilla's look, none knew its kick time. So, he aimed to ply Zhao Hai with more, hedging against any flop in potency.