Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8481 8481: Recruitment (1)

"Moon in the sea!" The burly man roared loudly. He seized the spear tip on his hammer and hurled it straight toward Zhao Hai. But just then, the blade in Zhao Hai's grip stirred, and he uttered, "Shen Ji, heavenly net!" With those words, Zhao Hai's body vanished in an instant. Instead, a massive net surged upward from the ground. The burly man struck the net successfully, yet its elasticity made it incredibly tough. He felt like his spear had suddenly become as heavy as ten thousand pounds, completely stuck. Unable to budge it, he had no choice but to pause, his face flushing deep red.

Right then, the giant net wrapped around him swiftly, enveloping his form entirely. The big man sensed a wave of numbness rush through him. A mysterious force sealed every vital acupoint on his body, leaving him utterly immobile.

Zhao Hai materialized next to the burly man in that moment. He cast a quick glance at the captive and smirked, "I'll let you live for now, but you'll answer for this soon enough." With that, Zhao Hai shifted his gaze to the group below and let out a cold snort. He flicked the flexible sword in his grasp and thrust it toward them. Simultaneously, he bellowed, "Seamless saber array!" As his command rang out, the loose cultivators down there heard a thunderous boom. The landscape around them twisted, and they found themselves in a vast area. Thirty-six towering pillars dominated this realm. Before each pillar loomed four iron figures, each facing a cardinal direction. Every iron figure clutched a enormous saber. Soon, the iron figures sprang into action, their massive blades sweeping through the air.

A wave of saber energy blanketed the whole space at once. The loose cultivators panicked in terror. They unleashed their various techniques against the iron figures. Explosions echoed everywhere as the saber formation shattered. Yet, by the time the array collapsed, almost half of the loose cultivators lay dead.

During Zhao Hai's prior use of the seamless saber array, he had wiped out every pursuer in his path. But now, he took down only about half of them. The survivors had shattered the assault and fled. Clearly, this bunch outmatched the previous foes in strength.

Still, Zhao Hai refrained from launching another strike. He remained poised with sword drawn, eyeing those who had just escaped the formation. A grin played on his lips as he spoke gravely, "So, what do you make of my divine weapon? I'll offer you one last chance. Refuse to yield, and I won't hold back."

The loose cultivators reeled from the shock. Zhao Hai had deployed just two and a half techniques up to now, with one and a half aimed at the hammer-wielding brute. Against them, he'd used only a single strike. That alone had claimed half their numbers. Though the survivors ranked among the weaker ones, Zhao Hai's methods proved utterly bizarre. The seamless saber array baffled them completely—no matter the angle, it defied explanation. It functioned as a true formation. Escape demanded breaking free; otherwise, the assault would persist endlessly. None had conceived of such an odd tactic before. Fear now gripped them tightly.

The rogue cultivators huddled close, staring up at Zhao Hai. He met their stares with icy resolve and demanded coldly, "Well? I've handed you an opportunity. Squander it, and I won't show mercy. Speak up—will you submit?" Zhao Hai held his ground, sword ready, his features radiating lethal intent.

The independent cultivators hesitated deeply. Dread clawed at them. Zhao Hai's earlier technique had been downright horrifying, shaking them to the core. Plus, he'd subdued the burly man with merely one and a half actions. Capturing a foe alive always proved tougher than slaying one outright. Achieving that against the brute in so few moves marked Zhao Hai as exceptionally formidable. Confronting such might left them quaking. Several already leaned toward surrender.

As rogue cultivators, their path to this level had demanded far greater struggle than any sect disciple's. Death held no appeal for them, fueling their fear. Suddenly, a beam of white light erupted from the group, vanishing skyward in a flash. It was a message talisman.

"You're courting death!" Zhao Hai's voice thundered abruptly. He slashed his sword ahead and declared deeply, "Shen Ji, cloud piercing arrow!" A streak of sword energy burst from his blade at blinding speed. It didn't target the sender but the fleeing spell. The sword light overtook the glowing orb swiftly and struck it down.

Zhao Hai then aimed his sword into the throng and yelled, "Seamless saber array!" No—with the thrust, another sword gleam pierced the crowd. The group scattered wildly, bolting every which way. Yet barely had they stirred when a cry pierced the air. One cultivator's neck got run through by Zhao Hai's strike.

Gazing at the scattering loose cultivators, Zhao Hai issued a frigid huff. He'd unleashed the Buddha's lion roar. Every loose cultivator felt a deafening thunder burst in their minds. Their frames shuddered, halting them in place. Faces twisted in horror. They hadn't imagined Zhao Hai's power ran so deep—a mere snort sufficed to disrupt their spiritual energy. His strength overwhelmed them.

Zhao Hai eyed the rogue cultivators and sneered, "You fools, how bold to challenge me? Even if you outpower me, even with the Sinister Wind Ghost Flag in hand, what good does it do? Don't you grasp the Sinister Wind Ghost Flag's might? Don't you realize how vital it is to the major sects? Would those sect disciples stand idle while you claim it? The moment you seize the Sinister Wind Ghost Flag marks your doom at their hands. Better to join me than perish as shades beneath their blades. I'm merely at the refinement realm, yet with the Sinister Wind Ghost Flag, I can face Island Lord-level foes. The Sinister Wind Ghost Flag holds another power: uniting our collective might. Pool our strengths, and we'll not only counter Island Lord experts—we'll shatter island defenses with ease. Then, like the Ghostwind Bandits, we'll conquer the realm. Treasures beyond count will be ours. What fears hold you back?"

Zhao Hai's words left everyone dumbfounded. Then, excitement sparked in their gazes. Truth be told, as rogue cultivators unbound to great sects, they lacked the sect disciples' deep-seated loathing for the Ghostwind Bandits. Far from revulsion, they idolized them. The Ghostwind Bandits embodied rogue cultivator ideals, standing as rebels against mighty sects and all forms of tyranny.

Countless times, these folks had dreamed of wielding power to rampage like the Ghostwind Bandits, ruling the world. In that vision, every desire came true: cultivation methods, artifacts, spirit stones, rare wonders—all theirs for the taking.

Zhao Hai scanned them and intoned deeply, "Together, we'll claim the world someday. So, will you stand with me?" His eyes burned with fervor as he regarded the assembly. He knew solitude made him too conspicuous a mark. Rallying allies would redirect scrutiny toward the Ghostwind Bandits as a whole, away from him alone.

He trusted his true identity stayed hidden for now, yet caution demanded vigilance. He'd never dismiss the major sects' prowess. Those sects weren't naive. His emergence as Zou Xiao aligned perfectly with Zhao Hai's seclusion period. Link those dots, and they'd likely unmask him.

Better to escalate the chaos and thrust himself into the spotlight. Let all fixate on him as the Ghostwind Bandits' inaugural leader, ignoring his origins. That would shield his secrets far better. Thus, Zhao Hai chose to enlist followers.

"Boss, count me in! To hell with those sect disciples—I've endured them long enough. I'll trail you into the fray. Even death would feel glorious. My time in this world won't have been wasted!" A gruff shout erupted suddenly.

All turned toward the voice, spotting the initial hammer attacker—the burly man. Though bound by Zhao Hai's hold, speech remained open to him. He bellowed with wild enthusiasm, as if eager to charge alongside Zhao Hai and slaughter all foes.

Zhao Hai regarded the burly man and inwardly marveled. This brute might seem crude, but cunning lurked beneath. Seeing capture inevitable, he'd pledged allegiance first to secure his life. Now Zhao Hai couldn't execute him without backlash. A shrewd ploy indeed.

Yet Zhao Hai felt pleased. The man's display earned deeper respect. He nodded, gesturing to lift the restraint. Then, eyeing the burly man, he said, "Fine, you're with me starting now. What's your name?"

The burly man dropped to his knees before Zhao Hai and declared solemnly, "Boss, name's Xu Gang!" Xu Gang recognized escape as impossible, so allying with Zhao Hai seemed wise. It offered real gains. His current methods had barely elevated him this far—a feat in itself. Advancing further required superior techniques and ample resources, both beyond his grasp alone. But trailing Zhao Hai promised access to them. That mattered immensely. Thus, he committed to the alliance. Better a blaze of glory than withering away forgotten!