Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8492: 469-darkness under the light_1

Ghost Tree Island stood as a relatively obscure spot within the Dark Ghost Sect. A Yin vein ran through it, and alongside that vein sprouted numerous trees twisted into eerie forms by its influence. These trees served as premium ingredients for crafting magical artifacts suited to ghost cultivators. Yet, their quality remained middling at best, limiting them to low-tier weapons. Production yields stayed low too, so the Dark Ghost Sect largely overlooked this island.

Zhou Zhen, bearing the surname Zhou, held the role of island master for Ghost Tree Island. He hadn't claimed it through his own rise to power. Instead, as a disciple of the original island master, he had taken over the position later on without establishing a new domain of his own. His moderate strength kept him unremarkable among the Dark Ghost Sect's island masters, further dimming Ghost Tree Island's profile.

Still, the presence of those ghost trees ensured a steady income for the island's residents. Life there flowed in a routine manner, nothing extravagant but comfortable enough. The Dark Ghost Sect boasted plenty of similar islands, drawing no special focus to any of them. Ghost Tree Island held little that demanded attention.

This very obscurity allowed the inhabitants of Ghost Tree Island to enjoy deep tranquility. Each evening after dusk, they retired early, nestled in the heart of the Dark Ghost Sect. Not quite at the core, yet far from the fringes, it ranked as a highly secure haven, untouched by any assaults in its history.

The recent raid by Zhao Hai and his group on Ghost Island had rattled the entire Dark Ghost Sect, true enough. But for Ghost Tree Island's folk, it posed no threat. The distance was too great for worry. Even with the Ghostwind Bandits still uncaught, most in the Dark Ghost Sect believed they had fled the territory by now. Thus, the issue faded from concern.

On that particular night, the residents of Ghost Tree Island wrapped up their daily cultivation sessions as always. Those returning from missions outside settled in for rest. Cultivators required little sleep, yet maintaining a regular schedule benefited them greatly. Nights thus became prime downtime, with few venturing out for activity.

Suddenly, a thick black mist materialized beyond Ghost Tree Island's borders. It swiftly morphed into an enormous dark blade that cleaved toward the island. A thunderous crash shattered the protective formation. Then, fierce war cries echoed across the whole Ghostwind Island.

Having basked in prolonged peace, Ghostwind Island's people reacted sluggishly to the assault. No one anticipated an attack on their haven. Caught off guard, they stood frozen, unsure of their next move. A chilling gale howled then, scattering the Dark Ghost Sect disciples who had just stirred in confusion. Their souls and forms vanished in an instant under the dark force.

In that instant, a shout rang out, “How dare you strike my Ghost Tree Island! Seeking death, are you?” The speaker flicked his wrist, summoning an odd magical artifact. It resembled a lengthy branch, pitch-black and over two meters in span, adorned with sparse dark leaves. One leaf bore a stark white ghost face, stark against the blackness and impossible to ignore.

He swung it forth, unleashing a swarm of spectral shapes from the branch. They lunged straight at the invaders storming the shore. But realization dawned quickly—these were mere ghostly soldiers. The man's face twisted in shock; he grasped at once that these assailants must be the Ghostwind Bandits. Never had he imagined they'd target this place.

Undeterred, the attackers pressed on. The ghost soldiers kept slaughtering the island's low-rank disciples and death warriors. Soon, only core disciples, legacy pupils, and some Dharma idol realm elders remained.

Witnessing the dire scene, Zhou Zhen saw the island's defense crumbling. To avoid ending up isolated like Ghost Island's master, he needed to evacuate the survivors. Yet doing so meant abandoning all the island's assets.

The notion flashed briefly in Zhou Zhen's thoughts. He quickly saw that resources could be regained, but replacing lost lives would prove far harder. Even without rescue, he stood no chance against them anyway. Better then to save these folk, securing their future loyalty.

With that resolve, Zhou Zhen activated the black branch in his grip. Abruptly, myriad dark trees erupted across Ghost Tree Island. They shot up with incredible speed, bursting from the soil in moments. Any ghost soldier grazed by them wailed in agony. Zhao Hai noticed the Yin Qi in the soldiers' forms surging wildly.

Zhao Hai paused briefly, then comprehended the trees' power to drain Yin Qi. He let out a cold huff and gestured sharply, bellowing, “Divine armament, blazing flames incinerate the heavens!” At his command, inky flames burst from the ghost soldiers' bodies. The blaze ignited the trees instantly, engulfing the entire Ghost Tree Island in dark fire.

The inferno raged for roughly fifteen minutes before fading entirely. The trees vanished with the flames, and so did the island's people. Spotting the blaze, Zhao Hai and Zhou Zhen had fled earlier. He promptly commanded his crew to loot whatever they could from the site.

The group rushed in, hauling away every movable item on the island. Zhao Hai then gathered the flag and pulled everyone into the blood sea. They plunged beneath its waves. But this time, rather than departing, he employed quicksand escape to burrow into the earth beneath the island.

Once underground, Zhao Hai planted the Sinister Wind Ghost Flag into the soil. He turned to the others and declared, “We’re not leaving. We’ll just wait here. The enemy must think that we’ve run away, but they won’t know that we’re actually staying here. It’ll be even harder for them to find us in this dark.”

No one uttered a word against Zhao Hai's plan. Fear of crossing him kept them silent, all nodding in agreement. He scanned the group and spoke gravely, “Take out everything and distribute them!” This time, not a soul concealed a thing; they all surrendered their spoils from the island.

Zhao Hai surveyed them and nodded approvingly. “It’s good that no one hid it this time,” he stated deeply. “You guys did a good job this time. Now, let’s distribute the things. Since Xu Gang is the second-in-charge, he gets five times more than the others.” With that, he proceeded to divide the loot fairly. Silence reigned; Zhao Hai's brutal efficiency had left them awestruck. Only now did they see he truly shunned personal gain from these hauls. On Dharmic Tribulation Island, he'd barely lifted a finger. And these items? He handed them straight to Da‘ai, bypassing his own hidden storage—proof he claimed nothing.

Zhao Hai's conduct baffled the lot. Why orchestrate these raids for treasures he discarded? Yet none voiced the question. Envy turned their gazes to Xu Gang, who had soared in status overnight. His share dwarfed the rest by fivefold—a massive boon. For cultivators, such extra resources meant worlds of difference, utterly vital.

Events unfolded exactly as Zhao Hai predicted. After hiding in the island's subsurface for over two hours, Dark Ghost Sect reinforcements arrived. An elder even joined the force this time. But finding Ghost Tree Island stripped bare, their expressions soured to fury. The sect's troops launched a hunt for Zhao Hai's band. Meanwhile, the freshly plundered Ghost Tree Island drew scant follow-up, save assigning aid for Zhou Zhen to reconstruct it.

Zhao Hai remained composed throughout. They lingered in that buried haven for ten full days before he guided them out and away from Ghost Tree Island. Next, he aimed for another region of the Dark Ghost Sect. Just a few more scouting stops, and they'd exit the sect's domain entirely.

Moreover, Zhao Hai had no intent to strike the Dark Ghost Sect anew. Two raids had yielded ample supplies already. A powerhouse like the Dark Ghost Sect endured for ages with good reason. Another hit risked their snares, and with their modest power, clashing head-on spelled disaster—they couldn't prevail.

Indeed, Zhao Hai's assessment hit the mark. Against a titan like the Dark Ghost Sect, one strike might catch them flat-footed. A second sharpened their vigilance. Such sects brimmed with tracking artifacts and methods aplenty. If they set their sights on Zhao Hai's crew, success was inevitable. He no longer trusted his elusiveness after a Poisonous Bug Valley disciple had trailed him once. How could the Dark Ghost Sect fail where they succeeded? Unthinkable. So while he planned to tour the sect's fringes for observation, assaults were off the table. Unbeknownst to him, a massive upheaval loomed on the horizon!