Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8517: River of blood (1)

A swift little vessel glided rapidly through the sea of blood. As it traversed, the blood tangs got pushed aside, forming a clear straight trail in its path. But that trail was swiftly refilled by the blood fog, erasing it completely. Strangely, no one sailing the blood sea could sense the boat's presence at all. It resembled a phantom ship.

Inside his quarters, Zhao Hai relaxed with Laura and the group nearby. Once he had detailed his strategy to Chang Jun and the team, he released them to practice independently. Meanwhile, he urged them to get used to mounting the aliens' backs. Such riding would dramatically enhance their battle effectiveness. To boost their strength even more, Zhao Hai personally forged a spear for each member.

Currently, Chang Jun trained within the origin space. The group needed to master combat from atop an alien. Initially, they puzzled over Zhao Hai's directive, but actual fights on alien backs made it clear. These creatures possessed immense power.

For starters, the aliens boasted incredibly tough defenses. Even Island Lords struggled to pierce their exoskeletons. Moreover, their speed was remarkable, particularly during sprints. Unlike cultivators who soared through the skies, aliens dashed across the air itself, outpacing typical flying experts.

When it came to power, aliens excelled. Their strikes landed with devastating force, yet they remained highly maneuverable. Thus, their assaults proved overwhelmingly potent. For any cultivator, partnering with such a beast was invaluable. Beyond raw might, their agility stood out. Agility differed from mere velocity; speed alone didn't guarantee nimbleness. Yet aliens twisted and turned with ease. They could even shift directions mid-sprint, owing much to their elongated tails. Those tails served dual purposes: whipping foes and steering sharply.

Furthermore, poisons held no threat to them. If adversaries deployed toxins, the aliens simply absorbed them. Consequently, these beings delivered formidable fighting capabilities. Paired with cultivators as alien riders, their combined might soared to new heights.

Zhao Hai insisted on spears over the Blood Slaughter Sect's signature blades to avoid detection. They couldn't ensure total elimination in every raid. Should a survivor flee and report seeing riders on aliens wielding crimson swords, it would scream Blood Slaughter Sect affiliation. The seven major sects would descend swiftly, posing grave peril.

By contrast, wielding spears raised no suspicions. The Blood Slaughter Sect housed plenty of spear arts anyway. Plus, with endless techniques in his arsenal, Zhao Hai could easily devise spear forms echoing the eight bloody battle styles.

Chang Jun and his comrades adapted to battling from alien backs while mastering spear combat. They weren't novices; though spears felt clumsy at first, time would bring proficiency.

Zhao Hai felt no concern over their battle-emitted killing intent. The Sinister Wind Ghost Flag provided demonic soldier enhancements during assaults. This demonic energy masked the telltale Blood Slaughter Sect aura effectively.

He refrained from crafting armor for them yet. Though tempted, circumstances prevented it. Once they looted sufficient treasures, he'd supply armor. In the Blood Sea Realm, such gear was scarce, especially for cultivators who seldom donned it.

Zhao Hai ignored the reasons behind cultivators' aversion to armor. If opportunity arose, he'd outfit Chang Jun's team with it. Armor offered comprehensive defense as magical equipment. Unlike shields requiring mental control and spiritual power to hover protectively, armor simply protected the wearer passively. In Zhao Hai's estimation, armor's utility surpassed shield-based defenses. Thus, he planned to arm his allies accordingly.

Their course led to the Blood Sea Realm's fringes, distant from the top ten sects' domains—a sparsely explored outskirts. Typically, no dominant powers claimed such regions. Indeed, only minor sects dotted the area, small in scope. Some consisted solely of Island Lord-level figures. It qualified as a backwater in the Blood Sea Realm.

This operation targeted not a single sect but every faction in the zone. The Blood Slaughter Sect had established several shops there previously, aimed at gathering local products or resources. They had dismissed these petty groups, skipping intelligence on them.

Unexpectedly, after the Blood Slaughter Sect's downfall, these minor sects struck first at its outposts. Audaciously, they slaughtered the disciples and seized the properties.

Zhao Hai learned of this via Zhu Yong's spy network. He now split duties with the landlady's superior system, which focused on elite sects with insider contacts—disciples of middling status, ripe for corruption.

Zhu Yong's network thrived in markets, gathering grassroots intel. Never underestimate it; even subtle shifts across the cultivation world reached these ears, rendering it invaluable.

The destination bore a curious name in the Blood Sea Realm: Blood River Sea. An odd moniker blending river and sea. Upon closer examination, Zhao Hai discovered a literal Blood River within its waters.

This Blood River manifested as a distinct blood fog ribbon amid the uniform sea. Normally, blood fog blanketed everything evenly, but here a band stretched dozens of miles wide and thousands long. Its flow diverged in pace and path, resembling a flowing waterway. Hence the region's designation.

Truly wondrous, this Blood River cleaved the Blood River Sea from the broader Blood Sea Realm like a genuine stream. Over thirty sects of varying sizes operated there, controlling more than seven hundred islands total. Mostly crafted by Island Lord experts save a handful of enduring ones, underscoring the area's modest might.

This seclusion fostered isolation from outsiders, breeding complacency and unawareness. Zhao Hai aimed to ravage the Blood River Sea, obliterating all sects and claiming their loyal slaves.

Large sects ignored the zone entirely, sparing him revenge concerns. Ideally, he'd claim it as a stronghold. For now, mere fantasy—with their forces, establishing a base risked too much.

Months of voyage through the blood sea brought them to the periphery. Chang Jun's team had drilled alien synergy relentlessly. By journey's end, they synced seamlessly, spears handling like extensions of themselves—adequate preparation.

For the first time, the vessel ascended from the blood sea, soaring toward the surface. Ahead loomed the Blood River, a divergent fog ribbon visible from afar. Vast and elongated, while ambient fog drifted normally, this band's currents raced laterally with fierce velocity. Curving gently, it mimicked a terrestrial river, utterly bizarre.

Chang Jun and companions flanked Zhao Hai. Gazing at the Blood River, Chang Jun spoke gravely, “That’s the Blood River. Crossing it enters the Blood River region. Sect Master, rumors say a unique Qi hovers over it. Ordinary cultivators find it nearly impossible to traverse that Qi. It creates a natural shield guarding the Blood River Sea. That's why locals rarely interact with outsiders. Just a handful of teleportation arrays connect externally. Acting within, news won't spread easily. Even if it does, reinforcements face tough entry. Destroy the internal arrays, and invasion becomes arduous.”