Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8526: Back (1)

"Master, are they still in their original positions?" Wen Butong stared at the Withered Leaf Master. The elder shut his eyes and probed the area around them. Moments later, he shook his head and replied, "They’ve vanished. They’ve shifted from their starting spot, yet they remain close by. Give me a moment to check thoroughly." With that, he sealed his eyes once more and methodically scanned the vicinity. Then, he opened them and indicated a certain direction. "That’s where they are, approximately 50,000 miles away."

Wen Butong and his companions swiftly clustered around the island’s map. A detailed examination caused their brows to knit together. The adversaries had taken up position within the Xuan Qing Sect. All their forces had been redeployed there, reinforced by numerous personnel from different islands. This arrangement formed a complete blockade around the foes. Confirming the exact spot would allow them to advance right away, envelop the enemy, and crush them utterly.

However, the opponents had now slipped beyond their trap, avoiding the Xuan Qing Sect and other sects alike. The waters they occupied lay in a barren stretch of the sea adjacent to the Blood River Sea. Encircling them from that location would prove challenging.

Wen Butong creased his forehead while eyeing the sea area. "Their escape to this spot creates real difficulties, as we can’t enclose them easily. Charging straight ahead would just let them slip away through the opposite side. What do you all think? Any solid plans?"

The rest examined the map with furrowed brows. Abruptly, Shang Xuanzi spoke up. "Could it be they realized we’d spotted them and fled on purpose? Why else would they vanish the instant the Withered Leaf Master detected them? From how they first showed up, it looked like they were gearing up to strike at us."

At those words, the group paused in surprise. They all turned toward the Withered Leaf Master, eager for his take. After all, he had employed that secret art himself. The Withered Leaf Master knitted his brows at Shang Xuanzi’s suggestion and responded, "I employed the Divine Courage of the Buddha Sect. Unless the foes have also mastered a Buddha Sect divine ability, they couldn’t have noticed my technique. Still, if they truly know the Divine Courage of the Buddha Sect, detecting it wouldn’t be impossible. That scenario would spell major trouble."

Wen Butong also scowled and declared gravely, "It appears they’ve caught on to us. Here’s what we do: since they’re outside any sect’s domain, let’s hold off for a couple of days and observe their next action. Whichever sect they target after that, we dispatch our forces without delay to encircle them. Then we wipe them out completely."

The assembly agreed with nods. Clearly, Wen Butong’s proposal stood as the strongest option. With the enemy roaming free of sect territories, encirclement remained out of reach. In that situation, eliminating them proved impossible. Should they flee, tracking would turn arduous. Thus, waiting for their move was essential. Pinpointing their location afterward would enable decisive action.

Noting the lack of dissent, Wen Butong went on. "Relay orders to the disciples: rest up fully, yet stay battle-ready. The moment we locate them, we strike to annihilate. Also, every sect must deploy all portable teleportation arrays. Upon discovery, we teleport in via those arrays and eradicate them."

The others acknowledged the command. They understood that regardless of the enemy’s subsequent steps, swift elimination was crucial. Allowing escape would bring dire consequences. If those foes exited the Blood River Sea, they might reveal the local secrets. That would doom them all. The nine great sects would never forgive such a breach.

Unbeknownst to them, the nine great sects might already be aware of their presence. The sects held back not out of ignorance but to strike only as the Millennium War loomed. Acting prematurely risked leaving survivors who could bide their time in hiding, emerging during the war to inflict severe damage. That would complicate matters further. Better to let them thrive under a false sense of security, then cripple them entirely at the Millennium War’s onset, ensuring no quick recovery. Even if remnants survived, they’d pose no threat amid the chaos.

This strategic patience explained the nine great sects’ inaction. They knew of Zhao Hai and his group’s assaults on Blood River Sea sects but dismissed it. In their view, clashes between the Ghostwind Bandits and Blood River Sea forces benefited them either way. Ideally, both sides would exhaust each other grievously, leaving the sects to mop up the remnants.

Over the recent days, Zhao Hai and his allies had enjoyed solid rest. With Laura steering the vessel, she selected their hideouts. Her command skills surpassed Zhao Hai’s in this regard. For the ongoing conflict, Zhao Hai planned to delegate battles involving cultivators below Island Lord rank to her. He, alongside Chang Jun and fellow Island Lords, would confront the enemy’s top-tier experts.

Though their Island Lord count hovered near two hundred, the aliens bolstered their ranks substantially. Zhao Hai felt assured in a direct clash, yet a brief respite was needed to restore peak condition across the board.

Three days of recovery passed. Zhao Hai assessed the group’s readiness. Satisfied with their refreshed state, he summoned them all. Assembling in the plaza, they faced him as he spoke solemnly. "The Blood Slaughter Sect has endured massive upheaval. We can no longer expose our true faces. Robbery has become our path for survival, yet never forget: you hail from the Blood Slaughter Sect, a pinnacle power in the Blood Sea Realm. Hold fast to your heritage. Our current struggles are fleeting. This won’t last eternally."

The crowd absorbed Zhao Hai’s words in silence. He scanned their faces and pressed on. "As members of the Blood Slaughter Sect, we’re no pushovers for casual handling. The Blood River Sea alliance targets us, believing we cower and evade open combat. But today, we shatter that illusion. We charge into battle directly. Let them grasp that the Blood Slaughter Sect isn’t for the faint-hearted to challenge. It’ll be fierce, yet victory is ours. Once we’ve crushed them all, our dominance will shine. The world will learn we’re untouchable. Do you stand ready?"

"Yes! Absolutely! We do!" Roars of enthusiasm erupted, eyes blazing with zeal toward Zhao Hai. In their darkest hours, he shone as their guiding star, steering them clear of pitfalls. With Zhao Hai leading, no obstacle seemed insurmountable.

Surveying the fervent assembly, Zhao Hai intoned deeply. "Arm yourselves. A massive clash awaits in the coming days. Victory here will let us conquer the entire Blood River Sea. All within it will bow to us. This marks the dawn of reclaiming the Blood Slaughter Sect’s splendor!"

A thunderous affirmation rang out. Zhao Hai addressed them once more. "Dismissed. Return to quarters, rest briefly, and remain poised for combat anytime!" With resounding energy, the troops mobilized. Zhao Hai alerted Laura, who promptly redirected the small ship toward the Xuan Qing Sect. Intelligence confirmed the Blood River Sea alliance’s intent for a final showdown in Xuan Qing territory.

Upon Zhao Hai’s group reentering Xuan Qing Sect grounds, the Withered Leaf Master detected it instantly and informed Wen Butong and the rest. Hearing the news, Wen Butong brimmed with delight. He hadn’t anticipated their bold return—a true windfall.

Wen Butong hastily convened everyone in the Xuan Qing Sect’s grand hall. Though it was Xuan Qing domain, his role as alliance head granted authority. This collective defense elevated his stature among them. Thus, meetings occurred in the sect’s main audience chamber.

Once assembled, Wen Butong addressed the Withered Leaf Master directly. "Master, their current whereabouts?" He feared another evasion, prompting this double-check on Zhao Hai’s position.

The Withered Leaf Master sensed anew, then murmured lowly. "They’ve returned to their prior spot and halted movement. It looks like they plan to assault the Xuan Qing Sect after all!" Though the mind-sensing art was potent, it didn’t pierce thoughts directly. It relied on detecting presences via intuition. Distance drained more power—the reason his initial scan of Zhao Hai’s group had exhausted him greatly. Subsequent checks demanded far less effort; a simple eye-closure sufficed to locate them.