Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8564 8564: Suspicion _1

While Zhao Hai and his companions enjoyed a period of relative tranquility, the Blood Sea Realm was spiraling into turmoil. The spark for this chaos was the total annihilation of the Tang family within the Yin Yang Sect. It was an unprecedented occurrence. The Yin Yang Sect stood as one of the nine premier sects, and the Tang family was a renowned pillar among them, boasting immense strength. Their sudden, overnight extinction served as a devastating blow to the sect's prestige.

This was far more grave than the mere loss of thirty Island Lord level experts. To the Yin Yang Sect, which possessed an arsenal of over ten thousand such masters, losing thirty was technically insignificant. However, the symbolic impact was catastrophic. It was a far more humiliating slap to their faces than when the Ghostwind bandits razed two islands of the Yin Ghost Sect.

Although the Yin Yang Sect often maintained a low profile and held a questionable reputation among the elite, their power was undeniable. Regardless of their temperament, such a direct insult to their pride could not be ignored. As guardians of one of the nine great sects, they were an entity others feared to provoke; yet, here they stood, victims of a massacre. How could they simply endure such shame?

Enraged, the entirety of the Yin Yang Sect mobilized. They launched internal purges and desperate investigations, scouring the realm to hunt down the culprits. They were determined to identify and execute whoever possessed the audacity to challenge them.

Yet, weeks passed without a single lead. Initially, the Yin Yang Sect was certain no internal party was involved, as no local faction possessed the capability to wipe out the Tang clan with such surgical silence.

A secondary theory emerged: that the Tang family had been poisoned before their execution. The specific nature of this toxin remained unknown, along with the killer's motive for stabbing them afterward—a confusing detail that only deepened the mystery.

In a bid to uncover the truth, the Yin Yang Sect sought the expertise of alchemists from the Poisonous Insect Valley. Secretly gathered blood samples from the Tang family's islands were handed over for rigorous analysis. The results from the Valley experts were chilling: the clan had not been poisoned, but rather incapacitated by a potent knockout powder. While not directly lethal, this substance guaranteed incapacitation for an entire day and night, rendering the victims entirely oblivious to their surroundings, no matter the provocation.

The most terrifying revelation was that this agent seemingly bypassed all levels of Cultivation. An Island Lord, and even a cultivator of the Profound Dharma Realm, would fall into this forced slumber just as easily. The implications were nightmarish. Even a timeframe of an hour, let alone a full day, provided more than enough window for an enemy to inflict irrevocable damage. Upon hearing these findings, representatives from both the Yin Yang Sect and the Poisonous Insect Valley were struck with profound dread.

Word spread like wildfire, yet the nature of this knockout agent remained a complete enigma. The nine great sects scrambled to investigate; if such a substance could reach mass production, even an ordinary low-level cultivator might possess the means to terminate an Island Lord. This posed a direct threat to their entire hierarchy and stability. The nine great sects collectively decided that such a dangerous variable could not be allowed to exist.

While the masters initially attempted to suppress the information, the scale of the leak made secrecy impossible. The Blood Sea Realm was in an uproar as every faction frantically hunted the creator of this substance.

Meanwhile, Yu Qing had also caught wind of the rumors. Secluded on his own island, he watched as Zhao Hai and his men finished establishing a defensive formation. He noted, with growing trepidation, that it far exceeded the complexity of his original enchantments. Outside of this fortification, he found no other traces of their activity. He remained unconvinced that Zhao Hai had done nothing else; it was out of character for them to be so altruistic without an underlying agenda, yet he lacked the proof to confirm his suspicions.

When news of the mysterious knockout drug reached him, Yu Qing was rattled. It was startling to realize the Ghost Shadow group held such a potent weapon. He knew silence was now survival. Any connection to the mysterious group would ensure his swift demise, and failing to locate them offered no comfort either.

Yu Qing lived on edge. He observed the frantic searching of the Blood Sea Realm, but there were no leads. Because the drug had not reappeared since the Tang massacre, the investigation hit a dead end. Without understanding exactly how the Tang family’s home had been breached, justice remained beyond their reach.

Despite the Yin Yang Sect combing through the bloodstains and deploying secret techniques, they found nothing. It was a maddening stalemate.

Yu Qing played the part of the oblivious bystander, fully aware that any slip of the tongue would be fatal. When Gu Ming had reached out previously to probe for any involvement on Yu Qing's part, he had denied everything with practiced calm.

Though the Yin Yang Sect had no actionable intelligence, their pride ensured they wouldn't stop easily. They were, after all, one of the nine great sects.

For now, Zhao Hai had ceased issuing orders. While confused, Yu Qing was relieved. He correctly deduced that inaction was his best shield; the more one moves, the more flaws one reveals.

The intensity of the investigation would eventually dilute; a sect of such magnitude could not devote its entire focus to a single incident forever. The spotlight would fade in time.

However, just as he began to relax, a new report sent a jolt of terror through him. A mysterious assassin organization known as the Ghost Shadow group was reportedly accepting high-stakes contracts, specifically targeting Island Lord level practitioners within smaller sects. Speculation began to swirl that they were responsible for the fall of the Tang family. Though unverified, the mere proximity of the rumors had Yu Qing breaking into a cold sweat. His dread deepened when Gu Ming sent word, demanding his immediate presence at Ghost Bone Island.

Yu Qing managed his few island servants—mostly remnants of the Yu family—with little effort. Leaving his post, he traveled directly to meet his master.

He arrived at the quiet chamber where Gu Ming cultivated. It was a simple, Spartan room, though he knew the structure was forged from high-grade defensive metal. It possessed the unique ability to isolate spiritual sense while simultaneously drawing in ambient spirit Qi, creating an optimal environment for cultivation.

Entering the chamber, Yu Qing offered a deep, respectful bow. "Disciple Yu Qing greets Master!" he intoned, maintaining flawless decorum.

Gu Ming gestured for him to rise, his gaze heavy. "Yu Qing, I have summoned you to discuss the Tang family’s destruction. Tell me truthfully—how does this involve you? If there is a connection, speak now; I will not hold it against you."

Yu Qing replied quickly, "Master, that slaughter has nothing to do with me. While my hatred for the Tang family is absolute, my current strength remains far beneath their own. I had no hand in their demise."

Gu Ming leaned forward, his voice a low, gravelly tone. "And what of this Ghost Shadow group? Do you have any ties to these assassins?" He stared intensely at Yu Qing, his suspicion palpable. With the Tang family dead, he couldn't help but scrutinize his pupil, whose personal vendetta made him the most logical person of interest.