Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8586: Suicide (1)

Once the black rope ensnared them, they thrashed wildly in desperation. They understood perfectly that capture meant a grim fate. As the third elder’s subordinates, venturing into the fifth elder’s domain to seize someone was suicidal, given their bitter enmity. Getting nabbed by the fifth elder’s forces would lead to them being flayed alive.

"Hmph!" A icy snort echoed at that instant, booming like thunder right by their ears. Their bodies stiffened, heads spinning wildly as if smashed by a massive hammer, rendering them utterly immobile.

When they regained their wits, restraints held them fast, their magical powers sealed tight. Not a twitch was possible. Recognizing their plight, they exchanged glances, clenched their jaws, and let the hidden poison in their teeth flood their mouths. In moments, their faces turned ashen blue, and they perished.

Gu Ming and his group spotted the anomaly only after death had claimed them. Shockingly, their souls had vanished entirely, as if the toxin had obliterated them too. Thus, soul-searching was out of the question for Gu Ming.

His face darkened at the sight. He’d planned to slay them post-soul search, but held back. Capturing them alive would serve as ironclad proof to confront the third elder, positioning them morally superior.

Yet these turned out to be death warriors—Island Master level ones under the third elder, a total surprise. Death warriors came in two flavors: a sect rank just above servants, typically for cultivators shy of the Profound Dharma realm. Or, elites groomed by mighty figures as utterly devoted minions, their lives in the master’s grip. On failure, they’d end themselves sans trace, often via self-detonation, though poison suicides were rarer.

Island Lord level death warriors were unheard of, for such powerhouses dominated anywhere they went, forming a faction’s elite backbone, its peak strength. Squandering them was folly; hence, no one pegged Island Lord experts as disposable.

But the third elder had molded Island Lord level experts into sacrificial pawns, and they’d duly suicided. Gu Ming never saw it coming, granting the foe that fatal window. Had he anticipated, he’d have crushed it instantly. Too late now.

Gu Ming eyed the corpses with a frigid huff. "Handle these bodies. Yu Qing, to your room for a chat." Yu Qing assented, tasking his uncle to clear the remains before guiding Gu Ming and company to his study. His prior quiet room lay ruined by the intruders, unfit for use.

In the study, Gu Ming claimed the head seat, Yu Qing and his two senior brothers taking the sides. Tea was promptly poured by a servant. After sipping, Gu Ming addressed Yu Qing: "Well handled this time, Yu Qing. You didn’t flinch at their status. Capture would’ve spelled disaster for us. Their failure leaves us secure, but this can’t drag on—they’ll strike again. Stay vigilant."

Yu Qing nodded. "Yes, Master. I plan to lock down the island, leaving just the Ghost Bone Island teleportation array open. All others seal shut, denying them another shot. Today was perilously close; had you and the senior brothers arrived moments later, I’d have been done for."

Gu Ming gave a nod and remarked, "It's wise to seal the island. We'll manage the external threats, leaving you free from concern. With the seal active, intruders can't breach it, ensuring your greater safety. Should they unleash a massive assault to shatter your island's defensive formation, hurry to my location right away. Ignore the others on the island temporarily. Signal me, and I'll rush to your aid without delay." He raised no objections to Yu Qing's choice to seal the island. To him, it stood as the smartest decision Yu Qing could have taken.

Yu Qing bowed his head in reply, though a sharp glint flickered in his gaze. For any Island Master, sealing the island marked a desperate final measure, one drenched in humiliation. By locking it down and limiting contact to Gu Ming alone, his very existence would fall wholly under Gu Ming's control. Should Gu Ming plot against him later, executing it would prove child's play. This horrific scenario was exactly what he dreaded above all. Gu Ming clearly hadn't fully trusted him yet and could strike at any moment.

Gu Ming failed to pierce Yu Qing's hidden intentions. Yu Qing had played his role masterfully before him, seeming utterly devoted. This deception convinced Gu Ming he could command Yu Qing at will, fueling his bold words. He recognized the heavy toll sealing imposed on an Island Master, yet saw it as Yu Qing's profound show of respect toward him. He had no choice but to embrace it; otherwise, he would have seized Yu Qing outright.

After issuing a few final directives to Yu Qing, Gu Ming guided his group away from Yu Qing's Island. Yu Qing escorted them to the teleportation formation prior to commanding the island's full seal. But once back in his quarters, he promptly triggered the teleportation formation, vanishing into the island's inner space to rendezvous with Cheng Wanchun.

Upon reaching the Plant Castle, attendants swiftly ushered him to Cheng Wanchun. The latter sat within his study. Spotting Yu Qing, he grinned and declared, "You've arrived—take a seat. What's troubling you? Mulling over today's chaos? Will you actually seal the island?"

Yu Qing recoiled in shock, unprepared for Cheng Wanchun's knowledge of the matter. Evidently, Cheng Wanchun and his allies kept him under watch, yet he stood powerless against it. A bitter smile twisted his lips. "What other path exists? Gu Ming and his crew are blatantly manipulating me. Sealing the island leaves me no alternative. Refusing it would only amplify the danger."

Cheng Wanchun chuckled, "Truthfully, there's no need to see it that way. The affair runs deeper than you suspect. You might not realize, but those Law Enforcement Hall disciples who visited your Island today serve the Third Elder—yet they hold a dual role. They truly hail from your own Law Enforcement Hall. Do you grasp my point?" He regarded Yu Qing with an amused smile.

Cheng Wanchun's revelation left Yu Qing momentarily dazed. His face swiftly darkened as he demanded, "Are they genuinely from the Law Enforcement Hall? Not the Third Elder's Sea Law Enforcement Hall?" Yu Qing fully understood the chasm separating those entities. Should they indeed originate from the Law Enforcement Hall, resolving this grew immensely tricky. Though not dispatched by the Sect Master, they acted under the Elder Council's directive. Dark Ghost Sect upheld a strict rule: once the Elder Council decreed something, even the Sect Master could not defy it.

Elder Council orders required no full consensus from all elders. Approval from five of the eight sufficed to enact them. Naturally, such commands first notified the Sect Master. If the Sect Master joined by the other three dissenting elders opposed it, execution halted entirely. In truth, neither the Sect Master nor those three would enforce it then. Such defiance would spark a rift between the Grandmaster and Elder Council, harming everyone involved.

This dynamic explained Yu Qing's acute anxiety upon hearing Cheng Wanchun. If those five were authentic Law Enforcement Hall elders bearing Elder Council orders, it signaled the Sect Master's likely consent. That justified their arrival at Yu Qing's Island. With their deaths occurring there, his stance had shifted to utter vulnerability.

Cheng Wanchun gazed at Yu Qing with a smile. "No need to feel nervous. Your sect master likely didn't approve this, making it a covert move by several elders. Though you've slain someone now, causing some hassle, it poses no issue for us. Should real trouble erupt and Gu Ming's group betray you, simply rush to the island and activate self-destruction. We've set everything up for your entry, dooming all others there to perish. Rest assured—we've already secured our objective."

Yu Qing froze in shock. He nodded before replying, "Then, may I bring some people in right now? You know the dire state of the island at present. I fear there won't be sufficient time to evacuate folks here if disaster truly strikes." Deep concern lingered for Uncle Yi and his companions. They had stood faithfully by his side through the harshest trials. To him, they felt like true family. He refused to let misfortune claim them, thus prioritizing their arrival here first.

Cheng Wanchun shook his head. "Don't worry. Their safety is guaranteed by me. Far too many eyes on the island track your every move. Shifting them here immediately would draw dangerous scrutiny, endangering both you and them. Have no fear. Master affirms you're one of us—today, tomorrow, and always. So cast aside these concerns."