Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8677: Sudden change (1)

"What is this? Where did this poison originate from?" Hearing the cultivator's words, Li Ruohai's expression shifted dramatically. It must be known that the total number of soldiers they had marshaled for this campaign was only around a million. Yet, a staggering 600,000 of them had been afflicted by poison. How could this be possible? Who would dare to carry out such a heinous act?

The cultivator, with sweat beading on his forehead, cast a glance at Li Ruohai. He stated in a deep voice, "Alliance Master, upon investigation, we discovered that Wei Zhen's contingent, which we observed earlier, has completely vanished. Their massive magical artifacts stand empty. Therefore, we hypothesize that Wei Zhen's group may be responsible for the poisoning."

Li Ruohai was momentarily stunned by this revelation. Grit ting his teeth, he declared, "Damn it! As cultivators, we are now aiding the forces of the Shadow Realm! If I ever lay eyes on you again, I shall tear you limb from limb! Relay the order: all personnel are to immediately board the large magical artifacts and commence a full retreat!"

Before the cultivator could even acknowledge the command, a deafening barrage of drums echoed through the air. Then, formations of Shadow Realm soldiers emerged from the swirling gray mist. Leading the charge was a thousand-strong contingent of shadow generals, mounted atop colossal pythons. Despite their mounts, their formation remained impeccably orderly as they advanced to the forefront of the Shadow Realm army.

Witnessing this unfolding situation, Li Ruohai's countenance turned ashen. He bellowed, "Those unpoisoned shall defend the rear! The afflicted must retreat with all haste!" No sooner had the order been issued than a clamor erupted from within the ranks. Li Ruohai looked up, aghast, to see several of the large ritual implements retreating without his command, their speed escalating with alarming rapidity. It appeared they were preparing to flee.

Li Ruohai's mind reeled. He understood that with the army still largely intact, a portion designated to guard the rear would provide an opportunity for the poisoned to escape. If an antidote could be found, they would certainly recover. However, any premature retreat would shatter their formation, allowing the enemy to exploit the opening and spell their utter ruin.

He had harbored fears of such a scenario, but never expected it to materialize. His eyes, now bloodshot, fixed on the retreating large Dharma artifacts as he roared, "Who is it? Who dared to retreat without my explicit orders?" Li Ruohai felt on the verge of madness. He knew all too well that if one unit bolted, the others would inevitably follow, rendering any attempt at control utterly futile.

At that precise moment, an attendant beside him spoke, "Sect Master, it is the forces of the Rahu Sect." Each sect possessed uniquely identifiable large-scale magic weapons. A keen observer could readily discern which fleeing artifact belonged to which faction. Li Ruohai, in his earlier agitation, had failed to notice this crucial detail.

Upon learning it was the Rahu Sect, Li Ruohai let out a furious cry to the heavens, "You are incapable of achieving anything, yet adept at ruining all! Rahu Sect, you are truly unworthy of your heritage!" So enraged was he that words failed him as he observed the large magical equipment of other sects also making their escape, mirroring the Rahu Sect's panicked withdrawal.

Suddenly, a rapid drumming sounded once more. Li Ruohai turned to see the Shadow Realm army, now reformed, commencing their charge under the rhythmic beat of the drums. Though their numbers were fewer than 200,000, their formation was impeccably organized. Once again, the shadow generals astride their giant pythons led the vanguard, a force of approximately 10,000.

The Shadow Realm forces advanced with startling speed. The distance between the two armies was minimal, allowing the Shadow Realm soldiers to swiftly reach the Allied defense lines. However, these defenses were clearly not fully prepared. Numerous sections of the newly erected fortifications remained inactive, and with the majority of the soldiers contemplating escape, their resolve to fight had significantly diminished. Consequently, the defense line proved utterly ineffectual.

Adding to the frustration, nearly all the massive celestial devices required time to power up, meaning their initial speed was sluggish. Before they could gain momentum, the Shadow Realm's Army descended. Many of these grand devices became entangled in direct assaults. At this critical juncture, the resistance offered by some of the large celestial devices was virtually nonexistent, as few within them remained unpoisoned. They could only muster the activation of the devices, rendering any defense impossible.

The shadow generals leading the charge paid no mind to these stationary contraptions. They surged forward, leaving the immobilized celestial devices to the shadow soldiers behind them. Their singular objective was clear: the large celestial devices already in the process of accelerating.

Witnessing this unfold, Li Ruohai's eyes blazed with fury. He let out a cold snort and declared with a deep voice, "Pass on my command: all large-scale Dharma artifacts of the Corpse Demon Sect are to commence withdrawal. Those unaffected by poison are to assemble at the Demon King's coffin. We will hold the rear. Those who are poisoned must depart immediately on the other large-scale Dharma artifacts. Hurry!" He directed this order to the Corpse Demon Sect elder standing nearby, who acknowledged and promptly turned to relay the instructions.

Swiftly, all the large ritual implements belonging to the Corpse Demon Sect began to shift. The unpoisoned individuals disembarked and congregated around the Demon King's coffin. Meanwhile, the other large ritual implements initiated a slow retreat. Several elders and experts at the Island Lord level from the Corpse Demon Sect remained, gradually forming a protective circle around Li Ruohai.

Their strategic maneuver did not go unnoticed by the Army of the Shadow Realm, which immediately converged upon them. Even the shadow generals who had been pursuing the accelerating large spiritual artifacts began to regroup in their direction. At this point, less than 100,000 individuals had gathered around Li Ruohai, with the rest having succumbed to the poison.

Upon seeing that nearly two-thirds of his forces were lost, Li Ruohai's expression darkened further. He surveyed the encircling forces of the Shadow Realm and proclaimed loudly, "All members of the Corpse Demon Sect, heed my words! Attack their shadow general formation!" With that, he leaped upward, his hand executing a smooth motion. The Yin-Yang Death Mirror materialized in his grasp, its Yin-Yang fish emblem spinning. Two beams of black light erupted from the mirror, striking directly at the shadow general formation. The other members of the Corpse Demon Sect also unleashed their attacks, directing a barrage of various ritual implements towards the formation. Concurrently, the Demon King's coffin began to stir, slowly rotating to face a different direction. It gradually accelerated, charging towards the shadow general formation. However, having just been activated, the Demon King's coffin moved at a considerably slow pace.

At this critical moment, an immense volume of gray fog materialized around Li Ruohai and his companions. Li Ruohai felt the death light he had unleashed dissipate into the nebulous gray mist as if sinking into a sea of mud, leaving no trace of its impact. Simultaneously, he observed that tendrils of the gray fog had begun to ensnare the Demon King's coffin like grasping tentacles. The colossal coffin, despite its struggles, found itself completely immobilized.

Witnessing this dire situation, a shiver of dread coursed through Li Ruohai. A terrifying realization dawned upon him: this gray fog might well be a celestial device—an impossibly vast and sinister one. If that were the case, their survival hinged on an immediate escape.

This pressing thought eclipsed all else. Without hesitation, he roared, "All within the Corpse Demon Sect, listen! Break through the encirclement, now! This gray fog is a magic weapon. Flee swiftly, as many as you possibly can!" As he spoke, the Death Mirror in his hand discharged more death light. Upon contact with the gray fog, the light carved a temporary passage, though the mist soon sealed it. Nevertheless, this brief window was sufficient. The gray fog had only just enveloped their immediate vicinity, allowing for a potential escape. Should more of the fog manifest, their chances of breaking free would vanish entirely.

The others from the Corpse Demon Sect also caught Li Ruohai's words, and an immediate sense of wrongness washed over them. Their expressions shifted drastically, and they launched an unthinking assault on the gray fog, fleeing as they attacked. By sheer luck, the encroaching gray mist had only just enveloped them, and they managed to escape its range, having only ventured about ten miles out. Once clear of the oppressive fog, they whipped their heads around to see it relentlessly rolling forward. Utterly terrified, they didn't dare linger, instead streaking straight ahead. Some even plunged directly into the swirling blood mist, perhaps harboring a desperate hope it could shield them from the gray fog. Even if it failed to block the encroaching mist, they reasoned, they would be less visible to any pursuers, thus increasing their chances of a successful escape.

Li Ruohai too had plunged into the blood mist, giving no thought to anything else but his own survival. He had only just been granted a second lease on life and had no intention of meeting his end here. Escape was paramount, overriding all other concerns. He simply had to run, run, and keep on running, disregarding the fate of the Allied forces or the disciples of the Corpse Demon Sect. His sole focus was to preserve his own life.

After an immeasurable stretch of time, even Li Ruohai, with his profound cultivation, began to feel the gnawing fatigue. Finally, he broke free from the blood sea. Glancing around, he found himself adrift in the immense expanse of blood, with nothing else in sight. He was completely disoriented, unable to ascertain any direction, but at least the terrifying gray fog was no longer visible.

Li Ruohai exhaled a long breath, yet his relief was short-lived as his face soon contorted in dismay. Though he had escaped with his life, he was utterly alone. He had no idea about the state of the Allied forces, how many had managed to flee, or the disposition of the Corpse Demon Sect members. Had all the elders made it out? The defeat had been catastrophic and swift, happening far too quickly for anyone to anticipate. The realization that they had already lost struck Li Ruohai like a dagger twisting in his heart.