Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8720 8720: Means (1)

Zhao Hai observed the agitated crowd with a composed demeanor. He then retrieved a small jade plate from the table. This artifact bore the resemblance of a complex and peculiar magic array. Strangely, upon Zhao Hai's touch, the warm white of the jade plate shifted to black in a mere blink of an eye. The onlookers watched Zhao Hai, perplexed.

Addressing the crowd, Zhao Hai stated calmly, "Observe this jade slip. Note its color. This jade plate is not merely decorative; its sole function is to detect and absorb poison. Should anyone employ poison upon this platform, it will instantly recognize and absorb the toxin into the plate, thereby preventing further harm. The plate turns black after it has detected and absorbed the poison. Consequently, when I declared my intention to seal your cultivation, someone had already poisoned this platform."

Zhao Hai then set down the jade plate and inquired, "Does everyone comprehend my meaning?" A wave of understanding washed over them. They grasped Zhao Hai's implication: a spy from the Shadow Realm was present on the platform, fearing the sealing of their cultivation and resorting to poisoning. They stared at the jade plate in Zhao Hai's hand with shocked silence.

Zhao Hai smiled at the assembled individuals. "Spies from the Shadow Realm are indeed among you," he declared. "This confirms my prior suspicions. I do not concern myself with why you submitted to the Shadow Realm and became their informants. I offer you a chance. I can dismantle the restrictions the Shadow Realm imposed upon you. Furthermore, the Shadow Realm's forces are no match for us. You've witnessed members from the Corpse Demon Sect, the Heaven Crippling Sect, and the Sick Man Sect here. They were previously subjected to the Shadow Realm's restrictions, yet they are unharmed now. This implies that the Shadow Realm had not yet activated their control over them. Frankly, the restrictions on your persons have already been removed, thus presenting you with an opportunity. Confess your allegiance to the Shadow Realm as spies and admit to poisoning the platform. I shall grant you leniency and lift your remaining restrictions. You will then continue to be our fellow Daoists of the Blood Sea Realm. Should you refuse to confess and harbor intentions against me, that is acceptable. I will proceed to seal everyone's cultivation, rendering you incapable of action. At that juncture, we shall obliterate the Sharp Sword Sect, Poisonous Insect Valley, and even the Rahu Sect along with the Shadow Realm's army. By then, the restrictions on your bodies will remain unlifted, and you will still perish. Is there anyone willing to speak?"

Upon hearing Zhao Hai's words, the individuals from the Sharp Sword Sect and those who had escaped the Poisonous Insect Valley exchanged glances. They had never anticipated such a turn of events. While they had indeed felt insulted by Zhao Hai's intention to seal their cultivation, the revelation of actual poisoning confirmed the presence of a Shadow Realm spy. Zhao Hai was correct; opposing his current actions would undoubtedly cast suspicion upon them, a prospect they dreaded. With these thoughts, they remained silent.

Noticing the silence, Zhao Hai expressed a hint of disappointment. "Will no one step forward? It is regrettable. Very well, you may continue to wait. However, if you perish due to the Shadow Realm's restrictions, do not hold me accountable, for I have already extended a chance to you."

"Wait, Sect Leader Zhao Hai. I confess to you that I am a spy dispatched by the Shadow Realm. To ensure my compliance, they not only placed the seal you have since removed but also an additional one. I implore Sect Leader Zhao Hai to remove this final seal for me. I was also the one who administered the poison," declared an Island Lord-level expert from the Poisonous Bug Valley, stepping forward to address Zhao Hai.

Zhao Hai observed the expert from the Poisonous Bug Valley, who was at the Island Lord level, and offered a smile. "Excellent, it is good that you admit it. Come, I shall remove the seal upon you." With that, he gestured to the man. The man, momentarily stunned, still approached Zhao Hai. Zhao Hai smiled, extended his hand, and pressed a few vital acupuncture points on the man's body. Then, he patted the man's back. The man suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood. As the blood hit the ground, it immediately began to corrode, releasing black smoke; it was evident the blood was highly poisonous.

Zhao Hai looked at the man and chuckled, "Alright, I have lifted the restriction on you. However, I must still seal your cultivation. You were not the only one who poisoned me. There were a few others who did the same but remained silent. Therefore, I will proceed to seal your cultivation. But do not worry, even with your cultivation sealed, no one will mistreat you, provided we emerge victorious in the war against the Shadow Realm. Afterward, I shall lift the seal on your mana. I believe by then, it will no longer matter who the spy of the Shadow Realm was, as we will have already defeated their Army, won't we?"

The individuals from the Poisonous Bug Valley and the Surrendered Sharp Sword Sect remained silent. They all gazed at the person Zhao Hai had detoxified. A hint of resentment flickered in the eyes of some, yet no one uttered a word. They had not anticipated that Zhao Hai would offer them no leniency.

Zhao Hai regarded them with a smile. With a sweep of his hand, a vast formation materialized upon the platform, encompassing everyone. Then, with a brilliant flash of white light, the formation vanished. A wave of stunned silence fell over the crowd as they exchanged bewildered glances, uncertain of Zhao Hai's intentions.

Zhao Hai addressed the gathered individuals in a deep, resonant voice, "Now, all members of the Poisonous Insect Valley and the Sharp Sword Sect have been restricted by me. You are forbidden from using your magical power until the war concludes. The others remain unaffected, so rest assured."

The moment Zhao Hai declared this, a collective sigh of relief swept through the assembly. Zhao Hai then stood, turning to the crowd. "Very well, matters are settled. You may all disperse now. Those whose cultivation levels have been sealed will be escorted back to the Blood Slaughter Sect for immediate rest. As for the rest, make your preparations promptly. We are marching to attack the Harsh Sword Sect."

A resounding chorus of assent answered Zhao Hai. Subsequently, those whose cultivation remained unsealed departed swiftly. The individuals whose cultivation was sealed were accompanied by disciples of the Blood Slaughter Sect to a secluded area on the platform. Upon their arrival, a sudden flash of white light enveloped them, and they vanished.

Once the others had disappeared, Zhao Hai surveyed the platform where everyone had been seated and mused with a smile, "Intriguing. I never expected such steadfast loyalty to the Shadow Realm. Do they truly believe we are no match for them? Hehe, it appears the Shadow Realm must have said something to sway them, but what could they have shown them to warrant such unwavering devotion?"

After these thoughts, Zhao Hai rose and gazed toward the distant Harsh Sword Sect. He murmured, "No matter how confident you are, it is impossible to alter the fate of the Shadow Realm. Hehe, you have never comprehended that while a cultivator's strength is paramount, the art of formations holds even greater power."

This deviation had caused a brief delay for the Blood Slaughter Sect, but their readiness was soon achieved. The Blood Slaughter Sect's army advanced directly towards the Fierce Sword Sect. They eschewed complex tactics and did not target the main halls of the Fierce Sword Sect directly, instead marching forward openly and honorably. Wherever their army passed, the islands belonging to the Fierce Sword Sect either surrendered or were utterly destroyed. Not a single island could withstand the onslaught of the Blood Slaughter Sect's forces. At this point, the Sharp Sword Sect finally grasped the terrifying might of the Blood Slaughter Sect's army.

As the Blood Slaughter Sect's forces waged war against the Sharp Sword Sect, the ominous gray fog from the Shadow Realm stealthily advanced. Though it avoided direct confrontation with the Blood Slaughter Sect and the Blood Sea Alliance's established defenses, it rapidly consumed territory on two other fronts. The area engulfed by this spectral mist expanded exponentially, now surpassing the Blood Slaughter Sect's current dominion tenfold. This calculation encompassed not only the sect's original lands but also the vast territories of the Yin Yang Sect, Yin Ghost Sect, Sick Man Sect, Heaven Crippling Sect, Corpse Demon Sect, and others combined. In essence, the Shadow Realm's gray fog had infiltrated a domain equivalent to the combined might of five major sects.

These relentless advancements cast a palpable shadow of dread across the entire Blood Sea Realm. For generations, the inhabitants had believed that any land claimed by the Shadow Realm's gray fog was lost forever. The inability to reclaim even an inch of this spectral territory was a grim testament to its power. Consider the plight of the Blood Slaughter Sect; despite their unblemished record against the Shadow Realm Army and possessing a mobile island, they dared not venture into the gray fog. Their hesitation underscored the terrifying potency of the Shadow Realm's encroaching miasma.

The Shadow Realm's gray fog had now annexed the seas belonging to five distinct sects, a truly staggering feat. Should the denizens of the Shadow Realm leverage this expanded territory for a protracted conflict within the Blood Sea Realm, their expulsion would become an arduous, perhaps impossible, undertaking. Amidst this mounting crisis, a question arose from the Blood Sea Alliance: "Why does the Blood Slaughter Sect not consolidate its forces to expel the Shadow Realm intruders from our realm first?" The query continued, questioning the wisdom of their current strategy, which appeared to prioritize conflict with the six major sects over the existential threat.

Yet, Zhao Hai remained unfazed by such concerns, offering no explanations as he resolutely pursued his predetermined course. His advance was swift and brutal, culminating in his arrival at the main hall of the Fierce Sword Sect. The sect master, wielding the sect's ancestral treasure, emerged to confront Zhao Hai. However, their duel was short-lived; Zhao Hai, with his formidable God Slaying Saber, struck the decisive blow within the sect's own formation, felling the sect master. His forces then stormed the stronghold, overwhelming the Fierce Sword Sect with ease. This time, Zhao Hai showed no mercy, issuing a chilling command for a complete massacre. Any who dared resist were met with annihilation, their fates serving as a grim spectacle for the Blood Sea Realm, a stark demonstration of Zhao Hai's ruthless methods.