Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8736: Give up _1

A layer of white frost suddenly materialized upon the gray mist magical artifacts, immediately increasing their resistance. Crucially, the attacks from these artifacts now bore a frost effect, effectively thwarting the cavalry's advances.

Zhao Hai observed this development with a calm smile. "Interesting. I hadn't anticipated their combined effort. However, they've underestimated me. This approach isn't bad, though. We'll take our time; there's no need to rush." He then turned to the formation master beside him. "Formation Elder, deploy your vines and clear a path. Send a contingent into the gray fog to probe their defenses. Don't venture too deep; allow the disciples some maneuverability. Allowing them to simply observe will surely dampen their morale."

The formation elder acknowledged the order. Instantly, countless vines emerged from behind them, circumventing the immediate battlefield and extending from the flank into the gray fog. As the vines writhed, they churned open a passage within the fog, creating an area devoid of its oppressive presence.

The assembled disciples of the Blood Kill Sect, having received prior instructions, surged forward. Leading the charge was a Dharma array platform, drawn by a massive magical artifact. The disciples followed closely behind, advancing directly into the gray fog.

The Lord of Beiwei witnessed this maneuver, his expression shifting. He promptly redirected a portion of his focus to commanding the gray fog to assault the newly formed passage. The colossal hands formed from the gray mist and the accompanying magical tools relentlessly battered the vines within the passage, but the vines held firm.

Swiftly, the vanguard of the Blood Kill Sect disciples penetrated the passageway. Upon entry, the array platform unleashed a barrage of energy cannons in all directions. They paid no mind to the potential proximity of Shadow Realm forces; their objective was clear: breach the gray fog, and victory would be secured, regardless of whether the enemy was directly struck.

Under the onslaught of their attacks, the gray fog surrounding the passage gradually thinned. Observing this erosion, the King of Northern Wei's countenance changed drastically. He immediately turned to the King of Southern Wei. "Old Nantou, quickly, attend to that tunnel! Freeze those vines solid. We cannot permit them to persist."

King Nanwei also registered the unfolding situation and felt a grudging admiration for Zhao Hai's ingenuity. He marveled at the man's myriad strategies, particularly this unexpected method of carving a breach directly into the gray fog. Though the opening was shallow, merely a few hundred feet deep, the impact on the gray fog was undeniably severe.

Without a word, King Nanwei gestured, launching a sphere of white light directly towards the vines. The light struck true, and at a visibly rapid pace, frost began to encase the vines. As the frost spread, the vines' movements became sluggish, and they teetered on the brink of succumbing to the gray fog's assault.

At this critical juncture, the Blood Kill Sect disciples, as if guided by a signal, promptly withdrew from the gray fog. By the time they retreated, the vines had snapped, and the sections afflicted by frost shattered. They then executed a rapid disengagement.

Both the Lords of Southern Wei and Northern Wei breathed a collective sigh of relief at this turn of events. However, their respite was short-lived as they suddenly perceived the surrounding blood mist transforming into blood mist cavalry. These riders, brandishing long spears, began a sweeping charge towards the gray fog. As far as the eye could see, they advanced in all directions.

The Lord of Beiwei felt as though he had been dealt a staggering blow. Stars swam before his eyes. He understood acutely that despite expanding the gray fog over such a vast expanse, his control over it was not absolute. The sheer scale of the gray fog, coupled with his insufficient mental power, rendered full dominion impossible. In numerous areas, the fog served merely as concealment for the Shadow Realm's stationed forces.

Should Zhao Hai truly unleash such a multitude of blood mist cavalry to assault the entirety of the gray fog's coverage, the fog in certain sectors would dissipate swiftly. At that point, the embedded Shadow Realm army would be forced to confront the charge of the blood mist cavalry. Even if they managed to repel the assault, the Shadow Realm army would sustain devastating casualties.

The king of Southern Wei also noted the expression on the king of Northern Wei’s face. "What's wrong?" he inquired immediately. The king of Southern Wei understood that someone as proud as the king of Northern Wei wouldn't react that way without encountering something of great import, prompting his swift question.

The king of Northern Wei observed the charging blood mist cavalry and stated gravely, "The expanse of the gray fog is immense, with many areas beyond my effective control. A large contingent of our Army is stationed there. If we allow the blood mist cavalry to charge unchecked, the gray fog might dissipate rapidly. Consequently, the troops inside would be forced to confront the blood mist cavalry's assault, which is undesirable."

Upon hearing the Lord of Northern Wei's words, the Lord of Southern Wei's demeanor shifted. "Quickly, issue the order for all troops stationed at the outer perimeter to retreat! We can cede a portion of the gray fog, but the Army must withdraw. What is the maximum controllable area you can presently manage? We shall abandon the outer gray fog and consolidate our focus on the region you can effectively command," the more experienced King Nanwei decided promptly.

The king of Northern Wei offered no further comment, merely nodding. "Very well, I shall dispatch the order immediately." He then promptly dispatched a messenger. Simultaneously, with his intimate knowledge of the garrison troop locations, he began to consolidate his control. Though he couldn't command the entirety of the gray fog, he could influence the areas where the garrison troops were situated. Thus, he swiftly manipulated the gray fog, drawing the stationed troops into its depths.

At this juncture, the blood mist cavalry surged into the gray mist. The portions of the gray mist not under the king of Northern Wei's command quickly fractured and vanished. This was a full-scale assault; save for the vanguard and rear, all the blood mist transformed into cavalry, overwhelming the gray mist and causing its swift dissolution.

Fortunately, the Southern Wei Lord's swift reaction and the Northern Wei King's decisive action prevented disaster. The garrison troops were withdrawn with great speed. Consequently, despite the dissipation of the gray fog, no casualties occurred. This outcome brought a collective sigh of relief to the king of Northern Wei and his associates. Subsequently, the king of Northern Wei cast a cold snort towards the still-charging Shadow Realm cavalry. "I can maintain control over approximately one-fifth of the current gray fog's area. However, it is currently somewhat diminished. At best, I can manage one-tenth of the present expanse, a zone where I can freely conduct attacks, defenses, and troop movements."

King Nanwei nodded in agreement. "Excellent, we shall fortify this one-tenth portion of the gray fog. We will transform it into our most formidable defensive bastion. Let us see if they truly possess the capacity to squander their resources on a protracted engagement. I refuse to believe they can sustain such a war of attrition indefinitely. As long as we hold our ground, we can effectively exhaust them to their demise."

"Agreed, we shall engage in this protracted struggle. Victory is our objective. I shall personally ensure Zhao Hai meets his end," the Lord of Northern Wei declared with a deep voice. With a mental command, his palace retreated towards the heart of the gray fog. The Lord of Northern Wei had formulated a new strategy: utilizing the Lone Island Market as their central point, they would preserve a segment of gray fog roughly three times the size of the Corpse Demon Sect’s sea territory. This area would be entirely under his command and represent the zenith of his gray fog's power. As the gray fog expanded, its strength would correspondingly increase. He harbored no doubt that he would eventually triumph over Zhao Hai.

Having arrived at this realization, the Lord of Northern Wei suddenly perceived his prior miscalculation. He ought not to have permitted the gray fog to expand so extensively. Had he maintained the gray fog in its most potent state, he could have directly assaulted the Blood Slaughter Sect's forces. Perhaps, by now, he would have annihilated their army, circumventing these present complications.

This thought filled the Lord of Northern Wei with a surge of irritation. He chided himself for the error, yet understood that rectifying it was impossible. It was a mistake he had made, and no amount of anger could undo it. He could only release a prolonged sigh, his resolve hardening. He was determined to restore the gray fog to its former strength as swiftly as possible and deliver a harsh lesson to Zhao Hai and his cohort.

With the adjusted strategy, Zhao Hai observed that the gray fog became more manageable. Even the formidable barriers previously employed against the blood mist cavalry had vanished. The gray fog now seemed like a vast expanse, easily fragmented with each assault.

Despite this apparent ease, Zhao Hai felt no elation. He was certain that the forces from the Shadow Realm wouldn't abandon their efforts so readily. There had to be an underlying motive, though he couldn't grasp its nature. Nevertheless, he maintained his caution, refraining from allowing the disciples of the Bloody Massacre Sect to venture carelessly into the gray fog. Occasional probing attacks were launched, always under the protective aegis of the elder array.

As the Bloody Massacre Sect continued its offensive, the gray fog visibly receded. This progress stirred excitement among the disciples, who readily engaged in sporadic attacks. Though no Shadow Realm combatants were sighted, the dispersal of the gray fog brought them considerable joy. This sentiment was particularly strong among the cultivators from the six major sects, who, having suffered a defeat in their sole prior engagement with the Shadow Realm forces, reveled in this newfound advantage.

Zhao Hai, however, remained unconvinced. He had begun to suspect the true intentions of the Northern Wei King and his allies. This dawning realization, rather than bringing comfort, filled him with unease. He understood with chilling clarity that if the Northern Wei King's plans came to fruition, future battles would present far greater challenges.