Bringing The Farm To Live In Another World Chapter 2265: Black-clothed Cultivator

Swish! A group of figures suddenly materialized in the clearing. Clad in grey robes, they carried various weapons strapped to their backs. Among them were those wielding blades and swords, while one individual held a long pole in his grip.

Surveying the open ground, a man carrying a broadsword spoke up, "A clash occurred here. It was a significant struggle involving six people. If I'm not mistaken, five of them were likely the Spring Breeze Bears."

A companion nearby asked with a puzzled expression, "Big Brother, aren't those Spring Breeze Bears the notorious cultivators from Springwind City? They have a foul reputation for robbery. I've heard they rarely leave any survivors behind."

The group leader nodded in affirmation, "Indeed, it was those five."

The previous speaker looked at him and continued, "Big Brother, are you certain? Aren't they body cultivators? Yet, there is a lingering scent of thunder and lightning here. Did they perhaps employ a high-level thunder talisman?"

The leader shook his head, "No. If my assessment is correct, the Spring Breeze Bears likely utilized a combat formation known as the Five Thunder Formation. By using this, they can manifest tribulation lightning for their attacks. Even a Cultivator at the Teleportation Stage would find it difficult to endure."

After inspecting the surroundings, another person remarked, "While the aura of thunder and lightning remains, I don't sense any fluctuations proving it struck a target. Judging by the energy traces, the encounter was brief. Furthermore, the scent of blood suggests the Spring Breeze Bears suffered a heavy defeat. Even with the Five Thunder Formation, they were overwhelmed. Could their opponent have been a Teleportation Stage Expert?"

The leader dismissed the idea with a shake of his head, "That’s impossible. Though the Five Spring Bears have a formation capable of threatening a Teleportation Stage Expert, they wouldn't be reckless enough to provoke one. A Teleportation Expert would sense the formation's energy in advance and avoid the trap. Moreover, as you can see, the tribulation lightning didn't hit anything; it seems to have been absorbed. Most tellingly, a lingering killing aura remains. Based on this aura, the victor was a blade user who likely used only a single strike. What a terrifying technique. A single blade was enough to crush the five bears."

Having finished his analysis, the leader closed his eyes to sense the shifts in spiritual Qi. By reading the residual Qi, he reconstructed the flow of the battle.

The other man was stunned by these words, a sentiment shared by the rest of the party. A deep-voiced man then asked, "Big Brother, who possesses the power to topple the Spring Breeze Bears with just one blade? Could it be someone from the Rogue Cultivator List?"

The Rogue Cultivator List he referred to was a registry of prominent rogue cultivators within the Forbidden Path Sect’s territory. These individuals shared a common trait: they were all exceptionally powerful and at the Earth Monarch Stage.

The leader shook his head again, "No. Our Shadow Hall specializes in gathering and selling intelligence; that Rogue Cultivator List originated from us. I am familiar with everyone on that list, and none possess this specific aura. I am certain I have never encountered this person."

The cultivator from before spoke again, "Big Brother, I heard the Forbidden Path Sect has requested Shadow Hall's assistance in identifying powerful rogue cultivators. Apparently, they wish to recruit them into the sect. Is that true?"

The leader confirmed, "The top ten on the list have already been notified by the Forbidden Path Sect. They are allowed to join without passing any entrance trials."

The cultivator mused, "So the rumors were true. Big Brother, should we take this chance to join the Forbidden Path Sect as well?"

The leader looked at him and sighed, "It isn't that simple. Do you think your troubles end once you enter the Forbidden Path Sect? Let me tell you, joining is merely the start of the struggle. The Forbidden Path Sect is unlike others. Their External Hall maintains a ranking list. If you join and remain in the bottom 100 for three years straight, you are relegated to the Miscellaneous Hall. Those in the Miscellaneous Hall live lives more miserable than rogue cultivators, burdened with endless chores and treated poorly. They have no time left for Cultivation, making it impossible to rise in rank or strength. In the Forbidden Path Sect, moving from the External Hall to the Inner Hall is as challenging as advancing from the Earth Monarch Stage to the Teleportation Stage."

The others were wide-eyed with shock. Despite living in the sect’s territory since birth, they knew very little about its inner workings. To them, the Forbidden Path Sect was a shrouded, mysterious entity. Subordinate gangs and smaller forces never dared to pry into the sect's affairs, as doing so was considered a capital offense. If the sect discovered someone investigating them, entire families would be wiped out.

Between their overwhelming power and their habit of exterminating disloyal subordinates, the Forbidden Path Sect ensured that no one dared to look too closely.

The leader addressed the group, "Enough of this talk. We must be careful not to draw the sect's attention. We came to Gale Canyon to assess the strength of the rogue cultivators here. Finding this mysterious blade user won't be easy; we must venture deeper." The group obeyed and moved forward.

Shortly after they departed, Zhao Hai reappeared. Watching them walk away, he frowned and muttered, "Shadow Hall? How curious. I didn't know such an organization existed here, or that the Forbidden Path Sect relied on them for help. Events are moving quickly. I didn't expect the sect to start recruiting powerful rogue cultivators so soon."

With a faint smile, Zhao Hai watched the group before vanishing again. He had already tagged them with liquid silver dust, ensuring he could monitor their every move. They were under his watch, whether they liked it or not.

However, Zhao Hai didn't plan to watch them constantly; having the ability to check in was sufficient. He used them as beacons to locate other formidable rogue cultivators within the sect's borders.

After traveling over ten kilometers, Zhao Hai entered a dense forest. Various beasts appeared occasionally, but they were weak and held little value. Zhao Hai didn't bother fighting them, simply collecting a few specimens for his Space as he continued his journey.

As he walked, Zhao Hai recalled the maps of Gale Canyon. He was currently in the Spirit Ape Forest. Legend said this forest was once home to Spirit Apes with strength comparable to Soul Fusion Cultivators and great combat prowess.

Tragically for the apes, their inner cores were highly prized for cultivating spiritual force. This led to them being hunted until they were completely wiped out.

Today, the Spirit Ape Forest was nothing more than a mundane woods at the canyon's mouth. Stripped of medicinal herbs and precious ores, it was essentially a wasteland of common trees and grass.

Zhao Hai ignored the desolation and enjoyed the scenery. Despite the forest's status, he was targeted by robbers five times on his first day. Every attacker was swiftly dealt with and turned into Undead for his Space.

While these failed robberies were trivial, they highlighted the lawlessness of Gale Canyon. It was even more chaotic than the rumors suggested.

The canyon grew quieter at night as cultivators focused on their meditation. Since most dangerous beasts had been hunted to extinction, the nights were relatively safe. Zhao Hai spent the night by a fire, meditating until daybreak without any interruptions.

The next morning, after a quick meal, Zhao Hai set out toward his destination: Strong Ape Mountain, a known forbidden zone within Gale Canyon.

Strong Ape Mountain was the canyon's primary danger zone. It was inhabited by a troop of apes possessing immense physical power and nearly unbreakable defenses. Most importantly, these apes lived in social groups, with some reaching the Teleportation Stage. Upon reaching that stage, they developed human-like intelligence. Combined with their natural talents, they could easily best human Teleportation Stage experts. These apes were fiercely territorial, attacking anyone who entered their domain. Over time, constant conflict with cultivators established the mountain as a forbidden area.

The only reason a full-scale war hadn't broken out was that the Strong Apes never left their mountain. As long as they stayed put, cultivators generally left them alone.

Zhao Hai's goal was simple: his Space lacked Strong Apes, and he intended to capture a few.

As he neared the mountain, the greenery became noticeably thicker. It was clear that very few people ventured this far. Zhao Hai even spotted some medicinal herbs, a sight that was non-existent in the earlier parts of Gale Canyon.

He didn't bother stopping for them, as his Space was already overflowing with such plants. Since arriving in the True Spirit Realm, Zhao Hai had been Diligently collecting flora. He could easily trade or issue missions to gather herbs, so these common varieties held no interest for him.

Suddenly, a massive explosion echoed from Strong Ape Mountain, followed by a thunderous roar. A human grunt followed the sound, making it clear that a battle was underway between a man and an ape.

Zhao Hai paused, his expression turning grave. He could tell from the sound that the ape was exceptionally powerful, likely at the Teleportation Stage.

The human opponent was also at the Teleportation Stage. While the human was physically weaker than the Strong Ape, he managed to hold his ground by using complex techniques and magical artifacts against the ape's raw instincts.

Zhao Hai’s serious expression wasn't just due to the intensity of the fight. After the Space analyzed the combatants, he realized the human's aura was familiar. It was the same black-clothed cultivator he had seen at the auction.

The identity of that mysterious figure from the Windrange Auction remained a secret. Even Ling Dong had admitted that the Forbidden Path Sect's spies couldn't uncover who he was.

To remain anonymous in this territory suggested a very high status or deep secrets. Zhao Hai was surprised to find him here in Gale Canyon. Was it a random encounter or something planned? Curious, Zhao Hai pressed on to investigate.

As he drew closer, he heard one final roar from the ape and a muffled groan from the man. Then, silence fell. Zhao Hai watched as a figure soared out of Strong Ape Mountain and sped away into the distance.

The Strong Ape let out one last, booming roar, asserting its dominance over its territory and warning others to stay away. It did not pursue the retreating man.

The flying figure caught sight of Zhao Hai. It was indeed the black-clothed cultivator from the auction, though his robes now bore the clear mark of a massive fist strike.