Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8280: Lamentative_1

After departing from that location, Zhao Hai and his two companions drifted slowly through the Spiritual Array Sect’s secure territory. They maintained a vigilant watch as they moved, though the terrain offered little of interest. Suddenly, Zhao Hai shifted his gaze toward Zhao Wuji and asked, "Senior Brother Zhao, if we happen upon members of your Sect being besieged by disciples from other factions, would you step in to rescue them?"

Zhao Wuji was momentarily stunned by the inquiry and fell into a thoughtful silence. It was a difficult dilemma to resolve. Despite belonging to the Giant Demon Sect, there was no sense of camaraderie among the disciples chosen for this mission. He harbored no trust for his fellow Sect members; had he trusted them, he would never have chosen to act independently.

Nevertheless, the question of whether he would intervene during an ambush remained complicated. Ignoring a fellow disciple could lead to severe repercussions if that individual survived the ordeal. He would be branded with the crime of abandoning his kin. Even if the Sect did not officially prosecute him for actions taken in this lawless zone, his reputation would be utterly decimated, and his peers would treat him with hostility.

On the other hand, providing aid wasn't always beneficial. Zhao Wuji was far too experienced to believe that a rescued party would naturally feel gratitude. In the brutal world of Cultivation, instances of repaying kindness with betrayal were all too common. Being backstabbed by the very person he saved was a risk he dreaded.

Ultimately, after weighing the impossible choices, Zhao Wuji sighed. "If our paths cross directly, I would naturally have to save them. If we don't meet, however, that is a different matter entirely." His implication was clear: he would not go out of his way to seek out distressed allies. Unless he stumbled right into the center of a skirmish, he would remain uninvolved. Since the commotion of a battle is usually loud enough to be detected from a distance, he could simply use his spiritual power to identify the combatants and steer clear. As long as he remained unseen by his Sect mates, he felt no obligation to interfere.

This wasn't merely a sign of Zhao Wuji’s self-interest; it was a fundamental rule of survival in the martial world. It was common for two cultivators to stage a fake battle as a trap, baiting a third party into a rescue attempt only to slaughter them. Consequently, seasoned cultivators rarely approached ongoing fights, preferring to maintain a safe distance.

"I understand. Let’s head in a different direction," Zhao Hai remarked with a thin smile, immediately banking to the side. He had only asked the question because his senses had already picked up a battle occurring further ahead. Although the distance was too great for Zhao Wuji or Yan Bei to notice, Zhao Hai was fully aware of it. Having confirmed Zhao Wuji's stance, he saw no reason to involve them.

Zhao Wuji caught onto the hidden meaning behind Zhao Hai’s sudden change of course. He quickly asked, "Are you saying there are disciples from my Giant Demon Sect fighting up ahead? Can you tell who their opponents are?" Being a sharp individual, he immediately sought more details.

"It appears to be the Yin Yang Sect. I can detect a very potent charm technique in the air," Zhao Hai replied gravely. The Yin Yang Sect was notorious for its focus on dual Cultivation, specifically the art of 'plucking' to steal Vitality. Both their male and female disciples practiced these methods, earning them the disdain of most other Sects. Despite their vile reputation, their strength was formidable, as their specialized techniques allowed them to increase their Cultivation at an accelerated pace.

Zhao Wuji nodded silently, showing no intention of turning back. Since he lacked any personal ties to the Giant Demon Sect members currently in the fray, he felt no urge to help. His curiosity about the attackers was just that—curiosity. Even the fact that the enemy belonged to a despised Sect like the Yin Yang Sect wasn't enough to make him risk his life for strangers.

Zhao Hai glanced at his companion but remained quiet. He realized he would act the same way if the roles were reversed. Among the Blood Slaughter Sect disciples present, Yan Bei was his only true ally. Most others would likely try to kill him rather than thank him if he saved them. Thus, he felt no burden of responsibility toward them.

As the trio continued their flight, Zhao Wuji turned the question back on him. "If the person under attack was from your Blood Slaughter Sect, would you have intervened?" He wanted to gauge Zhao Hai's character, fearing that his own pragmatism might have made him appear too cold-blooded, potentially damaging their alliance.

"I would not," Zhao Hai answered simply. His bluntness caught Zhao Wuji off guard. While Zhao Wuji had left himself some moral "wiggle room," Zhao Hai’s refusal was absolute. This prompted Zhao Wuji to ask, "Why is that?"

Instead of answering directly, Zhao Hai looked toward Yan Bei. Understanding the cue, Yan Bei sighed and explained to Zhao Wuji, "It is because every other disciple from our Blood Slaughter Sect here, aside from myself, holds a deep grudge against Little Hai. They ostracized him from the moment we set out. In fact, if they saw him now, they would probably try to execute him on the spot. Little Hai has no reason to save people who want him dead. It’s better for him if they perish. As for the specifics of why they hate him, I cannot say; it is an internal Sect matter."

Zhao Wuji nodded in realization, then looked at Yan Bei curiously. "If everyone hates him, why are you so close to him? You only recently met, didn't you? Why didn't you join the others in pushing him away?"

Yan Bei shook his head. "My perspective is different. Those other disciples never actually traded blows with Little Hai, but I did during the competition. I realized then that their perception of him was entirely wrong. They see him as an enemy based on a misunderstanding, but I recognize him as a truly powerful cultivator."

Zhao Wuji burst into a sudden fit of laughter. "Fate truly has a strange sense of humor. I am an outcast within the Giant Demon Sect, and both of you are outcasts within your own. Hahaha! Three pariahs coming together to form an alliance—this is quite a development."

Yan Bei smiled and asked, "And why are you excluded?" He could see that Zhao Wuji was a rare talent. Given that Zhao Wuji had been on Death Warriors Island three years ago, he clearly hadn't reached the Profound Qi realm or become a Legacy Disciple back then. To reach the third level of the Art Essence realm in such a short time was an incredible feat of Cultivation. Usually, someone of his caliber would be surrounded by sycophants, not pushed aside.

"It is a simple story," Zhao Wuji said tonelessly. "I offended a direct descendant of a powerful Sect Elder. In our world, that is all it takes to be marginalized. It isn't anything special." Though he spoke dismissively, Zhao Hai and Yan Bei knew the gravity of the situation.

Offending the kin of a high-ranking Elder in a major Sect was a death sentence for most. Even if this Elder wasn't as supreme as the Great Elders of the Blood Slaughter Sect, they still wielded immense influence. Until Zhao Wuji became an Island Master himself, he would lack the political standing to fight back. It was likely only his immense talent that had kept the Elder from killing him outright, leaving the harassment to the lower-ranked descendants instead.

Yan Bei sighed deeply. "It seems we are all in the same boat. Our alliance is born of necessity; without each other, we would have no way to survive the schemes against us." He wasn't just lamenting their personal luck, but the state of their respective Sects.

He had once believed the Blood Slaughter Sect was a place of meritocracy where competition was fierce but fair. However, this journey had opened his eyes to the rising power of internal factions and families that rigged the system. The Giant Demon Sect was clearly suffering from the same rot. Yan Bei felt grateful for this realization; without the influence of Zhao Hai and Zhao Wuji, he might have remained naive until it was too late. This experience had provided him with both clarity and two genuine allies.