Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8289: Observation _1

Night Demon and his companions observed that Zhao Hai rarely lingered within the manor. Instead, he spent his time scouting the vicinity of the crack or retreating into closed-door cultivation for days at a time, seemingly deep in complex calculations. Yan Bei and Zhao Wuji remained constant shadows by his side; though they offered little practical assistance, their visible tension was palpable.

From the beginning, Night Demon’s group sensed something was amiss, but being guests in unfamiliar territory, they initially remained silent and cautious. However, as Zhao Hai’s strange behavior persisted for a full month, their anxiety peaked. Finally, Night Demon decided a confrontation was necessary.

One afternoon, as Zhao Hai returned from his scouting, Night Demon stepped forward to obstruct his path. Zhao Hai shifted his gaze toward him and spoke calmly, "Oh, it is Senior Night Demon. May I ask why you are blocking my way?" Zhao Hai had anticipated this move; frankly, he was surprised it had taken Night Demon this long to confront him.

Night Demon stared at him intensely. "Zhao Hai, spare me the pleasantries. It has been weeks. What exactly are you doing? Don't you think you owe us an explanation? If you refuse to speak, I will be forced to report this to Senior Brother Li. Would you prefer to explain yourself to me, or have him demand answers from you directly?"

Zhao Hai met his gaze with a faint smile. "There is no need to use Senior Brother Li as a threat. I do not fear him. Had I been intimidated by him, I would never have come here; I would have simply followed him to dismantle those restrictions. As for my actions, I am currently analyzing the Mountain-protecting array of the Spirit Array Sect. I am searching for a way to create a crack in it. If I succeed, our safety will be significantly bolstered."

"Are you suggesting that by creating a crack in the Mountain-protecting array, we can access this Sect whenever we wish?" Night Demon asked, clearly misinterpreting the intent. His immediate thought wasn't regarding defense but rather gaining permanent entry to the Spirit Array Sect's grounds.

Zhao Hai corrected him in a solemn tone, "No, I am talking about survival. As I mentioned before, I suspect trouble is coming. The Mountain-protecting array of the Spirit Array Sect may malfunction and turn against us. My concern is that if we don't establish a crack or a passage within the next six months, we might find ourselves trapped inside with no way out. I am seeking a method to bypass the array to guarantee we aren't locked in."

Night Demon was taken aback by this revelation. He looked at Zhao Hai skeptically. "You are claiming the true threat is the Mountain-protecting array itself? How could that be? What could be so lethal about a static formation?" It was evident that Night Demon found the explanation hard to swallow.

Zhao Hai shook his head. "It is incredibly dangerous. A protective formation from a Sect like this is never simple. It is intricately tied to the Spirit Array Sect's unique Cultivation methods. From the basic techniques we’ve recovered, it’s clear their path of Cultivation was extraordinary. That is precisely why I am being so meticulous."

Night Demon lowered his voice, still doubtful. "Your words are hard to believe. If you plan to head out again tomorrow, take us with you. We need to see it for ourselves." Night Demon intended to verify Zhao Hai's claims personally. If Zhao Hai was telling the truth, it was one thing; if he was lying, he was clearly plotting something. Either way, Li Ruohai needed to be informed.

Zhao Hai gave a simple nod. "Very well. I will call for you when we depart tomorrow morning. Your assistance would be welcome. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have matters to attend to. Until tomorrow." With a brief cupped-fist salute, Zhao Hai turned and headed back to his quarters.

Once Zhao Hai was out of earshot, one of Night Demon’s subordinates whispered, "Senior Brother Night Demon, do you think he’s telling the truth? Part of me feels he might be. If it were a lie, he wouldn't invite us to watch him, would he? But if he's right, doesn't that mean Young Master Li and the others are in terrible danger?"

Night Demon replied grimly, "We will find out the truth once we follow him tomorrow. Regardless of what we find, a report must be sent to Young Master Li. Everyone, get some sleep. This mission is becoming a nightmare. Zhao Hai is far more complex than he appears. One wrong move and we might not make it out alive." He then retired to his room, leaving the others to exchange uneasy glances before they followed suit.

At dawn the following day, Zhao Hai and his companions stood in the courtyard. "Senior Brother Night Demon, we are leaving. Please join us," Zhao Hai called out. Night Demon and his four men appeared quickly. Zhao Hai nodded at the group of five and said, "Let us move." With a swift movement, he took flight and led them out of the manor.

The group soon reached the outer perimeter of the massive Mountain-protecting formation. Zhao Hai surveyed the area and spoke seriously, "Our calculations have brought us to this point. We have identified a potential weakness where a talisman was previously damaged. Though it hasn't likely been restored, we must remain vigilant. We need to pinpoint the exact vulnerability in the formation’s structure. Once we neutralize that talisman, we can gain some control over the array."

Yan Bei nodded in agreement but added, "How do we actually find those weak points? The Spirit Array Sect specialized in arrays; they wouldn't leave obvious gaps in their defenses, especially in a formation this sophisticated."

Zhao Hai replied, "There are no obvious flaws, certainly. If there were, they wouldn't be masters of the Dao of arrays. However, much like a person, every formation has its weaknesses. We will find them, but we cannot use force to test the boundaries. A direct attack would trigger a violent counter-response from the array. At our current level of Cultivation, surviving such a backlash would be nearly impossible."

"Then what is the plan? Without testing the formation with Qi, how can we differentiate between the strong and weak sections? How do we find the flaw?" Zhao Wuji asked, looking puzzled. Even with his limited knowledge of formations, he knew that probing attacks were the standard method for breaking arrays, despite the risk. Without them, the task seemed impossible.

"Calculation," Zhao Hai stated firmly. "A true master of arrays doesn't rely on brute force to find a path. They rely on logic and deduction. Now, observe closely. I will be performing an extensive series of calculations and simulations." Zhao Hai then turned his focus back to the formation with intense concentration.

Yan Bei and Zhao Wuji remained silent, mimicking Zhao Hai by staring at the Mountain-protecting formation. To the untrained eye, there was nothing unusual—just scattered vegetation, old structures, and piles of debris. It looked like a mundane landscape.

Night Demon watched them, feeling increasingly confused by their behavior. After a while, he couldn't help but ask Zhao Wuji, "What are you all staring at? I don't see anything. You've been looking at that old house for ages—what's so special about it?"

Zhao Wuji glanced back at him and explained seriously, "I am watching that house because its appearance shifts throughout the day. Right now, its shadow is faint and the bricks have a dark red hue. In the time it takes an incense stick to burn, that shadow will sharpen and the walls will turn the color of blood. These are visual cues of the array’s internal shifts. Look at the roof tiles—the fifteenth tile from the left is always the first to change. That indicates a potential node. By mapping these patterns, we can deduce the formation's structure and find a way to dismantle it. Yan Bei and I only have to observe, but Junior Brother Zhao Hai has the hardest task of processing all this data. I never realized breaking an array required this much mental effort. It has been an eye-opening experience." Having explained, Zhao Wuji returned his focus to the house.

Night Demon was stunned. He had never imagined that the art of arrays was so intricate. He turned to Zhao Hai and asked, "Junior Brother Zhao Hai, what should we be doing?" He was starting to believe that Zhao Hai was genuinely working to protect them; otherwise, he wouldn't be putting in such exhausting effort.

Zhao Hai looked over at Night Demon and the others. "Each of you should pick a specific object to monitor. Senior Brother Night Demon, you watch that tree. The rest of you, pick a pile of stones. Record every single change you see throughout the day. Tomorrow, we will compare your notes to find the underlying rhythm. This is a slow process that requires patience."

Night Demon and his men nodded and selected their targets. They began their vigil, recording every minute detail. They soon realized that staring at a single object for hours was surprisingly draining, yet they were fascinated by how much a simple object could change under the influence of the hidden Qi. It was a completely new world to them, and despite the fatigue, they found the task strangely engrossing.