Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8295: The deal (1)

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Thunderous impacts echoed as massive fists struck a colossal shield from every angle. Upon the barrier, the Yin Yang fish symbol rotated incessantly. Despite the shield’s violent trembling, it successfully repelled the onslaught of those heavy blows.

Standing within the manor, Li Ruohai wore a grim expression, his battle corpse looming silently at his side. Simultaneously, over three hundred cultivators were gathered in the first courtyard’s training field. With their palms pressed firmly against the earth, they were desperately funneling their Dharma power into the ground to sustain the defense.

Their endurance, however, hit a wall after just one hour, leaving them on the brink of total exhaustion. Noticing their flagging strength, Li Ruohai barked an order, "Second group, move out!" At his command, a fresh wave of three hundred cultivators swarmed into the arena. They immediately took their positions, pressing their hands to the floor to surge their magical power into the foundation. The previous group rose unsteadily, weaving through the newcomers to find rest on the courtyard's second floor.

The barrage of fists continued relentlessly against the shield. The second rotation managed to hold for a single hour before their strength failed, forcing Li Ruohai to cycle in yet another group. The pattern repeated; this third unit lasted only an hour before the fourth took over. After ten grueling hours had passed, the initial group of cultivators was forced back into the arena. Though they hadn't fully recovered their Qi, they had no choice but to resume the struggle. This time, they couldn't even maintain the shield for a full hour before retreating. The second group followed, but the cycle was failing. Ten rotations of manpower had barely bought them eight hours before everyone reached their absolute limit.

Fortunately, as they finished their second full rotation, the intensity of the assault finally waned. Only three fists continued their rhythmic battering, while the others ceased. The inhabitants of the manor scrambled to utilize this reprieve for rest. They knew this was a vital necessity; in a few short hours, the full-scale attack would inevitably resume. If they failed to recover, the shattering of the shield would signal their certain doom.

Li Ruohai exhaled a long, weary breath as he watched the fist attacks subside. Suddenly, Zhao Hai materialized at his side. The moment Li Ruohai spotted him, he demanded, "What’s the status?" He was referring to the magical formation. Li Ruohai was desperate for Zhao Hai to repair the array immediately so they could shatter the mountain-protecting formation and escape this trap.

They had endured this relentless siege for over twenty days. Including the time since the initial mutation began, they had been trapped here for a month and a half. It had been an agonizing ordeal, and the survivors were nearing their breaking point. Li Ruohai understood clearly that they couldn't hold out for more than a few more days. He had personally intervened in the defense several times; without his strength, the perimeter would have surely fallen by now.

"Just hold on for another twenty-four hours. The formation is nearly finished," Zhao Hai stated in a somber tone. "If we can survive the enemy’s next major push, the array will be functional. You have my word!" Zhao Hai knew he had to provide them with a concrete timeline. Hope was the only thing keeping their willpower from snapping.

Li Ruohai’s eyes shimmered with renewed light upon hearing this. He stared at Zhao Hai, asking, "Is that the truth? Only one more cycle until it's done? Can we actually get out of here?" He found it hard to believe. They had survived for over a month, and many were mentally collapsing. Had they not been cultivators with disciplined Hearts of Stone, they would have surrendered to despair long ago.

Zhao Hai replied firmly, "It is the truth, I promise. Progress has been swifter than I anticipated. Given the circumstances, everyone is putting their lives on the line, and this is the maximum speed we can achieve. Inform the others: if we withstand one more assault and the enemy's pressure dips again, we will trigger the array, shatter their mountain-protecting formation, and make our escape."

Li Ruohai nodded. "Understood, I will relay the message. Focus on your task and leave the rest to me." He was desperate to leave; the psychological weight of the past month, especially the last twenty days, had been immense. He had barely slept, and this was undoubtedly the most grueling conflict since he began his Cultivation journey. Their persistence was finally paying off, and the sight of hope was the greatest reward.

Zhao Hai nodded, then added in a serious tone, "There is one more matter. Even if we punch a hole through their mountain-shielding formation, escaping won't be easy. At that moment, the formation will likely retaliate with its full power. Someone must stay behind to provide cover for the retreat. I intend to do it, but I cannot hold the line alone. I need you to leave the battle corpses here to assist me. Naturally, the chances of you getting them back later are almost zero. You need to weigh this carefully. However, if you refuse to leave the corpses, I will still cover the exit, but I cannot guarantee everyone will make it out safely."

Li Ruohai was momentarily stunned by the request. His gaze turned icy as he looked at Zhao Hai. "Do you realize what you're asking? You want me to just hand over my battle corpses? You certainly have a lot of nerve." Those battle corpses had been instrumental in their defense. On several occasions, Li Ruohai had deployed them, using energy from the magic formation to bolster them so they could intercept the giant fists. Because of their utility, he valued them highly. Hearing Zhao Hai ask for them outright was difficult to swallow.

"Senior Brother Li, you have reached the seventh level of the Power Essence Realm, correct?" Zhao Hai asked, shifting the subject abruptly. The non-sequitur left Li Ruohai confused. He blinked and replied, "That's right. I am currently at the peak of the seventh level of the Profound Art Realm, nearing the eighth."

Zhao Hai nodded. "If my memory serves, the Demonic Seed Art truly awakens upon reaching the Refinement Realm. Do you honestly believe you can hide your actions from this incident? Do you think you'll ever be allowed to leave again once you return to the Sect? If you are confined, what use is a battle corpse? Even if you avoid punishment and become a Refinement Realm expert, this specific corpse will be beneath your level. Why not leave it with me for a better purpose?"

Li Ruohai fell into a contemplative silence. Zhao Hai’s logic was sound. Returning to the Sect after this disaster would likely result in him being grounded or worse by those who opposed him. If he were locked within the internal chambers of the Corpse Demon Sect, the battle corpse would indeed be useless. Furthermore, if the Sect truly intended to purge him, a single corpse—or even a handful of stronger ones—wouldn't save him.

Eventually, Li Ruohai turned back to Zhao Hai. "Is it only the battle corpse you desire?" He wasn't just being stingy; he suspected Zhao Hai had deeper motives. However, he couldn't deny that Zhao Hai's assessment of his future was likely accurate.

Zhao Hai met his gaze. "It would be ideal if you could also share some of the Battle Corpse Sect’s cultivation techniques. But if you refuse, that's fine too. I am merely laying out the options. You don't even have to leave the corpse behind. I will still act as the rearguard. But if I am forced to leave, the formation will collapse instantly, and nobody else will escape. Alternatively, you could stay behind to cover us while the rest leave. The choice is yours."

Li Ruohai understood the subtext perfectly. Zhao Hai was giving him a choice between safety and reputation. If he stayed behind to cover the retreat, he would earn the eternal gratitude of the other cultivators, building a network of favors for the future, though it carried extreme personal risk. If he left first, he would be safe, but his reputation would be tarnished, and these people would owe him nothing.

It seemed like a simple choice. Since he didn't know if the Corpse Demon Sect would ever let him out again, what did reputation matter? Yet, there was a flip side. If he survived and managed to navigate the Sect's internal politics using his new connections, having the favor of these various cultivators could be his lifeline. If the Sect Master moved against him, these people might be the only ones willing to intervene.

It was a difficult stalemate. After a long pause, Li Ruohai finally spoke. "I will give you the cultivation manual and the battle corpse. I am also willing to stay behind to cover the retreat. However, I require something from you in exchange. If you don't agree, I'm keeping the corpse and the techniques, and I'm leaving with the first group."

"What is it you want?" Zhao Hai asked. He had a strong suspicion about Li Ruohai's request, but he wanted to hear it directly to see if the man was truly ready to fight against his predetermined fate.

Li Ruohai stared at him intently. "I want your Yin-Yang Mirror. I know you pulled it from the core of the Spiritual Array Sect’s formation. Their elders fused a Yin soul into that artifact. I had hoped to claim a different spiritual treasure from this place, but I failed. If you hand over the Yin-Yang Mirror, the battle corpses and the manuals are yours."

"Are you not concerned that *he* might overhear us?" Zhao Hai questioned, looking at Li Ruohai. He knew Li Ruohai wouldn't speak so openly without a reason to feel secure, yet he remained cautious. After all, the methods of Demonic Cultivation were notoriously unpredictable and pervasive.