Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8361: Completed _1

Ever since Zhao Hai took command of the Western Defense line, his directives had consistently focused on withdrawal. This was the first instance where he commanded his troops to hold their ground to the last man—if the enemy did not perish, they would. Dong Wanqing was visibly shaken by this shift in strategy. After a brief silence, he looked at Zhao Hai and asked, "Is what the commander says truly the case?"

Zhao Hai replied with a solemn tone, "Of course it is. Mark my words: if you fail to protect Blood Stone Island, you should either take your own life or perish alongside the enemy. Regardless, survival is not an option. If you live after losing the island, I will be the one to end you," Zhao Hai stated with chilling composure.

"No, commander," Dong Wanqing said, shaking his head. "What I meant was, are you genuinely serious about a counteroffensive?" Dong Wanqing wasn't concerned about the order to fight to the death. The disciples of the Blood Slaughter Sect were all forged in killing intent. Even when isolated, their Blood Qi was immense, and they never shrank from a fatal struggle. They were unafraid of dying in battle, but because Zhao Hai had repeatedly ordered retreats, they had begun to think such orders would never end. Hearing that a counterattack was finally imminent made him joyful, prompting his clarification.

Zhao Hai was momentarily surprised. He hadn't expected Dong Wanqing to be questioning the offensive rather than the sacrifice. He answered immediately, "It is absolutely true. Did I not say I would return within one to three days? Upon my return, the hour of our retaliation begins. The members of the Thirteen Families Alliance have enjoyed enough arrogance lately. I allowed them their vanity while I was perfecting the defense line. Now that our preparations are complete, we will naturally strike back. I gave my word to the Sect that when this conflict concludes, we will not only have held the Western Defense line but also dismantled the Thirteen Families Alliance. Having wiped them out, there will be no more need for retreats. The counterattack is at hand."

Dong Wanqing gave Zhao Hai a long, meaningful look before nodding. "Understood, commander. I will await your return. Rest assured, I vow to protect this place until you arrive. Even if I must fall in combat, I will die right here. I will not give up a single inch. You have my word." Though spoken calmly, Zhao Hai could sense the unwavering resolve behind his promise.

Zhao Hai smiled and spoke deeply, "As long as you manage the island's formation and refrain from reckless sorties, I can promise the enemy will find no way in. No matter their numbers, they will be powerless against you. Do not worry; just keep my instructions in mind."

Dong Wanqing acknowledged the order. Zhao Hai nodded and gathered the disciples who had assisted in the formation's construction. Together, they utilized the teleportation formation to return to Blood Bone Island. Once there, Zhao Hai proceeded to the palace square. With a flick of his wrist, a massive boulder manifested in the center of the plaza. He placed a Jade compass atop the stone and performed a series of hand seals. Moments later, the runes etched upon the Jade compass ignited sequentially, and a pillar of blood-red light erupted toward the heavens, visible to everyone on Blood Bone Island.

The Cultivators residing on Blood Bone Island began to congregate around the square. Whether they had been meditating in seclusion or wandering aimlessly, they had lost their spirit over the last two months. The constant cycle of retreating had left them deeply dissatisfied. When had disciples of the Blood Slaughter Sect ever been known for running? However, since Zhao Hai had issued absolute orders, they were forced to comply. This had bred significant resentment toward Zhao Hai's leadership. Had it not been for the loyal support of the men Zhao Hai brought from Ha Jing, he might have faced a total loss of authority.

Even so, a heavy boredom hung over the men, as if their hope had withered. They assumed they were merely waiting for the Thirteen Families Alliance to reach the final line before retreating to headquarters. Rumors even circulated that the Blood Slaughter Sect had abandoned the Western Defense line long ago, and the war was merely a charade to avoid handing it over directly to the Seven Major Sects. They believed Zhao Hai's retreats were simply part of an exit strategy.

In the midst of this apathy, the sudden beam of blood light sparked their curiosity, drawing them to the square. Seeing Zhao Hai adjusting a compass that emitted such a powerful glow, their interest deepened. they stood in silence, watching his every move.

Ignoring the spectators, Zhao Hai continued his work on the compass. He methodically cast spells upon the device until the crimson light finally faded. Only then did he stop and secure the compass. Looking up at the crowd gathered at the square’s edge, he announced in a powerful voice, "All Stewards of Blood Bone Island, assemble in the square immediately. Notify the Stewards of the other islands—excluding Dong Wanqing of Blood Stone Island—that they must arrive here within two hours. Anyone who is late will face execution!"

The crowd was stunned by his words, standing frozen as they waited to see what would happen next. Before long, the local Stewards arrived, followed by those from the surrounding islands. Soon, the square was filled with the leadership of the defense line.

Zhao Hai scanned the assembly and spoke firmly, "I am well aware that many of you are displeased with me. I have heard the whispers that I am worse than a traitor—that even when a traitor held this line, we didn't lose so many islands. I know you are angry that I haven't ordered a full-scale fight. I've even heard the rumors that the Blood Slaughter Sect made a deal to surrender the Western Defense line to other Sects and that we are just putting on a show before retreating. Is that not what you've been saying?"

The crowd remained silent, but their gazes confirmed his suspicions. Zhao Hai sneered at them and continued, "Today, I am here to tell you that you are all mistaken. Not only you, but our enemies as well. While I didn't order the puppets into a counteroffensive before, I ensured you became experts in their operation. To perform a task well, one needs a sharp tool. Everything we have done until now was to sharpen our blades!"

Zhao Hai paused, looking over the crowd. "Previously, Han Le betrayed the defensive secrets of our islands to the enemy. However, there is a detail I kept hidden. There was another traitor within the Blood Slaughter Sect—the Deputy Hall Master of the Dharma Array Hall. He has already been captured and executed by the Sect Master. He was the one who originally designed the defensive Dharma arrays for these islands, and he intentionally left flaws which he shared with the Thirteen Families Alliance. That is why they broke our lines so easily. My recent efforts were spent entirely on reconstructing these defensive arrays. These arrays are the strongest shields we possess. Now that our shields are fixed and our knives are sharp, do you know what comes next? Indeed—it is time to counterattack!"

He stopped for a moment. As the realization sank in, the eyes of the disciples began to glow with excitement. They were members of the Blood Slaughter Sect, a top-tier power in the Blood Sea Realm. They were the ones who usually did the bullying. They had spent two months feeling humiliated and suppressed despite their strength. Hearing that Zhao Hai was finally ready to unleash them filled them with adrenaline.

Zhao Hai continued his address, "Before I accepted this post, I vowed to the Sect Master that I would not only hold this line but also invade the Thirteen Families Alliance and dismantle them entirely. Their lands will become the territory of the Blood Slaughter Sect. All our preparation was for this moment. I give you one day to get ready. In twenty-four hours, our forces will move to Blood Stone Island to launch our grand offensive. At that time, anyone who shows cowardice or retreats will be executed!"

Rather than being intimidated, the men responded with a thunderous roar of approval before dispersing. With only one day to prepare, they were eager to return to their posts and get ready to wash away their recent shame with blood. They had endured enough; it was finally time for catharsis.

Zhao Hai then turned to the island leaders. "Managers of each island, stay. The rest of you are dismissed." Most of the crowd departed, leaving only the island managers, who looked at Zhao Hai with intense anticipation.

Zhao Hai looked at the small group and said calmly, "I asked you to remain because you will not be joining the front-line counterattack this time." The managers were stunned, and a wave of protests immediately broke out. One large, rugged-looking man shouted, "What do you mean, commander? Do you think we aren't capable enough?"

Zhao Hai raised a hand to silence them. "No, that isn't it. I will personally lead the main army to the front. However, the rear islands cannot be left unprotected. I have linked the defensive formations of all the islands. During the reconstruction, I extracted a portion of the essence from the formation eyes and integrated it into this formation disk. Through this disk, the entire Western Defense line is now interconnected. These systems still require skilled operators. That task falls to you."