Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8414: Surrender (1)

Shangguan Qingfeng gazed upon Zhao Hai before clasping his hands together and declaring, "Greetings, fellow Daoist Zhao Hai. Might I inquire about the identity of the individual at your side?" His expression remained serene, devoid of any animosity, resembling a casual chat with an old acquaintance after years apart. This demeanor left Zhao Hai momentarily taken aback.

Yet, Zhao Hai refrained from launching an assault right away. Curiosity drove him to listen to the man's words first, so he offered a grin and replied, "This is my uncle-master, Lei Xuan." With that, he subtly shifted his stance to honor Lei Xuan. In response, Lei Xuan returned the gesture by cupping his fists toward Shangguan Qingfeng, though he uttered no words.

Suddenly, Shangguan Qingfeng remarked, "So you're Daoist Lei Xuan of the blood path, one of the three heroes from the Lei family in the Bloody Massacre Sect. Greetings." Upon concluding his statement, he offered a bow to Lei Xuan. His face stayed composed, revealing neither joy nor irritation, which only heightened Lei Xuan's intrigue.

Still, Lei Xuan responded, "Daoist Shangguan, your courtesy is excessive. We're foes here. This isn't the moment for jests. Get to the point." Eager to avoid prolonging the exchange, Lei Xuan cut straight to it. His intent rang clear: as adversaries, pointless chatter served no purpose. When battle loomed, they should simply clash.

With a smile, Shangguan Qingfeng continued, "That may not hold true. I come on behalf of the Shangguan family to submit. We've never sought enmity with the Blood Slaughter Sect, but over these years, we've been dragged into conflicts by other clans, exhausting our will to battle the Blood Slaughter Sect. Such fights have inflicted massive damages on the Blood Slaughter Sect and claimed countless lives from our Shangguan family's ranks. This round, despite our protests, the other clans pushed to strike the Blood Slaughter Sect, resulting in the loss of the Sen Luo Temple. The Shangguan family refuses to follow their lead any longer, so we desire to yield to the Blood Slaughter Sect. We seek no roles or favors from the Blood Slaughter Sect—merely the preservation of our lives. Fellow Daoist Lei, Fellow Daoist Zhao Hai, kindly relay the Shangguan family's intent to the Blood Slaughter Sect."

Zhao Hai and Lei Xuan stood frozen upon hearing this. They had geared up to annihilate their opponents, only for the foes to offer surrender. The twist stirred an odd sensation within them. It also sparked suspicion in Lei Xuan, who glanced toward Zhao Hai. In turn, Zhao Hai eyed Shangguan Qingfeng with a smile and stated, "Prior to our arrival, our sect issued commands: should the Daoists from the 13 Family Alliance refrain from resistance, we shall treat you with respect. The Blood Slaughter Sect honors its word. That said, these are exceptional circumstances, demanding certain precautions. If your surrender to the Blood Slaughter Sect is genuine, kindly seal your cultivation bases. I assure you of our civility and your protection. How does that sound?"

Lei Xuan nodded in agreement without hesitation. Zhao Hai's approach proved ideal. Sealing their foes' cultivation would prevent any disruptions. Should deceit lurk in their offer, refusal would expose it, allowing a swift counterstrike. If sincerity prevailed, assurance followed. It formed the perfect strategy.

Shangguan Qingfeng's face lit up with a smile at Zhao Hai's proposal. "That's no trouble at all. All disciples, heed me: seal your cultivations and offer no resistance." He then descended to the ground. A glow of white light flickered from his hands as he tapped several points on his form. Instantly, the magical energy within him vanished. His aura faded entirely as well.

Zhao Hai found himself momentarily speechless at the sight. He hadn't anticipated such direct compliance from the man. Sealing his own cultivation so readily bred a wave of doubt in Zhao Hai. He shot a look at Lei Xuan, who gave a confirming nod. The message was plain: the man's cultivation was indeed sealed.

After a brief pause, Zhao Hai spoke gravely, "Uncle-master, let's descend and unleash the Bloodsucker Team. Have them watch over these folks closely and inform the Great Elder of this development. I'll erect a defensive formation here without delay. Once it's complete, you can escort Shangguan Qingfeng straight to Blood Mountain Island for the Great Elder's interrogation. He's referenced the entire Shangguan family, so this could involve their whole clan. It's beyond his solo call—we must handle it carefully."

Lei Xuan paused in surprise at Zhao Hai's words before quickly agreeing with a nod. "Very well, we'll proceed that way. Should this truly reflect the Shangguan clan's choice, it'll prove immensely advantageous for us. As one of the core thirteen clans in the 13 Families Alliance, their defection would unleash tremendous repercussions."

Zhao Hai gave an affirming nod. He trailed Lei Xuan down to the island. The bronze statue parted its jaws, releasing a swarm of cultivators into the air. Upon emerging, they blinked in confusion at the lack of combat. The island's inhabitants stood motionless, their Dharma powers nullified, leaving the newcomers puzzled.

Addressing them, Zhao Hai commanded, "Shangguan Island has pledged the whole isle to the Blood Slaughter Sect. Your task now is to safeguard their well-being. Treat no one harshly." He then pivoted to Shangguan Qingfeng. The man wore a neutral expression. Meeting Zhao Hai's gaze, Shangguan Qingfeng returned it steadily. Zhao Hai struggled for words. The completeness of Shangguan Qingfeng's capitulation still felt unreal to him.

Zhao Hai's directive to "protect their safety" essentially meant surveillance, phrased more diplomatically. It honored Shangguan Qingfeng's position. The man grasped this fully. Fresh from surrender, full trust from Zhao Hai was unlikely; oversight was inevitable. Such measures were standard, warranting no resentment.

Moreover, Shangguan Qingfeng spoke truth this time. The Shangguan family genuinely aimed to yield to the Blood Slaughter Sect. Unity had always eluded the 13 Families Alliance. As Shangguan Qingfeng noted, the Shangguan family had long resisted the alliance's moves against the Blood Slaughter Sect. To them, challenging the Blood Slaughter Sect equated to suicide. The sect's might far outstripped theirs—victory seemed impossible.

Nevertheless, under the Yu family's lead, most clans pursued confrontation with the Blood Slaughter Sect. Backing from the major sects fueled this. To curb the Blood Slaughter Sect's expansion, those sects supplied resources and aid. They even vowed assistance against any backlash from the Blood Slaughter Sect, shielding the 13 Family Alliance.

The Shangguan family, however, consistently voiced opposition. Distance separated the seven major sects from the alliance, while the Blood Slaughter Sect loomed near. Aligning against the Blood Slaughter Sect to side with distant powers struck them as self-destructive. How could they meddle in clashes among colossal sects?

Though a prominent force in the 13 Family Alliance, the Shangguan family's power never matched others, particularly the Yu family, masters of the Sen Luo Temple. Thus, the Shangguans had no choice but to join the collective efforts.

On this occasion, the 13 Family Alliance overreached. Exploiting the Blood Slaughter Sect's temporary vulnerability for an assault, they roped in the seven major sects too. Success might have paid off, but failure meant enmity from both. Beyond the Blood Slaughter Sect's potential reprisal in its weakened state, the seven major sects would surely punish them.

Thus, the Shangguan family prepared contingencies. Should the Blood Slaughter Sect strike, immediate surrender—including all controlled islands—would follow. This might even yield gains, or at worst, secure their survival.

Should the other sects turn hostile, they'd evacuate key disciples to the Blood Slaughter Sect, abandoning their islands. Surrendering to the Blood Slaughter Sect appealed more than to distant sects. Proximity favored it, and the Blood Slaughter Sect's treatment of allies outshone others. Despite its combative nature, it valued its own. Low profiles post-surrender would likely spare them further trouble.

With the Sen Luo Temple claimed by the Blood Slaughter Sect as a spoil on Blood Mountain Island, the Shangguans recognized defeat's inevitability and primed for submission. That explained the absence of vigilant disciples on their island Zhao Hai observed—no fight brewed in their hearts. Surrender had been their plan all along.

In this scenario, Shangguan Qingfeng avoided any rash actions. Zhao Hai quartered him in a chamber. The island's other disciples received orders to retreat to their quarters. With cultivations sealed, threats were minimal; confinement sufficed.

Shortly thereafter, Zhao Hai directed the bronze figures to form an island-guarding array, enveloping all of Clear Wind Island. He dispatched a message to Du Wan detailing the island's events. Meanwhile, he oversaw the restoration of the protective formation with his team. Zhao Hai trusted his arrays above others', and rightfully so—none surpassed his skill.

Replies arrived swiftly from Blood Mountain Island. Du Wansha deemed the issue critical, summoning Lei Xuan to escort Shangguan Qingfeng back for a personal audience and questioning.

This aligned with Zhao Hai's foresight, prompting him to dispatch Lei Xuan with Shangguan Qingfeng to Blood Mountain Island. He pressed on with the formation on Clear Wind Island. The Bloodsucker Team's expertise hastened the process, erecting the mountain-shielding array in short order. Word from Blood Mountain Island soon followed: Du Wansha's directive to rally the Bloodsucker Team at the assigned rendezvous without delay.