Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8435: Eternal life (1)

Number One stood motionless in a stupor, though the gleam in his eyes intensified steadily. Zhao Hai gazed at him and let out a sigh. "You've realized that your Yin soul is being nourished by the iron-soul wood, enabling it to keep evolving. You've discovered the ability to command this puppet's form, constructed from iron-soul wood that neither decays nor crumbles. Even if damage occurs, you could simply swap out sections of the body. As long as your Yin soul endures, immortality awaits you. Isn't the essence of cultivation about attaining elder rank and achieving eternal life? But you, you've unearthed an unconventional way to reach immortality."

Pausing briefly, Zhao Hai fixed his eyes on Number One. "Even though the fellow disciples who ventured here alongside you noticed your demise, they weren't overly grieved and paid little heed to this puppet. Thus, you've managed to exist as a puppet all this time. Being a puppet in the Divine Secrets Sect, where puppets are commonplace, draws no suspicion. You could even overhear the elders' conversations and learn all their hidden secrets. Eventually, you overheard that the elders planned to depart from here, taking everyone—including all the puppets—with them. Did that fill you with fear?"

"You're merely a puppet, one devoid of any fighting capability. Revealing your true identity would risk immediate execution by your sect's elders. So you chose to investigate deeply. No conflicts arise here, and nobody pays you any mind, but venturing outside means encountering crowds. It's impossible to ensure no one spots something off about you. You had no desire to depart, since this location offers you perfect safety."

"Reluctance to leave gripped you, yet the elders were determined to go. They aimed to restore the Divine Secrets Sect's glory. This created an irreconcilable clash. Left with no options, you ended up slaying them all. Explaining the killings proves straightforward. As an overlooked puppet, you could strike without raising alarms. No one would suspect you. Thus, the slaughter began. You eliminated every single one."

"With everyone gone, solitude brought boredom. Though transformed into a puppet, your craving for pleasure persisted, leading you to craft traps. This entire city, along with its inner and outer defenses, and even these dwellings—they all stem from your handiwork, don't they? Creating such mechanisms was effortless for you. You fashioned basic puppets and commanded them to erect the city. As a spectral entity, fatigue never touched you during the work, nor did it affect those puppets. Gradually, the city and its surrounding traps took shape."

"Despite their lethal nature, these traps possess striking beauty. This allure serves not just to deceive intruders but also to provide aesthetic enjoyment, much like a captivating film. It helped stave off your tedium. Still, you never mustered the courage to venture beyond, for this domain is yours alone—the stronghold you've fortified."

"Yet intruders eventually breached the barriers. Though they perished amid the traps, their presence stirred a thrill of dominance in you, prompting the creation of numerous combat puppets here, correct? And that flickering in your eyes isn't solely from contemplation; it betrays emotional stirrings. You're summoning them—those puppets—to shield you, aren't you?"

"In theory, someone in your position would seek a secure hideout, lurking in shadows to witness intruders fall to the traps sequentially. But isolation has worn on you for ages, breeding restlessness, so you yearn for conversation. A harmless wooden puppet without offensive abilities raises no red flags. By trailing me this way, you avoid my suspicion. Truth be told, without sensing the dark spirit's power from you, I wouldn't have doubted you. Even after recognizing this vast spell formation, you stayed off my radar. Why? Because you're just an innocuous wooden puppet lacking any strike potential."

As Zhao Hai continued, he eyed Number One closely. The illumination in Number One's eyes blazed fiercer. Just then, Zhao Hai sensed the array activating fully. Though positioned at its periphery, he already detected the formation's formidable energy. He also perceived hordes of puppets converging rapidly.

Zhao Hai showed no astonishment. He stared at Number One and spoke gravely. "Endless minions surround you, yet your personal power remains feeble. Do you truly believe escape lies within reach at this proximity? I recognize this as the array's boundary, complete with illusory deceptions, but consider this: if I could detect the formation and grasp its purpose, why would it intimidate me? Do you imagine your skills suffice to flee me now? Even with those puppets arriving, what threat do they pose? You're firmly in my grasp—would they risk striking while you're vulnerable? If they do, expect no mercy from me. Devoid of your guidance, how potent would this array remain? What fighting strength could those puppets muster?"

Zhao Hai's words had barely faded when swarms of puppets encircled him. Weapons trained on him, they glared with imminent hostility, poised to assault. Some resembled typical puppets, while the diminutive ones measured scarcely a foot, appearing as tiny figures wielding daggers and advancing soundlessly. The colossal variants towered over ten meters, gripping massive armaments like mauls and cleavers. Most astonishing to Zhao Hai were the human-like puppets among them: flushed complexions, clad in garb, bearing dharma artifacts. Their gazes held a vacant quality, yet they mimicked living beings convincingly.

Upon viewing the puppets, Zhao Hai's face shifted. He turned back to Number One. "I never imagined such deep-seated resentment in you. To convert your own sect elders into puppets—how merciless. It appears your transformation into wood has utterly desensitized your heart, hasn't it?"

"Hahahaha! Enough nonsense. Let me warn you: slaying me seals your doom here. Observe your plight—what's left to cherish? Emulating me brings bliss. None dare interfere in our matters, nor can they touch mine. Bound to this form, eternal existence is mine. Isn't that the ultimate cultivator's dream—everlasting life?" Number One finally responded. His tone retained its wooden stiffness, yet the arrogance rang clear. Spoken in that monotone, the words evoked an eerie sensation.

Zhao Hai regarded Number One with a smile. "Is that pride worth boasting? This outcome stems from your own ruin. Eternal life appeals, but as a person, not reduced to timber. Becoming like you? I'd choose death on the spot."

Number One huffed disdainfully. "Spare the mockery—it holds no sway. Consider my former comrades: even without my hand, how many would endure to this day? Yet here I persist. Isn't this the immortality we chase? You lot scramble endlessly, seizing by force, all for this boon. Now I've claimed it effortlessly. What's not to envy?"

Staring at that plump, timid visage, Zhao Hai found no mirth. Hearing such declarations in that rigid, emotionless timbre left him baffled. He exhaled deeply. "I'm unsure of your mindset, but it diverges from mine. My longevity stems from a desire to explore vast realms, behold stunning vistas, contrast other worlds with ours. Ultimately, I seek the truths beyond these stacked realities. Upon reaching that final threshold, I'll uncover what lies past it and who orchestrates our destinies. True eternity means sharing it with loved ones. Eternal life shines brightest alongside them; stripped of love and all else, it loses all value."

"Hahaha, ridiculous drivel! Without immortality, how will you traverse other realms? What use are they then? Pointless. Far better to revel freely here. Why not join me? Remain, and I'll reshape you similarly. Together, we'd both attain eternity, untouched by external strife."

Zhao Hai eyed Number One, shook his head, and sighed. "No thanks. Your existence repulses me, so I must end it. Cruel though it may seem, necessity demands it. Spare you, and you'd strike me down. Your overtures sound appealing, but I know you'd eliminate me, correct?"

"Not at all. Depart now and stay away, and I'll leave you be. This hidden portal restricts entry to those below Dharma refinement realm. When the Divine Arcanum Sect first uncovered this secret realm, we learned as much. We later installed our teleportation array, permitting Island Lord-level experts and above to access it. Exit, and should others enter, I'll ensure they never escape." As for us, we'll avoid crossing paths henceforth—what say you? No clashing interests exist, so let's compromise. You seek legacies; I offer all the Divine Secrets Sect's inheritances. Deal?"

Zhao Hai studied the puppet and sighed. "I trust your words entirely, yet agreement eludes me. The Blood Slaughter Sect has set its sights on this domain." Initially, I planned no long stay with the Blood Slaughter Sect. But now, commitment calls, so I claim this place—and you cannot remain. Apologies, but fear not. I offer another path to true eternity, far superior to your current state." With a casual wave, Zhao Hai made Number One vanish.