Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8460 8460: Scruples _1

Feng Zhongxin grinned and replied, "That's fine. Brother, you've gotten your revenge. This tiny favor means nothing. Brother, hold on for me. I'm heading back to the inn to fetch a few items. Hurry over right away. We'll link up at the island's rim." With that, Feng Zhongxin indicated the island's boundary. Zhao Hai acknowledged with a nod, and Feng Zhongxin pivoted, heading back to his accommodations.

Zhao Hai watched Feng Zhongxin's retreating figure with a grin. He doubted that Feng Zhongxin was truly returning for items. It was standard for rogue cultivators and sect disciples to keep all their belongings on them until they secured personal cave dwellings. Sect disciples without private yards did this since those spaces lacked full security. If something got stolen from your quarters, the sect rarely pursued the thief unless you held a personal courtyard—signifying official disciple status, where no one dared tamper with your possessions.

This held even truer for rogue cultivators. Even in inns, owners typically warned that losses during absences fell on the guest. Thus, rogue cultivators stored their goods in personal spatial artifacts. Feng Zhongxin's claim of fetching items from the inn was clearly a pretext. It showed he had other matters to attend, likely involving Zhao Hai.

Zhao Hai remained unconcerned. He was eager to uncover Feng Zhongxin and his group's schemes. Should they dare scheme against him, he wouldn't hold back. As these thoughts crossed his mind, Zhao Hai made his way to the island's edge. He aimed to venture out with Feng Zhongxin, probing the man's intentions while observing rogue cultivator operations.

At that moment, Feng Zhongxin had reached his inn. Instead of entering his own room, he approached another door and knocked twice. The door swung open to reveal the scholar from the previous day. Upon seeing the scholar, Feng Zhongxin clasped his fists and declared, "Wen bro, I'm setting out with Zhao Hai to harvest the blood jade flower. I believe we shouldn't strike yet—we know too little about Zou Xiao, and our antidote supplies are limited. Confronting Zou Xiao now would cause heavy losses. How about we hold off, learn more about him, prepare further, then act? What's your view?"

The scholar, known as Brother Wen and named Wen Liren, pondered Feng Zhongxin's suggestion briefly before agreeing with a nod, "Alright, we'll delay a few more days. It's unwise to suffer great casualties just to handle him. Go befriend him, earn his confidence. Also, probe the nature of his poison—it'll ease our future dealings with him."

Feng Zhongxin agreed and added, "Got it, Wen bro. I'm off—Zou Xiao awaits." He saluted Wen Liren with clasped fists and departed. Wen Liren gazed at Feng Zhongxin's back, then quietly shut the door. He endorsed Feng Zhongxin's strategy. The moment wasn't ripe to target Zhao Hai; they lacked antidotes. Rash action now promised disaster.

In the cultivation realm, if rankings existed for the most dreaded cultivator types, poison experts would invariably rank in the top three, no matter the list. Poison users plagued every cultivator, from novices to elites—encounters with a poison master induced universal dread. Each poison master wielded signature techniques, invariably poison-based. Their toxins against foes featured bespoke recipes, secrets they guarded fiercely.

Though the cultivation world boasted numerous antidotes—some claiming to counter hundreds of toxins—these remedies only neutralized everyday poisons from nature, like venomous plants or blooms. They stood no chance against a poison master's crafted venoms.

Countering a poison master's toxin demanded one of two paths. First, identify the poison's composition and brew a tailored antidote from its recipe—a feat rarely achievable. Second, seek rare heavenly treasures capable of purging even master-level poisons with potent efficacy. A third option existed: expel the toxin via overwhelming power. Yet this required immense strength; average folk couldn't manage it. Even mighty cultivators struggled against peer poison masters, as toxins might infiltrate their spiritual energy, planting severe latent threats.

Hence, most cultivators shunned clashes with poison masters. Thankfully, true poison masters were scarce in the cultivation world, as elevating poison arts proved arduous. To date, no tales circulated of a poison master ascending solely through poison mastery. This rarity of poison masters also meant scant antidotes, heightening the aversion to facing them.

Truth or rumor, Wen Liren and his allies treated the intelligence gravely. They understood that if Zhao Hai truly excelled in poisons, impulsive attacks would spell doom. Thus, Wen Liren fully backed Feng Zhongxin's approach.

These individuals' original aim was vengeance. Yet over a millennium, grudges across generations had dimmed. Hatred often dissolved into forgetfulness over time. Wen Liren and his group mirrored this; revenge had nearly slipped their minds. Now, they pursued the ghostly wind bandits' descendants for their hidden treasures. They suspected those heirs knew the stashes' locations. Still, they couldn't voice this—they framed it as retribution, honoring their ancestors' and clans' vendettas.

Feng Zhongxin soon arrived at Blood Lake Island's perimeter. Zhao Hai stood there, awaiting him. Spotting Feng Zhongxin, Zhao Hai beamed and saluted, "Big brother Feng, you've arrived." Zhao Hai felt no rush. He simply wished to gauge Feng Zhongxin's game, so patience came easily. Time was no issue for him.

Feng Zhongxin chuckled. "I left my straw hat back at the inn. It's not valuable, but I need it. Selling it now wouldn't match its familiarity." As he spoke, Feng Zhongxin produced a straw hat, clearly well-worn. Its hue had faded slightly, yet it showed careful upkeep.

Zhao Hai grinned, "I wore a straw hat for ages too, until it shattered beyond repair, forcing a replacement. Still, the new one lacks the old's comfort. Familiarity with such items brings greater ease."

Feng Zhongxin burst into laughter and said, "Exactly. Habit makes it smoother to wield. Come on, let's move. Crowds must be swarming the blood jade flowers already—we can't lag." "Yes," Zhao Hai responded. Feng Zhongxin then guided Zhao Hai, soaring from Blood Lake Island. In moments, the pair vanished from view.

Once they were gone, several cultivators emerged at the island's edge. One announced, "Brother Wen's orders: tail them and monitor Feng Zhongxin's moves. Ensure he doesn't sway the target. Otherwise, we'll lose our shot."

The group assented and took to the skies, tracking Feng Zhongxin and Zhao Hai.

Feng Zhongxin guided Zhao Hai through twelve hours of flight before halting. He scanned the surroundings and murmured gravely, "This is it—time to descend." He then donned his straw hat. Zhao Hai followed suit. Meanwhile, Feng Zhongxin's hand flashed, summoning a long sword into his grasp.

Observing this, Zhao Hai paused briefly. Then, with a gesture, two compact shields materialized in his hands. He strapped them to his arms. Feng Zhongxin blinked in surprise at the shields, examining them with interest before intoning deeply, "Brother Zou, your magical artifact stands out."

Zhao Hai smiled. "It's primarily defensive. Plus, these shields mount directly on my arms, leaving my hands free for easier poison deployment." Zhao Hai had refined his small shields further. Previously attack-oriented and tapered, they now resembled arm guards while retaining shield form. Spikes adorned their surfaces, enabling weapon catches or strikes. With hands unbound, he could wield additional tools or techniques.

Feng Zhongxin nodded approvingly. "Smart choice. It bolsters your guard, enhancing safety. If opportunity arises later, I'll craft a pair myself." As a battle-hardened veteran, Feng Zhongxin quickly grasped the shields' value. They excelled at warding blows, given the arms' agility. Though compact, skillful use could deflect most assaults without hindering mobility or space—prime magical artifacts indeed.

Zhao Hai chuckled. "Absolutely. It might feel odd initially, but you'll soon appreciate its utility." Feng Zhongxin nodded, and together they plunged into the blood sea.