Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8463 8463: Hope (1)

The notion of poisoning a cultivator who specialized in poison? It drove Feng Zhongxin to the brink of madness. Poison experts among cultivators were intimately acquainted with toxins. How could anyone hope to poison such an individual? Feng Zhongxin held no faith in this approach succeeding, yet he kept his mouth shut. He was acutely aware that he wasn't the strongest in the group, nor did he carry the greatest influence. With the entire team determined to target Zou Xiao, standing against them would pit him against all, ensuring a grim outcome.

In truth, Feng Zhongxin harbored some fear toward these companions. He had noticed their transformation long ago. Their actions weren't driven by vengeance anymore, but by the allure of the treasure. Several had nearly lost their minds over it, and Wen Liren stood out among them. Normally, he handled matters with remarkable composure. Combined with his formidable power, he had naturally risen as the group's leader. Yet, the moment treasure entered the picture, he underwent a stark shift. Consider his recent suggestion, for instance—proposing to poison a poison cultivator. It revealed how little rationality remained when he uttered those words.

Feng Zhongxin sat alone in his chamber, letting out a heavy sigh. He recognized full well that abandoning the group was impossible, for any attempt to break away would lead to his swift elimination. The team tolerated no deserters who held knowledge of their hidden motives. His sole option at present was to join in confronting Zou Xiao.

Thoughts of Zou Xiao left Feng Zhongxin at a loss for words. Truth be told, he felt genuine joy at Zou Xiao's success in slaying the heir of the Ghostwind bandits. This very act had sparked his favorable view of Zou Xiao. Spending two days alongside him further convinced Feng Zhongxin that Zou Xiao was a decent fellow. Still, given the dire circumstances, he found himself compelled to oppose Zou Xiao.

A sigh escaped him as these ideas swirled. Noticing the gradual lightening of the sky outside, Feng Zhongxin steadied his resolve and stepped out to seek Zhao Hai. They possessed a substantial stock of blood jade flowers that needed weighing and selling promptly. Any delay could see prices plummet, resulting in losses.

Early morning saw Zhao Hai emerging from his quarters. Right away, he spotted Feng Zhongxin approaching. Feng Zhongxin flashed him a warm smile. "Brother Zou, you're awake. Let's head to the market and offload the blood jade. If we dawdle and the blood jade flower prices fall, we'll take a hit." Zhao Hai gave a nod without a word and trailed Feng Zhongxin toward the market.

The market remained sparsely populated then, allowing Zhao Hai and Feng Zhongxin's blood jade flowers to sell off rapidly. Supplies of blood jade flowers appeared depleted in the stalls, so their wares moved swiftly and without issue. Each pocketed several dozen crystal stones—a tidy sum indeed. It was worth noting that blood jade flowers rarely yielded such profits under normal conditions.

Once Zhao Hai and Feng Zhongxin exited the market, Zhao Hai promptly invited Feng Zhongxin back to his room. This marked Feng Zhongxin's initial visit to Zhao Hai's space. He couldn't fathom Zhao Hai's intent, but it struck him as positive. At minimum, it signaled a deepening bond between them.

Inside the room, Zhao Hai produced four interspatial bags and passed them to Feng Zhongxin. In a solemn tone, he declared, "Big Brother Feng, these belong to those eight fellows from yesterday. We'll split them evenly. These four are yours. Frankly, their hauls aren't impressive. Incidentally, I left the contents untouched, though I did extract all their blood jade flowers—those ended up in our earlier sale. Moreover, I've checked their cultivation technique jade slips. They're included in the jade slips within my interspatial bags. Have a glance." With that, Zhao Hai withdrew several jade slips and offered them to Feng Zhongxin.

Feng Zhongxin examined the items in his grasp, then lifted his gaze to Zhao Hai. He hadn't anticipated receiving such generosity from Zhao Hai. While vending blood jade flowers that day, he'd noted they had more than the previous haul. He suspected it came from those foes, yet never dreamed Zhao Hai would share the interspatial bags. In yesterday's clash, Feng Zhongxin had contributed nothing; Zhao Hai handled the poisoning alone. It wouldn't have been unfair if Zhao Hai kept it all, but dividing the bags equally showed true consideration, stirring deep emotion in him.

Nevertheless, Feng Zhongxin handed back the interspatial bags and jade slips to Zhao Hai, stating, "Brother Zou, I can't accept these. I contributed zilch to yesterday's fight. How could I claim your spoils without effort? No thanks, keep them yourself." He extended the items toward Zhao Hai.

Zhao Hai extended a hand to stop him. "Big Brother Feng, what are you saying? Yesterday, we both ventured out for the deed. Whatever we gained should split fair between us. Had I not subdued those foes yesterday, wouldn't you have stepped in eventually? This is rightfully yours—take it and check for anything useful. If not, swap it out right away for crystal stones. Like us, they're rogue cultivators, so expect no top-tier goods."

Feng Zhongxin took the items upon hearing Zhao Hai's reasoning. He nodded and replied, "Fine, I'll accept them. Whatever's inside benefits us regardless. Alright, I'll sort these out and inquire about available missions. I'll check in with you tomorrow."

"Sure," Zhao Hai nodded, speaking gravely, "I'll be waiting for you in the room tomorrow." He then escorted Feng Zhongxin out and retreated to his own space. Truthfully, those spoils meant little to him. The rogue cultivators offered nothing noteworthy enough to pique his interest, so parting with them for Feng Zhongxin posed no issue. What mattered was Feng Zhongxin's reaction to the gift. Zhao Hai knew Feng Zhongxin's initial approach hid ulterior motives, yet he chose to offer a chance, testing if those intentions might fade.

Feng Zhongxin departed Zhao Hai's lodging and made his way back to the inn. He first secluded himself in his room, pulling out the interspatial bags. Probing them with his spiritual sense, he discovered crystals, a handful of dharma artifacts, assorted cultivation techniques, and various odds and ends. These were typical possessions for lone cultivators. From this, it was evident Zhao Hai hadn't meddled with the bags' contents.

Feng Zhongxin stowed the interspatial bags and exhaled deeply. A glaze settled over his eyes. Guilt weighed heavier on him now, for Zhao Hai treated him with genuine kindness. He truly wished to avoid harming Zhao Hai, yet circumstances forced his hand. This inner conflict tormented Feng Zhongxin deeply.

Feng Zhongxin perched motionless on the bed, reflecting on his encounters with Zhao Hai. Memories flickered through his thoughts in vivid fragments. Moments later, a spark ignited in Feng Zhongxin's gaze. An idea struck him—one that could potentially sway Boss Wen and the others from pursuing Zhao Hai.

Excitement surged through Feng Zhongxin at the realization. He rose and paced the chamber deliberately, mulling over his revelation. The more he pondered, the more plausible it seemed. Should it hold true, a real opportunity for reversal emerged.

Yet soon, Feng Zhongxin creased his brow. He understood the intense craving Boss Wen and the rest harbored for the treasure—it had twisted into an unbreakable fixation. Sharing his discovery would likely meet rejection; they wouldn't abandon their plot against Zhao Hai. Still, this represented his final shot, the only strategy he could devise to aid Zhao Hai.

Feng Zhongxin pondered briefly, then flung open the door and strode forth. Outside, he proceeded to Wen Liren's quarters and rapped softly on the entrance. In a low voice, he announced, "Brother Wen, I need to discuss something with you." Feng Zhongxin and the others still regarded Wen Liren with considerable trepidation. Beyond his immense strength, Wen Liren's cunning and scheming nature instilled fear in any who crossed him.

"It's Zhongxin," came Wen Liren's voice. "Enter." Feng Zhongxin acknowledged and pushed inside. Wen Liren occupied the parlor, his activities inscrutable. Feng Zhongxin promptly offered a respectful bow to Wen Liren and repeated, "Brother Wen, I have something to discuss."

Wen Liren grinned and gestured, "Take a seat and speak. How often must I remind you? We're brothers here—no need for such formality. Out with it, what's on your mind?" A soft smile graced his features, evoking the warmth of a gentle breeze. First-time acquaintances might deem him affable and approachable. But Feng Zhongxin knew better: beneath Wen Liren's mild facade lurked a heart of ice. He ruthlessly dismantled targets, willing even to mutual destruction if required.

Such fanaticism explained why Feng Zhongxin and the group dreaded him. Despite the courteous words, Feng Zhongxin dared not slacken. He assented and settled in, then addressed Wen Liren, "Wen Bro, there's a puzzle gnawing at me—it's regarding Zou Xiao."

Wen Liren's brows knit faintly, though he soon resumed his smile. "What's the issue? Discovered something? What's amiss with this Zou Xiao?" Wen Liren fixed his gaze on Feng Zhongxin, as if urging him onward. But upon catching that look, Feng Zhongxin's pulse quickened. Though the smile persisted, it chilled him like a frog pinned under a serpent's icy stare, numbing him entirely.

Still, Feng Zhongxin gathered his wits and pressed on, "Big Brother Wen, it baffles me. If Zhao Hai truly held knowledge of the Ghostwind bandits' treasure, why linger here finishing missions with me instead of seeking it? If he knew its whereabouts, why not seize the teleportation array to flee Blood Lake Island right after dispatching the Ghostwind bandits? Why remain? Could the Ghostwind bandits' treasure possibly be right here?"