Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8465 8465: Scheming (1)

While the thousand days drunk vanilla could indeed intoxicate someone for a full thousand days, it wasn't poisonous at all and posed no real threat. In fact, it offered great benefits to one's cultivation. Many major sects relied on it as a key ingredient in refining pills. Yet, due to its extreme rarity, few had ever laid eyes on it. This thousand days drunk vanilla bore a striking resemblance to a commonplace weed. Without its subtle aroma of wine, spotting the difference from regular plants would prove nearly impossible.

When big sects incorporated the thousand days drunk vanilla into their pill recipes, they mixed in additional ingredients to prevent the consumer from falling into a stupor. But if you simply steeped it in water and swallowed it down, you'd plunge into a thousand-day blackout upon waking. Even though this method provided some cultivation boost from its medicinal effects, nobody in their right mind would choose such an approach.

Waking someone under the influence of the thousand days drunk vanilla proved straightforward. Just splash cold water on their face, and they'd come around soon enough. That's exactly why, in everyday situations, no one bothered steeping the thousand days drunk vanilla in water to drink straight. It was pure waste. Refining it into a proper elixir for consumption made far more sense.

This made the thousand days drunk vanilla ideal for scheming against others, since it wasn't a toxin. No poison test could ever uncover it. Once ingested, it left the victim dazed and helpless, ripe for manipulation. The danger in that was chilling. So, when plotting foul play, nothing beat it.

Having secured the thousand days drunk vanilla, Wen Liren and his crew brimmed with joy. Zhao Hai excelled at handling poisons. Trying to poison him directly would likely fail and alert him instead. Worse, if he turned the tables with his own toxins, the fallout would be disastrous.

With the thousand days drunk vanilla now in hand, dealing with Zhao Hai became a breeze. Eager flames lit up in everyone's eyes. Capturing him meant prying out the Ghostwind Bandits' treasure location. Claiming that hoard would make them filthy rich.

Wen Liren turned his eyes toward Feng Zhongxin and spoke gravely, "Zhongxin, this task falls to you. Think you can handle it?" As he finished, his gaze burned with intensity, his presence overwhelming. It felt like Feng Zhongxin would meet his end right there if he refused. And truthfully, Wen Liren meant every bit of it.

A chill ran through Feng Zhongxin at the sight of Wen Liren's glare. He quickly remembered how his recent behavior had already sparked doubts in Wen Liren. Any more delay, and he'd be done for. So, without another word, he declared, "No issue, Wen bro, leave it to me. I've set up a meet with Zou Ming for tomorrow morning. I'll carry the wine along, and we'll nab him on the spot. But Wen bro, grabbing him right on the island might raise eyebrows. How about I show up with the wine in the morning and lure him out on a job? You all trail behind. During the task, I'll slip him the drink, and once he's out cold, we seize him. That way, snatching him off-island won't draw suspicion."

Wen Liren eyed Feng Zhongxin and gave a nod. "Fine, that's the plan. Wang Liang, you and yours watch that Zhao Hai close. No letting him slip away. Everyone else, stand by for tomorrow's orders. Our big break is here. Once we squeeze the Ghostwind Bandits' treasure spot from Zhao Hai, riches await."

The group erupted in thrilled agreement. Excitement surged through each one. They couldn't help it—after over a millennium and countless generations, this moment had arrived. The Ghostwind Bandits' treasure was within reach. How could joy not explode in their hearts?

Wen Liren scanned the faces around him and rumbled deeply, "Okay, prepare yourselves. Action starts tomorrow. Xin Xin, get some solid rest. The spotlight's on you then." All acknowledged, Feng Zhongxin included. With a wave from Wen Liren, the room emptied as they filed out.

Once alone, Wen Liren rose and peered out the window. He murmured, "After all these years, the day has come at last." Thrill sparked in his stare. He'd longed for this too fiercely. With his vision on the verge of reality, elation was inevitable. Wen Liren knew full well: once he learned the Ghostwind Bandits' treasure site, the others would perish, and the loot would be his alone. Then, he and his brother would rise to the elite—Island Lord powerhouses, maybe even ascending.

Zhao Hai rested peacefully in his quarters, eyes shut. Moments later, he cracked them open and muttered, "Fascinating. Accomplices still tailing me. But what's so valuable about me to catch their eye? Fine, let's watch their moves and fish for some intel." With that, he sealed his eyes once more, this time sinking into true meditation.

Come dawn the next day, knocks echoed at Zhao Hai's door. He sprang from bed and approached. Swinging it wide revealed Feng Zhongxin waiting. Zhao Hai blinked in mild surprise. Feng Zhongxin looked worlds different from recent days—vibrant and upbeat, which caught Zhao Hai off guard. Puzzled, he asked, "Big brother Feng, what's the great news? You look thrilled."

Feng Zhongxin's words hit him like a jolt, freezing him briefly. A cold sweat broke out; he'd let his elation show too much, nearly giving himself away. Zhao Hai's suspicion would spell disaster. Hurriedly, he told Zhao Hai, "Nothing major, just in high spirits. Got word today that green vines are fetching top prices. I know a spot loaded with them, untouched by others. We head there and rake in the cash."

Zhao Hai spotted the lie in Feng Zhongxin's face but stayed silent. He merely nodded and replied, "Sure, let's head out." He stepped from the room, shut the door, and faced Feng Zhongxin.

Feng Zhongxin nodded back and said, "Right behind you. When I heard green vines were hot, I got so pumped I grabbed some wine. We can sip a bit once we're there. It's a trek from here—hours away. Arrival means a drink, a breather, then back to harvesting."

Zhao Hai agreed and trailed Feng Zhongxin to the island's fringe. He also clocked the watchers who'd shadowed him before, now heading the same way. They hung back, split into teams, acting casual along the path to avoid notice.

Glancing at Feng Zhongxin, Zhao Hai saw no sign of awareness. It clicked: Feng Zhongxin was in on it with them. A move might drop today, explaining his glee—almost eager vibe.

Zhao Hai smirked inwardly. He'd uncover their tricks, so he held his tongue. More details on their grudge and numbers would help. If the whole crew showed, he could wipe them out in one go.

Reaching the island's edge, Feng Zhongxin guided Zhao Hai onward. This flight stretched longer, roughly ten hours, before donning straw hats and plunging into the blood sea. After descending thousands of meters, a canyon emerged below, draped in vines bearing crimson leaves. They touched down in the valley base.

Zhao Hai eyed the canyon's vine-covered walls and soon grasped why these red-leafed plants went by green vines. Though the foliage blazed fiery red, the stems stayed verdant. The contrast was stunning. No surprise they earned that name. This realm overflowed with odd flora.

Just then, Feng Zhongxin pulled out a wine jar and handed it over. He fetched his own and toasted Zhao Hai. "Here, brother Zou, let's toast and unwind before diving in. This spot's my secret, so no rush."

Zhao Hai accepted with a nod, inhaled the scent, and swigged deeply. Setting it aside, he eyed Feng Zhongxin. "Fine brew. Hits even better than last time's." The sniff alone told him: thousand days drunk vanilla base. Rare for lone cultivators like them. Zhao Hai had encountered it, tested it thoroughly. His space farm grew variants, though not as potent. So, one whiff identified it. Fear? None. It held no power over him. He'd farmed it in his space—boozy flavor, cultivation aid, but his second-gen version skipped the stupor. Total non-issue.

Downing the laced wine aimed to ease Feng Zhongxin's nerves and draw out his allies for a clean sweep. Zhao Hai hated loose ends. Persistent pests irked him deeply.

Feng Zhongxin watched Zhao Hai gulp it down, a spark of triumph in his eyes. He lifted his jar to Zhao Hai. "Cheers, brother Zou. We'll chill a bit, then get cracking." Unfamiliar with the drunk vanilla's look, they couldn't gauge its onset. So, he planned to push more drinks, ensuring it worked when needed.