Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 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 practice. Major sects often relied on it as a key ingredient in crafting potent medicines. Yet, due to its extreme scarcity, few had ever laid eyes on it. This particular herb bore a striking resemblance to a widespread common plant. Without that subtle aroma of wine emanating from it, distinguishing it from regular foliage would prove nearly impossible.

When big sects incorporated the thousand days drunk vanilla into their pill recipes, they always mixed in additional herbs to prevent the consumer from falling into a drunken stupor. But if you simply steeped it in water and consumed the brew straight, you'd end up blackout drunk for a thousand days straight. Sure, the medicinal effects during that time might still boost your cultivation a bit, but nobody in their right mind would choose such a crude approach.

Waking someone under the influence of the thousand days intoxicating vanilla proved straightforward. Just splash some cold water on their face, and they'd come to shortly after. That's exactly why, in everyday situations, no one bothered soaking and drinking the herb directly—it was such a squander. Refining it into a proper elixir for ingestion made far more sense.

This made the thousand days drunk vanilla perfect for scheming against others, since it wasn't classified as a toxin. No poison detection method could pick it up, no matter what. Once ingested, it rendered the victim helplessly unconscious, leaving them open to whatever the attacker desired. The implications were downright chilling. So, if someone aimed to sabotage another, this herb stood as the ultimate tool.

Securing the thousand days drunk vanilla herb filled Wen Liren and his companions with immense joy. Zhao Hai excelled at handling poisons, so attempting to poison him directly would likely fail and alert him in the process. Worse, if he turned the tables and used poison on them, the fallout would be disastrous beyond imagination.

With the thousand days drunk vanilla now in their possession, dealing with Zhao Hai became a simpler affair. Excitement burned in everyone's eyes. Capturing him meant they could extract the Ghostwind Bandits' treasure location, claim the loot for themselves, and strike it rich at last.

Wen Liren turned his attention to Feng Zhongxin, his voice low and commanding. "Zhongxin, this task falls to you. Think you can handle it?" As he finished, his gaze intensified, his presence overwhelming, as if refusal would spell instant death for Feng Zhongxin. Deep down, that's precisely what he intended.

Feng Zhongxin's heart raced at the sight of Wen Liren's fierce look. He quickly remembered how his recent behavior had already sparked doubts in Wen Liren. Any further delay, and he'd be eliminated on the spot. 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 right then. But Wen bro, grabbing him on the island might draw unwanted eyes. Here's a better plan: I'll head out with the wine in the morning and lure him on a job. You all trail us. During the task, I'll slip him the drink, wait for it to hit, and then we seize him. Out there off the island, no one will question his disappearance."

Wen Liren eyed Feng Zhongxin briefly before giving a nod. "Fine, that's the plan. Wang Liang, you and yours watch that Zhao Hai closely—no escapes on our watch. Everyone else, stand by for tomorrow's orders. Better times are ahead. Once we pry the Ghostwind Bandits' treasure spot from Zhao Hai, wealth is ours."

The group erupted in eager agreement, their faces alight with thrill. 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 overwhelm them?

Wen Liren surveyed the assembly and spoke gravely, "Enough talk—prepare yourselves. Action starts tomorrow. Zhongxin, get some rest; the spotlight's on you then." All acknowledged, Feng Zhongxin included. With a dismissive gesture from Wen Liren, the room emptied.

Once alone, Wen Liren rose and peered out the window. He whispered to himself, "After all these years, the day is finally here." Eagerness gleamed in his eyes. He'd anticipated this for far too long. With his ambition on the verge of realization, elation surged through him. Wen Liren knew full well: once he learned the Ghostwind Bandits' treasure site, the others would meet their end, and the riches would be his alone. He and his brother would rise to the elite, claim Island Lord status, and even achieve ascension.

Inside his quarters, Zhao Hai sat in serene repose, eyes shut. Moments later, they fluttered open, and he murmured, "Fascinating. Accomplices still tailing me. But what's so valuable about me to hold their interest? Might as well observe their next move and fish for some intel." With that, he shut his eyes once more, this time slipping into true meditation.

Come dawn the following day, knocks echoed at Zhao Hai's door. He rose swiftly, approached, and swung it open to find Feng Zhongxin waiting. Surprise flickered across Zhao Hai's face—Feng Zhongxin appeared invigorated today, a far cry from recent days, which puzzled him. "Big brother Feng, what's got you beaming? You look thrilled."

Feng Zhongxin's surprise at Zhao Hai's observation sent a cold shiver down his spine. He realized his overconfidence had nearly given him away. Zhao Hai's suspicion would complicate everything. Quick to recover, he told Zhao Hai, "Nothing major, just good vibes. Got word today that green vine prices are skyrocketing. I know a spot loaded with them, untouched by others. We head there, cash in big."

Spotting the evasion in Feng Zhongxin's face, Zhao Hai saw through the lie but stayed silent. He simply nodded. "Sounds good, let's move." He stepped out, secured the door, and faced Feng Zhongxin.

Feng Zhongxin nodded back. "Right behind you. When I heard about the green vine boom, I got so pumped I grabbed some wine. We can sip a bit once we arrive—it's a trek, hours away. There, we'll relax with drinks, recharge, then harvest."

Zhao Hai agreed and trailed Feng Zhongxin toward the island's border. He also spotted his watchers heading the same way, keeping distance in scattered groups, feigning routine activities to avoid notice.

Glancing at Feng Zhongxin, who seemed oblivious, Zhao Hai pieced it together: Feng Zhongxin colluded with them. A strike might come today, explaining the man's buoyant, almost eager demeanor.

Zhao Hai smirked inwardly. Curious about their tactics, he held his tongue, aiming to draw out details on their motives and numbers. If the whole crew showed, he'd handle them in one go.

Reaching the island's edge, Feng Zhongxin guided Zhao Hai onward. This flight stretched longer, roughly ten hours, before they donned straw hats and plunged into the blood sea. Descending thousands of meters, they spotted a canyon below, its walls draped in vines bearing vivid red leaves. They touched down at the valley floor.

Examining the canyon's vine-covered sides, Zhao Hai soon grasped the green vine moniker. Though the leaves blazed red, the stems gleamed green, creating a stunning contrast. No surprise there— this realm brimmed with odd flora.

Suddenly, Feng Zhongxin produced a wine jar and handed it over. He grabbed his own, lifting it toward Zhao Hai. "Cheers, brother Zou—let's drink deep, unwind, then dive in. This spot's my secret, so no rush."

Zhao Hai accepted the jar with a nod, inhaled its scent, and swigged heartily. Setting it aside, he eyed Feng Zhongxin. "Excellent brew—rich flavor, tops our last round." The sniff alone revealed the thousand days drunk vanilla infusion. A prized find for lone cultivators like them, yet Zhao Hai knew it well from past trials. His spatial farm held similar variants, though lesser in quality. So, identifying the tainted wine was instant. Fear didn't touch him—this herb held no power over him. He'd even grown it in his space, yielding a booze-like variant that aided cultivation without intoxication. The second-generation strain ensured his sobriety. Total non-issue.

Downing the spiked wine served to ease Feng Zhongxin's nerves and lure out his allies for a swift cleanup. Zhao Hai despised ongoing hassles; persistent foes grated on him.

As Zhao Hai quaffed the drink, a spark of delight crossed Feng Zhongxin's features. He toasted again. "To us, brother Zou—bottoms up. We'll pause here, then get busy." Unfamiliar with the drunk vanilla's onset, none of them knew precisely when it struck. So, he planned to encourage more sips, hedging against any failure.