Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8470: Inner demon (1)

Zhao Hai caught the sound of the knock right away and figured out exactly who stood outside. A grin spread across his face as he headed over to the door. Swinging it open, he eyed Wen Liyi and said, "You're here. Please come in." With that, Zhao Hai stepped aside, gesturing for Wen Liyi to enter the room.

Wen Liyi's eyes widened at Zhao Hai's composed demeanor. He'd figured Zhao Hai would react with shock upon seeing him, yet the man remained utterly serene. This unexpected calm threw him off. Puzzled, he stared at Zhao Hai and questioned, "You know me?"

Zhao Hai chuckled softly. "Wen Liyi. Of course I know you. Come on in and sit down. You're the twin brother of Wen Liren." Then, Zhao Hai made his way into the living room. Wen Liyi observed Zhao Hai's calm face and held back his words. He followed into the living room too, eager to hear what Zhao Hai had to say and learn how the man had uncovered his secret.

Once seated in the living room, Zhao Hai cast a look at Wen Liyi and grinned. "I'm not offering you any tea. I bet you wouldn't touch it anyway, even if I did. Curious about how I learned of you? Well, Wen Liren spilled it himself."

Zhao Hai shot another glance at Wen Liyi and spoke gravely, "What I'm about to share might sound unbelievable, but it's the honest truth. Believe it or not, that's up to you—I'm just laying out the facts." He paused briefly after those words. Then, he went on to explain how Feng Zhongxin had reached out to him, how he'd sensed potential malice from Feng Zhongxin and his group, how he'd stayed on guard against them, how Feng Zhongxin had duped him into sipping that drunken vanilla wine, and every detail of the events in the blood sea. He revealed it all.

Finally, Zhao Hai fixed his gaze on Wen Liyi and declared, "That's exactly how I came to know about you. And I swear, I didn't lay a hand on Wen Liren. He stumbled into another person's scheme and got taken out by the backlash from the heart devouring bugs. Truth is, I have no clue where the Ghostwind bandits' treasure trove hides. If I did, I'd have claimed it ages ago. No way I'd linger here this long."

Wen Liyi eyed Zhao Hai with a sneer. "Why should I trust a word you say? It's all hearsay from others. My brother's gone, yet here you are, still breathing. You ought to have perished alongside him back then—everything traces back to you."

Zhao Hai regarded Wen Liyi and let out a weary sigh. Shaking his head, he replied in a solemn tone, "I've shouldered enough blame from folks like you. You act like the world owes you everything and everyone must yield to you, but let me set that straight—no one owes you a thing. I spoke those words earlier to spare your life. If that's truly your mindset, then you're dead wrong."

Wen Liyi erupted into wild laughter. "Hahaha, excellent! I love that you're not cowering before me. Bring it on—let's clash. Show me what you've got." But just as Wen Liyi geared up to strike, he halted abruptly. He shot Zhao Hai a sly glance and sneered, "I see through your game. You want me to strike first so the bloody massacre sect's folks swarm me. Those madmen from the bloody massacre sect won't give a damn about who I am. If that kicks off, I'm done for. That's your angle, isn't it?"

Zhao Hai stared at Wen Liyi and shook his head. "You're truly... I just don't know how to put it. Have you and your brother always dwelled in some delusion? You've never considered that while you're plotting against others, they're plotting right back at you. Nor have you entertained that your power might not even touch mine. I held back from killing you because I genuinely avoid taking lives. But if you're set on dying, alright—let's head off the island now and battle it out to the end. What do you say?"

Wen Liyi eyed Zhao Hai with deep suspicion upon hearing this. "You'll actually step off the island? You're just asking to die." Deep down, Wen Liyi was convinced Zhao Hai wouldn't dare follow him out. To him, Zhao Hai was nothing but a wandering cultivator. Sure, their realms matched, but how could a lone wanderer stand against him? He was a sect disciple, after all. The resources and experiences sect disciples accessed far outstripped what any rogue cultivator could dream of.

Zhao Hai met Wen Liyi's gaze and smiled. "What's there I wouldn't dare? Let's move." With that, Zhao Hai rose and strode toward the exit. Wen Liyi's confusion deepened as he watched Zhao Hai's retreating figure. Yet soon, a wicked grin twisted his features. He burned to slay Zhao Hai, and he craved doing it right then. Without a second thought, he trailed after Zhao Hai.

As they reached the inn's lobby, the innkeeper spotted Zhao Hai and Wen Liyi emerging. He flashed a warm smile at Wen Liyi and remarked, "Looks like you've tracked down your man, Mr. Jin. So that's why you've holed up here for days—waiting for your companion to arrive at last."

Zhao Hai let out a hearty laugh and replied, "Yes, he's finally shown up. Innkeeper, I'm checking out now. I'll be departing blood Lake island shortly. Here's payment for the room." Zhao Hai pulled out a crystal and passed it to the innkeeper. The man accepted it gratefully, showering Zhao Hai with thanks. Zhao Hai dismissed it with a wave and exited the inn alongside Wen Liyi.

Before long, the pair arrived at the blood sea's edge. Zhao Hai turned to Wen Liyi with a smile. "It appears you've prepared everything needed before showing up, haven't you? You've already spread word that I hold the ghost wind sect's treasure? So if you fall, the rumor will spread, drawing killers to hound me relentlessly until I'm gone. That counts as your payback? Spot on?"

Wen Liyi's face paled at Zhao Hai's words, his features twisting. For the first time, a chill of fear gripped him toward Zhao Hai. Even knowing his true identity from the start, Zhao Hai hadn't flinched during their initial encounter. When recounting Wen Liren's demise, it hadn't felt like mere self-defense. But now, every revelation from Zhao Hai hinted at total awareness. He could predict every twist in Wen Liren's scheme. That was downright terrifying.

Seeing Wen Liyi's reaction, Zhao Hai smiled. "Looks like I've hit the mark. I can't wrap my head around it. You're a disciple of the poisonous insect Valley, one of the top ten sects—plenty of cultivation resources at your fingertips. With dedication, you could rise to Island master level. So why resort to this? If you'd just swapped identities with your brother and immersed yourself in studies at the poisonous bug Valley, both of you would've grown formidable by now. But no, you chased treasures instead of honing your cultivation. I truly don't get it. Is loot more vital than your immortal path?"

"Nonsense! Snagging that treasure guarantees my immortal path. What would you know? The trove overflows with riches—finding it means a shot at eternity. That's worth far more than grinding away at cultivation!" Wen Liyi's face contorted in rage as he glared at Zhao Hai.

Zhao Hai studied Wen Liyi and sighed once more. "I'm genuinely baffled. Why haven't you pondered this? After all these years, why haven't the Ghostwind bandits reclaimed their own hoard? Were they the sort of cultivators fixated on the heavenly Dao, shunning outside aids? They've failed to locate it for so long, yet you believe you can succeed? Isn't that pure self-deception?"

Wen Liyi's visage darkened further, malice radiating from him as he snapped at Zhao Hai, "Enough talk. If you're too chicken to head out, crawl back to the inn." His features brimmed with murderous fury. Clearly, Zhao Hai's words had struck a nerve, sparking such a fierce response. Likely, they'd mulled this doubt before, but buried it under excuses to avoid facing it. They deluded themselves out of necessity—if they stopped, it'd mean conceding that years of effort, not just theirs but their family's elders across generations, had been futile and misguided. That reality was unbearable, so they pressed on.

Zhao Hai sighed again while observing Wen Liyi. He realized no words of his could sway things now. Wen Liyi and his kin had long fallen prey to their inner demons. No salvation existed for them. Sure, their family boasted talented elders, but none had survived beyond two centuries. The inner demons doomed them—their cultivation stalled at certain thresholds, leading to inevitable death upon encounter. Such was the dread power of heart devils.

Tragically, Wen Liyi and the others grasped none of this. Thus, the inner demons had rooted deep in their souls long ago, impossible to uproot. Though now a core disciple in the poisonous bug Valley, Wen Liyi would soon perish to those demons regardless, even without this clash.

The bloodlust on Wen Liyi's face intensified as he shadowed Zhao Hai outside. The duo refrained from clashing right after departing blood Lake island. They soared away from it, halting only after covering a thousand miles. Zhao Hai hovered over the blood sea, facing Wen Liyi. In turn, Wen Liyi locked eyes on Zhao Hai, his countenance seething with intent to kill.

Noting Wen Liyi's glare, Zhao Hai smiled. "As I said earlier, I had no part in destroying the Ghostwind bandits. Nor did I cause Wen Liren and the others' deaths. You didn't assume I lacked real power, did you? Hehe, you may not realize this, but I truly remain ignorant of the Ghostwind bandits' treasure location. Yet, when they lured me for that blood sacrifice, they aimed to offer up the sinister Wind Ghost flag. By then, the sinister Wind Ghost flag had regained some might, and after wiping out the Ghostwind bandits, it turned on me—but I subdued it. In a way, I've already claimed the Ghostwind bandits' treasure. Only, it's not the kind of prize you envision."

Wen Liyi froze at Zhao Hai's revelation, his face shifting dramatically before he broke into manic laughter. "Perfect! The heavens reward the persistent! At last, I've uncovered the Ghostwind bandits' treasure. Zhao Hai, you have to die. The cold wind Ghost flag is mine—mine alone!" With a flick of his wrist, a dark cloud surged toward Zhao Hai.