Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8492: 469-darkness under the light_1

Ghost Tree Island stood as a relatively obscure spot within the Dark Ghost Sect. A Yin vein ran through it, and along that vein's edge sprouted numerous trees. Influenced by the Yin vein, these trees twisted into bizarre forms. Yet, they served as valuable materials for crafting magical artifacts suited to ghost cultivators. Still, since their quality remained middling, such trees only yielded low-grade magical artifacts. Plus, production yields stayed low, so the Dark Ghost Sect largely overlooked the island.

The overseer of Ghost Tree Island bore the surname Zhou, with the given name Zhen. He hadn't claimed Ghost Tree Island upon rising to island master status. Rather, he had apprenticed under the original island master of Ghost Tree Island. Eventually, he took over the role, but instead of forging his own domain, he simply inherited Ghost Tree Island. His power level hovered at average, rendering him unremarkable among the Dark Ghost Sect's island masters, which further dimmed the island's profile.

Thanks to those ghost trees dotting the landscape, though, their earnings proved decent enough. Life there unfolded in a steady, unremarkable rhythm, yet it remained tolerable. Within the Dark Ghost Sect, countless islands mirrored this setup, drawing zero extra scrutiny. Ghost Tree Island held nothing particularly noteworthy.

This very obscurity allowed the inhabitants of Ghost Tree Island to enjoy profound tranquility. Each evening after dusk, they retired early, nestled deep within the Dark Ghost Sect's heartland. Though not the absolute core, it sat far from any fringes. One could call it an utterly secure haven, untouched by invasions throughout its history.

Even the recent assault on Ghost Island by Zhao Hai and his crew, which rattled the whole Dark Ghost Sect, barely rippled through Ghost Tree Island's calm. Distance shielded them; they harbored no fears of the attackers showing up nearby. Despite the ongoing hunt for the Ghostwind Bandits yielding no results, most in the Dark Ghost Sect assumed the bandits had fled the territory entirely. Thus, the issue faded from concern.

On that particular night, the residents of Ghost Tree Island wrapped up their daily cultivation routines as always. Those returning from missions settled in for repose. Cultivators required scant sleep, but maintaining a regular rest cycle benefited them greatly. So, nighttime doubled as their downtime, when few ventured out for activity.

Suddenly, a shroud of black mist materialized beyond Ghost Tree Island's borders. It swiftly morphed into an enormous black blade that cleaved toward the island. A thunderous crash echoed as the protective formation shattered. Then, fierce war cries echoed across the entirety of Ghost Tree Island.

Having basked in peace for so long, the islanders reacted sluggishly to the intrusion. No one anticipated an assault on Ghost Tree Island. Caught off guard by the abrupt onslaught, confusion gripped them, leaving actions unclear. Just then, a chilling gale howled through. Dark ghost sect disciples, barely roused and clueless about the chaos, got hurled away by the wind. Their divine souls and physical forms vanished in an instant.

In that instant, a shout rang out, “How dare you assault my Ghost Tree Island! Seeking death, are you?” The speaker flicked his wrist, summoning an odd dharma artifact into his grasp. Shaped like a tree branch, this artifact gleamed black and stretched over two meters. A handful of dark leaves clung to it, and on the foremost leaf loomed a ghostly face. Pale against the ebony foliage, that face demanded attention.

He swung the branch, unleashing a horde of spectral figures from it. These phantoms lunged straight at the invaders storming the shore. But he quickly spotted them as ghostly soldiers. Shock froze him, twisting his features. He grasped at once that these newcomers must be the Ghostwind Bandits. Never had he imagined the Ghostwind Bandits targeting this place.

Yet the assault pressed on relentlessly. Ghostly soldiers kept charging at the island's disciples and elders. Low-tier disciples and death warriors fell without exception. Only core disciples, legacy disciples, and dharma-cultivation-realm elders survived the initial wave.

Spotting this dire turn, Zhou Zhen realized defense was futile. To avoid the isolated fate of Ghost Island's master, he needed to evacuate the survivors. But rescuing them meant abandoning all island assets.

Zhou Zhen's hesitation flickered briefly before clarity struck. Resources could be regained with time, but replacing lost lives demanded far more effort. Even without rescue, he couldn't overpower the foes alone. Better then to shield these people, forging their future loyalty in the process.

With that resolve, Zhou Zhen activated the black tree branch. Abruptly, myriad black trees erupted across Ghost Tree Island. They surged upward at breakneck speed, bursting from the soil in moments. Any ghostly soldiers snared by these trees wailed in agony. Zhao Hai noticed the Yin Qi within the soldiers draining at an accelerated rate.

Zhao Hai paused in surprise, then comprehended the trees' power to siphon Yin Qi. He let out a cold huff and gestured sharply, bellowing, “Divine armament, blazing flames incinerate the heavens!” At his command, black flames ignited within the ghostly soldiers' forms. The instant those flames flared, the trees caught ablaze too. Before long, black fire engulfed the whole of Ghost Tree Island.

The inferno raged for roughly fifteen minutes until it finally extinguished. The forest vanished with the flames. Simultaneously, the island's occupants had fled. Spotting the blaze, Zhao Hai and Zhou Zhen had bolted earlier. Zhao Hai promptly commanded his group to plunder every movable item from the island.

The crew rushed in, hauling away anything portable. Afterward, Zhao Hai raised the flag and drew everyone into the blood sea. They plunged beneath its waves. But this time, Zhao Hai held back from departing. Instead, he employed quicksand escape, burrowing into the earth beneath the island.

Once underground, Zhao Hai planted the Sinister Wind Ghost Flag into the soil. He turned to the group and declared, “We’re staying put right here. They’ll assume we’ve escaped, blind to our presence in this darkness. It’ll make tracking us far tougher.”

No one uttered a peep at Zhao Hai’s words. Fear of provoking him kept them compliant, nodding in unison. Zhao Hai eyed them sternly and intoned, “Pull out all the loot and share it out!” Defiance vanished; each member produced their hauls from the island without concealment.

Surveying the pile, Zhao Hai nodded and rumbled deeply, “Good, no one skimped this round. You all performed well. Now, for distribution: Xu Gang, as second-in-command, claims five times the standard share.” He proceeded to divvy up the goods. Silence reigned; Zhao Hai’s brutal efficiency had cowed them. Only now did they grasp his disinterest in the spoils. Back on Dharmic Tribulation Island, he’d barely lifted a finger. And these items? He handed them straight to Da’AI, bypassing his personal storage—proof he claimed nothing.

Zhao Hai’s conduct baffled the lot. Why orchestrate raids for treasures he shunned? Questions died unspoken. Envy fixed on Xu Gang, who’d soared to prominence. His haul dwarfed others’ by fivefold—a massive windfall. For cultivators, such resource disparity meant worlds of difference, utterly vital.

Events unfolded precisely as Zhao Hai foresaw. After hunkering in the sub-island void for over two hours, Dark Ghost Sect reinforcements arrived. They’d dispatched an elder this time. But discovering Ghost Tree Island barren left their expressions grim. The Dark Ghost Sect’s forces launched a widespread hunt for Zhao Hai’s band. Meanwhile, the freshly plundered Ghost Tree Island drew scant follow-up, save assigning aid for Zhou Zhen’s rebuild. Little else stirred around it.

Zhao Hai maintained composure. They lingered in that subterranean pocket for a full ten days before he guided them topside and away from Ghost Tree Island. Next, Zhao Hai aimed for another Dark Ghost Sect region. A few more scouting stops, and they could exit the sect’s domain.

Moreover, Zhao Hai had no intent to strike the Dark Ghost Sect anew. Two raids had netted ample supplies. A colossal entity like the Dark Ghost Sect endured for ages no accident. Further attacks risked ensnarement. With their modest might, clashing head-on spelled disaster—they couldn’t rival the sect.

Indeed, Zhao Hai’s instincts proved spot-on. Against a titan like the Dark Ghost Sect, one strike might slip through unnoticed. A second sharpened their vigilance instantly. Such sects brimmed with detection treasures galore. Hell-bent on locating Zhao Hai’s crew, success was inevitable. Zhao Hai no longer brimmed with overconfidence. A mere Poisonous Bug Valley disciple had trailed him before; how could the Dark Ghost Sect fail? Unthinkable. Thus, while set to tour the sect’s fringes for observation, he planned no assaults. Unbeknownst to him, a monumental upheaval loomed on the horizon!