Marked Price

035 Marked Price

Ming Shu himself promptly activated the Demonic Spirit within the azure Stone Pagoda.

After he had begun cultivating, his connection with the Demonic Spirit had grown much closer. Even without holding it in his hand, he could activate it directly within a nearby range.

[Magic Spirit: Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King], Skill 2: Pagoda Guard!

A barrier appeared in time, blocking the Shadow Pirate's sneak attack.

Skill 3: Aura! Activate!

Skill 4: Formation Borrowing Strength! Activate!

These two abilities, which he had never had the chance to use before, were activated together this time. The dozen or so people around him formed a small aura, stirring the courage deep within everyone's hearts.

Their morale soared. At the same time, Ming Shu borrowed a trace of strength from them.

After blocking the sneak attack, Ming Shu swung his short spear, turned around, and launched a counterattack.

After being possessed by the Demonic Spirit, he did not transform as Ren Yuan had, but the strength in his body had still increased severalfold.

His skill with spear and staff had likewise improved beyond measure.

Skill 1: Spear Stab to Break the Enemy! Activate!

He held back that mass of shadow.

The Shadow Pirate missed his strike and tried to flee.

At the last moment, Ming Shu still managed to stab him in the shoulder blade.

He fled back, leaving a trail of blood behind him.

Although he had transformed into a shadow to move, he still left a clear trail of blood across the snow.

The fresh blood melted the ice and snow.

White steam rose from it.

Ren Yuan had suppressed the Pirate Leader who possessed the Snow Moon Frog Demon Spirit, but other pirates had returned to assist him. For a time, he could not defeat him.

Neither side could do anything to the other.

Ming Shu took the initiative and attacked the Pirate Deputy Leader, freeing Zhao Dun and Zhao Chuan. They had experience leading battles, but having to lead a group of household guards themselves was still extremely difficult, leaving everyone flustered and disorganized.

Ming Shu now possessed the strength of the Demonic Spirit: Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, giving him combat power completely on par with a Fifth-tier Martial Artist [Hua Jin Gui Yuan Realm].

He had also been improving constantly during this period.

Zhao Dun reorganized the defensive line, while Zhao Chuan helped break out. Both possessed the strength of Fourth-tier Martial Artists, but they had both suffered injuries, which affected their performance.

Just as Ming Shu was battling the Pirate Deputy Leader, Old Zhao had already joined forces with Chong Li to deal with the Fire Cloud Turtle Pirate and had returned to the fight.

With one side waxing and the other waning, the situation slowly improved.

Both leaders were tied down. Even if the others noticed that something was wrong, they did not dare flee back on their own first.

Even pirates had to value loyalty first. If they abandoned morality and pursued profit above all else, there would be no way to keep their group stable.

What would their island master use to unite his brothers in the future?

Therefore, abandoning their brothers required a very suitable opportunity—at the very least, this was not the time.

Just as they charged left and right, trying to create an opportunity and take as many brothers with them as possible, the Butcher and the others arrived.

Putting their actual strength aside, their momentum was more than sufficient.

A cold arrow struck the pirate on the wall who possessed the Ice Turtle Demon Spirit and had been continuously firing ice arrows.

The Hunter's skill was indeed quite good.

The Butcher also activated the [Demonic Spirit: Zhen Guanxi] within him. Wielding his butcher's knife, he charged into the fight.

More than a dozen brothers followed behind him, with Little Zhao among them. Together, they surrounded the pirates and blocked their retreat.

After Old Zhao slapped one pirate flying, he came over to flank the Pirate Deputy Leader with Ming Shu. The two of them quickly wounded him, and Old Zhao knocked him unconscious with a single palm strike.

The Butcher and Ren Yuan joined forces, beating the Snow Moon Frog Pirate Leader back step by step until he could no longer resist.

The two leaders were swiftly dealt with, and the other pirates also abandoned their resistance.

Just then, as everyone was overjoyed and had relaxed their guard somewhat, Ming Shu received a new prompt from the Life Book—

[Demon Spirits: Bandit Raccoon Dog, Water Ghost Frog, Illusion Moon Frog]...

Ming Shu immediately rushed out. Sure enough, at the same time, three stronger opponents leaped out of the snow.

The Illusion Moon Frog activated its demonic art. The phantom of a gigantic Frog Spirit appeared in midair, opened its enormous mouth, and sucked in a vast amount of wind and snow.

Because Ming Shu had rushed out in time and blocked their path forward, the Bandit Raccoon Dog and the Water Ghost Frog had no way to rescue the other pirates.

The pirates had surrendered too quickly and had not coordinated with them.

Taking advantage of the giant frog phantom, they sprayed out a great mouthful of wind and snow, forcibly blocking everyone from Baishi Village.

They only managed to rescue the Shadow Pirate who had been hiding all along—the one who possessed the Shadow Moon Frog Demon Spirit.

It seemed that the difference in strength among Demonic Spirits was also enormous. Even Demonic Spirits of the same frog species could possess such a powerful ultimate move.

Caught off guard, the people of Baishi Village had no good way to deal with it.

Fortunately, they had captured a large number of pirates in time. The initiative afterward would be on their side.

The low-tier Demonic Spirits over there were probably common enough to be found everywhere, too. They should be worth at least a little money.

This should have been a scene of everyone trembling in fear, yet at this moment, they all felt their blood surge with excitement.

Another great victory had inspired everyone's morale.

Regardless of those who had already escaped, they cleaned up the battlefield and counted the spoils.

Ming Shu welcomed the Butcher and the others inside, and together they entered the courtyard through the breach in the eastern wall. They would repair it after the snow stopped.

This was also the first time he had met the Butcher and the others. Previously, Little Zhao and several others had handled their communication.

He had already sent them grain and wine before...

In exchange, they had come to their aid this time.

The two sides now had a preliminary level of trust.

It was still too early to talk about recruiting them. Their own strength was insufficient, so Ming Shu did not mention it at all.

He merely thanked them for lending a hand in their hour of crisis and said that he would always remember their kindness. For tonight, he would first treat them properly to wine and food.

After taking care of the aftermath tomorrow, he would hold another feast to thank them.

Zhao Siqi also appeared. She had heard the commotion outside and forcibly withdrawn from the rhythm of her breakthrough in seclusion. She had been helping treat the wounded in the rear.

By now, she had led people to the kitchen to prepare the food.

Zhao Dun was more skilled at treating the wounded, so the task was handed over to them for now.

Old Zhao was busy leading people in dealing with the scene, so Ming Shu temporarily had nothing to do. The Butcher and the others had not suffered any casualties either.

Although this battle had exposed quite a few of their trump cards, if they came again next time, they would have to think twice. At least three Demonic Spirits, along with Fourth- and Fifth-tier Martial Artists—such combat power was not weak at all in this area, even compared with the other lineages.

Moreover, the fact that their two groups, totaling more than thirty pirates, had been reduced to only four escapees already said everything.

Still, Ming Shu did not let his guard down. He carefully asked the local old residents, such as the Butcher and the Hunter, about their understanding of the pirates.

They had survived here for so many years, so they had certainly clashed with the pirates many times. They had even managed to protect their families and continue farming in the valley.

"Actually, this place is already the northernmost border of Donghai Prefecture. The valley where we live can still be considered part of Donghai Prefecture, but once you go farther north, you're in Langya Prefecture."

"Langya Prefecture has great lineages guarding it, so the pirates don't dare run completely rampant. They've even agreed on the prices—how many times they come to collect each year, what supplies they collect each time, and how much they take. Everything is clearly marked."