The Pleasure Lord

Chapter 391: Deceit and Sacrifice

After the shaman's enigmatic disappearance, Danny's body finally succumbed to the accumulated exhaustion from the relentless battle. He lowered himself to the ground, taking labored breaths and struggling to recover from the physically and mentally taxing confrontation. Coughs wracked his frame, and his mouth bore the scarlet stain of the struggle he'd endured.

Aquilla picked up the black orb left on the ground after the hybrid had disintegrated. It was the Demon Beast core of the Pseudo Rank 4 Dark Crow, a highly valuable item for cultivators seeking to increase their strength or for alchemists looking to create potent pills for cultivation or other purposes.

Aquilla landed near Danny, who had just reverted to his normal self. She tossed the black orb into his outstretched hand, and he caught it, examining the valuable item with a mixture of exhaustion and curiosity.

"It's already corrupted with the Dark Qi of that Shaman," Alex said with a disgusted tone in his voice as he examined the orb cradled in his palm. The malevolent touch of the shaman's Dark Qi had tainted what might have been a valuable treasure.

The corrupted core proved far too perilous for any average cultivator or Demon beast to attempt to assimilate. Its malevolent nature had the potential to infect their Qi, leading to disastrous consequences.

Those without significant spiritual power or the right cultivation technique and capacity to fully digest the core faced the grim prospects of either descending into madness or enduring a torturous demise.

Alex, fortunately, faced no significant challenges when it came to dealing with the corrupted core. His Nameless cultivation technique allowed him to absorb and assimilate various forms of Qi without adverse effects.

Nevertheless, remaining cautious in the face of the shaman's malevolence, he subjected the Demon beast's core to the scrutiny of his gradually recovering spiritual sense to ensure there were no hidden surprises.

In his initial probing of the core with his recovering spiritual sense, Alex detected nothing beyond the potent yet tainted Qi of the Dark Crow. Nevertheless, a lingering feeling of unease gnawed at him. To address this disquiet, he retrieved a small pill from his spatial storage.

This pill would temporarily enhance his spiritual sense, allowing him to delve deeper into the core and uncover any hidden secrets.

". . . Motherfucker! You are quite a cunning bitch, aren't you?" Alex exclaimed after a thorough analysis of the orb.

"What's wrong, Alex?" The heavenly spirit inquired upon hearing his outburst.

"It's that shaman. He's not dead yet," Alex declared.

"Not dead?... You don't mean he is-" The heavenly spirit promptly grasped the implication of Alex's words.

"His physical body is dead, yes, but not his soul. It's inside this orb, hiding. Probably waiting for me to start digesting the demon beast core so it can attack or take over my body during the process," Alex explained. He had detected the last vestige of the dark crow's sentience. Demon beasts, particularly those of higher ranks, often left traces of their souls inside their cores.

Cultivators typically had to obliterate these residual soul traces to effectively purify the Qi within the orb and make it their own.

However, the shaman, in his last-ditch effort to save himself, had employed a technique to replace the Dark Crow's soul with his own. As he had previously fused with the Dark Crow, it would have been challenging for a normal person to distinguish between the two souls within the core.

Yet, Alex was far from normal, and he had discerned the ruse with his powerful and unique spiritual power.

"Luck certainly favored us today," the heavenly spirit remarked, her tone a mix of relief and acknowledgment. They both understood the precariousness of the situation and the fine line they walked between victory and potential disaster.

Indeed, luck had played a crucial role in Alex's triumph over the dark shaman. Without Aquilla's timely intervention and his own skill in becoming invisible, Alex would have faced insurmountable odds against the shaman, especially after his fusion with the Dark Crow. Escaping was an option, but that would have meant abandoning his army to the mercy of the shaman.

Just as Alex was deciding what to do with the orb, he felt someone trying to connect to him.

Alex's focus shifted as he felt Pero's urgent mental call. With a swift mental response, he opened the channel for communication, ready to receive the latest developments from the battlefield.

Before his eyes, Alex beheld a gruesome sight. Pero's body had been grievously wounded, yet he miraculously clung to life. Standing over Pero was a towering barbarian, the cruel glint of a sword embedded in the left shoulder of the formidable warrior.

Before him stood none other than Romethra, a once-mighty warrior now severely injured. His left hand lay on the ground, severed from his body. The sword, which had sliced through his left shoulder and penetrated his chest, had narrowly missed his heart.

Romethra's face contorted in a mix of fury and pain, his eyes seething as he looked beyond Pero's mangled body, his gaze fixed on someone who had driven him to this desperate battle.

Alex immediately processed what had happened.

'Mary!' Alex thought.

Moments earlier, Pero had valiantly sacrificed his own body, creating an opportunity for Mary to launch an attack on Romethra. Unwavering and unafraid, Pero had hurled himself at Romethra, who was already besieged by the relentless assault of demon beasts and soldiers.

Romethra's eyes widened in shock as he witnessed the human's suicidal feat, clinging to his right arm without any regard for his own life.

In those brief seconds, Pero successfully redirected Romethra's attention towards himself, allowing Mary to seize the opportunity. Swiftly, she approached the towering barbarian from behind, her blade poised for a decisive strike. With a powerful thrust, she impaled her sword through his already injured left arm.

Agonizing pain surged through Romethra's body, and he recoiled in shock, his gaze fixated on his wounded limb. How had he failed to detect her presence as she closed in for the strike?