Chapter 444 - 297: Muster the Troops, Red Deer Army

"Has everyone been settled?" Chu Ming looked at the elderly woman.

"Reporting to the benefactor, the tribespeople have all been settled," the elderly woman responded respectfully.

The Wind Spirit Race did not directly arrange the Spirit Contract Race into the tribal land but instead opened up a new habitation for them outside the tribal land.

The current situation is that the two tribes are supporting each other from a distance. The four major bandit camps in the southeast, southwest, northwest, and northeast serve as a cover, and further away, there are various small bandit dens acting as lookout posts.

It can be said that within a hundred miles, any wind movement, no matter how slight, the Wind Spirit Race can detect it at the first moment.

"Elder Feeng Zhi, please discuss the losses of each camp." Chu Ming looked to the right.

Feeng Zhi saluted and said, "In the battle of Xiqu Bay, we lost a total of more than three thousand five hundred people. Later, the Huang Forbidden Army struck back, using over a thousand people as a cover, with a total of more than four thousand seven hundred sacrifices in this battle."

So many people died?!

The elderly woman of the Spirit Contract Race, Elder Qi Konghen, and Qi Yuewu were secretly shocked, feeling even more guilty in their hearts.

Chu Ming heard these words, but he just nodded slightly without expressing too much.

What the three did not know is that this number is already considered low.

Many of the bandits who were incorporated were ordinary people, and they would certainly suffer heavy casualties when encountering a regular army like the Huang Forbidden Army.

Moreover, these bandits had previously committed evil deeds such as burning, killing, and looting, and their hands were stained with innocent blood.

Even without the battle of Xiqu Bay, if the Wind Spirit Race hadn’t recruited them, those bandits would eventually be exterminated by the Imperial Court.

Exchanging bandits for the submission of a tribe like the Spirit Contract Race, which possesses the tribe’s treasure, is undoubtedly worthwhile.

"Are you sure the Huang Forbidden Army has retreated?" Chu Ming asked again.

"Yes, they have all retreated. The remaining Huang Forbidden Army was only a dozen people. Although each one was powerful, they didn’t want to continue fighting against the endless bandits."

The more than six hundred Huang Forbidden Army led by Yang Rong had already fought a big battle, their Qi Blood depleted, and they lacked combat power.

The reinforcements led by Tang Run were too few, only eleven people. They slaughtered the thousands at Chaobei Ridge, including the ten or so bandit dens the Wind Spirit Race had incorporated, but couldn’t find the Wolf Race’s trace, so they had to retreat.

"Clan Leader, the remnants of the bandits at Chaobei Ridge, numbering one thousand, have been ordered to be incorporated by me."

"Good."

Chu Ming nodded slightly, then looked at the three Spirit Contract people with a complex expression.

He deliberately had Feeng Zhi speak about the battle situation in front of the three from the Spirit Contract.

It was both to let the Spirit Contract know the great price the Wind Spirit Race paid this time and to let them know the Wind Spirit Race’s immense strength.

"How is the progress on the selection?" Chu Ming asked again.

"Reporting to the Clan Leader, the selection process has currently uncovered a thousand clean seedlings. All these people have just recently joined the bandit dens, have yet to stain their hands with blood, and have decent temperament."

The so-called selection is the second thing to do after incorporating bandits.

From the incorporated bandit dens, filter out those who haven’t stained their hands with innocent blood for nurturing.

Chu Ming deeply understood that merely incorporating bandits, even if the numbers reached a hundred thousand or two hundred thousand, would still be an unruly mob.

Only by forging a disciplined, well-equipped army, like the Tiger Armor Army or the Huang Forbidden Army, and even surpassing them, can it be considered a truly formidable force.

A thousand people is not much, but not little either.

"Good, separate these people for individual management and training, establish a system of rewards and punishments, and reward cultivation techniques, elixirs, weapons, etc., based on ability and merit."

"Those who do not comply, severely punish without leniency!"

"Yes!"

"..."

The three individuals from the Spirit Contract Race listened on the side, their hearts even more agitated.

The Wind Spirit Race intends to... build an army?

For what purpose to build an army?

The answer is self-evident.

Good!

The three of them exchanged glances with anticipation.

The Spirit Contract Race nearly facing extermination by the Qin Dynasty, hatred stabbed their hearts like a sword.

Now seeing the Wind Spirit Race engaging in acts of revenge, it’s naturally hard to contain their excitement.

"The old one is willing to offer herself, to aid the elders."

"What suggestions does the Spirit Contract Race elder have?" Chu Ming asked in a deep voice.

The elderly woman paused, organized her thoughts, and said, "Benefactor, our tribe’s treasure can tame Exotic Beasts, training them into mounts like the Blazing Fire Tiger Horse of the Tiger Armor Army or the Cyan Flame Demon Wolf of the Huang Forbidden Army."

Swish swish swish!

As soon as these words were spoken, Feeng Jun, Feeng Zhi, and others of the Wind Spirit Race all looked at the three of the Spirit Contract Race.

What they were waiting for was this very sentence.

Chu Ming was also waiting for the elderly woman to speak.

The importance of Exotic Beast mounts goes without saying. The Huang Forbidden Army, Tiger Armor Army, North Snow Army, Eastern Expedition Army, Sikong Army, every powerful force of the Qin Dynasty has its own mounts.

Similarly, the Nine Hordes Kingdom’s Kuirong Zhi has Barbarian Bull mounts, and so on. Armies with powerful mounts completely overwhelm those without.

And Chu Ming, in forming his own army, naturally couldn’t do without mounts.

"Clan Leader, the severe winter has arrived. The northern Sword-Horned Red Deer Exotic Beast herd has already gathered in numbers to five thousand..." Feeng Zhi said at the right moment.

Sword-Horned Red Deer?! Five thousand heads?!

The three of the Spirit Contract Race were shocked.

There are actually so many Exotic Beasts here?

The Sword-Horned Red Deer cannot be considered more powerful than the Cyan Flame Demon Wolf, yet they are stronger than the Blazing Fire Tiger Horse. If they can be tamed, they can become formidable mounts.

"Benefactor, adult Sword-Horned Red Deer can reach Tier Three, and if they consume Spirit Grass Treasures, they can evolve to Fourth Tier. Large in size yet agile, with razor-sharp horns, they’re very suitable to be tamed as mounts."

The elderly woman stood up and said, "However, with the current capabilities of the old woman and the Spirit Contract Race, it is feared we cannot tame so many as five thousand heads..."

"How does the Spirit Contract Race use the tribe’s treasure to tame Exotic Beasts?" Chu Ming asked, somewhat curiously.

"..." The elderly woman was silent for a moment, looking to Qi Konghen and Qi Yuewu beside her.

Qi Konghen, having lost half of the tribe’s treasure, was embarrassed to speak, but Qi Yuewu was straightforward and stood up directly.