“Golden thread python, flying sky ape, and iron-backed gray wolf—these are the three types of demon beasts we’re after. Unless absolutely necessary, we must not engage with any other demon beasts. Remember, not only is it hard to judge the rank of other demon beasts, but we also don’t know their value. It’s not worth the risk. Once a fight breaks out, it’s even more likely to alarm other demon beasts and put us in danger…”

Although this had been said beforehand, before venturing deep into the mountains, Susan Baker still had to emphasize it once more. The depths of the Black Dragon Mountains were extremely dangerous. With their shallow cultivation, they had to avoid making any low-level mistakes.

“All right, enough with the nonsense. Who here came to play? Just get to the point…” Susan Baker’s repeated reminders made Edward Reed quite impatient, and she couldn’t help but interrupt.

Edward Reed wore black clothes against her snow-white skin, the contrast making her complexion appear even more delicate and fair. Her features were charming and lovely, her bright eyes curved like a crescent moon, lively and radiant. Her hair was styled into a slanted, cone-shaped bun, wrapped with five-colored silk threads, looking like a little horn—playful and cute. Though petite and dainty, she already possessed a captivating beauty.

At this moment, her crescent eyes flickered, and her willfulness was tinged with an indescribable cuteness.

Susan Baker glanced at Edward Reed and smiled slightly. “Junior sister Edward Reed is right, I was being long-winded…” Although Susan Baker disliked having his authority challenged, he had no choice but to be polite to Edward Reed. This was not only because of Edward Reed’s charming beauty, but more so because Edward Reed was already a mid-tier third-rank warlock.

In the Eastern Divine Land, those who revered spirits and deities were called mages, following the ways of the sacred immortals and demons. Warlocks used spells and incantations to communicate with the heavens and earth, casting their arts. Both mages and warlocks used their souls to connect with the world’s energy and perform magic. The difference was that mages worshipped the sacred immortals and demons, drawing power from them. Compared to mages, the path of the warlock was more arduous and winding, but also offered more possibilities and a broader future.

For Edward Reed to become a third-rank warlock at such a young age was truly the mark of a genius.

George Carter flattered, “With junior sister Edward Reed here, we’re sure to complete the mission.” George Carter was tall and thin, with a long, narrow face. Though he wore a fawning smile, his triangular eyes and dense freckles always made people uncomfortable.

The short, stout, and solidly built Linda Cooper added, “With the wise and far-sighted senior brother Baker leading us, the genius warlock junior sister Edward Reed, senior brother Carter’s lightness skills, and William Grant’s brute strength—if we all work together, how could we possibly fail…”

Linda Cooper’s chubby, rosy face was already amiable, and when he smiled, his eyes, nose, and mouth seemed to scrunch up together, making him look even more friendly and cheerful. Though his words were also flattery, they were well-rounded and smooth, never as awkward as George Carter’s. After he spoke, everyone felt at ease, and the atmosphere immediately became harmonious.

A fleeting smile flashed across Edward Reed’s pretty face. She shot a disdainful glance at the always-silent Henry Clark and snorted coldly, “I’m not afraid of anything else, just afraid some useless deadweight will hold us back!”

Edward Reed’s sweet and soft voice was as sharp as a needle, aimed straight at Henry Clark without the slightest attempt to hide it. The previously harmonious atmosphere instantly became a bit awkward.

Susan Baker was also somewhat helpless with Edward Reed’s willful temper. As the leader of the small group, he couldn’t just stand by. He could only patiently explain, “Although William Grant is only a lower second-rank in cultivation, his Diamond Five-Aspect Wheel is unmatched. With his steel-like body shielding us, our chances of success greatly increase. Besides, he’s experienced and knows the territories of the iron-backed gray wolf and flying sky ape…”

“Steel body, experienced, huh…” Edward Reed sneered, but said nothing more. She couldn’t stand Henry Clark the deadweight, but couldn’t deny his advantage in experience.

“George Carter, you and William Grant go ahead and scout the way…” Susan Baker didn’t want any more arguments and simply sent Henry Clark away. According to the plan, Henry Clark and George Carter were to scout ahead, while the others stayed behind, ready to respond at any time.

The always-silent Henry Clark nodded, slung a large black leather bag over his back, gripped his iron staff, and strode off in the lead. From start to finish, his eyes remained downcast, without a word of rebuttal or defense, his expression always gentle and calm.

He seemed as meek as someone resigned to adversity, or perhaps as numb as someone completely unaware of what was happening.

It had been ten years since he transmigrated into William Grant’s body, and Henry Clark hadn’t discovered any heaven-defying abilities. The different time and space, the different social environment, created a huge gap between the two worlds. Although most of his previous life’s knowledge was now useless, it gave Henry Clark a unique perspective and logical thinking.

Observation, analysis, comparison, synthesis, generalization, judgment—rigorous logical thinking would not lose its effectiveness just because the environment changed. His strong comprehension alone gave Henry Clark a huge advantage in learning martial arts.

Having grown up in a modern society full of treacherous and complex human nature, Henry Clark couldn’t claim to be a master of intrigue, but in terms of emotional intelligence, he was already a strong contender in this world. How could a group of naïve youths compare to him?

With these great advantages, whether learning martial arts or handling relationships, Henry Clark could handle everything with ease. It was just that cultivating the Diamond Five-Aspect Wheel was so grueling that Henry Clark’s situation grew increasingly perilous.

Nevertheless, relying on his unyielding perseverance, tenacity, and determination, Henry Clark had made it this far. Mere verbal insults and provocation were less than a breeze to him.