“Whew...” A jet of flame shot out from the fire bear’s mouth. The orange-red fire rapidly expanded, covering the entire passage within several zhang.

　　At the very front, Linda Cooper suffered the most miserably—her whole body was scorched black, all her hair burned off, and only after rolling and crawling around a bend did she finally let out a wretched howl.

　　The intense heat radiated by the flames instantly raised the temperature of the space. Even Henry Clark, who had just entered the fire bear’s lair, could feel the scorching heat, along with the smell of charred flesh mixed into the air.

　　George Carter’s sallow face lost all color, appearing almost pale, and he stammered, “Brother Baker, the fire bear is too fierce. Let’s just grab a few fire crystals and get out of here!”

　　Susan Baker glanced at the fire crystals scattered all over the ground and sneered, “With so many fire crystals, how can we just grab a few? If we kill this bear, all of these will be ours.” Then, with a ruthless tone, he added, “Don’t be afraid. It’s obvious the bear needs to build up before it can breathe fire. In this spacious area, the flames are much less powerful. Besides, we have Edward Reed’s Frost Rain Arrows. With all of us together, I don’t believe we can’t kill it!”

　　The arts of a spellcaster are mysterious and profound. With preparation, even a third-tier Edward Reed could restrain the fire bear—it wasn’t impossible. Even if things went badly, Susan Baker was confident he could escape. With so many fire crystals, they had to take the risk.

　　At this moment, hiding in another direction, Edward Reed finally made her move. She chanted softly, and the elemental energy of heaven and earth quickly gathered.

　　The yellow talisman paper in Edward Reed’s hand was activated by the elemental energy, resonating in a mysterious way with her spirit. As Edward Reed’s mind turned, the characters transformed into a streak of icy light, shooting straight at the fire bear’s plump rear.

　　A frigid chill instantly spread, and in the blink of an eye, a layer of white frost formed on the fire bear. The fire bear was still hesitating whether to chase Linda Cooper, but now it was attacked again—by the very cold it hated most.

　　A spellcaster uses their own body as a vessel, their spirit as the root, absorbing the elemental energy of heaven and earth to cast all sorts of wondrous spells and incantations. Compared to martial artists, their arts are subtler and more mysterious, capable of all kinds of incredible feats.

　　Although Edward Reed was only a low-level spellcaster, her focus, chanting, talisman handling, and spellcasting were all extremely practiced, without the slightest hesitation. This showed her deep foundation and extraordinary talent. Even Susan Baker, watching from the side, couldn’t help but admire Edward Reed’s skill.

　　The fire bear let out a roar, its massive body pulling free from the stone wall. Amidst the swirling dust, Edward Reed had already fired five consecutive Frost Rain Arrows. The fire bear was now covered in a thick layer of frost.

　　The cave suddenly became much cooler.

　　Although the fire bear wasn’t frozen stiff, its previously agile movements were now clearly much slower. Even its eyes were covered with a thick layer of frost.

　　Seizing the opportunity, Susan Baker tossed a packet of Soul-Dispelling Powder, hitting the fire bear squarely. The powder burst open, spreading like dust and covering the fire bear.

　　“Go!” Susan Baker drew his twin swords from his back and gave a deep command.

　　Henry Clark hefted his iron staff and charged forward. George Carter circled to the side, cautiously approaching the fire bear. Susan Baker moved like the wind, nimbly circling behind the fire bear.

　　Only when facing the fire bear head-on could one truly feel its overwhelming, ferocious pressure. That massive body, as large as a small mountain, was filled with boundless strength. Its wild, savage pounce was enough to shatter one’s courage.

　　“Hah!” Suppressing the instinctive fear in his heart, Henry Clark let out a mighty shout and swept his eight-foot iron staff at one of the fire bear’s paws.

　　The fire bear neither dodged nor blocked. Its huge body suddenly leaped at Henry Clark, dodging the staff while pressing down on him like a mountain. Even after being hit by the Soul-Dispelling Powder, the fire bear seemed barely affected.

　　Henry Clark steeled himself, deciding to take it head-on. If he didn’t give the fire bear a hard blow, the group would lose their fighting spirit. Not only would they waste this precious opportunity, but they might also let the secret of this place slip out.

　　The eight-foot iron staff was braced against the ground, its tip pressed right at the fire bear’s throat. Though the bear weighed thousands of jin, it couldn’t break the black iron staff. Henry Clark’s move was extremely skillful, the angle just right, forcibly lifting the fire bear’s head.

　　At the same time, Henry Clark bent his waist backward, using his back and hands for leverage on the ground, and slid like a snake under the fire bear. Just as the bear’s hind legs had yet to land, Henry Clark’s left foot gripped the ground, his body half-lying, and his right leg whipped out bonelessly.

　　Azure Dragon’s Tail Whip. This kick, which Henry Clark had practiced millions of times, had become second nature. Spine, waist, thigh, calf, instep, toes—every muscle, bone, and tendon in his leg exerted force at once, and his internal energy surged through his meridians.

　　External and internal force peaked in an instant, unleashing a kick beyond the limits of mastery.

　　The instep first struck the exposed feathered arrow in the fire bear’s belly. The three-foot arrow shaft still sticking out was driven in by the powerful, precise force, instantly burying itself completely in the bear’s abdomen.

　　Henry Clark’s instep then struck the wound left by the arrow, his soft leg force penetrating the wound into the bear’s lower belly, then suddenly exploding into a burst of fierce power.

　　“Bang!” It sounded like a drum being struck, deep and strange.