It’s been almost ten days since they came out, and every day they’ve been eating nothing but dry, tough salted meat and fried flatbread, leaving their mouths tasteless and bland. Smelling the aroma of roasted meat, both Henry Clark and Edward Reed were drooling, their appetites thoroughly aroused.

Henry Clark made a simple rack, whittled some branches to skewer the meat, each skewer threaded with large, square chunks. As the meat roasted over the charcoal, the golden-brown pieces were sprinkled with chili powder and salt, making them crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and incredibly fragrant.

However, the fire bear was a demon beast, and its meat was extremely tough. If not for its rich fat, it would be ten times harder to chew than old cowhide. Henry Clark had taken the bear paw, the fattiest and most tender part, and with the two of them’s teeth, it was still manageable to chew.

Though eating it was hard work, the fourth-rank fire bear meat was rich in nutrients and an excellent tonic for the body. Henry Clark and Edward Reed feasted heartily, thoroughly satisfied.

After the meal, Henry Clark continued to grind the box with the black iron rod, while Edward Reed darted around the cave, occasionally finding a stray fire crystal.

“Got it!” After grinding for more than a day, Henry Clark finally sensed the presence of something else inside the ink crystal. Though there was still a layer in between, the feel of the black iron rod as it ground had subtly changed. Even as calm as Henry Clark was, he couldn’t help but feel excited.

The ink crystal box was about an inch and a half thick. After grinding away half an inch from the bottom, he could faintly see something like a string of beads inside. Now that he could see it, it was easy—just break the box, gently pry apart the fragments, and take out the item.

It was a fine cord woven from a strange black material, with a complex little net in the center holding a dark gray bead.

The bead was perfectly round, its material somewhat like jade, but its surface was covered in mottled cracks. It was only the size of a pinky nail, looking extremely worn—if it were tossed on the ground, no one would bother to pick it up.

Though its appearance was shabby, when Henry Clark held the bead in his hand, he could feel a special attraction, like the warmth of a long-lost family member—a sense of intimacy and joy that was hard to describe.

Edward Reed watched for a while from the side, then said with some disappointment, “So it’s just this!”

Henry Clark casually handed it to Edward Reed, saying, “Some things, you have to look at their inner value…”

“Gray and dull, full of cracks—what inner value could it have?” Edward Reed examined the bead in the firelight again and again, but no matter how she looked, she couldn’t see anything special about it. “No vital energy response, not even any runes. If this thing is a peerless treasure, then the world is truly unfair!”

Edward Reed tossed it back to Henry Clark, saying, “A peerless artifact—brother, you’d better keep it safe!”

Henry Clark smiled, “Then I won’t be polite!”

Edward Reed waved her hand impatiently, “It’s useless to me, and since you like it so much, of course it’s yours.” She paused, then added, “Hey, hey, brother, don’t act so touched—it’s pointless. We’re siblings, everything’s clear between us. You got a peerless artifact this time, so the next one is mine! Don’t fight me for it, remember!”

Although the necklace looked like junk, it had been hidden so secretly and obtained with such effort, it couldn’t possibly be worthless. Edward Reed was clever as ice and snow—of course she knew the necklace was precious. But even if it were a necklace of unknown use, or even the legendary Limitless Star God Pearl, Edward Reed would still give it to Henry Clark without hesitation.

Ever since she was seven, when Henry Clark used his shoulder to shield her from a beheading blow, Edward Reed understood that, though they weren’t related by blood, her joking brother was a good brother. Eight years of relying on each other had only made Edward Reed realize that nothing in this world was more important or precious than her brother.

Henry Clark felt the same way. In this cold and bloody world, such warm and pure feelings were worth a thousand times more than this so-called necklace. Just as Henry Clark had taught Edward Reed, he himself was not good at or fond of expressing emotions, so in the end he just gave a happy smile, “Still, I’m really touched—come here, give me a hug!”

“Brother, I’m still a kid!”

“Don’t say that, it makes it sound like I’m some kind of pervert.”

“Brother’s not a pervert, so why are you hugging so tight?”

“Isn’t it more sincere if I hug a little tighter?”

The siblings bantered without restraint, but in their hearts, both thoroughly enjoyed the embrace.

Having found the necklace in the box, this mission could be considered a perfect success. But with twenty days left before the hunt ended, Henry Clark and Edward Reed were in no hurry to return.

The Red Lotus Temple was strictly hierarchical, full of powerful people, and every disciple lived in constant fear. Being able to stay outside a minute longer, breathing the air of freedom, was a blessing.

So, though the autumn hunt was dangerous, for most disciples of the Red Lotus Temple, it was still a rare chance to get some fresh air.

The fire bear’s underground lair was hidden and safe, with enough space to live in for a short time. Edward Reed even set up many defensive arrays around the area, greatly increasing their safety.

Not far from the fire bear’s cave, they also found an underground river. Not only did this solve their drinking water problem, but the river was full of delicious cold-water fish.

Most importantly, there were several thousand pounds of fire bear meat, which for martial artists was the best tonic. Its value was even higher than the fire bear’s demon core or gallbladder.