A fourth-rank Fire Bear has lived for at least a hundred years, its demon core automatically absorbing the vital energy of heaven and earth every day, tempering its muscles, skin, and bones to be incomparably strong. Likewise, the Fire Bear’s muscles and internal organs possess marvelous effects for strengthening qi and replenishing blood, nourishing the human body’s muscles, bones, and organs, and reinforcing one’s foundation.

In fact, Condensed Essence Pills are made from the flesh, skin, and bones of demon beasts combined with medicinal herbs. Eating Fire Bear meat directly, without the aid of medicine for regulation, may waste much of its potency, but in terms of pure effect, it is far stronger than Condensed Essence Pills.

Low-level martial artists all need to expend a great deal of physical energy. Especially since Henry Clark cultivates the Vajra Five-Aspect Wheel, which focuses heavily on body refinement. Every day requires large amounts of food and medicine for nourishment. However, within the Red Lotus Temple, aside from the fixed rations, all other needs must be met by earning money through one’s own efforts.

For the past ten years, Henry Clark has rarely had his fill. Being able to eat Fire Bear meat to his heart’s content is truly a godsend for Henry Clark.

He used a stone to carve a huge, crude stone pot, threw in the essence of the Fire Bear meat along with the cleaned internal organs. As for making fire, he arranged a Fire Fiend Array using broken fire crystals.

Edward Reed’s Fire Fiend Array isn’t very powerful, but it’s more than enough for cooking meat. Best of all, there’s no smoke, and it can maintain a constant temperature, running day and night without stopping.

Having reached the Crouching Azure Dragon stage, Henry Clark was just one step away from entering the third rank of martial arts. In terms of both internal and external cultivation, he had reached a state of perfection. His digestive ability was truly astonishing.

In the cave, Henry Clark ate six meals a day, each time consuming about twenty jin of Fire Bear meat. After several days, his body was visibly taller and stronger; even without applying tiger bone and bear gall ointment, his skin shone with an oily luster.

The abundant vital energy contained in the Fire Bear meat was more than Henry Clark could absorb at once, and the effect on his body was to make him taller and more robust. At the same time, his organs and bones became even more refined and powerful. The last piece of the cranial bone at the top of his head was just a hair’s breadth away from being fully refined.

Although Edward Reed was a third-rank spellcaster, in terms of physical toughness and strength, she was far inferior to Henry Clark. Eating meat and drinking soup with Henry Clark every day greatly nourished her body as well. But after all, she was not a martial artist and did not have Henry Clark’s formidable digestive ability, so she ate less than a tenth of what Henry Clark did each day.

Moreover, eating the same flavorless meat every day, almost without any salt, was enough to make one sick. Edward Reed would occasionally stew some delicious fish soup or gather herbs and mushrooms to vary the taste.

After every meal, Henry Clark would run to the nearby underground river to train like mad, making the most of his current advantage.

“It’s almost time, we should go.” Edward Reed said a bit reluctantly. These twenty days had been the most peaceful and happiest of her life. Compared to the grand and exquisite Red Lotus Temple, this dark and stuffy underground cave was like a paradise.

The autumn hunt lasted only thirty days, and at the latest, they had to return within forty days. Otherwise, the Red Lotus Temple would consider the disciples to have defected and send out the enforcement team to hunt them down.

Every disciple of the Red Lotus Temple bears a special sect mark; even if they fled to the ends of the earth, they could not escape the temple’s pursuit.

“Tsk, big brother didn’t waste his twenty days as a foodie—he’s grown at least six or seven inches taller!” Edward Reed was petite, only reaching Henry Clark’s chest. Looking at Henry Clark’s increasingly robust and powerful body, she couldn’t help but click her tongue in admiration.

Henry Clark’s original height was close to six feet, but now he had shot up to six and a half feet. By modern standards, that was over two meters ten. His weight had increased by at least seventy or eighty jin; Henry Clark’s bones and flesh were already solid and heavy, and now he weighed a full three hundred jin.

His once smooth muscles now bulged prominently. With a tiger’s back and a bear’s waist, his bronze skin gleamed with an oily shine from within, and his fierce, wild aura could no longer be concealed.

His current state was even more exaggerated than when Henry Clark deliberately stretched his bones and flexed his muscles. In fact, the increase in height and weight was a sign that Henry Clark couldn’t fully digest all the Fire Bear meat. While his physical strength had grown again, he had lost some of his previous coordination and fluidity.

However, once Henry Clark completed the Crouching Azure Dragon stage, with all his strength penetrating to the marrow, refining his organs and meridians, and expelling useless impurities, his body would only continue to contract and would not remain in this exaggerated form.

“One more day, and I’ll be able to cross the final threshold of the Crouching Azure Dragon. If we hurry back, we can reach the Red Lotus Temple in two days—there’s plenty of time.” With only a hair’s breadth left to break through, Henry Clark wanted to make a final push and completely master the Crouching Azure Dragon.

Edward Reed wasn’t in a rush to return, just reminding Henry Clark to keep an eye on the time. “There are only ten days left until the final deadline, so we still have plenty of time. With so many fire crystals harvested, the Enforcement Hall won’t give us any trouble. Just let the breakthrough happen naturally—don’t try to force it!” Worried that Henry Clark might get impatient and act recklessly, Edward Reed reminded him seriously.

Henry Clark pinched Edward Reed’s cheek. “Ha, even Xue’er knows how to be steady now. Not bad, not bad.”

“Hmph!” Edward Reed’s delicate little face flushed red, and she said with some embarrassment and annoyance, “Don’t take advantage of me like that! I know you’re an evil sis-con!”

“……” Henry Clark secretly regretted, “I really shouldn’t have taught Edward Reed all that nonsense back then.”

Chapter 009: Breakthrough