Chapter 537: Earth-Bearing Bear

"Big Gray Wolf… Black Iron quality… nine years of cultivation?"

Fang Xing glanced at the struggling gray wolf and immediately shook his head: "If it were Bronze quality and had broken past ten years of cultivation as a General-class, maybe it could challenge Erha for the wolf king title… this one has no chance."

But right now, they're still only in the outer reaches of Mount Qinglong; it's unlikely any Bronze-quality heart beasts would appear here.

Finally, the alpha gray wolf lowered its noble head, submitting at Erha's feet.

"Have them help search…"

Fang Xing thought once, and Erha immediately let out a commanding howl: "Aowu…"

One by one, the gray wolves scattered, as if conducting a hunt.

With helpers, Fang Xing's movement speed surged.

His figure moved like a breeze, gliding elegantly through the forest: "Hmm… mobile heart beasts should be prioritized… preferably ones with flight ability, otherwise it's too troublesome."

As he mentally complained, his forward field of vision suddenly opened up, revealing a valley.

A waterfall hung like a jade ribbon, forming a emerald pool, with mist rising all around.

Amid the hazy mist, he could make out a rocky outcrop.

Among the crevices of the rock, a strange orchid seemed to grow.

"Blood Orchid… highly effective for cultivating snake-type heart beasts… slightly inferior to the Black Flame Crystal I obtained earlier…"

"Sell it on the Heart Sanctuary market—easily fetch a hundred gold taels."

Fang Xing's eyes lit up: "Erha, go! There's definitely a heart beast guarding this rare herb!"

The Blood Orchid wasn't a heavenly treasure, but it was still extremely rare.

Erha let out a howl, leaping nimbly onto the rock.

Then—its dog mouth opened, front paws dug forward—and it unearthed a blood-red orchid.

Up close, he saw the orchid resembled a snake, exuding a fishy odor.

"Huh? Where's the guardian beast? Did it just happen to go hunting?"

As Fang Xing hesitated, one of the gray wolves beside him suddenly screamed and collapsed.

Swoosh!

A red light shot like an arrow, striking his chest—but was blocked by a protective aura.

The red light landed on the ground, transforming into a one-meter-long crimson snake, its triangular head raised high, tongue flickering.

"Crimson-Scaled Snake… Black Iron quality… roughly ten years of cultivation, peak Soldier-class…"

Fang Xing silently mused: "If my Erha truly only had five years of cultivation, that strike might've shattered my protective aura and wounded me…"

The protective aura on his body came from Erha—and it too was ten years of cultivation.

If it broke, Erha would die instantly, regressing back to a heart image.

And he himself would die in the following attacks, with no chance of revival.

From this perspective, this Crimson-Scaled Snake was utterly vicious.

And in the outer reaches of Mount Qinglong, a ten-year Soldier-class peak heart beast was more than enough to kill many novice Masters.

"Aowu!"

Fang Xing retreated steadily, while Erha dropped the orchid, let out a furious howl, and leapt forward.

The Crimson-Scaled Snake sensed the danger, coiled its body into a circle, and spat out a cloud of red mist.

"Erha, Destruction Flame!"

Fang Xing sneered, refusing to tangle with this wild heart beast, and unleashed his full power.

"Aowu!"

Erha opened its jaws, and a ball of pitch-black flame emerged, landing atop the crimson poison mist—and instantly burned it all to ash.

A wisp of black flame landed on the snake's scales, then erupted wildly.

The Crimson-Scaled Snake didn't even have time to hiss before it turned to ash.

"Same ten-year cultivation, but the quality gap is enormous—the combat power difference is huge…"

Fang Xing, witnessing this, fell into deep thought.

Though both were at Soldier-class peak, the Crimson-Scaled Snake was doomed by its Black Iron quality—facing Erha, it was like a child fighting an adult.

If it were a King or Emperor-quality heart beast, perhaps it could trade blows with Erha for a few rounds…

'When heart beasts have equal cultivation, combat power depends primarily on quality. Only if quality is equal do you consider elemental advantages or tactics…'

At this moment, Fang Xing sensed Erha's cultivation gradually increasing.

Burning that Crimson-Scaled Snake had boosted its cultivation by one year!

'This isn't absorbing cultivation—it's more like practicing the Path of Destruction by annihilating other heart beasts, receiving feedback in return…'

"Erha is about to ascend."

Fang Xing's expression turned grave.

Ten years is the Soldier-class limit; beyond that, it enters General-class!

If Soldier-class Masters are the lowest tier among Masters, General-class is an entirely higher stratum.

Even in Green Forest City, a General-class Master could easily land a position like Garrison Captain—a major figure in the city.

"Erha previously held back during its last ascent; now, this extra year of cultivation has triggered it…"

Fang Xing watched as Erha let out a howl—and its body swelled!

From about one meter, it grew to over three meters long!

Its fur gleamed black and glossy, destruction flame smoldering quietly, like a demon wolf risen from hell.

Only its dog-like head slightly diminished the aura.

"General-class Lower Rank, fifteen years of cultivation."

Feeling the information transmitted by his core heart beast, Fang Xing murmured.

The gap between General-class levels dwarfs that of Soldier-class by an incalculable margin.

Within Soldier-class, strength differences are confined within the ten-year range.

But between General-class levels, the gap spans ninety years!

The difference between a newly minted General-class Lower Rank and a peak General-class Upper Rank might be greater than what dozens of Soldier-class peak heart beasts could bridge!

And beyond that, Lord-class cultivation gaps span nine hundred years!

King-class: the weakest have a thousand years of cultivation, the strongest ten thousand—nine thousand years apart!

In short, the higher the rank, the greater the gap between Masters of the same tier!

That's why some King-class Masters effortlessly clear Heart Tower Level Seven and earn the title Heavenly King, while others never manage it…

"If the gap within the same tier is this vast, it's only natural that a Lord-class Master can easily crush many General-class Masters…"

Fang Xing walked to Erha's side, mounted it directly.

Now three meters long and nearly two meters tall, Erha was more than capable of serving as a steed.

The black destruction flame didn't burn his clothes even slightly—instead, it radiated warmth: "Pipi Dog, let's go… since you've ascended, let's push your cultivation as high as possible!"

Pipi Dog—no, Erha—now that it had ascended to General-class, it had almost no rivals in the outer reaches of Mount Qinglong.

…

Several days later.

Somewhere in the Qinglong Mountain Range.

"Aowu!"

The massive black-fire dog leapt nimbly, clamping its jaws around the throat of a Earth-Bearing Bear.

—Fatal Bite!

With this bite, blood sprayed everywhere, accompanied by the sound of snapping bones.

The Bronze-quality Earth-Bearing Bear collapsed heavily to the ground, all life Qixi extinguished, yet its broad paws still twitched involuntarily.

Erha opened its mouth, and a ball of black flame descended.

Within the flames, the Earth-Bearing Bear's corpse rapidly turned to ash, and Erha's aura strengthened by several more years.

"Hmm… each time I destroy a heart beast, I gain roughly one to two-tenths of its cultivation as feedback…"

Though small, compared to other Masters who must laboriously train themselves, consume heavenly treasures, hunt better heart beast prey, or seek optimal cultivation environments… the advancement speed of the Destruction Wolf could only be described as terrifying.

If the outside world found out, countless Masters above King-class would take a keen interest in Fang Xing.

Of course, Fang Xing wouldn't reveal all the functions of the Destruction Flame.

"Ninety-eight years of cultivation—almost reaching the upper limit of General-class Upper Rank."

Feeling Erha's heart force fluctuations, Fang Xing murmured.

It wasn't difficult at all—just find weaklings and hassle them relentlessly.

Erha's previous opponents were almost all Black Iron heart beasts, with cultivation never exceeding ten years.

Naturally, they all fell before the now-General-class Erha.

Only this time, while chasing a "Wind-Runner Rabbit," it drew the attention of an Earth-Bearing Bear.

But it was no big deal—though this Earth-Bearing Bear had over sixty years of cultivation, it was still no match for Erha.

"There's an Earth-Bearing Bear around here…"

Fang Xing thought for a moment, then immediately ordered Erha to follow the scent to the bear's den.

It was a withered giant tree, requiring several people to encircle its trunk, with a large hole at its roots.

Above, hanging from the treetop, was a beehive.

Even from afar, Fang Xing seemed to smell the sweet scent of honey.

"Jade Bees... the hive must have produced a Heart Beast-grade Jade Bee; the 'Jade Honey' it yields is a high-grade ingredient, suitable for Heart Beasts of Captain or Lord rank..."

"Erha... never mind, I'll handle this one."

He leapt lightly and plucked the hive.

The Jade Bees swarmed in agitation, but could not pierce the century-near protective aura enveloping his body.

After collecting the honey, Fang Xing ordered Erha to roast each Jade Bee one by one; suddenly, his ears twitched: "There seems to be some movement inside this tree hollow..."

This time, he did not act himself, but gave a slight signal.

Erha immediately shrank to a length of over a meter and slithered into the hollow.

Not long after, it dragged out a fluffy little "ball."

"Oh? A young Earth Shock Bear... only one or two years of cultivation?"

Fang Xing became interested.

The cub was much smaller in size, with a large patch of white fur on its chest forming an odd pattern.

At once, as Erha nudged it, it lifted its head and let out a shrill cry.

Too bad its parents weren't around—Erha crushed it with a single paw.

"Hmm, a Bronze-grade Heart Beast cub... its value probably reaches several hundred taels of gold..."

Fang Xing pulled out his Bronze-grade Heart Manifest Scripture and turned to a blank page.

"I don't need it myself, but selling it outside would be fine."

He surged his heart force; a stream of bronze light emerged, enveloping the cub.

Erha's paw found nothing— the cub had vanished, now appearing as a lifelike illustration on the blank page.

Beside the image were lines of text:

【Earth Shock Bear】

【Cub Stage】

【Cultivation: Two Years】

【Quality: Bronze】

【Skill: Earthshaker】