Dreadclaw Bear? Run! Run Now!

The bone was as transparent as diamond, sharply defined around the edges, with dense Soul Power fluctuations lingering around it.

The bone was not large; compared to a bear paw, it seemed rather petite. Its finger bones were somewhat sharp and slender, radiating seven-colored rainbow light beneath the sun. The brilliant glow flowed and pulsed across the palm bone like rippling water.

"External Soul Bone!"

Cheng Xiao's grin nearly reached his ears.

Just as he thought—top-tier species like Dreadclaw Bears naturally had a much higher chance of producing Soul Bones than ordinary Soul Beasts. For a special mutated individual like the Crystal Bear not to produce one would have been downright unreasonable!

Generally speaking, Soul Beasts could hardly produce Soul Bones before condensing a Soul Core. Only upon reaching a hundred thousand years could they condense a Soul Core, and after death, that Soul Core would inevitably transform into the Soul Bone that best reflected their defining traits in life.

That was why Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts were guaranteed to produce Soul Bones.

However, some Soul Beasts could break free from this ironclad rule!

Those were Soul Beasts with relatively high bloodline grades. They could produce Soul Bones early, before their cultivation reached a hundred thousand years! All the dragon remains within Dragon Valley possessed Soul Bones precisely because the dragon race's bloodline grade far surpassed that of ordinary Soul Beasts.

The Dreadclaw Bear clan possessed the Behemoth Bloodline, and as a mutated individual, the Crystal Bear could not have been much worse.

Cheng Xiao strongly suspected that its suicidal explosion before death was supposedly due to its unyielding nature, but it was more likely that it knew it would produce a Soul Bone and had therefore chosen to self-destruct in order to destroy both its Soul Ring and Soul Bone.

"Come to think of it, couldn't I publish a paper and crush Yu Xiaogang?"

As his thoughts raced, Cheng Xiao suddenly remembered that there was currently no clear theory regarding Soul Bone drop rates. It was not until tens of thousands of years later, during the era of Legend of the Dragon King, that people thoroughly researched the matter.

If he presented this theory now, he could utterly crush Yu Xiaogang, that "theory master."

"I should absorb the Soul Ring first!"

Shaking his head, Cheng Xiao cast the matter of publishing a paper aside and focused on the urgent matter at hand.

Even if he wanted to publish a paper, he would need to plan it carefully. Otherwise, if no one supported it after it was published, someone might revise it a little and claim it as their own research theory. Then Cheng Xiao really would have nowhere to cry.

"Help me stand guard!"

After ordering the Shadow Soul Beasts to protect him, Cheng Xiao sat down cross-legged. After adjusting his breathing twice, he prepared to absorb the Soul Ring.

"Roar!"

Suddenly, a mournful bear's roar came from the distance. Cheng Xiao's eyes snapped open, and his expression changed drastically.

In his perception, a shadow even larger than the Crystal Bear had barged into the Shadow Domain. It charged straight toward his location, crushing every tree in its path.

The shadow was incredibly fast. Hardly any time had passed between Cheng Xiao opening his eyes and looking up, yet the owner of that dark figure had already entered his sight!

A massive bear-type Soul Beast let out a low, sorrowful roar. Its entire body was pitch-black, and it was far more than three meters long. The black fur on its body faintly reflected a dark golden sheen, while its eyes glimmered with a pale green light.

What terrified Cheng Xiao most was the exceptionally long claws on its bear paws. With a casual swipe, boulders were like tofu, sliced into several pieces by those claws.

"Dreadclaw Bear!?"

This giant bear was definitely a Dreadclaw Bear!

Cheng Xiao was certain he would not mistake it this time!

His knowledge of Soul Beasts was not poor. The only reason he had mistaken the Crystal Bear earlier was that Dreadclaw Bears were too rare, not to mention a rare mutated species like the Crystal Bear. Confusing them had been understandable.

But now that he had the Crystal Bear as a comparison, how could Cheng Xiao make the same mistake again?

The Crystal Bear's fur was brownish-yellow. Though its claws were sharp, they were not enough to split mountains and shatter rocks. Because it possessed crystallization abilities, natural selection had left it with little need for the cutting power of its claws.

In contrast, the giant bear before him was entirely black. Though both were over three meters long, this giant bear was clearly far more muscular. Its forearms were almost as thick as the Crystal Bear's hind legs, and its claws could slice through stone!

Could this be a Crystal Bear?

Even if Cheng Xiao's brain had been caught in a door, he would never think these two were the same species!

"Run! Run now!"

Sweat broke out across Cheng Xiao's forehead. Without pausing for even a moment, he commanded the fourteen Soul Beasts to stop the Dreadclaw Bear, then sprang up and ran without looking back.

His current condition could not support a second battle at all. The Crystal Bear had nearly drained all his Soul Power earlier, and now, while his Soul Power was severely depleted, how could he possibly face another Dreadclaw Bear?

He sprinted with all his might, his heart pounding wildly. He felt as though his adrenaline had surged to its limit, and his mind held only one thought: escape.

Turn around and take a look like before?

Who had the time for that?!

Having witnessed the Crystal Bear's strength, he did not even need to look at the Dreadclaw Bear. There was absolutely no chance he could win!

The Crystal Bear's Soul Ring?

Forget it!

He had not even searched the seven corpses yet?

Bah! Were you really going to throw away your life for money?!

"Bang! Bang! Bang..."

In Cheng Xiao's perception, all fourteen Soul Beasts were torn apart in an instant, faster even than the Crystal Bear had cleared them out!

In that instant, Cheng Xiao's scalp nearly exploded!

Its clearing speed was actually faster than the shadows' revival speed!

Faster! Faster! Even faster!

Cheng Xiao wished he could grow two more legs right then!

If riding a flying Soul Beast did not make such an obvious target and leave him vulnerable to attacks from other flying Soul Beasts, Cheng Xiao would have desperately ridden the Blazing Fire Spirit Kite straight out of the Star Dou Great Forest!

"Awoo..."

The bear's howl behind him was deeply mournful, as though it grieved for something.

Without time to turn back and investigate, Cheng Xiao kept his head down and ran wildly. Only when he was nearly unable to breathe, his vision darkening as he was about to pass out, did he finally stop.

"Damn! I almost died..." Cheng Xiao collapsed onto the ground, gasping frantically.

Still shaken, he pressed a hand against his wildly pounding chest. The lack of oxygen left his mind muddled, and he could not even tell where he had run to.

Only after a long while did Cheng Xiao gradually calm down. Thinking of that Soul Ring whose age had been a perfect match, he cried out in regret.

A Crystal Bear, too. Such a rare Soul Ring—what a pity! What a waste...

"Whew, whew... At least, whew... at least it wasn't, whew... completely fruitless. Hehehe..."

Cheng Xiao looked at the Crystal Bear Left Palm Bone clenched tightly in his hand. Though he had nearly brushed past death just now, the sight of the Left Palm Bone still left him unable to suppress the wild joy and excitement in his heart. Having survived the disaster only heightened those emotions further.

"An External Soul Bone—no loss! Hahaha, no loss at all!" Cheng Xiao beamed.

After completely calming down, Cheng Xiao sat up, found a secluded spot, released the Shadow Domain and the fourteen Soul Beasts to stand guard, then adjusted his breathing.

"Time to absorb it!"

Only after fully restoring the Soul Power within his body did Cheng Xiao turn his gaze toward the Crystal Bear Left Palm Bone in his hand. Taking a deep breath, he wrapped Soul Power around the bone.

"Buzz!"

Drawn by the Soul Power, the transparent palm bone, glittering like diamond, turned into liquid and fused into Cheng Xiao's left hand...

Thanks to Lonely Wind 931 for the donation!