Qi Ping watched Old Man Zhou return to his hut before specifically leaving twenty Golden Marrow Bees near the courtyard. He commanded them to hide in various corners to serve as the old man's secret sentinels.
Given Old Man Zhou's current level of alertness, a marauder could probably stroll right through the front door without him noticing. For the sake of the old man's safety, Qi Ping felt it was better to have his Golden Marrow Bees keep watch.
In the past, Qi Ping lacked the means and relied entirely on Old Man Zhou's protection to raise bees and earn a living. Now that he possessed a modicum of strength, it was only right to do what he could in return. With these twenty Golden Marrow Bees on guard, they could provide early warning of danger and assist the old man in combat if necessary.
After stationing the bees, Qi Ping hurried back to the spot beneath the lush ancient pine.
...
Near the hives under the ancient pine, the Black Little Bees were still flying about in a disorganized frenzy. Their agitation seemed even more intense than before. Qi Ping guessed this was because they had caught the scent of the Golden Marrow Bees.
"Buzz... (Danger... Danger!)"
"Buzz... (The scent of the big golden bees!)"
"Buzz... (Scared!)"
A powerful wave of unease spread through the colony. When they spotted Qi Ping, they cast curious and pleading looks his way. They remembered that he had just gone looking for those giant bees!
"Buzz... (The friendly two-legged beast!)"
The two plucky bees that had led Qi Ping into the depths of the forest flew out from the swarm and landed on his shoulder. However, the moment they touched down, they leaped back in a fright.
"Buzz... (The scent of the big golden bees!)"
"Buzz... (So scary!)"
Watching these two bold bees acting so flustered was both amusing and endearing. Qi Ping quickly explained the situation to the swarm to keep them from worrying themselves out of their nectar-collecting duties! He still needed their honey to make money, after all.
The Blood Ginseng and the Golden Marrow Bees were currently too conspicuous. Qi Ping wouldn't allow them to reach the market in the short term, as the risk was simply too high.
"You don't need to worry. The Golden Marrow Bees are my partners now. They won't hurt you!"
After repeating himself several times, he finally made his meaning clear to the swarm.
"Buzz... (Is it true? Wow!)"
"Buzz... (Two-legged beast, you are amazing!)"
Upon learning that the Golden Marrow Bees had become Qi Ping's partners, the Black Little Bees actually stopped being afraid. They possessed a mysterious, innate trust in his words. If Qi Ping said it was so, then it must be so!
Qi Ping hadn't expected them to believe him so easily. He thought he would have to spend a lot more effort convincing them.
'It seems the true value of a Beast King Druid is still rising!'
When it came to simple animals like bees, the influence of a Beast King Druid was incredibly potent.
Next, Qi Ping summoned the Golden Marrow Bees he was carrying and gave both groups a brief introduction. When the Black Little Bees first saw the golden giants, they recoiled instinctively—a fear written into their very bloodline. However, seeing Qi Ping standing right there, they gradually calmed down. Before long, they became accustomed to the presence of the Golden Marrow Bees.
The two plucky bees were particularly daring. After obtaining permission from Qi Ping and the Golden Marrow Bees, they boldly flew close to sniff the golden bees a few times before darting back like lightning. Their "clumsy but curious" behavior made Qi Ping chuckle.
Remembering something, Qi Ping suddenly poured out a few drops of Golden Marrow Honey, splitting a portion between the two brave bees. To the Black Little Bees, this was a rare and precious treasure!
The two bees took one sniff of the gift and their entire bodies trembled with excitement. To Qi Ping's surprise, they didn't consume it themselves. Instead, they joyfully carried the Golden Marrow Honey to the Queen of the Black Little Bees.
Qi Ping was startled at first, but it made sense upon reflection. For bees, the prosperity and expansion of the colony were paramount. Their highest individual honor was to make a massive contribution to the swarm. For these two bees, bringing precious honey to their Queen was likely the most meaningful and happy thing they could achieve.
He did not interfere with their choice, opting instead to respect their nature. Every living being has its own path. Giving the honey was Qi Ping's choice; giving it to the Queen was theirs. It was a happy ending for everyone.
After a moment's thought, Qi Ping poured out a few more drops for the Queen. This small amount of honey was negligible to him and the Golden Marrow Bees, but it would make the Queen and the next generation of larvae much stronger. This would be highly beneficial for improving the quality of the Black Little Bees' honey in the future.
"The problem of the colony's agitation is finally solved."
Having settled the trouble, Qi Ping was in a great mood.
"With the Plant Growth skill and a steady supply of Blood Ginseng, the quality and yield of the Golden Marrow Honey will increase significantly. It should be more than enough for my cultivation."
"I'll have to prepare some for Old Man Zhou later too. Perhaps it can help him break through his bottleneck and extend his lifespan a bit..."
Once the matter with the bees was concluded, Qi Ping stepped once more into the depths of the Cloud-Mist Mountain Range.
Training in the forests allowed him to enjoy the bonuses of being a Jungle Druid, making it easier for him to sense Wood-element spiritual energy and comprehend Wood-attribute techniques. Refining Golden Marrow Honey in the woods was a win-win situation.
Deep within the mountains, Qi Ping sat cross-legged on a massive branch of a giant Ancient Cedar. Around him, approximately one hundred Golden Marrow Bees remained hidden, guarding him in secret.
He had chosen this spot not only because it was confirmed to be safe, but because he sensed a denser concentration of Wood-element energy within this specific tree. Cultivating here would facilitate his absorption of spiritual energy and his comprehension of the Wood Shield Art.
The Wood Shield Art was a Wood-attribute technique Old Man Zhou had stumbled upon during his younger years of wandering. The spiritual power cultivated through it possessed extremely high defensive capabilities.
Qi Ping liked the philosophy behind the technique, though its difficulty was high. He had spent a long time just reaching the entry level, and he couldn't even be considered proficient yet.
'I hope I can make some progress in my comprehension this time...'
'Let's begin!'
With everything ready, Qi Ping swallowed a mouthful of Golden Marrow Honey. In an instant, a rich, sweet fragrance filled his mouth. It was sweet without being cloying, with a perfectly balanced aroma many times superior to the honey produced by the Black Little Bees.
Perhaps because the primary ingredient was Blood Ginseng, the unique fragrance of the herb had been preserved. This made Qi Ping even more hesitant to sell it; anyone familiar with honey would surely be able to deduce the existence of Blood Ginseng from this scent.
As the honey entered his stomach, a concentrated explosion of spiritual energy and blood-vitality erupted.