When he realized the enemy was a swarm of fifty Bone-Marrow Bees, Qi Ping's face turned grim.
[Bone-Marrow Bee: First-tier High-grade Demon Insect. Covered in a dense exoskeleton that resembles white bone. Exceptional defense. Tail stinger contains potent neurotoxins. Fast and lethal.]
The Bone-Marrow Bee was a genuine First-tier High-grade threat, far more dangerous than the locusts or mole crickets. Defense, offense, and toxin—they excelled in everything. Furthermore, their bone-like exoskeleton was so hard that a Mid-tier Golden Marrow Bee likely couldn't crack it even with a direct hit.
Unlike the mole crickets, the rear was not a weakness for these bees; their own stingers were far more powerful. They were two to three times the size of a Golden Marrow Bee, with superior speed and strength. A standard bee wouldn't last a single breath against them. Their only vulnerability was a slight weakness around the eyes, but even then, a Golden Marrow Bee only had a slim chance of breaking through.
There was another problem: as fellow bee-type insects, they likely had a high resistance to each other's toxins. The Bone-Marrow Bee's internal resistance would be formidable.
To win, Qi Ping would need at least twenty bees per group, fighting with suicidal fervor. Even then, he estimated he would lose five hundred to a thousand bees out of his remaining thirteen hundred. The gap between Mid-grade and High-grade was a chasm.
"Damn it! Only one more day and the Ring-cutters would be ready!" Qi Ping cursed. Currently, the larvae were still developing and couldn't fight.
"Why does this have to happen on the very last day..."
He was loath to leave. He had a theory about the spirit land now. Something underground was releasing a signal every three days to summon Demon Insects. He couldn't tell if it was a mechanical trap or a living creature, but if the insects took the land, the spirit soil would be ruined and the thing below could cause a disaster.
And his Ring-cutter legion was so close. In the past nine days, he had gained 55 experience points.
[Druid Level: Lv2 (83/200)] -> [Lv2 (138/200)]
He was only 62 points away from Level 3 and Wild Shape. He had even raised one Blood Ginseng to a century in age! If he could raise a fifty-year-old Streaming Light Grass, he could refine another mutation potion. That would take another four or five days. The experience from the mutation would definitely push him to Level 3.
He was only a week away from being a Tier-3 Druid! If he left now, finding a new spirit land for these specific herbs would be a nightmare. And he was deeply interested in the secret underground. If he could Wild Shape into a Ring-cutter, the danger beneath the soil would be minimized. Who could catch him then?
But if the Bone-Marrow Bees broke through today, everything would be destroyed.
"Fine... let's go all out!"
Qi Ping hardened his heart and summoned his only High-speed Ring-cutter Bee. He had intended to keep this first-generation specimen as a breeding drone, as its bloodline was the purest and strongest. But he had no choice now. Without it, even thirteen hundred bees might suffer a crushing defeat.
'I have six hundred larvae almost ready. Even if this one dies, I can rebuild.'
'And the next mutation might yield an even stronger species!'
He looked at the Ring-cutter. "Listen. While the others distract the Bone-Marrow Bees, you seize the openings. Cut through their bodies or their wings. Prioritize your own safety. Do not engage them head-on!"
The Ring-cutter had the Blade-wing, High-speed Cutting, and Extreme Wind Speed talents. It was an assassin, not a tank. Its defense was decent but not enough to withstand a swarm of High-grade Bone Bees. It had to use the ordinary bees as cover and use its speed to deliver lethal blows.
"Buzz buzz... (Don't worry, Boss. Trust me, it's no problem!)"
"Buzz buzz... (They don't feel that strong to me.)"
The drone, radiating a sharp, metallic aura and standing much larger than the others, spoke with supreme confidence. It stared at the fifty Bone-Marrow Bees with murderous intent. Then, it shot forward like a silver arrow!
As it approached, the Bone-Marrow swarm suddenly faltered. Their eyes fixed on the incoming drone, appearing as if they had encountered a natural predator.
'Is the Ring-cutter even stronger than I thought?' Qi Ping was surprised. He had underestimated the species' innate suppression.
He seized the chance. "Groups of twenty! Attack!"
With the Bone-Marrow Bees distracted by the silver drone, the Golden Marrow Bees swarmed in. They moved in perfect synchronization, a cloud of gold rushing toward the white bone.
At that moment, Qi Ping activated his skill: Heart of the Wild!
[Heart of the Wild: As a Beast King Druid, you can awaken the iron will and fiery rage of your companions. They gain a massive bonus to Willpower, Attack Power, and Attack Speed.]