Qi Ping looked at the excited Lin Chaoyang before him and couldn’t help but feel both amused and exasperated.
Given Qi Ping’s current situation, his High-Speed Razorwing Bee swarm—whose combat power rivaled that of late-stage Qi Refining cultivators—would be fully bred in just over a month.
At the sa ti, he could accelerate the growth of spirit herbs in that mysterious plot of land, and the Blood Ginseng had already reached a stage where it could reproduce on its own.
Qi Ping estimated that he wouldn’t have to worry about herb supplies until at least the sixth level of Qi Refining. Once new century-old Blood Ginseng appeared, he could even consider breeding new types of bees.
With conditions like these, Qi Ping would have to be out of his mind to risk entering so unreliable secret realm in search of opportunities.
Still, Qi Ping knew Lin Chaoyang ant well—otherwise, why would he co looking for a “first-level Qi Refining” cultivator like him?
Most people wouldn’t willingly drag around deadweight. Only a naive rich kid like Lin Chaoyang would do sothing like this.
When Qi Ping first t Lin Chaoyang, he’d assud the guy was putting on an act. But as ti passed, he realized that was just how Lin Chaoyang was—unchanging, year after year.
After careful consideration, Qi Ping decided to first gather so information about the secret realm.
Not to weigh whether it was worth going, but to confirm his suspicions about that insect-controlling sect.
“Chaoyang, you know my strength is limited. A dangerous place like a secret realm isn’t sothing I’d dare to enter lightly. Have you found out any specifics about it? How risky is it?”
Qi Ping’s words were sincere. In a place like a secret realm, even his High-Speed Razorwing Bees wouldn’t be enough to protect him.
“Brother Qi, I’ve already looked into it—don’t worry!”
“Listen, this secret realm has at least an 80% chance of being an ancient sect’s trial ground for Qi Refining disciples. Only those at mid-stage Qi Refining or below can enter…”
“If you pass the trials inside, you’ll get amazing rewards. Brother Qi, these are rewards from an ancient sect!”
At this point, Lin Chaoyang’s voice brimd with excitent. In the Fulsheng Society, Qi Ping was the only one close to his age. The two of them had to go seize this opportunity together.
If they could use it to reach Foundation Establishnt—or even Golden Core—in the future, it might even beco a legendary tale.
So Lin Chaoyang continued:
“Plus, this secret realm tests potential and temperant, not raw strength. If we go in together, heh…”
“The only possible danger is so rumor about first-rank demonic insects inside. But that’s just unverified gossip—probably fake. Trial realms usually don’t have stuff like that.”
When ntioning the demonic insects, Lin Chaoyang sounded dismissive. He didn’t believe baseless rumors!
For all he knew, other cultivators had spread the rumor to scare people off.
But when Qi Ping heard the words “demonic insects,” his heart thudded heavily. This matches up!
Having seen traces of Blood Sin Insects, contracted Golden Marrow Bees, and possessing a manual on breeding monstrous insects, Qi Ping was certain—this was no rumor. It was absolutely real!
No way. I’m not going, no matter what! Qi Ping silently swore to himself.
After learning this, Qi Ping dropped all pretense and refused without hesitation.
“Chaoyang, I think the rumors about demonic insects are probably true. I’ve heard from others that similar things have already appeared in the Misty Cloud Mountains. The details match up, so it’s highly credible. I really can’t go.”
“How about we both wait? Let the first wave of people scout it out first.” Qi Ping added as a suggestion.
He was certain the first wave would likely end in heavy casualties. Once word spread, Lin Chaoyang would naturally be dissuaded.
“Brother Qi, I think this is just other cultivators trying to stop us from going.”
…What kind of logic is that?
Qi Ping was genuinely speechless, but he still patiently said:
“Chaoyang, it’s always better to be cautious…”
Yet after a long debate, neither convinced the other.
Still, Lin Chaoyang didn’t leave angry. Before parting, he just said:
“Brother Qi, I’ll go ahead and scout it out for you. Once I bring back the rewards, you’ll see—then you won’t refuse!”
With those words, Lin Chaoyang bid farewell and left.
Qi Ping watched his retreating back, wanting to say more, but his lips only parted in silence.
What else could he say?
He’d already said everything possible.
Revealing his own secrets was absolutely out of the question.
And forcibly stopping Lin Chaoyang? Even less feasible. Blocking soone’s path to cultivation was akin to killing their father. Qi Ping couldn’t claim he was definitely right—maybe Lin Chaoyang was one of those blessed by fortune?
In the end, Qi Ping’s open mouth could only release a helpless sigh.
Which is the right path—living safely in obscurity, or fighting fiercely for the chance to advance?
It seed everyone had their own choice, and both paths had produced those who reached the peak…
With these complicated thoughts, Qi Ping began tending to the ordinary flowers he’d neglected for days.
His Black Dwarf Bees still relied on them for nectar. Right now, their honey was Qi Ping’s only openly tradable source of inco.
As he worked, he carefully observed each plant’s condition—watering, fertilizing, pruning…
After half a day of labor, his mind finally settled.
Strangely, perhaps due to his state of mind, notifications of gained experience kept appearing:
[You have gained new insight into flora. Druid Experience 1…]
[You have gained new insight into flora. Druid Experience 1…]
[You have gained new insight into flora. Druid Experience 1…]
By the end of the day, Qi Ping had gained thirteen points of leveling experience!
At this rate, he estimated he could reach third-level Druid in less than half a month.
But he knew that was impossible—this sudden gain was due to entering a rare state of enlightennt.
Normally, five points a day was already excellent. Most days, he only got around three.
“Still, this gives an idea for faster leveling. I should experint more in the future.”
After Lin Chaoyang left, Qi Ping’s life returned to its peaceful, farming routine.
A week later, the Golden Marrow Bee Queen laid about 200 High-Speed Razorwing Bee eggs and 50 Brewer’s Big-Bellied Bee eggs. So had already hatched into larvae and were being fed the finest honey.
Breeding these two bee strains was far more difficult than ordinary Golden Marrow Bees. Unlike the latter, which could produce 200 eggs in a single day at their fastest, or Black Dwarf Bees, which could exceed 500.
It seed that as bloodline rank increased, reproductive difficulty rose as well.
Additionally, since Qi Ping was in a phase of stabilizing his cultivation and didn’t need to refine Golden Marrow Honey, he began accumulating a surplus—aside from what the bees themselves consud and Old Zhou’s small share.
Qi Ping planned to give so to Nan Jie and save the rest for ergencies requiring rapid bee production.
Mass-producing bees would demand staggering amounts of honey—far beyond what his plant-growth skill alone could sustain.
This was also why Qi Ping hadn’t let his Golden Marrow Bee numbers swell. More bees ant more daily honey consumption, and that would hurt…
Maintaining an army is never easy!
Yet Qi Ping’s steady developnt was soon disrupted again.
One day, Nan Jie arrived with devastating news:
Lin Chaoyang had died in the secret realm!
Even worse, swarms of terrifying demonic insects had erged from the realm and were now spreading havoc throughout the Qingtian Domain…
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