《A Beekeeper in a Magical World》


 Chapter 1: The Blue Bee

    Chapter 1: The Blue Bee

    Facing bankruptcy, a beekeeper crosses over into a magical fantasy world, gaining the ability to control bee swarms. Leveraging magic, he cultivates diverse mutant bee species: efficient honey-collecting bees, formidablebat bees, and entirely new bee species with extraordinary abilities.

    He explores this fantastical world, bringing back various nectar-bearing flora for cultivation, creating magical honey imbued with enchanting effects, and distributing it to all corners of both worlds. While he bes renowned as the Honey King of his original world and an elite beekeeper, his fame also spreads in the magical world, where he''s known as the Bee Whisperer of the ck Forest.

    Thetest edition of the "ck Forest Adventure Guide" specifically warns: "Never attempt to provoke him, or his bee swarms will not spare you! Don''t ask me how I know!"

    ----------------

    "Negative review! I bought this honey, and after some time, sediment appeared in the bottle. It spoils too easily! I should have kept it in the fridge."

    "It''s fake, everyone! The taste is sour."

    "They im it''s additive-free, but it turns out to be a counterfeit? I''ve reported it."

    "Huayu Town is in trouble now."

    "These individual beekeepers can''t be trusted. I''d rather buy from a big brand. They ensure quality, and the taste is so much better."

    As Hua Mi read the newly posted negativements on his online store, his blood pressure shot up, ending his otherwise pleasant day.

    It''s not that he''s narrow-minded. He runs an online store selling honey and is not afraid of customerints as long as they provide valid reasons. He will ept feedback gracefully and make improvements.

    However, these reviews were filled with typical ignorance.

    First, the issue of sediment. What is honey? It''s a supersaturated liquid that easily crystallizes glucose within a specific temperature range. The absence of crystals only suggests low honey concentration, meaning high water content and inferior quality.

    Secondly, regarding the taste, honey''s vor varies significantly depending on the floral source. Different bee species can also have some influence, but pure natural honey generally has a slight acidity. If it doesn''t, it means additives were used topensate for the missing taste.

    Hua Mi''s honey was imed to be additive-free, so there was no way he added anything beyond honey. The ingredient list only had "honey" as the raw material. He raised and harvested the bees himself, no deception there!

    But the average consumer didn''t know that. After being ustomed to industrial sugar, they found pure natural honey''s vor to be off.

    Hua Mi initially wanted to respond to each of these negativements one by one, but his fingers hesitated over the keyboard. He stared at the screen, lost in thought.

    At this point, responding wouldn''t make much of a difference.

    "The life of beekeepers is getting tougher," he sighed.

    The words "Produced in Huayu Town" on his store''s promotional page, which once guaranteed quality and reputation, were now nothing more than a joke.

    There was a time when "Huayu Town" was the industry benchmark.

    Huayu Town was a historic small town, predominantly inhabited by people with the surname Hua. Half of them were beekeepers, and the other half grew flowers.

    The town was known for its abundant flowers, beautiful surroundings, unique honey vors, low prices, and national distribution.

    Hua Mi had always taken pride in his hometown, with its colorful flower fields and the sweet taste of honey, reminiscent of his childhood.

    So, he made the resolute decision to return and continue his grandfather''s beekeeping business.

    Unfortunately, luck was not on his side. Within a year of taking over, Huayu Town began to decline, and now it had hit rock bottom.

    Of course, besides the rampant adulteration of honey in the current market, there were also internal reasons for Huayu Town''s decline.

    The growing environmental issues due to industrial development were increasingly serious, and Huayu Town was not an isted paradise, inevitably affected.

    For example, due to environmental changes, several of the specialty flowers produced in Huayu Town had deteriorated in quality. Some couldn''t even be grown anymore, and if they were, they couldn''t thrive. It was expected that they would be extinct soon.

    The industrial odor in the air, as the Luhua River flowed through the heart of Huayu Town, had transformed from the once clear and pristine river into a foul-smelling stream.

    With such an environment, it was challenging to produce good honey.

    The advantage of additive-free honey was thus neutralized, even bing a disadvantage.

    Honeys loaded with various artificial additives tasted much better, regardless of the nectar source, or even if the bees were kept indoors and fed sugar water all year round. vor could be adjusted with additives, saving the cost of growing flowers and ensuring year-round production.

    Under a double blow, most of Huayu Town''s beekeepers had been forced to change their profession, and only a few persisted.

    "I can barely hold on anymore," Hua Mi sighed.

    The sweet, pure taste that was a reminder of his childhood seemed to have vanished, just like his cherished memories.

    Hua Mi took a deep breath, closed the store interface, and decided to put the negative reviews behind him.

    He got up and headed towards his backyard.

    The backyard was originally nned to have several flower fields, but now only one was in cultivation, amon rapeseed flower field that appeared dull and yellow.

    Experienced beekeepers knew that the health of the honey source flowers was rted to the strength of the bee colony, and the two influenced each other.

    Thirty beehives were scattered around the flower field, and you could see beesing and going.

    In the past, Hua Mi had more than a hundred beehives, making him a major beekeeper. However, life often went like this: improvement was slow, while decline happened in the blink of an eye, and going downhill was much easier than climbing up.

    Now he only had thirty beehives, each housing about six or seven thousand bees, all of which were Chinese honeybees,monly known as "local bees."

    This was the flowering season, when the bee colonies should be most active. However, the bees in front of him looked lethargic, with some workers lying inside the hives, hardly showing the diligence they were known for.

    Beekeepers aimed for strong bee colonies, as it meant longer lifespans, stronger resistance, and higher productivity, resulting in better honey quality and efficiency. It was like having an elite force.

    Conversely, weak bee colonies were like ailing troops, with greatly reducedbat capabilities.

    The strength of a bee colony was not only rted to the bee species but also to the environment.

    The thirty colonies appeared to sense their impending elimination, just like their owner, struggling to find motivation.

    Of course, China was vast, and there were still suitable ces for beekeeping, such as Xin Province, with its ideal natural conditions.

    However, leaving behind their ancestral homnd to work elsewhere required great courage, and transportation costs were also a concern. Hua Mi''s financial situation didn''t allow for reckless ventures.

    Hua Mi walked to the center of the flower field without any protective gear.

    Bees had a strong sense of territoriality and collective consciousness. A regr person stepping into the center was at risk of being stung. But having spent so much time among bee colonies, once the bees were familiar with him, they would seldom attack, unless provoked.

    "You little guys, no cking off! Enjoy the good fortune..."

    Hua Mi bent down to inspect the bees when he unexpectedly spotted a peculiar bee on a rapeseed flower. Its appearance was strikingly different from the surrounding local bees.

    Even with Hua Mi''s expertise, he couldn''t identify the bee''s species. It was tiny, even smaller than the local bees, with a pale blue body, adorned with concentric white patterns. The strangest part was itspound eyes, which also had concentric patterns, resembling the cycle of samsara - strictly speaking, it couldn''t even be calledpound eyes.

    "A mutant bee? But there seem to be too many of them."

    This sight went beyond Hua Mi''s understanding. He was hesitant to touch it but intended to take a picture with his phone to study itter. However, when he reached into his pocket, he realized he had left his phone inside.

    Just then, the strange blue bee took flight and performed a circr dance in front of Hua Mi, forming an ordinary oval path.

    This was a natural behavior for bees, something Hua Mi had seen many times. There was nothing unusual about it. However, what happened next shattered Hua Mi''s world view.

    The blue bee left a blue trail in the air, creating an elliptical "portal," filled with psychedelic colors, much like a video game''s teleportation portal.

    Judging from the reaction of the surrounding worker bees, they seemed oblivious to the existence of this "wormhole." Many bees flew through it unaffected, as if it were an optical illusion.

    Hua Mi felt an irresistible urge to reach out and investigate...

    The blue bee took advantage of the moment andnded on the back of his hand, its stinger immediately prating!

    "Hiss!"

    Hua Mi was jolted back to reality by the pain.

    The blue bee perched on his hand, but its body gradually turned transparent. Simultaneously, the area where it had stung him showed faint blue patterns, as if the color had been injected into Hua Mi''s hand through the stinger.

    In just a couple of seconds, the blue beepletely disappeared, as if it had never existed.

    Hua Mi suddenly felt his world spinning, lost his bnce, and stumbled forward. He fell right into the "wormhole," vanishing from the flower field.

    The "wormhole" closed in an instant.

    The rapeseed field returned to its calm state, with the little bees busily working, unaware of the unusual event.

 Chapter 2: The Moonlit Flowers

    Chapter 2: The Moonlit Flowers

    Plop!

    Cough, cough...

    Hua Mi stumbled to his feet, shaking off the dust and scanning his surroundings in the rustic wooden cabin.

    The ce appeared to be abandoned for quite some time. It contained only a table, a wooden bed, and was covered in ayer of dust. Various ss containers, pottery, and books were scattered around haphazardly.

    "Have I crossed over?" Hua Mi murmured to himself.

    He pinched himself to confirm that this wasn''t a dream. The pain was real. He inspected his hand, and the spot where the blue bee had stung him was no longer painful, but there was a faint blue mark around the wound.

    With a sense of wonder, he raised his hand and drew a simple oval in the air. Just like that, a "wormhole" filled with psychedelic colors appeared in front of him, quickly expanding into a portalrge enough for one person to pass through.

    Hua Mi took a deep breath and stepped through.

    In the next moment, he found himself standing on soft ground with a familiar buzzing sound in his ears. He was back in his own flower field.

    "Incredible!" Realizing he could travel between the two worlds, Hua Mi felt exhrated.

    This time, the portal didn''t immediately disappear, seemingly under his control.

    Taking a moment topose himself, he traveled back to the small cabin.

    Not sensing any immediate danger, he decided to familiarize himself with this environment first.

    Hua Mi approached the only wooden table in the cabin and examined the items on it.

    Most of them were transparent ss products resembling test tubes and beakers, along with some pottery jars. The substances inside the jars had long since turned into ck sludge, making it impossible to identify their original contents.

    The scattered books had also be lumps of pulp, impossible to open, but their original appearance was still recognizable.

    Among the rubble, one particr ck leather-bound book stood out.

    Hua Mi wiped off the dust and found that its surface was still glossy, as if it were brand new.

    The first page contained a line of distorted text that seemed to be written in anguage not found on Earth. Strangely, Hua Mi could understand it as if it were his mother tongue. Perhaps it was a gift from the blue bee.

    "Could this be a notebook left behind by the owner of this cabin?" Hua Mi wondered. He was beginning to suspect that he had entered a magical world.

    The presence of alchemy tools and containers in the cabin hinted at the owner being an alchemist, a legendary figure.

    The notebook itself seemed to be enchanted, as it remained unaffected by decay, supporting his suspicions.

    Hua Mi perused the notebook and found its contents to be quite simple, providing information about materials, fauna, and flora based on regions.

    The introductory section discussed the location of the cabin, which was located in the "ck Witch''s Forest."

    Shortened to the "ck Forest."

    "So, this ce is a forest," Hua Mi concluded and eagerly wanted to explore.

    The cabin was filled with dust, triggering his allergies. It had two doors, one in the front and one at the back.

    Without much thought, Hua Mi walked toward the door that was closer to him.

    Creak...

    As the wooden door swung open, bright sunlight bathed him, and he felt as if he were soaking in a warm spring. After his eyes adjusted to the brightness, he beheld a fairy tale-like scene.

    The backyard was a flower garden, overgrown with pristine white flowers with crescent-shaped petals. Over time, they had grown wild, breaking through the wooden fence and spreading into the depths of the forest.

    Hua Mi opened the notebook and quickly flipped through its pages until he found a drawing of the white flowers he was looking at. The caption read "Moonlit Flowers: Blossom during the Water Flowing Moon, peak during the Water Abundant Moon, wither during the Water Waning Moon, and perish during the Ice Age. They emit a faint fragrance and absorb the essence of the moon, making them easy to nurture. They can be used to observe the fluorescence in darkness, a basis for concocting sleep-inducing elixirs and other hypnotic magic pills. They can also neutralize the effects of some potent magic drugs, such as Mutation Inducers."

    Indeed, magical crops. Hua Mi, being a beekeeper and a native of Huayu Town, had a special affinity for flowers. The sight of this flower sea left him in awe.

    Although the garden was overrun by weeds, it only enhanced the beauty of the Moonlit Flowers, highlighting their elegance and purity.

    The cabin was surrounded by tall trees, muchrger than those on Earth. Their crowns were lush, but due to their spaced arrangement, they didn''t block the sunlight.

    What surprised Hua Mi the most was the exceptionally fresh air in this ce. Breathing the unpolluted air after being ustomed to industrial pollution felt like entering a fairnd. It was the purest natural aroma, enhanced by the fragrance of the Moonlit Flowers.

    Hua Mi greedily inhaled the air. Suddenly, he spotted a familiar figure flitting among the flowers, collecting nectar.

    It was a small earth bee.

    Presumably, it had hitched a ride on him.

    The activity level of bees was highly affected by their environment, and the excitement of this bee was evident. In contrast to its lethargic state in its previous environment, the difference was clear.

    Clearly, the environment here was perfect for beekeeping and honey production.

    "It seems like the Moonlit Flowers are in full bloom right now, as per the notes. This should be the ''Water Abundant Moon'' here."

    Their calendar months seemed quite different from Earth''s.

    However, despite the ideal conditions for beekeeping, he hadn''t seen any bees around. This suggested that there might be no bees in this world.

    Hua Mi had a sudden idea: What would honey made from the nectar of the Moonlit Flowers taste like? Would it carry magical effects from this mystical nt?

    It seemed highly usible.

    Hua Mi''s mind raced, and a n began to take shape. He would start beekeeping in this world, producing various types of magic-infused honey, just like an alchemist! Always seeking superior flowers and honey, just like a mountaineer challenging higher peaks.

    Hua Mi''s thoughts wandered, envisioning the most wondrous developments.

    After all, thinking didn''t cost anything.

    Action was necessary!

    Hua Mi confidently drew a wormhole and returned to his flower field.

    "Yue, what a polluted atmosphere," he remarked. In his eyes, the creatures of this world lived a pitiable existencepared to his.

    The sudden appearance of the bees startled them, and they prepared to defend themselves, but upon seeing their beekeeper, they rxed and resumed their honey-gathering missions.

    Hua Mi realized a problem. It was daytime, and bees had a specific routine; they worked during the day and rested at night. At this moment, they wouldn''t return to their hives.

    "I''ll have to wait until night," Hua Mi decided. Bees didn''t behave like dogs, and to some extent, beekeepers had to rely on the biological rhythms of their bees.

    However, something magical happened. When Hua Mi gazed at the bee swarm and thought about them returning to their hives, a sudden surge of electricity seemed to rush through his brain, and, with a "Bzz," a connection was established with the bees'' collective consciousness.

    It was a fascinating experience. In this state, he could precisely locate each bee within the swarm, sense their conditions, whether it was the queen bee, male bees, or worker bees - they were all under his control, as if they were an extension of his body.

    "Back to the hive," Hua Mi transmitted themand via his thoughts, and the bee swarm instantly ceased their honey-gathering and flew back to their hives. It took just a few seconds for them to return.

    "This is incredible," Hua Mi marveled at his newfound ability. With this skill, he could be the world''s greatest beekeeper.

    Ignoring the natural behaviors of bees, he could make them go wherever he wanted. Beekeeping was now a breeze.

    "Some people gain superpowers from spider bites and be Spider-Man, and I gain superpowers from bee stings. Shall I call myself Bee-Man?" Hua Mi contemted. The name was a bit too cute andcked gravitas.

    Unfortunately,pared to spiders, bats, and other creatures, bees were generally seen as diligent and adorable little beings.

    But he realized that he could only control one group of bees at a time, and attempting to control multiple groups would be too taxing on his concentration.

    As the bee swarm returned to their hives one after another, the buzz gradually quieted down, and the tranquility returned to the flower field.

    Without wasting time, Hua Mi got to work!

    There were only thirty hives, a task he could handle by himself.

    During the process, Hua Mi decided to experiment with his teleportation ability. Anything he carried with him could be transported, whether it was inanimate objects or living creatures, like bees.

    However, the teleportation was limited to specific areas - his flower field and the alchemical cabin on the other side. If he ventured beyond his flower field or the cabin, he couldn''t create a "wormhole."

 Chapter 3: The Mutagenic Elixir

    Chapter 3: The Mutagenic Elixir

    Hua Mi quickly moved thirty beehives into position.

    Traversing back and forth didn''t cause much difort, but he felt a bit dizzy and queasy. After a short rest and a few spoonfuls of honey, he felt better.

    The thirty beehives were neatly arranged in the backyard, and most of the bees stayed inside the boxes initially.

    Hua Mi didn''t use his will tomand them toe out. He believed that this technique could be used but should not be used lightly. Experience had taught him not to go against the natural instincts of the bees; it could lead to undesirable consequences and not be worth the trouble.

    This was an ideal honey-collecting spot, and the young bees would discover it on their own.

    After a while, several "scout bees" flew out of each hive and hovered in the air before heading straight for the vast field of Moon Slumber flowers.

    The scout bees that found the nectar source returned to the hives, performed intricate dances in the air, a means ofmunicating information. The precise angles and directions of their movements conveyed the location and distance of the nectar source, even the taste and quality of the honey.

    Do not underestimate the intelligence of a bee colony. While individual bees may not be very smart, as a collective, they operated with remarkable efficiency. Many beekeepers considered the hive as a single organism, with each bee inside being like individual cells.

    For instance, the hexagonal design of their hives �C the angles of the base of the cells were always 109��28'', and the angles at the tips were always 70��32'', minimizing material use while maximizing space. It was like the work of a genius designer.

    The bees that received the information streamed out of their hives, flying toward the Moon Slumber flower field.

    This was probably the first time this world had heard the collective buzzing of a bee swarm, much like a baby''s first cry.

    "I will make the bees fly to every corner of the world," Hua Mi dered, his ambitions soaring.

    But the road ahead would be a long one.

    Although the motivation of the bees had improved thanks to the new nectar source and excellent environment, some habits couldn''t change overnight. It would take time for these rtively weak bee colonies to adapt even to a better environment.

    Essentially, they were still thirty weak bee colonies.

    Observing the young bees working diligently, Hua Mi smiled contentedly, much like a capitalist. He went back inside, fetched a reclining chair, andy under the eaves, rxed, while reading his notes.

    Under normal circumstances, it would take about a week for bees to fill an entire hive with nectar. Considering these were weak colonies, it might take up to ten days. After sealing the wax cells and aging, it would take another ten days or so.

    The aging process involved bees pping their wings to evaporate moisture, increasing the honey''s concentration, and using digestive enzymes to convert sucrose into glucose and fructose, among other sugars.

    Altogether, it would take more than 20 days toplete the production of this batch of Moon Slumber flower honey. Patience was key.

    ...

    The alchemical notebook was filled with unfamiliar things �C magical creatures, materials, and various terrains from all over the world. Mountains,kes, forests, swamps, canyons, deserts, teaus, and icy tundras. It was mentally exhausting, and his brain quickly turned to mush.

    Reading and memorizing these things seemed impossible. He''d look them up when he needed them, treating the book as a reference guide.

    "Let''s do some cleaning," Hua Mi decided.

    He nned to alternate between mental and physicalbor. This ce had likely been untouched for many years and was quite dirty.

    The previous owner of the small cabin had either moved elsewhere or might not even be alive anymore. Most of the supplies were gone, leaving the room empty of everyday items.

    Moving seemed likely, but what was strange was that the alchemical notebook, which contained his life''s work, hadn''t been taken. Was it simply forgotten, or was there some other reason?

    Hua Mi returned to his home, fetched a broom, a bucket, and other cleaning tools, and put on cleaning clothes. He even made a makeshift hat out of newspaper to wear. He started cleaning, and despite the small size of the cabin, it took a while to clean every nook and cranny.

    He started by removing the umted dust, gradually revealing the natural wood underneath. The cabin was constructed using hardwood, possibly treated to resist rot and pests. Cleaning it wasn''t too troublesome.

    The main task was to clear the grime from the gaps between the wooden nks. This work didn''t require special skills but was tiring.

    Fortunately, the cabin wasn''t toorge.

    While cleaning next to the wooden bed, a nk suddenly made a cracking sound, and Hua Mi realized it was a hinged door. It had been hidden beneathyers of dirt and grime, making it almost invisible.

    Hua Mi moved a shovel along the gap, found the best point to apply force, and pried it open. It revealed a doorrge enough for one person to pass through.

    As he lifted it, a cold draft blew in, and a stone staircase led down. A meter away, everything was shrouded in darkness.

    There was more space below.

    Hua Mi went back to his home and grabbed a shlight. Shining it down the stairs, the darkness didn''t reveal much.

    "Could there be any danger?" Hua Mi wondered.

    This magical world was still mostly unknown to him, and he didn''t want to take unnecessary risks.

    What if there were lurking magical spiders down there?

    This also reminded him that he should carry some weapons for self-defense. There were many useful items avable in online wilderness survival shops.

    However, he had no weapons with him at the moment, so he didn''t dare venture down. But his curiosity got the better of him.

    He thought for a moment, then released a group of worker bees to pause their honey collection and fly into the cabin. They circled in the air briefly, and he tried to coordinate their flight to serve as his eyes.

    In reality, he could only control the bees and sense their status, but he couldn''t see through their eyes. So this was more of an experiment in his mind.

    He did this just to scout the path. If there were dangerous magical creatures below, the bees'' entry would undoubtedly cause amotion.

    He wasn''t too worried about losing this particr group of bees. While individual bees were weak, as a collective, they were formidable. They could chase off a honey-stealing bear.

    With Hua Mi assisting from above, the worst that could happen would be the loss of some bees, not theirplete annihtion.

    The buzzing sounds gradually echoed in the cabin. Soon, the bees reached arger space, probably the end of the passage.

    After circling around for a while, they roughly gauged the size of the lower space, which was slightly smaller than the wooden cabin above. There didn''t seem to be any living creatures.

    Hua Mi breathed a sigh of relief and descended with his shlight.

    "Alchemy Workshop," Hua Mi thought the moment he saw the scene below.

    The setup was rtively simple, with a shelf against the wall holding scattered ss bottles. An old, dusty ck robe hung from a nearby coatrack.

    In the center of the room, there was an odd-looking,rge, pot-bellied ck cauldron. It had inscriptions that resembled some kind of foreign script.

    "Semiautomatic Alchemical Cauldron �C Crafted by Mr. M, a Gift to the Lazy Alchemists.

    Note: Capable of crafting alchemical creations of average quality. When crafting high-tier alchemical concoctions, there is a possibility of failure."

    "Semiautomatic..." Hua Mi mused. If it meant the same as a semiautomatic washing machine, it might imply that all you needed to do was load the alchemical ingredients, press a button, and the cauldron would handle the alchemical process automatically.

    Although there were many limitations, for an Earthling with absolutely no knowledge of alchemy, this was an amazing find.

    The question was, where was the button?

    Hua Mi examined the area more closely, and his eyes settled on a groove in the cauldron. Numerous lines extended from the groove, covering the entire pot''s surface.

    "Is this where the battery goes?" he wondered.

    It seemed like a ce to insert a substance that could release energy, simr to a battery from his old world. However, he scanned the entire underground chamber and didn''t find anything resembling a power source.

    But even if he had a battery, it would be useless without alchemical recipes. There was no point in getting stuck on this now.

    Hua Mi shifted his focus to the shelf.

    Most of the bottles were empty, but tucked away in the corner was a small bottle, about the size of his palm, containing a partially transparent liquid.

    Hua Mi examined thebel and read, "Beginner Mutagenic Elixir (Regr Version)."

 Chapter 4: Breaking the Cocoon

    Chapter 4: Breaking the Cocoon

    At first nce, this reagent seemed to be used to induce biological mutations.

    "What is a mutation?"

    In simple terms, it''s a change in biological traits.

    And it has to be on a gic level, inheritable traits.

    Some mutations are beneficial for organisms, which is called evolution, but the probability is very low.

    Most mutations are likely meaningless or even harmful, and sudden death is not impossible.

    Hua Mi had a daring idea.

    This mutation inducer could be used.

    Of course, not for himself; he wasn''t that reckless.

    With so many bees around, weren''t they readily avable test subjects?

    Bees are small, and each one probably needs only a small dose of the reagent. Half a bottle of mutation inducer would definitely be enough for a short period of time.

    As a beekeeper, the temptation to breed superior new bee species was strong for him.

    Moreover, this was the magical world, where everything was possible.

    Don''t just stick to the old ways and be afraid to try something new; that would be a waste of this opportunity.

    "Let''s test it on some worker bees first."

    The worker bees made up the majority of the hive, over 99%, and they weren''t very valuable. He wouldn''t mind losing a few dozen or even a hundred of them.

    Hua Mi selected 50 healthy worker bees and left the rest to continue foraging.

    He picked up the bottle of mutation inducer and removed the cork with a pop. He smelled it and found that it had no special scent, just like in water.

    "I hope it hasn''t expired."

    Hua Mi poured some onto a wooden board and watched as 50 bees gathered around to sip it.

    The reagent was quickly absorbed, and after about 5 minutes, Hua Mi could clearly sense that these 50 bees were exhibiting varying degrees of abnormality. It seemed like a wild power was building up inside them, ready to burst forth.

    This was simr to the state of bees when they were about to break out of their cocoons during theirrval stage, which triggered their instinct to return to the hive and cocoon themselves.

    Hua Mi didn''t interfere; he allowed them to fly back into the hive and seal themselves in the honeb cells with wax.

    Normally, bees would only experience this once in their lifetime, breaking out of their cocoon during the pupal stage and bing adult bees.

    At the moment, in the adult cocoon stage, he had no idea what they would look like when they emerged. All he could do was wait.

    The day slowly turned to dusk, and before he knew it, it was twilight. In the forest, the dense trees made the eveninge quickly.

    Bees regted their activities based on light intensity, not on fixed working hours, so this region with longer daylight hours was suitable for beekeeping.

    The bee colony had already started returning to the hives, one by one. Hua Mi was exhausted and ready to go back.

    He considered whether to move the hives. However, moving them back and forth was troublesome, and he didn''t see any signs of animal activity in the area. Leaving the hives here should be safe. Besides, bees weren''t easy prey; they had their defenses.

    So, Hua Mi moved the hives into the wooden house, grabbed his notebook, and crossed over to his own flower field.

    It was alreadypletely dark here.

    Hua Mi Town was different from those big cities; nightlife was scarce, and it became very quiet at night.

    Hua Mi quickly had a simple meal, went online to buy some adventure equipment from a survival specialty store - a dagger, a first aid kit,pressed biscuits, and then purchased apound bow from another shop.

    Compound bows weren''t regted items and could be bought easily.

    After all the equipment arrived and everything was prepared, he nned to go out exploring. He couldn''t keep relying on the Moon Dream Flowers; their flowering season would end eventually. Who knew how long the Water Moon wouldst? He needed to find new sources of nectar to ensure uninterrupted honey production.

    Having the alchemy notebook as a reference was a great help for finding new nectar sources. Later, he might be able to build a greenhouse to eliminate the impact of external environmental changes on the flowers. However, he didn''t have the conditions for that yet.

    Today had been exhausting, and Hua Miy on his bed, reading his notebook for a while before drifting off to sleep.

    He slept all the way until the next morning, waking up around nine o''clock.

    With his mind on the beehives and the 50 cocooned worker bees, Hua Mi wasn''t in the mood for a proper meal. He heated up some instant noodles, washed them down with honey water, and headed outside to let in some fresh air.

    The front yard, although much smaller than the back flower field, was neat and charming. This was his ancestral home, a bit old but with excellent Feng Shui, backed by fertile soil and a distant mountain range. It was a perfect ce for beekeeping, and he had transformed it into a beekeeping facility.

    Beekeeping, honey production, and distribution, he handled it all.

    During the peak of his business, he had over a hundred hives, with five to six different flowering nts in his flower field. It was tiring, but it ensured maximum production. His ie was substantial during that period.

    However, it seemed like the heavens had grown tired of his sess, and his fortune took a turn for the worse. He ended up idle at home, and his business dwindled. Now, he was down to just thirty hives.

    In the past, Hua Mi Town had been a haven for beekeeping, but the current environment no longer offered any advantages, and his reputation had suffered. The era of Hua Mi Town had passed, there was no denying it.

    However, that didn''t mean that the new era had to be ushered in by industrialized bee enterprises.

    Hua Mi finished his instant noodles, poured a cup of honey water, and couldn''t wait to step into the flower field and cross over to the other world.

    It was still dark in that parallel world.

    The backyard was filled with Moon Dream Flowers, giving off a silver glow, like crescent moons. Silver specks of light rose from the flower field and disappeared into the air several meters above.

    A huge "moon" hung in the night sky, emitting a pure, radiant light, at least ten times the size of Earth''s moon.

    It contrasted beautifully with the flower field, a breathtaking sight.

    "This is true natural beauty..."

    Hua Mi gazed at the moon with a dreamy look in his eyes. This kind of beauty could keep him watching all day.

    The moon gradually descended, while the other side of the sky turned pale, and the sun soon rose. The sun here was simr to Earth''s, with afortable temperature and brightness.

    The diligent little bees began to emerge from the hives and swarmed toward the flower field.

    The familiar buzzingforted him. An experienced beekeeper could gauge the strength of a colony just by listening to their sounds.

    Hua Mi''s bees seemed stronger today. After a quick inspection, he sensed that their vitality had improved overall, likely due to the environment and the high-quality nectar they had sampled.

    What concerned him the most, though, were the 50 cocooned worker bees.

    As the day brightened, they began to break free from their cocoons. However, only 34 of them attempted to break free, while the remaining 16 remained still, already lifeless.

    "The mortality rate is quite high."

    Of the 34 surviving worker bees, half of them lost their vitality during the cocoon-breaking process. They couldn''t crawl out and ended up suffocating.

    Hua Mi thought there should be at least one beneficial mutation. Even gacha games had a guaranteed drop rate.

    He wasn''t exactly upset about the loss of these 50 worker bees; they were a manageable loss for a bee colony. It was just a bit disappointing.

    It seemed that even in the magical world, breeding new bee species wasn''t as simple as he had imagined.

    Just then, one of the worker bees that had just emerged from its cocoon caught his attention.

 Chapter 5: The Forest Swift Bee

    Chapter 5: The Forest Swift Bee

    The appearance of the worker bee hadn''t changed much. Its body was still predominantly yellow and ck, but the colors had deepened, and its wings had be thicker, no longer transparent, with ck lines covering them.

    One could sense its vitality had greatly increased.

    Most importantly, its wing pping frequency was incredibly fast!

    Hua Mi controlled it to fly in circles in the air, estimating its speed to be about twice as fast as a regr honeybee! Moreover, it showed no adverse characteristics.

    Hua Mi usually assessed the strength of a bee species based on three main attributes.

    First, their lifespan.

    Second, their reproductive capabilities.

    And third, their productivity.

    The third attribute, productivity, was mainly rted to the bee''s structure and its ability to perform tasks.

    Bees had a structure called a honey sac, which was where they stored nectar. The amount of nectar they could carry back to the hive in one trip depended on the size of their honey sac. Therger the sac, the more efficient they were.

    There was no need to emphasize their mobility; the faster they could fly, the shorter the round trip time.

    This mutant earth bee had doubled its speed, significantly increasing its honey collection efficiency.

    "Although it''s not an outstanding mutation, at least it''s something presentable."

    This mutant earth bee was probably the fastest bee in the world now. Unfortunately, there was only one.

    Using mutation inducers to produce mutations was uncontroble. The probability of evolving favorable traits was very low. In a group of 50 bees, evolving one new type of bee was considered beginner''s luck. In normal circumstances, it might take the sacrifice of an entire bee colony to evolve a new bee species.

    However, when Hua Mi had more bee colonies, he could set aside some for experiments.

    With a variety of mutated bee species, he could attempt to create new bee species through hybridization.

    If we considered mutation inducers as a chemical means, then hybridization was a biological means. Compared to mutation inducers, hybridization was safer and cheaper. It only required the bees to be in good condition. Furthermore, hybridization could reveal patterns, to some extent allowing him to control the direction of mutations and systematically create stronger bee species.

    "Anyway, building more bee colonies is the top priority."

    Hua Mi took out his alchemical notebook, flipped to a nk page, and wrote the title "Mutant Bee Species Compendium."

    "The distinctive feature of this mutant earth bee is its speed. Since it was born in the forest, I''ll simply call it the ''Forest Swift Bee.''"

    Hua Mi wrote the words "Forest Swift Bee" on the paper.

    "The Forest Swift Bee, derived from the Chinese honeybee, has a flying speed twice that of regr bees, with the same activity pattern. It is active during the day and rests at night. Its main color scheme is yellow and ck, with colors deepening, thicker wings that are no longer transparent, and covered in ck lines..."

    Furthermore, there were three attributes for bee colonies: lifespan, productivity, and reproductive capability.

    It was necessary to record them.

    If we considered the Chinese honeybee as the standard, all three attributes were set to 1.

    So, the productivity of the Forest Swift Bee could be set at 2. While the honey collection per trip hadn''t increased, the advantage mainlyy in its speed...

    Additionally, there were the aspects of lifespan and reproductive capability.

    Hua Mi thought he would need to observe these to determine their values.

    However, after he thoroughly examined this Forest Swift Bee, he found that he could clearly perceive the bee''s physical condition and abstract it into attribute information.

    Byparing this with a regr bee, he could roughly estimate how many times the lifespan and reproductive capability of a regr bee was.

    [Lifespan: 0.5]

    [Reproductive Capability: 3]

    [Productivity: 2]

    The lifespan was only half of a regr bee''s. This was understandable since the swift bee''s faster physiological activities burned through its lifespan faster.

    The reproductive capability gave him a small surprise, as it was three times that of regr bee species.

    Thispensated for the shorter lifespan, as higher reproductive capability meant a shorter time required for raising a new generation of bees. It was simr to human poptions where a higher birth rate than death rate led to a stronger overall poption and increased resilience to risk. The number of individual bees in a bee colony would significantly increase, enhancing the colony''s resistance to risk.

    Not to mention the honey collection ability, which was probably more than twice that of a regr bee.

    The more Hua Mi explored, the more excited he became. No beekeeper could resist the temptation of excellent new bee species.

    Suddenly, Hua Mi felt a familiar sensation on the back of his hand��the same spot where he had been stung. It started to feel warm and tingly again.

    This peculiar sensation spread from his hand to his forehead.

    He once again had a vision of the small, blue bee, and its apparition appeared in the center of his vision.

    "Is there more to it?"

    Hua Mi''s vision blurred momentarily, and then he saw a blurry blue light extending from the blue bee, connecting to the Forest Swift Bee.

    The entire processsted for less than a minute, and then the connection was severed.

    Hua Mi hurriedly examined the Forest Swift Bee, and to his relief, there were no issues with the individual bee.

    However, in his field of vision, another bee''s apparition appeared below, and it looked exactly like the Forest Swift Bee!

    This was what he visually observed, and he almost instantly understood its meaning.

    The blue bee he had just seen, or rather, the version of himself that had been endowed with abilities by the blue bee, had replicated the excellent traits of the Forest Swift Bee!

    Furthermore, he could transfer these traits back to the evolving mother bee, which was the regr Chinese honeybee, and turn it into a Forest Swift Bee!

    "Let''s give it a try."

    Hua Mi controlled a regr worker bee to fly over.

    He concentrated his attention and injected the Forest Swift Bee temte into the regr worker bee''s body.

    Soon, there was a noticeable change in the worker bee. It radiated a powerful force, just like the state the Forest Swift Bee was in before it mutated.

    The worker bee returned to the hive and started to secrete wax for a cocoon.

    "But converting one by one will be quite troublesome."

    After all, a bee colony typically consisted of several thousand individuals, and transforming them one by one would be a daunting task.

    Hua Mimanded a group of bees to stop honey collection and fly back. This included the worker bees inside the hive, and they all lined up neatly above the hive.

    He then focused his attention not on a single individual but on the entire bee colony.

    He spread the Forest Swift Bee temte across the entire bee colony.

    Although this took a bit longer, about two minutes, it was still a sess!

    The entire bee colony underwent a transformation and returned to the hive to secrete wax for their cocoons.

    "This is great!"

    With this ability, he no longer needed to spend a lot of time and effort considering how to propagate and expand the poption of new bee species.

    In just one night, he could create an entire new bee colony!

    Hua Mi took a deep breath to calm himself down.

    "In other words, as long as I evolve new bee species, I can record them and rapidly expand their colonies."

    Hua Mi continued with two more tasks.

    First, he took 50 drones and 50 worker bees from the remaining 29 hives. On average, each hive had three to four of each. He had them consume mutation inducers to attempt evolution.

    The structure of a bee colony was quite simple. Besides worker bees, each hive had a queen bee and several dozen drones.

    The primary role of drones was to provide the queen with male reproductive cells. In general, a queen bee only mated with several drones in a short period and stored the male reproductive cells for her lifetime.

    During her peak, a queen bee couldy over a thousand eggs in 24 hours, with at least seven to eight hundred eggs being a reasonable estimate.

    The majority developed into worker bees, and a small fraction became drones. The ratio depended on the number of worker bee cells and drone cells in the hive.

    After mating, the drones were no longer needed because the queen bee had their reproductive organs inside her, and their internal organs had been torn out. Their fate was to die. Even if they managed to survive, the worker bees would eventually drive them away, and they would starve to death.

    Hua Mi didn''t experiment on the queen bee because each bee colony had only one queen, and losing her would lead to significant problems. There was a possibility of rescuing her, but the probability was high that the entire colony would perish.

    "I hope there will be at least one sessful evolution, even just one."

    This way, he could replicate the temte and create entire colonies.

    Hua Mi silently prayed for sess, although he thought that praying to ancestors in another world might not work.

    Never mind, let''s not rely on superstition. Following the objectivews of science is the key to sess.

    "We are going to use a scientific method to cultivate magic bees and brew magic honey."

    The second task was to convert all his regr bee colonies into Forest Swift Bee colonies.

    Of course, during the evolution process, the bees would have to stop collecting honey for a while.

    But having bee species with double the collection capacity meant that the time required to produce a batch of honey would be halved. Which beekeeper could resist such temptation?

    However, when he was converting the tenth bee colony, he felt his mind starting to wander, making it harder to concentrate.

    "Temte transformation isn''t without its costs; it consumes mental energy..."

    Hua Mi had to stop, as his brain felt as if he had been doing advanced math problems for three hours straight, leaving it in tatters.

    Hey back on his recliner, tilted his head, and fell into a peaceful sleep.

 Chapter 6: The Hundredfold Evolution

    Chapter 6: The Hundredfold Evolution

    Hua Mi couldn''t believe it; he had woken up in the middle of the night! The bees had already returned to their hives, and the forest was silent except for the sound of insects chirping. It was incredibly peaceful.

    Lazily reclining on his chair, Hua Mi felt his energy was still a bit scattered, and his stomach rumbled hungrily. He had no desire to move.

    "Awoo!!!"

    A wolf-like howl echoed from deep within the forest, jolting Hua Mi to his feet. His senses immediately sharpened.

    Under the moonlight, he hurriedly moved the beehive back into the wooden cabin. He checked the ten forest swift bees that had been injected with the forest swift bee temte; they had not yet hatched.

    "It seems slower than the first forest swift bee, but I''ll deal with it tomorrow," Hua Mi thought.

    Back in the cabin, Hua Mi enjoyed his meal while perusing the alchemical notes. The writing was elegant, and the illustrations were detailed, making it afortable read and well-suited to his taste.

    He focused on the section describing various flowers. Although he couldn''t urately determine if they were nectar-producing flowers just by the descriptions, he could make a rough estimate based on the illustrations and his experience.

    However, the names of the ces mentioned in the notes gave him a headache.

    "Cloud Peak teau, Chaotic Sea, Shadowy Realm, Storm Courtyard, Giant Ruins... What kind of ces are these?" Hua Mi was still rtively ignorant about this new world, only knowing that the area his cabin was located in was called the ck Witch''s Forest, abbreviated as the ck Forest.

    "If only I had a map," he sighed. However, since there were already dozens of types of flowers listed just within the ck Forest, he didn''t need to venture too far for his initial exploration. Whether he would have the chance to leave the forest was a different matter altogether.

    The time division in this new world was entirely different from Earth''s. ording to the notes, after the month of Watersurge came Watersleep, and during Watersleep, the Moon Dream Flowers would gradually wither. Although the flowers wouldn''t wither all at once, the honey flow period would likely end.

    Having flowers didn''t necessarily mean having honey. The flowering period didn''t equal the honey flow period, which was much shorter and usually urred during the peak bloom of the flowers.

    For a beekeeper like Hua Mi, chasing honey was an urgent matter. Missing out meant missing out, with no way to recover.

    "ording to the notes, the ck Forest has several types of flowers that bloom during Watersleep. I need to n my honey collection ordingly. But the uing ''Ice Age'' is going to be challenging."

    The Ice Age, as the name implied, was likely to be as cold and deste as winter on Earth. The exact temperature remained unknown, but if it was too low, he wouldn''t be able to keep bees outdoors. He would need to create a temperature-controlled environment for them.

    Honeybees could generate heat in their hives to withstand the cold and ensure their survival during the winter. The Chinese bees, in particr, had a strong resistance to harsh conditionspared to the Italian bees, but there was a limit to how cold they could endure. Beekeepers generally didn''t let the temperature drop below -2��C.

    Another concern was the avability of nectar-producing flowers. Scouring the notes, he found only one type of flower that bloomed during the Ice Age, called the "Crystal Shard Flower." The sketch made it look angr and icy, simr to an ice sculpture. The notes emphasized that it was a "rare" flower, demanding high environmental conditions for growth, with only a few specimens in the vast forest. Furthermore, it was not confirmed to be a nectar-producing flower.

    "I need to move the construction of the greenhouse up on my agenda. With a greenhouse, I can provide a stable winter environment for the bees and cultivate rare flowers that require specific conditions. The earlier I build it, the greater the benefits."

    The space wasn''t a problem, though it would be a bit of a hassle to solve. The real issue was the construction cost, which was giving him a headache.

    The next day, after a simple breakfast and some preparations, Hua Mi crossed over into the other world. It was just before dawn, a time when nature held its breath during the transition between night and day. The usual sounds of insects and animals were silent, making it the quietest part of the day.

    Hua Mi stacked his belongings on the cabin floor and sent his consciousness to check on the bee colonies. Everything was in order. The hive''s honeb had already started to fill with honey, giving the cabin a faint, sweet fragrance. Since he hadn''t yet started wax production, the scent was more flowery, akin to the Moon Dream Flowers'' delicate aroma.

    "This is the first batch of Moon Dream Flower honey in two worlds," Hua Mi thought with a sense of aplishment. Though it might be an exaggeration to call it a historical event, it was just the beginning. Even legends had humble beginnings.

    He eagerly anticipated the moment the first batch of magic bee honey would be ready. He wondered if it would have any special effectspared to regr honey, besides the taste.

    The ten forest swift bees had sessfullypleted their transformation. These were the first new bee species he had cultivated. Due to the influence of magic, the process wasn''t as challenging as it seemed, but it was still quite fulfilling.

    Hua Mi admired the forest swift bees for a while before adding them to the honey-gathering team.

    Among the buzzing bees, it was easy to distinguish between the regr Chinese honeybees and the forest swift bees. Thetter seemed to be ying at double speedpared to the former, making them stand out as the special forces of the bee world.

    With these ten powerful new bee species supporting the honey collection, the efficiency increased significantly. "If I transform all 30 colonies into forest swift bees, the honey collection speed will double, and the estimated time will be halved," Hua Mi calcted.

    However, he also needed to address the 100 experimental bees that had been injected with mutagen. As expected, after a night of incubation, they were ready to emerge from their cocoons.

    Inspecting them, Hua Mi found that this time, only a dozen or so bees had died during the metamorphosis, a much better result thanst time. "Time for the exciting ''blind box'' moment," he thought.

    Hua Mi couldn''t help but rub his hands in excitement and focus on the hives, ignoring everything else. Finally, the first cocoon broke, and a bee emerged, its head first, followed by its entire body. It seemed lively but...

    "Where are its antennae?" The bee had a bare head, devoid of antennae, which were essential for finding nectar sources. It was like sending a soldier into battle without a weapon �C a failure.

    No matter, it was only the first bee; there would be more opportunities. Hua Mi disposed of the failed bee and continued to watch eagerly.

    The second bee emerged, and it looked promising. Its yellow markings had turned to a pale red, and all its organs appeared intact. Hua Mi sensed its vigorous life force.

    Hua Mi controlled it to fly into the air, intending to observe its features more closely. Suddenly, the red color on its body grew more vibrant and seemed to emit a faint glow.

    At the same time, Hua Mi felt a surge of energy building up within it. "Not good!" he thought.

    With that thought, he instinctively took a step back. Puff! A burst of fire engulfed the bee, scorching Hua Mi''s face even at a short distance.

    "A self-destruct bee," Hua Mi eximed. "This one was too strong!" The evolution had failed once again, and there was no need to euthanize it this time.

    Staring at the bee''s charred remains on the ground, Hua Mi''s mood wasplicated. "Red-hot, fiery red... well, this is just the second one, there will be plenty more chances," he reassured himself.

    He adjusted his mindset and prayed for the next bees. The third bee was another failure, followed by a fourth bee with horrifying deformities. Almost half of the bees had died during their metamorphosis, leaving only the unlucky ones.

    As the first rays of dawn filtered through the forest, thest mutated bee emerged from its cocoon. Hua Mi could tell from its damaged wings and inability to fly that this one had also failed. "It''s as if I''ve been pped in the face, even my underwear is gone!" he muttered, frustrated.

    "All 100 without a single guaranteed sess! It''s so damn unfair!" Hua Miined. "If this were a game, the developers would be berated by the yers."

    However, he had no intention of giving up. The experiment had to continue. Without dreams, what separated him from a sloth? Besides, this rare opportunity wasn''t something to squander.

    Historical trends showed that primitive umtion was bloody and brutal. The most crucial phase of breeding new bee species was the initial umtion, and he had no choice but to use the lives of these small bees for that purpose.

    The good news was that he had plenty of samples. When he had more mutated bee species, he could experiment with more scientific and efficient hybridizations.

    "Besides, I might discover new methods of evolution in the future. After all, this is a world of magic, where anything is possible." Hua Mi concluded.

 Chapter 7: The Unexpected Guest

    Chapter 7: The Unexpected Guest

    Hua Mi continued his transformation of the forest bees.

    This time, he sessfully transformed thirteen bee swarms in one go, leaving only seven swarms yet to be transformed.

    It was evident that he had be much more skilled at this.

    "My spiritual power seems to have strengthened. It looks like this can be improved too," Hua Mi thought.

    He had a feeling that, although he could currently only control one bee swarm at a time, he was on the verge of being able to control two swarms simultaneously.

    Afterpleting the transformation, Hua Mi took a few sips of honey, rested for a while, and then selected 500 bees as experimental subjects. After they consumed the mutagen, each of them returned to their hives to enter the pupation state.

    The sess rate was low, but the mutation process was quick, and the results would be avable shortly. It didn''t consume much time.

    Once he finished this, Hua Mi returned to the house to continue cleaning.

    Yesterday, he had only done some initial cleaning, making it look a bit morefortable.

    Today, he wanted to be more thorough, restoring the small wooden house to a habitable state.

    Normally, he lived at his family''s estate, but in case of any sudden situations that required him to stay here, he wanted the ce to be ready for him.

    Hua Mi had a lot of experience with thorough cleaning. The ancestral estate, along with the vast flower fields behind it, was quite extensive, and since he ran the business alone and didn''t hire any assistants, he did all the work himself. This included everything, and he had be quite skilled at it.

    Cleaning wasn''t difficult; as long as he had hands, he could do it. However, doing it efficiently and saving time required following a certain process.

    Hua Mi followed the steps he had devised, thoroughly cleaning every nook and cranny of the house, making the entire wooden cabin look brand new.

    He also cleared the weeds in the backyard.

    As for the underground alchemical chamber, he decided not to clean it for the time being. After all, there was no immediate need for it.

    Finally, he spread the bedding he had brought with him on the wooden bed, giving the entire small wooden house a homely atmosphere. Beds were indeed the essence of any ce; they provided a sense of security.

    "Next is the question of exploration," Hua Mi said.

    When the bees were out for honey collection, it was mostly automated, leaving him with a lot of free time.

    Once the equipment he ordered online arrived, he nned to explore the forest, be familiar with the environment, and search for new sources of nectar-bearing flowers.

    He intended to turn this ce into his beekeeping base.

    But there was one issue he had to consider.

    To establish a beekeeping site, he would need to expand and clear the surrounding trees. While the trees here were not as densely packed as in a rainforest, not clearing them would likely affect flower growth.

    The Moon Dream Flowers were an exception because they had the ability to absorb moonlight essence at night, making them self-sufficient. Other flowers without this capability would be adversely affected.

    These trees were generally taller andrger than those on Earth, making clearing them a more challenging task.

    He could only create a wormholerge enough for one person to pass through; bringing over somerge machinery was likely impossible. Furthermore, he had to consider whether making too much noise might attract dangerous wild creatures.

    In this magical world, even a casual encounter with a magical beast could be deadly.

    Hua Mi had read in his alchemical notes that the ck Forest contained many dangerous magical creatures, with dozens of them mentioned in the book. The actual number was probably even higher.

    "All the more reason to focus on breedingbat bees with magical abilities. It would provide peace of mind," Hua Mi thought.

    Staring at the sea of Moon Dream Flowers in front of him, he suddenly had an idea: why not experiment with whether these flowers could thrive on Earth?

    So, he carefully dug up one Moon Dream Flower, opened a wormhole, and intended to nt it in his family''s flower field.

    However, he was perplexed.

    He passed through, but the flower he was holding disappeared into thin air.

    Hua Mi tried again immediately, but the same thing happened.

    "Strange, I''m sure I''ve tested this before, and both living and non-living objects could pass..." he muttered to himself.

    After a moment of contemtion, Hua Mi realized that he had only brought bees through the wormhole from the very beginning. He hadn''t tried bringing any other living creatures. So, iming that living creatures could pass through was inurate.

    It seemed that only bees could traverse between the two worlds, possibly due to some mysterious restriction linked to the blue bee''s bestowed abilities.

    Hua Mi experimented with several other living creatures, both nt and animal, to find that only bees could make the journey, whether they were departing from Earth or his current location.

    "All right, let''s drop the idea of transnting flowers and get back to the main topic," he decided.

    "I need to contact the seller and order ten more bee swarms."

    Two of them would be used for mutation experiments, and the remaining eight would serve as backups.

    The cost of purchasing a bee swarm wasn''t high, and the number of bee swarms a beekeeper owned depended mainly on how well they sold honey. If honey sales were poor, it wouldn''t make sense to keep too many bee swarms.

    "By the way, should I try using Italian bees for one of the experimental swarms?" Hua Mi wondered.

    Different species ofmon honeybees might have different sess rates for mutations. Italian bees were known for their strong honey-collecting abilities, making them suitable for migratory beekeeping. Chinese bees, on the other hand, were more resilient and well-suited for stationary beekeeping.

    After some consideration, Hua Mi decided not to buy Italian bees for the time being and instead opted for Chinese bees. One reason was to avoid introducing a different species into the swarm, which could lead to infighting and potentially affect reproduction, even with his control over the bees. Additionally, Italian bees and Chinese bees, despite both belonging to the Apis genus, had reproductive barriers, so it was reasonable to assume that any mutations based on Chinese bees and Italian bees would also have such barriers.

    So, he ced an order for ten more bee swarms that day from the trusted seller he''d been dealing with, avoiding any potential quality issues.

    Now, he just had to wait for the bee swarms to be delivered.

    A day passed quickly.

    It was a coincidence that a day in this world was roughly equivalent to a day on Earth.

    Currently, it was spring on Earth, with longer days and shorter nights.

    However, in this world, there were no distinct seasons. ording to his alchemical notes, a year in this world was divided into five periods: "Wind Moon," "Fire Moon," "Water Moon," "Ice Period," and "Chaos Period." Except for the "Ice Period" and "Chaos Period," each of the other three periods was further divided into "Beginning," "Progress," "Peak," and "Decline" stages.

    For example, it was currently the "Water Peak Moon," with shorter nights and longer days.

    To avoid disrupting his daily routine, Hua Mi decided to follow Earth time as closely as possible.

    However, today, he stayed up for a while, waiting for the results of the more than 500 experimental bees to emerge before heading out.

    The results were disappointing. None of the more than 500 bees had sessfully evolved.

    "What a gamble you are, ying with probabilities like this," Hua Mi muttered, deciding to temporarily halt the experiments. Continuing like this would deplete his resources, even with a substantial foundation. He would wait for the ten bee swarms to arrive before resuming.

    The following day, the equipment he had ordered online arrived, and Hua Mi moved it to the small wooden house.

    After transforming the remaining seven bee swarms, he was in the midst of adjusting apound bow ording to the instruction manual when he heard amotion in the yard outside.

    He immediately sent out his consciousness to sense the bee swarms and found that the worker bees had ceased collecting honey and were assuming defensive positions.

    As if facing a formidable enemy!

 Chapter 8: The Seven "Pixies"

    Chapter 8: The Seven "Pixies"

    Hua Mi couldn''t see what was approaching through the swarm of bees, but she could feel the bees'' heightened agitation, indicating a perceived threat.

    "I can''t just abandon the beehive... Besides, if there''s any real danger, I can immediately open a wormhole and escape back to Earth," she thought.

    With this in mind, Hua Mi calmed herself, nocked an arrow, half-drawn on her bowstring, and slowly approached the entrance. She used her toe to gently push the door open and peered outside.

    On the expanse of white moonlit flower fields, 30 swarms of worker bees took flight, forming a dense and intimidating mass that surrounded some uninvited guests.

    Although each solitary earth bee was small, whenbined, the 30 swarms constituted a significant force, casting a shadow over the intruders.

    Hua Mi could only catch glimpses of a few diminutive figures amid the bee swarm.

    Surprisingly, she didn''t sense any immediate danger. Hua Mi directed the bees to create an opening, focused her gaze, and couldn''t help but exim, "Pixies?"

    As soon as she saw these little creatures, the term "Pixies" immediately sprang to her mind. They looked like carefully crafted dolls with pointed ears, about the size of her palm, dressed in garments made of natural elements such as leaves and petals. They also had delicate, translucent butterfly wings that glistened in the sunlight.

    Their appearance perfectly matched the traditional image of fairies held by Earthlings.

    Hua Mi noticed that these beings didn''t seem to have any ill intent, and more importantly, they didn''t appear to be a threat. She released her control over the bee swarm, causing them to stop their defensive formation and line up on both sides, resembling a well-trained army on guard duty.

    The seven "Pixies" saw the bees suddenly aligning in a disciplined formation and were initially puzzled. However, when they noticed Hua Mi approaching with herpound bow, they immediately became wary again.

    It was evident that these humanoid creatures were behind the scenes. The ferocious little flying insects were merely their henchmen.

    The one in front had fiery red hair, and she shielded her little sisters while brandishing a vine staff not much thicker than a toothpick. Her face contorted fiercely as she faced Hua Mi.

    But when you''re tiny and weak, your threats cane across as cute.

    Hua Mi didn''t pay it much mind and observed them quietly.

    She noticed that each of them had a small wooden barrel strapped to their arms, indicating that they were collecting something.

    "Are they here to gather nectar?" she wondered.

    From what she could tell, there were no bees in this world, but nectar, a delicious and energy-rich product, would undoubtedly attract other creatures. Otherwise, it would mean an ecological vacuum.

    These little beings might make their living by collecting nectar. This time, they were unlucky to be caught in a crossfire when they were unable to harvest it.

    In terms of appearance, it was quite challenging to distinguish between these seven Pixies. However, their hair colors were all different, roughly corresponding to the seven basic colors of the natural world: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

    The one with blue hair, on the other hand, had a swollen face that resembled a pig''s head, having been stung several times.

    At this moment, she was surrounded by her littlepanions, cradling her swollen face and shedding tears, her eyes glistening.

    They were the indigenous inhabitants of the ck Forest, and it was evident that they possessed intelligence and couldmunicate. Hua Mi didn''t want to engage in conflict with them unless it was absolutely necessary.

    Building a positive rtionship would be the ideal oue, as it could greatly assist her in exploring the ck Forest and locating nectar-rich flowers.

    "Hello," Hua Mi greeted in the localnguage with a smile. "Is there anything you need?"

    The red-haired Pixie hesitated for a moment upon hearing Hua Mi''s words but quickly regained a stern expression. "Don''t try to deceive us, alchemist. We won''t be fooled!"

    Her voice was melodious and full of grace.

    "However, why did she call me an alchemist? Does she think I''m the previous owner of this cottage?" Hua Mi wondered.

    It seemed like these Pixies might know something about the previous owner of the cottage, but their vision was clearly not great if they were making such mistakes.

    Hua Mi spoke in the unfamiliarnguage, saying, "It''s a misunderstanding. You trespassed into my flower field, and my bees mistook you for enemies, so they defended themselves."

    "We were just trying to collect nectar!" the red-haired Pixie retorted with annoyance, waving her staff, leaving a glistening mark in the air. "While you were away, we''ve been taking care of this flower field. You''re the intruder here!"

    "So, even though these flowers grow outside your house, they''re being nurtured by us," added the orange-haired Pixie timidly, standing behind the red-haired one.

    It made sense that, besides the easy-to-maintain Moon Dream Flowers, the Pixies'' care contributed to the growth of this vast flower field.

    In this light, Hua Mi was in the wrong.

    Hua Mi pondered for a moment and asked, "What do you collect nectar for?"

    "To eat, of course," the yellow-haired Pixie responded matter-of-factly.

    Saying this, she reached out towards a few Moon Dream Flowers beside her, elegantly swiping her hand. With a sparkling and twinkling effect, several streams of nectar fluid flew out of the flowers, merging into a swirling mass in the air.

    "Just like this..."

    Before she could finish her sentence, the purple-haired Pixie suddenly reached over and swallowed the cluster of nectar with a contented expression. The yellow-haired Pixie stood with her hands on her hips, looking at her littlepanion with a mix of exasperation and annoyance.

    "Now, you''re hoarding our nectar and having these vicious insects attack us!" the red-haired Pixie''s temper seemed to be a bit fiery as she clenched her fists in anger.

    "They only attack when they sense a threat, and they''ve paid with their lives," Hua Mi pointed out, gesturing towards the ground.

    "Why is it like this..." the blue-haired Pixie, who had been stung repeatedly, saw the lifeless bodies of the worker bees and went from teary-eyed to openly weeping.

    The other six Pixies also disyed sorrowful expressions.

    "They have a kind nature and can be cooperative," Hua Mi firmly decided. She cleared her throat and said, "This is all a misunderstanding. It was a tragedy caused by ourck of understanding of each other, not your fault."

    Upon hearing her words, the Pixies'' sadness seemed to ease slightly.

    Hua Mi changed the subject, saying, "However, your act of collecting nectar is indeed a wasteful endeavor. Forgive me for being straightforward, but you don''t truly understand the value of nectar."

    What? The Pixies couldn''t simply let thatment slide. It was like saying people from the Gourmet Empire didn''t understand cuisine �C it was uneptable.

    The purple-haired Pixie flew to the front and protested, "We''re experts in nectar. We know everything about the best nectars for each season!"

    "Yeah, you say we don''t understand nectar, but do you?" another Pixie chimed in.

    "Tell us!" they demanded.

    Facing this group of spirited cuties, Hua Mi didn''t directly refute their ims. Instead, she smiled and introduced, "These little guys are called bees. They can collect nectar and process it into honey, which is even sweeter, more delicious, and more nutritious than nectar. If you don''t believe me, once this batch of honey is ready, I can invite you to taste it."

    The red-haired Pixie retorted, "Don''t make jokes! These vicious insects are clearly just feeding. You want to find an excuse to im this flower field for yourself, cunning alchemist!"

 Chapter 9: Showdown!

    Chapter 9: Showdown!

    Hua Mi remainedposed and said, "This batch of Moon Slumber Honey will probably be ready in less than ten days. I didn''t deceive you, and you''ll taste it for yourself when it''s done. Speaking of which, you should feel honored to be the first Pixies in the world to taste honey."

    "Pixies?"

    "It''s a term from our hometown, you can think of it as meaning ''little spirits.''"

    The red-haired Pixie bristled, "How impolite! We are the noble spirits of the ck Forest, don''t use strange names to refer to us!"

    "Alright, Little Red."

    "You!"

    Red Pixie clenched her fists in anger, and her ears seemed to be steaming.

    But they had no choice but to fume quietly as therge swarm of bees on both sides red at them, and they had already experienced how formidable these bees could be. They dared not make any reckless moves.

    "Sisters, let''s go!"

    Red Pixie red fiercely at Hua Mi and then flew away, with the other Pixies following her.

    "Let''s go, we''ll find other ces to collect honey!"

    "Only scum and outcasts would learn alchemy!"

    Uh...

    Listening to their tone, it seemed like alchemists didn''t have a good reputation in this world. But it didn''t matter to Hua Mi; he just wanted to focus on farming and beekeeping and avoid unnecessary contact with the world. Even if he went exploring, it would only be to find new sources of nectar-bearing flowers, not to pick fights.

    The Pixies left, grumbling as they flew.

    The purple-haired Pixie, who had been trailing at the back, stopped after flying a distance, turned back to look, then flew a bit more before hesitating and returning to Hua Mi.

    "What you said... is the honey really sweet?"

    Hua Mi assured her solemnly, "It''s super sweet, and the texture is much better than regr honey. It might even crystallize into sweet crystals. I guarantee you''ll love it after one taste."

    The little purple-haired Pixie''s face instantly lit up with longing, and a glistening drop of drool appeared at the corner of her mouth.

    The other Pixies were very cautious around him and not easy to befriend, but this little one might be a breakthrough.

    Hua Mi enticed her, "Once the honey is ready, I''ll put up a sign in the flower field, and you cane to taste it."

    And help test if the Magic Honey has any special effects �C Hua Mi added in his mind.

    The little purple Pixie snapped out of her daydream and nodded eagerly, "Yes, yes, I will... ah!"

    Before she could finish her sentence, she was grabbed by the ear by the red-haired Pixie, who had flown back to get her.

    "Let''s go!"

    "Be gentle, my ear is about to fall off!"

    Hua Mi waved to them, "Remember toe and taste the honey when it''s ready!"

    In the distance, a Pixie''s ethereal voice echoed, "Bah, despicable alchemist!"

    ...

    "An alchemist?"

    Hua Mi returned to his wooden house, looking at the ck robe hanging at the bedside, lost in thought.

    This was left behind by the previous owner of the house, and he wasn''t sure about the material, but it was smooth and sturdy, with no signs of wear and tear or mold despite its age, just a bit dusty.

    Hua Mi cleaned it in a washing machine, and once he put it on, it felt as smooth as silk, the size fitting perfectly without hindering his movements. It seemed to have a magical temperature control feature, making it feel pleasantly cool.

    "I''ll wear this ck robe here from now on; it will help me blend better into this world..."

    Hua Mi twirled in his robe and found that the attire suited him quite well. He felt refreshed and vibrant.

    "An alchemist from the ck Forest, it doesn''t sound too bad."

    ...

    The next morning, the ten bee colonies he had ordered were delivered, each consisting of approximately eight thousand bees,plete with queens and hives.

    Having cooperated with the seller many times, who was an old friend of his grandfather, the quality of the bee colonies was undoubtedly reliable.

    Hua Mi did a routine inspection and found no issues.

    He extended his consciousness, attempting tomunicate with the new arrivals. Since he could only control one group of bees at a time, it took quite a while to establish connections with each group individually.

    The whole processsted about half an hour, but he sessfully integrated these ten bee colonies into his hive!

    Hua Mi moved all ten beehives to the otherworld and set them to work on their mission. Eight of the bee colonies were assigned to gather nectar freely. Their primary purpose was to serve as a reserve force. When new bee breeds emerged, they would be used as temtes to quickly produce new bee colonies.

    The remaining two experimental bee colonies were not left idle either. Mutant experiments couldn''t be halted! The more new bee breeds, the better.

    So, how many bees would he invest in this batch of experiments? Of course, he''d go all in!

    Two bee colonies, more than sixteen thousand bees! They were all in.

    "I don''t believe that out of these sixteen thousand bees, there won''t be a single sessful evolution."

    Hua Mi poured some mutagenic solution into a basin, and he controlled the bee colonies to sip from it.

    The bees lined up orderly at the edge of the basin, absorbing the mutagenic solution. After one batch finished, they immediately flew away, and the next batch took their ce.

    Due to group control, the process was quite fast.

    However, once all the sixteen thousand bees had absorbed the mutagenic solution, more than half of it was already used up.

    "What if I run out of it? Without knowing the form, even if I have a semi-automatic alchemical boiler, it won''t help... I hope I can umte enough mutant bee breeds before I run out, so I can conduct hybrid experiments."

    Therge batch of experimental bees returned to their hives to cocoon. Hua Mi put on the alchemist''s ck robe, gathered his equipment, and prepared for his first exploration in this world.

    Exploration wasn''t aimless wandering; he had already chosen his target the day before.

    Objective: Featherleaf Flower.

    Rating: Rare.

    Bloom Season: Waterful Month to Waterless Month.

    Suitable Growing Environment: Moist soil,monly found nearkes.

    He had selected this target from his alchemical notebook because it was a rare nt, but fortunately, it was rtivelymon in the ck Forest. Based on the notebook''s content, Hua Mi believed it was likely a nectar-bearing flower.

    Don''t ask, it''s all about experience and a beekeeper''s intuition.

    In addition to hispound bow and first-aid supplies, Hua Mi nned to take a group of worker bees with him. Even ordinary bees could be formidable with proper control, not to mention the Forest Swift Bees with their double speed.

    As long as you were flesh and blood, you feared stings.

    This had be evident during the confrontation with the seven "Pixies" yesterday.

    "Let''s warm up first."

    Hua Mi drew his bow and shot an arrow at a tree ten meters away. Swish! The arrow sessfully passed through the gap between two trees.

    "Not bad. Let''s go!"

 Chapter 10: First Exploration

    Chapter 10: First Exploration

    Hua Mi often found the feathered flowers near thekes in humid soil, so his n was to search for ake in the forest.

    His equipment included apass, but in this world, it was not very reliable. The needle would suddenly change direction after a short distance, as if influenced by some mysterious force.

    Hua Mi had a decent sense of direction, but in theplex ecological environment of the forest, no one could guarantee they wouldn''t get lost. So he proceeded cautiously, trying to remember thendmarks along the way. He used his dagger to carve marks on the trees at intervals to ensure he didn''t stray off course.

    The trees here were at least twice as thick as those on Earth, but after a few days in this world, Hua Mi had be ustomed to them. The forest was teeming with various species, and on his journey, he asionally came across some strange creatures: quadrupedal rodents, bipedal birds, and chubby purple insects.

    These creatures were obviously of low intelligence and posed no significant threat. They generally avoided Hua Mi or observed him from the shadows. Hua Mi tried not to provoke them and let his swarm of forest bees protect him.

    His mind was focused solely on one goal: the feathered flower. As a beekeeper, Hua Mi was well-versed in the ways of bees but knew little about other creatures. Even on Earth, he wouldn''t recognize most of the magical creatures that might inhabit a forest like this.

    "This is how it should be. I''m not the protagonist of a novel, blessed with endless adventures. Going out to explore and find treasures is all nonsense. Encountering monsters at every step is even more absurd. Mundanity is the true tone of reality... Hey, what''s that?"

    Hua Mi was walking when he noticed a small backpack hanging from a tree up ahead. At first, he thought it was hanging from a branch, but the backpack suddenly swayed.

    Upon closer inspection, he saw a green-furred "monkey" perched on the tree branch, clutching the backpack.

    "Probably stolen," Hua Mi thought.

    The monkey also spotted Hua Mi and casually hurled a fist-sized nut towards him. With an arm span of nearly two meters, the projectile came at incredible speed.

    Luckily, Hua Mi reacted quickly and dodged it. Otherwise, getting hit on the head would have led to a severe concussion at best.

    Frustrated by the missed attack, the green-furred "monkey" began howling and leaped from the branch,nding on all fours. It bared its fangs and prepared to pounce on Hua Mi.

    rm bells rang in Hua Mi''s mind, and he didn''t hesitate. He immediately directed his swarm of forest bees to swarm towards the creature, attacking its face.

    The bees concentrated on the hairless parts of the face since their stingers wouldn''t prate the fur covering the rest of the body.

    The green-furred monkey encountered such a swarm for the first time, recoiled momentarily, and then regained its aggressive posture. It grabbed the backpack and swung it fiercely at the approaching swarm.

    The bees split into two groups, utilizing their speed advantage to avoid the attack with only a few casualties. They then reformed and attacked from both sides, targeting the monkey''s face.

    The monkey was too slow to react. "Ah!!!!" it shrieked, iling its hands over its face, trying to disperse the tiny insects.

    However, the swarm moved with precision, defending and attacking as one. It was as if a punchnded on a pillow �C it had no effect on the organized mass. In just a few seconds, the green-furred monkey fled, covering its head.

    Hua Mi had only lost a dozen or so bees in the encounter, a cost he could easily ept. He hadn''t even considered using hisposite bow because a true archer never drew his bow lightly. When he did, blood would be shed!

    But the monkey had fled too quickly.

    Hua Mi rallied his swarm and pursued it until it vanished from sight.

    "Just lost a few bees. That''s an eptable loss," he mused.

    He had no intention of returning the stolen backpack. Firstly, finding the owner in this vast, dark forest would be a near-impossible task. Even if he knew where the owner was, he had no intention of returning it. He simply didn''t have the time for that. If there were any valuable items inside, he intended to keep them. This was the most straightforward way to handle the situation in this world.

    Hua Mi opened the backpack and began to inspect its contents. Inside, he found two small bottles filled with blue and red liquid, eachbeled with their respective uses.

    "Basic recovery potions... Slowly restores a certain amount of health and mana. This is essentially healing and mana potions," he concluded.

    Hua Mi removed one bottle''s cork and took a whiff, finding a strong herbal scent that nearly overwhelmed him.

    "Cough, only true heroes can drink this stuff..."

    Despite the unappealing taste, in a life-or-death situation, the taste was a minor concern. It was used to save one''s life, after all.

    Hua Mi resealed the bottle and stowed both potions in his own backpack.

    Next, he rummaged through the bag and found something that made his eyes light up.

    "Gold coins?"

    Hua Mi pulled out a small pouch containing five shiny golden coins. Four of them were of the same design, featuring a tree on one side and crossed swords on the other. They had a soft texture, indicating they were likely made of pure gold.

    The fifth coin wasrger and bore an image resembling a dragon''s head. It was incredibly hard and almost broke his teeth when he bit it.

    "This is definitely not gold."

    Were they counterfeit? They looked genuine with their shiny surfaces and a faint, mysterious purple glow. Hua Mi had a feeling they were more precious than the four ordinary gold coins.

    He decided to keep them for now.

    Hua Mi ced the pouch of coins in his own backpack and continued searching the stolen backpack. He found some misceneous food items like biscuits and candies, nothing with special effects, just ordinary sustenance, probably meant for replenishing energy during exploration.

    Finally, he came across a small booklet.

    "ck Forest Adventure Guide, Second Edition, by Lord Dashing..."

    Well, it seemed this ce was somewhat famous if it had its own adventure guidebook.

    Hua Mi opened the booklet and saw a handwritten note from the author at the beginning.

    "Survival Rule Number One in the ck Witch''s Forest: Beware of Green-Furred Apes! These pesky creatures will steal or snatch your belongings when you least expect it!"

    These "green-furred apes" were most likely the monkeys he had encountered. It was a rather dark sense of humor, as it seemed the owner of the backpack hadn''t taken this warning to heart.

    Hua Mi turned to the first page of the actual guidebook.

    The introduction started with a warning: "Although the ck Witch''s Forest is rated as a two-star adventure location, there are certain things you must know. Underestimating it could result in the forest punishing you..."

    "This will be helpful for exploring the forest," Hua Mi thought. However, now was not the time to read. He put the booklet back in his backpack and continued his journey.

    But he hadn''t gone far when another unexpected problem revealed itself.

 Chapter 11: The New Bee Species

    Chapter 11: The New Bee Species

    Hua Mi manipted a group of forest swift bees with his thoughts, and before long, he began to feel his focus waver, finding it challenging to concentrate.

    His mind felt shattered, as if he had been solving advanced math problems for hours, causing a decrease in his control over the bee swarm.

    The tangible result was that the bee formation gradually became disorganized, no longer marching in disciplined order. Hua Mi had to stop periodically to reorganize them.

    "I''m losing my concentration... It''s quite exhausting to control the bee swarm continuously."

    Before this, he had only given the bees simplemands, so the effects were not very noticeable. However, as time went on, especially after the recent battle with the monsters, his energy was greatly depleted.

    "I''ve miscalcted. It seems there are many challenges to ovee in realizing my n to cultivate bees in this parallel world."

    Whether it was searching for new sources of nectar, breeding new bee species, or building a greenhouse, none of it was as straightforward as it sounded.

    At this moment, he truly understood that the beginning of any endeavor was always the most difficult.

    Back when he first entered the beekeeping industry, he had directly inherited his grandfather''s business, with established channels and resources. He hadn''t experienced the early stages of building from scratch.

    Now, as he looked around, there were problems that needed solutions everywhere, and it was overwhelming.

    "I''m still far from getting everything on track."

    Considering his depleting energy, Hua Mi came up with a solution. He had the bee swarm take a break on his backpack. His survival backpack instantly turned into a fear of bees'' paradise.

    He chose thismand because it was simplerpared to direct control, and it consumed less energy to maintain.

    "I''m so clever," Hua Mi self-affirmed with a sense of pride.

    However, he felt that his energy was running out too quickly. While he could continue exploring, he had to consider leaving some room for the return journey. Losing control of the bee swarm due to fatigue could result in losing the entire swarm.

    If he could find nectar-rich flowers or other valuable resources ahead, it would be great. But the probability of that was quite low, and risking the loss of an entire bee swarm for a likely fruitless exploration didn''t seem like a smart trade-off.

    "I shouldn''t rush things in the early stages. I need to take it slow. Besides, I have to take care of the bee colonies back home, and I can''t leave them for too long."

    He decided to explore the areas aheadter.

    During the uing rainy season and winter, if there were no nectar sources, he would ept it. After working tirelessly for half a month, he believed that allowing the bees to rest for a while wouldn''t hurt.

    Bncing work and rest was crucial for a longer, more productive life.

    This time, he could focus on cultivating new bee species and preparing for the construction of the greenhouse during the honey harvest lull.

    Moreover, the honey produced by the moonflower fields he had observed was abundant. With his estimates, conservatively, his 30-plus bee colonies could eventually produce around 500 bottles of moonflower honey (calcted at 500g weight per bottle). It would be enough to sustain him for a while.

    So, Hua Mi, due to hisck of experience, ventured only a few miles in one direction. Eventually, he decided to turn back, considering his excessive energy consumption.

    He sessfully returned to his small cabin.

    However, due to his extreme fatigue, he fell asleep immediately.

    He slept through the night and woke up with a slight feeling of emptiness. Staring at the simple and modest wooden cabin ceiling, he pondered about life for a while.

    "Even though I didn''t aplish anything today, I still worked hard."

    Hua Mi sighed and got up, consuming a few spoonfuls of honey to replenish his energy. The bees had already returned to their hives as it was getting dark, so he went outside to bring the beehives into the cabin.

    Soon, the cabin was filled with forty beehives, with two ced in the front.

    These hives contained the bees used in mutation experiments.

    Calcting the time, the bees inside would soon emerge from their cocoons.

    "Come on, let me see your potential."

    With so many experimental bees, Hua Mi couldn''t believe that not a single one of them had developed a useful trait.

    After some time...

    "Damn it! Only one of them!"

    Hua Mi couldn''t help but curse.

    To be honest, it was quite disappointing.

    Out of over 16,000 bees, only one had evolved a beneficial trait. The probability was indeed too low.

    The rest either died, were deformed, or had no significant changes in their attributes. Clearly, they were all failed cases.

    "Is it because I''m too unlucky, or is it the mutation agent itself that''s the problem?"

    Hua Mi started to doubt his life. It was quite frustrating.

    The only sessful bee had evolved a rather remarkable ability. In simple terms, it could harden specific parts of its body.

    It was indeed amazing, but it didn''t seem to have much practical use.

    This trait didn''t improve honey harvesting efficiency, and it actually slowed the bee down. In terms ofbat capability, the improvement didn''t seem very significant either.

    After some simple tests, it was evident that the hardened body parts had impressive toughness. After hardening, they looked like they had crystallized and could easily pierce through the hard wood of the cabin.

    However, the limitations of the size of the stingers meant it wasn''t a game-changing weapon.

    Furthermore, full-body hardening significantly reduced mobility.

    It was worth noting that the stingers of this new bee species, once hardened, didn''t detach like those of regr bees. The ability to harden the body should enhance their resilience to harsh environments, and from this perspective, the bee''s survival rate would increase.

    "Moreover, if I manage to breed a group of them, all with hardened bodies standing in front of me, it would be like having a shield. They should be able to withstand most attacks. Stinging outward would be like a thorny shield, and it could even have a counterattack."

    Hua Mi''s thoughts continued to expand. If he had a sufficient number of these bees, he could have them harden their bodies and cover him like armor.

    Of course, it might look a bit unusual...

    All in all, it had some usefulness. While it didn''t improve honey production, it increased his safety in this world.

    When it came to evaluating bee species, in addition to attributes like lifespan, reproductive capability, and productivity, he might also need to considerbat capability.

    Combat ability typically involved abination of attributes such as attack, defense, and speed, simr to how games assessed characters.

    He hadn''t decided the specifics yet and nned to think it throughter when he returned. He wanted to record this new bee species in his notes.

    "First, let''s make a copy of it."

    Hua Mi duplicated the temte of the armored bee.

    He also needed to deal with those bees that had failed to evolve. This was an essential task, as any contamination of the gene pool could be disastrous.

    The method of disposal was straightforward. He would give them a humane end by burying them in the flower fields. Bees were not withoutpassion; turning into spring soil would protect the flowers.

    As for the small number of bees that hadn''t shown any noticeable changes, he would redistribute them among various bee colonies, allowing them to return to their happy life of production.

    "Wait a minute, this bee..."

    While assigning one of the bees to a colony, Hua Mi sensed something unusual.

    Upon closer inspection, he discovered that this bee had also evolved a new trait, but its external manifestation was not clear, which is why he hadn''t noticed it before.

 Chapter 12: The Black Forest Adventure Guide

    Chapter 12: The ck Forest Adventure Guide

    Upon careful examination, Hua Mi found this mutated individual quite intriguing. If we must describe its physical changes, then its pincers have be longer and thicker, resembling ck-gold crafted needles, adorned with barbs, sharp yet delicate.

    Its internal changes might be imperceptible to the average person, but Hua Mi could sense them. The poison nd had be significantly more powerful, enhancing its venom production and storage capacity. However, the awkward part was that he didn''t know how effective these changes were.

    After all, he couldn''t experiment on himself. Leaving aside the fact that a bee sting could be painful, what if the toxin turned out to be lethal? He would end up bing a victim too.

    "For now, let''s call it ''X Poison Bee.'' I''ll expand these two new bee species into a full colony first."

    If everything went smoothly, he would have three mutant bee species. That''s when he could attempt hybridization experiments. Each bee species had its own strengths and weaknesses, and the goal of hybridization was to create abination with favorable traits.

    Hua Mi summoned a phantom of a blue bee and established a connection with the X Poison Bee. Soon, the temte was sessfully replicated, and an image of the X Poison Bee appeared beneath the phantom.

    "Ugh, I''m too tired today. My energy is running low. I''llplete the transformation tomorrow."

    While setting up the X Poison Bee, Hua Mi had an idea. To find out about the effects of the X Poison Bee''s venom, he didn''t necessarily have to conduct live experiments. He could use equipment to analyze the venom''sponents. The town had ready-made analytical instruments.

    Hua Mi fetched a small ss vial, cleaned and dried it, then directed the X Poison Bee to release all of its stored venom into the vial.

    "Oh, and I can also check the material of those gold coins... Thank you, technological advancements."

    With that taken care of, Hua Mi returned to his ancestral home, bringing his equipment along. It was already midnight on Earth, so he had a light meal for dinner and took out the "ck Forest Adventure Guide" under the glow of his deskmp.

    The guide began with the origin of the name "ck Witch''s Forest." Due to its ancient history, many details were lost, so the author presented two popr theories.

    One theory suggested that the area was once a deste desert, where only hardy creatures like sandworms, thornspikes, and earth giants could survive. One day, a notorious ck Witch passed through. She had reached the pinnacle of magical knowledge and felt bored with the mundane world. She chose to free herself from her physical form in this deste ce, allowing her soul to ascend to a higher ne. The magical power within her body dispersed into the air, permeated the soil, and profoundly affected the local environment, eventually giving birth to a vast forest.

    The second theory was more straightforward. It told of an ancient sorceress skilled in dark magic who grew weary of worldly strife. She sought refuge in the forest, hiding from the world forever.

    While the first theory was more legendary and in line with the style of a magical world, Hua Mi preferred the simplicity of the second one.

    This was just an introduction, and Hua Mi''s focus was on the following content.

    The guide listed various creatures in the ck Forest, including some intelligent species, such as the "Therianthropes."

    "Have you ever encountered someone who looks like a specific animal? Don''t doubt your eyes; they''re likely Therianthropes. Remember, never engage in deep emotional conversations with Therianthropes on a full moon night!"

    �C An anonymous troubadour, Laurence Balhez.

    Therianthropy was an ancient curse that targeted only humans. Some schrs believed it was rted to an ancient war, although there was no direct evidence, it was widely epted in academia. There were also folk tales suggesting that Therianthropes were created when a certain Abyss Lord, during the second Abyss invasion, transformed into fallen beings based on human temtes, which remained in the world after the invasion''s failure. Comparing Therianthropes to evil creatures like demons and subi was unfounded, and a way to stigmatize them.

    There was evidence that Therianthropy existed long before the first Abyss invasion. Unlike purely malevolent Abyss-born creatures, Therianthropes'' nature was not necessarily evil, though they might exhibit peculiar or antisocial behavior due to the curse. Nheless, it was essential not to forget that they were part of humanity.

    "Shape-shifting Ability: Therianthropes can transform into the corresponding animals without the need for materials, rituals, or elixirs. In their half-animal or fully transformed states, their strength increases significantly, but their rationality decreases. Therefore, it''s best to stay away from them when they''re in their animal form since they might not differentiate between friend and foe!"

    "Full Moon Night: The full moon is the most potent time for the Therianthropic curse. The raging power inside their bodies bes nearly impossible to control. Therianthropes turn into their full animal forms uncontrobly, losing their sanity and bing ferocious beasts, causing havoc and ughter. If you n to explore the ck Forest, it''s highly rmended to avoid full moon nights."

    "Suppression Elixirs: Taking elixirs in advance might make it slightly easier for Therianthropes to cope with the full moon, but the effect is limited. There is no known elixir topletely restrain this ancient curse. It''s a mystery why alchemists seem uninterested in this field."

    "Dispelling Magic: High-level dispelling magic can undo Therianthropes'' animal transformations in their typical states, but it''s ineffective against full moon transformations. Establishing anti-magic zones can also nullify their Therianthropic state, but simrly, it doesn''t work against full moon transformations."

    "Human Appearance: Due to the curse, Therianthropes may exhibit some animal features even in their human forms. For example, bear Therianthropes tend to be muscr and hairy, not someone you''d want to arm-wrestle. Meanwhile, rat Therianthropes usually have slender bodies, thin hair, and evasive nces. They excel in stealth and fleeing, along with exceptional thievery skills."

    "Curse Transmission: If a person is attacked by a Therianthrope in their transformed state and survives, there is a chance of being infected by this ancient curse."

    Hua Mi found this information rather fascinating. "Abyss invasion, Abyss Lords, curses... It seems like I''m barely scratching the surface of this new world."

    From the text, it appeared that during the Abyss invasion, the Abyss Lords created certain Abyss-born creatures, such as demons and subi, to assist in their war efforts. After the invasion, these creatures were left behind in the world to cause havoc.

    The author specifically mentioned that Therianthropes were different, hinting at a certain bias in favor of them.

    Hua Mi wasn''t too concerned about the presence of Therianthropes in the ck Forest. The guide indicated that they weren''t inherently evil. Besides, as long as he remained inside the wooden cabin, he could create a wormhole back to Earth whenever needed. There was always an escape n in case things got dicey.

    "On the other hand, my first time in a different world, and that night the moon was big and round, yet nothing happened."

    He continued flipping through the pages until he stumbled upon a creature that piqued his interest. The illustrations next to the text were unmistakably the "Pixies" he had encountered, though in the guide, they were referred to as "Pseudo-Sprites."

    "Why add ''pseudo'' to the name?"

    After a moment of contemtion, Hua Mi read further into the section on "Pseudo-Sprites."

    Pseudo-Sprites were a well-known phenomenon. Some rare exotic flowers had a chance of giving birth to a sprite. To distinguish them from regr sprites, these little beings resembling sprites were termed "Pseudo-Sprites."

    �C "Guide to the Dark Forest, Fifth Edition"

 Chapter 13: Neurotoxin

    Chapter 13: Neurotoxin

    These adorable little creatures are usually the size of a palm, easy to hold in one hand, and have a pleasant texture (the author hasn''t tried, but heard from friends).

    Hua Mi knew that these pseudo-flower spirits represented the will of nature and were a highly pure species. They were closely connected to the local natural environment. In theory, as long as the environment didn''t deteriorate, they could exist indefinitely. Their longevity was the envy of pure-blooded humans.

    Pseudo-flower spirits typically lived in groups, and each group didn''t have too many members. To express their individuality, they often dressed in different styles using materials like leaves, vines, and flower petals to create various beautiful designs.

    Although their personalities varied, overall, they were a kind and warm-hearted group. If you were fortunate enough to encounter them in the ck Forest, you could ask for directions or seek their assistance with small tasks. As long as it was within their capabilities, they generally wouldn''t refuse.

    If they liked you, they might even prepare an exquisite banquet for you (don''t expect to get full at a pseudo-flower spirit banquet).

    No need to worry aboutnguage barriers; these little beings were proficient in variousnguages. It was more like telepathy thannguage.

    Pseudo-flower spirits primarily fed on flower nectar. As a way of reciprocating, they were more than willing to help with pollination or perform simple magic to aid in the growth of flowers.

    ...

    "These little beings can help flowers grow faster and better... This is great! The greenhouse needs you!" Although the greenhouse''s construction was still in the nning stages, it was best to be prepared.

    Hua Mi was determined to establish a good rtionship with them and was ready to offer some honey as a reward. Since they embodied the will of nature, they wouldn''t be interested in money, so honey was the most suitable form of payment.

    Given that they consumed nectar, they couldn''t refuse honey.

    ...

    This adventure guide deepened Hua Mi''s understanding of the ck Forest. He learned about various creatures, some highly intelligent, some less so, some gentle and kind, while others were evil and ruthless.

    The environment might beplex, but his goal remained unchanged: to continue his belief in farming and beekeeping in this otherworldly realm.

    Though he hadn''t read even half of the guide, he found his energy waning. He was drained.

    "I''ll continue reading the rest tomorrow."

    Hua Miy half-awake in bed until dawn.

    After breakfast, he made his way to the otherworld as usual, taking the beehive outside. He then injected the temte of Irond Bees and X Venom Bees into separate bee swarms.

    These two new bee varieties were morebat-oriented, and it was sufficient to expand one swarm for each. Currently, he could only control one swarm at a time, and having more would be a waste of mental energy.

    After arranging everything on this side, Hua Mi returned to Earth, retrieved the vial of X Venom Bee venom from the refrigerator, and carried five gold coins in his pocket as he hurried to get them appraised.

    The first stop was the town''s appraisalboratory, a historical legacy of Huayu Town''s peak era. Although its importance had diminished today, the equipment inside was still top-notch.

    Theboratory wasn''trge, just a small house from the outside. Hua Mi pushed the door open and found an elderly man in a whiteb coat inside. He had silver hair and a square face, which gave him a resilient and cheerful appearance.

    The townsfolk usually called him Dr. Chen. He wasn''t a native but had moved to Huayu Town after retiring from the university. The reason was his fascination with studying the town''s ecological changes.

    As a resident of Huayu Town, Hua Mi wasn''t sure whether to feel honored or not. It was like naming a disease after oneself. In any case, the feeling was quiteplex.

    Hua Mi took out the vial and said, "Hello, Dr. Chen. I''d like to have a test done."

    Dr. Chen took the small vial, and after putting on his sses, he examined the small drop of colorless, transparent liquid at the bottom of the vial. Without asking too many questions, he probably thought it was some nt juice or bodily fluid secreted by a bee. After all, Hua Mi was a beekeeper, and what else could he analyze apart from these two substances?

    He walked over to the analytical instruments, and although operating them seemed a bitplicated, Dr. Chen chatted with Hua Mi while working.

    "How''s businesstely?"

    "The same as usual."

    "There aren''t many people left in town. Sometimes, giving up is also a choice. When you can''t hold on anymore, there''s no need to force yourself. You''re still young, and you have time to switch to another field."

    "I''m the kind of person who doesn''t give up until they see the coffin."

    Hua Mi replied half-jokingly, and Dr. Chen smiled and didn''t say anything more, focusing on the analysis of the venom.

    When the results were out, Dr. Chen stared at the screen for a moment, his expression suddenly bing serious.

    "Where did you get this stuff?"

    "I had a strange bug at home, and out of curiosity, I captured it. This is the fluid it secreted."

    Hua Mi couldn''t say it was bee venom. Dr. Chen was not someone easy to deceive, and if he started asking about what kind of bee, it would be difficult to hide the truth.

    Dr. Chen immediately said, "That bug is dangerous, it needs to be dealt with immediately."

    Hua Mi hurriedly said, "I''ve already killed it and flushed it down the toilet. What''s wrong, Dr. Chen? Is this thing poisonous?"

    Dr. Chen nodded. "It''s a potent neurotoxin."

    Hua Mi''s heart skipped a beat. "Is it lethal?"

    "Not lethal... at least this quantity generally won''t be fatal to a person, but it will cause extremely intense pain, possibly apanied by spasms, allergies, and even shock, depending on the individual''s constitution."

    "Extremely intense pain... How painful is that?"

    "To put it simply, so you can understand, have you heard of bullet ants? Their neurotoxin induces a painparable to being shot. Hence, the name ''bullet ant.'' Theponents in the sample you brought are simr to the venom of bullet ants and will cause pain no less excruciating."

    It was equivalent to the pain of being shot by a bullet? That was quite impressive. Most people couldn''t even stand a bee sting.

    Good, another means of self-defense.

    "Since it can cause pain like being shot, let''s call it the ''Agonizing Bee.'' Simple and easy to understand."

    Dr. Chen seemed to want to ask more about the source of the sample, but Hua Mi was afraid of revealing too much and gave some vague answers before hastily leaving theboratory.

    The next stop was a jewelry store in town, where Hua Mi asked the owner to help appraise the material of the five gold coins.

    "These four are definitely gold."

    The owner weighed them and had a fair idea. To make Hua Mi trust him, he even used a gold purity testing machine to confirm.

    "I see, 24K. Exquisite craftsmanship as well. Where did you get these?"

    "My grandfather left them to me. What about this one?"

    "This one doesn''t look like a regr gold coin. I can''t be sure about the material. It''s quite unusual. I find it strange. I haven''t handled any metal like this before. You can take it to a professional organization for a more detailed analysis, and make sure to tell me the results."

    Even this experienced jeweler couldn''t identify the material, so it was likely a special resource from the otherworld.

    Taking it to a professional organization might create a sensation in the scientificmunity. It was best to be cautious.

    Hua Mi was deep in thought when the owner nudged his arm. "Hey, are you selling these four gold coins? I can offer you a good price."

    "I''m not selling."

    Hua Mi put the gold coins away and answered firmly. These were the currency used in the otherworld, and he might need them at any moment. Converting them to cash would be a big loss.

 Chapter 14: Moonlit Honey

    Chapter 14: Moonlit Honey

    Irond Bees

    "Derived from the Chinese honeybee, they can harden parts of their bodies. After hardening, they develop a crystalline armor on their body, capable of easily piercing hardwood. Their stingers no longer detach easily. However, hardening reduces their agility..."

    Hua Mi paused and pondered for a moment, then continued writing:

    "Their size is simr to the Chinese honeybee, and they disy diffraction patterns around their membranous wings..."

    Hua Mi''s drawing skills were far from impressive, but he attempted to create a simple sketch alongside the description. It didn''t need to be a masterpiece; it just had to capture the unique characteristics of the new bee species.

    Next, he evaluated their relevant attributes:

    Lifespan: 1

    Reproductive Rate: 1

    Productivity: 0.7

    Their lifespan and reproductive capabilities were simr to those of ordinary Chinese honeybees, but their productivity was lower. This was mainly due to their flight speed, which was approximately 0.7 times that of regr bees in their normal state, even lower when they were in their fully armored state, possibly reaching as low as 0.5.

    However, these calctions were made under special circumstances and weren''t taken into ount for their overall assessment. In the end, Hua Mi rated their collecting ability at 0.7.

    Regardingbat abilities:

    Attack: 1

    Defense: 5

    Lifespan: 2

    Speed: 0.5

    Hua Mi assigned abat rating of 3 to the Irond Bees. The term bat rating" wasn''t a measurementpared to other bees, but rather how much they could assist him in dangerous situations or during battle scenarios. It was a subjective evaluation, but since Hua Mi was creating it for himself, he didn''t mind the subjectivity. His goal was to highlight the differences between bee species and quantify their attributes for better management and distribution.

    Next was the "Agonizing Bees."

    Agonizing Bees

    Derived from the Chinese honeybee, they can secrete a neurotoxin that inflicts a level 10 pain on the target, equivalent to the sensation of being shot by a bullet. They were simr in size to the Chinese honeybee, but their stingers became longer and thicker, with enhanced venom nd function.

    Lifespan: 1

    Reproductive Rate: 1

    Productivity: 1

    Hua Mi evaluated their collecting ability as 1.

    Attack: 4

    Defense: 1

    Lifespan: 1

    Speed: 1

    Theirbat rating was also 3, based on the same criteria.

    By these standards, the Forest Swift Bees had a collecting ability of 2.3 (thanks to their double speed and positive effect on reproduction) and abat rating of 1.2 (primarily due to their speed advantage).

    With this, all three new bee species were now documented.

    In the following days, Hua Mi decided not to venture outside. He nned to wait until the first batch of Moonlit Sleep Flower Honey was produced. With honey as a reward, he might be able to enlist the help of the seven pseudo-nymphs, making exploration safer and more productive.

    Recing the entire hive with high-efficiency Forest Swift Bees would double the speed of honey production, and he expected the first batch to be ready in about a week. However, intermittent rain during this period wasn''t conducive to beekeeping. But the benefits far outweighed the drawbacks, and there was nothing toin about.

    In the rainy weather, aside from the asional rumble of thunder, he also heard eerie, ghostly sounds from the depths of the forest. It sometimes sounded like a whale song or a woman singing, but these strange sounds onlysted for a few seconds before vanishing. It sent shivers down his spine and reinforced his decision to avoid exploring the mysterious forest.

    In the magical world, especially in remote forests, one never knew what kind of supernatural creatures they might encounter.

    Nheless, he felt his nerves bing stronger under such trials, and his mental strength had improved as well��hopefully, it wasn''t just his imagination.

    He had to give credit to the building materials of his cabin. Even in the rainy season, there was no sign of dampness inside the house. When it rained, he simply moved the beehives indoors to allow the bees to take a break.

    On sunny days, Hua Mi would recline in the backyard on a bamboo chair, leisurely sipping his own honey-infused fruit tea, reading books like "The Alchemy Journal" or "The ck Forest Adventure Guide."

    A few times, he noticed a petite figure peeking out from behind therge tree, acting furtive. Even though she never revealed herselfpletely, her distinctive purple hair gave away her identity.

    Hua Mi didn''t call her out, choosing to ignore her presence.

    In his spare time, he practiced controlling the Irond Bees and Agonizing Bees. This was a life-saving skill, and the more proficient he became, the better.

    Ideally, he would develop tactics to handle different situations, avoiding panic in unforeseen circumstances.

    In his initial n, the Irond Bees were for defense, to ward off threats. While a single Irond Bee couldn''t protect him, a group of them formed a sturdy shield that could be broken and reassembled, providing strong protection.

    The Agonizing Bees were meant for offense or control. A single sting could inflict excruciating pain, rendering the victim incapacitated, making them excellent for control purposes.

    Although he could only control one group of bees at a time, he could rapidly switch between them for coordinated efforts. However, there was a dy in switching, as establishing a connection with the bee group required time, simr to a casting time in a game. It also required additional mental energy. Nevertheless, with practice, he could reduce the time and energy required.

    As the days passed, the flow of Moonlit Sleep Flower nectar clearly diminished. The Watercrest Moon Festival was approaching.

    "The temperature has dropped a few degrees," Hua Mi noted. Dressed in his ck robe, he feltfortable despite the changing weather, so there was no need for additional clothing.

    This level of temperature fluctuation wasn''t enough to affect the bees'' habits, so there was no need for any artificial interference. Everything proceeded systematically.

    On a sunny afternoon, Hua Mi closed his alchemy journal and walked toward the beehives.

    It had been 21 days in total.

    The first batch of Moonlit Sleep Flower Honey was ready, thanks to the Forest Swift Bees. If regr bees had been used, it would have taken twice as long.

    Hua Mi had already moved his portable honey collection equipment to the hives. He skillfully removed chunks of honeb from the beehives, ced them into the machine, and, with the centrifugal force, the golden honey flowed continuously into the barrel, releasing a rich honey aroma.

    Hua Mi was very familiar with this process. He could do it blindfolded.

    "After bottling, I shouldn''t sell all of it online. I should reserve a portion to entice those seven little nymphs to help out on my bee farm. With their assistance, whether it''s finding new sources of nectar or tending to the flower fields, everything will be much easier. Those little ones are no bigger than honey bottles, so they can''t consume much."

    Plus, he expected to have a dozen or so bottles left before the honey flow period ended.

    After harvesting all the honebs, it was already dusk. Hua Mi scooped a spoonful of honey, slowly pouring it into the barrel. With the evening sun''s warm glow, the honey formed an orange-gold column as it dripped in, disying the perfect color and consistency.

    "The Brix level should be at least 41, maybe even 42... Let me try the vor."

    Taking a small spoonful, Hua Mi savored the silky sweetness. The delightful taste unfolded on his taste buds, uninterrupted and heavenly.

    "It''s hard to believe this ispletely natural honey with no additives!"

    The honey''s fragrance, enhanced by the unique scent of the Moonlit Sleep Flower, seemed to mitigate the usual sourness of natural honey. Even for an experienced honey taster like Hua Mi, this high-quality honey was a delightful surprise.

    He awarded this honey a 90 out of 100 for its vor, leaving the remaining 10 points as room for improvement, to keep himself from bing toocent.

    He couldn''t resist eating several more spoonfuls.

    After who knows which spoonful, a peculiar sensation suddenly coursed through his body.

 Chapter 15: The Value of Magic Honey

    Chapter 15: The Value of Magic Honey

    A warm sensation radiated from Hua Mi''s stomach and quickly spread throughout his body.

    His body felt cozy, like being wrapped in a fluffy cloud, and his mind and body surrendered to this pleasant feeling.

    Hua Mi let out a yawn, suddenly feeling very tired and wanting nothing more than to sleep.

    Although he was exhausted, his brain was still functional, and he made a guess based on the current situation.

    "This sudden drowsiness is quite unusual... Could it be that this Moon Slumber Flower honey has a special sedative effect?"

    ording to his alchemical notes, Moon Slumber Flowers were not only used to neutralize some potent magical drugs but also served as a fundamental ingredient in sleep-inducing magical potions.

    From this deduction, it was highly likely that the honey he collected from the Moon Slumber Flowers possessed the sleep-inducing properties of these flowers.

    While there were ims that drinking honey before bedtime could aid in sleep, the effectiveness was marginal at best, and it might be more of a cebo effect.

    However, this Moon Slumber Flower honey was undeniably a potent sleep aid.

    Hua Mi realized that this drowsiness was not irresistible; he could stay awake if he wanted. It was merely a sleep aid, not a full-on hypnotic.

    This distinction was crucial because if it were a hypnotic, he wouldn''t dare to sell it on Earth.

    Just imagine, young people drinking honey water in the morning before school or work, hoping to boost their energy, only to fall asleep instead. That would be a disaster.

    Hua Mi reclined on a chair, intending to take a short nap, but he hadn''t expected that as soon as he closed his eyes, he wouldn''t want to open them.

    This feeling of drowsiness was too enchanting, too enjoyable.

    "Fine, it''s still early. I''ll just sleep for an hour."

    Hua Mi gave in to the drowsiness, closed his eyes, and drifted into slumber.

    ...

    Hua Mi dared to im that he hadn''t experienced such high-quality sleep since he could remember. Even though the reclining chair wasn''t the mostfortable ce to sleep, he slept soundly for several hours.

    When he awoke, it was already dark outside, but he felt refreshed and full of energy.

    During the day, while collecting honey, he had to process a considerable amount of honeb, which was physically demanding. However, after this nap, it felt like he had been rejuvenated.

    He felt neither tired nor fatigued; in fact, he felt like he could run a marathon.

    He was a bit hungry, though.

    "With these effects... This honey could easily be ssified as ''extraordinary'' rather than just ''premium''."

    Wasn''t this much more effective than sleeping pills? Plus, there were no side effects. Quality sleep was the most crucial factor.

    The moonlight was particrly bright that night. With abundant energy and vitality, Hua Mi decided to start bottling the honey while the moon was still high in the sky.

    He had a machine for this task, making the process rtively automated, and he only had to perform a few simple operations.

    The quantity turned out to be as he had estimated, exactly 518 bottles.

    Hua Mi took one box of 500 bottles for sale and reserved the remaining 18 bottles for his seven littlepanions.

    He was determined to bring them into his fold and have them work for him.

    Regarding the process of listing the honey for sale, even though Hua Yu Town was somewhat deste, being a well-known honey-producing town still came with certain privileges.

    For example, exemption from inspection.

    Exemption from inspection didn''t mean no inspection at all. It meant that inspections could be carried out locally in the town''s testing facilities, which was efficient.

    Of course, these privileges came with responsibilities. If there were any food safety issues, the entire town would be affected.

    Thus, Hua Yu Town had always ced great emphasis on safety and quality. Even if the industry was declining, they couldn''t afford to cut corners on safety.

    Hua Mi didn''t need to worry about production permits; he could simply use the ones issued under Hua Yu Town''s name.

    If everything went smoothly, he could potentially have the Moon Slumber Flower honey listed for sale by the next day or, at most, the day after.

    Early the next morning, Hua Mi sent a sample of the honey to aboratory for quality testing.

    To be honest, he was a bit anxious about the results. He wanted to know if the sleep-inducing effect of the Moon Slumber Flower honey was solely due to magical properties or if it contained some otherponents.

    If it was thetter, selling it might beplicated and not as straightforward as he had hoped.

    The test results came out quickly, and they showed the typicalponents found in regr honey, such as fructose and glucose.

    The Brix level was at the maximum, 42.

    Hua Mi breathed a sigh of relief. It appeared that the magical element was responsible for the sleep-inducing effect, and it couldn''t be detected by Earthly instruments.

    It was ready for sale!

    The honey was packaged in standard 500-gram containers, bearing a prominentbel: "100% Pure Natural Honey, 0 Additives!"

    This was Hua Yu Town''s signature style.

    The ingredient list was simple: Honey.

    Standardpliance: GB14963.

    Production license number: XXXXXXXX.

    Production address: Hua Yu Town, 363 Chu Mu Street, Qingyun Province.

    Contact number: 1XXXXXXXXXX.

    The production address and contact number were clearly disyed to ensure that they could reach him promptly in case of any issues. This information was essential for any legitimate honey product.

    Hua Mi had already nned the slogans for his online store page. He wanted to highlight the honey''s uniqueness, particrly its sleep-inducing effect. To attract customers, he didn''t hesitate to exaggerate a little.

    For example, he might say, "A small sip before bedtime guarantees falling asleep within 5 minutes, or your money back in full."

    No honey vendor would dare make such bold ims, but Hua Mi did.

    Do you understand the value of magic honey?

    As for the price, he decided to start with the highest tier in his store, selling each bottle for 300 yuan. Once his reputation grew, he could reevaluate and adjust the pricing ordingly.

    With the Earth-rted taskspleted, it was already afternoon.

    Hua Mi returned to the otherworld and set up a sign in his flower field, as a signal for the little purple-haired girl.

    He had expected that she might not show up immediately and thought it might take a few days.

    However, to his surprise, she arrived in the evening, bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun.

    She didn''t appear openly but rather in a covert manner, believing that the alchemist hadn''t noticed her.

    Avoiding the swarm of bees, she hid behind a tree, peeking cautiously.

    Hua Mi had actually spotted her using his peripheral vision but didn''t reveal it.

    "This little one... Does she intend to visit and savor the honey every day? Quite the foodie, it seems."

    Although he joked, Hua Mi was genuinely pleased with her presence.

    He stood up, retrieved a jar of honey, sat down on a rattan chair, and theatrically sniffed it.

    "Oh, what a delightful honey. This is the correct way to use nectar. Those Pikergs have no idea; it''s such a waste."

    He spoke as though reciting lines in a y, and after that, he took a spoonful and savored it, showing an expression of pure enjoyment.

    The little purple-haired girl had been watching curiously and expectantly, hiding behind a leaf. However, as she heard his words, her handsnded on her hips, and her cheeks puffed up in indignation.

    Hua Mi''s words had an element of provocation to them, and the naive flower spirit had fallen into his trap.

    "Oh, my goodness, I almost forgot��I have something to do. My memory can be so unreliable."

    With those words, he ced the honey on a bamboo table and didn''t bother sealing it. He got up and headed back to his wooden cottage.

    The little purple-haired girl waited for a while, but when Hua Mi didn''t return, she fumed.

    "It''s not at all like he said... Nobody understands nectar better than us!"

    She was about to express her frustration when a sweet scent wafted through the air.

    Instinctively, she sniffed, and her lips moistened involuntarily.

 Chapter 16: The Kind Hua Mi

    Chapter 16: The Kind Hua Mi

    A small glob of honey flew out of the bottle, escorted by iridescent specks of light, andnded in her mouth.

    As the honey touched her tongue, she felt an electric thrill coursing through her entire body, from her tiny toes to the top of her head, sending shivers down her spine.

    Delicious beyond words!

    Little Purple Fur spun in happiness, extended her dainty hands, and conjured a magical gesture to produce a sizable dollop of honey, which she devoured with gusto.

    Hua Mi watched the entire scene from inside the wooden cabin.

    As he had anticipated, pseudo-flower spirits like her, who fed on flower nectar, couldn''t possibly dislike honey.

    The next step was to use this as a bridge for furthermunication with them, exchanging honey for information, building rapport, and, if possible, enlisting their assistance in the beekeeping business.

    To make the interdimensional beekeeping operation a sess, he knew he couldn''t rely solely on his own efforts.

    One person''s power was, after all, limited. Despite having the abilities to control bee swarms and facilitate temte evolution, he was still constrained by his own energy and stamina.

    As he contemted his ns for the future, he was momentarily lost in thought. When he looked back outside, he was taken aback.

    Little Purple Fur was hanging on the edge of the honey jar, her belly facing downward. Her entire petite body seemed to have gone limp, and her head and upper body dangled directly into the jar, giving the illusion that she might be drowning in honey.

    Thankfully, she had already consumed about half of the honey, which was more than he had expected, and her small stature kept her from sinking entirely into the honey.

    Otherwise, the image of a little fairy drowning in honey would have been a dark fairytale indeed.

    "It seems the sleep-inducing effects of Moonlit Flower Honey work wonders on pseudo-flower spirits as well," Hua Mi remarked.

    He gently lifted her by the petals of her outer garment and gave her a light shake.

    "Hey, wake up."

    "Ugh��"

    Little Purple Fur mumbled but showed no intention of opening her eyes.

    It was evident that she was sleeping soundly, so much so that she appeared to be in a blissful dream.

    Hua Mi came up with an idea and scooped a bit of honey with a spoon, bringing it closer to her.

    What was the best way to awaken a food enthusiast? Of course, with the temptation of delicious food.

    As expected, the effect was immediate.

    Little Purple Fur''s body twitched, her eyes snapped wide open, and her violet pupils seemed to sparkle. Her neck straightened, and she greedily swallowed the honey with an audible "gulp."

    If he hadn''t seen it with his own eyes, Hua Mi would have never believed she could consume so much in one go.

    "You have quite the stic mouth."

    She puffed up her cheeks, and within two to three seconds, she had ingested the entire spoonful of honey. Without waiting for Hua Mi to speak, she lowered her head and instantly fell back asleep.

    "��"

    Her attempts to tempt her further with honey resulted in her simply refusing to open her eyes, opting instead to open her mouth and extend her delicate, rosy tongue to voraciously lick the honey, all while in a half-asleep state.

    She had achieved a perfect bnce between eating and sleeping!

    Hua Mi''s face darkened, and he moved the honey spoon away.

    He extended his consciousness and established a connection with one of the beehives.

    Buzz��

    As the humming sound filled the air, a swarm of Irond Bees burst out of their hive. They hovered above the beehive, forming a conscious ck cloud that appeared rather eerie in the dim light of night.

    "Sleep again, and I''ll toss you into the bee swarm!"

    Little Purple Fur instantly opened her eyes, her gaze clear.

    "I''m awake~"

    Memories flooded back.

    The day she was surrounded by the bee swarm was still etched in her memory. Her dear sister had been stung and swollen like a pig''s head, and it had taken her many days to recover from the pain.

    She had no desire to repeat that experience.

    Hua Mi smiled with satisfaction, letting go of her flowery outer garment.

    Little Purple Fur flew unsteadily into the air and let out a big yawn, with glistening teardrops at the corners of her eyes.

    "What''s happening? Suddenly, I''m so sleepy."

    "Moonlit Flower Honey has a sleep-inducing effect. You ate so much in one go, of course, you''d feel sleepy."

    Little Purple Fur nodded thoughtfully, her curiosity piqued as she asked several questions about bees and honey. She was now less guarded than before.

    The mind of a foodie was that simple.

    "Give me good food, and you''re a good person."

    Hua Mi didn''t rush to win her over but instead generously offered, "I have plenty of honey here. You can invite your friends to enjoy it for free."

    The little creature happily epted.

    "I never expected these tiny insects to be so formidable!"

    After listening to Hua Mi''s introduction, Little Purple Fur immediately became interested in the bees, flying lightly toward the Irond Bee swarm to say hello.

    But before she could get close, the bee swarm suddenly made an aggressive move.

    Startled, the pseudo-flower spirit let out a shriek and hurriedly retreated, trembling behind Hua Mi''s head.

    Hua Mi couldn''t help but chuckle.

    The sudden attack had been orchestrated by him to teach her a lesson and prevent her from approaching the bees too casually.

    Being stung by regr honeybees would be manageable, but he wasn''t sure if her petite body could withstand the extreme pain of a Painless Bee sting.

    He couldn''t constantly control the bee swarm; most of the time, they operated naturally based on their instincts.

    Little Purple Fur patted her chest, still trembling with fear, but curious, she asked, "How do they make honey? Do they use magic? Can you teach me?"

    "Well..."

    In simple terms, regr bees produce honey by secreting an enzyme, and it couldn''t be taught. Unless she could also secrete the enzyme herself, but the image of Little Purple Fur spitting into the honey was too absurd to consider.

    "Only bees in the world possess this innate ability, and it''s not something I can teach."

    Upon hearing this, Little Purple Fur felt a mix of envy and longing.

    As night had fallen, she decided it was time to leave. Hua Mi filled a small wooden bucket with honey and told her to take it back to her friends for them to enjoy.

    "You''re a kind person. It seems the rumors about you are inurate. Not all alchemists are bad people."

    Hua Mi just smiled and waved at her. He didn''t bother to exin that he was not the "vile alchemist" they spoke of.

    As for the previous owner of the cabin, it wasn''t essential information for him to know at the moment. He would inquire about itter when he got to know them better, though it was possible he might not learn much.

    If they could mistake him for someone else, it indicated they weren''t that familiar.

    After seeing off the pseudo-flower spirit, Hua Mi moved the beehives back to the wooden cabin.

    "The Irond Bees and Painless Bees are about to hatch their first batch ofrvae."

    Once thervae hatched, he nned to begin his hybrid bee breeding experiments.

    Why wait for thervae to hatch? Because he needed to cultivate new queens.

    The time window for a queen bee to mate was quite short, just a few days, and then she stored numerous male reproductive cells in her body to use for her entire lifetime. After this mating period, they couldn''t mate again.

    In this regard, these three new bee species were no different from regr bees.

    So, to carry out hybrid experiments, he first needed to cultivate new queen bees.

    The method was straightforward: select a worker bee and start feeding it with royal jelly from therval stage, treating it as if it were a queen. Eventually, it would naturally be a queen.

    The Forest Swift Bees had high reproductive abilities and short growth cycles. The new queen bee was already in the process of being cultivated.

    As for which species he would crossbreed with the Forest Swift Bees, he leaned towards the Irond Bees.

    Mainly, he wanted to enhance the survival capabilities of the Forest Swift Bees.

    Returning to his ancestral home, it was already past midnight. Hua Mi habitually logged into the online store to check for new orders.

    To his surprise, there was one order.

    "Let''s see who the lucky one is."

 Chapter 17: Baby-like Sleep

    Chapter 17: Baby-like Sleep

    Someone ced an order for a bottle of Moon Slumber Honey.

    The delivery address was in Qingyun Province, not far from Huayu Town, and it was estimated that the logistics would deliver within a day.

    However, it was toote today, and the town''s logistics had already finished work, so they could only wait until tomorrow.

    The next day, Hua Mi immediately went to handle the order.

    Based on past experience, it should be delivered byte afternoon today.

    This was the first bottle of magic honey he had sold, and it held a special significance for him.

    He eagerly awaited the user''s feedback!

    His online store had fallen from a peak rating of 4.8 to its current 3.2.

    The negative reviews were mainly about the taste.

    This magic honey not onlypensated for the taste issue with the fragrance of Moon Slumber Flowers but also had a magical sleep-inducing effect. He believed it would help improve the store''s rating.

    After dealing with the order, Hua Mi crossed over to another world, as usual, to take care of his bee farm.

    ...

    After 1 a.m.

    Even the busiest areas outside gradually quieted down.

    With dark circles under his eyes and disheveled hair, Zhang Cheng searched online for "how to deal with insomnia."

    He was the owner of a smallpany.

    Recently, hispany had taken on a critical project, and the pressure was immense. He had not slept well for several days.

    Insomnia was tormenting him.

    He even thought of physically knocking himself out on the forehead to induce sleep. However, he didn''t want to resort to sleeping pills unless it was absolutely necessary. The side effects were significant, and regr use could dull his thinking, which was uneptable.

    The inte offered a plethora of unconventional remedies for treating insomnia: hot milk, honey water, foot soaks before bed, and more. After searching for a while, Zhang Cheng found most of them to be unreliable.

    But since he had always enjoyed honey, he casually opened an online shopping tform and searched for "honey."

    Several sellers'' profiles appeared, all with bright and exaggerated cover images.

    Zhang Cheng thought for a moment and added "sleep aid" after "honey."

    This narrowed down the options significantly.

    He clicked on a few profiles, and most of them vaguely mentioned that having a ss before bed could help with falling asleep but didn''t guarantee results.

    This was expected, as honey wasn''t originally intended as a sleep aid.

    It had great taste, no side effects, and the added benefit of aiding sleep. How could such a thing exist?

    "Maybe I should just buy some sleeping pills to get through this critical period," he thought to himself. He was about to exit when he noticed a shop with a slogan that made him pause.

    It stated that this honey could effectively aid sleep. Drinking a ss would guarantee falling into a deep sleep within 5-10 minutes. If the effect was unsatisfactory, a full refund could be requested.

    This was clearly marketing the sleep-inducing effect as the main selling point.

    Zhang Cheng furrowed his brow. As someone who valued practicality, he despised this kind of boastful marketing. It frustrated him when businesses made grand ims without evidence.

    "Someone should really enact policies to penalize these kinds of sellers," he muttered. However, he noticed three words, "Huayu Town," and that made him pause.

    "Huayu Town..."

    Childhood memories flooded back, unexpectedly easing his restless heart. He had loved the honey produced in Huayu Town the most when he was a child.

    Unfortunately, this old honey-producing town had fallen on hard times due to the inevitable changes brought about by progress. He couldn''t me anyone, just sigh at the passage of time.

    However, his childhood nostalgia improved his impression of this shop.

    "Well, let''s support it and reminisce about the past," Zhang Cheng thought with self-deprecating humor as he bought a bottle.

    It cost 300 yuan for a 500g bottle, and he felt it was a bit expensive.

    After the purchase, he exited the online shopping tform and went back to cooking pancakes.

    ...

    The delivery was swift.

    On the same evening, before the end of the workday, Zhang Cheng received a text message notifying him that the delivery was on its way.

    Since Huayu Town wasn''t far from his location and had its own logistics system, the essential infrastructure remained intact despite its decline. The one-stop service was convenient and highly efficient.

    Zhang Cheng didn''t think too much of it.

    He didn''t believe in the sleep aid ims for this honey. He had bought it mainly for the face of "Huayu Town."

    Now, after a night of restlessness, he hadpletely forgotten about the honey. He didn''t even bother to pick up the delivery and went straight up to his apartment when he got home.

    It was only when he couldn''t fall asleep and remembered the "sleep aid honey" that he thought of it again.

    He went downstairs, retrieved the package from the cupboard, and made a cup of honey water with hot water.

    "The taste is pretty good, just like in my childhood," he remarked, surprised by the honey''s vor. It was hard to put into words, but it was different from the industrial, blended honey on the market. It had a natural and refreshing taste.

    Perhaps only those who had tasted genuinely pure honey could notice the difference.

    "Huayu Town is still sticking to its roots," he mused.

    He sat at hisputer, sipping the honey water, and typing away on the keyboard.

    A warm sensation gradually spread throughout his body, and at a certain moment, it suddenly erupted.

    Zhang Cheng suddenly felt the long-lost drowsiness.

    "It''s here!"

    The feeling he had been anticipating!

    Hey on his bed, and before long, he fell asleep.

    A whole night of sleep like a baby.

    The next day, when he woke up, he felt incredibly refreshed. His mind was unusually clear, and he had an abundance of energy. All the fatigue, stress, whether mental or physical, had dissipated.

    But his first reaction was not excitement; it was puzzlement.

    Honey wasn''t supposed to have such a remarkable effect. Unless... it had something it shouldn''t have.

    "Could it be someone''s audacious enough to do this?"

    If it turned out that the honey contained sleeping pills or sedatives, it would lead to serious consequences.

    Zhang Cheng immediately contacted a friend who worked in aboratory, bringing the bottle of honey for testing.

    "It''s just regr honey ingredients: fructose, glucose, water, and somemon trace elements, all beneficial and harmless to the human body. No other chemicalpounds," his friend reported.

    "Are you sure?"

    "Are you questioning my expertise?"

    "No, not at all. I meant, could it be that the instruments can''t detect something or the uracy isn''t high enough."

    His friend chuckled and exined, "These are top-notch devices. If there were anyponents that couldn''t be detected by them, it would have to be magical elements."

    Zhang Cheng nodded.

    Since professionals had confirmed that the honey was harmless to the human body, he realized he had been overly concerned. Maybe the honey''s unique ratio of sugars and trace elements suited his body, resulting in its excellent sleep-aiding effect.

    Or perhaps, his body had a particr constitution?

    "Is it really true? Can it be this amazing?"

    "Why don''t you try it yourself?"

    Zhang Cheng asked his friend to take a sip.

    For the first one or two minutes, his friend was in high spirits, attributing the effect to being tired and some sort of cebo. He imed that the honey had no impact.

    But three minutester, his friend started yawning continuously, his eyes narrowing. Eventually, he gave up resisting and rested his head on the table.

    "I''ll just nap for a bit... you do your thing," he mumbled.

    In just a few minutes, his friend was sound asleep, mirroring Zhang Cheng''s experience the previous night. Keep in mind; this friend was renowned for his ability to stay up all night and sleep only four hours a day.

    If this honey could affect him in such a way, it was evident that its sleep-aiding effect was genuine, unrted to individual constitution.

    "It seems that the highest-level testing confirmed that it''s harmless to humans, so there''s nothing to worry about. We should have faith in science."

    Furthermore, he felt incredibly rejuvenated after waking up. He felt as if he were brand new, showing no sign of harm.

    He had discovered a treasure in this honey!

    Selling it for 300 yuan a bottle? In his opinion, it was almost too cheap!

    Feeling reinvigorated, Zhang Cheng left theboratory.

    With Labor Daying up, he had initially nned to give thepany''s employees everyday items like dish soap andundry detergent, as he did on previous holidays.

    However, he now had a better idea. Since he knew that many of his employees, like him, struggled with insomnia, he believed that this honey could help. With its sleep-aiding effect, everyone could work with full energy and dedication.

    He decided to give his employees the gift of honey.

 Chapter 18: The Visitor

    Chapter 18: The Visitor

    "Let''s not talk about whether we can find that legendary little cabin for now. Are you sure there''s really a semi-automatic alchemical cauldron there? I mean, such a precious item, the owner of the cabin would have no reason to leave it behind."

    "Don''t worry, my source of information is very reliable. You know, my friend is a wandering bard who has the ability to ''capture the wind and shadows.'' The winds in the forest will reveal their secrets to him."

    The tanned man sat cross-legged under a tree, holding a roughly drawn map in his hand. He casually answered hispanion''s question but never took his eyes off the map.

    He was dressed inyers of tattered clothes, with unruly long hair and a rather unkempt appearance.

    Compared to him, hispanion, who was leaning against the tree with crossed arms, looked much more elegant.

    This slender figure, with silver short hair, was dressed in an immacte emerald green robe. He had at least seven or eight rings on his fingers, some with various gemstones, and others made of pure metal.

    "Bards not only ''capture the wind and shadows'' but also tend to talk a lot," the man in green robes paused for a moment before continuing, "Anyway, those alchemists treat their recipes like they''re more precious than life itself. The ones that make it to the market are just basic forms. Even if we get our hands on a semi-automatic alchemical cauldron, we might not be able to fully utilize it."

    "Don''t insult the alchemists; dogs are our most loyal helpers. Whether they''re useful or not is another story, but limited-edition rare items are waiting for us somewhere. Don''t you want them?"

    "Hmph, let''s find it first. The cabin is shielded with magic; it won''t be easy to locate."

    "Don''t worry; my friend gave me some useful clues, like following the scent of the Sleeping Moon Flower..."

    "Are you talking about the small cabin? Is it built with Ironcore Wood?" A woman''s voice interjected at this moment.

    "Maybe, why do you ask?" The scruffy man looked up at the figure perched on a tree branch.

    In an instant, the woman jumped down from the tree branch.

    She wore a ck cloak, underneath which was a tight-fitting ck outfit, like a graceful ck cat. Most of her jet-ck hair was covered by the cloak, and she had a clear and somewhat aloof appearance.

    "I may have found our target. Follow me."

    With that, she donned her hood, ced her hand on the hilt of her sword, and walked off in a certain direction.

    "What? That''s impossible!" The scruffy man stared at her retreating figure, then back at the abstract map, muttering, "It can''t be that easy."

    As their guide, he was feeling ratherplex at the moment. He wanted to find the cabin but, at the same time, he didn''t.

    "Let''s go and see," the man in green robes said as he followed her.

    The scruffy man had no choice but to put away the map, hoist his tattered backpack, and follow suit.

    Soon, a delicate and petite wooden cabin appeared in front of them, surrounded by not-so-dense trees.

    It wasn''t hidden in a dark corner of the forest, as they had initially suspected, and it certainly wasn''t underground in this forest. It stood there quite conspicuously.

    By the look of it, it was indeed constructed from Ironcore Wood.

    This type of wood was very precious, with an exceptionally long growth cycle. Using it to build a house meant the owner was anything but ordinary.

    The scruffy man pondered for a few seconds. "There are two possibilities. Either it''s the cabin we''re looking for, or it''s not."

    Both of hispanions nced at him, not knowing how to respond.

    The scruffy man continued, "If it is the cabin, that means the shielding spell has been lifted. There are two possibilities there as well: either the magic has naturally expired, or someone has intentionally removed it."

    "If it''s thetter, then there are two more possibilities." The man in green robes picked up where he left off, adopting the same sentence structure. "Either someone got here before us, or the cabin''s owner has returned."

    The scruffy man nodded in agreement. "If it''s thetter..."

    "Enough, you two!" The woman put an end to this unproductive discussion. "In any case, no matter the situation, it means our chances of getting the alchemical cauldron have decreased. But I assume neither of you wants to give up here, right?"

    The three of them reached a consensus. Rather than rushing in, they used the cover of the trees to circle around to the back of the cabin.

    The first thing they saw was a sea of Sleeping Moon Flowers, stretching from the cabin''s backyard deep into the forest.

    This precisely matched the bard''s clue of "following the scent of the Sleeping Moon Flower."

    It seemed like they were on the right track.

    A figure in a ck robe was standing in the midst of the flower field, sticking a tree branch into the ground, its top forked and holding a small wooden pot.

    The robed figure held a bottle and poured some golden liquid into it, likely some kind of potion.

    Was it to ward off pests?

    He seemed to be tending to the flower field. However, his movements were clumsy, far from being an aplished character, and definitely not like an alchemist known for his dexterity.

    You see, alchemy requires precise measurement of ingredients, and the more advanced the alchemy, the more critical this bes.

    Even a slight error can lead to a failed experiment, or even an explosion.

    How could someone so clumsy conduct experiments?

    "This guy might just be an ordinary person who stumbled into this ce."

    "If he''s just an ordinary person, that''s easy."

    The long-awaited treasure was right in front of the scruffy man. He couldn''t contain his excitement anymore and jumped out from behind the tree.

    "Even if he''s an alchemist, with the three of us working together, we can handle him. Let''s subdue him first!"

    ...

    Hua Mi poured honey into a wooden pot, as a sign of goodwill to the seven pseudo-faerie creatures, weing them.

    However, before the seven little creatures could arrive, three unexpected visitors came instead.

    The guy at the forefront, with disheveled hair and limbs iling, like an unleashed wild dog, created a path through the Sleeping Moon Flower field, charging directly towards him.

    He moved incredibly fast, and there were faint signs of animalistic transformation in his appearance.

    "Could this be the ''Beastification Syndrome'' mentioned in the ck Forest Adventure Guide?" Hua Mi took a step back, not having time to think, and immediately connected to the Painful Bee Swarm.

    During the days when he made Sleeping Moon Flower honey, he also practiced controlling the bee swarm. Especially thebat bee swarm, which might not be outstanding, but was at least manageable.

    Buzz��

    Apanied by a high-pitched buzzing sound, a "ck mist" slowly rose behind Hua Mi.

    It paused briefly in mid-air, swiftly organized itself, and rushed forward.

    Flowing like a liquid, it passed smoothly on either side of Hua Mi''s body, then converged again and charged toward the suspected Beastification Syndrome patient.

    "Ha! Just a trick with bugs!"

    The beastified man saw the ck swarm and wasn''t worried at all. He continued his charge, and with a swipe of his hand, he had long, sharp, ck fingernails that seemed like sharp hooks.

    A w descended, leaving five ck streaks in the air, as if it had torn through space itself.

    Hisbat style was "Overpowering Strength," meaning if he encountered any magical spells, he just charged in and attacked.

    With his physical resilience and resistance to magic, even regr spells wouldn''t do much harm to him. And once he got close to his opponent, they were in for a beating, with a barrage of consecutive attacks.

    His iron-like ws were aimed at the bee swarm.

    The bee swarm split into two, avoiding the attack, except for a few bees in the center that didn''t make it in time and were reduced to ashes under the ws.

    "Insects?"

    Only at close range did he realize that the mist was actually made up of small flying insects, and the buzzing was the sound of their wings pping.

    "Such weak bugs are nothing to worry about. Crushing them is effortless!"

    The beastified man sneered,pletely unconcerned about the bees that hadnded on his face and arms.

    But in the next moment, his face twitched.

    Then turned red.

    Followed by turning green.

    And quickly turning white.

    "Ahhhhh��Ahhhhhhhh!"

    The beastified man let out a wailing scream, as if possessed by a ghost.

    He hopped around in ce for a few seconds, doing a bizarre dance, before suddenly freezing and copsing to the ground.

 Chapter 19: An Equitable Exchange

    Chapter 19: An Equitable Exchange

    Imagine being hit in the face by several bullets at the same time. Even the toughest person couldn''t bear that kind of pain.

    Hua Mi thought as he saw the beastkin person fall.

    But he didn''t let his guard down.

    There were still two more people.

    One man and one woman, following behind the fallen beastkin.

    The man, like Hua Mi, wore a robe, but his was green and not as stylish as Hua Mi''s ck one.

    The woman had a slender figure and held a curved de, looking like an assassin or some closebat specialist.

    When they saw the beastkin person scream and fall, almost being killed in an instant, the two of them immediately stopped in their tracks, their expressions turning serious. They didn''t dare underestimate this person in the ck robe.

    Hua Mi controlled his swarm of bees to block the path between him and the two neers. If they made any sudden moves, he would make them taste excruciating pain.

    The man and woman exchanged nces and halted simultaneously.

    Looking at their fallenrade, whose abdomen was slightly rising and falling, indicating he was still alive but had fainted, they knew him well. He had a rather sturdy constitution, especially in some beastkin states, and wouldn''t easily get hurt.

    The fact that he was brought down with a single blow indicated the assant''s unfathomable strength. They must have held back.

    If their adversary had shown mercy, they couldn''t afford to be impolite.

    "It''s a misunderstanding. We didn''t mean to cause trouble," the man said, cing his right hand over his chest and bowing gracefully.

    Hua Mi, of course, couldn''t easily believe his words. When they had charged with the beastkin, they hadn''t seen such politeness. It was only because he had caught them off guard.

    To be honest, Hua Mi''s current mental strength could only control one group of bees at a time. He had managed to take down the opponent in one go due to the element of surprise. If the enemy figured out his strategy, he might not be their match. In the worst case, he would have to abandon the swarm and escape to Earth through the wormhole, but he wanted to avoid that scenario. It would mean a substantial loss, wiping out the hard-earned mutated bee swarm.

    Seeing that the ck-robed person was still in a standoff, the man named Carter spoke again, "It was a misunderstanding on our part. I apologize for the recklessness of myrade. He has received the deserved punishment, and we have noints."

    The woman named Silvia also bowed, "Hilya Fiona. Please forgive us and thank you for sparing ourpanion."

    To be honest, their attitude was pretty good. Hua Mi didn''t want to escte the situation. It would be best to resolve this peacefully. What he needed to figure out was why the beastkin person had attacked him. "Recklessness" wouldn''t be enough to exin it.

    There were two possibilities.

    Either they, like the group of fake flower spirits, had mistaken him for the original owner of this small wooden house, the elusive "vile alchemist" who had yet to make an appearance. It was akin tounching a raid on the boss.

    This scenario was manageable; once he exined, the conflict could be resolved.

    The other possibility was that they attacked people indiscriminately without any reason. If that was the case, it meant they were purely evil, and their current friendliness was a facade. This wouldplicate things.

    Hua Mi pondered for a moment and was about to ask a question. Then he thought about his voice, which sounded rtively young. Would revealing his voice ruin his image of a high-level practitioner?

    With a sh of insight, he controlled the swarm to form subtitles in the air: "What is your purpose here?"

    Carter replied, "We received information about an abandoned small house in the ck Forest with a semi-automatic alchemical crucible inside. We came for it, but we didn''t expect you to be here."

    So, they hade for the semi-automatic alchemical crucible. Hua Mi wondered if this thing was so valuable that it warranted a team to search for it, even at the cost of an attack.

    "Also, it seems that they genuinely mistook me for that alchemist. That''s why they chose to attack... I wonder how notorious that guy really is," Hua Mi thought.

    Hilya was somewhat annoyed as she nced at the fallen beastkin person. She then said, "Mypanion is prone to being aggressive due to the beastkin transformation. We weren''t careful earlier, and he rushed out. We had no choice but to follow him, mainly to restrain him."

    In other words, their teammate initiated an attack without considering the circumstances and almost led to a team wipe. Hua Mi could rte to her frustration, having encountered such terrible teammates in online games.

    That said, their purpose for being here was the semi-automatic alchemical crucible. Hua Mi had no use for it, so he could give it to them. However, they needed to make an offer that piqued his interest. Violence was not his preferred route.

    Hua Mi contemted for a moment and then controlled the swarm to change shape into another line of text: "The alchemical crucible is with me, and I can give it to you."

    The two of them, after reading the subtitles, appeared both surprised and delighted. They didn''t expect him to be so amodating. However, before they could say "thank you," the subtitles changed again: "The unchanging principle of alchemy is equivalent exchange. What can you offer?"

    The two of them exchanged nces and realized that the ck-robed person wanted to do business.

    This was actually a good approach��civilized trading, each party getting what they needed.

    "Please allow us to discuss," they said.

    Turning away, they whispered to each other for a few minutes before turning back.

    Carter took off a silver ring from his left hand. "This is a Focus Ring, crafted by the finest elven artisans in the Jade City. It slightly increases the wearer''s focus when casting spells."

    It could be useful for Hua Mi since controlling the bee swarm required focus, and when his concentration wavered, he would lose control.

    But it seemed too little.

    Hua Mi remained expressionless, implying that if they wanted the semi-automatic alchemical crucible, they had to sweeten the deal.

    "Furthermore, we can offer you something else," Carter paused, looking towards their fallenrade, "but that something is with mypanion. Could you...?" He gestured towards the bee swarm.

    Hua Mi controlled the swarm to retreat a little, allowing Carter to approach his fallenrade. He bent down and retrieved a four-sided object resembling a Rubik''s Cube.

    Before Carter could rise, the beastkin person suddenly woke up, grabbing his wrist. His left face was swollen like a pig''s head, with his eyes reduced to slits and saliva dripping from the corners of his mouth. He panted heavily, exhaling scorching hot gas. It was hard to tell whether it was out of anger or pain.

    "The matter has been resolved, and we are here to negotiate," Carter said calmly.

    "The Magic Box is our treasure; you can''t have it!" the beastkin person protested through gritted teeth.

    "Just as you said, this belongs to our team, not you personally. We''re just temporarily entrusting it to you. Now Hilya and I have decided to trade it. Two to one, the resolution has passed."

 Chapter 20: A Deal is Made

    Chapter 20: A Deal is Made

    Kaito shrugged off the beastman''s hand and cast a sidelong nce at him. "This might be a good lesson for you. Reflect on your actions. The next time you act recklessly, it might cost you your life!"

    The beastman mumbled in response, looking somewhat dejected.

    But he didn''t say anything more.

    Kaito moved to an open space and addressed Hua Mi, who was d in a ck robe. "This is a very rare spatial magic item. Typically, spatial items can only store inanimate objects, but this magic box can amodate living beings for an extended period. Allow me to demonstrate."

    With that, he pressed a button on the box, and its surface lit up with intricate runic patterns.

    Then he casually tossed the box onto the ground.

    As the boxnded, it immediately expanded into a two-meter square pit, creating a sudden "sinkhole" in the previously t ground.

    From the hole came a roar, and two dog heads emerged, eager to get out.

    Woof!

    Only when they jumped out did Hua Mi realize that these were not two separate dogs, but two heads growing on a single body.

    The two-headed dog stood about as tall as a person and had a body over three meters long. It knocked down a patch of Moon Slumber Flowers and snarled menacingly at the only stranger in the vicinity, baring its fangs.

    Hua Mi''s heart skipped a beat, and he immediately directed his swarm to swarm towards the creature.

    He didn''t have time to think about tactics at this moment, but he felt confident in his ability to handle the situation.

    Although the two-headed dog appeared intimidating, a few hundred agonizing bee stings would put it down for sure.

    "Stay calm, stay calm," Kaito said as he hurried to stand in front of the two-headed dog, gently patting one of its heads and gesturing to Hua Mi to halt the attack.

    The two-headed dog instantly became docile, lowering its heads to nuzzle Kaito''s clothing.

    The swarm of stinging bees also halted their assault.

    Kaito breathed a sigh of relief, reflecting on why he hadn''t exined the situation beforehand. Things had almost escted due to a misunderstanding.

    "As you can see, this magic box can house living creatures, whether they are human or other species, allowing them to survive inside. I believe the magic box, whenbined with the ring, is equivalent to a semi-automatic alchemical cauldron, wouldn''t you say?"

    Indeed, the magic box was quite impressive. Hua Mi was quite taken with it and began to contemte its potential uses.

    With this magic box, he could transport his bee swarm and beehives on his adventures without continually expending mental energy to control them. It intrigued him even more than the ring had.

    Hua Mi conveyed his decision through his swarm: "Deal."

    Seeing this, Kaito and Hilya breathed a sigh of relief, their expressions rxing. However, the beastman appeared to be wearing a mask of suffering.

    Only the beastman''s injured world had been reached.

    Hua Mi gave them directions to the location of the underground chamber, where they were to retrieve the alchemical cauldron themselves.

    After confirming that the goods were in good condition, Kaito clenched his fist, and a ring on his left index finger came into contact with the alchemical cauldron. The cauldron transformed into light and disappeared into his ring.

    This was what he had referred to earlier as a standard spatial item that could only amodate non-living objects.

    "Great doing business with you," Kaito said with a rxed tone. "It''s clear you''re a skilled alchemist. Maybe we can do more trades in the future."

    "We mostly reside in ckstone Town, not far from the ck Forest. You''re wee to visit," Hilya added, following Kaito. "We appreciate your suggestion of fair exchange. It''s very reasonable. So, if we have items that satisfy you, would you be interested in exchanging some alchemical recipes with us?"

    Hua Mi pondered for a moment. He wondered if it was necessary to rify the misunderstanding, to exin that he wasn''t the infamous alchemist they might have thought him to be.

    After a moment''s thought, he decided there was no need.

    Maintaining an air of mystery in front of outsiders was essential, giving them the impression of a skilled master. He, Hua Mi, didn''t need to exin himself to anyone.

    Exining would only dispel the mystique.

    However, the woman''s words sparked an idea in Hua Mi. Although he only wanted to live peacefully, farming and beekeeping in this foreign world, he realized he could expand his honey-selling business here.

    Honey could be sold not only on Earth but also in this parallel world.

    And he had the advantage here.

    Earth had regtions to adhere to, preventing him from raising prices arbitrarily.

    But this world had no such restrictions. He was the sole producer of honey, making it a raremodity.

    The sleep-inducing effects of Moon Slumber Flower honey might not be so impressive in this magical world, but he wouldn''t limit himself to just one type of flower. He could find more unique and rare flower varieties to create even more magical honey.

    In the future, he could set his own prices, and people would have no choice but to buy his honey.

    Hua Mi didn''t respond to the woman''s question about alchemical recipes but had his swarm deliver a bottle of Moon Slumber Flower honey to her.

    "Is this for me?" She took the honey with a hint of confusion, not sure what kind of potion it was, but she still said, "Thank you."

    The two of them set up a campfire in an open space.

    "I never expected to find such a formidable figure in a two-star adventure site. Have you ever heard of an alchemist who uses strange insects inbat?" Kaito asked.

    Hua Mi shook his head. "No."

    "Such a remarkable individual should have some reputation. But anyway, what did he give you? A magic potion?" Hilya inquired.

    "It''s something strange that I''ve never seen before."

    Hilya took out the honey and opened the bottle.

    A peculiar, sweet scent wafted from it.

    "Want to taste it?"

    "You go first."

    "Ah... the moonlight is so beautiful tonight."

    After a while, the beastman and the two-headed dog joined them.

    Korl, the beastman, noticed a cup of water on the ground and felt thirsty, so he picked it up and drank it all in one gulp.

    Neither of them had a chance to stop him.

    "Hmm?"

    After drinking, he furrowed his brow.

    "What''s wrong?" Kaito asked nervously.

    "What did I just drink?"

    "Recovery potion," Hilya replied, her expression odd.

    It was not a potion, but honey mixed with water. They hadn''t dared to drink it earlier, as it was a gift from an alchemist, and they hadn''t verified its effects.

    They had initially intended to test it on a small animal. But Korl, in his recklessness, had volunteered for a taste test.

    "Are you sure it''s a recovery potion?"

    "Yes, is there a problem?"

    "It''s just too delicious!"

    He had never tasted such sweet magical potions. Typically, they were bitter and required pinching one''s nose to swallow.

    Hilyamented, "Thetest batch. How do you feel?"

    "Veryfortable."

    Korl was quite content, his mood greatly improved after drinking a cup of water.

    "This potion is quite effective, it''s delicious, but it does have one downside..."

    "What''s the downside?"

    "I''m feeling... drowsy."

    Plunk!

    Korl leaned back, sprawled out on the ground, and began to snore like thunder.

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 Chapter 21: The Letter

    Chapter 21: The Letter

    Hua Mi finally rxed after the unexpected guests and began to tally the treasures gained from this exchange.

    A ring and a magic box.

    Although they seemed scarce, their quality was top-notch, especially the magic box, which solved one of his most pressing issues.

    Putting on the ring, Hua Mi felt an immediate boost in focus.

    Concentration, essentially, meant mental power��the more abundant, the more focused.

    After deliberate training, he sensed a considerable improvement in his mental strength.

    But it was only enough to control one swarm of bees, not yet sufficient for two.

    He felt like he was on the verge of a breakthrough.

    Upon wearing the ring, he sensed a surge in focus, oveing the final obstacle and entering a new phase.

    Releasing his consciousness, he attempted to connect with the bee swarms.

    First, the Painful Bees��no issues.

    Next, the Irond Bees��equally smooth.

    Wearing the ring, his focus increased just enough to control two bee groups simultaneously.

    "Not bad, this just made it even more valuable."

    This could be for personal use or tradedter��a high-value item indeed.

    Hua Mi took out the magic box.

    In his hand, it felt slightly smaller than a typical third-order magic cube.

    "I think it goes like this..."

    Recalling Carter''s actions, he pressed the top button.

    The surface of the magic box immediately disyed a myriad of intricate inscriptions.

    cing the box on the floor, he stepped back.

    Simr to before, the box rapidly unfolded into a square aperture.

    A dimensional space appeared out of thin air on the wooden floor��a space not too extensive, adder leading downward. It was only slightlyrger than the opening but stood about three to four stories tall, resembling a vertical well.

    It could easily amodate the beehives.

    However, the bottom was filled with decaying food scraps, a sight too filthy to bear.

    Before cing the bees inside, he needed to clean it thoroughly.

    As a beekeeper, Hua Mi prioritized cleanliness, finding this intolerable.

    Immediately, he fetched cleaning tools and descended into the well.

    The cleaning solution poured in as if it were free until not a hint of odor remained.

    Despite the small area, it was more exhausting than imagined.

    Theck of a drainage system meant constant climbing to dispose of the filth.

    However, it seemed to have an air passage, ruling out suffocation concerns.

    After several hours ofbor, Hua Mi finally cleaned the magic box to his satisfaction.

    Coming out, exhausted and sore, but a quick restorative drink ensured a vibrant morning.

    Night had fallen in the alternate world.

    Inadvertently, his routine had shifted ordingly.

    He tidied up before bed, moving all 38 hives into the magic box.

    "It''s better to keep them close."

    The recent encounter had sounded an rm for him.

    Maintaining a bee farm here wouldn��t always be trouble-free.

    Though not one to seek trouble, uninvited guests, with intentions unknown, could arrive anytime.

    Hence, safeguarding the most crucial bee colonies, especially the three new species, was paramount for his livelihood.

    Returning to Earth with the magic box, the sun had yet to set.

    Hua Mi checked the online store''s backend, first ncing at the ratings.

    There was indeed an increase in positive feedback, albeit without any writtenments.

    "Huh?"

    Hua Mi paused, eyes widening suddenly.

    Someone had bought 100 bottles of the Moon Slumber Flower Honey!

    Checking the buyer, it turned out to be the same ount from yesterday.

    Expecting a returning customer, he didn''t anticipate it to happen this swiftly and massively.

    100 bottles at 300 yuan each summed up to a hefty 30,000 yuan.

    Ordinary folks wouldn��t make such a substantial purchase in one go. Was this customer nning to resell it, earning from the price difference, risking trouble if the high pricing got reported? It was a dicey situation.

    "Ding-a-ling��"

    A faint sound of a car bell rang outside.

    It signaled a mail delivery��a tradition in Huayu Town. Whether someone was home or not, the postman always rang the bell.

    "I haven��t bought anything recently."

    Hua Mi walked out, opening the door and heading to the mailbox.

    Insidey an envelope.

    "Who��s writing to me?"

    Moreover, who still handwrites letters these days?

    Inspecting the sender''s name and address, he paused.

    "Zhang Cheng..."

    Wait a minute.

    Hua Mi recalled��the customer who purchased the honey went by the nickname "Zhang Cheng," followed by a string of numbers.

    The address also matched.

    "Even after years in the beekeeping business, it''s the first time I��ve received a handwritten letter from a customer."

    Hua Mi opened the envelope, heading home while perusing the contents.

    The handwriting wasn��t the prettiest, but it radiated earnestness in every stroke.

    "Dear Store Owner,

    Hello!

    I''m Zhang Cheng, the customer who just ced an order for 100 bottles of honey.

    I''m writing this letter to express my feelings, even though it might seem a bit presumptuous.

    Due to work pressures, I''ve been struggling with sleep issuestely.

    Luckily, I stumbled upon this honey online.

    Despite the seemingly high price, I ordered due to Huayu Town��s reputation (I was a huge fan of the town and even attended the Flower Festival in my childhood).

    To my surprise, after drinking a cup of this honey water, I experienced an unprecedented sleep and woke up feeling perfectly refreshed.

    So, I''ve decided to buy 100 bottles for my employees as a benefit.

    I''m no expert and don��t understand why this honey has such an excellent sleep aid effect. Initially, I was curious, but then I let it go.

    It helps me charge toward my goals in the best possible condition. Why bother about the how? It only distracts.

    Let��s just call it a magical enchantment.

    What moved me most about this honey wasn��t its sleep aid but its pure taste.

    With adulterated honey flooding the market, it��s heartening to know there are beekeepers holding on to their original intentions. Just thinking about this unexpectedly touches and inspires me.

    As for choosing a paper letter, it''s nothing special, just felt better than being too forward.

    The current situation in Huayu Town isn��t optimistic.

    As a fan of the town and a customer benefiting from this honey, I genuinely wish your store the best of business!

    "..."

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 Chapter 22: Scheming

    Chapter 22: Scheming

    A heartfelt letter.

    Hua Mi was moved after reading it and immediately wrote a brief reply. As the evening approached, he informed the logistics team in advance and spent over an hour packaging 100 bottles of honey.

    The reply letter was sent separately.

    Afterpleting these tasks, Hua Mi finally rested in bed. Before sleeping, he enjoyed a ss of honey water.

    "Now that I think about it, 500 bottles of honey aren''t that many."

    His beekeeping business in the other world was still in its early stages, and there were many things to do, including improving the basic infrastructure.

    "In total, there are 38 hives��30 Forest Swift Bees, 1 Agony Bee, 1 Irond Bee, and 6 ordinary Chinese bees as backups. This ratio seems reasonable."

    With thoughts of his future beekeeping ns in mind, he soon drifted off to sleep.

    Upon waking up, it was still early in the Earth''s morning. Hua Mi had a simple breakfast and drank a ss of honey water.

    The Moon Slumber Flower honey had a sleep-enhancing effect, but it wouldn''t induce sleep unless the body was extremely tired and needed rest for recovery. It wouldn''t make you drowsy when you were full of energy.

    That was the fundamental difference between it and sleeping pills.

    Seven pseudo-flower spirits with different hair colors formed a circle, their butterfly wings gently fluttering behind them as they asionally nced back at him while discussing among themselves.

    Hua Mi could only hear the murmurs of their discussion. He didn''t show any particr reaction and continued to sit under the eaves, leisurely reading a book.

    After a while, the seven little ones seemed to have reached a conclusion. Led by the red-haired one, they flew over to Hua Mi.

    The red-haired one stopped in front of him, wearing a businesslike expression, and said, "Alchemist, we would like to purchase your honey. Although we don''t have human currency, we can exchange it for items. Do you agree?"

    Hua Mi only shifted his gaze from the book when she was halfway through her request. He smiled warmly and shook his head.

    The other six pseudo-flower spirits let out disappointed sighs.

    The red-haired one furrowed her brows slightly.

    The food-loving little purple-haired one couldn''t wait to speak, "But you said..."

    Hua Mi interrupted her, "Yes, I said that honey is free, and you are wee to enjoy it at any time. There''s no need to exchange anything."

    With that, he ced a bottle of honey on the table, opened the lid, and gestured toward it.

    The seven pseudo-flower spirits became animated, discussing among themselves, their expressions filled with excitement as they gazed at the honey.

    It seemed that the word "free" held a significant allure, even for these pseudo-flower spirits. What they didn''t know was that what''s offered for free is often the most valuable.

    Hua Mi had already set a value on them in his mind.

    His goal was clear, and he intended to stick to his n.

    What good things could these seven weak pseudo-flower spirits offer, after all? Likely just some berries and odds and ends they could find in the forest. What he truly wanted was for them to willingly serve him.

    Hua Mi nced at the vast field of Moon Slumber Flowers in front of him. After the seven pseudo-flower spirits had worked together to perform their magic, the flowers that had been crushed had suddenly sprung back to life.

    While it might be an exaggeration to call it resurrecting the dead, having such exquisite floral magic was like having a natural gardener.

    It would be a waste of resources not to have them take care of the flowers if he could gain their friendship and loyalty. Offering a few bottles of honey for that purpose was a small price to pay.

    The red-haired pseudo-flower spirit crossed her arms and looked at him with suspicion. "Why are you so kind? What is your true purpose, alchemist?"

    It was time to clear up the misunderstanding. Hua Mi closed the book, ced it on the table, and removed his hood, saying, "It seems like you''ve mistaken me for the original owner of this cottage."

    Seeing him stand up suddenly, the red-haired pseudo-flower spirit immediately took a step back, warily asking, "Aren''t you?"

    Hua Mi shook his head. "No, I''m not. I''m just a beekeeper passing by who decided to stay temporarily in this abandoned cottage."

    After a brief pause, he continued, "I find it strange that you''ve mistaken me for the original owner of this cottage. Do I look very simr to them?"

    "All you humans look the same, don''t you?"

    "Yeah, and that person always hid their face under the hood. We rarely saw their face."

    "So you''re not an alchemist?"

    Hearing the exnations from the pseudo-flower spirits, Hua Mi understood. Different species often struggled to differentiate between individuals based on appearances. If it weren''t for the distinct hair colors of these seven, he wouldn''t have been able to tell them apart either.

    "I am definitely not an alchemist. As I said earlier, I''m just a kind beekeeper interested in bees, flowers, and making honey."

    The red-haired pseudo-flower spirit had a hint of disappointment in her expression. "Then, beekeeper, why are you dressed like that, with the same clothes and hood as that vile alchemist?"

    Why wear the ck robe?

    Because it''sfortable.

    Lightweight, breathable, and not easily stained. Once you put it on, you don''t want to take it off. If it weren''t for the fear of standing out, he might have worn it even when returning to Earth.

    The seven pseudo-flower spirits huddled together and discussed for a while. This time, the red-haired one took on a friendlier role.

    "We apologize for our earlier misunderstanding, but your honey is something you put effort into making. We can''t take it for free. It wouldn''t be fair to you, and it would also be disrespectful to the spirits of the ck Forest. So, tell us your request."

    "Even if you say that, I don''t have any specific requests for you."

    Hua Mi pretended to ponder for a few seconds before saying, "Perhaps you already know that making honey requires nectar from flowers. The better the quality of the nectar source, the sweeter and tastier the honey. Now that the Moon Slumber Flowers'' nectar season has ended, I need to find new nectar sources to continue making honey. Do you have any suggestions?"

    These pseudo-flower spirits were experts in flower nectar, and they immediately started providing information, speaking over each other.

    "Thousand Mirage Flowers!"

    "White Thorn Flowers have the best honey!"

    "Try the Poison Mushroom Flowers!"

    "Why not give Feather Robe Flowers a shot?"

    "..."

    When it came to their area of expertise, they were like a group of cats with their tails stepped on. But was there anything strange mixed in there? That "poison" flower sounds suspicious. Are you sure it''s safe to eat?

    There was so much information that Hua Mi''s head was spinning.

    He coughed and said, "There''s one more thing to consider. Not only should the nectar source be delicious, but it also needs to have a sufficient quantity, at least on par with the Moon Slumber Flowers. It would be even better if it were closer to this location."

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 Chapter 23: The Witchs Eye

    Chapter 23: The Witch''s Eye

    "I know a ce!" Hua Mi eximed.

    A blonde pseudo-flower spirit flew out immediately and said, "It''s ake, and we all call it the ''Witch''s Eye.'' It''s surrounded by angelica flowers, and although there isn''t much honey flowing now, it will increase in a few days. It''s not far from here."

    Angelica flowers...

    "This is the same ce I had in mind."

    What a coincidence.

    Hua Mi gave himself a mental pat on the back; angelica flowers were indeed a source of nectar. His choice was spot-on.

    "So, we''ll need your guidance tomorrow."

    The sun was about to set, and it would certainly bete by the time they returned. Going out at night for exploration was not a sensible choice, and they couldn''t rely on these seven little beings to help in case of danger.

    Before parting ways, Hua Mi filled their small wooden barrels with moon-sleep flower honey. The pseudo-flower spirits were overjoyed, and hearts seemed to be popping out of their heads. If this were a game, the affection level would have increased by at least one heart.

    Before moving the beehive into the magic box, Hua Mi checked the progress of the new queen bee''s development.

    "It''s almost ready."

    Normally, a new queen bee wouldn''t mate immediately after maturing. It needed to fly out of the hive and circle around for a while, a process known as "trial flight." After that, a few more days passed, and it was time for the "wedding flight," where they would fly in the air and mate with the male bees.

    The forest swift bees had a faster reproductive rate than regr bees, so they didn''t need to wait as long. Moreover, as soon as their reproductive nds matured and they met the conditions forying eggs, Hua Mi could force the bees to mate without going through the cumbersome rituals of trial flights and wedding flights. His instructions took top priority, even surpassing the bees'' natural behavior.

    His n was to wait until the new queen bee''s reproductive nds matured and immediately have the male bees of the armored bees crossbreed with her. The favorable traits of the forest swift bees were speed and reproduction, while their weaknesses were their low survival ability and poor resistance to risks. A single normal honey-gathering activity could cause significant casualties, let alone unexpected situations. On the other hand, armored bees had high resistance to risks, but their drawback was their slow speed. If speed, reproduction, and resistance could bebined, apletely new species of bees could be born, one that might potentially oupete both forest swift bees and armored bees,bining both honey-gathering andbat capabilities.

    Back on Earth, the sun was still high, and it was just afternoon.

    "My sleep schedule ispletely messed up."

    Fortunately, he had moon-sleep flower honey to help him sleep. Hua Mi drew the curtains, put on an eye mask, drank a ss of honey water, and drifted into a sweet slumber. Meanwhile, two customers who hade to buy honey found themselves turned away at the door.

    "They''re not here again?"

    "Their business must be doing really poorly if they''re not even open."

    "I guess so. Why don''t they post a notice on the door or something, so we don''t make these pointless trips?"

    "It''s understandable. They''ve probably gone bankrupt. Ah, thinking back, our Hua Yu Town used to be so prosperous."

    Two residents sighed as they turned and left.

    "This is... what you call ''not far''?" Hua Mi, carrying a survival backpack and holding apound bow, leaned against a tree, catching his breath. Luckily, the ck robe inside automatically regted the temperature, making it feel like being in an air-conditioned room; otherwise, he would be drenched in sweat.

    "It really isn''t far; you''re just walking too slowly," the blonde pseudo-flower spirit circled around him and bluntly said, "Human physique is really weak."

    "Don''t generalize." Hua Mi said seriously, "My weak physique is a personal matter and has nothing to do with my race. Human physiques vary widely; some people can wrestle bears barehanded, while others can feed a tiger with a shovel."

    "She didn''t mean to belittle the human race."

    The red-haired pseudo-flower spirit nced at the blonde one. "Right?"

    Thetter stuck out its tongue and said, "I''m sorry."

    Hua Mi took a deep breath and nodded. "epted. Let''s continue... and slow down a bit."

    In truth, Hua Mi''s physique wasn''t really weak. The main issue was the terrain. Forests were much moreplicated than nds, with slopes to climb and challenging paths to navigate. The same distance that could be covered quickly on level ground could take several times longer in the forest. When traversing the forest, you couldn''t just look at the straight-line distance. The seven little beings could fly, making it effortless for them. To keep up with their pace, Hua Mi had to jog most of the way, which left him breathless.

    By the time they reached their destination, it was nearly noon. Hua Mi looked around and marveled at the scene. "This is the ''Witch''s Eye,'' and it''s said to be one of the ck Witch''s eyes transformed."

    It was argeke, surrounded by blooming flowers. Theke was so vast that the trees on the opposite shore looked like tiny sticks, and theke''s shore formed a spindle shape. However, theke water wasn''t very clear; it resembled a deep, mysterious eye.

    But as someone from Hua Yu Town and a beekeeper, Hua Mi waspletely indifferent to the mysticalke. All he could see were the flowers along thekeshore.

    "These are angelica flowers... they''re beautiful."

    Compared to the rough sketches in his notebook, the real scene enthralled him. The sketches captured the flowers'' characteristics butcked about one-tenth of their beauty.

    Angelica flowers were primarily red with white ents at the edges of the petals. Additionally, they had three curved t structures on the outer perimeter, resembling ribbons. When the wind blew, the petals swayed, as if one could see dancers in feathered costumes gracefully dancing.

    Unbeknownst to him, Hua Mi walked into the flowerbeds. Some small flying insects were disturbed by his presence and took flight. The fragrance of angelica flowers was even stronger than that of moon-sleep flowers.

    "This is indeed a great source of nectar. With the magic box, we can easily bring the bees here..."

    The only problem was the rough journey, which wasted a lot of time. If it were merely a matter of distance and the terrain was t, Hua Mi could bring a bicycle from Earth for easier transportation. However, given the challenging terrain, he would likely have to carry the bicycle most of the time. Modern people were not ustomed to natural environments like the forest.

    "But there''s no other choice; let''s consider it a necessary transportation cost."

    For those who ran mobile beekeeping businesses, they had to travel everywhere. This type of business was usually more profitable, requiring a guaranteed honey production. Inparison, the transportation cost was rtively low and manageable.

    If you wanted to chase after nectar sources without extra effort, there was no such good deal. Hua Mi decided to release the bees to test the waters.

    Leaving the flowerbed, Hua Mi took the magic box from his pocket, pressed the button, and ced it on the open ground. As the entrance opened, a faint honey fragrance wafted from inside.

    In normal honey collection, the beehives should be ced out at intervals to prevent a detrimental stacking effect. However, for now, Hua Mi just wanted the bees to get some fresh air, so there was no need to waste energy setting up the hives individually.

    Just as Hua Mi was about to release a group of forest swift bees, amotion erupted behind him. The flying insects in the flowerbeds scattered in all directions, as if they were avoiding something. Simultaneously, the surface of the Witch''s Eye trembled, resembling a shattered mirror.

    Apanied by a series of muffled sounds, the ground beneath his feet shook.

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 Chapter 24: The Forest Tyrant

    Chapter 24: The Forest Tyrant

    It seemed like a giant was approaching step by step.

    The swarm was quite sensitive, and any disturbance would send the worker bees patrolling, showing signs of losing control.

    Hua Mi hurriedly closed the entrance and put away the magic box.

    He looked in the direction of the sound.

    What he saw initially shocked him instinctively, but then he remembered that this was a magical world, and it all made sense.

    It was a tree slowly emerging from the forest, moving step by step towards theke.

    Each step caused the ground to tremble.

    In the ck Forest, the trees were generally two to three timesrger than typical trees on Earth. The tree trunks could require the embrace of four people, with a height of twenty to thirty meters, and their weight was substantial.

    Compared to the motionless trees, its canopy was not particrly lush, with some branches even bare.

    The trunk was covered with knots and grooves, and near the canopy, some of the finer, flexible branches twisted together to form a distorted, abstract face with eyes emitting a faint green glow.

    Staring at that "giant face" for a while, Hua Mi felt like he was about to enter the realm of joy beans.

    It was a tree spirit.

    The "ck Forest Adventure Guide" stated that there were only thirteen documented tree spirits in the entire ck Forest, which wasn''t that many considering the forest''s size.

    The first tree spirit in this world was created by the Druids.

    In simple terms, a Druid used an enlightenment spell on a tree, forming an "enlightened heart" within it, activating the wood in a special way, giving it basic mobility and a certain level of intelligence.

    When a tree spirit came into contact with ordinary trees, there was a low probability that it would spark enlightenment within them. However, the probability was quite low, which is why there were only thirteen in the vast ck Forest.

    This creature might look intimidating, but it had a danger level of only one.

    Tree spirits were tall and had high defenses.

    But they were slow in movement, and their reactions were even slower. As long as you didn''t provoke them, they generally wouldn''t pose a threat.

    Different tree species formed tree spirits with slightly varying attributes, but the differences were generally minor.

    As for why the Druids had created tree spirits in the first ce, that remained a mystery.

    In the words of the "ck Forest Adventure Guide," Druids were just like that, and ordinary people couldn''t understand their thought processes.

    Hua Mi and the Seven Minis stood in ce, watching the tree spirit slowly approaching theke.

    Underneath the tree spirit, the trunk forked into two "legs," and the dense, thick roots wrapped around them looked like muscles, giving the impression of great strength.

    Each step had a considerable span, but the slow and stiff movement reduced the overall speed.

    The tree spirit reached theke and squatted down, as if it were taking root. Two "arms,"posed of intertwined branches, plunged into the water.

    From behind, it appeared as if a tree had grown by theke, and it didn''t look harmonious at all.

    "Is it replenishing its water? It should leave soon," Hua Mi said.

    The red-haired pseudo-flower spirit replied, "Usually, once a tree spirit decides to settle in a ce, it won''t leave in the short term. Sometimes it may stay for months or even years."

    Months or even years...

    Keep in mind that the nectar flow period for a flower typically didn''t exceed a month, sometimes as short as ten to fifteen days.

    In other words, if it decided to stay here, it would likely remain for the entire nectar flow period of the Feathery Blossom.

    "Let''s go to the other side of theke. This ce is vast, and we won''t disturb each other," Hua Mi suggested.

    The red-haired pseudo-flower spirit poured cold water on his idea, "It''s hard to say, tree spirits have strong territorial instincts."

    Hua Mi remembered the guide''s description: Tree spirits were generally domineering and followed the forest''sw of predation and survival of the fittest.

    Just as he was thinking, the tree spirit suddenly turned its "face" towards them with a creaking sound. Its green, shining eyes stared directly at them.

    Then, it moved its legs and walked towards them, exuding a strong sense of hostility.

    "..."

    The adventure guide was right; their territorial instincts were indeed strong!

    "We have to leave!" urged the Seven Minis.

    Hua Mi thought it would be a shame to leave just like that. This ce was so vast, and if they kept their distance, maybe there would be no issue.

    So, Hua Mi, with his equipment and the Seven Minis, headed to the opposite shore.

    Unexpectedly, the tree spirit didn''t give up the chase just because they moved away voluntarily. As long as it could see them, it continued to approach.

    This made it impossible to set up bee boxes for honey collection!

    "This is outrageous!"

    In the end, Hua Mi became infuriated. He stopped and aimed his bow at the tree spirit, intending to release an arrow to vent his frustration.

    The tree spirit had some degree of intelligence and could understand the preparatory action for an attack. It seemed to exhibit a stress response, elerating its pace slightly. The canopy rustled, and its two "arms" reached forward, suddenlying too close forfort!

    Hua Mi cursed, promptly put away his bow and arrow, and ran away with the Seven Minis.

    A true archer didn''t shoot hastily.

    He only stopped when he could no longer see the tree spirit, catching his breath.

    It was his bad luck. He had finally found a source of nectar, only for a tree spirit to appear out of nowhere.

    Even if the tree spirit didn''t stay there for a long time, not for months or even a year, just for ten days to two weeks, it would still disrupt this nectar flow period.

    "Damn Druids, creating such troublesome creatures."

    After thinking for a while, Hua Mi asked the pseudo-flower spirits, "Are there any other sources of nectar?"

    The seven little beings gathered and shook their heads in unison.

    "We still have nectar-producing flowers, but there''s no ce with such arge concentration."

    "Got it."

    This was why they said that a forest environment wasn''t suitable for beekeeping. In addition to factors like rainfall, it was challenging to find extensive areas of flowers for the bees to collect nectar.

    In an environment filled with towering trees like this, it was difficult to formrge clusters of flowers.

    Typically, flowers in this area were used as decorations rather than formingmunities.

    That''s why Hua Mi had been thinking about building a greenhouse.

    Once the greenhouse was established, he could bring back flowers from his explorations and cultivate them. He wouldn''t have to rely on the weather for food. He could adjust the flowering period and nectar flow period as needed.

    With the pseudo-flower spirits'' magic, they could ensure rapid growth of the flowers.

    Only then could he say that his beekeeping operation was on the right track.

    However, this was a significant project.

    Today, he could only return home.

    He''de back to theke in a few days.

    If that stubborn tree spirit hadn''t left by then, he would have to...curse it wholeheartedly.

    As for honey collection, he could temporarily suspend it.

    After all, he had four hundred bottles of honey in reserve.

    The next day, Hua Mi received the earnings from those one hundred bottles of honey, totaling thirty thousand yuan, without any tform fees.

    The entire thirty thousand yuan went into his ount, and he felt a reassuring sense of contentment.

    It had been a while since he earned this much money in one go.

    After admiring his bnce for a while, he also checked the online shop''s backend.

    There were dozens of new five-star reviews, instantly raising the overall rating by 0.4.

    "First time sleeping so soundly! Came to leave a good review."

    "Great honey, truly a product of Huayu Town!"

    "Incredible, it cured my years of insomnia!"

    "Don''t waste time, buy it! Excellent for insomnia, and it tastes good too."

    "Don''t ask questions; even sensitive skin can use it!"

    "Bought it for my mom, she''s old, and her sleep has been terrible for years. After drinking this honey water from this shop, she finally had a good night''s sleep and herplexion improved."

    "My goodness, what kind of ck magic honey is this?"

    "Thank you, shop owner, I shall call you the Honey Hero!"

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 Chapter 25: A New Kind of Hybrid

    Chapter 25: A New Kind of Hybrid

    All of a sudden, there were so many positive reviews, and they all sounded so incredible, making it seem a bit fake!

    Onlookers might even think he had purchased fake reviews.

    But no matter what, he was still very happy to have positive reviews.

    What excited and worried Hua Mi even more was that he received dozens of new orders!

    He had underestimated the power of word-of-mouth and people''s desire for better sleep.

    "At this rate, I''ll run out of honey in a few days!"

    Without a continuous supply of honey, he might have to close his business.

    Thinking about the tree spirit, he felt a surge of anger.

    He needed to find a way to deal with it.

    Hua Mi''sbat abilities relied entirely on his bee swarm, but he only had four types of bees (including the regr honeybees).

    Clearly, none of these bees could deal with the tree spirit.

    They couldn''t break through its defenses.

    "Right, the tree spirit must be afraid of fire, right? I should try to burn it!"

    Hua Mi quickly flipped through his adventure manual and found that it mentioned the tree spirit''s vulnerability to fire. However, it required high-level fire magic to burn it to ashes.

    "I don''t know high-level fire magic, but maybe I can bring some gasoline and try to set it on fire... but how do I get close to it? And how much gasoline would I need for such a massive tree..."

    The adventure manual provided a rmended safe distance from the tree spirit, and getting too close was dangerous.

    The tree spirit, while slow, was still a massive creature, and approaching it recklessly was suicidal.

    "If only I had bees that could produce fire..."

    Hua Mi spent over two hours processing the new orders.

    He thought about the tree spirit at the Witch''s Eye Lake but decided to focus on something else for the day.

    The new queen of the Forest Swift Bees had matured and was ready for hybridization experiments.

    The process wasn''t overlyplex. The key was to select and breed the offspring produced by the queen after mating.

    Hua Mi controlled the new queen to fly out andnd on a table.

    ording to his n, he would mate her with a group of male Irond Bees.

    However, while he was controlling the queen, a new idea struck him.

    With a sudden sh of insight, a new feeling surged within him.

    With a thought, a bee hybridization interface appeared in front of him.

    This time, there was a new feature.

    The interface still showed the three bee temtes: Forest Swift Bee, Agonizing Bee, and Irond Bee.

    Now, he could directly select one bee temte and hybridize it with the queen Forest Swift Bee!

    This skipped the traditional breeding process.

    It was like fusing hybrid traits directly onto the queen bee.

    "It''s like I''m conducting a brand new hybridization experiment..."

    Of course, this feature could only be used on queens capable of mating.

    Hua Mi concentrated his efforts.

    A beam of light connected the Irond Bee temte with the queen Forest Swift Bee.

    Hua Mi could finely perceive that the traits of both were attempting to merge.

    But suddenly, the connection was severed.

    It was like two mas repelling each other.

    "Did I fail?"

    Hua Mi blinked in surprise.

    This didn''t mean there was reproductive istion between them, but rather that their hybridization created traits that would adversely affect their survival, essentially killing them in the cradle.

    "Let''s try again."

    This time, he had a clearer perception of the two hybrids. In his mind, he could see the traits on both sides and control the fusion process.

    Beneficial traits and harmful traits were color-coded, and his goal was to remove the detrimental ones.

    It was like ying a game of removing stones from a pile of rice.

    However, this process was mentally exhausting. It wasn''t physically draining but mentally taxing.

    His mental energy rapidly diminished, making him feel as if he were burning his concentration.

    Finally, when the proportion of detrimental traits was low enough, the attraction between the traits overcame the repulsion, and he felt that he could sessfully hybridize them!

    Hua Mi''s mental energy was drained, and he selected the hybridization option.

    As the connection broke, Hua Mi sensed a change within the queen bee''s body as she returned to her hive and began to secrete wax to form a cocoon.

    Sess!

    If everything went as expected, apletely new bee species would emerge when it hatched.

    "I wonder which traits it will inherit and if there will be any other variations. Anyway, having the ability to hybridize using temtes will make future experiments much more convenient."

    It was like conducting a simtion, and the results could directly manifest.

    The abilities given by the blue bee kept bing more and more remarkable.

    Feeling mentally drained, Hua Mi took a break.

    He took a look around his wooden hut and had an idea.

    Idle hands were the devil''s workshop, so he decided to act.

    He returned to Earth and brought back some wooden boards, nails, a hammer, a measuring tape, glue, and other tools.

    Using woodworking tools, he modified the front window and attached a wooden tform that extended outward when the window was opened.

    He wanted to turn it into a makeshift sales window.

    Since he decided to run a honey business in this world, it was time to start preparations.

    A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

    After finishing the window, he glued a wooden board and thin wooden posts together.

    As he worked, he heard some movement behind him and turned to see Little Purple Fur.

    Little Purple Fur flew over to inform him that the tree spirit was still at the Witch''s Eye Lake, as expected.

    "That''s fine. I''m in a good mood after a sessful hybridization. I won''t pay too much attention to that guy."

    He would deal with it sooner orter.

    Little Purple Fur also said that they would continue searching the forest for a suitable source of nectar. Once they found one, they would inform him immediately.

    Under the temptation of honey, even the seven pseudo-flower spirits had started working for him voluntarily.

    They didn''t need him to say anything.

    "What are you doing?" Little Purple Fur curiously observed his work.

    "I''m making a sign," Hua Mi replied simply.

    "Why do you need a sign?"

    "Because I''m going to sell honey."

    Little Purple Fur said, "Not many people pass by here, and most adventurers bring their supplies with them from outside. They don''t need anything."

    "That may be true."

    You couldn''t buy honey like his from the outside world.

    The fact that there were fewer people didn''t matter; there were no market regtions here, and he could set the price high to make a profit.

    Moreover, the main focus in this world was on farming and beekeeping. Selling honey was just a side business, emphasizing aid-back attitude.

    "What should I write on the sign?"

    He initially wanted to use "Honey" in the name, but then he realized that the local flowers were from this world, not from his world. They didn''t reflect his uniqueness.

    He had brought the bees from his world, so he decided to name the ce��

    Hua Mi carved a line of text onto the wooden board and used a hammer to drive the sign into the ground by the front door. The sign read: "Bee Whisperer''s Cottage."

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 Chapter 26: Wanted

    Chapter 26: Wanted

    Compared to when Hua Mi first arrived, the temperature had dropped by about two or three degrees. The rainy weather was gradually subsiding. Sunlight streamed through the window, spilling onto the wooden table below. Hua Mi spread a piece of drawing paper on the table, with drawing tools such as a ruler, pencil, and eraser ced beside it. He was working on a rough n for a bee farm.

    His preliminary idea was to build a greenhouse to the left rear of the wooden house, where the terrain was rtively t, and the trees were rtively sparse, making it easier to clear. Some beekeepers in Huayu Town had even spent a lot of money building artificial ponds to cultivate aquatic flowers. Many beekeepers used abandoned paddy fields to cultivate aquatic nectar nts.

    "If we want to build an artificial pond, this ce might be suitable. We can utilize this low-lying terrain," Hua Mi murmured to himself. Of course, this was just a preliminary n, setting a goal for himself. It was hard to say how he would proceed in the future. Based on experience, ns often didn''t match reality.

    "So, once the greenhouse is built, we can collect nectar at any time and brew different vors of honey?" The speaker was the little purple-haired glutton, who was currently sitting on the edge of the table, dipping a stick into honey and swaying her little feet.

    Today, she hade to report that the tree spirit had not left yet and had taken the opportunity to ck off. While her other six sisters searched for new nectar sources in the forest, she was leisurely enjoying honey. Quite clever, she was.

    Hua Mi didn''t mind. The results of the hybrid mutation had not yet been revealed, and he had little to do besides reading and nning. It was easy to get bored, so having a little flower spirit to chat with was quite nice.

    "Yeah, and we can also cultivate some nectar-bearing flowers from outside the ck Forest," Hua Mi replied.

    The little purple-haired glutton''s eyes sparkled. She had never tried honey from beyond the ck Forest before. She couldn''t wait.

    Hua Mi couldn''t help but smile at her eager expression. Whether it could be realized or not, at least he could offer her a big promise.

    "The only problem is that due to the terrain constraints, the greenhouse area may not be veryrge, which could affect honey production. Of course, we can build multiple greenhouses, but that would increase the cost significantly," Hua Mi said as he looked at the rough sketch on paper.

    The little purple-haired glutton, munching on honey, suggested nonchntly, "You could try space expansion magic. That way, you wouldn''t need arge area to create a muchrger internal space."

    Hua Mi was intrigued by her idea. "Tell me more."

    "I''m not sure about the details, but it seems to require some special materials, as well as setting up a magic array and preparing a ritual on the foundation. You can consult some knowledgeable wizards," she exined.

    Indeed, this kind of magic was unlikely to be simple. Besides the cumbersome ritual, it probably required a significant amount of magical power. Nevertheless, Hua Mi was starting to have a different opinion of this little girl.

    "You seem to know quite a lot," he remarked.

    The little purple-haired glutton, with a honey-coated stick, looked deep in thought. "Living for a long time allows you to learn many things."

    Hua Mi restrained his curiosity from asking how long she had lived. She looked like a child on the outside, as delicate as a figurine. If he found out she was a thousand-year-old fairy, it would be quite disconcerting.

    "Space expansion magic..." Hua Mi wrote down those words on his paper. While it seemed difficult to implement at the moment, it opened up new possibilities for his ns. If he could apply this magic to the bee farm, he wouldn''t have to worry aboutnd constraints. In a world of magic, he could dare to dream big.

    "By the way, the Magic Box!" Normally, it was just a small cube, handheld with one hand, but when unfolded, it could hold a hundred beehives. Wasn''t this a form of space expansion magic?

    This connection excited Hua Mi. It felt like this magic was no longer so distant.

    However, the interior of the Magic Box was clearly not suitable for crop cultivation. Hua Mi imagined a magic greenhouse that looked like a small house from the outside but opened into a vast fertilend inside.

    With the knowledge of "space expansion magic," Hua Mi''s ns had room for improvement. This was the importance of updating one''s knowledge. Hua Mi continued to jot down ideas and designs on paper.

    The little purple-haired glutton continued to enjoy her honey.

    The sunlight warmed the room, creating a peaceful atmosphere. As the Water-Still Moon approached, the sounds of birds and insects in the forest seemed to have diminished. During this period, what impressed Hua Mi the most was a birdcall simr to a flute, with a melodious and spiritual sound.

    If this bird were on Earth, it would undoubtedly be considered a symbol of good luck by some people. Unfortunately, he had not had the time to find the source of this delightful sound, and he still didn''t know what kind of creature produced it.

    Now, he couldn''t hear it anymore, and perhaps he would have to wait until next year to hear it again. Some birds, once missed, were gone forever. The faint insect chirping outside suddenly halted, catching Hua Mi''s attention.

    He looked out the window and raised an eyebrow. He saw a figure approaching.

    When the neer emerged from the shadow of the forest and walked fully into view, Hua Mi could clearly see her appearance. She had a slim figure and wore a tight-fitting dark green outfit. She carried an elegant bow, a curved dagger at her waist, and had long silver hair flowing down her shoulders, like a cascade of stars. She also had pointed ears.

    Though she had a human-like appearance, some features indicated that she was not a pure human.

    At least, not a pure human.

    She walked up to the window, her skin as pale as if she had not seen the sun for years. Her features were so exquisite that they seemed almost unreal. Her light green eyes nced at Hua Mi for a moment before focusing on the little purple-haired glutton on the side.

    Sensing her gaze, the little purple-haired glutton quickly ducked under the table, but her head remained visible as she watched from her hiding spot. Hua Mi thought she wasn''t shy, just mischievous.

    "Would you like to buy some honey? Sweet and delicious, it replenishes your energy and helps with sleep disorders. Our new store is offering an 80% discount," Hua Mi spoke, taking a jar of honey.

    She gave him a strange look, seeming puzzled by the concept of selling honey here. She then ignored his sales pitch and showed him a wanted poster, her voice cold, "Have you seen this person?"

    The portrait was lifelike, depicting the wanted criminal with pointed ears, but their skin was fiery red, their face adorned with asymmetric dark patterns, and their eyes had a dark ring around them, resembling heavy eyeliner. They had sharp fangs, giving them a fierce appearance. Besides their face, the portrait also depicted the upper body, which was muscr and covered in prominent stripes.

    Hua Mi shook his head.

    She turned to the little purple-haired glutton, who also shook her head.

    Then she took back the poster and said, "He fled into the ck Forest. He''s a dangerous individual. Be cautious if you encounter him."

    "He?" The pronoun used in themonnguage of the people in this world had different pronunciations for males and females. Did that mean the wanted criminal was a male? No, it couldn''t be. Although the criminal appeared strong, their chest couldn''t possibly be that well-developed. Hua Mi was not so clueless.

    Furthermore, the criminal''s facial features, while wild, clearly leaned towards femininity.

    "Is thatdy you just met not a human?" Hua Mi asked.

    "She''s an elf," the little purple-haired spirit replied matter-of-factly, "but not necessarily ady."

    Hua Mi was taken aback. Did the other world also have such customs? Having a female biological gender but identifying as male? The little purple-haired spirit continued, "Because elves only have one gender, theirnguage doesn''t differentiate between ''she'' and ''he.''"

    Hua Mi was silent for a moment. How strange, having a female biological gender but no gender-specific pronouns in theirnguage?

    The unexpected encounter with the elf woman had left Hua Mi with many questions and a sense of curiosity. He watched her leave, disappearing into the forest.

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 Chapter 27: Second Hybridization

    Chapter 27: Second Hybridization

    In thenguage of the Elven race, pronouns weren''t based on gender but on ethnicity.

    You can think of it this way: if you''re an Elf, they refer to you as "he," and if you belong to any non-Elven race, they call you "it."

    Thetter is obviously less prestigious.

    "These are a highly civilized yet inherently arrogant race."

    Hua Mi assessed in his mind.

    ording to Xiao Zi, Elves were a single-gender species that closely resembled human females in appearance. However, they weren''t asexual. Elves could mate with individuals of any race and gender and give birth to offspring. What was even more remarkable was that, regardless of the other parent''s species, the child would always be an Elf, with at most minor features that hinted at the other parent''s characteristics.

    "Such strong gics..."

    Hua Mi''s worldview was once again challenged by this magical world.

    "The wanted criminal, is he also of the Elven race?"

    He had Elven characteristics in his appearance, but there was something different about him.

    "Not a mainstream Elf, but a Berserker Elf."

    "Berserker Elf..."

    The name itself sounded fierce.

    "They were created by the Elves during the Second Abyss Invasion, as a species modeled after themselves, tobat the Abyss creatures."

    Hua Mi now had a better understanding of the rtionship between the two. In simple terms, Berserker Elves were a subservient species created by the mainstream Elves, often referred to as "tools." And they were war tools, created specifically for warfare.

    "But after the war, the Elves found it difficult to control the Berserker Elves. They were naturally rebellious and prone to violence, always inclined to solve problems through force, which went against the noble and elegant ways of the Elves. Now, the Berserker Elves have broken free from the mainstream Elves and be arch-enemies..."

    Thisvender-haired pseudo-Elf seemed quite interested in the gossip between these races, and she couldn''t stop talking.

    Hua Mi, on the other hand, had little interest in the historicalplexities between the Elves and the Berserkers. It sounded as boring as a history lesson. But one thing he was curious about: "What exactly is the Abyss Invasion?"

    Xiao Zi replied, "I''m not sure. It seems like everyone keeps a tight lid on information about the Abyss."

    "You haven''t experienced it?"

    "The Second Abyss Invasion happened almost a thousand years ago, and I hadn''t been born yet."

    Well, at least she wasn''t an ancient fairy.

    That wanted Berserker criminal was now somewhere in the ck Forest. Although the forest was vast, the chances of encountering him were low. Still, it was better to be prepared.

    ...

    Night fell.

    The new bee species resulting from the hybridization of Forest Swift Bees and Irond Bees were about to emerge from their cocoons.

    Hua Mi paced in front of the bee box, eagerly awaiting their arrival, like a father outside a maternity ward.

    Finally, the new bee species crawled out of the cocoon.

    They seemed to be slightly smaller in size, more agile, and faster than the regr Chinese honeybees, just as Hua Mi had anticipated.

    Hua Mi immediately established a mental connection to examine their attributes.

    The results were somewhat different from what he expected. There were advantages and disadvantages.

    The advantage was that, as he had anticipated, they had inherited the hardening ability of the Irond Bees and the speed of the Forest Swift Bees. Moreover, their speed exceeded even that of the regr bees, reaching up to three times the speed!

    However, there was a significant drawback��they had no honey sacs.

    In other words, their honey-collecting ability was zero.

    They were now purelybat bees.

    But their incredible speed meant that they could quickly gather to protect the hive, and from that perspective, they were still worth cultivating.

    Hua Mi controlled them to harden.

    Their hardness was almost the same as that of the Irond Bees. It looked like a crystalline substance covering their bodies, although that wasn''t entirely urate. It was more like a magical force creating a protective shield on their bodies, which appeared crystalline due to light refraction.

    Their wing sections were exceptionally developed, and even in their fully hardened state, they could fly at twice the speed of regr bees.

    "Since they are a hybrid of Forest Swift Bees and Irond Bees, I''ll call them Irond Swift Bees."

    As usual, Hua Mi replicated the temte of this new bee species.

    Now he had temtes for four different bee species: Forest Swift Bees, Irond Bees, Agony Bees, and Irond Swift Bees.

    First, Irond Swift Bees couldn''t rece Forest Swift Bees. Although they were faster, theycked honey sacs, so they couldn''t collect nectar.

    As for Irond Bees, in terms ofbat value, Irond Swift Bees couldpletely rece them. However, Irond Bees had an advantage in that they possessed bothbat and collecting abilities, though their collecting ability wasn''t as high as that of regr bees; it stood at 0.7.

    So, in a way, Irond Bees were like soldiers during wartime and engaged in production tasks during peacetime.

    Hua Mi could have some Irond Swift Bees, but their numbers shouldn''t be too high.

    He had six spare colonies of regr Chinese honeybees. Hua Mi selected one of them and injected the Irond Swift Bee temte into it.

    After his mental strength had improved, this process was a piece of cake for him.

    As usual, he recorded this new bee species in his notes.

    [Irond Swift Bee]

    A hybrid of Forest Swift Bees and Irond Bees, inheriting the hardening ability of Irond Bees and the speed of Forest Swift Bees, butcking a honey sac. They are slightly smaller than regr Chinese honeybees, with thicker,rger wings, ck stripes all over their bodies, diffraction patterns on their backs, shorter antennae, weakened sense of smell, iplete development of single eye, and reduced vision...

    [Lifespan: 1]

    [Reproductive Ability: 1]

    [Productivity: 0]

    Lifespan and reproductive ability were sufficient to ensure the natural continuation of the poption. From the perspective of the bee colony, a simple value of 1 was assigned.

    In reality, Irond Swift Bees had a slightly shorter lifespan than regr bees but higher reproductive ability.

    However, there was no need to be too precise; this wasn''t a research paper, and rounding the values made it more intuitive and easier to understand.

    Furthermore, since Irond Swift Beescked honey sacs, their honey-collecting ability was undoubtedly 0.

    In terms ofbat:

    [Attack: 1.5]

    [Defense: 6]

    [Life Force: 2]

    [Speed: 2.5]

    The overallbat ability was rated at 5. This was a significant improvement over Irond Bees and Agony Bees, both of which had a rating of 3.

    So, the second round of hybridization and evolution had been sessful.

    "By the way, these Irond Swift Bees are still in a state suitable for mating, so they should be able to undergo a second round of hybridization, right?"

    Hua Mi attempted to connect the Agony Bee temte to one of the Irond Swift Bees, and it worked.

    Since he already had the Irond Swift Bee temte, another bee colony had obtained the temte and was cocooning, so he could boldly use this ready-made individual for the experiment.

    Hua Mi began to attempt the hybridization of Agony Bees and Irond Swift Bees.

    The result revealed that the difficulty of the second round of hybridization far exceeded that of the first. The repulsive force between the two species increased significantly.

    If the first round was considered normal difficulty, then the second round was expert-level difficulty.

    Hua Mi expended a lot of mental energy to finally get them to fuse.

    Just as the newly emerged Irond Swift Bee was about to exit the box, it turned around and crawled back inside.

    Hua Mi was almost mentally exhausted, and after tidying up, he returned home without even drinking honey water, copsing into deep slumber.

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 Chapter 28: The Ring-Cut Bees

    Chapter 28: The Ring-Cut Bees

    Hua Mi woke up and started processing a few orders. As he watched his decreasing stock, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of urgency. Knowing that a new honey source was right in front of him but inessible made him even more anxious.

    "If I sell all 500 bottles of Moon Slumber Flower honey, that''s 150,000! After taxes and costs, I can still make tens of thousands. In today''s environment, that''s pretty good," Hua Mi thought as he tried to boost his morale. He had a simple meal and then transported himself to the otherworldly cottage.

    His biological clock hadpletely adjusted to this world, and he didn''t need to keep track of time consciously. He arrived in the early morning.

    Opening the front window, he weed the fresh air, taking a deep breath that cleared his mind and improved his mood instantly. The environment here was far better than on Earth. If it weren''t for safety concerns, he''d consider spending the night.

    Hua Mi checked on his bee colonies. The Irond Swift Bees and the second-generation hybrid queen were still in their pupal stage, but it looked like they would emerge soon, probably today.

    Hua Mi opened the magic box and carried the beehives outside. He didn''t want the bee colonies to stay cooped up in the hives all the time, as it could lead to issues.

    While the Moon Slumber Flowers had stopped producing nectar, it didn''t prevent the bees from taking short flights. After theirst nectar collection, the bees stored the remaining nectar in their honey sacs to start the fermentation process. Once all the fermentation wasplete, there would be around a dozen jars of honey, which wasn''t much, but it was better than nothing.

    If Hua Mi couldn''t find a new honey source in time, he intended to keep this honey as a reserve for the bees.

    After setting up the hives, Hua Mi sat at a wooden table, basking in the morning sunlight streaming through the window, and began to peruse his alchemical notes.

    After a while, Xiao Zi arrived, as expected, with some bad news. The tree nymph hadn''t left yet. But her sisters saw through her attempts to ck off and had sent Xiao Huang to supervise her.

    "We''ve found anotherrge area with nectar-producing flowers, but it''s too far from here. Given your speed, it might take you a day to reach there," Xiao Huang stated bluntly.

    Hua Mi had no ns to set up camp at the honey source, especially since he felt uneasy staying in the forest at night. He didn''t want to risk a surprise attack from some magical creature while sleeping.

    "We have to go��" Xiao Huang said, but she turned around to find herpanion had disappeared. She looked back to see that Xiao Zi had made her way to the honey jar and was enjoying a feast.

    "You little rascal!" Xiao Huang scolded, then flew over to her. "How can you��"

    Before she could finish her sentence, Xiao Zi swiftly shoved a honey-covered stick into Xiao Huang''s mouth, rendering her speechless.

    In the end, both of them decided to stay. For Hua Mi, it made no difference whether one or both of them remained.

    Hua Mi continued reading, with both nymphs watching. One perched on his shoulder while the other fluttered around restlessly. Hua Mi didn''t mind, and when he encountered some confusing parts in his notes, he could always ask for their opinions.

    Even though the pseudo-flower spirits couldn''t leave the Dark Forest, they had lived for a long time and had gathered a lot of information from outsiders. They knew more than Hua Mi, who was a neer from another world.

    By mid-morning, the bee colony that had been infused with the Irond Swift Bee temte emerged from its cocoon. Hua Mi conducted a training session. With a sharp buzzing sound, the new bee colony''s wings pped at a much higher frequency than ordinary honey bees. They could cover a short distance almost instantly. Then, a magical force field enveloped them, hardening their bodies.

    The bees stacked up neatly in front of Hua Mi, forming a one-meter square, crystalline shield when illuminated by sunlight. It was like a magical shield that could be summoned and dismissed at will, changing its shape and orientation.

    Much more versatile than the Irond Bees, which, even though they were tough, became significantly slower when their entire bodies were hardened. The Irond Swift Bees didn''t have this issue. They could maintain a speed over twice that of regr honey bees, even when their entire bodies were hardened, maintaining their defensive capabilities and agility.

    "Although they can''t collect nectar, they are undoubtedly an elite fighting force," Hua Mi concluded. He couldpletely rece the Irond Bees with the Irond Swift Bees. With 30 Forest Swift Bees at his disposal, their nectar collection rate was more than sufficient, and the Irond Bees'' contribution could be ignored.

    The two pseudo-flower spirits marveled at the well-trained swarm of insects they witnessed in the small cottage. It was like a group of intelligent creatures that obeyed Hua Mi''s everymand.

    "Amazing! Is this magic?" one of them asked.

    "It doesn''t seem like ordinary magic. The swarm emits a clear magical aura, but Hua Mi himself doesn''t have any," the other one observed. "It''s like he''s manipting the magic on these flying insects directly with his mind and then using it as magic. But does that make sense? A person''s mental power can only manipte their personal magic. That''smon knowledge."

    The two little spirits thought more and more but couldn''t make sense of it. They furrowed their brows, puzzled. Hua Mi couldn''t exin it either, but to him, it was as natural as breathing. Currently, he could control two swarms simultaneously, as effortlessly as using his two hands, making the phrase "as if it were second nature" an apt description.

    By noon, Hua Mi brought some canned food and biscuits for lunch, which he usually had in this cottage.

    Not long after lunch, the second-generation hybrid queen emerged from her chamber.

    Hua Mi had spent the morning reading, and he had just finished eating, so he felt a bit drowsy. However, seeing a new bee about to hatch made him instantly alert.

    He approached the hive, eagerly anticipating the birth of a new bee. Xiao Huang and Xiao Zi had grown more curious about the bees and stood on his shoulder, all six of their eyes fixed on the bee that had just emerged.

    "It looks just like the Irond Swift Bees on the outside��" Hua Mi suspected that the hybrid had not shown any new traits because it looked identical to the Irond Swift Bees at first nce.

    However, as the bee fully emerged, he noticed the differences. It inherited the specialized feature of the Painful Sting Bee, but strictly speaking, it wasrger and its stinger had evolved further. The stinger was not onlyrger but also had a ttened shape, with symmetrical rows of serrated edges on both sides��clearly derived from the barbed trait. When the stinger was fully extended, it resembled a sword being drawn from its sheath.

    It looked strange at first, but upon closer inspection, it still looked strange. This was the bee''s external transformation.

    As for its internal structure, it deviated from what Hua Mi had anticipated.

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 Chapter 29: Mistakes in the Flower Field

    Chapter 29: Mistakes in the Flower Field

    Hua Mi found that the hybrid creature exhibited distinct characteristics.

    First and foremost was the hardening ability of the Irond Swift Bee.

    It only inherited a portion of it.

    It couldn''t use full-body hardening, but overall, this new bee had a much sturdier body than regr bees.

    To put it in human terms, it had a robust bone structure, significantly increasing its survivability and hit points.

    The only part that could harden like the Irond Swift Bee was its pincers, with magical power infused on their surface, making these serrated pincers look even more massive.

    In terms of flight speed, it perfectly inherited the high-speed ability of the Irond Swift Bee.

    It even surpassed the Irond Swift Bee.

    Because this new beecked a honey sac, poison nds, and other parts, it further reduced its weight. Combined with its enhanced durability, strong wing ps, and the absence of full-body hardening, its maximum flight speed could reach four times that of regr bees! It could rival most vehicles on a high-speed road!

    "No honey sac for honey collection, no poison nds for dealing extra damage to enemies. Even though the pincers have increased in size, they still might not be enough for humanbat. You can''t exactly use the serrated pincers to cut through... Wait a minute; maybe..."

    A spark of inspiration suddenly ignited in Hua Mi''s mind.

    A single bee is small in size, but what if they were tightly connected?

    With the tremendous speed, the power they would unleash couldn''t be underestimated.

    Hua Mi decided to conduct an experiment.

    He controlled the bee to extend its pincers and then hardened the pincer tips. He made them contact the edge of a wooden table and quickly flew away. The pincer left an easy mark on the surface.

    The nature of this bee was different from the Torture Bee but closer to the Irond Bee.

    In other words, a single bee might not seem threatening, but when gathered in a group, they could produce a powerful effect.

    Hua Mi first replicated the temte of this bee, then selected a group of regr bees for temte conversion.

    "If things go smoothly, I''ll gain a new physical attack method... Well, to be precise, it''s a physical attack enhanced with magic."

    He already had the usage of these bees in mind.

    He had even thought of a name for them: "Circle Saw Bees."

    ��Circle Saw Bees��

    Hybrids of Irond Swift Bees and Torture Bees, inheriting the high-speed characteristics of Irond Swift Bees and the specialized pincers of Torture Bees. On this foundation, they have developed serrated pincers (hook specialization transformed into serrations), and the pincer tips can be locally hardened.

    Their size isparable to that of Irond Swift Bees, without honey sacs and poison nd structures, further reducing weight. The antennae and single eye are not fully developed...

    ��Lifespan: 1��

    ��Reproduction: 1��

    ��Productivity: 0��

    ��Attack: 4��

    ��Defense: 2��

    ��Hit Points: 4��

    ��Speed: 3.5��

    Their gathering ability is 0, and theirbat capability is assessed at 4.

    The next day, Hua Mi, as usual, dealt with a few orders.

    Then he crossed over to the otherworldly cabin and waited for the Circle Saw Bees to emerge from their hive.

    Hua Mi felt a mix of excitement and unease.

    Although his idea seemed good, it was uncertain if the actual operation would seed.

    Time passed minute by minute.

    The Circle Saw Bees started breaking free from their cocoons.

    Soon, arge group of Circle Saw Bees stood neatly before him.

    Unsheath your des!

    All the specialized pincers of the Circle Saw Bees extended, with hardened magical enchantments. They looked like enormous swords tightly... squeezed between their buttocks.

    Well, the more he thought about it, the weirder it felt.

    "As long as they work well, no need to overthink it."

    Hua Mi led the Circle Saw Bees out of the cabin, stopping several meters away to avoid getting hit if things went wrong.

    He had a part of the Circle Saw Bees form a giant ring, connecting end to end around the tree trunk, with the serrated pincers facing inwards, hardened. It created a magical creature "chainsaw."

    "Let me see your power."

    The Bee Ring began flying in a circr motion, elerating quickly and reaching its maximum speed in the blink of an eye.

    Just then, a point on the inner part of the Bee Ring touched the tree trunk.

    Zing��

    The precise cutting sounds emerged, and sawdust rained down like dust.

    Cutting a tree required skill, or it could easily get stuck.

    Hua Mi made slight adjustments to the Bee Ring''s vertical position, opening arger gap.

    As he delved deeper, the magnitude of the vertical adjustments decreased, creating a triangr view from the side. This was to control the direction in which the tree would fall.

    The serrated structure in high-speed mode could produce tremendous destructive power, and with the added effect of magical hardening, hardwoods were as fragile as tofu before the Bee Ring.

    In less than a minute, the Bee Ring had cut about half of the tree trunk.

    With a crisp cracking sound, the tree trunk''s support finally lost bnce and slowly fell in the pre-set direction.

    Boom!

    The thick tree trunk crashed to the ground, throwing up soil several meters away.

    To be honest, this efficiency exceeded Hua Mi''s expectations a bit.

    "I need more practice."

    He used the fallen tree to practice several times until he had cut it into dozens of small logs. Finally, he mastered the skill.

    It felt like acquiring a new ability, and this skill was exactly what he needed right now.

    The Circle Saw Bees weren''t just for sawing trees.

    They could also be used to saw through Tree Spirits.

    You want to stay in the flower field, huh?

    Today, you''ll experience what it means to make a mistake in the flower field!

    Hua Mi led the Circle Saw Bees back to the cabin, where he encountered Xiao Huang and Xiao Zi looking for him.

    When he heard that the Tree Spirit was still around, Hua Mi felt excited.

    If it didn''t leave, he had a use for his new skill.

    He couldn''t just let it go to waste.

    "Let''s go, today''s a good day for honey collection," Hua Mi put on his equipment and told the two little beings.

    "Ah? Where are we going?"

    "To the Witch''s Eye, of course."

    "But the Tree Spirit is still there..."

    "It doesn''t want to leave, so I''ll send it away."

    The two pseudo-Flower Sprites exchanged nces, puzzled by Hua Mi''s decision.

    They had been living in the ck Forest for a long time and had seen unfortunate individuals being crushed or strangled to death by Tree Spirits. Those unfortunate ones had be nourishment for the ck Forest.

    "Rest assured, I have a way to deal with it," Hua Mi said, opening his magic box and controlling the Circle Saw Bees to fly out.

    The two pseudo-Flower Sprites shook their heads together.

    While Hua Mi''s ability to control the bees was impressive and rarely seen, using bees to deal with a Tree Spirit was still unrealistic.

    To some extent, Tree Spirits naturally countered bee swarms.

    However, Hua Mi didn''t heed their warnings and led the bees toward thekeside.

    The Tree Spirit could sense even the slightest ground vibrations with its roots and immediately detected someone approaching. It turned its wooden face, and its glowing eyes stared directly at Hua Mi.

    With a sudden movement, it stood up and approached him, making a creaking sound as its long "arms" reached toward him!

    The two pseudo-Flower Sprites gasped and covered their eyes, unable to watch any longer.

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 Chapter 30: The Living Wood and the Enlightenment Heart

    Chapter 30: The Living Wood and the Enlightenment Heart

    The tree demon''s "arms" wereposed of multiple intertwined branches, extending over ten meters in length. Although they appeared slender, they were as thick as a wine barrel.

    Swoosh!

    The tree demon''s right arm sliced through the air, pointing directly at Hua Mi.

    Hua Mi needed to stay close to control the bee swarm effectively, at least within visible range. Otherwise, the connection of consciousness would gradually weaken until itpletely broke.

    "I might get quite a bruise from this," Hua Mi muttered to himself, trying to ease the tension.

    He then focused his attention and controlled a portion of the segmented bees, forming a bee chain that flew toward the tree demon.

    "No one can stop me from collecting honey!"

    With a flying speed four times that of regr bees, the bee chain reached the root of the tree demon''s right arm in just a couple of seconds.

    The bee chain spiraled around the tree demon''s right arm, rapidly approaching its base.

    That was the part connected to the tree trunk.

    The bee chain instantly transformed, forming a bee ring that smoothly elerated to its maximum speed. When the bee saw touched the tree demon''s right arm, Hua Mi immediately noticed the difference between the tree demon''s "flesh" and ordinary wood. In simple terms, it was not as hard and had a bit more resilience. However, under the sharp chainsaw of the segmented bee, it was as easy to cut through as slicing bread. The tree demon''s right arm suddenly sank and then, with a cracking sound, it broke off from the base, falling to the ground with a stter of pale green tree sap.

    The tree demon swayed and almost lost bnce, taking a few steps backward with its two remaining legs before stabilizing itself.

    With only a small portion of its right arm remaining, the wooden face on its body appeared confused. Despite its intelligence, it couldn''t immediately determine the nature of the attack it had just endured.

    After standing still for a few seconds, it extended its left arm toward Hua Mi.

    Crack!

    The left arm also broke off and fell to the ground. Now, the tree demon could no longer pose any threat to Hua Mi.

    Next, it was nothing more than a piece of wood, no different from the motionless ordinary trees in the vicinity.

    "Impale My Great Owl''s Head Technique!"

    The segmented bee swarm surged toward the tree demon. Hua Mi believed the part where the wooden face was located was the tree demon''s head. With a stter of green liquid, it fell to the ground.

    Even while in the air, the tree demon''s green eyes flickered briefly and then extinguishedpletely.

    With its head gone, the tree demon''s life force didn''t immediately reach zero. Its only vital spot was the location of the Enlightenment Heart.

    Other areas, even if damaged, would not kill it. Given enough time, they could even regenerate. However, Hua Mi didn''t intend to give it that time.

    Taking advantage of the tree demon''s loss of vision and halted movement, Hua Mi controlled the bee ring to continue cuttingyer byyer.

    Green liquid sshed everywhere as chunks of living wood fell to the ground. When it reached a particr point, the tree demon''s legs finally gave way, and it fell to the ground with a thud,pletely lifeless. Unfortunately, with the colossal creature falling, it also crushed a considerable number of feathered flowers.

    Hua Mi watched, his heart aching.

    In the distance, Xiao Huang and Xiao Zi exchanged nces, both with looks of astonishment.

    "He did it?"

    "He did it!"

    "It''s the first time I''ve seen something like this," Xiao Huangmented.

    Both of the little creatures, thinking they had lived through everything, had clearly been mistaken. They had never seen anything like this before.

    "So, you mean..." Xiao Huang''s eyes gleamed.

    "We can..." Xiao Zi''s face lit up.

    "Collect honey!" they eximed in unison, hugging each other with joy.

    Hua Mi called back the segmented bee swarm, rubbed his temple, and refocused his attention. Controlling a bee swarm in realbat required an intensity beyond regr training. The mental exertion was at least two or three times greater, so even though the battle hadn''tsted long, he was feeling a bit drained now.

    Hua Mi walked up to the nearest piece of the tree demon''s remains, squatting down to examine it. Once a tree demon underwent the Enlightenment Heart process, its body transformed from ordinary wood into what was known as living wood. A gentle poke revealed a slight sticity, though nowhere near that of animal tissues. By examining the cross-section, he could see awork of pale green conduits resembling a circtory system, with main and smaller channels through which the green liquid coursed, much like blood vessels in the human body. The green liquid had a faint grassy scent, and when it sshed onto the petals of the feathered flowers, Hua Mi watched as it slowly permeated and was absorbed entirely.

    The petals that absorbed the green liquid became noticeably more vibrant, full of life. Even some drooping flowers perked up.

    "Could the tree demon''s green fluid be beneficial for flower growth?"

    Regrettably, he had no suitable containers for the liquid, and most of the liquid from the tree trunk had already seeped into the soil, making it impossible to recover. He pondered if it was possible to keep a tree demon in captivity to collect its green fluid whenever needed, which could greatly aid his cultivation efforts. However, he had experienced the tree demon''s brutality and predatory nature; taming it was nearly impossible.

    The idea of maintaining a constant supply of green fluid wasn''t entirely impossible. He could take a more forceful approach. For instance, severing the tree demon''s limbs and immobilizing it like a regr tree, then cutting an opening in the trunk to insert a sap collector. But he understood that it wasn''t as straightforward as he was imagining.

    "I should collect some of this living wood and take it back in the magic box."

    The ck Forest Adventure Guide mentioned living wood as a rare material, but it didn''t specify its uses. "I''ll cut up the lower part of the tree demon''s body into smaller pieces for easier transportation. Regardless of its purpose, it''s always a good idea to have it stored. You never know when it mighte in handy."

    Hua Mi was lost in thought when his attention was suddenly drawn to a piece of living wood emitting a faint green light.

    Walking over, he observed the wood, which had an exceptionally densework of conduits and a subtle green hue throughout. At its center was a fist-sized luminous fluorite, with all the conduits connected to it.

    "It''s the Enlightenment Heart!"

    Two pseudo-flower spirits had flown over without him noticing and immediately recognized it as the Enlightenment Heart��the object that bestowed intelligence upon the tree demon.

    "This thing must be quite valuable, right?" Hua Mi was captivated by the external beauty of the Enlightenment Heart. It resembled a sparkling gem.

    "Once a tree demon dies, the Enlightenment Heart gradually loses its glow and turns into an ordinary stone. So, it''s not very valuable."

    "Oh, I see."

    That was a shame. Hua Mi had thought it was something precious. He removed the Enlightenment Heart, held it in his hand, and felt its density, which was simr to that of an ordinary stone. The only difference was that it emitted light.

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 Chapter 31: Conquering a New Honey Source

    Chapter 31: Conquering a New Honey Source

    "The green liquid is definitely produced by this Enlightenment Heart and transferred through ducts to various parts of the tree nymph''s body, maintaining its vitality," Hua Mi remarked thoughtfully.

    However, it only works inside a living tree nymph''s body.

    So, is there any way to keep it functioning outside of the body to produce green liquid continuously? If that could be achieved, it would be much more convenient than imprisoning a tree nymph, not to mention safer.

    The detached Enlightenment Heart rapidly lost its vitality.

    In just the time he contemted, the emitted light had dwindled to the point of being barely visible, visibly decaying.

    "So, I said it has no value. The detached Enlightenment Heart has such a short lifespan; it doesn''t even give us enough time to do anything... Well, let''s not dwell on that for now. If I ever meet a druid in the future, I can ask them about this problem," Hua Mi mused, shaking his head. He temporarily set aside this matter and casually tossed the nowpletely transformed Enlightenment Heart aside.

    Next, Hua Mi began to deal with honey harvesting.

    He started by moving the beehives outside.

    Although it was unlikely that they could harvest honey for much longer today, it was still a good idea to let the bees stretch their wings and familiarize themselves with the environment.

    From now on, thekeside of the Witch''s Eye Lake would be his new honey source.

    Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the next batch of honey produced in the Waterside Moon Month would be Feathered Flower Honey.

    All 38 beehives were moved out.

    The Irond Swift Bees and Circle-Cut Bees didn''t have honey sacs, so they couldn''t harvest honey. However, their mouthparts were intact, and they would instinctively gather nectar from the flowers. They wouldn''t store it; instead, they would digest it on the spot to replenish their energy.

    Then, Hua Mi operated the Circle-Cut Bees to cut the remaining tree trunks into pieces and stored them all in the magic box.

    After filling it up, there was still plenty of space left inside the magic box, more than enough to amodate all the beehives without the need to ce the active wood first.

    Hua Mi had asked, but the two pseudo-flower spirits couldn''t exin what the active wood could be used for. It wasn''t surprising, considering they had never left the ck Forest in their long lives, their knowledge was naturally limited.

    In any case, when Hua Mi saw the bees start flying out one by one to collect honey, a huge weight was lifted off his chest.

    Ever since the Circle-Cut Bees were born, Hua Mi had thought of using them to deal with the tree nymph. So, he had already removed the remaining Moon Slumber Flower Honey from the beehives, obtaining another fourteen bottles of it.

    The honey stomachs were now clean and ready to be filled with the new type of honey.

    Unlike the patch of Moon Slumber Flowers in the backyard of the little house, the Feathered Flowers didn''t grow in a dense cluster. Instead, they were distributed in a circle around theke, making their gathering efficiency somewhat affected.

    However, the number of flowers here was beyondpare to the previous Moon Slumber Flower sea, even though many had been ravaged by the tree nymph. There was still a significant amount left.

    Hua Mi observed the nectar production from a single Feathered Flower, and it was about the same as the Moon Slumber Flowers. ording to the two pseudo-flower spirits, it was the peak nectar flow period for the Feathered Flowers��what beekeepersmonly referred to as the major nectar flow period. Depending on the weather, it typicallysted about ten days.

    "Ten days, shorter than the Moon Slumber Flowers, but that''s not a problem. After the major nectar flow period ends, there will still be a continuous nectar flow, albeit in smaller quantities."

    With 30 Forest Swift Bees, 1 Irond Bee, and 1 Excruciating Pain Bee, all capable of harvesting honey, their efficiency was incredibly high when working at full capacity.

    Now, there were fewer rainy days, so it would probably take no more than a couple of weeks to fill this batch of honey stomachs, considering the time needed for transportation from the little wooden house to the Witch''s Eye Lake.

    At the very least, he didn''t have to worry about honey stock for some time.

    The effect of the Moon Slumber Flower Honey had pleasantly surprised Hua Mi, and it was selling well now. At the current rate, he expected to sell out in less than a month.

    Most importantly, it improved his shop''s reputation, and to some extent, it helped restore the reputation of Hua Yu Town, which was highly beneficial for his future development.

    He hoped that the uing Feathered Flower Honey wouldn''t disappoint him. He wondered if it would have any special effects. Of course, he aimed to create a subtle touch of magic on Earth; nothing too extravagant.

    If the magical effects of the honey were too over-the-top, he wouldn''t sell it on Earth; he would only retail it offline in this otherworldly realm.

    Making a little less money was eptable, but exposing his secrets for the sake of money, or even causing world-changing chaos and turmoil, would be foolish.

    In the end, this magical otherworld remained unfamiliar and unknown, and the unknown often meant fear and danger. Each expedition outside was akin to an adventure.

    In contrast, his life on Earth was like a safe haven; tranquility was the true essence.

    If he made his haven unsafe, he would only be creating unnecessary difficulties for himself.

    "By the way, thiske is too big not to go fishing in."

    Theke was deep, its bottom not visible, and it had a pale green color, likely full of underwater nts. Based on Earth''s experience, there were certainly fish inside.

    Hua Mi decided to bring his fishing gear tomorrow.

    The bees would be collecting honey, and he would be fishing. What a wonderful n.

    ...

    Beforeing here today, Hua Mi had spent some time practicing how to control the Circle-Cut Bees.

    So, by the time he arrived, it was already afternoon. After setting up the scene, arranging the beehives, he wasted a fair amount of time.

    By the time he blinked, it was already dusk.

    Although it wasn''tpletely dark yet, Hua Mi had already begun tomand the bees to return and was preparing to leave.

    He wanted to leave some time for the journey; he didn''t want to walk in the woods in the dark.

    The two pseudo-flower spirits left cheerfully to inform their sisters about the good news. They were just as delighted as Hua Mi that they coulde here to collect honey.

    Returning to the wooden house, it was alreadypletely dark.

    Hua Mi moved the active wood from the magic box and stacked it in the basement, the ce where he had the semi-automatic alchemy pot.

    On Earth, it was still daytime.

    Hua Mi nced at his online store''s backend and found a dozen more orders.

    Word-of-mouth rmendations had a significant impact on honey sales, so the initial sale of 100 bottles had set the stage for further sess.

    Everything was falling into ce.

    Hua Mi processed the orders and then contacted to purchase 12 Chinese Bees��mainly because the seller could only provide a maximum of 12 bees at a time for a short period, and more would require advance reservations.

    "Did something happen with the bees you bought earlier?" The seller, an old friend of Hua Mi''s grandfather, was curious and asked an extra question.

    "No problem, I just need more bees to expand," Hua Mi exined. Only beekeepers truly understood how satisfying it was to expand one''s bee colony. In general, the number of bee colonies a beekeeper had could reflect the state of their business. The more colonies, the better the business was.

    "It''s not easy," the sellermented. He understood the current conditions in the domestic honey industry. Life was getting tougher for individual beekeepers, and even well-established honey production areas like Hua Yu Town were struggling.

    He didn''t expect this small business owner to thrive in such a challenging environment.

    Hopefully, it wouldn''t be a sh in the pan.

    Given their mutual interests and their close rtionship, the seller was genuinely happy about Hua Mi''s growing sess.

    "By the way, I need to buy some fishing bait," Hua Mi added. He already had aplete set of fishing gear at home; he just needed bait. His grandfather used to be an avid fisherman, and the fishing rod was of high quality, made from titanium alloy or some other durable material; it was still in excellent condition after all these years.

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 Chapter 32: The Choice

    Chapter 32: The Choice

    "Hua Mi, gather honey from the flowers."

    "Beekeepers are always busy here and there."

    "The bees follow the beekeeper."

    "Working tirelessly without rest."

    ...

    Seven Pseudo-Flower Spirits exchanged yful words, singing their selfposed tunes, filling the air above the witch with a sense of spirituality.

    From a distance, they appeared as seven different shades, like a living rainbow.

    "It''s so leisurely; these carefree little beings," Hua Mi mused as he watched them from the riverbank.

    Today, the sunlight was lovely, and he sat by the riverbank in his ck robe and hood, holding a titanium alloy fishing rod. He had been fishing all morning with aplete set of fishing gear by his side.

    But so far, his efforts had yielded nothing. His bucket contained nothing but water, not even a tiny fish.

    Fishing required patience, luck, and skill, making it quite challenging. So having no catch was normal.

    The primary goal was to pass the time. He had no intention of eating any fish he caught; instead, he nned to rear them. If he ever needed aquatic nectar-producing nts, he could release the fish fry into the pond, creating a small ecosystem to aid in nt growth.

    The buzzing of the bee swarm circled around him, as if they were providing an apaniment for the seven little spirits.

    Hua Mi noticed the significant difference between these ethereal creatures and other species. These spiritscked greed, didn''t enjoy conflict, knew how to savor life, and could live a vibrant, colorful life without boredom.

    It made him, a purebred human, quite envious. "Thinking about it, the songs they''reposing have some deep meaning. Why do we humans run around our whole lives and stay busy... Oh, I''ve got a bite!"

    Just as he was contemting the meaning of life, his fishing rod suddenly twitched, pulling him out of his contemtion.

    Hua Mi stood up with a quick "whoosh," one hand holding the rod, and the other reeling in the line. The float on the water''s surface swayed vigorously and moved irregrly.

    "It''s a strong pull; a big one!" Hua Mi recalled the fishing techniques he had learned in the past, managing the struggle with the creature underwater.

    The goal was to maintain tension on the line without letting it snap. The theory was one thing, but practice was a different beast entirely. Challenges encountered in practice always outnumbered those in ideal conditions. This fish was not only strong but also incredibly stubborn.

    After a lengthy struggle, Hua Mi''s hands ached, and he hadn''t made any progress. In fact, the fish was moving further away from the bank.

    "Seeing your strong will to survive, I''ll let you go," he said, about to give up when something unexpected happened. The water in the vicinity of the fishhook suddenly bulged, growing higher and higher. Eventually, a water sphere emerged, floating gently in the air, refracting the sunlight and shimmering with rainbow colors.

    Arge fish, over thirty centimeters long, was enclosed within the water sphere. The fish''s scales had a faint greenish sheen, sparkling as it moved.

    A faint trail extended from the water sphere to the shore. Hua Mi followed it and spotted a burly figure squatting there.

    Recognizing the figure, Hua Mi''s heart sank. A thin wire of tension immediately stretched in his mind, and he focused, connecting his consciousness to the Iron Armor Swift Bees and the Circle Cut Bees.

    He was ready for offense or defense.

    Despite his leisurely fishing, he had been vignt all along. Watching wilderness survival shows had taught him some essential survival knowledge, and he was aware thatkesides weren''t necessarily safe, as wild animals coulde to drink.

    The same principle applied to riverbanks. He had been prepared all along, withbat bee swarms at the ready to respond immediately if needed.

    But he didn''t expect the threat toe from a beast but from an entirely different species. Furthermore, this creature was an expert in stealth, and he hadn''t noticed her until she reached the bank.

    With her ostentatious muscles and fiery-red skin, she was unmistakably the wanted criminal the elf had shown him earlier��a creature born for war, a Berserker Elf.

    "I thought this forest was so vast that the chances of meeting one would be slim. Who would''ve thought I''d encounter one... I guess I shouldn''t make predictions in the future."

    The water sphere hung in the air for a moment before flying towards Hua Mi. He quicklymanded his Iron Armor Swift Bees to form a protective shield in front of him. But the expected impact never came. The water sphere slowed down andnded in the bucket with a sshing sound, drenching Hua Mi in the process.

    Staring at the struggling fish in the bucket, Hua Mi was momentarily stunned. He opened a gap in the bee shield and looked towards the Berserker Elf.

    She was kneeling by the shore, her fiery red face wearing a somewhat mocking smile, like a fierce warrior taunting her timid foe.

    Hua Mi felt a bit annoyed. While the result of her actions was a gift, her intentions weren''t entirely benevolent.

    The Berserker Elf paid no further attention to him, extending her arm into theke to rinse her other arm and then taking a few sips ofke water, seemingly unconcerned about cleanliness.

    Upon closer inspection, Hua Mi realized that she appeared injured, with her armor disying multiple damages and a bleeding wound on her arm. However, her skin was naturally red, so the injury was not immediately noticeable.

    Was she injured by the traditional elf he had encountered earlier?

    "At least she''s not a bloodthirsty lunatic," Hua Mi thought. When encountering a new and intimidating species, it was natural to initially exaggerate their malevolence, especially after the introduction by the traditional elf. It seemed that she meant no harm.

    As long as she didn''t initiate hostilities, they could coexist peacefully.

    Hua Mi removed the hook from the fish''s mouth, re-baited it, and resumed his position on the small stool. However, he kept a watchful eye on the Berserker Elf. Hisbat bee swarms remained on standby.

    The Berserker Elf, having cleaned her face, suddenly seemed to realize something. She turned and nced at Hua Mi, then plunged her hands into the water.

    As if by some invisible force, theke water swiftly climbed her arms until it formed a water membrane encasing herpletely. Then, she slid into the water as if she were merging with it, without creating any sshes or ripples.

    At the same time, another figure emerged from the forest. Tall and slender, with flowing silver hair, she was equally distinctive. The elf held a bow and approached theke.

    Her gaze shifted from the seven Pseudo-Flower Spirits to the bee swarm and finally settled on Hua Mi, who was sitting by theke fishing.

    The elfdy wasn''t sure if she recognized him, so she approached him, took out the wanted poster, and showed it to him again. "Have you seen her?"

    Hua Mi hesitated. While the Berserker Elf had helped him by providing the fish, he had mixed feelings. Revealing her location would undoubtedly incur her wrath, and he didn''t want to turn this ce into a battlefield. Even if the traditional elf subdued her, there was no guarantee she wouldn''t seek revengeter.

    He didn''t want to attract any unnecessary hostility. "Listen, the person I''m tracking is an extremely dangerous criminal. If you can provide information that helps me catch her, you''ll receive friendship and rewards from the Emerald Court."

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 Chapter 33: Seizing Opportunities

    Chapter 33: Seizing Opportunities

    A Thank-you?

    What kind of thank-you was she talking about? When it came to this, Hua Mi was visibly excited.

    The Jade Court sounded like an elegant and upscale ce, probably the homnd of the mainstream Elves before them. A highly civilized and powerful race like them wouldn''t offer a meager thank-you gift. Even without the reward, establishing friendly rtions with the Elven faction was a great opportunity. Who knows, this could be the first step to opening up a new market for interdimensional honey.

    "Calm down, don''t let your greed cloud your judgment. Always consider the hidden dangers behind the benefits."

    The only problem now was...

    Gift or friendship, these were all secondary concerns. What he had to think about was the real and present issues.

    Even if he didn''t care for himself, he had to consider the Feathered Blossoms here. They couldn''t withstand another battle.

    In just a few seconds, Hua Mi figured out the intricacies of the situation. He pretended to scrutinize the image carefully, shook his head, and said, "I''ve been fishing here all this time, and I haven''t seen this person."

    The Elf nced at the bucket filled with fat fish, now lifeless. She seemed to believe his words. She put away the wanted poster but didn''t leave immediately.

    She faced theke, gazing expressionlessly into the distance. The seven tiny Pseudo-Flower Spirits had stopped their singing and dancing but remained in the distance, not approaching. While the Pseudo-Flower Spirits were a friendly and kind race, they were cautious when it came to interacting with strangers. They often observed from the shadows and asionally set up pranks to see how their targets reacted. Only when the target had passed their tests would they approach.

    While Hua Mi appeared calm as he looked out at theke, his heart was pounding. What if she discovered the wanted fugitive hidden in the water? Would she consider him an aplice? The consequences might be worse than if he had just told her the truth. He had no desire to get involved in the enmity between these two races.

    "Seize opportunities and make profits." Hua Mi held his fishing rod steady, even though his mind was racing.

    "Do you live in the ck Forest?" the Elf suddenly turned to him and asked.

    "Yes. The cabin in the woods, you''ve been there."

    "It''s notmon to open a shop in the ck Forest, and humans are even rarer."

    "Selling things is secondary; I mainly enjoy the atmosphere here."

    The Elf looked deeply at him and asked, "Sindra, from the Jade Court, how should I address you?"

    Hua Mi pondered for a moment. "You can call me the Bee Whisperer."

    "The Bee Whisperer��" Sindra struggled to pronounce the name, as there were no bees or the word ''bee'' in this world. To the indigenous inhabitants of this world, it sounded quite strange.

    "Those Pseudo-Flower Spirits seem to trust you a lot," Sindra noted, ncing in their direction. She likely remembered the purple Pseudo-Flower Spirit she had seen in the wooden cabin earlier, which had a close connection with Hua Mi. Based on their trust in him and the current situation, she made this judgment.

    "More or less," Hua Mi replied.

    "As far as I know, Pseudo-Flower Spirits don''t easily approach humans. Gaining their trust is proof of your honesty and reliability."

    Hua Mi found it amusing that she didn''t doubt him because of this. The seven little ones were willing to approach him not because of his noble character, but because of honey. Of course, he considered himself to have a decent character.

    The Elf''s erroneous judgment was likely due to her pride and a belief that the red-skinned Elf represented evil and couldn''t be tolerated. However, from Hua Mi''s and the little ones'' perspective, the red-skinned Elf hadn''t disyed any evil tendencies; in fact, she had even "enthusiastically" helped him catch a big fish. So, there was no way she could be considered evil. It was her arrogance that misled her.

    "If you or your seven friends find any clues, shoot this arrow into the sky. I will sense it immediately," Sindra said as she retrieved an arrow from her quiver. She held it tightly, and several white lights emanated from her hand, attaching themselves to the arrow.

    "I''ve marked the arrow so that it will resonate with my soul when shot. It will remain effective for ten days. As I mentioned earlier, if this seeds, you will gain the friendship and gratitude of the Jade Court."

    Hua Mi epted the arrow; it felt like wood but was incredibly light and harder than ironwood, almost like metal. He ced it next to hisposite bow and said, "I can''t guarantee anything; after all, I''m just a small merchant. If you want to buy my honey, I can guarantee your satisfaction."

    "Then, farewell," Sindra said and left thekeside without looking back.

    This person, not even asking what honey is. She was prepared with a whole marketing spiel. What a waste of effort.

    After Sindra left, Hua Mi continued to sit calmly on his stool, fishing. Theke remained tranquil, with no signs of disturbance. The seven Pseudo-Flower Spirits flew over to him.

    "Why didn''t shee out?" one of them asked.

    "Could she have drowned in there?" another wondered.

    "That would be so sad," a third one chimed in.

    Hua Mi didn''t think she would drown so easily. She wouldn''t suffocate herself, would she? If she couldn''t hold her breath any longer, she would likelye out and confront the pale-skinned Elf, maybe even escape. The red-skinned Elf was probably just waiting in the water to avoid falling for Sindra''s deceit and wanted to stay underwater a little longer to be cautious.

    She didn''te out, and Hua Mi didn''t make a move, continuing to fish without a fuss. Several more minutes passed, and ripples finally appeared on theke''s surface. With a gurgling sound, a round water sphere emerged, and then, with a ssh, a transparent humanoid figure made entirely of water broke the surface. Riding the current, she slowly made her way to the shore, using both her hands and feet to crawl up. Ayer of water receded, revealing the fiery red skin underneath. She was soaked and looked even more disheveled than before. Her once neatlybed-back ck hair was now a mess, hanging down like a water spirit''s.

    She suddenly looked up, her yellow vertical pupils piercing through her wet hair, staring intensely at Hua Mi. In that instant, he felt as if he was staring into the eyes of a top predator. His heart tightened, and he immediately sent his twobat bees to protect him. To be honest, he didn''t expect her to offer any rewards at this point; she had clearly seen better days. But if she wanted to seek revenge, he wouldn''t just sit idly by.

    Thankfully, the red-skinned Elf showed no intention of attacking him. After giving him a brief nce, she rolled over andy on the ground, gasping for breath.

    After resting on the ground for a while, the red-skinned Elf spoke, though not in anguage Hua Mi could understand. She spoke in a series of strange, guttural sounds with many rolling and trilling sounds, anguage he couldn''tprehend.

    Language barriers were where the Pseudo-Flower Spirits came in handy. Telepathy was a natural ability of their kind, something they were born with, requiring no materials or rituals, and no need for learning after birth. This made them excellent trantors.

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 Chapter 34: The Chronicles of Madness - Remember Your Choice

    Chapter 34: The Chronicles of Madness - Remember Your Choice

    "Madness will remember your choice," were the first words spoken by the Redskin Elf. Tranted, it roughly meant that.

    In reality, the seven pseudo-flower spirits immediately chimed in when they heard he was going to trante, talking all at once, each with a slightly different take on it, like:

    "Madness spirits remember favors."

    "I represent the Madness n in extending friendship to you."

    "You''ve made the right choice."

    In any case, it was something along the lines of "someone will remember your choice in the game."

    Hua Mi pondered for a moment and came up with what he thought was the most appropriate trantion. "No need for you to repay me; just don''t cause trouble for me," he thought.

    He didn''t say anything and simply nodded at her, shifting his gaze back to theke. In his heart, he silently urged her to leave.

    Hua Mi only wanted a peaceful life, tending to fields, raising bees, and asionally going on adventures to find rare nectar sources to make more magical honey. Everything was gradually falling into ce, just as he had nned. He didn''t want this healthy routine disrupted.

    The Redskin Elf said something again, this time very briefly. Purple hair interjected, "She says her name is Lei Luo."

    Yellow hair followed up, "In humannguage, it trantes to ''War Hammer.''"

    "You can call me the Bee Whisperer," Hua Mi introduced herself once more.

    "Bee Whisperer... What does that mean?" The Redskin Elf sat up, her arm resting on her knee. There was a gruesome wound on that arm, almost down to the bone, but she seemedpletely unbothered, letting the wound gape open.

    "Honey bees, that''s what these little guys are called. I''m a beekeeper."

    "Do they feed on nectar?"

    "Not exactly. They can transform nectar into something more valuable��honey." Hua Mi spoke and pulled a bottle of Moon Slumber Flower Honey from a box, tossing it to her.

    War Hammer caught it and examined it closely. Her fearsome yellow vertical pupils disyed a hint of curiosity. "It has a wide range of uses. You can dissolve it in water or spread it on food as a seasoning. When applied to the surface of food, it can even prevent spoge."

    This was no exaggeration. Pure natural honey could indeed prevent food from spoiling. This was because honey was rich in antioxidants, acidicpounds, trace antibacterial substances, and its high sugar content, which all effectively inhibited the growth of microorganisms. In theory, pure natural honey would never spoil. If stored properly, even after hundreds or thousands of years, it would still be edible. Hua Mi remembered reading a report about archaeologists finding a jar of honey in an Egyptian pyramid dating back over three thousand years, and after analysis, it was still safe to consume.

    "Honey can not only be consumed but also used topically. If you''re injured and don''t have any first aid supplies, applying honey to the wound can effectively kill bacteria and prevent infection," Hua Mi advised, subtly hinting that she should tend to her wound.

    The Redskin Elf didn''t react to Hua Mi''s words at all, not even to address her wound. Instead, she stuck a finger into the wound, stirring it around. Hua Mi''s mouth twitched, and goosebumps covered his body. This woman was a bit of a maniac.

    "Madness Elves don''t feel pain. On the battlefield, even if we suffer severe injuries, as long as we have the strength, we will continue to fight until death," she exined with a low and calm voice. "When more than ten Madness warriors gather, it triggers a war frenzy. When injured, they be irritable and aggressive. They possess robust physiques... all these are traits designed for war. We are born war machines."

    Hua Mi was a bit uncertain about her emotional tone. Was she mocking herself or proud of it? However, her subsequent emotional expression was clear: it was evident anger.

    "After the war, our creators considered us a threat and nned a genocide against the Madness. Even to this day, a thousand years have passed, and we still face expulsion and oppression from those pale-skinned elves."

    War Hammer''s finger left the wound, and she stared at the blood on it, her expression growing more fervent. "But the situation won''t remain like this. Once we conquer the Emerald Court��this is just a matter of time��they will bear the umted anger of a thousand years!"

    Hua Mi remained silent. Talking to me about this won''t make a difference. I''m simply a honey seller.

    "Applying it externally anytime is fine, but if you want to take it internally, I must remind you that it will put you into a deep slumber. The worse your physical condition, the stronger the sedative effect. In your current state, I estimate one bite will make you fall asleep on the spot."

    Hua Mi''s implication was clear: take it in a safe ce, not here.

    War Hammer gazed at him after swallowing the honey, her head held high. "Sweet treats are for those pale-skins; we Madness folk prefer spicy and stimting food."

    Well, she found something toin about. Hua Mi urged, "Let''s get inside quickly."

    "Alright," War Hammer nodded and jumped into the well, but not before mentioning, "There''s adder here."

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 Chapter 35: The Return of the War Hammer

    Chapter 35: The Return of the War Hammer

    A muffled thud echoed from below.

    "I''m fine..." It sounded somewhat strained.

    Seems like anything goes when you have no sensation of pain.

    Even though Hua Mi possessed formidable physical strength, a jump from this height would leave anyone feeling dizzy.

    After confirming her well-being, she closed the magic box, stowed it in her pocket, and returned to her fishing spot.

    The seven pseudo-flower spirits started singing again, using the same melody but with altered lyrics.

    "Little bee, gathering flower nectar."

    "Beekeepers have their own ns."

    "Sitting by theke, fishing with all their intent."

    "Whether it''s red or white, we don''t care."

    "What doesn''t concern us, we let it be."

    ...

    As the day grewte, Hua Mi packed up her fishing gear and instructed the honeybees to return to their hives.

    Opening the magic box and peering inside, she found the War Hammer curled up against the wall, sleeping like a giant muscle-bound baby.

    Hua Mi moved the bee boxes inside one by one.

    Then, she brought the bee boxes back outside to prevent a potential conflict between the War Hammer and the honeybees when he woke up.

    She suddenly became curious about what would happen if she used the magic box to return to Earth at this moment. Would the War Hammer just drop out of it, as the Moonlit Slumber Flower had donest time? Or perhaps he would be crushed due to spatial distortions?

    It was better not to experiment with that.

    Tonight, she decided to stay over here.

    Hua Mi fetched a water bucket from Earth and ced the fat fish she had caught in it.

    Dinner, sleep.

    A peaceful night passed.

    The next morning.

    Xiao Zi arrived as nned to serve as a trantor.

    Hua Mi opened the magic box.

    The War Hammer was already awake, sitting against the wall. He looked up at Hua Mi and asked, "Is there food?"

    ...

    Hua Mi had brought plenty of food with her. It was evident she was famished as she devoured it eagerly. In a matter of minutes, she had consumed everything on her te.

    Her condition had noticeably improved. Although the wounds on her arm were not fully healed, they had at least mended halfway. Most of her other injuries had also significantly improved.

    Considering it had only been one night, the rapid recovery was remarkable.

    Aside from the War Hammer''s inherent physical resilience, the honey she had given him yed a significant role.

    "Your honey is indeed exceptional."

    "In the future, there will be more varieties and effects of new honey."

    Hua Mi handed her a bottle of honey and said, "Take this for your journey."

    "I have no money."

    "It''s free, just remember it''s from the Bee Whisperer''s Little Hut in the ck Forest."

    The War Hammer didn''t refuse further and changed the topic, pointing at the magic box, "I can smell the scent of tree spirits inside."

    Hua Mi was taken aback.

    He could smell it?

    Aren''t you supposed to be a bloodhound for tracking?

    "I stored the remains of a tree spirit I defeated in the magic box. Can you really smell it? It''s been several days."

    "Elves are the most suitable species to be druids. Do you know why? Because elves are naturally attuned to nature. We excel at various elemental magics and can perceive the elemental residues in the air. The residues that might be imperceptible to humans are quite clear to me."

    I see.

    Her outward appearance easily masked her magical talents.

    It seemed that the War Hammers were truly versatile war machines, which exined why the pale-skinned elves saw them as a threat. To make a looseparison, it was akin to humans fearing artificial intelligence.

    "If I can evade this pursuit, we''ll meet again."

    "Good luck."

    "You too, friend."

    Hua Mi watched as the War Hammer disappeared from her view. A weight had lifted from her heart.

    Finally, life had returned to normal.

    The encounters with the two elves felt like a brief interlude in her life. Although there were gains, they did not align with her current ns or help with what she truly wanted to achieve, at least not immediately.

    Hua Mi happily packed her bee boxes, took her fishing gear, and headed to the Witch''s Eye to begin another day of honey harvesting.

    The other six pseudo-flower spirits were already waiting by theke, as they had been doing these past few days. The bee colony had grown used to them, and they even danced among the flowers together, though in reality, it was the pseudo-flower spirits yfully harassing the honeybees.

    The diligent little bees were focused on collecting nectar.

    So, she spent an ordinary yet fulfilling day.

    Still, not a single fish was caught.

    However, the honey in the bee hives was umting, offering a sense of aplishment.

    Hua Mi basked in the evening sun, surrounded by the songs andughter of the seven small spirits, as she began her journey back home.

    Unexpectedly, as soon as she entered her house, she was greeted by a "tragic" scene.

    The seven pseudo-flower spirits gasped in shock.

    The fish she had caught the previous day wasn''t in the water bucket; instead, ity on the floor.

    Apart from the head, only a skeletal frame remained.

    Hua Mi approached the bucket and took a look. She let out a surprised "Huh."

    The bucket was empty of water, but it contained a living wooden block with a faint green glow in the central area, connected to several conduits. The wooden block was soaked in a thick liquid, and a drop of green liquid oozed out at intervals and floated on the surface of the viscous substance. A thinyer of green liquid had already gathered at the top.

    "The Heart of Enlightenment?"

    Wasn''t it supposed to be inactive outside of a host?

    How was this heart still active outside of a body?

    "There''s a letter!"

    Xiao Huang flew over to her with a piece of paper, on which many words were scribbled haphazardly.

    Hua Mi had a strong suspicion about the sender and decided to have Xiao Huang trante the letter.

    "While I was on the road, I happened to encounter a tree spirit and cut out its Heart of Enlightenment to give to you as a token of appreciation."

    "The Heart of Enlightenment produces a green juice that is incredibly effective for promoting nt growth."

    "You mentioned that the bees need to gather nectar to make honey, so I guessed you must need a lot of flowers. This green juice will help you grow the most beautiful flowers in the world."

    "Friend, when I conquer the Emerald Court, I hope to receive flowers from you!"

    "Because I didn''t have any other containers, I had the fish transferred to my stomach. It tasted quite good, but I didn''t have time to cook it."

    "Additionally, to keep the Heart of Enlightenment active, I injected a considerable amount of elven magic essence into the gel, which has left me somewhat weakened. I might be caught by that damn dog soon."

    "I''m heading in the direction of the rising sun now. If you could help misdirect the dog''s nose, it might buy me more time. You should know how to do that, with that arrow..."

    Certainly, it wasn''t just the gel.

    Hua Mi asked her pseudo-flower spirits about the elven magic essence. In simple terms, the elves were sacrificing a substantial amount of their own magic to achieve this. They had genuinely gone all out.

    Moreover, there were only a dozen or so tree spirits in the ck Forest. She found it hard to believe that he had merely stumbled upon one.

    There was one more section to the letter.

    "Oh, one more thing I forgot to mention. Yesterday, when I was lurking underwater in theke, I identally found something at theke''s bottom. Perhaps you would want to take a look..."

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 Chapter 36: The Green Elixir Generator

    Chapter 36: The Green Elixir Generator

    "When I merged with theke water, I sensed an unusual surge of magic, probably at the center of theke, buried under the sediment. Unfortunately, I was too weak at the time and couldn''t investigate further. If you''re interested, you can dive in and explore; there might be an opportunity. But be careful not to die��your friend, War Hammer."

    Hmm...

    An unusual magical disturbance? Are you sure it''s not some water monster lurking at theke bottom? Even though he had been fishing by theke for a few days and hadn''t noticed anything unusual, he couldn''t rule out the presence of a dormant or hiddenke creature. What if he went underwater, and suddenly a tentacle shot out from the mud and sand, coiled around him, and dragged him into its maw? That would be a mysterious death. After all, his current bee-type couldn''t function underwater. If he went in, he''d be just an ordinary person with nobat abilities. Forget tentacles; even a water snake could chase him around. But he was curious; the strange phenomenon was right in front of him, and anyone would want to explore it.

    "Anyway, be cautious and find a safe way to investigate. By the way, even though I don''t have magic, I can use Earth technology, like an underwater drone..."

    Hua Mi started formting a n but didn''t dwell on it. The priority was helping War Hammer escape. She hadn''t left immediately; she had taken significant risks to provide him with a Heart of Enlightenment that could stabilize the production of green elixir, showing her loyalty.

    Hua Mi picked up herposite bow and the arrow mark given to her by the White-Skinned Elf, going outside to shoot it into the sky.

    Swoosh!

    The arrow shot up into the night sky, creating ripples in the air, just like tossing a pebble onto a calm water surface. The phenomenon passed in an instant.

    Hua Mi returned to her wooden house to wait, conspiring with the seven pseudo-flower spirits. These childlike spirits were more than willing to help her put on a show.

    In a matter of minutes, a strong wind outside began howling, rustling the treetops. The wind stopped abruptly at the door. Then, the wooden door was pushed open with a loud ng, revealing Sindra.

    She still exuded the same elegance and grace, her figure and features practically perfect, as if she were a creation of the divine. She didn''t seem to be out of breath or affected by the wind. She entered the room, noticing the Bee Whisperer sitting on the floor with his hood covering his face.

    However, she could feel the heavy atmosphere surrounding him. The seven pseudo-flower spirits surrounded him, their little faces filled with sorrow.

    "Little Strong, you died so tragically!"

    Sindra''s gaze fell to the floor in front of him, where the skeleton of a fishy.

    Bam!

    The Bee Whisperer mmed his fist on the floor, looking at the fishbone with a sorrowful expression. "That monster ate my Little Strong raw! It''s too brutal!"

    The seven little spirits came tofort him.

    "ept my condolences."

    "May its soul rest in peace."

    "It has be a part of the ck Forest, omnipresent."

    Sindra took a deep breath, feeling like she was witnessing an absurdedy.

    Only someone far from normal would run a shop in the ck Forest.

    "Where is he?"

    The Bee Whisperer pointed in a direction. "He ran that way, towards the setting sun!"

    Before he could finish, Sindra turned around. Numerous crisscrossing wind de marks appeared around her, and with a whistling sound, her figure disappeared in the night.

    "I''ve done what I can. Good luck."

    Hua Mi breathed a sigh of relief, picked up the fishbone, and buried it in the backyard flower field.

    Then, she opened a wormhole and returned to Earth. She didn''t need to hide it from the pseudo-flower spirits. They couldn''t see the wormhole; they only saw her vanish and reappear.

    This wasn''t a big deal in the magical world. Props and tricks could achieve simr effects.

    Hua Mi returned to Earth and got a water tap specifically designed for wine barrels. She drilled a hole in the bucket containing the Heart of Enlightenment, positioned the tap slightly above the level where the green elixir gathered. This way, when enough elixir had umted, she could open the tap and collect it conveniently. cing a lid on the bucket, she had a simple and practical "Green Elixir Generator."

    The elixir''s generation speed was a bit slow. At this rate, it would take several days to fill a bottle. But it was better than having none, and time wasn''t an issue. After all, he hadn''t even finished building the greenhouse. When the greenhouse was ready, he should have umted a considerable amount of elixir.

    Additionally, Hua Mi ordered an underwater drone online. Compared to regr drones, underwater drones were more expensive, with the cheapest one costing nearly ten thousand yuan. However, she had earned around forty to fifty thousand yuan from selling Moon Slumber Honey. The money needed to be spent, and she decided to invest in a high-end model. It had an effective control distance of 700-800 meters, could operate onnd, had a clear lens, and was equipped with two simple robotic arms for light object maniption. It was estimated to arrive in two days.

    "I''ve been curious about something and wanted to ask you all," Hua Mi said to the seven pseudo-flower spirits. "How long do you usually sleep?"

    "Of course, we sleep until dawn."

    "Sleeping is the second most wonderful experience in this world!"

    "If we don''t get enough sleep, we''ll feel tired."

    Hua Mi nodded and tried to persuade them gently, "Have you ever thought about adjusting your sleep schedule for fun, like sleeping during the day and being active at night?"

    All seven spirits shook their heads in unison.

    "No, no."

    "The night is for sleeping."

    "We can''t sleep during the day."

    Too bad. Hua Mi had considered hiring them to take turns keeping watch at night, allowing her to spend the night here in peace. Unfortunately, they were unwilling to take the night shift and were quite firm about it. So Hua Mi gave up and returned to Earth to rest.

    The next day, Hua Mi went to thekeside as usual to collect honey and fish. However, his mindset had changed since he learned about the anomaly beneath theke. He was more alert, always watching the calmke surface, as if he expected a tentacle to burst out at any moment, dragging him into the water.

    "Don''t worry. I have the Cut Ring Bees. Even if there really is a water monster, as long as it dares toe ashore, I can control the bee swarm to cut it to pieces."

    Listening to the buzzing of the bee swarm, his sense of security gradually returned.

    Today was his lucky day; he caught a fish. It was tiny, only five centimeters long, but it was the first fish he had caught on his own, and the sense of aplishment far exceeded the one he felt when he caught therger fish before.

    "Finally, I''ve escaped the air force."

    Hua Mi looked at the small fish swimming in the bucket, feeling immensely satisfied.

    Now he understood why fisherman who caught fish might get lost. The more significant the catch, the longer they might be away, and they might wish to carry the fish around the Earth before heading home.

    After a while, Xiao Zi suddenly flew to him and whispered that the White-Skinned Elf was approaching.

    "Why is she back again? I hope she hasn''t med me for not finding War Hammer and making false usations. Although I did mislead her, she has no evidence to suspect me."

    Hua Mi had many thoughts, but he remainedposed on the surface, maintaining his fishing posture.

    Sindra''s footsteps were nearly soundless as she approached. She was already standing beside Hua Mi.

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 Chapter 37: Into the Water

    Chapter 37: Into the Water

    "Hua Mi, have you captured the fugitive?" Hua Mi asked proactively.

    Sindra sat down on the ground and threw a stone into theke. She remained expressionless as she responded, "The mission failed."

    Her voice carried no despair orints, only a calm statement of fact.

    Hua Mi responded insincerely, "The ck Forest is so vast, are you sure you want to give up so easily?"

    Sindra shook her head. "It''s no use. I''vepletely lost the target. That guy has probably left this ce by now."

    This meant that War Hammer had sessfully evaded pursuit.

    Good.

    He didn''t let her down by helping her.

    "Of course, there''s also another possibility..."

    "What is it?"

    "He might have entered the Dark Realm."

    Sindra pointed at the ground.

    Hua Mi, during her time in this otherworldly ce, had heard some fragmented information indicating that deep beneath the ck Forest, there was another separate space. This area was far from the surface, beyond the reach of the giant tree roots, and had apletely different ecosystempared to the surface forest. It had almost no connection with the ck Forest, and there was little interaction between the two.

    Even the long-lived Pseudo-Flower Spirits didn''t know the specifics of whaty below.

    They only knew that somewhere in the ck Forest, there was a way to reach the underground��an essential link between the two areas.

    These underground regions existed not only beneath the ck Forest but also in other ces. The indigenous inhabitants of this world collectively referred to them as the "Dark Realm."

    The Dark Realm had a vastly different ecosystempared to the surface world, and it was much more dangerous. Only when adventurers had no other choice and were fully prepared would they consider venturing into these underground areas, usually in teams.

    Of course, the creatures of the Dark Realm wouldn''t easilye to the surface; just the sunlight alone was enough to deter them.

    "Are you nning to go down there to find him?" Hua Mi wondered if Sindra was asking about the entrance to the Dark Realm.

    But I have no idea.

    "That would be no different from suicide." Sindra denied his assumption. After a pause, she continued, "Next, I''ll return to the Emerald Court, report the details of this mission, and ept punishment."

    "That''s tough for you; you must be feeling terrible right now."

    Hua Mi reached into his toolbox and pulled out a bottle of Moon Slumber Flower Honey, handing it to the White Elf. "This is a product I developed called ''Honey.'' It has a sweet taste and sleep-inducing properties, which can help your body recover quickly when you''re not feeling well. Put a little in your mouth, and it will sweeten your mood."

    Sindra stared at it for a moment, then asked, quite cooperatively, "How much does it cost?"

    "It''s free, consider it a gift between friends," Hua Mi said generously, "But please remember that this productes from the Bee Speaker''s Hut in the ck Forest, and it''s the only one of its kind. There are no other branches. Furthermore, we will continue to produce new vors and effects of honey. You and your friends are wee toe and taste or ce orders when the new store opens, with an opening discount of 20%."

    "Alright, I''ll ept it then."

    The bottle of honey in Sindra''s hand suddenly turned into light and disappeared into a ring on her left hand.

    A spatial item.

    It felt more convenient than the Magic Box for storing items.

    However, hers was probably themon type that could only store inanimate objects.

    Hua Mi''s Magic Box could contain living creatures.

    "This bow is quite unique." Sindra''s gaze fell on hispound bow. "It doesn''t look like human craftsmanship."

    "I had it custom-made," Hua Mi casually replied.

    Sindra didn''t question further; she picked up thepound bow, drew the string a few times, and then took out an arrow, testing it out.

    "It''s finely crafted, but not flexible enough."

    That was perfectly normal.

    After all,pound bows were designed for sports, as sporting equipment, not weapons for hunting orbat.

    Sindra seemed quite interested in the bow, examining it for a long time before finally leaving with the arrow.

    The arrow was entirely green, translucent, as if made of jade. If you looked closely, you could see faint threads of light moving inside, swaying gently, like underwater algae.

    "Wind Spirit Arrow, a specialty of the Emerald City."

    "Is it for me?"

    "It''s for an exchange with your honey."

    Since she said so, Hua Mi epted it.

    The two fell into silence.

    One was engrossed in fishing, while the other quietly enjoyed the scenery.

    Hua Mi suddenly thought of the Emerald City, which was the Emerald Court, and being the realm of the White Elves, it must be a bustling ce.

    He needed to build a greenhouse, and for that, he needed to use space extension magic. He couldn''t do it on his own and would need external help. In such a populous ce with skilled elves, it was an excellent choice.

    "Have you heard of Space Extension Magic?" Hua Mi asked.

    "I''ve heard of it but never practiced it," Sindra replied.

    Hua Mi exined, "It''s a veryplex form of magic that is rarely used in everyday life."

    "I want to build a greenhouse, and it requires a lot of space. I think there should be someone in the Emerald City who understands this magic."

    Sindra contemted for a few seconds, "I do know a master who excels in this field."

    "Can you introduce me to them?"

    "I can ask her for you when I return. However, she doesn''t like humans very much, and her personality is quite stubborn. She may not be willing to interact with you."

    "That''s okay. I believe that with sincerity, even the hardest stone can be broken."

    Hua Mi took another bottle of honey from his box and said, "Please give this bottle of honey to the master as a gift when you meet her."

    Sindra epted it without refusal and stored it in her ring, just like before.

    "I''ll send you a message through a raven."

    "Thank you."

    Sindra then got up and left thekeside.

    Hua Mi was in a good mood.

    The greenhouse he had been thinking about was finally making progress.

    His beekeeping farm was about to be on the right track.

    Hua Mi was lost in his thoughts about the future when seven Pseudo-Flower Spirits approached him, all with mischievous expressions. Little Red led the way and sang, "Little bee, collecting honey."

    "Beekeeper..."

    "Shush! Don''t mention me in your songs, or there will be no more honey for you in the future!"

    Hua Mi guessed they hade up with a new teasing song, and he immediately put an end to their artistic performance.

    It worked quite effectively.

    The seven little spirits giggled and dispersed.

    ...

    After sending Sindra away, Hua Mi returned to his peaceful daily life.

    The sales of Moon Slumber Flower Honey were steadily increasing, and the new Feathered Flower Honey was about to be brewed.

    It hadn''t rained for days, and the weather had been consistently sunny. He was indeed lucky.

    Two dayster, the underwater drone he had ordered online arrived as scheduled.

    Hua Mi familiarized himself with its operation by following the instruction manual. This device was amphibious, high-performance, and capable of capturing high-definition footage. It also had a built-in searchlight, and two small mechanical arms that could easily pick up a 500ml bottle of mineral water.

    Furthermore, it could be used in the future for exploration.

    Hua Mi felt the money was well spent.

    On this day, he came to thekeside but didn''t go fishing. Instead, he brought out the beehive and operated the drone, sending it into the water.

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 Chapter 38: Salvage

    Chapter 38: Salvage

    The Witch''s Eye had an overall spindle-shaped structure, narrow at both ends and wider in the middle.

    War Hammer had mentioned in the letter that the magical energy fluctuations were probably at the center of theke.

    So, Hua Mi first controlled the drone to float on the water''s surface, pushing it towards the "pupil" of the Witch''s Eye, and then slowly descended.

    Hua Mi stood on the shore, operating the drone controller while keeping his eyes fixed on the screen in the middle of the controller.

    The screen disyed real-time footage captured by the drone.

    At first, the light was quite abundant, and while theke water wasn''t exactly clear, the visibility was around two to three meters.

    But as they descended, the avable light rapidly decreased, and soon the visibility shrank to less than a meter.

    Particles and tiny bubbles in theke water danced around the drone as they obstructed its view.

    During the descent, Hua Mi even saw a few fish darting by.

    "There seem to be quite a few fish down here. Why is it so difficult to catch them?"

    After descending a bit further, it was time to turn on the lights.

    Hua Mi pressed the light control switch.

    The screen instantly brightened up.

    The drone''s spotlight had two parts: one encircled the body of the drone and couldn''t be adjusted, while the other was positioned in front of the drone and could be oriented within a certain angle range.

    "Wow, it''s so deep, over 20 meters already."

    The depth of the Witch''s Eye was deeper than Hua Mi had imagined. The screen showed a depth of 21 meters.

    This depth was beyond what his body could handle if he were to dive without equipment. The water pressure at depths greater than 20 meters could easily harm a person''s organs without proper equipment.

    The screen gradually showed an increase in aquatic nts. Hua Mi had to control the drone more carefully to avoid getting entangled in the vegetation.

    Finally, at a depth of 26.7 meters, the drone touched theke bottom.

    The good news was that thekebed was covered with soft, loose sediment that could be easily excavated with the drone''s two mechanical arms.

    The bad news was that the aquatic nts were incredibly dense here, making it challenging to see through them as they swayed in the water, creating a forest-like underwater environment that severely obstructed their vision.

    Hua Mi could only keep moving the drone forward while continuously using its mechanical arms to push the aquatic nts aside.

    ording to War Hammer, the source of the magical energy fluctuations was buried under the sediment. However, there was no need to start digging with the drone right away. Digging blindly would take forever, and they might not even find it in the end.

    Hua Mi nned to let the drone make a rough survey first. Although he couldn''t sense the magical energy fluctuations himself, the area around the source of such fluctuations would surely be different from other ces, possibly showing some anomalies.

    Hua Mi focused intently on the screen, operating the drone with heightened concentration, more focused than when ying games.

    After a period of controlling the drone, and with the added benefit of the concentration ring, his mental acuity far exceeded that of an average person, at least twice as strong.

    After about half an hour, Hua Mi locked onto a suspicious location, causing the drone to stop.

    It wasn''t due to any anomaly caused by the magical energy fluctuations. Instead, he had discovered a human skeleton.

    Most of the skeleton was buried under sediment, with only half of the skull, some arm bones, and leg bones visible.

    If he were to dive in person and stumble upon a skeleton, Hua Mi might have been creeped out. But separated by the screen, he felt nothing, as if he were ying a game.

    He had seen plenty of simr scenes in games and movies; this was nothing special.

    Hua Mi immediately controlled the drone to approach the skeleton, preparing to excavate it.

    What was rather strange, however, was that there were almost no aquatic nts around the skeleton.

    In theory, the substances produced by the dposition of a human body should have enriched the area, causing aquatic nts to flourish. Yet, in this case, not only were there no aquatic nts, but the skeleton itself was clean and shining white.

    Hua Mi controlled the drone tond just below the skull and started using its mechanical arms to scrape away the sediment.

    Soon, bits of fabric began to float around in the water. It seemed to be the person''s clothing, which had already disintegrated when touched.

    The mechanical arms continued to dig, and suddenly, they hit something hard.

    It wasn''t bone; it was a small, round metal box, connected to a rusty chain that hung around the skeleton''s neck.

    Hua Mi had intended to use the mechanical arms to remove the metal box, but with a slight tug, the skeleton''s head tilted, and the skull rolled to the side.

    "..."

    No problem, the result was the same.

    After all, the person had been down there for so long; maybe their neck was sore. Helping them move a bit was the least Hua Mi could do.

    Hua Mi instructed the two mechanical arms to grasp the metal box firmly.

    Regardless of whether this was the source of the magical energy fluctuations detected by War Hammer, he decided to bring it up to take a look. If needed, he could make another trip with high-tech assistance.

    As he was about to turn the camera to ascend, his mind suddenly jolted, realizing that he had seen something unusual in the video footage just a moment ago.

    He turned the camera back.

    In the midst of the underwater vegetation, there was a faint silhouette of a face, motionless and facing the camera.

    Hua Mi''s scalp tingled.

    When the spotlightpletely turned in that direction, the face drew back a little.

    Hua Mi could now see the face clearly.

    Pallid.

    It wasn''t a human face.

    Six eyes were neatly arranged in two rows, withyers of eyelids that resembled human ones. There were many shadows moving behind it.

    The face shrank back when the bright light hit it, and then the upper and lower parts of the face split open, revealing a round hole filled with rows of sharp teeth. It lunged forward and snapped at the drone with a single bite.

    The screen shook violently.

    Fortunately, the drone had a smooth, disc-like design, and the creature''s bite didn''ttch onto it.

    Hua Mi immediately adjusted the drone''s posture and ascended at full speed.

    The camera pointed down, allowing him to see the water creature chase after the drone for a while before giving up and disappearing into the darkness below.

    Perhaps it was sensitive to light and could only operate in the dark depths of theke.

    In any case, Hua Mi breathed a sigh of relief.

    It also crossed his mind that maybe the skeleton at thekebed had been stripped of its flesh and blood by that water creature, which exined why it hadn''t contributed to the fertility of the area.

    But why were there no aquatic nts around it?

    Hua Mi contemted this as the drone resurfaced and quickly made its way to the shore.

    He retrieved the drone from the water, noting the distinct bite marks left along the edge. The creature''s biting force was astonishing and could easily sever his arm with a single bite.

    Hua Mi controlled the mechanical arms to open the metal box, allowing a swarm of bees to approach and investigate.

    The space inside was small, containing only a ck "stone."

    It was about the size of a red bean, oval in shape, and had a smooth, unblemished surface.

    At that moment, Xiao Zi flew by, taking one look at it and concluded, "This is a seed."

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 Chapter 39: The Feathered Flower Honey

    Chapter 39: The Feathered Flower Honey

    "Seeds?"

    Upon hearing her, it seemed like there might be seeds indeed. The more we look at it, the more it resembles one.

    "Can you tell what kind of seeds they are?" Xiao Zi sensed it for a moment and shook her head, "I can only sense that they can definitely grow into something, but I don''t know exactly what. It''s the first time I''ve seen them."

    She could feel that the seeds were rich in magical power. It was probably the source of the fluctuations that War Hammer had sensed. Moreover, even after soaking in the water for so long, while a person might have disintegrated, the seeds were still intact. It couldn''t be just any ordinary nt seed.

    As for what it was, it didn''t matter for now. They would take it back and nt it. When it grew, the truth would naturallye to light.

    The rest of the day was uneventful. Hua Mi''s interest in fishing waned as the thought of the strange crevice creatures lurking beneath theke made her keep her distance from the water. Although those creatures seemed to only be active in the depths of theke, there was always a fear of the "what if." What if one of them decided to challenge itself and venture out of itsfort zone while she was fishing? The idea of one of those creatures suddenly bursting out and dragging her into the water was not appealing.

    So, Hua Mi moved her chair away from theke and sat among the flowers, continuing to read the alchemy notebook she had found, all the while making ns in her mind.

    The Water-Repose Moon still had a little over ten days left, but the Feathered Flower honey would run out in about a week. By her estimate, with her forty groups of Forest Swift Bees, six groups of regr bees, one group of Agony Bees, and one group of Irond Bees, she could produce over 700 bottles of honey in total.

    How long it would take to sell this inventory was uncertain, primarily depending on the taste and effects of the new honey. If the effects turned out to be extraordinary, she had no intention of selling it directly on Earth. The end of the Water-Repose Moon marked the beginning of the Ice Age. ording to the information from the seven Pseudo-Flower Spirits, the Ice Age was quite lengthy, roughly thebined duration of the Water Rises, Water Flows, Water Peaks, and Water Rests phases. During this extended period, if she couldn''t find a suitable source of honey, it would be unfavorable for her business and her bee colonies.

    There was also something else that was on her mind. She wondered whether the White Elf Sindra had made it home and if she had been able to contact the expert in spatial expansion magic. For the past few days, she had been eagerly awaiting a message from the crows.

    If the greenhouse issue wasn''t resolved, her ns for the future would be challenging to advance. After harvesting honey that day, Hua Mi returned to Earth and brought back a flower pot, filled it with soil from her Moon-Sleep Flower field in the backyard, and buried the mysterious seed in it. She then used a small bottle to collect some green liquid. Although there wasn''t much green liquid at the moment, it was sufficient for a single seed. After burying the seed in the pot, she poured the green liquid directly onto the soil.

    The green liquid slowly seeped into the earth. Following that, the seven Pseudo-Flower Spirits applied a growth-boosting magic to the seed. The seven small spirits surrounded the flower pot, each channeling their magic into the seed, their different colored lights flowing into the pot continuously.

    A magical scene unfolded before their eyes. A tender sprout emerged from the pot''s soil, rapidly growing to about one centimeter in size, visible to the naked eye. The seven small spirits stopped their magic. With their extensive experience in promoting nt growth, they knew when to stop. Overloading the seed with magic at once could cause irreparable damage.

    This sprout was not the typical light green color but ck, though when they shone a light on it, it revealed a deep purple-ck hue. Most nt leaves were green because they absorbed most other colors of light, reflecting only green light. The ck color indicated that it absorbed most of the wavelengths of light. There was almost no light reflected, making it appear ck.

    "Does this mean it requires a lot of light?" Hua Mi ced the flower pot on a table, ensuring it would receive sufficient light through the window during the day. She watered it with the green liquid daily, and the seven small spirits cast their growth-boosting magic. It should grow quickly. "I can''t wait to see what this mysterious seed will grow into. It was quite a challenge to obtain, and I almost lost a $20,000 drone in the process. If it ends up growing into just amon nt, I''ll be quite disappointed."

    Time passed day by day. Five dayster, all 500 bottles of Moon-Sleep Flower honey were sold out, leaving Hua Mi with about 20 bottles for her personal use. In just two months, she had earned tens of thousands of dors, boosting her confidence in her future endeavors. Her shop had garnered many followers, and the honey had sold out quickly, prompting numerousments from her customers.

    "So fast? I wish I had bought it earlier."

    "Shop owner, when will you restock?"

    "After trying your honey, I can''t eat other brands anymore. You better take responsibility for us."

    "I''m dying without honey to eat."

    "Hurry up with the new stock, don''t make me beg."

    "Fortunately, I had foresight and bought a few extra bottles, hehe."

    It seemed that she could increase the price for the next batch of honey. Hua Mi thought to herself. A few more days passed, and she didn''t go to theke as usual. It was time to harvest honey, and the Feathered Flower honey had finally finished brewing. She brought out the beehives from her magic box and set them up in the backyard, preparing to harvest the honey.

    All seven Pseudo-Flower Spirits were also present. They had been waiting for this day for a long time. Under the centrifugal force of the honey extractor, the thick honey slowly filled the first bottle. Unlike the amber-like orange of the Moon-Sleep Flower honey, the Feathered Flower honey had an overall reddish hue, simr to the color of grapefruit flesh.

    It also had a distinct aroma, more intense than the delicate fragrance of the Moon-Sleep Flower honey. Just a whiff felt like indulging in a sweet treat. Hua Mi scooped a small spoonful of honey and poured it into the bottle, observing its color and Brix concentration. There were no issues; the Brix concentration reached 42, maintaining its highest quality.

    The seven Pseudo-Flower Spirits were already in position, eagerly awaiting their chance to sample the honey.

    "Please, go ahead." After the initial assessment, Hua Mi ced the honey on the table and gestured for them to try it. The seven honey experts immediately flew forward. They had agreed to taste the honey in order and share their opinions.

    But when it came to food, the voracious Xiao Zi couldn''t wait any longer. She rushed ahead, almost diving headfirst into the honey. Fortunately, herpanions behind her caught her just in time. Small Red and Small Orange each grabbed one of her legs and pulled her back. Looking at her sticky face, they couldn''t help butugh. "You''ve embarrassed the reputation of the ck Forest Spirit!"

    Small Red scolded her, hands on her hips. But Xiao Zi paid no attention, her mouth moving at a rapid pace as she quickly consumed the honey. "How does it taste?" Hua Mi asked her eagerly.

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 Chapter 40: Efficacy

    Chapter 40: Efficacy

    Xiao Zi answered his question with action.

    Swallowing the honey in her mouth, she stuck out her tongue and licked off the honey that had sttered around her mouth. Then, with a p of her wings, she pounced towards the honey bottle.

    Her approach was like that of a hungry tiger. If her friends hadn''t stopped her in time, she might have dived headfirst into the honey.

    Even a hardcore drinker drowning in a barrel of wine wouldn''t be as intense as this little glutton.

    "It looks like we don''t need to worry about the taste... We still need to observe the effects," Hua Mi remarked.

    Hua Mi walked forward and grabbed the back of the glutton''s clothing, lifting her up to make it easier for the other six honey experts to enjoy the honey.

    "Too sweet," Xiao Hong was the first to taste it and gave her serious assessment. "The taste of the Moon Dream Flower honey is just perfect. If that''s a 10, then I can only give this honey an 8."

    "Thank you for your feedback," Hua Mi replied, not too concerned about losing points.

    Eating it directly would, of course, seem overly sweet. Most people consumed honey by mixing it with water, making honey water, honey yuzu tea, or using it as a seasoning on food. Some even invested a significant amount of time in brewing honey wine. Very few people, like them, ate it straight from the jar. To honey enthusiasts, this was akin to eating raw meat and hair.

    So the "too sweet" criticism for honey was rtively trivial, depending on how you ate it. Hua Mi decided to teach them some advanced ways to enjoy honey.

    "I prefer the Featherflower honey; it''s even sweeter than the Moon Dream Flower honey!"

    "Moon Dream Flower honey is tastier!"

    "What would it taste like if we mixed the two?"

    The judges''ments shifted, eventually turning into a debate between Moon Dream Flower enthusiasts and Featherflower enthusiasts. The debate became chaotic as both sides argued vehemently.

    Only Xiao Zi stayed true to her initial impressions. Despite being held by Hua Mi at the back of her neck, her determination remained unwavering. She stared intently at the honey jar on the table, and her entire body strained towards it. She gritted her teeth, looking like a restrained beast.

    So far, Hua Mi hadn''t noticed anything extraordinary about the judges who had tasted the Featherflower honey. But as he felt the glutton''s struggle in his grip, he couldn''t help but wonder if this honey had some kind of short-term strength-enhancing effect. He didn''t know that it was simply the power of a food lover.

    The debate mainly revolved around the level of sweetness. As for the differences in taste brought by the different flowers, they didn''t really care because they enjoyed the vors of both flowers.

    Hua Mi taught them how to make honey fruit tea, which would address the issue of excessive sweetness at its root. He only had to show them once, and they quickly grasped the technique.

    After taking a sip, their wings unfurled, and the dispute between Moon Dream Flower enthusiasts and Featherflower enthusiasts was resolved without any violence.

    Xiao Hong performed a small magic trick, producing a delicate set of teaware and some bite-sized snacks not muchrger than sesame seeds. Theyid a clean pic cloth on the table, and the six of them sat together, enjoying their snacks and honey tea, indulging in a delightful tea party.

    As for Xiao Zi, she was excluded from this sisterly tea party as a punishment for her earlier rudeness and to teach her a lesson.

    Xiao Hong had initially considered chasing her away, but Hua Mi felt that it was too cruel and unfair. Instead, he suggested tying her to the side to let her watch and feel somewhat involved.

    The following scene was harmonious and heartwarming. The six sisters enjoyed themselves, discussing interesting stories from the ck Forest, such as the hot-tempered bear-transformed man who had inexplicably intruded into the ck Castle Ruins, which was the territory of unicorns. A conflict had erupted between them, resulting in the bear-transformed man getting struck by the unicorn''s lightning magic, leaving his fur scorched.

    There was also the story of the ghostly couple from the Shadowy Marsh, who had recently had a fierce fight that had nearly resulted in a life-or-death situation, seemingly due to a romantic entanglement...

    Xiao Zi was tied to the side of a staff and watched these stories unfold, her eyes filled with tears of emotion. Hua Mi, on the other hand, was busy bottling the honey.

    A total of 753 bottles of honey.

    After he finished bottling, it was already evening, and the seven little ones had returned home, showing no signs of anything unusual.

    "Could it be that this batch of Featherflower honey doesn''t have any special effects? Well, it''s hard to say. Pseudo-Flower Spirits and human bodies are different, after all."

    For instance, no matter how they ate, their body shapes remained unchanged, making the humans envy them. Even if it didn''t have any special effects, it didn''t matter; the quality was high enough, and it wouldn''t be difficult to sell.

    Hua Mi put the honey in his magic box and brought it back to Earth.

    It was still daytime on Earth.

    He first went to the relevant authorities in town toplete the necessary procedures. After returning, he logged into the online shop''s backend and posted an announcement: "New products avable tomorrow, with a new vor. Please stay tuned."

    Once the announcement was posted, it attracted a lot of attention from customers.

    "I''ve been waiting for this. Fortunately, I didn''t give up!"

    "A new vor? Please don''t make it too fancy. The previous one was just fine. When will it be back in stock?"

    "It may be rted to the season; they use different flower nectars in different seasons."

    "It doesn''t have any additives, does it? I came for the pure, all-natural, no additives."

    "Don''t worry; this ce specializes in no additives. If we had additives, it would ruin our reputation."

    "Young man, businesses from Huayu Town have never sold industrial adulterated honey; the ingredient list contains only honey."

    "I came for the sleep aid effect of this honey. I want to know if the new honey has the same effect as the previous one."

    "Boss, I posted a taste test video of your honey on a certain tform, but someone reported it for false advertising, and now I''m banned. T_T."

    "Poor guy above, this honey''s sleep aid effect is unbelievable; it''s no wonder people don''t believe it. If I hadn''t sent it for testing, I would have suspected there was some kind of sedative added."

    "Looks like thements section is full of shills; the praise is way over the top."

    "The fragrance of honey is unstoppable! The shop will establish its reputation sooner orter. I, Wang Goudan, make this post in my real name as a pledge!"

    "We''ll be longtime fans then. Hehe."

    ...

    Hua Mi was exhausted by the end of the day. After posting the announcement, he was ready to go to bed. Before sleeping, he drank a ss of Featherflower honey tea. He had a very pleasant dream.

    Hey on a grassy field with a gentle breeze, the sunlight not too strong or weak but just right. The wind brushed against his face like a tender hand caressing...

    Upon waking up, however, he felt that the quality of his sleep was not as good as when he had drunk Moon Dream Flower honey. His face felt numb.

    The outside world was still dark, and Hua Mi stumbled to the bathroom and washed his face. When he looked in the mirror, he was instantly awake.

    In recent times, he had been staying by the Witch''s Eye Lake, and although he mostly wore a hood, it was inevitable that he''d gotten a few shades darker.

    But now? His face in the mirror was unbelievably pale and fair! His skin condition was even better than before he got tanned.

    He leaned closer to examine it. His skin was smooth, firm, and stic, like it was filled with cogen.

    As a man, he usually didn''t pay much attention to his skin. He didn''t care about blemishes, ckheads, or anything of the sort. But this contrast was just too obvious. Even though he wasn''t concerned about his skin, the difference was striking.

    "The effect of Featherflower honey!"

    Hua Mi immediately realized. Featherflower honey had a beautifying effect.

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 Chapter 41: The Impending Ice Age

    Chapter 41: The Impending Ice Age

    "This effect should be very appealing to female customers," Hua Mi thought. He was confident that this batch of honey would sell quickly, perhaps even faster than the 500 bottles of Moon Slumber Flower Honey.

    In his opinion, this wasn''t an exceptionally explosive effect, and it could easily sell on Earth. Regr honey was already known for its nutritional benefits and its ability to promote metabolism and enhance beauty. His honey merely had a significantly more noticeable effect. Besides, the magical elements in the honey couldn''t be detected even with Earth''s instruments. What could be detected were themon sugar content and trace elements, which were all normal honeyponents. This was like having the endorsement of authorities, and there was no need to worry.

    People who bought it would naturally enjoy the honey''s special effects, and those who didn''t believe it wouldn''t purchase it, no matter what he said. The opportunity was in his hands. Hua Mi immediately logged into the online store''s backend and posted a new product purchase page.

    The selling points, aside from being additive-free and all-natural, were the most important ones: beauty benefits! It could effectively remove ckheads, e marks, improve erged pores, restore the skin''s optimal condition, and provide firmness and sticity with full cogen. Finally, he added, "A full refund if it doesn''t work!"

    As for pricing, he thought for a moment and decided on 500 RMB per bottle. It was a fairly friendly price whenpared to luxurious cosmetics, but it was still rtively expensive for honey.

    Hua Mi believed the price was a bit high, but most people could afford it if they were determined, which would cater to arge portion of the poption. If all 700 bottles were sold on Earth, that would be over 300,000 RMB.

    That was considering the Earth''s situation. If people from the other world also bought it, he would reconsider the pricing. The gold coins obtained in the other world could also be exchanged for RMB at the current gold price. However, he wouldn''t do that easily because the exchange was one-way, and once converted to RMB, it might not be possible to convert it back.

    After he published the new product sales page, there were quickments in thement section.

    As expected, most people were concerned about the price. "500 RMB for 500g? Are you serious?" "Is your honey made of gold, or is the bottle made of gold?" "Wow, your beauty effects are more exaggerated than cosmetics. You''re just bragging!" "Are you targeting women now?" "Who believes this nonsense?" "Pure IQ tax!"

    Hua Mi wasn''t concerned about the skepticalments. He knew that once customers experienced the benefits of this honey, public opinion would naturally change.

    ...

    Zhang Ya thought her boyfriend had some great ideas. He sent her a bottle of honey as a birthday gift.

    Zhang Ya: "I received the gift, I really like it, thank you."

    Xiao Zhou: "Hehe, I knew you''d like it. How does it taste?"

    Zhang Ya: "I haven''t tried it yet."

    Xiao Zhou: "Try it; I heard it has beauty benefits."

    Zhang Ya felt a little annoyed, thinking he found her unattractive. Zhang Ya: "What, you think I''m ugly?"

    Xiao Zhou: "No... I noticed you often buy cosmetics, and I think those chemical ingredients are harmful to your body. So, I wanted to get you something all-natural for beauty."

    Zhang Ya: "I appreciate the thought, but I''m trying to lose weight, and this stuff is high in sugar. It would take me forever to burn off the calories from just a taste. Do you think I''m not fat enough?"

    Zhang Ya: "Also, please don''t believe everything others say. Those sellers will always exaggerate the effects of their products. Just take what they say with a grain of salt."

    Zhang Ya: "Honey does have beauty benefits, but the effects can vary. Some are very weak and barely noticeable. Even if there are effects, they''re not that significant."

    Zhang Ya: "You''re too easily influenced; you''ll get into trouble if you keep going like this."

    Zhang Ya: "Are you still there?"

    Xiao Zhou: "You''re not fat at all."

    Zhang Ya: "..."

    ...

    "Just one sip should be fine." Before going to sleep, Zhang Ya made herself a cup of honey water.

    After all, it was a thoughtful gift from her boyfriend. Even if it wasn''t, she could always run a few extraps tomorrow.

    She sipped the honey water. "The taste is really good; I want more... Wait!" A stern voice in her mind stopped her from taking another sip. The better it tasted, the more she should stay away. It was the temptation of the devil! Zhang Ya covered the honey, ced it out of reach, and went to bed. She had afortable dream, as if a gentle hand was massaging her.

    When she woke up, her face felt slightly numb. She went to wash her face, and when she looked in the mirror, she eximed, "Did I forget to remove my makeupst night?" She was surprised when she saw that her skin was much whiter, smoother, and more stic, and all the skin issues that had troubled her had disappeared. It was as if her skin had returned to its original state overnight. "Could it really be the effect of that honey?" Her worldview was starting to waver.

    Could honey nowadays have such effects? She immediately took the bottle of honey down from the high shelf and examined it closely. Then, she searched online for rted information. "Hua Yu Town... It used to be a famous honey-producing area, but it''s rarely heard of now. Is it possible that pure honey has these effects?" She brainstormed for a while but couldn''te to a convincing conclusion. However, her skin had undeniably improved.

    She picked up her phone and excitedly messaged her friends in the group: "Sisters, I''ve found a miraculous honey!" ...

    The sales of the Feathered Flower Honey continued to grow steadily, from one or two bottles a day to more than ten, and on some days, over fifty. To prevent people from hoarding the product, Hua Mi set a limit of five bottles per person per month. The store''s rating surpassed 4 stars, and thements section witnessed a strong reversal in public opinion.

    A bold male customer shared a before-and-afterparison of his skin, showing a significant improvement after using the honey for a week. Thements were filled with disbelief and admiration.

    The night grew longer in the other world as the Water-Lull Moon''s tail marked the prelude to the Ice Age. The Seven Little Ones'' sleep time increased ordingly. During the day, they all appeared groggy, but honey was the one thing that could temporarily energize them.

    Hua Mi had taught them how to make honey tea, and they hade up with various ways to consume honey, some of which were truly amazing. The mysterious seed also sprouted a tiny flower bud just before the Ice Age arrived.

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 Chapter 42: Blossoming Beauty

    Chapter 42: Blossoming Beauty

    Hua Mi brought over a handy charging deskmp from Earth, making activities easier at night when there was no moonlight.

    This deskmp allowed the adjustment of light hues through a knob, ranging from orange-yellow to incandescent white.

    Under the pure white light, the nt in the flowerpot disyed a peculiar ck and white contrast.

    The stem and leaves remained ck, just like the young shoots at the beginning, even darker than the young shoots.

    However, the newly grown flower bud was pure white, almost dazzling under the light.

    Turning the knob to adjust the light''s hue, the stem and leaves remained ck, while the flower bud changed in sync with the light.

    This indicated that the flower bud reflected almost all the light, the opposite of the stem and leaves.

    Hua Mi dripped some green liquid onto the flower bud.

    The green liquid slowly seeped in, but the flower bud itself didn''t change much.

    "Tomorrow, I''ll let the seven little ones cast a spell... maybe it will bloom."

    By the way, recently, after the temperature dropped, not only were the seven pseudo-flower spirits sluggish, but the bees were also less active.

    One reason was the low temperature, and the other was the scarcity of nectar outside.

    But as long as the temperature stayed above 0��C, it wasn''t a big problem.

    Even an ordinary bee colony could maintain the suitable temperature inside the hive by generating heat through friction (in simple terms, generating heat through rubbing).

    Not to mention the newly evolved bee species with higher resistance to harsh environments.

    The current bee colony structure consisted of fifty bee groups.

    Among them, 40 were Forest Swift Bees, the main force for honey production.

    There was one Painful Sting Bee and one Irond Bee, both morebat-oriented but also capable of nectar collection.

    One Irond Swift Bee and one Circumcision Bee were purelybat units, considered his elite troops.

    There were also sixmon bees as reserves.

    The structure was healthy, with both offense and defense capabilities and the ability to meet production needs.

    The Circumcision Bee was a bee species he obtained through a second-generation hybrid.

    He had even tried to perform a third-generation hybrid on this basis.

    But as the number of hybridizations increased, the difficulty increased exponentially.

    With his current mental strength, a second-generation hybrid was already his limit.

    He had tried several times with a third-generation hybrid, but had not seeded.

    Of course, this wasn''t the limit of hybridization, but his personal limit. His mental strength was not strong enough.

    As for the hybrids between Painful Sting Bees and Irond Bees, and Painful Sting Bees and Forest Swift Bees, since both were first-generation hybrids, he could easily do it.

    But the results of hybridization were not very ideal.

    The main problem was with the Painful Sting Bees.

    Its main gene fragments made it difficult for other bee species tobine with it to produce favorable traits. The hybridization results were not as good as the parent.

    So, it was considered a failed hybrid.

    Hua Mi didn''t do any replication.

    Of course, there were still mutation agents left, and he could create new mutant bee species like he did at the beginning, using mutation methods.

    But the sess rate of this experimental drug was too low.

    Currently, there was no urgent need for new bee species, so Hua Mi nned to maintain the status quo and slow down the breeding of new bee species.

    Back on Earth, Hua Mi logged into his ount to check the backend.

    The total number of followers for his store had exceeded 1000, with most of the more active ones being new fans attracted by these two batches of magic honey.

    "Another 34 new orders."

    In just one week, he had sold nearly 300 bottles in total.

    And many customers repurchased the next day.

    Because the purchase limit was set at 5 bottles per person per month, returning customers could only order up to 4 bottles. This was not conducive to expanding his reputation.

    So, Hua Mi modified the purchase limit, directly changing it to one bottle per person per month.

    Online shopping tforms required real-name authentication, with one ID corresponding to one ount, and there was no way to create multiple ounts for bulk purchases.

    In fact, for an individual, one bottle of honey wouldst one to two months if consumed as a daily beverage.

    Hua Mi even posted an announcement exining: "Due to limited stock of this batch of honey, to ensure that more people can purchase it, we have decided to limit each person to one bottle per month. We hope everyone can understand."

    Thements under the announcement started piling up:

    "What?!"

    "I should have bought 5 bottles from the start."

    "One bottle? What can you do with one bottle? I''ll finish it in a few days."

    "Just have one or two cups a day, regte the intake. Consuming too much of anything is not good for your health."

    "No need to limit purchases, it should be based on personal ability to grab."

    "I just added it to my cart, and when I went to purchase, it suddenly told me I exceeded the purchase limit. Darn it..."

    "Tragic, upstairs, tragic."

    "What? There''s a purchase limit... Oh, I already bought five bottles, so that''s fine Y(������)."

    "Take your superiority elsewhere!"

    "Boss, if the stock is insufficient, just restock, no need to limit the purchase quantity."

    "Good honey needs time to brew. Boss, keep it up, we''re waiting for you."

    "Looking forward to the next batch of honey (^_^), I wonder if it will have other effects."

    "I bought honey from another store in Huayu Town, although it''s also free of additives, the taste is much worse, and there are no obvious effects. The meal recement n failed, Boss, hurry up with the new batch."

    "Don''t be afraid of the purchase limit, let''s mobilize the whole family!"

    "I rmended it to my friend, but he didn''t believe it. He even suspected me of promoting it."

    The next day, Hua Mi traveled back to the other world and immediately felt the temperature drop by several degrees. The two worlds were like night and day.

    He quickly took out his ck robe and put it on, blocking the cold air from outside.

    "I hope the ice age doesn''t get too cold, preferably staying above 0��C."

    Otherwise, for the lower vitality ofmon bees, Forest Swift Bees, and Painful Sting Bees, they might not be able to survive the ice age solely by generating heat on their own.

    The vitality of Painful Sting Bees and Forest Swift Bees was simr to that ofmon bees, and they didn''t evolve advantageous traits in this regard, resulting in a lower ability to withstand harsh environments.

    When external factors such as temperature became unfavorable for the bee colony''s survival, intervention was needed.

    "Maybe I should bring a heater, the kind you burn wood in. After all, the forest is notcking in wood, and with Circumcision Bees, it''s easy to cut down a tree into logs."

    Hua Mi silently noted the idea of heating the wooden house.

    The mysterious seed''s flower was still the same asst night, with a clear ck-and-white contrast. The flower bud seemed slightlyrger, but it wasn''t very noticeable, possibly just a psychological effect.

    He opened the window and looked outside.

    Most of the trees had already started shedding their leaves, while some remained evergreen.

    The entire forest had be much quieter, with fewer insect chirps and birdcalls.

    "It''s probably going to be difficult to find new sources of nectar, but if I can build a greenhouse during the ice age, that would be great."

    After all, the chaotic period after the ice age was even more hostile to the environment.

    With a greenhouse, at least he could ensure a source of nectar.

    Hua Mi dripped some green liquid onto the mysterious flower.

    At that moment, the seven pseudo-flower spirits flew in, lining up.

    "Good morning, Beekeeper."

    The leader, Little Red, let out a big yawn, with two glistening teardrops in the corners of her eyes.

    All seven of them had a drowsy look, a far cry from their previous states.

    "You arrived just in time," Hua Mi greeted with a smile. "Look, this nt has grown a flower bud. With a little magic to ripen it, it might bloom."

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 Chapter 43: A Ravens Message

    Chapter 43: A Raven''s Message

    The seven small beings turned their attention to the nt in the flowerpot upon hearing these words. They looked at it with curiosity, and this discussion brought them back to full consciousness.

    They flew over to observe the tiny white flower bud.

    "It doesn''t seem like a species from the ck Forest," one of them remarked.

    "Maybe it was brought in from the outside," another suggested.

    "It possesses a mysterious magical power," added another.

    "It''s seeking release," chimed in yet another.

    The seven little beings were engaged in a lively discussion, leaving Hua Mi bewildered. He couldn''t help but ask, "So, do you have any conclusions?"

    Little Red answered, "First of all, it''s definitely not a native species. There has never been such a flower in the ck Forest."

    Little Orange continued, "Secondly, it''s clearly not a natural creation; it seems to have been modified using some sort of magical process."

    Hua Mi was intrigued, "How can you tell?"

    "Natural flowers wouldn''t exhibit such discordant magical fluctuations," Little Yellow exined.

    Little Green contemted, "Engaging in something that disrupts the harmony of nature, this seems very much like the work of an alchemist..."

    An alchemist''s work? So, it was very likely a nt that had been altered through alchemy, just like that vial of mutated potion �C a creation of alchemy. Could it be rted to the previous owner of this small cottage? Hua Mi recalled the skeleton at the bottom of theke. He couldn''t help but wonder if that alchemist had met an unfortunate end in the Witch''s Eye.

    Little Red said with concern, "The current problem is that we can''t predict what kind of effect the magic contained within the flower will have once it fully blooms."

    Little Orange added, "Are you sure you want to continue nurturing it? It might harm you once it blossoms, and even if it doesn''t necessarily lead to death, it could make you sick. It''s a pity that no one will be able to take care of you. Shouldn''t we get rid of it?"

    Hua Mi was also considering this issue. Between curiosity and his life, he would definitely prioritize thetter. But if he could ensure his safety, curiosity, as an important human motivator, also needed to be satisfied to the fullest. After some thought, Hua Mi asked, "How strong is the magical power it contains?"

    Little Red said, "It''s not particrly strong, but its effects will at least cover this small cottage."

    Hua Mi nodded, understanding it. How much energy could be stored in a single seed? The War Hammer only sensed it after using water magic to merge with theke, but it didn''t detect anything while onnd.

    So, he came up with an idea. "I''ll ce it outside in the flower field, away from the small cottage. You can continue using magic to ripen it, but don''t let it fully bloom. Allow it to grow naturally during the final stage. Can you do that?"

    Little Red nodded, "No problem."

    Little Green looked at him in amazement, "You''re a genius!"

    Hua Mi moved the flowerpot outside into the flower field, keeping a safe distance. The pseudo-flower spirits surrounded the pot, just like before, each of them channeling their magic into the nt.

    Initially, the flower bud showed no response for several seconds. However, suddenly, it quivered and began to grow. The petals slowly unfurled. What was particrly peculiar was that as the flower bloomed, its once pure white surface started to disy streaks of various colors, like rainbow bands appearing in sections. These colors changed as the perspective shifted.

    A few minutester, the seven little beings stopped casting spells, appearing more fatigued. Their wings were drooping.

    It seemed they would need to be treated to a honey feast to recover.

    "The internal magical power has been gathered and is ready to burst forth. Barring any surprises, it should fully bloom in another day."

    "Good."

    To be on the safe side, Hua Mi used a shovel to dig a shallow hole and ced the flowerpot inside it.

    After tending to the potted nt, Hua Mi brought out the beehive, allowing the bees toe out and stretch their wings. This had be a daily part of his morning exercise routine. After two months, he had indeed strengthened his physique.

    The bees still flew out, but they were noticeably less active. Unless Hua Mi gave them orders to act, the bee colony remained disciplined, like well-trained soldiers. After all, his orders took top priority.

    The seven little beings continued to create new ways to consume honey. They were truly talented chefs, havinge up with at least ten different methods during their research.

    In his free time, Hua Mi started practicing archery. Not for the sake of honing hisbat skills �C hisbat abilities mainly relied on the bee colony and bee control. This was his growth path.

    He found it genuinely enjoyable. Surprisingly, thepound bow was quite fun to use. As a sport, once you got the hang of it, the appeal was not inferior to mainstream ball games.

    Hua Mi skillfully cut a wooden disc into a ring and hung it on a tree trunk. The tree rings on it served as natural target lines, making it a perfect target.

    He began practicing archery with enthusiasm. Although most of the arrows missed the mark, he didn''t mind.

    He suddenly remembered the gift Sindra had given him, the "Wind God" arrow. It was a special product from the Jade City, appearing quite luxurious.

    "Why not give it a try?"

    Hua Mi took out the unique arrow and nocked it onto the bowstring. The entire arrow was a brilliant green, and countless threads of yellow-green light flowed slowly inside.

    Hua Mi pulled the bowstring taut, feeling a strange sensation in his fingertips. Suddenly, white wind patterns shot out from around the arrow, rapidly rotating around it. The air pressure around the arrow seemed to change instantly, creating a significant disturbance.

    The sound of whistling wind filled his ears. Hua Mi''s arm trembled uncontrobly in surprise, causing him to release the bowstring in a hurry. The arrow immediately returned to its calm state.

    Hua Mi breathed a sigh of relief. The "Wind God" arrow was indeed powerful. Drawing the bowstring, he could feel a strong surge of energy, as if he were in the midst of a hurricane. Thankfully, there was no idental discharge earlier; otherwise, he couldn''t fathom the level of destruction it might have caused.

    "Magic arrows aren''t to be trifled with."

    Hua Mi carefully put away the "Wind God" arrow and reced it with a regr one. As he pulled the bowstring tight and was about to shoot, he heard a hoarse bird cry from the sky.

    His vision and the arrow were simultaneously redirected to the sky. There, arge ck bird was circling above.

    "A raven!"

    Hua Mi squinted his eyes and indeed saw something in its beak that looked like an envelope. It should be the messenger sent by Sindra �C the moment he had been waiting for.

    Atst, I haven''t given up.

    Hua Mi lowered his bow. The raven dived toward the area below but not directly at him. Instead, it flew straight toward the window of the small cottage, still several meters away. In a precise move, the bird let go of the envelope, and it flew through the window,nding on the table.

    "Kah!"

    The raven executed a graceful mid-air turn, pping its wings and ascending into the high sky.

    Soon, it was just a tiny dot in the field of blue.

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 Chapter 44: Unicorn Horn Powder

    Chapter 44: Unicorn Horn Powder

    A beige envelopey quietly on the table.

    Hua Mi approached and picked it up.

    Recipient: Bee Speaker of the ck Forest.

    The term "Bee Speaker" was a transliteration.

    There was no other information provided.

    No sender, no postmark.

    Not even an opening.

    The entire envelope was seamless.

    Hua Mi was about to tear it open when suddenly an irregr small hole appeared on the envelope, and its edges glowed, as if a spark had burned through it.

    Then, this small hole rapidly expanded.

    Simr holes appeared in other ces simultaneously, gradually connecting and forming a patchwork, causing the envelope to quickly dissolve.

    What remained in Hua Mi''s hand was a folded letter.

    Opening it, she read a message:

    "I will arrive in three days. If you wish to prepare the spatial magic, ensure you have no less than 15g of Unicorn Horn Powder within three days. Laters will not be tolerated. - ''Dimlight'' Alys, the Grand Architect of the Jade Court."

    Hua Mi was momentarily taken aback.

    It wasn''t Sindra?

    From the signature, this "Dimlight Alys" should be the master Sindra mentioned.

    No wonder she was a master, her words were so imposing.

    But the title was indeed simple, an architect; it gave him an Earth-like feeling.

    What surprised Hua Mi even more was that the master herself replied to the letter.

    And she wasing in person.

    Sindra mentioned that this master didn''t like humans, and Hua Mi had expected some difficulties, but it all seemed too smooth.

    "Could it be the honey I sent her worked?"

    However, a mere bottle of honey, even if it was something not found in this world, probably wouldn''t be enough to persuade an elven master.

    His intuition told him there had to be another reason.

    But, for now, he needed to focus on the task at hand.

    To move closer to the goal of building the greenhouse, he had taken an important step.

    The current issue was how to obtain the material required for the spatial magic, no less than 15g of Unicorn Horn Powder, in just three days.

    Indeed, there was a unicorn in the ck Forest.

    But he couldn''t just walk up to it and ask for some horn powder.

    It would probably skewer him with its horn.

    Hua Mi took out the ck Forest Adventurer''s Guide and turned to the page about unicorns.

    ��Unicorn��

    This is a species that resembles a white horse, but don''t even think about making it your mount. The difficulty is on par with riding a dragon, if not harder. As far as the author knows, only one legendary hero has had the honor, and it was temporary.

    The unicorn has a spiral horn protruding from its forehead, hence the name. This is the part it uses to control and release its magic. A unicorn without its horn will have difficulty controlling its own magic.

    Unicorns typically live alone and have a very long lifespan, so they don''t have a strong need for reproduction, resulting in a low poption.

    Apart from dragons, there might be no species rarer than unicorns (the author''s knowledge is limited, but they are fragile, so if you disagree, please keep it to yourself).

    Many people mistakenly believe that unicorns have low intelligence because they often don''t respond to attempts atmunication. In reality, unicorns have intelligence on par with most humanoid species, if not higher, but they don''t respond to the outside world because of their innate pride.

    [Magic Resistance]: Unicorns have high resistance to magic and, with adequate preparation, can even absorb the magic released by their enemies through their horns and use it as their own, turning the tables.

    [Healing Abilities]: Unicorns have high magic resistance, making them resistant to magical attacks, and high agility, making them difficult to hit with physical attacks. However, on the flip side, their recovery from injuries is extremely slow, and due to their resistance to magic, magical medicines and restorative magic have minimal effect.

    [Habitat]: Unicorns can survive in various environments but prefer forests, especially ancient ones.

    [Natural Lord]: The presence of a unicorn will create a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere in its habitat. Small animals will instinctively serve it, to some extent increasing their intelligence, helping them shed their savage nature, and bing more civilized.

    [Magical Talents]: Unicorns'' magical talents are astonishing. They are natural magic artists and teachers. In this regard, elves have the most say, as many of their magics are created by observing unicorns.

    ...

    The advice given for the unicorn in the ck Forest was simple: don''t provoke it, and if you encounter it, pretend you didn''t see it. Unicorns won''t harm you as long as you don''t attack them.

    However, if you anger it, don''t panic, and certainly don''t run. Brave the situation and look it in the eyes, so at least you can die with dignity.

    Generally, adventurers entering the ck Forest wouldn''t be targeting the unicorn. There were rumors that harming a unicorn would bring divine retribution, leading to a curse and bad luck. It might sound mystical, but adventurers tended to believe it.

    From the description in the text, the unicorn''s horn was crucial for its control of magic, and it was essentially its lifeline. Asking it for horn powder was like asking Saitama-sensei for a few strands of hair without getting punched.

    If they went with a forceful approach, it might work.

    Unicorns had full resistance to magic, but their tolerance for pain was not particrly high.

    Release the Pain Inflicting Bees, and while it writhes in pain, get in close to cut off its horn and run.

    The n was straightforward, yet effective.

    However, what worried Hua Mi the most was not whether the n would seed, but what might happen after it seeded. This was a magical world, and it was hard to predict what could ur.

    "Piece of cake!"

    Xiao Zi overheard this and couldn''t help but boast.

    "Do you have a n?" Hua Mi asked with skepticism.

    "Of course! I''m good friends with it, and a bit of horn powder is all we need," Xiao Zi said, hands on hips, brimming with confidence.

    "Are you sure?" Hua Mi questioned.

    This little one hadn''t exactly left the most reliable impression on him, and he found it hard to ept that she could easily solve this problem.

    "Absolutely! I''ll go ask it right now!" Xiao Zi dered, eager to prove herself.

    Hua Mi couldn''t help but hope she would seed, despite his doubts.

    "Let''s see what you''ve got, Xiao Zi!"

    ...

    In the evening, the two pseudo-flower spirits returned, looking bedraggled.

    Xiao Zi was covered in soot, lying on Xiao Huang''s back, barely conscious, and unable to open even one eye.

    She looked as if she''d just been rescued from an illegal coal mine.

    "What happened?" Xiao Huang sighed and recounted the events.

    In truth, it was quite simple.

    Once they found the unicorn, Xiao Zi went up to it and asked for a bit of horn powder.

    The unicorn refused.

    Xiao Zi insisted, saying she only needed a tiny bit.

    The unicorn ignored her.

    Thinking it had wavered, Xiao Zi continued to persuade it.

    The unicorn, fed up, summoned a lightning bolt and struck her.

    "..."

    Hua Mi couldn''t help but say, "Aren''t you supposed to be good friends?"

    Friends didn''t usually get zapped just for a little extra conversation.

    "Looks like we''re not that close..." Xiao Zi said sadly.

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 Chapter 45: Blossoming

    Chapter 45: Blossoming

    Hua Mi pondered for a moment before asking, "Is it true that harming unicorns brings a curse?"

    "There is indeed such a rumor," someone replied.

    "But we can''t confirm its authenticity," another added.

    "We''ve never harmed one," a third chimed in.

    Suddenly, Xiao Hong realized something and asked, "Do you want to battle a unicorn?"

    "Hiss!" The other Pseudo-Flower Spirits immediately halted their discussion, inhaling sharply, and turned to look at Hua Mi, even the dazed Xiao Zi opened her eyes wide.

    Hua Mi remained nomittal and said, "Building a greenhouse is my current main goal. I must find a way to achieve it."

    "But you can''t possibly defeat it!" one of the spirits eximed.

    "Unicorns are incredibly powerful magical creatures, even on par with dragons!" another argued.

    "No, dragons are still more formidable," a third spirit countered.

    "Have you not heard the tale? In the ancient era of giants, a giant fought a ck dragon, disturbing the unicorns in the forest. The unicorn singlehandedly drove them away and left behind the giant''s finger and the ck dragon''s eye as the price for intruding into its territory."

    "Do you believe that? Some even im they can defeat dragons with just a shovel."

    "It''s not impossible, as long as they use the right weapon..."

    "Are you referring to weapons made of Dragonsteel?"

    "But the method for smelting Dragonsteel was lost after the giants went extinct."

    "Did we get off-topic?"

    "..."

    "In any case, if you attack the unicorn, it will surely kill you."

    "It''s not as easy to deal with as the Tree Spirits."

    Hua Mi absorbed their words. After a moment of contemtion, he said, "Alright, how about this? Tomorrow, I''ll attempt to negotiate with it first. If that doesn''t work, we''ll consider other options."

    Back on Earth, Hua Mi handled some orders. The honey with magical effects sold well, and he wasn''t concerned about sales. His main focusy elsewhere. Compared to exploring this treasure trove in the otherworld, even making money seemed less important.

    Lying in bed, he thought about how to negotiate with the unicorn the next day. Hua Mi figured that if the unicorn was willing to trade, things would be much easier. If it had something it desired, they could exchange for it. The only concern was if the unicorn had no desires and no interest inmunication.

    Lost in thought, he drifted into slumber.

    Upon waking, Hua Mi cleaned up, had breakfast, and then crossed over to the otherworld. As soon as his feet touched the wooden floor of the cottage, he heard the mor of the Pseudo-Flower Spirits outside.

    Hua Mi stepped outside and saw them flying in a circle, engaged in an animated discussion. When they noticed him, they shouted, "It''s blooming!"

    The alchemical-altered nt had finally blossomed, seemingly without any dangerous magical effects. Hua Mi walked over to the pit, took a look, and first felt puzzled, then a chill ran down his spine. San value decreased by 1.

    The flower had fully bloomed, with seven radiant petals stretching outwards. In the center of the petals was the female reproductive structure of the flower, including the stigma, style, and ovary. The ovary was where the seeds grew. At this moment, the ovary had ruptured, and a thumb-sized "little person" emerged from it. It had no hair, its body was a mismatch of various colors, and it appeared rather grotesque.

    Its wings behind were also damaged and drooping. "The alchemist who created this seed must have attempted to artificially create a Flower Spirit, but clearly, they failed. Only naturally grown rare flowers can give birth to Flower Spirits. It''s a sin!"

    Hua Mi''s perspective differed from the Pseudo-Flower Spirits''. He found the situation a bit odd but didn''t harbor strong negative feelings towards the creator of the seed. It was akin to Earth''s scientists conducting cloning experiments, creating life artificially, and it couldn''t be considered evil. Exploration itself was not wrong, unless it was for sinister purposes.

    Hua Mi wondered if the premature birth of this artificial Flower Spirit was due to excessive ripening. Despite the Pseudo-Flower Spirits iming that their magic fully adhered to thews of nature and elerated the life process with the approval of the Forest Spirit, this situation raised suspicions.

    "Poor thing, it never got to see the world," Xiao Hongmented.

    Hua Mi thought, maybe because they rushed the process, the artificial Flower Spirit failed to develop fully. Although the Pseudo-Flower Spirits'' magic appeared natural, the essence might be fundamentally different from what was happening here.

    "Strange, but it indeed seems to have a desire. It craves seeds," Xiao Hong said.

    "Seeds? Why seeds?" the spirits discussed.

    The artificial Flower Spirit, being in a semi-nt state, had minimal mental activity, making it hard even for the Pseudo-Flower Spirits to sense it. Only the eldest, Xiao Hong, detected a trace of its mentalnguage.

    "It''s very odd, but it does desire seeds," Xiao Hong confirmed.

    The ovary produced seeds, and technically, it was part of the ovary. If you stretched the connection, it made some sense. Hua Mi had collected over a dozen packs of Moon-Dream Flower seeds, so he took one and offered it to the little creature using a spoon.

    The creature promptly opened its mouth and swallowed the seed. Afterward, it retreated back into the ovary through the hole, and the seven petals retracted, forming a shuttle shape that enclosed the ovary.

    "It appears to be digesting, more or less," Xiao Hong observed. "I can sense its mental activity now."

    "I can confirm that it wants to eat," the Pseudo-Flower Spirits exchanged ideas.

    As this creature was in a semi-nt state with limited mental activity, it seemed even the Pseudo-Flower Spirits couldn''t fullymunicate with it. The Flower Spirit released a magical field that disrupted their mental connection. It was certain that some kind of magical effect was happening inside.

    Hua Mi thought for a moment and had the Pseudo-Flower Spirits use a nt-growth magic on it. To everyone''s surprise, it worked. With seven beams of magical light injected into the creature, the little person twitched, previously lying motionless. After that, Hua Mi poured some green liquid onto the flower.

    If the growth magic worked, the green liquid should be harmless. The deformed creature seemed more like a part of this nt. With both the magic and the green liquid, the little person eventually stood up, although it still appeared somewhat dull, resembling a nt-human.

    "I think I can sense its mental activity!" Xiao Hong eximed, leaning in to listen closely.

    "It''s very hungry and wants to eat something," she added.

    "Should we feed it honey?" someone suggested.

    "No, it wants... seeds," Xiao Hong responded.

    "Why seeds?" the spirits pondered.

    Hua Mi had a collection of Moon-Dream Flower seeds, so he took one and held it near the creature''s mouth. It promptly opened its mouth and swallowed the seed. Afterward, it retreated into the ovary through the hole, and the surrounding petals closed, forming a shuttle-like shape around the ovary.

    "It''s digesting, I think," Xiao Hong observed. "I can''t sense its mental activity now. The flower has released a magic field that interferes with our mental connection."

    "One thing is certain; something magical is happening inside."

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 Chapter 46: The Five-Ring Magus

    Chapter 46: The Five-Ring Magus

    After waiting for a while, there was no sign of the Seven-Colored Flower opening.

    Regardless of what magical effects were happening inside, it seemed like it wouldn''t be ending anytime soon.

    Hua Mi hadn''t forgotten the primary task for today.

    While it was still early in the day, he needed to set out as soon as possible to find the Unicorn.

    Xiao Orange, serving as his guide and trantor, apanied him on this journey.

    Even though this trip had a diplomatic purpose, Hua Mi didn''t forget to bring along his swarm of bees, hispound bow, and the Wind Spirit Arrow in his quiver.

    Better to be prepared.

    Guided by Xiao Orange, they made their way to the destination.

    As the Ice Age approached, not only had the Chirping Birds gone silent, but somerge wild beasts had also gone into hibernation.

    The ground was covered with fallen leaves, making it quite challenging to walk on.

    But over the past two months, Hua Mi had reconnected with nature, and his physical strength had improved significantly.

    Combined with his familiarity with the terrain, his ability to move through the forest had greatly improved, so he made decent progress despite the conditions.

    Even so, it was only midday when they had covered about half of the journey.

    His Bee Whisperer''s cabin and the ck Castle Ruins where the Unicorn resided were too far apart.

    "I probably won''t be able to return tonight... I just hope this trip won''t be in vain," Hua Mi thought, preparing himself for an overnight stay in the wilderness.

    "Let''s take a break."

    Hua Mi signaled for Xiao Orange to stop, took out some food, and leaned against a big tree, preparing to have lunch.

    When traveling outdoors, they brought fast food like bread and sandwiches.

    Of course, honey was a must. It could be used for both drinking and adding vor to the food, providing a quick energy boost in the wilderness.

    "What kind of ce is the ck Castle Ruins where the Unicorn resides? From the name, it used to be a castle, but was it abandoned?" Hua Mi asked while having his meal.

    "Yes," Xiao Orange replied after swallowing a mouthful of honey. "It used to be a vampire''s castle. The stones in the castle were all pitch ck, hence the name ck Castle."

    "What happenedter? Was the vampire killed by adventurers?"

    "Indeed, many adventurers came to defeat the vampire, but they all failed, and many lost their lives, some even turned into vampire spawn. But one day, the Unicorn appeared and defeated the vampire."

    "I see... But vampires are cursed, evil, undead creatures, and their physical bodies are usually hard to destroypletely. At most, they can be sealed. So, the vampire hasn''t actually been destroyed; it''s just sealed somewhere within the ruins?"

    Hua Mi stored this information in his mind. Knowing more about it in advance mighte in handy during the uing negotiations. Whether it''s negotiation orbat, the importance of information cannot be underestimated. Relying solely on strength is the mark of a brute.

    Just as Hua Mi was about to ask further questions, Xiao Orange suddenly became alert. Her two sharp ears twitched, and she looked in a particr direction.

    Without waiting for Hua Mi to say anything, she quickly swallowed the honey cake in front of her, slid into the sleeves of his ck robe, and perched on his shoulder. She whispered in his ear, "Someone''s approaching."

    Hua Mi immediately became vignt.

    He stood up and opened his magic box on the ground, releasing a group of Bees of Agony and a squad of Circr Slice Bees. These bees went into his robe sleeves and waited for hismand.

    With just a thought, these two bee teams couldunch an attack.

    Then he put away the magic box and returned to his spot, continuing to eat his meal, waiting for the unexpected visitors.

    After about a minute, several figures appeared from the direction Xiao Orange had pointed.

    "There are five in total," Hua Mi observed without moving.

    They varied in height and build, and it seemed not all of them were human.

    They were heading straight toward Hua Mi.

    The leader appeared to be a human, an elderly man dressed in a gray robe. He had neatlybed gray and white hair and a face with wrinkles etched by time, but his eyes exuded a sense of wisdom. He held a staff with a hollowed-out section at the top, and a pale light emanated from it.

    "Good afternoon," the old man smiled and greeted him, his voice sounding soothing and warm, instantly putting one at ease.

    "Afternoon," Hua Mi replied in a low voice.

    While they were talking, Hua Mi took the opportunity to assess the other four individuals.

    Apanying the old man on his left was a young girl with medium-length hair, radiant in her youthful beauty. She was also dressed in a gray robe, albeit a bit oversized, and she held a staff, though a in wooden one.

    On the right was a dwarf, about a meter tall, with scruffy facial features, a barrel-like body, disheveled hair resembling a lion''s mane, and a filthy beard tied with a piece of rope. The end of the beard almost touched the ground, and he held a spiked hammer. He stared at Hua Mi with a hostile look, clearly harboring ill intentions.

    Then there was a small human figure standing behind, scrutinizing Hua Mi from the corner of their eye. It was difficult to determine their gender or even if they were human, as their entire body was hidden beneath a gray robe and bandages. Nothing of their appearance was visible.

    "Excuse us for our rudeness. My mentor, a Five-Ring Magus, took the initiative to greet you, and you didn''t even stand up," the young girl said, her tone filled with dissatisfaction.

    A Five-Ring Magus! What did that mean? Although Hua Mi didn''t understand, he nced at the old man with a look of newfound respect.

    The old man seemed pleased with Hua Mi''s reaction, and his smile deepened. "It''s all right. We''ve intruded on your space. You don''t need to stand up. Your lunch looks delicious."

    Hua Mi hadn''t intended to stand up anyway. Meanwhile, the bees hidden in his sleeves were prepared to attack at a moment''s notice. He replied casually, "Would you like to join us for lunch?"

    After all, he had been in business for several years and knew how to maintain a calm exterior, even when there were hidden knives in his sleeves.

    "If you want to treat us, you might not have brought enough food," the old man jokingly replied. He paused for a moment and then continued, "Magic resources in the ck Forest are quite scarce. After the star ratings fell, there are very few adventurers exploring this area. It''s rare to see someone here, so we came to say hello. May I ask, where is your destination? Perhaps we can apany you."

    Hua Mi took a sip of water and calmly replied, "I appreciate the offer, but I prefer to travel alone."

    The young girl frowned, ready to say something, but the old man gave her a quick nce, silencing her.

    "In that case, we won''t disturb you any longer. Please continue to enjoy your delicious lunch."

    Saying this, the old man turned and led the others away.

    Hua Mi noted the direction they headed��it wasn''t toward the ck Castle Ruins.

    After walking a certain distance, the dwarf still asionally looked back, ring at Hua Mi as if they held a deep grudge against him.

    It wasn''t until the five figures disappeared deep into the forest that Hua Mi could finally ease his tension.

    Being far from home meant he couldn''t open a wormhole for a quick escape. Caution was the best course of action.

    A slight itch arose in his chest.

    Xiao Orange poked her head out from under his cor.

    "What is a Five-Ring Magus?" she asked.

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 Chapter 47: The Black Castle Ruins

    Chapter 47: The ck Castle Ruins

    Hua Mi contemted the words spoken by the young girl, intrigued by the term she had used. It seemed like a title or perhaps a level in a game.

    Xiao Huang exined, "In simple terms, it''s a measure of a mage''s strength."

    Indeed, that made sense. Hua Mi wondered how high the rankings could go in this world.

    From the girl''s description, it seemed like reaching five rings was quite an impressive achievement.

    "In fact, the number of rings can also describe the intensity of a spell. The higher the rings, the more powerful the spell, and the higher the requirements for the caster. For example, a 5-ring spell would require at least a 5-ring mage''s strength to cast..."

    With Xiao Huang''s caretaker-like exnation, Hua Mi grasped the concept clearly. The term "rings" could describe both an individual''s magical power and the intensity of a spell. However, when describing a spell''s power, it typically referred to the minimum requirement. The actual strength of the spell might be even greater. For example, a 10-ring mage could cast a 5-ring spell at 10-ring intensity, making it far more destructive than if cast by a 5-ring mage.

    A 5-ring mage was already considered a mid-tier mage in the pyramid of power. Hua Mi couldn''t help but feel a bit worried.

    Were they really just here to invite him to join them? Uncertain about their intentions, Hua Mi turned to Xiao Huang and asked, "Did they have any ill intentions toward me just now?"

    Xiao Huang, with a somewhat clueless expression, replied, "How would I know?"

    "But don''t you have telepathic abilities?"

    Xiao Huang rified, "But that requires cooperation from the target."

    Hua Mi realized he had misunderstood. Telepathy wasn''t mind-reading. The former required mutual cooperation, much like making a phone call. If the other party didn''t answer, there was no way tomunicate. Since he couldn''t determine their intentions, overthinking the situation seemed futile. He decided to stay cautious.

    Hua Mi finished his sandwich and took a few sips of honey water, packed his belongings, and continued on his journey. Several hours passed without any unexpected events. Finally, at dusk, they reached their destination.

    "The ck Castle Ruins are not far from here. We need to be prepared..." Xiao Huang said solemnly. "Unicorns are extremely proud creatures, even surpassing elves. So, when interacting with them, we must remain humble. If they show impatience, regardless of whether we achieve our goal, it means we must leave."

    Hua Mi nodded, knowing that his own safety was paramount in this foreign realm. He was here to negotiate, not to fight a boss. They had entered the unicorn''s domain, and as the adventure guide stated, he could sense a peaceful and serene atmosphere, which helped calm his nerves.

    Although it was evening and the surroundings were deste, Hua Mi felt like he was bathed in a soothing spring breeze. This was the unique magical effect of the unicorn''s territory.

    He knew that powerful magical creatures could emit certain effects within a specific range, serving as both a deterrent and a warning. Sometimes, adventurers could use these effects to detect the presence of a nearby boss.

    After walking for a while, he could already see the dark ruins through the gaps in the trees. It was right in front of them. Hua Mi quickened his pace. Suddenly, two sharp screeches echoed from above. Two greenish figures leaped from the trees, blocking Hua Mi''s path on the left and right.

    Hua Mi carefully examined the creatures �C they had long arms and green fur. They were the same green apes he had encountered during his previous exploration.

    "Be cautious when encountering Green Apes and guard your belongings..." The warning from the adventure guide immediately shed in his mind.

    Hua Mi tightened his grip on his equipment, especially his magic box. The two Green Apes each held a wooden stick with a pointed stone at the top, showing an unexpected level of tool usage. This was clearly an influence of the unicorn, elevating their intelligence.

    Some creatures in the area voluntarily served the unicorn, considering it their master. These two goofy apes seemed to be functioning as guards.

    Xiao Huang flew off his shoulder and approached the Green Apes tomunicate. After a brief conversation, Xiao Huang turned to Hua Mi and said, "We can pass, but we have to hand over your bow and arrows to them for safekeeping."

    Hua Mi was about to object, but Xiao Huang quickly reassured him, "Don''t worry; they will return them to you when we leave."

    Hesitating, Hua Mi was skeptical of these cheeky apes'' honesty. He didn''t fully trust their monkey-like behavior. Normal bows and arrows weren''t a big deal, but his Wind God Arrow was irreceable. However, considering the situation, he reluctantly handed over his equipment.

    His two beepanions hidden in his sleeves were still at the ready.

    With the Green Apes guarding them on both sides, they entered the ck Castle Ruins.

    This castle, surrounded by trees, looked like a scar on the forest. Most of the walls had copsed, and the main building had only one level left, with some adjacent towers still standing but barely so.

    As the evening darkened, the entire ruins gave off a somber and oppressive atmosphere. It was clear that this ce hadn''t fallen apart naturally due to neglect. Instead, it seemed to have been damaged during a fierce battle, with evidence of ferocious shes.

    Inspecting the fallen stones, Hua Mi noticed that they weren''t entirely ck; some broken parts showed their original color.

    "Could it be that they were scorched?" Hua Mi could imagine the scene �C a towering inferno or thunderbolts striking from the sky, turning the entire castle ck.

    The stories they had heard earlier, about unicorns being able to contend with dragons, might not all be false...

    After crossing a pile of rubble and passing through a crumbling stone arch, Hua Mi arrived in a dpidated courtyard. Compared to the outer area, this courtyard was rtively intact. Some green nts adorned it, creating a serene atmosphere.

    Several stone pirs of varying heights stood around the courtyard, covered in vines and foliage. In the center, the fountain''s stone sculpture miraculously remained unscathed, with only a few cracks.

    Behind the fountain, a faint white light shone, casting an ethereal glow in the surrounding darkness, much like moonlight.

    "That''s the unicorn..." Hua Mi couldn''t help but murmur. The unicorn, bathed in holy light, stood up, its indifferent gaze fixed upon him.

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 Chapter 48: The Unicorns Terms

    Chapter 48: The Unicorn''s Terms

    "Stay humble," Hua Mi reminded himself as he adopted a reverent gaze. Although there was an element of performance involved, he couldn''t deny that the unicorn before him exuded a divine radiance, making it almost impossible not to want to worship and believe.

    In ancient times, this creature would have been considered a sacred beast. The destion surrounding it didn''t diminish its sanctity; it, in fact, added an air of mystery.

    In his field of vision, there was nothing more captivating than the unicorn. Its entire body radiated sanctity, its spiral horn, and... wait, what kind of flower was that?

    Hua Mi''s attention was suddenly drawn to a nearby flowerbed. In the courtyard, two rectangr flowerbeds were symmetrically arranged. One of them was lifeless, filled with only soil and withered branches.

    In contrast, the other flowerbed boasted several peculiar flowers. Dozens of petals clustered around the flower buds, presenting an ethereal shade of deep blue with lightning-like patterns on their petals.

    In the midst of the dwindling water and the onset of winter, these blue flowers thrived.

    They appeared to be nectar-producing nts. There was no mention of these flowers in his alchemical notes, so they must be rare in the ck Forest, perhaps unique to this ruin.

    "I should find a way to bring one back... Do you think it minds if I just pick a flower? Or maybe I should take seeds," Hua Mi mused as he marveled at the fascinating colors and intricate structures of these flowers. It wasn''t until Xiao Huang cleared his throat that he snapped back to reality.

    Xiao Huang approached and said, "First, we want to apologize once again for our audacity yesterday. We sincerely hope that you can be generous in assisting us..."

    "Let me correct you," Hua Mi suddenly interjected, interrupting Xiao Huang''s address. The unicorn''s indifferent gaze shifted to him. "We didn''te seeking help; we came for a trade."

    Hua Mi took a step forward and got straight to the point. "I''m not a brave adventurer, just an honest merchant. I don''t like violence. The only principle I follow is fair trade. So, I''d like to know, what do we need to offer to obtain 15g of horn powder from you? Feel free to state your terms, and we can negotiate."

    Xiao Huang ryed this message to the unicorn telepathically. The unicorn, however, remained motionless.

    Hua Mi patiently waited for over a minute. Xiao Huang suddenly eximed in surprise, "What does it want?"

    The unicorn shot her a nce, its expression slightly irritated, as if saying, "Don''t ask what you shouldn''t ask!"

    Xiao Huang immediately backed down, flying behind Hua Mi, perching on his shoulder. She muttered, "This is unfair... What it wants is extremely difficult to obtain."

    But Hua Mi saw a glimmer of hope. The fact that the unicorn had a specific demand meant there was room for negotiation.

    "What does it want?" he asked.

    "It wants an Eye Fiend!" Xiao Huang replied. "This is insane! Do you even know what an Eye Fiend is? They can''t be found in the ck Forest."

    The mention of the Eye Fiend caught Hua Mi''s attention. He knew there were entrances to the Abyssal Realm in the ck Forest, but as Xiao Huang said, it was too dangerous for him, and time was running out.

    "However, if it''s in the ck Forest, I can try," Hua Mi considered. "If it''s elsewhere, I''m not so sure. I only have two days left."

    Xiao Huang shook her head. "You won''t find it in the ck Forest. Eye Fiends are aberrant creatures that inhabit the shadowy realms. It''s perilous down there, not to mention the inherent danger of the Eye Fiend itself. This request is simply unreasonable."

    Herst sentence was whispered in Hua Mi''s ear. Shadowy realms...

    Hua Mi nced down. There were entrances to the shadowy realms in the ck Forest. However, as Xiao Huang said, it was too perilous for him, and navigating an entirely new and unfamiliar area in such a short time was impossible.

    Hua Mi contemted for a moment and said, "Honestly, this request is quite challenging... I have a proposal: we can draft an agreement. I''ll offer something as coteral, and once I capture an Eye Fiend, we can exchange it for the coteral. I won''t leave you waiting. You''ll get more in return, like two Eye Fiends or whatever else you desire."

    Xiao Huang conveyed this to the unicorn telepathically. The unicorn remained unresponsive. Instead, the tip of its spiral horn glowed, emitting a shockwave that spread outwards.

    Hua Mi raised his hand and noticed a faint white glow enveloping him. Xiao Huang was simrly bathed in white light. Soon, a white ring of light appeared on the ground, encircling them.

    The next moment, they felt dizzy and squeezed.

    As they regained their senses, they found themselves outside the ck Castle ruins. Hua Mi''s bow and arrows materialized in front of him.

    "We''ve been forcibly teleported out by the unicorn..." Xiao Huang, looking quite queasy, sat on Hua Mi''s shoulder with her head drooping. She seemed on the verge of running out of energy.

    Hua Mi couldn''t proceed without her guidance. In a forest without phone navigation, he might not even find his way back during the day, let alone in the dark.

    Hua Mi was about to retrieve honey to recharge her, but a sneering voice came from nearby, "Seems like the unicorn doesn''t wee you."

    Xiao Huang''s wings fluttered as she darted into Hua Mi''s chest.

    Hua Mi, on the other hand, stepped back, raising his hands toward the source of the voice.

    Perched on a tree branch was a slender figure. The distinctive features made it clear; it was a member of the group he had encountered earlier that day��the one who had been dismissive.

    The person toyed with an arrow, glowing green under the moonlight.

    A Wind God''s Arrow?

    Hua Mi lowered his gaze and realized his Wind God''s Arrows were missing from his quiver.

    "This guy managed to steal my things without us noticing, even little Orange''s perception was low, probably due to her exhaustion," Hua Mi thought. Quietly, he assessed the pocket inside his ck robe. Fortunately, the magic box was still there.

    He discreetly signaled the pain bee squad, waiting in his left sleeve, to relocate a few bees to the top of the pocket.

    The rest of the bees inside his sleeve remained at the ready.

    The thief smiled slyly and tossed down the Wind God''s Arrow. "Keep an eye on your belongings, including your life. Who knows when they might disappear."

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 Chapter 49: Vengeance Oath

    Chapter 49: Vengeance Oath

    Hua Mi watched as the agile figure descended from the tree trunk with a mysterious grace,nding on the ground before anyone could react. He moved like a squirrel, swift and nimble.

    Taking a cautious step back, Hua Mi kept a wary eye on the neer.

    The man seemed to find something amusing, a hint of mockery in his smile. "No need to be so tense. The old man sent me here to greet you."

    Hua Mi assessed him skeptically. "Is this how you greet people?"

    He shrugged and yfully said, "You''re absolutely right! As a legendary thief, this is how I greet you. How do you like it?"

    So, he was a thief.

    Hua Mi couldn''t help but wonder why someone who looked decent would have a partner like this.

    Hua Mi sneered, "You seem quite pleased with yourself."

    "I won''t deny it. You didn''t even notice, did you? A perfect theft."

    The thief crossed his arms, looking rather challenging.

    "The technique was indeed impressive, but I hope there won''t be a second time."

    The thief remained silent, but a sly glint shone in his eyes.

    "Now, let''s get down to business," Hua Mi picked up his Wind Spirit Arrow and returned it to his quiver. "You didn''t show up just to y pranks, did you?"

    "Actually, there''s something I need to discuss with you. Wait a moment; my dear teammates will be here shortly," the thief replied, leaning against a tree trunk.

    Hua Mi had a hunch that their visit might be rted to the unicorn.

    A distant glow appeared.

    It grew steadily brighter, piercing through the thin night sky.

    A young girl led the way, her staff emitting the radiant light.

    Behind her was the elderly man, walking at a leisurely pace.

    Bringing up the rear was the dwarf, following closely.

    Andstly, the creature wrapped like a dumpling.

    "I apologize for keeping our purpose hidden earlier, but please trust us; we have our reasons." The elderly man wore a warm smile, devoid of hostility. "I am Turner, you can call me Gray Robe. What should we call you?"

    "Bee Whisperer."

    "Bee Whisperer... quite a unique name. Now that we know you want something from the unicorn, can you tell us what it is?"

    "Some unicorn dust."

    There was no need to hide that fact.

    Gray Robe nodded. "It seems you''ve had some difficulties. The proud unicorn isn''t one to easily share its blessings."

    Hua Mi was still unsure of their intentions, but he decided to let them reveal their ns.

    Gray Robe paused and said, "We have a n, and if you join us, it will be much easier."

    "What n?"

    "We''re going to hunt the unicorn."

    He said it as casually as if they were going to hunt a wild boar.

    "Join us, and I promise you''ll get your unicorn dust. It''s a good deal, isn''t it?"

    Listening to him talk so easily and alluringly, Hua Mi grew cautious.

    It couldn''t be this simple.

    The sky doesn''t drop pies for free, and even if it did, they''d probably be poisoned.

    This old man might be setting a trap for him.

    Hua Mi thought for a moment and decided not to reveal his stance yet. He approached it indirectly, "They say those who harm the unicorn will be cursed."

    Gray Robe chuckled, "This im hasn''t been entirely substantiated. Those rumors might just be incidents of bad luck, and they have too many variables to be considered reliable. Besides, we don''t need to worry about it. Neither you nor I will be the ones taking the unicorn''s life. We have a fantastic alternative."

    He looked back toward the rear.

    The creature wrapped like a dumpling approached.

    Gray Robe raised its hood.

    Untamed gray hair spilled out, and its face was entirely covered in bandages, leaving only a pair of bloodshot eyes exposed.

    The eyes were wide and filled with unsettling emotions.

    Stronger than mere desire, deeper than anger.

    "Regardless of the curse, death cannot be reversed," Gray Robe said, removing the bandages from the "dumpling''s" face.

    Hua Mi took a deep breath when he saw the figure. The person had no color in their face, as pale as limestone, and had various signs of decay. It was the face of a dead person.

    But the eyes were vividly alive, for only a living person could disy such clear emotions.

    "What is this..."

    "A Revenant, sent back from the dead by the unicorn and given a limited time to exact revenge. Even if this body is destroyed, it can immediately possess another humanoid body... until its time expires or its vengeance is achieved."

    The young girl looked at Gray Robe with admiration. "This is our mentor''s masterpiece and a crucial part of our unicorn hunting n!"

    Hua Mi finally grasped the concept of a Revenant but remained puzzled.

    Could this battered corpse really take on a unicorn?

    Unless it possessed some unique power.

    Gray Robe smiled faintly. "The most exciting part is yet toe."

    "Ahh!"

    An abrupt scream interrupted Gray Robe''s speech.

    Everyone in the room raised their weapons, assuming defensive postures.

    Hua Mi, a bit slow to react, reached for the location of his magic box.

    It was still there.

    But that thief managed to reach for it unnoticed.

    If it weren''t for the several Painful Stingers he had ced inside, the thief might have seeded.

    The thief''s right hand had swollen considerably, and he rolled on the ground in pain, groaning.

    "I warned you not to try this again," Hua Mi dered.

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 Chapter 50: The Forbidden Ritual

    Chapter 50: The Forbidden Ritual

    The thief writhed in pain on the ground, his once proud right hand now swollen like a pig''s trotter.

    Serves him right.

    Hua Mi remained highly focused, silently observing the reactions of his teammates.

    After assessing the situation, the man in the gray robe was the first to lower his staff, giving the thief a disdainful nce and saying, "You can never understand the situation, can you?"

    He gestured to the girl beside him.

    The girl approached the thief, raised her staff, and a faint glow appeared at its tip.

    But it quickly faded.

    The girl furrowed her brow. "Don''t move; I can''t get a clear shot!"

    In agonizing pain, the thief, using thest of his willpower, held his swollen hand high in front of the girl, making it easier for her to cast her spell.

    The girl readjusted her staff, aiming it at the swollen hand, and a pale green glow formed a conical shape over it.

    His hand visibly began to de-swell, and after about fifteen seconds, it waspletely healed.

    However, the thief''s cries grew louder. "Damn it, it hurts even more! What have you done to me?"

    The girl hesitated and looked at the man in the gray robe, saying uncertainly, "Toxin?"

    The man in the gray robe showed no change in expression and simply said, "Dispel it."

    The girl nodded and took a deep breath, raising her staff.

    With a hiss, an "arc" of magic energy shot out from the staff.

    It was uncontrolled magical leakage.

    The thief screamed in agony, flipping over instantly and arching his body like a bow. "What are you doing?"

    The girl blushed and said, "Shut up... it''s because you were too loud. You distracted me."

    "Haha! You two are idiots! Humans are truly idiots!" The dwarf pped his thigh,ughing coarsely. "You''ve been bragging about being a legendary thief, but you don''t even have a ''third hand.'' Idiots, boasting idiots! Haha!"

    In the end, it was a matter of strength.

    "Simrly, if my mental power were high enough, I would be able to sense when someone is stealing from me," Hua Mi reflected silently.

    Previously, with the boost from the Focus Ring, he had barely reached the level where he could control two swarms simultaneously.

    Controlling the swarms was a great way to increase his mental power and practice concentration.

    After practicing for some time, he had noticeably improved his mental power. However, he still had a long way to go to control three swarms simultaneously.

    It turned out that his "Two Bee Power" was somewhat inadequate in this world; he couldn''t even defend against a petty thief.

    The man in the gray robe no longer paid attention to themotion.

    Turning to Hua Mi, he put on a softer expression and asked, "I hope this little incident won''t affect the rtionship we''ve finally established. May I ask, are you an alchemist?"

    Finding toxins immediately led to thinking of alchemists.

    Seems like I understand why alchemists have a bad reputation now.

    Hua Mi replied, "I''m just a merchant."

    "I understand. Many professions dabble in trade. For example, I sometimes sell the magical items I make." The man in the gray robe said cheerfully, "Let''s get back to the main topic, the matter of joining us."

    "If he refuses to join us, can I have him?" The dwarf, clutching arge hammer, said while staring at him with a sinister expression. His eyes were full of morbid possessiveness and aggression.

    "..." This team was indeed peculiar.

    An annoying thief, a bloodthirsty dwarf, and the reanimated corpse was something else altogether. Only the man in the gray robe and his apprentice seemed somewhat normal...

    No, the man in the gray robe probably wasn''t as simple as he appeared.

    The ability to create reanimated corpses like that suggested he had his own issues.

    "This isn''t funny." The man in the gray robe scolded the dwarf with a re and then turned to Hua Mi, asking, "Don''t worry, he''s just joking. That hammer is only meant for enemies, right?"

    The dwarf chuckled, took a step back, but still had the same intense gaze on Hua Mi.

    At this moment, the girl finallypleted her dispelling magic, wiping the sweat from her forehead with a sense of relief.

    The thief got up from the ground, looking pale.

    "You owe an apology to our new friend," the man in the gray robe said, fixing his gaze on the thief.

    "...My apologies," the thief said, seemingly insincere. His eyes conveyed something more like, "Just you wait."

    As the saying goes, "Don''t be afraid of thieves, be afraid of thieves nning something." This guy was probably nning something.

    Hua Mi had to be cautious.

    But now wasn''t the time to think about that. The man in the gray robe seemed to be pressing for an answer.

    No matter what, he needed to buy some time.

    Hua Mi pondered for a moment and said, "As I mentioned, I''m just a merchant. In my eyes, profit is everything. If you can offer me what I desire, I will provide an equivalent service. So, try to persuade me."

    The man in the gray robe put on a more amiable expression and said, "Why don''t we find afortable ce to sit down and talk about our partnership?"

    ...

    About half an hourter, a campfire was lit in an open space.

    The firelight illuminated the faces of those who harbored their own secrets.

    "You now know about our reanimated corpse. It has only one purpose: revenge. Within the time frame for vengeance, it not only remains undead, but it also has another crucial ability. This ability is the key to dealing with the unicorn..."

    The man in the gray robe added a piece of firewood to the fire. His voice was calm, slightly hoarse, like a grandfather telling stories to children. "When it returns from the realm of the dead, its soul carries a mark from the Nine Hells, which serves as a terminal. It can create a perfect connection, and through a contract ritual, it can receive a response from the Lord of the Nine Hells and, in turn, gain power from the Nine Hells - enough to vanquish the unicorn. It''s a clever n, isn''t it?"

    "Only a mentor can do that!" the girlplimented.

    "Creating reanimated corpses and summoning demon contracts are both forbidden rituals. How did he master them?" Xiao Zimunicated her astonishment and doubt to Hua Mi through their telepathic link.

    You''re asking me? Hua Mi stared into the campfire, silent.

    Things had taken quite a dramatic turn.

    At first, all he wanted was 15g of rhino horn powder.

    How did they end up with demons and such?

    This guy in the gray robe was ying with fire, that''s for sure.

    "So, the key is to get a response from the Nine Hells..." Hua Mi tried to keep up with the conversation. "Are you sure it''s not that simple?"

    "It''s not simple, indeed," the man in the gray robe said. "But with the right method, it can be guided to the only oue. Perhaps you know that demons arewful beings, and they shouldn''t interfere in the affairs of the mortal realm.

    "However, just like in the mortal realm, the strictest rules can give rise to rebellion. Not all demons are willing to ept the Lord of the Nine Hells'' constraints. That gives us an opportunity."

    The gray-robed man''s eyes shone with the light reflected from the fire, like a restless desire.

    ...

    Hua Mi took the opportunity to rest, leaning against a tree with his eyes closed.

    Xiao Zi expressed her concerns, "Are you really going to join them?"

    As a spirit of the ck Forest, she wouldn''t oppose the natural order of creatures hunting unicorns or any other living beings. For lost lives, they could only feel sorrow. However, it was normal for these events to happen in their understanding. It was part of the natural evolution.

    Survival of the fittest was a fundamentalw of the forest.

    But the premise was that they hunted through their own strength.

    Summoning demon contracts was clearly a different matter.

    It was an action that severely disrupted the natural bnce.

    It would cause irreparable pollution to the ck Forest.

    In this regard, Hua Mi wasn''t as sensitive as she was. But he had another consideration, a more practical one.

    A more immediate one.

    Underneath ck Castle Ruins, there was a vampire suppressed.

    After the unicorn''s death, would the vampire be revived?

    He''d much rather have a unicorn as a neighbor than an evil bloodsucker.

    But from another perspective...

    "He''sing," Xiao Zi reminded.

    The man in the gray robe approached him, sitting down casually in front of him, like an ordinary old man.

    "The n will go smoothly, and you''ll get what you want tomorrow," he said.

    "That''s good," Hua Mi replied.

    "There might be some risks, but as a merchant, you should know that risk is necessary for profit."

    "Of course," Hua Mi said, looking at him. "May I ask why you''re hunting unicorns?"

    The man in the gray robe seemed lost in some memory. His gaze became somewhat distant as he answered, "Humans are a great race. Even in the harshest times of the giant era, we found our way. They were tenacious, and admirable.

    "The biggest w of humans is their short lifespan, which limits the potential of many talented individuals. I won''t deny my greed. I want to live longer, and the unicorn''s heart is an essential ingredient."

    Hua Mi listened in silence, refraining from making anyments.

    "You have an extraordinary level of focus, which is evident from your eyes. I believe that one day you''ll achieve feats that even bards will sing about. If we seed, I will have more time, and I would dly be your guide, helping you avoid many detours. We might be able to walk together and obtain eternal life."

    The man in the gray robe smiled sincerely, though Hua Mi couldn''t determine if it was genuine.

    Judging by reason, it seemed like an attempt to sway him before their operation.

    However, there was something about this man that felt genuinely convincing.

    "Let''s focus on tomorrow''s n for now. We can discuss other matterster."

    "That''s a wise choice."

    The man in the gray robeughed heartily, hisughter full of cheer.

    Beside the campfire, the girl''s face was half illuminated by the firelight and half shrouded in darkness.

    The look in her eyes as she stared at Hua Mi carried an enigmatic and hostile meaning.

    ...

    The next day.

    Before setting off, the man in the gray robe waved his staff.

    A golden birdcage appeared out of thin air, trapping Xiao Zi inside.

    "Hey!"

    Xiao Zi grabbed the cage''s metal bars and shook them vigorously, but it was futile.

    "Please ept my sincere apology, deardy. It pains me to keep you here for a while."

    The man in the gray robe showed great courtesy, then waved his hand, and the birdcage flew up to a tree branch, hanging there.

    "Her telepathic abilities could be problematic. We can''t control her thoughts. As a precaution, we can''t bring her along," the man in the gray robe exined.

    "That makes sense," Hua Mi nodded.

    "Now, let''s get going."

    Hua Mi looked up and saw Xiao Zi sulking in the birdcage, her arms crossed.

    He didn''t receive any messages from her.

    It seemed the birdcage was blocking her telepathic abilities.

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 Chapter 51: Choice

    Chapter 51: Choice

    Entering the Unicorn''s territory, as expected, Hua Mi found their path blocked by two green-furred monkeys.

    Wearing a gray robe, he drank a potion, temporarily gaining telepathic abilities, and approached Hua Mi. "We are hispanions, entering the dark territory together to hunt the Eye Demon for your king. However, to expedite the mission, we need your king''s assistance."

    The green-furred monkeys allowed them to pass but demanded their weapons, including his staff, just like thest time.

    Hua Mi walked at the forefront, following the same route but with a different mindset.

    The gray-robed figure had only exined the principles of the n to him; the specifics of what to do on-site were unknown.

    This indicated that they still didn''t consider him one of their own.

    "When the timees, act ordingly. The Unicorn is powerful and won''t go down easily. It should give me enough time to assess the situation."

    The same dpidated courtyard as before.

    This time, the Unicorn didn''t bother to stand up, just casting a nce their way, as if saying, "Speak quickly or leave."

    The Unicorn could understand humannguage unterally; the previous role of Little Orange was merely to convey its intentions to Hua Mi.

    But Hua Mi hadn''t had a chance to say anything.

    The gray-robed figure took the initiative, respectfully bowing. "Allow me to express my profound respect to you. We''vee to fulfill your mission. If you could grant us some necessary blessings, we would be able toplete the task faster and better."

    The Unicorn slowly stood up, its indifferent gaze not on the gray-robed figure in front but beyond him, looking at what was behind.

    Advancing from within the gray robe, the revenant took slow steps forward.

    Hua Mi saw its body trembling incessantly, filled with the desire for revenge, pulsating within its dpidated form.

    After a few steps, its body suddenly shook violently, as if melting, copsing to the ground.

    Thick ck mist emanated from its body, resembling ck mes.

    Simultaneously, the gray-robed figure''s eyes turnedpletely ck in an instant.

    Muttering unclear words, he said, "Yeah... Leviastus... as promised, I offer you three souls... vile thief... blood-stained murderer... and the untainted pure girl..."

    "?! "

    "How... Master!"

    "Erghhh��"

    A ck hole appeared beneath the feet of the dwarf, the thief, and the girl, emitting surging ck mes that quickly engulfed half of their bodies.

    Hua Mi had already silently retreated to the side.

    However, with the appearance of the ck mes beneath the three, ck mes surged around, enclosing the entire courtyard.

    "This old guy must be crazy..."

    Some restless factor in the air made him feel uneasy.

    Hua Mi took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

    In the range of the ck hole, the three were trapped, unable to escape, enduring the burning of the Nine Hells'' mes.

    They fell for it.

    The gray-robed figure didn''t seek allies but sacrifices.

    This was the deal he made with the devil.

    Three souls in exchange for the devil''s power.

    "Sly move, sacrificing even your own apprentice."

    The Unicorn''s response was swift.

    After the abnormality with the revenant, the Unicorn immediately jumped backward, its horn radiating light.

    But the ck mist surrounding the revenant formed a giant, ever-changing demonic w, faster than before, seizing its horn.

    The Unicorn instantly froze, unable to move!

    The sacred light on its body also dimmed in an instant.

    Several green-furred monkeys screamed and rushed towards the gray-robed figure.

    The gray-robed figure was focused on maintaining the summoning ritual, yet, being a Five-Ring mage, he could spare some attention to deal with these small fries.

    A wave of his left hand, and a semi-transparent shield enveloped him.

    A wless absolute defense.

    The attacks of the green-furred monkeys were utterly ineffective; their crudely made weapons broke.

    The curses and prayers of the sacrificed three were quickly devoured by the mes of the Nine Hells, turning into three lifeless bodies.

    Above the ruins of the ck Castle, dark clouds gathered.

    The body of the revenant creaked, gradually copsing, as if turning into a puddle of mud.

    Upon this "mud," rising ck mes formed a monstrous ck shadow.

    The shadow, holding the Unicorn''s horn with one hand, pulled out another from the ck mes.

    Its eyes wereposed of two red lights.

    "Ah, the great Duke Leviastus, thank you for your response..." The gray-robed figure''s voice trembled.

    "How dare you deceive me!" Its voice sounded like abination of countless men, women, and children. "Purity? Hah! A girl''s soul is full of pitiful jealousy!"

    "No, no, no. I specifically measured her soul before; it''s absolutely pure... definitely, it must be on the way here... Please don''t terminate the transaction!"

    The devil''s projection emitted a piercingughter. "But your bargaining chip has decreased..."

    "I''m willing topensate. As long as you don''t terminate the transaction."

    ...

    While the devil and the gray-robed figure were bargaining, Hua Mi''s brain worked rapidly.

    "The ritual relies solely on the gray-robed figure''s concentration. He must remain focused and won''t notice my actions. If I can break through his shield..."

    But the Wind-Cutting Bees weren''t powerful enough.

    Besides the swarm, he had no other means.

    Just as the gray-robed figure kneeled on the ground humbly, saying, "You can take any part. I only need its heart... and its horn."

    ...

    Hearing the mention of the Unicorn''s horn, Hua Mi hesitated.

    ording to the agreement, once the transaction waspleted, he would obtain horn powder.

    And there wouldn''t be any losses.

    After all, he wasn''t the one making a deal with the devil. Even if there were any aftermath, it had nothing to do with him.

    Just watch and be an observer.

    However.

    The underground suppression of vampires and what Little Orange had mentioned before...

    Moreover, being able to sacrifice his own apprentice without hesitation...

    This alone made him untrustworthy.

    "Gah��"

    A miserable scream, and a green-furred monkey fell from the wall, its fur still burning with ck mes.

    It seemed it tried to break out forcefully but got burned to death.

    It carried a bow on its back.

    In the quiver, the Wind-God Arrow was particrly conspicuous.

    ...

    The devil let out a harshugh. "So, the transaction continues!"

    The Unicorn remainedpletely motionless, like a sculpture.

    The devil slowly approached it.

    Suddenly, a sharp explosion echoed.

    The Wind-God Arrow seemed to turn into a hurricane, tearing through the air, directly hitting the protective shield.

    Blocked by the shield, the arrow''s energy didn''t deplete. The arrowhead pressed against the shield, continuing to rotate like a drill.

    Bang��

    A crack appeared on the shield.

    Then more cracks emerged, densely covering the entire shield.

    Finally, with a crisp sound, it shattered.

    The Wind-God Arrow lost all its energy, falling to the ground.

    "You fool!"

    The gray-robed figure roared, his right hand continuing to maintain the summoning ritual, while his left hand beckoned, and the staff flew back to his hand.

    The beads on the staff emitted a dazzling light.

    When he noticed several small insects stopping on his hands and face, he realized toote to strengthen his defense.

    A sharp pain interrupted his concentration.

    He immediately cast a dispelling spell on himself, relying on his richbat experience to promptly resume the summoning ritual.

    However, in less than a second of disconnection.

    The Unicorn neighed, forcibly breaking free from the restraint.

    Crack��

    The Unicorn''s horn was severed in the demonic w.

    Lifting its front hoof, its pupils filled with thunderous light.

    A lightning bolt descended from the sky, like a pir supporting the heavens, striking down.

    The gray-robed figure instantly evaporated.

    A pitch-ck pit appeared in his ce, containing only the bead from his staff and the energy-depleted Wind-God Arrow.

    The devil''s projection retreated like a burning thread encountering me, rapidly disappearing.

    Its voice, like the moans of countless people in a hurricane, lingered in the air.

    The surrounding dark barrier, along with thest wisp of ck me on the revenant, vanished.

    Silence fell over the entire courtyard after the fierce battle.

    The Unicorn flickered with lightning, its blue eyes ncing at Hua Mi.

    Hua Mi, on the other hand, nced at the broken horn on the ground.

    Taking a deep breath.

    Survival by breaking the horn, quite straightforward.

    At least, he saved its life. It shouldn''t harbor any resentment towards him.

    "Despite everything, it managed to survive. Shouldn''t hold a grudge against me for this."

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 Chapter 52: Broken Horn

    Chapter 52: Broken Horn

    Above the ruins, the dark clouds slowly dissipated like bubbles, revealing a clear sky.

    Hua Mi and the unicorn locked eyes.

    After a moment, thetter walked slowly towards him.

    Its eyes trailed a faint blue mark in the air, surrounded by lightning. With each step on the ground, it stirred up dust and debris.

    Finally, it stopped in front of Hua Mi.

    Standing proudly like a king.

    This was an adult unicorn, standing as tall as a human when upright, with a head that reached about two meters when raised.

    They faced each other, just an arm''s length apart.

    Hua Mi could hear the explosive sounds of arcs breaking the air and feel his hair slightly lifting due to the electric charge in the atmosphere.

    A wave of pressure hit him.

    But Hua Mi didn''t flee or look away. He bravely stared back.

    "If it wants to strike me with lightning, it doesn''t need toe all the way over..."

    Hua Mi felt it wouldn''t attack him. That was an important reason he could remain calm.

    However, the cold look in its eyes wasn''t friendly.

    Perhaps it was weighing its options.

    Maybe if he made a slight wrong move, the bnce would tip, and he''d end up like the gray-robed figure.

    "My eyes are so dry..."

    As they faced off, a sudden exmation came from the side.

    It was Little Orange flying to the scene.

    After the death of the gray-robed figure, the magic that bound her naturally dissipated, and she flew over immediately.

    Seeing the situation, Little Orange covered her face with her hands in a ''The Scream'' pose.

    "Oh my god, what happened here?!"

    The unicorn ignored her.

    Hua Mi didn''t dare to move.

    Both sides continued to re at each other.

    His eyes were dry, but Hua Mi resisted the urge to blink.

    Can''t lose!

    Seeing the tension, Little Orange dashed between them, arms open towards the unicorn.

    "Please, calm down! We are not your enemies! This whole thing was orchestrated by that gray-robed mage. He made a deal with the devil, created a resurrection corpse, and even... Where did he go?"

    Click��

    Suddenly, a thunderous sound.

    Little Orange screamed and adeptly dove into Hua Mi''s ck robe.

    Hua Mi was startled and took a step back.

    But it was a false rm.

    This time, the lightning wasn''t aimed at him. Four lightning bolts struck precisely, igniting the clothes of the four corpses instantly.

    Blue-purple mes roared to life, rapidly consuming their flesh.

    The thunderous glow in the unicorn''s eyes gradually faded, returning to a normal state. Its surrounding lightning also dissipated.

    But the brilliance on its body seemed less dazzling than before.

    The unicorn turned and walked behind the fountain, lying down to rest.

    The atmosphere lightened, as if nothing had happened.

    Several green-furred apes jumped down from the wall, crouching around the unicorn, naturally standing guard.

    "Looks like I have quite a reputation."

    Little Orange peeked out from Hua Mi''s robe, feeling proud.

    Hua Mi closed his eyes and lightly pressed on his eyeballs, relieved.

    "Where did that gray-robed mage go? Did he escape?" Little Orange curiously asked.

    "He has returned to naturepletely."

    Hua Mi said, walking towards the lightning-struck pit.

    First, he picked up the Wind God Arrow.

    It was intact.

    The level of lightning couldn''t destroy it; the elves'' technology was indeed powerful.

    "Huh?"

    Upon closer inspection, Hua Mi noticed a difference.

    Inside the emerald arrow, instead of soft threads, there were twisted arcs merging into a sparkling lightning, making the arrow even more dazzling.

    He held it in his hand, feeling a slight tingling in his palm.

    Clearly, it had the property of lightning.

    "Could it be that the lightning released by the unicorn earlier identally charged it?"

    Wind elements depleted, perfectly filled by lightning elements.

    Can it really be like this?

    In that case, maybe it shouldn''t be called the "Wind God Arrow."

    It should be the "Thunder God Arrow."

    Hua Mi ced the Thunder God Arrow back into his quiver and looked at the pearl in the pit.

    About the size of a ping pong ball,pletely milky white, and made of an unknown material.

    However, surviving the lightning meant it was extraordinary.

    "Things used to adorn staves are usually meant to assist in casting spells," Little Orange analyzed. "This looks like a Meditation Bead, which can enhance the caster''s mental power."

    Enhance mental power?

    A good thing!

    Hua Mi immediately controlled the swarm to lift the bead and inspected it closely.

    Upon closer examination, he found that the bead wasn''t originally milky white. It was transparent, like a ss ball, with milky white smoke swirling inside.

    Holding it, he felt a bell tolling in his mind, giving him a significant boost in mental power.

    Previously, he could only control two swarms simultaneously.

    Now, with the Meditation Bead, he could effortlessly control three swarms at once.

    "With increased mental power, my perception has significantly improved. If it were now, I could definitely sense the thief''s every move."

    This was an unexpected gain.

    Hua Mi admired the Meditation Bead in his hand.

    The white smoke inside seemed to respond to his gaze, spinning faster as if disturbed by something.

    Hua Mi''s mind stirred. Following his gaze, he released mental senses into the Meditation Bead.

    Inside, it seemed to record something.

    However, as soon as he probed in, his consciousness encountered resistance and couldn''t go any deeper.

    ess denied.

    Even with his current mental power, he couldn''t forcefully break through this barrier.

    Hua Mi didn''t pay it much mind.

    He could explore itter. Perhaps it only contained the gray-robed mage''s boring diary. People tend to ramble as they age.

    Just the increased mental power function satisfied him.

    Hua Mi put away the Meditation Bead, ncing at the unicorn.

    "It didn''t drive us away, meaning it approves of us moving freely here..."

    Hua Mi''s gaze shifted to the other side.

    The broken horny quietly on the ground.

    Could it be assumed that the unicorn intentionally gave me the broken horn?

    After all, it had no use for it now. Better to give it to someone who needs it.

    Considering he had saved its life, exchanging half a horn for a life didn''t seem like a bad deal.

    Hua Mi and Little Orange exchanged nces.

    "We should ask for its opinion," Little Orange suggested.

    "I think we shouldn''t disturb its rest."

    Hua Mi felt that after such a life-and-death battle, it must be exhausted.

    Waking it up now might not be a good idea. If it woke up in a bad mood and kicked them out in a fit of anger, all their efforts would be in vain.

    So Hua Mi approached quietly.

    Bending, reaching, standing in one smooth motion.

    The broken horn was now in his hand.

    It felt heavy, as sturdy as steel.

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 Chapter 53: Return

    Chapter 53: Return

    Huami sighed, "Without the horn, is the unicorn really okay?"

    In his understanding, the horn was essential for a unicorn.

    He looked at the unicorn. The broken horn emitted faint white light, continuously attaching to the broken surface.

    "Is it self-repairing? But it seems the repair speed is very slow. It might take a very long time toplete," Huami wondered aloud.

    His main concern was whether the vampire would revive during this process. That was Huami''s biggest worry.

    ording to "The Adventure Guide to the ck Forest," a unicorn''s horn was like its magic controller. Without it, the unicorn''s magic would be uncontroble.

    "It''s not definite. It depends on the individual," Xiao Zi informed him. "Powerful unicorns can still control their magic even without the horn. However, their strength might be slightly affected."

    "I see," Huami nodded in understanding.

    Different unicorn individuals varied in strength, much like humans'' physical constitutions. The horn was akin to a wand; powerful wizards could still perform magic without it.

    Retracting the unicorn''s horn, Huami surveyed the battlefield again. The four corpses were now reduced to ashes by the thunderous mes, scattered by the wind.

    The closest one was the resurrected corpse. It wore only a gray robe, containing nothing but rotting flesh and broken bones. Nothing valuable survived the fiery destruction.

    Huami ignored it and approached the other three unfortunate beings �C a sneaky thief, a blood-stained murderer, and a supposedly pure maiden.

    These were the names the gray-robed figure used during the contract ritual.

    The first two were fine, but the so-called pure maiden didn''t seem to meet the devil''s criteria. The devil imed her soul was filled with pitiful jealousy, contradicting the gray-robed figure''s assurance of her absolute purity.

    Recallingst night''s conversation, Huami remembered the pure maiden''s hostile gaze towards him.

    "It must have been then," Huami mused. This variable had led the devil to negotiate with the gray-robed figure, granting him time to prepare.

    In a way, the gray-robed figure had defeated himself.

    The thunder was fierce, turning most objects into ashes along with the bodies. From the apprentice''s ashes, Huami found a storage ring. Consciousness delved inside, revealing a small bag of coins, a notebook, and a scroll. He decided to check theseter.

    The dwarf''s ashes yielded nothing special, but among the thief''s remains, Huami found an exquisite silver folding knife, unaffected by the mes.

    Huami stored everything in his ring for further examination.

    "Oh, the flower!" Huami suddenly remembered the unusual flower he saw on his first visit.

    In the small flowerbed, five blue flowers were blooming beautifully �C honey-producing nts. However, their scent was strange, not the usual floral fragrance but something more pungent.

    "I wonder if bees will ept this scent."

    Huami released the pain-inducing bees from his sleeve, letting them hover above the petals. After a moment, the bees began collecting pollen.

    Fortunately, thest doubt was dispelled.

    "These flowers are worth nting."

    "Given their state, they should have produced seeds by now."

    Huami controlled a cutting bee and sliced open one flower''s ovary. As expected, it contained green bean-sized seeds. Each flower had 3-5 seeds. Huami gathered all 21 seeds.

    Havingpleted the mission, Huami prepared to return.

    "Should we say goodbye?" Xiao Zi suggested. "Leaving abruptly might be impolite."

    "Let''s notplicate things. What if it wakes up in a bad mood and forcefully teleports us again, likest time?"

    Huami suddenly realized it might be more convenient that way, saving them a lot of travel time. However, after a moment''s thought, he decided against it.

    "With its current condition, who knows if it can sessfully perform teleportation magic."

    As he spoke, Huami felt a familiar vibration.

    Looking down, he saw ayer of white light enveloping him.

    "...," Huami opened his mouth to speak but vanished on the spot.

    The unicorn nced in that direction and continued resting with closed eyes.

    ...

    "Ah!"

    "Ah ah!"

    Several green-furred apes nearby suddenly issued warning cries.

    The unicorn, alert, immediately stood up.

    A thin white mist rose from the ground in the courtyard, spreading like flowing water and soon reaching its small legs.

    Within the white mist, faintly visible red bloodlines meandered, gradually staining the mist red.

    A restless atmosphere gradually invaded the courtyard.

    ...

    "Hmm."

    The unicorn walked slowly towards the center of the courtyard, surveying the surroundings. Suddenly, it lifted a front leg and stomped on the ground.

    A shockwave spread out from the point of impact, dispersing the eerie mist that had turned red.

    The courtyard returned to normal, but not entirely. The five blue flowers in the flowerbed, initially blue with purple lightning patterns, were now tainted blood-red. The lightning-shaped patterns resembled gruesome blood vessels.

    ...

    They hurried back.

    Just as thest rays of sunlight illuminated the small wooden house, they returned.

    "Though I''ve only been away for two days, it feels like a long time."

    This journey had indeed been perilous. Huami couldn''t help but feel a bit frightened as he recalled the unknown dangers in this world.

    Apart from magical creatures, there were irrational lunatics and individuals willing tomunicate with devils to achieve their goals.

    This reminded him to prioritize strength for future explorations.

    Aside from farming and honey production, cultivating powerful bee species and enhancing his own spiritual power were equally important.

    The higher the strength, the more confidently he could venture further.

    "The unicorn horn powder is ready. Now, we just need the elven master''s help to build the greenhouse."

    ...

    "Wee back!"

    Six pseudo-flower spirits crowded around, first dragging Xiao Zi in a lively spin, then bombarding Huami with questions.

    "Did you seed? Did you get the horn powder?"

    "I guess not. The unicorn wouldn''t easily let someone approach its horn."

    "I told you it wouldn''t work."

    "You must be tired. You look pale."

    ...

    "Listen to me," Xiao Zi finally managed to squeeze in a word. "We actually seeded."

    Huami disyed the broken unicorn horn.

    Gasps echoed.

    "Is this... the unicorn''s..."

    "Horn?"

    "How did you manage that?"

    "Look, it''s broken in the middle. Did you kill the unicorn?"

    At this statement, another round of exmations erupted.

    "My good friend..." Little Purple shed a tear.

    "It used lightning on you before," Little Yellow reminded.

    "Oh, right." Little Purple snapped back to reality, immediately changing her expression and waving her fist. "It''s not my friend!"

    "It''s not dead." Xiao Zi yawned. "I''ll exin the detailster. Can we go to sleep now? This journey was too tiring."

    So, the seven little beings bid farewell to Huami and prepared to leave.

    "Wait a moment."

    Huami stopped them.

    Standing next to the pit he had dug, looking at the rainbow-colored flower inside, Huami showed a puzzled expression.

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 Chapter 54: Seed Manufacturing Machine

    Chapter 54: Seed Manufacturing Machine

    The petals of the Seven-Colored Flower were in full bloom, even in the dim environment, they were still dazzling.

    What puzzled him was that as far as the eye could see, the pit was filled with Moon Slumber Flower seeds.

    Almost reaching the height of the flower pot.

    The seed chamber of the flower was also packed with seeds, and faintly, one could see the "little people" wrapped in them, not moving at all.

    "Are you letting it eat buffet-style?"

    This was too extravagant.

    The seeds he collected were meant for nting.

    After the greenhouse was built, different flowers would be nted in different areas to gradually increase honey production.

    These were for breeding, not for consumption.

    "It''s not what you think," Xiao Hong flew over excitedly, pointing at the potted nt. "These seeds were all grown by it!"

    Hua Mi became even more puzzled. "What do you mean?"

    Xiao Hong exined, "Feed it any kind of seed, and it can grow the same kind of seed."

    After her exnation, Hua Mi finally understood.

    To briefly describe what happened, shortly after he left that day, the pseudo-flower spirits, out of curiosity, used magic on it again.

    Soon after, its petals reopened��more urately, they were forcibly opened.

    To their astonishment, the seed chamber was filled with Moon Slumber Flower seeds. New seeds continued to form inside, and the excess seeds overflowed from the chamber''s holes, producing two to three hundred seeds before stopping.

    Upon inspection, these produced seeds contained normal life energy. They were genuine Moon Slumber Flower seeds, not empty husks.

    After that, the little people entered a sage mode for about an hour.

    When it showed signs of hunger again, they fed it another Moon Slumber Flower seed.

    The same thing happened again.

    In this way, over the past two days, they intermittently fed it, eventually producing so many Moon Slumber Flower seeds.

    The seeds invested were not even in double digits.

    Of course, they also used some green liquid and their magic.

    Hua Mi was shocked after hearing this.

    In nature, nt seeds are produced through pollination. However, this Seven-Colored Flower, without pollination capabilities, could reverse-engineer gic information by feeding on other nt seeds, enabling mass production.

    It was a semi-automated seed manufacturing machine!

    Beekeepers rejoiced.

    Breeding flowers was usually a troublesome task, especially for rarer ones.

    The rarer the flower, the more difficult it is to cultivate.

    For example, the 21 seeds he had just brought back would take a considerable amount of time to grow into a field sufficient for bees to collect honey, even with the help of the green liquid and the magic of the seven pseudo-spirits.

    If any idents urred during the process, such as environmental issues leading to cultivation failure, he would lose that flower seed, considering himself unlucky.

    With this seed manufacturing machine, he could quickly obtain hundreds or even thousands of seeds.

    Hua Mi initially wanted to try producing the new seeds he brought back immediately, but seeing that it was gettingte, he decided to wait until tomorrow.

    Hua Mi packed the produced Moon Slumber Flower seeds into sealed bags, while the 21 new seeds were individually stored in another bag,beled and ssified for collection.

    At this season, the temperature and humidity were low enough, so even if left outdoors, the seeds wouldn''t sprout or rot.

    There was no need to specially design a storage environment.

    Just put them in a storage box and ce it under the wooden bed.

    As for this "seed manufacturing machine," it had to be carefully preserved.

    Although Hua Mi called it a "machine," it was fundamentally still a nt, not as sturdy and durable as a machine. If he identally killed it, it would be a significant loss.

    After dealing with matters in the other world, Hua Mi returned to Earth.

    Standing in the rapeseed field, he felt a sense of being in a different world for a moment.

    The adventurous excitement gradually subsided.

    It was like ying a horror adventure game, after facing high waves outside, returning to a safe room for a moment of rest.

    Hua Mi opened hisputer and logged into the online store''s backend to take a look.

    "Hiss��"

    All sold out! He remembered having over three hundred bottles in stock when he left. In just two days, they were all ordered.

    His store''s fan count had also exceeded 2000.

    Thements section had many new remarks.

    "Gone already?"

    "When will there be new stock?"

    "In this era, even honey has purchase limits. Is this some kind of hunger marketing?"

    "I regret not listening to my friend''s rmendation; by the time I wanted to buy, it was already gone TnT."

    "I suspect the shop owner is a mage who came back from the future, selling futuristic honey."

    "Upstairs, why don''t you say he''s a magical being from another world?"

    "Wrong, the boss descended to perform miracles; honey is just a medium. Those who can buy are destined, and those who cannot can onlyment in thements area (������)."

    "I believe, looking forward to the boss''s next miracle!"

    "Believe in the boss, and you''ll live forever!"

    "This is a magical store, selling honey products that are delicious and have magical effects. Why wait? Follow now!"

    "Uh, thements section is exaggerating a bit too much. Are we creating an urban legend here?"

    ...

    There were also many private messages.

    Among them was someone iming to be the head of a well-known cosmetics brand, wanting to discuss possible cooperation.

    Hua Mi naturally ignored it.

    The secrets of the other world, even if he wanted to share with Earth, he couldn''t. At most, he could only sell honey and let people on Earth experience a bit of magical shock.

    "Selling faster and faster. I hope it won''t be sold out as soon as it''s restocked... Increasing honey production is imminent."

    After dealing with the orders, Hua Mi was exhausted, but he didn''t immediately go to sleep.

    He took out the loot from this adventure from the storage ring and prepared to inventory it.

    No need to mention the beast horns and meditation beads.

    In addition to those, there was a small bag of coins, a notebook, a scroll, and a silver folding knife obtained from the thief.

    The money bag had over a dozen coins, including one gold coin. The rest were silver coins.

    The gold coin had the same design as the one he picked up before.

    Hua Mi put all the coins, including the special purple-glowing gold coin, into the storage ring.

    The ring''s space wasn''trge, roughly equivalent to twenty slots in gaming terms��these small items only took up one slot.

    The storage ring was convenient for ess; there was no need to unfold it like a magic box.

    He flipped through the notebook.

    It recorded some spell instructions, of no use to him.

    He was a beekeeper, not on the mage path.

    The notebook also detailed some methods to enhance mental power and train concentration.

    In most cases, mental power could be equated with concentration. The higher the mental power, the higher the achievable concentration. This was crucial for both spellcasting and controlling bee swarms.

    However, equating the two was not urate.

    Mental power was like an individual attribute, while concentration was its most direct manifestation.

    Two

    people with the same mental power might not have the same concentration. The main differencey in the efficiency of utilizing mental power.

    Like the concentration ring he traded with Carter before, it enhanced concentration rather than mental power.

    The meditation bead he just acquired directly strengthened his mental power.

    The training methods mentioned in the notebook were not to his liking.

    For him, controlling bee swarms was an excellent training method��efficient and most suitable for him.

    The content of the notebook had little value for him.

    However, this was reasonable, considering it was just a notebook of an apprentice mage.

    One couldn''t expect to find instructions for controlled nuclear fusion in a notebook of a college student.

    As a Five-Ring Mage, the Grey Robe certainly had many valuable items.

    Unfortunately, the unicorn vaporized him with a single powerful move, leaving only a bead.

    "I hope the information recorded in the meditation bead can be useful... I''ll forcefully ess it when my mental power is enough."

    Next was the scroll.

    Opening it, he saw aplex magic array, with a paragraph written in ck font beside it, introducing the scroll''s purpose, usage, and... expiration date.

    The signature was [Grey Robe] Turner.

    It was a gift from the Grey Robe. The scroll recorded a Five-Ring spell.

    It didn''t require the injection of magic; it only needed the use of mental power to activate.

    Not bad; although it was a disposable item, it might be useful in critical moments.

    The shelf life was long enough, typicallysting for a year under normal circumstances.

    A yearter, the magic on the scroll would decay rapidly until it disappearedpletely.

    Lastly, the silver folding knife obtained from the thief.

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 Chapter 55: Alchemical Genius

    Chapter 55: Alchemical Genius

    Hua Mi unfolded the folding knife, its de gleaming silver and exceptionally sharp.

    He casually made a few strokes in the air.

    No effect.

    It seemed like the idea of cutting through space was nothing more than wishful thinking.

    Hua Mi then pressed the de against the tabletop and made a stroke, leaving no mark. Instead, the de seemed to melt at the point of contact, ttening out.

    But once it detached from the surface, it immediately returned to its original state.

    Hua Mi tried pressing the de against his palm, applying gradual force.

    Starting from the tip, it slowly retracted, transforming into an irregr t shape.

    Once detached, it instantly reverted to its original form.

    "It can be used for magic tricks..."

    Hua Mi, in a moment of curiosity, began poking around with the folding knife. When the de touched the lockhole of a drawer, it "melted," sliding effortlessly into the keyhole.

    "Huh?"

    Hua Mi twisted it lightly.

    Click, the lock opened.

    Drawing out the folding knife, the de instantly restored its original shape.

    He tried other keyholes, and they all opened easily.

    Seems like I''ve figured out its purpose...

    A thief''s tool, indeed.

    Hua Mi stowed the silver folding knife into his ring.

    Of course, as an honest merchant, he rarely had use for such things.

    But in special situations, like in a game, when opening chests or doors to the next adventure area, this little folding knife coulde in handy.

    After inventorying his belongings, Hua Mi went to bed.

    Under the influence of the Moon Slumber Honey, he slept until he naturally woke up.

    ...

    Early morning in Heishi Town was the most peaceful time of the day.

    Soon, the streets would turn as bustling as a market.

    Thud��

    A muffled sound echoed.

    It came from an inconspicuous pointed-roofed house beside the street.

    After the thud, ck smoke wafted out from the basement window of the house.

    The dense smoke drifted onto the street, carrying a pungent odor.

    Passersby covered their mouths and noses.

    "Is that the Johnson family? What are they up to?"

    "I heard his niece is studying alchemy, turning the house into a mess."

    "Wild alchemists are never any good; they''re bound to go astray."

    "She''s always restless, likes to adventure everywhere, picking up bad habits along the way."

    "Maybe we should report to the city hall and get her kicked out��before she poisons the whole town."

    At that moment, the basement door banged open, and a slender figure rushed out, covered in soot, with disheveled hair.

    She ascended the stairs to the ground level, breathing in the fresh air deeply.

    Pedestrians hastened their steps, avoiding her like she carried a contagious disease.

    Bang��

    The front door of the house was forcefully thrown open.

    A chubby, bearded man stormed out, his face flushed. "Hillia, I''ve had enough! Must you blow up the house before you stop these experiments?"

    "Stay calm, Jason," Hillia nced at him. "I paid the rent, well above market value."

    The man angrily retorted, "This is my house! I''m your uncle, and I won''t allow you to do these things! From now on, stop your crazy experiments, or I swear I''ll throw that cauldron of yours out!"

    "That thing is quite heavy, be careful not to strain your back."

    A rough voice interjected.

    A beastman, Cole, stepped forward, cracking his knuckles in front of Jason.

    Jason instinctively stepped back, fear evident in his eyes.

    He both despised and feared Hillia''spanion.

    Lycanthropy was a vicious curse, and it was contagious. No one wanted to conflict with a beastman.

    "Mr. Jason, we signed an agreement." Carter politely approached, smiling. "The most important thing in life is honesty, isn''t it?"

    "I..."

    Before Jason could speak, Carter unterally shook his hand.

    "I hope we can get along well in the future. Anything can be discussed, no need for conflicts. What do you say?"

    A gold coin discreetly passed into Jason''s hand.

    Jason''s eyes brightened, silently retracting his hand and pocketing the coin. Clearing his throat, he said, "You should also be careful not to make too much noise and disturb the neighbors."

    With that, Jason turned and went back inside, his steps much lighter.

    "Looks like it''s not going smoothly," Carter handed Hillia a handkerchief.

    Hillia took it and wiped her face, saying calmly, "In fact, the Swiftwing elixir is alreadypleted. I''m trying to create a more advanced magical potion."

    Carter seemed surprised at the revtion.

    After the ck smoke dissipated, the three entered the basement.

    The room still retained a pungent odor, unbearable for Cole, who stood at the entrance without entering.

    In the dim basement, a semi-automatic alchemy cauldron upied the center.

    Various materials were scattered around.

    "Hillia, you look like a swamp witch now," Cole teased.

    Ignoring Cole''s banter, Hillia picked up a small bottle of pale green potion from a nearby shelf,beled "Swiftwing."

    Carter took it, examined it, and opened the cap to sniff. "Looks and smells about right. Wonder how effective it is in practice."

    Hillia said, "No issues. I tested itst night, and its effects are impressive,parable to intermediate-level Swiftwing elixirs on the market."

    "You tested it on yourself?" Carter looked at her in shock. "That could be deadly!"

    "Stay calm." Hillia continued, "Firstly, I''m fine. Secondly, it''s the only way to verify. I can''t bring myself to experiment on others."

    "Let Cole try it!"

    "Go to hell, Carter!"

    "What I meant is, your physique far surpasses ordinary people. Even if something goes wrong, you can handle it."

    "You make a good point, but still, go to hell, Carter!"

    Carter coughed awkwardly, shifting the subject, "Without a form, you managed to develop an intermediate Swiftwing elixir in such a short time. It seems you truly have alchemical talent. Maybe switching to this path was the right choice."

    In reality, he was downying it a bit.

    Such talent could be considered genius.

    "It''s just a bottle of Swiftwing elixir, nothing to brag about. But it does give me great encouragement." Hillia''s voice lightened.

    "In the future, leave the materials to me and Carter; you focus on alchemy." Cole patted his chest, saying, "Ha, with an alchemist in the team, we can dominate, easily traversing five-star adventure areas."

    "More precisely, it''s alchemical potion branch." Hillia''s gaze fell on the alchemical cauldron. "This cauldron can provide significant help in the early stages, but I can''t rely on it forever. Truth be told, I still have a long way to go. For a truly perfect alchemical potion, this is it."

    Hillia took out the bottle of Moon Slumber Honey, now only a quarter full.

    "Current alchemical potions on the market, no matter how optimized, always have side

    effects. The stronger the effect, the more obvious the side effects. Some side effects are so severe that another potion is needed to neutralize them, but that only elerates the umtion of toxins.

    "The buildup of toxins in the body will inevitably cause irreversible damage. The alchemist in the ck Forest gave me this potion, and though its effects aren''t potent, it truly achieves zero toxins, a qualitative improvement.

    "The more you understand alchemy, the more you''ll appreciate how difficult this is. So far, no alchemist has reached this level, not even those from prestigious academies. Only he has done it, a true genius, a beacon in the alchemical world!"

    Hillia''s eyes sparkled.

    Carter and Cole witnessed her fervor for the first time.

    Well, she''s bing more like the stereotypical image people have of wild alchemists.

    ...

    The next day, Hua Mi arrived in the Otherworld.

    He immediately sensed a drop in temperature.

    Opening the window, he saw a ring whitendscape.

    The ground was covered in thick snow, and the trees were dressed in white.

    "It''s snowing."

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 Chapter 56: Thunder Lotus Flower Breeding

    Chapter 56: Thunder Lotus Flower Breeding

    As the window opened, a rush of cold air from the beginning of the ice age eagerly surged in, instantly soaking Hua Mi''s thin clothes. Fortunately, the temperature wasn''t exceptionally low; the perceived temperature fluctuated around zero degrees, much milder than winter in most areas on Earth.

    The ordered heater had just arrived, fitting perfectly into the small cabin. Althoughpact, it was sufficient for the cozy wooden space. The main structure was made of heat-resistant steel, appearing as a t cube. From the front, it resembled arge microwave, and through the high-temperature ss at the front, one could observe the burning wood inside, providing some illumination.

    A modr product, easy to assemble. Hua Mi ced it against the wall, adding ayer of bricks underneath for better instion. After measuring the dimensions, he directed the circle-cut bee to create a small hole in the wall for the smoke pipe, connecting one end to the heater and extending the other end outside.

    Instation waspleted with such simplicity. He then controlled the bee to cut down arge tree outside, chopping it into wood suitable for burning in the stove. The trees in the ck Forest were tall, and even one of them provided enough wood to burn for several days.

    After cutting the wood, he stacked it on both sides of the heater for easy ess. Ignition, add wood. In no time, mes zed inside the heater, bringing aforting warmth.

    Hua Mi moved the "Seed Fabricator" to a spot about three to four meters away from the heater, cing it against the wall for a moderate temperature. He then poured some green liquid on it. After a few minutes, seven pseudo-flower spirits arrived.

    They were also in season, adorned in new clothes made from nt leaves and petals of this season. The colors were lighter and more elegant than before, with a crystalline feather cloak outside. A few snowkes adorned their hair, maintained by their magical power, preventing them from melting.

    The purpose of these small decorations? Purely for aesthetics. After all, they were carefree pseudo-flower spirits, living a long life without many pursuits. When they were well-fed and had nothing else to do, why not please themselves and indulge in what makes them happy?

    After treating them to a honey breakfast, they got down to business. Hua Mi retrieved the 21 seeds from under the bed, preparing to feed them to the Seed Fabricator.

    These flowers were not recorded in the notes,cking names even among the pseudo-flower spirits. Presumably, they were unique to the ruins of ck Castle. It was highly likely that they mutated under the influence of the unicorn''s domain magic, forming this unique flower species.

    The patterns on the petals resembled a lightning bolt from the sky, so Hua Mi decided to name it... Thunder Lotus Flower.

    "I hope the honey from the Thunder Lotus Flower has an explosive effect just like its name suggests."

    Hua Mi used a small spoon to feed one Thunder Lotus Flower seed to the little creature. Just likest time, after swallowing the seed, the seven petals closed inward, forming a spindle shape.

    Then, the seven little ones exerted their strength. They formed a circle, channeling magic to the Seed Fabricator. The internal life processes of the petals were significantly elerated.

    Soon enough, Hua Mi saw a slight bulge on the petals, indicating that the seed had filled the ovary to the point of leaking out.

    In less than 10 minutes, the petals fully expanded, and the seeds cascaded around, falling into the stainless steel basin he had prepared.

    Ding-ding-dang-dang, the sound of a bountiful harvest echoed. It was even more satisfying than the jingling of a money bag.

    A rough estimate suggested a yield of about three to four hundred seeds. This result exceeded the production of Moon Slumber Flower seeds from the previous day. Seed variation? Or perhaps... the Seed Fabricator had matured. It could be abination of both.

    In any case, it was good news. If it was thetter, it meant that the Seed Fabricator could be upgraded. With proper cultivation, the efficiency of seed production would only increase.

    One Seed Fabricator, one seed, seven pseudo-flower spirits, ten minutes. A miracle!

    Now, the only concern was how long the Thunder Lotus Flower would bloom. Although it was magical, fundamentally, it was still a delicate little flower. It might wither at any time.

    "The ship will reach the bridgehead naturally. We''ll see when the timees."

    Hua Mi sealed the Thunder Lotus Flower seeds in a bag. Next, the Seed Fabricator would enter a cooling period,sting approximately an hour. This efficiency was already quite high. Following this trend, working at full capacity for a day could produce over four thousand seeds. With overtime, even more.

    In theory, if the seven little ones worked continuously without rest for a day and night, the harvest would be close to ten thousand seeds. However, that seemed too brutal, akin to exploiting childbor. Plus, it would undoubtedly consume twice as much honey as their overtime pay.

    So, being the kind person he was, he only thought about it and didn''t n to put it into action.

    For the pseudo-flower spirits, new flowers meant new honey vors. They were highly motivated subjectively, guarding the flower pots all day with intermittent breaks to eat honey and replenish magic.

    Even the most unreliable Xiao Zi, under the inspiration of a bright future, surprisingly did not drop the ball.

    Perhaps, in a certain sense, this work gave them a sense of achievement in breeding.

    As the sun set, they collectively produced four bags of seeds, each containing approximately a thousand seeds. This was in line with expectations.

    Notably, Hua Mi discovered some special individuals among these seeds. Some wererger, appearing more plump than the others. These seeds were evidently of better quality, and under the same conditions, the flowers grown from them would likely be superior, directly affecting the quality of the honey.

    "I didn''t expect to harvest some small surprises."

    The little creature in the ovary, which Hua Mi found ugly before, now looked pleasing. "You''re amazing; you better live longer."

    Hua Mibeled the four bags of Thunder Lotus Flower seeds and stored them in the storage box.

    "By the way, ording to the agreement, the Elf Master should be arriving tomorrow."

    With the greenhouse ready, the first batch of Thunder Lotus Flowers would be nted at just the right time.

    Back on Earth, Hua Mi nced at his phone, receiving a notification of funds arriving. The sales of Feather Flower honey had already reached around one hundred fifty to sixty thousand. The remaining orders had just been shipped, and he would only receive the money after customers confirmed sessful delivery.

    That was another nearly two hundred thousand in ie.

    Combining the earnings from both honey types, it was over four hundred thousand.

    Most importantly, the customers'' desire to purchase was increasing, and many had be loyal fans of his shop.

    "It seems that the next honey batch should be more abundant."

    If he stocked only seven or eight hundred bottles, they might be sold out as soon as they hit the shelves. Thement section would undoubtedly be filled withmentations.

    So, it seemed like he needed to prepare for more.

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 Chapter 57: Faint Light

    Chapter 57: Faint Light

    The next day, Hua Mi logged into the website backend. Many people in thement section were eagerly asking about when the new products would be released or when the previous two honey varieties would be back in stock.

    Hua Mi posted a brief notice:

    "Let''s draw a big picture: The new honey is already in the brewing process, everyone is wee to stay tuned~ If customers knew that the so-called ''already in the brewing process'' actually meant that even the flower seeds were not ready, they might unsubscribe and report without hesitation.

    However, due to various magical factors, the production process of honey cannot be judged based on Earth''s experience; it will be much faster.

    As for when the two varieties of honey will be back in stock...

    Hua Mi vaguely stated that it would be after the new honey is avable.

    After dealing with matters on Earth, he crossed into the otherworld.

    Today''s main task remained the same as yesterday: producing Thunder Blossom seeds.

    As for when the Elven Master would arrive, it was not something he could control.

    Even though the letter said today, it could be dyed.

    Seven pseudo-flower spirits guarded the seed manufacturing machine, while Hua Mi took a shovel to clear the snow outside.

    In addition to the area in front of the wooden house, there was also an area diagonally behind.

    That was the space he had cleared in advance for building a greenhouse.

    Strictly speaking, the area wasn''trge, about the same size as the small wooden house''s footprint.

    Because the building was based on spatial expansion magic, it didn''t need arge area.

    Busy until noon, and the Elven Master didn''t arrive as expected, but a raven did.

    Most likely the same one asst time.

    The raven threw the letter in through the window without stopping, performing an elegant mid-air spin before flying away.

    Hua Mi noticed a detail; this raven''s direction of arrival and departure was different from thest time.

    This time, the letter wasn''t in an envelope, just a folded piece of paper.

    Hua Mi opened it and saw familiar handwriting, signed by "Alyss, Special Architect of the Emerald Court."

    It was indeed the letter from the Elven Master.

    Hua Mi initially thought she might stand him up, but the content of the letter was not what he expected.

    There was only a short sentence on the paper: "I have settled in the ck Forest, taking a short break, and willeter. Don''t forget the 15g horn powder, or everything is off the table."

    Last time he noticed that the master used somewhat archaguage.

    Probably not young.

    "Not just 15g horn powder, I have half a horn here, enough for you to use."

    But Hua Mi wondered why she didn''te directly.

    imed to have settled in the ck Forest.

    Where did she live? As far as he knew, there were no inns in the ck Forest.

    Not to mention inns, there was probably only his shop in the entire forest.

    After all, this wasn''t a tourist destination.

    But since the letter said so, at least he had some idea.

    Next, just wait for her toe.

    It''s worth mentioning that today''s seed manufacturing machine seemed to be more efficient again.

    Before sunset, it reached a production levelparable to yesterday''s entire day.

    Four full bags of seeds, over four thousand in total.

    "At this rate, in a week, the number of seeds produced will be enough to nt a small flower field."

    ...

    Unknowingly, it was already dusk.

    The sun had already set halfway, and the Elven Master had yet to appear.

    Hua Mi chatted with the seven small creatures in his spare time: "Have you heard of ''Alyss,'' the Special Architect of the Emerald City? She''s the one I mentioned, the top architect of the Emerald City."

    The pseudo-flower spirits shook their heads.

    Little Orange said, "She has her own title; she must be a powerful elf. Normally, elves don''t have titles."

    Little Green, with a look of admiration, said, "It''s an honor for her to visit the ck Forest!"

    Little Red pondered, "Shouldn''t we host a feast to wee her?"

    Little Cyan sighed, "It depends on whether she can pass our test, but I''m tired of teasing people."

    Little Yellow spected, "An elf with a title must be quite old. Maybe she will stay in the ck Forest forever, bing a part of thisnd."

    Little Purple, with a dreamy expression, said, "I heard that the Emerald City has many delicious foods. I wonder if she''ll bring some over, hehe..."

    After listening to their various spections, there wasn''t much useful information.

    Only knowing that an elf with a title must be powerful.

    Hua Mi walked to the door and stretchedzily.

    Suddenly, his gaze froze, looking towards the depths of the forest.

    Vaguely, he saw a dark figure moving between the trees.

    "What''s that?"

    Hua Mi took a few steps outside, focusing to get a clear view.

    It seemed to be a person...

    No, the size was toorge.

    Both horizontally and vertically, it exceeded the dimensions of a normal human.

    And that figure was gradually approaching the direction of the wooden house!

    An unexpected sense of crisis!

    Hua Mi immediately activated the magic box.

    Swarm of Pain Bees, Armored Swift Bees, and Circr-Cutting Bees swarmed out, forming a formation in front.

    At this moment, the approaching figure began to reveal its true identity.

    It was a... stone golem.

    Probably over four meters tall, with a round and clumsy body, as if assembled from huge stones.

    Each step it took produced the sound of stones colliding and rubbing.

    The footsteps were heavy and powerful.

    On its left shoulder sat a small figure.

    As the stone golem approached, Hua Mi could see its rough facial features and the figure on its shoulder clearly.

    Judging by size, it seemed to be a child.

    Wearing a red robe, with the hood covering the head.

    The stone golem walked towards this side, leavingrge footprints in the snow.

    From its momentum, it seemed to have no intention of attacking.

    But Hua Mi didn''t rx his guard.

    Cannot confirm whether the other party is an enemy or a friend.

    The bee swarm was ready for any eventuality.

    Bee venom was likely ineffective against the stone golem, so the primary target for Swarm of Pain Bees was the little figure on its shoulder.

    Circr-Cutting Bees could attempt to attack the weak points of the stone golem, such as the joints.

    Armored Swift Bees were in charge of defense.

    While pondering his strategy, the stone golem suddenly stopped.

    It didn''te too close, staying about ten meters away from him.

    The stone golem extended its grinding disc-like right hand to its left shoulder.

    The little figure stood up on it.

    The stone golem extended its palm steadily forward.

    The little figure stood firmly on it, looking down at Hua Mi.

    Due to the angle and the dim light, Hua Mi could only see half of the little figure''s face clearly.

    But he noticed the lips moving: "Are you the Bee Speaker?"

    Simr ent to Sindra.

    The voice sounded mature, not like a child''s tone.

    An idea popped into Hua Mi

    ''s mind: "Is she Alyss?"

    Quite different from the image he had imagined.

    This height seemed to be only a little over a meter, clearly a child.

    Could Alyss be a prodigy, earning the title of a top architect at such a young age?

    That wasn''t very realistic.

    Or, were there gnomes among the elves?

    "It''s me." Hua Mi replied, calmly scrutinizing her.

    She raised her hand and took off her hood, revealing silver-white shoulder-length hair and characteristic pointed ears.

    "Is the 15g horn powder ready?"

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 Chapter 58: Alyss

    Chapter 58: Alyss

    She, like Sindra, had skin as fair as snow and delicate features. However, her right half of the face was peculiar. The right eyeball was almost entirely white, with faint, fine azure scales scattered around the eye socket. Moreover, a sharp fang extended downward from the right corner of her mouth.

    Hua Mi immediately recalled the unique nature of elves. They were a monogender species capable of reproducing with any humanoid species, and their offspring were always elves. Sometimes, though, they exhibited certain traits of the other parent.

    The elf before her seemed to have more pronounced features of a mixed heritage. Hua Mi wondered about the other species involved.

    "Are you ready?" Hua Mi replied calmly, "Actually, I have a bit more than required."

    It was now apparent that the elf before her was the elusive Alyss.

    Not an enemy.

    She controlled three swarms of bees, guiding them to retreat behind her.

    "I''m d you couldplete this task," the stone golem took a few steps forward, extending its right hand to present her before Hua Mi.

    Now their eyes were at the same level. Looking closely at her, Hua Mi noticed a faint outline of an iris in her right eye, but it seemed lifeless, probably unable to see much.

    She reached out her hand to Hua Mi.

    Hua Mi hesitated, "Are we starting now?"

    It was getting dark, and with only one eye in good condition, could she see clearly in the dim light? Hua Mi didn''t want any construction idents.

    Alyss raised an eyebrow, disying a disdainful expression, "Worried that I''ll take the item and not do the job? Fine, let me inspect the goods first to avoid wasting time."

    Hua Mi wasn''t concerned about her running away with the item. With the proud nature of elves, she probably wouldn''t stoop to such actions. Nevertheless, since she brought it up...

    Hua Mi delved into his storage ring, retrieving the half-horn.

    Alyss''s left eye contracted as she took the horn from him, delicately brushing her finger over it. After a moment, she looked up, a rare expression of admiration in her lone eye, "To kill a unicorn, you must indeed be no ordinary alchemist."

    Here ites again.

    "What alchemist?" Hua Mi corrected, "I''m a beekeeper and part-time merchant."

    "Beekeeper... a branch of alchemy?" Alyss questioned.

    "...In a way. I specialize in beekeeping and honey production," Hua Mi gave up resisting, steering the conversation back, "Is this half-horn enough? By the way, would the effect be better if I use a bit more?"

    "What effect?"

    "Of course, it''s for spatial expansion magic."

    "When did I say the horn powder is for casting spatial expansion magic?"

    "..."

    Hua Mi recalled; he didn''t mention the purpose of the horn powder. It was his assumption.

    "15 grams of horn powder were my proposed reward. If you failed, I was prepared to retrieve it myself," Alyss paused before changing the topic, "Let''s not discuss that for now. How did you handle the unicorn''s body? Is the heart intact? Did you preserve the blood? If you''re interested, I can offer you a generous price."

    "..."

    Poor unicorn. Everyone coveted its body.

    If it weren''t for its strength, it would likely have been hunted to extinction.

    "When did I say the unicorn died?"

    "Not dead? Then the horn..."

    "Alchemists have their ways," Hua Mi interrupted, taking the horn back, "And the unchanging rule of alchemy is equivalent exchange."

    If she wanted the horn, she had to provide something equally satisfying.

    Alyss pondered for a moment, "150 grams," she said, "Give me 150 grams of horn powder, and I''ll spend three days constructing a greenhouse representing my highest standards. The internal expandable area can rival the entire ck Forest, and I''ll provide the building materials."

    "Deal!" Hua Mi readily agreed.

    His main goal was the greenhouse. If she promised to build the best greenhouse within her capabilities and provide the materials, what more was there to discuss?

    "Go check the site," Alyss said, descending from the stone golem''s palm.

    Hua Mi led her to the reserved area, the stone golem following behind.

    Alyss nced at the seven pseudo-flower spirits gathered at the wooden house entrance, calmly remarking, "You are the most unique human I''ve ever seen."

    "Maybe it''s just because you''ve seen too few humans, making it easy to develop biases," Hua Mi recalled Sindra''sment about the architect having some grievances against humans.

    Alyss seemed to smile faintly, "It seems Sindra told you that I dislike humans but didn''t exin why."

    Hua Mi wasn''t interested in her grievances with humans worldwide, chuckling, "Speaking of Sindra, how is she? Is she okay?"

    "It might take some time for her to regain her freedom."

    "Why..."

    "Mission failure naturallyes with consequences."

    Hua Mi felt a bit guilty. However, thinking of his red elf friend, the guilt was offset. If given another chance, he would make the same choice.

    "By the way, that potion called honey is excellent. Even the Chief Alchemist of the Royal Court couldn''t replicate it. You are undoubtedly a genius in alchemy. In fact, I can understand why you''ve chosen to seclude yourself here."

    "..."

    She probably meant to express mutual understanding.

    But she was wrong.

    I''m really not an alchemist.

    "Is this ce enough?" Alyss asked.

    "More than enough."

    Alyss flipped her right hand, and from her sleeve slid out what seemed like a ruler. Holding it and moving it across the ground while chanting, a bright white mark appeared on the ground. As she moved, it extended forward, forming a standard rectangr area.

    In the moment the area closed, four lines simultaneously emitted semi-transparent white walls upwards, bingpletely transparent at a height of over ten meters.

    A three-dimensional space with no ceiling was outlined.

    The seven little ones were impressed by this skill, showering her with admiration.

    Amidst the apuse, Xiao Huang''s voice sounded discordant, "Is your title ''Micro'' because you''re shorter than normal elves?"

    "..."

    Hua Mi had long noticed that this yellow little creature was a chat master, always hitting right where it hurt,monly known as being sarcastic. He wondered if it was intentional or idental.

    The words were clearly presumptuous.

    Xiao Zi hurriedly apologized together with Hua Mi.

    But Alyss seemed indifferent, calmly saying, "It''s a fact. There''s probably no elf shorter than me in the world. But the buildings I construct allow me to overlook the entire royal court."

    "That''s truly remarkable!" Xiao Lu immediately went into praise mode.

    How tall must those buildings be? Hua Mi wondered.

    Given the chance, he definitely wanted to visit the Emerald City.

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 Chapter 59: Alchemy Apprentice

    Chapter 59: Alchemy Apprentice

    That night, Hua Mi handed her 50g of gold powder as an advance payment.

    After the greenhouse waspleted, she would pay the remaining 100g.

    An agreement was reached, and they both dispersed.

    Curious, Hua Mi asked where she would be staying.

    The answer was her own home.

    She brought her house with her...

    Well, that''s reasonable.

    As a special-grade architect, it''s normal to carry a house wherever you go.

    No, probably more than one house.

    She mentioned providing construction materials, maybe even one or more warehouses...

    "But why not stay closer to my ce? Wouldn''t that be more convenient?"

    "The Feng Shui here is not good."

    ...

    No more chat.

    After seeing off the architect, Hua Mi packed up the Thunder Flower seeds and went home for a good night''s sleep.

    The next morning, upon waking up in the new world, she heard the sound of banging outside.

    She went out to see.

    Oh my goodness.

    Alyss was already working on the site.

    There were many stone and y figures working around her.

    It seemed she was mainly doing spellcasting, nning, and guiding, leaving the rough work to the stone and y figures.

    "The summoning of stone and y figures is quite convenient."

    This should be the most direct manifestation of exchanging magic for physical strength.

    Too bad, as an Earthling who transmigrated, she didn''t have a mana bar. No matter how high her spiritual power was, she couldn''t learn this magic.

    "But my bee swarm is not inferior to them."

    It can split and merge.

    Merging into a powerful force whenbined.

    Splitting for flexible individualbat.

    Not inferior to these cumbersome stone figures at all.

    Hua Mi went over to say hello.

    But Alyss was very focused on her work, seemingly not in the mood for small talk.

    Hua Mi felt bored and had to leave awkwardly.

    Thinking today would be another in and boring day, but around noon, three familiar faces arrived.

    And all of them were old acquaintances.

    That someone, that someone, and that someone.

    Forgot their names.

    But their appearances were remembered.

    A beast-transformed person, a mage with many rings, and ady with a cat-like demeanor.

    He used the alchemical cauldron in the basement to exchange a concentration ring with them and the magic box.

    The appearances of the beast-transformed person and the mage hadn''t changed much; one was elegant, the other messy.

    But thedy had changed quite a bit.

    Her hair was tied in a ponytail, with a few strands loose, giving a somewhat messy appearance. She had visible dark circles under her eyes. She was wearing a simple, durable coarse cloth outfit.

    The first time he saw her, she had a capable ranger style but was still delicate.

    Now she seemed to havepletely let herself go.

    What had she been through?

    Hir came to the window, with two teammates standing behind her like bodyguards.

    Hua Mi, dressed in a ck robe with a hood, resembled a mysterious merchant from a bard''s storytelling, selling various strange magical items.

    Of course, Hua Mi had no strange magical items, only peculiar honey.

    Hir''s gazended on the shelves.

    All the remaining Moon Slumber Flower honey and some Feather Garment Flower honey were disyed there.

    The two honeys had different colors and were easily distinguishable.

    Hua Mi had alsobeled the bottles.

    "Are those red potions new products?"

    She remembered seeing only orange-yellowst time.

    Here for business.

    Hua Mi''s spirits lifted, but he maintained a calm exterior.

    Last time, to maintain his high-profile image, he never spoke and instead controlled the bee swarm to form subtitles.

    This time, he had a better n. He let Little Orange trante for him through telepathy, "These are new products from the honey series, called ''Feather Garment Flower Honey,'' with beauty and skincare effects."

    Hearing about beauty and skincare, Hir subconsciously touched her weary face.

    Before she could say anything, the burly Col moved first.

    He pushed Hir aside, leaned against the window, and peered inside, "How effective is it?"

    He, too, wanted to be beautiful.

    Even without transformation, his appearance was always scaring people, and he was troubled by it.

    Little Orange spoke, "Compared to the sleep-inducing effect of Moon Slumber Flower honey, it is equally effective... Depending on the person."

    Col had experienced the sleep-inducing effect of Moon Slumber Flower honey. Not only did he sleep well, but his body also recovered most of its strength upon waking.

    Although it didn''t work as fast as recovery magic, it had no side effects or aftereffects, promoting gentle and effective sleep and recovery, emphasizing a natural harmony.

    Col''s eyes lit up, "How much does it cost..."

    Before he could finish, Hir pushed him aside.

    Hir''s focus was on another aspect, "Is this new honey also free of side effects and toxins?"

    Little Orange nodded, "That''s right, no side effects, no toxins, and its value... is twice that of Moon Slumber Flower honey."

    Actually, the Moon Slumber Flower honey was a gift from Hua Mi, so he didn''t charge for it.

    So, this was like asking them to assess the price.

    Then, Hua Mi would reevaluate whether the price was reasonable.

    The mage, seemingly wealthy with magical rings on his hands, came forward andid out six shining gold coins on the window sill.

    "Take a look, is this price suitable?"

    Six gold coins.

    Seemed reasonable.

    Hua Mi only had six gold coins in total, including one mysterious purple gold coin.

    Hua Mi controlled the bee swarm to lift a bottle of Feather Garment Flower honey onto the window sill.

    Carter touched the bottle with a ring on his hand, sending it into his storage space.

    Transactionpleted, but Hir sighed.

    She began discussing business.

    "I want to learn alchemy." She said to Hua Mi with a troubled expression, "But it feels like I''m always hovering outside the door, unable to touch the true core of alchemy."

    So that''s it.

    Hua Mi understood why she seemed like a different person.

    Turns out, she changed sses.

    As the belt gradually widens, there is no regret. For her, she became haggard for the sake of her.

    With a certain stubborn goal in mind, one would naturally ignore irrelevant aspects.

    Just like him, sacrificing many unimportant things for the beekeeping industry.

    Little Orange conveyed, "I don''t want to discourage you, but alchemy requires talent."

    In short, trying to send them away.

    "She has talent." Carter couldn''t help but speak for hispanion, "In less than a month, without a form, she figured out the refining method for the Feather Dart potion on her own, and the potion''s effectiveness reached an intermediate level."

    Saying that, he handed over a bottle of light green potionbeled "Feather Dart."

    Hua Mi took the small bottle, showing no visible reaction on the surface but feeling somewhat shocked inside.

    Even if he knew nothing about alchemy, he could imagine how difficult it was.

    The difficulty wasparable to tasting a dish and deducing the recipe from it.

    And not just the ingredients.

    Factors like temperature, time, quantity, etc., couldn''t go wrong.

    Involving magical elements would

    only make it moreplicated.

    Hua Mi pretended to shake the bottle and observed the color against the sunlight, opened the lid, and fanned the scent toward his nose, enduring the nauseating and pungent odor, nodded.

    Little Orange tranted on the side, "Not bad."

    "In fact, it''s thanks to your guidance." Hir tidied her hair, saying somewhat embarrassed, "Those four words, equivalent exchange, left a deep impression on me. In the process of trying to learn alchemy, many difficulties can be easily solved by thinking with these four words."

    ...

    No, just four words, and you canprehend it to this extent?

    What kind of god-level insight is this?

    Hua Mi understood equivalent exchange as giving money for equivalent goods.

    Dealing with micro-magic aspects, theplexity was iparable.

    This was a once-in-a-lifetime alchemical genius!

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 Chapter 60: What is a Perfect Potion?

    Chapter 60: What is a Perfect Potion?

    "I want to refine a magical potion with zero side effects and toxins," Hua Mi sincerely stated. "After witnessing your work, I understand the core technical skills of alchemy. I came today to ask you to ept me as your disciple."

    "..."

    To be honest, Hua Mi almost wanted to be her apprentice. If not for hisck of affinity with magic, he would have considered learning some alchemy and magic. After all, having diverse skills wouldn''t hurt.

    "Although I know you don''t care about money, we are willing to pay tuition fees just to show sincerity," Carter expressed, subtly indicating that they were not short on funds.

    Hua Mi pondered for a moment. He couldn''t earn this quick money; he didn''t have that ability. But then he thought that maybe he could make use of this seemingly ordinary alchemical prodigy.

    He asked them to wait here for a moment while he went to the basement to fetch the remaining Mutagenic Stimnt.

    "This is the Mutagenic Stimnt I brewed, capable of inducing mutations in living organisms. Come find me when you can reproduce this potion."

    Hir received the potion, expressing her gratitude without asking too many questions. As she turned to leave, a determined expression on her face and a gaze filled with the resolve to seed were evident.

    "Promise me you won''t use yourself as a test subject this time, okay?" Carter anxiously looked at her.

    "I''m just obsessed with alchemy, Carter, but I''m not foolish," Hir shot him a nce.

    Col chuckled a few times, suddenly alert, "Wait a minute, you guys don''t want me to be the test subject, do you?"

    "..."

    "..."

    Both of them didn''t speak, just giving him a meaningful look. Then, simultaneously, they quickened their pace.

    "Hey, rify things first, you... animals!"

    ...

    After the trio left, Hua Mi breathed a sigh of relief. He almost couldn''t keep up the act. Pretending to be profound was really tiring.

    There were two possible oues of this: Either Hir failed, and they would be gone, or she seeded, which would be beneficial for him. At least, the Mutant Wasp breeding n could continue. As for how to deal with herter, he would figure it out then.

    "Got a free bottle of Swallow Soar Elixir."

    Hua Mi examined the light green potion. Could drinking it make one fly like a swallow? He didn''t n to try it easily; after all, medicine could be poison if used recklessly. So, he stored it in his storage ring along with the recovery potion obtained from the green-haired ape.

    Six gold coins also found their ce in his money pouch.

    ...

    Today, Hua Mi harvested over four thousand Thunder Blossom seeds, bringing the total to more than thirteen thousand. Still not enough.

    The construction of the greenhouse proceeded smoothly. Through the semi-transparent light screen, he could see that the foundation wasid, and it seemed that the ss wall had been erected.

    Hua Mi didn''t enter, fearing that he might disturb the magic inside. He only cared about the results.

    "The mostplicated part has beenpleted. The remaining work is just repetition," Alyss said. If nothing went wrong, it would definitely be finished within three days.

    "Come in and rest for a while," Hua Mi invited her into the wooden house, offering a cup of warm Featherwing Flower Honey Fruit Tea.

    Alyss took a sip, squinting her eyes slightly, clearly satisfied with the taste.

    "A drink made from the new honey product, how is it?" Hua Mi asked.

    "Not bad," she nced at the shelves. "You dare to set prices, I see."

    Hua Mi had already marked the prices on the shelves.

    Moon Slumber Honey: 4 gold coins.

    Featherwing Flower Honey: 8 gold coins.

    Why the higher pricing than before? Because the opening discount was over. Some prices, once missed, were gone forever.

    "Goods are valued when they are rare. I''m the only one in the world who can make honey, so a higher price is natural. Besides, you''ve experienced the effects of the honey," Hua Mi said seriously.

    Alyss, holding the teacup elegantly, took a small sip. "There are many magical potions with sleep-inducing effects."

    Hua Mi, improvising, retorted, "The advantage of honey lies in itsck of side effects and toxins. Can other magical potions achieve that? What is a perfect potion?"

    Alyss said, "What you say is not wrong. Theck of side effects and toxins makes other alchemists envy. If you are willing to disclose the form for the honey, it will likely cause a revolution in the alchemical world."

    "That''s impossible," Hua Mi said. Even if he wanted to disclose it, he couldn''t. It was like a magical effect resulting from the collision of bees and magic on a microscopic level��mysterious and inexplicable even to himself.

    Alyss seemed to recall something amusing; her lips curved slightly. "The old schrs of the Jade Court, unable to replicate the honey, were greatly frustrated. Yet, they couldn''t bring themselves to ask for help. It''s both pitiful andughable."

    Perhaps because they knew that even if they sought help, I would most likely ignore them.

    Only alchemists truly understood alchemists. Alchemical forms would not be easily disclosed; they were the most precious possessions of an alchemist. This advantage was crucial for their survival. Without it, they might be dominated by professions like mages.

    Hua Mi had given up exining that he wasn''t an alchemist. Alchemist, beekeeper branch��it wasn''t bad. Although he didn''t personally brew the honey, he controlled the bee colony, which could be considered his creation.

    Without delving into the process and just looking at the results, he was, to some extent, indeed an alchemist.

    Alyss quickly finished the honey fruit tea, cing the cup aside. "Why not sell drinks made from this honey? At least the prices wouldn''t be so outrageous."

    Hua Mi wondered if Alyss was subtly mocking his exorbitant pricing. However, upon hearing her suggestion, he seriously considered it.

    Maybe it could work...

    On Earth, it wouldn''t, with all the rted qualifications andplications. But in this otherworldly realm, it was entirely feasible.

    Honey was priced high as a high-end product that ordinary people wouldn''t easily buy. However, honey drinks could be priced lower, perhaps to open up the market.

    The only issue was the troublesome mass production.

    Hua Mi kept this idea in mind.

    Alyss asked, "What are the effects of the new honey?"

    "Beauty and skincare," Hua Mi casually replied.

    Alyss shook her head. "Boring."

    "As an elf, the pride of the heavens, you can''t understand the pursuits of us ordinary mortals," Hua Mi took the opportunity to tease her.

    Though it was a jest, it wasn''t entirely untrue.

    Upon closer inspection, the elven race did have many advantages over humans��beautiful appearance, long lifespan, inherent high affinity with nature, and no gender conflict.

    They possessed many things that other races dreamed of.

    "Heaven''s pride?" Alyss calmly looked at him. The lifeless white eyeball and

    The blue scales around the eye sockets resembled cracks on a perfect porcin piece.

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 Chapter 61: Greenhouse Completed

    Chapter 61: Greenhouse Completed

    ��This term has never been associated with me,�� Alyss remarked calmly, yet Hua Mi realized she might have inadvertently hit a nerve.

    Her distinct non-elven features might appear harmless or even uniquely beautiful to outsiders. However, within the elvenmunity, they could prompt disdain.

    In Hua Mi��s mind, he began to draft a tale titled ��The Misunderstood Life of Alyss,�� feeling a twinge of guilt.

    ��Well,pared to you humans, my talents are indeed exceptional.��

    Just as I had contemted offeringfort, I seemed to have lost my chance. Elves, undoubtedly, are a race that easily provokes frustration.

    ...

    Back to the task at hand.

    Alyss, an architect of the highest caliber, possessed a clear n and grasp of her work process. When she dered a three-daypletion, it was done��no surprises, no dys.

    In the evening, when she came to notify Hua Mi that the greenhouse was finished and asked him toe for inspection, he was collecting Thunder Blossom seeds.

    The news of the greenhouse��spletion instantly filled his mind with the joy of dreams fulfilled. He abandoned the seeds and apanied Alyss to the greenhouse.

    From the outside, the footprint of the greenhouse resembled his small wooden house but wasrger overall and about twice as tall. However, the walls were not crafted from wood; they were made from a ss-like material.

    Unlike ordinary ss, it wasn��t transparent but a matte ck, rendering it impossible to see inside, even upon close inspection.

    He recalled that during his earlier observations, transparent ss had been used.

    He had expected it to look like most greenhouses from the outside, transparent and revealing the interior. However, now, sunlight couldn��t prate it at all.

    ��It��s merely an illusion,�� Alyss exined. ��Space-expanding magic is unique��it prevents observation. Once seen from the outside, the magic fails, and the internal space copses.��

    A Schr?dinger''s greenhouse?

    Hua Mi touched the outer wall; it was smooth, indeed with a ssy texture. After reaching about five meters in height, the walls inclined inward, forming a pointed roof structure. Simple yet beautiful.

    The main door, made of the same material, had a small door added per his request for the seven pseudo-flower spirits to enter and exit.

    Upon opening the door, a pitch-ck mist enveloped everything, as if it had swallowed all light, concealing the view of the greenhouse interior.

    Alyss assured him it was a transitional zone set up by a magic array, preventing external observation. He could walk through it safely.

    Hua Mi walked in, and after covering just a meter, the surroundings suddenly brightened.

    Honestly, this greenhouse embodied his initial vision: an ordinary house from the outside, but stepping inside revealed a vast expanse.

    As a flower cultivator, he was sensitive tond area. Looking around, the space inside was approximately the size of a standard ser field, equivalent to about ten acres.

    For now, it was more than enough.

    Alyss mentioned it could be expanded by adding materials, potentially reaching the limit of the entire ck Forest! Of course, that was a theoretical limit; he wouldn��t need such arge space.

    Although the interior couldn��t be seen from outside, the walls and ceiling emitted light, matching the brightness outside, as if the building material absorbed external light and released it inside.

    The ground had the typical soil of the ck Forest, rtively even with scattered wild grass and stones, easy to clear.

    Next to the main door was a wooden control panel��a simple structure with a wooden post and a nted wooden board on top. Blue patterns resembling circuits adorned its surface, extending to the ground steps and disappearing beneath the soil.

    The board projected a holographic image of the greenhouse��s exterior, like a 3D projection, showcasing a blend of technology and magical aesthetics.

    Beside the control panel, on the stone floor, was arge circr hole with a lid that could be opened. Inside, a dark mist simr to the transitional zone, almost like a ck hole, prevented any light from escaping.

    Alyss exined that it was the material input point for expansion. Enough material poured in, and the expansion could begin.

    ��But be careful not to fall in,�� she added.

    By infusing mental energy into the adjacent control panel, adjustments to the expansion space''s orientation, shape, and additional equipment could be made. However, only limited modifications were possible.

    For example, the spatialyout could only replicate and extend the current pattern. Additional internal devices could only be chosen from preset models.

    But Hua Mi was already satisfied with this.

    The ease of operation surprised him, indicating the advanced and mature magical construction concepts in this world.

    Moreover, Alyss selected the mostmon materials for his convenience: ss, wood, stone, metal��all easily collectible or purchasable.

    Like the most delicious food often requiring the simplest ingredients.

    Hua Mi believed that constructing a practical and beautiful building with the simplest materials showcased a high level of skill.

    After witnessing this masterpiece by the elite architect, he couldn��t help but acknowledge her reputation.

    Alyss then exined other functions and precautions of the greenhouse, and Hua Mi listened attentively, memorizing each detail.

    In the end, the client was very satisfied with the greenhouse!

    Everything was well-executed, leaving nothing for him to do.

    All preparations were made; only the flower seeds were missing.

    ��We already have over twenty thousand Thunder Blossom seeds; we can start nting now.��

    Thunder Blossoms bloom during the Ice Age, so no additional equipment was needed in the greenhouse; it was like moving into a "nk canvas."

    This was his initial n.

    Exiting the greenhouse, Hua Mi handed

    over the remaining 100g of Unicorn Powder.

    Unicorn horns were quite dense, and this half horn weighed about a kilogram.

    The payment to the architect was less than one-sixth, trading for a perfect greenhouse. It seemed like a good deal.

    Although curious about why she needed unicorn powder, Hua Mi refrained from asking, feeling it was too intrusive.

    But it must be important to her.

    Because she mentioned that if Hua Mi couldn��t obtain Unicorn Powder, she intended to get it herself.

    ��I��ll stay in the ck Forest temporarily, not leaving for a short period. If there are any issues with the greenhouse, you can find me.��

    Look, there��s even after-sales service.

    Professional indeed.

    Hua Mi agreed and asked where she would stay.

    She pointed in a direction, saying that she could be found by heading that way.

    It was the same direction she came from the first time.

    Before leaving, sheid twelve gold coins on the table, purchasing a bottle each of Sleepy Lily Honey and Feather Blossom Honey.

    Well, she might say it��s boring, but her actions proved otherwise.

    ��The new honey will be on the shelves soon; feel free to buy some at a discount.��

    Hua Mi watched as she sat on the stone golem��s shoulder and quickly disappeared into the thick tree shadows.

    ��She won��t leave the ck Forest in the short term, obviously not just for after-sales service. There must be something she needs to do�� and Unicorn Powder probably ys a significant role in it.��

    Hua Mi spected.

    It seemed like the ck Forest had be livelier recently.

    Pseudo-flower spirits, unicorns, vampires, the trio, Sindra, War Hammer, Alyss��

    He remembered the initial feeling of solitude when he arrived.

    As he continued to expand and explore, he would inevitably encounter more people and events. The true face of this world would gradually unfold before him.

    Honestly, he looked forward to the experiences ahead.

    But long-term ns needed to coexist with present responsibilities.

    ��The greenhouse is built; tomorrow we start nting!��

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 Chapter 62: Beekeeping for a Thousand Days, Using Bees for a Moment

    Chapter 62: Beekeeping for a Thousand Days, Using Bees for a Moment

    Artificial flower cultivation requires careful nning. You can''t just randomly scatter seeds on the ground; it would lead to significant resource wastage and affect the future growth of flowers.

    The distance between seeds needs to be well-managed to maximize flower growth within a limited space.

    A nned flower field,pared to wild and barbaric flower clusters, is dense beyond imagination.

    Of course, the number of flowers that can be nted per acre varies with different species, and the difference can be quite significant.

    Having seen the appearance of Thunder Blossoms, Hua Mi could roughly determine the most suitable nting distance.

    As for the depth of nting, he made judgments based on his own flower cultivation experience.

    Early the next morning, Hua Mi, wearing his grandfather''s hat and carrying some agricultural tools, crossed into the otherworld.

    The sky was still dark.

    Hua Mi unpacked the 25 bags of Thunder Blossom seeds, gathered them in a storage box, and moved everything into the greenhouse.

    With over 20,000 seeds, nting them by hand would take an eternity.

    He needed a shortcut.

    And he had a n.

    Firstly, he nned the nting area.

    He intended to start nting from the bottom right corner of the greenhouse, estimating that this area of about two acres could amodate these over 20,000 seeds.

    Roughly a 30mX40m section.

    First, he cleared the area of rocks and weeds.

    Then, he set up a signboard at the field entrance that read, "Thunder Blossom Zone."

    Next up was the hand plow.

    A small plow tool, improved over generations by the people of Huayu Town, specifically designed for flower fields.

    One person could operate it. With rollers underneath and the angle of the plow head adjusted, pulling it forward would create a smooth furrow.

    Of course, this kind of plow couldn''t be used for nting crops because it couldn''t create too wide or too deep furrows, only suitable for nting flowers.

    Hua Mi estimated the nting depth to be around three centimeters.

    No more than four centimeters; going deeper would hinder seed growth.

    Plowing two acres ofnd was actually quite quick.

    Hua Mi spent a little over two hours, plowing the entire area.

    Thend was covered with neatly arranged furrows, looking perfectly nned.

    Now, how to evenly ce the seeds in these furrows...

    Being a beekeeper and a Forest Swift Bee speaker in the ck Forest, he naturally used bees.

    "Beekeeping for a thousand days, using bees for a moment!"

    Hua Mi opened the magic box, controlling three groups of Forest Swift Bees to fly out.

    With the blessing of the Meditation Bead, he could easily control three groups of bees simultaneously.

    Over 30,000 Forest Swift Bees, under Hua Mi''s control, transformed into three streams of ck smoke, buzzing and surging toward the storage box.

    Thunder Blossom seeds were only the size of green beans, weighing just a fraction of a gram. An ordinary honeybee could easily carry it, let alone the more efficient Forest Swift Bees.

    The little bees worked tirelessly, each carrying a seed.

    Although 20 to 30 thousand seeds sounded like a lot, the strength of the bees made quick work, emptying the storage box in no time.

    Divided into two teams��one carrying seeds, the other not��they all waited in the air for instructions.

    Hua Mi took a moment to replenish his energy with honey water. Then, he controlled the bees carrying seeds to disperse evenly above the Thunder Blossom Zone, aligning with the furrows on the ground at regr intervals.

    For this kind of organized formation, it was easier to control than the chaotic gathering for seeds earlier.

    During this time, Hua Mi had discovered a pattern: givingmands that aligned with the bees'' nature and were more concentrated or orderly made the execution simpler and required less mental energy.

    For example, the current formation.

    Commands that contradicted the bees'' nature or were more scattered and chaotic were significantly harder to control, consuming more mental energy.

    The bee swarm hovered steadily a few centimeters above the furrows.

    After confirming perfect alignment, Hua Mi gave themand, and more than 20,000 bees simultaneously released the seeds, which fell into the furrows.

    Perfectly even distribution.

    This approach not only saved a considerable amount of time but also trained his mental focus and concentration, achieving two goals at once.

    Hua Mi sat down for a moment, took off the hat to fan himself, drank some honey water, slightly recovering his mental energy, and then got up to fill the soil.

    This step was also simple��pushing the soil on either side of the furrows back with his feet.

    Easy, just need to be careful not to make it toopact.

    This process took less than an hour toplete.

    Although it was a bit hard on the shoes.

    "With this, the seed burial isplete."

    Hua Mi took a watering tool, watering two rows at a time, steadily moving along the traces of the buried furrows.

    Flowers that bloom in cold seasons don''t need to be watered too frequently, around once every ten days.

    But this is under natural growth conditions.

    Hua Mi wouldn''t wait for them to grow at their own pace; he would use magical means to promote growth every day.

    After watering the field, Hua Mi returned to the small wooden house.

    The seven little ones had already arrived and had been to the greenhouse. However, at that time, Hua Mi was busy farming and didn''t have time for them.

    So, they came back to the wooden house to continue their cultivation work.

    To promote growth, they relied on the magic of the pseudo-flower spirits and the green liquid.

    After almost a month, over two hundred bottles of green liquid had been umted.

    Although the generation speed of this green liquid was slow, about ten bottles could be umted in a day and night.

    "Watering every day is a bit extravagant; it''s definitely not sustainable. We can water every other day or every two days, supplemented by the magic of the pseudo-flower spirits..."

    Hua Mi filled the sprayer with green liquid, and with the seven little ones, he went to the greenhouse.

    First, he sprayed the green liquid.

    Then, the seven little ones used growth-promoting magic.

    They fluttered above the flower field, and sparkling dots fell from their wings, disappearing into the soil.

    This time, it was a range-casting spell.

    Hua Mi once again witnessed the magic''s miraculous effects.

    The soil churned, and light green shoots emerged intermittently.

    The previously barren soil suddenly burst with vitality.

    The seven little ones flew back, looking tired.

    Casting a range spell on two acres ofnd, while specialized, was still a considerable burden for them.

    "You''ve worked hard," Hua Mi said.

    Tired, yes, but seeing the results of their work, they felt genuinely happy.

    "Look at how cute they are."

    "Hope they grow up quickly and produce lots of honey."

    "I wonder what they''ll taste like?"

    ...

    These two acres of Thunder Blossoms were clearly not enough.

    More seeds were needed.

    At least another four or five acres needed to be nted.

    So, the cultivation work had to continue.

    But from now on, there was no need for storage. Every day''s seeds would be nted directly in the greenhouse, supplemented

    with green liquid and magic catalysis.

    Everything proceeded in an orderly manner.

    Under Hua Mi and the seven little ones'' care, the seedlings grew vigorously.

    A weekter, the initial two acres were already in bud.

    On this day, the temperature reached a historic low, and the sky was dark and gloomy.

    Hua Mi, as usual, finished his work in the greenhouse and returned to the wooden house.

    Coincidentally, Hilia came to visit.

    She held a bottle of potion in her hand.

    "Is this just a few days... could it be she''s really a genius?"

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 Chapter 63: Hilias Improved Mutagenic Agent

    Chapter 63: Hilia''s Improved Mutagenic Agent

    Hua Mi hadn''t seen Hilia for a few days, and she seemed to be embracing a newfound freedom. Gone were the days of her tying her hair up; now it cascaded loosely over her shoulders. It was no longer as sleek and ck as before, exuding a fluffy and wild quality that she seemed entirely nonchnt about. While she wasn''t yet disheveled, there was a hint of a runaway trend in her appearance...

    Hua Mi felt a twinge of concern for her mental state. Was this the ultimate fate of all alchemists?

    "Is this the destination after stepping into alchemy?" he mused internally.

    The progression of a budding alchemist: Before learning alchemy.Jpg. Just started learning alchemy.Jpg. A few months into learning alchemy.Jpg...

    What would she evolve into a year from now?

    Perhaps a book could be written: "Alchemy: From Novice to Grave."

    "It seems being a beekeeper is more elegant after all," Hua Mi remarked, sitting by the window, his elbow propped on the table, his hands folded beneath his chin. His hood obscured half his face, leaving only a fraction of his mouth and nose visible, adding an air of mystery.

    Hilia approached the window, taking a deep breath and cing two vials of elixirs on the sill. Her voice was slightly hoarse as she spoke, "These are the mutagenic agents I''ve concocted. Please take a look."

    Hua Mi noticed a smudge of ck ash on her forehead. Despite that, up close, herplexion appeared quite good, perhaps due to consuming Featherflower honey.

    His gaze lingered on the two vials. The one on the left was the remainder of what he had given her��a small quantity of the basic mutagenic agent. The one on the right was her creation, a smaller vial but simrly filled, containing a dosageparable to the leftover basic mutagenic agent.

    Both appeared identical��colorless, transparent liquids resembling ordinary water.

    Hua Mi had been preupied with greenhouse cultivation these past few days and had almost forgotten about her experiment. The swiftpletion caught him off guard.

    "I need to think about how to handle this," Hua Mi pondered for a moment, prompting Little Orange to continue, "Have you personally verified them?"

    Hilia exined, "Yes, I''vepiled three steps for alchemical identification. First, it involves observing external attributes like appearance, color, scent, and viscosity��an initial assessment. Second, it''s about sensing the frequency and magnitude of magical fluctuations. Consistent frequency indicates a uniform type, while magnitude signifies the potency of the concoction. The third step is the final one��a live test. Administer the elixir to a living subject, observing its reactions and the magical fluctuations and effects it produces within."

    "...Quite professional," Hua Mi acknowledged.

    Encouraged by his response, Hilia''s expression brightened as she continued, "I conducted live experiments with Green-haired Monkeys; both perished. However, their reactions were quite simr... albeit not entirely identical, possibly due to my addition of an extra material during the process��Dragon Crystal Powder."

    Dragon Crystal Powder.

    At the mention of this, Hua Mi''s heart skipped a beat.

    Dragon Crystal had records in alchemical annals��a rare mineral scarcely traded in the market. Initially linked to dragons due to its formation in regions inhabited by these creatures, it was believed to be influenced by the magical factors within a dragon''s territory. Yet,ter findings discovered it outside dragon territories, proving it unrted to dragons.

    To avoid misleading, official institutions rmended renaming it "Earth Crystal." However, the old name persisted due to historical records, causing confusion, and the name lingered.

    Unlike other minerals, Dragon Crystal didn''t ur in veins or mines. Most often, it was discovered as solitary pieces or even individual granules, making it far more precious than gold.

    "I believe Earth Crystal''s affinity can facilitate better fusion of mutative factors with the target memetic, increasing the reaction rate. Moreover, by elerating the binding process, it allows the mutative factors to affect the periphery of the memetic structure, reducing pration to the core and, consequently, minimizing fatalities. Of course, this is just theoretical spection; whether it performs as envisioned remains to be seen."

    In summary, Hilia''s improved mutagenic agent potentially reacted faster, reduced mortality rates, and indirectly increased mutation sess rates.

    Leaving aside its viability, the fact that she was already extrapting and improving the form was terrifying.

    "Unfortunately, Earth Crystal is exceedingly rare. I have less than 5 grams, limiting the quantity I could produce. Using such a precious material for experiments shows her determination to be an alchemist," Hua Mi thought, feeling a twinge of guilt for leading her on.

    After a moment''s contemtion, he reached out his right hand, retrieving an item from his storage ring��a paper-wrapped package he ced on the window sill.

    It contained Unicorn Horn Powder��a portion collected during a trade with Alyss, approximately 10 grams.

    "What''s this?" Hilia inquired, picking up the package.

    "Unicorn Horn Powder," Little Orange replied.

    Hilia''s pupils dted. Someone who casually produced a package of Unicorn Horn Powder wasn''t an ordinary alchemist.

    "For your next project, I leave it to your discretion to determine the value of this packet of Unicorn Horn Powder. Imagination and execution are indispensable for an alchemist."

    Teaching with such precious material!

    Could it be that a unicorn was just an ordinary magical creature to him?

    He was indeed the mentor I chose��mysterious and unfathomable.

    Hilia took a deep breath, feeling immense pressure but nodded solemnly, "I''ll give it my all."

    "As for the actual effects of this mutagenic agent, I''ll inform you of the results when you return," she promised.

    "Understood."

    Watching Hilia leave his sight, Hua Mi picked up the improved mutagenic agent, uncorking it to take a sniff. Like the basic version, it was colorless and odorless.

    "Let''s see how it performs."

    Hilia possessed talent, but alchemy was a profound discipline. Whether it would yield the anticipated results remained uncertain.

    Hua Mi opened his magic box, summoning a regr Chinese Honeybee. He poured a portion of Hilia''s improved mutagenic agent into a dish, allowing the bees to ingest it.

    The vial''s capacity was limited. Consumed by over eight thousand bees, half the potion was already depleted.

    "Even if this improved version proves effective, mass production would be challenging due to the rarity of Earth Crystal. It''s not just about the price; this item''s scarcity makes it fickle and elusive," Hua Mi observed.

    As the bees absorbed the elixir, unusual magical fluctuations emerged within their bodies. They swiftly returned to their hive,mencing wax secretion and cocoon formation.

    As per Hilia''s theory, the Earth Crystal Powder expedited the reaction rate, implying that their cocoon formation time should be shorter than bees that consumed the basic mutagenic agent.

    By tomorrow at thetest, the results would likely emerge.

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 Chapter 64: Alysss Invitation

    Chapter 64: Alyss''s Invitation

    On the other hand��

    The seven Pseudo-Flower Spirits, after deliberation, made a decision that defied their ancestors. They opted to reside within the greenhouse. It''d be more convenient for tending to the flower field, saving them the daily back-and-forth. Plus, they adored the ambiance within the greenhouse.

    Of course, Hua Mi was more than willing. At most, it meant providing them with a bit more honey. With their thoughtful care for the flower field, she''d be so much more at ease��she was entirely on board with that.

    The seed-making machine had also been relocated into the greenhouse, ensuring both breeding and nurturing nts could go on without a hitch. They seemed to have found joy in farming, bing even more vibrant.

    Yet, if they could reduce their need for honey due to spiritual satisfaction, that would be even better. Don''t judge their appetites by their size; their consumption post-casting spells was indeed substantial. Especially Xiao Zi, eating for three. Each time Hua Mi witnessed her voraciousness, her heart bled a little.

    Using magic within the greenhouse, they fashioned a delicate andpact "tree," each branch hosting their individual houses, painted in colors matching their hair. The designs varied: some conventional, others cozy; a few resembled flowers while some looked like fruits.

    Hua Mi couldn''t help but think, swapping their houses for seven differently colored gourds would be a stunning sight.

    In the afternoon, Hua Mi received a raven''s letter. Needless to say, it was from Alyss. She was still within the ck Forest. Since there hadn''t been any issues with the greenhouse, Hua Mi hadn''t contacted her.

    The letter contained only a single sentence: "Need to discuss something; pleasee quickly��''Huami'' Alyss."

    What could she want to discuss? Is it possible she''s running low on corner powder?

    After weighing her options for a moment, Hua Mi decided to honor the invitation. Alyss, after all, was a distinguished elf, a top-tier architectural designer in the Jade City��having connections mattered.

    Hua Mi knew the general direction but wasn''t certain about the distance. It was alreadyte afternoon, and if the ce was far, she might have to spend the night outside. She debated whether to postpone until tomorrow. However, the urgency implied in the message e quickly" convinced her otherwise.

    Recalling how Alyss used to arrive early during the greenhouse construction, Hua Mi deduced her residence might not be too far from the Bee Speaker''s Cabin.

    So, she decided to get ready and set off immediately. There was another thing to consider; despite walking in the right direction, getting lost in theseplex forest terrains was a possibility��a dy she couldn''t afford. Hence, for safety, she opted to bring a "guide" along.

    This time, Xiao Lu volunteered to apany her. She seemed particrly interested in Alyss,vishing praise on the architect from their very first meeting. Granted, Xiao Lu tended to exaggerate; sometimes, for no apparent reason, she''d go overboard, making Hua Mi feel a tad awkward.

    Hua Mi only brought along the Stinging Pain Bee, Irond Swift Bee, and Circlet Cutter Bee for protection, leaving the rest of the hives in the greenhouse to roam freely. The Compound Bow and Thunder God Arrows couldn''t be overlooked.

    With the storage ring, there was no need to carry these items physically. A mentalmand and a flick of thought conjured the bow and arrows into his grasp. However, they did upy significant space��six of the twenty slots in the ring.

    Additionally, the scroll obtained from the apprentice, a potentbat tool, was nestled within the ring. It was a powerful five-ring spell��Great Doltishness. Not an insult; that''s genuinely its trantion.

    Despite its yful name, the spell was formidable. Its effects were undoubtedly impactful. Every adventure required thorough preparation; no room for negligence. Safety came first.

    ...

    Hua Mi and Xiao Lu made their way toward Alyss''s location. A recent heavy snowfall had left the ground covered. Each step plunged past their ankles, slowing their progress. However, Alyss''s residence appeared closer than anticipated��much nearer than the trek to the ck Castle Ruins.

    In less than an hour, they reached their destination. Even from a distance, amidst the towering trees of the ck Forest, they caught a glimpse of a concealed building.

    The forest''s tall trees, though multistoried in height, were spaced widely apart, offering unobstructed views. From a distance of dozens of meters, Hua Mi could discern the building''s outline.

    It seemed to have three stories and an attic, resembling Earth''s Gothic architecture but not with the usual somber, lonely vibe. Instead, its primary color was tinum, exuding a cheerful feel. The borders on doors and windows added a touch of delicacy.

    A translucent, faint barrier enveloped the structure, presumably a kind of warning enchantment.

    "So quick in finding our destination; you''re quite impressive!"

    "...," Hua Mi refrained from assuming a sarcastic tone, familiar with Xiao Lu''s nature.

    "Let''s go." Hua Mi hastened her steps, reaching the barrier and cautiously extended a twig, testing for any imminent danger. Satisfied, she crossed it.

    Up close, the distinctive house appeared even more intricately crafted. Several of its refined design details were beyond words, dazzling the eyes. The aesthetic pleasure it offered just by sight was uplifting.

    The seams between the white bricks were almost imperceptible, seemingly held together by a magical effect. Two armored guards stood at the entrance, wielding massive swords, entirely silver-hued with exquisite, intricate patterns on their te armor.

    Through the crevices of their helmets, hollow insides were visible, adorned with intricate patterns emitting a dim red glow��reminiscent of their eyes, sending chills down one''s spine.

    Aside from the armored guards, on either side of the main gate, perched two peculiar bird stone statues. Initially assumed to be ordinary sculptures, they suddenly turned their heads, fixing their gaze upon Hua Mi.

    Click, click, click��

    A synchronized rhythm of footsteps echoed from both sides. ncing sideways, two squads of smaller-sized animated armors wielding spears advanced toward them, enclosing them from both ends��pincer movement. It was part of their patrol.

    "Is such a show of force necessary?" Despite believing Alyss wouldn''t orchestrate a grand wee, Hua Mi couldn''t help but be on guard, ready forbat or escape.

    At that moment, the sound of the door opening resonated from above. The two squads halted simultaneously, holding their spears, stationed on either side.

    Raising her head, Hua Mi spotted a familiar figure appearing on the second-floor balcony.

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 Chapter 65: The Lost City

    Chapter 65: The Lost City

    Moving such a big house? That''s simply not possible.

    Hua Mi reckoned it was set up using magic simr to the magic box, capable of shrinking for easy transportation. But this house was obviously much more advanced than a magic box.

    "Carrying a house around, is the master a snail?" Hua Mi chuckled at the thought, wondering if maybe she could ask for help in improving the magic box.

    Currently, the box was a bit inconvenient. To let the bees out, you had to find a space first.

    However, the master had already acquired the desired unicorn horn powder and had no bargaining chips left.

    With her status, asking for help might require some effort to establish a good rtionship.

    Hua Mi received the homeowner''s permission and entered the interior.

    The interior architecture harmonized perfectly with the exterior��a tinum color scheme, vibrant yet elegant, with a simple yet exquisiteyout.

    "Practical and beautiful, perfectly integrated. Truly the work of a master," she murmured as she made her way to the second-floor study. Upon entering, the scenery changed drastically.

    So many books.

    Compared to the outside, the study was in, except for the abundance of books.

    There were many on the shelves, even more piled on the floor. Anyone unaware might think this was the dwelling of a knowledgeable old sage.

    Besides books, the table hosted an array of peculiar tools. Despite the variety, everything was neatly arranged, avoiding any sense of disorder.

    The owner of the house, Alyss, stood in the center of the study, dressed in a snow-white gown, extending her hand toward Hua Mi and Xiao Lv at the door. "Wee, my guests," she said, disying both politeness and a hint of arrogance.

    It seemed like a weing gesture mixed with a sense of condescension.

    Elves always seemed a bit uptight.

    "Wow, your house is so beautiful! I love it!" Xiao Lv eximed, flying forward and showering praises generously. "You have such great taste!"

    "Thank you," Alyss responded. She seemed immune to suchpliments, having likely heard them before. She politely acknowledged the praise.

    "If only I could have you design our house," Xiao Lv persisted, seemingly disappointed by Alyss''s cool response, continuing with more ttery.

    Hua Mi thought to herself, "It''s not easy dealing with these little guys."

    Buying them a Barbie doll-style vi and letting them move in would be no less sophisticated than the craftsmanship of the elven master.

    After a few exchanges, Alyss'' gaze settled on Hua Mi at the door, indicating a shift to the main topic.

    Taking a few steps forward, Hua Mi nced at the bookshelves. Most spines were in an unreadable script, probably Elvish, but she spotted a few written in amon humannguage.

    It was evident this architectural master had a wide range of interests.

    "These books��"

    "Have you heard of the Lost City?" Both spoke simultaneously, but Alyss was faster.

    She seemed to have no intention of small talk, diving straight into the main topic.

    Hua Mi paused, trying to recall. The Lost City... Wasn''t that mentioned in the alchemy notes? She shook her head.

    "It was a city built by Huon over a thousand years ago, leaving a significant mark in architectural history," Alyss exined, gesturing toward a wall adorned with sketches of spired building designs, mostly iplete drafts.

    "Huon was a natural master of craftsmanship and architecture. The Lost City represented the pinnacle of architectural skill at that time. Sadly, it fell during the second Abyssal invasion, lost in the cracks between nes."

    "We can only glimpse fragments of that legendary city through scattered records. It''s been every architect''s dream to find it."

    "You found it?" Hua Mi knew Alyss wouldn''t bring this up without reason. If she mentioned it, there had to be a way to the Lost City, or at least some rted clues.

    "Indeed." Alyss nodded, a rare smile on her face. "I''ve searched for centuries and finally found a path to the Lost City."

    She looked like she was at least a few hundred years old. Despite knowing elves lived much longer than humans, it still felt odd seeing someone with this Lolita appearance.

    Small in form but incredibly sharp in mind, the only thing she pursued was the Lost City.

    Hua Mi couldn''t fathom how one could enter such a city. This was beyond his Earthly knowledge.

    ording to Alyss, the Lost City slipped into the crevices between nes during the second Abyssal invasion.

    That''s between different dimensions, not mountains or rivers. He grasped the concept of nes but couldn''t fathom what existed between them.

    How do you even get in there? That was the baffling part.

    Snap��Alyss snapped her fingers.

    The firece behind the desk burst into mes with a whoosh.

    "Simply put, it''s through fire."

    "Through fire?" Hua Mi stared at the zing mes, not understanding her intent. Did she want them to burn themselves?

    "Huon''s race had a clear belief system, naturally attuned to fire elements, able to sense the fire elemental ne. They firmly believed a deity, the Fire Mother, guided them within the fire elemental ne."

    "For this reason, they ignited a ''fire seed'' in the Lost City, maintaining their connection with the Fire Mother."

    "This inadvertently left us a shortcut. In short, using the fire elemental ne as a transit station, avoiding the chaotic flow in the crevices, we can directly enter the Lost City."

    "This method was proposed by schrs but wasn''t taken seriously due to itsplexity. Recently, I''ve pinpointed the shortcut to the Lost City. All that''s left is constructing the teleportation magic array and entering that pathway."

    "..." Though unable to grasp her words fully, Hua Mi felt a sense of danger.

    Yet, Alyss gave the impression of reliability and prudence. She had enough wisdom not to take reckless risks.

    A thought struck him, "So, the unicorn horn powder is for��"

    "Yes, everything is for reaching the Lost City."

    Hua Mi was still puzzled about why she''d called him. Was it really just forcking enough powder?

    That was manageable; a simple exchange would do. But her tone hinted otherwise.

    "Could it be she wants me to team up and go with her..."

    "You know, I''m an architect, not skilled inbat." Alyss calmly stated, "While I long for the Lost City, I don''t intend to wager my life there. If there''s an excellent alchemist apanying me, this journey would be much easier."

    "...," Hua Mi agreed. However, there was no way he''d agree.

    This was like suddenly receiving a call from Musk to hop on a spaceship to Mars.

    Would you agree?

    Absolutely not.

    "Considering your reputation, surely in Emerald City, you''d have plenty of volunteers. Whye to a... wild alchemist like me?"

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 Chapter 66: Ancient Brewing

    Chapter 66: Ancient Brewing

    Hua Mi had a tendency to view things through a suspicious lens, always assuming the worst motives��like the desire for sole credit.

    Maybe she feared having her achievements stolen, thus she kept her ns secret, hiring an unrted human as her adventurepanion to ensure she''d be the first to make the discovery.

    But was it really so?

    Alyss calmly replied, "As I mentioned, our purpose in this venture is exploration, to document lost architectural techniques. If Emerald City or any other organization learns of the path to the lost city, it won''t be a marvel in architectural history anymore; it''ll face barbaric invasions and plundering. When it''s time for architects and schrs to take the stage, it might already be a ruin."

    Hua Mi grasped her meaning.

    Different people valued different things. That''s what they meant by "where your priorities lie shapes your thoughts."

    Faced with a lost city, politicians, merchants, schrs... each would have their own agendas, leading to conflicts and chaos.

    "And you..." Alyss gazed at him with a subtle expression. "Secluded in the deste magd, a top-notch alchemist, you should understand my perspective. Diligently perfecting your craft, indifferent to fame or profit, only concerned with getting closer to that peak achievement. I believe that''s our greatest simrity."

    "..."

    Hmm, she might be right?

    It made him slightly uneasy, but upon reflection, it wasn''t entirely incorrect.

    Wasn''t his relentless pursuit of the new bee species and honey a pursuit of perfection?

    Life itself was inherently purposeless; its meaning was self-imposed.

    ...

    Hua Mi and Xiao Lu were invited to stay for avish meal.

    Alyss didn''t serve the usual elf cuisine��Hua Mi had hoped to sample some of their unique delicacies.

    Instead, the table was adorned with dishes catering to human tastes, quite sumptuous and reminiscent of Earth''s vors.

    Yet, for Hua Mi, it leaned towards being too rich. A touch of honey bnced the vors perfectly.

    Amongst the spread, only a few jugs of wine were Emerald City''s specialty.

    Resembling red wine in appearance, swirling in the ss, it shimmered.

    The alcohol carried a potent fruity aroma, masking the scents of the table''s food.

    Alyss exined it was fruit wine made from flowery fruit, crafted using ancient elven brewing techniques, boasting top-notch taste and texture.

    Xiao Lu, sensitive to alcohol, sipped a bit and was instantly dizzy, grinning, disying a cute yet mischievous expression. Fluttering around the table, sheplimented both the food and the wooden servant by her side.

    If food and wood spirits had souls, they''d blush.

    This little one was perfectly suited to enliven a gathering.

    Hua Mi took a sip too��a sweet tang with a hint of spice.

    Sweetness and spice swirled down her throat, warming her up.

    She felt instantly refreshed.

    "Before battle, elven warriors tend to take a few sips of flowery fruit wine to unlock their potential, to activate their magic..."

    But clearly, indulging too much would weakenbat prowess. One couldn''t afford to drunkenly brawl with enemies. Hua Mi quipped inwardly.

    After a few more sips, it seemed slightly stronger than grape wine.

    She indulged a bit, finding it quite satisfying.

    Curiously, she inquired about the wine-making process.

    Alyss exined, "On the second day of the flowery fruit''s ripening, it''s harvested, soaked in water until the wrinkles vanish, bing plump. Then it''s ced in a wooden basin, where freshly baptized young elves tread barefoot to crush it into a paste..."

    "Pfft��"

    Hua Mi didn''t touch her wine ss again.

    She decided then and there to never drink a drop of otherworldly alcohol.

    Once she had enough honey reserves, she could consider brewing her own mead.

    On Earth, mead was more luxurious than wine.

    Magical honey-produced alcohol would naturally be even more valuable.

    It could easily outshine this odd fruit wine made by foot-stomping.

    Alyss, chin resting on her hand post-drink, blushing cheeks, remarked, "Rumor has it that the lost city holds a miraculous flower, influenced by the ''Fireseed,'' growing with umted magic, capable of giving birth to a flower spirit."

    Maybe it was the alcohol, but her smile seemed mischievous, like a tempting little devil.

    She was a wise elf.

    After a few days of interaction, she seemed to know exactly where this beekeeper''s itchy.

    A scratch in the right spot could stir up his emotions.

    Hua Mi warned himself not to get carried away.

    He already had three types of honey-producing flowers: Moon Slumber, Feather Cloak, and Thunder Bloom, and Thunder Bloom was growing well, expected to yield honey soon.

    What use did he have for Fireseed flowers?

    No need to pick roadside flowers.

    What was so great about flower spirits?

    Seven pseudo-flower spirits weren''t enough?

    ...

    At dusk, Hua Mi carried the thoroughly intoxicated Xiao Lu back.

    The little one slumped on Hua Mi''s shoulder, heavily inebriated but determined to guide.

    She was utterly confused, directing him randomly��now asking him to fly higher, then lower, then maybe underground...

    Annoyed, Hua Mi finally tucked her into the pocket of his dark robe, cutting off her view.

    He took a straight path home.

    With imprints from their earlier trek in the snow, getting lost wasn''t possible.

    They reached the greenhouse smoothly.

    Hua Mi entrusted Xiao Lu to her littlepanions, checked the flower field��Thunder Bloom was thriving, everything was normal.

    So far, over four acres had been sown.

    The quantity of Thunder Bloom had doubled.

    "Two or three more acres, and it''ll be enough."

    The initial batch was already blossoming, likely to yield honey soon.

    The seeds produced today could wait until tomorrow for nting.

    Hua Mi packed up the beehives and headed home for rest.

    Lying in bed, he mulled over Alyss''s adventure invitation.

    Suddenly, a palpitation stirred deep within.

    Did he, subconsciously, crave adventure?

    But reason warned him against needless risks; it was foolish.

    His most pressing goals had been achieved.

    The greenhouse was up.

    Beekeeping, flower nting, honey brewing��everything was progressing steadily.

    Life was peaceful; everything was going as nned.

    Daily happiness was assured; no need to seek excitement or chase unattainable goals through adventures.

    "If I had to rmend apanion for her, there are options..."

    Like the trio from ckstone Town, would they be interested in apanying her on the adventure?

    ...

    The next day, he eagerly opened the magic box, checking the bee colony that had consumed the modified mutagen.

    "Come on, Octobee, the improved version of the potion, should have results."

    Nothing too demanding, just one.

    Either a fighting bee or a honey gatherer would suffice.

    Hua Mi sensed the beehive, meticulously inspecting each one.

    The results surprised him.

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 Chapter 67: Double Yolk

    Chapter 67: Double Yolk

    Firstly, the mortality rate had indeed decreased significantly.

    This time, only about 10% of the bees perished inside the hive.

    Moreover, after a thorough check, Hua Mi discovered two advantageous mutated individuals among them.

    Double yolk! Of course, among over eight thousand, having two was still a rtively low probability.

    However.

    Hua Mi had mentally prepared for no yields, but suddenly getting two brought an unexpected delight!

    The first mutated bee��s most striking feature was its size.

    It was a whole circlerger than the original Chinese honeybee, measuring over 1.5 centimeters in length. Its entire body looked robust and round, especially the area between the wings and the head, which was significantly broader than that of an ordinary bee. It seemed to be filled with muscr fibers, giving off an impression of great strength.

    Correspondingly, its legs and wing parts appeared notably stronger.

    Its body fur leaned towards ck.

    The moment Hua Mi established a connection with it, they immediately felt its vigorous vitality.

    Compared to a regr Chinese honeybee, it wasn��t just two or three times stronger, but�� close to ten times! This bee''s outstanding physical strength and disyed power made Hua Mi immediately think of a name for it��Strongarm Bee.

    Strength works wonders! Hua Mi first replicated the temte of this new bee species, then tested it with weights, finding that it could carry a maximum of 500 grams! Roughly equivalent to ten chicken eggs��an astonishing number.

    Insects like bees inherently operated their muscles much more efficiently than humans.

    Their load-bearing capacity might exceed the understanding of most people��

    Amon small honeybee could lift objects equivalent to 300 times its body weight.

    For a human, that would be like pulling a truck.

    And the mutated Strongarm Bee had even better load-bearing abilities.

    However, when it carried 500 grams, it essentially couldn''t fly, reaching its ideal limit.

    Of course, for humans, 500 grams wasn��t much.

    But don''t forget, bees are typically social creatures, relying not on individual strength but on the entire colony.

    A Strongarm Bee��s limit being 500 grams��what about a group of them?

    Suppose it''s a colony of ten thousand bees. The theoretical limit for this Strongarm Bee collective would be 5 tons!

    Even though, in practice, due to the inevitable deviations in the force directions exerted by each bee, achieving the theoretical load-bearing limit wouldn��t be that high.

    But even after ounting for this reduction, it was still an impressive number.

    It wouldn''t be an issue transporting most heavy objects.

    Even if the actual load-bearing capacity decreased by ten times, that��d still be 500 kilograms, easily lifting a person.

    Previously, there had beenints about theck of transportation in the forest.

    With the Strongarm Bees, could flight be a possibility?

    Thinking about this, Hua Mi felt a sense of anticipation.

    Apart from itsrger size, heightened physical strength, and significant power, the Strongarm Bee had another advantage: its honey sac wasrge, more than twice the size of a regr Chinese honeybee''s.

    Arger honey sac meant carrying more nectar at once, increasing the efficiency of gathering nectar.

    This new bee species had advantages in bothbat and honey gathering.

    The only regret was the absence of venom nds and stingers.

    Combat capabilities had weakened somewhat.

    However, for every door nature closed, it seemed to open an even wider one with this evolution.

    Hua Mi selected a normal Chinese honeybee colony and injected the temte of the Strongarm Bee into it.

    Immediately, this colony began cocooning.

    [Strongarm Bee]

    Derived from the Chinese honeybee, approximately 1.5 times the size of a regr Chinese honeybee. Its fur is ck, showing significantly enhanced vitality. Its body strength, especially the strength of its legs and wings, has greatly increased.

    The honey sac is over twice the size of a regr Chinese honeybee''s, no venom nds, no stinger, slightly slower than a regr Chinese honeybee...

    [Lifespan: 0.9]

    [Reproductive Capability: 1.3]

    [Productivity: 2]

    [Attack: 2.5]

    [Defense: 3]

    [Vitality: 10]

    [Speed: 0.8]

    Gathering ability: 1.8.

    Combat ability: 6.

    This was, up to this point, the only bee species Hua Mi had cultivated without any significant shorings.

    Both itsbat and gathering abilities were good.

    Considering lifespan and reproductive capabilities, they mainly affected the number of bees in a colony when it reached dynamic stability and the colony''s ability to resist risks in its natural state. Of course, higher values were better.

    0.9 to 1.3, based on experience, roughly meant a colony of about 15,000 individuals, which was a rtively robust colony.

    "If I must say, the only aspect where the Strongarm Bee still needs improvement is its speed. I could try crossing it with the Swift Bee and see if we can increase the Strongarm Bee''s speed without affecting other traits."

    Based on previous experiences, the probability of solely enhancing speed without affecting other traits was rtively low.

    However, it was worth a try.

    As more bee species emerged, Hua Mi nned to categorize these bees.

    The regr Chinese honeybee as [Level 1 Bee].

    Forest Swift Bee, Agonizing Bee, Irond Bee were [Level 2 Bees].

    Irond Swift Bee, Ring Cutter Bee were [Level 3 Bees].

    And the newly evolved Strongarm Bee could be ssified as a [Level 4 Bee].

    As for the other mutated bee,pared to the straightforward nature of the Strongarm Bee, it was more mysterious.

    This bee''s body had no significant changes and was equivalent in size to the Chinese honeybee.

    Two antennae faintly emitted white light at their tips, very faint, just two small white dots in the dark, barely visible unless observed closely.

    Its body fur was shorter, harder, and denser.

    Besides these, it was no different from the Chinese honeybee.

    Its marvely in its ability to feed back its perception of the surrounding environment to Hua Mi!

    This perception included smell, vision, and hearing.

    Do not underestimate a bee''s sensory abilities.

    A bee''s speed in perceiving and understanding its environment was several times faster than a human��s.

    Studies showed that a bee��s sense of smell, through its antennae, was 800 times more discriminating than a human��s and could detect extremely low molecule concentrations.

    Its vision relied on a pair ofpound eyes and three ocelli positioned in a triangle between thepound eyes. The ocelli mainly assisted thepound eyes in better discerning objects'' brightness. It could even see ultraviolet light.

    There were also sensors distributed throughout its body, responsible for perceiving the environment''s sounds. Simultaneously, the body fur yed a role in sensing air vibrations.

    In short, bees were highly sensitive creatures to environmental stimuli.

    This mutated bee''s sensory abilities had been further enhanced, and it could share them with its master.

    Hua Mi controlled this mutated bee to fly outside and then established a sensory connection with it.

    In that instant of connection, everything seemed blurry.

    The scene before their eyes was covered in a purplish hue, two scenes ovepping each other.

    There was a sudden intensification of smell and some slow, low sounds that made

    Hua Mi feel dizzy and nauseous for a moment.

    They hurriedly closed their eyes, taking deep breaths several times, slowly adjusting themselves.

    With eyes shut, they could only see what the bee saw.

    Expecting to see a grid effect frompound eyes, surprisingly, there wasn��t any. The field of view wasplete and coherent.

    The perspective was muchrger than a human''s, reaching over 300 degrees, almost without blind spots.

    Butpared to humans, it could discern fewer colors, resulting in a bluish-purple monotone in its field of view.

    It could only see scenes within approximately ten meters clearly; farther was rtively blurry.

    As for the slow, low sounds by their ear, those should be infrasound undetectable to human ears.

    Bees could pick up sounds below 20Hz.

    Actually,pared to vision and hearing, their olfactory sense was what amazed Hua Mi the most.

    In the bee��s sensory state, they could discern extremely subtle scents, urately pinpointing direction and distance, even more than a dog��s nose.

    After testing, as the bee flew farther away, the shared sensory ability didn��t weaken. As long as it remained within the control range, Hua Mi could continuously receive clear signals.

    "This bee can be used for tracking and reconnaissance... Let''s just call it Reconnaissance Bee."

    Why not Tracker Bee?

    Because Reconnaissance Bee sounded better.

    This bee species was quite special and didn''t need an entire colony temte.

    Only one or a few Reconnaissance Bees were enough.

    After all, sharing the senses of too many would cause ovepping confusion.

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 Chapter 68: Takeoff!

    Chapter 68: Takeoff!

    Hua Mi meticulously recreated the scout bee temte and made notes in his journal.

    "Scout Bee:

    Derived from themon Chinese honeybee, simr in size but with shorter, harder, and denser fur, emitting light at the tips of their antennae��

    Lifespan: 1

    Reproductive Capability: 0.6

    Productivity: 1

    Attack Power: 1

    Defense: 1

    Vitality: 1

    Speed: 1

    Tactical Bonus: 5

    Collecting Ability: 1

    Combat Ability: 5

    Ranked as a [Level 3 Bee]."

    The reproductive capability was a bit low, but it didn''t matter much for a scout bee. Their unique nature didn''t require forming colonies; just one bee at a time sufficed, ready for temte transformation whenever needed.

    As for the additional "tactical bonus," it factored in their special abilities, elevating theirbat prowess to a 5. These scout bees were no less effective than War Hammer Bees or Ring Cutters.

    In the future, when exploring hazardous areas, sending scout bees ahead could provide crucial foresight. Even for tracking targets, their powerful sense of smell woulde in handy.

    Designating them as Level 3 bees was entirely appropriate.

    "This time, it''s a double win��a Level 4 bee and a Level 3 bee. Quite the catch."

    Indeed, Sindra''s enhanced mutagen was a sess, albeit in slightly limited doses.

    "Need to keep an eye out for Dragon Crystal Powder in the future... this unassuming alchemy prodigy is worth nurturing!"

    Hua Mi''s regard for Sindra surged.

    ...

    Next, Hua Mi began preparing for hybridization experiments.

    He selected two worker beervae from Forest Swift Bees, Agony Bees, Armor Bees, and War Hammer Bees, nurturing them as if they were queen bees.

    Once they matured into queens and reached sexual maturity, he could initiate hybridization experiments with the new bee species.

    Why not use existing queens? Because they had passed their mating period, and even during the period, using queen bees directly for experiments might disrupt the hives, inviting trouble.

    The life cycle of Forest Swift Bees wasparatively faster; they would likely mature in less than a week. However, Armor Bees and War Hammer Bees might take a week or even longer.

    As for why he didn''t choose Ring Cutters:

    The reason remained the same as before.

    Ring Cutters were already the product of a second hybridization. Going for a third round of hybridization exponentially increased the difficulty, and with his current mental strength, achieving that was still challenging.

    ...

    Hua Mi also ordered ten Chinese honeybees.

    Then, crossing over to the other world, he visited the greenhouse, assisted by the seven littlepanions, checking on the Thunderp Flowers.

    Next, he brought out the bee boxes.

    Bees needed exposure to the open air, and their activity in the flower fields benefited the flowers'' growth. Creatures within the same ecosystem tended to influence and promote each other.

    Afterward, he delved into alchemical notes, practiced controlling the bee colonies, and exercised his mental powers...

    A day swiftly passed by.

    At dusk, as customary, he returned to the greenhouse, nting the newly cultivated seeds, catalyzing the flower field for the second time that day.

    It''s worth noting that the first two acres of Thunderp Flowers had fully blossomed.

    The vivid blue petals, etched with lightning-like patterns, symbolized their robust vitality.

    Their growth outshined those in the ck Castle Ruins, be it in appearance or the meticulous observation of their various parts. These flowers in his field might not be top-tier, but they could at least be considered outstanding.

    Bees flitted between the flowers, indicating that the buds had begun secreting nectar.

    Upon inspecting a few blooms, he indeed found signs of nectar flow, though still insufficient for a bee''s harvest.

    There was also a small surprise.

    The conversion speed of the robust bee colony was faster than expected. At dusk, they had all emerged from their cocoons, forming an army of nearly ten thousand bees.

    "Excellent, an addition to the troop."

    The robust bees lined up neatly in front of him.

    Their humming wings produced a noticeably deeper soundpared to regr bees.

    These "muscr" bees, even among wasp colonies, might be considered quite robust.

    Compared to the little ones diligently collecting nectar, they possessed more might and philosophical gravitas.

    "Let''s test yourbat prowess."

    Hua Mi directed the robust bee colony outside, surveyed the area, and selected a stone roughly thirty centimeters in diameter.

    Go, robust bees!

    The robust bees swarmed around the lower half of the stone, their broad and sturdy backs pressing against it, collectively exerting force upward.

    The weight of the stone probably didn''t exceed 100 kilograms, a piece of cake for the robust bee colony, easily lifting it off the ground.

    However, maintaining bnce during the exertion wasn''t sustained; just a few centimeters above the ground, they lost equilibrium and dropped the stone.

    Starting to control a new bee colony was always initially challenging.

    Given the varying abilities among bee species, it was akin to choosing different characters in a game. Though the game sense was there, it required practice to operate smoothly.

    Undeterred, Hua Mi continued to concentrate, repeatedly attempting to control them.

    After around ten tries, he finally managed to lift the stone rtively steadily and perform simple movements in mid-air.

    Although he sessfully lifted the stone, the energy utilization within the bee colony remained low. The main issuey in the individual bees not directing their forces optimally, resulting in considerable internal consumption.

    Additionally, the control seemed dyed, affecting the overall experience.

    Hua Mi persisted until the sun set.

    If mental strength were quantifiable, he estimated that he had depleted about half by now.

    He could somewhat smoothlymand the bee colony to perform basic actions like ascending, descending, and changing direction. Although not effortless, practice was making it more manageable.

    Thud!

    The robust bee colony dispersed, and therge stone in mid-air plummeted to the ground.

    "Next, let''s try the flying mode."

    Flight was a coveted ability for humans.

    Especially while struggling through the forest, Hua Mi yearned for the freedom of soaring through the skies, akin to the seven littlepanions.

    He took a sip of honey water to replenish his energy and directed the robust bee colony back towards him.

    Raising one foot, half of the robust bees settled under it, resembling a ck cloud.

    In this formation, with nearly five thousand robust bees coborating, Hua Mi felt a force from under his foot that could counteract gravity.

    Gradually lifting the other foot, the remaining bees attached and exerted force.

    Stepping on these "ck clouds," his body slowly ascended.

    One centimeter, two centimeters�� ten centimeters, twenty centimeters��

    "Sess!"

    Hua Mi''s foot smoothly left the ground by about twenty centimeters.

    Yet, before he could revel in the achievement, his body suddenly swayed.

    A slight imbnce could shatter his focus, and the negative feedback exacerbated it, causing him to stumble forward and fall t on the ground.

    "It''s still quite challenging to exert force solely from the feet... maintaining bnce is tough."

    Early practice couldn''t be rushed.

    Simr to learning to ride a bike, starting with

    training wheels often ended in harsh falls.

    For initial exercises, considering adding two more support bees might be helpful.

    Regarding body parts used for bnce, undoubtedly, the first thought went to the arms.

    Hence, Hua Mi allocated a third of the robust bees to attach to his arms, primarily for maintaining bnce, while the rest continued providing force from his feet.

    "This should stabilize things."

    Focused on controlling the bee colony, Hua Mi spread his arms and slowly rose off the ground.

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 Chapter 69: The Brass City

    Chapter 69: The Brass City

    "Huah! (Wow!)"

    With the added arm drive, flying did feel much smoother for Hua Mi. But just starting out, he didn''t dare to fly too high. He kept to a height of one or two meters above ground, not daring to be too active in his flight.

    "It doesn''t feel like flying, more like surfing..."

    Perhaps because he was flying too low and too slow, Hua Mi thought as he maneuvered among the trees in the woods. Soon, the sunpletely set while he was still enjoying himself.

    The evening had crept in, but he wasn''t done yet. Navigating blindly in the air, he lost track of time.

    At that moment, the seven little spirits just out of the greenhouse witnessed the scene.

    "Wow, he''s flying!"

    "That human finally learned to fly! But still looks quite clumsy."

    "Is he okay? He doesn''t seem too stable..."

    "Ah, watch out!"

    Hua Mi, alreadycking concentration due to excessive mental strain, was thrown off course by their chatter. Swinging in the air, he rushed, "head over heels," straight into arge tree.

    "Boom��"

    "Gasp��" All seven spirits involuntarily gasped, feeling the impact as if it were their own.

    Unable to watch, Hua Mi murmured, lying on the ground, gazing at the night sky, "Still need continuous practice. At least need to be as proficient as walking."

    As for whether the speed attribute of the War Hammer could be further enhanced, that would only be clear after the hybrid results were out.

    Actually, it wasn''t slow at all. He had conducted tests and concluded that under normal conditions, the War Hammer''s top speed could reach about 10 meters per second. While flying with it, he could manage a speed simr to an adult''s jog. Of course, faster would always be better. Ideally, reaching speeds akin to Iron Man''s.

    ...And so, two days passed without incident.

    The first batch of Thunder Flower had entered the nectar flow period, keeping the little bees busy. Hua Mi continued his routine - tending to the flower fields, training the bees - everything was systematic.

    On this particr night before sleeping, Hua Mi, as usual, delved into the Alchemy Notes. He adopted a method of skimming through it roughly first, creating a general impression. Then, he''d slowly reread it in his free time.

    The note was incredibly hypnotic; he often dozed off while reading and often had strangely amusing dreams. A fantastic bedtime read.

    However, tonight, a certain part caught his attention. Specifically, a particr location.

    "The Brass City?"

    The author wrote in the introduction:

    "As a lost city adrift in the chaos of dimensions, its preservation is remarkably intact. Whether the Fire Spirits who originally constructed the Fire Seed Temple had real connections to the Fire Mother, I won''t delve into. Nheless, it inadvertently served as a shelter..."

    Immediately, keywords surfaced in Hua Mi''s mind: "lost," "chaos of dimensions," "Fire Spirits," "Fire Seed"...

    Could this ''Brass City'' mentioned here be the same lost city Alyss intended to visit? The match seemed a whopping 99.999% urate, leaving him no choice but to believe it.

    During the initial skim, Hua Mi mostly focused on the names, barely registering the content, merely scanning through like a cursory nce. Plus, he hadn''t been familiar with terms like ''Fire ve,'' ''Fire Seed,'' or ''Lost City'' back then; those concepts didn''t strike a chord with him.

    But now, those terms had left an impression.

    Therefore, upon encountering them again, they instantly clicked.

    "Wait, did the author of this note actually visit the Lost City?"

    Hua Mi increasingly felt the author of this note wasn''t ordinary. Understand, the Lost City was a ce many architects, historians, and archaeologists longed to explore - a bit like Antis on Earth.

    Alyss herself had a tough time locating the Lost City. Moreover, ording to her, opening and maintaining the portal to the Lost City required considerable effort.

    Ordinarily, these interdimensional passages couldn''t be opened due to dimensional disturbances. The greater the magical energy input, the tighter the closure, making it harder to open.

    To open such a passage, a special material was required. A substance with negative magical properties acted as a barrier against the chaos, forming a stable pathway - officially known as ''Anomalous Substance.''

    Unicorn horn powder was one of the materials Alyss used to create this substance. Hence, after pinpointing the location of the Lost City, she urgently sought Unicorn horn powder.

    But how did the author of this note manage to get there?

    Hua Mi, now wide awake, waspletely engrossed. The sedative effects of the Moon Slumber flower honey were entirely overridden by curiosity.

    He gathered his focus and continued reading.

    However, the author didn''t mention how to reach the Lost City. Instead, Hua Mi gained other valuable information.

    For instance, the Lost City wasn''t just an ancient relic - its creators hadn''t gone extinct.

    The "Fire Spirits" mentioned by the author were likely the ''Fire ves'' Alyss spoke of, still living in this ancient city.

    The author imed to have received a "warm reception" from them.

    From this, it was evident the Lost City wasn''t a perilous wilderness; civilization existed there. The notes subtly mentioned that it was the shelter provided by the Fire Seed that allowed the Brass City to survive amidst dimensional rifts.

    The author began with a general overview of the ce before delving into the notes - detailing alchemical materials found there.

    The first entry was about the flower Alyss mentioned - the ''Mother''s Blessing.'' The Fire ves believed this nt was a gift from the Fire Mother. It was a specialty of the Brass City, flourishing mainly around the Fire Seed Temple.

    Influenced by the Fire Seed, this flower contained an extremely rich and pure fire element, along with rare trace magical elements - excellent material for alchemy.

    Next to the description was a sketch of the ''Mother''s Blessing.'' If one didn''t know beforehand, they''d think it was a drawing of a me. The sketch included dotted lines, offering a brief exnation of the flower''s various parts - petals, receptacle, pedicel... and the strength of magical elements in each part.

    Structurally, it mostly resembled a typical nectar-producing flower; at least a ny percent chance that the ''Mother''s Blessing'' was a nectar-producing nt through cross-pollination.

    "The honey made from this flower with rare magical elements would surely be exquisite..."

    ...Aside from material descriptions, the author also drew a map of the Brass City, marking areas and the distribution of materials. Essentially, the city centered around the Fire Seed Temple, symmetricallyid out on both sides.

    Each area''s name, purpose, and precautions were meticulously documented. It was apparent the author held a deep fondness for this ce; every detail was noted down thoroughly.

    This was akin to a guidebook.

    Moreover, there was an underlying intention expressed in the notes - the desire to visit frequently.

    "Could the author of this note be someone who went to the Brass City?"

    Hua Mi had previously suspected the skeleton at the bottom of the Witch''s Eye Lake to be the author of these alchemy notes. Yet, he

    felt that such a mysterious and skilled individual wouldn''t have met such an abrupt end. Also, the cabin was neat, apart from this alchemy note and the semi-automatic alchemy cauldron; there were no signs of someone having lived there. It was highly probable they had prepared to leave.

    "Based on the notes, the Brass City doesn''t seem too dangerous and with a guide in hand..."

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 Chapter 70: Abyssal Scholar

    Chapter 70: Abyssal Schr

    Hua Mi stayed upte studying the "strategy" until his mental faculties couldn''t endure any longer, prompting him to finally retire to bed.

    In his dreams, he found himself in the Brass City.

    Tower-like structures of brass stood magnificently before him, a sight that shook him to the core. It was a concoction of architectural sketches seen in Alyss'' notes, apanied by the city''s name, creating this dream.

    At the center stood a Mayan-style pyramid-shaped temple surrounded by a me-like "Mother''s Blessing," resembling a sea of roaring mes.

    Within this floral expanse, he spotted a figure cloaked in ck.

    Was it the owner of those notes?

    Approaching, Hua Mi tapped the person''s shoulder.

    As they turned, it was a familiar face.

    Alyss?

    "No, you''re not Alyss," Hua Mi made a clear assessment, "She''s not this tall."

    At his words, the figure''s expression darkened, pushing him forcefully.

    Then, Hua Mi woke up.

    Reflecting on the dream''s scenes, his curiosity about the legendary Lost City grew.

    "But I should wait for Alyss''panion before deciding anything."

    ...

    Suppressing his curiosity, Hua Mi returned to his beekeeper routine.

    Dayster, another three acres of Thunderstrike Flowers were nted in the greenhouse.

    With approximately seven acres, it seemed sufficient. The Thunderstrike Flowers yielded ample nectar, their green substance and care from the seven pseudo-flower spirits granting a dual buff. The concern shifted from the quantity of honey to the bees'' capacity to harvest it all.

    About three acres of space remained in the greenhouse for future use.

    The Thunderstrike Flowers'' scent wasn''t merely aromatic; Hua Mi found it slightly overpowering, causing difort if exposed for too long.

    However, the seven pseudo-flower spirits didn''t seem bothered; within this atmosphere, they grew livelier.

    Whether due to their physiological differences from humans or habituation to the scent remained uncertain.

    Though the current quantity sufficed, the breeding work needed more time. Retaining additional seeds for future or sporadic needs was essential.

    Ten new bee colonies had also arrived, adding to the existing fourteen ordinary Chinese honeybee colonies.

    "It''s time to expand the honey harvesting team."

    While the Great Strength Bees hadrger honey sacs, their productivity slightlygged behind the Forest Swift Bees due to their 0.8 speed.

    However, the disparity wasn''t significant; both had a productivity rating of 2. Moreover, the Great Strength Bees showed superior wind resistance, possibly making them more efficient considering the losses incurred during Forest Swift Bee honey collection.

    Thus, the newly introduced harvesting bees would excel in various aspects as Great Strength Bees.

    In a way, the Forest Swift Bees seemed obsolete as harvesting bees.

    However, they still held value.

    Primarily for diversifying trait libraries.

    To put it bluntly, for hybridization, aiming for more and superior traits.

    Maintaining diversity within trait libraries was crucial.

    Hua Mi wasn''t rushing into the transition; he intended to decide post the Great Strength Bees'' hybridization results.

    Perhaps, a more exceptional bee species could be cultivated.

    After a day or two, two new Forest Swift Bee queens matured, ready for hybridization experiments.

    Hua Mi then proceeded to crossbreed the Great Strength Bee and Reconnaissance Bee temtes sessively with the two Forest Swift Bee queens.

    The hybridization process with the Great Strength Bees went smoothly.

    For Hua Mi, already possessing "Bee Mastery Stage Three," such crossbreeding was a cakewalk.

    However,plications arose during the Reconnaissance Bee X Forest Swift Bee hybridization.

    Despite several attempts, the Reconnaissance Bee temte couldn''t seamlessly merge into the queen''s body.

    Clearly not an issue with his abilities.

    "Is it impossible for this bee species to hybridize with others?"

    Seems like there''s reproductive istion between them.

    That''s fine.

    Try again once the queens of the other bee species mature.

    The hybridized queens returned to the nest to produce wax cocoons.

    Hua Mi wasn''t optimistic about the Great Strength Bee X Forest Swift Bee hybridization.

    From experience, an auspicious oue between them was improbable.

    Simply put, apart from speed, the Great Strength Bees outssed the Forest Swift Bees in nearly every attribute. Consequently, the hybrids might be inferior to the Great Strength Bees.

    Even if the speed increased, if other attributes were inferior to the Great Strength Bees, it wouldn''t be worthwhile.

    Of course, the traits of hybrid offspring weren''t an average of both sides'' attributes; there could be exceptional new traits from hybridization, but it was a matter of chance.

    And as anticipated, the hybrid "Great Strength-Swift Bee" exhibited slightly enhanced speed but suffered a decline in significant attributes, like vitality.

    Even their honey sacs reduced to normal size.

    Strictly deemed a failed hybrid, unworthy of recording.

    ...

    A couple of dayster, Hua Mi received a raven letter from Alyss.

    She mentioned herpanion''s arrival in the ck Forest.

    It was time to make the final decision��go or not.

    This time, the raven didn''t depart immediately; it perched on the windowsill, preening its feathers, seemingly waiting for his reply.

    Hua Mi pondered and wrote beneath her message, "Is the Lost City called the ''Brass City''?"

    He rolled the letter and handed it to the raven.

    The raven snatched the letter, taking flight.

    "I wish I could fly as smoothly as it does."

    Watching the raven, Hua Mi harbored some envy.

    Inspired, he continued practicing flying.

    Believing in miracles!

    Just a few minutester, the raven returned.

    This time, Hua Mi intercepted it mid-air, retrieving the rolled-up paper from its ws.

    It was the same letter, and upon opening it, one word had been added below: "Yes."

    Seems like he was right.

    Although nearly confirmed, he felt more assured with this confirmation.

    Alyss was a reliable elf.

    Moreover, he held the strategy guide.

    It was a double assurance.

    But onest detail needed confirmation.

    Adding a line below, he inquired about the otherpanion''s information and handed it back to the raven.

    He glimpsed a somewhat human-like reaction on the raven''s face, as if it was giving him a skeptical look. It grabbed the paper, stretched its wings before flying, giving him a vigorous p, then soared into the sky.

    After a few minutes, the raven returned.

    This time, the paper had an additional sentence: "He''s an Abyssal Schr."

    An Abyssal Schr...

    What did that mean?

    Rted to the abyss... Doesn''t feel quite right.

    ...

    "Abyssal Schr!"

    At these words, the seven spirits appeared shocked, gathering in a circle to discuss.

    They were sharing their gathered information.

    Hua Mi didn''t rush; after all, conclusions drawn fromprehensive information were the most urate.

    A minuteter, the discussion concluded.

    "Simply put, an Abyssal Schr specializes in studying the abyss."

    "..."

    Seemed like something was said.

    Yet, also like nothing was said.

    "I could guess that much. What I mean is, is there anything... special about this profession? Or anything I should be cautious about?"

    Xiao Hong said, "Imagine in a tavern, ten people drinking. Mention an Abyssal Schr

    , and nine would express admiration, offering a drink. But if you dere that an Abyssal Schr will join them, nine out of ten would find excuses to leave, not wanting to stay even a second longer."

    "What about the one person?"

    "Is that the main point?" Xiao Hong looked incredulously at him, "The main point is, while the profession is highly respectable��and that''s undeniable��nobody wants to associate with them."

    "Why is that?"

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 Chapter 71: Upgrade Plan for the Magic Box

    Chapter 71: Upgrade n for the Magic Box

    "Hua Mi, Abyss Schrs are all mentally unstable!"

    "Don''t say that, they should be seen as heroes."

    "Crazy heroes!"

    "To withstand the Abyss''s invasion, they are too powerful!"

    Ignoring the intense discussion behind her, Xiao Hong continued to exin to him, "Abyss Schrs cane from various races, but after joining the Abyss Research Association, they automatically detach from their origins and no longer belong to any other organization. They have only one goal, which is to research the Abyss."

    "But does this research have a negative impact on them?" Hua Mi guessed.

    "Yes, Abyss Schrs are constantly on the frontline of Abyss containment. They must have strong enough mental power to resist the invasion of Abyssal information."

    At this point, Hua Mi could almost understand.

    So this is what they mean by "when you gaze into the Abyss, the Abyss also gazes into you."

    "But even with high mental strength, it''s impossible topletely avoid the influence of the Abyss. Understanding the Abyss allows them to harness its power, but the cost is losing a part of their sanity, bing somewhat... mad. That''s why the mental state of Abyss Schrs always seems different from ordinary people. And those who have prolonged contact with them will also be affected by the Abyssal aura they carry..."

    After this exnation, Hua Mi had a basic understanding of the Abyss Schr profession.

    It was a very unique upation.

    Different from the usual ones like mages or alchemists.

    They relied on understanding the Abyss to gain power.

    Simply put, the deeper their understanding of the Abyss, the stronger their personal power.

    The ceiling for this profession was very high. After advancing to the rank of Grand Master, their power wasparable to mages of the Seventh or Eighth Ring, or even surpassing them.

    Correspondingly, the price was also substantial.

    Affected by the Abyss, their "san" values were usually significantly lower than normal, making their thoughts unpredictable.

    And the Abyssal aura around them made people instinctively ufortable.

    This was what Xiao Hong meant when she said nine out of ten people would avoid contact with them.

    Not everyone could endure this kind of loneliness.

    So, there weren''t many Abyss Schrs on the entire Western Continent, all managed by the Abyss Research Association.

    The Association regrly conducted various measurements on its members, including cognitive and Abyssal aura concentration checks. Once they reached warning levels, all information contact with the Abyss for that schr would be suspended until all indicators returned to normal levels.

    Therefore, although Abyss Schrs were the closest people to the Abyss in this world and could be considered the first line of defense, under strict institutional constraints, instances of thempletely sumbing to corruption and losing control were rare, especially after the Second Abyss Invasion War. For nearly a thousand years, there had been only scattered cases of Abyss Schrs losing control.

    Hearing this, Hua Mi felt slightly relieved.

    Compared to individuals, he trusted a mature andprehensive system more.

    No matter how strong one''s self-control was, it couldn''t match the reassurance provided by a mature system.

    That was why wild alchemists had a bad reputation, while those from academic institutions were respected. Thetter adhered to order, while the former was chaotic.

    Xiao Hong particrly emphasized not attempting to understand the thoughts of Abyss Schrs.

    Alyss had mentioned in the letter that thispanion was an Abyss Schr, being straightforward about it.

    But before agreeing to her, there was another thing to consider:

    "Now that I have bargaining chips again."

    Equal exchange, the unchanging rule of the beekeeper.

    That afternoon, Alyss came to the Bee Whisperer''s hut.

    The Abyss Schr did not apany her.

    "Where''s yourpanion?" Hua Mi casually asked.

    "Nearby, probably."

    She seemed ustomed to this and, ncing at him, added, "Don''t worry, he''ll show up when the timees."

    By "when the timees," she obviously meant when they set off.

    Initially, Hua Mi found this answer a bit strange, but upon reflection, the other person was an Abyss Schr.

    Suddenly, it seemed quite reasonable.

    Although he had never seen an Abyss Schr before, it fit his imagination of this profession.

    "Don''t attempt to understand the thoughts of Abyss Schrs," Xiao Hong''s warning echoed in his mind.

    Alyss''s casual attitude clearly indicated her understanding of this principle.

    So Hua Mi didn''t ask further.

    This time, inviting Alyss over was to seek her help in upgrading and improving the magic box before heading to the Lost City.

    This master architect, well-versed in various spatial magic principles, couldplete a greenhouse of that size in three days, so dealing with a mere magic box should be a walk in the park.

    Hua Mi envisioned two directions for upgrading the magic box.

    One was [Internal Space].

    With the bee colony increasing, there would inevitablye a day when it wouldn''t fit anymore. So, it was wise to expand the space as soon as possible. With more space, other items could also be stored for unforeseen needs.

    The other aspect was [Operation Method].

    The current method was somewhat inconvenient. To release the bee colony, one had to find a ce to unpack the magic box, taking at least three or four seconds, which was too long of a "casting dy."

    Hua Mi shared his ideas with Alyss, asking if she could implement them.

    Alyss calmly stated that theoretically, both could be achieved.

    And she also offered her evaluation of the magic box: roughly designed but barely functional.

    Her tone dripped with disdain for bronze.

    However...

    The more disdainful she was, the greater the room for improvement in the magic box.

    The future was promising!

    But Alyss quickly changed the subject, mentioning that gathering the materials required for expanding the internal space might take a while, and even if they were collected, the entire upgrading process wouldst several days.

    However, improving the operation method wouldn''t need additional materials. She could design a quick-ess window on the magic box, allowing rapid deployment and retrieval of the bee colony without opening it.

    Hua Mi had already moved the bee boxes into the greenhouse.

    He handed the empty magic box to Alyss.

    Alyss walked to the reserved space beside the greenhouse and ced something on the ground, stepping back.

    Swiftly��

    That thing expanded into a simple yet exquisite wooden house in an instant.

    Following that, metallic clinks resonated as two active armors emerged in front of Alyss, each wielding a double-handed sword, standing guard before the wooden house.

    "This work isn''t difficult and can bepleted tomorrow��provided I''m not disturbed during work."

    It was a polite warning not to disrupt her.

    Hua Mi nodded, indicating he understood.

    After Alyss finished speaking, she entered the house without looking back.

    Hua Mi noticed a sign hanging on the wooden door, inscribed with Elven characters, likely reading something like "Alyss''s Temporary Workshop."

    "So convenient."

    Hua Mi couldn''t help but admire.

    But it must be challenging to achieve, requiring both resources and technology.

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 Chapter 72: The Gaze of the Abyss

    Chapter 72: The Gaze of the Abyss

    As the evening descended, Hua Mi headed to the greenhouse to tend to the flower field. It had be a routine, twice a day, morning and evening, checking on the three batches of Thundering Blossoms that thrived without any issues. It proved Hua Mi''s proficiency as a florist.

    "Should I stay overnight here?"

    With the beehives stationed there, returning alone felt unsettling. Just as he pondered, a dark figure flew towards him from a distance.

    A sudden movement made Hua Mi step back. The shadownded abruptly in front of him, revealing a beast resembling a ck panther but with two tails, six legs, muscles rippling with untamed strength, and shiny ck fur.

    The creaturey motionless, its neck twisted at an unnatural angle, teeth bared, clearly deceased. Alert, Hua Mi nced towards the direction the body had flown from.

    In the faint sunset glow, behind arge tree, something seemed to peek out intermittently. Hua Mi touched his storage ring, holding the scroll for "Great Imbecile Art" at the ready.

    Simultaneously, he opened the greenhouse door, and in an instant, the swarm of bees surrounded him. He directed a scout bee towards that direction, closing his eyes to connect to its senses.

    There lurked a figure behind the tree. Hua Mi could tell at a nce that it wasn''t human. Towering over two meters, draped in a tight ck robe, topped with a ck headscarf, the figure had a greenish-yellowplexion and an elongated face, making its featurespact.

    The being breathed rapidly, nearly thrice the pace of a human, emanating an intense ink-like odor.

    The stench was unbearable, prompting Hua Mi to sever the sensory link with the scout bee. A thought crossed his mind: was this the Abyss Schr? Earlier, he instinctively imagined the being as human, but Alyss had never confirmed it.

    "Come out!" Hua Mi''s voice was grave.

    The figure peeked out from behind the tree, then emerged fully. "It''s a Borui person!" Red contacted him telepathically. "Could this be the Abyss Schr? An Abyss Schr who''s a Borui person? This is worse!"

    "Why would it be worse?"

    "Borui people are naturally nervous, and with the Abyss influence... Oh my, I can''t even imagine. Are you sure about joining them?"

    "..."

    The Borui person wobbled a few steps toward him. Alert, Hua Mi waited, but the being showed no hostility. Instead, it grinned, gesturing at the beast''s body on the ground, its voice oddly high-pitched, as if under helium''s influence.

    "This is a Discer Beast..."

    The pronunciation was surprisingly clear, more refined than Alyss''s standard human dialect.

    "Oh..." Hua Mi responded, perplexed.

    The being seemed non-threatening, yet why leave a beast''s body at his doorstep? It felt like a provocation.

    Before Hua Mi could inquire about its identity, the being suddenly became animated, stepping closer and continuing at a rapid pace, slightly stuttering, "Discer Beasts, very, very powerful. They project false, false images, causing enemies to misjudge their positions,unching surprise attacks. Many inexperienced adventurers, encountering Discer Beasts, can''tst a, a minute."

    "Some illusion spells, mimic Discer Beasts, were, were derived from it. You know, human biomimicry magic is quite, quite formidable."

    The stuttering speed made Hua Mi feel breathless.

    The Borui person gasped after the rushed exnation, then raised its hand, caressing its elongated fingers, eagerly awaiting a response. "A gift for you. Like it?"

    "..."

    It was a gift. Were these valuable? Before Hua Mi could answer, the being abruptly turned its head aside, speaking into thin air, "He will like it, right? He resides in the ck Forest, a peculiar alchemist; he''ll certainly appreciate this odd gift. You thought I should buy him a gift in town? No, no, no, those items are too ordinary for him; theyck impact... Right? Stop whispering; it''s toote for that now!"

    "Who are you talking to?"

    The Borui person seemed momentarily stunned, then pointed at him,ughing heartily. "You''re humorous, I like humorous people! Haha!"

    "..."

    This was thepanion he was supposed to venture with...

    Hua Mi suddenly felt the need to reconsider this matter more carefully.

    The Borui person chuckled a few times, then abruptly stopped, continuing eagerly, rubbing its hands together, "Do you like it?"

    "Um, thanks..."

    "I originally wanted to capture a live, tamed Discer Beast; it would''ve been more valuable to you, right? But it just wouldn''t cooperate! This savage beast! It repeatedly attacked me! Lunged at me, trying to grab me, bite me! I had no choice but to fight back! You understand, right? I had no other way..."

    The speed was still rapid but without the stutter. The being''s voice grew louder, more aggressive, almost grinding its teeth, instantly shifting its aura.

    Sending chills down Hua Mi''s spine.

    "Is this the Abyss''s aura?"

    Now, Hua Mi considered the being more dangerous than the Discer Beast.

    Silentlymanding the bee swarm, he prepared forbat.

    Suddenly, a loud tter. He turned to see Alyss push open the window, a rare hint of annoyance on her face. "Quiet!"

    The Borui person immediately fell silent, reverting to its earlier clumsy, humorous appearance, fidgeting with its fingers, eyes ncing down as if contemting something, muttering repeatedly, "Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry..."

    tter��

    Alyss closed the window again.

    For a moment, only the buzzing of bees surrounded them, an awkward atmosphere settling in.

    Hua Mi cleared his throat, asking, "So, you''re the Abyss Schr?"

    "Yes!" The Borui person instantly responded, lifting its head to stare at Hua Mi with what seemed like enthusiasm. "But please don''t be afraid. We''re not as insane as the rumors im."

    "..."

    He expressed skepticism.

    "It''s true, believe me." The Borui person took a step forward, fixing its gaze on Hua Mi, seeming to radiate a certain intensity. "My mind is very clear. As they say, surface madness is to maintain internal absolute rationality. It''s a saying passed around in the association, a true reflection of us. Look..."

    Saying so, it pulled out a paper from under theical suit, disying densely scribbled records, stamped underneath.

    "What is this?"

    "I received this inspection report a few days ago. Look, all the indicators are normal!"

    The transition from onenguage to another can be tricky, but I hope the tweaks I made help bring out the character''s personalities and the narrative''s flow more clearly!

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 Chapter 73: Departure, the Brass City!

    Chapter 73: Departure, the Brass City!

    Hua Mi gripped the magic box.

    His mental power delved into it, smoothly establishing a connection with the mighty bee swarm.

    With a thought, the entire swarm appeared in front of him instantly, not flying out one by one as he imagined but collectively transported through space.

    Aim the magic box at the swarm again, and it was instantly absorbed back in.

    No need to unfold it anymore.

    Truly an epic enhancement.

    Master craftsmanship lives up to its name.

    "Time is limited; I can only achieve this level." Alyss said, perhaps a bit modestly. Then she changed the topic, "Did you meet Uno yesterday?"

    Uno, the Abyss Schr.

    "Yeah, left quite an impression." Hua Mi reminisced about the strange encounter fromst night.

    After exchanging greetings, the Abyss Schr disappeared into the depths of the forest and hadn''t shown up since. Quite a peculiar character.

    Hua Mi couldn''t help but ask, "Yourpanion, is he a bit..."

    "He stutters when talking to strangers; you''ll get used to it."

    "Not that... I mean his mental state, it''s a bit off."

    "Borui people are like that by nature."

    Hua Mi had learned from the seven little ones that Borui people were a rare and short-lived intelligent species in this world. Despite being shorter-lived than humans, they had a good rtionship with the elves and were under the strong protection of the powerful elf tribe. Due to their highly developed brains and fast thinking, they were well-suited for research work. However, theirnguage expression couldn''t keep up with their thinking speed, often giving people a feeling of speaking incoherently.

    In other words, the guy''s performancest night wasn''t just because of the influence of the Abyss; it wasrgely due to the nature of his race.

    "You can trust him; there''s no need to doubt his intentions," Alyss said calmly. "The Brass City fell due to the Abyss invasion, and it undoubtedly preserves some traces of the Abyss. The ce is equally attractive to Abyss Schrs like him and me; we''re simply going for academic exploration."

    Hope so.

    Just don''t create any trouble.

    Although he was invited by Alyss for this journey, Hua Mi had his own purposes.

    Firstly, to bring back the unique flowers of the Brass City, the "Mother''s Blessing," as mentioned by Huayu, and cultivate them. With his magic greenhouse, he could simte various growth environments, ensuring sessful cultivation.

    Secondly, he wanted to see the legendary lost city and maybe find the owner of the notes. He had wanted to meet them for a long time.

    And, if possible, collect some other alchemical materials. Although he couldn''t use them, he could provide them to the alchemy prodigy Hir.

    "By the way, I wonder what she can make with unicorn horn powder... Good luck, let me see your potential."

    Speaking of alchemical materials, he couldn''t forget the body of the teleportation beast fromst night.

    Hua Mi had checked the alchemical notes and learned that the fangs, eyeballs, and tail''s magic core of the teleportation beast were usable alchemical materials. The other parts were useless. However, there was a low probability that a magical crystal called "Phantom Beast Jade" would form inside the beast, but he found none during the dissection.

    So, he pulled out two fangs, dug out two eyeballs, and extracted two flexible, ink-ck magic cores, storing them carefully. The remaining wreckage was thrown directly into the greenhouse''s "well."

    The wreckage would dpose inside, with the nutrients fully integrating into the soil for farming.

    Making the most of everything.

    ...

    Following Hua Mi''s instructions, before departure, Alyss arranged his two sets of activated armor to patrol around the greenhouse, serving as guards during his absence.

    These things had built-in magical energy and couldst for several days without any intervention. Even without manual control, as long as the preset was done, they could perform simple patrols and defense functions.

    Moreover, the greenhouse itself was protected by magical wards.

    Unless invited by the owner of the flowers, others couldn''t enter through the ck mist and would only repeatedly return the way they came.

    Of course, if encountering powerful characters, the protective magic wouldn''t help.

    A bit like not guarding against gentlemen but guarding against viins.

    For this trip, Hua Mi brought the Painful Sting Bees, Iron Armor Swift Bees, Ring Cutter Bees, Mighty Force Bees, and Reconnaissance Bees. In addition to thesebat bee species, he also brought four ordinary Chinese bees as backups.

    The rest of the bee swarms stayed in the greenhouse, freely collecting nectar.

    The new queens of several bee species hadn''t reached sexual maturity, probably needing another five days.

    It should be enough time for them to mature when he returned.

    This trip to the lost city was essentially an exploration and collection mission, not taking much time.

    Bow, arrows, scrolls, notebooks, and other items were naturally carried with him.

    Most of the honey was also brought along, leaving only a portion for the seven little ones.

    Then, he put up a sign in front of the wooden house that read "Temporarily Closed."

    "Have a safe journey."

    "Please be careful."

    "Hope you don''t die."

    "I really want to go on an adventure together."

    "Come back alive~ Even if you die, die in the ck Forest~"

    "..."

    "When can we finally taste the Thunder Flower Honey?"

    The seven pseudo-flower spirits gave their respective blessings.

    Hua Mi turned around to see them waving at him at the greenhouse door, waving back as a response.

    At some point, he found that his sense of belonging here was slowly catching up with his old home on Earth.

    ...

    In front of them was an arched gate constructed of ck stones, with red magical inscriptions glowing densely all over the door frame.

    A semi-transparent white film filled the doorway, like a curtain, gently swaying.

    Uno, Hua Mi, and Alyss stood in a row from high to low.

    Only Uno, excitedly said something in Elvish, seemingly talking to the air. Alyss responded briefly, then scattered the powder in his hand onto the arch.

    Upon contact, the powder and the white curtain immediately turned into a pale me, instantly spreading across the entire doorway.

    Alyss handed each of them a star-shaped pendant.

    Hua Mi held it and felt a gentle force field spreading, enveloping his whole body.

    Alyss exined that it was a protective charm, limited in defense against charged attacks but could iste harsh environments to some extent.

    Hua Mi had checked the guide in advance and knew the environment there should be fine.

    ording to the notes, the Brass City was like a drifting ind separated from the maind, forming a fragmentary ne self-sustained under the protection of the Fire Seed.

    Nevertheless, it was better to be prepared.

    Alyss stepped into the gate first.

    The small figure was instantly engulfed by the pale fire, disappearing.

    Next was Uno, who had been muttering excitedly on the side, asionally having conversations with the air. He rushed in eagerly after Alyss.

    Equally disappearing in an instant.

    Hua Mi hung the pendant around his neck and approached the arch.

    The pale mes almost touched his face, yet he couldn''t feel any warmth.

    "Phew."

    Hua Mi took a deep

    breath and stepped inside.

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 Chapter 74: Fire Spirits

    Chapter 74: Fire Spirits

    In an instant, all sense of direction vanished.

    A force squeezed and pulled at him, leaving him grasping for something, anything��but his touch found only emptiness. It was an expanse of void surrounding him.

    Suddenly, gravity returned.

    His feet met solid ground, but for a moment, he struggled to regain bnce, teetering forward a few steps before steadying himself just in time.

    Beneath himy a lush green grasnd, a delicate four-petal wildflower swaying nearby, appearing as though a single breath could sever its stem.

    "Self-pollinating. Doesn''t usually produce nectar." Hua Mi lifted his gaze.

    A magnificent sight awaited him, causing him to hold his breath��the ancient Lost Cityy right before his eyes.

    Yet, it wasn''t the grandeur of the architectural marvels that captivated him first.

    It was the ceaseless swirling storm, a deep grey vortex dominating the city''s skies.

    He had seen simtions of Jupiter''s storms online, their breathtaking scale etched vividly in his memory, butpared to this spectacle, they seemed minor.

    Jupiter''s storms held a chaotic order, abiding by naturalws. Yet what he witnessed here was absolute chaos, devoid of any semnce of order.

    Staring too long invoked a primal fear from within.

    An invisible canopy enveloped the Brass City, where storms shed and collided with it, unleashing a continuous disy of dazzling fire apanied by thunderous rumbles, illuminating the isted city, rendering it as bright as daylight, at all times.

    Without that domed shield, this ce would likely have sumbed to chaos long ago.

    The structures here stood tall and sharply angled, interconnected by aerial pathways, abyrinthine web that dazzled the eye when viewed from the ground.

    Under the mes of the celestial fire, the buildings shimmered like golden artifacts.

    "These aren''t mere buildings; they''re works of art," even someone like Hua Mi, disinterested in architecture, couldn''t help but appreciate the city''s craftsmanship.

    It seemed he stood within a za. At its center stood a statue.

    Approximately ten feet tall, wielding a massive sword, entirely crafted from brass. It resembled less of a statue and more of a suit of interconnected te armor, aze from within, emitting mes from wrists, joints, and helmet.

    Everything indicated the existence of a civilization.

    Alyss stood not far ahead of him, gazing up at the majestic architecture, appearing norger than an ant before skyscrapers.

    Hua Mi approached her. "Sorry to interrupt your sightseeing, but I noticed someone''s missing. Where''s Uuno?"

    "...," Alyss blinked, then scanned around, chin propped in thought.

    Took you a while to notice.

    "Perhaps he teleported elsewhere; it''s a possibility," she mused.

    An ident at the outset wasn''t a good omen.

    It nted a seed of unease in Hua Mi about this journey.

    "Let me ask you this: is your trust in Uuno based on him as an individual or on the Abyss Research Association behind him?"

    "Both."

    Alyss maintained her usual calm. "Don''t worry, he''s not the problem. Let''s stick to the n."

    Hua Mi was about to respond when a crisp metallic ng echoed from above.

    Looking up, several mechanical flying objects were swooping down towards them.

    Only now did Hua Mi realize that those dots flitting in the sky were not optical illusions but these small entities.

    These metallic flying objects varied in size and form. Some gleamed, while others were rusty or damaged.

    Several of them, descending, encircled them.

    "What''s this? Are they fire spirits?" It seemed unrted to fire.

    "These are Constructs, tools created by Fire Spirits, simr to our animated armors... those over there are the Fire Spirits."

    Even theposed Alyss sounded a bit shaken.

    Hua Mi nced in the direction she indicated.

    At first nce, they resembled three sets of children''s armors frolicking towards them.

    Their size allowed Alyss to tower over them.

    Their bodies were entirely metallic but seemed to be made of different metals.

    The leader looked shinier, seemingly newer.

    The following two had dimmer hues, with one showing signs of rust around its chest.

    Each metallic body emanated mes leaking from various openings and joints.

    They wielded metallic weapons; the leader carried a hammer emitting resonating metallic echoes.

    Some pattern could be discerned amidst their utterances; it wasn''t meaningless gibberish but theirnguage.

    Hua Mi couldn''tprehend it.

    Approaching, Alyss raised her hand to her chest, struggling, " #@* & Alyss, * @ #& @��"

    Speaking was challenging for her.

    Her body wasn''t made of metal, unable to produce Fire Spirits'' sound.

    Yet, she attempted to mimic their pronunciation as best as possible.

    "I should learn morenguages when I have time," Hua Mi thought.

    Starting with Elvish.

    Alyss managed a few sentences with effort.

    The three Fire Spirits exchanged nces, conversing among themselves, then holstered their weapons. Suddenly, they began hopping from side to side on one foot, making odd calls, like some primitive tribe''s dance and chant, as they moved closer.

    Sometimes, the enemy''s song and dance might not be a wee but a ruse.

    Hua Mi stayed cautious.

    Alyss, however, rxed, tranting, "They''re delighted to wee Elves and humans as guests."

    Seems like the reputation of Elves and humans is favorable here.

    "You even understand the Fire Spirits''nguage."

    "Somewhat."

    Alyss exchanged a few more words with the Fire Spirits, pondering, "They''re currently in a war and can''t entertain us thoroughly, so please excuse them��"

    Entertainment or not didn''t matter.

    They could explore on their own.

    In a city this vast, Alyss likely had much to examine.

    His goal was clearer; head to the central area��the Fire Seed Temple��to acquire some seeds.

    However, what''s with the war?

    What sort of conflict could happen here?

    "Could it be remnants from the Abyss invasion?"

    "Unlikely. Those Abyss creatures were pure war tools, unable to thrive without a master''s control. A millennium has passed; the Fire Spirits should have eradicated them��"

    Alyss was perplexed too, shaking her head, "Let''s not dwell on that. They''re inviting us to meet the Fire Spirit King."

    ��

    The Constructs scattered, soaring back into the sky.

    Hua Mi and Alyss followed the three Fire Spirits to meet their king.

    On the way, Alyss continuously scanned the buildings with a crystal-embedded device, something akin to a camera.

    Watching the petite and intricate metallic bodies of the Fire Spirits, Hua Mi pondered and leaned closer to ask Alyss quietly, "How do Fire Spirits reproduce? I mean, their bodies are entirely metallic; I can''t find any reproductive structures."

    "Don''t let your human perspective limit your understanding; that''s a superficial consideration," Alyss exined. "Fire Spirits are fundamentally living mes; the essence of their bodies lies within the living mes enclosed within their metallic form.

    "When reproducing, two Fire Spirits merge their living mes, and upon separation, a new living me is born. They then forge a new body using their living mes, melding the newborn me into it. This creates a new Fire Spirit.

    "The material used for crafting the body depends

    on the strength of their mes. The higher the intensity, the more advanced the metal they can melt and forge. The offspring born from stronger mes are more powerful. At the lowest tier, their mes can''t melt any metal, so they resort to using y��"

    Hua Mi listened, fascinated.

    The ability to forge one''s body with iron sounded far more intriguing than human reproduction.

    Soon, guided by the three Fire Spirits, they arrived at their destination.

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 Chapter 75: Azure Fire Bees

    Chapter 75: Azure Fire Bees

    Before me stood a towering, straight-edged pce, resembling a golden sword thrust into the sky.

    A staircase of over a hundred steps led to the main entrance of the pce. The doors, also made of brass, bore intricate carvings that gleamed blindingly under the firelit sky.

    Despite its other charms, this city suffered greatly from light pollution.

    Ascending the steps, the gorgeously patterned doors swung inward.

    Two fire spirits, adorned with magnificent designs, paused at the doorway, led further into the grand hall by the brighter of the two.

    Insidey a spacious yet empty expanse, every footstep echoing distinctly.

    At the end, another flight of stairs.

    Seated upon a metallic throne was a colossal fire spirit, mes fervently emanating from where its eyes would be.

    That must be the Fire Spirit King.

    Standing beside the throne was a tinier fire spirit.

    "What did you say?" the brighter one lowered his head, addressing the Fire Spirit King.

    Thetter nked to a stand from the throne.

    Towering over two meters tall, he was a stark contrast to the smaller fire spirit nearby.

    The Fire Spirit King spread his arms, his shiny metallic shell resonating with a booming voice. "Wee, my friends!" (All following dialogue is from Alyss.)

    "It''s an honor to be here," Alyss nodded slightly toward him.

    Hua Mi mimicked her gesture, hand over chest, standing quietly to the side, listening intently to their conversation.

    "The friendship between elves and humans is etched in our hearts, but I''m curious, how did youe here?" inquired the Fire Spirit King.

    "Through the Fire Elemental ne," Alyss replied. "With the help of apanion, I was fortunate enough to locate this magnificent city."

    "Very clever!" praised the Fire Spirit King, pausing before asking, "Does this mean we will reconnect with the main world?"

    "I believe a decision on that should consider your opinions; after all, this is your city," Alyss replied calmly. "Apart from us three, there''s no one else aware of this currently."

    "It''s indeed worth pondering. It''s been a thousand years, and whether we can integrate back into the main world is uncertain... Oh, you mentioned three of you?"

    "Yes, we have anotherpanion, a schr, but currently untraceable. Do you happen to know where he might be?"

    The Fire Spirit King contemted for a moment. "I have no information about yourpanion; perhaps theynded on the other side."

    "The other side?"

    "The other side of the temple, controlled by a group of fanatical extremists engaging in a war against us."

    So, the war the Fire Spirits spoke of referred to an internal conflict within their race.

    This city of brass revolved around the Temple of Fire, symmetrically divided into two sections.

    Now, upied by two factions of Fire Spirits with differing ideologies.

    Alyss sinctly tranted, allowing Hua Mi to grasp the predicament the city currently faced.

    In essence, one side embraced conservatism. They believed that as long as the Fire Mother still sheltered the city, they shouldn''t defy their ancestors, maintaining the status quo.

    The other side,beled radicals, refused to ept perpetual drift in chaos. They sought to utilize the power of the Fire Seed, liberate themselves from their heavy shells, and attain absolute freedom in the Fire Elemental ne.

    Thus, a centuries-long conflict erupted over control of the Fire Seed.

    But the strengths of both sides remained evenly matched.

    After conversing with the Fire Spirit King for a while, Alyss was interrupted by a slender fire spirit who whispered something to the king.

    Apologizing, the Fire Spirit King announced, "I must oversee the battle. You are free to explore; every elf and human guest here is wee."

    "I''ll be in the rearmand center. Feel free to seek me out if needed."

    With that, he departed through the rear door, leaving behind the tinier fire spirit.

    Approaching them, the tinier one greeted them in both human and elvennguages, despite the awkward pronunciation and heavy metallic quality.

    Though hard to understand, Alyss was eagerly capturing everything with her "camera," snapping away at the hall''s interior.

    "Are you satisfied?" Hua Mi asked her.

    "Beyond expectations. This hall is the epitome of Fire Spirit artistry!" Alyss eximed, unable to contain her admiration. "I want to document every detail."

    Hua Mi sensed her passion for architecture but had other questions, reluctantly interrupting her immersive experience to continue their previous conversation.

    "Regarding Uuno, I''m curious why you brought him here. Is it out of friendship or..."

    "He''s a partner, not a friend. Why did I bring him? Because without his help, I couldn''t have located the Lost City... at least not this quickly," Alyss replied absentmindedly, clicking pictures while her thoughts wandered.

    Hua Mi then understood the crucial role Uuno yed in this.

    Truth be told, his appearance easily overshadowed the fact that he was a schr.

    "Does your slight distrust for Uuno stem from his profession as an Abyss Schr?" Hua Mi paused before asking, "What level is he, as a schr?"

    "An Apprentice Schr."

    Roughly equivalent to a 4th Circle mage.

    Hua Mi now had a better understanding.

    "Still distrust him?"

    "Whether I do or not, he''s currently missing, which makes him a variable."

    Alyss remained nomittal.

    Seeing her immersed in architecture, Hua Mi decided to inquire further about the notebook''s owner from the Fire Spirit King.

    Thus, with the tinier fire spirit as a trantor, they exited through the rear door, passing through a courtyard to the outside, traversing an aerial walkway, and arriving at themand center.

    Presumably, the Fire Spirit King had already informed the guards in advance, as they encountered no obstruction along the way.

    Themand center, a round tower-like structure, had an elevator that led straight to the top.

    The top floor housed a spacious circr room where several Fire Spirits engaged in heated discussions.

    Compared to those seen outside, these Fire Spirits were noticeably brighter andrger.

    One side of the room was open, leading to an extended tform for an expansive view.

    asionally, magical mounds flew in and out, conveying information or items.

    The Fire Spirit King stood on the lookout tform.

    Approaching, Hua Mi stood beside him, gazing into the distance.

    The entire cityy almost

    suspended in the air, drifting around in the Elemental ne of Fire.

    "Does Your Highness know who this belongs to?" Hua Mi took out the notebook and showed it to the Fire Spirit King.

    The Fire Spirit King examined the notebook, his eyes tracing the ancient elven script.

    "This belongs to the Elven Elder, a respected schr among your kind," he finally spoke after a moment''s concentration. "It''s rare for an outsider to possess something belonging to him."

    The Fire Spirit King seemed to hold the Elven Elder in high regard.

    "He has connections to the past and present, bridging the gaps between elves and our kind. We could seek his counsel," he suggested.

    "The Elven Elder?" Alyss overheard the conversation and joined in, putting away her camera. "Where can we find him?"

    "His usual residence lies beyond the Great me Mountain," the Fire Spirit King pointed in the direction of the fiery peak that dominated the skyline. "But be cautious; the mountain is treacherous."

    The mountain, a zing behemoth, posed a significant threat, its fierce eruptions a testament to the intense power simmering within.

    Alyss nced at Hua Mi, their eyes meeting.

    "We should head there," she said decisively. "To find Uuno and maybe uncover more about this Elven Elder."

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 Chapter 76: Alyss

    Chapter 76: Alyss

    "T-this must be a blessing from the Mother Goddess!" Canister Fire Dude looked at the pale me in his palm with reverence. "Only the Mother Goddess can bestow such a me!"

    "The Mother Goddess''s... blessing?" Hua Mi''s thoughts wandered.

    Mother Goddess, Fire Seed, Temple, Blessing...

    Could that power, more mystical than magic itself, be what they call a blessing?

    He already knew there were some blessing-type magics in this world,monly known as buffs that granted positive enhancements to targets.

    But the "blessing" here was evidently more advanced than those conventional blessing spells.

    The temples in this world seemed to be more than mere symbols or decorations.

    What puzzled Hua Mi was why this blessing seemed to affect only the bees.

    As a deity revered by the Fire Dudes, shouldn''t the blessings primarily target their followers?

    The little bees weren''t even indigenous to this world!

    Thinking about this, Hua Mi had a subtle feeling, and a few previously unexplored questions popped into his mind.

    Was it really just a coincidence that he crossed over to this world with bees? Why specifically this world?

    And what about the blue bee that granted him extraordinary abilities? Where did ite from?

    He vaguely felt that perhaps it was because of the bees'' uniqueness in this world that they gained the temple''s "favor."

    However, with too little information at hand, specting here was futile.

    In any case, let''s be pragmatic. If blessings existed in this world, it seemed like he had found another way to evolve the bees.

    Based on the current information, the Temple of the Fire Seed possessed the power of blessings, bestowing strength upon the bees.

    "If the Temple of the Fire Seed can grant the bees the ability to produce Azure Fire, would finding other temples grant different corresponding abilities?"

    This mode of evolution seemed far more advanced than mutagenic catalysts.

    Temple��Hua Mi etched these words into his mind.

    He needed to pay more attention to this term in the future.

    Under Hua Mi''s control, the Azure Fire Bee slowly approached the nearby wall. Even before the me touched the surface, a section of the wall showed signs of melting. When the me finally made contact, within a few seconds, it melted a pit.

    "Good firepower."

    Hua Mi turned to see Canister Fire Dude cowering in the corner, looking at him fearfully, the fire within his metallic body trembling uncontrobly.

    "Don''t be afraid; this isn''t the me of your Mother Goddess, just looks like it."

    Hua Mi reassured him.

    Then, he sat cross-legged on the watchtower, touched his ring, and took out his notebook and pen.

    Carefully sensing the Azure Fire Bee''s attributes, he recorded them in his notebook.

    [Azure Fire Bee]

    "Evolved from scouting bees blessed at the Fire Mother Temple. Comparable in size to scouting bees, presenting a white body with ck fine lines on the abdomen. It inherits the sharp senses of scouting bees but cannot establish sensory connections with them.

    Complete with honey sacs, poison nds, stingers..."

    At this point, Hua Mi paused for a moment, pondering.

    Firstly, the Azure Fire Bees were capable of normal honey collection. However, their unique magical power might have an effect on the honey brewed��something yet to be observed.

    Secondly, the poison nds, under the influence of their own magic, could produce venom with a fire attribute��a name could be given, perhaps "Fire Poison."

    In other words, the Azure Fire Bees could not only unleash Azure Fire to burn enemies but also inject Fire Poison...

    Internal and external application��what a delight!

    [Lifespan: 1]

    [Reproduction: 0.8]

    [Productivity: 1]

    [Attack Power: 10]

    [Defense Power: 1]

    [Vitality: 2]

    [Speed: 1]

    [Collection Ability: 1]

    [Combat Ability: 8]

    Assessed as a [Level 4 Bee].

    The downside was its slightly low reproductive capacity, which meant that in a natural state, the number of bee colonies would remain at a rtively low level.

    After recording the information of the Azure Fire Bees, Hua Mi mentally delved into the magic box under the ck robe, selecting two regr bee colonies for the Azure Fire Bee''s temte transformation.

    "If the Azure Fire Bee colonies are managed well, it could significantly enhancebat capabilities... Let''s transform two for now."

    Then, he transformed another scouting bee.

    "Now, let''s find a way to get some flower seeds."

    The distance from here to the flower fields was too far, and he couldn''t precisely control the Slice-Through Bees to dissect ovaries and extract seeds.

    Big movements would lead to discovery.

    The notebook mentioned that the Mother Goddess''s blessings primarily grew around the temples, indicating that there might be simr ces elsewhere.

    He could look along the way.

    If not found, he believed the safest way would be to directly ask the Fire Dude King.

    ording to the notebook, although the Fire Dudes considered this flower a gift from the Fire Mother, they didn''t treat it as an untouchable sacred object. In specific situations, they even consumed it as part of a ritual tomunicate with the Mother Goddess.

    If it could be eaten, it should be allowed to be given away as well.

    "Where should I go next?"

    Hua Mi looked at the map, lost in thought.

    He actually wanted to go to the other side.

    The problem was, Canister Dude might not be able to apany him there since both sides were at war.

    "It''s possible," Canister Fire Dude said, "as long as I keep quiet, no one will know I''m from this side."

    "...Really?"

    ...

    Guided by Canister, Hua Mi bypassed the war zone and arrived at the other side.

    Through bustling streets and alleys, no gifts from the Mother Goddess were found on the roadside. Finally, they reached a location marked on the map as "cksmith Shop."

    The map indicated mostly significant areas like certain temples or squares, only this "shop" stood out, possibly for some special reason.

    This cksmith shop was located in a remote area, surrounded by a deserted zone. Its appearance was as in as it could get��a cubic structure entirely made of dull metal,cking the shiny allure of other buildings, giving off a somewhat oppressive vibe.

    ng-ng-ng��

    Rhythmic sounds of ironworking echoed from inside the shop''s entrance.

    "He''s been alive for over a thousand years," Canister said, "he was already the most famous cksmith in the city before it fell."

    Over a thousand years...

    The species in this world lived for hundreds, even thousands of years, which was bewildering for humans.

    "I wonder if we can brew honey for longevity in the future..."

    Hua Mi pondered as he followed Canister into the interior of the cksmith shop.

    A rush of hot air hit them.

    The interior was even rougher than its exterior, almost resembling a cave.

    A vast space filled with a pungent sulfur-like smell, the floor and walls covered in solidifiedva-like formations. The ceiling was ck, dangling corroded pirs resembling a cavernndscape.

    At the far end of the room stood a colossal Fire Dude cksmith, nearly five to six meters tall, his head almost reaching the ceiling, his body corroded and worn out, appearing rougher than the va

    " on the ground.

    The fire within him flickered like a candle in the wind, dimming and brightening, seemingly on the verge of extinguishing.

    However, the colossal hammer in his hand still zed with roaring mes, pounding heavily on arge metal ingot before him. It seemed he had infused most of his fire into the hammer.

    Yet, inexplicably, his body was bound by several thick, dark chains, rendering him immobile.

    "Why does he have chains on him?" Hua Mi asked from the entrance.

    "Because he made a mistake," Canister replied, "it was a few hundred years ago, I don''t know the specifics of what he did wrong, but it was severe. I guess it might have offended the King."

    "Even after making a mistake, they allow him to continue smithing here?"

    "Because his forging skills are unparalleled; we need him. The Demonying Sword of King Lulu, it was crafted by him.

    "Do you know about the Demonying Sword? It''s our Fire Dude''s pride, it''s currently nted in front of the temple."

    Hua Mi immediately recalled it.

    When he controlled the scouting bee to fly towards the temple, it seemed he indeed saw a structure on the ground resembling a hilt. It was ck and inconspicuous, mistaking it for some kind of mechanism at that time, paying it no mind.

    So, it was a sword stuck there.

    But why was a sword stuck there?

    "The Demonying Sword is forged from the rare anti-magic metal, capable of severing almost any magical effect. Also, it''s quite heavy.

    "Because of the anti-magic properties, it can''t be lifted using magical power, only relying on one''s strength. For over a thousand years, only the mighty King Lulu could wield it."

    "So why is it nted in front of the temple?"

    "King Lulu sacrificed himself to protect the city during the Abyssal invasion. He safeguarded the Fire Seed and eventually fell in front of the temple, and that''s when the Demonying Sword was ced there.

    "It symbolizes protection, just like the Mother Goddess, guarding our city."

    Maybe because it''s too heavy to be pulled out by anyone. Hua Mi mentally quipped.

    While speaking, they had already approached the colossal cksmith.

    The cksmith''s massive hammer paused slightly, seeming to nce at Hua Mi before the hammerhead descended heavily.

    Sparks flew.

    The cksmith made some screeching sounds.

    Canister tranted for him.

    "He''s asking what a human is doing here." Canister replied vaguely, "Do you have any questions to ask him?"

    Hua Mi asked if a alchemist had visited here before.

    "No, he says you''re the first outsider toe here after the city fell," Canister tranted, adding, "I think he''s not lying; if any outsider hade before, it''d have been widely known, even if they came from this side, we would have heard about it."

    That makes sense.

    But it''s strange.

    The notebook clearly recorded the author''s visit to this city, describing every detail urately. Even this secluded cksmith shop was specifically marked on the map.

    After a moment of silence, the cksmith spoke again, tranted by Canister, "However, I can provide you with a name��Alyss."

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 Chapter 77: The Demonic Blade

    Chapter 77: The Demonic de

    "Hua Mi?"

    "This sounds like a human naming style."

    The cksmith continued hammering the metal ingot, the reverberations causing difort in Hua Mi''s ears.

    "It does sound like a human style," Hua Mi nodded, "but who is she?"

    "I don''t know."

    "...," Hua Mi was left puzzled.

    The cksmith continued, "At some point, this name suddenly appeared in my memory. She has nevere, yet feels as though she has."

    Did she or didn''t she?

    Hua Mi was thoroughly confused.

    "I also have an impression of this name," Tin Can interjected, "In fact, most residents of Brass City have this name mysteriously appear in their memories at some point."

    "And when we mention this name, we can imagine a human figure."

    "She has long golden hair, a smile that seems magical, sometimes warm, sometimes indifferent, sometimes mischievous... She''s lively, yet serene, at times mncholic... We adore her but also feel a bit fearful..."

    "...," Hua Mi''s CPU almost overheated.

    "Also, she should be wearing a ck robe like yours," Tin Can added, "We believe she''s a revtion from the Mother Goddess, but until today, we haven''t deciphered the true intent of the Mother Goddess."

    The Mother Goddess sending a human to enlighten them?

    Even imagining it was impossible!

    Hua Mi couldn''t extract any useful information from this, only umting more confusion.

    Was it possible that she hade but, due to some magical effect, erased the memories of the entire city?

    Thinking about it made that exnation seem too crude, far from simple lip service.

    "There''s a monument nearby that records the names of humans and spirits who died in the Brass City battles. Do you want to visit?"

    "No need."

    "During the Abyss invasion, only humans and spirits came to support us, so..."

    Tin Can suddenly fell silent.

    Hua Mi turned around to see him staring intensely down an alley, his mes trembling violently.

    "What''s wrong?"

    "The Abyss...," he pointed to the alley, "It''s a corrupted Fire Spirit!"

    In the alley, a Fire Spirit was convulsing oddly.

    Its internal mes turned pitch ck.

    With a strange cry, the ckened Fire Spirit''s mes burst forth, forming wings behind it, flying into the air, charging at them.

    Tin Can sat frozen on the ground, unable to move.

    Hua Mi didn''t have time to ponder. He clenched his right hand, and the Iron Fist Bees surged out from his sleeve, covering his fist in a multiyered armor, forming an indestructible gauntlet.

    The Power Bees also emerged, gathering behind the gauntlet, providing propulsion.

    The ckened Fire Spirit charged closer.

    A fist asrge as a sandbag... Have you ever seen one!

    The Iron Fist, like a cannonball, pounded out.

    ng!

    The punch solidly struck the target.

    The ckened Fire Spirit''s metallic body instantly caved in, chest touching its back as it flew backward, crashing to the ground with a ng, limbs separating, and its ck me flickered a few times before extinguishing entirely.

    Hua Mi walked over to the stunned Tin Can, patting his head, "Are you sure it was influenced by the Abyss?"

    Tin Can snapped out of it, "Absolutely! Just like the records... the ck mes..."

    Hua Mi immediately decided, "Let''s go, inform the Fire Spirit King."

    As they took a few steps, a loud noise interrupted.

    Hua Mi looked towards the source, only to see the soaring white light disappearing.

    The celestial mes in the sky dimmed instantly.

    "The temple..."

    Hua Mi summoned the bees and flew towards the direction of the temple.

    From a distance, the temple had copsed, and the Fire Seed was exposed.

    A dark mist rapidly swirled around the Fire Seed, shooting aser that tore open space.

    The rift was expanding, emitting a chilling aura. Even from afar, one could sense the coldness.

    Hua Mi saw Alyss riding a flying carpet, arriving from another direction.

    "Your friend has gone mad!"

    "I told you, he''s not... forget it. We need to stop him, or the whole city will... Ugh!"

    Before she could finish, she showed a strange expression, dropping to her knees on the carpet, clutching half of her face, emitting a low groan of pain.

    "What''s wrong with you?"

    Hua Mi saw her right eye, which had turned a horrifying crimson color.

    Unbelievable, neither of the two teammates was in a normal state on this adventure.

    The air carried rumbling sounds, like the beating heart of a colossal entity, causing ripples in the atmosphere.

    Each ripple brought palpitations.

    The rift grewrger.

    Despite the efforts of the Fire Spirits and the Fire Spirit soldiers, they couldn''t stop the rift from expanding.

    It was utterly out of reach.

    Hua Mi nced at Alyss, who was in agony on the carpet, clearly no longer reliable.

    "What do we do?"

    Hua Mi''s mind raced, surveying the scene until he spotted something.

    The Demonic de!

    Forged from anti-magic gold, capable of severing all magical effects.

    Perhaps it would work.

    Hua Minded near the Demonic de.

    The sword was toorge for a human, impossible to grip with just one hand.

    In proportion, two-thirds of its length was embedded underground.

    The sword''s above-ground body was entirely ck, emanating a chilling light despite the millennia that had passed.

    "Hoo��"

    Hua Mi covered the Iron Fist Bees with both hands, grasping the hilt. The Power Bees swarmed around it, pushing and pulling, transferring force between each bee, ultimately converging onto the hilt, generating an upward force.

    The sword loosened!

    Apanied by a hum, the Demonic de, dormant for millennia, was unsheathed once more.

    Boom!

    The tip hit the ground, shattering stones and creating a crater.

    With the assistance of the Power Bees, Hua Mi dragged the Demonic de towards the rift.

    The nearby Fire Spirits stopped their futile efforts, making way for him.

    Hua Mi stopped about two meters away from the rift, feeling the intense fluctuations in the air. His heart and mind felt as if they were about to explode.

    He resisted difort, focusing on the target, exerting all his strength.

    But suddenly, his pupils contracted.

    Immense fear enveloped him.

    The rift resembled a profound, staring abyss, instantly draining all his fighting spirit.

    He wanted to flee, but muscles refused to obey due to fear.

    The Power Bees slowly slipped from his control, his hands growing heavier...

    "!!"

    At the critical moment, the usual rigorous training kicked in. Hua Mi forced his will, controlling a few Pain Sting Bees tond on his hand.

    Stingers pierced.

    A surge of intense pain flooded his brain, instantly pulling him out of the fearful state, restoring his ability to act.

    No more hesitation, holding his breath, he swung the massive sword.

    Whoosh��

    The heavy de sliced through the air, angling upward.

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 Chapter 78: Return

    Chapter 78: Return

    The sword sliced through the abyssal crevice with little resistance, splitting it in two.

    "What was that sound?" Hua Mi tilted his head, perplexed by the peculiar noise emanating from the depths of the abyss. It resembled... a horn!

    Itsted but a second before abruptly ceasing.

    Simultaneously, the severed abyssal halves shrank into nothingness.

    The palpable sense of rhythmic panic in the air dissipated.

    Theser emitted by the Fire Seed retracted at the same time.

    A piercing howl echoed from the ck mist, followed by a slender figure plummeting from within.

    Unno was enveloped in swirling ck mist, sprawled on the ground, roaring towards them.

    Leaning on the Purifier Sword, Hua Mi was drenched in cold sweat.

    "It hurts!"

    Neurotoxins had invaded his body, an excruciating pain piercing deep into his bones, making him contemte severing his throbbing hand.

    Yet Unno''s relentless shouting added to his disquietude.

    Unno wed his way up, the dark mist cloaking him akin to a malevolent spirit, staggering towards Hua Mi.

    "Hell!" Hua Mi cursed, rising and lifting the heavy sword.

    Just then, a muffled boom resonated.

    The Fire Seed erupted, leaving a ring of scorch marks around.

    Instinctively, Hua Mi raised the Purifier Sword in front of him, witnessing the shockwave sweep Unno.

    Instantly, mes engulfed him entirely, and within half a second, he turned to ash amidst the ze.

    After the fire had spread to a certain distance, it abruptly receded.

    The entire Fire Seed drastically diminished to the size of a ping-pong ball, its mes extinguished, now quietly suspended like an ordinary night pearl.

    Gripping the hilt of the sword, Hua Mi lowered his gaze, an expression of endless mncholy in his eyes��numbed by the pain.

    But soon, he noticed something unusual.

    "Why does it feel like the sky is getting darker?" he mused aloud.

    Beyond the dome, the storm vortex persisted, shing against the sky, yet the celestial mes seemed notably dimmer, and the city''s luminance had significantly decreased.

    Without the Fire Seed continuously supplying energy to the sky, how much longer could it hold?

    "It needs a reboot... the Fire Seed needs a reboot," Tin Can appeared at some point, regarding Hua Mi with trepidation, speaking in a hushed tone.

    "How do we reboot it?"

    "The Fire Seed has entered a self-locking state. You need to use the Purifier Sword in your hand to break its outer shell..." Tin Can said respectfully. "Only you can do it."

    Hua Mi nced at the Fire Seed and indeed noticed a faint outer shell encasing it.

    Just break it open?

    Cracks��ominous shattering echoed from above.

    Looking up, a fissure had already split the sky.

    "We must act swiftly. Without the Fire Seed''s power, the sky won''t hold for long," Tin Can urged urgently.

    Hesitation was a luxury Hua Mi couldn''t afford now. He lifted the Purifier Sword again.

    Beneath, the Fire Nymphs suddenly began a unified chant, resembling an ancient bronze ensemble.

    Only after inquiring with Tin Can did he realize they were chanting "Keeper of the Sword."

    Amidst the chorus of Fire Nymphs, Hua Mi held the sword in both hands.

    Whooosh��

    The broad de swept through the nearly imperceptible outer shell.

    The Fire Seed swiftly reverted to its normal size, ame once more in pale fire.

    Immediately, a white beam soared into the sky, piercing the heavens.

    ...

    "Abyssal Schr?" The voice of the Fire Nymph King resonated in the grand hall. "What is an Abyssal Schr?"

    Alyss replied, "After the second Abyssal invasion, a new profession emerged. They mainly delve into Abyssal studies..."

    "Studying the Abyss?!" The Fire Nymph King''s tone heightened. "You''re all out of your minds!"

    Whispers fluttered among the Fire Nymphs in the hall.

    ng, ng, ng��

    The Fire Nymph King pped his hands to silence them, continuing, "We harbored great goodwill towards the elves initially, but yourpanion''s grave error almost led to our city''s destruction. Even if I consider you a guest, my people might not agree."

    Alyss remained silent.

    Hua Mi nced at her.

    When the abyssal rifts closed, Alyss promptly returned to normal.

    It made one wonder if her peculiar behavior was rted to the Abyss at that time? Recalling her eerie red eyes, it was evidently not an ordinary illness.

    A curse?

    Or perhaps...

    Though curious, Hua Mi refrained from asking her.

    Seeing her silenced by the Fire Nymph King now oddly satisfied him.

    The inherent arrogance of the elves made them resistant to others'' opinions��her being a top figure in a certain field only exacerbated this w.

    She firmly believed in her decisions, disregarding others'' thoughts entirely.

    Hua Mi had cautioned her more than once about Unno, yet she remained obstinate, dismissing his words entirely.

    After this incident, who knew if she''d learned her lesson?

    "From now on, you''re not wee in the Brass City," the Fire Nymph King proimed her "sentence."

    Alyss didn''t speak, merely bowing in adherence to protocol, signifying no objections.

    "As for you," the Fire Nymph King turned to Hua Mi on the side, saying, "Though you bear simr responsibilities, you disyed extraordinary courage and strength in the face of danger, single-handedly saving the Brass City. I believe that merits recognition, bncing out your deeds."

    The nearby Fire Nymphs voiced their agreement.

    "The Brass City still wees your presence, Keeper of the Sword!"

    ...

    During the wait for the Fire Seed''s stabilization, both sides of Fire Nymphs momentarily ceased hostilities, reaching a consensus��they would temporarily avoid contact with the main world.

    Alyss also pledged not to disclose the coordinates of the Brass City.

    Hua Mi obtained a packet of "Gifts from the Mother Goddess," along with other misceneous alchemical materials.

    This journey also yielded an unexpected treasure��Crimson Fire Bees.

    Additionally, he gathered intelligence and forged friendships with the Fire Nymphs.

    Despite saying "bncing out deeds," the Fire Nymphs held him in high regard.

    After all, he was the first person after King Lulu to wield the Purifier Sword.

    The Fire Nymphs hailed him as the "Keeper of the Sword."

    Both Fire Nymph Kings reached an agreement, granting him the right to wield the Purifier Sword.

    They crafted an anti-magic gold que as proof, inscribed with "Keeper of the Sword" in both human and Fire Nymphnguages.

    It was the right to wield, not ownership.

    The Purifier Sword, as a prized possession of the Fire Nymphs, couldn''t be given away casually.

    It forever belonged to the Brass City.

    Hua Mi didn''t mind much. "Keeper of the Sword" sounded impressive, likely just an honorary title.

    While the Purifier Sword boasted potent anti-magic effects, its operation was challenging, especially for humans.

    Short bursts were manageable, but prolonged use? Muscles would cramp.

    Due to its anti-magic properties, it couldn

    ''t be stored in spatial equipment, requiring personal carriage. Imagine lugging that thing around; exhaustion might strike before reaching the destination.

    ...

    About three dayster, the Fire Seed stabilized.

    Alyss erected a portal on the square, opening a passage.

    Before departure, a group of Fire Nymphs came to bid farewell.

    Of course, they were there for "Keeper of the Sword" Hua Mi.

    Toward Alyss, they remained considerably indifferent.

    Passing through the dimensional passage, the two travelers smoothly returned to Alyss''s study.

    Outside the windowy the familiar ck Forest.

    Familiar air, familiar sounds of nature.

    Hua Mi felt considerably more at ease.

    "Before we set out, you didn''t mention how perilous this trip would be, and this time''s danger falls squarely on your shoulders."

    Hua Mi paused, saying, "Gonna need morepensation."

    "I can fulfill your future needs for free. Will that suffice?"

    "Deal."

    To receive such amitment from a top-tier architect made many envy, but he couldn''t let this opportunity slip away.

    "But you''ll provide your own materials. I don''t have time to gather them for you," Alyss said, already beginning to pack. "I need to return to the Emerald City immediately. The Abyss is stirring, and the Abyss Research Association is no longer reliable. This information must reach the Emerald City promptly."

    Hua Mi understood her urgency. "I need to get back quickly too. I don''t know how the greenhouse fared."

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 Chapter 79: Rumors

    Chapter 79: Rumors

    Hua Mi maneuvered through the woods, aided by the mighty bee swarm, flying towards the small wooden house.

    It was already dusk by the time he returned.

    From a distance, he saw the greenhouse intact, the two active armors dutifully guarding it, everything just as he had left it.

    Upon entering the greenhouse, the Pseudo-Flower Spirits immediately surrounded him.

    "Wee back!"

    "We''ve been worried about you."

    "Huh? You''re not injured at all?"

    "Is Brass City really built entirely of brass?"

    "Did anything interesting happen?"

    ...

    The Pseudo-Flower Spirits chattered excitedly. Hua Mi was about to speak when he suddenly noticed Xiao Zi bound by magic, hanging in mid-air, looking downcast and pitiful.

    "What happened to her?"

    Xiao Huang sighed, "She tried to sneak a taste of the unfinished Thunder Blossom honey, and we caught her."

    Hua Mi nodded. "Oh, then keep her tied up for a bit."

    "By the way, did anyonee looking for me these days?"

    Hua Mi checked the flower field; everything seemed fine.

    The Thunder Blossoms hadn''t fully bloomed yet, so the overall honey yield was still rtively low.

    There were several crucial tasks ahead:

    First, tending to the Thunder Blossom field and brewing the honey.

    Second, using the seed-making machine for the "Blessing of the Mother" breeding work.

    Third, expanding the greenhouse for the Mother''s Blessing nting area, requiring materials to be prepared.

    It''s noteworthy that this nting area needed to be separate from the Thunder Blossom field and simte a specific environment.

    In Brass City, Hua Mi had a ck robe and protective talismans, both capable of shielding from adverse external conditions to some extent, ensuringfort.

    However, deliberately removing the robe and talisman, he felt the Brass City''s environment was incredibly hot, especially near the temple, akin to being surrounded by several zing furnaces.

    Obviously, the ck Forest during the Ice Age couldn''t meet the growth conditions required for the "Blessing of the Mother," necessitating the artificial creation of such an environment in the greenhouse.

    Fourth, conducting experiments on new bee breeds.

    The hybrid experiment between the Power Bees and Scout Bees wasn''tpleted, and now there were the Azure me Bees.

    With the increasing number of new bee breeds, it would be too cumbersome to crossbreed every pair.

    Therefore, Hua Mi decided that future crossbreeding experiments should be purposeful. For instance, if he wanted to enhance the Power Bees'' speed, he''d selectively choose bee species with advantageous speed characteristics to crossbreed with them.

    Compared to mutations, crossbreeding had a certain regrity, allowing some control over the direction of evolution.

    Of course, apart from these four tasks, tasks like practicing bee control, enhancing mental focus, and tending to the flower field were part of the daily routine, non-negotiable.

    ...

    Dayster, in the Emerald City, within the Punishment Dungeon.

    Here, there was no daylight, almost perpetual absolute darkness with no external sounds, as if immersed in void.

    Sindra curled up in a corner, her eyes empty. Though open, she saw nothing.

    The only evidence of her being alive was the beating of her heart and the sound of blood coursing through her body.

    This sound grew louder, resembling the roaring current of the Green River''s most turbulent section, as she perceived it now.

    The dungeon''s air was filled with various intense magical elements, continually assaulting her body and mind.

    Click��

    Amid absolute silence, a faint sound echoed.

    To her, however, it was like a thunderous explosion next to her ear, causing her body to tremble violently.

    The tumultuous magical elements in the dungeon gradually subsided.

    Light pierced through.

    It bathed the prisoner.

    Sindra raised her hand to shield her eyes, adjusting to the sudden brightness.

    For many days, her eyes finally focused.

    A young elf dressed in royal attire stood before her, adopting a savior''s posture, looking down at her with a hint of smugness.

    "Your Highness Aya..."

    Sindra struggled to rise, kneeling on one knee.

    Though not yet a hundred years old, as the most favored and talented child of the Elf King, her royal aura and demeanor were already emerging.

    "You may leave," she announced, like a true ruler, granting pardon to the prisoner.

    "But... My sentence isn''t over, yet you let me go."

    "Your term isn''tplete, but I can allow your release."

    "Thank you for your kindness."

    "Oh, then, how do you n to thank me?"

    She finally lowered her head, looking directly at the prisoner.

    But her face disyed a yful expression, revealing some childishness typical of her age.

    "I... I''ll..."

    "Leave the royal guard ande to my side. Are you willing?"

    "..."

    Aya furrowed her brow slightly, her tone stern, "I''m asking you, do you want to follow me?"

    Sindra ced a hand on her chest, bowing her head. "I''m willing to serve Your Highness."

    Aya rxed her brow, expressing satisfaction.

    "Very well."

    Bending down, she cupped Sindra''s face, closed her eyes, and pressed foreheads together.

    A faint, gentle light emanated from the prince''s body, like flowing water, transitioning to Sindra''s body.

    She felt a warm current enveloping her, slowly dispelling her body''s abnormal state.

    "Remember your oath today."

    "Yes, Your Highness."

    ...

    "Do you still not know about Alyss?"

    In the deserted corridor, Aya held Sindra''s hand, skipping along.

    "She''s been spreading Abyssal rumors in the city recently, causing quite a stir."

    "Abyss?"

    "No need to worry; it''s all false. Father is furious, iming her intentions are sinister. Her reputation ispletely ruined now."

    "..."

    Sindra fell silent.

    Spreading rumors didn''t seem like Alyss''s style.

    But the Abyss...

    "Many scandals about her seemed to have surfaced overnight. Rumors im she carries Abyssal lineage within her, exining her peculiar appearance. There''s even talk of her colluding with external forces to overthrow the monarchy...

    "Many residents in the Emerald City have turned against her, suggesting to remove her from the design roster for the Moonlit Pavilion, even revoking her elven status..."

    "..."

    Nearly half of the city''s buildings were designed by Alyss.

    It could be said that without her, there would be no Emerald Royal City.

    The Moonlit Pavilion was her masterpiece.

    As its architect, why remove her from it?

    If they genuinely wished to boycott her, why not simply dismantle the structures she designed?

    Aya suddenly halted, saying, "If the popce can change their stance so drastically overnight, do you think they might suddenly turn against the royal family one day?"

    Sindra remained silent for a while, then said, "The citizens will never betray a leader who guides them toward prosperity."

    Aya pondered for a moment, nodding. "True."

    They continued skipping ahead.

    Sindra, however, carried a burden in her heart and couldn''t resist asking, "Your Highness, what about the Master now?"

    "She''s undergoing an interrogation."

    ...

    "This is outright defamation!"

    An enraged voice reverberated through the courtroom.

    Standing atop the judgment tform, three figures

    were present:

    The Elf King, the Judge, and Alyss.

    Alyss stood still, maintaining herposure despite the endless usations thrown at her.

    "Quiet!"

    The Judge''s voice echoed, silencing themotion.

    "Elven Court''s judgment begins now!"

    "The defendant, Alyss, is used of spreading Abyssal rumors, tarnishing the royal family''s reputation, and conspiring to destabilize the Emerald City. How do you plead?"

    Alyss stared at the Elf King, then turned to the judge, speaking calmly, "I plead not guilty."

    The Judge scanned through the evidence and witness statements, then announced, "The Court finds insufficient evidence to support the usations. Alyss is acquitted of all charges."

    The Elf King''s face darkened. "This is unjust! She''s guilty, I say!"

    "Silence!" The Judge''s voice was unwavering. "This Court is adjourned."

    The Elf King stormed out in fury, apanied by the loyalists among the courtiers.

    Alyss stood alone in the courtroom, staring at the empty space.

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 Chapter 80: Hybrid Breeding and the Robe of Composure

    Chapter 80: Hybrid Breeding and the Robe of Composure

    The Pain Bee (Level 2), Irond Bee (Level 2), Swift Irond Bee (Level 3).

    After the two new queens from these three bee species reached maturity, Hua Mi simultaneously conducted five hybrid experiments.

    Cyan Fire Bee X Swift Irond Bee;

    Cyan Fire Bee X Irond Bee;

    Great Strength Bee X Swift Irond Bee;

    Great Strength Bee X Irond Bee;

    Scout Bee X Pain Bee.

    As for why thesebinations were chosen, he initially prioritized enhancing the attributes of the Cyan Fire Bee and Great Strength Bee. Both were Level 4 bees, currently his two strongest species.

    The Cyan Fire Bee had an attack rating of 10, but unfortunately, its defense and speed were mediocre, both rated at 1.

    (The Cyan Fire Bee wasn��t afraid of fire, but this fell under specific defense and wasn��t considered in the general defense attribute.)

    Through testing, the Cyan Fire Bee could reach speeds of around 10 meters per second at maximum. When in a burning state, its speed decreased further.

    This speed, rtive to humans, wasn��t slow, but in terms of an offensive move in this magical world, it wasn''t fast enough.

    The Great Strength Bee, on the other hand, had a high vitality rating of 10, indicating good constitution, strength, endurance, and resistance. In gaming terms, its health and endurance bars wereparatively lengthy.

    However, its drawback was its slow speed and room for improvement in defense.

    The defense here was unrted to vitality; they were entirely separate attributes.

    For instance, with high defense, facing an attack could result in no damage, regardless of vitality. Whether your vitality was 10 or 1, the oue would be the same.

    But with insufficient defense, facing the same attack could result in damage and vitality would then determine the duration one could withstand.

    These two bee species were first hybridized with the Swift Irond Bee. If it could enhance both speed and defense simultaneously, that would be ideal. If not, the next option was to try hybridization with the Irond Bee.

    However, the Scout Bee X Pain Bee hybridization failed during the temte injection phase.

    Previously, the Scout Bee hybridized with the Forest Swift Bee also didn��t produce offspring, indicating it had reproductive istion from other bee species.

    Nheless, this bee''s purpose was reconnaissance and intelligence gathering, and its current attributes sufficed.

    After a day, the results of the remaining four hybrid experiments were in.

    First were the two hybridizations involving the Great Strength Bee.

    The results were disappointing.

    Whether it was the Great Strength-Irond Bee or Great Strength-Swift Irond Bee, both were subpar,cking the crucial high vitality.

    Even if defense or speed improved slightly, the trade-off wasn��t worth it.

    They belonged to failed hybrids.

    However, the Cyan Fire Bee X Swift Irond Bee hybridization results surprised him.

    Assessing the various attributes:

    [Lifespan: 1]

    [Reproductive ability: 1]

    [Productivity: 0]

    [Attack: 12]

    [Defense: 5]

    [Vitality: 2]

    [Speed: 2]

    [Harvesting ability: 0]

    [Combat ability: 10]

    The desired defense and speed had both increased.

    This new hybrid bee inherited the Swift Irond Bee''s hardening ability. Although its defense during hardening was slightly lower than the Swift Irond Bee, it was still quite impressive, able to withstand most attacks.

    Its speed was at 2, slightly lower than the Swift Irond Bee, but its top speed could reach 20 meters per second, equivalent to a car on the highway.

    The w of low reproductive ability had beenpensated for.

    The only regret was theck of honey sacs, poison nds, and stingers, losing the ability to gather honey and execute fire-poison attacks.

    So, it couldn��tpletely rece the Cyan Fire Bee.

    It was too brute andcked subtlety.

    In terms of appearance,pared to the Cyan Fire Bee, there wasn��t much change; it remained pale overall, with only two ck lines on its abdomen pared to the Cyan Fire Bee''s four). Its size had slightly reduced.

    "As abat bee species, it could barely be rated as [Level 5 Bee]... It feels like a Level 4 with a little extra. It''s a pity; it would''ve been a solid Level 5 if it had poison nds and a stinger."

    Hua Mi immediately replicated the temte of this bee.

    "What should I name it?"

    Cyan Fire Swift Irond Bee?

    Lacking originality.

    Hua Mi pondered for a moment, "Since this bee is so fierce, why not call it... Fierce Fire Bee!"

    [Fierce Fire Bee]

    "Derived from the hybridization of the Cyan Fire Bee and Swift Irond Bee, inheriting the Swift Irond Bee''s hardening ability and slightly higher speed. It has a slightly smaller bodypared to the Cyan Fire Bee, with an overall pale color and two ck lines on its abdomen,cking honey sacs, poison nds, and a stinger..."

    ...

    After recording the new bee species in his notes, Hua Mi proceeded to transform two groups of Fierce Fire Bees and ten groups of Great Strength Bees.

    Thepleted bee group ratio was:

    40 Forest Swift Bees (Level 2)

    1 Pain Bee (Level 2)

    1 Irond Bee (Level 2)

    1 Swift Irond Bee (Level 3)

    1 Circr Cut Bee (Level 3)

    1 Scout Bee (Level 2)

    11 Great Strength Bees (Level 4)

    2 Cyan Fire Bees (Level 4)

    2 Fierce Fire Bees (Almost Level 5)

    All themon Chinese bees were now utilized.

    Among them, the main honey gathering forces were the 40 Forest Swift Bees and 11 Great Strength Bees.

    Pain Bee, Irond Bee, Scout Bee, and Cyan Fire Bee also had honey gathering abilities, albeit minimal.

    The seven acres of Thunder Flower had gradually entered the honey-flow period, and the bee groups were working at full capacity to gather honey.

    The brewing of Thunder Flower honey progressed smoothly.

    The divine gift of breeding continued steadily.

    ...

    After a busy day, it was already midnight.

    Tonight happened to be a full moon, ten timesrger than Earth''s moon.

    Moonlight poured in through the window, illuminating the cabin as bright as day.

    Hua Mi took off his ck robe, casually stashing it into his storage ring.

    Gazing at the full moon, a sudden impulse surged within him��a desire topose a poem. But limited in literary skills, he couldn''t muster one, feeling a tinge of mncholy.

    This feeling... was this the long-forgotten moment of feeling down?

    He pondered for a moment, realizing something.

    Then, he retrieved the ck robe from his storage ring once again.

    Undoubtedly, the most conspicuous feature of this robe was its ability to maintain afortable body temperature, always leaving him feeling refreshed and at ease.

    But previously, he faintly sensed that this robe''s function might not be limited to that.

    It not only cooled his body but also, to a certain extent, cooled his mind��made him calmer.

    When contemting issues, it helped to eliminate some melodramatic emotional

    disturbances, making him more decisive, rational, indirectly enhancing his focus.

    Undoubtedly, this was beneficial for his survival in this alien world. Otherwise, as an ordinary Earth merchant suddenly transported to this unfamiliar magical realm, it would be challenging to stayposed in emergencies.

    Donning the ck robe, Hua Mi instantly felt much more alert.

    Clear-headed, he acknowledged thatposing poetry would only result in forced answers.

    What poetry to create? It would be better to practice bee control.

    Or perhaps just head home and sleep.

    "It indeed works, it''s not just a psychological effect."

    The effect couldn''t be called potent; at most, it served as an auxiliary tool.

    However, for someone newly arrived like him, it was quite helpful.

    "Since this robe can bringposure, let''s call it the Robe of Composure."

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 Chapter 81: New Farmland and Thunderfire Beads

    Chapter 81: New Farnd and Thunderfire Beads

    Expanding the greenhouse requiredmon materials��wood, stone, steel, ss��all readily purchasable with money.

    Alyss had mentioned that this design would make future expansions convenient for him.

    Wood was easy��forests were never short of timber. A few trees controlled and felled at random would suffice.

    As for other materials, he considered buying them from Earth.

    Then transporting them via the magic box.

    This required considering dimensions. If a steel te bought was toorge for the magic box or exceeded the dimensions of the greenhouse''s "well," it''d be awkward��he''d have to process and cut it himself, truly troublesome.

    Better to start with smaller-sized products, steel tes or pipes; shapes didn''t matter, even different elementalpositions weren''t relevant. Once tossed into the greenhouse well, they''d all be broken down, rbined during expansion as needed.

    With online shopping and logistics being convenient, even these bulk goods arrived within days.

    These materials, bit by bit, cost him over a hundred thousand, but the previous honey sales earned him over four hundred thousand��sufficient.

    He also bought twenty more bee colonies.

    Hua Mi transported all the materials to the greenhouse, tossing them into the well.

    After enough materials were input, he could select the expanded structure at the control panel.

    The initial greenhouse resembled a 2x5 rectangr space, divided into ten grids, each grid an acre, totaling around ten acres.

    Now, the Thunderfire Flowers upied about seven acres, leaving three.

    He nned to double the area, expanding by ten more acres.

    As for the shape, also 2x5, adjacent to the original, forming a 4x5 space.

    A barrier was needed in the middle because different environments had to be created on both sides.

    For the Thunderfire Flowers, no alterations were necessary; the harsh ice period was perfect for them.

    On the other side, to meet the growth needs of the Mother Goddess''s gift, heating was required.

    No need for additional instion materials��directly raising a magical barrier, allowing the greenhouse owner and invited guests to move freely but perfectly isting the environments on both sides.

    No need to add additional heaters or humidifiers; the greenhouse itself regted the environment by adjusting the proportions of various elements within the area.

    For instance, increasing the fire element''s ratio raised the temperature; arger water element ratio increased humidity.

    It defied science but was quite magical.

    Once set, a pitch-ck barrier appeared on the other side of the greenhouse, simr to the transition area at the entrance, filled with ck mist.

    About an hourter, the control panel disyed constructionpletion, and passing through the ck mist led to the other side.

    Both sides were almost identical, akin to two simr greenhouses connected.

    Hua Mi still nted a sign here,beled "Mother Goddess''s Gifted Farnd."

    The growth environment blessed by the Mother Goddess needed an increase in the fire element and a decrease in the water element.

    Hua Mi adjusted the new farnd''s environment based on instinct and then nted the Mother Goddess''s gifted seeds harvested in recent days, just like before.

    The first batch upied a bit more than three acres.

    The nting spacing for the Mother Goddess''s gift was about halfrger than that for the Thunderfire Flowers, so fewer could fit within the same area.

    "The magical elements contained in the Mother Goddess''s gift, be it the purity of the fire element or the content of rare elements, far surpass those of the Thunderfire Flowers. The honey brewed might indeed be extraordinary... and properly cultivated, it might even yield floral spirits."

    A farnd with floral spirits was beyondparison to one without.

    Hua Mi poured considerable effort into this new farnd.

    ...

    Days passed by.

    When the Mother Goddess''s gift''s farnd was almost full, the Thunderfire Flowers'' honey flow period was also ending.

    The connection between both sides was perfect.

    On a sunny day, the Thunderfire Flowers'' honey finished brewing and bottling began.

    "I wonder what''s unique about this honey."

    Out of habit, he first took honey from the separate Azurefire Beehive.

    In line with utilizing all avable resources, besides the Forest Swift Bees and Mighty Bees, his main honey gatherers, he had several other honey-collecting capable bee colonies join the force.

    Azurefire Bees were among them.

    The temperature in this beehive noticeably felt much higher than the others.

    While collecting the honey, two round, shiny pearls tumbled out of the beehive, rolling to his feet.

    "What are these?"

    Hua Mi took a closer look.

    Both pearls gleamed a pearl-like white��onerge as a quail''s egg, the other about half its size.

    Hua Mi picked up the pearls, examining them closely, finding faint bluish streaks resembling drifting smoke.

    Almost like elixirs,plete with patterns.

    They felt warm to the touch, hard in texture, yet smooth, akin to wax-coated.

    They emitted a slight burnt smell.

    "Could these be honey condensed into hard cores?"

    Hua Mi channeled his mental energy into the smaller pearl, unexpectedly discovering a wealth of magical elements inside.

    Due to hisck of affinity with magic, discerning the specific magical element type was impossible.

    But the surging energy was palpable.

    Hua Mi couldn''t resist temptation, prodding it slightly.

    In an instant, it triggered a chain reaction, activating all the magical elements inside.

    The pearl swiftly heated in his palm, generating tingling static sensations.

    Sensing danger, Hua Mi instinctively threw the pearl away.

    As itnded in the Thunderfire Flowers'' field, it made a muffled ''bang.''

    Pale mes erupted on the ground, instantly engulfing the nearby Thunderfire Flowers, exploding into a radius of about two meters, crackling with lightning as if forming rifts, shattering the space into countless fragments.

    Within about 5 seconds, the spherical area gradually dissipated.

    Silence returned to the greenhouse.

    Hua Mi and the nearby pseudo-floral spirits were dumbfounded.

    Grey ashes floated down while Thunderfire Flowers around were devoured by Azurefire.

    Firefighting!

    Hua Mi snapped out of it, rushing over.

    Fortunately, the fire wasn''t extensive and could be quickly extinguished using soil.

    Hua Mi sighed in relief, ncing at therger pearl left in his hand, no longer daring to toy with it.

    "Is there a chance for Azurefire Bees to produce such by-products when brewing honey?"

    It seemed even honey-collecting bees could evolve not just towards higher honey yield efficiency but potentially create additional products.

    Not bad.

    Honestly, this pearl could be quite practical for attack, an excellent attack item.

    Easy to use��activate with mental energy and toss it at the target. A dual thunder-fire attribute attack; even if it didn''t kill, it''d certainly cause significant damage.

    "With thunder and fire, let''s call it Thunderfire Bead."

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 Chapter 82: Thunder Blossom Honey

    Chapter 82: Thunder Blossom Honey

    Hua Mi was left with a rtivelyrge Thunderfire Bead in hand. He tucked it away into his storage ring; it could serve as a hidden weapon if necessary. The Thunder Blossom field now sported arge "bald spot" from the fire. Fortunately, since this batch of Thunder Blossoms had passed their honey-flow period, and the seeds were already collected, the losses weren''t substantial.

    Enabling the venttion function, Hua Mi allowed the greenhouse smoke to dissipate before returning to the entrance to continue bottling the honey.

    "This batch of honey might not sell well on Earth..."

    Thunder Blossom honey didn''t bear the usual amber or white color but veered towards cooler hues, presenting a faint blue tint. Once bottled, it became even more distinct��not only blue but also exhibiting faint streaks of electric white gently coursing within when at rest.

    Thebined colors defied description; it was truly magical in appearance. Ordinary honey couldn''t boast such a disy. Even if magical elements couldn''t be detected, the overt appearance indicated an issue��definitely not suitable for sale to Earthlings.

    Although he had previously announced the new product on the online store, he hadn''t specified a particr time...

    No specified time meant no dys.

    "''Soon'' is a rtive word."

    For humans, "soon" could mean a few days or even months, but for elves��long-lived beings��several years could still qualify as "soon."

    He could simply issue another announcement exining theck of suitable honey sources. He believed the customers would understand.

    There was no need for an borate exnation; four words were sufficient: "Coming soon, promised!"

    After some time, the Thunder Blossom honey in the bottle formed a loosely packed electric sphere that slowly changed shape at its core.

    Despite resembling electricity, itcked the ferocity associated with thunder. Instead, it exuded a remarkably soothing aura.

    Apart from the typical honey''s sweet fragrance, a hint of post-thunderstorm freshness lingered, mitigating the cloying sweetness to a pleasant aroma.

    "I wonder what effects it''ll have after consumption..."

    Yet, judging solely by its appearance, he hesitated to taste it directly. A touch with his finger yielded no peculiar sensations, just the usual stickiness of honey. But who knew what harmful magical effects it might have once consumed.

    This was where the Pseudo-Flower Spirits woulde in. They not only discerned taste but also identified potential hazards, an innate ability akin to their telepathy, requiring no spellponents (including magic) to execute.

    It made sense considering the myriad poisons in the ck Forest. Without their discerning abilities, Xiao Zi, an indiscriminate foodie, wouldn''t have survived till now; she''d have eaten herself into oblivion.

    Their expert analysis concluded that the honey wouldn''t cause poisoning or any negative magical effects. Moreover, they sensed its strong affinity with thunder and lightning.

    Then came the tasting.

    After some training, Xiao Zi had toned down her enthusiasm, still brimming with excitement but no longer lunging directly at it.

    After the seven pseudo-spirits sampled it, their praise for the taste was unending.

    "I dere, Thunder Blossom honey is the best so far!"

    "Delicious~"

    "Mmm, mmm..."

    "I wonder what taste the honey bestowed by the other Goddess would have. Could it be even better than this?"

    "Definitely! ''me Blossom'' is superior, so the honey made from it must be even more delicious!"

    "That''s not necessarily true."

    ...

    These few were undoubtedly the most fervent honey enthusiasts, eyeing what was in the pot while anticipating what was in the basin.

    Having cleared the Thunder Blossom honey with the Pseudo-Flower Spirits'' approval, Hua Mi picked up a spoon and savored a spoonful.

    Smooth on the pte, it spread throughout his mouth, delivering a refreshing taste that lingered between his lips and teeth.

    At this moment, a wardrobe malfunction was in order.

    Struggling with the scarcity of praise-worthy words, he could only say this: this honey, without being brewed into honey water or turned into honey fruit tea, even without being made into honey wine or any other concoction, was already an exquisite delicacy.

    This spoonful of honey triggered a serene force to spread throughout his body, inducing a peculiar sensation. The human body was mysterious; ifcking certain nutrients, it instinctively craved items rich in those nutrients.

    Whether it was iron, salt, or vitamins, the body instinctively sought out foods containing those substances.

    Simrly, after consuming a spoonful of Thunder Blossom honey, his body now seemed to be in a unique "hungry" state��it instinctively wanted... to touch a light switch.

    Yes, he felt an extremeck of electricity.

    Not being shocked was diforting.

    "So, ''affinity with thunder'' means this? Consuming Thunder Blossom honey grants a resistance to thunder... No, not just resistance."

    It was a step further; it allowed the absorption and transformation of thunder energy.

    Time to experiment.

    Use the Thunderfire Bead?

    No, that''d be too wasteful.

    After a brief contemtion, Hua Mi decided to return to Earth and touch a light switch. It saved resources and was convenient.

    Even though he was well aware of his high tolerance level��far exceeding domestic electricity intensity, capable of withstanding even the lightning intensity generated by the Thunderfire Bead��for safety, he would start with voltages lower than 36 volts and gradually increase.

    From a lighter''s igniter to a mosquito swatter, then to an electric scooter''s battery...

    He distinctly felt more excitement with greater electricity.

    Moreover, during the "recharging" process, the burns on his palm from the Thunderfire Bead visibly began to heal, almostpletely restored within seconds.

    This was proof that under the effect of Thunder Blossom honey, he could absorb lightning power and use it to restore his physical condition.

    He termed this state "Electro-Capacity."

    Consuming a spoonful of Thunder Blossom honey sustained the "Electro-Capacity" state for about 5 minutes. The more he consumed, the longer itsted.

    Oncepletely digested, the Electro-Capacity state dissipated.

    Naturally, there was a limit to the voltage he could endure. A lightning strike, like the Unicorn''s, he''d absorb that.

    Certainly, he''d be blown up.

    He could vaguely sense this limit during the recharging process. It was akin to knowing how much water you could drink when thirsty.

    Although this honey couldn''t be sold on Earth, it could fetch a price in the other world.

    Moon Slumber Flower honey, priced at 4 gold coins. Feathered Garment Flower honey, priced at 8 gold coins. So, pricing this Thunder Blossom honey at 20 gold coins wouldn''t be excessive.

    This honey was truly a nemesis of thunder and lightning.

    Imagine after a life-or-death battle, when you''re severely injured, and your adversary, equally exhausted, attempts a final blow. Yet, with one thunderous strike, you''re resurrected...

    Undoubtedly, that would haunt them for life��a hurdle they''d never ovee.

    Even in old age, remembering it would provoke disgust before drawing theirst breath.

    Not only could it be used inbat, but it could also be utilized in healing injuries or restoring physical conditions through recharging.

    Delicious and without side effects.

    Finding such an exceptional "alchemy elixir" was a rarity.

    He''d feel guilty even pricing it low, considering the hard work of the little bees.

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 Chapter 83: Three Customers

    Chapter 83: Three Customers

    The bottling of honey was done. A total of 613 bottles of Thunder Flower Honey had been harvested. This honey was valuable, not just for selling but also for maintaining ample stock for personal use.

    The Thunder Flower field couldn''t remain idle. Hua Mi nned seamless continuity, intending to clear out the first batch of flower remnants without honey and continue nting the second batch of Thunder Flowers. The seeds were readily avable.

    Currently in the icy season, though the temperature had dropped further, with proper greenhouse simtion of suitable temperature, humidity, light conditions, and magical catalysts, there shouldn''t be any issues.

    As a beekeeper from Huayu Town, he was well-versed in controlling flowering periods from his upbringing.

    After observing and recording the growth of the first batch of Thunder Flowers, he was confident the second batch would grow as well under controlled conditions, maybe even better.

    Speaking of which, Alyss had moved to the ck Forest. This architect had unwavering belief in Feng Shui theories, choosing to keep her house in its original location. Whether it was superstition or not remained uncertain.

    As for her reason toe here, she imed the need for a secluded ce to delve into architectural design and spatial magic.

    The ck Forest, once and of adventure, was now merely a two-star area with fewer magical elements due to adventurers hunting and exterminating many magical creatures. It could indeed be called a "remote ce."

    However, perhaps the lost magical elements of the ck Forest would one day be replenished by him��the Bee Whisperer of the ck Forest and the Swordbearer of Brass City��leading the little bees to restore the forest''s former glory.

    Furthermore, Hua Mi had some new ideas for the greenhouse, making the nurturing process more convenient and faster. Whether they could be realized remained uncertain since he was aplete novice with only preliminary concepts and no understanding of principles. He might end up asking the wondrous Alyss if she could aplish it.

    One day, Hua Mi sat by the window, flipping through his notes. As he absentmindedly nced up, he spotted two figures heading their way.

    Setting the notes aside, Hua Mi watched the approaching pair. One was robust, with a full beard and wielding a somewhat worn battle-axe��though not rusty, it had nicks on the de. The other was slender, with a lean face, carrying a wooden shield and an iron sword.

    Their attire wasn''t sophisticated��mostly patched cotton robes with added metal tes around the chest, knees, and elbows��looking utterly vulnerable.

    "Seems like neers from the beginner''s vige," Hua Mi mused. Labeling them adventurers seemed an overstatement; they were likelymoners trying their luck in the ck Forest.

    "Huh, a shop here? Who''d open a store in this kind of ce? Must have a screw loose!" the bearded man eximed, sounding crude but without apparent insult, probably just in-speaking,cking malicious intent.

    The slender one spected, "Maybe they couldn''t afford the rent in town, so they set up here."

    Pointing at the signboard, the bearded man asked, "What does that say?"

    "Something... something... Little Hut. The front characters aren''t in humannguage," the slender one replied, frowning at the wooden sign.

    Approaching and noticing the price list on the wall, the bearded man eximed again, "Goodness, are you crazy? What in the world could cost 20 gold coins!"

    The slender one also gasped, then walked to the window, nced at the shelves, shook his head, refraining from asking about those pricey magic potions��Thunder Flower Honey for 20 coins or Moon Slumber Honey for 4 coins��clearly beyond their affordability.

    "Only three items? Don''t you have anything cheaper?" the bearded man asked, unable to hold back.

    Hua Mi, donning a hood, hands crossed under his chin, maintaining the mystique of a merchant, directed a group of bees in mid-air to form a message: "Yes, tap water, free."

    The two fell into silence. After a moment, the bearded man requested, "A cup of tap water."

    Hua Mi controlled the bees to deliver a cup of water to him. The bearded man drank it all in one go, genuinely thirsty.

    "Boss, quick question, anything fishy happening in the ck Foresttely?" he inquired.

    Hua Mi found the term ''fishy'' vague. If it meant poisonous things, the ck Forest was teeming with them.

    "There''s this girl in our town; after she visited the forest, she changed drastically, acting all strange, holed up in her basement researching alchemy, creating a fuss. Folks say she got bewitched by something dirty in the forest," the bearded man continued.

    "Ah, that girl he''s talking about, is it Hilia?" Hua Mi thought. She was a rare alchemy prodigy, and he was still waiting to see what she''d create with unicorn horn powder. Yet, in their mouths, she turned into a girl bewitched by ''dirty things.'' Ignorant bunch.

    "Also, something weirder happened a few days ago. Ad from our town fell ill and ''died,'' but during the burial, he suddenly came back to life, scaring everyone around..."

    Hua Mi didn''t find it strange; thed might have experienced a false death��his vital signs lowered significantly, resembling aa, reviving during the funeral. Simr cases were recorded in history, especially in less developed medical conditions.

    "But though thed is alive, seems like his soul hasn''t fully returned. He''s listless, muttering abouting to the ck Forest. His family locked him up, but he keeps staring towards the forest direction, spooky."

    "To me, something''s not right in the ck Forest��maybe it''s a curse or demons. ckstone Town is too close, so..." The bearded man was animatedly discussing when a magic carpet descended abruptly.

    A man in exquisite attire stepped off, neatlybed ck hair, exuding an air of refinement. He swiftly stowed the carpet into a portable spatial device and headed straight for the window.

    Though not tall, the man had amanding presence. The bearded man and hispanion instinctively made way for him.

    Standing at the window, his piercing azure eyes fixed on Hua Mi, the man queried, "You''re the Bee Whisperer of the ck Forest, the alchemist iming to brew magic potions without side effects or toxin umtion?"

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 Chapter 84: Lawful Neutral

    Chapter 84: Lawful Neutral

    "Hua Mi, has my reputation spread?" Hua Mi found it odd but calmly observed him.

    The man wore a rather elegant, purple robe, and his attire suggested wealth.

    Yet, his tone didn''t hint at a shopping visit.

    Hua Mi nodded, the swarm within his sleeve ready to act.

    The man''s gaze swept past Hua Mi''s head, discreetly scanning the wooden interior, finally resting on the shelves.

    Hua Mi noticed his vivid blue human eyes momentarily shifting into amber vertical pupils, emitting an eerie gleam.

    "Allow me to introduce myself. I''m David rk. I''vee for a matter of discussion, but before that, there''s something I must attend to..." The man paused briefly, cocking his head, ncing at the two adventurers onlookers. "Just to be safe, before dealing with business, I need to dispose of them. You wouldn''t mind, right?"

    "...What?"

    Hua Mi couldn''t grasp his logic for a moment.

    The two adventurers instantly felt a chill down their spine, facing the predatory gaze, inundated with immense fear.

    "Why? We have no quarrel..."

    "If you don''t want us to hear your secret, we can leave... Actually, we were nning to leave anyway..."

    Trembling voices.

    Like lower-ranked prey encountering their archenemy, they instinctively knew they stood no chance against him.

    The slightest hint of a thought to flee would trigger this predator into an attack.

    "No, you can''t leave." rk''s voice turned icy, indifferent. "Since you''ve seen my face, I can''t let you live."

    The adventurers cursed inwardly.

    "If you don''t want others to see your face, then cover it up!"

    "What did we do to deserve this? Who cares about your darn face?"

    "So, Bee Speaker, do you mind if I kill them?" He continued, eyes fixed on his prey, his tone eerily calm.

    "..." Hua Mi felt overwhelmed, encountering yet another lunatic.

    Encountering unstable individuals every few days... Was there something attracting them to Hua Mi?

    "No words mean consent."

    rk turned towards them, taking a step closer.

    "Don''te any closer!"

    "Darn it, two lives against one might have a chance, let''s fight!"

    The two tightened their grip on their weapons, assuming a defensive stance.

    rk''s lips curled slightly, a mocking smile on his face, approaching them leisurely.

    "Stop."

    Hua Mi uttered amanding word.

    That word carried authority.

    rk immediately halted, turning to look at him, his vertical pupils emanating a daunting amber light. "If I heard correctly, you don''t want me to kill them?"

    While the vertical pupils exuded an intimidating force, Hua Mi''s mental strength surpassed normal levels, easily resisting this level of intimidation.

    "As you think."

    In the midst of speaking, pale fireballs ignited on both sides of Hua Mi.

    rk''s pupils slightly contracted for a moment, revealing a flicker of surprise before vanishing.

    "May I ask why?"

    "This is my territory."

    "So, I sought your consent before acting. But I''m curious, why? They are merely insignificant civilians."

    "Here, trade reigns, not ughter."

    For a moment, rk seemed to smirk.

    "So, if I killed them elsewhere, you wouldn''t care?"

    "..."

    Hua Mi didn''t answer that question.

    rk''s eyes returned to a normal human appearance, a faint smile on his lips. He retrieved a notebook and a feather pen from somewhere, standing there, swiftly jotting down on the paper.

    "..."

    What was this guy up to?

    Hua Mi didn''t let his guard down, keeping a close eye on him.

    The two adventurers exchanged puzzled nces.

    "Oh, sorry." After a while, rk diverted his gaze from the notebook, first greeting the two adventurers. "It was just a test. Apologies for involving you. Here, a token of gratitude. Consider it your reward, don''t refuse."

    He tossed two coins urately into their hands.

    The bearded man immediately bit one, his eyes shining.

    It was real! This was quite a fortune for them, enough to cover several months'' expenses.

    Even if they were initially irritated, receiving this windfall doused their anger.

    "What an interesting test, right?"

    "Yeah, we''re d to help."

    rk smiled, turning to Hua Mi, "Let me reintroduce myself. I am David rk from Modo, a Star Evaluator. Here''s my ID."

    "You might not have heard my name, but you''ve surely heard of our ''ck Forest Adventure Guide.''"

    The ck Forest Adventure Guide? Hua Mi had it stored in the ring space.

    It ssified the ck Forest as a two-star adventure area, detailing the monsters and adventure precautions.

    Before Hua Mi could speak, the two adventurers jumped in:

    "Are you from the Adventurer''s Guild?"

    "Will there be an update to the Adventure Guide?"

    rk squinted, smiling, "Firstly, thank you for your interest and support in the guild. Secondly, your guess is right. The guild sent me to reassess the ck Forest''s star rating because... there''s reportedly an exceptional alchemist here."

    As he spoke, rk turned to Hua Mi, looking harmless, in stark contrast to his previous vertical pupils. "I heard your alchemical potions have left the elves of Emerald City utterly frustrated. They couldn''t replicate it, no matter what, free of side effects, zero toxin umtion..."

    "Ha! It''s time someone put those pointy-eared folks in their ce!" the bearded man eximed.

    "In their supposedly prided alchemy field, it''s a hit to their ego!" the skinny one concurred.

    "If anyone dares to speak ill of wild alchemists again, I''ll be the first to knock their teeth out!" the bearded man clenched his fist.

    "It seems Jason''s girl studying alchemy might not be a bad thing, it''ll bring fame to our ckstone Town."

    "As long as she doesn''t go astray. Learning alchemy without guidance is prone to going astray."

    "Not that extreme. The real concern isck of guidance leads to limited achievements. Perhaps she shoulde and study under this alchemical master."

    ...

    rk was interrupted but didn''t get upset, patiently waiting for them to finish before continuing, "I noticed three different potions on the shelf. Are these all side-effect-free and toxin-free?"

    "Yes."

    Hua Mi responded briefly, then asked, "So, what was the point of your test just now?"

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 Chapter 85: Journey to Blackstone Town

    Chapter 85: Journey to ckstone Town

    "Ahem, it''s like this," rk cleared his throat, exining, "In the adventure manual we produce, the creatures in adventure areas are ssified into factions, and all creatures fall within a nine-grid system."

    "For instance, that unicorn in the ck Forest was categorized as wful good,'' primarily based on its act of defeating vampires and subduing them underground."

    "On the contrary, the vampire is wful evil.''"

    "And there are other representative examples, like the tree sprites, ssified as ''true neutral.'' As for you..."

    rk paused, then continued, "Provisionally categorized as wful neutral.'' Not bad, fitting for your role as a merchant. However, this is just an initial assessment; I''ll stay in the ck Forest for a few days, explore other areas, make more observations. Perhaps I''ll drop by asionally. Hope we''ll get along well!"

    Faction divisions.

    I''m not a dungeon boss.

    Adventurous areas, in essence, are wild territories independent of major organizations. They might exist within a faction''s territorial boundaries but are somewhat autonomous from that influence.

    The adventurer economy is a significant pir in this world. Political organizations not only refrain from eradicating adventure areas but also deliberately maintain them, ensuring sustainable development.

    The ck Forest suffered from inadequate protection due to early human civilization''s weak sustainability awareness, being overexploited.

    Though Huami currently resides in an adventure area, fundamentally still a human, yet categorized among the creatures of the adventure area.

    It felt odd, but upon careful consideration, it seemed fine. Eventually, I epted rk''s exnation, retracting the raging swarms of bees on both sides.

    "So, can you remove these little guys from me now?" Listening carefully, rk''s voice trembled slightly. "They''re adorable, really, it''s just... I''ve had a slight fear of these little bugs since I was a child."

    "..."

    He''s even afraid of small bees.

    If I switch them to Southern giant roaches, he might turn into a sprinting monkey right away.

    Huami let a few agonizing bees and fiery bees fly back.

    "Phew��thanks." rk finally rxed, quickly readjusted, and said, "About those three potions, their effects, the descriptions are ''calming aid,'' ''beautification,'' and ''capacitance.'' I can understand the first two, but what does ''capacitance'' mean?"

    "You can buy and try them," Huami replied calmly.

    "Then one of each!"

    rk was exceedingly generous, stacking 32 gold coins on the windowsill.

    Glittering, blindingly bright.

    The other two adventurers who hadn''t left yet were wide-eyed.

    They had never seen so much gold in their lives, probably wouldn''t again. Every nce was a treasure.

    Huami remainedposed, pocketing the coins in the ring''s space, albeit feeling slightly astonished.

    Is this how Star Raters make money?

    They''re ready to give away 32 gold coins without blinking an eye, just like Alyss, both loaded.

    But Alyss makes sense; after all, she''s a top-tier architectural designer, quickly and efficientlypleting a three-day greenhouse extension with excellent quality. She deserves the earnings.

    But Star Raters... What''s their secret?

    rk held three bottles of honey in his hands, noticing the dumbfounded looks of the two beside him. He grinned at them and said, "I can im 50 gold coins for this trip."

    Hmph.

    No wonder he''s not concerned; it''s the guild''s money.

    The three present instantly felt a lot more bnced.

    Looks like the adventurers'' guild makes a lot of money. Huami pondered.

    The adventure industry in this world might be more developed than he imagined. However, because of the destion of the ck Forest, with few adventurers, it gave him a false sense of tranquility.

    Which is good.

    With fewer unexpected events, it provided ample time for farming and beekeeping, allowing him to actively manage his schedule and follow his n.

    rk stowed away the other two jars of honey, holding the Thunderflower Honey in his hand, carefully observing it in the sunlight, eximing, "What a beautiful hue."

    Two adventurers couldn''t resist their curiosity, leaning in to examine the magical elixir filled with enchanting colors.

    This is a 20-gold-coin potion, lucky to get a close look; who knows, they might even gain some financial luck.

    rk then unscrewed the lid.

    A sweet yet not overwhelming aroma wafted out.

    Taking a deep breath, all three couldn''t help but feel mesmerized.

    rk marveled, "Surprisingly not pungent, even somewhat pleasant... This is the first potion I''ve actively wanted to taste."

    Sipping a small amount in front of the envious eyes of the other two, he savored it with closed eyes.

    The stubbled man, eagerly watching him, swallowed and asked, "How does it taste?"

    "Mm~~"

    "..."

    The taste was indescribably wonderful, leaving both of them salivating.

    However, what intrigued them more was its effect; surely, it couldn''t be worth 20 gold coins for taste alone.

    After swallowing, rk''s pupils slightly dted.

    "Hmm? This feeling..."

    Quietly sensing his own condition for a moment, he immediately retrieved a palm-sized ss bottle from the storage space.

    Inside was lightning.

    A thundercloud hovered at the bottle''s mouth, constantly emitting silent shes of lightning.

    rk descended the steps to an open space, forcefully smashing the bottle against the ground.

    A crisp sound, the bottle shattered into pieces.

    A thundercloud rapidly gathered above him, followed by a rumbling��

    Bolts of lightning struck down toward him relentlessly.

    Instantly, he was enveloped in a flurry of lightning and thunder, his figure flickering, seemingly transformed into light in an instant.

    The two adventurers were dumbfounded.

    This was clearly an offensive item. Why was he using it on himself?

    Could the potion have affected his mind?

    ncing back at the cloaked merchant, seeing him maintaining his earlier demeanor, calmly watching the Star Rater self-inflicting, appearing entirely unsurprised.

    Something''s wrong.

    Could he be doing this intentionally?

    The potion was supposed to cloud people''s judgment; this was a shady store!

    As the thought arose, the thunder and lightning ceased.

    They witnessed the Star Rater, unharmed.

    Hisplexion was even rosier, a satisfied smile on his face.

    The hair that had gotten ruffled gradually settled down, and with spirited steps, he returned to the window.

    "How does it feel?" Huami inquired.

    "I feel full of power!" rk clenched his fist, eyes gleaming.

    Huami nodded, "That''s the ''capacitance'' state."

    "Ah, absorbing the power of lightning to restore one''s own state, that''s what ''capacitance'' means," rk observed his palm, wearing an ambitious expression. "With this potion, maybe I could even challenge the unicorn..."

    Huami gave him a deep look, offering a piece of advice, "Don''t be reckless."

    "Haha, just kidding, kidding. I probably know where the limit lies." rk stowed away the Thunderflower Honey, "Well then, farewell, Bee Speaker. The ck Forest is vast; I need to explore other ces... Maybe, I''ll consider taking a stroll in the unicorn

    ''s territory, although I wonder if it would allow me near..."

    Muttering to himself, he gradually distanced himself.

    The two adventurers were amazed, experiencing the magic of the potions sold here.

    Unfortunately, the price was beyond their imagination.

    "Continue exploring as nned?"

    "What''s left to explore for a single gold coin? Let''s go home!"

    Satisfied, the two retraced their steps.

    Watching their fading figures, Huami fell into contemtion.

    "ckstone Town... while there''s still daylight, I''ll pay a visit."

    Even though the blessings of the Mother Goddess had already been nted in the greenhouse, the uing cultivation work was crucial.

    Aside from necessary environmental adjustments and magical nurture, soil fertility needed enhancement.

    With sufficient funds now, buying things from the town like fertilizers, to cultivate flower spirits, every aspect had to be meticulous.

    "Off we go!"

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 Chapter 86: Rumors of Heishi Town

    Chapter 86: Rumors of Heishi Town

    "Careless..."

    Heishi Town primarily thrived on mining, with underdeveloped agricultural practices; most of the food was sourced from elsewhere. And with the current ice age, it was impossible to find fertilizer in several shops.

    Hua Mi strolled through the town but found no flower shops or the like. What a cecking in romance.

    Initially, he hoped to buy seeds from other realms, yet while walking the streets, he overheard town folks discussing recent interesting incidents.

    He chanced upon Sindra''s name being mentioned, quite coincidentally. Her reputation as an alchemical maniac had spread throughout Heishi Town.

    Rumor had it she''d been shut in her basement, tirelessly experimenting with forms, which failed to yield results, leaving him dumbfounded.

    Seems the unicorn horn powder finally stumped her.

    But that was quite normal from his perspective. Even for a genius, the journey wasn''t all smooth sailing; there were always setbacks.

    The unicorn horn powder held overlyplex magical elements, making alchemical concoctions not an easy feat.

    Hua Mi also heard that due to her temporary stay with rtives, her alchemical experiments brewed a lot of trouble, leading to discontent among neighbors and rtives.

    So, Sindra and her two adventuringpanions were nning to set up an alchemy workshop.

    Not bad.

    Hua Mi hoped she''d stabilize soon. Then he could ess abundant mutagenic agents from her.

    Moreover, Hua Mi had an idea. Once their alchemy workshop opened, perhaps a coboration could be considered.

    Storing honey at their ce for sale.

    The Bee Speaker''s Cottage was too remote, perhaps rarely visited. While Heishi Town didn''t boast much foot traffic now, the exposure was better than in the forest. Once word spread, it would naturally attract people.

    Besides, he wasn''t from this world after all. Though currently cramming knowledge about this world, dealing in business was somewhat unfamiliar. For small-time ventures, it was alright, but striving to expand was challenging. Handing it over to the locals of this world might be better.

    That way, he could focus more on farming and beekeeping.

    Of course, these were just initial thoughts.

    The die hadn''t been cast yet.

    Hua Mi roamed the streets, his ck robe garnering quite a few sideways nces. Heishi Town, being a small ce, attracted fewer outsiders since the ck Forest was downgraded to a two-star adventure site. His foreigner''s appearance easily drew attention.

    After a while, he stopped in front of a modest-looking bookstore.

    The easiest way to understand this world was undoubtedly through its books.

    Hua Mi entered the bookstore, intending to peruse through its collection. Novels, geography introductions, history, maps, anything worth reading, he''d buy them all.

    He had amassed quite a few gold coins and silver coins by now. Buying a pile of books only cost him less than three silver coins.

    He was somewhat affluent in this alien world, rtively speaking.

    However, concerning magic and extraordinary realms, this money was insufficient.

    Putting the books and the change given by the shopkeeper into his storage ring, Hua Mi left the bookstore.

    In this chilly season, there weren''t many pedestrians on the streets. Most were wrapped in thick clothes, hastening their steps.

    As Hua Mi walked along the street, he suddenly shivered, not due to the cold��wearing a ck robe and carrying the protective talisman from Alyss, he could ignore the temperature.

    It was because of a gazeing his way.

    A woman, dressed in a brown fur coat with a hood, red shoes, and a scarf covering her mouth and nose, stared straight at Hua Mi, emanating a certain chill.

    But she didn''t stop walking; her gaze lingered on Hua Mi for a few seconds before she walked past him.

    As they brushed shoulders, Hua Mi noticed her body seemed to tremble.

    Perhaps she mistook him for a suspicious character, hence the extra scrutiny. His attire clearly didn''t belong to an ordinary person, easily connecting him to magic, alchemy, and other mystical domains. It was normal formon folk to regard such fields with awe.

    It was merely a matter of seconds, and having faced various gazes throughout, Hua Mi didn''t dwell on it.

    His attention quickly diverted to a nondescript shop ahead.

    He noticed a few men chatting andughing as they walked in. Pushing the door open, warm air wafted out, and a red-faced man stumbled out, clutching a bottle.

    The sign outside indicated it was a small tavern.

    "Let''s check it out."

    This outing was casual anyway, a means to familiarize himself with the surroundings. After all, Heishi Town was quite close to the ck Forest, a ce he might frequent in the future.

    Besides, taverns like this were prime spots for gathering information and intelligence.

    In such settings, men drinking were prone to spill secrets, big or small.

    Hua Mi walked briskly, entering the tavern.

    A warm boozy scent enveloped him.

    Inside, the lighting was dim, and as he entered, the noisy chatter abruptly ceased.

    As if frozen in ce, the patrons'' gazes converged on him.

    Hua Mi calmly approached the counter.

    Blessed with the serenity cloak, such everyday situations hardly ruffled his demeanor.

    Approaching the counter, Hua Mi nced at the menu on the table.

    The drinks were reasonably priced.

    Hua Mi casually ordered a beverage called "Eggstraordinary Drink."

    The name sounded odd, but it didn''t matter; he didn''t n on drinking. Just an excuse to sit here for a while, soak in the local culture, and hopefully catch some useful information.

    The price was affordable, 13 copper coins, easily covered by the change from the bookstore owner.

    Hua Mi settled onto a high stool near the counter.

    As it only amodated one person, the groups of drinkers didn''t opt for this spot.

    Seeing the ck-robed figure quietly seated, the tavern gradually resumed its liveliness.

    Hua Mi pretended to sip the drink while connecting to his reconnaissance bee, attempting to eavesdrop on the patrons'' conversations.

    But it seemed there wasn''t any significant information; mostly boasting and gossip.

    "Excuse me... Are you an adventurer?"

    The tavern owner suddenly spoke up.

    Disconnecting from the reconnaissance bee, Hua Mi nodded, curious about the reason behind the inquiry.

    This owner, plump with a small mustache, eyes squinting, had a pleasant demeanor, appearing quite the merchant.

    For some reason, Hua Mi felt he exuded the vibe of a game''s quest NPC. Very typical.

    Just missing the floating question mark over his head.

    "Is your destination by any chance the ck Forest? Nowadays, few adventurerse here; the adventurer''s guild office in town has fallen into disuse."

    The tavern owner sighed before continuing, "To be honest, with the current state of the ck Forest, it''s hard to profit. However, maybe you''d be interested in this."

    With that, he pushed a yellowed piece of paper over.

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 Chapter 87: Collaboration

    Chapter 87: Coboration

    Hua Mi nced over and spotted a bounty mission disyed.

    It detailed the upation of a mine outside Heishi Town by monsters, recruiting brave souls to exterminate them.

    He wasn''t particrly interested. His purpose here was to get familiar with the environment, not to stir up trouble for himself. Besides, he wasn''t strapped for cash at the moment. Making a fortune by selling honey, why bother risking it all for tasks?

    Hua Mi shook his head. "That''s a shame."

    The innkeeper wiped a ss, his tone unchanged, still gentle. Yet, some patrons, fueled by alcohol, began to tease.

    "The boss here thinks he''s too good for our little quests."

    "Yeah, must be thinking it pays too little, not because he''s scared."

    "Come on, just because you wear a ck robe doesn''t make you an adventurer. I could be one too!"

    Hua Mi wouldn''t be goaded easily, letting their words flow without reaction.

    "Where are you from?" The innkeeper, seemingly to ease the awkwardness, casually asked.

    "The ck Forest."

    The tavern fell silent, then erupted intoughter.

    The innkeeper chuckled, clearly not taking the response seriously.

    "So, what brings you to our small town?"

    "Buying fertilizer."

    Someone chuckled, "Ah, a farmer!"

    The tavern filled with cheerful air. It wasn''t so bad, this atmosphere. It made him feel oddly connected.

    Initially, arriving in this otherworldly ce, he felt a barrier between himself and the world, like watching a TV show through a screen��everything seemed real, yet he felt an inherent loneliness.

    But amidst theughter of these people, he felt himself grounded, no longer floating.

    Was this a masochistic tendency? A self-deprecating thought crossed his mind, a faint smirk on his lips.

    ---

    Leaving the inn, it waste. Having explored the town enough, Hua Mi decided to head back to the ck Forest.

    He had arrived by summoning the Great Strength Bees, three of them that could reach speeds of around 10 meters per second and move in a straight line, far faster than walking.

    But it was better to take off from a secluded area to avoid drawing too much attention.

    Entering an alley, about to summon the bees, a chill ran down his spine.

    Again.

    That feeling of being watched.

    Hua Mi swiftly turned around.

    A semi-transparent milky-white figure lunged at him!

    A specter?

    After spending some time in this realm, Hua Mi had acquired somemon knowledge. In this world, the souls of the deceased typically journeyed to the spirit realm, with only a few ending up in the Nine Hells��some by choice, others due to sheer misfortune.

    The rest lingered in the mortal realm,monly referred to as specters.

    This particr one, however, wasn''t ordinary. Hua Mi noticed crimson lines coursing within its milky-white translucent body.

    Though he couldn''t fathom the reason, this specter was unusually aggressive, bordering on malevolent.

    Without thinking, Hua Mi summoned a swarm of ze Bees. Two groups arranged themselves before him, igniting pale mes, resembling a myriad of stars that illuminated the dim alley.

    The malevolent spirit seemed to fear the azure mes, abruptly halting, hands shielding its face, emitting a chilling wail.

    Not affording it a chance to react, Hua Mi directed the ze Bees like a meteor shower, bombarding the spirit.

    Sizzle��

    A sound akin to searing iron echoed; the malevolent spirit was almost instantly engulfed by the azure mes. Its ethereal form shattered into countless pieces, swiftly consumed by the ze, vanishingpletely from this world.

    The swarm surrounded him.

    Hua Mi stepped out of the alley, scanning his surroundings.

    Nothing seemed amiss.

    He couldn''t fathom it. Why would a malevolent spirit suddenly appear here? Heishi Town was a legitimate human settlement, albeit remote and small, but not to the extent where encountering such a spirit wasmonce.

    People came and went. If there were malevolent spirits around, someone would''ve noticed.

    Only one possibility lingered��it was targeting him.

    But on his first visit to Heishi Town, with no grudges or vendettas, who would target him?

    "Oh my!"

    "What was that?"

    "Did I... drink too much?"

    Hua Mi heard sudden gasps as a few patrons exited the tavern, seeing the pale mes enveloping him, leaving them stunned.

    Quietly, he retracted the ze Bees.

    ---

    "Resurrection? What''s that about?" Cole, overhearing passersby discussing a recent oddity in Heishi Town, found it incredulous. "You think Little Ford turned into a zombie? Should we check?"

    Carter chimed in, "Impossible, zombiesck cognitive abilities... from the sounds of it, his state seems more like a revenant."

    "What''s a revenant?"

    "It means..."

    Carter paused mid-sentence, fixatedly staring ahead.

    "What is it?" Cole inquired, following his gaze, equally surprised.

    At the mouth of the alley stood a familiar figure.

    Before he could react, Carter strode quickly in that direction.

    He had no choice but to follow suit.

    ---

    "Master, wee to Heishi Town."

    "... "

    Hua Mi hadn''t anticipated this encounter with them.

    And this term "Master" was just awkward. He always felt like an impostor.

    "Are you here to find us?" Cole jumped in before hispanion.

    Emting the tone of the master architect Alyss, Hua Mi calmly replied, "Passing through."

    Cole was taken aback. "So, you can talk..."

    Before he could finish, Carter nudged him, shutting him up.

    Unexpected as this meeting was, it might serve well. Hua Mi casually mentioned the recent attack by the malevolent spirit to them, hoping they might have some leads.

    Cole was no help, baffled by theplexity, mumbling, "Revival and malevolent spirits? When did Heishi Town be so eventful..."

    Carter, after pondering, said, "There are indeed a few specters in the outskirts'' cemetery, but they never attack humans... going by your description, that specter seemed influenced to turn malevolent... there could be various reasons, perhaps due to some dark sorcery or..."

    Clearly not Carter''s expertise, Hua Mi let it slide, swiftly diverting the conversation.

    No choice but to be vignt in the future.

    Initially nning to depart, Carter insisted he stayed.

    "It''s a courtesy to our guest. Hilia must be eager to meet you," Carter earnestly urged. "She''s been stuck in her alchemical experiments with Unicorn Horn Powder, perhaps your guidance might help."

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 Chapter 89: Observers Perspective

    Chapter 89: Observer''s Perspective

    Hua Mi eventually joined them to visit Hilia, as Carter had mentioned her odd state. Her spirit resembled a taut string, strained to its limit, ready to snap at any moment. It felt like her low-pressure field reached out several meters away.

    Hua Miforted her, stating that alchemy was aplex field where even following recipes didn''t guarantee sess. Considering she was experimenting without any references, hitting a roadblock was normal. She needed to ease up and not pressure herself too much.

    He learned that she hesitated to practice due to the rarity of unicorn horn powder, restricting herself to endless theoretical deductions.

    No wonder. She was needlessly making it harder for herself.

    Pulling out the unicorn horn from his ring space, Hua Mi showed it to her. "Just horn powder, plenty more where that came from. Go ahead confidently!"

    Under his encouragement, Hilia''s spirits finally rxed.

    ...

    Returning from Heishizhen that day, Hua Mi checked the greenhouse''s floral growth. The initially nted portion of the Mother Goddess''s Blessing had blossomed. From a distance, they resembled solidified mes, emitting a fragrance akin to dried petals up close.

    Interestingly, these flowers felt dry to the touch,cking in moisture. Considering honey collection here, the environment became a concern.

    The Mother Goddess''s Blessing grew in temperatures exceeding 40 to nearly 50 degrees Celsius. Normal bees struggled under such heat, let alone honey collection.

    Testing revealed that Forest Swift Bees'' heat resistance was only slightly better than regr Chinese bees, unsuitable for this area.

    Hua Mi decided to employ the Might Bees and Azure me Bees in the Mother Goddess''s Blessing area. The Might Bees were resilient, withstanding temperatures up to 60��C, ideal for high-temperature honey collection. The Azure me Bees, heavyweight and me-generating, were unperturbed by heat.

    Out of the newly purchased 35 regr bee colonies, 20 converted into Might Bees, totaling 31 colonies. Additionally, 10 colonies were converted into Azure me Bees. Twelve in total, 2 reserved forbat, and 10 split between both areas.

    The choice of Azure me Bees was due to their honey brewing potential for generating by-products. When brewing Thunder Blossom Honeyst time, it produced two Thunder Fire Beads. Perhaps brewing Mother Goddess''s Blessing Honey would yield something else. If they could consistently produce useful by-products like Thunder Fire Beads or with a high probability, Hua Mi considered elevating Azure me Bees to a near-5th tier bee, simr to zing Bees.

    While the floral growth was impressive, unfortunately, the first bloomed portion of the Mother Goddess''s Blessing showed no signs of producing flower spirits. ording to Seven Sprites, if a flower was to produce a spirit, it would show during the bud stage, and once fully bloomed, the spirit would have almost fully developed.

    "More than half remains unblooming, but the chance of producing flower spirits is low, so let''s keep our expectations low," Hua Mi assessed.

    ...

    After busying himself in the greenhouse, Hua Mi flew to Alyss''s residence. She had concealed her house with a spatial magic circle, making it imperceptible to passersby, even those using scout bees. Hua Mi had received a ''special invitation'' before, a unique ''key'' enabling him to break the spatial concealment and locate her house.

    Alyss prioritized tranquility for her research; hence, her high-security measures far surpassed the Bee Whisperer''s cottage. Their purposes differed.

    Arriving at the second-floor study, the setup remained simr to his previous visit��organized yet plentiful. New sketches on the wall depicted the style of the Brass City.

    Despite being engrossed in work, Alyss promptly rose from herfortable high-backed chair to greet Hua Mi with a subdued "wee."

    "What''s up?" she inquired, business-like.

    "Regarding the greenhouse, I have an idea. Not sure if it''s feasible," Hua Mi proposed, referring to the green fluid production. With the nting area doubled, the fluid''s production speed couldn''t meet demand.

    Though other tree nymphs existed in the ck Forest, they were scarce but traceable. Their actions left conspicuous marks, easily spotted from above, especially with Hua Mi''s highly perceptive scout bees. Why not integrate the green fluid production directly into the greenhouse''s system? A feature essible via the control panel, enabling the fluid to cover the entire field.

    Alyss concisely affirmed, "Possible."

    No additional materials were necessary, only the Enlightenment Hearts. Alyss had previously mentioned that designing and constructing were free, but materials needed to be provided by the individual.

    Considering, Hua Mi thought an additional three Enlightenment Hearts would suffice for now��a total of four in the short term.

    Mid-discussion, the room''s rm red. The mirror on the wall disyed an outside scene��a man in a purple robe stood at the door, cautiously eyeing the advancing animated armors.

    He had breached the spatial magic around the house.

    Recognizing him instantly, Hua Mi murmured, "rk��"

    "Do you know him?" Alyss asked.

    "He''s a Star Evaluator from the Adventurers Guild."

    rk''s voice echoed from outside, "Uh, anyone there? I''m David rk, a Star Evaluator. If it''s convenient, could you let me in? If not, I''lle backter�� Also, could these metal lumps step back a bit? They''re making me a tad nervous."

    "He''s unaffected by spatial magic," Hua Mi observed.

    Without Alyss''s ''invitation,'' he wouldn''t have entered, indicating his ability to bypass the spatial magic on his own.

    Alyss waved her hand, adjusting the mirror to focus on rk''s eyes. "Observer''s Perspective��" Alyss pondered. "He''s an observer."

    Observer�� though it was the first time hearing this term, Hua Mi could guess a bit from the name. He had glimpsed that look from rk before in the Bee Whisperer''s cottage��a state granting him exceedingly high observational capabilities, even the ability to discern spatial magic''s distortions.

    Alyss deactivated the animated armors and the house''s mechanisms, opening the door automatically.

    "Apologies for the intrusion," rk called from outside before stepping in. Hua Mi reminded Alyss, "You could''ve declined his entry. He might include you in the adventurer''s guide."

    "Not a big deal," Alyss shrugged, unfazed.

    This encounter promised an intriguing turn of events.

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 Chapter 90: Chaotic Neutrality?

    Chapter 90: Chaotic Neutrality?

    When rk ascended to the second floor, his pupils had reverted to their normal deep blue hue.

    Observation mode seemed to drain mana and likely consumed a considerable amount; it couldn''t be sustained indefinitely.

    The Star Rater was visibly surprised to see Hua Mi here but quickly stered on a smile, greeting them without questioning why they were present or their connection to Alyss.

    "Forgive my intrusion, but it''s part of my job. I hope you understand," rk apologized before smiling, "If I''m not mistaken, you''re the renowned ''Radiance'' Alyss, the top-tier architectural designer of the Emerald Court. Never thought I''d see you in a ce like this. It''s an honor."

    Alyss responded nonchntly, "Now, I''m Alyss of the ckwood."

    "Understood, Miss Alyss of the ckwood," rk retrieved his notes and quill, "If I understood correctly, your earlier statement implies you''vepletely severed ties with the Emerald Court and renounced the title of ''Radiance''?"

    His words hit the mark.

    Hua Mi suspected he might have known about this already; after all, he seemed to be privy to the alchemical disputes in Emerald City. Knowing Alyss had left for seclusion here wouldn''t be difficult for him.

    "You understood correctly."

    "Ah, I see... Let me ask, why did you choose to settle in the ckwood? What drew you here?"

    "No particr reason, just needed a quiet ce for research."

    rk nodded, jotting down something in his notes.

    He then snapped his notebook shut, smiling, "Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Alyss of the ckwood. I wish you a pleasant life in the ckwood. I''ll be around for a while. If you need any help, feel free to ask. I''d be d to assist."

    With a hand over his chest in a gesture of respect, he moved to leave the study.

    "Actually, there is something you could help with," Alyss, now seated again, rare amusement glinting in her smile, spoke up.

    "Uh... what might that be?" rk''s earlier words were merely polite, and her response caught him off guard.

    "We need to find a few tree spirits," Alyss said, her tone suggesting she expected quick results using his observational abilities.

    "That''s not untrue..." rk pondered for a moment, then cheerfully replied, "Alright, I can y the role of a temporary guide."

    ...

    Hua Mi and rk left Alyss''s residence together.

    Considering the dusk approaching, they decided to postpone searching for the tree spirits until tomorrow.

    Hua Mi hitched a ride, taking rk''s flying carpet back to the Bee Whisperer''s hut.

    The airborne conveyance was remarkablyfortable, spacious enough to even lie down. However, it had its drawbacks: slow speed, a tad slower than his War Hammer, and required mana to operate. Otherwise, it might have made for a convenient mode of transportation.

    As they journeyed, the two engaged in conversation. Hua Mi, curious, asked, "By your guild''s categorization, what faction is Alyss in?"

    "Considering her betrayal of Emerald City and her recent behavior..." rk replied, "I''d say she''s tentatively categorized as Chaotic Neutral."

    "Betrayal?"

    That term felt weighty, leaving Hua Mi perplexed. If Alyss simply left her city for seclusion in the forest to conduct research, could she truly bebeled a traitor?

    Was there something Alyss hadn''t told him?

    "Not to offend, but in our perspective as Star Raters, words hold no positive or negative connotations. It''s merely a descriptor... Are you her friend? Could you refrain from mentioning what I said just now? I''ll put in a good word for you in the uing adventure guide."

    Ignoring his semi-joking chatter, Hua Mi inquired, "What happened in Emerald City?"

    "You don''t know?" rk asked rhetorically, nodding afterward, "Understandable, information flow here is limited."

    Subsequently, rk shared the information he had with Hua Mi.

    The incident stemmed from Alyss''s return to Emerald City, proiming a Abyss Schr had sumbed to corruption from the Abyss.

    This caused an uproar not just in Emerald City but across the elven and various humanoid societies. The Abyss Studies Association instantly became the center of attention.

    Alyss''s reputation yed a crucial role; if an ordinary person made such ims, few would believe them. But she was the renowned Alyss, the ''Radiance'' of the elves��her words held weight.

    Rumors swirled, preparations for war loomed on the horizon, and to quell the rising tensions, the Elven King promptly denied Alyss''s ims.

    Then came a series of revtions��some information surfaced, alleging she was a descendant of both elves and Abyssal beings. These rumors aimed to undermine her and disrupt the monarchy.

    "Though it''s likely a smear campaign orchestrated by the Elven King, there''s a chance it holds truth. Her physical characteristics, the white irises, the pointed teeth, symbols of the Abyss in many records."

    Hua Mi found this surprising. He had assumed Alyss''s odd behavior in the face of the Abyss was due to a curse, not hybrid lineage.

    Can hybrids exist between elves and Abyssal beings?

    The realm was indeed chaotic.

    From rk''s ount, Alyss hadn''t mentioned Brass City or his name at all.

    Because it wasn''t necessary.

    The Abyss Studies Association was currently under intense scrutiny, striving to prove its innocence.

    Regardless of how Uno slipped through inspections before, as long as they ensured such incidents wouldn''t recur, her mission was fulfilled.

    This was all she could do.

    Her gambit used her reputation to ring the rm bells for the world. The bell tolled, her reputation shattered, and both sides suffered.

    "Do you believe what she said?"

    "I do. But it doesn''t matter. What''sing wille, and we''ll all face it together. There''s nothing to fear when you think about it that way."

    "..."

    While they spoke, the flying carpet arrived at the Bee Whisperer''s hut.

    "What''s that ss building for? Seems to use spatial expansion magic. Alyss''s work?" rk inquired, apparently unable to see through the mist enshrouding the greenhouse.

    "A greenhouse, for growing flowers."

    "Seems like a life worth envying. Can I take a look inside?"

    "You can, but most of the flowers haven''t bloomed yet..."

    Hua Mi invited him in, and only then did rk pass through the mist and enter the greenhouse.

    Upon witnessing the Pseudo-Flower Spirits bustling inside, rk momentarily froze.

    "Perhaps... about your factional categorization, it might need a reevaluation..."

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 Chapter 91: The Revived Youth

    Chapter 91: The Revived Youth

    ��Making these carefree little cuties so busy makes you even more devilish than the devil himself!�� rk, a migrant worker always on the move, empathized deeply.

    ��No wonder we didn''t find these little fellows when we came to the ck Forest. Turns out, they were hiding here,�� rk mused. ��In that case, the alignment of these pseudo-flower spirits could change towful neutral����

    Hua Mi recalled categorizing the pseudo-flower spirits as absolutely neutral in his adventure guide, much like tree spirits.

    ��Ha,wful neutral pseudo-flower spirits. They''re a unique bunch in the ck Forest... By the way, what kind of flowers are grown here?��

    ��Just ordinary flowers found all over the ck Forest.��

    ��What about the other side?��

    ��Not built yet.��

    Hua Mi casually replied, not intending to borate further.

    rk was understanding and didn��t continue probing.

    Exiting the greenhouse, rk rode his flying carpet to investigate elsewhere, saying he��d return early the next day.

    Hua Mi learned from the pseudo-flower spirits that observers didn��t need sleep and had strong night vision, so day or night made little difference to them.

    That was quite a practical feature, essentially doubling their avable time. However, he wondered if there was a cost to it.

    The next day, Hua Mi was all set, awaiting the arrival of the Stardust Schr to set out and find the tree spirit.

    However, after waiting for a while, the fellow hadn��t shown up. Though their interaction had been brief, Hua Mi felt he wasn��t someone who didn��t keep his word.

    Perhaps something dyed him on the way. Regardless, even without him, Hua Mi could venture out on his own. It might take a little longer, but there was no need to rush.

    Unable to leave immediately, Hua Mi, as usual, sat by the window reading.

    Yesterday, he had bought some books and materials in ckstone Town. Reading them in his free time not only passed the time but also helped him understand and assimte into this world.

    Just as he finished the first chapter of "Romantic History of Minstrels," he heard footsteps outside.

    Looking up, he saw Hir and the others �C Hir had finally reverted to her previous attire, a simple ponytail and neat clothes, looking much more ordinary.

    After Hir greeted him, her gaze inadvertentlynded on the shelves, her eyes immediately lighting up, hands clutching the windowsill like a hungry beast eyeing its prey.

    "New products?!" Hua Mi was genuinely worried she might pounce at any moment.

    Seems like she was normal on the outside but still the same inside.

    "Remember to stay rxed," Carter reminded, "Also, check the price. Have you cooled down?"

    Hir nced down at the price of 20 gold coins. The fervor in her eyes instantly dimmed.

    But she couldn��t resist asking, "What does it do? Electrocaps... what does that mean?"

    After Hua Mi''s exnation, all three were amazed.

    Suddenly, Col spoke up, "This is a perfect match for mages proficient in lightning spells. Too bad, Carter, you''re just a third-circle mage specializing in wind spells, clueless about lightning."

    Carter remained expressionless. "Is it necessary to emphasize ''third circle'' and ''small'' in that sentence?"

    "Hehe."

    While they casually chatted, Hua Mi had a sudden realization.

    The beastkin guy was right.

    The thunder blossom honey had this use.

    "If given to a unicorn, paired with its own lightning power, could it help repair its broken horn?"

    It was worth a try.

    If sessful, it would likely greatly improve rtions with the unicorn.

    Being neighbors in the ck Forest, maintaining good rtionships was essential.

    The three then got down to business.

    "We''ve taken on a missing person case," Carter disyed a portrait. "A young boy disappearedst night, and his family believes he entered the ck Forest. Do you have any clues?"

    The portrait depicted a rather handsome young man, but Hua Mi had no recollection.

    "Why do they think he''s in the ck Forest?"

    "This story is a bit long," Col interjected, exining, "This kid died not long ago, then came back to life, but in an odd state. He kept shouting abouting to the ck Forest. His family locked him in the basement, butst night, he broke out, taking the mayor''s daughter."

    "...That''s sinct enough but conveniently avoids all the key points."

    A lonely exnation.

    "Let me exin," Hir sighed, casting a nce at herpanions.

    Hua Mi gestured for them toe inside the cottage.

    Inside, there was enough furniture despite the small space. Chairs were sufficient at least.

    Using his mental power, Hua Mi fetched three bottled fruit teas made from featherflower honey, suitable for guests.

    Featherflower honey was currently the most suitable honey for hosting guests.

    Sleepflower honey would make people drowsy.

    Thunderblossom honey would make them want to touch electric switches.

    Neither were conducive to hospitality. Only featherflower honey was suitable for such asions.

    After taking a sip, their expressions rxed.

    Hir held her teacup, narrating the story.

    ...

    The revived youth was named Little Ford, and for some unknown reason, he hade to the ck Forest alone previously.

    It seemed he encountered some danger in the ck Forest, sustaining injuries. His family imed they were minor, but after returning, he developed a high fever and passed away that night.

    On the day of his burial, he suddenly crawled out of his coffin.

    Post-resurrection, Little Ford seemed like a different person, expressionless, almost like a zombie.

    While his family publicly dered he had been examined by a doctor and was fine, they also locked him in the basement, preventing him from interacting with outsiders.

    However, passersby could see Little Ford clinging to the basement window, murmuring phrases like "ck Forest" and "out of time."

    The townsfolk believed he had been cursed in the forest that day.

    Last night, Little Ford escaped from the basement, and concurrently, the mayor''s daughter, Theresa, went missing.

    Some imed to have seen someone carrying a girl in a white nightgown and red shoes, sprinting towards the ck Forest, running incredibly fast.

    "We went to Ford''s house to investigate. The heavy door was smashed from the inside, with deep w marks," Carter pondered. "I think Little Ford might have undergone some... change."

    If that were the case, it made sense that Little Ford brought the mayor''s daughter into the ck Forest.

    Hua Mi paused, pondering a question, "Is there any rtionship between Little Ford and the mayor''s daughter?"

    ording to Hir, "ording to Little Ford''s family, the two kids grew up together, and they seemed to have recently developed romantic feelings. However, the mayor disagreed, and just before Little Ford''s trouble, the mayor had forbidden them from meeting."

    Hmm, there was a hint of drama.

    But in this case, the focus wasn''t on their rtionship, but rather on Little Ford''s resurrection �C that''s where the keyy.

    Why did hee to the ck Forest?

    What did he encounter here?

    What was the reason behind his unusual behavior after returning from the dead?

    As the tale concluded, a brief silence enveloped the cabin.

    Everyone was deep in thought, even the seven little

    sprites pretended to contemte.

    Unable to tolerate the tense atmosphere, Col, restless, suddenly broke the silence, "Could it be a revenant?"

    Hearing that familiar term, Hua Mi couldn��t help but feel a jolt.

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 Chapter 92: The Ashen Graveyard

    Chapter 92: The Ashen Graveyard

    *Rumble��*

    The sky, covered in dense clouds, suddenly echoed with a muffled thunder.

    "Huami��"

    The mention of this word stirred up unpleasant memories for Hua Mi. The sheer awfulness he felt when the Devil Projection appeared remained unforgettable, an experience he never wished to relive. Looking back, he realized that without the calming influence of the Cloak of Composure, he might not have reacted at all.

    That could have been the end of his journey in that otherworldly ce.

    "It''s impossible," Carter dismissed, "I merely mentioned it that day. In reality, there shouldn''t be anyone capable of creating a resurrection corpse, especially not in a small ce like Huaishi Town��"

    However, after saying this, he seemed somewhat hesitant, discreetly observing Hua Mi, trying to gauge his reaction.

    But Hua Mi knew that there weren''t just people capable of creating resurrection corpses in this world. Just recently, a resurrection corpse had emerged in the ck Forest, its body obliterated by a unicorn.

    As for its soul��

    Hua Mi suddenly remembered the traits of a resurrection corpse. As long as it remained within the revenge period, no matter how many times its physical form was destroyed, the soul would find another suitable humanoid body to inhabit.

    How long was this revenge period?

    Several months or a year?

    If the time spent in the mortal realm by that resurrection corpse hadn''t exceeded its revenge deadline, it could reappear and its target remained unmistakable��the unicorn in the ck Forest!

    This exined Little Ford''s persistence in targeting the ck Forest after his revival.

    Hua Mi meticulously recollected the scene from before. The cloaked mage only sacrificed three souls, and the soul of the resurrection corpse served as a conduit to the Nine Abysses, not being sacrificed itself. Later, even though the corpse was destroyed by the unicorn, what about its soul?

    Initially, Hua Mi believed that since the creator of the resurrection corpse, the cloaked figure, had died, the spell effects tethering it to this world should''ve dissipated, much like the golden birdcage trapping Little Orange.

    However, now reconsidering, as a formed resurrection corpse, it might no longer require the cloaked figure''s magic or contract to sustain itself. It had be an independent entity.

    If that were the case, ording to the traits of a resurrection corpse, it could reappear in a different form��such as inhabiting the recently deceased Little Ford''s body. Freshly deceased, the body wouldn''t look much different from a living one.

    But what about the changes urring within him?

    Why take the mayor''s daughter along?

    These aspects remained unclear.

    Furthermore, there were other minor details. Though exnations existed, they often felt strained.

    Observing Hua Mi lost in thought, the trio held their breath, clutching their teacups, afraid to disturb his train of thought.

    Hua Mi''s concerny in the introduction of such an unstable factor into the ck Forest, posing potential threats to himself and Hua Tian. It was necessary to investigate thoroughly; otherwise, it felt like a thorn lodged in his mind.

    If the Star Observer, rk, were present, with his keen observer''s perspective, he could surely pinpoint the target swiftly. However, the pigeon seemed to have flown off somewhere, and it was nearing noon, still absent.

    Use scout bees?

    The ck Forest was vast; searching without a specific target wouldn''t be that easy.

    Or perhaps, a visit to the unicorn first?

    If Little Ford had transformed into an ordinary resurrection corpse, Hua Mi believed the unicorn could handle it.

    However, ording to the trio''s descriptions, Little Ford had undergone some sort of transformation.

    In the asymmetry of information, another urrence like thest time couldn''t be ruled out.

    If caught off guard, even a formidable creature like the unicorn might face defeat.

    If the unicorn faced trouble, the one beneath the ruins of ck Castle would be in jeopardy.

    Such a situation must not be allowed.

    The ck Forest shouldn''t harbor such formidable malevolence.

    How could one farm and tend bees with such concerns?

    "During this trip, I could also bring Thunder Lily Honey to the unicorn."

    ��

    Hua Mi informed them of his intention to go somewhere, unsure if any clues regarding Little Ford could be found there. Whether to go or not was their own decision.

    The three almost instantly replied: to go.

    Only then did they remember to ask where they were headed.

    "ck Castle Ruins."

    "��"

    All three were taken aback.

    If memory served, that ce was the unicorn''s territory?

    It wasn''t a ce where one could casually stroll in.

    But considering that he could even obtain a unicorn''s broken horn, it wasn''t surprising.

    In fact, that broken horn might havee from the unicorn within the ruins of ck Castle.

    This left only two possibilities.

    Either he killed the unicorn.

    Or he subdued it.

    Either way, it spoke volumes about the terrifying strength of this recluse fluent in beenguage!

    For a moment, the trio felt as if they were admiring a towering mountain, overwhelmed by the pressure.

    "Any flying apparatus?" Hua Mi inquired.

    "Oh, yes, we have one."

    Carter hastily retrieved a flying vessel from a storage ring, capable of amodating four people.

    The vessel had a shuttle-like appearance, with two rows of seats inside and a control lever upright at the front.

    Carter operated it from the front while the others sat behind.

    With a hum, the vessel illuminated a blue pathway and ascended into the sky, heading towards the ruins of ck Castle.

    This vessel was much faster than a flying carpet but not asfortable and a bit bumpy.

    During the flight, apart from Carter concentrating on driving, the other three kept an eye on the ground.

    It was the Ice Age, and with the foliage gone, there was an unobstructed view.

    After flying for more than half an hour, Hir suddenly noticed something and pointed in a direction. "There, is that fog rising?"

    The vessel slowed down.

    All three followed her gaze.

    Indeed, there was a hazy mist rising from the surface in the distance.

    It took her keen sight to distinguish it; otherwise, most would mistake it for snow.

    It was unusual for fog to form on such a cold day naturally.

    "That mist looks peculiar. Let''s check it out," Carter redirected the vessel towards the mist.

    Soon, they arrived directly above the fog.

    From this close, things seemed even more amiss.

    The mist only reached a limited height, barely past their knees��though for Alyss, it would probably be around her waist.

    The murky fog slowly spread outward, indicating a source.

    "That direction�� should be the ''Ashen Graveyard,'' right?" Hir uncertainly stated, "Could something abnormal be happening inside the graveyard?"

    "That''s it!" Col eximed, pounding his fist. The others looked at him, puzzled.

    "What''s ''it''?"

    "Graveyard, death, resurrection, Little Ford��aren''t they all rted? I bet Little Ford is in the Ashen Graveyard, and this mist is probably rted to him!"

    "��"

    Oddly enough, though it was a bit of a wild theory, it might just hit the mark. Sometimes, the straightforward thought process of a beastly person might cut through all convolutions and get straight to the truth itself.

    Regardless, something was certainly off about this ce, demanding investigation.

    The vessel proceeded towards the

    Ashen Graveyard.

    Due to uncertainties about the mist, Carter cautiously slowed down.

    Meanwhile, Hua Mi controlled a scout bee to approach the fog below.

    The scent��

    It resembled the stench of rotten meat left out in the hot summer sun for several days.

    A smell of decay and death.

    Hua Mi involuntarily held his breath.

    Of course, it was futile.

    Because the smell wasn''t his; it came from the shared sensory perception of the scout bee.

    As they drew closer to the center of the graveyard, the mist thickened.

    Additionally, amidst the ashen mist, there were red veins akin to blood streaks.

    The scent transmitted by the scout bee now carried a tinge of blood.

    They could already discern scattered, askew tombstones on the ground.

    Hua Mi closed his eyes, scrutinizing the bee''s transmitted visuals.

    Suddenly, a broken tombstone shed in his view, catching his attention.

    Hua Mi immediately directed the scout bee to focus back on it.

    Through the dense fog, a figurey sprawled atop that tombstone.

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 Chapter 93: Bite Marks

    Chapter 93: Bite Marks

    A figurey sprawled across a half-toppled tombstone, unmoving. Hua Mi maneuvered the scout bees closer, narrowing the distance until a familiar purple robe caught their sight.

    "rk?!"

    No way. Hua Mi''s heart skipped a beat, directing the bees to get a better view. Sure enough, it was him. At this moment, rk''s head and arms drooped lifelessly, devoid of any vitality.

    In fact, through the sensory sharing of the scout bees, there was no trace of his heartbeat or breath.

    He''s dead�� Just yesterday, he was joking around with him, and now, he''s gone. It''s surreal.

    Hua Mi pondered, what kind of danger could have led him to this? It seemed bizarre. As an observer, his perception was exceptional. He could even see through Alyss''s space-distorting magic with the naked eye. Normally, he should handle most situations easily.

    Typically, he''d notice impending danger too.

    However, with great perceptiones consequences, especially in such an unpredictable environment.

    "Halt." Hua Mimanded the flying vessel.

    A swarm of bees poured out of his sleeve, rushing towards the body below.

    The mist seemed non-toxic; the scout bees had navigated it for a while without any repercussions. The swarm cradled rk''s body, suspended near the vessel.

    "There''s a wound on his neck," Hir keenly observed.

    Hua Mi controlled the swarm, slightly adjusting the body, revealing two round-shaped punctures.

    An attack that even an observer couldn''t evade must havee from a powerful creature.

    Looking at his pale skin, seemingly drained of blood, yet with minimal traces around the wounds, it resembled the description of a vampire in books.

    However, vampires, as undead creatures cursed by the abyss, were rare.

    "Are there vampires in the ck Forest��?" Carter started, then suddenly remembered something. "Right, I remember there was a vampire suppressed beneath the ck Castle ruins, that unicorn��"

    The three exchanged nces. Hua Mi knew what they were thinking and calmly said, "The unicorn survived, only lost its horn. As long as it''s there, the vampire can''t emerge. Theoretically."

    But would the broken horn weaken it, affecting the vampire''s impact on the outside world? He couldn''t say. Plus, he hadn''t been to the ck Castle ruins since then. Changes might have urred.

    There were two choices now: investigate the ruins or venture deeper into the graveyard. It wouldn''t be wise to rashly enter if there truly was a vampire here. Even if it wasn''t, the danger that could kill an observer had to be handled cautiously.

    Hua Mi manipted the swarm to ce rk on the ship, contemting their next move. Then, Hir spoke up, "Maybe we can ask her."

    Hua Mi followed her gaze. In the distance, among the hazy tombstones, a translucent milky-white figure floated, resembling a faded human from the waist up, almost merging with the mist below.

    "I hate ghosts," Col grumbled.

    Carter steered the ship in that direction. Passing a tree, Col suddenly leaped onto a sturdy branch, perching atop it like a monkey,pletely at ease.

    Carter stabilized the swaying vessel, frowning at him.

    Col, unfazed, said, "I''m waiting here for you guys."

    Hir retorted, "It''s a ghost, not a malevolent spirit. It won''t attack. No need to be afraid."

    Col defended, "I''m not scared; I just don''t like the smell around ghosts."

    Shaking his head, Carter continued steering towards the apparition. The ghost appeared as a demuredy, with flowing hair and borate attire that didn''t resemble modern fashion.

    Noticing the approaching vessel, she darted away like a shy neighbor''s girl, disappearing amidst the fog.

    "We scared her," Hir remarked. "Let''s go slower this time."

    Carter manipted the ship to approach gradually. When they were at a considerable distance, he stopped, so as not to spook her again.

    The ghost hid behind a tree, resembling a timid neighbor.

    "Don''t be afraid; we won''t harm you," Hir addressed her. "What''s your name?"

    "We must stop them�� quickly��" The ghost''s voice was ethereal, close yet distant.

    "Stop who?" Hir immediately inquired. "What''s happening here?"

    "Stop them�� please��!"

    At that moment, a red streak, akin to a snake hiding in the mist, leaped from behind the tree.

    The ghost shrieked, turning into an indistinct glow and fled.

    Chase ensued.

    Both vanished in the thick fog.

    "What�� just happened?" Carter pondered. "It seems someone is capturing the ghosts here."

    "Capturing�� ghosts? For what purpose?" Hir questioned.

    "I don''t know, but if I were to guess, they''re probably trying to utilize the remnants of undead power here."

    The flying vessel retraced its path.

    The beast-man agilely leaped back onto the ship, nonchntly whistling to alleviate the tense atmosphere.

    Hir nced at him, "Everyone faces death; why are you afraid of bing something you''ll eventually turn into?"

    "I said I dislike the smell around ghosts." Col corrected himself, sitting back, chatting, "I fear neither heaven nor earth. Ghosts or even malevolent spirits are not a concern��"

    At that moment, Hua Mi raised an eyebrow, noticing a slight movement in the fingers of the body on the ship.

    Then��

    "Urgh��"

    The supposedly deceased stargazer emitted a weak groan and tremulously lifted a hand.

    "Ah!!!" Col''s eyes widened instantly, his seat abandoned as he toppled backward from the ship.

    Bang!

    With a muffled thud uponnding, the mist momentarily dispersed around the spot, then quickly filled in, engulfing Col''s figure.

    Faking death on the ship, Col fell off.

    For a moment, the three on the vessel didn''t know whom to attend to first.

    rk had opened his eyes by now, seeing Hua Mi nearby, weakly apologizing, "Sorry, I missed our appointment�� ran into a bit of trouble."

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 Chapter 94: Dragon Soul

    Chapter 94: Dragon Soul

    Life had returned to him.

    His heart thumped anew, a hint of color touching his cheeks.

    He sat up, pressing against his temples, his brows furrowed.

    Hua Mi didn''t immediately speak to him, allowing him a moment to recover while cautiously observing him.

    He was alive.

    But who knew if he was still himself.

    Carter and Hilia were concerned about Col who had fallen, asking if he was alright.

    Col stood up, gesturing above with a sign of reassurance and then shouted, "Carter, can''t you steer the boat more steadily?"

    "...," Carter didn''t bother to engage in trivial conversation.

    Nevertheless, this ident further proved that the mist here was harmless to the body.

    The eerie blood lines within the mist seemed oblivious to him, automatically veering away upon his approach.

    "It''s just too foul."

    Col, sensitive to smells, nearly fainted from the stench.

    "I''ll help you up..."

    Before Carter could finish, Col dashed towards a nearbyrge tree, swiftly climbing up, settling back onto the branch, gazing at the resurrected rk. "What happened to him? Didn''t he die?"

    rk sighed, "Close call. Luckily, I had an ace up my sleeve; otherwise, I''d have been finished here. Dying in a two-star adventure site would be a debacle."

    He retrieved a bottle of Thunder Blossom Honey from his storage ring, pouring arge gulp into his mouth.

    Then, he pulled out a small bottle filled with lightning, inserting his entire hand inside.

    Furious thunderous energy flowed into him, causing every hair to stand on end.

    rk savored it, closing his eyes as his heartbeat strengthened, breathing evened out, hisplexion visibly recovering, and some abrasions quickly healed.

    A few seconds of charging and rk was back in full health.

    However, Hua Mi noticed the two small holes on his neck only shrank, not fully healed.

    rk seemed oblivious, relieved, smiling as he extended his hand in greeting to Hilia and Carter, then courteously acknowledged Col perched on the branch.

    "...," always maintaining etiquette even in such situations.

    Whether it was bravery or na?vet�� remained unclear.

    Seeing himposed, Hua Mi inquired, "Who attacked you?"

    rk took a deep breath, "If I''m not mistaken, it was a vampire affiliate."

    Beside them, Col asked in confusion, "What''s a vampire affiliate?"

    Amendation for Col''s inquisitive nature silently crossed Hua Mi''s mind.

    "It''s a type of vampire spawn," rk''s expression grew serious, touching his neck, "I suspect it might be rted to the vampire beneath ckcastle Ruins."

    Carter''s expression shifted, "Has it truly emerged?"

    rk shook his head, "Not necessarily. The formation of a vampire affiliate is rather unique, more akin to a pact. Perhaps, taking advantage of a momentarypse in the unicorn''s vignce, coincidentally finding a suitable host nearby, the vampire could transmit the pact''s information."

    Host...

    Like a soul?

    The soul of that reanimated corpse.

    Perhaps, during its escape, it carried the vampire''s pact energy.

    "What did the vampire affiliate who attacked you look like?" Carter inquired.

    "A frail young man," rk recalled, "He had a girl apanying him."

    "Little Ford, it must be him."

    "But what''s his objective?" rk nced downward, "Regardless of his intentions, we should stop him before hepletes his n. What do you think?"

    ...

    As the airship approached the center of the graveyard, the bloodlines below became denser.

    Each line dragged a luminous orb, swiftly converging in a particr direction.

    "Is he absorbing the remnants of the undead here? Can a vampire affiliate do that?" Carter was unfamiliar with this knowledge.

    "The curse origin of vampires, essentially, roots from a pact between the vampire progenitor and the abyss, granting them lordly power. As undying beings, vampires can forcibly gather weaker remnants of the undead. It''s not surprising for a vampire affiliate, via a secondary pact, to inherit this summoning ability," rk exined.

    "If that''s the case, it''s even worse. The undead remnants here possess stronger power than regr spirits."

    "Is there something special here?" Curious Col continued his questioning.

    Hilia exined, "The Ashen Graveyard is, in fact, an ancient battleground. Long ago, the renowned Ashen Knights besieged a malevolent dragon here. Though they ultimately seeded in killing the dragon, almost all of the knights perished. Meaning, those resting here are mostly dragon-ying heroes..."

    Before she finished her sentence, a hoarse roar echoed from the front.

    Deafening.

    Hua Mi felt his head buzz.

    Fortunately, his mental strength was high, coupled with the calm robe, he quickly regained focus.

    The airship proceeded cautiously.

    Soon, a bizarre sight appeared before them within the encirclement of gravestones.

    In the middle of the graveyard, a semi-transparent milky white spirit slowly took shape.

    It was an image of a colossal dragon, only its upper half present, floating in mid-air.

    Beneath the dragon soul stood a figure, arms outstretched.

    A frail body entwined by blood-red threads.

    The orbs continued to converge towards him, and the dragon-like spirit was intricately connected to his body.

    "Is that Little Ford? How did he end up like this?" Carter couldn''t fathom the intricacies.

    "We''ll think about thatter. He''s absorbing the undead energy here. If left unchecked, his strength will grow, especially with the remnants of the dragon''s aura. Once fully absorbed, his power might rival that of the vampire progenitor''s within a short span. If that happens, it''ll be toote. We have to stop him," rk looked gravely at everyone. "I suggest attacking the dragon soul first; this task is on you."

    With that, rk released a flying carpet and leaped from the airship.

    "You''re not nning to help?" Col was puzzled.

    "I''m an observer, adept at observing and surviving, not fighting. Joining in would only burden you," rk chuckled. "But don''t worry; I won''t flee. I''ll discreetly monitor the target''s movements and weaknesses, providing you with intel promptly."

    ...

    "The airship''s too conspicuous; we should split our attack," Hilia proposed, looking towards Hua Mi, evidently seeking his opinion.

    "Don''t rush," Hua Mi deliberated for a moment before saying, "Let''s probe first."

    The advantage of his swarm attacky in its mysterious and unpredictable nature.

    Why confront head-on when you can y deviously.

    Today, he''d showcase their capabilities.

    He directed Carter to halt the airship behind a tree.

    Hua Mi closed his eyes, first controlling a scout bee to fly above the target, surveying the entire battlefield.

    Through the bee''s perspective, he could better assess and control the situation, almost like a game''s viewpoint.

    He immediately noticed another figure beside the dragon soul.

    A young girl, despite the cold weather, was dressed in a thin white nightgown.

    That should be the mayor''s daughter, Theresa.

    Seated on a gravestone, wearing red shoes, she swung her feet back and forth, her gaze fixed on Little Ford and the dragon soul''s direction.

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 Chapter 95: Who Calls This Two-Star?

    Chapter 95: Who Calls This Two-Star?

    "Hua Mi, something''s off."

    Hua Mi had already positioned two groups of fierce fire bees on either side, ready for an assault.

    The n was to encircle the yet-to-be-formed Dragon Soul.

    But the girl''s demeanor puzzled him.

    In such cold weather, just wearing a thin nightgown was odd enough.

    But instead of fear at the scene before her, she seemed oddly at ease.

    This was definitely not a normal reaction.

    There was something fishy.

    Gathering intel was crucial.

    So, Hua Mi shifted tactics. Instead of immediatelymanding the fierce fire bee attack, he continued controlling scout bees, gradually descending.

    The scent of blood and decay grew stronger, almost overpowering other smells.

    "Boom, boom, boom..."

    As they descended, a strong heartbeat resonated.

    Yes.

    Two people, yet only one heartbeat.

    This was within his expectations; after all, he had guessed there was a revenant here.

    A revenant upied the body of a humanoid being. Although it could move freely, fundamentally, it wasn''t alive; it didn''t need sleep, food, or breath, hence, no heartbeat.

    However, what surprised him was that the heartbeat came from Little Ford.

    Not only did he have a heartbeat, but it was remarkably strong, surpassing an ordinary person''s.

    Meanwhile, the girl on the tombstone had no heartbeat!

    Was she the deceased?

    Hua Mi''s mind raced,bining previous spection with rk''s information about vampire kin. Suddenly, a theory emerged.

    "The mayor''s daughter isn''t alive."

    Hua Mi shared this revtion with the teammates beside him.

    "What do you mean? Is she the revenant?" Col questioned, "But wait... wasn''t it Little Ford who was revived?"

    "Revenant?" rk looked puzzled, "Why bring up a revenant... Oh well, I can''t vouch for others, but that boy you mentioned couldn''t possibly be a revenant."

    "Why?" Col asked.

    "Because he''s clearly be a vampire kin," rk stated matter-of-factly, "Vampire kin can only transform from living beings, which means the contract only applies to the living. Revenants are fundamentally still corpses."

    The trio fell into confusion.

    However, this revtion rified things for Hua Mi.

    rk''s exnation validated his theory.

    Theresa was a revenant, bearing the vampire''s contract.

    However, she couldn''t transform herself as she was already a corpse.

    So, she used Little Ford.

    As the carrier and intermediary of the contract, she made Little Ford ept the contract.

    Their rtionship was intricate; Little Ford might have been deceived into thinking she was still the original Theresa.

    For instance, she could have told him she had no heartbeat due to some curse, requiring unicorn blood or something simr to dispel it.

    Hence, his determination toe to the ck Forest.

    Willing to ept the vampire''s contract, be a vampire kin, ande to the Ashes Cemetery to absorb the potent residual energy of the undead here for short-term self-enhancement, all to counter the unicorn.

    It didn''t necessarily require defeating it; just restraining it and allowing the vampire sealed beneath ck Castle Ruins to regain freedom.

    A hornless unicorn might not necessarily stand against two united vampire kin.

    With this, the situation made sense.

    However, it wasn''t the time to dwell on these background stories.

    Hua Mi didn''t hesitate anymore. Using scout bees as his eyes, he controlled two groups of fierce fire bees, initiating a pincer attack from both sides.

    One aimed at the Dragon Soul.

    The other targeted the revenant.

    Both groups swiftly closed in on their targets.

    Theresa sensed the imminent danger, abruptly looking at the approaching swarm.

    "Hu��"

    Simultaneously, the two groups of fierce fire bees ignited pale mes, merging into a scorching pale fireball, hurtling toward their targets.

    However, faced with the overwhelming assault, Theresa seemed uninterested in evasion.

    Her gaze was a mix of reluctance and bitterness.

    "It''s you again!"

    "Why do you always interfere with me!"

    Do you believe it''s a coincidence?

    Little Ford suddenly looked in Theresa''s direction, his crimson pupils shrinking.

    His body seemed to morph into a blood-colored remnant, instantly appearing beside Theresa, lifting her, then with another flicker, they were several meters away.

    The fierce fire bee swarm attacking Theresa also abruptly halted, the pale mes extinguishing simultaneously.

    The advantage of his fierce fire bees over regr fireball spellsy in their agility and tolerance. If the initial strike missed, they could swiftly readjust and continue the assault.

    However, the other group didn''t stop; it continued its onught toward the Dragon Soul.

    Sizzle��

    Apanied by a sound akin to tempering, the pale fireball pierced the Dragon Soul''s chest, burning a gaping hole with scorched edges that slowly expanded.

    He''d noticed this during the encounter with the evil spirit in ckstone Town; pale fire seemed to restrain such spiritual entities.

    As the Dragon Soul was hit, a resounding draconic roar echoed.

    The few people behind the trees couldn''t help but feel awe.

    A partially iplete Dragon Soul wielded such intimidating power; it hinted at the terror the original dragon must have possessed.

    The abundance of spiritual entities...

    Hua Mi quickly regainedposure from the shock of the draconic roar, directing the two groups of fierce fire bees to disperse.

    The pale fireball disintegrated instantly, splitting into numerous small fireballs that dispersed, encircling the Dragon Soul within a massive spherical space.

    A simultaneous onught.

    Over twenty thousand small fireballs flew from all directions toward the Dragon Soul.

    Sizzle��

    As the fireballs made contact, they emitted a tempering sound.

    The Dragon Soul was instantly riddled with holes.

    After piercing the Dragon Soul''s spiritual body, the fierce fire bees followed up with counterattacks...

    The Dragon Soul shattered into numerous spiritual fragments, swiftly incinerated by the pale fire.

    Having dealt with the Dragon Soul, the fierce fire bee groups regrouped, facing the vampire kin.

    At this point, Theresa in Little Ford''s arms had fallen motionless, reverting to a corpse.

    The soul of this revenant finally departed from the mortal realm.

    However, the ordeal wasn''t over.

    The vampire kin before them seemed to have lost its sanity, its body boiling with aggression.

    "Roar!"

    Fully transformed, Col lunged at Little Ford, resembling a massive wolf��or perhaps a dog, almost bear-sized, swiping at him.

    Little Ford, in an instant, appeared behind it, blood tendrils coiling around his body forming spikes aiming at Col''s vitals.

    Yet, underfoot, a sudden hurricane appeared, trapping him in its eye, obstructing its vision and attacks.

    As it forcefully broke free, Hry''s des awaited it.

    Four Hrysunched simultaneous attacks from different sides.

    ng, ng, ng��the sound of des and light filled the air.

    Each strikended on its joint support areas.

    Strike and retreat, avoiding excessive greed for strikes.

    Truly members of the same adventuring party.

    Their coordinated attacks significantly weakened the target''sbat capabilities.

    Little Ford was now on one knee, one hand on the ground, panting heavily, seemingly unable to rise.

    However, the next moment, strange blood tendrils surged from him, wrapping around his body like a blood-red armor, supporting him.

    The blood tendrils extended to the ground, rapidly spreading out like a tidal wave.

    Bang!

    The entire area shook as if an invisible giant''s palm pped the ground.

    The ground shattered, revealing a massive hollow area, and a long tunnel appeared in the blink of an eye, leading to an unknown depth.

    Hua Mi''s pupils contracted.

    This was a spatial rift!

    Little Ford had created a spatial rift!

    Whether it was to escape or bring forth some powerful entity, no one could tell.

    "Stop him!"

    The four Hrys yelled in unison.

    However, it was toote.

    Little Ford had disappeared into the spatial rift.

    The four Hrys shared nces before looking at Hua Mi.

    The situation was beyond their expertise.

    Hua Mi understood their gaze.

    "Activate!"

    As his voice echoed, ayer of pale blue light shrouded the surroundings.

    This was the magical barrier set up by the Adventurer''s Guild.

    With Little Ford gone, their primary objective had been aplished.

    Yet, the ck Forest''s peace remained in jeopardy.

    The pale blue light symbolized a call for reinforcements.

    The ash particles scattered in the air seemingly carried a sense of urgency as they soared into the night sky, signaling the Adventurer''s Guild for aid.

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 Chapter 96: The Bloodsucking Bees

    Chapter 96: The Bloodsucking Bees

    "Is this a vampire derivative?"

    Fangs and dted pupils...

    All ssic signs of a vampire derivative.

    However, ording to the books, Hua Mi remembered that only the true vampire core could transform in this manner.

    Derivatives, even those affiliated with vampires, couldn''t transmit the curse in this fashion.

    Simply put, their rank was too low, not up to par.

    But why would he...?

    At that moment, a ghostly figure, mounted on a warhorse and d in armor, drifted over, wielding a long spear, looking rather imposing.

    "I am Elvin Duncan, leader of the Ashen Knights, honored to meet you all here."

    The knight performed a gant gesture.

    The leader of the Dragon yer Regiment.

    Respect surged.

    "I stayed here out of concern that malicious forces might exploit the lingering dragon aura in this ce. Unexpectedly, I was suppressed by the forces of evil this time. It''s truly embarrassing."

    The knight shook his head. "Had it not been for your assistance, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Please ept my utmost respect."

    Hua Mi humbly replied, "We only defeated a fragmented dragon spirit. But you all, you''re the true dragon yers."

    Upon hearing this, the knight couldn''t help but proudly puff his chest. "The Ashen Knights are the elite of our race. On the battlefield, we are unstoppable. Bearing this name, we cannot retreat. If the evil dragon has a physical form, it can be destroyed!"

    *Cough* A bout of coughing interrupted their mutual admiration. David rk, pale and weak, raised a hand. "I apologize for interrupting your conversation, but can someone help me? I believe I can be saved, thank you."

    "..."

    "This situation is quite peculiar. Normally, those bitten by a vampire derivative don''t get cursed; they simply die," the knight circled him. "In his case, what could be the reason? It''s rather puzzling."

    Maybe it didn''t needplex consideration; perhaps, it was simply due to his bad luck. Just like the slim probability of being killed by a cat��it''s low but not impossible. Simrly, the chance of turning into a derivative after being bitten was low but not zero. He just happened to catch it.

    Or perhaps, it was because he used his so-called ace in the hole to survive the derivative''s attack.

    The book mentioned that victims rarely survived the attack, hence there were no transformations. He tenaciously survived and, luckily, became the first derivative transformed by a vampire derivative.

    Maybe the industry would name this phenomenon after him.

    rk in the midst of transformation appeared incredibly weak and in pain, emitting wisps of white vapor. Yet, he managed a faint smile, his lips barely stretching, "Better than dying outright, isn''t it? ...But could you cover the light? Feels like I''m being roasted by mes."

    Vampires and derivatives were nocturnal creatures; daylight harmed them. Even on overcast days, the intensity could make them ufortable, especially during transformation.

    Hilia immediately produced a nket, covering him. Then, both fell into silence.

    In the graveyard''s setting, one couldn''t help but feel the urge for a moment of silence.

    "Thank you." rk''s weak voice came from under the nket.

    After Carter retrieved Col, the trio bid farewell to Hua Mi for the time being. Their priority was to bring back the two bodies toplete the mission. Such an event would likely stir amotion in ckstone Town.

    There were still some unanswered questions about this incident��when and how Teresa died and why Little Ford ventured into the ck Forest. These required inquiries with the families involved after their return to town.

    However, these were all matters forter.

    After discussing with rk, Hua Mi used a magical box to transport him to a ce��the ruins of ck Castle.

    Perhaps, the unicorn knew how to handle him. Although the book stated that the transformation of a derivative was irreversible, maybe, during this transformation phase, the mystical unicorn had a way to reverse the process.

    Stepping into the unicorn''s domain, Hua Mi immediately felt a serene atmosphere, calming down after the recent battle. A faint white light enveloped him.

    Then, he and the swarm of bees disappeared into thin air.

    In the next moment, hended outside the familiar courtyard. Chattering sounds emanated from the wall, green monkeys gossiping.

    The unicorn regarded him impassively, its broken horn seeming slightly longer than thest time they met.

    "Just a partial recovery. Looks like what the book said was true; unicorns aren''t easily injured, but when they are, their recovery is slow. Moreover, their horns are even more special; regrowth is difficult, and recovery is slower."

    Wonder if the Thunder Lily Bee Honey will work for it?

    Bees and their honey were like nonexistent bugs in this world.

    Given their nature, maybe they could bypass certain limitations to achieve their goals.

    Hua Mi cleared his throat, "Thank you for seeing me. I''vee this time��"

    "Vampire." Before he could finish, a majestic voice suddenly broke the silence, interrupting him.

    "You carry the scent of a vampire. What has happened?"

    Hua Mi was taken aback.

    This unicorn could talk!

    And quite fluently.

    So, why didn''t it speak earlier?

    Was it trying to act cool?

    How could there be such...

    Oh.

    Hua Mi suddenly realized that he might not be in a position to say that.

    When he first interacted with Hir and the others, he stayed silent, pretending to be a pro. He only spoke after bing familiar with their nature.

    Moreover, the unicorn probably didn''t speak earlier to act cool��it was already a pro.

    Probably just toozy to speak.

    After all, there was Little Orange using telepathy as a trantor at that time.

    But it wasn''t the time to dwell on that now.

    Hua Mi released rk from the magical box.

    Thetter was already incoherent, lying motionless on the ground.

    Faint red lines streaked his pale skin.

    Hua Mi summarized the events that had urred in the graveyard, especially the spection about vampires passing contracts externally. This information was crucial for the unicorn to monitor, preventing a recurrence.

    "Is there any way to save him in his current state?" Hua Mi asked after narrating the graveyard incident.

    The unicorn, silent for a moment, resonated through the air. "Leave him here."

    Hua Mi brightened. "Do you have a way?"

    The unicorn didn''t respond further.

    Hua Mi vanished on the spot.

    ...

    The quest to find the tree nymph was postponed for now.

    Exhausted, Hua Mi just wanted to go home and sleep.

    Upon returning, several Pseudo-Flower Spirits surrounded him, eager for a story.

    "Next time, I promise. Right now, I need rest."

    The little ones dispersed disappointedly.

    But before resting, he had to examine the newly acquired bee species.

    He had already thought of a name on the way home.

    They would be called "Bloodsucking Bees."

    Releasing a mutated individual, its size akin to a ze Bee, but entirely crimson, with blood-like veins on its wings, looked eerie.

    Its special ability matched its peculiar appearance.

    It could release a unique magical field, absorbing life energy from targets within range!

    Moreover, it could transfer the absorbed life energy to

    the hive, allowing the bees to evolve faster.

    Perhaps, the absorption range could expand, and the bees could eventually evolve into a new subspecies.

    Hua Mi was excited about the potential this bee species held.

    With the thought of unlimited potential blooming before him, he finally drifted into slumber.

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 Chapter 97: Assignment

    Chapter 97: Assignment

    "They''ll find out sooner orter. Right now, all eyes worldwide are on us."

    "We need to make a decision quickly."

    "We can''t drag this out any longer."

    In the dimly lit meeting hall, a few figures were scattered sporadically.

    Above the hall hung arge eye-shaped ornament, symbolizing the Association''s motto of "Gaze into the Abyss."

    A human man sat at the head, dressed immactely, a corner of a pristine handkerchief peeking from his pocket. The light streaming in through the window illuminated everything below his chest, leaving his upper half obscured in darkness, his features indiscernible.

    Only those eyes, weathered yet unnatural, emitted an eerie green glow amid the darkness.

    A coin danced between his agile fingers.

    He listened quietly to the increasingly heated arguments among the Association''s high-ranking members but uttered not a word.

    "Storage is bing troublesome; it''s drained too much of our resources, and the curse''s power keeps escting."

    "There''s nothing to hide. Externally, we can term this as an ident, and our efforts to contain the curse might even be seen as responsible behavior."

    "Don''t be naive. Thanks to that elf dwarf, we''re walking on a razor''s edge. Once thises out, none of us will escape unscathed."

    Themotion persisted until someone turned their gaze to the man who hadn''t spoken: "President, don''t you have an opinion? How should we handle the curse? We can''t keep it under wraps for long."

    The coin in the president''s hand halted,nding on the table with a crisp sound, and a casually profound voice cut through, "There''s a simple and easy solution, requiring no significant funds or manpower. Why hasn''t anyone suggested it?"

    Whispers filled the hall.

    "President, do you mean..."

    "Release the curse, let the world deal with it."

    An immediate hush fell over the hall.

    They had contemted this approach, but no one had proposed it. Because it clearly crossed a moral boundary.

    And breaking boundaries only happened zero or infinite times.

    "It''s just a trivial curse; it won''t cause world-ending havoc," the president continued flipping the coin. "Our world is vast; digesting this bit of cursed power is effortless. Imagine the impact after the curse is diluted across the globe."

    "Considering it on a global scale, the impact indeed seems negligible." After a brief silence, someone voiced their support.

    "That makes sense. Perhaps a few forests could absorb this bit of curse. You know, forests have ample vegetation."

    "But we must be extremely cautious. Once discovered..."

    "We should choose a remote location as the release point."

    "This is a task that must be handled with utmost care. It should be ssified as the Association''s top-secret."

    The discussions in the hall involuntarily softened.

    Whispers.

    Murmurs.

    Like whispers of demons.

    ...

    "A new day begins."

    Hua Mi stretchedzily towards the sunrise.

    Last night''s rest had been excellent, and his mental energy had fully recovered.

    Early as usual, he headed to the greenhouse to tend to the flower fields.

    Speaking of which, how was David rk doing?

    Could the unicorn really help him turn back into a human?

    If unsessful, he wondered where David would go from here.

    After all, as a vampire spawn, returning to human society was nearly impossible.

    Hua Mi pondered these matters while tending to the farm chores.

    Around noon, Carter arrived at the cabin.

    He brought two gold coins for Hua Mi.

    "This is the reward for the mission. Most of it came from the mayor; the Little Ford family didn''t have much money, so they provided some supplies." Carter exined, "We all agreed that you should receive half of it, considering the significant effort you put in."

    Hua Mi didn''t refuse; he had indeed exerted considerable effort.

    "Is everything settled regarding the mission?"

    "Yes, everything''s taken care of," Carter replied, appearing somewhat nostalgic. "Evidence strongly suggests that Theresa most likelymitted suicide by poisoning herself. We found traces of poison in her room. Based on the timing, it seems she did it after hearing about Little Ford''s death."

    "..."

    A sacrifice for love?

    s, that was too foolish.

    "Why did Little Forde to the ck Forest then?"

    "To prove himself to Theresa''s family. Her father and two brothers, especially, felt he was too weak and never approved of Theresa being with him.

    "Theresa''s elder brother told us that one day, he made a bet with Little Ford to undergo a test in the ck Forest. If he seeded, he''d earn their approval. The elder brother was merely teasing him and never took it seriously, but Little Ford did. He naively came to the ck Forest alone. However, he wasn''t an adventurer, and the forest was too unfamiliar andplex for him. Perhaps he encountered danger or was poisoned... Ultimately, this absurd and meaningless venture led to his death.

    "By some stroke of luck, he revived on the day of the funeral, but Theresa wasn''t as fortunate."

    Hard to say if he was lucky or unlucky.

    After that, it seemed to unfold as previously spected��the revenant took over Theresa''s body and deceived Little Ford.

    Perhaps iming to urgently need a part from the unicorn to save her life, with no time to spare.

    So, Little Ford epted the vampire''s pact, apanying her to confront the unicorn in the ck Forest.

    Recalling the scene, even in his near-deranged state, Little Ford unmistakably protected Theresa''s body from being harmed during the battle, allowing her to rest in peace intact.

    It was evident how deeply he cared for her.

    The revenant wearing Theresa''s skin easily manipted him.

    Love makes one blind.

    The Pseudo-Flower Spirits listened tearfully.

    "So pitiful."

    "I hope they''ll meet again after death."

    "If they can linger as spirits, won''t they be together?"

    "Spirits don''t belong in the mortal realm; your idea is too selfish. Besides, they''re just ordinary people; whether they stay or not isn''t their decision."

    "Yeah, what if one stays while the other can''t? That would be even sadder."

    Seeing their downcast expressions, Hua Mi offered a kind smile, "Shall we head to the greenhouse then? Focusing on work might help you forget the sadness."

    ...

    Under the diligent work of the Pseudo-Flower Spirits, the flower fields flourished.

    The mother goddess''s gift of honey was within reach.

    The bee colonies here wereprised of Power Bees and Azure Fire Bees.

    Another addition was the Bloodsucker Bees.

    While they couldn''t produce mes like the others, they inherited the Fire Bees'' fire-resistant nature, unbothered by high temperatures.

    Another group was stationed in the Thunder Flower Field, expected to yield valuable by-products during the honey-making process.

    Days passed, yet there was no news from David rk.

    Hua Mi nned to seek out the Tree Spirit himself.

    With the assistance of scouting bees, this task wasn''t insurmountable for him.

    So, that day, carrying the storage container gifted by Alyss, he set out to find the Tree Spirit.

    However, progress didn''t unfold as smoothly as he''d imagined.

    After a morning''s search, there was no sign of the Tree Spirit at all.

    Hunting requires not only acute senses but also experience to a certain degree.

    An experienced hunter would methodically proceed, while

    he was just flitting around aimlessly, highly inefficient.

    "This won''t do; it''s wasting too much time."

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 Chapter 98: Greenhouse Upgrade

    Chapter 98: Greenhouse Upgrade

    Blindly searching won''t lead anywhere.

    Hua Mi pondered, deciding to temporarily halt his n of finding the tree spirit and check on the situation at the Unicorn''s ce instead. He shifted direction toward the ruins of the ck Castle.

    For this journey, Hua Mi prepared a light sponge cushion for himself, letting the bee swarm support it underneath while he sat on top��not just sitting, but even lying downfortably. It didn''t make him fly faster, but it surely made the journey more enjoyable! This was what he called a bio-powered flying carpet.

    He wasn''t far from the ck Castle ruins. Over an hourter, he entered the Unicorn''s domain.

    This time, the Unicorn didn''t teleport to greet him. Creatures like the green-furred apes within the territory were ustomed to him, giving a passing nce before ignoring him, allowing him to fly towards the Unicorn''s location.

    Hua Mi smoothly arrived at the small courtyard,nding and gathering the bee swarm and cushion.

    The Unicorn remained there, resting with its eyes closed. Sometimes, Hua Mi thought this Unicorn stayed here to suppress vampires, enduring such a long time. Just the thought felt tedious. Yet, considering the long lifespan of creatures like Unicorns, a few hundred years might be a fleeting moment for them, not to be measured by human standards.

    Immediately, Hua Mi noticed the Unicorn''s broken horn had notably grown longer since hisst visit. The newly grown part surpassed the previous length.

    "Looks like the Thunder Flower Honey really works."

    It didn''t fully restore it immediately but certainly sped up the recovery process.

    He nced around the courtyard. "Where''s rk?"

    The Unicorn opened its eyes, giving him a nce but remained silent.

    "...?"

    Hua Mi suddenly had a bad feeling. What if it had attacked him!

    It hadn''t mentioned being able to reverse the vampire curse, only saying it would keep him here. Solve the problem or solve the person causing it? Vampire derivatives weren''t as immortal as the actual vampires. If the Unicorn made a move, he wouldn''tst.

    "Hmm? What''s that smell?"

    Hua Mi detected a burnt odor in the air, like roasted meat, something he hadn''t smelled here before. Unable to pinpoint the source with his human nose, he released a scouting bee to locate the unusual scent.

    The effect was immediate. Hua Mi identified the smelling from a copsed room behind the courtyard.

    He envisaged unpleasant scenes and controlled the scouting bee to fly in that direction.

    The room seemed like a hall, quite spacious. The top had copsed, offering a view of the blue sky and drifting clouds.

    He spotted a familiar figure in a purple robe, back turned, wearing a hood, squatting on the ground. In their hand, a stick held a skinned small animal, roasting over a fire...

    Several green-furred apes stood nearby, salivating.

    The scouting bee reached the figure''s front, revealing their current appearance.

    Pointed teeth, paleplexion. Their eyes, originally sapphire blue, now tinged with crimson, like blood-soaked sapphires, exuding an eerie aura.

    All these signs indicated they had be a vampire derivative. But their demeanor appeared normal and clear-headed, unlike the crazed depiction in books.

    "I''ll go talk to him."

    Hua Mi nced at the Unicorn, which remained indifferent, seemingly permitting it.

    He was used to this attitude from the Unicorn, so he headed through the corridor, stepping over several broken stone columns, entering the room.

    He noticed a bloody animal carcass lying nearby. Hearing footsteps behind, rk turned, smiling, waving at him. "Hey, you''re here. The meat''s almost done, want to join in?"

    Quite optimistic.

    Hua Mi approached him. "Are you okay?"

    "Not quite. You see," rk bared his fangs, pointing at his two vampire teeth, "I''m now a full-fledged vampire derivative. The Unicorn couldn''t reverse this process. Curses like these are stubborn."

    "But you don''t look like it."

    "Well, first, I didn''t directly transform from the original vampire, so I''m a lesser derivative. Therefore, the mental impact is weakerpared tomon derivatives. And the Unicorn''s domain can suppress my instincts to some extent. After these days, I feel calm, almost like a regr person. Spending a bit more time by the Unicorn''s side, and I think I can leave."

    "But in your state, returning to human society..."

    "Tomorrow''s worries are tomorrow''s concerns. I''ll continue the survey here, then bring back the report. If the guild doesn''t ept me, I''ll just resign. It''s an early retirement. Living secluded like you, tending flowers, doesn''t sound bad either."

    Hua Mi felt rk should worry less about the guild''s eptance and more about potential reactions. Vampire derivatives weren''t viewed kindly by the public. Even if he retained his sanity, the stress could be unavoidable.

    "You can send the report, no need to visit in person."

    Hua Mi subtly hinted. rk understood, smiling ruefully. "I have family in Modu. Some things need to be rified face-to-face."

    With that, Hua Mi refrained from furtherments.

    "In fact, if it''s just this, it''s not a big deal." rk sounded cheerful, "Setting aside the change in my appearance, internally, I''m still the same. A mere curse can''t change me."

    Saying so, he snapped a leg off the roasted meat, biting into it vigorously. After some effortful chewing, he spat it all out.

    "Ugh!!"

    He vomited it out.

    "Well, maybe there''s a change in my diet... but these are trivial matters, right?"

    "Hmm."

    rk suddenly remembered something. "Oh, I promised to help you find the tree spirit before, never fulfilled that. How about we search for it now?"

    ...

    Like an excited child eager to go out to y, after getting the ''approval'' from the ''parent'' Unicorn, rk joined Hua Mi, departing to search for the tree spirit.

    Although his state hadn''t stabilized, a brief absence wouldn''t be an issue.

    Bing a vampire derivative hadn''t robbed him of his observation skills.

    "If anything, it''s strengthened," rk remarked.

    Seated cross-legged on the flying carpet, he closed his eyes and, upon opening them, they transformed into slit pupils, different from the previous light-yellow. Now, they were crimson.

    Seeming more eerie and intimidating, the vampire''s curse had taken its toll. Yet, it had enhanced his observational abilities.

    He might be the world''s first vampire derivative observer.

    His slit pupils scanned an area, swiftly locking onto a direction.

    "There."

    ...

    With rk''s assistance, Hua Mi quickly found the first tree spirit. It stood rooted somewhere, motionless, its crown devoid of leaves, almostpletely bald, with only a few leaves hanging.

    Hidden among the woods.

    With the naked eye, without careful observation, it was challenging to spot.

    Approaching it closely, escaping might not be possible.

    In a sense, it was a treacherous predator.

    Dealing with this tree spirit, third-tier Scission Bees were sufficient.

    Hua Mi controlled the bee swarm on the flying carpet, initiating a dive attack.

    The unfortunate tree spirit couldn''t react; its arms were severed in two strikes.

    Immediately after, it was dismantled entirely.

    The first Enlightening Heart acquired.

    All the

    live wood was collected and stored in the magic box to take back.

    rk mentioned that these special woods were rich in magical elements, unsuitable for construction but excellent as top-quality fertilizer when thrown into the greenhouse well.

    Next was the second, then the third...

    Before dark, they had harvested a total of five Enlightening Hearts.

    ording to the adventurer''s guide, Hua Mi had in nearly half of the tree spirits in the ck Forest.

    rk had also reached his limit.

    His body started trembling uncontrobly. "The Unicorn''s craving, I need to go back..."

    As they entered the Unicorn''s domain, rk''s symptoms eased.

    Jokingly, he said, "Staying by the Unicorn for these days, I feel like I''ve be divine."

    You, a vampire derivative, how does that rte to divinity? Hua Mi scoffed inwardly.

    However, he admired rk''s optimistic attitude.

    Before leaving, Hua Mi left a few bottles of Thunder Flower Honey for the Unicorn, boosting rapport.

    The Unicorn was proud, its rapport increasing slowly.

    Yet, Hua Mi believed in sincere efforts yielding results.

    This time, the Unicorn seemed to have slightly elevated its fondness for him.

    ...

    The next day, Alyss arrived to modify his greenhouse.

    Integrating the green liquid generator''s function into the greenhouse''s main control system.

    Hua Mi witnessed the prowess of a master architect once again.

    In just a day, the modification waspleted, without affecting the flower fields inside.

    The green liquid produced by six Enlightening Hearts was enough for the two flower fields to be sprayed twice daily.

    The growth rate and quality of the flowers significantly improved.

    The wlesspletion of the renovation left Hua Mi feeling almost guilty for notpensating her.

    She didn''tck money.

    Nor was she interested in it.

    Her entire focus was on architectural design, seemingly undisturbed by worldly possessions.

    "Keep an eye out for architectural information. If I get any rted intel or items, I can give them to her," Hua Mi thought.

    For now, he simply gave her three bottles of honey.

    One bottle each of three types of honey, not as payment, but as a gift.

    Neighbors living in the ck Forest, exchanging gifts was normal.

    ...

    The upgraded greenhouse was more convenient, requiring just a press on the console to spray the green liquid into the flower fields. It saved him a lot of time.

    Everything proceeded systematically.

    After a few days, Xiao Hong shared some good news with him.

    The Mother Goddess blessed the field, showing signs of a budding Flower Core!

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 Chapter 99: The Birth of a Flower Spirit

    Chapter 99: The Birth of a Flower Spirit

    Hua Mi was thrilled.

    Initially not holding much hope, yet unexpectedly, it happened!

    This was what they called a reverse g.

    Regarding Flower Spirits...

    Generally, the rarer the flower, the easier it is for a Flower Spirit to be born.

    This is because rare flowers often contain pure magical elements��or rather, in this world, the more pure the magical elements within a flower, the rarer it is.

    The purer the magical elements, the higher the probability of a Flower Spirit being born.

    Some even contain certain rare magical elements��perhaps influencing the Flower Spirit to develop a unique ability.

    But that alone isn''t enough; the rarity of the flower is merely a prerequisite.

    Careful nurturing is also required.

    The grown flower needs to reach a certain quality.

    And once a Flower Spirit is born, it brings great benefits to the entire area.

    Hua Mi immediately went to the flower field with Xiao Zi and walked straight to the mother nt nurturing the Flower Spirit, bending down to observe.

    This one was nted rtivelyte and had just bloomed.

    Compared to the ordinary flower buds nearby, it was noticeablyrger, with a more vibrant and full color, faint streams of light revolving around the bud.

    Mental energy delved inside, sensing a pure power swirling within.

    Hua Mi was moved for a moment.

    There was an inexplicable joy akin to bing a parent.

    All the hard work over this period seemed worthwhile��although upon reflection, it seemed like most of the work was done by the Pseudo-Flower Spirits...

    The Pseudo-Flower Spirits were also filled with anticipation for the impending arrival of the little one.

    And so, a few more days passed.

    Today was the day the flower would fully bloom.

    Hua Mi didn''t go back to sleep that night, staying up to watch over the flower field, eagerly anticipating the birth of the Flower Spirit, like an old father waiting outside a delivery room.

    The Seven Little Ones, despite being sleepy, wanted to witness the birth of the Flower Spirit themselves.

    The flower''s petals had fully unfurled in every direction, resembling solidified mes.

    The mesmerizing multicolored lights flowed around without any pattern.

    It was around midnight.

    The pistil suddenly split open from the middle into four petals, gently unfurling like flower petals.

    Revealing a small tform formed by the stigma below.

    Seemingly triggering some resonance, the Mother nt in this area began to move without wind.

    Upon the stigma, the dazzling lights gradually dissipated.

    Only a tiny figure sat hugging her legs on the tform.

    She was even smaller than the Pseudo-Flower Spirits, easily held between two fingers.

    Her hair wasn''t as long as the Pseudo-Flower Spirits'', only reaching her neck and slightly curled inwards at the ends, giving a more fixed appearancecking the ethereal feel of the Pseudo-Flower Spirits.

    Unlike the colorful Pseudo-Flower Spirits, her entire body, including her hair, was pristine white, pure as if without a w.

    The color reminded Hua Mi of the me seed in the Fire Mother Shrine.

    Under the astonished gazes of Hua Mi and the Pseudo-Flower Spirits, the wings behind the Flower Spirit fluttered slightly. Then, she raised her head, stretched her two slender armszily, opened her eyes, and innocently surveyed the world.

    "Wow! So cute!" eximed the Seven Little Ones, immediately crowding around the newly born Flower Spirit, inspecting her from top to bottom.

    The Flower Spirit, like the Pseudo-Flower Spirits, belonged to the spirit ss and could naturallymunicate through telepathy.

    So, they didn''t need verbalmunication to understand each other''s thoughts.

    This made Hua Mi feel like an outsider.

    But the Seven Little Ones'' enthusiasm seemed to startle her.

    The little Flower Spirit soared up, breaking out of their encirclement.

    "You guys calm down..." Hua Mi reminded.

    The Seven Little Ones, overwhelmed by this new member, couldn''t heed the advice and swarmed around once more.

    The Flower Spirit frowned slightly, and her hair suddenly "whooshed" into a pale ze.

    Centered around her, a circle of pale mes expanded with a bang.

    The Seven Little Ones cried out and dodged.

    The others were fine.

    But Xiao Huang was rtively unlucky, her clothes caught fire, and the ice crystals and snowkes adorning them melted.

    She screamed in panic, smoke billowing around her, scattering through the room.

    The friends hurried to put out the fire.

    After amotion, the scene finally quieted down.

    Xiao Huang, holding her bottom, dared not approach the little Flower Spirit again.

    Though her me magic was weak, it was more than enough to handle the Seven Little Ones.

    Seeing them back away, the mes on the Flower Spirit''s head gradually extinguished, returning to her original white hair.

    Despite her delicate appearance, she had quite the fiery temper.

    The Flower Spirit warily observed the Seven Little Ones gathered not far away, then redirected her gaze towards Hua Mi.

    Her eyes were filled with curiosity.

    Hua Mi smiled kindly at her. "Wee to this world."

    To talk about the functions of a Flower Spirit...

    Of course, it was her innate flower magic.

    Firstly, her presence liberated the Seven Little Ones from this area.

    One stronger than seven��

    She specialized, while the Seven Little Ones had diverse abilities.

    As a result, they had more time to do other things, diverting their energy to other fields, greatly boosting productivity.

    Secondly, not only could she make the Gifted Flower Field grow better with higher quality, but more importantly, she could sustain perpetual bloom.

    In other words, as long as this Flower Spirit lived, the Mother nt''s blessing would perpetually thrive, periodically entering a honey flow phase without needing to re-breed and cultivate, significantly shortening the honey production cycle.

    It was conceivable that with the improvement in floral quality, the quality of honey would also rise.

    Apart from the taste, it would likely reflect in the efficacy of the honey.

    If honey produced without a Flower Spirit was considered first-rate, then the honey produced with a Flower Spirit could at least be rated as special-grade.

    Using the world''s system of categorizing magical medicines, it would probably be the distinction between basic potions and intermediate to advanced potions.

    Additionally, Hua Mi noticed that this little white Flower Spirit possessed some attacking capability.

    This type of fire-based attack magic was likely due to the rare magical elements within the flower, bestowing her unique talents.

    However, expecting her to aid in battle was unrealistic; she was too fragile and could easily be killed by the enemy, requiring care instead.

    In the shadows of the Pseudo-Flower Spirits, the little Flower Spirit naturally had a favorable impression of Hua Mi.

    After driving away the Pseudo-Flower Spirits with fire, she fluttered her wings and flew into the pocket of his ck robe, yawned, and curled up to sleep inside.

    This left the Seven Little Ones envious yet disheartened.

    Although they never truly possessed her, it felt like losing her countless times...

    Painful.

    Too painful.

    ...

    In the days that followed, the Seven Little Ones continuously extended goodwill towards her. With Hua Mi mediating, the rtionship between the two sides finally improved somewhat.

    However, the little Flower Spirit still maintained a certain distance from them, never fully blending in.

    Ironically

    , she was exceptionally dependent on Hua Mi.

    Though she was just a Flower Spirit, she didn''t seem to particrly enjoy nurturing flowers��the Pseudo-Flower Spirits were more passionate about it.

    It always felt like their names were mixed up.

    During the day, the little Flower Spirit preferred being with Hua Mi, often staying close to him, whether he was reading, tending to the flower field, or practicing bee control.

    Whenever Hua Mi looked up, he could easily find her somewhere.

    She had created a "Mother nt''s Blessing outfit" using flower magic that suited her well.

    She didn''t speak much, mostly observing quietly and apanying��but sometimes humming a tune.

    On the other hand, during these days, Hua Mi tirelessly practiced bee control, pushing his concentration to the limit at this stage.

    But when he attempted to explore the information recorded inside the Meditation Orb, he found it impossible to ess.

    It seemed that he needed to reach at least "Bee Power Level Five" to forcibly ess it.

    That wasn''t an urgent matter.

    ...

    The harsh cold of the ice period continued.

    Numerous ces in the forest were covered in ice crystals.

    At a nce, it seemed like being in a fairy tale''s ice kingdom.

    One stormy afternoon.

    Outside, the wind howled like wailing ghosts and howling wolves.

    The beehives in the Gifted Flower Field area were all filled up.

    And the brewing wasplete.

    It was time to open the boxes.

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 Chapter 100: Fire Lotus and Blood Honey

    Chapter 100: Fire Lotus and Blood Honey

    Hua Mi, as usual, arranged all the canned and centrifugal equipment neatly in the open field of Huayu Town, making it easier to operate in sequence.

    Outside, the cold winds howled, but inside the greenhouse, there was an air of tranquility.

    Gathered in the greenhouse were Hua Mi and the eight small creatures, all brimming with the joy of their harvest.

    After so many days of hard work, the fruits of theirbor were about to be revealed.

    Anyone iming not to be excited would be lying.

    "Let''s set aside the honey for now and see if the Azure Fire Bees and Bloodsuck Bees have produced any by-products."

    Hua Mi, anticipating, rubbed his hands together and walked straight to the five Azure Fire Bee hives and one Bloodsuck Bee hive.

    He opened the Azure Fire Bee hives in a row, one after another.

    The first one yielded nothing.

    Nor did the second.

    But when he opened the third hive, something fell out.

    Hua Mi''s eyes brightened, and he immediately focused.

    At first nce, it looked like a delicate and tiny lotus flower.

    But on closer inspection, it was a misconception.

    The petals of that "lotus flower" kept swaying and were translucent, clearly not a solid material.

    It was somewhat like mes.

    Yet, not entirely.

    It was intangible yet faintly resembled the shape of a flower.

    It was ethereal, yet evidently affected by gravity.

    A peculiar state of matter indeed.

    Hua Mi casually picked up a petal that had fallen to the ground and tossed it towards the "fire lotus."

    The petal passed through the "fire lotus" without any hindrance,nding on the ground.

    It didn''t burn or undergo any changes in form.

    Neither entity interfered with the other.

    He attempted to probe it with his mental energy, akin to thest time with the Thunderfire Pearl, and immediately sensed a magical force.

    Unlike before, this magical energy was gentle and stable, not prone to sudden bursts.

    "It seems this thing can''t be used to make offensive tools."

    It looked intimidating on the outside.

    Inserting his finger, it felt like soaking in warm water, quitefortable.

    As for its specific magical properties, he couldn''t discern them.

    This was where the Pseudo-Flower Spirits'' versatile appraisal skills came in handy.

    The seven small creatures gathered around the "fire lotus," observing for a while before forming a circle to discuss.

    They quickly arrived at a conclusion.

    "Twopletely different magical properties merged."

    "One represents destruction."

    "The other represents regeneration."

    "As for how these two forcesbined..."

    "We don''t know either."

    Hua Mi pondered for a moment and had an idea.

    Drawing an analogy to the formation of the Thunderfire Pearl.

    It had dual attributes of thunder and fire, likely a fusion of the Azure Fire Bees'' fire and the Thunder Blossom''s lightning.

    Then this "fire lotus" might be considered from the perspective of the characteristics of both the Honey Harvest Bees and the nectar-producing flora.

    Destruction and regeneration.

    Two seemingly contradictory aspects that, in reality, converged towards the same goal.

    The fire element from the Azure Fire Bees represented destruction.

    Yet, the fire element bestowed by the Mother Goddess represented growth.

    Both were fire elements but exhibited entirely different external manifestations.

    Blending them together resulted in this unique substance.

    A reasonable inference.

    However, this thing didn''t seem useful to him.

    Would it slowly disappear if left unattended?

    The small Flower Spirit perched on Hua Mi''s shoulder, though silent, observed curiously.

    Seeing Hua Mi lost in thought, she fluttered her wings and flew off.

    Hovering in front of the fire lotus, she extended her hands, cupped it in her palm, then flew back to Hua Mi.

    Through mental connection, she conveyed information about the "fire lotus" to Hua Mi.

    ording to her, the fire lotus would be helpful to him.

    Consuming it would permanently enhance his resistance to ice.

    This "ice resistance" didn''t just refer to frost resistance.

    It would elevate defense against all ice-based magical attacks.

    For instance, before consuming the fire lotus, a simr level of ice attack might leave him incapacitated.

    But after consuming it, he might withstand an equivalent ice attack, standing firm.

    This was a miraculous elixir directly enhancing physical attributes!

    Moreover, it was not a temporary boost but a permanent enhancement.

    If true, it would be more valuable than the Thunderfire Pearl.

    Of course, he wouldn''t sell something so rare.

    Such invaluable treasures were meant for personal use.

    Money was external, but the attributes added to his body would forever be his, unassable by anyone.

    Hua Mi trusted the exnation of the small Flower Spirit.

    Born from the Mother Goddess'' blessing, she had a certain perception of the by-products of the Mother Goddess'' bestowed nectar, making her credible.

    The question was, how to consume this thing.

    Swallow it directly?

    Could his human digestive system handle it?

    What if it caused indigestion...

    The small Flower Spirit approached him again, holding the fire lotus in her hands and flew close to his chest.

    Closing her eyes, as if devoutly praying, a faint white light emitted from her hands, shining into the interior of the fire lotus.

    Under the white light, the fire lotus seemed to solidify, its swaying less pronounced.

    Then, the small Flower Spirit opened her eyes.

    "Hey."

    Her hands pressed against Hua Mi''s chest.

    And just like that, the fire lotus was casually pressed inside.

    Instantly, a warm sensation filled his entire chest.

    His heart felt like it was soaking in warm water, apanied by powerful beats, spreading warmth through every cell in his body.

    Eventually, even his breath felt heated.

    Faintly visible around him, a massive fire lotus shadow bloomed.

    "It''s blooming!"

    For a moment, all seven small creatures were stunned.

    Having lived for so long, it was their first time witnessing a human bloom.

    Lasting for a few seconds, the fire lotus shadow slowly merged, wrapping Hua Mi entirely before gradually fading until it becamepletely transparent.

    Simultaneously, the warmth throughout Hua Mi''s body dissipated.

    However, he wasn''t sure if it had truly dissipated or if he had grown ustomed to the sensation.

    "So, my resistance to ice has improved?"

    A test was in order.

    Outside, a snowstorm was raging.

    Hua Mi stepped outside, removing his ck robe and protective talisman.

    He was dressed in thin summer clothes.

    The freezing snow whipped against him recklessly.

    A faint chill could be sensed.

    But that was it.

    This experience, surpassing his previous understanding, felt novel.

    Understand, an ordinary person standing in such a blizzard would be stiffened or even frostbitten.

    But now, Hua Mi felt entirely unconcerned about getting hurt.

    He even felt he could run in this weather without any issues.

    Bending down, he scooped up some snow, holding it in his hand.

    It was pleasantly cool.

    Almostfortable.

    This visually demonstrated that his resistance to cold had indeed increased.

    The exact extent wasn

    ''t precisely measurable.

    Roughly estimating, it had increased by ten percent.

    "So, if I consume more fire lotuses, could I eventually max out my ice resistance?"

    By then, he''d bepletely immune to ice spell attacks.

    "Well done, Azure Fire Bees."

    They were trulymendable.

    Returning to the greenhouse, Hua Mi continued to open the remaining two Azure Fire Bee hives.

    Unfortunately, there were no drops.

    "Five hives, one item. The probability is already high... Hopefully not a newbie protection."

    After inspecting the Azure Fire Bee hives, he approached the Bloodsuck Bee hive.

    Opening it, there was nothing inside.

    But the honey inside the hive was off.

    Very off.

    The honey brewed by the Bloodsuck Bees appeared thick and blood-red in color.

    Solely judging by color wasn''t out of the ordinary.

    Different honeys could naturally showcase varying colors.

    The variety of nectar could influence not only the taste and effects of the honey but also the final color.

    From white to amber to golden yellow... all were quitemon.

    Red honey was rare but not unheard of.

    For instance, locust tree honey was red, often called blood honey.

    However, the honey in this hive not only looked like blood but also had a strong blood-like scent.

    It even overshadowed the honey''s symbolic sweetness.

    Thebination of sight and smell made it eerie.

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 Chapter 101: Bestowal of Flower Honey

    Chapter 101: Bestowal of Flower Honey

    This honey, even in this otherworldly realm, would probably struggle to find buyers, let alone back on Earth.

    Is it really bees born from a curse?

    Not only were their abilities somewhat demonic, but even the honey they produced was equally eerie.

    "Would eating this stuff cause mutations?"

    Hua Mi dared not try it easily.

    Regardless of its special effects, merely based on its appearance, it would likely be deemed evil by others, further deepening the public''s stereotypical image of wild alchemists.

    Hua Mi fetched a small spoon and an empty bottle, scooping a spoonful of blood honey.

    Surprisingly, its viscosity wasn''t high, probably reaching a maximum of 42 on the Baume scale.

    Usually, the lower the Baume scale for honey, the higher the water content.

    But this kind of honey was hard to decipher.

    Who knows what else might be inside.

    Or perhaps it was due to some specific magical effect causing this external alteration.

    Hua Mi delved his psychic power into it but sensed nothing unusual.

    The seven little beings gathered around, using their innate abilities to appraise the blood honey.

    Their conclusion was that it didn''t contain harmful substances.

    However, it did hold a mysterious magical energy that they couldn''t quite grasp.

    Setting aside its magical energy, its taste was unusually strange.

    Even the usually ravenous Little Purple showed no appetite at all.

    She didn''t like this taste and couldn''t bring herself to consume it.

    After observing, the Little Flower Spirit conveyed through telepathy:

    "The nature of this blood honey has nothing to do with the Mother Goddess''s blessing. It seems to have been twisted by a domineering force."

    From a magical standpoint, this made no sense at all.

    "The formation of this blood honey is likely rted to the curse. It''s better not to risk consuming it and triggering some unknown magical effect."

    On the other side of the Thunder Flower Field, he also arranged a blood-sucking bee box.

    Once the honey there was brewed, he would check if it held simr properties.

    Setting aside the blood honey for now, Hua Mi hurried to inspect the War Hammer Beehive.

    Thankfully, the honey brewed by the War Hammer Bees looked normal.

    It had a light color, leaning towards white.

    The taste was incredibly rich.

    More intense than the previous varieties, to the extent that a prolonged exposure might feel a bit cloying.

    Hua Mi fetched a spoon and a container, scooping a spoonful of honey and slowly pouring it into the bottle, observing its viscosity and hue.

    It was highly viscous, almost like glue, taking a while to flow into the bottle.

    This indicated a minimal water content in the honey.

    By standard measurements, the Baume scale was estimated to reach 44, even 45...

    Compared to honey avable in the market, this was exceptional.

    However, what concerned Hua Mi the most was its efficacy.

    The honey produced by rare flowers should have potent effects.

    The pseudo-flower spirits confirmed that it didn''t contain any harmful substances.

    As for its effects, the Little Flower Spirit quickly concluded and informed Hua Mi:

    "This honey can temporarily grant the consumer the ''Fire Seed'' attribute."

    What does "Fire Seed attribute" mean?

    ording to Hua Mi''s understanding, it mainly had two benefits.

    Firstly, it could resonate with one''s life fire, continuously increasing mental power.

    Of course, it wouldn''t exceed the current maximum limit of mental power.

    Secondly, the Fire Seed attribute had a significant role in the field of alchemy.

    Alchemy practitioners'' magic infused with the Fire Seed attribute not only elerated the reaction speed but also enhanced the utilization and energy conversion rates of materials.

    In simpler terms, it enabled alchemists toplete their processes faster and better.

    Alchemy wasn''t just mixing materials; it required continuous use of magic by the alchemist during the process.

    Since Hua Micked magic, this enhancement was ineffective for him.

    However, increasing mental power was beneficial for him.

    "I wonder how long a spoonful''s effectsst... Let''s try."

    Hua Mi consumed a spoonful.

    The honey slipped in smoothly, but it was truly cloying, even sticking to his pte.

    The strong scent of bestowed flowers diffused, making even his breath smell of fragrance.

    After swallowing, in no time, he felt a buzz in his head, as if his spirit had connected with something.

    A continuous stream of warmth nurtured his spirit.

    The mental power depleted until now began slowly recovering.

    It took about 5 minutes for his mental power to be fully restored.

    Hua Mi utilized the controlled bees to deplete his mental power while monitoring its status.

    The effectsted for approximately 10 minutes.

    He gained a clear understanding of the bestowed flower''s effects on replenishing mental power.

    Starting from a state ofplete exhaustion, just consuming a spoonful wouldn''t fully restore it, probably only about one-third.

    Simr to the Thunder Flower honey, as the consumption increased, so did the duration of the effect.

    Hua Mi contemted.

    This batch had a rtively low yield, probably just over four hundred bottles.

    And this type of honey had no effect on people from Earth but shone brightly in the otherworld.

    Whether as a mere restorative or an auxiliary potion for alchemy, it was a perfect creation.

    Especially for thetter, which alchemist could resist such a temptation?

    Therefore, this time, he decided not to sell it on Earth; it would be too wasteful.

    "Let''s release another notice when we go back."

    His work focus had undoubtedly shifted to this otherworldly side. With the ie gained here, as his reputation spread, his business would only flourish.

    Continuing to sell magic honey on Earth was a way of giving back. A sense of attachment to his homnd and the desire to bring some benefit or positive impact to his hometown and fans were influencing him.

    Following tradition, the first jar was still reserved for the seven little beings to taste.

    They seemed not to find the bestowed flower honey too overwhelmingly sweet.

    Their novelty for the new vorpletely overshadowed any ws.

    "Aren''t you going to try it?"

    The Little Flower Spirit shook her head, exuding an air of serenity.

    Throughout the entire process of bottling, she stayed by Hua Mi''s side, curious to watch him operate the machine.

    In total, 463 bottles of bestowed honey were produced.

    Then, with a queasy feeling, Hua Mi also bottled the box of blood honey.

    A total of 14 jars were filled.

    Finishing these tasks took untilte at night.

    The seven little beings had long been exhausted and gone back to rest.

    However, the Little Flower Spirit resiliently stayed with him until the end.

    Sometimes sitting on his shoulder, sometimes lying on his head, and at times, even slipping into his pocket.

    Eventually, she too yawned endlessly.

    If they didn''t wrap up soon, she probably wouldn''t be able tost.

    Hua Mi tidied up and returned to Earth''s side, logging into the online store''s backend, ready to send another dyed announcement.

    As expected, thements section was flooded.

    "Weren''t you supposed to restock quickly? It''s been months."

    "Boss, did you time-travel? Are you even doing business anymore!"

    "Open the door, let me in!"

    "February Red here, pleading for honey!"

    "Everyone, don''t rush him. The boss probably returned to his home. Just be

    patient; he''ll be back in a few light years."

    "Upstairs, light-years are a unit of distance."

    "Of course, I know light-years are a unit of distance. When I said ''a few light years,'' I meant ''a few years'' time'' in a condensed expression, using an inverted sentence structure. If you don''t get it, don''t speak randomly."

    "Boss, bring out a honey that cures stubbornness!"

    ...

    ncing at thesements, Hua Mi initially thought of replying to a few.

    But then, he decided against it.

    After all, he had already dyed, deceiving them further would be unfair.

    Moreover, he couldn''t disclose anything about the otherworld to them.

    In fact, regarding selling honey on Earth, he had a new idea to bettermunicate with his fans and maintain control, but it was still in the nning stage.

    So, he posted only one new announcement, apologizing for the dy due to unforeseen circumstances, thanking everyone for their support and patience, promising for the next time!

    After posting, he quickly logged out.

    ...

    The next day.

    The snowstorm had finally stopped after a day and a night.

    Outside, the aftermath of the snowstorm brought freshness; the sky seemed clearer as if purified.

    Hua Mi cleared the snow from the doorstep and ced several bottles of bestowed flower honey on the shelves.

    As for the pricing.

    After contemtingst night, he set the price at 30 gold coins.

    Besides considering the honey''s effects, he also weighed the quantity.

    After all, it was a consumable.

    One bottle of honey, at a dosage of one spoon each time, wouldst at most twenty or thirty uses.

    For an alchemist, using the bestowed honey to save time and enhance the quality of their final product would easily bring about a gain of one or two gold coins.

    Not to mention the honey''s ability to restore mental power.

    Therefore, pricing it at 30 gold coins seemed reasonable to him.

    Depending on the situation, he could further adjust itter.

    In the afternoon.

    rk suddenly paid a visit.

    He came to bid farewell.

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 Chapter 102: Special Supply for the Hybrid

    Chapter 102: Special Supply for the Hybrid

    "Field inspection in the ck Forest is done. Today, I''m heading back to Modu to bid you farewell," rk dressed just as meticulously as when they first met, his hair impably styled.

    One could tell he tried to mimic his previous self, including his manner of speech and habits. However, things were different now. After transforming into a vampire hybrid, he appeared gaunt and exhausted, as though recovering from a severe illness. Despite attempting to maintain a cheerful demeanor, his voice betrayed a noticeableck of vitality.

    Recalling his once vigorous and spirited self, it was trulymentable.

    "Speaking of which, we could be considered friends now, right? After all, we''ve braved risks together."

    "That depends on how you portray me in your adventure guide."

    "Hey hey, about that, you can look forward to it. But speaking of which, I''m not sure if the authorship is mine."

    "Are you really nning to return like this?"

    "Of course not, walking the streets as a vampire hybrid is too conspicuous. I''ve made some preparations."

    With that, he pulled a simple wooden mask from his robe and put it on, speaking in a muffled voice, "Now, it''s not visible."

    "..." Even more suspicious.

    And wasn''t this mask obtained from the Green-haired Apes?

    Hua Mi remembered seeing a few green-haired apes wearing masks at the Unicorn''s ce. Clearly mismatched with human faces, they looked eerie when worn.

    Removing the mask, rk revealed a wan smile. "Enough kidding around, I understand what you mean. But don''t worry, I aspire for freedom and won''t do anything foolish. I have a n."

    Actually, he misunderstood.

    Hua Mi wasn''t referring to that.

    Regarding the adventurers'' guild in Modu, Hua Mi was entirely clueless and couldn''t offer any advice.

    "I meant, you look terrible now, like you could faint at any moment."

    "No choice."

    rk wryly took out a water sk from his storage, shaking it, producing a gurgling sound inside. "For me, the blood of these beasts is like vegetarian food, no, even worse. It barely sustains me."

    "Forget about that. I noticed you have new products on your shelf. Can you introduce them to me? I''ll jot it down."

    "Benevolence Honey, its effects are..."

    Hua Mi briefly exined its benefits as rk took notes, expressing his astonishment.

    "You''re a genius, incredibly creative, much better than those academically inclined alchemists... Wait a minute, do I smell something?"

    rk suddenly sniffed the air, then closed his eyes. When he reopened them, they had turned into vertical pupils, fixed on a box at the bottom of the shelf.

    Hua Mi pulled out the box.

    Inside were a dozen bottles of blood honey.

    Hua Mi intended to wait until the Thunder Lotus Beehive produced honey before dealing with it together. Perhaps they could catch a green-haired ape for experimentation. Or better yet, hand it over to Hilia as another research topic.

    Seeing the color of this honey, rk seemed startled, as if his DNA had been triggered.

    "What is this?"

    "Blood honey."

    "Blood honey? Could it be what I''m thinking?"

    rk looked at him puzzledly. "What is it made of?"

    "It''s definitely not made from human blood."

    "Can I see it?"

    "Sure."

    Hua Mi handed him a bottle.

    rk first observed it in his hand before unscrewing the lid.

    An intense bloody smell instantly filled the air.

    rk couldn''t help but swallow, looking up at him with a moved expression. "Could it be... This is specially crafted for me by you?"

    "..."

    You''re overthinking.

    The appearance of this thing was purely idental.

    "In that case, I must try it no matter what."

    rk tilted his head back, ready to pour it into his mouth.

    Hua Mi hastily stopped his impulsive action. "Wait, although this smells like blood, we don''t know its actual effects when consumed. I haven''t experimented with it yet."

    "Then let me conduct this experiment." rk grinned at him, "Don''t worry, while a vampire hybrid isn''t immortal, it''s not easy to kill either. My Observer ability and hybrid instincts tell me this can be consumed."

    Without heeding Hua Mi''s advice, he poured about a fifth of the bottle into his mouth.

    rk swallowed the honey, raised an eyebrow, astonished. "This tastes like concentrated blood, much better than the taste of animal blood. And..."

    He paused, seeming to sense something.

    After a moment, he took a deep breath. "I''ve never felt better!"

    He raised a hand, fingers curling into ws, sharp ck nails extending visibly.

    Crimson vertical pupils emitted a chilling light.

    At this moment, he was no longer the weak and listless figure.

    His demeanor hadpletely changed.

    As if breaking free from restraints, he became a true top-tier predator.

    "Amazing!" rk eximed excitedly, "This is like a tailored potion for me! You truly are... I''ll say it again, you''re a genius!"

    "..."

    rk asked, "How much for a bottle of this?"

    "It''s a gift," Hua Mi replied.

    No one else would want this thing anyway, might as well offer it as a token of goodwill.

    "No, I can''t just take your things for free." rk said earnestly, "More importantly, I haven''t used up the funds I applied for this trip. Not spending all this money feels ufortable."

    "Then one gold coin."

    "I think it''s worth at least two gold coins."

    rk ced a small pouch on the shelf, then filled his spatial equipment with bottles of blood honey. "There are 18 coins inside, so I can take 9 bottles."

    After he filled 9 bottles, Hua Mi handed him an extra one.

    "This one''s a farewell gift."

    "I won''t be polite then."

    ...

    "Meeting you has been the greatest gain of this journey. We will meet again."

    "Yeah, have a safe journey."

    After seeing rk off, Hua Mi returned to his usual routine.

    Several new queens of different bee species had matured over these days.

    Hua Mi attempted to crossbreed them with the Bloodsucker Bees separately.

    The oue? None of them seeded.

    It was impossible to conduct hybrid experiments.

    Like the Reconnaissance Bees, another lone star.

    But thinking about it, it made sense. Born from the power of a curse, their style differed from other bee species. It would be strange if they could reproduce.

    That day, the second batch of Thunder Lotus Flower Honey was finally brewed.

    Setting aside the Forest Swift Bees, Hua Mi first went to see the Bloodsucker Bees.

    Approaching them, even before opening the container, he smelled the blood. He had guessed the result.

    Upon opening, it was exactly as he expecteda blood-drenched scene.

    However, unexpectedly, there were by-products after opening the box.

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 Chapter 103: Crafting Honey Pills

    Chapter 103: Crafting Honey Pills

    Hua Mi opened the blood-sucking bee box and found something unexpected falling out of it.

    "Whoa, what''s this?"

    Fixing his gaze, Hua Mi noticed an irregr crystal, merely two or three inches long. The crystal, overall, had a faint bluish hue with faint streaks of red inside, resembling strands of blood.

    He probed it with his spiritual power but gleaned no useful information. At least it didn''t harbor the unstable magical energy like the Thunderfire Beads did.

    As a flower spirit born from the Gifted Flower, Hua Micked any perception abilities regarding the by-products rted to the Thunder Blossom.

    But there was the universal identification skill among the pseudo-flower spirits.

    After some identification and discussion, they unanimously agreed that this item was harmless to humans. It was as stable as the ore produced in Heishi Town, devoid of radioactivity, and wouldn''t cause any magical effects on the human body upon mere contact.

    However, simr to the blood honey, it harbored some unfathomable magical elements inside. Hence, not rmended for consumption.

    "..." Hua Mi pondered. "Not rmended for consumption? Who would even try eating this thing? It doesn''t look edible; you''d risk breaking your teeth."

    Without the pseudo-flower spirits'' reminder and given its origin from the blood honey box, Hua Mi wouldn''t dare put this thing in his mouth.

    Examining the crystal in his hand, he sensed its smooth surface and hard texture, resembling more of a materialprecisely a mineral.

    Perhaps it held some special function? He needed a way to identify its properties to fully utilize it.

    Yet, as a by-product of the blood-sucking bee honey, just like the honey itself, it didn''t exist in this world. Most people here wouldn''t be able to identify it.

    He wondered if there was a super identification skill that could provide detailed information about the item, akin to an interface in a game. That would be much more convenient.

    "Speaking of minerals and materials, the cksmiths should be familiar," he mused.

    Thinking of the cksmiths, Hua Mi immediately recalled the room akin to ava cave, where the towering figure of War Hammer tirelessly hammered materials.

    Setting aside anything else, in terms of forging, few rivaled War Hammer''s expertise, especially as the forger of the Demonying Sword.

    Conveniently, he could head there.

    As the Guardian of the Brass City, highly respected by War Hammer, it was easy for him to seek their identification. When he had time, he''d ask Alyss to open a portal, and off to the Brass City he''d go!

    However, he wasn''t sure if Alyss had any materials left to create the portal. If not, he might need to provide them himself. Masters didn''t supply materials.

    After contemting his subsequent ns, Hua Mi rxed. Storing the unknown material in his storage ring, he resumed bottling the honey.

    This time, he harvested a total of 527 bottles of Thunder Blossom honey and 16 bottles of blood honey. With the honey collection done, it was already evening.

    It was harvest day, and Hua Mi was in high spirits, albeit a bit tired. After consuming a bit of Thunder Blossom honey and recharging at the power outlet, he felt rejuvenated, the fatigue evaporating instantly.

    Full of energy, he finally implemented an idea he had long considered.

    He controlled the bees to secrete beeswax, enveloping the honey and forming honey pillseach containing about a spoonful of honey.

    This method primarily catered to the Thunder Blossom and Gifted Flower honey, often in use.

    It made consumption convenient; one could simply take it out from the ring and pop it in their mouth. Beeswax was also edible,bining it with honey added a unique vor.

    Otherwise, extracting honey from a bottle was too troublesome, especially in battles or emergencies where there wasn''t time to savor itthe honey bottles could shatter.

    One bottle of honey could yield around twenty to thirty honey pills. Since they didn''t upy much space, Hua Mi stayed upte crafting more, storing them in categorized sections within his ring.

    This way, it became much more convenient.

    Extending his spiritual power into the ring, he conjured an exquisite Gifted Flower honey pill. He tossed it into his mouth, chewing.

    The beeswax, with its chewy texture, blended with the honey, filling his mouth with a sweet fragrance. Strangely, beeswax itself had no distinct taste, yetbined with honey, it became much more delicious than consuming honey directly. It added an element of amusement to the consumption, akin to some snacks'' design philosophy.

    Decided, Hua Mi nned to craft these honey pills for frequently used honey typeseasy to carry and consume.

    While others used medicine, he''d opt for honey pills.

    ---

    Days passed.

    Near the outskirts of Heishi Town, Carter and Hir discussed the location selection for the alchemy workshop.

    Suddenly, Col, with his booming voice, interrupted them.

    "Hey, Carter, can youe over for a moment?"

    Col stood downhill, waving at him, looking somewhat unusual.

    Carter swiftly exchanged a few words with Hir before heading towards Col.

    "What''s up, causing trouble again?"

    "Not this time. It''s about my friend" Col looked worried. "That troubadour, seems like he''s in trouble."

    Carter knew who he referred tothe troubadour named Jimmy. They had met a few times before, visited taverns together.

    Overall, Jimmy was an honest person, but like most troubadours, he had a somewhat reckless character that Hir didn''t appreciate.

    However, being a troubadour, he had mastered the "Whispers on the Wind" ability, extracting secret intelligence from the wind.

    At times, he shared useful information with them, equivalent to money for adventurers.

    However, he was duly paid for his services.

    "Seems like?"

    "I couldn''t grasp the full message, but I just received a fragmented ''Whisper'' from him via Mordu. The information is partially destroyed, only catching a few words like ''abyss'', ''association'', ''curse'' or something. I can''t make head or tail of what he meant. Any ideas?"

    At the mention of the abyss, Carter''s expression turned serious. Linking it to the word "association" naturally led him to the Abyss Research Association. Adding the word curse didn''t bode well.

    Could the troubadour have misused his ability and stumbled upon some secret he shouldn''t have known?

    Considering the recent controversies, many countries and organizations were deliberating whether to send delegations to supervise the secretive Abyss Research Association.

    In such sensitive times, what more could this association stir up?

    Carter contemted and asked, "Any other hints? Even if it''s a partial sound, try imitating it."

    Col rubbed his head in frustration. "There were some iplete sounds that I couldn''t understand or remember. I''ve tried contacting him through our connection, but I can''t reach him. It means he must be in danger."

    "Regardless, I need to visit Mordu."

    "Have you considered that he might already be"

    "Even if he''s dead, I need to find his body!" Col interrupted, then added hesitantly, scratching his head. "When I''m there, where should I start?"

    Carter pondered for a moment, not answering his question directly but remarking, "So, this mission is about finding someone or gathering information, right?"

    Col nodded. "That''s right."

    Carter shrugged. "Thatplicates things. Finding people and gathering information isn''t your forte; it requires wit and adaptability."

    "You''re not wrong." Col wanted to retort but found himself agreeing, shrugging. "I''ll try to be careful."

    "Let me handle this. It''s my forte."

    "I can''t ask you to do this. You might encounter danger"

    "I''m usually good at avoiding it, quite the opposite of you," Carter smiled. Changing the subject, he continued, "But let me rify something beforehand. I''ll only look for living people. If he''s alive, I''ll find him and get him out of trouble. But if I receive intelligence that he''s dead, I''ll immediately end the mission without risking anything to retrieve his body. Agreed?"

    After a few seconds of contemtion, Col nodded firmly.

    "Thank you, Carter."

    "Don''t thank me too soon. If I''m doing this for you, I might need your help with something. We''ll talk about itter."

    Carter nced towards Hir, saying, "Let''s keep this from her. I''ll tell her I''m going to Mordu to meet an old friend, will be away for some time. Be cautious not to spill the beans."

    Col had no objections. "Sure thing."

    Carter nced at the sky, his thoughts drifting.

    "Mordu It''s been a while."

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 Chapter 104: The Withering Disease

    Chapter 104: The Withering Disease

    Across the boundless wildernessy a nket of pristine white snow, rolling endlessly.

    A griffon extended its wings, gliding high in the sky.

    Its keen gaze scanned the earth, desperately seeking prey to fill its belly.

    At this time of year, satisfying hunger was always challenging.

    Yet within its underdeveloped mind, it still remembered that not too far aheady a modest-sized foresta potential haven for food.

    So it flew and flew, traversing the seemingly endless expanse of pristine white until an unsightly blotch disrupted thendscape.

    A deste, lifeless foresty before it.

    Every nt had withered away; trees resembled charred remains, their ckened branches twisting into the air.

    This forest was dead.

    A withered forest sustains no life, driving away any creatures that once called it home.

    Those unable to escape perished here, their decaying bodies long having turned fetid.

    The griffon hunted only the living, never feeding on rotting corpses.

    It circled high above, scanning for potential targets, but found none.

    No matter, its undeveloped mind recalled another forest not too far ahead, arger one at that.

    The griffon prepared to move towards its next destination.

    Suddenly, something near the forest''s edge captured its attentionan indication of life.

    A young human boy knelt beneath a dead tree, tears streaming down his face.

    "Sob... sob..."

    The boy''s cries reached the griffon''s ears, sparking its predatory instincts.

    The griffon circled in the air, adjusting its posture, then dove sharply towards its target.

    Hearing movement behind him, the boy trembled and turned.

    His tear-stained face twisted in fear.

    "Gaah!"

    The griffon emitted a sharp cry, attempting to intimidate the boy, rendering his legs weak and unable to flee.

    It worked.

    The boy stood frozen, as if petrified.

    The prey was within reach.

    Just then

    Swoosh

    An arrow tore through the air, aimed at the griffon.

    Swiftly, the griffon dodged the attack.

    Adjusting its flight, it red angrily in the direction of the arrow''s origin.

    Human?

    An archer riding a horse?

    No.

    The griffon noticed that a human body was fused with the horse''s bodyhalf human, half horse!

    A centaur!

    Tall and sturdy, the upper body, bare and painted with ck symbols denoting strength, contrasted with the horse''s armored lower half.

    A top-tier wilderness hunter.

    The griffon''s natural foe.

    Its prey snatched away, the griffon, consumed by rage, paid no heed to the disparity in their strengths, screeching as it swooped down toward the centaur.

    However, the centaur, unperturbed, stowed away the bow and arrow, wielding a spear instead, charging at the iing griffon!

    ttering hoofbeats

    In a matter of breaths, the running speed reached a terrifying level. A glint illuminated the tip of the spear, radiating outward into a dome-shaped screen of light.

    Swift

    The spear emitted a dazzling beam of energy, aiming directly at the griffon''s vital spot.

    "Gaah!"

    The griffon, a skyborne tyrant, twisted its body in crisis, avoiding a lethal strike but getting hit in the hind leg by the energy beam.

    With a wretched howl, the griffon snapped out of its furious state, pping its wings to ascend into the sky, fleeing without looking back.

    The centaur lifted his head, his profound gaze following the griffon''s departure until it became a speck, vanishing from sight.

    Only then did the centaur rx his offensive stance, sheathing the spear behind him, and gradually approached the young boy.

    The boy had fallen silent but tears continued to flow incessantly.

    He cradled a pseudo-flower spirit, barely clinging to life.

    It was almost impossible to rte this frail creature in his hands to the mischievous and lively pseudo-flower spirit from before.

    Her form had shriveled, nearly shapeless, with hues resembling dried leavesyellowed, a clear sign of her imminent demise.

    The pseudo-flower spirit originated in this forest, her existence deeply intertwined with its vitality.

    In theory, as long as the forest thrived, so would she.

    Yet now, with the forest dead, she would fade away in turn.

    "Don''t cry. This isn''t a sorrowful event..." The pseudo-flower spirit emitted a faint, silken voice,forting the boy. "Death is the most natural urrence. I''ve lived in this world for a long time. This is merely returning to nature... You won''t be alone. I''ll apany you in a different way..."

    The boy choked on his words, nodding, vigorously wiping away his tears, yet they continued to stream down.

    The centaur approached, halting beside him.

    The boy lifted his gaze, meeting the centaur''s mncholic eyes. "Mister Centaur, please save her. I''ll pay you any price, as long as you can revive her. I''ll do anything for you..."

    The centaur remained silent, shaking his head slightly, indicating his powerlessness.

    "There must be a way! If we can revive the nts in the forest, she''ll recover... There must be a magic potion that can cure the withering of nts, right? There has to be!"

    "It''s useless." The centaur bent his forelimbs, half-kneeling, then reached out his robust arm, plucked a dried grass from the ground, and inspected it closely, crushing it into powder with his fingers.

    "This isn''t an illness; it''s a curse."

    At that moment, the pseudo-flower spirit in the boy''s hands finally exhaled herst breath. Her body disintegrated entirely, turning to a pile of ashes that scattered in the wind, disappearing from the world without a trace, as though she had never existed.

    The centaur stood up, speaking in a not-quite-fluentmon humannguage, asking, "The nearest forest from herewhere is it?"

    His voice was deep, slow, maic, seemingly delving into one''s innermost being, naturally evoking trust.

    But the boy, currently crestfallen, couldn''t hear him; he simply sat there dejectedly.

    "Tell me, child." The centaur softened his tone, repeating gently, "Unless you want this curse to spread, endangering other ces."

    Only then did the boy snap out of his daze, wiping his tears with his sleeve, frowning as he pondered for a while.

    "I remember, the closest one should be the ck Forest, the Woods of the Dark Enchantress... It''s in that direction."

    "Thank you." The centaur paused for a moment, leaving him with a parting sentence: "Stay brave and keep moving forward."

    "Mister Centaur!"

    The boy took a few steps after him.

    The centaur halted upon hearing the voice, turning to face him.

    "Will you be able to solve this withering disease curse?"

    "I''ll do my best."

    The centaur''s mncholic gaze gazed into the distance, carrying a multitude of thoughts.

    ...

    "I''vee up with a genius idea!"

    Xiao Zi suddenly flew to Hua Mi''s side, hands on hips, exuding an air of smugness, practically aiming her nostrils at the sky.

    What genius idea could you possibly have?

    But Hua Mi yed along and asked, "What''s the idea?"

 Chapter 105: Xiao Zis Genius Plan

    Chapter 105: Xiao Zi''s Genius n

    "What''s the idea?"

    "Creating a method for making new-vored honey!"

    Xiao Zi excitedly eximed, "Right now, we only nt one type of flower in a field, resulting in honey with a single vor. But what if we nt two or more types of flowers in one field? The bees would collect nectar from different flowers, and the honey produced would definitely have a different taste!"

    Xiao Zi looked forward with anticipation, "I wonder what kind of honey we could brew using this method."

    "..."

    Don''t say anything.

    Really, don''t say anything.

    This was indeed a novel idea.

    He had underestimated her.

    He thought the little foodie couldn''te up with anything beyond her cravings, but she actually had some creative thoughts.

    This n had crossed Huami''s mind as well, being a professional beekeeper. However, with new honey sources like Moon Dream Flower, Feathered Robe Flower, Thunderstrike Flower, and Bestowal Flower appearing, his focus had been on cultivating these individual flowers.

    Managing that alone kept him quite busy, and he hadn''t yet considered mixed nting. Compared to cultivating individual flowers, thetter was more challenging, requiring higher expertise in cultivation techniques and environmental conditions.

    Moreover, the limited variety of flowers on hand posed an obstacle. Different flowers had different growth environments, and their nectar flow periods didn''t synchronize.

    So, the idea of mixed nting had been put on hold.

    Xiao Zi''s suggestion was essentially what beekeepers referred to as "mixed nectar collection." In the beekeeping industry, many beekeepers took their hives to various nectar sources, a practice known as migratory beekeeping.

    There were two types of nectar sources: mixed and single.

    A single nectar source didn''t necessarily mean only one type of flower in a radius of hundreds of miles. As long as one type of flower dominated, bees tended to collect nectar exclusively from that dominant flower, resulting in single-flower honey.

    In contrast, if the nectar sourceprised several flower types with no clear dominance, and bees couldn''t meet their needs by collecting from just one, they would gather nectar from multiple flowers, producing what was called multi-flower honey.

    Multi-flower honey had a distinct taste, often with finer crystalline particlespared to single-flower honey.

    It wasn''t easy to dere which was better or more nutritious; each had its merits, influenced by factors such as flower types, growing environments, and production processes.

    Huami had previously experimented by directly mixing two types of honey, like simultaneously consuming a Thunderstrike Flower honey pill and a Bestowal Flower honey pill. The conclusion was that the two honeys didn''t interfere with each other, producing no magical effects. They functioned normally, each exhibiting its own effects.

    However, if the mixing urred during the honey collection period, processed through the magical transformation by the bees, it would likely result in an entirely new honey.

    A new vor and, perhaps, new effects!

    Xiao Zi proposed this idea more likely from the perspective of exploring new honey vors. Meanwhile, Huami considered that collecting nectar from two or more types of flowers would also lead to honey with effects different from single-flower honey.

    In such a scenario, one plus one clearly didn''t equal two.

    It was akin to bee hybridization, a form of honey hybridization.

    If there were flowers with synchronized nectar periods, it might be worth considering creating a dedicated mixed flower field.

    To achieve this, synchronization of nectar periods was a necessary condition.

    His greenhouse could simte various environments, but making different flowers bloom simultaneously in the same area was challengingmore so than cultivating individual flowers.

    Additionally, the limited variety of flowers on hand and their differing growth environments made it difficult to synchronize nectar flows.

    So, mixed nting had yet to be put into practice.

    "Good idea, very innovative," Huami nodded, praising her.

    "Hehe."

    With Huami''s approval, Xiao Zi stood proudly, quite pleased with herself.

    "But, this can''t be realized immediately. If you can''t wait and want to taste new-vored honey, you can settle for something else." Huami pointed to several honey jars on the shelf, jokingly saying, "For example, you can take a bite of each, let them mix in your mouth by stirring with your tongue. It''s a low-budget version of multi-flower honey, not as good as the real thing, but it can satisfy your cravings temporarily."

    Unexpectedly, Xiao Zi''s face drooped, and she murmured dispiritedly, "I''ve already done that... I''ve tasted the mix of these honey vors, and it''s not as good as just having one vor."

    "..."

    He had underestimated the creativity and initiative of a foodie.

    However, thanks to Xiao Zi''s reminder, he realized that it was indeed time to seriously consider mixed nting.

    With farming and beekeeping gradually settling into a routine, he now had the bandwidth.

    The first thing to consider was the source of seeds.

    ck Stone Town was a mining town with underdeveloped agriculture. Even buying grain seeds at this time was difficult, let alone flower seeds.

    During hisst visit to ck Stone Town, he found nothing rted to flowers.

    Buying flower seeds was impossible in ck Stone Town.

    Going further was too troublesome.

    It would be best to use local resources.

    Huami thought for a moment and asked, "Are there any nts in the ck Forest with flowering periods simr to Moon Dream Flower, Feathered Robe Flower, or Thunderstrike Flower?"

    Considering the harsh weather, most nts were likely to have withered by now.

    Finding a blooming flower, especially, would be incredibly challenging.

    However, the main focus wasn''t the flower but the seeds.

    ...

    After thest batch of honey was collected, the greenhouse entered a new growth cycle.

    The Bestowal Flower field didn''t need attention; under the magical influence of the small flower spirits, it wouldn''t deteriorate. After some time, it would reenter the nectar flow periodfully automated.

    The small flower spirits also told him that Bestowal Flowers liked pure fire elements.

    cing some fire attribute items in the field would enhance the growth and quality of Bestowal Flowers. The most noticeable effect was an increase in honey production.

    As for fire attribute items... perhaps fire seeds?

    Even if he were the Swordsman of Brassburg, he couldn''t take those away. Those were essential for the Fire Servitors.

    So, Huami settled for cing a well-seasoned ancestral frying pan in the flower field.

    The pan''s bottom was pitch-ck.

    As for the Thunderstrike Flower field, it needed to be rented, no need to mention.

    Next, Huami nned to double the size of the greenhouse.

    He intended to allocate a section for mixed nting.

    After chatting with the pseudo-flower spirits, he learned that there were flowers in the ck Forest that bloomed around the same time as the Moon Dream Flower, named the "Thousand Mirage Flower." It was likely that their nectar flow periods would align with the Feathered Robe Flower.

    Moreover, the pseudo-flower spirits knew of a modest-sized grove of Thousand Mirage Flowers.

    By now, that grove had probably withered.

    However, the seeds had already scattered around.

    Huami decided to include the Thousand Mirage Flower in the flower seed reserve as the next breeding target.

    The soon-to-be-expanded area in the greenhouse would be divided into two parts.

    One part would be a dedicated field for Thousand Mirage Flowers.

    The other part would be a mixed field for Thousand Mirage Flowers and Feathered Robe Flowers.

 Chapter 106: Thousand Illusion Flower Seeds

    Chapter 106: Thousand Illusion Flower Seeds

    Material sourcing still happened on Earth. Speaking of which, his assets in the other world had grown considerably.

    A total of 75 gold coins, 10 silver coins, plus some loose change.

    There was also a Demonsbane Gold Coinalso known as that purple gold coin.

    Hua Mipared it to the Demonsbane Gold Insignia representing his identity as a "Swordbearer" and concluded that this purple-glowing coin should also be made of Demonsbane Gold, with its appearance and hardness entirely matching.

    Demonsbane Gold was an exceedingly rare material. Its unique properties made it far more precious than ordinary gold, and just this one Demonsbane Gold Coin could probably equate the value of all other coinsbined.

    Nevertheless, Hua Mi decided to buy materials on Earth. Mainly due to the convenience of logistics.

    This time, Hua Mi nned to expand the greenhouse by twice its size, requiring almost twice the amount of materials fromst time.

    There were still some leftover materials from thest time.

    So, the expenses this time did not reach twice the amount of the previous expenditure.

    However, after buying the materials, there wasn''t much of the money umted from selling honey left.

    Hua Mi didn''t really feel regretful. Firstly, it was a necessary investment. Secondly, who cared about that money when one could traverse to a magical world and possess superpowers?

    Today, Hua Mi brought Xiao Zi along and set out to find the seeds of the Thousand Illusion Flowers.

    Guided by Xiao Zi, Hua Mi controlled the swarm of bees, heading straight towards that cluster of flowers.

    This was an area they had never visited before.

    With asional stops along the way, the whole journey took a little over two hours, not too far.

    Finally, they reached an area of canyons, with towering cliffs on both sides and a narrow passage covered in snow in the middle.

    They flew all the way to the end of the canyon.

    The space here was rtively spacious, with the cliffs receding inward, creating an open area.

    ording to Xiao Zi, this was where the Thousand Illusion Flowers grew.

    During the flowering season, this ce would be filled with psychedelic colors.

    The unique fragrance of the flowers would attract many insects for feeding.

    Of course, for now, it was just a vast expanse of snow.

    Hua Minded, the snow reaching up to his calves.

    First, he had to clear away this snow.

    Hua Mi raised his arm.

    Buzz

    The fierce fire bee swarm rushed out from the sleeve of his ck robe, swiftly arranging themselves into a formation in front of him.

    "Whoosh!" The swarm ignited a pale me, resembling a wall of fire slowly descending, gradually approaching the snow-covered ground.

    The snow melted at a visible speed.

    Soon, arge wet patch of ground was revealed.

    Some remnants of the Thousand Illusion Flowers could be seen on the ground, but they had almostpletely merged with the soil, making it hard to discern their original appearance.

    Hua Mi took out a portable folding shovel from his storage ring and began digging for the seeds.

    For wild flowers like these, seeds spread in various wayssome through water flow, some through wind, some through animals, and others by ejecting seeds using their own sticity.

    ording to the Pseudo-Flower Spirits'' descriptions, every time the flowering season arrived, the Thousand Illusion Flowers here would bloom again.

    At least, it indicated that they would leave seeds around.

    So, he was certain he would find some.

    With a single shovelful

    Hua Mi''s expression suddenly changed, hearing some movement, immediately looking up at the sky.

    He saw a huge avian creature diving towards him!

    It was muchrger than a hawk or eagle, and it was hard to imagine such a bulky creature being able to fly, yet it appeared so agile and swift, its wings seemingly incredibly powerful.

    Even though it was their first meeting, Hua Mi recognized it instantly.

    "It''s a Gryphon! Be careful!"

    Xiao Zi eximed, skillfully diving into his ck robe.

    Indeed, a Gryphon.

    He had read about Gryphons in books, nicknamed the "Sky Overlord," especially fierce.

    Not staying silent anymore now that the prey noticed it, the Gryphon let out a loud screech.

    "Gaah!"

    Hua Mi felt his eardrums pricked as if with needles. Thankfully, his mental strength was high enough to immunize him against the Gryphon''s sonic intimidation.

    Without much time to spare, he immediately released two groups of Fierce Fire Bee Swarms and two groups of Pale Fire Bee Swarms.

    Four swarms, all under his control, rushed towards the Gryphon.

    Hua Mi noticed that the Gryphon seemed to have a disability in its body.

    It had lost one of its hind legs.

    The Gryphon pped its wings, elerating its dive, paying no attention to the small insects flying towards it.

    As an aerial overlord, it had its pride.

    How could it fear these feeble insects?

    As for the human, it was even more insignificant.

    It seemed much weaker than a centaur.

    The Gryphon fixed its gaze on the prey on the ground, plunging into the swarm without hesitation.

    Whoosh

    All four swarms ignited pale mes simultaneously.

    The Gryphon was instantly surrounded by a sea of fire, momentarily losing its footing, pping its wings, emitting surprised screeches.

    Bees attached to the Gryphon''s body, igniting its feathers.

    Worried it might not be enough, Hua Mi controlled some of the Pale Fire Bees to inject fire poison into the lower part of the Gryphon''s body where the feathers didn''t cover.

    Internal and external attacks.

    Twice the zestiness.

    The Gryphon had already lost its bnce, falling headlong into the snowy ground, sliding for several meters before crashing into the cliff.

    Thud!

    A satisfying sound.

    The swarm dispersed upon impact, then immediately regrouped, reorganizing their formation.

    Seeing the Gryphon rolling in the snow, using it to extinguish most of the mes on its body, Hua Mi immediately controlled the swarm to reignite it.

    In an instant, it turned into a ball of fire.

    After a few back and forths, the Gryphon finally exhausted its vitality.

    Thrashing in the snow, emitting a final mournful screech, it kicked its legs, fell to the ground, throwing up a flurry of snow.

    Faced with such a fierce predator, Hua Mi couldn''t afford to becent, controlling scouting bees to approach.

    By now, all of its feathers had been charred, and its body emitted the smell of roasted meat.

    Initially, he could still hear faint breathing and a heartbeat.

    About a minuteter, the Gryphonpletely ceased movement.

    Only then did Hua Mi approach.

    Man, this thing was huge, lying on the ground like a small hill. He couldn''t imagine how desperate an ordinary person would feel facing such a predatory bird.

    Sharp ws, powerful muscles just as described in the books.

    Indeed, it had lost one of its hind legs, and the wound seemed fresh, probably received not long ago.

    Looking at the smooth and neat wound, it didn''t seem like it was caused by tearing or biting.

    Perhaps it was injured by some weapon or spell.

    "Rarely do Gryphonse to the ck Forest. Is it lost

    ?" Xiao Zi peeked out, puzzled.

    When a creature''s habits suddenly change, it often means that its living environment has undergone some sort of change.

    However, this wasn''t something he should be concerned about.

    Confirming the Gryphon''s demise, Hua Mi returned to where he was before, continuing to dig for the seeds.

    Thousand Illusion Flower seeds were rtivelyrge, one seed equivalent to the size of two Feathered Dress Flower seeds.

    The surface of the seed was smooth and plump, reflecting an iridescence under the sunlight.

    In total, Hua Mi dug out about thirty odd seeds, not taking too many to leave some for this ce.

    The purpose of this trip had been achieved.

    Plus, there was an unexpected gain.

    Hua Mi stored the Gryphon''s body in the magic box, intending to bring it back and toss it into the well in the greenhouse as fertilizer.

    Took some time to outline things more finely. Just two chapters today, will make up for it another day~

 Chapter 107: Return to the Brass City

    Chapter 107: Return to the Brass City

    This journey went pretty smoothly, with just a trivial incident in between.

    Hua Mi returned home with collected seeds and the unexpected prey.

    If there was something valuable on the griffon, it was its "Sound Organ."

    Located in its throat, it produced highly prating sonic waves that had a stunning effect on targets. If one''s mental power wasn''t high enough, a single roar could easily induce a nk state of mind, allowing the griffon to dive in for a fatal attack.

    Hua Mi sliced open its throat and retrieved the Sound Organ.

    About the size of a walnut, it was wrinkled on the surface, highly stic, rich in wind elements, and amonly used alchemical material.

    Simr to the various body parts of the Shifter Beast before, it was preserved by freezing for now.

    These were all genuinely useful resources. Even if he didn''t use them himself, he could trade them for money.

    The other body parts of the griffon held no significant value.

    Hua Mi simply tossed them into thepost well in the greenhouse.

    The primary tasks ahead were greenhouse expansion and breeding the Mirage Flowers.

    After about a week, the purchased materials started arriving bit by bit, and Hua Mi promptly put them all into the well.

    No need to worry about waste; the excess would be stored in the material storage for future use. As long as the greenhouse existed, these materials wouldn''t disappear. So, without calcting usage, he could simply go all-in.

    Hua Mi expanded the greenhouse by two more areas on the original basis, making the total area inside about 40 mu.

    These two new areasprised a Mirage Flower zone and a mixed zone of Mirage Flowers and Feathered Attires.

    Currently, he had roughly over twenty thousand Mirage Flower seeds on hand, and Hua Mi decided to nt this portion first.

    When gathering seeds in the canyon, he specifically observed the distances between the remains of Mirage Flowers on the ground, estimating the nting intervals for this flower.

    Quiterge.

    It could be said to have thergest nting interval among the several flower types he had.

    nting over twenty thousand Mirage Flower seeds took up nearly 4 mu ofnd.

    At this rate, continuing the breeding process at the original speed would fill this field area after one more round.

    As for the mixed zone on the other side, it required only half the number of Mirage Flower seeds.

    "In another two weeks or so, the nting work for the new field area should be done."

    Expanding the flower fields meant the bee colony had to keep up.

    Hua Mi purchased a total of 89 regr Chinese bees in batches from several different suppliers.

    Why 89? Because he had one regr Chinese bee colony left.

    It just rounded up neatly to a total of 90, satisfying his OCD tendencies.

    Out of these 90 regr bees, he converted 60 into Power Bees, 10 into Azure me Bees, and 10 into Bloodsucker Bees.

    The 60 Power Bees and 10 Azure me Bees were all used for honey collection in the new field area, divided equally.

    As for the 10 Bloodsucker Bees,bined with the original 2, totaling 12, eight were evenly distributed among the four field areas for honey collection, while the remaining 4 were carried asbat bees.

    Azure me Bees and Bloodsucker Bees were primarily aimed at their by-products; their contribution to honey production wasn''t that significant.

    The Bloodsucker Bees, due to their fast flight speed, were rtively productive.

    However, they produced blood honey, which might only be suitable for vampires or derivatives... and he only knew one derivative at the moment, so there wasn''t a need for too many.

    These workflow routines were already second nature to him.

    After sorting out the greenhouse and bee colony matters, Hua Mi took some time to visit Alyss, inquiring if she could help construct a portal to the Brass City.

    The ore-like byproduct produced when the Bloodsucker Bees brewed Thunderflower Honey had been bothering him, and he wanted to understand it better.

    This time, the little Flower Spirit also tagged along.

    Ever since her birth, she had been curiously observing this world.

    A rare opportunity arose, and she also wanted to see the Brass City.

    Unlike the Pseudo-Flower Spirits, Flower Spirits weren''t dependent on a specific environment.

    From the moment of their birth, they were already independent individuals theoretically capable of going anywhere.

    Considering the trip wasn''t particrly dangerous, and in a way, the Brass City was also half her homnd, Hua Mi didn''t refuse her.

    ...

    "You seem to be quite popr among the spirits," Alyss teased, ncing at the little Flower Spirit sitting on his shoulder.

    "Lucky, I guess. I don''t know why, but I always seem to encounter interesting souls," he joked before steering the conversation toward business.

    Alyss informed him that he was indeed fortunate; she still had enough materials here to activate the portal once more.

    If he wanted to use it again, he''d have to prepare the materials in advance.

    That wasn''t a big issue since he didn''t n on going there all the time.

    Having a favor to ask, Hua Mi didn''te empty-handed and brought several bottles of Graceful Flower Honey for her.

    Despite Alyss staying indoors all day, her mental energy wasn''t consumed only during battles.

    Engaging in long-term research on architectural design and spatial magic was also quite taxing on the mind.

    The Graceful Flower Honey should be a satisfying gift for her.

    As expected, upon hearing the honey''s benefits, Alyss dly epted it, visibly wearing a smile on her face.

    With the foundation left from thest time, this time, it only required a restart.

    Before long, Alyss opened the portal.

    Remembering Alyss''s instructions, Hua Mi, along with the little Flower Spirit, passed through the portal.

    After a brief sensation of weightlessness andpression, Hua Mi''s feetnded once again on that grassy field.

    The familiar scorching air, the familiar light pollution... everything seemed just like thest time he was here.

    "Is that you?"

    The little Flower Spirit suddenly noticed something and tilted her head, looking behind him.

    Hua Mi turned to look.

    "..."

    Beside the original Nuwa King statue in the square, there was now an additional statue.

    A human figure in robes, wearing a hood, one hand slightly raised forward, while the other gripped a seemingly heavy sword resting on the shoulder, exuding a righteous aura.

    Once again, he couldn''t help but admire the Nuwas'' forging skills.

    This statue was lifelike, an exact replica of himself.

    It should have been an honor.

    But for some reason, there was an odd sense of embarrassment...

    Perhaps the pose was a tad too edgy.

    Did I strike that pose back then?

    I don''t think so.

    I was numb from the neurotoxin, hardly in the mood for posing.

    It must be the Nuwas'' imagination.

    ...

    He hadn''t walked far towards the Nuwa King''s pce when three Nuwas came out to greet him.

    One of them was unmistakably the trantor fromst time, that can-like Nuwa.

    He ran too fast, identally tripping and rolling down the steps ttering all the way down.

    Being so round, he rolled swiftly.

    Hua Mi maneuvered the bee colony to help slow him down, eventually bringing him to a

    stop.

    The can-like Nuwa hurriedly got up and respectfully said, "Lord Swordsman, wee back to the Brass City!"

    "Long time no see, Can." Hua Mi replied.

    "Can?" The Nuwa was puzzled. "..."

    Uh, it just slipped out.

    Seeing him resembling a can, I gave him that nickname in my mind.

    What was his actual name again?

    Forgot it.

    This is awkward.

    The Nuwa was puzzled for a moment but suddenly bounced up, happily dering, "Lord Swordsman has named me! From today onwards, I shall be called Can!"

    "..."

 Chapter 108: Blood Cyan Crystal

    Chapter 108: Blood Cyan Crystal

    Hua Mi, the little flower spirit, found herself captivated by the bestowed floral sea before her.

    After ncing ahead for a moment, she turned back to Hua Mi, wearing a questioning expression.

    With a nod from Hua Mi, she pped her wings and flew towards the floral sea.

    As the flower spirit passed, the bestowed flowers below seemed to react, swaying and dancing as if in a raging sea of fire for an instant.

    The tin cans nearby were utterly astonished, murmuring something in thenguage of the fire spirits.

    Hua Mi scanned the surroundings and asked, "I''ve noticed there are no longer soldiers guarding the temple. Has the war truly ended?"

    The tin cans shook their heads, "The disagreement over the construction of the temple remains the cause of conflict. Although the dispute over ascending to the fire elemental ne has ceased."

    "The construction of the temple What''s the issue?"

    Hua Mi observed that the temple was iplete, only a foundation stood, and the mes were visible from here.

    The Demon-ying Sword, it was still there, exactly where Hua Mi had left it after use.

    "The kings on both sides disagree on the specifications and style of the temple."

    ""

    In short, they''re just looking for an excuse to fight.

    Hua Mi couldn''t be bothered delving deeper into the internal issues of the fire spirits. As a regr human, sometimes he just couldn''tprehend their thought processes.

    He then controlled a scout bee to wander through the temple.

    Nothing happened this time.

    He had already confirmed during his previous visit that the temple would not bestow blessings a second time, regardless of using azure fire bees or any other type. It seemed to be a one-time deal, unrted to individuals.

    This time, after such a long interval, the blessing remained untriggered.

    It appeared time was not a factor.

    This temple indeed could only bestow blessings once.

    ncing at the little flower spirit, who was joyfully dancing upon the floral sea, Hua Mi decided to let her enjoy her time here.

    He chose not to disturb her blissful moments and headed to the cksmith with the tin cans.

    While passing through a narrow alley, Hua Mi caught a glimpse of a skirmish in this civil war.

    Two fire spirit soldiers in the alley were grappling with each other.

    One had the other pinned, raining blows upon their head with resounding thuds. Despite being restrained, the suppressed soldier continued iling limbs, attempting to reverse the hold.

    They remained locked in this back-and-forth struggle, neither yielding.

    Moving forward, they encountered another group in a brawl.

    Hua Mi''s initial impression was akin to a bunch of LEGO figures brawling.

    All that could be heard was the shing of metal, surprisingly loud.

    However, upon seeing Hua Mi approach, they immediately ceased fighting, hastily splitting apart and respectfully standing on either side, watching him pass through their midst.

    About ten meters away, Hua Mi heard the resumed tter of their fight behind him.

    Honestly, children brawl more intensely than this. Hua Mi suspected they had an agreement not to go all out, just putting on a show for their leaders.

    If this was their behavior during the Second Abyssal War the human and elf soldiers who rushed in for support must have felt utterly despondent.

    Oddly enough, the floating mausoleums in the sky engaged in a more intense battle,unching relentless attacks without hesitation, causing parts to fly everywhere.

    Soon, Hua Mi and the tin cans crossed numerous fire lines, arriving at the cksmith''s workshop.

    Upon entering, a strong smell of sulfur assailed their senses.

    The room remained unchanged, resembling a metallic cavern.

    The cksmith, suspended from the ceiling by chains, sat behind the forge, wielding a ming iron hammer, mechanically striking a metal ingot repeatedly.

    Approaching him, the tin cans said something.

    Initially disinterested, the cksmith said nothing and continued his work.

    However, when Hua Mi produced the peculiar thumb-sized crystal  the Blood Cyan Crystal  the cksmith paused mid-swing, his ming hammer hanging in mid-air.

    mes on the hammer retracted into the cksmith''s body, and his hollow eyes instantly ignited.

    He uttered a brief sound.

    It meant he wanted to take a look at it.

    Taking a step forward, Hua Mi ced the crystal on the forge  his Blood Cyan Crystal  and the cksmith extended a massive hand toward it.

    With a faint ng, as if there was an irresistible attraction between the crystal and the hammer, the crystal instantly adhered to the cksmith''s metallic palm.

    He grasped the crystal with both hands, studying it carefully for a moment.

    "Interesting This crystal possesses unique properties. Where did you get it?"

    "Alchemy byproduct."

    "No wonder. It doesn''t seem like a natural mineral Would you mind if I melt it down? This way, I can explore its properties more thoroughly."

    "Go ahead."

    Hua Mi readily agreed. His sole purpose ining here was to learn about the crystal''s nature and function. Even if it meant consuming the crystal, it was eptable.

    Moreover, the crystal''s properties were stable. Even if it melted, it wouldn''t produce any special magical effects.

    The fire spirit cksmith was an expert in this field. If there were any dangers, he would surely sense them.

    After obtaining Hua Mi''s consent, mes erupted from the cksmith''s hands.

    The mes held the crystal aloft, suspended above the outer ze.

    In this intense heat, the crystal began to melt from the periphery, transforming rapidly into a light cyan liquid.

    Oddly, within it, blood-like veins remained unaffected by the heat, as if impervious to its effects.

    "Fascinating substance"

    The cksmith murmured in admiration, seemingly lost in some emotion, forgetting there were two customers before him.

    "What are its properties?" Hua Mi asked.

    "It possesses a plundering nature," the cksmith''s attention remained fixed on the melted crystal, giving a somewhat casual response.

    Hua Mi didn''t grasp the meaning of this.

    Plundering?

    What could a thumb-sized crystal plunder?

    Moreover, both he and the pseudo-flower spirit had concluded that the crystal''s nature was stable. Even under intense forging or melting, it wouldn''t exhibit any special magical effects.

    "That''s because you haven''t activated it in the right way."

    Finally diverting his attention from the crystal, the cksmith exined, "Besides its plundering nature, this crystal has a high affinity for lightning. Apply sufficient lightning force, and you''ll witness its true form."

    Saying this, the cksmith ced the partially cooled crystal back on the forge. Then, he retrieved a conical tool from beneath the forge with his left hand, its tip aimed at the crystal, while holding a hammer in his right hand, forcefully striking the tool''s base.

    ng

    A loud striking sound echoed through the room.

    Then, a crackling sound followed.

    A strong blue-white arc emitted from the tool''s tip.

    The electric re was blinding, causing Hua Mi to squint.

    He witnessed the arc striking the crystal urately.

    It leaped up suddenly, then quickly descended, tumbling on the forge and turning over.

    Soon, Hua Mi realized it wasn''t an illusion.

    The blood-like veins inside the crystal seemed to grow more pronounced, extending from within to the surface, resembling lifelike creatures, thirsting for

    something.

    Truly fitting for a byproduct of bloodsucking bees, it had a sinister nature indeed.

 Chapter 109: Bee Amplifier and Fire God Form

    Chapter 109: Bee Amplifier and Fire God Form

    Upon closer inspection, those bloodlines seemed more like ethereal lines trembling.

    This scene felt familiar.

    At the edge of the magic field formed by the bloodsucking bees, there seemed to be a simr phenomenon.

    Slightly different, but not vastly so.

    Could the so-called plunder attribute mean it can absorb the life energy of its target?

    If that''s all it does, then it seems rather useless.

    Inparison, his bloodsucking bees were more convenient.

    And what could such a small crystal do? It probably could only plunder the energy of a single strand of hair from the target.

    Lasting for about a dozen seconds, the plunder field gradually contracted, the scattered bloodlines outside fading away. Inside the blood cyan crystal, it gradually returned to its original state, overall presenting a light cyan color with some bloodlines mixed within.

    "It can plunder the life energy of the target?" Hua Mi asked.

    "More advanced than that," the cksmith said, "It can plunder a certain characteristic of the target. However, this attribute analysis of the plunder magic field has only one interpretation,cks universality. It shows it has specific direction, meaning it can only affect specific targets."

    "Specific targets What does that mean?"

    "That''s for you to figure out. Think about how it came to be, and you''ll get the answer."

    To know how it was born, he''d have to ask the little bee. I have no idea, Hua Mi thought helplessly.

    Wait.

    The bee?

    Could it be

    Strictly speaking, this blood cyan crystal was created by the bee.

    If it''s adaptable, would there be anything more reasonable than the bee as an adapting object?

    Thinking of this, Hua Mi released an Azure Fire Bee, preparing for an experiment.

    Why choose the Azure Fire Bee?

    Because it was his favorite bee breed so far.

    And here, in this high-temperature environment, the Azure Fire Bee was more suitable.

    Hua Mi instructed Tin Can to have the cksmith send another surge of electricity towards the blood cyan crystal.

    Zzzt

    The bluish-white arc struck the blood cyan crystal, causing it to bounce on the tabletop, immediately activating it.

    Soon, in the surrounding area, that slightly eerie plunder magic field was triggered.

    Existing for only a dozen seconds.

    Hua Mi immediately had the Azure Fire Bee fly over and stop next to the activated blood cyan crystal.

    The moment it entered the plunder field, those illusory bloodlines seemed to suddenly materialize, reaching out towards the Azure Fire Bee, enveloping its body and prating inside.

    For the bees, Hua Mi''smands took the highest priority.

    Even surpassing their instinct for survival.

    Even if it meant certain death, as long as Hua Mimanded, they would charge without hesitation.

    Therefore, this Azure Fire Bee didn''t resist throughout the experiment. The process went smoothly.

    Hua Mi observed the changes within its body.

    Not just a simple decrease in life energy.

    Also decreasing were some of its characteristics.

    In gaming terms, it was its attribute points.

    As the plunder progressed, the bloodlines inside the blood cyan crystal gradually condensed into a vague bee shape.

    While the external Azure Fire Bee gradually withered, dispersed, ultimately turning into a pile of ashes.

    The blood cyan crystal also reverted from its activated state to a normal state.

    Except, the bee form inside still remained.

    Hua Mi probed into the crystal with his mental power, sensing an energy characteristic very simr to the Azure Fire Bee.

    But it was just a resemnce; the crystalcked vitality.

    Like the difference between a living being and a specimen.

    "That''s it This is its plunder attribute," the cksmith tapped his head with the hammer, "The characteristic of that bug is stored in the crystal, but why a small bug? Why specifically it? Why"

    The cksmith mumbled, seemingly perplexed.

    Why?

    Because the little bee is special!

    Hua Mi couldn''t exin it to the cksmith.

    What he was more curious about now was whether the stored bee characteristic in the crystal had any use.

    "This crystal Can it release the characteristic?" After pondering for a while, Hua Mi asked.

    ording to normal reasoning, if it can absorb, naturally, it can also release.

    The cksmith contemted for a moment before creakily speaking up.

    Tin Can tranted, "If we apply lightning power in reverse to it, theoretically, it could reverse this process But relying solely on the original crystal won''t work. Some very fine alterations need to be made... Some extremely precise alterations... If you want to achieve this, you''ll need to wait for some time."

    "Alright."

    Hearing that the process could be reversed, Hua Mi had a bold idea.

    If sessful, his strength might undergo a significant enhancement.

    Waiting a little longer for that was not a problem.

    Hua Mi and Tin Can temporarily left the cksmith''s shop.

    Tin Can suggested showing him around the city for sightseeing. He really wanted to take Hua Mi to see that monument.

    But Hua Mi was a bit concerned about Little Flower Spirit and decided to head towards the temple first.

    They arrived near the temple soon.

    However, the scene before them stunned both Hua Mi and Tin Can.

    Under the steps of the temple, a group of Fire Nus was bowing and worshipping ahead.

    They weren''t worshipping the Fire Seeds but the Flower Spirit in front of the temple.

    However, she was evidently no longer the familiar Little Flower Spirit to Hua Mi.

    For some reason, she had grown to the size of a human woman but remained pure white, wearing a dreamy gown seemingly solidified by Azure Fire. Her pristine hair had lengthened, its ends transforming into pale mes, gently floating behind her.

    What had happened?

    This was clearly not a normal ability for a Flower Spirit.

    Where''s the Flower Spirit gone?

    It was clearly a Fire God now.

    But she was born from the Gifted Flower.

    And the Gifted Flower was quite special, growing around the Fire Seed Temple

    "Tin Can"

    Hua Mi intended to ask Tin Can about something, but upon turning, he found that Tin Can had already joined thepatriots, bowing towards the direction of the Fire God, their heads knocking loudly.

    Truly a faithful race, Hua Mi marveled.

    At this moment, the Flower Spirit also noticed him. With a gentle "whoosh," two huge wings formed of Azure Fire unfolded, passing over the heads of the Fire Nus, flying towards him.

    When it was about to reach him, its speed slowed, and within a spiral of Azure Fire, it transformed back into the form of the Little Flower Spirit.

    Only then did it approach him, pping its tiny wings, perching on his shoulder.

    "What happened?"

    "Don''t know."

    The Little Flower Spiritmunicated through telepathy, exining that she had been wandering in the flower sea when suddenly a surging power filled her entire body, and then

    And then, she could transform into a "Fire God Form."

    She found it quite intriguing herself.

    ""

    Hua Mi fell into contemtion.

    If the flowers themselves contained some rare magical elements, it was possible to affect the formation of unique abilities in the Flower Spirits.

    The Gifted Flower growing around the Fire Seed Temple was bound to be different from regr flowers. Influenced by the temple, it might contain some special magical elements.

    And the Little Flower Spirit''s "Fire

    God Form" might be rted to these unique magical elements.

    Earlier, it was due to just being born,cking power, only disying a part of the Azure Fire traits.

    Now, in her homnd, feeling the abundant magical elements, she awakened fully.

    This wasn''t impossible.

    Thinking it through, Hua Mi asked, "So, can you change size at will now?"

    The Little Flower Spirit nodded, flying off his shoulder to a spot a few meters away.

    Closing her eyes, a spiral of Azure Fire materialized around her body out of nowhere, enveloping her.

    The size of the Azure Fire spiral grewrger andrger, gradually bing human-sized.

    After a few seconds, the Azure Fire vanished.

    The Little Flower Spirit had also transformed into the "Fire God" and walked out of the residual Azure Fire, looking at Hua Mi expressionlessly.

    There was another round of "knocking" sounds around.

    Hua Mi observed her for a while, suddenly realizing she had a somewhat neutral attribute. He hadn''t noticed before because, in Flower Spirit form, she was too cute, and it wasn''t as apparent.

    This wasn''t a bad thing.

    Equivalent to enhancingbat ability.

    Regardless of her truebat strength, just her appearance was quite intimidating.

    When going out, leaving her at home to protect the greenhouse and the Seven Little Ones would offer more peace of mind.

    Hua Mi had her return to the form of the Flower Spirit to avoid causing amotion.

    After exining to the Fire Nus for a long time, they finally believed it wasn''t the Fire Mother descending but simply a special ability of the Flower Spirit.

    The Little Flower Spirit didn''t seem to mind much, adopting an indifferent attitude, as if it didn''t concern her.

    Sitting on Hua Mi''s shoulder, she yawned multiple times in a row.

    Seemingly, transforming just now had consumed quite a bit of her energy.

 Chapter 110: First Amplification

    Chapter 110: First Amplification

    Hua Mi took the modified Blood Cyan Crystal from the cksmith.

    It was almost unrecognizable now.

    Some finely crafted metal parts were welded onto it, so intricate that they reminded Hua Mi of certain electronicponents on Earth.

    It had been melted into a slender tubr shape, with metal "caps" on both ends, and a very thin metal wire extending outward.

    The cksmith exined that by applying lightning power from one end, the crystal would release a plundering field. Conversely, applying an equal amount of reverse lightning power from the other end would return the plundered attributes.

    At present, this crystal was in a "saturated" state from plundering.

    It couldn''t perform the plundering action again.

    The only option was to apply voltage from the other end to release its characteristics.

    Hua Mi was intrigued.

    Because next, he could test his bold idea!

    Controlling two bees, Hua Mi let a Cyan me Bee and a Great Force Bee fly out.

    Then, he instructed the cksmith to electrify the crystal.

    After applying reverse voltage from the other end, the crystal immediately released an energy field.

    It looked almost identical to the previous plundering field, but upon mental probing, Hua Mi sensed that the natures of the two fields were opposite, akin to having an additional negative sign.

    First, he let the Great Force Bee enter the magical energy field.

    As expected, the distorted bloodlines showed no response to it.

    This was within Hua Mi''s expectations.

    The entire process waspletely inverse; if the attributes of the Cyan me Bee were plundered, they could only be returned to the same type of bee; otherwise, it would disrupt the bnce.

    Hua Mi promptly retrieved the Great Force Bee and reced it with the waiting Cyan me Bee.

    Sure enough, as soon as this Cyan me Bee entered the magical field, the bloodlines immediately converged towards it, prating its body.

    The Cyan me Bee was enveloped in a ball of red light.

    Hua Mi sensed the state of the Cyan me Bee.

    Some of its attributes, including the special ability to produce mes, were gradually strengthening...

    "Sess!"

    Even with the calming robe, Hua Mi couldn''t contain his excitement.

    Absorb the attributes of one bee and transfer them to another of the same type to obtain a stronger, enhanced bee - that was the temte for a new bee species!

    It was bound to be stronger than the original species!

    Although the process of absorbing and releasing attributes wasn''t a 100% conversion, there was a certain loss in between. Yet, the enhancement for the bee species was already remarkable.

    This was a "Bee Amplifier"!

    Hua Mi was overjoyed.

    Suddenly, a "crack" sound.

    The Bee Amplifier cracked open with a few fissures; the residual bloodlines inside were almost nonexistent, only some remnants remained.

    As the crystal cracked, the process of attribute enhancement came to an abrupt halt.

    This was also within their expectations.

    The cksmith had already informed him that this amplifier could only function once; it was disposable.

    Plundering and releasing might sound easy, but it was a significantly potent process. The two opposing magical fields exerted tremendous pull on the crystal. With its strength, it could withstand such intensity only once.

    But that was fine; his Vampire Bee could continue producing Blood Cyan Crystals.

    For every crystal produced, one enhancement could be made.

    Not bad at all!

    Although the crystal had shattered, the amplification had beenpleted this time.

    Hua Mi immediately examined the state of the Cyan me Bee after amplification.

    At this moment, the bee was encased in a cocoon woven from blood silk, invisible to the naked eye.

    But Hua Mi could sense the bee''s vitality inside - it was significantly stronger than a regr Cyan me Bee!

    If this continued...

    Hua Mi''s blissful thoughts for the future were suddenly interrupted.

    He sensed that something was amiss.

    "Wait..."

    Before he could react, a pale blue me suddenly burst out of the cocoon, instantly incinerating it.

    The me didn''t disappear; it continued to spew out powerfully.

    Yes, it wasn''t just burning quietly; it was forcefully jetting out.

    At this moment, when Hua Mi tried to sense the Cyan me Bee inside, he found that it had lost control.

    The intense Cyan me continued to burn for over ten seconds.

    When the mes finally vanished, the Cyan me Bee inside had turned into ashes.

    "..."

    Hua Mi''s current mood was akin to when an equipment enhancement failed and shattered in a game.

    He recollected the process and conducted a review.

    Amplifying the bees this way was feasible. However, like ingesting a Mutation Elixir, there was a possibility of failure in amplification

    He could clearly sense this during the amplification of the Cyan me Bee: at a certain stage, whether the amplification of the bee could stabilize was purely a matter of probability.

    In reality, the loss wasn''t substantial. It was just two bees plus a Bee Amplifier.

    When the Vampire Bee produced more Blood Cyan Crystals - perhaps by umting a few more - he could conduct bee amplifications together.

    ...

    At this point, his purpose foring to the Brass City had been fulfilled.

    He had understood the function of the Blood Cyan Crystal.

    And there were unexpected gains.

    One of these unexpected gains was the awakening of the Flower Spirit Little White''s "Fire God Form."

    The second unexpected gain was the establishment of apletely new path for bee amplification.

    Before departing, both Fire Kings came to bid him farewell.

    The other Fire King was a tall, slender cylinder.

    The two kings didn''t see eye to eye,municating only through a brass board, keeping their interaction to a minimum.

    That was the legendary "Kings Unseen."

    Regarding the cause of the "war" between both sides, Hua Mi roughly understood it from the canned exnation.

    In simple terms, one side wanted to build the temple ording to the original format, while the other sought innovation.

    When persuasion failed, they resorted to fighting.

    Both Fire Kings asked Hua Mi, as the Swordbearer, to make a decision for them.

    Hua Mi didn''t want to meddle in their affairs.

    He had figured out that both kings were troublemakers, always seeking problems.

    It seemed having two kings in one territory wasn''t a good idea.

    Resources were being squandered on internal conflicts every day.

    Perhaps the Fire Nuu n''s current diminishedbat prowess was precisely because theycked a powerful leader like King Ruru from a thousand years ago.

    Facing the inquiry from the two Fire Kings, Hua Mi suggested, "Since it''s a temple for the Fire Mother, why not ask for her advice?"

    The Fire Kings stated that the Fire Mother wouldn''t bother with such matters.

    In essence, she was toozy to care.

    Honestly, if there truly was a Fire Mother in the Fire Elemental ne, aware of her followers'' chaos, she probably wouldn''t want to talk to them either.

    Hua Mi remarked, "That''s because you haven''t used the right approach; the Fire Mother hasn''t received your will."

    The Fire Kings asked how they could know the Fire Mother''s opinion on this matter.

    Hua Mi replied, "The Fire Mother is the mother of your entire race, right?"

    The Fire Kings nodded in agreement.

    Hua Mi continued, "Therefore, her will is manifested in every Fire Nuu; every umted will represents her

    final will."

    The two Fire Kings seemed pensive.

    "So, to urately determine the Fire Mother''s opinion on this matter, the best way is to listen to the opinions of all Fire Nuus."

    "You can set up a ballot box, allowing all Fire Nuus to vote and voice their opinions. Then, determine the conclusion based on which side has more supporters. This conclusion woulde closest to the Fire Mother''s will."

    The Fire Kings continued to contemte.

    It seemed like they grasped something, yet remained puzzled.

    Hua Mi didn''t say much more and bid farewell to the Fire Nuus, activating the device he carried to summon a teleportation array. With Little White, he stepped into it, both engulfed in light, and instantly disappeared from the spot.

    Weightlessness, pressure.

    After a moment, Hua Mi''s feetnded on a solid floor.

    All around was quiet darkness.

    Hua Mi nced out of the window.

    No sight of the moon.

    Seemed like he had returned at an inconvenient time; it was night here.

 Chapter 111: Banquets and Illness

    Chapter 111: Banquets and Illness

    "Hua Mi, you''re back at an odd time," I thought to myself as a sudden "creak" echoed from the corner.

    Momentster, a faint light illuminated the room.

    A wooden figure emerged from the study''s corner, holding antern and shuffling towards me with a series of mechanical movements.

    Standing before me, the wooden figure stiffly bowed and emitted a monotonous mechanical voice from its inscribed head, "Wee back. I''m sorry, the master is resting and unable to greet you personally. We have prepared food and a room for you. If you''d like to dine first, press the magic circle emitting blue light on my left arm. If you''d prefer to rest immediately, press the magic circle emitting red light on my right arm."

    Thoughtful, indeed. Despite Alyss''s slight arrogance, her hospitality was impable. I passed on the food; I had brought plenty from Brass City, fully stocked for the asion.

    Hua Mi pressed the magic circle on the wooden figure''s right arm.

    Upon receiving themand, the wooden figure turned and,ntern in hand, led the way to the reserved guest room.

    After a short walk down the second-floor corridor and a turn, they halted at a door. "I will remain here. If you require anything, feel free to find me. Good night."

    Opening the door for Hua Mi, the wooden figure left, leaving thentern behind. Hua Mi nced inside the room.

    The guest room was elegantly simple, the bed neatly made, invitingly soft and clean.

    Hua Mi had trust in Alyss''s home security measures. Sleeping here felt as safe as it did back on Earth. cing thentern on the table, Hua Mi fetched their notes, scanning them habitually and reviewing their gains from the trip before the tiredness set in, leading them to rest.

    "Good night," Hua Mi bid the little white creature on the nket, extinguishing thentern before slipping into sleep.

    The night passed without incident.

    The following morning, Hua Mi was roused by the wooden figure knocking, announcing breakfast. The sky was just beginning to brighten outside.

    Under the wooden figure''s attentive service, Hua Mi freshened up briefly and then joined Alyss downstairs for breakfast. They conversed about matters in Brass City.

    Hua Mi''s stay had extended far beyond the expected one-day trip, almost three days, mostly waiting for the amplifier''spletion.

    After breakfast, Hua Mi bid their farewells and departed without further disturbance.

    Returning to the Bee Whisperer''s hut, Hua Mi arrived early. First, they checked the greenhouse, greeted by energetic humming tunes.

    As usual, the pseudo-flower spirits were up early, singing and beginning their morning chores. Spotting the beekeeper''s return, they paused their tasks to wee him.

    However, the little white flower spirit still seemed unustomed to their enthusiasm, preemptively hiding within the ck robe.

    "You''ve known them for so long, and yet she''s still so shy."

    "She seems even cuter now, hehe."

    Hua Mi mused to themselves, ''Shy my foot, they''re just too overbearing.'' And as for finding her adorable now, wait until she transforms into her fiery deity form; then, it''ll be her finding them ''adorable.''

    It might be time to remind them to tone it down, not to upset her like they did in the past.

    "Here are the Brass City photos you wanted." Hua Mi retrieved an item from their ring space. They had taken a handheld camera on their trip to Brass City, fulfilling the pseudo-flower spirits'' request for photos and videos, satisfying their curiosity.

    At Hua Mi''s words, the seven spirits diverted their attention immediately from the little white creature and rushed eagerly to the screen.

    "So, it really is a city made of brass!"

    "What unique architecture!"

    "Hey, why does this picture move?"

    "Obviously, it''s using a development solution."

    "This clearly isn''t a photo, it''s a video, definitely using a Memory Stone."

    "When can we leave the ck Forest and see the outside world?"

    "Don''t dwell on it; unless you want to perish outside."

    "What does Fire Nanny eat?"

    "Probably metal?"

    "They probably don''t need to eat, right?"

    ...

    Meanwhile, Hua Mi took the chance to inspect the growth of flowers in the four plots and checked the beehives, ensuring everything was in order. However, they made an adjustment, transferring one bloodsucking bee each from the other three plots to the Thunderflower plot.

    Now, the Thunderflower plot had a total of five bloodsucking bee colonies. The goal was to produce as much Blood Cyan Crystal as possible, preparing for the bee amplification.

    Through these experiments, it became clear that the byproducts produced during honey-making were not solely dependent on the bee species but also on the flowers they collected nectar from. In other plots, the bloodsucking bees wouldn''t produce Blood Cyan Crystal.

    After the inspection, returning to find them still excitedly discussing the photos, Hua Mi felt a sense of nostalgia for the world beyond this forest. The spirits, despite their lengthy lives, were confined to this realm, unable to leave. They might have heard tales of the outside world but could never witness it firsthand, confined to their imaginations.

    A somewhat pitiful fate.

    After tending to the greenhouse, Hua Mi returned to the small wooden house. They added several locks to the doors and windowsnot just to protect against possible threats but also for general security. Conveniently, a silver folding knife could unlock all these locks, reducing the need to carry multiple keys.

    They briefly returned to Earth, bringing some supplies back before arranging the honey on the shelves andmencing the new day by opening the windows.

    ...

    To wee their return, the seven spirits nned a "sumptuous" feast.

    "During this season, can you find food outside?" Hua Mi knew the pseudo-flower spirits usually gathered local forest ingredients and magically processed them for their feasts, their discernment abilities unquestionable. However, during this Ice Age, finding fresh ingredients outside would be challenging.

    "Don''t worry."

    "For such cases..."

    "We''re always prepared!"

    "Look" The seven spirits gathered around their treehouse, collectively casting a small spell on a tree hollow. A heap of food tumbled out, covering the ground in a shining magical glow.

    They routinely collected nuts, fruits, and mushrooms, magically storing them for such asions, perfectly resolving the scarcity of ingredients during the Ice Age and Chaos Period.

    "Impressive..." Hua Mi was stunned by their food reserves. Even squirrels would be ashamed of this stockpile.

    The seven spirits each showcased their talents, meticulously preparing for the feast. They had high standards for the event, from the venue to the ingredients, ensuring everything was immacte.

    By evening, they dered the feast ready and invited Hua Mi and the little white creature to attend. They had arranged a space within the greenhouse, adorned with vines, leaves, and fresh flowersa spring-like ambiance upon entering.

    Exquisite dishes wereid out on the table. While the taste was yet to be determined, their artistic presentation made Hua Mi hesitate to indulge.

    Amidst the spirits'' expectant gazes, Hua Mi earnestly tasted the first dish, which was so scant that they ended up finishing the entire te in one bite.

    "How does it taste?"

    "Mmm..."

    Hua Mi rubbed their mouth regretfully. "Couldn''t taste it, got stuck in my teeth."

    ...

    A simple dinner seemed unusually lively amidst the spirits'' song and dance. That night, Hua Mi spent their first proper night in the small wooden house.

    Their increased self-defense capabilities boosted their sense of security. Moreover, with the little white creature sleeping on their stomach, who was not only alert but also possessed some fighting prowess in her fiery deity form, Hua Mi slept soundly.

    It felt even more reassuring than sleeping on Earth.

    "Am I already an inhabitant of another world?" Hua Mi chuckled self-deprecatingly, rising to freshen up and eat breakfast.

    Post-breakfast, they embarked on their usual ''training'' routine in the greenhouse. They noticed one of the seven spirits missing todaythe blue one.

    Red, orange, yellow, green, purple...

    The blue one was absent.

    They usually stuck together, rarely separating.

    "Where''s Little Blue?"

    "She''s not feeling well, resting."

    Not feeling well? Hua Mi hadn''t anticipated pseudo-flower spirits falling ill.

    Approaching their treehouse, they found Little Blue curled up inside, appearing somewhat droopy. There was a subtle dullness to her usual vibrant color.

    Without disturbing her slumber, Hua Mi whispered, "Have you experienced this before? Do you all get sick?"

 Chapter 112: Spirit of the Dark Forest

    Chapter 112: Spirit of the Dark Forest

    "Even we fall ill, especially during the Ice Ages and Chaos Periods. The vitality in the Dark Forest diminishes, increasing our susceptibility to sickness. Xiao Lan''s constitution is weaker, so she always takes the brunt of it," Xiao Hong remarked.

    Hua Mi nodded in understanding, "Take good care of her. Matters in the Flower Fields can wait."

    Since it was a normal urrence, it wasn''t too worrisome. They were more experienced in dealing with such situations than he was, so Hua Mi didn''t fret much about it initially.

    However, by afternoon, things took an unexpected turn.

    Xiao Orange fell sick too, and this time, the situation seemed more severe. It wasn''t just Xiao Lan and Xiao Orange; the other five also felt varying degrees of difort.

    "Perhaps we should seek help from the Spirit of the Dark Forest."

    "Spirit of the Dark Forest... But where do we find it?"

    Finally decided, Hua Mi apanied Xiao Hong in the quest to locate the Forest Spirit, while Xiao Bai stayed behind to look after them.

    During their flight, Hua Mi noticed something amiss with some trees below. It wasn''t just the withering state typical of the Ice Ages. These trees seemed entirely lifeless. Once tall and sturdy trunks now appeared parched and twisted, as though scorched by intense mes, despite no signs of fire around.

    "What''s happening here? Could it be some sort of nt gue?" Hua Mi wondered aloud.

    As he saw several trees in this dire state, Hua Mi directed the bee swarm to investigate one of the withered trees, hoping to find some clues. He knew the state of the Pseudo-Flower Spirits was deeply entwined with this forest. Perhaps these deste trees held the key to their illness.

    "Uh..." Xiao Hong attempted to sense the tree''s condition but shivered involuntarily, feeling a sudden chill that made her tremble.

    "This doesn''t seem like an ordinary illness," she voiced her concern.

    Realizing the severity of the situation, Hua Mi wasted no time and swiftly moved her away from there, elerating towards their objective.

    After about an hour, Xiao Hong suddenly alerted, "We''re here."

    Surveying the area, Hua Mi spotted a vast expanse of snow-covered forest below, seemingly no different from any other ce.

    "Where?" he inquired.

    "The realm won''t readily open to us. We need to find the guardian spirit of the realm," Xiao Hong exined.

    "Alright, what does the guardian spirit look like?"

    "Very majestic! You''ll know once you see it. But we have tond and search on foot."

    "Why?" Hua Mi queried, "Wouldn''t it be easier to search from above?"

    "We must show sincerity. The spirit won''t reveal itself unless we search with our own eyes, no magic or tools allowed," Xiao Hong rified.

    Hua Mi then guided the bee swarm tond, starting their search for traces left by the guardian spirit amidst the snow-covered forest.

    It could be footprints or scratches on trees. Maybe even a pile of droppings? Well, he wasn''t sure if the spirit would leave droppings.

    "rk should be doing this kind of work," Hua Mi muttered to himself, scanning the snowy ground.

    Having to rely solely on their eyes and not use reconnaissance bees was quite a headache for him. Without the bees'' aid, he felt somewhat powerless in this magical world.

    But he held hope for self-improvement. "The byproduct, Fire Lotus, produced by Azure Fire Bees, enhances my resistance to cold. Hopefully, more attributes will be enhancedter on. While practicing bee control, I can also strengthen my own abilities."

    These were thoughts forter. For now, he focused on finding the guardian spirit. It should leave noticeable traces in the snow, and at least, the search area was smallerpared to when they sought the Tree Spirits earlier.

    Hua Mi continued his search, while Xiao Hong simultaneously called out, "Great Spirit, we urgently need to enter the realm. Please show yourself and guide us in!"

    "..." Hua Mi thought it was a bit naive. Would shouting really work? It was hard to say. But he felt if it were that easy, anyone could enter. The rules seemed clear: find the guardian spirit to enter the realm. They needed to exhibit patience and sincerity by genuinely looking for traces.

    Life was akin to a trial...

    Just as he was gearing up to motivate himself, Xiao Hong suddenly cheered, "Yes! Found it!"

    "Really?" Hua Mi raised his gaze.

    Indeed, not far ahead, arge antlered deer emitting a green glow emerged leisurely from behind a tree.

    It didn''t approach them but stood calmly, gazing in their direction.

    "..." Forget about trials.

    Hua Mi and Xiao Hong happily proceeded towards the guardian spirit. As they neared, the spirit turned and walked forward at a leisurely pace.

    Regardless of their speed, they maintained a certain distance from the spirit, not too close yet not too far, enough to keep track without losing sight of it.

    Truly majestic...

    At least, Hua Mi was certain it wouldn''t leave droppings.

    As they continued, Hua Mi suddenly found his vision darkening. The surroundings were swiftly engulfed by flowing ckness, leaving only the spirit and a fragment of the scene visible.

    Then, the spirit transformed into a green beam, seemingly tearing through space. The green light split open, spreading to both sides.

    As the ckness faded from his sight, a verdant environment unfolded before him: trees, vines, flowers, and grass...

    It felt akin to walking into an oasis after a long desert journey.

    Leading the way, Xiao Hong guided him through an archway woven of vines. They entered a small courtyard, encircled by verdant vegetation. In the centery a pool... no, it was too small for that; it was more of a pond.

    Hovering above the pond, Xiao Hong eximed, "How could this be..."

    Approaching, Hua Mi noticed clear ck streaks rippling through the otherwise pristine waters, like spilled ink.

    "The Dark Forest has been contaminated," Xiao Hong''s face twisted in horror, "by a malevolent force... We must find the Spirit of the Dark Forest urgently. Let''s split up."

    Without haste, Xiao Hong swiftly flew towards another archway.

    However, Hua Mi chose to stay behind, squatting by the pond''s edge, observing.

    The swirling ckness in the water seemed like a vortex capable of devouring everything, instilling a profound sense of unease on prolonged observation.

    A malevolent force... was it a curse?

    This unsettling feeling, reminiscent of facing the Abyssal Rift in Brass City, orbating the vampire curse in the Ashen Graveyard, albeit to a lesser extent, all hinted at the same malevolence.

    Releasing a scouting bee, Hua Mi intended for a more in-depth investigation of the pond.

    Just as he connected with the bee''s senses, an eerie sound echoed behind him.

    Without turning, a deep voice resonated, "Stay away from there, human."

 Chapter 113: Centaur

    Chapter 113: Centaur

    The voice resonated, deep and resounding, akin to the tolling of a bell.

    Hua Mi didn''t turn around, yet the scouting bee had already captured the scene behind him.

    There, beyond the arch, stood a towering figure... a centaur.

    Human upper body, wheat-toned skin, sturdy muscles, and a face marked by mncholy, ck curls cascading down.

    The lower half was equine, draped in heavy armor.

    Interesting.

    Human portionbare.

    Horse parpletely shielded.

    What could I not see?

    Regarding the origins of these "mixed" beings, Hua Mi had glimpsed details in books, gaining a superficial understanding.

    Despite their peculiar appearance, brimming with wildness, they were an undisputedly wise species.

    Their intelligence surpassed even that of elves.

    Dubbed as "wild hunters" and "interpreters of wild omens," their wisdom and strength blended seamlessly.

    The centaur beyond the arch drew a bow, aiming at Hua Mi by the pond.

    Hua Mi raised his hands, turning his back toward the centaur.

    Underneath the ck robe, a swarm of iron-hardened swift bees assembled swiftly, forming makeshift armor.

    Simultaneously, several sharp pain bees and encircling bees divided into two squads, swiftly closing in around the centaur.

    "Turn around."

    "..."

    Following his instructions, Hua Mi turned.

    In the split second their gazes met, one encircling bee, leveraging its incredible speed, charged toward the taut bowstring.

    Bang

    The bowstring snapped suddenly.

    The centaur''s pupils constricted; its front hooves shifted slightly. However, swiftly readjusting, it discarded the bow and reached for the long spear on its back.

    "Don''t act rashly, centaur."

    Several sharp pain bees were already perched on its upper body.

    Meanwhile, an encircling bee had flown to its side, forming a high-speed rotating saw around him.

    Amidst the air, azure mes scattered, twinkling like a gxy.

    The centaur''s profound gaze fixed on him for a moment, then it plunged the spear into the ground beside it.

    At this point, both sides had understood each other''s intent.

    The centaur had merely aimed its bow at him without attacking, issuing a warning.

    Hua Mi had only sawed off its weapon but hadn''tunched a direct attack.

    "Who are you? What do you want in the Spirit Realm?" Hua Mi inquired.

    "Centaur race, Nite. Here to resolve the withering curse," the centaur responded in a cooperative tone.

    Withering curse?

    Images of the withered trees shed through Hua Mi''s mind.

    The "withering curse" the centaur mentioned might be the true reason behind the trees'' deaths.

    Likely, it was also the source of illness affecting the pseudo-flower spirits.

    If he sought to eradicate the curse, he could be an ally.

    "Do you know how to dispel this curse?"

    "It depends..."

    Before finishing his sentence, he abruptly halted, gazing past Hua Mi, fixing his stare.

    To prevent falling for a "look, a UFO" trick, Hua Mi wouldn''t foolishly turn around.

    Through the scouting bee''s senses, he swiftly nced behind.

    He spotted a slender, humanoid beam of light appearing on the other side of the pond.

    No facial features, no distinctive form.

    Just a white light forming a humanoid shape with limbs, akin to a paper figure, drifting slowly towards them.

    Finally settling between Hua Mi and the centaur.

    "The ck Forest faces a crisis... the withering curse is spreading... needs help... needs help... needs help..."

    The voice seemed to echo directly in Hua Mi''s mind, distant and continuous.

    Is this the Spirit of the ck Forest?

    Quite abstract.

    Hua Mi noticed within the white light forming its body, vague traces of ck veins could be discerned, mostly concealed by the dazzling light, barely visible without careful scrutiny.

    "The centaur over there might have a solution," Hua Mi pointed out.

    The "Spirit of the ck Forest" turned its head, gazing at the centaur.

    "I cannot," the centaur replied curtly, dealing a figurative p.

    "So, were you just talking nonsense earlier?"

    "I said it depends on the situation."

    The centaur paused, his gaze shifting to the "Spirit of the ck Forest" for a moment, then continued, addressing Hua Mi, "It''s toote; the curse has prated the core of this ce. The forest''s death is only a matter of time. The utmost necessity now is to iste this area to prevent the curse from spreading."

    "Sadness... sadness..." murmured the "Spirit of the ck Forest" incessantly.

    "I regret it," the centaur spoke gravely, "but from a broader perspective, sacrificing this forest is worthwhile... human, I see determination in your eyes, would you like to assist?"

    Thest sentence was directed at Hua Mi.

    Hua Mi shook his head.

    He had only one option: to rid the forest of the curse and restore its health.

    This was his base, and the fate of the seven little ones hung in the bnce.

    He couldn''t abandon the ck Forest.

    "I can see you have deep affection for this ce," the centaur''s profound gaze seemed to fathom his thoughts, "but emotional attachment serves no purpose. Within the wilderness, countless tragedies unfold every day."

    "You make sense, but are you absolutely certain there''s no way to save this forest?"

    "..."

    The centaur gazed skyward, seemingly contemting.

    "There is, but it may be toote. If we fail, the curse will spread to the next area, causing countless deaths. Can you bear this responsibility?"

    Suddenly, an incalcble number of lives rested on his shoulders.

    A lofty hat and tremendous pressure.

    "What method? Tell me."

    "Before that, why not test whether you can withstand the curse''s power? If you can''t, discussing a solution would be pointless." The centaur gazed at him pensively. "Plunge your hand into that contaminated pond. Let me see your endurance. You might escape death, but corruption or even death might befall you from this abyssal power. Make your choice. If you choose to give up, let''s discuss isting this area."

    Hua Mi furrowed his brow. "What''s the point of this test?"

    "I can only tell you the sole way to resolve this curse here is for someone to directly confront its power. Since you hold deep sentiments for this ce, you must be prepared to sacrifice. Or do you wish for someone else to step forward in your ce?"

    Thetter statement carried a hint of disdain.

 Chapter 114: Confronting the Curse

    Chapter 114: Confronting the Curse

    Hua Mi gazed at the taintedke waters, calmly contemting. Facing the power of a curse was not unfamiliar to him. In the past, at the Ashen Graveyard, he manipted swarms tobat a vampire''s curse, even unexpectedly acquiring a new bee species.

    The current curse stemmed from the abyss, bearing familiar traits and scents. He had experience in battling such curses, knowing how to counter and maneuver against their forces. Crucially, he had ample reasons and motivation to undertake this task.

    Abandoning the ckwood Forest equated to abandoning all his efforts thus far and the lives of the seven small creatures. However

    As Hua Mi locked eyes with the figure before him, doubt crept in. "How do I know if what you''re saying is true?"

    "Your suspicion is reasonable." The centaur''s deep voice exuded an inherent credibility that shed with his words. "Perhaps I am deceiving you. Consider this possibility. Whether to ept the test or not, I only want to hear your final choice."

    Intuition assured him that the centaur meant no harm, yet an inexplicable difort lingered toward this character. Did highly intelligent races bear this innate arrogance? Perhaps a sting from the Painful-Truth Bees would teach him some manners.

    "Reminder: whatever your decision, it must be made quickly." The centaur interrupted his musings. "This forest is constantly under the curse''s assault. You can see it"

    Hua Mi followed his gaze. The redhead pseudo-flower spirit cowered behind vines, wings drooping like withered leaves, visibly weakenedclearly not apanying the luminous paper man.

    "I have witnessed the death of a pseudo-flower spirit along with her habitat, vanished from this world," the centaur gazed skyward, his tone echoing his mncholic gaze, "but I can still hold on"

    Although iming so, the pseudo-flower spirit''s voice sounded as faint as a mosquito.

    The centaur shook his head, addressing Hua Mi, "Are you backing out?"

    The centaur race was intelligent and well-traveled, traits that Hua Mi didn''t doubt. If he had to convince him further

    "Watch closely," Hua Mi said. He retrieved two Gifted Nectar Pills, chewed, and swallowed them. His mental strength began to replenish.

    Standing by the pond''s edge, he focused, manipting two fierce fire bee swarms, gathering themyer uponyer.

    His concentration intensified as he directed the swarms toward the water''s surface. The centaur''s gaze sharpened.

    However, Hua Mi was too preupied to heed his reaction, recalling his experiencebating the vampire curse in the graveyard. He knew that despite the swarms making direct contact, the real battle relied on his mental strength, demanding utmost focus.

    At this moment, the swarm became an extension of himself. The cylindrical formation of fierce fire bees approached the water''s surface.

    Before contact, a surge of intense cold enveloped him, akin to icy waters invading his mental space. The swarm touched the water, creating ripples like a dragonflynding.

    The pond''s ck traces surged like a scent-luring shark, striking violently.

    Intense coldck streaks emerged like icy serpents, freezing his mental strength and diminishing the pills'' restorative effects.

    One bee was instantly consumed by the ck mes, triggering a chain reactionsecond, third, fourth

    The ck mes swiftly spread through the swarm, reducing the outer fierce fire bees to ashes.

    In disarray, this curse proved sharper and more potent than the vampire''s curse in the graveyard. Yet, Hua Mi''s mental strength had undergone a transformation.

    He focused on the swarm, molding it into a giant hand, igniting pale mes. The pale fire hand grasped the ck me serpent, disintegrating it into ck me-like shards that scattered in the air.

    What seemed like a duel between pale and ck mes was, in fact, a battle between a beekeeper and an abyssal curse.

    An anxious atmosphere radiated from the pond''s center, spreading outward. The centaur, usuallyposed, exhibited a rare disturbance in his tranquil thoughts.

    His profound pupils mirrored the cloaked figure gripping the ck mesan image etched deeply into his mind, a rare moment that rivaled his extensive journey''s impact.

    But it had been enough. He intended to halt this seemingly insane act.

    Initially, it was merely a test of this human''s determination.

    Now, this cloaked figure not only proved their resolve tobat the curse but also revealed unforeseen abilities.

    To hold out against the abyssal curse for so long.

    However, as the centaur moved forward, the cloaked figure raised another hand. Countless pale mes emerged, surging toward the ck mes.

    Two additional pale fire bees joined the fray.

    The situation quickly tilted in favor of the pale mes, encircling and consuming the ck mes.

    Eventually, the emerging ck me was thoroughly extinguished. The remaining cursed energy shrunk into a bundle, sinking to the pond''s bottom, no longer recklessly rampant.

    In just a few minutes, nearly twenty thousand bees were lost. The vanguard bees were on the brink of copse.

    Thanks to prematurely consuming two Gifted Nectar Pills, Hua Mi''s mental strength endured. However, the chilling sensation from the curse debilitated his mental resilience, despite the surplus mental strength.

    He received a telepathic message from Little Red: "I feel much better now."

    But he understood it was merely a temporary containment of the curse rather than aplete cure.

    Hua Mi turned to the centaur. "How about now?"

    "Beyond my expectations Are you an alchemist?"

    "Sort of."

    "Your recent actions are impressive."

    The centaur strode to the pond''s edge, ncing into the water. "It seems you not only resisted the abyssal curse but also suppressed it. This buys us more time."

    Hua Mi sat down, gazing at the coiled ck mass in the pond''s depths. "So, have you decided to help remove the curse?"

    "That was my initial n. I was merely testing your determination earlier," the centaur calmly stated. "I cannot stand by while countless creatures in this forest perish. So, my choice aligns with yours from the beginning. I''ll bear the consequences alongside you."

    With a hint of sarcasm, Hua Mi remarked, "Is this always your approach?"

    "As centaurs, we are born loners, preferring to wander the wilderness, unlike your kind," the wise centaur, detecting the irony, remained unfazed. "So, disliking my approach is expected. It''s okay; we don''t need to be friends because that''s not the goal. We have one purposeto expel the curse from this forest."

    "For the ckwood Forest"

    The humanoid light shadow softly spoke before dispersing into dots of light.

    "It''s not the Forest Spirit?" Hua Mi inquired through their mental link.

    "No, it''s just a spark left by the Forest Spirit," Little Red rified. "The real Forest Spirit isted itself to avoid the curse. Hence, it cannot appear now."

    That exined it. But hiding indefinitely wasn''t viable.

    If the ckwood Forest died, how could the Forest Spirit survive?

    "Can you connect with it now?" Hua Mi asked suddenly.

    "I can, but I can only convey brief messages," Little Red replied.

    "That''ll suffice.

    Help me ask it a question"

    Time was running out. Each minute''s dy might empower the curse further.

    He controlled two pale fire bee swarms floating above the pond, addressing the pseudo-flower spirit, "Tell the Forest Spirit it can begin."

    "We must hurry; there''s a lot of preparation, and some materials are hard to acquire," the centaur nced at him. "Though you''ve gained us some time, there''s still a considerable risk we might run out of time. Be mentally prepared."

    Hua Mi tapped his cloak, saying, "Honestly, your method sounds unreliable. Let''s try mine first."

    The centaur appeared puzzled, "You have a n?"

    "Yeah, just thought of it, and it requires only one material."

    "Tell me more."

    "Before that, could you do me a favor How fast can you run?"

    The centaur was an exceptional mount. Carrying Hua Mi, they returned to the Beekeeper''s Hut in just over ten minutes.

    Hua Mi gathered all the pale fire bees from the greenhouse and returned to the Spirit Realm in the same time span.

    "How do you n to do this?" the centaur asked.

    Buzz

    A bee swarm appeared before him.

    "Do you mean" the centaur began.

    "This is the only material I need," Hua Mi stated. "I''ll use the method I thought of earlier topletely resolve the curse here."

    The previous sh had given Hua Mi insight into the curse. It was not invincible. As long as there was a life bar, even a god could be defeated. He would exhaust it!

    Moreover, now was the curse''s weakest point. It was time to strike while it was vulnerable.

    "Even for you, this is impossible," the centaur''s disappointment surfaced. "Resolving the curse won''t be that simple."

    This pond symbolized the ckwood Forest''s core, and the curse entrenched within was hiding at its base, beyond reach.

    That was the first challenge.

    Secondly, even with a sufficient bee swarm, his mental strength couldn''t hold.

    "I think simpler methods are often the most effective," Hua Mi countered. "But my mental strength alone might not suffice, so I need to borrow your mental power."

    Hua Mi swallowed a few more Gifted Nectar Pills and handed some to the centaur, exining their ability to boost mental strength.

    Though the centaurplied, he remained puzzled about "borrowing mental strength."

    Time was scarce. Every passing minute meant a potential strengthening of the curse.

    Without further exnation, Hua Mi controlled two pale fire bee swarms, hovering above the pond. He turned to the pseudo-flower spirit, "Inform the Forest Spirit we can proceed."

 Chapter 115: Guardian of the Dark Forest

    Chapter 115: Guardian of the Dark Forest

    As the words fell, ripples suddenly danced across the water''s surface.

    The next moment, the pool surged outward, forming a recess in the center, revealing that inky ck curse energy.

    Almost simultaneously, the swarm of azure fire bees darted out like the wind, a morphing giant hand seizing the exposed portion before the water settled, yanking it out.

    Although still connected to the water below, most of the curse energy had been surrounded by the azure fire bees.

    Two groups of azure fire bees, aze with white mes, encased the cursed energy withinyers.

    One could see the ck mes darting and weaving within the white fire.

    When some azure fireballs'' surface was breached by the ck mes, Hua Mi swiftly directed another group to fill the gap.

    More than twenty swarms of azure fire bees.

    In total, over two hundred thousand azure fire bees, all aimed at depleting its energy! Hua Mi fixed his gaze on the fireball, mental energy rapidly depleting.

    Even if they couldn''t eradicate it entirely, they had to drain it as much as possible, buying more time for their subsequent actions.

    The effect of bestowing honey seemed insufficient.

    He seemed to hear a piercing, continuous scream echoing in his mind.

    Hua Mi diverted some focus,manding a swarm of blood-sucking bees toward the centaur, enclosing it.

    "?!Don''t move!" Hua Mi sinctly stated, "I need your mental energy."

    With the centaur''s intelligence, not much exnation was needed; with one sentence, heprehended Hua Mi''s intention.

    He stood there, willingly acting as a power bank, allowing the blood-sucking bees to gather on his bare upper body, emitting that eerie magical field.

    Tiny siphoning magical fields ultimately converged, drawing energy from the centaur and continuously channeling it to Hua Mi.

    Hua Mi immediately sensed a surge of pure energy entering his body, his mental strength rapidly replenishing.

    "Truly the perfect fusion of strength and intelligence."

    Temporarily free of immediate concerns, Hua Mi focused onbating the curse.

    In shorta battle of attrition!

    Even if it didn''t kill it, they had to exhaust it.

    Mental energy continuously gathered from the centaur, the azure fire bees replenishing in turn...

    The entire process reached a dynamic equilibrium.

    Hua Mi vaguely felt his resistance dwindling.

    The eerie screams in his mind also diminished...

    Amidst the relentless confrontation, Hua Mi seemed to lose his sense of time and space temporarily.

    As if suspended in a void.

    In his field of view, only that mass encasing the cursed energy within the azure fireball remained.

    When he emerged from his absolute concentration, he realized that most of the azure fire bees had witheredaside from one that, like the blood-sucking bees, underwent a mutation in its struggle against the cursea matter he set aside for now.

    Regarding the curse energy, only a tiny strand resembling a darting eel remained in the pool.

    Sess.

    This minuscule energy wasn''t a concern; the forest''s self-purifying abilities could likely eliminate it.

    The process had gone even smoother than he imagined.

    His mental state was decent, enough to feel like he could do it again.

    "The centaur power bank is quite handy."

    Hua Mi turned to the "power bank," noticing thetter kneeling on the ground, panting heavily, despite standing motionless throughout, his contribution crucial to the smooth "purging."

    As he moved to help, a radiant figure appeared in mid-air.

    Hua Mi shielded his eyes, glimpsing a silhouette within the radiance.

    The figure waved its arm, a beam shooting into the pool, evaporating the remnants of the curse energy.

    The radiance dissipated, and the figure descended.

    It was an imposing female figure over two meters tall, with green skin, adorned in an exquisite emerald gown, trailing behind, her jet-ck hair cascading down to her waist.

    She gracefully approached the Pseudo-Flower Spirit, cradling her.

    A radiant glow emanated from her palm, restoring the Pseudo-Flower Spirit to full vitality.

    The Pseudo-Flower Spirit immediately fluttered its wings, circling the Spirit of the Dark Forest joyously, then flew towards Hua Mi, settling on his shoulder affectionately.

    "Thank you, and you, Mr. Centaur."

    "No need to thank me..."

    The centaurboriously replied, attempting to rise but faltering, finally surrendering,ying on the ground.

    ...

    The Spirit of the Dark Forest conveyed the utmost gratitude to them.

    "You''ve saved the Dark Forest, and on behalf of the myriad creatures here, I extend my thanks."

    A disembodied voice echoed around them.

    A radiant glow descended upon them, merging within.

    Hua Mi felt a warmth in his chest, followed by aforting flow spreading throughout his body.

    "You''ve received the forest''s blessing; whenever you''re within its bounds, you''ll exhibit greater charm, and your life force will continue to replenish."

    Charm was one thing, but continuous life force replenishment? Wasn''t that like automatic healing, as in legends?

    A divine skill!

    Hua Mi sensed it; his body was slowly recovering.

    Gradually, even for his mental strength, it was imperceptible without careful attention, unrealistic to rely on this passive healing in battle.

    Yet, from a daily perspective, it was fantastic.

    Leaving aside pros and cons, within the Dark Forest, he wouldn''t starve even without food, simply sitting, allowing his body''s energy to replenish automatically.

    "Additionally..." The Spirit of the Dark Forest addressed Hua Mi, "I extend an invitation on behalf of the Dark Forest. Would you be willing to be its guardian?"

    What did being a guardian entail, did it pay?

    Before Hua Mi could contemte, the Pseudo-Flower Spirit, already excited, encouraged, "Quickly agree! It''s a great honor; nobody would refuse such a title!"

    Just an honor?

    That sounded fine.

    As long as it didn''t involve extra work or limit his freedom, epting this title wouldn''t be an issue.

    The perks mattered less.

    Honors were all about the prestige.

    Like being "The Swordbearer of Brass City," stacking titles during introductions to assert dominance.

    After some thought, Hua Mi asked, "Apart from me, are there any other guardians within the Dark Forest?"

    "Currently, you''re the only one," the Pseudo-Flower Spirit replied, "Other guardians either left the forest or perished."

    ...

    Why did it feel so deste?

 Chapter 116: The Portal and the Guardians Staff

    Chapter 116: The Portal and the Guardian''s Staff

    Hua Mi learned that being the "Guardian of the ck Forest" was basically an honorary title.

    It wasn''t like a title in a game with any special functions, nor did it impose any specific rules.

    epting this title meant he was officially "settling down" in the ck Forest, representing it to some extent.

    The so-called "guardianship" didn''t involve harmonizing with the flora and fauna of the forest like a druid, nor did it imply forming bonds beyond friendship.

    It was a broader concept.

    Take the Seven Little Ones, for example; they didn''t oppose thew of the jungle, as it was the forest''s rule. While individual losses saddened them, it was limited. As long as it adhered to the natural order, they deemed it reasonable.

    The same applied to the Guardian.

    For him, guardianship was more like a duty than a responsibility. And if it was a duty, there wouldn''t be any sry involved.

    But, it wasn''t entirely without benefits.

    Upon epting this title, he could acquire an extraordinary item.

    Weighing the pros and cons, and under Little Red''s persuasion, Hua Mi nodded and epted the title.

    The Forest Spirit, towering at over two meters, was bathed in a soft glow.

    Her right hand reached into the air, grasping a beam of light.

    As the light faded, a ck vine staff appeared, topped with a structure resembling a tree stump.

    The Guardian''s Staff, a symbol of the Guardian''s identity.

    It appeared as ordinary wood but was impervious to elements.

    Its power intertwined with the ck Forest; simply put, the higher the forest''s magical level, the stronger the staff could be.

    Impressive as it was, to Hua Mi, it was just a glorified stick. He thought of taking it back for Little White''s use.

    With this staff''s blessing, he believed Little White could handle most intruders.

    The Forest Spirit held the staff against Hua Mi''s shoulder.

    "As the representative of the ck Forest, I bestow upon you the title of ''Guardian of the ck Forest.'' This will be a lifelong honor and duty..."

    After the ceremony, Hua Mi received the staff, feeling its weight, akin to regr wood.

    They couldn''t stay in the spiritual realm for too long.

    Before leaving, Little Red collected some pond water, capable of instantly restoring the Pseudo-Flower Spirits'' health.

    Hua Mi, afflicted by his professional habits, scanned the realm for flowers almost unable to resist the urge to pluck them.

    Little Red informed him that these flowers couldn''t be taken out.

    "The environment and most events in the spiritual realm are symbolic. They manifest to align with the perceptions of external beings, facilitating understanding."

    Hua Mi dispelled the thought of plucking flowers.

    ---

    The centaur suffered considerable damage, and even with his robust physique and spirit, he wouldn''t recover quickly.

    It wasn''t solely due to the excessive drain from the blood bees, which was more ''plunder'' than ''suction,'' a process not gentle at all...

    It was akin to the contrast between a gentle nurse drawing blood and a rough vampire biting your neck.

    Hua Mi intended to offer him some honey as gratitude, but the centaur declined.

    Not out of arrogance but out of habit or nature. The centaur n never epted gifts from outsiders nor did they give any. Gifts didn''t align with their solitary way of life.

    "I''m just passing through," he said. "Once my body recovers, I''ll leave the ck Forest to continue seeking other withering curse anomalies."

    "Anywhere else?" Hua Mi asked.

    "From the signs I''ve interpreted in the wilderness, this isn''t an isted incident," the centaur frowned, looking troubled. "The curse energy in the ck Forest is just a fraction of arger phenomenon. Summarizing the curse''s distribution pattern and, if possible, finding its source is the ultimate goal."

    "Then, good luck," Hua Mi paused before adding, "Thank you for your help in the ck Forest. You''re wee here anytime."

    "The credit belongs to you. I merely provided what assistance I could," the centaur replied. "As the Guardian here, do you mind if I establish a portal in the ck Forest?"

    "A portal?"

    The centaur exined, "Our centaur n has established portals in various parts of the world for swift travel. Otherwise, limited by our pace, we might be stuck in one ce for long, which is quite inconvenient."

    "That''s..." a portal was indeed a good thing. There was no reason to refuse. However...

    "Are the portals built by your n usable only by centaurs?"

    "In theory, any race can use them, but..." the centaur hesitated, "the condition is proficiency in the centaurnguage and an intellect at least equal to that of an adult centaur."

    This narrowed down the possibilities significantly. Language might just be a matter of time, but intelligence posed a challenge.

    Even the average intelligence of elves fell short of an adult centaur''s.

    The Human Beings or the Advanced Humans might have a chance, but ordinary humans were out of the question.

    "This n''s unique; they have an IQ requirement for using a portal."

    Yet, Hua Mi ultimately agreed to the centaur''s request to construct a portal.

    Regarding amodations for the night, the centaur assured Hua Mi not to worry. He was ustomed to camping in the wilderness and felt ufortable under a roof.

    Hua Mi offered some honey pills to aid his recovery, not as a gift but a gesture. Coupled with the Forest''s blessing, he would likely recover overnight.

    The centaur set off to find a suitable location for the portal''s construction, deciding against cing it near the Bee Speakers'' cottage, considering it presumptuous.

    While the centaur''s portals were spread worldwide, they were mostly in the wilderness, deliberately distanced from inhabited ces.

    Returning home, Hua Mi immediately entered the greenhouse.

    With the curse dispelled, the Pseudo-Flower Spirits had stabilized.

    Little Red distributed the pond water from the spiritual realm to them. Upon drinking it, their radiance swiftly returned, celebrating their survival by holding hands and dancing.

    Rushing towards Hua Mi, they expressed gratitude by clutching his fingers, cor, and wherever they could.

    Observing these seven colorful little beings, Hua Mi suddenly felt... like a grandparent.

    Little White, on the other hand, stood quietly, showing no expression and yawning.

    Though younger and smaller than the Pseudo-Flower Spirits, she appeared the most mature.

    "I have something for you."

    Hua Mi retrieved the staff from his ring. "Try it; see if it suits you."

    A glint of curiosity shed in Little White''s eyes as she transformed into her fire deity form and approached, taking the staff.

    In her hands, the staff emitted wisps of pale mes, spiraling around it.

    "Oh?"

    For the first time, a flicker of emotion appeared on Little White''s otherwise indifferent face.

    A surge of intense heat radiated from the staff''s tip.

    Hua Mi hurriedly eximed, "Stop, stop! Don''t try it outside; the flower field is innocent."

    "..."

    So, Little White went outside.

    Hua Mi breathed a sigh of relief, ncing at the flower field.

    Their growth was thriving.

    Honeybees buzzed busily among the flowers

    .

    Unfortunately, from an initial twenty-odd Azure Fire Bees, only a few remained in the intact bee colony.

    The loss was considerable.

    The only constion was the emergence of a new bee species amid the withering curse.

 Chapter 117: Yin-Yang Bees

    Chapter 117: Yin-Yang Bees

    A peculiar-looking little bee hovered in front of Hua Mi.

    Why was it peculiar? Its appearance was asymmetrical.

    Not its limbs.

    But the colors on its body were asymmetrical, unlike the typical symmetry seen in ordinary bees.

    Half ck, half white.

    Separated by an "S" curve running through the middle of its body.

    Evoke the image of a Tai Chi diagram.

    Initially thought to name it "Tai Chi Bee."

    However, that name felt too lofty, a bit overbearing.

    Thus, settling for the name "Yin-Yang Bee."

    Ignoring its peculiar appearance for a moment.

    Its abilities were quite unique.

    The Yin-Yang Bee could generate a peculiar magical field around itself, which Hua Mi referred to as the "Yin-Yang Field."

    Strictly speaking, this magical field came in two types: Yin Field and Yang Field.

    Controlled by its thoughts, they could transform between each other.

    While in the Yin Field, it could render objects entering its domain motionless.

    For instance, throwing a stone towards the Yin-Yang Bee in the Yin Field state.

    The stone, upon entering the field, would lose its kic energy.

    But the lost energy was actually stored within the field.

    If, while the stone hadn''t yet exited, it were immediately transformed into the Yang Field, it would turn motionless into motion again, hurling the stone back.

    In simple terms, it was "rebound."

    Not just physical items could rebound.

    Even magic.

    Imagine a formation of Yin-Yang Bees blocking the way, or more covertly, concealed beneath their ck robes  a set of physical-magic dual-defense armor.

    Of course, a single Yin-Yang Bee could only endure a limited amount of energy, so the more, the better.

    Currently, he had ten ordinary bee groups remaining.

    Converted four into Yin-Yang Bees directly.

    The remaining six, all transformed into Ashfire Bees - a total of 12 Ashfire Bees, of which he nned to carry four forbat.

    "Need to buy more bee groups."

    For the Ashfire Bees used in honey gathering, a greater arrangement was necessary.

    The previous yield produced secondary products that directly augmented his attributes, raising his expectations for this bee species; it was currently his favorite.

    Regarding this neer, the Yin-Yang Bee.

    In terms ofbat, its role was unquestionable, even surpassing that of the Ashfire Bees.

    But regrettably, itcked a honey sac, reducing its rank in Hua Mi''s estimation.

    [Yin-Yang Bee]

    Derived from the curse-affected Ashfire Bee, simr in size, exhibiting ck-and-white coloration...

    [Lifespan: 2]

    [Reproduction: 0.8]

    [Productivity: 0]

    [Attack: 15]

    [Defense: 1]

    [Life Force: 2]

    [Speed: 1]

    [Harvesting Ability: 0]

    [Combat Ability: 13]

    Overall assessment as [Semi-Level 6 Bee].

    A pity for itsck of harvesting ability, or else, Hua Mi wouldn''t hesitate to give it a Level 6 bee evaluation.

    Next up, hybrid experiments...

    Although the hybrid result from the Bloodsucking Bees seemed to indicate that new bee species generated by cursescked hybrid abilities.

    But it was worth a try; who knew what might happen.

    Perhaps, turning negative into positive might lead to a stronger second-generation bee species, resonating with the simrly cursed Bloodsucking Bees.

    Thus, the usual cultivation of new bee queens continued as usual.

    Subsequently, Hua Mi made some simple arrangements in the greenhouse, focusing on the Mirage Flower Field and the Mixed Field.

    These two fields were the first ntings, potentially prone to more issues.

    Originally nning for the Seven Little Ones to rest for a while, he''d spend extra time there during this period.

    However, upon their recovery, they immediately and enthusiastically engaged in work.

    Noints, full of vigor.

    Capitalists would weep at the sight.

    Exiting the greenhouse, he spotted Xiao Bai wielding her new toy in the snow, engulfed in pale mes. Her hair transformed entirely into a fiery state, aimlesslyunching Ashfire Balls, melting vast stretches of snow.

    Everyone was so busy.

    Busy was good.

    ...

    Returning to Earth that day, Hua Mi promptly ordered bee groups and began plotting the next n.

    Speaking of which...

    During this period, he had been dedicated to learning about the other world through various means.

    Reading, consulting the Seven Little Ones...

    Now, his understanding of the other world wasn''t profound, but it was a basic entry.

    One could say it was a tremendously mystical and intricate world.

    Magic and extraordinary powers led it down a path entirely distinct from Earth''s development.

    Comparing the two worlds at a macro level, the other world and Earth seemed entirely different, including in history, geography, and other major aspects.

    But upon closer analysis of some details, like daily life, racial characteristics, and more, numerous simrities emerged between the other world and Earth, with some ces being identical - including certain physicalws.

    And one more ring simrity: both worlds had the human species.

    And many other creatures were alsomon.

    As for whether there was any connection between the two worlds, it was difficult to say.

    Hua Mi didn''t dare openly ask the people from the other world, primarily fearing any trouble it might stir up for Earth.

    He could only search for traces within books.

    There was another curiosity that intrigued him: the owner of the small wooden house. Was she really the mysterious person called "Alyss"?

    ...

    The following day, Hua Mi returned to the other world.

    The four Yin-Yang Bees had allpleted their transformation.

    Regarding the practicalbat abilities of this bee species, Hua Mi decided to conduct an experiment.

    Covering all the Yin-Yang Bees beneath his ck robe, he called Xiao Bai over.

    "Come, fire at me."

    "?"

    Xiao Bai tilted her head, looking at him puzzledly.

    Although she resembled an emotionless young girl, her eyes were akin to those observing someone abnormal.

    Hua Mi thought his actions indeed seemed somewhat abnormal.

    It was just an experiment; why insist on personally participating?

    So, controlling the Yin-Yang Bees to form a spherical array, he directed Xiao Bai to fire at the bee cluster.

    This time, Xiao Bai had no doubts. Holding her staff, a ball of Ashfire shot straight towards the bee cluster.

    At this moment, the bees were in the Yin Field.

    As soon as the Ashfire ball touched the Yin Field, it immediately lost its forward momentum and transformed. It elongated into a fire snake, continuously rotating around the bee cluster.

    Hua Mi could distinctly feel the energy of the me lingering within.

    Immediately, he controlled the bee cluster, transforming it into the Yang Field.

    Boom

    The me reassembled into a fireball, flying downward, creating a vast expanse of wet ground in the snowy field.

    Sess!

    Though controlling the rebound of the fireball stillcked proficiency and uracy needed improvement.

    But for a first attempt, this result was quite impressive.

    As Hua Mi was about to continue practicing, he suddenly heard footsteps behind him.

    Turning around, it was the centaur, Nite.

    His teleportation gate had beenpleted.

    Just one night, and the efficiency was remarkable.

    This was the strength of high intelligence races, huh?

 Chapter 118: Suzies Garden

    Chapter 118: Suzie''s Garden

    "Do you think someone intentionally spread this withering curse?" Hua Mi and Centaur M walked through the snowy forest.

    Hua Mi pondered after hearing what M referred to as "omen interpretation." This term had cropped up several times in their conversations. It seemed like the centaur always gleaned vital insights through this ability.

    The books described centaurs as natural "wild omens interpreters," yet without specific exnations. Presumably, it was an innate gift, akin to the natural telepathic abilities of elves.

    Simply put, it might be the high intelligence to process information. If the exnation were moreplex, Hua Mi probably wouldn''t understand, so why bother asking?

    "Is someone targeting the ck Forest?" Hua Mi muttered, lost in thought.

    "Highly unlikely. However, as the guardian of the ck Forest, it''s essential to maintain this line of thinking and stay vignt."

    "Right, I''ll keep that in mind."

    M deliberately slowed his pace so that the human beside him could keep up. After all, two legs couldn''t match four.

    "The withering curse didn''t originate in the ck Forest. It spread here from elsewhere. Before this, another forest fell victim to the curse, dissipating some of its power."

    Ah, so another forest acted as a buffer.

    "Through interpreting a series of omens, I can now mostly confirm that the curse didn''t directly leak from the abyss. Initially, someone deliberately gathered it and contained it for a considerable time, leading to a fusion of the curse with our world. As for the purpose, it might have been initially intended as a weapon, or there''s another possibilityit was for research. And I believe thetter is more probable."

    "Research..."

    "For the general public, the abyss signifies the deepest fears, but inevitably, there are madmen coveting its power... Researching the abyss curse is no easy task. Perhaps this outbreak of the withering curse urred because the one behind it couldn''t contain it any longer, so they had to release it."

    As he mentioned researching the abyss curse, images of that entric abyss schr popped into Hua Mi''s mind, followed by the extreme difort he experienced when facing the abyss crack.

    "As for the investigation into this withering curse, I intend to make a trip to Modu."

    Clearly, M had also thought of it.

    The headquarters of the Abyss Research Associationy in Modu.

    After the incident in Brass City, Hua Mi didn''t hold a favorable impression of this association. Yet, it was a globally recognized official organization. At most, it might have been "administrative negligence," so Hua Mi didn''t dwell much on it.

    If this withering curse was caused by them, then it indicated that the association''s problem might berger than he imagined.

    ---

    The portal wasn''t established near the Bee Whisperer''s cottage, but it wasn''t too far either.

    Soon, Hua Mi spotted an area ahead where the snow had melted.

    On the open ground stood a stone door haphazardly assembled from rocks, surrounded by three crude stone piles.

    Simple equals the highest form of sophistication?

    This didn''t resemble the magical portals he knew. Unaware individuals might have thought it was a child''s random stack of blocks, easily knocked over with a push.

    Hua Mi followed M to the middle of the three stone piles, facing the crude stone door.

    It felt like standing amidst the remains of a primitive coordinate monument.

    This portal, unlike the one built by Alyss, was vastly different in styleexquisite and intricate versus rough and crude.

    M approached the stone door, cing a hand on one of the rocks, murmuring something.

    A faint blue inscription appeared on the stone doorframe, followed by a faint "hum." The empty doorway was obscured by a hazy "veil," concealing the other side.

    M exined that to use this portal, one didn''t necessarily have to meet the conditions discussed previously; all that was needed was a guide.

    In other words, even if his intelligence didn''t meet the standard, following the centaur would enable passage through this portal to another node.

    "Then, farewell, Guardian of the ck Forest."

    "Bon voyage, Interpreter of the Wild."

    M stood by the portal, turned slightly as if to say something else, but ultimately chose silence, stepping into the portal. His figure vanished into the mist in an instant.

    The inscription on the portal disappeared, reverting to the appearance of ordinary stones.

    "Indeed, a lone traveler," Hua Mi approached, cing a hand on the stone. "Open sesame."

    As expected, there was no response.

    ---

    As Carter entered the luxurious estate, he was greeted by waves of intoxicating floral scents, reminding him of the Bee Whisperer''s cabin in the ck Forestalways enveloped in fragrance.

    "Master is on his way back. Please wait in the parlor," the benevolent and graceful butler informed him.

    "Lead the way, please."

    Carter followed the butler upstairs.

    Passing by a window, a more distinct and potent fragrance wafted in with the breeze.

    Carter wasn''t fond of flowers, but neither did he detest them. He simply felt indifferent.

    However, the florals here were stunning.

    He took a deep breath, gazing out the window. A riot of colors surged into his vision, like a splendid enchantment, instantly immersing him.

    Modu, located in the south, even in an ice age, boasted a mild climate. These flowers in vibrantpetition were the best evidence.

    The back garden wasn''t just randomly filled with various exotic flora; it was evident they were meticulously cultivated and arranged.

    When he paused, the butler didn''t rush him, waiting silently by the side. After a while, he asked, "Would the guest like to visit the rear garden?"

    "If it''s convenient..."

    "Of course." The butler smiled, gesturing for him to follow. "Miss Suzie is quite happy to showcase her achievements to visitors."

    "Suzie is..."

    "My youngdy."

    Carter had thought such a beautiful garden would have been created by a renowned gardener, not the duke''s daughter. Nevertheless, the entricities of the wealthy knew no bounds, and floriculture was rtively normal among them.

    Apanied by the butler, they arrived at the entrance to the back garden, encountering a fair-haired, modestly dressed girl emerging from within.

    She wore a simple dress, a kerchief around her head, and sleeves on her arms, even with dirt on her clothes. However, her demeanor clearly signaled she wasn''t a servant here.

    Her azure eyes gleamed like gemspure, like someone who''d been protected within a greenhouse since childhood.

    Moreover, she was apanied by a small flower spirit.

    "This is the master''s guest," the butler introduced Carter first, then introduced the girl to Carter.

    Indeed, she was Miss Suzie.

    Carter respectfully bowed, greeting both dies," exining his purpose for visiting.

    He mentioned his fondness for flowers, feelingpelled to visit and casually praised her floral artistry.

    Suzie didn''t show any particr pleasure at his deliberatepliments. She elegantly curtsied, fingers tugging at her skirt slightly, smiling, and said, "Please feel free."

    Then she hurriedly departed.

    Carter continued to follow the butler into the back garden.

    ---

    Suzie returned to her bedroom, changing

    into a simple white dress, sitting by the window, writing something.

    Sunlight streamed into her chamber, enhancing the brilliance of the embellishing flowers.

    The flower spirits sat on her shoulder, holding her chin with both hands. "That magician seems quite nice. He says he likes flowers too, and he called me ''miss.'' Perhaps we can be friends with him."

    "He''s pretending. Like others, he only talks the talk."

    "Are you so sure?"

    "Of course," Suzie paused writing, a smug smile forming, "those genuinely fond of flowers or deeply engaged in their study, I can discern. Unfortunately, such people are rare."

 Chapter 119: New Byproducts

    Chapter 119: New Byproducts

    "I bet he doesn''t even understand the structure of flowers," Suzy smirked provocatively. "If you don''t believe me, go and test him, ask him some basic flower knowledge, see if I''m right."

    "I''ll go."

    Xiao Zi couldn''t believe Suzy was that good, able to tell if someone genuinely liked something just by looking. Humans didn''t have mind-reading abilities.

    So, she flew out of the window to check.

    Suzy crossed her arms high above her head, stretchingzily, humming a cheerful tune.

    Soon after, Xiao Zi flew back in through the window,nding on the table, her wings drooping like wilted petals.

    "How was it? Does that mage know anything about flowers?" Suzy asked, though she already guessed the oue, wearing a mischievous fox-like expression.

    Shaking her head, Xiao Zi said, "You were right. He knows nothing about flowers, aplete novice. He just thinks they look pretty, can''t even namemon ones."

    "So, you still have a lot to learn about the human world," Suzy tapped her head lightly with a pen, "It''s not that easy to trust what others say."

    "But how did you know?" Xiao Zi asked curiously.

    "Through the eyes," Suzy confidently replied, "When someone talks about what they genuinely love, there''s a spark in their eyes."

    "A spark?" Xiao Zi was puzzled. "Do human eyes really sparkle?"

    "Not literally," Suzy chuckled, struggling to exin this concept. There was a wide racial gap between flower spirits and humans, "It''s more of a metaphor... Anyway, if the person shares my interests, I can sense it, somewhat simr to your telepathic abilities."

    "Oh..." Xiao Zi pondered for a moment, then remembered something, "By the way, the mage said he wanted to buy some flower seeds to gift a friend. He thinks the flowers here are beautiful, so he asked if you''d be willing to part with some..."

    "No problem," Suzy readily agreed, "No need for purchase; I can give him some."

    Saying this, she fetched a thick notebook from the bookshelf.

    Opening it released a mix of floral fragrances.

    Every page held one or two dehydrated, well-preserved petals sealed in small stic bags, annotated with elegant script.

    "Did he mention where his friend lives?" Suzy asked, "Different regions have different climates, suitable for different flowers."

    "He didn''t. I''ll go and ask again," Xiao Zi said and flew out.

    Soon, she returned. "He said his friend lives in the ck Witch''s Forest."

    "The ck Witch''s Forest..." Suzy tilted her head, puzzled. She checked the map of the Western Continent and found the name tucked away in an inconspicuous corner.

    It was an adventurous ce situated quite far north from Modu, with an entirely different climate.

    "People live in a ce like that?" Suzy found it strange. But then again, the mage didn''t specify if his friend was a person; it could be some peculiar creature...

    Suzy flipped through her floral guidebook, finally stopping at a page, pointing to a petal, "This one."

    ---

    Phew

    A cyan fireball zoomed toward Hua Mi.

    Hua Mi stood still, focused on the fireball.

    Calm and unmoving.

    As it neared, he swiftly swung his arm.

    The cyan fireball, as if obstructed by some force, changed direction instantly, spiraling like mes around his arm before regathering and flying back.

    To an onlooker, he casually waved his sleeve, effortlessly deflecting the iing fireball.

    Levistus positioned his staff, intercepting the fireball.

    "Not bad, getting more proficient," Hua Mi was satisfied with his progress these days.

    Covered by the Yin-Yang Bees under his ck robe, they formed arge Yin-Yang field around his body, alternating between Yin and Yang fields, deflecting all attacks.

    This maneuver was more challenging than relying on Levistus for flight. It required precise control to switch between Yin and Yang fields at the right moments; a slight dy would lead to attacks hitting him directly.

    However, Hua Mi''s mental strength had increased significantly.

    Not only had his limits risen, but his precise maniption of mental energy had also improved greatly.

    His focus had reached its peak.

    Thus, practicing bee control had be more efficient.

    Hismand over the Yin-Yang Bees was not yet effortless, but he had be quite adept.

    There was still room for improvement.

    ---

    In the greenhouse, across four areas, the Enigma Flower field hadpleted a new batch of honey production.

    Affected by the floral magic, this field didnt require renting or regrowth, drastically shortening the harvesting intervals.

    The Thunder Blossom field''s honey-making process was nearly two-thirds done.

    The slowest progress was in the two newly developed areas: Mirage Flower and Mixed Flower fields, but they were steadily advancing.

    The lost Cyan Fire Bee colonies had been replenished.

    Everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.

    The Enigma Flower field had 31 Strong Bees, 5 Cyan Fire Bees, and 2 Bloodsuckers in proportionate numbers, aligning well with the Enigma Flower''s nectar flow period.

    As usual.

    Unboxing.

    Hua Mi and Levistus arrived at the Enigma Flower field.

    This time, the seven small ones weren''t interested in following.

    They had already tasted the Enigma Flower honey, so they weren''t as curious about this field anymoreand they didn''t show much interest in the byproducts from honey production either.

    Moreover, with Levistus overseeing, they hardly needed toe over.

    The Thunder Blossom field was also somewhat neglected.

    The Pseudo-Flower Spirits'' daily routine there had be a mere formality; they finished their tasks and left without attachment.

    What were they primarily upied with now?

    The seven small ones were focused on the Mirage Flower and Mixed Flower fields.

    They were after new honey vors, eagerly anticipating thepletion of honey production in these areas.

    Truly, a group that loved novelty and grew tired of the old.

    Hua Mi first opened two Bloodsucker Bee hives.

    Viscous blood honey met his eyes.

    Holding his breath, he inspected the two hives.

    Confirmed, no byproducts.

    Next were the five Cyan Fire Bee hives.

    As Hua Mi''s favoritepanions now, the Cyan Fire Bees were eagerly awaited.

    "Let''s have a few more Fire Lotuses, fully ice-resistant."

    With expectations, Hua Mi opened five boxes one after another.

    First one, no output.

    Second one, no output.

    The third...

    None of the five produced any byproducts.

    Disappointment.

    He pondered whether to increase the ratio of Cyan Fire Bees.

    This would decrease honey production, but they already had enough stock.

    The alchemy workshop for Carter and them hadn''t been set up yet; there was no urgent need for so much inventory.

    When the business expanded, there would still be time to increase honey production.

    Operating while contemting his next steps, Hua Mi unexpectedly encountered a pleasant surprise when opening who-knew-which Strong Bee hive.

    As he removed the partition, a small round sphere rolled out from the Strong Bee hive.

 Chapter 120: The Miracle of Great Strength

    Chapter 120: The Miracle of Great Strength

    A small, pitch-ck sphere rolled out of the hive.

    It resembled those traditional Chinese medicine pills.

    Not toorge, smaller than the honey pills he made himself.

    Unlike the shy appearance of the Fire Lotus, this one seemed ordinary, easily overlooked if dropped on the ground.

    Its texture wasnt too hard, about the same as beeswax, easily ttened with a little pressure.

    It emitted a honeyed scent with a hint of spiciness.

    Hua Mi let his spiritual power probe into it.

    He found its magical elements stable, no risk of going haywire.

    "The image Im getting this time seems clearer"

    Compared to before, Hua Mi gathered more information exploring it with his spiritual power.

    As his power delved in, gathering information and feeding it back to his brain, a clearer visual formed in his mind.

    If the previous image was mosaic-like in quality, now he could at least discern its shape.

    With his spiritual power and proficiency improving, he could almost appraise it.

    Simr to when he sensed the attributes and abilities of new bee breeds.

    Just not as straightforward.

    "This obviously can''t be used as an offensive item. Seems consumable, but what effects it might haveI''m not sure" Hua Mi inadvertently nced at the Great Strength Bee and suddenly got a vague feeling.

    The byproduct ultimately stemmed from the bees. If he connected his consciousness to the bees first and then analyzed the byproduct, perhaps he could

    With this possibility in mind, Hua Mi promptly put it into practice.

    First, he connected his consciousness to the Great Strength Bee and then released additional spiritual power to analyze the small ck sphere.

    For him now, this was already a simple operation.

    As easy as breathing or drinking water.

    Sure enough, once he did this, the picture became much clearer, as if removing a hazy filter.

    The information about this byproduct became vividly presented before him.

    "So, this is the correct identification method." Hua Mi was pleasantly surprised, then pushed aside distractions, focusing on analyzing the small sphere.

    "This thing seems to enhance the consumer''s physique" Hua Mi looked at the sphere in his palm, pondering, "Primarilyposed of a special substance secreted by the Great Strength Bee, supplemented with elements from Enchanted Honey, and a trace amount of magical elements for reinforcement"

    Summing up these misceneous elements led to a conclusionthe function of this byproduct: it could vitalize human cells, improving the consumer''s physique.

    "Truly a Strength Pill." Hua Mi joked but actually quite liked it.

    Because like the Fire Lotus, this byproduct could directly increase his attributes.

    No matter how many external props he had, nothing beat improving his own attributes.

    From a personal standpoint,pared to the Fire Lotus, he preferred thetter.

    After all, who wouldn''t want to be a strongman?

    Without hesitation, Hua Mi popped the Great Strength Pill into his mouth and started chewing.

    "Uh, this taste"

    Hard to put into words.

    Hua Mi couldn''t say it was awful, just very peculiar.

    The taste wasplexsweet, bitter, with a hint of spiciness.

    Chewing it wasn''t too bad, simr to beeswax.

    Hua Mi casually chewed a few times then swallowed.

    Then he quietly felt the changes in his body.

    Quickly.

    A warm stream surged from his abdomen, not fleeting but continuous, akin to having a warm patch ced on his belly.

    The warmth pulsed through his body in waves.

    Honestly, it felt quitefortable.

    Hua Mi clenched his fist, trying to sense the amplification of his strength.

    To his surprise, instead of gaining much strength, he felt his energy rapidly draining!

    The warm stream, soothing his body''s cells, made him feel like he was soaking in a hot spring, causing his muscles to involuntarily rx, almost unable to contract or expand, hence losing strength.

    Now he was almost powerless.

    Even lifting his hand was quite an effort.

    "Did I perceive it incorrectly earlier? Could this thing actually be harmful to the body No, it shouldn''t be." Hua Mi quickly dismissed his own thought.

    His perception couldnt have been wrong. This should be the effect of the Great Strength Pill.

    Enhancing physique surely had a process, not an instant change.

    Just like how bees needed to spin cocoons during evolution.

    Naturally, his body during evolution had to minimize physical activity.

    Comparatively, he was doing better. Bees went throughplete stoppage, but he was not stopping.

    Realizing this, Hua Mi settled down, sat cross-legged against the beehive, adopting a meditation pose to let the Great Strength Pill take full effect.

    He utilized the meditation method he read about in the notes of that female mage apprenticeusing spiritual power to enter a meditative state.

    This was amon method in this world for cultivating spiritual power.

    Though usually, he practiced more efficient methods like bee control, never really trying meditation.

    But now, it was perfect to pass the time.

    Meditation was fascinating, his consciousness seemingly entering a timeless dimension where he could freely engage and create, feeling like a creator.

    Like dreaming, but notably more real.

    And clear.

    He could still perceive external information but at a much weaker intensity.

    During this process, Hua Mi didn''t remain in this state continuously; he detached several times.

    Each time, hunger "woke" him up.

    Fortunately, he had stored plenty of food and water in his storage ring, along with honey for easy ess to fill his stomach.

    After eating, he resumed meditating.

    In the intervals of waking up to eat, he distinctly felt his body''s strength gradually returning. His body remained enveloped in a warm stream, with a tingling sensation in his muscles, as if they were alive, wriggling within him.

    During this process, Xiao Bai stayed by his side the entire time, so there wasn''t any concern ofplications.

    Like this, for who knew how long.

    When Hua Mi finally came out of the meditation state for thest time, he felt theplete digestion of the Great Strength Pill''s effects.

    His body no longer felt warm, returning to normal temperature.

    Muscles no longer tingled, only asionally twitching in areas like his arms and chest, simr to the feeling after finishing exercise.

    His body seemed to have perspired a lot, his clothes under the ck robe soaked.

    Hua Mi clenched his fist, sensing a surge of newfound strength filling his body.

    "This feeling is truly amazing!"

    This degree of physical enhancement might not be exceptional.

    In fitness circles, certain experts could achieve it in two or three months.

    But for him, this sudden boost in such a short time was quite a leap.

    How long had it been?

    Hua Mi checked his phone screen.

    "?" He nked out for a moment, then realized over a day had passed.

    It was now past noon on Earth.

    Here, it was the dead of night, the greenhouse pitch ck.

    In his consciousness, it had only been a few hours at most.

    "Meditation really is an excellent time-killer. Essential for cking off." Hua Mi retrieved a high-power shlight from his ring and scanned the field.

    The Bestowal Flowers quietly grew, resembling a motionless sea of mes.

    The ckened woky in the field, Xiao Bai curled up inside, asleep.

    The bees had all returned to the hive for rest.

    Hua Mi

    stood up, intending to test his current strength.

 Chapter 122: Full Moon Night

    Chapter 122: Full Moon Night

    In the fields, the Thousand Mirage Flowers were in full bloom. One nce, and the origin of their name became apparent. They were true to their title.

    These flowers boastedrge leaves and branches, so even from a distance, they seemed to intertwine, forming a green sea. Every Thousand Mirage Flower was spaced evenly across this floral "ocean," their petals shimmering brilliantly in the sunlight. The petals, though in reality only four per flower, seemed countless due to theyers of dazzling reflections created under the light.

    These reflections danced and shifted as one changed their observation angle, akin to a kaleidoscope, truly mesmerizing. The petals themselves didn''t emit light; it was the result of a faint but constant magical field around each flower, distorting the reflected light.

    "The Mirage Flowers are perfect for concealment," Hua Mi mused. The idea of hunters hiding among these blooms, luring prey with their captivating colors andunching ambushes, struck him as highly effective.

    In a way, it seemed like a symbiotic rtionship, as even the remains of the prey would nourish the growth of the flowers.

    Only by plucking a petal and disrupting the field''s distortion could one see its true, rather ordinary, pale pink colorquitemon among flowers.

    "I wonder what kind of honey such peculiar flowers produce," he pondered, increasingly eager as the brewing process nearedpletion.

    It didn''t take long.

    On a night of the full moon, the Thousand Mirage Flower honey was ready.

    The moonlight was bright, the sky clear without a single cloud; one couldfortably move without artificial light.

    The moon here was nearly ten times the size of Earth''s, a sight that might inspire Li Bai topose wondrous poems.

    Hua Mi arranged his equipment in the midst of the Thousand Mirage Flower fields, busy under the moon''s glow. His first task wasn''t bottling the honey, but the routine check of each hive for byproducts.

    Starting with the two Bloodsucker Bee hives, unfortunately, there were no byproducts this time.

    Moving on to the five Azure me Bee hives. Once again, they didn''t disappoint. While inspecting the fourth hive, Hua Mi discovered something beyond honeya small sphere.

    "Why are most byproducts these small spheres?" he pondered. The sphere, as big as a marble, gleamed like steel after a blue treatmentobviously a material and definitely inedible, much like Bloodstone. Understanding the appraisal method, Hua Mi connected with the Azure me Bees, using his mental power to appraise it.

    "Ah!" Hua Mi''s eyes brightened. The nature of this material intrigued himit could generate a magical field distorting light when infused with mental power. Moreover, its field was extensive enough to envelop two to three people.

    "This can be carried around..." His thoughts raced; itspact size made it convenient. For even more ease, it could be fashioned into jewelry, perhaps a ring, by a skilled smith.

    Distorting light might not seem extraordinarily powerful, yet it served as a form of self-defense, potentially life-saving in crucial moments. Shifting beasts, causing headaches for adventurers, had developed simr illusionary spells based on this principle.

    "Sometimes, the simplest tricks are the most effective."

    Utilizing it well might just yield surprising results. "Since it distorts light, let''s call it the Mirage Sphere," Hua Mi decided, pocketing it and moving on to the remaining hives.

    Unfortunately, there were no other byproducts. "Not a single item from thirty Powerhouse Bee hives... the odds..." He sighed, preparing to bottle the honey next.

    The Seven Sprites, excited to taste this new honey vor, gathered eagerly around him.

    However, at that moment, a hoarse roar echoed from outside the greenhouse. It sounded dangerously close, as if just beside it.

    Startled, the Seven Sprites instinctively huddled together, ready to defend themselves.

    "What beast is approaching?" Hua Mi grew alert, stepping away from the Thousand Mirage Flower fields towards the greenhouse''s entrance. Little White transformed into its Fire God form, wielding the Staff of Guardians, following closely behind.

    The Seven Sprites, chattering among themselves, trailed at the rear.

    "What''s that sound?"

    "Sounded like a bear''s roar."

    "Could it be him?"

    As they conversed, Hua Mi reached the greenhouse''s threshold, advising the Seven Sprites before leaving, "Stay inside."

    That warning was specifically for the Seven Sprites, as Little White could contribute tobat, while the Seven Sprites could only cheer from the sidelines.

    The Seven Sprites obediently halted at the doorway, their expressions grave as they listened for outside movements.

    Once outside, under the silvery moonlight, Hua Mi spotted a robust ck bear, over three meters in length, not far away. It stood tall, roaring at the full moon.

    Suddenly, it rose on its hind legs, its massive paw swiping forcefully at a nearby tree trunk.

    The swipe tore off half the trunk, the colossal tree, losing support, copsed under its weight, crashing into an adjacent tree, which in turn leaned to the side, revealing half its roots, causing snow and soil to scatter.

    The strength disyed made Hua Mi gasp. If faced with its full might, he couldn''t guarantee the greenhouse''s integrity.

    It needed to be driven away.

    "Can wemunicate?" Hua Mi inquired of Little White.

    Shaking its head, Little White replied, "It''spletely irrational."

    The bear, panting heavily, emitted a growl akin to an engine.

    Suddenly noticing something, it turned, its eyes glowing crimson, fixed directly on them. Its visage, sinister with saliva dripping from its coarse fangs, seemed demonicpared to any bear on Earth.

    Hua Mi and Little White swiftly moved away from the greenhouse door, positioning themselves in an open space nearby, to prevent damage to the greenhouse during the impending fight.

    The bear crouched, its limbs touching the ground, inching closer, never taking its eyes off them, ready to pounce at any moment.

    A battle seemed unavoidable.

    "Fire is effective against dense fur; perhaps the Azure me Bees might work wonders," Hua Mi pondered, summoning two Azure me Bees into position.

    Little White grasped its staff, focusing on the target.

    Simultaneously, the bear roared, and with a forceful kick from its hind legs, it created a crater, its massive body looming over them like a small mountain.

    Under the radiant moonlight, the colossal bear, towering high, raised its paw, crimson eyes fixed on the two frail human figures,unching a devastating attack!

 Chapter 123: Desperate Life of the Black Bear

    Chapter 123: Desperate Life of the ck Bear

    The heavy bear paw of the ck bear mmed down towards the figure in the ck robe.

    In the darkness, a muffled sound echoed.

    However, the heavy blow passed through the figure, creating arge pit in the ground.

    The sudden attack caught the ck bear off guard, its crimson eyes shrinking as it glimpsed a sh of light. Before it could react, pale mes surged towards it, covering the ground.

    "Phantom Sphere, quite handy."

    Just then, Hua Mi had infused mental power into the Phantom Sphere, activating a distorted magical field that enveloped him and Xiao Bai.

    So, what the ck bear saw was an illusion, deviating from their actual position. Missing its target, it exposed its vulnerability.

    Hua Mi controlled the raging fire bees, dispersing them in an array, burning as they pressed forward.

    Simultaneously, Xiao Bai used the Staff of the Guardian to unleash azure mes.

    At such proximity and with a sudden assault, the ck bear couldn''t react in time.

    Instantly surrounded by azure mes.

    Due to its massive size, it wasn''t entirely engulfed.

    Yet, some parts of its fur were already aze.

    The ck bear stood tall, raising its arms but not lunging forward.

    Instead, it roared deafeningly.

    "Roar!"

    Apanying the roar, high-pressure water vapor gushed from its body, extinguishing the mes.

    The raging fire bees were also scattered.

    Hua Mi promptly adjusted his mental power, manipting the swarm to regroup from all directions.

    "Magic?"

    This ck bear could actually use magic and understand the restraining rtionships between them.

    It wasn''t an ordinary beast; it possessed considerable intelligence.

    Next, the ck bear directly ignored the illusion formed by the distorted magical field, urately fixing its crimson eyes on their actual location.

    This further confirmed the fact that the opponent was an intelligent being.

    "Dodge!"

    Seeing the ck bear charging straight at them, Hua Mi instructed Xiao Bai to evade but held his ground, his gaze fixed on its movements.

    The ck bear''s thunderous palm swirled towards him.

    Hua Mi''s gaze narrowed, raising his armsnot to directly block the attack but to converge around the massive bear paw.

    Without making contact, the bear paw seemed to lose its momentum in an instant, effortlessly intercepted.

    But that wasn''t all.

    Hua Mi swiftly spun his body. Using his right foot as support, his left foot drew an arc on the ground while pushing both hands in another direction.

    The ck bear brushed past him, sliding several meters before halting.

    Enraged, the bear turned around, stubbornly charging at him again.

    Hua Mi replicated the same move, neutralizing its assault with the Yin-Yang Field, maneuvering it like dribbling a ball.

    After a series of exchanges, the ck bear grew weary.

    No longer recklessly charging forward, it pounded its front paws on the ground.

    Hua Mi felt the ground tremble beneath him, cracks converging towards him from all directions.

    He leaped atop the swarm of bees, ascending into the air.

    Almost in that instant, a rocky spike shot up from the ground where he stood.

    "Close call..."

    Hua Mi broke into a cold sweat, dodging another gust of wind.

    "Take this!"

    Twirling his arms, the wind gust spun and struck the bear solidly.

    The bear, tough as it was, barely flinched from the direct hit, losing only some fur.

    "This is going to be a tough fight..."

    Hua Mi braced himself, skillfully managing his mental power, manipting the swarm while Xiao Bai asionally caused disturbances with her limited abilities.

    Her capacity only allowed for disruptive azure fire attacks, which wasmendable in itself.

    The Staff of the Guardian significantly boosted her endurance.

    As for Hua Mi, he consumed several Enigmatic Nectar Pills, constantly replenishing his mental power.

    Moreover, he continuously diverted a portion of his mental power to control the bloodsucking bees.

    Distracted by Hua Mi and Xiao Bai, the ck bear found it challenging to notice a swarm of small insects quietly siphoning energy from its body.

    Even if it did, it wouldn''t matter.

    Hua Mi could have the bloodsuckers temporarily retreat and return to siphon whenever necessary.

    This was the nauseating aspect of swarm warfare.

    The bear, having lost its rationality, struggled most against this unpredictable, elusive, and highly adaptable strategy.

    Under the relentless assault of the swarm, the robust bear gradually found itself at a disadvantage.

    Moreover, it seemed that, with its dwindling stamina, it hesitated asionally.

    As if there were two wills within itone ruthless and bloodthirsty, the other desperately suppressed.

    Regardless, this favored Hua Mi.

    Ultimately, sumbing to Hua Mi''s onught, the bear howled weakly, copsing heavily to the ground, panting heavily, unable to continue the fight.

    "Phew... quite tenacious."

    Hua Mi breathed a sigh of relief, contemting how to deal with it.

    Suddenly, he noticed a transformation in the bear''s body.

    Just as Hua Mi began to rx, his tension spiked again, uncertain of the bear''s next move.

    Could this thing have a second form?

    Subsequently, Hua Mi watched as it slowly shrank amidst agonized moans, shedding its ck fur.

    In about a minute, it transformed into a humanoid

    To be precise, a fruit man.

    Fortunately, he was lying on the ground...

    It was evident that this person had a very robust physique, standing at a towering two meters with explosive muscrity. Although the fur had vanished, leaving a hairy body, his voluminous dark-gray long hair nearly covered half his back.

    "Kids shouldn''t look at this."

    Hua Mi stopped curious Xiao Bai from approaching and stuffed her into his pocket.

    Was this a beastification patient?

    Just like Col.

    Tonight was the night of the full moon, and he seemed to have lost control.

    Almost incapacitated by the fight, he reverted to his original form.

    Hua Mi, holding the Staff of the Guardian, cautiously approached and tapped his head.

    The bear-man first moved his fingers, then exerted all his strength to roll onto his back, lying sprawled.

    "!!"

    Jarring!

    Hua Mi averted his gaze from a certain part of the man''s body, thinking,pared to his physique, he was just average.

    "Let''s talk nicely, no need for sudden moves."

    Hua Mi assessed his faceelongated with high brow bones, giving him sunken eye sockets, not particrly ferocious.

    After the recent battle, he appeared drained, depleted by the bloodsucking bees, looking fatigued, eyes wide open as they met Hua Mi''s.

    "Have you regained your senses?"

    "..."

    He seemed to say something, but Hua Mi didn''t catch it.

    "What did you say?"

    "Kill... me."

    "Kill you?"

    "Kill... me..."

    This time, Hua Mi clearly heard what he said.

    "He says I should kill him."

    He didn''t want to live.

    His expression of misery wasn''t just due to exhaustion.

    He felt life was meaningless.

 Chapter 124: Sweet Honey and the Melancholic Bear

    Chapter 124: Sweet Honey and the Mncholic Bear

    It shouldn''t be that he didn''t want to live just because he lost the battle.

    Looking at him, he seemed quite tough, not so fragile.

    As soon as he finished speaking, he closed his eyes and faintedpletely.

    "Hua Mi took out a set of clean clothes from the ring space and covered his private parts with them."

    She nced up at the moon.

    "Normally, beastmen only lose control during the full moon. After tonight, he should return to normal... well, rtively."

    The curse of beastification affected individuals differently.

    For some, it had a significant impact, altering their appearance to some extent.

    Others, like Col, had minor changes, looking a bit untidy without many dog or wolf features in their human form.

    When the little ones knew the crisis was over, they emerged from the greenhouse and immediately recognized him: "It''s him!"

    "Who''s he?" Hua Mi asked.

    "The big bear."

    "Ah, that''s quite an apt and vivid nickname."

    That should be the nickname the little ones gave him. It would be hrious if that were his real name.

    "He usually locks himself up during the full moon. How did he end up out tonight?"

    "Maybe it was an ident."

    It sounded like the little ones were quite familiar with this bear-man.

    "What''s he like? Is he dangerous?" Hua Mi asked.

    Xiao Hong said, "He''s also new to the ck Forest, not much earlier than you. He''s a good person, very polite, doesn''t cause trouble for anyone. But he''s a bit reclusive; I think he''s afraid of hurting others, so most of the time, he hides to avoid contact with others."

    "So, he does seem like a decent person." Hua Mi looked at the unconscious man on the ground, pondering. "But he just asked me to kill him..."

    "Yeah, yeah, he''s been seeking death."

    "Not long ago, he even went to the unicorn, wanting the unicorn to kill him!"

    "But the unicorn just drove him away."

    Daring to provoke the unicorn, it seemed he was truly bent on seeking death.

    But, why didn''t he do it himself?

    Beastmen like him generally had much better physical constitutions than ordinary people.

    But it''s still easy for them to wish for death.

    Why insist on involving others?

    Hua Mi shook her head, setting these thoughts aside. Figuring out how to handle this guy was the priority.

    ce him in the small cabin?

    But she feared he might go berserk and demolish her house.

    Maybe just let him lie here.

    After all, with his beastly constitution, lying in the freezing cold for a night wouldn''t harm him.

    He wasn''t a guest; he was an intruder.

    Even if there''s an excuse like losing control during the full moon, it doesn''t change the fact that he attacked her.

    Xiao Hong was the most familiar with him.

    So, Hua Mi had her stay and keep an eye on him, informing her of any issues promptly.

    Considering Xiao Hong''sck ofbat ability, she might not handle a crisis well.

    Hua Mi then asked Xiao Bai to stay with her.

    Xiao Bai obediently agreed.

    After sorting out the outside matters, Hua Mi returned to the greenhouse to continue her unfinished work.

    ...

    After bottling the first jar of Illusionary Flower Honey.

    Hua Mi turned on the sr lights installed in the field and scooped a spoonful of honey, observing its color in the light.

    This time the color was quite normal, a reddish amber.

    As for its special effects...

    Hua Mi connected to the Grand Power Bees and used her mental power to appraise it.

    The first conclusion was that it was harmless.

    The magical elements in the honey seemed to have a soothing effect, bringing joy to the heart.

    In terms of effect, it was simr to an alchemical potion called "Euphoria Elixir" in this world.

    But the elixir brought a significant toxin umtion.

    Ordinary people wouldn''t take this magical medicine just for joy.

    Unless affected by a curse or feeling extremely low to the point of self-annihtion, they wouldn''t touch it.

    However, Illusionary Flower Honey didn''t lead to toxin umtion as before.

    Its effect was safe and stable.

    As usual, she had the little ones try it first.

    Afterward, Hua Mi took a spoonful herself.

    The taste was average,pared to the previous honeys, just moderately delicious.

    A few seconds after swallowing it...

    Hua Mi''s brain experienced a peculiar sensation.

    It felt like being gently massaged by soothing hands, her vision and mind suddenly expanding, bathing in a divine radiance that pierced through the shadows of her soul.

    Instantly feeling joyful, she even felt like singing aloud.

    At that moment, life seemed full of hope.

    She was brimming with energy.

    Hua Mi''s mind raced, involuntarily nning a future full of ambition:

    "I''ll find the rarest flowers, brew the most delicious and miraculous honey, cultivate the strongest bee species..."

    Ahem.

    The Robe of Calmness promptly subdued her overwhelming excitement, not letting her exceed the threshold of exhration.

    Although the recent thoughts were a bit extreme, the feeling was truly incredible.

    Right now, she felt like no challenge could thwart her.

    Uponparison, she realized how much a person''s mood could affect their productivity.

    "While the effect of this honey may not sound as miraculous as the Gifted Flower or Thunder Flower honeys, its potential is significant. Perhaps not forbat, but for daily use."

    She believed this honey would be highly sought after, whether on Earth or in this alternate realm.

    It might even trigger a frenzy of pursuit.

    After the trial, Hua Mi continued bottling with a joyful heart.

    Until dawn.

    This time, the harvest was modest, just over five hundred jars of Illusionary Flower Honey and a dozen Blood Honeys.

    From tonight''s firsthand experience, she knew that consuming a spoonful of honey could sustain its effects for just over two hours.

    The effect didn''t vanish suddenly but gradually diminished.

    Even after theplete digestion of the honey''s effects, her mood remained at a higher level than before.

    By the time she finished bottling all the honey, it was almost sunrise.

    While she was tidying up the equipment, Xiao Hong flew in to inform her that the bear-man had woken up.

    He hadn''t done anything unusual, just stayed outside, wanting to see her.

    Hua Mi nodded, finishing her tasks before leaving the greenhouse to find the bear-man.

    As she stepped out, she saw the bear-man sitting on the ground, clutching his clothes, barely covering his private parts.

    The moon had set, and the sun hadn''t risen yet.

    It was the darkest moment of the day.

    In the dim light, she couldn''t quite see the bear-man''s face.

    She only heard him say, "Sorry for causing you trouble."

    His voice was deep and quiet.

    "Tonight is the full moon; I was careless, didn''t lock myself up properly," he paused, then continued, "I''m willing to ept any punishment, even death."

    "...Well," Hua Mi waved her hand, "you didn''t cause any damage; I ept your apology."

    "Is that so..."

    Surprisingly, his voice sounded somewhat dejected.

    This guy seemed to have some serious psychological issues.

 Chapter 125: The Redemption of the Bear and the Whispers of the Centaur

    Chapter 125: The Redemption of the Bear and the Whispers of the Centaur

    "Why do you want to die?"

    "Because I havemitted grave sins."

    Hua Mi observed the bear-man whose voice grew increasingly somber, his rough palm pressed against his forehead, reminiscent of some painful memory.

    She chose not to pry into his heartache.

    "Why not do it yourself?" Xiao Huang interjected suddenly. "Because you can''t bring yourself to do it?"

    "..."

    Impressive, it had to be her.

    Hitting the nail on the head.

    The bear-man fell silent for a moment. "I don''t want to fall into the Nine Hells."

    Suicide leads to the Nine Hells? This was a first for Hua Mi, silently registering this new information in her mind.

    "Though I don''t know what you''ve been through, I suggest looking forward, not dwelling in the past," she offered, drawing from her habitual online browsing of uplifting quotes.

    But the bear-man remained silent, rejecting her words of wisdom.

    "There are still many beautiful things in this world. Look at these adorable pseudo-flower spirits. Once dead, you won''t see them again," Hua Mi said, gesturing toward the seven little beings.

    The pseudo-flower spirits cooperated by disying various cute movements.

    "The more beautiful things, the more they remind me of the sins I''vemitted in the past."

    "..."

    Oh well. This guy ispletely closed off.

    "Perhaps you can try this," Hua Mi suggested, retrieving a bottle of Thousand Illusions Flower Honey from her magic box.

    The first rays of morning sunlight bathed the earth. The sunlight illuminated the honey, making it glisten.

    "Specially made honey for bee whisperers. Take a sip; it''ll alleviate your worries."

    "I don''t need a magic potion; I need liberation. You know, after the effects wear off, things will only get worse," he replied.

    "It''s not a magic potion; it''s food. Have you heard of food therapy?" Hua Mi opened the bottle and handed him a spoon.

    "Thank you for your suggestion, but I don''t believe any food can heal my inner turmoil right now."

    Despite his reluctance, the bear conceded and took the bottle of honey and spoon.

    The honey bottle looked like an oversized oral medicine in hisrge palm. Hua Mi believed he could gulp down the entire bottle in seconds.

    He scooped some honey with the spoon and tasted it. "You can have more."

    The effectiveness of honey varied based on body weight. Hua Mi, feeling the effects after a spoonful, estimated his weight to be more than three times hers; the dosage would surely have different effects.

    He followed her advice and took several spoonfuls in session. As he swallowed thest spoonful, he froze.

    His pupils contracted.

    After a moment.

    "Phew," he let out a heavy breath. When he lifted his head again, the dullness in his eyes had transformed.

    "I do feel much better... but why?" he inquired.

    "I told you, there are still beautiful things in this world worth cherishing."

    The bear-man shook his head, sensing her jest, and looked down at the honey in his hand. "Alchemy potion... no, after drinking it without any difort, how did you manage that?"

    "If you insist on calling it a potion, you''re not entirely wrong. However, my potions are unique; theye with no side effects, including the mostmon, toxin umtion."

    "A potion without side effects..."

    The bear-man mused.

    Alchemy potions typically brought effects along with side effects, almostmon knowledge in this world. However, not being well-versed in alchemy, he found it strange but not enough to shake his beliefs fundamentally.

    "Aren''t you giving up on dying?" Xiao Huang leaned in. As pseudo-flower spirits, they were carefree enough, so the honey didn''t have any notably discernible effects on them after consumption.

    For them, the differences before and after the bear''s intake of honey were hard toprehend.

    "Well, maybe for me, living on to atone is the right choice."

    As he spoke, ck fur sprouted on his body.

    Then, he stood up, appearing still weak but with a newfound glint in his eyes.

    "Thank you... What should I call you?"

    "You can call me Bee Whisperer."

    "Thank you, Bee Whisperer. I am Levistus Deligobano."

    "..."

    Just call you Big Bear, Hua Mi thought.

    "No need to thank me; as long as you''ve found your way. Consider the honey a gift, but if you want more after using it up, there''ll be a charge."

    "Well, I may not have money, but rest assured, I won''t take it for free."

    The bear bowed deeply. "If there''s anything I can help with, I''m at your service. These little ones know where to find me."

    Hua Mi nodded, watching the imposing figure of the bear vanish into the depths of the forest.

    "Though not many residents in the ck Forest, they are all talented individuals," she sighed. It was already dawn, and she had no ns to sleep. She swallowed a Thunder Lily Honey Pill, recharging herself instantly, feeling utterly revitalized.

    The Thousand Illusions Flower Honey yield this time wasn''t substantial, just over 500 bottles.

    It''d likely sell out in seconds online, so she decided to hold off, amass more, and reduce her workload.

    Moreover, magical honey didn''t seem secure for online tforms.

    She''d been considering starting a small businesstely, utilizing Earth''s efficientmunication technology, creating her circle.

    This would bring her closer to fans, facilitating better product control and targeted sales based on user demand.

    Maybe even offer some more peculiar magical honey to fans, provided her secret remained safe.

    During this off-time, she nned to prepare.

    As for offline, she wouldn''t turn away customers if they showed up. After all, she was a resident of Huayu Town on Earth.

    No need for deliberate advertising or operations offline.

    Whoever was lucky enough to buy magical honey would be a matter of fate.

    Regarding the pricing in the other world for Thousand Illusions Flower Honey, she decided to set it at 8 gold coins.

    ...

    Taking a moment from her busy schedule, Hua Mi approached Alyss and briefed her on the centaur portal.

    Alyss found it intriguing and volunteered to take a look without prompting.

    The two arrived at the stone door.

    Alyss stood at a distance for observation, then approached and ced her hand on one of the stones, closing her eyes, seemingly perceiving something.

    After a while, she opened her eyes, shaking her head. "I don''t understand the centaurnguage, so I can''t respond to the whispers for now."

    "Whispers?" Hua Mi withdrew her hand from the stone, looking at Alyss strangely. What whispers? Besides the wind, she hadn''t heard anything.

    "If your intelligence is enough, upon contact with the door, you can hear the centaur whispers, respond to them, and open the portal... You didn''t hear?" Alyss inquired.

    "Oh, now that you mention it, I did hear some murmurs, but I thought it was just the wind. I couldn''t understand anything," Hua Mi coughed, changing the subject. "By the way, should we learn the centaurnguage? It would be convenient for long-distance travels using this portal."

    With portals scattered around, having a vast map, traveling would be a breeze.

    In the future, she could rely on Alyss to guide her wherever she wanted to collect flower seeds.

    Alyss agreed, "You make a good point."

 Chapter 126: Wind Chime Flower Seeds and Shape-Shifting Ointment

    Chapter 126: Wind Chime Flower Seeds and Shape-Shifting Ointment

    Hua Mi''s gaze lingered on the meditation sphere in his hand. He concentrated his mental energy, attempting to break through the barrier and decipher the hidden information within. But once again, he failed. Despite days of continuous training, his mental strength was barely at the "Fifth Stage," yet he couldn''t break the barrier within the small meditation sphere.

    "Feels like I''m so close"

    What information did this gray robe hide inside that it had to be so secretive?

    "When I can ess it, it better be worth it, or it''ll disappoint my expectations."

    Hua Mi shook his head, stashing away the meditation sphere.

    Hum

    Suddenly, a buzzing sound came from outside, gradually growing louder. It wasn''t the buzzing of bees; it had a mechanical quality to it. It reminded him of the noise when Carter started up the flying ship.

    Hua Mi nced out the window, confirming a flying craft hovering above the wooden house. It slowly descended and halted by the window.

    A young person in a light blue uniform sat atop the craft, holding the vertical control lever, handing over a package.

    "Your delivery, please sign here."

    Delivery? For a moment, he couldn''t recall who in this world would send him a package.

    Hua Mi epted the package, checking the senderit was from Carter, dispatched from Mordu.

    Though uncertain about Carter''s motives in Mordu, Hua Mi didn''t dwell on it. Among the trio, he found Carter quite reliable, so there had to be a reason behind this.

    After signing for the package, the delivery person wished him a pleasant day and departed on the flying craft.

    The package wasn''trge. Hua Mi probed it with his mental energy, finding nothing unusual before opening it.

    Whaty inside sparked his interestan envelope of seeds. The packaging had abel in humannguage, "Wind Chime Flower Seeds."

    Apanying the seeds were two letters. One from Carter and the other signed by "Susie Winston," possibly a woman.

    More of a manual than a letter, it sinctly detailed the ideal conditions and nurturing tips for wind chime flowers.

    "The cultivation of wind chime flowers is challenging. It''s advisable not to exhaust all seeds at once, nting them in batches. Failure in initial attempts helps gather experience" the letter advised.

    Wishing him sess in cultivating the most beautiful flowers, it concluded courteously.

    But the suggestion to "nt in batches" seemed to question his expertise?

    Hua Mi skimmed through it and set it aside, picking up Carter''s letter to understand the situation.

    In essence, Carter visited Mordu for some business and, while at Duke Weston''s estate, requested some flower seeds from the garden as a gift.

    "Didn''t expect this mage to be thoughtful"

    This gift perfectly aligned with Hua Mi''s preferences. Compared to other valuable items, this small bag of seemingly worthless flower seeds appealed to him more.

    His fondness for Carter inadvertently increased.

    Thinking of Mordu, something struck Hua Mi.

    He retrieved the alchemy notebook, flipping to the section marked "Misty Mountains."

    The Misty Mountains near Mordu housed a three-star adventure site, with records of a rare tree species called the "Otherworldly Tree."

    The notebook detailed its peculiar traits and abundant magical elements, noting its potential to alter the surrounding environment once grown.

    What caught Hua Mi''s attention was the mention of its blooming period, where thousands of Otherworldly Flowers released an enticing fragrance, attracting insects to dance around its canopy.

    A nt likely to produce honey due to its alluring fragrance.

    Yearning to acquire such an exotic honey nt, Hua Mi wanted to bring it back.

    With his current abilities, exploring a three-star adventure site was well within his capability.

    Previously hindered by distance, the presence of the centaur''s portal in the ck Forest made long-distance travel feasible.

    However, he couldn''t activate it himself.

    He needed a guide.

    Once Alyss mastered the centaurnguage, he could hitch a ride to Mordu''s vicinity.

    Manit mentioned heading to Mordu, indicating the existence of another terminal near Mordu.

    That''s a story for another time, for now.

    With new flower seeds in hand, Hua Mi felt the excitement of a child receiving a new toy, rushing to the greenhouse for cultivation.

    But the seven littlepanions delivered bad news.

    The seed-making machine they relied on showed signs of decline.

    The primary indicatorits efficiency dropped.

    It not only slowed down but formed a noticeable downward trend recently.

    At this rate, it might wither before the end of the Ice Age, a headache for Hua Mi.

    It was somewhat expected.

    Though named a "machine," it was essentially a functional nt, prone to withering.

    Once it ceased functioning, cultivation would be troublesome.

    If no alternative solution arose, the nting cycle would significantly lengthen.

    For now, worrying wouldn''t help; there were no other options.

    He stored this concern away, intending to seek a solution as circumstances allowed.

    ---

    On the other side, thanks to the pseudo-flower spirits and bees'' relentless efforts, the honey brewing process in the mixed flower field finally concluded.

    Hua Mi arrived at the mixed flower field with equipment, ready for a new harvest.

    As per routine, he began by inspecting the by-products.

    He first opened two vampire bee hives, pleasantly surprised.

    A great start.

    Inside one hive, there was a small blob of ointment-like substance adhering to the board. The ointment had a dark gray appearance, resembling snot, with streaks resembling blood, a bit disgusting to look at.

    Hua Mi assessed it.

    Unexpectedly, this unattractive substance possessed remarkably unique magical properties.

    Perhaps it could be called "Shape-Shifting Ointment."

    True to its name, it facilitated shape-shifting.

    Here''s an analogy.

    Apply it evenly on your face and vividly imagine someonebriefly, you''ll transform into that likeness.

    The duration was tricky to estimate, influenced by multiple factors.

    Roughly, with this small amount on the face, the transformation couldst around half an hour.

    While intriguing, Hua Mi had no immediate use for it.

    He stored a small portion in a vial, tucking it into his ring space, before continuing to open other boxes.

 Chapter 127: The Insightful Fire Eyes and Feathery Illusions

    Chapter 127: The Insightful Fire Eyes and Feathery Illusions

    Hua Mi proceeded to open five Canghuo Beehives one after the other.

    For some unknown reason, luck seemed particrly favorable today. Even the Canghuo Beehives produced something.

    From one hive dropped a droplet-shaped trinket, slightlyrger than a melon seed. It wasn''t entirely solid; only a thinyer on the surface resembled waxy film, while the inside held a liquid.

    Upon inspection, the superficial waxy film appeared mundane, typical beeswax. But the liquid inside bore some kind of tempering and evolution effect.

    Applying it to the eyeballs allowed them to fully absorb it.

    The eyes would gain the attribute of "Breaking Illusions."

    This ability not only enhanced vision and granted night vision but, more importantly, allowed seeing through illusions, reaching the essence of things.

    No additional mana consumption was needed; it merely required mental drive.

    Another means of fortifying oneself, a beneficial by-product indeed.

    Hua Mi promptly punctured the waxy film, preparing to drip the liquid into their eyes.

    The liquid inside had twice the density of pure water, with a certain viscosity smaller than honey''s.

    Carefully, like administering eye drops, Hua Mi evenly dripped the liquid inside the film onto both eyeballs.

    The eyelids reflexively closed.

    Yet, the eyeballs didn''t feel particrly stimting; instead, a lubricatingfort spread.

    With closed eyes, Hua Mi instinctively maneuvered the eyeballs to ensureplete contact with the liquid.

    A sudden sensation.

    A ring white light filled Hua Mi''s vision, as though staring directly at the sun with closed eyes.

    Within the sight, a fierce, pale me appeared to burn intensely.

    The eyeballs felt scorching, tears uncontrobly streamed downimpossible to contain.

    Describing the current state as "tears streaming down the face" was not an exaggeration.

    The eyes couldn''t even open.

    For a moment, it seemed like blindness might ensue.

    Fortunately, this abnormal state didn''tst too long.

    After about ten seconds, the scorching sensation faded, and the tears finally ceased.

    Following the brief difort, the eyeballs experienced a long-lost, clear, rxed sensation.

    Hua Mi opened their eyes.

    The first sight was the eight small creatures, their expressions bewildered.

    Assuring themself of being alright, Hua Mi blinked, surveying the surroundings.

    If they had a mirror, they''d notice their eyeballs were exceedingly bright, akin to a newborn''s.

    The enhancement in vision was rather evident.

    The world before their eyes appeared refreshed; many previously overlooked details came into focus.

    If usual sight was HD, this was at least UHD, even the colors of objects seemed more vivid.

    For instance, the Seven Small Ones'' fur appeared more vibrant than ever.

    Moreover, Hua Mi effortlessly discerned details, like the fur on a Dali Bee located several meters away, almost like using a magnifying ss.

    All this achievable with just a bit of mental power.

    Yet, this was just the foundation.

    What truly amazed was the ability of these eyes to perceive the Illusion Breaking Art.

    Hua Mi directed their mental energy into the eyes.

    The eyeballs slightly heated up, a glint appearing in the pupils, resembling a flickering me.

    Instantly, the perspective changed, a state difficult to describesharpness intensified significantly.

    In this view, it became easier toprehend the essence of things, even locating vulnerabilities inbat.

    And it was far from reaching its limit.

    This ability could continue to improve.

    Simply by dripping this particr liquid into the eyes, one could continuously strengthen them.

    "This is truly an extraordinary insight."

    Continuing, Hua Mi opened the remaining thirty Big Power Beehives.

    No results.

    Seemingly, the likelihood of the Big Power Bees producing by-products was rtively low.

    Nevertheless, yielding two useful by-products in one go was satisfactory.

    "Next, the characteristics of the Feathery Illusions Honey..."

    Hua Mi began appraising the honey.

    Having "Fire Eyes" made the appraisal quicker and more urate.

    The appearance of this honey was extraordinary.

    It emitted a dreamlike glow, not a reflection but radiating on its own.

    Contained within a bottle, a pure glow surrounded the vessel, seeming tangible yet untouchable.

    "Praise the Holy Light."

    Regardless of whether it was truly holy light, that''s what Hua Mi decided to call it.

    The scientific theory applied to this magical honey was uratesimr to the Thunder Flower Honey, it continuously released magical energy outwardly.

    However, the release was extremely slow.

    To exhaust this bottle, it would take at least hundreds, if not thousands, of years...

    Upon consuming the Feathery Illusions Honey, this light-like energy transformed within the body into a more tangible existencea special form between energy and matter.

    This intermediate state, residing within the body, would enhance the consumer''s magical resistance and physical defense.

    Hua Mi took a spoonful.

    Surprisingly nd in taste, just a hint of sweetness, akin to a thick farmer''s punch.

    Not honey at all.

    Following this, a feeling of the "holy light" began permeating their body, evenly filling every corner. Every cell soaked in this "holy light," making the body feel slightly "enriched."

    This form of the holy light was far more unstable than the honey form, dissipating much faster.

    The amount from a spoonful would dissipate in about two to three minutes under normal circumstances.

    Moreover, external stimuli would hasten its dissipation.

    For example, enduring a heavy blow could dissipate it instantly.

    Under normal conditions, the holy light distributed evenly within the body, but seemingly, one could manipte its transfer and aggregation within the body using mental energy.

    Utilizing mental energy, Hua Mi gathered all the holy light onto their right hand.

    The right hand instantly emitted light, a stimting kind, as if numerous silver needles shot out continuously.

    There was room for further advancement...

    In an instant

    The holy lightpletely detached from Hua Mi''s body, transforming into a ball of light shooting toward the ground.

    With a soft "bang," it created a fist-sized dent in the soft soil.

    "Excellent, it can be used as an attacking means."

    Hua Mi wasn''t prepared, unintentionally letting the holy light fly out directly.

    They felt that with better concentration, perhaps they could maintain the holy light in a suitable intermediate statesharp but notpletely detached.

    Worth a try.

    Hua Mi consumed several spoonfuls consecutively.

    The density of the holy light within the body was several times higher than before.

    Once again, they controlled the light, aggregating it into the right hand. The radiance was stronger than before.

    Then, using formidable mental power, they began shaping the holy light.

 Chapter 128: Blessings of the Bee God

    Chapter 128: Blessings of the Bee God

    This task might sound simple, but in reality, it''s quite challenging.

    Even with Hua Mi''s current mental strength, full concentration is needed to perform the operation without the slightest distraction.

    On the first attempt, despite his utmost effort, the light merely changed its shape slightly.

    Before he could master it, the holy light had exhausted itself.

    Clearly, the denser the holy light, the faster it releases outward.

    Concentrating the holy light in one spot releases it several times faster than distributing it evenly throughout the body.

    Hua Mi continued consuming honey and made several attempts until he gradually got the hang of it.

    The formless chaos of light, under his control, slowly elongated, revealing a sharp de-like tip.

    *Swoosh*

    The light de tore through the air effortlessly.

    "Not bad, it somewhat resembles something."

    This form couldn''t be sustained for long, but it sufficed for short-term attacks.

    Hua Mi finished bottling the honey, cleared the flowers drained of honey just like in the Thousand Illusion Flower Field, rented the seeds in their originalyout, starting the next cultivation cycle.

    The Feathered Illusion Honey had significant uses, effective for both survival and offense.

    Hua Mi made more honey pills, carrying them around.

    The tiny storage ring was nearly cluttered with odds and ends.

    As for the magic box, it was mainly used to contain the battle bee swarm and wasn''t suitable for misceneous items unless absolutely necessary.

    "I''ll need a bigger storage solution sometime."

    ---

    *Ding-a-ling*

    Hua Mi was tinkering with the newly arrived bee colony in the backyard when he suddenly heard the chime from the front door.

    He paused his work and returned indoors, spotting a middle-aged man entering the shop.

    The visitor sported a branded sportswear, a backpack on his back, a talisman hanging from the pack, holding a hiking pole, wearing a striped t cap, with the visible part of his head suggesting a balding look.

    Judging by the attire, he was probably an out-of-towner here for hiking.

    After ncing around the empty shop, the backpacker inquired, "Boss, are you still open for business?"

    Probably noticing the emptiness, unlike a typical operating shop, he asked to rify.

    As grandpa used to say, every visitor is a potential customer.

    After a brief pause, Hua Mi replied, "We still have some honey in stock."

    "That''s good." The backpacker casually walked in.

    "Visiting Huayu Town without buying some honey to take back would be a shame," he remarked with a hint of nostalgia. "But speaking of which, most of the beekeepers in town seem to have changed professions. I remember a few years ago, there were many apiaries here... You must be struggling to keep up, too. Don''t worry, it''s tough for individual beekeepers in this environment."

    Hua Mi merely smiled, not offering any exnations.

    Reaching under the table, at an obscure corner, he retrieved a half-open bottle of Thousand Illusion Flower Honey from the ring space, cing it on the table, out of the backpacker''s sight.

    "Why take half a bottle? Afraid I can''t afford it?" joked the backpacker.

    "Free taste," Hua Mi chuckled. "But if you buy, the price might be steep."

    "No matter how pricey, can honey really be that expensive?"

    The backpacker picked up the bottle, checking the quality inspection and standard numbers, showing his understanding of the industry.

    After a moment, he asked, "What flower is this honey from?"

    Hua Mi calmly replied, "Thousand Illusion Flower, a brand-new flower species I developed myself."

    The backpacker nodded, seemingly disinterested, adding, "Let''s not beat around the bush. Don''t set the price too high, or I won''t buy. The honey quality in Huayu Town isn''t what it used to be, right?"

    Hua Mi didn''t argue, gesturing, "The quality, you''ll know after a taste."

    Without further ado, the backpacker grabbed a disposable spoon, scooped a spoonful of honey, and tasted.

    After holding it in his mouth for a while, he swallowed.

    His eyes blinked a few times, gradually lighting up.

    After a moment of savoring, he couldn''t contain his surprise, "This honey... I''ve never... felt this before... What''s this sensation..."

    Experiencing the magic of magic, eh?

    Seeing him speechless in amazement, Hua Mi chuckled inwardly but calmly replied, "Because this honey is crafted with care."

    The backpacker muttered thoughtfully, "I''m starting to believe in the ''Bee God'' legend."

    The Bee God, a story circting in Huayu Town.

    It''s said that Huayu Town, under the Bee God''s blessing, honey crafted with care receives divine favor.

    Of course, being a resident of Huayu Town, Hua Mi knew it was just a marketing tactic.

    People always fancy romantic tales.

    Yet this guy seemed to buy into it.

    "To be honest, I''ve been feeling exhaustedtely, so I came out to rx. After having a sip of this honey, it''s like I suddenly understand a lot, no more confusion... it must be the protection of a divine being," he rambled.

    Protection or scam, it''s almost the same.

    Hua Mi merely smiled, letting him chatter on.

    Running a shop meant chatting with customers was part of the job.

    "How much for this bottle of honey?" After his lengthy monologue, the backpacker finally asked.

    "It''s a bit pricey," Hua Mi reminded again.

    "Looking down on me?" The backpacker frowned, lifted his right hand, boasting, "I don''t mean to brag, but this string of blessed prayer beads cost me around forty to fifty thousand. This talisman was blessed by the Celestial Masters'' Temple, costing over twenty thousand. Not that I''m wealthy, but after all these years, I''vee to understand some things. Some things you just have to believe in, some things, even if expensive, are worth it... Are we buying honey or buying peace of mind? Be straightforward, how much, considering the Bee God''s face, I''ll buy it without hesitation!"

    "..."

    This guy''s beliefs are quite diverse.

    If he''s that wealthy, Hua Mi doesn''t need to be so polite...

    "30,000."

    Given the current gold prices on Earth, converting it to eight gold coins roughly equaled around thirty thousand. Making it a rounded figure for him.

    The backpacker fell silent for a moment after hearing this price, then awkwardly said, "Uh, I''ve been a bit short on fundstely... how about I give you twenty-five thousand?"

    For a bottle of honey, 30,000 was already exorbitant.

    At the moment, this customer offering twenty-five thousand was quite generous.

    Hua Mi nodded, "epted."

    The backpacker transferred the payment, carefully stowed the honey in his bag, chatted with Hua Mi for a while, added him as a friend, and finally asked, "You''re really not nning to continue the shop? Although it''s a bit expensive, I believe many would still buy it. I can help you with publicity."

    Hua Mi smiled, "No need to bother, I''m closing shop once the inventory is sold."

    "Such a pity

    ... Have you thought about what to do next?"

    "Next... Well, I''ve been writing a novel recently."

    "Oh? What kind of novel?"

    "A beekeeping adventure in a different world."

    "Sounds intriguing! I wish you a quickpletion and a perfect ending. I''ll surely read it then."

    Hua Mi saw the backpacker off but lingered under the eaves, not heading back.

    The sky was gloomy, filled with the scent of industrial waste in the air.

    Once again, he couldn''t help but feel that the scenes from his childhood memories were irretrievable.

    "Perhaps finding a way to use the magical power of another world to restore Huayu Town''s environment..."

    Of course, without revealing his secret.

    The current plight of Huayu Town was fundamentally due to environmental pollution.

    Otherwise, with Huayu Town''s reputation and the groundworkid before, the market space might shrink, but it wouldn''t copse so easily.

    As long as the environment returned to its former level, even if the market share of honey decreased, the flower cultivation industry would still remain robust.

    Within the premise of secrecy, do what he could to help his hometown, a kind of repayment.

    "I''ll take on the role of the Bee God for Huayu Town."

    Hua Mi etched this thought in his mind.

    ---

    I must say, Alyss''s learning speed is impressive.

    Just a few days, and she''s already proficient in the Centaurnguage.

    Once again, Hua Mi felt the disparity in intelligence among different species, inevitably feeling a bit frustrated.

    But the good news was, it meant he could set off for the Misty Mountain Range.

    Coincidentally, Alyss was also nning to head to Mordu for an invitation.

 Chapter 129: Mordu

    Chapter 129: Mordu

    "Hua Mi, you''re going to Mordu?"

    Hua Mi thought this was quite a coincidence, a chance to catch a ride conveniently.

    He''d been pondering how to approach her.

    "In a few days, it''s Princess Karen''sing-of-age ceremony, and I''ve been invited to the banquet." Alyss nced at him, seemingly guessing his thoughts, and said calmly, "I''ve only left Emerald City; I haven''t severed my previous connections."

    Ah, that''s true.

    She''d only been stripped of the title "Radiance" within the Elvenmunity, but she remained the renowned architectural designer, nothing had changed.

    "I think, given the princess''s love for beauty, your Feathered Honey will be a great gift."

    Alyss pondered and suggested buying a few bottles of Feathered Honey from him as a birthday present for the princess.

    Of course, Hua Mi wouldn''t take her money.

    He handed her five bottles directly.

    "Consider it as travel expenses," Hua Mi assured, "I''m not good at learningnguages; I might never master the Centaurnguage in my lifetime, so if I need to use the Centaur teleportation gate, I''ll have to rely on you to guide me."

    It wasn''t just for this teleportation.

    There were longer-term considerations.

    Using honey to boost Alyss''s favor was a savvy move, a guaranteed win.

    During these days, he''d asionally sent some Thunderflower Honey to the Unicorn. Undoubtedly, the Unicorn Elder''s fondness for him had increased significantly.

    This was what they called honey diplomacy.

    For him, honey wasn''t just business; it was a strategic resource.

    He wasn''t merely content with making a fortune.

    Money was ultimately ephemeral.

    As the saying goes, the most painful thing in life is to die with money left unspent.

    This magical world held endless possibilities for him. He aimed to explore and reap as much as possible to constantly enhance himself.

    Establishing a base in the ck Forest, relying on beekeeping and farming to create a thriving territory.

    Before the journey, he gave his eight little ones the usual reminders.

    The Pseudo-Flower Spirits heard he was going to collect new honey sources and unanimously agreed.

    Xiao Zi had initially wanted to go with him.

    But Hua Mi asked her to stay back and watch over the house.

    She didn''t mind and obediently stayed behind.

    Hua Mi packed up and arrived at the Centaur''s teleportation gate with Alyss.

    Alyss stepped forward, cing her hand on the stone door frame.

    Then, she muttered something under her breath.

    Subsequently, the frame lit up with faint blue inscriptions.

    With a "buzz," a mist appeared in the doorway, veiling it like a sheer curtain.

    Alyss nced back at him, gesturing for him to follow.

    Hua Mi walked over, cing his hand on her shoulder, and stepped into the teleportation gate with her.

    The two figures vanished within the "mist."

    Hua Mi''s vision was immediately engulfed by the mist.

    Apart from the fog, the only thing visible was Alyss walking ahead.

    There wasn''t the weightlessness orpression he''d felt while heading to Brass City.

    Everything seemed normal, no loss of direction.

    It felt like his feet were nted on solid ground, even though he couldn''t see it.

    Hua Mi didn''t need to do anything or think; he just had to follow Alyss.

    After about twenty or thirty steps, the mist ahead rapidly receded, and suddenly, his view cleared.

    Before he could regain his senses, they were outside the teleportation gate.

    A gentle breeze brushed against him, carrying the fragrant scent of grass.

    Ahead stretched an immense grasnd.

    The sky was vast and cloudless.

    The grasnd undted, resembling green waves.

    Under the gentle breeze, the des swayed, adding a dynamic charm to this otherwise tranquilndscape.

    They stood atop a slightly elevated mound, gazing at the distant grand city.

    Modu, the capital of the Toran Kingdom.

    It wasn''t just thergest city in the Toran Kingdom but unparalleled in grandeur across the human society.

    From a distance, the city walls stood tall and imposing like iron barriers.

    Some high-rise buildings peeked above the walls, beckoning passersby like icebergs waving hello.

    Merchants and pedestrians streamed in and out of the city gates, while the sky teemed with flying vessels and magical creatures.

    This bustling scene far surpassed the small-town charm of ckstone.

    "The Misty Mountain Range... should be over there."

    Hua Mi gazed into the distance, spotting the raised mountain range.

    But he wasn''t in a rush to go there.

    He intended to visit the city first, to buy some supplies.

    Especially the "Adventurer''s Guide to the Misty Mountains," better to be prepared before venturing into the unknown.

    Hua Mi hitched a ride on Alyss''s flying vessel, quickly reaching the city gates.

    Modu had a strict no-fly zone; unauthorized flights weren''t allowed. Even the most skilled had to touch the ground.

    Overall, Modu was an open city. Guards stationed at the gates didn''t require any formalities.

    He smoothly passed through the main gate, officially arriving at Modu.

    The architecture here differed from ckstone''s style.

    ckstone''s buildings mostly had pointed roofs, while here, roofs weren''t shaped deliberately into points, emphasizing aesthetics and individuality.

    "I''ll be heading to Duke Weston''s estate next," Alyss informed him, "The Duke''s daughter is a friend of mine, and I''ll be staying with her for a few days. What about you?"

    "No need to worry about me. I''ll find you after the banquet." Hua Mi smiled and waved at her, "Oh, if you happen to meet a mage named Carter at the Duke''s estate, please give him my regards."

    If memory served right, Carter was mentioned in the letter as being associated with the Dukethough Carter was probably not at the estate by now.

    Hua Mi understood that, in this world, although Dukes held the highest noble rank, they seeminglycked real power, more of an honorary title.

    And the Duke''s daughter Alyss mentioned was probably the one who sent him the Windbell Flower seeds.

    By etiquette, he should''ve paid a visit, expressed gratitude in person, and offered some gifts.

    But Hua Mi''s main goal this time was to collect honey sources, not to make friends.

    Complete the primary task first; optional side missions could wait.

    After parting ways with Alyss, Hua Mi left the main road, proceeding along a street.

    The urgent matter was to find a bookstore and purchase the "Adventurer''s Guide to the Misty Mountains."

    Soon enough, he found a small-scale bookstore by the roadside.

    Entering, he inquired if they had the guide.

    "We''ve got one left. It''s been quite popr recently. If you''d arrived a bitter, it might have been gone," the owner chuckled and pointed him in the right direction.

    Following the owner''s guidance, Hua Mi spotted the solitary book he sought on the shelf.

    "Early bird catches the worm."

    He picked up the book, noticing its cover was somewhat simr to the "Adventurer''s Guide to the ck Forest," sharing the same style.

    That was understandable since both were issued by the Adventurer''s Guild.

    Speaking of which, the Adventurer''s Guild headquarters

    was in Modu.

    rk must have arrived long ago; he wondered how he was faring now.

    Being a vampire morph trying to blend into human society mustn''t be easy; he wondered how rk nned to handle it.

    Lost in thought, about to take the book to pay, suddenly, a hand snatched it from him.

 Chapter 130: Shopping

    Chapter 130: Shopping

    "Who''s so impulsive in front of everyone?"

    Hua Mi didn''t act rashly. Instead, he calmly sized up the other person.

    It was a man with a peculiar dress, wearing rough clothes that exposed his arms and much of his chest. Muscr and with slightly dark skin, faint white lightning-shaped patterns adorned his wheat-colored skin.

    His face bore a strange symbol, three horizontal lines intersected by a vertical stroke, drawn in ck paint. A mane of wild hair concealed several thin braids.

    "Hey, buddy, you heading to the Misty Peaks too? How about teaming up?" The man shook a booklet, sporting a self-satisfied grin.

    Silence lingered.

    Such a barbarian, utterly devoid of manners, yet so self-assured.

    Who invites someone to team up like that?

    Hua Mi was displeased, but he kept a neutral facade.

    Seems like this guy is headed to the Misty Peaks too.

    Hua Mi also noticed another simrly attired woman behind him, leaning against a bookshelf, arms folded, her eyes subtly watching their exchange.

    Her attire mirrored the man''s, wheat-colored skin adorned with the same lightning-like patterns. She wore bold clothing, exposing not her upper body but her agile, toned legs.

    Their attire hinted at non-locals, but given Hua Mi''s limited understanding of this world, he had no clue about their origins.

    Regarding their team invitation, Hua Mi promptly declined. His goal was clear: enter the Misty Peaks and reach the Other Shore Tree directly.

    No need toplicate this process.

    With his current strength, handling a mere three-star adventure was more than feasible.

    Moreover, he didn''t know these two strangely dressed individuals well enough to ept their team invitation without caution.

    When away from home, a wary heart was essential.

    Hua Mi pretended to contemte for a moment and calmly replied, "Sorry, appreciate the offer, but I prefer solo missions."

    With that said, he didn''t engage further, simply reimed his adventure manual from the man as he passed by.

    ---

    Hua Mi continued forward, yet his scout bee remained attentive to the duo''s movements behind him.

    They were evidently displeased.

    "Gotta check the almanac before heading out, always bumping into oddballs..."

    Arriving at the counter, he grabbed a Motu map and paid together.

    During checkout, the shopkeeper discreetly warned Hua Mi, "Sir, those two are from the ''Thunder Peak.'' Not pleasantpany. I''d suggest keeping your distance."

    Thunder Peak?

    Another ce to note?

    Yet from the shopkeeper''s advice, steering clear of them seemed the right call.

    Hua Mi didn''t inquire further, merely nodding to indicate he understood, leaving an extra silver coin for the information.

    Next, he visited an equipment store affiliated with the Adventurers'' Guild.

    Here, Hua Mi truly grasped the meaning of luxury.

    Previously, his encounters in this world were limited to daily necessities, mostly in the small town of ckstone, where prices were naturally cheap.

    But in a big city like this, items involving extraordinary powers started from a few gold coins casually.

    Some even sold for over a hundred gold coins.

    Hua Mi suddenly felt poor.

    Earning money was necessary.

    Though not the goal, money was an essential means.

    Most items here required magical abilities to use, something Hua Micked.

    However, he still intended to browse, considering it an educational experience.

    Understanding the market rates would assist in better pricing his honey in the future.

    Perhaps his earlier set prices needed adjustments.

    Though not primarily a magic shop, this store also sold somemon magical items.

    Like the "Swift Potion" he''d encountered before.

    There was a bottle in his ring, a result of Hir''s research efforts.

    A bottle of intermediate Swift Potion sold here for five gold coins.

    The effects were briefly exinedboosting one''s speed and agility for a short duration.

    But it came with reduced perception and resistance, not to mention toxin umtion.

    Hua Mi knew that the toxins from magical potions couldn''t be dispelled by magic, leading to their umtion within the body.

    A curse of this world, indeed.

    He decided against purchasing magical potions.

    Items requiring magical abilities were useless to him.

    But scrolls containing recorded spells could serve as self-defense.

    Scrolls, being disposable, generally cost less than equipment with prolonged use.

    However, some scrolls with higher-level spells were astonishingly pricey.

    "Wing Flutter, Spider Web, Mage Hand..."

    Various types of scrolls were avable.

    Yet Hua Mi''s choices were limited.

    Some spells were redundant for him, like Fireball, something his swarm excelled at.

    While some spells were useful, they were too expensive.

    Eventually, considering practicality and his financial situation, Hua Mi selected three scrolls.

    The first was "Grease on the Soles," a second-tier spell scroll that temporarily increased movement speed, priced at four gold coins.

    The second was "Summon Earth Golem," a third-tier spell scroll summoning a sturdy earth elemental puppet, priced at ten gold coins.

    Thest one was "Dragon Roar Mimicry," a fourth-tier spell scroll, a case study in human biosynthetic magic. It could release a soundwaveparable to a dragon''s roar, capable of staggering or stunning opponents. It sold for twenty gold coins.

    The first two were for survival purposes.

    Thest one bnced offense and defense, to be used ording to the situation.

    Totaling thirty-four gold coins.

    He still had forty-one regr gold coins and one anti-magic gold coin left.

    He couldn''t spend all at once; some funds needed to be reserved.

    Apart from scrolls, Hua Mi considered purchasing arger space equipment.

    The current ring''s capacity was too limited.

    Yet, he knew space equipment was expensive, especially in a big city like this.

    He eyed a space ring, probing with his consciousness; it was barely double the storage of his current ring and priced at fifty gold coins.

    Of course, he carried a precious anti-magic gold coin.

    Hua Mi inquired the shopkeeper.

    Learning that anti-magic gold coins were also valid currency here.

    "One anti-magic gold coin equals a hundred regr gold coins. Do you have any, sir?"

 Chapter 131: Adventurers Guild

    Chapter 131: Adventurers'' Guild

    The shopkeeper grinned at him, the slits of his eyes unable to contain his greedy gaze.

    Hua Mi shook his head. "Just curious, asking casually."

    Truthfully, he didn''t just have one Anti-Magic Coin on him.

    There was also a que crafted from Anti-Magic Gold.

    But seeing the shopkeeper''s shady demeanor, Hua Mi suspected he might be undervaluing the Anti-Magic Coin.

    To avoid being swindled, he decided not to deal with the Anti-Magic Gold for now.

    "No rush to buy spatial equipment. It can wait until I return from the Misty Veil Mountains."

    Besides, there might be materials worth selling in the adventure sites.

    Having made up his mind, Hua Mi stopped dwelling on it and asked, "Do you buy things here?"

    The shopkeeper slightly retracted his smile, looking at him strangely. Instead of an outright refusal, he countered, "What does the customer want to sell?"

    "Some materials and... privately brewed magic potions," Hua Mi replied.

    "So, the customer is an alchemist," the shopkeeper straightened a bit, seemingly more respectfulor perhaps cautious. "I wonder which master''s academy the customer belongs to?"

    The ck Forest Apiary Academy.

    Hua Mi inwardly scoffed. To avoid trouble, he casually replied, "Not me, it''s a friend of mine."

    The shopkeeper nodded slightly in response, polite. "The magic potions here are all sourced through the guild''s official channels. If the customer wants to sell potions, perhaps other specialized magic shops might be interested. As for materials... there''s a store on this street that specializes in purchasing various materials. Their prices are fair. If the customer needs, you can check it out. And, concerning items rted to adventures, you can conduct trades at the guild office. However, regarding prices, it depends on your bargaining skills with the trade partner. The guild generally doesn''t intervene in transactions between adventurers, only providing a tform."

    Hmm, it''s not easy to just sell off the things on hand in any random shop.

    Gaming sure makes it convenient.

    Hua Mi spent about an hour in this shop, getting a basic idea of the prices here.

    Leaving the shop, he followed the map for a while.

    This map he had wasn''t an ordinary drawn map.

    His mental strength delved into it, creating a three-dimensional simtion of the city in his mind. It could be zoomed in, out, and even adjusted the perspectiveoverhead or eye levnd detailed enough to capture every aspect.

    Just like satellite maps on a phone.

    It could also keep track of explored areas, indicating exploration percentages.

    Man, this Mo continent is really vast.

    It''s estimated that exploring 0.01% of it would take a whole day.

    When he reached near the end of a street, Hua Mi stopped in front of a majestic standalone building.

    Compared to the surrounding buildings, this three-story structure stood out, immediately catching one''s attention.

    The peopleing and going from it were obviously different from ordinary folk; most were adventurers gathered in pairs or small groups.

    Diverse.

    Mostly humans, but there were elves, dwarves, and some humanoid species Hua Mi couldn''t name.

    The map also provided the name of this building: Adventurers'' Guild East District Branch.

    There was a sign at the entrance, disying business hours and the main services offered.

    Hua Mi nced at it briefly.

    The range of services was extensive.

    For instance, one could register here as an adventurer under the guildafter which, they could enjoy certain benefits exclusive to guild members.

    Starting from 1-star adventurers, as one leveled up, the privileges grew, fostering a sense of belonging within the guild.

    Of course, with privileges came responsibilities.

    For instance, members needed to regrly pay membership fees.

    A significant portion of the guild''s funds came from this.

    Carter''s group were officially registered adventurers under the guild.

    As for their star level, Hua Mi didn''t know. He hadn''t asked.

    Furthermore, the guild provided arrangements for adventurers regarding amodation, meals, and transportationthough not for free, but guild-registered adventurers received discounts.

    It also served as a tform for adventurers to trade and team up, publish bounty tasks, among other services.

    The guild also shouldered the responsibility of maintaining sustainable development in adventure sites.

    The adventuring industry in the western continent had thrived remarkably. Without control, many adventure sites might have been depleted long ago by eager adventurers.

    However, the actual impact the guild could make was limited.

    At most, it could establish restricted zones and hunting periods.

    But its constraints were weak; often, the guild turned a blind eye.

    After all, among adventurers were those who valued profits over lives. How could they be expected to strictly adhere to the guild''s requirements? Human resources were limited, and they couldn''t possibly control everything.

    Observing from outside for a while, Hua Mi strode towards the guild''s entrance.

    As the protector of the ck Forest, he had no intention of joining the guild. There was no need to be bound by their rules.

    However, he could still make use of the services they provided.

    Pushing open the door, a tumult of noise immediately filled his ears.

    The vast hall was brimming with adventurers, most grouped together chatting.

    Staff in guild uniforms bustled around.

    Long queues formed in front of each service window.

    For the first time, Hua Mi vividly felt the bustling nature of the adventuring industry in this world.

    Setting aside themotion for now, he found a rtively quiet resting area, sat in a corner, and took out the adventure manual to browse.

    With his current mental strength and focus, his reading speed and memory far surpassed normal people''s. Browsing through this manual would take at most an hour, and he''d remember most of its contents in the short term.

    ncing at the contents page, he found a separate chapter dedicated to the "Abyssal Tree."

    Initially, he thought the manual wouldn''t contain information about the Abyssal Tree.

    After all, adventure guides mainly documented dangerous areas and creatureswhat danger could a tree pose?

    It seemed this tree was more troublesome than recorded in alchemical notes.

    Skipping to the page about the Abyssal Tree, Hua Mi read on.

    The Abyssal referred to the other side rtive to the human worldthe world of the deceased.

    This "world of the deceased" typically referred to the realm souls should travel to, the spirit realm. Souls being trapped in the Nine Hells or lingering in the human world were considered unusual circumstances.

    Legend had it that this tree couldmunicate with the spirit realm.

    In the past, people believed each Abyssal Tree in the human world corresponded to a twin tree in the spirit realm. Hence, the Abyssal Tree was also called the Twin Tree.

    There was an inexplicable connection between the two trees. When mourners gathered under the tree, the souls in the spirit realm could sense the call from the human world and appear in a spiritual form, allowing simplemunication.

    However, after expert scrutiny, all the talk aboutmunicating with the spirit realm was nonsense.

    The misconception arose mainly due to one of its peculiarities.

    The material of the Abyssal Tree was unique and contained a rare magical element, enabling it to absorb spiritual entities.

    To be precise, it could imprison spiritual entities within the tree, forcibly establishing a symbiotic rtionship.

    The Abyssal Tree could sense and absorb magical

    energy soaked with emotions of longing and grief. When a creature carrying such emotionally influenced magical energy approached, the tree absorbed and interpreted this energy, releasing the spirit form to appear as a mourner''s image, enticing the individual to linger and provide itself with ample nourishment.

    A cunning nt indeed.

    Even though its tricks were widely known now, there were still people willingly "falling for it," lingering by the Abyssal Tree until their strength waned and they perished.

    The manual specifically warned against deceiving oneself with illusions.

    Additionally, due to the peculiar nature of the Abyssal Tree and its unique magical elements, it might attract powerful monsters to inhabit nearby. One must be cautious when approaching.

    For such an enigmatic nt, Hua Mi wondered what effects the honey brewed from it might have.

    The manual mentioned the Abyssal Tree preferred shade, usually growing in areas shielded from direct sunlight.

    Like in gorges.

    Hua Mi flipped to the section of the map included in the manual.

    The Misty Veil Mountains mainlyprised an inner and outer range.

    The outer range formed a roughly circr shape, enclosing the inner mountainous region, with just one opening.

    The internal mountains had an irregr structure, actually formed by branches of the outer mountains.

    This area had lower terrain, perpetually shrouded in mist.

    The three-star rating considered both the inner and outer regions. Solely focusing on the inner area, it could barely pass as a four-star rating.

    "Though the manual mentions more Abyssal Trees in the inner area, there might still be some in the outer mountainous regions."

    If he could quickly locate an Abyssal Tree in the outer regions, he wouldn''t venture inside.

    Hua Mi marked two canyon areas in the outer mountainous region that were rtively close, nning to visit them first.

    The records about the Abyssal Tree were concise, spanning just a few pages.

    Hua Mi returned to the first page and began reading from the beginning.

    This manual was evidently much thicker than the "ck Forest Adventure Guide," roughly twice its size.

    Under its records were numerous non-intellectual magical beasts, alongside those with intelligence.

    As long as they settled within the adventure site, they fell within the manual''s scope.

    Without any surprises, he''d likely appear in the updated version of the "ck Forest Adventure Guide"...

    As usual, the first page introduced the overall details of the adventure site and somemon precautions.

    For instance, the author emphasized "Beware of Mountain Spirits"

    It seemed the Misty Veil Mountains'' Mountain Spirits were akin to the Green Furred Apes in the ck Forest.

    "When greeted by a beautiful stranger on the road, don''t get too excited. Stay vignt because what awaits might not be love; it might be a Mountain Spirit. They generally won''t take your life, but when you wake up, you''ll usually find yourself missing some organsAnonymous retired adventurer, Mordu Gid."

    These creatures possessed inherent abilities to cast illusions without consuming any materials or magic.

    However, Hua Mi wasn''t concerned about this.

    His eyes could see through illusions, likely sufficient to handle creatures like the Mountain Spirits.

    Speeding through the quantum reading, he soon entered the main text.

    The first unit recorded sessfully captured his attention.

    His reading pace slowed slightly as he delved into it.

    This was a person.

    More precisely, a Druid.

    Next to the description was a sketch, a slightly sloppy depiction of a female figure holding a glowing staff.

    She was ssified under the "Absolutely Neutral" alignment, and the manual suggested seeking her help if encountering trouble.

    Of course, if one could find her.

    This particr Druid had no fixed abode; the manual merely mentioned a few areas where she was frequently seen.

    What truly drew Hua Mi''s attention was the mention in her profile that she was designated by the Spirits of the Misty Veil Mountains as the "Guardian of the Mountains."

    "Like me, a guardian. If I encounter her, it might be worth exchanging some words... Besides, this Druid should know where the Abyssal Trees are."

    However, Hua Mi wouldn''t actively seek her out.

    The adventure site was too vast, a waste of time.

    If he encountered her, it would be fortunate.

    If not, so be it.

    The goal remained clearfinding the Abyssal Treewithoutplicating the process.

    Hua Mi continued to peruse and memorize the manual''s content, suddenly interrupted by amotion.

 Chapter 132: Theft Disturbance

    Chapter 132: Theft Disturbance

    "Let go of me... I didn''t steal your stuff!"

    "Who else but you? Stealing and trying to run, luckily I caught you in time!"

    "I just identally bumped into you and already apologized..."

    "Do you think I''ll believe your nonsense? Give... it... back... now!"

    Themotion echoed from the entrance of the hall.

    A brawny bald man d in leather armor, wielding a hefty broadsword, gripped the wrist of a short-haired woman. She draped herself in a light green cloak, barely reaching the man''s chest.

    From their conversation, it seemed the man suspected the woman of stealing from him and managed to grab her before she left.

    The disparity in their strengths was evident. The woman struggled fiercely, but the man''s hand remained steady, as if a hawk had caught a chick, unmoved by her efforts.

    Initially, Hua Mi wouldn''t have cared for such a spectacle, continuing to bury himself in a book.

    However, a thought struck him, prompting a nce.

    That woman... seemed familiar somehow?

    Like he''d seen her somewhere before.

    Yet, he couldn''t recall where.

    Hua Mi was certain it was their first encounter.

    Was it because she resembled someone?

    As Hua Mi pondered, a figure obstructed his view.

    A slender young man, wearing an anxious expression, stood before him.

    "Excuse me, have you seen a Shade Beast? About this size. If you help me find it, there will be a reward."

    Hua Mi shook his head.

    He knew nothing of a Shade Beast, having been engrossed in his reading without noticing any anomalies.

    The young man, wearing a crestfallen expression, moved on to inquire from others nearby.

    Meanwhile, there was a new development at the entrance.

    The bickering had attracted the guild''s security personnel.

    An attractive man d in bright silver light armor, wielding a diamond sword, led two slightly less equipped members behind him.

    "Perfect timing, these thieves dare steal on guild grounds, aren''t you going to intervene?"

    "I''ll say it again, I didn''t steal from you!"

    "Hmph, a Sulka ent. That ce is riddled with thieves and bandits!"

    "You..."

    The two red at each other, brimming with fury.

    "May I ask what you lost?"

    "My secretive timepiece! Worth over forty gold coins!"

    The head of security calmly suggested, "Madam, to swiftly prove your innocence, do you mind if we conduct a search? Of course, our female staff will handle it. You know, it''s the quickest way to clear things up."

    Though reluctant, the woman nodded, her face filled with humiliation.

    "Can you let go now? I''ve agreed to the search."

    "Hmph."

    The brawny man huffed, releasing her wrist but kept a disdainful and wary gaze fixed upon her.

    Soon, a uniformed female staff member approached and conducted the search. Afterward, she apologized to the woman and shook her head toward the captain.

    Before anything was said, the brawny man shouted, "It''s definitely not on her! Either it''s hidden somewhere or passed to her aplice... these filthy Sulka thieves have plenty of tricks!"

    "I don''t know what bias you hold against Sulka, but that doesn''t mean I''m a thief. There''s no evidence I stole from you, I''m leaving."

    "You can''t leave!"

    The brawny man grabbed her shoulder. "My timepiece cost over fifty gold coins, you need topensate for my loss."

    "Fifty... you just said over forty gold coins!"

    "Heh, you sure know, didn''t you profit from it?"

    "You... ignorant but self-righteous giant!"

    The woman was thoroughly incensed, exchanging verbal jabs. If not within guild premises, they might have resorted to blows.

    Most adventurers around were merely spectators.

    Hua Mi blinked, a glint of understanding flickering in his eyes.

    His vision instantly sharpened.

    Everything became incredibly distinct, overshadowing his hearing.

    The mor in the hall dulled, as if muted by a thick barrier, reaching his ears as faint as a mosquito''s buzz.

    His gaze scanned the crowd, spotting numerous traces of magical residue.

    Finally, it rested in a corner.

    A shadowy area.

    He noticed something squirming within the shadow.

    Concentrating, the shadow seemed toe to life, revealing bright eyes curious about themotion, much like the adventurers observing.

    More importantly, Hua Mi observed a glinting silver chain around that shadow.

    "Is that the Shade Beast?"

    Recalling the man''s mention of a "Shade Beast," Hua Mi, though encountering it for the first time, found the name fitting. Presumably, these creatures excelled at lurking within shadows.

    The situation at the main entrance escted.

    The two continued quarreling, now heated enough to challenge each other outside.

    Hua Mi stood up and walked over.

    "The item wasn''t stolen by her."

    Silence fellHua Mi''s words immediately captured everyone''s attention.

    They also drew hostility.

    The brawny man scrutinized him and redirected his usations. "You must be her aplice! Captain, arrest him! The item must be on him!"

    ...

    This guy didn''t seem too bright.

    Likely gets stolen from often.

    "Do you have any leads?" Facing skeptical security personnel, Hua Mi said, "The thief wasn''t human."

    His statement startled the non-human entities present.

    But instead of pointing fingers at them, Hua Mi went over and tapped the shoulder of the skinny man, still searching for his pet amidst the crowd.

    Apparently catching bits of the conversation, the man, taken aback by Hua Mi''s gesture, hastily denied, "Not me, I''m human, a hundred percent pureblood!"

    "I know. I mean..." Hua Mi pointed to the shadow, "Do you see your pet there?"

    Everyone followed his gesture.

    The Shade Beast, sensing gazes upon it, sprang up like it had been discovereddarting out of the shadow, resembling a rat, traversing the shade formed by the crowd.

    It flickered in and out of view, appearing entirely ck, like arge dark mouse.

    These adventurers knew how to handle such situations.

    Instantly, they dispersed, denying it shadows.

    The Shade Beast froze amid the crowd, uncertain.

    Its appearance resembled an irregr shadow fragment, with the silver timepiece hanging around its neck.

    "Did you see that? I''m not a thief!"

    Relieved of the wrongful usation, the woman gratefully looked at Hua Mi.

    The brawny man pocketed the timepiece, ncing at her. "Hard to say. Captain, I suggest you thoroughly investigate this Sulka person; their actions must be suspicious."

 Chapter 133: Gratitude

    Chapter 133: Gratitude

    As the woman nced over, Hua Mi found her increasingly familiar.

    This scene felt like dj vu...

    Before any eye contact between them could happen, her attention was drawn back to the provoking words of that burly man.

    The heated exchange continued between the two sides.

    Security personnel persisted in calming things down, while the onlookers kept enjoying the spectacle.

    Seemingly, nothing had changed.

    Was this the world of adventurers?

    Shaking his head, Hua Mi returned to the resting area, engrossed in a book.

    At that moment, the owner of the Shadow Veil Beast also followed him there.

    "I''m Ryan Darren. You can call me Ryan. Thank you so much for your help," he sat beside Hua Mi, expressing, "The Shadow Veil Beast is excellent at hiding. If it weren''t for your timely help, I might have lost this lovely little creature today."

    Lovely?

    Are you sure?

    Hua Mi eyed his bloodstained fingers, reserving judgment on that term.

    If anything was cute, it was the little bees, not something so bloody; at most, they''d make you feel excruciating pain.

    "But I''m curious, how did you find it? Did you use some special ability?"

    "I have some experience in raising small animals."

    Originally intending to brush him off, Hua Mi didn''t expect the guy''s eyes to light up instantly, "Ohso, you''re a beast tamer too? This is truly surprising! It''s rare to meet a fellow colleague here. I think we can exchange experiences!"

    As he spoke, he leaned in, appearing quite excited.

    Hua Mi shifted away slightly, "No, I''m just interested in raising small animals, not a professional."

    "Ah, I see!" Ryan''s enthusiasm didn''t diminish upon hearing this. On the contrary, he seemed even happier and suddenly snapped his fingers, "Ah-ha! In that case, I know what to give you as a token of appreciation!"

    Saying so, he lowered his head, rummaging through a side pouch.

    After a moment, he pulled out a handbell.

    Seemingly crafted from some ck metal, it had intricate raised patterns on its surface.

    Ding-a-ling

    Ryan shook it, and the bell emitted a clear sound.

    "This is my spare Soul Calming Bell. Have you heard of this item?" Without waiting for Hua Mi''s reply, Ryan continued rapidly, "The sound from this bell has a soothing effect. When used in taming, it can double the effectivenessof course, limited to beasts with lower intelligence. For those as intelligent as humans or even surpassing humans, ringing this bell would only anger them... Haha!"

    Finishing, Ryan burst intoughter, seemingly remembering something amusing.

    Then he just couldn''t stopughing.

    "..."

    This guy has a peculiar sense of humor.

    Hua Mi looked at him inexplicably and shifted his gaze to the handbell.

    Soul Calming Bell?

    The name sounded eerie, but the effect seemed decent.

    Although he currently couldn''t think of a use for it, as a token of gratitude, it wouldn''t be right to refuse. Even if he didn''t use it, keeping or selling it would still be worthwhile.

    So, Hua Mi stowed away the bell in his ring space.

    "Are you heading to the Misty Peak Mountains?"

    After Ryan hadughed enough, he noticed the manual in Hua Mi''s hand.

    "Yeah."

    "Is it convenient to reveal the purpose? Maybe I can be of help."

    Hua Mi thought for a moment; there was nothing much to hide.

    He shared his goal of finding the Otherworldly Tree.

    Perhaps this person might be of some help.

    "I can''t be of much help with that. I don''t know much about nts and I''m not interestedunless they''re the kind that moves." Ryan paused and suddenly asked cautiously, "Um, forgive me for prying, but why do you want to find the Otherworldly Tree? It''s not...?"

    Hua Mi understood his implication. Some young people, after losing a lover, would go to the Otherworldly Tree and stay there until death. It was a popr way of sacrificing oneself for love.

    But do I look like that kind of person?

    "No other reason. I just want the materials from the Otherworldly Tree."

    "Oh, that''s good."

    Ryan nodded, fell silent for a moment, and was about to say something.

    Suddenly, a heavy muffled sound came from somewhere, followed by a cry of pain.

    Looking in the direction of the noise, they saw the burly man clutching his crotch, knees inward, slowly kneeling down. With a thick finger trembling, he pointed usingly at the woman in front of him, "You, you... dare..."

    In too much pain to articte.

    After a moment, he looked at the motionless captain beside him, sounding somewhat aggrieved, "She kicked me."

    The captain nodded, giving a warning to the woman, "Guild''s premises, no fighting. Let this not set a precedent."

    "Ah..."

    Before the burly man could retort, the captain, in a mild tone, addressed him again, "The matter has been resolved, and you''ve recovered your belongings. To avoid further conflict, it''s best if you don''t stay together."

    With a wave to the two members behind him, they immediately went and helped the burly man up and dragged him towards the door.

    Relying on brute force and resisting the two, he refused to leave, shouting, "Hey! She hit me! Aren''t you going to do anything? This Sulcian harlot hit me!"

    "Stay calm, okay?" The captain stepped forward, hand resting on the man''s shoulder. Despite wearing a gentle smile, a sudden surge of dominating golden light seemed to envelop his body, like he was covered in ayer of golden armor.

    Seeing this, the man''s eyes cleared instantly, bing civil. "Okay, okay... Let''s all calm down."

    ncing at the woman and then obediently leaving.

    "As far as I know, that captain is also from Sulcia," Ryan whispered to Hua Mi, "But you can''t detect any ent, can you?"

    That''s how it is.

    The big oaf has dug his own grave this time.

    However, the overwhelming strength disyed by the captain piqued Hua Mi''s interest.

    I wonder what path he follows?

    After the captain persuaded the burly man away, things returned to normal. The woman watched the captain depart, nced around, and finally settled her gaze on the rest area. She adjusted her hair and walked over, looking solemn.

    "Thank you for intervening. Otherwise, I might not have been able to get away so easily," she bowed deeply to Hua Mi, "Please ept my sincere gratitude."

    Before Hua Mi could speak, Ryan stood up first.

    Also pressing his hand to his chest, he bowed, "To be honest, this whole thing was because I didn''t keep an eye on my pet properly, causing trouble for you."

    "It''s not your fault; it''s that big guy who''s unreasonable."

    "But I''m involved too."

    "Please don''t say that."

    "But it''s the truth."

    "No, no, no..."

    ...

    These two are excessively polite.

    After observing her for a while, a memory fragment suddenly clicked in Hua Mi''s mind, enlightening him.

    He knew where

    this familiar feeling came from.

    It''s impressive he could recall.

    This woman...

    Could she have some connection with him?

 Chapter 134: Enter the Misty Mountain Range!

    Chapter 134: Enter the Misty Mountain Range!

    The woman introduced herself as Zelica Tyson, from the Sulka Principality, residing in the Stellia Vige within the midstream of the Yatte River.

    Her purpose foring here was also to venture into the Misty Mountain Range.

    She imed to want to earn some money during this open period.

    Noticing the book in Huami''s hand, she sped her hands together and eagerly said, "If it''s convenient, we can team up!"

    "I''ll pass," Huami exined that he wasn''t here to make money this time; he had a clear goal and would leave the adventure site as soon as he aplished it.

    She seemed set on aimless exploration, and their paths wouldn''t align.

    "That''s a shame... I wish you luck," Zelica asked what he was looking for, offering to keep an eye out while she ventured into the mountains.

    Ryan was curious, "Don''t you havepanions? It''s rare to see a girl like you adventuring alone."

    Zelica admitted somewhat sheepishly, "Actually, I sneaked out. My family didn''t agree with me bing an adventurer."

    Ryan admired, "Courage ismendable. The spirit of adventure is humanity''s greatest asset. You''ll surely strike it rich. I wish you endless adventures."

    However, Zelica''s expression turned somewhat deste, "Actually, I didn''t be an adventurer to get rich or have adventures. I came out mainly to find my sister. She''s missing."

    Ryan was enthusiastic, "What''s your sister''s name? What does she look like? When did she disappear? Maybe we can provide some clues."

    "She''s called Le, and everyone says we look alike, but she has long hair... She followed a mentor for training, used to send regr letters home, but it''s been a long time since any news," Zelica exined.

    Huami interjected, "Who was Le''s mentor?"

    "A mage, I don''t know much about him, only that he liked to wear a gray robe."

    Sure enough, Zelica''s sister, Le, was the unlucky female apprentice who had been with the gray-robed figure from the past.

    Thinking back, the resemnce between the two was indeed striking.

    However, despite being the younger sister, Zelica seemed more mature.

    "About three years ago, he came to our vige. At first, he used magic to help the vigers with some troubles, so he had a good reputation. The vige chief allowed him to stay. But he lived in an abandoned tower on the outskirts, shielded with magic, rarely interacting with outsiders, very secretive.

    "I don''t know how Le got in touch with that mage, but she became his apprentice, quickly showing magical talent and mastering some basic spells.

    "About a year ago, the mage took Le out for training. Originally, she would regrly write to inform the family about her situation, but it''s been nearly half a year since we heard anything, and we don''t know if they''ve encountered any danger..."

    Zelica seemed worried, seemingly reluctant to dwell on it further.

    Huami, however, knew that her sister Le was indeed dead.

    And it was a fate more tragic than mere death, her soul sacrificed to the Nine Hells.

    "It seems that the gray-robed mage spent time in the Sulka Principality... Could he have created the Revenant during that time?" Huami noted this information.

    He was somewhat intrigued by this figure in the gray robe.

    For instance, a fifth-circle mage, where did he acquire the ritual to create revenants and summon demons?

    There might be some hidden secrets behind it.

    At the same time, Huami pondered whether to tell Zelica about Le''s death.

    If he did, how should he ry this information?

    He didn''t want to get too involved, better to keep himself out of trouble.

    "Maybe through the Adventurer''s Guild..." Huami formed a n.

    As an adventurer, Zelica likely interacted most with the Guild. And the Guild had enough authority to deliver such unfortunate news to her.

    Of course, he wouldn''t just tell anyone from the Guild about this; it would onlyplicate matters. Directly informing Zelica seemed the better option.

    But if he could find the Star-Rated Teacher rk, things would be much easier. He could discuss it with him, having acquaintances made things smootherassuming rk had already resolved his own issues.

    Yeah, that guy seemed to have bigger problems of his own.

    ...

    Subsequently, Zelica and Ryan bid farewell and left one after the other.

    Before leaving, Ryan suggested he could try his luck at the Guild''s mission desk, perhaps someone there knew the location of the Otherworldly Tree.

    The ce he mentioned as the mission desk was one among the many service windows, where several staff members were responsible for mission registration and settlement.

    Huami walked over and observed for a while, finding the process quiteplicated, but the rewards were generally high.

    This was understandable.

    Most people only came here when in dire need or had no other choice, so prices were outrageously high due to demand.

    A piece of ordinary information might fetch a high price just because the person requesting it was desperate.

    Was this reasonable?

    At least in the eyes of adventurers, it was.

    If the price was too low, who would bother?

    After weighing the options, Huami decided against posting a mission. Involving more people in anything only addedplexity and variables.

    Besides, after posting a mission, would he have to wait here for someone to show up? He preferred taking action.

    He returned to the resting area to continue reading.

    Soon, he finished perusing the Misty Mountain Range Adventure Manual, having grasped the gist of its contents.

    It was time to head to that three-star adventure site.

    As nned earlier, he aimed to acquire the Otherworldly Tree''s seed first before considering other matters.

    Huami boarded a public adventurer guild airship, quickly arriving at the edge of the adventure site.

    Besides Huami, there were seven other adventurers on this journey.

    Among them were two teams of three, along with another lone wolf like himself.

    Upon seeing Huamind, the lone wolf didn''t rush in but instead concentrated on the map in his handbook. After some hesitation, he gathered courage and approached, "Hey, buddy, want to..."

    "Team up?" Huami interrupted his invitation.

    The other adventurer smiled awkwardly, "Yeah, it''s a bit lonely exploring alone."

    Huami thought for a moment, considering whether joining forces would benefit him in any way.

    If they couldplement each other''s strengths, that would be ideal.

    "Sure, let''s team up. I''m Huami," he finally agreed.

    "Great! I''m Derek," the adventurer introduced himself. "I specialize in herbalism and alchemy."

    Huami nodded, "I mainly focus on exploration andbat. Let''s work together."

    And so, the two set forth, stepping into the Misty Mountain Range''s unknown depths, ready to face the challenges that awaited.

 Chapter 135: Stone-Skinned Spider and Sewers

    Chapter 135: Stone-Skinned Spider and Sewers

    Two human figures dashed ahead, screaming for help.

    Chasing them from behind was a t, multi-legged creature.

    Resembling a giant spider, its skin had a rocky texture. Six flying legs moved like bays, swiftly advancing and making crisp "dadada" sounds upon contact with rocks, sshing gravel along the way.

    "It''s a Stone-Skinned Spider," Hua Mi recognized immediately.

    This was a level three monster, known for its formidable defensive capabilities.

    Named for its "stone skin," its shell was many times tougher than actual stone, making it difficult to prate with regr attacks.

    Not to mention its sharp pincers, potent venom, and the ability to spin silk webs.

    What puzzled him was how this creature, usually found in internal mountainous areas, ended up in the outskirts.

    Those two adventurers clearly hadn''t anticipated encountering the Stone-Skinned Spider here.

    Their panicked escape indicated they were ill-prepared to face such a high-level creature.

    They ran; it pursued.

    But two legs couldn''t outrun six.

    The distance was closing in.

    One of them cursed, abruptly turned around, and flung a gleaming weapon backward.

    The projectile hit the spider precisely, causing it to instinctively shrink its body, slowing down.

    Before it was over, the weapon exploded upon contact, engulfing the spider in a sudden burst of mes.

    For a moment, the two reflected hope in their eyes, as if seeing a glimmer of salvation.

    Yet, in the next momentdadada.

    Before the mes dissipated, the Stone-Skinned Spider burst out, moving much faster than before, its body unscathed, even appearing smoother than earlier.

    The two screamed and turned to flee.

    "Giggle"

    The spider opened its mouth, spewing a pristine silk thread that instantly entangled the legs of the attacker.

    He fell face-first to the ground.

    Hispanion hesitated, seemingly pondering whether to stop and help.

    But the spider''s next target was already in sight. It spat out another thread.

    The person struggled like an insect, bound by the limbs, writhing on the ground.

    In his desperate struggle, he caught sight of a tent on the rock wall. Clearly artificial, he disregarded any upants, yelling, "Help, someone up there, please help!"

    "Kerfuffle"

    Creatures ranking as level three magical beasts often possessed some level of intelligence.

    The Stone-Skinned Spider immediately turned its gaze toward the tent and swiftly crawled up the rock wall as if on level ground.

    With no time to waste, Hua Mi dashed out of the tent, utilizing a swarm of bees to propel himself into the air.

    He popped a few honey pills into his mouth.

    In the dark, his body emitted a sacred glow.

    The two bound individuals below were astonished.

    What in the world? An angel?

    Why is it glowing?

    Despite the predominant atheism in most human nations of the western continent, people still yearned for miracles and the mystical. If it meant saving their lives, they could be believers on the spot.

    Midway up the climb, the Stone-Skinned Spider stopped, seeing its prey depart from the nest. It repeated its earlier tactics, spraying a thread of silk toward the suspended human.

    Hua Mi, however, remained still and faced the silk thread head-on.

    In the eyes of the two below, the "angel" with the holy glow seemed just as ensnared as they were.

    But upon closer inspection, the silk thread hadn''t touched Hua Mi''s body. It was repelled by a barrierposed of flying insects.

    "Ignite."

    Huff

    The furious bees obeyed their master''smand, bursting into pale mes that instantly engulfed the silk thread.

    "No wonder the silk of a Stone-Skinned Spider is of such high quality."

    Even the dominant azure mes failed to immediately destroy it; the silk seemed almost like metallic threads.

    The silk of the Stone-Skinned Spider contained rich magical elements, serving as excellent alchemical material, and found various other uses, such as crafting protective garments.

    Though resilient, it couldn''t withstand prolonged burning from the azure mes.

    The silk slowly melted away; its destruction was just a matter of time.

    Within the fiery circle, Hua Mi held apound bow, fully drawn.

    But it wasn''t an arrow strung on the bowstring.

    It was... a beam of light!

    Indeed, a light beam shaped like an arrow!

    In the astonished gaze of the two below, a loud "bang" resonated as the bowstring released, sending the light arrow hurtling forward.

    Faster than any arrow they''d seen.

    It almost instantly reached its target, effortlessly piercing the Stone-Skinned Spider''s body, pinning it to the rock wall.

    "This way of aiming is much easier."

    The radiant light transformed into particles, dissipating quickly.

    The Stone-Skinned Spider also fell weakly to the ground.

    Its six legs upturned, sporadically twitching.

    Yet, it evidentlycked the strength to flip over.

    Within a few short seconds, it ceased all movement.

    The shiny, bulging eyes lost their luster.

    The Stone-Skinned Spider was dead.

    Under the cover of night, remnants of the melted silk fell gently like blossoming white lotusesa mirage caused by the fractured silk that hadn''tpletely burnt and fell innumerable pieces.

    Hua Mi descended slowly to the ground.

    Approaching the two bound individuals...

    ---

    Mordu was widely acknowledged as the city of culture, boasting the most advanced underground sewer system.

    However, the smell inside wasn''t any better than other sewers.

    Carter had to pop a mouth freshener to alleviate the difort in his stomach.

    To be honest, he wasn''t sure whether the foul odor came from the flowing sewage beside him or from the odor of the vagabond guiding him.

    Such was the reality of Mordu; it seemed bustling under the sunlight yet concealed its unknown darker side.

    Permanent residents in the sewers, like the one in front of him, weren''t a rarity.

    Recalling the image of the barda charming and bright figureit was hard to imagine him hiding in such an environment for so long.

    Of course, there was nothing strange about it if it meant saving his life.

    But...

    Carter reflected on the clues along the way and felt that something wasn''t quite right.

    Upon contemtion, it seemed overly smooth.

    Almost deliberate...

    "We''re close. Just ahead."

    The vagabond interrupted his thoughts.

    Hisntern emitted dim light, revealing an iron-barred door ahead.

    The sewage flowed directly through the circr iron-barred door, dropping slightly before entering the next area.

    Beside the iron door was a left turn.

    The vagabond stood at the turn, unkempt long hair covering his eyes.

    But Carter sensed the gaze behind that hair.

    As he was about to ask something, he suddenly heard an eerie sound behind him, like something viscous peeling off.

    He turned abruptly.

    A figure slowly emerged from the side wall.

    It was a person with ck cloth covering their face and a small braid pointing upward.

    d in a ck skin-tight suit, they held a peculiar jet-ck short de.

    Carter''s pupils contracted as he immediately recognized.

    "Kunoichi..."

    Swoosh

    A glint shed, and the de in the figure''s hand swiftly sliced his throat.

    "Hmm?"

    The figure in ck frowned

    , seeing the mage vanish in front of them, reced by a torn paper figure.

    "Humph, didn''t expect such caution... but do you think you can run far?"

    The practitioner of the paper clone technique wouldn''t stray too far.

    The vagabond hesitated to step forward, speaking in a garbled manner, "Ma-mast-er... I''ve d-done as you s-said. You s-said the G-Guild wouldhickeep their promise, r-right, Mast-ter?"

    The ck-d individual nced at him, tossing a pouch of coins.

    Then, their figure dissolved into the darkness, leaving a final warning:

    "Remember, keep this a secret."

    "Absolutely, absolutely... hehe."

    The vagabond ced thentern on the ground, eagerly opening the pouch.

    "Hehehe, striking it rich..."

    He picked up two gold coins, his eyes behind the unkempt hair glowing oddly. He held a coin near his mouth.

    Before he could bite into it

    The coin suddenly transformed into two beetle-like creatures. Without a moment for the vagabond to react, one wormed its way into his throat, and the other pierced through his palm.

    "Ah..."

    He couldn''t even utter a scream, losing his ability to make a sound.

    His eyes bulged, hands desperately wing at his throat, dirty nails leaving bloody streaks on his neck.

    Plop

    The vagabond plunged into the sewage, struggling briefly before weakly floating, drifting along with the flow.

    The underground sewers returned to their serene quiet, filled only with the sound of water.

    Thentern continued to emit a dim yellow light, quietly illuminating the surroundings.

    ---

    "Huffhuff"

    Carter moved quickly in the darkness based on memory.

    He cast a small spell to suppress any sound of his footsteps.

    Suddenly, a cold chuckle resonated from the darkness ahead.

    "Crafty little mouse, where do you think you''re going?"

    Carter abruptly halted.

    With a flick of his hand, a glowing sphere floated before him, illuminating the area around him.

    A masked figure emerged slowly from the darkness.

    Their eyes were heavily smudged with ck paint. Too much whites, making the ck parts of their eyes seem small.

    "If I''m not mistaken, you''re one of the ''Ten Shinobi,'' right? Never thought I''d meet a mysterious ninja face to face. The Guild Leader truly holds me in high regard."

 Chapter 136: Monsters in the Sewers and the Location of the Otherworldly Tree

    Chapter 136: Monsters in the Sewers and the Location of the Otherworldly Tree

    "Ten Ninjas" was a special operations unitposed of ten ninjas directly under the president of the Abyss Research Association. It was considered his private organization, independent of any association ties.

    This organization was shrouded in mystery, merely a topic of gossip in the streets, rumored to execute secretive tasks on behalf of the association.

    Previously, Carter had only heard vague whispers about it.

    As for the profession of a ninja, he was somewhat knowledgeable.

    Originating from the Eastern Continent, this profession had only made its way here a few decades ago, renowned for its enigmatic and unpredictablebat style.

    The members of Ten Ninjas were undoubtedly among the elite of their kind.

    "Is that wandering bard still alive?" Carter asked calmly, unperturbed by the situation unfolding before him.

    He had many questions lingering in his mind before this encounter.

    However, with the appearance of this ninja before him, many of his spections found confirmation.

    He had almost pieced together the sequence of events.

    "Aren''t you curious about anything regarding me?" Carter ced his right hand behind his back, the ring on his index finger faintly glowing. "For example, whether I came alone or if there are others aware of your secrets, besides me."

    "No need for that."

    The ninja gripped the shuriken horizontally, his gaze instantly turning icy.

    Swoosh

    The ninja''s eyes widened suddenly.

    A burst of qi de pierced through his chest from behind.

    "Got him?"

    Carter observed the scene before him, finding it almost unbelievable how easily he had defeated his opponent.

    The continuous flow of water sounds masked the noise of elemental generation.

    He had the advantage of terrain.

    The ninja''s arms fell weakly by his sides, the shuriken in his hand dropping to the ground without the expected metallic sh, instead, a swishing sound, turning into a puddle of water.

    The ninja''s body also shook violently for a few moments, gradually fading, turning transparent, then with a ''swoosh,'' it transformed into a puddle of water, flowing into the nearby continuous stream of sewage.

    Water clone!

    Carter attempted to raise his right hand to cast a spell but suddenly realized, at some point, his entire body had been entangled by incredibly fine threads, rendering him immobile!

    The spell he prepared couldn''t be invoked.

    His magical power seemed to be draining continuously.

    "!"

    A sudden sharp pain shot through his wrist.

    The tendons in his hand were effortlessly severed by the threads.

    His hands fell weakly, and the glow of the ring faded.

    "See, it''s not just you who knows how to use a clone."

    The ninja''s head peeked from behind him, speaking with a hint of amusement and mockery in his tone.

    "Regarding dealing with you mages, I''m an expert... Well, you''re done for. Why don''t we y something interesting? Guess how many pieces you''ll be in a while."

    The ninja''s ten fingers were each wrapped in a faint blue glow, with fine threads encircling them.

    These threads entangled, branched, and encircled Carter''s body, targeting vital spots like his neck.

    "I guess thirteen pieces."

    The ninja spoke and abruptly pulled his hands back.

    ng

    The threads instantly tightened, emitting a sharp, vibrating sound.

    Carter resisted the leakage of magical power, concentrating to create ayer of elemental armor on his body.

    Crack, crack, crack

    All the threads snapped.

    Carter copsed, only able to twitch despite his best efforts.

    Despite the hastily formed elemental armor protecting his body from being divided into several pieces, it couldn''t entirely resist the cutting of the threads.

    Every tendon in his body was severed.

    A fatal wound on his neck continued to spurt blood.

    The ninja clicked his tongue, walking over to him, stepping on his body and pressing several times.

    "Struggling at death''s door will only give you a few more minutes. Why not let me have some fun? Do you expect some miracle in these minutes? Who woulde to save you in a ce like this?"

    At this moment, Carter couldn''t hear what was being said.

    He focused all his energy on maintaining his vital signs.

    But in the darkness, a hoarse, deep voice suddenly came: "Perhaps he''s waiting for me."

    The ninja''s pupils trembled, looking sharply in that direction.

    In the foul-smelling wind, mixed with a hint of blood, a ragged figure stood not far away, resembling a wild beast.

    Although it was an eerie and wild appearance, the figure oddly held a delicate ss bottle in their hand, containing some red liquid.

    "Squeak," twisting the cap tightly, stowing it into their spatial equipment.

    Probably not human.

    The blood-red pupils and the exposed sharp teeth were obviously not human features.

    Moreover, an aura of bloodlust emanated from them.

    A vampire?

    In the sewers of Mordu, there were such creatures?!

    The creature shook its neck, suddenly stomping with its right foot

    Boom!

    Leaving behind a pit formed by shattered bricks, the entire figure flew towards them like a projectile.

    Fangs like swords, ws like hooks.

    The ninja widened his eyes, reflecting the rapidly approaching fierce face in his pupils.

    ...

    Hua Mi walked to where the two were, condensing the remaining holy light within into a palm strike, cutting the threads entangled around them.

    "Saved!"

    The duoy on the ground, trembling all over.

    Apart from fear, there was also the joy of surviving a disaster.

    After a brief moment, they managed to get up and express their gratitude.

    "Your performance just now was amazing."

    "You killed the stone skin spider in one move!"

    "Is that the legendary divine technique that controls light as a weapon? Are you the chosen one from the legends?"

    ...

    Facing the almost reverent gazes of the two, Hua Mi replied casually, "Just a little trick. Speaking of which, how did you end up attracting that stone skin spider?"

    "It''s just our bad luck."

    "Interestingly, stone skin spiders don''t usually appear here; they usually stay in the inner mountainous areas."

    "Not entirely, these brainless creatures often wander and get lost."

    "Maybe today isn''t a good day for an adventure. How about wee back another day?"

    "Agreed."

    The two quickly reached an agreement and prepared to leave.

    "Unfortunately, we''re both penniless and can''t repay you for your kindness." One of them scratched his head awkwardly. "But the stone skin spider''s body is all treasure, and it''s all yours."

    "You need to save face," hispanion retorted mercilessly, "It was originally done by someone else, so it should all belong to him. What are you saying? No sincerity at all."

    After scolding hispanion, he respectfully said to Hua Mi, "If there''s anything you need us to do, pleasemand. Even if it means going through fire and water, sacrificing our lives... my friend wouldn''t hesitate either."

    ...

    Hua Mi casually asked, "Do you happen to know the whereabouts of the Otherworldly Tree?"

    Initially not having high hopes, Hua Mi was surprised when the person nodded repeatedly, "I happen to know the location of an Otherworldly Tree, although it was discovered a long time ago, it''s likely still alive... Do you have a map? I can mark it for you."

    H

    ua Mi immediately took out the adventure manual, flipping to the page with the map.

    "It''s here. I remember there was a pile of rocks near that tree, seemed like the ruins of a copsed structure, but unfortunately, I was busy running for my life and didn''t get a good look."

    The person drew a circle in the inner mountainous area on the map and continued, "The inner mountainous region is more dangerous than outside, and we, being rookies, wouldn''t be of much help there. But I believe in your strength; you won''t need assistance."

    Looking at the marked spot on the map, Hua Mi decided that a trip to the inner mountainous area was now necessary.

    It wasn''t too far in a straight line, so leaving early tomorrow seemed ideal.

    With a firm decision, Hua Mi put away the map.

    After profuse thanks, the two hurriedly left the scene.

    Next was scavenging time.

    The entangled silk threads formed by the two masses of silk couldn''t go to waste, they were bundled into a sticky ball and stored in the ring.

    Next, Hua Mi walked towards the stone skin spider lying under the rock wall.

 Chapter 137: Three Marked Points - (1)

    Chapter 137: Three Marked Points - (1)

    ording to the records in the adventurer''s guide, the fangs, eyeballs, ws, and venom of the Stone Skin Spider are all excellent alchemical materials. Describing its entire body as treasure might not be an exaggeration. However, even though it''s deceased, its limbs remain stiff for a while, making it difficult to divide with ordinary tools.

    Hua Mi, having taken another Feather-Gliding Illusion Pill, focused his energy to create an extremely sharp hand de, dissecting the Stone Skin Spider and retrieving useful parts, storing them away.

    This little episode tonight brought him considerable gains.

    "I wonder how many gold coins I can get for these; can it cover the price difference for the spatial ring... It''s just a Level 3 magical beast, probably still a bit short."

    Unfortunately, to save space, he left all the materials he''d collected at home, or selling them together in Mordu would have been sufficient.

    Of course, among these Level 3 magical beast materials, the most precious was the informationthe location of the Beyond Tree.

    After scavenging the battlefield, Hua Mi returned to the tent against the stone wall, continuing his meditation.

    No unexpected incidents urred afterward.

    asionally, monsters came to thekeside for water, mostly below Level 3, more of the low-level type not even mentioned in the adventure manual.

    Hua Mi paid no attention, focusing on recuperation.

    ---

    Watching the blood-sucking creature lunge forward, the ninja''s body slightly leaned back. Simultaneously, his hands swiftly inteced in mid-air, weaving a denseyer of threads into a tight in front of him.

    However, rk showed no signs of slowing down, merely crossing his arms in front of him and charging straight ahead.

    Crash!

    The instantly shattered. Despite the sharpness of the threads, they only tattered his clothes a bit, leaving no wounds.

    rk extended his iron hook-like ws, gripping the ninja''s neck, continuing his forward momentum.

    Bang!

    The ninja crashed heavily against another stone wall, creating a sizable dent, debris cascading down.

    Gripped tightly by the neck, the ninja''s eyes rolled back, blood mixed with saliva trickling down, body convulsing.

    But the next moment, a strange smirk formed on his lips.

    "Monsters are just monsters, devoid of any intellect. So boring."

    A faint voice echoed behind rk, and the ''ninja'' pressed against the wall inexplicably disappeared.

    By the time rk attempted to react, it was already toote.

    He felt a hand lightly press against his back, ck runes spreading all over his body, as if encased in an indestructible armor, rendering him immobile.

    "The vessel of the blood-sucking curse. The higher-ups might appreciate it, but you''re too impetuous. Capturing you is too troublesome. So, die for me!"

    Swish!

    A bone-like short de swung horizontally toward his neck, lodging halfway through. However, it failed to decapitate, stuck in the middle.

    This fellow''s flesh was too resilient, even his ''false limb de'' couldn''t sever it.

    Moreover, the blood at the wound turned into countless strands, resembling living worms, writhing intensely, merging.

    Remarkable healing ability.

    Witnessing this, the ninja infused energy into the de, generating numerous bone spurs, separating the wound.

    Dark, dense blood spurted from rk''s wound.

    "You''re not the actual vampire; just a derivative..."

    After this confrontation, the ninja had formed a preliminary judgment on this bloodsucking creature.

    The fresh blood spurting from the derivative''s neck did not fall to the ground. Instead, it transformed into a dark red mist in the air.

    "What?!"

    Realizing the danger, the ninja tried to retreat, but it was too close.

    The mist surged towards him, piercing his body.

    "Ugh!"

    The ninja instantly felt most of his vitality drained away.

    The mist struck again from behind, passing through his body.

    Finally, he fell to the ground, weakened.

    Biting his finger, he mmed it on the ground.

    But before the spell couldplete, the vampire derivative kicked him hard in the back.

    The ninja''s chest caved in, crossing the stream, crashing into another stone wall, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

    "Huff... huff..."

    Struggling to breathe, his vision tinted red. Watching the vampire derivative casually withdraw the prosthetic de from his neck, the mist returned to the vicinity of his wound, swiftly absorbed, visibly healing.

    "Didn''t expect such power from a mere derivative... the abyssal power is indeed formidable, cough... However, I''ve noted your tricks. Next time we meet, you''d better bring something new."

    rk held the prosthetic de, bloodlines emerging on his hand, eagerly winding around the de, formingyers resembling living flesh, faintly pulsating like muscle fibers.

    The de elongated, from a short de to a slender katana.

    "No next time. This is where you''ll meet your end."

    "This de''s not bad; I''ll take it."

    As he spoke, the de released a blood aura, slicing toward the ninja.

    Boom!

    With a muffled sound, the severely injured ninja suddenly enveloped in white smoke.

    The blood aura entered the white smoke without the sound of flesh being cut, only the noise of crumbling stone.

    The smoke dissipated, and the ninja was nowhere to be found.

    Activating his observer ability, rk surveyed the surroundings, realizing the enemy had disengaged.

    But it wasn''t the time to pursue; saving someone was urgent.

    Putting away his bone de, he leaped,nding next to the dying Carter.

    The neck wound was critical; staunching the blood was crucial, or he''d bleed out soon.

    "You''re lucky; I''ve got a fast-acting hemostatic on me... but applying it might sting a bit, bear with it."

    rk produced a small bottle filled with ck liquid.

    Opening it, about to pour it on Carter''s neck, he hesitated.

    That crimson blood seemed like an oasis in his eyes, exuding a potent allure.

    He abruptly covered his nose and mouth, body trembling violently.

    Damn it.

    He had reluctantly absorbed some of the ninja''s vital essence earlier, ultimately breaking the taboo.

    Having tasted blood, human blood now had a stronger allure to him.

    Retrieving a half bottle of blood honey from his storage space, he gulped down a few mouthfuls, slightly relieving his symptoms.

    Without further hesitation, he poured the ck liquid onto Carter''s wound.

    Hiss!

    The ck liquid met the wound, emitting a corrosive sizzle, apanied by smoke and a burnt smell.

    "Hmph!"

    Carter, on the brink of death, widened his eyes, letting out a groan, body twitching.

    "Well, you''re instantly more spirited. A medical miracle. This stuff is amazing, truly effective... if only it didn''t have side effects like honey."

    The wound visibly healed at an observable speed, leaving a grim ck scar on his neck, akin to a burn.

    rk stowed away the ck elixir, propping Carter up, then hoisting him on his back.

    "We need to leave immediately. I can handle one ninja, but another, and we''re done for."

    "You..."

    "What''s wrong?"

    rk halted upon hearing Carter''s weak tone, inquiring.

    "You drank... human blood just now?"

    Lying on the back of a vampire derivative, Carter felt nearly zero safety.

    Though he was groggy just now, he still saw rk''s craving for blood.

    No one could guarantee that this seemingly rational vampire derivative wouldn''t suddenly go berserk, seeing him as a portable blood pack.

    Aware of his own physical state, he couldn''t afford to lose more blood.

    Understanding his concerns, rk reassured, "Don''t worry. Although I''ve be a vampire derivative, I''ve retained human consciousness. I didn''t drink human blood just now; it was a blood honey specifically concocted for me by that man. It''s even more effective than human blood. I defeated that ninja because of the blood honey."

    "..."

    Hearing the word honey, Carter knew who rk referred to by ''that man.''

    A figure d in a ck robe shed in his mind.

    Could it be that he was the one who sent rk?

    Was he this influential?

    Though he didn''t have the energy to ponder the intricacies now, he instantly felt more at ease.

    The vampire derivative seemed reliable now.

    With that, he said nothing more, letting the derivative carry him through the underground passage.

    ---

    The first rays of morning sunlight bathed the earth.

    Hua Mi exited his meditative state, had breakfast, consumed pills, replenishing his mental and physical strength to their peak before packing up his camping gear. Guiding the swarm of bees, he flew towards the marked points on the map.

    Upon reaching the interior mountain area, the mist thickened significantly. The forest seemed to grow in the clouds, its conditions indiscernible from above.

    At times, he spotted a few figures maneuvering within it.

    Some moved calmly, while others seemed distressed.

    Upon entering the mapped area, Hua Mi began a slow descent.

    The vegetation here was visibly richer than the outskirts. Although the trees weren''t as tall as those in the ck Forest, the leaves were generally broader. Some leaves were ridiculouslyrge, able to shield an adult.

    Regarding the terrain, it was rtively gentlepared to the ck Forest.

    The map only outlined a rough area; he needed to search carefully in this vicinity.

    Hua Mi released a scouting bee, linking into its senses.

    Instantly, he discerned three different scent sources.

    From three different directions.

 Chapter 137: Three Marked Points - (2)

    Chapter 137: Three Marked Points - (2)

    Hua Mi scratched his head. "Three in one go after being outside for just a while? Left, middle, or right... this is tricky."

    After a moment of thought, he decided to head left first. "If I''m wrong, I''ll just swing right. It''s the fastest way, and that left scent''s stronger."

    He set off, following the fragrance from the left side. The mist here persisted year-round, visibility limited to about five to six meters even with enhanced sight. His ''Keen Vision'' was more about seeing through illusions and details, not X-ray vision; useless here.

    To aid his exploration, Hua Mi bought an infrared thermal imager, handy for situations like this. It was a bit pricey, but worth it. "You better be worth the cash I splurged," he muttered as he pulled out the imager from storage.

    Slightly heavier than a handheld camera, he switched to thermal vision. The fog disappeared on the screen, objects clear and stable, making spotting standard-temperature creatures a breeze. Variable-temperature animals were trickier, their body heat matched the environment, harder to detect.

    But living things moved. The moment they shifted, they stood out. He''d have to be more alert, constantly switching between bee scouting, his own vision, and thermal imaging.

    The first scent wasn''t too far, about two or three kilometers. No surprises on the way; he reached the spot quickly, only to find it wasn''t from the Beyond Tree. Instead, it was a vast expanse of wildflowers,rger than the previous patch by theke, teeming with insects and critters.

    A quick scan didn''t reveal any exceptional flowers. His standards now demanded at least Moon Slumber Flower quality for value. Otherwise, the honey brewed wouldn''t stand out.

    "Magic world or not, nts with magic elements are still rare." Hua Mi didn''t pause, ready to head to the next scent.

    Before he moved, he noticed a peculiar thing about the third marked point. "Huh? Did the location of the third scent source change?" It seemed slightly shiftedpared to the initial spot. But he wasn''t entirely sure; terrains in these mountains could easily cause memory errors.

    Regardless, he headed for the next target as nned, still juggling between the three viewpoints.

    After a while, the thermal imager proved useful. Amidst the trees on the left side, two ''warm'' figures appeared.

    Halting, Hua Mi took cover behind a tree, sending a scouting bee to gather intel. With his improved mental prowess, the bees easily covered a hundred meters.

    The bee swiftly arrived at the target spot, revealing three figures actually. Oney obscured by rocks and trees, missed earlier. The standing pair were none other than the couple from Tianlei Peak, those Pseudo-Flower Spirits he''d met at the bookstore.

    "Tianlei Peak sounds thunderous... let''s just call them Thunder and Lightning. Genius namer, that''s me."

    Both stood arms-folded, looking quite arrogant. The guy sitting, though, seemed genuinely rattled.

    Hua Mi had presumed these two were bullying him. However, it turned out they had saved him from an attack by that beast?

    "No need for thanks." Thunder raised his head, indifferent to the bleeding from his arm. "Just a Level 4 magical beast. Easy pickings."

    "That''s right," Lightning added, more diplomatic, "we saw your bravery. A mere 3-star adventure site is as easy as a walk home for us."

    "So..." Thunder nced at him, a sly smirk, "how about joining us?"

    "Huh?" The adventurer seemed surprised by the sudden proposal.

    Hua Mi was equally surprised. What was this guy''s obsession with forming teams?

    "If you join us, we''ll share the spoils from this Level 4 magical beast," Lightning chimed in, more tactful than her partner.

    "Uh..." The adventurer looked conflicted, likely experiencing a simr internal journey. Noticing hostility toward them, he thought better of it. "No thanks. I need to check with my other two teammates. But with your skills, they''d probably agree."

    "Far away?"

    "Not too far... Here''s the deal, I''ll go find them, and you two just stay put. I''ll be back soon."

    "You''re not tricking us, right?"

    "Come on, I''d never lie to my saviors."

    "Then swear to your deity."

    "Swear on my deity, I''ll be back and tell you."

    Thunder nodded. "Hurry."

    "Alright, alright." The adventurer rushed off, disappearing among the trees.

    Thunder leaned on a tree, grinning smugly, while Lightning perched on a nearby rock, looking bored.

    Hua Mi was confused. What was this y about? Did they really believe his story?

    Their whole ''swearing by the gods'' didn''t hold much weight; these folks on the western continent were practical, their belief fluid depending on the situation.

    Did they not know this? Or... was there some deeper scheme?

    "n''s going smoothly," Thunder remarked, confirming a n was indeed underway.

    There it was, a n. Hua Mi listened intently.

    "We''ve got a long way to go. This is just the start," Lightning sighed, her gaze shifting from the sky to a more rxed position. "To change people''s perceptions of Tianlei Peak, we need more than a few team-ups."

    "Come on, let''s put in more effort. Every bit counts."

    "Boring. I want to go home."

    "You were the one moring toe out in the first ce."

    "Who knew people out here would be so hostile..."

    ...

    Hold up. Hua Mi couldn''t wrap his head around this.

    If he got it right, these two wanted to team up to change how others saw them...

    Reviewing their previous actions, he could only conclude that their hostile treatment might have some grounding.

    With their style, who would like them?

    "To avoid trouble, let''s steer clear of them." Whether they were nave or pretending, it was best to keep a distance.

    He decided to take a longer route, bypassing their way.

    Adjusting his course, he aimed for the target point along a curved path, keeping a scout bee to monitor them.

    This time, by using the bee''s location as a reference point, he pinpointed the locations of the other two floral scents. This time, he got a clear message.

    "The third marked point did indeed move..." It wasn''t a significant shift, but it had stopped moving for now.

    A theory came to himcould it be a Flower Spirit?

    Wild Flower Spirits were incredibly rare. Without care, they''d never spontaneously produce, requiring perfect conditions.

    This meant rare flora surrounded him. Flower Spirits demanded high magical elements, not necessarily rare elements, but high levels and purity.

    Though he''de for the Beyond Tree, if he found other valuable nectar

    sources, he wouldn''t miss the chance.

    "Typically, Flower Spirits don''t emit such strong fragrances." At least, Xiao Bai had no strong flower scent.

    Regardless, he hastened his pace.

 Chapter 138: Deer Flight

    Chapter 138: Deer Flight

    "Is he really not deceiving us?"

    "Of course not, he swore to the gods."

    "Speaking of... What gods do the people here believe in?"

    "..."

    "Sinceing here, have we seen any temples or statues of gods?"

    "It seems not... But there are a few statues of heroes, all humans."

    "So?"

    "..."

    "..."

    "Damn it!"

    This was the final exchange Hua Mi overheard before retrieving the scout bees from Lei Luo and Sindra.

    These two outsiders seemed to have finally turned their perceptions around, fully realizing the despicability of the locals. They weren''t as foolish as initially thought. It was just that their original notions were deeply ingrained, causing them to assume without a doubt that the other side wouldn''t joke about the gods.

    However, it was toote. That cunning adventurer had long disappeared.

    "Regardless, it''s not my concern."

    After retrieving the scout bees, Hua Mi refocused on reaching the source of the floral scent.

    Finding the Acheron tree was the priority.

    Hua Mi advanced directly in a straight line between the second and third marked points, oveing difficult terrains like cliffs or rifts by directing the bee swarm to fly over them, maximizing time efficiency.

    "Huh?"

    After flying up a fifteen-meter-high cliff, Hua Mi connected to the scout bees'' senses again to confirm the direction. What was discovered left him astonished.

    The third marked location of the floral source had suddenly shifted significantly within a short time, almost escaping the bees'' olfactory range.

    Barely a few minutes had passed since hisst connection to the scout bees.

    Moving such a distance in just a few minuteswhat speed was this?

    It definitely didn''t seem like the speed a floral spirit could achieve.

    For instance, Little White''s flying speed was slower than an ordinary bee, even slower in the Fire God state.

    "However, it''s not certain..."

    Hua Mi thought, refraining from conclusively deciding that it wasn''t a floral spirit.

    It could be because the flower giving birth to the floral spirit contained some rare magical element, granting it an incredibly fast movement.

    Just like how Little White, influenced by the bestowed rare fire element in the flower, could transform into the "Fire God state."

    It was a well-known fact that a floral spirit''s individual abilities were rted to the rare elements within flowers.

    After weighing the options, Hua Mi decisively changed the n.

    First, he would go and investigate the third floral scent source to uncover the truth.

    Otherwise, it might vanish in a few more minutes.

    The second marked point wouldn''t move, so he could revisit itter.

    Once he had made up his mind, Hua Mi changed direction, rushing towards the new target.

    ...

    Constantly adjusting the course along the way.

    Fortunately, the target didn''t move over long distances during this period.

    When only a hundred meters remained to the target, Hua Mi slowed down, cautiously closing in. For now, the target likely was a mobile creature, and he didn''t want to startle it.

    There seemed to be a river nearby, the sounds of rushing water audible but its location not visible. However, it provided cover for his movements, masking the noise he made.

    Hua Mi crouched, gently parting the bushes ahead. Like a paparazzo, he cautiously extended the lens of his infrared imager.

    "Found it."

    Not far from his eyes was a warm silhouette on the screen.

    Behind this bush was a steep slope with rugged rocks. The sound he heard earlier came from a river flowing beneath the slope, from right to left, not at a slow pace.

    The mist in the vicinity was slightly thinner than elsewhere, but the naked eye could only vaguely discern a blurry figure. It needed the aid of the thermal imager to see clearly.

    The creature disyed on the screen stood on the pile of broken stones by the riverbank, lowering its head to drink water.

    But Hua Mi found it hard to judgewas that a deer?

    At least, its appearance resembled a deer: the tail, hooves, especially the tworge branches resembling tree twigs on its head.

    However, its body size wasparable to that of an adult horse, not like the robust deer species of a moose. Its physique appeared incredibly agile and nimble.

    Without a doubt, it was a magical creature.

    Hua Mi could sense its gentle and tranquil magical fluctuations.

    The thermal imager showed its body temperature wasn''t particrly high. Only the chest, around the heart, disyed an orange hue. Further away from the heart, the temperature decreased. By its limbs, the temperature was almost indistinguishable from the surrounding environment, slightly higher than the stones beneath its feet.

    What intrigued Hua Mi the most was the peculiar scent detected by the scout bees emanating from it.

    Why would a deer-like magical creature give off a floral scent?

    Flowers emitted fragrance because they couldn''t move, relying on scent to attract insects for pollination.

    Animals generally didn''t have inherent body fragrances, unless there was a sudden individual mutation. However, it became uncertain when magical factors were involved.

    Hua Mi recalled.

    The adventure manual indeed didn''t mention any deer-like magical creatures.

    Nor did it mention magical creatures with innate body fragrances.

    The ck Forest did have several deer-like creatures, but the highest was only a Level 1 magical creature. They were insignificant and not worth mentioning.

    Hua Mi didn''t proceed further but directed the scout bees to fly towards it.

    The scout bees cautiously approached through the mist.

    Ten meters, nine meters, eight meters... Five meters, four meters

    The fragrance grew stronger.

    The scent wasn''t excessively sweet but rather refreshing, akin to a spring breeze gently washing over. Enveloped in its fragrance, one felt rejuvenated, almostpelled to ride atop it, experiencing the exhrating feeling of "swift as the wind and nimble as a steed."

    The scout bees were nearing their target. Hua Mi received visual information transmitted by the bees.

    It didn''t resemble an ordinary deer at all. Besides its wooden-hued antlers, its entire body disyed a faint green, as if coated in the juice squeezed from crushed leaves.

    Just as Hua Mi prepared to observe more closely, he identally stepped on a twig.

    Snap

    The green deer suddenly became alert, lifting its head. Its eyes, filled with intelligence, locked onto Hua Mi''s hiding spot, staring directly at him.

    Spotted me?

    Before Hua Mi could react, the green deer suddenly leaped, its legs propelling it swiftly. In the rugged mountain terrain, it moved effortlessly, dodging left and right, disappearing among the trees in the blink of an eye.

    "..."

    Such incredible speed!

    Almost like a fleeting shadow.

    It wasn''t runningit was flying!

    This was the Flight of Deer!

    Hua Mi didn''t bother hiding anymore. Swiftly rising from the bushes, he immediately directed the swarm of bees in pursuit of the flying deer.

    At this moment, it wasn''t the creature''s aroma that intrigued him. Although he remained curious about it, a more pragmatic idea took root in his mind.

    "If I can tame the Flight of Deer and use it as a mount, it would make navigating the ck Forest or handling other tasks outside much more convenient."

    He was captivated by the deer''s bird-like speed. Moreover, its size was simr to that of a horse, making it an ideal mount.

    Additionally, there was another reason behind this idea.

    Previously, he had obtained a soul-soothing bell from the beast tamer, Ruien. It was a useful tool for taming beasts, and now seemed like the perfect time to use it.

    ...

    Though the Flight of Deer vanished in the blink of an eye, Hua Mi''s flying speed was utterly inadequate inparison.

    However, he had the scout bees.

    Remembering the deer''s scent, as long as it hadn''t dashed too far, Hua Mi could track it down wherever it hid.

    Luck favored him.

    ording to the scout bees'' olfactory information, after swiftly traversing several locations, the Flight of Deer gradually came to a halt.

    Was it resting after the rapid flight, or did it believe it had shaken off its pursuer?

    Hua Mi''s current mood was akin to that of a tracker; as he drew closer, excitement began to simmer within him.

    Observing from a distance, the Flight of Deery by a tree, grooming its fur.

    This indicated its rxed state.

    Excellent. This would make it easier.

    However, Hua Mi refrained from rashly making contact, unsure of its strength.

    For now, its temperament seemed quite mild, but one couldn''t predict the consequences of provoking it.

    He had no knowledge of beast taming techniques. He''d watched some videos online about taming wild horses, but his understanding was limited.

    This time, it would mostly rely on luck.

    Fortunately, he had the aid of a tool.

    Approaching cautiously, Hua Mi reached for the soul-soothing bell

    At that moment, a piercing screech echoed through the sky.

    Startled, Hua Mi jerked his head up.

    Through the mist, he saw a massive ck shadow circling in the sky.

    Whoosh

    Apanied by the pping of wings, the mist was temporarily dispersed.

    It was arge avian creature with a wingspan exceeding three meters, covered in jet-ck feathers. Its sharp eyes were fixed on the Flight of Deer below.

    A Level 3 magical beast, the Sky Soarer.

    Though not of a high level, it was not to be underestimated. Relying on its high-speed aerial maneuvers and sharp talons, it could easily tear a person in half. Moreover, a direct hit from it could knock even the toughest person unconscious for a while.

    The Sky Soarer suddenly spread its wings before folding them in, transforming into a ck blur, piercing through the air, and hurtling down straight toward the ground!

 Chapter 139: The Man with Green Eyes

    Chapter 139: The Man with Green Eyes

    The soaring hawk-like beast descended at an incredible speed.

    In what seemed like an instant, it swooped close to its prey.

    But the deer, nimble as a spring, leaped upward, evading the assault.

    The beast missed its strike, its enormous wings extending, sharp ws skimming the ground to steady itself.

    The air swirled into chaotic mist.

    Though the deer dodged the assault, the gust from the beast''s wings unbnced it, sending its body careening, crashing into a tree.

    Before it could regain its footing, the beast shot forward like an arrow.

    This eleration, defying biological norms, indicated it relied on more than just wing ps for speed and control.

    ssified as a wind-type magical creature, the swirling currents amidst its wings hinted at its ability to manipte airflow for flight.

    With two ws seizing the deer''s antlers, the beast''s sharp beak angled upwards, resembling a dark projectile ascending into the sky.

    At that moment, Hua Mi recalled the adventure manual''s notes on this beast: it relied on extreme velocity to swiftly dispatch its prey.

    If its initial eleration failed to deliver a fatal blow, it would resort to an alternate n: seizing the prey and dropping it from a height.

    Clearly, it was employing thetter here.

    Raising his gaze, Hua Mi witnessed a rapidly erging dot.

    The deer had begun its freefall.

    Quickly strategizing, Hua Mimanded the Yin-Yang Bees, aligning them below in a concave matrix at the spot of descent.

    "Yin Formation, engage!"

    A streak of green descended into the matrix, instantly losing all kic energy, halting in mid-air before spiraling and copsing onto the ground after several rotations.

    Stars danced in its eyes.

    Despite the torment, it had managed to preserve its life.

    Hua Mi breathed a sigh of relief.

    "Honk!!!"

    An enraged screech echoed from the sky.

    The beast, thwarted by Hua Mi, refused to relent.

    Folding its wings, it dove with seething fury.

    Faintly visible, the airpressed ahead, forming a semi-transparent shield around its head.

    Though a mere third-tier magical creature, Hua Mi didn''t underestimate it.

    Stepping back, he summoned two squads of ze Bees.

    Skillfully maneuvering the swarm into a Crimson ze Formation, they surged toward the diving beast.

    As per the adventure manual, the beast''s feathers were highlybustible, making it wary of fire.

    As expected, upon encountering the wall of mes, the beast recoiled in terror, adjusting its wings to barely evade the ze Bees.

    Whether intentional or not, its passage stirred a tempest, dispersing the ze Bees entirely.

    Bee flight depended on airflow.

    With the current turbulence, Hua Mi struggled to regain control and reorganize the ze Bees.

    Seizing the opportunity, the beast, with a resounding cry of vengeance, dived once more.

    Hua Mi swiftly abandoned control of the ze Bees.

    Standing firm, he faced the descending beast head-on.

    "Timing is crucial!"

    Hua Mi focused his entire mental prowess, fixating on the beast''s rapidly approaching figure.

    With his current mental acuity and concentration, the beast''s dive didn''t appear slow but offered a fleeting moment for him to exploit.

    As the beast closed in, Hua Mi extended his hands without touching the beast''s head.

    Instantly, the Yin-Yang Field shifted.

    "Honk?"

    The beast emitted a puzzled squawk.

    Before its small brain could react, it had spun around its prey, hurtling straight toward a nearby tree.

    Thud!

    The tree snapped in half.

    And the beast, crashing to the ground.

    Its head tilted, convulsed twice, kicked twice, then stilled.

    "Better and better with timing."

    Hua Mi stowed the beast''s body in the magic box.

    Foregoing on-site dissection for a pressing matter at hand.

    He turned towards another direction.

    The deer stood on a distant elevated ground, staring directly at him.

    Appearing unharmed.

    Quite sturdy indeed.

    "It seems to understand that I just saved it, hence its reluctance to flee immediately."

    If so, the hawk-like beast inadvertently aided him.

    Thinking this, Hua Mi took a step forward.

    But the deer, instantly vignt, stepped back, as if to say, "Approach, and I''ll flee."

    "It''s conflicted, grateful for my rescue yet maintaining strong caution."

    Hua Mi analyzed the deer''s psychological state.

    He retrieved the Soul Soother, giving it a gentle shake.

    Ding-ling

    The clear sound echoed through the woods.

    The deer perked its ears, tilting its head.

    Its intelligent eyes noticeably softened, disying less apprehension, as observed through the scout bees'' transmitted visuals.

    "Indeed effective."

    Encouraged, Hua Mi continued shaking the bell, slowly approaching.

    The hawk-like beast descended with incredible speed.

    In an instant, it was right on top of its prey.

    The deer, quick on its feet, leaped like a spring, evading the assault.

    But the hawk-like beast, missing its strike, spread its massive wings and its sharp ws grazed the ground, stabilizing its form.

    The air became a chaotic swirl.

    Although the deer avoided the attack, the rush of wind from the beast''s wings threw its bnce off, sending it flying and crashing into a tree.

    Before it could recover, the beast darted forward like an arrow.

    The incredible eleration wasn''t purely from wing ps; it defied biological knowledge.

    Categorized as an air-elemental beast, the hawk-like creature manipted currents for flight assistance.

    Clutching the deer''s antlers, the beast''s beak rose, resembling a dark arrow soaring upwards.

    Hua Mi recalled the adventure manual''s details on this beast: it relied on extreme speed to swiftly end its prey''s life.

    If it failed to kill upon eleration, it resorted to another tactic: snatching the prey and dropping it from a height.

    Clearly, this was the second strategy in action.

    Raising his head, Hua Mi noticed a growing dot.

    The deer had started free-falling.

    His mind raced,manding all Yin-Yang Bees to form a concave matrix directly below the fall point.

    Yin field, activate!

    A green blur swiftly plummeted into it, instantly losing all momentum and tumbling before copsing.

    Seeing stars.

    Despite the suffering, the deer''s life was saved.

    Hua Mi breathed a sigh of relief.

    "Kaah!"

    An angry screech pierced the sky.

    The hawk-like beast, disrupted by Hua Mi''s interference, refused to relent.

    Tucking its wings, it descended with fury towards him.

    Visible airpression formed a semi-transparent shield ahead of its head.

    Though just a third-tier beast, Hua Mi didn''t underestimate it.

    Stepping back, he summoned two groups of ze Bees.

    Skillfully maneuvering them into a fiery formation, they surged towards the descending beast.

    As per the manual, the creature''s feathers were easily ignitable, hence its fear of fire.

    Indeed, as the creature encountered the mes, it panicked, swooping past the ze Bees and dispersing them with a gust.

    Bee flight relied on air currents; the chaotic flow made it hard for Hua Mi to regroup them.

    At this moment, seizing the opportunity, the beast let out a loud cry, carrying vengeance as it dived once more.

    Hua Mi decided to abandon control of the ze Bees.

    Standing firm, he faced the creature head-on.

    "Find the right moment!"

    Concentrating his mental strength, he fixed his gaze on the beast''s rapidly approaching figure.

    With his current focus and mental prowess, the creature''s attack didn''t appear slow but was now graspable.

    As the beast neared, Hua Mi suddenly extended his hands beside the creature''s head without making contact.

    The Yin-Yang field instantly switched.

    "Ka?"

    Confused, the beast didn''t react in time. It circled the prey, rushing towards a nearby tree.

    Boom!

    The tree snapped at the middle.

    The beast crashed to the ground.

    Head tilted, convulsing, legs stiffening.

    "Getting better at seizing the moment," Hua Mi said, storing the beast''s body in a magic box.

    Without dissecting it on-site, there was an urgent task at hand.

    Turning around, Hua Mi nced in another direction.

    The deer stood on a high ground, staring directly at him.

    Apparently unharmed.

    Quite sturdy indeed.

    "It seems to understand that I saved it earlier, hence not fleeing immediately," Hua Mi thought, taking a step forward.

    But the deer, instantly wary, leaped back, showing signs of fleeing if approached.

    "It''s conflicted, grateful for the rescue but maintaining strong caution towards me," Hua Mi analyzed the deer''s psychology.

    Producing a Soul Bell, he chimed it.

    Ding-ling

    The clear sound echoed in the woods.

    The deer perked up, tilting its head.

    Its intelligent eyes appeared calmer, a tad less guarded.

    Through the reconnaissance bees, this change was crystal clear.

    "Proven effective."

    Hua Mi was ted, shaking the bell again, slowly moving closer.

 Chapter 140: Taming a Mount

    Chapter 140: Taming a Mount

    Hua Mi could feel the mount beneath him gradually being tamed. The pace remained swift but with considerably fewer jolts. It seemed to have developed a fondness for carrying a rider, no longer fixated on tossing its passenger off.

    Gradually, Hua Mi rxed his grip on the Pseudo-Flower Spirits, sitting upright, hands firmly holding the antlers. His strengthened physique, especially in terms of strength, thanks to the enhancement from the Great Strength Pill, made riding effortless. However, the prolonged process had consumed a fair amount of his stamina, leaving him somewhat fatigued.

    In contrast, Deerfly, having dashed through the mountainous terrain for so long, showed no signs of weariness.

    "You''ve got some impressive endurance," he remarked. "You''re a natural mount."

    Deerfly''s eyes seemed to pierce through the mist, unaffected by its density, maintaining its speed effortlessly. The Soul Bell continued to sway in tandem with its gallop.

    Of course, Hua Mi felt that, at this point, he hardly required the Soul Bell''s assistance. He started to experiment with controlling Deerfly''s pace, speed, and direction. Gently pulling back the antlers slowed the speed, while pushing forward elerated it. Maneuvering left or right was just a matter of pulling in that direction, far simpler than driving a car.

    "Hua Mi''s having a st!"

    He guided Deerfly in a circle, eventually returning near the river, then pulled the antlers to halt the ride. Listening to Deerfly''s steady breaths, Hua Mi couldn''t help but marvel at its endurance once more.

    Retrieving a handful of honey pellets from his storage space, including Blessing Honey Pellets and Mirage Honey Pellets, he offered them to Deerfly. His knowledge of animal training was limited to TV shows, but he knew that rewarding creatures was a crucial element.

    Deerfly sniffed and promptly extended its tongue, rolling the pellets into its mouth, chewing and swallowing. After a few quiet moments, Deerfly yfully trotted a few steps on the rocky shore, shaking its head.

    "You seem to like that, huh?" Hua Mi chuckled, patting its head as it affectionately rubbed against him, resembling a yful cat.

    Sessfully tamed! The duo bonded exceptionally well. However, Hua Mi knew that animal taming wasn''t simple; luck yed a role in his sess, along with the assistance of the Beastman, Eagle''s Soar, and the Soul Bell.

    "Once things here are settled, you''reing back to the ck Forest with me," he softly said to Deerfly.

    It epted.

    "From now on, I''ve got a mount too!"

    As the sole honey supplier in this world, the Bee Whisperer of the ck Forest, the guardian, and the swordbearer of the Brass Cityhow could he not have an exclusive mount? Thispleted his prestige.

    Nevertheless, he hadn''t forgotten his primary mission. After a brief rest by the riverbank, Hua Mi donned his hood, pointed forward, and eximed, "Towards our target!"

    With a lifted foreleg, Deerfly bolted, leaping over the wide river, galloping towards the second marked location.

    The aroma grew stronger as they neared the second marker. Having a mount was indeed faster.

    Hua Mi halted Deerfly and used an infrared thermal imager to capture the area ahead. Amidst dense trees, he glimpsed what seemed like organized ruins, exhibiting significant temperature variationspared to the surrounding trees and ground.

    Caution prevailed. He sent a scouting bee to gather intelligence while keeping a lookout. The visual feedback revealed a nearby structure in partial ruinsa sign of potential progress. The adventurer had vaguely mentioned that the Beyond Tree was located near such ruins.

    Guiding Deerfly closer, he continued scouting the area. He remained wary as the adventurer''s manual had warned about the magical elements of the Beyond Tree affecting the environment, possibly attracting magical creatures.

    The thick fog, approaching dusk, reduced visibility further. Even the perceptive scouting bee couldn''t fully grasp the entire area, necessitating continuous movement and scanninga difort akin to switching from an open map to a foggy mode in a game.

    As the bee ryed visuals, Hua Mi mentally constructed a rough terrain map. The ruin''s extensive copse left a few crumbling walls standing, leaving the original structure unidentifiable. However, a spacious chamber seemed evident from the remnants of the foundation. The surrounding walls, about three to four meters high, disyed vinesden with vibrant flowersa sight that made him sigh.

    The fragrance''s source was undoubtedly these vines.

    Disappointed by the absence of blossoming trees nearby, he sent the scout bee again, confirming the scarcity of ordinary trees in the vicinity. Fortunately, there seemed to be no imminent danger, just small creatures in the rubble, insignificant and feeble.

    Hua Mi urged Deerfly forward into the ruins, dismounting upon arrival. Approaching the vines, he observed that they indeed secreted honey. Coincidentally, it was the honey secretion period.

    However, a mental probe revealed them as ordinary flowers, containing negligible magical elements, about a tenth of what the Dreaming Moonflower had. Little different from Earth''s flora.

    Still, they could supplement his bee colony. Each time he ventured out with them, he ensured sufficient honey in the Magic Box for the bees, but for their well-being, allowing them to gather nectar freely was better.

    Estimating the scale of the honey source, it seemed adequate for two bee colonies. Releasing a Strength Bee and a Azure me Bee, he watched as they quickly located the source but showed little enthusiasm, tasting the nectar superficially.

    "Looks like even the best quality bees turn picky here," Hua Mi chuckled wryly.

    As the saying goes, simplicity easily transitions to luxury, but the reverse is challenging. This instance further supported his view: these nts held little value, not worth cultivating.

    "After all, it''s only a three-star adventurer zone. It''s normal not to stumble upon super rare honey sources...or rather, this is the norm."

    Redirecting his attention from the vines, he surveyed the surroundings.

 Chapter 141: Magic Array

    Chapter 141: Magic Array

    Hua Mi surveyed his surroundings, noticing a detail.

    It wasn''t visible to the naked eye but through an infrared thermal imager, he detected some temperature anomalies.

    The anomalies appeared among the pile of nearby rubble.

    The temperature of these stones, as disyed on the imager, appeared as a universal purple-ck color. However, certain fragments exhibited winding orange-red patterns.

    Approaching, Hua Mi confirmed these patterns were imperceptible to the naked eye.

    Releasing his mental power, he probed carefully and indeed found subtle magical fluctuations within.

    It was precisely this unknown magical effect that caused the abnormal temperatures on the stones.

    However, the magic fluctuations on each stone were too faint, akin to a small vortex on the water''s surface. Only a minute portion of the stones exhibited abnormal temperatures, and the energy was so minuscule that it dispersed across the entire pile, almost negligible.

    Without prior knowledge of the anomaly, even intentionally probing the rubble with mental power would likely yield no results.

    Hua Mi observed several stones, realizing these shattered pieces seemed to fit together, with their magical patterns aligning perfectly.

    This suggested these magically influenced stones were originally a single entity.

    "Could this have been part of a magic array?"

    Even split, individual stones still retained a faint magical effect.

    Reassembling them might reactivate the magic array.

    Given their considerable size, moving them wouldn''t be an issue, especially with the assistance of the power ants.

    ncing at the sky, dusk was setting in.

    Despite this ce being a ruin, the broken walls could still serve as barriers, and the area was t enough to set up camp.

    "Let''s rest here tonight... but should I attempt to reconstruct this magic array before nightfall?" Hua Mi pondered.

    The uncertainty lingered; he wasn''t certain of the array''s potential effects.

    If there was a danger beyond his capacity, it would be foolhardy to proceed. Taking risks wasn''t akin to courting disaster.

    But leaving it untouched felt like letting an itch crawl beneath his skin.

    "I can operate from a distance," he considered. "For instance, when fitting thest piece, I''ll ride my mount a hundred meters away and then manipte the power ants to assemble the stones."

    This seemed safer.

    "Thinking too much. Besides, what if it''s impossible to reconstruct it? This ruin seems quite old; parts of the stones carrying the array might be missing."

    After weighing options, Hua Mi made a decision.

    First, he directed the power ants to transport the magically patterned stones to the open space.

    Comparing them, these dozen or so fragments shouldprise the entirety, forming aplete pattern.

    Joining two pieces together, they maically attracted, seamlessly fitting together like interlocking puzzle pieces.

    This strengthened his belief thatpleting the puzzle would likely activate some magical effect.

    So, he rode the deer away from the ruin.

    Leaving behind a scouting bee and a swarm of power ants, he meticulously pieced the stones together.

    Gradually, a one-square-meter irregr stone b took shape.

    When the final piece was ced in the upper-right corner, a visible red magic array pattern surfaced on the b.

    Before he could examine it closely, a muffled "boom" erupted from the array''s center.

    An energy shockwave burst outwards from the array''s epicenter, slightlyrger than the ruin''s extent. It dissipated the mist within the area, momentarily rendering the ruin a clear space amid the foggy mountains.

    All of this was captured by the scouting bee''s footage.

    The shockwave seemed harmless, merely unsettling the bee swarm momentarily; no substantial harm was done.

    Hua Mi adjusted the bee''s viewpoint toward the array.

    The stone b almost seamlessly mended, almost indiscernible cracks.

    The magical array pattern on the b had dimmed slightly.

    From the b''s vertical surface emerged beams of light.

    Within the beams, a semi-transparent silver box floated, undting above the stone.

    After confirming safety, Hua Mi urged his deer to return.

    Approaching the b, words materialized on the holographic box, written in a universalnguage:

    "The mostmendable quality in an adventurer? Courage? No, it''s attentiveness. Your acute attention led you to my hidden treasure here."

    The text lingered briefly before vanishing, reced by a new line:

    "However, apart from attentiveness, luck is also crucial. So, if you wish to inherit my treasure, roam through the Misty Veil Mountains, test your luck. Only by finding the keys I''ve hidden can you open this box. Hehe - M."

    "..."

    Whoever hid this treasure wasn''t exactly conventional.

    They had turned it into a game.

    The signature was a symbol resembling the letter "M," its meaning unknown.

    Hua Mi picked up a tree branch, prodding the box.

    Though it appeared as a hologram, it interacted with the outside world. The branch couldn''t prate it; it felt as if he were poking a solid box.

    In other words, the key likely had a physical form.

    "But do I have the time to search for a key... wait, a key?"

    Hua Mi gazed at the lock on the box, suddenly recalling something.

    Using mental power, he retrieved a silver folding knife from his storage space and cautiously approached the box''s lock.

    The moment the de tip touched the lock, it melted. With added force, it smoothly inserted into the lock.

    Holding the knife handle, he twisted it right.

    Click. The box lid opened.

    "Heh, didn''t expect that, did you? I''m not your typical adventurer."

    Once the lid opened, the box dissolved into particles of light.

    Underneath, the stone b cracked again, turning into rubble.

    A thick notebooknded on the now non-magical stone.

    Superficially unremarkable, it was a typical notebook but unusually hefty.

    Probing it with his mental power revealed no magical effects; it was entirely mundane, inside and out.

    "Could its contents hold significant value?"

    Or perhaps it was just the whimsy of the treasure hider.

    Imagine an adventurer, after arduous efforts, finding a key and opening the box, only to read, ''Haha, gotcha.''

    That''d be an explosion of frustration.

    Hua Mi braced for potential disappointment, flipping open the notebook.

    "Huh?"

    Page by page.

    "Ah?"

    Further.

    "Whoa!"

    Flipping several pages, he couldn''t help but gasp, "This is..."

    With each turn, Hua Mi grew increasingly astonished.

 Chapter 142: The Otherworldly Tree

    Chapter 142: The Otherworldly Tree

    The pages were filled with alchemical forms!

    They recorded various magical medicines, materials required for alchemical creations, doses, and processes.

    If these forms were all genuine, in terms of value alone, they''d be enough to incite a global scramble.

    And he believed they were authentic.

    Surely, no one would be so bored as to painstakingly jot down this extensive collection of forms merely as a prank.

    The word count on this was probably nearing that of a lengthy novel.

    Of course, alchemy required talent.

    Without the talent, even with the forms, one couldn''t produce anything.

    Alchemy wasn''t just a simple concoction of various magical medicines; it required constant infusion of mental power by the alchemist, using magic throughout the process, with no room for ck until the crafting wasplete.

    Temperature, time, sequencing... various parameters needed adjustments based on the circumstances, some of which couldn''t be reflected in the forms. Thus, forplex alchemical creations, several alchemists needed to coborate.

    Hua Mi''s issue wasn''t just aboutcking talent; he didn''t even possess magic.

    However, he could impart the knowledge contained within to Hilia.

    Her talent wasn''tcking, and with a form, he believed she could quickly figure out how to practice it.

    Finally, he couldy im to the title of an alchemical mentor.

    Though he couldn''t practice himself, it didn''t hinder his ability to teach, much like many swimming coaches on Earth who couldn''t swim themselves.

    Hua Mi stowed away the notebook into his ring space.

    Just then, he suddenly heard somemotion from his rear right side.

    Most likely, it was themotion caused by the magic array, drawing someone''s attention.

    Turning around, he vaguely saw two figures within the mist.

    Hua Mi first controlled the swarm while simultaneously aiming his infrared thermal imager toward that direction.

    Indeed, there were two "warm" figures.

    And their figures seemed somewhat familiar.

    The neers emerged from the mist, entering the cleared ruins.

    "Hello, team... is it you?"

    Lei Luo first appeared surprised, then he folded his arms, pretending, "Didn''t expect you to dare venture this deep alone; seems like you''ve got some skills."

    Hispanion maintained a simr posture.

    Both stood with crossed arms, leaning back-to-back, like models striking some corny pose.

    "..."

    Had he not eavesdropped on their conversation earlier, Hua Mi would have thought these two had some issue.

    Even after learning their true intentions... he still found it a bit odd.

    But at least, they had no ill will; their mannerisms were just unique.

    Upon learning they also intended to stay overnight here, Hua Mi didn''t mind and proactively extended, "You can call me the Bee Whisperer."

    "Levistus Deligobano."

    "Carter."

    These were their names, a brother-sister duo.

    "Tonight, let''s take turns keeping watch," Hua Mi suggested.

    "That was our n."

    After Deligobano''s statement, he strode forward proudly, although his attention was immediately caught by Little Ford.

    Due to the mist, at first nce, it wasn''t clear and seemed like some magical creature attacking. He immediately leaped back, crackling with electricity in his hands.

    Little Ford had been lying peacefully, but seeing him suddenly emitting electricity, he sprang up, cautiously eyeing him.

    "Calm down, it''s my mount," Hua Mi promptly stopped the electric outburst.

    "Cough, I know."

    Deligobano retracted the lightning power, skillfully masking the awkwardness.

    ...

    Night fell.

    Despite the agreement, Hua Mi remained awake, meditating throughout.

    The night passed uneventfully.

    The next morning, the siblings nned to heed Hua Mi''s advice and head to the adventurers'' guild for a task.

    At least in Hua Mi''s view, it was the most convenient and legitimate way for them to integrate into the adventurers'' circle, better than aimlessly stumbling around.

    But before they departed, they insisted on helping Hua Mi find the Otherworldly Tree.

    Seeing their determination, Hua Mi agreed.

    As a rare magical nt, the Otherworldly Tree could likely attract nearby magical beasts.

    Having an extra person would be an added help, considering Little Ford''s constitution could easily handle a few more.

    After breakfast, the three mounted Little Ford together and set off in search of the Otherworldly Tree.

    The area circled on the map didn''t look significant, but in reality, it was expansive.

    Riding around on Little Ford for the morning, they found two sources of floral scents, but unfortunately, they weren''t worth cultivating for honey sources.

    Later on, Hua Mi relinquished control of the mount, initiating "auto-navigate" mode, allowing it to roam freely within the forest''s boundaries.

    But then again, there was no guarantee this circled area was the right one.

    That adventurer might have remembered it wrong.

    Or perhaps, the Otherworldly Tree had long vanished.

    After all, in such perilous adventurends, things were ever-changing...

    In the afternoon, scout bees detected a distinct floral scent.

    Though not harboring much hope, they had a target to track and naturally went to investigate.

    So, they urged the mount to speed towards the target.

    ...

    Approaching their destination, Hua Mi instructed Little Ford to slow down, gradually drawing closer.

    "Do you guys feel... a bit cold?" Deligobano probably didn''t mean physically.

    Hua Mi''s ck robe could automatically regte temperature, keeping the bodyfortable, so usually, he wouldn''t feel the chill.

    But at this moment, he indeed sensed a chilling feeling.

    Not from the external environment, but a chilling sensation seemingly affecting the soul.

    This was a magical effect that led to emotional decline!

    Thinking this, instead of sumbing to the low spirits, Hua Mi felt invigorated.

    Only magical nts with abundant magical elements could generate such unique effects, indicating that the object ahead might be the Otherworldly Tree!

    However, while invigorated, he had to be doubly cautious.

    Hua Mi informed his twopanions about this, urging them to be wary of the surroundings to prevent ambushes from nearby magical beasts.

    "Don''t worry! Any beasts thate, I''ll take care of them!" Deligobano''s spirits were high, raising a g.

    Hearing the crackling noises behind him, Hua Mi discreetly swallowed two Thunderflower Honey Pills, preventing his teammates from mistakenly harming each other.

    ...

    Upon closer observation, as they neared the target, the vegetation around dimmed in color.

    Though flourishing, itcked the vibrancy seen elsewhere. This was probably due to the magical effect in this area.

    As they drew nearer, the fragrance intensified.

    It was a peculiar aroma, not intoxicating, but seemingly touching the soul, making it hard to resist feeling swayed.

    Once close enough, Hua Mi remotelymanded a scout bee to fly over.

    From the aerial view, the bee passed over a copsed ruin.

    Through the dense fog.

    The next moment, a stout, majestic tree came into view.

    The tree wasn''t very tall, but its trunk was robust, interwoven with countless vines, and its canopy spread like an open umbre.

    Flowers dotted its branches.

    The flowers, in a yellowish hue, almost covered the entire canopy.

    Yet, instead of vibrant vitality, it carried a sense of mncholy

    , akin to sighs during a sunset.

    The entire tree emitted a dim, eerie green light, casting the surroundings in the same dreary shades.

    The ground around was littered with mounds.

    Like graves.

    Considering the Otherworldly Tree''s nature, finding buried bodies here wasn''t surprising.

    But who had buried them was another matter.

    That aside, as long as the dead didn''t rise as zombies, it didn''t matter much.

    What warranted attention were three magical beasts lying around the Otherworldly Tree.

    They were positioned symmetrically in three different directions.

    Seemed like they were intentionally arranged to guard it.

 Chapter 143: Unexpected Performance

    Chapter 143: Unexpected Performance

    The dismal green light emitted by the Otherworldly Tree seemed to have a prating effect through the mist, illuminating the surrounding area. The reconnaissance bees transmitted images showing three petrified lizards clustered around the Otherworldly Tree. Judging by their size, all three were fully grown petrified lizards, nearly two meters in length, with a dark gray surface.

    As a fourth-level magical creature, they weren''t particrly robust,cking sharp ws or fangs, their strength and movements far from agile. However, they possessed a unique magical ability - the power to petrify living organisms with a special magic field released through their eyes.

    The speed at which their gaze could shift was considerable. Once locked on, unless there were specific countermeasures, one would have to confront the petrification magic.

    Of course, it wasn''t a certainty; it also depended on the target''s mental strength and magical resistance.

    "There are three petrified lizards ahead," Hua Mi informed the duo. Originally meant to discuss tactical assignments, he intended to use the "Summon Earth Giant" scroll to divert the attention of the petrified lizards. Perhaps the Earth Giant would also fall under the petrification control, but it might buy them an opportunity to attack.

    Unexpectedly, before a discussion could ensue, Dreyen''s fists crackled with electricity. "Just three? I can handle it alone!"

    Confidence exuded from him. But was he boasting or did he genuinely possess such skills?

    At that moment, Ojea chimed in, "Leave it to him. He''s the one who could single-handedly take down a Thunder Roc; three fourth-level magical creatures are no problem."

    Though unfamiliar with a Thunder Roc, judging by her tone, it seemed to be some kind of advanced magical creature. It appeared that this Tianlei Peak resident truly possessed remarkable abilities.

    Given both siblings vouched for him so strongly, any dissent from him mighte off as disdainful.

    After a moment''s thought, Hua Mi passed him some Thunder Flower Nectar and Feathered Illusion Honey Pills. The formerplemented Dreyen''s lightning affinity, while thetter aimed to provide protection.

    As for the "Holy Light de," that attack method was challenging to wield and required extensive practice, something he wouldn''t grasp immediately.

    However, Dreyen boldly declined taking the pills, flipping off his deer mount, stretching his limbs. Electric currents coiled around his calves, and like an arrow released from a bow, he vanished into the mist, leaving only a streak of lightning in the air.

    Hua Mi hastily urged the deer to fly after him.

    Before they reached the scene, the battle had alreadymenced. From the perspective of the reconnaissance bees, Dreyen wasted no time, leaping onto a rubble, fists crackling with electricity, and thunderously striking the ground. Three bolts of lightning shot towards the petrified lizards from hisnding point, hitting them almost instantly.

    The lizards contorted in agony within the lightning, but that was all. Their bodies showed minimal signs of damage from the lightning. What''s more peculiar was the faint green aura surfacing on their bodies, gradually isting them from the lightning''s power.

    "Impossible! That''s not the petrified lizards'' ability," Hua Mi eximed. Dreyen, without pause, approached the nearest lizard, brandishing a conical dagger surrounded by blue-white lightning, aiming for the lizard''s vital points.

    Yet, in an instant, the lizard, still partially under control, fixated its gaze on Dreyen. What should have been a dull gray iris now carried a faint green hue.

    Something''s wrong! The tip of the dagger stopped a few centimeters before the lizard''s throat, unable to advance further. Dreyen''s pupils dted as he felt his hands and feet slowly stiffen.

    By this time, the other two lizards had broken free from control, focusing their attention on him. Petrification spread from Dreyen''s limbs at a visible pace, turning them gray and progressively harder, petrifying.

    "Dreyen!"

    "Careful! These petrified lizards are different!" Ojea''s voice sounded from behind, a desperate warning. But petrification had reached his chest, restricting his ability to respond; he wasn''t sure if the others heard him.

    "Damn, underestimated them."

    Dreyen struggled to resist the petrification magic but to no avail. These three exceptional petrified lizards held formidable collective strength.

    Would he perish here? Suddenly, a buzzing noise erupted behind him.

    His peripheral vision caught a mass of "blood mist" pressing toward them, splitting into three strands, each attaching to a petrified lizard''s body.

    The lizards emitted hissing sounds, writhing as their gazes shifted away from him. The petrification halted, only stopping at his chest.

    Except for his head, everything had turned into stone, including his body.

    "That''s... insects?"

    Dreyen realized that the "blood mist" seemed to beposed of individual insects. The green aura on the lizard''s bodies seemed devoured by the swarm.

    One lizard roared, redirecting its gaze toward another petrified lizard.

    Very clever.

    They couldn''t petrify the swarm attached to themselves but could do so to each other.

    The effect was immediate - arge number of insects petrified instantly.

    The remaining swarm dispersed and flew into the air.

    In that moment, a figure suddenly entered his field of view.

    It was that green deer! The man who called himself the "Bee Whisperer" and Ojea rode on its back.

    The former exuded a divine glow, wielding a radiant de, swooping past a petrified lizard, swiftly decapitating it.

    The trio charged into the mist, disappearing from his sight. But shortly after, they returned from the other side of the Otherworldly Tree.

    Ojea held a round weapon with sharp edges, emitting a multitude of electric arcs. Although not hitting, it grabbed the lizards'' attention. Simultaneously, the Bee Whisperer charged in, transforming his radiant de into a spear shape.

    Swoosh

    The spear, forged from concentrated holy light, pierced through the bodies of the two petrified lizards.

    ...

    Hua Mi sliced open the stomach of one lizard, pouring its stomach fluids onto Dreyen''s body.

    Gradually, the petrified parts reverted to flesh and blood.

    In about half a minute, he had fully recovered. The stomach fluid of the petrified lizards could reverse the petrification if applied promptly. However, if petrification persisted too long, turning into stone would render the stomach fluid ineffective.

    "Phew," Dreyen breathed out, attempting to ease the awkwardness. "I was just about to go all out, but you guys arrived at that moment. I was afraid of identally harming you, so I held back."

    Ojea rolled her eyes, ignoring him, and looked towards Hua Mi. Thetter gazed up at the Otherworldly Tree.

    "Cough," Dreyen cleared his throat, diverting the topic to ease the tension. "By the way, these three petrified lizards seem to possess an unusual power within them. Do you have any clues?"

    Ojea shook her head, and Hua Mi also expressed ignorance.

    "Perhaps it''s influenced by the

    Otherworldly Tree," Hua Mi spected, walking towards the tree and controlling the bee swarm to reach the canopy''s height, plucking a blossom from the tree.

    This blossom only contained a single seed.

    With so many Otherworldly Tree blossoms, it would probably only take three or four trees to satisfy the bee swarm''s honey collection. Nevertheless, for safety, he collected over ten seeds.

    As he prepared to descend, his gaze inadvertently caught sight of something, sending a jolt through him.

    ...

    The trunk of the Otherworldly Tree didn''t seem like a single entity; instead, it appearedposed of intertwining, slender vine-like trunks. Through the gaps, Hua Mi glimpsed what seemed like a human figure.

    Just as he moved closer for a better look, he suddenly heard Dreyen shout, "Who''s there!"

    Hua Mi turned to look. Emerging from the mist was a figure wielding a staff emitting a green light, dispelling the fog in the area.

    "I''m the guardian of the Misty Mountains."

    The druid? Hua Mi''s mind immediately recalled the adventurer''s manual description. Quite different from expectations. She exuded a wild beauty, with tousled brown hair, a grass crown on her head, d in ragged clothing, barefoot.

    Her face appeared to be smeared with intentional pigments or unintentional dirt, making it impossible to discern her appearance.

    In short, a near-feral demeanor.

    She shouldn''t be an enemy.

    The trio of petrified lizards stood near the Otherworldly Tree, emitting an eerie presence in the mist. Were they nted here by the druid? Maybe their unusual behavior stemmed from druidic magic.

    Their purpose here could be to guard the Otherworldly Tree, or perhaps they were watching the figure glimpsed earlier in the tree''s vicinity.

    Hua Mi''s mind buzzed with thoughts.

    Unexpectedly, Lu Fei trotted cheerfully towards the druid.

    In astonishment, Hua Mi watched as Lu Fei lowered its head, nudging the druid''s arm with its head. The druid, in turn, caressed Lu Fei''s head.

    Their interaction was heartwarming!

    Hua Mi felt a pang of difort.

    "Is this the druid''s trick?" he wondered. No, he hadn''t noticed her using magic. Lu Fei appeared normal, behaving as if it went on its own ord.

    "Could Lu Fei be her creation?"

    Like a treant, another creation of the druid. That exined why it felt like living wood.

    "So, I''m the third wheel..."

    At that moment, another figure emerged from the mist, appearing beside the druid.

    It was a familiar face.

    The centaur, Nite.

    ...

    "The Withering Curse was released by the Abyssal Research Association?"

    Nite''s disclosure of this secret didn''t shock the few present. The siblings weren''t familiar with the association, and Hua Mi, as an otherworldly visitor, didn''t react much.

    Instead, the figure in the tree caught his interest.

    The druid waved her staff, parting the trunk, revealing a mboyantly dressed young man within. His purple attire, though luxurious, bore tears and bloodstains.

    ording to the druid, he was a minstrel who stumbled upon the secret of the Withering Curse. Pursued by the association, he sought refuge in the Misty Mountains.

    Nearly at death''s door, the druid saved him, using the Otherworldly Tree''s properties to mend his damaged spirit.

    After this period of recovery, he had almost healed. The druid''s magic had awakened him.

    "I will expose the association''s crimes to the world," dered the minstrel, calling himself Jimmy. "Soon, all of Mordu City will know their deeds. Their leader will either be remembered honorably or face disgrace. Thetter seems imminent for their chairman."

    His resentment was palpable.

    Nite pledged to support the minstrel, providing the wild omens he had gathered and interpreted. As a credible centaur, his information was convincing.

    However, he suggested devising a n, catching them off guard, to create maximum impact when the truth was revealed.

    The minstrel agreed.

    Hua Mi felt detached from this matter; he was just an observer. But about the timing and location, he had a suggestion.

    "In a few days, it''s Princess Karen''sing-of-age ceremony."

    "That indeed is a grand stage, but weck entry passes."

    "I have a way."

    Hua Mi referred to Alyss, of course.

    "By the way, there''s one more thing I need your help with." The minstrel, a bit weary, paused before continuing. "When I thought I was done for, I used my power to inform a friend about the curse. I received a message from him; hispanion, a mage named Carter, is here in Mordu City instead. We must find him quickly to prevent any danger."

    Carter?

    What a coincidence.

    Hua Mi marveled at the small world.

    "Leave the search to us!"

    The duo from Tianlei Peak had been struggling to follow along but finally caught on. "Rest assured, we have unique techniques for finding people!"

    To Hua Mi''s relief, Lu Fei chose to follow him when they departed. The druid didn''t object, only leaning close to its forehead, whispering a few words before letting it leave with Hua Mi.

    This improved Hua Mi''s impression of the druid significantly.

    ...

    Three dayster.

    Near the royal pce in Mordu City, a man-made hignd stood.

    A winding mountain path led to the summit, where a pce stood.

    This spot often hosted celebrations and foreign envoy receptions for royal nobles.

    Tonight, it was Princess Karen''sing-of-age ceremony, making it especially bustling.

    The road, adorned with lights and decorations, created a grand setting for the asion.

    As the dance concluded, guests streamed out of the hall, leaving the stage to the uing theatrical performance.

    But few paid attention.

    The attendees, nobles, officials, and the wealthy, were busyworking.

    Princess Karen managed to sneak away from the lively hall and found Susie and Alyss chatting outside.

    "So tired. I''ve never been to such a draining party before." Karen slumped in a chair, disregarding her posture.

    "You were the star tonight." Susie chuckled.

    "Who wants to be the star in this kind of thing?" Karen straightened up and asked Alyss, "By the way, didn''t you mention that alchemist wasing? Where is he?"

    "Don''t know," Alyss replied. "But he asked me to tell you that there''s an exciting showing up."

    "All these old tricks, what excitement can they bring?"

    ...

    On the hall''s stage, a y was unfolding.

    Though hardly anyone watched, the actors gave their all.

    Suddenly, the background music stopped, and the actors froze, astonished. "Who are you?" one eximed, confused. "You''re not part of the y!"

    This abrupt performance change drew attention.

    A minstrel-like figure in a mask appeared on stage. "You needn''t know who I am. Just listen to what I''m about to reveal next."

    With a bow towards the hall''s entrance, he continued, "Respected Princess, I seek your permission to uncover a monumental conspiracy."

    The actors exchanged bewildered nces.

    What''s going on?

    Why isn''t this following the script?

    Approaching the edge of the stage, the masked figure raised his arms,mencing a resonant recitation, "He, burdened with responsibility, acts wantonly; He, dressed in finery, harbors evil intentions; He, with lofty positions, isden with lies..."

    His rhythmic recital, mellifluous tone, captivated the hall''s many eyes.

    As he continued his poetic tale, vivid images unfolded, painting a narrative before the audience''s eyes.

    They delved into the Abyss.

    Researched the Abyss.

    Sought to control its power.

    Risked drawing out the curse from the Abyss.

    Realized they couldn''t control it.

    As the truth unfolded, they chose to divide and release the curse secretly.

    Forests turned into scorched earth.

    Countless lives perished.

    ...

    Someone realized this was the minstrel''s unique ability.

    This imagery couldn''t have been conjured from mere imagination.

    "...Respected Majesty, allow me to reveal!" The minstrel removed his mask, revealing a face painted in exaggeratededic style. Pointing down to the audience, he continued, "The mastermind is there!"

    In an instant, it felt as if a spotlight had shone on that person.

    All eyes focused.

    In the hall, whispers circted.

    The pointed person wasn''t anyone else but the chairman of the Abyssal Research Association.

    Expressionless, he stood

    with a ss, his eerie fluorescent eyes showing no particr emotion.

    People instinctively moved away from him.

    The immediate reaction was: he was finished.

    Whether rumors were true or not, with these allegations and the previous rumors, his position as chairman seemed unstable.

    "I can testify."

    A deep voice sounded from the entrance.

    Walking in was a centaur.

    Most viewed this race with a mix of respect and distance.

    "I''m willing to cooperate and provide all the signs of the wild I''ve gathered," the centaur continued.

    Silence fell over the hall.

 Chapter 144: Rewards and Return

    Chapter 144: Rewards and Return

    All eyes shifted between the king and the guild president.

    "Do you have anything to say?" The king raised his hand, several guards stepping forward at hismand.

    The president fell silent, cing his wine ss calmly on the nearby table. "Everything I''ve done was for humanity. I''m willing to cooperate with the investigation."

    The crowd murmured.

    ---

    Princess Karen observed the scene in the hall, utterly perplexed. It took her a while to close her mouth. The thought of that annoying person soon being dethroned brought genuine joy from within.

    Turning to share her joy with herpanions, she found a hooded man beside her.

    Meeting his gaze, she hesitated before realizing, "Oh, it''s you"

    ---

    "The Whisperer"

    Inside the lounge, Karen struggled with the word, "Why do you always choose such strange names? They''re so cumbersome!"

    Before Hua Mi could respond, she continued, "But I do love the honey you make. A talented alchemist like you shouldn''t stay in obscurity. I''ve requested my father to appoint you as the court alchemist. It''s the highest honor. Also, you''ll have your own alchemy workshop in Modu."

    Of course, he couldn''t agree. His roots were in the ck Forest. Only his small cabin allowed him to return to Earth.

    Grateful for her kindness, he politely declined, stating his current desire to delve quietly into new fields.

    Karen nced at Alyss beside her. "You''ve called it right. Well, if you don''t want to stay in Modu, that''s fine. But it doesn''t hurt to ept this title; many desire it."

    Saying this, she tossed a golden medal toward him.

    Hua Mi caught it. The intricately designed medal bore a structure resembling a bnce, the symbol of an alchemist.

    "Another title"

    In society, this title was far more useful than "Guardian of Brass City."

    "Hope you''ll continue to excel. This princess looks forward to more varieties of your honey. As for the workshop it''s yours whenever you wish to use it."

    "Thank you, Your Highness."

    Unexpectedly, this princess appeared seemingly carefree but disyed a mature andposed demeanor, neither frivolous nor domineering.

    Taking advantage of this, Hua Mi made a request.

    "What request do you have?" Karen asked cheerfully.

    "There''s a stargazer named David rk. During an evaluation in the ck Forest, he identally turned into a vampire spawn but still retains human rationality"

    Hua Mi briefly exined the situation.

    As expected, rk, now a spawn, struggled to reintegrate into the Adventurer''s Guild and had been hiding in the sewers.

    When the siblings Tianlei and Tianming found rk and Carter, one crippled and the other seeming like a wandering soul, it was quite a pitiful sight.

    "What? So, it''s a request for someone else," Karen, feigning disinterest, promised nheless, "I''ll inform my father about this. If it''s confirmed that he retains his humanity, it won''t be an issue."

    ---

    Over the next period, the bard Jimmy, the centaur Manit, the mage Carter, and the spawn rk all became witnesses in the Abyssal Research Association''s investigation.

    It was a significant matter, not something that could be quickly concluded.

    They were bound to this for a while.

    Though the investigation results were pending, rumors spread everywhere.

    The Association sought to study curses for Abyssal power, with suspicion falling on its leadership being influenced by the Abyss spections abounded.

    Before the official authorities took over the Association, a portion of its membersmostly Abyss schrshad fled, whereabouts unknown.

    Warrants were issued across nations to trace these defectors.

    Overnight, the Association became synonymous with evil.

    "How unpredictable."

    Hua Mi set aside the newspaper, sighing.

    He and Alyss had been staying at the Duke''s residence these days.

    Their prolonged stay was to cooperate with the investigation. While they weren''t as deeply involved as others, it was required to remain for some time.

    However, Hua Mi and Susie had a minor disagreement.

    Technically, it wasn''t a dispute but rather a slight difference in opinion.

    He had visited Susie''s garden, praising her cultivation techniques, which would have made her the Flower Queen in the old days of Hualing Town.

    She even cultivated flower spirits.

    Susie was pleased with his praise, thinking she had finally met a kindred spirit.

    However, as they conversed, their ideological differences surfaced.

    In essence, Hua Mi pursued rare and exotic flowers while Susie sought to enhance the beauty ofmon flowers.

    All the flowers she cultivated were the most ordinary types in the market.

    The only magical flower she had managed was the Windchime Flower she had previously gifted.

    "Multiplying rare and unique species in quantity is true skill."

    "Cultivating extraordinary beauty frommon flowers is equally rewarding. I can create flower spirits frommon flowers; that''s the best proof."

    It was indeed incredibly challenging to produce flower spirits from ordinary flowerscking unique magical elements. Though these flower spirits wouldn''t possess extraordinary abilities like Little White, it showcased her high level of cultivation.

    So, Hua Mi couldn''t help feeling regretful. If she attempted to cultivate rare flowers, she would achieve higher aplishments.

    However, considering her status as an aristocraticdy, it was improbable for her to scour the world for rare flowers, which significantly differed from the adventurous theme.

    Nevertheless, given her wealth, she could hire people to gather them. The keyy in whether she wanted to do so.

    Oh well.

    Everyone had their aspirations, and trying to force a change in someone''s beliefs was futile.

    Hua Mi ceased arguing with her.

    Surprisingly, she frequently sought debates, seemingly determined to prove herself despite her gentle appearance.

    ---

    During these leisurely days, Hua Mi managed several trivial matters.

    Firstly, he sold all the monster materials obtained in the Misty Mountains and bought the space ring he had previously eyed.

    He still had over a hundred gold coins.

    Adventuring was indeed a lucrative profession, exining its attraction to many.

    Following Hua Mi''s suggestion, the Tianlei siblings formally adopted the life of task-taking, gradually integrating into the adventurer''s circle.

    As for rk, he had returned to the Adventurer''s Guild, albeit not in Modu.

    The Guild, perhaps harboring some resentment, didn''t reinstate him to his former position but dispatched him to oversee their affairs in ckstone Town. Once the investigation concerning the association concluded, he could assume his role.

    rk had no objections. This was already a good oue for him.

    Through his connections, Hua Mi registered the death of the female apprentice in the gray robe, instructing the Guild to inform Zerelika whenever possible.

    Moreover, he handed over the coins and the notebook that belonged to the apprentice to the Guild, intending for them to be given to Zerelika.

    These items rightfully belonged to her. Particrly the notebook, which, aside from various spell insights, contained some of the apprentice''s daily moments, essentially a half-diary.

    Both ethically and morally, they should be returned to the deceased''s family.

    That day, Hua Mi sat in the resting area of the Adventurer''s Guild''s East District office, silently observing the Guild staff conversing with Zerelika. Eventually, he invited her into an office toplete the formalities.

    Zerelika had previously inquired with the Guild but hadn''t received answers.

    After some time, Zerelika emerged from the office, red-eyed, holding a small pouch of coins and a worn-out notebook. She approached Hua Mi in the rest area.

    "La... she''s gone. I asked the guilds everywhere so many times but got no answers. They said there was missing data before, and it was recently re-evaluated, revealing this."

    "Will you keep adventuring?" Hua Mi inquired.

    Zerelika shook her head. "I came out to seek an answer, and now that I have itthough not what I expectedI think... this reckless journey should end. My adventure ends here."

    Hua Mi stayed silent, respecting her choice.

    After a moment, she squeezed out a smile. "Anyway, it was nice meeting you. If you ever have time,e visit in Sulca. Goodbye, adventurer."

    She got up to leave but stopped abruptly. "Oh, since I''ve decided to stop adventuring, take this. It might help you."

    A piece of... cloth?

    And it was badly torn, resembling a rag.

    Initially surprised, Hua Mi thought, Do people from Sulca always give such peculiar gifts?

    But on instinct, he channeled his spirit energy towards it and immediately sensed its uniqueness.

    It emitted an extraordinary magical aura.

    "I found this in an adventure site by ident. There was a manual that called it ''Alimondobo.'' But that''s a mouthful, so I named it ''Magic Conceal Cloth,''" Zerelika exined. "This thing has unique properties. If you cover an item entirely with this cloth, say ''Alimondobo'' three times, then remove the cloth, you''ll find the item beneath has changed, reced by another item of simr value."

    "For instance, cover a bottle of water, and it might switch out for food. Cover a magical item, and it''ll swap for one of equal quality. Each swap seems random, even if it''s the same item," she continued.

    "The only consistent thing is that the items before and after the swap are usually of simr value, or at least not too far off."

    Hua Mi listened intently, finding it quite miraculous.

    An equal exchange... It sounds a bit like alchemy.

    If it can swap anything... I wonder what honey could swap for?

    Or maybe bees...

    Could it generate new bee species?

    Following this train of thought, covering different flower types might produce entirely new ones.

    ording to her, anything this cloth entirely covers could be swapped.

    Hua Mi''s mind wandered.

    "However, it has a limited number of uses. Every time you swap, the cloth bes more worn out. Once it develops holes and can''t cover things anymore, it bes useless," Zerelika added with embarrassment. "When I got it, I tested it multiple times, got a pile of rubbish, and by the time I noticed it wearing out, it was toote..."

    "..."

    Though sounding a bit foolish, it was perfectly human.

    Hua Mi epted the cloth, finding it worth the request.

    He gifted her the Essence Blossom Honey and the Mirage Wing Bee Honey, exining their effects.

    Impressed, Zerelika thanked him and epted the two bottles, bidding farewell.

    ...

    Hua Mi postponed experimenting with the Magic Conceal Cloth; it could wait until he returned home. It seemed too extraordinary.

    An inexplicable swapping mechanism? It seemed moreplicated than it appeared.

    He asked Zerelika, who mentioned finding it at an average two-star adventure site while fishing, discovering it in a fish''s stomach.

    Such unbelievable luck...

    Both anglers and adventurers would envy her fortune.

    Hua Mi considered encouraging her to continue adventuring; her luck was like that of a protagonist. But she seemed to have lost the drive to explore further.

    Probably, she''d be devoid of such encounters from now on.

    ...

    After two more days in Modu, Hua Mi and Alyss hadpleted their tasks and were no longer needed for the investigation. They prepared to return to the ck Forest.

    They came alone but returned with a deer.

    This journey had been quite fruitful; just this mount alone made him happy for a long while.

    Passing through the portal, they arrived in the familiar ck Forest.

    A vast expanse of white, snow-coverednd greeted them, with the chilling air hitting them.

    The Ice Age was probably ending soon.

    It was alreadyte in the period.

    In a month or two in Earth time, the harsh Ice Age woulde to an end, transitioning into an even more perilous Chaotic Period.

    After bidding farewell to Alyss, Hua Mi rode his newpanion, Stag Fly, towards the cabin.

    Stag Fly seemed to adapt well to the environment and wasn''t bothered by the cold. Initially, it struggled a bit on the snowy ground, but after a while, it moved effortlessly.

    They dashed all the way to the cabin.

    Little White was outside, immediately weing them.

    Seeing this deer-shaped mount, Little White was taken aback.

    Hua Mi introduced Stag Fly, acquired from the Misty Mountains.

    "Maybe I should build a separate shelter for Stag Fly," he pondered. While temporarily housed in the greenhouse, it wasn''t a long-term solution.

    Though the greenhouse was spacious, filled with flowers, a few stomps from Stag Fly would spell disaster.

    Perhaps a shelter was a better idea.

    Having Master Alyss build such a simple structure seemed like overkill...

    Maybe he could do it himself. Can''t trouble others for everything.

    Hua Mi first introduced Stag Fly to the seven spirits in the greenhouse, unsure if it understood. Though it seemed intelligent, being a Druid''s creation, its intelligence probably wasn''t higher than a Treant''s. Otherwise, it wouldn''t be affected by the Soul Bell.

    But its temperament was more docile than a Treant''s.

    After a tour around the flower field, everything seemed normal.

    During his absence, the Windchime Flower seeds had grown enough. It was time to expand the greenhouse and start nting.

    There were also the Abyssal Tree seeds.

    Although nting a few trees would be enough for honey collection, he handed the seeds to the spirits to propagate more for future needs.

    Despite the early hour, Hua Mi decided to put off work here for now.

    He nned to return to Earth first, checking messages to avoid missing anything.

    Deciding not to leave Stag Fly in the greenhouse, expecting conflicts, he took it out and left it in the cabin temporarily.

    Then, he traversed back to Earth.

    He checked his phone first.

    Fortunately, there were several messages, but nothing urgent.

    After responding to them, he opened hisputer, logging into the online store''s backend.

    As expected, thements demanding new stock were increasing.

    Having fans wait so long made him feel guilty.

    After considering, he typed out a notice:

    "[Taking various factors into ount, the shop will temporarily close. However, to meet your expectations, I''ve set up a new purchasing method. If you''re interested in buying honey, join the ''Micro-chat Circle'' and search for ''Bee Speaker Cottage'' or enter code ''XXXXX''. Inside, you''ll find honey descriptions, prices, and stock updates. I''ll also update new honey types there. Feel free to ce your orders! You can chat, discuss beekeeping, and honey-making topics in the circle. Share your needs

    or opinions there.]"

    Yes.

    This was the project he had been preparing for during this time.

    Transitioning into micromerce felt easier to manage products and after-sales servicepared to emerce. He could also be closer to fans'' demands and sell various magical honey types ording to their needs.

    After posting, Hua Mi didn''t immediately log out but waited for a while, refreshing thements.

    In less than ten minutes, there were several customerments under the notice.

    Seems like many people were eagerly waiting for his return.

    It touched him.

    "The first sentence scared me! I thought you were abandoning us forever. d you''re back. Already joined the circle!"

    "Who''s this fast? Did you guys buy houses on the tform? I joined the circle immediately, but there are already ten members in it?"

    "Boss, back from the alien with restocked goods?"

    "Finally, you''re back! d I didn''t give up!"

    "Fanclub assemble!"

    "Let''s see what treasures of honey you have this time, hehe."

 Chapter 145: Deep-Diving Magic Fish

    Chapter 145: Deep-Diving Magic Fish

    Ten people, twenty people, fifty people, a hundred people...

    As the members of the "Bee Whisperer''s Hut" increased, voices began to emerge within the group.

    "I''m the first!"

    "This is my first time joining the circle, feeling nervous. Let me sing a song for everyone. [Voice]"

    "??"

    "Don''t y the voice message! It''s killing me!"

    "Stop messing around, let''s get serious. Where can I buy honey?"

    "It seems the shopping section isn''t open yet."

    "Where''s the shop owner?"

    "Hurry up, it''s urgent."

    ...

    The Micro-Chat circle acted as an "online club" for enthusiasts to discuss and exchange ideas. The circle''s owner served as the administrator, and sales were just one functional module within it. Here, whethermunicating or trading, everything was far more convenient. Hua Mi had a moreprehensive grasp of information and data here.

    Watching the numbers surpass a hundred, Hua Mi posted a message in the circle: "Wee everyone to ''Bee Whisperer''s Hut.'' Before we begin, I''d like to say a few words.

    "Firstly, please be prepared; our store''s current inventory is limited and certainly can''t meet everyone''s demands. In order to let as many people as possible buy honey, there will still be restrictions on purchase quantities. Each person can only buy one bottle of each type of honey that''s put on sale.

    "Our store sells only pure, natural honey without any additives. The ingredient list contains only honey, posing no harm to the human body.

    "This time, we will list two types of honey, and the prices might be higher. I advise everyone to consider their means and purchase cautiously."

    Right after posting this message, a flurry of responses ensued.

    The phrase "one call and a hundred responses" perfectly encapsted the moment.

    The two types of honey Hua Mi intended to list were the "Gifted Flower Honey" and the "Thousand Illusions Flower Honey."

    At present, in his inventory, the "Gifted Flower Honey" had undergone two harvests, umting over a thousand bottles in total, with the third harvest not far off.

    The "Thousand Illusions Flower Honey" had only been harvested once, amassing over five hundred bottles.

    He decided to list one-third of the quantity for this asion.

    Both these honeys had quite noticeable benefits for ordinary people.

    The Thousand Illusions Flower Honey exhrated the mood, achieving more with less effort.

    Aside from its alchemical benefits, the Gifted Flower Honey also provided mental replenishment for intellectualborers.

    However, mental capabilities were determined by both spiritual and physical strength. Merely enhancing spiritual strength had limited effects. In this respect, its effectiveness on Earth was far lesspared to the other side.

    As for the remaining two types, the Thunder Blossom Honey and the Feathered Illusions Bee Honey, they were less essential.

    Their limitations were too significant.

    For instance, the Thunder Blossom Honey''s sole function was to induce the "electricity capacity" state, which might have been useful for employees in the electricity industry. This way, even someone not experienced for a decade in that field could gauge if there was electricity by just touching something.

    Yet, this effect was somewhat advanced for people on Earth.

    Introducing magical honey had to be gradual.

    "Speaking of which, some of the built-in features of the Micro-Chat circle can be utilized."

    For instance, the circle could be divided into "outer circle," "inner circle," and "core circle."

    This was like a ready-made filtering mechanism.

    Hua Mi explored and found the circle''s filtering algorithm to be quite scientific and usable.

    Those who could enter the core circle were undoubtedly devoted fans, and he could sell some more miraculous honey based on circumstances.

    This was just a preliminary idea for now, to be further refinedter.

    Regarding pricing, the Thousand Illusions Flower Honey was set at 3000 yuan per bottle, while the Gifted Flower Honey was at 3500 yuan per bottle.

    As Hua Mi had just mentioned in the circle, the prices might be higher.

    For such unique magical honey, taking the luxury route was inevitable.

    After setting up the briefs, prices, inventory, and checking everything once more, Hua Mi opened the shop section.

    Members of the circle immediately swarmed in.

    However, upon seeing the prices, many fell into silence.

    "Quite expensive..."

    "Why''s it so pricey?"

    "Boss, have you changed?"

    "Are you insane for money?"

    "Misread you, goodbye."

    "It''s alright, if the effects are as described, it''s actually not that expensive."

    "Um, I want to buy, but it''s really a bit expensive. I''ll wait and observe, read some buyerments first."

    "Rare things are valuable; if the price is too low, it raises suspicions. I think this pricing is reasonable; I believe in the owner''s integrity."

    "You guys think it over, I''ve already ced my order."

    ...

    Some found it expensive, some deemed it eptable, while others were observing.

    These three reactions were within his expectations.

    He didn''t mind the circle members who left.

    Putting away his phone, Hua Mi intended to go out and rx.

    He had been busy in the otherworld recently, not having had a good stroll around town for a while.

    He hopped on his bicycle, riding along the smooth cement roads of Huayu Town.

    The streets were as deste as ever.

    It had been a long time since he had seen a lively scene in Huayu Town.

    Finally, he stopped by a riverside.

    This river was called the Fallen Blossom River, flowing across the middle of Huayu Town. In the past, it was crystal clear, often with flower petals floating on the surface.

    Now, the surface was filled with foam, emitting a stench of wastewater.

    Though in recent years, the authorities had be aware of environmental issues and began vigorous rectification, the destroyed ecosystem wasn''t easy to restore.

    The natural system was excessivelyplex, a delicate matter to handle.

    "Alchemy purification or alchemical creations might be helpful..."

    Hua Mi nced around, ensuring nobody was watching, and discreetly retrieved the thick alchemical recipe notebook from his spatial ring.

    He sat by theke and started flipping through it.

    He was flipping through swiftly, focusing on the effects of alchemical creations.

    After about half an hour of flipping, his hand suddenly stopped turning pages.

    This page documented an alchemical item called "Water Essence."

    Its effect was to be ced in water, continuously purifying and cleansing it.

    "Throwing a few of these into this river might reveal the extent of its effectiveness... starting the remediation process from the river."

    He didn''t know alchemy.

    But he could get Hilial to learn it.

    "Decided, the next alchemical lesson will be on crafting ''Water Essence''... Speaking of which, I wonder how she''s utilizing the unicorn horn powder and if she has concocted any useful potions. This topic isn''t progressing well without concluding it."

    There was also the issue of materials.

    A long list of materials was listed in the recipe, most of which weremon resources. Only one core material was rtively precious

    The eye of the Deep-Diving Magic Fish.

    This material had an annotation beside it.

    The Deep-Diving Magic Fish was a level-three fish-type monster inhabiting theke''s depths. It was characterized by several tentacles on its body

    and six eyes arranged neatly in two rows on its face...

    This appearance description seemed familiar.

    Hua Mi pondered for a moment, and it immediately came to him.

    Previously, while controlling a drone towards the Witch''s Eye, he encountered that strange fish at the bottom of theke!

    What a coincidence.

    Now that he knew where to find the material, half the problem was solved.

    Hua Mi felt considerably relieved.

 Chapter 146: Culinary Divine Protection

    Chapter 146: Culinary Divine Protection

    Li Lei stumbled back into his rented room, copsing onto the bed with his mind feeling like mush. The chef evaluationpetition was imminent, yet he still couldn''t replicate that ancestral delicacy.

    He had failed numerous times.

    "Face reality and prepare amon dish," his friend advised. "Your recipe barely details ingredient measurements. How do you expect to make it?"

    There was wisdom in his friend''s words.

    The recipe was iplete, missing crucial details, relying solely on his imagination and constant experimentation.

    It was challenging.

    Even a top-tier chef would likely take quite some time.

    But Li Lei didn''t want to give up just yet.

    Perhaps it was because he had invested too much time and effort, bing overly fixated due to sunk costs.

    Or maybe, he simply wanted to bring back that delicious childhood memory.

    "Not a hundred times... Just need to seed once," he silently cheered himself on.

    Today, he was too drained to contemte further. Retrieving his phone, he aimed to rx.

    A notification from a shopping tform popped up.

    Upon checking, it was from a store he had previously followed, the owner having been ''missing'' for some time, now suddenly resurfacing with an announcement.

    The online shop was temporarily closed, but interested buyers could join the store''s WeChat group, the "Bee Whisperer''s Cottage."

    It was a peculiar honey shop.

    A very mystical honey shop.

    He had bought a sleep aid honey from there before.

    During a period of intense anxiety and severe insomnia, he had tried sleeping pills, but their dependency worsened his mental state.

    It was then, when he was browsing for sleep-inducing foods, that he stumbled upon this honey shop selling precisely what he needed.

    He decided to give it a try.

    Surprisingly, it worked wonders.

    A cup of honey water before bed allowed him to sleep soundly through the night, almost dreamlessly.

    After finishing a whole bottle, his sleep problems werepletely resolved.

    More importantly, his mindset had stabilized significantly, alleviating his prior anxiety.

    How could a honey have such an effect?

    He wasn''t knowledgeable in that field and couldn''t exin why.

    But he had the honey tested at a food inspection center, and there were no special ingredientsjust ordinary sugars.

    He was a materialist, yet at that moment, he felt as though the shop owner was sent by the heavens to rescue him.

    Since then, he became a loyal fan of the shop.

    Later, the owner released another honey, imed to have a beautifying effect. ording to reviews, its effects were equally impressive, with before-and-after pictures resembling aplete transformation.

    He was always engrossed in researching recipes, paying little attention to his appearance. Hence, he didn''t rush to buy it. By the time he considered it, they were sold out.

    Regret seeped in.

    He believed he had a decent base, but prolonged exposure to kitchen fumes had taken a toll on his skin.

    If he had bought it earlier, maybe by now, he''d have be a handsome guy, breaking free from singlehood.

    His attention on the shop intensified.

    "Perhaps the owner isn''t even from this world, as some specte...," he self-mockingly shook his head. "Impossible."

    Regardless of the truth, he treated it as a stroke of luck to cherish rather than delve deeper.

    In reality, most fans shared this sentiment.

    Respect and gratitude were all they had for this mysterious owner.

    Delving too deeply into the owner''s secrets might ruin this stroke of luck.

    Everyone tacitly understood this.

    Unfortunately, afterunching two honey types, the owner vanished for a considerable period.

    To the point where fans began specting if someone had been impolite, upsetting the owner.

    But now, finally, the owner reappeared, bringing relief to everyone.

    Without hesitation, Li Lei immediately joined the "Bee Whisperer''s Cottage."

    The owner announced in the group that two honey types would be simultaneously restocked this time.

    This got him extremely excited.

    He clicked on the shelves.

    "Phantom Flower Honey... Grace Flower Honey..."

    These were all very peculiar names.

    ording to the owner himself, these were entirely new flower species he''d cultivated, unique in the entire world, with no branches elsewhere.

    Was it due to the flowers that the honey possessed such magical effects? Truly amazing.

    He carefully examined the effects of the two honeys. The Grace Flower Honey aided mental activitiesexpressed quite subtly in the description, but he trusted the owner wouldn''t deceive.

    The steep price definitely had its reasons.

    "The missing link in my recipe might just be mental prowess... This honey might save me again."

    Thinking this, he, who usually begrudged even buying a 5-yuan drink, decisively spent 3,500 yuan on a bottle of Grace Flower Honey.

    Nearly two months'' worth of living expenses... It still pinched a bit.

    Of course, if 3,500 could secure sessful experiments, it would be more than worth it.

    "Just don''t disappoint me."

    ...

    The delivery was swift, arriving within a day.

    As Li Lei received the notification, he was lounging on the couch, utterly dejected after yet another failure.

    The cookingpetition was in a few days, leaving him with very little time.

    Retrieving the package, he opened it to find a familiar bottle.

    Hoping against hope, he twisted the lid, deciding not to dilute it with water, instead, swallowing a mouthful to gauge its effects.

    The honey was incredibly viscous; a spoonful felt cloying in his mouth.

    A distinct floral fragrance spread within his oral cavity.

    After about ten seconds, he felt invigorated.

    As if a warm current continuously flowed from his stomach to his brain, revitalizing the remnants of his mental capacity.

    "Truly effective!"

    Once again, the owner hadn''t let him down.

    Immediately energized, he plunged back into developing his dishes.

    ...

    "Perhaps I should reduce the salt..."

    Stirring the pan, he added salt.

    Shaking it a few times, he suddenly realized, "That''s enough."

    The amount of salt was just right.

    A little more or less, and it wouldn''t achieve the optimal effect.

    It was a strange sensation.

    Not just with salt, he seemed to clearly perceive the integration of every ingredient and seasoning, down to the gram.

    As if his body exuded a peculiar... culinary divine power, epassing everything within his grasp.

    "From quantity to quality, has my culinary skill truly broken through to a new level?"

    But he didn''t feel it was to that extent yet.

    His gaze fell on the honey beside him.

    "Could it be..."

    His spection was proven right.

    Subsequently, this extraordinary perception gradually waned until it vanished.

    Then, he took another spoonful, and the feeling returned.

    "Whoa"

    This honey was even more miraculous than the owner described. It didn''t just increase mental prowess.

    Or perhaps, was it the increased mental capacity that heightened his perception?

    Can''tprehend.

    Then let it be.

    Leveraging this special state, he wholeheartedly dived back into perfecting his dishes.

    Three times.

    Only three times, and he seeded.

    The long-lost ancestral signature dish, ted and emitting an enticing color and aroma.

    A taste.

    Exactly the vor of his childhood.

    Li Lei was moved to tears.

    Not knowing if it was tears or beads of sweat, he wiped his eyes, picked up his phone, logged into the "Bee Whisperer''s Cottage," andmented: "Boss, you''re my deity!"

    ...

    On that same day, Hua Mi returned from her stroll outside and began attending to the pending orders.

    At this point, "Bee Whisperer''s Cottage" had nearly five hundred upants.

    The Phantom Flower Honey was already sold out.

    However, there were still over a hundred bottles of Grace Flower Honey left.

    Faster than he imagined.

    With this many orders, it would keep her busy for a while.

    Focused on handling orders, Hua Mi suddenly received a private message.

 Chapter 147: Melancholic Girl and the Veil of Magic

    Chapter 147: Mncholic Girl and the Veil of Magic

    A fellow circle member nicknamed "Drizzle Drizzle" sent a message: "Boss, do you still have sleep-inducing honey for sale?"

    Sleep-inducing honey, it should be referring to the slumber blossom honey.

    He did have a stash of this honey, kept for personal use.

    Truth be told, now he relied on Thunderflower honey to charge up swiftly, enabling a rapid recovery of his physical state. Simply put, he hardly needed sleep anymore from that aspect alone.

    However, in reality, except for specific situations, he still adhered to a regr sleep schedule for most of his time.

    Sleep is a pleasure for humans; waking up naturally after a good rest is the best feeling.

    Depriving oneself of sleep would strip away a significant joy of life.

    That''s one aspect.

    On the other hand, and most crucially, prolonged sleeplessness could affect personal developmentboth mental and physical aspects.

    Though relying on "recharging" to quickly replenish energy works, constantly doing so would hinder personal growth, ultimately sealing one''s potential.

    Therefore, having a regr night''s sleep was still highly necessary.

    Using recharging as a substitute for sleep was feasible but not advisable too often.

    The slumber blossom honey Hua Mi hoarded could help him experience better sleep and,bined with training, reach an optimal growth state.

    But if a circle friend specifically came looking to buy it, he could consider sellingit''s about being flexible.

    That''s one advantage of the Micro-chat circle for selling goodsrapidmunication, adaptable responses.

    Hua Mi replied, "There''s some left, not much. How much do you need?"

    However, the other person didn''t respond immediately.

    After a few minutes, they replied, "I want to ask, is there a dosage limit for this honey? How much is dangerous to consume at once?"

    This question was odd.

    Firstly, slumber blossom honey wasn''t a sleeping pill; its effects had an upper limit. As the dosage increased, the enhancement in effect gradually slowed down. Upon reaching a certain dosage, the effect wouldn''t continue to improve.

    It merely facilitated a prerequisite condition for sleep, under which one could attain an excellent sleep experience.

    Uncontrolledly dozing off right there wouldn''t be aiding sleep; that would be a knockout drug.

    Of course, anything taken excessively would cause issues.

    One could get overstuffed or choked.

    Seeing this question, Hua Mi paused briefly, then realized something, bing instantly alert.

    Without rushing to reply, he first clicked on "Drizzle Drizzle''s" profile to take a look.

    Female gender, the avatar was a cartoon character''s silhouette, and the background color was quite gloomy.

    ncing at her bio, Hua Mi felt she was probably a young girl, most likely underage, around fifteen or sixteen at most.

    "Buying sleep aids when underage, especially regted drugs, would be very troublesome. So, she''s asking if slumber blossom honey can produce effects simr to a sleep aid... probably because she''s distressed about something."

    There''s always someone who believes that swallowing sleep aids results in a peaceful death.

    In reality, the process is quite ufortable, akin to a dull knife cutting slowly.

    After contemting for a moment, Hua Mi typed to answer her question: "That honey only aids sleep, it doesn''t have the effect of a sleeping pill."

    Drizzle Drizzle quickly responded, "Okay, I understand now. Sorry to bother you."

    This reply didn''t seem right.

    Hua Mi swiftly typed, "Why not try the newly stocked Mirage Blossom Honey?"

    Drizzle Drizzle: "Sorry, I don''t have money."

    Hua Mi swiftly took action, sending her a link.

    [ Mirage Blossom Honey, Price: 0.1 Yuan ]

    Underneath, Hua Mi added, "Give it a try; this honey brings happiness and won''t disappoint you."

    Then, he patiently waited for her reply.

    Meanwhile, in a residential area...

    The bedroom''s curtains were drawn, allowing a faint, cold light to seep through the edges.

    The room was shrouded in darkness.

    A slender girl, wearing an oversized t-shirt, with disheveled hair cascading around her, huddled in the corner formed by the bed and the wall.

    On the floor beside hery a torn family photo, with her parents on either side and the child in the middle torn in half.

    Cheng Xiaoxiao stared at her phone, its screen reflecting her vacant gaze.

    "...this honey brings happiness..."

    "...happiness..."

    Her gaze fixated here.

    For a moment, her vision seemed flooded with the word "happiness."

    It was a beautiful term.

    But to her, those two words were particrly jarring at this moment.

    She gripped the phone tightly, almost distorting the screen.

    ''He doesn''t know; my life has long ceased to have anything to do with this word...''

    Cheng Xiaoxiao forcefully typed a line: "It''s useless; no one can save me!!"

    However, she didn''t immediately send it, her finger hovering over the send button. After a moment of vacancy, she moved to the delete key, erasing it letter by letter.

    Sighing, she finally sent: "Fine, I''ll try."

    The boss sent a smiley face.

    ...

    Hua Mi saw her eventually ce an order, and he rxed.

    What could be troubling her?

    Mirage Blossom Honey specializes in curing all kinds of unhappiness.

    Before nightfall, he swiftly processed all the orders and sent them out.

    Circle friends spanned across the globe.

    Some might arrive as soon as tomorrow.

    Others might take three or four days.

    After sorting things here, Hua Mi popped a few Thunderflower honey pills, recharging himself for a while.

    He then ordered some construction materials, nning to expand the greenhouse to grow Windchime Flowers and Beyond Trees.

    Immediately after, he traversed into the otherworld.

    It was daytime there.

    However, outside, thick snowkes began to fall, the sky dark and gloomy.

    Lu Fei stayed put inside the wooden house, quite well-behaved.

    But it had left a greenish pile on the floor.

    Though it didn''t smell, the sight was revolting.

    Humans and animals really shouldn''t share the same roof.

    "Guess I better build a shed for it soon... but not today," Hua Mi nced at the heavy snow outside, the weather not conducive to work. He thought, "While there''s nothing urgent, let''s try the effect of the Recement Cloth."

    The Recement Cloth was what Zelika referred to as the "Veil of Magic."

    He found the name quite tongue-twisting, not much better than "Alimondo Cloth," so he simply called it the "Recement Cloth."

    Hua Mi approached the table, turning on the sr hangingmp.

    From his ring space, he retrieved the Recement Cloth, along with a bottle of Feathercoat Mirage Honey.

    The cloth wasn''trge but sufficient to cover a honey bottle.

    However, it looked quite worn-out; he didn''t know how many more uses it had.

    Therefore, Hua Mi didn''t intend to carry out pointless experiments, going straight to the main act.

    First, the honey.

    Then, the bees.

    Let''s see what could be swapped.

    After adjusting, ensuring the Recement Clothpletely covered the honey bottle, Hua Mi followed Zelika''s method, clearly and consecutively chanting the "

    spell" three times.

    "Alimondo... Alimondo... Alimondo."

    While chanting, he released his mental energy, constantly enveloping the entire cloth, monitoring its state.

    As soon as he finished, he sensed the magic within the Recement Cloth begin to disturb rhythmically, like a whirlpool suddenly appearing in a pool of magic.

 Chapter 148: The Void Balance

    Chapter 148: The Void Bnce

    Underneath the substitution cloth, a clear magical effect was taking ce.

    Shortly after, the tattered fabric seemed toe to life, wriggling slowly.

    "Is the substitution starting?" Hua Mi watched expectantly at the unfolding scene before them.

    However, what followed wasn''t as Zeleka had described.

    The substitution wasn''tpleted all at once.

    The substitution cloth continued to wriggle, as if it had hit a snag.

    At that moment, while Hua Mi enveloped the substitution cloth with their psychic energy, a peculiar image shed in their mind:

    A bright silver bnce hovered within the void.

    Seemingly asrge as a skyscraper yet as small as a speck of dust.

    Without any reference in the void, its size couldn''t be determined.

    Its design was simple and imposing, devoid of intricateponents or decorative patterns.

    Only a structure fulfilling its most basic function.

    The fundamental function of the bnce, of course, was to weigh.

    At that moment, on its left pan,y the Honey of Illusionary Feathers that Hua Mi had ced beneath the substitution cloth.

    While the right pan remained empty.

    To be precise, it hadn''t decided what to ce there yet.

    Various colored dots gathered, but before they could coalesce, they swiftly dissipated, and the bnce remained imbnced.

    Hua Mi found it intriguing.

    This bnce clearly wasn''t an ordinary magical tool; it possessed a strong spirituality.

    It was like a special entity attached to the substitution cloth.

    Just as Hua Mi was about to delve deeper into its nature using their psychic energy, the Illusionary Feathers Honey on the left pan vanished.

    And suddenly, they felt a repelling force, their psychic energy rebounding.

    The image in the void vanished.

    Hua Mi blinked and looked at the substitution cloth on the table.

    It no longer wriggled, the internal magical effect having ceased.

    Lifting it, Hua Mi checked, and indeed, the Honey of Illusionary Feathers remained untouched, no change whatsoever.

    "Has the substitution failed?" Hua Mi covered the cloth again, chanting "Alimondo" thrice, but nothing happened.

    "...What''s going on?"

    A glitch, maybe?

    Possibly because the honey wasn''t supposed to exist in this world, so the bnce couldn''t urately assess its value...

    As per Zeleka''s description, under normal circumstances, the substitution was almost instantaneous.

    But just now, it ''stuck.''

    And with their psychic power, Hua Mi had seized the opportunity to sense its inner space.

    Now, attempting to probe again was like hitting a brick wa seamless surface with no cracks.

    Seemingly wless, with no openings.

    It seemed the only chance to enter would be during its substitution.

    After a brief contact, Hua Mi could ascertain that the entity attached to the substitution cloth was unique.

    Whether it was bound within or originally birthed from this fabric was uncertain.

    This raised a question: when the substitution cloth was used enough times, and if it became damaged and unusable, would this entity within the bnce be released or would it perish?

    Hua Mi noticed that despite the iplete substitution just now, the fabric showed signs of wear.

    Seemingly, any usage would lead to abrasion, regardless of the oue.

    "The Honey of Illusionary Feathers seems to have been cklisted. How about trying another honey? Or perhaps, directly using bees."

    Hua Mi was single-mindedly eager to uncover the secrets of the entity within the bnce.

    Controlling a Yin-Yang Bee, the highest-grade bee they currently had, it settled on the tabletop.

    Hua Mi had the bee lie t on the table, covered it with the substitution cloth as before, wrapping it with their psychic energy, and chanted "Alimondo" three times in session.

    After a familiar wave of magical fluctuations.

    The fabric ''came to life'' once more.

    Simultaneously, Hua Mi lost control of the Yin-Yang Bee.

    Focusing their attention, they sought loopholes.

    As expected, this time, the substitution wasn''tpleted in time.

    Seizing the opportunity, Hua Mi infiltrated with their psychic power.

    Again, the image of the void bnce surfaced in their mind.

    Simr to when weighing the Honey of Illusionary Feathers.

    The specter of the Yin-Yang Bee rested on the left pan of the bnce, while various items shed on the right pan, but equilibrium remained elusive.

    This time, Hua Mi noticed the bnce seemed more ''temperamental'' than beforethe shifting on the right pan quickened noticeably.

    "Twice in a row, and you can''t get the job done. You''re failing at this, bnce," Hua Mi quipped inwardly.

    It seemed like the bnce heard their thoughts.

    Its surface, initially a bright silver, instantly shifted to fiery red, emitting wisps of ''steam'' signifying irritation, seemingly exasperated.

    A creaking sound akin to old metal rubbing against each other emanated from it.

    "Turning red?" Hua Mi realized that this bnce, while bound by certain rules, appeared somewhat clumsy and dim-witted, almost like a machine controlled by set programming.

    But within those rules, it exhibited significant spirituality, capable of basicmunication at least.

    Hua Mi grew increasingly curious about its origins.

    Suddenly, the bnce ''heated up,'' and a stream of rainbow dots flowed from its surface, converging andnding on the right pan.

    The scale began tilting toward the right.

    By continuously adding and subtracting the dots, the bnce finally achieved equilibrium on both sides.

    "This is..." Before Hua Mi could examine closely, their psychic energy was once again repelled.

    The void bnce disappeared from their mind.

    Hua Mi nced at the tabletop.

    The substitution cloth appeared more worn out than before.

    It seemed it wouldn''t withstand many more uses.

    A slight bulge emerged in the center, indicating that whaty beneath was no longer a bee.

    Lifting it, Hua Mi found a cluster of rainbow dots underneath.

    Information about it flooded into Hua Mi''s mind.

    It was a characteristic.

    It was what the void bnce had peeled off from itself.

    Unable to find a suitable equivalent, it had directly targeted Hua Mi.

    This characteristic, to be precise, was the ''Weighing'' characteristic.

    The void bnce relied on this characteristic to perceive the nature of an object and conduct equivalent substitutions.

    "This characteristic can absorb... as long as it absorbs this characteristic, I might be able to analyze the nature and value of unfamiliar items in the future."

    Because the characteristic wasn''tplete, it couldn''t provide a hundred percent information.

    It could only offer a certain probability.

    But that was already quite impressive.

    Without hesitation, Hua Mi reached out, fingertips touching the cluster of characteristics.

    At the moment of contact, they felt an attraction, as if countless particles were moring to burrow into their body.

    Rxing their psychic energy, they allowed the cluster of light to merge into them.

    A fleeting warmth surged through them.

    This characteristic had be a part of them.

    Hua Mi blinked, surveying the interior of the wooden cabin, eager to test the newly acquired ability.

    "No, the things here are already familiar to me. I don''t really need to ''weigh'' them... Maybe I''ll tryter when I get a chance."

    ...

    As for other types of bees and honeys, the substitution cloth showed no reaction anymore.

    It seemed

    to categorize them collectively and cklist them...

    "I wonder if the void bnce giving out partial characteristics will affect its own functionality?"

    If the total quantity of characteristics remained constant, undoubtedly, its abilities would be somewhat weakened.

    Of course, it might have only duplicated some characteristics, so it wouldn''t be affected entirely.

    However, amidst these uncertainties, Hua Mi was more intrigued by the origins of the void bnce.

    Such a rare characteristic, even by the standards of other realms, was undeniably mystical.

    Hua Mi nced at the heavily worn fabric, deciding not to continue experimentinganother try might just render it useless.

    Carefully, they stored it in their storage ring.

    "When my psychic energy bes strong enough, maybe then I''ll forcibly probe into the space where the void bnce resides, and by then, I''ll naturally understand its origins..."

    At that moment, Hua Mi suddenly felt waves of heat emanating from their body.

    It wasn''t due to external environmental changes but rather an internal radiance.

    "Could it be because of the absorbed characteristic?"

    Hua Mi carefully sensed the anomaly within their body, probing inwardly, confirming that indeed, it was caused by the recently absorbed characteristic.

    It seemed... somewhat ipatible.

 Chapter 149: Measuring Bees

    Chapter 149: Measuring Bees

    He seemed to have absorbed the characteristics into his body, but notpletely. Upon careful inspection, it was evident that he merely carried these traits; there was no full "integration."

    No wonder nothing happened when he attempted to measure the objects around him just now.

    He had thought it was because he was too familiar with the items in the wooden house, thereby not triggering any abilities.

    As it turned out, he hadn''t gained this ability in the first ce.

    In other words, the characteristics were just temporarily attached to him.

    It was akin to eating something, swallowing it, but being unable to digest it.

    Right now, his "stomach" felt ufortable, starting to feel nauseous.

    The traits slowly separated from his body, reassembling into a sphere made of tiny dots, suspended in mid-air.

    "Strange"

    When the traits were disced earlier, Hua Mi simultaneously received information about it.

    The "instructions" explicitly stated that this thing was "absorbable."

    "Could it be because I''m not from this world, so the hardware isn''tpatible? Or perhaps"

    Hua Mi pondered for a moment, then released a Yin-Yang Bee.

    Since arriving, he had undergone a series of events, indicating that bees in this world held some unique qualities.

    For instance, they could evolve under the influence of blessings and cursesthis alone put them ahead of the native species by a version.

    Maybe this trait could also be absorbed and fully digested.

    With this in mind, Hua Mi directed the Yin-Yang Bee towards the sphere of traits.

    The sphere was muchrger than the bee.

    As the Yin-Yang Bee entered the sphere of traits, its small figure was immediately engulfed.

    But Hua Mi could sense its state.

    Unfortunately, it was the opposite of what he had expected.

    Not only was there no sign of the traits being absorbed, but there was also a repelling force.

    It seemed like the Yin-Yang Bee''s body spontaneously generated a force that rejected the entry of traits.

    It was like mas repelling simr poles.

    "Repelling simr poles maybe because the Yin-Yang Bee itself already possesses traits, and the two traits are repelling each other"

    Thinking of this possibility, Hua Mi sent out an unaltered ordinary Chinese honeybee, controlling it to fly into the sphere.

    "This might work."

    As soon as the ordinary bee touched the sphere of traits, it surged into the bee''s body from all directions, and then

    The bee "burst."

    Not in the physical sense, but overwhelmed by the surge of traits, its life force instantly reset to zero.

    The traits were then dissected from the bee''s corpse, recondensed into a sphere of light.

    "From the process, my earlier guess seems correct. The small bee can absorb traits, but just now, the input of traits was too intense. If there''s a way to ease this process"

    Hua Mi had a bright idea. He once again grabbed the sphere of traits and allowed it to enter his body.

    Then, he released another ordinary bee, letting it rest on his palm.

    The first time traits emerged from his body, he felt the process was much smoother.

    Perhaps he could act as a rectifier, limiting the rate of trait input.

    Simr to before, traits began to emerge from his body.

    But instead of condensing into a sphere, they slowly flowed towards the ordinary bee resting in his palm.

    Through his mental strength, he could to a certain extent control the flow of traits.

    Easy to say, but this process was quite draining mentally.

    Although it didn''t require significant exertion, it demanded high precision.

    Under his control, traits flowed like tiny streams, passing over his body surface, converging towards the ordinary bee in his palm.

    Gradually, the small bee began to glow.

    Covered in a hazy array of dots of light all over its body.

    This processsted for about 5 minutes.

    Hua Mi clearly sensed that the traits were slowly being digested within it.

    Finally, when the digestion wasplete, the array of light covering the small bee rapidly dimmed.

    Revealing a colorful dazzling bee.

    Apletely new breed of bee was thus born.

    However, Hua Mi felt a bit displeased.

    The "instructions" that came with the discement of traits didn''t exin it clearly at all.

    Making him go through so much trouble to figure it out by himself.

    Bad review!

    But he quickly shifted his focus to this new bee.

    Honestly, its appearance was truly beautiful.

    One could say it was the most beautiful among all the bee species currently known.

    Its body had a gradient of iridescent luster, including its wings, resembling an artwork crafted from colorful ss!

    However, in contrast, its functionality was quite singr.

    It could evoke a special magic field, measuring the properties and values of objects within the field. Like a reconnaissance bee, it could ry relevant information to Hua Mi.

    In essence, it was akin to mastering the "measuring" trait, but with a bee as a bridge in between.

    "Let''s call you ''Measuring Bee.''"

    The basic attributes of the Measuring Bee were quite ordinary.

    [Lifespan: 1]

    [Fertility: 1]

    [Productivity: 0]

    [Attack Power: 1]

    [Defense Power: 1]

    [Life Force: 1]

    [Speed: 0.7]

    [Collection Ability: 0]

    [Combat Ability: 0.8]

    [Tactical Bonus: 5]

    Overall assessment: Level 4 bee.

    The Measuring Bee had no honey sac, couldn''t collect honey, and its attributes were average. It obtained a Level 4 assessment solely due to its special ability.

    This analytical ability was extremely useful to him.

    If not for the iplete traits, preventing the analysis of all objects, it could easily be rated as a Level 5 bee.

    "Transforming two groups of Measuring Bees should suffice."

    Measuring Bees were different from reconnaissance bees.

    Only one reconnaissance bee was needed.

    The more Measuring Bees, therger thebined measurement field they could create, leading to more urate integrated analysis.

    Hua Mi decided to temporarily transform two groups of Measuring Bees.

    That meant more than twenty thousand Measuring Bees, equivalent to obtaining over twenty thousand samples at once and deriving a conclusion. That was enough.

    Speaking of which, could the Void Bnce that bestowed traits upon bees be fundamentally simr to blessings?

    Thinking along those lines, the Void Bnce appeared increasinglyplex.

    Perhaps it was an existence on par with deities.

    But the contradiction was, if it was so powerful, why would it confine itself to a magical artifact in such a restrained manner?

 Chapter 150: Rave Reviews - (1)

    Chapter 150: Rave Reviews - (1)

    The Next Day

    Two measurement beespleted their transformation.

    Hua Mi directed these two new bee colonies to line up, intending to practice first.

    Their target? A stone.

    The bees swarmed, densely coating the stone''s surface.

    As the measurement magic field opened, the target''s information immediately appeared in Hua Mi''s mind.

    "It''s amonly found mineral, moderate hardness, usable for making stone tools. Valuation: garbage."

    Then, he took out a bottle of Mirage Flower Bee Honey.

    Directing a group of measurement bees to adhere to the bottle.

    "A 500ml bottle of Mirage Flower Bee Honey. Brewed from bee-collected Mirage Flower nectar, with a sweet and delightful taste, invigorating. Valuation: high."

    Two conclusions surfaced.

    Firstly, the received information was rted to his own thoughts and memories.

    Secondly, the measured target depended on his personal will. For instance, he wanted to measure the honey, not the bottle.

    With this new bee species, future explorations would be much easier.

    Although due to their iplete traits, there''d inevitably be objects the bee colonies couldn''t analyze.

    Yet, he was content.

    ...

    Today, the snow had stopped.

    Hua Mi began preparing a separate shelter for Lu Fei.

    He intended to build it beside the small cabin, the two structures almost adjacent, with just a narrow alley between.

    He quickly found a stable design online and nned to follow the blueprint for construction.

    The structure needn''t be overlyplex orrge, merely a single room for Lu Fei.

    First step: gather materials, mainly wood.

    The trees in the ck Forest were robust and mostly grew straight, perfect for construction.

    His control over the ring-cut bees was proficient now, so cutting wood was a trivial task.

    Next, he nned to practice wood carving with the ring-cut bees... a challenging endeavor, he anticipated.

    As he controlled the ring-cut bees to fell trees, a burly figure entered his field of vision, striding briskly toward him.

    It was "Big Bear."

    On the night of the full moon, this lycanthrope had lost control and ended up in the greenhouse, but Hua Mi had "tamed" him with a bottle of Mirage Flower Bee Honey.

    Big Bear wasn''t his real name; his original name was too long to remember.

    He marched toward Hua Mi and got straight to the point:

    "Let me handle the construction."

    Hua Mi found it odd. How did he know I intended to build?

    It was only after an exnation that Hua Mi understood.

    Turns out, Big Bear had met Xiao Zi outside today and casually inquired about Hua Mi''s situation. Learning that Hua Mi was preparing to build a house, Big Bear had hurried over to help.

    "I promised not to take your honey for free. So, let me handle this small matter," Big Bear said earnestly.

    He imed to have prior experience in house construction and assured there wouldn''t be any problems.

    His sincere tone and muscr physique seemed fitting for the task.

    Hua Mi ceased his courtesy, agreeing readily. Considering Big Bear''s experience, he discarded the online blueprints, allowing him free rein.

    Thus, Big Bear became a temporary worker here.

    Although Big Bear didn''t demand payment, Hua Mi didn''t skimp on him.

    Earthly delicacies were served continuously, with honey provided at every meal.

    Big Bear seemed to thoroughly enjoy his time here.

    This allowed Hua Mi to focus on more meaningful tasks.

    Don''t be mistaken; he was usually quite busy with numerous tasks.

    Caring for the flower field and bee colonies, practicing bee control, training mental strength, reading to understand this world, learning foreignnguages, managing affairs from Earth, running the "Bee Whisperer''s Cabin"...

    Each task was crucial, unable to be neglected.

    On Earth''s end,

    In less than a week, the first batch of honey from the "Bee Whisperer''s Cabin" waspletely sold out.

    The Micro Chat group had grown to over seven hundred members.

    Discussions became livelier, sometimes with heated exchangeste into the night.

    Aside from the yful banter, there were serious discussions about honey and bee-rted knowledge.

    Of course, most discussions revolved around the two newly released honeys.

    Hua Mi quickly skimmed through and found overwhelmingly positive reviews.

    A member named "Three Stones Chef" posted a photo of a culinary contest trophy, along with an appetizing dish.

    "This is a traditional dish in my family, called ''Seven Delicacies.'' Unfortunately, my grandfather passed away suddenly without passing down the recipe, leaving behind only a partial cookbook.

    "Taking advantage of this culinary contest, I''ve been researching its preparation. However, this dish''s process is incredibly intricate. Without theplete recipe, replicating it is exceedingly challenging.

    "Just when I was about to give up, the boss entered my sight again with his honey.

    "Let me share my experience. Firstly, this Blessing Flower Bee Honey not only boosts mental acuity but importantly, it significantly enhances my perception of ingredients. I can even sense the fusion between seasoning and ingredients, imagining the final vor... Thanks to this honey, I quickly replicated the recipe for Seven Delicacies and won the culinary contest championship, so I''m here to share the good news.

    "Lastly, I want to say to the boss: Boss, you''re my savior!"

    This lengthy message naturally caught Hua Mi''s attention.

    After reading it, he couldn''t help but smile.

    That''s how superfans are created, huh?

    However, the chef''s mention of how the Blessing Flower Bee Honey improved his ingredient perception... that was unexpected.

    He hadn''t anticipated this honey having benefits for cooking. But considering the honey''s effects, it wasn''t surprising. He''d simply overlooked this aspect, being focused on alchemy before.

    Cooking, in some ways, shared simrities with alchemyadding various ingredients to create a final product. Quantities, sequence, timing, heat, all yed crucial roles.

    The only difference was that cooking didn''t require magical involvement.

    Fellow group members congratted him on the victory.

    Following that, another member named "Mendeleev''s Hydrogen Element" echoed the chef''s sentiments:

    "I''m a professional inorganic chemist. Recently, I''ve been tormented by an experiment, failing at least fifty times.

    "This honey has enhanced my control over experiments, allowing me to witness material reactions. Finally, I sessfully obtained the target crystal."

    Apanying the text was a test tube image, containing an unidentified liquid with a transparent crystal immersed within.

    Many other group members shared their achievements too.

    "This honey significantly boosts mental acuity. I managed to achieve a full score in an exam, thanks to it!"

    "Blessing Flower Bee Honey makes writing ten thousand words a day a breeze!"

    "It''s helped rify my thoughts while I''m cking off at work!"

    "Too bad it''s limited to one bottle. Boss, when will this honey be restocked?"

 Chapter 150: Rave Reviews - (2)

    Chapter 150: Rave Reviews - (2)

    The messages continued, showcasing the myriad benefits of the honey.

    "Ah, I was slow to join the circle, and when I finally did, it was already sold out. Now seeing you guys unt it, it''s ufortable."

    "I was thinking of waiting and buying... turns out waiting was foolish."

    Thements were unanimously positive! Regarding the much-discussed issue of aeback:

    While the third batch of Graceful Honey was almost ready for harvesting, and there was still plenty of stock on hand, he wouldn''t immediately put it up for sale.

    The n was to wait until the Wind Chime Flower Honey was harvested before putting them up together.

    Selling once every month or so would be sufficient.

    Apart from the public information, he received a special private message.

    It was from "Muyu Xiaoxiao."

    The other party started with a heartwarming emoji.

    Seems like she''s moved past the thought of self-harm.

    This waspletely within his expectations.

    He was well aware of the effects of the Mirage Flower Honey.

    "Boss, I''vepletelye to terms with it."

    "Whether my life is happy or not is under my control and has nothing to do with others."

    "To get so worked up over that thing before was really stupid."

    "I''m going to walk at my own pace and explore a broader world."

    Muyu Xiaoxiao sent consecutive messages, clearly in good spirits.

    But she also expressed her curiosity: "I''m really curious, how is this honey made? Are there any healing ingredients added?"

    "It''s magic, I added magic."

    Hua Mi silently responded in his mind and typed, "Sweets can uplift one''s mood, possessing the power to heal the heart."

    "Is that so?"

    While Muyu Xiaoxiao was not very old, she wasn''t going to be easily fooled by such words. "The effect seems too good, it really was immediate. The moment I consumed it, it felt like a beam of light shining on my heart, making me want to open up and embrace the sunshine. Thinking back to the change in my state at that time still feels incredible."

    "Not bad rhetoric."

    It vividly described the feeling after taking the Mirage Flower Honey.

    "Boss, are you really an incarnation of a deity in the mortal world?" Muyu Xiaoxiao, in her adolescence, couldn''t contain her imaginative thoughts. "People in the circle are saying these honeys are miracles manifested by you."

    "Don''t deify the effect of the honey," Hua Mi said, "The ''beam of light'' you felt is actually a power you already had, just hidden deep inside. The honey''s effect merely coaxed it out. I hope that in the future, you can discover and utilize that light''s energy without relying on the honey. By then, you''ll understand."

    "Wow, that''s profound. Can''t get it ()?"

    "It''s okay if you don''t get it now. You''ll understand when you''re older."

    "Okay."

    Hua Mi found his own words somewhat cringe-worthy upon reflection.

    What was with this sudden elder-like tone?

    "At her age, she might call me ''brother'' at most. After spending so much time with the Seven Littles, I better not start thinking of myself as a ''grandpa''," Hua Mi chuckled self-deprecatingly.

    However, the positive feedback from circle friends strengthened his resolve to continue selling honey on Earth.

    Upon careful consideration, this was essentially transporting magical elements from another world to Earth bit by bit.

    Although the progress seemed slow for now, umtion would lead to a qualitative change.

    To a certain extent, the fusion of magic and Earth might bring about wondrous reactions.

    He had worried about this before.

    But as he gained more experience in the other world, his thinking had undergone some changes.

    There was no need to be so overly cautious.

    Just like technology, magic was also a double-edged sword. He couldn''t throw the baby out with the bathwater.

    Additionally, he couldn''t predict the future.

    All he knew was what he was doing at the moment, whether providing magic honey or using magical power to address environmental issues, both were good for themon people and beneficial for Earth''s development.

    That was enough.

    ...

    With the arrival of building materials, Hua Mi started expanding the greenhouse.

    This time, he nned five sections.

    One section was dedicated to Wind Chime Flowers, covering around ten acres.

    There were only five Abyssal Trees nted, considering the optimal spacing; they required only a small area ofnd, currently the smallest field.

    The other three sections, each around ten acres, were for nting Feather Dress Flowers and Dreaming Moon Flowers.

    These two honeys had quite a demand in the circle; it was time for aeback.

    One section was left as a reserve.

    Wind Chime Flowers would take just over ten days to yield honey.

    However, the growth cycle of Abyssal Trees was longer.

    Even with continuous magical catalysis, it might take several months for them to bloomunless there was a more effective, more magical method.

    ...

    A few dayster, the third batch of Graceful Honey was harvested.

    The inventory increased by nearly 500 bottles.

    However, as nned earlier, they wouldn''t be put up for sale temporarily, waiting for the Wind Chime Flower Honey production.

    That would probably take another ten days or so.

    Moreover, during this batch''s Graceful Honey harvest, luck favored them; a byproduct appeared, the Strength Pill.

    This had urred once before, formed by Strong Bees and Graceful Flowers.

    Following the same process, after taking the Strength Pill, Hua Mi entered a meditative state.

    His body''s muscles felt as though they underwent intense refinement by fire. By the time the effects of the Strength Pillpletely faded, his strength had increased by a level. Lifting a 50-kilogram barbell with one hand was effortless; he could practically dominate the gym now.

    Externally, there wasn''t much change in his muscles; the growth wasn''t significant. However, the hardness had noticeably increased; his chest and abdominal muscles felt as firm and resilient as activated wood.

    ...

    That day, Hua Mi was reading in the wooden house.

    Outside, there was a continuous banging sound, courtesy of Big Bear''s construction work.

    Speaking of efficiency, Big Bear was truly remarkable. When working, he was as efficient as ten peopleof course, he also ate several times more than an ordinary person.

    However, food and such were in unlimited supply. With enough savings now, he could say the entire Earth was his resource reserve.

    Big Bear''s diligent and conscientious nature made him, as the contractor, feel very reassured.

    He could concentrate more on reading.

    The book Hua Mi was currently reading was the alchemical form found in the Misty Mountain Range.

    Though hecked a mana bar and couldn''t learn alchemy, memorizing the form was a safer bet.

    Knowledge was a form of power; what he remembered was his, and in that aspect, his own brain was the most reliable.

    This way, even if the notebook were lost or destroyed, there would be no loss.

    Furthermore, if he intended to establish himself as an alchemy master, he couldn''t afford to pull out his notes every time someone mentioned a certain alchemical creation; that would undervalue his image.

    In the evening, Hua Mi finished reading.

    He replenished his mental strength by consuming a Graceful Honey Pill and then took out the meditation sphere.

 Chapter 151: Intrusion into the Contemplation Sphere - (1)

    Chapter 151: Intrusion into the Contemtion Sphere - (1)

    Hua Mi had been attempting to ess this thing for a while now, but his mental strength had always fallen short. Yet, after the recent exploration in the Misty Mountains, his mental control had notably improved, reaching the 5th stage of "Bee Power".

    In this world, there wasn''t a clear-cut ranking system for mental strength. Most professions didn''t prioritize its cultivation, sticking to a "just enough" principle. Take mages, for instance. While training mental strength waspulsory, they seldom devoted much effort to it. As long as it was sufficient to wield magic, they stopped at a critical threshold.

    What was this threshold? It meant that once mental strength reached a certain point, pushing further led to a steep decline in the enhancement of casting speed and such. So, rather than spending a lot of time on mental cultivation, it made more sense to practice more spells or enhance magical skills.

    That was the consensus among mages: mental strength had a limit, while magical power had none. But Hua Mi was different. His growth relied heavily on mental strength. The higher it soared, the greater his ability to control the bee swarms.

    To objectively measure his own prowess, he devised a rough yet simple grading system: segmentation. Essentially, the number of swarms he could control equated to the number of segments.

    Considering that a swarmprised around 10,000 to 20,000 bees, the simultaneous control of swarms matched his mental strength segments.

    For instance, if it were 20,000 bees from a single swarm, it was rtively easier to control. But if it came from two swarms of 10,000 each, the difficultyy somewhere between controlling 1 and 2 swarms.

    In summary, he believed that with his current 5th stage of mental strength, he was capable enough to attempt breaking through the "firewall" of the Contemtion Sphere.

    Taking out the sphere, he unleashed his mental strength, forcefully probing inside! However, even with his current 5th stage mental strength, breaking in remained a challenge.

    Hua Mi concentrated his mental strength into a "sharp de", engaging in a tug-of-war with the sphere''s barrier. Persisting, he finally managed to breach it slightly.

    The mental de punctured a hole in the sphere''s barrier.

    What followed was a breakthrough, smooth and unstoppable.

    Hua Mi''s mental strength smoothly infiltrated the sphere.

    It was a fragmented space, enveloped in a vast expanse of white mist.

    The first notable sight was a row of golden symbols hovering above the mist.

    Not humannguage or elvish, in fact, he wasn''t even certain if it was anguage. Describing it as abstract stick figures seemed fitting.

    But its presence within the Contemtion Sphere indicated its importance to the grey-robed figure.

    "Is it some kind of code?" Hua Mi pondered, wondering if there was a treasure hidden somewhere, and these symbols represented the passcode to its location. Yet, possessing the code without knowing the location was of little use.

    Temporarily setting aside the symbols, Hua Mi observed more within the Contemtion Sphere.

    His mental strength delved deeper.

    Amidst the mist emerged an image. Presented in a first-person perspective, the scene was clear but somewhat shaky.

    It seemed to be a dimly lit small room.

    The walls were unevenly stacked stones without a single window, illuminated by a few dirty oilmps that hindered the light''s spread.

    At the center was an operating table with a corpse, showing signs of decay with a ghastly magic circle drawn in blood on its pale belly.

    Numerous jars of varied sizesy beside it, containing murky liquids and strange organs soaking within.

    "What an eerie scene," Hua Mi remarked. With his mental strength breaking the contemtion sphere''s defense, this ce hadpletely opened up to him.

    He could freely control the yback speed of this imagery, performing fast forwards or rewinds.

    After rapidly viewing the whole scene, Hua Mi realized it portrayed the entire process of creating a revenant.

    The ritual involved three main stages: handling the corpse, summoning the spirit, and eventually merging the two.

    Hua Mi had no intention to learn or practice such a taboo ritual. Anything deemed taboo surely had reasons behind it, and who knew what consequences might arise during the process.

    "Could there also be a record of a demon summoning ritual in here?" Hua Mi skipped this part, pushing his mental strength further through the fog.

    He spotted a piece of paper.

    On a ck background, white text appeared somewhat eerie. Gold filigree adorned its edges, giving it an oddly magnificent appearance.

    He couldn''t decipher the text on it, different from both the earlier symbols and humannguages. However, upon closer inspection, beneath the unfamiliar text, there were annotations inmonnguage, albeit tinypared to the other text, causing him to overlook them initially.

    Without examining it thoroughly, an inexplicable unease swept over Hua Mi. Although unable toprehend the writing, those worm-like characters seemed to instantly stir up his emotions, evoking a cold and frenzied sensation, apanied by murmurs.

    The robe of tranquility seemed ineffective.

    Even with his current mental strength and the robe''s effects, he couldn''t resist this influence.

    Hua Mi hastily diverted his mental strength, ceasing to delve into the content on the paper.

    Those unknown characters seemed to possess a certain power; despite being unreadable, they could impact those who observed them.

    Staring too long might lead to irreversible consequences.

    "Demonic script?" Hua Mi spected. Perhaps this was the contract signed between the grey-robed figure and a demon.

    Though he had been focusing on learning other species''nguagestely, demonnguage wasn''t within his ns.

    His stance on demons in the Nine Hells was strictly to keep a respectful distance.

    To have one''s soul plunge into the Nine Hells after death was the most wretched fate imaginable. In this world, the harshest curse upon someone was, "May your soul descend into the Nine Hells after death."

    Continuing to delve, Hua Mi soon reached the final part of the Contemtion Sphere''s record: a drawing.

    To be precise, a half-drawn image.

    It depicted a partial magic circle with iplete annotations...

    Fortunately, these annotations were in humannguage.

    It stated that this drawing contained an ancient secret: [Astral Projection].

 Chapter 152: Seven Flowers on a Vine - (1)

    Chapter 152: Seven Flowers on a Vine - (1)

    Hua Mi lowered his head and realized he was d in worn-out coarse clothes.

    His knees, elbows, and various spots were heavily worn, caked with dirt, as if just finished withbor.

    He had no clue where this outfit came from; he couldn''t recall ever seeing it before.

    How did this end up on me?

    More strangely, he only noticed it now.

    Since waking up, Hua Mi felt groggy, as if he hadn''t slept at all.

    Pressing his brow, he sensed something he''d forgotten, a hollow feeling, yet unable to recall it. It was like a sealed-off part of his mind.

    "Have you seen my ck robe?" Hua Mi sought answers from the outside world.

    "ck robe?" Xiao Hong tilted her head, eyeing him oddly. "What ck robe?"

    "The one I usually wear."

    "But you always wear these clothes. There''s no ck robe at all."

    "Really"

    Hua Mi furrowed his brow.

    After Xiao Hong''sment, upon closer thought, he indeed wore this outfit usually. A ck robe wouldn''t suit him at all.

    Chances were he''d never wear a ck robe in his life.

    Hua Mi suddenly jolted, reflexively turning towards the corner of the wooden house.

    A moment ago, he felt as though something was watching him.

    But staring in that direction, there was nothing.

    "Probably overthinking it. I''m just an ordinary person, no eyes in the back of my head, how could I sense something from behind... must be an illusion."

    Hua Mi pondered for a moment, shook his head, and stopped dwelling on these trivial matters.

    Amidst the mist, he moved toward the right front of the wooden house, arriving at a clearing amidst the woods.

    The first thing he saw was a structure made from wooden sticks.

    Entwined around it was a lush, verdant vine with thriving leaves.

    Within the leaves were seven flowers of different colors, side by side.

    Red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple

    Currently, only the petals of the red flower were open; the other six remained closed.

    As he approached the vine, the closed flowers suddenly seemed toe to life, swaying back and forth.

    Simultaneously, shrill cries came from within the petals:

    "Brother!"

    "Brother!"

    "Brother!"

    ...

    The ce echoed with sibling calls.

    It felt like being in a young chicken breeding ground.

    Amidst this noisy hubbub, the six flowers began to bloom in session.

    From the blooming petals emerged various colored lights, converging in the air, transforming into little flower spirits.

    Their hair color matched their respective flower colors.

    Among them, the purple one was rather special.

    As the purple flower spirit emerged, the purple flower itself detached from the vine, transforming into an exquisite magic tool, flying into the hands of the purple flower spirit.

    The six flower spirits flew over, gathering around Hua Mi, affectionately interacting with him, chattering incessantly.

    Though it seemed heartwarming at first nce, there was an inexplicable sense of dissonance...

    This scene before him, especially the seven flowers on the vine, made Hua Mi''s head ache.

    A feeling of having his brain rubbed on the ground by someone.

    Hua Mi pinched his chin, once again lost in contemtion.

    What could it be?

    This familiar yet absurd deja vu...

    "Brother, what''s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" The orange flower spirit was the first to notice his oddity, asking tenderly.

    The other flower spirits approached, looking at him with concern.

    Looking at these lively and adorable faces, a warm feeling enveloped Hua Mi. The sense of discement, confusion, and unreality he felt before seemed to dissipate at this moment.

    "Nothing." Hua Mi patted the orange flower spirit''s head, smiling. "I had a really strange dreamst night; my head''s a bit confused."

    The dream was over now.

    Consciousness gradually returned to reality.

    Those vague dreamlike phantoms were best left unthought of.

    The sun rose.

    Sunlight poured onto the earth, dispelling the surrounding mist.

    Next came farming time.

    Beside the vine was a field.

    The field was filled with various crops.

    Not very extensive, yet the crops grew vigorously.

    As a farmer, Hua Mi came every morning to tend to the fields. This was his morning routine.

    "We need some water." Hua Mi leaned on his hoe, looking at the parchednd.

    "Leave it to me!" The cyan flower spirit flew up to hover over the field.

    A stream of water condensed around her body, continuously generating and dividing into countless droplets, falling into the field.

    This was her unique ability, the power to create and control water flow.

    In fact, each of the seven flower spirits had unique abilities.

    Hua Mi relied on them to survive in this forest.

    With the irrigation by the cyan flower spirit''s water magic, it didn''t take long for the field to be thoroughly moist.

    The crops enjoyed the rain-like blessing, swaying happily.

    The artificial rainfall was sessfullypleted.

    The cyan flower spirit flew back to him, wearing an expression that sought praise.

    "Amazing," Hua Mi praised.

    "Hehe." The cyan flower spirit joyfully spun around.

    Her sisters, seeing this, also disyed their own powers to Hua Mi.

    The red flower spirit suddenly grew, reaching the height of a tall tree.

    This ergement wasn''t just superficial; her strength increased in proportion.

    Thud!

    Thud!

    Thud!

    The red flower spirit walked step by step, a few steps to arge tree.

    "The farnd needs expansion! Watch me."

    She hugged the tree trunk and, "Hey," yanked it.

    Therge tree was pulled out effortlessly, roots and all, cascading a heap of soil.

    Boom

    Throwing the tree aside, the red flower spirit pped, hands on her hips, chest out, sporting a confident smile.

    "Not bad."

    Hua Mi praised the red flower spirit without sparing anypliments.

    "Watch me chop this tree into firewood!"

    The yellow flower spirit said, flying above the trunk, then plunging straight down, creating a crack upon impact.

    Unharmed, she continued flying up and down, using herself as a de, cutting the trunk into small pieces.

    "Let me see if this can be used as firewood."

    The green flower spirit expelled a me, instantly igniting the chopped firewood.

    "Good, very good. All of you are very capable."

    Hua Mi praised continuously, like an elder watching children perform their talents.

 Chapter 153: The Seven-Colored Glass Flower

    Chapter 153: The Seven-Colored ss Flower

    It''s important to note that he''s currently capable of effortlessly lifting 50 kilograms with one hand. Grabbing arge bat was no big deal.

    Seeing the bat struggling, about tosh out, he immediately grabbed its two legs and ruthlessly mmed it to the ground

    Bang!

    "Squeak!"

    Following up with another m

    Bang!

    "Squeak!"

    And another

    Bang!

    "Squeak!"

    Bang!

    ""

    With each m, the bat let out a scream, akin to a screaming chicken, oddly relieving some stress.

    But as the beatings continued, the bat''s voice gradually weakened until it fell silent.

    Hua Mi remained steady, not stopping right away. He mmed it several more times to prevent any chance of resurrection.

    Only after confirming no signs of resistance did Hua Mi finally cease, releasing his grip and tossing the bat''s body aside.

    The seven tiny spirits hovered in the air, gaping at him.

    Was this still their brother, once powerless like a chicken? It felt... so unfamiliar.

    Amidst their surprise, there was a tinge of delight.

    Hua Mi could understand their sentiments well. It was akin to the three senior brothers heading to the monster''s cave to rescue Tang Monk, only to find him inside, subduing the monster, a delightful surprise.

    ...

    After driving away the invading monsters, Hua Mi sat down in the field, contemting the next steps.

    First, he needed to understand his current strength.

    Here, he faced considerable limitations.

    No items were on hand.

    He had to rely solely on himself.

    Five units of mental strength, a robust physique, and "Keen Eyesight" were his only assets.

    Not necessarily weak, butcking honey and bees, his strength undeniably dwindled.

    However, the seven tiny spirits in his dream seemed to be his allies; perhaps their strength could be leveraged.

    The main mission was clear: safely depart this dreand.

    Suicide was immediately ruled out due to its immense uncertainty.

    Who knew if suicide would return him to the real world or cast him into the Nine Hells...

    That left only one option: explore the dreand.

    He was utterly clueless about his current situation. Only by gathering enough information could he possibly find a way out of the dream.

    Sitting here, lost in thought, wasn''t going to cut it.

    "Of course, before I explore, I should consult the seven flower spirits to see what they know."

    Since they were natives of this dream, they ought to hold more information than he did.

    Thinking this, Hua Mi stood and headed toward the seven spirits.

    Just as he took a few steps, a ethereal voice echoed around him:

    "Guardian of the ck Forest... Guardian... Wake up, quickly awaken..."

    The voice sounded genderless, like a blend of many voices, neither clearly male nor female.

    "Who''s there?" Hua Mi felt like he recognized the voice but couldn''t ce it.

    "I am the Spirit of the ck Forest..."

    Oh right, it was the voice of the ck Forest Spirit.

    Previously, to cure the withering curse, he had ventured into the Spirit Realm of the ck Forest.

    The ck Forest Spirit had granted him a buffthe "Blessing of the ck Forest."

    The title "Guardian of the ck Forest" was also bestowed by her.

    But...

    Was this speaking ck Forest Spirit from the dream or the real world? The urgency to "wake up quickly" sounded more like the real world.

    As an ethereal being, perhaps the ck Forest Spirit could transcend dreams and reality to convey messages.

    "Guardian, you are trapped in a ''Nightmare'' created by the Dreamweaver."

    Nightmare?

    Was it a type of monster?

    Hua Mi pondered, confirming he hadn''t encountered any descriptions of it in books or notes.

    "The Nightmare draws power from dreams. The longer you stay here, the stronger it bes, making it harder to escape."

    I see.

    Although curious about this Nightmare monster, Hua Mi was more concerned about getting back to reality.

    The ck Forest Spirit''s voice sounded faint, as if about to disconnect.

    Hence, Hua Mi cut to the chase, speaking rapidly, "How do I leave here?"

    "You, relying on your mental strength, sensed the abnormality of your environment and awoke on your own, which isn''t easy. But to escape the dream created by the Nightmare, you must find the totem belonging to this dream..."

    "That totem is a ''anchor'' your subconscious constructed upon entering the dream. It''s crucial for sustaining the dream and the key to leaving it."

    "Once you obtain the totem, it will guide you to the exit..."

    Hua Mi didn''t have time to ponder. He quickly followed up, "Where do I find this totem? If I constructed it, why don''t I know where it is?"

    The ck Forest Spirit''s voice grew weaker, seeming to evade the question, "The totem is constructed by your subconscious. Once you''re near it, you''ll sense it... But you must know, Nightmares often dispatch powerful monsters to guard the totem. Obtaining it won''t be easy... You''ll have to explore its location on your own."

    Hua Mi mused, "So, I could do the reverseknowing the location of the strongest monster in the dream might lead me to the totem, right?"

    But there was no answer.

    "Hey, are you still there?"

    After a moment''s wait, it became apparent that the ck Forest Spirit had disconnected.

    He didn''t even get a chance to ask what would happen if one got injured or died in the dream.

    Cross-realmmunication was indeed unstable.

    But Hua Mi had already strategized.

    He approached the seven spirits, asking, "Who''s the strongest in this forest?"

    Without hesitation, the seven unanimously responded, "That would be the Scorpion-Tailed Lion and the Original Form Serpent Witch, they''re a couple."

    A couple...

    The Scorpion-Tailed Lion and the Original Form Serpent Witch...

    Scorpion Spirit and Snake Spirit?

    Seemed like it was rted to the Legend of the Cbash Brothers after all.

    This further suggested that the Dreamweaver constructing this dreand didn''t solely dictate it but was somewhat influenced or restricted by the dreamer, following certain patterns.

    Thinking for a moment, Hua Mi inquired, "In the territory of the Scorpion-Tailed Lion and the Original Form Serpent Witch, is there any particrly precious treasure?"

    This time, the seven huddled and discussed for a while.

    Red Flower Spirit stepped forward, saying, "They''ve hoarded many treasures, but the most cherished one would be a flower called the Seven-Colored ss Flower."

    The Seven-Colored ss Flower...

    Could that be the totem of the dream I constructed?

    Well, it really does suit my style.

    Hua Mi chuckled at his own thoughts.

    Following the ck Forest Spirit''s hint, to leave this dream ne, he needed to acquire the dream''s totemthe Seven-Colored ss Flower.

    So, the next steps were crystal clear.

    Addressing the seven spirits, Hua Mi said, "How about doing something exhrating?"

    The seven spirits were immediately intrigued, crowding around, "What''s that?"

    "Let''s head to the territory of the Scorpion-Tailed Lion and the Original Form Serpent Witch and get our hands on the Seven-Colored ss Flower!"

    "..."

    The seven

    spirits exchanged nces, clearly surprised, yet they didn''t question Hua Mi''s decision.

    "I''ll go steal it for my brother!"

    Blue Flower Spirit chimed in, gradually fading, bing transparent.

    "No." Hua Mi decisively stopped her dangerous idea. "The notion of ''Cbash Brothers saving their Grandpa'' won''t do."

 Chapter 154: Blooming Thoughts

    Chapter 154: Blooming Thoughts

    The invisibility ability of the Blue Flower Spirits was indeed handy for sneaking or stealing.

    However, this level of invisibility was, at most, just a minor trick in Hua Mi''s eyes. His "Fire Eye" could easily see through the whereabouts of the hidden Blue Flower Spirits.

    "Before we start, gathering intel is crucial," Hua Mi deliberated for a moment and instructed the Orange Flower Spirit to use their "Thousand-Mile Eyes and Favorable Wind Ears" to scout the current location of the Rainbow ss Flowers.

    "Leave it to me," the Orange Flower Spirit said, looking in a certain direction. Their eyes glowed with a golden light, sharply piercing through obstacles to reach the target.

    Meanwhile, their two sharp little ears kept twitching, capturing the movements of the target.

    The Thousand-Mile Eyes didn''t merely possess optical magnification like a telescope; they could prate physical barriers, directly seeing the desired location. Simrly, the Favorable Wind Ears weren''t just enhanced hearing; they were directional at will.

    Much more useful than his scouting bees.

    "If only my scouting bees could evolve to this level someday."

    At Hua Mi''s suggestion, the Orange Flower Spirit observed while sketching a simple map on the ground.

    It turned out that the domain of the Snake-Scorpion couple was underground,posed of a series of connected caves.

    The centralmost cave was the cultivation room.

    The Rainbow ss Flower was right there.

    "It''s said that the Rainbow ss Flower appeared in this world at its inception, impervious to water and fire. With the creator''s mere thought, it blossomed. Hence, it possesses extraordinary characteristics, producing various magical effects ording to the owner''s intent. I''ve seen it transform into a ribbon; once tied, even the most formidable person couldn''t break free. It''s with the power of the Rainbow Flower that the Scorpion-Tailed Lion and the Snake Nymph became overlords of the forest."

    It was evident that the Flower Spirits held the Rainbow ss Flower in high regard.

    However, Hua Mi felt a bit strained.

    "One thought blooms into a flower."

    Suddenly, he felt his demeanor elevate.

    Actually, they weren''t entirely wrong.

    As a totem of this dream world, the Rainbow ss Flower had been shaped by his subconscious, making him a sort of creator of this world. However, he might not be the sole creator of this fragmented virtual world.

    There was also a "nightmare" lurking in the shadows.

    "I still don''t know enough about the Otherworld."

    Despite Hua Mi''s recent efforts to catch up on Otherworld knowledge, unfortunately, the worldview of this world was immense andrgely shrouded in secrecy, unknown to ordinary people.

    The information he currently had was just the tip of the iceberg.

    For instance, this "nightmare." If he could have obtained information about it earlier, he could have been more proactive now.

    "Speaking of which, I wonder if this ''Rainbow ss Flower'' produces nectar... Since I was involved in its creation, based on my preferences, there''s a high probability it''s a nectar-producing nt. With such a rare flower, the honey it yields would surely have miraculous effects... Wait, now''s not the time for these thoughts!"

    Lost in his thoughts, professional habits resurfaced.

    Pondering this here was pointless.

    The flowers in the dream couldn''t be taken out... could they?

    ...

    Returning to the point, the Rainbow ss Flower was located centrally, heavily guarded both inside and out by magical beasts, with defensive and rm enchantments. Except for the Scorpion-Tailed Lion and the original Snake Nymph, no living being could approach.

    Directly confronting it head-on would be too challenging.

    Even if their strength surpassed theirs, engaging in an away game would still put them at a considerable disadvantage, lowering the chances of sess.

    After a moment''s thought, Hua Mi asked, "What are the Scorpion-Tailed Lion and the Snake Nymph doing now?"

    Observing for a while, the Orange Flower Spirit said, "They''re in their chambersright beside the cave where the Rainbow ss Flower is... embracing each other and chatting."

    Hmm... spending the daytime cuddling in the bedroom. Seems like their rtionship is good.

    "Maybe we can use this..."

    Hua Mi recalled the earlier attack by a group of assaulting bat demons.

    These were a type of secondary-level demon existing in reality. However, the group of bat demons in the dream was somewhat different.

    They appearedrger in size and seemed more intelligent.

    As expected, without surprise, those bat demons were sent by the Snake-Scorpion couple.

    They coveted the Flower Spirits, intending to capture them to refine an elixir for eternal youth and longevity, frequently dispatching these underlings to harass them.

    Hua Mi gathered more crucial intelligence and swiftly formed a n in his mind.

    Through the Orange Flower Spirit''s gathered intelligence, Hua Mi roughly understood the scenario he would face.

    Knowing oneself and the enemy meant a hundred battles without danger.

    With the assistance of the Flower Spirit Seven Sistersno, Flower Spirits Seven SistersHua Mi felt the likelihood of sess was quite high.

    "Here''s the n..."

    Hua Mi gestured for the Flower Spirit Seven Sisters to gather around, lowering his voice as he exined the uing actions:

    "Like this... and that way..."

    The Seven Sisters listened attentively, nodding continuously.

    "In short, we won''t force our way in. The key is to lure it out... Any questions?"

    "None!"

    The Flower Spirit Seven Sisters answered in unison.

    Excellent.

    Full of vigor.

    The Flower Picking Squad was officially established!

    Objective: Rainbow ss Flower!

    "Action starts, let''s go!"

    ...

    The dream forest resembled the ck Forest in reality, initially appearing quite simr. To the uninformed, it might seem like the same ce.

    But upon closer inspection, the terrain and vegetation cover were entirely different.

    Only the area near the small wooden house bore a few simrities to reality.

    Hua Mi carried a hoe while the Flower Spirit Seven Sisters headed toward the domain of the Snake-Scorpion couple.

    As they neared, patrols of bat demons gradually appeared in the woods.

    They flew in the sky, patrolling inside the domain.

    However, with the active radar of the Orange Flower Spirit, they always managed to avoid the enemy''s patrol routes smoothly.

    Without any mishaps, they reached their target location.

    Hua Mi and the Seven Sisters hid behind a thicket.

    Aheady a sloping cliff''s high ground.

    At the cliff''s front was a cave entrance, adorned with a stone door.

    On either side of the entrance stood two frog demonsone red and one blue, covered in lumps.

    The two frog demons stood upright with their bloated bodies, each holding a steel fork.

    Frog demons were a type of low-level creature existing in the real Otherworld; normal ones were ssified as level one, and the frenzied ones, level two, with intelligence not much higher than non-magical animals.

    However, in the dream, things were somewhat different.

    It was evident these two frog demons possessed high intelligence, as they were conversing in anguage.

    Moreover, it was the humannguage...

    "I''ve been thinking about somethingtely."

    "What thing?"

    "Where are we heading in the future?"

    "Nowhere. We''re staying here to watch the door."

    "No, mate, you''ve misunderstood me. What I mean is, what''s the ultimate goal

    of our lives? Ultimately, what''s the meaning of a frog''s life?"

    "To watch the door."

    "..."

    Alright, they weren''t as clever as imagined.

    Using their Thousand-Mile Eyes and Favorable Wind Ears, the Orange Flower Spirit had been observing the movements of the Snake-Scorpion couple inside.

    After some time passed, the Orange Flower Spirit''spanions shared the intel: "The Snake Nymph has entered the cultivation room."

 Chapter 155: Obtaining the Rainbow Glass Flower - (1)

    Chapter 155: Obtaining the Rainbow ss Flower - (1)

    Hua Mi discovered that the Snake Demon would venture into the cultivation chamber every day at a fixed time, utilizing the magical elements of the Rainbow ss Flower for practice.

    It was the perfect moment to act.

    However, ording to the n, Hua Mi didn''t immediately initiate the action. Instead, she waited for a while, ensuring that the Snake Demon waspletely immersed in its practice.

    "Go!"

    Hua Mimanded.

    The seven small spirits flew out from their concealed positions.

    Bang!

    The red flower spirit erged in the air, pounding the entrance as itnded, relentlessly punching toward the cave''s opening.

    Two magic frogs hurriedly sprawled to the sides upon seeing this, narrowly escaping being mashed into pulp.

    ncing back, the door was already fractured into pieces.

    "Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

    The magic frogs screeched.

    Yet, the seven flower spirits had no intention of rushing inside; they waited at the entrance.

    Soon, the patrolling magic bats outside rushed in, engaging in a fierce battle with the flower spirits at the cave''s mouth.

    Hua Mi remained hidden among the bushes, biding her time.

    It wasn''t the right moment yet.

    From the previous defensive battle, Hua Mi knew that the group of magic bats could still be handled by the seven small spirits.

    Each of the flower spirits disyed their own abilities, fending off the iing bats, taking them down one by one.

    Before long, the cave echoed with chaotic footsteps.

    "They''re here."

    Pale mes ignited in Hua Mi''s eyes as she peered through the gaps in the bushes, focusing on the direction of the cave''s entrance.

    First to charge out was a sturdy figure with a lion''s face, scorpion''s tail, and dual wings on its back.

    Scorpion Lion, ssified as a Level 7 Magic Beast.

    In reality, though powerful, its intelligence didn''t match humans'', and it moved on all fours.

    However, in the dream world, it could walk upright, wielding two battle axes.

    Following it were a bunch of lower-level creatures like magic frogs and thousand-eyed spiders.

    "Daring toe to us on your own."

    The Scorpion Lion snarled, revealing saw-like teeth.

    The seven small spirits immediately concentrated their attacks on it.

    With a swing of its axes, the Scorpion Lion easily blocked their assaults.

    Then, it pped its wings, flying towards the flower spirits in the sky.

    Leveraging their agility, the flower spirits maneuvered amidst the attacks from the Scorpion Lion and the bats,unching strikes whenever they found an opening.

    The two sides tangled, unable to determine a clear victor.

    Continuously harassed by the seven small spirits, the Scorpion Lion visibly grew irritable.

    Hua Mi kept using her "fire eyes" from below, spotting its vulnerabilities and sharing them with the seven small spirits through telepathy.

    Hence, most of their attacks were effective.

    Though the Scorpion Lion had thick skin, it couldn''t withstand their precise strikes.

    So, irritability escted to fury.

    "It''s now!"

    Hua Mi telepathicallymanded the small spirits. Instantly, as if predetermined, they retreated in unison.

    The heavily injured Scorpion Lion roared and immediately pursued them without hesitation.

    Following their flight trajectory closely, it gracefully descended in a low arc, grazing over a thicket of bushes.

    Hua Mi had been waiting within.

    By now, the Scorpion Lion was boiling with rage, riddled with vulnerabilities.

    Hua Mi''s "fire eyes" targeted its most significant w, seizing the opportunity to leap out fiercely from the bushes.

    "For Demacia!"

    With an upgraded metal-handled hoe raised high, she viciously struck the Scorpion Lion''s head.

    Boom!

    The hoepletely coiled around.

    Truly a Level 7 Magic Beast, its head was like iron.

    However, being hard-headed didn''t stop it from feeling dizzy.

    "Roar"

    The Scorpion Lion bellowed, instantly losing bnce, falling onto the ground and rapidly sliding forward, leaving a deep mark on the surface.

    The direction it slid after falling was precisely designed by Hua Mi.

    Not far away stood arge tree.

    True to the n, the Scorpion Lion crashed headlong into the sturdy trunk.

    Under the dual impact, it instantly fell into a state of unconsciousness.

    But as powerful as the Scorpion Lion was, the dizziness caused by this level of attack wouldn''tst long.

    The Purple Flower Spirit had long been waiting and, even before the Scorpion Lion recovered from its dizziness, aimed a flower-shaped magical tool in her hand at the convulsing lion.

    "Capture!"

    The petals slightly opened, emitting a purple-hued halo that encircled the Scorpion Lion.

    Under the halo''s envelopment, the lion''s body twisted and deformed, instantly turning into an afterimage, being sucked into the petals.

    The petals closed slowly.

    Capture sessful!

    As per the initial n, they should have withdrawn at this point.

    However, what followed didn''t entirely unfold as Hua Mi had anticipated.

    Before they could retreat, the original Snake Demon had already emerged from the cave.

    They had tangled too long with the Scorpion Lion.

    Or perhaps the opponent had prematurely concluded today''s training.

    Her upper body resembled that of a human woman, but her lower half was a snake''s.

    In reality, the original Snake Demon was an intelligent species.

    Yet, it didn''t belong to the mainstream on the Western Continent. Currently, they mostly lived in tribal forms. Adventure guides categorized their entire race as "Neutral Evil"  of course, individual differences might exist.

    It''s said they were transformed from humans.

    Regarding the origins of the original Snake Demon, due to the passage of ages, specifics were unknown, with several theories circting.

    Such as curses, rituals, alchemical experiments, and so on...

    The Snake Demon held a flowerpot in her hands, containing a nt emitting a colorful, radiant glow.

    The flower appeared iridescent, crafted as if by some special process.

    Without a doubt, this was the legendary Rainbow ss Flower.

    At the sight of it, Hua Mi felt a flutter in her heart, as if some connection had formed between them.

    Just as the Spirit of the ck Forest had mentioned earlier.

    This totem was created with her involvement, naturally invoking a response upon seeing it.

    "And indeed, it''s the Nectar Blossom... just as I expected."

    Hua Mi couldn''t help but think, if only she could bring it back to reality.

    The Snake Demon''s vertical pupils fixated on her, hissing venomously.

    "Don''t act recklessly, or the one inside will turn into pus at any moment." Hua Mi gestured to the Purple Flower Spirit above, cautioning.

    "HissWhat do you want? Hiss" The Snake Demon''s voicecked any warmth, chilling to hear.

    "I want the flower in your hand." Hua Mi no longer beat around the bush, straightforwardly presenting her demand.

    The Snake Demon''s eyes spun, handing the flowerpot forward, coldly saying, "Come and take it, hiss"

    "Alright."

    Hua Mi headed towards her.

    The ease with which the other party agreed certainly posed a problem.

    The Snake Demon should have sensed no trace of magic on her, considering her just an ordinary farmer. Therefore, she waspletely unguarded, confident in instantly subduing her.

 Chapter 156: Dreamy Transformation Plan

    Chapter 156: Dreamy Transformation n

    Hua Mi felt like a mere exertion of her mental strength could crush the fuzzball right before her eyes. This was the most palpable, raw mental pressure, a force that could only fully manifest in the dream world when facing spiritual entities.

    Here, mental prowess was the truth. So, whatever this fuzzball asked or said, it couldn''t dare to lie.

    Through it, Hua Mi gleaned some information about the Nightmare:

    The Nightmare was a rather peculiar monster, capable of autonomously separating its spiritual and physical forms, wandering the dream world as a spiritual entity.

    They relied on consuming emotional energy from the dreams of living beings to survive. Most of the time, they didn''t cause significant harm to dreamers, at most disrupting their sleep or causing mental haziness.

    However, at times, they''d drag the target''s spirit into dreamscapes created by the Nightmare themselves  a racial talent they possessed  thus ensuring a better and sustainable feeding experience. It was akin to confinement. Some powerful Nightmares often did this to have a consistent supply.

    Some even "confined" not just one but possibly dozens or even hundreds, bing the "big farmers" of Nightmares.

    Unfortunately, this little guy in front of Hua Mi had lousy luck; its first choice for confinement ended up being the wrong person.

    Hua Mi''s mental power in this realm far exceeded that of an ordinary person; his spirit here was akin to a monstrous existence.

    So, he took charge.

    Talking about it, this was indeed a strange space. Hua Mi nced around; there were amorphous "mists" everywhere.

    The fuzzball exined these were shadow mists, the necessary conditions for cultivating Rainbow ss Flowers in reality, as mentioned before.

    These mists were incredibly sensitive to the mental strength of living beings. Normally, when a living being dreamt, it was their mental power projected into the dream world, manifesting as images in the shadow mists.

    "It''s time to go," Hua Mi said.

    Returning from the Nightmare space, Hua Mi could actually wake up on his own now. However, to materialize the Rainbow ss Flower into reality, he still relied on the fuzzball.

    Under his coercion, the fuzzball didn''t dare to act arbitrarily, only obeying hismands.

    The fuzzball suddenly elongated, then its upper and lower parts bent backward simultaneously, splitting open in the middle, gulping down the Rainbow ss Flower.

    Simple and unadorned.

    Then, Hua Mi enveloped himself and the fuzzball in his mental power.

    A sensation of falling.

    Lasted for about two to three seconds.

    Hua Mi opened his eyes, finding it already bright outside.

    He nced down, confirming he was wearing the Robe of Tranquility. Still afy robe.

    A fuzzball was lying on the table in front of him.

    Following that, Hua Mi stood up with a swift motion.

    Its appearance was almost identical to the spiritual entities in the dream world, just slightly lighter in color.

    "Gulu" It spat out a colorful flower. The Rainbow ss Flower.

    It had materialized into reality just like that.

    Honestly, its color reminded Hua Mi of the measurement bee he''d obtained earlier. In terms of appearance, both had an artistic quality; without touching, they didn''t seem biological at all.

    Perhaps subconsciously, there was an influence from the measurement bee when he participated in creating it.

    "Speaking of which, I wonder if the measurement bee can gather information about it?"

    Thinking so, Hua Mi released a measurement bee, covering the entire Rainbow ss Flower.

    Waited for a while.

    No information transmitted to his mind.

    "Indeed impossible..." Hua Mi retracted the measurement bee and examined the Rainbow ss Flower closely.

    It wasn''t as vivid and fantastical as in the dream; it had a bit more realism.

    Entering the real world required adapting to its rules. Overall, it wasn''t as magical as the dream''s settings.

    But probing with mental power still uncovered some extremely rare magical elements.

    As a nectar nt, that was sufficient.

    At this moment, its roots were wrapped in an odd substance.

    It looked like a lump of light blue gel, soft and stic to the touch.

    This was what the fuzzball called "Dream Soil."

    "Gujigujigi."

    The fuzzball bounced a few times on the table, drawing Hua Mi''s attention.

    In reality, it couldn''tmunicate with Hua Mi the same way it did in the dream world.

    But that wasn''t a problem.

    Hua Mi summoned Xiao Bai, using her telepathic ability to easily understand its intentions.

    "You need to create a sealed space and infuse it with shadow mist so it can grow normally here."

    A sealed space, a greenhouse, could meet these conditions.

    But transforming an entire field''s soil into Dream Soil and filling it with shadow mist was a massive task.

    This little fuzzball was in for some serious work.

    "Let''s start quickly," the fuzzball eagerly urged, "Once the shadow mist is infused, I''ll leave."

    "You can''t leave," Hua Mi replied.

    "Please spare me; I''ll never trouble you again!" The fuzzball hurriedly reassured.

    "I know," Hua Mi smiled, "What I meant was, the sealed space might be a bit toorge, so you won''t be able to leave immediately."

    Upon hearing this, the fuzzball rxed a bit, pping its little wings as it jumped around proudly. "Rest assured, this is a piece of cake for me."

    "Then, let''s go to the site."

    ...

    "Gujigujigi!"

    The fuzzball stood at the edge of the vacant field, dumbfounded, unable to close its mouth.

    You call this "a bit big"?

    "Look, I n to nt Rainbow ss Flowers all over thisnd. So, I need you to convert all this soil into Dream Soil and fill it with shadow mist."

    Pausing here, Hua Mi grinned, "That''s simple for you, right?"

    "This... this area is just too massive."

    "So, we''d better start quickly."

    At this moment, the fuzzball looked like a wilted eggnt, its fur drooping, the whole ball in dismay.

    Suddenly, it bounced in ce, legs pushing off forcefully, heading for the exit.

    Its wings pped hard, but it was too heavy to fly, so it could only jump forward with a "duang-duang" sound.

    It plunged into the misty area separating the field.

    Then, within seconds, it jumped back from another direction.

    "Gujigi?"

    Seeing the familiar scene, the fuzzball paused for a moment, then immediately turned and dove in again.

    But a few secondster, it returned from another side.

    "Gujigi!"

    The fuzzball was horrified.

    Trying to escape time and again but always bouncing back, unable to run away.

    After watching the one-act y for a while, Hua Mi signaled to Xiao Bai.

    She flew over, instantly in front of the fuzzball, and, expanding, gave it a hefty kick.

    "Gujigi"

    The kick was enchanted with mes.

    The area around where the fuzzball was kicked turned ck instantly.

    Hua Mi caught the "pass" steadily, pressing its sides firmly and said solemnly, "You must understand, this isn''t a task for you; it''s a redemption."

    "If my mental strength wasn''t high enough, you''d have trapped me

    in a dream.

    "But I''ll give you a chance to make amends; as soon as you create a suitable environment for Rainbow ss Flowers to grow, you can regain your freedom. The sooner you finish, the sooner you can leave."

    "Understood?"

    "Guj... gujigi."

    "So, let''s get to work now."

    Hua Mi wasn''t worried it''d starve.

    Nightmares could transport their spirits into dream worlds at any time and feed on the emotional energy of dreamers'' dreams.

    If it got hungry, it''d find something to eat on its own.

 Chapter 157: Saving a Feline Life

    Chapter 157: Saving a Feline Life

    Hua Mi had set up a sealed ss container first, cing the Rainbow Crystal Flower he brought back inside and infusing it with shadow mist.

    This way, it could grow normally in this world.

    The Rainbow Crystal Flower was the mother nt, and the future cultivation of an entire field would depend on it, so it had to be preserved carefully.

    Next, all that was left was for Maoqiu to finish transforming the field, then they could officially begin the cultivation of the Rainbow Crystal Flower.

    After sorting the Rainbow Crystal Flower matter, Hua Mi returned to Earth.

    It was past six in the evening, and the sky had gradually darkened.

    Logging into the "Bee Whisperer''s Cabin," Hua Mi first noticed "Mu Yuxiaoxiao" had transferred 3,000 yuan to him, mentioning it was payment for thest bottle of Mirage Flower Honey.

    That girl had principles.

    Since she had already transferred the money, Hua Mi didn''t waste any words and proceeded.

    Scanning through the chat circle, he noticed many were inquiring about the release of the second phase.

    He sent a message, stating that honey would be avable for sale within a week.

    He dared tomit to this because Wind Chime Flower Honey, Feathered Dress Flower Honey, and Dreaming Moon Flower Honey would be sessively brewed within that timeframe.

    He only mentioned that honey would be avable, not specifying whether there would be new varieties.

    Because the effects of Wind Chime Flower Honey were still unknown.

    Whether it could be sold on Earth was still uncertain.

    However, Dreaming Moon Flower Honey and Feathered Dress Flower Honey would definitely be avable. Additionally, Mirage Flower Honey and Bestowal Flower Honey could be supplemented based on circumstances.

    With that message sent, the chat circle instantly became lively.

    "It''s finally happening!"

    "What honey is it? Can you give us a hint?"

    "Don''t pry too much into the boss''s business; just wait for it to be on sale!"

    "Can''t wait!"

    ...

    After sending the message, Hua Mi went through the chat records meticulously, intending to select a few circle friends as administrators to handle matters in his absence.

    Given he couldn''t monitor the circle in real time, dys in handling affairs were unavoidable.

    After observing for some time, he had a few candidates in mind that met his criteria.

    He nned to confirm them after the second phase honey was released and then seek their opinions.

    Once done with the records, Hua Mi logged off.

    He intended to rx a bit, maybe take a short nap.

    Even though he had recently woken up, that sleep had offered no rest at all.

    Being dragged into a nightmare realm wasn''t fun, and waking up left him feeling even more tired.

    Hua Mi was about to switch off the lights and head upstairs when he glimpsed through the ss on the door and saw a thin, injured ck cat lying under the eaves outside.

    His vision now surpassed that of an average person, especially in low-light conditions.

    So, he clearly saw the cat was injured, blood staining its abdomen.

    Approaching the door, he opened it.

    The ck cat was obviously frightened, weakly letting out a cry, attempting to stand but failing due to its severe injuries.

    Itid back down, staring at Hua Mi with big, round eyes, its expression indiscernible between pleading and warning.

    Hua Mi released his psychic power, enveloping the cat''s body.

    The situation seemed worse than he expected.

    The cat''s vitality seemed like a flickering candle in the wind; if left unattended, it might die in a few hours.

    With such severity of injuries, he doubted if it had been hit by a car.

    "I wonder if I can save it."

    From his ring space, Hua Mi summoned a Thunder Flower Honey Pill, opened the cat''s mouth, squeezed the pill, and let the honey flow into its mouth.

    Having had cats at home before, Hua Mi knew well how to administer medicine to them.

    Initially, the ck cat struggled with all its might. But after tasting the sweetness, its pupils dted, and it willingly licked the honey.

    The amount of honey in one pill wasn''t much, and soon, it was all consumed, and the cat entered an electricity-like state.

    "Time to charge."

    Carefully cradling the ck cat, he took it for treatment.

    As a precaution, he also took a Thunder Flower Honey Pill himself to prevent electrocution.

    The cat''s condition was extremely critical by now, barely having the strength to struggle.

    So, even though its eyes showed fear, it had to allow this human to take it away. At best, it could protest weakly.

    Considering the differences between cat and human physiology, Hua Mi initially applied a lower electric charge on the cat, gradually increasing it.

    The moment the current entered the cat''s body, its fur stood on end, and it let out afortable "meow."

    The electricity transformed into life energy, repairing its body.

    The cat gradually stretched its limbs, reclining contentedly on the ground. The wound on its belly visibly started healing.

    In just a short while, the cat was fully revived.

    "Meow"

    Its meow sounded much more spirited.

    Standing in front of Hua Mi, it raised its head, meowed again, no longer harboring hostility.

    It might not understand exactly what had happened, but it clearly knew this human had saved it.

    However, Hua Mi didn''t understand what it wanted to convey.

    Unfortunately, hecked telepathic abilities.

    If only the Eight Little Ones coulde along.

    "Are you hungry?"

    That shouldn''t be the case. Just after charging, it shouldn''t feel hungry. He had a feeling about this.

    Bending down, he stroked the cat''s head. "You don''t want me to take you in, do you? I don''t have that much time to spare for you."

    He couldn''t take this cat to the other world.

    Unexpectedly, after he touched the cat''s head, it meowed, turned, walked decisively to the door, and after reaching it, looked back at him, let out a meow, then leaped into the darkness, blending into the night.

    Hua Mi was momentarily stunned, then chuckled softly.

    It seemed he understood the cat''s intention.

    Probably, it meant to say, "You saved me, so I''ll allow you to pat my head."

    "Looks like it''s a stray cat. Hope it grows up healthy... Speaking of which, there seem to be quite a few stray cats and dogs in towntely..."

    Closing the door, Hua Mi, who had also recharged, was no longer tired.

    His mind was active.

    "In some ways, magic is still more convenient."

    His gaze fell on the remote control on the table, and a sudden thought struck him.

    "Can I measure the energy of this world using Bee Energy?"

    Probably not.

    Controlling a swarm of measuring bees, Hua Mi covered the remote control.

    To his surprise, he immediately received relevant information.

    [Remote control for TV, used to control TV channels, volume, picture settings, etc. Valuation: Low]

    Hua Mi was momentarily puzzled, then it dawned on him.

    He had already known what a remote control was, so receiving rted information wasn''t surprising.

    "Let''s try something I don''t recognize."

    ncing around, he quickly found a suitable target.

 Chapter 158: The Wonders of Unicorn Horn Powder

    Chapter 158: The Wonders of Unicorn Horn Powder

    Hua Mi recalled a curious trinket left by his grandfather among the heirlooms.

    So he rummaged through drawers to find it.

    The item was small, about the size of a thumb, resembling a droplet, made of an unknown wood with a polished surface, utterly smooth.

    While this seemed like a decorative piece, its aesthetic value wasn''t apparent.

    Moreover, its craftsmanship was evidently modern,cking any historical significance.

    It felt awkward in his hand.

    Hua Mi directed the measurement bee onto the "droplet."

    To his surprise, almost instantly, rted information surfaced in his mind.

    "[Crafted from the main body of floating wood from Balshan wood, its unique shape allows it to adapt to turbulent waterways, specifically made for fishing the ''Flower Language Town Fish King.'' Valuation: Low.]"

    Measured out! The so-called "Flower Language Town Fish King," he vaguely knew about it.

    It was a rare species native to Flower Language Town, favoring turbulent waters, extremely difficult to catch.

    Hua Mi remembered many anglers from elsewhere trying to fish in the Fallen Blossom River, but those who could catch the Fish King were few. Anglers regarded it as an honor.

    In his childhood, Hua Mi had witnessed one Fish King being caught.

    Due to the passage of time, the details had be hazy.

    He faintly recalled the peculiar appearance of the Fish King, shining golden under sunlight, exuding a divine aura.

    However, in recent years, severe environmental pollution had made evenmon fish rare in the Fallen Blossom River, let alone the Fish King. Though official bodies regrly released fish fry into the river to try to revive the ecosystem, no significant results had been observed.

    If ordinary fish struggled to survive, the rare Fish King was likely extinct, much like most Flower Language Town unique flora.

    Fish Kings and such aside.

    Hua Mi was certain he originally knew nothing about this float.

    Yet now, the rted information was vividly clear in his mind.

    This indicated that even things from Earth could be measured by the measurement bee.

    The characteristics granted by the Void Bnce seemed even more powerful than he had imagined.

    "What kind of existence is this Void Bnce?" Hua Mi, struck by a sudden idea, took out the tattered Exchange Cloth from his ring, having the measurement bee cover it, to see if it could measure its power source.

    Indeed, a piece of information appeared in his mind:

    "[Alimondobu, cover the item you wish to exchange, chant ''Alimondobu'' three times continuously, and you will receive a randomly equivalent item. Valuation: High]"

    Though he received the information, it wasn''t particrly useful to him.

    It didn''t address the crucial aspect.

    Nheless, it wasn''t a pressing matter; it was more out of curiosity.

    Hua Mi shook his head, stashing away the Exchange Cloth.

    This incident further emphasized how insufficient his knowledge of the otherworld was.

    So, he fetched a thick history book, intending to delve into it during the candlelit night.

    As he wasn''t particrly interested in history before, finding it dull and tedious, his previous readings had omitted historical books.

    However, with his experiences in the otherworld gradually enriching, he realized that to understand a world, history was indispensable.

    The book in his hand mainly chronicled the major events of the Tun Kingdom from its founding to modern times.

    Starting with the kingdom where the ck Forest was located seemed like a good starting point.

    That was an all-night read.

    "So, the Tun Kingdom has a history of a thousand years."

    This country arose from the ruins following the second Abyssal invasion.

    One could say it was a ssic case of heroes born in chaotic times.

    The founder of the Tun Kingdom, the "One-eyed Tyrant" Svei de Peran, was initially an ordinary knight. At the copse of the empire, he consolidated the remaining local armed forces, resisted the Abyssal army, and reimed numerous territories.

    After the Abyssal invasion ended, Peran rightfully became the king, establishing the Tun Kingdom amidst the ruins.

    He was dubbed the "One-eyed Tyrant" due to losing an eye in the war. Additionally, his decisive actions and tough demeanor earned him the title "tyrant," not in a derogatory sense here.

    At that time, the human empire had disintegrated, various principalities and vassals had dered independence, and the human society in the western continent entered an era of multiple countries standing side by side.

    Subsequently, there was incessant warfare among the nations, involving even races like elves. Anyone would sigh and say, "What a mess," probably even more bewildering than the Northern and Southern Dynasties in ancient China.

    The Tun Kingdom grew and expanded gradually during this period...

    He knew that the human society in the western continent currently consisted of seven major kingdoms, rtively peaceful and amicable. These seven kingdoms formed a loose alliance to counter the influence of otherworldly forces.

    The Tun Kingdom was an indispensable force among them.

    Of course, this history book was a product of the Tun Kingdom, inevitably inclined towards embellishment. To grasp a clearer view of history, he''d need to consult several otherprehensive sources.

    Reading this kind of book was quite mentally taxing.

    With his current mental fortitude, both in reading speed and focus, far exceeding the average, he had only covered less than a tenth in a single night.

    Hua Mi stretchedzily.

    The sky on Earth had brightened, and he felt a bit fatigued.

    It was time to sleep.

    To ensure his growth sticity, he needed sufficient rest.

    Suddenly, he heard a series of cat cries outside, apanied by scratching at the door.

    Hua Mi walked over to take a look, finding the ck cat from the previous night.

    "This little one, addicted to electric therapy, perhaps?" Hua Mi opened the door.

    The ck cat took a step back, let out a "meow," then swiftly darted away without waiting for any reaction.

    As Hua Mi was pondering, he nced down to find two salted fish lying in front of the door... connected by a thin string.

    "A token of gratitude? Quite intuitive... But where did it snatch these salted fish from? Clearly, they''re preserved by someone else..."

    Hua Mi picked up the salted fish, lost in thought.

    ...

    He slept at home, woke up, had a bite to eat, and crossed over to the otherworld, arriving in the morning.

    Hua Mi went as usual to inspect the flower fields.

    Each field exhibited healthy growth, and the bellflower honey could be harvested in another four to five days at most.

    After nurturing for this period, the five Abyssal Seedlings had all broken through the soil and developed into small saplings.

    As for the Rainbow ss Flower field, it was still in preparation.

    The Furball was gradually transforming thend into Dream Soil and emitting a mist within the field; there was a hint of a dreamlike atmosphere.

    He didn''t need to worry about this Furball cking off.

    Putting aside everything else, even if it was for the sake of leaving this ce as soon as possible, it would undoubtedly give its all.

    ...

    "What''s this?" Alyss, who came to buy honey, curiously asked, seeing theptop Hua Mi brought along.

    "This is... a tool called a

    Hua Mi turned off the music yer, suddenly realizing that this might pair well with the architect master.

    Imagine her mastering CAD and other design software, sitting in the study clicking away at the mouse. The fusion of magic and technology, presenting an intriguing scene.

    But charging it was a problem.

    "Fascinating."

    Watching Hua Mi operate theptop, Alyss also disyed a sense of novelty, asking him a few questions.

    "Alchemy is so extraordinary."

    After hearing Hua Mi''s exnation, Alyss couldn''t help but exim. At that moment, she appeared just like an ordinary girl, captivated by new things.

    Back in Mordu, Hua Mi inadvertently learned from Susie that Alyss was only a little over two hundred years old, which, in human terms, was around her twenties.

    The elven race possessed numerous advantages, such as long life spans. However, in return, they had an extremely prolonged growth period.

    Under normal circumstances, an elf would take two to three hundred years to fully mature.

    Until reaching maturity, whether it was intelligence or magical abilities, they were rather average, even slightly inferior to humans.

    For Alyss to be a master at this stage was quite remarkable.

    Hua Mi opened CADwhy did a beekeeper have CAD in hisputer? Because he had taken rted courses during school.

    He was demonstrating how to draw when someone unexpectedly arrived.

    It was the cheerful Hir.

    Carrying her alchemical product, she arrived at the small wooden house.

    After who knows how many days, using Unicorn Horn Powder as raw material, she finally refined a finished product.

    But this time, it wasn''t a liquid.

    It was a sharply edged crystal, brimming with organized magical energy, as if a dense ink was continuously circting inside.

    Probing with his mental strength, he discovered this crystal''s nature was highly unique.

    The magical energy contained within it seemed to be the exact opposite of regr magical energy. In mathematical terms, it was as if it had an added negative sign.

    Before Hir could speak, Alyss beside her eximed in surprise, "Is this a ''Strange Substance'' crystal?"

    "Yes." Hir proudly straightened her chest.

    "A ''Strange Substance''..."

    The name sounded familiar to Hua Mi; after a brief recollection, he remembered Alyss mentioning it when they first visited the Brass City.

    In simple terms, a Strange Substance was a necessary item to open dimensional teleportation channels.

    Ordinary Strange Substances were easily prepared, achievable even by non-alchemists. They were often disposable, used to activate dimensional channels.

    However, a stabilized crystallized Strange Substance implied a broader range of uses. It could be used to craft various spatial items.

    It could even...

    Hua Mi let his imagination run wild, wondering if he could construct a spatial window.

    One end ced here.

    Another ced elsewhere, perhaps in the alchemy workshop Hir and others were about to open.

    This would essentially create a spatial passage between two points, allowing him to easily sell honey through this channel.

    But this was just a sudden inspiration.

    Whether it could be realized specifically was uncertain.

    Hua Mi mentioned this idea to Alyss.

    After a brief contemtion, she nodded.

    "I''m currently researching a magic array. If I canplete it sessfully, coupled with this Strange Substance crystal, theoretically, it should be possible to realize your idea."

 Chapter 159: The Ideal Fairy Tale Town

    Chapter 159: The Ideal Fairy Tale Town

    Hua Mi sure knew what he was doing.

    In front of Hilia, Hua Mi kept his emotions in check.

    He first inquired about the progress at their alchemy workshop, learning they''d picked a location and construction was underway. It seemed it''d be finished soon.

    "Alyss still needs some time to perfect the magic array. Maybe it''ll coincide nicely."

    That''s a side note.

    Hua Mi adjusted his tone and told Hilia, "Your alchemical talent is exceptional. With guidance, you''ll achieve even greater feats."

    Hilia''s eyes lit up at his words.

    It was clear; this alchemy master intended to mentor her.

    "Alchemy Master" Hua Mi took the opportunity to assign her the next task: creating Water Spirits.

    Quantity: 5 pieces.

    A Water Spirit could purify a significant area.

    He estimated that five in the Falling Petals River would suffice.

    "This is a rather simple alchemical creation, used to purify water sources."

    Hua Mi handed her a neatly written note with the form for creating Water Spirits.

    "The materials are mostly easily obtainable in the market. As for the Deep Diving Magic Fish''s eyeballs, you can find them in the ''Witch''s Eye''ke."

    Hilia took the note with the alchemical form, feeling thrilled. For an alchemist, this was as precious as gold bars.

    "He even told me where to find the materials; it''s so thoughtful... meeting an alchemy master like this is such incredible luck. I must make the most of this opportunity."

    Hilia was both excited and moved.

    "Also, this is for you."

    Hua Mi handed her a bottle of Graceful Honey, exining its enhanced alchemical properties, enabling her to refine faster and better.

    "This will cause an alchemist frenzy."

    Hilia thought. She knew the value of this honey and felt incredibly honored to have a bottle.

    After expressing her determination and loyalty, she hurriedly left to begin creating Water Spirits.

    This was her first official task since "joining the fold," and it had to be done perfectly.

    "Taking on an apprentice isn''t an easy task," Alyss pointed out bluntly. "Doing it yourself and teaching others are two different things; you''ve got yourself into quite a mess."

    From her tone, it seemed she was speaking from experience.

    Perhaps she''d taken on an apprentice before, but the oue wasn''t favorable.

    "Alchemy primarily relies on talent and understanding. It doesn''t need hand-holding. So, it''s not much trouble."

    Hua Mi stored the peculiar crystal into his ring. Seeing Alyss still lingering, aware of her continued interest in theputer, he decided to educate her further. It could boost their rapport.

    Today was a day for spreading knowledge.

    ...

    Hua Mi thought that, even with the form, Hilia would take at least a few days to create the Water Spirits.

    However, to his surprise, within a day, she appeared before him with five sparkling and translucent Water Spirits.

    The Water Spirits emitted a pure magical energy.

    Probing into them, it felt like a spring flowing across the surface, refreshing.

    These five Water Spirits were of remarkably high quality.

    "Not bad," praised Hua Mi. "Alchemy''s essence lies in extraption. I hope in creating the Water Spirits, you''ve gained a deeper understanding of material fusion and magic intervention."

    With that said, Hua Mi casually picked a few more challenging alchemical forms for her to work on and left her to it.

    After dealing with some affairs in another realm, Hua Mi carried the five Water Spirits and returned to Earth.

    ...

    Upon returning to Earth, it was noon.

    Without dy, Hua Mi rode his bicycle towards the Falling Petals River.

    He''d already selected the spots for release.

    Through a section of the Falling Petals River in Huayu Town, he spaced out the five Water Spirits, aiming for maximum purification effect.

    As for whether the magical power would have the desired effect, even Hua Mi wasn''t sure.

    But it was worth a try.

    The Falling Petals River marked the initial step of Huayu Town''s revitalization n.

    Arriving at the first release point, Hua Mi found a river segment starting within Huayu Town.

    The river emitted a strong stench, with a grayish hue and lots of foam on the surface.

    There weren''t significant pieces of garbage visible here because the town had installed barriers to iste iing rubbish.

    However, the primary cause of river pollution wasn''t visible to the naked eye; thus, the barriers had limited effectiveness.

    After parking his bike and ensuring no one was around, Hua Mi summoned a Water Spirit from his ring and dropped it into the river.

    The Water Spirit shimmered under the sunlight, making a gentle ssh as it sank.

    Though small in size, its density was substantial, akin to a lead ball of ping pong ball size.

    Given its unique nature, the water flow wouldn''t impact it much; instead, it would smoothly pass over the surface.

    So, there was no worry about it being swept away by the current.

    "Even magical power needs time to take effect; there''s no rush."

    Hua Mi waited for a while, observing for any anomalies. Not finding anything, he rode to the next release point.

    Passing an old wooden bridge spanning the river, seldom traversed due to its long neglect, Hua Mi noticed a lone figure not far from the bridge''s bank. The figure wore a conical hat, held a fishing rod, and sat quietly by the contaminated waters.

    Fishing in the Falling Petals River was a rarity nowadays.

    Even if one caught something, it would likely be polluted and cause stomach issues.

    The person, known as Huacheng, was one of the town''s notable simpletons.

    Hua Mi had yed with him in childhood, remembering him as a bright kid.

    But something happenedter, an ident perhaps.

    Some said he had a fever that damaged his brain; others imed he fell, resulting in his condition. Regardless, he''d been simple ever since.

    Quite harmless, he just enjoyed fishing.

    As Hua Mi passed by, he nced into Huacheng''s bucket nearby, finding a few stic fish replicas.

    Huacheng lifted his head, revealing a grin akin to Luffy''s from One Piece.

    "Brother... fishing," he eximed.

    This juxtaposition of his smile against the backdrop of the polluted water made for a striking image.

    After a moment of silence, Hua Mi replied, "Hmm, I wish you catch a big one."

    Huacheng tilted his head, grinning, "Everyone''s gone, but you''re here."

    "..."

    Yes, many people had left Huayu Town.

    Understandably so.

    The environment wasn''t suitable for settlement anymore.

    But this situation wouldn''tst.

    I will restore Huayu Town to its former vitality...

    No, more than that.

    Huayu Town will be something out of a fairy tale.

 Chapter 160: The River Changes Clear

    Chapter 160: The River Changes Clear

    In Hua Mi''s mind, scenes from fairy tales came to life.

    The glistening river flowed gently, its spiritual fish leaping from the surface, creating sshes that formed miniature rainbows in the air.

    Greenery stretched endlessly, apanied by the chirping of birds and fragrant blossoms...

    "Perhaps Huayu Town could turn into something like this in the future... As the backstage designer, I really need to brainstorm what this ''fantasy town'' will ultimately look like."

    Hua Mi was lost in thoughts of the future when suddenly, Hua Sha Zi let out a "hey."

    ncing over, he saw the float moving, indicating a catch on the line.

    "He actually managed to hook it. Fool''s luck!"

    Hua Mi observed with interest, eager to see what would happen next.

    Hua Sha Zi immediately perked up, standing with rod in hand, deftly maneuvering the line, disying a surprising proficiency.

    Watching this, one couldn''t imagine that his brain wasn''t firing on all cylinders.

    Smooth sailing without any hitches.

    Once the fish was close enough to the surface, Hua Sha Zi decisively pulled the rod backward.

    With a ssh, the fish burst from the water, darting through the air in a precise arc,nding perfectly in Hua Sha Zi''s hand.

    "Great technique."

    Hua Mi couldn''t help but apud silently.

    It truly validated the saying that innate talents find their purpose. Despite being a fool, Hua Sha Zi possessed outstanding fishing skills; he might even win a fishing contest.

    However, the caught fish turned out to be quite unremarkable.

    Hua Mi wasn''t well-versed in fish species, but it seemed like a carp, roughly the size of his palm, with dull, dark scales, several areas turning ck, and even some scales peeling off, evidently affected by environmental degradation.

    Hua Sha Zi cheerfully unhooked the fish, preparing to ce it in a bucket.

    Though the carp appeared sickly and unlikely to survive much longer, at a critical moment, it disyed astonishing vitality, twisting its body and smacking Hua Sha Zi hard across the face.

    Then, while he struggled to maintain a grip, it slipped out of his hand, sshing back into the water, vanishing in an instant.

    "Whoa..."

    Rubbing his reddened cheek, Hua Sha Zi muttered with some regret.

    Yet, he didn''t dwell on it for long. He turned to meet Hua Mi''s gaze, grinning broadly as if forgetting what had just urred. Skilfully, he baited the hook again, casting it into the water, resuming his serene fishing posture.

    "..."

    In handling setbacks, he did have resilience.

    Honestly, it wasn''t much of a loss; that fish seemed severely polluted. It was better to let it go.

    After a brief pause, Hua Mi proceeded to the next release point.

    Soon, all five Water Essences were in ce.

    "Hopefully, after this fiveyer filtration, Luo Hua River can return to its healthy state... Let''s check the results in a few days."

    Not wanting to linger in the stench by the river, Hua Mi cycled back home uponpleting the task.

    However, at that moment, nobody knew that on this ordinary afternoon, the gears of Huayu Town''s fate began to turn.

    Unseen to the people above, the five Water Essences seemed to merge with the river, absorbing and continuously releasing purifying magical energy into the flow.

    ...

    Over the next few days, honey from various flower fields was harvested.

    Hua Mi''s focus primarily shifted to the other realm.

    The fourth batches of Thunder Blossom Honey and Grace Flower Honey were sessfully harvested, albeit without generating by-products.

    Followed closely by Feather Cloth Honey and Moon Slumber Honey, all brewing waspleted.

    The configuration of bee colonies was the same as in other fields, using Power Bees as the main force with Azure me Bees and Bloodsuckers as support.

    More than six hundred bottles of Feather Cloth Honey and over five hundred bottles of Moon Slumber Honey were harvested, plus over thirty bottles of Blood Honey.

    Again, no by-products were generated.

    These honeys were temporarily stored, not immediately shelved for sale, awaiting the Harvest Bellflower Honey harvest to join them.

    One day, while Hua Mi was having a meal at home and scrolling through chat records on the phone, a pop-up message caught his attention.

    The message was from a residents'' group in Huayu Town.

    For such insignificant groups, Hua Mi usually set them to "receive messages but don''t notify."

    This particr town group rarely had active discussions,cking a strong presence.

    The pop-up message was from the town mayor addressed to "@Everyone."

    The mayor attached a picture of the river with the caption: "Comrades, our Luo Hua River has finallye back to life!"

    Followed by three tearful emojis.

    The mayor''s profile picture resembled an elderly gentleman, uncannily resembling his actual appearance, the wild and dark ruggedness mirrored perfectly.

    His voice in the group messages seemed naturally loud, making one imagine his booming tone involuntarily.

    Hua Mi tapped the image.

    Indeed, it was Luo Hua River.

    In just a few days, it had transformed remarkably.

    The water shimmered.

    It was hard to imagine that this was the same river previously dubbed a "stinky ditch."

    Members of the group began expressing doubts.

    "Is this really Luo Hua River?"

    "Must be fake. I went to see it a few days ago, and it was still the same."

    "Face the reality, don''t fool yourselves."

    "The mayor has finally lost it..."

    None seemed to believe it.

    Hua Mi chuckled inwardly.

    That was quite normal; after all, ordinary folks had never witnessed the power of magic.

    At that moment, the mayor sent another message, saying, "We''ve been striving to improve the ecology of Luo Hua River, investing many resources. It seems our previous efforts haven''t been in vain; quantitative changes have finally led to qualitative changes! If you don''t believe it, go see it by the river."

    Several active townspeople in the group promptly expressed their intent to investigate.

    Hua Mi finished his meal quickly, hopped on his bike, and headed to the scene.

    Arriving near the iconic wooden bridge, he found a gathering at the river''s edge. People wore expressions of surprise, excitement, engaging in lively discussions.

    "Never expected to see Luo Hua River turn clear in this lifetime."

    "Such a nostalgic sight."

    "Is this scientific?"

    Hua Mi parked his bike and approached the riverbank.

    The perpetual foul odor that lingered there had vanished, reced by the refreshing scent of flowing water.

    Though not crystal clear yet, the river had evidently restored its natural ecology, as the mayor would put it, e back to life."

    Hua Mi released his psychic power, sensing the faint but stable magical effects of the Water Essences.

    "First step of Huayu Town''s transformation, sessful!"

    Everything was going ording to n.

    Two dayster, the Bellflower Honey was also brewed as scheduled.

    Armed with equipment, Hua Mi arrived at the Bellflower field, ready for harvesting.

    Upon entry, a series of cheerful sounds reached his ears.

 Chapter 161: The Selling Point of Wind Chime Flower Honey

    Chapter 161: The Selling Point of Wind Chime Flower Honey

    The Wind Chime Flower wasn''t named for its resemnce to wind chimes. Instead, its affinity for the wind element caused it to create a small magical field around its petals once it blossomed.

    This field, while absorbing the wind element, resonated, producing a clear bell-like sound, hence the name "Wind Chime," a fitting depiction.

    These flowers had an unusual light green color, and their petals were elongated, resembling bamboo leaves but much softer. Each flower boasted five of these delicate petals that bent and hung outward from the center due to their extreme softness.

    The scent of the Wind Chime Flower was delicate. In this area, with so many of these flowers, the fragrance permeated easily. But if there was only a single flower, one had to get closer to catch a hint of its aroma.

    Hua Mi adjusted the wind element bnce in this field every morning and evening, ensuring the air maintained a constant flow. A rich supply of wind elements was conducive to the Wind Chime Flower''s growth.

    His dedication paid off, as these Wind Chime Flowers flourished under his careful tending.

    Surrounded by the field of Wind Chime Flowers, their gentle rustling akin to flowing streams, one couldn''t help but feel a calming sensation, a refreshing coolness washing over them.

    It wasn''t a mere psychological effect but a special magical effect generated by the flowers'' sound waves.

    Though subtle, it was not to be underestimated.

    While these flowers were average in terms of aesthetics, they possessed some functionality, making them quite popr in the western continent.

    Especially in the hot regions of the south where nting them in bedrooms or courtyards could alleviate the heat when the breeze carried their tinkling, cooling sounds.

    Hua Mi sequentially opened each bee box, checking if any by-products had formed.

    Unfortunately, he found none.

    "This batch seems to have been unlucky."

    Inspecting all the bee boxes revealed no products besides honey. Hua Mi felt a bit disheartened.

    However, upon further thought, flowers with rare magical elements were more likely to produce miraculous by-products. Since the Wind Chime Flower was amon nectar-producing nt and its magical elements were rather ordinary in the western continent, the absence of additional products seemed reasonable.

    Oh well, he couldn''t force it. Business came first.

    Time to harvest the honey!

    The Wind Chime Flower honey had a yellow-green hue and exuded a fresh, cool aroma, akin to just being taken out of a refrigerator. But its temperature felt normal to the touch.

    Hua Mi used a measuring bee to cover a jar of honey, connecting his consciousness to the bee swarm to extract the honey''s specific information.

    "This honey, derived from Wind Chime Flower nectar, is rich in wind elemental magic. Upon consumption, it enhances one''s perception and control of wind elements, significantly boosting the power and casting speed of wind-based spells. Estimated value: medium."

    "This honey seems quite useful for mages, especially those specialized in wind magic," Hua Mi noted. Yet, he realized the value assessment seemed confined to the category of "honey."

    In other words, the implied meaning here was: Wind Chime Flower honey was of medium value among other types of honey.

    Likewise, assessing a stone would yield a "low-value mineral" within its category.

    This clearly differed from the "Void Scale," which allowed for the equivalent exchange of any item.

    Perhaps it was due to iplete information or the differences in the information integrated into the bees.

    Either way, he deemed the medium value assessment appropriate for this honey.

    Compared to the Mirage Butterfly honey, Wind Chime Flower honeycked universality, at least in terms of widespread appeal.

    However, what caught Hua Mi''s attention were two obscure segments of information that he received, akin to encrypted entries.

    Clearly, this was deeper-level information that he couldn''t decipher with his current control over the measuring bees.

    Contemting for a moment, Hua Mi scooped a spoonful of honey into his mouth.

    Unlike regr honey''s rich aroma, Wind Chime Flower honey had a unique coolness. An inappropriate analogy would be as if it contained a hint of mint (though not in vor, just the cooling sensation).

    With a single taste, it felt like swallowing a "liquid breeze."

    The entire mouth was filled with this refreshing breeze, instantly leaving the teeth and tongue exceptionally fresh, as if miniature whirlwinds were sweeping through the mouth, leaving the exhaled breath refreshingly crisp.

    Then, this "liquid breeze" slid down the esophagus, leaving a noticeable coolness, causing the esophagus to contract slightly before the honeynded in the stomach, spreading its coolness...

    It felt like aplete internal rejuvenation.

    "Seems like this honey can freshen one''s breath."

    Though Hua Mi didn''t have bad breath, after tasting the honey, his mouth felt fragrant.

    Raising his hand to cover his mouth, he exhaled, reveling in the refreshing breath and unable to resist taking a few more sniffs.

    "Couples in love would adore this."

    As a qualified honey supplier, Hua Mi immediately thought of potential consumers for this honey.

    A dab before a kiss, an enhanced experience, multiplied joy.

    With this honey''s refreshing breath effect, wouldn''t couples in love get lip-smackingly close?

    Of course, vision shouldn''t be so narrow.

    The target audience for this honey wasn''t solely lovers.

    As an Earthling, Hua Mi knew well the immense stress of modern society. Many seemingly healthy individuals actually harbored various health issues.

    What with cervical spondylosis, anxiety disorders, and hypertension...

    Most of these conditions required hospital visits for diagnosis.

    Some minor issues were quite apparent, with the mostmon external manifestation being bad breath.

    Irrespective of regr brushing, some people''s breaths warranted "keeping a distance."

    Wind Chime Flower honey could be the savior for these individuals.

    "This has its selling point."

    For a product, a clear selling point was crucial.

    Reviewing the information about Wind Chime Flower honey in his mind, after tasting it, Hua Mi''s understanding of this honey had indeed deepened.

    The initially ambiguous entries were now decrypted.

    The first part, in summary, indicated "refreshing breath" and "cleansing the intestines."

    In other words, besides clearing oral odors, Wind Chime Flower honey seemed to cleanse impurities from the intestines.

    Upon careful consideration, this seemed logical. Given the connection between the oral cavity and the gastrointestinal tract, if it could cleanse the former, naturally, it could do so for thetter.

    Leaving you radiantly fresh from inside out.

    This part was easily understood.

    As for the second part, Hua Mi pondered for a while.

    He realized that if this honey were sold on Earth, its impact might be more significant than he initially thought.

    "However, the probability of this effect urring is ''extremely low''..."

    If the probability was akin to winning the lottery, then it might not be very useful.

 Chapter 162: The Wind Patron and the Stray Dogs

    Chapter 162: The Wind Patron and the Stray Dogs

    This section talks about the extremely low probability of individuals gaining the attribute of the "Wind Patron" after consuming Windchime Flower Honey.

    The so-called "Wind Patron" attribute.

    In simpler terms, it''s about gaining the favor of the wind.

    For example.

    After acquiring this attribute, when you run or drive, you''ll hardly feel any air resistance.

    This can be considered a minor supernatural ability.

    Not to mention, the speed of a Wind Patron is undoubtedly much faster than an average person.

    This ability, strictly speaking, isn''t too far-fetched.

    It''s just that the probability of obtaining this attribute is extremely low.

    Firstly, it depends on one''s physique, whether it can adapt to this Wind Patron attribute.

    Secondly, even if one can adapt, the probability of sessfully obtaining the attribute is not high.

    The probability is almost like winning a lottery.

    Hua Mi took a moment to check and confirmed that he hadn''t gained this attribute.

    Not surprising.

    After all, he''s never won a lottery in all these years.

    After a few more sips, feeling a slight chill in his stomach, he still didn''t be a "Wind Patron."

    Hua Mi let the Eight Little Ones taste it too.

    They also didn''t gain the favor of the wind.

    "Let''s have Lu Fei try it."

    Hua Mi went into the shed and fed his mount some Windchime Flower Honey.

    But still, nothing happened.

    It''s a shame. If Lu Fei gained the Wind Patron attribute, its speed would reach new heights.

    That would truly be like flying close to the ground, just the thought of it is thrilling.

    ...

    Next was the bottling process. Hua Mi harvested over seven hundred bottles of Windchime Flower Honey in total.

    There were nearly a thousandmunity friends in the WeChat group now. Even if all these seven hundred plus bottles were put up for sale, it wouldn''t be enough for everyone.

    However, certainly, not everyone would want to buy this variety.

    Moon Slumber Honey, Feathered Robe Honey, Gifted Grace Honey, and Thousand Illusions Honey would also return to the market simultaneously, making a total of nearly two thousand bottles.

    Everyone could take what they needed.

    ...

    After finishing with the honey and dealing with the rted matters in this area, before leaving, Hua Mi inspected the Rainbow ss Flower Field that was still in preparation.

    About half of thend had already been transformed.

    The air was filled with shadowy mist. When Hua Mi directed his mental power into it, the mist changed its form ording to his thoughts and even gained color.

    Hua Mi''s mental power was enough for such things, but his proficiency wasn''t, so the illusions he created were a bit abstract.

    But undeniable, it was quite marvelous.

    This ce was a fusion of dreams and reality. Being within it gave a strange feeling of both fantasy and reality.

    Seeing Moqiu bustling about in the fields, working diligently, Hua Mi decided to give it a little incentive to motivate it for better and faster work.

    So, he gave it a Gifted Grace Honey pellet.

    Dreammares usually exist in the spiritual state, feeding on emotional energy within dreams.

    However, in their material state, they can also consume material things, but this method of replenishing energy is highly inefficient, nowhere near as fast as consuming energy within dreams.

    Moreover, for this species, consuming dream energy itself is a form of cultivation.

    "It can replenish your mental energy with no side effects."

    Perhaps coerced by his "authority," Moqiu swallowed the pellet without a word.

    Then, it stared nkly for a moment.

    The two eyes hidden under its long fur suddenly widened.

    Immediately after, little dots of white light emerged from beneath its fur, swirling around its body.

    "It says that what it just ate can help in its cultivation, even more efficiently than consuming dream energy." Xiao Bai tranted.

    "Oh, really."

    Hua Mi thought that Gifted Grace Honey had an effect on restoring mental power. For a species like Dreammares, fundamentally based on the spiritual, it made sense that it would have an auxiliary effect on cultivation.

    "I have plenty of this stuff. If you want to eat more, work harder."

    Saying that, Hua Mi tossed another pellet to Moqiu.

    "Woof!"

    Moqiu gobbled up the pellet and immediately plunged energetically into its work.

    "Quite easy to please," Hua Mi sighed.

    ...

    When leaving the greenhouse, it was almost dusk.

    Utilizing this time before it got dark, Hua Mi made some Windchime Flower Honey pellets.

    After nightfall, he would return to Earth to prepare for the second phase of stocking.

    On this side of Earth, it was already past three in the morning.

    The stocking could wait until morning.

    Before that, Hua Mi decided to take advantage of the quiet night to check on the situation by the Fallen Blossom River.

    After all, it was the first time he used magic to interfere with the Earth''s environment.

    Though theoretically harmless, gathering information was necessary.

    To grasp the situation in real-time, enabling swift response measures.

    So, during this period, he visited there every day.

    Locking the door, he mounted his bicycle and set off.

    Huayu Town wasn''t like a big city.

    At this time, there wasn''t a soul outside, just the sound of his own breath and the rotation of the bicycle chain.

    There weren''t many additional streetlights in the town, coupled with the overcast night, most of the roads were pitch ck.

    However, Hua Mi''s eyes had developed some night vision capabilities.

    His pupils dted, ayer of clear light shimmering in his eyes.

    The scenes in his field of vision weren''t as bright as day, but at least as illuminated as a full moon night.

    So, riding was stress-free.

    While riding, he suddenly heard a few dog barks.

    Not the fierce kind.

    Rather, they sounded pleading and pitiful, tinged with a sense of desperation.

    Hua Mi nced to the side and saw a scruffy-looking yellow dog.

    It was themonest breed, a native Chinese rural dog.

    Due to many residents leaving recently, the number of stray cats and dogs had surged in the town.

    Especially dogs like this, not valuable and not good-looking, were more likely to be abandoned directly.

    That dog didn''t seem malnourished, probably abandoned not too long ago.

    But its appearance was truly wretched.

    Dull fur, lost gaze, cowering and skittish.

    At first sight, the term "forlorn dog" popped into Hua Mi''s mind, which fit too perfectly.

    It wasn''t alone.

    There was a slightly smaller white dog beside it, although also scruffy, looked much better in appearance and temperament.

    A few body lengths away from them stood a ck German Shepherd!

    It looked like a dignified general in ck armor.

    Compared to the native dogs, the Shepherd was iparable.

    The Shepherd let out a low growl.

    The white dog wagged its tail and went towards it without hesitation.

    "Woo"

    The yellow dog made a pleading sound again.

    The white dog nced back, then ran over to the Shepherd without hesitation.

    The two dogs sniffed each other.

    "Woof!"

    Unable to endure any longer, the yellow dog made an aggressive move, leaping forward.

    The ck Shepherd couldn''t be bothered to move and simply gl

    ared at it, emitting a warning growl from its throat.

    The yellow dog immediately recoiled, tail tucked.

    "Aowu"

    The yellow dog pitifully watched them leave, a very human-like expression on its face, almost as if containing tears.

    "..."

    Seems like witnessing some dramatic scene between dogs.

    It''s tough being a dog these days.

    Seeing the despondent look on the yellow dog, Hua Mi took out a piece of ham sausage from his ring and threw it in front of it.

    But the yellow dog didn''t seem to have an appetite, just nced at it and didn''t eat.

    Still, it kept its eyes fixed on the direction the two dogs had gone.

    Quite sentimental.

    However, pitiful as it seemed, Hua Mi felt it was not unjust to lose.

    Its appearance truly couldn''tpare to that ck Shepherd.

    "Oh, right."

    Hua Mi had a sudden idea.

    I wonder if Feathered Robe Honey would help improve a dog''s appearance.

    With curiosity, Hua Mi pulled out a bottle of Feathered Robe Honey from the spatial ring.

    "Yellow Dog, do you want to win back your love?"

 Chapter 163: Administrator - (1)

    Chapter 163: Administrator - (1)

    Hua Mi retrieved two slices of bread from his storage ring, nning to spread the flower spirit honey between them, treating it like a sauce for the dog.

    "Oops, that''s too much..."

    He only meant to pour a bit, but with too much force, a big blob identally spilled out.

    "Ah well, more might work better, lucky dog."

    He shrugged; a little extra honey wouldn''t hurt.

    Hua Mi held two slices of bread with honey and approached the dog. Ordinarily, when feeding a stray dog or cat, one should consider the risks, as animals long on the streets might turn wild and couldsh out unexpectedly.

    However, Hua Mi was far beyond an ordinary person in mental, physical, and visual abilities. A mere dog couldn''t harm him.

    This dog seemed quite gentle, probably recently abandoned.

    Having experienced some hardships, it wasn''t really hungry, but with someone offering, it decided to cooperate.

    It didn''t seem wary of people, just sniffed and then swallowed the treat in one go.

    A few swallows, a wag of its tail, and a couple of grateful barks followed.

    Adorable, despite its odd looks.

    Having been a domesticated dog, it knew how to please humans well.

    "Rise up, Big Yellow! Reim what''s rightfully yours... I''lle see you again sometime, don''t disappoint me!"

    Amusing himself with yful words, Hua Mi mounted his bike and rode off, leaving the perplexed dog behind.

    ---

    The Fallen Blossom River was bing clearer by the day. Along the shallow banks, one could see the healthy, deep green aquatic nts flowing with the current.

    Under the purification effect of the water essence, the river''s ecology was rapidly improving.

    Hua Mi stood by the riverbank, feeling like a nature healer, basking in the sense of curing an ailment.

    Of course, the current scene was quite different from the picturesque memory of his childhood.

    Nevertheless, the past''s beauty was aposite result; currently, the healthy river alone felt a bitckluster.

    Extending his mental power, Hua Mi delved into the river''s water, sensing a faint magical energy.

    The closer he got to the water essence, the more abundant the energy became.

    His mental power expanded, capturing signs of life activitiesvarying in strength, probably different types of fish.

    Ssh

    In what seemed like a response, a fish about a foot long leaped out of the water and plunged back in with a ssh.

    Although it was a brief appearance, Hua Mi''s enhanced vision allowed him to see it clearly.

    The scales were fine and neat, vibrant in color, and its tail disyed strength.

    Nourished by the water essence''s magic, life in the river was reviving.

    ---

    Hua Mi stayed by the riverside until dawn, only returning home as the first rays of sunlight graced thend.

    It was time to organize the honey for sale.

    Hua Mi detailed the effects, prices, and stock of five honey varieties.

    The new Windchime Flower Honey was priced at 2000 yuan.

    Effects: Freshens breath, cleanses the stomach.

    Stock: 400 bottles.

    The other four types, 300 bottles each, maintained their original prices.

    As per yesterday''s announcement in the circle, they would be avable for sale promptly at nine in the morning.

    The circle members had been eagerly waiting.

    "Finally, the sleep aid honey is back, don''t you darepete with me for it!"

    "Moon Sleep Flower, Feather Spirit Flower... are these all new flower breeds cultivated by the boss? Impressive!"

    "A new honey this time!"

    "Freshens breath? Does that mean no need to brush teeth?"

    "Why is it only three or four hundred bottles?"

    "Boss, you''re underestimating our purchasing power. For these special-effect honeys, the more, the merrier!"

 Chapter 164: Chaos Looms, Ice Dancing Festival

    Chapter 164: Chaos Looms, Ice Dancing Festival

    Hua Mi''s mind rang rm bells.

    Immediately, without hesitating, he swung his arms, giving his all as he dashed forward.

    Yet, it was futile.

    The contestant beside him remained hot on his heels, soon matching his pace and surpassing him by a head''s length! How terrifying was this endurance!

    A connoisseur knew the secrets.

    As a sprinter himself, he understood well the exaggerated burst of speed from this contestant.

    Such physique could be deemed innate talent!

    "G University actually has such formidable individuals, frighteningly so!"

    Under his watchful gaze,

    In the final few meters, Luo Xu surged ahead, the first to reach the finish line! Cheers erupted across the venue!

    Luo Xu raised both hands triumphantly, racing towards the spectator stands.

    The intense activity and his exhration caused a brief suffocation, yet it didn''t hinder his jubnt celebration.

    ...

    Observing Luo Xu, one of the administrators, share the news of his first-ce sprint within the inner circle, Hua Mi raised an eyebrow.

    He responded, "The special state you mentioned, does it ur temporarily after consuming honey, or does it persist?"

    The other replied, "It''s only present for a few minutes after consuming honey. But now, I have a profound understanding of reducing wind resistance while running. Even without honey, I can run much faster than before."

    A temporary buff, not the ''Wind Keeper'' trait.

    Hua Mi felt a bit disappointed.

    It seemed this trait wasn''t easily attainable.

    Among the circle members who bought this honey, they only praised its fresh scent and digestive benefits, without mentioning any other effects.

    "The Bee Speaker''s Cottage" in the inner circle now counted five members, including Hua Mi.

    The other three administrators, firstly congratted Luo Xu for his victory and then expressed their doubts.

    Mu Yu Xiao Xiao: "Sensing airflow? Why don''t I have that feeling?"

    San Shi Da Chu: "I don''t feel it either. But after eating, I feel refreshingly cool, excellent for reducing greasiness. I''m considering incorporating Bellflower Honey into my recipes and developing new dishes."

    Released from the hospital for years: "Looking forward to it. I''ll visit your shop then."

    Not everyone could gain this buff.

    In fact, after Hua Mi consumed Bellflower Honey, there wasn''t a particrly noticeable sensation of airflow. At most, he felt a significant cooling sensation around his skin, much like rubbing alcohol.

    It seemed to be a matter of individual differences.

    Luo Xu trained for sprinting, perhaps he already paid considerable attention to studying and sensing airflow regrly, so the effectiveness of Bellflower Honey in this aspect was fully realized by him.

    "This is a talent, make good use of it," Hua Mi told him.

    "Understood!"

    The boss certainly knew about this effect. Luo Xu couldn''t help but think deeply, further convinced of the extraordinary origins of this boss.

    After all, could an ordinary person bestow such talents?

    And I am one of his appointed administrators!

    In an instant, he felt extremely awesome.

    ...

    "Sensing airflow?"

    Hua Mi popped another Bellflower Honey Pill but still didn''t experience the sensation Luo Xu described.

    "Try running outside."

    Hua Mi walked to the door, flexed his wrists and ankles, then started running along the road in front of the door.

    However... it was futile.

    He hadn''t run far before stopping.

    About to head back, he suddenly heard a dog barking.

    Following the sound, he spotted a mongrel not far away, happily wagging its tail toward him.

    "What a handsome dog," Hua Mi couldn''t help but exim.

    It was the most impressive mongrel he had ever seen.

    Its golden fur was particrly eye-catching, seeming to glisten under the sunlight. Its coat was longer than the typical mongrel, giving it an even more elegant appearance.

    Staring at it, he suddenly felt the dog looked familiar.

    "This is... the big yellow from that night?"

    After three days apart, what a remarkable change! After taking Featherflower Honey, its effects were unexpectedly significant!

    Clearly, the big yellow also recognized him, trotting up to him, panting and looking at him with shining eyes, full of spirit and charm.

    It was apletely different dog from before.

    Lowering its body, tail wagging high, it circled him in delight, seeking approval.

    It seemed to acknowledge his presence.

    Another idea popped into Hua Mi''s head; he fished out a Bellflower Honey Pill from his ring and tossed it forward.

    "Woof!"

    The dog leaped, catching the pill with precision.

    Hua Mi quietly observed its condition.

    However, it was just out of curiosity. He didn''t expect it to gain the ''Wind Keeper'' trait. After all, it was just a dog...

    Suddenly, the big yellow''s body trembled.

    Then, with a howl, the entire dog transformed into a golden blur.

    Air currents swirled around its body, forming an almost zero-resistance zone, greatly boosting its speed.

    Its silky smooth golden fur raced swiftly, exuding a majestic presence.

    Hua Mi was dumbfounded.

    At that moment, a passerby rode an electric scooter and, seeing a golden blur hurtling towards him, instinctively swerved

    "Ouch!"

    Though no collision urred, the scooter lost bnce and fell.

    The passerby, holding his helmet, looked around in astonishment, "What ''whooshed'' by?!"

    On closer inspection, it was an imposing mongrel, sprinting swiftly and stopping in front of a young man, then joyfully circling around him.

    The passerby helped up the scooter, wide-eyed, and stared at him incredulously, "Did your dog just take some adrenaline? How can it run so fast!"

    ...

    At this moment, Hua Mi was also speechless, feeling a mix of emotions.

    Never did he expect the dog would truly acquire the ''Wind Keeper'' trait! And with such ease.

    This left the four hundred humans feeling quite something.

    "Big Yellow, from now on, you''re the fastest dog in town..."

    "Woof!"

    ...

    Before the onset of chaos, Hir''s Alchemy Workshop was swiftly constructed.

    True to the agreement, Alyss used peculiar material crystals to set up a space window between the Bee Speaker''s Cottage and the Alchemy Workshop.

    On Hua Mi''s end, the window was ced in the wall between an ordinary window and the front door, looking indistinguishable when closed.

    To activate it, injecting one''s spiritual power was all it required.

    It wasn''trge, only twenty centimeters in length and width, yet sufficient for transporting honey.

    As a gesture of goodwill, Hua Mi bought thetestptop and gifted it to Alyss, loaded withmonly used software like CAD. He tranted software terms into themonnguage of the Western Continent, jotting them in a text document for her easy reference.

    As for charging, theoretically, a magic array could provide the necessary power.

    Coincidentally, Alyss was an expert in drawing magic arrays.

    Hua Mi didn''t need to worry about this aspect.

    ...

    As the first Alchemy Workshop in ckstone Town, business naturally started slow.

    Alchemy creations were mainly used in the adventuring industry.

    However, there were fewer adventurers venturing into the ck Forest nowadays.

    While there were daily alchemical products avable, the residents of ckstone Town were skeptical.

    They preferred familiar ordinary tools, even if less effective, over spending money on alchemical items.

    When ill, they preferred traditional treatments over consuming alchemical potions, despite thetter''s faster effects and toxic side effects. Among themon folk, there was a rumor that alchemical potions came from the abyss, carrying curses. Overconsumption would turn them into abyssal monsters.

    However, Carter was optimistic about the future.

    He believed the townspeople would eventually recognize the convenience of alchemy; it only required a catalyst to change the situation.

    Moreover, he believed that with the influence of the Bee Speaker, the ck Forest would eventually regain its former prosperity.

    With a window connecting the Bee Speaker''s Cottage and the Alchemy Workshop,munication between both sides became more convenient.

    Hilia frequently reported her rapid progress in her research; her advancements were astonishing.

    Now, she single-handedly managed the Alchemy Workshop without any technical issues.

    After the second phase of honey sales, Hua Mi shifted his focus back to the ck Forest.

    With four moderators managing the micro-chat circle, he felt much more rxed.

    He could now concentrate on cultivating flowers and beekeeping.

    ...

    This day marked thest day of the Ice Period.

    In a dozen hours or so, the Western Continent would step into the harsh Chaos Period.

    On this day, following tradition, the humans of the Western Continent would celebrate a festivalthe Ice Dance Festivalto pray for a smooth passage through the impending Chaos Period.

    Though termed a "prayer," the humans of the Western Continent generallycked beliefs. There wasn''t a clear deity to pray to.

    Mostly, it was the Ice and Snow Goddess, but there was no unified image or ritual surrounding this goddess.

    The significance of this festival was more about boosting morale.

    At the end of the Ice Period, they would revel to face the harsh environment with high spirits.

    It was an ancient custom.

    ckstone Town, being a typical human settlement, secluded and relyingrgely on nature''s bounty, attached great importance to this festival.

    Thus, preparations for the Ice Dance Festival began early.

    In just a few days, the small town underwent aplete transformation, with a significant shift in the overall atmosphere.

    To Hua Mi, their emphasis on the Ice Dance Festival probably rivaled the importance of Christmas in Western countries on Earth.

 Chapter 165: Traveling Merchant

    Chapter 165: Traveling Merchant

    Huayu Town at this time was filled with ice and snow elements.

    For instance, crystal ornaments hung at the entrance of every household.

    And snowmen piled up in front of doors.

    These added a rare romantic touch to this sturdy mining town''s atmosphere.

    In the town center square stood a goddess ice sculptureabstract in design, roughly crafted, barely revealing a humanoid shape.

    It was evident that an amateur had worked on it.

    In reality, it was crafted by experienced miners.

    They used their mining picks and broad axes to chisel it out.

    Refinement was a bit of a stretch here.

    Night fell, and the celebration began.

    The square buzzed with people, alive with song and dance.

    The ice sculpture was surrounded by torches and the crowd, the celebration tost until the sculpture melted away.

    The town''s only troubadour yed a tune by the bonfire.

    He didn''t hold any instruments, just used his slender fingers to pluck the air, conjuring melodious tunes.

    Apanied by his enchanting voice, a beautiful movement unfolded.

    Amidst the revelry, two small figures cloaked in brown remained still, resembling bags filled with goods, only revealing pairs of keenly rotating eyes, proof of their living nature.

    The bright orbs reflected the fire''s glow, sharply observing the crowd.

    From therger "bag" came an aged voice, "Look over there, thatd with freckles all over. What do you think he currently ''needs''?"

    The smaller "bag" beside replied in a more juvenile tone, "Hmm... dressed in attire unsuitable for this weather, meticulously groomed hair. He must be interested in someone here... See, that girl with the brown braids; her attention is entirely captivated by the troubadour''s voice,pletely unaware of him. Maybe he needs a beautiful flower or some other suitable gift to express his feelings... Am I analyzing this correctly, Master?"

    "Mostly right, but you''re oveplicating it and getting away from reality. Look closely at him. In this freezing weather, wearing only a thin garment, shivering just for style. I bet he can barely open his mouth by now."

    "Oh, I get it! He most needs warm clothing!"

    "But that conflicts with his need to maintain his stylish appearance. Plus, the profit from a warm outer garment is nowhere near that of a warming talisman."

    "Makes sense, but Master, would he really spend so much money on a talisman?"

    "Don''t underestimate human courtship desires, especially youngds. They''d do anything for a chance... Look, you''ve got an example right in front of you."

    A young couple emerged from the dancing crowd, hands sped, faces flushed with happiness, kissing passionately while slowly moving away from the crowd.

    "What do you think they need the most right now?"

    "Uh, a bed? Hehe."

    "Hehehe...?!"

    The lovers caught sight of two "bags" on the ground and instinctively sat on them.

    Unexpectedly, one of the "bags" jumped up, waving two sturdy short arms, shouting, "Look properly!"

    The woman gasped, focused, and realized the two "bags" stood up, two dwarves under brown cloaks.

    Blushing, the couple apologized repeatedly and slipped into the crowd, holding hands.

    "How impolite."

    Grumbled the young dwarf, discontent.

    Looking back at thed who cared more about style than warmth, he had long disappeared.

    Probably couldn''t bear the cold any longer and headed home.

    Leaving the ce unfulfilled, full of regret.

    The little dwarf sighed in disappointment.

    "Don''t be disheartened. As long as you observe, needs are everywhere in this world." The old dwarf paused, adding, "Besides, if there aren''t existing needs, high-end merchants can create them..."

    The old dwarf paused, stroked his beard under the cloak, squinting, gazing in a certain direction within the crowd.

    The young dwarf recognized that gaze as spotting a target.

    Instantly followed his line of sight.

    A dashing gentleman stood at the outer edge of the crowd, enjoying the troubadour''s performance, a graceful smile on his face as he pped with others.

    His hands adorned with rings of various colors.

    "A mage." The old dwarf, relying on his seasoned experience, made a confident judgment.

    It was widely known that mages were wealthy.

    No matter if they were low-tier or high-tier mages, magical instruments were essential.

    And various materials required for spellcasting all demanded money support.

    "No, there doesn''t seem to be anything hecks." The young dwarf analyzed but found the other party wless.

    "Like I said, high-end merchants can create their own needs. Follow me, don''t speak randomly, just observe. I''ll teach you how it''s done."

    The old dwarf moved, traversing through the crowd towards the mage.

    The young dwarf followed closely.

    ...

    "I''m a traveling merchant from Lapau, d Wheel. And this is my apprentice, Wooden Basin."

    The old dwarf removed the hood, revealing a weathered broad face, the grey-white beard tucked into the cloak, possibly trailing on the ground.

    The small dwarf beside him also removed the cloak, revealing a typical dwarf face, big nose, prominent forehead, broad cheeks, with a budding beard, eyes reflecting a hint of naive rity.

    When Carter heard that they were traveling merchants, his interest piqued.

    The Alchemy Workshop had just opened and hadn''t sold anything yet.

    Maybe they could make their first profit here.

    Traveling merchants, after all, buy from here and sell there.

    Carter gave them a nod, introducing himself, "Carter Nio, from the town''s Alchemy Workshop, run by me and mypanion."

    The old dwarf, upon learning about the shop, became intrigued.

    He had quite a stock of alchemical items, especially many magical potions, some nearing their expiration.

    Perhaps, he could make a hefty profit from here.

    As a traveling merchant, making money was the sole purpose. He held no bias against native alchemists; as long as there was profit, they could negotiate.

    He promptly proposed, "Why don''t we find a ce for a drink, maybe discuss business?"

    "Just what I had in mind."

    ...

    Most residents were outside reveling, making the tavern quite deserted.

    Carter and the two dwarves picked a table near the window and ordered three beers.

    After exchanging pleasantries, they subtly probed each other''s backgrounds and temperaments, gauging each other''s depths.

    Carter asked, "The Chaotic Period is approaching, will you continue your travels?"

    "Little do you know, the Chaotic Period is the most lucrative season for traveling merchants."

    Usually, Carter had little interaction with traveling merchants. This seemed counterintuitive, but Carter quickly understood.

    During the Chaotic Period, poption mobility decreased, and people tended to have higher demand for traveling merchants.

    "You don''t look like an alchemist." The old dwarf''s slightly cloudy eyes stared intently at him, "If I''m not mistaken, you should be a mage, specializing in wind magic."

    "Good eye."

    Carter acknowledged his insight.

    He probably didn''t use any discernment tricks; merely observations based on experience.

    Noticing he was a mage wasn''t anything extraordinary.

    However, deducing that he specialized in wind magic was not that straightforward.

    This old dwarf had a keen eye.

    Receiving the

    "Then, I think you might be interested in this."

    The old dwarf reached into his storage bag, taking out a bottle of deep blue potion, cing it on the table.

    It looked different from themon potion bottles found in the Torun Kingdom market.

    Not the usual round-bellied magic potion bottle but a square one.

    "The Windwing Elixir, obtained in the Shield Kingdom. As far as I know, this kind of potion isn''t yet popr in Torun.

    "It substantially boosts the power of the consumer''s wind magic. As a wind mage, you should perceive the abundant wind elements within."

    Pausing there, the old dwarf waited for his inspection.

    When Carter picked it up for examination, the old dwarf proudly continued, "The best part is, its toxic side effects are far less than simr types of magic potions avable in the Torun market. After consumption, apart from a slight decrease in resistance to cold, there are almost no other side effects. And ording to experiments, you''d have to drink a dozen or so bottles continuously before any significant signs of poisoning show."

    Leaning back into the chair, the old dwarf gave a confident smile, "Have you seen a more perfect magic potion?"

 Chapter 166: Embracing Chaos

    Chapter 166: Embracing Chaos

    Carter didn''t immediately respond to him.

    Carefully examining the Wind Wing Elixir in his hand for a while, he could sense the magic within and its resonance with his own energy.

    That was proof enough of its quality.

    In the realm of alchemical potions, it could be deemed excellent.

    In the past, Carter might have agreed with the old dwarf''s assessment.

    But having experienced the Honey series, ordinary potions, in his eyes, could never be deemed "perfect."

    When it came to potions that increased wind magic''s potency, he had a bottle in his shop.

    Wind Chime Honey.

    Just like the other Honey series potions, it had no adverse effects.

    Compared to that, this Wind Wing Elixir was rather unremarkable.

    Carter ced the potion back on the table and asked, "How much is this selling for?"

    The old dwarf, thinking he had this in the bag, feeling rxed as if even his beard was unwinding, confidently extended five fingers, "Five tree coins."

    Tree coins referred to themonly used human gold coins on the western continent, named for the tree imprinted on their face. Also known as Alliance gold coins.

    Seven human kingdoms formed a loose alliance, and the first thing they unified was the currency, greatly facilitating trade between nations.

    Human nations held nearly two-thirds of the gold reserves on the western continent, so they weren''t stingy in minting gold coins.

    Tree coins boasted high gold purity and were well-trusted and favored by merchants. Other races were also happy to ept tree coins.

    Comparing the offered price to his own goods, Carter privately pondered before saying, "Regarding your earlier question about whether I''ve seen such perfect potions before, what if I said I have?"

    The old dwarf probably thought this was shoddy rhetoric, chuckling, "I''m all ears! Let us broaden our horizons."

    The showdown between experience and eloquence was about to begin, the old dwarf thought.

    As a well-traveled veteran merchant, he was confident in his wide knowledge and eloquence. In terms of both knowledge and artiction, he believed he wouldn''t lose to this young man.

    "Simrly, a potion that significantly boosts wind magic''s potency without any side effects."

    "No side effects?"

    The old dwarf restrained his expression, disappointed in the young mage''s ignorance. He had assumed the young man had some level ofpetence, but it seemed hecked basic knowledge.

    It was well known that alchemical potions could only approach zero side effects indefinitely but could never truly achieve itat least not ording to current alchemical theory.

    This hinted at one of the most basic rules of alchemy: to gain something, one must lose something.

    For instance, if you wanted greater speed, you had to sacrifice resistance or stamina.

    Enhancing one aspect inevitably weakened another.

    Not to mention the umtion ofmon toxins.

    To truly refine a potion without any adverse effects would require breaking through the current framework of alchemy, a cutting-edge topic studied by the most advanced alchemists today.

    He didn''t believe this unknown little town could produce such an achievement.

    "Yes, the potion''s name is ''Wind Chime Honey.'' As the name suggests, it probably uses wind chimes as an ingredient."

    Wind chimes were just amon type of flower, containing purer wind elements but no particrly magical ones.

    "That''s quite an aplishment."

    The young dwarf couldn''t help butment sarcastically.

    The old dwarf plotted how to expose the young mage''s poor deception.

    Unexpectedly, the young mage didn''t follow the standard script, skipping the charade and stating directly, "Go to my shop; the potion is there."

    ...

    Arriving at the alchemy workshop''s entrance, the old dwarf still didn''t believe the mage''s words.

    However, he had been actively invited into the shop, and the confidence seemed genuine.

    Entering with skepticism, he observed from outside, seeing just an ordinary building, no different from most structures in the town in style.

    It was divided into two sections: the main building on the leftwhere they enteredand a slightly smaller one on the right, likely a warehouse or a lounge.

    Upon entering, it appeared like a regr storefront, not overly spacious, with scattered goods on shelves on both sides. It seemed newly opened, with few items and a fresh storefront.

    However, given it was an "alchemy workshop," it implied more than just sales; alchemical work likely urred here, maybe in a backroom or basement.

    Behind the counter sat a rather fierce-looking fellow, his beard standing upright like an aggressive wolf.

    He loungedzily on the counter.

    Seeing Carter enter, he straightened up strangely and said, "Back so soon... Oh, customers?"

    "Mm, you can go; I''ll watch the store," said Col.

    "You didn''t lose." Carter hung his robe on a hanger and said casually, "Actually, you were right earlier. I used a little trick to flip the coin."

    "You brat!" Col made a disdainful gesture, then without a word, dashed out of the shop like an unbridled wild dog, clearly pent up inside.

    Carter raised his hand; several streams of air converged into a whirl, flying around the shelves and settling on a peculiarly shaped ss bottle, smoothly returning to his hand.

    Initially puzzled by the many empty spots on the shelves, the old dwarf quickly understood upon seeing the prices: 15 gold coins, not for regr customers.

    Several other bottles of the same style but different colors and varying prices were on the shelfa range of Honey series potions, albeit notably pricey, likely different potions within the same series.

    Such valuable goods naturally needed a secure spot to avoid idents.

    However, did they truly warrant such a price?

    The bottle Carter retrieved contained a viscous yellow-green liquid.

    If it truly had no side effects as he imed, then 15 gold coins indeed wasn''t exorbitant.

    In terms of academic research value in alchemy, it might be even higher.

    But he held doubts.

    As a traveling merchant, he needed his trusted means of appraisal.

    Depending solely on his eyes, no matter how experienced, could lead to being duped.

    The wise might falter in a thousand calctions; onepse might lead to being swindled down to one''s underpants.

    Especially regarding potions, he couldn''t just taste-test them himself.

    Fetching a monocle from his pocket, the old dwarf ced it on his right eye and closely inspected the yellow-green potion.

    A white light flickered on the monocle.

    After a moment, the old dwarf gasped, his eyes widening.

    He froze, seemingly turned to stone.

    The young dwarf, noticing his master''s difort, cautiously called, "Master?"

    Regaining his senses, the old dwarf said nothing, simply passing the monocle to his apprentice.

    Understanding his master''s intent, the young dwarf wore the monocle and focused on the potion. In an instant...

    "..."

    The young dwarf also froze.

    It was true!

    The mage''s im of a side-effect-free potion was indeed real.

    And it was right in front of him!

    Though not as deep in alchemical knowledge as the alchemists themselves, the traveling merchant knew well the significance contained in that bottle of potion.

    The old dwarf, respectful, asked solemnly, "May I have the honor of meeting yourpanion, the alchemical master?"

    Carter, however, rified, "Don''t misunderstand; the Honey series potions weren''t made by mypanion but by her master.

    "Of course, that master is in the shop, resting."

 Chapter 167: Collaboration and Courtesy

    Chapter 167: Coboration and Courtesy

    In the early hours, a sudden gale swept outside, the wind howling like a werewolf on a full moon night.

    Hua Mi set down the "Western Continent Geographic Records," tilting his head to listen. The howling wind carried faint sounds of tree branches bending and breaking intermittently.

    The wind''s force might have reached level eight. Beekeepers needed to stay vignt about the weather, so he had some understanding through observation.

    In theory, level eight winds weren''t extremely destructive. However, these weren''t natural winds of Earth.

    The outside winds were a result of wild wind elements, which meant theycked a fixed direction. The wind could shift within seconds, attacking from all sides without any courtesy, making it hard to defend against.

    Additionally, during chaotic times, there could be magical effectsparable to spells, like sudden wind des or fireballs, indiscriminately attacking the surroundings.

    These natural magical effects had a specific term: "Heaven''s Punishment Technique." Though encountering it was as rare as being struck by lightning, it objectively existed, iming unfortunate victims every year.

    The cottage''s doors and windows rattled, the hangingmps on the walls swaying slightly, but the structure remained sturdy.

    Hua Mi spected that the alchemical techniques used for this wooden cabin ensured its stability.

    Sr equipment and some tools had been stored away in advance. The greenhouse and stables outside stood as firm as a rock.

    The gale didn''tst long, subsiding within ten minutes, followed by a period of silence. Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed across the sky, rolling continuously.

    "Perhaps we''ll have thunder and snow together, while the ground temperature feels like a furnace," he thought, knowing this phenomenon could ur in most regions, even in the perennial spring-like city of Mordu. There was a saying that the only chance for snow in Mordu was during chaotic periods.

    Fortunately, these chaotic periods weren''t prolonged; otherwise, many creatures might not endure. However, in terms of survival of the fittest, the survivors were usually robust species.

    Continuing under the dim light, Hua Mi delved back into his reading. Immersed in the book, he gradually shut out external disturbances. When he looked up, dawn had broken.

    Unexpectedly quiet, he peeked out the window to find the sky gloomy yet the air crisp. The snow had almost melted entirely, leaving muddy ground and visible twigs.

    With his psychic ability, he sensed the restless magical elements in the air, scattered and moving irregrly. When these elements gathered, they could cause environmental changes or even invoke Heaven''s Punishment Technique.

    "All this makes one quite on edge," he remarked to himself, consciously ignoring the restlessness in the magical elements and focusing on his immediate tasks.

    After a brief wash and breakfast, the weather had drastically changed. A scorching heat wave surged, resembling an instant leap into midsummer.

    Surface moisture evaporated visibly, forming a high-hanging dense fog in the cooler air aloft, seemingly above the treetops, creating a peculiar sight of towering trees.

    Protected by the Robe of Composure, adverse external conditions didn''t greatly affect him. After breakfast, he replenished feed and water for the deer in the adjacent shed before heading to the greenhouse.

    Despite the harsh external conditions, the greenhouse sections were running as initially set up.

    The seven small creatures seemed a bit lethargic, but the changes weren''t as dramatic as anticipated, affecting productivity at most.

    After some work in the greenhouse, a sudden downpour prompted Hua Mi to return to the cabin, noticing a blue pattern glowing on the surface of the small window between the front door and the windowsa connection request from the alchemy workshop.

    Injecting his psychic power, the window resembled a portal veiled by a thin curtain.

    It was Carter''s voice on the other side, mentioning a traveling merchant seeking a conversation and asking for some time.

    "A traveling merchant?" Hua Mi immediately thought of a potential opportunity for profit. He knew these merchants typically bought low and sold high, capitalizing on price differences between regions.

    If the merchant spotted the disyed bottles of honey, they might seek to purchase some, hence wanting to talk to the producer directly.

    Thinking this way, Hua Mi agreed. Carter didn''t call the merchant immediately but instead provided detailed information about them, their name, race, origin, and their previous conversation scene from yesterdayall reported to Hua Mi.

    Moreover, regarding the honey prices, they had already tentatively agreed upon a reduction of two gold coins from the original price for each type of honey, except for the Blood Honey. The merchant intended to buy one to two bottles of each.

    Merchants without a storefront had limited cash on hand, so even if they intended to buy more, they couldn''t readily pay for it all at once. Even credit purchases had their risksunpredictable markets could lead to substantial losses.

    Satisfied with Carter''s negotiation with the dwarves, Hua Mi''s main reason for coborating with the alchemy workshop was clear: peace of mind.

    He only needed to focus on farming while leaving the negotiation to Carter.

    With the business discussed, the older dwarf''s tone became more casual. "I''ve heard you have a keen interest in flowers?" he asked.

 Chapter 168: Legend of the Hot Spring Inn

    Chapter 168: Legend of the Hot Spring Inn

    The Dwarf must have picked up his preferences from Carter.

    "Could it be that he''s thinking of gifting me a bouquet of flowers or a packet of flower seeds as a weing gesture?" Hua Mi pondered aloud.

    That would be more than wee.

    Hua Mi was always open to gifts.

    However, not just any flowers would suit his taste.

    Firstly, they had to be nectar-producing nts.

    Secondly, they needed a substantial amount of magical essence.

    Otherwise, he wouldn''t waste his space and energy cultivating them.

    "Unfortunately, I don''t have any flower seeds in my inventory," the old Dwarf regretted, "You know, these things don''t sell well in Turen."

    None?

    So, it seemed it wasn''t about a gift.

    A faint sense of disappointment crept into Hua Mi''s thoughts.

    "But, I happen to have some information I''d like to share with you for free," the old Dwarf interrupted, shifting gears, "Beforeing to Heishi Town, we stayed in an inconspicuous vige."

    Pausing for effect, the old Dwarf began recounting, "To avoid heavy snow, we took our pig cart to McKang Vige. Perhaps you know of the ce, not far from Heishi Town, it took us less than five days to get here with the pig cart."

    "Of course, that vige was tiny, quite remote. It''s not marked on any maps. The vige,pared to other human settlements, was no differentsimple and serene."

    "But the vige held an intriguing legend"

    The old Dwarf seemed to relish telling stories, less concerned with eloquence now.

    Listening intently, Hua Mi''s emotions stirred slightly. Truth be told, the story the old Dwarf recounted piqued his interest.

    The legend of McKang Vige went like this:

    Deep in the mountains near the vige stood an abandoned hot spring inn.

    The inny in ruins, unfit for habitation.

    Yet, the hot spring pool in the backyard continuously bubbled with fresh thermal water, and vigers often went there for free baths.

    Gradually, people noticed something peculiar about the hot spring waterit seemed to have the power to heal injuries.

    Those with wounds or ailments, after soaking in the spring water for a while, would miraculously recover, leaving no scars.

    But there was a catch.

    For the healing to take effect, one had to be asleep.

    If one stayed awake throughout the process, nothing changed.

    Pretending to sleep or having apanion secretly watch, no matter how discreet, nullified the healing effect.

    Initially skeptical upon hearing this legend, the old Dwarf dismissed it as a vige rumor.

    However, the young Dwarf was curious and decided to explore the mountains.

    Coincidentally, he had caught an illness on the way. If the spring water truly had healing properties, it would resolve an urgent problem for him.

    That very night, he convinced a viger to guide him to the abandoned hot spring inn in the mountains.

    True to the vigers'' words, amidst the dpidated inn, there existed a steaming hot spring.

    After a brief soak, the young Dwarf drifted into a blissful sleep.

    When he woke up the next morning, he discovered his illness had vanished.

    The old Dwarf, upon hearing this, grew curious himself.

    Apanying the young Dwarf back to the hot spring inn, he used tools to analyze the water.

    The results showed that it was ordinary thermal water, devoid of any magical elements, without any magical effects.

    Thus, the supposed healing effect had to stem from something beyond the water itself.

    Eager to unravel the mystery, the old Dwarf cut a wound on himself and immersed in the spring water.

    Yet, as the rumors suggested, neither feigning sleep nor being observed by the young Dwarf triggered any miraculous healing.

    Following this rule, it seemed impossible to uncover the truth.

    "But I had a sudden idea, perhaps a viable solution," the old Dwarf triumphantly announced, "Among our inventory lies a rare magical item called the ''Soul Pipe.''"

    "Fill this pipe with tobo, take a few puffs after lighting it, and your soul will briefly leave your body, dwelling within the pipe, while your body appears asleep."

    "...," Hua Mi thought, "A true veteran, a shrewd merchantfinding these loopholes."

    Judging by his tone, it seemed certain the n seeded.

    "In truth, this method worked wonders. As my spirit briefly left my body, floating above the hot spring, before long, I saw a little being appear beside me."

    "I was utterly astounded; it was a Flower Spirit! She used magic to heal my injuries and then vanished!"

    Pausing, the old Dwarf moderated his excitement.

    "You see, to give birth to a Flower Spirit, extremely rare flowers are needed, especially in the wild, untended conditions. The demand on the flora for birthing a Flower Spirit is even higher."

    "Usually, Flower Spirits don''t stray far from the flower they were born from because they inherently possess the instinct to tend to their mother flower. So, I surmise there must be some rare flora near the hot spring inn."

    "But despite our thorough search, we found nothing. We couldn''t continue wasting time for a vague goal, so we had to abandon the search and continue our journey."

    The old Dwarf took a deep breath, continuing, "But I still believe there''s rare flora hidden somewhere nearby, perhaps concealed by some magical effect that obstructs our vision... Although we couldn''t find it, with your incredible abilities, perhaps you might."

    This information held significant value for Hua Mi.

    He was willing to go take a look.

    The Flower Spirit the Dwarf spoke of possessed a unique healing ability. This further proved that the flora birthing her must contain some rare magical element.

    Besides, it wasn''t too far away.

    It took less than five days for the Dwarf to travel from Heishi Town.

    From there, a half-day''s ride on his deer mount would likely get him to the destination.

    As for the search strategy upon arrival.

    Of course, he''d rely on his keen eyes.

    He believed his discerning abilities would easily prate any magical effects.

    But that''s a story forter.

    This chaotic period wasn''t an ideal time for travel.

    He''d wait until the chaos subsided, then consider the winds of change.

    The chaotic periodsted less than a month; he could afford to wait.

    During this time, he could peacefully tend to his crops, beekeeping, reading... plenty to keep him upied.

    The Rainbow ss Flower Field would soon be renovated, allowing him to begin cultivating the Rainbow ss Flowers.

    Additionally, he intended to breed some new bee strains during this time.

    "There''s still some of the ''Hilya Variant Mutagen'' left; enough for a bee colony," he mused, deciding to try his luck.

 Chapter 169: The Tippler Bee

    Chapter 169: The Tippler Bee

    "It''s time to test my luck again," Hua Mi mused.

    Retrieving the half-bottle of the improved mutant attractant from the storage space, Hua Mi proceeded to select a swarm of over eight thousand ordinary bees. Pouring the mutagenic attractant into a basin, he then directed the bees to approach and sip it in turn.

    Under the influence of the mutagenic attractant, the bees swiftly returned to their hives, secreting wax and cocooning themselves. Going by past experiences, results should be evident by tomorrow at thetest.

    Given the unusual times, to prevent extreme weather from affecting the mutation process, Hua Mi deliberately ced this bee box in the greenhouse.

    While there, he checked on the Rainbow ss Flower field, offering Dream Nightmare workers the gifted honey as a token of appreciation for their hard work.

    Most of the ground was already covered by Dream So gel-like special soil continuously absorbing energy from the Dream Realm, nourishing thend. The overall progress of the transformation in the field had reached approximately 90%, estimating it would be usable in a few more days.

    Before that, Hua Mi had managed to cultivate some Rainbow ss Flower seeds through propagation and hybridization methods. These seeds, not toorge andparable in size to lotus seeds, disyed surfaces resembling fully grown petals, shimmering with rainbow colorsa dreamlike appearance truly befitting their origin from the Dream World.

    Through the seed-making machine, he had amassed a sufficient number of seeds. Utilizing his ability to measure beesbined with his own experience, Hua Mi determined that the nting spacing for Rainbow ss Flowers needed to be rtively wide on these ten acres ofnd, allowing for far fewer flowerspared to other fields. It was estimated that at most, one batch could yield slightly over two hundred jars of honey, possibly even fewer.

    Another piece of bad news surfacedthe seed-making machine seemed increasingly listless, its efficiency dropping noticeably. It felt like it would wither away after a few more uses. A substitute solution was imperative...

    Before leaving the greenhouse, he took a quick look at the Otherworldly Tree field. Compared to hisst visit, several saplings had grown a few centimeters taller, emitting a faint bleak green huea hint of their nature.

    The next morning, amidst lightning and howling winds, Hua Mi braved the weather and made his way to the greenhouse. As expected, the bees hadpleted their mutation. Those capable had emerged from their cocoons, while the incapable had suffocated within.

    A few scattered bees outside the hive caught Hua Mi''s attention upon sensing that these hadnt undergone any apparent changesthey represented failed evolutions.

    Subsequently, he checked the bees within the hive, releasing his mental energy to inspect them zone by zone. The majority were still failed individualseither disabled or with minimal changes like those seen outside.

    However, towards thetter part of the inspection, one mutated individual caught Hua Mi''s attention. Strictly speaking, this bees evolution wasn''t highly sessful. Its wings were slightly smaller than normal and seemed softened, greatly reducing its flying ability. Additionally, itcked poison nds and stingers, rendering it with zerobat capability, only useful for honey gathering. Due to the wing degeneration, its honey collection efficiency was also diminished.

    Yet, one of its traits was intriguingit secreted a special substance that converted the sugar in flower nectar into alcohol. In other words, the substance this bee produced wasnt honey but honey wine...

    Considering this, Hua Mi decided to keep this bee breed. With a slight modification to the hive, he could directly harvest honey wine.

    Thinking it over, Hua Mi replicated the temte of this bee.

    "Other bees brew honey, but you''re brewing alcohol. That''s so unique; I''ll call you the Tippler Bee."

    Tippler Bee

    Derived from ordinary bees through an enhanced mutagenic attractant. Resembles ordinary bees but with smaller, thinner wings,cks poison nds and stingers, possesses a honey sac and proboscis, capable of producing a special enzyme converting sugar into alcohol...

    Lifespan: 0.8

    Reproductive ability: 0.8

    Productivity: 0.4

    Attack: 0

    Defense: 0.8

    Vitality: 0.6

    Speed: 0.5

    Tactical Bonus: 3

    Gathering Ability: 0.5

    Combat Ability: 0

    Assessed as a [Level 2 Bee].

    This bee''s attributes were rathercking in many aspects.

    Though theoretically capable of brewing honey wine, practical implementation might encounter several issues.

    "Let''s try converting one batch first."

    Injecting the Tippler Bee''s temte into an ordinary bee swarm, thetter immediately returned to the hive and started cocooning. Additionally, hybridization experiments were underway, as usual, to breed a new queen bee for potential hybridization with the Tippler Bee. Perhaps this couldpensate for the varied shorings of this bee breed.

    This time, apart from the Tippler Bee, there were no other gains, which was somewhat disappointing. Leaving the greenhouse amid the raging winds, Hua Mi hastened towards his wooden cabin.

    As he reached the eaves, a sudden chill ran down his spine. Instantly alert, Hua Mi turned back to nce.

    Amidst the furious wind, a ck robe fluttered. Beneath the hood, a partially pale face peeked out.

    Hua Mi faced the figure directly, on guard butposed. After around ten seconds of standoff, the fierce wind gradually subsided, and the cloudy sky cleared, bathing the earth in sunlight.

    Finally, the figure spoke, "Ie on behalf of the Alchemist Guild."

    The voice was youthful, firm, and confident.

    It was indeed the Alchemist Guild.

    Why had theye here? If there was something that could draw the Alchemist Guild''s attention, it would likely be the honey...

    The "alchemy elixir" without toxic side effectssomething impossible to research within their existing alchemy framework. Were they here to gather intelligence?

    "Wee," Hua Mi replied calmly, showing no extra movements or expressions.

    "You''re the Bee Speaker?"

    "That''s me."

    The figure tilted their head slightly. Hua Mi finally saw their eyesetched with runic patterns emitting a faint red glow.

    "I bring you an opportunity," they said.

 Chapter 170: Alchemy Society

    Chapter 170: Alchemy Society

    "Tell me more," Hua Mi leaned in, intrigued.

    The alchemist''s words struck him as somewhat arroganta bad habit, perhaps, picked up from dwelling among the elves. But Hua Mi wasn''t one for nitpicking; he had no interest in measuring his wits against this man''s.

    Arrogant he might be, but if the benefits provided satisfied him, that was all that mattered. Being a renowned organization, they wouldn''t skimp, right?

    "You''ll have the opportunity to join the Alchemy Society, bing an elder directly, enjoying all the privileges," he paused, his obviously altered artificial eyes staring, strangely disconcerting, "provided that... you share all your alchemical techniques."

    Hua Mi had anticipated the visit was honey-centric, but the directness was staggeringan audacious request for an alchemist to divulge their entire craft.

    He believed even the so-called elders within the society wouldn''t selflessly reveal all their skills, surely holding some cards close to their chests. Though it wasn''t explicitly stated, it was evidently aimed at his "poison-free side effect alchemy."

    Bees were fundamental to his existence in this world. Unless absolutely necessary, he had no intention of sharing with anyone.

    Moreover, he wasn''t particrly keen on bing an elder in the Alchemy Society; it would only interfere with his farming and beekeeping endeavors. The opportunity could pass without regret.

    "I decline," Hua Mi stated firmly, a deration implying there was no room for negotiation.

    The alchemist continued, "Think carefully. Bing an elder in the Alchemy Society means you step onto the pinnacle of alchemy."

    "Everyone''s understanding of the pinnacle varies. Personally, I don''t value titles much."

    The man fell silent for a moment before adding, "I''ll ry your words as they are. Additionally, I hope you understand: every choice carries consequences, consequences you''ll have to bear personally."

    This felt like a warning, yet the tone wasn''t threatening. It seemed more like a statement of fact.

    He suddenly felt a change in the weatherdarkening skies, gathering storm clouds, and rising winds. Ghostly cries echoed through the ck Forest.

    The alchemist raised his hand; a ring on his finger glowed. With a hum, a dome-shaped silence enveloped them, blocking out the howling winds.

    Quiet returned instantly.

    "This is not a threat," the alchemist continued, "but a mere reminder. For a wild alchemist without support, the Alchemy Society stands as an insurmountable giant. A mere gesture from them could render you powerless in the alchemical domain. To put it inly, your skills will be sealed, your reputation obscure for the rest of your days, until your passing. It''s a pity."

    More of a warning than a threat.

    In this respect, Hua Mi found the man eptable, at least straightforward. His implication was clear: refusing the Alchemy Society meant standing against them.

    The Society would exert full force, blocking himmercially and academically, a necessary measure to maintain their authority and bnce.

    "But they might not know that I''m no longer a wild alchemist," Hua Mi thought. "I am now a court alchemist recognized by the Turlun Kingdom."

    The badge from the Turlun Kingdomy proudly on him, a sign of his support.

    He wasn''t without backingthe royal family of Turlun Kingdom.

    No matter how audacious the Alchemy Society was, they had to show some respect to this strongest human nation in the Western Continent.

    After a brief pause, the alchemist left.

    For Hua Mi, it was a passing annoyance, not a major concern. His main focus in this realm was farming and beekeeping, for personal improvement.

    As formerce and academia, he had little interest or ns.

    Moreover, if the Alchemy Society tried to impede his core interests, he could always seek help from Princess Karen.

    Next, Hua Mi''s primary task was cultivating the Rainbow Crystal Flowers. Once the field was prepared, nting wouldmence.

    One evening, rk paid a visit.

    With ample blood honey supply, he looked much better.

    Two gold coins for a bottle of blood honey wasn''t expensive for him. As the head of the Adventurers Guild in ckstone Town, he earned around ten gold coins a month, excluding his royalties.

    The revised "ck Forest Adventure Guide" was still in his hands, evident from the cover style.

    "Finally finished it. Before sending it out, I thought it best to seek the opinion of the guardian of the ck Forest. By the way, regarding your section, I put a lot of effort into it; you''ll be pleased," rk grinned, his prominent fangs shing.

    He currently resided in the Adventurers Guild office in ckstone Town, not actively concealing his vampire lineage.

    The town''s residents had little reaction to thiseat, drink, and live life.

    Initially, there were asional people forming groups to observe him, but ckstone Town''s folks were robust in their ways.

    Taking the book, Hua Mi nced at his fangs.

    Flipping through the book, he casually asked, "Are you getting used to living here?"

    rk replied rxedly, "It''s fine; the townsfolk are friendly. During the Ice Dance Festival, a girl even invited me to dance. She might be interested in me, but as a vampire, I should maintain distance from humans. What do you think?"

    Why are you asking me about this? I''m not your dad.

    "It''s up to you," Hua Mi replied nonchntly.

    Listening to rk ramble about the festival, a question surfaced in Hua Mi''s mind.

    Do vampire derivatives have reproductive abilities? Or rather, is there reproductive istion from humans? If not, would the offspring be human or derivative?

    Hua Mi knew curses could be hereditary, like the lycanthropy curse.

 Chapter 171: Cultivating the Rainbow Glass Flowers

    Chapter 171: Cultivating the Rainbow ss Flowers

    rk continued to ramble on:

    "My point is... the pay is higher here, but it''s still far from home. I want to apply for a transfer back. If the first attempt fails, I''ll try again and again until it works. What do you think?"

    Silence.

    So, I''m not your father.

    Make your own decisions about life nning...

    But then again, I''m the only one who can provide him with blood honey.

    In a way, I''m his provider.

    Hua Mi pondered and replied, "When you were a Star Evaluator, did you spend much time in Modu?"

    rk paused, pondering, "Now that you mention it, I spent most of my time out there, very little time in Modu..."

    "So essentially, it''s not much different from now."

    "Yeah... you''re right."

    "It''s all a matter of mindset then."

    "True, I guess."

    "Equivalent exchange is an unchangingw of alchemy. Gain alwayses with loss, life is no different..."

    While chatting, Hua Mi flipped to the page introducing himself.

    Blood pressure soared.

    This rebel...

    Actually wrote ''your father'' here.

    Alignment categorized aswful neutral, stating he "values contracts," prioritizing rules with blurred notions of good and evil

    Hua Mi had no issue with this.

    As a beekeeper, all he wanted was to tend to flowers, raise bees, brew honey, without meddling in right or wrong.

    But the following description was problematic.

    What''s this about "controlling seven pseudo-flower spirits in the ck Forest by certain means"?

    "Control" in this context was quite inappropriate.

    Someone might think I''ve imprisoned them.

    That would tarnish my reputation.

    What if some adventurers with teenage angst try to attack me?

    "This part doesn''t fit well."

    Hua Mi pointed it out directly in the book.

    Since rk sought opinions on the manuscript, Hua Mi felt no need to hold back; if something seemed wrong, he''d mention it.

    "Where?" rk leaned over to see, "Ah," he eximed, "You also find it inappropriate? I thought the same. Solely based on this, categorizing you as wful evil'' might be more fitting..."

    "..."

    Evil, my foot.

    "But from your other aspects, ''evil'' doesn''t seem to match... You''re quite aplicated person. Or should I say, intelligent beings find it hard to adhere to one alignment throughout... Perhaps, for intelligent beings, a different set of standards should be established, let me think..."

    His voice grew fainter towards the end.

    rk muttered to himself, lost in thought.

    "I must correct this, they weren''t ''controlled'' by me but willingly joined my camp," Hua Mi suggested, "You could write it as such: ''The seven pseudo-flower spirits were drawn to my charisma, willingly joining my camp.''"

    "Really? That description seems too subjective, not in line with the handbook''s style," rk, with a reserved look, stated, "You know, I''m a professional writer with dignity and boundaries. I won''t alter handbook content solely based on one person''s words; it''s necessary to maintain integrity."

    Hua Mi smiled faintly, "I believe someone capable of imprisoning pseudo-flower spirits wouldn''t be kind enough to provide blood honey for you... What do you think?"

    "I think you''re right." rk immediately leaned in, pulling out his pen, eyes focused, "How should I change it? Say it again, I''ll note it down, so I don''t forget."

    "Here, ''my charismatic persona...''"

    Guiding the ''professional writer'' rk through the revisions concerning himself, the rest of the content seemed fine upon a quick nce. Or rather, he didn''t care about the other content.

    ncing at Alyss''s introduction page.

    Her alignmentbeled as ''chaotic neutral.''

    In simple terms, a thorough individualist, following her heart in everything, free-spirited.

    Fitting the impression Hua Mi held of her.

    Fifth day in the chaos period.

    The weather returned to an ice age, temperatures plummeting.

    No snow on the ground, just a thickyer of ice.

    Walking on it risked an inadvertent figure skating show.

    These past days, Hua Mi harvested another batch of Mirage Blossom Honey and Feathery Mirage Honey.

    Simr to the previous quantities.

    This batch would be for the third phase''s release.

    Scheduled after thepletion of Rainbow ss Flower honey brewing.

    No by-products this time.

    "It seems the first batches of each flower have the highest probability of producing by-products, significantly decreasingter... Is there a deeper reason behind this?"

    Hua Mi pondered for a while but couldn''t figure it out.

    But by-products were unexpected gains, low probability was normal, no need to force it.

    Hua Mi didn''t dwell; there were more important tasks at hand

    The transformation of the Rainbow ss Flower field wasplete, ready for cultivation.

    That day, armed with seeds and tools, Hua Mi arrived at the field.

    The mist veiled the field, dreamlike.

    Different from natural mist, this mist seemed sentient, changing form spontaneously even undisturbed.

    At times resembling human figures, creatures, or vague tree shapes.

    A condensed mist moved like fish through the field...

    This was interference from the dream realm''s energy, producing a unique phenomenon.

    It wouldn''t affect flower cultivation; disregard it.

    Thend in this area was now covered by Dream Soil.

    Unlike regr soil, Dream Soil had sticity, slight rebound when stepped on.

    Though resembling gel, it was fundamentally soil.

    Fine-grained, absolutely pure without impurities, the ideal state of soil.

    Such quality couldn''t exist in natural circumstances.

    Following the designated spacing, Hua Mi, using portable farming tools and the bee colony, evenly sowed Rainbow Flower seeds in this Dream Soil.

    Then watering, spraying green fluid, the pseudo-flower spirits employing magic to aid growth... everything went as nned.

    After the process, Rainbow Flower seeds in the Dream Soil started sprouting, visibly growing into tender shoots.

    They seemed fine, adapting well to this space woven between reality and dreams.

    "Your work ends here," Hua Mi told the Nightmare, "As per our agreement, you''re free now."

    "Squeak!"

    This little fuzzball bounced energetically in front of Hua Mi, seemingly having no intention of leaving.

    "Squeak squeak~"

    "You want to stay?"

    "Squeak!"

    It volunteered, offering to help tend the flower field, making the environment more suitable for Rainbow Flowers'' growth.

    In return, just give it Gifted Flower Honey.

    It sounded like a good deal.

    Hua Mi thought for a moment, deciding to ept this employee.

    "But tending flowers isn''t easy; you have a lot to learn."

 Chapter 172: Blood Vein Disease

    Chapter 172: Blood Vein Disease

    Just like people, flowers have different personalities.

    To cultivate different flowers, one must tailor cultivation ns based on their characteristics.

    Sunlight, water, temperature, soil... these are the most basic elements.

    Additionally, there are deeper factors to consider.

    It''s a profound field of study.

    When ites to flower care, my grandfather used to teach me with just two wordsbe attentive.

    Caring for flowers is caring for the heart.

    The process of nurturing flowers is a form ofmunication with them.

    This process might encounter many difficulties, requiring a lot of effort.

    However, when the flowers bloom, the caretaker reaps sensory delight and spiritual satisfaction.

    The initial investment manifests clearly in the results.

    That''s why many are fond of tending to flowers.

    "Come on, you''ll grow fond of this feeling."

    "Squeak!"

    The little furball was brimming with enthusiasm.

    And just like that, the "Bee Whisperer Hut" gained another peculiar employee.

    ...

    "The structure here should be in the form of a groove, allowing the liquid to be stored inside..."

    Hua Mi manipted the mouse, clumsily modifying the model.

    It had been years since he used this drafting software, so his skills were rusty.

    He was designing beehives for the Drunkard Bees.

    It was anticipated that soon, the Drunkard Bees would be introduced for experimentation in the Rainbow ss Flower Field area.

    Once these bees started collecting honey, ordinary beehives wouldn''t suffice. They needed modification to adapt to the unique characteristics of this bee breed.

    After all, the Drunkard Bees didn''t produce honey but honey wine.

    No matter how high the alcohol content, it couldn''t be sticky like sugar.

    So, using ordinary beehives would be futile; it''d be like "drawing water with a bamboo basket."

    The design needed to amodate storing honey wine.

    It had to collect the honey wine without affecting the normal growth and activities of the bees.

    It was both the bees'' residence and their processing factory.

    Thus, despite being just a small beehive, it was quite challenging for someone with limited design knowledge like Hua Mi.

    Hua Mi spent the entire day on this.

    This was Alyss''s specialty.

    However, he felt this small matter shouldn''t trouble her. Even small things mattered as favors.

    Moreover, there were still many days until the flowery season in the Rainbow ss Field, giving him enough time to slowly design.

    Hua Mi saved the model, stretchingzily.

    ncing at the time, another day had passed by unnoticed.

    Speaking of increased focus, work always seemed to consume time quicker.

    Hua Mi inexplicably felt a sense of anxiety.

    Anxiety about time, about life.

    There were so many things he wanted to do, yet as a short-lived human, the avable time was indeed limited.

    In this regard, the Grey Robe was right.

    Lifespan truly constrained human development significantly.

    "No wonder alchemists pursue longevity."

    However, achieving longevity, even in this world filled with extraordinary powers, remained an unattainable dream.

    He dide across some forbidden arts in books that imed to achieve "longevity," but the cost was immense, requiring one to forsake many things.

    To be a state not much better than the undead, Hua Mi would rather peacefully pass away.

    After letting his mind wander for a while, Hua Mi got up and headed to the greenhouse, as usual, for the routine fieldwork in the evening.

    The outside was amidst a storm.

    However, the rain wasn''t falling from the sky but randomly appearing in the air and shooting in all directions.

    The chaotic wind and water elements turned this world into an agitated "ocean."

    Hua Mi raised his hand to shield his face and rushed into the greenhouse.

    "This darn weather."

    Hua Mi shook off the raindrops from his robe.

    He thenmanded the Azure Fire Bees to gather around him, drying himself with their heat.

    The effect was immediate.

    White steam began rising from his body.

    At this moment, the furball hopped towards him urgently, looking quite distressed and squeaking frantically.

    The Flower Sprite tranted its words, conveying that there was trouble in the Rainbow ss Flower Field area.

    Trouble in the field was a significant issue!

    Hua Mi hurriedly followed it.

    Passing through the mist, he entered the Rainbow ss Flower Field.

    The problem was evident.

    Quite conspicuous.

    Originally filled with a white mist, the field was now infused with dashes of blood-red color, twisting and morphing eerily within it, exuding an ominous vibe.

    Though the blood-red hue wasn''t dominant, it clearly suppressed the mist.

    Strictly speaking, this ce wasn''t entirely in the real world; it was a rtively independent, special space. Therefore, the changes in the mist had minimal impact on realitya conclusion Hua Mi drew using his mental power.

    It was like a gentle breeze brushing against himperceivable but interaction negligible.

    He didn''t need to worry about these changes affecting him negatively.

    However, the newly grown Rainbow ss Flowers unavoidably felt the impact.

    Like being infected by some kind of pathogen, the once pure and translucent young shoots now sprouted visible blood veins, stark against their pristine background.

    "Squeak squeak!"

    The furball mentioned it tried to halt the anomaly but couldn''t prevent its spread.

    Now, the entire Rainbow ss Flower Field was affected.

    "Blood Vein Disease" inhibited their growth.

    If left unattended, the situation would worsen untilplete withering.

    And by the looks of it, the condition was severe, leaving him with little time.

    Action had to be taken swiftly.

    While Hua Mi had methods to handle typical nt diseases, dealing with the symptoms exhibited by these fantastical nts left him at a loss.

    He didn''t even know where the affliction was, let alone how to treat it.

    "Don''t panic. Tell me the cause. Why did the mist here turn like this?"

    Calming the furball down, Hua Mi inquired.

    "The source of the Blood Vein Disease originates from the Dream Realm," it affirmed, "there must have been an anomaly in the Dream Realm that transmitted through the mist and dream soil to this ce."

    ording to the furball, to eradicate the Blood Vein Disease, they needed to remove the anomaly''s source in the Dream Realm.

    However, Hua Mi''s knowledge about the Dream Realm was limited.

    He hadn''t found much information or books describing it.

    To avoid making blind mistakes,

    Before taking action, it was necessary to grasp some fundamental knowledge.

    "Is this normal? I mean, anomalies in the Dream Realm. Do you have any leads about the cause?"

    "I guess it''s rted to the current chaotic period."

    The furball exined that the Dream Realm wasn''t entirely detached from reality.

    On the contrary, it could be said to be born from the real world.

    The real world unknowingly influenced the Dream Realm, an influence that couldn''t be controlled or perceived but existed nheless.

    There''s a saying: "Daytime thoughts, nighttime dreams."

    Experiences and feelings from wakefulness could subconsciously impact dreams.

    The same principle applied to the real world and the Dream Realm.

    Thus, the chaotic elements flooding the real-world ck Forest might lead to anomalies in corresponding areas of the Dream Realm.

    And these anomalies, in turn, affected this field.

    Ultimately, it was the world''s fault.

 Chapter 173: Unconventional Disease Eradication

    Chapter 173: Unconventional Disease Eradication

    The ailment lies within the Dreand.

    To tackle the "Blood Thread Disease" afflicting the Rainbow Flowers, one must enter the Dreand in spiritual form and locate the source of the anomaly to resolve it.

    Luckily, Hua Mi could freely traverse the Dreand.

    Equally fortunate, Hua Mi''s mental prowess was remarkably potentfive to six times that of an average person, making navigating the Dreand a seamless experience.

    "Let''s go."

    Time was of the essence. Hua Mi ingested the nectar of the Moon Slumber Flower, swiftly slipping into a slumber state.

    Meanwhile, Maoqiu tapped into the talents of the Nightmare n, guiding Hua Mi''s spirit into the Dreand.

    It felt akin to a simple light nap.

    Upon regaining consciousness, he found himself back in that misty space from before.

    However, it felt different from the previous serene atmosphere.

    This time, the mist seemed wildly chaotic, swirling without rhyme or reason.

    If thest time was a tranquil dream, this time was an unsettling nightmare.

    As Maoqiu mentioned, the Dreand was influenced by the chaotic elements from reality, morphing into its current state.

    The Dreand wasn''t a singr entity but rather divided into separate regions, resembling fragmented worlds.

    The area they currently upied roughly corresponded to the ck Forest region in reality.

    Expanding his mental prowess, Hua Mi sensed amidst the chaotic mist numerous spirits, varying in strength, aimlessly wandering within.

    Some resembled birds or beasts, others humans.

    Their forms were diverse.

    Yet, all were shadowy figures exuding an eerie blood-hued glow.

    Both the shadows and the bloody radiance inherently instilled a sense of solemnity and unease.

    As Maoqiu exined, these were the "shadows" generated collectively by the creatures in this region of reality.

    During the chaos, denizens of reality unavoidably sumbed to environmental influences, spawning restless and agitated emotions.

    These emotional energies umted, projecting into the Dreand, giving birth to these shadowy creatures.

    With more shadows, they, in turn, affected the dreams within the area (not synonymous with the Dreand, but rather providing the soil for dreams).

    Thus, it was now certainthe source of the "Blood Thread Disease" was these shadows.

    These shadows were akin to pathogens.

    The solution was straightforwarbatting and exterminating these shadow creatures.

    In the real world, there were numerous methods to treat nt diseases and pestswatering, fertilizing, pesticides...

    Hua Mi had never heard ofbat as a means to address ailments in flora.

    Quite unconventional.

    "For brewing this batch of Rainbow Flower Honey, it was really quite the ordeal."

    Hua Mi couldn''t help but sigh.

    Perhaps it''d be better to seek nectar sources from the main world in the future.

    "By the way, this is your turf, isn''t it," Hua Mi nced at the Nightmare beside him, implying, "Do you want to show off?"

    "I''m not good at fighting, gu!" Maoqiu bounced on the spot like a ball, eyes resolute. "But rest assured, I''ll support you from behind and cheer for you, gu!"

    "...So, you''re basically a fish that only knows how to say ''awesome.''"

    It was quite a contrast to its imposing name "Nightmare."

    "Anyway, everything has its pros and cons. Let''s consider this a special mental training... feels more effective than controlling bees."

    He could distinctly sense that the spiritual creatures herecked considerable strength.

    With his current level of mental prowess, they were no more than small fry.

    Handling them shouldn''t be too difficult.

    The main challenge was their numbers.

    This would test his endurance.

    Hua Mi prepared for a prolonged battle, raising his right hand.

    The surrounding mist responded, swirling and converging towards his palm.

    Eventually forming an illusory spear.

    Why a spear?

    No specific reason.

    It just looked cool.

    And was easier to manifest.

    As a spear-wielding warrior, Hua Mi charged towards the nearest shadow, spurred on by Maoqiu''s encouragement!

    ...

    Hua Mi dispatched the shadows with gusto.

    While addressing the Rainbow ss Flower''s mdy, he indeed felt his mental prowess growing stronger.

    One by one, the shadows dissipated under his spear.

    Encountering hardly any substantial resistance, it was as simple as cutting through butter.

    "Phew!"

    Hua Mi tossed the spear in his hand.

    The spear pierced through a bird-shaped shadow.

    Apanied by a sharp screech.

    Both the bird-shaped shadow and the spear formed from mist dissipated simultaneously.

    Nearly done.

    Only one shadow remained in this area.

    It was somewhat unique.

    Hua Mi noticed it was a fusion of thest few shadows, forming a more robust entity.

    From this, it was evident that these shadows possessed a certain level of intelligence.

    Sensing they were outmatched, they resorted to group tactics.

    However, this wouldn''t change the oue.

    With Hua Mi''s mental prowess five times that of an average person, it presented an overwhelming advantage against these small fry.

    Even though the previous battles had consumed a fair amount of mental energy, what remained was ample to deal with this one.

    This amalgamated shadow adopted a humanoid form, quiterge, standing over three meters tall, with a robust physique resembling a tiger.

    Two red glows emerged on its face, serving as eyes.

    Intimidating at first nce.

    Yet, it was all bark and no bite.

    It lunged at Hua Mi,unching an offensive.

    Hua Mi didn''t dodge.

    Since his mental prowess surpassed the adversary''s, there was no need for finesse.

    Directly confronting it.

    A pure power showdown!

    Hua Mi charged forward, his fist enveloped in mist, exploding outward like a cannonball.

    Bang

    A muffled impact.

    Two spiritual entities collided, generating a shockwave rapidly expanding in all directions, momentarily dispersing the surrounding mist, creating a small vacuum.

    "Ugh"

    The shadow before Hua Mi emitted a intive moan.

    Starting to disintegrate from the point of impact.

    It tore apart like paper into countless pieces.

    Endless division until ultimately dissipating.

    Surveying the surroundings, Hua Mi confirmed, "All cleared. Should solve the Rainbow Flower''s ailment now..."

    Expanding his mental prowess, he no longer sensed the presence of shadows.

    In truth, as Maoqiu had mentioned, it wasn''t necessary to clear them all.

    Simply reducing their numbers to a certain extent, reaching a critical threshold, would cease their impact on reality.

    However, Hua Mi thought since they were already here, might as well finish the job thoroughly.

    It was a simple task.

    The regeneration of shadows would take time.

    The cleaner the te, the longer they could secure for growth and development.

    Clearing them all would ensure no further issues with shadows until the chaos period ended.

    No need for a return trip.

    "Time to head back."

    "Got it, gu!"

    Hua Mi hurried back to check on the Rainbow Flowers'' condition.

    Though they had resolved the Dreand shadows, the real-world situation remained uncertain.

    Maoqiu hopped beside Hua Mi.

    Simr tost time, Hua Mi felt himself descending within the mist.

    A sense of weightlessness...

 Chapter 174: Rainbow Flower Honey

    Chapter 174: Rainbow Flower Honey

    The sensation of weightlessnesssted for several seconds.

    It was like free-falling from a great height.

    Hua Mi suddenly opened his eyes and found himself back in the greenhouse.

    The spectral haze over the flower field had returned to normal, devoid of the bloody hue.

    And the red threads on the rainbow flower seedlings had also faded significantly. Before long, they should grow normally again.

    "Amazing, boss! You''re truly incredible! You effortlessly solved the problem! Admire and respect!"

    Maoqiu praised enthusiastically.

    You couldn''t tell, but this fellow was quite the tterer.

    However, considering its effort, Hua Mi decided to elevate its treatment a bit in the future, perhaps grant it more of the gift of flower honey.

    ...

    Under everyone''s care, the rainbow flowers thrived.

    Before entering the honey-flow period, Hua Mi sessfully designed and crafted a special beehive for the Tipsy Bees, as nned.

    So, apart from the regr honey-collecting beesthe Strong Bees, Inferno Bees, and Bloodsuckersthere was an additional group of Tipsy Bees responsible for collecting honey in the rainbow flower field.

    Without surprises, the first batch of honey wine was about to be born.

    The chaotic period''s climate remained harsh and unpredictable.

    Yet, thanks to Hua Mi''s thorough cleansing of the shadows from the Dreamworld earlier, no simr issues reurred in the rainbow flower field.

    Difficult times always have their end.

    During this season when everyone stayed home with nothing much to do, time seemed to pass exceptionally quickly.

    As the chaotic period approached its end, the brewing of the rainbow flower honey was alsopleted.

    Without exaggeration, this cultivation phase was the most energy-consuming.

    After all, these flowers were quite unique, not entirely akin to real nts.

    Just think, even basic operations like disease control required entry into the Dreamworld and battles to aplish.

    The nting environment was entirely different from ordinary flowers.

    Throughout the cultivation process, Hua Mi handled each step more cautiously than before. After all, past experiences might not be entirely applicable to the rainbow flowers, necessitating a trial-and-error approach.

    Fortunately, with Maoqiu as an assistant, some of the pressure was alleviated, even though it knew nothing about flower cultivation.

    Nevertheless, it was quite clever.

    Through Hua Mi''s guidance, it managed to handle some basic tasks.

    On the day of the harvest,

    "The Bee Whisperer''s Cottage" team gathered in this area, anticipating the birth of this new honey variety.

    Different from before, amidst the sweet scent of honey in the field, there was a hint of a wine aroma.

    It came from the unique Tipsy Bees'' beehive.

    Its appearance wasrger than an ordinary beehive, with significant internal differences.

    Opening it required caution to avoid spilling the honey wine.

    "Let''s save the opening forst... to keep the anticipation alive."

    As the first-ever batch of honey wine, Hua Mi was particrly curious about it.

    As usual, the other three honey-collecting bee products were harvested first.

    Opening the hives one by one, unfortunately, there were no by-products this time.

    However, the honey inside these hives was visually captivating.

    Apart from the blood-colored blood honey produced by the Bloodsuckers, the rainbow flower honey brewed by the other two bee species inherited the hallucinogenic colors of the rainbow flowers themselves.

    Bottled, it resembled a vial of liquid rainbow.

    The rainbow flower honey emitted the typical sweet fragrance of honey, seemingly unremarkable at first sniff.

    However, whether due to psychological influence or magical effects, upon closer inspection, it evoked an indescribable subtle sensation.

    It was akin to admiring a beautifully rendered image through softwareclearly knowing such a stunning scene couldn''t exist in reality yet unable to resist yearning for it.

    In essence, it was an experience seemingly surpassing reality.

    After snapping out of the unique fragrance, Hua Mi manipted the analyzing bee and used it to appraise the bottle of rainbow honey:

    "A 500ml bottle of rainbow flower honey, presenting a dreamlike appearance and vor. Consuming this honey before sleep allows temporary ess to a ''Lucid Dream'' state during subsequent sleep. In this state, the dreamer can consciously control their dreams, obtaining sensory and emotional experiences akin to reality. However, it''s crucial to note that the quality of sleep will significantly decrease in the ''Lucid Dream'' state, contingent on the content experienced during the dream."

    Hua Mi pondered the information and thought, "Now, this is an intriguing effect."

    He''d heard of the concept of Lucid Dreaming before, even tutorials about it online. However, the Earth''s version didn''t sound as extraordinary, merely being aware of dreaming without the ability to fully control dream contentlet alone experiencing senses and emotions on par with reality.

    Yet, the rainbow flower honey''s effect was remarkably potent, offering an immersive experience in dreams equivalent to reality. In other words, it bestowed god-like omnipotence in dreams.

    This capability trumped any existing forms of entertainment.

    Surely, many would desire this ability.

    ording topany norms, each employee received a sample bottle of rainbow flower honey.

    Hua Mi took the final taste.

    The moment the rainbow flower honey touched his tongue, his body seemed to experience weightlessness, falling into a meadow brimming with flowers, gazing at the sparkling starry sky, as if in a dream.

    Honey might not be as scrumptious as a meal, but each unique vor of honey provided an immediate enjoyment.

    The existing varieties of honey each offered entirely distinct tastes.

    It was akin to being in different atmospheric environments.

    The employees were all engrossed in the enchanting experiences provided by the honey.

    "I feel like I''m in a field of flowers!"

    "What a dreamy vor."

    "To produce such delicious honey, we''re incredible!"

    "I''m eating and eating!!"

    "So delicious!"

    ...

    Everyone was immersed in the delectable experience of the rainbow flower honey, unable to articte its wonder.

    A hint of the wine aroma wafted in.

    It seemed the Tipsy Bees couldn''t wait any longer and reminded him, "Don''t forget about the honey wine we produced!"

    So, Hua Mi temporarily set down the bottle of honey in hand and walked towards the Tipsy Bees'' beehive.

    ...

    Hua Mi lifted the cover of the specialized hive, and a stronger, more intense aroma greeted him.

    Merely the scent made his cheeks flush slightly, feeling somewhat intoxicated.

    The rainbow flower honey wine was currently divided into individualpartments.

    Hua Mi designed a new type of bottle specifically for the honey wine, slightly more elongated than the honey bottles, yet still 500ml in capacity.

    Carefully, he extracted a b of honey... perhaps it shouldn''t be called honey here, but rather wine lees?

    Anyway, he positioned the bottle''s mouth against the corner of the lees and tilted it slightly.

    The honey wine inside converged into a thin stream, gushing into the bottle with a gurgling sound.

 Chapter 175: "Lucid Dream" and "Tipsy"

    Chapter 175: "Lucid Dream" and "Tipsy"

    The alcohol was transparent.

    However, under the light, it refracted into a dazzling array of seven colors.

    The rainbow-colored honey wine slowly flowed into the bottle, quickly filling it.

    During the pouring process, it was evident thatpared to the usual white or red wine, this honey wine had a certain viscosity.

    This indicated that the sugars inside hadn''t entirely converted into alcohol.

    One could roughly discern this through its aroma.

    If it only contained alcohol, it wouldn''t possess such a sweet fragrance.

    The "wine dder" containing this honey wine could almost fill two 500ml bottles.

    Hua Mi ced the emptied wine dder aside, holding a bottle of honey wine in hand, observing it closely.

    To be honest, he wasn''t very knowledgeable about alcoholic beverages.

    Honey wine belonged to the high-end spectrum.

    Due to itsplex production process and expensive raw materials, honey wine was more upscale than even grape wine. As a small beekeeper, he naturally didn''t have the funds to dabble in such things before.

    Setting aside the fantastical appearance of the rainbow-colored honey wine.

    Based solely on its rich aroma and rity, Hua Mi felt its quality was rather decent!

    "I wonder if the effects of honey wine differ from regr honey."

    Let''s examine:

    "A 500ml bottle of rainbow-colored honey wine, alcohol content approximately 31%, with a dreamlike appearance. Consuming this honey wine before sleep grants temporary ess to both ''lucid dream'' and ''tipsy'' states during the subsequent sleep. In these states, the dreamer can control their dreams at will, experiencing sensory and emotional stimuli almost akin to reality, and with a probability of intruding into another person''s dreams. However, it''s important to note that the quality of sleep will significantly decrease in the ''lucid dream'' and ''tipsy'' states, the degree depending on the content of the ''lucid dream''."

    Hmm,pared to honey, there''s an added ''tipsy'' state.

    And this ''tipsy'' state is rather powerful.

    One might even say it''s somewhat domineering.

    Forcefully intruding into someone else''s dream isn''t mere personal fun; it affects others.

    It''s like someone ying a single-yer game, doing well, and suddenly another yer barges in and kills them, quite frustrating.

    This behavior intervenes with others'' freedom.

    So, Hua Mi believed this kind of honey wine shouldn''t be sold casually.

    Don''t think dreams are inconsequential.

    The influence of dreams on a person might be greater than we imagine.

    And it''s subtle, operating at the subconscious level.

    Hua Mi wasn''t just bbering; he had researched dreams and the subconscious aftering out of the Dreand, specifically seeking information.

    "The rainbow-colored honey wine can be sold, but let''s store the honey wine for now. It''s not much anyway, at most thirty to forty bottles. I''ll keep it for personal use."

    Hua Mi swirled the wine bottle in his hand.

    What''s the significance of 31% alcohol content?

    Since he didn''t usually enjoy alcohol, he only knew this number was higher than beer but lower than white wine.

    Let''s give it a try.

    Hua Mi took a small sip directly from the bottle.

    As the honey wine flowed into his throat, apanied by a slight heat, it traveled warmly into his stomach.

    This wine... bitter-sweet.

    Bitter and sweet.

    After swallowing, the aftertaste was predominantly sweet.

    Overall, the taste was rather good!

    Even someone like him, who wasn''t fond of drinking, felt inclined to have a few cups alongside a meal.

    The strength was just right, neither too high nor too low.

    After a sip, his face slightly warmed, and he felt a bit light-headed, but his mind remained very clear, even feeling sharper than usual.

    ncing up, he saw Xiao Zi staring eagerly at the bottle in his hand, drooling.

    So, Hua Mi fetched the small wooden barrel she carrieda cap-sized containerand poured her a barrel of wine.

    "Here, have some."

    Xiao Zi didn''t hesitate, cradling the small barrel, she gulped it down.

    Goodness.

    Didn''t she want to taste it first?

    In a matter of seconds, she emptied a whole barrel of wine.

    Considering her size, that was considered a "huge" amount.

    This little wine lover.

    "Burp!"

    Xiao Zi suddenly shot up in the air, letting out a loud belch, her entire petite body visibly reddening at a noticeable speed.

    "Hehe, hehehe!"

    Whileughing, the little one flew drunkenly.

    Various antics followednow flying while lying down, then rolling while airborne, even flying upside down...

    Drinking so eagerly, and I thought you had a high tolerance for alcohol.

    Hua Mi helplessly watched her fly onto his head, grabbing two bunches of his hair, pulling and tugging before deftly weaving a little braid...

    "From now on, no more honey wine for you."

    Facing a group of eager little ones, Hua Mi said with a stern face.

    This was the first rule of the Bee Speaker''s Hut.

    No alcohol for the staff.

    ...

    Chef Lei Luo was cleaning the kitchen utensils when he suddenly heard a woman''s voice outside:

    "Boss, sorry to bother you."

    Looking up, he saw a young woman with hair reaching her neck waving at him.

    There was still half-eaten food on the table.

    She had ordered one of the dishes he had recently developed. Why had she stopped eating halfway? Was there an issue with the taste?

    Highly possible.

    She seemed to be the astute, picky type.

    Her meticulous attire and exquisite makeup were a testament to that.

    The customer is always right.

    Moreover, the customer''s opinions were crucial for him to improve his culinary skills.

    Lei Luo hastily wiped his hands, swiftly heading out, anxiously asking, "Is there something wrong with the dish, miss?"

    "Not at all, the taste is excellent, no problems."

    She gave Lei Luo a standard smile, simultaneously handing over a business card.

    Lei Luo took a look.

    Chen Lin... a food writer?

    Lei, the chef, hadn''t processed it yet when this woman named Chen Lin said, "I''m a food writer. I usually publish articles about food online. This dish, although a savory dish, feels remarkably fresh in taste despite its oiliness. Eating it made me experience satisfaction I''ve long forgotten."

    "If it''s convenient, can I interview you? I want to write an article about this dish."

    Lei Luo breathed a sigh of relief.

    It wasn''t about the dish. Good, good.

    Wait, she wanted to write about this dish?

    As Lei Luo pondered, his excitement gradually rose.

    This was recognition of his culinary skills!

    Moreover, the reviewed article would be posted online.

    Regardless of her follower count, it was still a form of publicity.

    Beneficial and harmless.

    "Of course, no problem!"

    Lei Luo happily sat opposite her, ready for the interview.

    Chen Lin professionally took out a recording pen, ced it on the table, along with apact notebook and a steel pen.

    "First, I''d like to ask, does this dish have any particr significance in its name?"

    "Oh, this dish is actually an improvement based on a traditional family recipe of mine..."

    ...

    Questions and answers flowed smoothly.

    Chen Lin was adept at guiding, and Lei Luo, a

    mildly social-anxious person not good with words, gradually opened up, exining the design concept, preparation process, and serving style of this dish.

    Finally, he said, "As for yourment ''oily yet not greasy,'' it''s because I added a unique ingredient."

    Chen Lin, intrigued, asked, "What ingredient?"

    "A type of honey!"

    "Honey?"

    Chen Lin was curious, "A small amount of honey indeed reduces the greasiness, but its effect shouldn''t be this prominent."

    Lei Luo mysteriously said, "Ordinary honey won''t be this effective. I added a miraculous honey."

    Chen Lin maintained a standard smile, but inside, she was already skeptical.

    Just honey, how miraculous could it be?

    The owner probably didn''t want to reveal the core secret of this dish, hence using such an exnation to divert her attention.

    But that was understandable.

    As a food expert, she was quite open-minded in this regard.

 Chapter 176: Encountering Sunset Over the Mountain

    Chapter 176: Encountering Sunset Over the Mountain

    Chen Lin realized the chef wasn''t keen on answering her question, so she refrained from pushing further, intending to change the topic. However, the chef continued talking about honey voluntarily.

    He spoke of the magical effects of honey, iming that the honey vendor was an expert in seclusion.

    This left her slightly puzzled. She couldn''t tell if the chef was joking or having a mentalpse.

    Having been in this industry for years, she had interviewed many rted individuals, and it had been a while since she felt unsure about how to proceed.

    "Just so happens, a new batch of honey is about to be shelved. If you''re interested, I can rmend you to join the circle," Chef Li warmly offered, pulling out his phone.

    Chen Lin was a bit bewildered. Wasn''t she here to interview about the dish? How did the conversation shift to some "magical honey"?

    How could there be such miraculously effective honey in this world?

    Was that vendor some kind of legendary alchemist? However, driven by curiosity, Chen Lin agreed to join the so-called circle.

    The circle was called "Bee Whisperer''s Hut."

    For some reason, the name gave her a strange feeling.

    "Could it turn out to be a group of hysterical patients?" Chen Lin couldn''t help but think divergently.

    Chef Li, engrossed in his phone, lifted his head with a sunny smile. "I''ve submitted your request, but it might take a while to get approved. The boss appears and disappears, so there''s no telling when you''ll get a response."

    "It''s okay, I can wait."

    Seeing his sincere, heartfelt smile, Chen Lin almost believed his nonsense for a moment.

    "Gotta stay mentally alert in this magical reality," she silently reminded herself, contemting that this little incident might make an interesting addition to her article, like seasoning in food.

    "Oh, lucky you," Chef Li happily eximed, "the boss is here, and your request has been approved!"

    Chen Lin picked up her phone and indeed saw a notification: "You have be a member of the ''Bee Whisperer''s Hut'' circle."

    What surprised her was the circle had over a thousand people! That many non-standard humans gathered together would hardly fit even in arge psychiatric hospital.

    As she entered, the circle members were engrossed in discussions. The message feed refreshed rapidly, and her joining notification hardly caught anyone''s attention.

    She skimmed through the conversation content, which mainly fell into two categories: discussions about the "miraculous honey" with exaggerated ims and appeals for the boss to hurry and stock the new honey, sounding like a group of campaigners.

    An idea shed in her mind: Could these people all be fake ounts?

    She recalled an online report about someone getting pulled into a group where everyone except him was fake, and they united to deceive him.

    However, such a high-cost scam usually corresponded with high profits. Selling just honey wouldn''t warrant such an expense.

    Those things only fetched a few bucks.

    So, the possibility of hysteria seemed more likely.

    After scanning the patients''ments for a while, Chen Lin clicked into the product section.

    ording to the patients, the honey was about to go on sale but wasn''t avable yet. However, information about several types of honey was already listednames, effects, prices, and such.

    Looking at the prices, Chen Lin couldn''t help but exim inwardly. The boss was quite bold; a 500ml bottle of honey was priced at thousands of bucks.

    Were the bottles made of gold?

    The names were also peculiarthings like "Dreaming Moonflower," "Feathered Attire Flower," "Thousand Illusions Flower"... she hadn''t even heard of these.

    And the imed effects were even more absurdaiding sleep, beautifying, bringing joy...

    Normally, honey did have some effects, aiding sleep or beauty, but the descriptions needed to be restrained during promotions, not overly exaggerated, understood by both buyers and sellers.

    But these descriptions were bolder than some traditional Chinese medicines.

    "Who on earth is this boss?" Chen Lin scrolled to the member list; the top was the circle''s owner, called "Bee Whisperer," with a blue bee icon as a profile picture.

    However, the eyes in the icon weren''t the typicalpound eyes of a bee; they had hypnotic concentric circles.

    The signature was a line from a song: "We crossed the mountain and encountered the evening glow, seeking the unknown flowers."

    Pretty artistic, but at this moment, in Chen Lin''s eyes, he was either a scam mastermind or a cyber psychosis case.

    Completely offbeat with anything artistic.

    "Tomorrow morning at nine, the official sale starts," Chef Li kindly reminded her, "new honey will be avable. Don''t miss it."

    "Okay," Chen Lin replied with a smile.

    ...

    After dinner, back at the hotel, she took a shower, changed into pajamas, sat at the desk, opened her notebook, and started writing in her diary.

    The diary''s content was crucial for her subsequent articles.

    "Qingcheng is a city full of ancient charm, offering many traditional delicacies. Local chefs disy creativity, innovating on traditional dishes...

    "Discovered a small eatery today, secluded and with few customers, yet it offered the best dining experience I''ve had in a while...

    "There are many unexplored ces in this city waiting for me. I might stay here for ten days or even half a month."

    Over a thousand words flowed out in one go.

    Closing the notebook, she took a sip of water.

    Suddenly, the words "Bee Whisperer''s Hut" popped into her mind for no apparent reason.

    Maybe life was too ordinary most of the time, and encountering such bizarre incidents asionally made it intriguing for her.

    She picked up her phone, entered the circle, and read for a while.

    She had to admit, the mix of genuine and fake discussions among the circle members asionally brought a smile to her face.

    ...

    The next morning, at nine.

    Chen Lin had finished breakfast and returned, waiting for the honey to go on sale in the "Bee Whisperer''s Hut."

    She wanted to see how the boss would manage this further.

    Exactly at nine, the shopping section disyed five types of honey, each with a stock of only a few hundred bottles.

    ording to circle members, this was the inventory for each sale, and once sold out, it took a while for the next batch.

    Chen Lin intended to buy two bottles.

    She nned to purchase the Feathered Attire Flower honey, but before she could, its stock depleted sharply to zero in just a minute!

    The Dreaming Moonflower honey stock plummeted simultaneously.

    Chen Lin thought this was an excessive form of marketing strategy.

    But upon closer inspection, something clicked.

    The prices of these two honeys were only a few hundred bucks, contrasting sharply with the other priced in thousands. So, their quick sales were normal.

 Chapter 177: Seeking the Unknown Flower~

    Chapter 177: Seeking the Unknown Flower~

    Chen Lin pondered for a moment, then proceeded to order a bottle of "Thousand Mirage Flower Honey."

    It was said to bring about a sense of "joy."

    "Come on, please me."

    Chen Lin chuckled to herself, then shifted her gaze to another type of honey.

    It was a new product recently added

    Rainbow Flower Honey.

    The stock was minimal, not even reaching two hundred bottles.

    The name was equally discordant; there was no need to search online for "Rainbow Flower," as it was evident it didn''t exist in reality.

    In China, flower names were either verymon or highly elegant.

    Rarely were such descriptive names used.

    Whoever named these flowers likelycked naming finesse.

    This honey simrly boasted of unique effects as its main selling point.

    And the noted special effects weren''t exactly groundbreaking:

    Gaining the ability of "lucid dreaming"?

    To be unstoppable within dreams?

    If it did have such an effect, doing whatever she pleased in dreams, then she could indulge without consequence, even overeating without gaining weight.

    The image disyed the honey in a dazzling array of rainbow colors.

    It was likely an added effect.

    To match the name "Rainbow Flower" perhaps?

    Truly a fraudulent approach.

    Priced at 4000 yuan, it was currently the most expensive kind.

    No wonder it sold the slowest.

    "Only fools would buy it."

    Chen Lin thought wryly to herself as she clicked to ce the order.

    For just two bottles of 500ml honey, she spent a significant amount of money.

    Any normal person would assume she was getting ripped off.

    Chen Lin wasn''t foolish.

    The reason she did this was solely because it was profitable.

    As the saying goes, "A picture is worth a thousand words," without a picture, what''s the use?

    Later, she would attach images of these two honey bottles to her article, making it more persuasive, attracting more traffic.

    Mizing traffic not only meant money but also an increase in her cherished number of followers.

    This was good for her long-term development.

    She filled in the address for this hotel.

    After paying, she set her phone aside, nning out today''s exploration and check-in at various shops.

    ...

    The delivery was faster than she had anticipated.

    The next morning, she received a message that the package had arrived.

    She was out shopping, so she didn''t rush back immediately.

    However, after spending the whole morning without finding any satisfactory shops, she grew somewhat irritated and decided to grab a quick bite as lunch, nning to return to the hotel afterward.

    She first went to the delivery point to collect the package before heading back to the hotel to unwrap it.

    Two bottles of 500ml honeyy peacefully inside, cushioned with intable stic padding.

    She removed the intable padding and was stunned.

    One of the bottles of honey exhibited a brilliant rainbow gloss under the sunlight, almost like food one would only find in dreams.

    She was momentarily captivated by this fantastic scene, staring at it for a while.

    But she quickly snapped out of it, shocked by what she was witnessing.

    "What''s going on?!"

    She picked up the Rainbow Flower Honey and observed it under the sunlight streaming through the window, confirming that the gloss indeed emanated from the honey itself.

    What had been added to this?

    She unscrewed the cap, and the familiar sweet aroma of honey wafted out.

    "It''s like seeing a rainbow after the rain..."

    Through her daily writing, Chen Lin had developed a certain imagination, but she didn''t think she could conjure up so much from a bottle of honey.

    "What''s happening? Could there be a hallucinogen in here?"

    At the thought, she hastily closed the lid and opened the window for venttion.

    Once the scent dissipated, she gradually calmed down.

    She thought, this would make for an interesting story.

    Compared to this, the other bottle of honey lookedparatively ordinary, a normal amber color with a reddish hue.

    Though it smelled simrly sweet, it seemed different from the previous one.

    This time, she felt like she was seeing a grassy field basked in gentle sunlight...

    Chen Lin retrieved a "pen" from her suitcase.

    It was a portable device used for food safety testing.

    As a food writer who frequently sampled various cuisines outside, it was essential equipment.

    Of course, its testing range was limited; it could only check for spoge or excessive additives, offering rough data for reference, iparable to professionalboratory equipment.

    Chen Lin tested both kinds of honey in session.

    However, the results showed no issues whatsoever.

    It only detected the usual sugars and moisture content in honey, along with some harmless trace elements beneficial to the human body.

    She had assumed that with such noticeable external characteristics, any added substances would surely be detected.

    Reflecting on it, Chen Lin filled two small sampling bottles with a spoonful of each honey and went to a local food testing facility.

    For a price, she could get quick results.

    But the results still showed no issues!

    Even the staff responsible for the tests were curious about the rainbow color presented by the Rainbow Flower Honey, asking her how she achieved it.

    Chen Lin thought to herself, "If you''re asking me, who should I ask?"

    Professional equipment couldn''t detect any abnormal additives, indicating there likely weren''t any.

    Back at the hotel, Chen Lin looked at the two types of honey on the table, feeling her understanding being challenged, wavering.

    Could it be... there truly existed miraculous honey in this world?

    Within her circle, some had consumed the honey and given positive reviews.

    It didn''t seem like a setup.

    Chen Lin also scooped a bit of the Thousand Mirage Flower Honey, hesitated for a moment, and tasted it.

    The vor was initially in, just the typical sweetness.

    But soon after, she took a deep breath.

    Her vision suddenly widened significantly.

    The sunlight outside now seemed radiant and pure, enveloping her in its brilliance, dispelling the gloom in her heart.

    Joyful!

    Indeed, just as described, consuming this honey noticeably lifted her spirits.

    It wasn''t a cebo effect.

    It was a genuine experience.

    "Simply magical!"

    So, would the other Rainbow Flower Honey have effects as described?

    At this moment, Chen Lin was filled with a sense of novelty and took another scoop of the Rainbow Flower Honey.

    As the honey entered her mouth, she felt as though she was amidst a sea of flowers.

    Petals disyed a brilliant rainbow of colors, emitting intoxicating fragrances.

    A gentle night breeze softly blew.

    Above her head stretched a brilliant starry sky, the Milky Way crossing the expanse...

    *Beep*

    An outside car horn snapped her out of the wonderful reverie.

    "This taste is unbelievable!"

    But, testing its effects seemed a bit challenging.

    Because she was now too excited to fall asleep.

    After drinking a cup of warm milk and drawing the curtains shut, shey in bed counting sheep...

    Thankfully, after a day of bustling activity, she was quite exhausted by now.

    As her mood settled, sleepiness soon overcame her, and she drifted into slumber.

    "?!"

    This was... lucid dreaming?

    Chen Lin found herself standing in the hotel room, seemingly matching reality at first nce, but upon closer inspection, numerous details differed.

    Moreover, the entire scene exuded a serene, hazy ambiance, where warm sunlight bathed the earth in a peaceful, idyllic setting.

    With a single thought,

    the scene flickered, and she instantly found herself on a bustling street outside.

    Sure enough, she could control the dream at will.

    In another flicker, the scene shifted to a park, now in the early morning.

    The cool morning breeze brushed against her face, feeling just as real as reality.

    Of course, the environment couldn''t be an exact replica of reality.

    After all, this was a product of her cognition, and information was limited; one person''s brain couldn''t simte absolute realistic scenes.

    But for her, it felt real enough.

    Or rather,pared to reality, this simplified scene was morefortable.

    She began gradually adding imagery to the park.

    Trees, benches, ponds, birds, cats, elderly gentlemen...

    Her maniption skills improved as she practiced.

    This godlike creation capability left her yearning for more.

    After some practice, it was time for business.

    Using her memory as raw material, she recreated dish after dish within the dream.

    Arranged on the table in front of her was a feast fit for royalty.

    The most enticing aroma from her memory filled the air.

    The delectable vors, almost identical to reality, made her salivate.

    Here, she didn''t have to worry about getting a stomachache or gaining weight.

    She could eat to her heart''s content!

    ...

    As she reluctantly woke up, the outside world was already pitch ck.

    Lying in bed, she licked her lips, savoring the dream''s delicious memories.

    *Gurgle*

    Her stomach protested.

    "No matter how much I eat in dreams, I can''t fill my stomach."

    Chen Lin sighed, picked up her phone, and essed the "Hive of the Bee Language."

    By now, she fully believed in the existence of miraculous honey.

    The owner of the Bee Language Hive wasn''t a fraud, nor a cyber psychopath.

    He was a genuine mysterious expert.

    Speaking of which, had nobody attempted to contact him?

    After all, this kind of miraculous honey...

    The idea struck her, and the image of the owner''s profile within the circle suddenly popped into her mindthe blue bee pattern.

    Chen Lin was momentarily lost in thought.

    Shortly after, she calmly epted the fact of the existence of miraculous honey.

    "No need for too much astonishment; the world is vast and full of wonders... Besides, the owner probably doesn''t want to be bothered."

    However, her curiosity about the owner drove her to open a private chat.

    Caught in her professional instincts, she really wanted to interview him.

    What kind of person was he, after all?

    Chen Lin typed several opening lines but felt they were all inappropriate and deleted them one by one.

    Surprisingly, despite being skilled at interviews, she was at a loss for words online.

    After some struggle, the owner''s personal signature phrase suddenly shed across her mind.

    As if the clouds had parted, she instantly grasped who he was.

    "Crossed the mountains, encountered the sunset, went to seek the unknown flower."

    His temperament, his goals, his aspirations... they were all epassed in this sentence.

    Did she need to say more?

    ...

    "In dreams, I''m a god!"

    "Lucid dreams made me quit gaming; now ying any game feels dull."

    "Thank you, boss, for fulfilling my lifelong dream."

    "Is it really as awesome as you guys say?"

    "Yes, and the higher your imagination, the more awesome it is."

    "Ah, regret not buying! Next time, I won''t hesitate with new products!"

    "Mainly, it''s a bit expensive."

    "Why just a hundred or so bottles?"

    "Haha, I can develop new dishes in my dreams! And it''s cost-free!"

    "I can train in running in my dreams, simte various environments."

    "Learning in dreams is even more efficient than when awake!"

    "No, several admins can control dreams now, and you''re using it for this?"

    Hua Mi observed thements within the circle.

    Most were highly satisfied with the effects of Rainbow Flower Honey.

    The only downside was the limited stock.

 Chapter 178: New Year, New Beginnings

    Chapter 178: New Year, New Beginnings

    Seeing how popr Rainbow Honey was, Hua Mi felt that all the hard work from the past was worthwhile. When a user named "Lily" sent him a private message, he recalled her as a neer rmended by Chef Li just yesterday.

    In the message, she mentioned purchasing both the Thousand Illusions Honey and Rainbow Honey, expressing surprise and satisfaction with their effects. Before Hua Mi could reply, another message popped up, mentioning his personal motto: "We crossed the mountains and encountered the sunset, seeking the unknown flowersit''s a phrase I love too. It expresses the courage to fearlessly pursue dreams. Truly inspiring! Let''s encourage each other!"

    "..." Huh? Hua Mi was momentarily puzzled. What dreams or not dreams? This phrase was merely superficialsearching for rare magical flowers in the otherworld and bringing them back to cultivate honey. When he first saw this phrase, it felt fitting for what he intended to do in the future, so he casually copied it without overthinking its meaning.

    As for bravely pursuing dreams and all that, that was a bit of an overinterpretation. He replied, "Yourprehension skills must have been exceptional."

    Proudly, Lily replied, "Yes, I often scored well in Chinese!"

    A new day dawned. The violent magical elements outside had ceased, indicating the end of the chaotic period. The Winds of Change had arrived. Opening the window, a gentle breeze greeted him, like a tender hand caressing his face. "What a wonderful time," Hua Mi couldn''t help but sigh.

    In the Western Continent, the Winds of Change marked the beginning of the year. Today was the traditional New Year, a shared festival among the seven countries, unlike the Ice Dance Festival where gatherings were lessmon. It leaned more towards family reunions within households rather than extravagant celebrations with others.

    Early on, Hua Mi received a call from the Alchemy Workshop. On the other end was Hera''s voice, "Happy New Year, Mentor."

    Uh, as a native Earthling, he didn''t resonate much with this New Year here. It felt a bit awkward to receive New Year wishes. After all, winter hadn''t even arrived on Earth yet!

    Regardless, Hua Mi politely replied, "Happy New Year." He wasn''t adept at handling these situations and tried to smoothly inquire if she had other matters to attend to.

    Excitedly, Hera said she prepared a New Year''s gift. "Although it''s not something valuable, it carries my sincerity. I hope you''ll ept it."

    "Oh?" Now that piqued his interest. "I''m someone who can receive gifts now."

    For the first time, he tangibly felt the value of being an alchemy mentor. "Since it''s your heartfelt gesture, I''ll graciously ept."

    Soon, a scroll appeared at the window. A magic scroll? He didn''t particrly need one right now; he still had four unused ones in stock. Yet, when he probed with his spiritual power, there was no magical presence. It wasn''t a spell scroll.

    Curious, he opened it. "..." It was a portraitbarely recognizable as a person. However, upon closer inspection, it seemed to be him. The distinctive ck robe and various flowers and bees around gave it away. The facial features, though, were highly abstract.

    "This is a portrait I specially painted for you," Hera cheerfully said, "I''ve always dreamt of being an artist, and after many years, I picked up the brush again. I think I did quite well. What do you think?"

    "..." Quite well? What image did you have of me in your mind? Hua Mi remained silent for a while. "Hera."

    "Here!" she replied.

    "You''d better focus on alchemy," Hua Mi advised gently.

    ---

    Hua Mi stored away the abstract portrait and headed to the greenhouse, where the little fellows offered New Year wishes. And they were nning another feast. Hua Mi didn''t mind, but this time, he decided to dine properly before attending.

    New Year also meant work. Tending to the flower fields couldn''t be neglected for a day. "It''s time to cultivate new flower species," he decided. Tomorrow, he nned to visit the hot spring inn mentioned by the traveling merchant in search of rare flowers.

    Half the morning flew by following the routine in the greenhouse. After assigning tasks to the staff, Hua Mi left.

    In the afternoon, Big Bear arrived with a set of saddle equipment tailored for Lu Fei, fitting perfectly. With this gear, riding would be morefortable. Hua Mi gifted him some honey in return.

    ---

    Residents of the Coburg Town concluded their day of celebrations when a sudden explosion jolted them awake. Lights flickered in every house as residents rushed out to see several fireballs streaking across the dark sky like shooting stars, exploding on the outskirts of the town, causing deafening sts.

    Even the ground trembled a few times, leaving people shocked. "It''s the elves!" someone shouted, "The elves from Jadeite City are attacking!"

    Panic spread rapidly through the town. Adults scooped up children, rushing towards the shelters, as if rehearsing for such emergencies.

    ---

    On the first day of the New Year, a minor skirmish erupted at the border between the Tulun Kingdom and the Jadeite Court-controlled territory, sparked by the disappearance of an elven soldier. They suspected the soldier had identally entered Tulun''s territory and was imprisoned, demanding entry to search.

    This led to a small sh, causing casualties on both sides. Currently, the border forces of both nations had arrived, facing off across the border line. Tensions ran high for a while.

    ---

    On the second day of the New Year, Hua Mi rose early and visited the Bee Whisperer''s hut. Opening the door, he found a beautifully wrapped gift box hanging from the doorknob, apanied by a note.

    "Since you seemed to be asleep, I left this here. It''s a New Year''s gift, thanking you for your continuous support and help. A small token of appreciationI hope you''ll like it. - ''Abnormal Human'' rk."

    Thinking back, it was quitete when he leftst night. This guy''s schedule seemed to have changed after bing a vampire. Regardless, receiving a gift was a joyful thing.

    ---

    Finishing his morning tasks, Hua Mi informed the staff, packed up, and prepared to depart for the hot spring inn. This time, he intended to take Little White along. ording to the traveling merchant, a flower spirit existed there but didn''t easily reveal itself.

    So, bringing Little White might lower the guard of the flower spirit. If he couldmunicate with it, everything would fall into ce. "Try to be back within three days."

    Leading Lu Fei, Hua Mi prepared to mount when he noticed a group approaching in the distance. More urately, a troop of soldiers, marching from the direction of the Centaur Portal.

    They all wore bright silver armor, brandishing swordsa mighty sight. They were the guards of the Tulun Royal Family.

    Leading them was a high-rankingdy officer in court attire. Hua Mi recognized her immediately. She had stood beside Princess Karen during their meeting in the capital, indicating her high status.

    "This formation doesn''t seem to be for New Year''s greetings..." It seemed like his trip to the hot spring inn might be postponed.

 Chapter 179: Princess Karen

    Chapter 179: Princess Karen

    "Since west parted, the princess often thought of Your Excellency andmanded us toe and wee Your Excellency to the royal capital for a reunion."

    The female official''s voice was cold. After stating their purpose, she nced at his mount, and her tone softened a bit as she asked, "Do you have urgent matters to attend to, Your Excellency?"

    "It''s not anything urgent. Since the princess summoned me, let''s go then."

    Hua Mi estimated that the reason for the princess''s invitation was rted to the new honey. During theirst meeting, she had expressed her anticipation for the new batch of honey.

    Are they so eager to send someone once Chaos ended?

    "The sooner, the better."

    Hua Mi instructed Little White to stay behind and walked with the guards from the royal capital toward the Centaur''s teleportation gate.

    The female official acted as their guide.

    Upon reaching the teleportation gate, she touched the stone doorframe and murmured something in Centaurnguage, smoothly activating the gate.

    It seemed this official was quite intelligent, clearly not an ordinary person to be by the princess''s side.

    Following the guards, they passed through the gate and arrived near Mothu''s grasnds.

    There were aircraft already waiting.

    Apart from the usual magical patternsmon to aircraft, these also bore the royal emblem.

    Once everyone boarded, the aircraft steadily ascended, heading towards Mothu.

    Hua Mi moved to the side, leaning against the railings to gaze below.

    He noticed something peculiar.

    Several temporary checkpoints were set up along the main roads around Mothu.

    Everyone passing through had to stop for inspection.

    At the city gates, there was yet another checkpoint.

    There seemed to be a faint magical fluctuation there, likely a preventive magic set up.

    Double security measures, undoubtedly strict.

    Consideringst time there wasn''t even a proper checkpoint, merely a symbolic check at the city gates, what had transpired during this period?

    Seemingly noticing Hua Mi''s confusion, the female official exined, "Currently, entering Mothu requires a temporary admission certificate from the outer perimeter checkpoint and confirmation at the city gates to prevent espionage."

    "Espionage?"

    As far as he knew, the Kingdom of Turen wasn''t at war with anyone currently.

    "Some unpleasant incidents urred at the pce... I can only tell you it''s rted to Emerald City." She paused before adding, "Our rtions with Emerald City have hit rock bottom. News arrived yesterday of shes between both armies at the border, and tensions are high."

    Hua Mi sensed an underlying tension in her words.

    Both nations were on the brink, any spark could ignite a full-blown war at any moment.

    "The princess didn''t call me here regarding the war, did she?"

    Considering this possibility, Hua Mi felt a bit overwhelmed.

    He had thought it would be a banquet, not a conscription.

    "Simply providing alchemical resources is one thing, the various honeys we have hold strategic importance. Other alchemical creations could aid in Hir''s refining... But if they want me to be more deeply involved, like moving to Mothu or joining the army... I''ll need to find a way to politely decline in advance."

    Amidst Hua Mi''s contemtion, the aircraft smoothly entered Mothu.

    Landing near the pce.

    The next step involved walking.

    But they didn''t head to the pce; instead, they moved towards the estate from that day.

    Upon reaching the top of the artificial hill, the guards ceased following.

    Guided by the female official, Hua Mi arrived at one side of the estate.

    It was an exquisite courtyard.

    Princess Karen was seated face-to-face with a ck-haired man.

    They were both looking down at the tabletop, as though engaged in a game.

    However, instead of chess pieces, cards wereid outthe widely popr "Broken Army Cards" among the nobility. It tested strategy and wit, something Hua Mi only vaguely understood, not being familiar with the rules.

    "The person across from the princess is Prince Brad," the official whispered.

    Prince Brad... second in line among the king''s children.

    Hua Mi recalled reading about him in a book.

    The king had five children, three sons and two daughters.

    The oldest and youngest were the princesses, and in between were the three princes.

    Before getting closer, Princess Karen pped a card towards Brad, saying, "Hehe, older brother, your concession."

    "Ughso annoying!"

    Prince Brad disregarded his image, ruffling his curly hair in frustration, "Little sister, can''t you let me win for once? You''ve ruined my good mood for the entire day!"

    "Older brother, it''s just your luck, I don''t need to let you win." Karen smiled sweetly, "Let''s end it here today; my guest has arrived."

    While the siblings conversed, the official brought Hua Mi to the table''s side.

    The handsome Prince Brad curiously nced at him, "Little sister, who''s this..."

    "A highly skilled alchemist. We''re going to discuss alchemy; if you''re interested, you can join us," Karen intervened.

    Prince Brad immediately stood up, waving his hand, "I''ll pass. Dealing with these alchemists is what I''m worst at... no offense."

    With that, the prince, apanied by two guards, swiftly left the area.

    Karen turned to face Hua Mi, interlocking her hands and resting them on herp, smiling, "Long time no see, Bee Speaker. How have you beentely?"

    Hua Mi bowed to her, saying, "Thanks to Your Highness''s blessings, I''ve been well."

    Karen gestured to a stone bench across from her, "No need to be formal, have a seat."

    As Hua Mi sat down, Karen tilted her head, speaking semi-jokingly, "Is it disappointing to be received by me again this time?"

    "Because of the elves stirring, Father is tied up with state affairs. However, if you wish to see him, I think he''d dly make time for a meeting with an outstanding alchemist like yourself. Do you need me to arrange it for you?"

    Hua Mi firmly replied, "No need. Being received by the princess is already an honor."

    Karen smiled happily, dimples appearing on her cheeks, "I can tell your words are sincere."

    Of course, they were.

    Completely sincere.

    He didn''t want to get involved too much in political affairsdealing with the king inevitably meant dealing with such matters.

    For now,municating only with this princess was ideal.

    It was like establishing a buffer zone between him and the royal family.

    "I heard someone from the Alchemy Guild visited you?" Karen casually inquired.

    Hua Mi wasn''t surprised she knew.

    The pce''s intelligence was formidable; Emerald City definitely had eyes in multiple ces, and the Alchemy Guild held significant influencethey would certainly have their eyes on him.

    "Yes."

    Hua Mi openly shared the brief encounter from that day.

    There wasn''t anything that needed to be kept secret.

    "This isn''t over." Karen remarked, "I don''t believe they''ll let you go easily. You know, officially, the Alchemy Guild transcends borders, but in reality, it''s under Emerald City''s control now. For your safety, I suggest you move to Mothu. Here, you''ll be the safest."

    No, the safest ce for me is in the little cabin.

    Even if the sky falls, I could hold up the earth.

    Hua Mi politely declined.

    Karen didn''t insist, only advising him to be careful and that he could seek help from the royal family if needed.

 Chapter 180: The Concept of the Holy Light Knight Order

    Chapter 180: The Concept of the Holy Light Knight Order

    After Karen finished talking about her matters, she swiftly changed the subject, her eyes yful as she gestured toward the table before them, saying, "Care for a round of Broken Army Cards?"

    ""

    Hua Mi declined. It was a popr game among the nobles, something he, a simple viger, wouldn''t know.

    "The rules are simple. It amodates 2 to 7 yers, pick an identity at the start, set against the backdrop of the Seven Kingdoms. It involves expanding influence through war cards, trade cards, deceit cards, and so on," Karen exined briefly.

    Listening to Karen''s brief exnation, he realized the game''s rules were indeed straightforward. However, theplexityy in understanding the various card facets.

    Mastering the strategic use of these cards was the real challenge, requiring substantial mental agility.

    In a tutorial-like y, he unsurprisingly found himself thoroughly beaten.

    Through this passive experience, Hua Mi gained a general understanding of the game.

    Broken Army Cards, as the name suggested, was a card game set against the backdrop of the Seven Kingdoms'' hidden conflicts.

    As the saying goes, games mirror reality. As a form of artistic expression, they could reflect the current societal dynamics to a certain extent.

    From this, a conclusion could be drawn: while the Seven Kingdoms seemed friendly and allied on the surface, fundamentally, they were in opposition andpetition.

    In such a situation, if war erupted between the Emerald City and the Kingdom of Tulon, the other six countries likely wouldn''t fully honor their alliances. They would probably have their own hidden agendas.

    Not stabbing each other in the back might be considered honorable in these circumstances.

    One could refer to the history of the Warring States period in ancient Huaxia, where the six states formed a loose coalition against the Qin state.

    "If a conflict were to arise with the elves of the Emerald City, the situation for the Kingdom of Tulon would be even more dire than I imagined," Hua Mi pondered.

    Another round was yed, with Karen winning again.

    The princess was remarkably skilled at the game, calcting each move thrice. She didn''t solely rely on war cards; she handled trade and deceit cards adeptly.

    At times, ying a trade card might seem like a mutual benefit or even her disadvantage. However, after a few rounds, it became evident that it was all part of her strategy, ultimately reaping significant gains.

    "Saren, the Elven King of the Emerald City, is ambitious. She believes humans have encroached upon too many resources. Since her ascension, her expansionist ambitions haven''t waned. Lately, her actions have be increasingly overt. It''s safe to assume she''s nearly prepared," Karen said, even in discussing such a serious matter, maintaining a light tone, as if narrating a distant tale.

    "The elven army might be numerically inferior to ours, but their individualbat prowess generally surpasses that of humansnot in terms of weaponry but in the application of magic. Those arrogant folks are a race blessed by the Goddess of Magic."

    It was a frustrating reality.

    The equipment gap could be narrowed through effort, but in terms of magical talent, the methods avable to humans for enhancement were limited to using magic elixirs to temporarily boost their abilities.

    However, this came with side effects and various ailments

    Soldiers returning from the battlefield often had physical deficiencies, not solely from injuries sustained inbat but also due to the repercussions of consuming these elixirs.

    Now, an even more despairing fact emerged: if humans could use magic elixirs, the elves certainly could as well.

    Moreover, most of the alchemical resources were currently in the Emerald City''s hands, significantly bolstering itsprehensive strength.

    ording to Princess Karen, this was the result of the Elven King''s years of careful management.

    The inherent high sensitivity of elves to magical elements made their achievements in alchemy far surpass those of humans.

    Since Saren''s ascension, she had actively developed alchemy targetedly. Under her operation, the headquarters of the Alchemy Guild had also shifted to the Emerald City, further attracting a considerable number of talents to study there, creating a beneficial cycle.

    The consequence was that, in the realm of alchemy at least, the collective might of the Seven Kingdoms couldn''tpete with the Emerald City.

    "Are we doomed to rely solely on numbers?" Karen rhetorically asked herself, shaking her head. "No, this isn''t a normal state of affairs. It''s time for a change. Human lives are equally important as those of the elves. The ratio of casualties between the two sides must be at least 1:1 or even less."

    "So, what do you propose?" Hua Mi found himself drawn into her speech, curious about her ideasshe sounded like she had a n.

    "Establish an elite force."

    Karen yed a deceit card and then looked away from the table, her gaze fixed on Hua Mi, eager to share her thoughts like a child, "Not many in number but powerful enough. When wares, they''ll charge at the forefront like a sharp de, tearing through the enemy''s lines!"

    "Of course, that''s easier said than done. Your mention of the Holy Light Honeyst time makes this concept feasible."

    So, that was her strategy.

    Hua Mi understood.

    The Holy Light Honey, also known as the Mirage Feather Honey, significantly boosted individualbat abilitiesafter specialized training, it could substantially enhance both defensive and offensive capabilities. With a vanguard leading and regr troops following, it indeed was a brilliant n.

    However, his current stock of Mirage Feather Honey was only a little over a thousand bottles.

    At first nce, it seemed like a lot. But for military reserves, it might not suffice, especially considering the staggering amount it would take just to train and control a unit proficient in wielding the Holy Light.

    Yet, Karen said, "As I mentioned, the elite force doesn''t need to be numerous. A hundred well-trained Holy Light Knights would suffice. With them, we could break through enemy lines on the battlefield."

    "Just a hundred people?"

    Hua Mi had no conception of war scenes and couldn''t argue.

    "The Ashen Knights were no more than a hundred strong, but they managed to besiege and kill a dragon."

    Karen exined, having read about the Ashen Knights in a book, inspiring her idea for the elite force.

    Back then, the Ashen Knights were extraordinarily renowned across the western continent.

    Unfortunately, nearly all of them perished during the dragon-ying battle, severing their legacy.

    Since then, the cavalry of the Kingdom of Tulon had been in a state of decline.

    Now, this young princess was ambitious, aiming to revive the glory of the knights, forging a Holy Light Knight Order!

    "With the enhancement of the Holy Light Honey, individualbat prowess would indeed see a significant rise, but" Hua Mi paused for a moment, raising another issue, "A specialized cavalry force isn''t sustainable solely based on individual strength. Team coordination andbat strategy are paramount. Otherwise, they''d just be scattered, facing various issues on the battlefield. A trusted and experienced knight must be designated for the unit''s specialized training."

    "What you say makes sense."

    The young princess furrowed her brow slightly, lost in thought.

    So, you hadn''t considered this at all.

    Hua Mi felt embarrassed.

    It was evident shecked understanding in this area. Perhaps she was too young, caught

    up in a fleeting idea without detailed consideration.

    "I have someone in mind," Hua Mi spoke up.

    "Who?"

    "Strictly speaking, he''s not a person anymore I''m referring to the former leader of the Ashen Knights, Elwin Duncan his spirit."

    "Spirit?"

    The young princess appeared incredulous.

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 Chapter 181: The Hostility of the Grand Princess

    Chapter 181: The Hostility of the Grand Princess

    For some reason, Captain Elwin''s ghost lingered in the mortal realm, though he remained in a deep slumber.

    The previous incident involving the vampire pseudo-flower spirits inadvertently awakened him.

    When Hua Mi went to deliver honey to the unicorn, he took a quick look at the Ashen Graveyard.

    Confirming that the Captain''s ghost was still there.

    As the books stated, once a ghost lingered in the mortal realm, they usually couldn''t return to the spirit world.

    Hua Mi highlighted the key points about the Captain''s ghost to Karen.

    Her eyes lit up, and she pped, "Snap!" "Problem solved! With the Captain of the Ashen Knights taking charge of training, there''s nothing to worry about, right? You should''ve told me sooner that the ghost of that legendary dragon yer knight was still here!"

    "You didn''t ask," Hua Mi reminded.

    "The Captain''s ghost can only stay in the Ashen Graveyard, unable to move freely. We might need to figure something out if we want it toe to Modu," he exined.

    Karen, however, seemed unconcerned, saying, "That''s fine. For training, we can have the knights go to the Ashen Graveyard. After all, there''s a teleportation gate built by the centaurs, so it''s convenient."

    That''s not a bad idea.

    Ideally, a unit should have one person serving as both the instructor and the captain.

    But Elwin''s ghost obviously couldn''t fulfill the role of Captain anymore.

    A pity.

    "In this case, the n to establish the Holy Light Knights is even moreplete. It should be easy to convince the king... if Tisyara doesn''t oppose it," Karen murmured to herself.

    But her voice was loud enough for Hua Mi to hear.

    Tisyara, if Hua Mi remembered correctly, seemed to be the Grand Princess.

    Hua Mi was, of course, unaware of the intricacies within the royal family.

    However, from Karen''s tone, it seemed likely that the Grand Princess Tisyara might oppose this matter, and her opinion could be crucial.

    "The king is about to decide on the heir," Karen shrugged helplessly, "I think he''ll choose Tisyara. And she''s never inclined to consider my suggestionswhether in personal life or politics."

    The current king was still strong, even capable of wielding a sword in battle, so normally, choosing an heir was premature.

    But in these special times, with war looming, selecting an heir early had some justification.

    ording to Turlun Kingdom''s tradition, the heir didn''t just wait to ascend; they also gained some governance power, assisting the king in matters of state.

    It was akin to having two kings, a primary and a secondary.

    By the way, were those three princes just idling around?

    To let their little sister be underestimated like this without stepping up.

    Karen suddenly asked him with enthusiasm, "By the way, do you know how the heir is chosen?"

    With a ''testing you'' expression on her face.

    How the heir was chosen... under this type of government, how else could they decide?

    As far as he knew, the power within the Turlun Kingdom was highly centralized.

    Wasn''t it the king''s prerogativebased on the usual performance of the princes and princesses?

    "No, that''s too subjective."

    Hua Mi found it odd. Did the king also listen to others'' opinions in matters like these?

    "The king uses dream divination," Karen said with a hint of amusement, as if finding this method interesting, "Whoever sits on the throne in his dreams bes the heir."

    "..."

    Choosing an heir through dreams?

    That didn''t sound very objective.

    It sounded rather childish!

    "Don''t misunderstand; the king''s dream divination is urate. For impending decisions, using dream divination always results in the most advantageous choice."

    After Karen exined, Hua Mi suddenly realized.

    So, the king had a magical crystal ball obtained during a campaign against a lich''sir.

    This crystal ball had marvelous properties.

    Holding it before sleep and concentrating on the decisionclear and concise, preferably encapsted in a single sentencewould reveal the best course in dreams.

    In other words, when the king held the crystal ball and pondered "who should be the heir," he would see who ascended the throne in his dream.

    And the person appearing in his dream as the heir was considered the best choice.

    However, after using the crystal ball once, it required a long cooldowna significant decision affecting the future of the kingdom resulted in a prolonged cooldown period.

    For matters involving the nation''s fate, the cooldown period was undoubtedly lengthy.

    "Dream divination... dreams?"

    Hua Mi thought of somethingthe Rainbow Honey Wine.

    A bold idea crossed his mind, but he kept it to himself.

    Better to avoid unnecessary trouble.

    He believed that even if the Grand Princess were chosen, it wouldn''t impact his honey trade with the royal family.

    Establishing the Holy Light Knights was a smart strategy, especially considering the current pressure from the elf race.

    As long as the king wasn''t senile, he should agree.

    The heir had some governance power, but ultimate authority stilly with the king.

    ---

    Next, Karen personally acted as a guide, showing him around Modu''s famousndmarks, deepening his understanding of this great city.

    As they chatted and toured, they unwittingly reached evening.

    Karen arranged avish dinner for him.

    That night, he stayed in a guest room within the pce.

    It was a considerable honor, usually reserved for high-ranking nobles.

    Though the room was luxurious andfortable, the change of setting made it difficult for Hua Mi to sleep.

    Even using the Moon Slumber Honey didn''t induce sleep, so he decided to read.

    After the day''s sightseeing, it was fitting to delve into the history of Modu.

    Lost in reading, he lost track of time.

    Suddenly, Hua Mi felt an inexplicable chill behind him.

    He abruptly turned around.

    In a shadowy corner of the room, something was moving.

    "?!"

    Hua Mi immediately stood up, summoning a swarm of bees around himself.

    Simultaneously, a figure emerged from the shadows.

    The person wasn''t tall, dressed in all ck with a cloth covering their face, wearing a hood that revealed only elongated eyes.

    They didn''t step closer but remained a few meters away.

    "I represent the Grand Princess," they said devoid of any emotion, then tossed a triangr metal piece to the ground, emitting pale blue runes.

    The triangr metal dispersed into a shimmering screen.

    Within the screen, a semi-transparent figure appeared.

    It was a tall woman, seemingly wearing only silk nightwear, sitting with legs crossed on a high-backed chair, supporting her head with one hand, lookingzy but with sharp eyes.

    "Is that Tisyara?"

    Completely different from Karen, she was almost the opposite.

    More cunning than Karen, who still had some innocence, this Grand Princess seemed like a schemer who''d resort to anything to achieve her goals.

    This arrival

    This domineering posture didn''t seem to carry goodwill.

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 Chapter 182: Confrontation

    Chapter 182: Confrontation

    "You''re the alchemist rmended by Xiao Mei?"

    Tisyara''s voice sounded distorted, much like her blurred figure. This added a hint of mystery to her, along with a sense of danger that was hard to grasp.

    "It''s me."

    "Since you''re an alchemist in the court, why reside so far in the ck Forest?"

    An usatory tone...

    "Why live in the ck Forest?"

    Because your sister allowed it.

    Hua Mi wasn''t sure if bringing up Karen at this moment would be of any use.

    ording to Karen, this grand princess isn''t quite fond of her.

    Bringing her up might have the opposite effect.

    Careful. Don''t easily y the "Karen card"...

    Fortunately, it seemed the grand princess hadn''t expected an answer to this question.

    Without waiting for Hua Mi''s response, Tisyara changed the subject, asking another question, "As a court alchemist, what value can you bring to Turlun?"

    Like an interviewer.

    "Essential alchemical resources support," Hua Mi pondered briefly, giving a conventional response.

    "Not enough." Tisyara shifted, her head finally straightened. "I want you to move to Modu; that''s the premise. No exceptions."

    Hua Mi had anticipated this question and calmly responded, "As Your Highness might already know, there are two centaur gates connecting the ck Forest and Modu nearby. It''s convenient to travel back and forth. In case of an urgent summons, I can arrive promptly. So, it''s not necessary to live in Modu. I chose the ck Forest because I need an environment undisturbed for my alchemical research."

    "It seems you still haven''t grasped my meaning." Tisyara''s spectral form looked down on him, stating, "This isn''t negotiation; it''s an order. Xiao Mei has given you too much freedom. She clearly doesn''t realize the potential harm an uncontrolled alchemist can cause."

    "..."

    "People from the Alchemical Society have interacted with you. Whatever agreements you made then, I''m not interested. I only need to ensure your loyalty to the crown," Tisyara''s voice turned cold and resolute, making her intentions clear, "Come to Modu, work for me, and I''ll help you achieve your own ideals and ambitions."

    So, she''s trying to poach.

    It''s unclear whether it''s for the kingdom or herself.

    Perhaps both.

    After all, currently, there doesn''t seem to be a conflict of interests. Her interests align with the royal family''s and the entire country''s.

    Tisyara evidently knew about the Alchemical Society''s visit to the ck Forest; that wasn''t surprising.

    But no matter what, he wouldn''t allow himself to be tightly controlled.

    Preserving freedom in this otherworldly ce was crucial.

    Directly answering now would be unwise, neither agreeing nor refusing would serve his interests.

    Can''t use Karen as a shield either.

    There''s only one option left.

    Dy tactics.

    One word: stall.

    Dismiss the person for now, consult with Karen when it''s daylight.

    After contemting for a moment, Hua Mi weighed his words, "I need some time to consider..."

    "No time for you to consider." Tisyara interrupted, her tone firm, "You must choose immediately. If you agree,e to me now. If not, for the country''s safety, your movements will be restricted. You''re smart; you should know how to choose."

    Darn.

    It means no matter what, freedom will be restricted.

    Just one is akin to house arrest, the other direct imprisonment.

    Hua Mi had to maneuver further, "With the imminent war, is this how Your Highness treats an alchemist? I could provide excellent alchemical resources for the army, enhancing our national strength."

    That seemed to touch a nerve with Tisyara.

    Her expression darkened, a trace of severity in her voice, "Are you threatening me?"

    "No, I''m just stating my value."

    "Your value is based on loyalty," she sneered, "and you''re underestimating our country''s strength. Turlun doesn''t need you as an alchemist. Tuck away your arrogance."

    Tension escted.

    This woman is too unyielding formunication.

    No room for stalling here.

    "Or do you think, because you have Xiao Mei backing you, I wouldn''t dare touch you?" Seeing Hua Mi''s hesitation, Tisyara''s gaze turned colder, gesturing to the cloaked figure behind her. Before Hua Mi could say anything else, the apparition vanished.

    Leaving a parting sentence in the air: "Bring him to me in person."

    The cloaked figure nodded respectfully, "Yes."

    Then, stepping forward, a scroll appeared in their hand.

    Tisyara was not just forceful but also swift in her actions.

    Hua Mi hadn''t expected her to resort to direct measures. He didn''t have much time to ponder, preparing for a potential confrontation.

    The swarm dispersed, filling the entire room densely, surrounding the other party.

    Simultaneously, the cloaked figure unfurled the scroll.

    Inside was arge ck spot, instantly emanating powerful magical fluctuations, like a rapidly rotating vortex, creating immense suction.

    "?!"

    Yet, the next moment, the cloaked figure''s pupils contracted.

    A gentle magical field spread out, counteracting the suction.

    The cloaked figure stowed away the scroll, looking toward the door.

    The door had been opened from outside.

    The female officer beside Karen entered, calmly addressing Hua Mi, "His Highness is troubled by a matter in alchemy, keeping him awake at night. Would you have the time to discuss it?"

    "..."

    Hua Mi nced at the cloaked figure.

    Silence from thetter.

    The officer also looked over, seemingly just noticing him, curious, "Guests at thiste hour?"

    The cloaked figure retreated into the shadows, dissolving within.

    "Let''s go."

    Hua Mi retracted the swarm and walked toward the door.

    He needed to discuss matters with Karen too.

    "His Highness has retired; if it''s urgent, please wait until tomorrow."

    "..."

    Seems this officer was tasked by Karen to guard outside, just in case.

    She probably had been outside all along, only appearing when the conflict was about to escte, evidently trying to avoid a direct confrontation with the grand princess.

    "His Highness assures your safety. With her around, no one can harm you within this pce."

    The officer reminded, "The person who was just here, a member of the ''Ten Shadows,'' recruited by the grand princess after the Abyss Research Association fell. Ninjas fight in unpredictable ways; try not to engage in one-on-onebat."

    So, a remnant of the Abyss Research Association.

    Well, in terms of unpredictability, my swarm isn''tcking either.

    If it hade to a real fight, Hua Mi didn''t believe he''d lose.

    "Please rest assured; tonight, I''ll guard from outside."

    The officer bowed and exited, closing the door behind her.

    Silence fell in the room.

    Hua Mi sat on the edge of the bed, unable to calm his mind.

    That grand princess, she''s not easy to handle.

    If she indeed bes Turlun''s heir, he''d likely encounter much more trouble in the future.

    Hua Mi weighed the pros and cons, pondering.

    Finally, mentally reaching into the ring''s space, he summoned a bottle of rainbow-colored honey mead.

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 Chapter 183: Karens Dream of Social Death

    Chapter 183: Karen''s Dream of Social Death

    Hua Mi gulped down the Rainbow Honey Wine and took a sip of the Moon Dream Honey.

    He theny down on the bed.

    Sleep quickly overcame him, and before long, he entered the realm of dreams.

    When he regained consciousness, he sat up in bed.

    Surveying the room, everything appeared just like reality, except for a hazy filter over his vision, indicating this was indeed a dreama lucid dream.

    Thanks to his exceptionally strong mental power, the dream details he constructed were much more vivid than an average person''s.

    However, a dream was still a dream, and upon closer inspection, differences from reality were apparent.

    Yet, this time, he didn''t venture into the lucid dream intentionally.

    Aside from bestowing a "lucid dream" state, the Rainbow Honey Wine also granted a "boozer" state.

    Thetter allowed him to enter someone else''s dream.

    What could be safer and more suitable for a ndestine discussion than a dream?

    Hua Mi gestured casually.

    The room around him dissolved into emptiness.

    A faint mist materialized before him.

    Within the mist, he vaguely saw a pink bubble not too far away.

    He traversed the mist and walked towards it.

    Soon, he arrived close to the bubble.

    Apart from him, the only one slumbering in the pce was Karen.

    This bubble likely marked the boundary of Karen''s dream.

    "So, even in dreams, the little princess is all about shades of pink."

    Blessed by the honey wine, all he had to do was traverse this bubble to enter her dream.

    Hua Mi reached out to touch the surface of the bubble, feeling a mental resistance.

    However, the resistance was faint; with a little effort, he phased through.

    Immediately, he effortlessly stepped into it.

    His vision was suddenly engulfed by a piercing light.

    Hua Mi instinctively shielded his eyes.

    The eye pain mirrored reality, making his eyes moisten instantly.

    Gradually adjusting to the light, the scenery leaned towards pink hues, with colorful bubbles floating in the air.

    Aheady a fantastic sea of flowers, various blooms showcasing their colors in the sunlight.

    However, no matter how beautiful the flowers were, they paled inparison to the dazzling figure withinthe princess herself, shining in a physical sense.

    d in a pure white gown, her skin exceptionally fair, almost reflecting light.

    At first nce, Hua Mi didn''t recognize her.

    But upon closer inspection, it seemed to be none other than the owner of this dream, Princess Karen.

    "This is quite different from reality."

    In the dream, Karen appeared taller than in reality, her figure a sizerger, nearly perfect.

    "Is this her ideal figure? Honestly, it might be a bit challenging to achieve."

    Of course, this was a dream.

    What couldn''t be achieved in reality shouldn''t limit one''s dreams, right?

    Karen was twirling and leaping in the flower sea, immersed in her delightful reverie, apanied by dancing petals, lost in self-admiration.

    At that moment, a few birds flew in, circling above her head and chattering in a strangely human-like manner:

    "Wow, what a beautiful maiden!"

    "She must be the most beautiful princess in the Seven Kingdoms, Princess Karen!"

    "Is she the woman all the Seven Kingdoms'' men daydream about? Truly deserving of her reputation!"

    "Oh! My eyes are blinded by her grace!"

    "..." Hua Mi felt his eyes were also nearly blinded.

    Not just his eyes, his ears were also somewhat overwhelmed.

    Just as Hua Mi was about to approach and discuss important matters, another person appeared beside him, the female official.

    The official said to her, "Your Highness'' stunning beauty ensnares anyone who sees it. The six kingdoms are sending envoys, expressing their willingness to submit."

    Karen now held a fan covering the lower part of her face, unable to hide her overflowing smile. "I am born with this beauty that I can''t abandon...

    Then, shifting the fan slightly, she revealed a cunning expression, "Now that the seven kingdoms are unified, humans have unprecedented strength. I''ll have my brother lead the army and, while the Jade City is unprepared, sweep through the elf tribe in one go! I''ll personally lead the Holy Knights and strike deep into the enemy''s territory!"

    The official was startled, "Your Highness, you''re going to the battlefield yourself?"

    Karen confidently replied, "Don''t mistake me for just a decorative princess because of my beauty. Riding horses and fighting battles is something I''ve always longed for. With the Holy Knights under mymand, I can finally fulfill my long-cherished wish to gallop across the battlefield."

    The official admired, "Your Highness, possessing both beauty and prowess, truly the first princess in human history!"

    Then, a crowd surged in.

    On one side were armored warriors, kneeling and pledging loyalty.

    On the other side were nobles'' children, screaming loudly like a bunch of fervent fans.

    Karen stood gracefully amidst the flowers, extending her arms, showcasing her charm amidst the petals'' dance.

    "..." Hua Mi was speechless.

    "Your Highness, what kind of dream are you having..."

    What kind of over-the-top Mary Sue storyline was this?

    To prevent the plot from taking a more absurd turn, Hua Mi hurriedly approached Karen.

    Seeing him in her dream, Karen was slightly surprised but quickly resumed her Mary Sue protagonist smile, "Your appearance is unexpected. Have you also been captivated by my charm?"

    As she spoke, she flicked her long hair, creating a rainbow shimmer.

    "..." Hua Mi had the urge to leave immediately.

    But he held himself back.

    The main issue needed addressing.

    To ensure no interference with his future farming ns and to eliminate potential trouble in the capital, he had to act.

    Hua Mi whispered, "Your Highness, please carefully recollect where this ce is. How did you get here?"

    "This is..."

    Karen''s smile froze suddenly.

    Then she lowered her head, lost in thought.

    "Weird, why can''t I recall..." Karen''s expression turned grave, looking at Hua Mi, she asked, "Have I been affected by magic? Damn, who dares..."

    "Your Highness, calm down. It''s not magic; it''s a dream."

    "A dream?"

    "Yes, this is your dream, Your Highness."

    But Karen still seemed skeptical, "I''ve never been aware that I''m dreaming when I dream."

    Hua Mi calmly stated, "If you don''t believe, Your Highness, you can pinch yourself to see if it hurts."

    Karen did as he suggested, pinching her arm.

    Her eyes widened instantly.

    "No pain... Is this really a dream? But you..."

    "I consumed an alchemical potion that allows temporary entry into others'' dreams. Your Highness, I have an important matter to discuss, and dreams are the most secluded ce."

    Meanwhile, the surrounding people seemed to vanish as if erased, leaving only the two of them in the vast flower field.

    Usually, when dreamers be aware of their dream state, the dream tends to be unstable.

    However, Hua Mi, by relying on his own mental strength, managed to maintain the dream''s stability.

    "It''s about the eldest princess, just now..." Hua Mi paused suddenly, asking oddly, "Your Highness, what''s wrong?"

    Karen blushed furiously, steam emanating from her body.

    The "Vaporous Princess''s" chest instantly deted, her size returning to normal.

    Seemingly, the dream shattered, and her consciousness returned to reality.

    Karen red at him with embarrassment, "You saw everything?"

    Hua Mi remainedposed, "What did I see? When I arrived, I saw a crowd kneeling before you. As a princess of a nation, isn''t that a normal scene? It must be quitemon in reality as well. Was there anything abnormal happening before?"

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 Chapter 184: Conspiracy in the Dream

    Chapter 184: Conspiracy in the Dream

    "Speak up, what''s the matter?" Hua Mi asked.

    Karen''s face turned slightly red, and she crossed her arms, squinting her eyes to make herself appear more cold.

    "It''s about the Grand Princess," Hua Mi briefly recounted the incident of Tisyara sending someone to forcibly take him away.

    Karen listened, and gradually her expression returned to normal.

    However, she seemed unconcerned about the matter, casually saying, "Don''t worry, I will handle it with Tisyara. I promise you, you are safe in Modu."

    "But what if she bes the heirter?"

    "Well, so what? Ultimately, the king decides in this country, and the king has always respected my opinions. Don''t underestimate my influence."

    "But when she inherits the throne..."

    "There''s no need to worry about such distant things in advance." Karen analyzed with experience, "It''s like ying a card game; it''s enough to consider the next three moves. Thinking too far ahead will only waste mental energy because there are too many unknown factors, and things are unlikely to unfold as you predict. So, thinking too much is futile."

    Seemed reasonable.

    Hua Mi didn''t argue with her, instead, he said, "But have you considered another possibility, like, you bing the heir?"

    Karen said without hesitation, "Impossible. Tisyara''s governing ability is stronger than mine. The dream divination clearly indicates her as the heir..."

    As Karen spoke, she suddenly stopped.

    Her eyes widened, looking at him with some surprise.

    The expression seemed to say, "Didn''t expect that, didn''t expect that. You, who seemed so peaceful, would think of such a thing."

    Quick reaction. Hua Mi silently praised in his heart.

    Well, this saved a lot of exnation.

    Seeing her reaction, Hua Mi didn''t beat around the bush anymore and said, "But have you ever considered another possibility, for example, that the person ascending to the throne is you?"

    Karen said without thinking, "Impossible. Tisyara''s governing ability is stronger than mine. The dream divination clearly indicates her as the heir..."

    When she reached this point, Karen suddenly stopped.

    Her big eyes slowly widened, looking at him with some astonishment.

    This expression seemed to say, "Didn''t expect that, didn''t expect that. You, this seemingly peaceful person, actually wants to do such a thing."

    The reaction was quick. Hua Mi admired in his heart.

    Well, it saved a lot of words.

    Seeing this, Hua Mi no longer beat around the bush, instead said straightforwardly, "Be the heir, and some of your ideas, like the Holy Light Knights, can be implemented smoothly. Now that the country is in danger, you surely want to help the king share the pressure."

    Upon hearing his "devil''s whisper," Karen showed a momentary interest.

    From her eyes, it was clear that she was hopeful about this.

    Although the princess had realized that this was a dream, being in the dream made her guard weaker, making her more susceptible to revealing her true feelings. This was another reason why Hua Mi chose to conspire in the dream.

    However, Karen was rational enough and didn''t easily let this tempting "big cake" cloud her judgment. After pondering for a moment, she said, "No, interfering with dream divination is interfering with the fate of Turin''s future. If Tisyara is more suitable to rule than me, then she should be the heir. I won''tpete with her."

    "You''re oversimplifying things."

    "This matter is already simple."

    "After Tisyara bes the heir, do you think you can still maintain your current influence? Once the heir is chosen, it''s impossible to maintain the current situation. Don''t rely on the king''s favor. For the sake of the whole country, he will likely support excluding all children other than the heir in political matters, focusing on nurturing the heir and avoiding the dispersion of royal power into chaos."

    Hua Mi had witnessed too many power struggles within the royal family. Whether it was real history on Earth or depictions in movies and TV shows, there were countless portrayals of such scenarios.

    Karen, being in the midst of it, found it hard to see the situation clearly.

    Hua Mi kindly tried to awaken her, also for his own sake.

    As expected, this statement clearly hit her weak spot.

    The princess fell into contemtion.

    Although Karen''s personality still retained some of her youthful innocence, her words and actions showed that she had her own governing philosophy and vision. She aspired to contribute to the country and was not willing to be a royal member silently fading into obscurity.

    Losing influence meant all her ideas in governance became empty talk.

    And this was likely to happen after Tisyara took power.

    The sisters had a strained rtionship, and Karen was well aware of that.

    Seeing her waver, Hua Mi seized the opportunity to continue persuading, "Moreover, can we be sure that the dream divination''s result is urate? Past dream divinations may have led to good results, but how do you know that choosing a different path won''t be better? It''s a subjective method. I believe the future can be changed. After you rece Tisyara as the heir, as long as you govern diligently, you might not be worse than her. Or do youck confidence in yourself?"

    The princess''s expression slightly rxed.

    This meant she had been convinced and had made a decision.

    She remained silent for a moment, then tentatively said, "Actually, the dream divination doesn''t necessarily guarantee Tisyara''s ascension. Maybe it was supposed to be me... We can take a look at the result in the dream..."

    This was her way of giving herself an out.

    After all, tampering with dream divination results was essentially no different from tampering with a will on Earth.

    For a princess who had been sheltered by the royal family since childhood, it was normal for her to struggle with this psychologically.

    "You''re right, Your Highness. It''s okay to take a look."

    "Okay."

    In the quiet flower field, the two whispered in conspiracy.

    ---

    The stone wall towering highpletely separated this area from the outside.

    The wall was engraved withplex runes, releasing various shielding and protective magic.

    Hundreds of fully armored ck soldiers were currently conductingbat training, holding long spears and moving in unison under unifiedmands.

    Their movements were neat and powerful.

    Commanding the training was a tall warrior, also dressed in ck armor. He didn''t wear a helmet, revealing a resolute face with a scar running across his right eye and cheek. He looked like a formidable figure.

    A crow perched on the wall.

    The red light emitted from its right eye epassed the scene within the training ground, transmitting the images in real-time to a mirror.

    The oval-shaped mirror hung on the wall, the frame carved from dragon-blood wood, emitting a faint red glow along its grooves.

    Tisyara stood in front of the mirror, silently watching the images inside.

    After a set of training movements, the leading ck-armored warrior clenched his fist against his heart and solemnly dered, "Loyalty to Your Highness!"

    The soldiers all performed the same motion, shouting in unison, "Loyalty to Your Highness!"

    A powerful momentum filled the air.

    Wearing a ck court gown, Tisyara remained expressionless. With a wave

    of her hand, the image in the mirror disappeared, returning it to an ordinary reflective surface.

    Then, she left the room.

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 Chapter 185: The Heir in the Dream

    Chapter 185: The Heir in the Dream

    "Thoughts on him?"

    The carriage steadily moved along the road, a corner of the curtain lifted.

    A ninja followed the carriage, hearing the question from inside, replied, "Weak. I sensed the aura of weakness from him. Last night, if not for Princess Karen''s protection, I could have effortlessly defeated him."

    Tisyara''s voice remained calm, "So, when necessary, I can trust you to handle him, right?"

    The ninja affirmed, "Yes, Your Highness! He won''t pose any threat to you."

    The curtain was drawn shut.

    Tisyara inside the carriage remained silent.

    The carriage rumbled on, picking up speed.

    ---

    Five dayster.

    "It''s happening tonight."

    The day the king decides on the heir, tonight.

    The magical crystal sphere was ceremoniously taken from the treasury, thoroughly inspected, and delivered to the king''s chambers.

    Tonight, the king would sleep alone, holding this sphere.

    This night, with the moon veiled and the sky darkened, was a perfect night for slumber.

    Hua Mi and Karen met in their dreams.

    The surroundings were elusive.

    Amidst the mist, faint outlines of buildings were visible, asional figures, even shadows of magical creatures roamed.

    Yet upon approach, they vanished, illusions due to insufficient energy, unable to fully materialize, resembling mirages.

    The two stood there, gazing in a certain direction.

    In the mist, a bubble slowly formed.

    That was the king''s dream boundary.

    Unlike Karen''s dream, a pinkish girlish one, this dream boundary presented a solemn blue-ck hue.

    But it was not fully formed yet, just the size of a fist.

    Not yet essible.

    Karen appeared a bit nervous, perhaps excited.

    Or maybe due to having a bit too much honey wine, her spirits seemed heightened

    To prolong their state of dreaming, they took a sip from a bottle.

    She seemed unable to bear the absolute silence, confirming their n once more, "As you said, dreams precede personal consciousness. So, if we enter before the king''s consciousness enters the dream, we''ll see who''s on the throne beforehand, right?"

    "Yes."

    He had tested this numerous times.

    Dreams always emerged before the dreamer''s personal will.

    Without exception.

    It was akin to setting a stage before actors could perform.

    During dreaming, it took time for the dreamer''s consciousness to manifest within the dream.

    Their n relied on these precious three minutes.

    In Hua Mi''s mind, there was a consideration he hadn''t shared with Karen.

    So far, they had only tested regr dreamsthose naturally urring to ordinary people.

    But dreams influenced by the magical crystal sphere might differ, an unknown variable.

    In theory, both were dreams, generated by the same mechanismemanations of mental energy in the realm of illusions.

    However, would the magical effects influence the honey wine?

    That was Hua Mi''s concern.

    No other way but to try.

    They waited, watching the blue-ck bubble gradually erge.

    As its size increased, its color grew lighter.

    Finally, it turned into a deep blue.

    The bubble had fully developed, the size of an ordinary room, and stopped growing.

    This signaled thepletion of the dream''s construction.

    They stood before the bubble, intricate ck patterns constantly shifting on its surface.

    Each person''s bubble differed in color and patterns, perhaps rted to individual constitution and dream type.

    But through mental perception, this precognitive dream appeared no different from an ordinary dream.

    A good sign.

    "Let''s go."

    Hua Mi extended his hand tentatively towards the bubble.

    The moment his palm touched the bubble''s surface, he felt a mental resistance.

    It was stronger than any dream he had tested before.

    So potent that even with Hua Mi''s extraordinary mental strength, it took effort to push his hand through.

    "No wonder he''s a king, his mental fortitude surpasses ordinary people."

    However, Karen, beside him, remained motionless.

    She seemed conflicted.

    "Is this right? It''s about Turen''s future..."

    "..."

    Seems she hadn''tpletely ovee that mental barrier yet.

    At the crucial moment, she hesitated.

    "Your distressed look makes it seem like I''m a viin, deceiving an ignorant girl."

    Hua Mi didn''t have time to patiently console her; after all, they only had three minutes.

    This unforeseen situation wasn''t unforeseen to Hua Mi.

    If she indeed chose to flee at this juncture, Hua Mi had prepared a n B:

    He''d have to enter alone and somehow disrupt this precognitive dream.

    The king would probably think the divination had failed.

    As for what happens after the failure, whether the crystal sphere goes into cooldown, that remained unknown.

    It was an option without an alternative.

    "Only three minutes, are you sure you want to miss this chance?"

    Hua Mi said, already halfway into the dream.

    Creating an opening with his palm made it easier to traverse.

    Hua Mi effortlessly crossed.

    There was a slight... difference in sensation.

    But he couldn''t quite pinpoint it.

    The feel of a mental body was entirely unlike the physical, hard to express in words.

    Only crudely put, it was an ufortable sensation.

    Crossing the dream boundary, Hua Mi encountered a purple hue

    The dominant color scheme of this dream.

    Before he knew it, Karen followed suit, no longer wearing a conflicted expression.

    Thankfully, it seemed she hadn''t hesitated for too long and decided to proceed as nned.

    Insidey the answer to who the heir in the divination was.

    The two stepped into the grand hall.

    Hua Mi looked towards the throne at the end.

    A figure indeed sat there.

    A familiar figure.

    But it was unexpected.

    "Why him?"

    Yes, "him," not "her."

    Following, Karen entered, wearing an astonished expression:

    "Second brother?!"

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 Chapter 186: Karens Choice

    Chapter 186: Karen''s Choice

    The ck waves cascading down, resplendent court attire, a handsome face, and eyes that held a hint of foolishness.

    No doubt it was the Second Prince, His Highness Brad.

    Though they''d only crossed paths once, Hua Mi had quite a vivid impression of him.

    It''s not often one sees an elder brother, especially a prince, sulking with his younger sister just because he lost at cards.

    The first impression of this prince was that of an unreliable figure, appearing more like a carefree aristocrat with no grand ambitions, content with a life of pleasure.

    Yet here he was, seated on the throne.

    It was astonishing not only for Hua Mi but also for Karen.

    Evidently, even Karen, with her understanding of her elder brother, had never expected him to be the heir.

    Things had unfolded beyond their expectations.

    After a brief silence

    "The choice is yours," Hua Mi said to Karen, visibly relieved.

    It was akin to being geared up in a duel, prepared to fight, only to suddenly be told that you''re merely an observer, no need to fight, you can return to the spectator stands.

    The sense of urgency lessened considerably.

    Their perspective became moreposed.

    Now, the pressure rested on Karen.

    She had a little over two minutes left.

    Should she let Prince Brad be the heir or seize this fleeting opportunity to elevate herself, bypassing Brad?

    It all depended on her decision.

    "..."

    Karen looked troubled, furrowing her brows.

    Hua Mi remained quietly by her side, not interrupting.

    He believed in the princess''s capabilities.

    He believed she could make the right choice based on her own rationality.

    Compared to Karen, he was at best a novice in such political matters.

    Misguided advice might just mess things up further.

    Of course, deep down, this novice hoped for Karen to take the throne.

    That way, he could peacefully farm within the boundaries of the Turan Kingdom in the future.

    Lost in his thoughts, Hua Mi suddenly felt a tug on his clothes.

    Turning, he saw Karen, head bowed in contemtion, while one hand tugged at his clothing, quietly asking, "What do you think I should do?"

    "..."

    Since she sought advice, staying silent wasn''t an option.

    In truth, Hua Mi had a few immature thoughts.

    For instance, if she couldn''t make a decision, it might be better to stand alongside Prince Brad.

    When the old king came in, he''d see two people on the throne.

    He''d naturally assume the prophecy meant he could choose between these two children.

    Thus, relinquishing the decision to the old king.

    But Hua Mi felt this indecisive approach was unsuitable for a ruler.

    To be a sovereign, she at least needed to be resolute and firm.

    So, Hua Mi suggested, "Set aside unnecessary considerations and distractions. Listen to what your heart truly desires. What do you genuinely want? What do you truly aim to achieve?"

    Karen looked towards the throne''s end, her eyes flickering, her form wavering.

    It was evident she was engaged in a fierce internal struggle.

    So much so that her spiritual form seemed unstable.

    "Something must be wrong... It can''t be the Second Prince."

    "He doesn''t even want to seed, let alone have any ns or capabilities..."

    "If he bes the king, he''ll surely ck off... What will Turan''s future be?"

    "Moreover, the elves to the west are watching closely. War is imminent. At this critical juncture, the Second Prince doesn''t even understand the cards, let alone leading soldiers in battle. How can he share the king''s burden?"

    Karen reasoned aloud, organizing her thoughts clearly.

    Clearly, she was mentally preparing herself.

    Although Hua Mi didn''t want to interrupt her train of thought, he had to remind her, "There''s about a minute left before the king''s personal consciousness appears."

    "..."

    Under immense pressure, Karen seemed tense, her spiritual form visibly trembling.

    Hua Mi truly feared she might not endure, leading to a copse of her spiritual form.

    And just as he provided the reminder, a figure materialized on the side of the hall.

    In merely two or three seconds, the outline had taken shape into a vague human form.

    Tall and robust, it was the King of Turan.

    Faster than anticipated!

    Hua Mi realized this might be due to the individual''s spiritual strength or the unique nature of this divination dream.

    In any case, the king''s spiritual form appeared earlier than nned in the dream.

    Time was running out.

    "You have to decide right away."

    Hua Mi swiftly suggested, "If you truly can''t make up your mind, consider standing beside him and let the king make the choice."

    "..."

    Karen fell silent for a second.

    Her drooping hands suddenly clenched into fists, her form stopping its tremors in an instant.

    Lifting her gaze, she fixed it determinedly on the throne ahead.

    "I want to be Turan''s queen!"

    As she spoke, she began moving towards the throne.

    "I don''t need any excuses or disguises!"

    "I will elevate Turan to the pinnacle of the Western Continent with my principles!"

    With a leap, her spiritual form ascended the high steps.

    Taking a step forward, she stood near the throne, facing Prince Brad seated on it.

    "Therefore, I ask you to step down, elder brother!"

    "Huh?"

    In the dream, Prince Brad looked up at her, a confused look mixed with a bit of untainted innocence in his eyes.

    Next second.

    A merciless strike deformed Prince Brad''s head almost entirely. Muscles convulsed on his face, saliva spraying out

    "Whoa!"

    Karen spun around, delivering a swift kick that sent Prince Brad flying off the throne.

    Simultaneously, her swift reflexes grabbed the falling crown.

    Prince Brad''s slender figure traced an elegant arc in the air, crashing heavily against a nearby ornate pir before hitting the ground.

    "Very impressive, full of spirit!"

    Hua Mi mentally praised Karen''s spiritual form.

    This swift and coherentbination was eye-opening.

    That''s the difference between dreams and reality.

    In reality, limited by physical abilities, one can only achieve so much.

    Yet, in dreams, a little push and the limit of the spiritual form could be significantly raised.

    Hua Mi hurried to the scene, pulling Prince Brad behind the pir without waiting for him to get up, silencing him by covering his mouth, entangling him tightly with hands and feet.

    A firm resolve!

    "Mmm, mmm, mmm"

    Prince Brad struggled desperately.

    But to no avail.

    He, a pampered and ambitionless figure, couldn''t break free from the bindings of a spiritual form several times stronger than an ordinary person.

    Hua Mi''s spiritual form was like an irond prison, firmly restraining him.

    Almost simultaneously.

    The old king''s spiritual form had already taken shape.

    Unlike Karen, who had misconceptions about herself in the dream, this old king''s image in the dream almost mirrored his appearance in reality.

    d in red robes, hand resting on a sword.

    He looked towards the throne at the end of the hall.

    He saw Karen sitting straight on the throne, hands resting on its sides, wearing a golden crown.

    The old king wore no unnecessary expressions. After a pause in the hall, he slowly approached.

    His burly figure halted before Karen, and on his stern and cold face, there was an

    unexpected hint of warmtha gentle smile. He extended a broad and reassuring hand, lightly resting it on Karen''s shoulder.

    "Didn''t expect it to be you."

    Karen lifted her head, a glimmer in her eyes. "Father, I will lead Turan to glory!"

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 Chapter 187: Family Banquet

    Chapter 187: Family Banquet"I believe in you," the king''s voice resonated, both hearty and gentle.

    At this moment, he was not only a ruler but also a father.

    "You have a long journey ahead," the king turned, leaving behind these final words, his robust form fracturing away like shredded paper.

    It seemed the prophetic dream wouldn''tst much longer.

    The spectral form of the king and the projection of Prince Brad vanished first.

    Soon after, the entire dream became increasingly unstable.

    Karen rose from the throne, watching Hua Mi approach. Her face bore a serene smile. "I believe our choices have altered the fate of Turlen."

    "Yes."

    "But I promise you, you won''t regret this decision, and neither will I. Someday in the future, when we look back at tonight''s actions, we''ll only feel gratitude."

    Let''s hope so.

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    Hua Mi nodded, wanting topliment her but unsure where to start. After contemting, he settled on something less crucial. "That kick earlier was quite impressive."

    Karen chuckled, shrugging. "Sometimes I wish I could give my second brother a kick in real life too. He''s just too"

    Rumble

    The entire pce shook, dust and debris falling amidst the vibrations.

    "It''s time to leave."

    "Alright!"

    ---

    The sun rose in the east.

    A hint of morning light leaked at the horizon, spreading upwards like a fan where the sky met the earth.

    Atop the artificial hill of the pce, a raised tform offered a clear view of the sunrise.

    Two figures, one tall and one short, stood side by side on the edge of the hilltop''s observatory, gazing into the distance.

    Not far behind them stood an expressionless female attendant.

    As the light grew brighter, hues warmed, and finally, the sun emerged.

    Karen lifted her left hand, as if trying to touch the distant sunrise. Gentle sunlight filtered through her fingers, casting a glow on her face.

    "We''re like cargo on the same ship now," she remarked casually.

    "Cargo might not match Your Highness''s noble image," Hua Mi corrected, "but the meaning is urate. We are indeed in the same boat."

    Hua Mi tranted the idiom "cargo" into a sly and cunning creature from another realm, providing a vivid description.

    Karen chuckled at his choice. "In the same boat? That metaphor sounds rather fresh, but it also seems more like a viin, doesn''t it?"

    Afterughing for a while, she turned serious again. "Are you reconsideringing to Modu?"

    "Um I hope Your Highness can understand."

    Karen dropped the topic, quietly watching the sunrise for a while before suddenly asking him, "Do you know what image you hold in my mind now?"

    Seeing her mischievous smile, Hua Mi suspected a trap. Hence, he didn''t say much, merely shook his head cautiously.

    "Like... an elder brother that doesn''t exist in reality."

    "..."

    Hua Mi pondered; the three princes would be utterly confused hearing this. What did "an elder brother that doesn''t exist in reality" mean? Like we''re invisible?

    Seeming to guess his thoughts, Karen spread her hands, exining with a somewhat helpless tone, "My three royal brothers, one more unreliable than the next. My second brother, whom you''ve seen, always remains a child. Even ying a game needs my coaxing; sometimes I wish I could just beat some sense into him!"

    Hua Mi couldn''t help but chuckle.

    So that''s how it is.

    It seemed the kick in the dream carried not only the urgency but also a hint of personal grievances.

    "My third brother, a crude violent man, with training and battles on his mind. He leads soldiers well, but instead of a prince, he''s more like a general.

    "My fourth brother, locked away in his chambers, tinkering with his puppets. I doubt he''d recognize me if he saw me now.

    "As for Tisyara... she''s always been distant and opposed to me, since as long as I can remember. I don''t even know why."

    The morning''s rosy light tinged her face, giving her expression a hint of destion.

    "..."

    Hua Mi wanted to console her but ultimately stayed silent.

    She evidently didn''t needforting.

    "Will you stand by my side faithfully?" she asked.

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    "Of course."

    As the sun gradually ascended, morning''s brilliance spread across the entire city.

    The capital awakened.

    ---

    This was a luxurious banquet hall.

    Not vast in size, it housed only a long dining table covered in pristine white cloth.

    Exquisite dishes adorned the table, elegantly presented on silverware, sparkling under themplight.

    All present were members of the royal family.

    Seated at the head was the current king.

    On either side sat his five children and the queen.

    Rarely did they gather like this for a meal.

    Such family gatherings only urred on significant asions, like important holidays.

    Although unspoken, everyone knew why they gathered today.

    The king intended to announce his heir during this meal.

    Establishing the heir to the throne was not just a matter of state; it was a family affair.

    Before the formal public announcement, the king wished his family to know the decision.

    Karen sat at the far end, farthest from the king and queen.

    But among all present, she was closest to the truth.

    The king would announce that she was the chosen heir.

    This, she already knew.

    She felt a ndestine thrill of having inside information.

    Quietly, she nced at Tisyara seated at the head.

    Tisyara remainedposed, as icy as ever, her thoughts imprable.

    She must be confident that the position of heir was hers.

    Karen wondered if her expression would change upon hearing the result, revealing something different.

    Karen couldn''t help but feel a mischievous curiosity, eager to witness her frustrationa sight she had never seen before!

    At this moment, Tisyara subtly sensed Karen''s gaze and nced in her direction.

    Their eyes met for less than a second before Karen swiftly averted her gaze.

    Servants continued arranging food and utensils on the table.

    Despite being a family gathering, royal etiquette was to be adhered tothe king valued this aspect greatly.

    No one would partake until the formalities concluded.

    Karen then observed her three unreliable royal brothers.

    The second prince sat with crossed arms, head bowed, lost in thought, avoiding looking around.

    Only in front of the king did his frivolous nature subside.

    The third prince sat rtively rxed, an air of battlefield bravery about him. He stared at the food, asionally swallowing saliva.

    Maintaining that size, he surely needed ample sustenance. However, did a new wound appear on his face? Must have been from clearing out some monsters again! Stillcking any princely demeanor whatsoever.

    The fourth prince remained stiff as usual, sitting there like a puppet, vacant-eyed.

    Ding

    A crisp sound drew everyone''s attention.

    The king held a wine ss, ready to speak.

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 Chapter 188: The Drama Queen Princess

    Chapter 188: The Drama Queen Princess

    The king didn''t immediately announce his sessor.

    After a few opening remarks, the banquet officiallymenced.

    Just like a gathering in an ordinary household, they ate and chatted.

    The atmosphere remained fairly harmonious.

    As the banquet progressed, the conversation gradually veered toward current affairs, especially the recent conflicts between the western border and the elf n, which had garnered widespread attention among the popce of the seven nations and inevitably became a topic discussed at the royal table.

    "Now, how is the situation? Is a war with the elf n inevitable?" The queen looked worriedly at her husband.

    "It''s unavoidable, sooner orter. Saren has been preparing for this day for a while now."

    The king maintained aposed demeanor but scanned his five children seated at the table before posing a question, "The cause of this conflict: the elves im soldiers went missing within our borders. Do you think it''s true or an excuse? Brad, what do you think?"

    Brad, the second prince mentioned, suddenly stiffened, hastily straightened up, swallowed his food, and hurriedly responded, "Obviously, uh, obviously, it''s an excuse."

    The king lifted his ss and took a sip, observing Brad, "Analyze."

    Brad flushed red, choked briefly, drank some wine during the pause, swallowed the food lodged in his throat, gasped for air, cleared his throat, and analyzed, "Normally, even if a soldier goes missing, even if it''s clear that our side detained the missing person, they wouldn''t recklessly send troops to invade our territory. That''s almost an act of dering war, bound to lead to conflict. The standard procedure would be negotiations, resolving the issue through dialogue. But theypletely skipped this step, clearly aiming to provoke conflict."

    The king nodded in agreement.

    Brad silently breathed a sigh of relief, casting a grateful nce toward his younger sister seated at the end.

    Luckily, during their previous game of Broken Arm, she had mentioned this matter in passing.

    His answers just now were all what she had told him.

    Karen noticed his gaze and couldn''t help but roll her eyes, thinking, "This big fool, being so obvious! Thinking Father won''t notice your little moves?"

    Father''s ability to observe on all fronts was truly honed in the battlefield.

    "However, why hasn''t the elf side officially dered war yet?" The king raised another question, "If their provocation aims for war, what are they waiting for? Sait, your opinion?"

    The third prince set aside his food, pondered for a moment, and cautiously said, "Perhaps they''re waiting for an opportunity. The oue of a war depends on many factors: climate, terrain, morale, and more. Maybe they are waiting for the best moment."

    "It''s like when you''re dueling someone, initiating the fight after sharpening your weapons. Do you think the elves are that foolish?" The king shook his head, dismissing his idea, "Karen, what''s your take?"

    Karen had already thought about this matter and answered without hesitation, "I believe the purpose of this conflict isn''t directly to start a war but to test."

    "The test of our reaction?" The king probed further.

    Karen calmly continued, "A test of our side, or rather the reaction of the entire seven nations, is just one aspect. They probably also intend to test the internal response within the elf n."

    "As my brother said, the factors influencing a war are numerous. Initiating a war is never a small matter; it''s not just a matter of starting it abruptly. If the mainstream sentiment among the domestic poption is for peace rather than war, it''s not a good time to wage war. Surely, Emerald City is currently using this conflict to stir up hatred among our people."

    "That''s a good line of thinking," the king didn''t directly judge whether her answer was right or wrong but used her words to convey a strategy, "Remember, even apparent enemies can have internal divisions. Sometimes, focusing on this aspect can yield twice the result with half the effort, or even win without fighting."

    The king swiftly moved to another question, "So, what do you think we should do in response to this crisis?"

    The third prince rushed in, "In my opinion, since they currently don''t want to start a war, why don''t we take the initiative and catch them off guard!"

    "..."

    Karen wanted to facepalm.

    Isn''t this ying right into the elf n''s hands? Originally, they wanted to start a war without a pretext. If you initiate the attack, it triggers their defensive counter, doubling their morale.

    The third prince''s line of thinking might work for surprise attacks in local skirmishes but clearly isn''t suitable for political affairs.

    Subsequently, the king let the other children express their views in turn.

    Tisyara believed they shouldn''t solely focus on the western front. Diplomatic work with the other six nations should take prioritythat''s the key.

    In the best scenario, if the seven nations unite and open their doors against the elf n, they won''t dare to enter.

    But obviously, this scenario can only exist in an ideal world.

    Their current task was to do everything possible to get the other six nations to contribute as much as possible.

    Tisyara''s words wereprehensive, considering all aspects.

    The subsequent speakers, even Karen, had no new perspectives to offer, so they echoed the Grand Princess''s opinion in agreement.

    After the exchange, the banquet neared its end.

    The king wiped his mouth with a napkin and addressed each child with a few words, offering fatherly advice.

    Starting from the second prince:

    "I never oppose your entertainment; in fact, rxation is necessary. But, everything should have a limit; don''t get excessively immersed."

    The second prince nodded obediently.

    Next was the third prince:

    "Your bravery ismendable, and on the battlefield, you will surely shine. But remember, a sessful leader doesn''t rely solely on personal strength; you need to stay calm and use your brains."

    The third prince nodded solemnly.

    The king then turned to the fourth prince, pausing longer than before, finally saying, "I hope you can create puppets that can rival the living armor; perhaps they can be useful on the battlefield."

    The fourth prince appeared uneasy, "That... I''ll do my best."

    Then came the Grand Princess:

    "Tisyara, from a young age, you''ve been interested in political matters. While your siblings yed, you stayed by my side, reading those tedious governmental reports. Now, you''ve grown into an outstanding politician, not inferior to me. I believe you can showcase your value in Comit City."

    ---

    Until thest sentence, Tisyara maintained aposed demeanor.

    Just as usual.

    However, when "Comit City" was uttered by the king, Tisyara paused, her eyes slightly widened. Though she quickly regained herposure, her face noticeably darkened.

    Comit City, located northeast of the Turlon Kingdom.

    It''s the secondrgest city after Modu and is also known as the Second Capital.

    The king''s words were clear; he intended to send her to govern Comit City.

    In other words, she wasn''t the chosen sessor.

    Because the heir must surely remain in Modu and couldn''t be dispatched elsewhere.

    This was truly unexpected for everyone present.

    Except for Karen, they all doubted if there was a mistake.

    If the Grand Princess isn''t the heir, then who?

    To avoid suspicion, Karen mimicked their expressions

    , raising her eyebrows, looking "perplexed" at the king.

    Directly meeting the king''s gaze.

    "As for you, Karen, I hope you''re prepared to share the administrative burden with me."

    With this statement, the gazes at the table all turned towards the youngest princess.

    Karen was half-open mouthed,pletely frozen.

    Only when the queen lightly coughed did she snap out of her daze, abruptly standing up, identally knocking over her empty wine ss in her fluster.

    "Yes, yes, Father. I won''t disappoint your trust!"

    As she said this, she inwardly chuckled, "If I weren''t born into the royal family, I''d surely have be an excellent actress."

    The queen sought confirmation from the king once more, "The heir is Karen?"

    "Indeed." The king finished thest bit of his drink and, with his final words, announced the end of the banquet, "In the prophetic dream, the one who ascends to the throne is her. After me, she will be Turlon''s next monarch!"

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 Chapter 189: The Magic Mirror and the Holy Knights

    Chapter 189: The Magic Mirror and the Holy Knights

    Once upon a time, there was a princess.

    Born with honor and high expectations from everyone, she grew up under constant scrutiny, developing a personality that pursued perfection.

    Since she could remember, she felt destined to rule this kingdom.

    And she spared no effort in preparing for it.

    So, when three princes "arrived in quick session," she didn''t feel family ties but rather a threat.

    It was as though three blemishes had appeared on her perfect canvas.

    She feared losing the rightful position she was meant to hold.

    Therefore, leveraging her status as the eldest sister, she subtly influenced the behavior and characters of the three princes.

    The strategy proved very sessful.

    Under her guidance, the three princes deviated from their normal paths of growth, gradually losing theirpetitiveness for the throne.

    The second prince indulged in pleasure, neglecting his studies.

    The third prince was fixated on martial arts, clueless about governance.

    The fourth prince spent his days holed up at home, ying with puppets.

    It was evident to all that whichever among them seeded as king would spell disaster for the kingdom.

    After clearing this obstacle from her path, she could confidently move towards her goal.

    Until the birth of the youngest princess.

    Initially, she thought that by neutralizing the three princes, there were no barriers left in her way. So, she didn''t pay much attention to this younger sister.

    But this younger sister disyed astonishing intelligence. While others her age babbled, she could eloquently express her views on current events.

    The attention shifted increasingly towards the younger sister.

    In contrast, the attention she received dwindled.

    The people knew the king had a clever younger princess.

    The ministers also spoke of how much potential the younger princess held for the future.

    Once again, she felt threatened.

    So, she attempted, using her status, to lead the younger sister astray, just as she had done before.

    But this time, it didn''t go as smoothly as previous attempts.

    Despite her young age, the younger sister possessed a powerful and stable inner strength.

    Not to say she was impervious to external influences.

    Like any ordinary young girl, she could be upset and cry.

    But that was it.

    She consistently focused most of her attention on herself, observing and perceiving the world through her own lens, reacting normally to external stimuli, and then calmly continuing at her own pace.

    As the younger sister steadily grew, she no longer concealed her disdain, shifting from covert maniption to overt suppression.

    Then one day, she unintentionally acquired a magic mirror.

    This mirror had a miraculous effect, revealing a person''s inner demons.

    In the dead of night, the teenage her stood before the mirror, chanting a spell, and the reflection of the younger sister appeared.

    "She is your inner demon, the stumbling block in your path..."

    She seemed to hear a hoarse voice whispering in her ear:

    "Get rid of her... get rid of her... otherwise, you will lose everything..."

    Staring at the image in the mirror, a terrifying idea involuntarily formed in her mind.

    This idea swiftly materialized into several ns.

    She eventually chose one.

    As long as the n seeded, thest blotch on her canvas would be erased from this world!

    That night, she fell asleep with dark thoughts lingering.

    The next day, however, she was awakened by amotion.

    Opening her eyes, bright sunlight streamed in from the window.

    The king stood by her bedside, quietly observing a white-bearded mage performing spells of banishment and purification on the magic mirror.

    Amidst a chilling scream, the demon dwelling within the mirror was expelled.

    Its horrifying form left a deep impression on her.

    Moments after its emergence, the demon dissipated into thin air.

    Along with it vanished the malevolence in her heart.

    She felt a shiver of fear, nervously asking the king what was happening.

    The king simply said, "A father does what a father must."

    What is it that a father must do?

    It''s to prevent their child from making mistakes beforehand.

    The king knew she was intelligent enough to understand without much exnation.

    Later, she was indeed grateful that the king had discovered the demon concealed in the mirror. Otherwise, she might have made a grave mistake in a moment of impulse.

    She only aimed to push the younger sister off the path to the throne; she didn''t wish for her demise.

    "What a father must do..."

    ...

    Tisyara opened her eyes, returning from a distant memory.

    Why did she suddenly recall such an old story?

    She shook her head, pushing aside the distractions in her mind.

    Simultaneously, she rekindled her wavering determination.

    Before her stood over three hundred ck-armored warriors.

    Fully equipped, standing in perfect formation.

    They not only had excellent gear but were also well-trained.

    The ability to nurture such a force within the pce was thanks to that magic mirror.

    After the expulsion of the demon, it didn''t turn into an ordinary mirror entirely.

    It retained a special space inside, which she called the "Realm of Magic."

    By coordinating a simple magic array, she could "conquer" external spaces, harboring external creatures. The space was extremely discreet, impervious even to the most advanced reconnaissance spells.

    Initially, she used it as her secret base, for studying, contemting, and meditating without external interruptions, significantly amplifying her efforts.

    Later, she realized the greater potential of this magic mirror.

    By setting up a magic array in a distant location, swapping internal and external spaces could achieve the miraculous effect of a "heaven-sent army."

    Thus, she secretly cultivated her elite forces.

    "Train soldiers for a thousand days, use them for a moment."

    Today, this force of over three hundred had been honed to be as sharp as a de, unstoppable.

    "For Turen!"

    "For Turen!"

    "For Turen!"

    The ck-armored soldiers raised their weapons, shouting in unison, their momentum overwhelming.

    "No," Tisyara took a deep breath, correcting them, "For Turan."

    "For Turan!"

    "For Turan!"

    "For Turan!"

    ...

    Tisyara reached out, pressing a magical array on the nearby wall.

    The bright green light of the magic array turned red.

    Simultaneously, the runes on the surrounding walls extinguished one by one.

    The four-sided light screens faded away simultaneously.

    The walls in the surroundings also vanished.

    Space discement.

    Over three hundred individuals were instantly transported to an empty courtyard.

    This was an inner courtyard of the pce.

    Just a step away from the king''s chamber.

    The n should have gone smoothly.

    But...

    Tisyara immediately sensed something amiss.

    Tonight, it was another moonless night.

    Clouds covered the sky.

    The night was as dark as ink.

    While not pitch ck, the visibility was low.

    Tisyara had a gut feeling about something ahead...

    Whoosh

    The sound of burning mes.

    In the darkness several meters away, a torch was lit.

    Amidst the flickering mes, several heavily armored cavalrymen appeared.

    Their silver-white armor glistened in the firelight.

    They stood there like specters, blocking the path of the ck-armored troops.

    Heavy cavalry wasn''t a resource that ordinary people could mobilize.

    Under normal circumstances, they shouldn''t be present here.

    The appearance of these eight knights essentially dered the exposure of her n.

    They had been discovered.

    But... when and how had it been exposed?

    Tisyara''s heart sank.

    But there

    was no time to dwell on it.

    The arrow was already on the bowstring; they had to charge!

    Although the heavy cavalry had overwhelming advantages against infantry, their numbers far exceeded the opposition.

    Overrun them, without pressure!

    "Attack!"

    Tisyaramanded.

    The ck-armored troops, led by a bald-headed brawler, rushed towards the heavy cavalry!

    Facing the charge of over three hundred individuals, the eight knights remained calm, awaiting orders.

    The warhorses were startled, neighing and taking a few steps backward.

    However, they were soon reassured by these experienced knights.

    "What are they waiting for?"

    Why aren''t they panicking?

    Tisyara''s gaze was intense, fixed on the battlefield.

    She couldn''t help but feel suspicious.

    As both sides drew closer, on the verge of contact...

    The bodies of the eight knights suddenly emitted a holy radiance, as if enveloped in golden armor.

    Not just the knights.

    With a resounding neigh, the warhorses were also bathed in divine light, their eyes emitting a dazzling re, exuding an awe-inspiring aura.

    "Charge!"

    The lead knight raised his sword high, the holy light transforming it into a radiant greatsword.

    With his shout, the warhorse lifted its front hooves high and charged forward.

    The other seven knights followed suit.

    Eight men and eight mounts, bathed in holy light, surged towards the enemy lines!

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 Chapter 190: Taint

    Chapter 190: Taint

    The disciplined ck Armor Army had never encountered such a formation.

    "Have you ever seen cavalry that glows?"

    "I''ve only heard about it in legends!"

    Faced with unknown enemies, the army''s morale inevitably wavered.

    There was no time for them to adjust their formation, not even time to hesitate.

    Eight knights swiftly charged forward, wielding weapons surrounded by holy light, breaking into the enemy ranks!

    Metal shed, screams echoed, disrupting the stillness of the night.

    Blood sprayed, limbs scattered.

    The ck Armor soldiers were horrified to discover that the holy light on the enemy was not just for show.

    Weapons blessed with holy light were unstoppable, with a certain prating effect.

    The holy light protection significantly strengthened their armor.

    Their des struck, only to be instantly repelled.

    The eight cavalrymen charged into the enemy, barbarically clearing a path, effortlessly cutting through the ranks like mowing grass.

    From a high vantage point, one could see the eight knights trailing holy light in the night, leaving eight traces in the dark ck Armor formation.

    The ck Armor Army fell into chaos, and their formation began to disintegrate.

    After the eight broke out of the enemy ranks, they immediately turned back.

    Another round of "cutting melons and vegetables."

    Blood was repelled by the holy light armor, leaving them untouched by any dirt.

    Gods descended

    The ck Armor soldiers, witnessing their heroic figures, couldn''t help but think of these words.

    This is the true descent of the gods!

    What can we use against them?

    Morale declined even further!

    The Holy Light Knights moved like they were in an uninhabited realm, weaving through, harvesting the lives and morale of the ck Armor Army.

    Amidst the chaos, the bald leader seized the opportunity, wielding his heavy sword, ruthlessly cleaving towards one of the knights.

    The attack took effect!

    The knight blocked, but notpletely.

    The heavy sword, with its remaining momentum, struck down, and the warhorse let out a mournful neigh.

    The holy light on its surface dimmed significantly.

    "Attacks can weaken the holy light?"

    He realized a useful piece of tactical information.

    But it was toote.

    The ck Armor soldiers were already in disarray.

    He was also sent flying by an iing Holy Knight.

    Straight out of the battlefield.

    Uponnding, he felt darkness before him, and blood sprayed from his mouth and nose.

    ...

    Watching the defeated ck Armor Army and hearing the continuous screams, Tisyara felt herself slowly descending into an icy abyss.

    Why?

    Why do unreasonable things keep happening?

    First, Karen bes the heir.

    Then, eight people sweep through three hundred.

    What have I done wrong?

    She felt like the world was slipping out of her control, and she became a little dizzy.

    At this moment, the screams gradually ceased.

    She raised her head and, in her blurred vision, saw the eight knights no longer charging but returning to their original positions under the illumination of the holy light.

    In the quiet scene, a familiar figure appeared in her field of vision.

    "Karen..."

    The surroundings stopped swaying, and her vision cleared.

    A sour feeling surged to her heart.

    She saw the eight knights lined up on both sides of Karen, dismounting and kneeling.

    The scene shocked and puzzled her.

    "These are her riders... but how did she manage this?"

    Tisyara intuited a connection with that alchemist.

    That guy!

    Should have been dealt with earlier!

    Due to the current situation, after the eight riders dismounted and saluted, they immediately mounted again.

    Standing on both sides of Karen, facing the ck Armor Army, their holy light undiminished.

    The scene gradually quieted down.

    Suddenly, Karen spoke, "This is the initial training result of the Holy Light Knights. What do you think?"

    Tisyara frowned.

    This statement obviously wasn''t addressed to her, so...

    Huff, huff, huff, huff, huff

    Torches were lit around them, instantly brightening the entire square.

    Hundreds of fully armed silver-armored soldiers surrounded the remnants of the ck Armor, their armor shimmering in the firelight.

    The pce guards.

    "Ah, very good."

    A deep and powerful voice came from the side.

    The silver-armored soldiers stepped aside, creating a passage.

    A sturdy figure walked out.

    The king looked sternly at Tisyara, then added, "Your ck Armor soldiers are not bad either."

    ...

    "These ck Armor warriors will surely shine in the war against the elves in the future... But, Tisyara, why did youe herete at night?"

    The king''s voice revealed neither joy nor anger, as if chatting casually with her.

    Tisyara said, "I need to confirm the uracy of the dream divination."

    "uracy?"

    "That divination crystal ball, is its result truly the best choice for Turlun? Or, have you fallen under its influence? Just like I was bewitched by that magic mirror when I was a child."

    "Good reason! After the matter is done, you can publicly dere it like this." The king nodded approvingly. "After all, many people, including many ministers, have doubts about that crystal ball from the Necromancer''s Abyss. However, things won''t be as simple as you think, even if your n seeds tonight, there are still many trivial issues for you to handle. Of course, with your abilities, it shouldn''t be difficult."

    "...," Tisyara fell silent for a moment, then looked up and met the king''s gaze. "I have stated my purpose. Father, what about you? What are you doing here?"

    "Me? I''m just doing what a father should do."

    "..."

    Tisyara sighed, looking at the defeated ck Armor soldiers, and ordered, "Drop your weapons."

    The sound of iron dropping to the ground echoed.

    The remaining two hundred ck Armor soldiers surrendered, kneeling on the ground.

    At this moment, a figure jumped out among the soldiers.

    The bald man with arge sword, surrounded by an evening glow, burned himself and charged towards the king.

    He roared, as if a wild beast losing its reason.

    The king stood motionless, raised his eyebrows, cold as ice.

    A surge of momentum burst from the king, an invisible airflow rapidly swirling around his body.

    The giant sword in the bald man''s hands touched this airflow, instantly being knocked away.

    At the same time, ng

    The king drew his sword, deeply embedding the de into the rebel''s neck.

    Blood spurted out.

    The bald man''s widened eyes, surrounded by mes, tightly gripped the sword, preventing it from going deeper.

    With his other hand, the king shouted.

    The sword was surrounded by airflow, like cutting through tofu, diagonally slicing the rebel''s body in half.

    The bald man''s pupils quickly dted.

    The mes on his body extinguished in an instant.

    The upper half of his body slid to the ground.

    The airflow around the king scattered arge spray of blood.

    The two knights on either side also had holy light protection.

    Only Karen, defenseless, was sttered with blood.

    The smell of blood rushed into her nostrils.

    Watching the scattered entrails, Karen''s face turned pale, and she vomited.

    "Sorry, Karen. But you must get used to scenes like this."

    "N-no problem... ugh"

    ...

    Before Princess Karen vomited into exhaustion, the guards quickly cleaned up the bloody scene.

    The ck

    Armor was surrounded by the Silver Armor.

    "I underestimated you, little sister," Tisyara passed by Karen, escorted by two guards, "Perhaps Father''s choice wasn''t wrong after all."

    Karen, pale-faced from vomiting, managed a faint smile. "Of course. It would have been better if you had thought that way from the start."

    Tisyara nced at the Holy Light Knights on either side, casually asking, "If I''m not mistaken, these glowing fellows have something to do with that alchemist you value so much, right?"

    Karen nodded, not denying.

    "Consider it a reminder from your elder sistersomeone who can bring you sess often leads you to your downfall." Tisyara looked at her deeply, "That guy hides too many secrets; he''s not trustworthy. However, you don''t need to worry anymore. I''ve taken care of this threat for you."

    Karen''s face went from pale to flushed. Without a word, she turned and left, leaving behind, "He''s a stain on the canvas that should be erased."

    Her ashen face suddenly regained color, without a word, she mounted a nearby horse, taking control.

    The knights on horseback didn''t dare oppose, quickly dismounting and handing control to Karen.

    Karen pulled the reins and with a "let''s go," motioned to the knights, "Follow me!"

    ttering

    The sound of hooves, eight people on eight horses, charged into the night.

    Leaving behind a dismounted knight, sparkling in the night, clueless.

    Feeling the gaze of the surrounding guards...

    He awkwardly patted his stomach.

    Hmm, maybe I''ve had too much Holy Light honey, feeling a bit bloated.

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 Chapter 191: Dont Let Him Go!

    Chapter 191: Don''t Let Him Go!

    "Pretty impressive."

    Hua Mi extended his fingers, gently caressing the brand-new alchemy equipment, unable to help but sigh.

    This was the alchemy workshop Karen had prepared for him.

    It didn''t look fancy from the outside, nor was the interior space particrlyrge.

    However, the equipment inside was top-notch.

    "If I were a real alchemist, seeing this scene would probably make me cry with excitement... But s, I am not."

    So, stepping into this workshop, all he could muster was a simple "It''s really bright."

    It was akin to stumbling upon a kitchen filled with all brand-new cookware.

    This well-equipped alchemy workshop being at his disposal felt like wasting its potential.

    Hua Mi had no intention of staying here permanently. However, in the future, this ce could serve as his temporary base in Mo Du.

    After all, he couldn''t stay at the pce every time, could he?

    Having roamed around the alchemy workshop, Hua Mi returned to the outer area,fortably reclined on a chair, stretchedzily, joints cracking throughout his body.

    He had been busy shuttling around in dreams for the past few days, not moving much in reality, which made his body a bit stiff.

    Nevertheless, it was all worthwhile.

    Karen had smoothly ascended.

    Moreover, he inadvertently uncovered a secret

    Tisyara had been ndestinely training an elite force.

    She had hidden it remarkably well using a mysterious magic mirror.

    Had it not been for Hua Mi''s even more mystical mead, she might have seeded.

    Regardless of her intentions.

    Now that she had been disqualified as an heir, precautions against the possibility of her channeling her ambitions through force were necessary.

    "I wonder how the ''family drama'' is progressing over there."

    As an outsider, he couldn''t directly involve himself but could only offer Karen some offstage assistance, letting them handle their issues.

    Judging by the time, if everything was going smoothly, Tisyara should have been subdued by now.

    That shouldn''te as a surprise.

    What intrigued him more at present was how those eight Holy Light Knights would perform in this confrontation.

    Several days ago, Karen had proposed the idea of forming a Holy Light Knight Order to the king.

    Of course, that wasn''t a trivial matter.

    It couldn''t be agreed upon haphazardly.

    So, Karen suggested training a few knights first to test the waters.

    In the end, she managed to secure eight heavily armed Iron Knightsthat was already quite generous.

    Her previous im about the king valuing her opinions seemed urate.

    The focus of the training was to enable these eight knights to have basic control over the Holy Light.

    At the very least, they needed to execute simple attacks and defense using it.

    All eight heavily armed knights were seasoned veterans, having vanquished countless monsters.

    Their mental fortitude surpassed that of ordinary individuals.

    Under Hua Mi''s guidance, their progress was lightning-fast.

    And tonight was the moment to test the fruits of their training.

    It determined whether the idea of the Holy Light Knight Order could be put into practice.

    Knock-knock-knock

    A knocking sound.

    Hua Mi nced towards the door.

    After a brief silence, a curve formed at the corner of his mouth.

    Then, he rose and walked towards the main door.

    Opening it, the dense night seemed ready to invade the room.

    Standing at the door was the female attendant by Karen''s side.

    "It''s quitete. Is there something?"

    "Her Highness asked me toe... Can we talk inside?"

    "Of course."

    Hua Mi turned around, taking a few steps.

    However, the female attendant behind him suddenly transformed her appearance.

    She turned into a figure d in ck, her face concealed with ck cloth.

    A ninja''s short de swiftly darted from behind, aiming for Hua Mi''s heart!

    The tip of the de made contact with him.

    But it didn''t prate.

    Nor did any blood spill.

    Instead, at the point of the de, a faint light shimmered.

    Before the ninja could react, the light rapidly intensified, spreading across the target''s body, instantaneously forming ayer of radiant armor.

    Hua Mi swiftly spun around, his left hand also covered by the same radiant armor, firmly gripping the assant''s de, a faint smile ying on his lips.

    His eyes flickered with a pale fire:

    "Your illusions are a bit too crude."

    The ninja''s pupils constricted.

    ...

    "Charge!"

    Karen urged his warhorse, galloping down the road.

    Boom!

    A loud noise echoed in the night.

    Judging by the sound, it wasing from the direction of the alchemy workshop.

    Karen looked up in that direction, seeing mes soaring. His anxiety grew; unfortunately, his steed couldn''t take flight.

    A few minutester,

    Karen reined in, shocked by the sight before him.

    The alchemy workshop was engulfed in mes.

    And in the open space in front, a figure radiated a dazzling light, surpassing even the mes behind him.

    Beneath his feety an unconscious figure in ck attire.

    If the radiance emanating from the eight Holy Knights was akin to the moon,

    Then the light from this person felt akin to praising the sun.

    The light formed an armor on his body

    Not merely a rough application like the Holy Knights'' use of light on their bodies or weapons.

    More like a genuine suit of armor.

    Legs, arms, chest, head each part of the armor was distinct, efficiently distributing the limited holy light throughout his body, maximizing its utility.

    A stunning disy!

    There was only one person who could manipte holy light to this extent.

    So even though Karen couldn''t see the person beneath the holy light armor, he breathed a sigh of relief.

    The brilliance slowly faded, revealing the figure inside to be Hua Mi.

    Seeing the arriving knights, he casually asked, "Is the situation there resolved?"

    "Yeah, very smoothly," Karen replied.

    Hua Mi nodded, picking up the ninja on the ground and tossing them forward:

    "So, this one''s for you."

    Thinking about the burning workshop, he added with resentment, "Don''t let him escape!"

    ...

    "He survived?"

    Tisyara sat upright in her chair, her face devoid of disappointment.

    "Yeah, not only that, he gave your ninja quite a beating," Karen happily shared the news with her.

    Tisyara sighed, saying, "Little sister, I know you may not heed my words now, but I still want to remind you: for Tulon''s future, don''t trust him too much. He''s still an outsider, perhaps even an... enemy. The rtionship between alchemists and the elven race is close; caution is necessary."

    Karen looked at her, shaking her head sympathetically:

    "Tisyara, you must have lived through many exhausting years."

    "..."

    "You want everything under your control, not allowing any unforeseen events. But how is that possible? Human capacity has limits; even you can''t always manage such things. I think I finally understand why you weren''t the chosen sessor in the prophecy dreams. Undoubtedly, your paranoia would lead Tulon towards decline, maybe even destruction."

    Tisyara''s gaze flickered slightly.

    His words had just touched her deeply.

    Through the thick armor, they caused a real wound.

    "You''re denying everything I''ve worked for so far..."

    Tisyara murmured to herself, seeming a bit absent-minded.

    Karen took a step forward, extending his right hand through the barrier, gripping hers.

    It was the first time, from as far back as she could remember, holding hands with Tisyara.

    Yet, it was under these circumstances.

    It felt oddly tragic.

    Her hand was cold, bony.

    Like a skeleton exposed to a chilling wind.

    "Tisyara, do you know why I''ve shown interest in politics since I was little?"

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 Chapter 192: Commander!

    Chapter 192: Commander!

    "It can be said that I was influenced by you."

    "..."

    "Back then, during the Ice Age, I remember you expressing your views on the massive invasion of monsters from the north in front of the ministers. Your passionate speech left a deep impression on me.

    "At that time, I was thinking, when would I ever be able to speak as eloquently as you."

    Karen reminisced, wearing a faint smile:

    "From that moment on, I began to emte you, studying, contemting, hoping that one day I could discuss current affairs on equal footing with you.

    "Actually, what child would be interested in tedious government affairs? Even you, I believe, were merely responding to everyone''s expectations. As for me, initially, I just wanted to gain your attention.

    "Yet, you always treated me as if I were invisible. It left me disheartened. I began to study even harder, naively thinking that when I caught up to you, you would naturally notice me.

    "Yes, Tisyara, you were like my guide. Hence, despite any external disturbances, I would eventually find my way back to the original path and continue following in your footsteps.

    "Until a few days ago, in my perception, I was still the little sister struggling to keep up with you... Did you ever bother to look back while you were so focused on moving forward?"

    At this point, Karen sighed.

    There was no need to say more.

    The emotions she wanted to convey were already evident.

    Only regret remained.

    Now one was inside, the other outside.

    They couldn''t walk the same path anymore.

    "This is goodbye, my sister."

    Karen released her hand. Not only her gaze but also her voice turned cold.

    It was as though she was speaking to a stranger.

    Watching Tisyara decisively walk away.

    For the first time in Tisyara''s life, she felt a mixture of emotions.

    ...

    "With our rtionship, is it necessary to be so formal?"

    Karen pouted, tilting her head, wearing an expression that said, "You''re no fun."

    "Your Highness, there''s a saying, ''Talking about feelings hurts money,''" Hua Mi said seriously. "You should understand the importance of the economy''s normal functioning for a country. It''s not an exaggeration to say it''s the lifeblood. Every business transaction should be handled professionally."

    With that, Hua Mi gestured to Carter behind him and said, "Let me introduce my most capable assistant. He''ll handle the honey trade negotiations with your royal family."

    Carter didn''t dare to dy and promptly bowed to her. "Carter Nio, presenting to Your Highness."

    Karen managed a forced smile and nodded at him.

    Given the excellent performance of those eight heavily armored knights that night, the king unsurprisingly approved the formation of the Knights of the Holy Light and entrusted Karen with the entire project.

    Her current role wasn''t just that of a little princess.

    She was also Turen''s heir apparent.

    Fully qualified to handle such matters.

    "Carter... right?" Karen stood up. "I''ll arrange for someone to brief you on the honey trade. There are more important matters for me and your boss to attend to."

    "More important matters?"

    Hua Mi, being involved, wasn''t aware of what she referred to.

    Karen eagerly said, "Of course, it''s about themander. The Knights of the Holy Light need an experienced leader."

    ...

    Apanied by the female official and several knights, Hua Mi and Karen passed through the Centaur Portal and arrived at the ck Forest. They didn''t return to the small wooden house.

    They headed straight for the Ashen Graveyard.

    On the way, Hua Mi reminded her, "I''ve mentioned it before, themander''s spirit is trapped in the graveyard and can''t leave. Even in his spiritual state, he can''t resume his role as the leader of the knights. At most, he can offer experience and training. Themander probably needs to find someone else to take his ce."

    However, Karen cryptically responded, "My direct lineage troops can''t just appoint anyone as their leader. Wait and see, I have my ways."

    Seeing her so confident, there seemed to be a genuine method to surpass the limitations on Commander Elwin''s spirit.

    What could it be?

    "Can''t be reincarnated in filth, can you! Being dead for so many years and stilling back to life, that''s just too exaggerated.

    Soon, a group arrived at the Ashen Cemetery.

    Here, as always, deste and cold, exuding an aura of death.

    As they moved forward, asional glimpses of phantom orbs appeared.

    Those are the essence of the spirits.

    Normally, spirits appear just like that, almost identical, at most varying in shades, making it hard to distinguish one from another.

    Only during social interactions do spirits transform based on their memories from when they were alive.

    Several knights and courtdies remained vignt, protecting the little princess in the middle.

    The gravestones here aren''t all memorials of the Ashen Knights - only a part of them are.

    The graves outside, however, bury those who died in the ck Forest.

    "The scavengers" regrly patrol the adventurous grounds, dealing with ownerless corpses.

    Hua Mi, seeing their cautious demeanor, chuckled, "Don''t worry, there are no evil spirits here, just kind-hearted spirits."

    As he spoke, a few spirits transformed into human forms,ing to greet Hua Mi.

    After all, he had once saved the Ashen Cemetery and was a hero in the eyes of these spirits.

    They always weed him whenever he came.

    As for the princess and her group, they were left to the side, somewhat ignored.

    When everyone''s dead, they no longer care about worldly royalty.

    "Are you acquainted with them?" Karen asked curiously.

    "Somewhat," replied Hua Mi.

    He briefly recounted what had happened earlier.

    "So, that''s the backstory," nodded Karen, "it should make things easier; you have their gratitude."

    The responsibility of negotiating with the captain fell on Hua Mi''s shoulders.

    "Elwin, being the former captain of the Ashen Knights, might willingly help," thought Hua Mi.

    Arriving at the center of the cemetery.

    A gracefully dressed woman''s spirit drifted over, gracefully lifting her skirt''s hem and offering an ancient female gesture. Her voice seemed neither near nor far as she said, "Bee Whisperer, wee. How may I assist you?"

    Hua Mi asked, "I''vee to find Captain Elwin. Can you ask him toe out?"

    The female spirit ethereally replied, "Captain Elwin seems to be troubled recently, his mental state isn''t great. We don''t know what''s bothering him. Perhaps, you could find out the reason and offer him guidance."

    Saying this, the female spirit turned into a light orb and vanished underground.

    "Spirits get troubled too?" Karen asked, curious while the captain hadn''t appeared yet. "I remember reading in a book that human distress arises from the generation of certain emotional substances in the body, leading to corresponding brain sensations. But spirits don''t have bodies; how do they generate emotions?"

    "..."

    Hua Mi thought, "You''ve hit the nail on the head with that question."

    He had also pondered over the rtionship between spiritual and physical forms.

    Which raised another question: Why can''t you see spirits on Earth?

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 Chapter 193: Heading to the Hot Spring Inn

    Chapter 193: Heading to the Hot Spring Inn

    If magic is the key to this issue,

    Theoretically, with the increasing magical elements on Earth, it''s only a matter of time before spirits like ghosts appear...

    After all, currently, magic effects seem to integrate well with Earth.

    While carefully considering this issue,

    Suddenly, a ball of light emerged from the ground.

    And in front of them, it transformed into the apparition of a knight riding a horse.

    It was none other than Elwin Duncan, the leader of the Ashen Knights who lingered in the mortal realm.

    "Wee, Bee Speaker."

    The leader, as usual, expressed his friendliness toward him.

    However, today, he did seem a bit downcast.

    He used to be more enthusiastic.

    "What''s happened?" Hua Mi asked.

    The leader looked mncholic as he gazed at the sky. "I''ve been pondering the meaning of existencetely. Frankly, in this form, my capabilities are quite limited. Now that the crisis of the Dragon Soul is resolved, there''s no real necessity for me to stay here... Rather than exist meaninglessly like this, it''s better to put an end to it."

    "..."

    Putting an end to a spirit, wouldn''t that mean vanishingpletely?

    The leader now had this feeling of an elderly retiree unwilling to remain idle.

    Wanting to find something to do?

    Coincidentally,

    That''s why we''re here for you.

    "Hold on, Captain, don''t belittle yourself. There''s much more you can do now. We''vee with a purpose. Let me introduce you first. This is the heir to the Kingdom of Turlin, the next king," Hua Mi said.

    Upon hearing this, the captain looked astonished at Karen.

    Karen nodded.

    The captain then dismounted, performing a ssical knightly salute.

    The spectral horse also intelligently bent its front legs.

    One man and one horse knelt there amusingly.

    Karen asked him to rise and remarked, "It should be I who pays respect to you on behalf of Turlin. If it weren''t for your courageous battles in the past, that vile dragon would have wreaked havoc on many more people."

    "The Ashen Knights are born to protect, carrying honor. This is our duty," the captain proudly straightened his chest, indicating he had no regrets: "I wonder what brings Your Majesty here today?"

    "As the war with the Elven race approaches, I wish to create an elite knightly order. We''re currentlycking a captain," Karen sinctly exined the purpose.

    Elwin pondered for a moment and said, "It would be my honor to serve the country again, only... in my current state, I''m afraid I''m not suitable for the position of captain."

    "What if I can help you leave this ce?" Karen proposed, gesturing to a female officer nearby.

    Approaching, the officer lightly waved her hand, summoning a suit of armor from a dimensional space, standing tall before them.

    This suit, crafted from an unknown material, had a dark gray hue, covered in various grooves and cracks. Despitecking physical support inside, it stood firm.

    The helmet was fully enclosed, with only openings for the eyes and mouth emitting a faint red glow, resembling the eyes of a demon.

    "This armor is specially made for you. If you inhabit it, you''ll be free to move in the mortal realm."

    "Is that possible?" Captain Elwin inspected the armor, somewhat incredulous.

    Karen motioned for him to try it on, almost as if saying, "I bought you some clothes, see if they fit."

    Royalty is royalty; they have resources others can''tpare to.

    Without hesitation, Elwin epted the princess''s invitation, transforming into a light cluster and merging into the armor.

    The armor slightly trembled, then the red glow from the helmet intensified, bing more prominent.

    Click, click

    Apanied by friction sounds, the armor''s arms moved slightly, followed by the legs.

    At first stiff, resembling a rusty machine.

    But as the spirit and armor gradually merged, his movements became more agile.

    Creak, creak

    He posed as if wielding a sword.

    Although there was no physical object, the aura was there.

    "How does it feel?" Hua Mi asked with a smile.

    "Death Knight" clenched his fist, his voice filled with excitement he couldn''t conceal, "It''s been a while since I''ve felt such a vivid existence."

    His voice now had a metallic tinge, no longer as ethereal as in his spirit state.

    "Elwin Duncan, would you be willing to take on the position of Captain of the Holy Light Knights?" Karen asked formally.

    Elwin knelt on one knee, "I am willing to go through fire and water for Your Highness!"

    ...

    "Elwin left the Ashen Cemetery in his role as the ''Death Knight,'' preparing to resume his position as the leader of the Holy Light Knights soon on the battlefield.

    As an unexpected ace, they''d catch the enemy off guard.

    His appointment as the leader went surprisingly smoothly.

    On the flip side, dealing with the royal honey business wasn''t as straightforward.

    Prices, negotiations, contracts, and subsequent supply matters all required discussion and a lengthy process, likely taking several days to sort out.

    "Dealing with the royals is such a hassle."

    But Hua Mi didn''t bother much.

    It was mostly Carter negotiating, periodically updating Hua Mi on the progress.

    Hua Mi nced over, only concerned if there weren''t major issues.

    His attention remained focused mainly on agricultural development.

    Progress couldn''t halt.

    In order to brew even more extraordinary honey, the search for new flower species was pressing.

    Upon returning from the capital, Hua Mi began preparations.

    Setting off towards the legendary hot spring inn.

    ...

    The weather was delightful that day.

    Perfect for outings and excursions.

    The climate resembled early spring on Earth, incredibly pleasant.

    Hua Mi held the crude map drawn by the traveling merchant, mounted on the back of Lu Fei, heading towards the destination.

    Lu Fei, equipped with the saddle given by Da Xiong, was easier to control.

    Speed was slower within the forest, but once out, Lu Fei sprinted, significantly boosting their pace.

    The wind roared by.

    Thankfully, he had prepared and bought goggles from Earth, shielding his eyes.

    Otherwise, he might not even be able to keep his eyes open.

    Hua Mi had to firmly grasp Lu Fei''s antlers to avoid being thrown off.

    Xiao Bai apanied him,fortably nestled in a pocket beneath his ck robe.

    In just about ten minutes, they reached the vicinity of the ckstone Town, swiftly passing by the outskirts.

    ...

    Though the merchant''s hand-drawn map was simple, it clearly marked directions, distances, and reference points.

    After rushing for a stretch, Hua Mi paused to check the map, ensuring he hadn''t veered off course.

    At Lu Fei''s speed, any deviation could lead them far off in no time, wasting precious time.

    After about three hours, they had covered nearly half the distance.

    If all went as estimated, they''d reach their destination before nightfall at this pace."

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 Chapter 194: Mushrooms and the Witch

    Chapter 194: Mushrooms and the Witch

    Hua Mi rode on the back of a deer, dashing along the path, aiming to reach the vige before sunset.

    The first half of the journeyprised mostly wide ins, with asional undtions, but the distance allowed for an overall smooth ride.

    With ample space like this, they could really pick up speed.

    Thetter half became rugged, a narrow dirt road nked by scattered rocks.

    Following the principle of taking the shortest route between two points, Hua Mi guided the deer through the undeveloped wooded area, aiming directly toward the destination unless faced with an insurmountable obstacle.

    The endurance and burst of speed of the deer were unmatched by ordinary horses. While it easily leaped over several meters,mon obstacles posed no challenge.

    However, the speed slowedpared to the t ground, the ride bing more bumpy.

    Passing through a deste area, the surroundings gradually became lush with trees and grass along the road.

    Noticing the dirt road veering far from the intended direction, Hua Mi urged the deer to leave the path, crossing through undeveloped foliage, continuing straight towards the target.

    "Help"

    A faint cry for help reached his ears amidst the wind.

    Hua Mi immediately pulled the deer to a halt.

    Listening intently.

    "Help! Somebody help!"

    It indeed sounded like a woman''s cry for help.

    The rough terrain had slowed the deer''s speed down.

    Otherwise, amidst the rushing wind by his ears, he might not have heard it.

    "The sound came from that direction."

    Hua Mi turned the deer''s head and jogged in the direction of the voice.

    Faintly detecting the steamy fragrance of food, it seemed someone was camping nearby.

    As he moved closer, the reconnaissance bee arrived at the scene before him.

    The transmitted vision revealed a moderately wide road not far awaya dirt road strewn with various depths of wheel ruts, clearly imprinted by passing carriages.

    Beneath arge tree by the roadside sat a woman wearing a dark blue robe and a pointed round hat, slumped against the tree trunk, seemingly drained of strength.

    The attire of a witch...

    In this world, a "witch" wasn''t just a mere female magician; it held a more specific meaning.

    In short, they were slightly more dangerous than regr magicians.

    A witch was a rare profession, mainly based on talent. No matter how hard one tried, without inherent talent, bing a witch was impossible.

    However, the current state of this witchher dazed eyes, drooling mouthsignaled exhaustion.

    Uttering feeble cries for help.

    It was evident she was affected by some abnormal condition.

    Hua Mi quickly surveyed the scene with the reconnaissance bee, then personally activated his "Eagle Eye" ability to confirm the absence of any ambush. The witch indeed seemed genuinely affected and not disguising her condition with illusions. Thus, he urged the deer forward.

    Dismounting a few meters away from her, Hua Mi didn''t approach further. Keeping a distance, he inquired, "Are you alright? What happened?"

    Upon hearing his voice, the witch''s unfocused gaze slightly sharpened, and she strained to speak, "Poison... poisoned..."

    Saying this, she nced towards the cauldron in front of her.

    Hua Mi sighed. Poisoned. It was truly embarrassing for a witch to copse on the road due to her own cooking.

    Hua Mi picked up two branches and scooped out the mushrooms from the pot, tossing them onto the ground.

    The mushrooms looked fancy but clearly weren''t edible at first nce.

    How hungry must one be to consider putting this in their mouth?

    Hua Mi controlled his measuring bees to form a line, covering the mushroom on the ground and conducting a characteristic analysis.

    Flower Umbre Mushroom, native to the shadowy region. Delicious but not edible, contains paralyzing toxins. Consuming it induces a "paralysis" state, requiring the ingestion of Cooling Mushrooms, also from the shadowy region, for detoxification. Without timely treatment, it can lead to paralysis!

    The information was concise and easy to understand.

    The witch was evidently in a "paralyzed" state, but something in the information caught Hua Mi''s attention.

    This thing called "Flower Umbre Mushroom" originated from the shadowy region? The shadowy region, as the name suggested, referred to the underground area where the sun never shone throughout the year.

    It was different from the world above ground, with apletely distinct ecology.

    Compared to typical adventure areas on the surface, the shadowy region was more dangerous, often posing hidden threats.

    So, unless necessary, adventurers wouldn''t casually enter the shadowy region.

    When Hua Mi previously went to the unicorn to request unicorn horn powder, the condition set by the unicorn was to go and capture a living Eye Devil in the shadowy region.

    How did something from the shadowy region end up in her pot? Did she juste out of the shadowy region? Was there an entrance nearby? Speaking of which, if that were true, daring to eat nts from the shadowy region wasn''t just being bold; it was a bit foolish.

    To counteract this poison, Cooling Mushrooms were neededalso from the shadowy region. Where could he find them?

    The Thunder Flower Bee Honey he had could treat ordinary wounds whenbined with electrotherapy, but it couldn''t cure abnormal conditions.

    Hua Mi scratched his head.

    The witch in front of him tilted her head andpletely passed out.

    "..."

    The target vige was very close. He should take her there first.

    ...

    "This is indeed a quite remote little vige."

    Hua Mi rode on the back of a deer with the unconscious witch in front of him.

    He looked towards the low-lying area where the houses were.

    ording to the map, this should be McKang Vige that the traveling merchant mentioned.

    Looking around, the entire vige probably had only a few dozen houses. They were all low, rough stone buildings.

    The setting sun cast shadows on the ground, and several chimneys emitted smoke, giving it a lively atmosphere.

    The vige was built close to a mountain.

    The mountain didn''t seem tall, but it was wide horizontally, covered with lush trees.

    ording to the merchant, the healing hot spring inn should be somewhere on that mountain.

    The vigers were friendly to outsidersthat''s what the merchant had said.

    Hua Mi urged the deer to fly, slowing down as they approached the vige.

    They soon arrived at the vige entrance.

    As he got closer, he realized something was off.

    The vige was unusually quiet.

    Considering the sun hadn''t set yet, it was dusk, and the vigers should still be awake.

    Why was there not a single person outside?

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 Chapter 195: Silent Village

    Chapter 195: Silent Vige

    Logically, at this time, even if there were no adults, there should still be some children ying outside. But the vige ahead was eerily quiet, unusually so. Had something unexpected happened inside?

    Hua Mi''s eyes flickered with a fiery glint as he gazed toward the vige. There were no apparent abnormal magical fluctuations, yet an eerie and deste atmosphere shrouded the vige. The spaces between houses, the roads, all seemed somewhat disordered, as if they hadn''t been tended to in a long time. It was almost like an abandoned vige, a far cry from the harmonious and friendly one spoken of by merchants.

    "From the merchant''s departure until now, there might have been a chaotic period" Hua Mi pondered.

    "Have we arrived?" Xiao Bai poked its head out from under the ck robe, looking ahead.

    "We have, but something feels off Be prepared," Hua Mi said.

    Xiao Bai flew out from under the robe, ready to switch into abat form at any moment. Hua Mi urged his mount, the deer-like creature, slowly entering the vige.

    Walking among the low and simple houses, the strange feeling grew more prominent. Doors on both sides were tightly shut. Some everyday items like wooden basins and buckets were scattered around, looking somewhat disordered, though not to the extent of abandonment.

    Though there were no strange magical fluctuations in the vige, this actually made him more uneasy.

    Hua Mi released a scouting bee and, after connecting to its senses, saw nothing suspicious yet. The scent of a meal wafted from a nearby house, and smoke billowed from its chimney, indicating someone was cooking.

    Hua Mi urged his mount closer, intending to send the scouting bee in for a closer look. Just then, with a creak, the wooden door swung open outward.

    An elderly woman with gray-white hair emerged, wearing a headscarf and an apron around her waist, her figure akin to a barrel. In her hands, she carried a wooden basin, sshing its contents onto the ground with a "ssh."

    Only after emptying the water did she notice the strangers not far away: Hua Mi in a ck robe, riding a peculiar creature that resembled a deer, carrying an unconscious woman.

    To the old woman, it didn''t seem like anything sinister, as she curiously inquired about the girl''s condition.

    Picking up on herck of hostility, Hua Mi sinctly exined, "Found her on the roadside, poisoned by something she ate."

    Upon hearing this, the old woman instructed him to bring the girl inside, assuring she knew a way to awaken her.

    Saying this, she entered the house ahead of him.

    "A regr viger capable of waking her?" Hua Mi felt somewhat suspicious.

    However, after using his "keen sight" to scrutinize her, he confirmed the old woman appeared to be just an ordinary personat least with his current visual abilities, he couldn''t discern any magical deception. Moreover, if she were truly powerful enough to deceive his eyes, she probably wouldn''t bother with trivialities and simply take action directly.

    After a moment''s thought, Hua Mi instructed Xiao Bai to stay outside as he carried the witch into the house.

    The interior was cramped, cluttered with various items. A pot on the side stove was simmering.

    "Come,y her down here," the old woman gestured, indicating where to ce the witch.

    Hua Mi initially attempted to remove her pointed round hat, only to find it seemingly fixed onto her head. Pulling it resulted in her head and hat moving together, seemingly inseparable.

    No wonder it remained stable throughout the journey; it seemed to be magically affixed to her head. He settled her onto the bed, hat and all.

    The old woman fetched a ss jar from a cab. Its contents appeared pitch ck and viscous, akin to tar, with something faintly submerged within.

    "A potion?" Hua Mi queried, eyeing the jar''s contents.

    "Hua Mi was somewhat surprised.

    In such an unremarkable vige, there''s actually stored magic medicine?

    Indeed, things aren''t as simple as they seem."

    "This is" Hua Mi began, but the old woman skillfully unscrewed the lid before he could finish his sentence.

    Instantly, a foul stench forcefully silenced Hua Mi''s words.

    He pursed his lips, raising a hand to cover his nose and mouth.

    It was too foul! It was worse than even an 85-year-old stinky tofu. Even feces would respectfully call it ''elder brother.'' It was practically a biochemical weapon!

    The old woman extended two fingers, scooping out a lump from the bottle, and pped it onto the witch''s nasal area.

    In just two seconds.

    The witch''s body twitched slightly, her eyes still closed, but her head tilted to the sideshe vomited.

    Directly into the bucket the old woman had prepared.

    She truly woke up...

    A miraculous recovery indeed.

    At this moment, Hua Mi also saw the handwrittenbel stuck on the bottle: ''Stink Egg Sauce.''

    Seems like some sort of sauce, edible...

    The taste is incredibly strong.

    Even though the witch had been awakened by the stench, her paralyzed state hadn''t fadedHua Mi initially hoped that this old woman could purify the abnormal state along with the awakening.

    That was clearly impossible.

    Seeing her open her mouth, this time even her voice failed toe out.

    If left unattended, the situation would only worsen, leading to full-body paralysis.

    With what little strength remained, the witch threw a pleading look at him for help.

    Hua Mi had actually thought of a solution.

    Take her to the mountain hot spring inn, soak in the hot spring.

    That floral essence could heal injuries and maybe dispel the abnormal state.

    Other than that, he couldn''t think of anything else.

    He couldn''t possibly venture into the dark territories to find some cooling mushrooms.

    Setting aside the danger, even if he found the antidote and escaped unscathed, there probably wouldn''t be enough time.

    Thinking this, Hua Mi asked the old woman for directions to the hot spring inn and if she could kindly show him the way.

    He only knew the hot spring inn was in the mountains behind, but the mountains were vast, and finding it himself would take forever.

    It''d be better to have a local guide.

    However, the old woman replied, "With my old arms and legs, I can''t guide you. You can go by yourself; you should encounter vigers up in the mountains. Just ask them."

    "Vigers in the mountains?" Hua Mi found it strange.

    The vige was so deste, and they all went to the mountains?

    Living off thend, that made sense.

    But this didn''t exin the deste atmosphere in the vige.

    The old woman sighed, exining that the healing hot spring inn, while saving many people, had also caused the entire vige to be what it is now, with the vigers abandoning almost all forms of production.

    "How did this happen?"

    The information Hua Mi obtained was that the hot spring inn''s healing abilities were entirely due to the magic of the floral essence.

    How could a floral essence bring disaster to the vige?

    Floral essences aren''t demons; healing people wouldn''te with side effects.

    Upon Hua Mi''s inquiry, the old woman began recounting the story, starting with two traveling merchants who arrived in their vige..."

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 Chapter 196: The One Who Ruined Maikang Village

    Chapter 196: The One Who Ruined Maikang Vige

    The situation isn''t all thatplex.

    Just as the old woman said, everything started with that pair of traveling merchants and their apprentice.

    Before that, the vigers held gratitude and reverence for the hot spring.

    They had long known about the healing properties of the spring, but the reason behind it remained elusive.

    The pool contained ordinary hot spring water; however, when transported elsewhere, it lost its therapeutic capabilities.

    The necessity of no one observing for it to be effective added to the mystery.

    So, the vigers resorted to the most primitive exnationthey considered it a blessing from the godsunable to conceive of any other possibility.

    Days passed by in this simple manner.

    Until one day, two dwarves driving a pig cart arrived at Maikang Vige.

    One old, one youngthey introduced themselves as traveling merchants.

    It was nearing the end of the Ice Age, close to the Chaos Era, precisely during a blizzard.

    They sought shelter from the blizzard here.

    This vige was remote, seldom visited by outsiders, let alone traveling merchants with a variety of goodsthough the vige wasn''t wealthy, they could perhaps exchange items for something useful.

    Thus, the vigers warmly weed the dwarven travelers.

    At the vige head''s house, they prepared avish feast to wee them.

    Maikang Vige was nestled in a fertile mountain area, abundant with hunters, so meat was never in short supply.

    The two dwarves relished the meal.

    During the feast, a viger casually mentioned the legend of the hot spring inn.

    It was initially just idle chatter.

    Unexpectedly, this conversation inadvertently unraveled the long-standing mystery of the hot spring that had puzzled the vigers for so long.

    The dwarves, somehow, figured out the reason behind the healing properties of the hot spring water.

    The crux was not the hot spring water or any divine blessing.

    It was a flower spirit.

    This flower spirit would quietly appear when unobserved and heal injuries and illnesses.

    The dwarves returned to the vige and revealed this truth.

    The entire vige was shocked.

    After all, for generations, they had lived there and never seen a flower spirit in the mountains.

    They hadn''t even discovered any extraordinary flowers or nts on the mountain.

    However, the dwarves imed that there must be rare flowers near the hot spring, inciting the vigers to search the area. If found, the dwarves were willing to pay a high price for them.

    Driven by self-interest, the vigers nearly emptied the vige, even mobilizing children,bing the surroundings of the hot spring inn in a thorough search.

    Yet, they found nothing.

    The dwarves didn''t linger in the vige for too long. Before leaving, one of them remarked, "Themercial value of that hot spring inn is remarkably high. If managed well, it could attract arge number of people, enriching your entire vige."

    Initially, the vigers didn''t grasp his meaning.

    While the hot spring inn could cure ailments, strictly speaking, it wasn''t an extraordinarily potent effect.

    Many potions could achieve the samethis world had the widest variety of healing potions.

    Not to mention various spells and plenty of folk remedies for ailments.

    Outsiders injured themselves; surely, they wouldn''t travel all this way just for treatment!

    Setting aside the cost-benefit issue, what if their condition worsened on the journey?

    The elderly dwarf presumably sought to repay the vigers'' hospitality and patiently guided them:

    "The focus isn''t solely on the healing ability itself.

    It''s on the fact that the ''flower spirit appears to provide healing.''

    Firstly, flower spirits are rarely seen, stirring curiosity in many people.

    Moreover, there''s one rulethe flower spirit only appears when unobservedwhich adds an odd tension, making the whole thing more mysteriouslypelling.

    Finally, the hot spring inn itself, deep in the mountains, is also a selling point.

    Rare flower spirit + hot spring inn + peculiar rule."

    "These three aspectsbined, the appeal is already significant."

    "As long as it''s promoted, more and more people will definitelye for sightseeing."

    "And the dwarf has also promised to help promote during the journey."

    "Who knows, by the time I return here next, McKang Vige might have turned into a prosperous town."

    Thest words left by the dwarf sparked contemtion among the vigers.

    It has to be said, the dwarf''s proposal is quite attractive.

    Though most vigers didn''t fullyprehend the business theories, they chose to believe this professional merchant.

    The vigers gathered to discuss and decided to rebuild the hot spring inn.

    That hot spring inn, it''s uncertain when it appeared there, probably several generations ago.

    Now, it''s be ruins, only the hot spring remains as before.

    Previously, they were unaware and thought it was a gift from the gods, so they didn''t dare to meddle with it.

    But now, with the dwarf''s words, they have a clear goal: to refurbish the hot spring inn and wee travelers from outside.

    The vigers were enthusiastic. Apart from the elderly and very young children, almost the entire vige pitched in, working together.

    A group, led by the vige chief, was responsible for preparing construction materials and food.

    Another group, led by the vige''s best hunters, worked on the construction.

    A section, led by the knowledgeable elder, was in charge of strategic nning.

    They didn''t fear hardships, seizing every opportunity to work outside in the chaotic and harsh environment.

    In just a few days after the Wind Rises Moon began, they managed to construct the entire inn.

    Although still rudimentary, it already provided basic amodation.

    Further improvements could be made in the future.

    However, after achieving their goal, disagreements arose among the vigers.

    The point of contention was who would manage it.

    That is, who would be the boss of this hot spring inn.

    The vige chief, the hunters, and the elder all believed their contributions warranted being the sole candidate.

    "Without the materials we prepared, could the hot spring inn have appeared out of thin air?" said the vige chief.

    "Without our construction efforts, your materials would just rot away," the hunters retorted.

    "Without my design nning, could you build anything worthwhile?" argued the elder.

    The three sides wouldn''t yield, each refusing to give up the opportunity to be the boss.

    After a long and fruitless argument, they came up with a solution.

    They''d let the Flower Spirits decide the boss.

    After all, the core of this hot spring inn was that particr Flower Spirit.

    Yet, this Flower Spirit never showed itself to people.

    No matter how they pleaded, they couldn''t catch a glimpse of the Flower Spirit.

    To swiftly end the dispute, the vigers collectively went up the mountain to search for the Flower Spirit''s whereabouts.

    Each faction hoped to be the first to find it, leaving a good impression.

    So, they tirelessly searched day and night in the mountains.

    The previously harmonious and peaceful mountain vige life was thoroughly disrupted.

    After hearing the whole story, Hua Mi was also speechless.

    It can only be said that this is human nature, whether on Earth or in this world, it''s just the same.

    When united, people can achieve great unity, but they can also fight fiercely for their interests.

    Regardless, the hot spring inn is a must-visit.

    He came precisely for the rare flowers.

    Moreover, the recovery hopes of this witch solely depend on that Flower Spirit.

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 Chapter 197: Misunderstanding

    Chapter 197: Misunderstanding

    Following the directions given by the old woman, I entered the mountains.

    As expected, I soon encountered several vigers making their way down the mountain, all looking quite exhausted.

    Seeing me in a ck robe riding a deer, they eyed me with surprise.

    I approached, asking for the location of the hot spring inn.

    Upon hearing that I was heading there, the vigers instantly perked up. Not only did they enthusiastically point me in the right direction, but they also offered to lead me there.

    Guided by the vigers, I smoothly arrived at the newly constructed hot spring inn.

    The inn sat beneath a cliff, about a dozen meters high, constructed mainly with stones and wood. Though newly built andcking excessive decoration, it appeared more luxurious than the buildings in the vige below.

    A small courtyardy ahead, a gravel path leading directly to the main hall.

    The architectural style stood out drastically from the rough style of the vige, indicating a carefully nned design by the elder who must have traveled or at least visited some major cities.

    "Please,e in." The vigers stood at the entrance, warmly weing me.

    Their hospitality seemed a bit over the top.

    Seems like the vigers were indeed engaged in an intense "battle" for this inn, just as the old woman mentioned.

    However, it wasn''t the time to dwell on this. Getting the witchdy into the hot spring was the priority.

    Securing the deer to a nearby tree, I prepared to carry the witch into the hot spring inn.

    At that moment, a few vigers hurried over.

    Leading them was a sturdy man with a stubbled chin, dressed in a beast-hide short-sleeved shirt and skirt, muscles bulging, and carrying a bow and arrows.

    "Is this the hunter who helped with the construction?" I made a guess based on his attire.

    The hunter-like man, apanied by a few vigers, approached us, his expression grim, and gruffly addressed the others, "What are you all doing?!"

    Although this hunter seemed a size or tworger than the others, those vigers didn''t seem intimidated. One of them retorted firmly, "What else can we do? We''re trying to attract customers!"

    Before the hunter could speak, the people behind him started moring:

    "Why do you get to attract customers?"

    "The inn hasn''t decided who''ll be the owner yet, it''s not even open!"

    "Your actions are breaking the rules!"

    The opposition wasn''t backing down either:

    "The owner will definitely be decided by the vige head!"

    "Because we put in the most effort!"

    "Every brick and tile of this inn was gathered by our hard work!"

    ...

    Back and forth they went, neither side yielding, even pushing and shoving each other.

    Could conflicts escte to such a level within a vige?

    The traveling merchant probably didn''t expect that his seemingly well-intended advice would disrupt the vige''s simplicity and bnce.

    It wasn''t clear who was right or wrong in this.

    I had no intention of being their judge, feeling the faint breath of the witch behind me. I spoke up, "Someone here is poisoned and urgently needs treatment in the hot spring inn. Can we please go in first? It''s a matter of life and death."

    "You can go in, but you must acknowledge that we are the rightful owners of this inn!" one viger forcefully asserted, blocking the inn''s entrance.

    "Nonsense! We brought the person here, why should it belong to you?" another viger countered strongly.

    Both sides were heated, losing a bit of rationality in the process.

    "*&amp;@#"

    I heard the witch mutter something in my ear. However, she was already paralyzed, her speech unclear.

    Given the situation and her tone, I felt it must have been a nasty swear word.

    Honestly, I was on the verge of cursing myself.

    "If things don''t work out, force might be necessary."

    Of course, I wouldn''t harm the vigers, but I could make them face some consequences.

    A swarm of ordinary bees should be enough to send them running.

    Anyway, let''s get inside first.

    Or maybe...

    Suddenly, an idea struck me.

    "Perhaps it can be done this way..."

    So, I abandoned the idea of summoning the bees.

    Through telepathy, I conveyed my intentions to Little White.

    As instructed, beneath the ck robe, Little White maneuvered behind me and quietly flew out.

    My body conveniently blocked the vigers'' view, and they were too engrossed in their argument to notice.

    Not until Little White descended before them did I sense a hush around me.

    Both sides paused their quarrel simultaneously, fixating their gazes on this sudden visitor.

    "Flower... flower spirit?"

    The vigers widened their eyes, looking as if they''d seen a ghost in broad daylight.

    "This must be the flower spirit, just like the traveling merchant said..." The hunter seemed somewhat excited.

    "..."

    As I anticipated, they misunderstood.

    They thought Little White was the flower spirit they sought.

    That was precisely my n.

    Little White,posed, hovered in mid-air, following my instruction to say, "That''s right, I am the flower spirit you seek."

    The vigers, partly in wonder and partly in excitement, looked at her, now thoroughly convinced.

    "Great Flower Spirit, you''ve finally appeared!"

    One viger seemed moved to the point of tears.

    That ''Great Flower Spirit'' nearly made me lose myposure.

    Little White also seemed awkward, tilting her head, clearly ufortable with that title.

    I spoke solemnly, "The Flower Spirit only connects with those who are kind-hearted, humble, and courteous. Do you think with all this chaos, the Flower Spirit would appear?"

    "Well..." The vigers exchanged nces, momentarily at a loss for words.

    After a brief silence, the hunter spoke first, "This situation arose because of an agreement in our vige. We can''t decide on a single inn owner, so we thought the Great Flower Spirit could designate the inn''s owner. Once decided, we won''t quarrel anymore."

    Another viger added, "Therefore, Great Flower Spirit, please make your decision. Who shall be the inn''s owner? The vige head, this brute, or the old man who didn''t contribute much?"

    Such persistence. The people in this vige loved to obsess over trivial matters.

    Little White reached out through telepathy, asking for my opinion.

    I thought to myself, I have no interest in being your judge.

    Moreover, despite their words, making a decision might provoke further issues.

    The best solution at the moment was one worddy.

    So, I instructed Little White to convey to them: Let the witch enter first for treatment. As for the inn''s owner, after careful consideration by her, a reply would be given tomorrow.

    Both sides reluctantly epted this exnation, silently making way.

    Carrying the witch, I stepped through the gate.

    But then, I suddenly heard the hunter''s voice behind me: "Wait."

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 Chapter 198: Forbidden Texts

    Chapter 198: Forbidden Texts

    It wasn''t over.

    Hua Mi clicked his tongue, slightly impatient, and turned back to ask what was wrong.

    The hunter''s brow furrowed into a '''' character as he questioned, "We all know that the healing power of the hot springses from Lord Flower Spirit. If so, what''s the point of soaking in the springs? Just let her use magic outside to heal, right?"

    "..."

    This guy, surprisingly observant at critical junctures.

    After a brief thought, Hua Mi replied, "You only see the surface. Lord Flower Spirit''s magic works best whenplemented by those specific hot springs. My friend is deeply poisoned and needs the steaming hot spring water to force out the toxins."

    The vigers had no further objections.

    With the witch on his back, Hua Mi continued into the inn. When they reached the entrance of the main hall, he stopped abruptly, turning back to address them seriously, "As usual, when Lord Flower Spirit is conducting treatment, no spectators are allowed. Tonight, nobody can enter, otherwise..."

    Here, he intentionally paused, letting Xiao Bai finish his sentence, "Otherwise, it will affect my decision on the innkeeper''s position."

    In essence, anyone breaking the rules wouldn''t stand a chance at owning the inn.

    This hit a nerve among the vigers.

    They hurriedly nodded, "Rest assured, we won''t cause any trouble by entering."

    The hunter even pledged, patting his chest, "I''ll stand guard at the door tonight. No frog will hop in, I guarantee!"

    "We''ll help patrol nearby too!" Another person chimed in, not to be outdone in showing their attentiveness.

    Clearly, they all wanted to leave a favorable impression on Lord Flower Spirit.

    Satisfied, Hua Mi nodded before entering the inn with the witch on his back.

    The hall''s floor was sturdy, constructed from wooden panels.

    After all, the inn was built during the chaotic period; without some sturdiness, it wouldn''t survive until the chaos ended.

    A faint smell of sulfur permeated the air - in simpler terms, it smelled like rotten eggs.

    It wafted from the backyard.

    Hua Mi didn''t linger in the hall, heading straight for the backyard.

    One side of the backyard was against the main hall''s wall, while the other faced a fifteen-meter-high cliff - a natural barrier.

    A walkway was built using wood along the walls.

    In the center was the hot spring pool, looking murky, constantly emitting steam.

    On the cliff side, two springs bubbled, gurgling outward.

    Descending the stone steps from the eaves, he arrived at the edge of the hot spring pool.

    Stones were stacked around the pool.

    Overall, it looked rudimentary but passable.

    It was evident the vigers truly took the merchant''s words to heart, determined to turn this ce into a vige attraction.

    Hua Mi supported the witch''s arms, gently cing her in the hot spring water.

    Her ck robe clung to her like it was welded on; thus, she could only soak in it.

    Compared to saving a life, these were minor details.

    Hua Mi had her turn around, upper body leaning outside to prevent drowning.

    "You need to drift off for Lord Flower Spirit to appear."

    As he spoke, Hua Mi retrieved a bottle of Moon Slumber Flower honey from his ring, scooping out a spoonful.

    "This is a potion that will help you sleep smoothly, with almost no side effects. Eat it without worries."

    To prevent her from being suspicious, Hua Mi didn''t mention that this substance had absolutely no side effects. Using a conservative description aligned more withmon knowledge in this world.

    The witch struggled to open her mouth and swallowed the Moon Slumber Flower honey.

    Hua Mi stayed nearby for a while until she fell asleep, then left the backyard.

    He had no intention of engaging in any other activities.

    First things first, deal with the witch''s situation.

    Hua Mi first checked the surroundings.

    Xiao Bai was currently ying the role of the healing Flower Spirit and couldn''t appear in front of the vigers.

    So, he obediently stayed hidden in Hua Mi''s pocket.

    The two waves of vigers indeed stood guard at the entrance, just as they had said.

    As long as they didn''t enter the backyard, there shouldn''t be any problems.

    Of course, for added safety, Hua Mi nned to stay here and keep watch.

    He settled in the main hall, beginning to meditate.

    During this time, sporadic whispers could be heard outside, some with rather intense tones.

    But no one entered.

    He couldn''t be bothered to open his eyes to look.

    The sky gradually darkened.

    In the mountains, the sounds of insects echoed from all directions.

    The moon ascended into the night sky, casting its bright light.

    Time flew by during meditation.

    He didn''t know how long had passed when Hua Mi''s ears twitched, picking up the sound of footsteps drawing closer.

    However, they weren''ting from outside.

    They were from the backyard.

    Hua Mi emerged from his meditative state, opening his eyes and looking in that direction.

    The witch was walking toward him.

    Her gait was somewhat stiffa tingling sensation in her feet.

    She was entirely dry, likely dried by magic.

    She sat down beside Hua Mi, tapping the brim of her hat, her voice pleasant, "Thank you, you saved my life."

    "You''re wee."

    Hua Mi gave her another look.

    Now that she had regained her color, she truly exuded the charm of a witch.

    Facial features in perfect proportion, golden hair flowing from under the pointed round hat, a pleasant scent emanating from her,pletely overpowering the sulfuric smell of hot springs.

    Regardless of her original appearance, upon bing a witch, her temperament, appearance, and figure would be perfect. People often used "as beautiful as a witch" to praise someonebut nowadays, that phrase was somewhat overused.

    Hua Mi did have some ulterior motives in saving her.

    Witches were an exclusive profession among humans.

    A mature witch''s talent and abilities were on par with, if not surpassing, those of elves.

    However, witches were extremely rare.

    So rare that they could fit in just one academy.

    From books, Hua Mi had learned that the Witch Academy was situated on an ind. Though their numbers were few, they wielded a force not to be ignored.

    It wouldn''t hurt to be on good terms with such a powerful organization.

    Hua Mi was curious why such a mighty witch would be rendered helpless by poisoned mushrooms.

    But directly asking felt impolite.

    It would have been better if she could reveal the reason herself.

    However, she clearly had no intention of doing so.

    The witch introduced herself as "Fulin reeba," or simply Fulin to Hua Mi.

    As expected, this led to more teasing.

    But to be honest, Fulnireeba didn''t sound like a conventional name either, and it was quite difficult to pronounce.

    "Why were you there?"

    Hua Mi intended to subtly gather information from her.

    "I came out to track down someone, a thief to be precise," Fulnir said. "That person stole forbidden texts from our academy, and if left unchecked, it could bring considerable trouble to this world."

    "Forbidden texts?"

    Hua Mi was a bit curious.

    Just how forbidden were they?

    Fulnir nced at him with a teasing look in her eyes, seeing his curiosity, and didn''t conceal it, "Don''t get startled when I tell you. It''s about a devil-summoning ritual."

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 Chapter 199: Providing Intelligence

    Chapter 199: Providing Intelligence

    Fulin, the witch, mentioned that the document detailed the steps for summoning devils and signing contracts with them.

    ording to her, this document not only contained information but was also an indispensable item during the contract signing.

    So, it needed to be retrieved.

    Otherwise, the consequences of its misuse could be dire.

    "Wait..."

    Upon hearing "devil summoning ritual," memories of death flooded Hua Mi''s mind.

    Summoning devils... signing contracts with them...

    Inside his meditation sphere, he happened to possess a contract signed with a devil.

    It was seized from a mage in a gray robest year.

    At that time, as he delved into his mental sphere, merely ncing at the contract sparked a strong sense of difort. The devil''s words seemed to carry inherent power.

    "Could it be that the person the witch is seeking is the one in the gray robe?" Hua Mi pondered without revealing his thoughts.

    It might not just be a coincidence.

    Perhaps she obtained a clue, learning that the target had ventured toward the ck Forest.

    Thus, Fulin arrived in the vicinity and coincidentally encountered Hua Mi.

    In the context of the entire western continent, McKang Vige and the ck Forest were essentially one focal point.

    Considering this, if Fulin truly had a lead, their meeting wouldn''t be entirely coincidental.

    Cautiously, Hua Mi inquired, "When was it stolen?"

    Fulin replied, "The theft happened quite a while ago, about two years back. However, that person was well-prepared. Exploiting our trust and adept concealment skills, they managed to deceive us for a long time. We only discovered the missing item recently."

    Hua Mi knew that the gray-robed figure had settled outside a tower in a vige in the Sulfur Card Principality for a substantial period three years ago, nearly staying for two years, remaining reclusive and enigmatic throughout.

    Such prolonged seclusion couldn''t have been without purpose; there must have been ndestine activities.

    Previously, Hua Mi spected that the gray robe figure had conducted devil-contract rituals and perhaps the creation of resurrection corpses there.

    If indeed it was the gray-robed figure who stole it, considering Fulin''s mentioned timeframe, they were residing in that tower when the theft urred at the Witch Academy, acquiring that document.

    Simrly, the creation of resurrection corpses was a forbidden practice not sanctioned by society.

    Perhaps the gray-robed figure learned it from the Witch Academy.

    However, creating resurrection corpses didn''t require the document itself as material; only memorizing the steps was necessary, not taking away the record.

    Thus, only the document detailing devil contracts was stolen.

    Initially, Hua Mi found it peculiar where the gray-robed figure had learned such taboo rituals.

    If it was from the witch''s side, it seemed somewhat usible.

    In his impression, taboos and witches were inherently linked.

    He further inquired, "Who was the person who stole it? Can you describe them? I might have seen them."

    After contemting for a moment, Fulin said, "They were a human mage who liked wearing a gray robe. We referred to them as ''Gray-Robed Uno''..."

    It was indeed him!

    Hua Mi pondered how to exin this to the witch and where to start.

    Before he could speak, the witch blinked at him and continued, "You must be curious why we trusted him so much, right? But I''m sorry, this is not something we can discuss with outsiders, even if you saved my life. As they say, some family secrets are best kept hidden. I can only tell you that he has a long-standing rtionship with our headmaster, grew up together since childhood, and has some unspeakable ties, understand?"

    "..."

    Fulin gestured and winked at him.

    Hua Mi was speechless, thinking, "You''re saying it''s not something to discuss, yet you''ve basically spilled everything."

    Observing her expression, he couldn''t help but wonder how she managed to be both beautiful and lewd at the same time.

    Curiously, Hua Mi asked, "What potential harm could arise if that document gets out?"

    "What kind of harm can it cause?" Fulin raised an eyebrow, her expression exaggerated. "What do you think? It''s a document about summoning demons. Devils! What consequences do you think it might bring?"

    Huami replied thoughtlessly, "Could it lead to a demonic army invading the mortal realm?"

    Fulin shook her head, "The Ninth Abyss is different from the Abyss. They have no interest in this ne and won''t invade. But demons can thoroughly mess up the mortal realm. In the worst case, it could turn this ne as harsh as the Ninth Abyss. Imagine people losing all their positive qualities, bing living demons... You have to understand, demons are only interested in the souls of living beings. They make deals, and what they take is far more than you can imagine. Often, they take away your most precious things without you realizing."

    After listening to her description, Huami felt the meditation ball in his hand getting hotter.

    Moreover, the meditation ball only contained information, not physical items.

    The document wasn''t on the person with the gray robe.

    It might have been evaporated by the unicorn''s lightning.

    Or the gray-robed figure could have hidden it somewhere else.

    If it was the former, that would be for the best, ending it all.

    If it was thetter, it would be troublesome.

    After thinking for a moment, Huami asked cautiously, "May I inquire about the current stance of your dean towards that gray-robed Onute?"

    "He must die!" Fulin said sinctly. "The dean''s stance is clear. Once we find him, either bring him back for the dean to personally execute, or if he resists, deal with him on the spot! No mercy!"

    Good, very good.

    It seemed the dean wouldn''t show mercy to the gray-robed figure because of past connections.

    Not having a love-struck mind was better.

    With this, Huami felt relieved.

    He coughed and half-jokingly said, "You''re lucky to have run into me. The person you''re looking for, I happen to have encountered."

    Yes.

    Huami intended toy everything out to her.

    Originally, he wanted nothing to do with matters rted to demons, fearing endless troubles. Now that someone was willing to take responsibility, he would cooperate fully to pass the buck.

    Fulin looked at him with surprise, "You''ve seen the gray-robed Onute?"

    Huami nodded and told her everything that had happened back then.

    In the quiet night, they had plenty of time to discuss.

    So, Huami exined everything in detail this time.

    After hearing his words, Fulin pondered for a while and said, "The contract document wouldn''t be easily destroyed. The possibility of him hiding it somewhere is more likely."

    Indeed...

    Murphy''s Law, things always tend to develop in the direction of trouble.

    Fulin wasn''t interested in the death of the gray-robed figure; she cared only about where the item was.

    Upon hearing that there was another meditation ball, she requested to take a look inside.

    Huami didn''t refuse, taking out the meditation ball and holding it in his palm.

    Both of them released their mental power, probing into it.

    In the blink of an eye, they found themselves in a vast, white space.

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 Chapter 200: The Unspoken

    Chapter 200: The Unspoken

    Inside the meditation sphere, Hua Mi had already reviewed the recorded content. Taking on the role of a guide, he introduced various pieces of information to Fulin along with his spections.

    The first encounter was with a series of mysterious characters. Hua Mi suspected it might be the password to unlock some hidden treasure.

    Considering the recent information, could this password correspond to the location where the Devil''s Pact documentation is concealed?

    Fulin found this very usible.

    Simultaneously, she interpreted the meaning behind these characters.

    "These characters are not just random symbols, but anguage," she told him.

    This revtion surprised Hua Mi.

    Considering that giants had been extinct for millennia, deciphering Giantnguage was even more challenging than deciphering Earth''s oracle bone script.

    The Witch Academy actually taught this? Truly an elite organization.

    "The current dean has a profound interest in the Giants. Upon taking office, they initiated research on the Giantnguage. Based on some ancient relics, they decoded bits of the Giantnguage. However, the Giantnguage is exceptionally intricate, with logic entirely different from humannguages. Deciphering it is extraordinarily difficult. What''s been deciphered so far is just the tip of the iceberg, and coincidentally, these characters happen to be the ones already decoded."

    "So, what does it mean?"

    Pure curiosity.

    Fulin''s lips twitched, "My heart forever with you..."

    She finished, shivered, and rubbed her arms, goosebumps forming all over.

    "I suspect the dean taught him that..."

    "..."

    Quite the game they''re ying.

    Even the phrase "learning a foreignnguage" has been nearly overyed.

    Next came the steps to create the revenant.

    Fulin scoffed after seeing it, "Knew he''d stolen knowledge of other forbidden arts, no surprises there."

    However, Fulin wasn''t concerned about it. She mentioned that while creating a revenant was also taboo, its potential harmpared to the Devil''s Pact was minimal. If stolen, it was stolen, no big deal.

    Indeed.

    Creating a revenant only sought vengeance on a specific target, abiding by the idea of settling a grievance, and had negligible impact on the world''s order.

    The subsequent Devil''s Pact, though, made Fulin draw in a cold breath.

    "To actually make a deal with the Devil, that guy... truly insane!"

    Even the witch dared not stare at the pact for long.

    "Does your academy happen to have research on Devil''s script too?" Hua Mi joked.

    "Research Devil''s script?" Fulin shook her head. "Even merely seeing Devil''s script would be consumed by negative emotions. I can''t think of anything crazier in this world than that."

    Researching the Abyss... how about that? Hua Mi thought; this world wasn''tcking in madness, indeed.

    The past vividly shed before him.

    Finally, there was the half-ghost body roaming technique.

    This wasn''t taboo but a rare secret technique.

    Mastering it could significantly expand one''s possibilities.

    As expected, this was also stolen from the Witch Academy.

    The gray-robed figure sure knew how to milk a sheep.

    No wonder the dean felt a mix of love and hate, having to eliminate him.

    It''s just unclear why there''s only half of it.

    Fulin said, "The secret technique differs from regr spells and can''t be learned through conventional means. Obtaining the other half... is more unusual.

    "Here''s the deal: help me find the Devil''s Pact documentation, and as a thank-you, I''ll provide you with the remaining half of the technique,pleting your inheritance."

    Initially, Hua Mi had intended to provide full assistance.

    After all, he didn''t want chaos in this world.

    "I''ve thought of a ce. The gray robe likely left the pact documents there."

    "What ce?"

    "The Sulka Principality, in the middle stretch of the Yart River, in the abandoned tower outside the Sontiriyavige."

    When he mentioned such a specific address, even the witch couldn''t help but be stunned.

    "How did you know?"

    "It''s like this: when I was in Modu previously, I met an adventurer. Guess who she was..."

    Hua Mi recounted Zelika''s story to Fulin.

    Fulin nodded as he listened, "Makes sense. Judging from the timing, it seems that the Gray-robed Onut settled there, stole the covenant documents from our academy, and only left after some time. Presumably, he had already made a pact with the devil by then, so it makes perfect sense for him to leave the documents there. This is valuable information; thank you very much!"

    "Not at all, d I could help."

    "So, when can we depart?"

    "Huh?"

    Huami paused, then said, "I''m only responsible for providing information. Right now, I have other things to attend to... Besides, you can handle that ce on your own, right?"

    "You''re a witch, aren''t you? Searching for things, I''ve given you the address and password. Do you still need my help?"

    Fulin didn''t continue to persuade him and instead asked, "What''s the urgency?"

    Huami inexplicably felt it challenging to shake her off and said with a slight headache, "I''m looking for a certain flower."

    "Alchemy material?"

    "Sort of."

    Seeing her persistent inquiry, Huami continued exining, "When you were not in your right mind, I don''t know if you understood the situation here. Simply put, the healing properties of that hot spring are due to a flower spirit."

    "Flower spirit?"

    Judging by her surprised expression, it seemed the previous events hadn''t been clear in her mind.

    "Yes, a flower spirit that can heal injuries. You should know that flower spirits usuallye from rare flowers. I came here to find that kind of flower, but it seems challenging to locate. Perhaps it''s concealed by some magical effect. The vigers searched for a long time before, but they didn''t find any rare flowers."

    "Oh," Fulin drawled, nodding. Then, she thought of something strange and asked, "ording to what you''re saying, it seems you still don''t know what kind of flower it is?"

    "Indeed."

    "So, your purpose in finding it..."

    "Hobby. I enjoy collecting rare flower varieties."

    Fulin, with a witch''s smile, teased, "Coincidentally, our academy has done considerable research on magical flowers. If you help me find the covenant documents, in addition to the art of half-spirit wandering, I''ll also share the secrets of cultivating flowers. How about that? Of course, I''ll help you resolve the issues here first."

    "..."

    Huami was intrigued.

    But, he was also puzzled:

    "Why do you insist on bringing me along? Finding the covenant documents is the top priority. You should hurry."

    "No rush," Fulin said casually. "After all, it''s been missing for so long; a little more time won''t matter."

    "..."

    This was clearly just ying around.

    After a brief encounter, that mysterious witch organization no longer seemed so formidable in his eyes.

    "Besides," Fulin added, "Gray-robed Onut may have some unique aspects, but he''s excellent at hiding things. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have deceived us for so long... I believe ordinary people wouldn''t notice."

    No, she hadn''t answered the most critical question.

    Seemingly intentionally evading it.

    Huami wouldn''t let her off so easily and pressed, "So, why must you bring me along?"

    "Well," Fulin scratched her pretty cheek, her gaze somewhat evasive.

    It seemed there was something difficult to express.

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 Chapter 201: Witchs Calculation

    Chapter 201: Witch''s Calction

    His expression��definitely suspicious.

    "I hope there won''t be any pitfalls."

    Hua Mi became cautious, more determined not to easily agree with her ideas.

    After all, the other person was a witch.

    Though it couldn''t be generalized, people in the Western Continent indeed held certain stereotypes about witches.

    For instance, they were powerful.

    And disregarded others.

    These two traits might have some causal connection��

    Maybe it was due to their individual talents and strength, not requiring the trials and hardships normal people went through to reach a considerably high level.This led to their weak empathy towards ordinary people, tending to overlook others'' feelings.

    This was an analysis from a psychological perspective.

    There''s also a theory that after a witch awakens, some physiological changes ur, causing emotional differences from normal people��specifically, a more indifferent demeanor.

    While there were variations among individuals, not all witches fit this description, there were always exceptions.

    But, it''s wise to consider the worst-case scenario.

    Hua Mi remained silent, patiently waiting for her response.

    Seeing her avoiding eye contact, hesitating for a moment, she nervously said, "Um, how about this? I''ll help you sort out things here first, and then... we can discuss finding the demon''s contract documents. This way, you won''t lose out, right? Even if you still disagree, I won''t say anything more. After all, you saved my life; consider it my repayment."

    "..."

    Honestly, that was quite a significantpromise.

    Of course, as she said.

    It was only right for her to help.

    After all, it was a life-saving grace.

    But the more she avoided mentioning the reason, the more curious Hua Mi became.

    Unable to resist, he asked, "What''s the difficult truth you can''t reveal now? Can''t you tell me?"

    Fulin made an affectedly coy expression��obviously feigned��saying, "It''s really inconvenient to say now, but I''ll tell you sooner orter. I won''t let you get involved without understanding."

    "..."

    More suspicious now.

    If she was aiming to gradually manipte him by fostering a connection during their time together, hoping he''d feel obliged to agreeter out of social courtesy��

    This witch had miscalcted.

    Hua Mi never fell for that.

    "Well then, let''s discuss finding the flowers first."

    "No problem!"

    Fulin smiled squinting her eyes, readily agreeing.

    Hua Mi then stood up, apanying the witch to the backyard.

    The scene here was the same as before.

    The hot spring water emitted a faint mist under the moonlight, adding a touch of ethereal charmpared to the daytime.

    There was a pool of water in front, seeping into the pebbles.

    Other than that, it wasn''t much different from dusk.

    "How did you feel at that time? Did you notice the presence of flower spirits?"

    "No, not at all."

    The witch raised a finger to her lips, tilting her head slightly towards the sky, as if this gesture aided her thinking and memory. She continued, "After taking your sleeping potion, Ipletely lost consciousness, slept soundly, didn''t notice anything happening outside."

    What kind of sleeping potion was that...

    It sounded so unconventional.

    "And when you woke up, had the paralysis already disappeared?"

    "Yeah, mostly gone. Just felt a bit tingly in my hands and feet, but it didn''t affect walking. Now everything''s back to normal!"

    She said, bending her arm to demonstrate a "strong" fitness move.

    Always feels like this person is intentionally ying the fool...

    "But it''s strange, why wouldn''t the flower spirits show themselves in front of people?"

    The witch slightly furrowed her brow, expressing her confusion, "True, some magic can''t be observed; once observed, it fails. But the flower spirits'' magic clearly doesn''t belong to that category."

    "Maybe it''s their nature, each flower spirit has its own traits and personalities."

    Hua Mi hadn''t dwelled too much on this issue.

    Perhaps that particr flower spirit was simply socially anxious.

    Having nurtured a flower spirit himself, Hua Mi was already quite familiar with this special category of spiritual beings. He knew well that, like humans, they possessed diverse personalities.

    However, he was more curious about another matter.

    Why did the flower spirit choose to stay here and provide healing for the vigers?

    Was it innate kindness, or was there a deeper underlying reason?

    Hua Mi nced at the time.

    It took roughly three hours from the moment Fulian fell asleep to when she emerged from the hot spring.

    The exact time of the flower spirit''s appearance remained unknown.

    After activating his "me Eye," Hua Mi meticulously surveyed the area.

    No distinctive traces were found.

    It seemed impossible to trace the flower spirit''s whereabouts from the scene.

    ording to the testimony of the traveling merchant, the flower spirit appeared out of thin air above the hot spring, much like an elusive ghost, appearing without any warning.

    Uponpleting the magical healing, just as when it appeared, the flower spirit vanished into the swirling mist.

    Due to the cover of the hot spring''s steam and the merchant being in a spiritual state at the time, the observation was not entirely clear.

    Nevertheless, the manner of appearance and disappearance undoubtedly involved some form of magic.

    In other words, besides healing and dispelling anomalies, the flower spirit likely possessed spells akin to illusions, invisibility, or spatial maniption.

    That was quite impressive.

    Inparison, Xiao Bai''s traits...

    Xiao Bai''s transformation wasn''t a genuine change in size; the magical energy within didn''t undergo any alteration. It simply utilized the magical power more "extravagantly," appearing as a female fire deity, giving an intimidating look, but it couldn''t be sustained for too long.

    "That''s really weak��"

    Suddenly, his finger stung.

    Looking down, Xiao Bai flew out from under the ck robe, floating in mid-air while holding its arm, its typically expressionless face now slightly sulky.

    "..."

    Oh no, he forgot he''d been maintaining telepathic contact with Xiao Bai.

    Xiao Bai had picked up on his thoughts and, feeling indignant, bit him.

    "What I meant was, each of you has your strengths. While you mightck healing abilities, you excel inbat, unlike the flower spirit, which is weak in that aspect."

    "Hmph!"

    Xiao Bai turned away.

    "Ah! It''s the flower spirit!"

    The witch covered her mouth in astonishment, staring at Xiao Bai.

    Was she naturally overly expressive?

    Or was it an act?

    "It''s here!"

    "No... This isn''t the flower spirit we were seeking."

    "How so?"

    "She''s the one I brought here... um, the flower spirit I artificially cultivated."

    Internally, Hua Mi apologized again to the sulking Xiao Bai.

    Although Xiao Bai still appeared sulky, it flew to his shoulder and sat there, arms crossed, giving the witch a defiant expression to show that it wasn''t a wild flower spirit from this ce.

    The witch gazed thoughtfully at Xiao Bai, muttering to herself, "In that case, your techniques for cultivating flowers might be more advanced than our academy''s... Maybe in the future, it''ll be you teaching and sharing experiences with us."

    That was genuinely spoken.

    Sincerity was always a trump card.

    Hua Mi''s impression of her improved a bit.

    Initially, when Fulian offered to teach him the secrets of cultivating flowers as payment, now seeing Hua Mi independently nurturing a flower spirit, it raised some suspicions in her mind.

    Actually, Hua Mi wasn''t really after cultivating secrets.

    In contrast, he wanted a more specific reward from the Witch Academy��information on mass-producing flower seeds.

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 Chapter 202: Resolving Disputes

    Chapter 202: Resolving Disputes

    Inside the greenhouse, the "Seed Maker" was on itsst legs.

    He needed to n ahead.

    The Witch Academy had an abundance of peculiar knowledge and tools. Maybe they could help him resolve this pressing issue.

    Moreover, after establishing good rtions, he could consult them on a few matters.

    Like the substitution cloth and the mysterious bnce harbored within it.

    "I can''t im that," Hua Mi modestly replied. "Cultivating flowers is a profound art. No one dares to im superiority. Mutual exchange and progress are the right choices."

    The witch squinted sweetly and smiled, "You make a valid point!"

    Wait a moment...

    Gazing at her seemingly sweet smile, Hua Mi suddenly detected a hint of cunning.She''s baiting me into falling for it.

    Exchanging floral cultivation techniques with the Witch Academy was contingent on helping them retrieve the demonic contract documentation.

    He unknowingly assumed that premise...

    "In that case, I''ll humbly ask for your guidance, Teacher of Bee Language," the witch''s voice was seductive,plemented by a slightly coquettish expression, enough to make even the most resolute men falter.

    However, as an Earthling well-versed in the "Strategy of the Beautiful Woman" from the Thirty-Six Stratagems, he wore the cloak ofposure.

    Faced with her temptation, at this moment, Hua Mi was as unyielding as steel.

    If her intentions were merely at this level...

    Then Hua Mi had nothing to worry about.

    It was child''s y.

    "Don''t think your petty tricks will ensnare me."

    Hua Mi didn''t pursue the topic further, scanning the surroundings again, confirming no traces of illusions or other magical imprints.

    He let Xiao Bai sense the area again.

    As fellow flower spirits, perhaps Xiao Bai could detect hidden details.

    However, the search yielded nothing.

    "There are no clues here. Let''s check around the inn."

    "Alright!"

    Hua Mi said, leaving the backyard and heading towards the main gate.

    At this time, it was midnight, the moon shining brightly, with the constant chirping of insects in the mountains.

    Hua Mi walked out of the gate first, spotting three individuals stationed outside.

    One of them was the hunter he''d seen before.

    Leaning against the wall, he had his muscr arms folded, eyes closed, rxing.

    The other two were older.

    One had dark skin, a weathered face showing the marks of experience.

    The other was rtively plump, with gray-white hair, smaller than the hunter but bigger than the other.

    The three stood evenly spaced against the wall, resembling signal markers.

    Upon hearing their approach, the three opened their eyes and converged towards them.

    The plump, white-haired elder spoke first, "Hello, I am the vige chief of McKang Vige. It''s an honor to host you. As the local leader and spokesperson, I''ve decided to offer you some free coupons, allowing you to enjoy the inn''s services for free..."

    Before Hua Mi could speak, the dark-skinned elder coughed, interrupting the chief''s monologue, looking displeased, "You probably don''t have that authority! Distributing free coupons should be decided by the innkeeper."

    After rebuking the chief, he smiled warmly at the guests, "I am the designer responsible for the hot spring inn, everyone calls me Old Bert. I worked in Modu for a while in my youth, gaining architectural design experience. Are you satisfied with the structure of our inn?"

    "Not bad," Hua Mi affirmed.

    "Of course," the hunter added, "I led the construction of this inn, brick by brick. It''s not only sturdy but also beautiful."

    Evidently, none of the three conceded, each believing they were the most deserving to be the owner.

    "Let''s just randomly pick one and send the others away," Hua Mi didn''t want to linger too long on this matter.

    Whom should he choose?

    Hua Mi looked at the three standing in anticipation, considering for a moment.

    Although he didn''t have time or interest to delve deeply, some basic considerations were still in order.

    Firstly, the vige chief was amunity figure, clearly unfit for the role of an innkeeper.

    Setting aside whether he could handle it or not.

    Hua Mi felt it was best for him to remain as an honest vige chief and steer clear of business ventures.

    Easy breeding ground for corruption.

    He thought the chief should act as a check and bnce.

    Next was the hunter.

    Hua Mi: This guy seems to have muscles in his brain.

    Xiao Zi: I d

    oubt he can handle the inn''s business or grasp the management aspects.

    Hua Mi: Right now, there aren''t many guests, so his performance isn''t evident.

    Xiao Zi: If this ce bes a famous hotspot, this hunter friend might be overwhelmed.

    Xiao Huang: How did Hua Mi figure that out?

    Hua Mi: Very simple, judging by appearances.

    Xiao Huang: In such a short time, there''s no way he could have a deep understanding of him. He could only observe outward appearances.

    Hua Mi: After eliminating possibilities, only one person remains, the elder who designed the inn''s structure.

    Xiao Huang: This man spent his youth in Modu and is considered knowledgeable in the vige.

    Hua Mi: Though he''s aged a bit, he still seems healthy, mainly because his mind is clear and he''s not senile.

    Xiao Huang: Running an inn doesn''t require physical strength anyway. Experience and a clear mind are enough.

    Hua Mi: Having made his decision, Hua Mi summoned Xiao Bai.

    Pseudo-Flower Spirits: All three disyed reverence upon seeing the Flower Spirit.

    Pseudo-Flower Spirits: Whether this respect came from the heart or was merely for gaining favor was unknown.

    Xiao Zi: "So, the Flower Spirit decides who bes the inn''s owner, right?"

    Hua Mi: "Yes."

    Xiao Huang: "Will you all obey her decision?"

    Pseudo-Flower Spirits: "Of course!"

    All three responded in unison.

    Hua Mi nodded, signaling Xiao Bai.

    Xiao Bai: "I''ve decided, he''ll be the inn''s owner."

    As soon as these words were uttered, a broad smile spread across Lei Luo''s weathered face, revealing his back mrs.

    Lei Luo: "Ah, I knew it! The inn''s owner has to be me. Now, you have nothing to say, right? Hahaha."

    War Hammer and Col exchanged bewildered looks, both wearing expressions of disbelief.

    Hir: "I refuse to acknowledge him as the owner!"

    Hilia: "In my capacity as the vige chief, I dere this appointment invalid!"

    Hua Mi: "Stick to the agreement, you two idiots!"

    Levistus: "What did you say?!"

    The three descended into another argument.

    Hua Mi had anticipated this oue long before.

    However, he''d given his advice, but whether they followed it wasn''t his concern.

    The priority was finding the Flower.

    While they argued, Hua Mi slipped away. However, a sudden chill ran down his spine.

    Themotion ceased instantly.

    Turning around, he witnessed the Witch''s robe fluttering without wind, her hair floating as if alive, resembling serpents in motion.

    Her face was grim, eyes fixed intensely on the three.

    Her presence exuded a terrifying aura despite her average height, seemingly towering over three meters at that moment.

    The three involuntarily drew closer, trembling in fear, disying expressions of sheer terror.

    Nite: "What... What do you want?"

    Susie Winston: "You''re... too loud."

    "I feel like this guy''s all brawn and no brain."

    Doubtful if he can handle the inn business or grasp any management skills.

    No guests yet, so his performance isn''t obvious.

    If this ce bes a famous hotspotter on, this hunter friend will likely have a mental meltdown.

    How did Hua Mi figure it out?

    Simple, judging by appearances.

    In such a short time, there''s no way to deeply understand him. Judging by outward appearances is all we''ve got.

    With Hua Mi''s elimination, there''s only one person left, the one who designed the inn''s structure, Old Bert.

    This person spent time in Mo Du when young, quite knowledgeable in the vige.

    Though aged a bit, seems healthy, and importantly, mentally sharp, not too senile.

    Running an inn doesn''t require physical strength anyway. Experience and a clear mind are enough.

    With the decision made, Hua Mi signaled for Xiao Bai toe out.

    The three seeing the Flower Spirit showed reverence.

    Whether this respect stemmed from the heart or for brownie points, who knows?

    "By the Flower Spirit''s method, she decides who bes the inn''s owner, right?"

    "Yes."

    "You guarantee obedience to her decision?"

    "Of course!"

    All three echoed in unison.

    Hua Mi nodded.

    Xiao Bai received his signal and pointed towards Old Bert.

    "I''ve decided, he''ll be the inn''s owner."

    As soon as this was said,

    Old Bert''s weathered face immediately lit up, even revealing his back mrs with his grin.

    "Ha-ha, I knew it! It''s gotta be me as the owner. You''ve got nothing to say now, do you? Ha-ha-ha-ha."

    The hunter and the vige chief were momentarily stunned, exchanged a nce, both wearing expressions of discontent.

    Mouths opened, words spewed.

    "I refuse to acknowledge him as the owner!"

    "I, in my capacity as the vige chief, dere this appointment void!"

    "Follow the agreement, you two idiots!"

    "What did you say?!"

    The three erupted into a new argument.

    I knew...

    Hua Mi had already guessed it would end up like this.

    But, he''d given his advice. Whether they followed it wasn''t his concern.

    Finding the Flower was crucial.

    As they bickered, Hua Mi sidestepped. Just a few steps away, a sudden chill ran down his spine.

    Themotion ceased instantly.

    Turning back, he saw the witch''s robe swaying without wind, her hair floating like living serpents, writhing ceaselessly.

    Her face darkened, eyes fixed on the trio.

    A dreadful aura emanated from her.

    Though not tall, her presence felt towering, easily three meters high.

    The three involuntarily huddled together, trembling, faces filled with fear.

    "What, what do you want?"

    "You''re, you''re too loud."

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 Chapter 203: The Leaf Search Method

    Chapter 203: The Leaf Search Method

    The witch was shrouded in a dark purple aura, and terrifying red lights emanated from her eyes beneath the pointed hat.

    The three individuals trembled with fear as they gazed at this female sorceress.

    It wasn''t that they were cowardly.

    This was a normal reaction from ordinary people facing the disturbance of magic.

    Ordinary folkscked the ability to wield magic themselves andcked strong mental power to resist, hence they naturally felt intimidated.

    With the witch at the center, the magic field expanded instantaneously, enveloping them.

    Fulin is the name of the town.

    Huami observed dumbfounded from the side.

    He had thought she was just putting on a show, pretending to be frightening to scare them.So, he didn''t intervene.

    Didn''t expect her to go this far, actually.

    The witch was truly... unrestrained.

    One touch and boom.

    At the same time, Huami also witnessed the extraordinary talent of the witch.

    Compared to regr mages, their use of magic felt so effortless and unrestricted, not confined by frameworks.

    If mages followed specific steps in spellcasting��such as fixed spell materials and circuits��simply put, it was about having specific conditions to yield a single definite oue.

    Then the magic of the witch could be said to be at will.

    Nothing was unthinkable, nothing impossible.

    The witch''s magic was basically linked to imagination.

    So, they always managed to employ some peculiar and unexpected magic.

    Aside from using it in battles to render enemies defenseless, they also applied it in various aspects of daily life.

    All of this Huami had read in books��

    In a novel where the witch was the main character.

    Now, seeing a real-life witch, he realized the novel hadn''t exaggerated.

    "No need for this," Huami said to her, "this is just amon dispute. I believe they can sort it out themselves without the need for outsiders to intervene."

    And even if intervention is required, it''s not your kind of intervention.

    If it came to it, what you did could be considered a criminal act.

    The witch ignored him and pped her hands.

    Three bubbles enveloped the three frogs instantly.

    Suddenly, silence fell as the noisy croaking of the frogs vanished instantly.

    Seems those bubbles had the effect of blocking sound transmission.

    The three bubbles floated up, suspending the three frogs in mid-air, motionless.

    "Stay here and reflect on your actions."

    The witch said this, then turned to Huami, restoring a coquettish smile. "Let''s go."

    Sensing Huami''s gaze, she added, "Don''t worry, by the time the sun rises, the magic on them will naturally wear off. Without doing this, they won''t calm down."

    "..."

    Huami suspected there was a hint of revenge in her actions.

    Oh well.

    Why bother with so much.

    Finding the flower is what matters.

    ...

    Hua Mi''s eyes shimmered with a pale fire as he activated his "Fire Eye" ability, starting the search around the hot spring inn.

    The presence of the flower spirit in the hot spring indicated that the rare flowers were likely nearby. There might be some sort of magical effect causing interference with vision; otherwise, the entire vige wouldn''t have struggled to find it.

    Hua Mi observed ahead, suddenlying face to face with a woman.

    The sorceress gaped at him in amazement. "Wow, your eyes glow! Is that some kind of scouting magic?"

    "Yeah," Hua Mi casually responded, then added, "Speaking of which, weren''t you here to help find it? It''s time."

    Relying solely on his eyes would make finding the target difficult and time-consuming. Let''s see what the sorceress is capable of.

    "Of course, I never make false promises," Fulin replied. She walked to a nearby tree, ced her palm on its trunk, and a surge of magic emanated from her hand.

    Boom��

    A muffled sound followed as therge tree violently shook. Soon, its lush foliage fell to the ground.

    Despite surviving the ice age and chaos, it now faced this adversity.

    Very bare indeed...

    Fulin waved her hand gently, causing the countless leaves on the ground to levitate, swirling around her.

    "All things have spirits," Fulin murmured, simultaneously raising both hands. Her magical energy enveloped the leaves. The greenery appeared even more vibrant, as if freshly painted with a lush green hue, brimming with life.

    Each leaf seemed to gain sentience instantly, two glimmering spots resembling eyes now apparent on each one.

    As if they hade alive, the leavesnded vertically on the ground, surrounding Fulin. They swayed back and forth, emitting a rustling sound, almost as if worshipping her.

    "Go!" Fulinmanded, and the leaves dispersed in all directions.

    The rustling sound gradually faded away.

    "The leaves will bring us the desired oue," Fulin stated, shing a smile at him before closing her eyes, focusing on the leaves exploring outside.

    "What a convenient skill," Hua Mi eximed, impressed.

    Once again, he witnessed the whimsical nature of the sorceress.

    That wasn''t just any magic; it was clearly overpowered.

    More so than his scouting bees.

    After all, controlling too many bees would cause sensory confusion. But she sent out a "leaf army" for a thorough search, incredibly efficient.

    He just wondered if those leaves would live up to expectations.

    She seemed pretty confident...

    Hua Mi decided to withhold his abilities and simply watch her performance.

    ...

    The moon gradually shifted in the night sky.

    Hua Mi expected a considerable wait.

    Unexpectedly, progress came quicker than he imagined.

    In just a few minutes, he heard a faint rustling sound drawing nearer.

    A cluster of leaves, seeming propelled by the wind, rushed towards them.

    Without stopping, they swiftly made their way to Fulin''s feet. With a leap, she caught one leaf between her fingers.

    Rustling��

    The leaf trembled in her grasp for a moment, then its radiant glow vanished, reverting to an ordinary leaf.

    Not only that.

    This leaf visibly withered at an rming rate, turning into a dry, yellowed husk in the blink of an eye.

    A gentle crush reduced it to fragments.

    Seems the magic had drained itpletely...

    Fulin blew lightly, dispersing the crumbled leaf from her hand. She pped joyfully and told Hua Mi, "Found it, your flower!"

    So quickly?

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 Chapter 204: Illusionary Magic Array

    Chapter 204: Illusionary Magic Array

    Hua Mi felt a mix of surprise and a sense of exaggeration about the situation.

    "Are you sure we''re in the right ce?"

    "Absolutely," the witch confidently imed, though there was an element of exaggeration in her words.

    She wasn''t entirely certain that this was where Hua Mi would find what he sought.

    Fulin exined that the leaves she sent out merely served as sensing terminals and didn''t possess true biological intelligence.

    So, she could only sense unusual magical fluctuations in the area around them.

    A whole tree''s leaves were dispatched, pinpointing only one area with abnormal magical activity.

    Moreover, its proximity to the hot spring inn aligned with Hua Mi''s suspicions.

    Regardless, it was worth investigating.With the witch leading the way, Hua Mi headed northwest toward the hot spring inn.

    The inn''s location was favorable.

    Backed against a cliff, it boasted a t terrain, a rare natural tform in these mountainous regions.

    However, the terrain surrounding the inn wasn''t as amodating.

    Beyond the cliffy rugged and challenging mountainous terrain.

    Even if there were paths, they were narrow, hardly easy for vigers to traverse.

    Nevertheless, this wasn''t a significant problem for Hua Mi and the witch.

    Moreover, their destination wasn''t far from the hot spring inn.

    ...

    Finally, the duo stopped in front of a massive boulder.

    This boulder protruded conspicuously from the mountainside, appearing somewhat abrupt.

    Yet, to the naked eye, it held no remarkable features.

    It felt the same as any ordinary rock when touched.

    Hua Mi closed and opened his eyes, his pupils immediately revealing a pale me.

    In this state, he discerned the stone''s surface bing elusive, rippling like a sleeping pond.

    This was evidently an illusion.

    Moreover, a sophisticated one that wouldn''t be apparent without deliberate inspection for magical fluctuations.

    The magical array it contained resembled an intricate circuit board, concealing any magical leakage wlessly.

    Hua Mi reached out to touch the boulder''s surface.

    It was rough and solid, showing no irregrities.

    Though he saw through the illusion, the method to dispel it remained a puzzle.

    Direct violence wasn''t an option.

    It might inadvertently destroy whatever the illusion concealed or block the entrance,plicating matters further.

    Hua Mi attempted to release his spiritual power, akin to forcefully essing a meditation sphere previously, trying to concentrate his mental energy and prate forcefully.

    In essence, it was a mental sh between his power and the illusion.

    In theory, if his mental strength were sufficient, he could dispel the illusion effortlessly, possibly even bing immune to it.

    However, Hua Mi couldn''t directly see through this particr illusion.

    Nheless, it didn''t render him powerless; there was still a chance to "struggle" against it. Surrendering was premature.

    He could employ subtle maniption of his mental energy, consciously attempting to unravel it.

    Metaphorically speaking, it was like picking a lock...

    Hua Mi blocked out all distractions, focusing entirely on the illusion in front of him.

    Gathering his mental strength, he formed it into a mental spear, thrusting it toward the magical array!

    "..."

    Much more challenging than prating the meditation sphere.

    If breaking through the meditation sphere''s defenses was difficult, this attempt to prate the illusionary magic array was of infernal difficulty.

    It was akin to trying to pierce a hardwood nk with a needle.

    Although the process was arduous, it wasn''t entirely fruitless.

    It was enough!

    Hua Mi saw a glimmer of hope.

    "You want to challenge me in mental strength?"

    "His mental power has limits, but he can consume honey at any time to replenish it, which is equivalent to infinite mana.

    "What do you have to contend with me?" Hua Mi, full of fighting spirit, concentrated his mental power and steadily advanced.

    "Very soon, arge section has already been infiltrated!"

    Just when he thought victory was in sight, something unexpected happened.

    The illusion magic formation seemed to suddenly gain magical reinforcement, instantly pushing back his ''Spear of Mental Power.''

    "What''s going on? It can regenerate mana too?"

    Hua Mi retracted his mental power, looking astonished at the rocks in front of him.

    The unusual urrence just now indicated that this illusion was extraordinary, it was ''alive,'' capable of rtively intelligent adjustments and responses to external intrusions.

    To put it simply, it was like when you''re picking a lock, the lock isn''t just static waiting for you to pick it, but constantly changing, adapting to your attempts.

    "How can this be yed out?" The situation was ever-changing; one must break through with their head!

    This also set his mind racing.

    Such aplex illusion was evidently artificially arranged.

    It was highly unlikely to be the work of that flower spirit.

    Initially, he thought the reason he couldn''t find rare flowers might be because the flower spirit used some simple deception��enough to fool ordinary people.

    But now, it seemed far from that simple.

    Was the thing protected by this illusion really a flower? Generally speaking, even if it''s a rare flower, it shouldn''t require such borate measures.

    The witch bestowed sentience upon the leaves to seek anomalies in the mountains.

    It was only possible to determine traces of magic in a certain area, unable to precisely discern the truth concealed beneath the magic.

    Therefore, what was concealed under this illusion might not necessarily be a flower.

    Perhaps it was something else.

    Nevertheless, it was worth investigating.

    Whether it was a rare flower or not.

    Being able to use such aplex illusion for protection meant it was definitely something valuable.

    Hua Mi turned to the witch, giving her a look, as if asking if she had noticed anything.

    Fulin understood his meaning but apologized, "Sorry, dispelling illusions isn''t my forte... of course, I can try if you don''t mind me potentially destroying this ce."

    "..."

    It was evident she was eager to give it a try.

    While speaking, she had umted a considerable amount of magic in her hands, causing distortions in the surrounding space.

    Clearly, she intended to use violence against this rock.

    Hua Mi immediately halted her rash behavior.

    He couldn''t rely on her.

    To dispel the illusion here, the first step was to find a way to neutralize the illusion formation''s adaptive nature.

    Hua Mi took a few steps back, then observed the rocks in front of him again.

    Concentrating all his mental power, he noticed that the surface of the rocks had two extremely faint magic traces extending from both sides, each connecting to two trees.

    "The method to break this must be rted to these two trees... by the way, isn''t their growth position a bit peculiar?"

    These two trees stood like two guards protecting this mountain rock, their cement provoking contemtion.

    Perhaps deliberately nted here.

    Perhaps, the reason the illusion could autonomously adjusty within these two trees.

    Hua Mi''s mental power delved into them.

    He sensed a miniature magic formation arranged inside.

    Simrly, the other tree also bore a simr magic formation.

    Comparing these two formations, at first nce, they were nearly identical. However, upon closer inspection, there were subtle differences in certain parts of the magic circuits in both formations.

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 Chapter 205: Omen of Disaster

    Chapter 205: Omen of Disaster

    Two magic arrays contained several concentric circles, intricately connected and rotating at different speeds, resemblingpasses used to measure Feng Shui.

    These micro magic arrays ingeniously merged with the two trees, bing an inseparable part.

    Perhaps this illusion borrowed the biological energy from these two trees to change at will.

    Just like the instinct of creatures to seek advantage and avoid harm.

    Looking at these two slightly different magic arrays, it felt like ying a puzzle game...

    He didn''t understand magic arrays or illusions.

    However, his intuition suggested that by severing the connection between these two trees and the rock, he could undo the illusion''s changing nature.

    The problem was how to sever it.

    Should he violently destroy these two trees?There was a feeling that this might lead to unexpected issues, such as triggering a defense mechanism, leading to self-destruction or locking down the illusion, which was also a possibility.

    It was akin to disarming a bomb; bomb disposal experts had to analyze circuits and settings, not just swing a hammer.

    Hua Mi tried to be clever, releasing measuring bees, covering the tree trunks entirely.

    The magic field for measurement was fully activated.

    Maybe it could directly measure information from the magic arrays and derive a solution.

    The result left him disappointed; no information was obtained.

    But that was to be expected.

    There was a probability during the bee measurements, not a certainty of getting information.

    Hua Mi thought, maybe a gentler approach could work.

    Simr to boiling a frog in warm water, slowly ''cutting off the power'' to these two micro magic arrays hidden within the trees.

    It was worth a try.

    Hua Mi summoned a swarm of blood-sucking bees, densely covering the tree trunks.

    The life-absorbing magic field was fully active.

    The tree''s life energy flowed continuously, absorbed and transferred to Hua Mi.

    He had experimented before.

    When a nt''s life energy transformed into energy he could absorb, there was considerable loss; the conversion rate was low. So, after starting absorption, Hua Mi didn''t feel much, far less exhrating than taking an Enchanted Nectar Pill.

    Using creatures to absorb biological energy.

    And so, the tree''s life energy dwindled bit by bit.

    First, it showed in the canopy.

    Leaves visibly turned yellow, withered, and swiftly fell from the crown, as if instantly entering autumn.

    The leaves quickly fell, followed by the tree''s branches starting to cken and crack.

    In less than half an hour, a once-healthy tree became a dead one.

    Externally charred, shriveled, as if scorched by a fierce fire.

    As Hua Mi expected, the internal magic arrays also became non-functional, halting their slow rotations, subsequently losing their magical luster and falling intoplete silence.

    The magical connection between the tree and the rock also ceased.

    "There''s still the other side..."

    It could be understood as a dual-core drive; they had only disengaged one core, reducing the illusion array''s performance.

    Perhaps now they could directly break through.

    But as a precaution, it was better to deactivate the other core.

    Hua Mi manipted the swarm to attach to the other tree, following the same process.

    The tree withered, the magic array became inert.

    Now, the illusion had solidified,pletely losing its transformative properties.

    "Almost there."

    Retracting the swarm, Hua Mi noticed the witch standing nearby, looking at him in utter shock.

    Yes, quite shocked.

    You could say she was gobsmacked.

    Moreover, this time it didn''t seem like an act; it was evidently genuine astonishment, so much so that she forgot to conceal it.

    Hua Mi couldn''t help but find it odd.

    This reaction seemed overly exaggerated.

    Even upon seeing previously unseen creatures, one wouldn''t normally be left speechless.

    "What''s wrong?" Hua Mi asked.

    The witch closed her mouth, her eyes shimmering strangely, assessing him for a few seconds before speaking again.

    "Those insects just now, are they yours?"

    "Yes."

    It was quite obvious.

    "Did you bring them from another ne?"

    "..."

    "Hua Mi had prepared an exnation using biological alchemy."

    Unexpectedly, the witch made a bold guess.

    In fact, she guessed correctly.

    Earth and this world were originally two different nes.

    But would ordinary people think in this direction?

    Rtive to this world, Earth might be considered as another ne, but it''s probably not the same as themonly recognized ne crossing in this world...

    After all, there are no magical elements on Earth.

    The direction of development is also more on the side of technology.

    It feelspletely disconnected from this world.

    The witch, wearing a serious expression, even looked at him sternly.

    This made Hua Mi involuntarily serious.

    Suddenly, he thought that the Witch Academy, as a top and mysterious organization, researches many peculiar things. Perhaps they could tell him the reason for the crossing.

    As the saying goes, where there''s smoke, there''s fire. If Fulin made such a guess, she must have a basis for it.

    So, he didn''t deny it.

    Nodding, he said, "Yes, they are not creatures of this world, they''re called ''bees,'' have you heard of them?"

    "Bees..."

    Fulin repeated, struggling with the pronunciation, obviously not familiar with the name of these little creatures.

    "Bees, bees... I see, no wonder the name in the annotation is so awkward, it''s a transliteration, right?"

    Fulin murmured.

    From what she said, she originally knew a name.

    And the pronunciation was very simr to "bees."

    Could it really be bees?

    But that''s unreasonable.

    Why would she know unique creatures from Earth?

    This greatly piqued Hua Mi''s curiosity.

    But then, Fulin didn''t say anything more, just slightly lowered her head, holding her chin, looking contemtive.

    "How did you know?"

    Hua Mi''s voice brought her back from her reverie.

    Fulin blinked, then exined, "There''s an old prophecy book in our academy''s library, most of the content is iplete, but there''s a page that records... information about ''bees.'' The reason I recognized them is because there were illustrations, their appearance and form were very simr to the small insects you just released, every detail corresponded, except for the color.

    "The swarm you released was blood-red, while the images in that book were blue."

    "..."

    Hua Mi also fell into contemtion at her words.

    Information about "bees" recorded in a book from the Witch Academy?

    How could that be possible?

    Hua Mi asked, "What does the book say?"

    Fulin replied, "I didn''t read it in detail, but I only remember one sentence��''a symbol of cmity.''"

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 Chapter 206: Flowers in the Graveyard

    Chapter 206: Flowers in the Graveyard"Cmity?"

    Hua Mi furrowed his brow.

    What nonsense.

    Little Bee is so adorable.

    How could it possibly symbolize cmity?

    But Fuline was adamant: "I can''t recall the exact wording from the book, but the message was clear.

    "When these swarms of creatures from another realm appear, it foretells a catastrophe for the main world. We need to prepare."

    Hua Mi found this ludicrous.

    Little Bee, so cute, causing a catastrophe? Impossible.

    Surely, that book isn''t something serious.It''s a joke.

    Yet, Hua Mi was genuinely curious about the book, eager to read about the "bees" mentioned.

    If Fuline was correct, and it truly documented bees, perhaps it could unveil the connection between this world and Earth.

    "As for the origin of that book? I have no idea," Fuline shrugged. "Honestly, I stumbled upon it identally. It wasn''t what I was looking for, so I didn''t delve deep into it. If not for my good memory, I wouldn''t have remembered it at all."

    With a pause, Fuline, still curious, gazed at him and asked, "So, are you also from another realm?"

    "Visitors from another realm"��such a term might be highly fantastical on Earth.

    But in this magic-filled world, it was a stark reality.

    Travel between different nes, while rare, wasn''t considered peculiar.

    The witch, ustomed to various encounters, casually posed the question.

    Surely, even if Hua Mi admitted to being from Earth, she wouldn''t be surprised.

    However, Hua Mi currently wasn''t willing to expose Earth to this world.

    One reason was for Earth''s safety.

    The other was to keep too many of his secrets hidden.

    "I once delved into interdimensional travels, visited many ces, and brought back these creatures from one of the nes to work for me."

    This statement was intentionally vague, sidestepping where he originated from.

    Fuline didn''t press further about his origins, nodding and asking again, "What''s that world like? I mean, the ''bees'' homnd. Please forgive me, since the book notes them as symbols of cmity, it''s crucial to pay attention. I want to gather more information about that world to inform the Dean upon my return."

    "That world is quite ordinary. Magic there is sparsepared to this one��magic is a rare existence there. Additionally, humans dominate that world entirely, superior to other species. Though there might be wars among them, overall, it''s quite orderly. Moreover, humans there haven''t mastered interdimensional travel, um..."

    Hua Mi carefully phrased it, concluding, "At least, I don''t think it poses any threat to the main world."

    "Is that so..."

    "Also, you only skimmed through the book''s contents, perhaps misinterpreted or missed crucial information. Sometimes, the absence of key content can entirely alter the meaning."

    "Valid point."

    Hua Mi pondered; he''d seize the chance to visit the Witch Academy and peruse that book.

    He didn''t believe in prophecies��bees causing cmity was absurd in his view.

    In his belief, fate could be altered.

    So even in this magical world, he didn''t buy into divination.

    Hisck of concern was evident in helping Karen change her dream divination, showing no psychological burden.

    But that aside, focus on the current task first.

    "Let''s talk about the beester. I think I''ve figured out this illusion. Shall we proceed?"

    "Alright."

    Fuline agreed verbally, yet her gaze toward Hua Mi shifted.

    She seemed pensive, her added wariness evident in her eyes, making Hua Mi somewhat ufortable.

    Swallowing a bestowed honey pill, he pushed aside distracting thoughts. As before, he condensed his mental strength into ance, piercing the illusionary barrier.

    With no "guardian trees" this time, the probe indeed became much smoother.

    Swiftly advancing, the illusion remained unchanged.

    Hua Mi''s mental strength flowed smoothly, swiftly passing through.

    Taking that as his entry point, he tore the entire illusion "curtain" apart.

    A clear sighty before him.

    The scene before me changed as if parting clouds revealed clear skies.

    With a ripple effect, the environment shifted before my eyes.

    The mountain that was whole and solid now appeared divided, as if cleaved by a colossal axe, forming two distinct sides.

    A cool breeze swept out from the middle of the canyon.

    "You did it!" Hry eximed, momentarily setting aside the matter of the bees to cheer for Huami''s sess.

    "I knew you weren''t just an ordinary person. With your help, finding documents about the devil''s contract is probably a piece of cake," she added.

    "I never promised you that," Huami corrected her promptly.

    They exchanged thoughts and proceeded together towards the gorge.

    The concealed path wasn''t too narrow, allowing two or three people to walk side by side. Yet, this hidden passage seemed to have other magical effects.

    They could only see a few meters ahead, beyond which was a void.

    Moonlight couldn''t prate it, and Huami''s "sharp eyes" couldn''t pierce through it either.

    They had to proceed step by step.

    Huami continued to let his scouting bee lead the way, serving as a scout. This way, even if there was danger ahead, they would have enough time to react.

    "This is another type of ''bee,''" Huami exined as they walked, "called a scouting bee. It provides sensory information for me... You see, not all bees have destructive powers like the one just now. That was an exception, and they''re also under my control. In fact, most bees are quite gentle by nature."

    Huami tried to improve the initial impression left by the bloodsucking bee. Introducing a bloodsucker as the representative of bees for the first time wasn''t exactly easy for others to ept.

    "After all, the life-absorbing nature they exhibit can seem quite strange to outsiders."

    "Hmm?" Huami suddenly halted.

    Florin, walking beside him, also stopped a couple of steps ahead and asked, "What did you find?"

    "..." Huami closed his eyes, focusing on analyzing the visual information sent back by the scouting bee.

    It was a dead end up ahead.

    What first drew his attention was a standing stone tablet.

    Square-shaped, entirely ck, fairlyrge, and quite conspicuous.

    White text was engraved on it.

    Adjusting his line of sight, he could make out that it was a tombstone.

    Around the tombstone bloomed peculiar flowers.

    "Could those be the flowers I''m looking for?" Huami never expected grave flowers.

    What puzzled him more was why there was a hidden grave here.

    And whose grave was it?

    Huami opened his eyes and said to Florin, "It seems like there''s a graveyard up ahead."

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 Chapter 207: Skeleton Flower

    Chapter 207: Skeleton Flower

    "Graveyard?"

    Hilia looked utterly baffled. "Who would ce a graveyard in a spot like this?"

    "Aym."

    "Who?"

    "I meant the symbol on the tombstone..."

    Carved on the tombstone was a symbol resembling ''M''.

    He''d seen this symbol before.

    In the alchemy notes he stumbled upon in the Misty Mountains, this character was the signature.

    And then.

    Hua Mi''s thoughts linked to another point��

    When he first traversed here, the semi-automatic alchemical cauldron stored in the basement of the cabin had ''M'' inscribed as its maker.

    The same symbol.

    Could it be the same person?

    If it were, was this ahead his endpoint?

    Just from the alchemy notes, this ''M'' seemed a remarkably powerful figure.

    But no matter how powerful, everyone meets their end.

    What felt odd to Hua Mi was how coincidental this was��encountering traces left by ''M'' thrice in session...

    "Do you know what ''M'' means?"

    Hua Mi gestured inquiringly to this well-versed witch.

    Hilia hesitated, "Are you asking or testing me? Why do you know the pronunciation of this symbol?"

    "..."

    Hua Mi realized the misunderstanding.

    Because the symbol resembled the English letter ''M'', he subconsciously read it as "Aym."

    Hilia assumed he understood the symbol because of that.

    "Misread it, I''m clueless about this symbol. Any leads? Like whether it''s an ancient giantnguage or ancient elven, something of the sort."

    Hilia pondered, "In thenguages I know, there''s no simr symbol... but if it is part of somenguage, perhaps the Headmistress would know. You could ask her."

    Ah, this... a bizarre additional reason to head to the Witch Academy.

    Was it fated?

    Daydreaming here was futile, time to focus on the task at hand.

    Hua Mi shook his head, shelving this query for now.

    Sensing no imminent danger, they pressed on.

    Soon, they left the foggy section and reached the graveyard area at the end.

    The space wasn''t vast, enclosed by cliffs on all sides, the night sky visible when looking up.

    At first nce, it seemed like an ordinary valley.

    However, without dispelling the illusion, it would be impossible to spot this ce from outside.

    Moonlight streamed in, illuminating the graves in the middle and the surrounding flora.

    These flowers thrived abundantly.

    They appeared to be blessed by flower spirits, perennially vibrant and bright.

    The petals were entirely white.

    From a frontal view, they seemed normal, divided into threeyers��creating a sense of depth.

    But from above, one could see the petals formed a pattern resembling a skull.

    At first nce, they seemed like three-dimensional tiny skulls, screaming to the sky.

    An inexplicable eeriness.

    Despite their peculiar growth, these were undoubtedly nectar-producing nts.

    The reconnaissance bees that had entered earlier were drawn by the floral scent, buzzing within the bushes, confirming this.

    "Skeleton Flower?" Hilia eximed with some surprise.

    "You''re familiar?"

    The petals resembling skulls, and it being named Skeleton Flower, quite direct.

    "Well... Skeleton Flower is themon name; its scientific name is ''Medicinal King Flower.'' It''s a rare kind of nt used to refine high-level restorative magic potions. Even without alchemical processing, its petals and sap possess medicinal properties. If poisoned, consuming Medicinal King Flower raw could significantly increase the chances of emergency recovery."

    "I see."

    "Deep in thought, Hua Mi nodded.

    The fact that this can be used to refine restorative magic potions indicates a rich presence of corresponding magical elements. In that case, it wouldn''t be surprising if the flower spirits born from these flowers possessed healing abilities.

    Hua Mi didn''t inquire about how she came to know about this type of flower.

    Probably something learned at the academy, as usual.

    The Witch Academy is hailed as the foremost institution in the Western Continent for a reason.

    Fulin mentioned that the Medicine King Flower typically grows in valleys rich with pure magical elements, surviving in extremely harsh conditions, hence its rarity in the wild.

    It''s surprising to find such a patch here.

    Now, not only Hua Mi wanted to pluck these flowers.

    Fulin also desired to take some samples back for cultivation and study.

    "This trip has been fruitful; I''ve definitely earned enough credits," the witch said gleefully. "Thinking about it, I''m truly lucky to have met you on the way."

    "Yes, meeting me is your good fortune."

    Hua Mi spoke, but he raised his hand to stop her.

    "What''s wrong?"

    "Before picking the flowers, it might be better to seek permission first."

    If the flower spirits originated from this patch, strictly speaking, these flowers wouldn''t be ownerless.

    This patch of flowers was under the care of that particr flower spirit.

    Fulin nced around and shrugged. "Looks like Miss Flower Spirit doesn''t want to meet with us, so let''s take that as tacit approval."

    "��"

    Fulin was actually not wrong.

    Hua Mi also wasn''t genuinely seeking the flower spirit''s consent.

    He wanted to inquire about the owner of this tomb, perhaps hoping the flower spirit knew something.

    So, he halted Fulin''s actions, attempting to coax the flower spirit out.

    "Xiao Bai, it''s up to you now."

    Hua Mi conveyed his thoughts to Xiao Bai.

    Xiao Bai flew into the flower patch, surveying around.

    Though not speaking aloud, Xiao Bai was already using telepathy to requestmunication.

    "Found her."

    Xiao Bai suddenly looked towards a certain spot.

    Both Hua Mi and Fulin nced over; it was empty air.

    However, evidently, Xiao Bai had established contact with the other through telepathy.

    Both remained silent, not interrupting their conversation.

    After a while, Xiao Bai turned and said, "She said you can each collect up to 5 flowers."

    "Great!"

    Fulin praised and eagerly bent down to select flowers.

    Hua Mi said, "Ask her again if she knows anything about the upant of this tomb."

    Xiao Bai nodded and turned back, using telepathy tomunicate once more.

    Momentster, Xiao Bai received an answer and ryed, "She said, buried here is the former owner of the hot spring inn."

    The owner of the hot spring inn?

    Hua Mi was momentarily stunned by this revtion.

    This answer was unexpected, yet upon reflection, it seemed logical.

    Her reference to the ''owner'' should be about the person who owned the hot spring inn long before it fell into disrepair, perhaps the one who built it.

    Fulin, wholly engrossed in gathering Medicine King Flowers, paused upon hearing this response, piquing her curiosity about this tomb upant.

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 Chapter 208: Digging into Matters

    Chapter 208: Digging into Matters

    Next, Hua Mi and the flower spirits hiding in the shadows engaged in a back-and-forth exchange.

    The history of the first owner of the hot spring inn in this area unfolded like a painting, slowly revealing itself before them.

    The flower spirits, born from the King of Medicine Flowers, weren''t particrly familiar with that owner.Vissit n??velbin(.)c??m for ??ew ??ovels

    Because at the time of her birth, the owner was already an elderly man on the brink of death.

    "So, this flower spirit wasn''t naturally born but artificially cultivated."

    In other words, this grove of flowers had been nted before the owner''s death, and the tomb was constructedter.

    Perhaps this ce was initially the owner''s medicinal garden, growing precious herbs. It''s no wonder it was protected by such intricate illusions.

    Simr to his greenhouse.

    Being buried after death in thend he poured his heart into, it might be considered fulfilling his wishes.

    Hua Mi found he could rte to the mindset of the hot spring inn owner.

    ording to the flower spirits'' description, the owner was an optimistic and cheerful gentleman, always wearing a smile.

    He built this hot spring inn in the mountains, providing amodation and meals for passersby.

    Simultaneously, he offered free treatments to the vigers at the foot of the mountain.

    For minor injuries ormon colds, as long as they took his medicine, they almost immediately recovered.

    For more severe illnesses or injuries, like when a hunter was attacked by a fierce beast while hunting in the mountains, as long as there was a breath left, the owner could revive them.

    He was a highly skilled alchemist.

    Of course, the vigers didn''t understand alchemy; they only knew him as a formidable apothecary.

    The vigers held him in high regard. Even though he didn''t charge for his treatments, they voluntarily provided him with some necessities.

    Thus, the owner didn''t need to engage in any productivebor; he didn''t worry about food and clothing. He dedicated this illusory space to cultivating rare medicinal herbs.

    Among them, the King of Medicine Flowers birthed the flower spirits��

    After the owner''s death, the other herbs here turned to dust over time.

    Only the King of Medicine Flowers, blessed by the magic of the flower spirits, continued to thrive, just as before.

    The flower spirits didn''t know where the owner came from, why he settled here, or why he opened a hot spring inn in such a remote ce��actually, hardly any guests ever stayed there.

    Once, the owner told her he simply wanted a quiet ce to study alchemy, aiming to surpass his current limits.

    As for why he opened the hot spring inn.

    The owner''s response was that he liked soaking in hot springs.

    He liked to contemte while soaking.

    This whimsical answer suited the owner''s personality quite well.

    However, the flower spirits always felt he was concealing his true purpose.

    Because based on their daily observations, he wasn''t all that devoted to alchemy; at most, he devoted only a tenth of his time to alchemical studies.

    Most of the time, he locked himself in his room, doing who-knows-what, not even allowing the flower spirits to enter.

    It''s worth mentioning that the flower spirits had glimpsed ethereal beings entering and leaving his secret room several times.

    But they weren''t human spirits; they were a type of otherworldly creature resembling birds.

    "They should be messengers."

    Fulin interjected, "Making a contract with spirits lingering in the mortal realm, making them act as messengers��this method was passed down from the elf n for its speed and safety."

    It indeed sounded quite convenient.

    "If I get a chance, I''ll also get myself a spirit messenger."

    Hua Mi thought to himself.

    Additionally, from her descriptions, it could be inferred that the owner secluded himself here but still maintained contact with the outside world.

    That''s not surprising.

    What''s peculiar is the sudden aging of the owner.

    The owner didn''t seem very old in appearance, at most middle-aged, but one day, his body suddenly aged.

    He became much more haggard, with whitening hair, numerous wrinkles, and spots on his skin.

    He even had trouble walking steadily.

    "Such sudden aging is abnormal... Could it be a strange illness? Is this another case of a healer unable to heal themselves?" Hua Mi pondered, ncing at the witch, thinking she might know something given her extensive knowledge.

    However, thetter stood there in contemtion, seemingly unsure about what was happening.

    Regardless, after the boss fell seriously ill, he no longer had the energy to treat others.

    Before his passing, the boss constructed a tomb for himself and, using hisst strength, did one thing.

    He hoped the flower spirits could stay behind after his death to guard the vige at the foot of the mountain.

    For this, the boss concocted a certain magical potion for the flower spirits to consume.

    This potion could enhance her abilities.

    After drinking the potion, the flower spirit fell into a deep sleep.

    By the time she woke up, the boss was already gone.

    All that remained were scattered king''s crowns on the ground and a tomb in the midst of the flowers.

    Since then, the flower spirit has honored the agreement with the boss, staying here and using her strengthened healing abilities to aid the vigers at the foot of the mountain.

    After hearing the flower spirit''s ount, Hua Mi fell into contemtion.

    This seemed like a in, uneventful story,cking twists and turns.

    And there was no useful information about M in it.

    The boss, however, seemed rather intriguing to Fuline.

    She suspected that the boss didn''t die.

    It''s highly likely that the death was merely an incarnation.

    Simply put, an incarnation is a more advanced ability than a mere projection.

    Apart from representing the core will, the body would manifest additional characteristics, making each incarnation slightly different in personalitypared to the core.

    And once the main body dispels the spell, the incarnation doesn��t immediately disappear.

    Instead, much like an ordinary person, it undergoes aging and death, eventually returning to dust, vanishingpletely from this world.

    However, this aging process is much quicker than that of an ordinary person.

    Fuline deduced the boss''s sudden aging as a characteristic of this inexplicable incarnation.

    "If it truly is an incarnation, then this hot spring innkeeper has quite the background."

    Even among the witchmunity, those capable of creating incarnations are exceedingly rare.

    What could be the purpose of such a powerful figure sending an incarnation into seclusion here?

    It couldn��t possibly be solely to study alchemy.

    On that note, the flower spirit remains unaware.

    "There is actually one way to figure this out," Fuline stated seriously.

    "What way?"

    "Didn''t the little flower spirit mention? The boss had a ghost messenger. If we summon that ghost messenger, we might learn the boss''s secret��ghost messengers capable ofmunication are quite sentient."

    "Reasonable."

    The issue now is, where to find this messenger?

    "After signing a contract with the ghost messenger, there will be an item used to summon them,monly a bell. Simply ring the bell, and the messenger will appear before you."

    "So, the crux now is, where to find this ''bell''?"

    Fuline didn��t say it outright but nced towards the nearby tomb.

    "..."

    "..."

    They exchanged a nce, understanding each other without words.

    Both felt that an artifact like this might be buried in the tomb.

    So, should they dig up the grave?

    The little flower spirit might disagree, right?

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