After saying goodbye to Zhou Pangzi, Qi Ping and Nan Jie rushed back together.
Since they were only separated by one mountain peak, their return journey was along the same path.
"Xiao Qi, how did you figure out so quickly that the Black Spirit Duck's symptoms were related to the Blood Nectar Insect poison? I wouldn't have realized it if you hadn't said anything!"
Nan Jie looked at the young beekeeper, whose face still held a hint of childishness, with some surprise. She thought to herself how this greenhorn, picked up by Old Zhou back then, had grown up in the blink of an eye and become so capable!
She had read the Demon Insect Breeding Handbook more times than Qi Ping, but she only realized the connection after Qi Ping pointed it out...
Qi Ping's mind was simply too sharp.
"Uh, maybe it's because I just finished reading it?" Qi Ping thought for a moment, sounding a bit uncertain.
The truth was, he understood the Black Spirit Duck's language because of his Druid skill [Animal Communication].
The Black Spirit Duck practically slapped the answer onto Qi Ping's face; how could he not know?
"That's possible."
After hearing Qi Ping's explanation, Nan Jie also felt it made sense.
However, she still felt she couldn't deny that Qi Ping's mind was sharp enough.
She could no longer treat Qi Ping as a mere greenhorn like before.
Now, Qi Ping was very capable in terms of both strength and intelligence!
While chatting, they soon returned to their respective mountain peaks.
After returning, Qi Ping immediately handed over the good wine, fruits, and some spiritual rice and other daily necessities he had bought to Old Zhou. After a brief chat, he returned to the dense forest.
Qi Ping didn't tell Old Zhou about the unpleasant things he encountered today, such as meeting robber cultivators and the Ink Cicada. Telling him would only make him worry for nothing and wouldn't help.
If possible, Qi Ping still hoped that the laid-back Old Zhou could continue to live out his golden years peacefully and happily.
He shouldn't be bothered by these troublesome matters from the outside world now.
So when Old Zhou asked Qi Ping about the situation today, Qi Ping replied that it was still the same, with robber cultivators still rampant, but there wouldn't be any problems if he was careful.
After returning to the dense forest, Qi Ping immediately inquired about the Gold Marrow Bee's recent honey production.
Finding that honey production was good and the Gold Marrow Bee's food supply was still sufficient, he had the Gold Marrow Bee fill a bottle.
With sufficient blood ginseng, the Gold Marrow Bee's honey production speed was indeed not bad. It was enough to support the expansion of the Bee Swarm itself and the improvement of individual Bee Swarm members' strength, with a considerable surplus for Qi Ping's cultivation and other matters.
After getting this bottle of golden marrow honey, Qi Ping quickly sent the promised golden marrow honey to Nan Jie.
With the current trusting relationship between them, Nan Jie breaking through to Qi Refining Layer Five was also a good thing for Qi Ping.
When Nan Jie was at Qi Refining Layer Four, she could fight back and forth with that Qi Refining Layer Five robber cultivator, and even seized the opportunity to poison and injure the opponent. If not for the Ink Cicada, Nan Jie would likely have won.
This was enough to show her strength.
Once she broke through to Qi Refining Layer Five, coupled with her poisoning techniques, her combat power might rival Qi Refining Layer Six. Moreover, Nan Jie also had the Talent for crisis prediction, which had high potential.
Furthermore, Qi Ping lived so close to her. If they encountered trouble, it would be convenient for them to help each other and fight the enemy together.
After returning to the dense forest again, Qi Ping immediately planted the two flowing light grass plants in the location of the blood ginseng without delay.
These were valuable resources for making bloodline mutation potion, and no accidents could be allowed.
After planting them, Qi Ping immediately continuously cast [Plant Growth] to help the two flowing light grass plants take root there.
Only after casting the [Plant Growth] skill five times in a row did Qi Ping stop, feeling slightly mentally exhausted.
Seeing the two flowing light grass plants radiating strong brilliance again, a relaxed smile appeared on Qi Ping's face.
"It's much more comfortable to farm peacefully," Qi Ping sighed from the bottom of his heart.
Although he had only been out for half a day this time, Qi Ping felt more tired than working on the mountain for half a month.
Especially thinking of the two skilled robber cultivators, Qi Ping still had lingering fears.
Because the opponent had launched a sneak attack in a state of concealed aura, if it weren't for the perception bonus of the Jungle Druid in the forest, coupled with his sufficient caution that allowed him to detect a slight abnormality in advance, he might have been killed by the opponent's sneak attack in one move!
But even if he could detect the enemy in advance, the enemy still possessed the Ink Cicada, a great killing weapon. Fortunately, the enemy didn't plan to use it from the start.
More importantly, Qi Ping felt that among the robber cultivators currently lingering in Qing Shi County, there must be many more who were more powerful and had more methods than those two Black-Robed Robbers.
If he carelessly encountered someone stronger, someone with more sinister methods, or someone with stronger concealment, any one factor could take Qi Ping's life.
Thinking of these things, Qi Ping became even more cautious about going out.
"If there's nothing going on, it's better to stay on the mountain and raise Bees and farm."
Now in his familiar dense forest, Qi Ping finally felt a sense of security.
Perhaps it was because he had experienced a life-and-death battle, or perhaps because he had cast the [Plant Growth] skill multiple times, the mentally exhausted Qi Ping, under the protection of the Gold Marrow Bees, soon leaned against a tree trunk and fell into Sleep.
At first, Qi Ping didn't Sleep soundly. His brows were tightly furrowed, and he still held the captured mid-grade magic weapon long saber in his hand. He didn't dare to take off his black Low Grade magic weapon robe.
The Honeybees also seemed to sense the unease of Qi Ping, their Boss, and guarded him tightly around him, wary of every movement in the surroundings.
Only after Qi Ping had been asleep for a little over half a day did he gradually relax and fall into a deep Sleep.
Qi Ping slept for nearly ten hours before slowly waking up.
"I slept for so long?"
Qi Ping looked at the sky and realized he had slept for almost a day.
Stretching, Qi Ping felt incredibly comfortable all over.
"So comfortable!"
This kind of life suited him best!
Although the adventurous life of flashing blades, swords, and ups and downs was exciting, the danger, panic, and anxiety within it were things Qi Ping didn't want to experience.
How good it was to be able to increase his strength by peacefully cultivating blood ginseng and raising Bees every day, why bother taking risks...
Moreover, the role of the blood ginseng and the spiritual land beneath it hadn't been developed to its limit yet, and there was still a lot of room for utilization.
"Let's continue cultivating blood ginseng and flowing light grass. Let their age reach the standard for refining bloodline mutation potion sooner."
"A beautiful day begins with accelerating the growth of spiritual herbs!"
"Buzz, buzz. (Good morning, Boss!)"
"Buzz, buzz. (Boss, you slept for a long time. Feng Feng didn't Sleep as much in three days combined as Boss did!)"
"Buzz, buzz. (Yeah, yeah...)"
"Good morning."
After greeting the Gold Marrow Bees guarding him, Qi Ping immediately went to cast [Plant Growth] to accelerate the growth rate of the blood ginseng. This was important business that couldn't be delayed.
One plant of blood ginseng had already reached an medicinal age of over ninety years. It only needed one or two more days of cultivation to meet the hundred-year requirement for bloodline mutation potion.
After casting Plant Growth, Qi Ping went to busy himself with other things, such as looking after the Black Little Bees, caring for the flowers planted on the mountain, cultivating Sun Essence Flower and Moon Sleep Flower... and so on.
[You planted flowers, Druid Level experience +1]
[You achieved deep communication with the Black Little Bees, Druid experience +1]
"The sources of Druid experience are quite diverse. As long as I practice the concepts of Beast King Druid and Jungle Druid, Druid experience will continuously increase."
One day later...
One plant of blood ginseng officially reached a hundred-year medicinal age under Qi Ping's cultivation.
One week later...
[Druid Level has increased to 2.]
[Druid Level 2 professional skills are being generated]
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