Ten thousand mutated bees!
According to his previous estimates, a swarm of this size was more than capable of slaying a Foundation Establishment cultivator. With the Queen's enhanced bloodline, they were even more formidable. Sensing the pressure radiating from the swarm, Qi Ping felt a profound sense of security. Such a feeling was rare in this chaotic world.
In the Yunwu Mountain Range, as long as he didn't actively seek trouble, with his Natural Perception, even a Golden Core powerhouse might not be able to catch him. At the first sign of danger, he would transform into a bee and flee with his belongings. Who could catch him among ten thousand scattering bees?
'It took nearly five months and so much energy, but the swarm is finally complete!'
Though he hadn't spent every moment on them, the swarm had indeed consumed a vast amount of his focus. Even though they could likely kill a Foundation Establishment expert, he had no intention of testing them. If he lost a significant number of bees, he would be back at square one. Replacing them would be incredibly difficult.
He hadn't raised them to hunt Foundation Establishment cultivators, but to ensure his own safety—to have the power to kill or escape if forced. This security was what he valued most.
'Now I can stop worrying about my safety and focus on my own strength!'
To evolve the swarm to the second grade, he needed to nurture the Blood Ginseng to the five-hundred-year level. He estimated his current level three Plant Growth could only reach the three-hundred-year mark. To reach five hundred, he likely needed level four. Spirit herbs grew stronger with age, eventually breaking through their grade limits. A ten-thousand-year-old first-grade herb would surely be more powerful than a third-grade one.
However, nurturing a ten-thousand-year herb was much harder than growing a third-grade one, which was why a five-hundred-year first-grade mid-rank Blood Ginseng was sufficient for a second-grade evolution. With his current cultivation speed, he couldn't support the "mass production" of second-grade bees anyway. Thus, until he reached Foundation Establishment, he had little hope of evolving the swarm.
Currently, the only one with a chance to reach the second grade before him was Yaya. However, Yaya was at the peak of the first grade. Despite its tireless refinement of solar power, there were no signs of a breakthrough. Qi Ping knew better than to rush.
While spirit beasts could be forced to breakthrough with massive amounts of herbs, doing so would rob them of the chance to temper their bloodline, ensuring they would never break through their innate limits. Qi Ping had high hopes for Yaya and would not engage in such short-sighted behavior. He only gave Yaya fire-attribute honey occasionally, letting it spend most of its time sensing and absorbing solar power. Solar power was the highest level of energy Yaya could currently touch.
He was waiting for the day Yaya would tell him:
"Gah gah! (Boss! I'm about to break through, I need a lot of fire honey!)"
That would be the moment he would go into a farming frenzy to help it shatter the grade bottleneck.
With the swarm complete, Qi Ping settled into a routine of cultivation and farming. When bored, he would tend to flowers or walk through the mountain range to sense the thousand-year-old trees or observe the bizarre plants of the cultivation world. When he found plants or flowers he liked, he brought them back.
Slowly, Peaks 28 and 29 grew vibrant. He even encountered small animals—squirrels, sparrows, white cranes—that grew fond of him. He brought some back. They weren't spirit beasts, just ordinary animals with a bit of spiritual energy, but they made the peaks feel alive. He didn't contract them; he just let them live there. They found their own food and played with him when he was free.
'It's starting to feel like a home!'
Looking at the lively peaks, Qi Ping felt a sense of belonging. From a strange land to a familiar home, every corner had been built by him and his companions.
'Now I just need to bring Old Man Zhou back.'
A bustling peak, a small courtyard, some good wine and food... he felt the old man would love it here. It would be a perfect place to spend his final years.
'Unfortunately, it's too chaotic right now. Bringing him back would be a disaster. I hope the chaos ends in a year or two.'
He had wanted to send a swarm and some honey to the old man, but he didn't know where he was. When the old man left, they had agreed he should stay away from people and hide in a remote mortal village.
'But I gave him plenty of stones and honey; he should be fine for four or five years. Given the intensity of the conflict, the chaos should end in two or three.'
Sister Nan visited him once to deliver matured Spirit-Nurturing Fruits. She was stunned by the comfortable atmosphere. She hadn't expected him to manage the peaks so well in such a short time.
The Fire-Glow Honey was being produced in batches. Without the swarm to occupy his energy, his supply was abundant. Under its effects, his physical strength soared. Within half a month, he reached the point where the Explosive Flame Movement no longer caused internal damage.
On the fiftieth day after slaying the twins, a message finally arrived from Meng Yan:
[Brother Qi, the information regarding the spirit-soul attribute spirit beasts you require has been gathered!]