After several rounds of testing and confirmation, Qi Ping was now entirely certain that the boost Coal Ball added to his body had indeed reached the normal level of an early-stage Golden Core cultivator!
"This Beast King True Body is quite formidable!"
Qi Ping had not expected that Coal Ball alone would grant him strength comparable to an early-stage Golden Core cultivator!
Next, Qi Ping sensed carefully again and discovered that the strength provided by the bees was also significant.
"The total strength added by the bees is roughly the same as a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. This is already nearly equivalent to a power perfectly matching the bees' realm..."
He then closed his eyes to observe and sense in detail, discovering that approximately ten thousand bees could provide him with strength.
This did not disappoint Qi Ping; instead, it made him very satisfied.
If he could wait for the bees to break through to the third rank—perhaps the mid-rank of the third rank—couldn't the bees directly grant him strength equivalent to a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator?
Although nurturing a large number of bees was not easy, the value they brought was already exceptionally high. Qi Ping now had yet another reason to nurture his bees.
Aside from the boost from the bees and Coal Ball, the strength provided by his other animal companions was currently negligible.
"However, the Li-Fire Crow and the Hundred-Eyed Flower Demon are not far from breaking through to the third rank. Soon, they will be able to provide an even stronger boost for the Beast King True Body!"
Thinking of this, Qi Ping's eyes were full of anticipation.
At the same time, he could not help but sigh with emotion:
"Only a Beast King Druid with the Beast King True Body can be considered a complete Beast King Druid!"
"Now, the name 'Beast King' is truly worthy of the title!"
After obtaining the Beast King True Body talent, all of Qi Ping's previous efforts in nurturing his animal companions exploded with value at this moment!
What a Beast King Druid!
After testing the power of Beast King True Body, Qi Ping turned his gaze toward the Earth-Vein Ants.
He had not forgotten the Earth-Vein Ants he had rescued over two years ago. Having just upgraded to a Level 9 Druid, he happened to have gained a new contract slot for an animal companion.
Thus, Qi Ping immediately went underground to find the Earth-Vein Ants resting within the leyline.
Because the Earth-Vein Ants had not yet completed their contract, Qi Ping had not brought them back to his territory, so finding them took some time.
Upon finding them, Qi Ping discovered that under the resource supply he provided, they had recovered very well. The colony had even added about two hundred new members, looking much more vibrant than when only thirty members remained.
"Squeak... (Boss, it's been a long time since I saw you!)"
Seeing Qi Ping, the Earth-Vein Ant King immediately greeted him happily.
Qi Ping was not only the benefactor who had saved their colony but had also provided a large amount of resources and spirit liquid for their recovery and the nurturing of new members. This kindness was as heavy as a mountain.
Looking at the Earth-Vein Ant King, who had regained its domineering and heroic posture, Qi Ping was also happy.
In Qi Ping's eyes, the dullness on the Earth-Vein Ants' bodies had faded, replaced by a heavy color like the essence of the earth. Their bodies were inlaid with golden patterns that flowed like leylines, and their eyes were as fierce as molten gold.
However, the most eye-catching thing was that they were covered by an extremely pure earth power. Sensing carefully, it seemed a force from the earth was favoring them.
As expected of a race favored by the earth, just as the Nine-Colored Deer bloodline was favored by the forest.
[Species: Earth-Vein Ant]
[Bloodline: Special Spirit Beast. Bloodline abilities grow stronger as the leyline strengthens. Current bloodline rank is mid-rank of the third rank.]
[Talents: Earth-Vein Spirit Body, Earth-Vein Favor, Earth Divine Technique]
Earth-Vein Spirit Body: A special spirit beast born relying on leylines. The strength of the spirit body increases with the strength of the leyline. Possesses extremely high earth-attribute talent and affinity for earth-attribute power.
Earth-Vein Favor: A special spirit beast favored by leylines. Near a leyline, they obtain a powerful boost to all attributes, their recovery speed is greatly increased, and they gain the 'undying physical body' trait.
Earth Divine Technique: Born with mastery over earth spells. Earth-attribute warp, defense, and attack spells are rooted in their bloodline.
[Evaluation: This is a spirit beast with a symbiotic relationship with leylines. Their talent and strength grow with the leyline but weaken if the leyline is damaged.]
After finding the Earth-Vein Ants, Qi Ping did not delay and immediately began the contract ceremony.
When the ceremony officially started and Qi Ping's consciousness entered that special talent space, he unhesitatingly chose the Earth-Vein Spirit Body, which possessed earth-attribute cultivation talent.
Among these talents, the Earth Divine Technique was not of much use to Qi Ping. The all-attribute boost and undying physical body trait from Earth-Vein Favor were decent, but the path Qi Ping walked was to give birth to all things through the Yin-Yang and Five Elements. Only the Earth-Vein Spirit Body, being an earth-attribute spirit body, was his best choice.
As a stream of insights regarding the Earth-Vein Spirit Body surfaced in his heart, Qi Ping cast aside distracting thoughts and focused on his comprehension!
After some time, Qi Ping finally completely digested the Earth-Vein Spirit Body talent!
When he woke from his meditation, he immediately sensed the earth-attribute spiritual energy and Law of Earth that were now incomparably attuned to him. The entire earth seemed to be cheering and jumping for joy for him!
"The fourth of the Five Elements Spirit Bodies is finally successful!"
Li-Fire Body, Golden Stone Physique, Monarch of Waters, and now the Earth-Vein Spirit Body!
He had gathered four of the Five Elements Spirit Bodies!
Furthermore, every single spirit body was rare and extraordinary! The Li-Fire Crow had the Golden Crow bloodline, the little immortal tiger had the Bai Ze bloodline, the little stone essence was a Primordial Stone Spirit, and the Earth-Vein Ant's bloodline was favored by the earth's leylines...
"Now, I only need one wood-attribute spirit body to completely gather the Five Elements Spirit Bodies!"
Qi Ping had a premonition that once he achieved all five, his talent and combat power would undergo an earth-shattering transformation. This would be the Five Elements Perfection, reaching the peak of every single element!
"But even now, my wood-attribute cultivation talent is not poor. It is entirely sufficient to support my breakthrough to the Yin-Yang Golden Core!"
Qi Ping's strongest spiritual root was originally the wood spiritual root. Coupled with the fact that he had consumed many types of honey that enhanced wood-attribute talent and the boost from the Shepherd of Trees profession, the cumulative effect was not bad. It was only that it was still far from reaching the level of the Golden Crow bloodline.
"However, upgrading the Earth-Vein Ant's spirit body talent will be quite a bit of trouble..."
According to the Earth-Vein Ant King's inheritance memories, their ancestors had once reached the high-rank of the fourth rank. But with the continuous weakening of the Qingtian Domain, by its generation, their bloodline strength had dwindled to the mid-rank of the third rank.
In the future, the best way to increase the Earth-Vein Ants' talent and strength would be to resolve the formations and people plundering the leyline power and then enhance the Qingtian Domain's leylines. Under the leyline's boost, the Earth-Vein Ants' combat power would surely explode.
"Otherwise, I can only see if I can find earth-attribute spiritual items suitable for the Earth-Vein Ants' promotion..."
Thinking of this, Qi Ping immediately remembered the exchange permissions for the Qingyuan Sect's treasury.
Over a year ago, Wang He had secured the exchange permissions for the Qingyuan Sect's treasury for Qi Ping. However, Qi Ping had been busy raising his Druid level at the time and had not paid much attention to it.
"I wonder if the Qingyuan Sect's treasury has anything suitable for the Earth-Vein Ants?"
Qi Ping felt that a sect that had been passed down for over ten thousand years should have some surprises.
"It's also a good chance to see if there are items suitable for my breakthrough to the Golden Core stage inside."