When the Queen broke through her golden cocoon, Qi Ping was stunned. The change was radical!
First, her size had doubled, growing to nearly the size of a human fist. A bee of this size could deliver a sting that would be devastating. Second, her appearance had changed significantly. Previously, she was mostly gold with black-gold rings on her abdomen and gilded wings. Now, the colors were reversed; she was primarily black-gold with a few golden rings. Her wings had lost their gilded sheen and were now almost completely transparent.
She looked much more understated, but her pressure and aura were far stronger. With a single glance, Qi Ping could see her extraordinary lethality. He had seen many demon insects, but except for the Demon Insect King, none could compare to the Queen before him. She likely stood at the very peak of first-rank spirit insects.
His communication with the Queen confirmed his suspicions.
"Congratulations on the successful mutation! How do you feel?"
"Buzz buzz... (I feel wonderful, Boss!)"
"Buzz buzz... (Thanks to your full support, I was able to complete the promotion so smoothly!)"
The Golden Marrow Queen's voice was full of joy. Her promotion was a fundamental upgrade for the entire swarm. It was hard to imagine that in such a short time under Qi Ping's leadership, their swarm had reached this level. To them, Qi Ping was an unfathomably powerful master.
"Can you sense the changes in your bloodline abilities?"
"Buzz buzz... (I can, Boss!)"
"Buzz buzz... (My overall ability types haven't changed much, but everything has been enhanced. I've inherited the traits of all four specialized variants: the blade-wings, the carapace defense, the stinger strength, and the lethal poison. Additionally, my strength, flight speed, and agility have all increased.)"
"Buzz buzz... (The brewing talent saw the biggest boost; I'm currently at about seventy to eighty percent of a Brewer Pot-bellied Bee's level. The blade-wings significantly boosted my flight speed, and the carapace and stinger are much stronger.)"
Hearing this, Qi Ping understood her situation. With her monarch's perception, her judgment was likely accurate.
Her mutation was nothing short of "Exquisite!" She had inherited eighty percent of the brewing talent and excelled in the other three combat traits. She was now a "perfect soldier"—possessing speed, attack power, strength, and defense with no weaknesses. Such a mutation was considered top-tier even in the manuals.
More importantly, the larvae she produced now—whether they became Ink-Armor, Ring-cutter, Toxic, Brewer, or Balanced Bees—would all be stronger because of her superior bloodline. His future army would be even more terrifying than the first generation!
If Qi Ping had any doubts about ten thousand bees killing a Foundation Establishment expert before, he was now certain they could do it. However, the most exciting part was the swarm's potential. Since the Queen had integrated these traits, her future Balanced Bee offspring would inherit them. When Qi Ping eventually pushed those Balanced Bees to undergo their own secondary mutations, their potential and evolved forms would be vastly superior!
'From this day on, this Queen is an irreplaceable treasure of this swarm.'
'According to the cultivation manual, a queen in such a perfect state is extremely rare.'
Once the swarm evolved to the second rank, their strength would truly explode. Foundation Establishment experts would no longer be a myth; they would be entities that could be worn down by numbers.
Qi Ping took a deep breath. 'Steady, stay steady!'
The closer he got to success, the more cautious he had to be. He couldn't afford a single mistake.
'To raise so many second-rank bees later, I'll need more high-grade spirit herbs. My cultivation must keep up, and I need to use Plant Growth more frequently. Otherwise, I won't be able to provide the resources they need for growth.'
'I must take it one step at a time. I'll follow the original plan to expand the swarm first and secure the power to rival Foundation Establishment.'
'Researching the honey recipe, contracting a new companion, studying honey for late-stage Qi Refinement, and helping the Crow grow... I must do all of these things properly.'
He told the Queen to pace the expansion so his herb production could keep up, then returned to the ancient pine to cultivate in peace. He calmed his heart and planned his next steps, considering every possible risk. With the chaos in Qingshi County, he didn't want a single oversight to ruin his steady progress.
Once the expansion problem was solved, Qi Ping returned to his tranquil life of farming and cultivation. Because the Queen was producing larvae at an incredible rate, he had to spend more time on Blood Ginseng production. This would only last for about two months until the Hundred-Spirit Grass matured and took over the food supply.
However, he began to notice a new issue: the Sun-Ginseng Honey and Fire Spirit Tempering Honey were no longer meeting the requirements of the late stage of Qi Refinement.
'My cultivation speed is much slower than it was during the middle stage.'
This was expected; after all, he was using mid-grade first-rank herbs. They were legendary for the early stage and perfect for the middle stage, but they were too weak for the late stage. The spiritual intensity simply wasn't enough.
'It seems I need to find high-grade first-rank herbs and research new honey recipes.'
The Crimson Lotus Fruits he got from the talisman cultivator had no seeds, so he would have to find another way.