Cloud Mist Mountain Range, Area C, Peak 36.
In front of a courtyard built by Qi Ping and Old Man Zhou, hundreds of flowers were in full bloom. A swarm of Green Slave Bees and Black Honeybees were busy collecting nectar. Some of the black bees buzzed over to greet Qi Ping as he arrived.
These were the same black bees he had raised back on Peak 7 of Area D. They had followed Old Man Zhou for half a lifetime, then were raised by Qi Ping, and had finally returned to Zhou's hands. Over the years, the queens and workers had all been replaced through generations. Even the two 'iron-headed' bees that had led Qi Ping to find the Golden Marrow Bees had long since passed away. The only change was that the colony was much larger and had become the finest breed of Black Honeybees.
Entering the yard, Qi Ping saw three people sitting together. One was a white-haired elder radiating the aura of old age, yet his face was full of smiles. One was a middle-aged man who had seen much of the world, with strands of white now appearing in his dark hair. The last was a woman who had grown more mature and graceful, radiating a calm, detached aura.
On the familiar sandalwood table were jars of honey, a pot of Golden-Feathered Chicken soup, and a plate of spirit-attuning fruits, along with some rare delicacies. These three were Old Man Zhou, Wang Shan, and Nan-jie.
"Xiao Qi, you're here!" Nan-jie smiled. She was always happy to see him.
"What good wine did you bring this time?" Wang Shan asked, looking over. It was clear Qi Ping was a frequent visitor.
Old Man Zhou didn't say much; he just happily gestured for Qi Ping to sit. There was a fourth seat prepared—the same stool Qi Ping had used years ago. It was weathered and worn, made by Zhou himself when he first 'picked up' Qi Ping.
Though the old man said nothing, everyone could see he was the happiest. Having a successful disciple who brought him his favorite wine was something anyone would be proud of.
"Old Zhou... Nan-jie... Brother Shan!" Qi Ping laughed, pulling a jar of century-old vintage from the Skyfire Region out of his storage bag. As the seal broke, a rich, intoxicating aroma filled the air.
"Good wine! I'll have to borrow Old Zhou's luck to have a few cups today..." Wang Shan marveled. Old Man Zhou's nose twitched; for an old drunkard like him, one sniff was enough to know its quality.
Nan-jie served Qi Ping a bowl of chicken soup with a large drumstick. "Drink less! You'll ruin your health."
The scene was one of joy. They only gathered like this occasionally now. Having survived the terrifying war and the demonic insect plague, they understood the value of life and simple living. Each had their own story—Zhou had returned to the mortal world for a time, Wang Shan had seen the great clans fall until the mountains were made of corpses...
Fortunately, it was over. Wang Shan's son had grown up; he was now at the third level of Qi Refinement. Not a genius, but decent enough, and he had the gift of innate divine strength. Old Zhou and Nan-jie had emerged from their hiding spots after the war to rent some land. They knew they had no hope of immortality, so having a career and a good life was enough. Qi Ping had arranged for them to be near Area C so they could look after one another.
Slowly, the habit of meeting every month or two had formed. Of the original dozen or so members of the Prosperity Society, only these four remained here. Fatty Zhou had gone back to being a mortal, Skinny Li Peng had vanished, and Meng Shanshan had gone mad after a demonic cultivator drained her cultivation. No one knew if they were dead or alive. This shared history of hardship made their friendship even more precious.
However, the conversation eventually turned heavy. The well-informed Wang Shan spoke first.
"Have you heard? Demonic cultivators have appeared in Qing Shi County. In the last month or two, many infants and children have gone missing. Rumor has it the demons are practicing some horrific art to try and reach Foundation Establishment. I've seen the parents; their crying is heartbreaking. Only a parent knows what it means to lose a child."
"I'd rather die myself than let anything happen to my boy. If it were my kid, I wouldn't know how to go on... bah, bah! Let me wash my mouth out! But it's not just infants anymore; young cultivators are disappearing too. Xiao Qi, you have to be careful."
Wang Shan urged him earnestly. Qi Ping was Old Zhou's only disciple and kin; if something happened to him, the old man wouldn't be able to take it. Zhou and Nan-jie, however, weren't that worried. A demon not even at Foundation Establishment trying to snatch Qi Ping? That was just delivering a snack. They didn't know his exact strength, but they knew he was far beyond a normal cultivator. Only Wang Shan was still in the dark.
Qi Ping nodded seriously. "Thank you for the warning, Brother Shan. I'll be careful. You should keep your boy hidden too, just in case."
"I've already told him," Wang Shan said happily. "But you don't need to worry too much. He was recently scouted by the Huishan Chamber of Commerce. They liked his innate strength. Under such a big tree, he should be fine."
"I see. Congratulations, Brother Shan! A toast to that!" Qi Ping drained his cup.
But while he smiled, his heart grew heavy. He remembered clearly that the Huishan Chamber of Commerce was on the Mysterious Black Market's bounty list. Because they were traveling merchants with no fixed location, he hadn't targeted them yet. To think they were using recruitment as a front to snatch the youth of Qing Shi County. Even Wang Shan's son had been 'selected.'
At that moment, the failure of his [Six-Ding Flame Snake Array] flashed through his mind. Linking the decline of Heaven and Earth power to the mass disappearance of children, Qi Ping understood everything!
The vitality of the land is directly tied to the prosperity of its inhabitants. The more vibrant the life, the more geniuses and spirit beasts, the stronger the land's power, which in turn breeds more spirit veins and treasures. The ancient era was so prosperous because the 'Luck' of the people fed the world.
The sudden weakening of the land's power meant that the 'Fortune' and 'Life Essence' of the people were being harvested as blood-food. What Qi Ping couldn't understand was: What is the Qing Yuan Sect doing? Are they abandoning their foundation? There's no way they don't know about this!
'How disgusting.'
Qi Ping felt that the Qing Yuan Sect was a joke. He used to think they were decent. If he ever reached the Five Elements Golden Core or Nascent Soul stage, he would make sure this region got a new master. If they kept destroying the region like this, it would become a wasteland, and his sanctuary in the Cloud Mist Mountains would be ruined.
He wasn't strong enough to change the world yet, but he was strong enough to butcher anyone laying a hand on the children of the Qing Tian Region. He might not be able to kill a Nascent Soul yet, but below that, he would kill as many as they sent! He didn't believe the Immortal Alliance could keep harvesting if all their claws were cut off.
'The Cloud-Dream Immortal Tiger is about to break through. With a bit of [Potential Ignition], I can push it to Rank 2. Then I can act.'
'Besides, if I kill all these villains, it should be enough to level up my [Grace of Heaven and Earth] again, right?'
With the luck of heaven and earth, the providence of an auspicious beast, the life-bound pact of a spirit tree, and the curse immunity of a Druid, Qi Ping's survival was guaranteed. He had already tested his Curse Immunity with the tiger; it could indeed block divination attempts on him and his companions.
The Bee Daoist could walk the world once more.