Upon learning that the enemy consisted of fifty Bone Wasps, Qi Ping’s expression darkened.
[Bone Wasp: A high-tier Rank 1 demonic insect. Its exoskeleton provides exceptional defense, its stinger carries deadly venom, and its mandibles are razor-sharp.]
Bone Wasps were genuine high-tier Rank 1 demonic insects, far more powerful than creatures like Blood-Armored Beetles, Crimson-Striped Locusts, or Thornspider Demons.
They excelled in defense, offense, and venom, and their speed was nothing to scoff at.
What made them even more formidable was their white exoskeleton—so durable that even a mid-tier Rank 1 Gold Marrow Bee couldn’t pierce it, even if the Bone Wasp stood still and let itself be attacked.
Their abdomens weren’t weak points either; their stingers were far deadlier than those of Gold Marrow Bees.
Bone Wasps were also two to three times larger than Gold Marrow Bees, with strength and speed far surpassing them. With both venomous stingers and razor-sharp mandibles capable of lethal strikes, their killing power was terrifying.
An ordinary Gold Marrow Bee would struggle to last even a single breath against a Bone Wasp.
The only weak point of a Bone Wasp was its eyes—slightly more vulnerable, giving Gold Marrow Bees just a slim chance to break through.
Another problem was that, as fellow wasps, Bone Wasps had strong resistance to each other’s venom. Given their own potent toxicity, they would naturally have even greater resistance to Gold Marrow Bee venom.
For the Gold Marrow Bees to win, they would need to fight in groups of at least twenty, battling desperately for even a chance at victory.
Even then, Qi Ping estimated that if his 1,300 Gold Marrow Bees clashed with fifty Bone Wasps, the losses could range from 500 to over 1,000.
The exact numbers were hard to predict—the power gap between mid-tier and high-tier Rank 1 creatures was simply too vast.
“Damn it! Just one more day, and my Razorwing Wasps would’ve been ready!” Qi Ping gritted his teeth in frustration.
Right now, the Razorwing Wasps’ organs weren’t fully developed, leaving them unable to fight effectively.
“Of all the times for this to happen… right on the last day before they mature!”
Backing down now would be unbearable.
He had already begun piecing together what might lie beneath the Blood Ginseng’s growing site.
Most likely, something hidden underground emitted a special signal every three days, summoning demonic insects. Qi Ping couldn’t tell whether this was some kind of mechanism or a living creature—but either way, if the area were overrun, not only would the spirit-rich land be ruined, but whatever lurked below might also unleash an unpredictable disaster.
And yet, his Razorwing Wasp swarm was just one day away from being combat-ready.
Over the past nine days, he had even gained 55 Druid experience points.
[Druid Level: Lv2 (83/200)] → [Druid Level: Lv2 (138/200)]
Now, just 62 more points stood between him and becoming a Level 3 Druid, unlocking the life-saving skill [Wildshape].
Even better, one of the Blood Ginseng plants had already reached a century of age!
If he could cultivate a fifty-year-old Shimmergrass next—which would only take four or five more days—he could brew another batch of Bloodline Mutagenic Elixir.
Using it to evolve his Gold Marrow Bees would undoubtedly push him straight to Level 3 Druid.
All he needed was about one more week.
But if he left now, who knew how much trouble he’d face finding another spirit-rich land suitable for growing Blood Ginseng and Shimmergrass?
Not to mention, he was deeply curious about whatever lay beneath the Blood Ginseng site. Once he unlocked [Wildshape], allowing him to transform into a Razorwing Wasp, any potential threats underground would become far less dangerous.
After all, who could possibly catch him if he scattered his consciousness across an entire swarm of Razorwing Wasps dispersed throughout the Mistveil Mountains?
Under these conditions, he might just have a shot at claiming whatever hidden opportunity lay below.
But if the Bone Wasps broke through today… everything would be ruined.
“In that case… we fight!”
With a surge of resolve, Qi Ping summoned his one and only first-generation Razorwing Wasp.
Originally, he had planned to never risk it in battle—as the first of its evolved bloodline, its strength was unmatched.
But now, he had no choice. Without it, even 1,300 Gold Marrow Bees might only achieve a pyrrhic victory… or even suffer defeat.
“At this point, there are already 600 Razorwing Wasps nearing maturity, plus larvae and newly bred drones. Even if something goes wrong, it’s within acceptable limits.”
“Besides, once the Gold Marrow Bees take another dose of the Bloodline Mutagenic Elixir, they might evolve into something even stronger!”
Having steeled his heart, Qi Ping accepted the risk—even if this first-generation Razorwing Wasp fell, they had to win this battle.
Turning to it, he instructed:
“When the other bees engage the Bone Wasps, seize the chance to cut through their bodies or slice off their wings. Prioritize your safety—do not face them head-on!”
Having decided to deploy it, Qi Ping gave meticulous orders.
Razorwing Wasps possessed three innate abilities: [Bladed Wings], [High-Speed Slash], and [Windrush]. Their strengths lay in speed and lethal cutting power—not defense.
While their defenses weren’t weak, they couldn’t withstand a swarm of Bone Wasps. If surrounded, they’d be in grave danger.
The best strategy was to have the Gold Marrow Bees distract the Bone Wasps while the Razorwing Wasp exploited its blinding speed to ambush enemies caught off-guard.
“Bzzz. (Don’t worry, Boss. Trust me—I’ve got this!)”
“Bzzz. (They don’t feel that strong anyway.)”
A large, razor-sharp wasp—far bigger than an ordinary Gold Marrow Bee—replied confidently, its voice brimming with killing intent.
Then, in a flash, it shot forward like a blade through the wind!
The moment the Razorwing Wasp approached, the Bone Wasps froze, their eyes locking onto it as if sensing a deadly threat.
“Is the Razorwing Wasp even stronger than I thought?”
Qi Ping was momentarily stunned.
It seemed he had underestimated it.
Seizing the opportunity, he immediately ordered the Gold Marrow Bees to attack in groups of twenty, launching a full assault while the Bone Wasps were distracted!
With the enemy’s attention split, this was the perfect moment to strike.
At his command, the Gold Marrow Bees surged forward in a battle formation, their coordinated advance far more imposing than their usual chaotic swarming.
Simultaneously, Qi Ping activated his skill—[Heart of the Wild]:
[Heart of the Wild: As a Beastmaster Druid, you can awaken the indomitable will and fury within your animal companions, enhancing their resolve, attack power, and speed.]
