“A late-stage Qi Refining black-robed cultivator… leading a swarm of late-stage first-tier demonic insects… heading toward the blood ginseng’s growing location, just like the previous swarm?”
“And now there’s a cultivator involved too?”
The appearance of this cultivator made Qi Ping uneasy.
Demonic insects were one thing, but a cultivator controlling them was another.
In Qi Ping’s eyes, cultivators were far more troublesome than demonic insects.
If handled poorly, this could lead to stirring up a whole nest of cultivators—especially since this one had already encroached on Qi Ping’s territory. Disposing of the body would be even more complicated.
“Luckily, with the second-generation High-Speed Bladehorn Bees I cultivated today, I now have nearly four hundred mature ones. Given their combat strength, this shouldn’t be a big problem.”
“First, I’ll use Wild Transformation to turn into a High-Speed Bladehorn Bee and scout the situation!”
As always, the plan was simple: scout first, fight if possible, flee if necessary.
Qi Ping had been eagerly anticipating the use of Wild Transformation, and now, the moment had finally arrived.
“Wild Transformation—High-Speed Bladehorn Bee!”
As Qi Ping willed a surge of peculiar energy to envelop his body, his form rapidly shifted. In the blink of an eye, he had transformed into a High-Speed Bladehorn Bee!
The Bladehorn Bees nearby were utterly stunned.
“Buzz… (Boss?)” one asked in disbelief.
“Buzz… (Boss, how did you turn into one of us?)”
They could clearly sense that Qi Ping’s transformed state was identical to theirs—same size, same aura, same appearance. There was no discernible difference.
But wasn’t their boss a two-legged human? How had he become a bee?
At first, Qi Ping’s mind was also in a daze after the transformation.
The difference between a High-Speed Bladehorn Bee and a human body was enormous—perspective, movement, instincts—everything felt drastically different.
Fortunately, the Bladehorn Bee’s body didn’t feel entirely foreign to him. Instead, there was an odd sense of familiarity, whether in flight, combat, or adapting to his new vision. This was likely one of the innate traits of [Wild Transformation].
After a while, Qi Ping gradually adjusted to his new form.
Facing the bewildered stares of his bee subordinates, he finally responded:
“This is a new ability I’ve awakened—I can take on the form of any of you. The transformation is flawless in perception, size, and aura.”
“Buzz… (Wow… Boss, this ability is amazing!)”
“Buzz… (Yeah! I never imagined the boss could turn into one of us. This is incredible! As expected of the boss!)”
Faced with this unbelievable power, nearly all the bees erupted in admiration.
Truly, Qi Ping was their boss for a reason!
“Alright, alright. First, let’s check out the enemy. We need to assess their strength. All High-Speed Bladehorn Bees, prepare for battle!”
“Buzz… (Yes, Boss!)”
Led by the scout bee, Qi Ping swiftly flew toward the enemy’s location.
However, when he glanced back at the pile of clothes and the storage bag left on the ground, he couldn’t help but sigh.
Wild Transformation only altered his body—his belongings, like clothes and storage pouches, remained behind.
“Looks like from now on, I’ll have to stash non-essential items in a safe place, guarded by the swarm. Otherwise, if I need to flee in a hurry, I might not have time to grab my clothes or storage ring…”
The storage bag was too bulky for the Golden Marrow Bees. A storage ring would be far more convenient. If danger arose, a few bees could carry it away in advance.
“Also, when I revert to my human form, I’ll be naked. Guess I’ll need to prepare spare sets of clothes.”
These were minor limitations of Wild Transformation, but not deal-breakers. Once he got a storage ring, things would be much smoother.
Besides, Qi Ping rarely ventured out anyway. He could just have the Golden Marrow Bees bury his valuables deep underground and guard them. Even a Golden Core cultivator’s divine sense wouldn’t be able to detect them.
Overall, while Wild Transformation had some inconveniences, they didn’t overshadow its brilliance.
As Qi Ping flew alongside the Golden Marrow Bees, he quickly adapted to the Bladehorn Bee’s movements.
Precision combat might still require practice, but flying and escaping were no issue now.
“So fast!” he marveled inwardly, feeling the wind rush past him.
The High-Speed Bladehorn Bee lived up to its name—its wings were super-enhanced, and with its innate [Wind’s Extreme Speed] talent, few first-tier late-stage spirit beasts or insects could match its velocity.
Following the scout bee, Qi Ping soon arrived at the mountain’s base, where the enemy came into view.
“First-tier late-stage Bloodgrudge Mosquitoes… and first-tier late-stage Rotwater Flies.”
“A seventh-level Qi Refining black-robed cultivator.”
After assessing the enemy’s strength, Qi Ping relaxed slightly.
These two types of demonic insects were indeed formidable—highly venomous, fast, with piercing mouthparts capable of penetrating even tough defenses. An ordinary late-stage Qi Refining cultivator, facing hundreds or even thousands of them, could easily be poisoned to death with a single misstep.
Even some defensive-type first-tier late-stage demonic insects would fall to their numbers.
But for Qi Ping, these pests were perfectly countered by the High-Speed Bladehorn Bees. The Bladehorn Bees were faster, and their razor-sharp wings could slice through the enemy’s weak defenses. It was a hard counter.
Even if the swarm exceeded a thousand, Qi Ping wasn’t worried.
As for the black-robed cultivator at the seventh level of Qi Refining—Qi Ping’s Golden Marrow Bees had already killed cultivators of that tier before, and the High-Speed Bladehorn Bees were far stronger.
Having confirmed the situation, Qi Ping wasted no time. It was time to fight.
*”The 350 High-Speed Bladehorn Bees trained in battle formations will attack in formation. The newly hatched ones will provide support from the flanks and rear.”*
Qi Ping relayed the battle plan through their shared mental link.
“Buzz… (Understood, Boss!)”
As Qi Ping prepared for battle, the black-robed cultivator remained cautious, hiding behind his swarm of insects.
When he had followed the demonic insects’ senses here, his Bloodgrudge Mosquitoes and Rotwater Flies had detected a hidden, powerful breed of bees.
The sheer threat they posed made even his controlled swarm wary.
Fortunately, the bees hadn’t attacked yet, allowing the cultivator to relax slightly as he surveyed the area.
Whatever the demonic insects had sensed might be what the alliance was searching for—he had to find it.
But before he could fully assess the situation, hundreds of those dreaded bees suddenly emerged from all directions, swiftly forming into strange, organized formations…
