Wait… I’m a Druid in a Cultivation World?! - Chapter 11

After watching Old Zhou return home, Qi Ping deliberately left twenty Gold Marrow Bees hidden around the courtyard as guards.

Given Old Zhou’s current level of vigilance, a bandit could waltz right in without him noticing. So, for his safety, Qi Ping thought it best to station the bees as lookouts.

In the past, Qi Ping hadn’t had the means—he’d relied on Old Zhou’s protection to raise bees, make a living, and earn spirit stones. But now that he had some strength of his own, it was only right to do what he could in return.

With these twenty Gold Marrow Bees, they could not only warn Old Zhou and Qi Ping of danger in advance but also assist in combat if needed.

Once the bees were in place, Qi Ping hurried back to the ancient pine tree.

…..

Beneath the towering pine, the Black Dwarf Bees were still flying about in chaos, their agitation even worse than before.

Qi Ping guessed it was because they had caught the scent of the Gold Marrow Bees earlier.

“Buzz… (Danger… danger!)”
“Buzz… (The smell… of big golden bees!)”
“Buzz… (Scared!)”

A wave of unease spread through the swarm.

When they spotted Qi Ping, they turned to him with curious, pleading gazes. They remembered—he had gone to deal with those big bees!

“Buzz… (Kind two-legged one!)”

The two bold bees that had led Qi Ping deep into the mountains earlier flew out from the swarm and landed on his shoulders—only to immediately flinch back in alarm.

“Buzz… (Golden… big bee smell!)”
“Buzz… (Scared!)”

Qi Ping found their skittishness both amusing and exasperating. He quickly explained the situation to the Black Dwarf Bees to ease their worries—otherwise, they might stop gathering nectar altogether!

He still needed their honey for income, after all.

The Blood Ginseng and Gold Marrow Bees were too conspicuous for now. Letting them circulate on the market so soon would be far too risky.

“Don’t worry. The Gold Marrow Bees are my allies now—they won’t harm you!”

After repeating this a few times, the swarm finally understood.

“Buzz… (Really? Wow!)”
“Buzz… (Two-legged one, you’re amazing!)”

Once they learned the Gold Marrow Bees were Qi Ping’s companions, the Black Dwarf Bees actually stopped being afraid. They had an inexplicable trust in his words.

If Qi Ping said it was true, then it had to be true!

Qi Ping hadn’t expected them to believe him so easily. He’d thought it would take more convincing.

“Looks like the prestige of a Beast King Druid just keeps rising!”

When it came to simple creatures like bees, the influence of a Beast King Druid was truly formidable.

Next, Qi Ping summoned the Gold Marrow Bees from his body and introduced them to the Black Dwarf Bees.

At first, the Black Dwarf Bees still trembled instinctively—such fear was ingrained in their blood. But with Qi Ping present, they gradually calmed down and soon adjusted to the Gold Marrow Bees’ presence.

The two boldest Black Dwarf Bees even dared to approach the Gold Marrow Bees after getting permission, sniffing cautiously before darting back like lightning.

The sight of their “all bravado, no bravery” act made Qi Ping chuckle.

Suddenly remembering something, Qi Ping poured out a few drops of Gold Marrow Honey and gave half to each of the two bold bees.

For Black Dwarf Bees, this was an incredibly rare delicacy!

The moment they received it, their tiny bodies quivered with excitement.

But to Qi Ping’s surprise, instead of consuming it themselves, the two bees proudly carried the honey to their queen.

At first, Qi Ping was puzzled, but then he understood.

For bees, the prosperity of their colony was everything. The greatest honor for any individual was to contribute to the swarm.

For these two, bringing such precious honey to their queen was the most meaningful and joyous thing they could do.

Qi Ping didn’t interfere. He respected their choice.

Every living being had its own way.

Gifting the honey had been his choice.

The bees giving it to their queen was theirs.

And in the end, everyone was happy.

After a moment’s thought, Qi Ping poured a few more drops for the Black Dwarf Queen.

To him and the Gold Marrow Bees, this amount was trivial—but for the Black Dwarf Queen, it could strengthen her and the next generation’s bloodline.

This would significantly improve the quality of their honey in the future.

“Finally, the Black Dwarf Bees’ agitation is fully resolved!”

With one less problem on his hands, Qi Ping was pleased.

“With the Plant Growth skill and a steady supply of Blood Ginseng, the quality and yield of Gold Marrow Honey will keep increasing. It should be more than enough for my cultivation needs.”

“I should also prepare some for Old Zhou later. Maybe it’ll help him break through again and extend his lifespan a little…”

With the bee situation settled, Qi Ping ventured back into the depths of the Misty Cloud Mountains.

Deep in the mountains, under the buff of the Forest Druid, his cultivation would be more efficient—especially for sensing wood-attribute spiritual energy and practicing wood-based techniques like the Wooden Shield Technique.

Training here would serve multiple purposes.

…..

High up in the branches of an ancient fir tree, Qi Ping sat cross-legged. Around him, about a hundred Gold Marrow Bees stood guard, hidden among the foliage.

He had chosen this spot not only because it was confirmed safe but also because the tree radiated a stronger wood-attribute energy.

This made it ideal for absorbing spiritual energy and comprehending the Wooden Shield Technique.

The Wooden Shield Technique was a wood-attribute cultivation method Old Zhou had stumbled upon in his youth. It specialized in defense, producing spiritual energy with exceptional protective qualities.

Qi Ping quite liked its principles—but it was notoriously difficult to master. Even after a long time, he had only barely grasped the basics.

“Hopefully, this time I can make some progress in comprehension…”

“Let’s begin.”

With everything ready, Qi Ping swallowed a mouthful of Gold Marrow Honey.

Instantly, a rich, sweet fragrance filled his mouth—far superior to Black Dwarf Honey, with just the right balance of sweetness and aroma.

Perhaps because its main ingredient was Blood Ginseng, the honey carried a unique herbal note.

This is exactly why I can’t sell it yet. Anyone familiar with honey would recognize the scent of Blood Ginseng.

As the honey settled in his stomach, an overwhelming surge of spiritual energy and blood essence erupted within him.