Wait… I’m a Druid in a Cultivation World?! - Chapter 34

This round of evolution took noticeably longer—over two hours—before any signs of completion appeared.

Only after that did the remaining thirteen drones finally stabilize, their bodies and traits solidifying after the intense transformations.

The most surprising of all was the fifty-first drone, the one that had darted out at the last moment to consume the final drops of the bloodline mutation elixir.

Not only had it survived the deadliest first two phases, but it had also developed a trait none of the others possessed—wings.

Its wings were now almost completely transparent, nearly invisible to the naked eye.

But upon closer inspection with spiritual sense, one could detect an unbelievable toughness and a razor-sharp edge.

In fact, this single drone gave Qi Ping the strongest sense of danger out of all of them!

This was no small feat—Qi Ping was far from a rookie now. With the steady supply of Golden Marrow Bees, his cultivation had gradually approached the fourth level of Qi Refinement. Combined with the defenses of Bark Armor Technique and Wooden Shield Art, his combat prowess was nothing to scoff at.

Yet this single, still-evolving drone radiated such a lethal aura that it sent chills down his spine.

Just how powerful had this fifty-first drone become?

The thought filled Qi Ping with excitement, but he also silently prayed it would survive the final hurdle—rank advancement.

Aside from this wing-mutated drone, the remaining twelve fell into five distinct categories:

1. Five “Big-Bellied Bees” – Their bodies and abdomens had swollen significantly.

2. Four “Balanced Bees” – Exhibiting well-rounded enhancements, though their mandibles were slightly more pronounced.

3. Two “Venom Bees” – Their stingers had thickened considerably.

4. One “Blood Bee” – Its entire body was shrouded in a crimson glow.

Of these, the Big-Bellied Bees were the least promising.

According to the Demon Insect Breeding Manual, abdominal bloating was typically a stress mutation, a desperate adaptation to withstand the elixir’s violent energy. Such mutations were useless, and these bees usually died during advancement.

So Qi Ping held no expectations for them.

The Balanced Bees, however, were decent. While they lacked any standout traits, they preserved the Golden Marrow Bees’ core characteristics, making theirs the safest evolutionary path.

The Venom Bees were straightforward—enhanced toxicity.

“If you can’t win in a fight, just poison them!”

Qi Ping was quite fond of this mutation.

As for the Blood Bee, its condition was rare and puzzling. Since it was still mid-transformation and couldn’t communicate, Qi Ping had no idea what this mysterious change entailed.

“I hope at least a third of these thirteen succeed!”

The elixir’s formula stated that three to four successes per hundred insects was considered good.

So if even four or five of Qi Ping’s thirteen made it, that would already be remarkable.

Truthfully, thirteen out of fifty-one reaching this stage was far above average—likely due to two factors:

1. [Beast King’s Blessing] – Boosting evolution success rates.

2. Blood Ginseng Diet – The colony had been feeding on Blood Ginseng honey, improving their compatibility with the elixir (which used Blood Ginseng as its main ingredient).

This was why Qi Ping had dared to proceed with only enough elixir for fifty bees.

Now, the results proved his reasoning correct.

…..

As time crawled by, Qi Ping grew increasingly restless.

The surrounding 1,500+ bees mirrored his tension—their colony’s future hinged on this final step.

Then, under countless watchful eyes, the thirteen drones began their last leap—rank advancement to late-stage Rank 1!

Almost simultaneously, their auras surged to the peak of mid-stage Rank 1 before climbing further.

It had begun!

But barely moments in, disaster struck.

Boom!

The first Big-Bellied Bee exploded, unable to withstand the energy.

Qi Ping wasn’t surprised—these were doomed from the start.

Then came the second. The third. The fourth.

Just as he assumed the fifth would follow—

“Huh? It’s holding on?”

Qi Ping’s eyes narrowed.

For a while, no more deaths occurred, easing his nerves slightly.

“Not bad! Looks promising!”

But his relief was short-lived.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Four more explosions—two Balanced Bees and both Venom Bees—shattered into pieces.

Qi Ping’s heart sank.

His dream of a venomous bee army had just crumbled.

“This… really sucks.”

Then, as if fate wasn’t done mocking him—

Boom!

The Blood Bee burst apart.

Qi Ping’s mood hit rock bottom.

He’d had high hopes for that one!

Thankfully, the carnage ended there.

Soon, four stable, late-stage Rank 1 auras emerged triumphantly.

“Finally… success!”

Qi Ping exhaled in relief.

Statistically, four successes out of fifty-one was exceptional—far surpassing the elixir’s baseline.

Still, the losses of the Venom Bees and Blood Bee stung.

“At least the wing-mutated one made it!”

That drone’s lethal aura alone placed it at the top of the hierarchy.

Its blinding speed during the initial rush also hinted at terrifying combat potential.

“Two Balanced Bees surviving is decent too.”

Their well-rounded stats made them ideal for future evolutions.

But the real head-scratcher was the last Big-Bellied Bee.

“How did this one succeed when the manual says it’s near impossible?”

After careful observation, Qi Ping noticed something odd—

This bee’s mutation didn’t match the manual’s description of stress-induced failures.

“Could it have… actually evolved normally?”