Wait… I’m a Druid in a Cultivation World?! - Chapter 56

Qiping remained in his Swift-Cutting Bee form, ready to flee at any moment…

But after nearly two days of this, his patience was wearing thin.

“Is this woman out of her mind?”

“If she can’t find what she’s looking for, why won’t she just leave?”

He estimated that another wave of demonic insects would arrive within a day. If the woman in blue dealt with them, fine—but if they reached his Blood Ginseng plot, not only might they trigger unforeseen changes, but the secrets of that place could also be exposed.

This was even worse than wasting his time.

“What should I do?”

After observing for two days, Qiping was certain the woman was searching for the black-robed cultivator.

Thankfully, he had already disposed of the body.

Perhaps because the black-robed cultivator’s aura had vanished here, the woman kept lingering around Peak Seven, refusing to leave.

Just as Qiping was weighing his options, Manager Zhu suddenly hurried up the mountain. Under the woman’s questioning, he gestured around the area before eventually departing.

This was the last straw. Hiding any longer wouldn’t solve anything.

“Time to face this head-on.”

“First, I’ll suppress my aura and follow Manager Zhu—maybe I can overhear something useful.”

“If that doesn’t work, I’ll have to confront the woman directly. She doesn’t seem hostile, but I’d better prepare for the worst.”

With Ink-Armor Bees and [Tier 3 Bark Armor], he could withstand attacks even from Swift-Cutting Bees. As long as he stayed ready to transform, the woman wouldn’t be able to harm him quickly. The remaining five hundred Swift-Cutting Bees would also be on standby for combat.

[Bark Armor] worked by forming a tough, bark-like layer of energy over his skin. Combined with the Ink-Armor Bees’ natural defenses, even Swift-Cutting Bees would struggle to pierce through.

With an additional one hundred and fifty Swift-Cutting Bees matured over the past few days, Qiping felt confident in handling the situation.

His initial reluctance to engage had simply been to avoid unnecessary trouble. But now that Manager Zhu was involved, staying hidden might only invite greater complications.

…..

Following Manager Zhu yielded little—the man didn’t have a habit of muttering to himself. However, Qiping noticed Zhu’s expression held only mild confusion, not fear or agitation. This suggested the situation wasn’t as dire as he’d worried.

Relieved, Qiping spent the next hour refining his approach before finally making his way back to Peak Seven from a distant location.

Upon returning, he immediately busied himself inspecting his black bees, his expressions shifting seamlessly from urgency to relief, then to satisfaction at the honey yield. It wasn’t an act—these were genuine emotions he’d experienced countless times before.

As he tended to the hive, the woman in blue suddenly appeared nearby, her inscrutable gaze fixed on the dark compass in her hand. Disappointment flickered across her face when it showed no reaction to Qiping.

Startled, Qiping turned and—upon recognizing the Qingyuan Sect insignia on her robes—quickly bowed in deference.

“Esteemed cultivator! This lowly one is Qiping. How may I serve the Qingyuan Sect?”

Though she looked younger than him, her cultivation level marked her as a future Foundation Establishment expert—possibly even Golden Core. Addressing her as “esteemed cultivator” was only proper.

“You lease this mountain? How long have you been here?” Her tone was calm, devoid of the arrogance he’d expected from a sect disciple.

“Replying to you, esteemed cultivator—my master and I have tended bees here for over five years. But with the bandits and demonic insects, he returned to the mortal world half a month ago.”

Qiping kept his fists clenched, his posture tense.

The woman motioned for him to relax. “There’s no need for nerves. Just answer truthfully.”

“Y-yes, esteemed cultivator!”

Despite his words, Qiping’s body remained rigid, as if too nervous to unwind. Seeing this, the woman didn’t press further.

“Where have you been these past few days?”

One question followed another, each met with carefully rehearsed answers that left no room for suspicion.

After repeatedly activating her compass and finding no anomalies, the woman finally said:

“I’ve been tracking a late-stage Qi Refining bandit. His trail ends here. He controls demonic insects and is extremely dangerous.”

“If he’s still nearby, your life may be at risk. You should leave. However—” Her voice sharpened. “If you help me find him, I’ll pay you two thousand spirit stones.” She produced a jade talisman. “Crush this, and I’ll come immediately.”

“Two thousand?!” Qiping’s eyes widened.

Damn, sect disciples really are rich!

But what could the black-robed cultivator have possessed that was worth this much? The man’s stash—less than a thousand spirit stones, the [Woodflame Art], and the [Fire Spirit Body-Tempering Pill] recipe—was valuable to Qiping, but surely insignificant to an inner disciple like her.

The only possibility was that eerie token.

After a long pause, Qiping accepted the talisman. “Esteemed cultivator, I’ll assist you.”

“Good.” She raised a hand skyward. “I swear on my status as a Qingyuan Sect disciple that I will not deceive you in this matter.”

With that oath, she left.

Qiping was stunned.

Cultivators never swore lightly—even minor oath-breaking risked creating inner demons.

“Whatever that bandit had, it must be crucial to her.”

Yet he had no intention of collecting those two thousand stones. The entanglements would be more trouble than they were worth.

…..

For the next day, Qiping lived exactly as a beekeeper would—a routine he knew intimately after five years. The woman observed him covertly before finally departing.

“Thankfully she left before the demonic insects arrived.”

After dispatching the insects and disposing of their remains, Qiping exhaled in relief. Had she stayed any longer, his secrets might have been exposed.

With those wasted days behind him, his peaceful farming and beekeeping life resumed.

“Now this is the life.”

No schemes, no battles—just steady progress.

…..

A little over a week later, a surge of spiritual energy marked Qiping’s breakthrough to the fourth level of Qi Refining.

“Finally—mid-stage Qi Refining!”

The advancement improved his physical condition and even extended his lifespan slightly. The satisfaction of inching closer to immortality was… refreshing.

“Now that I’ve broken through and have eight hundred Swift-Cutting Bees, it’s time to visit Bluestone Market.”

A new animal companion had been on his mind for ages. With ample spirit stones and the strength to protect himself, he was determined to find the perfect candidate this time.

“I hope Boss Gao comes through. After all this time investigating, he should know every spirit beast for sale in that market.”

Qiping trusted Gao’s intelligence network. For the right price, the man could probably uncover the color of any female cultivator’s undergarments.

“Let’s hope for a pleasant surprise.”

Preparations complete, Qiping set out for Bluestone Market, anticipation burning in his chest…