At this moment, Qi Ping could clearly feel the emerald-green energy in his palm—a vitality so potent it was almost startling.
When he channeled this life-rich energy into one of the Blood Ginseng roots, the slightly withered plant immediately plumped up. The damage from the Golden Marrow Bees’ earlier sap extraction healed rapidly, vanishing without a trace.
Moreover, the ginseng grew visibly larger before his eyes. The change wasn’t dramatic, but it was undeniably extraordinary.
“Buzz… (Whoa, Boss, what did you just do?)”
“Buzz… (That’s incredible!)”
“Buzz… (How did you do that, Boss?!)”
Witnessing this miracle, the entire Golden Marrow Bee colony erupted in awe.
They had just finished harvesting sap from these very plants, yet under Qi Ping’s power, the ginseng not only recovered but thrived.
This ability defied their understanding!
Qi Ping patiently explained it as his unique talent. There was no need to hide such things from his animal companions.
“The effect is decent for a Level 1 [Plant Growth]. At higher levels, it’ll only get better,” he mused internally.
“It drains both spiritual energy and mental focus, but the cost is manageable. I can probably cast it a dozen times a day before exhausting my mental energy. My spiritual power, though… that’s the bottleneck.”
“The forest’s recovery boost should help, but either way, being stuck at Qi Refinement Level 1 is too limiting. I need to refine some Golden Marrow Honey to push my cultivation higher.”
Given how much Blood Ginsenz the bees had used, the honey’s effects would undoubtedly be remarkable.
Overall, Qi Ping was satisfied with [Plant Growth]’s performance.
While not flashy, its long-term potential was staggering—exactly the kind of steady, grindable power he appreciated.
As a veteran “grind lord” in games, Qi Ping didn’t just tolerate such mechanics; he reveled in them.
He proceeded to cast [Plant Growth] repeatedly on the other ginseng roots, each attempt yielding identical results.
On his fourth cast, a notification flashed in his mind:
[Druid Level EXP +1]
The fifth attempt added:
[Plant Growth Skill EXP +1]
“Finally—progress!”
Seeing the experience gains, Qi Ping exhaled in relief.
In this DND-inspired system, skills leveled through consistent use, with EXP awarded at milestones.
As for Druid levels, advancement depended on his subclass focus. For a Beastmaster/Forest Druid like Qi Ping, activities like nurturing animal companions or cultivating plants fueled his growth.
“Raising the bees and ginseng simultaneously should speed up my leveling…”
At this rate, he estimated reaching Level 2 Druid within a month or two.
That milestone would unlock new class skills, allow him to bond with a second animal companion, and share another innate talent. A substantial power spike.
To Qi Ping, one or two months was blazing fast.
He’d spent five years in this cultivation world just to reach—and stabilize at—Qi Refinement Level 1. By comparison, this progress felt like cheating.
After his sixth [Plant Growth] cast, Qi Ping’s spiritual energy neared depletion. A dull throbbing began in his temples—mental exhaustion setting in.
Time to stop.
Pulling a jade vial from his storage pouch (normally used for Black Dwarf Bee honey), he addressed the colony:
“Fill this with your honey. Harvest the Blood Ginsenz sap as you see fit, but avoid harming the plants. I’ll likely return daily to nurture them.”
“Buzz… (Understood, Boss!)”
“Buzz… (On it!)”
…..
Soon, at the bees’ hive, Qi Ping’s vial brimmed with golden liquid—far purer than his Black Dwarf Honey, gleaming like celestial nectar.
A mere whiff of its fragrance made his body and spiritual energy resonate faintly.
“If the aroma has this effect, imagine consuming it…”
Blood Ginsenz + [Brewing Artisan] + other rare herbs—this honey was practically an elixir for Qi Ping’s needs.
He itched to test its potency.
Securing the vial carefully, he then tucked a few dozen Golden Marrow Bees into his sleeves. With combat-capable allies now, carrying a hidden swarm was just prudent.
Surviving this long in a cutthroat cultivation world at his level? Qi Ping’s motto was “low-key longevity”: stay home, avoid conflicts. Without that discipline, he’d have been dead years ago.
…..
Just as Qi Ping turned to leave, he nearly collided with Old Man Zhou at the forest’s edge.
The disheveled elder clutched a mundane steel blade, his wrinkled face taut with anxiety.
This was alarming.
Having gifted Qi Ping his storage pouch and spirit-grade saber long ago, this flimsy weapon was Zhou’s last resort.
“Old Zhou—what’s wrong?” Qi Ping tensed.
He’d never seen the unflappable old man like this. Zhou was the type to shrug off an avalanche.
Instead of answering, Zhou grabbed Qi Ping, inspecting him for injuries before exhaling hard.
“Come. Now.”
Then—deeming Qi Ping too slow—he yanked him along with spiritual energy, practically flying down the mountain before finally relaxing.
“What catastrophe happened?!” Qi Ping pressed.
Zhou, still catching his breath (proof of their frantic sprint), wheezed:
“That forest is deadly now.”
“According to ancient texts, when Black Dwarf Bees behave as yours did, it signals one of two nearby threats: either Black Armor Killer Bees or Subterranean Golden Marrow Bees.”*
“Both colonies can slaughter mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivators. Now tell me—why wouldn’t I panic?”
