Compared to the Netherworld Bee and the Sky-Flame Bee, who had completely fused with the bloodlines of the Demon Insect King and the Sky-Flame Midge, Qi Ping felt that the Equilibrium Bee which had walked its own path possessed the greatest potential.
[Species: Equilibrium Bee]
[Bloodline: Sub-Royal-Grade Demon Insect]
[Talents: Scarlet Sun Demon Form, Heavenly Brewing Art, Venomous Tail Stinger]
Scarlet Sun Demon Form: The bloodline contains Yang-attribute power. Can grow rapidly by absorbing Extreme Yang energy. Within its body, it possesses a Scarlet Sun Demon Fire capable of tempering all things. The fire also has a very high compatibility for tempering spiritual herbs.
Heavenly Brewing Art: Possesses extraordinary talent and sensitivity in brewing honey. Can brew various types of honey based on the different attributes of spiritual herbs. Has a unique passion for brewing and is a born honey-brewer who loves creating different flavors.
Venomous Tail Stinger: Possesses a powerful tail stinger tempered in Scarlet Sun Demon Fire. The stinger contains various toxins produced and accumulated during the brewing process. It is both a master brewer and a master of poisons.
[Evaluation: After devouring the Sky-Flame Midge bloodline, it carved out an unprecedented path belonging specifically to the Golden Marrow Bee.]
Seeing the stats of this new Equilibrium Bee, Qi Ping's joy was nearly unspeakable.
"This is a true Golden Marrow Bee!"
Although this Equilibrium Bee had not reached the level of a true royal-grade demon insect, the fact that it could maintain its original Golden Marrow Bee bloodline and rise from a common Rank 1 mid-grade insect to a sub-royal-grade insect showed that its growth and bloodline potential were already extraordinary.
It had even used the bloodline essence of the Sky-Flame Midge as fuel to allow the Golden Marrow Bee bloodline to achieve a spectacular leap!
In the cultivation world, only by walking one's own Dao could one truly soar.
"Most importantly, while possessing a better spirit body, this Equilibrium Bee not only retained its brewing talent but also promoted it to a new level!"
Tempering spiritual herbs with Scarlet Sun Demon Fire—was that not just a variation of alchemy in a furnace? It was simply that the method of fusion and the final product were different: one was a pill, the other was honey.
"I wonder what would happen if this swarm began to learn alchemical knowledge? Knowledge of spiritual herbs, alchemical experience... there should be many things they can learn from. If they can study and pass this down through the generations as a whole colony, perhaps in the future, they can use the alchemical foundation of the cultivation world as fuel to raise their brewing talent to an unprecedented height."
Qi Ping felt that if this hypothesis succeeded, the value of the Golden Marrow Bees would not be something a few powerful alchemists could compare to. Even now, the value of this Equilibrium Bee to Qi Ping far exceeded that of an ordinary alchemist.
Qi Ping was a man of action. He immediately controlled his Treant Clone to begin preparing the alchemical knowledge required by the sub-royal-grade Equilibrium Bee.
However, in this transformation, the one who would undergo the strongest change was not these three successful bees, but the Queen Bee! Because as long as the Queen gestated offspring, she could continuously obtain their bloodline power to strengthen herself!
"One Extreme Yin and one Extreme Yang royal bloodline, plus a sub-royal bloodline that walked the Golden Marrow path... As long as the Queen Bee controls the number of each bloodline she refines during her next transformation, using the Equilibrium Bee bloodline as her root and fusing the Yin and Yang royal bloodlines, she can promote her own bloodline completely into a royal-grade demon insect."
"In this way, the Golden Marrow Swarm can completely promote to royal-grade demon insects. Furthermore, she can become an existence that completely surpasses the Sky-Flame Bee, the Netherworld Bee, and the sub-royal Equilibrium Bee."
Simply put, it was about giving the Equilibrium Bee the terrifying physical body of the Sky-Flame Bee and the indestructible soul of the Netherworld Bee. By unifying Yin and Yang, the Golden Marrow Bee bloodline would be raised to an unprecedented level!
At this thought, Qi Ping immediately summoned the Golden Marrow Queen Bee.
"Buzz... (Boss!)"
The Queen Bee's eyes were still brimming with excitement. In fact, the entire swarm was like this; their century-long plan had succeeded, and the swarm had transformed from a carp into a dragon. Nothing could make them happier.
"There are two things I need to tell you. First, once more sub-royal Equilibrium Bees are born, you can arrange for them to learn alchemical knowledge. Second, regarding yourself: use your own bloodline as the root and the Sky-Flame and Netherworld bloodlines as fuel to achieve Yin-Yang Unity. This can help the swarm reach the absolute peak."
After Qi Ping finished instructing the Queen Bee, the matter of the Golden Marrow Bees' transformation was completely concluded. Next would be the time for a massive expansion of their numbers.
Of course, Qi Ping also possessed the final harvest of this transformation: the talent he shared from the Golden Marrow Bees had evolved into the Heavenly Brewing Art.
With the swarm's business concluded, Qi Ping's territory temporarily had enough Yin and Yang spiritual trees to allow the bees to brew honey, supporting the nurturing of a small number of Sky-Flame, Netherworld, and sub-royal Equilibrium bees.
Normally, Qi Ping would have gone out to find and earn the resources needed for nurturing the bees, but he already had a premonition that his Golden Core breakthrough was imminent. Therefore, he paused everything that required his personal presence and devoted all his strength to preparing for the breakthrough.
By now, based on the insights gained from the Manual Pavilion of the Qingyuan Sect and his exchanges with Wang He, Qi Ping had already created the most suitable manual for himself: the Yin-Yang True Scripture (Pre-Golden Core Chapter). The Foundation Establishment Chapter of the Yin-Yang True Scripture had also long since been refined to an incredibly solid and robust degree.
Qi Ping had even had the Cloud-Mist Immortal Tiger perform a calculation to see what the result would be if he broke through using this manual. The result of the tiger's divination was only two words: 'Great Fortune!'
Having received this result, Qi Ping was completely at ease. His years of research and effort had not been in vain.
"Now, I only need to comprehend the Fire Intent to the second stage, and I can immediately begin my Golden Core breakthrough!"
Qi Ping was already very proficient in the mutual generation and transformation between Yin-Yang and the Five Elements. Comprehending a Five Elements Intent to the second stage would be of great benefit in condensing a Golden Core.
Thus, after settling all matters, Qi Ping walked toward a stone wall beneath the Radiant Sun Tree. There sat the Sin-Burner Sword Intent left behind by Daoist Sin-Burner.
It contained third-stage Fire Intent, Sword Intent, and the Sin-Burning Dao-Heart. It was the most suitable final meditation for Qi Ping before his breakthrough.
While Qi Ping was observing and meditating on the sword intent, the Li-Fire Crow was also immersed in it. In fact, the crow's state was even more focused than Qi Ping's.
Over the years, to condense the strongest monster core possible, the crow had polished its foundation to an incredibly powerful degree. Every inch of its body radiated the power of the great sun. This was the result of tempering its body using the cultivation technique Qi Ping had provided, and its bloodline had been developed to a level of consummate mastery.
Qi Ping had even tested it: with the crow's current physical strength, if it activated its Solar Body, it could likely stand a chance in a fight against a cultivator who had just entered the Golden Core stage.
Within the Natural Sanctuary, among those of the same realm, no other animal companion could defeat the crow besides Qi Ping. This was because, in addition to its deep foundation and physical strength, the crow's speed, soul, combat awareness, and combat will had virtually no weaknesses. Moreover, it possessed an incredibly determined heart for the Dao.
After all, how many people or beasts could truly cultivate for a century with the same unwavering dedication every single day?
The crow had already possessed the opportunity to break through to the Golden Core stage long ago, but to condense the strongest core, it had been waiting until its potential was excavated to the absolute limit. For the monster race, the crow was still very young, so there was no need to rush the breakthrough.
And so, one man and one crow meditated seriously before the stone wall. Three years later, the crow—whose physical body, bloodline, soul, and will had all reached their absolute zenith—preceded Qi Ping in welcoming the opportunity to break through to the third rank!
"Caw! (Boss, the moment for me to condense my monster core has arrived!)"
Hearing this, Qi Ping opened his eyes, which had been closed for three years.
"Good!"
Qi Ping immediately had the immortal tiger perform a calculation. Upon receiving a 'Fortunate' result, he led the crow toward the prepared tribulation site. At the same time, his Treant Clone arrived, carrying the Mountain-River Seal and the Sun-Blaze Seal.
Qi Ping was very curious: after the crow had cultivated so hard and polished its foundation to such a degree, what kind of Golden Core would it produce?
Qi Ping even felt that perhaps he could use the insights gained from observing the crow's breakthrough to simultaneously trigger his own breakthrough to the Golden Core realm!