Devil Bee King

The next day, after a night of rest, everyone continued their journey in search of Spirit Beasts. This time, they decided to continue

deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest. The group advanced slowly, bit by bit, as time gradually passed into the afternoon.

Suddenly, Ning Rongrong cried out in disgust. "Little Ao, help me! These bees are so annoying—they keep landing on me!"

"Where are they? I'll chase them away for you." Oscar eagerly sidled up to Ning Rongrong and helped drive away the little insects drawn to the patterns on her clothes.

Why were there bees here?

Tang San was somewhat puzzled. Activating Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon and Purple Demon Eyes, he reached out and caught one.

"This doesn't seem to be an ordinary bee. It's purple, and its body structure is different too."

"Oh? A purple bee? Let me see." Xia Tianling, who had been clearing the way at the front of the group, turned back upon hearing the commotion.

"Heh, this isn't any ordinary bee. It's a Devil Bee, a type of social Spirit Beast." Xia Tianling took the specimen from Tang San's hand and spoke after examining it.

"What's a Devil Bee?" Tang San asked curiously. The theoretical books Grand Master had given him contained no records of this Spirit Beast at all.

"Such a tiny thing is actually a Spirit Beast?" Zhao Wuji also came over.

"I know, I know." Xiao Wu spoke impatiently from the side. "It's a very strange Spirit Beast species. The Bee Queen is generally a Thousand-Year Spirit Beast, possessing the strength of an ordinary Spirit Beast as well as the abilities of Worker Bees. But the other Devil Bees are all very weak, to the point that they can't even be considered Spirit Beasts."

"And the honey they make is especially delicious." After thinking for a moment, she added that.

"Xiao Wu is right. The Devil Bee colony can be said to serve the Bee Queen alone with the strength of the entire colony. Zhuqing, it looks like your Soul Ring has been found this time."

"Me?" Zhu Zhuqing froze and pointed at herself.

"Yes. If this is a nest of Thousand-Year Devil Bees, then the Bee Queen's Soul Ring is just right for you."

"Boss, do you mean the Bee Queen's Decisive Strike?" Oscar spoke after recalling the knowledge he had learned before.

"That's right. Zhuqing urgently needs a powerful single-target burst Soul Skill, and Decisive Strike is perfect for her. Rongrong, which direction did they fly from?"

"That way." Ning Rongrong pointed in one direction.

Zhao Wuji swept his gaze over the surrounding environment and declared, "Then everyone, summon your Martial Souls and head toward the Devil Bees."

As they continued forward, the Devil Bees grew more numerous, until a gigantic beehive appeared before them.

A huge blackish-purple Bee Queen lay within the enormous hive. Its massive serrated mouthparts and sharp tail stinger reflected faint glimmers of light, carrying a metallic sheen.

"Such a large Bee Queen is at just the right age—around four thousand five hundred to five thousand years. It's precisely the target Zhuqing needs."

"Four thousand five hundred years? Isn't that beyond the limit? That's already theoretically the age range for a Fourth Soul Ring." Tang San asked in surprise.

"Different people have different constitutions. It would certainly be too much for ordinary Soul Masters, but for Zhuqing, Little Ao, and the others whose bodies have been enhanced, it's just right." Xia Tianling explained. "Look at Fatty and Oscar's Soul Rings yourself."

Tang San looked carefully. Sure enough, Oscar and Ma Hongjun's second Soul Rings were both an exceptionally deep yellow. Oscar's second Soul Ring even carried a faint trace of purple, while their third Soul Rings had clearly exceeded the fifteen-hundred-year range Yu Xiaogang had mentioned.

For Zhu Zhuqing, whose body had been improved by Assassin Divinity, her physical condition had been greatly enhanced. Absorbing a five-thousand-year Soul Ring would pose no problem at all.

"I believe you." Zhu Zhuqing smiled at Xia Tianling.

"I'll leave it to you." Zhao Wuji tossed out those words before stepping aside. They were not his students anyway, and he could not control them. He was only responsible for protecting them at other times. If there really was a problem with absorbing the Soul Ring, that Spirit Douluo hidden in the shadows would step in.

"Then let me assign the tactics." Xia Tianling stepped forward.

"Other than the Bee Queen, Devil Bees are only slightly stronger than ordinary bees. But what makes them truly troublesome is precisely the sheer number of them. Without question, the best way to eliminate a swarm is fire." As he said this, he tilted his head and glanced at the eager Ma Hongjun.

"Fatty, you're the main force this time. Let yourself shine for once, and don't embarrass your big brother."

"Heh, how could I? Just watch, Brother Ling." Ma Hongjun circulated his Soul Power, flames blazing all over his body.

It was only because the interior of the Star Dou Great Forest was generally humid and its vegetation held a great deal of moisture, making fires difficult to spread, that Xia Tianling dared let Ma Hongjun cut loose.

If they had been in the relatively dry outer region where they had first entered the forest, then after one Soul Skill from Ma Hongjun, forget the Spirit Beasts—they themselves would have had to pack up and run to avoid being burned to death by friendly fire.

As the saying went: a fire in the woods, and the ranger falls for me.

"By the way, could you stop calling me Fatty?"

"Sure, Fatty."

Seeing Ma Hongjun's embarrassed fury, everyone filled the air with cheerful laughter.

Xia Tianling smiled as well and continued, "The Bee Queen's attack methods are very limited. The only things worth mentioning are its unpredictable flight methods and Decisive Strike. In a moment, Fatty will use fire to clear out the surrounding swarm. Oscar and I will charge straight at it, while Xiao Wu flanks from behind. Little San, use your Blue Silver Grass and some ordinary Hidden Weapons to restrict its movement through technique. Don't use something like the Godly Zhuge Crossbow—it would be a bit wasteful. Rongrong, buff everyone. Zhuqing, find a good position and prepare to take its life."

Although only Oscar had been sent out against the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent, that had merely been letting him practice when there was no need for more.

This Devil Bee Queen, however, was something Zhu Zhuqing urgently needed. Not only did it possess over three thousand more years of cultivation than the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent, but they absolutely could not let it escape. Having everyone attack together was the safest option.

"What is a Godly Zhuge Crossbow?" Ning Rongrong noticed a term she had never heard before.

"The Godly Zhuge Crossbow is... it's a lethal weapon Brother Ling and I created." Tang San had initially wanted to say he had invented it himself, but after considering that Xia Tianling also possessed the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record, he changed his wording.

"All right, that isn't the important part. Rongrong, if you're interested, you can ask Little San to make a few for you to play with later." Xia Tianling pulled the derailed topic back on track.

Dai Mubai frowned. He had actually been excluded again, and at such a crucial moment when they were helping Zhu Zhuqing obtain her Soul Ring. He immediately grew displeased. "What about me?"

"Adapt to the situation and protect Zhuqing." Xia Tianling had a headache. Dai Mubai was on bad terms with several people in their group, so how was he supposed to assign him a position?

"I don't need his protection." Zhu Zhuqing coldly tossed out those words. With a flash, she entered Void Walking and leaped directly into a tree.

Xia Tianling spread his hands and wore an expression that said there was nothing he could do.

Damn it!

Dai Mubai clenched his fists fiercely, grinding his teeth until they crackled with a sound that made one's teeth ache.

Zhu Zhuqing, do you hate me that much? I've already lowered myself and begged you like this! What exactly do you want from me, woman?!

A trace of viciousness flashed through his Evil Eyes as he stalked angrily to the side.

Thanks to reader 20210724204602184 for the reward.

Thanks to Blood Rain for the Monthly Pass.