Star Spirit Bees

Chen Qing had seen that he'd received an email, but he had no time to deal with it right now. He'd already waited two years, so waiting a couple more days was no big deal.

Before them stretched a sea of flowers with no end in sight. The blossoms shimmered with dazzling colors; some were as brilliant as the aurora, while others twinkled like stars.

The two women were stunned, and even Chen Qing was taken aback. Then they really did just stand there in a daze.

By the time they came to their senses—or rather, were jolted awake by a buzzing sound—they saw giant flying insects, each the size of a bull's head, blotting out the sky and covering the spacecraft.

"Unknown attack detected. Current attack strength: Universe Level. Defensive energy is expected to last ten minutes!"

The ship's AI quickly reported the situation. Looking at the hideous creatures outside, Chen Qing activated his domain. The insects around them seemed to be trapped in amber.

But before he could enjoy the moment for long, a wave of World Power rippled from deep within the sea of flowers. The insects' buzzing began to form a rhythm!

"Soul Attack! Fall back for now. Spirit Butterfly, keep collecting all kinds of data!"

Different ripples appeared around Chen Qing's Origin Core. Jiang Fang and Yao Rao also looked pained.

A single Soul Attack wasn't very powerful, but when they were layered together in swarms, Jiang Fang and Yao Rao couldn't withstand them. One careless moment could leave them idiots—or even result in Soul Annihilation!

They retreated tens of millions of kilometers, almost all the way back to where they had started. Chen Qing brought several insects from his domain aboard the spacecraft and handed them over to the AI for analysis.

"How are you two feeling? Anything wrong? Do you want to recover inside the Origin Core?"

The two exchanged a glance and shook their heads. Yao Rao licked her lips with her bright red tongue.

"As expected of a secret realm. It's this dangerous even at the edge. I can't imagine what's inside!"

Jiang Fang nodded, still shaken. "Our strength is still too low. Exploring like this would waste too much time. We might as well cultivate here, but what about your time, Chen Qing..."

"It's fine. If I cultivate here, then once I reach World Lord, I'll only need a hundred years to grasp the essence of the higher laws. But I'll still have to wait a few more years before I can break through."

Star Spirit Bees—that was the name the group had given them. Judging by their internal structure and the residual substances in their bodies, there was a 90% chance they were a type of bee-like life-form.

The Star Spirit Bees had highly defensive shells. When they were motionless—or, more accurately, when they were collecting nectar—their auras blended with the plants, leaving the detectors completely oblivious to them.

Their three pairs of wings made them fast and agile in attack. Their main weapons were poison and sound.

Their poison caused hallucinations and corroded the soul. Universe-level fighters had to treat it immediately, while Domain Lords would find it troublesome but could hold out for a while. World Lords faced little risk.

Everyone had experienced their sound firsthand. The noise could make you feel restless and irritable, and it was the perfect counter to those flowers. Once the bees were directed, they could unleash Soul Attacks!

Their methods seemed somewhat like those of the Bug Race. What was more, their power could build through sheer numbers. If a swarm surrounded you, even a World Lord might die!

Chen Qing had deliberately kept two Star Spirit Bees so the women could fight them. He had to admit, insects had tough outer shells.

Although they were only Universe Level, their shells could probably withstand attacks from Domain Lords. With the sound waves interfering, it was difficult for Jiang Fang and Yao Rao to strike their joints accurately.

However, the insects weren't very intelligent. They were fast, but their movements were stiff and direct, making them easy to dodge. If they didn't come in swarms, they were perfect opponents for the two women to train against.

In the Virtual Universe, Chen Qing stared blankly at the "man" more than three meters tall before him.

"Are you all this direct these days?"

After getting the two women settled, Chen Qing had thought about dealing with his email. But the moment he logged in, he saw Chaos City Lord, and the words slipped out before he could stop them.

Chaos City Lord furrowed his brow. Although he wasn't releasing any pressure, at their level, the superior aura of their will and souls weighed heavily on ordinary people.

So when Chen Qing spoke, he noticed that Chen Qing wasn't affected at all. He also seemed familiar with Chaos City Lord, and showed none of the fear people usually felt in the presence of a powerful being.

"It's understandable that you're not surprised. You already know a little about the situation, so you could prepare in advance.

"Although the Race has no intention of making things difficult for you—you are, after all, a member of the Human Race—why are you so confident that you can disregard the strong?"

"No, absolutely not! You just caught me off guard, and I spoke without thinking!"

Chaos City Lord gave him a long, searching look. The strong weren't exactly easy to deal with, even when they were lenient toward geniuses. With a legacy of his own, Chen Qing couldn't possibly be as simple as he seemed.

"You can call me Chaos City Lord. You've read the Race's email. Do you have any questions or suggestions?"

Chen Qing had read it. The terms were generous: he could choose which faction to join and select a teacher, though he would pass on that last part.

His privileges would be raised to Venerable-level. He would also receive a private plane within the Virtual Universe. As for Thunder Mountain, they wouldn't make any arrangements for now, for confidentiality reasons.

Once he became an Immortal, he could join the Supreme Council and become a decision-maker. He would also gain access to the Race Treasury and receive ten thousand Supreme Treasure points.

The email had explained this. After all, the treasury was funded by the powerful, and its contents were limited. Offering too many rewards was pointless.

Besides, he couldn't use them now, and after he got out, he might not even want them.

Once he became an Immortal, the Race would provide him with a set of valuable treasures. When he reached the strength of a Universe Master, he would be given two Peak Supreme Treasures. There were plenty of other odds and ends, but their total value might not even equal one treasure point.

"Joining the company sounds good. I'll pass on taking a master. My path doesn't lie there."

"It seems you know more about the universe than I expected. Even though the email didn't explain everything, you have no questions."

Chen Qing felt exhausted. Thank goodness for the Primal Universe Will. Otherwise, I'd really have to grovel.

"Next is your safety. I heard you're in a secret realm. Cooperate with us in a moment, and we'll see if we can pinpoint your location."

Chen Qing wasn't surprised that they had a way to do that, and he didn't refuse. Refusing would only make things harder to explain. It was better to let them draw their own conclusions.

He cooperated fully as the AI carried out the procedures through his helmet. Then nothing happened.

Chaos City Lord sighed. What should have been a simple matter had somehow become more complicated. If Chen Qing could come to the Initial Universe—or even the company's headquarters—that would be fine. Now it seemed like an impossible dream.

"Since you can't come out right now, you'll have to rely on yourself. I've sent you all the information and experience we have so far.

"I'll also arrange a private plane for you. If you need anything, they can send you their intelligence analysis."

Chen Qing didn't refuse. One had to admit how great the Original Ancestor was. He tried uploading the Star Spirit Bees' data and images.

The rest was much the same, but the analysis of the substances left inside their bodies revealed quite a bit.

"These bees produce honey, which is generally very beneficial to the body and soul. Royal jelly can even improve the body's genes."

Chaos City Lord looked through the data as he spoke with a sigh.

"Too bad the secret realm hasn't emerged. Otherwise, it could provide the Race with a lot of resources! Still, you should be careful. A secret realm like this won't be simple!"

Chen Qing nodded. He trusted the Primal Universe Will, but he wasn't so sure about the two women.

There was nothing wrong with being careful. He also had a lot to learn when it came to combat. He was sure that after this trip into the secret realm, he would improve in every way!