"That is indeed the case."
Wang Qingshan smiled and nodded at Fang Yuan. "You must be Lin Ke's steward? Not bad. Your command of Gu Insects is quite refined, and you've kept this place in excellent order."
"Thank you for your praise, True Person."
Fang Yuan lowered his head and answered humbly, "I am merely a commoner of humble birth. It is my good fortune to serve my master."
As fellow cultivators of the Daoist School, they also addressed one another as True Person, High Person, and similar titles.
"This is a nest abandoned by a Fifth Realm Golden-Wing Envoy. It is particularly suited to insect spirit beasts."
Wang Qingshan pointed at the hive-shaped spirit artifact in Lin Ke's hand.
The spirit artifact in Lin Ke's hand consisted of ten hexagonal compartments, and it did indeed resemble a hive.
"Golden-Wing Envoy?" Lin Ke nodded slightly. "Is that an honorific for bees?"
"Indeed." Wang Qingshan nodded. "Beyond the Fourth Realm, all are fellow Daoists, so we no longer address them by animal names."
It was like the difference between someone calling you "this human" and "this esteemed gentleman."
Many people used honorifics to address members of the Demon Race who had advanced beyond the Fourth Realm.
Golden-Wing Envoy was an elegant name for a bee.
"This hive is better than a Hundred-Beast Pouch. Since your steward seems quite capable, I'll give it to him." Wang Qingshan smiled.
Fang Yuan immediately bowed with his hands clasped. "Thank you for bestowing this treasure, True Person!"
Lin Ke smiled as well. "Thank you, Master."
Wang Qingshan waved a hand casually. "The ten spirit beasts inside all possess ancient bloodlines, though those bloodlines have become exceedingly diluted. You'll have to screen them using what you call genes."
Genetic mutations were uncontrollable, but the inheritance of