A Beekeeper in a Magical World

Hua Mi's gaze lingered on the meditation sphere in his hand. He concentrated his mental energy, attempting to break through the barrier and decipher the hidden information within. But once again, he failed. Despite days of continuous training, his mental strength was barely at the "Fifth Stage," yet he couldn't break the barrier within the small meditation sphere.

"Feels like I'm so close…"

What information did this gray robe hide inside that it had to be so secretive?

"When I can access it, it better be worth it, or it'll disappoint my expectations."

Hua Mi shook his head, stashing away the meditation sphere.

Hum—

Suddenly, a buzzing sound came from outside, gradually growing louder. It wasn't the buzzing of bees; it had a mechanical quality to it. It reminded him of the noise when Carter started up the flying ship.

Hua Mi glanced out the window, confirming a flying craft hovering above the wooden house. It slowly descended and halted by the window.

A young person in a light blue uniform sat atop the craft, holding the vertical control lever, handing over a package.

"Your delivery, please sign here."

Delivery? For a moment, he couldn't recall who in this world would send him a package.

Hua Mi accepted the package, checking the sender—it was from Carter, dispatched from Mordu.

Though uncertain about Carter's motives in Mordu, Hua Mi didn't dwell on it. Among the trio, he found Carter quite reliable, so there had to be a reason behind this.

After signing for the package, the delivery person wished him a pleasant day and departed on the flying craft.

The package wasn't large. Hua Mi probed it with his mental energy, finding nothing unusual before opening it.

What lay inside sparked his interest—an envelope of seeds. The packaging had a label in human language, "Wind Chime Flower Seeds."

Accompanying the seeds were two letters. One from Carter and the other signed by "Susie Winston," possibly a woman.

More of a manual than a letter, it succinctly detailed the ideal conditions and nurturing tips for wind chime flowers.

"The cultivation of wind chime flowers is challenging. It's advisable not to exhaust all seeds at once, planting them in batches. Failure in initial attempts helps gather experience…" the letter advised.

Wishing him success in cultivating the most beautiful flowers, it concluded courteously.

But the suggestion to "plant in batches" seemed to question his expertise?

Hua Mi skimmed through it and set it aside, picking up Carter's letter to understand the situation.

In essence, Carter visited Mordu for some business and, while at Duke Weston's estate, requested some flower seeds from the garden as a gift.

"Didn't expect this mage to be thoughtful…"

This gift perfectly aligned with Hua Mi's preferences. Compared to other valuable items, this small bag of seemingly worthless flower seeds appealed to him more.

His fondness for Carter inadvertently increased.

Thinking of Mordu, something struck Hua Mi.

He retrieved the alchemy notebook, flipping to the section marked "Misty Mountains."

The Misty Mountains near Mordu housed a three-star adventure site, with records of a rare tree species called the "Otherworldly Tree."

The notebook detailed its peculiar traits and abundant magical elements, noting its potential to alter the surrounding environment once grown.

What caught Hua Mi's attention was the mention of its blooming period, where thousands of Otherworldly Flowers released an enticing fragrance, attracting insects to dance around its canopy.

A plant likely to produce honey due to its alluring fragrance.

Yearning to acquire such an exotic honey plant, Hua Mi wanted to bring it back.

With his current abilities, exploring a three-star adventure site was well within his capability.

Previously hindered by distance, the presence of the centaur's portal in the Black Forest made long-distance travel feasible.

However, he couldn't activate it himself.

He needed a guide.

Once Alyss mastered the centaur language, he could hitch a ride to Mordu's vicinity.

Manit mentioned heading to Mordu, indicating the existence of another terminal near Mordu.

That's a story for another time, for now.

With new flower seeds in hand, Hua Mi felt the excitement of a child receiving a new toy, rushing to the greenhouse for cultivation.

But the seven little companions delivered bad news.

The seed-making machine they relied on showed signs of decline.

The primary indicator—its efficiency dropped.

It not only slowed down but formed a noticeable downward trend recently.

At this rate, it might wither before the end of the Ice Age, a headache for Hua Mi.

It was somewhat expected.

Though named a "machine," it was essentially a functional plant, prone to withering.

Once it ceased functioning, cultivation would become troublesome.

If no alternative solution arose, the planting cycle would significantly lengthen.

For now, worrying wouldn't help; there were no other options.

He stored this concern away, intending to seek a solution as circumstances allowed.

---

On the other side, thanks to the pseudo-flower spirits and bees' relentless efforts, the honey brewing process in the mixed flower field finally concluded.

Hua Mi arrived at the mixed flower field with equipment, ready for a new harvest.

As per routine, he began by inspecting the by-products.

He first opened two vampire bee hives, pleasantly surprised.

A great start.

Inside one hive, there was a small blob of ointment-like substance adhering to the board. The ointment had a dark gray appearance, resembling snot, with streaks resembling blood, a bit disgusting to look at.

Hua Mi assessed it.

Unexpectedly, this unattractive substance possessed remarkably unique magical properties.

Perhaps it could be called "Shape-Shifting Ointment."

True to its name, it facilitated shape-shifting.

Here's an analogy.

Apply it evenly on your face and vividly imagine someone—briefly, you'll transform into that likeness.

The duration was tricky to estimate, influenced by multiple factors.

Roughly, with this small amount on the face, the transformation could last around half an hour.

While intriguing, Hua Mi had no immediate use for it.

He stored a small portion in a vial, tucking it into his ring space, before continuing to open other boxes.