A Beekeeper in a Magical World

This task might sound simple, but in reality, it's quite challenging.

Even with Hua Mi's current mental strength, full concentration is needed to perform the operation without the slightest distraction.

On the first attempt, despite his utmost effort, the light merely changed its shape slightly.

Before he could master it, the holy light had exhausted itself.

Clearly, the denser the holy light, the faster it releases outward.

Concentrating the holy light in one spot releases it several times faster than distributing it evenly throughout the body.

Hua Mi continued consuming honey and made several attempts until he gradually got the hang of it.

The formless chaos of light, under his control, slowly elongated, revealing a sharp blade-like tip.

*Swoosh*

The light blade tore through the air effortlessly.

"Not bad, it somewhat resembles something."

This form couldn't be sustained for long, but it sufficed for short-term attacks.

Hua Mi finished bottling the honey, cleared the flowers drained of honey just like in the Thousand Illusion Flower Field, replanted the seeds in their original layout, starting the next cultivation cycle.

The Feathered Illusion Honey had significant uses, effective for both survival and offense.

Hua Mi made more honey pills, carrying them around.

The tiny storage ring was nearly cluttered with odds and ends.

As for the magic box, it was mainly used to contain the battle bee swarm and wasn't suitable for miscellaneous items unless absolutely necessary.

"I'll need a bigger storage solution sometime."

---

*Ding-a-ling*

Hua Mi was tinkering with the newly arrived bee colony in the backyard when he suddenly heard the chime from the front door.

He paused his work and returned indoors, spotting a middle-aged man entering the shop.

The visitor sported a branded sportswear, a backpack on his back, a talisman hanging from the pack, holding a hiking pole, wearing a striped flat cap, with the visible part of his head suggesting a balding look.

Judging by the attire, he was probably an out-of-towner here for hiking.

After glancing around the empty shop, the backpacker inquired, "Boss, are you still open for business?"

Probably noticing the emptiness, unlike a typical operating shop, he asked to clarify.

As grandpa used to say, every visitor is a potential customer.

After a brief pause, Hua Mi replied, "We still have some honey in stock."

"That's good." The backpacker casually walked in.

"Visiting Huayu Town without buying some honey to take back would be a shame," he remarked with a hint of nostalgia. "But speaking of which, most of the beekeepers in town seem to have changed professions. I remember a few years ago, there were many apiaries here... You must be struggling to keep up, too. Don't worry, it's tough for individual beekeepers in this environment."

Hua Mi merely smiled, not offering any explanations.

Reaching under the table, at an obscure corner, he retrieved a half-open bottle of Thousand Illusion Flower Honey from the ring space, placing it on the table, out of the backpacker's sight.

"Why take half a bottle? Afraid I can't afford it?" joked the backpacker.

"Free taste," Hua Mi chuckled. "But if you buy, the price might be steep."

"No matter how pricey, can honey really be that expensive?"

The backpacker picked up the bottle, checking the quality inspection and standard numbers, showing his understanding of the industry.

After a moment, he asked, "What flower is this honey from?"

Hua Mi calmly replied, "Thousand Illusion Flower, a brand-new flower species I developed myself."

The backpacker nodded, seemingly disinterested, adding, "Let's not beat around the bush. Don't set the price too high, or I won't buy. The honey quality in Huayu Town isn't what it used to be, right?"

Hua Mi didn't argue, gesturing, "The quality, you'll know after a taste."

Without further ado, the backpacker grabbed a disposable spoon, scooped a spoonful of honey, and tasted.

After holding it in his mouth for a while, he swallowed.

His eyes blinked a few times, gradually lighting up.

After a moment of savoring, he couldn't contain his surprise, "This honey... I've never... felt this before... What's this sensation..."

Experiencing the magic of magic, eh?

Seeing him speechless in amazement, Hua Mi chuckled inwardly but calmly replied, "Because this honey is crafted with care."

The backpacker muttered thoughtfully, "I'm starting to believe in the 'Bee God' legend."

The Bee God, a story circulating in Huayu Town.

It's said that Huayu Town, under the Bee God's blessing, honey crafted with care receives divine favor.

Of course, being a resident of Huayu Town, Hua Mi knew it was just a marketing tactic.

People always fancy romantic tales.

Yet this guy seemed to buy into it.

"To be honest, I've been feeling exhausted lately, so I came out to relax. After having a sip of this honey, it's like I suddenly understand a lot, no more confusion... it must be the protection of a divine being," he rambled.

Protection or scam, it's almost the same.

Hua Mi merely smiled, letting him chatter on.

Running a shop meant chatting with customers was part of the job.

"How much for this bottle of honey?" After his lengthy monologue, the backpacker finally asked.

"It's a bit pricey," Hua Mi reminded again.

"Looking down on me?" The backpacker frowned, lifted his right hand, boasting, "I don't mean to brag, but this string of blessed prayer beads cost me around forty to fifty thousand. This talisman was blessed by the Celestial Masters' Temple, costing over twenty thousand. Not that I'm wealthy, but after all these years, I've come to understand some things. Some things you just have to believe in, some things, even if expensive, are worth it... Are we buying honey or buying peace of mind? Be straightforward, how much, considering the Bee God's face, I'll buy it without hesitation!"

"..."

This guy's beliefs are quite diverse.

If he's that wealthy, Hua Mi doesn't need to be so polite...

"30,000."

Given the current gold prices on Earth, converting it to eight gold coins roughly equaled around thirty thousand. Making it a rounded figure for him.

The backpacker fell silent for a moment after hearing this price, then awkwardly said, "Uh, I've been a bit short on funds lately... how about I give you twenty-five thousand?"

For a bottle of honey, 30,000 was already exorbitant.

At the moment, this customer offering twenty-five thousand was quite generous.

Hua Mi nodded, "Accepted."

The backpacker transferred the payment, carefully stowed the honey in his bag, chatted with Hua Mi for a while, added him as a friend, and finally asked, "You're really not planning to continue the shop? Although it's a bit expensive, I believe many would still buy it. I can help you with publicity."

Hua Mi smiled, "No need to bother, I'm closing shop once the inventory is sold."

"Such a pity

... Have you thought about what to do next?"

"Next... Well, I've been writing a recently."

"Oh? What kind of ?"

"A beekeeping adventure in a different world."

"Sounds intriguing! I wish you a quick completion and a perfect ending. I'll surely read it then."

Hua Mi saw the backpacker off but lingered under the eaves, not heading back.

The sky was gloomy, filled with the scent of industrial waste in the air.

Once again, he couldn't help but feel that the scenes from his childhood memories were irretrievable.

"Perhaps finding a way to use the magical power of another world to restore Huayu Town's environment..."

Of course, without revealing his secret.

The current plight of Huayu Town was fundamentally due to environmental pollution.

Otherwise, with Huayu Town's reputation and the groundwork laid before, the market space might shrink, but it wouldn't collapse so easily.

As long as the environment returned to its former level, even if the market share of honey decreased, the flower cultivation industry would still remain robust.

Within the premise of secrecy, do what he could to help his hometown, a kind of repayment.

"I'll take on the role of the Bee God for Huayu Town."

Hua Mi etched this thought in his mind.

---

I must say, Alyss's learning speed is impressive.

Just a few days, and she's already proficient in the Centaur language.

Once again, Hua Mi felt the disparity in intelligence among different species, inevitably feeling a bit frustrated.

But the good news was, it meant he could set off for the Misty Mountain Range.

Coincidentally, Alyss was also planning to head to Mordu for an invitation.