A Beekeeper in a Magical World

"Is he really not deceiving us?"

"Of course not, he swore to the gods."

"Speaking of... What gods do the people here believe in?"

"..."

"Since coming here, have we seen any temples or statues of gods?"

"It seems not... But there are a few statues of heroes, all humans."

"So?"

"..."

"..."

"Damn it!"

This was the final exchange Hua Mi overheard before retrieving the scout bees from Lei Luo and Sindra.

These two outsiders seemed to have finally turned their perceptions around, fully realizing the despicability of the locals. They weren't as foolish as initially thought. It was just that their original notions were deeply ingrained, causing them to assume without a doubt that the other side wouldn't joke about the gods.

However, it was too late. That cunning adventurer had long disappeared.

"Regardless, it's not my concern."

After retrieving the scout bees, Hua Mi refocused on reaching the source of the floral scent.

Finding the Acheron tree was the priority.

Hua Mi advanced directly in a straight line between the second and third marked points, overcoming difficult terrains like cliffs or rifts by directing the bee swarm to fly over them, maximizing time efficiency.

"Huh?"

After flying up a fifteen-meter-high cliff, Hua Mi connected to the scout bees' senses again to confirm the direction. What was discovered left him astonished.

The third marked location of the floral source had suddenly shifted significantly within a short time, almost escaping the bees' olfactory range.

Barely a few minutes had passed since his last connection to the scout bees.

Moving such a distance in just a few minutes—what speed was this?

It definitely didn't seem like the speed a floral spirit could achieve.

For instance, Little White's flying speed was slower than an ordinary bee, even slower in the Fire God state.

"However, it's not certain..."

Hua Mi thought, refraining from conclusively deciding that it wasn't a floral spirit.

It could be because the flower giving birth to the floral spirit contained some rare magical element, granting it an incredibly fast movement.

Just like how Little White, influenced by the bestowed rare fire element in the flower, could transform into the "Fire God state."

It was a well-known fact that a floral spirit's individual abilities were related to the rare elements within flowers.

After weighing the options, Hua Mi decisively changed the plan.

First, he would go and investigate the third floral scent source to uncover the truth.

Otherwise, it might vanish in a few more minutes.

The second marked point wouldn't move, so he could revisit it later.

Once he had made up his mind, Hua Mi changed direction, rushing towards the new target.

...

Constantly adjusting the course along the way.

Fortunately, the target didn't move over long distances during this period.

When only a hundred meters remained to the target, Hua Mi slowed down, cautiously closing in. For now, the target likely was a mobile creature, and he didn't want to startle it.

There seemed to be a river nearby, the sounds of rushing water audible but its location not visible. However, it provided cover for his movements, masking the noise he made.

Hua Mi crouched, gently parting the bushes ahead. Like a paparazzo, he cautiously extended the lens of his infrared imager.

"Found it."

Not far from his eyes was a warm silhouette on the screen.

Behind this bush was a steep slope with rugged rocks. The sound he heard earlier came from a river flowing beneath the slope, from right to left, not at a slow pace.

The mist in the vicinity was slightly thinner than elsewhere, but the naked eye could only vaguely discern a blurry figure. It needed the aid of the thermal imager to see clearly.

The creature displayed on the screen stood on the pile of broken stones by the riverbank, lowering its head to drink water.

But Hua Mi found it hard to judge—was that a deer?

At least, its appearance resembled a deer: the tail, hooves, especially the two large branches resembling tree twigs on its head.

However, its body size was comparable to that of an adult horse, not like the robust deer species of a moose. Its physique appeared incredibly agile and nimble.

Without a doubt, it was a magical creature.

Hua Mi could sense its gentle and tranquil magical fluctuations.

The thermal imager showed its body temperature wasn't particularly high. Only the chest, around the heart, displayed an orange hue. Further away from the heart, the temperature decreased. By its limbs, the temperature was almost indistinguishable from the surrounding environment, slightly higher than the stones beneath its feet.

What intrigued Hua Mi the most was the peculiar scent detected by the scout bees emanating from it.

Why would a deer-like magical creature give off a floral scent?

Flowers emitted fragrance because they couldn't move, relying on scent to attract insects for pollination.

Animals generally didn't have inherent body fragrances, unless there was a sudden individual mutation. However, it became uncertain when magical factors were involved.

Hua Mi recalled.

The adventure manual indeed didn't mention any deer-like magical creatures.

Nor did it mention magical creatures with innate body fragrances.

The Black Forest did have several deer-like creatures, but the highest was only a Level 1 magical creature. They were insignificant and not worth mentioning.

Hua Mi didn't proceed further but directed the scout bees to fly towards it.

The scout bees cautiously approached through the mist.

Ten meters, nine meters, eight meters... Five meters, four meters—

The fragrance grew stronger.

The scent wasn't excessively sweet but rather refreshing, akin to a spring breeze gently washing over. Enveloped in its fragrance, one felt rejuvenated, almost compelled to ride atop it, experiencing the exhilarating feeling of "swift as the wind and nimble as a steed."

The scout bees were nearing their target. Hua Mi received visual information transmitted by the bees.

It didn't resemble an ordinary deer at all. Besides its wooden-hued antlers, its entire body displayed a faint green, as if coated in the juice squeezed from crushed leaves.

Just as Hua Mi prepared to observe more closely, he accidentally stepped on a twig.

Snap—

The green deer suddenly became alert, lifting its head. Its eyes, filled with intelligence, locked onto Hua Mi's hiding spot, staring directly at him.

Spotted me?

Before Hua Mi could react, the green deer suddenly leaped, its legs propelling it swiftly. In the rugged mountain terrain, it moved effortlessly, dodging left and right, disappearing among the trees in the blink of an eye.

"..."

Such incredible speed!

Almost like a fleeting shadow.

It wasn't running—it was flying!

This was the Flight of Deer!

Hua Mi didn't bother hiding anymore. Swiftly rising from the bushes, he immediately directed the swarm of bees in pursuit of the flying deer.

At this moment, it wasn't the creature's aroma that intrigued him. Although he remained curious about it, a more pragmatic idea took root in his mind.

"If I can tame the Flight of Deer and use it as a mount, it would make navigating the Black Forest or handling other tasks outside much more convenient."

He was captivated by the deer's bird-like speed. Moreover, its size was similar to that of a horse, making it an ideal mount.

Additionally, there was another reason behind this idea.

Previously, he had obtained a soul-soothing bell from the beast tamer, Ruien. It was a useful tool for taming beasts, and now seemed like the perfect time to use it.

...

Though the Flight of Deer vanished in the blink of an eye, Hua Mi's flying speed was utterly inadequate in comparison.

However, he had the scout bees.

Remembering the deer's scent, as long as it hadn't dashed too far, Hua Mi could track it down wherever it hid.

Luck favored him.

According to the scout bees' olfactory information, after swiftly traversing several locations, the Flight of Deer gradually came to a halt.

Was it resting after the rapid flight, or did it believe it had shaken off its pursuer?

Hua Mi's current mood was akin to that of a tracker; as he drew closer, excitement began to simmer within him.

Observing from a distance, the Flight of Deer lay by a tree, grooming its fur.

This indicated its relaxed state.

Excellent. This would make it easier.

However, Hua Mi refrained from rashly making contact, unsure of its strength.

For now, its temperament seemed quite mild, but one couldn't predict the consequences of provoking it.

He had no knowledge of beast taming techniques. He'd watched some videos online about taming wild horses, but his understanding was limited.

This time, it would mostly rely on luck.

Fortunately, he had the aid of a tool.

Approaching cautiously, Hua Mi reached for the soul-soothing bell—

At that moment, a piercing screech echoed through the sky.

Startled, Hua Mi jerked his head up.

Through the mist, he saw a massive black shadow circling in the sky.

Whoosh—

Accompanied by the flapping of wings, the mist was temporarily dispersed.

It was a large avian creature with a wingspan exceeding three meters, covered in jet-black feathers. Its sharp eyes were fixed on the Flight of Deer below.

A Level 3 magical beast, the Sky Soarer.

Though not of a high level, it was not to be underestimated. Relying on its high-speed aerial maneuvers and sharp talons, it could easily tear a person in half. Moreover, a direct hit from it could knock even the toughest person unconscious for a while.

The Sky Soarer suddenly spread its wings before folding them in, transforming into a black blur, piercing through the air, and hurtling down straight toward the ground!