A Beekeeper in a Magical World

Hua Mi could feel the mount beneath him gradually being tamed. The pace remained swift but with considerably fewer jolts. It seemed to have developed a fondness for carrying a rider, no longer fixated on tossing its passenger off.

Gradually, Hua Mi relaxed his grip on the Pseudo-Flower Spirits, sitting upright, hands firmly holding the antlers. His strengthened physique, especially in terms of strength, thanks to the enhancement from the Great Strength Pill, made riding effortless. However, the prolonged process had consumed a fair amount of his stamina, leaving him somewhat fatigued.

In contrast, Deerfly, having dashed through the mountainous terrain for so long, showed no signs of weariness.

"You've got some impressive endurance," he remarked. "You're a natural mount."

Deerfly's eyes seemed to pierce through the mist, unaffected by its density, maintaining its speed effortlessly. The Soul Bell continued to sway in tandem with its gallop.

Of course, Hua Mi felt that, at this point, he hardly required the Soul Bell's assistance. He started to experiment with controlling Deerfly's pace, speed, and direction. Gently pulling back the antlers slowed the speed, while pushing forward accelerated it. Maneuvering left or right was just a matter of pulling in that direction, far simpler than driving a car.

"Hua Mi's having a blast!"

He guided Deerfly in a circle, eventually returning near the river, then pulled the antlers to halt the ride. Listening to Deerfly's steady breaths, Hua Mi couldn't help but marvel at its endurance once more.

Retrieving a handful of honey pellets from his storage space, including Blessing Honey Pellets and Mirage Honey Pellets, he offered them to Deerfly. His knowledge of animal training was limited to TV shows, but he knew that rewarding creatures was a crucial element.

Deerfly sniffed and promptly extended its tongue, rolling the pellets into its mouth, chewing and swallowing. After a few quiet moments, Deerfly playfully trotted a few steps on the rocky shore, shaking its head.

"You seem to like that, huh?" Hua Mi chuckled, patting its head as it affectionately rubbed against him, resembling a playful cat.

Successfully tamed! The duo bonded exceptionally well. However, Hua Mi knew that animal taming wasn't simple; luck played a role in his success, along with the assistance of the Beastman, Eagle's Soar, and the Soul Bell.

"Once things here are settled, you're coming back to the Black Forest with me," he softly said to Deerfly.

It accepted.

"From now on, I've got a mount too!"

As the sole honey supplier in this world, the Bee Whisperer of the Black Forest, the guardian, and the swordbearer of the Brass City—how could he not have an exclusive mount? This completed his prestige.

Nevertheless, he hadn't forgotten his primary mission. After a brief rest by the riverbank, Hua Mi donned his hood, pointed forward, and exclaimed, "Towards our target!"

With a lifted foreleg, Deerfly bolted, leaping over the wide river, galloping towards the second marked location.

The aroma grew stronger as they neared the second marker. Having a mount was indeed faster.

Hua Mi halted Deerfly and used an infrared thermal imager to capture the area ahead. Amidst dense trees, he glimpsed what seemed like organized ruins, exhibiting significant temperature variations compared to the surrounding trees and ground.

Caution prevailed. He sent a scouting bee to gather intelligence while keeping a lookout. The visual feedback revealed a nearby structure in partial ruins—a sign of potential progress. The adventurer had vaguely mentioned that the Beyond Tree was located near such ruins.

Guiding Deerfly closer, he continued scouting the area. He remained wary as the adventurer's manual had warned about the magical elements of the Beyond Tree affecting the environment, possibly attracting magical creatures.

The thick fog, approaching dusk, reduced visibility further. Even the perceptive scouting bee couldn't fully grasp the entire area, necessitating continuous movement and scanning—a discomfort akin to switching from an open map to a foggy mode in a game.

As the bee relayed visuals, Hua Mi mentally constructed a rough terrain map. The ruin's extensive collapse left a few crumbling walls standing, leaving the original structure unidentifiable. However, a spacious chamber seemed evident from the remnants of the foundation. The surrounding walls, about three to four meters high, displayed vines laden with vibrant flowers—a sight that made him sigh.

The fragrance's source was undoubtedly these vines.

Disappointed by the absence of blossoming trees nearby, he sent the scout bee again, confirming the scarcity of ordinary trees in the vicinity. Fortunately, there seemed to be no imminent danger, just small creatures in the rubble, insignificant and feeble.

Hua Mi urged Deerfly forward into the ruins, dismounting upon arrival. Approaching the vines, he observed that they indeed secreted honey. Coincidentally, it was the honey secretion period.

However, a mental probe revealed them as ordinary flowers, containing negligible magical elements, about a tenth of what the Dreaming Moonflower had. Little different from Earth's flora.

Still, they could supplement his bee colony. Each time he ventured out with them, he ensured sufficient honey in the Magic Box for the bees, but for their well-being, allowing them to gather nectar freely was better.

Estimating the scale of the honey source, it seemed adequate for two bee colonies. Releasing a Strength Bee and a Azure Flame Bee, he watched as they quickly located the source but showed little enthusiasm, tasting the nectar superficially.

"Looks like even the best quality bees turn picky here," Hua Mi chuckled wryly.

As the saying goes, simplicity easily transitions to luxury, but the reverse is challenging. This instance further supported his view: these plants held little value, not worth cultivating.

"After all, it's only a three-star adventurer zone. It's normal not to stumble upon super rare honey sources...or rather, this is the norm."

Redirecting his attention from the vines, he surveyed the surroundings.