A Beekeeper in a Magical World

It's important to note that he's currently capable of effortlessly lifting 50 kilograms with one hand. Grabbing a large bat was no big deal.

Seeing the bat struggling, about to lash out, he immediately grabbed its two legs and ruthlessly slammed it to the ground—

Bang!

"Squeak!"

Following up with another slam—

Bang!

"Squeak!"

And another—

Bang!

"Squeak!"

Bang!

"…"

With each slam, the bat let out a scream, akin to a screaming chicken, oddly relieving some stress.

But as the beatings continued, the bat's voice gradually weakened until it fell silent.

Hua Mi remained steady, not stopping right away. He slammed it several more times to prevent any chance of resurrection.

Only after confirming no signs of resistance did Hua Mi finally cease, releasing his grip and tossing the bat's body aside.

The seven tiny spirits hovered in the air, gaping at him.

Was this still their brother, once powerless like a chicken? It felt... so unfamiliar.

Amidst their surprise, there was a tinge of delight.

Hua Mi could understand their sentiments well. It was akin to the three senior brothers heading to the monster's cave to rescue Tang Monk, only to find him inside, subduing the monster, a delightful surprise.

...

After driving away the invading monsters, Hua Mi sat down in the field, contemplating the next steps.

First, he needed to understand his current strength.

Here, he faced considerable limitations.

No items were on hand.

He had to rely solely on himself.

Five units of mental strength, a robust physique, and "Keen Eyesight" were his only assets.

Not necessarily weak, but lacking honey and bees, his strength undeniably dwindled.

However, the seven tiny spirits in his dream seemed to be his allies; perhaps their strength could be leveraged.

The main mission was clear: safely depart this dreamland.

Suicide was immediately ruled out due to its immense uncertainty.

Who knew if suicide would return him to the real world or cast him into the Nine Hells...

That left only one option: explore the dreamland.

He was utterly clueless about his current situation. Only by gathering enough information could he possibly find a way out of the dream.

Sitting here, lost in thought, wasn't going to cut it.

"Of course, before I explore, I should consult the seven flower spirits to see what they know."

Since they were natives of this dream, they ought to hold more information than he did.

Thinking this, Hua Mi stood and headed toward the seven spirits.

Just as he took a few steps, a ethereal voice echoed around him:

"Guardian of the Black Forest... Guardian... Wake up, quickly awaken..."

The voice sounded genderless, like a blend of many voices, neither clearly male nor female.

"Who's there?" Hua Mi felt like he recognized the voice but couldn't place it.

"I am the Spirit of the Black Forest..."

Oh right, it was the voice of the Black Forest Spirit.

Previously, to cure the withering curse, he had ventured into the Spirit Realm of the Black Forest.

The Black Forest Spirit had granted him a buff—the "Blessing of the Black Forest."

The title "Guardian of the Black Forest" was also bestowed by her.

But...

Was this speaking Black Forest Spirit from the dream or the real world? The urgency to "wake up quickly" sounded more like the real world.

As an ethereal being, perhaps the Black Forest Spirit could transcend dreams and reality to convey messages.

"Guardian, you are trapped in a 'Nightmare' created by the Dreamweaver."

Nightmare?

Was it a type of monster?

Hua Mi pondered, confirming he hadn't encountered any descriptions of it in books or notes.

"The Nightmare draws power from dreams. The longer you stay here, the stronger it becomes, making it harder to escape."

I see.

Although curious about this Nightmare monster, Hua Mi was more concerned about getting back to reality.

The Black Forest Spirit's voice sounded faint, as if about to disconnect.

Hence, Hua Mi cut to the chase, speaking rapidly, "How do I leave here?"

"You, relying on your mental strength, sensed the abnormality of your environment and awoke on your own, which isn't easy. But to escape the dream created by the Nightmare, you must find the totem belonging to this dream..."

"That totem is a 'anchor' your subconscious constructed upon entering the dream. It's crucial for sustaining the dream and the key to leaving it."

"Once you obtain the totem, it will guide you to the exit..."

Hua Mi didn't have time to ponder. He quickly followed up, "Where do I find this totem? If I constructed it, why don't I know where it is?"

The Black Forest Spirit's voice grew weaker, seeming to evade the question, "The totem is constructed by your subconscious. Once you're near it, you'll sense it... But you must know, Nightmares often dispatch powerful monsters to guard the totem. Obtaining it won't be easy... You'll have to explore its location on your own."

Hua Mi mused, "So, I could do the reverse—knowing the location of the strongest monster in the dream might lead me to the totem, right?"

But there was no answer.

"Hey, are you still there?"

After a moment's wait, it became apparent that the Black Forest Spirit had disconnected.

He didn't even get a chance to ask what would happen if one got injured or died in the dream.

Cross-realm communication was indeed unstable.

But Hua Mi had already strategized.

He approached the seven spirits, asking, "Who's the strongest in this forest?"

Without hesitation, the seven unanimously responded, "That would be the Scorpion-Tailed Lion and the Original Form Serpent Witch, they're a couple."

A couple...

The Scorpion-Tailed Lion and the Original Form Serpent Witch...

Scorpion Spirit and Snake Spirit?

Seemed like it was related to the Legend of the Calabash Brothers after all.

This further suggested that the Dreamweaver constructing this dreamland didn't solely dictate it but was somewhat influenced or restricted by the dreamer, following certain patterns.

Thinking for a moment, Hua Mi inquired, "In the territory of the Scorpion-Tailed Lion and the Original Form Serpent Witch, is there any particularly precious treasure?"

This time, the seven huddled and discussed for a while.

Red Flower Spirit stepped forward, saying, "They've hoarded many treasures, but the most cherished one would be a flower called the Seven-Colored Glass Flower."

The Seven-Colored Glass Flower...

Could that be the totem of the dream I constructed?

Well, it really does suit my style.

Hua Mi chuckled at his own thoughts.

Following the Black Forest Spirit's hint, to leave this dream plane, he needed to acquire the dream's totem—the Seven-Colored Glass Flower.

So, the next steps were crystal clear.

Addressing the seven spirits, Hua Mi said, "How about doing something exhilarating?"

The seven spirits were immediately intrigued, crowding around, "What's that?"

"Let's head to the territory of the Scorpion-Tailed Lion and the Original Form Serpent Witch and get our hands on the Seven-Colored Glass Flower!"

"..."

The seven

spirits exchanged glances, clearly surprised, yet they didn't question Hua Mi's decision.

"I'll go steal it for my brother!"

Blue Flower Spirit chimed in, gradually fading, becoming transparent.

"No." Hua Mi decisively stopped her dangerous idea. "The notion of 'Calabash Brothers saving their Grandpa' won't do."