chapter 78

"Where are they?" the Queen Bee murmured, her antennae twitching as she scanned the air for any trace of her missing mates. Panic settled in her thorax like a weight. Without males, she couldn't start her hive. Without a hive, she had no future.

Unlike Earth's bees, where queens had workers from birth to tend to their needs, the bees of this world lived by stricter, more ruthless laws. 

The Queen Bee's wings trembled as panic surged through her. She needed to act fast. The other queens from her hive had already set off on their journeys to establish their own colonies. If she lagged behind, she would become nothing more than an obstacle in their way—one they wouldn't hesitate to eliminate.

But even if she survived their wrath, she still had to answer to her mother. Every hive she built, no matter how powerful, would ultimately fall under the rule of the original Queen. Any attempt at independence would be crushed without mercy.

It was a brutal race.

She had to secure sperm, lay her first eggs, and raise her first generation of workers—then, and only then, could she begin expanding. The faster she completed this cycle, the greater her chances of survival. Every second wasted tipped the odds against her.

Yet, despite all her instincts screaming at her to move, she remained frozen in the air. There were no males. The usual gathering grounds were barren, the air devoid of the telltale pheromones of eager males. She scanned the skies, the forests, the valleys, but nothing—not a single sign of the males she so desperately needed.

Desperation clawed at her mind. She needed an alternative. Then, she remembered something, a hushed whisper passed through the hive, a tale of a queen who had grown too powerful for her own good.

A queen who had managed to impregnate herself with the seed of a dragon, birthing a monstrous swarm of dragon bees. The result? Total annihilation. Both the Beast King and the Radiant Sun had joined forces to erase that hive from existence.

There were other stories like this, such as the Tiger Bees, which were born when a Queen Bee obtained the sperm of a tiger. This resulted in the birth of Tiger Bees, hybrids, that combined the strengths of both species. They possessed the agility and ferocity of a tiger, along with the swarm tactics and flight capabilities of bees.

"Why should I limit myself to a bee?" she thought, closing her eyes to sense the lifeforms around her. Almost immediately, she felt two overwhelming presences. The first was difficult to identify at first, but as she focused, she realized—it was a dragon pulling a carriage. That alone was shocking, but the second presence left her even more shaken. It belonged to a mere level 1 Qi Refinement realm human. No… that wasn't human. No human should possess such an immense and overwhelming life force.

Her eyes snapped open, spinning with uncertainty as she weighed her options. She had two choices: attempt to obtain the dragon's essence or target the mysterious humanoid. After a brief moment of contemplation, she made her decision—she wanted the humanoid.

Why?

Because despite his seemingly low cultivation, he radiated power on par with a Foundation Establishment cultivator. And more than that, his bloodline… it felt far grander than even that of the dragon.

***

Lan Mei's head shifted ever so slightly—an almost imperceptible motion, yet more than enough for Lianchen to catch. Following her subtle cue, he expanded his senses, quickly detecting a demonic beast approaching at high speed.

"What's so special about that bee?" he asked, turning his gaze toward Lan Mei. As expected, she remained silent, offering no immediate response. Unbothered, Lianchen redirected his focus, sharpening his Observation Haki on the incoming creature.

This wasn't some ordinary Earth bee. It was humanoid in form, standing as tall as a human, yet unmistakably insectoid in nature. A fine layer of fur covered parts of its body, but rather than diminishing its appeal, it only enhanced its exotic beauty, adding an almost regal quality to its presence.

Lianchen couldn't immediately see what was so special about her. Sure, she was at the peak of the Core Formation realm, but that alone wasn't impressive. Her combat ability didn't even match her realm, making her weaker than trash in his eyes.

However, her Dao—that was intriguing.

She had cultivated a unique Dao centered around the concept of growing stronger through royal jelly, the protein-rich secretion produced by young worker bees. In essence, the stronger and more capable her offspring became, the more power she would gain in return.

But there was a catch—if she failed to establish herself as a capable queen, her own offspring could turn against her, overthrowing and replacing her.

'She's after me…' Lianchen mused, raising an eyebrow. This bee wanted his seed. And honestly? He wasn't against the idea. The benefits of having an army of Saiyan-infused bees under his command were too great to ignore. Loyal, hardworking, and exceptionally powerful—what more could he ask for?

The benefits far outweighed the risks. And what were the risks? Something as trivial as one of his offspring surpassing him? Lianchen welcomed that possibility with open arms and a grin. If anything, it would be an entertaining challenge.

The future was looking bright.

So, when the bee neared, she was caught off guard as the carriage suddenly began to slow down.

"What level of power is your Dao at?" Lan Mei asked abruptly, drawing Lianchen's attention. He raised an eyebrow at her before smirking.

She could normally gauge the strength of others' Daos with ease. If she had to ask, it meant she couldn't see through his at all.

"Thanks to the battles I've had so far, it's already equivalent to a level 7 Qi Refinement realm," Lianchen said with a smirk. "And it's still growing. I don't know when it'll reach its limit and break through to the mid-stage of the Dao Seed."

"A Dao that escapes the normal measurement system is classified as a Transcendent Dao," Lan Mei replied calmly. "Its existence surpasses the heavens themselves. With that comes the benefit of a natural shield, preventing others from seeing through its mysteries."

Lianchen narrowed his eyes slightly. "Why are you telling me this? Aren't you supposed to be hands-off?"

Lan Mei exhaled softly, then stood up, her gaze steady as she looked at him. "Because… you're ready to walk on your own two feet without me at your side to hold your hand."

"In truth, I died long ago. I refused to pass on so I could carry out my duty of looking after you," Lan Mei said with a gentle smile, her voice calm yet carrying the weight of finality. "Now, there's only one last thing I need to do before my task is complete."

Lianchen froze. He hadn't seen this coming.

"But before that," she continued softly, "you should know that this lower realm holds three things you must seek out before ascending to the Immortal Realm."

"I'll spend the time I have left training Lei Na to be my replacement. Then, my duty will be complete," Lan Mei said with a peaceful smile. Just as she began to turn away, ready to depart, Lianchen reached out and grasped her arm.

"Young Master," she said gently, "the injuries I suffered killed me long ago. There's no cure, no way to heal me."

Lianchen remained silent, his gaze dark and unreadable as he extended his senses toward her. He could feel it now—her existence was hanging by a thread, held together only by sheer willpower.

She was killed, but refused to die.. By all logic, she had already passed beyond the threshold of life, yet somehow, she had refused to let go. And now, with her task nearing completion, she had begun to relax, which meant she was dying.

Lianchen's frown deepened. For all the ways Lan Mei frustrated him with her endless secrets, she was still the closest person in his life. In this life and any other, she was the only true bond he had. He didn't want to see her die.

"You need not grieve for a lowly servant like myself," she said softly, slipping her hand from his grasp. "Out of the trillions of years I spent serving your mother, watching you grow has been my greatest joy."

Lianchen clenched his fists. "You know," he said, his voice quieter than usual, "I'm only seven years old. I still have a lot of growing to do."

Lan Mei gave a small, wistful smile. "That you do," she murmured before reaching out and ruffling his hair, as if he were nothing more than a child.

Lianchen's eye twitched in irritation, but he said nothing, watching as she turned away.

"By the way, only immortals will be able to withstand the weight of your seed," Lan Mei said, her voice lingering in the air. "Your seed is special—shaped by your cultivation art, your insights, and your unique physique. With every breakthrough, it will only grow more potent."

With those parting words, she faded from existence, leaving Lianchen alone in the carriage, his expression unreadable.

He exhaled deeply, rubbing his temples. 'that's why she relaxed.' His gaze shifted to the incoming bee, eyes narrowing slightly. There's something unusual about this bee… something that made Lan Mei think she could pass on without worry.