A Beekeeper in a Magical World - Chapter 151

Chapter 151: Intrusion into the Contemplation Sphere

Hua Mi had been attempting to access this thing for a while now, but his mental strength had always fallen short. Yet, after the recent exploration in the Misty Mountains, his mental control had notably improved, reaching the 5th stage of "Bee Power".

In this world, there wasn't a clear-cut ranking system for mental strength. Most professions didn't prioritize its cultivation, sticking to a "just enough" principle. Take mages, for instance. While training mental strength was compulsory, they seldom devoted much effort to it. As long as it was sufficient to wield magic, they stopped at a critical threshold.

What was this threshold? It meant that once mental strength reached a certain point, pushing further led to a steep decline in the enhancement of casting speed and such. So, rather than spending a lot of time on mental cultivation, it made more sense to practice more spells or enhance magical skills.

That was the consensus among mages: mental strength had a limit, while magical power had none. But Hua Mi was different. His growth relied heavily on mental strength. The higher it soared, the greater his ability to control the bee swarms.

To objectively measure his own prowess, he devised a rough yet simple grading system: segmentation. Essentially, the number of swarms he could control equated to the number of segments.

Considering that a swarm comprised around 10,000 to 20,000 bees, the simultaneous control of swarms matched his mental strength segments.

For instance, if it were 20,000 bees from a single swarm, it was relatively easier to control. But if it came from two swarms of 10,000 each, the difficulty lay somewhere between controlling 1 and 2 swarms.

In summary, he believed that with his current 5th stage of mental strength, he was capable enough to attempt breaking through the "firewall" of the Contemplation Sphere.

Taking out the sphere, he unleashed his mental strength, forcefully probing inside! However, even with his current 5th stage mental strength, breaking in remained a challenge.

Hua Mi concentrated his mental strength into a "sharp blade", engaging in a tug-of-war with the sphere's barrier. Persisting, he finally managed to breach it slightly.

The mental blade punctured a hole in the sphere's barrier.

What followed was a breakthrough, smooth and unstoppable.

Hua Mi's mental strength smoothly infiltrated the sphere.

It was a fragmented space, enveloped in a vast expanse of white mist.

The first notable sight was a row of golden symbols hovering above the mist.

Not human language or elvish, in fact, he wasn't even certain if it was a language. Describing it as abstract stick figures seemed fitting.

But its presence within the Contemplation Sphere indicated its importance to the grey-robed figure.

"Is it some kind of code?" Hua Mi pondered, wondering if there was a treasure hidden somewhere, and these symbols represented the passcode to its location. Yet, possessing the code without knowing the location was of little use.

Temporarily setting aside the symbols, Hua Mi observed more within the Contemplation Sphere.

His mental strength delved deeper.

Amidst the mist emerged an image. Presented in a first-person perspective, the scene was clear but somewhat shaky.

It seemed to be a dimly lit small room.

The walls were unevenly stacked stones without a single window, illuminated by a few dirty oil lamps that hindered the light's spread.

At the center was an operating table with a corpse, showing signs of decay with a ghastly magic circle drawn in blood on its pale belly.

Numerous jars of varied sizes lay beside it, containing murky liquids and strange organs soaking within.

"What an eerie scene," Hua Mi remarked. With his mental strength breaking the contemplation sphere's defense, this place had completely opened up to him.

He could freely control the playback speed of this imagery, performing fast forwards or rewinds.

After rapidly viewing the whole scene, Hua Mi realized it portrayed the entire process of creating a revenant.

The ritual involved three main stages: handling the corpse, summoning the spirit, and eventually merging the two.

Hua Mi had no intention to learn or practice such a taboo ritual. Anything deemed taboo surely had reasons behind it, and who knew what consequences might arise during the process.

"Could there also be a record of a demon summoning ritual in here?" Hua Mi skipped this part, pushing his mental strength further through the fog.

He spotted a piece of paper.

On a black background, white text appeared somewhat eerie. Gold filigree adorned its edges, giving it an oddly magnificent appearance.

He couldn't decipher the text on it, different from both the earlier symbols and human languages. However, upon closer inspection, beneath the unfamiliar text, there were annotations in common language, albeit tiny compared to the other text, causing him to overlook them initially.

Without examining it thoroughly, an inexplicable unease swept over Hua Mi. Although unable to comprehend the writing, those worm-like characters seemed to instantly stir up his emotions, evoking a cold and frenzied sensation, accompanied by murmurs.

The robe of tranquility seemed ineffective.

Even with his current mental strength and the robe's effects, he couldn't resist this influence.

Hua Mi hastily diverted his mental strength, ceasing to delve into the content on the paper.

Those unknown characters seemed to possess a certain power; despite being unreadable, they could impact those who observed them.

Staring too long might lead to irreversible consequences.

"Demonic script?" Hua Mi speculated. Perhaps this was the contract signed between the grey-robed figure and a demon.

Though he had been focusing on learning other species' languages lately, demon language wasn't within his plans.

His stance on demons in the Nine Hells was strictly to keep a respectful distance.

To have one's soul plunge into the Nine Hells after death was the most wretched fate imaginable. In this world, the harshest curse upon someone was, "May your soul descend into the Nine Hells after death."

Continuing to delve, Hua Mi soon reached the final part of the Contemplation Sphere's record: a drawing.

To be precise, a half-drawn image.

It depicted a partial magic circle with incomplete annotations...

Fortunately, these annotations were in human language.

It stated that this drawing contained an ancient secret: [Astral Projection].

In essence, this ability allowed the soul to freely roam while the body remained alive. Different from a post-mortem soul, it was more liberated and powerful, capable of tasks impossible in a physical state, accessing places restricted or entirely inaccessible to the body.

Mastering this secret required robust mental strength as a prerequisite, along with the assistance of the magic circle, materials, and incantations.

The grey-robed figure had somehow obtained this record, but unfortunately, it was incomplete.

The magic circle, materials, and incantations were all incomplete.

Otherwise, Hua Mi would've been keen on learning it. His specialization in mental strength aligned perfectly with this technique.

"Let's keep this. Maybe, by some stroke of luck, I'll get the other half someday," Hua Mi concluded his investigation, retracting his mental strength.

Not bad for the wait.

Although the content held within wouldn't immediately benefit him, it was all extremely valuable and worth preserving properly.

Stowing away the Contemplation Sphere,

Hua Mi pondered, "Setting aside the other discoveries, if that initial encrypted message is indeed a code, where might it be used?"

His first thought lingered on the Sulcar Principality, where the grey-robed figure had spent roughly two years in the Strelia Village, as per Zeleka's account. It was a considerable duration, residing in a tower outside the village, rarely interacting with anyone.

There might be some hidden secrets within.

Perhaps it was worth exploring.

As for the timing... that could wait. He had been quite occupied recently.

...

In the tireless efforts of Da Xiong, Lu Fei's single room was smoothly completed in Huayu Town.

Overall, it met Hua Mi's expectations. Though not visually appealing, its strength and durability made for easy access.

To celebrate the completion, Hua Mi treated Da Xiong to a meal. After spending time together, their bond grew, and Da Xiong gradually opened up to him.

During the meal, Da Xiong voluntarily brought up his regretful past—a tragic and cliché tale but enough to haunt him for life.

"One full moon night, I completely transformed into a beast, unexpectedly broke free from restraints, and killed my wife," Da Xiong's voice choked. "She trusted and supported me, never heeding others' gossip, always firmly by my side... I can't bear to imagine how desperate she must have felt before... She deserved better."

Da Xiong desired the death penalty by law, yet the Kingdom of Turlun's legislation absolved berserkers of legal responsibilities during complete transformations.

Upon confirming his state during the crime, he was acquitted, unable to forgive himself. He once contemplated suicide but couldn't fathom descending into the Nine Hells. Thus, he became reclusive in the neglected Black Forest.

Encountering Hua Mi that fateful night and under the influence of the Honey of the Mirage Blossoms, his perspective changed. He sought redemption, dedicating himself to preserving the forest's ecology, aiding creatures, and enriching its species.

He contemplated visiting Blackstone Town, offering free help, but feared rejection as a berserker. Hua Mi reassured him, considering the town's resilience, exemplified by Col living peacefully there. Encouraged, Da Xiong appeared more certain about his future path after baring his soul.

In the following days, Hua Mi harvested the fourth batch of Thunder Blossom Honey, the second batch of Mirage Blossom Honey, and the second batch of Feathered Mirage Honey. Alongside these, he obtained another Blood Cyan Crystal, totaling two. He decided to wait until he had five before visiting Brass City for enhancement.

Regarding crossbreeding bee species, no success was found. The newly acquired Measurement Bees, like the Doomsday Solitary Star, faced reproductive isolation from other bee species. Time flew, and the Windchime Blossom Honey would soon finish brewing, marking the launch of "Bee Whisperer's Cottage" phase two.

One day, while engrossed in reading, Hua Mi heard bustling sounds outside the wooden house—footsteps and chatter approaching. Looking out, familiar faces drew closer—the forefront featured Carter and Clark, both showing decent recovery.

Bard Jimmy followed, flamboyantly dressed in purple, sporting exaggeratedly funny makeup. Centaur Manit brought up the rear, his usual brooding and low-pressure demeanor.

It seemed Mordu's incident had concluded. Nite had teleported them here through Manit's portal.

"The green-eyed guy's fallen," the bard gleefully exclaimed, "The joint international representative group has taken over the association and is discussing a renaming!"

"That guy did some atrocious things behind the scenes..." Carter lamented, "He was a madman."

Hua Mi, having not followed recent news, was unaware of the situation. Carter presented a newspaper with extensive coverage—reporting the president's imprisonment in the Abyssal Cliff Prison, the continent's most heavily guarded jail on Exile Island. Escaping scholars remained at large.

This event caused a stir across the continent, even in the remotest villages, discussing the matter.

Excited about the victory, the bard offered a free, exhilarating performance for everyone. Hua Mi knew of the bard's abilities, having witnessed his impromptu act in the palace. His ability to evoke emotions and visuals surpassed even films.

Why miss a free show? Manit had urgent matters and left.

The remaining trio, along with the eight little ones, enjoyed a rollercoaster of a play. Though a solo act, Jimmy managed an epic performance, utilizing minimal props and appropriate gestures, providing immense emotional value for the audience. No wonder the bard was immensely popular.

As they departed, the sun had set. Little White had long dozed off. Hua Mi planned to complete today's tasks before resting, continuing to read under lamplight.

Unwittingly, drowsiness crept in. With a yawn, he propped his chin on his hand, intending a brief nap.

Awakening to the cold morning light filtering through the window, he marveled at his sleep quality.

"My sleep's impeccable; I can doze off like that." He chuckled, rising to open the door for a customary stretch and fresh air intake.

But as he pushed the door, he froze.

"Fog?" The woods were blanketed in a thick white mist, its density varying notably with height—thin above a meter, obscuring legs below that mark.

Snow vanished, replaced by an eerie fog—it didn't seem magical or scientific.

Then, he noticed a hint of red.

"Morning, big bro." Xiao Hong flew over to greet him.

"Morning..." Hua Mi paused. "Did you just call me what I think you did?"

"Big bro, of course."

"..." Something felt off.

Pressing his temples, he realized—he wore rough cloth.

Where's my black robe? My cozy, all-weather, comfortable Robe of Tranquility!

Happy Double Festival, and here are ten thousand words!

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