Chapter 374 - 372: Save What You Can

Chapter 374: Chapter 372: Save What You Can

"Oh, right, I have a question. If Duoduo’s colony produces other Spirit Bees, will I have to form a contract with each of them one by one?" Gu Nuan Nuan asked curiously.

"No, for those Spirit Bees, you’ll just need to have Duoduo form a contract with them."

"That’s good. Otherwise, a whole swarm like that would be a real pain." Gu Nuan Nuan nodded in satisfaction, said, "I’m leaving it to you," and went straight back into the cave.

Three days passed in a flash. Gu Nuan Nuan smiled happily as she looked at the new batch of Hundred Herbs Rejuvenating Ointment in her storage ring. Over the past three days, she had alternated between Alchemy and Cultivation without a single failure. Working day and night without rest, her gains were naturally substantial. ’Heh. In recent years, I’ve focused on refining these Hundred Herbs Rejuvenation Pills. As my proficiency has grown, my success rate has reached over ninety-nine percent, if not a full one hundred. Practice really does make perfect.’

In a good mood, Gu Nuan Nuan got up and left the cave. As soon as she came out, Cao Cao flew over to her. Gu Nuan Nuan smiled and rubbed its little head. "How did the teaching go?"

"Duoduo is very smart and learns quickly. I’ve explained everything she needs to know. Oh, and she’s a Spirit Bee now. See for yourself, Master." Cao Cao moved aside, revealing a small, golden-yellow bee following behind it.

Seeing Duoduo again, Gu Nuan Nuan was taken aback for a moment. "She really has gotten smaller, and much prettier too." The Duoduo of today was no longer frighteningly round like a ball, but had become petite and cute. Aside from being slightly larger than a normal honeybee, there wasn’t much of a difference. She held out her hand, and Duoduo landed in her palm, calling out shyly, "Master." Her voice was delicate, lacking its previous trembling awe and filled instead with affection.

Gu Nuan Nuan knew at once that Cao Cao must have had a hand in this change, so she gave it an appreciative glance. Then, she turned back to Duoduo and praised her generously, "Not bad, you’ve become very pretty." Duoduo immediately grew shy. "Thank you for the compliment, Master."

"Keep up your Cultivation. Once your Rank gets higher, you’ll definitely become even more beautiful," Gu Nuan Nuan nodded. "Cao Cao told you what you need to do while you’re here, right?" Seeing Duoduo nod, she smiled. "Then just do as it said. For now, you’ll stay here obediently. In the future, when Cao Cao’s space is upgraded, you’ll be able to stay there and be with us at all times."

"Mhm-hm~"

Duoduo nodded eagerly, her heart filled with anticipation. She knew that by following her master, she might get to eat more of those little medicine pills—the kind that had turned her from an ordinary bee into a Spirit Bee and infinitely extended her lifespan. At the mere thought of those pills that melted in her mouth, her own mouth began to water, and an intense longing filled her eyes.

Gu Nuan Nuan sent Duoduo away with a thought and then called out to Cao Cao, "Alright, we should get going too."

"Wait, Master, there’s still the storage bag." Cao Cao quickly flew back to the small wooden cabin and brought out a little cloth pouch. It placed the pouch in Gu Nuan Nuan’s hand. "I’ve put all the recent honey and honeycomb inside."

"Oh."

Gu Nuan glanced at it and nodded. She first emptied its contents, then handed the empty storage bag back to Cao Cao. "Give this to Duoduo and teach her how to use it. From now on, have her put the honey and honeycomb directly inside. Otherwise, if we’re gone for a long time, it’ll just pile up outside. The smell is so sweet it might attract bugs or something, and that would be disgusting."

The honeycomb Gu Nuan Nuan was referring to wasn’t the one Duoduo and her colony currently lived in—a hive that was practically a grand palace to the little bees. She had seen it as soon as she left the cave. The hive Duoduo now inhabited was as large as a room of over two hundred square feet, a truly eye-catching sight. Combined with the swarms of bees bustling in and out, it would be strange if someone with trypophobia didn’t collapse onto the ground in fright at the sight.

The honeycombs she meant were the ones Duoduo had specially made before to trade with her. They weren’t large, each weighing only about ten-odd pounds.

"Master is always so thoughtful." Cao Cao agreed with the idea and, without another word, took the storage bag and flew off to find Duoduo.

The Medicine Garden was located deep in the mountain forest. Gu Nuan Nuan had brought her grandfather and eldest uncle there once before. Using Rapid Movement Talismans, it still took the three of them the better part of a day to make the journey. This was one of the reasons the two of them never returned after that first visit.

It was too far, and the trip was too difficult. It also used up talismans, and there was no way to replenish those Rapid Movement Talismans once they were gone.

Besides, their main reason for going all that way was just to test it out and see how Spiritual Energy affected them. The results, however, were a great disappointment. Perhaps because they only practiced ordinary Internal Cultivation Methods from the Mortal World, they couldn’t absorb much Spiritual Energy at all. For them, it was better to go to the Fish Spring than to make the long trip to the Medicine Garden to cultivate, as there was no significant difference between the two. Therefore, they gave up on coming back. As a result, Gu Nuan Nuan never gave them the Array Plates that would grant access to the Medicine Garden, nor did she bother making plans to bring anyone else there.

Gu Nuan Nuan usually didn’t use Rapid Movement Talismans when she traveled to and from the Medicine Garden.

Even without them, her speed surpassed that of her grandfather and uncle who had used the talismans. They needed the better part of a day, while she only needed about three hours. Of course, she would be even faster if she chose to use a Rapid Movement Talisman, but she wouldn’t use one unless necessary. After all, her energy was limited, and she was currently focusing it on learning Alchemy. She simply didn’t have the stamina to study every single type of talisman. Besides, even if she wanted to learn, the shortage of materials was a major problem.

’So, it’s best to save them when I can.’

Fortunately, three hours wasn’t too long. With Cao Cao for company, she would occasionally encounter wild boars, rabbits, pheasants, or wild ducks. Gu Nuan Nuan wouldn’t go out of her way to hunt them, but she was never too polite to the unlucky ones that happened to cross her path. Because of this, she never found the journey too dull.

She passed silently through Zhang Family Village and arrived in town just at ten o’clock. As usual, Gu Nuan Nuan first went to see her grandfather, Gu Wu. Then, she went to the Zhang’s Bun Shop in town. The current manager, Huang Chun, saw her enter and hurried over to warmly welcome her into the back room. Huang Chun personally cooked a couple of dishes for her lunch, and then had her husband, Tao Jiancheng, drive Gu Nuan Nuan back to the city.

It was already past two in the afternoon when she arrived in the city. After getting out of the car at the entrance to the villa district, Gu Nuan Nuan headed straight for her maternal grandparents’ villa. Upon entering, she saw Wen Xiu busy in the yard, watering the vegetable patch. Wen Xiu’s face lit up when she saw her. She put down the watering can, stood up, and washed her hands at the tap in the yard. "Have you eaten yet?"