Shen Yi had discovered a new application for his psychic energy.

He found that by cloaking himself in psychic energy, his underlings couldn’t perceive him, effectively granting him near-invisibility.

It was practically the ultimate skill for discreet development, escape, and self-preservation—a truly divine gift.

Could there be any ability more perfectly suited for another venture into that mystical floral realm?

He had long been consumed by a nagging curiosity, spurred by the dangerous premonition that arose every time he neared the spiritual flower, eager to uncover the source of this mysterious threat.

Indeed, it seemed even fate itself was guiding him.

Without further ado, that morning, after dispatching his minions to gather nectar, he flew alone towards the valley.

Utilizing psychic energy was taxing, so he only enveloped himself in it once he was close to the valley. Concealed on a towering grass stalk, he first observed his surroundings, ensuring no dangerous creatures lurked nearby, before finally flying towards the spiritual flower.

Perhaps it was his first real-world application of psychic energy; excitement and trepidation completely overwhelmed him, his heart hammering in his chest.

As he skillfully ascended to the third flower from the top, his heart throbbed violently, almost bursting from his chest.

When he inserted his head into the flower’s opening, he was met with an unexpected resistance this time.

Shen Yi was puzzled. Had he perhaps gained a bit of weight recently?

Still, it wasn’t an insurmountable obstacle.

Shen Yi worked his forelegs inside, his plump, golden abdomen plugging the flower’s entrance as he squirmed and rotated, seeking the optimal angle. His slender little feet pushed against the petals with all his might, exerting every ounce of strength.

Just as he was about to fully enter, Shen Yi inadvertently lifted his head, and his eyes, without warning, caught sight of something utterly beyond his comprehension.

The fuzzy abdomen, lodged in the pistil, suddenly froze.

Within the palm-sized space, a delicate and exquisite “miniature figurine” had its wings folded, head bowed and curled up, revealing a pointed, pristine white chin.

Long green hair cascaded in natural waves, soft and smooth strands intertwined with leaves—or perhaps leaves entwined with hair—from which a cluster of beautiful, tender flower buds sprouted on one side of its head.

Shen Yi was intimately familiar with these buds; they were identical to the spiritual flower he so frequently visited.

Its ears, too, were pointed, peeking gracefully from the waterfall of hair, every detail crafted with breathtaking precision.

It was as if a divine artisan had meticulously sculpted and treasured this figurine—the elves depicted in novels now had a vivid, concrete form in Shen Yi’s mind.

Shen Yi gazed, mesmerized, at the green figure, at the familiar flower buds adorning its head.

—So, this was a flower spirit?

He instinctively softened his breathing, daring not to move, terrified of disturbing this natural marvel.

The next moment, the natural marvel opened its eyes. Jade-green eyes, filled with an innate indifference and detachment, fixed directly upon Shen Yi.

“Is that you?”

—It spoke!

Shen Yi stared back in even greater shock, his mind momentarily seizing up.

Whether it was fright, excitement, or a delayed surge of joy, everything was momentarily eclipsed.

His heart pounded even faster.

Wings of pale green, soft and ethereal, seemed to shimmer with trapped light as they unfurled, fully revealing the sprite’s form before Shen Yi.

Its eyebrows and eyelashes were the same verdant green as its hair, its face exquisitely beautiful—an androgynous beauty that transcended gender. It wore a robe with unique patterns, made of a material that resembled petals yet possessed an unusual resilience and luster not found in plants.

Since transforming into a bee, Shen Yi had never dared to hope he would encounter a human-like being in this world. Most importantly, this creature could speak and possessed intelligence.

Perhaps it was a former human’s ingrained perception of plants—that life born from beautiful, elegant flowers was inherently harmless and pure.

But he had forgotten: plants, too, could be predatory.

Hesitantly, he considered greeting it, but just as he was about to speak, the beautiful little sprite suddenly raised a hand. A beam of green light solidified into a sharp, weapon-like form and shot towards him.

Shen Yi abruptly yanked his head out of the flower bud with a powerful pull. As he tumbled mid-air and landed on the ground, he belatedly realized: he had come to collect spiritual dew for his little followers.

To this little sprite living in the flower, wasn’t he just a thief?

And a repeat offender at that, habitually plundering the same source.

A moment of empathy sent a chill down Shen Yi’s spine.

A sudden surge of dread instinctively made him want to flee. However, just as he took flight, the unusually vigorous buzzing of the bumblebee’s wings exploded in his ears, like an industrial-strength extractor fan on full blast—a deafening roar that drowned out all other sounds, impossible to ignore.

Psychic energy could conceal his form, but not his sound.

Frustrated, Shen Yi quickly landed.

“Got you.”

The beautiful little sprite from the flower pursued him, its melodious voice echoing through the valley: “Stop hiding. I already see you.”

Whew—

Shen Yi, flattened on the ground, quietly exhaled in relief.

—Apparently, it hadn’t seen him.

The psychic energy cloak really worked.

Once certain he hadn’t been exposed, he eagerly parted the grass blades in front of him, impatiently gazing at the sprite hovering in mid-air.

The excitement, thrill, and wonder that had been suppressed by shock now surged forth all at once.

An elf—this was an actual elf! In his lifetime, he had actually seen an elf.

So beautiful.

Exquisite and tiny, its small face set in a serious, yet tender and fair expression.

It would be utterly adorable resting in his palm—so small, easily held and played with.

If he poked it, would it wrap its tiny hands around his fingertip…

Shen Yi was almost melted by his own imagination; his affection for this little elf even surpassed his love for fluffy things.

However, the next moment, an overwhelming barrage of green light mercilessly shattered Shen Yi’s wishful fantasy.

“Still not coming out?”

Sharp blades of light spun outwards, like cutting machinery, instantly transforming the lush grassland into a barren expanse. Stems and leaves were shredded into fine fragments, raining down in a green shower across the valley.

The fierce, destructive intent, unleashed without a word, left Shen Yi dumbfounded.

The—the elf’s reputation was utterly ruined.

—So brutal.

—What happened to being peace-loving and a guardian of nature, as promised?

Stereotypes could be the death of a bee.

Shen Yi instinctively folded his wings, held his breath, and completely abandoned any thought of greeting the little elf. Survival came first.

He crawled lightly along the ground, moving outwards, his tiny legs churning like a whirlwind, not daring to waste a single moment.

By the time he reached the edge of the valley, he couldn’t resist a reluctant glance back. The countless light blades, not content with merely shredding the grass stems, had begun to tear up the very earth.

The little elf hovered in mid-air, lips pressed tightly, its expression cold and stern, as if determined to thoroughly plow the land, inside and out, before relenting.

Watching the valley being churned into chaos, Shen Yi’s antennae stiffened. He was immensely relieved he had escaped quickly; otherwise, caught in such a maelstrom, how could he have survived?

He crouched behind a tree, waiting until the light blades subsided and the grass fragments settled.

The little elf’s cold, emerald eyes swept across the surroundings, its fists clenched tightly, before it turned and flew back into the flower bud.

It seemed very unhappy.

Its face also appeared even paler, causing Shen Yi’s heart to clench with worry.

After waiting a long time, and confirming that the little elf wouldn’t emerge again, he reluctantly departed.

>

He had set out full of confidence but returned empty-handed. Yet, Shen Yi felt not a trace of disappointment.

He was like a greedy dragon who had discovered something glittering, drooling over the treasure.

Excitement, thrill, and a myriad of other indescribable emotions swelled within his heart, overflowing incessantly, permeating every part of his body. Every cell vibrated with exhilaration.

That small green figure continuously spun in his mind. He dared say no human on Earth could resist such an adorable little elf!

Suddenly, a warm current flowed through his heart. Shen Yi felt as if he had been injected with adrenaline, his body brimming with energy, and his Mental Sea seemed to expand as well.

With his mind utterly consumed by thoughts of the little elf, he drifted in a daze of foolish delight until evening. One by one, his scouting minions returned to the nest, coming to Shen Yi to present their bellies for patting.

Shen Yi absently stroked each fluffy belly, his thoughts entirely focused on the little elf’s stern, baby-fat cheeks. He counted distractedly: “Number Seven, Number Five, Number Eleven…” It must be so soft—would it turn red if he pinched it?

“Number Six, Number Nine…” What connection did it have with that flower? If he took good care of the flower, would the little elf be willing to get close to him?

“Number Four, Number Two…” How could he make friends with the little elf?

The bumblebees, after having their bellies patted, gathered together. Several had their pollen baskets filled, eagerly exchanging information about the flower sources they had scouted.

By now, they were almost half a month old and could already secrete beeswax. Combined with pollen and resin, they could synthesize propolis to build a nest.

Having their own hive, nurturing larvae, and expanding the colony were innate instincts of bees.

Clearly, they hadn’t realized that their king had mutated. They still believed it was because the nest wasn’t built that the king refused to lay eggs. Each one was determined to build the nest quickly, hoping to lift the king’s spirits and encourage him to churn out offspring abundantly.

Their king was so strong, beautiful, and full of vitality—he must be very fertile.

The sky had turned completely dark. Unaware that his subordinates were worried about his well-being, Shen Yi suddenly straightened up and asked, “Where’s Number Three?”

Ten had returned—one was missing.

Bumblebees cannot see in the dark, so they usually return to the nest before nightfall. None of his subordinates had ever stayed out overnight. A sinking feeling gripped Shen Yi’s heart, and an ominous premonition rose within him.

Perhaps this feeling had already surfaced many times today but had been overshadowed by stronger emotions, going unnoticed.

Shen Yi hurriedly turned his focus inward and discovered that the light representing Number Three in his Mental Sea had gone out, leaving only the bare mental contract line floating emptily.

—When did it happen?