According to the bee queen's account, for the past hundred years, the peach tree spirits in human form would come to the forest daily to collect honey. Moreover, they collaborated with outsiders, allowing highly skilled cultivators to periodically patrol the bee tribe's territory.
Whenever a member of the bee tribe's strength improved, they would be jointly suppressed by both sides. The peach blossoms, transformed by the peach demons, possessed a fatal attraction to the bee tribe members. The bee demons were no match for them and could only watch helplessly as the peach demons took their honey.
"...They claimed to sell it to outsiders, but that was also a lie. The honey is brewed with the spiritual energy of my bee tribe's people, possessing the effect of nourishing spiritual essence. Part of that honey was kept by themselves, and the rest was given to outsiders as remuneration."
"The peach demons and my bee tribe have an irreconcilable enmity. Esteemed guests, if you are willing to help us, we are willing to pay any price." As the queen spoke, her usually gentle tone finally fluctuated, laced with assertiveness and resentment.
Clearly, she was utterly disgusted by the shameless peach demons.
Bai Shengyi said, "We don't need a great price. After this is resolved, can you allow us to wander around this tree?"
She pointed to the towering ancient wood.
Although the queen was surprised, she quickly nodded, "Of course."
Having received the queen's promise, Bai Shengyi left the bee tribe with Hua Xueji.
"How do you plan to help?" Hua Xueji frowned.
"Right," Bai Shengyi said with a smile. "Do you also believe that what the bee queen said is the truth?"
She had expected Hua Xueji to be more inclined to believe the people of Peach Blossom Village, as on the surface, Granny Li and the others, aside from being exclusive, seemed to have no other issues.
"Yes," Hua Xueji pondered. "The village is strange."
A gentle breeze blew past, causing the peach trees along the road to rustle and scatter petals onto the ground.
Bai Shengyi seemed oblivious, continuing forward with a composed expression. As she walked, she said to Hua Xueji, "That makes sense. And I still remember that incident with Tao Tao when we left the village."
Hua Xueji reached behind him to his yaoqin, but seeing Bai Shengyi wink at him, he lowered his hand.
"It seems they've discovered us?"
"How is that possible! We are just ordinary peach trees."
...
The peach trees rustled, and the wind seemed to intensify, bringing a magnificent rain of petals. Being amidst it was indescribably ethereal.
However, Bai Shengyi remarked, "Let's go to the village and tie up two villagers to roast. That will tell us if they are peach demons."
Peach trees:! Trembling.
"Ahhh, this person is so scary! Did you send a message to Granny Li and the others?"
"Yes, yes, they should be here soon!"
...
Indeed, after Bai Shengyi and Hua Xueji walked a little further, they were intercepted.
"Miss, why are you here?"
Granny Li was accompanied by two unfamiliar cultivators, one stout and one thin. Behind them followed An Shan, Ah Liu, and a group of villagers, all staring at Bai Shengyi and Hua Xueji with vigilant and angry eyes, as if the two had committed some heinous crime.
"Do we even need to ask! Granny Li, these two are definitely greedy and want to covet the wealth our guardian deity has brought to the village!" An Shan said indignantly.
Bai Shengyi smiled, "What wealth? Honey?"
Bai Shengyi was pleased to see An Shan's expression change.
She smiled sweetly and said, "Speaking of which, Granny Li, the honey in the village is so cheap. I'd like to buy some more. Can you help me ask if anyone still has any?"
Granny Li's kind eyes fixed on Bai Shengyi. Even in broad daylight, they held a hint of the uncanny. "No more, miss. You should leave quickly."
"What if we don't leave?"
"Then you can stay and become fertilizer for the village's peach trees!" Before Granny Li could reply, An Shan and Ah Liu rushed forward, brandishing peach branches.
The peach branches instantly transformed into sharp long swords and lunged towards the two!
Bai Shengyi leaped and easily evaded. Hua Xueji lightly strummed his yaoqin, the music carrying the power of thunder and lightning, shattering the two long swords.
"Damn it!"
An Shan and Ah Liu turned and transformed into enormous peach trees, their branches seemingly alive as they clawed forward.
"Master, let me help you!" Qiong Meng Teng, sensing the rich wood spiritual energy, leaped to the ground without waiting for Bai Shengyi's command and blocked her path.
With Qiong Meng Teng's intervention, Hua Xueji immediately forced An Shan and Ah Liu to retreat step by step, even severing a thick branch from each of them.
Seeing An Shan and Ah Liu cry out in pain, Granny Li finally grew anxious and pointed at Bai Shengyi unpleasantly, "Two honored guests, please help us kill these two outsiders. This year, we will present all our honey to the Fengyuan Sect."
"That would be wonderful!" The stout and thin figures beside her leaped forward simultaneously, drawing their swords and charging at Hua Xueji.
Bai Shengyi had been observing these two. The Samsara Brush instantly appeared in her hand, directly meeting their assault.
"Bind!"
A net of emerald green immediately ensnared one of them. Before he could break free, Bai Shengyi struck the other's sword with a surge of spiritual energy, redirecting his attack.
"Hua Xueji, two early Golden Core stage cultivators!"
Hua Xueji immediately understood. Regardless of the peach demons, he would face the stout cultivator to Bai Shengyi's left!
The thin cultivator to Bai Shengyi's right broke free from the large net, his gaze sinisterly fixed on Bai Shengyi's Samsara Brush. "I didn't expect this small secret realm to possess such a treasure. Little girl, hand it over!"
As he spoke, he reached out with claw-like hands to snatch Bai Shengyi's brush. Bai Shengyi would not give him the chance. She snapped her fingers, and the ten directions of幽火 (You Huo - spectral fire) floated gently towards the thin cultivator.
"Scram!" The thin cultivator, clearly confident in his long sword, directly used it to block the flames, advancing with a sinister smile. However, before he could get close to Bai Shengyi, his smile froze on his face, inch by inch.
"Ah! My sword!" The thin cultivator watched his instantly melting sword, his face contorted in rage!
Bai Shengyi seized the opportunity while he was injured to finish him. The Samsara Brush spun, and emerald spiritual energy transformed into a green dagger, piercing his chest when he was caught off guard!
"Pfft!" The thin cultivator wiped the blood from his mouth but did not die. Enraged, he roared, "I will kill you!" As he spoke, his entire body began to swell, and a lustrous Golden Core within him emitted an unstoppable radiance.
"He's going to self-destruct!"
Seeing Bai Shengyi's lack of reaction, Hua Xueji quickly warned her. His movements quickened, the music of the yaoqin becoming high-pitched and piercing, like threads of silk rushing towards the thin cultivator, attempting to restrain him.
However, the stout cultivator was blocking Hua Xueji, limiting the effectiveness of his music. As the Golden Core grew larger and was about to explode, a bloodstain suddenly appeared on the thin cultivator's neck, and his entire head flew off!