A Beekeeper in a Magical World

In an instant, all sense of direction vanished.

A force squeezed and pulled at him, leaving him grasping for something, anything—but his touch found only emptiness. It was an expanse of void surrounding him.

Suddenly, gravity returned.

His feet met solid ground, but for a moment, he struggled to regain balance, teetering forward a few steps before steadying himself just in time.

Beneath him lay a lush green grassland, a delicate four-petal wildflower swaying nearby, appearing as though a single breath could sever its stem.

"Self-pollinating. Doesn't usually produce nectar." Hua Mi lifted his gaze.

A magnificent sight awaited him, causing him to hold his breath—the ancient Lost City lay right before his eyes.

Yet, it wasn't the grandeur of the architectural marvels that captivated him first.

It was the ceaseless swirling storm, a deep grey vortex dominating the city's skies.

He had seen simulations of Jupiter's storms online, their breathtaking scale etched vividly in his memory, but compared to this spectacle, they seemed minor.

Jupiter's storms held a chaotic order, abiding by natural laws. Yet what he witnessed here was absolute chaos, devoid of any semblance of order.

Staring too long invoked a primal fear from within.

An invisible canopy enveloped the Brass City, where storms clashed and collided with it, unleashing a continuous display of dazzling fire accompanied by thunderous rumbles, illuminating the isolated city, rendering it as bright as daylight, at all times.

Without that domed shield, this place would likely have succumbed to chaos long ago.

The structures here stood tall and sharply angled, interconnected by aerial pathways, a labyrinthine web that dazzled the eye when viewed from the ground.

Under the flames of the celestial fire, the buildings shimmered like golden artifacts.

"These aren't mere buildings; they're works of art," even someone like Hua Mi, disinterested in architecture, couldn't help but appreciate the city's craftsmanship.

It seemed he stood within a plaza. At its center stood a statue.

Approximately ten feet tall, wielding a massive sword, entirely crafted from brass. It resembled less of a statue and more of a suit of interconnected plate armor, ablaze from within, emitting flames from wrists, joints, and helmet.

Everything indicated the existence of a civilization.

Alyss stood not far ahead of him, gazing up at the majestic architecture, appearing no larger than an ant before skyscrapers.

Hua Mi approached her. "Sorry to interrupt your sightseeing, but I noticed someone's missing. Where's Uuno?"

"...," Alyss blinked, then scanned around, chin propped in thought.

Took you a while to notice.

"Perhaps he teleported elsewhere; it's a possibility," she mused.

An accident at the outset wasn't a good omen.

It planted a seed of unease in Hua Mi about this journey.

"Let me ask you this: is your trust in Uuno based on him as an individual or on the Abyss Research Association behind him?"

"Both."

Alyss maintained her usual calm. "Don't worry, he's not the problem. Let's stick to the plan."

Hua Mi was about to respond when a crisp metallic clang echoed from above.

Looking up, several mechanical flying objects were swooping down towards them.

Only now did Hua Mi realize that those dots flitting in the sky were not optical illusions but these small entities.

These metallic flying objects varied in size and form. Some gleamed, while others were rusty or damaged.

Several of them, descending, encircled them.

"What's this? Are they fire spirits?" It seemed unrelated to fire.

"These are Constructs, tools created by Fire Spirits, similar to our animated armors... those over there are the Fire Spirits."

Even the composed Alyss sounded a bit shaken.

Hua Mi glanced in the direction she indicated.

At first glance, they resembled three sets of children's armors frolicking towards them.

Their size allowed Alyss to tower over them.

Their bodies were entirely metallic but seemed to be made of different metals.

The leader looked shinier, seemingly newer.

The following two had dimmer hues, with one showing signs of rust around its chest.

Each metallic body emanated flames leaking from various openings and joints.

They wielded metallic weapons; the leader carried a hammer emitting resonating metallic echoes.

Some pattern could be discerned amidst their utterances; it wasn't meaningless gibberish but their language.

Hua Mi couldn't comprehend it.

Approaching, Alyss raised her hand to her chest, struggling, " #@* & Alyss, * @ #& @…"

Speaking was challenging for her.

Her body wasn't made of metal, unable to produce Fire Spirits' sound.

Yet, she attempted to mimic their pronunciation as best as possible.

"I should learn more languages when I have time," Hua Mi thought.

Starting with Elvish.

Alyss managed a few sentences with effort.

The three Fire Spirits exchanged glances, conversing among themselves, then holstered their weapons. Suddenly, they began hopping from side to side on one foot, making odd calls, like some primitive tribe's dance and chant, as they moved closer.

Sometimes, the enemy's song and dance might not be a welcome but a ruse.

Hua Mi stayed cautious.

Alyss, however, relaxed, translating, "They're delighted to welcome Elves and humans as guests."

Seems like the reputation of Elves and humans is favorable here.

"You even understand the Fire Spirits' language."

"Somewhat."

Alyss exchanged a few more words with the Fire Spirits, pondering, "They're currently in a war and can't entertain us thoroughly, so please excuse them…"

Entertainment or not didn't matter.

They could explore on their own.

In a city this vast, Alyss likely had much to examine.

His goal was clearer; head to the central area—the Fire Seed Temple—to acquire some seeds.

However, what's with the war?

What sort of conflict could happen here?

"Could it be remnants from the Abyss invasion?"

"Unlikely. Those Abyss creatures were pure war tools, unable to thrive without a master's control. A millennium has passed; the Fire Spirits should have eradicated them…"

Alyss was perplexed too, shaking her head, "Let's not dwell on that. They're inviting us to meet the Fire Spirit King."

…

The Constructs scattered, soaring back into the sky.

Hua Mi and Alyss followed the three Fire Spirits to meet their king.

On the way, Alyss continuously scanned the buildings with a crystal-embedded device, something akin to a camera.

Watching the petite and intricate metallic bodies of the Fire Spirits, Hua Mi pondered and leaned closer to ask Alyss quietly, "How do Fire Spirits reproduce? I mean, their bodies are entirely metallic; I can't find any reproductive structures."

"Don't let your human perspective limit your understanding; that's a superficial consideration," Alyss explained. "Fire Spirits are fundamentally living flames; the essence of their bodies lies within the living flames enclosed within their metallic form.

"When reproducing, two Fire Spirits merge their living flames, and upon separation, a new living flame is born. They then forge a new body using their living flames, melding the newborn flame into it. This creates a new Fire Spirit.

"The material used for crafting the body depends

on the strength of their flames. The higher the intensity, the more advanced the metal they can melt and forge. The offspring born from stronger flames are more powerful. At the lowest tier, their flames can't melt any metal, so they resort to using clay…"

Hua Mi listened, fascinated.

The ability to forge one's body with iron sounded far more intriguing than human reproduction.

Soon, guided by the three Fire Spirits, they arrived at their destination.