Chapter 87 - 087: Highly Lucrative Cooperation Project (Three Updates)

White Ivy manipulated a thread of spider silk, wrapping it around an Azure Seed, lifting it close for a meticulous inspection, as her spiritual power swept over it repeatedly.

An unusually pure and comprehensive Water System ability enhancement.

Accompanied by a faint Strength System boost, which was the Ant Clan’s talent ability. Based on this, it could be confirmed that this Divine-Given Seed was produced by that fellow Dragon Cypress.

Now, looking at Dragon Cypress, a mid-level Ant King.

The quality of the Azure Seed had indeed reached the high-level tier.

No doubt!

A Super Divine Seed!

I’m rich!

This type of Divine-Given Seed has quite a reputation.

In the distant future, if Dragon Cypress could ascend to King-Level, then the fruits produced by the Deep Blue God-Given Seed might surpass King-Level and reach another level that breaks all limits.

That would be nothing less than a Divine Grade existence—super valuable.

"I’ll buy it for 13 Source Stones!"

White Ivy gave her offer, and immediately regretted it.

Ink Orchid was stunned at the price as well, slowly turning to look at Dragon Cypress.

Dragon Cypress had estimated the Azure Seed’s value at 10 to 12 Source Stones; the caravan could probably resell it for 13 to 15 Source Stones.

Why are you offering even higher than our expectations?

So how many Source Stones do you plan to sell it for?

Even Dragon Cypress didn’t dare to accept the price White Ivy had offered.

The deal between both sides was meant to be ongoing.

If you cheat White Ivy this year, Melde will show up next year and definitely won’t let you off easy.

Dragon Cypress stayed silent.

White Ivy’s eyes brightened as she hastily added, "Little Dragon Cypress, didn’t you say the fruit pulp is delicious? What I mean is, I’ll buy the Azure Fruit with pulp for 13 Source Stones. For just a single Azure Seed, I can only offer..."

White Ivy pressed, "I’ll buy for 9 Source Stones per seed."

Huh? Dragon Cypress had a flash of inspiration too, and asked, "White Ivy Mountain Lord, Azure Fruit is a berry—how are you going to buy it? Like honey pickled yellow peaches?"

"Of course."

With a thought, White Ivy undid the spider silk rope on her carapace, took out two metal cans, and said:

"I’ll give you two more cans of yellow peaches as a bonus, but it’s not totally free. You eat the yellow peaches, but the metal cans and honey... Come! I’ll show you how to pickle fruit—it’s simple, you’ll understand as soon as I explain."

White Ivy asked, "How big are the Azure Fruits?"

Dragon Cypress: "About the size of an apricot."

White Ivy: "First, pour two-fifths of the honey into the can, then put in three freshly picked fruits and wait for a bit. After the honey submerges the fruit, add three more, pour in another two-fifths of honey, add three more fruits, and finally fill it up with honey."

"Make sure the lid is tightly pressed, then find a pine tree, cut a notch into it, and use the oozed resin to seal the lid."

White Ivy: "Nine Azure Fruits per can; I’ll buy them for 120 Source Stones a can. You can try making two cans next year, and if all goes well, we can work together to make lots of honey pickled Azure Fruit."

White Ivy dreamed aloud, "Honey pickled, extraordinarily delicious, fruit of a Super Divine Seed unique to this whole continent. It will be a big hit!"

Dragon Cypress nodded with his tentacle, agreeing, "That’s a great idea..."

Dragon Cypress said, "Then for the Azure Seed, you should at least offer 11 Source Stones per seed for it to be fair."

White Ivy felt she’d seized a business opportunity and cheerfully accepted, "Deal! 60 Azure Seeds, 660 Source Stones. Ink Orchid, are you still selling 200 Xianglan Seeds this year? No change in price—1,200 Source Stones."

"You borrowed 2,000 Source Stones from me two years ago, interest 200, so you owe me 2,200 in total. After offsetting, you still owe me..."

White Ivy began thinking, calculating; it was a bit complicated, so she needed a spider silk ribbon to help with the math.

Dragon Cypress couldn’t take it anymore and said, "2,200 minus 1,860 is 340. I can’t pay the rest for now—I’ll owe you."

Dragon Cypress: "White Ivy Mountain Lord, throw in four cans of honey pickled yellow peaches for us at a good price, to round it up to a neat sum—let’s say we owe you 500 Source Stones."

White Ivy: "..."

White Ivy scolded irritably, "Dragon Cypress! Don’t mess things up! You interrupt and I lose my place in the math..."

White Ivy quickly corrected herself, "Fine, I’ll trust you this time. Now, tell me: what’s the unit price on those four cans of honey pickled yellow peaches?"

Dragon Cypress: "500 minus 340 equals 160, divided by 4 equals 40, so it’s 40 Source Stones per can. You’re not losing out."

Forty per can is a little bit of a loss, mainly due to the can itself, but since I make the cans myself, selling them a bit cheaper isn’t a big deal.

After a moment’s thought, White Ivy agreed with a smile, "Deal!"

White Ivy added, "Once you’ve finished the yellow peaches, keep the cans. They’ll be used for the honey pickled Azure Fruits later."

Ink Orchid quickly interjected, "That’s exactly what Dragon Cypress and I were thinking."

White Ivy praised at once, "Ink Orchid, you’re so clever."

White Ivy asked, "Ink Orchid, how old are you now?"

Ink Orchid: "Seven age periods, mid-level warrior. If I had plenty of high-quality Origin Force Food, I could soon evolve to eight age periods, in autumn reach nine, and next spring reach high-level warrior status."

"The Fruit-Scented Orchid grows by division in spring, managing to flower in early summer. With 63 new divisions, next time production will be 1,001 Orchid Seeds! Dragon Cypress and I will eat some and sell the rest to the caravan."

White Ivy has been promoting Fruit-Scented Orchid Seeds across the Ten Thousand Nations Continent and Ten-thousand Tribes Continent, declaring she can obtain extremely effective Divine-Given Seeds.

Even White Ivy can’t count how many Orchid Seeds she’s promised people. If she can’t deliver soon, it’ll hurt her already limited reputation and standing.

White Ivy was even more anxious than Ink Orchid for Ink Orchid’s growth and actively offered, "Should I extend you another batch of Origin Force Food on credit?"

Ink Orchid responded happily, "Yes, please!"

Dragon Cypress asked, "What about interest? Waived?"

"Absolutely not!" White Ivy exclaimed,

"Spider King Spurge already doesn’t like me. If it found out I broke the caravan rules and issued a loan without interest, it would chew me out for sure."

"I can give you the lowest possible rate—1,000 Source Stones, 50 interest per year. How much credit do you want?"

Dragon Cypress: "We still owe 500 Source Stones. We want 500 Source Stones in cash, and another 3,000 Source Stones’ worth of Origin Force Food. Total 4,000 Source Stones, at 200 Source Stones interest per year."

"Done!"

White Ivy asked, "Which Origin Force Foods do you need? The usual?"

Dragon Cypress: "Give me the kind I bought from Melde, the 1,000 Source Stone set, one set. And the kind I last bought from you, the 2,000 Source Stone set, one set too."

White Ivy smirked, "Little Dragon Cypress, I knew you too well! I had both kinds ready!"

Good thing you’re prepared, saves us all time doing your accounting.

Dragon Cypress flicked his tentacle, signaling to make the exchange.

...

The trade for the crucial Origin Force Food completed, both sides settled up.

White Ivy took out three petite spider silk bags and said, "Dragon Cypress, these are seeds Melde asked me to deliver."

"Rice Tree Seeds, I won’t take any Source Stones from you for those."

"Cypress Tree Seeds are also all free gifts."

"These aren’t Top-Level Plant Seeds, nor are they rare. While roving as a merchant, you can just ask whichever tribe already grows them for some. No real cost, so it’s fine to give them as gifts."

White Ivy paused, then pointed at the third spider silk bag and said:

"Persimmon Tree Seeds... As for the rest, you don’t need to pay Source Stones—they’re all from Melde, who didn’t pay for them either. But for these 10 Sky-Blue Persimmon Seeds, you must pay 500 Source Stones!"

White Ivy: "Sky-Blue Persimmon Seeds are strictly forbidden from sale. Melde paid a steep price to get them, understand?"

Dragon Cypress: "I understand. Put it on Melde’s tab—I already owe it 5,300 Source Stones."

"Mm—"

White Ivy was, for once, steady, solemn and reminded him gravely, "Don’t spread word of the Sky-Blue Persimmon—keep it secret, at all costs."

Dragon Cypress: "White Ivy Mountain Lord, you can relax—nothing will go wrong. Ink Orchid and I live on Cloud Trace Continent and only come here once a year. Who would we tell? Who could we tell?"

Dragon Cypress: "We’re gifting you 10 more spider silk bags—and a few spider silk ropes as well."