"White Poplar!"
Dragon Cypress called out.
The Dominating Throne hovered over the White Poplar Divine Seed, observing the spring growth of tender buds atop the tree crown.
It had been strengthened with the remains of the Quandong and Linnan Divine Trees, and foliar fertilized with diluted Life System Origin Force Ant Honey.
The growth of the White Poplar Divine Seed hadnât been much affected by flowering and fruiting.
"Dragon Cypressâ"
White Poplar responded, with a hint of doubt.
"Itâs nothing. Iâm just having a look."
Dragon Cypress controlled the Dominating Throne to descend slowly.
Snakebark Maple stood guard alone nearby.
Cypress led the ant colony stationed close by.
After a brief greeting,
Dragon Cypress asked, "Whereâs Ink Orchid?"
Snakebark Maple: "Itâs spring, and Ink Orchid went searching for Divine-Given Seeds. White Willow followed along."
Ink Orchid was especially enthusiastic about searching for Divine-Given Seeds.
"Ohâ"
Dragon Cypress leapt to the ground.
Snakebark Maple took the initiative to explain, "Ghost Fan and White Rice went with Round Cypress to dig trenches and divide territory for the Barley Bug Warriors."
"Alrightâ"
Dragon Cypress pressed its antennae to the ground, walking slowly, sweeping with spiritual power to check the root growth of the White Poplar Divine Seed, inspecting soil fertility and moisture.
All were at optimal levels.
Dragon Cypress lifted its head and called out, "Cypress, go hunt some fresh meat and bring it back. Weâll have a banquet tonight to celebrate."
"Understood! Great King!"
Cypress led the troops out.
Meat again~ Snakebark Mapleâs antennae swayed left and right, not fond of such banquets.
Snakebark Maple lazily asked, "Great King, am I guarding under the tree for another year this year?"
Dragon Cypress: "Just work hard this year. Starting next year, you, Spruce, and Ink Orchid will take turns. Spring and summer youâll stay in the Purple Tung Insect Nation, fall and winter youâll rest at Kiwifruit Mountain. Iâll pay you 12,000 Source Stones."
Dragon Cypress jumped onto the Dominating Throne, took out a large Spider Silk Bag and handed it to Snakebark Maple, saying, "This yearâs payment in advanceâ4 jars, mixed Bee King Honey worth 20,000 Source Stones. Mainly boosts comprehensive Thunder System Ability, with some boosts to comprehensive physique and perception. Evolution growth is not urgent, eat more Divine-Given Origin Force Food."
Snakebark Maple: "Alright! Got it! Thank you, Dragon Cypress Ant King."
Dragon Cypress nodded its antennae and turned to instruct, "Red Moonseed, go play wherever you like, but donât get close to the Linnan Divine Tree."
Red Moonseed: "I know!"
Dragon Cypress hopped onto the Dominating Throne and piloted it toward the Royal Palace, cataloguing the goods brought on this trip into the storeroom.
...
Twilight.
Cypress returned with the hunted prey.
Round Cypress, White Rice, and Ghost Fan finished their work.
Together, they prepared the evening banquet.
When it turned dark, Ink Orchid and White Willow came back.
"Dragon Cypress, weâve searched all of Purple Tung Insect Nationâs territory that belongs to us, but found nothing."
Ink Orchid approached Dragon Cypress and suggested, "This year Ghost Fan, White Willow, White Rice, and Snakebark Maple are all helping hereâthere shouldnât be any problem with the safety of the White Poplar Divine Seed, right? Dragon Cypress, we could go check various Origin Force Points, maybe weâll find a Divine-Given Seed."
"Sureâ"
Dragon Cypress shook its antennae and called everyone to gather: "Let me lay out this yearâs work arrangements briefly."
"Red Moonseed will stay and play in the Purple Tung Insect Nation for two days. While the spring light lasts, Iâll direct worker ants to plant the various seeds we just received from the Flame Spider Roving Merchant."
Red Moonseed replied happily, "Okay!"
Dragon Cypress was interrupted and paused, then continued, "After sowing, Iâll send Red Moonseed back to Black Fruit Mountain, and Iâll bring back Black Leaf and Black Birch to help Cypress command the Ant Army in defense."
Dragon Cypress: "When the Purple Tung Flowers bloom and after we finish the trade with the Barley Bug Warriors, Ink Orchid and I will travel around for a quick inspection of all the Lands of Origin Force and deliver a batch of Source Stones to the five Origin Force Points where Divine-Given Seeds are planted: Kiwifruit Mountain, Southern Sour Jujube Mountain, White Rice Mountain, Ghost Fan Mountain, and Scarletlight Mountain."
Dragon Cypress: "This work will take no more than a month. After that, Ink Orchid will stay in Purple Tung Insect Nation, White Rice youâll come with meâusing your Earth System Ability, weâll quickly excavate and inspect the ruins of all the Great Tribes from the last Origin Force Era."
White Rice: "Alright!"
White Rice: "How will we handle the harvest?"
Dragon Cypress: "Two options. First, I pay you a super high rate of 5,000 Source Stones per month. Second, no salaryâyou get a 5% commission on any treasures unearthed, with the value appraised by the Huagi Divine Tree."
Dragon Cypress added, "Weâre sure to find many Divine-Given Seed exuviaeâthat wonât count toward your commission. Iâll count all the Life Seeds of Insect Clan Warriors in the Cloud Trace Continent, and distribute them according to need, to strengthen everyoneâs Life Seed Plant and boost territory revenues."
Dragon Cypress: "For us to meet each other in this era, become acquaintances, and place our trust in one another as friends is no easy thing. Iâll do my best to help every warrior evolve to King Level and leave the Origin Force Star Realm to see the Outworld."
Snakebark Maple: "Sounds great!"
Snakebark Maple cheered, waving his antennae and shouting, "Dragon Cypress Ant King is generous! Dragon Cypress Ant King is righteous! Dragon Cypress Ant King is mighty!"
No insect paid him any mind; they were all enviously looking at White Rice.
Earth System Abilities really could make a lot of money.
White Rice asked, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, could I take a bit less salary... and have more commission instead?"
Dragon Cypress: "Sure. 2,000 base salary, and... Iâll give you 3% commission?"
White Rice: "Isnât that a bit too little commission?"
Dragon Cypress: "Thatâs quite a lot already. Besides, the first ruin we excavate canât count toward your commission, because, based on the message provided by the Huagi Divine Tree, thereâs a very high possibility of major treasure inside..."
Major treasure?!
The insectsâ interest was piqued, all straightening their antennae and waiting for more.
Ink Orchid spread his wings and patted Dragon Cypress on the back, urging, "Hurry up! Hurry up!"
Ink Orchid anxiously added, "If White Rice doesnât get a share, isnât that just working for nothing? Thatâs not right! Dragon Cypress, which ruin is it? Iâll go dig with you!"
White Rice shook his antennae vigorously, "Itâs fine. Itâs fine. Weâre all friends, just lending a small hand, no big deal. Dragon Cypress, what kind of treasure?"
Dragon Cypress said slowly, "The underground treasury of Huagi Mountain, those upright cabinets for storing Origin Force Food..."
"..."
The insects were speechless.
âYes, theyâre treasures. But theyâre just too big and âheavy,â can we even move them?
âThe passage is narrow, and reinforced with lots of Earth-Stone Ability; can we get them out?
âEven if we do, how will we transport them back to Xianglan Mountain?
âWas this info really from the Huagi Divine Tree?
âSeems Huagi Mountain just needs upright cabinets.
âDoes the Huagi Divine Tree know of any other treasures elsewhere?
...
The evening banquet began, with the insects eating and chatting at the same time.
The next day,
Dragon Cypress personally directed the worker ants to plant the seeds brought back this time.
All kinds of tasks proceeded methodically according to plan.
When the Purple Tung Flowers bloomed,
After finishing the trade with the Barley Bug Warriors, Wuye used the Dominating Throne to evolve into a 3-age-period High-Level Warrior, and the Harewood Divine-Given Seed was cultivated and sown.
Black Birch used the Dominating Throne to trigger an evolution, reducing its body length to just over 1.4 meters. The pattern was clear: after two more such evolutions, it would become an official Assistant King, initial evolution at High Level, about 1 meter in length.
Once things were settled, the Dominating Throne carried Ink Orchid off, heading to the nearest Banlan Mountain, beginning the spring search for Divine-Given Seeds...