With Black Peachās help, Black Cory sped up the land development efforts on Jianlan Plain, planting and managing various kinds of beans in the spring, and nurturing them until they reached significant growth in early summer.
The insect worker assignments were adjusted once more.
Ink Orchid took charge at Xianglan Mountain.
Fragrant Cypress went to Molan Mountain to take care of the Divine-Given Seeds of North Elm, and could also oversee the Divine-Given Seeds of Thunder Oak, Senior Orchid Mantis, and Junior Orchid Mantis.
Black Cory went to rest for a year at Southern Sour Jujube Mountain, taking care of the Divine-Given Seeds there as well.
Dragon Cypress presided over the Purple Tung Insect Nation.
Black Leaf brought Black Peach along to cultivate new land at Banlan Mountain.
...
Time flew like an arrow, the sun and moon passed in a blink.
In the blink of an eye, it was autumn again.
The Divine-Grade Night Fragrance Fruits ripened for harvest.
This time, it was a full yield of 7 fruits!
Dragon Cypress took one.
Ink Orchid took one.
The remaining 5 were sealed with Ant King Jelly, and would be sent with the caravan next yearāthese could sell for 4 million, essentially a huge windfall.
Very happy.
"Night Fragrance, thanks for your hard work."
"Night Fragrance, you take a rest first."
"Night Fragrance, youāve finished using all the Primordial Energy stored in Glinting Gold, right? Hand it over to me, Senior Orchid Mantis is waiting to use it."
"..."
Glinting Gold separated out from the trunk of the Night Fragrance God-Given Seed, condensed, and floated toward Ink Orchid.
Ink Orchid lifted a claw to catch it, deftly stored it in the spider silk bag.
āāLetās go!
Dragon Cypress led the way, the group of insects racing urgently toward the Royal Palace.
"Dragon Cypress! Wait up!"
Night Fragrance called out.
"Night Fragrance? What else is up?"
Dragon Cypress turned back.
Night Fragrance: "Are you forgetting something? You owed me 900,000 Source Stones previously, and this time itās 700,000 more. You owe me 1.6 million now. You promised to pay when it reached 1 million Source Stones."
"Ohāā"
Dragon Cypress: "The Source Stones have to be brought from Xianglan Mountain. Each round trip takes three to four days, such a waste of time. Iāll wait until I evolve to Evolution Lord Level, and strengthen my soul againāwhen the Dominating Throne travels faster, Iāll bring them over for you."
Dragon Cypress: "The climate and Origin Force at Purple Tung Insect Nation are ideal for trees, and Night Fragrance, you donāt really have any need for Source Stones, so itās not urgent. No rush."
Night Fragrance: "..."
Night Fragrance: "Ant, are you trying to dodge the debt?"
Dragon Cypress: "How could I! Iām an Ant King who earns more than 3 million a year, Iām not short on those Source Stones of yours. Itās only that theyāre so heavy, and transporting them wastes my time."
Night Fragrance: "How did you send them to Huagi Mountain then? You can also command little ants to send the Source Stones to Snow Cedar Mountain, then from there to Purple Tung Insect Nation. Running two trips per day, you could deliver 120,000 each day. In just 13 days, everything would be sent over."
Night Fragrance: "It took me 15 years to produce 7 fruitsā700,000 Source Stones. Shipping only takes you 6 days."
How do you know this detail so clearly?
The Huagi Divine Tree must have told you?
You even did all the math so carefully.
"Tskāā"
Dragon Cypress was uncomfortable and, conceding, replied, "Fine. Every year the Flame Spider Caravan delivers a round 5 million Source Stones here, I send 4.5 million on to Huagi Mountain, and keep 500,000 for myself. How about this: Next year, if itās convenient, Iāll send you the 500,000 I keep for myself."
Night Fragrance was silent, watching Dragon Cypress turn and dash off, equally exasperated, and said, "Dragon Cypress, Iāll trust you one more time."
"Just trust me."
Dragon Cypress blinked and ran off out of sight.
However,
Ink Orchid still managed to get back to the King Nest first and occupied the Dominating Throne.
"Dragon Cypress! Iām eating first!"
"Second King, after you."
Dragon Cypress, resigned, exited the King Nest and stood guard at the entrance with the soldiers.
The freshly harvested Divine-Grade Night Fragrance Fruit was eaten by Ink Orchid first, who took two days to finish absorbing all the Primordial Energy Power.
Dragon Cypress followed.
With a robust soul, Dragon Cypress completed the process in just one day.
The Dominating Throne set off south, trading with roving merchants in autumn, and hunting for Divine-Given Seeds along the way.
After making the rounds,
They returned to Xianglan Mountain with their hold full of cargo.
At the Ant Nest, in front of the South Mountain Restaurant cave, Dragon Cypress was directing the ants to unload goods, transport them back, and store them in the treasury.
Giant Cypress and Cypress, guarding the pass, came rushing over.
"Great King!"
"Great King, youāre back!"
"Great King, good news! A new discovery!"
"Iāve found another mutant Blue Ice Cypress branch!"
Giant Cypress lifted its tentacles high, swaying left and right, brimming with excitement.
"Uhāā"
Dragon Cypress choked up.
Giant Cypress again!
This guy seems to have some special talent!
It was also Giant Cypress who found Black Peach and Purple Poppet.
So quick and already another find.
"Great King! Great King!"
Silver Cypress hurried along the main tunnel from North Mountain, preparing to report the good news. Seeing Giant Cypress and Cypress already there, it slowed its pace.
Dragon Cypress asked, "What exactly is the change?"
Giant Cypress explained: "The cones are slightly bigger, the number of seed scales has increased to 8 to 12 pairs, and the seeds themselves are smaller but more numerous, as many as 8 to 12 per cone."
Dragon Cypress: "Sounds great! Thatās an optimized mutation!"
Cypress: "Itās a thick mutant branchācollected 77 seeds, stored in a metal case, already handed over to Azure for collection and set for sowing next year."
Giant Cypress: "Great King, if the seeds sprout and grow into new trees, then the situation will be similar to the mutant Dome Leaf Berberis at Purple Tung Insect Nationāit should be much easier to select seedlings that meet the Divine-Given requirements."
Breeding the Purple Poppet Divine-Given Seed was anything but easy.
Round Cypress, Black Leaf, and Black Birch worked themselves to the bone for six or seven years before finally succeeding. That was with very good luckāless luck might have meant ten or even twenty years of continuous effort...
But even though the breeding process is tough, itās still more reliable than waiting for a natural miracle.
Dragon Cypress praised: "Giant Cypress, great job! Another merit for you! You get a reward of 50,000 Source Stones worth of Ant King Honey. If you succeed in cultivating a Blue Ice Cypress Divine-Given Seed, Iāll give you an additional reward."
Giant Cypress: "Thank you, Great King!"
Cypress and Silver Cypress quickly stepped up to stand before Dragon Cypress, tentacles upright: Donāt forget about us!
Silver Cypress, quick-witted, chimed in: "Giant Cypressās effort is nothing. The main thing is Great Kingās brilliant leadership!"
Cypress: "Exactly! Great King, remember a few years ago you said Blue Ice Cypress looked wonderful and we should plant more? The mutant branch was found in the new Blue Ice Cypress forest."
Silver Cypress: "Great King, your foresight is divine!"
Isnāt that flattery a bit too much?
Dragon Cypress: "..."
Dragon Cypress: "Alright, enough. Cypress, Silver Cypress, the two of you each get a reward of 10,000 Source Stones worth of Ant King Honey."
Cypress: "Thank you, Great King!"
Silver Cypress: "Great King, isnāt 10,000 a bit... too much?"
Youāre the cheekiest~ Dragon Cypress waved its tentacles and whipped Silver Cypress twice across the head.
"Letās go! Down the mountain together to talk real business with Azure."
Dragon Cypress, half-annoyed, led Giant Cypress, Cypress, and Silver Cypress down the mountain.
Ink Orchid returned to the mountain, greeted the Divine-Given Seeds of Fruit-Scented Orchid, Northern Gorgon, Cuihua Hanlan, and Snow Orchid in turn, circled high in the sky, then swooped down.
"Second King, good news..."
Silver Cypress and Cypress took turns enthusiastically sharing the details about the mutant Blue Ice Cypress.
After discussing with Azure,
the plan for next spring was to try raising seedlings from the seeds, while also taking cuttings from the mutant branch for bud cultivation, aiming to quickly grow 1,000 saplings.
If there wasnāt enough land at Xianglan Mountain, they could first be sent to be planted north at White Lotus Lake.
Blue Ice Cypress is highly adaptable, and if the seeds sprout into saplings, future harvests from White Lotus Lake can be sent to Purple Tung Insect Nation to be planted there.
Just in time, the previous large-scale mutant Dome Leaf Berberis plantation was due to be uprooted, and those empty plots could be filled by the mutant Blue Ice Cypress.
A perfect transition.
Finally, Dragon Cypress said: "At Purple Tung Insect Nation, Spiked Cypressās combat training is done and it should return to Xianglan Mountain. Cypress, Silver Cypress, the two of you discuss who will be stationed at Purple Tung Insect Nation?"
Silver Cypress, who had been squeezing up to Dragon Cypress obediently, quickly stepped back at these words and looked at Cypress.
Cypress responded wryly: "Great King, Iāll go this time."
"Good!"
Dragon Cypress: "Cypress will command the First and Second Blue Soldier Legions."
Dragon Cypress: "Black Leaf, Black Birch, or Black Coryāone will always stay behind at Purple Tung Insect Nation to command the Third Mixed Legion."
Dragon Cypress: "The Fourth Green Soldiers Legion is at full strength, and next year the Fifth Green Soldiers Legion should be in place. Iām thinking of having Black Peach study for a year with Linnan Divine Tree, and unless a better insect is found, Black Peach will be stationed long-term at Purple Tung Insect Nation, commanding the Fourth and Fifth Green Soldiers Legions."
Dragon Cypress: "Over there, there will be a regular garrison of 5 legions, 6,750 full-time combat soldier ants, one dedicated Assistant King for Combat, and two part-time Assistant Kings for Combat. With that kind of strength, defending a Divine-Given Seed shouldnāt be a problem, right?"
Cypress: "No problem! You can count on us, Great King!"
Silver Cypress asked: "Great King, what about at Xianglan Mountain? Do we need to strengthen our defenses too?"
Dragon Cypress: "Of course. The year after next Iāll be stationed at Xianglan Mountain and will develop a specialized Green Soldiers Legion to defend both Xianglan Mountain and the Shanxi Reservoir Fortress."
Dragon Cypress: "Once Iām at Mountain Lord Level, I wonāt lightly breed large-type specialized ants. After I reach Lord-Level, weāll prioritize upgrading the combat ants and solidifying Ant Kingdomās fighting power."
"Understood."
"Got it."
"Great King is mighty."
Giant Cypress, Cypress, and Silver Cypress chimed in.