Dragon Cypress steered the Dominating Throne, making a quick round through Molan Mountain, Cold Orchid Mountain, and Southern Sour Jujube Mountain.
Unfortunately, Black Peach, Black Birch, and Black Cory had no gains from the Black Peach No.2 nurseries they were each in charge of.
...
Dragon Cypress named the mutant Blue Ice Cypress as "Blue Ice Cypress No.1". After years of cultivation, a variety with larger fruit grains was selected, but it still failed to trigger the Divine-Given âBlue Ice Cypress No.2â.
Currently, both Blue Ice Cypress No.2 and Black Peach No.2 are facing similar issues.
The issue with Blue Ice Cypress No.2 is that the seeds are numerous but not plump, and the germination rate is extremely low.
The problem with Black Peach No.2 is that the seedlings grown from the seeds are inherently weak, a bit deformed, and when mature, the treeâs trunk is not straight upwards, more or less twisted.
They all have âbloodlineâ flaws or errors, which hamper normal breeding.
The solution is large-scale cultivation, seed collection, sowing and selection, in hopes of finding a mutant that corrects the flaw or mistake.
If luck isnât on your side and you keep failing to select a good one, you just keep iterating, upgrading generation after generation, optimizing over decades or even centuries, and finally select a descendant that triggers the stimulation of the Natural Law Divine-Given.
Dragon Cypressâs patience is nearly worn out; he canât wait for decades or centuries.
Getting an ideal, robust mutant seedling isnât just about luck; thereâs probability involved too.
The larger the scale, the greater the chance of success.
Dragon Cypress decided to observe for another year. If thereâs still no result next year, heâll plan to expand the cultivation scale of Blue Ice Cypress No.2 and Black Peach No.2 again.
...
Returning to Xianglan Mountain,
The Dominating Throne helps Ivy evolve once.
Dragon Cypress personally teaches, a crash course in roving merchant trade...
...
"Ivy, whatâs this?"
"Mountain Lord Level Divine-Given Bean. Antennae scent enhancement."
"How many Source Stones per bean?"
"Unit price: 18 Source Stones each."
"How many per full bag? Whatâs the total worth in Source Stones?"
"1,500 beans, worth... 27,000 Source Stones."
"Very good!"
"Ivy, whatâs this?"
"Ordinary Red Torreya Seed. Enhancement effect: muscle strength."
"Whatâs the unit price?"
"3 Source Stones for 2."
"How many per bag? Whatâs the value?"
"Also 1,500 seeds, worth... 2,250 Source Stones."
"Good."
Training ends.
All the Origin Force Food in the Ant Nest warehouse is recognized and memorized.
Calculation skills are up to standard.
With more time, more exposure to all kinds of Origin Force Food, getting familiar with quality and price, and mastering pricing rulesâthen Ivy will be a qualified little roving merchant.
Another Little Warrior who can help with trading.
And for free, at that.
...
Peach blossom blooms in profusion.
Dragon Cypress organizes the trading team early, and they set out in grand procession.
The Dominating Throne flies low above the ground.
Ivy sprawls out on Dragon Cypressâs forehead.
Dragon Cypress tells it stories from when he traveled the continent with the caravan as a youngster.
The team arrives at the Rednan Mountain sub-nest by mid-morning,
The caravan had come ahead of time.
Across from the Trade Cave, at the Starship Passage, Red Peach has a sandy yellow Little Flame Spider perched by her side.
"Dragon Cypress Ant King! Mountain Lord Ink Orchid! Fragrant Cypress! Giant Cypress..."
Red Peach and Heliotrope greet them.
Little Flame Spider, Column Spotted, waves its forelegs as well, "Greetings, Dragon Cypress Ant King! Greetings, Mountain Lord Ink Orchid! My name is Column Spotted."
"Ohââ"
Ink Orchid wiggles her antennae in response, "Column Spotted, Grass Dragonâs younger kin."
Dragon Cypress puts on the airs of an elder, gently tapping his antennae in greeting.
Column Spotted lifts a claw and points to Dragon Cypressâs head, "Could it be that this is..."
Red Peach and Heliotrope are just as surprised.
Dragon Cypress: "Red Peach, Heliotrope, the one I mentioned to you, from Huagi Mountain, the Shield Grasshopper Little Warrior, Ivy."
"...Column Spotted."
Ivy wiggles her antennae in greeting, drops the petite Spider Silk Bag she was carrying in her claw, and says:
"Column Spotted, this is a small gift from me to you. Mountain Lord Level Divine-Given Huangqian Pine Nut."
Ink Orchid also stuffs the Spider Silk Bag she was carrying into Column Spottedâs claws, conveniently handing over Ivyâs as well, saying:
"Column Spotted, first meeting, this is a gift from both Dragon Cypress and me."
"Wow!"
"Thank you, Ivy."
"Thank you, Dragon Cypress Ant King and Mountain Lord Ink Orchid."
Column Spotted happily gives thanks.
There really are gifts!
Grass Dragon wasnât kiddingâthe insects on Cloud Trace Continent are dripping in wealth.
Itâs true!
Column Spotted quickly tears open the Spider Silk Bag from Ink Orchid, marveling and cheering again: Outworld Civilization Artifact!
Inside is a small metal case.
To Dragon Cypress, itâs not valuable now, not very usefulâjust a rare trinket.
But to a newly born Little Flame Spider like Column Spotted, itâs definitely an extravagant gift.
"Thank you, Dragon Cypress Ant King!"
Column Spotted thanks him again, opens the petite Spider Silk Bag, and finds fifty brown-black pine nuts inside. "Thank you, Ivy."
"Column Spotted, Grass Dragon and I have known each other since birth, weâre good friends. No need to be polite."
Dragon Cypress said this, then lowered his head, signaling for Ivy to get down.
Ivy dawdled, unable to drag her feet away.
Ink Orchid flicked her antennae, sweeping her down, then nudged her with her antenna, pushing her across the Starship Rift, up to Column Spotted, and sternly admonished:
"Ivy, get moving with Heliotrope. Donât wander off."
"Ohââ"
Ivy waved her antennae at Column Spotted, kicked out with her legs in a leap, and perched herself on Heliotropeâs head, looking around, settling comfortably on Heliotropeâs broad carapace.
Heliotrope: "???"
Dragon Cypress: "..."
Ink Orchid: "..."
Dragon Cypress: "Ivy hasnât traveled far from home before; sheâs a bit timid. I brought her out deliberately to help her build courage. Heliotrope, Column Spotted, look after her."
Column Spotted immediately promised energetically, "Rest assured, Dragon Cypress Ant King!"
Looks like Column Spotted is quite different from Grass Dragon, much better behaved.
Dragon Cypress, with a seniorâs tone, asked, "Column Spotted, I heard you spent two years traveling around the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent with Revolve Spider King..."
No hurry to trade.
Dragon Cypress started a casual chat with Column Spotted, asking about insects and tales from over at the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent,
A very talkative, sociable little fellowâthe chat went pleasantly until midafternoon.
Dragon Cypress liked her immensely; at the Origin Force Food trading, he called on Fragrant Cypress to specially blend three big jars of Ant King Honey suitable for a mid-level stage for her.
At the end,
Dragon Cypress beckoned Red Peach and Heliotrope closer to discuss business.
"Red Peach, howâs the Golden Frost warrior from the ten-star Leaf Beetle Tribe?"
Red Peach: "Very smoothly! Last spring, he advanced successfully to Golden Frost Lord. Shashuo Divine-Given Seed confirmed as four flowers and four fruits. The plan is to let the tree rest from flowering and fruiting for three years, fruit set again the year after next spring. Blossom-Fruit Cycle canât be determined for now, but itâs agreed, after the fruit matures, Lord White Ivy gets one."
Red Peach: "Dragon Cypress Ant King, if you need one, Iâll bring one over for you."
Dragon Cypress: "Of course I need it. Give me one first; in the future, Ink Orchid will definitely need one too. Weâll need at least two."
Red Peach: "Both needed for Lord-Level Stage?"
Dragon Cypress: "Thereâs no hurry for Ink Orchidâs one; best if it can wait until Golden Frost Lord advances to Golden Frost nsect King."
Red Peach: "Okay. Got it."
Dragon Cypress asked, "Red Peach, did White Ivy and Melde secure the steady trading rights for Divine-Grade Shashuo Fruit?"
"Yesââ"
Red Peach said, a bit pained, "For that, Lord White Ivy spent over ten million Source Stones, all to grease the palms of Dabai Tribeâs upper management. Such a massive investment wonât pay back in under a hundred years."
ââOver ten million?!
Ink Orchid was the first to get anxious.
Dragon Cypress replied calmly, "An insectâs lifespan is long; this kind of deal will never lose in the long run."
Red Peach: "Right now itâs a gigantic loss."
Heh~ Heh~ Dragon Cypress gently shook his antennae, not wanting to say more.
Red Peach also asked, "Ink Orchid, howâs the Divine-Given Seed for Great King Molan?"
Ink Orchid: "No changeâpretty much the same as always. I probably wonât break through to Lord-Level for thirty more years."
This was not a question that should have been asked.
Red Peach: "Mountain Lord Ink Orchid, the longer the Blossom-Fruit Cycle, the more likely itâll grant powerful Abilities. Thatâs a good thing."
Ink Orchid: "Letâs hope so."
Dragon Cypress continued, "Red Peach, Heliotrope, have you ever heard of any other caravans in your Flame Spider Kingdom possessing any Divine-Grade Fruits conferring Elemental Talents?"
Heliotrope: "Noââ"
Red Peach: "The trading of Divine-Grade Fruit, the caravans are always worried about losing their share, so they keep it strictly secret."
Heliotrope: "As far as I know, some reputable, highly esteemed Spider Kings do communicate privately."
Well, you can figure thereâd be some connection just by thinking with your antennae.
Dragon Cypress: "Heliotrope, Red Peach, when you return, ask Spurge and Aconite Spider King if they can get other Divine-Grade Fruit with Elemental Talents. We donât need many, just for me and Ink Orchid. As for price, we donât have to use the regular market priceâwe can talk."
Red Peach: "Dragon Cypress Ant King, what are you planning..."
Dragon Cypress: "Ink Orchid and I want to awaken as many Talents as possible. We need fruit with Talents outside of Wood Element. Tell Melde, White Ivy, Seven-Leaf, Wormwood Spider King, get help asking around. Price is negotiable, and benefits are certain."
"Alrightââ"
Red Peach and Heliotrope hesitated, but agreed.
Dragon Cypress waved his antennae, "Timeâs getting late. Column Spotted, Grass Dragon must be worried, you two better get going."