Maybe the Water System Defense Ability that Dragon Cypress has always wanted is finally here!
Also, Fire Defense Abilities are quite rare; as long as itâs not complete trash, it can be sold for a pretty good price.
However, based on Northern Hemisphere market prices, this type of Divine-Grade Fruit that grants an Elemental Ability, when sold by a Caravan, tops out at about 3 million per piece.
If sold to a Caravan, the price is only around 2â2.5 million per piece.
Only two are produced each time, the quantity is a bit small; it all depends on the Blossom-Fruit Cycle.
That same year,
Dragon Cypress finally succeeded in condensing the "Spiral Flow Wall" Divine Mark.
His daily routine was slightly adjusted:
Wind Wings in the morning; Cross Flower Dance in the afternoon; in the evening he continued to grind Wind Wings.
Dragon Cypress also didnât give up on the Thunder System Flash Strike Ability; he would occasionally go back to it and set aside some time to practice it separately.
...
Year 169 of the Silver Cypress.
The Bicolor Mulberry entered its third fruit-swelling; the fruits reached a diameter of six to seven centimeters, and faint Original Energy Patterns appeared on the surface of the Green Fruits.
The Fire System fruits had purple-red patterns, and the Water System fruits were Sea Blue.
Judging from the looks of it, theyâd probably be ready to harvest after another two or three swelling rounds; the Blossom-Fruit Cycle was roughly 5 years, at most no more than 6.
...
Deep winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
The fish schools in the southern seas migrated toward the warm tropical and subtropical regions.
West of Rainbow Island, to the northwest of Swinging Leaf Island, over the boundless deep sea,
Rainbow Parasol Tree commanded the Specialized Blue Soldiers army, hunting in the ocean.
Dragon Cypress piloted the Ice Boat, sailing slowly, following behind the Ant Army.
Big, hefty sea fish were hauled aboard.
The medium and small Blue Soldiers traveling with them roughly tore the fish apart.
Another 300 Specialized Blue Ants had followed the ship out to sea; they were busy eating, swallowing the fish and initially refining them, purifying them into a viscous white liquid.
The Second King, who had come along as an escort, didnât have to work; he soared high in the sky, focusing on practicing his own Ability, occasionally stopping to activate the Scorching Ability and survey the surrounding sea area.
At twilight,
the dayâs work ended.
The Ice Boat docked beside a deep-sea reef.
The 300 Specialized Blue Ants, their bellies bulging, regurgitated their stored "Ant Honey" and worked overtime to refine it into general-purpose "White Refining Beads."
Dragon Cypress pitched in as well.
Rainbow Parasol Tree commanded the Specialized Blue Soldiers army to use the reef as a center, activating the Freezing Ability and freezing a vast area of sea.
The army ate and rested on the ice.
Ink Orchid suddenly dove down and landed.
"Dragon Cypress! Dragon Cypress! Dominating Throne!"
"Huh?"
"Great Ink Orchid leveled up! Iâm going to condense a Divine Mark."
"Ohâ"
Ink Orchid was really too ruthless; it could break through to condense a Divine Mark anytime, anywhere!
Dragon Cypress opened his mouth; the Dominating Throne, shrunken down to about four centimeters in diameter, floated out, rapidly enlarged, and lightly docked on the ice.
Ink Orchidâs figure flickered as it dropped onto the Throne, lowered its head, and its whole aura changed; the Natural Law was stirred, and within dozens of kilometers around, Law Primordial Energy was generated out of thin air and gathered toward it.
Dragon Cypress and Rainbow Parasol Tree hurriedly commanded the ant swarm to stop working and form a defensive formation around the Dominating Throne, guarding the surroundings.
Judging by the momentum, this Divine Mark being condensed shouldnât be anything too terrifying.
Around midnight, the commotion suddenly weakened and quickly faded.
"Awesome!"
Ink Orchid lifted its head in delight and first praised itself; before Dragon Cypress and Rainbow Parasol Tree could ask, the mantis-shaped Divine Mark on its forehead flared with light.
"My Great Ink Orchid has successfully Awakened the Wind System Form!"
With that, it stood up, flapped its wings, and rose into the air; the mantis-form Divine Mark on its forehead continued to shine. Little Ink Orchid shrank rapidly, Wind System Primordial Energy erupted, and the surrounding air compressed into a transparent mantis over four hundred meters long, made of air, invisible to the naked eye.
Ink Orchidâs body sank into the Giant Mantis of Air and vanished along with it.
The Giant Mantis lightly beat its wings, flying, accelerating, and disappearing into the night sky.
"Dragon Cypress! Rainbow Parasol Tree!"
"Look at this!"
Ink Orchidâs spiritual power abruptly came from the distant sea surface.
Dragon Cypress and Rainbow Parasol Tree both turned to look at the same time.
The transparent Giant Mantis gave a single beat of its wings; the sea swells rose, a Water System Ability circulated, and in an instant a gigantic Ice Mantis took form.
The Ice Mantis spread its wings and took off, skimming over the heads of Dragon Cypress and Rainbow Parasol Tree; then it suddenly shifted again, changing into Cloud Mist form, flipping onto its back, rolling sideways, neatly turning around, hovering, flapping its wings, and once more charging toward Dragon Cypress and Rainbow Parasol Tree.
All of a sudden, the clouds dispersed, and it again transformed into the invisible Giant Mantis of Air; like a wisp of light wind, it brushed over the heads of Dragon Cypress and Rainbow Parasol Tree and vanished into the darkness.
Dragon Cypress: "..."
Rainbow Parasol Tree: "..."
Ink Orchid hadnât been able to grasp the true essence of the Water Systemâs four-form transformations; it turned out it wasnât because it was stupid, but because its ambitions were biggerâit was comprehending the switches and transitions between the seven-element system!
Ink Orchid shouldnât be this smart; it definitely had the Linnan Divine Tree whispering pointers to it.
Rainbow Parasol Tree keenly sensed that the Great King wasnât very happy and immediately complained: "Second King is so boring, whatâs it flying around in the middle of the night for? Great King, ignore it, letâs get back to work."
...
...
After finishing the test of its Divine Mark Ability, Ink Orchid flew back cheering, then said in distress:
"Dragon Cypress, Top-Level Divine-Given Seeds arenât that easy to get. Iâm short one Seed for my Evolution into the 5th Age Period, what do I do?"
"Weâll play it by ear. The Elephant Leg King Orchid Divine-Given Seed isnât bad either; keep it as a backup and use it if necessary."
Dragon Cypress added, "Other Elemental Forms that Great Ink Orchid Awakens donât count toward the plan. Ink Orchid, during your 4th Age Period stage, you still follow the plan: condense the Touch of Silver Light Divine Mark, then combine it with the Touch of Origin Fire to enhance the power of the Touch of Origin Fire. Condense the Wind of Annihilation Divine Mark and combine it with the Corrosive Wind to form the stronger âCorrosive Wind.â"
"Thereâs also the three Metal System combo AbilitiesâHeavy Metal Appendage, Golden River Sand, and Boundless Blade. Pick two out of three, condense two Divine Marks, and save the last one for your Age-5 Insect King stage."
"Okayâ"
Ink Orchid agreed, then sighed: "Adding it all up, thatâll be at least another twenty years! Maybe thereâs still a chance to get a Top-Level Divine-Given Seed."
Dragon Cypress: "...Yes."
Rainbow Parasol Tree: "...Second King is invincible!"