The Dark Maple Dragonfly King rapidly thought, gravely saying: "I understand!"
As night fell,
A cloud-mist-like giant butterfly silently descended onto the lake where the Starship docked.
After a while, the giant cloud-mist butterfly took off into the sky.
...
...
Rainbow Island.
The Snow Velvet Spider King had just completed the Northern Hemisphereās spring trade, hurriedly returned, and as soon as he crawled out of the tunnel, he smelled an unusual scent, his eight eyes nearly popping onto the ground.
"Ant!"
"Hello. My name is Dragon Cypressā"
Dragon Cypress stood alone at the cave entrance, waving his antenna to greet.
ā Werenāt the ants supposed to be fighting at Yuāe Island?
The Snow Velvet Spider King rapidly thought, then asked, "You silently returned to Rainbow Island to ambush Blue Island?"
"Obviously notā"
"Ohā"
The Snow Velvet Spider King immediately understood.
"Then you plan to infiltrate Zhibai Continent and ambush the Eddy Scorpionfish Ant King?"
"Half right."
"And the other half?"
"If I were to ambush the Eddy Scorpionfish Ant King, Iād bring at least 100,000 Specialized Blue Soldiers. How could I pass through the Dragon Stride Mountain pass unnoticed?"
"Iām old and confused, I donāt quite get it."
"Based on historical war experiences, the Stone Hunt Blue Ants are steady and strategic. How could a simple plan calculate against Blue Island?"
"I still donāt get it."
"Snow Velvet Spider King, the battlefield is on Rainbow Island. I think once Blue Island gets the precise information, confirming that the biggest threat to them, āDragon Cypress Ant King,ā has gone to Zhibai Continent, in the eyes of the Stone Hunt Blue Ants, this is a chance for revenge. Based on past wartime experiences, the Stone Hunt Blue Ant tribe is steady yet adventurous."
Dragon Cypress calmly said: "Ink Orchid stays behind to ambush and annihilate the attacking Stone Hunt Blue Ant army on Rainbow Island."
The Snow Velvet Spider King was silent, pondering, then jumped up in shock.
"Yuāe Island is in danger? If the Stone Hunt Blue Ant army comes, thereāll be at least two Whirl Beasts, if not three! Surely thereāll be a large number of Sea Beasts following! Can Ink Orchid withstand them?"
"Regarding Yuāe Island, Iāve already subtly reminded the five leaders; how they perceive and handle it will depend on their wisdom. As for Rainbow Island... Snow Velvet Spider King, Ink Orchid is far more capable than what youāve seen."
ā What kind of strength can confidently handle Blue Islandās full assault?
The Snow Velvet Spider King fell completely silent, after a long time, asked: "Dragon Cypress Ant King, you planned this crazy scheme fifteen years ago, didnāt you?"
Dragon Cypress: "I conceived it forty-five years ago. Fifteen years ago, with Blue Island adding another Eddy Rockfish Ant King, the circumstances forced me to optimize and adjust a bit."
Dragon Cypress added: "I didnāt tell anyone about this. Ink Orchid and the others only learned of it in the past two years. Once the exact plan was conveyed, I prohibited them from leaving the island."
The Snow Velvet Spider King: "..."
Dragon Cypress: "Snow Velvet Spider King, please help arrange the passage at Dragon Stride Mountain. Keep it as secret as possible, if possible, ensure no more than two-digit numbers of insects know."
The Snow Velvet Spider Kingās tone became solemn, seriously asking: "Dragon Cypress Ant King, are you sure Rainbow Island is safe?"
Dragon Cypress raised his antennae confidently.
"Absolutely foolproof!"
"Are you going to Zhibai Continent alone?"
"Of course."
"What will you do once you get there?"
"Lurk near Wind Phoenix Mountain. Mobilize all available forces to search for the Eddy Scorpionfish Ant King."
"What if you manage to find him?"
"Itās been so many years without finding him, and I find him as soon as I arrive?"
"Iām saying, what if."
"By the time I get there, the Eddy Scorpionfish Ant King should have fled. Or, if I truly encounter him, Iām confident I can escape."
"..."
"When do you depart?"
"Now!"
"Letās go!"
The Snow Velvet Spider King stepped out to depart.
...
Twilight.
In the vast ocean, the Ice Frost Big Spider galloped across the waves.
Underneath the sea, a biomimetic Whirl Beast swam stealthily following.
"Weāre almost there! Dragon Cypress Ant King, please wait, Iāll make arrangements, come over late at night."
The Snow Velvet Spider King paused to instruct, and after speaking, a gray-white divine mark flashed on his forehead. He took out some goods, pretended to carry them on his carapace, leapt down to the sea, and ran off.
The giant spider formed from ice lost control and drifted with the waves, melting away.
...
Late at night.
The Snow Velvet Spider King returned once more.
"All aerial reconnaissance forces at Dragon Stride Mountain have been redeployed to attend an emergency meeting. Dragon Cypress Ant King, transform into cloud mist and drift from the sky directly toward the passage."
"The entrance is located at the grand palace built with Earth-Stone Ability. Inside, there are a total of nine stone gates, nine metal gates, all open. The Six Pillar Ant King personally leads the elite troops stationed there; unrelated personnel have been moved out, so you can pass directly."
"The Six Pillar Ant King is the leader of the Giant-Headed Ant tribe and is essentially the āGreat Leaderā of Dragon Stride Mountain, fully responsible for all affairs at the border of two worlds, possessing a Divine God-Given Seed evolved from a six-edged Heavenly Fraternal Pillar, granting Metal System Talent."
"Oh! Alright!"
"Letās go!"
The Whirl Beast surfaced, mist rising, transforming into a dark cloud, soaring into the sky, and drifting towards the coast under the cover of night.
The Snow Velvet Spider King similarly activated the Whirl Beast ability, with the dense fog rising to follow, lifting off, drifting ahead to lead the way.
Dragon Cypress stood on the cloud, simultaneously activating the Scorching and Super Brain Abilities, gazing into the distance.
In a glance, he locked onto the grand arch-shaped palace closely adjacent to the Divine Force Barrier.
Rather than a palace, it was more akin to a heavily fortified thoroughfare tunnel.
Looking around...
One could feel how joyous the coastal kingdoms of Wanglan Continent were when the Eddy Scorpionfish Ant King breached the defenses and invaded Zhibai Continent back then.
Just as Purple had said, the insects of Wanglan Continent spared no effort, moving mountains and filling seas, building earth to create a mountain, layer upon layer, forming a mountainous insect-constructed range, sealing the entrance tunnel tightly.
Proactively participating in guarding the passage were undoubtedly the coastal kingdoms, who would absolutely not allow the Eddy Scorpionfish Ant King to invade Wanglan Continent again.
...
Insects on alert noticed the anomaly in the sky, and with a sweep of spiritual power, they discovered the Snow Velvet Tycoon standing atop the clouds, curious but not overly concerned.
Over a journey of more than two hundred kilometers, drifting unhurriedly, it took nearly half the night to reach the place.
The Snow Velvet Spider King took the lead, diving downwards.
Dragon Cypress closely followed, landing, as the thick cloud condensed into a coiled, motionless āriverā.
A completely reddish-brown Ant King, under the guard of two Assistant Kings, a massive Mole Cricket Warrior, and dense Soldier Ants, awaited at the entrance.
Dragon Cypress extended half of his body, tapping his tentacle in signal.
"Six Pillar Ant King."
"Rock."
"Dragon Cypress Ant King."
The Snow Velvet Spider King gave a brief introduction.
Dragon Cypress gave another light tap of his tentacle in acknowledgment.
Six Pillar Ant King inquired, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, is there anything you need assistance with?"
"Yes. But... not right now..."
Dragon Cypress spoke, "This mission is a collaborative effort with Hawk Wasps Kingdom, and three months from now, during the deep winter season, there may be new arrangements. At that time, I will arrange for an Assistant King under the Yellow Vine Bee King, or the Symbiotic Warrior Color Steel, to deliver a message."
"Good!"
The Six Pillar Ant King raised a claw, pointing to the Mole Cricket Warrior beside him, giving a brief introduction, "Rock is the leader of Golden Amber Mountain, an absolutely reliable insect. It is responsible for guarding the Zhibai Continent entrance of the two-world passage. If Dragon Cypress Ant King needs anything, communicate with Rock."
"Understood!"
"Thank you!"
Without saying much, Dragon Cypress submerged into the water stream and disappeared.
"Rock, letās go!"
The Snow Velvet Spider King waved a claw.
Rock remained silent, leading the way forward, starting off running.
Outside rocks, internal metal framework, a super-reinforced rounded arch tunnel.
Every thirty meters, there was a seven-to-eight-meter-wide double-opening gate.
A metal gate.
An earth-stone gate.
A total of 18 layers of gates, metal and earth-stone distributed alternately. Under normal circumstances, at least two warriors would be stationed for guard, but they had all been sent away.
A direct passage, entering the Starship straight away.
Still a straight main passage, moving forward, exiting from a hole at the side of the Starship.
On the Zhibai Continent side, there was also an arched palace, with heavy doors, but without warrior guards.
The night wind softly blew, with the salty smell of the ocean.
The Zhibai Continent side of the two-world passage was merely a very small desolate island.
Dragon Cypress and the Snow Velvet Spider King did not linger long, quickly running into the sea.