Ant Lord in the Star Realm-Chapter 469 - 449: Wormwood Spider King and Wood Element Divine Grade

Chapter 469: Chapter 449: Wormwood Spider King and Wood Element Divine Grade

Molan Mountain,

Black Cory commanded the worker ants to dig loose soil, while White Rice used Earth System abilities to condense it into balls, which were carried away by the soldier ants.

With the Great King Molan’s mother stock as the center, within a 300-meter radius of sloping ground, they first dug down half a meter.

Once the prepared humus for composting was ready, it would be mixed back in as fill; White Rice would then use "Soil Improvement" ability to fluff up the soil—just enough.

...

Springtime was brief, so transplanting the Black Peach saplings couldn’t be delayed.

Fragrant Cypress headed to Southern Sour Jujube Mountain, in charge of directing the worker ants’ planting efforts.

Dragon Cypress made trip after trip, transporting saplings.

...

Both Molan Mountain and Southern Sour Jujube Mountain were busy at the same time.

Unconsciously, it was once again the season of peach blossoms and trading with the Flame Spider Roving Merchants.

This year, Red Peach did not rush to deliver Source Stones, but instead waited patiently at the crack with Silvergrass.

After exchanging greetings,

Silvergrass swiftly took the spider silk bag off her carapace and stuffed it over.

Red Peach: "Dragon Cypress Ant King, the Divine-Grade Lightwing Seed from Hidden Wing Mountain matured last year—I’m sending one over for you first." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Considering all the unknown dangers that awaited them when entering the Molan Continent in the future, with war highly likely,

The Lightwing Seed, which granted "Lightspeed Healing", had become all the more vital.

"Good!"

Dragon Cypress nodded his tentacles solemnly, took it with both claws, unscrewed the lid of the jar and checked carefully.

"Everything’s fine."

"1,200,000 Source Stones."

"Deal done, we’ll settle up together."

"Alright."

Red Peach agreed and asked, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, you don’t need any more Divine-Grade Lightwing Seeds, right?"

Dragon Cypress: "I do! I still have 9 Assistant Kings, you know. It’s cheap and works well. Go tell White Ivy to help get a few more over."

Nine more?

Red Peach and Silvergrass were dumbfounded.

The tally had been figured out for everyone: one for Dragon Cypress Ant King, one for Mountain Lord Molan—that made two, which should cover it. At most, just one or two more...

Red Peach said with difficulty: "Alright, I’ll speak to Lord White Ivy."

Dragon Cypress was dissatisfied, "Is this really so hard? If you just pack up the Divine-Grade Kunlan Seed, Night Fragrance Fruit, and Spotted Thicket Fruit for Hidden Wing Mountain, you could easily trade them for nine Lightwing Seeds."

Red Peach: "Maybe..."

Dragon Cypress: "Stop always trying to shortchange me and do your job too. Otherwise, if there’s another treasure, how am I supposed to show you any favoritism?"

Red Peach: "Understood..."

Silvergrass: "Dragon Cypress Ant King, do you have any more good stuff?"

Dragon Cypress: "I do."

Really?

Red Peach and Silvergrass perked up instantly.

Silvergrass: "Is it Black Peach? A top-level Divine-Given Seed?"

Dragon Cypress: "No. Even better."

Dragon Cypress: "Mountain Lord Molan just obtained a Divine-Given Seed from the Great King Molan. With luck, it split into 12 daughter plants at once—Divine Grade!"

"!!!"

Red Peach and Silvergrass could hardly believe it; all fourteen legs stood up straight, full of respect, delight, and wild joy.

Dragon Cypress: "The Molan Divine-Given Seed mutated; judging by its Origin Force aura, it’s in the visual system. Referencing Zhifeng Grass, it counts as an herbaceous divine-grade, with a very long blossom-fruit cycle. For now, we can’t determine exactly what ability or effect it grants, so for now, we’re not distributing shares."

Finishing, Dragon Cypress added: "We’ll first satisfy the needs of Xianglan Mountain Kingdom; after that they’ll all be sold to the caravan, and you’ll definitely get some."

Red Peach: "Thanks in advance for taking care of us, Dragon Cypress Ant King."

"Much appreciated."

Red Peach quickly added, pointedly stressing "much."

Silvergrass spun her thoughts swiftly, "Wormwood Spider King said it recently got in touch with a Great Tribe over in the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent and can help get a divine-grade fruit with Wood Element abilities."

Dragon Cypress: "..."

Dragon Cypress: "Fine! Get as many as you can."

Silvergrass: "Definitely!"

A sudden silence.

Red Peach broke the silence, asking, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, if we didn’t miscalculate, the Divine-Grade White Poplar Fruit matures this autumn?"

Dragon Cypress: "Yes. The planned distribution scheme is unchanged: Huagi Mountain needs 3, the remaining 3 go to Lord Melde and the White Ivy Trade Caravan."

Red Peach: "Got it!"

Red Peach: "Moon Peach Fruit also ripens this autumn, and will be delivered next spring. We can send over 2 seeds..."

Dragon Cypress: "For now, 1 is enough. Neither I nor Molan nor any of the Assistant Kings will need them before we turn a hundred."

Red Peach: "Alright. Then we’ll feed the other one to Spider King Spurge."

Dragon Cypress: "Uh..."

Red Peach: "Cloud Crown Mountain’s Spotted Thicket Fruit matures next year and will be delivered the following spring. By agreement, we’re supposed to get just one, but we’ll try for two."

Dragon Cypress: "Okay! This one isn’t urgent. Night Fragrance Fruit ripens 7 years from now; Xianglan Mountain Ant Kingdom keeps 2—one for me, one for Molan—we won’t need any more after that."

Red Peach: "Alright!"

Red Peach: "The ’Thousand-Layer Fruit’ promised by Seven-Leaf Lord is also coming next year."

Dragon Cypress said sternly: "Thousand-Layer Fruit is very important to me. Put some pressure on Aconite Spider King—whatever happens, it must arrive next year."

Red Peach: "Oh—"

Dragon Cypress: "Nothing else really important left, right?"

Red Peach: "Nothing especially crucial."

Red Peach: "But plenty of regular matters... Dragon Cypress Ant King, is the Divine-Given Keteng Seed maturing this year?"

Dragon Cypress: "Barring surprises, this winter. The first batch is 10 pods; we’ll keep 5 ourselves for tasting, and give 5 to the caravan as samples. From then on, there’ll be some every year, and yields will increase annually."

Red Peach: "That’s wonderful!"

Silvergrass turned around, took five spider silk bags from the stone slab wheelcart, and handed them over, saying, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, these are this year’s Divine-Given Origin Force Foods—from Wormwood Spider King, Purple Jade Spider King, Spider King Tiankui, Seven-Leaf Lord, and the Lord Melde and White Ivy caravans. According to your instructions, everyone tapped their connections to collect as much Wood Element Divine-Given Origin Force Food as possible."

"Excellent!"

Dragon Cypress took them with a claw, turned, and said, "Chinese Clematis, go over later and remember to thank them."

"Will do!"

Chinese Clematis agreed crisply.

Dragon Cypress glanced at the stone slab wheelcart, which was loaded with all sorts of bagged Origin Force Food, and called out: "Red Peach, Silvergrass, Chinese Clematis, Fragrant Cypress—get moving and take inventory."

—Okay!

—Got it!

Everyone agreed and started working.

Dragon Cypress casually asked, "Red Peach, was the Jinhe Fruit sent to Yuezuo Mountain and swapped for a Moon Peach Fruit?"

Red Peach: "Yes. Since you weren’t in a hurry to use it, Lord Melde took the chance to pay tribute to Spider King Spurge."

Tribute?

Dragon Cypress considered for a moment and figured out Lord Melde’s old-fox intent.

Dragon Cypress asked again, "What about that Divine-Grade Kunlan Seed? You didn’t send that to Spider King Spurge as tribute, did you?"

Red Peach: "The Kunlan Seed belongs to Lord White Ivy, and Lord White Ivy’s aboveboard, she wouldn’t do something that silly."

Dragon Cypress: "..."

If you’re smart, you should pay tribute to Spider King Spurge and try to angle for an inheritance from him.

No need to always compete for caravan leadership or trading rights for divine-grade fruits.

Spider King Spurge’s insect-network from his four or five centuries around the Wan Country is an inestimable fortune—just a slightly bigger share is a lifelong benefit.

—White Ivy isn’t smart enough.

—Red Peach is so smart, doesn’t she get it?

—And why doesn’t Lord Melde give her a hint?

Dragon Cypress shook his head.

Silvergrass said cheerfully, "That Kunlan Seed, Lord White Ivy ate it herself. Next one goes to Lord Melde, and the one after that to Red Peach. Good stuff like Kunlan Seeds gets used inside the caravan first."

Dragon Cypress: "???"

Dragon Cypress looped his thoughts around twice and began to understand Lord White Ivy’s intention.

Everyone knows the Dulai Flame Spider Tribe has a single Earth Talent potential. Those who are Evolution Mountain Lord Level all awaken Earth Talent.

A Dulai Flame Spider Roving Merchant, possessing both Earth and Wood Element auras, stands out wherever they go. Those insects who know about divine-grade fruits will be sure to ask: How did you gain a Wood Element talent? Where did it come from? Any left? What does it cost?

Right now, the White Ivy and Melde caravans have too few insects, and their overall strength is insufficient. Factoring it all together, it seems more worthwhile for the Kunlan Seed to be consumed internally—prettifying themselves as powerful, wealthy, mighty sorts first.

White Ivy’s a bit clever, likes playing at appearances.

Back in the early days when she was especially poor, White Ivy would carry loads of honey pickled yellow peaches on her back, or even just empty metal cans, so her carapace was full, giving the illusion of great wealth and strength.

Dragon Cypress was speechless for a while and didn’t bother to say more.

These days, with White Ivy and Melde holding the reins to many divine-grade fruit trades, it’s not so much a matter of fakery—what they really lack is buggy headcount and a basic share in ordinary Divine-Given Seeds.