Ant Lord in the Star Realm-Chapter 537 - 516: News of the Divine-Grade Winged Gourd

Chapter 537: Chapter 516: News of the Divine-Grade Winged Gourd

The Thunder Oak Divine-Given Seed was absolutely right.

After planting the Purple King Peach Divine-Given Seed, there was half a month of continuous rain.

With insufficient absorption of light energy, it only grew to half a meter in height over half a month, and it even looked a bit leggy.

Not looking too good...

The weather showed no signs of improving...

Black Peach felt like a beating could come at any moment, shivering nervously.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid settled down on Molan Mountain.

The rains passed, the coldest stretch of winter had been endured.

Basking in the sunlight, the Purple King Peach Divine-Given Seed began normal growth.

Another half a month, and it became a small peach tree just over 1.5 meters tall.

With the dual boost of Flourish and Tranquility abilities,

Another month passed, and the tree’s height exceeded 3 meters.

...

In the early spring, as the weather gradually warmed,

"Senior Orchid! The sun’s great today."

"...Yes."

"Are we ready to expand the fruit today?"

"...No."

"When then?"

"...Don’t know."

Every morning, Ink Orchid would routinely ask Senior Orchid a string of questions, then take Black Peach along to command the ant swarm and tend to the various orchid grasses sown in the mountain forest.

She’d ask again at twilight before knocking off work.

And once more before heading out at dawn the next day.

Finally, one day...

"Senior Orchid! The weather’s really nice today."

"...Yes."

"Can we expand the fruit today?"

"...Seems like it’s enough."

"???"

"Ink Orchid, we can. Go drag Dragon Cypress over here for me, hit me with eight rounds of Flourish ability."

"Wow!"

"Oh——"

Ink Orchid flared her wings, shot up, and swooped towards the earth mound where she’d planted the Purple King Peach Divine-Given Seed, dragging the still-sleeping Dragon Cypress off the throne...

After a twelve-year interval, Great King Molan finally began her third fruit expansion.

It wasn’t completed in one go; over seven or eight days, the fruit pod slowly grew bit by bit, from 5 centimeters to a painstaking 8 centimeters in length.

Because an extremely dense concentration of Origin Force Energy had gathered, Dragon Cypress’s current King Level soul strength and spiritual power couldn’t penetrate the fruit pod to see what was happening with the orchid seed inside.

What could be confirmed was that each fruit expansion cycle was twelve years.

At present, the guess was that there would need to be two more expansions—so, in twenty-four years, the first Divine-Grade Molan Fruit would finally mature and be harvested.

There was still the possibility that, with bad luck, a third expansion would be needed. That would push the timeframe out to thirty-six years.

"Ink Orchid, you’re sensitive to Origin Force Fluctuations—anything feel different to you?"

"What kind of different?"

"Divine-Grade Molan Seed. The Origin Force Fluctuations it’s putting out right now don’t seem to match any Divine-Grade fruit we’ve eaten so far."

"Of course! We’ve never eaten a Divine-Grade fruit with visual-based abilities."

"No... I mean..."

Dragon Cypress floated the Dominating Throne above a branch of the Great King Molan that bore fruit, head hanging as he stared and pondered, carefully choosing his words.

He searched his brains but couldn’t find just the right phrasing.

"I mean, in terms of the Primordial Energy aspect..."

"The nature of primodial energy? By the usual pattern, it’s at least eight or nine-tenths certain it’ll grant some visual ability."

"Yeah... but, from the look of the current Primordial Energy nature, this visual ability might be unusual."

"Unusual?"

"Yeah—"

Suddenly, Dragon Cypress’s mind sparked, catching a shred of inspiration. "It’s a bit like the One-Glimpse Fruit!"

Ink Orchid: "???"

Ink Orchid: "I’ve never eaten One-Glimpse Fruit."

Ink Orchid: "What does One-Glimpse Fruit taste like? Didn’t you say it was terrible?"

Dragon Cypress: "..."

Dragon Cypress: "I’m talking about Primordial Energy properties—it’s got that special feature like the One-Glimpse Fruit."

Ink Orchid: "Oh—"

Immediately, Ink Orchid grew worried. "Dragon Cypress? Are you trying to tell me that even after twenty-four years, the Divine-Grade Molan Seed still won’t mature?"

Dragon Cypress shook his tentacles. "Given the current situation, there’s a 90% chance it’ll be mature after twenty-four years. There’s just under 10% it’ll need a third fruit expansion."

Ink Orchid: "That’s fine then. Whatever."

Ink Orchid waved her claw, fiercely. "The greater the ability it grants, the better!"

Dragon Cypress: "—Agreed."

The spirit of the Great King Molan was quite active, endlessly chattering about something.

Dragon Cypress floated the Dominating Throne sideways, tapped his tentacles, sending down four blasts of Flourish in a row.

He sped away, still keeping an eye on his Purple King Peach Divine-Given Seed.

Ink Orchid followed, drew in close for a look, and said seriously:

"Dragon Cypress, no more Divine-Given Seeds should be planted on Molan Mountain. The Origin Force demand from Great King Molan’s growth is enormous."

Dragon Cypress: "I know."

Ink Orchid: "Southern Sour Jujube Mountain is also at full capacity."

Dragon Cypress: "Pretty much."

Currently,

Molan Mountain is planted with Great King Molan, Two Kings Ink Orchid, Thunder Oak, North Elm, Purple Poppet, and Purple King Peach—six Life Seed Divine-Given Seeds in total.

Great King Molan is a 12-times-split clone and takes up massive space—the land is pushed to its limits.

Southern Sour Jujube Mountain holds Chestnut Beans, Sea Blue Tree, Ink Emperor Peach, Fey Oil Fruit, Golden Key Tree, Red Cypress, Round Leaf Keg Vine, and Little Wild Chestnut—a total of eight Life Seed Divine-Given Seeds.

There’s also a wild Lord-Level Southern Sour Jujube Divine-Given Seed over there, bringing the total to nine.

Max is ten, so only one more can be planted—and it’s best if it’s Dragon Cypress’s Life Seed Divine-Given Seed.

If Ink Orchid gets more Divine-Given Seeds, she’ll have to find another place.

Dragon Cypress: "Let’s just stick with the original plan. If it’s a northern cold-temperate plant, we’ll plant it at White Lotus Lake. If it’s from the warm-temperate zone, go with Cold Orchid Mountain. If it’s a tropical plant with exceptionally high temperature needs, send it to Areca Rainforest."

Ink Orchid: "I know. I was just reminding you ahead of time."

No reminder needed.

Dragon Cypress already had it all in mind.

Dragon Cypress tapped his tentacles, sent a pulse of Flourish into the trunk of the Purple King Peach Divine-Given Seed, and said:

"This year, I’ll mainly be stationed at Molan Mountain. What about you, Ink Orchid? Heading to Southern Sour Jujube Mountain to take care of the Golden Key Divine-Given Seed? Or going back to Xianglan Mountain?"

Ink Orchid: "Don’t forget Red Phellodendron Divine-Given Seed! I’ll stay at Huagi Mountain for a while, then head to Southern Sour Jujube Mountain."

Ink Orchid then reminded: "Dragon Cypress, you should bring Giant Cypress over to Molan Mountain too..."

Right!

That really was forgotten!

Giant Cypress is still at White Lotus Lake!

It’s been a year already!

The original plan was to move Giant Cypress back to Xianglan Mountain for the winter.

But the Evolution 2 Age Period awakening Earth Talent failed, made everyone grumpy and scatterbrained~

"Ink Orchid, help keep an eye on the Purple King Peach! I’m off to fetch Giant Cypress..."

Dragon Cypress hurried off.

...

...

...

Late spring.

It’s the time of year for trading with the Flame Spider Roving Merchants.

Rednan Mountain, Starship Rift Trade Cave.

Greetings all around.

Last year, a Divine-Grade Kunlan Seed matured and was harvested.

Fragrant Cypress and Ivy together pushed over five Spider Silk Bags.

Red Peach and Heliotrope opened and checked them in turn, confirming all was in order.

Goods delivered and settled.

Dragon Cypress got straight to the point, calmly saying, "Regrettably, Evolution 2 Age Period Lord, awakening Earth Talent failed. I still need a Divine-Grade fruit that grants Earth Talent. Red Peach, Heliotrope, after this, please notify the five Spider Kings and ask them to help keep an ear out."

"..."

A moment of silence.

Red Peach: "...Understood."

Heliotrope: "...Got it."

Red Peach: "Dragon Cypress Ant King, about the Divine-Grade Winged Gourd, the Spider King Spurge has new updates. Apparently, the Keg Vine Ant Queen in the Spring Luo Mountain Termite Kingdom, who’s incubating the Winged Gourd Divine-Given Seed, still hasn’t left the Origin Force Star Realm—and won’t be leaving for a while. There’s still a shot at acquiring a Divine-Grade Winged Gourd."

Heliotrope: "Spider King Spurge has already made arrangements with the caravan—they’ll visit Chunluo Mountain before the year’s end."

A Divine-Grade fruit conferring Wind System Talent is within reach!

Dragon Cypress: "Great! I really appreciate Spider King Spurge’s help! Are his Divine-Grade Youlian Seeds not selling? I can help take on a few more."

"..."

Heliotrope, Red Peach, and Column Spotted were at a loss for words.

Column Spotted raised a claw, speaking weakly, "I overheard Spider King Spurge chatting with Bee King Lotus. He said one Youlian Seed is delivered to Cloud Trace Continent every batch, fixed."

Dragon Cypress: "..."

—You little guy learned eavesdropping tricks from the Grass Dragon already?

Dragon Cypress tapped his tentacles, "Alright, a single seed is fine. As long as it’s a steady supply."

Dragon Cypress spoke up: "At the start of spring, Great King Molan’s third fruit expansion happened. Counting the years, it’s exactly twelve years since the last one."

"Wonderful!"

"Got it!"

"Noted!"

Red Peach, Heliotrope, and Column Spotted responded in turn.

Red Peach: "Dragon Cypress Ant King, Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple should both be Evolution Lord Level by now, right?"

"Those two—"

Dragon Cypress: "They kept up on plenty of Divine-Given Origin Force Food, but they’re both still stuck at Age Period 9."

Dragon Cypress: "Red Peach, you’re about to advance to Evolution Lord Level, huh?"

Red Peach: "Yes. This winter."

"Congrats! Congrats! I wish you the best in advance!"

"Congratulations, Red Peach Mountain Lord!"

"Red Peach, wishing you a smooth breakthrough!"

Dragon Cypress, Ivy, Fragrant Cypress, and Black Cory all chimed in with congratulations.

Red Peach really had it rough.

All his Life Seed Plants were left to Elder Yellow Peach to tend; all profits went to Yellow Peach, helping him evolve to become a Lord.

Red Peach’s own evolution and growth—his main income was doing roving trades with White Ivy, salary plus a share of profits; plus he hauled Origin Stones for the Spider Kings, five million a year transported, earning ten thousand in freight every year.

Dragon Cypress pondered for a moment and turned. "Fragrant Cypress, later, give Red Peach 10 jars of Bee King Honey. Consider it a gift for advancing to Lord Level, set it up in advance."

Fragrant Cypress: "Understood, Great King!"

Red Peach blushed: "Five thousand big jars? That’s too much..."

You’re angling for five thousand big jars?

Dragon Cypress said sternly, "Don’t get ideas, Red Peach—it’s ten thousand small jars."

Dragon Cypress called out: "Trade, people! Let’s settle this year’s Divine-Given Origin Force Food deals first. The rest, let Fragrant Cypress and Ivy handle. I’ve got things to do."