Ant Lord in the Star Realm-Chapter 543 - 522: The Calculative Ink Orchid

Golden late autumn, with bright sunshine,

Purple Tung Insect Nation, Blue Ice Cypress No. 3 Orchard.

Dragon Cypress, Round Cypress, Black Birch, Spruce, Ivy, Chinese Clematis, Pueraria, along with a large crowd of Barley Bug Tribe insects, and thousands of ant colonies, layer after layer, blockaded both ends of the ant trail, guarding the periphery of the forest land.

Under the sunlight, the fruits nurturing the Blue Ice Cypress Divine-Given Seed naturally dried and split open with a fine crack.

—Ripe!

Dragon Cypress controlled the Dominating Throne to rise, approached, antennae bending to hook the cypress branch, carefully reaching out a claw to harvest.

Holding its breath, it peeled away the seed scales, revealing a single golden cypress seed no more than two or three millimeters wide.

Calming its mind, it sensed the faint origin force fluctuation.

Soon came to a judgment:

Mutated, but the change is minor, still within the scope of the water system; it should be a comprehensive enhancement to the water element ability, with a hint of Frost Birch, enhancement likely inclined toward frost-type abilities.

If so, then, in terms of strengthening effect alone, it’s more valuable than the broad-sense water system comprehensive ability enhancement.

"This Blue Ice Cypress Divine-Given Seed is quite excellent! Its enhancement effect is probably close to Boss Yellow’s Frost Birch Divine-Given Seed!"

Dragon Cypress finished appraising and announced with raised head.

—Frost Birch Seed is really valuable!

—This one isn’t cheap either, is it?

—Congratulations, Great King!

—Congratulations, Dragon Cypress Ant King!

...

The insects all voiced their congratulations.

Dragon Cypress curled its tongue and swallowed the Blue Ice Cypress Divine-Given Seed, placing it into its Life Pouch.

The many insects of the Purple Tung Insect Nation had all helped guard for half a year.

Dragon Cypress expressed thanks one by one.

White Clematis, who had lingered in Purple Tung Insect Nation for a year for the excitement, reminded: "Dragon Cypress Ant King, this is a brand new Blue Ice Cypress cultivated variant, you should give it a fitting official name."

Dragon Cypress had long since decided, and directly said, "The mutant Blue Ice Cypress has larger fruits and more seeds. The official name will be ’Multi-Seed Blue Ice Cypress.’"

Following the standard naming rules of the Natural Star Realm, a proper, by-the-book name.

The insects touched antennae in agreement, and another wave of noisy praise broke out.

Dragon Cypress waved its antennae to call everyone over to the Purple Tung Divine-Given Seed Tree to hold a grand feast in celebration.

A night of bustling joy.

At dawn the next day, left with Black Birch.

...

...

Hulan Mountain, beneath the Giant Pine.

"Dragon Cypress!"

"Great King!"

"Black Birch is here too!"

"Was the Blue Ice Cypress Divine-Given Seed harvested successfully?"

Ink Orchid and Black Cory greeted eagerly, hurrying to ask.

Black Birch answered: "Officially named ’Multi-Seed Blue Ice Cypress,’ the Divine-Given Seed was harvested smoothly, its enhancement effect is similar to Frost Birch, leaning toward frost-type water system ability enhancement, quite excellent; Great King has already placed it in their Life Pouch."

Black Birch: "Great King said autumn roving merchant trade and Divine-Given Seed search work can’t stop, so I came to help..."

Dragon Cypress controlled the Dominating Throne, hovering at the top of the tree for a close look.

The fruit was still green.

The Nine-Leaf Huangqian matures slightly later, and plus it’s a Divine-Given Seed, it might not be ready until late autumn or early winter.

Ink Orchid: "Oh—"

Ink Orchid kicked off, spinning and landing atop the throne’s backrest.

"Black Birch, long time no see." Black Cory waved its antennae in greeting, flattering,

"Great King is wise!"

Black Cory raised its head and asked: "Great King, since you chose the Multi-Seed Blue Ice Cypress Divine-Given Seed as your Life Seed, then, what about this Nine-Leaf Huangqian Divine-Given Seed..."

Dragon Cypress gently waved its antennae, pointing toward Ink Orchid.

At present, Dragon Cypress has two top-level Divine-Given Seeds: Red Cypress and Round Leaf Keg Vine. Ink Orchid only has Ink Emperor Peach. If Ink Orchid gets another Nine-Leaf Huangqian, it balances things out.

Ink Orchid hesitated, "Seems unwise."

Ink Orchid: "The Great King Ink Orchid will enter the fourth fruit swelling in four years, and the fifth in another twelve years. If all goes well, it will mature for harvest in sixteen years. After fruit is harvested, I’ll rest one year. All told, I still need at least seventeen years to break through to Lord-Level."

Ink Orchid: "Dragon Cypress, given our efficiency, in seventeen years we’ll definitely obtain other Divine-Given Seeds. Why not have you cultivate the Life Seed Divine-Given Seed sooner, sow earlier, reap the benefits earlier—it’s over four hundred thousand a year!"

Ink Orchid: "Dragon Cypress, you’re too impatient! You insisted on cultivating the Multi-Seed Blue Ice Cypress Divine-Given Seed first—do you know how many Source Stones we’re losing out on?"

Dragon Cypress: "..."

Ink Orchid’s not the type to keep accounts...

It’s obviously Black Cory doing the math for Ink Orchid...

To be fair, the math isn’t wrong...

If planted as a Life Seed more than a decade sooner, it would mean several million more Source Stones in income.

Currently, there is a massive debt of 26 million Source Stones owed to the caravan...

In another four or five years, the Divine-Grade Shashuo Fruit will be delivered...

And then, the Divine-Grade Leilian Seed...

Divine-Grade Fruits get delivered ceaselessly, the debt will only grow larger...

Dragon Cypress controlled the Dominating Throne to slowly descend and docked, saying refreshingly, "It’s not a big issue. Next spring, I’ll source more wind system Divine-Given Origin Force Food from the Flame Spider Caravan—I want to evolve to Age Period 3 Lord."

"I’ll use the Nine-Leaf Huangqian Divine-Given Seed first. Once I have the Shashuo Fruit, I’ll immediately evolve to Age Period 4."

Ink Orchid: "That’s the only way!"

Ink Orchid complained: "The order’s all wrong! Lost so many Source Stones!"

Dragon Cypress: "..."

Dragon Cypress: "The Blue Ice Cypress Divine-Given Seed still generates revenue, doesn’t it? And it’s not that little, so losses aren’t much."

Black Birch cleverly changed the topic and asked, "Great King, the Multi-Seed Blue Ice Cypress Divine-Given Seed was cultivated by us. Isn’t there a reward?"

Dragon Cypress: "Of course! The reward remains unchanged. However, since I’m evolving fast these years, you can take the Spider King Trust Card now, and I’ll pay the reward later."

"Oh—" Black Birch agreed.

"Wouldn’t it be simpler to keep an account?" Black Cory muttered.

Black Birch raised its claw, gently pointed at the tree top, and asked, "Great King, and what about the reward for the Nine-Leaf Huangqian Divine-Given Seed?"

Dragon Cypress: "That one appeared by chance, no reward. But the profit share remains the same."

Dragon Cypress again reminded: "The Nine-Leaf Huangqian Divine-Given Seed—I haven’t told any insects outside the kingdom. Ink Orchid, Black Cory, keep your mouths shut: don’t spread it around. Once it’s cultivated, we’ll quietly plant it by White Lotus Lake."

Black Cory: "Understood! Great King!"

Black Birch: "Got it! Great King!"

Ink Orchid: "???"

Ink Orchid: "Why? What can’t be said about it?"

Dragon Cypress: "Boss Yellow would be jealous."

Dragon Cypress: "Nine-Leaf Huangqian is the Shield Grasshopper Tribe’s ancestor’s hard-selected top-level plant seed. We’re reaping where we haven’t sown. Put yourself in their shoes—think about how petty Huangqian is, isn’t it uncomfortable?"

Dragon Cypress: "In a few years, we’ll talk to the Quandong Divine Tree, see if we can bargain for some Lesser Vein Kunlan and Frost Birch seeds from Huagi Mountain. With some time and effort, let’s cultivate Cicada Orchid Mountain, Hulan Mountain, Xuelan Mountain, Banlan Mountain—large scale planting."

Dragon Cypress: "Hundreds of years from now, either of these top-level plant seeds, if even one becomes a Divine-Given Seed, that’s profit."

—Right!

—Great King is wise!

Ink Orchid’s eyes lit up.

...

Black Birch and Black Cory stayed behind to keep watch over the developing Nine-Leaf Huangqian Divine-Given Seed.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid returned to Xianglan Mountain, tidied up and set off.

Autumn trade, and simultaneously searching for Divine-Given Seeds, en route they once again arrived at the Areca Rainforest.

Black Leaf commanded the ant colony, clearing a nursery one hundred meters long and over twenty meters wide.

The Rain Tree No. 1 Seeds harvested at the end of summer season were immediately planted; now the seedlings stood twenty centimeters tall and upright.

Black Leaf, leading the ant colony, guarded the nursery’s edge.

Tie Bush raced over with the Giant Cypress, hurried and breathless.

"Great King!"

"Second King!"

Black Leaf greeted and reported: "So far, with Rain Tree No. 1 Seeds, they can sprout successfully into robust seedlings, and the germination rate is quite high."

Ink Orchid: "So why can’t it trigger Natural Godsend?"

Giant Cypress reported: "Great King, Second King, mature Rain Tree No. 1 pods are black with light reddish-brown netted veins, which shows distinct difference to normal rain tree pods. After peeling, there’s no difference in seed appearance. After sowing, the seedlings show no difference either."

Giant Cypress: "I suspect that the degree of mutation is too minor to qualify as a new rain tree variety."

This...

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid both fell into thought...

This situation is quite different from the mutant Ink Orchid, Black Peach, Purple Poppet, or Blue Ice Cypress seen before.

How should this kind of mutant plant be handled?

Plant mutation is filled with so much uncertainty, all sorts of bizarre, never-repeating issues...

Dragon Cypress thought twice and said, "Black Leaf, Tie Bush, you’re responsible for cutting down the original normal rain trees and replacing them all with Rain Tree No. 1. Plant a batch to test."

"Understood, Great King."

Black Leaf and Tie Bush answered in unison.

Dragon Cypress asked, "Giant Cypress, any other discoveries?" 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Giant Cypress: "None."

Giant Cypress: "Great King, all the Areca Rainforest plants have been inspected—nothing else found."

Dragon Cypress: "Good. You might as well stay here, spend the winter with Black Leaf and Tie Bush. Next spring, I’ll send you to Red Cypress Mountain. The search can’t stop."

Dragon Cypress: "There are two fantastic pieces of news for everyone. Blue Ice Cypress No. 3 has successfully produced a Divine-Given Seed, and at Tiger Orchid Mountain, we discovered the very top-level Nine-Leaf Huangqian Divine-Given Seed..."