Ant Lord in the Star Realm-Chapter 548 - 527: Arrival of the Divine-Grade Shashuo Fruit

Chapter 548: Chapter 527: Arrival of the Divine-Grade Shashuo Fruit

According to plan, Dragon Cypress completed the cultivation of Specialized Green Ants, then moved to reside long-term in the Purple Tung Insect Nation.

Divine God-Given Seeds received privileged treatment—the number of Specialized Green Ants dedicated to assisting White Poplar’s growth increased to 500.

The Linnan Divine Tree pestered every day, demanding the promised 20,000 Specialized Green Ants; Dragon Cypress was worn out by the nagging, and had no choice but to pay interest first, raising 200 ants to keep it company under the tree.

Dragon Cypress began large-scale cultivation of Lord-Level Blue Ants and Worker Ants, as well as small, medium, and micro Soldier Ants and Green Soldiers, updating and strengthening the cultivation and logistics ants of the Purple Tung Insect Nation to a limited extent.

The Mountain Lord Level ants that got replaced—some were selected to be sent to the neighboring Desolation Plains, and then 270 Specialized Blue Soldiers were dispatched, led by Black Birch, to pioneer reclamation.

In the arid wastelands, Dragon Cypress couldn’t possibly garrison large numbers of Specialized Blue Soldiers just for water-making and irrigation; could only select drought- and barrenness-resistant plants.

Not many options: saxaul, desert Wintergreen, sand willow, seabuckthorn, Euphrates poplar, grey poplar, sand willow, sandy elm, dawn redwood, water fir and other arbors. Under the trees—plant horsetail grass, wild peas, alfalfa and similar ground cover.

Pioneering arid wasteland is totally different from pioneering mountain jungles.

The Desolation Plains are flat and boundless—the main tasks are digging reservoirs, opening water channels, using canals to divide the dry land into sections.

Best to harden and reinforce as much as possible, so when it rains or snows, it can retain more natural precipitation.

Failed Awakening of the Earth Talent—had to spend Flower Origin Stones to get White Rice’s help.

The Desolation Plains get a little rainfall, and snow in winter; there’s still scattered vegetation, so it’s not completely dead—there’s hope for rescue.

On the Eastern Continent, around Crescent Lake and the Loess Barrens, the Lands of Origin Force are already wholly desertified, not a trace of life to be found.

Specialized Blue Soldiers could reclaim land via water-making, but the input is too huge, and the payoff limited—Dragon Cypress didn’t plan to waste time and energy there.

...

The Divine-Grade Shashuo Fruit, endowed with Metal Element Talent, was about to arrive.

Dragon Cypress had started eating the suitable Origin Force Food five years in advance.

The Metal System Divine-Given Origin Force Food: worth 10 million Source Stones.

Water System Divine-Given Origin Force Food: worth 4 million Source Stones.

Comprehensive Physique, visual, tentacle, carapace, life, and other foundation-enhancing Divine-Given Origin Force Foods: worth 4 million Source Stones.

Age Period Evolution’s total cost: a staggering 18 million Source Stones.

Paused debt repayment, overall could just balance payment and spending.

For the five years of sowing Silver Cypress Trees, debts had neither increased nor decreased.

...

Another year’s spring Roving Merchant trading.

This year, Divine-Grade Soul-Setting Fruit and Night Fragrance Fruit were up for sale, and the Divine-Grade Shashuo Fruit was arriving.

Dragon Cypress led a team, heading out early.

Red Peach, Heliotrope, Little Column Spot and company arrived ahead too.

Met up and exchanged greetings,

Little Column Spot first untied the Carapace Spider Silk Rope, stuffing over a Spider Silk Bag.

Red Peach: "Dragon Cypress Ant King, Divine-Grade Shashuo Fruit, 4.5 million Source Stones."

"Deal!"

Dragon Cypress opened it up for inspection, a quick spiritual power scan confirmed all correct—he waved his antennae.

Fragrant Cypress handed over Spider Silk Bags, one by one.

Seven Night Fragrance Fruits, 5.6 million Source Stones.

Red Peach: "No problem!"

Little Column Spot: "Thank you, Dragon Cypress Ant King!"

Dragon Cypress: "The Divine-Given Origin Force Food transaction’s done. Let’s check out together."

Next, Black Persimmon handed over three Spider Silk Bags.

Opened for inspection.

Red Peach: "No problem!"

Heliotrope: "Thank you, Dragon Cypress Ant King!"

Three Soul-Setting Fruits; goods from Huagi Mountain tallied separately.

Red Peach: "Dragon Cypress Ant King, Thunder Melia Fruit will be delivered in nine years."

Dragon Cypress: "Noted."

Red Peach: "How about the Divine-Grade Fruit with Fire Element Talent—are we delivering it a bit earlier, or a bit later...?"

These past years, all the Kingdom’s resources have been pillaged by Dragon Cypress alone.

The Assistant Kings’ salaries, bonuses, profit shares were basically paid with Ant King Trust Cards. Technically, Dragon Cypress still owed a ton internally in the Kingdom.

Dragon Cypress: "Later is fine."

Red Peach: "Alright! Later means, nineteen years from now."

Dragon Cypress nodded his antennae in agreement.

For Lord-Level Age Periods above 4, evolving once every ten to twenty years is ideal.

Dragon Cypress wondered: "Red Peach, Little Column Spot, you still haven’t figured out the name of that Divine-Grade Fruit that gives Fire Element Ability?"

Little Column Spot: "Nope."

Red Peach: "Not that we don’t want to tell you. The Insect King who helped broker the deal didn’t want to reveal it."

Little Column Spot: "Probably afraid we’ll deduce the origin by the name."

"Alright then—"

Dragon Cypress tapped his antennae.

Not hard to understand.

Confidentiality is the main concern.

After all, the intermediary Insect King is bound to take a cut as well.

If the Caravan knew the source, they’d just skip the middle Insect King and go straight to the source.

Dragon Cypress: "Red Peach, have you done the math? That Divine-Grade Fruit with Fire Element Talent—about how much per fruit?"

Red Peach: "Rough calculation, around ten million."

Little Column Spot declared earnestly: "Dragon Cypress Ant King, this really is rock bottom. In this deal, Lord White Ivy doesn’t make a single Source Stone of profit."

So your Caravan makes nothing? Where’s all your Source Stone coming from then?

"Little Column Spot, learn some proper skills." Dragon Cypress waved his antennae, pushed through the Starship Rift, and tapped Little Column Spot on the head a couple of times.

Little Column Spot, innocent: "...Really didn’t make anything...I swear it’s true."

"......"

Dragon Cypress felt rather miserable.

The way they’re operating, the middle-bug’s cut ultimately counts as cost, passed on to himself. By the time it reached him, the thing was sky-high expensive.

White Ivy was probably the most straightforward spider—the unit price was ten million, and it really might not be making a single Source Stone of profit.

Dragon Cypress: "Let’s just trade first."

Dragon Cypress: "How much Metal System Divine-Given Origin Force Food did you bring this year? I’m still about 2 million short..."

Dragon Cypress handled the Divine-Given Origin Force Food trade, leaving the rest to Fragrant Cypress and Black Persimmon.

He then took the newly acquired Metal System Divine-Given Origin Force Food and hurried back to Xianglan Mountain.

Ate quickly—then launched the final sprint.

Five days later, drowsiness hit, and after simple preparations, he fell into hibernation.

...

Awoke from hibernation.

Shed the old shell, the new carapace hardened swiftly.

Did it succeed?

Dragon Cypress focused his mind, anxiously sensing the changes in Primordial Energy post-evolution.

Beneath the carapace, at the muscle attachment, a strange yet familiar Primordial Energy Power was slowly forming.

—Metal System Primordial Energy!

—It worked!

Dragon Cypress was overjoyed—delirious, heart pounding, blood racing; muttered to himself, luck was finally in his favor!

The Divine-Grade Shashuo Fruit for Lord-Level, inherently had only about a 35% chance of success; even maxing out Metal System Divine-Given Origin Force Food, the odds didn’t go above 50%—pure coin toss, and in fact failure was slightly likelier.

No other technique involved—success or failure was all up to luck.

"Dragon Cypress?"

Ink Orchid had been waiting outside the cave and, sensing activity inside, pried open the blocked door panel to take a look inside, and wriggled in.

"Succeeded again?"

"What do you mean, ’again’?"

"Succeeded? Awakened Metal System Talent?"

"Of course!"

Dragon Cypress couldn’t help but sigh, "Luck’s been pretty good these past years—everything’s gone smoothly."

"Yeah—"

Ink Orchid pressed on, "So what’s the Ability? How many Metal System Abilities did you grasp?"

Dragon Cypress cocked his head, eyeing the metal canister beside him filled with Ant Honey. With a thought, the canister floated up by itself and landed in front of him.

Metal System Primordial Energy activated.

The canister’s lid spun open of its own accord, settling lightly to the side.

Ink Orchid: "..."

Dragon Cypress: "At least one—basic Metal Control."

Ink Orchid: "That’s bound to come with Elemental Talent Awakening. That one doesn’t count—any others?"

Dragon Cypress: "Let me think..."

He buried his head, antennae dipping into the metal can, dipped some Ant Honey, and slowly licked it as he pondered in silence...

After a long while,

Dragon Cypress looked up, haltingly said: "There’s also... a really strange Ability... my gut says it burns Origin Force like crazy... and needs metal materials..."

Ink Orchid: "???"

What are you talking about?

Ink Orchid waggled her antennae, tapped the metal can in front of her: Metal materials? Isn’t this metal?

Dragon Cypress shook his antennae, "This one’s too hard."

As of now, the metal jars used on Cloud Trace Continent came in two types: black and gold.

The black can was made by Ghost Fan, strengthened by Jinhe’s Ability, to store Common Ant Honey and Origin Force Ant Honey.

The gold can was delivered by White Ivy and the Melde Caravan—some powerful Insect King had reinforced it with Jinhe’s Ability; golden patterns gleamed on its surface, exquisitely ornate, dedicated to storing Ant King Honey.

Even the black can in front wasn’t trivial—Dragon Cypress couldn’t budge it with force alone.

"Ink Orchid, come on, let’s find a big river and sieve out some metal gravel. I’ll show you."

"Alright!"

Ink Orchid answered cheerfully.