Ant Lord in the Star Realm-Chapter 626 - 566: Soul-Intoxicating Fruit

At the end of the spring trade with the Flame Spider Roving Merchant, Dragon Cypress also simultaneously completed the Source Stone transportation work for Huagi Mountain.

Bringing along Ink Orchid, he quickly made a circuit around the continent, finishing the Divine-Given Seed search at each Land of Origin Force on Cloud Trace Continent, and set up this year's assignments.

All the work on Cloud Trace Continent was complete.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid then hurried off to Swinging Leaf Island of Bayonet Continent...

The same unchanging work.

...

In the blink of an eye, a year passed,

The Red Crow Pattern Imprint test ended.

The Primordial Energy Imprint would weaken as time passed, and this weakening was unrelated to how many layers had been stacked. After a year, the overall weakening had surpassed half, so correspondingly, its efficiency was halved too, requiring replenishment and reinforcement.

Each time the Red Crow Pattern Ability was used, it required exhausting all one's primordial energy. Even with the Dominating Throne assisting recovery, only two usages per day were possible.

Dragon Cypress estimated that even by using Flowering Indigo Basket, Purple Kiwifruit, and the like—Origin Force Food that strengthened and accelerated absorption of natural primordial force—at the extreme, he could manage at most three usages per day.

This ability had its limits; it could only be applied to Life Seeds and could not be used widely on ordinary plants.

After a whole year, the strengthening effect of the Red Crow Pattern also began to show. The seven Divine-Given Seeds rooted in Xianglan Mountain—Azure, Black Yellow, Southern Gorgon, Northern Gorgon, Fruit-Scented Orchid, Emerald Flower Cold Orchid, and Snow Orchid—all visibly developed sturdier branches and leaves.

Their resistance to impacts had increased. If the territory should be invaded, they wouldn't be destroyed in just one or two blows.

If one persisted in using the Red Crow Pattern to strengthen Life Seeds, year after year for centuries or millennia, then the Life Seed plants tied to the Insect Clan Warriors' lives would become nearly indestructible.

For this alone, the Red Crow Pattern was worthy of being called a supreme Wood Element ability—well worth owning.

...

Xianglan Mountain was close to the western Divine Force Barrier of the continent and was at risk of being invaded.

In the dead of winter,

Dragon Cypress invited Mountain Persimmon to reside permanently in Xianglan Mountain, and gave every single Life Seed plant belonging to himself and Ink Orchid three blasts of the Red Crow Pattern.

Early spring,

Black Sophora evolved to a second age period High-Level Assistant King, and spent two years following Fragrant Cypress and Black Persimmon, gaining initial familiarity with roving trade and territory management.

Dragon Cypress escorted Mountain Persimmon back to Silver Cypress Mountain and, on the way, sent Black Sophora off to the Purple Tung Insect Nation to study the art of war from Linnan Divine Tree and to temper combat skills.

The Purple Tung Insect Nation was undertaking large-scale planting of Silver Cypress No. 3.

In recent years, they had also bred relatively superior seedlings from Silver Cypress No. 2, officially naming them Silver Cypress No. 4.

Silver Cypress No. 4 would be promoted first in the Purple Tung Insect Nation to replace Silver Cypress No. 2.

Black Sophora was also able to share some of Round Cypress's workload.

...

In the lush spring, during roving trade, the Snow Velvet Spider King arrived punctually.

Red Peach, Heliotrope, and Column Spotted had brought a thousand nearly grown ordinary White-Legged Flame Spiders, each with a leg span of around 5 centimeters, and had been waiting early at the Starship Passage.

Snow Velvet Spider King: "Shanglu doesn't have this branch of White-Legged Flame Spider. Over the next ten years, I'll send back ten batches—a total of ten thousand. First, let them live on the forbidden mountain of the Ancestral Land. When the time is right, I'll inform the clansfolk and claim that a new branch has naturally arisen in the Ancestral Land."

Snow Velvet Spider King briefly explained to Dragon Cypress, then plucked three large Spider Silk Bags from her carapace and set them at the gap's edge.

"Red Peach, Heliotrope, Column Spotted, you've worked hard—these are your rewards."

Upon opening, there were, once again, small bags and bags of Divine-Given Origin Force Food!

A specialty of the Southern Hemisphere, all produced from Insect King Territory, and of superlative quality.

—Such generous rewards!

"Thank you, Snow Velvet Spider King!"

"Snow Velvet Spider King, you're too kind."

"Snow Velvet Spider King is the most generous spider in the entire Star Realm!"

Red Peach, Heliotrope, and Column Spotted cheered their thanks.

"Just a little token. As long as you don't find it too little."

Snow Velvet Spider King waved her foreleg dismissively, paused, then tapped her foreleg on the ground in a rapid, rhythmic vibration.

From the opposite passage, the White-Legged Little Flame Spiders lined up neatly, marched through the fissure, and climbed up along the side of the Snow Velvet Spider King's leg onto her carapace.

Snow Velvet Spider King: "Red Peach, Column Spotted..."

Red Peach and Column Spotted stepped back.

Dragon Cypress knowingly led Ink Orchid, Fragrant Cypress, and Black Persimmon out of the cave.

They took turns,

Heliotrope scurried back and forth, relaying messages between the Snow Velvet Spider King and the Old Spider King of the Ten Thousand Clan Continent.

Dragon Cypress conducted regular trade with Red Peach and Column Spotted.

A day later, 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

After finishing discussions, Snow Velvet Spider King turned around and said, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, Ink Orchid Lord, I'll skip trading with you two and go directly to the Aconite Spider King. The Green Cicada Wing Fruit and Winged Gourd I urgently needed have both been settled."

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid touched tentacles lightly. They knew there was no chance of making a profit off the price difference.

Snow Velvet Spider King: "I'll compensate you with a Divine-Grade Fruit that grants abilities. Just name the type you want."

Snow Velvet Spider King added, "Divine-Grade Festoon Fruit, Silver Leaf Fruit, and Quin Olive Fruit are excluded."

Ink Orchid looked at Dragon Cypress, "Black Ink Fruit?"

Dragon Cypress: "Divine-Grade Ink Fruit. My Assistant King subordinates can use it."

Snow Velvet Spider King was not surprised and promptly said, "Alright! I'll deliver it in eleven years."

Red Peach and Column Spotted hurried over.

Column Spotted heard the conversation and exclaimed, "Snow Velvet Spider King, our caravan also holds quite a share of Divine-Grade Fruit trades. We can trade too!"

Red Peach immediately added, "Exactly! The number of Divine-Grades available to our caravan surpasses any other Spider King Caravan."

Snow Velvet Spider King: "Oh?"

Snow Velvet Spider King turned and cast an inquisitive look at Dragon Cypress.

Dragon Cypress answered briefly, "Melde and the White Ivy Trade Caravan indeed hold several varieties of Divine-Grade Fruit."

"Melde..."

Snow Velvet Spider King instantly recalled the moon in the night sky, and the Luoli Grass leaf-shaped Primordial Energy Imprint in Black Peach's eyes.

—Such an auspicious name~

Snow Velvet Spider King asked: "Column Spotted, what Divine-Grade Fruits does your caravan hold?"

Column Spotted: "Divine-Grade Shashuo Fruit, grants Gold System talent."

Column Spotted: "Divine-Grade Spotted Thicket Fruit, grants a dual Waterwood System hallucination ability, for use together with Dragon Cypress Ant King's Divine-Grade Night Fragrance Fruit."