Ant Lord in the Star Realm-Chapter 639 - 570: The First Step of Transformation

The Ten-thousand Tribes Continent.

In the southeastern coastal Flame Spider Kingdom, the winter tribal gathering neared its end. Caravans of all sizes had organized their goods and, one by one, set out on their journeys for the new year.

The Revolve Spider King was a somewhat famous, veteran Spider King among the Dulai Flame Spiders. He focused on traversing the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent and maintained stable trade relations with many top-level Great Tribes.

The Caravan had 38 members, including 19 Lords and 2 Little Flame Spider Warriors born in recent years. Their numbers signified a thriving lineage.

A grand Caravan, laden with goods, proceeded in a single file. They traveled along the broad and smooth Commerce Route at an unhurried pace, gradually leaving the Kingdom's borders and entering rugged mountain paths.

"Stop."

The Caravan leader, the Revolve Spider King, suddenly raised his forelegs to signal a halt. He turned slightly, gazing towards the nearby woods.

The Caravan came to a stop.

On a distant hillside, in the darkness, eight crimson eyes flickered.

A rustling sound, and White Ivy bounded out of the woods.

She greeted them warmly, "Revolve Spider King! Lord Birah Hitam! Lord Coriander! Lord Jerusalem Cross..."

The Revolve Spider King remained silent, gazing intently.

Lord Jerusalem Cross, the most adept at communication within the Caravan, stepped forward quickly. He asked in confusion, "Lord White Ivy, what is this about?"

White Ivy said, not beating around the bush, "I want to compete for leadership. But over on the Ten Thousand Nations Continent, Spider King Spurge's Roving Merchant routes have nearly exhausted their potential. I'm planning to survey the situation on the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent and prepare to split my team in two. I'll take one part to establish new trade routes here.

"Revolve Spider King, Lord Jerusalem Cross, rest assured. I'll focus on trading Divine-Grade Fruit. During the election period, I'll also trade a little Divine-Given Origin Force Food and Bee King Honey. Once the election is over, I'll even abandon the Divine-Given Origin Force Food trade. We will have no conflicts of interest."

Bewildered waves of spiritual power and Mind emanated from the spiders behind the Revolve Spider King.

Lord Jerusalem Cross asked, "Only trading Divine-Grade Fruit? Where will you find enough Divine-Grade Fruit to trade?"

"There are!" White Ivy insisted.

She explained, "This is a development route I planned a hundred years ago. I originally intended to transition gradually after becoming an Evolution Spider King. Now, because I must compete for the Leader position, I have no choice but to implement it ahead of schedule. Therefore, I hope to travel with your Caravan and visit some Great Tribes that possess or are suspected of possessing Divine-Grade products.

"Revolve Spider King, there's a reward in it for you. I can sell you a Divine-Grade Baihe Fruit or a Lightwing Seed at the original price."

The Revolve Spider King spoke succinctly, "Don't delay our journey. Keep up."

"Thank you, Revolve Spider King!" White Ivy exclaimed.

White Ivy joined the ranks, walking side by side with Lord Jerusalem Cross.

Under the leadership of the Revolve Spider King, the Caravan snaked forward.

"Lord White Ivy, I heard you've split from Lord Melde again?" Lord Jerusalem Cross asked.

"Melde is also competing for leadership," White Ivy replied. "It was nominated by the Steward Old Spider King and must participate; it can't escape."

"You and Melde participating in the Leader selection separately means the businesses and resources you previously shared will be split in two. That's quite uneconomical," Lord Jerusalem Cross observed.

"It's a minor issue," White Ivy said. "Melde's greatest dream in this lifetime is to gain Spider King Spurge's recognition and inherit his businesses. Now, it has what it wants. Spider King Spurge will use his resources and Insect Vein connections, doing his utmost to help Melde. That's a good thing."

Lord Jerusalem Cross hesitated. "Uh—"

"But, Lord White Ivy," he continued, "I feel you're no less capable than Melde."

"From the start, Melde and I were not on the same path," White Ivy stated. "After our direct elder, Carpesium, passed away, Melde inherited the legacy Carpesium left it quite well, while I lost everything. But because of that, I learned to be self-reliant and to cherish what I earn myself."

Lord Birah Hitam couldn't help but ask, "Lord White Ivy, what about the goods on your Carapace?"

White Ivy's Carapace was empty. She emphasized once more, "I'm transitioning to specialize in the trade of Divine-Grade goods. The Blossom-Fruit Cycle of Divine-Given Seeds takes at least ten to twenty years, sometimes several decades. They are generally not in stock and must be pre-ordered years, even decades, in advance."

"Lord Birah Hitam," White Ivy said, "I see you have a lot of goods on your back. Can I help you carry some?"

"Thank you. No need."

Lord Birah Hitam still didn't quite understand and continued to ask, "Lord White Ivy, aren't you still going to trade Divine-Given Origin Force Food and Bee King Honey?"

"That's for the future," White Ivy explained. "The new rule I've established for my transition is that the profit margin from trading Divine-Grade Fruit must be compensated with shares in the Divine-Given Origin Force Food trade. Furthermore, I won't be trading average Divine-Given Origin Force Food; it has to be King-Level. Of course, I might consider Lord-Level if it has exceptionally good enhancement effects and high profits. As for Bee King Honey, some Insect Kings who hold tribal power might want to try it for novelty, so I could carry a few jars. Common Origin Force Honey and the like, I'll leave to the younger ones; I won't handle it personally."

Lord Birah Hitam could only manage an, "Uh—"

Origin Force Honey! A luxury product celebrated across the continent, with tens of millions in annual shares and millions in profit annually!

Lord Birah Hitam was dumbfounded.

All the spiders fell silent.

Over the past decades, the Revolve Spider King Caravan and the White Ivy-Melde Caravan had met every autumn to travel together, becoming well acquainted.

Everyone knew White Ivy: frank, generous, and flamboyant. But she never lied, feigned ignorance, or exaggerated.

But if what she said was true, wasn't that too much?

The usually silent Revolve Spider King finally asked, "White Ivy, how many trade shares of Divine-Grade Fruit do you currently control?"