Ant Lord in the Star Realm-Chapter 648 - 573: King Cypress

Dragon Cypress controlled the Dominating Throne to shrink, carrying a medium-sized Worker Ant, holding a Source Stone, and slowly floated closer.

Its double mandibles exerted force, crushing the Source Stone.

A burst of pure Origin Force exploded beside the Cypress flower bud.

The petals' absorption rate of Origin Force suddenly soared.

Soon it was over,

Nearly half of the Origin Force contained in the Source Stone was actually absorbed.

This was still a flower bud that hadn't even bloomed!

Observing this phenomenon, all the insects were stunned.

Ink Orchid strained and said: "Dragon Cypress, it looks like, we've cultivated some kind of oddity!" 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Dragon Cypress: "..."

Oddity?

"..."

Silence, contemplating.

Southern Gorgon lazily said: "I can responsibly tell you all, this is a Divine Grade!"

No insect paid any attention to it.

Black Yellow objected: "The flower hasn't even opened, and you're already so sure?"

Southern Gorgon replied seriously: "It's simple logic, I can sense a threat coming from it!"

Black Yellow: "That's the common failing of all herbs, even a locust hopping by would feel like a threat to you."

Southern Gorgon snapped: "Black Yellow, do you want to fight!"

Black Yellow shot back, "Come over here and try me."

Southern Gorgon: "If you've got guts, you come over, see if I can't soften you to death..."

Black Yellow: "You can stop bluffing. If you can soften a locust to death, I'll give you the win."

The two Divine-Given Seeds started arguing again.

Azure said gravely: "Black Yellow, stop arguing. What Southern Gorgon said makes sense. Competition among plants is instinctual—I can also faintly feel a hint of threat. The fact that a mere flower bud gives me this feeling is no small matter."

Black Yellow: "Why can't I feel it?"

Southern Gorgon: "Because you're dense."

Black Yellow flew into a rage.

The two Divine-Given Seeds broke out into a full-blown argument.

"Enough. Enough."

Dragon Cypress's head hurt.

Black Yellow and Southern Gorgon squabbled over everything and nothing.

Fruit-Scented Orchid, Emerald Flower Cold Orchid, and Snow Orchid—these three Divine-Given Seeds were also constantly arguing, squabbling, and hurling insults at each other.

Thanks to these God-Given Life Seeds, Xianglan Mountain hadn't had a single peaceful day.

Dragon Cypress controlled the Dominating Throne to return, then gave another Source Stone to the Worker Ant, and controlled the Throne to approach again.

Changing methods, it used two claws to cradle it, mandible teeth to scrape, Source Stone powder sprinkled down.

The slowly released Origin Force was fully absorbed by the flower bud this time—Source Stone utilization efficiency reached 100 percent.

After repeating this many times—using up 8 Source Stones in a row—the speed at which the bud absorbed Origin Force finally slowed. It stabilized at roughly three times the speed seen in Divine-Given Seed flowers during this phase.

All the insects heaved a sigh of relief.

Azure, Southern Gorgon, and Black Yellow also breathed easier.

Thank goodness it wasn't absorbing Origin Force without limit; otherwise, it really would have been a freak.

It was late at night.

Dragon Cypress used Water System Ability to produce a dense fog, then activated the Tranquility Ability, enveloping the Cypress tree.

With everything done,

Dragon Cypress gave orders: "The Second King, Black Peach, and I will stand guard here. The rest of you insects can go back to the nest and rest."

Dragon Cypress also reminded them: "Everyone, be a bit more discreet. Don't make a fuss about this just yet; don't mention it to the Flame Spider Caravan. When the Snow Velvet Spider King arrives in a few days, there's no need to tell it either."

Dragon Cypress: "If it's not Divine Grade, then forget it. If it is Divine Grade, let's keep it secret for now. Once the first batch of fruit is produced and we ourselves have eaten some, confirmed its function, blossom-fruit cycle, batch yield, and other key info, then it's not too late to inform the Caravan."

All the ants agreed, but none of them were willing to leave—they all stayed together in the Cypress Forest, standing guard.

...

Dawn,

Against the morning light, the flower bud slowly bloomed.

The speed at which it absorbed Natural Primordial Force increased once more.

Dragon Cypress used the same method: shrinking the Dominating Throne, bringing a medium Worker Ant over, scraping the Source Stone and sprinkling powder, replenishing Origin Force.

This continued until late afternoon. After consuming over two hundred Source Stones, the petals' absorption finally slowed down.

The seed began to swell and develop...

Everyone had seen plenty of Divine-Given Seeds by now—they weren't so rare anymore—but this one was very clearly different from any Divine-Given Seed seen before.

Dragon Cypress and company never left its side beneath the tree.

Dragon Cypress carefully controlled its strength, using the Flourish and Tranquility abilities to assist the mother plant's growth.

Two days later, the petals withered, leaving behind a small 2-millimeter diameter cone.

The fruit then started to rapidly absorb Natural Primordial Force again.

Using the same process, Dragon Cypress spent another day and night, used over five hundred Source Stones, and only then did the fruit's Origin Force absorption calm to a speed about three times that of Divine-Given Seed fruitlets from previous experiences.

...

A warm spring, with mountains blanketed in blossoming flowers.

Dragon Cypress took Fragrant Cypress and Black Persimmon, making preparations for this year's trade matters.

The Snow Velvet Spider King arrived right on schedule.

Together they went to the Rednan Mountain Trade Cave.

Just like every year, during the spring trade, the Snow Velvet Spider King took a single day for negotiations, then bid farewell and left.

Dragon Cypress had Black Cory and Black Birch stay behind to help, while it returned to Xianglan Mountain to guard the Cypress Forest.

Most likely it was a Divine Grade one, and probably an unconventional Divine Grade at that.

Dragon Cypress paid it special attention, continuously monitoring for more than ten days, finally relieved only after confirming nothing else anomalous occurred. Then it tasked Black Peach and Black Leaf with standing guard, and started this year's Source Stone transport work.

With that done,

Dragon Cypress then brought Ink Orchid along for a rapid tour of the continent, completing the spring Divine-Given Seed search mission.

Finally, Black Birch was dispatched to the Purple Tung Insect Nation, Black Leaf and Tie Bush to White Lotus Lake, while Black Peach and Black Cory each kept watch at Molan Mountain and Southern Sour Jujube Mountain.

The work on Cloud Trace Continent was finished.

The original plan had been for Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid to proceed to Fragrant Silk Island, to cultivate and expand the ant colony's size, while simultaneously directing the workers to excavate a main escape tunnel.

At the very least, a direct escape passage to the seabed would be dug first before Cypress, Black Birch, and Tie Bush could be permanently stationed on the island with peace of mind.

Now, things have changed...

Dragon Cypress decided to extend Black Birch and Tie Bush's holiday for a year, delay development of Fragrant Silk Island by a year, and stay personally at Xianglan Mountain to guard the Cypress Forest.