South Mountain.

The Giant Cypress, as usual, walked leisurely along the mountain ant paths, surrounded by a guard squad composed of 60 Soldier Ants.

Seeing this, the tension Dragon Cypress had felt instantly eased. He slowed the Dominating Throne's speed and began to descend slowly.

The Soldier Ants below also halted, looked up, and waved their tentacles to greet Dragon Cypress.

"Great King!" Giant Cypress greeted with high spirits.

"Giant Cypress, what's happened on the mountain?" Dragon Cypress asked, controlling the Dominating Throne to hover just above the ground.

"Nothing—" As Giant Cypress spoke, its tentacles waved erratically, its emotions a complex mix of excitement, disappointment, joy, and anticipation. It asked, "Great King, if a Divine-Given Orchid Seed has been born, do Round Cypress, Spiked Cypress, Fragrant Cypress, Cypress, and I get any rewards?"

Dragon Cypress froze. A rush of ecstatic disbelief washed over him as he asked, "A Divine-Given Orchid Seed has been born?"

"It seems like it…" Giant Cypress replied.

"It seems like it?" Dragon Cypress repeated.

Giant Cypress explained, "There was an ordinary Orchid Grass that bloomed an extraordinary orchid flower with a faint Origin Force Fluctuation. Cypress found it while patrolling the mountain, then notified us to take a look. After discussing, we all agreed a Divine-Given Seed was born, so we dispatched a large number of Soldier Ants to encircle the area."

Giant Cypress continued, "The Second Great King sensed the commotion and also hurried over. It has been guarding the flower without leaving. Therefore, we further concluded that this flower would bear a seed of a Divine-Given Seed."

Giant Cypress emphasized, "Great King, it was Cypress who discovered it! It watered and fertilized the orchids on the mountain! We have been taking care of the Orchid Grass!"

It tried hard to secure rewards for everyone.

"I cannot make decisions regarding Ink Orchid's belongings," Dragon Cypress said. "Where is it? Let me go and see first."

"Over there." Giant Cypress lifted its left front leg, pointing eastward.

Below the Shandong Reservoir, on North Mountain, near the river channel dug by the ant colony leading to the Northern Gorgon Water Reservoir, lay an area of forest land not yet cultivated or transformed.

Cypress and Round Cypress were in command, having gathered four to five hundred Soldier Ants for tight security. They had also mobilized another five hundred Worker Ants to assemble nearby. Blue Ants poured out from the Ant Nest, ready to supply food for the colony at any moment.

The ground was covered in ants, and the trees were also crawling with ants, forming an impenetrable barrier.

Ink Orchid stood under a large camphor tree, idly playing with its Rose Halo, a bright rose pattern of spiritual energy covering its body.

Cypress and Round Cypress, one on its left and the other on its right, huddled next to Ink Orchid.

"Dragon Cypress!" Ink Orchid called out.

"Dragon Cypress Ant King," Round Cypress greeted.

"Great King!" Cypress exclaimed.

The fertile forest land, its humus layer over half a meter thick, was so densely planted with Orchid Grass that there was no space to set foot.

Dragon Cypress controlled the Dominating Throne to slowly descend, hovering about a meter off the ground, as he leaned over the edge to take a look.

An enclosure constructed from Red Thorn Vine and stone blocks protected an Orchid Grass in bloom. All other flowers had been pruned, leaving only a solitary, pale pinkish-white flower with a light green labellum.

The leaf blades were strap-shaped, dark green and leathery, with fine serrations at the tips. At first glance, it resembled a Cold Orchid, but it definitely wasn't one, as Cold Orchids bloom in winter.

What kind of Orchid Grass was this? Dragon Cypress didn't recognize it and was about to ask when Ink Orchid questioned, "Dragon Cypress, what kind of orchid is this?"

Dragon Cypress was silent for a moment. There was no need to ask; it certainly was a hybrid.

Dragon Cypress counter-asked, "Ink Orchid, don't you remember?"

"Isn't this the one you helped me cultivate?" Ink Orchid replied. "Which two varieties did you use?"

"I vaguely remember…" Dragon Cypress said.

Dragon Cypress had no recollection at all. He had neither the know-how nor the interest in breeding Orchid Grass through hybridization. Ink Orchid had always been the one to insist on his help, and then he would just pair them randomly based on his mood. And some were hybrids of hybrids; it was impossible to remember which native species were used.

"Ink Orchid, aren't you the one who harvested the seeds and did the sowing?" Dragon Cypress asked. "How would I recognize it?"

"Oh—" Ink Orchid felt a bit at fault and changed the subject, saying excitedly, "Dragon Cypress, look, a Divine-Given Seed is being nurtured!"

"I see it," Dragon Cypress acknowledged.

Nearby, many other hybrid orchids of the same variety had also bloomed, marking it as an early-blooming new hybrid species.

Ink Orchid asked hopefully, "Dragon Cypress, what do you think is the enhancement effect of this Divine-Given Seed?"

"Can't tell at all," Dragon Cypress replied.

Who could tell?

After another moment of intent observation, Dragon Cypress looked up and said earnestly, "Ink Orchid, during both your 1st and 2nd Age Periods as a High-Level Warrior, it took you around two years each to evolve. In your 3rd Age Period, consider evolving as quickly as possible. This year, eat more Origin Force Food, and evolve to the 4th Age Period before next spring, so you can incorporate this Divine-Given Seed into your Life Pouch."

He added, "Don't tell the Flame Spider Caravan just yet."

"Once we confirm the strengthening effects, if it's good and useful, we'll keep it for ourselves and circulate it within Cloud Trace Continent. If it's a strengthening effect that isn't needed by many, then we can inform the Flame Spider Caravan at that time. They'll be able to find Insects that need it."

"Understood!" Ink Orchid responded, leaped up, and landed on the Dominating Throne. It removed the Rose Halo hanging around its neck and handed it to Dragon Cypress, saying grandly, "Lend it to you for a couple of days!"

Dragon Cypress was speechless. What's so fun about this? Haven't you tired of it yet?

Dragon Cypress turned and threw it to Cypress, asking, "Cypress, did you discover this Orchid Grass?"

"Yes, Great King," Cypress replied, its tentacles wiggling. "I was patrolling this area and noticed Origin Force Fluctuation from this flower. My first thought was that a Divine-Given Seed must have been born, so I immediately gathered Soldier Ants to protect it." It hung the Spider Silk Rope around its neck, threaded the tips of its forelegs through the Circular Ring, infused it with Origin Force, and a rose pattern of Primordial Energy covered its body.

Cypress joyfully said, "Great King, is this my reward?"

"You wish!" Dragon Cypress retorted. "Lending it to you for two days, then you have to return it to Ink Orchid."

Cypress was crestfallen. "Great King, the Divine-Given Seed! I found it!"

"I'll reward you with Origin Force Food worth 1,000 Source Stones; put it on the account," Dragon Cypress stated. "Before reaching the High-Level stage, your growth and evolution will be allocated as needed. After becoming a High-Level Warrior, your salary will be received regularly. Extra rewards can be recorded first, and in the future, you can withdraw them from the Treasury when you need them."

On the way here, Dragon Cypress had been thinking seriously.

Ink Orchid had planted countless Orchid Grasses on and below the mountain, so many that even it lost count. Ink Orchid only cared about planting, not about subsequent cultivation, which was usually taken care of by Round Cypress, Fragrant Cypress, and Cypress.

This was the first Divine-Given Seed to appear on Xianglan Mountain since the Ant Kingdom's rules were established. If Dragon Cypress failed to honor his promises, it would severely damage everyone's motivation, and the rules would silently crumble.

Dragon Cypress paused, then announced solemnly, "This Orchid Grass's Divine-Given Seed will be nurtured by Ink Orchid to become a Life Seed. However, we'll still follow the rules I set earlier. Of the net profits, Round Cypress, Spiked Cypress, Giant Cypress, Fragrant Cypress, and Cypress will share 50%. Xianglan Mountain is a joint venture by all, so you five will share that 50% evenly, meaning each of you will get 10% of the profits."

"Yay! Great King is formidable!"

"Thank you, Dragon Cypress Ant King!"

Round Cypress and Cypress cheered.

The surrounding Soldier Ants and Worker Ants didn't quite understand what was happening, but they sensed the joyous atmosphere and joined in, wiggling their tentacles and cheering.

"Round Cypress, Cypress, you've worked hard," Dragon Cypress said, waving his tentacles. "The Soldier Ants will not withdraw for now; Cypress, you stay on standby. Round Cypress, take the Worker Ants back; you can return to rest. Ink Orchid and I will stay here to guard."

"Yes!" Round Cypress waved its tentacles, gave the orders, and led the Worker Ants away.

"Alright, Great King!" Cypress agreed. It grandly removed the Rose Halo from around its neck and passed it to Round Cypress, saying, "Round Cypress, I'm lending it to you to play with for a day."

Almost all Insects are interested in Outworld Civilization Artifacts.

Dragon Cypress also had a strong interest, but for trinkets like the Rose Halo, once he understood their general use, his fascination quickly faded.

But it was different for the other Insects. Ink Orchid, for example, watched Round Cypress carry away its Rose Halo with some apprehension. After a long daze, it turned back to stare at the orchid nurturing the Divine-Given Seed and mused for a moment before asking, "Dragon Cypress, does this count as a brand-new cultivated variety?"

"It could be considered one," he replied.

"Does it need a name?"

"You decide."

In the matter of naming, Ink Orchid never stood on ceremony with Dragon Cypress. "Cuihua Hanlan, how about that?" it blurted out.

Dragon Cypress lightly tapped his tentacle. "Sounds good."

Ink Orchid promptly asked, "Dragon Cypress, this year we need to stay and guard this Cuihua Hanlan Divine-Given Seed, right? Shall we still dig at the Cold Orchid Mountain's Treasury?"

"Of course!" Dragon Cypress affirmed. "In a few days, after the flowers wither and we confirm that the Seed is starting to be nurtured successfully, we'll have Giant Cypress and Cypress take turns leading the Soldier Ants to guard."

He then said to Ink Orchid, "If you're worried, you can stay at Xianglan Mountain. I will lead the Worker Ants to Cold Orchid Mountain to dig."

"Good! I'll stay!" Ink Orchid readily agreed and then added, "It's almost time to trade with the Flame Spider Caravan."

"I'm counting. There are still seven days left, no rush," Dragon Cypress replied.

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