After Ink Orchid met Dragon Cypress, the Origin Force Food it used for evolution focused mainly on Comprehensive Physique, with Carapace Reinforcement second, and a small amount allocated to Perception and Elemental Enhancement.

During the High-Level Warrior stages of its first and second Age Periods, Ink Orchid evolved only every two years, maintaining an excellent physical condition. From the third to fourth Age Period, the interval was just one year, a bit rushed, but not a significant issue.

Dragon Cypress, together with Silver Cypress, guarded the cave entrance for four days. On the fifth day at noon, inside the cave, the Dominating Throne suddenly erupted with Origin Force Fluctuations, rapidly absorbing Origin Force, and quieted after a short while.

The Primordial Energy Light Cocoon enveloping Ink Orchid began to contract, weaken, and then, with the sun slanted in the west on a late afternoon, it shattered.

Shed of its old shell, its body surged in size, and the new shell hardened.

Due to eating high-quality Origin Force Food, although only at the High-Level stage of the fourth Age Period, Ink Orchid's body length leapt to around 1.5 meters.

Having just completed evolution, it still couldn't consciously control the color-changing camouflage ability of its new carapace. Blending with the Throne, a visual scan from outside revealed no sign of Ink Orchid's presence.

"Ink Orchid?"

Dragon Cypress swept through with spiritual power, sending a thought laced with inquiry.

"Dragon Cypress, Divine-Given Seed!"

Ink Orchid jumped directly down from the Throne.

A flash of blue silhouette, and it quickly merged with the cave environment again.

"..."

Dragon Cypress switched to a spiritual power scan, locked onto Ink Orchid's position, and raised the metal case toward the air in front, infusing Origin Force to open it.

A White Willow Seed 'materialized', dropping into the case. In the next moment, the Divine-Given Seed of Cuihua Hanlan 'vanished out of thin air.'

"Alright!"

Ink Orchid's spiritual power suddenly seemed a bit fatigued. "Now I can truly rest easy!"

"Recover first."

With a single thought, Dragon Cypress shrank the resting Dominating Throne inside the cave, let it float out, then fetched the gourd and the keg vine wood plate originally prepared on the Throne, pouring out a portion of ant honey to help.

Watching intently, the ant honey in the wooden plate rapidly disappeared.

Then the gourd container floated up on its own, mouth tilted downward, shaking to pour out more ant honey.

Silver Cypress stared unblinkingly, filled with amazement: Is this Second King's ability?

"Silver Cypress."

"Great King?"

"Call over the Blue Ants, send more ant honey, and inform Fragrant Cypress that Ink Orchid has successfully evolved. There's a celebration banquet tonight. I'll go into the forest to hunt some fresh food."

"Yes——"

Silver Cypress turned and dashed into the Ant Nest.

Dragon Cypress hopped onto the Dominating Throne and quickly left.

...

Ink Orchid successfully evolved, and stored the Divine-Given Seed of Cuihua Hanlan in its Life Pouch; this year's most important affair was thus settled.

The evening banquet marked not only celebration but also the start of the busy New Spring season.

All over the mountain, ordinary Life Seed Plants blossomed first.

The temperature in South Mountain was warm enough.

Dragon Cypress took out Azure Tree Seeds, soaked them in warm water, and sowed them in the shallow western edge of the Azure Blue Reservoir.

Seeing the timing was right, Dragon Cypress gathered Silver Cypress and a group of Worker Ants, Soldier Ants, and Blue Ants, heading straight for Kiwifruit Mountain.

Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple were busy weeding the nursery in front of the cave.

"Dragon Cypress Ant King."

"Blue Catalpa, Snakebark Maple. This is Silver Cypress, a newly Feather-Transformed Command Ant, here to help you watch over the territory."

With greetings exchanged, Dragon Cypress led Silver Cypress down to the hillside, looking up to survey the view.

Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple followed behind.

Blue Catalpa: "Dragon Cypress Ant King, our Kiwifruit Life Seeds can blossom and bear fruit this year."

Snakebark Maple: "Do we need to thin the flowers and fruit?"

Dragon Cypress: "Remove all flowers from the Purple Kiwifruit—leave none. As for Green-Red Kiwifruit... keep 10 flowers each and set 10 fruit, to verify the enhancement effect."

They were both Kiwifruit Life Seeds, planted in the same year.

The Purple Kiwifruit vines were only about ten meters long.

By contrast, Green-Red Kiwifruit had its main vine stretching nearly twenty meters, branches abundant, forming a lush thicket.

The Green-Red Kiwifruit seedlings in the nursery were the same: their main vines already over 1 cm thick, pruned in winter and ready for transplanting.

This Green-Red Kiwifruit had the strongest Life Force, far surpassing all other kiwifruit types and exceeding all other vine plants Dragon Cypress knew.

— As long as the enhancement effect was satisfactory, Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid would each make one their Life Seed.

— And they could try large-scale cultivation on Molan Mountain.

Dragon Cypress calculated silently, twitching his tentacles, issuing a stream of commands.

He assigned the Blue Ants to rest in the Ant Nest.

Directed the Large Soldier Ants to help weed the nursery.

Set the Small Worker Ants climbing the vines to remove the flowers.

Dispatched Silver Cypress to lead the Soldier Ants, explore the surroundings, and scavenge for food at the same time.

Meanwhile, Dragon Cypress used spiritual power to communicate with Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple.

"How are you two feeling? Ready for evolution?"

"Peak condition."

"Ready to evolve."

"Just a bit short on Origin Force Food."

"High quality."

Dragon Cypress pointed at the Throne with a foreleg and said, "I brought you a jar of Ant King Honey, refined by brewing Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed, Fruit-Scented Orchid Seed, Ghost Fan, and White Rice Seed—worth 1,000 Source Stones. Your account balance is 8,124 Source Stones."

"Wow!"

"Oh!"

"Dragon Cypress Ant King is so powerful."

"Dragon Cypress Ant King is generous."

"Thank you, Dragon Cypress Ant King!"

Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple cheered enthusiastically.

Dragon Cypress gently tapped them with his tentacles for quiet, then said, "Time is short; while you prepare for evolution, I'll explain the rules and speaking techniques for roving merchant trade in detail..."

Dragon Cypress commanded the Worker Ants to tidy up the territory, settled Silver Cypress, and then set out back to Xianglan Mountain.

On the way, he gave a simple introductory lesson on roving merchant trade basics.

Arriving at Xianglan Mountain, Blue Catalpa was first to borrow the Dominating Throne for evolution sleep, then Snakebark Maple followed.

It took half a month in total.

The mountains were in full bloom.

Dragon Cypress, joined by Fragrant Cypress, Spiked Cypress, and Giant Cypress, led the ant colony forth in great majesty.

…

…

…

At dawn, the Black Lotus Lake gleamed as faint light brushed the ripples.

Black Cory was already leading Worker Ants busying about the nursery on the hillside.

For territory management, Dragonfly Warriors were of little help. White Willow, unconcerned, slept in and lazily crawled from the cave, stood on a branch to watch for a while, then gently fluttered its wings, circled above Black Cory's head, shot straight up, and quickly flew to the lakeside.

In the shallow area ringed by clay and stones, a wide circle of Soldier Ants and Blue Soldiers stood guard.

Azure Tree Seeds were planted here—plants from the Outworld Creator Civilization, yielding the most delicious Azure Fruit.

Black Cory had traded over three months' labor to Dragon Cypress Ant King to earn five seeds—extremely precious.

White Willow landed lightly by the shore; as usual, scanned the area with spiritual power, suddenly startled and overjoyed, wings buzzing as its figure disappeared in a flash, teleporting into the sky, then darted over the forest, appearing on the mountainside.

"Black Cory!"

"Black Cory!"

"The Azure Tree seeds have sprouted!"

White Willow called out in excitement, its slender foreleg pointing toward the lake.

Black Cory, not having developed spiritual power, couldn't communicate that way, but thanks to long companionship, had extraordinary tacit understanding with White Willow.

One look at its actions was enough.

— Wonderful~

— Worker Ants, rest here~

— Soldier Ants, follow me!

Black Cory waved its tentacles, issuing orders: the Worker Ants paused for a break, while a formation of Soldier Ants rallied to provide escort, dashing down the mountain together.

The Azure Seeds had been soaked in warm water and sown more than ten days earlier without any sign of growth.

Strangely, overnight they all cracked open, took root and sprouted. By the time they were discovered, the shoots were already four to five centimeters, about to break the water's surface.

Black Cory settled the colony by the lakeshore, keeping watch day and night, never leaving its post.

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