Dragon Cypress had heard many legends about all kinds of King-Level Origin Force Lifeforms; however, he had only ever seen one up close and personal, and that was the Spider King Spurge—a peaceful and attentive Old Flame Spider that cared for its juniors.

The Night Fragrance God-Given Seed was the second King Level Origin Force Lifeform Dragon Cypress had ever encountered at close range, and the first King-Level God-Given Seed he had seen.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid kept watch under the tree, continuing their observation.

The first rays of morning sunlight slanted in from the east, illuminating the trunk and providing energy.

Underground, a mass of roots began to spread ever-deeper, dense capillaries like fine needles pierced the hidden wooden blocks beneath, drawing the necessary primordial energy substances for growth from their own exuviae.

Meanwhile, the leaves and branches that had rapidly formed in just a day grew hard and tough.

Growth steadied and slowed, though it was still far beyond ordinary plants, gaining almost 10 centimeters in one day.

…

…

…

The season was the end of summer.

In previous years, for the fall roving merchant trade, Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid would set out early at the end of summer, spending most of their time picking wild fruits along the way.

With the transformation of Xianglan Mountain completed, and the fruit trees they'd planted now ripe, there was no more need to forage in the wild. The fruits produced on Xianglan Mountain, plus those from the orchards managed by Mulberry, Ghost Fan, White Rice, and Mountain Persimmon, were almost enough.

Without the delay of picking wild fruit, the Dominating Throne could travel directly between several Lands of Origin Force, and a round trip took only about half a month.

This year, there was no rush for the autumn roving merchant trade.

Ink Orchid: "Dragon Cypress, how long are you planning to keep watch?"

Dragon Cypress: "I'll stay here another 8 days. If the Night Fragrance God-Given Seed's consciousness still hasn't awakened, Ink Orchid, you stay behind, and I'll return to Xianglan Mountain alone. There aren't many tasks for the roving merchant trade this autumn; a single insect can handle it."

Ink Orchid: "What I mean is, I can stay here. Why don't you do two trips to Night Fragrance Mountain, and bring more God-Given Seed exuviae for backup."

Dragon Cypress: "...That makes sense."

Ink Orchid: "Source Stone powder is really good for Origin Force Plant growth; you could also consider bringing a few bags of it over."

Dragon Cypress: "...No problem!"

Are you assigning me chores? Dragon Cypress thought for a moment and said:

"Ink Orchid, don't just idle either. Dig eight deep pits around here. Once we bring over the exuviae and Source Stone powder, we'll bury them directly. When the Night Fragrance God-Given Seed grows to a certain size and its roots reach the pits, it can draw nutrients from there."

Ink Orchid agreed readily: "Alright!"

Dragon Cypress thought things over once more, and that night piloted the Dominating Throne and set out.

Flying for two nights and a day, after reaching Night Fragrance Mountain, he rested for a day, then returned fully loaded to White Lotus Lake.

The Night Fragrance God-Given Seed had grown to two meters six or seven in height, its soul consciousness still curled up in the main root and sleeping.

Dragon Cypress ate and drank his fill, rested a bit, and set out once more.

The weather wasn't cooperating—a torrential rain had fallen for three days already.

Lack of sunlight made the Night Fragrance God-Given Seed's growth clearly slower; it barely broke three meters, just starting to take the form of an arbor.

The swampy wetlands were shrouded in mist all day, and grey clouds lingered overhead. Judging from the local environment, the rain would probably last many more days.

Dragon Cypress waited and rested for another day, lingered a bit longer, and seeing no sign of the Night Fragrance God-Given Seed's consciousness awakening, decisively left.

...

Returning to Xianglan Mountain, he gave Fragrant Cypress and Green Cypress simple instructions, packed up, and set off urgently, heading straight south.

First, he reached Scarletlight Mountain, directing the ant swarm to harvest the Origin Force Fruits produced by Mulberry's Life Seed Plants, leaving behind some Worker Ants and Blue Ants to guard a few unripe fruit trees.

Then to White Rice Mountain, where he checked the Blessed Seed's growth and completed autumn transactions.

He returned to Scarletlight Mountain to reclaim the Worker Ants and Blue Ants.

Finally to Ghost Fan Mountain. This year, the Ghost Fan God-Given Seed's fruit was ripe for harvest, so he stayed a few extra days. There were 1,541 fruits produced, 1,200 purchased, and the rest left for Ghost Fan itself, as preparation to become a Mountain Lord. Out of what they bought, Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid ate 1,000 fruits, and gave 200 to Yellow Stem and Spruce.

This year's southwest region roving merchant trade was basically finished.

On the way, he visited Southern Sour Jujube Mountain, sent Black Cory back to rest at Black Lotus Lake for a while, and also purchased Origin Force Food produced on the White Willow's territory. Mostly Black Lotus Seed, which went to Ink Orchid and Mountain Persimmon alike.

As for Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple, the two little fellows, he sent over two cans of Origin Force Food and let the Dominating Throne help them evolve to 4th Age Period intermediate warriors.

Altogether it took twenty-six days to finish these matters.

He then hurried to White Lotus Lake.

...

The Night Fragrance God-Given Seed had reached five meters in height, steadily and massively absorbing Origin Force, creating an Origin Force vacuum zone about forty or fifty meters in radius all around.

So this is all King Level is.

With this rate, both the Origin Force volume and abundance of White Lotus Lake could fully support it.

"Dragon Cypress, did this year's roving merchant trade go smoothly?" Before the Dominating Throne had landed, Ink Orchid sprang up on deck.

"Of course."

"How about the Rice Tree God-Given Seed? Is it alright?"

"Better than ever. It's been thriving all year, and its height is about to break 30 meters. I don't fully understand it, but all indications point to it accumulating force in order to break through to Evolution Mountain Lord Level."

"Oh! That's great! And Scarletlight God-Given Seed?"

"Steadily developing and growing well—beyond that, hard to say."

"Ghost Fan God-Given Seed?"

"Ghost Fan seeds harvested—we brought them with us. Better make them last; it'll be four, five, or six more years till the next harvest."

"Alright. How about Southern Sour Jujube God-Given Seed? Have you visited it?"

"Yes, checked on it. It's fine. Anyway, we have so much God-Given Seed exuviae now that we can't use it up; I'll take a shipment over when I have time."

"We shouldn't give up on it."

Ink Orchid started rifling through the Spider Silk Bag Dragon Cypress brought, unscrewing the metal cans to check one by one.

Dragon Cypress piloted the Dominating Throne to the lakeside a hundred meters from the Night Fragrance God-Given Seed, leapt into the air, flapped his wings and glided down under the tree.

He spread his spiritual power, sweeping up and down.

The soul consciousness was still curled in the underground main root, which had grown downwards to two meters below ground and was deep in a restorative sleep. Origin Force Energy gathered around it continually, forming a layer of primordial energy protection that blocked spiritual probing. Dragon Cypress could only sense its rough position and not its actual condition.

Ink Orchid, about ten meters from the main trunk, had dug a neat ring of 20 pits two meters wide and two meters deep.

After arriving, Dragon Cypress rested half a day, then in the evening, very willingly piloted the Dominating Throne off to Night Fragrance Mountain for two more trips, transporting Source Stone powder and God-Given Seed remains, filling all 20 pits.

The King-Level God-Given Seed was no longer affected by seasonal temperature changes; as long as Origin Force, sunlight, and nutrients were sufficient, the Night Fragrance Tree would grow steadily in the autumn wind.

"Give it another month and it'll break ten meters," Dragon Cypress assessed after inspection. "Then, I'll run two more trips."

Night Fragrance Tree God-Given Seed's soul consciousness still wouldn't awaken.

Ink Orchid was starting to lose patience, and suggested, "Dragon Cypress, Chuisi Lake isn't far from here—how about we go excavate the ruins at Chuisi Lake first?"

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