Within the Persimmon Tree Family, Sky Blue Persimmons are a late-maturing variety.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid arrived a bit earlier, helping pick persimmons at Silver Cypress Mountain for two days.

After finishing the trade, they immediately hurried to Huagi Mountain.

The lifespan of a Common Shield Katydid is only a brief three to five months; they lay their eggs underground to overwinter.

Amid the mountains and forests, Yellow Stem and Spruce were busy harvesting wild grass seeds, while simultaneously waving their straight wings to knock over withered grasses. The grass leaves would keep the underground eggs warm.

Only when the Dominating Throne approached and stopped did Yellow Stem cease its actions.

"Dragon Cypress Ant King! Ink Orchid!"

Spruce also stopped, enthusiastically stepping forward to greet them. "I've successfully evolved to Age Period 5. The Green Shura Divine-Given Seed has finished maturing. I plan to sow it next spring."

Dragon Cypress asked, half-mocking, "Did you get lucky again and acquire another Divine-Given Seed?"

Spruce: "...Yes."

Spruce looked a little embarrassed, then said earnestly, "Yellow Stem started a very precious Rattan Leaf Snake Grape Divine-Given Seed for me!"

Rattan Leaf Snake Grape?

Snake grape isn't rare; it grows everywhere across the land, a close relative of the grape, a climbing vine.

But the variety Spruce mentioned...

Is a little rare.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid looked up, searched their Inherited Memory, and only after some effort found the relevant information.

The enhancement effect is digestive system strengthening—specifically, strengthening the intestinal detoxification ability.

Most plants in nature are poisonous, and Insect Clan Warriors often end up eating toxic food.

The most-eaten items are various poisonous Origin Force Foods.

Knowing it's poisonous, but still having to eat.

However, the Natural God gave all Insect Clan Warriors detox abilities, divided into four lines of defense.

The first line of defense: when food enters the mouth, it first reaches the intestine, which identifies and secretes neutralizing substances to detoxify; or simply abandons absorption and expels it.

The second line of defense: if the toxicity is too strong, it stimulates the liver-pancreas, which secretes substances to neutralize and detoxify.

The vast majority of toxins are cleared in the first and second lines of defense, but various accidents still happen, letting some toxins be absorbed into the blood.

The third line of defense: the blood recognizes toxins and forcefully destroys them.

Toxins that enter the blood are very likely to break through the third line of defense, seeping deeper into the body. At this point, the body's detoxification ability is triggered—this is the fourth line of defense.

If toxins break into the third and fourth lines of defense, activating blood and bodily detoxification, it means there will inevitably be some harm to the body, affecting growth and evolution to varying degrees.

The best solution is to strengthen the detox abilities of the intestine and liver-pancreas.

Outside of Cloud Trace Continent, the Rattan Leaf Snake Grape Divine-Given Seed is in demand by virtually all Insect Clan Warriors. It's a rare and precious thing, always in short supply.

Within Cloud Trace Continent, everyone currently eats Blue Ant-refined Ant Honey, so there are no toxins—in any case, boosting detox ability is always good, better safe than sorry.

"Very precious!"

"Great stuff!"

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid praised.

"Dragon Cypress Ant King. Ink Orchid." Yellow Stem walked over slowly and steadily, shaking its tentacles in greeting.

Dragon Cypress half-joked, "Boss Yellow Stem, any intention to sell a Divine-Given Seed?"

"Sell?" Yellow Stem retorted, "How many Source Stones do you think can buy a single Divine-Given Seed?"

Dragon Cypress: "I mean in the future... I'll pay in Source Stones, cash up front."

Yellow Stem: "We'll talk when I see the Source Stones in the future."

As long as there's room for negotiation!

Dragon Cypress was delighted. "Deal!"

Dragon Cypress asked, "Yellow Stem, did you consult the Huagi Divine Tree? About how many years until the next sleep-evolution of the White Poplar Ant King and Red Phellodendron Ant Queen?"

Yellow Stem: "I did. The Huagi Divine Tree thinks your personality is too conservative, so its calculation is slightly off. The Huagi Divine Tree's answer is 17 to 18 years."

So, just like with the Night Fragrance God-Given Seed.

Later, collecting information every three years, the estimated time can be narrowed down to within one year.

Judging by patterns, the White Poplar Ant King and Red Phellodendron Ant Queen will choose to sleep-evolve in autumn of that year.

Got them calculated dead-on.

Dragon Cypress: "Good!"

Dragon Cypress turned, picked up a Spider Silk Bag filled with Metal Cans, shook it, and said, "Let's trade."

...

The Dominating Throne took off, docking at a cave entrance on the mountain.

Together they entered the Knowledge Hall.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid paused, looked up, and gazed at the dome map.

"Dragon Cypress Ant King, what's up?" Yellow Stem turned around.

Ink Orchid replied, "This year, in the southeast, near the southern coastline in the tropical rainforest, we discovered a Land of Origin Force and found a native breed Flame Spider Warrior called Areca."

"A native breed Flame Spider Warrior?" Yellow Stem thought for a bit before reacting. "The ancestor of the Flame Spider Roving Merchant Tribe, a Wise Race protected by the Natural God."

Ink Orchid: "Dragon Cypress and I suddenly got curious..."

Dragon Cypress: "During the Origin Force Era of Cloud Trace Continent, did those Flame Spider Roving Merchants hide a lot of Source Stones?"

Ink Orchid: "Where was their tribal territory? Are there any Source Stones left? Did any Wild God-Given Seed tree hearts remain?"

Dragon Cypress: "Or even one or two Outworld Civilization Artifacts left behind would be nice."

Yellow Stem: "!!!"

Yellow Stem's mind worked furiously; then, peculiarly, "In the Knowledge Hall, there are very few records about the Flame Spider Roving Merchants! No important information has been collected..."

"There must be secrets unknown to insects, or not wanting insects to know..." Dragon Cypress raised a foreleg and pointed downward.

"Should we ask the Huagi Divine Tree?"

A moment ago, Yellow Stem was upbeat and energetic; now, hearing this, its tentacles drooped, it thought for a long while, then shook its tentacles in refusal of Dragon Cypress's suggestion.

"No rush on this. It's not good to disturb the Huagi Divine Tree too often. Let's save up a few more questions and ask them all together."

Yellow Stem: "The Huagi Divine Tree has quite a temper—every time I wake it up, I get a solid scolding."

——Already surpassed King-Level and still so cranky?

——But the Night Fragrance God-Given Seed has a great temperament.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid felt it strange.

Ink Orchid suddenly had an idea and asked, "Don't you guys have three Divine Trees?"

Dragon Cypress followed up, "What about the other two?"

Yellow Stem shook its tentacles forcefully. "In the Tree Heart state, only the Huagi Divine Tree can briefly awaken, then go back to sleep after taking in massive amounts of Origin Force. Quandong and Linnan Divine Trees can't be awakened at will—if you wake them, you must sow them."

"Why?" Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid asked simultaneously.

Yellow Stem: "It's probably an ability the Huagi Divine Tree has realized."

Yellow Stem explained, "During the prolonged Origin Force Silent Period, whenever the inheritance of Shield Grasshopper Warriors breaks off, the Huagi Divine Tree will be awakened and planted. It happened so many times that it eventually comprehended this."

Does this count as an ability?

Can Divine-Given Seeds also comprehend abilities?

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid were confused and speechless, but didn't ask more.

"Still, the ruins of the Flame Spider Tribe are definitely worth digging into. I'll make a note and be sure to ask next time!"

Yellow Stem guaranteed this, leading them into the passage, and down to the treasury where Origin Force Food was stored.

Trade completed, they returned to the Knowledge Hall. Dragon Cypress, while directing Blue Ants in Refinement, gave Yellow Stem a brief account of this year's ruin excavations and the search for new Land of Origin Force along the southeastern coast.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid lingered at Huagi Mountain for three days. After taking their leave and returning to Xianglan Mountain, Ink Orchid stayed while Dragon Cypress set out alone.

...

The third Source Stone Mine.

A slightly scorching morning under the sun.

Black Cory stood upon a column-shaped rock, waving its tentacles and simultaneously commanding two drilling teams made up of Worker Ants and Soldier Ants, excavating at the base and the middle of the mountain.

In the distant sky, the Dominating Throne appeared, speeding closer.

"Black Cory, how's it going?"

"Great King. The third Source Stone Mine is about to be finished with exploratory drilling; so far, nothing has been found..."

Dragon Cypress was a little disappointed but quickly adjusted his attitude.

"What about food?"

"If you'd come a few days later, we'd have gone hungry."

"That means your great king came just in time."

"...Yes." Black Cory couldn't refute that.

Dragon Cypress: "Go back to the nest and get some rest. I'll take a batch of Worker Ants to the second Source Stone Mine, establish the nest there first, then go hunting. Later, you and I will command the ant colony together to finish the drilling there as quickly as possible."

What happened to the half-year plan? It's already been longer than half a year~

Black Cory said helplessly, "Alright, Great King..."

Dragon Cypress piloted the Dominating Throne, landed at the ant nest here, and took away the hungry Blue Ants as well as Worker Ants and Soldier Ants resting in the nest; they headed directly to the second Source Stone Mine, first looking for a suitable spot to build a temporary nest.

Then, with the hungry Blue Ants aboard, they departed west, hunted in the semi-desert to replenish food, and carried it back to the second Source Stone Mine.

Finally, they hurried over to the third Source Stone Mine to fetch Black Cory and the remaining ant colony.

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