Dragon Cypress threw the Stump Ant Nest onto Huagi Mountain, and the Dominating Throne carried only Ink Orchid and Spruce, traveling in a straight line at maximum speed.

The second Source Stone Mine.

The open plain at the foot of the mountain was covered with heaps of Source Stones piled into mounds, dazzlingly bright under the sunlight, intoxicating to the insects.

Spruce, who was accompanying the inspection, had yet to express an opinion…

"Wow~ ah!"

"We're rich!"

Ink Orchid was the first to exclaim in surprise, leaping off the throne and pouncing forward.

"So many Source Stones—"

Spruce's hind legs straightened, subconsciously about to fly over for a closer look, but at the last moment, held back, slowly retracting his legs and straightening up.

"Dragon Cypress Ant King, how many Source Stones are roughly piled down there?"

Dragon Cypress: "The order I gave was to pile 100,000 Source Stones into each heap."

Spruce counted quickly.

There were 31 heaps below, which meant 3.1 million Source Stones!

Spruce: "Where is the working ant colony?"

Dragon Cypress: "They should be off-duty and resting by now, right?"

Dragon Cypress: "Come on, let's go take a look."

The Dominating Throne drew near and landed at the cave mouth at the foot of the mountain.

On the upper side of the Source Stone Mine, a cavern had been dug into the mountain, and Black Cory was leading the ant colony inside, sorting last night's haul.

A square pit was excavated on the ground, where the newly dug Source Stones were first stored. At the moment, all Worker Ants and Soldier Ants were lined up, connecting the interior to the outside plain, transporting stones out of the pit.

Dragon Cypress swept with his spiritual power and immediately understood the intention.

The pit was used to count the Source Stones—filling one pit amounted to about 10,000.

—Lazy ants always find ways to make things easier.

Dragon Cypress silently evaluated.

"Great King."

Black Cory rushed out to greet them, looking curiously at Spruce.

"Huagi Mountain, Spruce, Long Shield Grasshopper Warrior."

Dragon Cypress introduced briefly and was the first to enter the cave, arriving at the mouth of a vertical shaft, probing downward with his spiritual power.

Black Cory, as instructed, excavated from the bottom of the mine upward. The rubble was refilled in place; only Source Stones were transported out.

Dragon Cypress quickly estimated and had a general idea of the total amount.

The progress was quite rapid—about one-third of the excavation was completed in just one and a half months.

"Black Cory, well done!"

"Your guidance is wise, Great King."

"What about food reserves?"

"We can only last about half a month, so a resupply is needed soon."

"Are all the Blue Ants still at the original Ant Nest?"

"Yes. I settled the Blue Ants over there, and the Ice-Fire Water-Making Pot is also stored in that spot… In case of a cave-in, the survivors won't be cut off from food and water."

Black Cory had inherited Dragon Cypress's cautious nature.

He always considered the worst-case scenario and left himself a way out.

"Good. Very good." Dragon Cypress was very satisfied, gently tapping his tentacles, pondering for a moment, then turned his head toward Spruce and asked, "Would you like to go down and take a look?"

Spruce: "Yes, let's see!"

...

After visiting the mine, they all entered the ant nest to rest and eat in the shade.

Spruce stayed behind to observe.

Late at night, Dragon Cypress piloted the Dominating Throne, carried the hungry Blue Ants, and set off southwestward. After two days' journey they reached the grasslands, hunted larger prey, refined it into Ant Honey, and brought it back to the second Source Stone Mine to provide the mining ant colony with enough food for three months.

Within three months, all the Source Stones in this mine could be fully excavated, so Dragon Cypress assigned Black Cory some final cleanup work.

Once everything was arranged, they traveled straight back home.

…

…

…

Huagi Mountain.

The cold wind howled.

To the northeast of the peak, about 1,500 meters in a straight line, at the flat valley bottom beneath the mountain range.

Round Cypress was leading 50 specialized Worker Ants, 100 Large Worker Ants, and 100 Medium Soldier Ants. Multiple ant types cooperated—in just half a month, they had excavated a large pit about 60 meters in diameter and two to three meters deep.

The digging continued.

Yellow Stem was helping by carrying dirt in a rough sack stitched from animal hide.

The Dominating Throne slowly descended and came to a stop.

Only then did Yellow Stem stop moving, tilt his head up, and look at Spruce.

Spruce flapped his wings, glided down to Yellow Stem's side, and reported, "Dragon Cypress Ant King's survey was accurate. We have found a micro Source Stone Mine here with a total reserve exceeding 10 million; already 3.5 million Source Stones have been successfully extracted."

"Good!"

Yellow Stem looked up at Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid, and said, "There's still a lot of preparatory work left to do."

Dragon Cypress: "I'll operate the Dominating Throne to hoist and remove the dirt; the digging will be done quickly."

Yellow Stem gently tapped his tentacles, waved his forelegs, and said, "I'll go into the Treasury now to report the situation to the Huagi Divine Tree. If you want to see the Huagi Divine Tree, you can wait up on the summit."

…

…

…

At the bottom of the Treasury.

Yellow Stem, anxious, entered the cave where the Huagi Divine Tree lay dormant.

"...It's you again."

The Huagi Divine Tree's consciousness awakened, and upon finding it was Yellow Stem, showed no attempt to conceal its dissatisfaction.

Yellow Stem hurriedly said, "Huagi Divine Tree, I have something to report to you, and also a very important question to ask."

Huagi: "Speak."

Yellow Stem: "That Dragon Cypress Ant King found a micro Source Stone Mine in the desolate lands on the southeast coast..."

Yellow Stem kept his wording brief, speaking quickly, reporting the situation and stating his intentions.

Huagi: "Using the Treasury's Source Stones to awaken the Quandong Divine Tree; this is Dragon Cypress Ant King's idea again, isn't it?"

Yellow Stem: "It was Dragon Cypress Ant King's proposal. After cautious consideration, I believe it is feasible."

Yellow Stem analyzed point by point: "First, Spruce visited and confirmed the existence of the Source Stone Mine. Second, Dragon Cypress Ant King needs a Soul-Setting Fruit to prepare for attacking the White Poplar Kingdom, with preparation time of up to sixteen or seventeen years, which is more than enough. Third, we can require Dragon Cypress Ant King to deliver all Source Stones to Huagi Mountain before handing over the Soul-Setting Fruit."

The Huagi Divine Tree was silent.

Yellow Stem waited nervously.

To this day, on all of Huagi Mountain, each of the treasures guarded by the three Divine Trees had only ten million Source Stones in reserve. The recovery of the Origin Force was nowhere in sight, so these Source Stones were set aside to prepare for unknown disasters.

The greatest concern was that, should the Origin Force of Huagi Mountain suddenly disappear one day and become an Origin Force Vacuum Land, the three Divine Trees would have to rely on these ten million Source Stones to sustain their vitality.

The Shield Grasshopper Warriors could become extinct.

But the three Divine Trees absolutely could not come to harm.

If the reserves of Source Stones were depleted and could not be replenished…

"Approved!"

The Huagi Divine Tree deliberated for a long time, then gave a brief reply.

Yellow Stem let out a quiet breath, and to hide his delight, changed the topic, speaking gravely, "Huagi Divine Tree, I have another question for you."

Huagi: "Speak."

Yellow Stem: "During the last Origin Force Era, the Flame Spider Roving Merchant Tribe on Cloud Trace Continent must have stockpiled massive quantities of Source Stones, right? Do you know where they hid them?"

Huagi: "I do not."

Huagi: "I am puzzled by this as well."

Huagi: "About twenty years into the Origin Force Silent Period, when the average Origin Force concentration on Cloud Trace Continent had dropped by nearly half, the Flame Spider Roving Merchants vanished without warning. That year, some insects searched for them and found the entire Flame Spider Kingdom emptied—even ordinary Flame Spiders were completely gone."

After finishing, the Huagi Divine Tree's mind exuded a sense of world-weariness and sadness, "Perhaps, in the next Origin Force Era, when they reappear, they will explain the mystery to me. Or maybe, they will never return."

All gone?

Yellow Stem was incredulous. After thinking for two seconds, he said, "Huagi Divine Tree, according to the murals in the Knowledge Hall, the former Lilacs, Grape Hydrangea, Illusory Color, Blue Color, Diaphus, and the Primordial Spiders—these six tribes—together made up the Flame Spider Kingdom. The three Roving Merchant Tribes could transform their Life Seeds into a seed form and migrate at will, but the warriors of the Primordial Spider Tribe could not be moved so easily, right?"

Huagi: "That's why everyone suspects the Natural God transferred them to another continent."

Huagi: "The Flame Spider Tribe differs from other Insect Clans, as ordinary Flame Spiders are born intelligent, a race blessed by the Natural God."

Yellow Stem declared firmly, "It wasn't the Natural God!"

Yellow Stem said, "Dragon Cypress Ant King discovered a Land of Origin Force in the tropical forests of the southeastern coast, found numerous Primordial Spiders, and even located a Primordial Spider Warrior. If the Natural God had truly employed Divine Power to transfer all the Flame Spiders, there shouldn't have been any left behind."

The Huagi Divine Tree was silent for a long while, and finally said, "There are far too many mysteries in this world. You all keep exploring at your own pace. If one day you find the answer, you may awaken me and tell me. If not for especially urgent matters, please don't disturb my slumber again."

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