Ten-thousand Tribes Continent.

Southeastern mountain region.

To the west of the Jade Peach Kingdom—made up of many small Mantis tribes—is a kingdom entirely ruled by Stone Pattern Mantises, called the 'Stone Pattern Kingdom', with its core stronghold named 'Hidden Wing Mountain', a vast place where over five thousand Stone Mantis Warriors gather.

...

White Ivy's carapace was almost empty, carrying only three large spider silk bags, just one of which contained a metal can.

Traveling light, she followed the merchant trails trampled by other Flame Spider Warriors, running through the tropical rainforest.

Red Peach followed closely behind.

Before twilight fell, the big one and the small one, one leading and one following, scrambled up the ridge of a mountain range.

"Red Peach, look!"

White Ivy exclaimed, lifting her pincer limb to point into the distance.

"Wow! Oh!"

Red Peach echoed in awe.

Ahead were layer upon layer of towering mountains.

Far, far off, atop a tall peak wrapped in drifting clouds, stood a giant tree, soaring straight into the sky, looming faintly in the mist.

Hidden Wing Mountain landmark: King-level wild Divine-Given Hidden Wing Wood Seed.

Rooted at the mountain's summit, standing strong for three thousand years, the tree's trunk soared over three hundred meters high.

Wind Element Ability enhancement.

Each year yields a huge number of Divine-Given Hidden Wing Seeds, all with semi-transparent wings. When harvest season comes, Hidden Wing Mountain does not organize collection, instead letting them fly freely on the wind; any tribal warrior can pick them up, and whoever finds one, keeps it.

Hidden Wing Mountain boasts a colossal plaza, over a kilometer long and wide, that opens to the public after the Divine-Given Hidden Wing Seeds mature at mid-autumn. The restrictions for Flame Spider Roving Merchants are fairly relaxed; it's a prosperous, open super Great Tribe.

White Ivy and Red Peach chose Hidden Wing Mountain as the first stop to expand the Origin Force Honey market westward.

"Red Peach, shall we head over and check things out?"

"Let's go see!"

"Charge!"

"Go! Go! Go!"

After the shock, the exclamations, and the awe, White Ivy hollered and took off running, Red Peach cheering in close pursuit.

Following the dirt mountain path beaten by other Flame Spider Roving Merchants, they crossed one ridge after another, entering a broad avenue hardened with Earth System Abilities.

Keeping to the avenue, they surmounted a high mountain, before them appearing a well-tended forest managed by warriors.

Crossing yet another mountain, the world ahead was filled with groves of Hidden Wing Wood, surrounded by wooden fences.

Swarms of bees patrolled the sky overhead.

At the intersection, Stone Pattern Mantis Warriors stood guard at a checkpoint.

They'd arrived.

"Eh—"

White Ivy, running, came to a sudden stop.

"Oh—"

Red Peach stopped as well.

Beside the road, in the woods, were two familiar, sneakily lurking figures.

Wasn't that Grass Dragon and Lupine?

White Ivy's mind spun, and she burst out laughing, clearly taking a bit of pleasure in their plight: These two little troublemakers tried to sneak into Hidden Wing Mountain and got stopped.

—Isn't this our most most most esteemed elder, White Ivy Mountain Lord?

—Isn't this the second richest in our caravan, right after the Spider King Spurge himself, White Ivy Mountain Lord?

Grass Dragon and Lupine also spotted White Ivy and Red Peach, hurriedly rushing up to greet them.

"White Ivy. Red Peach."

"What a coincidence."

"Such a coincidence~" Red Peach replied coolly, not bothering to cast them a proper glance.

White Ivy held her seniority, adopting a reproachful tone. "And what are you two little spiders doing here?"

Lupine: "Just passing through—"

White Ivy looked to Grass Dragon. "You passing through too? Didn't you just get back from the Wan Country?"

Grass Dragon: "I came to pick up Lupine and hand off some goods, just happened to pass by."

Heh~ Heh~ White Ivy couldn't help but give them a lesson: "How many times have I told you, roving merchant trade is about accumulation—little things add up, step by step. Don't get too ambitious, don't always dream of overnight riches."

Grass Dragon: "..."

Lupine: "..."

Grass Dragon: "...Thank you for your guidance."

Lupine: "...White Ivy Mountain Lord's lessons are wise."

Grass Dragon: "White Ivy Mountain Lord, you're here for…"

White Ivy: "I'm planning to expand Origin Force Honey sales westward, and Hidden Wing Mountain looks like a good choice."

Lupine: "Esteemed White Ivy Mountain Lord… but it's not easy to get into Hidden Wing Mountain…"

Grass Dragon threw a glance at the Stone Pattern Mantis Warriors guarding the gate, signaling with his eyes, "Ordinary spiders can't get in."

"That's you two."

"Am I an ordinary spider?"

White Ivy strode forward. "Red Peach, let's go!"

Grass Dragon and Lupine exchanged looks and hurried after them.

The gate captain was a lord-level Stone Pattern Mantis Warrior, who'd been watching them for a while. As White Ivy approached, he waved his tentacle in greeting.

At once, two Mountain Lord-level Stone Pattern Mantis Warriors raised their catching feet, stretching them out to block the way.

"I am the Emerald Sparrow Lord of Hidden Wing Mountain. Friend from the Diaphus Flame Spider Tribe, may I ask your name?"

"Zeqi Caravan, White Ivy."

"Mountain Lord White Ivy! This is your first time at our Hidden Wing Mountain, isn't it?"

"Of course."

"Then do you know our rules?"

"I do."

White Ivy undid her spider silk rope, opened a spider silk bag, took out a Divine-Given Deep Blue Seed and handed it over with an air of pride.

"This is a Divine-Given Deep Blue Seed, Water Element Ability enhancement. Supposedly from the ocean depths, not found in inherited memory—a kind of plant, a superior divine seed. Produced in a territory of some Ant King in Wan Country; I control 90% of the trade share, basically a monopoly."

The Emerald Sparrow Lord took it, examined it, and popped it right into his mouth, shell and all, chewing and swallowing it down, then commented,

"Comes with Strength System enhancement. If it's superior grade, then it's from a high-level Ant King's territory? Not bad."

White Ivy said breezily, "That Ant King, with my help, is evolving rapidly and about to break through to Mountain Lord Level. When that happens, yield will soar and I'll rework the Azure Bee King Honey's sales arrangements."

White Ivy: "I also control many other divine-given seeds, but I won't show them all. Simply put, if the Stone Pattern Mantis Tribe needs Divine-Given Origin Force Food… I've got wild Divine-Given Southern Sour Jujube—all the trade share's mine—as well as Vinegrowth Mountain's, Red Soldier Beetle Warrior territory's Divine-Given Earth Stone Banyan and Water Stone Banyan…"

White Ivy: "Is that enough to qualify?"

Emerald Sparrow Lord: "Your evolution level—"

The Emerald Sparrow Lord eyed White Ivy's empty carapace and asked, "Mountain Lord White Ivy, if I may ask, where is your cargo?"

White Ivy shot back, "You stopped these two juniors of mine, didn't you?"

Emerald Sparrow: "These two are your juniors?"

White Ivy: "Sort of. That one's called Lupine, just reached adulthood; this little guy's Grass Dragon, almost there too. I had them travel the Ten Thousand Clan Continent together to try their hand at independent trading."

White Ivy asked, "Did they tell you about Origin Force Honey?"

Emerald Sparrow: "They did."

White Ivy: "I only deal Origin Force Honey. I also trade some Divine-Given Origin Force Food on the side. I've got samples, and if there's interest, you can order for delivery next year."

As she finished, she brought out a jar of Scarletlight Honey and opened it for display.

"All of this year's stock is gone; there's only this one jar left of Divine-Given Fruit Honey."

White Ivy then opened another spider silk bag, took out a metal cylinder, unscrewed it, and a rolled Spider Silk Scroll floated out, slowly unrolling.

This batch was only about thirty sheets; the backs embroidered with the plants representing different Spider Kings, the fronts stitched with a yellowish Flame Spider motif.

The yellow-brown color was the noblest in the Flame Spider Tribe—these silk scrolls were the largest denomination: 10,000 Source Stones.

And she had as many as five metal tubes just for holding the silk scrolls!

White Ivy flashed her wealth just a little, then put it all away, and handed over a normal jar of Origin Force Honey.

"Emerald Sparrow Lord, this is a sample—Mantis Warriors' favorite Mixed Mellow Fragrance, for comprehensive physique enhancement. This one sells for 2,000 Source Stones; you can try the taste. There's a better variety, priced at 5,000 Source Stones a jar. If you like it, you can order from me."

"A 50 Source Stones deposit per jar; metal can priced at 50 Source Stones apiece. For long-term orders, you can use cans instead of deposit."

Emerald Sparrow Lord: "…Alright!"

This broken jar is worth 50 Source Stones? The Emerald Sparrow Lord took the jar, examined the workmanship—indeed exquisite—unscrewed the lid, tentacle sniffed: rich, mellow aroma. With a curved tentacle, he scooped a taste, glanced at the Scarletlight Honey, and quickly sized things up: White Ivy's evolution level was a bit low, but she was loaded and had plenty of good stuff on her.

Emerald Sparrow Lord had no more doubts, and waved his claw in clear approval.

The two Mountain Lord-level Stone Pattern Mantis Warriors blocking the way withdrew their catching feet.

Emerald Sparrow Lord: "Mountain Lord White Ivy, welcome to Hidden Wing Mountain!"

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