This year's temperature is unusually severe.

It's only early winter, and Silver Cypress Mountain is already blanketed in white snow.

In the persimmon orchard, large branches have broken under the heavy snow and the weight of unharvested fruit, piling up in a messy heap.

But Mountain Persimmon looked quite happy, busily darting up and down to clear things out, picking persimmon fruit and pruning broken branches. Immersed in work, he only snapped out of it when the Dominating Throne approached and hovered close to the ground.

"Dragon Cypress, you're here!"

Mountain Persimmon glanced at the throne and asked, "Ink Orchid didn't come this year?"

"Ink Orchid is busy and won't be joining us."

Dragon Cypress replied simply, then asked, "Mountain Persimmon, many of your persimmon trees have broken. Need any help?"

Mountain Persimmon: "No need. You guys are busy too, I won't delay you. I can handle this myself."

Mountain Persimmon: "Dragon Cypress, I've got good news! I've finally cultivated my own Divine-Given Seed."

"A Seed Blessed by the Persimmon Tree God?!" Dragon Cypress stood up.

Mountain Persimmon, calm but with a hint of joy, replied, "Of course! There's no way I wouldn't pick persimmon tree."

"Uh... congratulations! Congratulations!"

Dragon Cypress was genuinely happy for Mountain Persimmon.

Having traveled far and wide, he'd seen plenty of Insect Clan warriors, but Mountain Persimmon was the most stubborn and hardworking one he'd met.

Dragon Cypress knew that in this world there was no Natural God watching over them, but he liked to believe that this was a reward from a Natural True God to Mountain Persimmon for decades of diligent labor.

With enthusiasm, Dragon Cypress asked, "Mountain Persimmon, which kind of persimmon tree is it?"

Mountain Persimmon answered calmly, "A Sky-Blue Persimmon Divine-Given Seed."

Sky-Blue Persimmon!

Dragon Cypress lost his composure.

This was no ordinary Divine-Given Seed!

It was a top-level Divine-Given Seed, just one step below Divine Grade.

These past years, through Flame Spider Caravans and wild gathering, he'd helped Mountain Persimmon collect as many as 26 varieties of persimmon trees.

Mountain Persimmon had planted them in large numbers.

So why, of all things, did it have to be Sky-Blue Persimmon...

Such luck!

Dragon Cypress felt a bit jealous.

He'd worked hard to open up so many orchards, planted as many as 14 top-level plants from the continent, and over a hundred quality plants. To be honest, up till now, he'd harvested nothing...

—I'm hardworking too~

—And I have an incomparable advantage with my ant colony~

Dragon Cypress felt inspired again.

That Divine-Given Sky-Blue Persimmon Seed is a treasure! With it, when Blue Catalpa, Snakebark Maple, White Willow and the others attempt Evolution Mountain Lord Level in the future, their risk of failure will be minimized.

Mountain Persimmon, not noticing the shift in Dragon Cypress's mood, asked, "Dragon Cypress, could I borrow some Origin Force Food? I'd like to evolve to Age 7 sooner and nurture the Divine-Given Seed as quickly as possible."

Without Divine-Given Seeds or elder support, an Insect Clan warrior relying solely on its own Common Life Seed production has a hard time evolving to Mountain Lord Level.

Currently, Mountain Persimmon was just a High-Level Warrior at Age 6, already surpassed by Dragon Cypress.

Dragon Cypress gladly agreed, "Of course!"

Dragon Cypress asked, "Mountain Persimmon, your last molting evolution was three years ago?"

Mountain Persimmon: "Yes."

Dragon Cypress did some calculating and said, "No rush! What I have with me on the Dominating Throne is just ordinary Origin Force Ant Honey. I'll head back to Xianglan Mountain right now and bring over a batch of high-quality Origin Force Food for you. I'll also use the Dominating Throne to assist you in evolving to Age 7 High-Level Warrior."

Dragon Cypress turned and took out a metal case from the throne, injecting Origin Force to open and close it, then gave a brief demonstration and introduction:

"This is an Outworld Civilization Artifact designed for preserving plant seeds. I'll lend it to you. Where's the Sky-Blue Persimmon seed? Be careful with storage..."

…

Mountain Persimmon's Common Life Seed was also strengthened with Divine-Given Remains, and it worked pretty well. This year, his territory brought in about 12,000 Source Stones in income, mostly from persimmon fruit, in large quantities, which needed refining before transport.

Dragon Cypress left behind some worker ants, Blue Soldiers, and Blue Ants, then hurried to Huagi Mountain to pick up Ink Orchid and Areca, returning to Xianglan Mountain.

Dragon Cypress also hoped Mountain Persimmon could get the Sky-Blue Persimmon Divine-Given Seed planted as soon as possible, to see flowers and fruit early.

In the nest's deep treasury, Dragon Cypress carefully selected and mixed 10 jars of high-quality Origin Force Ant Honey, measured at 3,000 Source Stones per jar.

This year's batch of Divine-Given Fruit-Scented Orchid Seeds was harvested, so he set aside 100 seeds for Mountain Persimmon.

From the Flame Spider Caravan in spring, he still had 50 Black Emperor Peach seeds left; he'd planned to keep them for himself, but decided to reserve them for Mountain Persimmon.

And the recently gathered Divine-Given White Rice Ant King Honey—Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid each already took one jar and had eaten most of it, but there was still some left. Together, he cobbled up enough for a jar worth 2,500 Source Stones for Mountain Persimmon...

Dragon Cypress brought out all his treasured goods, pooling them into a batch worth 36,000 Source Stones.

He set off alone, heading straight for Silver Cypress Mountain.

…

Inside the cave where Mountain Persimmon lived.

Inventory check.

Accounting settlement.

"Mountain Persimmon, this year, the Origin Force Food you sold totaled 12,000 Source Stones. The goods I brought are worth 36,000 Source Stones. You owe me 24,000 Source Stones."

"Yes—"

"To evolve to Age 7 High-Level Warrior, you'll need about 20,000 Source Stones' worth of Origin Force Food."

"Uh... I'm not too sure about that."

"I've done the calculations, there's no mistake."

Dragon Cypress: "From today on, just stay in the cave and rest on the Dominating Throne. Eat 800 to 1,000 Source Stones of Origin Force Ant Honey every day, focus on growing and evolving."

Mountain Persimmon: "No... my persimmons..."

Dragon Cypress: "..."

Dragon Cypress: "I'll pick your persimmons for you."

Dragon Cypress: "I might not be as good at growing persimmon trees as you, but simple work like picking persimmons is something this Ant King can handle."

Mountain Persimmon: "Alright."

Mountain Persimmon: "Thank you."

Still uneasy, Mountain Persimmon reminded, "Once you pick the persimmons, lay them out on the mountain to dry and air. If any birds come to peck at them, you need to go up regularly and use Origin Force to scare them away."

Dragon Cypress: "...I understand."

Dragon Cypress shrank the Dominating Throne, flew it into the cave, then expanded it again.

"Mountain Persimmon, go up and rest."

…

Dragon Cypress always kept track of the Origin Force Food intake of every insect on Cloud Trace Continent.

Mountain Persimmon evolved slowly, but strengthened in every aspect nicely.

A month later, after an easy molting evolution, he immediately placed the Divine-Given Sky-Blue Persimmon Seed into his Life Pouch to nurture it.

"Dragon Cypress Ant King..."

Mountain Persimmon, his long, agile antennae curling around the metal case, couldn't bear to part with it and tentatively asked:

"Is this Outworld Civilization Artifact for sale?"

Dragon Cypress: "It's for sale. Price: 10,000 Source Stones."

Dragon Cypress generously said, "You can take it and use it first. When the Divine-Given Sky-Blue Persimmon bears fruit, once you have returns, you can pay me back slowly."

"Thank you!"

Mountain Persimmon was overjoyed and thanked him, then put the newly nurtured normal Sky-Blue Persimmon seed into the metal case for safekeeping.

Dragon Cypress: "You now owe me 34,000 Source Stones."

Mountain Persimmon: "...okay."

Dragon Cypress: "From Age 7 to Age 8, you'll need about 60,000 more worth of Origin Force Food. If you want to complete the evolution in a short time..."

Mountain Persimmon: "I'll still need to borrow some more..."

Dragon Cypress: "At the early winter trade next year, we'll see how things stand, and I'll lend you another batch. Still no interest. No need to rush—just aim to finish evolving by next winter, and sow the Divine-Given Seed as soon as it's ready the following spring."

Mountain Persimmon: "That's what I was thinking. The sooner I plant it, the sooner it grows, the sooner I can see returns."

It seemed that the Black Lotus Seed Mountain Persimmon ate hadn't been wasted—he was a lot sharper now, but he couldn't change his nature, still so persistent and stubborn.

Dragon Cypress gave Mountain Persimmon a careful look—there was no sign of weakness after the evolution, no need for care—then said his farewells:

"Mountain Persimmon, there's still plenty waiting for me back at Xianglan Mountain. I won't linger at Silver Cypress Mountain any longer. I'll be back on time next year."

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