Attacking the Termite Kingdom, Ink Orchid is the key who will determine success or failure. The stronger Ink Orchid is, the better.

Ink Orchid needs to reach Evolution Mountain Lord Level at Age Period 4, and should use as much Divine-Given Origin Force Food as possible to further strengthen her comprehensive physique, soul, and wind system ability.

Spider King Spurge, Aconite Spider King, and behind Silvergrass, the Wormwood Spider King, have all promised that this year they can send over a large batch of high-quality Divine-Given Origin Force Food to help Ink Orchid improve her strength.

Support is support, but things still have to be bought with Source Stones.

Dragon Cypress didn't have that many Source Stones. Before he came, he was still struggling over whether to borrow from Seven-Leaf or from White Ivy.

If he borrowed from Seven-Leaf, he'd have to pay an exorbitant interest.

Borrow from White Ivy? He'd only just borrowed once from White Ivy not long ago…

Now it's all sorted—three hundred thousand Source Stones have been credited, and Dragon Cypress is flush again, swaying his tentacles and giving orders.

The Specialized Worker Ants lined up to bring out last year's harvested Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seeds and Fruit-Scented Orchid Seeds.

"Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit: 4000 seeds. Mountain Lord Melde: 2000 seeds. Seven-Leaf Lord: 1600 seeds. Grass Dragon: 400 seeds… Silvergrass, Melde didn't come this year?"

"Spiders didn't come over, but the Source Stones were entrusted to Grass Dragon to bring. Shall we settle up when the trade's over?"

"That works too!"

Dragon Cypress took out another Spider Silk Bag filled with Divine-Given Fruit-Scented Orchid Seeds and passed it over, saying, "My price is fifteen Source Stones per seed. You can take a look first. If you think it's fair, report it to Seven-Leaf Lord, White Ivy, and Grass Dragon."

Red Peach, Natsumi, and Silvergrass all came closer to check and showed their approval.

Dragon Cypress: "Seven-Leaf Lord and Mountain Lord Melde get nine hundred each; White Ivy Mountain Lord and Grass Dragon get three hundred each. This allocation won't change at the Mountain Lord Level stage."

Red Peach, Natsumi, and Silvergrass all raised no objections.

Silvergrass opened the two large Spider Silk Bags carried on his carapace, took out the smaller Spider Silk Bags inside, and handed them over one by one into the rift, explaining at the same time: "Dragon Cypress Ant King, Wormwood Spider King heard that you're commanding your ant swarm on Cloud Trace Continent to reclaim a vast number of orchards, and specially asked me to bring a batch of seeds for you."

Seeds?

Nowadays, only top-level plant seeds could pique Dragon Cypress's interest.

But after opening and inspecting them, he was a bit baffled.

The bags were filled plainly with grass seeds and seeds of some sort of leguminous plant.

Silvergrass explained: "These are from Thousand Peaks Mountain, developed by Ant King Lingxiao—it's the latest in orchard management, using grass to control grass. By planting specific shallow-rooted grasses under orchard trees, not only will they not compete for nutrients with fruit trees and forest trees, but they also absorb heat, enrich the soil, retain moisture and warmth, and even suppress the growth of other harmful weeds."

Silvergrass: "This is Thousand-Leaf Fescue, suitable only for areas that don't freeze in winter and have abundant rainfall."

Silvergrass: "This is Thousand Mountains Wild Peas, which can adapt to almost any climate and soil, and even enhance soil fertility."

Seriously?

There's such a thing?

Interesting!

Take them back and let Azure give them a try.

Dragon Cypress was deeply interested in this novel planting technique. Without further ado, he directed the worker ants to accept the seeds.

"Silvergrass, thank Wormwood Spider King for me!"

"You're welcome."

Silvergrass: "These two grasses have been bred for hundreds of years and have very strong resistance to diseases and pests. However, since continents differ, conditions might vary. You could first set aside a few plots of woodland, give them a try, and once confirmed, promote them more widely."

"Understood!" Dragon Cypress responded with a flick of his tentacles.

Silvergrass handed over all the bags and took two steps back: "I have nothing else to do."

Dragon Cypress: "Alright, let's begin this year's trade. As usual, Natsumi goes first."

Natsumi stepped forward, raised her foreleg, and lightly pointed at Red Moonseed, asking, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, this Insect Clan Warrior should be…?"

"Oh! Right!"

Dragon Cypress introduced, "As I mentioned earlier, this is Black Fruit Mountain's Red Moonseed, a Beautiful Ji Bee Warrior of Age Period 9 and mid-level, who possesses a Divine-Given Black Fruit Huckleberry Seed."

No explanation needed. Compared to Areca and the Starship Rift, everyone understood.

Natsumi greeted cordially, "Red Moonseed, hello!"

"Red Moonseed. Hello."

Red Peach and Silvergrass greeted.

Silvergrass handed over two stone slabs containing information about Origin Force Honey orders.

Red Peach also handed over three stone slabs, saying, "White Ivy Mountain Lord is busy receiving goods and settling accounts, so I'll go help. Areca, Red Moonseed, would you like to come and play together?"

Areca and Red Moonseed both looked over at Dragon Cypress for instruction.

Dragon Cypress: "Alright. Go! Give my regards to Seven-Leaf Lord, White Ivy Mountain Lord, and Grass Dragon."

Dragon Cypress didn't forget to warn, saying: "Follow Red Peach and Silvergrass. Don't wander around."

...

Dragon Cypress first completed the transaction with Natsumi for Seven-Leaf Lord.

The trades with White Ivy and Grass Dragon took place at the same time, with Red Peach and Silvergrass together.

Grass Dragon had little goods; Dragon Cypress, with intent to control, finished the trade with Grass Dragon first and settled the accounts with Silvergrass.

Areca and Red Moonseed left together with Silvergrass.

Red Peach stayed behind alone, waiting for the Origin Force Honey to be delivered.

"Red Peach, let me ask you again—are you sure that after selling the Divine-Grade Night Fragrance Fruit, White Ivy won't get into trouble?"

"Dragon Cypress Ant King, you can rest a hundred percent assured. Absolutely not!"

"Alright. The year before last, two Night Fragrance Fruits were produced; White Ivy Mountain Lord took one, and I kept one. But none of my insects can eat this one. How about, you ask White Ivy Mountain Lord about it, and maybe sell this one too?"

Red Peach had already sensed that Dragon Cypress intended to get Silvergrass, Areca, and Red Moonseed out of the way, knowing something was up, and became wary.

Upon hearing this, it was indeed the case.

Red Peach asked in return: "Dragon Cypress Ant King, are you short on Source Stones? It's alright, I'll ask White Ivy Mountain Lord; it shouldn't be a problem."

Dragon Cypress: "Alright. The goods are stored in the Huagi Mountain Treasury. For the spring trade next year, I'll bring it over."

Red Peach: "That's even better! In autumn, White Ivy Mountain Lord and I are heading back to the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent. When we go, we'll confirm if they need it—if so, we'll buy."

Dragon Cypress: "Red Peach, between us, who did you and White Ivy Mountain Lord sell the goods to? How did you sell them?"

Dragon Cypress added: "The share and price of the Divine-Grade Night Fragrance Fruit have been set. I'm the most trustworthy Ant King; once a deal is struck, I won't change it for profit."

Dragon Cypress: "I just can't understand—and I'm very curious—what kind of insect is buying Night Fragrance Fruit, and for what purpose?"

He'd long predicted that Dragon Cypress Ant King would get suspicious~

Red Peach answered honestly, "White Ivy Mountain Lord sold the goods to Purple Back Mountain at a price of 500,000 Source Stones each. The Banded Assassin Bug Tribe of Purple Back Mountain is a new small tribe; Mud Ke Bug King always manages to find Divine-Given Seeds, and the tribe holds many, making them extremely wealthy…"

Dragon Cypress raised a claw to interrupt, asking: "Always manages to find Divine-Given Seeds? In the wild?"

Red Peach: "Apparently, part is from their reclaimed Forest Sea, and part from the Barbaric Forest. Mud Ke Bug King and Ink Orchid are the same kind—both Insect Clan Warriors favored by the Natural True God."

Dragon Cypress: "…Oh!"

Dragon Cypress said: "I get it! Such insects—you can't help but respect! Go on, Red Peach… There's no mention of any Banded Assassin Bug in the Inherited Memory. Are they a variant of some Insect Clan, or a branch?"

Red Peach: "Yes! They're a branch of the Beautiful Ji Bug Tribe!"

Red Peach: "After evolving to Evolution Mountain Lord Level, Banded Assassin Bug Warriors awaken a dual waterwood system hallucination ability…"

Red Peach: "Last year's Divine-Grade Night Fragrance Fruit was used by Round Leaf Mountain Lord for an evolution. Experiments confirmed that the Night Fragrance ability is compatible with the Banded Assassin Bug Tribe's hallucination ability. So what others see as useless Night Fragrance Fruit can perform wonders on Purple Back Mountain."

Red Peach: "White Ivy Mountain Lord and I met Mud Ke Bug King and agreed to supply Divine-Grade Night Fragrance Fruit at stable prices. In return, they purchase 1,000,000 Source Stones worth of high-quality Origin Force Honey from our caravan every year."

Dragon Cypress: "…A million? Origin Force Honey?"

Dragon Cypress swayed his tentacles and said leisurely, "The soul-setting ability granted by the Divine-Grade Soul-Stabilizing Fruit has another use—by reading soul fluctuations, I can tell whether someone's lying."

Dragon Cypress: "Red Peach, what you said is true, but you seem very tense—you're trying hard to hide something."

Dragon Cypress: "Hiding what? No need to say, I already know."

Dragon Cypress: "What a coincidence. I was born in the mountain wilderness of Southern Beautiful Bug Kingdom. Melde found me and took me exploring the continent, with our first stop being Fragrant Maple Mountain, home of the Narrow Ji Bug Tribe, and we also visited Red Ruins Mountain of the Black Beautiful Ji Bug Tribe. I still know a bit about the Beautiful Bug Kingdom. The Beautiful Ji Bug—Cloud Crown Mountain, right? A top Great Tribe of the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent…"

Dragon Cypress watched Red Peach's reaction, then changed the topic smugly: "Looks like I was right! Your target is Cloud Crown Mountain! I was just wondering—when do Flame Spider Roving Merchants ever raise their prices voluntarily… Unless the profits are sky-high!"

Dragon Cypress: "Red Peach, don't be nervous. I said I'm the most trustworthy Ant King—every share of Divine-Grade Night Fragrance Fruit belongs to White Ivy Mountain Lord. Now tell me, what exactly is it for? Tell me in detail?"

Red Peach: "..."

This soul-setting ability is too terrifying, isn't it?

Red Peach shuddered, then spoke very quickly and sincerely, "There are many Banded Assassin Bug Warriors in Cloud Crown Mountain as well. White Ivy Mountain Lord and I plan to sell Night Fragrance Fruit to Cloud Crown Mountain at a unit price between 600,000 and 800,000, and make a small profit."

Liar!

Dragon Cypress didn't actually know much about Cloud Crown Mountain either; his mind spun rapidly, guessing the other party intended to sell at an even higher price. He thought about it, wavered his tentacles, and said:

"As far as I know, Cloud Crown Mountain isn't so easy to get into. Forget it, Divine-Grade Night Fragrance Fruit's price will stay the same for now."

Dragon Cypress suggested, "Cloud Crown Mountain definitely has Divine-Grade Fruits too. Have you and White Ivy Mountain Lord try exchanging to see if you can get any. As long as they're usable for me and Ink Orchid, I'll buy them at a high price. I'm a reasonable Ant King, and I know well the hardships of roving merchants. You and White Ivy Mountain Lord should earn as much as you can out there."

Red Peach: "…Alright!"

Red Peach added honestly, "For now, White Ivy Mountain Lord and I are still trading at Purple Back Mountain, accumulating wealth. In the future, when White Ivy Mountain Lord evolves to Lord Level and obtains Divine-Grade Baihe Fruit, with enough strength and resources, we'll try to enter Cloud Crown Mountain."

Dragon Cypress: "A very sensible plan!"

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