The transaction, which lasted nine days, involved a total amount exceeding 4 million Source Stones.

The team returned to Xianglan Mountain.

The wealth of the Treasury was audited.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid had been at Evolution Mountain Lord Level for many years, and the annual revenue of Xianglan Mountain Kingdom had remained basically stable.

The two Divine-Given Seeds, Southern Gorgon and Northern Gorgon, together yielded an annual income of 44,000 Source Stones.

This time, the Deep Blue God-Given Seed produced 3,000 fruits. Next time, there would be no more thinning of buds and fruit, so the yield should surpass 6,000 fruits, but in the short term there would be no further significant growth.

The annual income from the Deep Blue God-Given Seed was 45,000 Source Stones.

The Fruit-Scented Orchid Divine-Given Seed provided an annual yield of 14,000 Source Stones.

The Cuihua Hanlan Divine-Given Seed generated an annual income of 11,000 Source Stones.

Dragon Cypress intended to nurture both the Scarletlight and Southern Sour Jujube Wild Divine-Given Seeds to King-Level, carefully controlling their fruit production.

The Wild Scarletlight Divine-Given Seed bore 3,000 fruits each year, bringing a net income of about 60,000 Source Stones, split equally with Mulberry, each taking 30,000 Source Stones.

The Wild Southern Sour Jujube Divine-Given Seed, after using the remains of a kin Divine-Given, grew rapidly. Now over 50 meters tall and not far from Lord-Level, Dragon Cypress only allowed it to keep 4,000 fruits, yielding an average of 10,000 Source Stones per year.

Additionally,

The Divine-Given Seeds of Red Cypress and Chestnut Beans, both Great Tall Trees, as well as the Black Yellow Great Vine Wood Divine-Given Seed, all required several years of growth and development before yielding considerable income.

The Snow Orchid Divine-Given Seed was still in Ink Orchid's Life Pouch, gestating—it would be a long wait.

Prior to attacking the Termite Kingdom, all Divine-Given Seeds held by Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid brought in a total annual revenue of about 160,000 Source Stones.

The output from Common Life Seeds should not be overlooked either.

Currently, the Common Life Seed Plants of Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid together brought an annual income of 120,000.

This year, the Origin Force Honey trade in cooperation with White Ivy and Grass Dragon saw soaring returns, reaching 240,000 Source Stones.

Dragon Cypress hardly relied on trade with Roving Merchants inside Cloud Trace Continent anymore for Source Stone earnings, though there was still an extra twenty to thirty thousand in income.

All together, last year's total revenue exceeded 540,000 Source Stones.

The expenditures, however, were even more staggering,

Ink Orchid's extensive use of Divine-Given Origin Force Food cost as much as 150,000 annually.

Supporting the evolution of Blue Catalpa, Snakebark Maple, and White Willow cost over 150,000 per year.

For the group of Assistant Kings under their command, annual expenses also hovered around 100,000 Source Stones; once Spiked Cypress, Giant Cypress, and Cypress advanced to Evolution Mountain Lord Level, these costs would double.

Every year, it was still necessary to lend 100,000 to 150,000 Source Stones to Black Rice, White Rice, Mulberry, Ghost Fan, and Mountain Persimmon to support their rapid evolution.

And there was one fixed, massive expense: the expedition of 5,000 Ant Army departing from Desolation Plains to attack the Termite Kingdom, marching across Origin Force Vacuum Land, required 1.5 million in cheap Origin Force Ant Honey for the journey.

This portion of Origin Force Food was handled by White Ivy and Grass Dragon, organizing other Flame Spider Roving Merchants to help transport it.

Such a large volume was hard to ship at once, so preparations had to begin four or five years in advance.

Dragon Cypress carefully calculated the income and expenses for the next five years.

If another Divine-Grade Night Fragrance Fruit was sold, it would bring in 500,000 Source Stones.

It would be necessary to borrow from the Flame Spider Caravan, but the amount was not huge, 500,000 to 600,000 would suffice.

...

In any case, it was a bountiful year.

Xianglan Mountain held an unprecedentedly grand celebratory banquet.

Early the next morning, Dragon Cypress first headed south, escorting Ink Orchid to Southern Sour Jujube Mountain, and Areca back to Scarletlight Mountain.

He then sent Fragrant Cypress to Cold Orchid Mountain to open new land for cultivation.

Next, heading north, he notified Night Fragrance God-Given Seed that it could begin fruiting; and sent the 'Divine-Grade Lightwing Seed' to be preserved in the cold storage of Huagi Mountain Treasury—Ink Orchid had already used the Divine-Grade Ghost Lotus Seed at the 2nd Age Mountain Lord stage, and would wait until evolving to the 3rd Age before using it again.

He delivered Red Moonseed back to Black Fruit Mountain, and picked up Black Cory to take to Hulan Mountain to open new land for cultivation.

Soon after, the new year's Source Stone transport work began.

Source Stones were moved from the second Source Stone Mine and delivered to Huagi Mountain.

Then, to Desolation Plains, to settle Ant Eggs, simultaneously carrying a batch of Worker Ants for labor, dropping them off at Hulan Mountain along the way.

He then went back to the second Source Stone Mine to load up on Source Stones...

Back and forth, not a moment wasted.

In these cycles, the ant colonies originally responsible for digging the Ant Nest and reservoir in Desolation Plains were soon all transferred to Hulan Mountain.

The land development project at Hulan Mountain officially began.

...

Time flew by, and it was early summer.

The Dominating Throne sped into Scarletlight Mountain.

It was the annual season for ripening and harvesting; Mulberry and Areca were already waiting beneath the Scarletlight Divine-Given Seed tree.

"Dragon Cypress."

"Ink Orchid."

"Mulberry. Areca."

They exchanged greetings on meeting.

Ink Orchid leapt to the ground.

A few Little Spiders wandered under the tree. Upon spotting Ink Orchid, they scurried over, checked carefully, then scattered in all directions.

"Mulberry, how's the preparation? Any signs of a breakthrough evolution?"

"Yes!"

"Good! Go back to your cave to rest and prepare. After collecting the Divine-Given Scarletlight Fruit, enter deep sleep and evolve."

"Alright!"

Mulberry hesitated and asked: "Dragon Cypress, what about Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple?"

Ink Orchid replied quickly, "Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple successfully evolved into 8th Age High-Level Warrior last winter."

Dragon Cypress said, "The new Life Seeds they've nurtured were sown in the spring and have to stay back to guard the territory."

Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple could be regarded as juniors whom Mulberry had fostered.

Now that Mulberry was evolving to Mountain Lord Level, the biggest event in an insect's life, Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple really ought to come, just in case something happened...

Dragon Cypress looked up at the Scarletlight Fruits on the tree, estimating they would take a few more days to ripen, and said:

"Then I'll run over once more, have Fragrant Cypress go to Kiwifruit Mountain and keep an eye on Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple's territory, and bring them over for you."

With that, he put down a wooden plank and gave instructions, and the accompanying Worker Ants and Blue Ants followed the plank down to the ground.

The departing Little Flame Spider led a crowd of over a thousand Flame Spiders over, circling around Ink Orchid.

These fellows had remembered Ink Orchid.

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