They also know Dragon Cypress, and don't hold back at all. Some bold Little Flame Spiders crawl up the throne along the wooden planks, rummaging through the Spider Silk Bag...

Other Flame Spiders circle around Blue Ant, discover its abdomen is empty, and leave in disappointment...

"Go away. Go away."

Areca's pincer limbs vibrate at high speed to emit sound waves, driving away the spider horde.

"I'll go find something to eat and come back."

Ink Orchid buries its head and dives into the jungle.

The Dominating Throne takes off while empty...

It takes four days round trip to bring Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple over.

The Dominating Throne is placed in Mulberry's living cave.

After Mulberry has eaten and drunk its fill, it lies on the Throne, adjusts its state, uses Origin Force Ant Honey, and makes the final sprint.

The Divine-Given Scarletlight Fruits ripen and are harvested; Dragon Cypress commands Worker Ants to quickly finish the Refinement.

The total yield is 3,000 Divine-Given Scarletlight Fruits, divided into two portions: one with 1,000 fruits, kept for Mulberry to eat after it evolves to the Mountain Lord Level; one with 2,000 fruits, to be sold to the White Ivy Trade Caravan next year.

In the years that follow, the output of Divine-Given Scarletlight Seeds is handled this way, until the reinforcement of Mulberry's Fire Element Ability by Divine-Given Scarletlight Fruits reaches its limit.

...

Bursts of Origin Force Fluctuation erupt inside Mulberry's living cave, beginning its slumber for evolution.

Blue Catalpa, Snakebark Maple, and Areca guard outside the cave.

Mulberry doesn't have a God-Given Life Seed; in fact, this makes the evolution a lot simpler.

It has eaten more than twenty types of Divine-Given Origin Force Food like Divine-Given Sky-Blue Persimmon Seed, White Rice Fruit, Snake Blood Apricot, Purple Kiwifruit, and so on, all to raise its evolution success rate.

The interval between evolutions is also sufficient.

Dragon Cypress estimates there won't be any big problems, and follows Ink Orchid out of boredom; together they hunt large animals in the tropical rainforest and feed the Little Flame Spiders under the Divine-Given Scarletlight Seed Tree.

Seven days later,

violent Origin Force Fluctuation comes from Mulberry's living cave.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid simultaneously activate their Soul-Setting Abilities to sense.

"Soul state is stable!"

"Basically, we can be sure it's a success."

"Is it about to wake up?"

"Let's go have a look."

Ink Orchid carefully stands up, extending its hind legs.

The Little Flame Spiders on its back get the message and run down the hind legs to the ground.

The mob of Little Flame Spiders gathered around Dragon Cypress also scatter, giving way.

Once Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid have left, the spiders swarm toward the unfinished wild boar corpse.

...

The breakthrough in evolution creates an Origin Force vacuum; Areca, Blue Catalpa, and Snakebark Maple all retreat to the ridge.

On seeing Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid's calm steps, they instantly realize Mulberry's evolution has succeeded.

They wait with peace of mind.

Deep in the night, the violent Origin Force Fluctuations gradually subside.

They activate the Soul-Setting Ability to sense.

Ink Orchid raises its forelegs and cheers: "Mulberry is awake!"

"Wow!"

"Oh!"

Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple cheer along, fluttering their wings and fighting to rush down the mountain.

Dragon Cypress quickly chases up and presses them down, "Mulberry should be undergoing Molting Evolution right now; don't disturb it!"

—Right!

Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple quickly quiet down, following behind Dragon Cypress as they hurry to the cave entrance.

Upon evolving to Mountain Lord Level, the molting process and the rapid body size expansion are equally dangerous. If anything goes wrong, at best you get a broken leg, snapped tentacle, or cracked carapace; at worst, it's fatal.

Ink Orchid and Areca arrive soon after.

Everyone falls silent, holding their breath to wait.

After a while,

Ink Orchid can no longer contain itself and once again activates the Soul-Setting Ability to sense.

Mulberry's soul, having evolved and undergone metamorphosis to the Mountain Lord rank, is now stabilized and solid, like a ball of burning flame, pulsing rhythmically.

Ink Orchid carefully spreads its spiritual power, sweeping back and forth, then declares with joy: "Everything is fine, evolution succeeded!"

The tense Blue Catalpa, Snakebark Maple, and Areca all let out a sigh of relief at once.

Dragon Cypress sweeps over with its spiritual power; Mulberry's new carapace has fully hardened, body length set at about 3.4 meters—which counts as robust among Nine-Star Li Warriors.

They pull aside the Thorn Strips blocking the cave entrance.

Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple rush into the cave in competition.

—Mulberry!

—Congratulations!

—White Mulberry Mouontain Lord?

—Sounds weird.

—Mountain Lord Mulberry?

—Mulberry, have you considered changing your name?

—Scarletlight? Scarletlight Mountain Lord?

...

Areca squeezes into the cave too, brings over three gourds of Ant Honey prepared in the corner beforehand, and pours it onto the Throne to feed Mulberry, replenishing its strength.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid lie at the entrance; after checking that everything is fine, they slip into the jungle to hunt.

The bugs all bustle around Mulberry.

They spend most of the night eating and drinking, resting to recover.

They all head to the forest on the east side of the mountains to test abilities.

Mulberry builds up, opens its mouth, and a blast of flame shoots out, setting a Wampee Tree not far away alight.

The wings, mimicking an elytra shape, spread out, black patterned Primordial Energy flickers, and the flames on the Wampee Tree are absorbed away, instantly extinguishing the fire.

Because Mulberry ate Divine-Given Scarletlight Fruits, back in the High-Level Warrior stage, it already mastered two abilities.

Firebreathing and Fire Control are both basic abilities that all Insect Clan Warriors who awaken Fire Talent can comprehend.

Absorbing flame with twin-wing black spots is a Talent Ability of Nine-Star Li Warriors.

—Anything else?

—Isn't it usual to comprehend a new personal ability after reaching Evolution Mountain Lord Level?

Under the watchful gaze of a dozen or so pairs of big and small eyes, Mulberry slowly lowers its head...

It falls deep in thought, brooding for a long time, and then, brewing, nine lychee-sized crimson fireballs drift up from the black spots on both wings, floating and hovering overhead, slowly rotating in a circle.

Before anyone can ask,

Mulberry spins its body, eyes fixed on a fallen rock by the creek, spiritual power locking on, and launches a lychee-like crimson fireball, which explodes with Primordial Energy Power spreading out.

Accompanied by a noisy sizzling sound, a cloud of white smoke erupts from the boulder, and it shatters into pieces in an instant.

This ability...

Is pretty fierce!

Mulberry turns and, once again, targets the Wampee Tree, now burnt down to just the trunk and a few branches. With a gentle flick of its tentacle, another crimson fireball is fired.

With a boom,

The moist trunk smokes and is set alight, incinerating to charcoal in mere breaths.

—What is this ability?

—This isn't a Nine-Star Li Talent, is it?

—So strong!

—Awesome!

—Aside from Ghost Fan, no bug could take a hit like that!

...

Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple chirp excitedly in praise.

With a thought from Mulberry, the seven remaining fireballs hovering overhead are pulled back into the black spots on its wings, and it says, somewhat dissatisfied:

"Strictly speaking, on evolving to Mountain Lord Level, I only comprehended this one ability."

Ink Orchid comforts: "Strictly speaking, it seems like we all more or less are the same."

Areca echoes: "Yes, Mulberry, objectively speaking, your ability is stronger than Ink Orchid's."

"Hmm?"

Ink Orchid flicks its tentacle and knocks on Areca's head.

Dragon Cypress sees a bit of the truth and asks: "Mulberry, is this ability limited in some way?"

Limitations? Mulberry lowers its head and ponders; after a bit of thought, it replies: "Yes! After using this highly condensed Primordial Energy fireball, it takes time to absorb Origin Force and reconsolidate before it can be used again."

Mulberry: "I'm a Nine-Star Li; I only have 9 black spots on my body, so I can prepare no more than 9 such fireballs."

It's a super powerful Fire System attack ability, but with a strict numerical limitation.

Mulberry mutters: "It seems I can only increase the power, but not the number."

Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple exchange a glance...

Blue Catalpa: "That's even stronger!"

Snakebark Maple: "The regular fire-breathing can deal with ordinary termites."

Blue Catalpa: "Save the fireballs for the Termite Assistant King!"

Snakebark Maple: "Or keep them as a trump card for emergencies."

Blue Catalpa: "The new ability should have a name."

Snakebark Maple: "Mulberry is a Nine-Star Li Warrior, so let's just call it 'Nine Stars.'"

At the mention of naming, Ink Orchid perks up, "Nine Stars isn't quite fitting! I have a better one..."

Ink Orchid raises a foreleg, points to the crimson sun on the horizon, and says: "How about 'Nine Suns'?"

Blue Catalpa: "Great name!"

Snakebark Maple: "Ink Orchid, you're amazing."

Blue Catalpa: "Then it's settled!"

Snakebark Maple: "Let's all listen to Ink Orchid and call it 'Nine Suns.'

Ink Orchid: "Mulberry, what do you think?"

Mulberry: "..."

Mulberry: "...Sounds good."

Mulberry successfully evolved to Mountain Lord Level; practical trials proved that its awakened ability is pretty formidable, too.

Definitely worth celebrating.

Ink Orchid goes into the forest to hunt.

Dragon Cypress catches fish in the river, and with the snake bones and pork bones from a few days ago, plus various spices, they're all simmered into a rich, fragrant broth.

Everyone gathers under the Divine-Given Scarletlight Seed Tree, feasting and celebrating happily for two days.

Afterwards,

Dragon Cypress escorts Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple back to Kiwifruit Mountain.

Then takes Ink Orchid to Southern Sour Jujube Mountain, to look after Chestnut Beans and Red Cypress—the two Divine-Given Seeds.

This year, there's an especially heavy workload,

The land reclamation on Cold Orchid Mountain is finished; according to the plan, the ant colony is shifting east towards Red Cypress Mountain, continuing to open up Red Cypress Mountain and begin large-scale planting of cypress trees there.

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