After the continuous spring rains, several days of bright sunshine followed, and the peach blossoms in the orchard on Xianglan Mountain were the first to bloom.

Areca had once promised to send Little Flame Spiders to the Flame Spider Kingdom for ten consecutive years, so this year's trade still required bringing them along.

Early in the morning,

the ant swarm marched swiftly in formation along the mountain path close to the Divine Force Barrier.

The Dominating Throne floated just above ground level.

On the throne, Areca listed in detail for Red Moonseed the various purchase prices of different Origin Force Foods.

Red Moonseed's memory wasn't very good. Including Seven-Leaf, Melde, White Ivy, and Grass Dragon, all the trades for common Origin Force Foods amounted to just over three hundred types. Two years had passed, but she still hadn't memorized them all.

When the party arrived at the Rednan Mountain Ant Nest, Areca repeated it to Red Moonseed three times, and Red Moonseed repeated it herself once, confirming that she remembered it all.

"Dragon Cypress Ant King, is there anything else you want to remind me of?"

Red Moonseed inquired.

"Nothing."

Dragon Cypress swayed his tentacles, thought for a moment, and cautioned, "The Starship Passages are complex and winding—don't wander around. With your memory, you'll definitely get lost, go astray, and end up stuck inside till you perish."

"I know!"

Red Moonseed picked up her Spider Silk Bag and set off.

...

At the dirt square below the hill, the Dulai Flame Spider Tribe had gathered.

Seven-Leaf was the first to spot the elegant figure hanging from the trunk of a cypress tree on the hill slope.

"Natsumi? Up in the Cypress."

"Huh?"

Natsumi spaced out for two seconds before finally responding.

In previous years, Blue Catalpa, Snakebark Maple, and Areca always popped up from behind the shrubbery.

This year, it was Red Moonseed's turn…

"Alright—"

Suddenly Natsumi felt a bit downcast, even a little nostalgic for those two cheeky Sky Oxen, Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple.

Seven-Leaf didn't notice Natsumi's mood shift, lowered her Telekinesis, and asked for permission: "Aconite Spider King, I'll go up the mountain with Natsumi first."

"Mmm—"

Aconite Spider King replied absentmindedly, instructing, "Natsumi, remember to ask Dragon Cypress Ant King how the preparations are going."

"Okay!"

Natsumi agreed, then suddenly asked, "Aconite Spider King, will attacking the Termite Kingdom be dangerous?"

Aconite Spider King retorted, "If it's not dangerous, how would it be war? Just find out exactly how Dragon Cypress's side is preparing, as well as the Termite Kingdom's situation, and tell me. I'll discuss it with Spider King Spurge, weigh and assess things—we need to have a basic grasp of it all."

Aconite Spider King: "Seven-Leaf, Natsumi, Cloud Trace Continent is already one of your most important trading partners, with unlimited potential ahead. You might consider offering something even more powerful, based on what they need…"

…

…

…

"Red Moonseed!"

"Didn't Areca come?"

Behind the hill, Seven-Leaf and Natsumi called out a greeting.

"She came."

Red Moonseed replied earnestly, "Areca can't come over this time, she brought the Little Flame Spiders and is waiting over on the other side."

Red Moonseed took the initiative to hand over her petite Spider Silk Bag, announcing crisply, "Divine-Given Red Cypress Seeds! 100 sample grains."

Red Moonseed said, "Dragon Cypress Ant King says, the output has been low these past years, so for now they'll supply Spiked Cypress, Giant Cypress, Ghost Fan, Mountain Persimmon and other Cloud Trace insects, and only after the war with the Termite Kingdom ends in four years will they officially sell."

"…Okay!"

Seven-Leaf accepted it, examined it carefully, offered a long string of praise, clearly satisfied, then asked, "Red Moonseed, about the Divine-Given Red Cypress Seed price, what did Dragon Cypress say?"

Red Moonseed: "Unit price is 10 Source Stones per grain."

"Oh—"

Seven-Leaf's gaze returned to the Spider Silk Bag, staring for two seconds, then hesitated. "Deal!"

Seven-Leaf asked, "Are we paying for the samples in Source Stones?"

Red Moonseed: "1,000 Source Stones, it's not a small sum."

Seven-Leaf: "..."

Seven-Leaf untied her Carapace Spider Silk Rope, packed away the goods, drew out a petite Spider Silk Bag and handed it to Red Moonseed, saying:

"A little gift for you."

Red Moonseed shook her tentacles and refused, saying, "I'm trading for Dragon Cypress Ant King—she's already paid me for my work."

Seven-Leaf: "???"

Natsumi: "???"

Red Moonseed shook her tentacles even harder, righteously declaring, "Areca told me privately she only takes caravan kickbacks because she has no choice. I don't see it that way. As a true Insect Clan Warrior, no one can force you to do anything."

Seven-Leaf: "..."

Natsumi: "..."

—Cloud Trace Continent is full of such oddball insects.

"Then let's just trade directly." Seven-Leaf put away the Spider Silk Bag and began unloading goods.

Natsumi chatted, asking, "Red Moonseed, how's your Black Fruit Divine-Given Seed? Did it flower and bear fruit this year?"

Red Moonseed: "Produced 1,000 fruits."

Natsumi: "Who managed to reach Evolution Mountain Lord Level last year?"

Red Moonseed: "Insect Clan Warriors White Willow and Black Rice, Giant-Headed Ant Assistant King Thorn Cypress, Giant Cypress, and Cypress all successfully broke through and advanced."

Natsumi: "What about Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple? Are they up this year?"

Red Moonseed: "This autumn."

Natsumi: "Not much chance they'll fail, right?"

Red Moonseed: "I don't know the situation, no comment."

Natsumi: "..."

Seven-Leaf picked out a Spider Silk Bag, shook it so it rustled, and said, "Thunder Bamboo Rice, an extremely rare Thunder System Divine-Given Origin Force Food, Lord-Level, flat price—30 Source Stones per grain."

Red Moonseed raised a claw.

Seven-Leaf manipulated a thin strand of Spider Silk, extracted a grain of slender purple-black bamboo rice, and handed it to Red Moonseed.

Red Moonseed took it, inspected it carefully, weighed it, and said, "Each grain is a little small, but the grade and quality are quite high. I have no issue with this price—can bring to Dragon Cypress Ant King for review."

Red Moonseed added, "However much you have, we'll take it all."

You could tell for years—this was a serious Little Warrior~

Seven-Leaf: "…A round 2,000 grains."

Red Moonseed: "All of them!"

Seven-Leaf handed the Spider Silk Bag to Natsumi to stash, then pulled out another, opened it, with a Spider Silk Scroll wrapped around a Bone Nut, and explained, "This Divine-Given Bone Nut cost no small price to acquire…"

The trading procedure never changed: Seven-Leaf first pitched the year's Divine-Given Origin Force Foods, then Red Moonseed would list off quantities and make a sweeping purchase of common Origin Force Foods…

...

With trading volumes growing each year, Natsumi had switched to using Stone Slab Wheelcarts for hauling goods.

They came rumbling and rattling briskly along.

Red Moonseed flew in behind, wing-beats steady.

They greeted each other on arrival.

Red Moonseed, meticulous as ever, reported the transactions in detail.

Dragon Cypress checked and accepted everything one by one.

Once the goods checked out, they settled the accounts and completed the handover.

Areca tapped her forelegs on the ground, and the Little Flame Spiders on her carapace slid down like flowing water, passing through the Starship Rift and scurrying towards the Stone Slab Wheelcart.

Dragon Cypress said, "Natsumi, give my regards to Seven-Leaf Lord. Also thank Aconite Spider King for me—really appreciate his help."

Dragon Cypress was very pleased with the varied goods delivered this year. Just looking at the quality, she could tell most were arranged by Aconite Spider King.

Natsumi: "Got it!"

Natsumi didn't rush to leave, adopting a serious tone, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, how are preparations for attacking the Termite Kingdom coming along? Aconite Spider King and Spider King Spurge would like to know the details… mm, just as a reference, to see if there's anything worth pitching to you."

Dragon Cypress's tentacles twitched at that, thoughts racing, and said, "No problem. First, let me tell you about our Insect Clan Warriors: at present, Ghost Fan Mountain Lord is at Tier 3, and has only grasped a single defensive Metal System Ability…"

Dragon Cypress continued calmly, thoughts circling a few times, but chose to lay out the pros and cons and share a fairly detailed explanation of her own combat strategy.

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