NOVEL NEXT Chapter 120 Cypress
After dinner, Dragon Cypress said, "Giant Cypress, you go to the western peak to replace Spiked Cypress and lead the Soldier Ants to guard the mountain fortress."
"Spiked Cypress, you return to the Ant Nest, take some Soldier Ants, and be on standby at Cypress's Hatchery."
Spiked Cypress was enthusiastic and lively, making it easier for him to connect with new members.
Dragon Cypress continued with the arrangements, "Round Cypress, you continue with your tasks. Tomorrow morning, I will acquaint Fragrant Cypress with the surroundings."
"Ink Orchid, you... go back and rest."
"Fragrant Cypress, first familiarize yourself with the inner environment of the Ant Nest with me."
After the tasks were distributed, everyone dispersed.
Dragon Cypress led Fragrant Cypress first to his own residence in the King Nest. Then, they checked the neighboring warehouse that stored Origin Force Food worth tens of thousands of Source Stones. This was the kingdom's most important treasure, which certainly needed to be well-managed, frequently checked, and aired.
Next, they went to inspect the Specialized Soldier Ant Hatchery and the Large Soldier Ant Hatchery.
Fragrant Cypress was responsible for logistics, so it was essential first to understand how to store Origin Force Food, how to care for Ant Eggs and Larvae, and issues regarding the refinement, storage, and distribution of Ant Nest food.
"Fragrant Cypress, you are an Intelligent Blue Ant. You must have a talent for Ant Honey, don't you? Do you still remember the Ant Honey you ate when you were younger?"
"...I remember some."
"Do you remember how I used to command the Worker Ants to mix it?"
"I'm not sure—"
Fragrant Cypress was perplexed.
Dragon Cypress realized, "Oh! Right. You haven't learned about plants yet, nor are you familiar with various fruits."
"It's no big issue. Once Cypress is born, I will teach both of you. If there's anything you don't understand or are unclear about in the future, you can come to me, Round Cypress, or Giant Cypress. Don't ask Spiked Cypress; he doesn't know much."
"Understood," Fragrant Cypress replied.
Dragon Cypress continued, "Our Ant Nest is located on a large mountain range, with tunnels directly connecting the south and north. Fragrant Cypress, come, let me take you to the North Mountain Ant Nest."
「The next morning, the rain stopped, and the sky was clear.」
Grasses and new leaves grew towards the sunlight, in shades of bright green and light yellow. The entire forest seemed to have molted and awakened from an evolutionary sleep, donning a new shell, completely rejuvenated.
Dragon Cypress led Fragrant Cypress up and down the mountains, north and south, first introducing the most crucial Life Seed Plants and Divine-Given Seeds within the territory, then the various fruit saplings cultivated in the orchards.
In the afternoon, on the hill in North Mountain where Silver Cypress and Black Emperor Peach trees were cultivated, Dragon Cypress was explaining peach tree pruning techniques.
Under the guard of a large group of Soldier Ants, Spiked Cypress came running with a Soldier Ant about 60 centimeters long, with two blue bands on its abdomen.
"Great King! Cypress has been born successfully."
"Great King. Fragrant Cypress," Cypress greeted as well.
Cypress's body was different from the Intelligent Worker Ant Fragrant Cypress, the Gigantification Soldier Ants Spiked Cypress and Giant Cypress, and from the Specialized Blue Soldiers as well. Its mandibles were scythe-shaped and sharp but not as exaggerated as those of the Specialized Blue Soldiers or the Gigantification Soldier Ants. Cypress's head, thorax, and abdomen were proportionally balanced. Except for the mandibles, its form was similar to Dragon Cypress's, albeit a bit more slender and with a softer, smoother outline.
"Cypress," Dragon Cypress responded by waving his tentacles, and asked, "Have you eaten?"
Cypress perked up his abdomen and replied, "I have eaten!"
"That's good—" Dragon Cypress, intrigued, asked, "How is your Water System Ability?"
Cypress shook his tentacles, sending a confused query.
"Let's go! To the Northern Gorgon Water Reservoir!" Dragon Cypress waved a tentacle and led the way down to the reservoir.
"Cypress, you inherit my Water System Ability; you should have half the strength I possessed when I was a Mid-Level Ant King at 1st Age Period."
"Cypress, those first blue bands indicate Water Control Ability. Watch, I'll demonstrate."
As Dragon Cypress spoke, he lightly touched with his tentacle, and a grape-sized water sphere leaped from the water surface, drifting and hovering in all directions, continuously changing shape.
"Cypress, you try."
"Yes—"
Cypress followed suit. A water sphere of the same grape-like size jumped from the water surface, repeating the movements Dragon Cypress had just demonstrated. It was much stronger than Dragon Cypress had been as a Mid-Level Ant King at 1st Age Period.
It must have been that during the later stages of evolution, the Azure Fruit was used to enhance the Water System Ability, and this enhancement was then inherited by Cypress.
"Quite good. Now, try the second ability, Hydrology Shield," Dragon Cypress said, as a blue Primordial Energy shield emerged around him.
Cypress contemplated for a moment and did the same, executing it flawlessly.
Dragon Cypress approached and lightly poked with his claw. The Hydrology Shield shook, and the Primordial Energy collapsed.
"Not bad! It even has a bit of defensive ability." Dragon Cypress was very satisfied.
"Cypress, watch now. This is my third ability, officially named 'Boiling'." As he spoke, a water sphere about 10 centimeters in diameter leaped from the water surface, suspended in the air. As the ability continued to be exerted, the water sphere started to smoke, boil, and then burst into a big spray of water vapor with a POP.
"Great King is so impressive!" Spiked Cypress waved his tentacles and cheered.
"Great King is impressive!" Cypress hurried to follow the cheer.
"Great King is impressive—" Fragrant Cypress echoed with some embarrassment.
Cypress then tried, but immediately found that his current ability couldn't control a 'Great Water Sphere' 10 centimeters in diameter to lift it from the water surface. After thinking for a while, he switched to one 3 centimeters in diameter. The water sphere hovered briefly before falling back into the water, creating ripples.
"Great King, I can't use 'Boiling'."
"Then you are just like me. You need to evolve to a High-Level; when the third band appears on your abdomen, you'll awaken the third ability," Dragon Cypress explained and fell into thought.
Currently, it seems that despite spending a great deal of time, effort, and resources, the cultivated Giant Blue Soldiers are still not as formidable as the Specialized Blue Soldiers. Their advantages lie in their growth potential, independent thought, and ability to assist in command.
It is very necessary to train their command abilities.
Coincidentally, the territory's food supply is also running a bit low this spring...
Dragon Cypress asked, "Cypress, can you command Soldier Ants?"
"Yes—" Cypress shook his tentacles, and a Specialized Soldier Ant walked up to him.
Soldier Ants and Blue Soldiers are differentiated by the same type of Pheromone. Gigantification Soldier Ants and Giant Blue Soldiers are also cultivated using the same Pheromone stimulation. Both belong to the "Guardian" sequence, only differing in their strength systems.
Similarly, Fragrant Cypress, originating from Intelligent Blue Ants, could also smoothly command Worker Ants of various sizes.
Dragon Cypress said, "Spiked Cypress, you go and keep an eye on the Azure Blue Reservoir. Cypress, Fragrant Cypress, you come with me; let's look around."
「The territory of Xianglan Mountain extended along the mountain range, about four to five thousand meters from east to west and three to four thousand meters from north to south.」
The Origin Force radiated outward for about three to five thousand meters; beyond that, it gradually became an Origin Force Vacuum Land.
Dragon Cypress spent a day with Cypress and Fragrant Cypress, familiarizing them with the Life Seed Plants, understanding the various common fruit trees currently cultivated, and visiting the four Divine-Given Seeds that possessed consciousness: Azure, Fruit-Scented Orchid, Southern Gorgon, and Northern Gorgon.
He spent another three days wandering the mountains and forests, introducing them to various wild animals and plants.
Once they were familiar with the territory's environment, the next step was to train their command abilities.
Dragon Cypress maximized the Dominating Throne, carrying 40 Specialized Blue Soldiers, 20 Large Blue Soldiers, 10 Specialized Blue Ants, 10 Large Blue Ants, and a combined 80 Specialized, large, medium, and small Worker Ants.
The space on the Dominating Throne was limited, so smaller ants were packed over larger ones, and they set off fully loaded. The overload affected their speed.
They set off early in the morning and traveled through the night, only arriving at Black Lotus Lake by twilight the next day.
"Dragon Cypress!"
White Willow, now a 4th Age Period Mid-Level Beautiful Winged Dragonfly Warrior, was the first to spot and greet them, circling the Dominating Throne and curiously asking, "Where is Ink Orchid?"
"Ink Orchid stayed at Xianglan Mountain to take care of its orchids," Dragon Cypress explained his purpose. "This is my cultivated Intelligent Blue Ant, Fragrant Cypress. This is my cultivated Giant Blue Soldier, Cypress. They are both Origin Force Life capable of possessing independent consciousness and higher intelligence, like us, capable of evolving and growing. They were born not long ago, and I brought them here to practice commanding the ant swarm in hunting and digging."
Dragon Cypress then asked, "White Willow, since there's a food shortage in the Ant Nest this spring, would it be alright if I catch some fish in your Black Lotus Lake to take back?"
White Willow gladly said, "Of course!"
Dragon Cypress added, "I also brought a large number of Worker Ants. In return, I'll help you construct a Marsh Gas Pool."
Dragon Cypress then took out a petite Spider Silk Bag, saying, "Ink Orchid's Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed matured and was harvested this year. It asked me to bring you 15 Gorgon Fruit Seeds. Take them and enjoy."