Ant Lord in the Star Realm

Ink Orchid and White Ivy parted ways. Dragon Cypress saw its low spirits and, to cheer it up, suggested traveling north in the summer to search for source stone mines.

Reason told Dragon Cypress that the idea of searching for source stone mines in the north was unrealistic, the hope was so slim it was basically nonexistent.

But Ink Orchid was full of confidence about it, bringing it up every few days.

Dragon Cypress had no choice, so just treated it as accompanying Ink Orchid for a walk, taking it as a summer escape to the north.

The Flame Spider roving merchants did the same—heading north in summer for coolness, and south in winter for warmth.

...

After a big detour, ten days passed and they arrived at Silver Cypress Mountain.

The blazing sun scorched the noon sky.

Even Mountain Persimmon, who toiled away daily without tiring, couldn't stand the heat and, for once, paused to rest.

There was what seemed like a naturally formed reservoir on the mountain.

Mountain Persimmon spread its elytra and membranous wings, lying on its back, floating on the water surface.

From afar, at a glance, it looked like something had happened to it.

Sensing the origin force fluctuations brought by the Dominating Throne as it flew, Mountain Persimmon fluttered its wings, flipped over, all its tentacles and six legs sliding at once, and scrambled ashore.

"Mountain Persimmon."

"You can even swim, huh."

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid called out.

"Dragon Cypress Ant King, Ink Orchid, you guys... this is..."

All of Mountain Persimmon's attention had been drawn by the exaggeratedly giant stump ant nest, staring blankly at it for a long while, speechless.

Ink Orchid noticed Mountain Persimmon had grown in size and exclaimed joyfully, "Mountain Persimmon, you've evolved? Where's the Sky-Blue Persimmon Life Seed?"

Mountain Persimmon replied calmly, "Planted in spring, it's already a bit over a meter in height."

Ink Orchid: "You've eaten lots of good stuff, so your evolution was smooth?"

Mountain Persimmon: "Pretty smooth. I wasn't as weak after waking up as before."

After meeting Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid, Mountain Persimmon had completed two age period evolutions, its body length reaching around 1.7 meters. Throughout this period, it intensely absorbed origin force food that strengthened comprehensive physique, transforming its once-scrawny form from when they first met into a plump and robust frame.

The improvement in physical condition made the insect seem more spirited, not as wooden and dull as it had been when first met.

Mountain Persimmon, puzzled, pointed its tentacle at the throne and took the initiative to ask, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, is that an ant nest?"

Dragon Cypress: "Yes. Ink Orchid and I are roving merchants, and now we can even cultivate large-bodied soldier ants on the journey."

"Oh—" Mountain Persimmon seemed to somewhat understand.

Dragon Cypress asked, "Are the seven ordinary Sky-Blue Persimmon saplings still doing well?"

Mountain Persimmon: "Pretty good."

Ink Orchid said somewhat regretfully, "Mountain Persimmon, Dragon Cypress and I got another five Sky-Blue Persimmon seeds, but you've already evolved..."

Mountain Persimmon: "But I haven't chosen my Life Seed yet!"

Dragon Cypress: "???"

Ink Orchid: "???"

Ink Orchid: "Didn't you evolve in spring?"

Mountain Persimmon: "But this spring some mountain persimmon trees bloomed, so I kept five fruits, planning to collect their seeds as Life Seed once they ripen."

Dragon Cypress: "!!!"

Ink Orchid: "!!!"

This guy…

Even dared to drag out something as important as choosing a Life Seed after evolution…

Its stubbornness left Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid speechless for a long time.

Dragon Cypress: "Come on, let's go down the mountain and take a look!"

...

Persimmon trees are a kind of fast-growing arbor.

The seven ordinary Sky-Blue Persimmon saplings, only transplanted last year, were five strong and two weak.

The five thriving ones had already reached two to three meters in height, with lush leaves and branches, each bearing a green persimmon fruit.

The two weaker ones were just over a meter tall, with thin branches and sparse, skinny leaves. In fruit tree breeding and cultivation, these weak seedlings would normally be directly eliminated.

Mountain Persimmon couldn't bear it, so used thorn strips for fencing to protect the weak seedlings, determined to look after them with care.

Mountain Persimmon's character was extremely stubborn; kindly advice couldn't sway it at all.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid watched, speechless once again.

Dragon Cypress took out the bamboo tube holding the Sky-Blue Persimmon seeds and silently handed it to Mountain Persimmon.

Ink Orchid said, "Mountain Persimmon, Dragon Cypress and I are heading north to escape the summer heat—do you want to come along?"

"Thanks—"

Mountain Persimmon accepted the bamboo tube, pulled out the dried grass to check the seeds inside, delighted. Hearing Ink Orchid's words, it froze on the spot, hesitated for a long time before finally mumbling:

"The persimmon trees need me to stay and water them."

It wanted to see the world outside, too.

Really wanted to go, but simply couldn't leave.

...

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid rested for a night on Silver Cypress Mountain and continued on the next day.

No more detours, they headed straight north.

Endless plains and forests.

Vast mountain forests.

Boundless grasslands, meandering rivers, lush marshes—tens of thousands of yellow sheep herds moved across the horizon with the twilight.

And prairie wolves chasing after prey.

Going even further north,

The Cloud Trace Continent's landforms were completely different from the northern regions of the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent that Dragon Cypress had traversed with the Luoli Caravan.

On the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent side, the far north was plains with great mountain ranges, towering peaks that reached into the clouds.

Source stone mines were located on those mountainous ranges, but the far north wasn't suitable for Insect Clan survival—it had been colonized by climate-adapted Beast Clan warriors.

On the Cloud Trace Continent side, though, there were rolling mountains and forests. From high in the Dominating Throne, one couldn't see the end—no plains, no large mountain ranges, and certainly no peaks that pierced straight into the clouds.

Dragon Cypress was startled by this difference for a while, then immediately felt at ease.

Different continents, different landscapes. Nothing surprising.

Still, the chances of finding source stone mines dropped further—now basically zero.

Continuing northward,

The undulating mountains and forests seemed endless.

Daytime temperatures had already dropped to the level of Xianglan Mountain's autumn. Nighttime was even colder than Xianglan Mountain's winter.

And yet this was the height of midsummer; even the slightly taller mountain peaks bore white caps of snow.

"Dragon Cypress, where are those great mountain ranges you mentioned?"

"The Cloud Trace Continent's landforms are different from the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent's."

"So what do we do?"

"I don't know."

"Keep going north?"

"..."

It's been eight days of flying.

We've already come this far…

Dragon Cypress hesitated a little, then resolutely said, "Let's keep looking!"

They found a sheltered mountain valley to rest for the night, then set off at dawn the next day.

Another two days of flight.

The forest and mountains finally ended; ahead was a vast plain with sparse vegetation and exposed rocks.

Flying for two more days,

In the crimson-gold sunset, the western and northern horizons shimmered with rainbow light, the whole world reflected in brilliant colors.

"Dragon Cypress?"

"Let's go back!"

Dragon Cypress steered the Dominating Throne, floating low and scanning the surroundings thoroughly, then decisively turned south.

"Dragon Cypress, there aren't any source stones?"

"Where would we find source stones?"

"Yeah. Where in Cloud Trace Continent could we even look for source stones?"

"…No idea."

In tacit silence, the two thought.

Ink Orchid, confused, spoke up and asked, "Dragon Cypress, have we reached the Far North Land?"

Dragon Cypress: "No. If the world beneath our feet is truly a round-shaped planet, then we're a long way off."

Ink Orchid: "So why is there a divine force barrier blocking our way?"

Dragon Cypress: "…No idea."

Ink Orchid: "Why would the Natural God separate us?"

Dragon Cypress: "When I was a year old, I thought about this question and asked Melde. Melde also thought about this question and consulted Spider King Spurge. Spider King Spurge also thought about this question and discussed with many extraordinarily clever insects…"

Ink Orchid: "And the conclusion?"

Dragon Cypress: "No answer that convinced everyone."

"Sigh—"

Ink Orchid's upright tentacles drooped down.

It was getting late, so Ink Orchid rested.

Dragon Cypress steered the Dominating Throne, braving frigid winds, and hurried on through the night.

Three days later, they finally returned to forested lands.

Tongmu wood was reasonably warm, and within the stump ant nest, no ant eggs or larvae had been frozen.

The Dominating Throne flew another two days southward; the temperature was much warmer.

Dragon Cypress was already exhausted, so stopped to hunt, ate and drank its fill, took a day's rest, adjusted the route slightly to avoid retracing their path, and then set off for home again.

Ten days later,

The sun was blazing hot.

The boundless sea of forests, dotted with lakes large and small like stars in the sky.

The Dominating Throne drifted lazily southward.

Ink Orchid lay at the edge of the throne, eyes glued intently below.

It was already the end of summer, the time when some fruits began to ripen.

Along the way, they gathered and refined ant honey.

"Dragon Cypress!"

Ink Orchid suddenly leapt up, excited.

Seeing such an intense reaction, Dragon Cypress guessed a bit.

"Origin Force Point?"

"Yes! Over there!"

"Alright!"

Dragon Cypress, unhurried and composed, steered the Dominating Throne to change direction.