Ant Lord in the Star Realm

This year, Dragon Cypress sold 405 Gorgon Fruit Seeds to the caravan, products of the Southern Gorgon Divine-Given Seed.

The Dominating Throne, anchored deep within the Starship, arrived at the location on time. Dragon Cypress glanced around the hilltop and directly entered the small grove behind the hill to wait.

Before long, Seven-Leaf hurried over. From afar, using the Flame Spider's unique perception ability for Spider Silk Bags, he clearly knew the number and said jokingly, "235 seeds, three more than agreed."

Dragon Cypress handed over the Spider Silk Bag and sighed, "But what Ink Orchid and I owe you in Source Stones, I'm afraid we cannot repay yet."

"No big deal. No rush. It's only a few thousand Source Stones. You can start by paying the interest. Returning the principal two years later is also fine."

Seven-Leaf cheerfully opened the Spider Silk Bag, manipulated the spider silk, and picked up a Gorgon Fruit Seed to inspect.

"The quality is fine. Dragon Cypress Ant King, name your price?"

"You name it. Just don't overcharge."

Don't overcharge? Shouldn't that Flower Mantis Warrior be the one to say this?

Seven-Leaf was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized that the dishonest Flower Mantis Warrior, who used to coordinate perfectly with Dragon Cypress, hadn't come this year.

It had evolved and become too big to travel here.

Ha! This year, you can't pull off your usual routine alone, can you?

Seven-Leaf felt a burst of joy, then a wave of loss, and asked, "Will the Divine-Given Azure Fruit and the Fruit-Scented Orchid Seed mature together next year?"

Dragon Cypress: "Yes. Next year, I should be able to clear all the debt."

"No hurry, no hurry, no rush to repay."

For insects like Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid, who had the capacity to repay debts, Seven-Leaf preferred them to borrow more and for longer periods.

Seven-Leaf asked, "Can you give me a slightly larger share?"

Dragon Cypress: "Cannot."

"Alright then—"

Seven-Leaf weighed the Spider Silk Bag and said, "Shall I name the price?"

Dragon Cypress: "Go ahead."

Seven-Leaf: "21 Source Stones per seed?"

Dragon Cypress slightly shook his tentacle.

Seven-Leaf: "Okay, we both pursue big things; no need to squabble over these small profits. 22 Source Stones per seed."

"Acceptable," Dragon Cypress nodded his tentacle.

"It's a pleasure doing business."

Seven-Leaf composed himself, briskly agreed, and finalized this quite important trade.

After diligent inquiries, currently across the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent and the Ten Thousand Nations Continent, there isn't a second Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed. The selling price can be slightly above its actual value, and some insects would be willing to buy. A small profit.

"A total of 5,170 Source Stones."

Seven-Leaf quoted, considerately saying, "The 6,000 Source Stones borrowed the year before last can be repaid next year or the year after. Just pay the interest of 600 Source Stones for now."

"Good!"

Dragon Cypress also had this intention, saying, "That leaves a balance of 4,570 Source Stones."

"Yes."

Dragon Cypress: "I want 1,570 Source Stones in cash."

Seven-Leaf thought for a moment and said, "Of course, no problem, as long as you can carry them away."

Dragon Cypress: "If there were another 50 Divine-Given Persimmon Fruit Seeds, I could carry them away."

Seven-Leaf: "..."

Seven-Leaf: "There aren't any this year. The Blossom-Fruit Cycle is five years. I don't have the authority to trade them; I got them from other caravans, and I can't guarantee I'll be able to get them when the time comes."

"Alright then—"

Dragon Cypress asked, "Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord, do you have any Divine-Given Origin Force Food that could benefit evolution to a High-Level Stage?"

Seven-Leaf: "Regrettably, not at this time."

There definitely is! An inequitable trade. Dragon Cypress sold Divine-Given Origin Force Food to the Flame Spider Roving Merchant. The Flame Spider Roving Merchant then delivered these Divine-Given Origin Force Foods to the rich Great Tribes. It was difficult for Dragon Cypress to buy Divine-Given Origin Force Food from the Flame Spider Caravan, at least before reaching the Mountain Lord level.

"Ink Orchid and I control three Divine-Given Seeds!" Dragon Cypress emphasized.

Seven-Leaf: "I know."

Seven-Leaf: "I also hope you can grow and evolve securely and steadily. I'll try my best to find a way."

Heh. Heh. You're making a profit off me and expect me to be grateful, right?

Dragon Cypress was all too familiar with the roving merchant's tricks and said with sincere gratitude, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord, to take extra care."

Seven-Leaf: "No worries! I'll do my best."

Seven-Leaf suggested, "If you and Ink Orchid think the carapace enhancement isn't enough, you could also eat more persimmon seeds produced by ordinary Sky-Blue Persimmon Life Seeds."

"Let's skip the ordinary ones," Dragon Cypress said, shaking his tentacle.

On the Cloud Trace Continent, there were already four ordinary Sky-Blue Persimmon Life Seeds, three of which had matured and started bearing fruit. The Mountain Persimmon insects would continue to select Sky-Blue Persimmon as their Life Seed, with output increasing year by year, soon meeting the needs of all insects on the Cloud Trace Continent.

After considering a bit, Dragon Cypress said, "Then I'll make a couple of trips and pick a batch of good-value ordinary Origin Force Food."

"Great!"

As the thought crossed Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord's mind, the spider silk ropes on his carapace loosened. There was an abundance of ordinary Origin Force Food.

In a chatty tone, Seven-Leaf casually mentioned, "Confirmed news, Melde and White Ivy have split up."

Dragon Cypress was just starting to ponder what to buy when he heard the news. He felt a sense of foreboding and tentatively asked, "Why?"

Seven-Leaf: "Dragon Cypress Ant King, I heard it was the Luoli Caravan that discovered you on the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent and brought you here to establish yourselves. You must know their Lupine, right?"

Dragon Cypress: "I know it."

Seven-Leaf chuckled. "Lupine has evolved into a High-Level Warrior in its seventh Age Period. According to our Flame Spider Tribe's customs, it's time to start independent roving trading. Independent roving merchants need direct elders to provide the trading capital, which is no small burden...

"Being such a clever Ant King, you must clearly understand the situation with Luoli Caravan's White Ivy, right?"

Seven-Leaf, quite the gossip, reined in his spirit and mind before saying, "I guess it's mostly because White Ivy couldn't provide anything decent for Lupine, so Melde and White Ivy fell out.

"Melde has its pressures too. It has to care not only for Lupine and a small Grass Dragon but also for White Ivy, that fifty-year-old big baby of a Flame Spider. Ha ha."

Dragon Cypress: "..."

That's definitely not the case. Everyone knows White Ivy is dirt poor. Melde wouldn't have argued with White Ivy over this. It's probably my fault for trying to collaborate with White Ivy on the 'Origin Force Honey' venture. Screwed up?

Dragon Cypress nonchalantly said, "That's their business."

Dragon Cypress paused, then curiously asked, "Without Melde, White Ivy is nothing. How will she manage? She won't be coming to the Ten Thousand Nations Continent anymore, right?"

Seven-Leaf was equally perplexed. "I heard they split, and Melde took all of White Ivy's merchandise. But somehow, White Ivy managed to borrow a significant amount of Source Stones from Spider King Spurge and is now purchasing all kinds of low-priced, high-quality Origin Force Food everywhere..."

Dragon Cypress: "Uh..."

Dragon Cypress understood instantly, feeling quite frustrated. That White Ivy is a real pain. I've told her so many times, the 'Origin Force Honey' business involves risks; she shouldn't rush, but proceed step by step, gradually opening up the market. She must have been too impatient, thinking of producing in large quantities all at once, then going to Melde to borrow Source Stones, and that's when they fell out. Then she turned around and borrowed Source Stones from Spider King Spurge... Has Spider King Spurge gone senile? Why would he lend Source Stones to that foolish spider?

Dragon Cypress was secretly irritated but kept a calm façade, waving his tentacle at Seven-Leaf. "Bring me 50 Yellow Hibiscus Seeds..."

...

After making his selections, he gathered 3,000 Source Stones' worth of Origin Force Food, filling a medium-sized Spider Silk Bag.

Source Stones were heavy. He would transport 1,000 of them in the first trip.

He retreated deep into the Starship, resting on the Dominating Throne for half a day.

In the mid-afternoon, he made another trip, loading up a large Spider Silk Bag with 3,000 Source Stones' worth of Origin Force Food and 570 Source Stones, transporting it back to the Starship in one go.

Dragon Cypress was one hundred percent sure that White Ivy and Melde had fallen out over the 'Origin Force Honey' project, and he was just as certain that White Ivy would come this year. By borrowing Source Stones from Spider King Spurge, White Ivy had placed herself on the edge of a cliff. She couldn't afford another loss; one more, and she would be beyond redemption.

「Pondering over it, Dragon Cypress returned to Fragant Orchid Mountain overnight.」

Hurriedly unloading, he vigorously waved his tentacle, relaying messages layer by layer inside the Ant Nest.

Before long, Fragrant Cypress came running, escorted by a swarm of Worker Ants.

"Great King? What's happened?"

"Fragrant Cypress, how many unfed Blue Ants are there, roughly?"

"Forty Specialized Blue Ants, forty Large Blue Ants..."

"Not enough! First, transfer the gourd containers. Mobilize 100 Specialized Blue Ants and 50 Large Blue Ants. Start immediately! Refine Divine-Given Southern Sour Jujube Seeds and Scarletlight Seeds. Produce Southern Sour Jujube Ant King Honey and Scarletlight Ant King Honey."

"Great King? The gourd containers can't hold that much Ant Honey, can they?"

"Then have the Worker Ants and Soldier Ants eat their fill. If there's still excess, dig a hole, and they can vomit it in there. Rush the production. After it's done, they can eat it back into their stomachs."