Ant Lord in the Star Realm

Twilight,

Melde slowly walked into the forest.

"Melde!" Dragon Cypress shook the spider silk bag, calling out warmly.

"Dragon Cypress…" Melde hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back.

Dragon Cypress knew well that, in this matter, Melde was caught in a difficult position.

This time, if White Ivy lost out again, it would still fall to Melde to clean up the mess; if White Ivy made a profit, then she would not return to Melde's caravan.

His own actions had brought great trouble to Melde; Dragon Cypress felt a bit guilty and uneasy.

"Last year's production of the Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed—I and Ink Orchid didn't eat any, we saved 170 seeds for you."

"Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord is buying for 22 Source Stones per seed, same price for everyone, you'll buy at this rate too—is that alright?"

Dragon Cypress gave the spider silk bag another shake.

"Alright—"

Melde manipulated a spider silk rope to take it, opening it for inspection.

"3,740 Source Stones. What do you need?"

"1,740 Source Stones in goods right now. Also, a batch worth 2,000 Source Stones—high-quality Origin Force Food specializing in enhanced carapace. Melde, help me mix it."

"Okay—"

Melde undid the spider silk rope from her back carapace and began to prepare the goods.

Dragon Cypress asked, "I heard the 7th age-period High-Level Warrior from Lupine is about to start independent roving trade?"

Melde: "Yes. This year, Lupine and Grass Dragon are responsible for the trades on the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent side."

"Time really flies!"

Dragon Cypress sighed, then asked, "Melde, will you return to the Wan Country Continent next year?"

Melde: "I'll come again the year after next."

Dragon Cypress suggested, "You could bring Grass Dragon the year after next. I'm also preparing to evolve into a 3rd age-period High-Level Ant King after the spring trade that year…"

Melde gave a light sigh and asked, "Ink Orchid can't come over anymore?"

It was obvious.

Dragon Cypress nodded his tentacle, answering silently.

The two fell silent, finishing the trade in quiet.

…

…

…

Xianglan Mountain.

Dragon Cypress, together with Round Cypress, Spiked Cypress, Giant Cypress, Fragrant Cypress, and Cypress, gathered to tally up the spring trade profits for the year.

They specially opened up a warehouse to store Source Stones.

At once, the warehouse's Source Stone reserves reached more than 6,100.

White Ivy had delivered Origin Force Food worth 91,000 Source Stones, with about 52,500 Source Stones worth remaining. And this was White Ivy's calculation at the caravan's buying price. If Dragon Cypress sold it on Cloud Trace Continent, he could add another 20% in profit.

There was also high-quality Origin Force Food worth 5,000 Source Stones, sourced from mountain lord territories purchased from Seven-Leaf and Melde.

And miscellaneous goods left over from last year, originally planned as early summer trade capital this year, totaling goods of about 8,000 Source Stones in value.

All of which could be used by everyone for evolution and growth.

White Ivy's unexpected arrival was truly a huge stroke of luck.

All the surplus Divine-Given Scarletlight Fruit, which was completely unusable, had been sold.

Some of the surplus Divine-Given Southern Sour Jujube Seeds were also sold off.

White Ivy took away goods priced at 115,000 Source Stones, and Dragon Cypress made a tidy 11,500 Source Stones from it—a truly effortless gain.

All of a sudden, there was far more Origin Force Food in the warehouse than they could ever consume.

A dreamlike feeling of instant wealth.

"Fragrant Cypress, organize the Blue Ants to refine 5,000 Source Stones worth of Origin Force Food, and divide it into five jars. Round Cypress, Spiked Cypress, Giant Cypress, Fragrant Cypress, Cypress, you each take one jar to start eating."

"Next, everyone will be allocated what they need, distributing at the rate of once every half year, progressing steadily in evolution, and rising to High-Level Life as soon as possible."

"Understood, Great King!"

"Long live the Great King!"

They all cheered together.

Fresh game hunted from the jungle was stewed in a pot for soup; a grand banquet was held in celebration.

...

The next day,

Dragon Cypress personally blended and prepared three jars of Origin Force Ant Honey each worth 1,000 Source Stones for Ink Orchid. Since Ink Orchid could no longer pass through the Starship fissure, he could eat freely, speeding up his evolution.

Dragon Cypress also blended a jar each worth 500 Source Stones of Origin Force Ant Honey for Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple. The two little ones needed to grow up as soon as possible and become self-reliant.

Dragon Cypress made a trip to Kiwifruit Mountain to deliver Origin Force Food, share the good news of this unexpected windfall, and check on their developments there.

...

Back at Xianglan Mountain.

Dragon Cypress began two tests.

First,

Using the small jar of Bee King Jelly gifted by White Ivy and following her method, at specifications of 1,000, 2,000, and 3,000 Source Stones, he refined and sealed three sample jars and set them in the storage vault.

He opened them for inspection every three months, a long-term observation.

Dragon Cypress wanted to determine how long this method of storage could actually preserve them.

The second test,

Upon learning about the exceptionally rare and precious Origin Force item known as 'Bee King Jelly,' Dragon Cypress immediately began cultivating miniaturization blue ants.

After 24 days, the first batch of seven feather-transformed individuals emerged.

Southern Gorgon's buds were just poking out, with several days to go before full bloom.

The Divine-Given Southern Sour Jujube was also set to flower this year.

Dragon Cypress hurried off to Southern Sour Jujube Mountain.

It was blooming season.

Scattered clusters of tiny, white flowers veined with reddish-brown patterns.

Dragon Cypress shrank the Dominating Throne to about one meter in diameter, and slowly drew closer.

Tentacles touched the flowering branches.

The seven miniaturization blue ants, each just over a centimeter long, crawled from Dragon Cypress's hind legs onto his back and abdomen, then up to his head, and from there along his tentacle onto the flower branches.

Dragon Cypress gently swayed his tentacle, issuing constant commands, directing them with meticulous precision.

The seven miniaturization blue ants climbed onto the flowers, cautiously licking nectar and pollen, doing an initial refinement and storing it in their bellies.

When a certain amount had been gathered, they climbed back onto Dragon Cypress's tentacle and returned to the Throne, mouth-to-mouth transferring the materials to a medium-sized blue ant on the Throne, which then further refined it.

Even at High-Level, miniaturization blue ants had no learning ability; they had to be constantly watched, always given action instructions, directed at every step.

It was mentally draining.

After a busy morning, the medium-sized blue ant's belly had a small stockpile.

Expelled onto a wooden dish made from Keg Vine Seed, it was a blob no bigger than a mung bean.

Semi-transparent white, thick and creamy like an ointment.

With a faint, persistent condensation of Origin Force.

Very similar to Bee King Jelly.

The color was different, the concentration of Origin Force even higher, so sealing should be even better.

——It works!

——But it's costly and exhausting, commanding seven blue ants is already the limit, efficiency is too low, and the yield is tiny.

——A single bottle would wear me out.

——But just one tiny jar sells for 3,000 Source Stones, which is enough to make every ant's heart race.

——There are as many as eight Divine-Given Seeds on Cloud Trace Continent now, not harvesting them is just wasting opportunities.

Dragon Cypress, smelling the flowers, was conflicted.

Finally, he waved his tentacle and ordered the medium-sized blue ant to take back the 'Ant King Jelly' from the dish and store it in its abdomen, then told the seven miniaturization blue ants to eat and rest.

Dragon Cypress also picked a broad leaf to cover his eyes and rested under the Divine-Given Southern Sour Jujube for a while, recuperating.

He continued in the afternoon.

...

This year he'd come a bit late; of over four thousand Southern Sour Jujube blossoms, he only managed to harvest half before the rest wilted.

Dragon Cypress returned to Xianglan Mountain, rested two days, and then the Divine-Given Southern Gorgon bloomed.

The Dominating Throne carried Dragon Cypress and Fragrant Cypress as it gently descended and approached.

"Dragon Cypress, what are you doing?"

Southern Gorgon saw Dragon Cypress directing Worker Ants onto her flowers and instinctively raised her guard, asking in confusion.

Dragon Cypress: "Gathering pollen to brew Ant King Jelly."

Southern Gorgon: "Ant King Jelly?"

"A delicious thing. It doesn't hurt the fruiting of the flowers. Don't fuss, I'll give you Source Stones."

Dragon Cypress waved his tentacle. On the bank, specialized Blue Soldiers were bringing Large Worker Ants, each carrying Source Stones in their jaws, up.

"Oh—"

Southern Gorgon quieted down. If Source Stones were given, it was fine.

Gorgon Fruit flowers were large—that was convenient.

Dragon Cypress and Fragrant Cypress took turns directing the miniaturization blue ants to work.

There were only 93 blossoms in total, so the harvesting was finished in less than two days.

The yield wasn't much; together with what was gathered from the Divine-Given Southern Sour Jujube and White Ivy's gifted little jar, it only filled a third.

Made a small profit of 1,000 Source Stones.

The main thing was being able to break free from dependence on White Ivy and produce his own long-term storage jars of 'Origin Force Honey.'