Ant Lord in the Star Realm

In the Ant Kingdom, there are insurmountable class divisions.

Strictly speaking, there are only two classes: the Ant Queen and the Common Ants.

Intelligent Ants and Giant Ants are talent abilities that the Natural God bestows upon the ant species after their evolution into Origin Force Life.

Thus, in the Ant Kingdom at the level of Origin Force Life, there emerged three distinct classes: the Ant King, Command Ant (Assistant King), and Common Ants.

The Ant King possesses limitless evolution potential and is the absolute ruler of the kingdom.

Command Ants have only limited evolution potential and can only command their corresponding type of Common Ants.

Common Ants cannot evolve; they obey orders, follow commands, and live out their brief lives in a flurry of activity.

The class division is unbridgeable, a law set by the Natural God.

Dragon Cypress doubted his own senses, suspecting he had misheard in his daze.

"Evolution?"

"Evolution."

"Black Cory?"

"Black Cory."

"You fed it Origin Force Food?"

"Ordinary Origin Force Food won't do; it has to be a Black Lotus Seed."

"Black Lotus Seed?!"

Dragon Cypress controlled the Dominating Throne to accelerate, descending directly towards the Ant Nest on the slope.

Black Cory was making a show of meticulously commanding the Worker Ants to clear the weeds on the slope. But judging by the work's progress, it was clear this fellow hadn't seriously worked a single day during Dragon Cypress's absence. Black Cory itself was bustling about, putting on quite an act; only when the Dominating Throne landed did it seem to notice, looking up and then scurrying forward in a fluster.

It waved its tentacles, clearly conveying a series of messages: "Great King—I'm working! I didn't notice you arriving."

Its body size had shrunk from the original 90 centimeters to about 80 centimeters. Its size had decreased instead of increased; however, there was a notable improvement in the quality of its carapace. Upon closer observation, the most significant change was in its tentacles, which had evolved from 6 segments to 7, appearing more dexterous and flexible. There were also slight changes in the Origin Force Fluctuation from its body; the aura of a High-Level Specialized Worker Ant was now mixed with a hint of the Origin Force Fluctuation characteristic of Intelligent Ants and Giant Ants.

"Black Cory, you've evolved?" Dragon Cypress inquired.

"Molting Evolution," Black Cory answered uneasily.

"Black Cory? Great King, you've named it?" Cypress, beside Dragon Cypress, waved its tentacles and interrogated Black Cory, "Are you that fellow who always leads the team in slacking off?"

"...It's not me," Black Cory denied.

"Stop quibbling; it's you!" Dragon Cypress asserted.

Black Cory was silent.

"Great King, punish it!" Cypress urged.

Dragon Cypress waved its tentacles, signaling Cypress to be quiet. He scrutinized Black Cory for a while, then inquired, "Black Cory, did you use a Black Lotus Seed to evolve?"

"Yes," Black Cory affirmed.

"What about ordinary Origin Force Food?" Dragon Cypress asked.

"Before evolution, it couldn't be consumed," Black Cory explained. "After evolution… it can be consumed, but most of it dissipates, and only a small portion can be absorbed."

Dragon Cypress nodded his tentacles lightly, beginning to understand. "Oh..." he murmured, the pieces falling into place.

Currently, Black Cory was using Molting Evolution to leap from the level of a Specialized Worker Ant to that of a Command Ant. This new level would possess the functions of both Intelligent Ants and Giant Ants.

Dragon Cypress's mind was filled with serious questions.

What specific category does the strengthening effect of Black Lotus Seeds fall into? Are Black Lotus Seeds effective only for a special individual like Black Cory, or do they work for all Specialized Worker Ants? It should only be effective for special beings like Black Cory.

Black Cory was already unique; it was smarter than other Specialized Worker Ants and could command Worker Ants, Soldier Ants, Blue Ants, and Blue Soldiers, just like an Ant King—that was its most distinctive trait.

So, is the existence of a special being like Black Cory a rare mutation born by chance, or can it be cultivated in a specific way?

Regarding this question, Dragon Cypress had already begun experimenting. Inside the Xianglan Mountain Ant Nest, there were seven Specialized Worker Ant Larvae. Dragon Cypress had used pheromones to stimulate their differentiation towards Intelligent Worker Ants and Gigantification Soldier Ants. He was continuing to cultivate and observe them carefully; the answer would be known by the following spring.

The command abilities of Intelligent Ants and Giant Ants have innate limitations. If this restriction could be broken, they could play a significant role in the future development of other Origin Force Points. For example, the upcoming development of Southern Sour Jujube Mountain requires opening a large sub-nest and assigning a colony to be stationed there permanently. For this, an Intelligent Worker Ant would be needed to lead Worker Ants in managing the territory. Additionally, a Gigantification Soldier Ant would be required to lead Soldier Ants in ensuring security and hunting for food. Two Command Ants would need to be dispatched there for me, the Ant King, to not have to worry about it at all. But if it were a 'multifunctional Command Ant' like Black Cory, then only one would be sufficient.

Lately, Dragon Cypress had been worried about not having enough Command Ants and not being able to afford the resources to cultivate more.

"White Willow, your Black Lotus Life Seed doesn't produce much, does it?"

"That's true."

"You gave the rest to Black Cory?"

"All to it."

"...Understood."

Dragon Cypress put down the wooden board and issued his commands.

"Cypress, you lead the ant swarm. Rest in the temporary Ant Nest here for tonight and start the fishing work tomorrow morning."

"Got it, Great King!" Cypress agreed, directing the ant swarm to line up and head to the ground.

"Black Cory, you stay behind to help Cypress. Command the Worker Ants to separate the prey and direct the Blue Ants in the refinement and storage process."

"Okay, Great King," Black Cory responded.

"If you slack off again, Cypress will severely discipline you," Dragon Cypress warned.

"I don't slack off..." Black Cory muttered.

「…」

Dragon Cypress returned to Xianglan Mountain overnight. In the Ant Nest's storage warehouse for Origin Force Food, 54 Black Lotus Seeds remained. These were saved for Ink Orchid, who was busy on Cold Orchid Mountain, and so they had been preserved.

At the South Mountain Restaurant, Dragon Cypress took out the items. He first peeled one seed and ate it himself, then settled down to carefully sense its effects. The Origin Force went to his brain, enhancing something there, but he couldn't distinguish the type of enhancement.

There once was an Insect Tribe that settled by Black Lotus Lake, cultivating and selecting quality tree species such as Black Lotus, White Willow, and Maple Poplar. Among them, Black Lotus was the most precious and likely on the same level as the 'Six Paths Wood' of Six Peaks Mountain. With the special enhancement effect of the Black Lotus Seed combined with Black Cory's special mutation, did these two special conditions break the shackles of the Natural God's laws? The warehouse also has Six Paths Wood Seeds and Ghost Fan Seeds. Both types of Origin Force Food act on the brain, one strengthening the soul and the other spiritual power. Would they be useful for Black Cory's evolution?

After pondering for a long time, Dragon Cypress first entered the Hatchery. He supplied a dose of growth-promoting pheromones to the seven individually-cultivated Specialized Worker Ant larvae. He also released a small extra amount of pheromones designed to stimulate development toward 'Giant Ant' and 'Intelligent Ant' forms.

He observed the changes. So far, there's no obvious difference from ordinary Specialized Worker Ant larvae, Dragon Cypress noted. I'll have to keep watching, but I'm not holding out much hope.

Dragon Cypress entered the storage room and took out all the Black Lotus Seeds. He also extracted 20 Six Paths Wood Seeds and 20 Ghost Fan Seeds. He put them all into a bag and placed it on the Dominating Throne.

He then mobilized 20 Specialized Blue Soldiers, 20 Large Blue Soldiers, 50 Specialized Blue Ants, and 30 Large Blue Ants to set off for Black Lotus Lake.

「…」

Cypress worked diligently, commanding 60 Specialized Blue Soldiers and 60 Large Blue Soldiers to encircle and capture schools of fish on the lake surface.

Black Cory, that character, was commanding two medium-sized Worker Ants up a tree, carefully pruning the fruiting branches of White Willow's Arbor Life Seed.

White Willow stood by, watching terrified and anxious.

"Dragon Cypress Ant King—" White Willow rushed over, explaining with some trepidation, "The fish haven't been brought up yet, and Black Cory is helping me prune the fruiting branches in the meantime."

"...I know," Dragon Cypress said. "White Willow, just give Black Cory a few Black Lotus Seeds as a reward later."

"Okay! I'll give them all to Black Cory!" White Willow agreed eagerly. It executed two difficult aerial rolls in succession, vibrated its wings, and took off vertically. It then flew towards the distant lake surface, circling above Cypress's head.

Cypress looked toward the shore and saw the Dominating Throne, immediately commanding the Blue Soldiers to line up and rush to the bank.

Dragon Cypress put down the wooden board and issued commands for the Blue Soldiers and Blue Ants he had brought to line up and head to the ground.

"Great King!" Black Cory approached hesitantly, greeting Dragon Cypress.

"You're never this diligent when working on Xianglan Mountain!" Dragon Cypress scolded irritably, then shook his tentacles, signaling Black Cory to come closer.

He scanned Black Cory with his spiritual power and asked, "You have a recuperation period after your Molting Evolution, don't you?"

Black Cory conveyed its confusion, "I... don't know."

Dragon Cypress picked up the Spider Silk Bag and opened it. He pinched a Six Paths Wood Seed, peeled its husk, and exposed the nut inside. After thinking for a moment, he used his tarsal claw to cut off a tiny one-third piece and handed it to Black Cory, saying, "Try eating some of this."

Black Cory was silent for a moment, then did as told.

Dragon Cypress covered Black Cory entirely with his spiritual power, carefully sensing the Origin Force fluctuations.

Soon, imperceptible wisps of Primordial Energy began to emanate from Black Cory's head.

"How much Primordial Energy did you absorb?" Dragon Cypress asked.

"Less than a fifth," Black Cory replied.

"You can absorb the enhancement from Origin Force Food, but the efficiency is extremely low," Dragon Cypress observed.

"Yes, Great King," Black Cory affirmed.

Dragon Cypress tapped his tentacles, then peeled another Ghost Fan Seed, again taking only a third of the nut, and gave it to Black Cory to try.

The result was the same.

Finally, Dragon Cypress peeled a Black Lotus Seed and gave the whole thing to Black Cory to eat.

The effect of the Black Lotus Seed was significant. Only a very small amount of Primordial Energy escaped, while the vast majority was absorbed by Black Cory's brain.

There's no need for further experimentation; only Black Lotus Seeds have a significant effect on Black Cory's evolution!

"Great King?" Cypress came ashore, its mental projection tinged with confusion and unease as it greeted Dragon Cypress.

It didn't really like Black Cory. None of the five Command Ants of Xianglan Mountain liked Black Cory, the fellow who could tempt other ants into slacking off with him.

"It's nothing. Cypress, make sure you balance work with rest. Come over here and take a break."

Dragon Cypress handed the Spider Silk Bag to Cypress, saying, "All the Black Lotus Seeds are for Black Cory. Give it one a day; make sure it eats them slowly. You and White Willow can split the Six Paths Wood Seeds and Ghost Fan Seeds."