Ant Lord in the Star Realm

The annual winter fishing event.

Ink Orchid remained at Xianglan Mountain to rest.

Dragon Cypress carried Cypress to Black Lotus Lake.

Then headed to Southern Sour Jujube Mountain to survey the situation.

After nearly two years, all the land that had been half cleared with the help of Mulberry's Fire System Ability had been reclaimed, so the fruit seedlings could be transplanted at the beginning of spring next year.

Round Cypress and Silver Cypress stayed behind to direct the ant colony in clearing vegetation and constructing firebreaks.

Black Cory returned to Black Lotus Lake to help with the fishing.

Dragon Cypress controlled the Dominating Throne, tirelessly shuttling among Xianglan Mountain, Black Lotus Lake, and Southern Sour Jujube Mountain.

After finishing all the work,

The problem of food for the Ant Kingdom was resolved,

they went to Scarletlight Mountain, brought Mulberry over, and once again used the Fire System Ability to selectively burn the other half of the Southern Sour Jujube Mountain's forest, preserving part of the original woodland to maintain biodiversity.

After a year of development, the Southern Sour Jujube Mountain ant nest now had 500 Specialized Worker Ants and 500 Large Worker Ants.

With more Worker Ants, efficiency naturally improved. It was estimated the land reclamation at Southern Sour Jujube Mountain would be completed next year.

Because of the existence of the Night Fragrance God-Given Seed, the next Land of Origin Force to be transformed was set to be White Lotus Lake.

The main crops would be determined as: Persimmon Trees led by Sky Blue Persimmon; Lotus led by Black Lotus; Chestnut Trees led by Dominant Chestnut; Peach Trees led by Black Emperor Peach; Apple Trees led by Red Dominant; multiple top-level Pine Trees led by Golden Pine; Poplar Trees led by Small-Leaf Black Poplar; mixed with Cypress, strawberry, raspberry and other plants.

…

…

…

In the midst of busy work, it was once again the season when Molan Flowers bloomed.

Ink Orchid borrowed the Dominating Throne to enter hibernation and evolve.

Dragon Cypress finally got a few days of leisure and checked the management results of Xianglan Mountain over the past year.

Nourished by the exuviae of the Divine-Given Seed of Dragon Cypress, the greatest beneficiaries were the seven Cypress Life Seeds: Dragon Cypress, Round Cypress, Spiked Cypress, Giant Cypress, Fragrant Cypress, Cypress, and Silver Cypress. After a year of rapid growth, even the last-sown Silver Cypress Life Seed had reached a height of over 20 meters.

Close relatives of Cypress—Large Fruit Hemlock, Great King Fir, Golden Pine and other Life Seed plants—also grew well.

Other Life Seed plants had various degrees of growth as well.

It could be estimated that this year, the ordinary Life Seed plants of Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid could bring in over 15,000 Source Stones in income. Ink Orchid's Orchid Grass Life Seed had held them back a bit.

Azure Blue Reservoir.

The five Azure Trees sown the year before had all grown to just over four meters in height.

The 89 Azure Trees sown last year had all reached slightly over two meters tall.

Likewise, the Water Stone Banyan Life Seeds sown last year, with Divine-Given Remains as fertilizer and the Water System Primordial Energy Field bestowed by the Deep Blue God-Given Seed, had grown to just over three meters in only a year, beginning to take shape as little trees.

In contrast, the Deep Blue God-Given Seed itself only benefited slightly from the Divine-Given Remains. Its tree height was now just over 35 meters, a little more than two meters taller than last year.

Referring to the Huagi Divine Tree and Night Fragrance God-Given Seed, Dragon Cypress felt it was necessary to impart all kinds of knowledge and information to his own Life Seed God-Given Seed in order to accumulate wisdom.

Southern Gorgon was too stupid and wouldn't be considered for the time being.

Azure was the ideal candidate for cultivation.

He could first teach it some knowledge about animals and plants.

"Azure, do you recognize this wild grass?"

Dragon Cypress randomly pointed at an inconspicuous weed and asked.

Azure: "...No, I don't."

Dragon Cypress: "This is Shesui, it likes shade and humidity, isn't picky about soil. If bred as a Life Seed, it enhances Water Element Ability."

Azure: "...Got it."

Dragon Cypress randomly pointed at another weed and asked, "And this one? Don't recognize it, right?"

Azure: "I don't know it."

Dragon Cypress: "Stinging Nettle, a plant with super-strong environmental adaptability that can survive anywhere—you see it all over the continent. Variants include Small-Leaf Stinging Nettle, Three-Leaf Stinging Grass..."

Dragon Cypress first introduced Azure to some inconspicuous weeds within the ecosystem it managed.

Afterward, he gathered various plant specimens on the mountain and brought them to Azure, giving detailed explanations.

Time flew by, and four days passed in a flash.

A fluctuation of Origin Force came from the North Mountain, and Ink Orchid's hibernation evolution reached the final stage. Dragon Cypress hurried home to wait.

Giant Cypress, leading the Soldier Ants, was keeping watch at the entrance, craning its neck to peek inside with great caution.

"Giant Cypress~"

Dragon Cypress called out.

"Great King!"

Giant Cypress was startled and quickly shrank its head back, timidly saying, "Great King, it seems, Second King is about to wake up~"

"Go notify Spiked Cypress and Fragrant Cypress and lead the Soldier Ants out hunting. We'll hold a banquet to celebrate tonight." Dragon Cypress waved its tentacle, shooing him away.

"Got it, Great King." Giant Cypress, surrounded by the Soldier Ants, left.

Dragon Cypress lay down at the entrance.

After waiting in boredom for half a day, at dusk, a wave of spiritual power swept over his head.

Dragon Cypress turned his head to look. On the Dominating Throne, Ink Orchid had completed its molting evolution and was examining the changes brought by its evolution.

Because of the species, Ink Orchid had been plump as a youngster, but as its evolution advanced, its form began to become slender and agile.

And because it had eaten all kinds of food to strengthen comprehensive physique, even a High-Level 5th Age Flower Mantis Warrior had reached a body length of about 1.8 meters.

"Dragon Cypress?"

"Here—"

"How many days did I sleep?"

"Exactly four days."

"Oh~ Not bad!"

Ink Orchid picked up the Metal Case, infused Origin Force to open it, bowed its head, spat out the nurtured Cuihua Hanlan Divine-Given Seed, picked up the prepared Water Stone Banyan Seed and placed it in the Life Pouch, then infused Origin Force again to close the Metal Case and passed it to Dragon Cypress.

"The Divine-Given Seed has strong life force. Let's sow it as soon as possible!"

"Alright!"

Dragon Cypress took the items and jogged out of the cave, heading straight to the woodland below Shandong Reservoir on the southern side of the mountain range.

Over a year ago, the plot had been planned and reclaimed, and Divine-Given Remains mixed with humus soil had been used to prepare the seedling substrate—just waiting for this Divine-Given Seed to be bred.

...

The banquet was held in celebration, and then Dragon Cypress, Ink Orchid, Fragrant Cypress, and Cypress kept watch at the place where the Cuihua Hanlan Divine-Given Seed was planted.

At midnight, Spiked Cypress also came to join the fun.

In eyes filled with eager anticipation, as the morning light arrived, the seed sprouted and broke through the soil.

Dragon Cypress twitched his tentacle.

Immediately, a Worker Ant approached carrying Source Stones, scraping powder and scattering it.

A continuous, small supplement of Origin Force.

By noon, the first and second leaf buds unfurled.

By dusk, the two tender leaves had grown to four or five centimeters high, and the third leaf bud was breaking through.

Dragon Cypress and the others quietly kept watch.

One night and another day later, the parent plant grew five slender leaves and stood just over ten centimeters tall.

It was just the beginning of spring, and the weather was still a bit chilly. 'Cuihua Hanlan' was truly a fitting name—a very cold-tolerant species of Orchid Grass.

Another two days later, the parent plant had seven leaves and surpassed twenty centimeters in height, growing rapidly yet steadily.

Dragon Cypress: "It needs time to grow and accumulate energy, so it can develop underground stolons and offshoots."

Dragon Cypress: "Fragrant Cypress, Cypress, you two guard it well and don't be stingy with Source Stones. Use ten a day."

Dragon Cypress: "Spiked Cypress, you hurry back to Shanxi Reservoir and guard the checkpoint properly."

Dragon Cypress: "Ink Orchid, you can stay and observe to see what multiplication rate the Cuihua Hanlan Divine-Given Seed has."

Dragon Cypress gave quick instructions, piloted the Dominating Throne off the ground, and said, "The transplanting work at Southern Sour Jujube Mountain can begin now. I'll go transport the fruit seedlings..."

...

Black Lotus Lake, Black Cory directed Worker Ants to dig up the cultivated fruit seedlings with their soil.

Dragon Cypress made three trips a day to Southern Sour Jujube Mountain, completing the delivery in just three days.

Over at Southern Sour Jujube Mountain, Round Cypress and Silver Cypress were responsible for planting.

It was all settled in five days.

Black Cory remained at Black Lotus Lake to continue nursery and reclamation work.

Cypress stayed to garrison Southern Sour Jujube Mountain.

Dragon Cypress carried Round Cypress and a group of Worker Ants, Soldier Ants, and Blue Ants and rushed to Kiwifruit Mountain.

PS: An extra update—recommending a friend's book, "Farming to Immortality: Building a Heavenly Court on the Kunpeng"

Immortal cultivation + farming + lord + true spirit Pokémon. If you like, check it out. The new book is out—please help favorite and follow it, everyone!