CHAPTER 378: CHAPTER 364: NO BETRAYAL_3

Dragon Cypress: "After the harvest is over... when the Divine-Given Seed of Purple Tung is ripe, bring it over together and trade in bulk."

The three Mountain Lords agreed.

...

After sending off Mountain Thorn, Magnolia Bark, and Fuzzy Flower, Dragon Cypress clearly laid out the upcoming plans, arranged all the tasks, and the Dominating Throne carried Ink Orchid through the air to Wuye’s territory.

Wuye was currently guarding beneath a Blood Bark Maple Life Seed Tree whose fruit was about to ripen.

"Wuye!"

Before the Dominating Throne landed, Ink Orchid kicked off and leapt forward, flickering through the air, and landed right in front of Wuye.

"Mountain Lord Ink Orchid. Ant King Dragon Cypress."

Wuye asked hopefully, "Has the trading started? Are you here to our Barley Bug Warrior territory to trade?"

Ink Orchid: "...No."

Ink Orchid: "That would be way too troublesome."

Dragon Cypress: "Every year, at a fixed time, everyone comes together under the Purple Tung Divine-Given Seed Tree to trade with us."

The Dominating Throne docked steadily.

Dragon Cypress landed, carrying a Spider Silk Bag, and handed it to Wuye, saying: "Inside is Ant King Honey worth 10,000 Source Stones, brewed from Divine-Given Origin Force Food. It will help with your evolution and growth."

"Oh—"

Wuye seemed a bit at a loss.

Ink Orchid said, "You put in great effort attacking the Termite Kingdom. This is a gift from Dragon Cypress and me."

Dragon Cypress said, "Wuye, you’re not young anymore—you need to hurry up and evolve. From now on, every year, Ink Orchid and I will gift you Ant King Honey worth 10,000 Source Stones, until you reach Mountain Lord Level."

"Ant King Dragon Cypress, Mountain Lord Ink Orchid, I should be thanking you. It was you who rescued the Barley Bug Tribe from the hateful Termite Kingdom."

Dragon Cypress gently shook his tentacle.

Ink Orchid urged, "Wuye, just accept it. When you finish the Ant King Honey, remember to return the metal can to us."

"...Alright."

Wuye reached out his claw to take the item, hesitated, and said, "Ant King Dragon Cypress, I want to borrow your Dominating Throne to accelerate my evolution once."

Dragon Cypress: "Of course, no problem. About when? Let me know in advance."

Wuye: "Early next spring."

Wuye explained, "I obtained a Divine-Given Seed of Harewood. I want to gather it into my Life Pouch as early as possible to nurture it... After discussions among the tribal warriors, they decided to reward me with it..."

Ink Orchid: "???"

Dragon Cypress: "???"

Dragon Cypress asked suspiciously, "This Divine-Given Seed is..."

Wuye: "The Purple Tung Insect Nation is vast. The White Poplar Ant King and his ten Assistant Kings search for Divine-Given Seeds by mobilizing worker ants to harvest during the fruiting season, then concentrate everything and sweep through it with spiritual power—it’s efficient and quick."

Wuye: "So, we Barley Bug Warriors, before the harvest season starts, take advantage of the nights when the termites are resting to scour the mountains. Whenever we find a Divine-Given Seed, we either destroy it or secretly collect and hide it."

Dragon Cypress: "..."

Ink Orchid: "..."

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid had long wondered—how could such a vast Purple Tung Insect Nation, with such a great Origin Force environment, in over a hundred years have only two Divine-Given Seeds?

Turns out it was the Barley Bug Warriors pulling tricks behind the scenes!

Wuye paused, then continued: "But we dare not nurture them ourselves as Life Seeds. This Harewood Divine-Given Seed was found four years ago and hidden away. Mountain Lord Fuzzy Flower would occasionally use her healing ability to sustain its life, but it can’t last much longer—it has to be nurtured soon."

Ink Orchid suddenly turned and glared at Dragon Cypress: Didn’t you say there must be a traitor among Mountain Thorn, Magnolia Bark, and Fuzzy Flower?

Dragon Cypress was grave as well.

If a steward-level Mountain Lord warrior was colluding with the White Poplar Ant King, there’s no way they’d organize their tribe to do this kind of thing.

Was my earlier judgment wrong?

Then perhaps some Mountain Lord-level Barley Bug Warriors are only pretending to submit and join, tricking the White Poplar Ant King into thinking everything is under control...

Dragon Cypress felt another wave of delight rise in his heart.

If deeds like destroying or hoarding Divine-Given Seeds were ever exposed, those guys would all die.

Since they’re all still alive, that alone shows that no Barley Bug Warrior has betrayed their tribe—meaning they’re still united inside.

A united Barley Bug Tribe is much more reassuring to the insects.

On the contrary, a Barley Bug Tribe filled with mutual suspicion and open and hidden strife could erupt in incident at any time.

Dragon Cypress: "The Dominating Throne has the miraculous power to repair damaged Divine-Given Seeds. Wuye, bring over your Harewood Divine-Given Seed—I’ll give it a try."

"Okay!"

Wuye grabbed a Spider Silk Bag, rushed back into the cave, and quickly came out with a gourd container, handing it to Dragon Cypress.

Dragon Cypress opened it, poured out an oval-shaped fruit core, and scanned it with spiritual power—the natural Original Energy Patterns were dull, and the Origin Force Fluctuation was weak.

It had been stored too long—the seed’s Primordial Energy and Life Force were nearly depleted.

Dragon Cypress jumped onto the Throne and placed the seed on the cushion.

At once, a prompt appeared in his soul consciousness:

[Natural System Origin Force Plant Seed detected, state: critical. Heal?]

Dragon Cypress chose [Yes]

In the next instant, blue primordial energy erupted, pouring into the Harewood Divine-Given Seed, highly concentrated, fusing into a blue cocoon of light.

It only lasted a short time before Dragon Cypress received another notification from the Dominating Throne:

[Healing complete]

The seed, which had been at death’s door, burst forth with new vitality, and its dim Original Energy Patterns regained their luster.

"Done!"

Dragon Cypress took a small spider silk bag, packed the seed, handed it to Wuye, and said, "Next spring, the Dominating Throne will help you evolve. The earlier you gather it into your Life Pouch, the sooner you can sow and harvest."

"Thank you!"

Wuye stared in a daze, then snapped to and thanked him joyfully.

Ink Orchid’s eyes sparkled as she asked, "Wuye, how many Divine-Given Seeds have you collected? Any more damaged ones? We’ll help heal them!"

Wuye: "...No more."