CHAPTER 382: CHAPTER 367: ADVANCED CONSUMPTION: DIVINE-GRADE SIX PATHS FRUIT

North slope of the hill, at the entrance to the Starship wreckage.

Seven-Leaf, Melde, White Ivy, and Grass Dragon lay quietly in wait.

"Natsumi and the others are back."

Seven-Leaf stood up and said calmly, "Red Moonseed is with them. Looks like it worked!"

Wow!

Oh!

White Ivy and Grass Dragon jumped up with excitement.

Look at you two, acting like children~ Melde stood up calmly, secretly letting out a breath of relief.

The battle between Dragon Cypress and the Termite Kingdom was of huge significance. If they succeeded, all spiders involved in trades with it would prosper. Especially Melde and White Ivy—both had the right to trade in Divine-Grade Baihe Fruit, and could buy with Source Stone.

If this battle secured the White Poplar Divine Seed, White Ivy and Melde would be qualified to enter the Divine-Grade trade, taking their roving merchant careers to a whole new level.

But if they failed...

All those wonderful dreams would come to nothing.

If Dragon Cypress ran into any trouble, the three Spider Kings—Spurge, Aconite, and Wormwood—who’d wagered heavily, would lose so much they’d cough blood, and White Ivy and Grass Dragon’s Origin Force Honey trade would immediately collapse...

...

Natsumi ran at the front, directing the little spiders to land and go through the entrance first, while she herself twisted sideways, drawing up her legs in a crouch, squeezing herself out with effort.

White Ivy manipulated spider silk, hooked a front leg around her, and pulled her out, asking, "Natsumi, what’s the situation?"

Natsumi: "A sweeping victory! The White Poplar Divine Seed was already sown at the very beginning of this spring..."

White Ivy didn’t see Red Peach and was about to ask.

Silvergrass jumped in, saying, "The White Poplar Divine Seed was sown in the Purple Tung Insect Nation. Dragon Cypress Ant King wanted to wrap up the trade quickly and went to stay and watch over it, so Red Peach stayed back to trade with Dragon Cypress Ant King first. She should be here soon enough."

"Oh—"

White Ivy looked at Red Moonseed.

Red Moonseed: "Seven-Leaf Lord. White Ivy Mountain Lord. Grass Dragon Mountain Lord. Melde...Lord?!"

"Mhm—" Melde replied, then asked, "Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid, they’re both unharmed, right?"

Red Moonseed replied proudly, "Dragon Cypress Ant King’s battle command was extraordinary, not a single Insect Clan Warrior suffered casualties. About two thousand Ant Army died in action. The Lord-Level Termite Kingdom was wiped out at the lowest possible cost."

Right! That was a Lord-Level Termite Kingdom! And only two thousand casualties...

Seven-Leaf, Melde, White Ivy, and Grass Dragon all clicked their tongues in amazement.

Silvergrass looked left and right, then darted off towards the square, "I’m going to report the outcome to Wormwood Spider King!"

Seven-Leaf and Melde moved at the same time, each manipulating a spider silk rope to yank her back.

Seven-Leaf: "You little spider, always up to something!"

Melde: "What else do you have to say?"

Grass Dragon also complained, "Silvergrass, why are you running off?"

Silvergrass: "I’m bringing a sample of the Divine-Given Purple Tung Fruit Seed for Wormwood Spider King to inspect..."

"Hmph! Liar!"

Natsumi objected, eager and speaking rapidly, "With Dragon Cypress Ant King taking down the Termite Kingdom, the biggest gain is of course the White Poplar Divine Seed, but the territory gained can’t be ignored either. The central region of the Purple Tung Insect Nation has an Origin Force Concentration 2.5 times the continent’s average—unbelievable."

Natsumi: "We already asked Dragon Cypress Ant King about other Divine God-Given Seeds on Huagi Mountain, and there’s news..."

The spiders fell silent and serious.

Seven-Leaf raised a claw, interrupting and signaling, "Let’s go! Down the mountain together! We’ll report to Aconite and Spurge Spider King."

...

...

...

The rumbling, muffled sound of the wheel-cart rolling along.

Silvergrass pulled the cart, running up ahead.

Natsumi ran in the middle, with Red Moonseed circling and flying overhead.

Red Peach pulled the cart, running behind.

"Dragon Cypress Ant King!"

Red Moonseed sped up and rushed over.

No need to ask—just sensing its emotional waves, you could tell something big and good had happened.

"Dragon Cypress Ant King! Areca!"

Natsumi, Silvergrass, and Red Peach crowded around, calling out warmly.

Natsumi took down her carapace spider silk bag and opened it. Inside was an exquisite clay jar, wrapped in a layer of black spider silk, embroidered with a Six Paths Wood pattern.

At the sight of the symbol, Dragon Cypress thought of something, its antennae twitching, and asked, "Divine-Grade Six Paths Fruit?"

Natsumi: "That’s right!"

Natsumi handed the clay jar over.

Dragon Cypress took it, opened the lid, and checked inside.

Bee King Jelly, sealed inside.

An oval nut, outwardly not much different from regular Six Paths Fruit, but rounder, oval, about 10 cm long, black shell with intricate white Original Energy Patterns.

The wild Six Paths Wood Divine Seed of Six Peaks Mountain had also evolved to King-Level Peak. The primordial energy inside this Divine-Grade Six Paths Fruit was no weaker than a Divine-Grade Night Fragrance Fruit.

Dragon Cypress: "Is this a female fruit?"

Natsumi: "Yes."

Natsumi: "Divine-Grade Six Paths Fruit can be eaten as male and female fruits separately. If you consume both, your soul will undergo a qualitative leap."

Natsumi: "Unlike other Origin Force Food, the Divine-Grade Six Paths Fruit gives you visible enhancement as soon as you eat it, and after undergoing one Age Period Evolution, all enhancement effects come fully into play."

Natsumi: "Aconite Spider King says, Dragon Cypress Ant King, you’re managing both Xianglan Mountain and Purple Tung Insect Nation, commanding Dominating Thrones in both the north and south, which takes a lot of Time and must be stressful. So, here’s one as advance payment."

Dragon Cypress: "But the female and male fruits ripen together, right? Why not just give me both at once?"

Natsumi: "That won’t do! And it’s not that Aconite Spider King doesn’t trust you..."

Dragon Cypress: "..."

Dragon Cypress quickly realized Aconite Spider King’s intent, and kept silent.

Natsumi changed the topic. "Aconite, Spurge, and Wormwood Spider Kings also suggest: as for reviving the Linnan Divine Tree from Huagi Mountain and having it take root in the Purple Tung Insect Nation, Dragon Cypress Ant King, you should try your best to negotiate for it. The earlier it’s sown, the sooner you’ll have returns. How many years will it take you to reach Evolution Lord Level? At least twenty, right? Linnan Divine Tree could produce two harvests of ten Divine-Grade Kunlan Seeds each, worth 50 million Source Stones."

Dragon Cypress gently tapped its antennae, then shook them, "The worries of Huagi Mountain won’t be cleared up that easily. At least, until things are fully stable in the Purple Tung Insect Nation, there’s no point in pushing it."

Natsumi: "Dragon Cypress Ant King, we trust your abilities. However, Spurge, Aconite, and Wormwood have pooled their wisdom—and they suggest a few ideas you might use for reference."

Dragon Cypress: "What ideas?"

Natsumi: "The three Spider Kings think Huagi Mountain has three major worries. First, a wild Divine-Grade God-Given Seed means lineage and tribal survival—it can’t place absolute trust in you, Dragon Cypress Ant King. This is Huagi Mountain’s biggest concern."

Dragon Cypress: "There’s no issue with my insect reputation and credibility, but, well, Huagi Mountain is indeed just a little uneasy."

Natsumi: "The idea from the three Spider Kings is this: Dragon Cypress Ant King, you could arrange for a Life Seed Plant to take root in Huagi Mountain..."

Dragon Cypress: "..."

Damn merchant scum!

Lousy idea!

Dragon Cypress fumed inside, saying nothing.

Natsumi: "Huagi Mountain’s second concern, as you mentioned, is that they’re afraid you’ll die suddenly during your sleeping evolution."

"To solve this, it’s very simple. Dragon Cypress Ant King, you can spend two Age Periods focusing on consuming Divine-Given Origin Force Food that strengthens Comprehensive Physique and Life Force. The Spider Kings will help collect it, and sell to you at a favorable price. This way, there’s zero risk in your evolution."

Dragon Cypress: "That’s a wisely thought out suggestion. I have no objection!"

Natsumi continued, "The third concern is just the security of the Linnan Divine Tree in the Purple Tung Insect Nation. Huagi Mountain’s worried the Mountain Lord Level Ant Army might not be strong enough to protect it."

Natsumi: "But since you’ve already sown your own White Poplar Divine Seed there, Huagi Mountain should be feeling relieved. They’re watching; in two or three years, once the Purple Tung Insect Nation stabilizes, this concern will fade away on its own. This third concern just needs a bit of time and will resolve itself."

Dragon Cypress agreed, "Yes!"

Dragon Cypress: "Fine, in another two or three years, once my White Poplar Divine Seed blossoms and fruits, I’ll contact Huagi Mountain to discuss this matter again."

Natsumi: "That’s right. The three Spider Kings recommend not constantly urging them, lest Huagi Mountain misunderstand and suspect you of ulterior motives."

This is a completely pointless suggestion.

Dragon Cypress didn’t feel like replying.

Natsumi again: "Aconite and Spurge Spider Kings say they can organize Source Stone shipments for purchasing Divine-Grade Soul-Stabilizing Fruit. For buying Divine-Grade Kunlan Seeds, they can just deliver the Source Stone at the same time..."

Natsumi: "Huagi Mountain needs Source Stone—however much, Aconite and Spurge can arrange it."

Dragon Cypress lightly waggled and tapped its antennae, "Spurge, Aconite, and Wormwood Spider Kings have helped me so much. In the future, the Divine-Grade Kunlan Seeds will certainly have shares for those three, but as the specifics aren’t settled yet, we don’t need to decide now—we’ll talk it through when the time comes."

Dragon Cypress turned the clay jar over in its hands, "Delivering the Divine-Grade Six Paths Fruit two years in advance counts as a deposit. When Divine-Grade Kunlan Seeds are produced, Aconite Spider King must get one! As for the rest, we’ll negotiate and allocate them later."

Natsumi: "Alright!"

Dragon Cypress: "Good!"

Dragon Cypress looked at Silvergrass.

Silvergrass immediately said, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, Wormwood Spider King has accepted your trade. When the next One-Glimpse Fruit matures, he’ll find a way to buy it and make sure you get it."

Dragon Cypress: "Great! Once the Linnan Divine Tree is established and the Divine-Grade Kunlan Seeds are produced, Wormwood Spider King will definitely get one as well."

Yellow Stem wouldn’t dare let the divine tribal tree leave Huagi Mountain without reason.

Likewise, the Linnan Divine Tree couldn’t easily agree to take root in a totally unfamiliar place, cut off from its tribe.

This won’t be handled easily.

Dragon Cypress felt inwardly guilty, emphasizing again, "I’ll negotiate with Huagi Mountain about letting the Linnan Divine Tree take root in the Purple Tung Insect Nation. I can’t promise it’ll work out. But sooner or later, Yellow Stem and Spruce will need to revive the Linnan Divine Tree—they both need Wood Element Talent."

—Exactly!

—Makes sense!

All the insects nodded their approval.

Dragon Cypress asked, "Anything important left?"

"Nope!"

Natsumi and Silvergrass answered in unison.

Dragon Cypress: "Let’s trade quickly. We’ll start with Divine-Given Origin Force Food. Areca and Red Moonseed have full authority over ordinary Origin Force Food trades. Time is precious; I’ll go try out this Divine-Grade Six Paths Fruit!"