CHAPTER 388: CHAPTER 373 A HYPOCRITICAL TREE

Late autumn.

After more than half a year, the river canal dividing the Barley Bug Tribe’s common territory was finally dug through and completed.

White Rice simultaneously finished hardening and reinforcing it, and in the east, south, west, north, southeast, southwest, northeast, and northwest, built a straight ant road in each direction through the forest, and constructed a stone bridge spanning the river canal.

Most importantly, the division of the common territory was now complete.

There was still the matter of the Barley Bug Warriors’ private bug territories, which required digging trenches and planting Large Fruit Round Cypress to establish borders—a sizable project that would keep them busy for at least a year.

Moreover, Cypress saplings had only just been sown and cultivated this year, and would need two or three years before they could be transplanted.

Do it next year.

During the golden harvest season, all work was suspended.

Fragrant Cypress, making use of the Dominating Throne, went into a deep sleep and smoothly broke through to Evolution Mountain Lord Level.

Over at White Lotus Lake, this year’s Night Fragrance God-Given Seed had ripened, and must be collected in time.

...

Dragon Cypress was exceedingly cautious. Regarding the Barley Bug Warriors, after a year of observation, he had spoken with every single one at least three times. Using soul-setting ability to sense, he found no hostility or malice.

The preliminary determination: they truly held no objections to his various arrangements and allocations.

Still, Dragon Cypress dared not be entirely at ease.

Cypress led the first and second Blue Soldier Legion, while Black Leaf commanded the first mixed legion, focusing efforts on protecting the White Poplar Divine Seed.

Ghost Fan, White Rice, Spruce, Snakebark Maple, and Areca stayed behind, guarding the White Poplar Divine Seed.

With everything arranged properly, only then did Dragon Cypress feel secure enough to head south.

...

White Lotus Lake.

The Dominating Throne shot through the air, tilting down toward the Night Fragrance God-Given Seed.

"Dragon Cypress Ant King?!"

Night Fragrance God-Given Seed greeted loudly from afar, both surprised and suspicious.

"Night Fragrance, are the fruits ready?"

Dragon Cypress replied with spiritual power from over three hundred meters away.

"Your spiritual power... your soul..."

Night Fragrance was shocked.

"The enhancement effect of the Divine-Grade Six Paths Fruit—my soul has ascended to Lord-Level."

Dragon Cypress answered lightly by way of explanation, slowed down the Throne, let it float down beneath the tree, and looked up.

On the lower three trunks, hung three green-yellow fruits, which had long completed the primordial energy quality change, waiting to be harvested.

"Give me a moment."

Night Fragrance focused, controlling the fruits as they rapidly changed color, shifting toward orange-red, gradually deepening until the primordial energy patterns condensed into a dark reddish-brown.

The fruits were fully ripe.

Dragon Cypress opened a spider silk bag, fluttered his wings, leapt up, plucked one, and stuffed it into the bag.

With another leap, he picked the second fruit.

Then the third.

"Done. Night Fragrance. The fruits are good. See you."

Dragon Cypress closed the spider silk bag and controlled the Dominating Throne to take off.

"Wait!"

Night Fragrance called anxiously, "Where’s the Source Stone? Three fruits, as agreed, you need to pay 300,000 Source Stones, Dragon Cypress."

Dragon Cypress: "Been busy lately. Put it on my tab. I’ll settle up when I’ve got a million together. Don’t worry, Night Fragrance, I won’t stiff you."

Night Fragrance: "..."

I think you’re a very shady Ant King~

Night Fragrance wasn’t fully comfortable with this.

Dragon Cypress waved his tentacle and said, "I’m doing business in the millions now, not squabbling over this. Transporting large loads of Source Stone is a pain, that’s all. Let me evolve a few more times, and I’ll bring it over."

Dragon Cypress: "Next spring’s blooming will bring more fruit. You should keep Glinting Gold for your own use, store up all the primordial energy and nutrients you can, and get ready for the Purple Tung Insect Nation’s migration. When the time comes, I’ll send the Source Stone over there and dig a deep reservoir just for you, for storage."

Night Fragrance felt a bit more at ease, agreeing, "Alright! That’s a reasonable arrangement."

Dragon Cypress: "Good! I’m busy. Gotta go."

The Dominating Throne pulsed with primordial energy, raised the hydrology shield, accelerated sideways, and soared vertically upward.

"Wait!"

Night Fragrance called out.

The Dominating Throne hovered in mid-air.

Dragon Cypress was speechless.

"Dragon Cypress Ant King, don’t hurry off. Let’s chat."

"Chat about what?"

"How’s your White Poplar Divine Seed?"

"Very well! I used Lord-Level King of Termite and Ant Queens, plus a horde of Assistant King corpses for compost. The result exceeded expectations—it’s thriving, and has already grown over thirty meters tall."

Night Fragrance: "That’s because the primordial energy attributes are highly compatible!"

Night Fragrance clearly didn’t care much about the White Poplar Divine Seed, gave a brief comment, and smoothly changed the subject:

"Dragon Cypress Ant King, how many Assistant Kings and Soldier Ants have you stationed over at the Purple Tung Insect Nation? No Insect Clan Warrior truly lets itself be at anyone’s mercy, and the Barley Bug Warriors certainly won’t. You’d better not get careless."

Such a two-faced tree, too~

Dragon Cypress: "..."

Night Fragrance God-Given Seed was clearly concerned about its own safety after migrating over.

A sharp and very survival-savvy tree.

Pretending to care, but actually probing for information.

Dragon Cypress pondered for two seconds and stated simply, "Absolutely foolproof."

Dragon Cypress: "Night Fragrance, rest assured. No insect is going to mess with a wild God-Given Seed like you."

Night Fragrance: "...Yes."

Night Fragrance: "The Barley Bug Warriors in the Purple Tung Insect Nation have already formed a tribe, which makes things tricky, right? How are you managing it now? Any future plans? I’ve met lots of Insect Clan Warriors and know a thing or two about tribal management. Maybe I can offer some reference."

So much talk—clearly not at ease.

Underestimating an ant too much~ Dragon Cypress thought for a bit, landed the Dominating Throne, weighed his words, and began to explain.

From the allocation of the Purple Tung God-Given Seed, to land division, to roving merchant trade, methods to balance the Barley Bug Warriors, and future development and construction plans for the Purple Tung Insect Nation.

It took quite some effort to go through it all in detail.

When finished,

Dragon Cypress asked, "Night Fragrance, got any good suggestions?"

Night Fragrance fell deep in thought, considered carefully for a while, then replied with a sigh, "You’ve covered every angle, not a single flaw. I really have no better advice."

"Good!"

"Then I’m off! I’ll pick up Ink Orchid and swing by to check on you again."

Dragon Cypress piloted the Dominating Throne to fly straight up.

"Wait!"

Night Fragrance God-Given Seed called for Dragon Cypress once more.

Dragon Cypress: "..."

Dragon Cypress: "Night Fragrance, is there something else?"

Night Fragrance: "Don’t rush off. Let’s talk."

Night Fragrance asked, "How about over at Huagi Mountain? Dragon Cypress Ant King, I bet you’re planning to invite the Huagi Divine Tree and Linnan Divine Tree to take root in the Purple Tung Insect Nation, right?"

Dragon Cypress: "Of course. I’ve negotiated with Huagi Mountain already, but haven’t sealed the deal yet. Still, it’s only a matter of time."

Dragon Cypress: "By then, Divine Grade trees will be rooted at 1,500-meter intervals. Your spiritual power ranges far beyond 1,500 meters, so you’ll all be able to communicate. And there’ll be Assistant Kings of the Ant Clan and Insect Clan Warriors stationed there, so you can chat with them any time and never be lonely again."

"Oh—"

Night Fragrance seemed a little excited, saying, "I’m not the kind of tree that can’t handle solitude..."

Dragon Cypress: "Mhm. Mhm. Mhm..."

Not wanting to drag it out, Dragon Cypress flew the Dominating Throne upward and away.