CHAPTER 64: CHAPTER 064: DEATH OF THE LONGHORN BEETLE WARRIOR

The Dominating Throne flew steadily at a low altitude, weaving between the mountains.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid lay at the edge of the Throne, peering down in search of rare plants and valuable items like Starship Wreckage.

Xianglan Mountain and Molan Mountain were both located far to the south.

After flying for three days, they finally spotted snow-capped mountaintops.

Five days later, they reached a magnificent, snow-capped mountain range that ran east to west.

Once they crossed the mountain range, the temperature plummeted.

Ahead lay rolling hills with dry air. The forests were less dense, and occasionally, they spotted barren loess lands.

Continuing north, they encountered plains with sparse vegetation, occasional rivers and lakes, and some dense forests.

After crossing another snow-covered mountain range, Ink Orchid’s and Dragon Cypress’s eyes lit up.

"WOW!" Ink Orchid exclaimed, amazed. "Dragon Cypress, is this the snowy plain?"

"Most likely..." Dragon Cypress had been to the north with a Caravan before, but it was summer then, and there was no snow.

Before them lay an endless white snowy plain, reflecting dazzling light under the winter sun.

It was the first time Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid had seen such a vast natural landscape, and they were both somewhat stunned.

Is this the northern winter? they wondered. It’s too beautiful, too spectacular.

They remained stunned for a long, long time.

Then, the hovering Dominating Throne ascended, allowing them to overlook the vast snowy plain from above. The Dominating Throne then quickly descended and landed.

Ink Orchid rushed to jump down.

Dragon Cypress followed suit.

They ran forward together, then suddenly stopped, turned, and looked back.

Four winding lines of footprints marked the snow.

"WOW! WOW! WOW! Dragon Cypress! This is fun!" Ink Orchid turned and sprinted off.

Dragon Cypress returned to the Dominating Throne and controlled it to fly close to the snowy ground.

They played from mid-morning until noon, when Ink Orchid returned tiredly to the Throne.

"Dragon Cypress, it seems really cold here," she said.

"It doesn’t just seem cold. It *is* very cold."

"Do we still need to fly north?"

"Let’s fly a bit more and have a look. I heard from Melde that the north is most magnificent when there’s heavy snowfall."

"But it’s colder at night. Where will we stay?"

"We’ll fly north, find a large mountain, and shelter in a cave at night. If that’s not possible, we can dig a hole in the ground and use the Dominating Throne to block the entrance."

"YAY!" Ink Orchid cheerfully agreed.

Dragon Cypress controlled the Dominating Throne and continued north.

"Dragon Cypress, are you cold?" Ink Orchid asked.

"Not very," Dragon Cypress replied.

"I’m cold..." Ink Orchid mumbled.

"Actually, I’m nearly frozen stiff too..." he admitted.

"Then, are you hungry?"

"I’m hungry. Let’s find something to eat..."

The Dominating Throne climbed high into the sky. Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid peered down, searching for creatures on the ground.

"Dragon Cypress!"

"There’s an Origin Force Fluctuation!" Ink Orchid slightly lifted a front leg to point, then quickly curled up beneath her abdomen.

Without a word, Dragon Cypress controlled the Dominating Throne to deviate slightly, flying northwest. After a while, he also sensed the subtle Origin Force Fluctuation.

「Twilight.」

They flew over another large mountain, and the Origin Force ahead began to intensify.

Ahead lay a snow-covered forest on the plain. Beyond that stood an isolated, large mountain. The Origin Force radiated from that mountain as its center.

The Dominating Throne descended and landed.

"Ink Orchid, same rules as usual? We go over in the middle of the night?" Dragon Cypress asked. "Shall we scout for a Divine-Given Seed first?"

"Won’t we freeze to death at night?"

"Then let’s find a place to rest, and we’ll head over in the morning?"

"Dragon Cypress, it’s not dark yet. Let’s go now. Maybe the warrior there has food and can host us."

"Alright..." Dragon Cypress conceded. Given the icy, snowy lands, there probably aren’t any other Insects around, he thought, then agreed.

The Dominating Throne tilted and took off, flying 200 meters above the ground, heading straight for the large mountain ahead.

As they approached, they quickly noticed something odd. In the lower-middle section of the mountain’s southeast side, there were neatly cultivated forest plots—ordinary Persimmon Trees with fruit still hanging on them. Dozens of strip-shaped plots, all planted with persimmons, covered the mountainside and the area below it.

"There’s an Insect!" Ink Orchid stood up alertly.

"A diligent Insect Clan Warrior, fond of Persimmon Trees," Dragon Cypress commented, observing the scene, then also rose.

The Dominating Throne slowly descended, inching closer. Searching from side to side, they quickly spotted a mountain cave blocked with dry branches.

The Dominating Throne hovered.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid both spread their wings, releasing their Origin Force auras.

After a long wait, no Insect Clan Warrior appeared.

"Dragon Cypress, do Insect Clan Warriors in the north hibernate during winter?" Ink Orchid asked.

"Origin Force Life doesn’t hibernate, right? Even Insects from the south like us can withstand the cold. Surely northern Insects are even more resistant, aren’t they?"

"So, is it asleep?"

"It’s just gotten dark; it wouldn’t sleep this early, right? Besides, the Insect Clan is sensitive. Such a strong Origin Force Fluctuation would wake it up even if it were asleep."

"Why aren’t there any Origin Force Plants near its cave?"

"You’re right!" Dragon Cypress had a sudden realization. He bravely expanded his spiritual power to scan the area and said, "There’s no trace of an Insect Clan Warrior’s Origin Force aura inside the cave!"

Near the cave stood quite a few isolated, dead trees.

The Dominating Throne drifted closer.

One, a dead Cypress, stood thirty to forty meters tall. Its leaves had all fallen, and many dry branches were broken under the snow’s weight.

Based on its shape, it was either a Round Cypress or a Large Fruit Round Cypress.

Dragon Cypress picked off some dry branches and chewed on them, finding residual Origin Force Material.

"A dead Life Seed with no trace of damage... there’s only one possibility," he murmured. "The Insect Clan Warrior that lived here... it..."

Dragon Cypress didn’t finish his sentence.

Ink Orchid bowed her head in silent mourning.

The Dominating Throne continued to float, stopping before another Cypress tree.

It was the same species of Cypress Life Seed. It was also withered and dead.

There was no need to look any further.

The Dominating Throne returned to the cave entrance.

Dragon Cypress stepped forward, removed the obstructing dry branches, and crawled in.

Ink Orchid hesitated before following.

The tunnel, opening beneath the cliff face, was half a meter in diameter. It extended straight forward for four or five meters, then turned left, then right, leading into a spacious cave.

In the center of the cave lay the remains of a Beetle Warrior that had died a long time ago. Its Carapace was empty and damaged in many places, so fragile it would crumble at a touch.

Overall, its bodily structure was similar to that of a Ghost Fan.

This Insect lived in the north, Dragon Cypress mused. It likely belonged to a Tribe of Longhorn Beetles, close relatives of the Wooden Darkling Beetle. It was over a meter long and must have been a High-Level Longhorn Beetle Warrior. Living alone here on a monotonous diet of Origin Force Food, it lacked comprehensive enhancement and thus could not possibly have evolved into a Mountain Lord.

"Dragon Cypress..." Ink Orchid called softly, having retreated to the cave entrance.

"Let’s rest in the tunnel for the night," Dragon Cypress sighed softly, backing out of the cave.

He controlled the Dominating Throne to enlarge and block the cave entrance.

...

Death is the heaviest of topics.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid were both silent, their spirits low. They had been a little hungry earlier and had thought of eating, but now they no longer had the appetite.

The three gourds of Ant Honey they had brought had frozen solid after their arrival in the north, making it impossible to pour any out.

They snuggled together in a corner of the tunnel and rested for the night.

「The next day.」

Before dawn, Ink Orchid woke up. Her tentacles twitched, waking Dragon Cypress as well.

"Dragon Cypress, shall we patrol this Territory?" she asked.

"Hmm. Let’s take a look around and assess the general situation."

"What do you plan to turn this place into? An orchard? With Persimmon Trees?"

"Some varieties of peach trees could also survive here, right? Apple trees would work too. Hawthorns are also good. We could plant various fruits unique to the north to enrich the flavor and texture of the Ant Honey."

"Oh..." Ink Orchid hesitated for a moment, then asked, "And then?"

"What do you mean, ’and then’?" Dragon Cypress asked.

"Are we still going to fly north to see the snow?" Ink Orchid asked.

She was utterly chilled, and Dragon Cypress too was struggling to endure the harsh nightly cold.

Dragon Cypress analyzed seriously. "There’s snow everywhere, so it must have snowed heavily here recently. According to natural laws, there won’t be a second heavy snowfall anytime soon. In that case, let’s go home."

Ink Orchid heartily agreed, "Then let’s go home!"