CHAPTER 65: CHAPTER 065 SILVER CYPRESS (REQUEST FOR FOLLOW-UP READ)

The Dominating Throne flew at a low altitude, hugging the mountainside as it slowly headed toward the east of the mountain.

From a distance, they saw neatly cultivated orchards planted with Persimmon Trees.

How capable was this Longhorn Beetle Warrior when it was alive? Dragon Cypress was puzzled.

The Dominating Throne descended, following the path of the orchard.

Suddenly, Ink Orchid, who had been listless and curled up, jumped up excitedly.

"Dragon Cypress! I sense Origin Force fluctuations from a Life Seed Plant!"

Ink Orchid pointed northward. "Fantastic! There are still living Insect Clan Warriors here!"

So that’s why... Dragon Cypress had been wondering why there were no signs of neglect in the orchard, despite the Longhorn Beetle Warrior having died many years ago.

There was another Insect Clan Warrior managing it!

Dragon Cypress controlled the Dominating Throne to climb, heading north.

Soon, two tall and lush cypress trees appeared in sight, surrounded by four tall Persimmon Tree Life Seed Plants and some other Arbor Life Seed Plants.

Between the two cypress trees, a steep slope lay behind, leading to the entrance of a mountain cave blocked by withered branches.

At the cave entrance, many frozen persimmons were neatly stacked.

Getting closer, they sensed the scent and Origin Force Fluctuation of an Insect Clan Warrior.

It was already daybreak, yet the cave’s occupant was still asleep.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid unfolded their wings and vigorously released Origin Force Fluctuations.

Immediately, the obstructing withered branches were smashed open, and a Beetle charged out. It looked left and right, then raised its head to see the hovering Dominating Throne. On the Throne sat a portly Ant King and a blue Mantis. The Beetle was utterly shocked and stupefied.

Which Ant Clan? Which Mantis Tribe? What is this hovering creation they’re riding? It racked its brain, searching its Inherited Memory.

At the same time, Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid were also assessing the newcomer.

Its body was slightly slender, with a dark brown Carapace and dark red edges.

Possibly from the Red-Margined Tenebrionid Beetle Tribe.

But its tentacles were especially long, even longer than those of the Sphere Insect Warriors. They had up to seventeen segments and looked very flexible.

This did not match the description of the Red-Margined Tenebrionid Beetle in their Inherited Memory.

It must be a mutation caused by the cold weather...

Its body length was 1.2 to 1.3 meters; it was likely a High-Level Warrior.

"Hello!"

Dragon Cypress greeted politely, followed by the standard introduction upon encountering an unfamiliar Insect Clan Warrior:

"I am the King of the Creator Civilization, Dragon Cypress Ant King."

Dragon Cypress then pointed to Ink Orchid beside him. "This is the King of Xianglan Mountain, named Ink Orchid."

"Um—" The Longhorn Beetle Warrior remained stunned for a long while. It then lifted a foreleg, pointed at the Dominating Throne, and asked, "What is this?"

Dragon Cypress, "The supreme creation of the Creator Civilization, called the Dominating Throne."

Dragon Cypress continued, "Our civilization is called Natural Civilization, also known as Insect Clan Civilization. The Natural God used the Divine Force Barrier to divide the planet we stand on into eight continents. The continent we currently inhabit is called the ’Cloud Trace Continent’..."

Dragon Cypress was still using the same half-true, half-false rhetoric as always.

The Longhorn Beetle Warrior looked upward, motionless.

Impatient at the other party’s long lack of response, Ink Orchid said, "My first Life Seed is an Ink Orchid plant, so my name is Ink Orchid. Dragon Cypress’s first Life Seed is the Dragon Cypress Tree; its name is ’Dragon Cypress’."

Ink Orchid asked, "What’s your name?"

The Longhorn Beetle Warrior slowly turned around, looking toward the cypress tree at the cave entrance.

Ink Orchid leaned closer to Dragon Cypress, suppressed its spiritual power, and quietly asked, "Dragon Cypress, you must know a lot about cypress trees, right? What type of cypress is that?"

Dragon Cypress said awkwardly, "By the shape of the tree, it somewhat resembles the Large Fruit Round Cypress, but it’s a bit off..."

Ink Orchid, "Dragon Cypress, you can’t even recognize all types of cypress trees?"

Dragon Cypress said innocently, "That is a cypress from the north of the Cloud Trace Continent. I am an insect from the south. It’s quite normal for me not to recognize it right away, right?"

Ink Orchid, "Doesn’t seem normal, does it?"

Dragon Cypress, "What’s so abnormal about that..."

The Longhorn Beetle Warrior seemed to be pondering and appeared somewhat confused. After a very long time, it slowly said:

"My name is Mountain Persimmon!"

Mountain Persimmon? Not a type of cypress? Aren’t there two cypress trees planted at the entrance to your cave?

Ink Orchid, "..."

Dragon Cypress, "..."

Dragon Cypress immediately thought of a possibility and asked, "Mountain Persimmon, did you plant all the persimmon trees on the mountain?"

Mountain Persimmon, "Yes."

Dragon Cypress, "But your first Life Seed doesn’t seem to be a persimmon tree?"

Mountain Persimmon, "Yes..."

Mountain Persimmon said, "It’s a Silver Cypress Tree."

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid looked at each other, pondering and intensely searching their Inherited Memory.

Ink Orchid, "Is there such a cypress in the Inherited Memory?"

Dragon Cypress, "Could it be a variant?"

Mountain Persimmon, "Yes..."

Mountain Persimmon waved its tentacles, pointing toward the southeast of the mountain, and said, "Previously, an elder living over there cultivated a new species of tree. This type of cypress has young branches and petioles covered with silvery-white down. The elder named it ’Silver Cypress.’ That was also the elder’s name."

Dragon Cypress, "!!!"

Ink Orchid asked, "A variant of the Large Fruit Round Cypress? Or a new species obtained by hybridization?"

Mountain Persimmon, "I don’t know. I had just awakened not long before Silver Cypress passed away due to old age."

Dragon Cypress asked, "What about the enhancement effects? Are there mutations as well?"

Mountain Persimmon, "Yes, the mutations are significant. Silver Cypress, similar to Giant Cypress, enhances physical stature, but it differs. The specific enhancement effect of Giant Cypress is to greatly increase size. In contrast, Silver Cypress optimizes the physique."

Top-tier tree species!

Dragon Cypress, "!!!"

Ink Orchid, "That’s quite valuable!"

No wonder Mountain Persimmon seemed much sturdier than the Red-Margined Tenebrionid Beetles in the Inherited Memory—it turned out it had been transformed by the Origin Force Food produced by the Silver Cypress Life Seed.

Dragon Cypress eagerly asked, "Mountain Persimmon, do you have any ordinary Silver Cypress Tree Seeds stored?"

Mountain Persimmon, "No."

Dragon Cypress, "Then are there any Silver Cypress saplings on the mountain?"

Mountain Persimmon, "I haven’t noticed any."

Dragon Cypress, "But there must still be quite a few Silver Cypress trees on the mountain, right?"

Mountain Persimmon, "There should be, I guess."

Mountain Persimmon realized Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid longed for Silver Cypress Tree Seeds. It understood they surely intended to acquire a couple for their Life Seeds. Pointing toward the southeast of the mountain, Mountain Persimmon said with some regret,

"Previously, an orchard cultivated by an elder of my kind had many cypress trees planted. Then... later... I replaced them all with persimmon trees..."

Ink Orchid, "Replaced them all?"

Mountain Persimmon, "Replaced them all."

What a wasteful child! Dragon Cypress asked, "So there must still be Silver Cypress trees in other parts of the mountain, right?"

Mountain Persimmon, "I haven’t noticed. I’m not sure."

Dragon Cypress, "..."

Ink Orchid, "..."

Mountain Persimmon remained calm throughout, amid the desolate surroundings of the Origin Force Isolated Island, showing no excitement or joy upon seeing other insects. Its reactions seemed somewhat slow. After thinking and pondering, it asked:

"Dragon Cypress, which Ant Clan are you from?"

Dragon Cypress, "Giant-Headed Ant."

"Oh!" Mountain Persimmon acknowledged. "You are different from the Inherited Memory," it murmured, then asked, "Ink Orchid, which tribe of Mantis Warrior are you from?"

Ink Orchid, "Orchid Mantis."

Mountain Persimmon was stunned. It searched its memory, pondering deeply. Suddenly, realization dawned, and it said, "You’ve been living on the Dominating Throne for a long time—you’ve turned blue!"

Ink Orchid, "Yes..."

Mountain Persimmon, "Are you Southern Insects?"

Ink Orchid, "Yes. We come from the far south."

Ink Orchid clarified their intent, "Dragon Cypress controls the Dominating Throne. It can carry Origin Force Food and shuttle between different Origin Force Points. Mountain Persimmon, we have come to you seeking trade, just like a Flame Spider Roving Merchant."

Mountain Persimmon blanked out, searching its Inherited Memory for knowledge about roving merchants. It stood still for a while, its tentacles shook, then drooped again, and it said:

"I don’t have Origin Force Food to trade with you."

Ink Orchid, "What about the Silver Cypress Seeds?"

Mountain Persimmon, "I’ve eaten them all."

Ink Orchid, "You have four different types of Persimmon Tree Life Seeds."

Mountain Persimmon, "I love eating persimmons the most."

Ink Orchid, "I see you’ve also planted many other types of Life Seeds."

Mountain Persimmon, "I’ve eaten them all."

You eat even more than I do, huh? Ink Orchid was left speechless.

Dragon Cypress looked around and noticed that Mountain Persimmon’s Life Seed Plants were exclusively arbors, with few repetitions.

It must have been taught by that deceased elder of its kind. If not naturally clever, or taught and sheltered by an elder, it would be almost impossible to survive to the High-Level Warrior stage. Mountain Persimmon obviously belonged to the latter.

Dragon Cypress, "No worries. We can trade next year then."

Dragon Cypress opened a Spider Silk Bag and took out two Southern Sour Jujube Seeds. He placed them into another Spider Silk Bag, rolled it into a cylinder, and threw it down, saying:

"Life on the Cloud Trace Continent is harsh. Insects are few, so the Natural God must have arranged our meeting. Since we’ve met, we’re friends. As a token for our first meeting, here’s a small gift for you..."