CHAPTER 66: CHAPTER 066 SILVER CYPRESS (PART 2)

"The Spider Silk Bag is quite a treasure!"

Mountain Persimmon rushed forward, picking it up and examining it.

"Thank you!"

In Mountain Persimmon’s usually unruffled demeanor, a hint of joy surfaced. With a RIP, he opened the Spider Silk Bag, picked up a Southern Sour Jujube Seed, and examined it. After staring blankly for a long moment, he said in disbelief, "Could this be the Origin Force Food produced by the Divine-Given Seeds mentioned in my Inherited Memory?"

Ink Orchid, not without pride, said, "Exactly! Divine-Given Seeds! We have many Divine-Given Seeds, Mountain Persimmon. If you trade with us, you’ll have the chance to eat them in the future."

Many Divine-Given Seeds? Mountain Persimmon was shocked again, then delighted. This time, without hesitating, he decisively replied, "I understand! I’ll keep all the Origin Force Food produced next year."

Not so foolish, Dragon Cypress perceived this and asked again, "Mountain Persimmon, are there truly no Silver Cypress Trees left on the mountain?"

"I’m not sure..." Mountain Persimmon explained, "My main food is wood, and Cypress tastes quite good. I ate all those planted in the orchard and then planted Persimmon Trees. I’m usually busy in the orchard; I haven’t been to other parts of the mountain."

Ink Orchid asked in surprise, "You just stay in the orchard all the time?"

Mountain Persimmon calmly replied, "Pretty much."

Ink Orchid, incredulous, asked, "Don’t you ever go up the mountain to search for Divine-Given Seeds?"

Mountain Persimmon replied, "I haven’t looked..."

He explained, "I want a Persimmon Tree Divine-Given Seed, so I’m working hard to clear the wasteland, desperately planting Persimmon Trees."

Ink Orchid was speechless. "..."

Ink Orchid asked, "Living here all by yourself, don’t you feel lonely?"

Mountain Persimmon, looking puzzled, said, "I don’t."

He continued, "When Silver Cypress left, it told me if I felt lonely, I should go to the cave to see it. It also said that once I evolved into a High-Level Warrior, I could protect a group of ordinary Longhorn Beetles and train younger warriors..."

"I take care of my Life Seed every day, manage the orchard, and clear wasteland. I’m very busy; I can’t manage it all. It’s been a very, very long time since I last saw Silver Cypress. I also don’t have the time or energy to protect ordinary Longhorn Beetles or train younger ones."

Dragon Cypress: "..."

Ink Orchid: "..."

Mountain Persimmon said helplessly, "I haven’t even finished picking this year’s Persimmon Fruits from the orchard."

He pointed to the Persimmon Fruits piled at the cave entrance and said generously, "Do you like eating Persimmon Fruits? If you do, help yourselves. Take as many as you want. I, one insect, can’t finish them all."

"There are also dried Persimmon Fruits inside the cave. I’ll get some for you."

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid were speechless once more.

"Then we won’t be polite. However, just some fresh Persimmon Fruits will be fine," Ink Orchid said, taking a Spider Silk Bag. It glided down to the cave entrance, filled the bag, and carried it back to the Throne.

Dragon Cypress asked, "Mountain Persimmon, can we go up the mountain and look for Silver Cypress Trees?"

Mountain Persimmon lifted a foot, pointed in a direction, and said, "There are many Cypress Trees that way. Go and search there."

「...」

「...」

「...」

Cypress Tree Seeds are very light. They typically disperse in early spring when the snow melts, the fruit-cones crack open, and the seeds are spread by the wind.

The wind in early spring generally blows from north to south, mostly carrying the seeds down the mountain.

Dragon Cypress, controlling the Dominating Throne, returned to the southeast side of the large mountain and began searching near its base.

Heavy snow weighed down the branches, but the shape of the Cypress Trees was easy to recognize.

Yet, all he found were Large Fruit Round Cypress. In a mature natural forest, the chances of wild plant seeds landing, sprouting, and growing into large trees were too slim.

Ink Orchid disengaged from the Dominating Throne, flying swiftly as it searched. It quickly checked the slopes and base of the mountain below the Persimmon Tree orchard.

"Dragon Cypress, there’s nothing."

"I’ll look further ahead. Ink Orchid, you go up the mountain... Be careful, don’t be careless!"

"I know. It’s fine. Mountain Persimmon is busy picking Persimmon Fruits."

Ink Orchid sped up the mountain.

Dragon Cypress, controlling the Dominating Throne, flew back and forth, gradually expanding the search from the mountain base towards the distant plains and forests.

All he found were Large Fruit Round Cypress.

The farther from the mountain base, the lower the probability of finding them. Every plant that grows in the natural world is the outcome of a brutal selection process, ensuring only the strongest continue. Mutant tree species, however, are those consciously chosen and cultivated by Insect Clan warriors. It was clear that Silver Cypress lacked the ability to survive in the wild.

Just as Dragon Cypress was gradually losing hope, lamenting how a Top-Level Cypress variety had been squandered by that reckless Mountain Persimmon, Ink Orchid rushed over again, landing directly on the Throne.

"Dragon Cypress! Found them!"

Ink Orchid handed a brown fruit-cone held at the tip of its toe to Dragon Cypress.

The fruit-cone of the Silver Cypress was one size smaller than that of the Large Fruit Round Cypress, similar in size to that of the Round Cypress.

Dragon Cypress took it and scanned it with his spiritual power. Inside were five Cypress Seeds, also about the same size as those of the Round Cypress.

This must be it!

Dragon Cypress excitedly asked, "Ink Orchid, where did you find them?"

Ink Orchid raised a claw and pointed. "On the mountainside to the southwest of the large mountain. It must have been a nursery. There are 23 Silver Cypress Trees still alive."

Dragon Cypress said, "Let’s go see!"

The Dominating Throne took off.

「...」

The 23 Silver Cypress trees there were poorly managed, their growth stunted, reaching only 3 to 5 meters in height.

Ink Orchid flapped its wings, shaking the accumulated snow off the branches.

Dragon Cypress picked 30 fruit-cones from each tree.

Soon, a petite Spider Silk Bag was filled.

After searching the surrounding area extensively and finding nothing more, they decisively gave up.

「...」

「...」

「...」

Mountain Persimmon was climbing a Persimmon Tree, its slender tentacles moving flexibly, curling around the Persimmon Fruits.

Two tentacles, each picking one fruit. Then it would turn around, climb down the tree, place the fruits neatly on the ground, and then climb up again...

Dragon Cypress suddenly understood. Under Mountain Persimmon’s subconscious influence, the enhancing effect of the Origin Force Food produced by the Silver Cypress Life Seed had acted on its tentacles. Mountain Persimmon’s tentacles had evolved to be slender and flexible, making it more convenient for picking Persimmon Fruits.

The Dominating Throne slowly approached.

Mountain Persimmon proactively inquired, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, Ink Orchid, did you find the Silver Cypress Trees?"

Ink Orchid exclaimed, "We found them!"

Dragon Cypress said, "Mountain Persimmon, regardless, we must thank you."

"No need to thank me..." Mountain Persimmon suddenly looked a bit sorrowful and asked, "Are you leaving?"

Dragon Cypress replied, "We’ve come to bid you farewell."

Ink Orchid added, "We’ll come to your Territory again at the End of Autumn to trade with you. Keep more of the Origin Force Persimmon Fruits produced by your Persimmon Tree Life Seed; we’ll buy them at a high price!"

Both Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid felt some sympathy for this Longhorn Beetle Warrior who seemed to know nothing but to tirelessly clear wasteland and plant Persimmon Trees.

Dragon Cypress offered, "Mountain Persimmon, I know of a Persimmon Tree called ’Sky Blue Persimmon’. The Origin Force Fruit it produces offers excellent enhancement effects, quality, and yield. It primarily boosts Carapace Toughness and also strengthens wing veins. Let me try to get you some seeds."

"Sky Blue Persimmon?"

Confused, then startled, then overjoyed, Mountain Persimmon said, "There’s no record of Sky Blue Persimmon in my Inherited Memory. Could it be, similar to Silver Cypress, a new tree species cultivated by some Insect Clan Warrior?"

Dragon Cypress confirmed, "Yes. Its enhancing effect is on Carapace Toughness, and it also strengthens wing veins. A regular Sky Blue Persimmon Tree can reach up to 20 meters in height and bears many fruits—it’s a Top-Level species."

"There is such a Persimmon Tree?!" Mountain Persimmon exclaimed in delight and, with a THUD, fell from the tree to the ground.

Dragon Cypress continued, "Mountain Persimmon, we also need a little help from you. There are 23 Silver Cypress trees on the southwestern mountainside. Next spring, could you help loosen the soil around them and clear some weeds?"

Mountain Persimmon readily agreed, "No problem."

Ink Orchid added, "Mountain Persimmon, let us also teach you a small technique for managing your Territory. You could dig a Marsh Gas Pool..."

「...」

Having found the Silver Cypress Tree seeds, they bid farewell to Mountain Persimmon.

"Dragon Cypress, do you plan to cultivate Silver Cypress Trees?" Ink Orchid inquired.

Dragon Cypress answered more seriously than ever, "Of course. Silver Cypress Trees can serve as a cornerstone plant species for my Great-Headed Ant Kingdom."

He then declared his grand ambition, "I plan to cultivate and propagate this type of Cypress on a large scale, with great effort, improving it generation after generation until a Silver Cypress Divine-Given Seed is born!"

Ink Orchid echoed, "It could become the continent’s most Top-Level Divine-Given Seed!"

Top-Level? Dragon Cypress simply shook his tentacles and said no more.

The Dominating Throne flew west for half a day before turning south.