CHAPTER 79: CHAPTER 079: CONJOINED TWINS, DIVINE-GIVEN GORGON FRUIT SEED (PART 2)

On the ridge, Red Fox, White Rice, and Black Rice watched as the Dominating Throne turned into a blue dot, blending into the cerulean skyline and disappearing.

Black Rice asked, "What is Dragon Cypress going to do with the marsh slag?"

White Rice replied, "Ink Orchid didn’t come over! They must’ve found a wild Divine-Given Seed in the newly discovered Land of Origin Force, and the fruit must be near maturity. Its condition may not be good, so the marsh slag is for extra fertilization."

"Oh! Oh! Oh!" Black Rice’s tentacles swayed, exclaiming in amazement.

"Not necessarily..."

Red Fox analyzed, "If they did find a new Divine-Given Seed, unless the enhancement effect is completely useless to both you and Black Rice, Dragon Cypress Ant King would have announced it already and pre-sold a portion of it."

Red Fox mused, "There are still a second and a third possibility."

White Rice and Black Rice both turned to look at Red Fox.

Red Fox spoke unhurriedly, "The second possibility is that they discovered some precious new plant species. The third possibility... they found a Divine-Given Seed that is still being born!"

...

...

...

Jianlan Plain.

Zhanjiang Shallow Bay.

Ink Orchid was resourceful—it moved a large amount of dry branches, tied them with grass rope, and floated them among the aquatic weed patches not far from the gorgon fruits, settling itself securely atop them.

Every so often it spread its wings, intimidating swimming fish beneath the water and any foraging waterbirds trying to approach.

If some stubborn creature insisted on coming near, Ink Orchid would take off, circle around, and drive it away.

From afar, upon seeing the Dominating Throne, Ink Orchid swiftly flew down to perch atop it.

"Dragon Cypress, how did the trade go?"

"Very smoothly. White Rice probably knew it couldn’t beat me, so it didn’t bother wasting time haggling."

"Haha, Dragon Cypress, you’re impressive."

Ink Orchid rummaged through the bamboo tubes for a look.

Three tubes per bundle, tied together with hemp rope—for a total of twenty-one large tubes, all filled with marsh slag.

"Is it enough?"

"It should be enough, right?"

"If it were me, I’d have emptied out their entire marsh gas pool."

"It’s enough."

Dragon Cypress controlled the Dominating Throne, gliding slowly closer to the gorgon fruits, hovering just above them.

Ink Orchid poured the marsh slag down, tube by tube.

Dragon Cypress activated its Water System Ability, swirling river water to draw the marsh slag to settle at the riverbed.

It was finished in no time.

Still uneasy, Ink Orchid asked, "Dragon Cypress, is this really enough?"

"This will do. In two or three days, the fertilizer will gradually seep into the root-layer mud. There’s nothing more we can do. We just have to wait and see."

Dragon Cypress swept with its spiritual power, inspecting the gorgon fruit. Its developmental state wasn’t great, but not terrible either.

Currently, the seed was half-matured. Maybe the Divine-Given Seed’s development was a bit slow. Dragon Cypress had been away for four days and, upon return, saw little change. It might still need another month or so to fully mature.

The Dominating Throne hovered just above the water’s surface nearby.

Dragon Cypress stood watch.

Ink Orchid rested for the night first.

During the day, they switched shifts.

Ink Orchid took over the watch, while Dragon Cypress went ashore to rest.

The passing of time they’d anticipated now felt as slow and flat as the river beneath them.

Three days later,

The Origin Force food collected from White Rice Territory was dried and stored in the spider silk bags.

The Black Rice Seed was refined and blended into ant honey brewed from Black Rice fruit. Since Ink Orchid had a Wood Element Talent, all of it was given for it to eat.

Another three days passed,

Floating on the water’s surface, the three previously stunted gorgon fruit leaves unfurled.

This was the marsh slag fertilizer taking effect.

Whether due to the geography and climate, or just Ink Orchid’s luck, there were several consecutive sunny days, interrupted only by a short, light rain.

After fertilizing, the gorgon fruit plant’s condition clearly improved. The two Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seeds in development showed noticeable progress.

Nearby, other ordinary gorgon fruits ripened one by one. Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid picked them all, shelled the gorgon fruit seeds, dried them, and stored them away.

Actually, the fruit of the gorgon fruit is naturally spiny, so it’s not easy for them to be harmed. Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid just kept a watch, scaring off the waterbirds, fish, and shrimp that came close.

As time went by, Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid both started to get bored.

Ink Orchid couldn’t sit still. Every afternoon it’d wake Dragon Cypress up, take over the shift, then dart into the forest to continue searching for Divine-Given Seeds, and also picked any late-ripening fruits to bring back for Blue Ant to refine into ant honey.

Unconsciously, late autumn brought a chill to the air.

Every edible fruit in the mountains and forests had already been picked clean.

At twilight,

Ink Orchid carried an empty spider silk bag, flew lazily back to the Throne, glanced at the water, and asked:

"When exactly will these two Divine-Given Seeds ripen?"

Dragon Cypress noticed something amiss—Ink Orchid looked a bit fatigued and dispirited.

"Ink Orchid, are you going to enter evolution slumber?"

"Seems like it..."

"..."

Dragon Cypress was speechless.

Thinking it over, actually, evolving at this time was perfect!

"Ink Orchid, with me here, you can evolve in peace."

"Oh——"

Ink Orchid shook its head hard to stay awake, saying, "I can hold on... Let me rest for a bit first."

As soon as Ink Orchid fell asleep, it dropped into a deep slumber.

The Dominating Throne underwent the greatest change, docking at the riverside. Dragon Cypress positioned itself between the Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seeds and the Throne, dividing its focus: guarding the soon-to-mature divine seeds, and also watching over Ink Orchid.

Fortunately, Jianlan Plain had no large predators, so nothing unexpected happened.

Two days later,

Ink Orchid awoke, successfully shedding its old shell, evolving into a 7th age period Flower Mantis Warrior, now longer than half a meter.

Almost as if in response, the twin Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seeds began absorbing Origin Force at a much faster rate. Correspondingly, the parent gorgon plant’s leaves started showing yellow at the edges.

This life-withering yellow spread rapidly, like a curse, as the plant approached its end.

One day, two days, three days.

A chilly wind swept through one night. The entire plant withered, its vitality utterly snuffed out.

The double fruits parted naturally at the seams, exposing the reddish-brown gorgon fruit seeds within.

Under the autumn sun,

Ink Orchid spread its wings, lying on its back atop the Throne, coloring its newly formed wings.

Dragon Cypress crouched at the throne’s edge, patiently on guard, until even the fruit stems yellowed. Only then did it move its claw, leaping, snagging the fruits in one swift motion, and landing lightly back onto the Throne.

Ink Orchid flipped upright.

Dragon Cypress peeled open one fruit, carefully took out the Divine-Given Seed inside, and handed it to Ink Orchid.

Then it peeled open the other and examined the seed held gently between its talon tips.

It was about the size of a mountain grape, overall reddish-brown, with a white base, faint purple-red Origin Force patterns, and a barely perceptible wave of Origin Force resonance.

Freshly formed, teeming with vitality.

"Ink Orchid, you can directly take it in..."

Dragon Cypress’s words weren’t finished before Ink Orchid decisively absorbed the Divine-Given Seed into its Life Pouch, to be nurtured as a 7th age Life Seed.

Ink Orchid cheerfully said, "I got it! No need for your instructions."

Ink Orchid added, "Dragon Cypress, as for your seed, make sure to dry it fully before storing."

"Of course!"

Dragon Cypress took out a spider silk bag, folded and arranged it, weighed down the edges with a stone, and solemnly placed the Divine-Given Seed inside.

"It’s getting cold. It might take four or five suns to dry out."

"Yeah."

Ink Orchid tilted its head, asking, "Dragon Cypress, should we still go to Ghost Fan Mountain?"

Dragon Cypress replied seriously, "We have to make the trip. For a Roving Merchant, reputation is everything. Since we promised Ghost Fan, we must go, even though we’ve already delayed for so long..."

Ink Orchid said, "After I trade with the caravan next year I’ll be able to evolve into the 8th age period. The Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed I nurture will still be in time for planting. Since gorgon fruit is aquatic, we need to dig a big enough pond for it to take root and grow as soon as possible."

Dragon Cypress said, "I understand! But it’s almost winter now, and the worker ants are getting sluggish..."

Ink Orchid replied, "Exactly! That means we’ll only be able to start digging in spring next year. Will there still be enough time?"

Dragon Cypress had already considered the problem, and answered confidently, "No problem!"

It was noon, still time for half a day’s travel.

Dragon Cypress took control of the Dominating Throne, rising into the air—setting off.