Ant Lord in the Star Realm-Chapter 453 - 433: Some Shameless Old Spiders
Rednan Mountain.
When Dragon Cypress led the team into the Trade Cave, Silvergrass was waiting alone at the Starship Rift.
Behind Silvergrass, the wide Starship Passage was piled high with Source Stones like mountains.
"Dragon Cypress Ant King!"
"Chinese Clematis! Fragrant Cypress! And this is..."
Silvergrass greeted them, gaze stopping on Silver Cypress.
Silver Cypress: "My name is Silver Cypress. I am the Assistant King for Combat who inherited the Ant King’s Water Element Ability."
Silvergrass: "Oh! I’ve heard Fragrant Cypress mention you! Hello, Silver Cypress!"
"Hello—"
Silver Cypress asked, "Did Fragrant Cypress talk bad about me behind my back?"
Silvergrass: "???"
Silvergrass: "Nope."
"Silver Cypress! Nothing to do with you. Stand aside!"
Dragon Cypress waved his tentacle to knock him, scolding, then lifted a claw to point at the passage behind, questioning, "Silvergrass, what’s this all about?"
Silvergrass: "Considering every year we’ll need to transport five million Source Stones, which will take a lot of time, Spider King Spurge moved the caravan’s schedule up by another two days. Red Peach and I arrived two days ago. Red Peach is transporting Source Stones over, and I’m on guard here."
"Oh—"
Dragon Cypress: "Then next year, our Xianglan Mountain Caravan will also come two days early."
"Alright!" Silvergrass’ eight eyes stared hard at Dragon Cypress, then hesitantly asked, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, did you go through Evolution?"
Dragon Cypress: "Yes."
Silvergrass: "So the Wood Primordial Energy Fluctuation coming off you is..."
Dragon Cypress: "After harvesting the Divine-Grade Kunlun Seed, I ate one, evolved once, and got lucky—successfully Awakened a Wood Element Talent!"
"Oh!"
Silvergrass got so excited all eight legs went rigid.
Dragon Cypress: "There were five Kunlun Seeds, Ink Orchid and Mountain Lord Spruce from Huagi Mountain each got one. Now we have a huge demand for Wood Element Divine-Given Origin Force Food."
Silvergrass: "No problem!"
Silvergrass: "All five Spider Kings thought of this, so last year everyone helped collect Wood Element Divine-Given Origin Force Food."
Silvergrass turned and took down three information-recording stone slabs from the stone slab wheelcart, handing them over with special emphasis:
"Lord Melde and Lord White Ivy deliberately borrowed Wood Element Divine-Given Origin Force Food worth one million Source Stones from Cloud Crown Mountain."
"Good! Help me thank Melde and White Ivy."
Dragon Cypress took the stone slabs and flipped through them, tentacles waving.
The Flame Spider Caravan really is on top of things.
All together, over four million Source Stones’ worth of Divine-Given Origin Force Food was delivered this year, mainly Wood Element.
Basically enough for Spruce and Ink Orchid to go through Evolution.
"Dragon Cypress Ant King—"
Silvergrass looked a little shy and awkwardly raised a front leg to point at Chinese Clematis.
Chinese Clematis and Fragrant Cypress each carried a Spider Silk Bag filled with Kunlun Seeds.
Dragon Cypress: "Silvergrass, no rush. When will Red Peach get here? Both of you come together."
Silvergrass: "Red Peach just left..."
Dragon Cypress: "Then let’s inventory the Source Stones first."
Silvergrass: "That works too..."
Red Peach gets regular wages for helping the Spider Kings transport Source Stones.
Works super energetically, running like the wind.
With a thunderous rumble, the stone slab wheelcart, loaded with Source Stones, came speeding over.
"Dragon Cypress Ant King!"
"Chinese Clematis!"
Red Peach called out, eyes locking straight onto the Spider Silk Bag in Chinese Clematis’ grasp.
Chinese Clematis: "The Kunlun Seed harvest went smoothly, here they are."
Chinese Clematis: "Dragon Cypress Ant King already used one, successfully Awakened a Wood Element Talent, and even grasped a Wood Element Ability useful for territory management and life seed cultivation..."
Dragon Cypress didn’t repeat anything said once.
Chinese Clematis did it on his behalf, giving Red Peach a detailed explanation.
Afterwards, handed over two Spider Silk Bags.
Red Peach and Silvergrass each took one, rapidly checked inside, then quickly packed them away.
Chinese Clematis also crossed the Starship Rift and entered the passage.
Silvergrass: "Seven-Leaf Lord is in a real hurry."
Red Peach blurted out, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, then we’ll head over first to report back to Wormwood Spider King and Lord White Ivy."
Silvergrass carried Chinese Clematis, dashing off at full speed.
...
...
...
The Kunlun Seed is an even more precious Divine-Grade Fruit than the Soul-Setting Fruit.
At the foot of the hill, Trade Square,
Aconite, Spurge, Wormwood, Purple Jade, and Tiankui—the five Spider Kings—were all sprawling around looking nonchalant.
In reality, every so often, they’d sweep their spiritual power toward the distant hillside, always monitoring the situation over there.
Here they come!
Wormwood Spider King suddenly stood up, realized it looked suspicious, stretched its legs a bit, and then strolled slowly toward Aconite Spider King’s business area.
...
Behind the hillside, at the Starship Passage exit.
White Ivy, seeing Silvergrass dragging his legs, immediately manipulated a Spider Silk Rope to help, tying him up and pulling out, "Got the goods?"
Red Peach jumped in, "Got them!"
Silvergrass: "...Don’t rush it."
White Ivy pinned Silvergrass down, Primordial Energy swirling, and in a few swift moves unstrapped the two Spider Silk Bags firmly tied to his back.
Seven-Leaf, Natsumi, Melde, Lupine, and Grass Dragon shoved and squeezed closer, quickly forming a circle.
White Ivy unscrewed the Metal Can lid, eyes flashing red, holding it up to inspect it closely.
Natsumi exclaimed, "Such strong Wood Primordial Energy!"
Grass Dragon: "It’s beyond King-Level, how could it not be strong?"
Red Peach rattled off at top speed, "Dragon Cypress Ant King already used one and successfully Awakened a Wood Elemental Talent. Also mastered a Wood Element Ability."
"Really?"
White Ivy’s eyes shone brightly and confidently, "Even that Little Ant King Dragon Cypress can manage it—how could I possibly fail?"
Silvergrass shook off White Ivy’s hold, squeezed out of the circle with effort, and added, "Ink Orchid and the Insect Clan Warrior named Spruce from Huagi Mountain each used one. They need Wood Element Divine-Given Origin Force Food."
White Ivy: "No problem."
Seven-Leaf reminded, "Lord White Ivy, stop staring. Watch out for other Spider Kings spying on us."
Melde urged too, "White Ivy, put the stuff away. We’re heading down the mountain."
"Why down the mountain?" White Ivy manipulated spider silk, dipped into the can, wrapped one, and yanked out the Kunlun Seed.
Her pincer limb went up, mouth opened—she gulped it down in one bite.
Crunch, crunch.
Fruit peel and shell went down all at once into her belly.
"There’s one left. Silvergrass, you take it to Wormwood Spider King."
"Melde, wait for my command—stand guard for me and let no one disturb!"
"I’ll eat this one. Next one is Melde’s. Then next is Red Peach’s. After that, Lupine, Grass Dragon, Silvergrass—good stuff, we keep it for ourselves first. Use it as soon as we get it, squashing those shameless old spiders’ thoughts."
As White Ivy spoke, she slowly sprawled out, red light fading from her eyes, and entered absorption and digestion mode.
All the spiders were dumbfounded.
I get one too? Silvergrass was stunned, then shot up her front leg in joy: "Boss White Ivy is mighty! I support you with all eight legs!"
The group of spiders went speechless again, backing away slowly.
Seven-Leaf waved his claw for everyone to move on.
Led by Natsumi, Chinese Clematis, Silvergrass, Grass Dragon, and Lupine took another Spider Silk Bag and hurried towards the plaza.
Down the mountain,
The crowd of Spider Kings gathered at Aconite Spider King’s trading ring watched the activity beyond the hillside and could only look on speechless.
They stayed silent for a while longer, still left speechless.
Natsumi led the group, running over.
Aconite Spider King raised a Primordial Energy Shield.
"Wormwood Spider King, here’s your Divine-Grade Kunlun Seed!"
Silvergrass handed over the Spider Silk Bag.
Wormwood Spider King looked grave as it opened the jar, checked it, then passed it to Aconite Spider King.
Aconite Spider King glanced at it, then passed to Spider King Spurge...
No doubt about the goods.
So far, Divine-Grade Fruits such as Night Fragrance Fruit, Soul-Setting Fruit, and Kunlun Seed have all been brought safely over from the Cloud Trace Continent.
So White Poplar Fruit and Jinhe Fruit must be fine too.
After being passed around for inspection, it finally returned to Wormwood Spider King’s claw.
Wormwood Spider King carefully stowed it at the bottom of the cargo under his carapace, and at the same time took some Divine-Given Origin Force Food, packed it into a petite Spider Silk Bag, and handed it to Chinese Clematis.
Chinese Clematis’ eyes lit up orange, boldly reaching a claw to take it, opened the bag, peered inside, looked up, turned, and fixed her gaze on Aconite Spider King.
Aconite Spider King: "..."
That Jifeng Warrior from the north, Red Moonseed, is way cuter~
Aconite Spider King rummaged through the carapace, picked out a few lower-grade pieces of Divine-Given Origin Force Food, and tossed them into Chinese Clematis’ Spider Silk Bag.
Orange-red eyes turned to Spider King Spurge...
Spider King Spurge: "..."
...
Chinese Clematis first collected small gifts from the five Spider Kings, then finally explained with humility, "I came all the way from the far north to help with transactions, Dragon Cypress Ant King doesn’t pay me anything..."
"Cut the nonsense."
Aconite Spider King interrupted roughly, "If I’m not mistaken, Jinhe Fruit matures this year?"
Chinese Clematis: "You’re right."
Aconite Spider King: "How many can you deliver next year?"
Chinese Clematis: "Seven in total. Six of them require payment in Source Stone upfront."
Chinese Clematis: "This year’s five million Source Stones have arrived, last shipment of three Soul-Setting Fruits now settled. The one Kunlun Seed given to Wormwood Spider King must be paid in Source Stone..."
Wormwood Spider King: "Settle it next year."
Chinese Clematis: "Then next year’s six Jinhe Fruits..."
Chinese Clematis started settling accounts with the five Spider Kings, negotiating shipment details for the Source Stones.
...
White Ivy sprawled at the entrance of the passage for quite a while, finishing the absorption of the Divine-Grade Kunlun Seed Primordial Energy.
Chinese Clematis hurried back to report to Dragon Cypress.
Red Peach and Silvergrass continued to busy themselves transporting Source Stones.
All manner of trades continued busily.
