Ant Lord in the Star Realm-Chapter 688 - 586: The Two Great Kings Are Invincible
Rednan Mountain, Trade Cave.
Across the Starship Passage, goods were piled up like mountains.
Seven-Leaf, White Ivy, Melde, Wormwood, Tiankui, Purple Jade—six caravans, each forming a mountain of goods, with large and small Spider Silk Bags stacked into six great mounds.
Red Peach wasn't present, probably busy transporting cargo.
Heliotrope was sorting the goods alone.
...
After exchanging greetings,
Dragon Cypress asked directly, "Heliotrope, did the Aconite Spider King come this year?"
Heliotrope: "It came..."
Heliotrope: "The Seven-Leaf Spider King successfully condensed its first Divine Mark. The Aconite Spider King said it will stay in the Ancestral Land next year and not travel with the caravan anymore."
It's finally stepping down...
Dragon Cypress: "Heliotrope, please congratulate the Aconite and Seven-Leaf Spider Kings for me, and wish them well on a smooth transition from the old to the new."
Heliotrope: "Thank you, Dragon Cypress Ant King, for your concern."
Heliotrope knew what Dragon Cypress was concerned about and continued, "Regarding the Divine-Grade Fruit that grants Life System Talent, last winter the Aconite Spider King inquired about it. This recent batch's quota is already gone, but we've negotiated that the next batch will be delivered in 21 years. As for the one for the Ink Orchid Lord, it will be delivered in the batch after the next."
Dragon Cypress: "Alright—"
"So we'll have to wait 21 years, huh..." Dragon Cypress turned to look at the Snow Velvet Spider King.
The Snow Velvet Spider King spoke straightforwardly: "The Divine-Grade Stone Plate Fruit matures and is harvested in 7 years. I can get one for you ahead of time, but..."
Dragon Cypress: "I'll discuss with White Ivy and Melde. When the next batch of Divine-Grade Molan Seeds mature, I'll have them spare one seed to trade with you."
Snow Velvet Spider King: "Alright!"
Heliotrope added, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, there's one more thing—did you forget? The original plan was to team up with the Areca Lord to reshape the terrain on the Cloud Trace Continent and relocate the Little Flame Spider, wasn't it? The Ancestral Land's Source Stones were allocated to the Aconite Spider King's account long ago..."
We've contacted the Shanglu Ancestral Land in the Southern Hemisphere; the plan will certainly be canceled...
As for Areca, the Snow Velvet Spider King will compensate with two Divine-Grade Fruits that grant Elemental Talent. Also, it's been decided that with the next batch of Thunder Zelkova Seeds, the first one will be given as additional compensation...
Dragon Cypress: "So that means..."
Heliotrope: "There have been too many major events these years—everyone forgot about it. Last winter, the Aconite Spider King made up its mind to retire, and when they were settling accounts, they remembered this matter. After discussing with the Steward Spider Kings of the Ancestral Land, everyone felt that since the agreement had already been made, if one side defaults, there should still be proper compensation. Plus, Areca is isolated and has no support, so the promised 15 million resources should still be allocated to it."
Heliotrope: "Dragon Cypress Ant King, may I trouble you to ask Areca how these resources should be distributed? Or is it to be one Mountain Pillar Fruit and 8 million Divine-Given Origin Force Food?"
Before Dragon Cypress could respond, the Snow Velvet Spider King cut in, objecting: "That's not appropriate. I've already promised to help Areca awaken the Thunder System Talent. For a Primordial Spider Warrior with the Fire System, adding a Thunder System talent makes dual elements its limit."
Dragon Cypress nodded his tentacle in agreement.
Areca only has one Wood Tangerine Divine-Given Seed. It's at the Lord-Level Stage, and its annual territory income isn't even 400,000 Source Stones. With that income, and with the extension of life from a single Divine-Grade Baihe Fruit stretching to 50 years, it's just barely enough for it to advance to King Level.
During Areca's growth and evolution process, it mainly relies on ordinary Origin Force Food. The strengthening effect of ordinary Origin Force Food isn't enough; fire and thunder dual-system talents are already its limit. Any more elemental systems would be too much to handle, without resources to enhance and improve them—even if awakened, there's no point.
By the same logic, as Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid awakened many elemental talents during their growth and evolution, they could only eat Divine-Given Origin Force Food, and would have to choose only high-quality ones. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚
Additionally, once a certain amount of a single Divine-Given Origin Force Food is used, its strengthening effect inevitably drops off. So, in their use of Divine-Given Origin Force Food, Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid have to pursue a rich variety of types.
Seven-Leaf, White Ivy, Melde—these caravans took a large portion of the Divine-Grade Fruits from Dragon Cypress, and one attached obligation was to help collect all kinds of high-quality Divine-Given Origin Force Foods.
…
The Snow Velvet Spider King pondered briefly and said, "One Divine-Grade Mountain Pillar Fruit, plus 8 million Source Stones' worth of Divine-Given Origin Force Food? Okay, record this debt under my name—I'll help Areca rotate it, and help it trade for two Divine-Grade Fruits with fire and thunder abilities. Coincidentally, I have a set of exclusive fire-thunder dual-system arts I can pass on to it."
Heliotrope fixed his gaze on Dragon Cypress.
Areca was raised by Dragon Cypress.
Dragon Cypress counted as somewhat of a mentor to Areca.
So on this matter, Dragon Cypress had the greater say.
Dragon Cypress: "No problem! This is a good thing! Let me thank all the Spider Kings of the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent on Areca's behalf, and especially thank you, Snow Velvet Spider King, for your support."
Dragon Cypress helped Snow Velvet Spider King ask: "Heliotrope, are there any important matters this year you need to talk to Snow Velvet Spider King about privately?"
Heliotrope: "There is one..."
Understandingly, Dragon Cypress took Fragrant Cypress and Black Sophora and left the cave.
...
The specific arrival time for the Divine-Grade Fruit granting Life System Talent was settled.
Dragon Cypress was finally at ease.
With spring trade ended,
Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid hurried to Scarletlight Mountain to give Areca the good news, quickly finishing the year's Divine-Given Seed search work.
Once again, there was nothing left to do.
Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid took up residence in the Areca Rainforest...
...
After the King Cypress Divine-Given Seed's tree reached a height of over 150 meters, its growth rate visibly slowed.
The vigorous growth period of Lord-Level God-Given Life Seed Divine-Given Seeds was nearing its end.
Correspondingly, the monthly Source Stone consumption dropped from 50,000 down to 40,000, 30,000, 20,000...
Year after year, the monthly expenditure fell to 15,000 Source Stones. The rate of decline slowed, stabilizing, which also corresponded to the complete end of the King Cypress Divine-Given Seed's vigorous growth period.
...
Silver Cypress, Year 22.
This spring, there are two major events.
