Ant Lord in the Star Realm-Chapter 731 - 600 Green Worm Bean

Last year, both the Soul-Setting Fruit and Jinhe Fruit ripened and were harvested in the same year.

This spring's trade is rather significant.

Rednan Mountain, Trade Cave.

Red Peach, Heliotrope, and Little Flame Spider Chasing Wind had been waiting for a while.

"Dragon Cypress Ant King!"

"Ink Orchid Lord!"

"Fragrant Cypress! Black Sophora!"

Chasing Wind waved its forelegs in an enthusiastic greeting.

"Little Chasing Wind!"

Ink Orchid controlled its 'Little Ink Orchid', carried a small Spider Silk Bag, scurried over, and handed it to Chasing Wind.

After exchanging greetings,

Fragrant Cypress and Black Sophora, divided into two groups, pushed over the Divine-Grade Fruits.

A quick inspection confirmed everything was correct.

Suddenly, everyone fell silent at the same time, the atmosphere turning heavy.

Heliotrope asked, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, is there still no news from the Snow Velvet Spider King this year?"

"No—"

Dragon Cypress shook its tentacles.

Heliotrope: "Does that also mean there's no word from the Southern Hemisphere?"

Dragon Cypress continued to shake its tentacles.

Ink Orchid reassured, "Don't panic, it's not a big problem. Just a distant island nation across the sea—there's no way they could go against the whole continent, no, not against two continents."

Dragon Cypress: "Ink Orchid and I are even more anxious. Everyone, just hold tight and wait for news."

Heliotrope: "Alright—"

Red Peach: "Dragon Cypress Ant King, have you fixed the time when you'll advance and break through to become Insect King?"

Dragon Cypress: "Roughly five or six years from now, but specifically, it depends on the recovery status of the White Poplar Divine Seed after the next batch of fruit ripens and is harvested."

Red Peach: "Understood."

Red Peach quickly packed up and said, "Heliotrope, Chasing Wind, you two take the Divine-Grade Fruits back first. I have something to discuss with Dragon Cypress Ant King and Ink Orchid Lord, I'll catch up to you soon."

Heliotrope lay still for a moment, but thinking that this year there would be no small gifts from the Snow Velvet Spider King, and thus nothing to trick out of Red Peach, got up and called Chasing Wind to leave together, turning away and moving off slowly.

Only after watching Heliotrope go far did Red Peach lower its spiritual power and said, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, last year, the White Ivy Spider King told Dogtooth Violet Great Leader of Red Crow Mountain about the situation in the Southern Hemisphere. After discussion, Dogtooth Violet Great Leader agreed to an extra exchange of one batch of Ghost King Sophora Seeds for your use."

Dragon Cypress stayed silent.

Ink Orchid asked, "And then?"

Red Peach: "The promised trading quota was only raised from the original two to three. One for Dragon Cypress Ant King, one each for White Ivy and Snow Velvet Spider Kings. Any more—I'm afraid that's unlikely."

Ink Orchid: "..."

Ink Orchid: "And then?"

Red Peach: "Dragon Cypress Ant King's share essentially still requires trading a Snow Velvet Spider King's Divine-Grade Fruit. Ink Orchid Lord, Dragon Cypress Ant King, have you reached an agreement with the Snow Velvet Spider King? The matter of exchanging Wild God-Given Seeds for Ghost King Sophora Seeds..."

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid shook their tentacles in unison.

Red Peach: "The next batch of Ghost King Sophora Seeds will ripen and be harvested in four years, delivered in the fifth year—just right for you to almost break through and advance to Insect King. Dragon Cypress Ant King, Ink Orchid Lord, have you decided? Do you want to trade?"

Dragon Cypress: "Here's what we'll do: when the goods arrive, just send them over. If we haven't been able to contact the Snow Velvet Spider King during this period, I'll keep them in trust. If we do get in touch, we'll negotiate in detail how to trade. The five King-Level Wild God-Given Seeds that the Snow Velvet Spider King previously asked for—there's no way that's happening."

Ink Orchid: "So greedy! The Snow Velvet Spider King really is the blackest-hearted spider."

Red Peach lightly tapped its tentacle in agreement.

Red Peach: "I know how to respond to the White Ivy Spider King now. Alright, Dragon Cypress Ant King, Ink Orchid Lord, Fragrant Cypress, Black Sophora, I'll take the Divine-Grade Fruits back first..."

...

Watching Red Peach leave.

Ink Orchid immediately turned its head and asked, "Great King, what should we do?"

Dragon Cypress: "What's to be done?"

Ink Orchid: "It's clear that Red Crow Mountain is unwilling to exchange Ghost King Sophora Seeds. At the very least, their willingness to trade them for Wild God-Given Seeds is very low."

Dragon Cypress: "Yes. They're planning to escort a large batch of Wild God-Given Seeds out of the Origin Force Star Realm."

Ink Orchid: "Then should we..."

Fragrant Cypress also raised a claw and asked, "Great King, will we still get to eat them then?"

Dragon Cypress: "No rush. If it's Law Divine Tree fruits exchanged for Law Divine Tree fruits, there likely won't be a problem. But no need to hurry, let's wait a few years and see."

Black Sophora raised a claw and proposed, "Great King, I have a good idea!"

Dragon Cypress: "What idea?"

Black Sophora: "Great King, the Snow Velvet Spider King values the Wild God-Given Seeds immensely! This also indirectly shows Shanglu's attitude toward the Wild God-Given Seeds—Shanglu might be willing to swap for a Shanglu Fruit."

Black Sophora: "Great King, Second King, we can use Wangbai Seeds to exchange for Ghost King Sophora Seeds and give them to Assistant Kings skilled at combat, like Spiked Cypress, Cypress, and Silver Cypress. And we can use God-Given Seeds to trade with Shanglu for Shanglu Fruit, letting Assistant Kings good at management and administration use them, like Fragrant Cypress... and me."

Ink Orchid's eyes lit up in agreement, "Great idea! Black Sophora is smart! This way, every Assistant King will get the chance to taste a Law Divine Tree fruit before leaving the Origin Force Star Realm—no favoritism at all."

Dragon Cypress: "..."

Black Sophora isn't actually smart!

Dragon Cypress had thought of this plan long ago.

But think further—how many of the Flame Spider Roving Merchants are fools? Is the Snow Velvet Spider King a fool? What about the Shanglu Divine Tree?

The Shanglu Divine Tree hidden behind the scenes is surely wiser than Huagi and Linnan—a truly cunning tree spirit.

If Shanglu is willing to exchange its Law Divine Tree fruits for Wild God-Given Seeds, that just proves that the value of the Wild God-Given Seeds is higher than the Law Divine Tree fruits.

Spiders never do a losing deal.

So, we can't trade with them!

The ants won't accept a big loss on a matter that concerns the foundation of the kingdom.