Ant Lord in the Star Realm-Chapter 644 - 571: A New Variety of Cypress_3

...

On the Cloud Trace Continent, it was the peak of a vibrant spring, with flowers blooming profusely. After sending White Rice back to the mountain, Dragon Cypress hurried back to Xianglan Mountain alone.

As soon as the Dominating Throne entered the Land of Origin Force, Azure's spiritual power surged forward.

Azure said, "Dragon Cypress, great news! Fragrant Cypress used Zhibai to pollinate Silver Cypress #1102, successfully crossbreeding a completely new cypress variety. From my observations, the seedlings of this new variety are exceptionally robust, possessing extraordinary life force and environmental adaptability."

Dragon Cypress exclaimed, "Really?!"

He then asked, "Where are they?"

Azure replied, "At Nursery #11. The seeds were just sown this spring. Fragrant Cypress is currently busy directing the worker ants to remove the weaker seedlings."

Dragon Cypress said, "Alright—"

It had been five years since Dragon Cypress acquired a batch of Zhibai seeds from Ant King Goldna of Rainbow Island and tried planting a few on Xianglan Mountain. He had been busy cultivating the Silver Cypress Tree all these years. Currently, the Silver Cypress Tree had three cultivated variants: Silver Cypress #1004, Silver Cypress #1101, and Silver Cypress #2001, all requiring large-scale promotion. There was simply too much work with the Silver Cypress Tree. He hadn't had the time or energy for Zhibai, and Dragon Cypress hadn't paid it much attention either. He hadn't expected such a pleasant surprise!

Silver Cypress had mutated from the Large-Leaved Chinese Arborvitae and mainly grew in the temperate and cold temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere. Zhibai, on the other hand, thrived in the tropical jungles of the Southern Hemisphere. Two cypress varieties, separated by a hundred thousand kilometers, yet coincidentally possessing similar flowering periods, had miraculously managed to crossbreed...

...

The Dominating Throne swiftly approached.

"Great King!" Fragrant Cypress waved its tentacles in a cheerful greeting. "Great King, come quickly and look! This new cypress variety has such vigorous growth, and the seedlings are so healthy and strong!"

Azure's spiritual power arrived closely behind.

Dragon Cypress said, "I know! Azure already told me. Fragrant Cypress, well done!"

Dragon Cypress leaped down from the Throne and walked into the nursery to inspect the situation.

The seedlings were about 20 centimeters tall and had not yet begun to branch. Their leaves were still the sharp needles characteristic of young cypresses. At first glance, they looked no different from any other cypress seedlings; it is hard to distinguish varieties at this early stage. However, anyone familiar with cultivating cypress seedlings would notice upon closer inspection that their main stems were exceptionally thick and upright—a significant difference from typical cypress seedlings.

"Fragrant Cypress, how long have these seedlings been sown?" Dragon Cypress asked.

"Exactly 30 days," Fragrant Cypress replied.

"That really is a coincidence," Dragon Cypress remarked.

Fragrant Cypress then asked, "Great King, this new variety is highly likely to trigger a Natural Godsend. Should we select a batch and concentrate the cultivation in an orchard?"

Triggering a Natural Godsend isn't that simple. There are issues to consider, such as fruit yield, the size and number of seeds, and whether the variety can be stably propagated through seeds. Stable seed propagation is especially critical. Hybrid plant seeds are particularly prone to problems like trait segregation and seedling malformation. All of this requires time for verification. If problems do arise, it would mean investing a great deal of time and effort into cultivation and selective breeding.

Dragon Cypress answered, "Of course! Let's give it a try."

"Very well, Great King," Fragrant Cypress said, then asked, "Great King, what about its designation? It was crossbred using Silver Cypress #1102 as the mother plant and Zhibai as the pollinator. Should its designation still start with 'Silver Cypress'?"

Dragon Cypress waved his tentacles. "Let's not assign a designation for now. Fragrant Cypress, let's establish a rule: only cypress varieties that show body-shape optimization effects can be designated starting with 'Silver Cypress'. We'll cultivate this new hybrid variety first and observe it for a few years before deciding."

Fragrant Cypress said, "Understood, Great King."

Dragon Cypress then asked, "Is everything ready for the spring roving merchant trade?"

Fragrant Cypress reported, "The Black Persimmons on the mountain are being prepared."

Dragon Cypress waved his tentacles, signaling Fragrant Cypress to continue with his work. He then leaped onto the Throne, which ascended directly into the sky, heading back up the mountain.