Ant Lord in the Star Realm-Chapter 669 - 579: Source Stone, Gone_3

Cypress, Black Sophora, and Tie Bush set out for Swinging Leaf Island to carry out a thorough pruning and trimming of the various fruit trees in the orchard.

At the same time,

In the Northern Hemisphere, within the Purple Tung Insect Nation, the newly iterated Silver Cypress Seedling No. 1005 and No. 1102 have basically taken root and grown, and are beginning to bloom and bear fruit for the first time.

This autumn, the first batch of seeds can be gathered, and in the coming spring, they can be distributed to the various Lands of Origin Force, starting a new generation of seedling selection and cultivation.

…

Year 11 of Silver Cypress.

Cypress, Black Sophora, and Tie Bush return to Cloud Trace Continent for a one-year vacation.

Dragon Cypress completes the cultivation of ant colonies on Fragrant Silk Island and Twin Pillar Island.

With all work on the island territories under Southern Hemisphere control completed, the subsequent management only requires periodic tending from now on.

…

When luck suddenly turned bad and the Divine-Given Seed remained unfound, Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid began to feel a bit anxious.

…

Year 12 of Silver Cypress.

Silver Cypress No. 2001 finally has successfully selected and cultivated the even better Silver Cypress No. 2002.

Dragon Cypress shifts focus to the Northern Hemisphere.

Taking along Black Leaf, Black Birch, and Black Cory, he begins the comprehensive iteration and renewal of Silver Cypress Trees at the seven Lands of Origin Force: Cold Orchid Mountain, Jianlan Plain, Red Cypress Mountain, Cicada Orchid Mountain, Hulan Mountain, Xuelan Mountain, and Banlan Mountain.

The workflow is not complicated.

Clear out the old cypresses, dig up the stumps.

Chop and crush all branches and leaves to make compost, mix with soil, return to the woodland, and improve the soil.

Transplant brand new seedlings.

All tasks progress simultaneously. The workload is significant; each Land of Origin Force has at least 15 square kilometers of planting area. Across the seven sites, the total area exceeds 110 square kilometers.

After three years, the work is finally done.

All territories in both hemispheres are tidied up. What remains is routine maintenance, with no particularly heavy work in the short term.

A simple adjustment is made to the Assistant King's task assignments.

Cypress remains stationed at Xianglan Mountain for two years of rest.

Silver Cypress, Black Birch, and Tie Bush are based year-round at Wanglan Continent's Swinging Leaf Island, heading to Fragrant Silk Island just once each year to prune the fruit trees.

…

Year 15 of Silver Cypress.

After the spring trade concludes, Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid pack up and set off to begin this year's search for Divine-Given Seeds.

With nothing urgent at hand, they wander as they go, collecting samples of plants and animals along the way.

The Dominating Throne skims low above the forests, fully loaded as it enters the Areca Rainforest, heading straight for the place where the Great King Cypress Divine-Given Seed has taken root.

"Huh?"

"Oh——"

"Dragon Cypress! Look! The top of the Spikemoss tree!"

Ink Orchid, sharp-eyed, spotted it from four or five hundred meters away: on the treetop, sunlight refracted glimmers of silvery light.

Dragon Cypress also noticed something different. On closer inspection, it was a plump fruit about three centimeters in diameter.

——The Great King Cypress Divine-Given Seed is blooming?!

——Not only blooming, the fruit is quite sizable already.

——Wait, what? When did this happen?

——We were here last autumn, so the bloom must have happened in winter or this spring.

——Right! Yes! Wow!

"Alright!"

Ink Orchid cheered, spread her wings, flashed through the air, and soared toward the Great King Cypress Divine-Given Seed.

Dragon Cypress also urged the Dominating Throne onward at full speed.

"Dragon Cypress!"

As they drew near, Spikemoss greeted them warmly: "Dragon Cypress, look! The treetop! I've bloomed. There's a fruit hanging up there."

Dragon Cypress: "...I see it."

Dragon Cypress: "Just one flower?"

Spikemoss: "Only one."

Ink Orchid circled the Great King Cypress Divine-Given Seed three times, landed on top of the throne's backrest, and said, "Dragon Cypress, there's just one fruit."

Dragon Cypress: "I see—that."

After eight years of growth, the Great King Cypress Divine-Given Seed now stood nearly a hundred meters tall.

Such a massive tree, and just one fruit?

Dragon Cypress's mind spun, then suddenly understood and exclaimed with delight, "Spikemoss is a Divine God-Given Seed similar to One-Glimpse Flower and the Quin Olive Tree!"

Ink Orchid's eyes sparkled too, and she shouted in joy, "Exactly!"

Suddenly inspired, Ink Orchid added, "And there's Shanglu—and the Flame Spider's Shanglu Divine Seed! The cave murals showed it only ever bore a single fruit at a time."

Dragon Cypress tapped his tentacle in agreement and said firmly, "Yes!"

Dragon Cypress calmly analyzed, "One fruit at a time, and a long blossom-fruit cycle; on average, the yield isn't ideal. The Divine-Grade Radiant Fruit takes six years, the Divine-Grade Quince Olive Fruit takes eight. Shanglu Fruit as well? Eight years?"

Ink Orchid: "Yes! Preliminary estimates say the Divine-Grade Wangbai Seed's blossom-fruit cycle is six to eight years. It could be even longer for Lord-Level."

Ink Orchid cocked her head, calculated for a moment, and said in frustration, "Dragon Cypress, this doesn't add up! The ability granted might be very powerful, but how high can the price go? Five million? Ten million? Even the Soul System Divine-Grade Six Paths Fruit only sold for twelve million. Averaging it out, the returns aren't high! If the ability it grants isn't good, annual profits might not even reach a million. Then it wouldn't even be as good as Senior Orchid Mantis…"

The calculation can go like this…

But, what if it's at the level of the Divine-Grade Gromwell Fruit?

Anything is possible!

Dragon Cypress's heart burned with excitement, his consciousness shifted, and he praised Spikemoss: "Spikemoss, you've done very well!"

The Dominating Throne docked beneath the tree.

Dragon Cypress tapped his tentacle repeatedly, sending down eight bursts of Flourish Ability in a row. With a wave of his claw, he said generously, "Spikemoss, the Source Stones are all stocked in the Ant Nest Treasury. If you need them, just direct the worker ants to fetch some. Don't hold back! While you're bearing fruit, don't neglect your growth."

Spikemoss: "Dragon Cypress… the Source Stones… are gone…"