After Dragon Cypress evolved into a High-Level Ant King at the 5th Age Period, the Dominating Throne's flying speed greatly improved, with a slight increase in carrying capacity as well.
Without the Stump Ant Nest, he could originally only transport 14 large bags of Divine-Given Remains per trip—now he could transport 15 bags.
Running one trip every three days, eight trips in total…
The Divine-Given Night Fragrance Seed, at its peak period, had an unimaginably huge tree body. By now, only a third of the transportation was complete.
anwhile, the Night Fragrance God-Given Seed absorbed a third of its own exuviae, its height reaching about seventy ters. It drained almost all the Origin Force within White Lotus Lake, with ninety percent used for its own growth, and the remaining ten percent stored as reserves inside Glinting Gold.
This was with it desperately suppressing its growth; soon, it wouldn't be able to hold back anymore, and the Origin Force from White Lotus Lake wouldn't suffice—it would need to consu the Origin Force stored in Glinting Gold.
The growth ahead would only beco more perilous.
Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid were powerless in this situation; even the Source Stones in Xianglan Mountain's Treasury weren't nearly enough.
Ti moved into sumr.
First, they returned to Xianglan Mountain, tidied their belongings, and began this year's roving rchant trade journey.
No need to go to Ghost Fan Mountain or Black Lotus Lake anymore.
Save ti, alter the route slightly, and head straight for Scarletlight Mountain to complete this year's collection of Divine-Given Scarletlight Fruit.
Next, they sped directly toward White Rice Mountain.
The Dominating Throne soared high; from a great distance, Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid could see the magnificent and towering Divine-Given White Rice Seed.
"Dragon Cypress—"
"Sothing's off. I'll go check it out first."
Ink Orchid spun around, grabbed the exquisite Spider Silk Bag gifted by White Ivy, leapt into the sky, left the Throne behind, and sped away.
The Divine-Given White Rice Seed not only stood much taller than before—its Origin Force fluctuations were different as well.
Dragon Cypress urged the Dominating Throne along, accelerating its flight.
As Dragon Cypress approached, he saw Ink Orchid, White Rice, and Black Rice sitting together under the tree, each holding a block of ice made by diluting Origin Force Ant Honey with water and freezing it—they were eating with clear enjoynt.
After drinking ice water for two months, just looking at them made Dragon Cypress's insides go cold—he didn't have the energy to complain.
Very strange,
Ink Orchid took out its cherished Rose Halo and generously lent it to Black Rice to play with.
The tal case normally carried everywhere was also set out, placed in front of White Rice.
Just how big was the good news to make them this happy? Dragon Cypress controlled the Dominating Throne to descend in altitude, just about to ask, when a familiar yet unfamiliar spiritual power mind transmitted abruptly over.
"Dragon Cypress Ant King—"
Dragon Cypress jerked his head around, staring at the Divine-Given White Rice Seed—shocked, confused, doubting himself.
Another ntal ssage ca.
"I am Red Fox—"
"My soul has rged with the Divine-Given White Rice Seed—"
"Red Fox?" Dragon Cypress jumped in fright.
"It's —" Red Fox's spiritual ssage transmitted through the branches and leaves of the Divine-Given White Rice Seed, utterly calm.
"This… how can this be? You really rged with the Divine-Given White Rice Seed? You actually pulled it off? How did you do it?"
"I don't know. Before I died, worrying that Black Rice would be sad, I tried to comfort them with those words. I never expected, nor do I understand what happened—it's as though I fell into a deep sleep, and when I awoke, it was real."
"This…"
This was just too unbelievable, wasn't it?
For a mont, Dragon Cypress was speechless, controlling the Dominating Throne to park beneath the tree.
There were many insect tribes that would bury their fallen warriors under Life Seed Plants, pinning their hopes and thoughts there.
So insect tribes would bury slain Beast Clan warriors under Life Seed Trees as fertilizer.
But no one had ever heard of any story like Red Fox and the Divine-Given White Rice Seed.
Inherited mory told that when a sentient being dies, their body returns to the earth, and the soul returns to the embrace of the Natural God. That's just a euphemism—it actually ant that the body and soul both disappear without a trace, leaving nothing behind.
"Dragon Cypress!"
Ink Orchid bounced over, landing beside Dragon Cypress.
"Dragon Cypress Ant King!"
White Rice and Black Rice also stood up, cheering excitedly, enthusiastically waving their tentacles in greeting to Dragon Cypress.
Ink Orchid: "Red Fox really survived! Not wanting to leave Black Rice and White Rice behind, it rged with the Divine-Given White Rice Seed and lives on, continuing to protect them as they grow!"
White Rice: "Natural God's blessing!"
Black Rice: "Red Fox's wish ca true! Now it's Mountain Lord Level! It's gained eternal life, will never grow old again, and will accompany and White Rice forever."
——Things this miraculous, couldn't happen just because of a subjective wish.
——Nor did Natural God bestow any blessing.
——There must be other, unknown reasons behind all this.
Seeing the three insects so jubilant, Dragon Cypress found it hard to rain on their parade.
After all, Red Fox had indeed survived.
Dragon Cypress asked, "Has the Divine-Given White Rice Seed successfully evolved to Mountain Lord Level?"
White Rice: "Yes! In the spring."
Black Rice: "It even blood! Six hundred forty-seven fruits!"
White Rice said regretfully, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, if you'd co a month earlier, you'd have been able to collect so of the blossom honey."
"That really is a sha… This spring Ink Orchid and I were just too busy…"
Dragon Cypress gazed up at the great tree, but felt sothing wasn't right. Circling his thoughts, he suddenly understood.
The Rice Tree was a rather high-yield fruit tree. In years past, the Divine-Given White Rice Seed always had fruit hanging densely all over its branches.
But now, after evolving to Mountain Lord Level and growing much larger, the fruits on the branches looked sparse instead.
"Six hundred forty-seven fruits? Not a round number. Did you not thin the flowers?"
Red Fox explained, "Correct. We didn't thin any flowers. I absorbed the Divine-Given Remains you gave , and felt I still had energy left, but only managed to bloom six hundred forty-seven flowers."
Red Fox also guessed, "Could it be, because of my soul's influence, the Divine-Given White Rice Seed's flowering and fruiting pattern changed? Has it beco an annual bloor and bearer of fruit?"
—That would make it just like the Divine-Given Scarletlight Seed.
Many Great Tall-Tree type Divine-Given Seeds, after their trees reach a certain size, automatically turn into an annual blooming and fruiting pattern.
They flower and bear fruit every year, with the fruits taking several years to mature. Multiple generations of fruit hang on the sa tree, and each year so batch matures. This prevents too many fruits from ripening at once and overwhelming the tree's Origin Force supply.
This is a kind of self-adjustnt in the evolution process of Divine-Given Seeds—distributing the burden, allowing for steadier growth and evolution.
"That's probably it… Next year we'll see for sure…"
Dragon Cypress gradually cald down, pondering, when several important questions popped into his mind.
"Red Fox, can you not control the Divine-Given White Rice Seed's blooming?"
"I can't."
"What about the number of blossoms? Don't you have never-ending energy? Couldn't you make it bloom more?"
"I can't control it. The number of blossoms isn't subject to my will."
Ink Orchid chid in, "Our God-Given Life Seeds also have soul consciousness, but they can't control their own blooming or fruiting either."
That's different, though—the God-Given Life Seeds' soul consciousness is native, while the Divine-Given White Rice Seed got its consciousness transferred from a Beast Clan warrior…
Dragon Cypress ignored Ink Orchid and kept questioning:
"Red Fox, the strengthening effect of the Divine-Given White Rice Seed hasn't changed, has it?"
"I don't know."
"These past couple of years, the Divine-Given White Rice Seed's growth has sped up a lot. Is this fast growth still continuing?"
"It is!"
Red Fox replied confidently and explained in detail:
"It's similar to how I ate als as a Red Fox Warrior—only now, the sun and earth provide with strength. As a plant, I'm 'eating' at all tis, and I feel like I have endless energy."
Red Fox added, "Especially the Divine-Given Remains and Source Stones you brought—they provide high-quality power, making grow even faster."
Dragon Cypress: "..."
Listening to Red Fox's tone, it seed to have truly accepted itself as a plant…
"When I have ti, I'll help bring you so more…" Dragon Cypress worded carefully, analyzing as he spoke:
"The biggest difference between a Wild Divine-Given Seed and a God-Given Life Seed is probably the soul."
"Once a God-Given Life Seed is planted, a soul consciousness erges quickly, and spiritual power develops, growing rapidly alongside the evolution of Insect Clan Warriors."
"But a Wild Divine-Given Seed has a much harder ti. It only starts forming soul consciousness after evolving to Mountain Lord Level, and spiritual power doesn't develop until Evolution King Level."
"Now, the Divine-Given White Rice Seed's situation is very different. It just evolved to Mountain Lord Level, and already possesses spiritual power—so, does that an it's beco similar to a God-Given Life Seed?"
White Rice was the first to catch Dragon Cypress's aning, and exclaid excitedly: "So these past two years, the Divine-Given White Rice Seed has been growing at an extrely fast pace! And this state will continue, just like a God-Given Life Seed."
Dragon Cypress: "Correct!"
Dragon Cypress: "That's my hypothesis. If we keep watching, we'll know for sure."
Dragon Cypress: "Another thing—at the sa evolutionary stage, Wild Divine-Given Seeds produce Origin Force Fruit of much lower quality than God-Given Life Seeds. So, has the Divine-Given White Rice Seed's fruit quality reached the sa level as God-Given Life Seeds?"
—Right!
—That's critical!
All the insects stared, stupefied.
Dragon Cypress paused, then shared his final theory:
"The Divine-Given White Rice Seed now has the rapid growth and evolution speed of a God-Given Life Seed, yet unlike the latter, it's not constrained by the progress of Insect Clan Warriors. Wouldn't that an it could surge ahead unimpeded, quickly advancing to Lord, even King-Level?"
At this, Ink Orchid, White Rice, and Black Rice were completely dumbfounded—and then erupted in wild, ecstatic cheers.
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