The Spiky Wing Mantis King twitched his antennae and asked, "Is this Divine-Grade Night Fragrance Fruit also being sold to Purple Back Mountain at 500,000 Source Stones per fruit?"
Lord Heartwing: "...It should be."
The Spiky Wing Mantis King: "Why? Does the White Ivy Mountain team have a close relationship with the Banded Assassin Bug Tribe? Or can Purple Back Mountain bring out sothing of equivalent value?"
Lord Heartwing: "I’m not sure."
Lord Heartwing: "The goods sold by the White Ivy Trade Caravan are generally reasonably priced. Spiky Wing Mantis King, I ntioned to you before, White Ivy Mountain Lord also holds a unique Superior Divine Seed called ’Azure’, which is refined into ’Azure Bee King Honey’ for sale, at 5,000 Source Stones per can. The sa product, if sold by other Fla Spider Caravans, would cost at least 6,000 Source Stones."
The Spiky Wing Insect King’s eyes lit up slightly, and he said, "So they also hold the trading rights to a Superior Divine Seed!"
The Spiky Wing Insect King asked, "Which Insect King is the elder of White Ivy Mountain Lord? Don’t they walk the lands of the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent?"
Lord Heartwing: "I’ve inquired about it. Their direct elder is ’Lord Carpesium’, who moves about on this side of the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent. In the past, they ca to trade at our Hidden Wing Mountain every year. When Lord Carpesium grew old, he had two more juniors—the elder one called lde, and the younger one called White Ivy."
Lord Heartwing: "Unfortunately, when lde and White Ivy were still just High-Level Fla Spider Warriors, their elder Carpesium passed away. Earlier, lde took White Ivy to various remote corners of the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent. After advancing to Evolution Mountain Lord Level, they took turns following the Spider King Zeqi Caravan to explore the Wan Country Continent."
Lord Heartwing: "lde developed quite well and is fairly well-known; many Mantis Warriors in the Jade Peach Kingdom know him. White Ivy was rather down and out in earlier years, but always had a good reputation. In the past ten years, things suddenly changed—White Ivy focused on the Origin Force Honey trade, seized exclusive control of the Origin Force Food Refinent and Bee King Jelly core sectors, monopolized the business, and rose rapidly. As for the White Ivy Trade Caravan’s dealings with other tribes, I’m not sure, but speaking just of our Hidden Wing Mountain, from my observations, yearly transaction volu already exceeds a million."
Lord Heartwing paused, collected his thoughts, and added, "White Ivy’s direct elder was Carpesium, and Carpesium’s direct elder was Spider King Spurge. Spider King Spurge operates on the Wan Country Continent; you may not be too familiar, Spiky Wing Mantis King, but you’re certainly acquainted with Aconite Spider King, who is from the sa lineage as Spider King Spurge."
The Spiky Wing Mantis King lightly tapped his antennae: one of the five great Spider Kings in control of Divine-Grade Six Paths Fruit trading rights.
Lord Heartwing continued, "I’ve heard that, including the caravan led by Aconite Spider King, the caravans of four Spider Kings, and forty to fifty Fla Spider Warriors, are all helping White Ivy Mountain Lord transport goods. Each year, they deliver Origin Force Food worth several million to the Wan Country Continent, where it is processed into Origin Force Honey, then brought back to the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent for distribution."
Lord Heartwing: "Nowadays, almost throughout the southeastern mountain region, warriors of every size tribe and clan are fond of placing one or two tal cans engraved with the White Ivy Grass logo as decorations in their caves, and entertaining guests with Origin Force Honey. The White Ivy Trade Caravan has already arranged for Fla Spider Roving rchants to manage all sales on this side of the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent and to reach even farther regions. If the current trend continues, give it another ten or twenty years and Origin Force Honey may well sweep across the continent."
——Very good!
The Spiky Wing Mantis King nodded approvingly, put the tal can back into his Spider Silk Bag, then handed it back to Lord Heartwing, comnting with a pointed undertone:
"The teoric rise of a single insect can often directly or indirectly spur the evolution and growth of a whole swarm, even lead a tribe or a kingdom into great flourish and prosperity. An insect’s life is short and simple—such opportunities do not co often."
"I understand, but..."
Lord Heartwing took the chance to complain: "Spiky Wing Mantis King, the Heartwing Peak line has a weak insect population, yearly total inco is only about 500,000 Source Stones. I also need to look after other caravans, so every year I scrape things together, and can barely spare 150,000 Source Stones to purchase Origin Force Honey from the White Ivy Trade Caravan..."
The Spiky Wing Mantis King interrupted with a raised claw, asking: "Heartwing, what position do you hold in the tribe?"
Lord Heartwing: "I am solely responsible for seedling cultivation in the Eight-Winged Forest Sea, and receive a salary of 30,000 Source Stones per year from the tribe."
The Spiky Wing Mantis King pondered, then said, "How about this: Every year, help order another 150,000 Source Stones’ worth of Origin Force Honey for Insect Kings. Just bring 100,000, and keep the remaining 50,000 for your own use."
The Spiky Wing Mantis King glanced around and said, "My territory has always been managed by Silver Erald; he also arranges for the handling of all Origin Force Food produced. Find Silver Erald to collect the Source Stones."
"Understood! Many thanks, Spiky Wing Mantis King!"
Lord Heartwing was elated, thoughts spinning, and asked, "Spiky Wing Mantis King, about that Divine-Grade Night Fragrance Fruit..."
The Spiky Wing Mantis King: "Talk to White Ivy Mountain Lord and have them reserve one for in the next harvest, I can exchange a Lightwing Seed for it."
Lord Heartwing was delighted, "Alright!"
Lord Heartwing: "White Ivy Mountain Lord is at Heartwing Peak right now, Spiky Wing Mantis King, should I invite them over?"
The Spiky Wing Mantis King: "No need."
The Spiky Wing Mantis King sighed softly, "I’m old now, with three legs buried in the earth, and three left treading the sky. Whether I ascend or return to the soil all depends on these last hundred years—I lack the energy to involve myself in tribal affairs."
Lord Heartwing: "Oh—"
Faced with such a weighty topic, Lord Heartwing dared not express any opinion lightly. After a pause of two seconds, he tentatively said:
"Just now, White Ivy Mountain Lord ntioned that the kingdom to which the White Poplar Bee King—who holds the White Poplar Divine Seed—belongs is preparing for a major war. White Ivy Mountain Lord wants to buy a Divine-Grade Lightwing Seed first and deliver it over..."
"Is that so?"
The Spiky Wing Mantis King considered briefly, then turned and walked into the cave. Soon, he returned holding a flat round porcelain bottle, which he handed straight to Lord Heartwing.
"Take it. Sell it and hand the Source Stones directly to Silver Erald—he manages the tribe’s wealth."
Lord Heartwing: "Understood!"
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