A Little Warrior?
Dragon Cypress swept the area with his spiritual power but detected no Origin Force fluctuations.
A beetle with a greenish-yellow Carapace and brown spots blended perfectly with the tree bark.
The tiny beetle was only about three centiters long.
If not for its two glowing eyes, it would have been almost unnoticeable.
Not a Little Warrior?
Can ordinary insects’ eyes shine?
Dragon Cypress swept again with his spiritual power.
Still, he detected no Origin Force fluctuations...
What kind of insect is this?
So kind of Ground Beetle?
What Ground Beetle could be active at night with temperatures near freezing at the end of autumn?
Dragon Cypress activated his Soul-Setting Ability and perford another sweep.
He found an extrely weak Soul, the size of a sesa seed.
Origin Force Life!
Could its Talent Ability be to conceal its own Origin Force fluctuations?
Dragon Cypress searched his Inherited mory.
After long contemplation, there was no exact record in his Inherited mories.
However—
Dragon Cypress suddenly realized.
During a previous Origin Force Era on Cloud Trace Continent, adjacent to Xuelan Mountain, there was once a ’Lanng Kingdom,’ composed of more than twenty small Ground Beetle Tribes.
This could be a branch variant of so Green Ground Beetle Tribe that had miraculously survived in the harsh natural environnt until now.
"Hello—" Dragon Cypress extended his ntal Power gently, softly swaying his Tentacles in greeting.
The Ground Beetle Little Warrior’s orange-red eyes, which had been gleaming, dimd before it dashed toward Dragon Cypress.
With clear purpose, it swiftly climbed onto the Ice Disc holding the Ant King Honey made from Divine-Given White Rice Fruit.
Its eyes glowed orange-red again as it looked up at Dragon Cypress. "Hello—"
"...Hello," Dragon Cypress replied.
He understood then. This little fellow must live nearby and had been attracted by the scent of the Ant King Honey.
"I am Dragon Cypress. The Dragon Cypress Ant King," he said.
"I am... Chinese Clematis," it replied.
Chinese Clematis? That na...
Dragon Cypress asked, "Are you a 1st Age Period Junior Warrior?"
"Yes," replied Chinese Clematis.
Dragon Cypress asked, "Did you choose the Chinese Clematis Seed as your first Divine-Given Seed?"
"Mm-hmm," Chinese Clematis affird.
A partner for Red Moonseed?
Dragon Cypress thought for a mont, picked up a leaf from the side, held up a tal Can, and poured a bit of White Rice Ant King Honey onto it. "The Ice Disc is cold; be careful of frostbite. Go eat on the leaf," he said.
"Oh—"
"Thank you—"
Chinese Clematis ran over, evidently to get so Ant King Honey.
It recklessly tumbled to the ground and rushed toward the leaf.
A 1st Age Period Junior Warrior was too weak. If unlucky, it would definitely freeze to death in the harsh winter.
Chinese Clematis was aware of this problem and very anxious to undergo Molting Evolution. It buried its head and ate fiercely.
The Divine-Given White Rice Seed was, after all, at the Mountain Lord Level.
Chinese Clematis soon realized that its body struggled to absorb this High-Level Primordial Energy. With so reluctance, it raised its head.
It slowly turned around and stared fixedly at the Dominating Throne.
Dragon Cypress understood its intention. "It’s a God-Level Creation from an Outworld known as the ’Creator Civilization,’ nad the Dominating Throne," he explained. "It can control flight, store Origin Force, and carry between various Origin Force Points. It can also assist Insect Clan Warriors in their Molting Evolution."
"Oh—" Chinese Clematis responded, but it sounded confused, not quite understanding.
Dragon Cypress suddenly rembered sothing and asked, "Chinese Clematis, you haven’t undergone your Awakening long, have you? About when did it happen?"
Chinese Clematis paused, thought for a while, and answered, "End of Sumr."
So it had undergone its Awakening at the End of Sumr. That ant it had survived alone for over three months without being eaten by other Jungle Predators.
The little fellow had strong survival skills.
Dragon Cypress asked, "Chinese Clematis, have you ever explored the edges of the Land of Origin Force?"
"I have. There’s no Origin Force," Chinese Clematis said.
"Yes!" Dragon Cypress affird, then explained, "The Land of Origin Force where you were born is nad Xuelan Mountain. The place we live is called Cloud Trace Continent, which is currently experiencing an Origin Force Silent Period. Only a very few places like Xuelan Mountain still have Origin Force, allowing us to survive."
"Oh—" Chinese Clematis responded, indicating it was listening.
"The world we live in is a huge spherical planet," Dragon Cypress continued. "The Natural God used Divine Power to set up barriers, dividing the planet into eight continents. The Origin Force on these continents cycles..."
A Junior Warrior, with its fragile Soul, would easily beco fatigued from communicating using ntal Power.
Chinese Clematis hardly spoke, listening quietly.
Dragon Cypress’s thoughts were clear as he explained everything in detail. He inford it about the current state of the world and Cloud Trace Continent. He also taught it so basic geographical knowledge, plant knowledge, information about Divine-Given Seeds, and his experiences with Molting Evolution.
「Late at night,」
Ink Orchid, who was searching for Divine-Given Seeds, flew by. She keenly sensed sothing unusual, turned back, circled, and then landed on the Throne, peering closely.
"Dragon Cypress, this is..."
"A Ground Beetle Little Warrior."
"Little Warrior?"
"Little Warrior."
"No Origin Force fluctuations?"
Dragon Cypress replied, "It should be a Racial Talent, an innate ability to shield its own Origin Force fluctuations."
"Huh?" Ink Orchid reacted. "Oh! Impressive!"
Ink Orchid searched her Inherited mory but found no related records. Her figure flashed to the ground, and she inspected it closely.
"Little guy, what’s your na?" she asked.
"...Chinese Clematis."
Chinese Clematis? What a coincidence!
Ink Orchid’s eyes brightened. "My na is Ink Orchid," she said.
"Mountain Lord Ink Orchid and Dragon Cypress Ant King," Chinese Clematis acknowledged.
"What a smart little guy!" Ink Orchid was overjoyed. She continued asking, "Which Ground Beetle Tribe do you belong to?"
Chinese Clematis blankly shook its Tentacles, indicating it didn’t know.
Ink Orchid looked towards Dragon Cypress.
Dragon Cypress explained, "A variant branch of so Tribe. It hasn’t yet been recorded in the Natural System Inherited mories by the Laws of the Star Realm."
Ink Orchid asked, "Not a trace of Origin Force fluctuations? How did you find it?"
Dragon Cypress raised a claw, pointed at the tal Can, and said, "It lives nearby and was attracted by the scent of the Ant King Honey."
"Oh!" Ink Orchid exclaid. "What a smart little guy! But... Dragon Cypress! I’ve been working hard, and you’ve been secretly eating!"
Ink Orchid’s emotions shifted rapidly. She exclaid with joy, "Wonderful! Cloud Trace Continent has gained another Insect Clan Warrior!"
"Red Moonseed, Chinese Clematis... they’re naturally a pair."
"Beautiful Ji Bees aren’t very good at managing territories, but Step Armor Soldiers are."
Ink Orchid chattered on, then asked, "Chinese Clematis, how about going to Black Fruit Mountain to live with Red Moonseed?"
"..."
Chinese Clematis looked stunned and confused, its eyes pleadingly turning to Dragon Cypress for help.
"..."
Dragon Cypress hesitated for a long mont, then said, "I had the sa thought. However, I think it’s better to first ask for the opinions of both Red Moonseed and Chinese Clematis."
Ink Orchid asked, "A Junior Warrior in its 1st Age Period?"
"Yes. Born no more than three months ago," Dragon Cypress confird.
Ink Orchid said, "Then it’s simple! We’ll take Chinese Clematis with us to Black Fruit Mountain."
Dragon Cypress replied, "I was thinking the sa thing."
Ink Orchid imdiately looked at Chinese Clematis and asked, "How about going to Black Fruit Mountain with and Dragon Cypress? Good idea?"
Chinese Clematis was silent.
Ink Orchid added, "Red Moonseed has a precious Divine-Given Black Fruit Huckleberry Seed! Red Moonseed is very wealthy, you know."
Divine-Given Black Fruit Huckleberry Seed? Chinese Clematis put its little brain to work, searched its Inherited mories, and then decisively said, "Good!"
Dragon Cypress instructed, "Ink Orchid, scour Xuelan Mountain overnight. We’ll leave for Black Fruit Mountain together in the morning."
"Alright!" Ink Orchid kicked her legs, soared up, and vanished as a black shadow.
Chinese Clematis’s eyes glead as it stared at Dragon Cypress.
Dragon Cypress jumped onto the Dominating Throne. He took out a tal Can of Ant King Honey brewed from Green-Red Kiwifruit—a lower quality batch—opened it, poured a little onto a leaf, and gently waved his Tentacles, indicating for Chinese Clematis to try it.
Dragon Cypress explained, "Black Fruit Mountain is located to the northeast of Xuelan Mountain. It’s not far away. Traveling by the Dominating Throne, it’s just a half-day’s journey."
"Red Moonseed is a Beautiful Ji Bee Warrior and naturally combative," Dragon Cypress continued. "However, she’s very good to her friends. She isn’t particularly smart and doesn’t have a great mory, but she is diligent, eager to learn, and positive. She has been responsible for my trades with the Fla Spider Roving rchant for many years. Over ti, Red Moonseed has learned a lot about Origin Force Food."
"Speaking of Black Fruit Mountain, overall, its climate, terrain, and soil conditions are superior to here..."
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