The evolution of Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid at the Lord-Level is restricted by two factors: Divine-Given Seeds and the Divine-Grade Fruits that grant Elental Talent.
Currently, Ink Orchid is held back by Senior Orchid Mantis’s fruit, stuck at 9th Age Period, Mountain Lord Level, unable to make progress.
Dragon Cypress has to wait 9 years for the Divine-Grade Thunder lia Fruit to be delivered, and still needs a Divine-Given Seed. If lucky, in 9 years it can evolve into a 5th Age Period Lord. If not...
The growth and evolution of Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid have both stalled, and the expenditure of Source Stones has also dropped sharply.
The Xianglan Mountain Kingdom’s annual inco exceeds 5 million Source Stones. Of these, 2 million go to paying off debt; 500,000 Source Stones in cash, with an operating investnt of about 200,000 and 300,000 stockpiled in the Xianglan Mountain Treasury; 1 million Source Stones worth of Ant King Honey is deposited in the Huagi Mountain Treasury to prepare for the next Age Period evolution; the remaining 1.8 million Source Stones are used to produce Ant King Honey and sold at cost price to its subordinate Assistant Kings.
...
...
...
The new year’s spring,
They traded with the Fla Spider Roving rchants and purchased a batch of Divine-Given Origin Force Food, with Black Cory given priority for use.
In early sumr, Black Cory broke through to Lord-Level.
...
Another year’s spring,
Traded with the Fla Spider Roving rchants and procured a batch of Divine-Given Origin Force Food for Black Leaf’s use.
In early sumr, Black Leaf broke through to Lord-Level.
...
Yet another spring...
Black Birch was born late, just at 8th Age Period, Mountain Lord, still far behind.
Black Peach and Black Persimmon are even further behind.
It’s not a shortage of resources, but that each Mountain Lord Level Age Period evolution is accompanied by physical growth and requires a three-year interval.
The procured resources are made into Ant King Honey for internal kingdom use. All Assistant Kings may use their Ant King Trust Cards to choose and exchange freely.
...
Areca also evolved to Lord-Level.
Spring in full bloom, ti for trading with the Fla Spider Roving rchants.
Dragon Cypress made a trip to Scarletlight Mountain specially to pick up Areca.
Rednan Mountain, Trade Cave.
"Areca!"
Red Peach was wildly delighted. "Areca, you’ve reached Lord-Level? Long ti no see!"
Areca was also filled with emotion and said, "Yeah, long ti no see! The Insect Clan Warriors coming to trade have changed batch after batch, yet you, Red Peach, my old friend, have always been here."
Red Peach sighed as well, saying, "Indeed! From Blue Catalpa and Snakebark Maple, to Little Rattan, from Natsumi to Little Column Spot, how many batches have changed."
Red Peach formally introduced, "This is Column Spotted, a direct younger generation of Grass Dragon."
Red Peach: "This is Heliotrope of the Seven-Leaf Caravan."
"Lord Areca!"
"Greetings, Lord Areca!"
Heliotrope and Column Spotted greeted them.
Red Peach asked, "Areca, you’re here to ask about the ancestral land of the Fla Spider Kingdom, and the 15 million Source Stones that the Steward Spider King has prepared for you, right?"
Areca replied a bit shyly, "...Yes."
Heliotrope raised a claw, enthusiastically saying, "I know about this! Three years ago, I overheard the Aconite Spider King discussing this with Spider King Spurge."
You little rascal have learned to eavesdrop too?
million isn’t a small sum.
All eyes swiveled and focused at once.
Heliotrope: "Areca, good news! Aconite Spider King asked Spider King Spurge to set aside a Mountain Pillar Fruit for you—a Divine-Grade Fruit that can bestow Earth Elent Talent."
"!!!"
All the insects sat up straight.
Areca suppressed his excitent and said solemnly, "Heliotrope, please thank Aconite Spider King for !"
Heliotrope: "No need to thank . Aconite Spider King bargained with Spider King Spurge. I’m not sure how many Source Stones it cost for the Mountain Pillar Fruit, but when given to you, the price becos 7 million Source Stones."
Heliotrope: "The remaining 8 million Source Stones are all arranged as Earth System Divine-Given Origin Force Food for you. All together, 15 million Source Stones. Both Aconite Spider King and Spider King Spurge make a tidy profit."
"..."
The group of insects was left speechless.
These old slick rchants, seriously...
Areca mulled it over for a while, then said, "Skimming 1 million off ? I suppose I can accept that. Heliotrope, help send regards to Spurge and Aconite Spider King, and wish them good health."
Areca asked, "So the aning from the ancestral land’s Steward Spider King is for to awaken Earth Talent and use Earth System Abilities to reshape mountains and rivers, building an environnt suitable for Fla Spiders, correct?"
Heliotrope: "Yes! You need to remodel and construct two Ancestral Heritage Sites at the Land of Origin Force and close to the Divine Force Barrier. The spaces must be large enough to ensure continuation of all six bloodlines of the Fla Spider Kingdom."
Areca: "I understand—"
Dragon Cypress sighed, "I used a Mountain Pillar Fruit...but failed to awaken. So, there’s a question that can’t be ignored—what if Areca fails again?"
Areca: "..."
Areca was in such a good mood when he ca...
Heliotrope: "I don’t know about that."
Red Peach: "That’s simple, just go back and ask Aconite Spider King."
Column Spotted: "I heard that on Cloud Trace Continent, there’s a warrior nad White Rice who awakened Earth Elental Ability? Get help from him?"
Dragon Cypress: "That’ll cost Source Stones. Hiring a Lord-level warrior isn’t cheap."
Dragon Cypress: "Let’s trade first. We’ll ask Aconite Spider King about it later."
...
Red Peach, Heliotrope, and Column Spotted dashed off.
Soon, they thundered back again.
Column Spotted rushed to say, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, good news! Aconite Spider King says if Areca fails the Awakening, there are two solutions. First, report to the ancestral land’s Steward Spider King, mobilize all Spider Kings of the Fla Spider Kingdom to look for information, and seek another Divine-Grade Fruit that grants Earth Elent Talent."
Areca sprang up imdiately: I am genuinely grateful to Aconite Spider King!
Dragon Cypress’s eyes also lit up: If they find one, that ans there’s a way to get it—then can I maybe grab one too?
This really is good news!
Column Spotted paused for two seconds, then continued, "If they can’t find one, then we’ll have to follow my earlier suggestion—spend Source Stones to hire the White Rice Lord to help. That’s the second option."
Dragon Cypress tapped his antenna lightly, thought for a mont, then asked, "If I recall right, the next batch of Mountain Pillar Fruits will be ready for harvest two years from now?"
Column Spotted: "Right. But Spider King Spurge doesn’t know Areca advanced to Lord-Level this year, so it’s already been presold. The next batch cos in 18 years, reserved for Ink Orchid. Areca will have to wait until the following batch, 33 years from now..."
Areca: "Column Spotted, thank Spider King Spurge for !"
Dragon Cypress: "Also, help thank Spider King Spurge and Aconite Spider King."
Dragon Cypress: "Red Peach, Heliotrope, you two head over and also ask for : is it possible to...fail ahead of ti..."
Dragon Cypress slowed his speech and said, "The trading of Divine-Grade Fruits is never public. No spider knows where Spider King Spurge’s Mountain Pillar Fruits go, right? Just say the one scheduled for two years from now is given to Areca, and that he failed to awaken Earth Talent..."
Dragon Cypress: "And there isn’t a spider able to verify if it’s true or not, is there? Do you all get what I an?"
"..."
Heliotrope and Column Spotted fell silent.
Red Peach said gravely, "It can fail...but failing ahead of ti isn’t too appropriate. There’s fierce competition even among fellow caravans, and if another caravan finds out and reports it, Spider King Spurge and Aconite Spider King will utterly ruin hundreds of years of reputation. They definitely wouldn’t agree."
Red Peach: "If you’re in a hurry, Dragon Cypress Ant King, in 18 years Ink Orchid’s Divine-Grade Mountain Pillar Fruit could be counted as given to Areca and that he failed. Then report it to the Fla Spider Kingdom Ancestral Land..."
Heliotrope added, "The Steward Spider Kings in the Ancestral Land trust Aconite Spider King completely. That’s based on Aconite Spider King’s strength, finances, and hundreds of years of accumulated reputation. For Fla Spider Roving rchants, reputation is everything. Aconite Spider King is especially cautious and would never risk its reputation and life."
"Well, all right—"
Dragon Cypress pondered carefully and agreed. There’s nothing to gain, and the risk is fatal—an old fox like Aconite would never do it.
Dragon Cypress: "That’s all for now. Red Peach, go trade with Fragrant Cypress and Black Persimmon. Areca hasn’t had a chance to travel for years; I’ll take him around."
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