This year, Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid prepared to sell two hundred Xianglan Seeds to the caravan.
Dragon Cypress believed that Mountain Lord lde must be even more anxious to et, so instead of waiting on the hilltop, he hid with Ink Orchid in the woods not far from the hill, waiting peacefully.
「The next morning」
Mountain Lord lde arrived.
"Dragon Cypress. Ink Orchid."
Mountain Lord lde’s tone was much more polite and even carried a hint of flattery as he exclaid, "Your growth speed is truly fast. Especially you, Dragon Cypress, to have beco a Mid-Level Ant King in just your third Age Period."
"Mountain Lord lde," Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid greeted.
Without any attempt at concealnt, Dragon Cypress said, "I am about to evolve into the fourth Age Period, and Ink Orchid is about to evolve into the sixth Age Period."
Dragon Cypress emphasized, "If there is enough Origin Force Food, Ink Orchid could evolve into the seventh Age Period this year. By next year, she could reach the ninth Age Period, and the year after that, beco a High-Level Warrior. The yield of the Divine-Given Fruit-Scented Orchid Seed would surge, and we would then have the ans to clear our debt."
"Debt?" Mountain Lord lde asked, as if suddenly rembering. He then exclaid, "Oh! White Ivy Mountain Lord told about it; you bought Origin Force Food worth 2,000 Source Stones on credit from it, with an interest of one hundred Source Stones, so you need to pay back a total of 2,100 Source Stones."
After speaking, Mountain Lord lde focused his spiritual power, sensing the Spider Silk Bag Ink Orchid was holding. He then turned directly to Dragon Cypress and asked, "Only two hundred Fruit-Scented Orchid Seeds?"
Dragon Cypress replied, "Yes."
Mountain Lord lde pressed, "What about the rest? The Origin Force Food produced from other Life Seeds in your territory?"
Dragon Cypress said confidently, "Mountain Lord lde, why do you think I was able to evolve to the third Age Period so quickly? Obviously, because I ate it myself."
Mountain Lord lde asked, displeased, "Then what about the Source Stones you owe White Ivy?"
Dragon Cypress replied calmly, "We can owe for another year. We will pay the interest as agreed, and next year I will repay with the Origin Force Fruit produced from the Divine-Given Deep Blue Seed."
When Dragon Cypress ntioned the Divine-Given Deep Blue Seed, Mountain Lord lde’s annoyance instantly vanished.
"Little Dragon Cypress, it’s not good for an Insect to be too shrewd..." Unable to hide his urgency, Mountain Lord lde asked, "Dragon Cypress, that Divine-Given Seed you found, was it really picked up by the seaside? Have you identified what kind it is? White Ivy Mountain Lord was careless, didn’t ask you clearly, nor tell clearly. Last year, White Ivy Mountain Lord said your Divine-Given Seed didn’t bloom. How co you’re now saying the fruit is about to mature?"
Dragon Cypress first joked, "Mountain Lord lde, you are too impatient; that’s not how a seasoned Roving rchant should behave." Then, he unhurriedly addressed each point.
"My Divine-Given Seed," he began, "was indeed found at the seaside. Ink Orchid and I went south to see the sea, and I picked it up while we were playing on the beach."
"The tree’s shape is strange, and it’s not recorded in my Inherited mory, so I don’t recognize what kind of tree it is."
"Based on long-term observation, it prefers heat. It blood early last sumr and grew rapidly during the sumr. The fruit developed at an average pace. I estimate it should mature by the end of this sumr or in autumn."
"It’s confird to be a berry, quite rich in pulp, containing a pit the size of an apricot kernel."
"Currently, I can generally deduce that it likely enhances Water Elent Ability."
"Oh—" Mountain Lord lde comnted objectively, "This type isn’t particularly valuable, but it won’t be cheap either. Among Divine-Given Seeds, it belongs to the middle tier, I’d say."
Dragon Cypress, quite content, lightly tapped his antennae in agreent.
Mountain Lord lde then asked, "What about the yield?"
Dragon Cypress said, "After all, it’s an Arbor, planted only a year or two ago, and this is its first ti bearing fruit, so the yield is sowhat low."
Sowhat low? lde mused. He waited two seconds for more details, then said bluntly, "Unwilling to state the number upfront? Does that an the yield is very low, then?"
Dragon Cypress admitted, "Sixty-two..."
He then emphasized, "That’s an Arbor! Its Blossom-Fruit Cycle is two years. The next ti it flowers and fruits, the yield will definitely reach two hundred."
He had said all that just to prove he had the ability to repay his debt and, therefore, to postpone repaynt for this year...
"Let’s talk about the next bloom when it happens," Mountain Lord lde said, not wanting to dwell on the issue. "How shall we trade this year?"
"Here!" Ink Orchid exclaid, handing over the Spider Silk Bag.
Mountain Lord lde made a direct offer, "One thousand two hundred Source Stones."
After speaking, the spider silk ropes binding the cargo on his back loosened. He rummaged, retrieved a petite Spider Silk Bag, and handed it to Ink Orchid, saying, "Here are the Orchid Seeds you wanted. Still ten varieties, with four being repeats. I’ve added six new varieties: Sand Orchid, Hard Leaf Orchid, Boat Orchids, Great Snow Orchid, Large Fruit Tiger-Striped Orchid, and Great Orchid."
"Yay! Thank you, Mountain Lord lde!" Ink Orchid cried with glee.
lde said, "That’s two hundred Source Stones. You have 1,000 Source Stones left. Do you want another set of the Origin Force Fruit you chose before?"
Dragon Cypress stated, "We need to stockpile a batch of Source Stones for when the Divine-Given Seed’s fruits ripen."
"No problem," lde replied. "But that ans you won’t have any Origin Force Food to eat this year."
Dragon Cypress said, "But I still hope to complete two Age Periods of evolution."
Ink Orchid declared, "I also want to advance to a High-Level Warrior sooner!"
lde asked, "So, what are you suggesting?"
Dragon Cypress said, "White Ivy Mountain Lord is so poor, yet it still extended us credit for Origin Force Food worth 2,000 Source Stones. Mountain Lord lde, you’re famously wealthy. Shouldn’t that amount be doubled or tripled?"
lde knew this fellow was addicted to incurring debt. He asked, "Owing so much, how will you repay it? When can you clear it?"
Dragon Cypress replied, "Once Ink Orchid advances to High-Level Warrior, won’t one harvest from the Fruit-Scented Orchid clear the debt?"
lde asked, "So you want to borrow for three years? Four years?"
Dragon Cypress said, "Four years should do it. After Ink Orchid becos a High-Level Warrior, the Blossom-Fruit Cycle of the Divine-Given Fruit-Scented Orchid Seed will likely extend to two years."
lde asked, "How much do you want to borrow?"
Dragon Cypress stated, "Eight thousand Source Stones."
lde fell silent.
Dragon Cypress continued, "We live right across from you, and our Life Seeds have taken root. We can’t run away, and we won’t default on the debt."
lde said, "I’m definitely not worried about you defaulting. You borrow this year, you’ll want to borrow next year, and the year after too. I am worried that you won’t be able to pay it back."
Dragon Cypress said, "lde, rest assured. I’ve done the math. We can repay it. Didn’t you tell about this before? It’s called ’debt financing.’ For Insect Clan Warriors who possess Divine-Given Seeds, taking on appropriate debt to achieve crucial advancents early yields comprehensive benefits greater than the cost."
lde stated, "You’re borrowing too much."
Not buying Dragon Cypress’s argunt, lde pondered and continued, "You can borrow, but not too much. You’re only Mid-Level. Origin Force Food worth 8,000 Source Stones—can you even finish it? Even if you could, much of it would go to waste. It’s not reasonable."
lde said, "I’ll lend you 4,000 Source Stones. Don’t be greedy; exercise so restraint and be frugal. With that, plus the output from your own territory, it should be enough to complete two Age Periods of evolution each year."
After a pause, lde added, "A Mid-Level Ant King and a Mid-Level Flower Mantis Warrior molting twice a year is already the limit. I’m telling you this for your own good. Don’t risk an accident by pushing for overly frequent evolution."
Dragon Cypress said, "I know. Thank you, lde..."
He then complained, "lde, you’re being too difficult. If you’re only willing to lend 4,000 Source Stones, then you must waive the interest."
lde exclaid, "What are you saying?" He felt a surge of anxiety as it dawned on him. This fellow’s true plan was to borrow 4,000 Source Stones all along, and now he’s starting to haggle! He’s trying to use the reduced amount as leverage to lower the interest. What a crafty insect, scheming against every step of the way, is he?
"Nice try," lde retorted. "I’m not falling for it."
He declared angrily, "Four thousand Source Stones, borrowed for four years, principal plus interest, you must repay 5,600 Source Stones."
Dragon Cypress said dolefully, "White Ivy Mountain Lord only charges 5% interest."
lde snapped, "That’s because it’s foolish!"
Dragon Cypress said, "Alright, lde. You say White Ivy is foolish. I absolutely won’t tell it."
lde: "..."
Dragon Cypress said earnestly, "Ink Orchid and I have two Divine-Given Seeds. lde, don’t you want us to advance to the High-Level Stage sooner?"
"Growth and evolution shouldn’t be rushed..." lde sighed. "I’ll lend you 4,000 Source Stones. Four years later, principal plus interest, you’ll repay 4,800 Source Stones. Dragon Cypress, you’re independent now, and you even have your own Divine-Given Seeds. Consider this the last ti I’m helping you like this."
lde asked, "What Origin Force Food do you want? The sa set as before?"
Dragon Cypress replied, "Of course. The set I formulated is optimal."
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