Seeing that Ghost Fan was so naive and clueless about bargaining, Dragon Cypress actually felt a bit reluctant to rip it off.
Dragon Cypress asked, "Ghost Fan, how many ghost fan seeds do you have?"
Ghost Fan thought for a moment, not quite sure, and said, "There’s quite a lot left, I think about a thousand or so."
Dragon Cypress said, "Spring is almost here, and I have various things to take care of with Molan Territory. After we’re done, we’ll make a special trip to come and trade with you."
Dragon Cypress: "Is your main food wood?"
Ghost Fan: "I’m a Wooden Darkling Beetle."
Dragon Cypress: "Wood is pretty hard. It must be troublesome to digest? Stone Orchid Seeds enhance the digestive system, I’ll bring you some next time."
Dragon Cypress conveniently tried to sell the 200 Stone Orchid Seeds from Molan that hadn’t been eaten this year. It wasn’t really gouging—the other party did have this need.
Ghost Fan happily said, "Alright."
Dragon Cypress: "A hard carapace needs tough muscles and great strength to support it. Large Fruit Hemlock pine nuts, and Green Torreya Seeds from the Green Torreya Tree, I’ll bring you more of those too."
Ghost Fan asked with confusion, "Green Torreya Tree?"
Dragon Cypress explained, "It’s a brand-new tree species cultivated by another Insect Clan, a variant of the Fragrant Torreya Tree, its enhancement is strength. Hm, yeah, there’s no record of it in inherited memory."
"Awesome!" Ghost Fan exclaimed joyfully, "Dragon Cypress, bring more Green Torreya Seeds, I really need them."
Ghost Fan added, "I also hope for some Fruit-Scented Orchid Seeds, I’m really worried I won’t make it through the next hibernation and evolution."
Dragon Cypress hesitated, somewhat troubled, "There are too many Insect Clan Warriors seeking Fruit-Scented Orchid Seeds. Since it’s our first meeting, this year we can set aside 100 for you, but in the future, for annual trades, it’s not guaranteed."
Dragon Cypress followed up, "Considering you also have a Divine-Given Seed, you’re a bug favored by the Natural God. Molan and I will try our best to look after you, and give you priority consideration."
Ghost Fan: "I understand! Thank you, Dragon Cypress!"
Dragon Cypress said bluntly, "Our price for Fruit-Scented Orchid Seeds is 8 Source Stones each. In the future, when Molan ascends to High-Level Flower Mantis Warrior and becomes the Mountain Lord of Molan Mountain, the price will rise as quality improves. You can understand that, right?"
Ghost Fan: "I get it!"
Ghost Fan nervously asked, "Dragon Cypress, these ghost fan seeds produced by my Ghost Fan Divine-Given Seed, how much is each worth in Source Stones?"
Dragon Cypress said, "To be honest, for ghost fan seeds from ordinary ghost fan Life Seed plants, the shell is too thick, kernel too small, hardly any edible part. But, I won’t swindle you—ghost fan seeds with mental power enhancement from Divine-Given Seeds are extremely rare and valuable, their price is high."
Dragon Cypress: "Specifically, I need to see the actual product to price it based on quality."
Dragon Cypress asked, "Ghost Fan, what’s your yield for this batch from your Divine-Given Seed?"
Ghost Fan reported accurately, "637."
The Natural God is fair. It gave Ghost Fan Tree an extremely rare enhancement, but took away its yield.
Ghost Fan Trees, as a species, have low fruit yield.
Dragon Cypress was choked for a few seconds, paused, and said, "It’s a long journey, Molan and I need about 20 days round trip just to get here. Spring is approaching, we’ve got lots and lots of things to do in our territory. After we’re done, we’ll come trade with you."
"It’s that far?" Ghost Fan was shocked for two seconds, then agreed, "I got it."
Dragon Cypress gave some advice:
"When the Divine-Given Seed’s fruit matures, there’s a stage where it absorbs a lot of Origin Force. At that time, using Source Stones to replenish Origin Force can improve quality. Ghost Fan, we can lend you 600 Source Stones, and later, with interest, you return 800. Is that okay?"
Ghost Fan only knew Source Stones from inherited memory, had never actually seen one, but cheerfully agreed, "Okay!"
"Ghost Fan, since we’ve just met, let me give you a little gift."
Dragon Cypress turned around.
On the throne, in the large Spider Silk Bag he carried, there were three Keg Vine Seed Pods.
Dragon Cypress thought for a bit, took out two, kept one, and with the Spider Silk Bag, handed them to Molan.
Molan unhappily picked up the bag and circled down to the ground.
"That’s how you use it."
Molan opened and closed the bag, demonstrating, then tossed it on the ground, leapt up again, and landed back on the throne.
Dragon Cypress said, "This Spider Silk Bag was woven by the Dulai Flame Spider clan, it’s waterproof, moisture-proof, fire-resistant, and constrains Origin Force. Dry fruit Origin Force Food stored inside can be preserved for a long, long time."
"These were made by the Flame Spider Caravan? So pretty!"
Ghost Fan held the brilliantly colored, delicate and soft Spider Silk Bag, overjoyed. After taking out the seed pods and examining them for a long time, he finally asked,
"Dragon Cypress, are these Keg Vine Seeds?"
Dragon Cypress said, "Ghost Fan, this place should be great for sowing them. Please pick a spot by the ditch over there and plant them, do me this little favor, okay?"
Ghost Fan didn’t hesitate to agree, "No problem!"
Dragon Cypress said, "Keg Vine is a natural, super-excellent plant species, with good enhancement effect, upper-mid quality, and high yield. When you become Mountain Lord in the future, you can consider nurturing one or two as Life Seeds."
Ghost Fan: "Okay! Thank you, Dragon Cypress Ant King!"
"You’re welcome. Today’s meeting is just the beginning. I sincerely hope our friendship can last for decades, centuries, till we return to the embrace of the Natural God."
Dragon Cypress imitated the standard greeting a caravan gives when establishing a new trading partner, then finished with, "It’s getting late. Molan and I will head back first. Unless something comes up, we’ll visit in late spring."
Molan: "Ghost Fan, goodbye!"
"Dragon Cypress, Molan, wait a moment."
Ghost Fan called anxiously, turned, ran back into the cave and returned carrying two wooden sticks.
"Dragon Cypress, since this is our first meeting, I’ll give you two."
"Molan, I’ll give you one, too."
Ghost Fan had survived alone too long and had no idea how to get along with other bugs.
Didn’t even know how to give gifts.
Handing two to Dragon Cypress and one to Molan right in front of them.
Isn’t that offending Molan?
However, Molan didn’t seem to notice that anyone was offending her at all. As soon as they left Ghost Fan Territory, she cheerfully bit open the stick, dumped out all the ghost fan seeds inside, and ate ten in one go.
She pawed through the rest to count: 36.
Molan picked up one of Dragon Cypress’s sticks, pulled out the plug of dry grass, and used her spiritual power to count the ghost fan seeds inside: 46.
Then picked up the other stick—counting the one Dragon Cypress had eaten for inspection, also 46.
"Dragon Cypress, why is it? Why is there 46 seeds in every hollow stick, instead of a nice round number like 50? Or even 45?"
Dragon Cypress: "No idea."
Molan muttered, "Dragon Cypress, this stick broke, the seeds all spilled out, let’s just eat everything right now. You eat some, too."
Dragon Cypress: "..."
Dragon Cypress picked one up and cracked the shell open with his powerful mandibles...
Molan watched with anticipation and asked, "Dragon Cypress, ghost fan seeds of this quality—how many Source Stones can be sold to the caravan for each one?"
Dragon Cypress: "Life Seed plants that enhance spiritual power have picky growth requirements, limited types and low yield. Ghost fan seeds are low in yield, high in demand, so the price is even steeper than your Fruit-Scented Orchid Seeds—among the most expensive."
"The caravan buys them at a rate of three ghost fan seeds for two Source Stones. They can resell at one Source Stone each."
"We buy in at 0.5 Source Stones each..."
Molan was over the moon at the huge profit, instinctively spread her wings, then turned to ask:
"Dragon Cypress, what about ghost fan seeds from Divine-Given Seeds? How many Source Stones do you plan to pay for each? How much can they sell for?"
Dragon Cypress ate three ghost fan seeds in a row, rested quietly for a moment, and said with a sigh,
"If managed well—add Origin Force using Source Stones at the ripening stage to raise the quality—the caravan can pay up to 20 Source Stones each. They can sell them for over 25."
"We can press the purchase price down a bit—acquire at 18 Source Stones apiece."