The Insect Clan was generally idle in winter.
Ghost Fan had taken Ink Orchid’s advice. He selected a section of tree stump and, using his Metal Ability, directed Metal Gravel to bore holes, creating a movable Insect Nest.
It was morning. The sky was clear, and there was no wind. The quiet mountain forest occasionally echoed with the chirping of birds.
A large and a small Beetle lay comfortably on the mountaintop, soaking in the warm, nurturing sunlight of a southern winter’s day.
Sensing Origin Force Fluctuations in the distant skyline, Ghost Fan suddenly stood up.
The Click Beetle Warrior on the stump instantly became alert. It swiftly burrowed into the stump through a hole, then, sensing something amiss, cautiously poked its head out to watch.
Ink Orchid raced over.
"Ah! Little one. Woodberry?" Ink Orchid leaned in for a closer look and greeted him.
Thanks to the high-quality Origin Force Food provided by Ghost Fan, Little Woodberry had smoothly completed two Age Periods of Evolution in just six months and was now a third-Age-Period Primary-Level Three-Spot Click Beetle Warrior. After consuming some of Ghost Fan’s offspring, its spiritual power could extend to four or five meters.
"Dragon Cypress... Ant Honey!" Woodberry’s tentacles shook, pointing towards the Dominating Throne slowly drifting towards them in the distance. It still recognized Ink Orchid and Dragon Cypress, and it knew that Dragon Cypress was directing the Blue Ants to refine Ant Honey. The Little Warrior had little resistance to such delicious food.
Ghost Fan struck up a conversation, "Ink Orchid, is your reservoir dug yet?"
Compared to their first meeting three years ago, Ghost Fan’s personality had clearly become more cheerful, and the entire insect seemed much more spirited.
Ink Orchid replied, "Not yet, but Dragon Cypress has everything well planned out and calculated. By next spring, the reservoir should be completed on time."
Little Woodberry stood on the stump and asked, "Ink Orchid, is there still Ant Honey this year?"
Ink Orchid replied, "Of course!"
Ink Orchid sighed lightly. "This year has really been too busy. Dragon Cypress and I had no time to enter the forest to gather various wild fruits, nor did we have time to travel far to purchase various types of Origin Force Pulp. The flavor of this year’s Ant Honey will be much inferior."
Ghost Fan said, "The Origin Force Ant Honey brewed from Persimmon Fruit is very tasty."
Ink Orchid’s expression hardened. "...There’s enough Persimmon Fruit."
The Dominating Throne gradually approached.
"Ghost Fan!" Dragon Cypress greeted. "Eh... Little one, you’re at the third Age Period now?"
"Third Age Period," Ghost Fan volunteered. "Its first and second Life Seeds were both Woodberry Seeds, so its name is Woodberry. For the third Life Seed, I taught it to choose Oriental Arborvitae."
"Oriental Arborvitae is a good choice for a Life Seed." Dragon Cypress lifted six legs in approval of Ghost Fan’s choice and highly recommended, "Cypress trees are generally good. In a few years, once I confirm that Silver Cypress can adapt to the southern climate, I’ll bring a few Silver Cypress Seeds over."
Ghost Fan said, "Little Woodberry seems to particularly like the Maple Poplar Tree. It’s been making a fuss, wanting Maple Poplar Seeds, but I don’t have that tree here..."
Dragon Cypress said, "Simple!" Understanding Ghost Fan’s implication, Dragon Cypress readily continued, "I’ll go gather a batch for Little Woodberry. Ghost Fan, you handle the nurseries, then establish a large Maple Poplar Forest along the riverbed."
Ink Orchid commented, "The Maple Poplar Tree is indeed a fine arbor; it’s high-yielding and strongly enhances Water Element Abilities. Dragon Cypress and I could both use it, and in the future, Little Woodberry could use it too."
Dragon Cypress added, "The White Willow Trees and Maple Poplar Trees by Black Lotus Lake Shore are particularly tall. I suspect an Insect Clan tribe once dwelled there, leaving behind cultivated, high-quality seeds. All of them would be good choices for Life Seeds."
Ghost Fan exclaimed happily, "Really? That’s even better! Thank you both."
Dragon Cypress: "Small matter. We’ll trade first. After that, Ink Orchid and I will make a trip."
"Dragon Cypress Ant King..." Little Woodberry flapped its wings clumsily and flew toward the Dominating Throne.
Ink Orchid rushed to fly onto the Throne, holding up a Metal Can tied with a Spider Silk Rope, and said, "Little Woodberry, this can of Ant Honey is specially prepared for you."
There were a total of eight Metal Cans. Woodberry’s can was mixed with refined Origin Force Food worth 500 Source Stones; being young, it wasn’t suitable for it to consume too much. There were also two other cans, each containing refined Origin Force Food worth 2,000 Source Stones, prepared for Ghost Fan.
Arriving in front of Ghost Fan’s cave dwelling, the trade officially began...
Counting the items, calculating the price, the transaction was quickly completed.
Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid headed straight for Black Lotus Lake.
As soon as the Dominating Throne drew near, White Willow flew over.
"Dragon Cypress. Ink Orchid."
They exchanged greetings.
White Willow joyfully said, "I’m also a Mid-Level Warrior now!"
"White Willow, congratulations!" Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid sincerely offered their congratulations.
Having advanced to Mid-Level Warrior, White Willow faced no immediate risk of premature aging and death. In another two to three years, White Willow’s Territory would also start producing, and its output of Origin Force Food would increase year by year.
Presently on Cloud Trace Continent, Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid’s trade route encompassed Molan Mountain, White Rice Mountain, Jianlan Plain, Ghost Fan Mountain, Southern Sour Jujube Mountain, Black Lotus Lake, and Silver Cypress Mountain, making a total of seven Lands of Origin Force. They had six Insect Clan Warriors: White Rice, Black Rice, Ghost Fan, Woodberry, White Willow, and Mountain Persimmon.
Their enterprise was taking shape and flourishing. The Roving Merchant business was thriving.
Dragon Cypress formally said, "White Willow, Ink Orchid and I have discussed this seriously. We’ve decided to aid you with Origin Force Food worth 2,000 Source Stones each year. This will help you undergo three Metamorphic Evolutions within two years, advance to a fourth-Age-Period Mid-Level Warrior, and sow your Life Seed as early as possible. Then, you will have the ability to survive on your own."
Ink Orchid added, "Dragon Cypress and I will provide exceptional plant seeds for you to use as Life Seeds. When you advance to a High-Level Warrior, you will be very prosperous."
"Thank you..." White Willow suddenly became a bit shy and touched, flew backward slightly to keep pace with the Dominating Throne, and remained silent for a while before asking, "What about that Click Beetle Warrior? Is it okay?"
Dragon Cypress replied, "Of course. Its name is confirmed; it’s Woodberry. However, it seems to particularly like the Maple Poplar Tree, so I’m coming over to gather a batch of seeds to send to it."
Ink Orchid turned around, took out a Spider Silk Bag, and said, "This is a batch of Origin Force Food Dragon Cypress carefully selected for you. Eat it in moderation and control the timing of your Molting Evolution well. Ideally, you should evolve to your second Age Period next End of Summer..."
Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid collected Maple Poplar and White Willow Seeds, then returned to Ghost Fan Mountain to deliver them to Woodberry.
Then they headed to Southern Sour Jujube Mountain. The Southern Sour Jujube Fruits were only the size of peas, and it might take another two or even three years for the next maturity.
Not finding any new Divine-Given Seeds and not fretting over it, they loosened the soil and fertilized the Southern Sour Jujube Divine-Given Seed before taking a detour to Molan Mountain.
Still, they had no gains. Not dwelling on it much, they returned overnight to Xianglan Mountain.
This Roving Merchant trip, searching for Lands of Origin Force and Divine-Given Seeds along the way, lasted a total of 41 days.
The Divine-Given Fruit-Scented Orchid Seed had matured. Round Cypress, leading the Worker Ants, replenished it with Origin Force and completed the harvest.
300 Xianglan Seeds; eight seeds were set aside for White Willow, and the other 300 were sold entirely to Melde, who needed to provide 1,800 Source Stones in cash.
Ghost Fan’s Divine-Given Seed would mature next autumn, at which time it would require 800 Source Stones to replenish its Origin Force.
The Wild White Rice Divine-Given Seed would mature the year after next. The 500 Source Stones Red Fox had prepared might not suffice, so Dragon Cypress did some calculations and helped set aside an additional 200 Source Stones for it as an emergency reserve.
Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid’s Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed would need Source Stones for its consciousness to emerge, and also for its flowering and fruiting. They decided to prepare more, stockpiling 800 Source Stones for unforeseen needs.
Managing the Territory plus the Roving Merchant trade involved numerous and intricate matters. Perhaps it was a Talent of the Ant Clan, but Dragon Cypress arranged everything methodically.