Chapter 96: Chapter 096 Six Peaks Mountain, Six Paths Wood (Twelve Updates)
Seven-Leaf could see that the two little ones in front of him were cunning and on high alert, not as approachable as the typical Little Warriors.
He had to show some sincerity now.
"I mean no harm. I come with sincerity to visit you, seeking trade," Seven-Leaf said, taking two gentle steps back. He untied the Spider Silk Rope binding the goods, and with a HISS, a Spider Silk Bag opened.
Two strands of Spider Silk Rope, like nimble tentacles, coiled around two Peach Kernels and gently laid them down in the passageway.
"As a first meeting gift, I give these to you to show my sincerity."
Origin Force Food?
Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid remained unmoved.
The Ant Nest stored Origin Force Food worth tens of thousands of Source Stones, and they hadn’t even touched it.
Plus, there were over three thousand Southern Sour Jujube Seeds, more than they could eat, with nowhere to sell them.
After some consideration, Dragon Cypress stepped forward and picked up the Peach Kernels to examine them closely.
"OH! Divine-Given Seeds!"
Black Emperor Peach?
Dragon Cypress sensed for a moment, recognized them, and understood the other party’s intentions.
This Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord was showing off its power to him and Ink Orchid.
The Black Emperor Peach’s enhancement effect on overall muscle strength made it a Top-Level Plant Seed on the continent, very famous, and cultivated on a large scale by thirteen Burying Beetle Tribes such as the Grave Burying Beetle, Black Carrion Beetle, and Wood Burying Beetle tribes.
As Dragon Cypress scrutinized the Peach Kernel, he discovered something new—the accompanying enhancement effect was ’Strength,’ a Talent Ability of the Ant Clan.
Do Ant Clans on the Ten Thousand Nations Continent also cultivate the Black Emperor Peach on a large scale?
This wasn’t hard to understand.
Even if the news got across the Divine Force Barrier to the Burying Beetle Kingdoms on the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent, so what? If you dare, come fight me across the continents.
Dragon Cypress objectively commented, "This is produced by a Mountain Lord Level Ant King—quite remarkable! It’s very suitable for both Ink Orchid and me."
As Dragon Cypress praised, he changed the topic, "The Black Emperor Peach is cultivated by the Grave Burying Beetle Tribe, isn’t it? This greatly harms the interests of the Burying Beetle Kingdom and can’t be openly sold on the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent."
Seven-Leaf: "..."
How would a Little Ant King living on the Cloud Trace Continent understand this?
Mountain Lord Seven-Leaf wondered internally. His telekinetic emotions showed no fluctuation; calm and sincere, he said earnestly:
"As long as the Origin Force Food is of high quality, there’s never a shortage of insects willing to buy. This is just one of the many Divine-Given Origin Force Foods I can offer. However, the Black Emperor Peach is indeed the most valuable Divine-Given Origin Force Food I possess."
Mountain Lord Seven-Leaf added, neither lightly nor heavily, "The vast majority of the Ant Clan awaken Talent Abilities tied to the Strength System, and the Black Emperor Peach’s enhancement effect perfectly matches the Ant Clan’s Talents."
Dragon Cypress: "... Yes."
Dragon Cypress said, "Mountain Lord Seven-Leaf, it seems you’re not very familiar with Mountain Lord Melde. You probably don’t know that the Grave Burying Beetle Tribe’s Flower Mantis Mountain Lord also has a Divine-Given Seed of the Black Emperor Peach, and Melde has established a stable trade relationship with Flower Mantis Mountain Lord."
Seven-Leaf: "Melde is also a very capable Roving Merchant."
Seven-Leaf said resentfully, secretly frustrated, then added lightly:
"These two Peach Kernels are just small gifts for you to taste... I have prepared even better gifts."
Ink Orchid understood and felt reassured; the other party sincerely sought a stable trading right for the Divine-Given Seeds and meant no harm. She handed the Spider Silk Bag to Dragon Cypress, ran forward, picked up the Black Emperor Peach Kernels from the ground, and joyfully ran back.
Dragon Cypress could not feel any joy.
On the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent and the Ten Thousand Nations Continent, those insects backed by elders and Tribes could refuse any Flame Spider Roving Merchant’s trade requests.
But Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid had no elders and no Tribe backing them.
If they rejected Mountain Lord Seven-Leaf’s trade request, who knew what little tricks it might play? Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid might face certain doom.
Throughout their conversation, the character of this Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord remained elusive.
Dragon Cypress still had some misgivings about this Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord.
Dragon Cypress casually asked, "What gift?"
Seven-Leaf inquired, "The Six Paths Wood—have you heard of it?"
Dragon Cypress replied, "My Inherited Memory mentions it. There are a total of twenty-one species... all unremarkable little shrubs."
Seven-Leaf, smug and ready to school this Little Ant King, suddenly received a transmission of Mental Power tinged with surprise from the other party.
Dragon Cypress’s tentacles waved chaotically as he asked, "Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord, you can’t possibly mean the Six Paths Wood from Six Peaks Mountain, belonging to the Six-Spiked Cloud Ants Tribe, can you?"
How does this Little Ant King know these things? Have Melde and White Ivy been giving it knowledge as well?
Seven-Leaf was speechless for two seconds, then replied, "Yes, the Six Paths Wood from Six Peaks Mountain."
Since the other party knew, Seven-Leaf could no longer show off. With a thought, HISS, a Spider Silk Bag opened by itself. The silk wrapped around and pulled out a cylinder made of a special Primordial Energy Metal by an Outworld Civilization. Unscrewing the lid, he picked out a seed and gently placed it on the floor of the passage.
The seed was slender and black, with very fine winding white patterns on it.
Ink Orchid complained, "This is the gift you’re giving us? One seed?"
She emphasized ’us’ and ’one’.
Seven-Leaf said, "This is a seed bestowed upon me by the Aconite Spider King, with only three to five available each year. I sell them for 1,000 Source Stones per seed, but only to the powerful Great Tribes of the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent."
1,000 Source Stones? For one seed?
Ink Orchid turned to Dragon Cypress, her expression clearly asking, How could a seed be so expensive?
Dragon Cypress waved his tentacles.
Ink Orchid stepped forward, picking up the seed to examine it closely for a while, then doubtfully passed it to Dragon Cypress.
Dragon Cypress didn’t recognize it either. He wasn’t sure if it was the real deal, having only heard it mentioned in passing conversation when he was with the Zeqi Caravan.
But judging by Mountain Lord Seven-Leaf’s cherished manner, the item was probably genuine.
After looking it over with an air of expertise, Dragon Cypress announced, "No mistake. It’s a Six Paths Wood seed. But this one is from a female tree."
Seven-Leaf replied, "After it’s cultivated into a Life Seed, it can bear fruit without the need for pollination."
Dragon Cypress said, "We’ve agreed to your trade request. Give me a male tree seed, too. I want to take it back and try planting it."
Seven-Leaf solemnly stated, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, it seems you don’t know much..."
Seven-Leaf explained, "The Six Paths Wood of Six Peaks Mountain has male and female plants, and the seeds are differentiated by gender as well. Female plant seeds are black with white patterns, while male plant seeds are the opposite—white with black patterns. The distinction is clear, making them easy to identify. The Six-Spiked Cloud Ants Tribe exercises extremely strict control over their seeds. Every year, before the seeds mature, they command their Worker Ants to prune them massively, preserving only a small number of high-quality seeds from high-quality plants."
"The preserved seeds are mostly used for internal cultivation and propagation by the Six-Spiked Cloud Ants, with only a small number of female plant seeds sold to Caravans at a very high price, in limited quantities. Within the entire Dulai Flame Spider Tribe, only the Aconite Spider King has the right to purchase thirty seeds per year."
"And I, as a direct descendant of the Aconite Spider King and one of his most valued juniors, receive three to five each year."
"The price the Six-Spiked Cloud Ants Tribe charges Caravans for the seeds is 1,000 Source Stones each, which is so expensive that the Caravans can’t mark them up to make a profit. The quantity is also too small, so most are used as gifts for promising young warriors from Great Tribes."
This level of control was so stringent it left Dragon Cypress momentarily speechless.
Ink Orchid, not understanding, asked, "What kind of enhancement effects? Are they powerful?"
What? Confused, Seven-Leaf wondered internally.
Aren’t you two together?
Why does this Little Ant King named Dragon Cypress know, while this entity called ’Ink Orchid,’ an Orchid Mantis, doesn’t?
Seven-Leaf didn’t answer.
Ink Orchid’s tentacles moved, and she tapped Dragon Cypress.
Dragon Cypress leisurely said, "Soul enhancement."