The mountain bloomed with a hundred flowers; it was the season when Roving Merchants arrived.
Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid packed up, setting off three days early.
Reaching the entrance to the Starship, Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid, carrying their Spider Silk Bags, jumped down from the Dominating Throne. Dragon Cypress made the Throne shrink and hover, and then they walked through.
"Dragon Cypress."
Ink Orchid, who walked behind, stopped in her tracks.
Dragon Cypress turned around to look.
Ink Orchid, a High-Level Flower Mantis Warrior, drew in her six legs, her abdomen pressed tightly against the ground. The top of her back was just one or two centimeters from the ceiling of the narrow passage.
Without a doubt, the moment Ink Orchid underwent her next Molting Evolution and her size surged, she would no longer be able to pass through.
"Dragon Cypress, will I be able to see White Ivy this year?"
"Hmm..."
"Is it a farewell?"
"Perhaps..."
"Dragon Cypress, what if I stop eating Origin Force Food and wait two more years before evolving to the second Age Period?"
"...It won't do."
"I think it will."
"If you say it's fine, then it's fine."
Dragon Cypress sighed lightly, feeling melancholic and helpless, and said, "According to the pattern, after I evolve into a High-Level Ant King, Azure's blossom-fruit cycle might extend to every three years. We need to cooperate with White Ivy to make honey-cured Azure Fruits, so we can ask White Ivy and the Luoli Caravan to adjust their trading time to the Ten Thousand Nations Continent."
He continued, "Let White Ivy come again next year. The Deep Blue God-Given Seed will ripen in two years, and the cooperatively made honey-cured Azure Fruits won't be delivered until the spring three years from now."
"Great! Great! Great!" Ink Orchid exclaimed.
She understood Dragon Cypress's intention and said, "Then I will evolve to the second Age Period after trading with White Ivy next spring."
"Exactly!" Dragon Cypress lightly tapped his antennae and said, "You and I have been evolving at a high frequency of one Age Period every half year during our Mid-Level stage. After we ascend to the High-Level stage, it is indeed okay to slow down a bit and consolidate."
"Exactly!" Ink Orchid agreed, raising all six legs in approval.
Dragon Cypress changed his tone, explaining, "High-Level Warriors can live for around a hundred years, with ample time for evolution and growth. The difficulty lies in the substantial increase in size with each evolution, which carries the risk of failure and death. Mountain Lord-Level Warriors have their lifespans extended to around two hundred years. However, Mountain Lord-Level Warriors need a massive amount of Origin Force Food for every Age Period of evolution. The challenge for a Mountain Lord to continue growing lies in the scarcity of Origin Force Food, resulting in a slow pace of evolution and, ultimately, an insufficient lifespan."
He concluded, "Therefore, it is not advisable to delay too much during the High-Level Warrior stage; maintain an evolutionary rate of at least one year and no more than two years. Only by advancing to Mountain Lord early can there be ample time to continue upwards."
Dragon Cypress added a warning, "The vast majority of Mountain Lord Level Insect Clans end up aging and dying with regrets due to an insufficient lifespan. Only a very few can advance to become Lords."
"Dragon Cypress is right..." Ink Orchid didn't seem concerned.
We already have four God-Given Life Seeds, plus income from trading as Roving Merchants, not to mention one wild Southern Sour Jujube Divine-Given Seed. Will we ever run out of Origin Force Food? There are more Southern Sour Jujubes than we can eat! And once we are strong enough, we can sell them to the Caravan for a substantial income.
Ink Orchid then said, "Dragon Cypress, we can find even more Divine-Given Seeds!"
If Ink Orchid had said this before they found the Divine-Given Seeds of Southern Gorgon and Northern Gorgon, Dragon Cypress would have ignored it as daydreaming. But now...
Exactly!
He dared not disbelieve.
The Dominating Throne enlarged, and they continued on their way.
「…」
To avoid being discovered by other Flame Spider Roving Merchants, as had happened last year, Ink Orchid first hid with the Dominating Throne in a room deep within the Starship.
Dragon Cypress went forward alone, squeezing through the passage and climbing up the hill. He hid in a bush, peering out cautiously.
At the foot of the mountain, the Aconite Spider King's Caravan had already arrived and completed the first round of goods exchange.
The Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord lay quietly under his Seven-Leaf Grass Life Seed, waiting for other Caravans to arrive.
He was somewhat restless. What's the yield and quality of that Little Ant King's Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed from last year? And its so-called 'Azure' Divine-Given Seed, is it really Superior Grade?
The Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord faced the direction of the hill, glancing over from time to time.
Then, upon looking again, he spotted Dragon Cypress peeking out from under the bush.
"Aconite Spider King, that Little Ant King has arrived," the Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord reported.
"Oh—"
"Seven-Leaf," the Aconite Spider King said, "I remember you saying he arrives punctually every year? Isn't the Spurge Caravan not due for another two or three days?"
"He must be eager to inquire about prices because he's harvested his Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed."
"Didn't you find out that he traveled with the Luoli Caravan for a year and is quite familiar with roving merchant trade?"
The Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord remained silent, contemplated, and then said, "Then there must be other matters; he must have come ahead of time."
The Aconite Spider King was pleased. Such a clever spider, understanding with just a hint. "You go ahead," he said. "Don't make too much of a fuss."
"Yes!"
The Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord stood up slowly and strolled leisurely around the plaza at the foot of the mountain for about half a circuit. Discreetly, he approached the hill and climbed over it. He then paused for a long while in front of the stone pillar where the Dulai Flame Spider Tribe recorded time before finally walking to the entrance of the passageway behind the hill.
Dragon Cypress stood alone inside the passageway.
"Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord."
"Where is Ink Orchid?"
"She's hidden behind."
"A cautious one, this Dragon Cypress Ant King!"
"The Spider King's spiritual power can perceive the situation here. Let's go to that little grove over there to talk in detail."
"Good! I'll go first."
The Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord headed towards the little grove.
Dragon Cypress turned and ran into the room deep in the passageway. He led Ink Orchid out, and they dashed through the passage and into the little grove.
"Oh! The blue ones are Azure Seeds? Truly unique!" the Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord exclaimed, having immediately identified the goods carried by Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid using the unique Perception linked to his Spider Silk Bag.
SCHRRIT!
Dragon Cypress opened the petite Spider Silk Bag he was carrying.
Inside were 25 blue, heart-shaped Fruit Cores: Azure Seeds.
SCHRRIT!
Ink Orchid followed suit by opening her Spider Silk Bag; inside were 45 Gorgon Fruit Seeds.
Dragon Cypress said, "Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord, last year, the output of the Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed was 90 Gorgon Fruit Seeds. According to our agreement, we are selling half, which is 45 seeds, to you."
"Good!"
The Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord was even more curious about the 'Azure Seeds,' a magical Origin Force Food not recorded in the Inherited Memories of the Natural God System. Controlling his spider silk, he picked up one and examined it.
Its color and shape are somewhat strange. The properties of the Origin Force don't seem to have any peculiarities and are similar to many Origin Force Foods that strengthen Water System abilities, making them easy to identify.
"At what price did the Luoli Caravan purchase them?" he asked.
"The unit price was 12 Source Stones."
"Twelve Source Stones?"
"That's what I discussed with White Ivy Mountain Lord."
The Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord originally hadn't believed it. But upon hearing this, his belief was restored. He felt somewhat speechless, offering silent sympathy to the Luoli Caravan. "That pricing is a bit unreasonable. A unit price of 10 Source Stones would be more appropriate."
"Ten Source Stones!" Dragon Cypress exclaimed.
"Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord, aren't you being a bit too harsh?" Ink Orchid added, sounding agitated.
The Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord was momentarily speechless. Damn White Ivy! Setting prices arbitrarily and disrupting the order of trade! he fumed internally. Annoyed, he conceded, "Eleven Source Stones. That's the highest price I can offer. If we buy at twelve Source Stones, our Caravan won't make any profit."
Dragon Cypress readily agreed, "Then it's 11 Source Stones!"
There are only 25 Azure Seeds in total; there's no need to haggle further.
Dragon Cypress picked up a Gorgon Fruit Seed and handed it over, saying, "Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord, please have a look."
The Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord controlled his spider silk, wrapped it around the seed to take it, held it before his eyes to examine, Perceived its properties, and commented, "Each nut is quite large, and the quality isn't bad. I can offer 14 Source Stones per seed."
"Sixteen Source Stones," Dragon Cypress stated.
"You're aiming for 15 Source Stones per seed," the Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord countered.
"Sixteen Source Stones," Dragon Cypress insisted.
"A price of 15 is quite fair," the Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord said. "You'll be satisfied, and I will still make a profit."
Dragon Cypress asked, "Do you have Six Paths Wood seeds?"
"Of course!" the Seven-Leaf Mountain Lord replied.
"Then we have a deal," Dragon Cypress concluded.