Chapter 89: Chapter 089 Azure Blooms (Five Updates)
Two days after Dragon Cypress entered its sixth Age Period, Ink Orchid fell into a deep slumber. Inside the Life Pouch, the Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed was being nurtured. It took a bit of effort, and Ink Orchid did not wake up until four days later.
Several spring rains had passed, and the pond at the foot of the mountain was full. The bottom of the pond had already been fertilized with Marsh Slag and Humus.
The seed was soaked, and half a pond of water was reserved for sowing. Ink Orchid guarded the pond around the clock. Spiked Cypress no longer directed Soldier Ants to collect stones; instead, it had the pond surrounded on all sides, layer by layer, with guards.
「Three days later,」
Ink Orchid swiftly flew to the Dominating Throne, "The Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed has germinated!"
The Life Force of the Divine-Given Seed, strengthened by the nurturing of the Life Pouch, was extremely powerful. Once it germinated, it entered a stage of rapid growth.
Overnight, the roots penetrated the soil, and at the same time, Leaf Buds emerged.
After another day, the cotyledons unfolded.
「Five days later,」
the first true leaf surfaced above the water. Water was drawn from the reservoir above to replenish the pond.
「Another five days passed,」
and a second, more robust leaf grew as the cotyledons withered after exhausting their Energy.
「Just three days later,」
a third leaf developed. As the broad leaves on the water surface grew, the roots underneath were also spreading rapidly. The fourth and fifth leaves successively emerged. Water was released from the reservoir above, and the large pond below was full.
The Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed also followed a clump development pattern. The mother plant only grew five leaves and then entered the Energy accumulation stage, after which came clump division.
Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid both felt a little nervous, yet filled with anticipation. The enhancement effect had already been determined, and the quality was unlikely to be poor. It all depended on whether the yield was high.
「...」
In the increasingly hot late spring, Dragon Cypress was busy controlling the Dominating Throne to move soil.
Giant Cypress, stationed at South Mountain, rushed over in a hurry, escorted by a throng of Soldier Ants.
"Great King! Good news! The Deep Blue God-Given Seed seems to have flower buds."
"Flower buds?"
"It seems so—"
"Great!"
Dragon Cypress waved its tentacles, ordering the working Worker Ants to rest in place, and called out, "Round Cypress, the Deep Blue God-Given Seed is about to flower. Let’s go take a look!"
Dragon Cypress controlled the Dominating Throne, carrying Ink Orchid, Round Cypress, Spiked Cypress, and Giant Cypress. They flew over the mountain range, headed directly to the South Mountain pond, and hovered above the water surface.
"Azure..." Dragon Cypress called out. As its spiritual power swept over the plant, its tentacles trembled.
Ink Orchid also noticed the issue. "Dragon Cypress, why are only six leaves flowering?"
Dragon Cypress asked, "Azure, why are only the six bottom leaves flowering?"
Azure replied, "I don’t know..."
Azure asked in return, "Dragon Cypress, is there a problem?"
Dragon Cypress said, "No problem, it’s just a bit strange..."
Dragon Cypress, Ink Orchid, Round Cypress, Spiked Cypress, and Giant Cypress began to count the number of flower buds together.
Currently, the Deep Blue God-Given Seed tree was nearly ten meters tall. The fifteenth broad leaf was about to unfurl, and its size was already quite considerable. The broadest leaves at the bottom were the largest, approximately 2.5 meters in diameter. They were speckled with sesame-sized green spots on the intersecting deep blue veins. These green spots were the newly budding flower buds.
The first broad leaf had the most, with 59 buds.
The second broad leaf had slightly fewer, with 53 buds.
The third, fourth, fifth, and sixth leaves decreased in number respectively, with 47, 43, 41, and 37 buds.
In total, there were 280 buds, meaning the yield of Azure Fruits for this batch would be 280. Based on the price of 13 Source Stones per fruit, as sold to White Ivy, this batch amounted to 3,640 Source Stones.
The Blossom-Fruit Cycle of the Deep Blue God-Given Seed was two years. Averaging it out, the earnings were not much different from those of Ink Orchid’s Divine-Given Fruit-Scented Orchid Seed.
Ink Orchid exclaimed, "280 flowers! Dragon Cypress, how much can we sell them for?"
Dragon Cypress sighed. "Based on the price we get from the Caravans, that would be 3,640 Source Stones."
Ink Orchid thought for a moment, then said joyfully, "That’s quite good! The Deep Blue God-Given Seed is continuously growing, and next time, its yield will be even higher."
Dragon Cypress shook its tentacles, looking up and wondering. Why do only the six bottom leaves bloom and bear fruit when there are so many leaves?
Round Cypress, Spiked Cypress, and Giant Cypress all shook their tentacles in confusion.
Lost in thought, Ink Orchid asked, "Dragon Cypress, I remember when you received the Deep Blue God-Given Seed, you mentioned something about a Contract?"
Dragon Cypress replied, "Yes. It’s a technique from the Creator Civilization, similar to how our Insect Clan’s Life Pouch nurtures a Life Seed..."
Dragon Cypress was beginning to understand what Ink Orchid meant.
It could be due to the Contract, he thought. Or perhaps the Contract combined with the Life Pouch nurturing the Life Seed—a dual connection that caused some kind of mutation. The blooming and fruiting of the Deep Blue God-Given Seed might also be somewhat related to my own Cultivation. That might also be one of the reasons why the Azure Fruit is of Superior Grade.
Dragon Cypress said, "Let’s not worry about it for now. Once I have advanced to High-Level Ant King, I will understand."
Dragon Cypress looked around the pond. In the shallow waters by the pond, the rice sown in early spring had grown into a large patch of green seedlings. A large number of locusts were attracted to it. In turn, many frogs were drawn to the area, lurking to hunt the locusts. Both the Black Lotus and Gorgon Fruit, sown separately in the north and south, now had leaves emerging from the water. It was believed they would soon grow to a considerable size. Scanning with his spiritual power, Dragon Cypress could also see fish and shrimp moving about at the bottom of the pond. The pond was brimming with life and vitality.
"Azure, do you need more fertilizer?" Dragon Cypress inquired.
Azure replied, "I’ll take some Swamp Water."
"Okay."
Dragon Cypress turned to make arrangements. Springtime was fleeting, and the work on the water dam could not stop. Round Cypress would lead the Worker Ants, ensuring they worked hard to make the most of the time. The Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed had matured; stationing 50 Specialized Soldier Ants along with 50 large and mid-level Soldier Ants for its defense would be sufficient. Spiked Cypress would take other Soldier Ants to the South Mountain pond to guard the Deep Blue God-Given Seed. Giant Cypress would continue to guard the territory atop the mountain. He and Ink Orchid would add fertilizer for Azure.
A plant from an alien Civilization, truly odd in every way, Dragon Cypress mused.
「Seven days later,」
the Deep Blue God-Given Seed had shown no sign of developing buds capable of growth. Then, overnight, it suddenly sprouted, bloomed at midnight, and quickly withered by morning. By the time Spiked Cypress noticed the change, fruits as small as sesame seeds were already hanging beneath the leaves.
The news reached North Mountain. Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid hurried over to examine them, clicking their tongues in amazement.
「...」
「Early in the summer, when the hibiscus in North Mountain bloomed.」
In the early morning, Dragon Cypress and Round Cypress left the nest, leading the ant colony down the mountain.
"Dragon Cypress! The Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed is about to propagate!" Ink Orchid, who had been tirelessly standing guard by the pond day and night, flew over.
Dragon Cypress brightened reflexively, only to realize that Ink Orchid wasn’t showing any excitement. He quickly asked, "How many offshoots?"
Ink Orchid said, "The Inherited Memory wasn’t wrong. The Gorgon Fruit plant produces very low yields. The first time it propagated, it only produced three rhizomes."
"So, that’s only three new plants?" Dragon Cypress also felt somewhat disappointed.
The number of offshoots in the initial propagation was the base number for subsequent divisions, a key factor determining the yield. For example, the Divine-Given Fruit-Scented Orchid had started with seven plants at a multiplication rate of three. So, when Ink Orchid advanced to Mid-Level Warrior, there were 21 new offshoots, and the next division would result in 63 plants. If the Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed initially propagated only three plants and also multiplied at a rate of three, then the second division would add only nine plants, and the third just 27. Corresponding to Ink Orchid’s Cultivation as a Mid-Level and High-Level Warrior, the disparity between the offshoots of the Fruit-Scented Orchid and the Gorgon Fruit Seed would be 21 versus 9, and 63 versus 27.
"It’s no problem..." Dragon Cypress comforted her, "We don’t have to worry about too many offshoots right now; the pond can’t accommodate them anyway."
Ink Orchid said in a low voice, "Dragon Cypress, did we dig the pond too small?"
"Uh—" Twelve meters on each side, and that’s still small? Dragon Cypress thought. He then reassured her, "Don’t get disheartened, Ink Orchid. It might develop at a multiplication rate of five or seven."
"Right!" Ink Orchid became even more worried, her voice anxious as she said, "Will the pond be able to hold so many offshoots? Dragon Cypress, please expand the pond for the Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed."
Dragon Cypress fell silent. Feeling helpless, he looked up and visually measured the area. He then mused for a moment before agreeing, "Alright. Let’s expand it by three meters to the east and south. I’ll arrange it right away."