Chapter 90: Chapter 90 Quintuple Rate (Sixth Update)
Dragon Cypress felt that the pond for the Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed had been dug large enough.
However, since Ink Orchid was unsettled, expanding it a bit was fine; they just had to dig it shallower. It wasn’t a major project.
Now, a trench 2.5 meters wide and 1 meter deep was being dug on the eastern and southern sides, leaving a half-meter-wide ’ridge’ in the middle.
Once the trench was completed, the ridge was removed. The edges were then repaired, and the corners rounded off, shaping the pond into a circle with an approximate diameter of 16 meters.
The expansion of the pond was complete.
The three offshoots of the Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed quickly grew, their leaves emerging from the water.
They still needed to wait for a second offshooting before they could rest assured. Ink Orchid guarded them around the clock.
Dragon Cypress and Round Cypress led the ant swarm to continue digging the foundation for the dam.
Time flew by rapidly, and after seven or eight days, each of the three offshoots had grown five leaves, each almost a meter in diameter. They stood at staggered heights, snugly clustered around the mother plant.
The Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed as a whole was beginning to take shape.
The foundation for the reservoir dam was excavated to a depth of nearly 1 meter. All the loose topsoil was removed, revealing dry, hard clay below, which was actually easier to dig.
But Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid would soon need to embark on a long journey to the various Origin Force Points to trade with Roving Merchants and earn money, so the dam project was paused.
Round Cypress took the Worker Ants to dig at the western slope of the valley floor, expanding the width of the reservoir while also gathering a batch of clay and rocks for the dam’s construction.
Dragon Cypress stayed by the pond with Ink Orchid.
「A cool breeze drifted through the deep night.」
On the Dominating Throne, Ink Orchid habitually woke up in the middle of the night. Using her spiritual power, she inspected the offshoots of the Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed in the pond. Suddenly, with a jolt, her drowsiness vanished. After a closer scan, she flapped her wings vigorously, nudging Dragon Cypress beside her.
"Dragon Cypress!"
"Quick, wake up!"
"They’re offshooting!"
"A fivefold rate!"
"WOW! WOW! WOW!"
"Hooray!"
"A fivefold offshooting rate!"
Dragon Cypress: "..."
Dragon Cypress, waking from a deep sleep, was disoriented for two seconds. He then used his spiritual power for inspection: each of the three offshoots of the Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed had five sprouts bulging at its main root.
That’s right, a fivefold offshooting rate!
The first time it was one producing three; after that, it would be three producing fifteen, and then fifteen producing seventy-five...
Ink Orchid’s advancement to High-Level Warrior would happen when her fifteen offshoots produced seventy-five more.
This number was quite considerable!
Did I really predict it correctly?
In the future, my Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seeds will surely develop in this offshooting pattern.
"We’re going to be rich!" Dragon Cypress cheered along with her.
...
The weather grew hotter by the day.
Dragon Cypress, accompanied by Spiked Cypress and Giant Cypress, led 150 Specialized Soldier Ants, 80 large and medium-sized soldier ants, 100 Specialized Blue Ants, and 50 medium-sized blue ants westward along the mountain range. Following the stream they had discovered previously, they embarked on a five-day hunting expedition to stock up two months’ worth of food for the Ant Nest.
Ink Orchid stood guard by the pond for five days. The 15 new offshoots of the Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed quickly took root and sprouted two broad leaves, roughly stabilizing. After growing throughout the summer, they would be able to bloom and bear fruit the following year.
The trade they had agreed upon for the end of spring and early summer was now nearing the peak of summer, so they hurriedly packed up and set off.
Dragon Cypress stayed up all night, controlling the Dominating Throne to hasten their journey. After an eight-day flight, they finally arrived at White Rice Mountain, the first stop on the Roving Merchant route, under the scorching midday sun.
The wild Divine-Given White Rice Seed had bloomed, and its branches were laden with green fruits the size of mung beans.
Red Fox, White Rice, and Black Rice gathered under the tree, enjoying the shade.
"Dragon Cypress Ant King. Ink Orchid." White Rice and Black Rice greeted them warmly.
Black Rice, roughly 20 centimeters long and now an intermediate warrior in his first Age Period, vigorously shook his tentacles and said, "You’re late! We agreed on the end of spring, early summer."
Ink Orchid explained, "Last autumn, I found a Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed in a Land of Origin Force and nurtured it as a Life Seed. We only sowed it at the end of this spring. Dragon Cypress and I have been busy tending to the Divine-Given Seed, which is why we were delayed."
White Rice and Black Rice turned to look at Red Fox. The Elder guessed correctly!
Red Fox, who was nearing the end of his life and had become indifferent to many things, grew slightly excited. He stood up and inquired, "Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed? What kind of plant is that? What kind of enhancement effect does it have?"
White Rice and Black Rice both searched their Inherited Memories.
Black Rice blurted out, "It strengthens the internal organs! Specifically, it enhances the pancreas, increasing absorption ability, which can improve the absorption speed and efficiency of Origin Force Food."
White Rice turned and said, "It’s an aquatic herbaceous plant. There aren’t any of these plants on White Rice Mountain."
White Rice then turned again, looking up at the Dominating Throne and asking, "If it’s a Divine-Given Seed that grows by offshooting, it must need a very large pond, right?"
Dragon Cypress said, "We need a large reservoir. We’re busy building dykes, damming a valley to create it."
Red Fox sighed, "That’s something only you Ant Clan can achieve."
Last autumn, Dragon Cypress had come to White Rice with a large number of Bamboo Tubes asking for Marsh Slag. Red Fox had surmised back then that he might have found a Divine-Given Seed.
When Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid were late to arrive in early summer this year, it further confirmed his speculation.
Red Fox, White Rice, and Black Rice weren’t very surprised but felt more envious and expectant.
White Rice said, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, the variety of goods you’ve brought this year is unprecedented."
Dragon Cypress: "Of course!"
"Dragon Cypress Ant King, Ink Orchid, please wait a moment. I’ll go get the Origin Force Food." After saying this, White Rice dashed towards his dwelling cave.
"Wait for me! I’ll help!" Black Rice chased after White Rice.
Dragon Cypress chatted idly with Red Fox, "This batch from the Divine-Given White Rice Seed has quite a lot of fruit."
Red Fox: "The management techniques you taught for the territory are very practical. This batch’s yield has seen a good increase, with 846 fruits."
Getting the precise count, Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid quietly started calculating in their heads.
One fruit earns four Source Stones, so 846 fruits would earn 3,384 Source Stones.
That’s quite a lot.
Dragon Cypress changed the subject, saying, "After evolving into an intermediate Sphere Insect Warrior, Black Rice has become noticeably more sensible."
After thinking for a moment, Red Fox said, "He’s been clamoring for Ant Honey every day, just waiting for you to come."
"UH—" Dragon Cypress chuckled and kicked Ink Orchid lightly with his hind leg.
Ink Orchid understood. She turned, cradling a Metal Can in her claws, and explained, "This was specially prepared for Black Rice. It’s a mix of 57 types of Origin Force Food, including Origin Force Ant Honey brewed from four types of Persimmon Fruit from Persimmon Tree Life Seeds. It provides comprehensive strengthening, from the inside out. It’s sold with the can for 2,000 Source Stones; one can is just enough to help Black Rice complete one Age Period of evolution."
Dragon Cypress added a friendly reminder, "For an intermediate warrior’s evolution, the interval should ideally be more than half a year. Black Rice is a glutton, so you and White Rice should supervise him and not give him too much at once."
"We understand..." Red Fox then asked, "What about the Xianglan Seeds from the Divine-Given Fruit-Scented Orchid Seed? There should be some this year, right?"
Dragon Cypress: "Of course!"
Ink Orchid quickly turned and searched, then took out a delicate Spider Silk Bag, saying, "Fifty seeds, 8 Source Stones each, for a total of 400 Source Stones."
Red Fox sighed, "That’s rather few. Both White Rice and Black Rice really need these..."
White Rice returned, front legs holding the Spider Silk Bag high. Black Rice followed, carrying a Metal Can. The two Sphere Insect Warriors, one large and one small, hurried back.
Red Fox swished his tail and lay down. "You can discuss it with White Rice."
...
Only a small portion of the Origin Force Food produced in White Rice Territory had been sold last autumn. White Rice hadn’t eaten what was harvested later, saving all of it.
After a round of pricing and counting, Dragon Cypress announced the total price, "I’ll make it a round number for you: 5,000 Source Stones."
White Rice’s tentacles waved rapidly, his brain working furiously. After calculating for a moment, he said, "No problem."
Dragon Cypress said, "Fifty Xianglan Seeds for 400 Source Stones. One can of mixed Ant Honey for 2,000 Source Stones. You can take a look first."
Ink Orchid landed, handed the Spider Silk Bag to White Rice. She returned to the Throne, then brought over the prepared Metal Can, uncovering it for Black Rice to inspect.
"OOOH!" Black Rice dipped a tentacle in to taste, then cheered, "This year’s Ant Honey is extra delicious! White Rice, buy two cans!"
White Rice opened the Spider Silk Bag, glanced inside, then also approached and tasted a bit with his tentacle.
"This year’s Ant Honey is really good!" White Rice joined in the praise and, quite decisively, said, "Buy two cans!"
Ink Orchid immediately said, "With the purchase of the first can, we’ll consider the Metal Can a gift. If you buy a second can, you’ll need to provide an empty can in exchange."
Dragon Cypress explained, "These Metal Cans are in very short supply. For now, we can only recycle them for reuse."
"Here!" Black Rice immediately presented the can he had licked clean to Ink Orchid.
Ink Orchid returned to the Throne, retrieved another Metal Can filled with Origin Force Ant Honey, and handed it to Black Rice.
Dragon Cypress said, "That’s 4,400 Source Stones. White Rice, you have 600 Source Stones left. Is there anything else you need?"
White Rice asked, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, do you still have Ghost Fans?"
Dragon Cypress: "Very few left."
White Rice’s tentacles swayed. He pointed at Black Rice and said, "Give Little Black Rice 24 of them."
Ink Orchid turned to fetch the goods.
...
The trade was completed.
Finally, Dragon Cypress took out a gourd and shook it vigorously, saying, "White Rice, I’ve collected the Rice Tree seeds you wanted. The seeds are a gift, but you’ll have to return this gourd to us."
White Rice: "Okay! Thanks."
White Rice: "You need gourds as containers for common Ant Honey and seeds?"
Ink Orchid: "Yes. Your gourds are quite useful."
White Rice generously said, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, when the Gourd Fruits ripen at the end of autumn, I’ll give you six!"
White Rice took the gourd holding the Rice Tree seeds, opened it, and looked inside. He immediately became worried and said, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, how many varieties are there? The seeds are all mixed together..."
Dragon Cypress: "There are quite a few varieties. It doesn’t matter if they’re mixed. Just sow them, and when the seedlings grow, you’ll know what varieties they are then, won’t you?"
"Ink Orchid and I are in a hurry; we’re eager to get the reservoir built. If there’s nothing else, we can’t stay to chat longer. We’ll cancel this year’s autumn trade and come back in winter."
Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid took their leave in a hurry.