In the western region of Cloud Trace Continent, a giant mountain range runs north to south, creating a divide.

The west side of the mountain range is cold and dry in winter, mostly grassland, sparse woodland, semi-desert, and desert terrain.

The east side of the mountain range is warm and humid in winter, filled with lush primitive forests teeming with flora and fauna.

Twilight.

The Dominating Throne rests atop the peak of Snow Peak Mountain, surveying from above.

Up ahead is the edge of the Land of Origin Force, nestled within the range dividing east and west, between the clustering, overlapping peaks.

The mountains are mostly home to cold-hardy Huagi Pines, Red Pines, Firs, Spruces, and other coniferous arbors, as well as some maples and chestnut great tall trees.

Each type of plant dominates whole swathes: a patch of verdant green, a stretch of gold, a sweep of scarlet-gold.

At the foot of the mountains lies a natural lake, clear as a polished mirror, reflecting the setting sun, blue sky, fleecy clouds, and the wind-swept mountains.

A scene of unique beauty that soothes the spirit of any insect.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid observe from the summit, watch the sunset, then descend from the heights with the Dominating Throne, coming to rest by the lakeside.

In their perception, the Land of Origin Force ahead is not large, nothing more than an ordinary origin force point.

No rush. They wait calmly as darkness falls, lingering until deep night before leaving the Dominating Throne and flying high above, entering the Land of Origin Force.

"No Divine-Given Seed."

Circling once, Ink Orchid gives their assessment.

They lower their flight.

Below are imposing mountain peaks, ranges, gentle slopes covered in woodland, and mountain lakes.

"Life Seed Plant!"

"Wow! Over there!"

"Wait—"

"What is it?"

"Be careful. Carefully sense the number of origin force plants."

Beneath the sheer mountain peaks, above the mountain range, pine and spruce life seed plants cluster together.

Around the natural lake at the base of the mountains, many diverse life seed plants can also be found.

They sweep quickly around; by rough estimate, there are more than forty individual life seeds here.

A sealed origin force point cannot possibly have evolved to Mountain Lord Level.

Even a high-level warrior would have at most twenty-odd life seeds.

It can be inferred that at least two Insect Clan Warriors reside here!

Dragon Cypress decelerates, retracting its own origin force aura.

Ink Orchid follows suit, carapace changing color, entering a concealed stealth mode.

One after another, silent as shadows, they land at the lakeside, beneath a great tall tree roughly twenty meters high.

This is a deciduous arbor, stripped to barren branches, well into winter dormancy.

Beneath the tree are clear marks of digging and refilling. A sweep with spiritual power reveals the bones of beasts buried under the earth.

"Dragon Cypress, a high-level warrior!"

"A warrior who understands using animal carcasses for fertilizer. Either prodigiously smart, or built on generations of accumulated experience."

"This tree is no youngster. The Insect Clan Warrior associated with it is no youngling either."

"Yes. An old warrior."

"What kind of tree is this?"

"Looks like a dense plum..."

Both Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid search inherited memory intently, confirming that it's a dense plum, but unable to pinpoint the exact subspecies.

On a distant hillside, there is also a vast patch of climbing vines, also leafless in the winter season.

Dragon Cypress moves closer for examination and soon reaches a conclusion: Wisteria life seed, high life level, less than ten years old.

This likely indicates the life seed plant of a relatively young high-level warrior.

They continue checking several other life seeds nearby and quickly form a verdict.

Dragon Cypress: "There are two insect clan warriors residing here, both high-level, one old and one young. Not enough to threaten us. We'll retreat for now and return mid-morning tomorrow, approaching straightaway with the Dominating Throne."

"Alright!"

Ink Orchid agrees.

Both are a little excited.

After so many years, at last they've found a Land of Origin Force inhabited by Insect Clan Warriors—there is hope for establishing trade relations.

They withdraw quietly.

Returning to the lakeside where the Dominating Throne is docked, they half-doze the rest of the night, waking at first morning light.

It isn't considered polite to visit too early.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid wait patiently, only setting off when the sun hangs at a slant in the eastern sky, well into the morning.

The Dominating Throne glides slowly into the Land of Origin Force, deliberately causing strong origin force fluctuations to alert the local warriors to the arrival of honored guests.

Gradually they approach the mountain.

A shell-brown, black-spotted Insect Clan Warrior stands upon a rock, vigilance in its gaze, fixing the Dominating Throne with an unwavering stare.

Stocky and short-bodied, with distinctive traits: a Shield Grasshopper Tribe Warrior, about at its third age period.

Its carapace is heavily marked with black spots—a clear sign of its considerable age.

This is the older of the two warriors residing here.

The younger warrior must be hiding somewhere.

"Hello—"

"My name is Ink Orchid, Orchid Mantis Tribe Warrior, King of Fragant Orchid Mountain."

Ink Orchid sends out warm, friendly mental power, greeting the other.

"My name is Dragon Cypress, King of the Creator Civilization, Great-Headed Ant King."

Dragon Cypress keeps the Dominating Throne hovering twenty meters away at ground level, explaining rapidly:

"This is the Dominating Throne, bestowed by the Natural God—an artifact of the Creator Civilization. It can carry Ink Orchid and me across Origin Force Vacuum Land, traveling between origin force points across Cloud Trace Continent."

"Cloud Trace Continent is currently in an Origin Force Silent Period. Everywhere is Origin Force Vacuum Land; only a precious few origin force points remain."

"Ink Orchid and I are roving merchants. We seek out and connect with dispersed Insect Clan Warriors across the continent, dealing and trading—circulating origin force food and high-quality plant seeds."

Ink Orchid adds, "Much like the Flame Spider Roving Merchants."

Dragon Cypress: "We are guided by the Natural God, here to aid Insect Clan Warriors beset in origin force points everywhere. We do not pursue profit."

Ink Orchid: "We bear no hostility, either."

Shield Grasshopper Tribe Warrior: "..."

The Shield Grasshopper Tribe Warrior's tense frame slowly relaxes, lowering its guard, clearly considering, for a long time, before asking dubiously, "Roving merchants?"

Dragon Cypress: "Yes."

"Guided by the Natural God?" The Shield Grasshopper Warrior is unconvinced.

"Yes!" Ink Orchid raises a Spider Silk Bag with a shake. "We have a spider silk bag, too."

Shield Grasshopper Warrior: "Having a spider silk bag doesn't make you roving merchants… Do you know the Flame Spider Roving Merchants?"

Ink Orchid: "...Yes."

Shield Grasshopper Warrior: "The Dominating Throne was granted to you by the Natural God?"

Dragon Cypress: "Of course."

Shield Grasshopper Warrior: "Why did the Natural God not choose Flame Spider Warriors, but instead pick you two, who aren't roving merchants?"

This question rather gets to the heart of things.

Clearly, this Shield Grasshopper Warrior isn't easy to fool.

Its reaction is odd, too. In this isolated land of origin force, suddenly meeting friendly roving merchants, it shows no joy—and seeing the wondrous artifact from an outworld civilization, the Dominating Throne, reveals not even a flicker of curiosity or wonder.

Dragon Cypress: "We don't really understand either, but that's how it is."

Ink Orchid: "That's not the point."

Ink Orchid holds a metal can, twists it open, shows it, and explains: "The Natural God also bestowed Dragon Cypress Ant King with unique water system ability, allowing it to command worker ants, and, like bees making honey, refine origin force food to produce Origin Force Ant Honey."

The Shield Grasshopper Warrior's gaze slowly drops, looking to the stump ant nest, then lifts, staring intently at the metal can, closely sensing the origin force aura radiating from within.

Their words have holes, but what they bring forth is the real thing.

Shield Grasshopper Warrior: "You trade with many origin force lands, many Insect Clan Warriors?"

Dragon Cypress: "Of course! We have access to origin force food of hundreds of species from all corners, each with unique strengthening effects."

Ink Orchid: "We also hold several Divine-Given Seeds. Together, Dragon Cypress and I have seven Divine-Given Seeds. Ant Honey made from the fruit of Divine-Given Seeds is called 'Ant King Honey.'"

Shield Grasshopper Warrior: "..."

Seven Divine-Given Seeds? Who are you trying to scare?

The Shield Grasshopper Warrior doesn't buy it at all, convinced these two are flamboyant braggarts. Still, after some thought, asks, "You're roving merchants?"

Dragon Cypress gently kicks Ink Orchid's hind leg, signaling it not to speak, and replies, "Naturally."

Shield Grasshopper Warrior: "Then... do you sell that 'Origin Force Ant Honey'?"

Dragon Cypress: "Of course."

Shield Grasshopper Warrior: "How do you sell it?"

Dragon Cypress: "Priced in source stones."

Shield Grasshopper Warrior: "I have no source stones."

Dragon Cypress: "You can sell origin force food produced in your territory, also priced by source stone. The source stone is merely a unit for valuation and accounting—it's not necessary to have source stones themselves."

The Shield Grasshopper Warrior thinks it over, and says: "I understand what you mean."

Ink Orchid rolls up the spider silk bag and tosses it down, saying, "Since it's our first meeting, here's a spider silk bag for you."

The Shield Grasshopper Warrior stands motionless atop the rock, making no move to retrieve it.

Dragon Cypress: "..."

Ink Orchid: "..."

This is a rather excessively steady-natured Insect Clan Warrior.

Ink Orchid: "What's your name?"

Shield Grasshopper Warrior: "Yellow Stem."

Yellow Stem suddenly waves its tentacles, saying, "Welcome to the territory of the Shield Grasshopper Tribe! This is the center of Cloud Trace Continent—the Flower Flag Mountain prized by all clans beneath the heavens."

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