The Shield Grasshopper Tribe Ancestor did not know how long the Origin Force Silent Period would last, but was aware that the Natural God had divided the Origin Force Star Realm into eight continents, deducing that the Northern Hemisphere comprised four Origin Force Continents, with Origin Force alternately reviving and becoming silent.

The Shield Grasshopper Tribe Ancestor began making preparations at the very first sign of Origin Force exhaustion on the Cloud Trace Continent, and reached agreements with many tribes across the continent.

The Knowledge Hall would purchase the wisdom achievements of each tribe for a fee paid in Source Stone. When one day, Origin Force revives, the Shield Grasshopper Tribe Warriors would disseminate this knowledge to the awakened warriors of the respective tribes.

Yellow Stem was generous, letting them look at everything freely, and answer any questions without reservation.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid moved into the Knowledge Hall.

However, the vast majority of it concerned agricultural cultivation, recording different groups, various geographical climates, and different plant cultivation and management techniques.

Useful.

But the information that could actually be used was limited.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid found the knowledge they needed and were interested in, studied it in detail, then bid farewell and left.

...

"Dragon Cypress, are you in a hurry to return to Xianglan Mountain?"

"No rush."

"Where to?"

"Xinghu Lake!"

"Great!"

Ink Orchid flapped her wings excitedly: "We're going to strike it rich!"

The Cloud Trace Continent map left by the Shield Grasshopper Tribe Ancestor showed that long ago, Xinghu Lake was once a bustling, booming region, jointly managed by multiple tribes led by the Fine-Lined Mayfly, and their main cultivated plants were four categories: Catalpa, Spirodela, Cypress, and Cherry.

Mural information revealed that they once cultivated top-level Dragon Cypress Trees up to 40 meters tall, with cones nearly 2 centimeters in diameter, named "Huge-Fruit Dragon Cypress." These great tall trees had a strong chance of surviving for millennia without the care of Insect Clan Warriors, continuing to this day.

This alone made it worth Dragon Cypress's trip—let alone the many other possible benefits.

Moreover, Xinghu Lake wasn't far from White Lotus Lake.

"Dragon Cypress, don't you think there's something a little...too agreeable about that Yellow Stem? He just handed over so much important information to us without holding back."

"And if he hadn't? He's trapped in the Land of Origin Force, can't do anything anyway."

"Still, he could have bargained with us."

"Why should a plant-eater bargain with a meat-eater? Yellow Stem is a smart bug."

"Oh—"

Ink Orchid looked up and thought for a while, shaking her head, "Still doesn't feel right. From start to finish, I always felt that Yellow Stem was weird."

And that Yellow Stem truly did exude a lot of strangeness.

Dragon Cypress buried himself in thought for a long time before looking up and saying optimistically: "Time will tell. We'll get to know more with further contact. There's surely still other secrets hidden in Huagi Mountain. Yellow Stem just doesn't want to divulge them now, but in the end, it will have to come out or hand it over."

Ink Orchid: "I have a vague feeling that something powerful—something terrifying—is hidden beneath Huagi Mountain..."

"Terrifying?" Dragon Cypress's expression grew solemn.

"I can't say exactly..."

Ink Orchid tilted her head, appearing to ponder, stammering: "It's strange...very vague...my soul shudders...it's not an Insect Clan Warrior...it's something completely unfamiliar, I can't tell what it is..."

Dragon Cypress grew even graver.

Ink Orchid was far more than just under the favor of the Natural God; she possessed extraordinary Origin Force perception, and these mysterious sixth-sense feelings usually turned out correct.

Dragon Cypress: "Ink Orchid, now that you've said this, I've got a general sense. No need to speculate; let's go directly to Yellow Stem later and ask..."

...

Knowledge Hall.

Spruce cradled a metal can in his twin claws, alternating his tentacles to dab at and lick the ant honey.

Yellow Stem stared motionlessly up at the Cloud Trace Continent map on the dome.

"Yellow Stem, what do you think of Dragon Cypress Ant King and Ink Orchid?"

"Ink Orchid is pure and kind. Dragon Cypress's mind is a bit more complicated, but without malice. I'm sure the two of them can be long-term roving merchants, which is why I brought them into Huagi Mountain."

"So—attacking the Termite Kingdom to seize the Divine God-Given Seed, do you think that's feasible?"

"There are risks. But no bug could refuse the rewards if successful."

"That's right. Irresistible. With the Divine-Given Seed that greatly prolongs life span, you and I both have a shot at evolving to Evolution Lord Level."

"No!"

Yellow Stem withdrew his gaze from the dome and slowly turned to look at Spruce: "I've been thinking—could we evolve to King Level? Take this opportunity to lead Huagi Mountain to revival, stockpile a batch of resources."

"Activate a few Divine-Given Seeds?"

"Yes. However, attacking a Lord-Level Termite Kingdom, ordinary Divine-Given Seeds probably won't be enough, Spruce. You'll not only need to evolve to Evolution Mountain Lord Level, but also surpass the combat power of ordinary Insect Clan Warriors. I'm hesitating..."

Spruce's honey-licking movements stalled, pausing in a daze, then he quickly licked it clean, screwed the can shut, stood up, and asked gravely:

"Yellow Stem, which one do you plan to awaken...?"

"The plan is for Dragon Cypress Ant King to strike while the King of Termite and the Ant Queen are asleep, launch a surprise attack, mount a diversion, and have Ink Orchid sneak in for the assassination. So, the Quandong Divine Tree would be more suitable... But for you...the Linnan Divine Tree is more appropriate..."

Yellow Stem gently trembled his tentacles, "We can't rush this, nor act rashly. Let's observe for two more years, see the overall situation before deciding."

Spruce seemed to understand, saying: "If Dragon Cypress Ant King and Ink Orchid explore the previous Origin Force generation's great tribe settlements as marked on the map, there's a chance they might find the treasury and Source Stones."

"It's a long shot... It's more reliable to depend on the Flame Spider Roving Merchant they mentioned for acquiring Source Stone."

"I've hinted multiple times already—Dragon Cypress Ant King should be able to grasp the meaning..."

Yellow Stem paused, then said: "Spruce, you should hurry and evolve to Age Period 4, pick a Divine-Given Seed to nurture and sow. We can't let those two unorthodox little roving merchants look down on our Huagi Mountain."

...

The Dominating Throne hovered at a slow pace high in the sky; Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid lay at the edge of the Stump Ant Nest, heads bowed as they observed.

On the plain encircled by mountains, there was a tadpole-shaped lake, big-headed, with a thin tail.

A large river also flowed nearby.

It matched the description of Xinghu Lake on the map quite closely.

After four or five thousand years or even longer, the geology and landforms must have changed, but nothing earth-shattering would have happened.

"Dragon Cypress, is this the place?"

"Should be."

"All those trees over there are cypresses! Quick! Let's take a look!"

"Mmm—"

Dragon Cypress guided the Dominating Throne to rapidly descend, drifting forward, settling atop a mountain peak, slowing and hovering above the forest.

Upon closer inspection, they were instantly disappointed.

All Round Cypress and Oriental Arborvitae.

Ink Orchid left the throne, skimming low, racing around the ring-shaped mountain range, completing a circuit at top speed, then returning to the throne.

"Nothing—"

Even High-Level Warriors couldn't survive in the Origin Force vacuum for long.

They rested for a bit, then set out again, flying another lap around the mountains.

"Still nothing—"

Dragon Cypress also piloted the Dominating Throne along the mountainside, flying slowly, observing the way as they went.

Then they circled the forest at the foot of the mountain.

They were sure they hadn't come to the wrong place—just as the Shield Grasshopper Tribe map recorded: on both the mountains and below, there were mostly assorted cypresses and catalpas, with a scattering of cherry, peach, and apple trees.

But all were wild native species with small and scarce fruits.

In the long years without Insect Clan Warrior management, the fine cultivated varieties had been eliminated by nature.

Dusk was approaching.

The Dominating Throne rested by the lakeside.

Dragon Cypress caught fish from the lake, and Ink Orchid at the lakeside snagged a rare giant softshell turtle.

The Worker Ants carved it up and dumped everything into an extra-large metal can to stew.

Evening wind breezed gently, white mist wafted, the smell of meat drifting with the wind.

By the lake grew spirodela and gold-silver lotus peanuts, all plain wild species, mixed in with duckweed, foxtail algae, bitter herb, iris, duckweed, and other plants.

They had searched around and couldn't find even the slightest trace that this had once been a great tribe's gathering place.

"Time is truly ruthless—it leads us to aging and death, wipes away all evidence of our having ever existed, and in the end, nothing remains." Ink Orchid, after much soul-searching, voiced her heartfelt sigh, which she felt brimmed with profound natural philosophy.

"Oh—"

Dragon Cypress responded absentmindedly, focused on stewing the turtle meat in the metal can.

"Dragon Cypress, aren't you the least bit sentimental?" Ink Orchid scooped a piece out with her claw, tasted it, found it not cooked, and tossed it to the Worker Ant waiting eagerly to the side.

"I'm so sad, I don't even want to speak..."

Dragon Cypress still sounded perfunctory.

Ink Orchid was displeased and asked, "So what now?"

Dragon Cypress: "Let's search carefully."

Ink Orchid: "For what?"

Dragon Cypress: "Huge-Fruit Dragon Cypress...I guess it's gone."

Dragon Cypress: "Sun Lotus...couldn't be preserved either."

Dragon Cypress: "None of the top-level plant seeds made it. Then we'll see if, like in Huagi Mountain, there are any ruins or remnants left behind—maybe we can find a Source Stone treasury, Outworld Civilization artifact, or something like that."

"Ooh—"

Ink Orchid glanced at the undulating mountain ranges all around, counted, and said in distress: "Seventeen peaks—enough to keep us busy for an entire winter."

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