Ant Lord in the Star Realm

Chapter 755 608: Hydra

Dragon Cypress's life became orderly.

Aside from the regular spring and autumn trades and the search for Divine-Given Seeds, all other times were spent immersed in the sea region.

Ink Orchid was anxious and returned to its old trade; it kept busy planting Orchid Grass in Xianglan Mountain, Molan Mountain, White Lotus Lake, and Cold Orchid Mountain.

Nowadays, Ink Orchid had higher standards and wouldn't accept herb-type Divine-Given Seeds, Orchid Grass being the only exception…

...

There was still no news from the Snow Velvet Spider King.

Dragon Cypress could clearly sense that the five Steward Spider Kings behind Heliotrope in the Flame Spider Kingdom's Ancestral Land on the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent, and the White Ivy Spider King behind Red Peach, each was more anxious than the last.

With insects anxious, Dragon Cypress was not in much of a hurry itself, focusing on fishing.

...

Year 77 of the Silver Cypress,

All of Dragon Cypress's Life Seed Plants, except for the King Cypress, began to blossom and bear fruit.

In the same year, the Jinhe Divine-Given Seed Fruit ripened and was harvested. Dragon Cypress ate one and comprehended the ability of the Jinhe Pattern.

This ability had an interesting feature: when used by different insects, the Original Energy Patterns displayed different colors.

The metal enhanced by Dragon Cypress's Jinhe Pattern ability appeared as a striking metallic blue.

Ghost Fan's was pure black.

Dulai Flame Spider's was multicolored.

Metal Mantis Red Peach's was blue, purple, and red.

Different insects, different colors.

Many abilities had similar traits and, influenced by the racial talents of the Insect Clan Warriors, showed a 'talent color.'

Dragon Cypress's racial talent seemed to have shifted from the strength of the Ant Clan to the Water System of the Creator Civilization.

...

Year 82 of the Silver Cypress,

Spring.

Strong winds howled, and the waves surged.

Dragon Cypress pressed close to the Divine Force Barrier, sprinting swiftly atop the sea, suddenly halting. After a brief perception, it accelerated, Water System Primordial Energy erupting all over its body.

With a crashing sound, azure-blue water flows, like ropes, forcibly yanked a giant whale over twenty meters long out of the sea.

Continuing to channel Primordial Energy, the azure fluid rapidly expanded, swiftly enveloping the violently struggling whale, compressing it. White swirls appeared within the azure fluid.

In a matter of breaths, the whale fell still.

It quickly transformed into a milky white sphere over ten meters in diameter.

Endless Water System Primordial Energy flowed from Dragon Cypress's body; at the last violent eruption, the sphere suddenly collapsed and solidified.

It finally condensed into an extra-large 'White Refining Bead' more than half a meter in diameter.

Dragon Cypress controlled it, letting it float and fly along, returned to the Throne, did a simple cleanup, and rested in stillness to recover.

After seven years roving the sea, Dragon Cypress had lost count of how many sea fish it had hunted and refined.

Through countless repeats of exercising the Refinement Ability, it had made enormous progress.

It had gleaned the killing intent described by the Linnan Divine Tree.

It also sensed from the ability the power of destruction and annihilation inherent in refinement.

Dragon Cypress pondered on its own, and through trials and repeated adjustments, it no longer limited the Refinement Ability to a spherical form—it could now take any shape.

The refining beads produced could also be in any shape, only, after many tests, the sphere proved the most stable, especially for Origin Force Food-refined 'Primordial Pearls', which had to be spherical to constrain the Primordial Energy.

According to the Linnan Divine Tree's guidance on the steps of Condensing Divine Pattern, Dragon Cypress had reached the third step, and within the third step, had already made most of the stride forward.

Dragon Cypress had a feeling it was only a step away from condensing a Divine Pattern.

—What was missing?

Every time after using the Refinement Ability, when resting and recovering at the Dominating Throne, Dragon Cypress would calm itself to ponder and reflect.

It thought about this question for an entire winter, but couldn't figure it out.

"Forget it. The spring trade season is about to start; I'll return to Xianglan Mountain first."

"I still have to consult the Linnan Divine Tree…"

Dragon Cypress thought with a sigh.

Dragon Cypress was unwilling to rely on the Linnan Divine Tree's guidance, just as it had taught at first: do not become overly dependent on the Dominating Throne; it was best to walk one's own path on one's own six legs, having one's own thoughts and judgments.

At Dragon Cypress's command, the Dominating Throne hovering above the sea set off fully loaded, swaying and flying close to the Divine Force Barrier on its homeward journey.

After a flight lasting half a day,

As land drew near, gazing distantly at the layers of green mountains and dense forests, Dragon Cypress's heart suddenly skipped—a flash of inspiration struck: creation.

—The Creator Civilization was likely not a warlike or battle-loving civilization; their Refinement Ability was intended initially for management and production.

—However, under the Linnan Divine Tree's tutelage, it had been training its Refinement Ability as a killing power.

—To condense the Refinement Divine Inscription, what was missing was likely a return to the ability's true purpose.

—The Creator Civilization probably used this ability mainly to refine and manufacture Primordial Pearls, and secondarily to process food.

The task of refining and making Primordial Pearls had always been ongoing.

Dragon Cypress now understood the Linnan Divine Tree's intent to have it refine one hundred thousand Great Tall Trees.

"As it happens, by my reckoning, the Silver Cypress Trees of each Land of Origin Force are due for a comprehensive replacement and update."

"Across all Lands of Origin Force, the area for cultivating Silver Cypress Trees must be reduced. All sorts of quality planting stock should be sown to restore biodiversity…"

Dragon Cypress, elated, sped up the Dominating Throne, landed at the Zilian Mountain sub-nest, waved its tentacles to clear the throne, and rushed back to Xianglan Mountain.

…

…

…

Rednan Mountain, Trade Cave.

Greetings exchanged.

Chasing Wind hurriedly untied the spider silk rope binding its cargo to the carapace and rushed to stuff a Spider Silk Bag over.

"Dragon Cypress Ant King, Spider King Tiankui helped you find a Divine-Grade Fruit with a Water System Ability! And it's exactly what you need."

"Divine-Grade Hydromedusa Fruit, and the ability it grants is also called 'Hydra'—it's a biomimetic Water System Ability, giving rise to tentacles like those of an underwater octopus or hydra, highly flexible, used for wrapping and binding; it's a combat ability."

Heliotrope added helpfully: "Dragon Cypress Ant King, Hydra and Vortex Worm are a great combination; you can equip the Vortex Worm with tentacles."