Ant Lord in the Star Realm

Chapter 778 616: The Unprecedented Big Deal

Under the command of Dragon Cypress, among the twelve Assistant Kings—Spiked Cypress, Giant Cypress, Round Cypress, and Black Cory, Black Leaf have all inherited Strength System talents. They can only awaken three systems of talents, so they only need to be granted Divine-Grade Fruits of Life System and Soul System talents.

Fragrant Cypress, Cypress, Silver Cypress, Black Birch, and Black Sophora have inherited Water System talents. Black Peach and Black Persimmon have inherited Wood Element talents. They all require Divine-Grade Fruits of Life, Strength, and Soul Systems.

The total requirement is 31 fruits.

Black Birch has already eaten a Divine-Grade Fruit granting Life System talent, so it still lacks a whole 30 fruits.

At present,

Cypress and Black Birch, with Water System talent, have advanced to Insect King; Silver Cypress is stuck at 9th Age Period Lord, waiting.

Spiked Cypress is also stuck at 9th Age Period.

These four are the vanguard for migrating to Rainbow Island.

The rest of the Assistant Kings are all stuck at 6th Age Period, planning to awaken talents before evolving, so that there's a chance to gain two or three more abilities.

We need to quickly get one or two for each Assistant King, so that everyone can break through to Insect King as soon as possible.

The Life System is relatively easier—the Blossom-Fruit Cycle is 12 years, yielding 5 fruits.

As for Strength System and Soul System, it's tough—the Blossom-Fruit Cycle is 55 years and 31 years. Missing a cycle means waiting another thirty to fifty years. The trade must be settled as soon as possible...

...

Silver Cypress, 93 years.

Rednan Mountain, Trade Cave.

With a rumbling roar, Red Peach and Ghost King Woonyoung hauled a stone slab wheelcart, loaded with source stone goods, rushing in rapidly.

They greeted each other.

Red Peach turned around, took a spider silk bag from the stone slab wheelcart, and stuffed it over, "A Divine-Grade Fruit granting 'Controllable Current'—Dragon Cypress Ant King, check it. Thunder System Divine-Grade Fruits, like Thunder System Origin Force Food, are rare and expensive. Even though it's an Elemental System ability, it still sells for 4 million source stones."

"Alright—"

Dragon Cypress replied succinctly, opened the bag to check, swept through with spiritual power, and froze for a moment.

— Dragon Fruit!

— Thunder Dragon Fruit?

Dragon Cypress looked at Ghost King Woonyoung.

Ghost King Woonyoung: "That's right. Produced by our Red Crow Mountain, but the whole quota has been promised to White Ivy Spider King, there's a long-term trade agreement. If you need it, Dragon Cypress Ant King, you'll still have to buy from White Ivy Spider King."

Dragon Cypress: "I understand."

Dragon Cypress quickly stowed away the item, looked at Red Peach, and said, "Last year, the Divine-Grade Fruit that granted Life System talent was 15 million. Adding this one, it's a total of 19 million."

Red Peach: "Yes—"

Red Peach glanced at Fragrant Cypress, then at Black Sophora. These two guys didn't move, showing no intention of stepping forward to settle accounts.

Looking at the ant colony behind, the Spider King Scrolls they carried were clearly not enough for 19 million.

Red Peach's thoughts shifted, her eyes brightened, and she asked with delight, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, are you planning to exchange… other Divine-Grade Fruits?"

Ghost King Woonyoung chimed in, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, you're a straightforward insect too. Now's probably the time to tell everyone about your newly obtained Divine God-Given Seed information?"

"Sure—"

Dragon Cypress nodded his tentacle solemnly, his gaze directed towards the depths of the passage.

Heliotrope was running for its life, catching up from behind.

"Dragon Cypress Ant King!"

"Fragrant Cypress~ Black Sophora~"

Heliotrope greeted, keenly sensing the odd atmosphere, turned around, and looked at Red Peach with confusion.

Red Peach: "Heliotrope, would you step aside for a moment?"

— Ha~ ha~

Heliotrope turned once more, splaying its eight spider legs, collapsed motionless on the ground.

Red Peach looked at Dragon Cypress.

Dragon Cypress: "Heliotrope already knows enough secrets, a little more won't hurt."

Dragon Cypress: "Regarding that Life Seed I bore during my 6th Age Period—it's not that ants are evasive, it's just of great consequence… hard to speak of..."

Dragon Cypress paused, then said bluntly: "I also acquired a Law Divine Tree. And it's the same as the Shanglu Divine Tree—a randomly generated Law Divine Tree."

"???"

Heliotrope, who was sprawled on the ground, suddenly leapt upright.

Woonyoung and Red Peach were dumbstruck as well, almost suspecting they were hallucinating—transmitting waves of confusion, questioning spiritual power and mind.

—What?

—Dragon Cypress Ant King, what are you saying?

Dragon Cypress's tone was resonant as he repeated, "I too obtained a Law Divine Tree. It's called 'King Cypress', or perhaps it should be called 'Wangbai Free'. The Law Fruits it produces are called 'Wangbai Seed', and the ability it grants is 'Adaptive Evolution'. The specific effect is..."

"!!!"

Woonyoung, Red Peach, and Heliotrope all stiffened, standing upright.

The effect of Adaptive Evolution was rather complex; Dragon Cypress explained it in detail first.

"..."

Woonyoung, Red Peach, and Heliotrope listened confusedly, bewildered, half-believing, half-doubting.

"I know it's hard to understand just by talking, and hard to convince insects. I'll show everyone."

As Dragon Cypress spoke, he stepped back several paces. On his carapace, a silver-white Divine Mark lit up. It lasted only an instant; the lustrous carapace dulled, making slight cracking noises. The back split open, a straight fissure spreading simultaneously toward the head and toward the abdomen.

Dragon Cypress deftly shed his dark green old shell.

His form stretched out continuously, his body quickly changed shape, and the new black carapace rapidly hardened and set.

In a brief moment, Dragon Cypress's body shape changed dramatically.

From a stocky, bear-like build suited for frontal combat, he transformed into a slender, elongated form, adapted to amphibious warfare on both land and sea—a body shape that looked a little awkward, a little bizarre.

"..."

Woonyoung, Red Peach, and Heliotrope were stunned, frozen in shock.

Dragon Cypress: "This is only the most elementary application of Adaptive Evolution. I can use my mind to switch to a body shape suited for oceanic water battle. As for other powerful applications, you can imagine."

Red Peach snapped back to herself, barely containing her delight, and asked uncertainly, "Dragon Cypress Ant King, are you planning to use 'Wangbai Seed' to exchange for Divine-Grade Fruits? Planning to use the same exchange mechanism as Red Crow Mountain—trading Divine-Grade Fruits both ways, balancing the price difference, and once that 300 million gap is made up, we can get a Wangbai Seed from you?"