Ant Lord in the Star Realm-Chapter 650 - 573: King Cypress_3

Years had passed, and the Forest Beard Bee Kingdom had regained its vitality, recovering control over the nearby islands. The Mountain Lord Level Little Bee King had also successfully broken through and advanced to Lord-Level, and the Kingdom's ruling power had grown even stronger.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid now had to be even more cautious in their actions in the Thousand Reef Islands.

They quickly completed the search to no avail.

They returned to Fragrant Orchid Mountain and continued to watch over the Cypress Forest.

In winter, the cold weather halted the growth of the cypress trees, and the development of the Divine-Given Cypress Fruit also visibly slowed.

They waited patiently.

In early spring, as the weather warmed, they finally witnessed the third fruit enlargement.

This time, the rapid absorption of Origin Force lasted for two days and one night, consuming nearly a thousand Source Stones.

The diameter of the Divine-Given Conifer Cone reached about 1.5 centimeters, no longer fitting within the normal range of cypress fruits. The silver-white scales were more abundant, denser, and glossier, turning the entire fruit into an eye-catching bright silver color.

Still, there were no signs of maturity.

Dragon Cypress simply extended the leave for Cypress, Black Birch, and Tie Bush for another year, deciding to guard the tree personally.

「...」

Spring, summer, autumn, winter—another year went by.

The Divine-Given Cypress Fruit successively completed its fourth, fifth, and sixth enlargements, with the fruit's diameter reaching around 3 centimeters, almost catching up to that of a pinecone.

The mother cypress tree that bore it grew from just over five meters to a large cypress of seven to eight meters tall.

Still, there were no signs of maturity.

Is this really a Divine Grade Divine-Given Seed?

Everyone in the Xianglan Mountain Kingdom was puzzled, utterly baffled.

They went to ask the Huagi Divine Tree, but it also had never heard of such a thing.

Perhaps the Snow Velvet Spider King knew more, but they dared not speak to it or even subtly probe for related information.

By now, Dragon Cypress had figured out the fruit enlargement cycles of the Divine-Given Fruit. He decided to take Black Birch, Black Leaf, and Black Cory to Lands of Origin Force like Red Cypress Mountain, Cicada Orchid Mountain, and Hulan Mountain in Cloud Trace Continent. There, they would update the old Silver Cypress Trees by transplanting three new varieties: Silver Cypress 1004, Silver Cypress 1101, and Silver Cypress 2001.

He returned to Fragrant Orchid Mountain every now and then to observe the changes.

A busy year passed.

The Divine-Given Cypress Fruit completed its seventh and eighth enlargements.

In the early spring of the fourth year, the Divine-Given Cypress Fruit underwent its ninth enlargement, consuming three thousand Source Stones.

The fruit's diameter grew to just over 4 centimeters. Some of the Silver Cypress scales had fallen off, revealing greenish, lignified scale-leaves.

It seemed almost mature.

However, after waiting a full half-month, it was still brimming with vitality and even continued to grow at an extremely slow rate.

What on earth is this?

If it keeps growing, I'm afraid the Life Pouch won't be able to contain it.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid were on the verge of despair.

With no other choice, they had to be patient and continue waiting.

Ink Orchid stayed behind to wait.

The spring Roving Merchant trade tasks were fully entrusted to Fragrant Cypress and Black Persimmon.

Dragon Cypress took Black Birch, Black Leaf, and Black Cory to continue planting cypress trees.

「Until early summer,」 the planned transplanting work was completed, and Dragon Cypress returned to Fragrant Orchid Mountain to check on the situation.

Uncharacteristically, the Divine-Given Cypress Fruit did not undergo a tenth enlargement.

「Late summer, early autumn,」 Dragon Cypress returned to Fragrant Orchid Mountain again to check on the situation.

The moment the Dominating Throne entered the Land of Origin Force, Ink Orchid sensed the movement. Grabbing a Spider Silk Bag, she dashed to meet him.

"Dragon Cypress! It was successfully harvested! During the hottest part of midsummer, the tenth fruit enlargement occurred, consuming a full ten thousand Source Stones!"

"Ten thousand?!"

Dragon Cypress's tentacles quivered.

"This is really strange," Ink Orchid muttered, circling down onto the Throne. She opened the Spider Silk Bag, took out an oversized Metal Case, and infused it with Origin Force to open it.

Inside the Metal Case lay a glossy, round, brownish-yellow seed about 4 centimeters in diameter, devoid of the Origin Force patterns typical of Divine-Given Seeds.

What was most inconceivable was that this thing exhibited no Origin Force fluctuations at all.

Consider this: throughout its three-and-a-half-year development, undergoing ten enlargements, the emergency replenishment of Origin Force using Source Stones alone consumed over twenty thousand. The Origin Force absorbed from nature was undoubtedly tens, if not hundreds, of times greater.

Dragon Cypress grew solemn. He calmed his mind and placed his tentacles on the seed to perceive it carefully. Inside the seed, he sensed only a faint, barely detectable yet extremely condensed and profound trace of Primordial Energy.

Where had the absorbed Origin Force gone?

Where did it go?

Dragon Cypress sensed it repeatedly but could only find a tiny trace of the Primordial Energy Mechanism.

"Dragon Cypress, how is it?"

"It seems... to be of the Special Ability System?"

"I sense that too. It feels like it's from the Special Ability System, perhaps related to Comprehensive Physique."

"Agreed—"

Dragon Cypress said, "This seed is very strange! However, we can basically determine it's Divine Grade. My preliminary speculation is that it grants a Special Ability related to Comprehensive Physique."

Zhibai, recorded in Inherited Memory as a natural Top-Level Plant Seed, had an entire continent named after it. Beyond its title as the 'Greatest Cypress,' its most valuable attribute is its enhancement effect.

Zhibai's enhancement effect is the rare 'Immunity Enhancement.' Specifically, after use, it strengthens the body's resistance to high temperatures and flames, low temperatures and ice, Thunder, and various toxins, among other things.

Zhibai should be classified as a basic Comprehensive Physique enhancement.

Silver Cypress's body shape optimization also falls under the broad category of Comprehensive Physique.

The offspring produced by hybridizing Zhibai and Silver Cypress might have altered enhancement effects, but they would still remain within the realm of Comprehensive Physique. This is easy to understand.

A robust physique is fundamental for the upward evolution of Origin Force Life, serving as the basis for the Life System, Strength System, Soul System, and Elemental System.

As an Ant King, Dragon Cypress's Comprehensive Physique also directly affects the physical quality and combat strength of all the Soldier Ants and Worker Ants he cultivates.

Excellent stuff!

Dragon Cypress slowly infused it with Origin Force and closed the gigantic Metal Case.

Ink Orchid said, "Dragon Cypress, you can officially name this new hybrid cypress species now."

Dragon Cypress replied, "You go ahead."

Ink Orchid said, "I've already discussed it with Fragrant Cypress. We've named it 'King Cypress,' plant type Silver Cypress 3001. How about that?"

Dragon Cypress: "..."

Isn't that name a bit too ugly?

Dragon Cypress tactfully suggested, "If we want to emphasize its tall stature, perhaps modifiers like 'Giant,' 'Monarch,' or 'Crown' would be better."

Ink Orchid: "???"

Ink Orchid said, "Great King, is there a difference?"

Dragon Cypress insisted, "There is a difference!"

Dragon Cypress continued, "Ink Orchid, try these: Giant Dragon Cypress, Monarch Dragon Cypress, Silver Monarch Cypress, Crown Dragon Cypress, Silver Crown Cypress. Which one do you think sounds better?"

Ink Orchid declared, "King Cypress!"

Dragon Cypress: "..."

Ink Orchid reasoned, "Dragon Cypress, think about it. We still have three other optimized Silver Cypress cultivars: 1003, 1101, and 2001. All of them have the chance to trigger a Natural Godsend and yield a Divine-Given Seed."

She continued, "Didn't you say you wanted to make the Silver Cypress Tree the iconic plant of our Xianglan Mountain Kingdom? In the long years to come, as we focus on the 'Silver Cypress' plant line and continue large-scale cultivation, we'll encounter many more mutated strains and obtain more Divine-Given Seeds."

Ink Orchid added, "So, for this series of Divine-Given Seeds, how should we name them? King Cypress, Second King Cypress, Third King Cypress, Fourth King Cypress, and so on. It's orderly and much more straightforward than those other convoluted names you might come up with." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Since when did you learn to think long-term? Dragon Cypress thought. You clearly just want to snatch the naming rights without using your brain.

Dragon Cypress: "..."

He was convinced, rendered speechless.