Having evolved to a Mountain Lord Level Ant King, Dragon Cypress mastered five abilities. One of them belonged to the Strength System and was named 'Rend'—an extremely sharp offensive ability. After numerous tests, although it could injure an enemy from a distance, its power decreased dramatically with range, making it more suitable for close-quarters combat.

Four abilities belonged to the Water System: Water Control, Hydrology Shield, Boiling Water, and Freezing. The Hydrology Shield possessed some defensive capability, but it was still far from ideal. The combination of Water Control and Freezing abilities could form a very potent ice ball and ice cone attack. The Boiling Water ability had not yet yielded a combat application; once water was heated to an extremely high temperature, it would immediately become uncontrollable and vaporize explos Selanjutnya.

Dragon Cypress felt that his affinity with the Water Element was insufficient and his Water Control Ability was inadequate. Continuous reinforcement might allow the combination of Water Control and Boiling Water abilities to form a combat capability.

Dragon Cypress thought for a while, envisioning a spiked ice ball filled with boiling water that would detonate upon impact with its target. However, after multiple tests, it either exploded before leaving his claw, risking self-injury, or it flew a certain distance only for the Boiling Water ability's intensity to prove insufficient, resulting in an unsatisfactory explosion.

This combination technique couldn't achieve the ideal effect yet, though it held significant future potential.

The possibilities of Water System abilities were endless. Based on his current mastery of Water Control, Hydrology Shield, Boiling Water, and Freezing, countless ability combinations could be generated.

In the early morning, Spiked Cypress and Giant Cypress returned from hunting in the jungle with a bountiful catch.

Dragon Cypress had successfully evolved to Mountain Lord Level, his Life Level entering another vast realm. This was the most significant event in an ant's life and demanded celebration. Besides, everyone had not slept or eaten well these past few days, so it was time for a proper meal.

A grand banquet was held. They ate and drank from morning until noon.

Afterward, everyone returned to their nests to rest.

Dragon Cypress descended the mountain alone.

「Azure Blue Reservoir.」

"Azure!" Dragon Cypress shook the Metal Case in his claw and said, "A new Life Seed, Black Leaf Citrus, has been planted downstream in the river. I'll cut down a few trees to clear some space."

"Oh—" Azure reluctantly agreed, then suggested, "Dragon Cypress, you could go a bit further downstream. I'm about to evolve to Mountain Lord Level, which will bring a period of rapid growth. Correspondingly, the range of my spiritual power influence will also expand rapidly."

Dragon Cypress thought for a moment, raised his claw towards the mountains, and said, "Then let's plant it beside the mountain stream instead."

Azure replied, "…That works too."

Azure then remarked, "Dragon Cypress, you've gotten a lot fatter all of a sudden."

Dragon Cypress was speechless. "…"

He corrected, "Azure, it's called robust. A robust Ant King."

Azure said, "Mm, right."

Dragon Cypress's spiritual power swept across the trunk of the Azure Divine Seed Tree. He checked its growth condition thoroughly and instructed, "Azure, you will bloom by the end of spring or early summer. At that time, command the Worker Ants to cut all the blooms off. Not a single fruit should be left. Rest for a year, and then bear fruit next year."

Azure replied, "I understand."

Dragon Cypress continued, "The same goes for the other Life Seed Plants around the reservoir. Cease all blooming and fruiting, and rest for a year."

Azure said, "Okay."

Dragon Cypress controlled the Dominating Throne to fly to where the Source Stones were stored. Before the evolution, 10,000 Source Stones had been placed beside the Azure Blue Reservoir. After the evolution, before they had a chance to tidy up, about 6,500 remained.

It took only 3,500 Source Stones for the Deep Blue God-Given Seed to evolve from High-Level to Evolution Mountain Lord Level!

Dragon Cypress moved the remaining Source Stones onto the Dominating Throne. He floated down to the mountain stream at the foot of the mountains, found a sunny spot, and directed the Worker Ants and Soldier Ants to clear the weeds and trees. They dug holes, filled them back with a mixture of Divine-Given Remains and Humus, and sowed the Black Fruit Citrus Life Seed.

By twilight, the tasks were complete. Cypress, now rested, led the Blue Soldiers down the mountain. Dragon Cypress assigned Cypress to guard the area while he himself went to check on the situation at the Southern Gorgon Reservoir.

For herbaceous Divine-Given Seeds, each Great Rank evolution was accompanied by a Rebirth from dead leaves.

In just one or two days, the five broad leaves of the Southern Gorgon Mother Plant had grown fully. The three closest offshoots had also sprouted three broad leaves each. The fifteen slightly more distant offshoots had grown two broad leaves each. The seventy-five peripheral offshoots had each sprouted one broad leaf above the water surface and begun to absorb light Energy.

The growth was extremely fast, and its condition was excellent.

"Dragon Cypress, I'm warning you for the last time, don't mess around above my head!" As the Dominating Throne approached, Southern Gorgon issued a fierce warning.

"Hmm—" Dragon Cypress controlled the Dominating Throne to shrink a bit, slowly descending and hovering above the water surface.

"Southern Gorgon, give me the Glinting Gold."

"Give it to you?"

"I'll give it to Northern Gorgon so it can help you accumulate more Origin Force and nutrients, aiding your rapid growth."

"Oh—" Southern Gorgon said. "Not for now! Ask it to wait a couple of days."

Dragon Cypress asked, "Why?"

"The Glinting Gold still holds a lot of Origin Force and nutrients that I haven't used yet," Southern Gorgon explained. "Let me use them up first."

"???" Dragon Cypress emitted a long string of questioning spiritual thoughts.

His mind raced, considering a possibility. Exerting his spiritual power, he scanned toward the shore where the Source Stones were piled up.

Before the evolution, Dragon Cypress had also prepared a full 10,000 Source Stones for the Southern Gorgon Divine-Given Seed. These were now entirely gone, leaving only the Spider Silk Bags that had yet to be picked up.

"Southern Gorgon? Did you use 10,000 Source Stones for your evolution?"

"I can't count."

"You didn't use the stored Origin Force and Energy from the Glinting Gold during your evolution?"

"I did use it—just a little—"

What are you hoarding this stuff for, you fool!

Dragon Cypress was speechless for a while. After adjusting his mindset, he calmly said, "Southern Gorgon, then use it quickly. I'll have Northern Gorgon store some more for you."

"Okay!" Southern Gorgon agreed, very pleased with Dragon Cypress's attitude.

Over a night and a day, the leaves on all 93 of Southern Gorgon's offshoots had grown completely. The existing offshoots continued to develop. In another day's time, the 75 peripheral offshoots had extended 375 underground stems, which grew, spread, rooted, and sprouted.

The number of leaves on the Divine-Given Gorgon Fruit Seed mother plant and its offshoots was fixed at five.

On the fifth day, the leaves of the new offshoots had all grown.

"Dragon Cypress, take it." As the Dominating Throne approached, Southern Gorgon proactively handed over the Glinting Gold, advising, "Have Northern Gorgon store more. I can start blooming and bearing fruit this year."

Dragon Cypress murmured, "…Hmm. I'll have it store some when there's time. But not now. Ink Orchid is also about to evolve to Mountain Lord Level. The item will first be given to the Emerald Flower Cold Orchid Divine-Given Seed."

Dragon Cypress quickly stowed the Glinting Gold into a Spider Silk Bag while controlling the Dominating Throne to ascend vertically. Ignoring Southern Gorgon's clamor, he left straight away.

「South Mountain Restaurant.」

Dragon Cypress handed the Spider Silk Bag containing the Glinting Gold to Ink Orchid, saying, "No other Divine-Given Seeds need it for now, so give it to the Emerald Flower Cold Orchid Divine-Given Seed ahead of time."

"Okay!"

Ink Orchid asked puzzledly, "Southern Gorgon was so obedient? Just gave it back to you like that?"

Dragon Cypress chuckled. "It certainly *wanted* to be disobedient."

Ink Orchid didn't understand and wasn't in the mood to probe further. She asked, "Dragon Cypress, have you recovered well? Can you use the One-Glimpse Fruit now? I'm very worried about the Red Cypress Divine-Given Seed."

Dragon Cypress, who had the same intention, said straightforwardly, "I'll use it now!"

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