Lord Heartwing grabbed the spider silk bag, turned, and dashed down the mountain. Just a few steps out, the call of Spiky Wing Mantis King echoed from behind.

"Heartwing. Wait a moment!"

Spiky Wing Mantis King suddenly remembered something and asked, "Are the Banded Assassin Bugs subordinate to the Beautiful Shield Bug Kingdom? Did they split off from the Cloud Crown Mountain Beautiful Ji Bug Tribe?"

Lord Heartwing replied, "Yes! I made a special inquiry about this. They only diverged about 500 years ago—a brand new clan whose history isn't as long as yours. They have a single Mud Ke Bug King in their ranks, favored by the Natural True God, who alone possesses six God-Given Life Seeds and single-handedly supports the whole tribe. But, aside from this one Insect King, the entire tribe has only a little over three hundred insects."

Lord Heartwing: "I've also heard that quite a few warriors of the Banded Assassin Bug Tribe possess Divine-Given Seeds. It's quite a wealthy tribe."

Spiky Wing Mantis King gently tapped his antennae and said, "Understood."

Lord Heartwing was caught in a dilemma, lightly twitching his antennae as he pointed toward the mountain path, and carefully asked, "Spiky Wing Mantis King, is there anything else you wish to instruct me?"

Spiky Wing Mantis King: "Don't rush. Hear me out first."

Spiky Wing Mantis King spoke slowly: "When I was young, I traveled the continent with caravans and once visited Cloud Crown Mountain—a place even more prosperous than our Hidden Wing Mountain. I heard that Cloud Crown Mountain also had a Divine God-Given Seed, though I didn't catch its name. It's said to bestow a powerful Waterwood System ability, but only those Insect Clan warriors with Waterwood System potential can wield it."

So-called potential refers to the elemental talent that an Insect Clan warrior might awaken upon evolving to the Evolution Mountain Lord Level.

Stone Pattern Mantis Warriors have Water-Earth Dual System potential, but upon evolution to Mountain Lord Level may only awaken a single system: either water or earth.

Both Lord Heartwing and Spiky Wing Mantis King have awakened the water system, while many other warriors in the tribe have awakened the earth system.

Spiky Wing Mantis King said, "That Divine God-Given Seed from Cloud Crown Mountain probably bestows the very Waterwood System hallucination ability that the Banded Assassin Bug Tribe possesses."

Standing halfway along the mountain slope, feeling a little lost, Lord Heartwing's antennae suddenly shot upright at these words. After a moment of bewilderment, he quickly recovered and ran back to Spiky Wing Mantis King's side.

"Spiky Wing Mantis King, isn't that a coincidence?"

Spiky Wing Mantis King: "Of course not! Where would you find such a coincidence? When an Insect Tribe gives rise to a new branch, there are three possibilities: First, close-blooded clans crossbreed—strictly forbidden by the Natural True God. Second is bloodline mutation, which is random. The third is when ordinary insects live long-term beside a highly evolved Divine-Given Seed. Immersed in the Origin Force Field subtly released by the seed, they undergo gradual, directed mutation."

Spiky Wing Mantis King: "That Banded Assassin Bug should fall under the third category."

There's such a thing? Lord Heartwing replied respectfully, "This junior is enlightened!"

Spiky Wing Mantis King: "Very few insects on the continent know of Cloud Crown Mountain's Divine God-Given Seed. The Banded Assassin Bug Tribe surely knows, but they may not tell White Ivy Mountain Lord."

Spiky Wing Mantis King spoke earnestly: "Heartwing, when befriending insects, one must act with sincerity."

Lord Heartwing mulled it over, then said, "I understand…"

…

…

…

Deep autumn season.

Flame Spider Kingdom, southeastern coastal rainforest, Dulai Flame Spider Tribe territory.

The caravans trading across the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent were mostly out on the road at this time.

Those caravans that entered the Wan Country trading circuits had successively returned, but it was still early—in the two or three months before winter set in, most Lords and Mountain Lord-level Flame Spider Roving Merchants would hurry to several fixed tribe markets. They'd sell off the goods brought back from Wan Country, stock up on specialties from the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent, fill the carapace reserves, and prepare for the coming year's journeys.

One empty earth plaza after another, with only a sparse scattering of spiders, all was chilly and deserted.

Spider King Spurge's trade circle.

Spider King Spurge lay in the center of the plaza, basking in the peaceful sunlight.

Two Little Flame Spider Warriors scurried up and down the mountainous piles of goods atop its carapace, trying to find a spider silk bag filled with Origin Force Food that they could open.

The rapid sound of running—da-da-da—came closer, kicking up swirling clouds of dust.

White Ivy's carapace was bare, trailed by Grass Dragon, Lupine, Silvergrass, and Red Peach—all dashing back in a flurry straight to the center of the plaza.

"Spider King Spurge!"

White Ivy hailed with exuberant warmth.

Grass Dragon, Lupine, Silvergrass, and Red Peach each greeted in turn.

Lupine took a jar of Origin Force Ant Honey off its carapace.

Grass Dragon waved a forelimb and called, "Hundred Department, Single Flower, something tasty—come on over!"

The two primary-level Little Flame Spider Warriors on Spider King Spurge's back crawled quickly, dropped to the ground…

Two strands of spider silk coiled around, wrapped their spider legs and lifted them up—Lupine hoisted off the two little spiders and gave a stern warning: Sit tight, don't get close, or I'll whack you…

Spider King Spurge slowly stood, watching with cold eyes.

"Spider King Spurge, there's something I need you to keep safe for me."

White Ivy quickly undid the spider silk rope from its carapace, took out the spider silk bag holding the Divine-Grade Lightwing Seed, and handed it forward.

Grass Dragon suppressed his telekinesis and rushed to explain, "This is a Divine-Grade Lightwing Seed we spent years finagling from Hidden Wing Mountain. It grants a life-type rapid healing ability. Our plan is…"

White Ivy slapped with a foreleg and shoved Grass Dragon aside with her side legs, continuing, "Dragon Cypress will need it for attacking the Termite Kingdom next year. I don't feel safe carrying it; Spider King Spurge, could you keep it safe for us?"

Spider King Spurge: "..."

Spider King Spurge swept out with spiritual power, looked puzzled for two seconds, then roughly guessed how the item was obtained.

Thinking a bit further, Spider King Spurge understood why Dragon Cypress had handed the share of Divine-Grade Baihe Fruit to Melde and White Ivy rather than Seven-Leaf.

With a flick of a spider silk rope, it swept up the silk bag, opened it for a quick look, stowed it under the goods, and muttered, "You little things aren't too shabby at your business."

Spider King Spurge asked, "How many Source Stones did you use for this?"

White Ivy: "A million! We've got Dragon Cypress buying it from us later for one-million-two-hundred-thousand."

Spider King Spurge actually praised, "Now that's a smart trade!"

Spider King Spurge asked, "Whose idea was this, anyway?"

Grass Dragon: "Not mine!"

White Ivy: "Not me… so who else?"

Spider King Spurge felt relieved.

Long ago had he noticed: Grass Dragon was nimbler of mind than Melde, more cheerful by temperament—a little spider with plenty of promise.

Spider King Spurge asked curiously, "Did you go to Hidden Wing Mountain first, bringing the Divine-Grade Night Fragrance Fruit over?"

White Ivy: "Yup."

Spider King Spurge: "The one negotiating with you must have been a highly reputable Old Mantis King, right? Mantises are just as curious as they are vengeful. And they didn't buy a Divine-Grade Night Fragrance Fruit to try out?"

White Ivy: "That one was pre-sold long ago. The next batch, Hidden Wing Mountain gets dibs."

Spider King Spurge: "..."

Peace has lasted too long in the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent… too many daft insects nowadays~

Spider King Spurge: "Who did you sell this batch's fruit to?"

White Ivy, alert: "Trade secret."

Spider King Spurge: "..."

Spider King Spurge: "And at what price in source stones?"

White Ivy: "Trade…"

White Ivy paused as she saw Spider King Spurge raise a foreleg, aiming for her head, and hastily changed her tune, "Ask Grass Dragon."

Grass Dragon huffed and mumbled, "The ability the Night Fragrance Fruit gives is honestly useless. We let it go cheap—didn't earn a single source stone."

—Look at how uptight you all are~

—And so what if it's useful? Would I, a dignified Spider King, fight a bunch of little spiders for business?

Spider King Spurge said sourly, "Off with you lot!"

He lay down again, not wanting to say more—then, after a moment's thought, couldn't help but remind them:

"Divine-Grade Night Fragrance Fruits are always at least 400,000 each—maybe you didn't make profit on the trade, but it's still no trifling sum. My advice: sell to big places like Hidden Wing Mountain. Insects from prosperous great tribes have broader minds—if they find it useless, they won't hold a grudge. But little tribes, little places—the insects there want cheap deals, hate any loss, and might just hold it against you. Don't risk your life for nothing just because you didn't earn some source stones…"

White Ivy: "No way!"

White Ivy flatly ignored Spider King Spurge's caution, turning to shoo everyone off, "Go on! Shoo! Don't bother Spider King Spurge's rest."

The group split three ways.

Silvergrass returned to find Wormwood Spider King.

Grass Dragon and Lupine hurried to meet up with Melde.

White Ivy and Red Peach blazed toward Yellow Peach Mountain Lord's territory, urgently heading north to trade, racing to deliver the Divine-Grade Night Fragrance Fruit to Purple Back Mountain, where this year the practical test will match Night Fragrance abilities to the Banded Assassin Bug's innate talents.

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