Ant Lord in the Star Realm-Chapter 614 - 562: Pan

Ten Thousand Nations Continent, hillside at the Starship exit.

Seven-Leaf stood up in confusion, "Why did only Heliotrope come back?"

Grass Dragon immediately said, "I guess that Illusory Color Flame Spider named 'Snow Velvet' showed up as promised."

Lupine: "Heliotrope came back alone; must be carrying a message."

Silvergrass: "What message?"

Lupine: "Greetings. Then, requesting a trade—mutual exchange of Divine-Grade Fruits, high-quality Divine-Given Origin Force Food, and other precious goods of equal value..."

They were chatting idly when Heliotrope crawled out, turned, and looked at Seven-Leaf. "Seven-Leaf Lord, just as expected, the Snow Velvet Spider King has arrived. Snow Velvet Spider King asked to speak to me alone and informed me of some matters. I need to report to the Aconite Spider King in private!"

—In private?

Immediately, the surrounding spiders asked:

—Where's Red Peach?

—Where's Column Spotted?

—What is it about?

—Is it important?

—What can't be said?

—Tell us first.

Heliotrope: "Red Peach and Column Spotted stayed behind for the normal trade."

Heliotrope: "This is too big. If I say it and you all spread it around, the Aconite Spider King will definitely kill me."

Heliotrope insisted: "No one can be told but the Aconite Spider King."

Suddenly,

The Aconite Spider King's spiritual power rippled as he sternly said, "Enough with the questions. Heliotrope, come down the mountain."

...

At the plaza below the mountain,

The Aconite Spider King had been silently observing the situation at the Starship Passage. When he saw Heliotrope arrive, he waved his forelegs to drive away the surrounding spiders and activated a Primordial Energy Shield to block out spiritual power.

"Heliotrope, did you meet the Snow Velvet Spider King?"

"Yes."

"What did it say to you?"

"The Flame Spider's origin Ancestral Land, Shanglu, was named after the 'Shanglu Divine Tree.' In ancient times, beneath the Shanglu Divine-Given Seed, the Native Breed Flame Spider Tribe evolved a very special branch, the Round Purple Flame Spider Tribe..."

"Each time, the Shanglu Divine Tree only blooms one flower and bears one fruit per cycle. The blossom-fruit cycle is 23 years. The fruit it produces is called 'Shanglu Fruit.' One must reach the Spider King stage of evolution to use it, and it grants an ability called 'Yuwen,' a Spatial System ability. Divine Mark condenses on the forehead; the carapace on the forehead opens to a separate space to store goods. This is the most ideal ability for our Flame Spider Roving Merchants, and it is also a symbol of status within the Tribe. Our Flame Spider Tribe has a common agreement: once we leave the Origin Force Star Realm, no matter where we go or what kind of survival environment we face, spiders with the 'Yuwen' mark on their forehead are the leaders—everyone must take these spiders as leaders, gather around them, unite, and face all the unknowns together."

"Divine-Grade Shanglu Fruit has not only low yield but also is not easily given out. In Shanglu, after Flame Spider Roving Merchants retire, only those who receive unanimous approval from the fellow Steward Spider Kings can live in the Forbidden Mountain of the Ancestral Land. The Steward Spider Kings who reside on the Forbidden Mountain, after gaining confirmation from the Shanglu Divine Tree, can then obtain the Divine-Grade Shanglu Fruit."

"The hardest part is the Shanglu Divine Tree itself, which is extremely strict with spiders. If the Tribe cannot select a spider that satisfies it, the Shanglu Fruit produced will be destroyed—better to destroy it than to hand it out lightly."

"The deeper reason for all this lies in another secret ability of the Divine-Grade Shanglu Fruit: condensing the forehead's 'Yuwen,' which is the key to opening the Divine Stone 'Huan.'"

Heliotrope repeated Snow Velvet Spider King's words word for word.

The Aconite Spider King listened, his heart surging with excitement.

Most of this information had long circulated in the Ancestral Land of the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent, but some crucial details had been missing...

Heliotrope said solemnly, "Aconite Spider King, there is one more, the most—most important—point. Snow Velvet Spider King made me promise repeatedly that this, absolutely, absolutely cannot be known by outsiders, or even by other tribesmen."

Aconite Spider King: "Speak—"

Heliotrope: "The Divine Stone 'Huan' is an independent space isolated from our world, about 10,000 square kilometers in area, with a relatively complete ecosystem. Whenever the Origin Force Reincarnation Period comes, the Flame Spider Tribe hides inside to survive."

The Aconite Spider King suddenly understood, saying, "So that's it! That simple?"

Heliotrope: "Origin Force Life needs to consume massive Origin Force to survive. Huan only has space, not Origin Force, so one must consume Source Stones to replenish it. Roving Merchant Flame Spiders do not farm, so they need many Wild God-Given Seeds to provide the Origin Force Food needed for evolution."

It had always been known that the Divine Stone "Huan" could shelter the Flame Spider Tribe safely through the Origin Force Silent Period, but exactly how it worked was unclear.

So, that's how it is...

No wonder—the concepts of earning wealth and stockpiling Source Stones were practically woven into the blood of Flame Spiders...

All for this...

Aconite Spider King: "I get it—"

Heliotrope: "The Snow Velvet Spider King said that Source Stone output is rich in the Southern Hemisphere and prices are higher than in the Northern Hemisphere, so it says our Ancestral Land's Steward Spider Kings on the Ten-thousand Tribes Continent can consider sending all collected Wild God-Given Seeds over. If there are Divine God-Given Seeds like One-Glimpse Flower or Wujia Wood, nothing would be better."

Aconite Spider King: "I—"

The Aconite Spider King instinctively wanted to curse, thoughts racing, but calmed down and replied gravely, "I understand. Heliotrope, is there more?"

Heliotrope: "Snow Velvet Spider King wants us to settle our accounts. If we can spare 10 billion Source Stones without affecting Tribe development, we can assign one or two highly esteemed, successful, supremely powerful, steady, decisive, wise and bold Spider Kings who are perfectly suited for leadership, to be in charge of transport and deliver them back to Shanglu."

—Isn't it talking about me?

Aconite Spider King: "Excellent! I understand!"

Aconite Spider King asked, "Heliotrope, anything else?"

Heliotrope: "Snow Velvet Spider King asks, the White-Legged Flame Spider Tribe, whose branch are they from? Shanglu Ancestral Land does not have a White-Legged Flame Spider branch. We can arrange for some ordinary White-Legged little spiders to migrate and develop in Shanglu."