Xianglan Mountain.
It's not spring yet.
The Molan Life Seed and Cold Orchid Life Seed within the Molan Territory have already blossomed.
The Stone Orchid Life Seed and Divine-Given Fruit-Scented Orchid Seed have both produced flower swords.
There are also two orchid grass nursery plots, each 3 meters square, where seedlings can be selected and transplanted this year.
Molan began busily managing the territory.
Dragon Cypress focused on eating.
During the distant exploration, he had intermittently eaten 24 Fruit-Scented Orchid Seeds.
After returning to the mountain range, it took five days to eat another three.
Just as expected, after eating a total of 27 seeds before and after, he felt groggy and showed signs of metamorphic evolution.
Dragon Cypress notified Molan, timed it carefully, and as night fell, slipped into slumber.
Upon waking again, he shed his old shell, his body expanded, and his carapace quickly hardened.
While waiting, he swept his spiritual power to check outside the ant nest: it was night, raining, and impossible to tell the exact time.
—He had probably slept for less than two days.
Dragon Cypress repeatedly scrutinized himself: he'd gotten another circle fatter!
It's not good for a Mantis to get too fat.
But for an Ant King, a bit of heft is better.
This evolution brought considerable growth, and his body length had reached about 13 to 14 centimeters.
Dragon Cypress was quite satisfied. He checked the most important Life Pouch, estimating it could now contain the Deep Blue God-Given Seed.
He shook his tentacles, signaling to a Specialized Worker Ant standing guard outside the nest to bring over the bamboo tube hidden in the depths of the ant nest.
He pulled out the dried grass plug and retrieved the azure heart-shaped seed.
He spat out the nurtured 'Large Fruit Hemlock' Life Seed.
It was extremely tight, but he managed to squeeze the Deep Blue God-Given Seed into his Life Pouch.
"The frequency of molting evolution shouldn't be too high."
"Next, one every two days, I'll eat another 27 Fruit-Scented Orchid Seeds. Keep the remaining whole 100 seeds to sell to the caravan and trade for other types of Origin Force Food that provide comprehensive physical enhancements."
"I should evolve to the 9th age period before summer, not more, not less—just right."
"I'll be able to advance to Mid-Level Ant King this year!"
Dragon Cypress mulled over his plans, feeling delighted. Coming to his senses, he examined himself again.
One small age period's evolution, and the strengthening effect of the Fruit-Scented Orchid Seed revealed itself.
After awakening, he felt no weakness, but his stomach rumbled with intense hunger.
Dragon Cypress shook his tentacles, summoning the Worker Ants to bring in fresh meat strips into the nest.
He buried his head in food while sorting through the inherited memory awakened during evolution.
Almost all the new knowledge pertained to flora and fauna, with the addition of a new racial talent: the cultivation method for 'Miniaturization Soldier Ants'.
Corresponding to Miniaturization Worker Ants, this is a type of particularly tiny soldier ant. Their purpose, of course, is to hunt tiny pests like aphids, scale insects, and red spiders.
Currently, he's mastered Miniaturization Soldier Ants, Small Soldier Ants, Medium Soldier Ants, Large Soldier Ants, Specialized Soldier Ants; plus Miniaturization Worker Ants, Small Worker Ants, Medium Worker Ants, Large Worker Ants, and Specialized Worker Ants—for a total of 10 regular differentiated ant forms.
However, the majority are Specialized Worker Ants—already 74 in total—followed by Medium Worker Ants, with other types being relatively few in number.
"There are still 12 Specialized Worker Ant larvae in the hatchery, making 86 in total, which should suffice for now, so no further cultivation."
"As for Miniaturization Worker Ants and Miniaturization Soldier Ants, I can try raising two of each to see exactly what they look like."
"Now that the ant nest has expanded, the output of Ant Eggs will sharply increase. The number of Worker Ants—small, medium, and large—working in the hatchery also needs to be raised accordingly."
"There are too few Soldier Ants guarding the territory. Every time I travel far, I'm on edge…"
Dragon Cypress thought it over and decided that before evolving to Mid-Level Ant King, he would prioritize cultivating Soldier Ants.
He sped up his eating.
The strengthening effect of the Divine-Given Fruit-Scented Orchid Seed was greater than anticipated.
The more he ate, the hungrier he got.
He kept eating, and by dawn, he was no longer hungry—though still not full.
The increased consumption showed that his body had greatly improved at storing nutrients and energy.
Eating one full meal now would keep him from hunger for two or three days; in extreme cases, even if he went hungry for ten days or half a month, he wouldn't starve to death.
The key was when using the Dominating Throne's 'Messenger' function to produce Ant Eggs—generating three at a time should definitely be doable, and perhaps the cycle could be shortened to four days, maybe even three.
Dragon Cypress was overjoyed, itching to test it out.
He ate as much as he could until all emergency food reserves in the ant nest were gone, and finally felt full.
After resting for a day and adjusting his state, he began the attempt.
[Please select Messenger type]
[Guardian of Strength]
[Producer·Agriculture]
Dragon Cypress chose Producer.
[Please select quantity]
[Quantity 1]
[Quantity 2]
[Quantity 3]
Dragon Cypress chose [Quantity 3]
Blue light swept over.
The Dominating Throne drew in nutrients and physical strength.
[Messenger·Producer·Agriculture generated, entering Primordial Energy Breeding: Stage One]
Indeed, a qualitative change—producing three Ant Eggs at a time—and he didn't feel the slightest bit of weakness.
After a wave of excitement, Dragon Cypress calmed down.
Can't get careless!
Must always stay at full strength.
He shook his tentacles, summoned 20 Worker Ants as escorts, brought along two Soldier Ants, and marched grandly down the mountain.
After all, as an 8th age period Ant King, he shouldn't always leave hunting to Molan.
Dragon Cypress now led the ant colony to search along the riverbanks at the foot of the mountain, digging up hibernating frogs…
...
The next day, at noon.
The Dominating Throne sent a message:
[Messenger·Producer·Agriculture has entered Primordial Energy Breeding: Stage Two. Continue?]
Two choices: [Yes], [No]
Dragon Cypress decisively chose [Yes]
Just like yesterday—the energy drain was almost imperceptible.
The third day, at noon.
The Dominating Throne prompted again:
[Messenger·Producer·Agriculture has entered Primordial Energy Breeding: Stage Three. Continue?]
Dragon Cypress chose [Yes]
On the fourth day,
The three Ant Eggs were fully incubated.
Dragon Cypress summoned the Worker Ants to collect them and take them to the hatchery. Then, he immediately selected to activate the Messenger function again.
After the series of choices, a blue light swept across.
[Physical condition suboptimal. Nutritional elements out of balance. Please pay attention to dietary balance and maintain adequate sleep and rest.]
[Messenger function deactivated]
Dragon Cypress: "???"
—Dietary balance?
—Since getting to know Molan, it's basically been all meat, mostly frog most of the time…
—But I never had this issue before.
Sleep and rest? I spend most of my days lying on the throne, resting.
Dragon Cypress thought it over and still couldn't figure out the issue.
He shook his tentacles, led 20 Specialized Worker Ants and 2 Specialized Soldier Ants out of the nest, rummaged through nearby forest trees, and caught some Sky Ox larvae to improve his meals.
After a solid night's sleep, he tried again the next day.
[Please select Messenger type]
[Guardian of Strength]
[Producer·Agriculture]
Dragon Cypress selected Producer.
[Please select quantity]
[Quantity 1]
[Quantity 2]
[Quantity 3]
Dragon Cypress selected [Quantity 3]
Blue light swept over.
The Dominating Throne summoned nutritional substances and physical strength.
[Messenger·Producer·Agriculture generated, entering Primordial Energy Breeding: Stage One]
...
The full selection process was successfully completed, entering the Primordial Energy Breeding phase.
So now it's one incubation round every four days—three Ant Eggs per round.
"A three-day cycle would be so much better. On average that's one Ant Egg every day."
"What does nutritional imbalance mean? Should I diversify my food sources?"
Dragon Cypress troubled Molan by asking it to travel farther and bring back a mountain goat and a wild boar.
He himself led the ant colony, rummaging underground and in the trees for all types of insect larvae and egg cases.
He tried a bit of everything.
Still didn't work.
Dragon Cypress guessed that perhaps some of the nutritional elements used by the Dominating Throne to create Ant Eggs must be synthesized in his own body, so some interval is required.
For now, the current rate is good enough; best not to overthink it for the time being.