CHAPTER 415: CHAPTER 400: SPATIAL SYSTEM?

The moonlight was hazy.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid returned to the Purple Tung Insect Nation late at night, the Dominating Throne descending in a straight line toward the Huagi Divine Tree.

"Huagi Divine Tree!"

Dragon Cypress called out from afar.

Ink Orchid: "We have a major discovery!"

"A major discovery?"

The Huagi Divine Tree waited for more details.

Ink Orchid: "The vanished Flame Spider Kingdom!"

Ink Orchid spoke at lightning speed, saying, "They went south, passed through the Starship Wreckage that fell into the sea, and reached another continent connected to the Southern Hemisphere and the Cloud Trace Continent. For convenience, Dragon Cypress has temporarily named it ’Molan Continent.’"

Dragon Cypress: "???"

Huagi Divine Tree: "???"

Huagi Divine Tree: "!!!"

This news was utterly shocking.

But it wasn’t entirely unexpected.

Everyone had already guessed: the Flame Spider Kingdom couldn’t just disappear into thin air—there had to be some method by which they relocated elsewhere.

The Huagi Divine Tree was silent for a long time, then inquired: "A continent in the Origin Force Era?"

Ink Orchid: "Yes! It’s during the Prime Time of Origin Force. Next to Molan Continent, there’s another continent, temporarily named ’Dragon Cypress Continent.’ It should correspond to our Northern Hemisphere’s Dragon Bamboo Continent."

Linnan isn’t as bold as you two~

Huagi Divine Tree: "...Nice names!"

Huagi Divine Tree asked, "Did you both go and see it?"

Ink Orchid: "We went, but not fully. We passed through the Starship Wreckage, set foot on Molan Continent, went through a tunnel, and entered a massive cave."

"The cave’s stone walls were reinforced by an Insect King with Earth System Abilities. Inside the walls was a layer of metal that could isolate Origin Force and block Soul-Setting Ability perception."

"There was an imposing, heavy gate carved with bas-reliefs of Native Breed Flame Spiders and Round Purple Flame Spiders. The door could have been opened originally, but those damn Flame Spiders, after their whole tribe migrated, sealed it shut again using Metal Ability. Also, it appears they used the ’Jinhe Pattern’ to reinforce it."

Ink Orchid: "I scraped off a little powder..."

Dragon Cypress cooperatively opened the Spider Silk Bag to display it.

The Huagi Divine Tree swept over it with spiritual power, and declared firmly: "That’s right, Jinhe Pattern. Half the Jinhe Fruit from back then was sold to the Flame Spider Roving Merchants."

The Huagi Divine Tree knew what Ink Orchid and Dragon Cypress wanted to ask, and said immediately: "Arrange a Jinhe Fruit for that Wooden Darkling Beetle Warrior named ’Ghost Fan,’ and provide some more Metal System Divine-Given Origin Force Food. After it evolves to Evolution Lord Level, it should be able to slowly break the Jinhe Pattern in reverse."

"Alright!"

Ink Orchid cheered.

"That’s great."

Dragon Cypress was also delighted.

"Ink Orchid? Dragon Cypress Ant King!"

Yellow Stem, who was somewhere doing who knows what, noticed the commotion and came running over, trotting while asking:

"Ink Orchid, Dragon Cypress, what’s the good news, you both look so happy."

Ink Orchid: "Dragon Cypress and I found the Starship Wreckage leading to the Origin Force Continent!"

"To the south! Keep heading south, through the Divine Force Barrier dividing the hemispheres, across the vast ocean—the vanished Flame Spider Tribe used this passage to escape..."

Ink Orchid sped through the retelling.

Yellow Stem listened, tentacles swaying, unable to conceal inner ecstasy. "What’s it like over there? Is it possible for our Huagi Mountain to migrate over too?"

Suddenly, the Linnan Divine Tree’s furious mental power surged forth. "Those damned Flame Spider profiteers! How many Source Stones did they earn from Huagi Mountain? In a time of crisis, they found an escape route but never told us! Damn them! Truly damn them!"

—Right! When the Flame Spider Kingdom migrated, why didn’t they notify the other tribes of the continent?

—Small tribes may be ignored, but there’s no way a prosperous Great Tribe like Huagi Mountain would be left behind!

Yellow Stem’s tentacles stiffened, his whole insect body froze, mind racing, the spark of hope just ignited snuffed out in an instant.

Ink Orchid glanced toward Linnan Divine Tree, dissolved gradually and hid, explaining in a leisurely tone:

"On this matter, Dragon Cypress and I have thought of three possibilities."

"First possibility: the Flame Spider Tribe was a race favored by the Natural True God; it was the Natural True God who guided them out, and the Natural True God didn’t want any other tribe to leave. Second possibility..."

Ink Orchid retold the three possibilities previously analyzed with Dragon Cypress.

The Linnan Divine Tree didn’t seem to be the unreasonable type—its rage gradually faded, replaced instead by a thick, inescapable sorrow and helplessness.

After a long silence, the Huagi Divine Tree sighed deeply: "Why is there an ebb and flow, a reincarnation of Origin Force, on each continent of the Natural Star Realm? Because tribes that first develop and grow seize the best resources, becoming ever stronger—so strong that without outside interference, they cannot decline. Those impoverished and backward tribes fall further behind, forever lacking the chance to catch up. How many Insect Clan tribes are blessed by the Natural True God? How many Great Tribes have developed? The Natural True God wishes, through such a way, to have everything return to chaos and start anew. Through each Origin Force Reincarnation, tribes rise, decline, and perish one after another."

Huagi Divine Tree: "This is a kind of grand balance in the Natural Star Realm. The Flame Spider Tribe certainly saw this."

Both insect and tree fell silent together.

After a long, long silence,

Yellow Stem spoke first, saying, "The appearance of Dragon Cypress Ant King and the Dominating Throne seems like an accident. In any case, because of their unexpected appearance, our Huagi Mountain now has hope of surviving the Origin Force Silent Period."

Ink Orchid: "Yes. Once that door is opened, moving to Molan Continent, Dragon Cypress and I can endure until the 9th Age Period Insect King. No matter what, Huagi Mountain will have more time and ways to gather and store more Source Stones."

That’s right!

Absolutely correct!

Yellow Stem perked up again, asking, "Is Ghost Fan still a 4th Age Period Mountain Lord?"

Dragon Cypress: "It’s also suppressing its evolution, planning to eat more Divine-Given Origin Force Food."

Yellow Stem: "Uh—"

Yellow Stem: "Dragon Cypress Ant King, entering the Origin Force Continent is a huge boon for everyone! I have a good suggestion—for all insects on Cloud Trace Continent, each contribute some Origin Force Food, and we all fund Ghost Fan together..."

You truly wasted your life not being a profiteer in the Flame Spider Tribe.

Dragon Cypress wagged his tentacles, saying: "Ghost Fan itself already has an excellent Divine-Given Seed, and there’s not much of a resource gap—just supply Divine-Given Origin Force Food worth 200,000 Source Stones per year, split between Huagi Mountain and Xianglan Mountain Ant Kingdom."

Ink Orchid added: "The ’Jinhe Pattern’ sealing the door originated from your Huagi Mountain—so the Divine-Grade Jinhe Fruit should be your responsibility."

Yellow Stem was about to retort instinctively but sensed the Huagi Divine Tree’s displeasure and immediately realized he was being petty again. He changed his tune quickly, magnanimously saying:

"No problem!"

But after finishing, he couldn’t help but feel the sting, adding, "But there’s no rush, let’s take our time with this. We don’t know what dangers might be behind that door—Dragon Cypress Ant King, Ink Orchid, you both need to reach a higher evolution as well."

Ink Orchid exclaimed happily: "Of course!"

Dragon Cypress pondered, then tentatively asked: "Huagi Divine Tree, Linnan Divine Tree, have you ever heard of ’Shanglu’?"

Shanglu? Linnan Divine Tree snapped, "Little Ant King, if there’s something to say, just say it—stop beating around the bush and being vague."

"Linnan! Be quiet!"

The Huagi Divine Tree’s spiritual power suddenly exploded, commanding and stern, forcibly suppressing Linnan Divine Tree’s spiritual energy.

—This is big!

Dragon Cypress, Ink Orchid, and Yellow Stem straightened their tentacles in anticipation.

The Huagi Divine Tree paused to think for a moment, then spoke slowly:

"Tens of thousands of Flame Spider Roving Merchants travel the continent all year round, and may occasionally pick up Wild Divine-Given Seeds. The Flame Spider Kingdom also cultivated Wild God-Given Seeds in great numbers."

"After eons of accumulation, they would naturally come upon Divine Grades. The Flame Spider Kingdom had Divine Grades—more than one, in fact. But they hid them deeper than any tribe; if they could use it themselves, they’d never trade it away."

"The ’Shanglu’ you mention—I’ve heard of it. It should be a herbaceous Divine God-Given Seed, and, according to legend, it grants spatial-type abilities."

The Huagi Divine Tree sighed lightly: "I used to take that as just a legend and didn’t think more of it. After all, no insect has ever seen one with their own eyes or witnessed a Flame Spider Roving Merchant display a Spatial Ability. Besides, the Natural God System has no Spatial-Talent Insect Clan, nor is there a Spatial System plant, nor has a Spatial System Divine-Given Seed ever appeared. But thinking back, maybe there’s truth in the rumor—it’s likely real..."

Huagi Divine Tree: "Think about it—how did the Flame Spider Kingdom’s tens of thousands of kinspeople cross the ocean and dive into the sea to migrate? How did they move their mountain-sized Source Stone hoard? They disappeared instantly, without warning—how did they manage that?"

Spatial Ability is a very reasonable explanation.

So,

What specific kind of Spatial Power did it grant?

Might there be a chance to bargain for a Divine-Grade Shanglu Fruit and try it?

Dragon Cypress, Ink Orchid, and Yellow Stem exchanged excited and exhilarated glances.

The Huagi Divine Tree’s spiritual power suddenly became stern, warning: "Shanglu is likely the greatest secret of the Flame Spider Kingdom, concerning the rise and fall of their tribe. I advise you: before you have enough strength, don’t go poking your noses in, and don’t mention it to any Flame Spider. Once they dump their cargo, Flame Spider Roving Merchants are stronger, overall, than most Insect Clan Warriors."

Dragon Cypress: "Understood!"

Ink Orchid: "I’ve got it."

Yellow Stem: "The Huagi Divine Tree’s warning is correct!"

Huagi Divine Tree: "Don’t get too happy yet."

Huagi Divine Tree: "That Undersea Starship is the passage of life and death for the Flame Spider Tribe—do you really think they’ll just abandon it? What lies behind that metal gate? Maybe there are retired Flame Spider Warriors posted there long-term. After you go in, how will you communicate with them? Or, will they even allow other Insect Clans to know about the passage at all?"

A long silence of deep thought.

The situation behind the metal gate might not be as everyone hoped.

The Linnan Divine-Given Seed’s spiritual power withdrew, pulled back.

Yellow Stem asked cautiously, "...If there’s nothing else, then... I’ll head back to sleep?"

Dragon Cypress: "Sleep. Sleep. Ink Orchid and I hurried back to the Purple Tung Insect Nation—we should get a proper night’s rest, too."

Ink Orchid reminded: "Isn’t the Soul-Setting Fruit about to mature?"

Dragon Cypress echoed: "That’s right! That’s the most urgent thing at hand! Yellow Stem, let’s go to Huagi Mountain together tomorrow morning."

Yellow Stem: "...Alright."