Astral Cockroach

In the Cliff Cypress Mountains, on Cliff Cypress Peak, Mountain Master Hua Bai was leading two intermediate-level small ant soldiers, meticulously selecting the scale-leaf fir seeds harvested this year in front of the mountain cave they resided in.

Without ant or bee-type dependents, small ant soldiers were more suitable for delicate tasks such as seed selection.

It was quite meticulous; they all used a straight wooden stick with faintly visible lines to measure the length, width, and thickness of each seed.

They were stored in different categories.

Divided into three major categories: large-sized seeds, regular-sized seeds, and small-sized seeds.

The regular-sized seeds would be destroyed.

Both the large and small-sized seeds would be kept, sown, and continuously cultivated.

They had spent a great deal of money purchasing scale-leaf fir seeds to spread throughout the tribe, gathering the tribe's strength for breeding.

The breeding direction was polarized in size: large-sized scale-leaf fir seeds; small-sized scale-leaf fir seeds similar to those of the Red Crow Mountain.

Generally speaking, large-sized seeds have a greater probability of producing high-quality tree species, thereby obtaining divinely bestowed seeds. However, seeds that are too large cannot be nurtured within a life sac, but it doesn't matter; they can be directly sown, and the racial talent can stimulate growth, eventually becoming the foundation for the tribe's enduring strength.

Small-sized seeds have even greater uses; once successful, they can be used to nurture life seeds and be widely promoted, giving tribal warriors more choices for high-quality arbors when selecting life seeds.

The Black and White Flower Cockroach Tribe was not stupid; they were diligently transforming their mineral wealth into the tribe's foundation.

…

Seeing Banbu's arrival, Mountain Master Hua Bai jokingly greeted him: "Hey, Marquis Banbu, what brings you to my remote mountain range?"

"Mountain Master Hua Bai, aren't you about to be promoted to marquis as well? Don't tease me."

Banbu was very depressed.

Working hard, putting in extra hours to grow, and taking risks to be promoted to marquis, now it seemed like it had become an object of ridicule.

Mountain Master Hua Bai, Yu Zhu, Cliff Cypress, Black Mulberry, especially Flame Cluster Bristlegrass, these guys, when they meet, must deliberately emphasize the title "Marquis" in their address, and even use honorifics. In reality, there was not the slightest bit of the respect that a marquis-level warrior should have; it was pure teasing.

Of course, in Banbu's view, this did not exclude the possibility that they were jealous of his youth and accomplishments.

"Marquis Banbu!"

"Marquis Banbu!"

The two intermediate-level small ant soldiers were very clever and followed suit with greetings.

"Two smart little fellows." Banbu praised, then sighed: "Mountain Master Hua Bai, the number of warriors in your Cliff Cypress Mountain Range exceeds 50, right?"

"It's long passed 50." Mountain Master Cliff Cypress asked: "Banbu, you never take the initiative to visit me. You've come all this way; what's the matter?"

Banbu said: "Mountain Master Hua Bai, please trouble you to go to Autumn Maple County and ask Marquis Autumn Maple to come to Bamboo Peak. I have very important matters to discuss with it."

Mountain Master Hua Bai's antennae twitched, and he asked: "Very important?"

Banbu emphasized: "Especially important."

Mountain Master Hua Bai asked: "Very urgent?"

Banbu said: "Not particularly urgent."

Mountain Master Hua Bai didn't ask what it was, nodded his antennae, and said: "It just so happens that in a few days, I need to send a batch of scale-leaf fir seeds to Autumn Maple County. A few days later is fine, right?"

Banbu said: "It's fine, but be sure to ask Marquis Autumn Maple to come in person. Only it can make the decision on this matter."

…

The ability to convert electromagnetic waves into primal force was too powerful.

Wanting to obtain powerful abilities often meant paying a great price.

Banbu keenly felt that the cost of managing the Dragon Bamboo fruit far exceeded the budget.

He brought Barbara over to carefully and meticulously test the Dragon Bamboo divine bestowal seed and clearly analyze all the data.

The transaction with Marquis Autumn Maple was crucial; before that, Banbu had to have a clear figure in mind.

Barbara spent half a day and finally provided a relatively detailed set of data.

It wasn't very pleasant.

Dragon Bamboo fruit hardly grows in winter, grows slowly in spring and autumn, and only grows significantly in the hot summer.

That white primal force vein grows with the bamboo fruit and increases in number, and it also consumes primal stones, but the number is relatively small, with each vein requiring about 20, and they are dispersed over several days.

In total, there were 1168 bamboo fruits, a burden that was neither large nor small. Natural primal force could supply most of the needs, and only about 2000 primal stones needed to be consumed morning and evening to supplement the primal force, allowing these white primal force veins to be derived smoothly.

Banbu's guess was correct: obtaining heaven-defying strengthening effects inevitably came with a corresponding price; this was an immutable law of the primal force universe.

The fruits of divine bestowal seeds all have a maturation period that consumes a large amount of primal force when they mature. Barbara's early estimate was that each Dragon Bamboo fruit would consume about 500,000 primal stones.

Now, it was discovered that the Dragon Bamboo inherited the talent gene of the Heart of Origin, so the total operating cost of each Dragon Bamboo fruit, before and after, would increase by about 500,000 primal stones, which was a direct doubling.

The input cost for a single Dragon Bamboo fruit was as high as 1 million primal stones, and with an output of 18 fruits, that would be 18 million primal stones. The Dragon Bamboo divine bestowal seed also required 4.5 million primal stones to derive primal force veins, bringing the total to about 22.5 million primal stones.

…

The income from this year's Holy Bamboo fruit had already been squandered by Banbu, leaving only the remaining payment from the caravan, just 2 million primal stones.

Calculating the time, in the next 6 years, the Holy Bamboo divine bestowal seed would flower and bear fruit twice. Even if the caravan and buyers paid in full in advance, only about 9 million primal stones could be received.

In addition, the income from managing other divine bestowal seeds on Bamboo Peak was about 500,000 primal stones per year, and with 5 years left, 2.5 million could be earned.

At best, only 13.5 million primal stones would be received, leaving a huge gap of 9 million!

In the cold winter.

Banbu began to think calmly, pondering how to perfectly fleece Marquis Autumn Maple, who was late in arriving.

…

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Mountain Master Hua Bai was shrewd and saw that Banbu was in a hurry, confirming that he needed Marquis Autumn Maple's help, so he was not in a hurry.

Time dragged on until half a month later when Autumn Maple finally arrived at Bamboo Peak.

Banbu took the initiative to go down the mountain and meet at the trading plaza.

"Marquis Autumn Maple."

"Marquis Banbu."

Upon meeting, Marquis Autumn Maple's gaze couldn't help but drift towards the direction of the Tata Tree divine bestowal seed.

The Tata Tree had grown over 150 meters, which was an incredible height for a wild arbor divine bestowal seed with a growth time of less than 50 years. Marquis Autumn Maple was 100% certain that the Tata Tree was a legendary "divine grade," and the fruit it produced after completing a metamorphosis and evolution would greatly help in ascending to Cockroach King.

In the vast Autumn Maple County, no outstanding junior had yet been born to take over the position of marquis. Time was running out, and Marquis Autumn Maple was considering taking the risk of ascending to Cockroach King, but was worried about failure, leaving Autumn Maple County without a leader.

She was very anxious. Now, seeing a divine bestowal seed that seemed to help in ascending to Cockroach King, she couldn't take her eyes off it.

Banbu saw the other party's gaffe and guessed what they were thinking, saying: "Marquis Autumn Maple, you should be quite familiar with the Tata Tree. Thanks to the help of your Autumn Maple County, it has completed its first metamorphosis and growth ahead of schedule."

"This is an equal exchange; Marquis Banbu, you don't need to be polite." Marquis Autumn Maple asked in passing: "Marquis Banbu, why hasn't the Tata Tree flowered and borne fruit? Is it in a dormant period?"

Banbu said: "It just matured once, and the members of our Brocade Screen Mountain Range have basically eaten one portion each. Next, we plan to let it remain dormant, without flowering or fruiting, until it completes its second metamorphosis and growth."

As expected, it was a divine grade! Often, only divine grade divine bestowal seeds are hidden and not publicized, let alone sold. Bamboo Peak has many divine bestowal seeds, especially the Holy Bamboo fruit, which can be sold at a high price. They don't lack primal stones, so they luxuriously choose to let this wild divine bestowal seed rest, without flowering or fruiting.

What a waste of resources!

A thought suddenly flashed through Marquis Autumn Maple's mind, feeling that she might have guessed the reason why Banbu had invited her here. She asked: "Marquis Banbu, do you plan to continue stimulating the growth of the Tata Tree?"

Banbu said: "I don't have that plan for the time being; I'll consider it in a few years."

"…"

Had she guessed wrong? Then what was it?

Marquis Autumn Maple didn't bother to think about it and continued to ask: "Marquis Banbu, the Tata Tree strengthens the physique, right? Can you reveal the specific strengthening effects?"

Banbu truthfully said: "It strengthens physical fitness. To put it bluntly, it means that you, as a Ninth Instar marquis, can eat as much food as a Cockroach King at one time and have the same physical strength as a Cockroach King."

"I understand! This is a great help to my ascension to Cockroach King!" Marquis Autumn Maple said: "Marquis Banbu, could your Bamboo Peak delay it a bit? Next time the Tata Tree flowers, leave a fruit for me to sell?"

Marquis Autumn Maple immediately changed her mind and said: "Exchange, exchange the Tata fruit for stimulation time."

The Tata Tree cannot flower and bear fruit on its own. The so-called resting without flowering or fruiting means that when the flower spikes just show a little sign, they are all cut off, spike by spike.

"The Tata Tree has just completed its metamorphosis and evolution, and its current growth is already fast enough. I don't have any plans to stimulate it for the time being." Banbu said with emotion and sincerity: "Marquis Autumn Maple, our Red Cockroach Tribe and Black and White Flower Cockroach Tribe live next to each other and have friendly exchanges. I must support your ascension to Cockroach King as much as possible."

"I'll leave a Tata fruit for you, making a special exception just once, selling one to you."

After Banbu finished speaking, he emphasized: "Marquis Autumn Maple, we have a close relationship, so I'm making an exception just for you, only this once. I hope you can keep it a secret and not leak it out. I spend a lot of time and effort every year dealing with the allocation of shares when Bamboo Peak sells Holy Bamboo fruit."

"Thank you!" Marquis Autumn Maple asked: "What's the price?"

Banbu said: "500,000 primal stones per serving."

The price wasn't just expensive.

Marquis Autumn Maple understood that Bamboo Peak must be in urgent need of primal stones, so they had come to her!

"No problem!" Marquis Autumn Maple readily agreed and asked: "Marquis Banbu, has the sales share for the next batch of Holy Bamboo fruit been finalized? Will you give our Black and White Flower Cockroach Tribe a share? I'll pay the full amount of primal stones in advance."

"It's been finalized this year, and there are no extra shares." Banbu shook his antennae and said: "Marquis Autumn Maple, the reason I invited you here this time is because I have something more important."

"More important?" Marquis Autumn Maple asked doubtfully.

Banbu waved his antennae, pointing towards the bamboo forest in the distance, and said: "Marquis Autumn Maple, I'll take you over to take a look."