Astral Cockroach

In the decades after the Red Iron Cockroach King paid off his debts, Red Iron County underwent significant development and changes.

He assisted the Fire Lotus Bee King in advancing to the Insect King level, leading to a substantial expansion of the bee colony's size.

He promoted Yellow Stripes, Brown Skin, White Fluff, and a mountain lord named "Brown Root" to the rank of County Lord. Simultaneously, the original County Lords, Big Leaf and Small Leaf, retired, and the four newly promoted County Lords took over, assisting the Red Iron Cockroach King in handling various daily affairs of the county.

Insect tribes have limited cultural levels, arguably lacking any artistic background, and their language vocabulary is relatively scarce.

Naming derivative species has always been a headache. The Red Iron Tree only has one native tree species. Big Leaf, Small Leaf, Yellow Stripes, Brown Skin, White Fluff, and Brown Root are all derivative species of the Red Iron Tree, and none of them are considered particularly outstanding.

However, they cultivated a high-quality derivative species, which also gave rise to a corresponding God-given species, named "Ember Fruit Red Iron."

In recent decades, while Red Iron County has vigorously expanded the Red Iron Tree Sea, it has also been expanding the planting scale of Ember Fruit Red Iron, reducing the scale of the original six derivative species.

In silent and steady busyness, the Red Iron Tree Sea is undergoing a qualitative transformation, and in the future, it will continue to cultivate even better derivative species based on the high-quality species "Ember Fruit Red Iron."

Red Iron County still focuses on managing the Red Iron Tree Sea and cultivating Red Iron Trees, which has been their time-honored brand for centuries.

The prototype of the Quercus Tree Sea is being built in the southern part of the county, bordering the Green Ridge Mountains.

The Green Ridge Mountains are also extending northward, building another prototype of the Green Oak Tree Sea within Red Iron County's territory.

These two newly built small-scale tree seas are located close together. They have a large number of warriors, have already been built, and are developing rapidly, with many young warriors residing in them. The early settlers have mostly grown into advanced warriors with a certain degree of independent management ability.

…

Banbu wandered around the Green Ridge Mountains, visited the Quercus and Green Oak Tree Seas, and then slowly approached the Red Iron Tree Sea.

"County Lord Banbu!"

"County Lord Yellow Stripes."

The one guarding the southern part of the tree sea was County Lord Yellow Stripes. After exchanging greetings, Banbu asked, "Are the Red Iron Cockroach King and the Fire Lotus Bee King both here? I have urgent matters to discuss with them."

"County Lord Banbu, you don't seem to be in a hurry at all," County Lord Yellow Stripes joked, then shook his antennae and said, "The Red Iron Cockroach King is not here. He went to Longevity County for something urgent. He left in a hurry without any further explanation and has been gone for nearly a month."

"Gone for almost a month…" Banbu said, "Then please take me to see the Fire Lotus Bee King."

In Red Iron County, the Fire Lotus Bee King is also in charge of affairs. The Red Iron Cockroach King is often away, so it is responsible for presiding over and overseeing matters.

County Lord Yellow Stripes said, "The Fire Lotus Bee King has also gone to Longevity County."

Banbu's heart skipped a beat, and he said, "Unless it's a major event, the Fire Lotus Bee King would not easily leave Red Iron County."

County Lord Yellow Stripes nodded his antennae and said, "In the past, if anything happened in Longevity County, the news would be transmitted to Blood Peach County, and the Blood Peach County Lord would come to inform us. This time is different. County Lord Frost Reflection from Longevity County came in person."

After the Longevity Cockroach King, the master of Longevity County would definitely be chosen from either the Fire Peach Cockroach King or the Oil Peach Cockroach King.

County Lord Frost Reflection is one of the younger generation who has just risen to prominence in recent centuries and is most valued by the Fire Peach Cockroach King. She is intended to be cultivated as a Cockroach King.

It must be a particularly important matter to send County Lord Frost Reflection to inform them.

Judging from the tone of Mountain Lord Yellow Stripes, he has no idea what specifically happened, so it would be useless to ask further.

Banbu said, "Calculating the time, the next Longevity Banquet is not far away. Perfect timing, I'll go discuss it with the Fire Peach Cockroach King to see if I can get another purchase quota for a Longevity Peach."

…

The southern part of Red Iron County is fertile and densely populated by warriors. The northern part is barren in primal energy and is a plain forest sea rarely visited by insects.

Crossing a winding river and continuing north is Blood Peach County.

Blood Peach County is fertile in the north and barren in the south.

In the sky above the forest sea, a group of red dots rapidly headed south, flying towards them.

Banbu's antennae twitched, capturing a segment of radio wave information: I am County Lord Oil Pear. Are you Banbu?

County Lord Oil Pear?!

Banbu shook his antennae, transmitting information, and asked: I am Banbu. County Lord Oil Pear, what happened in Longevity County?

There was no response.

Both sides accelerated and approached each other.

The Fire Lotus Bee King was flying with the support of the bee colony. County Lord Oil Pear accompanied him.

Upon meeting, County Lord Oil Pear asked, "Banbu, are you going to Longevity County?"

Banbu said, "I plan to ask the Fire Peach Cockroach King for a purchase quota for a Longevity Peach. The heads of Limpid Bamboo Peak and Fragrant Reed are not growing fast enough, so I'll give them one to eat first, to avoid any accidents in the future."

The Fire Lotus Bee King said directly, "The Longevity Cockroach King has passed away, and there will be no more Longevity Peaches or Longevity Banquets from now on."

"The Longevity Cockroach King also… is gone… This…"

Banbu was at a loss for words for a moment, his thoughts were chaotic, but he caught a hint of oddity in the chaos.

Before Banbu was even born, there were rumors on the continent that the Longevity Cockroach King's lifespan exceeded a thousand years and that he would not live long.

Banbu had seen the Longevity Cockroach King with his own eyes and sensed that something was wrong at the time.

Later, after inquiring, various rumors claimed that the Longevity Cockroach King's actual lifespan exceeded 1,300 years…

The Longevity Cockroach King's death was not unexpected.

Banbu was quick-witted and had been pondering this matter, so he immediately thought of it: the previous Ghost King of Mount Red Crow had also just passed away not long ago, and then the Longevity Cockroach King was gone.

How could there be such a coincidence in the world?

According to merchants, the current Red Crow Ghost King of Mount Red Crow is no more than 600 years old, which leads to the speculation that the previous master of Mount Red Crow's lifespan was at most around 1,000 years. Isn't that too early to die? Although primal energy foods that prolong life are rare and valuable, with the strength of Mount Red Crow, it shouldn't be a big problem to get a few portions to extend the lifespan of the previous master of Mount Red Crow, right?

Moreover, the previous master of Mount Red Crow was also related to important "divine grade" God-given species such as the "Double Star Apricot," so how could they let him die so easily?

The previous master of Mount Red Crow left too early.

The Longevity Cockroach King left too late. There had always been rumors that his lifespan exceeded 1,300 years, yet he stubbornly persisted for nearly a hundred years before suddenly passing away.

This information comes from unverified gossip and Banbu's own speculation, which cannot be confirmed.

Banbu asked, "Fire Lotus Bee King, where is the Red Iron Cockroach King? I have important matters to discuss with him."

"He stayed behind to help, going to inform the various races on the Myriad Races Continent who are friendly with Longevity County of the Longevity Cockroach King's passing," the Fire Lotus Bee King asked:

"Banbu, what important matter do you have with the Red Iron Cockroach King?"

Banbu said, "I mentioned to the Red Iron Cockroach King before that I have found the thing I've been looking for and asked him to organize warriors to transport it."

"Have you found it?" The Fire Lotus Bee King said, "I will organize the warriors participating in the transportation first, but I'm afraid we won't be able to depart for the time being."

County Lord Oil Pear was a little dissatisfied and asked, "Banbu, I heard you're spreading news everywhere that you've hooked up with Mount Red Crow? I heard that you've been frequenting them more and more in recent years and made a fortune? Hey, you guy, you completely forgot about me when you had something good!"

"Tell the truth, aren't you using your ability to shuttle through the Rainbow Mirage to cooperate with Mount Red Crow and trade with insect or beast tribes on the opposite continent?"

"Uh… more or less. Haha, following behind Mount Red Crow, helping them with errands, making a little money, just a little money," Banbu said vaguely.

The Fire Lotus Bee King waved his membranous wings, and a flame grazed past County Lord Oil Pear's head, shouting sternly, "County Lord Oil Pear, don't inquire about things you shouldn't inquire about, and don't spread rumors everywhere. If you cause trouble, I'll burn you to ashes with a fire."

County Lord Oil Pear, who was originally questioning Banbu with emotion, immediately wilted and said dejectedly, "I, understand…"

The Fire Lotus Bee King asked, "Banbu, are you still going to Longevity County?"

Banbu said, "The Longevity Peach is gone, so I don't need to go."

The Fire Lotus Bee King said, "Then go back."

"Okay," Banbu agreed and asked, "County Lord Oil Pear, are you going to… Red Iron County?"

County Lord Oil Pear replied, "I'm going to Weeping Banyan County to inform the Weeping Banyan County Lord and Big Yellow Banyan to go to Longevity County. Big Yellow Banyan holds two tokens issued by the Longevity Cockroach King, which can be exchanged for two portions of the Longevity Peach God-given species remains."

"In addition, according to the Longevity Cockroach King's dying instructions, the master of Longevity County should be chosen from outstanding younger generations like Big Yellow Banyan and the others, choosing one from the Fire Peach Cockroach King and the Oil Peach Cockroach King, hehe, interesting, right?"