Astral Cockroach

Everyone started construction in the spring of Bamboo Year 77, as agreed.

Due to various delays, Bamboo finally returned two months late.

"Bamboo!" Rat King was the first to spot Bamboo's arrival.

"Bamboo, Bamboo…" Great Bear, Torreya, and other warriors rushed over upon hearing the news.

Bamboo asked, "Rat King, did you start construction on schedule? Have all the materials been delivered?"

Rat King replied, "The materials were prepared long ago according to your requirements. Red Crow Ghost King couldn't wait and personally entered Dragon Bamboo Continent to oversee the laying of the tracks. I don't know if they did it correctly."

Bamboo glanced ahead, scanning with his divine sense. The pioneered road was basically flat and straight. Following the road, it should be fine.

It's just the beginning, so even if there are problems, it doesn't matter. We can always tear it up and start over.

"Is that the Explosive Ant, Little Ant King? Why is there only one worker ant? So weak!" Great Bear curiously gazed at the carapace on Bamboo's back.

Little Ant King, Wedge Thorn, listlessly lay on the silk pouch. If not for the occasional twitch of its antennae, it could easily be mistaken for dead.

Along the way, only one of the 20 worker ants that cared for Wedge Thorn's feeding remained. It was currently half-dead, the other worker ants having died on the road. Without an environment rich in Origin Power, the long journey and exhaustion had left Wedge Thorn in extremely poor condition.

Rat King, with its keen sense of smell, having consumed Heavenly Magnolia, was particularly sensitive to soul perception. It asked, "Bamboo, what are you carrying on your back? A living 'Godly-grade' God-bestowed Seed?"

"Yes, it's dying and urgently needs to be planted," Bamboo simply said. "Rat King, Great Bear, Torreya, Bitao, Camellia, Square Bamboo, Danzhu, come with me. We'll return to Li Bamboo Peak. Mazu, you stay and continue pioneering the road. We'll come again this autumn."

Bamboo briefly explained, then set off with the group from Li Bamboo Peak.

Red Crow Ghost King was at the edge of the Illusionary Mist Barrier. There was no way around it. After careful consideration, they had been cooperating for a good forty or fifty years, and there was no need to always be secretive. A 'Godly-grade' God-bestowed Seed that strengthened metal abilities wasn't that precious or valuable, so he might as well go forward generously.

…

"Lord Bamboo!" Red Crow Ghost King called out from afar.

"Lord Bamboo, you're more than two months late from the agreed time. What are you carrying on your carapace… Don't tell me it's another God-bestowed Seed remnant? Eh, is that the Explosive Ant King you mentioned? It's in terrible condition! Quickly send it out of Dragon Bamboo Continent!"

Thunder Bamboo Ghost King had learned its lesson this time. While asking the question, it unleashed its mental power, sweeping across Bamboo's carapace.

Upon scanning, it immediately noticed something was wrong, startled, and the supernatural patterns forming the "Heavenly Eye" on its forehead instantly lit up, looking at the dark iron pillar on Bamboo's carapace.

"Tree Heart… Haha, Lord Bamboo, congratulations! You've found another God-bestowed Seed remnant."

"What are you doing here? It's just a Little Ant King, what's so strange about it? Everyone, move away! Get to work!" Thunder Bamboo Ghost King said, waving its antennae, driving away the Ghost Mantis warriors who were attracted by the Explosive Ant Little Ant King and had gathered nearby.

Red Crow Ghost King simultaneously sensed something was wrong and scolded, "The Little Ant King is in poor condition, don't disturb it, everyone get to work!"

Thunder Bamboo Ghost King anxiously said, "Lord Bamboo, quickly, send the Little Ant King away from Dragon Bamboo Continent, it urgently needs to replenish Origin Power."

Explosive Ants had been extinct in the Northern Hemisphere for a long time, so an Explosive Ant Little Ant King was indeed rare. The curious Ghost Mantis warriors hadn't even gotten close before they were driven away again.

Red Crow Ghost King and Thunder Bamboo Ghost King led the way.

Bamboo and his group followed, quickly passing through the Illusionary Mist Barrier, entering the Myriad Race Continent, heading straight for the trading square, unloading the goods, arranging for Rat King and Camellia to take care of the Wedge Thorn Little Ant King to recover its condition, and then following them up the mountain.

…

"Lord Bamboo, this, this is a…" Thunder Bamboo Ghost King suddenly became excited, its antennae trembling slightly.

"A 'Godly-grade' God-bestowed Seed."

Entering the Origin Power environment, Iron Gall Chestnut Tree Spirit revived with a sliver of health. It had been silently observing all the way, confirming that Red Crow Ghost King and Thunder Bamboo Ghost King had noticed its existence and weren't hostile towards Bamboo. After conserving its energy for a while, it began to speak, proactively introducing itself:

"My name is Iron Gall Chestnut, a chestnut tree. The original species is a Quercus acutissima, the specific derivative species is Iron Gall Chestnut. However, I wasn't born from a God-bestowment, but naturally born. The chestnuts I produce strengthen metal abilities, more specifically, they strengthen the metal aspect of metal abilities. To be even more detailed, they can not only strengthen the carapace, but also the muscle strength…"

"Your mountain is very good! The natural Origin Power is so abundant! I've never heard of such a treasure land before, it must be very rare, right?"

"However, coming back to the topic, Bamboo, how is your Li Bamboo Peak? How is the natural Origin Power? I've had enough of a frugal life lacking Origin Power… Bamboo, quickly find a sunny place and plant me. I'm almost out of the nutrients I stored along the way. Communicating with you guys is really tiring…"

Originally curious and excited beyond control, planning to have a good conversation, Red Crow Ghost King and Thunder Bamboo Ghost King were both somewhat stunned, simultaneously dumbfounded.

After a few seconds of愣, Red Crow Ghost King simply introduced itself: "My name is Red Crow Ghost King, the current Lord of Red Crow Mountain."

Thunder Bamboo Ghost King said: "My name is Thunder Bamboo, the next Lord of Red Crow Mountain. We belong to the Ghost-faced Mantis Tribe."

"Ghost-faced Mantis Tribe? I've heard of you, a tribe with very powerful ground combat strength." Iron Gall Chestnut emphasized again: "Bamboo, find a good place, peel off the iron skin on my body, and plant me. I urgently need to replenish nutrients, otherwise I won't be able to communicate with you."

"Iron Gall Chestnut, let's not communicate for the time being," Bamboo decisively refused.

Red Crow Ghost King and Thunder Bamboo Ghost King both stared at Bamboo blankly, the emotions they emitted full of puzzled inquiries: How did you find such an exceptional 'Godly-grade' God-bestowed Seed?

Bamboo simply explained: "Naturally born 'Godly-grade' God-bestowed Seeds are more special, possessing special life-saving abilities. Iron Gall Chestnut's unique feature is its root system, which happens to be the key to its survival."

"The root system is super long and developed!" Red Crow Ghost King asked: "What is the flowering and fruiting cycle? How many fruits can it produce each time?"

Iron Gall Chestnut Tree Spirit answered itself: "The flowering and fruiting cycle is 7 years, and it produces 7 chestnuts each time. After a 'Godly-grade' God-bestowed Seed completes its second transformation, the yield remains constant. You have such a large place, you should have your own Godly-grades, you know this, right?"

"Understood…" Red Crow Ghost King replied.

Iron Gall Chestnut proactively introduced itself: "I was naturally born, and the quality of the chestnuts I produce is extremely high, different from those God-bestowed 'Godly-grade' God-bestowed Seeds. If your Ghost-faced Mantis Tribe wants to exchange or purchase them, the price may be different."

"This, I, also understand." Red Crow Ghost King was very unaccustomed to communicating with such a tree spirit. Red Crow Mountain had many Godly-grades, each of them extremely intelligent, either calm and composed, or arrogant and aloof, none of them so enthusiastic and proactive, which actually felt very awkward.

Red Crow Ghost King hesitated for two seconds before asking: "Iron Gall Chestnut, you must have experienced quite a few years, right? How did the Origin Power disappear on the continent where you lived?"

Speaking of this, Iron Gall Chestnut's excitement and joy of rebirth suddenly vanished without a trace, replaced by deep sorrow, slowly saying: "I can't remember how many years I've existed. When I was born, the natural Origin Power wasn't as abundant as this continent, but it was still enough to survive. The Red Flower County Black Cockroach Tribe that nurtured me prospered and became strong because of me, experiencing five cockroach kings."

"The first Lord of Red Flower County was named Chestnut Cockroach King… But from that time on, the natural Origin Power became less and less sufficient generation by generation… After five generations, the Origin Power became extremely thin, the continent's Origin Stones were exhausted, and cockroach kings could no longer be born. Various races gradually declined and perished, until one day, the Origin Power suddenly disappeared completely…"

Bamboo had already guessed this.

For Red Crow Ghost King and Thunder Bamboo Ghost King, it was also an expected answer. However, after hearing it, they still couldn't avoid feeling sorrow and worry.

Iron Gall Chestnut said: "I witnessed the prosperity of Red Flower County for a time, and also witnessed the number of county warriors decreasing generation by generation due to the depletion of Origin Power. They either searched for mineral veins everywhere, or waited for death and destruction in despair… I remember, for a very, very long time, no warriors spoke to me. I could 'see' them, I could feel their sorrow… And fear…"

"Iron Gall Chestnut… Don't spread the news of the depletion and disappearance of Origin Power. It's better not to let ordinary warriors know about many things."

Bamboo heard this and felt equally bad. He didn't know how to comfort it, so he remained silent. After a moment of silence, he said: "I'll get some soil later and make a metal pot. You can take root and sprout first, and I'll carry you, and we'll slowly return to Li Bamboo Peak."

"Okay," Iron Gall Chestnut suddenly lost its interest in communicating and began to be concise.

Bamboo continued: "Red Crow Ghost King, I plan to rest for the night and set off tomorrow morning. I'll come to Red Crow Mountain after I've settled Iron Gall Chestnut, and we'll discuss many matters in detail."

"Okay," Red Crow Ghost King also said concisely, lightly tapping its antennae.

Thunder Bamboo Ghost King asked: "Lord Bamboo, a 'Godly-grade' God-bestowed Seed is too precious. Just in case, do you need me to escort you for a while?"

Bamboo thought for a moment and tapped its antennae: "That would be good!"

They went down the mountain and rested for the night.

After the Little Ant King, Wedge Thorn, ate some Origin Power food, its condition improved slightly. The worker ant that cared for it miraculously survived. With a worker ant taking care of it, the situation was much better, and the following journey should be fine.