Ink Orchid wasn't in its cave dwelling. Its Spider Silk Bag was also missing. It had surely gone into the mountain forest to search for Divine-Given Seeds.
Three Specialized Soldier Ants, leading two Great Soldier Ants and ten Small Soldier Ants, guarded the garden where the Fruit-Scented Orchid had taken root.
As soon as Dragon Cypress approached, he immediately sensed intense, angry, and warning mental power fluctuations.
This plant had developed an independent consciousness. The territorial sense of a plant was stronger than any animal's. It was also very smart. Knowing the Soldier Ants weren't independent entities, it was indifferent to their presence. It recognized Dragon Cypress as the Ant King and continuously directed warning and intimidating mental power at him.
The Dominating Throne hovered low in the air. Dragon Cypress controlled it to retreat a short distance and observed carefully.
The capsule had grown to the size of a longan. Under the mild winter sun, it swung gently in the breeze, its surface a glossy, vibrant green.
The fruit had started to take shape, but it was still a long way from reaching maturity.
That was how Life Seed Plants evolved. As Insect Clan Warriors grew, the plants evolved in sync with them. The quality and quantity of the Origin Force Food they produced improved, but their Blossom-Fruit Cycle correspondingly extended.
The changes in Divine-Given Seeds were particularly noticeable.
After careful observation, Dragon Cypress made a rough judgment: The maturation period of the Fruit-Scented Orchid Seeds has likely extended into the depths of winter.
His mental power swept underground to inspect the nearest offshoot. After a year's growth, the oval underground tuber had surpassed 10 centimeters in its long diameter.
Growing well!
According to the pattern, next year's bloom should advance to spring. If managed poorly, the fruiting period will also advance. However, if managed well, the fruit will still mature in the depths of winter...
Dragon Cypress pondered, noticing recent signs of watering beneath the plant.
The Dominating Throne ascended for a higher view.
With little rain in the winter, the stream in the distance had dried up.
Dragon Cypress guided the Dominating Throne to the Marsh Gas Pool beneath the cliff. The Bamboo Tube lying on the stone slab cover still had fresh water stains.
The insects were gone early this morning. Ink Orchid must have watered the garden and delivered prey to the Ant Nest before leaving. That creature is always up and working before dawn.
If it's searching for Divine-Given Seeds, it must have traveled far south or north, sticking close to the Divine Force Barrier.
Sigh! Looks like I won't be resting today...
Dragon Cypress had originally planned to chat with Ink Orchid for a while and take a walk in the mountain forest to relax.
Since it wasn't there, he had no choice but to go back to his own territory to work.
However, there was no rush to dig the Marsh Gas Pool and the water pool. First, he would direct the ant colony to expand the Ant Nest.
There were currently 46 Specialized Worker Ants, with 24 Larvae of various sizes in the Hatchery, plus four Ant Eggs waiting to hatch.
The Ant Nest had been expanded several times, changing its structure from horizontal to vertical. It now reached a depth of three meters, resembling a three-dimensional tree, with tunnel diameters expanded to 8 centimeters and nest chamber widths to around 30 centimeters.
With the cold winter, digging two meters deeper would provide warmth and ensure the hatching of Ant Eggs and the growth of the Larvae.
Moreover, the Dominating Throne could now produce three Ant Eggs at a time. The ant colony was growing rapidly, necessitating a more spacious Ant Nest. He needed to prepare for this expansion in advance.
「A day, a night, and then another day passed.」
The sky was a dull grey, with a cold drizzle.
Affected by the temperature, the Worker Ants were all listless.
They ended their work early and returned to the nest.
Dragon Cypress was resting when a familiar mental power fluctuation washed over the area.
Ink Orchid, unseen for two days, stood at the cave entrance holding a bloated Spider Silk Bag, sneaking glances at the Ant Nest's interior.
On the Dominating Throne, Dragon Cypress shifted his position.
"Dragon Cypress?"
"Dragon Cypress! Stop sleeping! Get up!"
Ink Orchid called out with its mind. Ink Orchid was overwhelmed with excitement, hardly able to contain itself.
Dragon Cypress lightly fluttered his Pulse Wings and landed gracefully, then jogged to the entrance of the cave.
"Ink Orchid, where did you run off to?"
Without waiting for an answer, a thought struck Dragon Cypress. His antennae twitched, and he asked, "You didn't find another Divine-Given Seed, did you?"
"Not that!" Ink Orchid immediately denied Dragon Cypress's unrealistic guess. Raising its left foreleg to point gently, it said, "I went south..."
"So you found a new type of Orchid Seed then?" Dragon Cypress was curious and reached out a claw to pull at the Spider Silk Bag.
"Not that either!" Ink Orchid rushed to open the bag and said, "But I found something great!"
"An Outworld Civilization Artifact!"
"Dragon Cypress, you're very knowledgeable. Quick, help me take a look at this."
Dragon Cypress: "???"
Ink Orchid took out a cylindrical metal object from the bag. It was about six to seven centimeters in diameter and just over twenty centimeters wide.
"Dragon Cypress, what is this? Do you recognize it?"
Dragon Cypress recognized it instantly. The Ice-Fire Water-Making Pot!
Due to its extreme age and improper preservation, the outer coating had peeled off, revealing the metal underneath. Remnants of the coating still clung around the opening. Originally, it must have been a clean, beautiful white, decorated with blue wave patterns and light green cloud patterns.
Seeing that Dragon Cypress recognized it, Ink Orchid was even more delighted and eagerly asked, "Is it useful? And how does one use it?"
"It has two uses," Dragon Cypress replied. "One is Primordial Energy water-making; the other is to create pure hot water or ice cubes."
"The method is also very simple... Ink Orchid, set it upright. Let's first see if it still works."
Ink Orchid did as instructed.
The pot was over twenty centimeters tall.
Dragon Cypress was just over ten centimeters tall and tried to climb up, but the metal was smooth, and he couldn't manage it.
"Ink Orchid, wait a moment."
Dragon Cypress turned, ran back to the nest chamber, and returned carrying the Dominating Throne.
Standing on the Throne, he positioned it level with the pot's lid and reached out both claws simultaneously to press the catches on the inside of the clasp.
CLICK!
A crisp metallic click sounded as the mechanism engaged, and the lid popped up slightly.
"Primordial Energy Metal from human civilizations never corrodes!" Dragon Cypress marveled. "Artifacts made from it can be passed down through generations. Melde has one of these Ice-Fire Water-Making Pots. According to Melde, by the time it inherited the pot, it was the eighth generation of its family to do so."
Flapping his Pulse Wings, he took off, grasped the clasp, pulled open the lid, and peered inside the pot.
It was empty, but very clean.
Dragon Cypress then put the lid back on.
"Ink Orchid, press down on the lid."
"Alright." Ink Orchid raised its foreleg and gently pressed down.
CLICK!
Another crisp metallic click sounded.
"Alright!" Dragon Cypress said. "Pressing these two catches simultaneously opens the lid. And a light press downwards closes it."
Dragon Cypress explained, grasping the clasp. He flapped his Pulse Wings and tugged to ensure it was securely locked.
Dragon Cypress pointed at the body of the pot and said, "Ink Orchid, place your claw on it and try to channel your Origin Force into it."
"Okay!" Ink Orchid complied.
At the pot's opening, a blue light appeared. It spread along the rim, quickly forming a blue halo, and then faded.
"Ink Orchid, stop! That's enough!" Dragon Cypress called out. Standing on the Throne, he raised both claws and pressed the catches. CLICK! The lid jumped up slightly as the mechanism loosened.
Flapping his Pulse Wings, he grabbed the clasp, opened the lid, and looked inside the pot once more.
A full pot of clear water!
"The water-making function isn't broken! It works!" Dragon Cypress exclaimed in delight.
"WOW!" Ink Orchid hopped around excitedly.
"Now let's test the hot water function!" Dragon Cypress put the lid back on again.
"Ink Orchid, press down the lid."
"Alright!" Ink Orchid did as told.
Dragon Cypress stood firmly on the Throne. He tapped a button with a red pattern on the side of the lid once and explained, "This button is for hot water. After pressing it, channel your Primordial Energy into the pot again, and it will heat the water. It will automatically spring back when finished. Ink Orchid, give it a try."
Ink Orchid raised a foreleg, placed it on the body of the pot, and channeled in Primordial Energy. Very soon, with a BEEP, the red-patterned button sprang back.
Dragon Cypress once again opened the lid, and steam rose up.