Astral Cockroach

In business and trade, emotional bonds are often more valuable than those based on profit.

Banbu's refusal to sell the bamboo fruit produced from the Divine Bamboo Seed to Yuzhu, instead reserving it for the Chonglou Merchant Company that had supported him, actually earned him Yuzhu's trust.

Yuzhu also planned to emulate the Chonglou Merchant Company by supporting Banbu and securing the purchasing rights for the Bloodthorn Divine Seed, aiming for a large share, preferably a monopoly.

"Fuling, fetch a bag of large raw stones and give it to Mountain Lord Banbu," Yuzhu instructed the Flame Spider warrior on its back.

"A bag?" Fuling doubted it had heard correctly.

Yuzhu affirmed, "A bag!"

"Oh." Fuling laboriously dragged down the spider silk bag filled with raw stones and handed it to Banbu.

Banbu opened the bag, which contained 99 raw stones. Adding the one he had used previously, it totaled 100, equivalent to 10,000 raw stones.

"Young insects are easily impulsive and gullible!" Banbu secretly gloated.

Yuzhu had not yet become a Mountain Lord, its income derived from profit sharing by following Princess Huangjing's trading expeditions. 10,000 raw stones were probably the majority of its savings.

Banbu glanced at the Flame Spider warrior named Fuling.

This fellow was a little miser! The spider silk bag was filled to exactly 100 raw stones, but after Yuzhu used one, it deliberately refused to replenish the missing stone.

Of course, that raw stone was used on the Bloodthorn Divine Seed, so Banbu had no complaints.

Yuzhu appeared much more generous, continuing to instruct, "Mountain Lord Banbu's territory revenue increases year by year, and you'll need a lot of spider silk bags. Fuling, Qingxiang, both of you stop lazing around and weave two spares for Mountain Lord Banbu."

"Thank you in advance!" Spider silk bags were valuable, the more the better. Banbu first expressed gratitude, then asked, "Yuzhu, is this an advance payment? Isn't it too much?"

"No, not at all." Yuzhu said, "Mountain Lord Banbu, the strengthening effect of the Bloodthorn Divine Seed is special, applicable to any race, and predictably in high demand. My request isn't high, I hope that in the future, you can sell one-third of the thorn fruit produced to our merchant company."

Banbu said, "The specific share needs to be determined based on production, but I can guarantee that the thorn fruit available for sale will prioritize your merchant company. Similar to the Chonglou Merchant Company, if your one merchant company can't handle it all, I'll consider other merchant companies."

Yuzhu assessed the scale of the Bloodthorn vines and happily said, "A sincere arrangement, Banbu, we're not just friends, but also the best trading partners."

Banbu asked, "How are these 10,000 raw stones accounted for? An advance payment?"

Yuzhu said, "An advance payment! Next year's transaction will be priced based on the quantity and quality of the thorn fruit, with refunds or additional payments as needed."

Yuzhu added, "Feel free to use the raw stones, you don't need to return them under any circumstances. Next year, I'll still have to pay you an advance, won't I? Mountain Lord Banbu, with four Divine Seeds, you'll only get richer year by year."

"Indeed."

Banbu said to Fengling, "Fengling, please go up the mountain and have Big Head send a batch of soldier ants down the mountain to cut raw stones to replenish the primal force for the Bloodthorn Divine Seed."

"Okay!" Fengling flapped its wings and took flight.

Banbu and Yuzhu started chatting.

Yuzhu said, "Most ant species are naturally warlike, but Big Head the Harvester Ant is a rare exception. Using them to work and manage the territory is a very good choice."

Banbu agreed, "With three Divine Seeds, watering and fertilizing them every day is busy enough. Fortunately, I have them to help."

Yuzhu's heart stirred, and it asked, "Mountain Lord Banbu, have you considered redeeming some of your clan from the Myriad Races Continent?"

Banbu said, "I've considered it, but I haven't decided yet. I plan to redeem one first, see how it goes, and then decide."

Redeeming a Red Roach tribe warrior wasn't expensive in terms of raw stones for Banbu, but Banbu had other concerns.

Fengling was redeemed from the Myriad Kingdoms Continent by Mountain Lord Tiedao. Early on, it exhibited more than just personality and temperament issues; strictly speaking, it had a mental illness.

It was said that the Red Roach tribe warriors redeemed from the Myriad Kingdoms Continent all had similar problems to varying degrees. Generally speaking, only County Lords and Roach Kings with a large insect population base would consider redeeming their fellow warriors from the Myriad Kingdoms Continent.

Banbu had seriously considered it and had plans to try it out, but he didn't dare to redeem a large number. If he brought back a bunch of lunatics, he would only be asking for trouble.

Yuzhu immediately said, "Mountain Lord Banbu, then when I come next year, I'll bring you an excellent Red Roach warrior!"

Banbu hesitated for a moment and agreed, "Alright!"

… …

Big Bear dragged Big Head, trotting down the mountain surrounded by the ant swarm.

Banbu instructed them to start working immediately.

The ant swarm dispersed, precisely scattering the raw stone powder at the root locations of the Bloodthorn Divine Seed, ensuring efficient utilization of the emitted primal force.

Banbu also stayed at the foot of the mountain, continuing to observe.

For the first five days, 500 raw stones were used each day.

As Yuzhu said, the primal force aura emitted by the Bloodthorn Divine Seed steadily increased every day.

After five days, it reached the level of medium quality. Investing 500 raw stones each day no longer resulted in such obvious aura growth.

The weather was suitable, with plenty of sunshine in the late spring season, and the development of the bramble branches was exceptionally lush, with the overall scale increasing every day, a promising trend.

The more lush the branches and leaves, the greater the demand for raw stones.

Moreover, it was very obvious that the quality growth of a shrub Divine Seed required much more primal force than a herbaceous plant Divine Seed.

The Bloodthorn Divine Seed was like a bottomless pit.

In just 10 days of experimentation, only 5,000 raw stones remained out of the initial 10,000, yet the quality only stopped at lower-middle grade.

Banbu changed his thinking, choosing a long-term approach, investing only 100 raw stones each day.

Yuzhu was satisfied to confirm that the Bloodthorn Seed could reach medium quality.

Medium quality was certainly not the upper limit of growth, it might even be a high-quality Divine Seed.

Yuzhu did want to try, but unfortunately, it was only an advanced warrior, not yet independent from Princess Huangjing's merchant company, and had only accumulated a capital of 15,000 raw stones. During this time, with Banbu's introduction, Yuzhu and Mountain Lord Tiedao also reached a transaction intention for the Snake Vine Bean Fruit, paying an advance of 2,000 raw stones.

It had made a significant investment in Banbu.

Estimating that Chonglou's merchant company would arrive soon, it hurriedly bid farewell and left, heading straight for Chijian County.

… …

The day after the Yuzhu Merchant Company left, Chonglou's merchant company arrived late.

"Is Mountain Lord Banbu of Lizhu Peak present?" As soon as he approached the mountain range, Chonglou stirred his mental power to announce his arrival.

"Yes! Mountain Lord Chonglou, please come up the mountain." The Bloodthorn surrounding the foot of the mountain was troublesome, leaving only one entrance, still facing north towards the Tiedao Mountain Range. Banbu took off, descending the mountain to welcome him and lead the way.

Before Banbu could get close, a small cockroach warrior with black and white carapace and a crimson head flew up from Chonglou's merchant company, constantly turning its head, curiously looking at Banbu and the Lizhu Peak ahead.

Banbu was puzzled.

The small cockroach warrior suddenly exclaimed, "Wow! Chonglou, you were right, Mountain Lord Banbu is so dark!"

"… …" Banbu landed, asking in confusion, "Chonglou, which cockroach tribe does this warrior belong to?"

Before Chonglou could answer, the small cockroach warrior rushed to shout, "I have the blood of both the Red Roach and the Black and White Roach tribes, Mountain Lord Banbu, look, I'm almost the same as you."

How were they almost the same? I'm a pure-blooded Red Roach tribe member, okay?

Banbu carefully scrutinized it, and through primal force fluctuations, roughly judged that this little guy was a 5th instar junior warrior, a hybrid, with genes superior to both the Red Roach and the Black and White Roach, considered sturdy in size among its peers.

Following the merchant company, it probably came from the Myriad Kingdoms Continent, only there could hybrid roach warriors appear.