Astral Cockroach

Just as Banbu approached the collapsed mine, he spotted Mazhu hiding in the bushes, looking around with a curious, peering gaze.

"Mazhu, were you looking for me?"

Mazhu waved his paws, greeting him enthusiastically, "Banbu, you've arrived."

Banbu quickened his pace and asked, "Yes, I've come to say goodbye to you all."

Mazhu inquired, "Banbu, Heisang said you're leaving today?"

Banbu replied, "That's right."

Mazhu asked, "Is it a very faraway place?"

Banbu answered, "Very far."

Mazhu questioned, "Heisang said you'll be back next autumn?"

Banbu confirmed, "Yes, in the late autumn season next year."

Mazhu continued to probe, "Do you want us to go to even more distant places to help you find rare bamboo species?"

Banbu said, "Yes, if you find any, I will reward you with a batch of Primordial Force food. Mazhu, in these past few days, Heisang has taught you to recognize various bamboo species, right?"

Mazhu responded, "They were all common bamboo species."

Banbu explained, "Aside from those common species, the rest are rare species that I need."

"Understood!" Mazhu asked, "Banbu, Heisang said you occupy a mountain range all by yourself, and your territory is even larger than the Sheep Hoof Mountain Range?"

Banbu confirmed, "That's right."

Mazhu inquired, "Do you have many bamboo plants in your territory?"

Mazhu was asking a few too many questions.

Banbu felt strange, his heart stirred, and he answered truthfully, "Not many at the moment, but I will expand the planting on a large scale in the future, developing it into a bamboo forest like the Sheep Hoof Mountain Range."

Mazhu asked, "Are the fruits condensed from God-given seeds delicious?"

Banbu replied, "The taste isn't necessarily delicious, but it's certain that the fruits of God-given seeds are beneficial for rapid growth."

Mazhu asked, "Banbu, do you possess three God-given seeds?"

Banbu clarified, "To be precise, it's two, because one is still wild and hasn't been nurtured into a Life Seed through a Life Sac."

Mazhu said, "Banbu, our Great King wants to see you."

"Great King?" Banbu asked in confusion, but his heart was enlightened.

As expected, the so-called Great King should be the bamboo rat warrior whose fur had completely turned black, as Baizhu had mentioned.

Banbu originally thought it would continue to hide behind the scenes, waiting at least until next year to make contact again, confirming there was no danger before showing its face. He didn't expect it to be unable to restrain itself so quickly.

Mazhu said, "The Great King is the largest bamboo rat warrior in Bishi Ridge. It has lived for many years and has been to many places. In fact, it has known about your Red Ant Tribe for a long time, knows about Life Seeds, knows about Primordial Force food, and even knows about God-given seeds."

Banbu said, "Heh, it knows quite a lot. That's interesting. Mazhu, take me there."

...

Ordinary bamboo rats fear light.

Bamboo rat warriors who have evolved into Primordial Force beings are no longer afraid of strong light, but they still prefer dark environments and like to be active at night.

Mazhu led Banbu into a wide mine tunnel.

Below should be an abandoned mine vein. One could imagine that a large number of Primal Stones had once been transported out along this mine tunnel.

The main mine tunnel branched out into countless forks, intricate and complex, remnants of mining operations.

Following the main mine tunnel, winding downwards, they eventually reached the depths of the earth.

A spacious and warm cave, the ground covered with various gravel, all low-quality ore.

In the center of the cave, two walnut-sized, orange eyes emitted a dim glow.

Lying on the ground was a giant rat, its body length exceeding 300, its fur dark, glossy, and shiny. The claws of its two front limbs had evolved into slender, sharp claws similar to those of a clouded leopard, and its four incisors emitted a faint silvery-white cold light.

This was a bamboo rat warrior who had broken through the limits and evolved to be equivalent to a high-level warrior!

Sharp claws and teeth, a physique that appeared stout but was actually agile. Its combat power should not be much worse than the L1 high-level warriors of the Red Ant Tribe.

"Banbu, hello!"

"You know me?"

"I've been watching you for a long time."

"Oh?" Banbu wiggled his antennae and asked, "I still don't know what to call you?"

"Do all of you in the Red Ant Tribe have names?"

"Intelligent beings should all have names, but there's no need to be too concerned. It's just a code name for convenience."

"Then my name will be Rat Great King."

"Rat Great King? Isn't that a bit flamboyant?"

"Banbu, I strongly agree with your words. A name is just a code name for convenience."

The language logic, expression, tone, and all aspects showed that this giant bamboo rat warrior had lived for a long time and had rich experience and knowledge.

The key was that its mind had matured.

Banbu dared not underestimate such an intelligent life. He nodded his antennae and said, "Then I will call you Rat Great King."

"Rat Great King, you have been indirectly inquiring about my news through Mazhu, asking Heisang?"

Rat Great King said truthfully, "It's not just you, but also the high-level Red Ant Tribe warrior who is with you. His name is Lizhu, right?"

Banbu said, "That's right, Lizhu."

Rat Great King said, "Lizhu and Heisang both belong to the Iron Saber Mountain Range, and everything there is decided by the Iron Saber Mountain Lord."

Banbu said, "That's right."

Rat Great King said, "You belong to the Jinping Mountain Range, but you are only a mid-level warrior now… I would like to know, in the future, will the Jinping Mountain Range be ruled by you?"

Banbu said, "When I become a high-level warrior, I will be the ruling Mountain Lord of the Jinping Mountain Range. When I advance to Mountain Lord, then it will be truly deserved, and I will officially receive the 'Mountain Lord' title."

Banbu had been speculating on Rat Great King's intentions. At this moment, he finally had a clue and asked, "You don't want to migrate to my Jinping Mountain Range to live, do you?"

"Heisang didn't lie. You are favored by the True God of Nature and are born extremely intelligent." Rat Great King praised him, then frankly said, "We do want to move to your Jinping Mountain Range to live."

Banbu asked, "And what else?"

Rat Great King didn't answer, but instead asked, "Banbu, bamboo rat warriors can live longer by continuously growing, right?"

Banbu said, "That's right."

Rat Great King said, "I have grown by eating Primal Stones and have lived for many years, witnessing several bamboo rat warriors aging… dying… I am very afraid that such a thing will happen to me one day."

"Now, eating Primal Stones can no longer help me continue to grow. Only the Primordial Force food produced by you Red Ant Tribe warriors is effective."

Rat Great King was now equivalent to a high-level warrior, and didn't understand cultivation methods. Simply absorbing the ordinary Primordial Force contained in Primal Stones was indeed difficult to improve.

Banbu said, "In fact, the Primordial Force food produced by our Red Ant Tribe is also very limited, and we can hardly even be self-sufficient."

Rat Great King didn't answer directly, but said leisurely, "The last Primal Stones that could be found in Bishi Ridge have all been eaten by us, leaving only these low-quality Primal Stones. I spent about three years searching the bamboo forest of the Sheep Hoof Mountain Range, and even the mountains beyond the bamboo forest, but I couldn't find any new Primal Stone mines. If there are no Primal Stones to eat, Mazhu and the others will never grow up…"

"Banbu, I heard that the territory under your jurisdiction in the Jinping Mountain Range is very large, larger than the Sheep Hoof Mountain Range, and the terrain is complex. Don't you want to know if your territory contains Primal Stone mines?"

Rat Great King directly stated his intention, "Banbu, I think we can cooperate."