Astral Cockroach

Bloodthorn fruits have different strengthening effects in their cores and flesh, requiring both to be consumed together for the full benefit; neither can be omitted.

The outer flesh is fresh and delicate, making storage a significant challenge.

Using a Force-powered food storage container, I employed earth-stone abilities to re-coagulate and create high-strength raw stone partitions.

Divided into 4 layers, with twenty-five fruits per layer, fresh fruits were encased in amber fruit juice for preservation, with each container holding exactly 100 fruits, and 30 containers constituting a full batch.

Of the initial batch of 33, Lizhu County consumed 25 internally, retaining 8 for sale to the 8 merchant caravans with long-term, stable trade relations with Lizhu County.

In future batches, each caravan will have a fixed allocation of 2, which will become their capital for trade with other affluent counties.

Lizhu Peak's selling price to caravans is set at 1.2 million raw stones per batch, with a uniform selling price of 1.5 million raw stones, leaving a 300,000 raw stone profit margin for the caravans.

… …

It was the end of spring once again, and Hongdao completed the statistical work and began reporting to Banbu.

"Banbu, the number of warriors in our Lizhu County has finally exceeded 1,000."

"Mm, not bad." Banbu asked, "What about Chijian County and Chuirong County? Has news arrived?"

"Chijian County's warrior count is about to exceed 2,000. Chuirong County is developing rapidly, already reaching 1,500."

"So fast, the Chuirong County Lord is indeed capable." Banbu commented before continuing, "What about the four major mountain ranges of Huangyang, Qinggang, Hongju, and Tiedao?"

"Huangyang Mountain's warrior count has exceeded 1,000, and Hongju Mountain's count is around 800. The Huangyang County Lord intends to merge with Hongju Mountain and be promoted to a county, but the Chijian Roach King refuses to agree."

"Both mountain ranges are destitute. What's the point of being promoted to a county in these times? If they ask, tell them I don't agree either."

"Understood." Hongdao continued reporting, saying, "Tiedao Mountain's warrior count is also around 800, and Qinggang Mountain's count is about to reach 1,000."

"And then there's Da'an Mountain, with a warrior count of 30, arranged in a circular settlement as per your and the Chijian Roach King's instructions. However, the Tiedao County Lord still intends to support Da'an Mountain's development."

"Senile!" Banbu flicked his antennae, helplessly saying, "Forget it, the Tiedao County Lord is an elder, after all. If he likes to mess around, let him. It's not a big deal."

At night, the number of stars in the sky began to decrease, signifying that the prosperous era was about to pass, and the race's development was beginning to decline.

The Chijian Roach King understood the significance of this, so every year, the various counties and mountain ranges of the Chilian Tribe had to report their warrior counts and the number of newly blessed seeds.

Banbu was now also a Roach King, and he not only had to handle the affairs of Lizhu County, but also had to inquire about the important matters of other counties and mountain ranges, thus shouldering the responsibility for the race's development.

"Banbu, we're lucky this year. A red oak blessed seed was born in the Qinggang Tree Sea, enhancing basic physique. The specifics are currently unclear."

"In addition, a blessed seed was also born in the Tortoise Shell Vine Garden of Tortoise Shell Peak…" Hongdao said, somewhat troubled, adding:

"I mean to give it to Huitao to nurture into a life seed. The Tortoise Shell Tendon Vine isn't happy about it. It wants to keep it and directly sow it, cultivating a wild blessed seed, saying it's leaving a little survival foundation for the future generations of Tortoise Shell Peak."

"What's so good about sowing Tortoise Shell Vine? Can it guarantee a smooth second metamorphosis?" Banbu said, "Hongdao, your arrangement is correct. I'll talk to the Tortoise Shell Tendon Vine."

Banbu then asked, "What do you think is the best way to handle the newly born red oak blessed seed?"

Hongdao replied, "Qinggang is sensible and has already discussed it with the small warrior in charge of the territory, compensating 1 million raw stones, a serving of nine-leaf red lotus seeds, a serving of bloodthorn seeds, a serving of giant dragon bamboo fruit, and a serving of Da Sheng bamboo fruit to help it advance to County Lord. The seed will be sent to Lizhu Peak for direct sowing."

"High-quality trees like the red oak are worth our careful cultivation. With a little luck, they can bring Lizhu County a stable income that's no less than a wild cliff cypress blessed seed in the future."

"Not bad, a sensible little fellow. Next time we exchange with Chiwu Mountain, we can add a serving of fire scale pine seeds for it. When exchanging with Wutong County and Changsheng County, exchange a serving of red crown pear and a serving of fire oil tung, but no giant dragon bamboo fruit," Banbu finished, then paused and explained:

"Some warriors are good at treasure hunting, and some are good at managing territories. Warriors who are good at managing territories shouldn't be sent out to hunt for treasures; they should stay in the tree sea and focus on management."

"Understood." Hongdao thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll go over later and have a good talk with that little fellow."

Banbu said, "Then we'll go together. I'll also take a trip to Tortoise Shell Peak."

… …

Currently, in the Western Region of Dragon Bamboo Continent and the Eastern Region of Crown Pear Continent, a total of 8 varieties of Tortoise Shell Vine have been found.

Among them, the largest diameter of the rhizomes ranges from 0.3 to 0.6 meters, and the probability of naturally giving birth to a blessed seed is not high. To be precise, no blessed seed has ever been born to date.

Only the variety named "Great Tortoise Shell Vine" by Banbu is special, with rhizome diameters exceeding 5 meters. Its growth rate is even slower than that of trees. The earliest batch planted took a hundred years to barely reach 5 meters in diameter. After reaching this scale, the growth rate became extremely slow, but there were no signs of aging.

This unique vine plant seems to have a lifespan as long as that of trees.

The Great Tortoise Shell Vine blessed seed that was first nurtured into a life seed by the Tortoise Shell Tendon Vine is growing slightly faster. Currently, corresponding to County Lord level strength, it has completed two metamorphosis growths, with a rhizome diameter reaching an unbelievable 22 meters. The vines spread over 400 meters, a vast scale with considerable output.

With the expansion of the Tortoise Shell Vine Garden completed and the planted plants growing, the warriors in charge gradually figured out the correct cultivation methods, and growth is good, naturally giving birth to a blessed seed every two or three years on average.

Banbu approached the Tortoise Shell Tendon Vine mainly to check the terrain and arrange for the planting garden to continue expanding into a tree sea. Secondly, it was about the distribution of the soon-to-be-born blessed seed.

Shancha was raised by Banbu personally and can be considered a half-direct junior. Huitao was born in Shancha's territory and can be considered related by blood, and in recent years, she has performed well following Banbu in excavating underground ruins in the Chijian Continent, so she should indeed be rewarded.

Most ⊥ New ⊥ Small ⊥ Say ⊥ At ⊥ Six ⊥ 9 ⊥ ⊥ Book ⊥ ⊥ Bar ⊥ ⊥ First ⊥ Issued!

After dealing with the affairs of Tortoise Shell Peak, Banbu went to Cloud Mist Peak to inspect.

As expected, the Wedge Thorn Ant King advanced to County Lord. With the assistance of Red Flower to share the command pressure, she not only guarded the fortress but also managed the Cherry Tree Sea. A large number of sub-nests were branched out to settle on the various peaks of the original Jinping Mountain Range, helping to defend the territory and also helping with some simple tasks.

The number of warriors in Lizhu County exceeded a thousand, with nine hundred residing in the Jinping Mountain Range, but the number of warriors in the Jinping Mountain Range in charge of Bluebell was only one hundred, which was slightly weak.

Continued development should mainly expand the strength on the Jinping Mountain Range side.

Secondly, along the mountain range, develop to the southwest of Lizhu Peak to further consolidate the rule at the southwest end of the Jinping Mountain Range, thereby strengthening the security of Lizhu Peak.

… …

Each peak manages itself, with the mountain lord handling ordinary affairs.

Hongdao handles big matters.

Only exceptionally big matters are personally handled by Banbu. Usually, he only spends half a month each year in late spring and early summer, walking around and inspecting.

Time flies, grass and trees wither and flourish, and life waxes and wanes in cycles.

In Banbu's 154th year, the life of Wind Chime, who was the first to settle in Lizhu Peak with Banbu, came to an end.

According to insect tribe tradition, its direct junior, Dragon Bamboo, released fire abilities to burn it, and the ashes were scattered in the mountains of Lizhu Peak.

These were heavy years, with Cliff Cypress, Yuntao, and Hulei, who helped Banbu the most in the early days, passing away one after another.

Of the older generation of warriors in Tiedao Mountain when Banbu was born, only the Tiedao County Lord, Flame Cluster Cogongrass, Putao, Lizhu, and Heisang remain.

Including Tiehua, who was born later and was about the same size as Hongmi. When she was young, she played in Lizhu Peak and even fought with Hongmi. Unfortunately, she never found a blessed seed, and her strength stopped at the Mountain Lord level. Entering old age, her life is not long.

Putao and Lizhu were lucky enough to find blessed seeds and successfully advanced to County Lord with Banbu's help, both overtly and covertly.

Time is cruel, ruthless, and unstoppable.

In a few more years, the warriors born in Lizhu County in the early days, those whose growth stopped at the Mountain Lord level, will also enter old age one after another.