Astral Gods

Chapter 145 Boundary Canyon

Lord Zishan and Lord Zili arrived together at the location of the divinely bestowed seed of the Purple Trumpet Tree.

The location where the Purple Trumpet Tree, a divine gift, was found by the Lord of Qingyu Mountain, is a pest-free zone on the edge of the territory of the Rhinoceros Tortoise Tribe.

Some insects may wonder why most of the divinely bestowed seeds they find are in insect-free areas.

This is not hard to understand. Take the three yew brothers as an example; their combined territory covers 15 square kilometers.

In these lands, mulberry trees are the main crop, supplemented by other legumes. Every spring, the weeds and shrubs that grow in the territory are quickly cleared away.

In this situation, most weeds don't even have the chance to flower, so how could they possibly give birth to a divinely bestowed seed?

However, it cannot be said that they did anything wrong. Clearing weeds from the territory, providing nutrients and sunlight to the main plants planted in the territory, and increasing the chances of mulberry trees giving birth to divine seeds are the main choices for most Zerg warriors.

After all, the value of obtaining just one divinely bestowed mulberry seed is equivalent to that of ten or so divinely bestowed weed seeds.

If we really want to abandon the essential for the trivial and leave weeds in the territory to increase the chances of the birth of God-given seeds, then what's the point of managing the territory at all?

Wouldn't it be more likely to obtain a divine seed if the territory were left to lie fallow and overgrown with weeds?

When Zishan and Lord Zili arrived, Zishan saw that in addition to Lord Qingyu Mountain guarding the place, Lord Qingmang was also guarding the place, protecting the unripe divine seed.

The two landed in a temporarily cleared area and then walked towards the location of the Purple Trumpet Tree's divinely bestowed seed.

Lord Zili handed the spider silk bag containing the divinely bestowed gem pomegranate to Lord Qingyu Mountain, and explained to him the effects, uses, and value of this divinely bestowed fruit.

The tribe pays for the raw stones used to purchase the divinely bestowed gem pomegranate, but the debt will be recorded under the name of the Lord of Qingyu Mountain. He will repay the debt with divinely bestowed primal force food produced from the divinely bestowed seeds of the Purple Windbell Tree after he is promoted to the lord level.

Without the slightest hesitation, the Lord of Qingyu Mountain agreed to this request.

Based on its original age, although it still has the potential to evolve, it is basically out of the question to reach the lord level.

The fact that the tribe is now directly providing it with various kinds of primal energy food is already a huge benefit.

Putting aside everything else, the fact that a lord-level character can extend their lifespan by two or three hundred years is an unparalleled benefit.

Not to mention that resources within the tribe do not incur interest, and the resources spent by mountain lords and lords are on completely different levels.

Once it advances to the lord level, the Purple Trumpet Tree God-given Seeds will surely produce a considerable amount each year. Perhaps it will be able to pay off its debts in just a few years. How could it refuse such a sure-fire way to make money?

While Lord Zili and Lord Qingyu were talking, Zishan followed by him, sending out his spiritual energy to scan the surroundings.

It sensed the faint primal force fluctuations of the divinely bestowed seed on the purple trumpet tree from hundreds of meters away in the air.

It is said that when the Lord of Qingyu Mountain found it more than half a month ago, it was just a flower bud. Now, perhaps because the Lord of Qingyu Mountain and others replenished their primal force to accelerate the growth of the flower, what Zishan saw at this moment was a single fruit, only the size of a soybean, hanging on a seven or eight-meter-tall purple trumpet tree, emitting a faint fluctuation of primal force.

Next, Zishan looked at her current location. The Rhinoceros Tortoise tribe occupied a large area of ​​land in the southeastern part of Elephant Banana Island, and the tribe's main operations were concentrated in the southeast.

Their current location is the westernmost part of the Rhinoceros Beetle tribe's territory, and there is another Zerg warrior tribe not far away.

A two-kilometer-long insect-free zone separates the two tribes as a buffer zone to prevent conflicts between them over territory.

The Rhinoceros Beetle tribe used to pay quite a bit of attention to this area, but as the tribe focused its efforts on Sang Island in the Thousand Star Islands, this region gradually stopped receiving their special attention.

After all, their tribe is already preparing to migrate to Sang Island, so they naturally won't spend too much energy here. Only during the flowering season each year will the Zerg warriors who stay behind in their tribe's territory come here for a stroll.

Unexpectedly, their casual wanderings actually led them to find highly valuable divinely bestowed seeds.

After observing for a while, Zishan asked a crucial question: "Lord of Qingyu Mountain, Lord Qingmang, how long does it take for the divinely bestowed seeds of the Purple Trumpet Tree on the tree to mature?"

The fruit of the common purple trumpet tree matures in two or three months, but the divinely bestowed seed is more difficult to grow, after all, it increases the demand for natural forces.

But with the Lord of Qingyu Mountain and the others here, they certainly wouldn't stand idly by and watch the divinely bestowed seed of the Purple Bellflower Tree grow when the original force is insufficient.

After thinking for a moment, the owner of Qingyu Mountain gave a rather vague approximate timeframe: "The purple trumpet trees that originally grew here had to compete with other trees for root nutrients, soil fertility, and sunlight, so their growth rate was relatively slow."

During this period, I cleared away all the weeds and shrubs around it, increasing its exposure to sunlight. I also applied a lot of humus and marsh water under the purple trumpet tree, which greatly increased its growth rate.

Furthermore, the purple trumpet tree is a small tree with only one fruit per tree, so there's not much pressure from fruiting. I estimate it will ripen around July or August.

"That's not bad."

The seeds bestowed by God are not yet mature. Every day they remain hanging on the tree increases the risk of them dying. Naturally, they want the seeds to mature as soon as possible.

Zishan once again used her mental power to scan the surroundings. It was the end of February, and the mountains and forests had long lost the lush and colorful appearance of mid-spring. Most of the trees had a few withered flowers hanging on their branches, and most of the petals had already fallen to the ground and turned into nutrients.

Instead, there are unripe fruits everywhere among the branches of the trees, and various flowers, grasses, trees and shrubs are covered with fruits of different sizes and shapes.

Zishan withdrew her mental focus, turned to look at Lord Zili beside her, and asked, "Lord Zili, what about the surrounding mountains?"

Has the forest been thoroughly searched? Are there still any divinely granted seeds remaining? We must not overlook any.

Lord Zili's tentacles swayed gently from side to side: "The surrounding mountains, forests, and valleys have all been searched by the Rhinoceros Tortoise Warriors and the Silk Horned Red Firefly Warriors. Even if some Divine Seeds were missed, there's nothing we can do about it."

"That's true," Zishan replied softly, her tone tinged with a hint of helplessness.

It knew in its heart that although the Zerg warriors had been searching for the God-given Seeds very diligently, the God-given Seeds were inherently hidden and difficult to find, and it was normal for some to be missed in time.

These divinely bestowed seeds, once the fruit ripens naturally, will fall from the branches and quietly take root and sprout in the soil, growing into wild divinely bestowed seeds.

Among the Zerg tribes, the vast majority of wild God-given Seeds were discovered by chance by later tribal warriors.

After all, apart from those large tribes with deep foundations who have the extra energy and resources to cultivate the God-given Seeds, among the various insectoid tribes, few warriors would be willing to actively sow the precious God-given Seeds and let them grow into wild God-given Seeds.

For most small tribes and Zerg warriors, the tribe's immediate survival is the most important thing. They can hardly take care of their immediate livelihood and resources, so where would they have the extra energy to care about the tribe's distant future development?

Not to mention that some of the divinely bestowed seeds may be ravaged by wind and rain during the flowering season, attacked by insects and ants during the fruiting season, or die suddenly just as the fruit is about to ripen. The Zerg warriors have no way of knowing these situations.

After all, a divinely bestowed seed that dies prematurely leaves no trace of its existence.

After a moment of silence, Zishan suddenly raised her sharp claws, pointed to a misty canyon not far away, and asked again, "Lord Zili, have any Zerg warriors searched that canyon over there?"

Lord Zili looked in the direction pointed out by the yew claws. The canyon was magnificent and spectacular, with huge cracks in the mountain that twisted and crisscrossed, like a huge wound torn open in the earth.

This canyon is extremely large, with its widest point reaching five or six kilometers and its narrowest point still about one kilometer. Its overall length is also unfathomable, stretching for tens of kilometers and cutting across the entire mountain forest, becoming a natural boundary marker.

A stream flows gently through the canyon, and the mist rising from it permeates the entire canyon.

With this deep canyon as a clear boundary, the western side of the canyon is the territory of the Silk Horned Red Firefly tribe, while the eastern side is the territory of the Rhinoceros Golden Turtle tribe.

When dividing territories in Zerg society, there have always been clear rules. Most tribes choose highly recognizable mountains, valleys, and rivers as landmarks to clearly delineate the boundaries of their respective territories.

This not only prevents Zerg warriors from other tribes from accidentally and recklessly intruding, but also reduces unnecessary conflicts arising from territorial and resource disputes at the source, maintaining a delicate balance among the various Zerg tribes.

The Silk Horned Red Firefly tribe and the Rhinoceros Golden Turtle tribe used this naturally formed, massive canyon as a boundary to divide their respective territories, and they had lived in peace for many years.

"That canyon is shrouded in mist year-round, and serves as the boundary between the two tribes, where tribal warriors usually keep watch over each other."

Guarding their territory at the edge of the canyon, Zerg warriors also search for the God-given Seeds in the canyon every year.

For hundreds of years, the Rhinoceros Tortoise tribe had not found the Divine Seed in the canyon, but the insectoid warriors of the Silkhorn Red Firefly tribe had found a Brahmins seed in the canyon!

Lord Zili made his meaning very clear: there are few places on this island that have not been searched by Zerg warriors. If you want to find places that Zerg warriors have not searched at this time of year, it is almost impossible, unless you are very capable and can find plants that other Zerg warriors have already searched.

The yew tree had only asked casually, but upon hearing Lord Purple Plum's words, it became interested: "Can I go over and play?"

Lord Zili originally wanted to refuse, but then he thought that Zishan was already a fourth-age advanced warrior and had awakened strength and metal talents.

Even if it couldn't defeat a regular mountain lord-level warrior, it could still protect itself. After thinking for a moment, it said, "Then you have to be careful. The canyon terrain is a bit rugged, and it's hard to guarantee that there aren't any beastmen hiding in it."

Some sea monster warriors even sneak into some islands to steal the life-sustaining fruits of the insectoid warriors. You must be vigilant.

"good!"

Having received Lord Zili's permission, Zishan immediately flew happily towards the deep canyon.

It didn't actually go into the canyon hoping to find some divinely bestowed seed; it had rashly run out to play, and...

After arriving, he inevitably received a scolding from Zi Huai and Zi Ai.

Now, take a stroll through the canyon, and you can tell Zihuai and the others that you heard from Lord Zili that there is a dividing canyon here, and that you came here to search for the divine seed. In that case, Zihuai and Ziai won't be able to say anything.

The closer you get to the canyon, the thicker the fog becomes.

The white mist, carrying the smell of decaying vegetation and damp earth, blocked visibility to within ten meters, leaving only blurry black shadows beyond a hundred meters.

The streams in the canyon flow freely, sometimes fast and sometimes slow, creating a melodious, tinkling sound.

The rock walls on both sides are steep and sheer, covered with ravines and moss of varying depths. Occasionally, a few vines entwined with moss hang down from the slippery rock walls, swaying gently in the wind, like tentacles lurking in the shadows.

Beneath our feet are scattered rocks and dense ferns, layer upon layer, almost obscuring the ground. Fortunately, they can fly in the air and are not disturbed by the ground environment.

Zishan deliberately slowed down its flight speed, and its mental energy quietly spread out again, carefully exploring its surroundings.

It knew in its heart that although it said it came to "have some fun," it was actually looking for an excuse to avoid being scolded by Zihuai and Ziai, but it was not without any hope.

It flew slowly along the side of the canyon, avoiding the sharp rock edges, its mental focus sweeping over the crevices in the rock walls, the dense grass, and the thick tree roots.

According to Lord Zi Li, for hundreds of years, the canyon has been thoroughly searched by warriors from both tribes every year. The Rhinoceros Tortoise tribe has always found nothing, while the Silk Horned Red Firefly tribe has found a seed of the God-given Horsetail.

Zishan never expected to actually find the divinely bestowed seed; he merely casually released his spiritual energy to scan the area, using it as a mere excuse.

But its wings flapped involuntarily, and it flew deeper into the canyon.

The deeper you go, the thicker the fog becomes. This fog only dissipates at midday, and only some insect tribes that prefer to live in dark and damp places are suitable for living here.

Neither the Silk Horned Red Firefly Warriors nor the Rhinoceros Golden Turtle Warriors like dark and damp places, so it's no wonder that this place became the dividing line.

The canyon is not a flat surface, but rather presents a rugged, tapered shape, with its width and area decreasing as you go deeper.

The mist in the canyon clung to its membranous wings, making them appear heavier. The depths were far quieter than the edges, with even the usual chirping of insects and birds in the forest disappearing. Only the whistling of the wind through the cracks in the rock walls, the sound of water, and the soft flapping of its own membranous wings could be heard.

It landed on a blue stone several meters high, radiating its spiritual energy to scan the area at will. Although this was a canyon, its vast size meant that the fog would dissipate at midday, allowing sunlight to shine into the canyon.

As a result, many trees grow there. At a glance, the canyon is full of various messy shrubs and poorly growing trees. Occasionally, you can see trees that have grown to ten or twenty meters tall, but they are not growing well.

It understood that this was due to insufficient sunlight and the lack of Zerg warriors tending to it; it was truly a wasteland.

Zishan chuckled inwardly, realizing that she had wasted her time. If there were any overlooked divine seeds on the island, why would she have a chance to pick them up?

But we have to put on a show; we can't just come and go, can we?

For the rest of the time, it sent out its spiritual energy to explore the canyon haphazardly, resting on a blue stone or a branch when it got tired.

By noon, the fog gradually dissipated, and the canyon was bathed in rare sunlight, gradually clearing its view and field of vision.

It discovered that the temperature at the bottom of the canyon was five or six degrees higher than outside, which piqued its curiosity. It even put aside its search for the divinely bestowed seed and set out to investigate the reason for the canyon's high temperature.

Anyway, it doesn't lack divine seeds, so there's no need for it to search for them as tirelessly as other Zerg warriors. It's best if it has them, but it's not a pity if it doesn't.

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