Force Astral Plane: Starting with the Chimera Ants

Chapter 51: The Return of the Red Citron

On the old, yellowed ant silk cushion, a seven- or eight-centimeter-long ant suddenly stood up. With a cracking sound, a crack appeared in the exoskeleton on its back, revealing the pale yellow new shell underneath.

The newborn body wriggled as it emerged from under the old shell, stretching out its body, opening its membranous wings, and rapidly extending and stretching its tender yellow exoskeleton in the air, along with the muscles beneath it growing quickly.

The figure was Ye Zhi, who had just molted into a fourth-instar ant king. At this moment, he swayed and looked around at his newborn body, secretly satisfied.

It seems that the size increase in the first three years was just a side effect of repairing the chimera's body. In the fourth year of evolution, the size increase became smaller and eventually stopped at about twelve centimeters, and there was no more doubling of growth like before.

However, due to the divine gift of the Heavenly Blue Persimmon Seed, the newborn exoskeleton underwent a significant change. After being fixed, it transformed from its original yellowish-brown color to a light gold, appearing somewhat magnificent, yet still ferocious.

Its mandibles remain slender and long, resembling those of a cow ant. The sharp serrations on the inner edges become even sharper, forming large protrusions similar to the carnivorous vertebrate carnivorous tooth structure. The inner edges of the mandibles are jet black and sharp, smoothly transitioning to the pale gold base of the mandibles, making it appear even more ferocious.

The triangular skull completely converged towards a sloping trapezoid shape to accommodate more masseter muscles. At the same time, with the blessing of the divinely bestowed blue persimmon seeds, fine, longitudinally arranged folds and grooves grew on the exoskeleton of the head, acting as reinforcing ribs and making the exoskeleton thicker and heavier.

These fine, vertically arranged grooves grow in a regular pattern, which strengthens the exoskeleton's resilience and, like patterns engraved on bronze, makes the body appear even more luxurious.

Ye Zhi was extremely satisfied. He channeled his energy into his jaws and slid towards the exit of the "Spider Cave," which had become somewhat narrow due to his body expanding once again.

The rock was sliced ​​open by the sharp jaws infused with primal force, as if it were tofu. Ye Zhi closed the jaws with satisfaction, slowly emerged from the cave, and wiggled her tentacles, looking at Zuo Wang Qing Yuan who was guarding the cave entrance.

Because his "space" ability directly controls the worker ants, he can still sense the changes in time outside while he is asleep, so he knows that he has evolved this time. He has been asleep for three and a half days, which is considered normal.

"Little guy, are you four years old now? How are you feeling?" Zuo Wang Qingyuan sent a concerned mental message.

"It feels great, all thanks to the divine food from the Primal Ant King!" Ye Zhi excitedly tapped her antennae.

"Little one, there's also good news. The border is basically stable, and Hongyuan has returned. She keeps saying she wants to see you, but I was afraid of disturbing your slumber and evolution, so I sent her to wait for you at the place where you planted the life seed."

"!"

Ye Zhi raised his antennae, somewhat excited. His cheap boss's talent in combat was undeniable, and since he himself still lacked knowledge in combat, it was a good opportunity to learn from his cheap boss.

"Well then, King Qingyuan, I'll go plant the life seed first, and also check on Boss Hongyuan." Ye Zhi bid a simple farewell to Qingyuan. Seeing the other nod its antennae, she immediately flapped her wings and took off, flying all the way out of the nest.

Flying along the way, I soon saw the towering banyan tree and the tree nest I had built myself between several thick branches, as well as a huge figure with a missing left middle limb under the tree, guarded by several worker ants.

"Boss Hongci!" Ye Zhi excitedly flapped her wings and swooped forward, but when she saw the severed midlimb where the tibia and shank were connected, she couldn't help but feel sorry for it. "Your leg..."

"Huh, little guy?! Already four years old?" Hongyuan turned its head, its antennae flailing excitedly, its mental energy scanning Ye Zhi:

"My legs don't affect my movement anymore. This time, I killed a Zoro from the King Ant Kingdom. I heard you were almost killed by the Giant Tooth Ant when you were in your first instar. I avenged you, little guy!"

"Oh, by the way, little guy, I heard your destiny seed mutated. The flesh and blood of the giant ant I brought back were all absorbed by your divinely bestowed seed, and it can repeatedly strengthen itself like the Flame Spider's destiny seed? Once it's evolved, how about planting it and seeing?"

Seemingly having been separated for a long time, Zuo Wang Hongyuan was somewhat excited, sending out several mental energy attacks in succession, leaving Ye Zhi unable to get a word in edgewise. She could only nod her antennae and then fly to the center of the original pit, digging with her forelimbs.

With its jaws slightly open, a large, pale golden seed was released and buried in the soil. Then, leaves filled the soil layer and slowly transmitted the idea of ​​"growth" through the soul connection.

In her consciousness, the faint connection suddenly deepened. Ye Zhi could feel that the consciousness of "Chimera" was gradually awakening and becoming active as the seed grew, and it sent a joyful thought.

"By the way, your divinely bestowed seed needs flesh and blood to grow better? I'll go hunt something and bring it back so I can feed it." Hong Yuan seemed to suddenly remember something, and without waiting for Ye Zhi's reply, she turned around and quickly disappeared into the forest with five combat worker ants.

Ye Zhi: "..."

......

Before long, the divinely bestowed seed "Chimera" of the pitcher plant began to sprout completely. The two cotyledons withered and died, the main stem emerged from it, and the base gradually turned dark red. The long and broad leaves unfolded.

At the tip of the leaf, hollow tendrils and huge insect traps extend out, and beneath the emerald green broad leaves, the jagged, tooth-like protrusions of the insect trap lid emit a blood-red halo.

The Chimera's tree spirit slowly awoke: "Ye Zhi, you've evolved? I feel my digestive abilities have become stronger; now, with the same kind of flesh and blood as before, I can eat much more!"

"There's nothing else for now, but there's some ordinary flesh and blood. Zuo Wang Hong Yuan is back and is hunting for you. You can eat it when it returns," Ye Zhi replied, having already figured out the temperament of his divinely bestowed seed quite well.

The tree spirit transmitted a wave of joy, then buried itself in the bamboo trellis it had previously built, extending its main vine, pulling out broad leaves with insect traps, stretching them out, swelling them, and then drooping them to both sides.

"How's it going, little guy?"

As soon as Hongyuan returned, she saw the divinely bestowed seed "Chimera" in its entirety, which had already extended several meters of vines and two or three huge insect traps, and she was stunned on the spot.

Two worker ants carrying their prey slowly stepped forward and put down the freshly captured deer carcass. Only then did the red cypress react, shaking its antennae and directing the worker ants to cut off pieces of flesh and blood, preparing to throw them into the insect trap.

"Boss Hongyuan, could you leave some for me? I've mastered a new ability that I often use to dissect corpses. Your combat talent is outstanding, so you could help me see how to improve it."

Seeing this, Ye Zhi quickly sent out his mental energy. He had not forgotten one of the most important purposes of coming to find Hong Yuan this time, which was to learn about the use of the ant silk "flying blade" and see if this battle-hardened king could offer any suggestions for improvement.