Astral Sand Locust

The Bean Seed broke through to the intermediate level and was already in a period of rapid growth. With the addition of 1 point of divine power, it immediately entered a state of frenzied growth.

In just two days, the tree's height approached 20 meters.

Mu Dou was already used to this and found it unsurprising; he even boasted to Sha Huai, "..."

"Look, this is another gift from the true God of nature."

"Nature's true God is watching over you."

"Yes. We can't deny it now."

"My locust tree is only eight meters tall, and it won't have time to flower and bear fruit during this year's rainy season."

"Yes, Sha Huai, don't be discouraged. The True God of Nature is just too busy and hasn't noticed Sha Huai's destiny yet. He will definitely notice it next time."

"I hope so."

"It definitely will."

"..."

Sha Huai has no immediate plans to use divine power on her Sha Huai seed.

...

...

The planned 10 plant species and 1000 saplings have been successfully propagated by cuttings.

Due to various delays along the way, the rainy season has already lasted for more than thirty days.

This year's rainy season may be shorter.

The sand locust and the succulent no longer travel far. According to the plan, they collect various succulents nearby and propagate and transplant them casually everywhere.

Time flies,

The golden tortoise seed, bestowed by the gods, has reached maturity.

Once fully mature, the capsules will dry and crack, releasing the seeds automatically. There's no need to pick them; just stand under the tree and wait for them to fall.

One capsule, four beetles.

A total of 1271 fruits, or 5084 beetles, ripened within just two days.

Collect, dry, and store.

Mudou consumed everything it had to prepare for its second-instar evolution.

at the same time,

All the new flowers of the Golden Tortoise God-given Seed withered overnight, and a new batch of 3049 fruits have all settled firmly.

With the development of the divine kingdom and the ample supply of divine power, the tree of the Golden Tortoise God-given Seed is nearing its peak condition, and its fruit yield is also nearing its peak.

With an increased number of fruits, the consumption of primal force and life force also intensifies accordingly.

Sha Huai continued to observe and silently calculate, spending twenty days in total, and arrived at a relatively accurate result: [1 point of divine power can sustain the Golden Tortoise's Divine Gift Seed for 20 days].

Sha Huai also calculated that during the dry season, the divine kingdom should produce 1 point of divine power every 12 to 13 days, which is enough to support the seeds bestowed by the Golden Tortoise God, with a slight surplus of 1 point per month.

The remaining 1 point of divine power can be used on the Seed of the Bean of Life or the Seed of the Rain Tree Flower Crown Pillar.

……

For five consecutive days, it didn't rain at night.

Based on experience, the rainy season this year is over.

After accumulating enough energy, the seedlings sprout flower buds, grow spikes, bloom, and bear fruit.

Mudou and Shahuai took good care of it.

Meanwhile, Mudou is also consuming the newly harvested God-given beetles at a steady pace, and is growing steadily.

Thirteen days after the end of the rainy season,

dusk,

Mudou fell into a deep sleep.

Sha Huai stood guard at the cave entrance, using raw stones to help replenish the original energy.

Three days later,

Mid-morning,

Mu Dou rushed out of the cave with great joy.

2-year-old intermediate warrior

Its body size has increased significantly, growing from 50 centimeters to 60 centimeters in length.

"The sand locust tree is 2 years old now."

"It looks like a significant improvement."

"It's just that my body size has increased a lot."

"What about mental strength?"

"The detection range of mental power has been increased from the original 40 meters to 50 meters? Less than 50 meters."

"That's not bad. The increase in mental strength is also quite considerable."

"Shahuai, we're intermediate warriors now. Each evolution at each age brings a significant increase in stats alone. But proportionally, we're still not as good as we were as beginner warriors."

"Yes, the base stats for intermediate-level warriors have increased..."

Sha Huai was just chatting casually and didn't dwell on the issue, so he changed the subject and asked:

"Mudou, do you still have the strength to hunt?"

"certainly!"

"Then hurry up and get something to eat to regain your strength."

"good!"

"..."

Planting beans under the tree

While eating, Shahuai and Mudou discussed their next task.

"Sand locust, it's time to find the divinely bestowed seeds."

"Yes."

"Is it still the northern mountainous region?"

"Of course. I'll go find the divinely bestowed seeds. Mudou, you stay in the territory and take care of the Force plants there. When you have time, go to Black Mountain to collect Primal Stones."

"Good! We're almost out of raw stones, we need to replenish them quickly."

"I think we need a raw stone mine."

"A raw stone mine?"

"The formation of raw stones requires both geological and primal forces. In the future, when we see those black 'star stones' from Black Mountain, we can keep an eye out and look for them; maybe we can find them."

"Understand!"

Mu Dou tapped its antennae, then raised them again, waving them as it said, "Sha Huai, there's one more thing..."

Mudou's two antennae both pointed north.

"What lies to the north, beyond the desert? Why did the dragonfly warrior in the mural stop?"

"Um--"

"Yes. I'm curious too!"

After careful consideration, Sha Huai suggested, "How about we make some plans, prepare, and then give it a try?"

"Give it a try!"

Mudou vigorously tapped its antennae.

Sha Huai said, "The biggest problem in crossing the desert is water and food. Actually, the solution is very simple. We can pick a big bundle of succulents, and Mu Dou can carry it on the ground."

"Great idea!"

Mudou tapped its antennae again and added, "Catch a few more live frilled lizards, tie them up, and supplement our food supply on the way."

Sha Huai: "Okay."

Sha Huai added, "The desert sun is exceptionally scorching. We rest and recuperate during the day and travel at night."

"Great idea!"

Mu Dou strongly agreed.

The two insects hit it off immediately and came up with a complete plan.

It seems highly feasible.

Both Sha Huai and Mu Dou were eager to get started. After a quick preparation, they set off immediately, speeding northward.

...

...

At times like these, Mu Dou's system talent advantage comes into play.

Collect cacti, remove the thorns, and bundle them up.

Capture iguanas and glitter lizards, break their legs, tie them together with rope to form a long chain, and attach it to the carapace of the lizard.

Mu Dou carried food ten times her own weight on her back, traversing mountains and valleys with incredible speed.

We crossed the mountains and entered the desert.

As planned, we will travel at night.

To conserve energy, the locust trees abandoned flying and adopted the most primitive and energy-efficient method of locusts: hopping and leaping.

Braving the fierce winds and flying sand, we climbed over one sand dune after another.

The sea of ​​yellow sand is so vast that all that can be seen are the undulating waves of sand.

During the day, the sky is an eerily blue, and the sun is scorching hot.

The night sky is like a dark abyss, devouring even the most elusive creatures.

But Sha Huai and Mu Dou came prepared this time, carrying enough rations to last a month. Fearless and determined, they headed north and made steady progress.

One day, two days, three days...

On the fifth day, the sand locust's antennae keenly detected the faint, salty smell lingering in the air.

"Mudou!"

"What's wrong?"

"The taste of the sea!"

"ocean?"

Mudou immediately straightened its antennae, gently swayed them, stirred the passing air, and savored it.

However, Mu Dou forgot that she had never seen the sea and did not know what it tasted like.

"It seems so..."

Mu Dou chimed in suspiciously, "That's not right, Sha Huai. The mural left by that dragonfly warrior doesn't mention the sea, does it?"

"Maybe the orientation is wrong?"

Sha Huai took off, saying urgently, "I'll go check it out first!"

Having said that, it flapped its wings and sped away, disappearing swiftly among the distant hills.

"..."

Mu Dou stood there lost in thought for a long time before continuing his journey north.

A long time has passed,

Until dawn,

The sand locust flew back quickly, circling low around the bean.

"Mudou, there really is ocean ahead."

"Anything else?"

"Continue north, the desert gradually transforms into barren, rocky mountains, and then into steep cliffs. Below the cliffs lies the sea."

"oh--"

Mu Dou quickened her pace, saying, "I've never seen the sea before! I'm going to go take a look!"

"Just keep heading north."

The sand locust flew slowly above Mu Dou's head and said:

"Mudou, walk slowly, head straight north, stop when you reach the sea, and wait for me at the highest peak nearby."

"I flew west along the coastline to see what was going on. In the murals left by the Dragonfly Warriors, there was indeed no sea; it flew north along the desert until it stopped somewhere."

"oh--"

"During the day, I can fly high in the sky and conduct reconnaissance."

"Understand--"

"OK!"

Mu Dou stopped and asked, "Shall we eat our fill first?"

"Alright!"

The sand locust tree folds its membranous wings, lands vertically, and helps unload the cargo.

Mudou slaughtered the last live food fodder for Shahuai, giving it a large resupply.

Eat your fill, rest for a while,

The sun rises in the east, and the sky becomes bright.

The sand locust tree flapped its wings and took flight, speeding off in the northwest direction.

In half a day,

They cut diagonally to the coast.

Head west along the coast.

Soon, Sha Huai keenly sensed that something was very wrong.

Vibrating its membrane wings vigorously, it climbs rapidly to a height of a thousand meters.

Flying high above the coastline, I gradually came to see the problem.

The coastline shifts northward at a very gentle angle, little by little.

"Does this mean that the northern landmass is slowly narrowing?"

Mu Dou immediately calculated and sketched out the outline of a map of the northern desert in his mind.

Flying along the coast,

As noon approaches, looking down from above again,

The long, winding coastline gradually shifts to a 45-degree northwest angle without anyone noticing.

Continue flying along the coastline,

By mid-afternoon, the overall orientation of the coastline had turned due north.

Just as predicted, the land narrows here.

Looking west, the desert gradually turned into desolate mountains.

Arid mountainous areas that are even more barren than arid wastelands.

This matches the murals left by the Dragonfly Warriors.

The locust tree flew low and found a clump of creeping privet grass that suited its taste, then devoured all the tender tips and leaves.

It was extremely barren, but better than a desert, at least you could find food and wouldn't be at risk of starving or dying of thirst.

...

Considering that Mudou might get impatient waiting after arriving at the coast, Shahuai took off after a short rest and flew back along the coastline.

The sand locust tree has an extraordinary sense of direction and distance.

Traveling under the moonlight

Under the night sky, after finding the approximate area agreed upon with Mu Dou, it didn't take much effort to find it on a hilltop.

"Mudou!"

"Sand locust tree! How's it going? Any findings?"

"have!"

"oh--"

Mu Dou asked the question casually.

There really is one?

Mudou stood up spiritedly, antennae erect, waiting for what was to come.

There was a rock right next to it.

The sand acacia tree stepped forward, raised its claws to carve, and with a simple line, divided the continent and the ocean, tapping with its toe to explain:

"Mudou, this is the desert, this is the ocean, this is the coastline, and this is where we are now, do you understand?"

"able!"

Mu Dou twitched its antennae and asked, "Sha Huai, do you mean that if we continue north, the ocean gets bigger and the land gets smaller?"

"That's right!"

Sha Huai pointed to the narrow strip of land and said, "This is mountainous terrain, full of towering, precipitous mountains. It's arid and desolate, but there are still plants and animals that can survive here, so we can gather supplies!"

"Arid mountainous terrain? With flora and fauna? That's wonderful."

Mu Dou immediately turned around and looked at the cactus placed not far away.

A large bundle, but less than one-fifth was eaten.

After traversing the desert and painstakingly transporting it here... all that effort for nothing.

Sha Huai: "..."

Mu Dou: "..."

Sha Huai: "Just throw away the leftover cactus. Let's rest first, and set off at dawn."

"good!"

Mu Dou agreed.

After two days of continuous travel without proper rest, Sha Huai was exhausted and couldn't hold on any longer. Its antennae drooped, and it fell asleep in a second.

...

I woke up feeling refreshed.

I ate some cactus to fill my stomach.

Sha Huai led the way.

Running along the coastline, it first headed west, then gradually turned northwest, and finally turned due north.

At dusk, we arrived at the desolate mountains.

They forage for food and rested for the night.

We set off early the next morning to continue exploring northward along the coastline.

Sha Huai also keenly noticed that the height of the majestic mountains was gradually decreasing.

As noon approached, the terrain transformed into gentle hills, still barren.

Continue north,

Gradually, it evolved into a semi-arid plain with sparse vegetation.

Take a night's rest.

We set off early the next morning.

Mu Dou carried the sand locust tree, speeding northwards.

Not wasting a single moment

The sand locust tree focused its attention on sensing all directions, searching along the way for divinely bestowed seeds.

"Mudou! Stop!"

Sha Huai suddenly called a halt.

"oh!"

Mu Dou slammed on the brakes. "Sand locust? A divinely bestowed seed?"

"no."

Sha Huai raised its paw and pointed north, "Mu Dou, look closely..."

If you look closely, the sky to the north has an unusual color.

An unusual ten-colored ribbon stretched across the sky.

"A rainbow?"

"Is this what a rainbow looks like?"

"No, that's not it..."

"Such fantastical landscapes exist in nature? Mudou, is there any record of them in your inherited memories?"

"I didn't. And you didn't either?"

"no."

"That's not normal sky color, is it?"

"Obviously not."

"So that's abnormal?"

"Something doesn't look right."

"Want to take a closer look?"

"Let's see! Perhaps, the Dragonfly Warriors will stop here."

"That's right! They're gone!"

Mu Dou went all out, galloping across the wasteland with a whooshing sound, kicking up a long trail of dust as it ran.

Run forward,

The colorful ribbon stretching across the distant horizon continues to expand.

The sand locust took off directly from the shell of the bean tree, flapped its wings vigorously, and climbed straight into the sky to look out from above.

Mudou opened its elytra, spread its membranous wings, and flapped them vigorously, taking flight.

The sight in the distance astonished the two insects.

It was a ten-colored mist wall that connected heaven and earth and spanned the entire world!

"What is that?"

"I don't know!"

"Shall we go take a look?"

Be careful.

"..."

The sand locust and the bean plant landed, slowed down, and crawled towards the colorful curtain wall.