I haven't decided on a name for my Pokémon trainer yet.

However, Yao Tianjun's home is actually deep in the mountains? No wonder he needs money so much; people in such places are probably not well-off.

"Sure!" Ye Feng said with a smile.

Upon landing, Ye Feng observed Magneton and learned from his conversation with Gardevoir that Magneton's strength had actually reached the mid-high level.

Ye Feng was very curious: Yao Tianjun came from a poor family, so how did he manage to raise the Magneton to be so strong? The school's resources alone might not be enough, since not every university has such a rich resource pool as Imperial University.

As for buying from outside sources, Yao Tianjun probably couldn't afford that kind of expense.

“Then come with me. But before that…” Yao Tianjun paused for a moment, then took out a pair of pants and a shirt from the backpack behind him. “Put these on first.”

Ye Feng was stunned. He looked down and realized that he was only wearing underwear. No wonder Yao Tianjun was looking at him strangely.

Ye Feng smiled awkwardly, but didn't refuse. He took the clothes and quickly put them on, saying with a smile, "Thank you! I was worried about where to get clothes. If I went to the city like this, I might be arrested as a pervert."

Yao Tianjun forced a smile: "It's nothing."

When exploring the secret realm, unexpected situations often arise, such as clothes getting torn, which is quite normal, and Yao Tianjun didn't find it strange.

Ye Feng's appearance was just a bit exaggerated; he probably encountered a rather tricky situation.

Seeing that Ye Feng had finished dressing, Yao Tianjun said "Come with me" and turned to walk in a certain direction.

Ye Feng quickly followed.

Ye Feng, walking behind, couldn't see Yao Tianjun touching his chest, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

···

Soon, the two arrived at a village (?).

Ye Feng finally understood what Yao Tianjun meant by "special".

The people here live in treehouses—some built on giant trees, and some living directly in tree hollows.

The forest, the treehouse... it feels a bit like the place where elves live in a novel.

“We’re quite poor here, I hope you don’t mind.” Yao Tianjun unusually took the initiative to speak, carefully observing Ye Feng’s reaction as he spoke.

Ye Feng's eyes lit up as he turned his head to observe the treehouse, and he said with a smile, "This place is very nice. It feels very close to nature."

Yao Tianjun breathed a sigh of relief.

Ye Feng clearly comes from a wealthy family. Although he didn't mind his clothes just now, he probably only accepted them out of necessity.

However, judging from Ye Feng's current demeanor, Yao Tianjun felt that Ye Feng was actually quite easy to get along with.

"Let's go to my house first," Yao Tianjun said.

Ye Feng nodded.

Yao Tianjun's home is located in the center of the treehouse village.

When Ye Feng learned this, he couldn't help but glance at him—being able to live in the center of the village, it seemed that Yao Tianjun's status here was at least not simple; perhaps he was the village chief's son or something.

However, the villagers' reactions along the way, while confirming Ye Feng's thoughts, made him feel a little strange—the people here didn't seem to welcome outsiders.

"Xiao Jun, why are you back so early today?"

"Ah, Aunt Li, I met a friend. Let me take him home for a visit."

"Friend?" Upon hearing the word "friend," Aunt Li's smile vanished instantly. She gave Ye Feng a strange look, making him feel uneasy, before walking away without a word.

The reactions of the next few people were exactly the same as Aunt Li's; they all turned cold as soon as they heard that Ye Feng, an outsider, had arrived.

Ye Feng was completely confused. He didn't think he had done anything to offend anyone, so why did everyone here seem to dislike him?

I couldn't help but ask Yao Tianjun.

"It's nothing." Yao Tianjun's eyes flickered slightly. "We rarely have outsiders here, so maybe they're not used to seeing strangers."

Hmm? Ye Feng narrowed his eyes slightly. Yao Tianjun's reaction was also a bit strange, and he seemed evasive. Could there be something wrong with this village?

In an instant, a flood of images flashed through Ye Feng's mind—a bizarre ritual, an evil ceremony, himself and the elves bound to a pillar, while the villagers, holding torches, danced strangely in circles around them…

"What's wrong?" Yao Tianjun noticed Ye Feng's unusual behavior and turned around to ask in confusion.

"It's nothing, I'm probably just tired from the battle in the secret realm," Ye Feng replied casually.

What to do? After a flurry of random thoughts, Yao Tianjun's expression turned strange.

...Won't I really be kidnapped and forced into some evil sacrifice?

Chapter 241 Finding a way to follow him

Of course, Ye Feng's wild thoughts were just that—wild thoughts.

Yao Tianjun's home is a sturdy-looking wooden house built on a huge ancient tree in the center of the village.

Unlike others, Yao Tianjun's parents were very kind people.

Upon seeing Ye Feng, they warmly invited him to sit down and brought him a special drink made from the nectar of the giant food flower and the stinky flower. It smelled delicious and tasted very good.

Ye Feng downed a glass in one gulp.

Yao's father smiled and poured Ye Feng another cup.

“My son Xiaojun has never brought any classmates or friends to our house before. You’re the first. You two must have a very good relationship, right?” Yao’s mother asked with a smile.

Ye Feng and Yao Tianjun were both embarrassed – how could they explain that this was only their second meeting?

Fortunately, Ye Feng reacted quickly and said with a smile, "Of course, Tianjun is very good at breeding Pokémon. I often learn from him."

Yao Tianjun was taken aback, glanced at Ye Feng subtly, and then smiled.

"That's good, that's good. It's getting late, child, why don't you have dinner before you leave?" Yao Ma said.

Yao Tianjun suddenly spoke up: "Mom and Dad, it's not safe in the mountains after dark. I'd like Ye Feng to stay here for the night and leave tomorrow."

Ye Feng looked at Yao Tianjun with some surprise.

Mr. and Mrs. Yao were also taken aback. They looked at each other and nodded.

As the head of the family, Yao's father spoke up: "That's right, Ye Feng, isn't he? It's quite a distance from here to the nearest town. Even with flying spirits, it will be dark by the time we get halfway there. It's not safe. Don't leave tonight."

Ye Feng looked out the window. The sun had probably already set, and the sky was beginning to darken.

If what Yao's father said was true, then it was very likely that they wouldn't be able to reach the town before dark; and Ye Feng had no idea how dangerous the mountains were at night.

As for how a small village could exist peacefully in this deep mountain, Ye Feng guessed that they must have some special methods.

Ye Feng felt it wasn't appropriate for an outsider like himself to inquire about the specific methods. He already felt unwelcome, and asking about someone else's secrets might get him kicked out on the spot.

"If you don't mind me bothering you..."

"How could that be? We're more than happy to welcome Xiaojun's friend," Yao Ma said with a smile.

"Ye Feng, I have something to attend to. Please have a seat for a while," Yao Tianjun said, gesturing to the bag he was carrying.

"Okay." Ye Feng nodded.

Yao Tianjun picked up his bag and went out. Yao's father said he was going to get something and followed him out.

Only Yao Ma and Ye Feng remained sitting face to face in the room.

Aunt Yao smiled and started chatting with Ye Feng about everyday things.

···

In a wooden house on another giant tree not far from Yao Tianjun's house.

"Xiao Jun, is what you said true?" On a recliner in the wooden house, an old man with a full head of white hair looked at Yao Tianjun with half-open eyes, his tone full of seriousness.

Yao Tianjun's father stood behind him.

Yao Tianjun nodded and reached into his collar to pull out a jade stone strung with a red string.

The cabin was dimly lit, but the jade was clearly visible emitting a green fluorescence.

“Elder, this jade stone that separated from the Jade of Life started generating heat after it met Ye Feng, but I didn’t take it out when Ye Feng was there. Now…” Yao Tianjun said.

"The fragments of the Life Jade react to Ye Feng..." the elder murmured.

“When I last met him, the jade didn’t react at all.”

"Is there anything special about this child?" the elder asked.

“Special place…” Yao Tianjun pondered for a moment, then shook his head. “Actually, I’m not familiar with him. This is only the second time we’ve met. I’ve just heard a lot of rumors about him. I heard he’s a very talented and strong trainer.”

"He is studying at Imperial University. I heard that after the current captain of the school team graduates, he will take over as the next captain."

"And they shone brightly in the university league a while ago, not losing a single game."

"How do I compare to you?" the elder asked.

"How can I compare to him?" Yao Tianjun said with a wry smile.

The elder nodded and fell silent for a while before asking, "What is the captain of the school team?"

Yao Tianjun was stunned. He remembered that the elder had lived in the mountains for many years and was out of touch with the outside world. After thinking for a moment, he explained, "Well, to put it simply, if Ye Feng were in our village, he would be equivalent to the next garrison captain."

"I see, I understand now." The elder nodded knowingly.

The university's varsity team brings together the strongest players in the school, making it similar in nature to the garrison team in Yao Tianjun's village.

“Judging from this, this child is indeed a promising young talent. But that's not enough to warrant the fragment of the Life Jade reacting to him. He must have something special about him, Xiao Jun.” The elder sat up slightly.