Pokémon: Hard work pays off, moves can be upgraded infinitely.

Inside the Zhao Family Manor.

At the foot of the mountain in the backyard.

"Who has come that requires Uncle Zhao to personally greet them?"

A woman with wheat-colored skin and strong, muscular legs wiped the sweat from her body and asked in surprise.

Beside her was a short but generous young woman.

At this moment, she was clumsily wielding the spear in her hand. Although her technique was chaotic, it was still powerful and impressive.

Even without any skill, a single thrust of the spear can pierce through an ordinary person.

If Mu Yun were here, he would definitely recognize that this was Chi Duoduo and her apprentice whom he hadn't seen for a long time since the college entrance examination.

The speaker was none other than Lu Shouchun, a titled fighting king.

Opposite him was a woman with a neat single ponytail, a heroic appearance, and sharp eyebrows.

At this moment, she was dressed in a snow-white outfit that fit her figure perfectly, like a coiled dragon or a crouching tiger. In her well-defined hands, she held a bright silver spear, exuding a sharp and imposing aura.

She was none other than the daughter of the Zhao family patriarch, the organizer of this martial arts tournament, and a close friend of Lü Shouchun.

Zhao Shiyu!

He was also the champion of the martial arts competition in the same year as Lü Shouchun.

"It's that old man from the Xu family, a dying man with half his body buried in the ground. I don't know what he's doing here."

Zhao Shiyu's brows furrowed, and her words were filled with displeasure.

Over the years, the Xu family has been extremely arrogant and assertive, causing countless conflicts with the Zhao family.

His father followed the ancient adage of "stability first" and always took a step back first.

Although the losses were not significant, it was still hard to swallow this insult.

In her opinion, there was no need to entertain this old man; she should just use the bright silver spear in her hand to throw him out!

"Xu Dian? What's he doing here?"

Lü Shouchun also frowned.

Xu Dian doesn't practice martial arts, and he doesn't have any Fighting-type Pokémon. Even if he wanted to have an exchange, he shouldn't have come to the Zhao family.

"Who knows?" Zhao Shiyu twirled the gleaming silver spear behind her back, her dark eyes gleaming. "I almost hope he's here to cause trouble. It's one thing outside, but in Changshi, can we tolerate his insolence?"

"I think you're just itching to show your skills and want to find a punching bag to practice on."

Looking at his friend of over ten years, Lü Shouchun jokingly said with a smile.

"Everyone says that Xu Dian of the Xu family is like a silver meteor, and ordinary people would be hurt if they touched him. I want to see if it's really that mysterious!" Zhao Shiyu did not deny it.

Large families have their advantages, but they also have their limitations.

For example, she has never participated in any other major competitions in recent years, except for martial arts tournaments.

The reason for this lies in a single word conveyed during training.

stable!

It wasn't always like that, but her father's generation took the concept of stability to the extreme.

They're so steady they're practically hiding like old turtles!

People now only know about the Xu family of Beihe, and no one knows about the Zhao family, the "King of Guns".

"Don't be careless. That old man is nearly a hundred years old and his strength is extraordinary. Moreover, he is cautious in his actions. When he does move, it is as swift as a shooting star. Otherwise, given Uncle Zhao's personality, he would not tolerate him in every way," Lu Shouchun advised.

"Um."

Zhao Shiyu did not refute, but nodded slightly and changed the subject: "Never mind, let's not talk about this."

She turned to look at Chi Duoduo beside her, a smile playing on her lips: "Your apprentice is quite strong. My nephew probably wouldn't be a match for her. This time, she'll probably be able to win the championship as you wish."

"Their strength is indeed impressive, but whether they can win the championship is still uncertain."

Lü Shouchun smiled helplessly.

"Oh? There are people in the younger generation who can rival your little apprentice?" Zhao Shiyu immediately became interested.

"It's quite a coincidence that this person is related to my precious apprentice. His name is..."

..............................

"Mu Yun?"

At the hotel buffet entrance, Mu Yun, who was about to grab a quick dinner, suddenly heard someone calling his name.

He turned around and saw that the person speaking was a lean young man with dark skin.

"Fugui, it's been a long time."

The newcomer was none other than Mu Yun's old acquaintance, Wang Fugui, the "experience pack" who had been knocked unconscious by Mu Yun with a single punch in the Water Forest Secret Realm and then repeatedly defeated by Mu Yun's Pokémon during subsequent training.

"Long time no see! I didn't expect you to participate in the competition. Now we're doomed. With your skill level, this competition is a foregone conclusion!"

Wang Fugui greeted his friends and then jogged over, sighing.

A man who can send the leader, Moon Bear, flying with a single punch would be indiscriminately killing ordinary people like them.

"There are always higher heavens and more powerful people out there. My strength is nothing special," Mu Yun sighed.

He couldn't even beat a champion-level Metagross, so what is his current strength?

Mu Yun was genuinely moved, while Wang Fugui was completely exasperated.

My brother, what nonsense are you spouting? Forget Versailles, okay?

You will have no friends if you do this!

"Alright, alright, let's not talk about this anymore. In short, I have high hopes for you. Keep it up and try to prove the worth of our Wang family's Cannon Fist!" Wang Fugui said, not wanting to upset his heart any further, and left in a hurry after offering his blessings.

Mu Yun shook his head. These days, nobody believes you when you tell the truth.

Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly noticed a gaze fixed on him.

Mu Yun calmly picked up a few dishes from his plate, then discreetly took a closer look at the face of the person staring at him.

He was an ordinary-looking man of average height and unremarkable clothing; at first glance, he was even more of a passerby than a regular person.

If it weren't for the waveguide-assisted memory and his exceptional mental abilities, he wouldn't know if he could have remembered that face after passing by it.

"The Xu family? Or a new force eyeing Xiao Yin?"

Mu Yun ate his meal casually while lost in thought.

There aren't many people who have a grudge against him. The Xu family is one of them. Apart from that, the most likely reason for targeting him is the quasi-god egg with champion-level potential.

It's a pity there are too many people around; otherwise, he could have teleported there instantly and had Patrick use a "Great Search" spell to find out everything.

"Hello, is anyone here?"

Just as Mu Yun was pondering, a clear and melodious voice suddenly rang out.

Mu Yun looked up and felt a sudden burst of light before his eyes.

Under the brilliant lights of the hall, the speaker seemed to be bathed in a golden glow, his long, snow-white hair neatly tied up and hanging down to his waist.

He has an upright posture, smooth lines, delicate features, and sharp eyebrows and eyes.

What a handsome young man!

In terms of looks, he's almost as good-looking as he was before.

"No, whatever."

Mu Yun withdrew his gaze, his tone calm.

Having experienced the trials of his good brother Liu Jianhao and the "sickly beauty" Liu Hesheng, Mu Yun was already used to men of this caliber of looks.

As the saying goes, like attracts like, and heroes appreciate heroes. He was quite handsome, so his friends were naturally all good-looking as well.

"Thanks."

The handsome young man thanked him quietly, then placed the slightly empty plate on the table and sat down opposite Mu Yun.

"I haven't yet asked your name, brother. My name is Zhao Ziye."

The handsome young man seemed to have little talent for conversation. After putting down his plate, he didn't touch his chopsticks but just stared straight at Mu Yun and asked.

Hearing the other person's refined and literary words, Mu Yun looked up in surprise.

No way, buddy, are you from ancient times? You talk like Jerry Ling.

Also, I'm a guy, why are you hitting on me? There are so many women around, go find them!

Dude, you're from Northeast China!

Despite his complaints, Mu Yun, seeing the other person's "sincere and clear" eyes, still replied:

"Mu Yun".