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

"Dad, that bio-waveguide down there is very powerful; it seems to stretch as far as the eye can see."

After a while, Zhao Shiyu came to her senses and looked at Zhao Xuan with a serious expression.

Zhao Xuan nodded and looked at the long-bearded old man beside him.

This person is named Zhao Geyuan, the oldest member of the Zhao family, and also a serious enthusiast of ancient books.

If we're talking about who knows the most about their family's secret realm, it's naturally Zhao Geyuan, who has read through almost every book in the family library.

"Clan leader, the Aura that Mu Xiaoyou and Shiyu saw could be an extremely powerful, almost godlike elf, or even a divine beast," Zhao Geyuan said.

"A near-divine spirit? A mythical beast?"

Lü Shouchun, Zhao Shiyu, and the others looked at each other in bewilderment.

Although they had never witnessed the power of the divine beast in person, judging from the waveguide outline they had just seen, it was probably capable of overturning rivers and seas and splitting mountains like rocks.

Ignoring everyone's panic, Zhao Geyuan slowly recounted: "According to the records of our ancestors in 1705, the secret realm suddenly appeared. After several months of exploration, it turned out to be a small sea with only one island in it, shrouded in mist. It was named Cloud Mist Island. The island contains ethereal mist, and absorbing it can enhance one's martial arts cultivation tenfold. Fighting-type Pokémon that train there for a long time can grow three times faster."

"However, in 1809, the ancestor recorded in the Biography of Zhao Su that the effect of the clouds and mist was reduced by three or four tenths, leaving only five or six times the effect, and the growth rate of the spirits was reduced to only one time."

"In 1916, the ancestor's biography of Zhao Hua recorded that the effect of the cloud and mist was only three or four tenths of the original effect, that is, only three or four times the original effect, and the effect of the spirit's growth had completely disappeared."

"To this day, I have asked the younger generation of the family, and the effect is only two or three times that of the spirit. As for the effect on the growth of the spirit, it is almost non-existent."

"These are days with obvious turning points. At other times, although there are changes, they are not very obvious. But one thing is certain: the effect of the clouds and fog on the island is decreasing year by year, with a frequency of about 100 years."

Zhao Geyuan stroked his long beard: "At first, I was also very puzzled. If this is the creation of heaven and earth, then our Zhao family has never carried out large-scale construction here, affecting the terrain. In fact, in order to maintain the original ecology, all the buildings we have constructed are made from local materials. So the effect of the clouds and mist should not have been decreasing year by year."

"But if this is not the work of nature, but the work of a powerful spirit, then it makes sense."

After listening to Zhao Geyuan's analysis, Zhao Xuan was horrified.

Unexpectedly, their family's proud secret realm had such a possibility.

But if this miraculous effect, lasting for hundreds of years, was brought about by some unknown spirit, how powerful must that spirit be!

Perhaps, it really can be revered as a god!

"Young friend Mu, what do you think of my deduction?" Zhao Geyuan looked at Mu Yun, who remained silent to the side.

"What Mr. Zhao said seems quite plausible to me. Firstly, the waveguide below the island does not seem to be inanimate. Secondly, the waveguide of the clouds and mist on the island does become denser as you go down into the island."

Mu Yun said.

"If this is true, does it mean that the divine beast below is getting weaker and weaker?" Zhao Shiyu asked.

Since the effects of the cloud and mist come from the divine beast, and its effects have been decreasing over the years, does that mean it is doomed?

"It's not impossible, but there's also the possibility that some special force has weakened His connection with the outside world," Zhao Geyuan said.

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at him with curiosity.

"Do you still remember the stone pillar where the secret realm portal was located?"

Mu Yun and the others nodded.

Those peculiar stone pillars really stood out from the crowd.

Not only is it not very thick, but it's also almost the same width from top to bottom, which looks very strange.

However, because it had existed for so long, the Zhao family had long been accustomed to it, and Mu Yun could only regard it as a masterpiece of nature.

Now it seems, could there be something peculiar about it?

"That pillar is not the only one. I have studied ancient books and conducted on-site investigations. Around the mountains surrounding Cloud Mist Island, there are four other identical stone pillars. Three of them have clear records of their appearance in the books, and their appearance time is only a few years different from the time of the reduction of the cloud effect. They can be said to be almost identical. Only the fifth one, I have not found any source for, but I saw it with my own eyes."

That said it all, and everyone immediately understood.

The periodic appearance of the stone pillars may be related to the reduction of the cloud and fog effect.

As he spoke, Zhao Geyuan took out a small booklet from his pocket.

The first page of the booklet bears the five large characters: "Zhao Geyuan's Autobiography".

Clearly, he intended to record his thoughts, feelings, observations, and words for future generations to refer to.

"This is what the other four pillars look like."

Zhao Geyuan opened the booklet, and soon, four stone pillars, each a hundred meters tall, appeared, though they were slightly slender in the sea.

The general appearance of these stone pillars is almost identical to that of the stone pillar where the portal is located. The only difference is that their surfaces are somewhat blurry, making it difficult to distinguish whether they are natural cracks in the stone pillars or patterns deliberately carved by someone.

"I never imagined these stone pillars had such a story behind them," Zhao Xuan remarked.

He did know that there were five stone pillars in the secret realm, but he had always thought that these things had always been there.

"Then, Elder Yuan, does this mean that there is no problem with the secret realm?" Zhao Xuan asked the question that concerned him the most.

"Based on the current clues, it should be fine within a hundred years. As for the future, it's hard to say. It's possible that the clouds and mist will dissipate and the sacred land will become an ordinary scenic spot, or it's possible that the things below will awaken and the secret realm will be destroyed. No one can say for sure," Zhao Geyuan said slowly.

His tone was calm, and his expression remained composed even when he spoke of the destruction of the secret realm.

"century......"

Zhao Xuan murmured something softly, as if he was pondering something.

After a moment, a glint of light flashed in his eyes, and he said:

"Elder Yuan, do you think if we knock down the other four pillars, the effects of the secret realm will return to what they were before?"

"That possibility cannot be ruled out."

Zhao Geyuan suddenly smiled, his eyes burning with passion.

This was originally his idea, but because it was too risky, he initially only intended to hide it in his autobiography and leave it to future generations to decide.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Xuan, who always followed ancient teachings and prioritized "stability," also possessed such courage.

Even Zhao Shiyu, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but turn her head and look at her father in surprise.

The reason Zhao Xuan made this decision is actually quite simple.

Although he had not read all the ancient books in the library like Zhao Geyuan, as the head of the clan, he had also heard his elders recount the glory of the Zhao family since childhood.

Especially when the secret realm was first discovered, the Zhao family ancestors were quite glorious during those hundred years, and they had more than two dozen champion-level Pokémon.

He had always thought his father was bragging, but considering what Zhao Geyuan said today, it was probably not bragging, but the effect of the secret realm.

Thinking of the Zhao family's past glory and the previous incident involving Xu Dian, Zhao Xuan suddenly wanted to take a gamble.

Success! For the next hundred years, he will be the most brilliant patriarch of the Zhao family, and after his death, his memorial tablet will even be placed on the top floor of the ancestral hall.

Even if it doesn't work out, it's just a loss of a nominal holy site. With the Zhao family's connections, financial resources, and manpower, they can easily transfer the spirits of the secret realm to a new breeding base for raising.

Given this, why wouldn't we take a gamble?

"Young friend Mu, could you please stay at my Zhao family's residence for a while and help us observe the waveguide changes of that creature below? Rest assured, regardless of the outcome, my Zhao family is willing to reward you with a Heartscale Treasure with champion-level potential as a token of our gratitude!"

Having made his decision, Zhao Xuan did not hesitate and immediately looked at Mu Yun.

After thinking about Zhao Xuan's request, Mu Yun nodded in agreement.

He would naturally not refuse a near-god-level potential champion.

As for whether there is any danger?

That just goes to show that, in terms of survival skills, none of the people present combined can match him.

Even if something goes wrong, the worst that can happen is to enter the spirit space, trigger the spatial anchor point, and teleport.

"In that case, I'll leave it to you, young friend Mu!"

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

"Be careful, and if anything happens, remember that saving your life is the most important thing."

After leaving the secret realm, Lü Shouchun gave some very concerned instructions.

She didn't want her apprentice to live a life of widowhood at such a young age.

"Don't worry, Teacher Lü, I'll be careful." Mu Yun nodded.

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

Nighttime, in Mu Yun's room.

"Duoduo, I might have to stay at the Zhao family's house for a while longer. What do you think?"

"Brother Yun, I'll stay here too!"

Chi Duoduo leaned against Mu Yun's chest like a kitten, her voice soft.

She was finally able to spend a long time with her beloved Yun-ge, and after experiencing lovemaking for the first time last night, she simply couldn't bear to part with him.

Staying at the Zhao family's house temporarily is fine; it allows her to stay a little longer.

As for reporting to the capital?

Nothing is more important than my own Brother Yun!

There's no need to worry about food or anything like that.

The Zhao family generously told us to eat whatever we wanted.

They have their own orchards and energy cube production bases, all at cost price. They could easily support an entire family of elves, let alone just Chi Duoduo.

Even though she does have a big appetite.

"Brother Yun, I want to..."

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

Over the next few days, Mu Yun hardly entered the space of the Dream Martial Arts Training, and it could even be said that he didn't sleep much.

Although Chi Duoduo's physical strength and recovery ability are not as good as his, women have an advantage over men in this aspect.

Furthermore, she developed a taste for it and became quite fond of it, so much so that Mu Yun spent most of his time in his room while waiting for the Zhao family to arrange for the secret realm spirits.

Fortunately, he had a strong ability to recover. Even though Chi Duoduo was brave and skilled in battle, she always ended up falling from her horse in regret.

It's worth mentioning that during the few days of waiting, the Farfetch'd egg that the Zhao family gave him hatched.

Zhao Shiyu specially brought a complete set of resources for Muyun.

These are all resources used to cultivate special forms in leek ducks.

"Does this alien form have to be a gun?"

Mu Yun asked curiously.

"Not necessarily. It's just that our Zhao family has practiced spear fighting for generations, so we chose the spear as our new weapon. If you want, swords, clubs, or even harpoons, whips, and darts are all possible. The principle is that the Farfetch'd establishes a connection with the weapon itself, just like the Great Blacksmith."

"But after so many years of testing by our Zhao family, the more powerful the weapon that establishes a connection with Farfetch'd, the better. For example, the best quality of the Bright Silver Spear that our Zhao family is best at forging can increase physical attack by about 20% to 30%, while ordinary weapons can only increase it by 10% to 20%, or even half a percent."

"Of course, the reduction in both defenses will also decrease," Zhao Shiyu explained.

Upon hearing this, Mu Yun nodded, indicating that he understood.

Higher quality weapons will result in higher Attack stats, but will also lower both Defense and Special Defense stats.

Conversely, it slightly increases physical attack and slightly decreases both defenses.

How to choose is entirely up to the individual.

"So, can that Qin Lu sword be used?" Mu Yun suddenly thought of the antique sword he had intercepted on Wangxian Island in Qinhuang City.

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

[Qin Lu Sword (Special): An ancient bronze sword imbued with the auspicious energy of a prosperous dynasty, possessing a certain power to suppress negative fortune.]

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

The sword, imbued with the dragon's fortune of an ancient prosperous dynasty, sounds incredibly prestigious.

Furthermore, compared to the unlucky ones who steal soldiers, those who use swords are obviously cooler. If one can learn to control a sword, one might even earn the title of a contemporary sword immortal.

Adhering to the principle of asking questions when in doubt, Mu Yun asked whether an antique-level weapon could be used.

"Theoretically, it is possible. Furthermore, due to historical accumulation or the inherent aura of antiques, these types of green onion ducks have a small chance of gaining special bonus effects."

Zhao Shiyu said, "For example, a few years ago, an elder of my Zhao family equipped his Farfetch'd with an old bronze mirror as a weapon. After it evolved, it miraculously learned to return the favor twofold."

Double Back is a Fighting-type physical attack move that returns double the amount of physical damage received.

Afterwards, Zhao Shiyu gave a detailed account of the information about the Zhao family's guerrilla soldiers who did not use long spears.

The effects were mixed, but the main purpose was to provide Mu Yun with a framework and a basis for judgment.

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

In the following days, besides his daily nightly sparring with Chi Duoduo, Mu Yun had Congcong follow Xiao Du and Dadan.

The former has extensive experience in early childhood education, which puts Mu Yun at ease; the latter has extensive experience in training, and Mu Yun wants Cong Cong to experience the training atmosphere from a young age.

And just like that, ten days passed in the blink of an eye.

Most of the people who came to the Zhao family to participate in the martial arts tournament left one after another on the third day after Zhao Xuan made his decision.

The reason it was the third day was because on the second day, Zhao Xuan had everyone continue to comprehend martial arts until the evening, after which everyone left before he announced the sealing of the secret realm and the commencement of transporting spirits.

It took the Zhao family a week to transport out most of the elves they could find in the Cloud and Mist Secret Realm.

Because of their familiarity with each other, and with the help of the tribal chiefs from various groups, the transportation process was very easy.

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

On the morning of the eleventh day, inside the Cloud and Mist Secret Realm.

"Alright, let's get ready to begin!" Zhao Xuan announced with a wave of his hand, looking at the map in his hand.

Immediately, a dozen or so members of the Zhao family, riding flying spirits, led their spirits to the nearest pillar to the portal pillar.

These people, each possessing a Celestial-level spirit, are the pillars and core strength of the Zhao family.

If a problem arises, given their strength, their chances of escaping the secret realm are definitely greater than those of their people who don't even have a Celestial-level elf.

Of course, Zhao Xuan did not force or deceive them.

Before coming, he took out a death contract, stating that anyone who was willing to come would receive a generous compensation and their descendants would be taken care of by their families if anything happened to them.

If nothing goes wrong, the reward will be extremely generous.

Even the Zhao family members, who possessed a Celestial-level Pokémon, were quite tempted.

"Young Mu, could you please keep an eye on the waveguide changes of that creature during this process?"

On the portal pillar, Zhao Xuan spoke to Mu Yun.

Before coming, he had inquired about Mu Yun's waveguide detection range.

Knowing that it could sense the portal, they thoughtfully chose this location for it.

This was just in case, to give Mu Yun enough time to leave.

To be fair, there's a reason why the Zhao family has such a good reputation.

They are friendly to outsiders and generous to their own people, but their actual strength is lacking.

If this matter can be accomplished, Mu Yun believes it must be due to the good deeds of the Zhao family's ancestors.

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

"boom--!!"

Within the Cloud and Mist Secret Realm, near one of the stone pillars, continuous bombardment sounds rang out.

Although the stone pillars appear very thin on the sea surface, they are actually several hundred square meters in diameter, equivalent to the size of five or six standard football fields.

But if that's all there is to it, it wouldn't be difficult for a Champion-level Pokémon to break it in two.

What Zhao Xuan really didn't expect was that even a Celestial-level Pokémon could cause relatively limited damage when attacking the stone pillar.

It's like an ordinary professional-level Pokémon attacking a boulder; there is some damage, but not much.

After several hours of bombardment, Zhao Xuan could no longer contain his urgency and chose to personally lead the team, bringing with him two champion-level Pokémon left behind by the deceased elders of his clan to join the bombardment.

The addition of Champion-level Pokémon brought about a significant change to the previously slow-paced bombardment.

During this period, Mu Yun would occasionally conduct waveguide observations.

Surprisingly, nothing unexpected happened; the waveguide beneath the island remained more stable than a mountain, showing no signs of change.

As for the waveguide of the stone pillar, it remained as uniform and loose as an inanimate object.

Currently, the only characteristic of the stone pillars is their high hardness.

After a day and a night of hard work, the first selected stone pillar showed obvious signs of tilting.

On the morning of the following day, the stone pillar suddenly broke and collapsed, falling into the sea.

Almost the instant the stone pillar collapsed, the misty clouds on Cloud Mist Island suddenly thickened considerably.

This change filled Zhao Xuan with joy and further solidified his judgment!

It is worth mentioning that neither the collapse of the stone pillars nor the increase in clouds and fog caused any change in the waveguide under the island.

Mu Yun told Zhao Geyuan, who was standing beside him, what he had seen.

Zhao Geyuan frowned, unable to come up with a solution.

But so far, everything seems to be looking good.

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

And so, on the morning of the third day, the second selected stone pillar crashed into the sea. The clouds continued to thicken, but the density was not as exaggerated as the first time.

On the morning of the fourth day, the third selected stone pillar followed in the footsteps of the first two.

The fog on Cloud Mist Island has increased in density, giving it a somewhat ethereal feel. However, after Mu Yun experienced it, he realized that it only provided a little over three times the martial arts boost.

It was nowhere near as exaggerated as the ancient books Zhao Geyuan had read described.

Finally, on the morning of the fifth day, the fourth stone pillar broke.

At this point, the martial arts bonus effect of Cloud Mist Island had reached five times, but the bonus to the elves was not yet apparent.

This requires long-term recording and comparison.

Even so, Zhao Xuan was beaming with pride at the success of his gamble.

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

"How is it, young friend Mu? Has there been any change in the waveguide below?"

Standing before the portal, Zhao Xuan, looking exhausted but with unusually bright eyes, asked.

"Currently, its waveguide appears unchanged, but the specific subtle changes are not very clear due to the dense fog," Mu Yun said.

"In that case, let's go take a look at Cloud Mist Island."

Five days passed without any problems on Cloud Mist Island, and Zhao Xuan had long since put his mind at ease.

"Alright."

Mu Yun nodded.

Soon, the three of them arrived at Cloud Mist Island.

A light white fog floats on the island, surrounded by flowing water and lush vegetation, creating a scene of idyllic beauty.

In the blink of an eye, Mu Yun felt as if he hadn't slept for several days, and his slightly tired mind instantly became clear.

The changes were even more pronounced in Zhao Xuan, a commander who was always extremely tense.

The fatigue on his face had not only vanished completely, but it had also largely disappeared.

Clearly, the effect of the fog was enhanced and immediate.

"I'll leave the rest to you, young friend Mu!"

After taking a deep breath, Zhao Xuan looked at Mu Yun.

Mu Yun nodded and released the waveguide.

After passing through layers of clouds, the massive waveguide, as large as a mountain, reappeared in his eyes.

The waveguide is like the unchanging peak of a snow-capped mountain; even if the stone pillar collapses or the clouds and fog thicken, it has no effect on it and remains completely still.

Filled with curiosity, Mu Yun slowly brought the waveguide closer...

"Thump!"

"Thump!!"

A faint sound, like a heartbeat or the beating of drums on a battlefield, reached Mu Yun's ears.

Mu Yun was taken aback.

While waveguide power doesn't have an auditory effect, a muffled sound inexplicably rang in people's ears as their waveguide approached.

This was completely unprecedented before.

Judging from the state of Zhao Xuan and Zhao Geyuan, they clearly did not hear it.

Just as Mu Yun was hesitating whether to continue approaching or retreat and report the situation first, a system notification suddenly sounded.

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

[Ding! A residual special ability has been detected nearby. Do you wish to activate the power of exploration to capture it?]

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