Bottom-tier trainers in the Pokémon world

A building with a Chinese style, yellow bricks and tiles, six red wooden pillars, and two large red lanterns hanging under the eaves on both sides.

The most unique feature is undoubtedly the bear head sculpture with sharp eyes standing directly above the martial arts hall.

This style made Xia Yan inexplicably nostalgic for the past.

On the slope in front of the martial arts school, a tall woman wearing a green off-shoulder top and light makeup, who looked not very old, was leisurely sweeping the ground with a broom.

Upon seeing the woman, Mastad's disciples greeted her with great respect:

"Master's wife!"

This woman, who looks quite young, is none other than Mastedt's wife, Miye!

"You're back," Honey Leaf greeted with a smile that crinkled her eyes.

Xia Yan glanced at the young Mi Ye, then at the old and decrepit Ma Shi De beside him, but his gaze mainly swept over the little green top hat on Ma Shi De's head.

Gee...

The couple with the biggest age gap in the Pokémon games, that's interesting.

cough cough.

Of course, Xia Yan was just daydreaming.

"This must be Champion Xia Yan, right? Little Dan Emperor often mentions you," Mi Ye said with a gentle smile and a friendly tone.

"Honey... horse..."

Xia Yan was stunned for a moment, not knowing how to address him.

Miss Honey Leaf? Mrs. Ma?

Honey Leaf chuckled softly, covering her mouth as she said:

“If Xia Yan doesn’t mind, you can call me ‘Master’s Wife’ like those kids do.”

"Ahem. Madam. You can just call me Xia Yan." Xia Yan quickly went along with it.

Actually, Honey Leaf only looks young; her real age is much older than she appears.

However, no matter how much older he is, the significant age gap between him and Masde is an undeniable fact.

and.

This honey leaf is quite a formidable character.

Her abilities are perhaps no less than those of Ma Shide.

This shows that the Gallar region is full of hidden talents. Who would have thought that such a seemingly "ordinary" woman could have the strength to rival the first champion of the Gallar region, Masde?

Ma Shide led Xia Yan and slowly pushed open the door of the martial arts school.

What comes into view is a small fighting arena.

Ma Shide stopped and turned to look at Xia Yan beside him.

With a smile, he said, "Little Xia, how about a match?"

Chapter 166 Master Ma's Restraining Battle!

I am, for now, just an ordinary little red fox, but what I will become soon... no one can predict. Of course, I won't become the "fox spirit" that humans think of; we can't become "spirits." Humans have always held prejudices against foxes, lavishing us with derogatory terms like treacherous, cunning, suspicious, and opportunistic—it's unfair. I'm not here to vindicate the fox clan, nor am I that noble. Even now, I'm still puzzled as to why I was chosen as a "spirit fox"! What is a "spirit fox"? Well, before the mission begins, it's necessary to explain what "spirit" means. This word is very important and will run throughout the entire story.

Since the dawn of humanity, every human spirit has been intimately connected with the spirits of other creatures on Earth. What kind of connection? Mutual compatibility, of course. To put it simply, a complete spirit consists of two parts: one half resides in the human being, and the other half resides in the corresponding creature. This is not subject to human preference; perhaps the other half of a person's spirit is attached to the cockroach they despise most.

Even more astonishing is that the probability of a human and a creature with a matching spirit encountering each other is absolutely zero! This is strange; why not allow them to meet? It's simple: once they meet, their spirits merge to create a new species. The human would possess the corresponding creature's abilities and activate its own hidden genetic code, thus evolving into a mutant—what modern humans know as a person with special abilities or a superhuman. The corresponding creature would also undergo a qualitative leap, but what it would become is unknown. This would be a great thing for humanity; who wouldn't want to be a superhuman! However, this is just human thought, not the Creator's! The divine realm has set the rules, hence the probability is zero. How would I know? This is the significance of the "Spirit Fox's" existence. What significance? Naturally, it's the task we shoulder. What task? Don't worry, let me explain.

First, we need to understand why the Creator would prevent such a "good thing".

The "secret" of spirit fusion and mutation isn't known only to the fox clan; almost every living being on Earth, except for arrogant humans, knows about it. Logically, this should be an excellent way for lower creatures to escape human "dinner culture" and become equals with humans. So why are no creatures willing to fuse with humans? Animals on Earth lack written records and historical accounts; all animals rely on "legends" passed down orally from generation to generation, without any credible evidence or practice. The biological world is similar to the human world in that most people simply listen to "legends" without being "foolish" enough to seek the truth. Even those who try to verify them are often killed or eaten before finding their own spiritual master. Worse still, some animals' fur is even used by humans to make "fashionable" clothing… Some classic experiences have even become "warnings" for educating future generations. However, throughout Earth's long history, there have been stories of people with "special abilities," but what happened to the animals that were associated with them? No legends or records have been left behind... This further proves that the "benefits" of animals uniting with humans do not exist.

In conclusion, even if it were true, pragmatic creatures wouldn't risk their short lives to provide convenience for cruel humans. Therefore, almost all living beings have tacitly reached a consensus: seeking "spirit fusion" with someone is contrary to the values ​​of all beings except humans! Don't laugh, we also have values; it's just that humans don't understand them.

Therefore, all species on Earth remain the same as they are now: humans are humans, animals are animals, plants are plants, water is water, air is air... In short, they reproduce, thrive, and cycle endlessly according to the laws of Earth, experiencing birth, aging, sickness, and death...

Some readers may question how to define a compatible spirit between a living being and a human, given that the total number of life forms on Earth far exceeds the human population, and that the ant colony alone outnumbers the entire human population. Lifespans and physical sizes differ between them… For example, can the spirit of an elephant and the spirit of a ladybug be compatible with their respective human counterparts?

First of all, spirit is an invisible and odorless energy substance that is not distinguished by the size or mass of matter. Its existence is determined by certain laws, or rather, it was originally designed by the Creator, and we can only accept it passively.

Furthermore, not all beings' spirits are compatible with humans, so there's no principle that all life on Earth must meet the requirement of being compatible with humans. To put it bluntly, the Creator is interfering with this through a principle of "truth and falsehood intertwined," which is probably an invisible barrier preventing beings from verifying this "legend."

Even with a "barrier," spirit matching must have rules, right? What are they? It's similar to the "survival of the fittest" law of the animal world, following the principle of "selecting the strongest at the same time." "Same time": refers to all biological groups born simultaneously with humans; "selecting the strongest": as the name suggests, it chooses the most powerful spirit among all the randomly born creatures at the same time. It's said that creatures with this matching "spirit" retain a scent that only their own kind can recognize, naturally granting them supreme status and honor within their group, as well as priority in selection. What is priority in selection? It's about food, mating, territory, the election of leaders, and anything else related to the animal species. Similar to "privileged" classes in human society. Of course, creatures with this "privilege" don't know their mission; they only believe they are simply subject to natural selection and reincarnation.

What about the spirits of other animals that cannot be matched with humans?

Automatic hibernation. Unless unforeseen circumstances occur, it will usually disappear along with the original. What are "unforeseen circumstances"? It's like a backup plan. Don't worry, we'll explain the role of a backup plan next:

Think about it, what happens when a creature that can match a human's "spirit" dies? After all, on Earth, apart from a few species like trees and turtles, most creatures have shorter lifespans than humans. That's where the "backup" spirit-bearing creature comes in handy. Before its death, the spirit of the dying creature automatically seeks out a younger, similar creature as a replacement—the reason for "young" is self-evident. Then, it covers the dormant spirit within the deceased creature's body, taking its place and continuing to attach itself to a living, similar creature until the spirit that matched the human dies. Of course, the new host will also "mysteriously" become a "top performer" within its own species. What does "covering" mean? It essentially means annihilation.

Conversely, what if the human spirit dies first? That's easy; the spirit of the corresponding organism will die out when the host reaches the end of its life.

Can creatures of different races with matching spirits distinguish each other? That's unknown, but I think it's unlikely. For example, if a hungry spirit cat catches a spirit mouse, it won't mercifully let the mouse go in order to fill its stomach. This is a survival instinct given to every creature by the Creator, and it transcends the matching spirit.

Can plants be matched with the human spirit? Absolutely. I have always emphasized "living things," which naturally includes plants.

What's the difference between plant spirits and animal spirits? Plant spirits are connected to the earth, therefore they can only remain still. The spirit resides quietly in their roots; as long as the roots live, the spirit lives. Moreover, plant spirits are said to be "awake," not dormant. Whether this is true or not is unknown, but considering the relatively gentle and compliant nature of herbivores, it's likely true. However, I'm not encouraging anyone to be vegetarian. Human vegetarians are fundamentally different from herbivores; they mostly eat cooked food, and cooked plants lose their spirit. Of course, I'm not encouraging anyone to eat raw plants either; please use your own judgment.

Whether the spirit of a vegetarian is connected to the spirit of a plant is unknown. Who knows what the Creator is thinking? Besides, this story is not about spiritual matching.

Chapter 167 Salamence VS Bear Apprentice

Dan Emperor!

The Charizard was very fast, and as it hurtled down, it created quite a shockwave.

"Xia Yan!"

Leon jumped off Charizard's back and looked at Xia Yan with some excitement.

"I was going to pick you up, but..."

Xia Yan patted Dan Di on the shoulder, looking at the rather mature-looking Dan Di, wondering if he had lied about his age.

But she still said, "Little Dandan... ugh, Dandi, next time you go out, don't be so blindly confident. If it weren't for the taxi driver, I might have had to go looking for you."

Upon hearing this, Dan Di grinned, scratched the back of his head, and chuckled twice.

He was actually aware of his terrible sense of direction, and even navigation couldn't cure him.

She simply couldn't wait to see Xia Yan, which is why she came out to meet him.

He can be said to have watched Xia Yan's "Road to the Champion" from beginning to end.

In the Galar region, since there are no Elite Four, there is no so-called "Champion's Road," let alone the opportunity to challenge the "Champion's Road" to test one's strength.

After all.

Actually, it's just that he hasn't fought Xia Yan in a long time and can't wait to have a match.

"Little Dandan, don't worry, Xiaxia is currently in a 'Control Battle'," Ma Shide said leisurely from his rocking chair.

"A restrained battle?" Dan Di was taken aback, then looked at Xia Yan again, his eyes flashing with excitement, and asked, "The ultimate rule?"

Xia Yan's eye twitched slightly, and he said calmly, "Beginner level."

"primary?!"

Dan Di was dumbfounded.

Let the champion of a region engage in a preliminary "restricted match"?

Is this a joke?

Before he could speak, Ma Shide said, "Next, Little Swordsman."

"Yes, Master!"

Upon hearing Ma Shide's call, a disciple dressed in ordinary martial arts uniform, with short red hair, a cool appearance, and a serious expression stepped out from the crowd.

He stood opposite Xia Yan.

"Ah Jian?"

Dan Di recognized the stern disciple of Ma Shide, and upon seeing him appear, he had no choice but to withdraw from the battlefield.

Xia Yan stared at the young man named "A Jian" for a while before finally remembering who he was.

This seems to be the same Ken, the martial arts master with the "One-Strike Style" from the "Dream Project," who has successively subdued the three Divine Pillars.

He also seems to have a partner named Asahi, who owns a martial arts bear master with a "combo-style" attack.

Xia Yan's gaze swept around.

Sure enough, among Mastedt's group of disciples, I saw that gentle girl with long blue hair.

original.

Their martial arts bear masters also came from the Isle of Armor.

As for the "Dream Project"...

Anyway, it's a very outrageous plan, and the entry test for joining the plan is even more outrageous.

It seems that a person named "Dr. Sui Gao" is also involved.

It seems that even Shigeru will eventually join them.

A-Jian and his partner Asahi were the initial testers for this "Dream Project," and they possessed considerable strength.

Facing Xia Yan, A Jian didn't hesitate and threw out a Poké Ball.

"Nura!"

The Pokémon that appeared on the field was a very well-trained Weavile, which was also the Pokémon that A-Jian had prepared to use to deal with Salamence.

Salamence is four times weak to Ice-type, so while it loses its advantage of being immune to Dragon-type, it's still a pretty good choice.

"Champion Xia Yan, please give me your guidance," A Jian said meticulously.

Xia Yan nodded.

He didn't quite understand what Mastad meant.

If Clara and Saiboli need education, then people like Ajian shouldn't.