Elf: I have a secret realm of emerald green.

Mr. Ye glanced at him with amusement. “Old site? This whole area near Qiyao Mountain was called Fengdu in ancient times. I know what you want to ask.”

"What you want to know is not a city, but a door."

"A door?" King Jin frowned.

"Yes, it's the gate connecting the realms of Yin and Yang. And the Lord of Fengdu is that gatekeeper."

"The gatekeeper?" King Jin frowned even more, as if he had finally noticed something was wrong.

Even in the legends of this world, Giratina is on par with the two gods of time and space, and is in charge of the existence of the antimatter world.

However, he was not completely discouraged and said with some reluctance, "Thank you for your help. I apologize for bothering you today. I will visit you again another day. I hope you will forgive me."

As soon as he finished speaking, a Gengar suddenly emerged from his shadow.

The chubby purple man made a face at the three of them and spat out a round, brownish-red gem and a deep purple gem from his mouth.

"This is a gift I prepared for the two children as a greeting. I hope you won't refuse it." King Jin's voice remained calm.

Xia Shen, whose eyesight had long been honed, immediately recognized that these were two top-tier attribute gems worth hundreds of thousands.

One is a Fighting-type, and the other is a Ghost-type.

Clearly, the Ghost-type item was a gift for himself.

Xia Shen was surprised. Are all Heavenly Kings this magnanimous?

Giving it to Ye Rou would be fine, but he needed to ask a favor from Rou's elders.

You can listen to stories with someone and win prizes worth hundreds of thousands of dollars?

King Jin looks aloof, but... he's way too good at getting things done, isn't he?

However, this thing... is a bit too hot to handle.

Xia Shen has always believed in the principle of not accepting rewards without merit; if something is rightfully his, he will accept it generously.

But this...

He was about to refuse when Jin Ruanruan said, "Take it, Xia Shen. Speaking of which, we're a bit like we're destined to be apart. I was looking for something during the National High School Competition... but I had something to do and couldn't go."

He smiled slightly, "Li Xiang beat you to it. Otherwise, you might be from Chongqing or Sichuan today. I really admire your Zoroark. Consider it a gift for that little guy."

Since King Jin's tone was sincere, Xia Shen no longer refused. After thanking him, he accepted the Ghost Gem offered by Gengar's outstretched tongue.

He secretly resolved that if he had the chance in the future, he would definitely help him find Giratina.

…………

After seeing off the Golden King, Old Master Ye smiled and looked at Ye Rou, "Tell me, what brings this kid here to see me?"

"He also wanted to ask about the legends of Fengdu, but he probably knows enough about them by now." Ye Rou was practically a well-bred young lady in front of her grandfather.

Xia Shen quickly added, "That's right, but I also want to know, what are the conditions for [that door] to open, and under what circumstances will the Lord of Fengdu appear?"

Upon hearing this, Old Master Ye's expression suddenly turned serious.

He solemnly warned Xia Shen, "Don't try to find the traces of the Lord of Fengdu. This is no joke. Do you know why that world isn't like the secret realm, where there's no information?"

Xia Shen shook his head blankly. This thing was also an unsolved mystery in the Pokémon series of games and anime, so how would he know?

"Because those who go there never come back..."

------

I stayed at the Seven Stars Martial Arts Hall and inexplicably sparred with a bear-themed character.

After being asked to stay for lunch, Xia Shen finally left the martial arts school in the afternoon and returned to Qiyao Mountain.

As for Fengdu and the Spirit Realm?

After the old man's warning, Xia Shen never mentioned the matter to the old man again.

He was actually starting to have second thoughts.

After all, what the old man said was truly chilling.

Xia Shen even began to reflect on whether his smooth sailing all the way had made him too arrogant.

They even dared to explore the spirit world, which was portrayed as terrifying and an unsolved mystery in their previous life's games and animations.

The spirit world is not like the secluded paradise of Xicui, where one can run wild without restraint under the protection of Arceus's divine power.

No legends remain about that mysterious place, and no one even knows what's inside.

Or... should we just forget about it?

It's fine not to study the Night Demon; the world won't be affected by losing one more elf.

But he and Garchomp only have one life each. Even if he doesn't think about himself, he has to think about his Pokémon.

Just follow the main road steadily, why bother studying that Bridge of Helplessness?

Xia Shen originally thought that way, but reality made him experience for the first time what it means for things to go against his wishes.

…………

The gentle breeze of early summer nights made the spirits of Qiyao Mountain close their eyes and doze off.

Xia Shen felt a chill in his heart because he didn't see Mumu Xiao and Meilutan.

The two elves, who were still at home at dinner time, suddenly disappeared from sight.

What's even more terrifying is that his mental power couldn't detect their existence at all.

Moreover, the same applies to Tibrim, whose mental strength is far superior to his own and can cover almost several kilometers!

Xia Shen quickly rode the Garchomp to search for them.

Meanwhile, Tibblim and the others stayed at home, so that they could be looked after should Rowlet and the others suddenly return.

Xia Shen didn't care about speed limits at all, and made Garchomp go full speed ahead, circling and searching the entire Seven Luminaries Mountain and Fog City University, but still found nothing.

There's only one possibility left: the two of them have accidentally entered a spirit world gate that opened somewhere unknown!

Otherwise, how could they have evaporated from the entire Seven Luminaries Mountain in just half an hour?

With its tiny wings and Meltan's short legs, it's impossible for Rowlet to escape the range of Tebrimon's mental detection.

The spirit world...

The place he had just decided to leave that afternoon seemed to have come knocking on his door, opening its doors to him.

Based on the few lines in the animation, Xia Shen knew that once the gate to the spirit world was opened, it would not disappear without external interference.

Rowlet and Meltan disappeared only half an hour ago, so the Spirit Gate must still be somewhere.

So, even knowing that it might be a place from which there is no return, would you still go?

Xia Shen didn't hesitate and took out Zoroark's Poké Ball.

A flash of white light, and the purple-haired fox appeared on Garchomp's back.

"Zoroark, please find me a door..."

------------

Chapter 246 The Gate to the Spirit Realm and the Shadow of Mashado!

What is the world of the dead like?

Whether it's a past life or this life, ancient or modern, Chinese or foreign.

People have never stopped imagining it.

Heaven, Hell, Liberation, Atonement...

Poetry, songs, and almost all literary works attempt to depict that mysterious place.

But no one has ever been able to describe the appearance of the spirit world with certainty.

Because the dead cannot be reborn.

Even the dead who have gone astray are no exception.

Xia Shen felt that he hadn't gone astray, but rather "drew into his own death."

He didn't know if he could become the first person to return from the spirit world.

In short, he led all his spirits and stepped into the gate to the spirit world hidden in the mountains without hesitation.

He was calm and rational; he had already planned out his "afterlife."

If they really can't come back, the elves can be released into the Emerald Realm.

Apart from Tibrimon, all their homelands are here, so releasing them here is a way of returning them to nature.

Xia Shen reserved a month for himself.

He wrote a letter about the spirit world.

If I haven't returned after a month, the email that was scheduled in advance will be sent to the few people most important to me.

Parents, Yan Yan, Ye Rou is half... it seems like that's all?

Yan Yan will inform her father-in-law and sister-in-law, and Ye Rou will also inform the people at Wudu University.

Besides, deep down he still had the confidence to return.

Yuxi and the other two were at least second-level gods, and he and the lightning cloud had a good relationship.

If a real crisis comes, it's not shameful to go to Xicuili to ask for help.

Moreover, the task Arceus assigned him was barely even that.

Xia Shen believed that the alpaca... no, the Creator God would never abandon him.

The only risk is that the Emerald Cleansing Realm cannot be opened in the spirit world.

However, this possibility is extremely slim.

The Emerald Realm is a gift from Arceus.

Even the spirit world is under the jurisdiction of my great creator god, isn't it?

After carefully considering all aspects, Xia Shen pushed open the gate to the spirit world.