Elf: I have a secret realm of emerald green.

This is at least on par with the leader of Zoroark, which is the Elite Four level!

But Xia Shen was not flustered. It was already midnight, and he could run into Xicui at any time.

At that time... hehe, don't even mention Elite Four level Pokémon, I'll kill even a god for you!

The Night Demon ignored Xia Shen and went to meet up with Marshado and the others first.

When Marshall saw the Night Demon, it was like a child who had been bullied outside returning home to see his father, and he lay on its round belly and cried.

The candle spirits also took turns recounting Xia Shen's various "atrocities".

Yes, verbal violence is also a form of violence.

Before long, Marshall seemed to have been comforted and calmed down, lying quietly on the ground and falling asleep.

After coaxing Marshall, the Night Demon slowly floated to Xia Shen's side.

[Dear Divine Messenger, I meant no offense, but please do not blame Marshall. All of this... is the will of my master.]

Xia Shen jumped suddenly, not because he was surprised that the Night Demon could also communicate telepathically.

The first half of the sentence alone stirred up a storm in his heart.

Why does it call itself "Divine Messenger"?

This identity was only revealed to him during the Washing Jade Realm, which was also his own secret place, a secret that would forever remain in his heart.

Apart from themselves and their own spirits, no outsiders would have any way of knowing.

So, how did he know?

------

After handing the Woody Rowlet and Meltan in his arms to Zoroark for care, Xia Shen pulled the Night Demon aside to talk.

"What did you just call me?" Xia took a deep breath, trying to rule out the possibility that she had misheard.

But he knew in his heart that he absolutely could not have misheard.

He gazed silently at the Night Demon before him, awaiting its answer.

[...My Lord, the Divine Messenger?]

The Night Demon cautiously probed with a question, then suddenly muttered to itself.

[Master seems to be referring to the Divine Messenger... Or am I seeing things?]

Xia Shen's doubts deepened. It seemed that the master of that Night Demon Spirit had made it call him "Divine Envoy".

Who is its owner?

It is the gatekeeper of the spirit world, therefore, its master is the ruler of the spirit world.

But the spirit world is so mysterious, and he really doesn't know which great god is the ruler.

It must be at least a first-level god, no less than Giratina, the ruler of the Reverse World, right?

Which other Ghost-type legendary Pokémon have a high level of prestige?

Lunayana?

Probably not. That's the moon goddess of the sun and moon; what does that have to do with the spirit world?

Punish Hupa?

It seems... that it can't really be connected to the spirit world?

Forget it, why think so much? Just ask directly, right?

Anyway, that unknown ruler of the spirit world probably needs my help, so asking him shouldn't be offensive.

…………

Xia Shen snapped out of his thoughts and asked solemnly, "So, who is your master?"

For reasons unknown, the Night Demon showed great respect for Xia Shen and answered him earnestly.

[My master is the origin of the netherworld, the end of all things, and the lord of the spirit realm.]

Xia Shen clicked his tongue. "Such a boastful fellow, calling himself the end of all things."

Deathwing, right?

"So, could you please tell me her name?"

[A name? She had no name, she didn't even...have a life.]

No life? Xia Shen was completely confused. What kind of elf is still lifeless?

Wait a minute, why does it have to be an elf?

Xia Shen realized that she seemed to have fallen into a misconception from the very beginning.

The origin of the Netherworld... Xia Shen suddenly thought of a ridiculous yet plausible possibility.

He asked with a strange expression, "Is your master a... stone slab?"

The Night Demon was shocked. "How did you know? In all these years, no elf has ever recognized their master's true form!"

Xia Shen sighed, "Good heavens, it really is one of Arceus's tablets, a ghost-attribute monster tablet..."

As for the fact that the stone slab possessed its own sentience, Xia Shen was not surprised.

In the animation, the fireball stone tablet showed signs of intelligence. Since it's called a "monster" stone tablet, it's normal for it to have some thoughts of its own.

However, Xia Shen had no idea how it knew about his affairs.

Perhaps it received a hint from Arceus, or perhaps there is a special way for the stone tablets to communicate?

If Xia Shen could see it in person, he really wanted to get to the bottom of it.

He silently made a decision in his heart: if he encountered anything strange in the future, he would just think of the stone slab.

However, since it's a stone slab, we can't ignore this matter.

Xia Shen sighed and said, "Tell me everything about how you pulled me into the Spirit Realm and the Lord of the Spirit Realm."

…………

Half an hour later, through the Night Demon's narration and his own reasonable speculation, Xia Shen finally understood everything.

It is said that after Arceus fell into slumber, the various stone tablets were lost.

The monster stone tablet ended up in the spirit world, where ghost energy is most concentrated.

This is a good place for it; although it lacks the vitality it desires, it has a more delicious soul.

At that time, the spirit world not only contained numerous ghost-type spirits, but also souls, whose numbers were hundreds of times greater than those of the spirits.

And a very small number of... human souls.

Absorbing souls might sound terrifying, but for many Ghost-type Pokémon, it's as common as eating.

Not to mention the ancestor of Ghost-type Pokémon, the Monster Slate.

Although the monster stone tablet is conscious, it cannot move on its own, remaining in one place waiting for souls to come to it, which is no different from waiting for a rabbit to run into a tree stump.

So it came up with a solution.

The aura emanating from the Yokai Stone Slab is the most delicious thing for all Ghost-type Pokémon.

Thus, a transaction chain was created.

Ghost-type Pokémon offer their souls to the Pokémon Plate, and the Pokémon Plate will exchange a little of its energy with it.

For countless years thereafter, in the chaotic and disordered spirit world, the first faith was born.

The secret of the new world is this: the Yokai Stone Tablet!

The Night Demon Clan has worshipped the Monster Stone Tablet for generations, and it was at this time that they began to do so.

The wandering night spirits who came to trade... no, now we should call them tribute, discovered that the energy of the stone slab could actually allow them to evolve again!

Point Guard Here

This alone is enough for the Night Demon Clan to become eternal believers in the Monster Tablet.

Over time, the spirit world prospered because of the arrival of the monster stone tablet.

Of course, the Ghost-type Pokémon are thriving.

As for those souls that have almost lost their consciousness?

It's just fuel that's readily available everywhere.

If they are lucky, they might possess a piece of rotten wood and be reborn as a little wood spirit, which can be considered a "class leap".

…………

And then... came the old-fashioned story of nine dragons playing with a pearl.

The spirits, empowered by the aura of the monster stone tablet, grew increasingly greedy, for the "gods" now depended on them for survival.

So, is it my god, or am I its god?

Meanwhile, at some unknown time, a saying suddenly began to circulate in the spirit world: "He who seizes the gods will gain the spirit world."

The power of these words is almost as magical as "The Great Chu will rise, and Chen Sheng will be king."

Thus, the elves began the "Stone Slab Wars," a war that likely arose over the control of the stone slabs.

The Night Demon didn't go into details about the war, but the result was that the Crystal Lamp Spirits emerged victorious.

The leader of the crystal lamp spirits, who had monopolized the monster stone tablet, finally revealed his evil fangs.

That is to open the gate to the spirit world of the real world through the monster stone tablet, and harvest the souls of living beings.

Originally, it was impossible for any being in the spirit world to return to the "human world".

The Monster Stone Tablet is the only ticket for the one-way train of death.

Unfortunately, behind that door lies Fengdu, a city from a thousand years ago.

After that day, Fengdu became known as the Ghost City.

The monster tablet, which became the key to Pandora's Box, was both angry and remorseful.

Although it feeds on souls, they are all souls that have been dead for a long time and have little consciousness.