Pokémon: I picked up a reborn Eevee at the start of the game

Wing City is larger than Linked Town, and it has an official League-run Gym, a Grass-type.

However, Xia Chen had no intention of collecting the Kalos region gym badges, so he didn't think about challenging them on the way.

He was more interested in another famous attraction in Biyi City—Gaotai Mountain.

Lianli Town boasts the magnificent Longyue Waterfall, while Biyi City has a unique, albeit not towering, Gaotai Mountain.

Gaotai Mountain stands by the sea, with an altitude of only three or four hundred meters. It looks quite ordinary, but there is a very regular platform-like cliff at the top of the mountain, hence the name Gaotai Mountain.

The reason this place is famous is thanks to an ancient tree that is said to have grown for three thousand years on the high platform.

Judging from the photo, the ancient tree was no ordinary object, which reminded Xia Chen of the sacred tree in Fragrant City that was actually the transformed Horn of Xerneas.

Perhaps a secret related to Xerneas is hidden here?

Although it might not be that coincidental, Xia Chen still chose to take a stroll around.

The mountain wasn't high, and the wild elves that lived there were very friendly. Xia Chen easily led Diancie to the high platform at the top of the mountain.

As the most famous attraction in Biyi City, this place attracts a constant stream of tourists.

Standing on the edge of the cliff, looking out into the distance, the vast and magnificent West Carlos Sea can be seen in its entirety. Xia Chen had no interest in the scenery, so he summoned Sylveon from his Poké Ball, and together with Sylveon and Diancie, they walked to the ancient tree.

Sensing the powerful life force emanating from it, Xia Chen asked, "Xianbu, is this tree related to Xerneas?"

Senbu hesitated and shook his head. "Bu-ee—(Probably not...but I'm not entirely sure, well, I don't know everything.)"

In her memories of her past life, she had no recollection of this ancient tree in Biyi City, but this only meant that no unusual phenomena had occurred during those ten years.

Therefore, Sylvanas isn't entirely sure that it has absolutely no connection to Xerneas.

Meanwhile, Diancie looked up at the tree canopy with a thoughtful expression, as if she had made a discovery.

"Tianshi, have you discovered something?"

Diancie blinked and said, "Dianci feels a very familiar aura up there..."

Xia Chen asked in confusion, "Up there? Where is up there?"

"It's on the tree."

Diancie murmured in a somewhat slurred voice, "Dianci wants to go up and take a look..."

Xia Chen glanced at the sign in front of him that read "No Climbing Ancient Trees" and said calmly, "Okay, let's go up from the side and take a look."

The ancient tree was huge. They circled around to a secluded corner, looked around, and, finding no one paying attention, summoned Milotic to carry them up the tree.

Guided by Diancie, Xia Chen climbed to the top of the ancient tree's canopy. Countless years of wild growth had made it lush and verdant, with the top of the trunk even reaching the size of half a battlefield.

Strangely, the place was exceptionally clean; not only were there no bird or Pokémon nests, but not even a single fallen leaf was found.

"There..."

As if summoned by some mysterious force, Diancie drifted off in a certain direction as if in a dream.

Xia Chen and Xianbu exchanged a glance and followed closely behind her.

…………

Diancie was heading towards the thickest branch of the ancient tree, roughly estimated to be three meters in diameter. Even Bosscodora could probably walk on it.

At noon, sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the path formed by the branches, creating a dreamlike scene.

Xia Chen followed behind Tianxi uphill, feeling a faint sense of pilgrimage.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, Diancie finally stopped. Xia Chen used his Aura to probe forward and was surprised to sense the Aura of a Pokémon among the lush leaves at the end of a branch.

The information provided by this mysterious spirit's waveguide was extremely limited, but it proved one thing: its strength far exceeded Xia Chen's detection capabilities.

This feeling only comes when facing legendary spirits.

This unusual situation made him subconsciously take out Guleton's Poké Ball and hold it in his hand, and his sense of security immediately returned.

At the same time, he was also wondering about the identity of this mysterious elf.

Judging from its size, this should be a small Pokémon, and there aren't many native legendary Pokémon in the Kalos region, so a small one is more likely... Hoopa?

This somewhat ominous guess made Xia Chen's heart sink.

What kind of being is Hoopa?

That's a legendary spirit that was sealed away because its destructive power was too great!

With a single move of the magic ring in his hand, he could command even world-destroying legendary Pokémon like Groudon and Kyogre.

But then he thought about it again. He had never heard of any connection between Hoopa and the City of Wings. Besides, Hoopa should be sealed in a bottle, so how could it be here?

Who is this mysterious legendary spirit?

The sea breeze rustled the leaves, revealing what they had hidden: a flower bud!

Flower and leaf stem?

Xia Chen was stunned.

How could Flower Leaf Stem be a legendary elf?

Wait, could it be the legendary "Eternal Flower"?

He suddenly remembered the legend from the Carlos region three thousand years ago—King Az of Carlos created the ultimate weapon in order to resurrect his most beloved elf, Flowerleaf, who died in the war.

AZ successfully revived Flower Leaf with the ultimate weapon, and also granted her eternal life.

However, when Flower Leaf learned that this was at the cost of countless elves' lives, she was very disappointed in Az and left him.

Could this be the flower petal stem that gained eternal life because of the ultimate weapon?

This is highly likely.

First of all, while the Floripod in the game is just an ordinary Pokémon, the Floripod in AZ that possesses the "Eternal Flower" is a genuine legendary Pokémon in the classification.

Even its base stats are twice as high as those of a regular flower.

It's somewhat like the difference between a regular Pikachu and an intelligent Pikachu; one is a Pokémon that's "as common as stray dogs on the street," while the latter is a being that can electrify Arceus.

According to legend, the flower-leaf bud disappeared after leaving AZ three thousand years ago, and ended up in Biyi City.

Looking at the flower bud that seemed to be fast asleep among the leaves, Xia Chen pondered this.

…………

Just as Xia Chen was pondering this matter, Diancie, who seemed to know him, suddenly floated straight toward Huayeti.

Then, the flower bud opened its eyes.

He's awake already?

Xia Chen was somewhat surprised; he had thought he would need to tell her about AZ before she would wake up.

Hua Yedi slowly woke up, and after a moment of daze, she noticed Diancie beside her and Xia Chen and Xianbu further away.

She raised the Flower of Eternity in her hand and asked warily, "Who are you, and why did you wake me?"

Before Xia Chen could speak, Tianxi responded first, "Who are you? Tianxi feels quite close to you..."

"Tianci..."

Hua Yedi seemed to have some recollection of the name, and she replied, "I think I've seen you before... no, I should say I've seen other Diancie."

Xia Chen understood. Since leaving AZ, this flower-leaf bud had lived for over three thousand years. With such a long lifespan, it wasn't surprising that she had gotten to know the previous Tianxi.

He stepped forward and stood in front of the somewhat bewildered Diancie, saying gently, "Let me talk to her."

Diancie nodded obediently, "Mmm..."

After comforting Diancie, Xia Chen turned to her and said, "Greetings, esteemed [Eternal Flower], I am a traveler passing through this place, named Xia Chen."

Hua Yedi asked in surprise, "You know me?"

The Eternal Flower is a legend that dates back three thousand years. How did this ordinary human recognize himself at a glance?

Xia Chen smiled slightly, "It seems I guessed right. You are the Eternal Flower who gained immortality three thousand years ago due to the energy of the ultimate weapon."

"So what?"

Hua Yedi's voice was clearly unhappy, perhaps because the words "ultimate weapon" had stirred up some bad memories for her.

With just two short sentences, Xia Chen had completely manipulated Hua Yedi's emotions.

Of course, he didn't do this intentionally to provoke Huayedi; he had other motives.

Xia Chen said calmly, "I didn't mean anything by it, I just wanted to ask if you know where AZ is right now?"

Hua Yedi's expression suddenly froze. "He...is still alive?"

"It seems you are unaware that AZ was also affected by the ultimate weapon and gained immortality."

Hua Yedi truly didn't know, because she left him immediately after learning what AZ had done.

The lifespan of an ordinary human is only a short hundred years, and Huayedi thought that AZ had long since left this world.

Now that she knew AZ had also achieved immortality, Hua Yedi's expression was complicated. "Is he... alright?"

Xia Chen shrugged. "If someone loses their beloved but can't die, do you think they would be happy or miserable?"

Hua Yedi's expression darkened. "Of course it's painful..."

She could understand this feeling better than anyone else.

Although she left AZ, it did not mean that she hated him or even forgot him. On the contrary, it was precisely because of her love for AZ that she could not allow AZ to sacrifice the lives of so many innocent elves for her.

Subconsciously, she chose to leave not only to punish AZ, but also to atone for his sins.

Imagine, AZ's lifespan is only a short hundred years, and the existence of suffering has a fixed duration.

But for Huayedi, she will have to bear this pain for thousands of years, or even longer.

To lose one's beloved forever, to be unable to die, immortality in such a situation is not a blessing, but a curse, a curse from which one can never escape.

It is precisely for this reason that Huayedi chose to numb herself with a long sleep. In these three thousand years, she may not have been awake for even one-tenth of the time.

"You are both suffering the same pain, why can't you meet and give each other relief?"

Xia Chen's voice was so alluring.

Hua Yedi looked up and saw the man in front of her smiling. "Miss Hua Yedi, you don't want AZ to live in pain forever, do you?"