Elf: Is the bear apprentice the weakest? I'll shatter the sky with my fists.

Cattleya's gaze lingered on Eileen's wedding ring for half a second before calmly looking away.

As she turned, Miss Gothic's Poké Ball swayed gently at her waist, casting a long, thin shadow on the cobblestone path.

Li Chen subconsciously took half a step forward, but Eileen grabbed the corner of his clothes.

"It would be impolite to keep flirting with other women. Besides, how do you plan to bring someone from that place back with you?"

Suddenly, Eileen reached out and pinched the soft flesh on Li Chen's waist. In the instant he recoiled in pain, she pressed herself against him from behind.

She buried her face in her husband's back, her muffled voice coming through the fabric: "If you dare turn around, I'll freeze you into an ice sculpture."

Li Chen stood frozen in place, feeling the warmth emanating from behind him.

Eileen's long golden hair shimmered with a honey-like luster in the sunlight, and as the breeze gently brushed against his arm, the ends of her hair still carried the faint scent of frost left by the blizzard horse.

......

......

The midday sun shone on the courtyard of the martial arts school. Master Ma, carrying a food box, strolled out from the shadows of the eaves, his wooden clogs making a crisp sound on the stone pavement.

"Alright, it's the hottest part of the day."

He chuckled and held up the steaming food box in his hand: "These are steamed buns I just made, and the shrimp dumplings are still dripping with crab roe."

Li Chen's stomach rumbled at just the right moment, and Eileen turned her face away, her ears turning slightly red.

Master Ma deliberately lifted a corner of the food box, and the aroma of the three-delicacy shumai immediately attracted a greedy young sparrow by the roadside, which fluttered down onto the stone lantern and peeked out.

"Then we won't stand on ceremony."

Li Chen took the food box with burning ears. He bent down and lifted the lid, and the rising steam immediately blurred his vision.

The translucent shrimp dumplings are arranged in a lotus flower shape in the bamboo steamer, while the thin skin of the crab roe soup dumplings trembles gently in the breeze.

Eileen awkwardly leaned closer, her long golden hair falling over the edge of the food box.

She suddenly snatched the vinegar bottle from Li Chen's hand, but deliberately poured an extra half spoonful into his hand.

Their fingers accidentally brushed against each other between the bamboo chopsticks, and their wedding rings made a soft, tinkling sound.

Master Ma, with his hands behind his back, looked towards the courtyard, pretending not to see Eileen secretly putting the largest shrimp dumpling into Li Chen's bowl.

The wind chimes under the eaves tinkled, startling the young titmouse that had been peeking out.

"Wow, Li Chen and Eileen are such a loving couple!"

Dante leaned against the doorframe, his championship cape casually draped over his shoulders.

He was still holding a half-eaten energy cube in his hand, and there was suspicious tree fruit residue stuck to the corner of his mouth.

Sunlight streamed through his tousled hair, casting dappled patterns of light on the bluestone slabs.

Li Chen almost choked on the shrimp dumpling. Eileen's chopsticks pierced through the soup dumpling with a "smack," and the scalding crab roe juice splashed onto her husband's hand.

The two looked up at the same time, looking like caught red-handed stealing a baby tit.

Master Ma suddenly started coughing violently; it turned out he had been choked by the chili oil dripping from his beard.

The old man pretended to be admiring the scenery for too long and unknowingly stuffed the whole spicy fish ball into his mouth.

"Speaking of which, Brother Li Chen, how did you and Eileen meet?"

Dan Di swallowed the energy cube in a few bites, casually wiped his mouth with his cloak, and his eyes gleamed with gossip.

"me?"

Li Chen touched his nose and smiled, "I met Eileen in the Crown Snowfield."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Dan's champion cape began to flutter wildly in the draft.

A series of images flashed through his mind: a trainer staggering through a blizzard, the faint silhouette of a Spectre, silhouettes of people huddling together for warmth in an ice cave...

"Could it be..."

Dan Di's gaze swept back and forth between the couple's wedding rings, then he suddenly clenched his fist and said, "That kind of legendary blizzard encounter, and then..."

"What are you thinking? Then just do whatever you normally would."

Li Chen calmly picked up a shrimp dumpling.

Eileen's chopsticks suddenly broke...

Master Ma's coughing grew louder; this time, he had genuinely choked on the chili oil.

"Who was it back then...?"

A blush suddenly crept onto Eileen's elven ears, and her voice involuntarily lowered, "...You set off fireworks for me on the mountaintop using Reshiram's flames?"

The sunlight suddenly became scorching.

Eileen clutched the hem of her skirt, and the scene from that night reappeared before her eyes.

Under the pale aurora, Li Chen stood amidst the pure white wings of Reshiram, as soaring blue flames burst into enormous fireworks in the night sky.

They were just setting off the members of the Shinmeikai (a religious organization) like firecrackers.

"At first they even covered my eyes..."

She kicked a small pebble and watched it roll to Li Chen's feet.

Dan Di's champion cape suddenly froze in mid-air. He slowly turned his head to look at Li Chen, who was pretending to study the pattern on the food box: "Brother, you call this 'not having that kind of thought'?"

Half a chili pepper was still hanging on Master Ma's beard, which was now trembling comically as he suppressed a laugh.

Chapter 588 VS Da Ye?

"but..."

Li Chen suddenly narrowed his eyes, a sly smile playing on his lips. "I'm also very curious about something."

He deliberately dragged out the words, tapping the edge of the food box lightly with his fingertips, "Does our champion have someone he likes?"

Dan Di suddenly sprayed out the energy cube drink he had just gulped down. He frantically tried to wipe it up, but only spread the fruit pulp even more.

"Ahem... well..."

His wheat-colored face suddenly flushed red, and his eyes involuntarily darted around.

Eileen suddenly slammed the food box shut, the crisp sound of the metal lock echoing throughout the martial arts hall.

She gave a dangerous smile: "Oh? Looks like someone's better at setting off 'fireworks' than us~"

Master Ma's coughs faded into the distance, accompanied by deliberately amplified self-talk: "Youth is truly wonderful... Where did I put my nitroglycerin pills again...?"

"Then, is she...on the Isle of Armor?"

Li Chen lowered his voice, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the wood grain on the edge of the food box.

Dan's championship cape suddenly stopped swaying.

He gazed toward the distant Galatian homeland, the sunlight casting a long shadow over him.

Dan Di scratched his cheek, and a few grains of sand fell from his hair.

"It should still be in Galar territory."

He kicked at the pebbles at his feet, revealing a rare shy smile.

"Tsk, looks like we won't be getting any fresh gossip today."

Li Chen clicked his tongue in disappointment and took out his phone from his pocket.

He casually opened a trainer social app, hovered his finger over the "real-time battle matchmaking" button for a moment, and suddenly revealed a sly smile.

"How about some exercise after dinner?"

Li Chen waved his phone, and a crisp sound of a match invitation rang out. "Maybe I'll be matched with some interesting opponents~"

"Di-"

With a crisp system notification sound, Li Chen's phone screen suddenly lit up with a blue light. A holographic projection unfolded above the food box, with matching flame-shaped effects burning fiercely.

"Matching you..."

The mechanical female voice was suddenly interrupted by an explosion sound effect, and a volcanic eruption-like special effect suddenly appeared in the projection.

"Match successful!"

"Your opponent is: Sinnoh Elite Four member, Daikichi."

Current location: Mech City Open-air Battle Plaza

Match Time: 19:00

The camera suddenly switched to a live feed.

A red-haired man with an afro is making a V-sign at the camera, with a giant chimney billowing black smoke behind him, and Flareon spraying a small firework on his shoulder.

Hey! How are you, bro?

Da Ye's voice came through, crackling with radio noise, "I'll be waiting for you at the Mech City Arena. Remember to bring enough burn ointment!"

Li Chen's lips curled up uncontrollably, the blue light from the phone screen reflecting a mischievous smile in his eyes.

On the projection, Da Ye was gesturing wildly, his signature red, explosive hair bouncing with each movement.

Despite being known as the "Fire-type Elite Four," everyone knows that his signature lineup includes three non-Fire-type Pokémon.

Steelix, Loppa, and Flappy.

However, we still need to get going!

"Alright, let's head to Machine City."

Li Chen waved goodbye to Master Ma and Dan Di.

"Martial Roar—!"

Suddenly, a black and white figure darted out of the kitchen. Martial Arts Master Xiong had half a piece of seaweed in his mouth, and soup dripped from his chin onto the wooden floor.

It wiped its mouth with its furry paws, looking like it still wanted more.

"Hmm?" Li Chen raised an eyebrow, looking at his partner who should have been in the Poké Ball.

The kitchen curtain was lifted, and Honey Leaf peeked out, holding a soup spoon covered in sauce.

"This child just helped with tasting the flavors~"

She smiled and wiped her apron. "You're welcome!"

Martial Arts Master Xiong scratched his head sheepishly, then suddenly let out a burp, releasing a few wisps of spicy crab aroma.

Dan Di's stomach growled loudly, which was particularly clear in the quiet courtyard.

Li Chen glanced at the greasy mouth of Martial Arts Master Xiong, then noticed the empty seafood pot in the kitchen behind Mi Ye, and immediately smiled knowingly.

He reached out and ruffled his partner's fluffy head, his fingertips catching a hint of the aroma of chili oil.

"Let's go."

Eileen was already waiting in front of the stone steps of the martial arts school. Li Chen turned back for one last look at the martial arts school with its rising smoke.

Master Ma was leaning against the door frame waving, while Dan Di was faintly visible through the kitchen window.

The martial arts bear master trotted to catch up with the two, his paw pads making a "pat-pat" sound as they stepped on the bluestone slabs.

The steel behemoth-like train slowly pulled into the platform of the Machine City station, its whistle startling a flock of blue crows.

Li Chen gazed at the neon lights gradually illuminating outside the window, and in the reflection of the glass was Eileen's profile as she leaned on his shoulder, fast asleep.

Her long golden hair was spread out on his coat, still covered with crumbs of spicy cherry fruit that Martial Arts Master Xiong had secretly brought into the car.

"Final stop, Machine City."

Martial Arts Master Xiong crawled out from under the seat, still clutching a half-eaten bag of crab-flavored rice crackers in his paws, which Miye had obviously secretly slipped into his luggage.

The tungsten filament lights on the platform lit up one by one, casting the shadows of the three people and their Pokémon onto the steam-filled ground.

In the distance, searchlights from the arena suddenly swept across the night sky, and the faint sound of Da Ye's signature loud laughter could be heard drifting on the evening breeze.

Eileen's elven ears twitched, and she whispered in Li Chen's ear:

"Which non-Fire-type Pokémon do you think he'll send out first this time?"

"I guess...it'll be a long-eared rabbit?"