Chapter 26: Entering the Great Marsh
If cultivated according to the methods in the "Liuli Record", the Pokémon successfully trained would naturally be incredibly powerful and awe-inspiring.
However, in reality, judging from the dispersal of the six 脈 of the Hoenn Liuli Gate and the appearance of the "Liuli Record" in Sinnoh, this item is definitely not as powerful as it claims.
Even after filtering out the exaggerated claims, it's merely a method for training Tianwang level Pokémon.
Chen Xi only reviewed it with an attitude of respecting knowledge but not blindly believing in it.
In other words, the method for training Staryu described in it is worth learning from, but a complete copy, even if perfected, would only result in a Tianwang level Staryu. It might seem like, with the resources of Chen Xi's family, it could directly ascend to the top.
But without the constant refinement and rapport with Pokémon, and the exploration of future paths, simply copying this book all the way to the Tianwang level would only make it a Tianwang level Pokémon.
For a Trainer, this might be the end.
If it were anyone else, they might be satisfied, but for Chen Xi, it wasn't enough, far from it.
Chen Xi, having a relatively complete Yuan Family education, was, to some extent, following the orthodox Yuan Family path.
The earlier the stage of a Pokémon, the more important it is to focus on strengthening its foundation. As for tactical systems, those can be planned and trained after the Pokémon evolves into its complete form.
Because as a Pokémon's foundation deepens and its base becomes solid, it can Master any tactical system.
However, the Yuan Family's standard for a solid foundation is the Tianwang level, and Yuan Family Trainers often can't even cross the Quasi-Heavenly King threshold.
This makes the Yuan Family seem particularly weak, but in reality, if they could reach the Tianwang level, the Yuan Family's Pokémon would basically be among the best of their peers.
The embarrassing thing, though, is that the Yuan Family currently has no Tianwang level Trainers.
Yuan Jin of the Yuan Family, who originally had the most hope of becoming a Tianwang level Trainer.
But after being attacked three years ago, whether he has recovered the strength of six Quasi-Heavenly King level Pokémon is still unknown.
However, in most people's eyes, he probably hasn't, and this is one of the reasons for the Yuan Family's weakness.
Therefore, Chen Xi was only somewhat interested in the methods of training Staryu and communicating with the stars in the "Liuli Record."
No matter what, being able to utilize the power of the starry sky is definitely a very good option for Staryu.
Another point is, based on the principles in the "Liuli Record," if applied to Floette, could Floette communicate with the energy of the moon?
After all, Staryu Masters Shinny, Floette Masters Moonlight; Staryu is proficient in Cosmic Power, Floette can Mimic it; Staryu Masters Protect, which Floette also knows.
While Staryu's reverse recovery Seal is something Floette cannot do, Floette only needs to guide this power into the gracidea flower in her hand, and then release it when needed!
The gracidea flower stores the energy Floette painstakingly accumulated. Each time the gracidea flower is used, it consumes Floette's foundation.
This power was originally intended by Chen Xi to be directly poured in as life energy after Floette mastered fifteen different types of Awakening Power, allowing Floette to instantly ascend to level 80.
Now, each use consumes not only stamina but also experience points.
So, if Floette mastered the Starmie's Starlight Brilliance tactical system from the "Liuli Record," would she then have an additional means of response that surpasses her own abilities?
This is something Chen Xi needs to ponder deeply, and Floette can also try it.
Anyway, Floette is currently at max experience, so it's a good time for her to try out more tactics.
Then, the first step got stuck…
The Staryu in the "Liuli Record" could establish a connection through Shinny and starlight because Staryu possesses the Analyze ability.
It can analyze the energy within the starlight and convert it into the energy it needs based on different wavelengths.
As for Floette, even if she Masters the Moonlight skill and can use Moonlight and skills to replenish her own stamina, this is still a skill that consumes mental power, and absolutely cannot achieve the endless effect of Staryu.
As for relying on Moonlight to replenish mental power, you might as well just go to sleep; mental power recovers very quickly when you're asleep.
About five days later, Ci Lang was opening his door, preparing to go out, when he saw Chen Xi walking back.
At this time, Chen Xi was covered in a sour smell, his swollen eyes were bloodshot, and he looked as if he hadn't slept for days and nights.
"What happened to you?!" Ci Lang asked Chen Xi with a surprised look, "You look very tired!"
"Nothing, just a slight adjustment to the tactical system! I've only slept two hours a day these past few days, I really can't keep going. Call me when the big hunt starts! I'm going to take a shower and sleep first!" Chen Xi waved his hand.
"Hua hua~" Floette responded groggily at this moment, and the gracidea flower in her hand seemed to have dimmed.
Chen Xi really hadn't rested well these past few days.
His only rest time was sustained by the Meditation method from the "Liuli Record."
Finally, after five days, relying on the Yuan Family's foundation, he managed to completely revise Floette's entire tactical system.
As for now, after Chen Xi finished showering, he decisively grabbed the Soul Dew and went to sleep.
Because this item has the effect of calming the mind, Chen Xi, holding this item, said he could fall asleep better. The effect was as if a Pokémon had used Yawn on him.
Finally, after an unknown amount of sleep, Ci Lang woke Chen Xi up because if he slept any longer, he would miss the Great Hunt.
At this moment, Chen Xi declared himself to be full of energy.
After a simple wash, he took his already prepared backpack and Pokémon and arrived at the entrance of the Great Marsh.
Chen Xi saw that approximately five hundred Trainers were participating in this Great Hunt.
Among them, about three hundred were official Trainers, one hundred were Elite Class or Master Trainers, and another one hundred were teenagers like himself, only eleven or twelve years old.
However, very few, like himself and Ci Lang, had received a Guardian Charm and openly displayed it.
Chen Xi didn't know if these people were intentionally hiding it, wanting to play dumb to catch others off guard, or if they truly didn't have such an item.
However, Chen Xi decisively took out his Guardian Charm.
Because Chen Xi was very clear that in such a lawless Great Marsh, this Guardian Charm itself was a symbol of status.
As long as he didn't stir up trouble, experts who understood the meaning of this Guardian Charm would naturally bypass him.
At least at the beginning of this Great Hunt, he and Ci Lang were definitely not within the scope of their hunt.
"In this Great Marsh, can I raise Staryu and Grotle to level 40, or even higher levels...?" Chen Xi pondered, full of anticipation.
As Trainers entered the Great Marsh one by one, everyone also tacitly split up.
After all, with a month of free hunting time, no one would investigate what happened in the Great Marsh during this period.
Once the time was up, if they hadn't left the Great Marsh, they would be cleared out by the Trainers of the Wetland Shrine.
Whether they would be directly expelled by force, no one knew.
But it was undeniable that if their actions were very gentle, the Spirit Hunters probably wouldn't be so obedient.
"Where should we go next?" Ci Lang followed Chen Xi into the Great Marsh, looking at the somewhat vast wetland, he turned his head and asked Chen Xi.
"Let's go check out that Grass Type muddy area first." Chen Xi said, "Do you have any other Pokémon besides Carnivine?"
Ci Lang showed a shy smile on his face and said, "I do have a Growlithe at home in Kanto!"
"Growlithe, huh..." Chen Xi nodded and said, "In that case, let's head to the Grass Type muddy area first!"
The two quickly decided on their destination.
However, the journey was not easy, because the average level of Pokémon in this Great Marsh was around 38, and as they delved deeper into the Great Marsh, the strength of the Pokémon they encountered would become increasingly higher.
Therefore, the two of them, Ci Lang and Chen Xi, were not moving very fast.
At least compared to those Elite Class Trainers, Chen Xi and Ci Lang's speed was relatively much slower.
After all, those people started with level 50 Pokémon. The Pokémon in the Great Marsh could cause them some hindrance, but they couldn't create any real trouble, so they naturally left Chen Xi and Ci Lang far behind.
Chen Xi and Ci Lang were not in a hurry, because, to put it plainly, they were truly here to have fun.
Ordinary Elite Trainers participated in this Great Marsh activity for the herbs that grew there and various precious resources.
Everyone came to this Great Hunt with the resolve to stake their lives.
Because their own lives were also on the hunting list this time.
But for Chen Xi and Ci Lang, any resources found in the Great Marsh, unless they were of the level of rare treasures, would almost certainly be stocked at home.
Even the rarest elemental mud pools in the entire Great Marsh were, for the two of them, like hunting rabbits on New Year's Eve – having it was good, but not having it was also fine.
Therefore, the two walked slowly, not in a hurry.
Chen Xi also steadily had his Staryu and Grotle constantly participate in battles to increase their levels, as level is the most crucial factor for Pokémon.
As for tactical systems, those only show their finesse when the strength difference is negligible.
Otherwise, if a level thirty Pokémon faces a level sixty Pokémon, no matter how exquisite your tactics are, what should be crushed will still be crushed.
Before the Elite Class, a few levels difference might seem insignificant, but upon reaching the Quasi-Heavenly King level, one will realize that every single level difference can create an unshakeable gap, leading to immense despair.
And Chen Xi fed his Pokémon various high-energy foods, which were continuously released through battles.
So, both Staryu and Grotle improved very quickly, especially Grotle, which successfully evolved into Torterra.
After evolving, Torterra possessed an astonishing height of at least 3 meters, and its huge, flat shell made it look somewhat like an Ankylosaurus.
However, this massive body was relatively smooth, so Chen Xi and Ci Lang decisively abandoned walking, sat on Torterra, and let it carry them forward.
It must be said that Torterra's back was quite comfortable to sit on, especially with a large tree to lean against. Lying there, one could admire the vast, cloudless sky and enjoy the serenity of a gentle breeze.
Compared to the other Pokémon Trainers struggling in the Great Marsh, Ci Lang and Chen Xi were truly fortunate.
"The Grass Type swamp is just ahead!" Chen Xi exclaimed, looking at the approaching marshland in the distance.
"Are we finally there?" Ci Lang said with some excitement.
"If you weren't so insistent on healing the Pokémon I defeated, we wouldn't have walked so slowly!" Chen Xi said.
"I'm sorry." Ci Lang smiled awkwardly, as if he knew he had delayed Chen Xi quite a bit.
However, seeing the Pokémon that had lost their combat ability after being defeated by Chen Xi's Pokémon, Ci Lang truly felt uneasy leaving them in the wild in such a state, so he used his potions to treat these Pokémon.
Such behavior seemed completely inexplicable to Chen Xi, but after seeing it many times, he was somewhat moved.
After all, in Chen Xi's eyes, wild Pokémon were merely experience points if their quality wasn't high.
But in the eyes of Ci Lang, whose values had not yet been distorted by Team Rockets, Pokémon were human partners, creatures that could coexist harmoniously with humans. Therefore, he would always go to rescue the Pokémon that had been severely beaten by Chen Xi's Pokémon.
Because of this, throughout their journey, Ci Lang himself didn't experience many battles, but his supply of medicines was almost depleted.
Fortunately, Chen Xi still had a good ability to identify things (system appraisal); if he encountered any herbs, he would remind Ci Lang to collect them for future use.
It was this kind of behavior that made Ci Lang somewhat marvel at Chen Xi's knowledge.
He felt that although they were both young Masters from wealthy families, apart from being a bit aloof, Chen Xi surpassed him in both Pokémon training and wild survival skills.
Moreover, in Ci Lang's opinion, although Chen Xi said it was foolish for him to rescue the Pokémon he had beaten, Chen Xi would always have Torterra stop and wait for him whenever he rescued a Pokémon, and would even remind him if they encountered herbs.
Upon deeper thought, Chen Xi was actually quite caring and a very gentle person; he was a good person.
In reality, Chen Xi simply felt that rescuing these Pokémon himself would definitely be quite troublesome.
But watching others rescue these Pokémon, and only needing to speak a few words himself, Chen Xi was quite willing.
After all, it wasn't him doing the work anyway.
However, as Ci Lang rescued more and more Pokémon, Chen Xi always felt that Ci Lang's gaze towards him was strange, making Chen Xi feel very insecure.