The prosperous, vibrant Mist Island was far more attractive to the Galarian Meowth than the dazzling, bustling outside world because human civilization ultimately belonged to humans, but Mist Island was the Pokémon's Mist Island, where it witnessed a civilization built by Pokémon themselves.
In comparison, the disputes between the Savage Hounds Gang and other Pokémon organizations were like squabbles among children. The Cat's Nest and the other areas were nothing more than the most primitive tribes.
This was why, even after putting on its headband, it still remained in a dazed state for long periods. Every time Li Xiang went shopping, he had to ask several times before it could snap out of it and figure out what it was supposed to do.
This made Li Xiang wonder more than once if the cat had gone stupid—had Mist Island's environment not helped it, but rather had the opposite effect?
Fortunately, he was overthinking. Mist Island's environment wouldn't harm any Pokémon; it only kept the creatures living there healthy and in perfect balance.
The Galarian Meowth was simply stunned by what it saw.
This cat had a relatively simple personality, doing things as it pleased without caring about others' gazes. Even with the headband on, it would often do things that others found hard to understand.
"Take your time picking, no rush. It's still early."
Li Xiang glanced at the hourglass. There was plenty of time, as long as they made it back to school before three in the afternoon.
"Meow!"
The Galarian Meowth nodded. Before coming, it had actually made a list, but once it entered the market, it was captivated by the dazzling array of ingredients. Things not originally on the list suddenly became things it desperately wanted.
However, the energy cubes it carried were limited, and so was what it could take away. It had to look back three times at every step, reluctantly gritting its teeth and leaving.
Li Xiang chuckled. "It's not like we'll never come back. We can do it again next time."
He patted the Galarian Meowth's head.
Only then did it finally tear its gaze away.
After shopping, Li Xiang led the Galarian Meowth into a small alley and found the Sableye stall that collected attribute gems for him. As it happened, Sableye was there today.
"Boss, it's been a while. How many goods have you stocked up?"
Li Xiang crouched down to eye level with the short Sableye.
"Sableye~"
Sableye rubbed its tiny claws together like a shady merchant and dragged out a small pouch.
After Illusion Island disappeared, the geysers stopped erupting, and attribute gems gradually became rare treasures. They either lay scattered silently at the bottom of the lake or were picked up and hidden away by gem-loving Pokémon.
But since these gems were incredibly useful, Li Xiang had asked Sableye to help collect them before he left.
Don't let Sableye's timid appearance fool you—it had an extensive underground network. It was also happy to help Li Xiang; generous customers were its favorite.
They agreed to meet in this alley. If they happened to run into each other, they'd trade; otherwise, they'd wait for the next time.
Li Xiang picked up the pouch and untied the string. A cascade of multicolored diamonds caught his eye.
Attribute gems came in many colors, but they all looked the same—standard cut shapes.
There were thirty in total, covering all types.
Honestly, Li Xiang was a bit disappointed. He had expected Sableye to collect more gems, but thirty was all there was.
Better than nothing, he supposed.
He weighed them lightly and paid according to the agreed price.
"Meow?"
The Galarian Meowth looked at the pouch in Li Xiang's hand, its nose twitching with curiosity. It sensed something dangerous from the small bag.
"Attribute gems. They can boost the power of moves—super useful stuff."
Li Xiang smiled at it.
Attribute gems were like Max Moves and Z-Moves—immensely powerful, far beyond their current level. If the tournament rules allowed him to use them, with a bit of luck and the right matchups, attribute gems could let him take down an opponent's Pokémon right from the start.
The cost was far lower than using Molten Form or Accelerated Vision.
After saying goodbye to Sableye, they took Lapras to Shuckle Island to pick up the final batch of jam. The shopping trip was complete.
Hearing that they were leaving, the Galarian Meowth looked reluctant. In less than two hours, it had fallen completely in love with Mist Island. It felt like its thinking had become much clearer.
If it could live here long-term, maybe its brain condition could even heal?
Well, the Galarian Meowth knew that was just an excuse it told itself.
If it had to choose between the beautiful Mist Island and the World Pokemon Cooking Tournament, it would still pick the latter.
Why couldn't it have both? That really annoyed the Galarian Meowth.
It was in a huff the entire way back, looking like a coffee-colored dirty bun.
Li Xiang found it quite amusing and couldn't resist rubbing its thick, bearded chin. That big beard was a trademark feature of this species.
Just before leaving, Li Xiang turned back for one last look at the beautiful Mist Island, feeling a slight pang of regret.
There were still many places worth exploring on Mist Island, but he simply didn't have the time right now.
He would have to save that for another day.
The three-day "vacation" gave the exhausted school team members a much-needed mental break.
And then the Haizhou match arrived.
Unfortunately, Lingcheng had started getting heavy snow again—in mid-July. The temperature there had plummeted, dropping below zero.
In his previous life, this would have been considered abnormal weather, but for Lingcheng residents, it was just another day.
Flights were temporarily grounded. If they didn't want to rush, they had to take the high-speed train.
And high-speed rail was still developing during this period, so transfers were inevitable.
Fortunately, the match venue had been temporarily moved indoors. The battle environment would be much better—at least they wouldn't have to fight the Haizhou team under a blizzard.
The school had even assigned a team doctor to accompany them. In a place like Lingcheng, even a small oversight could lead to catching a cold.
A trainer's condition affects their Pokémon—that goes without saying.
And so, with bags and luggage in tow, the school team boarded the train bound for Lingcheng, Haizhou.
At the train station, quite a few fans came to see them off, holding up signs and calling their names, drawing curious glances from passersby.
Everyone hoped Mist City University would achieve a good result this year, and the doubles performance had indeed given them hope. They only wished singles would follow suit—a perfect five rounds, twenty-five wins.
Amid the cheers, the team disappeared into the corridor.
After departure, Xu He stood in the aisle of the business cabin and announced the lineup for the upcoming match.
There were plenty of singles-capable players on the team, including Bai Xiang. Though she played doubles, she could also handle singles.
During the internal school meetings, some had suggested that Li Xiang replicate his "one versus five" feat. But Bai Wanhua vetoed it.
The Summer Tournament was no joke, and Li Xiang's health was no joke either. There was no need to push it.
Xu He's main hesitation was between Ruan Qingqing and Feng Laiyi.
An indoor venue didn't mean the organizers would be kind enough to turn on the heating.
When it was cold, it was still cold.
One of the reasons for home-and-away matches was to let students experience battling in different city climates, giving local students' Pokémon an environmental advantage.
If the snow weren't so heavy that it could endanger the students themselves, an outdoor match in a snowstorm was something the organizers could very well pull off.
In the end, Xu He decided to leave Ruan Qingqing out and fielded a team of five, including Li Xiang.
Ruan Qingqing was disappointed but also relieved. She truly couldn't guarantee that her Pokémon wouldn't be affected by the weather.
Matches weren't about stubbornness. If there was a better option, she personally preferred to let someone else take the spot.
Once the roster was set, the battle order had to be decided.
Who would lead off was crucial.
In home-and-away matches, besides environmental factors, the audience was also a major influence on performance.
Booing, heckling, and insults were common. Sometimes, the crowd would even unite to pressure the visiting team with organized waves of noise.
It was just like the small matches Li Xiang had fought outside the mall back then.
The audience wouldn't be like the onlookers in the park who politely stayed quiet. They would interfere out of curiosity, mischief, or all sorts of other reasons.
After all, booing wasn't illegal—just a matter of manners and decency.
Throwing things was illegal, and almost no one did that.
Whoever led off would undoubtedly be targeted by the home crowd. At the start of the match, the audience would be full of energy, their voices loud enough to be overwhelming.
So it really tested a person's ability to handle pressure.
"I'll go first."
Abigail quietly raised her hand. She had always been a person of few words and many deeds, unfazed by the world's opinions.
Not even a bomb exploding next to her would make her flinch—let alone a wave of booing.
"Alright."
Xu He nodded. He had actually been considering Li Xiang to build up his mental resilience. But since Abigail volunteered, he'd save that for next time.
In his seat, Li Xiang was playing with Gong Xu's Dreepy.
The little thing was adorable—it loved to suck on people's fingers like a pacifier and was very ticklish. The moment you touched it, it would let out a string of "Dreep dreep dreep" giggles.
It was clearly young, probably less than a year old.
"Dree~"
Tired from playing, Dreepy lay sprawled on Li Xiang's lap, drowsy, its tiny paws tucked together.
"Too cute."
Li Xiang clicked his tongue in admiration. Gong Xu, sitting across the aisle, turned his head.
His signature smile appeared. "Want one?"
"Of course I want one. Is there any Pokémon I don't want?"
Li Xiang was honest—human desire was endless, and especially when it came to a shiny pseudo-legendary.
"Sure. Trade me your Metagross."
Gong Xu didn't hesitate.
"Dream on! I knew you've been eyeing my Metagross for ages!"
Li Xiang glared at him. As a fanatic for golden elements, Metagross had been one of Gong Xu's targets since the Youth Training Camp.
Unfortunately, Li Xiang had been too fast—he'd gathered enough points in less than a semester. How could Gong Xu keep up?
That's why he settled for the cheaper shiny Sableye instead.
Having his coveted Metagross snatched away was one of the reasons Gong Xu had targeted Li Xiang in the first place. Li Xiang only found out later when Gong Xu accidentally spilled it.
And even now, the guy was still lusting after that shiny Metagross.
"So stingy. Just trade for a bit—let me experience it! It's not like we wouldn't trade back," Gong Xu coaxed. What you can't have always seems best—especially Li Xiang's Pokémon.
Even a one-day swap would make him happy.
Li Xiang gave him the middle finger.