Group Chat: "Pokémon Popularization Pioneer Group"
Xiangling: @HuTao, I have watched your battle video against the slimes. You can actually use wild monsters to train Pokémon! That's brilliant! I've decided to set off for Mondstadt immediately, looking for rare ingredients while embarking on a Pokémon journey. When I return to Liyue, the level of my Larvesta will be very high!
Hu Tao: ...Damn it! Isn't your main job a chef? Are you trying to change careers to become a full-time Trainer?
Xiangling: Hehehe, Wanmin Restaurant has my dad to support it. I go out on adventures to find ingredients all the time, not just once or twice. @HuTao, with such high-intensity travel and constant training against Hilichurls and Slimes, your Gible has no chance to beat me next time. Larvesta will be a Volcarona before you know it!
Hu Tao: My fist is hard! The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor can't afford to lose face! If I lose this business rivalry, how will I make money to raise my precious shark baby in the future? Also, by the time your bug is at a high level, my Gible may have evolved once into Gabite! Then I plan to go to Manager Hiroshi to draw a second baby Pokémon and defeat you with a formation!
Tartaglia: @HuTao, thank you for sharing the information about wild monster training. So, in return, I will also share a piece of information. My Alolan Vulpix... its Cryo element reacts with my Hydro Vision. We created a Frozen reaction. You should know what this information means!
Ningguang: Where's the video?
Tartaglia: Sent. [Video Attachment: Ice & Water Combo]
Keqing: It's actually true... If Pokémon and Trainers can react with each other's elements, then the main formation of 6 Pokémon must be equipped with at least one attribute Pokémon to react with our own Elemental Power. For example, my Vision is Electro. If I configure a Fire-type Pokémon that can breathe fire, I can trigger Overload to maximize my attack power...
Hongyi: I don't have a Vision... I'm sorry for dragging down the group's average combat power.
Andrei: @Hongyi, for us ordinary people, the appearance of Pokémon is another kind of God's favor. But that God is Manager Hiroshi!
Hu Tao: In this way, attribute Pokémon that can react with the power of our own elements do not necessarily have to be very powerful on their own. Suitability is the most important thing. Let me think about it... a Water-type Pokémon can let me hit 'Vaporize', an Electro-type can hit 'Overload', and a Cryo-type can hit 'Melt'...
Sunset over Liyue.
The setting sun hung in the west, casting long shadows among the hills in the Liyue area.
Hu Tao, who had led Gible for a whole day of special training in the wild, recalled the exhausted baby shark into its Premier Ball. It had fallen asleep the moment the battle ended.
She took out the Pokédex and embarked on the return journey to the harbor. At the same time, she chatted chirping away in the group chat channel via voice messages.
Zhongli, observing from a distance, also finished his day of observation.
He finally determined the following information:
The strange beast named 'Gible', to be precise, is a species of creature called "Pokémon" or "Elves".
Pokémon also have attributes, and they cover Teyvat's Cryo, Pyro, Hydro, Anemo, Electro, Geo, and Dendro attributes—and seemingly more.
Hu Tao boasted in the group chat more than once today about the "invincibility" of her Gible.
Key words picked up by Zhongli's keen hearing:
[Dragon Type]
[Ground Type]
"It turns out that the breath of a Dragon exists in it. Is it because of bloodline? This land shark-like creature may have its bloodline originating from an ancient earth dragon geovishap lineage, or something entirely new."
"As for the Ground type... no wonder it feels similar to the thickness of the Geo attribute. They are rooted in the ground and have the affinity of the earth."
On the hillside illuminated by the setting sun, Zhongli withdrew his gaze.
The next moment, he appeared near the city gate of Liyue Harbor, blending in as if he had walked there.
Coincidentally, two Millelith soldiers standing guard here were chatting:
"Did you hear that Captain Hongyi was appreciated by Lady Ningguang and promoted to the bodyguard of the Jade Chamber?"
"You don't understand the full story. The '50 Million Mora' incident was solved by Captain Hongyi's investigation. Later, Captain Hongyi went to that store..."
"Hiss, you mean that Captain Hongyi was also deceived into buying a pet?"
"Watch your mouth! Captain Hongyi bought a powerful beast before he was promoted by Lady Ningguang!"
Zhongli walked past them, entering the bustling main street.
Outside the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the sound of two female clerks talking could be heard:
"The big screen image in that store is amazing."
"It is widely rumored that it is a new technology from Fontaine..."
"Haha, I know someone from Fontaine. When she went outside that store today, she was in a trance and was so shocked that she lost her soul. She said the technology was alien."
That store.
It was still the same store everyone was talking about. Zhongli, who originally wanted to go straight back to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, stopped and looked for the store along the street.
"Forehead..."
A ray of orange-red sunset fell on the closed door of the store. The large hanging advertising screen was retracted and dark.
There was also a sign hanging on the door:
[The Owner is busy. Business is closed for a few days.]
"Hey, Mr. Zhongli is also here to visit the store?"
A young man dressed like a sailor greeted Zhongli.
"Who are you..."
Zhongli recalled for a moment. "The sailor on the observation deck on Captain Beidou's ship, the Alcor?"
The sailor named Xu Liushi was shocked. "Ah, haha! Mr. Zhongli is indeed a man who knows everything. You even remember a humble sailor like me."
Immediately, Xu Liushi put his hands on his hips and looked at the closed shop with disappointment.
"Sigh."
"The Alcor had just docked. Captain Beidou heard about this store and sent me over first to inquire about it."
"Now that the store is closed, I can only go back and report this."
Xu Liushi said goodbye and left.
Zhongli thought for a while, then turned and walked away.
It was not that he didn't want to take a peek inside with his divine sight, but the glance he cast earlier had directly hit a wall—a barrier of unknown energy that blocked even a God's gaze.
Dragonspine Mountains.
At this time, Hiroshi, who had just closed the store for the day, had already asked Cresselia to use Teleport to reach the mid-air of Dragonspine.
The snow-capped mountains were covered with eternal white snow. The weather here was treacherous; snow and hail suddenly fell from the sky.
However, Cresselia used her Psychic power to prop up a faint telekinetic barrier to isolate the snow and hail, creating a warm bubble around them.
In Hiroshi's arms, he was still holding Jirachi, who was sleeping soundly.
One floating next to him.
One in his arms.
Accompanied by a total of two Legendary Pokémon.
Happy as a god.
"That place, go down there."
Hiroshi compared the location of Albedo's laboratory in his memory with the game's snow mountain map, and then compared the terrain and landforms in his field of view in reality. He pointed to a specific cave entrance.
Cresselia nodded and took him to teleport again.
Pop!
Albedo's Laboratory.
At this time, Albedo was standing before an easel. From time to time, he looked up at the majestic snow-capped mountains outside the cave, and quickly sketched on a piece of snow-white drawing paper.
Albedo's habit of painting was learned from his master, "Gold" Rhinedottir, while traveling.
At first, Albedo was just used to drawing alchemical structures to deepen his understanding of details.
Later, when he discovered painting landscapes, his mind would enter a certain state of clarity, and he would not have to think about anything except observation and creation. From this, Albedo became addicted to painting.
Therefore, Albedo is a self-taught master painter.
He even used the pen name of "Calx" to work as an illustrator for Xingqiu's novel "A Legend of Sword". This novel was a huge success in Inazuma, and he was even evaluated by Yae Miko, the editor-in-chief of the Yae Publishing House, as a "Painter of God".
Completing a sketch on a whim, Albedo's chaotic mood calmed down.
Suddenly.
Clap, clap, clap.
There was applause from behind.
Albedo was startled. He stepped back quickly and turned around, his hand reaching for his sword. Only then did he realize that a strange visitor had arrived in his cave laboratory without triggering any alarms.
Fortunately, the traveler seemed to have no ill intentions and revealed his secret pen name when he opened his mouth.
"Hello, Teacher Calx. I am your fan."
Albedo: ...
Why is it so weird?
Could it be that the next development would involve crazy fans chasing their idols to beat them up for autographs?
I can only say that fortunately, it was not like that.
The other party bowed politely.
"My name is Hiroshi."
"This time I came to Dragonspine specifically to ask Teacher Calx to commission some original paintings..."