At this moment, Wen Qi was staring at the Arcanine before him. This Arcanine was larger than average, measuring about 2.2 meters, roughly 30 centimeters taller than a normal one. Its towering, robust frame made it look majestic and imposing. Admittedly, such a physique suited Arcanine well, as it was a Pokémon with exceptional Special Attack and Physical Attack, and its strong build greatly benefited its Physical Attack capabilities. However, what Wen Qi was actually thinking was: "Such a big fluffy thing—it’d be especially comfortable to hug while sleeping in winter." At that moment, the Arcanine, though still immersed in the excitement of evolution, inexplicably shivered, as if sensing something bad was about to happen. It looked around but found nothing unusual, so it resumed its cheerful demeanor.
Checking the Arcanine’s information: Pokémon: Arcanine Level: 38 Type: Fire Ability: Intimidate (Intimidates opponents upon entering battle, lowering their Attack) Talent: Light Blue Moves: Leer (Proficient), Ember (Mastered), Howl (Proficient), Bite (Proficient), Flame Wheel (Mastered), Helping Hand (Proficient), Agility (Mastered), Flamethrower (Mastered), Double-Edge (Mastered), Protect (Proficient), Fire Fang (Mastered), Fire Spin (Mastered), Flare Blitz (Mastered), Sunny Day (Proficient), Overheat (Proficient), Heat Wave (Proficient), Blast Burn (Proficient), Dig (Beginner) Status: Divine Beast power absorbed, Fire-type power increased by 20%
Due to evolution, many of Arcanine’s Fire-type moves had significantly improved in proficiency, with several reaching the Mastered level, which delighted Wen Qi. Afterward, Wen Qi played with Arcanine for a while and even had it carry him on a few runs. The speed was indeed lightning-fast, much quicker than Skiddo, though it was slightly less comfortable. Despite Arcanine’s fluffy appearance, which seemed soft and cozy, its fur concealed solid, powerful muscles. Moreover, Arcanine wasn’t a dedicated riding Pokémon; combat was its primary role. So, it was only natural that it couldn’t match Skiddo’s comfort. In the end, Wen Qi decided that for urgent travel, he’d ride Arcanine, but for leisurely trips, he’d stick with Skiddo.
After playing, Wen Qi sent Arcanine to rest and left the small world himself, bringing Audino and Mr. Mime along since he still relied on them to take care of him. By now, Wen Qi had fully embraced a laid-back lifestyle and couldn’t do without their care. A night passed, and the next day arrived. Wen Qi’s Grass-type Pokémon, Rhydon, the Sandslash family, and the Wen Hua siblings headed to the tree orchard for maintenance, with the Scyther also lending a hand. Their main tasks included pruning fruit trees, digging holes, and applying fertilizer, with the most important being Torterra’s use of Grassy Terrain to enhance the trees’ vitality. Although this year’s harvest of tree fruits was quite good, the cultivation period had been relatively short. Wen Qi estimated that with proper care this year—more fertilizer and more use of Torterra’s moves—the harvest by this time next year would be even more abundant.
That day, Wen Qi, rarely idle, decided to use this batch of tree fruits to make some Pokéblocks and see if the results would be better. Soon, he produced Perfect-quality Grass-type Pokéblocks at the Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced levels. After finishing, he noticed that these Pokéblocks looked similar to the previous ones at first glance. However, through the system, he discovered that these Pokéblocks contained a trace of life energy. This life energy was so scarce that only Pokémon highly sensitive to it could barely detect it. Among the three levels, the Advanced Pokéblocks contained slightly more life energy, suggesting that the Pokéblock’s grade indeed affected the amount of life energy.
Curious about how these life-energy-infused Pokéblocks differed from the old ones, Wen Qi called over Bulbasaur. Since Bulbasaur had overdone it in the tree orchard before, Wen Qi had decided to keep it in the small world. He took out two Pokéblocks—one from the previous batch and one freshly made with a hint of life energy—and placed them in front of Bulbasaur. Seeing the two Pokéblocks, Bulbasaur assumed Wen Qi wanted it to eat them and was about to take a bite when Wen Qi stopped it. Gently, Wen Qi said, "Bulbasaur, close your eyes first, and then focus on these two Pokéblocks. See which one you’d rather eat." Though confused, Bulbasaur obediently shut its eyes and concentrated on the two Pokéblocks before it.
At first, Bulbasaur’s small mind was blank, with no particular sensation. It tried hard to focus, attempting to perceive the difference between the two Pokéblocks. Time ticked by, and Bulbasaur’s brow furrowed slightly, showing some anxiety. Just as it was about to give up, a subtle distinction gradually emerged in its perception. The old Pokéblock emitted a familiar aura, steady and calm, like the warm sunlight it saw every day—comforting but unremarkable. In contrast, the life-energy-infused Pokéblock was entirely different. It was like a brilliant star suddenly flickering in the dead of night, radiating an indescribable allure. Bulbasaur could feel a faint, pulsating power within this Pokéblock, as if a tiny life was stirring inside. This power was so weak that, had Bulbasaur not been fully focused, it would have been overlooked. But as it kept sensing and experiencing, the difference grew more pronounced. The faint life energy, like a gentle breeze, carried freshness and vitality, filling Bulbasaur with an unprecedented sense of comfort and longing. By comparison, the other Pokéblock seemed utterly plain.
Bulbasaur’s nose twitched slightly, as if trying to catch the faint but unique scent. Its face gradually lit up with excitement, clearly having distinguished the two Pokéblocks. Opening its eyes, Bulbasaur looked eagerly at Wen Qi, chirping "Bulba bulba" as if trying to describe its feelings. Wen Qi smiled, leaning in to listen, his eyes full of anticipation. Bulbasaur waved a small claw, pointing at the life-energy Pokéblock and then at itself, as if saying it preferred that one. Wen Qi nodded with a laugh and said, "Bulbasaur, try both Pokéblocks and tell me in detail how they feel." Bulbasaur cheerfully agreed, first swallowing the ordinary Pokéblock in one gulp. It smacked its lips, its expression neutral, like its usual eating habits—no special surprise. Having eaten such ordinary Pokéblocks often, it was already used to them. Then, Bulbasaur eagerly popped the life-energy Pokéblock into its mouth. Instantly, its eyes widened, and its entire body was immersed in a state of extreme bliss. The seed on its back emitted a faint glow, as if dancing joyfully. It took a while for Bulbasaur to snap out of that intoxicated state. It hopped in front of Wen Qi, excitedly chirping "Bulba bulba" without stopping. "Master, this life-energy Pokéblock is incredibly delicious! The old one just replenished energy normally—nothing special. But this one, the moment it entered my mouth, it was like countless gorgeous flowers blooming—it was amazing. The energy absorption was so smooth, as if it actively merged into my body. Especially that tiny bit of life energy, though scarce, was priceless, elevating the whole Pokéblock’s quality. I feel this Basic Pokéblock, with that life energy, is no less than an Intermediate one! If I can eat Pokéblocks like this often, I’ll definitely grow stronger faster!" After hearing Bulbasaur’s description, Wen Qi burst into laughter, reached out, and patted its head, praising, "Bulbasaur, you’re amazing to so clearly tell the difference. It seems these tree fruits make life-energy Pokéblocks with surprisingly great effects!" Bulbasaur puffed out its chest proudly at Wen Qi’s compliment, looking thoroughly satisfied. Wen Qi silently calculated that with such results, his Pokémon’s strength improvement would be much more assured. He gazed at Bulbasaur, his eyes brimming with hope and joy.