Chapter 66: Lan Xi
Facing Kiku Jirō’s outstretched hand, Chen Xi obediently handed over 500 academic credits.
After all, what Kiku Jirō taught Chen Xi was not a one-time skill disc, but the method of inheriting Earth Power.
In other words, it wasn't just Torterra that mastered Earth Power; in the future, Chen Xi could teach Earth Power to other Small Elves as well.
It took about a week, and Torterra, accompanied by Swampert, mastered Earth Power.
Seeing Torterra successfully master Earth Power, Kiku Jirō was very satisfied and assigned Chen Xi to the reclamation team of Qiefeng Academy's agricultural department.
Chen Xi's main job was to use Earth Power for reclamation and cultivate fields.
“I never thought Qiefeng City would have a place like this.”
Chen Xi looked at the icy, snowy environment in front of him, then at the snow that sank a few inches with each step, and couldn’t help but exclaim.
“It's normal,” Kiku Jirō said calmly. “If it all depended on outside grain, this wouldn't be Qiefeng City, nor would there be Qiefeng Academy.
It's just that only one crop can be harvested here, and the soil is relatively difficult to develop.
There are a total of one hundred acres of frozen land here, and I have already applied for reclamation.
Over the next three weeks, you just need to have your Torterra reclaim this land with Earth Power, and that should be enough for it to fully master Earth Power.”
“Huh?” Chen Xi was slightly taken aback by these words, and asked with a hint of suspicion, “Will I get academic credits for reclaiming land?”
Due to Qiefeng City's environment, the pressure on self-produced grain was immense, and land reclamation was quite inconvenient.
Even if land was reclaimed, because it was a port city and could directly purchase grain from outside, the profit from agriculture was low, and many locals preferred to engage in other professions.
However, Snowpoint Temple knew that even if grain wasn't its pillar industry, it had to maintain a certain amount of cultivated land.
Therefore, every year, land around Qiefeng City was reclaimed and maintained.
And Snowpoint Temple handed this task over to the students of Qiefeng Academy.
For Qiefeng City, it wasn't about gaining any profit from this cultivated land; it was simply to have the students preserve the land so that it could be put into direct use when needed.
Of course, most importantly, this method was low cost.
In other words, the fields Chen Xi reclaimed might not necessarily be for planting anything; perhaps they were reclaimed simply to let the soil sunbathe, kill insects hidden deep within, and then let it rest further.
And even for a Pokémon, reclaiming land with Earth Power was not an easy task.
Too little power would be a waste of effort, while too much power could cause ground fissures or even explosions.
Of course, for Torterra, the most troublesome aspect was the permafrost formed by years of accumulated snow.
Although normally, even if permafrost was dug up and turned over, it would be unlikely to become soil capable of growing grain.
But this was not the world of the past.
In this world, modifying nature with Pokémon was a very normal thing.
For example, cultivated fields renewed with Earth Power could be directly used for planting.
As for the underlying principles, honestly, Chen Xi himself wasn't very clear.
According to the great Kiku Jirō, this was Earth Power, stimulating the power of the earth.
So, even permafrost being able to become land suitable for growing grain should be a very normal thing.
You are right, great one.
Because Chen Xi once asked why Earth Power had this effect, Kiku Jirō directly increased the reclamation area from one hundred acres to two hundred acres.
In short, Chen Xi indicated that he would keep his mouth shut and not ask anymore.
Fortunately, Torterra still had a little helper, Nidorino.
Since it would also be a Ground-type when it evolved into Nidoking, Chen Xi had Nidorino follow Torterra to master Earth Power.
It's just two hundred acres, they can handle it.
In addition, Kiku Jirō also specifically gave Chen Xi a recipe for Ground-type Pokémon.
This was for the food needed to replenish these two Pokémon after they completed their daily farming.
It must be said that these two recipes alone cost 100 academic credits per month.
After Floette, Torterra, and Nidorino all had further development, Chen Xi began to search for Starmie's information through Purple Cherry, because his Starmie lacked a corresponding battle system.
While Starmie was relatively rare in Sinnoh, it was quite common in the Chengdu region.
Therefore, for Chengdu, the development of the Starmie system was already quite mature.
More importantly, Sha Miao the Priest also had another identity: the Sea Priest of the Whirl Islands.
This identity could even be said to represent him as one of the world's top Water-type Pokémon Trainers.
Thus, within Qiefeng Academy, there were even some true teachings from the Whirl Islands lineage.
And for a relatively common Pokémon system like Starmie, Qiefeng Academy naturally had it.
Through Purple Cherry, Chen Xi quickly found a Water-type Trainer from the Whirl Islands within Qiefeng Academy.
Her name was Lan Xi, a woman as gentle as the sea.
However, Chen Xi was somewhat surprised to see Maya commanding Slowking to use Rain Dance in Lan Xi's Gym.
“Chen Xi, why are you here?” Maya naturally came over to greet Chen Xi when she saw him arrive.
“I'm spending academic credits to learn about Starmie,” Chen Xi said. “Is Trainer Lan Xi here?”
Just then, a woman dressed in elegant priestly attire with a gentle demeanor walked out from inside.
She saw Chen Xi and said, “Are you the Trainer Purple Cherry mentioned who wants to learn about Starmie?”
“Yes!” Chen Xi naturally responded respectfully to the woman upon seeing her.
“Bring out your Starmie, let me see it,” Lan Xi said directly, without much pleasantry.
With that, Chen Xi summoned his Starmie.
As Starmie appeared, Lan Xi observed the luster of its gem, then stroked Staryu's purple tentacles, deep in thought.
“Your Starmie is fairly well-trained.”
Lan Xi said, “Its gem's luster is bright and clear, showing that you've put a lot of effort into its Psychic type.
But while its tentacles are moist to the touch, they lack smoothness and are even seeping water.
It seems your Starmie hasn't had much effort put into its Water-type skills.
This training method is somewhat similar to the one prevalent in Hoenn, focusing solely on the Psychic route.”
“Is there a problem with that?” Chen Xi was slightly taken aback by Lan Xi's words.
He hadn't expected that the woman in front of him could see through Starmie's condition at a glance, which made Chen Xi feel a bit of admiration.
Lan Xi said, “Although the Starmie training model in the Hoenn region is a bit unconventional,
it must be said that in terms of developing Psychic-type skills, it does have some unique aspects.
It's just that neglecting the Water-type foundation makes the path for Hoenn's Starmie Trainers increasingly narrow as they advance.”
“Is this path impassable?” Chen Xi was slightly stunned by Lan Xi's words, and couldn't help but frown.
“It's not impassable, but often, taking the Psychic route is quite demanding on Starmie's aptitude,” Lan Xi said. “And it's best if the Trainer is a Psychic to facilitate communication; otherwise, the Water-type route is better.”
Chen Xi nodded, it seemed Lan Xi didn't know he was a Psychic.
Chen Xi said, “I wonder if you could tell me how to take the Water-type route?”
“To lead a Pokémon down the Water-type path, you first need to help the Pokémon understand the nature of water,” Lan Xi said.
“The nature of water?” Chen Xi heard this, frowned slightly, and asked, “Please elaborate.”
After Kiku Jirō's education, and now meeting Lan Xi, these people were almost all typical academy-style Trainers.
They had very distinct differences from the battle-hardened Spirit Hunter Trainers who fought their way up.
Spirit Hunter Trainers never bothered to understand what the profound meaning of Pokémon skills truly entailed.
As long as the Pokémon mastered the skill, they just needed to keep fighting their way up.
For these people, while they also knew and recognized the divisions of these realms,
their method for reaching these realms was very simple and crude: just keep fighting their way up.
For example, if they defeated many Tianwang-level Pokémon, their own Pokémon would also become Tianwang-level.
Anyway, in this world, one doesn't necessarily become powerful by understanding everything; perhaps encountering a Legendary Pokémon during a hunt and having a miraculous encounter would make their own Pokémon stronger.
Of course, this type of Trainer had a very typical pyramid structure, and the proportion was quite exaggerated.
The other type were academy-style Trainers, similar to those at Qiefeng Academy.
Even if the teacher didn't fully understand the underlying principles, they would still teach the students the relevant knowledge, allowing students to follow the path they had walked based on the experience they had summarized.
And when there were many students of this type, a few exceptionally talented individuals would eventually emerge and discover the mysteries within.
Once the methodology was found, it could then be spread as a form of generalized knowledge.
Lan Xi looked at Chen Xi's puzzled expression and said, “Everyone has a different understanding of water.
But for us Trainers from the Whirl Islands, what do you think is the most common water we encounter?”
“Whirlpool, Whirlpool?” Chen Xi, hearing the words Whirl Islands, naturally thought of the skill Whirlpool.
Whirlpool could be seen as the Water-type equivalent of Fire Spin, capable of trapping a target in intense currents, preventing them from escaping.
However, its most significant effect was its ability to calm Whirlpools on the water, making it an essential skill for entering and exiting the Whirl Islands.
Therefore, Whirlpool could be considered a standard skill for Whirl Islands Trainers; without it, one lacked the qualification to leave the island.
“Whirlpool? This skill is indeed very important to us.”
Lan Xi smiled slightly and said, “But the most common water for us is not these Whirlpools, but the ocean.
Becoming one with the sea, that is our understanding of water.
So, for us Trainers from the Whirl Islands, utilizing the ocean, dominating the ocean, and even transcending the ocean.
This is the direction for Water-type Pokémon.”
“Transcending the ocean…” Chen Xi pondered these words.
Of course, for Trainers who only cared about skill power, these words were meaningless, just discarded as nonsense.
But for many Trainers with a vision, they pointed out a direction for Pokémon to become stronger.
That is, to control the entire ocean, and even in places without water, still be able to unleash combat power as if in the ocean.
Of course, knowing this direction and being able to achieve it are two different things.
But as long as it is proposed, with continuous effort, someone will eventually achieve it one day.
Perhaps this is the greatness of humanity.
“I understand, is this the development direction for Water-type Pokémon?” Chen Xi nodded, easily accepting Lan Xi's explanation.
Lan Xi looked at Chen Xi with a hint of surprise; she hadn't expected Chen Xi to accept her explanation so readily.
The Water-type was a very broad category, and Chen Xi was not the only student who came to Lan Xi to learn.
Kiku Jirō should reflect on himself in this regard.
But other students who heard Lan Xi's conclusions merely treated her words as fairy tales or jokes.
After all, how could human Pokémon possibly possess the power to dominate or even transcend the ocean?
Even within the Whirl Islands, not everyone agreed with Lan Xi's proposed development direction for Water-type Pokémon.
Many even believed that Lan Xi, for proposing such ideas, was herself blasphemous.
It was precisely because of her nonconformity that Lan Xi was exiled by the Sea God Temple of the Whirl Islands.
Although still a person from the Whirl Islands, she was not allowed to return to spread her 'poisonous' ideas.
And Sha Miao, as the Sea Priest of the Whirl Islands, had Lan Xi come to Qiefeng Academy to teach students.
However, not many genuinely listened to Lan Xi's theories, but quite a few coveted her, so Lan Xi didn't lack popularity.
“Don't you think the idea of Water-type Pokémon dominating and transcending the ocean is very rebellious?” Lan Xi looked at Chen Xi and asked.
“Lugia, Kyogre, these Pokémon are legendary Pokémon capable of dominating the ocean, so it's only natural for Water-type Pokémon to aspire to be like them,” Chen Xi immediately replied.
Lan Xi nodded upon hearing this; what's the difference between a Water-type Pokémon that doesn't aim for the Sea God and a salted fish?
At this point, Chen Xi pointed to his Starmie and continued, “And this guy's goal is to conquer the starry sea.”
Starmie, seeing Chen Xi point at it, didn't know if it understood Chen Xi's words.
At this moment, it cooperatively flashed the gem on its chest, striking a rather embarrassing pose, and responded with a sound.
“Oh, shoo!”
“To conquer the starry sea…” Lan Xi looked at Starmie and said, “What an ambitious child.”