Chapter 420: The Ice Sky Dragon and the Aurora in the White Mist

Seeing this.

Calyrex drifted forward.

From its twin hands, energy brimming with a dense aura of life surged toward the Vulpix, which was currently undergoing a leap in its life tier.

This was its evolution gift to the Vulpix.

Just like the gift given to the child of the Sandslash couple, this power would not cause any major changes to the future Ninetales.

It would simply be healthier, more vibrant with life force, and possess physical qualities far superior to those of its kin, that was all.

Amidst the dazzling milky-white halo gradually tinged with emerald green.

The little Vulpix's somewhat fleshy body began to stretch, becoming more slender and agile.

Those six curved tails also unfurled, transforming into nine fluffier and more flowing long tails, just like the tuft of fluffy fur atop its head.

"Wuu—"

Within the dense white light, an ethereal, sacred, and melodious sound rang out, signaling that the evolution had reached its final chapter.

The voice carried gratitude toward Calyrex, as well as longing for its own future.

The commotion here had already attracted the attention of quite a few contestants, staff members, and spectators who had risen early.

But Luo Mu stared intently at the figure bathing in the white light, complex emotions flashing in Emperor Yan Di's eyes.

Even though they had only spent a few months together, hearing that once soft and sticky cry transform into this still inevitably stirred mixed feelings.

He had gone out to slack off, taking advantage of the King not paying attention to him to find some Snowy Mountain specialty Cetitan, and had just returned to witness this scene.

In an instant, the Cetitan's world collapsed.

The fragrant and soft little Vulpix had evolved already!?

Snom, having just finished stealing a bite, leisurely flew out of Luo Mu's tent, only to immediately behold such a stimulating scene, leaving the entire Pokémon stunned mid-air.

I just stole some Combee honey, and my eldest disciple evolved directly?

Especially upon noticing Sha Hua's gaze also shifting over from the side, Snom felt even more guilty.

A moment later.

The light of evolution completely dissipated, and the form of Vulpix... no, Ninetales, was revealed to everyone.

It was a Pokémon possessing light blue fur as pure as ice crystals, with a graceful and slender physique, its almond-shaped fox eyes now adding a touch of composure and wisdom.

It was the Snow Sprite, the captain of the Snow Team, the Alolan Ninetales! On Mount Lanakila, revered as a sacred mountain in the Alola region, it appeared alongside blizzards, once worshipped as an incarnation of a god, the epitome of elegance and sanctity. Compared to its Vulpix stage, Ninetales presented an earth-shattering change in both posture and temperament.

The scattered snowflakes that had been drifting down from the sky due to the Vulpix's power suddenly became dense after the Vulpix evolved into Ninetales.

As if equipped with its own special effects, these crystal-clear, goose-feather-sized snowflakes, shining under the sunlight, gathered around the Ninetales, and in the blink of an eye, formed a small patch of accumulated snow.

Ninetales slowly spread its tails; specks of ice grains fell with its movements, and the extreme cold aura emanating from them even caused quite a few people to turn their heads in admiration.

It had to be said, the Ninetales that had just completed its evolution was, whether in terms of temperament or appearance, one of the most beautiful Pokémon Luo Mu had ever seen.

"Ka-pu." (So beautiful.)

Snover cupped its face with its hands, looking at Ninetales' beautiful form with some envy and admiration.

I wonder if I can become something like Ninetales when I evolve? At this thought, Snover's peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of its own parents, who were prone to getting lost, and its excited heart instantly cooled down.

Seems impossible.

My family line seems to follow a rough and rugged style.

Grusha, who had just rushed over from a distant campsite, also witnessed the Vulpix's evolution.

He tightened his scarf, hiding his ugly expression that looked as if he had just eaten a lemon.

Damn it, I'm so envious of him; why didn't the Director approve my leave to go vacation in the Alola region and catch a Vulpix or Ninetales along the way?

Luo Mu and the newly evolved Ninetales locked eyes for quite a while, until Ninetales walked gracefully toward him, sat down before him, wrapped its nine tails around its sides, and let out a crisp cry.

"Miu-wu~?" (Am I beautiful~?) Receiving Calyrex's real-time translation, Luo Mu breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, he still couldn't enjoy the 'blessing' of a Pokémon's personality changing drastically after evolution.

Smiling helplessly, Luo Mu stepped forward to gently stroke Ninetales' fur, saying softly, "Congratulations on completing your evolution."

Six o'clock in the afternoon.

The Summer Ice Sculpture Competition venue.

"Have you heard? This morning, a contestant's Vulpix evolved into a Ninetales, attracting quite a crowd!"

"Vulpix, Ninetales? Aren't those Fire-type Pokémon? Why would one evolve here?"

"That's where you don't understand; that Ninetales seems to be a special form from a certain region, it's an Ice-type Pokémon!"

"According to those lucky enough to have seen that Ninetales, its temperament and appearance... let's just say it was incredibly fairy-like and ethereal!"

"Really that amazing?"

"Absolutely amazing!"

"Whose Pokémon is that Ninetales?"

"Contestant number twenty-five; it's said he's right next to the defending champion, Ms. Sha Hua, for the finale, the very last contestant!"

"Wow, he's so bold."

Exchanges like this occurred among many spectators, making many people look forward to the work of that contestant who possessed an Ice-type Ninetales.

On the other side.

Having already completed the final details of his work, Luo Mu waited for the judges to arrive from the other side while chatting with Grusha and Ms. Sha Hua next door.

Upon learning from Sha Hua that before becoming a professional snowboarder, Grusha had always practiced skiing in the very venue where they carved ice sculptures, he felt somewhat surprised.

On one hand, he was surprised that the two did not have the kind of relationship he had imagined; on the other hand, he hadn't expected Grusha to have such an inspiring past... indeed, the sudden display of hot-blooded performance during the battle was not his illusion.

As they chatted, the conversation turned to each other's works.

Sha Hua's gaze fell upon that giant dragon ice sculpture, its winding form continuous and full of mystery, hidden amidst countless artificially carved Bingshan, and she asked sincerely, "Is it a real Pokémon?"

Luo Mu nodded gently, "Rayquaza, a legendary Pokémon living above the atmosphere; that is its name."

Shalour covered her red lips with her hand and said in surprise, "Such meticulous realism is almost as if you have seen it before."

Although somewhat surprised, Shalour thought again; hadn't that Regice Luo Mu released earlier when constructing the ice blocks been a legendary Pokémon? She had also heard from Grusha about Luo Mu's identity; as a Champion-level Trainer, possessing such knowledge was indeed not strange.

After chatting for a while longer, seeing that the throngs of spectators and the judging panel were nearly arriving, Shalour bid farewell to prepare showcasing her new work that broke through her own limits.

Walking along the path, Grusha fell silent for a moment before asking, "Having seen that magnificent Ice Sky Dragon, do you have confidence in winning?"

"We will win." Shalour smiled faintly at Grusha. "Although I wish to respond to you with such full confidence, to speak plainly, I am uncertain."

"This competition's work completely overturns my former style; even though I am fully confident my craftsmanship has not regressed a single bit but rather improved considerably, facing so many powerful rivals—and that opponent who stands slightly above the rest..."

"Before the competition truly ends, I cannot reach a conclusion."

On the other side.

Luo Mu knew nothing of the conversation between Shalour and Grusha; he simply gathered all the Pokémon together and spoke a brief sentence.

"Regardless of the outcome, we have already given our all; I have also fully unleashed the image, temperament, and even my own inspiration belonging to Rayquaza from within my mind."

His gaze fell upon all the Pokémon present.

Cangyan Cangyan Rengui, Mimikyu, Lei Guan Wang, Xue Bao Ma, Lei Ji, the married couple of Sandslash, the married couple of Abomasnow, Xue Li Guai, and Ninetales.

"After the competition ends, let us all take a group photo before the ice sculpture!"

Luo Mu's voice fell.

The Pokémon, likewise focusing their attention on him, one after another issued cheers of joy; the married couple of Abomasnow exchanged glances, originally feeling somewhat out of place, but then seeing Xue Li Guai completely blending into the atmosphere, after some hesitation, they ultimately joined the crowd in cheering.

This child—by the time it's over, won't only himself be sold, but his parents too?

The judges and spectators moved quickly ahead; almost in the blink of an eye, they arrived at Shalour, the final act.

Hearing the clamorous cheers and the announcer's introductions from over there, to claim one was not nervous would certainly be false. Luo Mu knew that this was not his work alone; every Pokémon had contributed their share, and if possible, he hoped this work would be affirmed.

At this moment, a pair of hands rested upon Luo Mu's shoulder.

Luo Mu turned his head to look and discovered it was Lei Guan Wang.

Rarely, it smiled at Luo Mu and spoke: "Ninetales is ready; Xue Bao Ma and I will also coordinate with it and your rhythm shortly, releasing white mist at just the right moment."

Luo Mu was momentarily stunned.

Then, a smile appeared.

"Then I leave it to you!"

"Truly a consistently high standard, yet adding several elements of boldness different from the past; the move light released through the cooperation of Frosmoth and Lapras effectively highlights the work's style... I wonder if Ms. Shalour's score can break the 95-point shackles?"

Beneath the cold wind, the announcer, still persisting in wearing a crisp suit, held his microphone aloft, explaining with a beaming smile.

Five judges in total sequentially gave scores of 20, 16, 19, 20, and 20.

Among them, an elderly woman wearing glasses, slightly stout in figure, who was the only one to give 16 points, spoke sharply: "Contestant Shalour's technique, as well as the Pokémon's performance aspect, contained not a single error; however... regarding this transformation, she was still somewhat too hasty, distorting her own style considerably."

Shalour accepted the elderly woman's sharp critique with a calm expression, bowing deeply.

"Thank you, Chairwoman, for your guidance; I will keep it engraved in my heart."

The elderly woman whom she addressed as Chairwoman waved her hand; when not evaluating works, her voice became much kinder, and she said in a teasing tone: "Do not call me Chairwoman here; Chairwoman Geeta is the one most fitting of that title."

The elderly woman's name was Osha, Chairwoman of the World Ice Sculpture Association, and also one of the judges for this competition.

And the woman beside her, majestic in bearing, unique in temperament, and radiating an imposing presence, was precisely Geeta, who had accepted the hosting of this ice sculpture competition, provided assistance, and become a judge upon Osha's invitation.

The group chatted for a while longer; just as they intended to set off toward the last contestant's work area, the commentator interjected at the appropriate moment: "Contestant Shalour has obtained the highest score thus far, with a total of 95 points!"

The venue immediately erupted in cheers.

"As expected of Ms. Shalour!"

"Second place only scored 92 points; the championship is already locked in!"

"I am her fan!"

As they walked toward the work area of the final contestant, Osha said to Geeta with a smile: "Chairwoman Geeta, next is the final contestant."

Geeta, as always, kept her gloved hands behind her back, a smile hanging on her face, yet exuding an extreme sense of distance.

When she saw Luo Mu standing outside, accompanied by quite a few Pokémon, a trace of surprise flashed in Emperor Yan Di's eyes.

How did he also participate in the competition?

Geeta had flown in directly via private helicopter this afternoon; in truth, she did not know who the contestants were, nor had she had time to listen to Grusha's report before directly beginning the scoring.

Suddenly encountering Luo Mu, it was indeed natural to feel surprised.

At this moment, another judge whispered from the side: "This is Contestant Number 25; this morning, it seems he caused quite a stir over there."

Geeta nodded politely; her gaze met Luo Mu's, who was looking over with surprise also overflowing in his eyes, and she waved with a smiling countenance.

This smile was indeed somewhat more sincere.

"The Chairwoman is truly enthusiastic about serving as a judge for various competitions..."

Luo Mu complained silently in his heart, then withdrew his gaze to focus on what lay before him.

As the group approached, Luo Mu reminded in a low voice.

"I leave it to you, Lei Guan Wang."

Lei Guan Wang nodded slightly, mounted Xue Bao Ma, completed the form of rider and steed as one amidst a burst of brilliance, and with every gesture, a vast expanse of white mist mixed with slight ice shards spread out, turning the surroundings into a domain of white mist in the blink of an eye.

This move instantly awed the arriving judges and spectators.

"The range of this white mist is absurdly huge!"

A certain retired professional snowboarder and Ice-type specialist Trainer, who did not wish to reveal his name, exclaimed with emotion.

Everyone's attention was immediately captured by Lei Guan Wang's vast white mist domain; when they raised their heads, what they saw was a massive flying dragon ice sculpture, domineering and immense, its winding, colossal body hidden amidst the Bingshan and the mist, faintly visible within the fog.

At first glance, they were awestruck by the domineering temperament radiated by the ice sculpture.

"What... what Pokémon is this?"

Someone voiced their genuine confusion.

Osha pushed up her glasses, widening her eyes to observe the appearance of that giant ice sculpture.

It had to be said that to display that kind of domineering aura, ice sculptures of this scale were indeed necessary.

Coupled with the dragon's body, which loomed intermittently and continuously within the white mist and Bingshan, adding a touch of mystery, that sense of detachment from worldly clamor was truly captured to perfection.

【13】 Although the carving craftsmanship visible to the naked eye had slight flaws, judging solely by the concept and the contestant's inspiration, it was not difficult to see that this contestant possessed considerable talent.

Although the carving craftsmanship is visibly flawed, judging by the conception and the contestant's inspiration, it is not difficult to see that this contestant possesses considerable talent.

She had also heard that this final contestant, number 25, who dared to follow Shua as the closing act, seemed to be a complete newcomer?

Osha's eyes lit up, and she whispered, "This is a promising talent!"

Geeta saw through Osha's thoughts and immediately poured cold water on them, saying, "President Osha, you might as well save your breath if you want to invite him to become a professional ice sculptor; he didn't hesitate to reject even my invitation."

Osha was stunned. "President Geeta, you know him?"

Geeta shook her head helplessly. "Know him? It goes far beyond that. Last year, he claimed the title of Champion-level Trainer from my very hands. Who would have thought that after securing the title, he would retire on the spot? Now he runs a farm and lives a very leisurely life."

Geeta's voice contained both sighs and helplessness, leaving Osha, who stood nearby, deeply shaken in her heart.

Geeta paid no heed to Osha's emotional fluctuations; her gaze fell upon the dragon's body looming intermittently within the white mist, her eyes flashing with a thoughtful expression.

"So, the legendary Sky Dragon Rayquaza of the Hoenn region is actually a existence with such a domineering appearance?"

Sky Dragon Rayquaza? Hearing this name, Osha froze slightly.

Could it be that contestant number 25 actually carved such an incredible Pokémon?

At this moment, several gasps erupted from the audience, immediately drawing the attention of several judges and commentators.

"That's Alola's Ninetales!"

Under Luo Mu's command, an elegant figure bathed in goose-feather-sized snowflakes and gracefully leaped beside the ice sculpture.

Its appearance immediately shifted everyone's attention from the Ice Sky Dragon sculpture onto itself.

Ninetales knew deep down that it was not the protagonist today; after emitting a ethereal cry, its form vanished into the white mist deliberately controlled by Lei Guan Wang as the heavy snow began to fall.

The next instant.

Under Ninetales' control, a brilliant Aurora Veil immediately enveloped the entire sky.

With Ninetales' tracks lost, everyone's attention was once again drawn to the Ice Sky Dragon sculpture.

Under the coverage of the Aurora Veil, they immediately discovered that the atmosphere of the ice sculpture had changed.

Just like Shua's work, "The Polar Region and the Freeze-Original Bear Brothers," this Aurora Veil represented that land of extreme cold.

"Dazzling Gleam."

Luo Mu whispered the second command to Ninetales within the white mist.

Under Ninetales' control, the originally 360-degree omnidirectional Dazzling Gleam was released entirely toward the sky; in an instant, the sky, already beautiful under the Aurora Veil, was filled with colorful stars, making countless spectators and judges looking upward feel as though they were suddenly placed in the polar regions.

In that bitter cold land far from modernity, the flying dragon circling beneath the sky-full of auroras and stars was merely an ice sculpture and the special effects of a move, yet it brought them such an immersive illusion.

And some outstanding spectators, as if recalling something from memory, pulled out their phones and exclaimed, "Isn't this the mysterious Sky Dragon that Dr. Londo photographed on the great polar ice sheet four years ago!?"

As if awakened by this shout, many people one after another pulled out their phones and began searching for photos online.

A moment later.

Looking at that blurry photo, they confirmed one after another that the blurry figure of the flying dragon in the photo that had sparked considerable discussion online four years ago actually looked like this.

(End of Chapter)