Chapter 688: Spring Has Come, the Gloriosia Flowers Are in Full Bloom!

After discovering the sealing stakes, Luo Mu did not attempt to pull them out himself, nor did he have Pape or the others try to remove them.

After all, from the very beginning, he had already planned exactly how to handle these sealing stakes.

The Four Calamity Treasures had transformed into their current forms of disaster because they absorbed human desires and curses.

According to the research left behind by the Pokémon tamer of the ancient Padia Empire who had suppressed them.

To free them from their deep-rooted curses and malice, one must begin with these thirty-two stakes, which are connected to the curses and malice within them.

Even though in the game, pulling out the stakes would break the seals.

But purifying them through the stakes could restore them to their original forms, turning the Four Calamity Treasures back into the Four Auspicious Treasures.

The ancient snail Gijin, which drains energy from plants and causes forests to wither instantly and crops to fail, might become an auspicious omen of vitality and abundance.

Likewise, the ancient deer Guding, the ancient leopard Gjian, and the ancient fish Guyu sealed beneath us.

After returning to their forms as Auspicious Treasures, their power might also shift from bringing destruction to some kind of auspicious sign whose effects remain unknown.

After a brief pause on the platform, Luo Mu led the five away from the small hill.

On the way back to camp, he specifically warned them not to tell anyone about the shrine they had found there.

Time passed swiftly, and it was now the second day of February.

In the end, Luo Mu and the others chose to camp overnight at the Chaotic Waterfall and drove back to Orange Academy the next morning.

“I’ll explain the exact origins of that one to you during tomorrow’s class.”

“Just keep it to yourselves and don’t spread it outside.”

Standing at the bottom of the Hero’s Steps, Luo Mu looked at the five and gave his instructions.

All five students nodded obediently; even Mupan, whose face was usually expressionless, showed a hint of relief.

In her view, Luo Mu had probably forgotten about that incident.

It would be even better if he never remembered it—then she wouldn’t have to get up at six a.m. every morning.

But in the next second, Mupan felt a sharp gaze land on her.

She stiffly looked up and found Luo Mu watching her with a faint, knowing smile.

“.”

Mupan opened her mouth to say something.

But at that moment, Luo Mu spoke calmly.

“I’ve already spoken to Huangbo. She said she’d be delighted to help you and your Eevees sweat it out.”

“Today’s off, but starting tomorrow, every morning at six, she’ll knock on your dorm door without fail.”

“Good luck.”

With a cheerful pat on Mupan’s stiff body and face, Luo Mu waved to the group and vanished into the stream of students heading to class.

He had no class today, so he’d head straight back to the farm.

Watching Luo Mu’s retreating figure, Wuli sighed softly.

Another day before seeing his idol again.

“Come on, just push through it.”

Pape, wearing a clear look of schadenfreude, mimicked Luo Mu’s gesture and patted Mupan on the shoulder.

Thwack!

Mupan slapped his paw away with a sharp backhand, her gaze now filled with murderous intent.

“Alright, alright, how about I join you every morning too?”

Pipa stepped forward to mediate, saying she’d accompany Mupan and her Eevees on their morning weight-loss routines.

But Mupan, whose eyes were already dead, knew the truth perfectly well.

Pipa woke up at five every morning to train her Fighting-type Pokémon on the field.

Honestly, she felt not one bit comforted.

On the other side.

After leaving Zhuotai City.

Luo Mu was driving his beloved RV toward Pingdi Town.

Bear Apprentice sat in the front passenger seat, obediently hugging the seatbelt across his chest, his little feet occasionally swinging.

Whether it was the results of his waterfall training or these novel experiences.

Everything from yesterday was unforgettable to him.

He had felt, with Luo Mu, the things he had always lacked on Armor Island.

This allowed the introverted Bear Apprentice to fully relax in front of Luo Mu when no one else was around.

Luo Mu, focused on driving with both hands firmly on the wheel, glanced at the quietly gleeful Bear Apprentice with the corner of his eye and couldn’t help but smile.

It seemed his chosen path was correct.

What Bear Apprentice most lacked and needed was external “recognition.”

He didn’t know why the creature was so insecure, but those reasons didn’t matter now.

As long as he received recognition and gained a sense of accomplishment, Bear Apprentice would find motivation to grow stronger.

The stronger he became, the more recognition and accomplishment he would gain.

It was a virtuous cycle.

“The best way to gain recognition and a sense of accomplishment, aside from steady daily training, is surely—through Pokémon battles?”

Luo Mu murmured to himself, in a voice only he could hear.

Though it might be a bit premature to say so.

But for a Fighting-type Pokémon like Bear Apprentice, honing his skills through battle is an essential step.

He could have it spar with the farm’s Pokémon, since they spanned a full range of strengths and were sufficient to match Bear Apprentice’s growth curve.

But then, the external recognition Bear Apprentice needed would quickly hit a threshold, and the effect would fade.

At such times, the best choice is to battle different people and different Pokémon, and win.

Then, the recognition and sense of accomplishment Bear Apprentice needs would be generated continuously.

Until he completely overcomes his personality flaws and refines his skills and style to their limits.

On that day, his evolution would surely arrive as well.

Though now Bear Apprentice must focus on building a solid foundation, Luo Mu must plan further ahead.

“How can he battle different people?”

A thought surfaced in Luo Mu’s mind, then quickly sank again.

I’ll mention it later.

After all, that tournament still shows no sign of being held.

As Luo Mu pondered his long-term plan for Bear Apprentice—the Pokémon he had promised to help grow stronger—he drove the RV steadily back to Pingdi Town.

After traveling a stretch of road, the outline of the farm on the outskirts came into view.

Luo Mu’s fatigue from hours of driving instantly vanished.

After eating lunch and taking a short nap, Luo Mu stretched out on his recliner.

He also moved the Combusken, Solrock, and Lunatone, who had been using him as a bed, onto the sofa.

“I wonder how I’ll handle summer.”

Luo Mu sighed, frowning.

It was already spring, the weather pleasant, so he didn’t yet feel stifling heat.

But if he kept this up in summer, he suspected he’d break out in heat rashes—or even suffer heatstroke.

He did love furry creatures—indeed, in winter, Combusken, the Eevee sisters, and Rapidash were the finest “pillows,” and he could hug them all day.

But in summer, this would be sheer torture.

“Alright, better go check on the fields first.”

Temporarily playing ostrich and leaving the problem for his future self, Luo Mu stepped into the slippers he’d placed beside the recliner during his nap.

“.”

Great—another pair of slippers was missing.

Without thinking, Luo Mu knew who was responsible.

But right now, he couldn’t see Rapidash anywhere—this dumb husky always hid the moment he realized he’d done something wrong.

Even though this would almost certainly make Luo Mu angrier, he never learned.

In the end, Luo Mu walked barefoot to the door to change shoes, his face dark.

As for Rapidash—he’d deal with it after finishing his farm work.

Otherwise, the thing would next be tearing off the roof tiles.

Outside, Luo Mu didn’t disturb the sleeping Hariyama at the door, but walked straight toward the farmland.

The entire farm had been idle throughout the snowy winter.

But now that spring had arrived, the fields, frozen solid by snow all winter, were ready to be tilled again.

After all, this past winter, Zhi Mi’s restaurant had become wildly famous among the upper classes of the Kalos region and neighboring areas.

As the designated raw ingredient supplier, the farm received a flood of purchase orders as soon as spring arrived.

During the time Luo Mu was “vacationing” in Hoenn, Zhihuxing had even been forced to manually build a dedicated website for the farm to handle these orders.

Though it was still impossible to fulfill all the requests, restarting cultivation was now unavoidable.

Arriving at the farmland, Luo Mu saw the Pokémon busy working in the neatly rectangular fields.

Three Mudsdale and three Diglett worked together, grunting as they turned the cold, hardened soil of the farmland.

Compared to Mudsdale’s increasingly skilled ability to till the land alone, the Diglett’s efforts were far less efficient.

Though the Diglett had learned the move “Till” from Mudsdale, their efficiency and results were noticeably inferior.

But since this was their first time participating in spring plowing, gaining experience was necessary—and not a major issue.

On the other side of the field, where tilling had already been completed, many Pokémon were busy at work.

Kingdra, Wimpod, and Espurr—most of them possessing convenient limbs resembling hands—joined the ranks of those sowing crop seeds.

The seeds had been purchased in advance by Luo Mu; thanks to his improved experience, he had added many new varieties compared to last year.

Once they finished sowing one acre, the Haxorus waiting behind would, led by the pink Haxorus, rise into the sky and summon brief rain clouds.

After the entire field was thoroughly watered, it was the turn of the waiting Blissey and Tauros to act.

A rich composite Grass Terrain spread out, infusing the soil and buried seeds with abundant nutrients and vitality.

Since learning this move from Kappu Moomoo, Luo Mu had never purchased fertilizer again.

After all, the composite Grass Terrain alone provided more than enough nourishment for the crops.

Blissey and the others skillfully controlled the duration of the Grass Terrain, dispersing the move once sufficient nutrients had been delivered—even though extending it could accelerate crop growth.

Though such near-ripened crops had no side effects and greatly increased farm output,

Luo Mu still resisted the temptation.

From the beginning, he had always been clear about his reasons for opening the farm.

To do otherwise would be to reverse priorities entirely.

Besides, if he truly wished to, he could simply ask Reuniclus to intervene.

With Reuniclus’s immense power, it could even cause crops to grow and mature in repeated cycles, making the farm’s yield rival that of the entire Paldea region.

——That was the power of the Legendary Pokémon who governed the very concept of abundance.

But Luo Mu would not do that.

Luo Mu inspected the farmland for a long time, even donning a straw hat and working alongside the Pokémon.

“That’s enough for today. We’ll continue tomorrow and the day after.”

He clapped his hands, gathered everyone together, and announced the day’s work was over.

Beside him, Alakazam, alongside a chef-hatted Blissey, Dunsparce, and Spinda, distributed delicious desserts after the labor.

Watching Espurr and Klinklang devour their treats greedily, Luo Mu couldn’t help but smile.

After everyone dispersed, Luo Mu did not return home with them; instead, he turned and walked toward the glass greenhouse nearby.

Though he hadn’t had time to check these past two days, according to Alakazam’s assessment, the flowers planted in the greenhouse during winter should now be in full bloom.

After passing through the greenhouse’s access system, the moment he entered, Luo Mu was greeted by a wave of diverse floral scents.

Before him, flowers of every color bloomed in competition, resembling a fairy-tale meadow.

In the center of this floral field, a special flower occupied a large area.

——It was the Glastrier Flower, brought back by Luo Mu from Northland Village, gifted to him by Mr. Snow and Ms. Millet.

At this moment, besides the Glastrier Flowers, numerous Beezlebum were busy collecting pollen.

The Bee Queen was nowhere to be seen—likely resting in her hive.

As for Florges, who had not appeared in the farmland and had led the composite Grass Terrain, she was now also within the flower field.

And upon her floral wreath, the “Eternal Flower” still bloomed.

Nearby, a deep green, worm-like Pokémon quietly remained beside Florges.

It was the Shiny Gigantamax Core, temporarily residing at the farm.

At this moment, it gazed deeply at the “Eternal Flower” on Florges’s wreath, its expression filled with complexity.

(End of Chapter)