A Complex Pokémon World

Arriving at Qingfeng City's Department Store, Lu Li specially picked out several Dragonfruits for Tropius, then bought some Moomoo Milk.

Lu Li only planned to use the Growth Spell to help Tropius quickly pass through the Beginner stage and enter the Growth stage. The reason was simple: he could not afford the Energy Blocks Tropius would need during its Growth stage.

Before he could make Energy Blocks himself, Lu Li did not plan to cheat for Tropius once it entered the Growth stage. There was no helping it—he simply did not have enough money.

After buying everything, Lu Li hurried home with Tropius.

Qingyun City Pokémon Gym.

"A sixteen-year-old Junior Trainer. No wonder your family is interested in this Genius Youth," Yu Zhonggang remarked as he looked through the documents in his hand.

Beside him, Jin Fengjiao personally poured her Husband a cup of tea before explaining, "That boy refused our Jin Family's sponsorship, but the Jin Family doesn't want to let such a Genius Youth go so easily."

Yu Zhonggang frowned at those words.

If the Jin Family intended to use any underhanded methods against that Genius Youth, then they could not blame Yu Zhonggang for putting righteousness before family.

The Five Great Leagues openly and secretly competed with one another, and even the Asian League was rife with internal conflict. The main struggle within the Asian League was between regions, followed by the competition between the Reformist Faction and the Conservative Faction. It could also be called a conflict between commoners and families, though at its core, it was a struggle between the New Nobility and the Old Nobility.

Yu Zhonggang knew his position was rather awkward. Although he came from a commoner background, his wife was born into one of the Powerful Families.

As a result, his standing within the League was particularly awkward. He belonged to the Centrist Faction.

If an incident involving the persecution of a Commoner Genius occurred in a city under his protection, the Reformist Faction would definitely label him as Old Nobility.

At that point, even if he did not want to take a side, he would be forcibly dragged into that vortex.

Yu Zhonggang also knew exactly what he was capable of. As a pure Trainer, he knew that if he truly fell into that whirlpool of power with his level of political maneuvering, he would basically be throwing his life away.

That was why Yu Zhonggang did not want to pick a side. He only wanted to be a pure Trainer.

"What are you trying to do?" Yu Zhonggang asked, his tone carrying a trace of accusation.

Yu Zhonggang knew his wife too well. Although Jin Fengjiao was not the kind of noble lady who put profit above all else, as long as it did not harm their little family, she would certainly be willing to offer the Jin Family some help.

Jin Fengjiao cast her Husband a captivating glare and said, "What are you thinking? Our Jin Family is only a Gym Leader-level family. How could we possibly dare to make a move against a League prodigy?"

In this world, Trainers represented military strength.

To the League, every prodigy within its ranks who had the potential to become an Elite Four-level powerhouse was an irreplaceable precious resource.

Those Elite Four Families might dare to do such a thing, but Gym Leader-level families like theirs absolutely would not.

Knowing that if she did not state her purpose, her foolish Husband would imagine even more things, Jin Fengjiao explained, "What I mean is, Lili will also be taking the College Entrance Exam this year, and this Genius Youth named Lu Li happens to be a talented Breeder."

Yu Zhonggang frowned at those words.

This was bad!

There was a wild boar outside the garden, and the little cabbage he had raised was about to be rooted up by it.

But a talented Breeder... they did seem like a good match.

With that thought in mind, Yu Zhonggang furrowed his brow and pondered.

His wife's meaning was obvious. She wanted to match that Genius Youth with their daughter.

In the Pokémon world, Trainers who entered university had to spend one year of their four university years traveling and studying abroad.

Jin Fengjiao clearly wanted to strike first and prepare for her daughter's university travels.

With the help of that talented Breeder, Lili might even have a chance to challenge the Elite Four Realm.

Yu Zhonggang understood his daughter's talent as well. It was the kind of talent whose limits could almost be seen at a glance. Even with the family's help, Lili could at most challenge the Gym Leader-level.

If a family could produce a Heavenly King for two consecutive generations, then so long as the third generation was not too lacking, that family could already be called an Elite Four Family.

For a brief moment, Yu Zhonggang was genuinely tempted.

Yu Zhonggang asked thoughtfully, "You want me to personally recruit that Genius Youth?"

Jin Fengjiao explained, "Yes. I mean, our Gym can sponsor him. Since he wants freedom, we'll give him freedom. Even if we fail to recruit him in the end, we'll at least earn the favor of a talented Breeder."

Unlike the old stubborn fossils in the family, Jin Fengjiao understood Lu Li's potential best.

Those old fossils only wanted to cling to their small family fortune, but Jin Fengjiao had learned to invest in the future back when she was a Girl. That was also why she had married Yu Zhonggang, that poor boy, in the first place.

Do not talk about pure love. Jin Fengjiao admitted that she did indeed like Yu Zhonggang, but if he had not displayed that kind of strength and potential back then, she would never have looked twice at him.

Now, an even more talented boy than Yu Zhonggang stood before her, and she happened to have a daughter in the prime of her youth. Why could she not go all-in this time?

After all, going all-in was a form of wisdom.

Yu Zhonggang looked deeply at his wife, then nodded. "I'll personally make a trip to Qingfeng City No. 1 High School, in the name of our Gym."

Yu Zhonggang chose to trust his wife's judgment and wisdom. As someone who had a very clear understanding of himself, Yu Zhonggang knew all his talent points had gone into being a Trainer.

His wife usually handled the Gym's affairs, as well as certain business and even political decisions.

Jin Fengjiao was also very smart. Aside from matters involving the Jin Family, she handled every trivial matter in Yu Zhonggang's life, including the operation of the Gym and the maintenance of her Husband's connections.

Born into a family herself, Jin Fengjiao knew her own nature. Once something involved her family, the scales in her heart would tilt. Once or twice was fine, but if it happened too often, it would only bring trouble.

Just as Yu Zhonggang and his wife were discussing how to sponsor that Genius Youth, an excited shout suddenly came from outside. "Dad! Mom! Come look, my little turtle has hatched!"

Jin Fengjiao's face instantly darkened at the crisp shout, and she roared, "Yu Lili! How many times have I told you? That's a Squirtle! Even if you want to give it a nickname, you can't call it little turtle!"

Yu Lili, who had just been brimming with excitement, immediately paled after hearing her mother's furious roar. The flush of excitement on her face faded considerably.

Yu Lili said softly, "Ahem! Dad, Mom, I mean Squirtle has hatched. Shouldn't you go take a look at Squirtle now?"

The couple exchanged a glance, then stood up in unison.

Yu Zhonggang smiled indulgently. "My precious daughter, lead the way. Daddy will help you take a look at Squirtle."

In the Pokémon world, judging a Pokémon's aptitude was simple and crude: one only had to look at the Egg Moves it possessed at birth.

After returning Home, Lu Li eagerly released Tropius and had it demonstrate the moves it knew.