Running Away, the Path to Strength!

Lin Xia got to his feet. After returning to the dorm with Bulbasaur, he walked to the dorm's only small window, where pleasant afternoon sunlight streamed in.

Pointing at the patch of light, Lin Xia said to Bulbasaur,

"Look, Bulbasaur, right there! A large part of your strength comes from it—sunlight!"

Lin Xia guided Bulbasaur into the sunlight. The warm rays fell over Bulbasaur, especially the strange seed on its back.

Almost the instant the sunlight touched the seed, Lin Xia clearly sensed Bulbasaur's spirit perk up slightly.

"Did you feel that?"

"Bulba!?"

Lin Xia held his breath and focused, carefully sensing the martial soul closely linked to him.

"This is your instinct: using sunlight for photosynthesis, converting light energy into life energy and Soul Power!"

"Follow your instincts. Release your Soul Power and absorb the sunlight."

Bulbasaur had not been born long. Since it possessed an independent life, Lin Xia had not arranged any training for it during its infancy, instead taking it around to play.

So this was Bulbasaur's first serious training session.

Though it was its first time, Lin Xia knew that in Pokémon lore, one of a Grass-type Pokémon's core abilities was photosynthesis, and the seed on Bulbasaur's back was its photosynthetic organ.

Under the rules of Douluo Continent, Lin Xia immediately realized that this would be Bulbasaur's most important natural cultivation method, far more efficient than ordinary meditation.

Without resources, this was already the best cultivation method available!

Sure enough, beneath the sunlight, the seed on Bulbasaur's back began to glow faintly. Its cultivation was slow, but it steadily absorbed the essence of the sun.

A warm, pure life energy flowed and accumulated within Bulbasaur, naturally transforming into refined Soul Power.

As Bulbasaur's martial soul master, Lin Xia could clearly sense its Soul Power growing bit by bit.

What surprised Lin Xia most was that the process not only strengthened Bulbasaur's own Soul Power and life essence, but also naturally fed a portion of its refined life energy and Soul Power back to him through their martial soul connection.

Bulbasaur was not doing this intentionally. It was simply an "overflow effect" of its growth.

Just as plants growing beneath sunlight released oxygen and purified their surroundings.

Whenever Bulbasaur cultivated, Lin Xia could feel a warm current slowly forming and flowing through his body, completely unlike the faint Soul Power generated by his own meditation.

It was gentler and purer, brimming with vitality, as though it were invisibly nourishing every cell in his body while subtly increasing Lin Xia's own Soul Power level and life-force strength!

Its cultivation speed was actually much faster than when he meditated alone!

With innate Rank One Soul Power, if Lin Xia told anyone about this cultivation speed and effect, they probably would not believe him.

This was way too outrageous!

After all, as a Grass-type Pokémon, Bulbasaur had more ways to grow stronger than just photosynthesis. It could also take root and draw nourishment!

Once he confirmed that its cultivation was on the right track, Lin Xia finally relaxed.

But now that he had offended Yu Xiaogang, a wise man did not stand beneath a crumbling wall. Naturally, Lin Xia could not remain at Notting Junior Soul Master Academy.

But where could he go?

Lin Xia had not figured that out yet, but he first ruled out Spirit Hall and Blue Tyrant Academy!

Shrek was even less of an option.

As long as it had anything to do with Yu Xiaogang, Lin Xia would not go.

After all, Bibi Dong at Spirit Hall was a madwoman, Liu Erlong of Blue Tyrant Academy was love-crazed, and Flender of Shrek Academy was Yu Xiaogang's best bro.

If he went to any of those places, it would definitely blow up in his face.

Heaven Dou Royal Academy had little connection to Yu Xiaogang, but Qin Ming, the instructor of the Royal Dou Team... was someone Flender had already trained into a dog.

That choice required caution as well.

That left only the elemental academies.

Tianshui, Blazing Fire, Godwind, Thunderclap—none of them suited his martial soul.

Besides those, there were Beast Academy and Plant Academy...

Of them all, perhaps only Plant Academy suited him!

As the thought came to him, Lin Xia felt a headache coming on. Could an academy like that truly provide him with the educational resources he needed?

As he thought it over, Lin Xia suddenly realized something: what right did he have to choose an academy right now?

Plant Academy was an advanced Soul Master Academy!

His Soul Power was only Rank One!

At that thought, Lin Xia fell silent.

Whatever!

Even with innate Rank One Soul Power, with the uniqueness of his martial soul, it might not be impossible for him to join Plant Academy!

In any case, he could not stay at Notting Junior Soul Master Academy!

The more he thought about it, the more dangerous it seemed. Lin Xia immediately started packing his belongings.

Once Bulbasaur finished cultivating, Lin Xia picked it up and headed straight for the academy gates.

Just then, Xiao Wu, who had just returned from playing outside, happened to run into Lin Xia as he was leaving. Her eyes were full of confusion.

"Lin Xia, where are you going?"

When Xiao Wu blocked his path, Lin Xia had wanted to warn her, but then he thought of how Tang Hao might be secretly watching from somewhere near Notting Junior Soul Master Academy.

The words reached his lips, then were swallowed back down.

"Something came up at home, so I'm going back for a while. I'll be back soon!"

Xiao Wu frowned at his words.

"But isn't there no one left in your family, Lin Xia?"

"..."

"Forget it, forget it. Go on, then. Goodbye, Bulbasaur!"

After reaching out to stroke Bulbasaur in Lin Xia's arms, Xiao Wu turned and left.

Watching Xiao Wu's retreating figure, Lin Xia sighed.

Over the past few days, Lin Xia had not developed any ill will toward Xiao Wu. He did not want to see her leap into the pit that was Tang San.

But circumstances were stronger than people, and Lin Xia had no choice.

Of course, perhaps Lin Xia was merely being sentimental. Maybe Xiao Wu simply wanted to stick with Tang San.

Putting his thoughts aside, Lin Xia left Notting City and set out on the long journey to Silves Kingdom.

But Lin Xia also knew that his current strength was weak and the journey dangerous, so he chose the safer trade route. Along the way, he strictly followed Bulbasaur's instinctive needs.

He traveled as much as possible during the day, allowing Bulbasaur to either perch on his shoulder or follow on the ground for short stretches, exposing it to the sunlight to the greatest extent possible.

Lin Xia could clearly feel the seed on Bulbasaur's back warming slightly beneath the sunlight, continuously producing strands of warm, pure life energy.

At night or while resting, Lin Xia sought out places with dense vegetation and fertile soil, guiding Bulbasaur to try plunging its vines deep into the earth and earnestly communicating with the land's energy.

Though its technique was unskilled, it could occasionally draw in tiny traces of dense life force and nourishing power.

This almost instinctive natural cultivation method, centered on photosynthesis and supplemented by the nourishment of the earth, formed a marvelous cycle of symbiosis.

After merely a dozen or so days on the road, Lin Xia was delighted to discover that the threadlike flow of Soul Power within his body had not only become full, but had undergone a qualitative change—it had reached the realm of Rank Three Soul Power!

Despite only doing simple meditation, he had leapt two ranks in half a month solely through his martial soul's feedback. This inconceivable rate of progress filled Lin Xia with confidence in Bulbasaur's potential and the path he had chosen.

At least he had not gone down the wrong path. His idea was feasible!