Biological Instinct

Weedle did not hesitate. The moment Xia Yan spoke, it obeyed.

It carefully removed the poison sac from the glass bottle with its tail, stuffed it into its mouth, and swallowed it in just a few bites.

The texture and taste were completely different from Energy Cubes, but to Weedle, it was just as delicious.

Xia Yan kept his eyes fixed on Weedle. Seeing no unusual reaction from it, he became even more certain and continued, "Eat Beedrill's poison sac."

"U!"

Weedle nodded and opened the glass bottle.

Unlike the Ekans poison sac, the moment the bottle containing Beedrill's poison sac was opened, a faint purple mist drifted out, and the entire room filled with the fishy stench of rotten fish.

Xia Yan frowned and took two steps back.

The poison in this sac was far more potent than he had imagined.

Weedle did not hesitate. Instead, it was like seeing a delicious piece of stinky tofu, like a dog seeing a pile of... Ahem. In any case, it swallowed it after only a few bites.

This time, Weedle began to change.

A thin purple mist began to rise from its body, seeping from the shell of every segment, its mouth, and the horns on its head and tail.

Xia Yan narrowed his eyes.

"It's working, but it still isn't enough?"

"U?"

Weedle sensed the changes in its body as well. It raised its head in confusion and looked at Xia Yan.

It felt strange.

There was an indescribable sensation, as though every cell in its body was groaning, yet its tiny heart was beating so fast it felt as if it might leap out of its mouth.

If he had to describe it—

It was like drinking five or six cans of Red Bull at once, followed by three or four cups of coffee, then washing it all down with several cups of bitter tea.

Overstimulated!

Every inch of muscle and every cell in its body seemed to tremble with excitement.

Watching Weedle's changes, Xia Yan thought for a moment, gritted his teeth, and said, "Eat Arbok's poison sac!"

An Elite Level Arbok was at least two tiers stronger than Weedle, and the poison in this sac was also the strongest.

"U~~"

Though Weedle was puzzled, it did not pause.

Xia Yan explained, though he did not know whether he was reassuring Weedle or comforting himself. "It is common knowledge that Poison-type Pokémon cannot be poisoned, but that common knowledge is not absolute. If the poison is too potent, or if the gap in strength is too great, they can still be poisoned."

It was just like how Dark-type Pokémon could be immune to Psychic-type moves.

But claiming that a newly born Dark-type Pokémon could be immune to the moves of a Champion-level Psychic-type Pokémon would be absurd.

It would not even need to be a Champion-level Pokémon. One that was merely somewhat stronger could probably have an effect; only the extent of that effect would differ.

Likewise, the prerequisite for Poison-type Pokémon to be immune to poisoning was that it remained within their tolerance. If it exceeded that limit, they would still be poisoned.

"Ordinary poison sacs can only be considered decent supplements and food for Poison-type Pokémon, but it is impossible to increase their toxicity that way. Therefore, the most crucial part of methods similar to Gu cultivation is making the Poison-type Pokémon become poisoned!"

Xia Yan recited the key information he had obtained from the book.

This was also why he had gone to the Black Market to buy so many poison sacs.

Weedle had to be poisoned first!

"U--"

While Xia Yan was explaining, Weedle had already swallowed Arbok's most poisonous sac.

For a moment, the thin layer of poisonous mist surrounding it grew several times denser, and the pitch of Weedle's voice changed as well.

Strands of pale purple patterns slowly spread across the gleaming horn atop its head, while rings of purple discoloration gradually stained its yellow shell.

It looked exactly like it had been poisoned.

"I originally bought so many just in case. Now it seems I did not buy too many. Eat the last one too."

Xia Yan's hand tightly gripped the Special Antidote in his pocket as he stared at Weedle. The instant anything seemed wrong with its condition, he would use the Antidote immediately.

Even if it meant wasting all these poison sacs, he could not let anything happen to Weedle.

And Weedle no longer had its earlier excitement.

As a Poison-type Pokémon, it was experiencing the poisoned condition for the first time.

It felt a little uncomfortable.

But it still gritted its teeth and swallowed the final poison sac.

Xia Yan would not hurt it. It knew exactly how much Xia Yan had spent to buy these poison sacs, so it absolutely could not waste them!

As the final poison sac was swallowed, Weedle's appearance changed completely.

Its originally earthy yellow shell had now turned entirely dark purple, and even the horn on its head had not been spared.

"After Poison-type Pokémon are poisoned, the poison within their bodies will be stimulated to fight against it, something akin to fighting poison with poison. If poisoning is caused by an external issue, it will be rather troublesome, and an Antidote can only be used. But if the poisoning is caused by eating poison sacs, that is different.

Poison sacs are originally supplements for Poison-type Pokémon. They contain large amounts of Poison-type energy, which can nourish and replenish their own poison, stimulate their toxicity, and produce so-called 'antibodies.'

And these antibodies are actually a form of enhanced toxicity."

Xia Yan spoke calmly, but his heart was lodged in his throat.

Poison-type Pokémon being immune to poisoning was a kind of immunity similar to fighting poison with poison. When external poison was too strong for their own poison to resist, they would become poisoned.

And Weedle's current condition was precisely that the external poison was too strong and its own poison was too weak to resist it, resulting in poisoning.

But correspondingly, while the poison sacs poisoned Weedle, they also provided considerable Poison-type energy, nourishing and replenishing its own poison.

Under the pressure of external poison, biological instinct would evolve, strengthening its own poison to fight against it.

This was the instinct behind the evolution of organisms in nature.

It was also a method of training Poison-type Pokémon that had been passed down since ancient times.

"Endure it, Weedle! Once you make it through, you'll transform!"

Xia Yan appeared calm as he tried to give Weedle confidence, but he was actually even more nervous than Weedle. His hand clutching the Antidote was already covered in sweat.

"U!!"

Weedle's cry was filled with pain, but it actually felt reassured and at ease.

That came from its trust in Xia Yan.

It was only the pain in its body. If it endured for a while, it would pass.

But this endurance—

Lasted a full three hours.

The hazy purple mist that had originally surrounded Weedle had now completely dissipated.

It could not exactly be called dissipated. It was more like it had adhered to Weedle's body.

And now, Weedle looked as if it had been coated in a layer of purple paint, glossy and gleaming.

Its eyes were tightly shut.

Xia Yan's hand gripping the Antidote had already gone stiff, yet he did not dare relax in the slightest.

He had carefully considered and reasoned through the information in that book. It was feasible, and the chances of success were not low, which was why he had allowed Weedle to start eating immediately.

He had also made preparations. Advanced Energy Cubes could provide Weedle with enough Infinity Energy to ensure it would not be completely eroded by the poison, while the Special Antidote was extremely expensive and had been bought for emergencies.

But judging from the current situation, Weedle had completely stabilized. It probably would not be needed.

Crack—

Suddenly.

A crisp, faint sound came from Weedle's body.

Xia Yan's spirits lifted.

Then—

Crack, crack, crack—

More and more sounds emerged, and fine cracks spread densely across Weedle's body. The largest crack ran directly from its head to its tail.

Beneath the split opening, a crystalline earthy yellow appeared in Xia Yan's sight once more.

"U."

A soft cry.

Weedle pawed twice at its restrained limbs, then crawled out slowly and uncertainly from the shell that had been dyed purple.

It—

Had shed its skin once again!