Neither a Soul Beast nor a Pet

Neither a Soul Beast nor a Pet

Pidgey stood on Zhou Ping's shoulder and gently preened its feathers.

It was not large.

By the standards of Soul Beasts on the Douluo Continent, it could not even be considered a threat. Yet precisely because it was small, harmless, and nothing like the powerful Soul Beasts people imagined, the silence in the shop felt all the stranger.

If he had brought out a ferocious beast, everyone might have found it easier to understand.

But it was just a little bird.

A Pidgey personally captured and brought out by Zhou Ping, a low-level Soul Master.

Grandmaster stared at it for a long time before quietly saying, "It has no Spirit Ring aura."

Ning Fengzhi picked up the thought.

"Nor does it possess the accumulation of years that a Soul Beast would have."

Chen Xin was even more direct.

"It is not a Soul Beast."

Those three judgments fell one after another, making the atmosphere in the shop even stranger. If only Lin Chuan had claimed that it was not a Soul Beast, people might still have doubted him. But Grandmaster had studied Martial Souls for years, Ning Fengzhi was vastly knowledgeable, and Chen Xin was a Titled Douluo. The weight of all three reaching the same conclusion was entirely different.

As though it sensed everyone watching it, Pidgey shrank closer to Zhou Ping's neck.

Zhou Ping immediately grew nervous.

"D-Don't scare it."

The moment the words left his mouth, even he froze.

Whenever he had encountered Soul Beasts before, all he thought about was hiding, fighting, and surviving. He had never imagined that one day, he would protect a little bird he had only just met in front of a group of Soul Masters.

Pidgey seemed to hear the tension in his voice and lightly tapped his collar with its beak.

It was a tiny gesture, but it changed many people's expressions. Soul Beasts could grow close to humans as well, but that usually required an extremely long period of taming or special methods to suppress their wild nature. How long had Pidgey known Zhou Ping? From their encounter, to the battle, to its capture, to arriving in reality, it had taken no more than the time needed to drink a cup of tea.

Yet it had already regarded Zhou Ping as someone it could perch upon.

For the first time, the new identity of Trainer felt real within the shop.

Hu Liena looked at Pidgey and asked softly.

"It listens to you?"

Zhou Ping hesitated, then cautiously raised his hand.

"Pidgey, fly to the back of that chair."

Pidgey tilted its head at him. With a spread of its wings, it lightly flew to the chair back and landed steadily on its claws.

A wave of quiet exclamations rose through the shop again.

Not because the movement was particularly powerful.

But because it really listened.

It was not a Soul Beast subdued by force, not a skill granted by a Spirit Ring, nor a pet lured by food. What it obeyed was the Trainer's command.

Grandmaster lowered his head and added another line to his notes.

"Non-Soul Power contract, suspected Trainer relationship following Pokédex registration."

After writing that sentence, even he found it absurd. The Douluo Continent had studied Martial Souls and Soul Beasts for so many years, yet no existing system could explain the scene before them. But the more inexplicable it was, the more worthy it was of being recorded.

If Pokémon truly possessed an independent path of growth, then the very concept of "strength" on the continent might gain an entirely unfamiliar way of calculation.

Yue Guan narrowed his eyes.

"If a Trainer is merely an ordinary person, can they command them like this too?"

Lin Chuan said, "Whether they can command them well depends on how the Trainer gets along with the Pokémon, as well as their battle experience. Having a Poké Ball doesn't mean everything will work out."

"Then can Poké Balls be stolen?"

No one knew who in the crowd had blurted out that question.

As soon as the voice fell, the rules plaque on the counter suddenly lit up.

[Warning: Seizing a Trainer's registered Pokémon is considered malicious behavior.]

[Prohibited within the shop.]

[Malicious seizure outside the shop will trigger Poké Ball protection and retrieval protocols.]

That person's face immediately went pale, and he hurriedly lowered his head.

Lin Chuan said blandly, "Don't use old habits to judge new things. Pokémon are not Soul Beasts, and Trainers are not Soul Beast hunting parties."

Those words were like a basin of cold water, dousing the greed that had just begun to surface in many hearts.

Ning Fengzhi instead let out a breath of relief.

The clearer the rules, the more suitable they were for long-term operation. If Pokémon could be stolen, killed, or absorbed the moment they appeared, then even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect might not dare let its young disciples touch them, no matter how wealthy it was. But now things were different. Trainers, Poké Balls, Pokédexes, and shop rules—layered together, these protections at least gave low-level Soul Masters and support-type Soul Masters the right to enter the field.

He looked at the female disciple of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect behind him.

The young woman's eyes shone brightly.

Just moments ago, she had been thinking about becoming a Lantern Bearer in Yellow Wind Ridge. Now, she suddenly realized that support-type Soul Masters seemed to have another path available to them. If Pokémon truly did not care about the level of one's Soul Power, and only depended on whether a Trainer could learn to command, care for, and coordinate with them, then Seven Treasure disciples might not have to stand behind others forever.

Ma Hongjun had already circled Pidgey halfway around.

"Can it breathe fire?"

Ning Rongrong was speechless.

"Does it look like it can breathe fire?"

Ma Hongjun examined it seriously.

"It doesn't, which is why I'm asking."

Yan sneered.

"Flying type, Normal type. Didn't you just look at the Pokédex?"

Ma Hongjun glared at him.

"You caught on pretty quickly."

Yan's expression stiffened.

As Hu Liena watched the two bicker, she was calculating something else. If Pokémon had types, then did types counter one another? If they had moves, could those moves be trained? If both were Fire type, what was the difference between Charmander's fire and Yan's fire? And if Electric-type Pokémon appeared, would they be entirely different from lightning-attribute Soul Masters?

Before she could ask her questions, Lin Chuan had already taken out several items from the second level of the Small Counter and placed them on the counter.

"Pokémon items are launching today as well, but purchases are limited."

Poké Balls were placed at the very front.

Potions, Antidotes, and Oran Berries were lined up in order.

Someone could not help asking, "Can Potions be used on people?"

"No."

"What about Soul Beasts?"

"Not recommended. The shop assumes no responsibility."

"Can people eat Oran Berries?"

Lin Chuan glanced at that person.

"You can try, but I can't guarantee they'll have the same effect on you as they do on Pokémon."

Laughter immediately broke out in the shop.

Lin Chuan flipped over the price placard.

"Poké Balls are purchase-limited. Unregistered Trainers may not buy them. The daily purchase limit for registered Trainers will be adjusted according to the shop's level. Potions and Antidotes only work on Pokémon as described in their item descriptions, so don't take them and sell them as pills."

Yue Guan said softly, "Boss Lin, who was that warning meant for?"

Lin Chuan said, "For those thinking of reselling them."

Several Soul Masters whose eyes had just been darting around immediately lowered their heads.

Ning Fengzhi smiled.

"Rest assured, Boss Lin. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect does business by the rules."

Lin Chuan smiled as well.

"That would be best."

Pidgey stood on the chair back for a while before suddenly spreading its wings and taking flight. It circled the shop, avoiding the spectator screen, illuminated signs, and queueing crowd, before accurately landing back on Zhou Ping's shoulder.

Zhou Ping said blankly, "It still knows how to come back."

Lin Chuan said, "Pidgey has an excellent sense of direction."

Grandmaster's eyes flickered, and he immediately recorded that statement.

Sense of direction.

It seemed inconspicuous, but its value would be immense if used for delivering messages, scouting, or finding one's way. More importantly, this was only one of the most basic Pokémon. If even Pidgey possessed such a trait, then what about the others?

No one in the shop dared underestimate the little bird any longer.

The female disciple of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect watched especially intently.

What did support-type Soul Masters fear most? They feared lacking means to protect themselves. They feared that once separated from their group, they could not even send a message. But with a companion like Pidgey, it might not be able to withstand a powerful attack for her, yet it could sound the alarm, scout the path, and bring back directions at the most crucial moments.

She suddenly understood that Pokémon might not merely be combat power.

They might also be a new way to survive.

Zhou Ping carefully stroked Pidgey's feathers.

Pidgey did not dodge. It merely chirped softly.

The sound was light, yet it seemed to open some door in Zhou Ping's heart. He suddenly realized that he was no longer just the little Soul Master at Grand Dao Internet Cafe who would be happy for half a day after taking three extra steps.

He had a Pokémon.

Even if it was still weak, even if he himself still understood nothing.

But from today onward, he would no longer train alone.

Watching his expression, Lin Chuan added another line beneath the new wooden sign.

[Trainer courses, pending launch.]

Yue Guan's expression shifted slightly when he saw those words.

Ning Fengzhi, meanwhile, chuckled softly.

"It seems there will be more and more things to learn next."

Lin Chuan put away his pen.

"Learn slowly."

He said it casually.

But everyone in the shop knew that, from this moment on, Grand Dao Internet Cafe was no longer merely a place where Soul Masters entered games to suffer.

It had begun bringing new life into the Douluo Continent.