Special Hatching Liquid

Xinhai came to the room where Pokémon food was stored. Shelves filled with various Pokémon foods and training supplies lined the room.

On the shelf specifically for Torchic food, several brand-new cardboard boxes stood out. All of them had been opened, making their contents clearly visible.

Xinhai scanned them one by one before finding the hatching liquid on the second level of an inner shelf. He stared at the white liquid flecked with blue inside the bottle, filled with confusion.

Shouldn't hatching liquid for Psychic type Pokémon be blue or purple? Why is this bottle white?

Looking at the words "Psychic type Pokémon Hatching Liquid" on the bottle, Xinhai could not help muttering, "That really is strange. Forget it, Dad must have checked it. I'll ask him tomorrow."

Hatching liquid was a special nutrient solution formulated by top breeders to accelerate Pokémon hatching. Its principle was to extract high-energy, easily absorbed nutrients from Berries and natural treasures of various attributes, speeding up a Pokémon's growth process.

Advanced hatching liquid could also improve a Pokémon's aptitude, strengthen the energy within its body, grant it greater same-type potential, and enhance its physical capabilities.

Xinhai then carefully poured the hatching liquid into the incubator. It came in measured portions, and after he poured it in, it covered exactly two-thirds of the Pokémon Egg.

Xinhai gazed at the Pokémon Egg in the incubator, his eyes full of anticipation. He softly murmured, "Ralts, you have to come out soon. I can't wait to set off on an adventure with you."

Next, Xinhai looked over the Advanced Energy Cubes his father had exchanged for. There were not many of them, only two small boxes with twenty-five cubes each, but every single one was extremely valuable.

He picked one up and examined it closely. The Energy Cube had a gentle color and was crystal-clear. When he brought it close, a faint fragrance lingered at the tip of his nose. Looking carefully, there were almost no impurities inside.

Looking at the two boxes of Energy Cubes, Xinhai sighed. "Breeders really do make money! These two boxes of Advanced Energy Cubes must be worth around five hundred thousand."

After putting away the Energy Cubes and checking the other items, he confirmed that everything was in order. Then he picked up the incubator, returned to his room, and gently set it on his desk.

Lying on his bed, Xinhai could not help considering the training paths for Torchic and Ralts. As he thought, beautiful visions of the future gradually carried him into sleep.

Early the next morning, the first ray of sunlight streamed through the window and gently fell across Xinhai's face. The alarm clock by his bed rang at just the right moment.

Xinhai shot upright in bed. After raising a hand to turn off the alarm, the first thing he did was check on Torchic. He quickly released Torchic from its Poké Ball, and the instant it appeared, Xinhai keenly noticed the change in it. Its already vivid crest feathers had become even brighter, while its small body seemed to contain endless vitality, radiating vigorous energy.

Once released, Torchic happily ran around the room. It could clearly feel the changes in its body and cried excitedly, "Torchic! Torchic!"

Seeing Torchic so happy, Xinhai smiled and said, "All right, all right, stop running around. Let's go check on Ralts's Pokémon Egg."

Torchic was delighted to hear that and impatiently tried to jump straight from the floor onto the desk. Xinhai was so startled that he quickly caught it and gently placed it on the desk. "Torchic, you can't do that. You're going to be an older brother, so you need to be more steady. Don't scare Ralts."

Torchic obediently nodded its little head, its round eyes curiously studying the Pokémon Egg in the incubator.

Xinhai looked at the Pokémon Egg in the incubator and noticed that the hatching liquid had become much paler. It looks like by tomorrow, it'll have almost absorbed all the nutrients in the hatching liquid.

After checking Torchic and the Pokémon Egg, Xinhai relaxed. He said to Torchic, "Torchic, let's go downstairs and wash up!"

"Torchic?"

At those words, Torchic shook its head like a rattle, its little eyes full of resistance. It backed away several steps and loudly cried, "Torchic! Torchic!" as if protesting.

Xinhai smiled helplessly and patiently persuaded it, "Torchic, you're going to be an older brother. Are you really going to run away at the crucial moment and set a bad example for Ralts?"

Torchic hesitated after hearing that. Its little head seemed to be engaged in an intense internal struggle. But it quickly made its decision. As though it had made up its mind, it puffed out its little chest, took a few steps toward Xinhai, and wore an expression as if facing death without fear.

Seeing this, Xinhai smiled and patted Torchic's head. "Very good. How can a real man fear such little hardships?" With that, he picked up the incubator and went downstairs to the bathroom with Torchic.

He carefully set down the incubator and smiled at Torchic. "Torchic, Ralts is watching you. You have to set a good example." As he spoke, Xinhai picked up a small towel, soaked it, and gently wiped Torchic's body. At first, Torchic kept twisting around and occasionally muttered soft "Torchic, Torchic" complaints. But as Xinhai's movements remained gentle, it gradually quieted down, only occasionally moving its little claws uneasily.

After washing up, Xinhai could not help feeling a little troubled as he looked at the listless Torchic. Fortunately, this was not the first time, and he already knew how to deal with it.

Xinhai picked up Torchic and looked into its eyes. "Torchic, how can a real man be afraid of something like this? Our goal is to overcome every hardship and become the strongest Pokémon Trainers!"

Seeing Xinhai's determined gaze, Torchic also let out a loud "Torchic!" Its eyes filled with determination and fighting spirit, and its previous dejection vanished completely.

Seeing Torchic regain its energy, Xinhai smiled. "Then let's eat first. Once we're full, we'll continue today's training."

Torchic nodded and cried, "Torchic!"

After washing up, Xinhai carried the incubator toward the living room, with Torchic following at his feet. His parents were already seated at the dining table, which was covered with a lavish breakfast.

His father, Yantai, smiled and called out, "Xiao Hai, come eat."

Bellossom sat on a chair and enthusiastically greeted Xinhai as well. "Bellossom!"

His mother, Nami, placed the milk on the table and looked at him. "Torchic looks more energetic."

Xinhai carefully placed the incubator on a chair beside him and replied with a smile, "Dad, Mom, look. Torchic is in great condition now, and Ralts is about to hatch too!"

Torchic also jumped onto a chair. Nami placed its little bowl on the chair, filled with Pokémon food and some Energy Cubes. Torchic happily cried, "Torchic," and began eating.

Yantai looked at Torchic and said, "Torchic really is in better condition than before. The crest feathers on its head are clearly more vivid."

The three tufts of feathers on Torchic's head could directly reflect its physical condition. The more its crest feathers resembled blazing flames, the better its condition was, and vice versa. At that moment, Torchic's crest feathers were clearly much brighter than yesterday.

Afterward, Yantai looked at the Pokémon Egg in the incubator and said, "Ralts should still be three or four days away. Pay attention when the time comes."

While eating breakfast, Xinhai said, "Dad, don't you trust me? By the way, why is the hatching liquid you bought different from what's sold on the market?"

Yantai answered with a smile, "This isn't something you can buy on the market. I exchanged this hatching liquid with League Points too. It contains some Dawn Stone powder and several rare herbs, which are very beneficial for Psychic type Pokémon."

Only then did Xinhai understand why the hatching liquid was white. It was most likely because of the Dawn Stone powder. He wanted to ask more about Torchic's training plan, but his mother interrupted him.

Nami looked at the father and son. "Don't keep talking while you're eating." Xinhai could only swallow the words that had reached his lips.

The family quietly finished breakfast. As usual, Nami took Bellossom to the flower shop early, leaving the father and son to clean up. As Xinhai tidied up, he asked, "Dad, how is Torchic's training plan coming along?"

Yantai wiped the table as he said, "Almost done. It should be finished by tonight. But Ralts's training plan may be a little troublesome."

Hearing that, Xinhai even stopped what he was doing and hurriedly asked, "Dad, did something go wrong?"