Beyond Azalea Town lay Ilex Forest, a major source of high-grade charcoal for both the Kanto Region and the Johto Region. Liu Qing had no interest in that, however, and moved quickly through the woods while training his Pokémon. Along the way, he met several Pokémon Trainers and battled them, but none were particularly strong, and he defeated them easily.
Next, he passed through a seaside city before reaching Leaf Town, where he learned that a Pokémon trading event would soon be held. But Liu Qing had no spare Pokémon to trade, and he did not consider any Pokémon Trainer willing to trade away their own Pokémon a proper trainer. After resting for a day, he set off again.
He passed through a city, a small town, and then a cave full of Onix that supplied Eevee, Porygon, and Rhydon with plenty of battle experience. Beyond that lay another small town, and then he reached a forest.
"I remember there should be a very talented Totodile around here. Why can't I find one? Ash caught that Totodile in the show, though. Am I really that unlucky?" Liu Qing had spent half the day searching the area without finding that Totodile, and his frustration was easy to imagine. Under his training, that Totodile would surely have shone. Unfortunately, although Totodile had performed fairly well after Ash caught him in the show, he had never even evolved, leaving his strength far from fully developed. It was a complete waste of his potential.
Since he could not find Totodile, Liu Qing stopped forcing the matter. He left the forest and arrived in a town.
As soon as he reached the town's Pokémon Center, he saw a stream of Pokémon Trainers rushing in with badly injured Fire-type Pokémon in their arms, asking Nurse Joy