Chen Yang casually pulled out a pink Pokéblock. It was perfectly square, like jelly, and looked soft and springy, though otherwise unremarkable.
Beside him, Xiao Wu instinctively sniffed. Her gaze instantly glued itself to the block, and drool trickled uncontrollably from the corner of her mouth.
"Yang, what's that in your hand? It looks so delicious..."
Xiao Wu bit her finger, feeling an immense attraction to it, even stronger than to the crystal carrots she had eaten before.
Chen Yang held the pink Pokéblock between his fingers and offered it to Xiao Wu's lips.
"This is called a Pokéblock. Try it..."
Before he had even finished speaking, Xiao Wu lunged forward and gobbled it up in one bite.
After chewing a few times, her eyes suddenly lit up. She cupped her cheeks in both hands, her face brimming with happiness and satisfaction.
"It's so delicious! It tastes like Mom!!"
Watching Xiao Wu look as though she were floating on clouds, utterly lost in bliss, Chen Yang was full of questions.
Was it really that good?
He took out another identical pink Pokéblock, lowered his head, and took a small bite.
It was soft, chewy, and springy, with a delicate sweetness and a faint floral, fruity fragrance. It certainly tasted good, but nowhere near enough to inspire Xiao Wu's level of obsession.
Apparently, these Pokéblocks not only worked on Pokémon, but also held an innate appeal for Soul Beasts.
Before Chen Yang could ponder further, Xiao Wu was already licking her pink lips, her sparkling eyes fixed on the half-eaten block in his hand, filled with longing.
"Yang, are you going to finish that?"
"I've already bitten it. You..."
"It's fine, it's fine! I don't mind at all!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Xiao Wu leaned forward and snatched the remaining half of the Pokéblock from Chen Yang's hand with her mouth, chewing away blissfully.
...Fine. This rabbit was being human for the first time. It was perfectly normal that she didn't understand boundaries between boys and girls.
Chen Yang sighed helplessly. The sky had gone completely dark, and the evening breeze had turned chilly. Ignoring Xiao Wu's pleading gaze as she begged silently for more Pokéblocks, he took her hand and headed toward the wooden house.
They returned to the house, where warm yellow lamplight glowed. Grandpa Tom had already prepared dinner and looked at them kindly, his expression gentle.
"Children, you must be tired from playing. Come eat."
There was only simple, humble fare on the table, but they all ate with relish.
Halfway through the meal, Grandpa Tom looked at Xiao Wu and asked gently, "Xiao Wu, we don't have many rooms here. Would you mind sharing a room with Yang tonight?"
"Sure!"
Xiao Wu agreed immediately without a second thought, her reply muffled by the food still in her mouth. She showed not a trace of embarrassment or awkwardness, only delight at being able to stay with Chen Yang.
Maybe if she begged him a little, she could have more of that especially delicious stuff!
Three months passed like that.
The relationship between the two grew increasingly harmonious.
Unfortunately, the rewards were always little odds and ends.
Pokéblocks ×150, Oran Berries ×20 (restored 10 HP to a Pokémon), soda ×40, crystal carrots ×40.
Seriously... Why was everything he farmed from this rabbit something to eat?
Chen Yang sighed, and during their time together,
he had also figured out how the Master Ball worked. When captured Soul Beasts fought, they used their own Soul Power first. Once that ran out, they began consuming his Soul Power.
He could also actively supply them with Soul Power to strengthen their attack, defense, and other attributes.
His own physical fitness also improved according to the physique of the Soul Beasts he captured.
If he wanted real power, he would have to wait until later, after his Pokémon evolved.
There was also another matter.
He sat in the courtyard, worrying. It was nearly time to start school, and once they went to Nuoding Academy, Hao would definitely discover Xiao Wu's identity.
But if he didn't go, he wouldn't be able to earn rewards...
Caught in this dilemma, Chen Yang couldn't help smacking his lips.
Or... should he simply keep Xiao Wu from going to Nuoding with him and send her to another junior Soul Master Academy instead?
The thought had barely occurred to him when a soft, clear voice sounded beside him.
"Yang, I want a Pokéblock~"
Light on her feet, Xiao Wu darted around the corner of the side room and hurried over to Chen Yang. She clutched his arm with both small hands, swaying gently from side to side, her eyes full of anticipation for a snack.
Feeling the soft touch against his arm, Chen Yang instantly made up his mind.
There was no escaping it. Rather than let her identity be exposed later while he stood helplessly by, he might as well lay his cards on the table.
He could use this opportunity to grow closer to Xiao Wu and farm a hefty helping of affection.
Chen Yang looked up at the innocent-faced girl before him and asked directly, his tone calm, "Xiao Wu, you're a Soul Beast, aren't you?"
Xiao Wu abruptly froze. All the color drained from her face, leaving it deathly pale.
She instinctively let go of Chen Yang's arm, her body trembling slightly. Her eyes were frantic, unable to meet his gaze, and her voice shook noticeably as she hurried to deny it:
"Yang... what are you talking about... I'm human!"
"My Martial Soul can only capture Soul Beasts, yet you could be taken inside."
Chen Yang raised his hands and cupped Xiao Wu's cheeks, applying gentle pressure to make her lift her head and look straight at him.
The girl's eyes were plainly filled with terror, and her body was still trembling faintly.
"You... why are you only telling me now...?"
Xiao Wu pressed her lips tightly together, her soft voice filled with anxiety.
"Because I don't want to keep it from you. I think you're a good Soul Beast."
Chen Yang's tone was steady and his gaze frank as he looked at her and spoke slowly.
"In a few days, we'll be going to Nuoding Academy. There are too many Soul Masters there. If your identity is exposed, you'll die horribly.
I don't want to see you die, so I want to persuade you to go back to the forest and live there safely."
After hearing this, Xiao Wu froze completely, staring motionlessly into Chen Yang's eyes.
Those eyes clearly held four parts tenderness, three parts worry, and three parts sorrow he couldn't conceal.
"Yang..."
Tears shimmered in Xiao Wu's eyes, and she plunged straight into Chen Yang's arms, hugging him tightly.
"You don't need to worry about me. Ever since that ball of yours sucked me inside last time, all my Soul Beast aura has disappeared. Nobody can sense it at all, so my identity won't be exposed."
Now it was Chen Yang's turn to be dumbfounded. His Master Ball could do that too???
Hiss... Had it rewritten a Soul Beast's underlying rules into those of a Pokémon?
Otherwise, Soul Beasts simply couldn't follow the rules of earning experience through battle and then leveling up.
Amazing. What was there to fear, then?!
"Ding! The host has gained Xiao Wu's dependence, plundering a large amount of fortune from the child of destiny. Reward: Everlasting Primordial Essence Art (formed a sea-of-qi vortex in the dantian, automatically absorbed external energy, and ensured internal energy never ran dry) Reward: Z-Ring ×1, Normal-type Z-Crystal ×1"
What?!
A Z-Crystal?!
That item that unleashed a powerful move in a single instant?!!
He could even draw something like this? Didn't that mean he might later get items like Mega Evolution Stones and Dynamax Bands?
Chen Yang glanced at the Normal-type Z-Crystal. Uh... it should be the universal move, Pulverizing Pancake.
Before you continue