NOVEL WEB Chapter 23: Chapter 23
Li Pan put down his chopsticks and smiled lightly. "Coincidentally, I do have quite a few novel things here. Mr. Zhongli, would you like to come with me later to take a look?"
"...Very well."
Zhongli was silent for a moment, not expecting things to go so smoothly.
From their brief interaction, he had already probed the intentions of this man and the cloud-like being.
He found that neither of them harbored any ill will toward Liyue, which eased his mind.
After all, Liyue Harbor was the heart of Liyue. If an out-of-control deity were to erupt within the city, it would be a devastating blow to the entire region. Caution was necessary.
Not long after, Li Pan, now full and satisfied, led Zhongli back to Pokémon Home.
"Mr. Zhongli, this is the shop's Pokédex. Press the draw button here, and you can draw your own Pokémon. Each person gets five chances a day, with the first draw being free. If the Pokémon you draw doesn't meet your expectations, you can spend Mora to draw again."
Zhongli nodded. "There's no need for additional draws. Let fate decide."
With that, he pressed the draw button.
While others drew Pokémon for their strength, Zhongli didn't care. As the God of War who fought through the Archon War and carved out a vast territory in the war-torn land of Liyue, power was the last thing he lacked.
The images on the Pokédex spun rapidly before finally stopping on a brown, bipedal figure.
Li Pan leaned over to take a look, his expression turning slightly peculiar as he glanced at Zhongli.
"Mr. Li, is something wrong? Is there an issue with this Pokémon?" Zhongli asked calmly.
Li Pan shook his head, his gaze still odd. "No, nothing's wrong. This Pokémon is called Tyrunt. It's a Rock and Dragon-type Pokémon, and its final evolution is Tyrantrum. Its potential is quite impressive."
Tyrantrum had a base stat total of 521, with an Attack stat of 121 and a Defense stat of 119. Its effective stats were remarkably high.
"A rock dragon… Is this luck? Or…"
Zhongli stroked his chin, muttering to himself.
It was too much of a coincidence.
Both he and the old friend he had personally sealed were rock dragons, and now, the Pokémon he had drawn was also a rock dragon.
"So, Mr. Zhongli, would you like to see Tyrunt first?"
Li Pan pointed at the Tyrunt on the Pokédex and asked.
Zhongli nodded. "It wouldn't hurt to take a look. Thank you, Mr. Li."
Li Pan chuckled and walked into the backyard. Soon, he returned with a bipedal dragon that stood about thigh-high to him.
[Beep!]
[Tyrunt]
Type: Rock, Dragon
Level: 5
Ability: Strong Jaw (Increases the power of biting moves due to its strong jaw)
The Royal Heir Pokémon. Possesses a massive jaw with high destructive power, capable of easily crushing cars. When it encounters something it dislikes, it becomes emotionally unstable and throws a tantrum.
Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Roar
As Tyrunt appeared, the shop's Pokédex emitted a mechanical voice, providing Zhongli with detailed information about Tyrunt.
Hearing this, Zhongli gave an almost imperceptible nod, his calm gaze softening slightly as he looked at Tyrunt.
The mechanical voice seemed to startle Tyrunt, who quickly hid behind Li Pan. But the next moment, realizing what had happened, it became embarrassed and angry. It stomped over to the counter where the Pokédex was placed, opened its exaggeratedly large mouth, and let out a series of roars at the device.
However, Tyrunt soon realized it couldn't reach the Pokédex, which only made it angrier. It took a few steps back, preparing to charge and knock over the counter.
"Landorus, stop it!"
Li Pan shouted urgently. Landorus was about to act, but someone moved faster.
It was Zhongli!
In the blink of an eye, Zhongli appeared behind Tyrunt, his slender fingers gripping the back of its neck and lifting it into the air.
Roar!
Tyrunt kicked its legs, trying to break free from Zhongli's iron grip.
But the next moment, Zhongli lifted Tyrunt to eye level, his golden pupils locking onto Tyrunt's eyes.
ROAR!!!
Facing Zhongli, Tyrunt became even more furious, struggling with greater intensity.
"Quiet."
Zhongli's voice was soft, but to Tyrunt, it was like a thunderclap.
It abruptly looked up, meeting Zhongli's gaze. But Zhongli's eyes flashed, his round golden pupils turning into vertical slits.
An overwhelming pressure enveloped Tyrunt, and its struggles immediately ceased.
Zhongli was never a kind-hearted man. A ruler who carved out a vast territory in a war-torn land could never be gentle.
Zhongli casually tossed Tyrunt to the ground. "When the brave are angry, they turn their blades toward the stronger. When the cowardly are angry, they turn their blades toward the weaker. Your anger toward an inanimate object only exposes your incompetence. It's utterly useless."
Zhongli's steady voice reached Tyrunt's ears. As it got up from the ground, a thoughtful expression appeared on its face. Seeing this, Zhongli nodded in satisfaction.
"Boss, I'll take it. How much?"
Li Pan watched the scene with a smile. Hearing Zhongli's question, he extended five fingers. "Tyrunt's price is 520,000 Mora."
Zhongli nodded. "Such a spirited creature is indeed worth 500,000 Mora. Mr. Li, please send the bill to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor later."
He could clearly sense the power hidden within Tyrunt. Honestly, 500,000 Mora for such a spirited and highly potential creature was not expensive it was even a bargain.
"Very well, Mr. Zhongli. Take care."
Li Pan's expression was a bit peculiar. How should he put it? This was a specialty of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's consultant, something not to be missed.
After capturing Tyrunt, Zhongli didn't keep it in a Poké Ball. Instead, he let it out to follow him as he walked back to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Along the way, Zhongli even hummed a tune, clearly in a good mood.
Meanwhile, Tyrunt, trotting beside him, wore a contemplative expression. Zhongli's words had given it much to think about.
"Litwick, use Ember on the crow!"
As Zhongli returned to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, he heard Hu Tao's voice calling out from the courtyard.
These past few days, with Litwick by her side, Hu Tao had poured all her energy into training it, even neglecting her usual business of promoting the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
This had brought relief to many in Liyue Harbor, especially those with elderly family members. After all, who could withstand a coffin seller constantly promoting her wares at their doorstep?
"Oh, Zhongli, you're back! What's this?"
Hu Tao, who was in the middle of training Litwick, noticed Zhongli's return and immediately walked over.
Halfway there, she spotted the brown figure following at Zhongli's feet, her starry eyes lighting up instantly.
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