When Yuan Xiong and Yuan Na arrived at the Gardenia family's secret chamber, they were stunned to find Hunter J deep in conversation with Feng Che. She stood there like an attentive assistant, listening to Feng Che's future strategic layout for the Bounty Hunters' Guild.
Once J departed, Yuan Xiong couldn't suppress his confusion. "Patriarch... what is going on? Why is Hunter J here?"
"Hunter J is now my subordinate," Feng Che replied, looking up from his maps. "While I am away from the Gardenia estate, she will be the one watching over our interests."
"Away? Where are you going?" Yuan Xiong asked, panic flaring in his eyes.
"You are the true Patriarch of the Gardenias," Feng Che said calmly. "I've rely tidied up the discipline and set the course. Uncle, the family's future rests on your shoulders now. I am of your blood, and the Gardenia clan is my maternal ho; I will always lend my strength if the family faces a crisis."
Looking into Feng Che's resolute eyes, Yuan Xiong nodded silently. He realized that a single family estate was far too small a pond for a dragon like Feng Che.
With the clan stabilized and both Incineroar and Greninja successfully breaking through to the Heavenly King rank, Feng Che's ti in Sinnoh was nearing its end. His computer had finally finished the millions of data comparisons required to pinpoint the Green Leaf Orb.
"I didn't expect the system to locate it in the Great Marsh," Feng Che mused. "That's the territory of the Pastoria Shrine. It looks like Yuan Xiong and Yuan Na will need to pay the Great Priest a formal visit."
The Muddy Encounter
A few days later, a Gardenia transport plane landed at the edge of the Great Marsh. While Yuan Xiong and Yuan Na were being warmly received by the High Priest of the Pastoria Shrine, Feng Che acted as a re staff mber. Once the peace offerings were offloaded, he used Teleport to vanish into the wetlands.
The Great Marsh was a treacherous labyrinth of swamps and pristine springs. So patches of grass appeared solid but were actually "bottomless" mires.
Near a muddy bank, a small Eevee was nibbling tentatively at a berry hanging over a swamp. Perhaps the fruit was too delicious, or perhaps the little one was simply too hungry; the Eevee forgot to check its footing.
Splash.
The Eevee slipped, sinking rapidly into the thick, dark mud. It struggled frantically, but the more it thrashed, the faster the marsh swallowed it. Just as the mud reached its chin, it felt its body beco weightless.
"Careful now, little glutton," Feng Che said, using his psychic power to lift the Eevee and wash the gri from its fur with a flick of telekinesis. "Don't be so reckless next ti. Danger is everywhere here."
Gurgle~
The sound of a tiny stomach growling echoed clearly in the quiet marsh. The Eevee's face turned bright red, and it covered its eyes with its paws in sheer embarrassnt.
Eevee: If I weren't starving, I never would have fallen in!
"Haha, looks like you're famished. Here, try this." Feng Che pulled a shimring, high-grade Energy Cube from his spatial bracelet.
The Eevee sniffed the cube. The fresh, concentrated scent of premium berries made its eyes sparkle. It gulped the cube down in one bite.
Eevee: What kind of heavenly flavor is this?!
The Hidden Sun
Feng Che reached the coordinates indicated by the map, but the "Ancient Ruined Temple" described in the legends was nowhere to be found.
"Strange," Feng Che muttered. "It should be right here."
It might have been swallowed by the swamp, wtwo suggested telepathically. I sense traces of a powerful earthquake that hit this region recently. The topography has shifted completely. I tried scanning the ground, but the mud here contains a mineral that blocks psychic detection.
As Feng Che frowned at the swamp, the Eevee tugged at his cloak. It pointed toward a dense thicket of reeds, signaling for him to follow.
Eevee: My friends are over there! I want to show this human the 'Big Green Glowing Ball' I found!
"A big green glowing ball?" Feng Che's eyebrows shot up.
Eevee: It heals our wounds and makes the berries grow fast! But we have too many Eevee now, and everyone is eating so much that the berries can't keep up. That's why I had to go out searching.
"Talk about 'looking for sothing everywhere only to find it by accident,'" Feng Che laughed. "That 'Green Ball' has to be the Green Leaf Orb."
Following the little guide, Feng Che descended into a hidden underground cavern. Inside, he found a massive colony of Eevee living among lush, though heavily picked, berry trees. Hanging from the ceiling like a miniature sun was a pulsating green sphere.
Feng Che approached, his body radiating a faint erald light. He reached out with his Power of Viridian, and the "Green Sun" drifted down into his palms.
"The Green Leaf Orb... its resonance is identical to the Gardenia's power."
As Feng Che infused his Viridian energy into the artifact, the Orb erupted in a brilliant radiance. The entire cave was bathed in life-giving light. Withered branches sprouted hundreds of ripe berries in seconds, and the Eevee colony broke into a joyous, energetic dance.
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