Pokémon: I just became a Gym Leader, and Cynthia proposed to me.

Chapter 695 Dad Wants to Take You as His Apprentice

Li Shuwen took out the Pot of Life and gently tilted its spout.

Clear spring water flows from the kettle, reflecting a faint golden halo in the sunlight.

Each drop contains a rich, almost tangible, life force, like liquid dawn or solidified spring breeze.

The spring water falls to the ground and is greedily absorbed the moment it touches the soil.

The land, which had been somewhat dry, became moist and soft at a visible speed, and even a few unknown grasses sprouted tender green shoots from the soil.

Then, that life force spread toward the Tree of Oaths.

Li Shuwen's waveguide power clearly sensed the golden energy. Like countless tiny rivers, it flowed through the soil, searching for the roots of the Oath Tree.

And the roots of the Tree of Oath are also actively welcoming them.

hum-

A deep, resonant hum came from the depths of the earth.

That is the heartbeat of the Tree of Oaths.

From the point where the spring water first touches the surface, a layer of emerald green light slowly illuminates.

That light was the vitality emanating from the depths of every cell of the Tree of Oaths.

The light spread outwards from the point of contact, like ripples.

Finally, every single leaf was illuminated.

The leaves swayed gently, making a rustling sound.

But that wasn't the sound of the wind blowing.

That is the breath of the Tree of Oaths.

An ancient life, dormant for thousands of years, gently turned over in its dream.

Standing beside Li Shuwen, Cynthia involuntarily held her breath.

She has seen countless powerful Pokémon and experienced countless breathtaking scenes.

But at this moment, she felt something completely different.

That is not power.

That is life itself.

Grandpa Fu's hands were trembling slightly.

This was the first time the old man, who had guarded the Tree of Oath for decades, had ever seen it glow.

The rough bark he had touched countless times, the branches and leaves he had looked up at countless times while resting under the tree, were now radiating a verdant glow, like a sacred tree that only appears in mythology.

"Shuwen..." Master Fu's voice trembled slightly, "What should we do next?"

Li Shuwen did not answer immediately.

He closed his eyes.

Waveguide power surged from his body, an energy as sharp as a scalpel.

He made the waveguide resonate with the Tree of Oath, following the method that Xerneas had taught him.

Everything around seemed to quiet down.

The wind stopped, the birds stopped singing, and even the sound of the distant stream seemed to be shut out by some force.

A wave that directly affects the soul emanates from the depths of the Tree of Oath, gently touching Li Shuwen's waveguide.

In that instant, Li Shuwen sensed the "consciousness" of the Tree of Oaths.

It has no language, no emotions, only the most primitive, infantile, and innocent perceptions.

Like a long-sealed ancient zither being gently plucked, the spirituality of the Tree of Oaths was gradually developed under Li Shuwen's waveguide guidance.

The fluctuations grew stronger and clearer.

It began to perceive the world around it—the warmth of the sunlight, the moisture of the soil, the Pokémon that dwelled among its branches and leaves, the old man who had protected it for decades, and the human who was talking to it.

Then--

The light exploded instantly!

A gentle light, like a mother's embrace, engulfed Li Shuwen, Cynthia, and Fu Ye.

They were all pulled into the illusion.

They were suspended in a void.

There is no sky, no earth, no up, down, left, or right.

There was only an endless pale green halo, as if I were inside some enormous living organism.

Then, a seed appeared before them and slowly fell into the soil.

"That is..." Fu Ye's voice echoed in the void, "...that is the seed of the Tree of Oaths?"

Before the words were even finished, the seed began to grow.

A tender sprout emerged from the top of the seed.

The tender bud becomes a seedling, the seedling becomes a sapling, and the sapling becomes a big tree.

Its trunk grew thicker and taller, reaching towards the sky, towards the clouds, towards higher and farther places.

They witnessed the cycle of the four seasons.

The tender green of spring, the lushness of summer, the golden hues of autumn, the desolation of winter. Year after year, season after season, the cycle repeats itself.

They saw wind, rain, thunder, and lightning; the gale tore at the branches and leaves, the torrential rain washed over the tree trunks, and the lightning split the tree crowns and then healed them.

Every trauma is a form of tempering, and every calamity is a step towards growth.

They witnessed the changing times, with countless Pokémon thriving and multiplying under the tree, and countless humans passing by and disappearing.

Some people make wishes under the tree, some pray under the tree, and some just sit quietly and do nothing.

The tree remained silent.

It simply grows.

The roots grow deeper, the crown grows wider, and the annual rings increase.

a hundred years.

Two hundred years.

Five hundred years.

A thousand years.

They watched it grow from a seed into a towering tree with a diameter of over fifty meters and a height of over four hundred meters.

Its branches and leaves cover half the sky, and its trunk bears countless marks of time.

The scorch marks from lightning strikes, the erosion from wind and rain, and the words carved by humankind.

Two thousand years ago.

Three thousand years.

Four thousand years.

It has witnessed the birth and death of countless lives on this land.

until--

just now.

Fu Ye's tears fell silently.

He has protected this tree for decades.

He thought he knew enough about it.

He knew how tall and thick it was, which of its branches would sprout first in spring, and which of its shady spots would be the coolest in summer.

But he didn't know any of this.

I don't know how many storms it has weathered, how many changes it has witnessed, or how it has stood there alone, silently guarding everything throughout the long years.

"Thank you," Grandpa Fu said softly, his voice choked with emotion. "Thank you... for letting me see all this."

Then, he felt it.

A warm, gentle, spring-like emotion emanated from the depths of the void and softly enveloped him.

That was the Tree of Oath's thanks.

Thank you for your decades of protection.

Thanks to him for watering it every day.

I am grateful that he checked its injuries after the storm.

I appreciate his concern for it during the thunderstorm.

Grandpa Fu's tears flowed even more fiercely.

Cynthia watched all this quietly, her eyes slightly reddening.

She has seen too many powerful Pokémon and experienced too many breathtaking battles.

But at this moment, she felt something on a completely different level.

That is the weight of life.

Four thousand years.

Four thousand years of solitary growth, four thousand years of silent guardianship, four thousand years of witnessing and waiting. And at this moment, it is finally understood.

Li Shuwen stood in the void, feeling the lingering resonance of that wave.

His aura was still connected to the Tree of Oaths. He could feel the newly awakened spirituality gradually calming down.

It's like someone waking up from a dream, looking around at the world, then closing their eyes again and falling back asleep.

The growth process of the Oath Tree gave Li Shuwen a unique understanding of the grass attribute.

The light gradually faded.

They stood once more on the Tree of Oath.

The sun was still shining brightly, the breeze was still gentle, and the sound of the distant stream was still clear.

Everything was the same as before, yet completely different.

Grandpa Fu reached out and gently stroked the rough bark of the tree.

This time, what his palms perceived was no longer just a simple tactile sensation.

He sensed the passage of time contained in those textures, the stories hidden in those scars, and the heart deep within the tree trunk that was dormant and had just been awakened.

"Thank you," he said again, this time to Li Shuwen, "for letting me see this."

Li Shuwen shook his head.

"It wasn't me who did it," he said. "It was something it wanted you to see."

He unleashed his waveguide power once more, attempting to establish a connection with the Oath Tree.

But this time, there was no response.

That spirituality had completely calmed down and sank into a deeper slumber, one that humans could not reach.

Li Shuwen tried again.

Still no response.

He shrugged, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Although we have brought some changes to the Tree of Oath," he said, "it seems that it will be thousands of years before Xerneas's dream comes true."

Cynthia sighed.

"I really want to see Xerneas's birth with my own eyes," she whispered. "It must be even more awe-inspiring than Diancie's birth."

Li Shuwen nodded.

He also felt that he probably wouldn't have the chance to see that day.

But he still smiled.

"Isn't there still that tree in Aroma City?" he said. "Perhaps that tree will succeed?"

Grandpa Fu's eyes lit up slightly.

"Indeed." He stroked his beard and said slowly, "I once went to see the tree in Lavender City, and it's just as old as the tree in Lovebirds City."

He paused, his gaze becoming deep, as if recalling what he had seen and felt during that trip.

"Compared to the tree in Lovebirds City, which is full of grass-type energy, the tree in Lavender City has an energy type that is more fairy-type."

He looked at Li Shuwen, his eyes filled with certainty.

"Although I haven't seen Xerneas in person, I've heard that he's the origin of the fairy attribute. The tree in Lavender City is a more likely candidate."

Then, he turned to Li Shuwen and bowed deeply.

"Thank you, Shuwen." His voice was solemn and sincere, "Thank you for allowing me to witness the magnificent life of the Tree of Oaths."

"It also taught me how to care for the Tree of Oath in the future."

He straightened up, a sly smile on his face typical of an old man.

"Come on," he waved. "I have a bottle of my best tea at home that I've collected. You must try it."

Cynthia smiled.

Li Shuwen also smiled.

The three turned around and walked along the path they had come from toward Master Fu's residence.

Behind me, the leaves of the Oath Tree rustled gently in the breeze.

That sound was like a gentle farewell.

Just as I brewed the tea, a slightly aged but strong voice rang out from outside the door.

"Oh dear! You're drinking good tea and not calling me 'Dad'? That's really not very nice of you, Master Fu!"

Without even looking up, Master Fu continued fiddling with the tea set, saying matter-of-factly:

"If I were to bring out my best tea, you'd definitely drink it all. Everyone knows you like strong tea. Giving you my best tea would be a complete waste!"

An elderly man with a goatee walked straight in.

He wore a rather strange robe and held a cane carved with odd patterns, yet he walked with his head held high like a young man.

"You mean Dad has no taste?" He raised an eyebrow.

Master Fu nodded, showing no mercy: "Isn't that right? Even though you've learned to tinker with some magic, your taste in tea remains as bad as ever."

"Hey, do you want to fight with your old man?"

At that moment, a young man followed him in.

"Oh, Dad, Uncle Fu, you two must not fight."

Li Shuwen looked up, somewhat surprised.

"Da Long?" he asked. "I didn't expect you guys were still here."

Upon hearing Li Shuwen's voice, Da Long immediately looked over. His eyes lit up, and he quickly stepped forward.

"Mr. Shuwen!" His voice was filled with surprise and delight. "I never expected to see you here!"

The old man was about to continue arguing with Master Fu when he heard Da Long's words and turned to look at Li Shuwen.

Then, his eyes widened.

"Oh dear!" he exclaimed, slamming his cane heavily on the ground. "Why is this young man's energy so surging!"

He strode up to Li Shuwen, looked him up and down as if he were examining some rare treasure.

"No wonder, no wonder!" he murmured. "No wonder that brat Da Long was able to retrieve the Phoenix Gallbladder so easily; it turns out it was because of your help!"

He straightened up, stroked his goatee, and a certain glint appeared in his eyes.

"I heard," he said slowly, "that you'd like to witness your father's magic?"

Li Shuwen nodded.

"That's right," he said. "Is it okay if I don't know?"

The old man raised his head high, chin held high, looking arrogant.

"My father's magic," he said, emphasizing each word, "is not something to be told to just anyone!"

Cynthia picked up her teacup, took a sip, and said calmly:

"We're not learning, we're just observing."

Dad's eyebrows rose again.

"Spells aren't for showing off," he said, his tone even more arrogant. "That's even more impossible!"

Li Shuwen looked at him, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"I don't know," he asked slowly, "How can I learn my father's magic?"

The old man spoke decisively, his speed as if he had been prepared for this all along:

"Unless you're willing to become Daddy's apprentice!"

He paused, seemingly realizing his tone was too urgent, then cleared his throat and added:

"Nonsense! With your surging energy, you're practically the perfect successor to a Qi Mage!"

Li Shuwen raised an eyebrow.

"To become an apprentice?" he asked.

The old man nodded quickly, his movements so fast that his goatee trembled.

"That's right!" he said solemnly. "Many people want to learn my lineage of Qi Master techniques. If it weren't for your good aptitude, I wouldn't have made an exception and taught it to you."

Li Shuwen remained silent for a moment.

Then he shook his head.

"I'm sorry," he said, his tone gentle but firm, "I just want to be a Pokémon Trainer. As for becoming an Air Mage, I don't have that idea for now."

The old man opened his mouth, then closed it again.

He sighed, a sigh filled with deep regret.

"Since you're not interested, then forget it." He waved his hand. "If you can become a Qi Mage, your future achievements will definitely surpass mine."

Da Long listened in stunned silence.

"No, Father," he couldn't help but ask, "is Mr. Shuwen really that talented?"

His father glanced at him.

"His talent isn't just good," he paused, emphasizing, "it's exceptional!"

Da Long opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

The old man looked at Li Shuwen, his eyes darting around.

"Since you want to see the power of Qi," he said slowly, "then I'll trouble you to do me a favor."

Li Shuwen looked at him.

"What kind of help?"

"During the process," the old man stroked his beard, "you will see me cast a chi spell."

Li Shuwen nodded, signaling him to continue.

The old man cleared his throat and said seriously:

"Although we have dealt with the Coffin of Death, the castle is still contaminated. It needs to be purified."

He paused, then gently tapped the ground with his cane.

"But the dragon's combat power is insufficient to deal with the evil spirits that may jump out during the purification process. I heard you have a very peculiar Gengar, and you will need his help to find the entrance to the spirit world in the castle."

His gaze fell on Li Shuwen.

"At that time, I will seal the entrance to the spirit world."

Cynthia put down her teacup and asked curiously:

"There's even a passage to the spirit world inside the castle? Can a normal person go in?"

The old man glanced at her, his tone so calm it was almost chilling:

"The spirit world is where the dead live. If a living person goes in, they will soon become a dead person themselves."

He paused, a meaningful smile appearing on his lips.

"If I've lived long enough, I might consider going in earlier."

The sunlight outside the window was just right, and the aroma of tea wafted through the air.

But Cynthia felt a strange chill down her back.