Chapter 95: Golden Rain

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Festive celebrations are never complete without a series of rituals.

Whether it's singing in unison or dancing together with shared determination, these activities are essential. 

However, large-scale prostrations didn't occur here. The cultural atmosphere of this world's Zhuxia region is different from that of Li Xiang's previous life. 

Here, people generally only kneel to their ancestors, not to gods.

"Gods" don't need the people of Zhuxia to kneel before them.

Simply kneeling won't earn Lugia's assistance.

Ho-Oh, the totem Pokemon of Zhuxia, has protected its people for thousands of years, not because of kneeling, but through mutual respect and understanding.

Of course, overseas, many religions enjoy the practice of kneeling. But the objects of their reverence are usually the creators of the land and the sea—two beings with rather short tempers.

To be honest, with their temperaments, even if you kneel until your knees and head are bruised, they wouldn't spare you a second glance.

What's the point of kneeling? 

It's just a bunch of people who claim to revere dragons but are actually terrified of them.

In front of the sacred statue, the singing and dancing rituals lasted for about an hour.

Among the festivities, there were many interactions between humans and wild Pokémon.

It was clear that both sides were experienced, cooperating seamlessly with each other.

Many wild Pokémon that usually hid deep in the forests also made appearances, much to the envy of the travelers.

Who wouldn't want rare and precious Pokémon?

Unfortunately, this was a time of pilgrimage. Anyone daring to act against them now… well, let's just say the row of riot police vehicles at the foot of the mountain wasn't there for show.

It's a bit hot… Is the Lugia statue not only glowing but also emitting heat? Li Xiang wiped the sweat from his forehead, feeling somewhat irritable.

Logically, as the sun rose higher, the light from the statue should have dimmed, but for some reason, the light not only persisted but also started to generate heat.

It was pure torture!

Moreover, standing under the scorching sun for an hour without being allowed to move or talk freely, only watching others dance, wasn't exactly a pleasant experience.

But what could Li Xiang do?

If it weren't for his anticipation of the "Rain of Life," he wouldn't have endured this suffering.

If you want benefits, you have to pay the price. He just had to bear with it.

Fortunately, the ritual finally came to an end.

An elderly man with a long white beard stood at the front of the procession. He waved a staff adorned with feathers and began to chant blessings.

Li Xiang thought the man bore a slight resemblance to the Palace Maven, Spenser, from the Battle Frontier, especially with his long, thick beard.

But soon, his attention shifted to the staff in the old man's hand. Under the sunlight, the feathered staff emitted a silvery glow.

—The Silver Feather???

Li Xiang's mouth opened slightly, but he didn't dare to say it out loud.

In this world, there are two legendary birds known for shedding their feathers.

One is Ho-Oh, the part-time photographer who can't resist dropping feathers whenever it sees a talented child. 

Despite having its own movie, its screen time was overshadowed by its underlings.

The other is Lugia, the silver bird with two dedicated movies, serving as both the sea god and the wind god. 

It was is based on the Kunpeng and the Japanese sea dragon king.

These two birds are notorious for shedding feathers, with records of it happening in anime, games, and manga.

The reason they shed feathers so often is that their feathers are the only way to summon them.

Li Xiang couldn't help but glance at the feathered staff again. Who wouldn't be tempted by a legendary Pokémon?

But in the end, it was just a fleeting thought.

As he was lost in his thoughts, the people around him began releasing their Pokémon from their Poké Balls, preparing to bathe in the Rain of Life together.

Seeing this, Li Xiang didn't hesitate. He immediately released Riolu and Torracat, which he had stored earlier when climbing the mountain.

He gave Torracat, who was looking a bit uneasy, some encouragement.

Hang in there, little cat! You can do it!

Li Xiang hadn't released Torracat without reason. 

According to Song Jie, the Water of Life was different from ordinary water and wouldn't harm Pokémon, regardless of their type—be it Rock-type or Fire-type.

Speaking of which, Song Jie had a new Pokémon by his side.

A small, dinosaur-like creature with a greenish body, a long horn on its head, two inverted triangular tear marks under its eyes, four diamond-shaped holes on its chest and abdomen with a red belly plate in the center, and a tail that bloomed like a flower…

A Larvitar!

Li Xiang wasn't too surprised. Song Jie's family owned mines, and they specialized in Rock-type Pokémon. 

A Tyranitar was a must-have for them.

It was a pity that family Pokémon weren't allowed to be brought here. Otherwise, Li Xiang would have definitely included Feraligatr and the others.

What a shame.

"To the benevolent Lugia, we offer our highest respect."

At the front, the old man's chant reached its conclusion. He lowered his staff and gave a slight bow to the Lugia statue.

As soon as he finished speaking, a gentle breeze swept through the area.

In an instant, the oppressive heat on Li Xiang's body vanished, replaced by a refreshing coolness.

Then, the light emitted by the Lugia statue changed color, gradually shifting to a translucent aqua blue. Under the sunlight, the statue seemed to shimmer like rippling water.

It was another breathtakingly beautiful scene.

Sigh.

Li Xiang remained silent, feeling that he was still too young. He had thought that this world's Pokémon would be more "scientific" and less fantastical than the original Pokémon world…

Heh.

Indeed, he was just a frog at the bottom of a well.

Gradually letting go of his preconceptions, Li Xiang stopped overthinking the scene before him and focused on anticipating how the Rain of Life would manifest.

According to what he had read online, it was said to spray out from the statue—

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Suddenly, several loud thuds echoed!

The water channels surrounding the Lugia statue erupted like they had been struck by torpedoes, sending thick columns of water shooting into the air!

Then, with a loud splash, the water columns burst apart, drenching the surface of the statue. But instead of flowing down, the water clung to the statue like a membrane, expanding its size several times over!

Li Xiang stared in awe at the now water-encased, enlarged statue, then turned to look at Song Jie.

He immediately noticed that the young man's expression mirrored his own.

It seemed Li Xiang wasn't the only one feeling this was surreal.

Relieved, Li Xiang turned his attention back to the statue, but the miraculous display was far from over.

The water membrane, surrounded by a gentle breeze, gradually separated from the statue's surface. It took on the form of a water-like Lugia and, bathed in a shimmering blue light, slowly ascended into the sky.

Yes.

It flew up into the sky.

Under the watchful eyes of all the humans and Pokémon on the mountain, it defied the laws of physics and soared into the heavens at an astonishing speed.

The sky, too, began to fill with clouds at a visible rate.

Before long, a faint, melodious whale-like call echoed through the air.

And then, the rain began to fall.

It poured down in a wide area, enveloping the entire mountain.

Some prepared tourists opened umbrellas or put on raincoats. Those who weren't prepared either sought shelter or screamed as they ran down the mountain.

In any case, the mountaintop became much less crowded as the rain fell.

Mrs. Yin and Li Zhehan, who were on the outskirts, had naturally come prepared. They not only had umbrellas but also wore raincoats.

But—

"Why is Li Xiang just standing there like an idiot?"

Mrs. Yin frowned as she looked toward the center, where Li Xiang was standing.

As a mother who always kept an eye on her child, she could tell when Li Xiang was deep in thought and when he was simply spacing out.

In her eyes, Li Xiang was currently spacing out.

And she was right.

Li Xiang stood there dumbfounded, his hands outstretched to catch the falling raindrops. He had noticed something extraordinary.

The raindrops that landed on his palms were golden.

And they merged with his skin!

They didn't accumulate at all!

Even the raindrops that fell on his clothes were absorbed by his skin.

It was real.

If it weren't for the fact that no matter how hard he blinked, the color of the raindrops didn't change, and no matter how much he rubbed his clothes and palms, they remained dry, he would have thought he was hallucinating or had been hypnotized.

Looking down at Riolu and Torracat, Li Xiang noticed that the raindrops falling on them were also golden.

Turning to Song Jie and his Pokémon, he saw that the raindrops falling on them were silver.

Looking at others, the raindrops were a kaleidoscope of colors—every hue imaginable.

Trainers and their Pokémon shared the same color.

What on earth…

Li Xiang glanced at the old man at the front and noticed that the raindrops didn't merge with his body or change color. They simply wet his robes like ordinary water.

Turning to look at the adults behind and beside him, he saw the same thing.

Was it some kind of intelligent recognition system?

Li Xiang took a deep breath, feeling the air was unusually humid. His nostrils were instantly filled with moisture, but it quickly disappeared, leaving him feeling incredibly refreshed.

What exactly was the Water of Life?

It wasn't something that had appeared in the original lore.

Li Xiang's expression remained calm. The golden raindrops seemed to have a magical effect, soothing his body.

Moreover, he couldn't tell if it was his imagination, but the melodious whale-like call that had heralded the rain's arrival grew clearer, as if some creature was calling out right beside his ear.

What are you trying to say? Who can understand this?

Li Xiang couldn't help but complain. It was obvious that this call was 100% related to Lugia.

But come on, you've lived for so many years, and you're a Psychic-type legendary Pokémon. Would it kill you to speak human language?

Hmm…

Li Xiang exhaled deeply, feeling that the fatigue from lack of sleep the previous night had been washed away by the rain.

Even the soreness in his feet and leg muscles from hiking all day yesterday had eased.

Not bad.

This rain even had a massage-like effect.

Li Xiang looked down at Riolu and Torracat and noticed that the two of them… had fallen asleep?

Yes.

Torracat, who usually hated damp and watery environments, was now lying on the ground, paws tucked in, comfortably sleeping, even starting to snore.

Riolu, on the other hand, was kneeling on the ground, its upper body resting on Torracat's back, a smile on its face as it slept soundly.

This was more or less how they looked.

Torracat: (￣ω￣) zzz

Riolu: (=ω｀=). z Z

You two are way too relaxed, aren't you?

Li Xiang felt a bit helpless. He wanted to chat with Song Jie, but the guy was standing there with his head tilted back, eyes closed, and arms wide open, completely immersed in absorbing the rain.

Li Xiang didn't dare disturb him.

Leaning back slightly, he began searching for Abigail, only to suddenly notice that the number of Pokémon she had released seemed a bit excessive.

Weavile, Honchkrow, Houndoom, Arcanine, Alolan Muk?

And even a Deino!

For someone specializing in Dark-type Pokémon, this lineup was quite impressive, with Pokémon that countered both Fairy-type and Fighting-type.

But that Deino… how much courage did it take to raise such a Pokémon?

Li Xiang knew all too well how difficult it was to raise a Pokémon from level zero to sixty.

And Hydreigon, a Pokémon that required a level as high as sixty-something to evolve, was a true late-game powerhouse.

What ambition!

Li Xiang couldn't help but give Abigail a mental thumbs-up.

According to Song Jie, this young lady had recently been admitted to a prestigious academy and had obtained her Trainer's license at just twelve years old. She was a true prodigy.

She was undoubtedly a future star.

Li Xiang looked at her team of Pokémon, feeling an unusual sense of calm. He knew he would catch up to her eventually.

And it wouldn't take too long.

He had come to this world, enjoying the benefits of his new identity and the golden finger bestowed upon him by fate, not to become someone else's background character.

The rain gradually came to a stop.