**Chapter 187: A Whimsical Exploration**

**Chapter 187: A Whimsical Exploration**

"What happened?" Ying Zhou asked, puzzled.

"I don't know, let's go take a look." Hua Cai had a personality that loved excitement, and she pulled Ying Zhou towards the crowd.

"Let's go see too," Hua Zi said.

"Okay." Bai Feng nodded, then reached out his hand to Xiao Zhi. "Xiao Zhi, hold my hand. There are a lot of people here, be careful not to get lost!"

"Okay!" Xiao Zhi obediently put his small hand into Bai Feng's palm.

Following the crowd, the group quickly arrived at the edge of Maiden's Cliff. They saw several men clinging to the doorposts of the Shrine, wailing like ghosts.

"No! No!"

"Mom, I'm scared! I'll never be lecherous again!"

"Help! There really are ghosts! Someone save me..."

...

The bodies of the men were uncontrollably flying towards Maiden's Cliff, and a beautiful maiden's phantom was slowly drifting towards them.

"I miss you so much, I miss you so much!" The maiden kept repeating this phrase.

"What's the Situation?" Hua Cai asked.

"You know the Legend of Maiden's Cliff, but you don't know about the Spiritual Incident that happens there every Summer Festival?" Bai Feng asked.

"Spiritual Incident?"

Hua Cai and Ying Zhou exchanged glances, then exclaimed in unison. They really didn't know about it.

"That's right. Legend says that the maiden's Soul comes out every year to capture those lecherous men and drain their energy so she doesn't disappear!" Bai Feng explained.

"Is it that terrifying?" Hua Cai said, hugging her arms. "By the way, how did you know?"

"Everyone is talking about it." Bai Feng pointed to the surrounding Viewers. Indeed, everyone was discussing the Spiritual Incident. Then Bai Feng added, "But don't worry, these are just pranks made by Gastly. It's just teasing those men, it won't really drain their energy."

"That's good, that's good!" Hua Cai patted her chest and said with a sigh of relief.

Over there, someone saw the men getting closer and closer to Maiden's Cliff, so they stepped forward to try and pull them back. But how could they compete with Gastly? So they could only watch helplessly as the men were pulled little by little into the darkness of Maiden's Cliff and disappeared.

Some Viewers were so scared their faces turned pale, and some even ran to report it to Miss Jun Sha. But clearly, Miss Jun Sha knew the inside story; even if she wanted to intervene, she couldn't!

"Look!"

Just then, someone suddenly shouted. Everyone turned towards the strait. They saw that, for some unknown reason, swarms of Butterfree were suddenly flying over the Sea.

"Lee~"

The Butterfree danced in pairs. Against the backdrop of the sunset, the scene was particularly spectacular and heartwarming.

"Wow, so many Butterfree!" Xiao Zhi shouted, his Eyes sparkling.

"So it's this Season again!" Ying Zhou exclaimed, looking at the distant scene.

"Uncle, where are the Butterfree going?" Xiao Zhi looked up at Bai Feng and asked, puzzled.

"The Butterfree have found their mates, so they are going to the other side of the Sea to have babies," Bai Feng replied.

"Oh~" Xiao Zhi nodded, hugged Pikachu in his arms, and continued to watch the Butterfree dancing their courtship dance with great interest.

After the Butterfree paired up and left, Bai Feng said, "Alright, that's enough for today. We should head back!"

Xiao Zhi felt like he hadn't played enough. He sighed like an adult and said, "Ah~ Time flies so fast!"

Hua Zi laughed and tapped his Head. "Oh, you!"

Just like that, the five of them parted ways at the Vermilion City Dock.

At Maiden's Cliff, Gastly was floating in front of the Maiden Statue, speaking.

"This year's Festival is over again. I'm leaving!"

A phantom slowly floated out from the Stone Statue. It was a beautiful maiden phantom. She said gratefully to Gastly, "Thank you, Mr. Gastly, thank you for coming to help me every year."

"You're welcome, I'm just helping out a little. I hope your beloved can truly return someday."

"He will, I believe he will definitely come back. We made an Agreement, he never lies to me!" The maiden said with a firm expression.

"I'm going on a journey," Gastly said. "If I see your beloved's Soul during my journey, I will definitely tell him to come back and find you quickly."

After saying that, Gastly's figure slowly disappeared into the air.

"Mr. Gastly, I wish you a smooth journey." The maiden murmured, then looked out towards the other side of the Sea, hoping for her beloved's early return.

In reality, how could she know that her beloved had already returned, and came to visit her every year?

The maiden's beloved died on the Battlefield and turned into a Gastly due to the Resentment on the Battlefield. Driven by obsession and instinct, this Gastly returned to Maiden's Cliff and met the maiden again.

The reborn Gastly had lost its past Memory, so even though the two former lovers reunited, they didn't recognize each other.

It was just a pity that no one knew about this.

By the Time Bai Feng and the others returned to Pallet Town, the Daylight had already turned dark. Because they had played all day, everyone was tired, so as soon as they returned to Pallet Town, Bai Feng and Hua Zi separated and went back to rest.

The next day, when they returned to the Classroom for class, the Teacher announced a surprising piece of News: for the next two days, they wouldn't have class, but would instead undertake a Task.

There were two options for the Task. The first was to choose a Breeding House to work at and gain the Certificate of Recognition from the Breeding House Boss within two days. The second was to choose a Gym to Challenge and receive a Badge as proof upon successful Challenge.

Students could choose one of the two Tasks based on their actual Situation. Anyone who completed the Task would receive 10 Points.

After explaining the Rules, the Teacher said to everyone, "Alright, now everyone line up to draw the Gyms and Breeding Houses you will go to."

The Breeding Houses students would work at and the Gyms they would Challenge could not be chosen themselves; they had to be drawn randomly.

Soon, the Classmates were divided into two groups, one to draw for Breeding Houses and one to draw for Gyms.

Da Fu and Wa Lian, being weak fighters, naturally went to the line for drawing Breeding Houses, while Bai Feng and Shen Mu chose the line for drawing Gyms.

For Bai Feng, working at a Breeding House had too much uncertainty.

Whether he would be recognized while working at a Breeding House depended entirely on the subjective feelings of the Breeding House Boss. If the Boss didn't like him and refused to pass him, wouldn't two days of hard work be wasted?

As for a Gym Challenge, no matter what, winning usually resulted in a Badge.

Bai Feng drew the Vermilion Gym, Shen Mu drew the Vermilion Gym, Da Fu drew a Breeding House in Saffron City, and Wa Lian drew a Breeding House in Cerulean City. None of the four were going the same way.

"Oh no!" Da Fu wailed. "Do I have to go alone? Is anyone else going to Saffron City with me?"

"Me, me, me!" At this moment, another male Classmate from the same class raised his hand and shouted to Da Fu.

Wa Lian quickly found a Partner who was also assigned to Cerulean City.

Only Bai Feng and Shen Mu were alone. They were the only ones in their class assigned to the Vermilion Gym.

"Then we'll see each other in two days!" Bai Feng said to Shen Mu.

"See you in two days!" Student Shen Mu waved to Bai Feng.

Before leaving, Bai Feng went to see Hua Zi and Xiao Zhi to tell them that he might not be in Pallet Town for the next two days.

Hearing that Bai Feng was going to Challenge a Gym, Xiao Zhi was very excited and insisted on going together. Unfortunately, he was met with Hua Zi's strong opposition and fierce suppression. In the end, Xiao Zhi could only watch with teary Eyes as Bai Feng rode Dragonair and flew out of Pallet Town.

Bai Feng's Dragonair had the Shed Skin Ability, so its Body was very smooth. To be able to ride it, Bai Feng had specially customized a set of Riding Gear.

Cinnabar Town is located on a large Island in the southern Sea Area of the Kanto Region. It's actually not far from Pallet Town, just south of it. However, because there's a part of Viridian Forest extending between them and a strait, it requires a detour and a water route, which makes it seem far.

In reality, if you ride a Flying Pokémon by air route, its distance from Pallet Town is only slightly farther than Viridian City's distance from Pallet Town.

Because the Kanto Region hasn't built a land Passage connecting Cinnabar Island and the Kanto Continent, and Cinnabar Island doesn't have an Airport, generally speaking, if you don't ride a Flying Pokémon, there are only two sea routes to get to Cinnabar Island.

Of course, aside from some Trainers going on Adventures and challenging Gyms, very few people would normally go to Cinnabar Island, because a considerable portion of Cinnabar Island is abandoned. The Reason for this is that there is an active volcano located on Cinnabar Island, and this volcano has erupted in recent years.

Many Fire-type Pokémon inhabit that volcano, making it a popular spot for Trainers. The Vermilion Gym that Bai Feng was going to is also built on the volcano.

Bai Feng rode Dragonair, following the Navigator's instructions, and flew all the way towards Cinnabar Island.

Dragonair's speed wasn't fast, but it was steady. After flying over Viridian Forest with Bai Feng, they flew over the Safari Zone they had visited before, and half a day later, they reached a Great Valley.

According to the Navigator, after flying over this Valley, it wouldn't be long before Bai Feng reached the strait between Cinnabar Island and the Kanto Continent.

However, upon seeing the name of the Valley marked on the Navigator, Bai Feng fell into thought.

Fool's Valley!

Bai Feng had a deep Impression of this Place, not just because of its funny Name.

In the original anime, when Xiao Zhi and his group traveled through here, there was a trend of excavating fossils. Stimulated by Gary, he also joined the team excavating fossils.

Finally, with Team Rocket causing trouble, Xiao Zhi discovered an Underground Cave containing Fossil Pokémon. Living Fossil Pokémon inhabited it, not just fossils.

Later, the Egg that hatched Togepi for Misty was discovered by Xiao Zhi in that Underground Cave.

But why would there be a Togepi Egg in the Underground Cave? This sparked strong Curiosity in Bai Feng. Togepi isn't a Fossil Pokémon.

How about... going down to take a look? Bai Feng thought. Anyway, the Gym Challenge was two days long, he wasn't in a hurry.

"Dragonair, let's go down and take a look," Bai Feng said, patting Dragonair's Neck.

"Woo~"

Dragonair nodded, then slowly descended into Fool's Valley with Bai Feng on its back.

At this Time, there wasn't yet a trend of excavating ancient Pokémon fossils, so the entire Fool's Valley was very quiet. There was no sign of human habitation, and hardly any Wild Pokémon could be seen.

The main Reason was that it was too desolate. Aside from large areas of exposed red and yellow Rock, and a small Stream with not much Water, there was nothing else. Not even a single weed could be found.

Bai Feng took Dragonair around the area but didn't find anything special. He remembered that the Reason Xiao Zhi and the others discovered the Underground Cave was because Team Rocket had blown up a certain spot with explosives.

This indicated that the Cave should be buried deep Underground.

But how do I get into that Cave? Should I also use explosives like Team Rocket? Bai Feng became troubled.

Using explosives was definitely unrealistic; it would be too damaging to the Environment. Besides, he didn't have any explosives.

Right, try using Psychic!

I'm still an Esper! Bai Feng suddenly had a brainwave. He immediately used his Psychic Power to probe the Earth beneath his feet.

Extending Psychic Power Underground was much more difficult than on the Ground. After penetrating about seventy meters Underground, Bai Feng's forehead was already covered in sweat.

There were Earth Veins and special Magnetic Fields in the Earth, which would interfere with Psychic Power.

The deeper he went, the faster Bai Feng's Mental Power was consumed. In the past, ten of him wouldn't dare to squander Mental Power so recklessly.

Finally, after searching about a hundred meters Underground, Bai Feng's Psychic Power suddenly relaxed. He had indeed sensed an Unknown Dimension.

This is it!

The next second, Bai Feng and Dragonair disappeared from their original spot. When they reappeared, they were in a pitch-black Dimension.

"Woo~"

The Environment was too dim, and Dragonair cried out in Fear.

Bai Feng took out a Pokeball and released Heliolisk. "Heliolisk, Flash!"

"Aibo~"

Heliolisk responded, and then its Neck Frill emitted a bright light, instantly illuminating the Dimension. Bai Feng could finally see the Environment he was currently in clearly.

The Dimension here was very spacious. Countless conical Stalactites hung from the Cave ceiling, and water droplets dripped down from them.

The Ground beneath their feet was very damp, covered in countless dark Moss, and surrounded by large and small Ponds.

Drip-drop~ Drip-drop~ Drip-drop~

The sound of water droplets falling into the Ponds was very noticeable in this silent Dimension.

Splash~

Bai Feng seemed to hear another sound of water. He looked in the direction of the sound and saw a pair of scarlet Eyes suddenly appear in the darkness.

Clearly, Bai Feng's arrival had awakened certain presences sleeping here!

Whoosh!

With a sound of something cutting through the air, a Black Shadow quickly attacked Bai Feng.

"Woo~"

"Aibo~"

Dragonair and Heliolisk respectively used Twister and Thundershock to attack the Black Shadow.

The two Skills accurately hit the Black Shadow. Accompanied by a scream, the Black Shadow fell to the Ground.

Bai Feng looked closely and found that the one who had ambushed him was a Kabuto.

(End of Chapter)