"Lin Xia, I'm being completely serious with you. Your Spirit has only level-one innate spirit power, and just like mine, it's an external-type Beast Spirit. Only by becoming my disciple can you go further on the path of cultivation!"
"Look—Tang San has innate full spirit power, yet he still became my disciple. I'm truly not deceiving you!"
Inside Nuoding Academy, in a room lined with bookshelves, Yu Xiaogang was earnestly trying to persuade a young man sitting across from him.
Unfortunately, the youth didn't seem to care in the slightest about what Yu Xiaogang was saying.
Instead, he was squatting on the floor, poking at his Spirit with one finger.
A Bulbasaur.
Bulbasaur's body resembled a squat toad. It had bright red eyes with pale pupils, and a pair of pointed ears standing upright atop its head. Its nose was short and blunt, and when it opened its wide mouth, two small sharp teeth could be seen along its upper jaw.
Its skin was blue-green, dotted with darker green patches. Each sturdy leg had three toes tipped with small white claws.
On its back rested a mysterious seed—one that grew alongside its body. As long as it received enough sunlight, the seed would continue to develop and thrive.
After a long while, seeing that Yu Xiaogang was still tirelessly trying to "educate" him, the youth finally lost his patience.
"Grandmaster, you've been coming to see me for almost a week straight now. I really have no intention of becoming your disciple."
"Besides, your theories don't suit me. Even if my Spirit is an external Beast Spirit, Bulbasaur is fundamentally plant-based. How could it absorb beast-type spirit rings?"
The moment those words left his mouth, Yu Xiaogang felt as if he had been stabbed repeatedly in the heart. This was a direct rejection of his life's research!
"Absurd! Completely absurd!!"
"I've devoted my entire life to studying Spirits! What could a brat like you possibly understand? Do you even know the Ten Core Competencies of the Spirit World? Do you understand Spirit Mimicry Theory?"
"A Plant Spirit does not necessarily have to absorb the spirit ring of a plant-type spirit beast, nor is a Beast Spirit incapable of absorbing a plant-type spirit ring. Under certain conditions, the two can even be interchangeable!"
"I've already told you—your Spirit's greatest advantage lies in its non-exclusivity. Because it is weak, it won't reject any attributes added by spirit rings. It only passively integrates them. So, Lin Xia, take me as your master!"
Lin Xia fell silent for a moment.
Yu Xiaogang's words might fool others—but trying to fool him?
Did this man really think he was stupid?
Leaving aside the fact that Lin Xia knew the original plot inside and out, Bulbasaur's attributes were Grass and Poison.
Non-exclusive?
Why didn't Yu Xiaogang just let Bulbasaur absorb a fire-attribute spirit ring and see what happened?
It was utter nonsense—shameless nonsense.
Seeing Lin Xia suddenly go quiet, Yu Xiaogang thought he was wavering. A trace of anticipation appeared in his eyes.
Only Tang San, standing to the side, grew tense.
After spending these past days together, Tang San had already come to regard Yu Xiaogang as a father figure.
He didn't want anyone else sharing that place.
Sharing that hard-won familial bond.
Under the gazes of both men, Lin Xia shook his head once more.
"Grandmaster, your theories are impressive, but I'm simply not fortunate enough to follow them. I'm used to a free life, and I have no desire to become anyone's disciple."
With that, Lin Xia turned around and left the room, Bulbasaur trotting after him.
Yu Xiaogang felt as though lightning had struck him.
After so many days… the answer was still the same.
Enraged and humiliated, he stared at Lin Xia's retreating back and shouted:
"A frog at the bottom of a well—ignorant and narrow-minded! If you refuse to acknowledge me as your master, the highest you'll ever reach in this life is Spirit Grandmaster!"
"You're just as low-class as your garlic-head tortoise Spirit!"
Outside the door, Lin Xia heard the roar clearly. A cold smile tugged at his lips, but he quickly adjusted his expression and replied cheerfully:
"Thank you for the compliment, Grandmaster. I didn't even realize I had the potential to reach Spirit Grandmaster—I wasn't very confident myself."
"And also, my Spirit is called Bulbasaur, not a garlic-head tortoise."
Yu Xiaogang was still burning with rage, but Lin Xia's reply made him feel as though his fist had struck cotton.
In Yu Xiaogang's eyes, Lin Xia was nothing more than useless mud—someone with no ambition to become strong. Teaching such a person would only stain his reputation.
What a pity… such a perfect experimental subject.
Tang San, who should have felt relieved, instead felt a flash of displeasure when he saw Yu Xiaogang so dejected.
Blind fool.
Since you don't recognize true talent, Lin Xia, don't envy my future achievements!
"Teacher, don't be upset. My Blue Silver Grass will definitely be stronger than his garlic-head tortoise in the future!"
…
Once he left Yu Xiaogang's room, Lin Xia finally relaxed.
He had no choice—he was simply too weak right now.
He could only endure Yu Xiaogang's advances, especially with Tang San, that ticking time bomb, right beside him.
Someone who could attack—or even attempt to kill—a gatekeeper over the slightest offense, without caring about consequences at all.
Lin Xia had no desire to provoke someone like that.
He was genuinely afraid that one careless step might leave a Sleeve Arrow embedded in his forehead.
As for taking Yu Xiaogang as his master?
Setting aside whether Yu Xiaogang could actually teach him anything useful, Tang San's narrow-mindedness alone would be enough to suffocate him.
Moreover, having read the original story, Lin Xia knew very well that in this world, a Spirit was essentially an extension of one's own body.
Only by thoroughly understanding one's Spirit could the correct cultivation path be chosen. Once you went down the wrong road, the Spirit would be effectively ruined.
As a transmigrator, how could Lin Xia fail to recognize the uniqueness of Bulbasaur?
Life at its purest—paired with poison.
As long as he developed Bulbasaur's traits step by step, it would grow steadily.
Absorbing beast-type spirit rings might not cause immediate damage, but it would cap Bulbasaur's upper potential.
Why abandon what already existed, force foreign traits onto it, and cultivate blindly?
Lin Xia would have to be insane.
Besides—Bulbasaur could evolve.
Ivysaur. Venusaur. Even Mega Venusaur or Gigantamax Venusaur.
Though his innate spirit power was only level one, Lin Xia firmly believed that as long as Bulbasaur continued evolving, his growth speed would never be slow.
Grass-type Pokémon were among the easiest to raise. Even without training, they could grow stronger simply by basking in sunlight.
Only a fool would take Yu Xiaogang as a master.
He still needed strength. With only level-one spirit power, he was powerless to do anything. The feeling of having his fate in someone else's hands made Lin Xia deeply uncomfortable.
"Dana~"
Bulbasaur rubbed its small head against Lin Xia's leg, seemingly sensing its master's unease.
Lin Xia squatted down, gently stroking Bulbasaur's smooth blue-green skin. A faint warmth radiated from the seed on its back.
Meeting those bright red eyes, Lin Xia whispered softly:
"Don't worry, Bulbasaur. We may be weak now—but as long as we choose the right path, we'll definitely become strong."