Chapter 687: Practical Experience Reveals the Truth!

Chapter 687: Practical Experience Reveals the Truth! (Merged, Seeking Votes!)

Blizzmare!

Crown King had just asked Jing He to catch two of his beloved horses—Blizzmare, the embodiment of ice and snow—when the horse appeared before him.

He didn’t even need the "Ice Carrot."

It saved time, but it was a bit unexpected.

“Neigh—”

Blizzmare neighed, trotting happily toward the ice blocks that had suddenly appeared. It didn’t think much about why these seemingly delicious ice blocks had appeared in a place that was usually just a grassy field.

However, as Blizzmare approached, it finally saw the figures behind the translucent ice walls.

Hmm?

Not Butterfree’s clan?

After a brief moment of surprise, Blizzmare’s heart filled with anger.

Daring to touch my food in my territory?

In Blizzmare’s eyes, the tender grass in this field was its exclusive domain, a territory it had claimed after competing with other horses.

How to determine if Jing He and his Pokémon were here to steal its grass?

Was there even a question?

Such delicious grass was rare in the vast Crown Snowfield. The Butterfree were just "guarding" the grass for it, but these suddenly appearing Pokémon, especially the human, were clearly here to steal food.

Just the human stepping into its territory was unacceptable to Blizzmare.

Feeling the hostility from Blizzmare, Jing He’s Pokémon immediately became wary.

“Neigh—!”

Blizzmare reared up on its hind legs, its already snow-white body looking even more crystalline.

Is it going to attack without a word?

No.

There hasn’t been a single word exchanged!

However, Jing He wasn’t panicked. He grabbed the horn on Gengue’s head, who was eager to fight, and shouted:

“Forger!”

With Gengue’s current strength, even without the aid of Mega Evolution or other enhancements, he should have no problem holding his own against the “Level 3 God” Blizzmare.

With the help of a blizzard and Mega Evolution, and under Jing He’s command, overpowering Blizzmare shouldn’t be a problem.

But since they already had a reliable force, why not let the other Pokémon get some practice?

Everyone was eager to show their strength.

As he spoke.

“Wham!”

A massive hammer spun out from behind Jing He, smashing through one of the ice walls and heading straight for Blizzmare.

Swoosh—Bang!!

Blizzmare, despite being a horse, had a major weakness: its slow speed.

The hammer hit Blizzmare’s face, shattering the ice mask it wore, with a sharp crack.

Blizzmare, rearing up on its hind legs, was momentarily stunned.

A surprise attack!

Being slow, combined with a priority move...

Taking the initiative!

However, while Blizzmare’s weakness was its slow speed, its strengths were its excellent defenses, enhanced even further by the blizzard’s boost to Ice-type Pokémon.

The damage was minimal.

But it was enough.

For the battle-experienced Jing He and his Pokémon, this was a firm grasp on the initiative and an advantage.

“Thicklipuku, Guidance!”

“Crimson Blade Phantom, Phantom Blade!”

“Blastoise, Rock Slide!”

Three commands came out of Jing He’s mouth in quick succession.

The three Pokémon seemed to know exactly what to do, as if they had anticipated Jing He’s commands. Before he had even finished speaking, they were already in action.

“Roozzz”

Thicklipuku, with bubbles in its nose, let out a low growl. A mysterious aura spread from it, and Forger, Crimson Blade Phantom, and Blastoise all seemed to be inspired, their physical attack and defense abilities significantly enhanced.

Swoosh—

Crimson Blade Phantom vanished from Jing He’s side, leaving a trail of blue-black light as it swiftly closed the distance between itself and Blizzmare.

Sizzle!!

Tiny blue flames flickered on Blizzmare’s body, as if extinguished by the snow, but after a brief moment, the flames burst into a fierce blaze, burning relentlessly despite the harsh wind.

Crimson Blade Phantom reappeared in the snow behind Blizzmare, glanced at it indifferently, and then vanished into the blizzard.

At the same time.

As Crimson Blade Phantom passed Blizzmare, a massive rock appeared out of nowhere, accompanied by a roar, landing almost in perfect synchronization with Crimson Blade Phantom’s attack.

Bang!!

The rock hit Blizzmare’s head with a solid thud.

“Neigh!!”

Blizzmare, already preparing to attack, was caught off guard by the rapid succession of attacks, its eyes blazing with fury.

“Tsk.”

Jing He clicked his tongue.

Rock Slide hit, but it didn’t manage to control Blizzmare again.

This luck... he was used to it.

Buzz—

A large ice spear formed almost instantly. Blizzmare, recovering from the surprise attack, felt a sudden, intense pain. Its neigh turned into a desperate cry as it prepared to retaliate!

A massive ice spear hung in the air, tilted and pointing directly at Jinghe!

Though Blizzmare was enraged, having followed the Crown King and roamed these snowfields for a thousand years, it had encountered countless trainers. It knew all too well that in such situations, humans were its greatest threat.

Thus, it ignored the Pokémon that had struck it and locked onto Jinghe as its target.

Swoosh—

The ice spear pierced through the air, its chill like frost.

Ice Pillar Strike!

But facing this enormous ice spear, Jinghe stood his ground, not moving an inch.

In the next moment—

A figure cloaked in a fierce wind darted out from behind him, facing the ice spear head-on and delivering a powerful punch!

Boom!!

Crack—

The downward thrust of the ice spear came to an abrupt halt, even producing a harsh grinding sound.

"Roar!!"

Bang!!

With a furious roar, the massive ice spear trembled violently, a huge crack appearing on its frozen surface. It then shattered completely, breaking into countless fragments of various sizes that scattered to the ground.

Blizzmare was taken aback, its gaze sweeping past the falling ice crystals and snow to see Thicklipuku slowly raising its head, eyes wide open and filled with fierce determination!

That look sent a shock through Blizzmare's heart.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

Suddenly, the sound of wind rushed past its ears. Sensing a threat, it turned its head sharply.

It saw a massive metal hammer, growing larger and closer in its vision!

Hammer Arm!

Bang!!

The heavy hammer struck down with a terrifying force, causing the resilient and durable Blizzmare to stagger, nearly burying its head in the snow.

Boom!!

A terrifying shockwave radiated out from Blizzmare, the ground beneath its feet collapsing and cracking.

"Snarl, snarl"

Blizzmare let out an angry cry in pain, but before it could fully vent its frustration, its voice was cut short.

Rock spikes erupted from the ground, perfectly countering the impact of the Hammer Arm.

This combination of forces from above and below trapped it like a sandwich.

Blizzmare might be stronger in a blizzard, but were Jinghe's Pokémon weak in a blizzard?

Initially, Jinghe had devised a tactical system centered around Nine-Tails' snowfall. Forger, Thicklipuku, Crimson Blade Phantom, and Blastoise were all well-adapted to the snow.

Moreover, training in the snow and utilizing it to their advantage were part of their daily routine.

Furthermore, each of Jinghe's Pokémon—Forger (Steel), Thicklipuku (Fighting), Crimson Blade Phantom (Fire), and Blastoise (Rock)—had a type advantage over Blizzmare's Ice type.

Ice has four weaknesses: Fighting, Rock, Steel, and Fire, and all of these were present.

Not to mention, the synergy and coordination among the four Pokémon, guided by Jinghe, brought benefits far beyond simply outnumbering Blizzmare.

How many hits did Blizzmare take in just one move?

Even if none of them were fatal, none of them could be ignored, either.

But now, Blizzmare was truly enraged.

Even his aunt couldn't tolerate this!

"Snarl!!"

Winds and snow swirled, energy waves spiraled, and bloodshot eyes glared through the ice crystals. An uncontrollable, wild horse-like fury was unleashed.

A rampage!!

Blizzmare charged forward without any specific target, its movements chaotic and unstructured.

Seeing this, Jinghe's eyes narrowed, but he felt a slight relief.

Rage was one thing, but intelligent rage was another. This kind of reckless attack, similar to Dragon Tail, only looked fierce.

After blocking the attack, the decisive moment would come.

"Thicklipuku!"

And blocking was undoubtedly Thicklipuku's specialty!

"Roar!"

With a step, Thicklipuku's foot dug a hole in the snow, and he appeared in front of the enraged Blizzmare. Facing its chaotic charge, he met it head-on without a trace of fear.

Insight!

Block, raise the knee, sweep, crouch—every movement was fluid and seamless, perfectly countering Blizzmare's charge and kicks.

Even more so, once Thicklipuku familiarized himself with Blizzmare's habitual movements and attack rhythm—

"Close combat!"

Following Jinghe's command, Thicklipuku began his counterattack.

He closed the distance, blocking and retaliating simultaneously.

Bang, bang, bang, bang—

The sounds of impact echoed continuously.

Bang!!

With Thicklipuku's final punch colliding with Blizzmare's head, Thicklipuku's feet plowed two trenches in the snow, while Blizzmare skidded backward a short distance on all fours.

Thicklipuku was in a state of exhaustion, having used up his old strength and not yet regained new energy. Blizzmare was slightly better off, but—

Thicklipuku wasn't alone, and Blizzmare was just one.

"Bark!!"

Blastoise spread its arms and roared, and thick rock spikes pierced through the ground beneath Blizzmare.

"Bark?"

Blastoise scratched its head at the sight.

Huh?

In this snowy terrain, it couldn't summon lava?

It had intended to use Cliff's Sword, but it turned into Rock Spike instead...

Jinghe glanced at Blastoise, a realization dawning on him.

In this vast, frigid land, with its frozen tundra and high elevation, Blastoise's move had a flaw. This opened up new directions for enhancing its techniques and abilities.

So, practical combat is the best way to test one's shortcomings.

Isn’t this the very reason why battles are necessary in certain situations?

Of course, discovering one's shortcomings doesn't greatly impact Jing He's command of the battle or the Pokémon's performance.

Individually, Forger, Thicklipuku, Crimson Blade Phantom, and Blastoise might not be a match for the Blizzmare in a blizzard, even without using techniques like Mega Evolution or Burst Mode.

But if they can't take down the Blizzmare together, then as Jing He would say,

"Hasn't all our training been for nothing?"

All the resources he invested, the time he spent, and the dangerous situations he faced, would all be in vain.

Boom!!

The Blizzmare's rampage hadn't ended. Despite Thicklipuku's close combat, Forger's powerful hammer, and Blastoise's Rock Blast, it still managed to rise up fiercely.

A massive rock spike shattered, and the enraged Blizzmare locked onto Forger, who was closest to it.

With a snort, a large cloud of white mist burst from its nostrils.

However, at this moment, the Blizzmare suddenly paused.

In the midst of the raging blizzard, it saw a sudden spark, starkly visible in the snowy haze.

It was like seeing an extremely bright star in the pitch-black night sky, unexpected and striking.

This spark quickly grew larger, and a wave of heat rose.

Heat?

In a place like the Crown Tundra, how could there be heat, especially in such a blizzard?

But soon, the Blizzmare understood.

A scorching, golden-red fireball had transformed from that tiny spark in an instant, reaching the Blizzmare in a flash.

After the massive flame,

a Pokémon clad in golden armor, with a thick cannon and fiery eyes, appeared.

Flame Armor Knight!

The cannon spewed flames, and the heat burned a clear vacuum in the snowstorm!

A wave of heat swept over.

The Blizzmare, known for its high physical defense even in a blizzard,

take this Arm Cannon blast!

Boom!!

In an instant, the enormous golden-red fireball engulfed the Blizzmare. The surrounding snow and falling snowflakes didn't even have time to melt into water before they turned into rising steam, as if the area had been transformed into a desert!

"Whinny—!!"

A mournful neigh echoed from the flames.

You guys, you're not playing fair!!

On the nearby grass, Butterfree, Kakuna, and Caterpie watched in shock as the Blizzmare, which they had always feared, struggled to even put up a fight against the four Pokémon.

When the flames finally dissipated,

the Blizzmare, lying on the scorched ground, still hadn't lost its fighting spirit. It neighed and roared, trying to rise again.

"Exaggerated", Jing He shook his head.

Indeed, exaggerated.

Logically, how could an Ice-type Pokémon withstand such an unreasonable combination of moves?

Even a Champion-level Pokémon couldn't.

But Mythical Beasts sometimes just don't play by the rules.

Fortunately,

the Blizzmare's struggle to rise stopped.

Because a black cannon, steaming with heat, was now pressed against its forehead.

"Chaa!"

Flame Armor Knight's eyes blazed with fire, but his expression was stern.

Buzz, buzz, buzz—

The flames in the cannon gathered again, tinged with Aura Power, coalescing but not firing, as if preparing a stronger move.

"Chaa!"

Forger, carrying a heavy metal hammer on his shoulder, with his twin tails flicking and a grin on his face, appeared beside the Blizzmare.

Alongside him, Thicklipuku stood with a fierce gaze, his feet spread apart, his fists raised, and his fur bristling.

"Roo!"

"Bark—!!"

Blastoise pounded his chest, and streams of sand flowed from his feet and the Blizzmare's, as if ready to unleash a Sandstorm at any moment.

Gulp—

The Blizzmare swallowed hard.

A cold sweat trickled down its forehead.

Is this... the end?

Did I kick a rock?

The last time it was this submissive was when the Crown King was around, right?

Jing He glanced at the Luxury Ball in his hand, thinking it would be a waste to use it.

He walked forward.

The area wasn't as cold after the battle.

With a smile, he looked at Nine-Tails, who immediately understood. Her tail curled, and she produced an Ice Carrot from somewhere.

When the Blizzmare saw the Ice Carrot, its eyes widened, and it almost drooled, forgetting the beating it had just taken and the "threat" it was under.

It wasn't surprising.

Since the Crown King fell into a deep sleep and the residents of Frosty Village gradually forgot their rituals and the Crown King, how long had it been since the Blizzmare last tasted an Ice Carrot?

That deliciousness, it almost forgot.

Seeing the Blizzmare's reaction, Jing He couldn't help but chuckle.

It seems the Blizzmare is a bit of a foodie.

"We mean no harm."

As soon as he said this, facing the pitiful Blizzmare, Jing He stopped.

Beating someone up and then saying such a thing, even if it was true, didn't feel quite right.

"I represent the Crown King and have come to find you."

The Crown King?

The Blizzmare finally tore its gaze from the Ice Carrot. If it weren't restrained, it would have pounced and started eating.

But towards the Crown King, the Blizzmare's feelings were complex.

"As long as you cooperate with me, I have plenty more ice carrots."

Jing He said, and Nine-Tails handed over a few more ice carrots. Blizzmare's eyes widened even more.

Cooperate?

If he had tried to get Blizzmare to "cooperate" before the fight, just a few ice carrots wouldn’t have been enough.

But after the fight, with the added weight of the Crown King’s name and the final temptation of ice carrots...

Blizzmare felt the other Pokémon slightly loosen their grip on him, and he got up with a snort, expressing his mild dissatisfaction.

But in the face of ice carrots...

Under the watchful eyes of the other Pokémon, Blizzmare ran to Jing He and eagerly started munching away.

Delicious!

How long had it been since he last had this?

Blizzmare felt his eyes welling up.

Back then, although he had lost his freedom by following the Crown King, he had also enjoyed an endless supply of ice carrots, often eating a hundred or more a day.

Blizzmare was combative and had a rough temperament, always eager to challenge strong opponents.

But when faced with truly powerful beings, he would restrain himself, just as he had submitted to the Crown King.

Cooperate?

He should have said that earlier!

This is voluntary cooperation, not submission. Yes, Blizzmare “consoled” himself, eating even more enthusiastically.

"Go ahead, I have plenty more."

Seeing Blizzmare hesitate as he finished the last ice carrot, Jing He smiled and said.

"Neigh?"

More?

Blizzmare's eyes lit up immediately. This information became the straw that broke the camel's back—er, the white horse's back.

"I’ll give you something else to try."

Jing He then took out a few energy bars from Nine-Tails and, under Blizzmare’s skeptical gaze, fed them to him.

"Neigh—"

Blizzmare lifted his hooves, unable to contain his excitement and joy.

In the energy bars, he tasted the flavor of ice carrots, along with many other delightful flavors. This... was even on par with pure ice carrots?

This human...

Jing He grew serious, placed a box of energy bars and a few ice carrots on the ground, then stepped back and said:

"Now you have two choices: one, you cooperate with me, and these foods will be yours, and there will be more in the future. Two—"

He didn’t finish his sentence.

Gengue, who was wearing sunglasses and clenching his fists, had just floated out from behind Jing He to support him.

But he noticed that Blizzmare had already lowered his head to eat the food on the ground, showing no interest in the second option.

Jing He chuckled.

Blizzmare wasn’t dumb.

It was just cooperation, not capture. If Jing He had thrown out a Poké Ball, Blizzmare wouldn’t have been so obedient. Besides...

It really was delicious.

Before long, the box of energy bars and ice carrots was completely devoured by Blizzmare. He still looked unsatisfied, occasionally giving Jing He a pleading look.

Jing He’s lips twitched.

This horse must not be taken lightly!

He pretended not to notice and walked towards the Butterfree in the grass.

Waveguide, in my heart!

"Do you want to come with me? I can provide you with a safe, stable, and comfortable living environment."

Using Waveguide, Jing He conveyed his message.

His island was in dire need of development. Once he planted a large number of plants and flowers, he would need Pokémon like Butterfree and Beedrill to help with pollination.

The Caterpie didn’t understand, and the Butterfree looked at each other, eventually turning to their leader.

"You don’t have to decide right now. I’m not planning to leave the Crown Snowfield yet. When I do, I’ll come back for you."

Jing He left some more energy bars and food, then waved goodbye.

He gave them some time to think.

As for Blizzmare...

He brought him along.

Since he had already subdued Blizzmare once, he wasn’t worried about any further trouble, especially since he had a hold on Blizzmare’s appetite.

"Ge-ga?"

On the way back.

Gengue floated beside Jing He, looking at Blizzmare, who was following not far behind, and asked excitedly.

Why not ride back?

How majestic it would be!

Such a magnificent white horse, not riding it would be a waste...

Jing He glanced at him and suppressed a smile. "You can try."

"Ge-ga!"

Gengue had been waiting for Jing He to say that.

He then pulled out an ice carrot from somewhere and immediately floated towards Blizzmare.

A moment later.

"Ge-ga!! o(TヘTo)"

Gengue’s anguished cry echoed through the blizzard, startling the ice-type Pokémon in the snow, who thought a snow ghost was causing trouble.

He had tears in his eyes, clutching his groin, and quickly retreated into Jing He’s shadow.

"Neigh—"

Blizzmare, from a distance, snorted in amusement.

Jing He and his Pokémon exchanged glances and couldn’t help but laugh.

"Pfft—hahaha—"

Blizzmare was just cooperating, not captured. Besides, without a Bond Rope, it would be difficult to capture him. Jing He really wanted to experience the feeling of riding Blizzmare.

Even the Crown King needed a Bond Rope to ride Blizzmare.

To truly make Blizzmare cooperate...

He needed to create a Bond Rope first.

Back at Frostcliff Village.

Compared to the snowfield, Frostcliff Village, due to its location, was less affected by the blizzard.

However, the village, already sparsely populated, seemed even more desolate due to the blizzard. Jing He, with his Pokémon, headed straight for the village chief’s house.

"This, this, this is—"

The village chief, upon opening the door and seeing the Blizzmare beside Jinghe, was utterly stunned.

The village of Frostpeak no longer held the legend of the Crown King, but because Blizzmares still roamed the snowy plains and posed a significant threat, the village chief immediately recognized this seemingly harmless white horse as a legendary Blizzmare.

"Ran into it on the road, chatted a bit, got to know each other, and brought it back."

"Chatted, chatted a bit?" The village chief’s expression was dazed as he glanced at the majestic Blizzmare behind Jinghe.

The Blizzmare snorted irritably, giving the village chief no friendly looks, its ferocity flashing momentarily.

It was willing to cooperate with Jinghe because Jinghe had strength, background, and food.

Jinghe gently patted the Blizzmare’s neck to calm it down.

"Chief, I have a favor to ask", Jinghe said.

"Oh, oh."

The village chief, still in shock, looked at the Blizzmare again before regaining his composure and hastily replied.

"Come, come in and talk."

"By the way, have you seen Daiya? He came with me, the one with the red afro", Jinghe noticed Daiya was not at the village chief’s house.

Mentioning Daiya, the village chief relaxed a bit and smiled with a hint of helplessness.

"That young man is a good kid. The villagers said they saw a Pokémon near the edge of the village and wanted me to check it out. He volunteered and went on his own."

The blizzard still had an impact on the village, especially with ice-type Pokémon becoming more active during the storm.

Given Daiya’s nature, the village chief couldn’t have stopped him even if he tried.

"Hope nothing goes wrong."

Jinghe nodded, understanding. "I see."

Waving his hand, he added, "Don’t worry, Chief. That guy will be fine."

With Daiya’s strength, even if he encountered a Blizzmare or a Spirit Mare, he wouldn’t be intimidated. Most ice-type Pokémon couldn’t stand up to him.

As long as he doesn’t get lost.

The village chief nodded, seemingly reassessing Jinghe and the Blizzmare, gaining a new respect for their capabilities.

The Damo Baboon brought Jinghe a cup of hot water.

"Thank you", Jinghe said with a smile.

The two sat by the fireplace to warm up.

The old village chief took the cup from the Damo Baboon and said with a touch of nostalgia:

"This child, I found it injured in the mountains. I planned to heal it and let it go, but it refused to leave and decided to stay with me."

The Damo Baboon, hearing the village chief talk about it, smiled bashfully and scratched its head, dislodging a handful of snow, which it quickly swept away.

Jinghe watched this scene with a smile.

Pokémon are like that; they can truly feel who is kind to them and will repay that kindness tenfold.

The friendship and bond between humans and Pokémon are built up bit by bit like this.

The village chief chatted with Jinghe for a while, perhaps because it had been a long time since someone listened to him. He couldn’t stop talking.

Jinghe didn’t interrupt, just listened quietly, occasionally nodding in agreement, which brought a simple smile to the old man’s face.

"Hey, Jinghe, didn’t you want to ask me for help earlier?" The village chief finally remembered, patting his head and looking a bit embarrassed.

Jinghe didn’t mind, simply saying:

"I want you to make two reins for me."

"Reins?"

The old village chief was taken aback.

Then he slowly said:

"Making reins used to be a skill everyone in Frostpeak knew, but at some point, no one did it anymore. If it weren’t for my grandfather’s insistence that I learn, this skill would have been lost."

He didn’t ask how Jinghe knew he could make reins.

He didn’t even know why his grandfather insisted he learn it, given that Frostpeak didn’t raise horses.

He speculated that perhaps Frostpeak used to have a tradition of raising draft horses.

However, the village chief was a bit hesitant:

"I’m not sure what kind of reins you want. The village doesn’t have many material options."

Jinghe took out two petals of the "Radiant Flower."

Then he looked at Gengue, who was warming himself by the fireplace, wiggling his bottom.

"Gengue."

"Gengue~"

Gengue casually took out a handful of "Black Mane Hair."

Then he took a pair of scissors, grinned wickedly, and floated past Jinghe, through the wall, and outside.

My crotch is not so easily frozen!

After a moment,

"Neigh!!!"

The Blizzmare’s neighing came from outside.

Then Gengue floated back in with a handful of white mane hair.

The village chief stared at the materials in his hand, stunned.

"These, these materials—"

He swallowed hard and said:

"Jinghe, are you trying to make a Bond Rope?"

"Indeed, Chief, you know about it", Jinghe said.

The village chief opened his mouth but couldn’t find the words, pondering for a while before asking incredulously:

"Could it be that the 'Guardian' is real?"

Jinghe remained silent.

As the village chief of Frostpeak didn’t know about the Crown King and only referred to it as the "Guardian", it’s no wonder the Crown King lamented the passage of time.

However, the fact that the village chief still knew about the Bond Rope and its making method must have brought some comfort to the Crown King.

"Thank you, Chief."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end