Pokémon: I picked up a reborn Eevee at the start of the game.

Every year from January 13th to 15th, the leaves of the sacred tree are renewed.

Old leaves fall to the ground, and new leaves flourish.

People and spirits bathe under the "leaf rain," which represents the divine tree's baptism of cleansing and welcoming the new year for all living beings.

Most amazingly, this leaf rain causes many of the sprites that bathe in it to evolve.

Therefore, this shower of leaves is also known by local residents as the "gift of evolution".

Every year at this time, many trainers from all over the Kalos region bring their Pokémon to participate in this baptism.

In Xiangxun City, the Sacred Tree Festival is the real New Year for the local residents.

Xia Chen wasn't interested in this so-called evolution gift; Ralts was only two months old and hadn't reached the optimal time to evolve yet.

He was really looking forward to Eevee's evolution, but to achieving evolution through the Evolution Ritual

Something feels off. If you didn't know better, you might think that this "Gift of Evolution" is the key to Sylveon's evolution.

However, if it really evolves here, Xia Chen has no objection.

Since Xia Chen had plenty of time, he naturally decided to stay and enjoy the local festivals.

Perfect timing! These few days of free time are perfect for me to study the Gardevoir breeding tips that Kareny just sent me with Ralts.

With that thought in mind, Xia Chen naturally went to sleep at the female fan's house.

…………

During the day, he would train at a low intensity using the dojo's facilities and spar with the apprentices at the aromatherapy dojo. At night, he would continue to learn Elvish from Ma Xiu, unwilling to give up.

Xia Chen's life has been extremely regular these past few days.

The aromatherapy center is located directly beneath this tree called the "Aromatherapy Sacred Tree." The air is fresh, and you can even feel the inexplicable, refreshing scent emanating from the ancient tree.

But there's one downside: you can't get any sun at all!

This was devastating news for Xia Chen, a sunbathing enthusiast.

So he chose to ride his bicycle to a park in the western part of Xiangxun City every afternoon, stay there until evening, and then return.

Miss Ma Xiu is busy with costume design and the daily work of the dojo, spending almost every day at the dojo and rarely going out.

But after three days of this, Xia Chen noticed something unusual.

That is, Eevee and Ralts are always more excited at the gym than in the park.

And the closer the festival of the Sacred Tree came, the more the elves behaved.

Undoubtedly, the biggest difference between a dojo and a park lies in their distance from the sacred tree.

That's where the problem lies.

Chapter 125 The gift of the Divine Tree shall be inherited by me, Eevee!

Xia Chen told Ma Xiu about this discovery that made him inexplicably uneasy, but the fragrance girl thought he was worrying unnecessarily.

Ma Xiu, cutting a piece of fabric, said without looking up, "Don't worry, this is a normal physiological activity of the sacred tree. I've lived in this city for almost ten years, and it's the same every year during the Sacred Tree Festival. It's just that this year it might be a little stronger. Don't worry, this aura is only beneficial to the elves and has no harm to them."

Ma Xiu's words, "no harm whatsoever," immediately reminded Xia Chen of the task Dr. Blatano had entrusted to him—

Investigate the energy that invaded the spirits' bodies after the fairy aura erupted.

Xia Chen always felt that the unusually vibrant aura emanating from the sacred tree in Fragrant City was related to Xerneas.

Verifying this is quite simple; just catch a few wild Pokémon near the Divine Tree and teleport them to the Blatano Research Institute, where the professor will be able to verify it.

The following day, after greeting Ma Xiu, Xia Chen sent three common Pokémon that lived on the Divine Tree—Vanilla, Flycatcher, and Flowerbee—to the research institute.

Next, we waited for the doctor's reply.

……

In the courtyard of the aromatherapy hall, Xia Chen stared blankly at the towering tree overhead that blocked out the sun.

From the moment Xia Chen first saw this towering ancient tree, he began to ponder its origins.

Because this tree grows in a way that defies common sense in the biological world.

The ancient tree is nearly 100 meters tall. Xia Chen had seen it when he traveled in his previous life. Some ancient cedar trees can grow to this height.

But those trees were mostly tall and thin like bamboo poles, and it was impossible for them to be so lush and leafy, with their shade covering an area of ​​several square kilometers.

This requires too much nutrition from the soil beneath our feet.

In the world of elves, apart from the elves themselves, everyone else respects natural science quite a bit, so Xia Chen felt that this divine tree was definitely closely related to a certain legendary elf.

Having reasoned this far, the name of that legendary spirit is practically obvious—

Xerneas, the legendary elf who can share eternal life.

Xia Chen, who had traveled from another world, possessed one more piece of information than the natives: Xerneas's awakening was cyclical.

Legend has it that Xerneas will awaken after sleeping in the form of a tree for a thousand years.

Of course, a thousand years is just a figure of speech. Elves have existed in this world since ancient times. According to historical records from the Carlos region a thousand years ago, there were no unusual phenomena.

However, around 1,700 years ago, a gap appeared in the history of the Carlos region.

The city of Aroma, built around the sacred tree, emerged two hundred years after that historical break.

Xia Chen absolutely refused to believe that there was no connection between them.

Xia Chen has a bold conjecture: the appearance of this divine tree is related to Xerneas's awakening or slumber.

If Xerneas's slumber and awakening are cyclical, then there couldn't possibly be only one divine tree in the Carlos region.

But in reality, there is only this one.

Hiss. It's terrifying to think about.

However, all of this is just wishful thinking and speculation. Apart from far-fetched conjectures, there is not even a single crucial piece of evidence.

However, if the professor can verify that the active energy within the Pokémon he sent is of the same origin as Xerneas, then perhaps there is some other explanation.

……

Unfortunately, Xia Chen did not receive a definite reply from Dr. Blatano.

"This energy analyzer is a new generation product developed by the Vladali Institute. It is still under testing, and the testing period is a bit long, about five days. I will let you know when it is ready."

Dr. Blatano said this on the holographic communicator.

Xia Chen hung up the call, speechless. The five-day Shenmu Festival was long over.

Although he couldn't be sure what might happen during this period, if anything did happen, the possibility was definitely highest during the Sacred Tree Festival.

Since the doctor did not give a definite answer, Xia Chen could only put aside his guess for the time being.

Fortunately, this tree did not originate from Yveltal, so even if something goes wrong, it shouldn't cause any damage. Otherwise, Xia Chen would definitely have run away overnight.

…………

Although it is close to Miare City, the pace of life in Lavender City is much slower than that bustling metropolis.

Even the tallest building here isn't half the height of the sacred tree, making it a veritable city for leisure and retirement.

As the Sacred Tree Festival draws ever closer, Xia Chen can clearly see that the number of transient people in Xiangxun City is gradually increasing as he rides his bicycle on the road.

They all share a striking common feature: they are usually accompanied by a Pokémon that can still evolve.

Undoubtedly, these are trainers from all over Kalos who came to participate in the "Ceremony of Evolution," and there are even tourists from other regions like Xia Chen.

It's not that evolution is impossible elsewhere, but evolution blessed by the divine tree sounds special, and some people like things with a sense of ritual.

On January 13th, the Sacred Tree Festival, a unique festival in Xiangxun City, finally arrived.

In the early hours of the morning, tens of thousands of people and elves, under the command of local Alliance personnel and Officer Jenny, poured into the area covered by the shade of the Divine Tree, waiting for the first Divine Leaf to fall.

Xia Chen was awakened by the noisy commotion. He rubbed his head groggily before realizing that the Shenmu Festival had already started today.

I glanced at my phone instinctively. Good heavens, it's only 5 a.m.! Are you watching the flag-raising ceremony here?

Unable to fall asleep, Xia Chen muttered as he got out of bed, searching for Eevee and Ralts.

Even he, who has excellent sleep quality, was woken up, let alone the two little ones who are sensitive to their environment.

Xia Chen turned on the light and glanced around before finally spotting them on the balcony. Eevee and Ralts were lying there, seemingly looking out at something.

Xia Chen curiously went over and was also stunned by the spectacular sight before him.

As the moon sets and the stars fade, in the darkest hour of dawn, the faint starlight shines through the gaps in the leaves, barely illuminating the massive trunk of the sacred tree, as thick as a city wall.

Beneath the sacred tree, a dense crowd of people and elves gathered, gazing upwards with anticipation, waiting for a certain moment to arrive, like devout believers in some ancient and mysterious ritual.

Of course, it wouldn't be wrong to say it's like a zombie apocalypse.

Xia Chen couldn't help but take out his phone to record this shocking scene that is rarely seen in modern society.

…………

Xia Chen was watching the commotion with amazement when a knock sounded at the door.

The door opened, and sure enough, the person who entered was Miss Ma Xiu, dressed in her finest attire.

She was still wearing that magnificent dress that was said to be worth five thousand gold beads, like a saintess of the "Sacred Tree Cult" worshipped by the believers below.

The saintess extended a warm invitation, "Such a grand occasion, Mr. Xia Chen, wouldn't you like to come down and experience it for yourself?"

Xia Chen shook his head. "I suddenly feel that the role of the observer is more suitable for me. I'll try it out in a couple of days. Anyway, the Shenmu Festival isn't just today."

Ma Xiu was somewhat envious. "He really is a future lazy gym leader who can do whatever he wants. It's a pity that I have no choice in what I do."

As the gym leader and one of the city's most famous landmarks, she would naturally attend such an important event.

Xia Chen was curious about what Ma Xiu was going to do. Was she going to help Officer Jenny and the others maintain order?

Ma Xiu shrugged and replied, "What else could it be? It's just an exhibition match with some guest. It's the same thing every year. Don't they get tired of it?"

A thought flashed through Xia Chen's mind.

Speaking of which, after the Beautiful Energy Cube was developed, besides its use in Milotic's evolution, another more important use has been left unused.

The girl in front of me possesses strength, fame, and a love for elves.

Moreover, the fairy type is the most suitable attribute for flashy battles, so why not deceive the wrong person and point out a clear path for the lost girl?