Pokémon: Start with a Dragon-type Gym Leader, and pick up Guroton.

Chapter 589 Deep within the Secret Realm, Lava Slide

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire room fell silent.

All the trainers followed Han Yue's gaze and looked over, countless eyes focusing on the young man who had just arrived at the back.

Li Luochen, who was standing in the crowd, remained silent for two seconds before nodding slightly to Han Yue: "Sect Leader Han has a good eye. I just didn't want to cause unnecessary trouble, but I didn't expect to be recognized anyway."

Then, Li Luochen came to Han Yue's side and stood with him on the reddish-brown rock.

He looked around, his gaze sweeping over the energy-filled rock formation in the center of the valley, then at the whispering trainers around him, and clicked his tongue twice.

"But to be honest, this is deep in a secret realm, so there should be extremely powerful Pokémon here."

"But now, apart from stones and sand, there's not a trace of anything."

"Chief Han, is the peak reading on the detector you're using still rising?"

Han Yue did not answer, but simply handed him the energy detector.

Li Luochen took it with both hands, raising an eyebrow.

The numbers on the screen had skyrocketed to an almost absurd level, and the hands were trembling wildly on the dial, almost breaking off.

The Ground-type energy was so concentrated that not a single Pokémon could be seen.

This is, in itself, abnormal.

"Master Luo Chen, what's your opinion?"

Han Yue asked in a low voice, tentatively.

Li Luochen did not answer immediately, but glanced at the densely packed trainers around him, a look of concern flashing in his eyes.

Upon seeing this, Han Yue immediately understood.

He turned around, waved to the trainers gathered at the edge of the valley, and said in an unquestionable manner, "Everyone, please set up camp some distance away first, and we will make further plans after we have scouted the situation."

A commotion broke out in the crowd.

Some people grumbled a few words in resentment, while others craned their necks to see what was going on, but in the face of Han Yue's imposing face, no one dared to disobey the branch manager's orders.

The trainers left the circular valley in twos and threes, their footsteps and complaints gradually fading away, leaving only Han Yue and Li Luochen in the center of the valley.

Li Luochen pointed to the ground and said, "The ground-type energy is so concentrated, yet we can't see any Pokémon. This means it's not on the surface; it's deeper down."

"And this place is also deep, just not the deepest part. There should be an entrance that leads to the real depths."

Han Yue followed his gaze and looked down: "You mean, there's a second floor here?"

"It's not the second floor," Li Luochen shook his head, his gaze darkening. "It's the real core area. The place we're standing here now is at best its entrance hall."

"Do you have any ideas?" Han Yue asked, frowning.

"I didn't," Li Luochen shrugged, answering crisply.

His understanding of the secret realm was limited to the information given by Huoyan; cracking mechanisms was not his forte.

But as soon as he finished speaking, he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure walking from the edge of the valley.

It is the Queen of the Crowns.

Riding the Snowstorm Horse, it trod across the crimson rock formations at a leisurely pace, the sweat on its forehead already wiped away, regaining its dignified and composed kingly demeanor.

"However," Li Luochen's lips curled slightly, "it might be."

"it?"

Han Yue did not know the Queen of the Brilliant Crown.

The legends of the Galar region are not widespread in the Eastern Region, and he had never seen a Pokémon with a flower bud on its head riding a white horse.

But as the Crowned King slowly approached, he instinctively tensed his back.

The aura emanating from this Pokémon is calm and vast.

It's understated, yet it makes people instinctively want to take a step back.

When those half-closed eyes swept over him, he even felt a long-lost sense of oppression.

"This Pokémon is not simple."

This was Han Yue's only thought.

Li Luochen smiled, offering no further explanation, but simply beckoned to the Queen of the Brilliant Crown: "Queen of the Brilliant Crown, come and see if there's anything else down there."

King Lei Guan came to Li Luochen, dismounted, and gently placed his palm on the scorching red rock beneath his feet.

It closed its eyes and sensed for a moment. The flower bud on the crown trembled slightly. The emerald green light of grass-type energy seeped from its palm into the rock crevice, but was blocked by a powerful ground-type energy a few meters deep.

"indeed."

The Crowned Queen opened her eyes and withdrew her hand: "The depths are empty, but an extremely powerful force seals the entrance. It's like a door bolted shut from the inside; there's no way to force your way in."

"If we can't force our way in, then there must be a way to get in."

Li Luochen rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought for a moment.

Groudon sealed the entrance tightly, clearly not wanting to be disturbed.

However, legend has it that while Pokémon have a strong sense of territory, they don't set up such defenses without a reason.

It is either asleep, guarding something, or simply waiting for someone it deems worthy to enter.

"That thing on you might be able to."

Suddenly, the Crowned Queen spoke, her gaze falling on a certain spot in Li Luochen's arms.

Li Luochen followed its gaze and looked down. After thinking for a moment, he took out a precious pearl from his pocket.

It is entirely vermilion, with a dark red luster like lava flowing across its surface. It feels warm to the touch but is also subtly hot.

This is a vermilion pearl, which Crimson Pine gave to Fire Goose. Fire Goose then specially slipped it into his hand before he set off this time, saying it might be useful.

"What is this?" Han Yue narrowed his eyes. Even with his extensive knowledge, he had never seen such an ancient-looking pearl before.

"It's just something my uncle gave me."

Li Luochen held the vermilion pearl up to his eyes.

The surface of the pearl reflected the crimson rock layer in the center of the valley, and it began to tremble slightly, while the dark red light inside became even more dazzling.

At the same time, the flat rock beneath their feet seemed to sense something and began to emit a low hum.

Not far away, a crack quietly appeared.

The rock strata split open from the middle to both sides, and a scorching orange-red light shone through the cracks.

Immediately afterwards, a slide formed from solidified magma slowly rose from the crack.

Its entire body is covered with golden-red lava patterns, yet its surface is as smooth as a mirror, extending downwards and disappearing into the bottomless darkness.

A wave of heat hit us, and the air itself seemed to distort from the heat.

"So this is the entrance." Han Yue took a deep breath, turned to look at the vermilion pearl in Li Luochen's hand, and his eyes showed a hint of shock.

This unassuming bead is actually the key to unlocking the core area.

"Then I'll be going now, Department Head Han."

Li Luochen put the vermilion pearl back into his pocket, nodded to Han Yue, and then mounted the Spirit Nether Horse.

The Crowned King also mounted the Snowstorm Horse again. The two legendary steeds stood side by side at the edge of the lava slide, the dark and icy atmosphere intertwining with the scorching heat waves to create a strange scene.

The lava slide initially refused, but the red light emanating from Li Luochen immediately made it accept them.

Seeing this, Han Yue also wanted to try going down, but was turned away.

Han Yue: "..."

Hey!