Outside Ice Plain City, The Lake of Purification.
Professional Trainer Feng Yin, along with two other Professional Trainers, had already planned to lead other trainers in the 4th collective exploration of The Lake of Purification.
"I heard that the Water Master from the provincial capital is on his way here?" a Professional Trainer asked Feng Yin.
"Yes, we've also obtained the right to use the 'Deep Blue · Koi King' deep-sea diving apparatus. But before that, we still need to continue with the exploration as usual. Everyone, hang in there," Feng Yin said.
With just the Professional Trainers from the cities surrounding Ice Plain City, unraveling the mysteries of The Lake of Purification was impossible.
Their Water-type Spirits were simply incapable of reaching the very bottom.
The Trainer Association was planning to employ technological power; however, technology was not always as effective as the power of the Spirits, so the trainers on-site were even more eager for the arrival of the Water Master.
Although many secrets of The Lake of Purification had been uncovered, people did not believe that was all there is to it. At least, no one knew yet the reason behind the aurora that had been captured.
There were a total of 8 trainers and 19 Water-type Spirits, waiting silently by the lake.
Qiao Yiyi, Duan Xue, and other medical personnel, as well as some scientific researchers, were watching them from behind.
Exploration was also a challenge. These Water-type Spirits, under the pressure to adapt, needed to scout the surrounding environment as much as possible and figure out a way to dive deeper.
To put it more bluntly, they had to learn how to go deeper while accepting the risk of injury, figuring out how to proceed beyond their limits.
Moves were also techniques. No matter the method, as long as it allowed them to continue deeper, it was considered a gain. Such gains would greatly assist in subsequent explorations.
"Eh... is it starting?" Fang Yuan, sitting across, looked at the group of people gathered hundreds of meters away and knew that Senior Feng Yin and his team were about to start exploring The Lake of Purification again.
However, Fang Yuan felt they probably wouldn't discover much more.
Although Fang Yuan speculated that this might be the habitat of Shui Jun, if Shui Jun really was still here, it would have probably already expelled the filthy humans who were dismantling its home by now.
After all, the three Pokémon who were revived by Ho-Oh seemed, like Ho-Oh, not to be very fond of humans.
Legend tells that a lightning bolt struck a tower, instantly setting it ablaze with flames that burned for three days and nights until a great rain extinguished the fire.
Three unknown Pokémon perished in the blaze only to be resurrected by Ho-Oh descending from the sky, who then gave them Life Power, turning them into Lei Gong, Emperor Yan, and Shui Jun.
However, this was not a legend explored by Earth through these Secret Locations, but data recorded by Fang Yuan. He might currently be the only person with considerable knowledge about the Three Sacred Beasts on Earth.
"So, Emperor Yan mastered the Holy Fire and Shui Jun the Cleansing Water because Ho-Oh gave them Life Power... is that it?" Fang Yuan pondered to himself.
Indeed, some versions claimed that Emperor Yan's flames contained Life Energy, and Shui Jun's cleansing ability was a highly unique trait.
And what about Lei Gong? Compared to the other two, it seemed to have less prestige.
"Speaking of which, someone once speculated that the origins of the Three Sacred Beasts were the three evolved forms of Eevee – Lightning, Fire, and Water..."
Fang Yuan looked towards the lake waters, feeling it was rather far-fetched, as the notion of Flareon and Vaporeon being burned to death in a great fire was hard to believe.
However, he had no evidence to disprove it either...
At that moment, the group of Water-type Spirits had already gotten into the water, with their heads floating on the surface.
As soon as the trainers gave the command, they would start exploring The Lake of Purification.
Fang Yuan stood up, feeling puzzled.
The others were about to start the exploration, but why hadn't Eevee returned to report yet?
Could it be that it had not found the Ugly Fish yet?
"That shouldn't be right. Has something unexpected happened?"
Just as Fang Yuan was puzzled, his expression suddenly changed.
An anomaly abruptly occurred on the lake's surface!
A layer of mist rapidly transformed into a sea of fog!
"Look, the center of the lake!!" The Trainers and Water-type Spirits preparing to explore the lake had also noticed something unusual about the surface of the water.
The surface of the lake, smooth as an ice mirror, was swirling with wisps of white fog, which then began to expand and inflate.
The fog was thick and dense, like a sea of clouds, surging forth and enveloping the entire center of the lake in an instant.
In the midst of the fog, filled with moisture, the sea of fog churned, touched by the sunlight into brilliant colors, appearing incredibly mysterious.
At this sight, Fang Yuan was utterly baffled.
What was going on?
They had just said that Shui Jun couldn't possibly be in this lake, but... could it be, Shui Jun really still dwelt at the bottom of the lake??
"What's happening..." The others nearby were shocked as well.
Because the white fog continued to flow as if... something was about to emerge from within it.
Within the mist... what exactly lay hidden?
Soon, they witnessed an incredible scene; within the fog that enveloped dozens of meters around, suddenly a red phantom flash appeared.
The phantom, several meters long, flickered only briefly, but it didn't resemble a living creature; it looked more like an organ from some creature.
"That red, tentacle-like thing just now... It was huge."
"Could it be a Legendary Pokémon??"
At this moment, even the three Professional Trainers were startled.
"Another change is happening..."
Two breaths later, through the white fog, they saw a much larger phantom.
The phantom, tens of meters tall with a fan-shaped tail, moved its silhouette, stirring the fog wildly like a legendary creature from a fairyland, each movement exuding an immense aura.
This made everyone even more tense.
Fang Yuan alone, having vaguely recognized the outline of the phantom, had a bad premonition...
This was not Shui Jun at all... but clearly, it was...
Boom!!
The change continued. Suddenly, the fog scattered like it was blown by a fierce wind in all directions, while at the same time, a light and airy voice emerged from the movement of the clouds.
Along with that voice, the huge phantom radiated a bright pinkish glow, and the light and sound seemed to carry a wave that cleansed and soothed the restless heart, causing all Pokémon and Trainers who heard the voice to become calm.
However, the brief serenity in their hearts was soon disrupted by an overwhelming shock.
The fog completely dispersed, leaving only a little lingering around.
The true appearance of the phantom finally came into view for everyone... It was a Milotic, a majestic six to seventy meters tall!!
Undoubtedly, the Milotic was very beautiful, its elegant form covered in lovely scales like a rainbow, changing hues with the viewing angle.
This beauty was now magnified tenfold before the eyes of the onlookers, and combined with the creature's Charm attribute, an assembly of Water-type Spirits, regardless of gender, were mesmerized by Milotic's figure, finding it breathtakingly stunning.
From the lakebed, Eevee, who had molded the Milotic's appearance using optical Illusion Technique, was secretly pleased.
Luo Kuo had not only taught it Illusion Technique that interfered with spiritual power, but also one that affected optics.
However, it had already surpassed its teacher!
Knowledge is power.
Building on the Illusion Technique taught by Luo Kuo and combining principles of physics, nature, and geography regarding mirages, it had created a brand new optical illusion! This gigantic Milotic was sure to have scared Fang Yuan out of his wits.