Chapter Fifteen: The Ancient Seeker, Leah
[Rare Material: Aged Cloth (Processed).]
[Description: An ancient piece of fabric imbued with an ominous aura. Prolonged contact may drain one’s vital energy.]
[Crafting Knowledge Gained: 1]
[Basic Spirit Sewing Technique (C): Using materials with ghostly attributes, you can create garments for ghosts or undead. These spiritual textiles help soothe the restless hearts of spirits and the undead, slightly enhancing the power of ghost-type moves.]
This is the gathered information on the common material.
Guangtai stroked his chin thoughtfully. Just from the description alone, anything supernatural seemed fraught with ill omen.
However, ghost-attributed textiles should sell well among mediums and spiritualists!
There are quite a few mediums in the Pokémon world after all!
“Doujianqiao, use Consecutive Slashes!”
Guangtai commanded Doujianqiao, slicing the tattered cloth into the sizes corresponding to talismans. With a flurry of sword flashes, the already ancient fabric was neatly cut into many rectangular pieces.
“Next...”
The basic knowledge of spiritualism and talisman crafting began to resurface in Guangtai’s memory. He started preparing other materials accordingly.
The eerie aged cloth; powdered ore—cinnabar would be ideal; brush, ink, and salt.
Along with a ghost or psychic-type Pokémon.
Guangtai arranged everything and inscribed the talisman following the incantations he recalled, using salt to alter the nature of the spectral energy and mixing the ore powder into the ink. The fabric to be inscribed was placed atop Doujianqiao’s blue ribbon.
Normally, talismans are made from special “talismans paper.”
So this must be what makes it “unique”?
[A crafting process completed: obtained “Unique Purification Talisman!”]
[Effect: Reduces the chance of encountering wild Pokémon when carried.]
[Unique Effect: Instantly removes any form of “curse” status once, then the talisman becomes ineffective.]
...
[A crafting process completed: obtained “Unique Curse Talisman!”]
[Effect: Increases the power of ghost-type moves when carried.]
[Unique Effect: When used, inflicts the target with the “curse” status, then the talisman becomes ineffective.]
...
[Knowledge Gained: 1]
[Artist: +10% efficiency in drawing and painting.]
The information on the crafted items appeared. As disposable products, Guangtai was momentarily stunned.
“Not bad at all. These should have a good market among relic enthusiasts and adventurers.”
Immediately afterward, new thoughts about Doujianqiao emerged:
[Doujianqiao helped you complete a crafting process, gaining experience and growth!]
[Learned move: Spirit Blade!]
[Doujianqiao gained knowledge: 1.]
[Soul Sword: Enables seeing the trajectory of soul movements, slightly improving observation and accuracy, with a +10% critical hit rate.]
“Oh!”
At the moment Guangtai absorbed this information, Doujianqiao sensed a change within itself. When observing surrounding objects, it experienced a strange sensation—almost like an instinctive urge or illusion that it could “definitely hit.”
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Soon after, it realized it had learned a new move again.
Just by cutting some supernatural cloth, it mastered Spirit Blade, just like the previous times—only through work?
It seemed to have also learned a new sword technique, as if a flash of inspiration had struck!
Doujianqiao looked at Guangtai, as if it could foresee the subtle movements of Guangtai’s raised arm before the physical action happened—the trace of the soul’s consciousness moving ahead of the body.
This astonished Doujianqiao greatly!
It then burst into blind joy!
Indeed, having learned so many moves consecutively and growing stronger, it was truly a hidden genius as the Knight’s Sword!
Guangtai watched Doujianqiao gleefully and shook his head.
Have you ever heard that genius is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration?
Guangtai paid no mind to Doujianqiao and turned his attention to the newly appeared random material clue.
[Rare Material: Leaf Stone]
[An unusual stone found in forests or ancient ruins, capable of evolving certain Pokémon.]
[Locations: Celestial Capital Ruins, deep forests, cave excavations, traveling merchants.]
[Corresponding Craft: Moss Cultivation Technique.]
Leaf Stone? A clue about evolution stones.
Is this also considered a material?
Guangtai found it odd, but since the Celestial Capital Ruins were listed—and he was planning to visit anyway—he decided to consider it later.
He then opened his computer and looked at his artisan shop page. It was quite rudimentary, showcasing representative crafts: wood carving, stone carving, artifact restoration, and antique replication.
These crafts, mastered by the original owner’s father, had gained some fame among artisans but weren’t closely related to Pokémon battles. For battle-related items, Guangtai himself could craft common tools like Shell Bells and Power Headbands.
For non-battle effect items, there were Calm Bells for increasing intimacy, and items like Power Bracers, Power Belts, and Power Weights for growth and training.
Staring at the simple shop page, Guangtai listed “Purification Talismans” and “Curse Talismans,” noting their unique effects. As for stock... he glanced at the pile of old cloth in the corner and the neatly cut rectangular talisman cloths made by Doujianqiao.
“Let’s make twenty for now... that should be acceptable for Doujianqiao without overexerting it.”
...
June 12th.
The weather remained clear and the temperature was gradually warming.
Early in the morning, Guangtai heard the computer beep, opened the inbox, and found a new message!
[Are the talismans in your shop really as effective as described?]
The sender’s ID was [Ancient Investigator].
“Huh, a relic enthusiast saw my new talismans?”
Guangtai was surprised. Last time, Ado’s message arrived promptly, and now, just a day later, another spontaneous customer appeared.
His luck was quite good! Perhaps this was a passive benefit from his ‘golden finger’—just make crafts and wait for customers to come?
“I am a medium,” Guangtai replied, since he indeed possessed basic spiritualist knowledge.
[Ancient Investigator]: “As far as I know, only exceptionally powerful exorcists and mediums can dispel curses upon people. Your talismans claim to remove any form of curse... may I see a demonstration?”
“Demonstration? How do you want to do that?” Guangtai asked, curious.
“Simple,” [Ancient Investigator] replied. “I will send you a cursed email. If you can remove the curse attached to the email, I will know if your products truly work.”
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“Products?” This guy’s wording was strange, sounding almost like a tomb raider.
“Hmm, no problem.” Guangtai agreed, and [Ancient Investigator] sent another message: “I cursed the email using Gengar. Please be careful—the curse carries prankish and frightening properties.”
Soon, a garbled email arrived. The moment Guangtai saw it, his eyes filled with boundless darkness. A terrifying large face seemed to burst through the computer screen and lunged at him!
Gengar’s round, chubby face stretched grotesquely, turning into a frightful apparition. Its wide mouth grinned, revealing white teeth, as if laughing with a sinister “hehehe”!
“Gengar!”
Gengar used “Night Shade”! A chilling coldness accompanied the move!
It is said that Gengar sneaks into a person’s shadow at midnight, gradually stealing their body heat. If targeted, one feels an unrelenting chill. The reason shadows under street lamps stretch longer is because Gengar has transformed into the shadow and run ahead.
If a sudden coldness approaches, it means Gengar is near, perhaps having cast a curse on you.
“Oh!”
Doujianqiao, witnessing this, was startled and immediately drew its sword, leaping into the air!
A shadowy counterattack struck Gengar’s “Night Shade”!
Ghost against ghost—extremely effective!
“Hey, don’t attack! Doujianqiao, stop! This is a customer!”
Guangtai hurriedly stopped it, while Doujianqiao’s eyes were full of confusion.
Customer?
“Huh? Huh?”
This guy just attacked you and you still call him a customer?!
“It’s just the customer’s way of testing the product.” Guangtai waved his hand, unfazed by the Night Shade. On the other side of the screen, Gengar showed a strange expression, reflected on the large face of the Night Shade.
Guangtai then took out a Purification Talisman, and Gengar immediately used “Curse”!
Whoosh!
The talisman floated onto Gengar’s spectral form, and its previously mischievous mouth instantly sagged, no longer grinning.
“Ugh! Gengar!”
As the talisman’s effect took hold, Gengar’s Night Shade vanished from the room, and the garbled email transformed into normal text—though it appeared to be typed by Gengar, so the order was still jumbled.
Before Guangtai could reply, the other side sent a message:
“Amazing... my Gengar just told me what happened. Your talisman really works. I’ve never seen Gengar look so uncomfortable.”
“The curse was indeed dispelled.”
[Ancient Investigator]: “How many Purification Talismans do you have in stock? I want them all!”
“Huh?”
Guangtai was stunned. “Are you sure you want all of them?”
[Ancient Investigator]: “Yes. Because of my work... I’m an archaeologist exploring ruins. I often encounter dangerous ancient curses and ghost Pokémon. But don’t worry, I’m used to it. Sometimes I carry several curses at once, and none have been able to kill me, haha... perhaps it’s because of my unusual constitution.”
“By the way, do you prefer new things or old? Recently, a sunken ruin was found in Unova. I’m quite interested in ancient relics from a thousand years ago.”
“I’ll come to your shop to buy talismans again next time. When you ship, please use international logistics. The delivery address is Rippling Town in Unova. I’ll send you my full shipping info. Also...”
“Also what?” Guangtai asked seriously.
“Free shipping?” [Ancient Investigator] replied.
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