Invading the Soul Society

Huang Rong’s kick landed right on Ouyang Ke’s injured spot. With his injuries compounded, Ouyang Ke let out a pained cry, then went completely silent.

He had passed out cold.

Chu Yang figured that even if he was not permanently crippled, he would at least be bedridden for a year or two.

Seeing what had happened to Ouyang Ke, Guo Jing felt a little sorry for him and could not help saying to Huang Rong, "Miss Huang, wasn’t that a little too vicious?"

"Vicious?" Huang Rong said darkly. "If I hadn’t had a treasure to protect myself, who knew what would have happened if I fell into his hands?"

"And you—what are you supposed to be? What gives you the right to lecture me?"

Guo Jing’s face turned bright red from her retort. But he was clumsy with words and could not think of anything to say in response, so he could only turn away and sulk by himself.

Ouyang Ke’s defeat meant that all five experts Wanyan Honglie had once been so proud of had fallen. Without any experts at his side, even his own safety was difficult to guarantee.

Standing on the roof, Chu Yang looked down and asked, "Wanyan Honglie, are you still refusing to hand them over?"

Wanyan Honglie said in grief and indignation, "I have neither old grudges nor recent enmity with you. Why must you tear my family apart today and force me onto a dead end?"

Chu Yang sneered mockingly. "You have the nerve to say ‘tear a family apart’?"

"Eighteen years ago, Qiu Chuji chased you down, and you stumbled into Niu Jia Village, where Bao Xiruo saved your life. Yet not only did you fail to repay her kindness, you lusted after her beauty."

"To obtain Bao Xiruo, you bribed Duan Tiande, a Southern Song general, to lead troops in hunting down the Guo and Yang families. You destroyed their homes and tore their families apart, then took the chance to play the hero rescuing the beauty and deceive Bao Xiruo. And you still have the face to accuse me of tearing your family apart?"

"Which of them—your wife or your son—is actually yours?"

Faced with Chu Yang’s questioning, Wanyan Honglie panicked. He could not understand why this man before him knew a secret that had been buried for eighteen years.

Could he really be an immortal?

Upon hearing this, Bao Xiruo, seated on horseback, suddenly began struggling and glared furiously at Wanyan Honglie. "Is what he said true?"

Wanyan Honglie was speechless.

Wanyan Kang also raised his head to stare at Wanyan Honglie, his expression blank.

This news was even more shocking than what had come before.

The father king who had raised him for eighteen years was actually the chief culprit behind the destruction of his birth parents’ family. How could he possibly accept that?

Such a truth was suffocating.

No matter how much Chu Yang had disliked him before, he could not help feeling sympathy for him now.

After learning the truth, Yang Tiexin’s rage surged, his blood and energy roiled, and his old injury flared up. He had to clutch his chest, yet he still endured the pain and cursed Wanyan Honglie, "You vile bastard!"

Like a spectator enjoying a juicy show, Huang Rong looked from side to side, taking in every expression on the parties involved. Her eyes gleamed with excitement.

Upon learning that Wanyan Honglie was the enemy who had killed his father, Guo Jing’s eyes reddened. He was about to fight him to the death, but Yang Tiexin pulled him back.

Chu Yang was already growing impatient. Looking down, he said, "Wanyan Honglie, there are no fourth chances. I’ve asked you twice already. If I ask a third time, I’ll make my move."

Wanyan Honglie immediately fell into an agonizing struggle. On one side were his wife and son; on the other were his own life and the lives of nearly ten thousand Jin soldiers.

He no longer doubted that Chu Yang had the ability to slaughter them all.

Wanyan Honglie was not afraid of death, but he feared making those Jin soldiers die with him. A force of nearly ten thousand men was of great importance to Yanjing City. Losing them would leave Yanjing City’s defenses dangerously depleted.

Both the Liao Kingdom and the Southern Song Dynasty were eyeing the Jin Kingdom covetously and would not pass up any opportunity. If anything happened to Yanjing City, the entire Jin Kingdom would become precarious in an instant.

Wanyan Honglie could only suppress the pain in his heart and order Bao Xiruo and Wanyan Kang released.

Under Chu Yang’s watchful gaze, the army slowly withdrew.

Within the ranks, Wanyan Honglie looked back every few steps, his eyes filled with longing.

Wanyan Kang was like a walking corpse, dragged forward by Bao Xiruo. He could not share in her joy at all.

Yang Tiexin’s family was finally reunited, and they embraced one another and wept bitterly.

Seeing this, Guo Jing suddenly thought of his father, and his eyes could not help turning moist.

"Young brother, I must thank you. We were strangers who met by chance, yet you were willing to help me. I will always remember this kindness."

Yang Tiexin looked at Guo Jing and thanked him sincerely.

Guo Jing hurriedly explained his identity and took out the dagger that had served as a token between the Guo and Yang families all those years ago, presenting it to Yang Tiexin.

Yang Tiexin excitedly stroked the dagger as memories from eighteen years ago came flooding back. He muttered, "My sworn brother has a descendant. He has a descendant!"

Afterward, Guo Jing recounted his experiences living in Mongolia over the years. Yang Tiexin was deeply moved as he listened. Then he suddenly remembered something and looked toward Wanyan Kang—Yang Kang—and Mu Nianci.

"Back then, Brother Guo and I made an agreement. If our two families had a boy and a girl, they would be betrothed before birth. If we had two boys or two girls, they would become sworn siblings."

Yang Tiexin’s gaze moved back and forth between Yang Kang and Guo Jing as he said, "From now on, you two will be sworn brothers."

Guo Jing nodded. He had no objections; his mother had told him about this long ago.

But then Yang Tiexin pointed at Mu Nianci and said, "I also have a daughter. The betrothal before birth can still be honored. What do you think?"

Guo Jing froze and instinctively looked toward Huang Rong. But Huang Rong was gathered around Chu Yang, chattering away like a little bird. She had no interest in paying attention to him.

Mu Nianci was startled as well. Her expression became extremely unpleasant, and for some reason, her eyes drifted toward Chu Yang.

One of them was looking at Huang Rong, while the other was looking at Chu Yang.

In the end.

Guo Jing broke the awkward silence. Scratching his head, he gave a foolish grin. "Before I came, my mother only told me to acknowledge a brother. She didn’t tell me to acknowledge a wife. I can’t decide this myself. I need to discuss it with my mother."

Yang Tiexin did not suspect anything and nodded. "That is only proper! We have not met for so many years; I should also go pay my respects to my sister-in-law. But that will have to wait until you and Kang’er finish the martial contest at Jiaxing Misty Rain Pavilion."

At the mention of the martial contest, Guo Jing suddenly cried out belatedly, "Oh no! My masters are still waiting to meet up with me. I’ve been delayed for so many days. If they can’t find me, they must be terribly worried."

Yang Tiexin said solemnly, "We will return to the Southern Song Dynasty together and look for your masters. If we cannot find them, we can wait for them at Misty Rain Pavilion ahead of time."

While they were still discussing it, Chu Yang had already left with Huang Rong.

Seeing this, Mu Nianci immediately became anxious. She hurried forward and blocked their path.

Chu Yang asked in confusion, "Miss Mu, is there something else?"

Mu Nianci had only stopped them in a burst of impulse. Now that she was standing there, she could not come up with a reason and could only stammer awkwardly.

Huang Rong sensed a hint of danger, and the way she looked at Mu Nianci immediately became less than friendly.

Fortunately, Guo Jing arrived in time and rescued the embarrassed Mu Nianci. "Brother Chu, we are also returning to the Southern Song Dynasty. Our destination is that small city where we met you last time. My masters are probably looking for me, so I need to go meet up with them."

Chu Yang gave a dry cough, feeling slightly awkward. Guo Jing’s Ferghana horse was still tied up in his backyard…

Bleach world.

Ever since Chu Yang had reached an agreement with Kisuke Urahara, he had remained at Urahara Shop for training and never returned to school.

Kisuke Urahara taught him much about Reiatsu while also training his control over his own spirit particles.

Chu Yang absorbed any knowledge very quickly.

The four skills of a Soul Reaper—Hand-to-Hand Combat, Flash Step, Kido, and swordsmanship.

For someone like Chu Yang, who had started out in close combat, many of the fighting techniques in Hand-to-Hand Combat were already very familiar. They had much in common with Fish-Man Karate.

Flash Step also felt similar to the Body Flicker Technique in Ninjutsu, except the Body Flicker Technique required a certain amount of Chakra to use.

The two had aspects that could be learned from each other. Chu Yang had experience, so learning it was not particularly difficult.

Kido was far more complicated. It could be divided into Destruction Spells, Binding Spells, and Responded. Put simply, Destruction Spells were for "attack," Binding Spells were for "control" and "defense," while Responded was for "healing."

Kido was essentially the Bleach world’s version of "spells." Its casting requirements were similar to those in the Harry Potter world: it required incantations and spiritual power as the energy source.

In short, these three abilities were largely similar to things Chu Yang had learned in other worlds, so it was not difficult for him to get started quickly.

As for swordsmanship, there was even less to say.

Whether in the One Piece world or the Demon Slayer world, Chu Yang’s swordsmanship had been steadily improving.

But when it came to the most fundamental and crucial Zanpakuto, Kisuke Urahara could only offer helpless apologies. He could not help Chu Yang obtain a Zanpakuto.

Not everyone was as special as the protagonist, Ichigo Kurosaki.

Under normal circumstances, one had to become a Soul Reaper to obtain a Zanpakuto.

When Soul Reapers were students at Shin’o Academy, they would temporarily receive a Nameless Zanpakuto—a Zanpakuto that had not yet undergone Shikai—called an "Asauchi."

An Asauchi was the prototype of a Zanpakuto. Under the influence of a Soul Reaper’s soul, spirit, and will, it would gradually take on the form most suited to its wielder.

In the end, it would become a unique Zanpakuto.

If Chu Yang wanted a Zanpakuto, he had to follow the proper process and first become a Soul Reaper. This also meant giving up everything in the World of the Living.

Fortunately, Chu Yang had little attachment to the World of the Living. Besides, becoming a Soul Reaper did not mean he could never return to the World of the Living.

Rules existed only to restrain the weak.

As long as one was strong enough, nothing was a problem.

There was another point: becoming a Soul Reaper was part of the terms of Chu Yang’s deal with Kisuke Urahara.

After being driven out of the Soul Society, Kisuke Urahara knew very little about Aizen’s movements. He needed someone to become his eyes in the Soul Society.

Chu Yang could fill that role perfectly.

As time passed, Rukia was taken back to the Soul Society.

Because she had given a human Soul Reaper powers without authorization, she was sentenced to execution.

Before long, Ichigo Kurosaki was brought back by Kisuke Urahara for special training in preparation for entering the Soul Society.

The other companions were taken away by Yoruichi Shihouin to undergo Fullbring training separately.

When Ichigo Kurosaki saw Chu Yang, his face was filled with surprise and delight. Because Chu Yang had not gone to school for so long, the two had not seen each other in quite some time.

Ichigo Kurosaki had even thought that something had happened to Chu Yang.

Seeing Chu Yang safe and sound here eased Ichigo Kurosaki’s worries somewhat and lightened the pressure he felt about going to the Soul Society.

Ichigo Kurosaki remembered very clearly just how strong Chu Yang was. Even now, when he thought of Chu Yang beating a Menos Grande barehanded, he still found it incredibly shocking.

How could he not feel reassured with such a companion going to the Soul Society alongside him?

But Ichigo Kurosaki did not know…

Chu Yang was going this time to become a Soul Reaper and remain in the Soul Society for good.

After some more time passed, Ichigo Kurosaki’s special training came to an end.

He had finally achieved Shikai and learned the name of his Zanpakuto.

Zangetsu!

Kisuke Urahara summoned a Senkaimon. The Senkaimon had a spirit-particle converter. Since the Soul Society was a world of souls, they had to turn into spirit particles before they could enter it.

Ichigo Kurosaki entered in his Soul Reaper form, while everyone else had to pass through the spirit-particle converter to transform their physical bodies into spirit-particle form before entering the Soul Society.

Chu Yang did not feel anything unusual during the transformation. After it was completed, he felt no obvious difference between his spirit-particle state and his physical state.

In her black cat form, Yoruichi Shihouin led the way ahead, and the group followed her into the Senkaimon.

The inside of the gate was pitch-black. Aside from the path beneath their feet, the surroundings were filled with twisted, dark mist. Yoruichi reminded them not to stop and to stay close behind her.

After looking around, Chu Yang knew that they were currently inside the Dangai.

The so-called Dangai was the gap between the World of the Living and the Soul Society, an alternate space formed by several layers of broken space overlapping one another and surrounded by layers of turbulent time currents.

Time flowed differently here from the outside world. In concrete terms, it was roughly two thousand times faster. One year outside was equivalent to two thousand years in the Dangai.

The Dangai was filled with Kōtotsu, currents that could stop souls from moving. They existed to restrict Hollows’ movements, protecting not only the Soul Society but also the World of the Living.

The only problem was that Kōtotsu did not target only Hollows. Any soul would be affected. If Chu Yang and the others failed to evade them in time, they would be trapped in the Dangai forever. That was why Yoruichi had repeatedly reminded them to stay close to her.

Like floodwaters released from a dam, the Kōtotsu surged violently behind Chu Yang and the others, rapidly closing in and about to swallow them up.

At the critical moment, Orihime used Shun Shun Rikka to form a barrier, barely blocking the Kōtotsu. The tremendous impact from their collision directly blasted Chu Yang and the others out of the Dangai.

After landing, Chu Yang looked around.

Seeing the old-fashioned buildings surrounding him, he understood that he had safely arrived in the Soul Society.

This was Rukongai, the first place where all souls lived after arriving in the Soul Society.

Chu Yang looked at the place, a mocking smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

The most ironic thing about the Bleach world was that some people spent their entire lives working like beasts of burden, only to discover after death that the Soul Society was not the heaven they had imagined—a place where they could peacefully enjoy themselves.

Those dead souls who cherished beautiful fantasies instead had to experience everything from the World of the Living all over again here.

Perhaps even more cruelly.

The people here could grow old and die, and they could feel every pain they had experienced in the World of the Living.

The only difference was that souls aged very slowly in the Soul Society.

That meant they would "live" here for many years.

Was that a good thing?

For those with the talent to become Soul Reapers, it certainly was.

But for those without such talent, the time they spent experiencing pain and suffering was actually constantly being extended.

For some people, life was suffering. After death, they came to the Soul Society and suffered even more.

This cycle of pain never ended, continuing through life after life without cease…

It was terrifying.

After arriving safely in the Soul Society, Yoruichi began explaining its situation to everyone.

The Soul Society was divided into two parts: Seireitei and Rukongai.

Seireitei was the center of the Soul Society, where Soul Reapers lived.

It was also where wealth and power gathered.

Rukongai was the outer portion of Seireitei. It was divided into eighty districts across the four directions of east, west, south, and north. The higher the number, the fewer the resources. Not only were they poor, but violence was also common.

Put plainly, it was like Manhattan and Brooklyn in New York. One was wealthy and the other poor; one symbolized order, while the other was a coexistence of freedom and chaos.

For the dead souls who came to Rukongai, there was one and only one way to live well in the Soul Society: become a Soul Reaper and move into Seireitei.

Before Yoruichi could finish explaining the Soul Society, Ichigo Kurosaki impatiently charged toward Seireitei. Numerous walls suddenly appeared in the sky, blocking his path.

A gigantic figure appeared as well.

A giant as tall as a mountain held an axe-shaped Zanpakuto and dragged it across the ground, carving a deep gash.

"If you want to enter White Way Gate, defeat me first!"

The giant laughed arrogantly.

Yoruichi explained, "This guy is Jidanbō. He is the guardian of White Way Gate, one of the four great Seireitei gates. The other three Seireitei gates each have their own guardians as well."

"If you want to enter Seireitei through the Seireitei gates, you must defeat these guardians."

After Yoruichi finished speaking, Chad and the others looked toward Chu Yang.

Everyone naturally believed that Chu Yang, as the strongest among them, was the best person to challenge Jidanbō.

Chu Yang had no interest and slowly shook his head. Jidanbō was too weak, at most comparable to a lower-level Menos Grande, a Gillian.

"Then let me do it."

Ichigo Kurosaki confidently stepped over the line Jidanbō had drawn, signaling that he would challenge this warrior who had not lost in three hundred years.

Knowing the outcome already, Chu Yang did not pay much attention to their battle.

Instead, he closed his eyes and tried to sense his surroundings with Observation Haki.

In the World of the Living, he could not use Observation Haki to sense the movements of Hollows. But here, after turning into a spiritual particle state, his Observation Haki began functioning once more.

Chu Yang sensed many powerful presences approaching.

The closest one was already about to reach the White Way Gate.

Based on the plot, the person arriving should be Gin Ichimaru, captain of the Gotei 13’s Third Division.

Before, Chu Yang might have avoided confronting him.

But now that Observation Haki worked normally in Soul Society, Chu Yang could try exchanging blows with Gin Ichimaru. This was a good opportunity to display his abilities.

Still, when dealing with nothing more than an intruder who had broken into Soul Society, someone with Gin Ichimaru’s personality was unlikely to go all out and fight Chu Yang in Bankai.

Chu Yang did not want to escalate the battle to that extent either.

If he could successfully hold Gin Ichimaru off for a while and demonstrate his talent and potential, then given Captain-Commander Yamamoto’s personality, he would most likely agree to let Chu Yang become a Soul Reaper.

Gin Ichimaru’s Zanpakuto, Shinso, could rapidly extend in an instant.

As long as Gin did not use Bankai, Chu Yang was confident he could evade Shinso in its Shikai state with Observation Haki.

In its Shikai state,

Shinso’s maximum range was one hundred times its original length, and its attacks carried immensely powerful impact force. No matter how strong the defense, it could pierce straight through an enemy’s body.

Objectively speaking, Gin Ichimaru’s Shinso was more like a modern sniper rifle, capable of accurately striking an enemy’s vital points from over a hundred meters away.

Perhaps it would be more fitting to rename it Bullet.

In Bankai, however, this Zanpakuto went from a "bird gun" to a "cannon." Not only did it gain greater range, but it also became faster!

That extreme speed generated kinetic energy that made Shinso virtually unstoppable.

Most difficult to guard against was the fact that Shinso could release a potent cell-dissolving toxin while attacking.

Even Aizen, hailed as the strongest Soul Reaper, had nearly been killed by Gin Ichimaru when his guard was down.

Had the Hogyoku not evolved again and revived him, he would probably have died long ago.

That showed just how powerful Gin Ichimaru was.

Yet no matter how strong Shinso was, it still had one very obvious weakness.

As a direct-attack type Zanpakuto, Shinso’s combat style did not vary much. It was simple and brutal.

If an enemy could predict the timing of its attacks in advance, they could still evade them.

At least in its Shikai state, it would not be difficult for Chu Yang, who possessed Observation Haki, to dodge Shinso’s attacks.

Thus, Observation Haki countered Shinso on a fundamental level. As long as his reactions were fast enough, Chu Yang could avoid every one of Shinso’s attacks.

Even if he made a mistake, it did not matter.

With his physique enhanced by Armament Haki, Lightning Release Armor, Sage Mode, and a series of other abilities, taking a few hits from Shinso head-on would not cause fatal injuries.

Moreover, Chu Yang’s powerful vitality was enough to heal any wounds during battle.

To quote a certain shield fanatic: "I can keep this up with you all day!"

In the blink of an eye, Jidanbō, guardian of the White Way Gate, was defeated by Ichigo Kurosaki. It happened so quickly that everyone was caught off guard.

With his pride wounded, Jidanbō began bawling his eyes out. Ichigo Kurosaki kindly tried to comfort him, but his words happened to drive another knife into the giant’s sensitive heart, making Jidanbō cry even harder.

"We’re kind of in a hurry. Could you open the gate before you keep crying?" Chu Yang kindly reminded him.

"You really don’t have a shred of human compassion."

Jidanbō gave Chu Yang a resentful glance, then walked over to the White Way Gate. Raising both hands, he lifted the entire gate and motioned for Chu Yang and the others to enter.

But he did not see someone slowly approaching from the other side of the gate.

"Sorry, but you won’t be passing through here today. Be good and go back."

Gin Ichimaru, his white hair cropped short, stood on the other side of the White Way Gate and looked at everyone with narrowed, smiling eyes. Then he drew his Zanpakuto. A flash of sword light streaked out and slashed Jidanbō.

Jidanbō painfully dropped to one knee, but he did not let go and continued supporting the gate.

Gin Ichimaru said coldly, "You couldn’t even defeat a few intruders. What a useless piece of trash. This is your punishment for failing to protect the White Way Gate."

Seeing that, Ichigo was instantly enraged and prepared to attack, but Yoruichi stopped him.

"That guy is the captain of the Third Division, a captain-class Soul Reaper. You are no match for him. Leave first, then we can make other plans."

Ichigo did not listen at all. Carrying Zangetsu, he charged forward, ready to take Gin Ichimaru head-on.

He rushed in with a slash, but Gin Ichimaru firmly blocked it.

Gin Ichimaru smiled faintly and swung hard. Shinso in his hand transformed into a streak of white light, directly sending Ichigo Kurosaki flying and knocking away Jidanbō, who had been struggling to support the gate behind him.

Just as the gate began falling, Chu Yang stepped forward without hesitation, braced the White Way Gate, and shouted:

"Now! Get inside!"

Hearing that, Chad and the others immediately rushed through the White Way Gate. Even Ichigo, after climbing back to his feet, quickly dashed in as well.

"You can actually hold up the White Way Gate. Your strength is quite impressive."

Gin Ichimaru was somewhat surprised. After offering that praise, he immediately attacked Chu Yang.

Shinso extended once more, becoming a streak of white light that shot toward Chu Yang.

Meanwhile, Chu Yang was supporting the White Way Gate and could not dodge at all.

Shinso was swift and fast. No one had time to react, much less warn Chu Yang to be careful.

Shinso struck Chu Yang’s body hard.

Boom!

In an instant, dust and dirt billowed into the air.

Ichigo and the others stopped in their tracks and anxiously looked over.

When the dust settled, Chu Yang was still standing beneath the White Way Gate, massive amounts of lightning coursing across his body as silver snakes danced wildly.

He looked like a god of thunder!

"He actually took it?"

Gin Ichimaru and Yoruichi both revealed slightly shocked expressions. Both of them understood Shinso’s power very well.

Seeing that Chu Yang was unharmed, Ichigo and the others immediately rushed forward.

But after several flashes of white light, Shinso sent every one of them flying.

"I told you it was useless!" Yoruichi loudly warned them.

Ichigo and the others could not break through Gin Ichimaru’s blockade, so there was no point in Chu Yang continuing to hold on. He released the White Way Gate and, amid Ichigo’s shouts, entered the Seireitei alone.

Gin Ichimaru narrowed his eyes. "I believe I said you cannot pass through here…"

Chu Yang grinned. "Then try knocking me out."

"I can keep this up with you all day."

Looking at Chu Yang, whose entire body flickered with lightning, Gin Ichimaru suddenly grew curious. "A Fullbringer? I’d really like to know what kind of Fullbring can block my attacks…"

"You want to know?" Chu Yang stretched his body, staring at the Zanpakuto in Gin Ichimaru’s hand as he smiled. "Beat me, and I’ll tell you."

"Tsk, tsk…" Gin Ichimaru slowly shook his head and said with narrowed, smiling eyes, "You seem to have misunderstood something. That attack just now did not even use ten percent of my strength. If I went all out, you would turn to dust in an instant."

Chu Yang crooked a finger at Gin Ichimaru. "Then come try it."

As soon as he finished speaking, Shinso became a narrow streak of white light and shot out, stabbing toward Chu Yang with lightning speed.

A cold glint flashed through Gin Ichimaru’s eyes. He had used at least thirty percent of his strength. Shinso was five times faster than before, and there was no way this arrogant intruder could dodge it.

He waited to see Chu Yang torn apart by Shinso.

But the instant Shinso extended, Chu Yang’s figure vanished from before Gin Ichimaru. The nearly guaranteed strike pierced nothing but air, and Gin Ichimaru, who was always smiling with narrowed eyes, instantly became serious.

"What fast Flash Step. It’s faster than most Soul Reapers in the Gotei 13. Where did you learn that?"

Gin Ichimaru became increasingly curious about this young man.

Chu Yang chuckled. "Same answer. Beat me, and I’ll tell you."

The curve of Gin Ichimaru’s smile began to shift. Anyone who knew him understood that he was a little angry now.

"You don’t look like an ordinary small fry, so I’ll get serious and play with you."

Gin Ichimaru shook Shinso in his hand. Its tip scattered like starlight, transforming into countless streaks of sword light that stabbed toward Chu Yang. The powerful impacts cracked the nearby walls and ground.

It was like using a Bullet as a machine gun. Just thinking about it made one’s scalp tingle.

To deal with such ferocious attacks, Chu Yang fully activated his Observation Haki, constantly predicting the position of each thrust while moving with Flash Step.

Ten seconds later, Gin Ichimaru stopped attacking. His narrowed eyes finally opened a fraction as he stared at Chu Yang in surprise. Every attack he had launched had been dodged. It felt as though Chu Yang had foreseen his attacks in advance.

"This guy doesn’t seem to be an ordinary intruder…"

Gin Ichimaru frowned. "Who exactly are you?"

Chu Yang chuckled. "You can call me Yang. I currently attend Karakura First High School as a first-year student. Oh, and by the way, I’m first in my grade."

Gin Ichimaru froze for a moment before saying with a strange expression, "What nonsense are you talking about? I’m asking where you learned Flash Step."

Rubbing his chin, Chu Yang answered thoughtfully, "From a convenience store owner who didn’t look like a good person…"

Gin Ichimaru’s eyelids twitched violently twice. He took a deep breath, his smile fading as he stared coldly at Chu Yang. "It seems you have no intention of telling the truth. If you die next, don’t blame me."

Chu Yang helplessly shrugged. "Every word I said was true. You’re really troublesome."

Gin Ichimaru stopped wasting words on Chu Yang and unleashed Shinso’s power at full force. It moved so fast that the naked eye could not catch it, and its impact force was completely different from before.

Chu Yang felt immense pressure and no longer held back.

Empowered by Armament Haki and Lightning Release Armor, he entered Sage Mode.

The brilliant lightning covering Chu Yang’s body made him appear like a heavenly god.

In an instant, Shinso had already thrust more than a hundred times.

But only one strike truly hit Chu Yang, and he withstood even that head-on.

Although Gin Ichimaru’s expression remained blank, Chu Yang’s abilities shocked him once again.

Chu Yang was not foolishly standing in place, either. He constantly adjusted his position, always maintaining a distance near Shinso’s maximum range and refusing to let Gin Ichimaru close in.

If he got too close, it would be difficult for Chu Yang to dodge most attacks under such a dense barrage.

The two kept moving, and the battlefield shifted with them, gradually spreading into many areas of the Seireitei and attracting the attention of many people.

Quite a few Soul Reapers arrived, including even captain-class figures.

An intruder who had suddenly broken into Soul Society could actually battle the captain of the Third Division to such an extent. It was both astonishing and intensely intriguing.

When Gin Ichimaru realized that he would have difficulty defeating Chu Yang quickly, his expression grew increasingly grim.

It was not that he had not considered using Bankai. Rather, as their positions continually shifted, the two had already gone deep into the Seireitei.

They were practically about to fight their way to Gotei 13 headquarters.

The destruction Shinso would cause here was impossible to estimate. Although he would soon leave Soul Society with Aizen and would not need to bear responsibility for it, it could create unforeseen complications for Aizen’s plan.

If it affected Aizen’s plan, Gin Ichimaru might not care, but now was not the time to turn against him.

After considering many things, Gin Ichimaru still suppressed the urge to use Bankai. Just endure a little longer. This brat will eventually run out of spiritual power and mental energy…

Then…

Under the watchful eyes of countless Soul Reapers, they dragged the battle on until evening. The sun had set, yet the two were still fighting.

The one who was exhausted first, however, was Gin Ichimaru.

He no longer had his previous composure. His face was grim as he cursed himself for being an idiot.

Chu Yang, by contrast, looked extremely bedraggled.

But his vigor was clearly stronger than Gin Ichimaru’s.

By then, many captains and vice-captains of the Gotei 13 had gathered outside the battlefield. As for the Soul Reapers under their command, they were too numerous to count. A crowd watched Gin Ichimaru’s embarrassment with great interest.

Kyoraku Shunsui, captain of the Eighth Division and someone who always enjoyed a good show, cheerfully teased, "Captain Ichimaru, out of strength already? Want to take a break? Should I handle this kid for you?"

Gin Ichimaru said nothing, silently cursing Kyoraku Shunsui dozens of times.

The next moment, amid a burst of commotion, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni appeared at the battlefield with several Soul Reapers surrounding him.

Yamamoto looked down, and Chu Yang looked up. Their gazes met directly.

Chu Yang smiled faintly, dismissed Sage Mode and Lightning Release Armor, leaving only the invisible Armament Haki. Then he raised both hands, plopped down on the ground, and shouted, "I surrender!"

The many Soul Reapers watching in amusement looked confused. Chu Yang clearly still had the strength to continue fighting, so why had he suddenly surrendered?

Gin Ichimaru felt that Chu Yang had made a fool of him. He trembled with anger and snapped, "What are you doing?"

Chu Yang simply lay down and said weakly, "We’ve been fighting all day. I’m tired. I want to sleep. You can step down now."

"Sleep?"

Gin Ichimaru nearly suffered a brain hemorrhage. Why the hell hadn’t you gone to sleep earlier? I spent the whole day playing this monkey game with you, my colleagues have practically all arrived, and now you want to sleep?

Get up and keep fighting!

Bastard!

I’ll poke three thousand holes all over your body!

"Stop."

Captain-Commander Yamamoto’s low, weathered voice suddenly rang out, and everyone’s expression turned solemn.

No matter how angry he was, Gin Ichimaru was not stupid enough to defy Captain-Commander Yamamoto’s orders. But after losing face today, he had no desire to remain any longer, so he turned and left.

Kyoraku Shunsui walked over to Chu Yang and inspected him carefully. He had seen the battle from start to finish, and inwardly, he was rather shocked.

Even without Bankai, Gin Ichimaru was still the captain of the Third Division. Not even vice-captain-class Soul Reapers could battle him for so long.

Yet this kid had managed it!

How had he evaded Shinso’s incredibly fierce attacks?

Kyoraku Shunsui was very curious.

"Sensei, how should this intruder be dealt with?"

Kyoraku Shunsui looked up at Yamamoto.

"He entered Soul Society without permission and caused such a huge disturbance in the Seireitei. Even if he surrendered, he cannot be let off easily. Lock him up. After Rukia’s execution, hand him over to Central 46 for judgment!"

Before leaving, the Captain-Commander gave Chu Yang a deep look.

Then, surrounded by Soul Reapers, he turned and departed.

"The old man seems quite interested in you," Kyoraku Shunsui said quietly as he leaned closer.

Chu Yang smiled. "Can’t be helped. Top students are just that popular."

Seeing Chu Yang remain so optimistic, Kyoraku Shunsui was surprised. "Aren’t you afraid?"

Chu Yang shrugged. "Being afraid is useless. I can’t beat you anyway, so why waste energy on such pointless emotions?"

Kyoraku Shunsui nodded. "That makes sense. You really are an interesting fellow."

Just as the two finished speaking, Kaname Tosen, the captain of Squad Nine in charge of the prison, walked over to Chu Yang. "Get up. You’re coming with me to the prison. Let me warn you: don’t get any other ideas, or you’ll die."

Chu Yang glanced at Kaname Tosen without responding. If he truly wanted to run, the Soul Reapers here might not even be able to catch him.

Chu Yang obediently followed Kaname Tosen to the prison without intending to cause any trouble. As long as he quietly waited for the plot to end, he would achieve his goal.

As for Aizen’s scheme or his dealings with Kisuke Urahara, both were beyond Chu Yang’s capabilities. He had no way to interfere.

Chu Yang knew Kisuke Urahara’s intentions, and he also knew Aizen’s scheme.

Both of them were after the Hogyoku hidden within Rukia’s soul.

It had originally been an accidental product of Kisuke Urahara’s experiments, yet it possessed the ability to break through the limits of Soul Reaper power.

Aizen had always been researching how to surpass the limits of Soul Reapers.

There was only one answer—the Hollowfication of Soul Reapers.

If balance could be achieved between the Hollowfication of Soul Reapers and the Soul Reaperfication of Hollows, one could transcend the boundaries of Soul Reaper power.

The only thing that could allow Aizen to accomplish such a feat was the Hogyoku.

The Hogyoku possessed a will of its own. It could absorb the hearts of things around it and manifest them.

Simply put, whatever you desired in your heart, the Hogyoku could help grant that wish. Of course, it had its limits; it could not fulfill every random wish you made.

Beyond that, the Hogyoku could also protect its host’s physical body from death and destruction.

Whenever the host’s power reached its limit or their life was threatened, the Hogyoku would drive them to evolve to a higher level.

If something went wrong during the process of Hollowfication, the Hogyoku could ensure Aizen’s safety.

However…

Whether it was Aizen’s Hogyoku or Kisuke Urahara’s Hogyoku, both were merely incomplete products. They could not be used normally, were extremely unstable, and very dangerous.

That was why Kisuke Urahara had hidden the Hogyoku he developed within Rukia’s soul.

Even Rukia’s arrival in the World of the Living and her transfer of Soul Reaper powers to Ichigo Kurosaki bore Kisuke Urahara’s influence.

The Gigai Kisuke Urahara had given Rukia possessed the effect of breaking down spiritual power. Its user would gradually lose their spiritual power until they became an ordinary person.

He wanted Rukia to lose her Soul Reaper powers and become human, thereby hiding the Hogyoku where those coveting it could not obtain it.

Meanwhile, Aizen noticed Kisuke Urahara’s intentions.

That was why, after eliminating the sages of Central 46, he used Illusion’s power to hypnotize everyone entering and leaving the place, issuing false orders.

Using those false orders, he had Byakuya Kuchiki and Renji bring Rukia back to the Soul Society and sentence her to execution.

As long as Rukia was struck by the tremendous power of Sokyoku Hill, the Hogyoku inside her would emerge.

Chu Yang had actually considered taking the Hogyoku for himself, but at this stage, he had no ability to seize it from Kisuke Urahara and Aizen. He could only watch from the sidelines.

With Aizen’s intellect, even the slightest unusual movement from Chu Yang would alert him.

What the situation would become then, Chu Yang did not know.

But he knew he would definitely be the first one to die.

Aizen was very strong.

For a time, his prominence had even overshadowed the Captain-Commander, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, who had sat firmly upon the throne of strongest Soul Reaper for a thousand years.

Aizen’s Zanpakuto, Illusion, was an illusion-type Zanpakuto with an ability that was practically broken.

As long as a target saw Illusion’s Shikai once, their five senses would be controlled, allowing Aizen to manipulate them as he pleased.

What you saw would always be what Aizen wanted you to see. Even if you knew you had been hypnotized, you could not break free.

How broken was this ability?

In terms of effect, it was like a weakened version of Infinite Tsukuyomi, except it had no restrictions whatsoever. Whenever Aizen wanted to use it, he could.

Aside from his absurdly powerful Zanpakuto, Aizen’s four Soul Reaper abilities—swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, Flash Step, and Kido—were all at the highest level among Soul Reapers. Very few could stand on equal footing with him.

Any normal person with even a little sense would never provoke someone so terrifying.

If Chu Yang wanted to fight Aizen, he would need to obtain Six Paths Sage Mode with the Rinnegan, and perhaps even consume the Divine Tree Fruit.

In short, now was not the time to clash head-on with Aizen.

As he had said before, problems the protagonist could solve were not problems at all. There was no need for Chu Yang to risk his life.

As long as he survived this battle and gained enough benefits, it would be a guaranteed profit.

Among the crowd, Renji, the vice-captain of Squad Six and Rukia’s childhood friend, watched Kaname Tosen take Chu Yang away.

Then, under cover of night, he secretly went to the Repentance Cell where Rukia was imprisoned and told her about Ichigo and the others.

Upon hearing this, Rukia, who wore no expression all day, showed panic for the first time after learning that Ichigo and the others had come to the Soul Society to save her.

She had originally left the World of the Living and willingly returned to the Soul Society to accept punishment precisely so that Ichigo would not be implicated.

"Among them is an intruder named Yang. Kaname Tosen has already locked him in the prison. If there hadn’t been no casualties, he probably would have been brought to the Repentance Cell as well."

Recalling the earlier battle, Renji could not help sighing. "I have to admit, that guy was pretty impressive. He actually managed to keep Gin Ichimaru occupied for so long. The two of them fought from morning until evening. Just when Gin Ichimaru was clearly running out of stamina, that guy actually surrendered voluntarily…"

For a moment, Rukia did not react. "Who did you say was fighting Gin Ichimaru?"

Renji asked in confusion, "You don’t know the person named Yang?"

"I do… it’s just…" Rukia suddenly recalled the sight of him fighting a Hollow barehanded. After holding it in for a long while, she finally said, "I didn’t expect him to have become stronger again."

Renji nodded. "He really was strong. Without a Zanpakuto, he could still fight Gin Ichimaru to that extent. If he weren’t human but a Soul Reaper, he’d probably already be captain-class by now."

Rukia fell silent.