Chapter 192: with translation of chapter title

「Heiqi classmate! 」

After Heiqi Yihu was knocked flying by Gengmu Jianba, the remaining three members of Heiqi Yihu's team—Jingshang Zhiji, Shiti Yulong, and Chadu Taihu—finally reacted! They looked up at Heiqi Yihu in the sky, shouting worriedly……

Needless to say, Gengmu's speed is incredibly fast; the speed of his sword swing surpasses the athletic nerves of everyone present. Even someone as strong as Heiqi Yihu, who has just begun learning Final Release, could not react to Gengmu's slash, let alone the others.

「Damn! You sneak-attacked me, no honor at all. 」

In the sky, after Heiqi Yihu was knocked flying by Gengmu, his mind went blank for a moment, but he had indeed learned Final Release, and moreover obtained half of his power from White Hollow, so his strength has increased considerably compared to when he first arrived in the "Soul Society"……

After Heiqi Yihu's brief moment of dazedness, he immediately reacted, found his center of gravity in midair, adjusted his posture in the shortest time, and simultaneously used his Destroyer Monk abilities to manipulate the surrounding spirit particles, creating a foothold in the sky. After stabilizing his stance, he stood there in midair without rushing to take revenge on his attacker; instead, he first gave a light nod to Jingshang Zhiji and the others as a sign that he was safe: "Jingshang Zhiji, Chadu Taihu, Shiti Yulong, you don't need to worry about me, I'm fine……"

After Heiqi Yihu finished giving his status update to Jingshang Zhiji, his brows furrowed instantly, he glared, and without further ado launched an attack on the advancing Gengmu Jianba, coldly saying: "You bastard, I shouldn't have provoked you, right? Why did you attack me as soon as you appeared?!"

"You're Heiqi Yihu, right?"

Gengmu Jianba listened to Heiqi Yihu's words, his expression remained cold, he simply kept confirming Heiqi Yihu's identity.

"So what if it is?"

Heiqi Yihu questioned Gengmu.

"Then it's settled—I'm going to beat you!"

Upon hearing the orange-haired youth standing in the sky finally admit that he was Heiqi Yihu, Gengmu's ferocious yet cold face finally showed a hint of a smile.

"Huh?!"

Heiqi Yihu was dumbfounded; he had no idea who he had provoked!!

He had provoked that formidable-looking burly man across from him, who now wanted to beat him up!

He actually ran over just to ask if he was Heiqi Yihu, then proceeded to attack him!!

"Heiqi Yihu, ever since I heard you invaded the Soul Society, I've been searching for your traces in the Pure Spirit Court for a long time……"

Before Heiqi Yihu could think further, Gengmu Jianba's voice continued to echo in his ears.

"I heard from that idiot Xiumu Baizai that you're not an ordinary human, but a child left behind in the Present World by Zhibo Yixin, and I also heard you're a disciple of that rascal Pu Yuan Xizhu……"

"Just this morning during the meeting, that guy Shiwan Yin told me again that you are the one with the greatest potential and strongest strength among all the invaders of the Soul Society this time, and coincidentally, I'm also quite strong! So I want to see whether it's you who can win or me who can win……"

Gengmu simply stated his reason for seeking out Heiqi Yihu.

"Zhibo Yixin's son?! Heiqi Yixin? Zhibo Yixin?"

"Heh, forget it……"

"No matter if it's my father or mother! Their secrets are too many; I can't figure them out, and I'm too lazy to think about these troublesome matters……"

"But what you said later is actually correct—I really am the strongest among all the invaders of the Soul Society this time……"

Heiqi Yihu isn't an idiot either; he's just a bit hard of hearing. Fortunately, Gengmu's voice is unusually loud, and their brainwaves match well, so he heard everything clearly……

Gengmu said he was Zhibo Yixin's son; although Heiqi Yihu had never heard the surname Zhibo before, combining it with his father's name, he quickly deduced that Zhibo Yixin might have been the name his father Heiqi Yixin used before marriage……

Heiqi Yihu doesn't care much about the fact that his mother is a pure-blood Destroyer Monk and his father could be a Soul Reaper of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads; right now he only wants to beat the living daylights out of the bastard who sneak-attacked him~

Perhaps it's because Heiqi Yihu's Soul Reaper power was artificially created by Lanran using a Soul Reaper's soul and half a Collapsing Jade to produce the highest-level artificial Hollow "White Hollow", which combined with the Soul Reaper power he inherited from Zhibo Yixin to form his current power~

So when Heiqi Yihu began to accept White Hollow, his personality was also partially influenced by it, leading to his abnormal craving for battle; although he noticed something was off, he just couldn't control himself……

"Oh?!"

Gengmu suddenly took interest after hearing Heiqi Yihu's words.

"Hey! Looking at the white haori you're wearing, you must also be a captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, right?!"

Heiqi Yihu glanced at Gengmu's haori and asked.

"Yeah? What's up?"

Gengmu raised his eyebrows slightly upon hearing Heiqi Yihu's question, then lightly nodded.

Although Gengmu didn't know, what relevance did their identities have to their battle? But since Heiqi Yihu asked, he answered anyway—his identity is no secret in the Soul Society, to say it's common knowledge is not an exaggeration……

"If you're indeed a captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, then that's perfect—this way it wouldn't be me bullying you! Later, when I defeat you, I think you won't be able to find any excuses……"

Upon learning that Gengmu was indeed a captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, Heiqi Yihu let out a slight sigh of relief, the corner of his mouth twitched up, and he confidently looked at Gengmu Jianba and said:

"Huh?!"

Gengmu froze for a moment, obviously not understanding Heiqi Yihu's meaning. The two words "defeat" have never crossed his mind. Excluding the Zero Division from the entire Soul Society, aside from the two past and present Commander-Generals, Yuanliuzhai and Huangmu, Gengmu believes that no matter who he faces, the only outcome is "victory"!

I'm saying, since you're a captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, you should know this move, right? That is, the Soul Reaper's ultimate technique—the Final Release of the Soul-Cutter Sword!

Heiqi Yihu said, gripping the hilt of his Soul-Cutter Sword tightly with his right hand, pointing the blade at Gengmu Jianba, his left hand firmly grasping the joint of his right arm, and simultaneously he began frantically mobilizing his body's spiritual pressure, releasing endless waves of energy.

"Oh! You mean Final Release? I did learn it a few hundred years ago, but it's really too troublesome and takes away too much fun, so I haven't used it in ages……"

"But speaking of which, the last time I used Initial Release was over a hundred years ago, and funnily enough, the opponent I faced then was none other than your teacher, that rascal Pu Yuan Xizhu……"

After hearing Heiqi Yihu's words, Gengmu stroked his chin, pondering.

In fact, the reason Gengmu last used Initial Release was because he was facing multiple captain-level opponents like Pu Yuan Xizhu and Pingzi Zhenzi at once; due to his carelessness, Pu Yuan Xizhu used Final Release to trick him, sealing him in the earth. To save time, Gengmu directly used Initial Release, blasting a chunk of Wandering Soul Street, for which he was later punished by Huangmu. He just couldn't be bothered to explain all this to Heiqi Yihu.

"Looks like your Final Release isn't very polished either~"

"If that's the case, then watch closely! My Final Release……"

When Heiqi Yihu heard Gengmu say that he himself hadn't released his Soul-Cutter Sword in ages and considered it troublesome, he mistakenly thought Gengmu wasn't skilled with it, only to see him smirk confidently and then let out a roar.

"Final Release! God-Slaying Heavenly Chain Cutting Moon!"

All that could be heard was Heiqi Yihu bursting forth with endless spiritual pressure, and amidst waves of energy, he slowly announced his Final Release's name to the crowd, after which his figure suddenly changed.

Only to see Heiqi Yihu's formerly plain black shihakusho suddenly transform into a jet-black coat, his hand-held cleaver-shaped Cutting Moon also turning into a jet-black katana, the sword's hilt forming the swastika symbol, and upon closer inspection, the hilt is engraved with a string of Sanskrit, which is the symbol of Huangmu's power.

Leaving aside how much Heiqi Yihu's power increased after Final Release, just his appearance after the release has improved tremendously compared to before!

Especially after Final Release, the jet-black, stylish coat he now wears constantly boosts his fashion sense, subtly placing him above everyone else!

Only now does Heiqi Yihu truly deserve the title "Child of Destiny"~

"Interesting~"

Gengmu looked at Heiqi Yihu after his Final Release, the corner of his mouth twitching upward; Heiqi Yihu was now at least decent to look at, which continually fueled Gengmu's fighting spirit.

"Now it's your turn……"

Aren't you going to release your own Zanpakutō?

After Ichigo achieved Bankai, his confidence surged, and he asked Zaraki.

Hah? Release my Zanpakutō? Against you, I don't even need to...

Zaraki said, turning into a streak of black afterimage, like a beast released from its cage, he rushed straight at Ichigo in the sky; at the same time, the spiritual pressure emanating from Zaraki's body, just like the fighting spirit in his heart, madly surged out from within him...

Only seeing the golden spiritual pressure released from Zaraki's body, its density once underwent a qualitative change, shifting from gaseous to liquid, and then like rain it fell from the sky, dripping onto everyone...

For a moment, under the support of his overwhelming spiritual pressure, Zaraki seemed like a war god walking the earth—at this moment, Zaraki truly lived up to the title of "Kenpachi"; without a doubt, he was the strongest combatant among the active Shinigami of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, aside from the Captain-Commander, with no equal...

What powerful spiritual pressure!

On the ground, when Ishida Uryu and the others' skin felt the spiritual pressure released by Zaraki, like liquid droplets, their faces all turned grim...

For the current Ishida Uryu and the others, having them step up and directly face Zaraki, who stands at the peak of ordinary Shinigami with his spiritual pressure already at first-class level, is still too early...

Hah!

As for Ichigo Kurosaki, who was full of confidence after achieving Bankai in the sky, upon feeling Zaraki Kenpachi's abyss-like spiritual pressure, his entire expression collapsed...

How is that possible!!

Ichigo's eyes revealed an expression of disbelief.

Unfortunately, before Ichigo could think further, he was directly sent flying by a golden slash swung from Zaraki...

Hahaha...

Zaraki watched the Ichigo he had blown away, let out a burst of wild laughter, then his form flickered as he rushed straight toward Ichigo.

Ichigo!!

On the ground, Ishida Uryu, Orihime Inoue, and Yasutora Sado, after Ichigo and Zaraki's figures gradually disappeared into the sky, they finally returned to their normal demeanor; at this moment, they were extremely worried, shouting at their companion, namely Ichigo Kurosaki.

Don't worry! Little Sword won't kill them~

Just as Ishida Uryu and the others were about to do something, a soft, muffled voice sounded in their ears, interrupting their train of thought.

Who?!

In an instant, the faces of Uryu and the others all changed. They hadn't even noticed that someone had been near them just moments ago; it seems the enemy's strength is definitely formidable...

I'm here~

Just as Uryu's face was undergoing a drastic change, a soft voice sounded beneath them; as the voice rang out, Uryu and the others finally lowered their heads to look.

Only seeing a death god under one meter tall, with an extremely cute appearance, two adorable dimples appearing when smiling, looking at Uryu and the others with narrowed eyes, greeting them.

Eh?! Whose child is this?

Sado looked at the cute girl before him, his tightly furrowed brows slightly relaxing.

Wow~ So cute~

Orihime even scooped up the child on the ground and held her in her arms.

Don't be careless, this child is not simple!

Only Uryu noticed, after Orihime embraced the girl, cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

Uryu also didn't know why, but when he saw the girl before him, his soul instinctively felt a sense of fear, as if the Quincy power within him were continuously bowing in worship to the girl...

This left Uryu feeling puzzled; although he was only mixed-blood, under the resources of the Ishida family his strength was not inferior to that of some weak pure-blood Quincies, and besides, Quincies aren't vampires in the story—normally, higher bloodline wouldn't suppress lower bloodline...

Yo! Yachiru, Vice-Captain~

Just as Uryu warily watched the cute girl, a hoarse voice sounded, and countless squad members in black Shinigami uniforms, led by an effeminate man and a bald man, came running from afar, one after another surrounding Ishida Uryu, Orihime Inoue, and Yasutora Sado.

Who are you?!

Uryu looked at these Shinigami squad members who suddenly popped up, first lightly adjusting the glasses on his nose bridge, then he spoke up asking.

At this moment, Ishida Uryu was exerting all his effort to appear calm and composed; he clearly knew that their identities were likely already exposed, and facing this critical juncture, only by remaining calm could there be a sliver of hope.

Yachiru, Vice-Captain, come over here~

However, what surprised Uryu was that the Shinigami squad members who had surrounded them didn't rush to attack; instead, they seemed to ignore them, walking straight to Orihime Inoue's front and giving a fawning smile to the girl in her arms.

No way! You guys reek~

Yachiru, upon hearing the Shinigami's words, directly turned her head, lifting her small chin, rejecting the Shinigami squad members' embrace.

Er...

The Shinigami squad members, upon hearing Yachiru's words, all had their faces change.

Especially the bald man standing at the front of the Shinigami squad, who looked like their leader, after being called smelly by Yachiru, his face changed in the most exaggerated way; he incredulously looked at the surrounding squad members and asked, "Smelly? Could it be that I really stink?!"

Hah? Isn't that obvious?!

Don't you have any idea about your own sweat odor?

The effeminate man beside the bald man, upon hearing that, pinched his nose while looking disdainfully at the bald man, speaking impatiently.

Damn it...

Upon hearing that, the bald man felt as if a sword had pierced his chest, he knelt to the ground, his eyes bloodshot, loudly declaring: "When I go back, I'll take a bath! I'll use body wash three times!"

Sorry, I bathe every day, and each time I use body wash five times~

The effeminate man said, walking to Orihime's front, smiling at Yachiru hanging from Orihime's chest: "Alright, my dear princess, we should return to the division; today you still haven't finished the homework assigned by the Captain-Commander~"

Ah? Got to go back to homework again~ How boring...

Right, let's also bring this cute big sister back to the barracks to keep me company while doing homework—then it won't be boring~

Yachiru said, looking at Orihime Inoue who was holding her in her arms, smiling.

Eh?! But...

Upon hearing that, Orihime Inoue's face slightly changed; she was still worried about Ichigo Kurosaki battling Zaraki Kenpachi.

If big sis you're worried about little one's safety, you can rest assured! Little Sword will absolutely not kill little one; in this world, few can fight Little Sword, and each of them is especially cherished by Little Sword~

Moreover, if big sis you now choose to return with us to the Eleventh Division, you might even run into little one; because not long from now, Little Sword will bring little one back to the Eleventh Division for treatment~

Yachiru seemed to see through Orihime Inoue's inner thoughts, laughing heartily as she spoke.

"This…"

Inoue Oriki, after hearing Ya Qianliu's words, seemed a little hesitant.

"Thank you for the invitation, but we have other matters to attend to, so we won't trouble you further. If there's a chance, we'll visit the Eleven Squad…"

Just as Inoue was still wavering, Ishida Uryu lightly adjusted the glasses on his nose and whispered to the Eleven Squad members present.

Of course Ishida Uryu wouldn't take Inoue Oriki to the Eleven Squad's barracks! Just kidding— they're already at a disadvantage; if they just ran into the enemy's stronghold, they'd be easy prey!

"Is that so?"

Ya Qianliu heard this and a hint of reluctance appeared on his face.

"Hey! Travelers, stop being shameless…"

"Since our princess has already invited you, you'd better come with us back to the Eleven Squad's barracks. Of course, if you refuse, I won't hesitate to use a few tricks on you…"

Before Ya Qianliu could speak, the Third Seat of the Eleven Squad, Banmu Ichikaku, who had been knocked down and rejected by Ya Qianliu because of his stench, suddenly rose from the ground, brushed dust off himself, and impatiently said to Ishida Uryu and the others.

"Looks like we've been exposed~"

"So you plan to make a move here?"

Upon hearing this, Ishida Uryu's complexion shifted slightly; he silently communicated with the surrounding spirit particles. Since his ultimate Void Eraser form could still be summoned, though it had been shattered by a punch from Yuan Liu Zhai, his Void Eraser ability had not vanished entirely.

As soon as Ishida Uryu finished speaking, Inoue Oriki and Cha Du Taihu reacted. Both immediately activated their respective Manifestation techniques: six varied spirits floated around Inoue, and Cha Du Taihu's arms had already transformed. Indeed, with the aid of the feathered blade A'ura, Taihu had preemptively completed the alteration of both arms.

"Make a move?!"

In contrast, the Eleven Squad members, after hearing Ishida Uryu, were all frozen in place, seemingly shocked by his words.

"Puhahaha…"

The next second, without waiting for Uryu to speak, the Eleven Squad members burst into belly laughs, many of them laughing to the point of tears.

"Banmu, Third Seat; Ayasegawa, Fifth Seat, did you hear what those travelers just said? They actually claim they want to fight us, the most battle‑skilled among Gotei 13?! That's just too funny! They must not realize the current situation, right?!"

Some senior seat officers, clutching their sore eight‑pack abs from laughing, turned to the leading Banmu Ichikaku and Ayasegawa Yumichika and laughed. (The Eleven Squad has no Fourth Seat; after Third Seat comes Fifth Seat, because Ayasegawa Yumichika dislikes the number four.)

"Ah! It seems the so‑called Combat Squad, Gotei 11, has been underestimated! We should show you the gap in strength between us…"

Banmu Ichikaku and Ayasegawa Yumichika spoke, their gazes suddenly sharpening.

"Boom!!"

Ichikaku and Yumichika had no intention of fighting Ishida's side; instead, in front of everyone, they simply released their formidable spiritual pressure!

For a moment, two spiritual pressures, already at third‑rank level—enough during Yuan Liu Zhai's old Gotei 13 era to rank among Gotei 13 captains—pressured toward Ishida and the others.

"So strong! This spiritual pressure meets the captain‑level Shinigami standard Urahara Kisuke mentioned! Damn, didn't Hirako Mako say that within Gotei 13 only squad captains wearing the head‑coat and First Squad lieutenants possess such exaggerated power? Why can these low‑rank Shinigami in ordinary death‑bane uniforms be this strong? How many captain‑level forces are still hidden in the Soul Society?!"

Ishida Uryu, who had intended to act in a crisis, turned pale the moment he felt Ichikaku and Yumichika's released spiritual pressure; his mood mirrored his expression, shrouded in gloom…

In Ishida Uryu's view, Shinigami without the head‑coat—those below Gotei 13 captains—didn't merit his attention; after all, he believed he could defeat any non‑captain Shinigami!

But after confronting Ichikaku and Yumichika, he realized his grave mistake: within Gotei 13, many tiger‑in‑the‑mountain Shinigami of captain level don't all wear the head‑coat.

"Now do you understand?"

"You don't even deserve us mentioning the word 'battle'~"

Ichikaku stared at the stunned Ishida Uryu and others, swaggering with his Zanpakutō, a triumphant grin on his face. He smiled at the astonished foes and said coldly,

"Damn…"

Ishida Uryu's smile was feeble now; he had grown stronger, yet since entering the Soul Society, no one he met could be defeated by him.

"Since you know, hurry and come with us…"

"If you resist, I'll bind you and take you away directly!"

After a moment of swagger, Ichikaku roared at Ishida and the others.

"Ishida…"

Oriki felt Ichikaku's volatile mood, shivered involuntarily, then looked at Ishida Uryu with worry in her eyes.

"Later, Taihu and I will try to stop those guys. Oriki, go find Yoruichi! Right now, only Yoruichi can save us…"

After thinking for a while, Ishida Uryu calmed down, his gaze steady and cold. He knew that aside from Yoruichi of Four Maple Courtyard, no one could help them.

"I... I understand…"

Inoue Oriki heard this and gave Ishida a gentle nod.

"Hey! What are you two whispering about over there?!"

Ichikaku observed Ishida and Oriki's hushed conversation. Though he didn't catch the details, his experience told him that any low‑voice talk meant trouble.

"Right now, Inoue, run!"

Before Ichikaku could speak, Uryu suddenly patted Oriki's shoulder, signaling her to flee, and then, under the startled gazes of the Shinigami squad members, drew the spirit‑arrow bow belonging to his Void Eraser.

When Uryu's finger released the bowstring, countless holy annihilation arrows rained down like rain upon the surrounding Shinigami.

"Bad!"

The Eleven Squad Shinigami, seeing this, their faces instantly

"Ding—ding—ding…"

Amid the series of light clinks, Oriki, already prepared, slipped through the crowd and ran toward the distance.

"How can you let them escape!"

Ichikaku, watching Oriki attempt to flee, his expression suddenly

In fact, to Ichikaku, Oriki's running didn't matter; frankly, she was just a traveler and

The problem is that at this moment, Oriki's chest still bears an ancestral

"How could you let her pass!"

Taihu seized the moment and stepped directly in front of Ichikaku.

"Get out of the way! I don't have time to

Ichikaku, looking at Tai

Sorry! Unless you kill me here, I will absolutely not let you step forward even one step! Don't underestimate, human determination!

Taihu's attitude was extremely resolute.

You bastard...

Ikkaku heard it, his complexion slightly changed.

If it were usual days, upon encountering someone like Taihu, he might have felt anger or sympathy in his heart, but now he had no such mood...

Quincy, I'll say this one last time, also giving you a chance to act: get out of my way immediately, otherwise I will definitely make you regret it...

On the other side, Ishida Uryu likewise blocked him, Ayasegawa Yumichika who intended to step forward.

At this moment, Yumichika's delicate face gradually twisted; he angrily glared at Ishida Uryu blocking his path and warned.

Sorry, I also have reasons I cannot retreat.

Uryu lightly pushed his glasses on the bridge of his nose, speaking coldly.

There's nothing we can do...

Ikkaku and Yumichika, upon discovering that Uryu and Taihu were like stones in a latrine—smelly and hard—finally decided to attack.

Complete Release! Dragon Pattern Ghost Lamp Pill!

Ikkaku directly performed Complete Release; only seeing his samurai sword suddenly transform into three giant axes, one of the giant axes strapped to his back, bearing a scarlet dragon, while the other two giant axes were held in Ikkaku's hands, each axe head flashing with scarlet-red light.

Complete Release! Glazed Peacock Great Bright King!

Ikkaku's Complete Release is a dragon, while Yumichika's Complete Release is a peacock!

Only seeing Yumichika after Complete Release, his Soul-Cutting Sword had vanished without trace, that Soul-Cutting Sword transformed into a giant peacock entirely glazed in color, hovering behind Yumichika, additionally five-colored radiance floated around the peacock...

While facing off against Yumichika, Ishida Uryu vaguely felt that his Spirit Bow and the condensed Divine Destruction Arrow were slowly dissipating under the peacock's power! No, they weren't dissipating, but were swept away by the peacock's light mass and absorbed by Yumichika's Soul-Cutting Sword.

It's over!

When Ikkaku and Yumichika performed Complete Release, the outcome of this duel should also fall upon the curtain!

Ikkaku and Yumichika's Complete Release seemed like an ability specially used to deal with Taihu and Uryu; Taihu's Fullbring granted him power far beyond ordinary humans, while Ikkaku similarly multiplied his own power, obviously in the power comparison, Ikkaku is stronger than Taihu!

As a Quincy, Uryu's most basic and also strongest ability is undoubtedly the subjugation of spirit particles! Unfortunately, after Yumichika's Complete Release, he could no longer mobilize the spirit particles in the surrounding space, as if all those spirit particles had become part of Yumichika's Complete Release.

Damn it!

Although Uryu and Taihu's hearts were filled with reluctance, they knew, as Ikkaku and Yumichika said, that this battle had already ended.

Hey! If you do this, I will get angry~

Just as Uryu and Taihu decided to face the fatal blow from Ikkaku and Yumichika head-on, with a soft, sticky voice sounding, Orihime Inoue, who should have taken the chance to flee and go seek rescue from Yoruichi of the Four Feng Institute, suddenly turned back on her original path.

Orihime, why did you come back?

Ishida Uryu and Chad Taihu, seeing the returning Orihime Inoue, a flash of panic crossed their expressions, they loudly shouted at Orihime.

Everyone, we can't fight~

However, before Uryu and Taihu could say more, that soft, sticky voice sounded again; the girl who had been patting Orihime's ample bosom had descended from the sky, landing in the middle of Ishida Uryu, Chad Taihu, Ikkaku, and Yumichika.

Boom!!

Immediately, a glazed-colored spiritual pressure rose from within the girl's body.

How is that possible?!

When Uryu felt the girl's spiritual pressure, his complexion drastically changed, for that girl's spiritual pressure was actually far stronger than Ikkaku's and Yumichika's...

Undoubtedly, the girl's spiritual pressure had already surpassed the third rank, reaching the terrifying level of second-rank spiritual might! At this moment, released from within the girl's body, the spiritual pressure like a tsunami, like piercing icy water, struck the shoulders of everyone around.

Please calm your anger, Princess~

After the girl erupted her spiritual pressure, whether it was Ikkaku, Yumichika, or the ordinary soldiers of the Eleventh Division nearby, all at this moment, toward the girl's direction, knelt on one knee on the ground, speaking with fearful faces.

As long as you don't fight, I won't get angry~

As Ikkaku, Yumichika and the other Shinigami put away their Soul-Cutting Swords, the girl once again revealed a brilliant smile, she turned her body, looking at Orihime and the others, smiling: 'You came from the Living World through the Dangai, traveling all this way to the Soul Society, you're looking for someone, right?! If you want to find someone, I can help, after all I do have a little status here~'

The girl said this, extending her two fingers toward Ishida and Orihime, she bent the two fingers together, making the pose of 'losing the Korean market', humbly indicating her tiny status in the Soul Society~

Who exactly are you?

Ishida Uryu watched the girl's movements before him, his eyelid twitched slightly; he first lightly licked his lips, which had become extremely dry due to the overwhelming spiritual pressure, then asked this girl who looked merely cute but ordinary, yet actually had considerable background.

Quincy, hurry up and kneel, don't be rude here! Do you think the one standing before you now is some divine being?!

Before the girl could speak, Ikkaku, who had knelt on one knee behind her hoping she would quell her anger, upon seeing Ishida Uryu dare to face the girl directly and still not kneel, instantly felt furious, he glared at Ishida Uryu and issued a cold shout.

Before you stands the vice-captain of the Eleventh Division, also the daughter of the Commander-General of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, General Aramaki, the princess of the Soul Society, Aramaki Hachiryuu! If you're sensible, quickly kneel! Otherwise, according to Soul Society law, you should be immediately sentenced to extreme punishment!

Ikkaku directly revealed Hachiryuu's identity, and loudly rebuked Uryu and the others.

Princess? Her Highness the Princess?!

As Ikkaku's words fell, Uryu and the others instantly felt dazed.

I never expected little Hachiryuu to have such a noble status...

Orihime Inoue covered her mouth, looking shocked at Hachiryuu.

Since Hachiryuu is the princess of the Soul Society, shouldn't we now kneel immediately?

After Orihime Inoue's shock, she asked Uryu beside her.

The daughter of Commander-General Aramaki?

At this moment, Uryu was still immersed in the shock brought by Hachiryuu's identity.

It's fine, it's fine~

You don't need to kneel at the drop of a hat like the idiot Ikkaku~

Actually, I don't really care about my identity, and there's no need for others to kneel to me~

Hachiryuu, hearing this, approached Orihime's front, chuckling as she spoke.

Your Highness Hachiryuu, you are too tolerant and magnanimous~

You truly have a bodhisattva's heart!

"She's the goddess of our Eleven Squad!"

As soon as Baqianliu's words fell, Banmu Yijiao and the others immediately gathered around her, showering her with all kinds of rainbow flattery.

"Um…"

That left Baqianliu speechless.

"…"

But seeing this, Zhi Ji seemed to understand something.

"Let's go back together with Baqianliu~"

Zhi Ji stepped in front of Baqianliu, scooped her up, and said cheerfully.

"Hey! Zhi Ji, are you kidding?"

"That's the enemy's headquarters!"

"If we go, our lives won't be safe~"

Yu Long heard that, his complexion changed slightly, and he leaned in front of Zhi Ji, murmuring.

"I believe Baqianliu won't harm me…"

After hearing Yu Long's words, Zhi Ji said very seriously.

"Besides, leaving Baqianliu alone would make her too lonely~"

Then, Zhi Ji whispered in a voice only she could hear.

Perhaps Zhi Ji had once tasted loneliness as a child, so she saw her own younger self in Baqianliu. It has nothing to do with whether Baqianliu has a father's or mother's love; rather, Baqianliu's status is so sensitive that those around her dare not interact with her on equal footing. Consequently, from childhood to now, the only one who dared to stay by her side and mess around with her has been Gengmu Jianba alone.

"Zhi Ji, will you accompany me back?"

Baqianliu asked Zhi Ji.

"Of course~"

Zhi Ji patted Baqianliu's little head, smiling kindly.

"Great~"

"Then from today onward we're friends~"

Baqianliu perched on Zhi Ji's ample lap and said with a smile.

"Hmm~ we're friends…"

Hearing that, Zhi Ji nodded vigorously.

"In any case, becoming friends with the Soul Society's princess is a good thing."

"As for our ultimate goal—finding Kuchiki Rukia and taking her away—it might be a shortcut, or maybe not~"

Yu Long, standing nearby, first adjusted the glasses on his nose bridge, then muttered to himself. Though endless unease still lingered in his heart, besides returning with Baqianliu there seemed to be no better solution~

"I think she has no ill intentions," Tai Hu said softly, looking at the heavy‑hearted Yu Long beside him. "If she wanted to kill us, we'd already be dead."

"…"

After hearing Tai Hu's words, Yu Long fell silent.

After several tens of seconds passed, Yu Long finally nodded lightly: "I understand."

After Zhi Ji and Baqianliu became friends, Zhi Ji, Yu Long, and Tai Hu followed Baqianliu to the Eleven Squad's barracks. Under Baqianliu's and Yijiao's watch, they could temporarily claim to be the safest among all those invading the Soul Society this time.

"Come to think of it, I still have a question I haven't asked?"

"Baqianliu, how old are you today?"

On the way to the Eleven Squad, Zhi Ji patted Baqianliu's little head and asked softly.

"Hmm? Let me calculate properly…"

"My father and mother each gave me a birthday, two birthdays…"

"…My father and mother together have celebrated six birthdays with me, which means I'm already six years old this year~"

After Baqianliu counted on her fingers and did the math, she answered with a bright smile.

"Six years old? You call that six years old?"

"Six years old and already this level of spiritual pressure?"

Before Zhi Ji could speak, Yu Long was already stunned.

"Mietu Master, what exactly are you surprised about?"

"Princess Baqianliu's father is the strongest Shinigami in the history of the Soul Society, and her mother is a member of the legendary First Generation Gotei, also one of the oldest and strongest Shinigami. Princess Baqianliu inherits the strengths of both parents, so possessing such spiritual pressure is expected, isn't it? In fact, if Princess Baqianliu didn't have that level of power, it would be the strange one…"

Yijiao glanced at Yu Long, looked at his shocked expression, and sneered.

"Yijiao~"

Baqianliu heard that and looked at Yijiao.

"Vice‑captain, I'm here~"

Upon hearing that, Yijiao hurriedly hopped in front of Baqianliu.

"Smack~"

Baqianliu grabbed the sheath of her Zanpakutō and knocked it against Yijiao's forehead.

"You really are an idiot~"

At the same time, Baqianliu evaluated Yijiao like that.

"Eh? Idiot? I'm an idiot?"

Yijiao wasn't bothered by Baqianliu's forehead knock; what mattered to him was that she called him an idiot.

"Gong Qin, am I an idiot?"

Yijiao gently patted his aching chest and asked his close friend Gong Qin.

"Otherwise…?"

In response, Gong Qin rolled a massive white eye.

"It hurts! My chest hurts…"

After being repeatedly called a fool by the princess and a close friend…

Yi Jiao only felt his chest unbearably painful.

Pain! He was truly in agony! He finally realized he had been misled…

Meanwhile, on the other side.

After Hei Qi Yi Hu was knocked flying by Geng Mu Yidao, the two fought farther apart, chasing each other from the sky of the Jing Ling Court until they finally landed in a forest.

"There should be no one here to hinder our fight now."

Hei Qi Yi Hu looked at Geng Mu Jianba and said coldly.

"Haha~"

Geng Mu merely let out a light laugh, saying nothing more.

"No matter who you are, I will give my all from now on! Be careful…"

After speaking, Hei Qi Yi Hu, brandishing his Bankai‑activated Zanpakuto, stepped before Geng Mu Jianba and swung straight at his shoulder.

"Ding~"

Geng Mu naturally noticed Hei Qi Yi Hu's move; he held his sword with one hand, lightly deflected the slash, then applied a slight wrist force, tossing Hei Qi Yi Hu into the air.

"What?"

Hei Qi Yi Hu, after being tossed by Geng Mu, stared wide‑eyed.

He stared blankly at Jianba, then asked, "Could it be that you've already achieved Bankai?!"

"Stop joking. Your ears aren't working, but your eyes shouldn't be blind yet. Open them wide and see clearly—my Zanpakuto is still in its original form. In other words, up to now I haven't even used the initial release! Kid…"

Geng Mu Jianba, shouldering his pre‑release Zanpakuto, said coldly to Hei Qi Yi Hu.

"You haven't even used the initial release?!"

"How could the gap between us be so huge?"

Hei Qi Yi Hu was somewhat puzzled; he couldn't comprehend the massive gap between himself and Geng Mu.

But it was indeed a challenge for Hei Qi Yi Hu; he had only just mastered Bankai. Compared with the Ichigo of the same period in the original work, though strong, he hadn't become much stronger…

And his opponent, however, had surpassed the "Blood War Arc" Jianba, even surpassing the original work's self—once hailed as the strongest Jianba in history—appearing as a stronger Jianba, Geng Mu~

"Hei Qi Yi Hu, is this all you can do?"

"I'm so disappointed in you…"

Geng Mu Jianba said, and his figure had already moved in front of Hei Qi Yi Hu; he raised his hand and swung straight at Hei Qi Yi Hu.

"Swish!"

Accompanied by a bright red slash soaring into the sky, Hei Qi Yi Hu, struck by Geng Mu's power, bore a massive wound across his body.

"It's over…"

Before Hei Qi Yi Hu could catch his breath, Geng Mu, disappointed, swung his second blade.

"Am I going to die?"

Hei Qi Yi Hu's complexion shifted slightly, his eyes flashing with a hint of despair.

He had clearly become stronger, had clearly learned Bankai, yet he hadn't even seen Lu Qi Ya's face, and now this?!

"Boom!"

Just as Hei Qi Yi Hu was on the brink of despair, Geng Mu suddenly brandished his blade, slashing toward the sky behind him; in an instant a golden slash shot upward into the clouds, like a massive golden hand, tearing the countless clouds apart…

"Ah?!"

For a moment, Geng Mu was stunned.

"So tragic~ little Ichigo~"

Just as Geng Mu wondered why his blade hadn't struck Hei Qi Yi Hu, a mocking voice rang out…

A man with a mushroom haircut and short golden hair, twirling a ring‑shaped Zanpakuto in his hand, appeared beside Hei Qi Yi Hu, timing unknown.

"Ping Zi?"

Hei Qi Yi Hu looked at the newcomer, was startled at first, then identified the person.

"Can you still stand up, Hei Qi Yi Hu?"

Ping Zi asked Hei Qi Yi Hu.

"Of course~"

Hei Qi Yi Hu answered affirmatively.

"Then get up quickly; this guy isn't someone I can handle alone~"

Ping Zi pointed at Geng Mu Jianba before them and said sternly.

"Huh…"

"I understand!"

Hei Qi Yi Hu said, exhaling a cloud of foul air, regaining his fighting spirit.

"Ping Zi Zhenzi and Captain Zhiba's son Hei Qi Yi Hu~"

But as Hei Qi Yi Hu rose, fine snow began to fall from the sky…

A boy with short silver‑white hair, looking like an elementary school student, had somehow been standing not far from Hei Qi Yi Hu and the others, on a frost‑covered treetop, gazing at Hei Qi Yi Hu and Ping Zi, and said lightly,

"Ri Ban Gu Dong Shi Lang? I didn't expect you to come…"

Before Hei Qi Yi Hu and Ping Zi could speak, as cherry blossom petals drifted from the sky, a man exuding icy coldness from head to toe, resembling a noble gentleman, wrapped in a haori, walked toward them.

"Xiu Mu Baiya!"

Hei Qi Yi Hu looked at the newcomer and snarled the name.

Bai Zai looked at Yi Hu without saying more; he had come today to eliminate the blond.

However, just as Bai Zai's petal was about to touch Yi Hu, it was blocked by snowflakes from the sky.

"Don't hinder me, Ri Fan Gu; I will kill him."

Bai Zai looked at Ri Fan Gu and said coldly.

"That can't be allowed!"

Ri Fan Gu's expression changed slightly, and he warned Bai Zai.

"What's their situation, internal strife?"

Yi Hu's expression froze; he seemed to sense something amiss in the air, that Bai Zai intended to kill him, yet that silver‑haired youth protected him…

"That silver‑haired youth is called Ri Fan Gu Dong Shi Lang, and he was your father's former deputy!"

"Even the fact that he can now inherit the 'Ten Squad' is due to your father's wholehearted recommendation! One could say Ri Fan Gu is half a disciple of your father~"

Ping Zi Zhen Zi explained Xiao Bai's identity to Yi Hu.

"So, that means he's one of us!"

Yi Hu suddenly had an epiphany.

"It can be said that way too!"

Ping Zi paused briefly, then nodded.

"Nonsense! I have nothing to do with you! I'm not your so‑called own people; don't try to force a connection here!"

Ri Fan Gu frowned; he didn't want to get involved with the travel calamity.

He came to inquire about Yi Xin's whereabouts~

"Ha ha, there are indeed many uninvited guests, but since you came, just leave them all here for me!"

"I will defeat every one of you, leaving none…"

At the moment Ri Fan Gu finished speaking, Gengmu Jianba, who had originally been afflicted by Ping Zi Zhen Zi's initial release and was lost in disorientation, had just recovered; he roared at everyone present like a beast with blood‑red eyes.

Hmm, forming a party now, time to fight the BOSS~

13,000! Grand Chapter!