Chapter 50: Sugar‑Coated Cannonball from the Monk (First Update)

The Spirit King Palace and the Tranquil Spirit Court have 72 barriers that can only be broken with the King's Key.

In other words, an ordinary Soul Reaper wanting to use equipment similar to the freely flying gear used by Yoruichi of the Shihōin family in the original story to fly up to the Spirit King Palace, or relying solely on their own ability to fly up, or like a Quincy or Fullbringer gathering or manipulating spirit particles to form footholds and climb up bit by bit, is completely impossible.

Even Aizen, whose scheming is near 'God', or Yhwach, who is himself the son of 'God', cannot bypass those 72 barriers! Thus, entering the Spirit King Palace requires the King's Key, which is the skeleton of a Zero Division member reforged by the Spirit King's power after being selected.

Boom—

With a roar, the Heavenly Pillar Palanquin launched by the Shiba Cannon finally landed on the Omotesando of the Spirit King Palace.

We're here!

As the Heavenly Pillar Palanquin's doors opened, the monk stepped out first, leaving Araki a seemingly nonchalant back view.

…

Araki noticed the monk's haori bearing the Zero Division emblem, his brows slightly furrowed. He hadn't paid much attention before, but upon close inspection he realized the arrangement of the four sweet olive flowers in the Zero Division emblem matched exactly the four pupils in the Spirit King's eyes. Araki said nothing more, simply following closely behind the monk…

The moment Araki set foot on the Omotesando of the Spirit King Palace, he felt an invisible spiritual pressure weigh upon him; the density of spirit particles in the Spirit King Palace far exceeded that of the Soul Society and even the Tranquil Spirit Court! Those with weaker spirit bodies or spiritual pressure would find it hard to move an inch here.

"Celebrate! This is not a place an ordinary Soul Reaper can bring you to!"

The monk walked forward while giving Araki the expression that said you've really made a killing by getting here.

"That's truly overwhelming gratitude."

Araki, while adapting to the spirit particle density of the Spirit King Palace, responded perfunctorily to the monk.

"This is the Omotesando; you can think of it as a transfer station. Now look up… those two things resembling pot lids in the sky are my and Shihōin Yoruichi's detached palaces; the tower-like structure above them is the Spirit King's Inner Court, where the Spirit King rests—strictly speaking, that is the true Spirit King Palace."

The monk seemed unaware of the difference in spirit particle density in the air, or perhaps he had long grown accustomed to the Spirit King Palace's density; as he strode forward, he introduced the situation to Araki behind him.

"Hmm…"

Araki followed behind the monk, looking up as the monk spoke, and indeed saw the two pot‑lid‑like objects and a tower‑like palace.

Araki had already braced himself for the sight before him, and by observing the only two pot‑lid‑like detached palaces of the Zero Division members in the sky, he could confirm that the Zero Division currently had exactly two members.

"The hearts of the Zero Division members?"

Araki gazed at the detached palaces, his eyes slightly narrowed; he knew those palaces were not simple. The Zero Division's detached palaces are not merely places for members to rest, live, and work; they are the very foundation of the members' lives. As long as a member's detached palace remains intact, the member is effectively immortal—even if killed, they can be revived…

In other words, the Zero Division's physical bodies are not important; the detached palaces are. So if one truly wishes to oppose the Zero Division, after defeating its members one must never forget to destroy their detached palaces to prevent resurrection, especially that of this monk.

"I get the feeling Araki, you're now contemplating something extremely dangerous."

While the monk was explaining the composition of the Spirit King Palace to Araki, as Araki stared blankly at the detached palaces in the sky, the monk suddenly shuddered, turned his head, and saw Araki narrowing his eyes at the detached palaces…

At that moment, beads of cold sweat involuntarily appeared on the monk's forehead; he felt that his and Shihōin Yoruichi's secret had been completely seen through by Araki.

"By the way, where did the Sword God go?!"

Araki did not answer the monk's question; after scanning the surroundings he suddenly noticed that the figure of the Sword God, Shihōin Yoruichi, seemed to have vanished, so he asked the monk.

"Yoruichi? I sent him to fetch something for me; you don't need to worry about him, just keep following me."

Upon hearing that, the monk opened his large eyes, looked around, confirmed Yoruichi was truly absent, and then explained to Araki.

"Oh."

Araki nodded lightly upon hearing that, though he didn't believe a word of what the monk said.

That old monk is a real piece of work! Can't be trusted.

"So shall we first go to the Spirit King's Inner Court to pay respects to the Spirit King?"

Araki asked the monk.

"Not yet! First come with me to my detached palace; I have something to give you."

The monk shook his head slightly upon hearing that; he seemed to have his own plan.

"Oh?! Not to test whether my abilities work on the Spirit King? If I don't see the Spirit King, how can I know whether my abilities can actually affect him?!"

Araki raised his eyebrows at the monk; his wariness toward the monk has not lessened so far.

"Your spiritual pressure is too weak! With your current strength, even if your abilities could truly affect the Spirit King, you couldn't gather all the fragments he lost and reassemble them onto his body…"

"Therefore, before letting you meet the Spirit King, I believe it necessary to first raise your strength to the peak of the 'Soul Reaper' concept!"

The monk explained to Araki why he must first go to his detached palace before visiting the Spirit King's Inner Court to see the Spirit King.

That is, Araki's spiritual pressure is simply too weak; although he has reached the standard of second‑tier spiritual might, it's still far below what the monk expects.

"The peak of the 'Soul Reaper' concept, in other words, is first‑tier spiritual might?!"

Upon hearing the monk's words, Araki's expression finally shifted.

"Exactly so!"

The monk looked at Araki's surprised expression and gave a simple, honest smile, nodding his head.

"First‑tier spiritual might" is extremely rare among the Thirteen Court Guard Squads of the Soul Society and Tranquil Spirit Court; even counting those in the Spirit King Palace's Zero Division who possess this level, the total would absolutely not exceed the number of fingers on one hand.

When a Soul Reaper's spiritual pressure reaches this level, they will not die easily; once they do, they will directly break the balance of the three worlds, potentially causing a huge crisis that could overturn the three worlds.

"Interesting!"

Araki's lips curled slightly upon hearing that.

Araki knows there's no free lunch; the monk's seemingly kind intention to help him boost his strength likely also aims to use him for some purpose. So‑called strength enhancement is merely a sugar‑coated cannonball—for Araki, his attitude toward the monk is to swallow the sugar coating whole and send the cannonball right back!

"It seems Araki, you've already made a decision."

The monk looked at Araki's smiling face and likewise broke into a smile.

"Of course."

Araki gave a slight nod; when it's time to be brave, one must be brave.

Before a tiger, there is no moat; before a coward, every step is a pitfall!

(This book's setting for spiritual might levels has been slightly altered, because the spiritual might setting itself is not entirely complete, so even a secondary setting!

This book positions the old man Shan and Sister Hua, whom Sal Abro called powerful spiritual pressure Soul Reapers in the Hell Chapter, as first‑tier spiritual might; of course, the same first‑tier old man and Sister Hua also have great differences.

Then, Sal's mouth contained the friend who could suppress the Gates of Hell, Yhwach, and Aizen opening a new level called 'Special‑tier' spiritual might, or 'Wedge‑tier', which is the level of spiritual pressure that can replace the Spirit King as the 'wedge' stabilizing the three worlds.

Otherwise, there would truly be too many people with second‑tier spiritual might, with power fluctuating too much, really becoming half‑step second‑tier, early second‑tier, mid second‑tier, full second‑tier, half‑step first‑tier, etc. —that would be really awkward…)

Thanks to reader Bing Tang Xiao Xiao Li for the 100 reward~

(End of chapter)