Chapter 68: line with translation of chapter title

The boundless surpasses the finite, the formless surpasses the formed, the imperishable surpasses the decayed.

After Bailigang attained complete enlightenment, he realized that his former self had been utterly foolish, like a frog in a well; this "world" was far greater than he had imagined.

"Bailigang, do you understand now?"

When Huangmu's voice rang in Bailigang's ears once again, Bailigang finally came to his senses…

All around him changed once more; the glazed pure land faded slowly, and the hollow realm covered in white sand appeared before his eyes.

"You should go back, return to where you belong!"

After the Sovereign of the Boundless, Formless, and Imperishable in the sky spoke golden words to Bailigang, its form dimmed once more, but Bailigang knew that the Sovereign was beside him; as long as he firmly believed in the Sovereign's existence, it was as if the Sovereign had come to his side.

"I will obey the Sovereign's command!"

The moment Bailigang's words fell, he had already returned once again to the hollow realm; he first bowed slightly before the death god before him as a sign of respect, then glanced down at "Ji Ba" and let out a cold snort: "Hmph~"

Bailigang's snort fully revealed his contempt for Ji Ba.

"Tsk tsk~"

Huangmu looked at Bailigang, who seemed like a different person, clicked his tongue, and honestly said he still preferred the previous "unruly and untamed" "Hollow King Majesty"~

"What do you mean by this?!"

Before Huangmu could speak, Ji Ba took the lead in challenging Bailigang, glaring at him and demanding coldly.

"I should be the 'Chief'!"

Bailigang coldly watched Ji Ba voice his dissatisfaction.

"Hehe~ Too bad the 'Chief' you had your eye on belongs to this great one!"

"And as for your friend, you can only be the lowly junior~"

Ji Ba heard this, revealed a lewd smile, and mocked Bailigang.

"Damn it!"

Upon hearing this, Bailigang flew into a rage again and, mid-sentence, was about to launch an attack at Ji Ba.

"How? You think that just because you've had some enlightenment you can defeat this great one? Daydreaming!"

Ji Ba, seeing Bailigang flying into a rage, likewise assumed an attacking stance.

For a moment, the atmosphere between Bailigang and Ji Ba sank to an extreme.

"Enough! Let your fight stop here! Since you've both had some enlightenment, act like those who have—don't start fighting over a disagreement…" Seeing that Bailigang and Ji Ba were about to clash again, Huangmu flashed a hint of helplessness, drew his Zanpakuto from his waist, placed it between them, and said coldly: "Of course, if anyone is unwilling, feel free to fight me! Whether you want me to deal with Bailigang or Ji Ba, I'll accompany you to the end!"

"Hmph~"

After hearing Huangmu's words, the two top-tier hollows, Bailigang and Ji Ba, first glared at each other, then nearly simultaneously said to Huangmu: "I naturally submit to you! I just don't accept him!" ×2

"You bastard! Why are you copying my words?!" ×2

Immediately afterward, Bailigang and Ji Ba spoke again, nearly in unison.

"All right! Starting today, take the Great Hollow Forest as the boundary—Bailigang, you control the west side of the Great Hollow Forest, and Ji Ba, you take charge of the east side! There's no need to see each other… Do you have any objections?"

Huangmu also realized that hoping for Bailigang and Ji Ba to coexist peacefully was simply wishful thinking, so he used the Great Hollow Forest as a boundary to divide their territories.

"I have no objections!"

Upon hearing this, Bailigang agreed without hesitation to Huangmu's division of his territory.

"Hmm…"

Huangmu smiled faintly; in fact, he was also testing Bailigang. Bailigang's reaction now pleased Huangmu immensely. As the Hollow King, Bailigang didn't seem to care much for his own territory, indicating that his Zanpakuto had purified… this shows Bailigang's heart is "sincere"; he sincerely takes refuge in that Sovereign, and his refuge is thorough.

"I protest! If all the hollows run over to Bailigang's side later, what will I eat?!"

However, before Huangmu could fully relax, Ji Ba, standing beneath him, shouted first.

"Eh?!"

In response, Huangmu merely lowered his head and gave the other a cold stare.

"Um…"

"Actually, I've been eating too much lately, my digestion is a bit off, and I don't really have to eat anything."

Ji Ba looked at Huangmu's icy gaze as if struck by lightning…

For a moment, the formerly high-spirited Ji Ba instantly lowered his head, seen hunching his neck as he spoke gently to Huangmu.

Well, it's not that Ji Ba is being willful; it's just that Ji Ba has a poor appetite…

"Great! From today on, you two shall get along friendly and harmoniously~"

Huangmu was very pleased with Ji Ba's reaction; as a Hollow-Eater, Ji Ba could overcome desire for the sake of his inner "faith," which is also a kind of enlightenment.

"By the way, Bailigang! I have some things I want to discuss with you."

After Huangmu had divided the territories for Bailigang and Ji Ba, ensuring they wouldn't clash over territory, he turned his head once more toward Bailigang, preparing to initiate the layout for the hollow realm as planned.

"You say…"

Upon hearing this, Bailigang immediately stepped forward to Huangmu, adopting an attitude of attentive listening.

"Help me keep an eye out in the hollow realm for any beings with the potential to evolve into Vasto Lorde-level great hollows; I will form an organization composed entirely of high-ranking great hollows!"

Huangmu said to Bailigang.

"I understand!"

Upon hearing this, Bailigang immediately nodded repeatedly; after obtaining his true name "Vikara," he had already grasped Huangmu's plan, and he also knew that besides himself and Ji Ba, ten companions awaited their return.

"Good! Then go to your palace for a visit; I want to build some things there."

Huangmu looked at Bailigang and said.

"Good!"

Bailigang agreed without hesitation to Huangmu's request.

Although Bailigang didn't know exactly what Huangmu intended to build in his palace, anything Huangmu wanted to construct would surely have deep meaning and reason.

"This way!"

Bailegang said, leading the way for Huangmu.

Hmm.

Huangmu gave a light nod, then immediately followed Bailegang's silhouette and vanished into the sky.

For a moment, only the hulking Ji ba remained, staring longingly at the direction where Huangmu and Bailegang had disappeared, rooted to the spot. Because Bailegang's palace lay in the west of the Great Void Forest, the overseer of the east, Ji ba, could not follow, leaving him feeling rather displeased. He thought to himself: "I was the first to arrive!"

In the Great Void Forest.

Aqiu~

With a backhanded swing, the Immortal who had just cleaved a Gillian in half from head to toe suddenly sneezed; seeing her brows furrowed, she muttered to herself: "Who's imitating my way of speaking?!"

On the other side……

Huangmu and Bailegang had already arrived at Xu ye gong. Compared to the luxurious palace complex built by Aizen Sousuke in later generations, the Xu ye gong before them was too dilapidated; rather than calling it a palace, it was more like a few huge pillars erected on an empty plot of land, overall showing a dilapidated appearance……

Bailegang even didn't bother to build a ceiling for the palace, simply creating an open-air design, then placed a chair made of piled-up bones at the end of the plaza, and proudly declared: "A true king should have the sky as his roof!"

It must be said, as an ancient Great Void, Bailegang's aesthetic still remains stuck in his era; even his palace bears a chaotic appearance.

"Lord Huangmu, how is my palace?!"

Upon arriving at Xu ye gong, Bailegang proudly lifted his head and asked Huangmu.

Because Bailegang's habit of addressing Huangmu as 'Holy Lord' or 'Holy King' made Huangmu uncomfortable, he specifically asked Bailegang to change his form of address to 'Lord'.

Sigh……

This place is really not bad.

Huangmu sighed, but still acknowledged the grandeur of Bailegang's palace.

Huangmu simply couldn't be bothered to correct Bailegang's aesthetic; someone would handle that later. After praising Bailegang, he used his Soul-Cutting Sword to create a 'green hot spring' at the center of Bailegang's palace……

Hmm, this hot spring is similar to the one Huangmu built outside the Great Void Forest for the Soul Reapers, though there are some differences.

"This is an Evolution Pool; as long as you throw a Hollow's corpse into it, it will produce endless evolution fluid, helping the Great Voids soaking in it to accelerate their evolution! At the same time, this Evolution Pool can also display the potential of each Great Void……"

"In other words, if you encounter a Great Void you fancy, letting it soak in the pool will tell you whether it has the potential to evolve into a Vasto Lorde! Unfortunately, however, the fluid in this Evolution Pool has no effect on the highest-ranking Great Voids."

Huangmu explained the function of this hot spring before Bailegang.

Huh?!

When Bailegang heard that the hot spring could help Great Voids evolve, his expression immediately shifted.

Then he heard Huangmu say that the Evolution Pool had no effect on Vasto Lorde, whereupon Bailegang could only helplessly give Huangmu a slight nod: "I understand!"

Although Bailegang felt a bit regretful, there was nothing to be done—after all, under normal circumstances, Vasto Lorde is the pinnacle of Great Void evolution!

To break through further, one would have to introduce the concept of Hollowfication……

"Then I leave this place, Bailegang, to you! Guard my Evolution Pool well!"

"If you discover anything, you should know how to inform me."

Huangmu said as his figure vanished on the spot.

Hmm……

Bailegang immediately straightened his posture upon seeing Huangmu depart, and slightly bowed in the direction Huangmu had gone to show his respect.

There's still one more thing……

"Although your palace is indeed not bad, Bailegang, don't you think it's really too dark here?"

Upon hearing the voice, Bailegang did not see Huangmu's figure; obviously Huangmu's speed was too great—he had already left, leaving only an echo all around.

Too dark……

Bailegang sat on his throne, murmuring Huangmu's words.

He pondered for a long time, and finally Bailegang seemed to have thought of a great idea; he raised his head and roared at the dark palace: "Come forth!"

My liege, I am here!

As Bailegang's words fell, one after another Adjuchas-level Great Void emerged from the darkness around the black palace. In fact, these intermediate Great Voids had always been hiding around Xu ye gong, in places where the moonlight couldn't reach, because their Majesty had said that if there was nothing going on, they shouldn't wander aimlessly before his eyes, lest they be an eyesore……

"Your Majesty, that guy in the white haori just now—could he be a Soul Reaper?"

"I heard from the brothers stationed inside the Great Void Forest that a group of Soul Reapers has come into the forest, madly hunting our kin; what do you think—should I lead a team to wipe them out?!"

An eager Adjuchas sidled up to Bailegang, constantly fawning.

I asked you!

Hearing that, Bailegang turned his head toward that Adjuchas and asked in a cold voice.

Uh……

The Adjuchas felt Bailegang's coldness, shivered involuntarily, knowing he had displeased Bailegang, and immediately looked at him to explain: "No! Your Majesty! You know I am utterly loyal to you; you know I don't mean that, I……"

I said I asked you!

Bailegang rudely cut off the Adjuchas's explanation and continued to ask.

You… you didn't ask me.

The Adjuchas's voice trembled unnaturally.

"Good! According to Xu ye gong's rules, you can go die!"

Bailegang said, reaching out his hand toward that Adjuchas; instantly, the black power of 'Aging' swept over it.

Whoosh~

There was no pain, no scream; the moment Bailegang's power touched the Adjuchas, it scattered into white sand across the ground.

What did you all just see?!

After Bailegang eliminated that Adjuchas, he questioned the remaining intermediate Great Voids.

Your Majesty, we saw nothing!

Each intermediate Great Void lowered its head, pressing its snout to the ground, and replied respectfully.

"Very good! Go help me find some glowing things. I recall that in recent years, a very strange Hollow has been born near the Great Void Forest! Their heads have a glowing light bulb on them, which can apparently transform into a weak lure to attract even weaker prey! Haha, truly a weak Hollow, its abilities are so pitifully weak! Find these strange Hollows for me; I want to use the lights on their heads to decorate my palace!"

"Bailer Gang has been in the Hollow realm since ancient times; he has seen truly too many types of Hollow, including such as Ji Ba Hollow-eating, of which he has seen over a dozen, but the power of these Hollow-eating is extremely limited; they don't even have the ability to evolve into a Gillian..."

"Among the myriad types of Hollow, there is a type that even Bailer Gang remembers vividly: that type of Hollow has a light-bulb-like lure on its head used to attract prey, although its power is not strong, it is quite interesting~"

"Oh, right, the appearance of that Hollow is just like an anglerfish."

"Yes, sir!"

"The Adjuchas all, upon hearing Bailer Gang's words, first exchanged glances and then replied in unison."

"All right! You all step back; I'm getting a bit tired."

"I hope that after I wake up, I can see a hundred of those Hollows' heads."

"Bailer Gang looked at the Adjuchas kneeling on the ground, casually waved his hand, indicating that his subordinates could withdraw."

"We understand!"

"The Adjuchas, upon hearing this, had their eyes blaze with fighting spirit; they were determined to collect a hundred of those Hollows' heads before their companions."

"GrandFisher: 'Don't come over!'"

"By now, every light bulb used to illuminate the night in the Xu ye gong is made from the head of a Hollow of the same kind as GrandFisher."

"That way, when Lord Araki next visits the Xu ye gong, my palace won't be as pitch-black as it is now."

"I'm sure that by then, Lord Araki will be able to feel my respect for him from each glowing head, one after another."

"Bailer Gang is now full of confidence."

"Although he doesn't have Aizen's godlike skill to remodel the Xu ye gong and create an artificial sky, he is quite good at making use of waste."

"A massive chapter of four thousand characters!"

"(End of chapter)"