Chapter 237: The Trembling Void Night Palace

Ya Mi slowly lifted his head, and within his gaping blood‑red maw a blinding light was coalescing, while his spiritual pressure instantly surged to a terrifying level.

"Using Void Flash with such a massive body to try to destroy Kurosaki Town? Is Ya Mi that crazy?" Wu Er Qi Ao La frowned slightly, feeling a desire to retreat; he certainly didn't want to become Ya Mi's sacrifice.

Chu Yang moved a step ahead, soaring quickly into the sky; Fengdu circled in the void, outlining the shape of the Ghost Gate.

Carved with snarling hundred demons, the terrifying Hell Gate stood between heaven and earth; as Ya Mi released the Void Flash, the great gate opened.

The Void Flash, laden with extremely high spiritual pressure, seemed pulled by some force, abruptly curving in the air and plunging straight into the Ghost Gate.

Seeing this, Ya Mi tried to alter the Void Flash's trajectory, but discovered that his Void Flash was uncontrollable, continuously being sucked into the Ghost Gate.

He attempted to stop it, to cut off the Void Flash, but could not; the Ghost Gate, perched high in the heavens like a pump station, forcibly drew away Ya Mi's Void Flash, along with the spiritual particles in his body.

Pale‑faced, Ya Mi resembled a victim of a vampire's bite, unable to resist, watching himself be drained bit by bit.

His form, once a colossal mass that shrouded the city, gradually shrank back to its original size, and the fury bubbling from his heart turned completely into terror.

The Ghost Gate kept siphoning spiritual particles incessantly until Ya Mi was completely drained, turning into a pile of ash blown by the wind.

Wu Er Qi Ao La watched the entire death of Ya Mi from beside, a chill shooting straight to his celestial spirit cover; he wasn't afraid of death, but Ya Mi's manner of dying was far too terrifying for the Void.

Not only the Void; even the Shinigami would break into a cold sweat upon seeing it.

"There's another."

Chu Yang's voice sounded behind Wu Er Qi Ao La; startled, he turned and found the other standing just a few steps away.

Fengdu's sword light flashed, and Wu Er Qi Ao La's figure vanished, leaving a black rift that tore through space and slowly sealed.

"Black Resonance? You ran away pretty fast."

Chu Yang shook his head regretfully; Black Resonance is a skill the Broken Face uses, forcibly tearing space with spiritual pressure, and it can directly connect to the Void Night Palace, where Lan Ran resides.

This method of departure is a notch higher than the anti‑membrane layer Lan Ran once used in the Soul Society; the teleportation remains invulnerable, and if it isn't interrupted from the start, the only option is to watch the opponent leave.

From the moment Ya Mi's blade returned, Wu Er Qi Ao La had activated Black Resonance to depart; by the time Chu Yang dealt with Ya Mi, the chance to interrupt the skill had naturally passed.

Nevertheless, taking down a Ten Blade was some gain; the Ghost Gate devoured Ya Mi, and Fengdu's distance to Bankai shortened.

When we meet Lan Ran again, it will be the day of Bankai.

Chu Yang looked forward to that day.

Turning his head, Zhi Ji had already collapsed on the ground; the battle with Ya Mi had kept her mind intensely focused, and when her concentration slipped, the high‑intensity spiritual pressure shock overwhelmed her, causing her to faint.

Chu Yang hoisted Zhi Ji to leave, when several powerful spiritual pressure surges suddenly appeared nearby, rushing toward them.

Yi Hu, Lu Qi Ya, Pu Yuan Xi Zhu, Si Feng Yuan Ye Yi… they lingered around, never locating Chu Yang, because before joining the fight Chu Yang had erected a barrier around the area.

He even employed curses, magic, celestial arts, and more—not only to protect the city but also to prevent Wu Er Qi Ao La's departure.

The result was unsatisfactory: the city remained intact, yet Wu Er Qi Ao La escaped smoothly, making Chu Yang realize Black Resonance's capability far exceeded his expectations.

Chu Yang dismantled the barrier, and the few arrived before him without trouble.

"The aura just now was a Broken Face? Were you fighting a Broken Face?"

Pu Yuan Xi Zhu sensed the lingering spiritual pressure, his gaze lingering on the unconscious Zhi Ji.

"Two Broken Faces—one dead, one escaped. A guy named Wu Er Qi Ao La fled; they call themselves the Ten Blades under Lan Ran, possessing Shinigami‑transformation abilities."

Chu Yang gave a brief explanation of the current Void Circle's situation, most of which he already knew, speaking it out during the battle.

Pu Yuan Xi Zhu and the others were greatly shocked; they hadn't expected Lan Ran's development of the Crumbling Jewel to have reached this level, allowing mass production of Broken Faces at will.

"We must immediately inform the Soul Society, so that Jing Ling Ting takes this seriously."

Lu Qi Ya turned to a corner, using a custom communicator to contact Jing Ling Ting; she didn't know Jing Ling Ting had already detected Broken Faces appearing in the living world.

Compared to Lu Qi Ya's immediate thought of the Soul Society, Pu Yuan Xi Zhu's focus was entirely on Chu Yang's 'one dead, one escaped' remark.

"You single‑handedly defeated two Broken Faces?" Pu Yuan Xi Zhu's eyes flashed, astonished, saying, "I recall that captain‑rank Shinigami operating in the living world have their spiritual pressure limited."

"Did you obtain prior permission?"

Chu Yang shook his head: "No, my spiritual pressure was indeed restricted."

Hearing Chu Yang's candid words, Si Feng Yuan Ye Yi and Pu Yuan Xi Zhu silently exchanged glances.

Facing two Broken Faces while his spiritual pressure was limited, and still slaying one, is a level of combat power that, across the entire Soul Society, only a handful could achieve.

The young man before him had been a Shinigami for less than a year.

Yi Hu listened to their conversation, instinctively gripping the hilt of his Zanpakuto; then he inhaled deeply, stepped before Chu Yang and said, "Yang, thank you for saving Zhi Ji. Hand her over to me; I'll take her home."

"Perfect, I don't even know where her home is," Chu Yang casually placed Zhi Ji onto Yi Hu's shoulder; with someone helping to handle the trouble, he was so pleased he barely had time.

After Yi Hu left, Lu Qi Ya, having finished communicating with the Soul Society, returned, her expression solemn as she said, "The Soul Society will dispatch reinforcements to the living world."

Chu Yang frowned: "They still refuse to go to the Void Circle?"

"Yes." Lu Qi Ya sighed, "The chief commander still refuses to organize a team to the Void Circle, but I have already reported the matter of the Heavy Spirit Land upward."

Chu Yang fell silent; he knew what the Soul Society's plan was.

The Shinigami will create a false Kurosaki Town within the Soul Society, then swap it with the living world's Kurosaki Town, hiding the real Kurosaki Town inside the Soul Society.

After luring Lan Ran to the living world, both sides will wage a massive battle in the fake Kurosaki Town; Shan Ben Lao Tou hopes to gain some home‑field advantage.

The idea was good, but they underestimated the power of the Crumbling Jewel.

Lan Ran even leveraged life‑and‑death crises, undergoing multiple evolutions to reach a state beyond Shinigami power.

The evolved Lan Ran fought his way to the Soul Society, nearly achieving his goal.

Lan Ran's defeat was destined; Chu Yang didn't care about the opponent's fate, he only wanted Lan Ran's Crumbling Jewel.

Reinforcements from the Soul Society arrived quickly, and Chu Yang's house became packed with people.

Dong Shi Lang, looking like an elementary schooler, sat smugly on the sofa, while Lian Ci curiously roamed about, eyeing Chu Yang's house in the living world.

Song Ben Luan Ju was chatting with Lu Qi Ya; the two murmured softly, glancing toward Chu Yang from time to time.

Bang Mu Yi Jiao, with his sparkling bald head, bobbed back and forth before Chu Yang's eyes; sunlight hit his skull like a high‑wattage bulb.

Chu Yang instinctively pressed his hand against his head.

"Captain Yang, what are you doing?"

One corner raised an eyebrow, looking at Chu Yang with an unfriendly expression.

"It's too bright, could you find a hat for me to wear?"

Chu Yang said mercilessly.

One corner, angry in a fit, then, going with the flow, fetched a fisherman's hat from the wardrobe and put it on. Gengmu Jianba liked fighting Chu Yang the most, because the latter never held back and always left him near death.

One corner was one of the few onlookers; having witnessed this kind youth's ruthless cruelty, a heavy shadow settled in his heart.

The person he respected most was Gengmu Jianba, and his only wish was to die beside him.

But Gengmu Jianba was often beaten by Chu Yang, so he feared Chu Yang even more.

These few people were reinforcements from the Soul Society: one captain and three vice‑captains. Calling them reinforcements is less accurate than saying they are also bait.

The biggest bait was Chu Yang.

Everyone knows the grudge between him and Lanzu; as the one who originally destroyed Lanzu's plan, calling him a mortal enemy is not enough.

The Shattered Jade Restoration Project had been meticulously plotted by Lanzu for a hundred years, only to be ruined by a small accident.

As the source of the accident, Chu Yang must bear the resentment of a century's worth of Lanzu's efforts turning to nothing.

If Lanzu learned Chu Yang was in the mortal world, he would spare no effort to find him.

That was Old Man Yamamoto's exact words.

Knowing he had become bait, Chu Yang cursed, "Damn old man, when I get back I'll usurp the position, kick him down from the Chief's seat, demote him to cleaner, and wipe every corridor of the Jingling Court with a rag."

One corner silently walked to a corner and pretended not to hear.

Dong Shilang walked to the TV cabinet and began to pose theatrically.

The voices of Luan Ju and Luoqia suddenly grew louder, and they started a chaotic Q&A.

Only Lian Ci patted Chu Yang's shoulder, gave him a thumbs‑up, and honored him as a warrior.

"If you want to be Chief, first take down Lanzu, then we'll follow the Shinigami's rules."

Old Man Yamamoto's voice suddenly came from Lian Ci.

Chu Yang looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Then Lian Ci slowly pulled a communicator from his chest, grinned like an idiot, and said, "It's from the Soul Society side, I was just about to tell you."

"There's no dinner for you tonight, go eat shit." Chu Yang took the communicator and pushed Lian Ci aside.

From the other end, Old Man Yamamoto's voice sounded again, "While Lanzu isn't here, you all set up the barrier first; I'm going to transport the real Empty Seat Town to the Soul Society."

Chu Yang replied expressionlessly, "Understood."

After a while, Old Man Yamamoto sighed and reminded, "Don't let Lanzu snatch the Shattered Jade; if he gets two pieces of Shattered Jade, it will be a disaster for the whole world."

Chu Yang answered, "He can't take it."

Old Man Yamamoto, a bit frantic, said, "That brat actually dared to lie to me, the Shattered Jade is clearly on you, why didn't you say earlier!"

Chu Yang clicked his tongue and lied without a trace, "You didn't check it yourselves, it's none of my business; I only found out later."

The communicator side clanged with something being smashed, frightening Dong Shilang and the others into holding their breath until it quieted, after which the old man's voice sounded again.

"In short, after all this time you and the Shattered Jade have almost fused; it's hard to take it now unless you kill you."

"Remember, don't follow Lanzu's old path, don't get lost in power, don't entertain thoughts of becoming a god; the Shinigami's purpose is only one: to maintain the balance of the Three Realms!"

"You…"

Before the words finished, Chu Yang cut off the communicator, and a signal‑termination sound was heard.

Lian Ci gasped, eyes wide, and asked, "Are you crazy?!"

"Old people just love nagging; you should take better care of empty‑nest elders when you have time." Chu Yang said with a nonchalant face, then tossed the communicator to Lian Ci.

"The Chief doesn't need caring." Luan Ju shook her head, then stared at Chu Yang, "Do you also have Shattered Jade on you?"

Chu Yang turned to Luoqia, who instantly understood and asked, "The piece hidden inside my body?"

Chu Yang nodded.

Dong Shilang clasped his hands over his head, stretched lazily, "The Soul Society's endless tricks, we've checked countless times; how did you hide it?"

"It wasn't hidden; it went in by itself." Chu Yang's statement was true; the Shattered Jade drilled into the Soul Palace and couldn't get out, having nothing to do with him, so he couldn't be blamed.

"Does this thing have consciousness?" Dong Shilang asked curiously.

"In a sense, yes." Chu Yang thought the Shattered Jade resembled artificial intelligence; its understanding of the host's desires is precise, like a computer analyzing human behavior.

Hearing that the Shattered Jade had self‑awareness gave everyone a chill; that thing is unlike a Zanpakuto, not one with the soul.

"Let's stop talking about the Shattered Jade." Luoqia interrupted, reminding everyone, "First finish the mission; transporting the whole Empty Seat Town to the Soul Society isn't a small project."

"Alright, let's get moving."

All Shinigami, including Chu Yang, would be busy all night, and not only them; the Jingling Court was also acting from top to bottom, operating like a perfectly timed machine.

Meanwhile, a highly stimulated Ichigo began frantic Void‑training.

Xubai, also known as Zan Yue, sensed Ichigo's change, felt alarmed, and within a few days the kid abandoned his usual hesitation, his heart gradually becoming resolute.

Curious about Ichigo's reason for change, it asked during battle, "What's the reason you no longer hesitate?"

Ichigo roared, "If I keep stagnating, I won't be able to protect anyone around me, and moreover…"

"And what?" Xubai keenly sensed Ichigo's emotional shift.

Ichigo's eyes suddenly sharpened, "If I don't get stronger, I'll really never catch up to him…"

………

Void Night Palace.

Wuerqiola reported the situation in the mortal world to Lanzu.

Regarding his choice to abandon his companions and flee, some expressed disdain, others understanding.

Lanzu remained silent, terrifyingly silent.

Until…

He heard that person's name from Ulquiorra's mouth.

The entire Empty Night Palace began to tremble wildly.

Anger burned like fire.

(End of chapter)