The Supreme Soul, Starting with Death

Gu Shi's suggestion sounded very feasible, and Tianpeng couldn't help but beam with joy upon hearing it. However, after a brief moment of happiness, she scratched her head in distress.

Preparing a small alchemy furnace is a good idea, but what materials are needed to make it?

Through continuous alchemy practice, Tianpeng had discovered some patterns. She knew very well that during alchemy, the pressure inside the furnace would increase to an extremely high level due to the large amount of spiritual energy released and the surging flames ignited by that energy.

Even if she used a rock the size of a small mountain as a furnace lid, she would have to use all her strength to press it down so that the lid wouldn't be blown off by the pressure. You can imagine how great the pressure inside the furnace was.

In the past, alchemy furnaces were simply pits dug in the ground, with the earth forming the furnace walls. No matter how high the pressure, there was no need to worry about the furnace exploding. Even if the furnace walls couldn't withstand the pressure and cracked, it didn't matter. Just repair them and refine the pills again, and the pressure would naturally press the repaired areas back to their original firmness.

According to Gu Shi's approach, using a small alchemy furnace for secondary refining requires putting in multiple inferior pills at the same time. The internal space of the furnace is smaller, but it needs to hold more spiritual energy than the earthen pit furnace, so it is conceivable that the internal pressure will be greater than before.

So, what materials should this small alchemy furnace be made of to withstand the pressure and prevent it from exploding?

Does such a material really exist?

When Tianpeng expressed his concerns, the first thing that came to Gu Shi's mind was the phrase "controlling the heat." Almost all novels with alchemy plots emphasize the techniques of controlling the heat, and in some novels, the techniques of controlling the heat are even considered advanced cultivation methods.

Even in Journey to the West, when Laozi was refining elixirs, he had to be very particular about the heat and the flames. He had to use the magic banana leaf fan to fan the fire, and the flames had to be the famous Samadhi True Fire.

But this isn't a real world of cultivation. How can an ordinary Great Void control flames?

If controlling the flames doesn't work, then how about strengthening the alchemy furnace?

The world of Bleach doesn't have any outrageous materials like the Essence of Mystic Iron, but doesn't it still have Killing Intent Stones?

The outer walls of the Seireitei and the inner walls of the Death Prison are basically constructed of pure killing stone. This material is not only strong, but also has an almost absolute effect of isolating spiritual energy.

If a stone coffin were made from the Killing Stone and a person were stuffed inside, even a weak captain-level Grim Reaper would probably be unable to escape on their own. It would be perfect for making alchemy furnaces, as it would prevent the furnace from exploding and also prevent the loss of spiritual energy.

Killing Stones from Soul Society are out of the question, but could Hueco Mundo have similar materials?

After all, if we only consider the concentration of spiritual energy, Hueco Mundo is actually superior to Soul Society. There's no reason why Hueco Mundo couldn't produce the same materials that Soul Society could.

After pondering for a moment and failing to come up with a third solution, Gu Shi shook his head and explained the situation regarding the Killing Intent Stone.

"Logically speaking, Hueco Mundo should definitely have materials similar to Killing Stones, but we just haven't discovered them yet. Tianpeng, you can dig around anywhere and see if you're lucky enough to find one."

At this point, Gu Shi himself felt that the hope was somewhat slim, paused for a moment, and then continued to add.

"When you encounter someone you can talk to, you can try to communicate with them and ask them if they have ever encountered a particularly hard rock."

"Or go a step further and tell those Hollows that if they can find an exceptionally hard rock, you can give them a Killian corpse to eat and help them evolve into Hollows. Some of the Hollows should be willing to help find the materials."

Tianpeng nodded repeatedly, feeling that the True Lord was indeed worthy of the title. No matter what question he raised, the True Lord could provide a solution, and even those insignificant little voids could be utilized. It was simply amazing.

It's worth mentioning that although the Forest of Hollows is called the Forest of Hollows, it doesn't mean that only Hollows live here. In fact, there are also a large number of Lesser Hollows living here. After all, the Killian evolved from Lesser Hollows. Without a large number of Lesser Hollows, the Killian in the Forest of Hollows wouldn't be so numerous as to be rampant.

However, the size of an ordinary small Void is at most four or five meters long and a little over three meters tall, which is similar to Gu Shi's size before his evolution. The spiritual power contained in his body is even more pitiful compared to that of a large Void.

Therefore, the Kylians, whose average height is over thirty meters, will subconsciously ignore these small creatures, treating them as insects running under their feet. They don't care about their loves and hates, and even if they are fighting fiercely under their feet, they won't bother to look down at them.

Of course, every group has its exceptions. Among the small Voids, there are some that can grow to be very large. For example, the centipede Void that caused Gu Shi and the others to fall into the Great Void Forest is a good example. Its body length is conservatively estimated to be over fifteen meters.

Such a size would naturally be a source of power and tyranny in the desert on the surface of Hueco Mundo, but in the Forest of Menos Grande, if a small Hollow dares to grow to more than ten meters, it will most likely not live for more than a few days and will be captured and eaten as a snack by any passing Killian.

After all, even if the spiritual energy in a piece of meat that is more than ten meters long is a bit thin, it is still enough to chew a couple of times. It is a snack that can be grabbed at will, so why not eat it?

Before meeting Gu Shi and Erlang, Tianpeng had lived alone in the Great Void Forest for a long time. Since becoming a Great Void, apart from once being lucky enough to discover a "little snack" passing by, she had never really paid attention to the little Voids running around her feet. Over time, even if she saw a little Void running past her, she would subconsciously choose to ignore it.

Only after Gu Shi mentioned it did Tianpeng realize—

So, there are also Lesser Hollows in the Great Hollow Forest.

Although those smaller Hollows are pitifully weak, they are numerous and come in various shapes and sizes. Some of them, such as beetles, moles, and earthworms, are actually better at digging and mining underground than the larger Hollows. If they could be utilized, it would indeed be a good option.

The thought that he could find the materials to build a pill furnace by spending some alchemy materials made Tianpeng very excited. He couldn't wait to find those little Void beings who he usually ignored.

Suddenly, a small mound rose from the ground beneath her feet, from which came a shrill, timid voice.

"Excuse me, I know where the really hard rock is, but I can't move it. Can I exchange it for half of a Kylian's body?"

The three of them, including Tianpeng, lowered their heads in astonishment. Even Gu Shi, the one who made the suggestion, felt that things were developing in a somewhat magical way. He never expected that the information would suddenly appear from under his feet right after the discussion.

Tianpeng sensed it carefully, then plunged one claw into the ground and pulled up the little guy hidden underground, along with a large clump of soil.

As Tianpeng moved, the loose soil was shaken off, revealing a large, snow-white rabbit.

Tianpeng's rough actions clearly frightened the little girl. She grabbed her two long ears, covered her eyes, buried her head in Tianpeng's claws, and trembled.

"I was wrong! I don't want anything anymore, please, please don't eat me, I don't taste good, I really don't taste good~"

The tearful pleas for mercy made the expressions of the three Hollows quite interesting.

How could there be such a cowardly fellow in the Void, which is known for its ferocity and rage?

pa: It's a bit late, but here's the second update. Please vote and add to your favorites!

Chapter Seventy-Three: His Escape

Hollows come in all sorts of bizarre shapes, resembling all sorts of animals. But in reality, a Hollow's personality and appearance have no necessary connection. Before falling into the Great Hollow Forest, Gu Shi had encountered a rat Hollow who was full of foul language and was still cursing his ancestors before his neck was bitten off. That irritable rat was anything but cowardly.

Many real-life examples have proven that although virtual creatures can appear to be timid, they are not actually timid.

Therefore, this creature, which looks like a rabbit and has a timid personality like a rabbit, seems somewhat magical.

"...Little guy, before you became intangible, you weren't actually human, you were really just a rabbit, were you?"

Gu Shi stared at this oddball for a while before finally considering the possibility that she was so timid, and asked a question without much hope.

Although the strength of a living being's soul is not strongly correlated with its body size—humans of the same height and weight might have vastly different soul strengths, with one being born with captain-level spiritual power and the other not even qualified to be a grim reaper—it is obvious which one has a stronger soul when placed next to an elephant.

The possibility of a small animal like a rabbit having a powerful soul is extremely low. Even Gu Shi himself thought it was unlikely when he asked.

However, the trembling rabbit whose ears were being grabbed actually nodded vigorously while shaking.

"Yes, yes, I used to be a rabbit. Rabbits really don't taste good, please don't eat me!"

Having received a positive reply from the big rabbit, Gu Shi couldn't help but look at Erlang with a teasing gaze, making Erlang appear somewhat embarrassed.

Clearly, if we only consider spiritual talent, this timid rabbit is probably dozens of times stronger than Erlang.

After all, Erlang had eaten a lot of spiritually rich ethereal flesh before finally achieving etherealization. Rabbits, being herbivores, do not have the instinct to become ethereal before their souls are etherealized, and probably wouldn't think of eating the souls of other animals. The plants they are willing to eat, however, do not have souls.

In other words, this rabbit probably didn't absorb any external spiritual energy after it died. It reached the minimum standard for becoming ethereal just by relying on its own spiritual energy. This performance can be said to completely outclass Erlang.

Feeling awkward under Gu Shi's gaze, Erlang quickly shouted at the big rabbit.

"Stop shaking! We definitely won't eat you. Now tell us where the stone is!"

Jiro shouted loudly, without even releasing the spiritual pressure of a Hollow, simply to divert attention from the awkward situation. However, his actions led to an even more awkward outcome—

The big rabbit was so frightened it fainted!

Yes, the Hollow was terrified by the roar that contained no spiritual pressure, and its hind legs continued to twitch even in its unconscious state, as if it were being chased by a terrifying creature even in its dream.

Looking at the limp rabbit, Erlang felt a chill run down his spine. Tianpeng's resentful gaze was even more stinging. He quickly reached out his paw, wanting to grab the big rabbit and shake it a few times to wake the little thing up.

But as soon as he made a move, Tianpeng retracted his claws and protected the big rabbit in his loosely clenched fist, clearly demonstrating his distrust of him through his actions.

With a twitch at the corner of his mouth, Jiro felt the air around him becoming increasingly suffocating. He chuckled dryly, then cleverly turned and strode towards the distant Kylian herd.

"Ha, ha, you guys go ahead with your work, I'm going to catch a super-sized Killian to reward this little guy!"

Watching Erlang flee in disarray, Gu Shi shook his head with amusement and looked at the large rabbit that Tianpeng had hidden in his palm.

"Alright, little guy, stop pretending to be dead. Tell me, where is that super hard rock you mentioned? If you find it, you'll get a whole Killian."

The big rabbit "fell unconscious" for a few more moments before carefully getting up, squatting in Tianpeng's palm, looking at Gu Shi ingratiatingly, and quietly defending itself.

"I, I didn't pretend to be dead on purpose. I was just scared and instinctively lay down."

In nature, many small animals have the instinct to play dead. Since this rabbit was a rabbit in its previous life, it's not surprising that it has retained this instinct. Gu Shi nodded in understanding and didn't feel that he had been deceived.

"Don't worry, I don't intend to pursue you or harm you. On the contrary, if the information you provide is true, I will protect you."

Upon hearing the word "protect," the big rabbit immediately became excited, bowing repeatedly to Gu Shi to express its gratitude. It did so quickly that its two big ears slapped loudly.

"Thank you! Thank you, True Lord! You're so kind! You're the best!"

Gu Shi narrowed his eyes, said nothing, and patiently waited for Big Rabbit to calm down before asking her to lead the way again. This time, Big Rabbit didn't cause any more trouble. After carefully discerning the direction, she immediately pointed southwest.

Gu Shigang was about to set off but then stopped, turning to look at the top of the stone pillar beside him, where the smell of blood had been gone for a while.

"Axido, how's your injury? Erlang went out hunting, and Tianpeng and I are going to find some things. There's no one to protect the camp. Do you want to come with us?"

The Shinigami, invited by the Great Hollow, opened his eyes, his gaze somewhat complicated. He got up, walked to the cave entrance, and shook his head.

"Sorry, my injuries have mostly healed. It's time to go out and hunt Void Spirits."

After declining Gu Shi's invitation, Asido felt inexplicably guilty and dared not meet Gu Shi's gaze, instead turning his head away and pretending to look into the distance.

For over two hundred years as a Shinigami, Asido was instilled with the idea that "the Great Hollows are evil and the Shinigami are righteous," a belief he firmly held, and considered himself a hero who protected ordinary people.

However, the dirty intrigues and struggles among the nobles that he had witnessed firsthand shattered his belief in "the justice of death."

While his companions chose to leave, he chose to stay in Hueco Mundo. In fact, his broken beliefs and self-abandonment were also at play. He hoped to die in the process of hunting Hollows, so that at least he could die on the road to protecting ordinary people, which was much better than going back and dying in the conspiracy of nobles.

Similarly, Asido, as a Grim Reaper, knew that the flesh and blood of Grim Reapers were very tempting to the Hollows after receiving Gu Shi's invitation, yet he still openly came to Gu Shi's camp to recuperate every time he was injured, without even cleaning up the blood on his body. It was also a similar self-destructive impulse at work.

Asido hoped that Gu Shi and the others would eat him, devour him, this delicious Grim Reaper, so that it would prove that Hollows were evil, and that his two-hundred-year-old creed, "The Hollows are evil, the Grim Reapers are righteous," was at least half right.

Therefore, sometimes even when he was capable of stopping the bleeding, he would let the wound reopen and bleed again, deliberately using the smell of his own blood to lure Gu Shi and the others.

But the truth is that even Erlang, who had the greatest appetite for him, never actually harmed him. Gu Shi would greet him and invite him to chat every time they met. Tianpeng would also invite him to listen to the stories during Gu Shi's daily storytelling session.

Two hundred years of beliefs have finally collapsed completely. Death is not just, and Hollows are not all evil. During his last Hollow hunt, Ashido even hesitated and doubted whether he should wield his sword or whether he could wield it.

The bewildered Shinigami was too afraid to face the friendly Hollow, unsure of how to interact with him.

Is he still as hostile and cold as he has been for the past two hundred years? But Gu Shi is not evil. He has never harmed him and has always been kind to him. If he does this, wouldn't he become the villain who hurts the other party's kindness?

Friendly interaction with the other party? What about my two hundred years of perseverance? What about my colleagues who sacrificed themselves under the fangs and claws of the Void Horde?

Death, who was originally only required to obey orders, thought independently for the first time with such depth. However, due to his lack of experience, he was unable to come up with an answer that would put his mind at ease, and could only choose the solution he had always despised the most—escape.

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Chapter 74 I really didn't have any bad intentions

Asido explicitly rejected Gu Shi's invitation, but Gu Shi was not going to give up easily.

Gu Shi had to admit that his purpose in making friends was not so pure. His initial decision to make more friends was because he was afraid of being too lonely in the universe in the future. He also recognized Tianpeng because he thought Tianpeng had shown talent in "alchemy". At this time, he deliberately befriended Asiduo because he had something to ask of this god of death.

During this time, Gu Shi and Erlang were very enthusiastic and worked hard, and together they developed a lot of martial arts (combat techniques). However, Gu Shi was just an ordinary person before he transmigrated, and Erlang was a dog before he became intangible. Neither of them had enough combat experience. Although their research seemed exciting, the things they developed were probably full of errors and omissions.