The Supreme Soul, Starting with Death

"Ok?"

Urahara Kisuke unconsciously squeezed out a questioning syllable, wanting to ask Gu Shi if he was joking, but Gu Shi's expression was serious, and he didn't seem to be faking it.

Kisuke Urahara was used to thinking for himself, racking his brains to try to understand if there was any hidden meaning in the sentence. Yoruichi Shihouin was much simpler, directly asking "why," her craning neck and curious eyes making her look like a row of meerkats standing on the African savanna.

"It's very simple. Besides the Kyrians, there are also many Adjuchas in the Great Hollow Forest. The Adjuchas' Cero is more powerful, has stronger penetrating power, and has a longer range, making it possible to achieve beyond-visual-range attacks."

Gu Shi didn't intend to keep them in suspense and gave a straightforward explanation.

“If a battle breaks out between the Adjuchas, even if they are far beyond the limits of our vision, their Cero shots could still reach us.”

"The Adjuchas are generally not very large, usually between two and five meters tall. As long as they don't jump, their Cero shots are about that high."

As he spoke, Gu Shi used his claws to gesture at Urahara Kisuke and Shihouin Yoruichi from about two meters above the ground, and then stated his conclusion.

"It's about the height of your heads."

Both Grim Reapers were startled and quickly used Instant Step to jump into the air. They found a stone pillar and sat down on a protrusion more than ten meters above the ground. Only then did they breathe a sigh of relief and feel that they were somewhat safer.

Chapter Ninety-One: Immersed in It

Once they felt safe, the two Grim Reapers relaxed, and Kisuke Urahara's insatiable curiosity resurfaced.

"Gu Shi, aren't you afraid of being hit by Adjuchas's Cero while you're sitting on the ground?"

Kisuke Urahara had long known how terrifying Adjuchas was from various records; he possessed combat power comparable to a Captain-level Shinigami in Hueco Mundo.

Although the gap between captains may be greater than the gap between a captain and a dog, and there are even rumors that the Captain-Commander alone could defeat all the other captains, a captain is still a captain. Even if Adjuchas can only be compared to a weaker captain, he is still terrifying enough for an average Shinigami.

Being hit by that monster's blast wave would be fatal no matter how you look at it, right? How come Gu Shi and the others don't seem scared at all?

Gu Shiming was merely offering his warning based on his own speculation, but on the surface he remained confident, displaying a calm smile.

"Adjuchas' control over spiritual power is far stronger than that of the Killian. The power of his Cero is more concentrated, and if it hits, it will only cause penetrating damage and will not spread to cause derivative damage."

“We are big enough that as long as Adjuchas is not coming to kill us, Cero will at most leave a hole in our bodies. The wound may not even be as big as our Hollow Cavity. We can just eat something and it will be fine.”

Gu Shi's explanation was reasonable, and Kisuke Urahara couldn't help but nod. According to the records he saw in the Criminal Investigation Department's database, the diameter of Killian's Cero was generally five meters. After hitting a solid object, there was a very high probability that it would explode. If you didn't dodge in time, you had to be careful of the possibility of secondary damage caused by the explosion.

While Adjuchas is stronger, their Cero is generally no more than two meters in diameter and has extremely strong penetrating power. It can directly penetrate any Binding Spell below number 70, making it impossible to form an effective defense. It is recommended to focus on dodging. Indeed, there is no mention of secondary damage such as explosions.

Of course, there are always a few exceptions among all groups. If an Adjuchas's Cero has a diameter of more than two meters, then either the Adjuchas is seriously injured and in poor condition, or there was a problem during its evolution, belonging to the type of congenital malformation. In either case, it can be judged as worth hunting. As long as the captain takes action, it can basically be taken down with ease.

With corroborated by the criminal investigation team, Kisuke Urahara felt even more strongly that Gu Shi's admonitions and explanations were sincere and that he was not being misled.

Of course, it's not surprising that they were just fooling around. Shinigami and Hollows are not friendly factions, so it's only natural that they would conceal and deceive each other. It's just that the Hollows they've encountered in the past would obviously prefer to eat Shinigami directly rather than deceive them.

"Thanks, Gu Shi. If you hadn't told us, we really wouldn't have thought of it. Death is in danger of death just by standing on the ground in the Forest of Hueco Mundo."

While Kisuke Urahara was still pondering whether Gu Shi's warning and explanation were reliable, Yoruichi Shihouin had already generously expressed her gratitude.

Seeing that the two Grim Reapers seemed to have no hostility, Erlang and Tianpeng finally relaxed a little. Erlang let out a proud snort.

"Alright, alright, no need to thank me. As long as you're not here to fight, it's only right that I give you a few pointers. The story was getting really exciting, and you interrupted it as soon as you arrived. If it's not important, don't interrupt and just listen to the story in peace."

Tianpeng nodded in agreement. What they looked forward to most every day was the storytelling session during their break. It was a rare form of entertainment in the Great Void Forest, and being interrupted was extremely annoying. Even the most timid Big Rabbit cautiously glanced at Urahara Kisuke and the others and whispered his suggestion.

"Well, if you're not in a hurry, you can talk about it tomorrow when you're on your way. Now, it's story time."

The two Shinigami looked at each other, and after a brief hesitation, Yoruichi Shihouin sat cross-legged on the stone platform, slapped Kisuke Urahara's thigh hard, and readily pressed Kisuke Urahara's head down to apologize.

"Sorry, sorry for bothering you. Our business isn't urgent. You don't mind if we listen in while you're telling your stories, do you?"

Gu Shi didn't expect that the part that was supposed to be about scheming against the Grim Reaper would turn back into the story. However, since neither of the two Grim Reapers had any objections, he didn't bother to object and simply nodded.

"It's alright, listen if you want. It's just a little story, nothing to keep secret."

With that, Gu Shi cleared his throat and continued speaking, picking up where he had left off.

"Now, Zhang Wuji had healed the little monkey's leg, and with the little monkey keeping him company every day, life was quite interesting. One day, while he was sleeping, he suddenly felt something furry touching his face, and he was immediately startled awake. When he opened his eyes, he saw a huge white ape..."

Gu Shi's voice wasn't particularly pleasant, but the storyline was captivating enough. Urahara Kisuke and Shihōin Yoruichi, though they missed the beginning, quickly became engrossed. They were overjoyed when Zhang Wuji discovered the divine skill inside the white ape's belly, worried when Zhang Wuji was ambushed by Zhu Changling and fell off a cliff, and slapped their thighs with delight when Zhang Wuji miraculously survived.

Gradually, time passed by. Hueco Mundo didn't have a clear distinction between day and night. Gu Shi estimated that he had rested enough, so he decisively wrapped things up.

"That's all for today. We'll talk about what happened after Zhang Wuji was captured by the Green-Winged Bat King next time we take a break."

Erlang and Tianpeng were already used to Gu Shi's rhythm. Although they wanted to continue listening, they only savored it for a moment before quickly stretching their bodies, packing their things, and preparing to continue their journey.

Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihouin, however, were experiencing the feeling of only hearing half of a story for the first time, and both felt their hearts were pounding like a cat's claws.

Kisuke Urahara used to dislike listening to stories. The stories of Soul Society were monotonous and old-fashioned, unchanged for hundreds of years. They were either about a certain Shinigami who was so talented that he was valued by a noble lord and promoted to vice-captain. Even in the fabricated stories, they dared not let a Shinigami of commoner origin touch the position of captain. They were just completely absurd monster legends.

In Kisuke Urahara's opinion, listening to these stories was a complete waste of time. He would rather use that time to practice his Shunpo (Shunpo) to avoid being bullied by Yoruichi again because of her speed.

Yoruichi Shihouin was in a similar situation. The stories of the protagonists in Soul Society, which were legendary enough to ordinary people, were not as interesting to her as her own daily life.

Today's protagonist has learned a powerful Kido technique, which allows him to kill a Hollow in one hit. Amazing!

Yoruichi Shihouin wondered, "Is learning Kido really that difficult? Isn't it something you can learn just by listening to it briefly? Killing a Hollow in one hit is just basic stuff, as long as you have enough spiritual energy."

The protagonist of tomorrow's story, after a series of "adventures," eventually became the vice-captain. Impressive!

Once Yoruichi Shihouin comes of age, she will definitely be the captain of the 2nd Division, and the Execution Army and the Onmitsukido will also be hers.

Ordinary people who aren't even Grim Reapers, no matter how creative they are in imagining the lives of captains and nobles, are limited by their perspectives and the stories they ultimately create are mostly delusions like "the emperor using a golden carrying pole." As for Yoruichi Shihouin, she is the "emperor" herself, so it's really hard for her to find any enjoyment in listening to these stories.

But Gu Shi's stories are different. His stories don't have Grim Reapers, nobles, voids, or monsters. Instead, he weaves a vivid martial arts world that Yoruichi Shihouin had never imagined.

She was completely absorbed in it.

Chapter 92 Fu Jiang

"Gu Shi, how is the Golden Lion King doing? He certainly won't lose to that scoundrel Cheng Kun!"

Yoruichi Shihōin stayed by Gu Shi's side, her big eyes filled with worry and tension. After listening to stories for several days, she was deeply immersed in the world Gu Shi had created, and the changes in the fate of each character deeply touched her heart.

A few days ago, Yoruichi Shihouin was able to restrain herself and not disturb Gu Shi and the others' schedule. She would only listen to the stories during her rest time. When Gu Shi and the others were on their way, no matter how curious she was about what would happen next, she would never urge Gu Shi.

But the more she listened, the more she became engrossed. After a few days, she could no longer contain herself. During the day, while traveling, she would always inquire about the rest of the story or hint to Gu Shi to rest early and start the story sooner.

Kisuke Urahara followed beside him, watching the eagerness on his friend's face. He smiled and pretended to be indifferent, but secretly he pricked up his ears.

Kisuke Urahara could understand why Yoruichi was so obsessed with this story. As the future head of the Shihouin family, Yoruichi began to be involved in the affairs of the Execution Army and the Onmitsukido from a very young age, arranged by her family.

These two teams, one responsible for dealing with defecting Grim Reapers and the other for dealing with "unstable factors" for nobles, are not exactly clean in their work. As a result, Yoruichi also comes into contact with many disgusting things hidden in the shadows that are not in line with ethics, morality, or human nature.

If Yoruichi were a cold or even cruel person, that would be one thing, but having been around her since childhood, she should be used to it by now, and probably already accustomed to those heinous events that seem shocking to ordinary people.

But Yoruichi is just too much of a righteous person. Over the years, she has never gotten used to these kinds of trivial matters. She has been enduring her disgust and rejection for the sake of her family's responsibilities, forcing herself to learn things that ordinary people should not learn at all.

Now, Gu Shi has woven a world that doesn't involve death gods or nobles. Even if Yoruichi were to empathize with her while listening, she wouldn't have to consider her family. Coincidentally, the main theme of this world is chivalry and righteousness, which couldn't be more perfect for Yoruichi's taste.

To be honest, even Kisuke Urahara couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to live in such a world, free from the constraints of the Soul Society's conventions. He could lead a fine horse, carry a good sword and a gourd of good wine, and wander the world at will, going wherever he pleased. When he got tired, he could simply find a place, open a small shop, and live in seclusion.

That kind of life was simply blissful!

If I could recruit a few more shop assistants to help me manage the shop, I could become a hands-off manager. Occasionally, when a crisis arises in the business world, I could quietly emerge as a senior expert, select a talented young person to pass on my secret skills, and let the apprentice resolve the crisis. That would be the ultimate bliss.

Shaking his head to shake off the image of "the reclusive master Urahara Kisuke" from his mind, he stared at Gu Shi for a few moments. Urahara Kisuke rarely felt admiration for someone; the ability to weave such an engaging story was truly remarkable.

If he hadn't repeatedly confirmed that Gu Shi had already started telling these stories to other Hollows long before the first batch of Shinigami came knocking on his door, he would have suspected that these stories were specially made for him and Yoruichi.

“Gu Shi, you can just mention it again while you’re on the road. There’s no need to be so cautious. We haven’t encountered any danger or even minor trouble along the way.”

Yoruichi Shihōin couldn't help but urge Gu Shi to speak more. Although Kisuke Urahara didn't directly support Yoruichi, he quietly nodded in agreement.

Gu Shi rolled his eyes helplessly, confirming once again that Yoruichi Shihouin was indeed an immature child, even saying things like there was no need to be vigilant in the Great Hollow Forest.

"Doesn't it take thinking to come up with a story? I already poured out all the ideas I had during my last break. If you bother me again, I won't be able to continue brainstorming. You can complain if the story is shorter during your next break."

Rolling his eyes, Gu Shi, taking advantage of the fact that there was no Jin Yong in this other world, rambled on without any psychological burden as the author. Although Yoruichi Shihōin had some doubts about his words, his reasoning was reasonable. She could only mutter a few words under her breath and reluctantly went to the side to discuss with Jirō whether the Nine Yang Divine Skill or the Nine Yin White Bone Claw was stronger.

The relationship between Yoruichi and Jiro has been quite delicate these past few days.

As kindred spirits who share a love for the romance of the martial arts world and yearn for the life of chivalrous heroes, they have a lot in common. When they get excited, the two, who are less than two meters tall and more than thirty meters tall, can actually chat in a way that makes them look like they're walking arm in arm.

However, they also had many disagreements: who was stronger, Cheng Kun, the Mixed Yuan Thunderbolt Hand, or Xie Xun, the Golden-haired Lion King? Was Wei Yixiao, the Green-winged Bat King, qualified to be the Dharma King of the Ming Cult? Who was more annoying, Zhao Min or Zhou Zhiruo?

Whenever the two get together, no matter how enthusiastic they are at the beginning, they will inevitably argue to the point of rolling up their sleeves and fighting to defend their views with their fists. Every time, Urahara Kisuke and Tenpō have to pull them apart to prevent them from actually fighting.

Furthermore, upon hearing that Jiro was preparing to create his own martial arts and recreate the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, Yoruichi Shihouin, relying on her own Hakuda and Kido skills, confidently declared that she would recreate the Great Shift of the Universe and have a pure martial arts duel with Jiro, using her Great Shift of the Universe to defeat Jiro's Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms.

In short, now that Yoruichi Shihouin has approached Jiro, Gu Shi won't have to worry about her bothering him for at least a short time, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

After walking for quite some time, with only one day left before returning to the camp, Gu Shi decided to take precautions to strengthen the credibility of his claim that "making up stories takes time" in order to avoid losing his reason to be constantly vigilant about his surroundings after returning to the camp, and to prevent Yoruichi Shihōin from chasing him for stories 24 hours a day.

"Alright, let's stop here for today and take a break."

Before Yoruichi Shihouin could cheer, Gu Shi coughed and continued.

"My mind is a mess today. I haven't figured out how Zhang Wuji's story will develop yet, so I'll tell you another story for now."

Yoruichi Shihouin let out a strange sound of utter disappointment. Although the others didn't react as dramatically, their disappointment was still palpable.

Gu Shi coughed again, ignoring the mournful expressions on everyone's faces, firmly adhering to the principle that "making up stories takes time," and glared at everyone with an iron heart.

"Are you even going to listen to me? If you're not going to listen, I'm not going to say anything more."

“Listen, listen, Gu Shi, we’ll definitely listen to your story.”

"That's right, that's right."

"Go ahead and tell me."

Seeing that everyone had given in to the "story," Gu Shi nodded in satisfaction.

“Let’s not tell long stories today, and try to finish them all in one night. Let me think, I’ll tell the story of Tomie.”

Chapter Ninety-Three: Gu Shi's Scheme

"Gu Shi, could you tell me more about the process of cell differentiation?"

Kisuke Urahara squatted down in front of Gu Shi with a face full of enthusiasm, stubbornly ignoring Gu Shi's disgusted expression without wavering in the slightest.

Gu Shi's strategy was very successful. In order to hear the story smoothly, Yoruichi Shihouin stopped bothering him outside of story time. However, Kisuke Urahara became an even more persistent plaster, sticking to Gu Shi's side.

The reason why Kisuke Urahara became so clingy, even ignoring his childhood friend and pestering Gu Shi every day, was the story "Tomie" that Gu Shi had told him a few days ago.

The story of "Tomie" is actually not complicated. The protagonist is named Tomie, a woman whose beauty is unreasonable in terms of setting, and who has a charm that can be described as "demonic".

Any man who sees Tomie's face will fall deeply in love with her, and some women are also unable to resist Tomie's charm.