The Supreme Soul, Starting with Death

If he and Nel had been friends for two or three hundred years, and then Nel met Ichigo Kurosaki and, because they "got along very well," spent only a few days with him before switching sides to Ichigo, even trying to persuade him to help Ichigo fight Aizen, it would be hard for him to guarantee that he wouldn't suddenly go crazy and rack his brains to kill them both.

It's not that Gu Shi can't accept that his friends have other friends, but Gu Shi imagined it and it felt like when he saw some young fans on the internet in his previous life posting things like, "I'll sacrifice 30 years of my parents' lives to pray that my brother's movie will be a box office hit."

It was disgusting, the kind of disgusting that makes you want to strangle the other person.

Therefore, to avoid feeling disgusted or going crazy in the future, it's better not to establish any close relationship with the other person from the beginning.

Gu Shi had his own thoughts and didn't intend to explain. Stark also saw through his intentions, so he chuckled, skipped the topic, and began to show Gu Shi the blue crystal he had just created.

Unlike the genuine Hogyoku, which can be reused to create a large number of Hollowfaces, the blue crystals made using alchemy are one-time products that need to be ingested to take effect.

Therefore, Stark generously crafted more than twenty blue crystals in one go.

For him, refining more than twenty batches of pills at the same time was simply a matter of blasting a few more craters in the ground.

After burning the corpses of the Great Void and throwing them into different pits, he only needed to release his spiritual pressure to simultaneously compress all twenty-odd "alchemy furnaces" tightly, so refining twenty furnaces would be no different from refining one furnace.

The blue crystals made primarily from Kylian are not very large; the largest one is no bigger than a broad bean, and most of the rest are only the size of a soybean.

Gu Shi carefully put them away, but because his claws were four or five meters long, it was really difficult for him to hold such small things. So Gu Shi asked Stark to make a small hole in the nail of his right index finger, stuff the blue crystals into it, and then block the hole with a stone.

After carefully stuffing the stone in, Gu Shi tried to clench his fist to make sure the blue crystal wouldn't fall out. He breathed a sigh of relief and was about to thank Stark for his help when a familiar feeling washed over him, and he couldn't help but look down at his chest.

Looking at the dark hole, Gu Shi finally remembered that his void seemed to be different from ordinary voids. As long as the Lock of Cause and Effect was placed inside, it could suppress his instincts as a void.

Before evolving into a Kyrian, Gu Shi always kept a rounded stone in his Hollow Hollow to prevent random things from accidentally falling into his Hollow Hollow and causing any unpleasant consequences.

However, since becoming a Kylian, Gu Shi's void has grown from the size of a fist to a large hole with a diameter of nearly three meters and a depth of more than five meters. To plug this hole again, the weight that would be required would be extraordinary. Even using the relatively light density of quartzite, it would be a boulder weighing nearly 1.5 tons.

Therefore, after Gu Shi evolved, he gave up the idea of ​​plugging the void. As time went by, and since nothing unexpected happened during that time, he had almost forgotten about the void. It was only when he stuffed stones into the hole in his body again that he suddenly remembered it.

Suddenly, a bold idea popped into Gu Shi's mind—

If I were to stuff the degraded Hogyoku into my Hollow Void...

"Gu Shi, you seem to be thinking about something very dangerous."

Just as Gu Shi became bolder, Stark noticed his spiritual pressure rising unnaturally. As if knocking on a door, Stark gently tapped his mask with his fingers.

"Calm down and control your instincts."

Gu Shi suddenly came to his senses and quickly thanked Stark gratefully.

Directly stuffing the Hogyoku, even a degraded, unfinished version, into Hueco Mundo is a very risky move. After all, when Aizen evolved using the Hogyoku in the later stages, the Hogyoku was floating in his Hueco Mundo. Who knows if the Hogyoku would naturally react with Hueco Mundo?

Trying something rashly could lead to your own demise, so you should never attempt it lightly without sufficient confidence.

but……

Gu Shi's gaze then fell upon Stark's Zanpakuto hanging at his waist.

When he was under Saito Yoru's control, that madman repeatedly suggested that he try stuffing the Shinigami's Zanpakuto into Hollow Hollow, but he refused each time.

After all, the power of Hollows and the power of Shinigami are strictly opposed. Only by using the Hōgyoku to create Arrancars and Visoreds can one possess both powers simultaneously.

Aside from the Visoreds and other successful works, in Aizen's early Hollowfication experiments, all the unfortunate Shinigami he chose disappeared without exception, leaving only their Shinigami uniforms lying on the ground.

If Hueco Mundo truly absorbed the power of the Shinigami from his Zanpakuto, Gu Shi couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't end up like those unlucky souls, dissipating as a free spirit due to the conflict between the two spiritual energies.

But what if it's an Arrancar's Zanpakuto?

According to Gu Shi's own thinking, although the Zanpakuto of the Arrancar is also called Zanpakuto, it sounds like it is closer to the side of the Shinigami. However, the Arrancar usually maintain an appearance that is not much different from humans. Only after releasing the power of the Zanpakuto, that is, after the Resurrección, will they revert to the physical characteristics of a Hollow like a Yokai revealing its true form. This is enough to prove that the Zanpakuto of the Arrancar is actually the manifestation of the power of Hollows.

Since both are powers originating from the void, even if a portion of them is absorbed by the void, the consequences shouldn't be too severe, right?

Chapter 123 Spider Arrancar

"Gu Shi, it seems you're considering something even more dangerous again."

Seeing that Gu Shi had his eye on his Zanpakuto, Stark chuckled and narrowed his eyes, then gently "knocked" on Gu Shi's mask again.

"Wake up! You can't control my power. Don't even think about messing with me."

“Stark, you’ve misunderstood. I’m not after your Zanpakuto. I want to create a few weak Arrancar and experiment with their Zanpakuto.”

Gu Shi shook his head and gave a serious explanation to avoid Stark thinking that he had ill intentions towards him.

As a crucial component of the Arrancar's power, it goes without saying that the spiritual energy sealed within a Zanpakuto is no small amount.

Let alone someone as extraordinary as Stark, even with Gu Shi's current Killian body, stuffing an Adjuchas Arrancar's Zanpakuto into the Hollow Void would be suicidal. If the Hollow Void couldn't absorb it, fine, but if it could, Gu Shi's body would definitely burst immediately.

Therefore, Gu Shi decided to try out the Zanpakuto of the Hollow Arrancar first.

This sudden encounter with Adjuchas has reawakened Gu Shi's sense of crisis, which had been gradually fading with daily life. This time, he encountered a kind-hearted Hollow like Nel, but what if he encountered someone like Nnoitra who believes that the weak do not deserve to live?

It's important to understand that in virtual worlds, kindness is a rare commodity, while cruelty and tyranny are the norm.

Therefore, we must improve our strength as soon as possible, even if it means taking some small risks.

Without hesitation, Gu Shi decided not to return to the camp and immediately searched the vicinity. He caught a small, spider-like creature, picked out a blue crystal the size of a soybean, stuffed it into its mouth, and manually crushed the crystal for it.

After the crystal broke, a change occurred in just a few seconds. A pale liquid gushed out from the Hollow's hole, completely enveloping the Hollow, and then quickly hardened into a large white cocoon.

Stark sat on Gu Shi's shoulder, examining the bone cocoon with great interest. He hadn't had the chance to watch from the outside when he himself underwent Arrancar transformation, and this was the first time he had witnessed the entire process. He was filled with curiosity.

Gu Shi and Stark were not kept waiting for long. After only a few minutes, some movement suddenly came from the white bone cocoon. Then, a slender arm, as thin as a stick, suddenly pierced through the white bone cocoon and stretched out. Then, it smashed the bone cocoon completely with a backhand punch.

A gaunt man, completely naked, with long, dark brown hair reaching his waist, and two pieces of bone resembling spider fangs remaining around his neck, standing amidst the broken bone fragments, appeared before Gu Shi, holding a long knife.

Although she knew it was better to be serious at such an important moment, Gu Shi's gaze still unconsciously drifted towards the man's crotch.

Oh, there really is one.

Hmm, could it be that there really is sexual reproduction between Hollows?

Before Gu Shi's thoughts could continue to wander, the newly formed, gaunt, and broken-faced man suddenly burst into wild laughter.

"Power! Limitless power! The power to destroy everything flows within me! I am the strongest! I am the king of Hueco Mundo! Everyone is my food! I will devour! Devour the entire Hueco Mundo! The whole world!!"

The gaunt Broken Face not only laughed wildly, but also laughed horribly, his entire face contorted. When he roared, saliva flew everywhere like a fountain. It was unclear whether the venom glands of the Spider Void had transferred to his mouth, causing him to have symptoms of excessive saliva secretion.

Blinking, Gu Shi stepped back slightly to avoid getting the thick, stringy saliva on him.

Gu Shi could understand why this skinny, broken-faced man had gone mad. The sudden surge in power always brought the illusion of "I am invincible." Gu Shi had also had this illusion when he first evolved into a Killian, but he immediately controlled himself and did not let himself be controlled by the illusion.

It must be said that although the process of evolving into a Killian is dangerous, it is indeed a good test of one's mind. Killians who can evolve successfully and retain their self-awareness are basically mentally strong enough that they will not be blinded by power. They may not be very smart, but at least they are not stupid.

This Arrancar clearly belongs to the category of those with insufficient mental strength. If he hadn't become an Arrancar and instead evolved into a Hollow step by step, the day he evolved would have been his death day.

Seeing that the guy couldn't stop laughing and was spitting saliva further and further away, Gu Shi gave up the idea of ​​talking to him and asking how he felt, and directly shot out a Cero.

It must be said that the Arrancar transformation greatly enhances one's strength. If an ordinary Hollow is attacked by a Cero, it can only turn into ashes without any ability to resist. However, this gaunt Arrancar immediately responded to the Cero, quickly holding his Zanpakuto horizontally in front of him, condensing his spiritual power into the blade, and forcefully withstanding the bombardment of the Cero.

"Weak, weak! As expected, even a Great Hollow is nothing special, too weak, too weak! I'll take pity on you and show you what true power is!"

Laughing wildly, the gaunt Arrancar turned his sword around and plunged it directly into his left palm.

"Bindle tightly, King of Eight Legs!"

Instantly, the spiritual pressure on the gaunt, broken-faced body surged again, and the pale joints pierced through the spine, unfolding into four short-haired limbs.

At the same time, his golden eyes suddenly split apart, with four eyeballs "crowded" in one eye socket. The eight eyeballs seemed to have their own consciousness, turning wildly and looking in different directions.

Gu Shi's expression turned serious. Although the opponent's strength had improved since his Hollow days, it was not enough to make Killian feel threatened. Gu Shi's Cero, which he casually uttered, forced Killian to deal with it with all his might.

But after the sword was released, Gu Shi could sense that the opponent was now capable of injuring him.

Without any further hesitation, Gu Shi exerted force with his feet and charged towards the spider-like Arrancar. His huge claws swung at the Arrancar's body from all angles, trying to tear it apart. At the same time, the spiritual energy in his mouth gathered again, preparing for the next Cero.

Facing the charging Hollow, the Arrancar let out a disdainful sneer and moved his body swiftly to the side without warning, not only avoiding Gu Shi's attack but also dodging Gu Shi's subsequent combo.

[!? Did it pull itself away with its own silk? Spiders are incredibly agile!]

Making a quick decision in his mind, Gu Shi didn't hesitate at all. The Cero he had been preparing immediately shot out. Unlike the Cero he had casually spat out before, this Cero was so intensely crimson that it seemed to be oozing fresh blood. It shot towards the Spider-Man Arrancar in an instant.

Spider Faceless reacted quickly, trying to repeat his old trick without thinking, but then a second and a third Cero followed, instantly blocking his escape route and forcing him to take the hit head-on.

Chapter 124 How does a brain grow?

The battle didn't last long and ended quickly, but Gu Shi didn't feel relaxed at all.

On the one hand, for the tall Killian, small-sized, highly mobile enemies are the most troublesome type to deal with. Spider Mask has both, so Gu Shi has to use Cero to block the opponent's movement route.

However, since the Spider Arrancar is only a small Hollow, Gu Shi still needs to be careful not to use too much Cero, lest he actually kill the opponent and waste a Blue Crystal for nothing.

This feeling is like cracking a walnut with a sledgehammer; you have to be careful with the force. The mental strain is more unbearable than the physical exertion.

With a powerful punch, the Spider Arrancar finally fainted, unable to maintain his Resurrection state, and returned to his emaciated state. His Zanpakuto fell to the side, making him look rather pathetic.

Gu Shi was now more interested in the Zanpakuto. Ignoring the unconscious Arrancar, he picked up the Zanpakuto with his fingertips as if picking up a toothpick. After a slight hesitation, he resolutely stuffed it into his Hollow Cavity.

Stark watched from the side, raising an eyebrow. Compared to ordinary Hollows, he paid more attention to Hollow Hollows, because the best place for him to release a Cero was the Hollow Hollow in his chest.

Back when his spiritual power hadn't expanded to the point of being uncontrollable, he could release multiple Ceros from Hueco Mundo simultaneously, and even control them to dance in the air like a figure eight.

[It seems that Gu Shi's void also has some special functions?]

Stark pondered this, watching Gu Shi with great interest, anticipating some changes he had never seen before.

Stark was expectant, and Gu Shi was even more so. However, after placing the Zanpakuto into the Hollow Cavity, he waited for a while, but nothing changed.

Gu Shi couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Had he guessed wrong? The Void only reacts to the Lock of Cause and Effect?

Recalling the process of absorbing the chains of cause and effect, Gu Shi suddenly realized that he might have missed a step in his operation. He quickly took out his Zanpakuto and snapped it open with both hands...

I couldn't break it.

Well, after all, it's unlikely that a weapon capable of withstanding the intensity of Arrancar combat can be easily broken. Gu Shi's lips twitched, and he looked at Stark, who was watching the show, and gave him a somewhat awkward smile.

Stark saw Gu Shi's actions clearly. Although he didn't know the reason, he still nodded considerately and gently tapped the back of the Zanpakuto.

Instantly, the sharp longsword shattered into two pieces. Gu Shi said thank you and quickly stuffed the fragments into his void.

This time, things changed quickly, and Gu Shineng could clearly sense that he had gained something.

And Stark, who was watching from the sidelines, also clearly saw that after the Zanpakuto fragments fell into Gu Shi's Hollow hole, they seemed to fade, gradually losing their cold metallic color, first turning pale white, as if they had become a knife made of white bones, and then a strange "life force" also quickly faded away.

Although it still has the shape of a sword, the Zanpakuto fragments now feel like rotten bones, having lost all their mystique.

Feeling the changes in his body, Gu Shi secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Sure enough, the chains of cause and effect he had absorbed before were all in a "severed" state. If he wanted to absorb Zanpakuto with Hollow Hollow, he had to make Zanpakuto broken or "flawed" as well.

Of course, there is another possibility, which is that it is necessary to "sever ties with the original owner".

However, judging from the current practical results, the key to absorption should indeed be damage.