Chapter 1498 - 21: Shadow

Chapter 1498: Chapter 21: Shadow

After leaving the Sixth Division station, Su Xiao arrived at a deserted street. Confirming there was no one around, he leaped into a courtyard.

The courtyard was overgrown with weeds, having been unoccupied for a long time. A fist-sized skull appeared in Su Xiao’s hand, carved like crystal, very exquisite.

[Spiritual Corpse]

Quality: Legendary Tier

Type: Special Consumable

Effect: After use, it summons a captain-level combat strength Soul Reaper to assist in battle, lasting until the Hunter leaves the Bleach World.

Note: This item can only be used within This World.

...

Su Xiao attempted to activate the [Spiritual Corpse] in his hand, and the [Spiritual Corpse] slowly floated into the air.

[Spiritual Corpse used.]

[Soul Reaper formation in progress...]

[Gender random, appearance random, age random, ability random, Combat Strength: Captain level of the thirteen court guards.]

[Formation 1%, 2%, 3%...]

...

The skull-like crystal was gradually enlarged, and the surrounding spiritual power was slowly absorbed.

At the current speed of formation, it would probably take about 40 minutes to form a Soul Reaper. Su Xiao jumped to a higher position, closely monitoring the surroundings.

About half an hour later, an energy body composed of spirit particles appeared in the courtyard; now was the crucial transformation time.

Just then, Su Xiao vaguely heard footsteps from not far away.

"Around here, spirit particles are being rapidly absorbed here."

"Very close."

"Carefully search the surroundings."

Upon hearing this brief conversation, Su Xiao knew trouble had arrived. He couldn’t leave Jingling Court because this was already a secluded area, located within the Eighth Division station.

"Found it."

A shout came from outside the courtyard. At that moment, Su Xiao leaped onto the courtyard wall, the outside was a deserted street.

Outside the wall were several lower-level Soul Reapers, wearing their Shinigami clothing and with Zanpakutōs at their waists.

"Who are you..."

Several Soul Reapers looked up at Su Xiao.

"Who I am is not important; what’s important is... Leave now."

Su Xiao crouched on the wall, the spirit energy fluctuations inside the courtyard rapidly diminishing. ℯℯ𝑙.

Hastened footsteps approached, and a female Soul Reaper clad in feminine Shinigami clothing and wearing glasses hurriedly came with others.

"Deputy Captain."

"It’s here, but this person is preventing us from entering. Should we..."

The lower-level Soul Reaper hadn’t finished speaking when the female Soul Reaper raised her hand to indicate he needn’t continue.

This female Soul Reaper had significant background; she was named Ise Nanao, the Eighth Division Deputy Captain, a knowledgeable and graceful woman, or rather, she could be considered the most beautiful female Soul Reaper in the Soul Society.

Ise Nanao’s charm wasn’t solely in her looks, but her demeanor; the apt comparison would be, a beauty with an office lady’s aura clad in Shinigami clothing.

"Bai Ye."

Ise Nanao recognized Su Xiao, causing her to frown.

"Deputy Captain Nanao, although this is the Eighth Division station, I’m conducting an important experiment."

Of course, Su Xiao wouldn’t let these Soul Reapers into the courtyard; if anyone saw the Soul Reaper forming, although explainable, it would be troublesome.

"Experiment?"

Ise Nanao nudged her glasses, her eyes showing confusion, unable to fathom why Su Xiao would conduct an experiment at the Eighth Division’s station.

"Indeed, this area’s feng shui is quite favorable."

"What?"

Ise Nanao was puzzled; Su Xiao’s words made little sense to her.

"Forcibly entering this courtyard now would disrupt my experiment, and someone would have to bear the consequences."

"I’ll bear them, irrespective of the outcome."

Ise Nanao’s tone was resolute, sharply sensing something amiss in the courtyard.

"Is that so; all outcomes, you will bear them."

Su Xiao smiled, flexing his fingers, ensuring the absence of other Soul Reapers around.

"Indeed, I will bear them..."

"Little Nanao-chan."

A playful voice came from around the corner, and a man wearing a pink floral haori and a bamboo hat approached.

The visitor’s attire was quite flashy, but he had a charm that came with age, as the Eighth Division Captain Jing Le Chunsui arrived, whose strength undoubtedly ranked among the top in the Guard Court Thirteen Teams.

Upon hearing the playful ’little Nanao-chan,’ Ise Nanao’s expression remained unchanged, already accustomed to it.

"Bai Ye, what do you plan for my cute little Nanao?"

Jing Le Chunsui stopped at the wall’s foot; his hat shielded his drowsy eyes.

"I’m merely a researcher, uncapable of doing anything to Deputy Captain Nanao."

Su Xiao relaxed his hand; Ise Nanao didn’t realize she’d narrowly escaped a dire fate.

"Is that so," Jing Le Chunsui yawned, turning to leave: "Let’s go back, little Nanao."

"But Captain..."

"Going back."

"..."

Ise Nanao took a reluctant glance at Su Xiao before following Jing Le Chunsui away.

Watching Jing Le Chunsui and Ise Nanao walk away, Su Xiao’s resolve to join Aizen’s camp solidified; joining Jingling Court was indeed a strategic move, but it’s restrictive. For instance, now he urgently needed to summon the Soul Reaper, bound within Jingling Court, only able to select isolated areas, yet still detected by the Eighth Division.

As for the aftermath, no follow-up was necessary; Su Xiao could easily excuse the absorption of spirit particles as a valid reasoning for developing a new Spirit Particle Ball, which wouldn’t manifest out of nowhere.

As long as the Eighth Division doesn’t enter the courtyard, everything was easily explained; revealing it as ’new research findings,’ albeit sacrificing a combat strength.

The spirit energy fluctuations within the courtyard had ceased; a man clad in rugged Shinigami clothing, with his long black hair down, stood within the courtyard—none other than the Soul Reaper summoned by Su Xiao.

This Soul Reaper’s hair was slightly disheveled, indicative of a prolonged unkempt state; his eyes appeared devoid of light, his Zanpakutō also in tatters.

Su Xiao leaped down from the wall, examining the Soul Reaper he summoned.

"What’s this?"

Su Xiao held up three fingers, testing the other’s intelligence.

"Three, though compelled to answer, refrain from such silly questions henceforth."

Slash!

Blood splattered; Dragon Slash pierced through the Soul Reaper’s chest.

"Cough cough..."

The Soul Reaper summoned by Su Xiao coughed up droplets of blood, his expression largely unchanged as though his fate wouldn’t alter—even if Su Xiao beheaded him.

"Possessing intelligence yet constrained by the summoning contract, not bad."

Su Xiao withdrew Dragon Slash, flicking the blood off its blade.

Evidently, in Su Xiao’s eyes, the summoned Soul Reaper was rather strong cannon fodder, wholly dispensable in critical moments.

"Name."

"Unknown."

"Is that so, then you’re called Shadow."

Shadow displayed minimal emotional variation. Or rather, he possessed personal awareness, but this consciousness was restrained by the contract; with Su Xiao’s true intelligence attribute of 92, controlling the summon was utterly effortless, making Shadow incapable of escaping.

According to Su Xiao’s evaluation, Shadow’s loyalty was not high—attributable to the Charm Attribute—but luckily, he had forced control over Shadow, regarding him as a skilled fighter + cannon fodder, even if loyalty is disregarded. Especially since Shadow would vanish upon Su Xiao’s departure from the Bleach World, automatically relieving the summoning contract.