Chapter 146 : A gift from fate, a way to break the deadlock!
Li Yu nodded slightly. Ade's talent was indeed exceptional; he could already perceive the existence of the laws of heaven and earth.
But he knew in his heart that the stronger Ade became, the closer he was to becoming the Soul King.
He even had a premonition: as long as he uttered that name, Ade would be chosen by the World Will and bear the heavy responsibility of maintaining the world.
But Li Yu was unwilling.
Ade was so similar to him, both driven by fate, embarking on a path of no return from birth.
The burden on Ade's shoulders was even heavier than his.
He was merely granted power by Athena, while Ade was chosen by the entire world, destined to sacrifice himself for it.
There was no such thing as a free lunch; if there was, it was merely a fish hook thrown by a hidden hand.
Everything in the unseen world already had a price, and when the day of reckoning arrived, everything would be irreversible.
The wind on the wilderness carried fine sand, sweeping past Ade's white robe, scattering his voice far across the desolate land.
The lingering spiritual aura of Hollows was scattered across this land, and spirit particles flowed slowly in the air.
"Master, we created the Shinigami, purified the Hollows... But the entire world, instead of moving towards peace and order, is moving further and further away from the way you described it."
Ade looked down at the cracked earth beneath his feet, spirit particles cheered around him, and the entire world pulsed around him.
Ade looked up, gazing at Li Yu.
"Hollows need to devour souls to survive and evolve; this is an instinct etched into their bones, an innate curse that no one can change."
The four pupils in his eyes reflected countless fragments of chaotic futures.
There were tragic scenes of Hollows devouring humans, the Shinigami's resolute slashes at Hollows, and the glow of spirit particles when Quincies released their power.
"The Shinigami take it as their duty to slay Hollows, purify Hollows, and guide souls to reincarnation, making them natural adversaries of Hollows."
"And Quincy Power... that is, the power my two children possess, Quincy Power, aims to completely eradicate Hollows. They believe Hollows are a cancer on the world and allow no compromise."
His voice gradually deepened, Ade's shoulders slumped slightly, and the burden of a century was fully revealed on him. As the strongest in the world, Ade had long had no one to confide in.
Seeing Li Yu, he couldn't help but pour out all his doubts in one breath.
"The three factions are in constant conflict, hatred breeds in slaughter and deepens in reincarnation. I tried to mediate, establishing rules to restrain the Shinigami and Quincies, but the instincts of Hollows, the duties of Shinigami, and the beliefs of Quincies are like three surging torrents. Any balance is too fragile to withstand, and will eventually be completely shattered."
He let out a long breath, and white mist dissipated in the cold wind. He turned to Li Yu, his eyes full of earnestness.
"Master, what exactly should I do to make this world... as you said, have an endless galaxy, with all things coexisting in harmony?"
Li Yu stood quietly, his gaze as deep as the abyss of this heaven and earth.
His eyes pierced through Ade's figure, looking directly at the essence of the world.
The earth beneath their feet pulsed slightly, breathing naturally like a living being.
Spirit particles in the sky flowed silently, converging into subtle bands of light.
A grand, ancient, yet urgent will was transmitting vague information to him through these celestial phenomena.
That was the World Will of the Bleach World. She was like an anxious mother, watching her children harm each other within her, yet powerless to intervene.
Although the World Will's answer was unclear, Li Yu already understood everything in his heart.
From his omniscient perspective, he knew that this world needed a keystone.
A core, absolute existence that could govern and reshape all laws.
This keystone would use supreme power to divide heaven and earth into three realms: Hueco Mundo, the Human World, and the Soul Society, establishing a stable circulatory system so that the three factions would no longer oppress each other.
And the sole and most perfect vessel for this keystone was Ade, whom he had personally taught, possessing the power of Shinigami, Hollows, and Quincy Power.
But the price of becoming the keystone was suffocatingly heavy.
Ade had to abandon his self-personality and form, integrating his soul and power into the world's core, becoming the Soul King who supported the operation of the three realms, forever sealed in the spatial rift, neither living nor dead.
He might fall into eternal slumber, or perhaps become the rules themselves in endless solitude.
This was a script already written by the World Will, a cold and cruel price behind Ade's innate abilities.
A strong resistance surged in Li Yu's heart.
He watched Ade grow from a naive youth to his current leader, having long regarded him as his most accomplished disciple. How could he personally push him into such an abyss?
What essential difference was there between this and Athena implanting a true spirit brand in his soul, forcing him to sacrifice for the greater good?
Absolutely not.
Li Yu coldly rejected the World Will's expectations. He was unwilling to be a puppet of fate, and even less would he allow his disciple to become a sacrifice for the rules.
His gaze returned to Ade's face, filled with confusion and anticipation.
Although the World Will's expectations were heavy, they did not need to be responded to at this moment. He still had time to find a variable.
"Ade!"
Li Yu's voice, calm yet powerful, interrupted Ade's contemplation.
"What troubles you is a fundamental issue of this world's order, which cannot be resolved in a short time by individual will or force alone."
"To mend these contradictions requires insight into the world's origin, and even... for the entire world to undergo a metamorphosis!"
"I don't understand. Please enlighten me, Master..."
A trace of confusion flashed in Ade's eyes. His master's words were still full of profound meaning.
But even if he could foresee the future, he couldn't find any inspiration from it, and the light in his eyes gradually dimmed.
Li Yu changed the subject.
"The time is not yet ripe, don't rush..."
"Before that, I also have a problem related to the essence of the soul. If this problem is not resolved, I, like you, will not be able to escape the shackles of fate, and may even be completely bound by it."
Ade's spirits instantly lifted, and the light in his eyes rekindled. He quickly pressed on.
"What troubles you, Master? Your disciple is willing to mobilize all the power of the Seireitei, and even the entire world, to help you!"
Li Yu slowly opened his palm, a wisp of golden aura lingering in its center.
That was the aura of a true spirit brand he simulated, simple yet containing terrifying energy, allowing Ade to clearly perceive its characteristics.
"When my soul was first born, a deity planted a true spirit brand within me. Normally, it wouldn't manifest, but at critical moments, it would forcibly guide my will, compelling me to follow a predetermined path of fate, and perhaps even demand the price of my life."
Ade grew more and more astonished as he listened, his eyes suddenly widening.
His master's experience was so similar to the anomaly deep within his own soul!
He also had a crystal mark in his soul, but he had never known its purpose. Now, he became even more convinced that his master was using his own experience to awaken him to future hidden dangers.
"This brand has deeply merged with my soul and is difficult to separate."
Li Yu withdrew his hand, his tone solemn.
"I need to find a way to completely remove it, or control it, without harming the fundamental essence of the soul. If you can help me do that, I will tell you how to resolve the hidden dangers in your world."
Ade's four pupils instantly erupted with unprecedented light, no longer any confusion in his eyes, only burning determination.
He nodded heavily, his voice firm.
"Master, rest assured! Your disciple will immediately gather all the Shinigami, combining the wisdom of the Seireitei and even the entire world, and will surely find a solution for you!"
Li Yu watched his hurried departure, sighing inwardly.
This was not only to find a way out for himself but also to buy time for Ade.
He had to find an opportunity to change Ade's fate before the World Will forcibly initiated the Soul King plan.
If Ade's fate could be changed, it also meant that his own fate could be broken!