The Soul King's Plan
The Soul King saw the undisguised rejection on Liu Hao's face, saw the words "I don't want to" written all over that young face, and saw the determination and nonchalance shining in those clear eyes.
This young man from another world, faced with the prospect of becoming the Soul King —a position that countless people dream of, yearn for, and are willing to give everything for—rejected without hesitation, rejecting it so decisively, so thoroughly, and so without leaving any room for negotiation.
"Indeed, I did expect you to refuse." The Soul King's voice echoed in Liu Hao's mind, carrying a calm and knowing tone, as if everything was within his expectations, as if he had already seen through Liu Hao's thoughts.
He hadn't been unaware of this outcome; on the contrary, he had a vague feeling from the beginning that Liu Hao wouldn't accept the proposal. This young man was too free, too unrestrained, too unwilling to be bound. Becoming Soul King was not an honor, power, or achievement for him, but a cage, a shackle, a price to pay for losing his freedom.
"But do you know why I sent Yhwach to devour me?" the Soul King's voice rang out again.
"Why?" Liu Hao asked, his voice filled with confusion.
The Soul King's voice rang out again. "My power may still be able to maintain the operation of the Three Worlds, but my consciousness can no longer sustain it. Maintaining the operation of the Three Worlds is extremely energy-consuming. It's not a consumption of Reiryoku, nor physical strength, but a consumption of consciousness, a consumption of existence. Therefore, I am usually in a deep sleep, only waking up occasionally to guide my power to maintain the operation of the Three Worlds."
In the future, after Yhwach absorbs me, he will be able to integrate this power. Because he absorbed me, he will be influenced by my consciousness, thus becoming the Linchpin that stabilizes the Three Worlds once again. He will inherit my power, my responsibilities, and my destiny. He will become the new Soul King, the maintainer of the balance of the Three Worlds, and the foundation of this world's existence. This is the destiny I designed for him, and the way out I found for this world."
The Soul King's voice carried a statement of plan, a sense of control over destiny, and a vision for the future. He was not passively awaiting death, but actively seeking a successor; he was not helplessly accepting his fate, but proactively planning for the future.
He chose Yhwach —the progenitor of the Quincy, a being with immense power and unwavering will—as his successor. He orchestrated everything, propelled everything, and arranged everything. He was only waiting for the right moment, for the plan to be completed, for Yhwach to arrive at the Soul King Palace, devour his body, inherit his power, and become the new Soul King.
Liu Hao stood there, listening to the Soul King's words, his expression growing increasingly solemn. His brows furrowed tightly, and a complex light flashed in his eyes—a light that contained shock, realization, emotion, and a trace of pity that even he himself was unaware of.
He finally understood why the Soul King had proposed making him the Soul King, why the Soul King had pushed Yhwach to devour him, and why the Soul King was so at ease with the imperfections of this world.
Because the Soul King has seen his limits, foreseen his end, and is already looking for a replacement. It's not that he doesn't want to change the world, but that he no longer has enough power and energy to do so.
He can only maintain the status quo, keep the balance, and ensure that the world doesn't collapse. True change requires a new Soul King, a more powerful, more proactive, and more thoughtful Soul King.
However, a new question arose in Liu Hao's mind, and his voice rang out. "What if Yhwach reaches his limit? Or what if your consciousness completely disappears in the future, making it impossible to influence him anymore? How long can this plan last? In the face of endless time, any plan will eventually fail, and any consciousness will eventually dissipate. At that time, who will maintain the balance of the Three Worlds? Who will become the new Linchpin? Who will be responsible for the future of this world?"
The Soul King's voice rang out again. "The influence is permanent. Once Yhwach devours me, my consciousness will merge with his, becoming a part of his existence. Although I will be unable to control him at first, he will fall to Ichigo Kurosaki's sword. From then on, my will will forever influence him, forever guide him, and will never disappear."
It was not an external control, not a forced command, but an internal transformation, a fundamental change, a fusion at the level of existence. Yhwach would not escape my influence with the passage of time, would not lose my guidance with the depletion of his power, would not forget his duty with the dissipation of his consciousness. Because at that time, my consciousness would be his consciousness, my existence would be his existence, and my duty would be his duty.
He continued, "And in the future, when Yhwach reaches his limit, I think he will also make new arrangements. He will, like me, seek a new successor, someone who can take his place. He will design a new plan, drive a new process, and arrange a new future. This world will not collapse because of one person's limit, nor will it end because of the end of an era. It will continue, generation after generation, life after life, forever."
As the King of Soul King finished speaking, the hall fell silent. That silence carried a heavy weight, a reflection on fate, and a vision for the future.
Liu Hao stood there, listening to the Soul King's words, his doubts growing deeper and deeper. One question after another, one hypothesis after another, one possibility after another surfaced in his mind. His gaze became more profound, more sharp, and more inquisitive.
"Is the plan to guide the world to produce an existence similar to Yhwach, or perhaps Ichigo Kurosaki?" Liu Hao's voice carried a questioning tone, reflecting his inquiry into the Soul King's plan.
The Soul King's voice rang out again. "That's why I want you to become the Soul King. That way, if you change this world according to your own ideas, there will no longer be a need for this method to maintain the existence of the Three Worlds. You can break this cycle, end this pattern, and establish a completely new, more stable, more reasonable, and more fair system."
You can make the Three Worlds no longer dependent on any powerful being, but rather on rules and systems to maintain their operation; you can make Hell no longer a place of exile for heroes, but a true place of punishment for evil; you can ensure that every soul receives its due rest, and that every life receives its due respect. You can do all of this because you have the ability, the wisdom, and the will.
The Soul King's voice carried an expectation for Liu Hao, a yearning for a better world, and a desire for change. He was not looking for a successor for himself, but for a savior for the world; he was not perpetuating his own destiny, but changing the future of the world.
He believed that Liu Hao could do what he couldn't, change the rules he couldn't change, and build a perfect world that he could only imagine.
Liu Hao pondered for a moment, then said, "Why don't you do it yourself? You have the ability, the wisdom, and the will. You're alive, you have consciousness, you have power. Why can't you change this world yourself? Why push this responsibility onto Yhwach, onto Ichigo Kurosaki, onto me? You are the Soul King, you are the master of this world, you are the maintainer of the balance of the Three Worlds. You should do these things yourself, instead of expecting others to do them."
The Soul King's voice carried a sense of weariness, helplessness, and a clear understanding of his own limits. "My consciousness is no longer sufficient to sustain me in doing this. Maintaining the operation of the Three Worlds has already consumed almost all of my energy."
I am like a lamp that is about to burn out; though a faint light remains, it can no longer illuminate any further. And there will be a price to pay for Yhwach or Ichigo Kurosaki replacing me. In the future, Hell may slip out of my control and become completely out of control.
This is not what I wanted to see, but I am powerless to change it. Faced with limited energy, I can only choose the most important thing—maintaining the operation of the Three Worlds. As for Hell, I can only hope that it won't cause too many problems.
Liu Hao's brows furrowed even more. A hint of worry, unease, and sympathy for the Soul King flashed in his eyes.
"Then you don't have any measures in place?" Liu Hao's voice carried a questioning tone, as if he were pressing the Soul King about his plan. He wanted to know if the Soul King had taken any measures to prevent Hell from spiraling out of control, if there were any contingency plans, or if there were any remedial measures.
The Soul King's voice carried a sense of helplessness. "There's nothing I can do. After all, it's better for Hell to spiral out of control than for the entire Three Worlds to perish. All I can do is pray that Hell won't spiral too far out of control, that someone will be able to solve this problem in the future, and that this world can find a better way out."
Liu Hao was silent for a moment, then a faint smile appeared on his lips, "It's alright. With Ichigo Kurosaki's son in the future, perhaps the problem of Hell can be solved."
"I believe that even without them, you can handle all of this." The Soul King's voice carried a sense of trust in Liu Hao.
Liu Hao shrugged. "Who knows? Is there anything else? If not, I'm leaving. My men are waiting for me outside; they'll get worried if I stay too long."
The Soul King was silent for a moment, then his voice echoed in Liu Hao's mind, a voice carrying a calm, relieved, and accepting tone. "Okay."
Liu Hao nodded, then turned around and walked out of the main hall. His steps were firm and composed, without hesitation or doubt, only a resolute determination to "do it once the decision is made".
As Soul King watched Liu Hao's departing figure, his voice echoed in the hall, a low, so low that only he could hear it. "Whether you are willing to assume the position of Soul King or not, with your abilities, you will eventually embark on the true path of Emperor. At that time, even if you don't want to interfere, you will have no choice but to take action."
The Soul King's words carried an insight into fate, a foresight of the future, and a firm belief in Liu Hao.
Liu Hao's figure disappeared at the entrance of the main hall, vanishing into the sacred light.
The Soul King slowly closed his eyes, and the light from the crystal gradually dimmed. His breathing became steady and long, his consciousness began to sink into sleep, and his power continued to maintain the operation of the Three Worlds. He fell asleep, just as he had always done.
Outside the main hall, Liu Hao descended the steps and stepped into the sacred light. The seriousness and solemnity he had displayed in the hall were gone, replaced by a relaxed and carefree expression.
"The path to becoming Emperor?" Liu Hao murmured softly, a faint smile playing on his lips. That smile held a hint of irony about fate, yet also a glimmer of hope for the future. "Who knows?"