Heading to Hueco Mundo
Liu Ziyun at the front, the first to step into the dark crevice. His figure was exceptionally clear in the darkness, each step firm and steady.
Ichigo Kurosaki followed closely behind. He gripped Zangetsu tightly, took a deep breath, and stepped into the unknown darkness. Behind him, Yasutora Sado, Renji Abarai, and Rukia Kuchiki followed one after another.
Their figures vanished into the Garganta, like five pebbles thrown into darkness, the ripples spreading across the desert of Hueco Mundo.
Within the Garganta lay an endless void. There was no solid ground beneath one's feet, no azure sky above, only surging darkness and the occasional stream of Reishi, flowing silently through the void like undercurrents in the deep sea.
An unsettling silence permeated the air, a silence that was not ordinary quiet, but a hollowness that swallowed all sound, almost tangible, as if even breathing would be swallowed by this darkness, and even heartbeats would be assimilated by this nothingness.
Liu Ziyun walked at the very front, and with each step he took, a transparent platform made of Reiatsu would materialize out of thin air beneath his feet.
The pedals glowed with a faint, eerie blue light in the darkness, like glazed tiles floating in the void, interconnected to form a narrow path leading to the unknown. His steps were unhurried, as if he were walking on a garden path in his own backyard, rather than traversing a dangerous passage connecting two worlds.
Ichigo Kurosaki, Yasutora Sado, Renji Abarai, and Rukia Kuchiki followed closely behind, carefully treading on the footprints left by Liu Ziyun. With each step, the footboard under their feet would vibrate slightly, making a faint sound like shattering glass, causing them to involuntarily tense up.
They could feel the bottomless darkness beneath their feet—the edge of the Garganta, the void between two realms. If they lost their footing and fell, no one knew where they would end up; perhaps they would drift forever in the endless darkness, or perhaps they would be torn to pieces by the spatial turbulence.
Yasutora Sado walked in the middle of the group, silent and taciturn, observing his surroundings the whole way. His deep brown eyes reflected the occasional flashes of Reishi light in the darkness, those lights as fleeting as shooting stars, beautiful yet dangerous.
He suddenly remembered a question, a question that had been lingering in his mind since before he even stepped into the Garganta: "Ichigo's teacher," his deep, steady voice sounded particularly clear in the Garganta, "Why didn't Ishida come with us?"
This question made the others prick up their ears as well. Indeed, Uryū Ishida's absence at such a crucial moment seemed particularly abrupt, as he was an indispensable member of their small group.
Liu Ziyun didn't turn around, continuing to walk forward at a leisurely pace. His voice came from the darkness ahead, carrying a matter-of-fact indifference. "With his limited strength, going there wouldn't be of any use. Let him continue cultivating at home."
He paused, then continued, "I'm taking his place now. I brought you guys along so you can see what it's like and train properly when you get back. Hueco Mundo is a place that's nothing like the small-scale battles in the World of the Living. Letting you see it for yourself is more effective than me telling you a hundred times in the Martial Arts Hall."
Yasutora Sado nodded thoughtfully and didn't press the matter further. He knew that although Liu Ziyun spoke directly, sometimes even harshly, every word he said had its reasons. Since he said that Uryū Ishida wasn't suitable to come now, he must have his reasons.
Liu Ziyun suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked past Yasutora Sado and Rukia Kuchiki, landing on the orange-haired boy in the middle of the group.
"Ichigo, come in front of me." His tone left no room for argument, as if issuing a command. "You will create a foothold and practice your Reiatsu control."
Ichigo Kurosaki paused, a hint of reluctance flashing across his face. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but under Liu Ziyun's calm yet imposing gaze, he ultimately swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.
"Okay... alright." He scratched his head awkwardly and quickened his pace to the front of the line.
Liu Ziyun aside to make room for him, gesturing for him to enter. A half-smile played on his lips, a mixture of expectation, scrutiny, and an inscrutable expression.
Ichigo Kurosaki a deep breath, lifted his foot, and carefully took a step forward. Reiatsu began to gather under his foot, attempting to replicate Liu Ziyun's earlier action—using Reiatsu to create a weight-bearing stepping stone in the void.
However, when his foot landed, the Reiatsu pedal beneath him began to collapse after only half of its energy had been gathered. He hurriedly Plus pressure output, trying to stabilize the collapsing pedal, but the more anxious he became, the more chaotic his Reiatsu became.
Ultimately, what formed beneath his feet was not a flat, solid footing, but an irregularly shaped "Reiatsu lump" with a surface covered in cracks, barely able to bear weight, but looking as if it could shatter at any moment.
He gritted his teeth and stepped onto it, the pedal emitting a harsh creaking sound, like the groan of an old wooden floor under heavy pressure. Then he continued to take a second step, a third step—each step more difficult than the last, the pedals beneath his feet becoming rougher and rougher.
The once smooth and orderly blue paving road that Liu Ziyun laid out quickly turned into a dilapidated and uneven path after Ichigo Kurosaki took over.
Some of the footboards were as thin as ice that could break at any moment, while others were as thick as ugly stone blocks. Some footboards were also crookedly positioned, requiring careful balance to walk on them, otherwise one might slip and fall at any time.
Liu Ziyun watched this "masterpiece" from behind, his expression incredibly interesting. His lips twitched, his brow furrowed slightly, and then he slowly said in an extremely disappointed tone, "You've really forgotten everything I taught you."
He shook his head and sighed, his sigh filled with a helpless frustration, "It's a good thing I didn't take you as my last disciple—it would be too embarrassing. If people knew that my disciple couldn't even control the most basic Reiatsu, where would I put my face?"