Changes in the Inner World

Most striking are the two markings on the egg—a golden dragon and a red phoenix. The dragon, with its claws outstretched, is so lifelike that it seems ready to leap from the egg at any moment; the phoenix, with its wings spread and feathers clearly defined, seems poised to rise from the egg. The dragon and phoenix intertwine, forming a perfect circle that envelops the entire egg.

On either side of the egg were two knives— Life-Taker, the other for Tulu.

Liu Ziyun looked at the two swords. He could sense Life-Taker and Tulu Reiatsu emanating from the two lines on the egg—an aura he knew all too well, the aura of the Zanpakuto that had been with him for nearly two hundred years. But the two swords stuck on either side of the egg had no Reiatsu at all, as if they were just two ordinary, lifeless swords.

"You've finally arrived." A gentle female voice came from the Giant Egg, a voice as refreshing as a spring breeze and as melodious as a babbling brook, bringing an indescribable sense of peace to the listener. But within that peace lay an undeniable, almost sacred, majesty.

Liu Ziyun's gaze shifted from the two swords to the Giant Egg. His voice was calm and direct, devoid of fear or awe, conveying only a profound, almost egalitarian tone. "Are you Life-Taker Tulu, or Fate-Deciding God-Slayer?"

The Giant Egg was silent for a moment, then the gentle female voice rang out again. "None of them. They—are merely my blades."

Liu Ziyun's brows furrowed even more. His gaze lingered on the Giant Egg, a hint of confusion, a trace of contemplation, and a subtle unease flashing in his eyes.

"Then who are you?" His voice remained calm, but carried a hint of inquiry and urgency.

The Giant Egg fell silent again. The gentle female voice rang out after the silence, carrying a hint of mystery, a touch of profound meaning, and an unfathomable enigma. "Who am I? You—you are not yet qualified to know."

Liu Ziyun's eyes narrowed slightly, a dangerous glint flashing within them.

"However," the Giant Egg's voice continued, with a hint of indifference and nonchalance, "You are using my blade, drawing out my power—the power you call 'Creation'."

Liu Ziyun's pupils contracted slightly. Creation —that was the power he had used in countless battles, the power he had used to change his fate, to heal his wounds, and to reverse life and death.

He had always believed that it was the power to Life-Taker Tulu, the power bestowed upon him by the Zanpakuto. But now, this Giant Egg told him—that was merely the power of the "blade," just the Ikkaku the iceberg.

"You mean," his voice held a hint of solemnity and a touch of probing, "That you are the source of the Creation Power?"

A soft laugh emanated from the Giant Egg, a laugh tinged with disdain and arrogance, "The Creation Power? Ha—my power is far more than Creation. You merely used a tiny bit of your power to activate the Creation Power while saving someone."

Liu Ziyun remained silent for a long time. His gaze lingered on the Giant Egg, and something was churning in his eyes—shock, confusion, and a deep, almost instinctive vigilance.

He strode towards the Giant Egg, each step steady and firm. He stood before Giant Egg, reached out, and gently placed his palm on the shell. The surface of the shell was cold and smooth, its texture like metal or jade, possessing an indescribable quality.

Liu Ziyun- legged on the scorched earth, his hands still pressed against the cold shell of the Giant Egg. His Reiatsu, like a trickle, continuously seeped into the dark and mysterious Giant Egg.

He could feel his power being greedily devoured by the egg, like parched earth absorbing rainwater, like a hungry beast devouring flesh and blood.

That feeling made him somewhat uneasy and wary, but he didn't withdraw his hand, because he knew that the existence within this egg was the source of his power, the true master of his Zanpakuto, the cause of his coming into this world, and perhaps also the effect.

"How do I master your power?" His voice echoed in the crater, calm and direct, carrying an unavoidable question. "And what exactly is your power?"

A soft laugh emanated from the Giant Egg, a laugh tinged with mockery, sarcasm, and an enigmatic depth. The laughter echoed through the crater, mingling with the scent of sulfur, adding an eerie atmosphere to the air.

"Heh," the soft female voice rang out again, tinged with arrogance and disdain, "Why should I tell you? I'm just telling you to figure out how to control it yourself—but I don't want you to. After all—" She paused, a chilling coldness creeping into her voice, "... I still want to replace you."

Liu Ziyun's pupils contracted sharply, and his body involuntarily took half a step back. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind—replacement? What replacement? Replacing his existence? Becoming him? Or—taking his place?

"Holy crap," his voice was filled with shock and disbelief, "You're not some kind of being like White, are you? A combination of Hollow Power and my Soul Reaper Power?"

He recalled that white version of himself, with the same face, the one who had always struggled with him and coexisted with him in his Inner World. The White was the manifestation of his Hollow Power, an inseparable part of his soul.

If what exists inside this egg is something similar, then he can accept it—at least it's his own, his own power.

But the Giant Egg's answer only confused him more.

"Don't lump me in with such lowly beings." The woman's voice carried a hint of disdain and arrogance, as if someone of White's caliber was nothing more than an ant in her eyes. "I'm different from him."

Liu Ziyun's brows furrowed deeply. His gaze lingered on the Giant Egg, his eyes filled with confusion and contemplation. Not the Hollow Power, not the Soul Reaper Power, not a combination of the two—then what was it?

"Then what exactly are you?" His voice held a mixture of urgency and longing. "Are you my power?"

The Giant Egg was silent for a moment, then the gentle female voice rang out again, tinged with confusion, uncertainty, and a heartbreaking bewilderment. "Maybe so. Maybe not."

Although I've been in your Inner World since the moment I became conscious, I can clearly feel that those two knives are mine. And my connection with you is limited to your use of those two knives.