Extracting Dugu Bo's Value

Ning Fengzhi had no real interest in taking over a newly built Soul Master Academy.

What he valued was the Kido Aizen had mastered. Sponsoring the academy's construction was merely a pretext; in truth, he was paying tuition for Aizen to teach the disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

As for seizing power, Ning Fengzhi considered it optional.

After all, controlling an academy meant little to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. He did not need to use an academy as his public face. That would be utterly superfluous.

Likewise, Aizen did not care all that much.

The core of the Central Spirit Arts Academy was the people he had summoned, not the academy itself.

Just as he had said from the start, building this academy was merely a way to establish a place to stay, and only a temporary one at that.

Ning Fengzhi took full responsibility for the academy's construction team.

To a large extent, this academy was being built for the younger generation of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. If the construction work angered Aizen and caused him to teach his disciples less—or teach them incorrectly—it would be a terrible loss.

Aizen was more than happy to leave troublesome matters for Ning Fengzhi to worry about.

He had just thought of something else: he could make a second deal with Dugu Bo.

Such a fine resource had to be used more often.

He returned to his residence to await Dugu Bo.

Although his identity at the Soul Arena had been exposed, it did not matter much. His plan to save up one hundred million soul coins was merely a precaution.

Back then, just a few million soul coins had summoned the Gotei 13 and the Espada, even bringing forth several members of the Stern Ritter. Then forty million soul coins should be enough to summon Yhwach and the Zero Squad.

Although those summoned would only possess level-ten strength, their potential was high enough.

Yhwach, who possessed The Almighty; Ichibei Hyosube, who named all things; Ōetsu Nimaiya, the god of blades; and the others all had extraordinarily outstanding abilities.

They were beings who could challenge opponents above their level through ability alone. Once they reached the pinnacle, there was no question that they would be invincible.

Even Aizen himself doubted whether he could keep them in check. It seemed his Role-Playing System needed to work harder.

They could only use their own abilities, while he could use the abilities of every one of them.

Provided that he could fully understand them.

His progress with Aizen Sousuke had stalled completely. He had no idea what Aizen Sousuke was doing now. Perhaps he was plotting something terrifying.

Early the next morning, Dugu Bo brought Dugu Yan to Aizen's residence.

At the time, Kurosaki Ichigo was cooperating with Urahara Kisuke's experiments to improve his cultivation.

Ichimaru Gin was also training diligently.

Yamamoto Shigekuni went without saying. He had trained continuously from last night until now without closing his eyes.

He seemed to consider it a disgrace that he had failed to quickly defeat Kuchiki Byakuya and Yu Tianheng on the Soul Arena Stage.

Grimmjow was sparring with Ulquiorra in the backyard.

Only Matsumoto Rangiku and Inoue Orihime were still sleeping soundly.

The two were currently embracing each other beneath the same blanket. Even though the morning sunlight was slightly scorching, it could not wake them.

As for Retsu Unohana, she had gone early to the Soul Arena in Heaven Dou City to search for suitable opponents.

She had two identities at the Soul Arena: one was the support member of the Soul Reaper Battle Team, and the other was the murderous god known as the Sword Devil.

Aizen sat in the main hall, meeting with Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan, who had come to the residence.

The enormous hall contained only three people.

Aizen sat in the seat of honor, leaning against the back of his chair with one elbow propped on the armrest, supporting his slightly slanted body.

He looked at the two of them with a relaxed expression, utterly unafraid that Dugu Bo might suddenly attack.

Dugu Yan still needed him to heal her arm. He dared say that even the Nine Heart Begonia could not restore a severed arm.

Healing could not regenerate an arm. That was what Retsu Unohana, who specialized in healing, had said.

There was only one way to restore an arm: Inoue Orihime's power of rejection, Sōten Kisshun.

"Grandpa, why haven't you killed him yet? He cut off my arm!" Dugu Yan's eyes were red as a tear slipped from the corner of one eye.

After losing her arm, she felt deeply inferior.

A proud daughter of heaven had suddenly lost an arm. Among those her age, that was an utterly devastating blow.

It would be easy for others to treat her as an outcast and reject her. She did not even dare show her face before Yu Tianheng now.

She and Yu Tianheng had once been well matched in status, but now that she had lost an arm, she was disabled. She would never again be able to hold her head high before Yu Tianheng.

Dugu Bo tenderly stroked Dugu Yan's cheek, wiped away that tear, and comforted her.

"It is not that Grandpa does not want to kill him. It is that only he can restore your severed arm."

"Him?" Dugu Yan pointed at Aizen and said disbelievingly, "If we are talking about combat strength, then he truly is very powerful. I did not even have time to react before that strike severed one of my arms. He even kindly froze the wound so I would not bleed to death. But if you say he knows how to heal, I absolutely do not believe it. How could one person balance both combat and support abilities, and even reach the level of restoring severed limbs?"

Dugu Yan's reasoning was not without merit. Even if she devoted her entire life to combat, she might not reach Aizen's level, let alone cultivate support abilities at the same time.

Even Ye Lingling's powerful healing could not accomplish it. How could Dugu Yan believe that Aizen could?

In truth, Dugu Bo did not believe it either. But seeing Aizen so confident, even treating the matter of having him secure the academy's qualifications as something already in the bag and discussing a deal with Ning Fengzhi, Dugu Bo had no choice but to believe.

Aizen sat up straight and looked at Dugu Yan with interest. "Such people do exist."

Dugu Yan stared at Aizen in stunned silence. Such a person truly existed in this world, and it was him?

Aizen continued, "But that person is not me."

Whoosh!

Dugu Bo shot to his feet, red-faced as he pointed at Aizen and roared, "Not you? If you cannot heal Yan Er, I will kill you right now!"

Aizen sneered and made a pressing gesture toward Dugu Bo, saying calmly, "You are this worked up just because I cannot heal? You love your granddaughter dearly, but there is no need to make such a display of it. If I did not know how to restore her arm, why would I have called you here?"

"Then hurry and bring out whoever can heal her. Don't worry—whatever you ask me to do, I will absolutely do it!" Dugu Bo said urgently.

"Grandpa, what deal do you have with him? How come I don't know about it?" Dugu Yan asked Dugu Bo curiously in surprise.

After Dugu Bo told Dugu Yan everything that had happened the previous night, she looked at Aizen with concern in her eyes.

She did not know why Aizen wanted to open an academy, but for the sake of restoring her arm, Dugu Yan had no other choice.

Even her close sisters could do nothing about a bodily defect.

Aizen rose and walked toward Dugu Bo. Looking down at the seated Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan, he reminded them.

"Since that is the case, then prepare for treatment. Oh, right—this treatment will only heal her arm. I will not concern myself with the poison in Dugu Yan's body."

Dugu Bo abruptly stood and grabbed Aizen by both shoulders, exclaiming in shock.

"What? You actually know about the poison in Yan Yan's body!"