Breaking the Limit

Deep, shadowy magic light clashed fiercely with the pale golden Spirit Particles in the surrounding environment, repelling each other while forming a delicate balance on some deeper level.

The rain was still falling, cold enough to pierce the bone, yet it could no longer draw near him.

The instant the rain touched him, it vaporized into wisps of black mist that coiled around Liu Chuan, making his figure increasingly hazy beneath the curtain of rain, carrying an eerie majesty that seemed intolerable to the world.

He started walking again.

With his first step, the mud beneath his feet was no longer merely an obstacle.

Read novels every day—practical and effortless.

Magic Power extended through the Magic Circuit to the soles of his feet, actively "interfering" with the soil he touched.

The paradoxical sensation that the more he advanced, the farther away the finish line became was forcibly analyzed and dismantled by Magic Power's unique perception.

Second step, third step... his footing became steadier and steadier.

Every time his bare feet met the cold, wet mud, they produced a sound that seemed capable of shaking the earth.

Liu Chuan's eyes, their depths flowing with shadowy black magic light, calmly watched the path ahead.

All pain, exhaustion, and anxiety over the unknown became the purest will to move forward.

The full activation of his Magic Power not only brought about a qualitative change in strength, but also sent his mind into an almost absolutely rational state of "overclocking."

All information from the outside world—the trajectories of raindrops, the refraction of light, changes in pressure, the paths of Spirit Particles through space—was processed and analyzed at high speed, transformed into precise instructions for his next move.

He was like a newborn Demon King walking within his own domain.

No, perhaps "Demon King" was not quite accurate. He had no desire for destruction or conquest, only the purest exploration and conquest of the road itself.

Wherever he passed, the muddy path trembled slightly, while the blue phosphorescence floating in the air scattered in frightened retreat.

Even the glowing plants on either side seemed to sense an entirely different, higher-level pressure, their light flickering erratically.

Within his body, the Spiritual Pressure that had previously grown passively under pressure, nearly bursting its vessel, now underwent an even more astonishing transformation under Magic Power's "guidance" and "tempering."

Spiritual Power and Magic Power, two forces fundamentally different in nature, did not simply merge within this body that had been pushed to its limit and forcibly carved out a new path.

Instead, beneath the "framework" of the Magic Circuit and the "hammer" of extreme external pressure, they formed a peculiar state of spiraling "symbiosis" and "mutual stimulation."

Magic Power continuously "vibrated" and "analyzed" the structure of Spiritual Power, removing its last traces of impurity and redundancy, compressing and refining it into an almost essential crystalline state.

In turn, the highly condensed Spiritual Power provided a more stable and surging "foundation" and "fuel" for the operation of Magic Power, making the light of the Magic Circuit even more solid.

The two were intertwined, cause and effect to each other, crazily climbing together toward some unknown, higher critical point on this dead-end path!

One step, then another.

Liu Chuan did not move quickly, but he carried an unstoppable momentum.

The black Magic Circuit light across his body grew brighter and brighter, nearly bursting through his flesh, forming two sharply distinct yet strangely harmonious worlds with the Spirit Particle radiance of the surroundings.

The power surging through his body grew stronger and more condensed. Under this extreme tempering and the nourishment of two powers, his soul seemed to shed layer after layer of "shell."

It became clearer, tougher.

Finally—

Crack... crack...

An incredibly faint sound of shattering, yet one that seemed to echo through the deepest reaches of his soul, came from within Liu Chuan!

It was neither bone breaking nor the collapse of his Spirit Channels.

It was... an invisible barrier defining the upper limit of a Soul Reaper's power.

Under the continuous impact of inner and outer power and will, as Magic Power and Spiritual Power spiraled upward to an ultimate peak, it cracked!

Then came a second crack, a third... the fractures spread like a spiderweb, instantly covering that invisible "boundary."

Boom—!!!

An indescribable roar exploded simultaneously within Liu Chuan's soul and body!

The Soul Reaper Limit that had troubled countless Soul Reapers and been regarded as an impassable chasm, right here within the Path of No Entry,

completely shattered!

It was as though a dam had collapsed and a river had surged backward!

The Spiritual Power and Magic Power within him, which had already climbed to unimaginable heights, became like a burst flood, rushing in every direction with unimaginable speed and scale!

His soul seemed to break free from heavy shackles, becoming incomparably light and transparent.

The limit of a Soul Reaper had been broken.

He had not cheated his way through with the Royal Key status granted by the Soul King's Power. He had simply smashed open that tightly shut door through the most domineering means possible!

At the instant the breakthrough was completed, the scene before Liu Chuan suddenly changed.

He had reached the end.

Liu Chuan stopped before the finish line. His powerful Magic Power and Spiritual Power returned to his body, and the Magic Circuit faded away.

He slowly lowered his head, looked at his upper body with its perfectly smooth muscle lines, then clenched his fist.

He felt the vast power flowing endlessly within him.

He gave the path behind him, the one he had conquered step by step, one last look. Then, without hesitation, he took the final step toward the glowing exit.

His figure vanished into the light.

Outside.

The five members of Zero Division were waiting patiently.

Buzz...

The silent entrance ahead suddenly trembled ever so slightly, instantly drawing everyone's attention.

Ichibē Hyōsube's tightly closed eyes suddenly opened!

Tenjiro Kirinji sprang up from the rock he had been leaning against almost at the same moment, healing Spirit Particles gathering around him in readiness.

Then, beneath the gaze of the five, a tiny point of light at the center rapidly expanded. The entrance to the Path of No Entry opened once more!

Then a figure stepped out of that light—it was Liu Chuan.

His bare upper body showed no trace of the Magic Circuit from before, and his skin had returned to its normal color.

Yet there was a faint crystalline sheen to it, as though it had been forged under extreme heat and then cooled again.

Most striking were his eyes. Usually calm and unruffled, they now seemed to have become even deeper after this trial.

He merely stood there calmly without deliberately releasing Spiritual Pressure, yet a pressure naturally radiated from him.

It was something no captain-class Soul Reaper could possess. Even compared to the aura emitted by Zero Division members due to their Royal Key bodies, it carried a subtle difference.

"Kid... you really..." Tenjiro Kirinji's throat moved. He seemed to want to say something, but in the end, only managed to force out a few words through clenched teeth.

His gaze fixed on Liu Chuan, complex and intense, sweeping over him like the most precise scanner as he assessed his condition.

"Ha! You're out! I knew you were tough as nails, brat!"

Ōetsu Nimaiya slapped his thigh and burst into loud laughter. Behind his sunglasses, his eyes gleamed with undisguised excitement and curiosity.

"So? Was it fun in there? Did you find any interesting 'materials'?"

Only Ichibē Hyōsube remained seated cross-legged. His gaze rested quietly on Liu Chuan, and his wise eyes saw the "echo" of the limit barrier Liu Chuan had just shattered.

There was neither joy nor sorrow on his face as he slowly nodded.

Faced with everyone's gazes and greetings, Liu Chuan showed little excitement. He merely said to them,

"Sorry to keep you waiting. I... am back."

The moment he finished speaking, Tenjiro Kirinji, who had long been unable to contain himself, flashed to Liu Chuan's side like a ghost.

He gave Liu Chuan no time to react and completely ignored the faint pressure emanating from him.

He grabbed Liu Chuan's wrist directly. With his other hand, he somehow produced a simply designed, flat stretcher-like object radiating soft white light and placed it on the ground.

"Enough talk! Lie down!" Tenjiro Kirinji still spoke with the overbearing tone of a doctor who brooked no argument, but his movements were lightning-fast, carrying an unquestionable urgency.

Accepting Tenjiro Kirinji's goodwill, Liu Chuan lay down on the simple stretcher.

"Tenjiro! Be gentler!" Kirio Hikifune could not help saying.

"Checking his body comes first!" Tenjiro Kirinji did not look back. He had already crouched beside the stretcher, his ten fingers moving like the nimblest instruments.

With faint crimson healing Spiritual Power, he used Kaido to rapidly press and examine the acupoints and Spirit Channel nodes across Liu Chuan's bare upper body, limbs, and even his head.

At the same time, he muttered under his breath, as if talking to himself, yet also as if relaying his "diagnosis" to the others.

"No obvious open wounds on the body's surface, but there are signs of Spirit Particle congestion beneath the skin and microscopic Spirit Channel tears caused by intense pressure... Mm, they're repairing themselves rapidly. The speed is abnormal..."

"The width and resilience of the Spirit Channels... they've expanded by at least three times! And this operational efficiency... damn it..."

As he examined Liu Chuan, he quickly took several different tools and medicines from the emergency jade box prepared at his feet.

He gently inserted a long, thin probe with a tiny crystal embedded in its tip into a Spirit Channel node in Liu Chuan's arm. The crystal immediately flashed with a complex Spirit Particle spectrum.

He dripped several drops of pale golden liquid with a crisp fragrance onto Liu Chuan's forehead. The liquid swiftly seeped into his skin, turning into threads of cool Spirit Particle currents that spread outward.

He even took out a Spirit Particle detector resembling a stethoscope, though with a far more complex structure, and pressed it to Liu Chuan's chest and abdomen, listening intently.

Liu Chuan lay calmly on the stretcher, allowing Tenjiro Kirinji to work.

He could sense the extreme precision and efficiency beneath the other's seemingly rough actions.

The Spirit Particles and medicine entering his body possessed powerful healing and detection effects, yet they did not provoke the slightest rejection from his own power. Instead, they seemed to be helping him calm the immense power still churning within him after his breakthrough.

He closed his eyes and adjusted his breathing cooperatively, examining himself internally as he adapted to and evaluated this new body that had broken past its limit.

Ōetsu Nimaiya moved closer curiously, seemingly very interested in Tenjiro Kirinji's tools and Liu Chuan's physical data.

Senjumaru Shutara's halo watched quietly. Ichibē Hyōsube also slowly rose and walked closer, observing in silence.

About a quarter of an hour later, Tenjiro Kirinji finally stopped all his movements and put away his tools.

He let out a long breath. On his usually impatient face appeared a rare trace of relief, along with... undisguised astonishment.

"How is he, Tenjiro?" Kirio Hikifune asked anxiously.

Tenjiro Kirinji did not answer immediately. Instead, he carefully looked at Liu Chuan's calm face again, as if confirming something, before slowly speaking in the grave tone of a doctor announcing a major discovery.

"His body... is basically fine. Other than deep exhaustion caused by excessive Spiritual Power and mental depletion, which requires rest and recovery, there are no injuries that threaten the foundation of his existence. No, it is more than simply being fine..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone before finally falling on Ichibē Hyōsube. Then he spoke each word distinctly.

"His body has completed a thorough transformation. It has already far surpassed the theoretical limit of the category known as a 'Soul Reaper.'"

He did not continue, but the meaning was obvious.

Liu Chuan had successfully passed the Path of No Entry. Moreover, without relying on the Soul King's Power, he had truly broken the Soul Reaper Limit through his own strength!

Silence fell over the open space. Only the eternal radiance of the Soul King Palace quietly shone down upon the young man resting with his eyes closed on the stretcher, already utterly transformed.

Ichibē Hyōsube slowly smiled. That smile contained approval, expectation, and a deeper glimmer, as though he had glimpsed an interesting future.

"Liu Chuan, welcome officially to Zero Division! Now, go get some rest."

Before this, even though the Soul King had personally "named" him, even though he had demonstrated his ability and wisdom by resolving the Twin Hyorinmaru incident, even though he wore Zero Division's haori,

in the eyes of these five true Zero Division members, he had perhaps been more like a "special junior favored by the Soul King."

After all, Zero Division's glory and responsibility were founded upon "irreplaceable creation" and absolute strength. Without corresponding achievements and proof, merely being "chosen" was not enough to convince others.

But now, things were different.

The result of the Path of No Entry was the most indisputable proof.

He had proven the "hardness" of his strength, the "tenacity" of his will, and, more importantly, that the "road" he had chosen possessed the potential and value to stand alongside Zero Division—or even carve out new possibilities.

This was no longer an identity that had been "bestowed" upon him, but a qualification he had "seized through strength."

Weariness overwhelmed him completely like a tide.

He fell asleep—not a light sleep, not meditation, but deep sleep born of complete relaxation.

Every cell in his body and every strand of consciousness in his soul sank into the deepest restoration and repose.

The new power within him, which had just broken through and was still surging endlessly, gradually calmed, settled, and merged completely with his body and mind amid that absolute peace.

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