Internalization and Reflection

Late at night, in the Fourth Division dormitory.

Wang Xun sat cross-legged on the bed, not asleep.

His consciousness sank into his inner world.

When he opened his eyes again, he saw Shackle Lotus sitting listlessly in the air, swinging her slender legs, with a blade of grass formed from Reiatsu dangling from her mouth.

Wang Xun walked to her side, sat down quietly, and looked at the white wasteland in the distance.

Shackle Lotus floated over and quietly sat on Wang Xun's head, her two legs dangling in front of him.

"What's wrong, Master? Is it time for our late-night emo phase to begin?"

Wang Xun didn't speak upon hearing this; he simply kept his mouth shut and let out a deep breath.

Two streams of air flowed from his nasal cavity, carrying a unique sense of melancholy.

Then he raised his hand and tickled the sole of Shackle Lotus's foot.

Shackle Lotus felt a tickle on the sole of her foot, cried out in surprise, and rolled off Wang Xun's head, landing heavily on the ground.

Then she lay on her side on the ground, arched her back like a mad cat, and kicked Wang Xun twice hard.

Wang Xun ignored Shackle Lotus's antics beside him, closed his eyes, and sensed the clone he had placed in Hueco Mundo.

His Hollow clones are thriving, wandering the deserts of Hueco Mundo, during which time they devour many Hollows.

His current clone is quite powerful, ranking among the Adjuchas he has encountered and defeated.

Aizen wouldn't care about Adjuchas's strength, but if he showed anything special in the experiments, it might attract Aizen's attention.

Sensing the state of his clone, Wang Xun nodded.

His Hueco Mundo clone is a hidden pawn that has been buried for a long time.

Throughout this time, he maintained a very low level of focus while manipulating this clone.

From the time it initially split off until now, he has hardly interfered with its growth.

It only occasionally senses the state of the creature, controlling it to hunt freely in Hueco Mundo.

Now, this clone has grown into an Adjuchas- level Void, fully capable of performing more complex tasks.

"I want my clone to come back."

Wang Xun said.

Shackle Lotus raised an eyebrow.

"You want this clone to mess with the Hōgyoku?"

Wang Xun nodded.

"Aizen has always been wary of me directly touching the Hōgyoku. He may have already realized that I will absorb the Hōgyoku's energy."

"So I didn't have the chance to get close to the Hōgyoku directly, but the clones are different."

"Since the clone is a Hollow, Aizen wouldn't be as wary of an unfamiliar Hollow."

"As long as the clone can get on his experiment list, there is a chance to come into contact with the Hōgyoku during the experiment."

17

Shackle Lotus rested her head on Wang Xun's lap.

What about the risks?

"If it's discovered, the only loss will be an avatar, Aizen has no reason to associate this avatar with me."

Wang Xun's voice was calm.

"Even if something goes wrong and the clone is destroyed, it's still better than the main body being exposed."

Shackle Lotus looked at him and slightly pursed her lips.

"You're quite optimistic."

Wang Xun smiled.

"It's just a clone; trading it for the chance to obtain the Hōgyoku is a good deal."

"But how exactly to do it is a question worth considering carefully."

As Wang Xun pondered, he began to slightly tiptoe.

Shackle Lotus's little head bobbed up and down with the movement.

"Aizen will search for and capture Hollows in Soul Society to use as experimental subjects."

"If the clone appears in those areas and deliberately displays abnormal Reiatsu fluctuations, there is a high probability that Aizen will notice it."

"Then, as long as the clone can exhibit some kind of special quality in his eyes."

"To make Aizen interested in this special individual..."

Shackle Lotus thought for a moment, her voice rising and falling with the bobbing of her head.

"The initial implementation of this plan is relatively easy; the important thing is how to escape from Aizen's grasp after coming into contact with the Hōgyoku."

"This is difficult to achieve; you need help."

11

Wang Xun nodded.

"You're right, it's very difficult for me to achieve that on my own."

At this moment, Shackle Lotus sat up and stretched her neck.

"Why don't we go and discuss it with him? Maybe he'll have some good ideas."

Wang Xun remained silent; he knew who Shackle Lotus was referring to.

Then, Wang Xun shook his head.

"No, the fewer people who know about this, the better."

"Although Urahara and I have a working relationship, he tends to prioritize his own considerations."

"If he knew I had a Hollowfication clone, he might try to use it for other things, and I don't want to cause any unnecessary trouble."

"If necessary, it's not too late to ask him for help later."

Shackle Lotus tiptoed and patted Wang Xun on the shoulder.

"Okay, I support you."

"Keep it up, you little fish owner!"

Shackle Lotus's figure gradually blurred, and her voice grew increasingly distant.

Wang Xun's consciousness surfaced, returning to reality.

I opened my eyes; the night outside the window was deep.

The conversation with Shackle Lotus was more like a dialogue with one's own heart.

Unfortunately, there are no other people I can tell about these things except myself.

Wang Xun a deep breath, closed his eyes, and once again sensed his clone far away in Hueco Mundo.

In the white desert, a white figure is speeding along under the moonlight.

That was his clone, a completely black void.

After devouring many fragments of Hollows and evolving into Adjuchas, its appearance also underwent some changes.

Its figure was more slender, its overall proportions closer to human form, a mask covered its face, and its eyes gleamed with a dark red light.

Wang Xun withdrew his senses and opened his eyes.

Next, it's just a matter of waiting for the right opportunity.

A few days later, the underground cavity of Sōkyoku Hill.

Upon receiving the news, Wang Xun returned to the area.

Urahara was already waiting there; several documents and some parts were laid out on the lab table.

His expression was as relaxed as ever, and after greeting Wang Xun, he seemed unchanged.

But Wang Xun could sense that a faint barrier had already formed between the two of them.

"I've reviewed the surgical framework of the Garganta for you."

Urahara pushed a document in front of Wang Xun.

"Following this framework to build Reiatsu nodes will significantly increase the success rate."

"You only need to do the final Reiatsu simulation; I've optimized all the other steps for you."

Wang Xun took the document, opened it, and looked at it.

The surgical procedure is densely packed with steps, each clearly marked.

Urahara's skills are indeed profound; this plan is far more refined than his own rough design.

Thanks.

Wang Xun closed the document.

Urahara waved his hand.

"Aizen will master the Garganta technique sooner or later. The sooner we know his movements, the better we can prepare."

"Moreover, it will be easier for me to operate my own things later."

He paused, looking at Wang Xun.

"Wang Xun, about what happened last time..."

"Unimportant."

Wang Xun interrupted him.

"I completely understand; this isn't a matter of trust."

When it comes to the Hōgyoku, no one dares to trust anyone easily.

"As long as our goals and interests align, nothing else matters."

Urahara remained silent for a long time.

Then, he sighed.

"I'm glad you understand."