The Wandenreich (Invisible Empire), this Ice Palace hidden within the shadows of the buildings of the Seireitei, had stood here silently for nearly a thousand years, yet no one had ever discovered them.
Even at this very moment, though Qin Yi stood here himself, he still could not see anything unusual about the seemingly peaceful structure before him.
As the strongest and ultimate boss faction in the Thousand-Year Blood War among the Shinigami, the power of the Wandenreich (Invisible Empire) was self-evident. Compared to Hueco Mundo, they were even more terrifying. Even the Soul Society was not something the Gotei 13 could protect against.
They had even slain the Soul King, battled the Royal Guard Squad Zero, and caused the gradual collapse of the Soul Society, the Human World, and Hueco Mundo.
Naturally, Qin Yi understood Kenpachi Chengdui's intentions perfectly well. His simple, direct, and brutally forceful conquest strategy was so obvious that even an idiot could see through it, yet it had to be admitted that it was indeed the most effective method.
Violence and conquest had always been the fastest means of primitive accumulation.
In Qin Yi's view, Kenpachi Chengdui was truly the most troublesome enemy he had encountered since entering so many worlds, whether in terms of personal strength or the enormous power behind him.
Compared to the Li Yuanli he had met back then, they were on completely different levels.
This man was crazy and straightforward, like Blade Technique itself. He knew very few techniques, yet he had refined every slash and every strike to the absolute peak, so astonishing that he had reached the Cultivation Realm where technique itself approached the Dao.
Without him, the world of the Shinigami might truly have eventually fallen into this fellow's hands.
But what Kenpachi Chengdui could never have imagined was the existence of a bug-level being like Qin Yi.
"You want to conquer the Soul Society? Then I shall ally with Yhwach and show you what true omniscience and omnipotence really means!"
For a King, intelligence regarding the worlds he traveled to was undoubtedly of extreme importance. It could save an enormous amount of effort.
And Qin Yi was precisely such a bug-like existence!
Within the entire world of the Shinigami, Yhwach was unquestionably an overwhelmingly powerful boss. During the Thousand-Year Blood War, he had even stolen the abilities of Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto and slain him.
The ability he possessed was known as "The Almighty." As for its exact effects, no one knew clearly; it was only said that he could foresee the future.
"I wonder… compared to my omniscience and omnipotence, is yours truly stronger?"
The corner of Qin Yi's mouth curled upward as he stepped forward.
Then, after ripples appeared in the void itself, his entire body entered the shadows.
As his figure vanished from the Soul Society, a magnificent and glorious palace hall appeared before Qin Yi's eyes.
"The Ice Palace!"
A smile bloomed across Qin Yi's lips as he muttered softly.
He strode toward the Ice Palace, but after only three steps, several figures suddenly flashed into existence, surrounding him instantly.
"Stop!"
"Who are you? Why have you come here?"
Though their attire differed, the aura emanating from each of them was no weaker than that of a Shinigami Captain. They were the Sternritter.
"You may call me the ruler of Hueco Mundo, the King of Hell."
Qin Yi said indifferently.
"I have come here to discuss a matter with Yhwach."
As he spoke, Qin Yi placed a hand upon the King of Hell at his waist.
Not all of the Sternritter had arrived, only those ranked near the bottom. Upon hearing Qin Yi's words, shock filled their eyes.
"The ruler of Hueco Mundo? The King of Hell?"
"How do you know that our King is here?"
Qin Yi's gaze remained calm.
"I heard that Yhwach possesses omniscience and omnipotence. Did he not foresee my arrival?"
The Sternritter members froze, their pupils contracting sharply.
"And besides, who said that an ability like omniscience and omnipotence could belong to him alone?"
That single sentence caused the hearts of everyone present to tremble.
Only they knew just how terrifying their King's power truly was. No, perhaps even they themselves did not know where the limits of that power lay.
"I understand everything about this world. I am omniscient and omnipotent!"
"I came here precisely to compete with him and see whose ability is more worthy of being called true omniscience!"
Speaking calmly, Qin Yi slowly drew his blade and pointed its tip toward the members of the Sternritter before him.
"I heard that Yhwach is still asleep. With only the likes of you here, do you really think you can stop me?"
At those words, a look of disdain spread across Qin Yi's lips, while arrogance filled his eyes.
"Looking down on us? Heh~"
"Then let him witness the might of the Sternritter!"
The Star Cross Knights clad in white hooded cloaks revealed icy expressions as they instantly charged forward.
Qin Yi smiled faintly. Upon the King of Hell, a dark crimson-black radiance suddenly burst forth.
Then, "Let me show you the majesty of the King of Hell!"
The long blade trembled violently, releasing a sharp humming sound.
"Nether Might!"
In an instant, the rapidly advancing Sternritter all shuddered, their footsteps coming to an abrupt halt.
Shock, terror, and fear appeared upon their faces and within their eyes.
Staring fixedly at the blade in Qin Yi's hand, their bodies and even their souls seemed utterly suppressed. At this moment, they could no longer move even a fraction.
This was Nether Might, the suppressive authority of Nether Might. Anyone whose strength was inferior to Qin Yi's would instantly be frozen in place.
"Pathetically weak."
Qin Yi spoke indifferently as he stepped past their bodies. In the blink of an eye, he had already arrived before the Ice Palace.
"Yhwach, let me see whether you have awakened."
Murmuring softly, Qin Yi lowered the tip of his blade toward the ground and slowly ascended the steps.
Ever since mastering the King of Hell, Qin Yi himself had also been gradually merging with it. In a certain sense, the King of Hell possessed power similar to the Hōgyoku. As he fused with it, it rapidly helped him shatter one limit after another, causing his power to rise continuously.
The strength Qin Yi possessed now was already completely different from when he had first come into contact with the King of Hell.
He had developed even more abilities, repeatedly breaking through what had once been his limits and ascending to even greater heights.
As he walked deeper into the Ice Palace, Qin Yi was slightly surprised to discover that from the staircase onward, all the way until he entered the palace itself, not a single member of the Sternritter came to stop him again.
After stepping through the palace gates, Qin Yi's eyes narrowed slightly before he broke into a smile.
"So, everyone was waiting for me here all along."
Sweeping his gaze across the hall, he discovered the familiar members of the Sternritter from the original story all gathered here.
"Jugram Haschwalth, Pernida Parnkgjas, Askin Nakk Le Vaar, Bambietta Basterbine, Äs Nödt, Liltotto Lamperd."
As he silently recited their names in his heart, the smile on Qin Yi's face grew wider and wider.
Every one of them was a terrifying powerhouse. If sent out into battle, they would absolutely be comparable to the strongest combat forces of the entire Soul Society.
Kenpachi Chengdui did not understand the true terror and importance of top-tier combat power, but Qin Yi understood it perfectly well. Once combat strength reached the level of Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, numbers themselves would likely lose all meaning.
In Qin Yi's eyes, the importance of the people before him was no less than that of the entire Soul Society itself.
"Before war comes preparation."
"Techniques of domination and strategic maneuvering… perhaps I should learn them from time to time as well."
For Kenpachi Chengdui, who was using Hueco Mundo to wage war against the Soul Society, deciding victory or defeat would not be easy.
But if the Wandenreich were added as well, Victory would be assured!
So now, the thing Qin Yi needed to consider was how to pull the people before him into becoming his allies.
(End of Chapter)
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