Chapter 73: Secret Spring
Following the spirit particle traces.
Suoh's gaze finally stopped at the cave corner, where a hidden door was embedded flush with the ground.
Moss spread along the stone surface cracks. If not for the rust-spotted copper ring on the door panel, it would be virtually indistinguishable from the surrounding stone.
Creak—Suoh crouched and gripped the copper ring, exerting force to pull.
Accompanied by the scraping sound of stone rubbing, stairs descending vertically slowly revealed themselves amid rising dust.
Strangely, the brightness of light emanating from the underground space was almost identical to outdoors.
With no time to marvel at the underground space's wonders, Suoh descended the stairs. The door panel above closed heavily.
When Suoh hung suspended at the stairway's top, the scene before his eyes suddenly opened, making him involuntarily hold his breath.
"So spacious—"
"Truly worthy of Urahara Kisuke."
Though he'd already expected this cave would be large, the actual space still exceeded his imagination, proving even more shocking.
The dome hung high like an inverted giant bowl. Light sources densely covering the rock walls emitted radiance, illuminating this underground grotto as bright as daylight.
Since no legal training ground existed, finding an illegal one would suffice.
In Soul Society, when it came to rule-breaking prowess, none surpassed former Twelfth Division Captain Urahara Kisuke and former Second Division Captain Shihōin Yoruichi.
These two were practically synonyms for lawlessness—one an intellectual criminal, one an action-oriented criminal.
The numerous secrets these two legendary figures left behind years ago still remained in various corners of Soul Society. This miraculously crafted underground training ground was one of them.
Suoh leaped down from the stairs, his Shihakusho rustling loudly in the airflow.
The hundred-meter height passed in an instant.
His toes lightly touched ground. Suoh landed beside a hot spring surrounded by mountain rocks.
Rising steam swirled upward. The water surface reflected the dome's radiance.
Suoh opened his pack and placed it on a protruding rock, retrieving the alarm clock, bamboo canteen, and pills inside to arrange properly, placing his swords at the rock's side.
Setting the alarm time, he turned toward the nearby open ground and directly began Kido training.
Raising his hand toward the sky, his mouth slowly and clearly chanted the incantation.
"Seeping crest of turbidity, arrogant vessel of madness."
As the incantation began, spiritual pressure within his body surged like pouring tides. Murky spiritual light torrents gathered at his fingertip into a continuously churning pitch-black spirit orb.
"Surge, negate, paralyze. For a moment, hinder the long sleep. The crawling iron princess, the ever-self-mutilating clay doll."
"Unite, repulse, extend to the ground. Know your own powerlessness!"
"Hadō Number Ninety: Black Coffin."
As his words fell, countless black spiritual pressure ribbons surged forth from the void, twining and climbing upward. In an instant, they condensed into a pitch-black coffin several meters high, completely enveloping the towering rock before him.
At the incantation's final sound, the Black Coffin took form. Countless sharp spear-like protrusions violently erupted from within the coffin to pierce through. Even the surrounding space trembled.
Kido's foundation lay in understanding and control.
Images of Aizen—Black Coffin's representative—casting it and Captain Ukitake Jushiro's written annotations had cycled through his mind all day.
At this moment, before his eyes, they transformed into ferocious cruelty.
"Hah... hah..."
The Hadō ended. Spirit particles dispersed. The originally protruding rock had been ground to powder.
Suoh knelt on one knee, sweat soaking the hair at his forehead. Rapid panting echoed through the quiet cavern.
"—Truly captivating."
Though it consumed ninety-nine percent of his spiritual pressure and only released a beggar's version of Black Coffin, his face was filled with satisfaction and joy at a dream realized.
Supporting himself on his knee, he slowly stood and came to the earlier rock's edge, picked up a pill bottle, and directly gulped down a mouthful.
Then he shed all clothing on his body, casually tossing it onto rocks by the spring's edge.
Splash—
Suoh's naked figure leaped in a bound, jumping into the nearby hot spring, splashing up water.
Warm currents instantly enveloped Suoh's entire body. The hot spring and pills within his body slowly nourished his depleted Chain of Fate and Soul Sleep.
"Whew—comfortable."
After a long while, Suoh surfaced from the pool water, leaned back against the spring's edge, and sighed.
Though he didn't understand how this healing hot spring formed, he clearly perceived the mysteries it contained.
The hot spring was like an expert proficient in Kaido tightly attached to his Chain of Fate and Soul Sleep, continuously stimulating and assisting his spiritual pressure's recovery.
Combined with his self-made pills supplementing stamina—absolutely unbeatable compatibility, a perfect match!
Feeling the rapidly recovering spiritual pressure within his body, fatigue fading bit by bit.
Thoughts flying, he thought with some regret: Unfortunately, information about Squad Zero's Kirinji Tenjirō in his memories was too limited. Finding the original version would be even better.
However, this hot spring's effects already far exceeded expectations. Suoh gently closed his eyes.
Allowing the warm currents to envelop him, enjoying this pleasantly relaxed moment.
Dozens of minutes later.
Suoh leaped from the water. Alone, he was too lazy to dress again, returning naked to his earlier position.
"Again!"
Taking a deep breath, he began chanting once more.
"Seeping crest—Hadō Number Ninety: Black Coffin."
Black Coffin rose again, and he knelt on one knee again.
Swallowing pills, soaking in the hot spring, recovering spiritual pressure, continuing training—this cycle repeated continuously throughout the cavern.
Each spiritual pressure's recession prepared for the next even more surging convergence.
Gradually, that pitch-black coffin's volume began slowly increasing at a degree barely perceptible to the naked eye. The changes were minuscule but steady and continuous.
Time passed bit by bit during training.
Ring ring ring—
When the pointer reached the predetermined position, the alarm's copper bell hammer rapidly shook and struck both sides of the bell wall. The agitated sound echoed between rock walls.
Suoh dispersed the spiritual pressure at his fingertip. The pitch-black spirit orb dissipated like flowing sand.
Walking to the rock, he pressed the leaping alarm with his fingertip, stopping the sound. The cavern returned to silence.
"About time to head back."
Suoh turned toward the hot spring, letting spring water flow over his shoulders one last time.
After a moment, Suoh returned to shore, using a low-level fire technique to evaporate moisture from his body.
Dressing back in his Shihakusho, he counted the number of unopened porcelain bottles on the rock, frowning inwardly.
"Consumption somewhat exceeded expectations."
"Troublesome."
West Rukongai's already scarce medicinal herb resources had been mostly used by him these past two years.
And the Seireitei's quality medicinal resources were all firmly controlled by the Central Drug Institute under the Tsunayashiro family—first among the Four Great Noble Houses. They never circulated raw materials externally, only selling expensive finished medicines.
Even the prosperous shopping district had no medicinal herb shops.
"Looks like I can only try finding connections through the Fourth Division."
"Too bad Kiyone-neesan went out on a mission."
Suoh's fingertips rubbed the empty porcelain bottle, deep thought rising in his eyes.
Kotetsu Kiyone's older sister, Kotetsu Isane, was the Fourth Division's lieutenant with a very good personality. If she made introductions, not only would it be much more convenient, but chances of success would be greater.
He'd also considered Captain Ukitake, but Suoh had just received a Kido book from him. Troubling him again for personal training matters didn't align with his principles for conducting himself.
Mainly because pills weren't irreplaceable. Food could similarly supplement stamina—it just had larger volume and was more troublesome to carry.
"Use food for now, and talk after Kiyone-neesan returns."
Suoh's thoughts turned rapidly. He quickly estimated the food quantity needed for next training to ensure pills could last until Kotetsu Kiyone returned from the World of the Living.
He then gathered his swords, leaving other items directly on site.
On the return journey, night had deepened.
Only the sound of wind brushing past remained around him, along with Suoh's own calm heartbeat.
Avoiding ordinary patrol squad members all the way, he finally returned soundlessly to his small courtyard.
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