The moment Nanatsuki stepped into the White Bone Hell spring, he felt something was wrong.
His Reiatsu was draining.
"I can tell you feel it," Tenjirō Kirinji said, reclining against the edge of the pool with a small table of snacks set before him.
"Yes. My Reiatsu is being depleted—more precisely, my cells are being affected," Nanatsuki nodded.
"Your senses are sharp. The waters of White Bone Hell break down weaker, low-vitality cells inside the body. If you soak too long, they'll even begin to erode healthy cells."
Kirinji poured himself a cup of spirit wine and downed it in one go.
"Excellent stuff. You changed the ingredients for this deer antler wine, didn't you? It's richer and smoother than before!"
"The ingredients are different this time. Batsu'unsai selected some spiritually gifted deer and raised them behind the dojo," Nanatsuki explained.
"When you start feeling overwhelmed in White Bone Hell, move over to Blood Pool Hell," Kirinji continued.
"The waters there replenish Reiatsu, stimulate spiritual cell growth, and enhance cellular vitality."
"These two springs are primarily used for healing—but if you soak for several hours, your spiritual body will become far more vigorous than before."
"So—dive in!"
"Submerge your entire body. Let every single cell undergo the cleansing of White Bone Hell!"
"?"
As Kirinji finished his explanation, he noticed a faint Kaido glow flicker across Nanatsuki's body and paused.
"That Reiatsu flow… has Kaido already become instinctive for you? Is that your talent?"
"Yes. I call it Kaido Self-Regeneration," Nanatsuki replied.
Now that he could undergo Hollowfication, he gained rapid regeneration in that state, making him less reliant on Kaido Self-Regeneration for recovery.
But in the past, this very ability had allowed him to freely use techniques that placed immense strain on his body.
"Interesting. Seems you're a Kaido prodigy who got held back by swordsmanship!" Kirinji grinned.
"You can suppress that instinct, right? Otherwise, the effects of Blood Pool Hell will be weakened."
The enhancement of cellular vitality was the primary function of Blood Pool Hell.
If Kaido continuously healed cellular damage, the spring would be unable to stimulate growth or boost vitality.
"I can suppress it."
Nanatsuki restrained his Kaido Self-Regeneration and sank into the waters of White Bone Hell.
Several hours later.
"My Reiatsu hasn't increased much… but my body feels much lighter."
Nanatsuki flexed slightly, sensing the changes.
The unprecedented lightness gave him the strange sensation of being reborn.
Impurities and low-vitality cells within his body had been purged by the waters of White Bone Hell, leaving him completely renewed.
"This change is permanent," Kirinji explained.
"The lifespan of your spiritual body has been extended."
"Spiritual bodies age too. Even someone like Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto can't escape the erosion of time—his overwhelming Reiatsu merely slows the process compared to others."
"After soaking in both White Bone Hell and Blood Pool Hell, your spiritual body has essentially been restored to its youngest possible state."
"My thanks for your hospitality, Kirinji-senpai," Nanatsuki said sincerely.
"No need to thank me. You're someone personally summoned by the Soul King—of course the Royal Guard will give you the finest treatment!"
Kirinji laughed. "I'll send you on to the next palace!"
Leaving Kirin Hall was done the same way he had arrived—by being launched via the propulsion device.
The next destination was Hikifune Kirio's residence: Wohdon Hall.
"Katori-kun, you finally made it! Welcome to my Wohdon Hall!"
"And you're the very first guest here, you know!"
"Well—first guest outside the Royal Guard, that is!"
"I've prepared some new dishes. You simply must give them a proper tasting!"
Hikifune Kirio was delighted by Nanatsuki's arrival.
Back when she still served in the Twelfth Division, the two had been on excellent terms, frequently exchanging ideas and sparring over new culinary techniques.
"Then I'll be in your care, Kirio-san!"
Nanatsuki was promptly dragged into the dining hall.
The restaurant was connected directly to the kitchen. At its center stood a massive rotating round table.
Judging by Kirio's enthusiasm, she clearly intended to cook while letting him sample each dish as it came out.
Her speed was astonishing—within minutes, the first dish was served.
And she had infused the food with the Reiatsu she had stored within Temporary Souls.
This was food that increased Reiatsu simply by eating it.
However, the first dish she presented looked… strange.
"Kirio-san… is this a lemon?"
Seeing a single lemon placed on the plate, Nanatsuki hesitated.
Even if it contained Temporary Soul energy, he would still eat it—but a dish consisting of nothing but a lemon felt a little too abstract.
"This is a dessert. I've been experimenting with Quincy cuisine. It's a refined version of a dish from a Quincy recipe—Dragon's Cry Lemon."
Kirio explained proudly.
Nanatsuki examined it more closely.
The 'lemon' wasn't actually a real lemon at all—the outer skin was a layer of colored sugar.
He took a bite.
Inside were intricate layers, each made from a different ingredient.
"Hmm… the layers are remarkably complex. The contrast between candied lemon and finger-lime pearls is fascinating. You can't sense them at all before biting down—then when the juice bursts, it's like a firework going off in your mouth."
Nanatsuki couldn't help but praise it.
Though it looked like nothing more than a lemon, the rich, multi-layered texture was genuinely novel.
"Hahaha! Even Quincy recipes have their merits!" Kirio said with satisfaction.
"There's more—just wait a moment."
She returned to the kitchen.
What followed were desserts that mimicked the flavor and texture of various fruits, yet delivered entirely different experiences.
"Dragon's Cry Strawberry, Dragon's Cry Apple, Dragon's Cry Banana… so the recipe was written by someone named 'Dragon's Cry,' wasn't it?"
"You guessed it. The author is called Kurosaki Tsukiren."
"The Kurosaki family really is full of talent…"
After finishing her cooking, Kirio's body slimmed down again, returning to the form Nanatsuki was familiar with.
Aside from the Dragon's Cry series, she also prepared a wide variety of standard dishes.
Nanatsuki spent several hours eating before finally finishing.
Had his spiritual body not been strong enough to rapidly digest the Temporary Soul Reiatsu within the food, he might have literally eaten himself to death.
After consuming Hikifune Kirio's cooking, Nanatsuki's Reiatsu surged rapidly.