Looking down at the pitiful Cat-shaped Hollow being chased around by the Gillians, Lin Huang slowly shook his head.
“Hunting is hunting, and devouring is devouring.
If you can kill your prey immediately but choose to toy with it instead…
that’s nothing but trashy behavior.” Just as the Special Gillian, whose Hollow mask differed from the others, revealed a cruel smile and raised its enormous pale foot to crush the tiny Cat Hollow…
Whoosh!
A sharp sound split the air.
A silver-white serpent tail wrapped in a blade of purple spiritual pressure slashed across like a streak of moonlight.
Slash!
The Special Gillian was instantly cut cleanly in half.
“ROAR!” Its gigantic body split apart.
The lower half collapsed onto the forest floor.
The upper half crashed heavily into the tangled roots of the giant trees.
“Ugh…
ROAR!” The Special Gillian released several miserable howls while staring blankly at Lin Huang.
Its instinct couldn’t understand why an Adjuchas-level Hollow would hide nearby just to launch a surprise attack against it.
Lin Huang didn’t waste another second.
The Sword Scales at the tip of his tail flashed once more.
Slash!
The remaining upper body was cleanly decapitated.
He immediately removed the uniquely shaped Hollow mask before tossing it into his mouth.
Crunch…
Crunch…
After chewing only a few times, he completely devoured it.
“Not bad.” “As expected of a Gillian that retained its intelligence.” “One Hollow mask like this is worth more than ten ordinary Gillians.” After swallowing the mask, Lin Huang slowly shifted his gaze toward the seven remaining mindless Gillians.
Without their commander…
They posed no threat whatsoever.
Several flashes of silver light crossed the battlefield.
One after another…
The seven Gillians collapsed.
Following his usual habit of wasting nothing…
Lin Huang devoured every Hollow mask.
“Meow~” Just as he prepared to leave…
The Cat-shaped Hollow he had unintentionally rescued slowly trotted toward him.
It gently rubbed its tiny head against Lin Huang’s silver scales.
Then…
It rolled onto its back, exposing its soft belly together with the small Hollow Hole located there.
“Hm?” “You little fellow…” “You’re only at the level of a newly evolved Hollow.” “So how did you end up inside the Forest of Menos?” “Were you swept here by the Sand Tide Storm too?” Watching the little cat desperately trying to curry favor…
Lin Huang couldn’t help smiling.
Then…
His eyes suddenly focused upon the pale blue markings extending across both sides of the Hollow mask.
They resembled a cat’s whiskers.
“A cat Hollow…” “With blue markings on its Hollow mask…” “It can’t really be that much of a coincidence…” Lin Huang stared carefully before asking, “Hey.” “Little guy.” “Is your name Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez?” The little Cat Hollow immediately froze.
After staring blankly at Lin Huang for a moment…
It simply tilted its head.
“Meow?” “Meow?” Silence instantly filled the forest.
Lin Huang himself became speechless.
“…” “So you’re acting cute now?” Only then did he remember…
The little fellow had only recently become a Hollow.
Although it clearly possessed high intelligence…
It hadn’t yet learned how to speak.
Looking at the adorable little cat…
Lin Huang couldn’t help laughing.
The next moment…
He dragged over the enormous corpse of the Special Gillian with his tail.
The Hollow mask had already been eaten.
Although the remaining corpse contained little value for Lin Huang…
Its abundant reishi would be an extraordinary tonic for a newly evolved Hollow.
The little Cat Hollow immediately understood.
Its face revealed an almost comically flattering expression before pouncing directly onto the enormous corpse.
Crunch…
Crunch…
It had obviously never eaten the remains of a Menos before.
After only a few mouthfuls…
Its tiny stomach immediately swelled.
Its eyes gradually became unfocused.
It had clearly entered a state of Spirit Drunkenness.
Even so…
It stubbornly continued eating.
Only after devouring an amount of flesh five or six times larger than its own body did it finally stop.
Its belly had swollen into a gigantic round ball.
From a distance…
It looked exactly like an inflated balloon with four tiny paws and a cat’s head attached to it.
The sight was almost ridiculously funny.
“Meow…” The little cat softly cried.
Then…
It slowly closed its eyes.
Pale blue reishi continuously gathered around its body.
A small cocoon gradually formed.
It completely wrapped the Cat Hollow inside.
“Hm?” “A Cocoon of Metamorphosis?” Lin Huang looked genuinely surprised.
He hadn’t expected this little Cat Hollow to trigger a Cocoon of Metamorphosis while advancing from the level of a newly evolved Hollow to a Powerful Hollow.
Only Hollows with extraordinary potential could produce such a phenomenon.
The suspicion growing within Lin Huang became even stronger.
Because of that…
He temporarily abandoned his plans to leave.
Instead…
He quietly remained nearby.
After all…
Within the Forest of Menos…
The spiritual pressure released by a Cocoon of Metamorphosis was nothing less than irresistible bait for countless Gillians.
As expected…
Before long…
Roars echoed from every direction.
One towering Gillian after another began gathering toward the cocoon.
“Get lost.” The next instant…
Lin Huang released the full spiritual pressure of a middle Adjuchas.
Boom!
An overwhelming pressure instantly swept across the surrounding forest.
The approaching Gillians immediately froze.
One after another…
They trembled violently before retreating in fear.
Crack…
More than half an hour later…
The pale blue cocoon suddenly shattered.
A sleek white Leopard Hollow roughly three meters long leaped out.
Its body was graceful.
Its pure white Hollow mask appeared far more imposing than before.
Although it had only evolved into a Powerful Hollow…
Its spiritual pressure already approached that of an ordinary Giant Hollow.
The moment it landed…
It immediately revealed an affectionate smile.
“Meow~” The little Leopard Hollow walked directly toward Lin Huang.
It gently rubbed its face against his waist before happily circling around him.
“Alright.” “You’ve successfully evolved.” “But this Forest of Menos isn’t somewhere a Powerful Hollow should stay.” “Return to the Sea of Sand above.” “You should be capable of getting back now.” Unexpectedly…
The little Leopard Hollow acted as though it hadn’t heard a single word.
Instead…
It rolled happily across the ground before exposing its belly again.
Its intentions couldn’t have been clearer.
It wanted to follow Lin Huang.
Seeing this…
Lin Huang narrowed his eyes slightly.
“This…” “Shouldn’t really be Grimmjow…” According to his memories…
Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez possessed overwhelming pride.
Even before becoming an Arrancar…
He was arrogant…
Reckless…
And unwilling to submit to anyone.
The little Leopard Hollow before him behaved nothing like that.
It looked more like an overly affectionate house cat.
Watching the stubborn little fellow continue clinging to him…
Lin Huang couldn’t help laughing helplessly.
A mischievous smile gradually appeared beneath his Hollow mask.
“So…” “You’re determined to follow me?” “If that’s the case…” “Then you’d better prove your value.” “I don’t raise freeloaders.” “Not even Hollow freeloaders.” As he spoke…
Lin Huang pointed his Sword Scales toward a solitary Gillian wandering through the forest in the distance.
“There.” “Go kill it.” “Bring its Hollow mask back to me.” “Consider it your entrance fee.” The little Leopard Hollow looked toward the towering Gillian.
A trace of instinctive fear flashed through its eyes.
Although it had become a Powerful Hollow…
The difference between a Powerful Hollow and a Gillian remained enormous.
Even so…
It didn’t hesitate.
It slowly lowered its body.
Its muscles tensed.
A threatening growl escaped its throat.
Its sharp eyes locked firmly onto the enormous Gillian.
The next instant…
Its graceful body exploded forward.
Like a streak of white lightning…
It charged directly toward the giant without the slightest hesitation.
Its movements were decisive.
There wasn’t even the smallest trace of fear or retreat.
Remaining quietly coiled where he was…
Lin Huang watched the scene unfold.
A hint of surprise appeared in his vertical pupils.
Originally…
He had only intended to test the little fellow’s courage.
He had never truly expected a newly evolved Powerful Hollow to challenge a Gillian alone.
Yet…
The little Leopard Hollow had actually rushed forward without any hesitation.
“Interesting…”