Spatial barrier

Time passed silently, like clouds drifting over the Seireitei. In the blink of an eye, several years slipped by.

During those years, Liu Hao led a regular and fulfilling life. As captain of the Medical Guard Team, he frequently invited lieutenants or senior Seated Officers from the other divisions to guide their training, and often organized joint exercises with those divisions. Through these efforts, the Medical Guard Team not only improved its combat capabilities but also gradually established its place within the Gotei 13.

During that time, the Medical Guard Team also sent squads on several missions alongside other divisions. Though the missions were not particularly difficult, they provided valuable combat experience for the former medical personnel. Liu Hao did not take part in these missions, entrusting the details to several capable Squad Lieutenants while he focused on something more important—

Mastering and tempering his spiritual body.

It was a long and arduous process. Liu Hao began with the most basic physical training, then gradually worked his way toward fine control of his Reiatsu. He spent a great deal of time trying to sense, distinguish, and manipulate the most fundamental units that made up a spiritual body—Reishi.

At first, he could only dimly sense the flow of Reishi within him while meditating. It was like trying to make out microorganisms under a microscope—he knew they existed, but he could not clearly see their forms, much less control them.

But Liu Hao did not give up. Day after day of arduous training made his perception of Reishi increasingly clear. He began to distinguish the subtle differences between individual Reishi particles and sense how they changed after entering his body. He could even guide the direction of their flow to some extent.

It was a slow but steady process of improvement.

And in the course of it, Liu Hao made a startling discovery.

During a deep meditation, when he focused all his attention on the finest level of his spiritual body, he detected two types of "abnormal" Reishi.

The first type was attached to his central nervous system. These particles were exceptionally well hidden, almost blending in with the Reishi around them. If Liu Hao's perception of Reishi had not reached such a refined level, he could never have detected their presence.

More importantly, these particles bore traces of Reiatsu that were extremely faint, yet unmistakable.

Traces of Sōsuke Aizen's Reiatsu.

Liu Hao spent an entire week checking the discovery over and over. Every deep examination, every time he traced the Reishi, pointed to the same conclusion: the particles attached to his central nervous system were indeed the "seeds" implanted when Kyōka Suigetsu entered Shikai.

They lay there silently, like a dormant virus, waiting for the moment they would be activated.

The second type of abnormal Reishi was even more unusual.

Rather than being attached to a particular spot, it was completely integrated into Liu Hao's entire spiritual body. This Reishi was fundamentally different from a Soul Reaper's own Reishi—if a Soul Reaper's Reishi was "clear running water," then this Reishi was "viscous ink." Though similar in color, their texture, frequency, and pattern of fluctuation were entirely different.

More frighteningly, this Reishi was distributed incredibly widely, reaching almost every corner of his spiritual body. It was deeply entangled with his Soul Reaper Reishi, like dye mixed into clear water, making it difficult to separate.

Liu Hao sank into thought for a long time.

He recalled the Imperial Princess's explanation of Kyōka Suigetsu, the descriptions of Yhwach's abilities, and those fragments concerning "The Almighty," "Auswählen," and the "return of souls"...

Finally, he arrived at a chilling inference.

The first type of Reishi was obviously Kyōka Suigetsu's "hypnosis seeds." That was Aizen's ability.

The second type of Reishi... was very likely the work of Yhwach, the progenitor of the Quincy.

Yhwach's "The Almighty" allowed him, by some means, to implant this special Reishi in the souls of every living being in Soul Society. Normally, the Reishi had no effect, but once a being died, it would "return" to Yhwach's soul, carrying all the information about that being.

It was a terrifying mechanism. Through it, Yhwach could not only obtain all the knowledge and memories of the dead but also absorb their power, continually strengthening himself.

Even more disturbing was the possibility that this Reishi had another purpose: when Yhwach used "Auswählen," he could use the Reishi implanted beforehand to directly take his target's life and forcibly reclaim their soul.

But Liu Hao also noticed a problem: there was very little of this Reishi in his body, nowhere near enough to completely control a person. Perhaps that meant Yhwach had not yet fully "activated" the system, or that there were limits to how the Reishi could be implanted.

In any case, the discovery gave Liu Hao an unprecedented sense of danger.

From that day on, his training goal became clearer: he had to remove not only Kyōka Suigetsu's hypnosis seeds, but also attempt to expel that special Reishi from his spiritual body.

It was an extraordinarily difficult task.

Reishi was not a physical object or a toxin, not something that could simply be "expelled." It was the fundamental substance that made up a soul, deeply bound to the entire spiritual body. Separating a specific kind of Reishi without damaging the spiritual body was no easier than extracting a single type of molecule from a thoroughly mixed solution.

But Liu Hao had no choice.

He knew that if he did not remove these "foreign objects," he would never truly master his own power, nor would he ever escape the potential control of Aizen and Yhwach.

And so, day after day, year after year, Liu Hao immersed himself in the arduous practice of Reishi manipulation. He tried countless methods—flushing them with Reiatsu, soul resonance, Reishi resonance, and even using the Imperial Sword's special ability to "purify" them.

Progress was slow, but his efforts were not entirely without effect.

At the very least, his control over his own spiritual body reached an unprecedented level. He could now clearly sense the state of the Reishi throughout his body and precisely control every subtle fluctuation of his Reiatsu. He could even temporarily "block" the effects of the abnormal Reishi to some extent.

During this time, Sōsuke Aizen came to test him several times.

Sometimes it was under the pretext of guiding training, sometimes to exchange medical knowledge, and sometimes it was merely a "chance encounter." Each time, Aizen would seemingly use Kyōka Suigetsu's ability without thinking, observing Liu Hao's reaction.

And every time, Liu Hao "perfectly" displayed the response expected of someone under hypnosis—entirely unaware of the illusions Aizen created and completely immersed in the false conversation or scene.

After several tests, Aizen seemed to lose interest.

From Kyōka Suigetsu's perspective, Liu Hao had become a completely hypnotized "captive," an ordinary Soul Reaper whose Reiatsu was decent but who was entirely under his control. Such a person was no longer worth Aizen's special attention.

That was exactly the result Liu Hao wanted.

One day, Liu Hao was guiding the Medical Guard Team through joint exercises at the training ground as usual.

The sun shone brightly, and the sounds of shouts, impacts, and instruction mingled across the training ground, filling it with life and energy. Liu Hao stood at the edge of the field, carefully watching each group's coordination and occasionally suggesting adjustments.

Just then, a familiar voice called from the entrance to the training ground:

"Lieutenant Liu Hao! Got a minute? I need to talk to you!"

Liu Hao turned to see Kaien Shiba striding toward him, an anxious expression on his face. The lieutenant of the Thirteenth Division had changed little over the past few years. He was still as cheerful and straightforward as ever, though his features had gained a touch more maturity and composure.

Seeing Kaien Shiba, Liu Hao could not help feeling a headache coming on.

Ever since the Metastacia incident, Kaien Shiba had come to see him from time to time. Sometimes it was simply to catch up, sometimes to discuss training methods, but more often he came with all sorts of probing questions—especially about Isshin Shiba.

Liu Hao knew Kaien Shiba was still worried about his uncle, who had suddenly lost contact with them and remained stranded in the World of the Living. But Liu Hao could not reveal too much, so he could only brush him off with various excuses.

"Lieutenant Kaien," Liu Hao said as he went to meet him, his tone helpless, "you can call me by name or Fifth Seat. Please stop calling me 'Squad Lieutenant'—the Medical Guard Team belongs to the Fourth Division, not an independently organized unit."

Kaien Shiba grinned. "All right, all right, I get it."

But his smile quickly faded, and his expression turned serious. "Come with me, quickly. I need you for something—something urgent!"

Without waiting for Liu Hao to respond, he grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the training ground.

Liu Hao did not resist. The moment they made contact, he quickly checked the two types of abnormal Reishi within him. Kyōka Suigetsu's hypnosis seeds were dormant, and Yhwach's special Reishi showed no unusual fluctuations.

That meant everything before him was not an illusion, and Kaien Shiba's behavior was not the result of Aizen's control.

He let Kaien Shiba pull him away.

The two crossed the courtyard of the Fourth Division Barracks and came to a relatively secluded corner. Several lush cherry trees stood there in full bloom, their pink petals drifting down in the breeze to carpet the ground.

Kaien Shiba stopped, released Liu Hao's arm, and opened his mouth, seemingly about to say something important.

But just then, Liu Hao suddenly raised a hand, signaling him to be quiet.

He had sensed it—Captain Unohana's Reiatsu was approaching rapidly.

Kaien Shiba was startled, but he soon noticed the familiar, gentle yet powerful Reiatsu as well. He closed his mouth and stood there with Liu Hao, waiting quietly.

A moment later, Unohana appeared at the end of the path.

She wore the white Captain's Haori of the Fourth Division, her long hair loosely tied behind her, and her usual gentle smile on her face. But her eyes were sharper than usual.

Seeing Liu Hao and Kaien Shiba standing there as though they had been expecting her, Unohana's eyes flashed with surprise. She walked slowly up to them, her gaze passing over their faces. "Did you know I was coming to find you?"

Kaien Shiba scratched his head sheepishly. "I didn't notice. Liu Hao sensed Captain Unohana's Reiatsu approaching, so he had me wait for you here."

Unohana turned to Liu Hao, a flicker of approval in her eyes. "Your spiritual senses are very sharp. It seems you've made considerable progress over the years."

She paused, a hint of anticipation in her voice. "Let's have a match when you have time. It's been a long while since you asked me to spar."

Liu Hao bowed respectfully. "I have indeed made some progress. I hope you'll go easy on me when the time comes, Captain. I'll do my best to reach the goal you expect of me."

His words were subtle, but Unohana understood their meaning. A knowing look flashed in her eyes, and the corners of her mouth curved in a meaningful smile.

"Well then," Unohana said, turning her gaze back to the two of them, "come with me."

She did not explain where they were going or what they were going to do. She simply turned and walked deeper into the Fourth Division grounds.

Liu Hao and Kaien Shiba exchanged a glance and silently followed.

The three walked through the corridors of the Fourth Division Barracks until they reached a familiar wooden door—the entrance to Unohana's private training space.

They pushed open the door to find someone already waiting inside.

Lieutenant Isane Kotetsu stood in the center of the space, holding several special Kidō talismans and apparently setting something up. When she saw Unohana bring the two men in, she immediately bowed. "Captain, the barrier is ready."

"Sorry for the trouble, Isane," Unohana said gently. She then turned to Liu Hao and Kaien Shiba. "Let's go inside the barrier."

She led them toward the center of the space. A transparent glass room had already been erected there, its four walls made of specially crafted Reishi glass, a faint light flowing across their surfaces.

Isane Kotetsu followed them into the glass room.

"Isane, activate the barrier," Unohana instructed.

"Yes, Captain." Isane Kotetsu responded and formed a hand seal.

At her movement, the light on the glass walls suddenly intensified. Intricate Kidō patterns appeared and spread across the glass, eventually covering the entire room.

Seen from outside, the glass room began to blur, gradually "disappearing" into the space around it. It had not truly vanished; the barrier had completely concealed it, making it impossible to detect or observe.

From inside, however, Liu Hao and the others could clearly see everything outside. The one-way transparent barrier had evidently been carefully designed.

Liu Hao sensed the barrier's strength and nodded slightly. But he was not entirely reassured.

He slowly drew the Imperial Sword from his waist, its blade reflecting a dark golden sheen in the light of the barrier.

"Imperial decree," Liu Hao murmured, "Isolate All Things."

As his words fell, concentric spatial ripples began to spread from the tip of the Imperial Sword. Like ripples on water, they rapidly expanded outward, soon covering the entire glass room.

When the last ripple touched the glass walls, a soft pillar of golden light descended from above and completely enveloped the barrier room.

Within the pillar of light, space underwent a subtle change. It was not a change of position or form, but a kind of fundamental "separation." The entire barrier room seemed to have been temporarily "removed" from the current world and placed in an independent dimensional space.

Sensing the change, Unohana's eyes flashed with surprise. "This... is this the ability the Imperial Princess used last time?"

"Yes." Liu Hao nodded. "'Isolate All Things'—a spatial-dimensional ability. It can temporarily transfer everything within a designated area into another dimension. A projection is left behind in the original world, and it can also be completely hidden or even moved. But right now... I still can't move it."

"It can even be hidden or moved?" Unohana was even more surprised. "Then could it... also affect the original world?"

"Yes," Liu Hao admitted. "But if I want to affect the original world, I have to switch from the dimensional space back to the real world. Although that switch can theoretically be completed instantly, in a fight between experts, the instant it takes could become a fatal opening. So for now, this ability can only be used for self-protection and isolation at most."

It was a very objective assessment. Though spatial abilities were powerful, the instant spent switching dimensions could indeed become the greatest weakness in actual combat.

Unohana nodded thoughtfully, then raised a question. "But you should be able to sense the barrier I set up—it can block all attempts to spy using Reiatsu. Why did you need to use this spatial ability as well?"

Liu Hao was silent for a moment before speaking slowly. "That barrier can indeed block Reiatsu, but... it can't block 'shadows,' Captain."

"Shadows?" Unohana's brows furrowed slightly.

"Yes." Liu Hao's tone grew serious. "You could try improving this barrier in the future, completely illuminating the 'shadows' inside and around it. Because observers could also be hiding in the shadows. They can use Reishi through the shadows to spy on everything in the Seireitei."

Unohana's expression grew grave at his words. She looked at Liu Hao and slowly asked, "Is it that 'great evil' you mentioned before... the one above Aizen?"

"Yes," Liu Hao answered in the affirmative.

Kaien Shiba, listening at the side, was completely bewildered and could not help interjecting. "Huh? Besides Captain Aizen, is there someone else causing trouble in the shadows?"

Liu Hao glanced at him, his tone calm. "You don't need to know too much for now."

Though the words were blunt, they were also a form of protection. The more one knew, the more dangerous it often became.

Unohana nodded as well, bringing the subject to a close. "All right, let's leave those matters for today. I asked you both here because of something you mentioned before—"

Her gaze moved between Liu Hao and Kaien Shiba. "I imagine Kaien Shiba came rushing to find you for the same reason?"

Kaien Shiba nodded hurriedly, an anxious look on his face. "Captain Unohana, do you mean... that my uncle went to the World of the Living yesterday and encountered a very strange black Menos Grande?"

"Yes," Unohana answered.

Then her gaze fell on Liu Hao, questioning and also seeking a certain confirmation.

Liu Hao took a deep breath and slowly nodded.

He knew that what had to come had finally arrived.

White had appeared.

The gears of fate had begun to turn.

And he had to make every preparation.