Bankai Training Begins Again (Part One)

Meanwhile, Liu Ziyun had already left the Visored's base. Relying on his memory and senses, he traversed the intricate streets of Karakura Town and finally arrived at the familiar general store— Urahara Shop.

The door was pushed open, and the doorbell rang crisply.

"Welcome~" Kisuke Urahara's signature cheerful voice came from behind the counter. "Oh my, isn't this Mr. Liu? What brings you here?"

Liu Ziyun looked in the direction the voice came from and got straight to the point. "Manager Urahara, I've come here to ask you for a favor. Could you get me a Gigai that can conceal my Reiatsu?"

He paused, then added, "Oh, right, don't put the Hōgyoku in there. That's a key item for the 'protagonists' to grow quickly. Also... I'm going to continue my Bankai training in two days, and I'll need the shopkeeper's help to reinforce the protective Barrier then."

Kisuke Urahara emerged from behind the counter, his fisherman's hat pulled low, obscuring his expression. "Mr. Liu's request is no problem, of course. However... you'll need to settle the payment. After all, materials and technology have costs."

"Okay, okay." Liu Ziyun took out a small bag from his pocket and threw it on the counter—it contained some of his savings accumulated over the years. Although it wasn't a lot, it was enough to cover the cost of making a regular Gigai.

Kisuke Urahara took the bag, weighed it in his hand, and then nodded in satisfaction. "Then it's settled. See you in two days, Mr. Liu. As for the Gigai... I'll go prepare it now, please wait a moment."

About an hour later, Liu Ziyun left Urahara Store wearing a specially made cybernetic body. This cybernetic body looked no different from an ordinary human, but it incorporated complex spiritual particle shielding technology, which could perfectly hide the spiritual pressure fluctuations of a Shinigami, allowing him to move freely in the human world without being detected.

The moment Liu Ziyun put on the Gigai, he felt a strange sense of constraint—like being wrapped in a thick shell, which, while safe, also limited his ability to exert his power. But he knew that this was a necessary disguise.

He strolled through the streets of Karakura Town, feeling the unique atmosphere of this "land of spiritual rebirth".

Even through the barrier of the Gigai, Liu Ziyun could still "sense" the dense Reishi permeating the air. This place truly lived up to its reputation as a key area monitored by Soul Society —the concentration of Reishi was astonishingly high, and almost every place could potentially harbor humans with Spiritual Power, making it easier for Hollows to emerge.

Sure enough, during his stroll, Liu Ziyun "sensed" several fluctuations in Reiatsu from Void beings. Some were very weak, indicating they were only newly born low-level Void beings; others were quite powerful, already possessing considerable threat.

But he didn't make a move.

[These illusions... let those who need to handle them deal with them deal with them.] Liu Ziyun thought, [If I interfere too much, it might actually change the course of the future. Besides... those young men and women with Spiritual Power also need to grow through these battles.]

He continued onward, walking through bustling commercial streets, passing through quiet residential areas, and crossing wide rivers... He was getting to know this city, where many pivotal events would unfold in the future, in his own way.

As evening fell, Liu Ziyun returned to the Visored's base.

When he entered the training ground, he found everyone sparring intensely—this time, they were clearly much more serious. The sounds of blades clashing were more frequent, their breathing more rapid, and a genuine killing intent filled the air.

Upon seeing Liu Ziyun return, the group stopped what they were doing.

"Ziyun, do you want to spar with me?" Kensei Muguruma invited, his tone tinged with anticipation.

Liu Ziyun shook his head. "No. I need to continue my Bankai training in a couple of days. I need to conserve my energy and adjust my condition now. You guys train on your own—remember what I said before: fight to the death, but also leave a sliver of hope. True battles are about walking on the edge of life and death."

After saying that, he stopped talking, found a relatively quiet corner, sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes—although he kept his eyes closed, this action meant that he had entered a deep meditative state.

The others exchanged glances, but ultimately didn't disturb him, continuing their own training.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

When Liu Ziyun awoke from his meditative state, he could "feel" that his condition had been adjusted to its optimal state. His Reiatsu was stable and abundant, his mind was focused and clear, and every aches and pains in his body had disappeared.

Kisuke Urahara and Tessai Tsukabishi arrived at the base on time. This time, they also brought more sophisticated equipment to reinforce the protective Barrier.

"Mr. Liu, are you ready?" Kisuke Urahara asked, his tone unusually serious.

Liu Ziyun nodded and stood up. "I'm ready. This time... I'm determined to succeed."

He walked towards the reinforced Cultivation Space. As the heavy metal door closed behind him, he could "feel" that the Barrier was stronger and more stable than before.

Outside the Barrier, all the members of the Visoreds, along with Yoruichi Shihōin, gathered in front of the observation window, ready to watch the even more intense training session that was about to begin.

Liu Ziyun stood in the center of the space and drew his Zanpakuto from his waist.

"Begin, Life-Taker, Tulu."

The whirlwind rose again, and amidst the Reishi storm, the materialized figures of Life-Taker and Tulu slowly coalesced. Two people, each wielding Zanpakuto identical to Liu Ziyun's, stood opposite him.

This time, there was no probing.

The three of them unleashed their full Reiatsu almost simultaneously. Platinum and dark red light intertwined and collided, forming a terrifying Reiatsu storm. The entire space trembled violently, and the Runes on the walls flickered wildly, emitting a piercing buzzing sound.

"Such intense Reiatsu..." Shinji Hirako muttered to himself outside the Barrier, "Making such a commotion, no wonder he dares not train his Bankai in Soul Society. This level of power will definitely alarm everyone."

Mashiro Kuna watched nervously as the three— Kisuke Urahara, Tessai Tsukabishi, Hachigen Ushōda— did their best to maintain the Barrier. Sweat beaded on their foreheads, clearly indicating they were under immense pressure.

"You Zhao, you look like you're struggling. Are you alright?" Mashiro Kuna asked worriedly.

Hachigen Ushōda gritted his teeth, his hands forming hand seals, not daring to relax for a moment. "It should be fine for now... but this intensity is too high, it will get a bit tiring after a while."

Kisuke Urahara pushed up his hat brim, his eyes, hidden in the shadows, fixed on the battle within the Barrier. His tone was complex. "Hopefully... he's truly on our side. Otherwise, with his strength and potential, if he becomes our enemy, our future will be bleak."