Searching the Heart (1)

After Hiyori Sarugaki's footsteps completely disappeared at the end of the corridor, Liu Ziyun did not "stay put" as he had promised. Liu Ziyun paced around the room a few times, feeling the changes in his body after the awakening of Bankai, and finally decided to go to the Underground Training Ground to check on the others.

Although he always verbally scoffed at the Visoreds ' training methods, he genuinely hoped that his former comrades could survive the impending storm—not only to fight Aizen, but also to cope with that more distant future that would nearly destroy the Three Worlds.

After navigating the base's intricate corridors, Liu Ziyun arrived at the Underground Training Grounds, relying on his memory and senses. The sounds of intense battle emanated from behind the heavy metal doors—the crisp clang of clashing blades, the booming of exploding Kidō, and heavy breathing. Even through the doors, Liu Ziyun could "sense" the intense fluctuations in Reiatsu within.

He pushed open the door and went inside.

The scene in the training ground made Liu Ziyun frown. In the center of the field, Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi and Kensei Muguruma were sparring, but the way they were sparring... was really unsatisfactory.

Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi stood at one end of the training ground, his Kinshara dancing in the air like serpents, tracing graceful arcs and producing crisp metallic clanging sounds. He was clearly practicing his control over the Kinshara —the whips sometimes dispersed, sometimes coalesced, sometimes transformed into cages, sometimes into spears, their variations endless and exquisite.

Meanwhile, Kensei Muguruma darted around the training ground, trying to dodge Kinshara's attacks. His movements were swift and ferocious, each dodge driven by animalistic instinct, but lacking in discipline and strategy. What frustrated Liu Ziyun even more was that Kensei Muguruma relied almost entirely on his speed and strength, rarely using Kidō or other fighting techniques, like a monkey being driven around by a tamer with a whip.

"How long have they been training like this?" Liu Ziyun asked, his voice not loud, but unusually clear amidst the roar of the training ground.

Mashiro Kuna, who was watching from the edge of the training field, turned around and saw Liu Ziyun. A naive smile appeared on his face, "Oh, it's Ziyun. They've been training like this for a while now, what's wrong?"

Her tone was relaxed, as if she were used to this kind of training.

Liu Ziyun glanced at the two people in the arena, his tone filled with undisguised disappointment. "Don't you think... they're like a trainer whipping a monkey that's running around wildly?"

These words startled Mashiro Kuna for a moment. Then, she carefully observed the situation in the arena and suddenly burst out laughing, "Oh my, you're really right! Rose's Kinshara really does look like a whip, and Kensei really does look like a monkey..."

Her laughter drew the attention of Lisa Yadōmaru. The former Lieutenant of the Eighth Division walked up to the two of them, her expression serious. "But that's just the nature of their Zanpakuto. Rose's Kinshara is primarily about control and restraint, while Kensei's Tekken Tachikaze is known for its speed and power. Isn't that how it works in a fight?"

Her tone carried a hint of defense, clearly indicating that she had her own opinion on this training method.

Liu Ziyun shook his head, his tone becoming more serious. "It's true they're training, but the problem is... they're just repeating their existing abilities, not trying to break through. Zanpakuto's abilities can be developed, just like a person's potential; they need constant exploration and expansion."

He paused, then continued, "They should try new abilities and new variations in practice, instead of repeating the same patterns over and over again."

Lisa Yadōmaru frowned. "Develop Zanpakuto? How? Through Blade Zen?"

"Yes, Blade Zen." Liu Ziyun nodded, "To engage in a life-or-death struggle with your Zanpakuto in your Inner World, forcing each other to break through under extreme pressure. Of course, it doesn't necessarily have to be a true 'life-or-death struggle,' but at least you need to reach that level of pressure and focus."

"But they've all learned Bankai," Lisa Yadōmaru questioned. "The Zanpakuto aren't a match for them. In their Inner World, the power of the Zanpakuto is limited, making it difficult for them to pose a real threat."

Liu Ziyun smiled, but there was no real joy in his smile, "That's why innovation is needed. They can use their Shikai to fight their Bankai, or try to fuse the Hollow within them with their Zanpakuto, and then fight against the fused being. They can even try to Hollowfication Zanpakuto, forming Two-Sword Style, and then try to fuse the two powers together."

These words stunned both Lisa Yadōmaru and Mashiro Kuna.

"How do you know so much?" Lisa Yadōmaru's voice was wary. "You wouldn't... also possess Hollow powers, would you?"

Liu Ziyun "looked" at her, his empty eye sockets seemingly visible. "No. But I know your understanding of the soul may still be at a very superficial level."

His tone deepened, as if imparting some ancient knowledge. "In fact, the power of Hollows is also the foundation of the power of Soul Reaper. When a soul possesses a 'heart,' its power transforms into Zanpakuto, becoming your ally. But if a soul loses its 'heart,' it will be enslaved by its power, thus becoming a Hollow."

He paced the training ground, his voice echoing in the empty space. "In their relentless pursuit of power to rediscover their inner instincts, Vastodes will develop their own sentience and become higher-level Vastodes—that is, Vasto Lorde."

Liu Ziyun stopped and turned to Lisa Yadōmaru and Mashiro Kuna: "But your situation is different. You were forcibly injected with the power of Hollows from the outside world, which gave you a 'Hollow' within you that is different from your Zanpakuto. This Hollow follows the instinct of power, searches for its own heart, and does not want to lose its rationality. Your Hollowfication is actually taming this power, allowing you to use it with difficulty."

His tone turned serious. "But you haven't made this 'virtual' truly acknowledge and understand you. Therefore, you can't control it as you please; every time you Hollowfication, there's a risk of losing control, and every time you use it, there's a possibility of being attacked."

These words struck them like a thunderbolt, exploding in their hearts.

Lisa Yadōmaru was silent for a moment before slowly speaking, "Then... how should we get the Hollow inside us to acknowledge and understand us? After all, it's inside us, always wanting to devour us and replace us."

"Just like when you first acquired Asauchi," Liu Ziyun's voice softened, "Use your souls to etch the heart of the void, communicate with it, resonate with it, and make it willingly open its heart to you. This is not conquest, but understanding; not suppression, but acceptance."

He "looked" at Mashiro Kuna, his tone carrying a hint of admiration. "Mashiro Kuna might find this easy. Because her soul is pure and simple, without too many distracting thoughts, it's easier for her to resonate with the void."

Mashiro Kuna blinked, a puzzled look on her face. "Why is it so easy for me? I feel like I'm complicated too..."

Liu Ziyun smiled, "After you subdued the void within you, you probably didn't undergo much adaptation training, right? But you were able to maintain your Hollowfication form for longer than others. This is a sign that the void acknowledges you—it's willing to cooperate with you and provide you with power."

He paused, then added, "But you haven't truly 'connected' with it yet, so the power you can wield is still limited. If you can truly understand and accept it, you might become the one among you with the strongest Hollowfication power."

Lisa Yadōmaru gave Liu Ziyun a deep look, her tone filled with complex emotions. "It seems... you have an excellent grasp of our intelligence. You even know so much about Shiro-chan's situation."

Liu Ziyun glanced at Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi and Kensei Muguruma, who were still training in the distance, and his voice became low. "If I didn't understand you, I wouldn't have taken this opportunity to supervise your training while you were practicing your Bankai. Remember, Aizen is just Minor Boss. There will be an even greater threat in the future, a being that truly threatens the survival of the Three Worlds."

His tone grew more serious. "I don't want you to be killed at that moment, nor do I want you to suffer because you are powerless to protect those you care about. So... become stronger. Become stronger than anyone else."

Lisa Yadōmaru and Mashiro Kuna both fell silent. The sound of blades clashing continued in the training ground, but to them now, it seemed to carry an added layer of heaviness.