Pointing Out the Visored's Path of Training

Each member of the Visored had their head down, brows furrowed, clearly pondering Liu Ziyun's words. Those words were like a key, unlocking a door they had never thought they would open—behind that door lay infinite possibilities.

Shinji Hirako looked up at Liu Ziyun, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "You're still thinking so much about us..."

His voice was soft, carrying an indescribable emotion—gratitude, self-deprecation, and a hint of... guilt.

Liu Ziyun "looked" at him, his tone calm. "If your strength increases high enough, you can replace Aizen in defeating the final boss. Aizen will then be useless."

His voice held no blame, only a calm statement of fact. "The reason Aizen is still alive is because you're not strong enough."

These words struck Shinji Hirako's heart like a heavy hammer blow.

He remained silent for a long time before finally speaking with difficulty, "Then... to what level do I need to improve before I can give up on Aizen?"

Liu Ziyun's answer was concise and direct, "At least it can confuse even Soul King Level beings, making them see different illusions."

He paused, then added, "I think that since you can confuse the five senses and create inverted illusions, you should also be able to see illusions. So, you should continue to train hard. If you can't reach that level, you won't be able to defeat Aizen."

Shinji Hirako stared at him blankly, his expression shifting from shock to bitterness, and from bitterness to despair. He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but in the end, only a long sigh escaped his lips, "I feel... I'll never reach that level in my lifetime."

He leaned against the wall, staring up at the ceiling, his voice filled with deep weariness. "Sigh... just hearing this makes me want to give up. I can't get rid of my enemies, and my goals are just out of reach... what am I even trying to do?"

Liu Ziyun didn't comfort him, but calmly continued, "Besides you, Rose can also try to train in this direction. After all, I think that any illusion-type Zanpakuto, if trained to its limit, can reach the level of Kyouka Suigetsu."

He turned to Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi, his empty eye sockets seemingly able to see through everything. "I think the difference between Kyouka Suigetsu and your Zanpakuto is just that the premise for causing illusions is different. But the reason it's so powerful is actually because Aizen is stronger—he can now go toe-to-toe with the Captain-Commander, can you?"

Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi fell silent. His hand unconsciously tightened around the Kinshara at his waist, his knuckles turning white from the force.

Shinji Hirako raised his head, his voice filled with barely suppressed anger and resentment. "Why is he so strong? What makes him so special?!"

Liu Ziyun's answer was concise and cruel, "Because of natural talent, they progress relatively quickly."

His tone was as calm as if stating an objective fact. "He wanted to break down the boundary between Soul Reaper and Hollows, so he studied the Hollowfication of Soul Reaper and the Soul Reaper transformation of Hollows. These directions are correct—they can indeed break down boundaries. But to reach the pinnacle and become Soul King is impossible."

Shinji Hirako gritted his teeth, his voice filled with suppressed anger. "So he used us as guinea pigs? So we should forgive him? Understand him?"

Liu Ziyun shook his head, his voice tinged with weariness. "He was also very talented and intelligent, so he longed to find people who could walk alongside him. But no one had grown to his level as easily as he had—he also saw some scoundrels among the nobility, which warped his mind."

He paused, then continued, "He wanted to replace the Soul King and change the rules. But his methods were wrong. And the Soul King was just... um... I can't say anymore, you'll find out later. If I say it now, I'm afraid someone will cause me trouble."

Shinji Hirako sneered, his tone laced with sarcasm. "Why do I get the feeling you're speaking up for him?"

Liu Ziyun around and looked at him, a deep light seemingly burning in his empty eye sockets. "He's nothing but a pathetic wretch who's gone astray."

His voice was soft, yet exceptionally clear. "His willingness to lend a hand during the crisis in the Three Worlds shows that he's ruthless in his pursuit of success, but he also retains a desire to protect and advance the world. He's just taken the wrong path."

He paused, his tone becoming more resolute. "So, catch him, educate him, and once he understands, lock him up. Besides, we'll need his help in the future."

Shinji Hirako's breathing became rapid. "You want me to fight alongside my enemy? You want me to forget everything he did to me?"

Liu Ziyun looked at him, his voice eerily calm. "Don't talk to me about glory or those pointless things. I'm similar to him—we'll stop at nothing to achieve our goals. However, I use everything I can, not harm innocent people to achieve my objectives."

He thought for a moment and added, "Well, how should I put it? Oh, it's called 'Do your best and leave the rest to fate.' So my path is different from his, that's all."

Shinji Hirako fell silent. He leaned against the wall, his eyes closed, his chest heaving violently. The others remained silent as well; only heavy breathing filled the training ground.

After a long while, Shinji Hirako slowly opened his eyes, looked at Liu Ziyun, and said in a hoarse voice, "If... in the destiny you see, we weren't used as Hollowfication test subjects, but Aizen did the same thing, what would you do?"

This question is like a sharp blade, pointing directly to the core of all of Liu Ziyun's struggles and choices over the years.

Liu Ziyun fell silent.

He lowered his head, looking at the two exquisite Wristguards on his wrist—one a phoenix, the other a Golden Dragon. The Wristguards shimmered faintly under the light, as if awaiting his answer.

After a long silence, he finally spoke slowly, "Then let's try our best to change things so that you don't get involved."

His voice was soft, yet unusually firm. "After all, I don't want to see this get beyond my comprehension. These uncontrollable factors could very well lead to unpredictable consequences."

He raised his head and looked at Shinji Hirako, a warm light seemingly flickering in his empty eye sockets. "If we can't save you, we'll try our best to save your lives. At least, you're still my friends, aren't you?"

Shinji Hirako stared at him blankly, his lips trembling, but he couldn't utter a word.

He recalled a hundred years ago, on the training ground of the Shin'ō Academy, that classmate who was always alone and taciturn. Back then, Liu Ziyun was like a block of ice that refused to melt, isolating himself from everyone.

They took the initiative to reach out to him. They invited him to training sessions, parties, and every activity he could participate in, time and time again. They melted that ice little by little with their enthusiasm.

Now, this "ice" has put in more effort and borne a heavier burden than anyone else in order to protect them.

"I hate this kind of life..." Shinji Hirako said softly, her voice filled with an indescribable weariness and bitterness, "Watching your scheming, I feel tired for you all."

Liu Ziyun smiled. It was a genuine, heartfelt smile.

"Sigh, there's nothing I can do about it." He shrugged, his tone becoming lighter again. "If that incident hadn't happened at the academy, I probably wouldn't have to worry about so much."

His smile faded, replaced by a deep seriousness. "So, cultivate diligently. There are too many calamities ahead. Only by improving yourself can you protect the people and things you want to protect."

"I've endured a century of hiding, not to continue hiding." His voice was soft, yet clear to everyone. "I did it so that when the time comes to stand up, I can truly... protect something."