Intervening in the Fate of Kaien Shiba and His Wife (Part One)

The news that Rukia Kuchiki had officially joined the Thirteenth Division was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating barely perceptible ripples in the Seireitei. But for Liu Ziyun, this pebble meant that the gears of fate had turned another step—bringing him one step closer to that final milestone.

On this day, Liu Ziyun once again came to the Fourth Division Captain's Office.

Retsu Unohana sat at the tea table, holding a steaming cup of tea. Sunlight streamed through the paper door, casting dappled shadows on her. She looked up at Liu Ziyun, who had just entered, and a complex emotion flickered in his usually calm eyes—over the years, she had grown accustomed to Liu Ziyun's pattern of "sudden visits."

"Captain, we need to rescue two more people." Liu Ziyun the chase without any pleasantries, "We need your help."

Retsu Unohana put down her teacup, her fingers lightly tracing the rim. This gesture indicated she was seriously considering. "Who are you going to save this time?"

Liu Ziyun sat down opposite her, his tone calm but tinged with a heavy tone. "It's the Thirteenth Division Lieutenant Kaien Shiba, and the Third Seat Shiba Miyako."

Retsu Unohana frowned slightly. "The two of them? What's going to happen now? Is it the work of the nobles?"

Her voice carried a hint of coldness. "The Shiba Clan has already fallen from grace, and they still won't let them go?"

Liu Ziyun gently shook his head. "Not a nobleman. He's Aizen."

He paused, then continued, "They both died because of Aizen's experiments with Hollows. I'm not entirely sure if any nobles were involved. However..."

His tone grew heavier. "After they die, the Shiba Clan is truly finished. There were only a handful left to begin with. Besides, Captain Shiba will also be leaving Soul Society someday."

Retsu Unohana remained silent for a moment. As Soul Reaper of a thousand years, she understood the weight of the word "family" better than anyone else. The Shiba Clan was once one of the Four Great Noble Clans, but now it had declined to this state, which was truly lamentable.

"So how do you plan to solve this?" she asked.

Liu Ziyun a deep breath; clearly, he had been thinking about this plan for a long time, "It's just about saving people, then seeing how things go, and then sending them to the World of the Living to be handed over to Kisuke Urahara."

His tone carried a hint of matter-of-fact. "Let them train there. As for the Shiba Clan... we'll talk about them when they return to Soul Society. After all, with strength, the rise of the clan is just a matter of a word."

A knowing smile played on his lips, "Besides, that 'Cheat B' has their bloodline too. Are they afraid someone will cause them trouble?"

Retsu Unohana looked at him, a hint of helplessness in her eyes. "You've got a clever plan. Saving a few people accumulates merit and increases your future fighting power. A double win!"

Liu Ziyun chuckled, not denying it.

He took out two Talisman from his pocket and placed them on the tea table.

The two Talisman were about the size of a palm, and their material was neither paper nor cloth, but some kind of special Reishi crystal. A faint golden light flowed across their surface, and complex Kidō Runes were drawn on them. These Runes flowed slowly as if they were alive, emanating a warm and mysterious aura.

"I won't show myself this time," Liu Ziyun said earnestly. "You should talk to Captain Ukitake. Give them these two talismans and have them carry them close to their bodies. If anything unexpected happens, I'll use these talismans to save them."

Retsu Unohana picked up a Talisman and examined it carefully. She could feel the powerful Spiritual Power contained within the Talisman, a gentle and inclusive power, like a mother's embrace.

"What... can this thing be used for?" she asked.

Liu Ziyun explained, "This is Talisman I created using the power of 'Life-Taker.' Simply put, it can preserve the soul and consciousness of the holder at the moment of death. As long as the Talisman remains, they will not truly die."

He paused, then continued, "Of course, this is only a temporary measure. True redemption requires further steps."

Retsu Unohana nodded thoughtfully. "I see. So... what else do you need me to do?"

Liu Ziyun began to recount in detail the fates of Kaien Shiba and Shiba Miyako —the Hollow named "Metastacia," its abilities and weaknesses, the tragedy that befell Shiba Miyako after being possessed, Kaien Shiba's sacrifice, and Rukia Kuchiki's role in the events.

He described it in great detail, every single detail as if he had experienced it firsthand.

After listening, Retsu Unohana remained silent for a moment. Then she looked up at Liu Ziyun, a complex expression in her eyes. "I've discovered... you seem to be the mastermind behind everything."

Her tone was teasing, but mostly serious. "You've arranged everything so meticulously, expecting me, the team leader, to follow your orders."

Liu Ziyun shook his head with a wry smile, "Sigh, Captain, you know I'm a variable. To avoid interfering with the trajectory of fate, I have to hide. What if I show myself and get 'killed'?"

Retsu Unohana raised an eyebrow. "What? What do you mean?"

"It means 'kill,'" Liu Ziyun explained. "Captain, as you know, my vocabulary has become quite rich over the years."

Retsu Unohana looked at him, a hint of helplessness in her eyes. "Since you knew you were the variable, why did you still interfere in saving people?"

Liu Ziyun's smile became sincere, "Since I am a variable, then I want to change the fate of some people. Wouldn't it be great to let these people protect the Soul Society in the future?"

He shrugged, his tone relaxed. "After all, I'm a kind-hearted person."

Retsu Unohana stood up and straightened her haori. "I don't know where you get so many weird words from."

She walked towards the door, stopped, and turned back to look at Liu Ziyun: "Alright, I'm going to take care of things for you. Remember, I've been paid for all these years of doing things for you."

A dangerous smile curled at the corner of her lips, "If you don't receive a reward that satisfies me, you'll suffer a terrible fate."

After saying that, she turned and left, giving Liu Ziyun no chance to respond.

The door closed behind me.

Liu Ziyun sat there, looking at the closed door, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

He lowered his head, clenched his fist, and murmured softly, "The reward will definitely satisfy you."

His smile widened, even carrying a hint of... smugness. "Not only will I satisfy you, I'll satisfy you so much that your belly gets big."

He imagined that scene, and the expression on his face became extremely lewd.

Fortunately, Retsu Unohana had already left and didn't witness this scene.

Otherwise, she might actually draw her Zanpakuto and cut him to pieces on the spot.