Breaking Down to Build Anew (1)

After Retsu Unohana's figure disappeared outside the door, Liu Ziyun sat alone on his bed in the dormitory, feeling the persistent weakness within him.

Several days have passed since the resurrection of Kaien Shiba and his wife. Although his physical strength and Reiatsu have recovered to some extent, that deep-seated sense of powerlessness still lingers, as if something is sleeping deep in his soul, refusing to awaken.

This can't go on.

Liu Ziyun stood up, put on Black Cloak, and left the dormitory silently. He didn't tell anyone where he was going, but like a true shadow, he walked through the intricate streets of Seireitei and arrived at the underground Cultivation Space he had used for nearly a hundred years.

The heavy metal door closed silently behind him, isolating him from the outside world. The walls were covered with intricate Kidō Runes, emitting a faint glow in the darkness. This was his secret, his sanctuary, the place where he had fought countless life-or-death battles with Life-Taker Tulu.

Liu Ziyun sat cross-legged in the center of the space, took a deep breath, and slowly closed his eyes.

The Blade Zen begins.

The Inner World.

When Liu Ziyun's consciousness stepped into this familiar void again, the scene before him made him slightly stunned.

It was no longer the desolate battlefield, nor the endless darkness. A towering building stood in the void, piercing the clouds. At the top of the building, two figures stood silently.

Life-Taker was clad in a platinum robe, his long hair swaying gently in the air, and his face wore his signature gentle smile. Tulu, on the other hand, wore dark red armor, his arms crossed, his sharp eyes filled with disdain and indifference.

Liu Ziyun into the air and landed atop the tall building, standing before the two men.

"Ziyun, you're here," Life-Taker said with a chuckle, a hint of mischief in his voice.

Tulu snorted coldly, turned his head away, and completely ignored him.

Liu Ziyun scratched his head, a fawning smile spreading across his face, "Well, I was just thinking of taking advantage of my vacation to catch up with you guys."

Life-Taker looked at him with a smile, her gentle eyes seeming to see right through him. "Are you sure you're just here to build a relationship?"

Tulu coldly added, "You wanted to ask how to recover quickly, right?"

Liu Ziyun's smile froze on his face, and he looked embarrassed. "Those were all secondary. Our main purpose was to build relationships, to build relationships."

With Life-Taker chuckle, he replied, "Okay."

Tulu coldly uttered four words: "Sweet talk."

Liu Ziyun didn't refute, only chuckled twice. He walked to the edge of the tall building, looked down at the vast darkness below, and suddenly asked, "Do you think it's possible for me in the future... to turn you into real humans? Or something like Soul Reaper?"

These words stunned both the Life-Taker and the Tulu.

Tulu's brow furrowed slightly, a complex light flashing in his sharp eyes. His Life-Taker smile faded, replaced by a deep contemplation.

"Why... do you want to turn us into humans or Soul Reaper?" Life-Taker asked, his voice carrying an indescribable emotion.

Liu Ziyun turned around and looked at them. Her empty eye sockets seemed to reflect a deep longing. "That way, you won't always be alone in my world. Don't you want to go out and see the world? Feel the sunshine, feel the wind, feel the real beauty?"

Life-Taker chuckled softly. There was no mockery in that smile, only a motherly tenderness. "Everything you see, we can see too. So, whether you go out or not, it's all the same."

Liu Ziyun shook his head. "But that wasn't my own choice. It was my choice. You can only see it through my eyes and feel it through my feelings. It's not your own experience."

He paused, his tone becoming more serious. "I want you... to truly live."

Life-Taker silence fell.

Tulu turned his head and looked at him directly for the first time.

After a long silence, Life-Taker finally spoke slowly, "You should know that our existence is to protect you."

Her voice was soft, yet exceptionally clear. "You can't expect us to leave your Inner World freely. We are part of your soul, the embodiment of your power. Without you, we are nothing."

She paused, then continued, "However, we could materialize our Zanpakuto and appear in the Real World. But then we wouldn't be able to continue protecting you. So, we won't do that."

Liu Ziyun fell silent.

He looked down at his hands, the hands that had Zanpakuto countless times, the hands that had struggled on the edge of life and death countless times.

"If that doesn't allow you to leave," he looked up at the Life-Taker and Tulu, "Could I perhaps add more people to my Inner World? Make this world more prosperous? That way, when you see a prosperous world, you won't feel lonely."

The Tulu spoke coldly, "We are never alone."

Life-Taker chuckled softly, a hint of helplessness in his smile, "You went to the World of the Living, saw its prosperity, and were reminded of your hometown, weren't you?"

Liu Ziyun was stunned.

"Actually," Life-Taker continued, "If you could make this world prosperous, your heart wouldn't be as peaceful as before. In fact, the noise of this world would even disgust you."

She looked at Liu Ziyun with a deep insight in her eyes. "Right now, you are enjoying the peace in solitude. If you break this peace, you will lose who you are now."

Liu Ziyun remained silent for a long time before slowly saying, "Oh..."

Life-Taker looked at him and suddenly changed the subject. "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. You can feel that your body and mind haven't been able to recover since you used your ability this time, right?"

Liu Ziyun nodded, his expression turning serious. "Yes, I feel it. I thought I'd be fine after a couple of days of rest, but after my stamina and Reiatsu recovered somewhat in the first two days, I've had this constant feeling of weakness. I feel like I haven't reached my peak. It wasn't like this before."

Life-Taker nodded slightly. "This is the consequence of you forcibly using power beyond your capacity."

Her tone became serious. "After all, the ability to Recreate Spiritual Body can only be used when you've developed your power to its limit. But you haven't reached your peak yet."

Liu Ziyun frowned. "Then what should I do to recover?"

Life-Taker smiled and looked at him without saying a word.

The Tulu coldly replied, "Destruction precedes construction."

She looked at Liu Ziyun, her eyes flashing with a sharp light. "Didn't you also want to improve yourself in this way before? It's just that you were afraid of losing your power, so you've always been hesitant."

Liu Ziyun was stunned.