Breaking Down Before Building Anew (2)
Liu Ziyun recalled that he had indeed had such thoughts—to break through limits and surpass himself after reaching the peak. But that was after he was ready, after he was confident.
"The method of 'destruction before construction'," Liu Ziyun said slowly, "Is something I intend to use only when I reach my peak and want to break my own limits. Aren't I not at my limit yet?"
Life-Taker shook his head slightly. "That's fine too."
Her voice was gentle yet firm. "Because you didn't reach your peak, you used power you couldn't handle, causing damage to your body. And the residue of that power has remained within you ever since."
She looked at Liu Ziyun, her eyes deep. "Therefore, you need to completely break free of your own shackles and allow your body to withstand this power. In this way, your body will naturally recover."
Liu Ziyun frowned even more deeply. "But isn't this power generated from within myself? Why can't my body withstand it? And if I can't withstand it, where is this power hidden?"
Life-Taker laughed, a sly glint in his eyes. "Have you forgotten? Your Bankai isn't complete."
Liu Ziyun's body jolted violently.
The Life-Taker continued, "The power you used before was the power of your complete Bankai. So, guess where your power is hidden?"
A flash of inspiration struck Liu Ziyun.
He looked sharply at the Life-Taker, then at the Tulu, his eyes filled with disbelief. "So that's how it is... These powers have always been sealed within you!"
Tulu glanced at him coldly, his eyes full of disdain, but he did not deny it.
Life-Taker chuckled and said, "Hmm, you're quite clever. So, have you figured out how you're going to solve this?"
Liu Ziyun: "I've thought of that. But I don't have the ability right now."
Tulu coldly uttered two words: "Cowardice."
Life-Taker smiled slightly, saying nothing, but his eyes were full of "I'm watching your performance."
Liu Ziyun shrugged helplessly. "Okay, I understand. I'll go out first and come back later."
Life-Taker smiled and nodded.
Tulu turned his head away, completely ignoring him.
Liu Ziyun's consciousness slowly withdrew from his Inner World.
The Real World.
Liu Ziyun opened his eyes and let out a long breath.
He stood up and began to act. He took out several Special Crystals from his pocket and placed them in various corners of the Cultivation Space according to specific directions. Then, he bit his finger and used his blood to draw intricate Runes on each crystal.
This is Barrier Technique he learned from Kisuke Urahara in the World of the Living —a top-level Barrier that can completely isolate Reiatsu fluctuations from the outside and even shield Spatial Fluctuations.
As the last Runes was completed, Liu Ziyun hand seals and whispered, "Barrier, activate!"
A layer of pale golden light surged from the crystal, quickly spreading throughout the entire space and forming a perfect, multi-layered protective shield. Inside this Barrier, whatever happens remains imperceptible to the outside world.
After doing all this, Liu Ziyun a deep breath and stretched out his hands.
On his wrists, the two Wristguards carved with phoenixes and Golden Dragons simultaneously erupted with dazzling light. In the light, the Wristguards slowly elongated and deformed, eventually transforming into two Zanpakuto — the Decide Fate in the left hand and the Slay God in the right.
Liu Ziyun gripped his twin swords tightly and closed his eyes.
"Bankai-- "
His voice echoed through the space:
"Fate-Deciding God-Slayer!"
The light shone once more.
As the light faded, Liu Ziyun had already entered his Bankai state— Jet-Black Robe Dragon and Phoenix Embroidery, Phoenix Wings, and the swords Decide Fate and Slay God held in each hand.
But this time, it's different from before.
He could clearly feel a long-dormant power awakening within him. That power was violent and strong, filled with the dual nature of destruction and creation. It rampaged through his body, destroying his physical form while simultaneously creating new flesh and blood.
Destruction. Creation. Destruction. Creation.
The two forces, like two intertwined dragons, tore at his body relentlessly, yet they could not separate. The speed of destruction far exceeded creation, and cracks began to appear on his body, from which blood seeped, staining his Jet-Black Robe.
Liu Ziyun gritted his teeth, trying to control this power. But his will was like a clay ox sinking into the sea, completely unable to shake the battle between the two giant dragons.
[This can't go on...] Liu Ziyun thought anxiously to himself, [If this continues, before it's even fully repaired, my body will be completely destroyed...]
He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
[Fine. Since I can't control it, I'll just try to sense what this power is.]
He closed his eyes, immersing himself completely in that violent power.
In the instant his consciousness sank in, it was as if he had entered a completely new world.
It was a chaotic space filled with two completely different forces. One force was as fiery as fire, filled with a destructive desire; the other force was as warm as spring, filled with the vitality of creation. The two forces intertwined, tore at each other, and transformed into each other, forming an endless cycle.
Liu Ziyun quietly "watched" all of this, and a sudden realization dawned on him.
[I see... This force of destruction and creation, seemingly a single force, is actually two forces intertwined. It's just that these two forces are unbalanced, which is why it's in this state of simultaneous destruction and repair.]
He was deep in thought when a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.
[Taiji... Yin-Yang Mutual Generation... If I can make these two forces circulate and truly merge together, reaching the state of Yin-Yang Mutual Generation, can I then control them?]
With this in mind, Liu Ziyun no longer hesitated. He began to try to guide the two forces, making them run along the trajectory of Taiji — the Power of Destruction was born from the positive pole, and the Power of Creation emerged from the negative pole, with the two chasing, transforming, and balancing each other.
At first, the two forces were completely out of control. They continued to fight and bite each other frantically, as if trying to devour each other completely.
But Liu Ziyun did not give up. He guided them again and again, tried again and again, and used his will and mind to continuously convey his intentions to those two forces.
Gradually, the Miracle occurred.
The two forces began to slowly, very slowly, follow the trajectory he had guided. The Power of Destruction no longer simply destroyed, but left room for creation after destruction; the Power of Creation no longer simply created, but was then subjected to the baptism of destruction after creation.
They began to form a delicate balance.
A perfect cycle.
Meanwhile, in the Fourth Division, in the Captain's Office.
Retsu Unohana was organizing medical documents when suddenly she froze.
She looked up and gazed in the direction of Liu Ziyun's dormitory.
There, the faint Reiatsu that had always belonged to Liu Ziyun suddenly disappeared.
It's not a weakening, not a convergence, but a complete and utter disappearance.
Retsu Unohana suddenly stood up. She put on Black Cloak and disappeared from the Captain's Office in an instant.
When she arrived at Liu Ziyun's dormitory, the room was empty. Only the remaining traces of Reiatsu proved that someone had once been there.
But those traces are fading away rapidly, as if the owner has completely left this world.
Retsu Unohana stood in the empty room, her brow furrowed.
[Did he go out to cultivate again? But in the past, he would always leave behind a Reiatsu representing his existence. Why did the Reiatsu dissipate this time?]
A sense of unease welled up inside her.
[Did something unexpected happen?]
She closed her eyes, straining her senses to their fullest extent, trying to find traces of Liu Ziyun. But no matter how hard she searched, she couldn't find any clues. It was as if that person had completely vanished from the face of the earth.