Noble Troubles Come Calling

When Unohana and her group arrived at Liu Ziyun's residence, they found him sitting under the eaves practicing Blade Zen. Sunlight filtered through the cherry trees in the courtyard, casting a glow on him, making his closed eyes appear exceptionally serene—although he was temporarily blind, his Reiatsu flow was more acute than that of ordinary people.

"Wait a moment," Unohana said softly to Kuchiki Ginrei and Kuchiki Kōga behind her, and the three of them stood quietly in the courtyard.

But in Liu Ziyun's Inner World at this moment, the scene was quite different.

"Ziyun, three steps to the left, there's a slight ripple in the Reiatsu." The voice of the Life-Taker Sword was gentle as water. She lightly twirled her longsword, the wind from it sweeping towards Liu Ziyun's side like a willow branch. Although Liu Ziyun was blind, he could clearly sense the unique gentleness and resilience within the Life-Taker Sword's Reiatsu in his spiritual realm. He moved as instructed, perfectly avoiding the attack, and said with a wry smile, "Life-Taker, you always remind me so promptly."

"Your senses need to be more refined." The Life-Taker sheathed his sword, his simple white robes swaying gently in the wind, his eyes filled with concern. "Don't be impatient, take your time."

In the distance, Tulu stood silently to one side, his posture as upright as a lone pine. He kept his eyes closed and focused, exuding a chilling aura. Suddenly, he opened his eyes—those eyes held no warmth, only the sharpness of a blade.

"Someone from the outside world has arrived." The voice of Tulu was as crisp and clear as the clash of ice and jade. "Three people, one of whom is Unohana."

Upon hearing this, Life-Taker softly said to Liu Ziyun, "Let's stop here for today. Don't keep our guests waiting."

Without another Tulu, with a slight thought, Liu Ziyun felt the world spinning, as if he had withdrawn from his Inner World.

In reality, Liu Ziyun shuddered slightly, then—stretched out in an exaggerated way, deliberately making his joints crack.

"Ah--! I slept so soundly my bones are melting!" He muttered as he groped his way to his feet, facing the courtyard gate precisely despite being unable to see. "Hmm? A distinguished guest has arrived?"

He shuffled along in his wooden clogs, cautiously taking a step forward, but "just" managed to lift his foot at the threshold, perfectly avoiding a trip. As he opened the door, a bright smile spread across his face, "Oh my, isn't this Captain Unohana! And Captain Kuchiki and Brother Kōga! What brings you all to my little courtyard? Please come in, please come in— Captain Kuchiki, be careful, my threshold is a bit high, you're older, take it easy."

Unohana's smile deepened, Kuchiki Ginrei's expression remained unchanged, while Kuchiki Kōga couldn't help but glance a few more times at this somewhat eccentric blind Soul Reaper.

After the three entered the room and sat down, Liu Ziyun fumbled for the tea set and began to brew tea. His movements were fluid; he took the tea leaves, poured in hot water, and poured the tea into the cups all in one go. However, when he handed the tea to Kuchiki Kōga, the teacup was slightly off-center by half an inch.

"Sorry, sorry, my eyesight isn't good, you'll have to take it yourself," Liu Ziyun said with a smile.

"It's alright." Kuchiki Kōga took the teacup, secretly surprised—this blind man's perception of Reiatsu was so accurate; that half-inch deviation just now seemed to be intentional.

"What brings Captain and Captain Kuchiki here today?" Liu Ziyun asked gently, holding his teacup.

Unohana said softly, "A few days ago, you analyzed the potential predicament of Kuchiki Kōga to Tazawa Kentarō. Captain Kuchiki found it quite reasonable and wanted to hear your insights in person."

Kuchiki Ginrei said solemnly, "Lord Liu, although what you said at the time was veiled, every word hit the nail on the head. I would like to ask, how did you deduce that someone was targeting Kōga? And what methods might they use?"

Liu Ziyun down his teacup, tucked his hands into his sleeves, and closed his eyes as if he could see into people's hearts.

"I shouldn't have said much about this matter," he began slowly. "After all, it's an internal affair of the nobility, even a matter of the Kuchiki Clan. However, I've always respected the Kuchiki Clan's traditions and Captain Kuchiki's character. That's why I said a few words. Since you've come to ask me personally, I'll tell you everything I know."

He paused, then turned towards Kuchiki Kōga, his tone gentle. "Brother Kōga, if I may ask, have you recently felt that no matter what you do, someone will criticize you? If you do well, it's taken for granted, but if you make even the slightest mistake, there's a lot of gossip?"

Kuchiki Kōga paused, then whispered, "... That's certainly true."

"That's it." Liu Ziyun sighed softly. "Captain Kuchiki has high hopes for you and intends to groom you as the next head of the family, which is no secret in the Seireitei. As a result, you have become the target of everyone's criticism—some are happy to see it happen, while others are secretly dissatisfied."

Kuchiki Ginrei frowned. "Even so, as long as Kōga is careful with his words and actions..."

"Captain Kuchiki, you're too upright," Liu Ziyun interrupted gently. "You think everyone will follow the rules, but some people prefer to 'create' rules. Kōga is human, and humans can make mistakes. Moreover, some mistakes aren't actually his faults, but rather he's 'forced' to make them."

He leaned forward slightly, his tone still gentle, yet each word clear. "You know better than I the intricacies of aristocratic life. You act with integrity, but not everyone is. Kōga has your protection now, so others dare not act openly. But what about behind the scenes? Rumors, framing, isolation... these are all bloodless knives."

After a long silence, Kuchiki Ginrei finally asked, "Then, in your opinion, how should we guard against this?"

"There are three," Liu Ziyun held up three fingers. "First, send a trustworthy person to accompany you, not to monitor, but to 'witness'—leave a record of your actions, a record that benefits you. Second, cultivate good relationships. In aristocratic social interactions, being too rigid is annoying, while being too casual is impolite; you need to strike the right balance. Third..."

He turned to Kuchiki Kōga, his tone unusually serious. "Brother Kōga, you need to learn to free yourself. It's true that you come from Rukongai, and so do I. In some people's eyes, our background is a 'flaw,' but have we gotten to where we are today because of bloodlines?"

He groped his way to his feet, walked to the window, and turned his back to the crowd. "If it weren't for Captain Unohana protecting me, I'd probably be locked up in Maggot's Nest or being studied in some laboratory. In Seireitei, strength alone isn't enough; you also need a powerful backer, shrewdness, and—truly loyal friends."

Turning back, his face regained its warm smile, "So, Brother Kōga, besides practicing your swordsmanship, you also need to cultivate your 'mental cultivation.' What are others gossiping about? Let them talk. The more you care, the more smug they become. It's a good thing that Captain Kuchiki is strict with you, but you also need to learn to open your heart to the captain. Why should you keep everything bottled up between you and your father-in-law?"

Kuchiki Ginrei gave Liu Ziyun a deep look, then suddenly asked, "You mentioned the power of Zanpakuto before... Could it be that Muramasa from Kōga will also become a source of trouble?"

Liu Ziyun's expression instantly turned serious.

"Captain Kuchiki, that's the most important point." He sat back down, his voice low. "Brother Kōga, who still knows about the power of your Zanpakuto?"

Kuchiki Kōga replied, "I haven't fully grasped it yet, so I haven't revealed it."

"Then never reveal it—at least, not a single word until you can stand on your own." Liu Ziyun's tone was gentle yet firm. "'Communicating with Zanpakuto and controlling the souls of others'—this ability is a deadly threat to those Soul Reaper who rely on Zanpakuto. Those with ulterior motives among the Central 46 and the Nobles will be restless. They will stop at nothing to make you disappear."

Silence fell over the room.

After a long while, Kuchiki Ginrei slowly rose and solemnly nodded to Liu Ziyun: "I will remember your words today. Thank you."

Liu Ziyun and waved his hand. "No need to be so polite. I just enjoy making friends—especially friends like the Kuchiki Clan, who are worth getting to know better."

After seeing off Kuchiki and the other two, Liu Ziyun returned to the house and sat opposite Unohana, who had been sitting quietly.

"Do you really think they can escape this calamity?" Unohana asked softly.

Liu Ziyun groped for a piece of pastry, and smiled wryly, "Who knows? I've said everything I needed to say. The rest is up to Creation. But Captain, you brought them here today, not just to ask a few questions, were you?"

Unohana smiled but didn't answer, instead asking, "Have your eyes improved recently?"

"Still the same, I can't see, but I 'see' more clearly now." Liu Ziyun took a bite of pastry and mumbled, "Life-Taker always says this is an opportunity, letting me calmly perceive all things... It's just that I occasionally bump into pillars while walking, which is a bit embarrassing."

Unohana chuckled and shook her head, "You, you're clearly very perceptive, but you insist on pretending to be carefree."

Liu Ziyun down the pastries, a barely perceptible hint of melancholy flashing across his ever-smiling face.

"Living like this makes things easier for everyone."