The captains had reacted that way entirely because of the fluctuations in the surrounding reishi.
At that moment, the reishi fluctuations around the Sōkyoku execution platform were identical to the reishi pulse that had erupted at the First Division barracks earlier.
Boom!
A golden pillar of light shot into the sky. Soifon, Byakuya Kuchiki, and the others scattered, while only Genryūsai Yamamoto and Shunsui Kyōraku remained still. The two exchanged a glance, both realizing what the other intended to do. The wooden staff in Yamamoto Genryūsai's hand shattered, and Ryūjin Jakka slid free and stabbed into the ground. Shunsui Kyōraku did the same.
They did this to suppress the reishi fluctuations beneath the mountain, preventing the reishi explosion from shooting straight into the sky. If that happened, all the vice-captains present would die.
Boom!
The execution platform built on the edge of the mountain instantly collapsed. The execution frame of the Sōkyoku crumbled first, and large chunks of stone fell toward the forest below.
The Apostle Eye in midair relayed this scene into Su Xiao's vision. He was currently in the forest beneath the mountain.
"It worked. You have half an hour—no, at most twenty minutes. That old man is completely monstrous, and he has his prized disciple, Shunsui Kyōraku, with him. Twenty minutes is the limit."
Su Xiao spoke from within the forest. The ground beneath his feet was covered in large alchemical arrays. This was an energy-core circuit. The reishi explosion on the execution platform had been triggered by him, but unfortunately, because he had had little time to prepare, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni had suppressed it.
Su Xiao had never expected the reishi explosion to kill captain-level Shinigami. Rather, his goal had been to hold back Yamamoto Genryūsai and Shunsui Kyōraku. The two of them would never stand