Royal Key

The Heavenly Pillar Carriage began to slow noticeably. The gates of the Soul King Palace opened soundlessly, and like a fish returning to its nest, the carriage glided lightly through them.

The view before them suddenly opened up.

Below was no longer empty void, but ground that seemed to have condensed from some kind of pure energy, stretching ahead to form a broad and majestic avenue.

This was the entrance and main passage of the Soul King Palace—the Front Avenue.

Once it entered, the Heavenly Pillar Carriage quietly came to a stop. Ichibē Hyōsube stood first and gestured for Liu Chuan to proceed.

"We're here, Liu Chuan. Welcome to the Soul King Palace."

Liu Chuan followed Ichibē Hyōsube out of the Heavenly Pillar Carriage. Ichibē walked leisurely ahead, his massive frame looking surprisingly fitting even upon the grand Front Avenue.

He didn't urge Liu Chuan onward, seemingly allowing him time to adjust and observe.

As they walked, a question that had lingered in Liu Chuan's mind finally surfaced clearly amid the atmosphere of being so close to the heart of the Soul King Palace.

He quickened his pace by two steps, walking alongside Ichibē Hyōsube as he turned his head and asked, "Lord Hyōsube, there is something I don't understand."

"Oh? Go ahead," Ichibē Hyōsube replied casually without slowing.

"I once read scattered records regarding entry into the Soul King Palace in the Great Spirit Library of the Soul Society."

Liu Chuan organized his thoughts, his gaze sweeping over the flowing radiance of laws on either side. "They mentioned that entering the Soul King Palace seemed to require an extremely important 'key,' or perhaps a medium, called the—'Royal Key.'"

"Yet from the time we arrived aboard the Heavenly Pillar Carriage until we stepped onto this Front Avenue, I didn't see you use any special 'key' or perform any particular 'ritual'..."

He paused and looked at Ichibē Hyōsube. "May I ask, what exactly is this 'Royal Key'... and where does it exist?"

It was a question born of instinct. The Soul King Palace stood so far above the rest, isolated from the Three Worlds. Without an absolutely reliable "lock" and "key," how could its supremacy and safety be ensured?

The Heavenly Pillar Carriage was certainly a means of transportation, but the "door" itself still needed a key to open.

Hearing this, Ichibē Hyōsube paused slightly before letting out a deep, pleased laugh, as though he had heard an interesting question.

Rather than answering directly, he stopped, turned to face Liu Chuan, and slowly raised his left hand.

It was a massive palm, marked by the traces of age and power.

Beneath the pale golden glow flowing along the Front Avenue, even the lines of its skin seemed to carry some ancient rhythm.

"Liu Chuan, look at this hand. What is different about it from an ordinary person's?" Ichibē Hyōsube asked with a smile.

Liu Chuan focused his gaze. With his sharp perception and deep understanding of Spirit Particles and laws, he quickly noticed something unusual.

Ichibē Hyōsube's palm—indeed, his entire body—was truly different from that of an ordinary Soul Reaper.

"Your body... doesn't appear to be that of an ordinary Soul Reaper." A glimmer of realization flashed through Liu Chuan's eyes.

"Not bad. You're observant." Ichibē Hyōsube nodded approvingly, lowering his hand. His smile gained a deeper edge.

"The records you saw in the Great Spirit Library were correct. Entering the Soul King Palace does indeed require a 'Royal Key.' But what those records didn't explain was..."

He leaned forward slightly, his eyes, which seemed to reflect nebulae, staring straight at Liu Chuan as he spoke each word clearly.

"The so-called 'Royal Key' isn't a specific object, nor is it a fixed incantation. It refers to... a complete reshaping and elevation of one's body after becoming an official member of the Zero Division, with the Soul King's Power as its core."

"The Soul King's Power is one of the primal great powers that constructs and maintains the balance of the Three Worlds. A body remade through that power has its very existence 'recognized' and 'marked' by the Soul King Palace. From then on, our bodies themselves become walking 'credentials.'"

He pointed at himself, then at Liu Chuan.

"So, it isn't that this old man used the 'Royal Key.' Rather, this old man and every member of the Zero Division—we ourselves are the 'Royal Key.'"

"Our very existence is the 'key' that opens the gates of the Soul King Palace."

"That is also the fundamental reason why only members of the Zero Division, and those brought and acknowledged by us, may set foot here."

Liu Chuan listened quietly, waves rising in his heart. His own body was the key! His body would be remade through the Soul King's Power and granted the Soul King Palace's "identity authentication"!

"So that's how it is... one's self is the Royal Key." Liu Chuan repeated softly, his eyes shining with thought. "Then the induction ceremony I'm about to undergo..."

"Exactly." Ichibē Hyōsube affirmed.

"A crucial part of the ceremony is to invoke the Soul King's Power and complete the initial construction and authentication of this 'Royal Key body' for you."

"From then on, you'll be able to travel freely between the Soul King Palace and the Soul Society. Your spiritual pressure, your power, even your 'name,' will develop a deeper connection with the Soul King Palace."

His body itself would become the Royal Key. His body would be remade by the Soul King's Power, granted the Soul King Palace's "recognition," and from then on, his existence itself would serve as a pass, sharing fortune and ruin with the Soul King Palace.

That explanation struck through the last trace of fog in Liu Chuan's mind like lightning, but it also brought vigilance and... resistance.

In an instant, he understood the deeper issue—once his body and soul had been thoroughly remade by the Soul King's Power and transformed into a "Royal Key"...

It meant that the very "foundation" of his existence would be completely and permanently bound to the Soul King Palace!

He would no longer be an independent individual. His life, his power, even his very existence would become an inseparable part of the Soul King Palace's system, sharing its prosperity and its ruin.

He would live and die alongside the Soul King Palace.

That conclusion made Liu Chuan's breathing hitch almost imperceptibly.

If the Soul King Palace remained safe and sound, then as a "Royal Key," he would naturally enjoy the convenience and power it provided.

But if the Soul King Palace suffered an irresistible, devastating blow, then what would become of a "Royal Key" deeply bound to that system?

He didn't know the exact answer, but he knew without thinking that there was no way he could remain untouched.

For the vast majority of Soul Reapers in the Soul Society, this "gift," or perhaps this "price," might have been the supreme glory they dreamed of.

To become a member of the Zero Division, receive the blessing of the Soul King's Power, coexist with the Soul King Palace, and protect the balance of the Three Worlds—what an extraordinary mission and honor that was!

They naturally held reverence and belonging toward this world and toward the Soul King. Binding their own fates to a higher existence was, to them, a destination and an elevation.

But Liu Chuan was different.

He wasn't a soul native to this world. Deep within his soul lay an obsession with "absolute free will."

He respected this world's rules, studied them, used them, and was even willing to fulfill his duties within a certain framework.

But that absolutely didn't mean he was willing to hand everything he had over completely to some vast, unknown system and share life and death with it.

He lacked the bone-deep devotion and reverence that native Soul Reapers held for the Soul King.

To him, the Soul King wasn't a faith to which he had to dedicate and attach his entire being.

Turning himself into a "Royal Key" and forcibly binding his fate to the Soul King Palace was equivalent to voluntarily relinquishing the "independence" of his existence and handing the reins of his fate over to another.

That touched upon his most fundamental bottom line—his absolute demand for control over himself and his instinctive avoidance of unknown risks.

Even if becoming a "Royal Key" could bring an unimaginable increase in power, that power came at the cost of "freedom" and "independence."

It might have been immensely tempting to someone who pursued power itself, but to Liu Chuan, it was no different from drinking poison to quench thirst.

Power had to remain in his own hands. Its source and direction had to be decided by him.

Being permanently bound to some vast existence meant that his freedom to choose his future path would be severely restricted. At certain crucial moments, he might not even be able to act according to his own will.

Within just a few breaths, countless thoughts raced through Liu Chuan's mind as he weighed the pros and cons and touched upon the essence of the matter.

He stopped on the Front Avenue, where the radiance of laws flowed. Raising his head, he looked calmly yet extraordinarily firmly at Ichibē Hyōsube, who had also stopped and was looking back at him with slight confusion.

"Lord Hyōsube," Liu Chuan said, his voice clear and steady as it rang through the silent Front Avenue.

"Regarding becoming a 'Royal Key' and having my body remade by the Soul King's Power... please forgive me, but I find it difficult to accept."

"..."

For the first time, the gentle smile on Ichibē Hyōsube's face visibly froze.

His wise eyes clearly reflected Liu Chuan's calm yet indisputable expression.

The immense shock even made his mountain-like body tremble almost imperceptibly.

Difficult... to accept?

He was refusing to become a Royal Key? Refusing the remaking of the Soul King's Power? Refusing the foundation upon which countless Soul Reapers looked in awe, and upon which the members of the Zero Division relied for their existence?

In the Soul Society's history, long enough to seem almost eternal, such a thing had never been heard of, nor even imagined!

Joining the Zero Division, receiving the Soul King's Power's transformation, becoming a Royal Key—this was glory, responsibility, an inevitable step of advancement, and a manifestation of the Soul King's will.

No one had ever raised an objection, much less refused.

Ichibē Hyōsube remained silent for several full seconds. Even the radiance of laws flowing along the Front Avenue seemed to stir faintly with the fluctuations in his emotions.

He slowly turned around to face Liu Chuan fully. His massive body cast a shadow that carried invisible pressure.

"Liu Chuan," Ichibē Hyōsube's voice remained grand, but all ease and amusement had vanished from it.

"Do you understand... what you're saying?"

"Refusing the remaking of the Soul King's Power means giving up the chance to become a complete member of the Zero Division. It means giving up the identity of a 'Royal Key,' the right to enter and leave the Soul King Palace freely, and the qualification to wield part of the Soul King Palace's laws."

"It also means your growth in strength will be limited. Your connection to the Soul King Palace will forever be separated by a layer. You won't be able to truly integrate into this place, and it may even affect how you fulfill your duties in the future."

He paused, his blazing gaze locking tightly onto Liu Chuan's eyes as though he wished to pierce through that calm exterior and see the deepest thoughts within his soul.

"The Soul King's Power is one of the world's primal powers. Its reshaping is not merely a gift, but also recognition—the foundation that allows you to better fulfill your duty of protection. Countless outstanding figures could only dream of obtaining it. Why... would you refuse?"

His confusion was so obvious that even his grand voice carried a rare trace of bewilderment.

Over his long life, he had seen countless beings who pursued strength, craved recognition, and were willing to give everything to protect what they held dear.

To refuse the primal power placed before him, a power representing the highest recognition and strength? It completely defied his logic.

Liu Chuan met Ichibē Hyōsube's oppressive and baffled gaze, his expression still showing little change.

He knew how absurdly unconventional his choice would appear to those of this world, but he had no intention of explaining the origin of his soul. That would only bring more unpredictable risks.

"Lord Hyōsube," Liu Chuan began slowly, choosing his words carefully while making his meaning clear.

"It isn't that I don't acknowledge the Soul King Palace's duties, nor am I afraid of taking on the responsibility of protection."

"...I simply believe in my own strength more. That is all!"

Liu Chuan's voice wasn't raised. He didn't offer more complicated reasons, instead reducing everything to the most fundamental and irrefutable reason—absolute confidence in his own strength.

Ichibē Hyōsube stared into Liu Chuan's eyes.

He tried to find a trace of hesitation there, a trace of yearning for unknown power, a trace of confusion or fear regarding the future that might result from abandoning this "gift."

But all he saw was a tranquil deep sea.

Beneath that deep sea lay unshakable will, confidence born of clear understanding of his own path, and only a choice made after deep consideration.

He believed in his own strength... that was all.

So simple, yet so... arrogant.

In Ichibē Hyōsube's perception, Liu Chuan's spiritual pressure was only at captain level.

Ichibē Hyōsube fell into an even deeper silence than before.

Having lived for countless ages and witnessed the rise of innumerable geniuses, the fall of heroes, and the changing of eras, Ichibē Hyōsube believed he had seen every kind of soul.

There were those who pursued strength, those who longed for glory, those who bore missions, and those who wandered in confusion.

But someone like the young man before him, who faced supreme power that was practically within reach and so calmly, so firmly chose to "believe in himself," using that as the reason to refuse that power... Liu Chuan was the first.

Could this be the fundamental reason why Lord Soul King had chosen him and granted him the qualifications to join the Zero Division?

Lord Soul King's will was indeed vast and unfathomable.

"This matter... requires consideration from this old man, and I must also seek instruction."

"Since the Soul King Palace was established, there has never been such a precedent. Your thoughts... are very unusual."

He paused, his gaze once more sweeping over Liu Chuan's calm, unreadable face.

"So unusual that even this old man doesn't know how to respond for the moment. I'll arrange a place for you to stay first. I'll inform you of the specific result tomorrow."

Liu Chuan nodded, his manner still composed. "Yes. Thank you for your trouble, my lord."

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