Death God: Starting from Refining Essence into Qi

In the afternoon of the West 20th ward, sunlight slanted through the wooden windows facing the street, casting diamond-shaped patches of light on the floor. The wooden signboard swayed gently in the wind, making a slight "creak," which, along with the rustling of pens scratching across paper and the low-voiced chatter of the wandering spirits, became the daily routine of the Yorozuya.

The one-armed young man in charge of the accounts sat behind a wooden table by the window, his only remaining right hand holding a pencil, carefully marking the day's commission ledger.

Several wandering souls waiting for jobs squatted by the threshold, twisting straw ropes in their hands. They would occasionally glance up at the ledger and whisper about which jobs were easier and which had higher rewards. Their eyes were full of hope. A year ago, they couldn't even afford enough water, but now they could earn money with their own strength and even have some savings.

On the streets of the West 20th ward, this shop with its carved wooden sign became a minor news story. Everyone who had commissioned the Yorozuya (Odd Jobs Shop) spoke highly of it, and as word spread, the Yorozuya's business improved day by day.

When business is booming, others become envious.

Yuan Tienan was one of those who were envious.

He was the local tyrant of the West 20th District, commanding seven or eight idle rogues who made a living by collecting debts and taking advantage of street vendors. Years ago, even the small merchants of Rukongai would avoid him, but since the Yorozuya opened, his word in the West 20th District had lost its weight—those rogues who used to be completely under his thumb now had the Yorozuya's backing, and they no longer fawned over him. This greatly displeased him.

When Genji Tetsuo first appeared at the Yorozuya, he went to investigate and learned that there were two Grim Reapers inside. But he had seen many wandering Grim Reapers before—no family, no backing, they dared to swagger around on the outskirts as long as their spiritual power was slightly higher, but they didn't dare to utter a sound when they encountered a real tough opponent.

Gen Tetsuo is backed by nobles, and even has connections with higher-ranking nobles. Dealing with a few wandering Grim Reapers is as easy as crushing ants.

He kept this matter to himself and didn't take any action until his true master—the Katori family of the West 15th District—sent someone to deliver a message.

"Is that Yorozuya (general store) in the West 20th ward doing good business?"

Yuan Tienan knew that his master had also set his sights on this prize.

That very day, he led a few of his men and swaggered toward the Yorozuya.

Yuan Tienan leaned against the doorframe, glancing sideways at the people inside. A blade of grass dangled from his lips, swaying back and forth as he spoke, his tone brimming with nonchalant arrogance: "Is the person in charge here here?"

Having followed Obana Danjiro for a long time and worked at the Yorozuya for more than half a year, the one-armed youth was no longer the boy who would be at a loss if someone called him a cripple.

Facing the menacing thugs, his voice remained calm: "Do you have a request to take? Or is there something else?" He waved one hand behind his back, and one of the wandering spirits, recognizing the gesture, quietly left through the back door of the Yorozuya.

"A commission?" Yuan Tienan scoffed, spitting on the ground. His gaze swept over the man's empty left sleeve, and his tone instantly turned sinister. "I'm asking you if the person in charge is here! You, a cripple, can make decisions?"

The expressions of the wandering souls waiting in the room changed. Some clenched their fists, but dared not utter a sound because of the thugs.

The one-armed youth's face flushed red, and he was about to speak when footsteps sounded behind him.

"What is it?"

Xuan emerged from the inner room, dressed in dark gray casual clothes with his Zanpakuto at his waist. He glanced at Gen Tetsuya, his gaze lingering on the other's face for less than a second before shifting away.

Genichiro was also looking at him. His gaze swept over the Zanpakuto at his waist before returning to the expressionless face, and he sneered inwardly.

At such a young age, he already displays such an arrogant attitude; he truly is a wandering grim reaper who has never been taught a lesson by the nobility.

Gen Tetsuya didn't mince words and went straight to the point: "The Yorozuya has been open for a long time. Who gave you permission to open a shop here?"

Xuan's gaze returned to him, still devoid of emotion: "The land we legally purchased in Rukongai doesn't need anyone's permission."

"Legal?" Gen Tetsuo grinned. "That's what you think is legal." He took a half-step forward, his tone carrying a hint of pressure. "Rukousai isn't safe. An organization like yours, without any backing, might be targeted one day. The people behind me think highly of you and are willing to give you a chance: Yorozuya will have someone protecting it, so you can do business with peace of mind. Just give me half of your monthly profits."

That's a nice way to put it, but everyone can tell it's not an invitation, it's a threat.

Xuan remained expressionless: "No need. Yorozuya is self-sufficient and doesn't need protection."

Yuan Tienan's smile faded slightly: "Young man, you can't speak too confidently. I have a respectable noble family behind me—"

"Nobleman," Xuan interrupted him, his voice as flat as stating the weather, "sent you, a gang leader, to deliver a message?"

Yuan Tienan's expression changed completely.

"Head of the gang." These four words pinpointed the words he hated most. He had been in the West 20th District for over a decade and loathed being called a gangster. He knew best what he, Gen Tetsuo, was in the eyes of the Katori family, but no one had ever said it to his face.

But now that a fourteen or fifteen-year-old kid has said it in front of so many people, that self-deceiving fig leaf has been completely torn away.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the surge of anger that welled up inside him. Taking action wouldn't be a wise choice—he dared not attack a Shinigami wielding a Zanpakuto. But he, Minamoto Tetsuo, hadn't come empty-handed; he had the Katori family behind him, and that was his confidence.

"Young man," Gen Tetsuo forced a smile, but it was much harsher than before, "you can ignore me, but you can't ignore the nobles behind me. No matter how much money the Yorozuya makes, it's still just a business run by a bunch of wandering spirits. If the nobles behind me don't want to do business with you amicably, how can your business continue?"

His words were meaningful, and he swept his gaze over the wandering spirits in the room.

The one-armed youth gripped the pencil tightly.

Xuan did not respond.

He looked at Gen Tetsuya, and the spiritual pressure he had been holding back within him no longer suppressed, spreading out from his body. It wasn't intentionally directed at Gen Tetsuya, but the heavy spiritual pressure made it difficult for him to breathe, and his knees involuntarily slumped. The last trace of a smile on Gen Tetsuya's face vanished. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

The spiritual pressure was released and then immediately withdrawn. Xuan withdrew his gaze: "Are you finished?"

Yuan Tienan uttered a muffled syllable.

Xuan's tone was as if nothing had happened: "Now that you've finished speaking, leave. If you really have a noble backing you, I'll be waiting for him to come looking for trouble."

Yuan Tienan stood there, his expression shifting several times. He wanted to say something more to bolster his composure, but when he met Shang Xuan's calm, unwavering eyes, he suddenly found himself speechless. His Adam's apple bobbed, and finally, he managed to squeeze out only, "Farewell."

The sound of footsteps faded into the distance.

Several henchmen followed behind Yuan Tienan, one of whom, who was running fast, almost tripped on the threshold. Yuan Tienan never looked back, but his pace quickened until he turned the corner, at which point he suddenly stopped, leaning against the earthen wall. His legs were still trembling slightly, and he raised his hand to wipe his forehead—his hand was covered in cold sweat.

Several of his men surrounded him, asking him all at once how he was doing. Yuan Tienan wiped his face, caught his breath, straightened his back, and regained his gangster boss aura.

"That's a really good idea." Yuan Tienan patted the dirt off his trousers, his tone deliberately relaxed. "That kid doesn't look very old, but his spiritual pressure is quite something. But if he runs into a real big shot, it's just a matter of whether he dies sooner or later."

He kicked the earthen wall beside him, cursing and trying to justify himself, "In the end, I'm just a gofer for the nobles! If it goes well, they get the lion's share; if it goes wrong, I'm the one who gets beaten up. Is it worth me being the one to rush in for this kind of nonsense? Let them do whatever they want."

The men looked at each other, and some of them chuckled awkwardly, finally easing the tension.

Inside the Yorozuya, Gen said to the one-armed young man in charge of accounting, "Continue with today's work. Don't get distracted by people like that. If you need anything, come to me or Saito."

The one-armed youth nodded hurriedly, his hand holding the pen steadying. The other wandering spirits nearby also breathed a sigh of relief and dispersed, whispering amongst themselves.

Business as usual.

-----------------

That evening, Minamoto Tetsuo cautiously entered the Katori family mansion. After waiting for about half an hour, he was finally summoned.

The air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood in the side hall of the Katori family home.

Katori Ukon sat at the head of the table, holding a celadon teacup in his hand, his fingertips gently stroking the rim. Minamoto Tetsuo knelt below, his head bowed low, recounting the events of the day word for word, not even daring to conceal the detail that he had been rendered speechless by the other's words.

The tea had gone cold, but Katori Ukon hadn't taken a sip. His face was expressionless, showing neither anger nor sarcasm, but Minamoto Tetsuo was sweating profusely, his back completely soaked.

After a long while, he finally placed the teacup on the table, making a soft but unusually loud clatter that was particularly jarring in the quiet side room.

"A fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy, and you think a single sentence can bring you down?" Katori Ukon's voice was calm, yet it sent shivers down Minamoto Tetsuo's spine. "You dared to bring people here without even knowing your background? I've raised you for so many years, and this is the brainless thing I've raised?"

Yuan Tienan kowtowed repeatedly, not daring to utter a single word in defense.

Katori Ukon waved him away as if shooing away a fly. Minamoto Tetsuo, feeling like he'd been granted a pardon, scrambled out, and the side hall finally returned to silence.

He sat alone, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, his brows furrowed.

The Katori family had been in debt for over a year, several investments made on the outskirts of Rukongai had gone down the drain, and their farm had suffered consecutive years of poor harvests. The Yorozuya's income wasn't much in his eyes, but it was stable, and it just so happened to fall within the West 20th Ward, which he considered his sphere of influence.

But he heard what Tetsuya Minamoto said very clearly—young, with unfathomable spiritual pressure, leading a group of low-level wandering souls to run the Yorozuya with great success, and showing no fear in the face of noble titles. No matter how you looked at it, it didn't seem like the behavior of an ordinary wandering Shinigami.

With such abilities, it's impossible for someone to remain unknown.

He paused in his fingertips, then called out to the butler: "Go, send someone to Seireitei to investigate the two Shinigami from the Yorozuya in the West 20th Ward. Find out their background, the more detailed the better."

About two weeks later, the person he had asked to investigate finally returned.

Forgetting all formalities, the man hurriedly approached Katori Ukon and whispered, "Sir, I've made some inquiries. At the Genji Academy, two students from the 1034th graduating class left without attending the graduation ceremony. I secretly checked the roster and confirmed that the man's name is Shihouin Gen and the woman's name is Saito Immortal. The Yorozuya happens to have two Shinigami, one of whom rarely appears and whose name I don't know, and the other Shinigami is called Lord Gen by the rogue spirits."

Katori Ukon's hand, which was holding a teacup, froze in mid-air.

Shihōin. One of the five great noble families.

He knew all too well how weighty this surname was, having lived in West Rukongai for decades.

The side hall remained quiet for a while. Katori Ukon slowly placed the teacup back on the table, making a very soft tapping sound, his voice much lower than usual: "You mean, Gen from the Yorozuya is from the Shihouin family."

The man nodded.

Katori Ukon didn't ask any more questions. He waved his hand, signaling the man to leave. The door closed again.

A scion of one of the five great noble families opened a Yorozuya (odd-jobs) shop in the western 20th ward of Rukongai, yet the Shihouin family made no move to pursue him. What does this mean?

This means that the Shihouin family tacitly approved of this matter.

As for the inside story—whether it's internal family conflict or a training exercise for disciples—that's not something a lower-ranking noble should inquire about. Don't ask what you shouldn't ask, don't touch what you shouldn't touch; this is the survival rule he'd learned after living half his life in aristocratic circles.

The butler, standing to the side, also paled, tentatively asked, "Sir, then...should we prepare a generous gift and personally go to apologize?"

"An apology?" Katori Ukon whirled around, his voice low but filled with barely concealed fear. "Prepare a gift? What right do you expect me to prepare a gift? The Shihouin family doesn't even make a fuss about it, and you want me to deliver a gift—are you afraid people won't know I've investigated them? Are you trying to curry favor, or do you want to send my entire Katori family to their deaths?"

The butler trembled, took two steps back, lowered his head, and dared not utter another sound.

Katori Ukon paced back and forth in the side hall, his steps hurried and heavy. After a long while, he suddenly stopped and, addressing the servants waiting outside the door, gave them a command, word by word:

"Go find Yuan Tienan and tell him to find a way to let others know that everything he did before was just him taking advantage of others and acting on his own initiative. Then arrange for him to leave the West 20th District."

A ruthless glint flashed in Katori Ukon's eyes, and he added, "No, just tell him that if he gets away with it, arrange for him to run rampant elsewhere, and then send him away from Soul Society forever. Keeping him alive is just asking for trouble."

Only by completely eliminating Minamoto Tetsuo can this matter truly be buried deep inside, and only then can the Katori family truly sever ties.

The servant bowed and accepted the order, then quickly withdrew.

Katori Ukon slowly walked to the window, his fingertips touching the cold windowpane, gazing in the direction of the West 20th ward. His undershirt was already soaked with cold sweat and clung to his back.