Death God: Starting from Refining Essence into Qi

Warm light spilled over the settlement in the western 20th district, where wooden houses were neatly arranged and smoke from cooking fires lingered in the streets and alleys. Wandering souls, having finished their work, strolled back and forth. Neatly stacked supplies stood beside the warehouses, and faint traces of spiritual energy lingered in the training grounds.

Gen and Saito returned in the evening breeze, their black shihachi uniforms spotless, looking nothing like they had just come back from a journey.

Saito had already informed Gen and went ahead to add the medicinal herbs to the bath. He was just waiting for Gen to inform the wandering souls of the situation before using Kido to gather the moisture in the air and then use Kido to heat it up.

Whether it was the members of the Kido Clan or the management of the Yorozuya, they all gathered around Gen, wanting to know what news Gen had brought from Seireitei.

Xuan glanced around, his clear, cold voice piercing through the crowd and reaching everyone's ears: "I have gathered everyone here today to announce some news. The Ghost Path Clan will be relocating to Seireitei."

As soon as he finished speaking, a series of soft noises arose in the open space.

Jiro's fingers tightened slightly, a restrained excitement welling up in his eyes, his chest rising and falling gently. He gripped the hem of his clothes, his gaze towards Gen filled with reverence. Moving into the Seireitei meant that they, the wandering souls from the bottom of society, had truly stepped into the core territory of the Shinigami, taking another step closer to becoming stronger.

A-Yuan lowered his eyes, his fingertips gently stroking the hem of his clothes, his heart filled with trepidation. He longed for the training environment of Seireitei, yet he was also reluctant to leave the home he had built with his own hands.

The ordinary rūnin of the Yorozuya had a complex expression.

The cacophony of sounds lasted a moment, then subsided into a silent understanding. Everyone awaited Xuan's next move.

"A special residence for the Kido Clan is currently under construction inside the Seireitei." Gen's tone was calm and without any extra fluctuations. "Once the residence is completely completed and all the supporting facilities are in place, I will personally come and bring all the Kido Clan members into the Seireitei in batches."

He glanced at the outside of the crowd, then at the Yorozuya signboard, and continued, "The Yorozuya in the West 20th District will not be disbanded. This place will retain its original structure, continue its daily operations, and accept all kinds of commissions. All rules, regulations, and the points system will remain the same as before."

"Remember to stay true to your principles." Xuan's tone became slightly more serious, his cold voice carrying an undeniable authority. "During the existence of the Yorozuya, you must adhere to the bottom line in your actions, operate in a law-abiding manner, and must not use your power to oppress the common people, violate taboos, or commit any wrongdoing."

Everyone bowed their heads and responded in unison.

"The top leader," Xuan said.

The one-armed youth suddenly looked up. He hadn't expected that Xuan also knew about the nickname the wandering souls had given him.

"Find a successor to manage the Yorozuya in the meantime. The Kido Clan still needs your help. Remember to tell the successor that if anything seems amiss within the next ten years or so, lead everyone to the outskirts."

The one-armed youth was moved to tears. He actually had the opportunity to enter the Seireitei, a place that countless wandering souls and even many nobles could not reach.

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Early the next morning, Xuan Ci bid farewell to everyone and headed towards Seireitei.

Crossing the boundary between Rukongai and Seireitei, the scene before you is completely different. The once tranquil Seireitei is now filled with busy construction workers.

Large patches of charred and damaged remains on the ground, ruins left over from years of noble disputes. Their ownership remained undetermined, eventually becoming unclaimed territory. A large number of construction workers are methodically clearing away the rubble and leveling the land.

Besides the clearing of ruins, the entire area is undergoing large-scale construction. The headquarters of each of the Gotei 13 are being expanded and renovated, with neatly divided encampments. The exclusive territory belonging to the Kidoshu is also included in this construction plan.

Not long after Gen arrived at Seireitei, a group of construction workers hurried over. The leader, holding a scroll of Seireitei map, bowed respectfully to Gen.

"Lord Xuan, we have come on orders to provide you with a place to reside for the Ghost Clan."

The map slowly unfurled, revealing the outline of Seireitei. The entire area was a neat oval shape, divided into many sections, with numerous unclaimed vacant lots marked "blank".

The construction workers explained in a low voice that these open spaces were lands left behind after the family mansions were razed to the ground following the defeats of noble families in past conflicts. No one was in charge of them, and they could be allocated and used at will.

Xuan lowered his eyes and stared at the blueprints, immediately taking a liking to the large blank area in the southern part of the center of Seireitei.

"Here." Xuan tapped the paper lightly with his fingertip, his tone resolute.

Xuan had his own considerations.

This land boasts an exceptionally advantageous geographical location. In the future, when Yhwach leads his army to invade Soul Society, this location, situated in the heart of Seireitei, will not directly face the initial onslaught. It is well-suited to the ranged attack characteristics of Kido, allowing for a stable formation to be established and fire support provided.

The plot of land is adjacent to the 7th and 6th Division headquarters, not far from the 5th Division, and separated from the 11th Division by more than half of Seireitei, about 300 spirit li, which is about 600 kilometers in the modern world.

Obana Danjiro and Saito Immortal are among those he knows well. Although the 7th Division Captain, Takeshi Nobukatsu, has a cold and evil face, he had nodded to him before, so he doesn't seem like Unohana, who is a killer.

Neighboring squads can support each other and provide mutual assistance in times of crisis. Furthermore, this location is far from Unohana Yachiru's 11th Division. The original Kenpachi is known for his warlike nature, and frequent encounters would likely force them into battle. To avoid unnecessary fighting, choosing the southern region is the safest option.

With the site selection finalized, the construction workers quickly marked the boundaries on the drawings, then inquired about Xuan's construction requirements and prepared to draft a construction plan.

Xuan's gaze was calm as he clearly explained the division of the area. The entire settlement was strictly divided into distinct zones. On the spacious eastern side, a large open-air training ground was built, paved with hard, flat stone, suitable for ghost path practice and spiritual energy refinement. Next to the training ground, a series of lecture halls were built as dedicated classrooms for theoretical instruction and ghost path teaching.

The western side of the compound is planned as a living area, with neat rows of detached houses serving as exclusive dormitories for members of the Kido sect; a sealed warehouse is built in the northwest, divided into storage compartments; and an underground training ground is dug diagonally downwards in the northernmost part, designated as an independent research area for the research, improvement, and deduction of various Kido techniques. It can effectively isolate the view of outsiders and reduce the excessive vibration and noise caused to the Seireitei when testing powerful Kido techniques.

Xuan had also calculated the timeline. Although he couldn't pinpoint the exact date of Yhwach's invasion, he knew that day wasn't too far off. Only by seizing every second to solidify their foundation, perfect the Kido system, and strengthen everyone's abilities could they protect themselves and those around them in this chaotic world.

When it came to his residence, Xuan deliberately reserved a spacious open space next to the house closest to the core of the Ghost Path Clan in the living area. He planned to replicate the stone pool in the 20th West District, piling up stones and laying partitions to create his own private bath.

The long-standing use of medicinal baths has already proven the benefits of this method. The warm medicinal soup combined with herbal ingredients can relieve the physical and mental fatigue brought on by cultivation, gently nourish the body's meridians, and soothe the torn pain in the soul, which is of great benefit to long-term cultivation.

After all the requirements were recorded, the construction workers put away the blueprints, bowed respectfully, and quickly left to allocate manpower and prepare building materials, and immediately began construction of the Ghost Path Sect's residence.

The sounds of stone being moved rose again, dust billowed in the wind, and on the southern open space, the outline of a brand-new building slowly took shape.

Just as Gen was preparing to return to the 20th West District of Rukongai, a member of the Ritsu-tei (Inner Court) wearing a straw hat with a roof-shaped brim and a dark red top appeared in front of Gen using Shunpo.

He was kneeling on his left knee, supporting himself with his right knee bent, his left hand clenched into a fist and hanging naturally on the ground in front of him, his right hand resting on his right knee, his upper body straight and slightly leaning forward, and his head lowered.

"Lord Xuan, the Central Forty-Sixth Chamber has issued an order requesting you to proceed immediately to the Underground Council Hall to discuss matters related to the future operation, governance, and regulation of the Ghost Path Clan."