Death God: Starting from Refining Essence into Qi

At 3:45 AM, Seireitei was still shrouded in the inky darkness of night, with only the torches of the patrol teams casting flickering spots of light in the streets and alleys. The wind swirled cherry blossom petals across the bluestone pavement, making a soft rustling sound.

In the oak forest outside the Seijōta-kyō-ryū-ryū, dew dampened the Shinigami's armor. Thirty core Shinigami of the Ryūdōji family held their breath, while thirty-two Kidō members from the Ryūdōji family, along with attendant Shinigami and elite private soldiers, stood not far behind Ryūdōji Sōichirō.

Ryudoji Soichiro's shihaka robes were covered in grass clippings, and the tsuba of his Zanpakuto gleamed coldly in the moonlight. He raised his hand and ran it over the dragon pattern carved on the scabbard, his knuckles turning slightly white from the pressure.

"Is everything ready?" Ryudoji Soichiro's voice was low, yet carried an undeniable authority as his gaze swept over the tense faces before him.

Three cuckoo calls came from outside the woods.

This is a signal from the internal support team; everything is ready.

Ryudoji Souichirou took a deep breath, drew his Zanpakuto, and pointed the blade toward the direction of Seijōta Kyūrin: "All-out attack begins."

The Shinigami planted by the Ryudoji family in the direction of the execution ground made their move first. They released the multi-headed medium-sized Hollows imprisoned at the execution ground, their mournful roars piercing the dawn of Seireitei.

The void's spiritual pressure, like a stone thrown into a lake, instantly alerted the guards of the Central Chamber 46.

"Virtual intrusion!"

"Hollow swarm attack! The Hollows from the execution ground have escaped!"

"Sound the alarm immediately! Protect the sages of Chamber 46!"

Suddenly, a piercing alarm blared from the direction of the execution ground. The sharp whistle tore through the night sky, followed by the roars of Hollows and the curses of Death Gods. The fluctuations of spiritual pressure spread outwards in concentric circles like surging tides.

Under the night sky, the torchlight flickered wildly as the Grim Reapers, dressed in black Shinigami uniforms, rushed toward the execution ground, swords in hand.

Half of the two guard squads originally stationed around the Qingjingta Julin were also urgently transferred away.

At the side gate of the Pure Pagoda Forest, two guards were craning their necks to look towards the execution ground, whispering amongst themselves.

"How did the ghost from the execution ground appear in the middle of the night?"

"Who knows? This is going to be busy..."

Before they could finish speaking, the two guards saw a blur before their eyes, and dozens of dark figures suddenly rushed out of the previously empty woods.

The effect of [Curved Light] ended, as the distance was sufficient to secure a kill. The guard didn't even have time to react before falling to the blade of the Ryudoji family's Shinigami.

"Charge in!" Ryudoji Souichirou took the lead, his Zanpakuto drawing a bright arc of light, beheading a guard who rushed over upon hearing the commotion.

The core assault team surged into the Seijōta Forest like a black tide. This was where the members of the Central 46 Chambers lived and held meetings, and it was usually heavily guarded. But now it was early morning, the time when people were most tired, and with some troops sent to support the execution ground, the remaining guards were no match for the long-planned surprise attack by the Ryūdōji family.

Swords flashed in the courtyard, and the light of the demonic path rose and fell. The fireball of [Hado 31: Crimson Fire Cannon] exploded, turning the wooden corridor into a sea of ​​fire; the golden light rope of [Binding Path 4: This Rope] wrapped around the body of the guards, and then those private soldiers who were not Grim Reapers were able to kill the guards one by one with a single strike, like slaughtering bound lambs in a slaughterhouse.

The Ryudoji family's armed forces were well-trained and quickly cleared out resistance along the way until they encountered a captain of the guards and more than ten elite Death Gods.

The captain of the guard brandished his Zanpakuto, felling three Ryudoji soldiers who charged forward. "Ryudoji Souichirou! This is treason! The Gotei 13 will not let you get away with this!"

Ryudoji Souichirou sneered, his figure flashing as he instantly appeared before the captain of the guards. Their Zanpakuto clashed, producing a piercing metallic clang. The captain of the guards felt an immense force surge through the blade, his arm went numb, and his hand split open, bleeding profusely.

"The Gotei 13?" Ryudoji Soichiro flicked his wrist, knocking away the opponent's Zanpakuto, the tip pressed against his throat. "By the time they arrive, the Central 46 will already be in our hands. They won't dare to make a move."

The blade pierced through, and the captain of the guards collapsed limply to the ground.

Ryudoji Soichiro kicked open the gate of Seijōta Kōrin.

At this time, there were not forty-six sages living in the Pure Pagoda Forest, because many of the members in the forty-six chambers were of noble birth and preferred to live in their own territories rather than in the Pure Pagoda Forest.

Dozens of sages huddled together in panic. One of them, trying to remain calm, shouted, "Ryudoji Souichirou! What do you want?"

"What do you want?"

Ryudoji Souichirou coldly watched the panicked crowd, his Zanpakuto pointing diagonally at the ground, the blood dripping from its tip spreading into dark red flowers on the polished marble floor.

"From this day forward, the Central 46 will be under the control of the Ryudoji family." His voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable authority. "Those who lay down their weapons and surrender will be spared. Those who resist will be killed without mercy."

A deathly silence fell over the council hall, broken only by heavy breathing. An elderly nobleman, his hair and beard white, mustered his courage and stepped forward, his voice stern yet betraying his fear: "Ryudoji Souichirou! How dare you defy your superiors and besiege the Central Forty-Six Chambers! The Gotei 13 will be here soon, and you and your clan will be utterly destroyed! If you stop now, it can be considered a moment of folly, and I'll spare your life!"

Ryudoji Souichirou's lips curled into a cold smile. He didn't speak, but merely raised his chin slightly. A high-ranking Kido disciple standing behind him immediately raised his hand, and a [Hado #54: Destroyed Flame] roared out, instantly engulfing the old nobleman in raging flames.

A piercing scream echoed throughout the hall until only a patch of black ash remained.

The remaining members of Room 46 were so terrified that no one dared to utter a sound.

Ryudoji Soichiro nodded in satisfaction, walked to the high platform in the center of the hall, raised his Zanpakuto, and pointed it out the window.

"Pass on my order: raise the banner of 'purging the court of treacherous officials.' Say that the Central Forty-Six Chambers are controlled by the five great noble families, causing chaos in the court and persecuting loyal officials. The Ryudoji family is raising an army today solely to eliminate these treacherous ministers and cleanse the Seireitei!"

The messenger immediately obeyed the order and ran to the highest point of the Qingjingta Forest, where he raised a black flag embroidered with a dragon pattern.

Ryudoji Soichiro sat in the main seat, his fingers lightly tapping the table. He imagined the scene of the Gotei 13 being attacked from both sides and completely wiped out, imagined the banners of the five great noble families being trampled underfoot, and imagined himself wearing a crown, standing atop the Spirit King Palace, looking down on the three realms. The excitement in his heart was indescribable.

Almost simultaneously, the three blocking battalions on the perimeter also launched their attack as planned.

On the main road leading north from the Central 46th Chamber to the First Division, a thousand soldiers from the First Blocking Battalion had already destroyed the road along the way.

In the alleyways leading to the Second Division, five hundred soldiers of the Third Battalion were engaged in guerrilla warfare with the Second Division's covert mobile unit. The terrain here was intricate and complex, with narrow alleys crisscrossing like a maze. The Ryudoji family's soldiers, divided into groups of three, used their familiarity with the terrain to ambush lone covert mobile unit members.

They specifically targeted messengers. Whenever a messenger in a black Executioner's uniform rode a Hell Butterfly, they would shoot a cold arrow from the shadows or bind him with a binding spell before killing him with a single blow. Within a quarter of an hour, more than a dozen messengers had perished, and communication between the Second Division and other units was temporarily cut off.

Senhi Shihouin stood on the rooftop of the alley, his short, silver-white hair fluttering in the night wind. He looked down at his fallen subordinates, a flash of anger crossing his golden eyes. With a sudden burst of speed, he darted forward like a ghost.

A soldier from the Ryudoji clan had just peeked out from behind the wall, preparing to ambush a covert mobile unit member, when he felt a chill on the back of his neck. He instinctively turned around, only to see a blurry black shadow before losing consciousness. Shihouin Senhi's hand chop struck the back of his neck, knocking him unconscious.

"Attention everyone, advance in groups of three, alternating shifts." Shihouin Sennatsu's order quickly spread throughout the Covert Force.

……

Ryudoji Souichirou stood by the window, watching the battlefield outside. The outer defensive positions were under immense pressure, but they were holding out for the time being. Everything was proceeding according to plan; if they could hold out until the Quincy army stormed into Seireitei from the human world, victory would ultimately be theirs.

Finally, the eastern sky began to lighten with the first light of dawn, and golden sunlight pierced through the clouds, shining on the buildings of Seireitei.

Ryudoji Souichirou waited for news from the scouts on the outskirts that the Quincy had entered the arena, but there was no news.

Ryudoji Soichiro frowned.

Perhaps they were delayed on the way? He comforted himself. The Quincy army was vast, and it would take considerable time to teleport from the human world to Rukongai, and then to Seireitei. He would indeed need some time. Just wait a little longer, they'll be here soon.

He turned and walked up to a messenger: "Have scouts search for the Quincy army and find out where they are. Report back immediately."

"Yes, sir!" The messenger immediately accepted the order, turned around, and ran out of the hall.

Time passed by, second by second.

The atmosphere in the council hall grew increasingly oppressive. The members of Room 46 huddled in a corner, barely daring to breathe.

The scout finally returned, covered in sweat and panting, kneeling before Ryudoji Soichiro.

"Master! There's no sign of the Quincy in Seireitei! The blocking forces are gradually losing ground and are closing in!"

At that moment, everyone simultaneously felt the scorching heat.

"This is……"

"Report—!" A messenger covered in blood stumbled in, knelt on one knee, and cried out in terror, "Master! Captain Yamamoto Genryusai of the First Squad has personally taken action, and the First Sniper Battalion has suffered more than half its casualties!"

"Master! The covert mobile force has broken through the Third Blockade Battalion's defenses and is heading towards the Pure Tower Forest!"

"Master! The reserve forces have all been deployed to the battlefield, but the number of Gotei 13 soldiers is increasing rapidly. We can't hold them off any longer, and they've all retreated into the protective area of ​​the Killing Stones in the 46th Chamber!"

One piece of bad news after another arrived, and Ryudoji Souichirou's face grew increasingly grim. He clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.

The second and third elders quickly walked to his side, their faces full of anxiety and doubt.

"Sōichirō! What's going on? Why haven't reinforcements arrived?!" The Second Elder's voice was shrill and piercing. "We're completely surrounded by the Gotei 13! If this continues, we'll all die here!"

"What's the panic!" Ryudoji Souichirou growled. "Defend according to the original plan! We now have the 46 Chambers as hostages; the Gotei 13 won't dare to make a move!"

With their morale boosted, the crowd turned and threw themselves into battle.

Ryudoji Souichirou spoke words he himself didn't believe, analyzing what benefits the Quincy's broken promise would bring them; otherwise, the Quincy's behavior was completely illogical. Their previous display of power and their desire for the Soul King's Palace didn't seem fake; how could the Quincy's purpose be merely to toy with them?

Suddenly, Ryudoji Soichiro was struck dumb.

Perhaps the Quincy never intended to actually send troops. They merely used the Ryudoji family as a pawn, a discarded piece to test the Soul Society's defenses and deplete the Gotei 13's strength.

They merely wanted to use the Ryudoji family's rebellion to test the Gotei 13's reaction speed, defense arrangements, and the true combat strength of each squad, in order to prepare for a real attack in the future.

Ryudoji Souichirou felt a chill run from his feet to the top of his head, as if the blood in his body had frozen. He had been blinded by ambition and desire, and had never considered this possibility. His plans, his family's foundation, and the lives of tens of thousands of his clansmen had all become pawns in the hands of the Quincy.

"Yohabach... Nikita Deslock..." he gritted his teeth as he uttered the two names, his eyes bloodshot and his voice filled with overwhelming hatred.

The defeat is set.

Without the support of the Quincy, the Ryudoji family's three thousand private soldiers were no match for the Gotei 13. Moreover, they faced Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, the strongest Shinigami in Soul Society.

Ryudoji Soichiro slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He knew he had lost.

A crushing defeat.

Now he only has two paths before him.

Either die fighting here, or surrender.

Ryudoji Soichiro knew better than anyone the consequences of surrendering.

In this era of fierce power struggles among the nobility, those who lost in the battles were branded with crimes and taken to the execution ground. There, they were devoured by a group of Hollows captured from Hueco Mundo. Only a very few powerful individuals managed to emerge victorious in their battles against the Hollows, and were then exiled to the Dangai, a realm without the guidance of the Hell Butterflies, to fend for themselves.

This is already the most dignified ending for a loser.

However, the Ryudoji family is different.

But if he admitted to colluding with the Quincy and trying to overthrow the entire Soul Society, his fate would be a hundred times worse.

The captain of the 9th Division, Hisamii Enteki, was known for his tyrannical personality and torture before joining the Gotei 13, and was expelled from the Hisamii family.

He will use every form of torture to force you to reveal all the secrets you know, and then leave you in endless agony, wishing for death but unable to.

Not only that, the Ryudoji family's thousand-year-old reputation will be completely destroyed. The entire family will be branded as "traitors" and despised for generations to come.

He cannot let that happen.

Absolutely not.

The matter of the Quincy must never be known to anyone.

Ryudoji Soichiro suddenly opened his eyes, the despair and anger in them gone, replaced by a cold resolve.

He slowly drew his Zanpakuto from his waist; the blade reflected the sunlight from the window, its cold light gleaming.

"Second Elder, Third Elder, come with me for a moment." His voice was eerily calm, devoid of any emotion.

The Second Elder and Third Elder exchanged a glance. Although they were puzzled, they followed Ryudoji Souichirou into the secret room behind the council hall. Given the current situation, they could only hope that the patriarch still had some trump card up his sleeve.

The stone door to the secret chamber slowly closed, shutting out the shouts of battle from outside.

The secret room was dimly lit, with only a single spirit lamp emitting a faint glow. Ryudoji Souichirou turned around, looking at the two elders before him, his face expressionless.

"Master, what brings you here?" the Second Elder asked cautiously.

Ryudoji Soichiro did not answer.

Soon, he looked expressionlessly at the two extra corpses on the ground, then turned and walked deeper into the area.

There were also seventeen other core descendants and elders who had participated in the conspiracy to seduce the Quincy.

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

Ryudoji Soichiro's eyes were cold.

Everyone who knew about the Quincy, except myself, was dead.

Now, he is the only one who knows this secret.

He planted his Zanpakuto in the ground and then straightened his robes. Despite the bloodstains on his clothes, his movements remained elegant, as if he were still the aloof head of the Ryudoji family.

He walked out of the secret room alone, ignoring the questioning looks he received from the others.

The soldiers of the Gotei 13 have breached the outer defenses and are launching a final assault on the gates of the Central Chamber 46. Shouts of battle, the clash of weapons, and screams fill the air.

The Ryudoji family's private army had been completely routed, with figures scattered and fleeing everywhere.

Ryudoji Soichiro sighed softly.

"Pass down the order," his voice weary and hoarse. "The entire army lays down its weapons and surrender."

The messenger was stunned: "Master..."

"I say, lay down your weapons and surrender," Ryudoji Soichiro repeated, his tone leaving no room for argument. "The Ryudoji family raised an army today because of their dissatisfaction with the power held by the Central 46 Chambers, but they never expected that the Gotei 13 would also uphold their rule. There is no point in continuing now; it will only result in unnecessary casualties. Surrender."

The messenger gritted his teeth, turned around, and ran out.

Soon, the order to "surrender" spread throughout the entire Seijōta Forest and its surrounding positions. The Death Gods and private soldiers of the Ryūdōji family laid down their weapons.

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, dressed in a captain's haori and wielding the Zanpakuto Ryujin Jakka, exuded a scorching spiritual pressure like a raging inferno. His eyes, sharp as an eagle's, were fixed intently on Ryudoji Souichirou.

"Ryudoji Souichirou." Yamamoto Genryusai's voice was deep and authoritative, booming through the air like thunder. "Do you know your crime?"

Ryudoji Soichiro straightened his back, met Yamamoto Genryusai's gaze, and spoke in a calm but firm voice.

"What crime have I committed? The Central Forty-Six Chambers are incompetent and corrupt, controlled by the five great noble families, persecuting loyal officials and oppressing the people. As a noble family of the Seireitei, how could my Ryudoji family sit idly by? Today we raise an army only to cleanse the court of corrupt officials, punish the treacherous ministers, and restore order to the Seireitei. All decisions were made by me alone, and now that things have failed, I alone will bear all the blame. My clan has nothing to do with it."

After saying this, he slowly closed his eyes and offered his neck for execution.

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni stared at Ryudoji Soichiro for a long time without saying a word. He waved his hand, and the Kido followers behind him immediately stepped forward and used Binding Spell to firmly bind Ryudoji Soichiro.

"take away."

The smoke of battle gradually dissipated, leaving behind corpses and chaotic ruins. Dried bloodstains still clung to the vermilion gates of the Seijōta-kyō-ryō (palace of monks). The Ryūdō-ji family's black flag lay fallen, trampled in the mud, stained with blood.

Ryudoji Souichirou was led out of the council hall. Sunlight pierced the dawn mist, illuminating his face. He raised his head, looking towards Rukongai, a cold smile playing on his lips.

just wait.

Before long, you will pay the heaviest price for today's victory.

Yamamoto Genryusai, the Gotei 13, and those five high-ranking noble families.

Don't get too cocky.

The Quincy won't let this go so easily.

They'll be here soon.

They will lead a massive army to raze Seireitei and slaughter you all.

I will be waiting for you in hell.

I'm waiting for you all to join me in being buried with the Ryudoji family.

Waiting for the Quincy to ignite a war that sweeps across the three realms, burning everything to ashes.