Bleach: From the moment I was invited by Squad Zero

When everything was ready, Yanagawa and Hyobu Ichibei entered the Tenshu-nen carriage in the launch pad.

At the edge of the launch pad, Shiba Kukaku stood solemnly.

She changed out of her eye-catching red crop top and into a more streamlined, seemingly specially made dark gray bodysuit. Her expression was focused, and the previous shrewishness was gone from her brows, replaced by a serious concentration and a hint of excitement.

She was the operator in charge of today's "launch".

Shiba Isshin stood a little distance away, arms crossed, watching intently.

Shiba Ganju changed into relatively clean clothes, rubbing the back of his head which was still a little sore, and huddled behind his uncle, but his eyes were wide open.

He gazed at the enormous celestial chariot and his elder sister's back with curiosity and awe; clearly, this "grand spectacle" held an irresistible attraction for him.

"Kukaku, are you ready?" Hyosube Ichibei asked with a smile as he stood by the open entrance of the Tenshu Rin.

"At any time, Lord Hyosube." Shiba Kukaku took a deep breath, his voice steady and powerful.

She looked at Liu Chuan and nodded: "Lord Liu Chuan, please come in. Once the Spirit Reconstruction Technique is activated, the Heavenly Pillar Chariot will ascend at an extremely rapid speed, so there's no need to worry. I wish you... a safe journey."

"Thank you for your help, Miss Kukaku, Captain Isshin."

"Well then, let's begin." Hyosube Ichibei's voice rang out in the cabin as he looked at the huge viewing window.

Almost as soon as he finished speaking—

hum! ! !

Shiba Kukaku's eyes flashed with a sharp light. She spread her fingers, palms down, and pressed her hands firmly into the two specific palm print grooves on the stone platform.

She didn't unleash any particularly astonishing spiritual pressure, but an incredibly condensed stream of spiritual particles, like living magma, surged from her palm into the stone platform.

boom--!!!

The Heavenly Pillar Chariot suddenly shuddered and flew into the sky at an extremely fast speed!

"It's...it's a success...Big Sister is amazing!" Shiba Ganju, who was hiding in the back, opened his mouth wide and stared at the rapidly shrinking point of light above his head. His face was full of shock. For the first time, he had such a direct and strong understanding of the secret technique passed down in his family.

"Yes, it worked." Shiba, supporting his niece, also looked up at the sky and grinned.

"Hey kid, see that? This is the real 'fireworks' of the Shiba family, a million times better than the nonsense you've been spouting in Rukongai!"

High in the heavens, inside the Heavenly Pillar Chariot.

Through the observation window, Yanagawa looked down at the Seireitei and Rukongai, which were rapidly shrinking and turning into blurry spots.

"It was spectacular, wasn't it?" Hyosube Ichibei's voice rang out. He remained seated calmly, as if the earth-shattering launch was nothing out of the ordinary.

"The craftsmanship of the Shiba family is always amazing."

Alright, now we're entering a steady ascent phase. Soon we'll be able to pass through the outer layer of the Soul Society's spiritual particles and enter the 'intermediate path' leading to the Soul King's Palace.

"Well then, taking advantage of this free time," Hyosube Ichibei's booming voice echoed in the stable cabin, carrying a hint of casual conversation as he looked gently at Yanagawa.

"Let me tell you about the Spirit King Palace you are about to enter, and... our Zero Squad."

Liu Chuan straightened his expression and adopted a posture of attentive listening, as this was undoubtedly the information he needed most at the moment.

"The Spirit King's Palace," Hyōjube Ichibei began slowly, his tone carrying the distant, ancient feel of recounting a legend.

"It is not simply a palace suspended high in the sky. It is an independent 'realm' that was created by the will and power of the Spirit King in the gap between the three realms and the source of the rules."

"Its very existence is the 'wedge' that maintains the balance between Soul Society, the Human World, and even Hueco Mundo."

"Due to its special location, the environment inside the Spirit King Palace is completely different from that in the lower realm."

"The concentration and purity of spiritual particles here far exceed those of the Seireitei. If an ordinary Shinigami were to enter without permission or special protection, at best their spirit would be assimilated and dissolved, and at worst, they would trigger a backlash from the rules, resulting in the annihilation of both body and soul."

"Therefore, those who can reside in the Spirit King's Palace for a long time, apart from the Spirit King himself, are only the members of the Zero Division who have been recognized and granted duties by him, and a few special cases."

"The Lingwang Palace is mainly composed of several interconnected yet relatively independent 'halls' and 'areas'."

Hyosube Ichibei continued his introduction.

"The central core is where Lord Spirit King rests. You will know the details when you meet Lord Spirit King."

"Surrounding it are the palaces where the members of the Zero Division live respectively."

He recounted the story in great detail, as if reciting a familiar tale:

"The Phoenix Palace is the residence of the sword god Nimaiya Oetsu. The original form of all Zanpakuto in the world, Asauchi, was first forged there."

Yanagawa subconsciously glanced at the Zanpakuto at his waist. As the most important fighting tool of a Shinigami, this sword god was indeed extraordinary.

"Kirin-den, the residence of Kirin-ji Tenjiro, our 'hot spring doctor,' has a 'White Bone Hell Hot Spring' that's said to be able to bring the dead back to life and heal the flesh and bones. The name sounds scary, but the effect is really good. You can try it when the time comes."

"Lord Daiori, your master is Shutara Senjumaru. She created the Shinigami uniforms of the Soul Society's Shinigami, and the haori you are wearing was made by her."

"Lord Wotun, Prince Gu Yizhou Tongsheng, is also the most recently promoted person besides you, and he is good at cooking."

Yanagawa looked at Hyosube Ichibei with a surprised expression. The former captain of the 12th Division and Mayuri Kurotsuchi's superior had become a cook after joining the Zero Division.

Hyosube Ichibei explained, "The food she makes is extraordinary; you should try it sometime."

"Alright, now that we've finished talking about our group, it's time for us to formally introduce ourselves. After all, we'll be seeing each other often in the future, and he'll be your boss."

Hyosube Ichibei sat up a little straighter. Although he still wore that gentle smile that seemed to see through everything yet didn't care much, his tone naturally carried a certain indescribable weight that belonged to the "leader of the Zero Division".

He pointed to his signature bald head.

"I am Ichibei of the Hyosubu. Lord Rei-sama has bestowed upon me the title 'Eye Monk,' which is also known as 'True Name Monk.'"

He paused, his eyes, with a profound light that seemed to see through everything, fixed on Liu Chuan, and slowly said:

"As for my duties... I mentioned it earlier, I am the one who first named everything in Soul Society."

"The one who named it?" Liu Chuan appropriately showed a hint of curiosity.

"That's right." Hyosube Ichibei nodded.

His gaze shifted slightly, seemingly piercing through the walls of the Heavenly Pillar Chariot, landing on the long-disappeared Seireitei below, his tone carrying a barely perceptible hint of remoteness:

"Therefore, I know a little about many beings who have gained 'name' through my own efforts. Especially..."

Hyosube Ichibei's gaze fell this time on Yanagawa's Zanpakuto, "Tenjin," which he always kept hanging at his waist.

His gaze seemed to become incredibly focused, as if he could see directly through the simple silver-white scabbard the essence of the power flowing within the blade, and the "name" imprinted deep within its soul.

"...Especially the Zanpakuto that is of paramount importance in the hands of you Shinigami."

He looked at Liu Chuan again, his smile deepening, his gaze seemingly piercing through Liu Chuan's calm exterior and touching something deeper:

"For example, Yanagawa, that sword you're wearing at your waist..."

Hyobu Ichibei leaned forward slightly, his massive body exuding an invisible sense of pressure, yet his tone remained relaxed, as if discussing the weather:

Its name is "Tianzhen".

He accurately recited the true name of the Zanpakuto that Yanagawa had never formally revealed to anyone other than Shiba Isshin.

This was not entirely unexpected for Liu Chuan, after all, the other party was "Eye Monk", but he still maintained a calm demeanor, only his gaze became more focused.

"A tremor... a shock that shakes the heavens, trembles the earth, and even interferes with the very foundation of existence." Hyosube Ichibei repeated the name softly, as if savoring its profound meaning.

"It's a very domineering name. Theoretically, its potential and power 'upper limit' will be very high."

"But correspondingly, it is extremely difficult to master."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across Liu Chuan's face, seemingly observing his reaction.

Liu Chuan nodded. His Zanpakuto was indeed particularly volatile, and he hadn't spent any time communicating with it.

"Look, that's the outer barrier of the Spirit King's Palace ahead," said Ichibei of the Bingzhubu, pointing out through the transparent window.

The Spirit King's Palace is right before our eyes.

"Hold on tight, we're about to enter," Hyosube Ichibei said calmly.