Bleach: From the moment I was invited by Squad Zero

Deep within the Spirit King's Palace lies an absolute domain shrouded in ancient majesty.

This place no longer belongs to any specific palace, and it doesn't even resemble a "space" in the conventional sense of the Spirit King's Palace.

An indescribable heaviness and sanctity permeated the air; the spirit particles were no longer lively, but rather stagnant like pilgrims.

This is the entrance to the trial grounds for those who "do not enter the path of enlightenment".

On the open ground, the five members of Squad Zero stood solemnly waiting.

Hyosube Ichibei stood at the very front center, his huge rosary beads motionless. His face was calm, his eyes deep and unfathomable as he silently gazed at the entrance to the temple.

Kiryuki stood to his left, his usual warm smile gone, replaced by undisguised worry and solemnity.

All five people wore solemn expressions, and an invisible, heavy pressure permeated the air.

They knew all too well what "not entering the path of death" meant. It was the final hurdle for members of the Zero Division to gain formal recognition and break through the limits of the Shinigami. Only those who experienced it firsthand could truly understand its danger and difficulty.

Liuchuan, an anomaly who rejected the power of the Spirit King and chose to challenge this path with his pure "self," is full of unpredictable variables and extreme dangers.

Footsteps sounded, unhurried, landing on the solid spiritual ground with a steady, soft thud.

Kirinji Tenjiro led Yanagawa to the edge of the open space and stopped in front of the Zero Division members.

Liu Chuan was visibly at his peak. His complexion was rosy, his breath was calm and long, and the immense power within him was perfectly contained, yet could not be completely concealed, like a peerless blade in its sheath, ready to be unleashed.

"This is it." Kirinji Tenjiro stepped aside, gesturing with his chin to the chaotic area ahead, his voice low and deep.

"The entrance to the 'Do Not Enter the Path'. The rules are simple: it is a sacred place. To enter, you must walk barefoot, remove your clothes, and bring only your will and your Zanpakuto."

Liu Chuan nodded, his gaze calmly sweeping over the Zero Squad members standing solemnly in front of him, finally settling on the entrance that exuded a heavy aura.

Hyosube Ichibei slowly stepped forward, his wise eyes fixed on Yanagawa, his voice loud yet calm, like a final judgment and confirmation:

"Yanagawa, ahead lies the 'Path of No Entry,' an extremely dangerous place. Since the founding of the Spirit King Palace, only members of the Zero Division, with their 'King Key' bodies reshaped by the power of the Spirit King, have had a relatively high chance of stepping into it, completing the trial, and breaking through the limits of the Grim Reaper."

He paused, his gaze piercing, as if trying to penetrate Liu Chuan's soul:

"You have one last chance to choose. If you are willing to accept the power of the Spirit King to reshape your body and become a 'King Key,' sharing the same origin as the Spirit King Palace, then this 'Path of Non-Entry' will be a safe path to advancement for you."

If you insist on your own way and step into this realm with your mortal body… once you fail, your very existence, including your power, memories, and soul, will be utterly crushed and assimilated by its rules, turning into a speck of dust in the long river of history of the Spirit King Palace, forgotten and unknown to all. Have you… thought this through?”

The final ultimatum was also the final act of mercy. Hyosube Ichibei gave Yanagawa one last chance for a "safe" choice before he walked down a dead end.

Liu Chuan listened quietly, his face remaining unmoved.

"No need, Lord Hyōjubu." His voice was steady, echoing in the solemn space.

He shook his head, the movement was very light, but it carried a resolute determination to cut off all hesitation.

That ultimate confidence is like a solitary flame burning in the darkness; though it doesn't scorch, it is bright, firm, and unquestionable.

Hyosube Ichibei stared intently at him, remaining silent for several breaths.

In the end, he said no more, but simply nodded slowly and solemnly.

"Since it's your choice, then... so be it."

Hyōnobu Ichibei sat upright on the ground, slowly opened the scroll in his hand, and read aloud in a deep voice.

Started but never finished

Fame faded into silence.

A rebellious wave emerges from the Abyss of the Clouds.

Pour out the fullness into an empty vessel.

The pathetic, inactive, and incompetent ones

Bent into rock under heavy pressure

The rocks collapsed and turned into stones and gravel.

Beaten by the rain, it turned into dust.

Those who are not skilled in martial arts have no way to escape.

However, without entering, there is no way to worship.

The name of the thing that will eventually die will be recited.

Do not enter the shrine

As he finished speaking, the silent area in front of him suddenly began to flow slowly, as if stirred by an invisible hand.

Deep within, a faint white light appeared, and then, like ink dripping into water, it quickly spread out.

A narrow "passage" entrance, barely wide enough for one person to pass through, is sketched out in the chaos.

The entrance to the "non-entrance path" has been officially opened.

Liu Chuan no longer hesitated. He took a deep breath, stepped forward, and began to unbutton his shirt, revealing his lean and muscular upper body.

Barefoot, I stepped onto the cool yet exceptionally solid spiritual ground.

Finally, he took off his Zanpakuto "Tenjin" from his waist and hung it back on his bare waist.

He was shirtless and barefoot, with his Zanpakuto hanging at his waist.

This is all the equipment he has for challenging the "path of non-entry into pilgrimage".

He turned back one last time and glanced at the Zero Division members behind him.

Kiryu couldn't help but take a half-step forward, his eyes filled with worry and well wishes, and whispered, "Yanagawa-kun... please be careful!"

Kirinji Tenjiro pursed his lips, but still managed to squeeze out a sentence through gritted teeth: "Don't die, kid. I don't want to waste my time."

Wang Yue from Nimei House whistled, his eyes gleaming behind his sunglasses, and grinned:

"He's definitely the man I've chosen! He always manages to make decisions that surprise everyone!"

Hyosube Ichibei simply watched him silently, his gaze deep and unspoken.

Yanagawa nodded slightly to everyone, especially Hikifune Kiryu and Kirinji Tenjiro, as a final farewell and expression of gratitude.

Then, he turned and stepped without hesitation into the narrow entrance that did not exude any sacred aura.

The entrance slowly contracted and closed, eventually returning to a silent chaos, as if it had never been opened.

Only the five members of Squad Zero remained on the open ground.

"It has begun," Hyosube Ichibei said slowly, his voice echoing in the silence. "Next, we wait. We wait for him... to walk his own 'path,' or, to return to nothingness."

Before entering the path of enlightenment, the trials begin.

The moment you step into the entrance of the "No-Entry Path," there is absolute silence, and even the flow of time becomes blurred and indistinguishable.

A solid sensation came from the soles of my feet, and at the same time, a damp, earthy scent of air entered my nostrils.

Before us lay a narrow, muddy path, barely wide enough for one person to pass at a time, stretching straight ahead.

The soil underfoot was wet and sticky. When you stepped on it barefoot, you could clearly feel the cold, soft, and mushy texture that seemed to absorb your body heat and strength, as well as the tiny pebbles and grass roots in it.

On both sides of the road, there are strangely shaped plants that emit a faint glow.

Some resemble enlarged ferns, with a fluorescent green light flowing along the edges of their leaves;

Some resemble twisted shrubs, with gnarled branches and clusters of tiny flowers that look as if they were carved from pale purple crystal, radiating a soft light;

Further away, the outlines of some tall, seemingly glowing moss-covered giant trees could be vaguely seen.

The light emitted by these plants was not strong, but it was enough to illuminate the muddy path.

Countless specks of blue fluorescence float in the air between the path and the luminous plants.

They are not still, but like tiny, living sprites, slowly drifting with the extremely subtle air currents that seem to come from nowhere.

The cold, dim light shone on the slippery mud and the glowing surfaces of the plants on either side, refracting a hazy, dreamlike glow that also carried an indescribable sense of unreality.

Yanagawa tried to perceive them with his spiritual sense, but found that these fireflies seemed to exist between reality and illusion.

They can be seen and sensed by the faint spiritual energy fluctuations they emit, but their specific form and essence cannot be pinpointed, like some vivid yet untouchable phantom spirit.

Is this the "Path of No Entry"? A muddy, secluded, narrow path adorned with luminous plants and phantom fireflies?

Liu Chuan dared not be careless in the slightest; the more ordinary something seemed, the more dangerous it often was.

He focused his mind, heightened his spiritual awareness to the extreme, and carefully perceived everything around him. At the same time, he took a step barefoot and began to slowly walk forward along the only muddy path.

The first step was taken, and the soles of my feet sank deep into the cold, wet mud, but nothing seemed amiss.

The second step, the third step... He maintained a steady and cautious pace, his bare feet making intimate contact with the wet mud, feeling a continuous coolness and stickiness.

The road was narrow, and Liu Chuan walked forward step by step. As he walked, a light rain began to fall from the sky.

The rain was so fine that it was almost invisible; one could only feel the cool touch on one's cheeks, arms, and bare upper body, as well as the slight dampness brought by the noticeable increase in humidity in the air.

The drizzle fell silently onto the leaves of the luminous plants, condensing into glistening droplets that rolled off, leaving behind tiny streaks of light.

When the light landed on the floating blue glowing lights, the lights trembled slightly as if startled, and then danced more rapidly, their glow seeming to become slightly damp.

At the same time, Liuchuan began to feel the difference in the ground beneath his feet.

At first, it was just a normal feedback while walking, but gradually, he seemed to feel an extremely faint rhythm every time his bare feet touched the soil.

It was as if he were not walking on an ordinary path, but stepping on the skin or veins of a sleeping giant.

As he continued to move forward, an invisible sense of "oppression" seemed to come from all directions.

At first, I just felt that the air was a little heavy and I needed to use more effort to breathe.

But soon, this oppressive feeling began to materialize, like an invisible tide, emanating from the mist on both sides of the road, from the soil underfoot, and even from the floating fireflies and glowing plants.

It slowly pressed against his body, oppressed his mind, tried to slow him down, and twisted his will.

Liu Chuan's breathing gradually became heavy.

His bare upper body muscles tensed slightly, resisting the pressure.

The pace did not stop, but each step, whether lifted or lowered, required more willpower than before.

However, just as he felt it becoming increasingly difficult to move forward and the pressure on his body was increasing, a strange phenomenon occurred.

He felt that the spiritual pressure within his body was increasing and strengthening at a slow and steady pace.

It wasn't an explosive improvement during battle, but rather a constant "tempering" process, as if being tempered by this special environment and this omnipresent pressure.

Pressure and growth, pain and sublimation, arrive simultaneously on this strange path in a cruel and direct way.

If one's physical constitution is insufficient, the body will be unable to withstand this process, leading to destruction. This is why the members of the Zero Division came here again after using the power of the Soul King to reshape their bodies.

What made Liu Chuan's heart sink even more was that he keenly realized that although he kept walking forward without stopping, the "end" of the muddy path disappeared into the mist at the end of his vision.

It didn't seem that he brought us any closer. On the contrary... there was a subtle, indescribable sense of "distance".

It's not that the road has become physically longer, but rather a distortion in space and perception.

With each step he took, it seemed as if he was making steady progress, but overall, the distance between him and "ahead" did not shorten; on the contrary, it seemed as if he was being quietly pulled further away by some force.

It's like a person running on a treadmill, seemingly striving forward, but actually standing still, or even going backward because the machine reverses.

The further you go, the further away the destination seems.

This realization, coupled with the increasingly intense sense of oppression around him and the spiritual pressure within his body that defies common sense and grows under pressure, creates a suffocating paradox and a sense of despair.

You strive, you endure, you become stronger, but the goal you pursue seems to be mockingly drifting further and further away.

Sweat and rain mingled, dripping silently from Liuchuan's chin and splattering into the mud.

His panting was particularly clear on the quiet, rain-soaked path.

His bare feet were covered in mud, cold and slippery, but his eyes, hidden beneath his rain-soaked black hair, remained calm and sharp.

"Not entering the path of enlightenment"... indeed, the reputation is well-deserved.

This is not only a test of strength, but also a brutal interrogation of will, belief, and understanding of the "path" itself.