Bleach: From the moment I was invited by Squad Zero

The dust of the battle settled, and the forest clearing returned to silence.

After the initial shock and relief of successfully avenging himself, Shiba Kaien finally had the energy to carefully examine the mysterious young man who had helped him at the crucial moment and lent him that terrifyingly powerful Zanpakuto.

He first returned "Tianzhen" to Liuchuan with both hands.

"And this is..." Shiba Kaien looked at Kuchiki Rukia with a questioning tone.

Rukia quickly stepped forward to formally introduce the two:

"Brother Kaiyan, this is Yanagawa. He was my classmate when I was in the Shinigami Academy, and now he's a member of Squad Zero."

When the Zero Division was mentioned, Rukia's tone still carried a hint of disbelief and amazement.

"Squad Zero?!" Shiba Kaien's pupils contracted slightly, a look of realization crossing his face. He looked again at Yanagawa's haori and his overly youthful face.

"I see... You're the newest member of the Zero Squad! My sister, Kukaku, mentioned you at home just a couple of days ago."

He gave a wry smile, his gaze sweeping over the silver-white Zanpakuto at Yanagawa's waist that had just displayed its terrifying power.

"No wonder his strength is so...unfathomable. That 'Severing the Void' strike just now, and the power of this sword..."

He bowed respectfully to Liu Chuan. If Liu Chuan hadn't intervened in time, he would likely be in grave danger, let alone be able to take revenge himself.

Liu Chuan calmly replied, "Vice Captain Haiyan, there's no need for such formalities."

"That's true..." Shiba Kaien straightened up, but the gratitude and curiosity in his eyes didn't diminish. He paused, then asked the question that had been bothering him:

"However, as far as I know, shouldn't the members of the Zero Division be stationed at the Soul King Palace and rarely set foot in the Soul Society unless they have a special mission?"

"Lord Yanagawa's arrival this time, could it be... due to official business?"

He glanced at the huge crater left by the Heavenly Pillar in the distance.

Upon hearing this, Liu Chuan shook his head and explained calmly:

"It's not official business. When I joined the Zero Division, there was an agreement that I wouldn't need to be stationed at the Soul King's Palace and could return to live in Soul Society. So, this is... going home."

"No need to reside permanently at the Spirit King Palace? Can I return to my original residence?"

Shiba Kaien was taken aback again; this was completely different from the ironclad rules of the Zero Division that he knew.

He nodded, not delving into the matter further, as it involved internal affairs of the Spirit King Palace and it was inconvenient to ask too many questions.

At this moment, Rukia, who had been curiously eavesdropping, couldn't help but interject, looking at Yanagawa with curiosity:

"Liuchuan-kun, what exactly is the Spirit King Palace like? Is it like the legends, with its magnificent golden palaces floating in the clouds, and spiritual particles so dense they've become tangible? Is there anything particularly magical about it?"

Faced with Rukia's curious question, Yanagawa paused for two seconds, seemingly recalling the empty and desolate palace of the Soul King Palace and the several "landlords" with very different personalities, before giving an answer that surprised everyone:

"A...very boring place. Apart from the high concentration of spiritual particles and the clearer rules, making it suitable for old guys to retire, do research, or tinker with some strange things, there's nothing special about it. Staying there for too long can get boring."

"Boring? Retirement?" Rukia blinked, clearly not expecting such a comment.

In her imagination, and in the imagination of most of the Grim Reapers, the Spirit King's Palace should be a sacred, majestic, and mysterious supreme holy place.

However, among the people who actually lived in Liuchuan, it became "a boring place suitable for retirement".

This contrast amused her, and she was also intrigued by Liu Chuan's bland, almost "disdainful" tone.

Upon hearing this, Shiba Kaien and Ukitake Jushiro exchanged a smile, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Yanagawa's unique "evaluation".

Perhaps only someone as "unconventional" as him, who even finds the Soul King Palace "boring," would choose to refuse to stay permanently and return to Soul Society.

The topic quickly shifted back to the thrilling battle that had just taken place.

Recalling his disheveled and powerless state after losing his Zanpakuto, Shiba Kaien's smile gradually faded, and his eyes became serious and introspective.

"That was really embarrassing."

He shook his head self-deprecatingly, his tone carrying a hint of lingering fear and a profound lesson.

"If it weren't for Lord Yanagawa's timely intervention and his use of my own power, the consequences would have been unimaginable. That Hollow's ability was too bizarre, but ultimately, it was my own fatal weakness—I relied too much on my Zanpakuto."

He looked at his empty hands, then at the seemingly ordinary "Tianzhen" sword at Liu Chuan's waist:

"Once my Zanpakuto is taken away, or I encounter a special situation where I cannot use my Zanpakuto, my combat power drops by more than half. I can't stand up to anyone with Kido, Hakuda, or Shunpo."

The power of that "Crimson Fire Cannon" wasn't even enough to tickle me... Thinking about it now, I'm truly ashamed.

He took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping over Captain Ukitake's gentle yet concerned eyes, then looking at Rukia's worried face, and said with a wry smile:

"In the past, I was always called a 'genius' and I became a little arrogant, thinking that with my Zanpakuto and decent swordsmanship talent, I could handle most situations."

Today's battle has truly woken me up.

My so-called talent is like child's play; I was blinded by the halo of genius and neglected the most basic, comprehensive cultivation and accumulation.

His words were filled with genuine self-reflection and a sense of frustration.

As a genius of the Shiba family and the vice-captain of the 13th Division, he saw the gap between himself and truly top-tier fighters for the first time so clearly.

It's not just about the level of strength, but also about perfecting one's own power system and the ability to respond to emergencies.

Yanagawa's effortless mastery of the Demonic Arts, and his composure, taught him a vivid lesson.

Jushiro Ukitake coughed lightly twice and spoke gently:

"Haiyan, your greatest gain is recognizing this. The path to growth is full of lessons and reflections. If you can address your weaknesses after this experience, your future achievements will be limitless."

Rukia nodded vigorously, "Brother Kaien, you can do it! You've always been the best!"

Looking at Shiba Kaien's earnest reflection, Yanagawa felt a certain appreciation.

The ability to recognize one's own weaknesses so quickly, without dwelling on failure or the empty title of "genius," is truly rare.

The atmosphere became much more relaxed through honest communication and reflection.

At this moment, Liu Chuan remembered the important matter and pointed to the direction of the vaguely visible giant pit deep in the forest.

"Alright, we can talk about this later. Vice Captain Haiyan, there's a 'small matter' that I'm afraid I really need to trouble you with, or rather, trouble your Shiba family."

Liu Chuan said, "The 'Heavenly Pillar Carriage' I rode here had a slight deviation when it landed and crashed into the woods over there."

That thing is too large, and it involves the Spirit King's Palace, so it's inconvenient to leave it in the wilderness for a long time. We'll have to trouble the Shiba family to send someone to retrieve and transport it away.

"The Heavenly Pillar Chariot?!" Shiba Kaien naturally knew what the Heavenly Pillar Chariot was. It was a special means of transportation connecting the Soul King Palace and the Soul Society, driven by the Shiba family's secret techniques.

Unexpectedly, Liu Chuan came down in it, and even crashed into the wrong spot.

Shiba Kaien suddenly realized, then said seriously, "Don't worry, Lord Yanagawa, leave this to me. I'll send a message home immediately and have Kukaku arrange for people to come and retrieve it. The Shiba family is very familiar with the retrieval process for the Tenshu Rin."

"Thank you for your trouble." Liu Chuan nodded.

"Oh, by the way," Shiba Kaien said, remembering something, and extended a warm invitation.

"Since Lord Yanagawa has returned to Soul Society, if you don't mind, why don't you come with us to the 13th Division barracks for a short rest?"

Let me also do my part as a host to express my gratitude for your help today. It just so happens that the specific details regarding the recovery of the Heavenly Pillar Carriage also require some time to arrange.”

Ukitake Jushiro smiled and said, "Yes, Lord Yanagawa, please do me the honor of joining us. Although the 13th Division is simple, we do have tea and refreshments."

Rukia also looked at Yanagawa expectantly.

After a moment's thought, Liu Chuan nodded in agreement; he really didn't have anything urgent to attend to.

"Then I'll have to trouble you."