Bleach: From the moment I was invited by Squad Zero

In the dead of night, the Ghost Path's encampment was completely silent.

In Yanagawa's room, only a single spirit lamp emitted a soft, steady white light, illuminating the worktable piled high with books.

Instead of resting, he sat at the table, organizing some research notes he had brought back from the Spirit King's Palace.

At the same time, it adapts to the natural flow of the power within its body after breaking through its limits in the relatively "thin" environment of Seireitei.

Suddenly, his hand holding the pen paused slightly.

They caught a subtle yet clearly probing and seductive spiritual pressure fluctuation outside the window, in the shadows of the courtyard.

The ripple vanished in an instant, like a startled mouse, quickly fleeing towards the outer perimeter of the compound and into a more secluded direction within the Seireitei.

Its speed was controlled perfectly, neither causing Liuchuan to lose track of it nor appearing hasty and "concealed".

"Oh?" Liu Chuan put down his pen, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.

No sooner had I returned to Seireitei than someone couldn't resist coming to "bring me a gift"?

Moreover, this clumsy, almost explicit "seduction"... did they think he was young and impetuous and would definitely follow out of curiosity? Or did they think he was new to the area and lacked vigilance?

"Interesting," Liu Chuan muttered to himself, a cold smile curving his lips.

He was not a coward, and he loathed such behavior of hiding and spying at night.

Since the other party had extended a "warm invitation," he wanted to see what kind of monsters and demons were lurking under the cover of night in Seireitei.

Without making any special preparations, he moved swiftly and followed the trail of the fleeing spiritual pressure.

The "bait" ahead was clearly very familiar with the secluded paths of Seireitei, deliberately choosing to traverse areas with few people.

Liu Chuan followed from a distance, not only able to lock onto the person in front, but also able to sense several more subtle auras in the surrounding darkness, almost assimilated into the shadows.

Like a spider weaving a web, they moved silently behind him and to his sides, blocking any possible escape routes.

"Cover the rear, encircle... standard ambush formation." Liu Chuan sneered inwardly, but still maintained an "unaware" demeanor, letting himself be led into an increasingly remote area.

Finally, they arrived at the western edge of Seireitei, a place that had long been abandoned and was now just ruins.

The light here was exceptionally dim, and the air was filled with the damp smell of earth and decay.

The "bait" ahead stopped in front of a half-collapsed building, turned around, and faced the direction of Liuchuan.

He even seemed to have a strange smile on his face, as if his plan had succeeded.

Almost at the same time, a very faint thud came from behind Liu Chuan, and several figures dressed in black bodysuits, exuding a cold and deathly aura, appeared.

Appearing behind Liu Chuan like a ghost, it blocked the path he had come from.

Immediately afterwards, two figures slowly emerged from the densest shadow ahead.

The man on the left, dressed in the magnificent robes of the Sage of the Central Forty-Six Chambers, his face slightly distorted with excitement and resentment, was none other than Tsunayoshiro Suzuka.

His face now wore a sinister, triumphant look of certainty and impending revenge, his gaze fixed on Liu Chuan like a venomous snake.

The man on the right is the executioner, "Scarface".

He changed into a set of worn but cleaner clothes, and carried a Zanpakuto with a ferocious design and a blade covered with serrated edges.

His scarred face appeared even more ferocious in the dim light, his eyes flashing with madness, bloodlust, and an almost obsessive desire for "freedom."

He stared intently at Liu Chuan, like a hungry wolf eyeing its prey.

"Ha, young people are just young people."

Tsunayoshiro spoke first, her voice particularly jarring in the silent ruins, filled with smugness and mockery.

"You're truly ignorant. You so easily stepped into the... burial ground I'd meticulously prepared for you. Yanagawa, the genius of the Zero Squad? Nothing more than that!"

Liuchuan stood still, his gaze calmly sweeping over Tsunayoshiro and then at the scarred man with a menacing expression.

And the silent, statue-like assassins around him revealed a hint of "doubt" and "warning" on their faces.

"You are..." Liu Chuan frowned slightly, as if trying to recall.

"What? Has your memory run wild? Don't you remember this old man?"

Tsunayoshiro was even more furious that Yanagawa "didn't recognize" him, and she shrieked.

"I am Tsunayoshiro! Sage of the Central 46th Chamber! That day, you, relying on your status as the Zero Squad, attacked me in the main hall of the 46th Chamber, forcing us to change our decision and causing us to lose face! I will remember this humiliation day and night!"

Liu Chuan then nodded as if suddenly realizing something: "Oh, it's you. What, didn't you learn your lesson last time? You brought help this time, trying to get revenge?"

"You!" Tsunayoshiro, stung by the attack, blushed instantly, but quickly suppressed her anger, revealing an even more sinister smile.

"Sharp tongue! But that's all you can do for now, kid Liuchuan. Can you feel that the spiritual energy within you... isn't flowing smoothly?"

Liu Chuan cooperated by "slightly changing his expression" and secretly tried to mobilize his spiritual pressure. Sure enough, he felt a very subtle stagnation in the flow of spiritual power.

It's as if some invisible, viscous "impurities" permeate the air, hindering the flow of spiritual energy; this is the effect of "Binding Dust."

However, for someone who has already broken through the limits of death, it doesn't have that much effect.

"You felt it, didn't you?" Seeing Yanagawa's expression, Tsunayoshiro's smugness deepened.

"This is a special 'Spirit Binding Dust' made by my Tsuna Yayo family. It is colorless and odorless, and can highly interfere with the flow of spiritual particles."

Even a captain, caught off guard by inhaling so much, wouldn't he feel a bit heavy, unable to raise his spiritual pressure? And wouldn't he be unable to use his Kido abilities? Hahahaha!

He seemed to already see Liuchuan powerless to resist and at the mercy of others, his laughter echoing through the ruins, filled with manic triumph.

Liu Chuan "appropriately" revealed a look of "shock and anger" and "helplessness," and even his body swayed slightly, as if he had really been greatly affected.

At this moment, the executioner with the scarred face impatiently licked his chapped lips, his scarlet eyes fixed on Liu Chuan, and he said hoarsely:

"Stop arguing! Once I kill this Grim Reaper, I'll be free, right?"

"Not bad!" Tsunayoshiro stopped laughing, his gaze turning venomous and cold again. He looked at Yanagawa as if reading a verdict.

"Yanagawa, listen to the 'script' I've prepared for you—Yanagawa, a member of the Zero Squad, encounters the escaped convict 'Scarface' and goes to chase him alone, engaging in a fierce battle."

However, the perpetrator was powerful and experienced in combat. Although Liu Chuan fought bravely, he was ultimately no match for him and unfortunately... was attacked and killed!

He became more and more excited as he spoke, as if he could already see the benefits of this "perfect" ending—eliminating a major threat, washing away the shame, and avoiding excessive suspicion and investigation from the Spirit King's Palace.

"If you have someone to blame, blame yourself for being too arrogant and unrestrained, blocking my path and causing me such a humiliating disgrace! In your next life, remember to be smarter!"

Having said that, he stopped wasting words and abruptly waved his hand: "Do it! Kill him!"

At his command, Scarface, the executioner who had been waiting in ambush, let out a roar.

Like a ferocious beast unleashed from its cage, wielding a hideous Zanpakuto, and carrying a violent spiritual pressure and bloody killing intent, it pounced on Yanagawa, who "appeared" to have stagnant spiritual power and an unsteady stance!

At the same time, several assassins from the Tsunayo family appeared from various tricky angles like ghosts.

The short blade and other unusual weapons in his hands, gleaming with a poisoned cold light, sealed off all possible escape routes for Liu Chuan. Combined with Scarface's frontal assault, this created a deadly situation!

Tsunayoshiro stood there, a smug grin spreading across his face, as if he could already see Yanagawa being hacked to pieces.

However, just as Scarface's blade was about to touch the hem of Yanagawa's clothes, and the assassins' attack was also just inches away—