Who are you calling a stable boy?!

"Why don't you go ask him how he's been doing these past year or so since he disappeared?"

"hey-hey."

Seeing Zheng Jing smile like that, Pingzi remained quiet for two seconds before bending down and crawling out from under Zheng Jing's arm.

"In short, congratulations on your promotion to captain. You'll be very busy from now on, Captain Zheng Jing."

"Thank you for your kind words?"

He turned around, waved, and walked away without looking back.

His vice-captain, however, hurriedly saluted Zheng Jing and Ye Yi before chasing after them.

At that moment, Yoruichi patted Jung Kyung on the shoulder.

"Gorilla Jing, I'm going back first. As for you, you don't need to reflect on your mistakes anymore. If you want to have a drink with me, then let's talk about it."

Before she could finish speaking and Zheng Jing could turn around, she vanished without a trace.

"..."

Scratching his cheek, Zheng Jing slowly turned around.

He looked at the last slender figure among the team leaders who was walking towards him.

Zheng Jing clasped his hands together and bowed his head in respect.

"The student pays respects to Captain Unohana."

Chapter 141: Nobody knows better than me how to manage Zheng Jing (

The Fourth Division also has a martial arts arena.

Although not many members usually come to the martial arts arena to train, most of the Fourth Division members prefer to train their spiritual pressure in the meditation room, the Fourth Division still has all the necessary facilities.

Today, however, there is an extra figure in the Fourth Division's martial arts arena who does not belong to the Fourth Division.

"Unohana-neechan, the Fourth Division's martial arts arena is no worse than the old man's."

Sitting in front of Retsu Unohana, Jung Kyung turned his head, looking around.

"There are just not enough people. Is the Fourth Division's operations that busy?"

"If there is no war, the duties of the Fourth Division are not too heavy."

"Those are the guys from the Fourth Division, they're not interested in martial arts?"

"Do not."

Retsu Unohana, sitting upright, slowly opened her eyes.

"I told them not to come near here for the time being."

She looked at Zheng Jing and suddenly asked, "Zheng Jing, after completing the Hueco Mundo, have you achieved Bankai?"

"Well, hehe, sister, it didn't work out."

Zheng Jing shrank back and scratched his cheek sheepishly.

"Good sister, don't misunderstand, I, Old Zheng, have never been lazy! It's just that there isn't a single person who can fight in that Hueco Mundo!"

Speaking of Bankai, Zheng Jing has tried out the so-called Blade Zen whenever he had free time.

Every time he practiced Blade Zen, he felt as if he were being held tightly in someone's arms.

At the same time, Zheng Jing could vaguely sense that the person holding him was speaking to him.

However, he couldn't hear the other person's voice.

...Should we say we can't hear it, or can't hear it clearly?

Despite the vague sensation, whenever he emerged from his trance-like meditation, he could clearly feel the lingering warmth of the other person on his body.

However, these few attempts at sword meditation were not entirely fruitless.

Although it was just an idea based on intuition, Zheng Jing believed that perhaps when his basic perception attributes became higher—at least reaching the extraordinary threshold of 20 points—he would be able to reach the threshold of his Bankai.

"It didn't work out."

Unohana Retsu murmured something.

—Immediately afterwards, a flash of cold light suddenly attacked Zheng Jing's throat!

"Clang!"

A sharp sound rang out, and a spark appeared.

All that could be seen was the curved sword at Unohana Retsu's waist, which had been drawn at some point.

—Not only was it drawn, but at this very moment, the sharp blade was pressed tightly against Zheng Jing's throat!

"Oh?"

Following the cold blade, Zheng Jing looked at Unohana Retsu, who had risen from her knees and was holding the sword with one arm, her face still bearing that carefree smile.

"Sister, are you trying to test my answer?"

Unohana Retsu didn't respond, but suddenly moved closer to Zheng Jing.

One stood upright, the other sat cross-legged, and she pressed down on Zheng Jing's body from above until their breaths were mingling before she stopped.

Unohana Retsu stared intently at Zheng Jing's throat.

"...This blade can no longer harm you in the slightest."

She never intended to stop with this strike, which was executed using the Iaido technique.

That's right.

Looking at the Seireitei now, probably 80%, no! about 90%, of the Shinigami who are caught off guard by this strike will only end up with a bloody nose and fall into a pool of blood.

A year ago, such a cut could precisely sever Zheng Jing's flesh, allowing Unohana Retsu to inhale his intense scent and feel his burning heat...

For Jeong Kyung and Unohana Retsu, slashing and enduring this blow was once their daily routine.

"It's been over a year, there should be some progress, right?"

As Zheng Jing spoke, he chuckled and pushed his throat forward.

Despite being made of flesh and blood, it was as if a piece of solid iron had covered the tip of the knife, forcing Unohana Retsu's arm to shrink back.

That wasn't because Retsu Unohana deliberately withdrew her strength.

"......alright."

Suddenly withdrawing the blade, Unohana Retsu raised her palm and pressed it against Zheng Jing's chest to prop herself up. She turned around, took a few steps away from Zheng Jing, and sat down on the ground again.

"You go."

Zheng Jing was taken aback.

On his way to the Fourth Division, he was already prepared to have a match with this older sister.

He had even planned that if this woman really couldn't hold back during the upcoming sparring match, he would take the blows while sending a message to Lao Lan, asking Lao Lan to quickly invite the old man over.

For Zheng Jing, Mao Zhihua Lie first showed him kindness and then imparted all his knowledge of Taoism to him, which was truly a great kindness in teaching him.

If it were just a friendly spar, there would be nothing wrong with it. But once this person gets carried away and starts wielding knives and sticks, the nature of the fight changes instantly.

If they really unleash all their skills, Zheng Jing is confident of victory.

Zheng Jing was uncertain whether he could defeat her without harming Unohana Retsu...

Fortunately, his centuries-old cultivation of inner strength was not in vain.

"Then, sister, am I really leaving now, Old Zheng?"

Seeing that Unohana Retsu was facing away from him and remained silent, Zheng Jing scratched his head a few times, clasped his hands in a salute to the figure, and then turned and rushed out of the martial arts arena.

With his departure, only Unohana Retsu remained in the vast martial arts arena.

The captain of the fourth division seemed to have entered a meditative state, remaining motionless and silent.

The martial arts arena was completely silent.

"call......"

After an unknown amount of time, Unohana Retsu let out a long breath.

"It's not the right time."

She murmured to herself.

"Why, why isn't it the right time...?"

-

What happened between Zheng Jing and Mao Zhihua Lie in the martial arts arena is something only heaven, earth, you, and I know.

For most of the Shinigami in Seireitei, all they knew was that a special operations team had suddenly appeared in the Seireitei.

The captain is Zheng Jing, one of the famous "Twin Heavens" who returned from Hueco Mundo alone after being missing for more than a year.

When they first learned that the captain of this special operations team was Zheng Jing, some members of the squad had the idea of ​​going to join him.

But upon further inquiry, it was discovered that this special operations team was to be permanently stationed in Hueco Mundo.

While they claim to be permanent residents, most members secretly say they've been exiled to Hueco Mundo to die.

Even if Captain Zheng Jing is incredibly powerful and can move freely in Hueco Mundo, which of his team members has that ability?

Even those team members who felt their talents were not being recognized mostly backed down when faced with this life-or-death challenge that could not be faked.

Now that they know the duties of the special operations team, it's hard to say how many members will still have the desire to serve them...

Just as Yoruichi had thought, many of the team members avoided Zheng Jing like the plague, fearing that he might take a liking to them and use his power of forced conscription.

Zheng Jing himself seemed completely indifferent to all of this.

With the title of captain of a special operations team, he could no longer stay in the First Division barracks, so he simply moved in with Aizen.

He would go out early to see Yoruichi and return late to find Old Blue. He ate three meals a day and slept in one bed at night, just like a carefree mountain ape.

Today he drinks with Chunshui, tomorrow he argues with Pingzi, and occasionally he sneaks into the Fourth Squad's barracks to get a couple of cups of good tea.

He greeted the captain as "Grandpa," addressed Mao Zhihua as "Good Sister," and then befriended this captain and that vice-captain...

They really wander around, jumping and darting about, their whereabouts unpredictable.

"Chōjirō, how's that kid doing lately?"

Kneeling with his head down behind Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, the sagabe finished reporting on the day's team affairs. When the old man asked him this question, he spoke again.

"Captain Zheng Jing... still spends his days leisurely strolling around, befriending the captains and vice-captains of various squads, calling each other brothers and calling on friends..."

After hesitating for a moment, he continued.

"Lord Yuan Liuzhai, if this continues, I fear it might affect the Forty-Sixth Chamber..."

"Ok?"

The old man's eyebrows twitched, and he pondered for a moment.

"Quickly draft an order to send Zheng Jing to the 12th Division to help manage the supply warehouse, so that he won't cause trouble again when he's free."

Chapter 142: The two of us will unify the Three Realms!

"Zheng Jing!"

Upon seeing Zheng Jing, Hiyori Sarugaki excitedly waved her hand.

"What do you want to do with me today? How about we go mess with Baldy Mako? He came to our team yesterday and ate all the snacks I hid!"

"Namo San, how utterly shameless!"

Upon hearing this, Zheng Jing rolled up his sleeves and saw Hiyori Kiryu behind him. He then clasped his hands in a respectful bow.

"I have met Captain Yezhou."

"There's no need to be so formal all of a sudden, Xiao Zheng Jing."

Kiryu smiled and responded, then reached out and touched Hiyori's hair.

"Hiyori, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I won't be able to play with you today."

Hiyori blinked, looking at Zheng Jing with some confusion.

"What? Zheng Jing, you don't actually have a crush on someone in our team, do you?"