Who are you calling a stable boy?!

Chapter Eleven: The Future Is Yours

"Huff, huff..."

Byakuya, panting heavily, carried the wooden sword.

"Hey? Xiaobai, why aren't you chasing anymore?"

Just four or five steps away from him, Zheng Jingzheng was squatting down and waving at him: "Come on, come on!"

"Have the guts... stay there and don't run away!"

With a loud shout, Byakuya charged forward again, sword in hand.

However, Zheng Jing simply turned his head with a smile and dodged the angry blow.

"Why are your legs going weak? Your stamina is really not good, Xiaobai."

"Nonsense! What nonsense! I... *sigh*"

Just as Xiaobai was about to retort, she choked on her own rapid breathing and was immediately startled.

Although physical fitness has never been his strongest point, with his daily diligent training, how could it be a weakness?

It's not nice to say it like that. Take Mr. Shangjing as an example. He feels that he can play with Mr. Shangjing for three or four hours and still be calm and composed.

Why am I so out of breath after only a dozen minutes of fighting Zheng Jing?

What are you thinking about?

Suddenly, a face so close to his own made Byakuya instinctively shrink back, then he exerted all his strength, like a cat with its fur standing on end, and distanced himself from Zheng Jing.

"What...what did you do?!"

"What do you think I, Lao Zheng, have done?"

Zheng Jing squinted and smiled, giving himself a thumbs-up: "Could it be that I pinched your nose and squeezed your lungs, making you unable to breathe, huh?"

"Your own breathing technique is not up to par, yet you blame me, Old Zheng. When it comes to self-awareness, you don't learn from Cang Chun, how come you didn't even learn it from Old Man Yinling?"

"..."

Unlike before, Byakuya did not immediately respond to Zheng Jing's words with the wooden sword in his hand.

He stared at Zheng Jing, his short, rapid breathing quickly slowing down until it returned to its familiar rhythm.

"Next, you'll be glad I'm not holding a real knife."

Byakuya raised his wooden sword, striking a proper pose, his eyes turning cold.

Zheng Jing chuckled, bent down, and clapped his hands at Byakuya: "Hey, come on, Byakuya!"

Byakuya remained silent.

The knife in his hand was the most powerful answer.

Just as the Shihouin family has its own secret techniques for sword-slaying and demon-slaying, the Kuchiki family, being among the top nobles of Seireitei, naturally also has its own family-inherited skills.

Although Byakuya's Kuchiki Sword still has its immature aspects, every move he makes already reveals his personal style.

Unlike his grandfather's solemnity and silver bells, and unlike his father's dignified elegance, Byakuya's sword is unrestrained and fierce—

Like a wild horse that has suddenly been put on reins.

"Father, Byakuya..."

However, seeing Byakuya return to his usual level, or rather, even begin to perform beyond his usual level, Sojun's expression grew increasingly worried.

Because he could tell that his son hadn't calmed down.

Rather, he was simply so angry that he began to harbor murderous intent!

Despite his young age, Byakuya had actually been tested on with swords by the clan two years ago, using prisoners in jail as a test subject. He had seen real blood.

Even if the opponent were some of the younger members of the Sixth Division, they would probably be intimidated by the killing intent emanating from Byakuya at this moment, and become hesitant and restrained.

After all, as a noble team, the Sixth Division has indeed not been to the bloody front lines for many years.

But now Byakuya is pointing his sword at Zheng Jing!

Cang Chun wasn't afraid that Zheng Jing would use excessive force against Bai Zai; he understood Zheng Jing's temperament.

What he was really worried about was whether Byakuya, who had gone all out and always regarded Zheng Jing as his opponent, could withstand the pressure brought by the gap.

Cang Jun hoped to stop all of this before Byakuya saw the difference with his own eyes—by having his father, Byakuya's grandfather—the old man who had led Byakuya to always regard Zheng Jing as his opponent—stop it.

But Yinling seemed unable to hear Cangchun's voice.

He remained standing there like an old pine tree, gazing at the two figures in the arena without uttering a word.

"Huh? What's this?"

Suddenly, Shangjing, who was also watching the scene with tension, spoke up.

Cang Chun quickly turned around.

Byakuya used Shunpo, his sword strikes fierce and relentless, but no matter how he swung his weapon, he couldn't touch Zheng Jing's staggering figure, which resembled a drunkard wandering the streets.

But what puzzled Uei was not the obvious fact that Byakuya never encountered Zheng Jing.

Staring at Zheng Jing and Byakuya, Cang Chun quickly realized the problem.

Moreover, he saw it more clearly.

"Byakuya!"

So, out of love for his son, he finally couldn't help but call out, wanting to remind Byakuya.

Unfortunately, it's too late.

With a firm step, facing Byakuya's wooden sword as it swung down again, Zheng Jing grinned and raised his right index finger.

The next moment, the dragon soared into the sky!

The sudden surge of water instantly severed the wooden sword's blade, and the terrifying force contained within was far beyond what Byakuya's wrists could withstand.

Seeing the broken wooden sword fragments being swept away along with the torrent that shattered the dojo ceiling, Byakuya, completely unaware of what had happened, looked astonished, seemingly oblivious to the pain in his nearly broken wrists.

Then, his calf was gently kicked.

In his vision, the world spun upside down, and just before his face was about to make intimate contact with the broken wooden planks sticking up from the ground, Byakuya's body stopped in mid-air.

To be precise, Zheng Jing grabbed him by the waist and lifted him up.

"Not bad, not bad! Compared to those rich kids I, Old Zheng, beat up back in school, Xiao Bai, you're definitely the best!"

As he spoke, Zheng Jing patted Byakuya's butt.

Keep going, the future is yours!

With Byakuya in hand, Zheng Jing flashed to Cang Chun and handed the little guy over. He smiled at Cang Chun and said, "Impressive, Cang Chun! In a couple of years, this kid will really be stronger than you!"

Cang Chun breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Byakuya, who was not seriously injured but looked dazed and seemed not to have come back to his senses.

"Sorry, Lao Zheng, Byakuya... he's a bit impatient."

"Hey! What are you saying, buddies!"

Zheng Jing waved his hand and turned to meet Yinling's gaze: "Old man Yinling, you have to come next time we drink."

"......it is good."

"Great! Mr. Shangjing, Mr. Cangjun, I'll find some time to chat with you guys again later. I'll take my leave now!"

With a laugh, Zheng Jing leaped out of the large hole in the top of the martial arts arena and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Seeing Zheng Jing still so energetic, Cang Chun smiled helplessly, squatted down, took his son's hands, and used the Rejuvenation Technique to treat the redness and swelling on Byakuya's wrist.

"Don't be discouraged, Byakuya. That's Captain Jung Kyung. His strength ranks among the top even among all the captains. For your age, achieving this is already quite remarkable..."

Upon hearing this, Byakuya's glazed eyes lit up slightly.

He had heard too many rumors about Zheng Jing since he was a child. According to other nobles, Zheng Jing always relied on his innate divine strength and powerful spiritual pressure to win when facing enemies.

Spiritual pressure training becomes increasingly difficult as one progresses to higher levels.

Byakuya believed that with his hard work and talent, he would master Bankai, succeed as the captain of the 6th Division, and catch up with Zheng Jing in terms of spiritual pressure sooner or later!

As for the so-called innate superhuman strength, how much of a role can it play at the captain level?

Yes, yes!

In this battle, Kuchiki Byakuya was not defeated by Zheng Jing.

It was defeated by time.

"Byakuya."

"grandfather."

Looking up at Kuchiki Ginryu approaching, Byakuya's expression brightened. He was about to say something when Ginryu asked, "Do you understand how you lost this defeat?"

Upon hearing this, Cang Chun opened his mouth, but seeing Yin Ling's expression, he ultimately couldn't speak.

"Yes! Byakuya will definitely train his spiritual pressure even harder in the future!"

Byakuya simply gave a straightforward answer.

In his view, Zheng Jing's final move that defeated him was nothing more than gathering a powerful spiritual pressure to launch an attack.

Although his ability to unleash his power at will demonstrates his skillful control over spiritual pressure, Byakuya doesn't think that such a level of control is worthy of special consideration for a captain, since he sees his grandfather and father every day.

Upon hearing Byakuya's reply, Ginryu turned around and walked straight toward the entrance of the martial arts arena.

"grandfather?"

Byakuya keenly sensed something was amiss from spending so much time with his grandfather.

Is there anything inappropriate in my words or actions?

"Byakuya, this defeat you suffered at the hands of yourself."

Byakuya was taken aback.

Before he could ask, Kuchiki Ginryu had already walked out of the martial arts arena and closed the door.

"...Father, what exactly did Grandpa mean by that?"

Unable to understand, Byakuya couldn't help but ask Sojun a question.

"Byakuya..."

Cang Chun hesitated, as if unsure how to begin.

"Young Master Byakuya, Captain Kuchiki's words may have meant exactly what they said."

At this moment, Shangjing spoke up.

As a teacher at the Spiritual Arts Academy, he knew very well that there were some things he was better suited to say.

"Literal meaning?"

“From beginning to end, Captain Zheng Jing used the same spiritual pressure intensity as you.”

"impossible!"

Byakuya's rebuttal came out off the cuff.

How could he not know how strong his spiritual pressure was and what he could achieve in actual combat?

If Zheng Jing's spiritual pressure was truly equal to his own from beginning to end, how could he have used that last move?

"That's true, but I think what Captain Kuchiki really meant was Captain Jeong Kyung's last move."

When Shangjing got to this point, he looked moved, as if he were a travel enthusiast who had witnessed the wonders of nature.

"In that move, Captain Zheng Jing did not use even a trace of his own spiritual pressure."

"......What?"

In other words—

"That's what Shangjing said."

"Captain Zheng Jing's move used your spiritual pressure to defeat you."

-

Zheng Jing wasn't particularly concerned about whether Byakuya could master the final move, the spiritual pressure version of the Flying Dragon Break.