Soaking is soaking, chatting is chatting.
Life goes on, and training must continue.
Back in the Rukongai, Ling Qing had always felt quite lost. Apart from the man in the Zaraki district, there wasn't a single opponent worthy of a fight. This had made Ling Qing experience the sorrow of being at the top from the very beginning.
But later, whether it was the Adjuchas-class Hollows, the ones above them, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, or the people of the Zero Squad, they all told him one by one that the world was not just made up of the weaklings in the Rukongai. Ling Qing was far from reaching the end; he still had much to learn.
In response to this, Ling Qing felt no frustration or anger, only joy. To clearly know that he still had huge room for growth, to know how he should grow—what a joyful thing it was.
Similarly, although he boasted and fought with Tenjirō Kirinji and Nimaiya Ōetsu, Ling Qing was also serious. He cherished this training in the Soul King Palace, taking every bit of insight to heart with twelve-tenths of his concentration.
Ling Qing's and Tenjirō's Shunpo practice entered a new stage.
Tenjirō now knew what Ling Qing's Shunpo style was like and was on his guard. The subsequent practice was less like practice and more like sparring. Tenjirō carefully dealt with Ling Qing, preventing himself from being carelessly dragged into his deadly rhythm from which he couldn't escape. And Ling Qing, from Tenjirō's skilled and mature Shunpo, saw his own immature or ill-considered aspects, and adjusted and perfected his own Shunpo bit by bit.
Kazuo and Kazuhiro, although they were present every time before, had mostly just shouted "start" and then squatted on the side counting ants, waiting for Ling Qing's and Tenjirō's practice to end. But now, watching from the sidelines was much more interesting. They had even brought out a table and chairs from somewhere, eating fruits and snacks while drinking tea, watching Ling Qing and Tenjirō counter each other's moves, trying to drag the other into their own rhythm while preventing themselves from being dragged into the other's.
Although the result of this was usually that their eyes would blur for a moment and they would find the fruits and snacks on the table gone, and then strangely see fruit cores and snack plates suddenly appear in the field, flying towards one of the two…
At least they weren't wasting food…
During this period, Nimaiya Ōetsu had his lovely female guards run over to inform Ling Qing several times that his Zanpakutō had been modified and was ready for him to inspect. But Ling Qing had postponed it each time.
Ling Qing had decided that he had to at least reach a minor level of mastery in his Shunpo training before he could stop, if not a major level. In fact, in the higher-pressure and more thrilling confrontations, Ling Qing did gradually forge a prototype of a style into a complete one.
According to Tenjirō's evaluation, Ling Qing's current Shunpo had far surpassed the level of the current Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukidō, who was also Ling Qing's cheap dad—Shihōin Sōichirō. Before, it was Sōichirō who had shocked the inexperienced Ling Qing. When Ling Qing returned from his training trip to the Soul King Palace, it would be his turn to shock Sōichirō.
When Ling Qing felt that his Shunpo practice was gradually approaching a bottleneck, their practice was stopped by Tenjirō. The improvement that could be obtained through repeated high-pressure practice had reached its limit. The rest was less a matter of practice and more a matter of inspiration or comprehension, something that couldn't be solved in a short time. Continuing to practice would just be a waste of time.
So Ling Qing temporarily bid farewell to Tenjirō and returned to Nimaiya Ōetsu's Hōōden.
When he saw Ling Qing again, Nimaiya Ōetsu was sitting on his throne in his nightclub... ah no, his Hōōden, his face propped up in his hands, looking at Ling Qing with an expression of utter emptiness.
An unknowing person might have thought he had been drained dry by the countless Zanpakutō ladies in the Hōōden. But in fact, the one who had made Ōetsu like this was none other than Ling Qing.
No one would know that the smug Nimaiya Ōetsu had finally overcome the demanding requirements of his client, Ling Qing, and was about to show off and praise himself wildly in front of him. But Ling Qing had suddenly changed his affections and was staying at the Kirinden, refusing to come back.
This had really angered Ōetsu. I finally set the stage, my acting bug is biting hard, and I'm ready to sing my heart out, but how can you, the one and only designated audience member, not be present?
This was the reason why the lovely female guards had run to the Kirinden to find Ling Qing several times. But in the end... the momentum was lost. After trying to find Ling Qing several times and failing, Ōetsu was at his wit's end.
He could only feel empty, very empty, extremely empty. Why did it turn out like this... I finally had a worthy challenge, I finally overcame the difficulty. Two happy things came together. And these two joys should have brought more joy. What I should have gotten was a dream-like happy time... but, why, did it turn out like this...
When Ling Qing returned, he looked at the empty-faced Nimaiya Ōetsu with some confusion.
At this point, Ōetsu couldn't even be bothered to complain. He tossed Ling Qing's Zanpakutō to him and got up to leave, leaving Ling Qing holding the sword and watching his back, wondering what he had done to deserve such a resentful look.
However, Ōetsu's skills were undeniable. On the surface, Ling Qing's Zanpakutō hadn't changed at all, but it now had the function of decomposing into spirit particles and surrounding him with just a thought, and could be drawn out at any time when needed, like drawing a sword.
Because he was so drained by Ling Qing, Ōetsu forgot to tell him something very important.
The technique of turning a Zanpakutō into spirit particles couldn't be applied to all Zanpakutō. Ling Qing was able to do it for only one reason.
All Zanpakutō have a sheath. And they must have a sheath.
But Ling Qing's sheath had quietly disappeared the moment his Asauchi was formed… In fact, it hadn't disappeared. It had merged with Ling Qing's body. In other words... Ling Qing himself was the sheath of his Zanpakutō. Ling Qing's Zanpakutō sheath was not a literal object, but a more conceptual, metaphysical existence.
Fortunately, not knowing this wouldn't affect Ling Qing's training. Since Ōetsu was not in high spirits, Ling Qing continued to practice his Shikai, which was not yet completely finished.
After spending an unknown amount of time completely mastering his Shikai, he heard from Ōetsu's female guards that Shutara Senjumaru had returned to the Soul King Palace.
To be honest, Ling Qing hadn't had any thoughts at first, but the name Shutara Senjumaru kept popping up in his ears, and the fact that she could provide personalized DIY services sparked a bold idea in his mind.
In the Soul King Palace, his training in Shunpo, Shikai, and Zanjutsu had all reached a bottleneck. Of the several important qualities of a Shinigami—fist, sword, footwork, and Kidō, as well as the Zanpakutō—Ling Qing could be said to have maxed out Zanjutsu and Shunpo in the Soul King Palace, and had also temporarily maxed out his Zanpakutō's current level.
As for Hakuda—hand-to-hand combat—and Kidō training, neither Tenjirō Kirinji nor Nimaiya Ōetsu seemed to be skilled in them, or at least they didn't plan to teach Ling Qing personally. Ling Qing figured that it was about time for him to return to the Seireitei.
He didn't know when he would be able to come to the Soul King Palace again after this trip. Just as he was thinking this, Shutara Senjumaru returned from the Seireitei to the Soul King Palace. Ling Qing thought that since he had an idea, he might as well give it a try. It wouldn't cost anything to go and ask, and he didn't want to leave with any regrets. So he contacted Tenjirō and asked if he could help with an introduction.
Unexpectedly, Tenjirō, who had been looking lazy, instantly perked up. He immediately puffed out his chest and said that he would take care of everything and arrange it perfectly for Ling Qing, so he didn't have to worry.
Tenjirō's enthusiasm fully demonstrated how well Ling Qing had gotten along with him and Ōetsu, whom he had seen more often during his time... ah no, his training... in the Soul King Palace. Ling Qing was indeed moved by his initiative.
But…
Why did Tenjirō's creepy smile not make Ling Qing feel moved at all?
But the request had been made by Ling Qing, and Tenjirō gave him a definite reply almost immediately.
Ling Qing could only step into Shutara Senjumaru's Zeroban Riden with a belly full of suspicion towards Tenjirō.
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