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After bidding a proper farewell to everyone at home, Aozaki Reiji finally embarked on his journey to the Soul King Palace.
Early in the morning, he rushed to the Shiba.
Walking into the central area of the Shiba, Aozaki Reiji saw the Flower Crane Cannon that was about to send him into the sky.
The Flower Crane Cannon, an indispensable and important tool for reaching the Soul King Palace, certainly couldn't be left in the wilderness.
Not far from the cannon, there stood a large pillar-like object.
That was the tenchūren.
The tenchūren itself was nothing special; it was just a tool for carrying people.
Its only commendable feature was probably its defensive capability.
It could fall from the Soul King Palace, pass through seventy-two barriers, and land in the Soul Society completely intact.
"Yo, brother-in-law, long time no see… Why do you have time today? Don't you need to accompany your wife? When are you going to produce a young master?"
Watching Shiba Kaien walk out of the house, Aozaki Reiji greeted him warmly.
"None of your business!"
Shiba Kaien, with his hands tucked into his sleeves, couldn't help but retort:
"I think I should congratulate you; you recently got married again."
"The same to you, the same to you!" Aozaki Reiji said, cupping his hands.
Shiba Kaien said grumpily:
"Happy your head! Don't push your luck with me."
"You're smart, though, sending that brat Yushiro to the Golden Seal Society."
"But Kukaku spoils you, and I, your brother-in-law, won't be soft-hearted!"
"So, brother-in-law, do you want to spar with me again?"
Aozaki Reiji countered.
Shiba Kaien's expression froze, then gradually distorted, as if recalling some painful memory.
He immediately deflated like a punctured ball, saying weakly:
"I haven't been feeling well lately. Next time, I'll let you off the hook this time."
"Idiot big brother, with your shoddy skills, don't try to act tough. You should think about how to train your Bankai instead."
Hearing the familiar voice from behind him, Shiba Kaien gave an awkward smile.
Aozaki Reiji looked behind him, and it was indeed Shiba Kukaku who had walked out.
He turned his head to look at Shiba Kaien, a hint of confusion on his face, and asked softly:
"It's been so long, and you still haven't learned Bankai?"
Hearing this, Shiba Kaien felt another wave of embarrassment.
He lowered his head slightly and nodded gently.
Just a few years ago.
His good friend, and fellow Shin'o Academy graduate, Kuchiki Byakuya.
Had already successfully learned Bankai and became the Sixth Division captain because of it.
In contrast, although Shiba Kaien's own Reiatsu was not weak, he had been unable to learn Bankai.
This made him feel incredibly troubled.
He remembered an old saying circulating in the Soul Society: "One fears a brother's hardship, but also fears a brother's Bankai."
This saying perfectly described his current mood.
Aozaki Reiji looked at Shiba Kaien's distressed expression and asked in a low voice:
"Do you mind using some unconventional methods?"
As Aozaki Reiji's brother-in-law, Shiba Kaien naturally understood that he was referring to the Tenshintai.
That was a precious tool strictly controlled by the Gotei 13.
However, he didn't hesitate at all, but answered firmly:
"Not at all!"
As a young man of the new era.
He was not the type of person who stuck to old rules and was inflexible.
Since there was a good thing, why not make good use of it?
Aozaki Reiji patted his chest and said with a confident expression:
"Go to the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, mention my name, and you'll get a 20% discount."
Shiba Kaien was somewhat tempted and asked skeptically:
"Really?"
Aozaki Reiji replied with a smile:
"Of course it's true! You're my brother-in-law, I wouldn't lie to you of all people!"
Looking at Aozaki Reiji's sincere eyes, Shiba Kaien couldn't help but feel a little touched.
He recalled his past misunderstandings and prejudices towards Aozaki Reiji, and a wave of guilt welled up in his heart.
He patted Aozaki Reiji's shoulder forcefully and said with emotion:
"You're truly a good brother. I, your brother-in-law, was wrong to blame you before."
One must know that when he graduated from the Shin'o Academy, his grades were even better than Kuchiki Byakuya's; he was the top graduate.
However, now, he found that he had been surpassed by Kuchiki Byakuya.
He wouldn't call it jealousy, but this gap still made him feel somewhat disappointed.
Just then, Shiba Kukaku moved closer and asked curiously:
"What are you two talking about?"
Shiba Kaien quickly waved his hand and smiled awkwardly:
"Nothing, my brother-in-law and I were just chatting. We're done now, so I'll be going first."
With that, he left without looking back.
Leaving Aozaki Reiji and Shiba Kukaku standing there, looking at each other.
Just kidding.
If his sister knew he wanted to learn Bankai by cheating, who knows how much she would tease him!
If it reached Shiba Miyako's ears, it would be even worse.
He wouldn't escape a lecture.
Of course, he wasn't afraid of his wife; he simply didn't want to take advantage of women.
Shiba Kukaku turned to look at Aozaki Reiji, a smile on her face:
"Are you ready?"
Aozaki Reiji scratched his head:
"Actually, there's nothing much to prepare."
Hikifune Kirio and Shutara Senjumaru were very good to him.
They had already discussed it these past few days, and it could be said that his food, clothing, housing, and transportation in the Soul King Palace were perfectly arranged.
So he didn't need to make any further preparations at all.
"Seventy-two barriers, that's truly an astonishing number."
Kukaku didn't really care how far the distance between the Soul King Palace and the Seireitei was.
From her perspective, she could clearly know how many layers of obstruction would exist between the two of them.
"Don't worry, I'll be back soon."
Aozaki Reiji was right there, his lips… imprinted on Kukaku's lips.
"… How sly."
Kukaku subconsciously uttered the word, the corners of her mouth slightly upturned.
......
The mysterious tool leading to the Soul King Palace opened, and Aozaki Reiji clapped his hands, standing outside the pillar's door.
Hikifune Kirio and Shutara Senjumaru walked to his side, looking at his profile.
"Are you nervous, Reiji? This time, we are ascending to the high heavens to meet that most esteemed person."
"I was a little at first, but now I don't feel anything. Isn't that better? Less likely to make mistakes."
Aozaki Reiji smiled with an experienced expression.
Facing the Soul King now was no different from when he first came to the Soul Society and faced Aizen in the Rukongai.
Recalling the scene when he first met Aizen back then.
Weren't the two of them like heaven and earth?
However, he had now also become the heaven in many people's hearts.
But he would not arrogantly believe that he was the only heaven in this world.
With his words falling, there were no more words.
The three of them unhurriedly walked into the tall, pillar-shaped building.
Not long after, Aozaki Reiji felt the tenchūren being inserted into the Flower Crane Cannon.
Then the Shiba family members joined forces, outputting spiritual power to charge the cannon's spiritual orb core.
As the spiritual orb core's luster gradually became full.
Boom!!
A loud bang spread out, reaching everyone's ears.
The tenchūren shot out, soaring straight into the sky!
At the Squad One Barracks, Yamamoto stood in an open courtyard.
He leaned on his cane with both hands, looking up at the sky.
With the help of Reiatsu, he clearly saw the long pillar that cut through the sky, gradually merging with the great sun in the high heavens.
The dazzling sunlight made him squint his eyes, and his aged hands tightened slightly.
The old man's gaze gradually deepened, seemingly lost in thought.
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