Guo Jing quickly explained his identity and presented the dagger, the token of trust between the Guo and Yang families from years ago, to Yang Tiexin.
Yang Tiexin excitedly caressed the dagger, memories from eighteen years ago continuously surfacing, as he murmured, "My elder brother has a successor, he has a successor!"
Afterwards, Guo Jing recounted his experiences living in Mongolia over the years, which deeply moved Yang Tiexin. He suddenly remembered something and looked towards Wan Yan Kang, who was Yang Kang, and Mu Nianci.
"My elder brother Guo and I made a pact back then: if our two families were to have a boy and a girl, they would be betrothed from birth. If they were two boys or two girls, they would become sworn siblings."
Yang Tiexin's gaze shifted back and forth between Yang Kang and Guo Jing, and he said, "From now on, you two will be sworn brothers."
Guo Jing nodded, having no objections to this, as his mother had told him about it a long time ago.
However, Yang Tiexin then pointed to Mu Nianci and said, "I also have a daughter; this betrothal from birth can still count. What do you think?"
Guo Jing was stunned and instinctively looked towards Huang Rong, but Huang Rong was chattering like a little bird around Chu Yang, completely uninterested in him.
Mu Nianci was also startled, her expression turning very unpleasant, and for some reason, her eyes drifted towards Chu Yang.
One of them looked at Huang Rong, and the other at Chu Yang.
Eventually,
It was Guo Jing who broke the deadlock. He scratched his head and chuckled foolishly, "Before I came, my mother only told me to recognize a brother, not a wife. I can't make this decision; I need to discuss it with my mother."
Yang Tiexin did not doubt him and nodded, "That's reasonable! After so many years apart, I should also go pay my respects to your elder sister-in-law. However, this must wait until you and Kang'er complete the martial arts competition at Jiaxing Misty Rain Tower."
Speaking of the competition, Guo Jing belatedly exclaimed, "Oh no, my masters are still waiting for me to meet up! After so many days of delay, they must be very anxious not finding me."
Yang Tiexin said in a deep voice, "We'll go back to Southern Song together to find your masters. If that doesn't work, we can wait for them at Misty Rain Tower earlier."
While they were still discussing, Chu Yang, on the other side, left with Huang Rong.
Seeing this, Mu Nianci immediately grew anxious, taking hurried steps to rush in front of them and block their path.
Chu Yang asked in confusion, "Miss Mu, is there something else?"
Mu Nianci had impulsively stopped them in a moment of heat, and now she couldn't articulate a reason, standing rooted to the spot and stammering.
Huang Rong sensed a hint of danger, and her gaze towards Mu Nianci immediately turned unfriendly.
Fortunately, Guo Jing arrived in time to help the embarrassed Mu Nianci out of her predicament: "Chu Yang, we also need to return to Southern Song. Our destination is that small town where we met you last time. My masters are probably looking for me, and I need to go meet up with them."
Chu Yang coughed dryly, feeling a little awkward. Guo Jing's Blood-Sweating Steed was still tied up in his backyard...
...
Soul Society.
Since Chu Yang reached an agreement with Kisuke Urahara, he had remained at Urahara Shop for training and had not returned to school.
Kisuke Urahara taught him a great deal about spiritual pressure and also trained him in controlling his own spirit particles.
Chu Yang absorbed any knowledge very quickly.
The four Shinigami skills—Hakuda, Shunpo, Kido, and Zanjutsu.
For someone like Chu Yang, who started with close combat, many Hakuda fighting techniques were too familiar, bearing striking similarities to Fish-Man Karate.
The sensation of Shunpo was also similar to the Body Flicker Technique in Ninjutsu, except that the Body Flicker Technique required a certain amount of Chakra to use.
There were areas between the two that could be learned from, and Chu Yang had experience, so learning them was not too difficult.
Kido, however, was much more complex. It could be subdivided into Hado, Bakudo, and Kaido. To put it simply, Hado was for "offense," Bakudo for "control" and "defense," and Kaido was for "healing."
Kido was basically the Soul Society version of "spells," with casting conditions similar to those in the Harry Potter world, also requiring incantations and spiritual power as an energy source.
All in all, these three abilities were largely similar to what Chu Yang had learned in other worlds, so it wasn't difficult for him to quickly get started.
As for Zanjutsu, there was even less to say.
Whether in the Pirate World or the Demon Slayer World, Chu Yang's swordsmanship had been steadily improving.
However, regarding the most core and crucial Zanpakuto, Kisuke Urahara could only offer sympathy; he couldn't help Chu Yang obtain a Zanpakuto.
Not everyone is as special as the protagonist Kurosaki Ichigo.
Under normal circumstances, to obtain a Zanpakuto, one must become a Shinigami.
When Shinigami are students at the Shin'o Academy, they are temporarily lent a nameless Zanpakuto, which is a Zanpakuto that has not yet achieved Shikai, known as an Asauchi.
An Asauchi is the prototype of a Zanpakuto, and under the influence of the Shinigami's soul, spirit, and will, it gradually transforms into the most suitable form for its user.
Ultimately becoming a unique Zanpakuto.
If Chu Yang wanted a Zanpakuto, he had to follow the proper steps and first become a Shinigami, which also meant he had to give up everything in the Human World.
Fortunately, Chu Yang had no lingering attachments to the Human World, and it wasn't as if becoming a Shinigami meant he couldn't return to the Human World.
Rules are only meant to bind the weak.
As long as one's strength is sufficient, nothing is a problem.
Furthermore, becoming a Shinigami was part of the conditions in Chu Yang's deal with Kisuke Urahara.
After being driven out of Soul Society, Kisuke Urahara knew very little about Aizen's actions, and he needed someone to be his eyes in Soul Society.
Chu Yang could very well fulfill this role.
As time continued to pass, Rukia was brought back to Soul Society.
Because she had unilaterally granted Shinigami powers to a human, she was sentenced to extreme punishment.
Soon, Kurosaki Ichigo was brought back by Kisuke Urahara for special training, preparing to go to Soul Society.
The other companions were taken away by Shihoin Yoruichi for their respective Fullbring training.
When Kurosaki Ichigo saw Chu Yang, his face was filled with surprise, as they hadn't seen each other for a long time due to Chu Yang's prolonged absence from school.
Kurosaki Ichigo even thought Chu Yang had met with an accident.
Seeing Chu Yang completely unharmed here made Kurosaki Ichigo feel a little more relaxed, and the pressure of going to Soul Society was greatly alleviated.
Kurosaki Ichigo remembered how strong Chu Yang was, and the scene of him brutally beating a Menos Grande with his bare hands still felt incredibly shocking when he thought about it now.
How could he not feel at ease with such a companion going to Soul Society together?
But Kurosaki Ichigo didn't know...
Chu Yang's purpose for going this time was to become a Shinigami and permanently remain in Soul Society.
After some more time, Kurosaki Ichigo's special training concluded.
He also finally succeeded in Shikai and learned the name of his Zanpakuto.
Zangetsu!
Kisuke Urahara summoned the Senkaimon. The Senkaimon had a spirit particle converter, because Soul Society is a world of souls, so one must transform into a spirit particle state to enter Soul Society.
Kurosaki Ichigo entered as a Shinigami, while others going to Soul Society had to pass through the spirit particle converter to transform their physical bodies into a spirit particle state.
Chu Yang felt no abnormality during the entire transformation process. After completing the conversion, he felt no significant difference between the spirit particle state and the physical body state.
Shihoin Yoruichi, in her black cat form, led the way, and the group followed her into the Senkaimon.
Inside the gate, it was pitch black. Apart from the path beneath their feet, twisted, dark mist surrounded them. Yoruichi reminded everyone not to stop and to stick closely to her.
Chu Yang observed for a moment and knew they were currently in the Dangai.
The "Dangai" is the rift between the Human World and Soul Society, an alternate dimension. It is several layers of broken space overlapping, enveloped by layers of temporal currents.
The flow of time here is not the same as the outside world. Converted into a specific multiple, it's approximately 2000 times, meaning that 1 year in the outside world would be 2000 years in the Dangai.
The Dangai is filled with Koryu, which are air currents that can impede the movement of souls. Their existence is to restrict the movement of Hollows, not only protecting Soul Society but also protecting the Human World.
Without the Koryu, Hollows would find it much easier to invade both worlds.
The only downside is that Koryu doesn't only target Hollows; any soul is affected. If Chu Yang and the others don't evade in time, they will be permanently trapped in the Dangai by the Koryu, which is why Yoruichi repeatedly reminded them to stick close to her.
The Koryu, like a released flood, surged violently, following closely behind Chu Yang and the others at an extremely fast pace, gradually approaching, and about to engulf them.
At the critical moment, Orihime activated her Soten Kishun, forming a barrier that barely blocked the Koryu. The strong impact generated by their collision directly pushed Chu Yang and the others out of the Dangai.
After landing, Chu Yang looked around.
He saw that the surroundings were filled with old-fashioned buildings, and he understood that he had safely arrived in Soul Society.
This was Rukongai, the first place all deceased souls resided after arriving in Soul Society.
Chu Yang looked at the area, a mocking smile appearing on his lips.
The most ironic thing about Soul Society is that some people, who worked like beasts their entire lives, find that the Soul Society they arrive at after death is not the paradise they imagined, a place where they can peacefully enjoy themselves.
Those deceased who held beautiful fantasies instead have to experience everything from the Human World again in this place.
Even more cruelly.
People here age and die, and they can feel all the pain experienced in the Human World.
The only difference is that in Soul Society, the rate at which souls age is very slow.
This means they have to "live" here for many, many years.
Is this a good thing?
For those with Shinigami talent, it certainly is a good thing.
But for those without Shinigami talent, the duration of their suffering and torment is actually continuously extended.
For some people, living is pain, and after dying, arriving in Soul Society brings even more pain.
This cycle of suffering is endless, never ceasing through generations...
It is terrifying.
After safely arriving in Soul Society, Yoruichi began to introduce the state of Soul Society to everyone.
Soul Society is divided into two parts: Seireitei and Rukongai.
Seireitei is the center of Soul Society, where the Shinigami reside.
It is also a gathering place for wealth and power.
Rukongai, on the other hand, is the outer part of Seireitei, divided into eighty districts, and has four directions: East, West, South, and North. The higher the number, the fewer resources there are, making it not only poor but also prone to frequent violent incidents.
To put it plainly, it's like Manhattan and Brooklyn in New York: one is wealthy, one is poor; one symbolizes order, while the other is a coexistence of freedom and chaos.
For the deceased souls who arrive in Rukongai, there is only one way to live a good life in Soul Society: become a Shinigami and reside in Seireitei.
Before Yoruichi could finish explaining the situation in Soul Society, Kurosaki Ichigo impatiently rushed towards Seireitei. Suddenly, many walls appeared in the sky, blocking his path.