"..."
After a moment of silence, Ishida Ryūken slowly began to speak:
"What do you want to know?"
Although he really didn't want to answer, with several Shinigami's 'blades' pointed at him, he had no choice but to respond.
Perhaps he could have feigned ignorance as an excuse, but the problem was, Ishida Ryūken didn't think they were fools.
Since they came to inquire, they must have already noticed something, or seen some clues.
If he responded like that, it would be disrespecting them, and the consequences would be predictably dire.
Deep in the mountains, unable to call for help from heaven or earth.
Even if he were killed, there would be no one to appeal to.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni wouldn't act this way, but what about the others beside him?
Especially that dark-skinned girl; she looked utterly fearless.
She could crush Katagiri Yae's Holy Arrow with one hand, so taking his life would probably be as easy as killing a chick.
Exhaling a murky breath, before anyone else could speak, Ishida Ryūken quickly added:
"Let me state beforehand, I don't know much about Yhwach. Although he is my ancestor, my Ishida Clan hasn't had contact with them for hundreds of years."
"The only knowledge I have is based on the legacy passed down from that time."
"Furthermore, this legacy is incomplete, because the Quincy experienced a period of turmoil…"
"You shouldn't be looking for me; you should be looking for my father. He knows far more than I do."
Ishida Ryūken tried to save himself. He believed he lacked experience, and rather than dealing with the Shinigami by himself, it would be better to summon his father.
This way, at least it could alleviate some of the guilt from leaking secrets.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Yoruichi Shihouin exchanged glances.
Then, Yoriichi turned his head, gazing at Ishida Ryūken, and slowly said:
"Regarding your father, we will find him later…"
"Ryūken-kun, you must know about the Quincy's attack on Soul Society nearly a thousand years ago, correct?"
"I know. So, is that what you want to ask?"
Ishida Ryūken keenly grasped the key point. He frowned, straightened his posture, placed his hands on his knees, and spoke with a grave tone.
"We have already paid the price for that matter."
"Ancestor Yhwach was sealed, and the Sternritter were completely annihilated. There shouldn't be anything left to ask, should there?"
This was an extremely standard ending, so standard that Ishida Ryūken felt disgusted.
Why did they become the villains? The evil in the triumph of good over evil.
Although it was indeed true regarding the invasion, Ishida Ryūken found it hard to accept.
Because of this incident, the relationship between the two clans inevitably began to deteriorate, until one clan was annihilated.
Thinking of this, Ishida Ryūken's mood was somewhat turbulent, like water swirling continuously in a balloon.
He took a deep breath and said:
"With all due respect, your question is meaningless. This is a result that everyone knows."
"Your Soul Society's history should also have detailed records. Asking me, a Quincy from who knows how many generations later, is truly superfluous."
Yoriichi didn't find it superfluous, because sometimes those involved are blind, while bystanders see clearly.
He gazed at Ishida Ryūken:
"Although the outcome is well-known, one point remains a mystery to this day…"
"Where did Yhwach go, Ryūken-kun? Do you know?"
"Wasn't he sealed? Where else could he go if he's sealed?" Ishida Ryūken was a bit impatient, seemingly unwilling to answer the question.
"Anyway, no matter what, he can't possibly reappear. Asking about a dead person's whereabouts is equally meaningless."
"If you absolutely must have an answer, then he's most likely in Hell."
"Don't you Soul Society have the Hell Gate?"
"He is not in Hell. To be precise, he is not within the Three Realms either." Yoriichi's voice slightly deepened.
"I remember the Quincy's origin was previously in the Human World, but because of Yhwach's defeat, that place was subsequently abandoned."
"But clearly, when Yhwach fled in defeat back then, he still had a group of subordinates remaining. So where are they now?"
"That's what I want to ask."
At these words, Ishida Ryūken suddenly fell silent.
It was brought up after all.
He had previously tried his best to prevent Yoriichi Tsugikuni from asking about this, because it was closely related to the Quincy's highest secret.
In his view, the Shinigami had no need to know Yhwach's whereabouts, after all, he was already 'dead,' killed by Yamamoto Genryusai, and dead men pose no threat.
But what was going on now?
How could they be so sure Yhwach wasn't in Hell?
How could they be so sure they were still alive?
Couldn't they have collectively reincarnated into Hell?
Ishida Ryūken's mood instantly sank. His expression remained normal as he tried to maintain his outward calm, slowly saying:
"I don't know. Who knows where they went."
"I already said before, the Ishida Clan hasn't had contact with them for hundreds of years."
"You're lying." Yoriichi Tsugikuni gently shook his head, a hint of disappointment in his eyes.
Ishida Ryūken's various reactions were all observed by him.
The way his body functions were adjusting clearly indicated that he knew something but was unwilling to say it.
As expected, Yhwach was not truly dead.
Was he planning to make a comeback someday?
"How can you be so sure I'm lying?" Ishida Ryūken lowered his voice. He knew he absolutely could not show weakness at this moment.
"Also, I've been wanting to ask, how can you be so sure Yhwach isn't in Hell?"
"So many years have passed, are you Shinigami still investigating such matters?"
"It's not the Shinigami investigating, it's me investigating. The mystery of Yhwach's whereabouts has never been solved, and since I am a Shinigami, I naturally pay attention to these things."
Yoriichi spoke softly, "As for why I can be sure you're lying, it's simple: your heartbeat, blood flow rate, and pulse all betray you without exception."
"He is indeed not in Hell."
"As for why…"
Before he could finish, Yoruichi spoke at the opportune moment, delivering a decisive blow to Ishida Ryūken:
"Brother Ryūken, he just came out of Hell. Why are you asking him why?"
"If Yhwach were in Hell, after so many years, how could there be no news of him at all?"
"It's obvious that guy must be holed up somewhere right now, and you Quincy are the only ones who know his whereabouts."
"Tell us, where exactly is he? Confess and be lenient, resist and be severe, Brother Ryūken. We've given you plenty of face."
"We neither captured you immediately to interrogate you, nor did we pursue the matter of you killing Hollows, but if you don't give us face, then…"
Yoruichi's words trailed off, her raised eyebrow conveying the obvious outcome.
Ishida Ryūken's mood sank to rock bottom.
He slightly clenched his fists.
A decisive blow?
…
Damn it, this Shinigami actually went to Hell. Who would have thought?
His previous reasoning was valid because no one knew Yhwach's whereabouts.
Naturally, he could spout whatever nonsense he wanted.
Because even if someone guessed Yhwach might not be in Hell, they couldn't verify it.
Hell is vast and boundless, recorded to be comparable in scale to Hueco Mundo.
However, at this moment, this reasoning was completely overturned.
At the same time, his lie was exposed.
Aren't you… a lie detector?
You can tell my heartbeat, blood flow rate, and even pulse just by looking?
Ishida Ryūken complained silently. This was truly outrageous, so outrageous that he could hardly believe it.
All Quincy used the same excuse, so why was he the only one exposed?
You're clearly cheating, there's no way to talk, really.
If everything was as Yoriichi Tsugikuni said, then he would completely lose his secrets.
This was an extremely bad outcome, one he found difficult to accept at once.
He could tolerate the leakage of secrets due to his own mistakes.
But he could not tolerate that he performed perfectly yet his inner thoughts were seen through by special means.
It was like a perfectly favorable situation, on the verge of victory, only to be completely crushed by an opponent using cheats.
His mindset collapsed.
Thinking of this, Ishida Ryūken suppressed his breathing, temporarily unwilling to speak.
He seemed to be pondering how to answer Yoruichi's question, but in reality, he was thinking about how to escape.
Currently, he absolutely could not mention the past events again, because once he opened his mouth, he would expose himself.
However, Yoruichi didn't give him time to think.
She raised her chin, saw Ishida Ryūken's silent expression, and immediately knew he had something to hide.
Her clear voice suddenly rang out:
"Brother Ryūken, it seems you don't want to cooperate with us?"
"It's just a few words, why hesitate so much?"
"You yourself said Yhwach is dead, so his existence is irrelevant… Just confess quickly."
"Honestly, it's been so long, maybe someone else has already leaked this secret besides you."
"There's no need to carry such a heavy psychological burden."
"If you don't want to answer… tell me, if we take you to your father, do you think your father would speak?"
Ishida Ryūken's expression suddenly changed, and he raised his eyes:
"You can't do this; this is blatant blackmail! Are all you Shinigami nothing but bandits?"
Oh no, these Shinigami truly harbored ill intentions. One played the good cop, the other the bad cop, leaving him with no other choice.
Even if he didn't speak, his father would.
Because to his father, his own life was the most important thing.
Damn it…
He gritted his teeth, and a sense of humiliation surged within him once more.
Yoruichi Shihouin chuckled softly, "Bandits? You exaggerate. We are Shinigami; all our actions are naturally based on protecting the Soul Society."
"Besides, we're only taking you to see your father; we won't do anything else to you. Don't make it sound like we're all bad people."
"Speaking of bad people, you killed a Hollow indiscriminately; that's what makes you a bad person. Rukia, what do you think?"
Rukia nodded vigorously.
Facing them directly.
Seeing this, Ishida Ryūken was so furious his teeth almost shattered.
In just a few words, he had lost all his advantages.
He was morally outmaneuvered by a mere youngster, the Shinigami's stance was correct, and he couldn't match them in strength…
He took a deep breath and hesitated for a long time.
Finally, he squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth: "Very well, I concede. You guys are indeed more troublesome than the last."
"This time, I admit defeat."
As soon as he said this.
Katagiri Yae's expression behind him suddenly changed.
Although she was a mixed-blood Quincy, she wasn't aware of Yhwach's affairs.
But seeing Young Master Ryūken in such a state, she could guess that he probably intended to reveal Quincy secrets to the Shinigami.
How could this be?!
She tried to intervene.
However, Ishida Ryūken stopped her: "Katagiri, stand there and don't move. That's an order."
"Although you are a mixed-blood Quincy, you also have the right to hear what I am about to say."
He faced the Shinigami, his eyes slightly lowered, and said solemnly: "I have to admit, Shinigami, your preparations are quite thorough."
"Yhwach is indeed not in Hell. My ancestor's notes recorded the events of that year."
He sighed slightly,
"Our Ishida Clan also participated in that war."
"After that war, the remaining Quincy, to avoid Shinigami retaliation, hid with His Majesty Yhwach."
"I'm not entirely sure about the hiding place, as my ancestor's status wasn't high; he was just passively moved along with them."
"It wasn't until a few hundred years ago that he escaped from there and entered the Human World to establish my Ishida Clan."
"That place is called the Wandenreich."
"Wandenreich?"
Yoriichi Tsugikuni pondered for a moment; the implications and ambition contained in this name were extremely clear.
Ishida Ryūken continued: "Since it's called an Empire, it must mean its scope is extremely vast."
"However, since our ancestor's passing, we have never heard any news about the Wandenreich."
"Perhaps it was abandoned. How ironic."
"This is all I know, Shinigami. Are you satisfied?"
He spoke the last sentence almost in a questioning tone.
Although the amount of information contained within it was not much, an intelligent person could, based solely on these four words, deduce Yhwach's current situation and location.
As long as he was still alive, he could never escape the Three Realms and Hell.
Hueco Mundo could be ruled out first, because the reishi of Hollows is poisonous to Quincy. Unless they were insane, it would be absolutely impossible to establish the Wandenreich within Hueco Mundo.
Even based on the idea that "the most dangerous place is the safest place"… but if everyone dies, what's the point of safety?
Hell was also impossible.
And the remaining two places, the Human World and the Soul Society…
Considering that the Quincy once lived in the Human World, a blind spot was not impossible.
However, everything in the Human World is under the supervision of the Shinigami. Since it's called an Empire, it couldn't possibly go undiscovered.
"Wanden" implies no shape… Atoms cannot be changed, just as an apple cannot become a banana, and a hammer cannot become cotton; this is the cornerstone of physical laws.
Only reishi can change freely.
Considering that there has been no trace of them for several hundred years, even leading some to suspect they left the Three Realms, the situation becomes clearer.
Either these Quincy are hidden in a place in the Human World not supervised by Shinigami, or they are hidden in a space in the Soul Society that has been modified by reishi.
Combining the ideas that "the most dangerous place is the safest place" and the ambition hidden in the name "Wandenreich"… the latter possibility instantly increases.
Various thoughts flashed through Yoriichi's mind, and he instantly understood.
He slightly raised his eyes and said, "Very useful information. Thank you."
"Don't thank me."
Ishida Ryūken's mood was difficult to calm for a long time; he felt as if he had no face to meet his ancestors.
He also didn't know what these Shinigami were thinking.
He could only force a smile, indicating friendliness, to avoid being retaliated against:
"These are all things I should do."
"Tsugikuni… cough, Captain Yoriichi, is there anything else?"
"If not… do you think you could keep today's events a secret?"
"Of course, I don't mean for you to keep it a secret from the Soul Society."
"My revealing this information to you has already violated a major taboo for the Quincy."
"If other Quincy find out, it will implicate my family and put them in danger as well."
"And Katagiri, even more so."
"My Ishida lineage is quite cooperative in some situations."
"I just hope you will keep these secrets in consideration of my cooperation."
…
"Understood."
Yoriichi Tsugikuni's words were concise and clear, yet conveyed an extremely precise meaning.
For the Shinigami, keeping secrets was not difficult; they were not people who would kill to silence others at every turn.
Knowing about the Wandenreich would allow them to take precautions based on that information.
Whether in the Human World or the Soul Society, as long as it existed, it would definitely leave traces.
One person's wisdom might be limited, but when the wisdom of many people converges, someone will always be able to guess the truth.
Ishida Ryūken was unaware of Yoriichi Tsugikuni's thoughts, and upon hearing his reply, he breathed a sigh of relief.
As long as the news didn't spread, everything would be fine.
As for the maid Katagiri Yae, Ishida Ryūken firmly believed she wouldn't betray him.
His peripheral vision caught her, and he saw that her face still carried a look of lingering fear.
Ishida Ryūken nodded slightly and continued, "Then, shall this matter conclude here?"
"Gentlemen, you know everything you needed to know."
"Please leave; I won't keep you here."
He stood up slightly, making a gesture to see them off. Although he appeared respectful on the surface, he was inwardly full of annoyance toward these Shinigami.
Every time he encountered them, nothing good happened.
Last time, his whole family was almost killed, and this time, he was forced to leak secrets and betray his ancestors.
If it happened again, he truly didn't know what would become of him.
Although his bottom line had been lowered repeatedly, he was not without a bottom line.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni nodded, and stood up along with Shi and Rukia.
Yoruichi Shihouin stood to the side, her expression still playful, seemingly contemplating the true meaning of the Wandenreich.
In her opinion, since Yoriichi Tsugikuni did not deny Ishida Ryūken's words, it meant that those were truths.
Empire… quite a boast.
However, Yoruichi Shihouin believed they wouldn't cause much trouble.
After all, the strongest young Shinigami of a thousand years and the strongest old Shinigami of a thousand years both stood on the side of the Soul Society.
Yhwach had already been defeated once; what could he do by making a comeback?
Furthermore, there were also the First Generation Captains, dozens of Captains gathered in the Seireitei… No matter how strong Yhwach was, he'd turn into a lapdog.
"Yoruichi, let's go."
Yoriichi Tsugikuni's voice roused Yoruichi Shihouin from her thoughts.
Yoruichi Shihouin gave Ishida Ryūken a meaningful look, then quickly caught up.
Her clear voice followed closely behind:
"This time's harvest was fruitful. Next time, let me handle it."
"There are also some Quincy in the area managed by my Second Division."
"Perhaps they know more."
"Someone named Kurosaki or something…"
Behind him, Ishida Ryūken watched the group gradually move away, listening to their words, and sighed inwardly.
—The Quincy are doomed!
It wasn't enough to harm himself; they wanted to harm others too.
He hoped they could keep the secret.
Ultimately, the Quincy located in the Human World were all descendants of those who invaded the Soul Society back then.
Each clan possessed different information.
His side only knew a name, but what about the other families?
Alas…
When could the Quincy truly rise again?