Chapter 80: with translation of chapter title

"The current Qilin Si Tianshi Lang is too weak…"

Araki looked at Qilin Si Tianshi Lang, whose hair had been cut off and who was thus utterly despondent, and formed an assessment in his mind.

With Araki's current strength, dealing with Qilin Si Tianshi Lang before he even goes to Zero Squad doesn't even require unleashing the Zanpakuto's Bankai…

"Alright, the game's over now~" Araki patted Qilin Si's shoulder, pointed at the long hair scattered on the ground, and said, "You saw the result yourself…"

"Then now, you can teach Mao Zhi Hua and Ye Yi the Return Path and Flash Step, right?!"

Araki asked the Qilin Si before him.

"I don't have the mood for that right now!"

"Do you know how much time I spend each day maintaining this super cool airplane head?"

"Do you know what price I've paid for my handsome hairstyle?"

"Since I started sporting this super cool airplane head, I've never again enjoyed the pleasure of burying my face in a pillow!"

Qilin Si stared at the long hair strewn on the ground, tears streaming from his eyes; his heart was filled with boundless sorrow as he mourned his dead airplane head.

"Sure enough, this guy is a damned scoundrel; might as well kill him~"

Mao Zhi Hua, seeing this, once again drew the knife at her waist. Honestly, she'd wanted to slash this bastard to death for a long time—how long? Ever since she first met this disgusting guy…

"Come! Kill me! If you kill me, no one will teach you Flash Step or Return Path!"

Qilin Si lifted his head and shouted at Mao Zhi Hua.

Only the beads of sweat dripping from his sensitive nose revealed that he was merely bluffing.

"…"

In response, there was not a hint of sympathy in Mao Zhi Hua's eyes; she simply raised her knife‑hand expressionlessly, aiming at Qilin Si's throat.

"You're serious?!"

When Qilin Si sensed that Mao Zhi Hua's murderous intent had locked onto him, he realized that something was indeed amiss—Mao Zhi Hua seemed truly about to cut him…

It seems this guy Qilin Si truly doesn't understand how detestable his personality and appearance are.

In short, he's not that sharp…

"Sigh…" Seeing this, Araki could only sigh, then activated his ability again, "ROOM!"

With Araki's ability triggered, a miracle occurred at that moment!

Qilin Si's long hair, which Araki had cut off and scattered on the ground, instantly rose from the floor, reassembled onto Qilin Si's head, reforming his repulsively awful airplane head…

Honestly, Araki forced himself to reattach the airplane head to Qilin Si; he kept hypnotizing himself that the current Qilin Si still held a sliver of usefulness…

"It's back! All of it is back…"

"My prideful airplane head, it finally returned!"

When the airplane head settled back, Qilin Si was first stunned, then, with a nervous heart and trembling hands, he gently stroked the hair on his head, handling it as delicately as one would a fine work of art…

Immediately after confirming that his hair had regrown, Qilin Si's expression grew frantic, and he howled madly at the sky.

"Araki, you truly are my half‑brother! You know, I, Qilin Si, am the most loyal person! From today onward, whenever you need anything from a brother, just tell me; any task I can accomplish, I will do without a second thought, giving it my all!"

The revived Qilin Si leapt from the ground, grabbed Araki's hand, and spoke excitedly! At that moment he almost wanted to swear brotherhood with Araki on the spot.

Then Qilin Si swore to Araki: "As for the request you just made, rest assured! I will definitely teach Flash Step and Return Path to Ye Yi and Mao Zhi Hua!"

"Hm?!"

Araki merely raised an eyebrow; the revived Qilin Si, thanks to his airplane head, gave Araki the illusion that the airplane head was actually Qilin Si's true self.

"He's still useful now!"

"When he has taught you everything he has hidden, then kill him!"

Araki ignored the brother‑like Qilin Si, first pulling his hand out of Qilin Si's greasy grasp, then making a throat‑cut gesture toward the nearby Mao Zhi Hua.

He signaled Mao Zhi Hua that after they had fully exploited Qilin Si and drained all his knowledge, they could finish off the damned airplane head before them.

"Understood~"

Upon hearing that, Mao Zhi Hua finally sheathed the Zanpakuto she was about to swing at Qilin Si.

"What if he doesn't teach properly?!"

Then Mao Zhi Hua continued to ask Araki.

"Then kill him!"

Araki gave a confirming answer.

"Got it~"

After hearing the satisfactory answer from Araki's mouth, Mao Zhi Hua finally gave a faint smile.

"Hey hey hey! I'm still here listening!"

"Even if you two really want to kill me right after using me, at least consider my feelings, okay? Discuss this behind my back at least. Please treat the one titled 'Thunderclap' with a little respect!"

Qilin Si watched the two as if they were discussing killing a chicken, loudly conspiring in his presence how to eliminate his 'peerless villain', and his eyelids began twitching again!

Hmm, he finally understood why his right eyelid kept twitching—it was because he'd encountered two 'evil stars'.

"In short, since I promised to teach you Flash Step and Return Path, I will never renege! How much you can learn, though, depends on you…"

Qilin Si placed both hands on his hips, once again regaining his former confidence.

Indeed, once this man got an airplane head, he began to change! Ahem…

"Seems the untrained aren't only Ye Yi of Four Maple Hall."

Araki decided that, after he finds free time, he will properly educate the damned airplane head Qilin Si Tianshi Lang.

However, before that, Araki had more important matters; he returned from the Void Circle to the Pure Spirit Court not merely to become the eleventh squad captain… he has loftier ambitions.

"Araki, where are you going?!"

Mao Zhi Hua seemed to sense Araki's heavy thoughts and asked aloud.

"After seeing Ye Yi and the airplane head, I got a few more ideas, so I plan to test their feasibility."

Araki looked at Maozhihua and explained.

But Araki did not tell Maozhihua Lie what he was actually going to do…

"Bon voyage!"

Maozhihua Lie didn't ask much either; she and Araki had lived together for over a hundred years, so they had developed complete tacit understanding.

"Stay safe!"

Then Maozhihua added another sentence: although she didn't know what Araki was going to do, she had a premonition that Araki was definitely about to pull off something that would shock the Corpse Soul Realm.

"Rest assured, nothing will happen to me! You know I'm always opposed to violence," Araki waved goodbye to Maozhihua Lie, then turned his gaze to Four Maple Courtyard Ye Yi, whose arms were wrapped around his front in a twisted pose: "Ye Yi, you must remember to learn Flash Step well from your Kirin Temple uncle! When I return, I'll check your homework."

"And Kirin Temple, I have a word for you: teach me well!"

Araki truly didn't trust that 'little thug' Kirin Temple.

"It's fine~ It's fine~"

"My talent is the best under heaven!"

Four Maple Courtyard Ye Yi, after hearing Araki's words, lightly waved at him, looking as if his own talent far surpassed anyone's.

"Huh? Uncle? Shouldn't it be older brother?!"

Only Kirin Temple was conflicted in his heart, wondering whether he was Ye Yi's 'older brother' or 'uncle', since he considered himself still young~

"Hmm."

After receiving Ye Yi's response, Araki finally felt somewhat reassured.

"Then, next…"

Araki turned around, walking toward the distance while scheming in his mind.

Currently within the 'Jingling Court', beneath the nobles' 'Central Forty‑Six Chambers', there are three main institutions.

First, the 'Guardian Thirteen Squad' death gods, representing the 'samurai' class and modeled after samurai, are responsible for protecting the safety of the Jingling Court and the Corpse Soul Realm.

Second, the 'Hidden Mobile' assassins, symbolizing 'assassins'—or more accurately 'ninjas'—handle the unsavory tasks for the great nobles.

Third, the 'Ghost Dao Corps', modeled after onmyōji, manage various 'barriers', 'seals', 'sacrifices', and 'ceremonies', including holding 'Soul Burial Rites' so that the 'Lingwei' who die suddenly can, under death gods of rank three or higher, successfully fall into hell.

The Guardian Thirteen Squad, Hidden Mobile, and Ghost Dao Corps are the three major bodies within the Jingling Court, theoretically equal in rank! At least on the surface, that's how it appears…

The reason why Yamamoto Motoyasu Shigekuni, the captain of the Guardian Thirteen Squad, can mobilize the Hidden Mobile and Ghost Dao Corps within his authority is simply that Yamamoto is overwhelmingly powerful! Whether it's the Hidden Mobile, Ghost Dao Corps, or the Central Forty‑Six Chambers, they all have to give him face.

Under normal development, this situation would have continued for centuries, until Four Maple Courtyard Ye Yi, who simultaneously held the positions of Hidden Mobile Commander‑in‑Chief and head of the Guardian Second Division, took office, prompting a fundamental change.

Ye Yi successfully incorporated the Hidden Mobile, previously equal to the Guardian Thirteen Squad, into the jurisdiction of the Second Division! Later, the Second Division captain Feng Shaoyan, also known as Sui Feng, continued Ye Yi's brilliance, still overseeing the Hidden Mobile forces as head of the Second Division.

Now what Araki needs to do is simple: before he kicks the old mountain head out of the captaincy, he will preemptively bring these two organizations, nominally equal to the Thirteen Squad, under his command!

In other words, Araki is reaching into institutions beyond his authority, even touching the bottom line of the great nobles!

After all, for these nobles, the Ghost Dao Corps, who manage barrier work, are tolerable; but once Araki meddles with the Hidden Mobile that handles their dirty work, they become cats without any claws—only meowing endlessly, unable even to protest.

"Although the Hidden Mobile could all be left to that girl Ye Yi to tame, let's just skip it! Let her be a deputy commander—by the way, I can use the 'Final Exam' as an excuse to have that girl subdue those 'assassins' for me! Whether it's the Hidden Mobile or the Ghost Dao Corps, I want them all."

Araki finally made his initial decision: adults never make choices.

When Araki's thoughts reached this point, he had already arrived outside the Ghost Dao Corps' barracks.

"Who are you?"

Outside the massive building's gate, the 'gatekeeper' dressed in the Ghost Dao Corps' distinctive robe, upon seeing Araki, immediately blocked his path and asked coldly.

"Who am I? I'm here to teach you the proper use of the Ghost Dao for your 'Great Ghost Dao Master'~"

After hearing the gatekeeper's question, Araki explained in an utterly calm tone, as if he wasn't boasting but merely stating a fact to everyone.

"Huh?"

The gatekeeper, after hearing Araki's words, was stunned in place; this man audaciously claimed he would teach their Great Ghost Dao Master how to correctly use the Ghost Dao?

If we take his meaning, it implies their Great Ghost Dao Master has been using the Ghost Dao incorrectly all these years—what a joke!

"Do you know who the Great Ghost Dao Master is? He's the strongest man in the entire Three Realms at using the Ghost Dao! How could you possibly teach him? I see you're wearing a feather robe; you must be a captain of the Guardian Thirteen Squad. Since you're from the Thirteen Squad, leave quickly! Stop fooling me here, or our Ghost Dao Corps will report today's incident to your Yamamoto captain, and he'll have to answer us!"

The gatekeeper glared at Araki and scolded.

Araki ignored the gatekeeper's questioning, simply raised his hand toward the Ghost Dao Corps' barracks and calmly said, "Break Dao 95 Dragon Turn Extinction!"

As Araki's words fell, a blue dragon rose from beneath his feet, lifting Araki into the air.

"In other words, whoever's Ghost Dao is 'Number One in the Three Realms' is indeed the Great Ghost Dao Master, right?"

Araki stood on the dragon's head and asked the gatekeeping Ghost Dao Corps.

"Umm…"

The gatekeeping Ghost Dao Corps, gazing at the azure Divine Dragon Araki summoned, opened their mouths wide.

"This thing? At this level of spirit‑particle concentration, is this really Ghost Dao?!"

"The Break Dao numbered up to 99? I've never even heard of it! If it's this move, perhaps even the current Great Ghost Dao Master couldn't wield it?!"

The Ghost Dao Corps were dumbfounded; the more they understood Ghost Dao, the more they sensed the terrifying nature of Araki's technique.

Even if they hadn't seen Araki chant and release this Ghost Dao with their own eyes…

Just judging by the spirit‑particle aggregation of this Ghost Dao, they would surely mistake the 'Divine Dragon' beneath Araki's feet for a Bankai of the Guardian Thirteen Squad's death gods' Zanpakuto, not a Ghost Dao.

"Then, next…"

Araki, stepping on the Divine Dragon, flew up into the sky before the Ghost Dao Corps member.

Sorry everyone, the update is a bit late; today I went to the hospital for results, preliminarily diagnosed as inflammation, but the duodenum seemed to have some interstitial patchy pigment material that got an immunohistochemistry, not sure what the final result is, but it seems not too serious.

(End of chapter)