I'm really not the number one slacker in Soul Society.

As mentioned above, there are two conditions for being sentenced to be imprisoned in the Shinigami Underground Prison. First, one must "commit a serious crime that endangers the Seireitei," such as the case previously framed against Kisuke Urahara. Second, one must be "powerful and stubborn." As you can imagine, the so-called "powerful" actually has a very strict dividing line. One must at least reach the level of a fourth-rank Spirit Power to be labeled as such.

To put it bluntly, the True Central Spiritual Prison exists to imprison criminals who have committed serious crimes but still have value—the closer the imprisonment location is to the bottom level, the greater this "value" becomes.

However, Wujian is an exception; other prisons cannot be compared to it.

The Great Prison of the Seireitei is divided into eight levels. Except for the deepest level, the Mukan, the prisoners have committed all sorts of crimes, but without exception, none of them have crossed the line of the Seireitei. However, the Mukan is different. Everyone who can be imprisoned here has done the horrific things that have offended the Seireitei, such as Shikatori Hakunzai, Shihouin Hyakugetsu, or the target of this trip, Kenpachi Azajo.

Although the 46th Chamber wished they could tear these traitors to pieces, they were powerless to kill them and could only lock them up somewhere.

This is the origin of the name "Infernal Affairs".

Here's a side note: although the 46 Chambers are a bunch of idiots, it doesn't mean that those they deem rebellious are all good people. Hyakugetsu Shihouin is a complete madman, Kenpachi Azajo's thought process is incredibly bizarre, and even the seemingly most normal Shikatori Hakuryuu is actually a mentally ill person with very serious symptoms, he just doesn't usually show it.

Even though we're good friends, we should still be fair in our evaluations...

Okay, back to the topic.

According to the textbook, Mugen is a place with "infinite space" and its entire area is covered by a powerful seal that no one can escape. But as you can imagine, the so-called "infinite" is just a word used to describe a huge area. According to Shikatori Hakunsai's personal measurement, the area of ​​Mugen is about 600,000 square ri, which is nearly five times larger than Seireitei.

But the value of the Infinite Seal is indeed amazing... According to those who have experienced it firsthand, its defensive strength is simply insane. Even the old man's Bankai would have a hard time burning it. Moreover, it has a self-repair function. Even if any part is broken, it can quickly return to its original state.

"So how exactly should we save people?"

Mima crossed his arms and looked at the entrance to the Shin-o Underground Prison, shrugging as he said, "The prisoners in the Abyss are sealed and suppressed, and it's almost impossible for them to get out. With just the two of us... it's probably impossible for us to break the seal."

As he said, prisoners in the Abyss cannot move, their spiritual pressure is completely restricted, and without exception, they all carry sealing techniques that are the culmination of years of research by the Kido sect. Without a "key," even if one sneaks in, it would be difficult to bring them out.

Of course... that's what he asked, but he actually knew how to exploit the loopholes.

After all, the two recent prison breakers had varying degrees of connection with him.

Shihōin Hyakugetsu used Bone-Eater to parasitize the maintenance personnel and escape through a roundabout route, while Shikatori Hakunsai was even more formidable... She spent hundreds of years accumulating spiritual pressure, signed several contracts with the Mugen Seal, and made the seal open a gap to release her...

“It’s alright, we don’t need to worry about how to ‘break the seal’,” Kisuke Urahara replied. “Kenpachi Azajo’s ability is very special. As long as we pry open a crack in the Mugen seal, he can escape on his own.”

"To make a hole in the seal of eternal damnation?"

Mima was puzzled for a moment, but quickly figured out the answer.

"The ones responsible for maintaining the Avici Seal and who have mastered the common 'opening' method... are the Ghost Path Clan." Mi Zhen suddenly realized: "So that's how it is. You obtained the technique to open the Avici Seal from the Great Ghost Daoist, Wo Ling."

That's exactly how it is.

Kisuke Urahara cracked his knuckles as he finished his warm-up, then handed a scroll to Mima, explaining, "This is part of the design for the Infinite Seal, which records some key points—we can make a hole in these places to get in."

"Isn't this the official route...?"

Mi Zhen unfurled the scroll and said as he read, "That's true... I heard that there's an elite force of the Ghost Path that's been stationed at the entrance to the Abyss. If you go there, even with our current disguise techniques, it's hard to avoid being completely exposed."

The scroll was covered with densely written, mind-numbing content. It must be said that the wisdom of our ancestors is indeed remarkable. It was an ancient technique that had been used for thousands of years, yet it still managed to stump a master of the demonic arts like Mi Zhen (although he didn't have much achievement in sealing techniques).

Just understanding it is difficult enough...

However, this operation did not require him to have a deep understanding of the Mukan Seal, because Kisuke Urahara handed him a spellbook that recorded how to break part of the seal. Although it was difficult, it was only at the level of releasing more than ninety Kido spells without chanting, which was not a problem for him.

But for Watanabe Yasuke...

Once construction begins, it's acceptable to do it a little more than necessary. Anyway, there are more than three hours to work on, so a little delay won't matter.

After hastily reviewing the two scrolls, as if cramming for the battle, Mima nodded firmly and signaled to Kisuke Urahara that preparations were complete.

They then silently entered the prison entrance.

.............................................

The journey went very smoothly.

Although the Central Underground Prison sounds like a heavily guarded place, in reality... it really is. If someone else were to come here, they would probably be pinned to the ground by a group of burly men as soon as they arrived at the entrance.

However, Kisuke Urahara's camouflage skills were truly unparalleled. With the double concealment of equipment and Oni-no-do, they achieved complete invisibility. Unless someone was foolish enough to expose themselves, to the focused guards, the two of them were no different from a gentle breeze.

Having reached the end of the seventh level of the prison so easily and comfortably, the question arises: why is such an important place as the Abyss only guarded by a team of Ghost Path members responsible for maintaining the seal's operation?

There's no need to set up more sentry posts here.

For most people in Soul Society, the Muken Seal is almost perfect. If the seal can't stop prisoners from escaping, then setting up more sentries is useless. It's just a waste of money and would be better to save that money.

This way of thinking isn't wrong... after all, the Infinite Seal is much more effective than a bunch of novices.

However, its drawbacks are also quite obvious—

The technique is always mechanical and cannot handle unexpected situations, which gave Mi Zhen and his team the opportunity to infiltrate.

But while the seven prison levels above are relatively easy to navigate, entering the Infernal Abyss is not a simple matter; it requires methods and tactics.

Opening the door directly is obviously not very reliable... They don't have a mirage, how could they open the door without being discovered?

Therefore, the only option was to adopt Kisuke Urahara's method and directly attack the outer wall of the seal.

Simply put, this method is similar to climbing a ventilation duct. Although it is a bit sneaky and difficult, it can ensure safety and concealment.

Chapter 227: The Mysterious Labyrinth of Consciousness

But if you had said you wanted to do this earlier, you might as well have let me go and find Lu Qu Bayunzhai... Signing a contract would have been much easier than these complicated procedures.

"The Inextricable Seal is divided into five layers."

Kisuke Urahara said, "The first layer isolates the exchange of matter, the second layer isolates the flow of spiritual particles, the third layer constructs a 'consciousness labyrinth,' the fourth layer is responsible for absorbing external spiritual particles, which is equivalent to energy, and the fifth layer is a 'backup,' which is responsible for repairing when other seals are damaged."

“Don’t worry about the fourth and fifth levels; they can be easily pried open. The first and second levels will require some effort, but they’re not difficult either. The real trouble is in the third level.” He patted Mi Zhen on the shoulder and said seriously, “‘The Consciousness Maze’ is a special ability of the Kuchiki Ancestor. It can drag a person into an illusionary space constructed by themselves that looks no different from reality. If you don’t enter the Abyss through the proper route, this defense will activate and drag you into the illusion.”

“It’s written on the scroll I was given, I saw it.” Mi Zhen smiled and replied, “This layer isn’t very lethal. It’s just an illusion to buy time and send an alarm to the guards, alerting them that someone has escaped and urging them to come and deal with it quickly.”

“Mr. Wakabi’s method allows us to be regarded as ‘maintenance personnel’ by the barrier, so the alarm will not be triggered,” Kisuke Urahara said. “However, the illusion will still be activated, and we must break it as soon as possible in order to complete this operation within three hours.”

"No problem, I've memorized all the solutions."

"Then I'm relieved."

Kisuke Urahara nodded, and after confirming that no one was around, he gave Yama a wink.

start to act!

Not long after, everything went black before Mi Zhen's eyes.

There's nothing to brag about in breaking the seal, since Woling Tiezhai has already provided the blueprints and the most detailed analysis of the spell. Following the blueprints, breaking a mechanically operating seal is naturally not a problem.

Even if the seal is strong, it's still the same.

The only problem lies in this so-called "maze of consciousness".

"An illusion tailor-made according to my own will..."

Seeing the light gradually flickering in the darkness, Mizhen's expression inexplicably carried a hint of anticipation.

If the experience is as amazing as the description, then all that acting with Kisuke Urahara for half a day wouldn't have been in vain. I'd like to see what I'm really thinking.

It feels somewhat similar to entering a mental world, but with some differences... Considering the name "Channel of Consciousness," it's not surprising.

Gradually, the white light before my eyes changed into different colors, and I heard vivid sounds of flowing water and chirping insects. A gentle breeze caressed my face, and the sunlight was warm.

A world built on illusion is evolving before Mi Zhen's eyes.

He blinked and found himself leaning back in a deck chair, holding a fishing rod in his hand. Pink cherry blossoms were floating in the air, and birds were chirping in the distance, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

He was very familiar with this place; it was a fishing spot he frequented. The scenery was beautiful and the area was sparsely populated, which once made him think about building a house here after retirement to enjoy a retirement-style life.

...Looking at the two-story house not far away that perfectly matched his aesthetic, Mi Zhen's lips twitched slightly.

It's a bit sad to think about...

So much has happened lately that he almost forgot he just wanted to be a carefree fisherman, enjoying fishing every day with his financial freedom and strong financial resources, and that nothing else mattered to him.

Why did things turn out this way...?

It really is the world's fault.

Mizhen sighed, put the fishing rod on the ground, stood up, and slowly walked towards the wooden house.

According to the blueprints provided by Ryūshi Tessai, the steps to break through this so-called consciousness labyrinth are very simple: find the "core" of the illusion and destroy it, thus escaping the illusion. However, simple steps do not mean simple operation...

The "core of the illusion" could be anything within the illusion itself. Finding it requires either intuition or exhaustive search, but according to the records of the Ghost Path Clan, it has a relatively high chance of transforming into something important to the illusion's master... Even though it's fake, making someone destroy something important to them with their own hands feels a bit like killing them emotionally...

According to Kisuke Urahara, this operation does not necessarily have to succeed. If the consciousness labyrinth is too troublesome, Mima can simply deactivate the clone and retreat, and come back when he has free time.

However, after actually experiencing it, Mi Zhen had some reservations about it.

Because he cheated...

Perhaps they are all abilities related to the mind. The mental beacon and the consciousness labyrinth are somewhat similar in their manifestations, which gave Mima the opportunity to apply her experience.

He wasn't sure if the core of the illusion and the core of the mental world were the same concept. But in any case, he sensed that "there was something with a strong presence inside that wooden house," and going to check it out wouldn't hurt.

If that's the case, then wouldn't we have won the lottery?

Mima walked over with his hands in his pockets, humming a tune leisurely—only then did he realize that he wasn't wearing a Shinigami uniform, but rather the fashionable style of a hooded T-shirt and capri pants that he preferred in his previous life.

It's truly something to miss...

The distance between the river and the wooden house was very short, only a dozen seconds' walk.

Mizhen pushed open the door, felt the faint noise coming from inside, sighed, and then continued to follow her intuition, walking into a bedroom deep inside.

There was a picture frame on the counter... vaguely conveying a feeling that "this is the core of the world".

Although there is no evidence, intuitively, this must be the core of the so-called illusion.

Mizhen picked up the photo frame and glanced at it.

The photo shows a family portrait of three people: an ordinary couple holding a boy who looks about three or four years old, all smiling brightly in front of the camera.

It is indeed a precious item... Mima hasn't seen this thing for over twenty years.

The last photo taken with his parents before the car accident.

It's a pity it's not genuine.

Mizhen remained silent in front of the family photo for a while, but quickly regained his composure. Then, he tucked the frame into his pocket, turned around, and walked out of the bedroom to the room where he had heard the commotion earlier.

The aroma of food wafted through the air, suggesting a party was taking place inside, filled with laughter, and everyone seemed very familiar with each other.

He sighed and pushed open the door.

The scene inside was exactly as expected.

Lisa and Shunsui were playing rock-paper-scissors, Shikatori Hakunsai was quietly flipping through books, the Masked Army were playfully arguing about Hirako's new hairstyle, and Urahara Kisuke, with a black cat on his head, was gesturing with a bowl of spices... Familiar friends gathered together, and even some of his good brothers from his previous life were among them.