Who are you calling a stable boy?!

Zheng Jing chuckled lightly: "Alright, then answer one of my questions first."

"please say."

Narrowing his eyes, Zheng Jing's voice deepened: "Many years ago, there was a wealthy family called the Mochijo family in Seireitei. They were coveted by others and framed. I heard that the entire Mochijo family was thrown into the execution ground and died tragically at the hands of the Hollows. Captain Mochijo, isn't that a coincidence?"

He pointed at Kenpachi Momoshiro.

"You, too, have the surname Zhicheng."

Upon hearing this question, Kenpachi Momoshiro remained indifferent, but his eyes subtly avoided meeting Zheng Jing's gaze.

"It seems you had Captain Yoruichi do quite a bit of investigation."

Kenpachi Momoshiro nodded.

“That’s right, my real name is Souya Azashiro, and I was born into the Azashiro family you mentioned. I did commit the crime at the execution ground back then, and I awakened my Shikai at the last moment.”

This candid remark made Zheng Jing raise an eyebrow slightly.

"So, from then on, you came to hate nobles and the nobility?"

He asked directly.

Upon hearing this, Shi Cheng Shuang frowned slightly, as if he had been thinking about it seriously.

"...I admit, I did hate it at first."

After a moment of silence, he replied, "But now, whether it's nobles or commoners, I don't feel much hatred towards them."

"He doesn't seem to be just being stubborn."

Zheng Jing clicked his tongue, looked Soya Azashiro up and down, as if he were seeing this eighth Kenpachi for the first time: "So what are you scheming for?"

"Naturally, it's to fulfill my mission as the Grim Reaper."

Shi Cheng Shuang answered without hesitation.

Zheng Jing scoffed and shook his head upon hearing this.

"You speak as if you were an impartial and upright official, but you didn't even tell the old man about me and Lao Lan slaughtering the Forty-Sixth Chamber."

Is there any connection between the two?

Shi Cheng Shuang's brows furrowed even more, as if Zheng Jing's words had truly left him perplexed.

"Although Captain Aizen did not approve my initial plan, the Seireitei has indeed seen significant improvements in every aspect since he replaced the 46 Chambers."

As he said this, his tone didn't change much, but it carried a condescending tone.

"Leaving aside everything else, the series of actions taken, such as restarting the research on the Transcendental Gate technology, sending you to Hueco Mundo, and ultimately facilitating the establishment of the 14th Division, are achievements that the original Central 46 could not match."

Zhicheng Shuang paused for a moment, then looked directly at Zheng Jing again.

"Clearly, having Captain Aizen replace the Central 46 is the choice that truly helps the Shinigami fulfill their duties."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Jing couldn't help but ask, "Shuangye Zhicheng, what do you think is the mission of the Grim Reaper?"

"To eliminate Hollows, guide the souls of the dead, and maintain the balance between the Soul Society and the human world."

The answer came out of Mochishiro Souya's mouth.

As he spoke these words, his demeanor and tone were so matter-of-fact, as if it were a common sense principle, like the sun rising in the east and setting in the west.

"Therefore, I do not have any feelings of hatred or anything like that towards the Hollow race."

Seemingly worried that Zheng Jing might still have a misunderstanding, Souichi Shiro continued to explain: "To me, Hollows are enemies, objects that I, as a Shinigami, should purify. Annihilating Hollows is my mission as a Shinigami."

His voice gradually lowered.

"Ultimately, it's Death..."

"Death only needs to be a cog in the machine that keeps the world running smoothly."

As soon as the words were spoken, a silence descended like an unexpected breeze, enveloping Zheng Jing and Zhicheng Shuangye.

The air between the two seemed to freeze, with only the gradually brightening lights of the Seireitei in the distance swaying quietly in the remaining twilight.

"......well."

Zheng Jing suddenly looked up and sighed.

When he lowered his head and looked at Mochishiro Souya again, he no longer saw cunning and scrutiny in those fiery eyes.

Before Zhicheng Shuang could examine it closely, Zheng Jing reached behind his ear and pulled out the Golden Cudgel. With a tug, he stood holding the cudgel.

"Captain Zheng Jing, did I say anything that caused you to misunderstand?"

Realizing that Zheng Jing was about to attack, Shizuka Sou also spoke up: "I have no intention of fighting you. We both bear the mission of fighting Hollows. Shinigami shouldn't waste their time and energy on killing each other—"

"Don't panic, I understand."

Zheng Jing nodded, but the stick in his hand was already pointing at Mochishiro Shuangye's face.

"You are a good person, but you are entangled in karma and it is inevitable that you will be obsessed."

Zheng Jing's voice suddenly became deep.

"Me? Obsessed?"

It was clear that Shi Cheng Shuang could not understand Zheng Jing's words.

"Hey! Don't rush, we haven't reached this stage yet."

With a smile and a wave of his hand, Zheng Jing's tone regained its usual playful quality: "For you, I, Old Zheng, am willing to give you a lecture."

"But for a good person as obsessed as you, you often have to be beaten up before you can start chanting sutras."

"Do you understand?"

He brandished the golden cudgel in his hand, the staff drawing a golden arc in the air.

"Now, it's my turn to hit you."

"...Is there really no room for negotiation?"

Souya Mochi's voice carried a hint of helplessness and exhaustion.

"Yes, we'll talk after we've fought."

Zheng Jing's answer was simple and direct, just as Zhi Cheng Shuang had said earlier when discussing the mission of the Grim Reaper, and it was only natural.

Zhi Cheng Shuang also frowned, and a noticeable irritation surged in his usually gloomy and indifferent face.

Clearly, he couldn't understand Zheng Jing's logic; this meaningless battle was unacceptable to him.

"Hahahaha! I told you! He's definitely going to fight you. All your talking is just a waste of breath. You should just start fighting from the beginning!"

Just then, a sharp female voice rang in Shiro Souya's ears, a voice filled with gloating glee.

This made him, who was already irritable, unconsciously take a deep breath, then turn his head slightly and whisper to the side, "Get out of the way."

"Hmph! Cold-hearted guy! How can you win without me? You might as well just lose!"

The woman responded with dissatisfaction, her tone carrying a hint of hysteria.

"I wouldn't mind if you all came at me at once."

—Just then, Zheng Jing suddenly moved his wrist and pointed the stick at the back of Zhicheng Shuangye.

There, a graceful woman was about to leave from beside Mochishiro Shuangye.

She wore a white kimono adorned with dazzling gold and silver ornaments, its design deliberately revealing large expanses of skin, making her voluptuous figure even more alluring.

Looking up along the alluring curve, what greets you is a face tightly concealed by a black ribbon.

Both the woman and Shiro Sōya were startled upon hearing Zheng Jing's words.

"Captain Zheng Jing, you..."

Zhi Cheng Shuang's eyes widened. This was the first time he had shown such a surprised expression when facing Zheng Jing.

Can you see her?

Chapter Twenty-Nine: A Single Breath Moves Mountains and Rivers!

"What are you talking about? Even if she dresses a bit in a socially awkward way, you don't have to treat her like some kind of invisible friend in your mind, do you?"

Zheng Jing shook his head: "Brother Zhicheng, I know you have a cold personality, but this is a bit..."

"Right, right! Look, look! Even Master Zheng said you're aloof, did you hear that? You boring guy! If you keep this up, I might just go with someone else!"

Pointing at Mole City, she cursed and laughed. Rather than complaining or lamenting, the woman's attitude seemed more like stirring up trouble, as if she wanted to create chaos.

"Shut up!"

Zhicheng Shuang also turned his head away and scolded again.

He ignored the woman's incessant nagging and turned to stare directly at Zheng Jing.

"Captain Zheng Jing, you..."

"What? Stop beating around the bush!"

"...Her name is Yulu Zheliu."

Hearing Zhicheng Shuang call her name, Yulu Zheliu smiled and walked past him, swaying her smooth, creamy body towards Zheng Jing: "Oh right! My name is Yulu Zheliu! So you can see me, Master Zheng. Really, why didn't you greet me before? I've always wanted to chat with you, isn't this a waste of so many opportunities to spend time together?"

"This is not my fault."

Zheng Jing shrugged: "Who told Brother Zhicheng to refuse to come to the banquets twice?"

"Did you hear that? It's all your fault! Your fault, your fault!"

Like a third-rate supporting character who has found a backer, Yu Lu Zhe Liu turned her face with a grin and pointed at Mochishiro Shuangye's face.

However, at this point, it was as if Shi Cheng Shuang could no longer see the rain and dew of the pomegranate tree.

He ignored Yu Lu and Zhe Liu's shouts, staring intently at Zheng Jing, his gaze fixed on him like a deep pool and a towering mountain.

Amidst the clamor of rain and dew, he remained silent for a while before slowly speaking to Zheng Jing.

"Rain and Dew, that is the name of my Zanpakuto."

Mochishiro Souya said in a deep voice, "What you see is my Zanpakuto."

"......hiss."

Zheng Jing gasped sharply.

He shrank back, glanced at Mochishiro Souya, then at Utsugi Zheliu, and finally looked at Mochishiro Souya again, saying, "Brother Mochishiro..."

"You have a high fever."

Mostly surprised by Zheng Jing's reaction, Zhi Cheng Shuang stood there, his facial features trembling slightly, but he remained silent.

"Hey! It's okay, it's okay. He's just a closet pervert, it's nothing unusual, and you don't need to feel ashamed."

Seeing him like this, Zheng Jing smiled and stretched his neck, then waved to Zhicheng Shuang as well.

"Come, come, let me, your senior, make the first move!"

Seeing that Cheng Shuang was still motionless, Zheng Jing blinked and said, "Oh? So confident? Good!"

"If you don't come over, then I, Old Zheng, will go over there!"

Before he finished speaking, Zheng Jing swayed and was already in front of Zhicheng Shuangye. He raised his stick and struck straight at Zhicheng Shuangye's head.

Seemingly startled by Zheng Jing's blow, Zhi Cheng Shuang didn't even try to dodge; he just stood there, completely still, watching as Zheng Jing's golden cudgel came crashing down on his head—

"call!"

But when the stick fell, what swept across this wasteland was not the horrifying sound of bones and flesh shattering.

Instead, it swings its arms wildly in the air, creating a striking howling wind.

"To think that you could have such a refined Shunpo technique, even if it was the Shunpo God Yoruichi... No, that's not right, Captain Zheng Jing, this doesn't seem to be Shunpo."

Unharmed and with his clothes spotless, Mole City Shuang raised his eyes and looked at Zheng Jing, following the golden cudgel that had just pierced his body: "Could it be the power of your Zanpakuto?"

"Hey, in the entire Seireitei, who doesn't know about my old Zheng's amazing abilities? It's just a bit hard and heavy, but it can be long or short, big or small."

Zheng Jing slung the golden cudgel over his shoulder and looked at Zhicheng Shuang with a grin, saying, "Unlike you, Brother Zhicheng, always so mysterious."

"What? Aren't you going to show off your abilities to me, Old Zheng?"

He grinned, as if asking his deskmate how many points he got on the diagnostic test.

"So, after all this time, I'm supposed to guess when the fighting actually starts?"