BLEACH: Blade of Purification

Ling Qing returned on the first day, and Yuishinryu left on the second. There was no grand ceremony, no public announcement. In the end, just two reliable servants accompanied Yuishinryu, carrying enough supplies for the journey.

Ling Qing stood on a rooftop, watching Yuishinryu's party recede into the distance, but he didn't go over to say goodbye. This wasn't a farewell where they wouldn't see each other for years. There was no need for that.

As it turned out, the "uncle" Yuishinryu had mentioned—the one who had come looking for him more than once while he was in Zaraki—was indeed fated to meet Ling Qing.

He showed up at his door on the third day.

At the time, Ling Qing was organizing the records from his previous Hollow-slaying jobs. Having been a working professional before, he was quite familiar with this kind of administrative work. Even now that he was his own boss, he still kept the necessary documents.

Ling Qing was wondering if he should check for any remaining Hollows in the area before he left, doing one last good deed by slaying them all.

Then, a knock came from the door.

Looking towards the entrance, he saw a person standing in the open doorway. Backlit by the sun, he couldn't make out their features at first, only that they were standing there, one hand raised to gently knock on the doorframe.

"Excuse me, may I come in?"

"Oh, of course. Welcome, welcome."

Ling Qing put down the documents in his hand and went to greet the visitor.

It was only after the person stepped inside that Ling Qing got a clear look at him. He was a middle-aged man with healthy, tan skin and slightly long black hair tied back in a ponytail. He didn't have the typical paunch of a middle-aged man. "Sturdy" wasn't the right word either; the first impression he gave was one of agility.

He was dressed in clothes that looked ordinary at first glance, but upon closer inspection, the material and design were extraordinary and quite luxurious. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that this single outfit was probably worth dozens of houses.

The moment Ling Qing saw the man's clothes, he had a good idea of who he was. No wonder Yuishinryu had specifically mentioned a "filthy rich guy." This man was definitely filthy rich.

"Well, well, I came by several times before, but the owner was never in. I had quite a time looking for you. Luckily, I chanced upon you today." The man's clothes were magnificent, but his appearance was unassuming. His personality was similar to his clothes—he seemed quite friendly and was quick to warm up to people.

The man glanced around the room, half of which was cluttered with various things, while the other half served as a mixed living and working space. His eyes landed on the half-organized documents on the table, a look of surprise on his face.

"Hm? Owner, are you...?"

"Oh. I'm planning to close up shop and move elsewhere. But for now, I'm still open for business," Ling Qing replied casually.

A man who's about to skip town is just that bold!

He brought a chair over for the man. Although it seemed a bit casual, it was as he said: since the shop wasn't closed yet, it was business as usual, and he wouldn't neglect his professional demeanor.

"Please, have a seat."

"I didn't expect that just as I finally find you, you're about to close down." The man had a wry smile on his face. He openly sized up Ling Qing, a faint smile always on his lips. His excellent upbringing, something an ordinary person could never possess, always gave off a friendly feeling. "Oh, right, my name is Souichirou. You can just call me by my name."

"Mr. Souichirou, a pleasure. I'm Ling Qing. You can just call me by my name as well."

"Mr. ah..." The man, who called himself Souichirou but had clearly only given his first name, narrowed his eyes slightly at Ling Qing's form of address, but he wasn't surprised. It seemed he had been called that before.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing. You can call me that; I quite like it. I've heard that you are the strongest person around here. And that you've taken on jobs slaying those troublemaking monsters—Hollows—before?"

"I wouldn't say I'm the strongest, just barely adequate. And I'm not closed yet. If it's a Hollow-slaying job, I'm still taking them."

Ling Qing had just been thinking about doing some pro-bono work before he left. If a paying job came along, that would be even better!

Without much small talk, the conversation immediately shifted to business. Again, a man who's about to skip town is just that bold!!!

Perhaps not expecting Ling Qing to be so direct, Souichirou didn't speak immediately, seemingly considering how to phrase his request. Ling Qing waited patiently without rushing him. He also didn't go back to his documents, as that would seem rude and unprofessional.

After about half a minute, Souichirou finally spoke again, hesitantly. "Well... something like that."

"Something like that?" Souichirou's wording piqued Ling Qing's interest.

"To be precise, it is related to Hollows, but not the ones around here. I need to go to the 80th District, and even the areas beyond it, to observe the situation with the Hollows there."

For a man as wealthy and distinguished as Souichirou to appear in a place like the 45th District, some might believe he was just here for sightseeing, but Ling Qing wouldn't. And Souichirou seemed to understand this, making no attempt to hide his intentions. Or rather, he never planned to hide them.

"I've asked around. You are the strongest mercenary in this area. And if the rumors are true, you should be able to protect me well even in the 80th District. So, I would like to hire you to protect me on a trip to the 80th District. What do you think?"

Ling Qing narrowed his eyes slightly. It was just as he had thought. But there was nothing strange about it. This was their first meeting. The only reason Souichirou would seek him out multiple times, like Liu Bei visiting Zhuge Liang's hut three times, was because of Ling Qing's strength. As for what he wanted to do in the 80th District, if he didn't say, Ling Qing wouldn't ask. That was professional etiquette.

However, the mission itself made Ling Qing hesitate. If it were just around here, or even up to the 60th districts, Ling Qing wouldn't have hesitated. But the 80th District... was a bit too far. And with this rich guy Souichirou in tow, who knew how much time would be wasted on the road...

"Oh, right," Souichirou said, seemingly noticing Ling Qing's hesitation. His smile didn't change as he spoke calmly. "As for the payment, just name your price. Money is not an issue."

"..."

Ling Qing squinted at Souichirou. Being stared at like this, Souichirou's expression remained unchanged.

"You..." A sound escaped Ling Qing's lips.

"When are we leaving? I can get ready right now!"

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