For the past two days, Lin Xuan had stayed in the living world.
During the day he wandered the city. At night he returned to Ichigo's home to train him.
Under Lin Xuan's guidance, Ichigo's progress was rapid. His control over his spiritual power grew stronger by the day. He was a completely different person now.
He could already be considered a qualified Shinigami.
Most Hollows appearing in Karakura Town lately were handled by him.
Time passed. The third day arrived.
At dawn, when the first light touched the horizon, Lin Xuan opened his eyes and looked out the window with a smile.
"Looks like the time has come."
He got out of bed. Ichigo was still sprawled on the floor, snoring loudly.
Lin Xuan walked over and flicked his forehead.
Thud!
Ichigo was sleeping soundly—then jolted awake.
He was about to explode—until he met Lin Xuan's eyes and immediately shut up.
"Guild Master Lin, what's going on? It's barely light out!" Ichigo asked, confused.
He thought Lin Xuan was going to drill him again. His face fell—he'd been up late fighting Hollows last night.
Lin Xuan didn't answer. He walked outside. "Time's up.
I'm taking you somewhere."
Ichigo was full of questions but followed quickly.
Soon they arrived at a secluded little courtyard.
Ichigo looked around. "Guild Master Lin, why are we at a general store this early in the morning?"
The wooden gate ahead creaked open.
A middle-aged man stepped out wearing a green-and-white striped bucket hat and wooden geta sandals.
Ichigo stared at the oddly dressed man, even more confused.
He looked the man up and down, thinking: Is this guy a Hollow in disguise? Did the Guild Master bring me here to expose and kill him?
Then he remembered—he wasn't in soul form right now.
Ichigo instinctively reached behind his back for his Zanpakutō—but grabbed empty air. He wasn't in his Shinigami body.
The man across from them kept his eyes on Lin Xuan. He slowly opened his paper fan. "To what do I owe this visit?"
Lin Xuan smiled faintly. "Kisuke Urahara, no need for the act. Yoruichi already told you about me."
Urahara didn't speak—but his attitude said enough.
Then his gaze shifted to Ichigo beside Lin Xuan. He looked him over with surprise. "Strange.
The power inside you is unusual."
Ichigo frowned, annoyed. "You're the weird one!"
"Heh, interesting. So this is why you've been staying in the living world these past two days."
Urahara smiled with interest and turned back to Lin Xuan. "What brings you here? If I'm not mistaken—today is Rukia Kuchiki's execution day, isn't it?"
"I'm here to borrow a Gikongan. I need you to safeguard this kid's body. I'm taking him to the Soul Society."
"Oh? You trust me that much?" Urahara said.
Lin Xuan shook his head. "Whose son he is—you know better than I do. I don't believe you'd dare harm him."
Urahara was momentarily speechless. He knew Ichigo's identity well enough.
If anything happened to Ichigo under his care, that troublesome man would never let him off the hook.
In the end, Urahara agreed. After Ichigo's soul separated from his body, Urahara's modified soul took over.
Just then, another visitor arrived at Urahara's shop.
It was Isshin Kurosaki. Lin Xuan hadn't hidden his tracks—Isshin finding them was no surprise.
Of everyone present, only Ichigo was shocked by Isshin's arrival.
Before long, Ichigo's surprised voice rang out. "You're a Shinigami too?"
In his mind, his dad was just a doctor. He'd never noticed anything unusual about the old man.
Now his father was telling him he'd been the Tenth Division Captain of the Soul Society?
Isshin facepalmed and smacked his son's head. His kid got shocked too easily.
"What's so strange about it? Don't I look the part?"
Father and son were soon wrestling again.
Lin Xuan stepped aside with Urahara, with no intention of interfering in their family brawl.
Urahara glanced at Lin Xuan. "Guild Master Lin—is that what I should call you?"
"Fine. Everyone else does."
"Your soul feels strange—very different from other souls in this world. This may be rude, but if you're willing, I'd like to hear more."
Lin Xuan looked at him and smiled. "Nothing to hide. I was never from this world to begin with."
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T/N:
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