In the dark passage, Zen'in Ming unconsciously tightened his kimono.
He didn't want to come here; the passage before him was pitch black, as if it led to a human purgatory.
Even though he had endured constant mockery within the Zen'in clan, forging a strong will, it was hard for him to resist the chilling cold of this passage.
In the world of jujutsu, one is not their own master.
Zen'in Ming silently walked to the end of the passage and pushed open a massive stone door. Behind it was a Buddhist hall filled with zen, but a strange figure stood within.
Hearing the sound, the figure turned around, chuckled lightly, and said:
"It's Ming!"
Upon hearing that raspy voice and seeing the stitches on the man's forehead, Zen'in Ming's heart trembled, and he quickly lowered his head, not daring to look around carelessly.
"Kamo Noritoshi!"
— [Can I say, Brain? Or, Kenjaku?]
As a transmigrator, Zen'in Ming was his name in this world. Though he knew the true identity of Kamo Noritoshi, he dared not leave any trace of it.
Kamo Noritoshi gazed thoughtfully at Zen'in Ming for a long moment before saying:
"This private laboratory is now yours. It's well-deserved after assisting me for so long."
Feeling Kamo Noritoshi's almost tangible gaze, Zen'in Ming didn't dare let his mind wander and quickly lowered his head, responding:
"Kamo Noritoshi, rest assured, I will cooperate even more with your experiments in the future."
Kamo Noritoshi shifted his gaze, briefly surveying the Buddhist hall, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
"I'll soon be leaving the Kamo clan. You'll have to figure out how to get supplies here!"
"Yes, Kamo Noritoshi."
Zen'in Ming nodded obediently at first, without any hesitation.
But in the next second, Zen'in Ming suddenly looked up, as if realizing something, and stared at Kamo Noritoshi with wide eyes.
"Kamo Noritoshi, did you just say you're leaving the Kamo clan?"
A member of the three great sorcerer families, Kamo Noritoshi was regarded as the head of the Kamo clan. How could such a leader abandon the Kamo clan?
What exactly had happened?
Zen'in Ming's heart was filled with questions, but Kamo Noritoshi didn't answer. He vanished instantly, disappearing from Zen'in Ming's sight.
As Kamo Noritoshi left, the vast and terrifying jujutsu energy that filled the Buddhist hall slowly dissipated.
Zen'in Ming let out a long sigh.
Facing Kamo Noritoshi, whose body was occupied by Kenjaku, he had endured immense pressure during this time.
Kamo Noritoshi's aura had grown increasingly inhuman lately, and a foul stench emanated from his entire being. Even cooperating with him remotely for experiments made Zen'in Ming extremely uncomfortable.
But fortunately, this inhuman life was finally coming to an end!
For Zen'in Ming, Kamo Noritoshi's departure from the three great families was also a form of liberation for him.
At least, the influence Kamo Noritoshi held over him wouldn't be known for now.
However, upon further thought, Zen'in Ming felt a bit confused. Based on his vague memories from before his transmigration, Kamo Noritoshi was supposed to have been discovered by the Sorcerer Association's advisor for his heinous Death Painting experiment, caught red-handed, and thus chose to flee.
But why, when the Sorcerer Association's advisor hadn't yet reacted, was Kenjaku already preparing to abandon the Kamo clan's position, seemingly planning to leave much earlier?
"What exactly happened? What caused Kenjaku's premature withdrawal? Could it be because of me?"
From the moment Kenjaku discovered him, through their cooperation in experiments and the creation of the Cursed Womb: Death Painting, Zen'in Ming couldn't discern the true reason.
However, Kenjaku's withdrawal was, after all, a good thing for him.
As for the exact reason, for someone as insignificant as Zen'in Ming, it held no meaning worth delving into.
Zen'in Ming's feelings toward Kenjaku, or Kamo Noritoshi, were somewhat complex.
Without Kamo Noritoshi's attention, Zen'in Ming, a bastard son of the Zen'in clan, likely wouldn't be alive in this world today.
After all, the Zen'in clan's control over their bloodline was extremely strict. Though he was only a bastard son, he possessed the potential to master the Zen'in clan's Ten Shadows Technique.
Even in the future, a powerful Heavenly Restriction user like Toji Fushiguro chose to "sell" his exceptionally talented child, Megumi Fushiguro, to the Zen'in clan.
Though Toji Fushiguro ostensibly did it for money, in reality, it was to protect his child, Megumi.
Without Gojo Satoru's eventual intervention, Megumi Fushiguro would likely have become a mere brick in the Zen'in clan, a tool for their use.
For Zen'in Ming, his only regret was not yet mastering a technique, and encountering a special-grade cursed spirit would likely kill him.
In this world, weakness was the original sin.
It had been over ten years since his transmigration into this world, but even now, Zen'in Ming couldn't fully adapt to this jujutsu world where special-grade cursed spirits were slain everywhere.
And that was one of the reasons he actively sought refuge with Kamo Noritoshi after the latter extended an olive branch.
He knew that only Kamo Noritoshi's protection would allow him to survive in this world.
In terms of jujutsu and combat talent, he was fundamentally no different from an ordinary person. In fact, his reactions were often slower than others'.
Sometimes, he genuinely admired the curse users of this world. They often displayed jujutsu talents from a young age.
They could master techniques during their school years, and exorcising special-grade cursed spirits was as routine as eating and drinking.
For example, the future "Heaven and Earth, I Alone Am Honored," Gojo Satoru, had already become the strongest curse user during his time at Jujutsu High.
Though Gojo Satoru's birth was still over a hundred years away, Zen'in Ming, as a transmigrator, knew that future curse users would live under the shadow of Gojo Satoru's Six Eyes.
Zen'in Ming didn't have Gojo Satoru's talent, but fortunately, he was born into the Zen'in clan, naturally possessing the potential to awaken the Ten Shadows Technique.
Thus, he gained Kenjaku's favor and became his experimental assistant.
At that time, it was still the Meiji era, and staying alive was the most important thing!
As for enjoying life? What could one enjoy in an underdeveloped Japan?
However, for Zen'in Ming, he wasn't without advantages!
Relying on the professional knowledge he acquired before his transmigration, his comprehension ability far surpassed that of ordinary people. Coupled with the advantage of the Zen'in bloodline, he quickly became Kenjaku's capable assistant and aided in many experiments.
Until Kamo Noritoshi met the woman capable of conceiving a child of a special-grade cursed spirit.
The most evil experiment of curse users began: the Cursed Womb: Death Painting was successfully born with his help.
Zen'in Ming knew his actions were utterly heinous, but to survive, he could only become Kenjaku's scalpel. He could only help Rika, the mother of the Cursed Womb, to her grave…
After all, as a Zen'in bloodline, he had already become Kenjaku's test subject and had signed a contract with Kenjaku to provide corresponding experimental data for Kenjaku's future exploration of the Zen'in shadow technique.
Zen'in Ming knew this dangerous collaboration would leave hidden dangers, but he couldn't plan too far ahead. After all, as a test subject, he could still survive.
If he hadn't cooperated with Kenjaku, he might have already vanished from this world.
Yes, it was precisely because of the "contract" between them that Kamo Noritoshi gave the laboratory to Zen'in Ming.
This "contract," for the future Zen'in Ming, was a constraint, but for the current Zen'in Ming, it was protection.
As for the other reason Zen'in Ming sought refuge with Kamo Noritoshi, it was the hope that Kenjaku could modify his body.
With Zen'in Ming's mediocre talent, aside from relying on Kenjaku, the hidden mastermind, he truly couldn't think of another way to master his own destiny in the future jujutsu world.
After all, the entire Zen'in clan hadn't produced the most powerful Ten Shadows Technique in a long time.
Though Zen'in Ming had fantasized about it, he also knew the likelihood of him awakening the shadow technique was nearly zero.
Not to mention someone with mediocre talent like him!
In the future, even Megumi Fushiguro, who possessed the Shadow Technique, had little presence in the entire *Jujutsu Kaisen* world.
It wasn't until Sukuna successfully incarnated and achieved the feat of cutting Gojo Satoru in half that people began to realize the power of Megumi Fushiguro and Mahoraga in the Shadow Technique.
Initially, the Zen'in clan's techniques could be more powerful than those of many curse users.
However, once they reached special-grade status, the Zen'in clan's ordinary techniques became less effective!
When fighting special-grade cursed spirits like Sukuna, Jogo, Hanami, and the Immortal Master, the Zen'in techniques were even more powerless.
Thus, modifying his body and allowing himself to surpass his limits was Zen'in Ming's future law of survival.
Awakening the Ten Shadows Technique was something that had obsessed Zen'in Ming since he learned he was of the Zen'in bloodline.
But making this body awaken the shadow technique—how easy was that!
At that time, the only one who could be called a research fanatic was this most evil curse user, who read as Kamo Noritoshi and wrote as Kenjaku…