His path of the Hungry Ghost was connected with flames; encountering something so fitting, he naturally couldn't let it slide.

Black energy gathered in his palm, and the pain Yu Ziqing felt began to escalate. His eyes started to emit a bloody glow, and the Blood Flame ignited.

Slowly, the swirling black energy condensed, forming a human shape, manifesting the appearance of the Upstart.

He tilted his head back, letting out a mournful low howl, his eyes void of consciousness, leaving only endless pain.

Yu Ziqing placed a hand on the Upstart's head, fully empathizing with him.

This guy, to liberate his family, absorbed all the flames and all the clan's pain. In that situation, how could he possibly hold on alone?

While experiencing this torture, Yu Ziqing still wore a smile, though his entire expression was already somewhat distorted.

The strings of his will were pounding, and a thought involuntarily arose in his mind: to try, using the Black Fire and Blood Flame, if he could burn the evil in front of him into nothingness.

Yu Ziqing continued to absorb the ghostly blue flame, and when only a wisp remained, there was finally a trace of brightness in the Upstart's pain-filled, hollow eyes.

His phantom body also showed signs of solidifying.

Yu Ziqing placed his hand on the Upstart's head and asked.

"Do you know where your power comes from?"

The Upstart wasn't in a hurry to answer; his consciousness was still unclear, his mind still filled with endless pain, and he hadn't figured out what the current situation was.

His eyes moved, looking around; seeing the traces around him and sensing his own state, he understood why he was still alive.

He had lost control.

Knowing he was doomed, having completely lost control and turned into an Evil, he instead gained a sliver of opportunity.

The current situation, could it be what the word "micro" in the divination represents?

A tiny bit of vitality?

He looked at Yu Ziqing, unable to see clearly, only feeling a certain pressure.

"I don't know where it comes from; all I know is that the power is dark, obscure, hard to control. A slight mistake, and it's the abyss."

"Interested in collaborating on some research with me? If successful, you might be able to maintain your self-awareness."

"I leave it entirely up to you." Having gone through life and death, the Upstart's mindset had changed.

No matter what this person in front of him intended to do, as long as he had a chance to maintain his self-awareness, he had the chance for revenge.

He had nothing left to lose, not even his life, which he no longer cared about.

"Fish Bone, give him a tattoo." Yu Ziqing gestured to Fish Bone from a distance.

Fish Bone grinned and immediately started preparing the ritual.

He was also curious to see if, besides Saints, others using this ritual could succeed.

With others helping to perform the ritual and tattoo, could it succeed?

The person in front of him was the best test subject.

If successful, he could continue living.

If it failed, he would also be relieved.

All outcomes were good.

Yu Ziqing was more curious to know if this sinister ritual was practical and what side effects it might have.

Fish Bone clearly informed the Upstart of the potential outcomes; what choice did the Upstart have?

Having someone provide warmth, what more could he ask for?

Sharp blades carved patterns on the Upstart's back, an abstract human form emerging, the flowing blood resembling burning Blood Flame.

After carving half the body, it still wasn't suppressed. Fish Bone kept silent, continuing to carve the full body.

Carving while secretly feeling resentful, this guy's power source was far more formidable than their sacrificial Red Cloth Altar.

Would definitely need to find an opportunity to switch sacrificial targets.

Once the abstract hungry ghost was fully carved, as the ritual proceeded, the Upstart's unstable body began to solidify.

The frenzied, uncontrollable power started to slowly restrain.

Seeing that closing his eyes was still enough to subdue it, Fish Bone secretly sighed in relief.

Meanwhile, Yu Ziqing was puzzled, wondering why this time, he felt nothing?

Everything went smoothly, and the Upstart's power source didn't even make an appearance.

Yu Ziqing lifted his hand, pondering alone for a moment.

Why?

After thinking it over, there seemed to be only one possibility.

The other party had seen him, knew there was no use coming, and might even self-report their location, waiting for a big dose of trouble.

Decidedly pretended to be dead, acted unaware — do as you please.

Yu Ziqing sensed for a moment, still feeling no pressure; his Yang God continued embracing the Earth Deity Origin, eyes closed.

Completing the ritual, the Upstart sensed the power within him — dark, obscure, yet now feeling like it belonged to him.

Even though negative emotions still surged upon use, and the pain remained.

But that feeling of losing control and being doomed was gone.

"Let's go."

Yu Ziqing took out a filth bucket, exploding it to wash the area with filth, then collected it again with a new filth bucket.

The shadowy method of concealing retrospection was indeed clever.

But unfortunately, it left more details behind.

How could anything be better than just smearing filth over an entire range directly?

Anyone knowing he came here wouldn't matter; asked why, just say the black energy was drowned by filth.

Believe it or not, I believe it.

If you mimic it and it doesn't work?

What does that have to do with me? The same Dharma Method, some at First-tier, some at Ninth Tier, what's there to say?

Yu Ziqing led the people away.

The Upstart remained very silent.

When they reached a secret room, Yu Ziqing brewed tea, giving Fish Bone and the Upstart each a cup.

"Tell us, what happened?"

A flicker of pain crossed the Upstart's eyes, as he slowly began to tell.

His entire clan came to the west of Dali to try their luck, but unfortunately, they were too weak, not forming a climate.

Back then, the shadow found him, offering him a method to enhance his power, even telling him the location of a spirit stone ore vein.

Since then, he had served the shadow.

However, until the last moment, he never saw the other's face; it seemed like the other was always facing away from him, no matter the situation.

"Hmm, this kind of situation, seems like I've heard of it somewhere..."

In an instant, Yu Ziqing recalled the Dadui Arch, the arch standing there, no matter which direction you came from, it was always the front of the arch facing you.

Whoa, could that guy have stood in front of the Dadui Arch for so long back then, referencing it to create a Dharma Method?

"Go on."

Then, the Upstart spoke of the matter concerning the sixty-four-sided crystal, discussed his divination attempts.

"The first time, it was 'Hesitatingly established, dragon in a predicament.'

Though I didn't understand, couldn't quite make sense of it, I still relied on the hints, fleeing to safety with the crystal.

The second time, it was 'Silently dead, stirring from slight ripples.'

I still didn't quite understand, but could guess it indicated the shadow intended to eliminate me after using me.

That I was doomed for sure, so I thought, whatever could be done before death, should be done.

That word micro surely signified I had a slim chance of survival."

The Upstart described in detail his understanding of the two divinations.

Yu Ziqing, holding a teacup, blankly stared at the Upstart's serious expression, his head full of questions.

"There's a saying, waves rise from slight ripples..."

"I see." The Upstart seemed to have an epiphany.

Yu Ziqing was baffled, what do you mean, you see? What did you understand?

That's just a randomly generated gibberish!

Yu Ziqing got up, left the secret room, and secretly checked in a corner to make sure nothing was mixed up.

After checking, the original indeed was on him.

Then what was this situation?

Oh my god, did Juice really add some extra ingredients?