Chapter 6: Refining Profound Level 1 Qi Yao never expected this young man to have such a rascal side, when he said he would pester her, he really did. She had no choice but to reveal some things about Profound Root in order to get some sleep, as this information was merely common knowledge to her, without any secrets. "Medium Profound Root is known as ’Earth Profound Root.’ People with this Profound Root Talent, apart from Dual Cultivation and Elixirs, can also absorb Profound Qi from Profound Stones to cultivate. Elixirs are expensive, but there are quite a few Profound Stones, and some Grotto Heaven Blessed Lands even have Profound Veins, which are underground concealed Profound Stone mines." "So those with Miscellaneous Profound Root can’t absorb Profound Qi from Profound Stones?" "They can, but the absorption efficiency is extremely low, essentially a waste. Above Medium level is Superior. Superior Profound Root is called ’Five Elements Profound Root,’ consisting of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, totaling five kinds. Cultivators with this Profound Root, besides Dual Cultivation, Elixirs, and Profound Stones, can also absorb Five Elements Profound Qi for cultivation in certain special environments, and they can better perform techniques in their respective Profound Root realms." "Beyond that is the legendary Profound Root, known as Celestial Profound Root. Those with this Profound Root can absorb Spiritual Qi anywhere, even in bustling markets, truly monsters among monsters. The so-called Celestial Profound Root means that under the sky, every place is a cultivation land." Song Yan heard a complete round but didn’t hear about "Ghost Profound Root," so he asked, "Is that all?" "Mm." Qi Yao was already very sleepy. Song Yan glanced at the red mist outside the gap and asked, "Then... can those ghost entities cultivate?" Qi Yao yawned and said, "Heaven and Earth, Humans and Five Elements, these Profound Roots are conventional, natural roots. But there are many special Profound Roots in the world, and of what you speak, I happen to know a little. As long as ghost entities seize the dying or dead cultivators, they can possibly be reborn, combining the original Profound Root inside the cultivator’s body to produce a special root known as Ghost Profound Root. With this Profound Root entering the door of cultivation again, they become Ghost Cultivators. The status of Ghost Profound Root is actually similar to the Five Elements Profound Root; besides Dual Cultivation, Elixirs, and Profound Stones, they can additionally absorb Profound Qi from an environment, which is Earth Demon." While speaking, she pointed into the distance, saying, "Outside here is a rolling mist, where any living person would be attacked by ghost entities, but it’s a great place for ghost cultivation. However, there are very few Ghost Cultivators, because both the Righteous Dao and evil paths pay attention to cleaning battlefields, not allowing cultivators’ corpses to fall into the wild. This is largely attributed to the terror of Ghost Cultivators. Ghost Cultivators and Five Elements Profound Root cultivators have significant differences. Five Elements Profound Root cultivators can enhance their corresponding area’s techniques, whereas Ghost Cultivators will distort those ordinary techniques, causing them to slowly twist and mutate, leaning towards Illusion Techniques and Devouring, these more terrifying aspects." "I didn’t expect the Cultivation Realm to be this frightening." "Alright, these are just things I heard before, I don’t know if they’re true or not, don’t bother me anymore." Qi Yao rolled up in her blanket and fell asleep. Song Xuan stared at her for a while and slightly closed his eyes. ... ... Early the next day. A Profound Robe disciple with a fierce aura appeared on the mountain top. The back of the Profound Robe was embroidered with a meaninglessly strange shadow puppet double-faced face: a half-smiling and half-weeping face, features delicately ambiguous, indistinguishable between male and female. This is the uniform for disciples of the Shadow Puppet Peak among the Five Peaks of Puppet Sect. Disciples wear Profound Robes, Elders wear white robes. This Profound Robe disciple wasted no words, directly gathering the hundred newcomers brought in two days prior, plainly stating: "I’m the disciple here for Transmission of Skills. There might have been shortcomings in the previous Profound Root testing, so I’m here for a second test." Having said that, he took out a Jade Scroll from his chest, saying: "This is the most basic ’Profound Qi Guiding Technique.’ Each of you come up and touch this Jade Scroll, after receiving the content, go and cultivate. The Profound Qi here is scarce, so as long as you can guide even a wisp of Profound Qi within a year, you’ll pass, and then have a chance to go to Shadow Puppet Peak’s main peak. On the main peak, Profound Qi is abundant, without Earth Demon mists, it’s a safe place for cultivation. No more talking, come, let’s start with you." The Profound Robe disciple raised his hand and randomly pointed at a servant closest to him. The servant stepped forward, holding the Jade Scroll, closing his eyes for a brief moment, then suddenly stiffened, eyes opening wide with a dazed look, seemingly struck by an influx of information causing a temporary dizziness. The Profound Robe disciple, indifferent to whether or not he absorbed completely, nonchalantly retracted his hand, saying: "Next." The second servant quickly stepped forward. The previous servant took quite a while to recover, his eyes revealing slight disappointment, evidently... he had no trace of Profound Root, and his Spiritual Power was weak, which is why he was thrown into chaos by just a hint of impact. But the performance of the second servant made this servant feel a lot better. The second servant also fainted. Song Yan deliberately moved to the back, carefully observing the people’s reactions in front. The majority of servants would faint, the difference being that some seemed to remember something after fainting, while others only recalled fragments of information. When it was Qi Yao’s turn, she held the Jade Scroll without dizziness and absorbed it in full. Just then, a young servant who occasionally lowered his head to cough walked up; Song Yan recognized him as the one who entered with Wang Susu. This young servant, like the others, placed his hand on the Jade Scroll, but in just a breath or two, his entire body shook as if struck by lightning. He let go, knelt to the ground, covering his mouth as he coughed desperately, his palms full of blood spots. The Profound Robe disciple from Shadow Puppet Peak coldly looked down at the young servant, fully aware of the situation, revealing a mocking expression in his eyes as he casually said, "Next." People went one by one, some disappointed, some delighted. Soon, it was Song Yan’s turn. Song Yan raised his hand and grabbed the Jade Scroll, feeling a chill, and suddenly a heap of information formed in his mind, but these didn’t impact him. After observing, he noticed no one let go immediately upon grasping the "Profound Qi Guiding Technique"; the fastest took five to six breaths, while the slowest took over ten. So, he counted to seven in his mind before letting go. The Profound Robe disciple continued, "Next." Song Yan returned to the crowd, and saw Qi Yao looking at him in astonishment, saying, "I didn’t expect this." Song Yan replied, "Me neither." ... ... [Name: Song Yan] [Life Span: 16/79] [Talent: Remaining Life Dao Fruit] [Realm: Non-Flow] [Profound Root: Inferior Ghost Profound Root (capable of Life Span Calculation)] [Cultivation Technique: Profound Qi Guiding Technique (Reduced Version) (capable of Life Span Calculation)] [Magic: None (capable of Life Span Calculation)] Song Yan focused his attention on [Cultivation Technique]. [Please select life span to invest] Song Yan began his attempt. His life span maximum quickly started to decrease. [You invested a year to comprehend the reduced version of "Profound Qi Guiding Technique." Areas scant in Profound Qi for others are ideal cultivation places for you. You cultivate within the foul mist, progressing swiftly, but due to your inferior Ghost Profound Root... the speed is mediocre. In half a year, you finally sense a wisp of evil Qi being extracted from the mist into your body. You continue to comprehend, extracting two more wisps of evil Qi in the next half year.] Song Yan felt a surge of comfort within, his grip on the carving knife strengthened slightly, and although his physique showed no muscle change, his constitution improved considerably. Clearly, "Profound Qi Guiding Technique" is a universal technique for absorbing Profound Qi, essentially entry-level cultivation. It simply records an extremely widespread "Guiding Technique," indicating several places where it can be applied: Dual Cultivation, Elixirs, Exotic Flowers and Herbs, Profound Stones. The method involves confirming a "target with Profound Qi," then operating this technique, keeping a focused mind, extracting a wisp of Profound Qi from the target. A hundred wisps form a strand. Song Yan attempted to set the target as "foul mist," and succeeded. [You invested twenty years in comprehending the reduced version of "Profound Qi Guiding Technique," harvesting 80 strands of evil Qi.] [You invested ten years in comprehending the reduced version of "Profound Qi Guiding Technique." In the fifth year, a hundred strands formed a flow that circulated through your body, nurturing your meridians, limbs, and flesh. You continued cultivating; in the eighth year, you sank this flow into your Dantian, stepping into the first layer of the Refining Profound Realm. You continued guiding Profound Qi, improving the Guiding Technique in the tenth year, and realized the full version of "Profound Qi Guiding Technique."] On the panel, Song Yan’s [Realm] leaped from "Non-Flow" to "Refining Profound Realm Layer One." However, his life span reverted back to "(16/48)." The youth retracted his gaze, picked up the beast hide in front, and continued today’s skin-making. Yet... today was different from yesterday. Yesterday, after carving a Shadow Puppet on the hide, his fingers would ache, but today this issue was resolved. Song Yan glanced over these beast hides, a subtle feeling arose within him: he could carve as many as he wanted, his arms would no longer suffer because of it.