Chapter 4: 4. Possessed by ghosts for 40 years Song Yan was very serious about skin making, his expression focused, meticulous, and his movements swift. After mastering the knack, he completed the making of a piece of skin in just two hours. [You have extracted the remaining lifespan of an ordinary wild ox: 15 years] When others took a break, he continued with skin making. Two hours later... [You have extracted the remaining lifespan of an ordinary wolf: 8 years] After working for four consecutive hours, Song Yan felt a bit tired. He rubbed his brow and glanced at the lifespan on the panel: (16/89). He then glanced at "Profound Root," "Cultivation Technique," and "Magic" where "Life Span Calculation" was available. Song Yan sorted out the relationship between these three. Profound Root should be the entry-level, also the potential. Cultivation Technique is the method for acquiring power. Magic is the method for using power. In this dangerous Demon Sect, he was eager to become stronger, so his gaze swept over "Profound Root," and he focused his attention there. [Please choose the lifespan to invest] Song Yan began his attempt. The maximum number of his lifespan also started to decline. [You invested one year of lifespan to comprehend Profound Root. Profound Root is innate; it either exists or it doesn’t. To cultivate it after birth is impossible without a great opportunity. You didn’t believe in this evil and pondered deeply. On the third day, you entered the Suspended Room. A neglect in the deep night allowed a ghost to knock open the door, and chaotic spirits drilled into your body. You went mad. After dawn, you groggily crawled out of the Suspended Room and fell off a cliff to your death, returning three hundred and sixty-two days of lifespan.] Song Yan was stunned for a moment. What is this? But upon further thought and reflection, he suddenly gained a deeper understanding of the four words "Life Span Calculation." This calculation is environmental-based; the environment is the one he is currently in. He can’t leave the vicinity of the Tannery and is only subject to "geographical" and "Profound Qi" influences. As for such words as "Profound Root is innate," they made him extremely uneasy, but he had no choice. Without Profound Root, all hope would be gone. Even if he had this panel, it would be merely empty lifespan, and even if an official disciple came to teach the Guiding Technique, he would not stand out. Thinking that he might not survive even a month’s time, the subsequent lifespan would be useless no matter how much it was. Song Yan nervously continued to invest lifespan. But whether it took five or six days or just two or three days, he was sure to be exploited by ghosts due to a lapse at night, resulting in a miserable death. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺 As a result, after calculating for a long time, Song Yan found that he couldn’t even use up one year of lifespan. Died too quickly. Song Yan pondered briefly and decided to try "psychological suggestion" to attempt other possibilities. [You invested one year of lifespan to comprehend Profound Root. At dusk, you did not enter the Suspended Room but lay in the Tannery. You were enveloped by a bloody mist, and ghosts came from outside, sheets of skin transformed into ghosts sticking to you, chaotic spirits drilled into your body, you went mad, insanely mad, you lay quietly on the ground, mad beyond imagination.] This time, a full year of lifespan was consumed. Song Yan was somewhat dazed, but he gritted his teeth and continued to invest. [You invested ten years of lifespan to comprehend Profound Root, you continued to lie there, being penetrated by ghosts...] [You invested ten years of lifespan to comprehend Profound Root, you still lay there, being penetrated by ghosts...] [You invested ten years of lifespan to comprehend Profound Root, you remained lying there, being penetrated by ghosts...] ’This...’ Song Yan was somewhat speechless. Clearly, in the process of comprehension and calculation, he could not die from hunger, so even though he was mad, he remained lying on the ground. However, he lost confidence. He glanced at the lifespan on the panel, and the number had already changed to (16/58). He continued to look at his hands and felt the state of his body. His hands were not withered, and his body was not weak. Clearly, the reduction in lifespan did not suddenly change his appearance or make him weak. Only, an indescribable and mysterious feeling was swirling inside his body, as if he had indeed once lain in the Tannery, visited every night by a bloody mist, entered and exited by countless ghosts. This led him to feel that his body was gradually changing. ’Seems like there’s been a change, so let’s keep trying.’ [You invested another ten years of lifespan to comprehend Profound Root] [In the eighth year, you got up from the ground. Although Profound Root is innate, you were repeatedly penetrated by countless ghosts, and your physique had changed. With some thoughts in mind, this night, outside the house... no ghosts attacked you again] [In the ninth year, you comprehended a low-quality Ghost Profound Root] [Note: Low-quality Ghost Profound Root: Enables cultivation from ghosts and the environment formed by ghosts; cultivation method requires a cultivation technique] [In the tenth year, you tried to gain further insights by allowing ghosts to enter and exit your body again, hoping to comprehend a stronger Profound Root, but the ghosts ignored you. No progress was made this year...] Low-quality Ghost Profound Root! Even though the name sounded off, Song Yan was overjoyed. This was from zero to one. Moreover, the way it was accomplished was worthy of the phrase "great opportunity." Who else in the world could lie in the Tannery for forty years, penetrated by countless ghosts, and not die or go mad? But the "comprehension calculation" does not lead to starvation, so he went mad but did not die. And when the "calculation" ended, he would return to the real world, so he neither died nor remained mad. Thus, he was able to comprehend the "low-quality Ghost Profound Root." More importantly, carrying the Ghost Profound Root meant that even if he was in the bloody mist at night, nothing would happen to him. ... Just then, a gentle and serene female voice broke Song Yan’s train of thought. "Hello, Song Yan." Song Yan looked up and observed the girl in front of him. To be accurate, this was not a girl but a long-legged young girl with a ponytail, a pleasant face, and eyes like Shui Xing. Despite being a gentle girl, there was a dignified heroic spirit around her, easily reminiscent of a chivalrous woman from the Jianghu. Song Yan recalled and recognized this girl; she was a newcomer from the same batch as him, assigned yesterday at the recruiting hall. The girl raised her sign, showing: Qi Yao, servant, Shadow Puppet 265. Song Yan lifted his gaze from the sign. Qi Yao looked at him intently and seriously said, "Last night you entered the house with that woman but separated today. Why?" Song Yan answered directly, "Because I refused to share the same bed with her." Qi Yao was more direct, "You don’t like women?" Song Yan said, "I just don’t want to be forced to do such things when I’m completely ignorant and surrounded by danger." Qi Yao’s expression softened considerably, saying, "It seems you haven’t lost your mind or given up." Then she softly added, "Last night, I stayed alone in a room, and I saw this morning’s situation, so I know that in this place, it’s gambling with one’s life to want to stay alone. I also saw the women who went with other men into houses and vaguely understood what happened there. I don’t want that, but I must find someone to keep watch together at night. I can’t trust the old servants here, and you... are from the same batch that was abducted with me. Song Yan, you also need a roommate, so... shall we team up?" Song Yan lowered his eyes slightly. Although he could already stay alone in a room and even leave the door open to watch the stars at midnight, through his simulations in comprehension, he understood that nobody could be lucky every day, never dozing off every night. Sooner or later, something would happen within two or three days or at most five or six days. If nothing happened, it meant there was a problem. Not knowing exactly what the "Ghost Profound Root" was, he wouldn’t act rashly. So, he nodded and smiled, "I was actually worrying about what to do tonight." Qi Yao also breathed a sigh of relief, smiling sweetly, "I’ll sit across from you. Tonight... together."