After comprehending the complete "Profound Qi Guiding Technique," Song Yan spent another year of life trying the difference between the full version and the reduced version, and found that the evil profound he could absorb each year increased from "4 wisps" to "20 wisps".
This made him quite emotional.
A mere difference in cultivation techniques led to a fivefold efficiency gap; this was just the most basic "Profound Qi Guiding Technique." If it were some other secret technique, who knows how much wider the gap would be.
Even in the same environment and with the same Profound Root talent, different cultivation techniques could result in vastly different outcomes.
In other words, with his inferior Ghost Profound Root, it took him twenty-five or six years in this bloody mist environment to advance to the first layer of Refining Profound. But if he had started with the complete version of the "Profound Qi Guiding Technique," it would have taken only five years.
This was just the impact of the cultivation technique alone.
Other influences and variables were undoubtedly more numerous.
Some may achieve in a year or even a few months what took him twenty-five or six years.
After a brief thrill following his breakthrough, Song Yan calmed down. After a brief analysis, he thought of the deep scheming of a servant like Wang Susu and recalled those servants who lost their lives for various reasons. This made him increasingly cautious.
In the Demon Sect, life is very cheap.
People die every day.
If they die, they die.
'This place is full of crises, with too many unknowns. To survive, one must better understand this environment and then consider the future.'
Song Yan glanced at Qi Yao, who had returned to her seat and was furiously making skins, and he picked up the carving knife.
Today, he decided to carve two skins, one tomorrow, two the day after, mixing it up so as not to stand out.
When he collected 30 skins, he would have 1 Contribution Point. By then, using Contribution Points, he could access new environments and gather more information.
...
...
That night...
No moonlight, autumn rain fell on the mountains, instantly enveloping the thousand peaks and valleys,
Inside the Suspended Room, once the six blankets were drawn, it was so dark that one couldn't see their fingers. Though there were some lighting items in the Demon Sect, newly arrived servants could not own them.
During the night watch, Song Yan moved slightly, making a little noise. From the bed came Qi Yao's tense and alert voice.
"What are you doing?"
"Itching."
"Where's itching?"
"Leg."
"Which part of the leg?"
"..."
"Song Yan, I'm telling you, I've read the 'Profound Qi Guiding Technique,' just like you have. Whatever you know, I know too. So don't even think about siphoning my Yin energy!"
"Don't you want to absorb my Yang energy?"
"I don't!" Qi Yao answered decisively, then continued, "However, I know this is your only chance.
On this isolated cliff, without Profound Stones, without Elixirs, the overlooked disciples must all have inferior Profound Roots.
In this situation, the only way to cultivate a wisp of Profound Qi in a year is through Dual Cultivation, by siphoning Yin and Yang energy.
The Demon Sect is like this.
Yet, I never thought you'd manage to successfully extract the 'Profound Qi Guiding Technique' from the Jade Scroll, as even among the servants, inferior Profound Roots aren't common."
The imposing young girl sighed softly, then said, "Tomorrow, you should move out and find a girl without Profound Root talent to be with."
Song Yan asked, "And what about you."
Qi Yao coldly replied, "I will live alone."
In the darkness, Song Yan narrowed his eyes, his lips moved as if to speak, but he swallowed his words.
Though he had lived in the same room as Qi Yao for several days and they got along well, how much did he really know about her?
Qi Yao's demeanor made him feel there was something off.
No.
Not strange, but out of place with her identity as a servant.
Servants, whose lives aren't even guaranteed, would never hate "the Demon Sect" or likely know so much about Profound Root, especially Ghost Profound Root. Nor could they conveniently successfully extract the "Profound Qi Guiding Technique." Her calm attitude seemed to imply she knew she would succeed right from the start.
Qi Yao has secrets.
Songs Yan also has his own.
It's a grave mistake to speak too deeply in a shallow relationship.
He couldn't make such a mistake just because she was beautiful.
So it's better they part ways.
Thus, Song Yan gently advised, "Sister Qi, you are a good person. But you'd better not live alone. Look for someone else."
Qi Yao remained silent.
The two were silent the entire night. At dawn the next day, the rain stopped, and soon it was daylight. After leaving the Suspended Room, they acted like strangers, avoiding eye contact, and even in the Tannery they didn't sit together.
...
...
Chirr, chirr chirr, chirr chirr chirr...
Song Yan lowered his head, carefully scraping the animal skin on the stone table.
After entering the first layer of Refining Profound Realm, the Profound Qi, like a small stream, meandered within his body, nurturing his flesh and blood.
He was much stronger than before, and when wielding the knife, his wrist and fingers no longer felt pain.
However, he didn't show ease or speed, working just as he did the previous day.
After a while, he blew away the remaining hairs and was about to proceed to the next step when he noticed a tall girl walking toward him quickly. Behind her, a man suddenly realized and hastily got up to follow.
The tall girl quickened her pace, and the man chased closely.
The girl started running, surprising the man, who then suddenly sped up.
With a scream, the girl dashed toward Song Yan like she was fleeing for her life, then sat down quickly across from him. The man paused, glanced at Song Yan, but dared not approach.
The girl had a quiet demeanor, seemed somewhat knowledgeable and cultured, with a delicate face and rounded hips, not like someone familiar with hardships, suggesting she came from a well-off family before being captured here.
Song Yan vaguely remembered her as one of the new batch of servants who came with him.
Now, panting, the girl looked pitifully at Song Yan, nervously and expectantly saying, "Brother Song, are you now alone?"
Song Yan replied, "Yes."
The girl quickly took out a servant's Black Wooden Token and showed it hurriedly. On it was carved: Qiu Lianyue, servant, Shadow Puppet 517.
"Brother Song, I want to be with you." Qiu Lianyue said urgently, "I'm still a virgin; I've let no other man touch me."
Song Yan asked, "Why choose me?"
Qiu Lianyue replied, "Yesterday among the hundred or more people, only five managed to successfully extract the cultivation technique from the Jade Scroll, and Brother Song, you were one of them. You have the potential to become an Official Disciple of the Shadow Puppet Peak, and I... I have no talent, so I want to follow you."
She clasped her hands tightly, her body slightly trembling.
Song Yan nodded.
He indeed needed a woman; otherwise, he couldn't explain "how he successfully guided Profound Qi" a year later.
Qiu Lianyue completely relaxed, and the man standing nearby also stopped staring and hurriedly walked away.
With the potential to become an Official Disciple, he was already above what these servants could aspire to, and in terms of status, he was higher.
Even if trouble arose, an Official Disciple wouldn't care about right or wrong and would directly side with those with potential to become an Official Disciple.
Qiu Lianyue had initially shared a room with him, but during their time together, though the man attempted several times to claim her body, he never got close. She held a sharp stone from the cliff edge, like a dagger, firmly pointed at him, refusing to let him near him.
He once thought this woman might be quite chaste, but now it seems... she was unwilling to let him touch her but actively sought protection from another man; she merely wanted to trade her body for shelter.
As the man walked away, he cursed softly, "Slut."
Naturally, Song Yan understood Qiu Lianyue's intention and found it amusing.
Indeed, he didn't require Dual Cultivation, but for someone else, this girl... wasn't she a sheep delivering itself to a lion, courting death?
Was this girl wrong in her actions?
No, she made what she thought was the best choice. It was merely due to a lack of information.
Song Yan privately felt a sigh in his heart.
Just as this girl inappropriately judged due to lack of information, he knew he could do so as well.
Observing more, listening more, concealing one's capabilities, and making fewer judgments are the key to survival.
Seeing Qiu Lianyue still trembling all over and emotionally unstable, Song Yan said, "Let's work, don't fall behind with today's Shadow Puppet progress."
Qiu Lianyue sweetly smiled, then took a deep breath as if surviving a disaster, collected her animal skin and the scraping knife, and sat opposite Song Yan, scraping skillfully.