Demons and monsters wreak havoc: gain one new confidante every day.

Shen You lay on the ground, listening to the system notification in her ear. Only then did her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settle down.

Unexpectedly, his desperate gamble by coming to this lotus pond actually resulted in him capturing a female ghost.

This feat is comparable to getting something for nothing.

"Well……"

Shen You let out a soft hum, feeling a surge of heat coursing through her body once again.

He felt his cells being reactivated, releasing a slight electric current that made his muscles bulge and his tendons and fascia become stronger.

His vision brightened slightly again, and he could see more clearly in the darkness. The sounds of insects chirping and birdsong he heard were also clearer and louder.

With his bone density exceeding 110, he underwent another transformation!

"That was really tough!"

Even with a system like the "Fate Jade," he still found growth too difficult. Mainly, he simply didn't have time to develop slowly; there were always various problems forcing him to move forward rapidly.

If he had a choice, he wouldn't have come to this lotus pond to deceive a female ghost. It was dangerous, and he felt a pang of guilt about it.

But in order to survive better in this oppressive inner courtyard, he had no choice but to take the risk.

Fortunately, it finally had a good ending.

"Liu...Shen Lang..."

San Niang, who was leaning against Shen You's chest, noticed something was wrong and looked up to ask, "Your body seems to have suddenly changed..."

Shen You smiled: "It changed because of you..."

"Because of me?" Third Sister frowned in confusion.

"I came for you, and my body was born for you, so when I hold you in my arms, I feel joy in my heart and my body becomes stronger."

Shen You gently stroked San Niang's fragrant shoulder and made up some nonsense.

Upon hearing this, Third Sister blushed and lowered her head.

Shen You couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Having developed a thick skin in her previous life in modern society, uttering sweet words in ancient times was far too easy. It was as if she possessed thousands of years of advanced experience; she could casually utter beautiful love words and use any event to please the other person.

"Maybe this is my biggest secret weapon!"

"Shen Lang..." Third Sister then looked up curiously and asked, "How did you come back to life?"

Shen You didn't even know how the "Liu Lang" she was playing died.

But this was no challenge for him.

Shen You smiled slightly: "I originally thought I would never come back to life, but after I had been silent in that darkness belonging to the dead for who knows how long, one day I was suddenly able to open my eyes... I found myself sitting on a futon, with my hands clasped together, and in front of me sat a strong and handsome monk..."

"A handsome monk?" Third Sister asked in confusion.

Shen You smiled and said, "That handsome monk was named Fahai, and the place where I woke up was actually a secluded temple called Jinshan Temple. Master Fahai said that my worldly ties were not yet severed, my love ties were not yet broken, and my life was not yet over, so he helped me rebuild my body and let me return to the world as Shen You. I tried every means to get into this Renxin Hall and finally came to your side."

"I see!" Third Sister grasped Shen You's hand with emotion, and couldn't help but say wistfully, "Master Fahai of Jinshan Temple can actually bring people back to life. What an extraordinary being he must be. If I have the chance, I will definitely thank him in person."

Shen You chuckled inwardly, "Those kinds of masters are elusive and rarely seen; we'll probably never encounter them again... When I left Jinshan Temple, I wanted to remember the way back, but as soon as I stepped out of the temple gate and looked back, I found myself on a small boat on the vast river. Now, even I can't go back."

"Truly worthy of being a senior master!" Third Sister shook her head and sighed.

"Yes, so we don't need to think about the past anymore." Shen You held San Niang's hand. "From now on, it's better for us to live a good life together than anything else."

"Shen Lang..."

"Third Sister..."

For a moment, the two gazed at each other deeply, their eyes meeting, as if they were inseparable.

Watching from the side, Tian Yi'er smiled and couldn't help but shake her head in admiration: "So Brother Shen has such an extraordinary background!"

"Third Sister, to be honest, the reason I risked coming to find you this time is that I inadvertently offended Huang Yaoshi, a doctor at Renxin Hall."

Shen You then spoke up, "Huang Yaoshi broke all four of my limbs and still insisted on taking me as his disciple. I had no choice but to agree."

"His name is Huang Yaoshi? How can he be so domineering?!" Upon hearing this, Third Sister couldn't help but raise her eyebrows sharply.

"That old bastard is such a cold-blooded and domineering person, he should have died long ago!" Shen You added a couple of curses.

"Shen You?" Third Sister was taken aback. "Why... have you become so vulgar?"

"Really?" Shen You smiled without changing her expression. "Maybe it's because I was a hemp clothing apprentice for a while and got corrupted by those hemp clothing people."

Before Third Sister could press further, Shen You casually asked, "Third Sister, in your eyes, was I once a refined and unconventional person?"

"Of course, Shen Lang, you used to..."

As San Niang recounted her story, under Shen You's occasional probing, she revealed many things about Liu Lang from her memories.

It turned out that Liu Lang was actually from a wealthy family in the city, seemingly very influential. He was well-versed in literature and poetry from a young age, possessing exceptional knowledge. He met San Niang at a temple fair and never forgot her. After overcoming several obstacles, the human and the ghost finally realized their mutual affection and confirmed their feelings. Liu Lang even wanted to marry San Niang, but at this point, his family objected.

What follows is a tired, melodramatic plot: Liu Lang, wanting to be with San Niang, runs away from home and elopes with her, only to be hunted down by the family guards. During their escape, their feelings for each other deepen, but on the eve of their planned settlement in a small village, their pursuers find them. To save San Niang, Liu Lang is struck in the chest and dies from his wounds.

At the last moment, Liu Lang helped San Niang escape to Renxin Hall. He had some connection with Renxin Hall, so he was confident that he could hide San Niang here and prevent her from dying at the hands of her family.

So, the Third Sister hid in the lotus pond. Every night, she would lure apprentices and servants who inadvertently wandered to the pond, absorbing a bit of their vital energy without harming them. She would simply erase their memories of the night and let them go the next day. Because those who encountered the Third Sister had incomplete memories, the story spread, and it became known that a harmful demon lived there.

"Third Sister, you've suffered so much..." Shen You sighed. "But I dare not reveal my identity now, and I can't go back to my former appearance. I may have to stay in Renxin Hall for a while longer."

"It's alright, wherever you go, I'll go!" Third Sister said softly.

"Alright, I will never let you down!" Shen You gripped San Niang's hand tightly and said resolutely.

[Affinity value increased; Third Sister's current affinity value: 87 (+2)]