Chapter 271: Beast Bloodlines and Martial Artists

Chen Shu lay half-reclined on the bed, took a pillow, held it to his chest, and unhurriedly took out his Mobile Phone.

Chen Shu: Chen Banxia

Chen Shu: When are you going to advance to the Sixth Stage?

Chen Banxia: I'm not in a rush.

Chen Banxia: I haven't really been cultivating much lately.

Chen Banxia: Anyway, I'll cultivate to the Sixth Stage at most and won't go any higher. At least I can still live for two or three hundred years; it's the same whenever I advance.

Chen Banxia: What about you?

Chen Banxia: I suggest you only cultivate to the Sixth Stage too.

Chen Banxia: The Sixth Stage is enough for everything. You have abundant Spirit Power, you can fly, you have enough self-preservation ability, your lifespan is only limitedly shorter than the High-Tier, you don't have the terrifying Spirit Decay symptoms of the High-Tier, and it's too hard to advance to the High-Tier. You cultivate every day, spending your time and energy on it—it looks like you live a few decades longer, but in reality, you live over a hundred years less. The Sixth Stage has the best cost-performance ratio.

Chen Banxia:?

Chen Banxia: Asking you.

Chen Shu: /yawn

Chen Shu: Going to sleep.

Chen Banxia: /frenzied /frenzied /frenzied

Chen Shu: Goodnight, dear sister.

Chen Banxia: Goodnight, annoying brother.

Chen Shu: You don't play by the rules of martial arts.

Chen Banxia: You started it.

Chen Shu: /yawn

Chen Shu closed the messaging app and opened the Ancient Cultivation Group again.

Qingcai Keke: Fellow group members, those who haven't advanced to the Sixth Stage, pay attention.

Qingcai Keke: There is now an Auxiliary Potion available, Secret Sect formula, out of print in the current world, production date this July, long-term validity. Whoever wants it can start bidding in the group. The highest bidder gets it; you won't find this shop again after passing this village.

Grandma Always Says: /raise hand

Grandma Always Says: I bid five!

Qingcai Keke: Group owner, please mute this person @Haoran Zhengqi

Grandma Always Says: /give you a big slap

Haoran Zhengqi: /cracking melon seeds

Door of All Wonders: Amitabha, thanks to the blessing of the Tuoling Sect, my sect has already obtained two potions from the Spirit Sect.

Green Lamp Ancient Buddha: Amitabha, +1

Just Call Me Luo Huaian: +1

Grandma Always Says: Out of print in the current world, hahaha, dying of laughter.

Qingcai Keke: /helpless

Qingcai Keke: Does anyone else want it? I'm not making a profit, I'll sell it for whatever you pay.

Grandma Always Says: /eagerly raises hand

Grandma Always Says: I bid one!

Qingcai Keke: /smile

Grandma Always Says: Didn't you say you'd sell it for whatever I pay? /confused

Qingcai Keke: @Beauty with Eight-Pack Abs

Qingcai Keke: Junior sister, come quickly.

Beauty with Eight-Pack Abs: Coming, coming.

Beauty with Eight-Pack Abs: I can't afford the price for now, senior brother, save it for me. I'm going to sell some Imperial Sect heritage and some Spirit Plants I picked in the forest.

Qingcai Keke: The money doesn't matter.

Qingcai Keke: I'll sell it for whatever you pay.

Qingcai Keke: Anyway, I don't have any costs.

Beauty with Eight-Pack Abs: That won't do.

Chen Shu pondered for a moment.

Qingcai Keke: @Grandma Always Says

Grandma Always Says: What are you doing?

Qingcai Keke: Good, you have no shame at all.

Grandma Always Says: Shame about what?

Grandma Always Says: What's wrong?

Grandma Always Says: /looking left and right

Qingcai Keke: Goodnight, group members.

Door of All Wonders: Actually, I've always been curious.

Grandma Always Says:?

Door of All Wonders: Grandma, your cultivation level was about the same as ours before. Although Qingcai has made rapid progress, they were originally behind us. Why did you suddenly have a qualitative leap after disappearing for just a short period of time?

Grandma Always Says: Heh.

Grandma Always Says: I was letting you guys win before because the difference in talent was too great. I was just a tiny bit more diligent a while ago, and the gap naturally widened.

Grandma Always Says: You can't even figure this out?

This person is really putting on quite an act!

Chen Shu typed rapidly.

Qingcai Keke: She and I were stranded overseas, and we accidentally obtained an Acceleration Card for half a year, and then obtained an Experience Pill, and that's how it is.

Gate of All Wonders: So that's how it is.

Grandma Always Says: /question mark face

Only then did Chen Shu close his Mobile Phone with satisfaction.

Daily Cultivation.

……

Yujing gradually transitioned from late autumn into winter.

The weather turned cold and also became coy; sunny days grew fewer, while overcast and cloudy days increased. Rain no longer fell as crisply and neatly as it did in summer, instead becoming a multi-day installment payment. Morning fog became a frequent visitor to the world, and people felt even less like getting out of bed.

The Underground Arena outside the city, however, was bustling with activity.

Two Five-stage Martial Artists were fighting fiercely on the Arena, and the cheers from the audience were like a tidal wave.

One of them was Brother Jiang, who had many female fans.

Chen Shu had also seen the other one; she was a female Martial Artist. He had seen her duel two years ago when he first came here to watch a match.

Coincidentally, the female Martial Artist also had many female fans.

One side called themselves the contestant's "moms," while the other side called the contestant "big sister."

However, after both reached the Five-stage, ticket prices rose sharply, setting a higher threshold for spectators. On the other hand, their strength and the intensity of their duels increased, which also attracted a group of hardcore viewers. Therefore, the overall quality of the fans off-stage improved, and their shouting was basically on point.

"Brother Jiang is really good at taking a beating."

Chen Shu said vaguely while watching.

When entering the venue, he saw roasted sweet potatoes being sold outside and couldn't help but buy two. They were fresh out of the oven, piping hot, and he gave one to Brother Meng.

At first, Brother Meng was a bit coy, perhaps rarely eating such food in public, but led by Chen Shu, he quickly let go.

The roasted sweet potato had no packaging, wrapped in a paper bag and then a plastic bag on the outside. The way to eat it wasn't refined either; you just held it and gnawed. After biting through the sweet potato skin, the inside was a vibrant orange-red, and the rich, sweet fragrance drifted away with the heat, which was very tempting in this cold winter.

"Who the hell eats roasted sweet potatoes?"

A gruff roar came from behind.

Chen Shu couldn't help but turn his head and saw a burly man with a thick beard. He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow: "What? Want me to share some with you?"

"Damn it! Making the whole place smell so fragrant!"

"Haha..."

Chen Shu withdrew his gaze and continued watching the match.

"Brother Chen..." Meng Chunqiu leaned closer to Chen Shu and lowered his voice, "Aren't you afraid that person will look for trouble with you?"

"With you here, Brother Meng, who in Yujing would dare do anything to me?"

"That is true..."

Meng Chunqiu received a satisfactory answer and also withdrew his gaze, continuing to look at the Arena.

It was quite interesting. Last time he saw this female Martial Artist, in three matches, her duel with another Five-stage Martial Artist was the main event, and Brother Jiang was just a side dish. Now, Brother Jiang could already compete on the same stage as her and had already gained the upper hand—as a contestant whose fighting style leaned toward defense but actually had strong attacks, Brother Jiang had already consumed most of the female Martial Artist's Spirit Power and stamina, while he himself had only suffered minor injuries. To him, rounding it up, it was equivalent to not being injured at all.

The outcome had actually already been decided.

Even Meng Chunqiu could see this point.

Chen Shu focused his attention on the female Martial Artist.

Two years ago, she lost the match mainly due to her hard strength, but now she had made up for it.

The female Martial Artist continued her previous fighting style: fast speed, fast reactions, and attacks like a violent storm. Even if the opponent fought back, she rarely blocked, instead using the moment the opponent attacked to find their flaws in order to deliver a more violent counterattack.

Compared to two years ago, the biggest difference in the female Martial Artist was that her skin had become fairer.

It used to be wheat-colored, but now it was snow-white.

However, her skin was still wheat-colored when she went on stage; it turned white during the fighting process, and every time she threw a punch, a faint light appeared on her body. This came from a Sixth Stage Beast Bloodline called "Pegasus," which could provide a dual bonus to burst and endurance.

The so-called fusion of Beast Bloodline is actually not the fusion of the beast's genes.

In modern medical terms, what is fused is the special power contained in the beast bloodline.

According to Chen Shu's understanding, what is actually fused is that power from the Star Alliance that turns ordinary creatures into beasts.

This is a very ancient method of increasing a Martial Artist's combat power, but there are differences between ancient and modern times:

In ancient times, fusing a Beast Bloodline was a very cruel thing—not cruel to the beast, but cruel to the Martial Artist. At that time, there were no specific types of beasts used for fusing bloodlines. Everyone would choose beasts of different types and strengths according to their own needs and expectations. The blood of any beast could be used for fusion. The method was complex and primitive, and the process was painful and dangerous. Those who could survive would naturally become stronger; the stronger the beast, the higher the danger, and the greater the amplification.

Those who couldn't survive, naturally didn't survive.

Now it is an industrial society, technology is developed, and there are many rules and regulations. This practice has basically been banned, and the methods have been sealed. Perhaps only a few remote places that are backward and do not care about human life still use it.

Modern times have successively broken through some Beast Bloodlines and made them into potions. As long as these Beast Bloodlines are implanted, the fusion process is very safe.

Chen Shu had checked relevant information. There are about dozens of broken-through Beast Bloodlines, and less than half can be bought through common channels. The prices and amplification directions are different. It is worth mentioning that Yiguo does not allow civilians to implant Beast Bloodlines; it is only done for military Martial Artists in the army. But it is not illegal if you implant one; it's just that there are no channels in the country, and Martial Artists with relevant needs often have to choose one-stop services in surrounding countries.

Generally, Martial Artists will choose to fuse a Beast Bloodline after reaching the Five-stage or when attempting to break through to the Five-stage. The later the better—the stronger one's own strength is, the better one can choose a stronger Beast Bloodline and better fuse the power within the bloodline.

Looking at the Martial King Tournament, the contestants on it almost all fused their Beast Bloodlines after the Sixth Stage.

Brother Jiang has not fused one yet.

Brother Jiang has high aspirations.

Chen Shu finished the roasted sweet potato, licked the skin by the way, crumpled the things in his hand randomly, wrapped them in the plastic bag, and quietly stuffed them into Brother Meng's pocket next to him.

Meng Chunqiu turned his head to look over.

Chen Shu chuckled, having been discovered by him: "You were going to stuff it in yourself anyway."

"..."

Just as Brother Meng wanted to say something, there was an exclamation from the audience, and the offense and defense on the Arena had already swapped.

Brother Jiang turned from defense to offense, punching fast and moving fast. The offensive burst out in an instant was even fiercer than the female Martial Artist's previous one, and the female Martial Artist was already very tired. Not being good at defense, she simply couldn't withstand such an attack.

The cheers off-stage were like a tsunami.

Brother Jiang's kind of outburst, suppressed to the extreme, is also very entertaining to watch; it's just that he looks too baby-faced, otherwise he wouldn't have nothing but "mommy fans."

"Clang!"

The winner has been decided.

Many spectators rushed toward the Arena, paper bills flying down like snowflakes; the scene was, for a time, extremely chaotic.

Although the winner was Brother Jiang, the female Martial Artist was not without attention; apart from a few who lost money and went to hold her accountable, most onlookers expressed affirmation for her spirit of fighting until the very last moment, especially those "little sister fans," who surrounded the Arena with such concern.

"Big sister, are you alright?"

"Big sister, stand up!"

"Big sister, let's fight again next time..."

People who had placed bets went one after another to collect their money.

Chen Shu remained sitting where he was, and when he turned his head to look, Meng Chunqiu had just finished eating a roasted sweet potato and, not knowing where he had pulled it from, was using a silk handkerchief to wipe his mouth.

"Tsk tsk..."

Chen Shu couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

Not until the people had mostly left did he stand up, find Brother Jiang in the backstage area applying medicine, and after waiting for him a while, they returned to school together.

Brother Jiang is now the star of the Arena, having a dedicated car to pick him up and drop him off, and he even has bodyguards, though the bodyguards are for public use; whichever famous contracted Martial Artist of the Arena has a match or needs to put on a show, the bodyguards are dispatched to them, and once finished, they are taken back to be used by others.

It is mainly for putting on a show and blocking fans, and sometimes for protecting "haters" as well.

Chen Shu had also served as this kind of bodyguard before.

The vehicle slowly drove out from the underground garage, and the roasted sweet potato stall on the side of the road was still there, with a burly man with a thick beard squatting by the roadside gnawing on one.