Blood and Vitality Martial Arts

"Heh heh heh... Brother Xiao Bai, you're joking. That isn't underwear—it's Xiao Kui's body structure. As you saw, Xiao Kui really isn't human, but a robot. She's a robot left over from before the Great Cataclysm, found in a shelter and later bought by me."

Bai Ye was secretly astonished. A robot? Such an advanced robot?

He felt the twisted nature of this world more keenly than ever. So many people could not even afford food, yet the rich even had bionic robots in their hands.

"By the way, Brother Xiao Bai, I can see that you're in pretty good physical condition, and there are no signs that you've been injected with genetic medicine. Do you practice blood and vitality martial arts, or are you a transcendent?"

Seeing that Bai Ye could easily keep pace with everyone without even changing expression or breathing heavily, Gao Bancheng had noticed that his physical fitness clearly surpassed that of ordinary people, so he specifically asked.

Blood and vitality martial arts?

Bai Ye was no stranger to the term. His friendly exchange with the officer earlier had taught him quite a bit, including about blood and vitality martial arts.

It sounded mysterious, but it was actually quite ordinary. Put simply, it was exercising the body in conjunction with breathing techniques.

After the Great Cataclysm, the surviving humans had also undergone a certain degree of mutation. Though they looked no different from ordinary people on the outside, something called blood and vitality had appeared within their bodies—a form of biological energy.

Research showed that humans before the Great Cataclysm had actually possessed blood and vitality energy as well, except it had remained hidden within their bodies. The mutation caused by the Great Cataclysm had merely stimulated it into emergence.

After so many years of development, people had continuously studied and used blood and vitality, eventually forming blood and vitality martial arts.

It was not some martial arts secret manual from a wuxia novel. It simply involved using a specific breathing rhythm to mobilize the blood and vitality in one's body, exercise it, and steadily strengthen it, thereby gaining physical fitness far beyond that of ordinary people.

Even without using breathing techniques, it was still possible. As long as one had sufficient nutrition and kept exercising, one's blood and vitality would continue to grow, making the body stronger and stronger. Breathing techniques merely improved efficiency.

Blood and vitality martial arts were also called commoners' martial arts. Anyone could practice them, just as anyone could work out, but achieving anything required tremendous effort. In the end, it still could not compare to the strength a genetically modified person gained from a single injection.

There was a popular saying in the wasteland: the poor relied on hard work—blood and vitality martial arts—while the rich relied on technology—genetic modification and mechanical enhancement.

As for transcendents, wealth made no difference. It all depended on talent and luck.

After thinking for a moment, Bai Ye replied, "Blood and vitality martial arts."

He was not a transcendent, nor had he gotten injections or mechanical enhancements. He had merely plundered some blood and vitality through a forbidden item. Strictly speaking, that counted as part of blood and vitality martial arts.

"Heh heh heh... Brother Xiao Bai truly is a young hero. No one without great perseverance can achieve anything in blood and vitality martial arts. It's clear that Brother Xiao Bai has lofty ambitions!"

Gao Bancheng's high-EQ remark made Bai Ye glance at him sideways. He could praise that too? Was he really forcing the compliment?

Who did not know that blood and vitality martial arts were the path chosen by poor wretches with no other options? Most people practiced blood and vitality martial arts their entire lives, only to end up weaker than someone who had received a single genetic modification injection.

The group chatted as they traveled, and amidst the dangers of Black Mountain, they somehow felt as though they were on a pleasant outing.

Blending into the middle of the group, Bai Ye increasingly felt that his decision had been wise. They were already more than halfway through the journey, and they were expected to reach the vicinity of Shelter 189 tomorrow.

Their rapid progress was truly thanks to Gao Bancheng, Li Xiao, and the others. Gao Bancheng had a map of Black Mountain that he had acquired at great expense, allowing them to avoid many detours.

For some reason, Li Xiao seemed to have gone mad. He appeared eager to show off his strength before Li You. Along the way, he never allowed anyone else to make a move. Whenever they encountered mutated beasts or mutated plants, he would always rush to the front, killing them with all manner of flashy techniques.

After killing them, he would even turn back to look at Li You.

At night, the already quiet Black Mountain sank into utter silence.

Only the faint crackling of burning firewood could be heard.

Bai Ye roasted wild rabbit meat beside the campfire, looking utterly at ease.

"We saved quite a bit of time again today, hehe..."

2 minutes and 49 seconds!

That was all the time he had left now. Ever since joining the group, he had not used Time Stop again. Every crisis had been handled by the others.

He took out the golden pocket watch and checked it. In another three hours, he would gain another minute!

Nothing unexpected must happen. Don't make me waste any more time. Let me get through tonight safely...

Bai Ye prayed as he ate rabbit meat, and then... nothing really happened!

The next morning, the group set off once more.

Along the way, Bai Ye felt slightly dazed. They really had not encountered any danger? The mountain forest was most dangerous at night, yet they had encountered nothing. It felt a little unreal, and he even suspected that the rabbit meat had poisoned him and caused hallucinations.

Before coming to Black Mountain, they had encountered mutated beasts three times a day at the very least.

During his chat with Gao Bancheng, Bai Ye's confusion was answered.