[9] Unorthodox Paths (Seeking Favorites and Recommendations) _1

"""

Midnight.

The moon shone bright with sparse stars.

Pei Jinye sat cross-legged in the confines of his small room. After returning home and eating, his physical strength had recovered a bit, and without delay, he resumed his cultivation of "Drawing Blood Art".

This time.

He found that feeling of entering concentration once again.

He stepped back into his spiritual world, and compared to the previous desolation, it now boasted a shade of greenery...

Gradually, the sound of his blood rushing through his body reached his ears.

An odd sensation emerged within him, as if his cells were burning, that boiling feeling throughout his body was nearly identical to the sensation when that transcendent had guided his awakening.

He strained to amplify this touch, but regrettably, it lasted for barely three seconds before fading away.

Pei Jinye looked disappointed.

"Still not enough."

Last time, it was a transcendent who used their extraordinary power to help guide him, while this time, it was truly by his own efforts.

Pei Jinye fell into thought, recalling that sensation.

"All of this... is it because of the fragments of the extraordinary genes?"

He swiftly pulled up his attribute panel.

——

[Name]: Pei Jinye;

[Extraordinary Genes]: Psychic Type (1/3) (Fused Genes: 0);

[Vitality Value]: 1.68;

[Stamina]: 0.5-2.06 (average value for normal people is 1);

[Skills]: Basic Breathing Method (Minor Achievement 5.1%); Drawing Blood Art (Beginner 50.15%);

...

After entering concentration once, his Vitality Value had increased somewhat, but it was still not enough!

Pei Jinye sighed.

Without an attribute light group, this cultivation would take an age to progress.

"Too tired, I'll sleep first…"

Physically exhausted, he had been drained of energy and immediately fell asleep.

The next morning.

Pei Jinye woke up early for a morning run, and after a night of rest and rejuvenation, his physical strength had recovered from last night's 0.5 to 0.97.

It was only during breakfast that he noticed Mother Pei had slipped a hundred yuan beneath him and left a note telling him to have a good meal outside.

Pei Jinye sighed inwardly.

The Bronze Association's food was too expensive... he would have to settle for eating out later.

...

At seven fifty in the morning.

On the training ground.

Zhang He was also there. Seeing Pei Jinye, he immediately put on a smile and waved, "Brother Pei."

Pei Jinye remained expressionless, glancing at him and the tall figure beside him, and nodded, "Morning."

Zhang He, leading the person by his side, introduced, "This is Li Jun. Li Jun, this is Pei Jinye."

The tall, pale-faced young man beside him studied Pei Jinye and simply nodded his head calmly.

Pei Jinye was not one for pleasantries; he was here to train, not to make friends. Picking up a stone from the ground, he began his power practice.

Zhang He stood awkwardly in place.

Li Jun, growing impatient, cast a glance at Zhang He. He had been cultivating the "Drawing Blood Art" himself, but this guy had latched onto him, insisting on introducing him to newcomers. Now that they had met, what was next?

Ignoring Zhang He, Li Jun went off to the other side to start his own power practice.

Zhang He approached Pei Jinye and asked softly, "Brother Pei, is Senior Sister Li coming today?"

Pei Jinye, without turning his head, lifting and squatting with the stone, didn't respond.

Zhang He, rebuffed at the doorway, could only stand sullenly to the side.

After waiting for ten minutes, growing truly restless, Pei Jinye finally finished a set of movements, and Zhang He hurriedly looked at him.

Pei Jinye said calmly, "Do you need something?"

"When is Senior Sister Li coming?"

""

"You don't even know, so how am I, the newbie, supposed to know?"

After speaking, Pei Jinye lifted the stone again.

Zhang He sighed and lowered his voice, "Brother Pei, you must also be aware by now how expensive it is to train here in the Bronze Association... But did you know that some people here don't even eat the cafeteria food? They have specially prepared nutritional meals... for blood replenishment and body strengthening, far more effective than those dietary supplements in the cafeteria."

"None of my business." Pei Jinye didn't even turn back.

Zhang He's face showed a trace of annoyance; this guy was truly incorrigible.

Suddenly, someone arrived at the doorway. His eyes lit up, and he hurried over, "Senior Sister Li!"

Li Xiaoyin frowned, glanced at the trotting Zhang He, then looked at Pei Jinye and Li Jun, who were power practicing, and spoke in a cold voice, "What's the matter?"

Zhang He hurriedly spoke, "I heard you're coaching Old Pei, and I wanted to listen in on the side. Everyone in the Bronze Association knows your Power Practice is the strongest."

"Senior Sister." Pei Jinye approached at this moment.

Li Xiaoyin nodded with an indifferent expression.

Continuing to stare at Zhang He, she rebuked him without any politeness, "Stop thinking about all kinds of nonsense all day. I know all about your affairs, so don't bother me again!"

Zhang He's face turned alternating shades of green and white.

It wasn't until he left the courtyard that he cursed under his breath and kicked a stone fiercely.

"That damn hag!"

"Bang!"

Suddenly, a fist swung out, caving in half of Zhang He's face. Teeth shattered, blood spurted wildly, and he was sent flying.

Li Xiaoyin stood at the doorway, speaking coldly, "Next time you speak disrespectfully, it won't just be a punch!"

Zhang He lay on the ground, covering his mouth, apologizing repeatedly.

Pei Jinye stood in the courtyard, recalling how Senior Sister had vanished in an instant, and goosebumps immediately covered his body.

Senior Sister is so strong!

Is this the strength of a Transcendent?

"Get lost," Li Xiaoyin scolded.

Zhang He scrambled and rolled away to leave.

In the courtyard, Li Jun hesitated for a moment, silently put down the stone, and chose to leave as well.

When everyone had left, Li Xiaoyin turned around and also gave Pei Jinye a cold look.

Pei Jinye felt tense at the bottom of his heart.

The seemingly peaceful Bronze Association was, in fact, strictly hierarchical.

After the courtyard fell silent for a while, Li Xiaoyin stared at him sharply and asked, "Do you know Zhang He?"

Pei Jinye shook his head, honestly saying, "No, I don't."

He then recounted how Zhang He had tried to make contact yesterday and mentioned Li Xiaoyin.

Li Xiaoyin looked at him for a moment, her attitude softened slightly, "Stay away from such rotten people in the future. Since you've come to the Bronze Association, you should focus on cultivating. Don't think about shortcuts like him. A martial artist without dignity is worse than a rotten dog!"

It was the first time Pei Jinye saw Senior Sister so angry, but she didn't say what had happened.

She just pointed to the stone on the ground.

"Practice."

…

Pei Jinye didn't voice a word of complaint, silently power practicing under Li Xiaoyin's guidance, cultivating the "Drawing Blood Art".

The short weekend passed by.

The stone Pei Jinye was lifting for his power practice had now reached 70 pounds, which even made Li Xiaoyin click her tongue in wonder.

"Your strength is quite good, perhaps you might have the chance to awaken Extraordinary Genes of the strength type in the future."

Seeing that Li Xiaoyin was in a good mood, Pei Jinye hurriedly asked, "Senior Sister, after awakening as a Transcendent, how does one cultivate?"

Li Xiaoyin smiled, "You're thinking too far ahead."

Nevertheless, she continued, "If high school students like you awaken, you'll either choose Wu University or be picked up by the Military Department.

Each Extraordinary Gene awakening just provides the basic Extraordinary Power, so don't think you can do whatever you want after awakening. You'll still need to choose the appropriate cultivation techniques. For example, with the Extraordinary Genes of the strength type, you can choose the King Kong Cover path or opt for offensive type Martial Arts."

Pei Jinye was surprised, "Can't one cultivate both? Or awaken other Extraordinary Genes?"

Li Xiaoyin looked at him, "I've also thought about that before, but I have to admit that one's energy is limited. When you choose a path, whether you can finish it in your lifetime is hard to say, let alone choosing another path... and I've never heard of anyone having a second awakening."

Pei Jinye pondered for a moment.

It seemed he didn't need to worry about this issue.

Is there anything that can't be solved by merging? If there is, then merge again!