Chapter 24 A Fierce Team

Xu Jingming sighed in admiration, "The Qianfan team doesn't have an archer, but they're all skilled in concealed weapons." Though holding twin shields, Xu Jingming didn't use them to block. Instead, he employed footwork, swiftly stepping aside as two flying axes flashed past him.

"My biggest flaw right now is footwork. If my footwork reaches Tier 3, my strength will increase another level. Maybe then I'll have the qualifications to spar with my master and Senior Lei Yunfang." Xu Jingming was very clear-headed. When Senior Lei Yunfang first revealed his strength in the virtual world, his footwork was already terrifying, let alone now that it had reached a superb level.

The outside world said that Senior Lei Yunfang had the best footwork in the world. His master, Liu Hai, was the strongest in the world!

If his own footwork didn't reach Tier 3, he'd be a mere target in front of Senior Lei Yunfang.

"After the breakthrough in shield techniques, my control over my body's strength is even stronger. With Bajiquan’s Tiger Pounce, I can burst to a speed of 50 meters per second in just two steps. My leg strength is already very high, and I can dodge very quickly. The key now is mastering body balance," Xu Jingming knew this very well.

Combat skills were interconnected. The more skills that reached Tier 3, the easier it would be for other skills to reach Tier 3.

For example, part of the force exertion in spearmanship was similar to shield techniques.

The leg strength used in Bajiquan’s Tiger Pounce was similar to footwork. However, performing a Tiger Pounce was a full-force forward charge. Footwork dodging...was moving in all directions, which was more complex.

"Bang, bang." Liu Chongyuan held a large shield in one hand, using it to block the flying axes.

Yang Qingshuo wielded a spear, and Heng Fang wielded a serpent spear. They both dodged the flying axes that came at them almost simultaneously, even using their spears to block them.

Just as they narrowly blocked the flying axes, the five members of the Qianfan team charged in front of them.

"Kill!" Hao Fan roared, charging forward first with his twin blades.

"Kill!" The four behind him, except for one holding twin shields, also wielded twin blades. Each and every one of them feared no death, charging toward Xu Jingming and the other three.

...

Wang Yi, who was not far away, frowned as she watched this scene. "The five members of the Qianfan team are all wearing light armor. Now they're entangled with the captain and the others. With the changes in footwork at close range, by the time my arrow is shot, when it reaches them... they will definitely have moved to another position. Knowing of my existence, they must be very careful and won't easily give me a chance."

"What a reckless team," Wang Yi thought, quickly approaching.

"As long as the distance is close enough! With one arrow, their bodies won't have time to move much," Wang Yi's killing intent was sharp.

"The archer is approaching, we must fight desperately! Otherwise, we'll have no chance!" Hao Fan ordered in the team voice channel.

"Yes, Master."

"Yes, Brother."

"Yes, Captain!"

The team members became even more frenzied.

Except for Xu Jingming, who was holding twin shields and deliberately practicing his footwork, mainly dodging and occasionally blocking with his shields, Heng Fang, Yang Qingshuo, and Liu Chongyuan were all in extremely dangerous situations. Xu Jingming calmly watched this scene. His teammates needed enough pressure!

"Pfft." "Pfft."

Yang Qingshuo and Hao Fan simultaneously left wounds on each other. Yang Qingshuo pierced Hao Fan's left arm with a spear, while Hao Fan slashed Yang Qingshuo's chest with a blade. But Yang Qingshuo unloaded his strength, and the slash wasn't solid enough, only leaving a crack with blood seeping out, but it wasn't fatal.

"Pfft!"

A blade stabbed straight into Heng Fang's chest. Heng Fang's serpent spear also killed a member of the Qianfan team. He looked in surprise at the young man who had pierced his chest—Hao Qianyun.

"Good swordsmanship," Heng Fang praised. He was confident in his serpent spear techniques, taking on two opponents alone and killing one, but Hao Qianyun's swordsmanship was unexpectedly ruthless.

As he praised, Heng Fang and the Qianfan team member both turned into nothingness and disappeared.

"Swish, swish, swish!!!"

Wang Yi had already arrived close and directly fired arrows rapidly at close range, shooting arrow after arrow at the Qianfan team members.

The Qianfan team members were all engaged in close combat with Xu Jingming and the others, making it difficult to escape. At a distance of 30 meters... and in close combat, each arrow was supersonic. Almost instantly, three members of the Qianfan team fell, including the seriously injured Captain Hao Fan!

At this moment, only one member of the Qianfan team was still alive—Hao Qianyun.

Now, the arrows were only targeting Hao Qianyun alone.

"Bang, bang, bang."

Hao Qianyun wielded his twin blades, like layers of floating clouds. Under the interlacing, he actually blocked Wang Yi's arrows one after another.

"Is there anyone among you who dares to fight me one-on-one?" This gentle youth, Hao Qianyun, now had a hint of ferocity. "Archer, do you dare to fight me one-on-one?"

"Let me fight him one-on-one!" Wang Yi shouted, her eyes full of fighting spirit. Liu Chongyuan, Yang Qingshuo, and Xu Jingming all temporarily retreated. They also admired Hao Qianyun, the last member of the Qianfan team, and respected their teammate.

"Kill!"

Hao Qianyun's eyes faintly turned red as he charged straight at Wang Yi, his footwork changing as he lunged.

Wang Yi stood on the spot, not moving at all, simply drawing her bow and shooting arrows.

Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish!!!!!!!

She shot arrows at the fastest speed, rapid-firing! At such a short distance, Wang Yi terrifyingly shot six arrows in a row! Although the bow and arrows were special, the most important thing was Wang Yi's terrifying archery skills.

Hao Qianyun relied on his footwork and his defensive twin blade techniques to approach Wang Yi to within ten meters. It was too close, and he failed to block the final, sixth arrow.

"Swoosh." However, at the same time as he charged close, Hao Qianyun also threw out his twin blades.

Pfft!

The arrow pierced Hao Qianyun's brow, causing his body to turn into illusion.

The twin blades also arrived in front of Wang Yi very quickly. Wang Yi narrowly dodged, but one blade grazed Wang Yi's shoulder, cutting a wound, and blood stained the robe draped over her soft armor.

Even when injured, Wang Yi's eyes remained calm and collected. She looked at Xu Jingming and the other three.

The four members of the team also turned into illusion and left the battlefield. Limo Team won!

"The Qianfan team is so fierce, all of them have practiced concealed weapons." In the official Xia Country live broadcast room, the audience watched excitedly. The male commentator praised, "Especially this Hao Qianyun. His swordsmanship is exquisite when defending and vicious when attacking! Heng Fang didn't expect that viper-like blade and was stabbed in the chest. Although the Qianfan team was completely wiped out, they finally killed one member of the Limo team."

"Hao Qianyun's one-on-one with Wang Yi at the end was also very thrilling. If, at the last moment, Hao Qianyun had thrown a faster and sharper hand axe instead of the heavier twin blades in his hands! He might have killed Wang Yi," the female commentator also praised.

"Sister Ju, Hao Qianyun had no choice. Wang Yi's close-range rapid-fire arrows were too threatening. He had to use his twin blades to block the arrows. At the last moment, he could only throw out his twin blades. There was no time to grab a hand axe!" the male commentator said.

The female commentator nodded. "Wang Yi is also very powerful. Even until she was injured in the one-on-one with Hao Qianyun, her expression didn't change at all. So calm."

"Wang Yi was able to win three Olympic archery championships because she was stable, so stable that she made other athletes despair," the host Liu Xin said. "With the opening of the virtual world and the evolution of humanity, Wang Yi's archery skills are much stronger than before. It's just that there's still some gap between her and Zhou Yi... I'm looking forward to Wang Yi reaching Zhou Yi's level."

"That's only a matter of time," the female commentator said with a smile. "The strength of experts will gradually improve. Wang Yi will reach Zhou Yi's level sooner or later."

"By that time, Zhou Yi might be even stronger," the male commentator said with a smile.

...

Xu Jingming and the five appeared in the stands.

"I've embarrassed everyone," Heng Fang said with shame. "I'm the only one in our team who was killed."

"This is also a tempering process," Xu Jingming said. "Being killed shows that the pressure was great enough."

Wang Yi nodded. "That Hao Qianyun is quite powerful. He should have reached the limit of Tier 2 in all aspects, and his swordsmanship is quite inspired."

Heng Fang also agreed, "His defense is impeccable, and his attacks are like a viper, without any warning. And he looks younger than us."

"What's our team's combat strength like? We won't be ranked fifteenth or sixteenth, will we?" Yang Qingshuo said.

"The four of you can be considered to have done your best," Xu Jingming said with a smile. "I also fought with one of the opponent's members. Although I mainly dodged and occasionally counterattacked, I still had the advantage... In the system's evaluation, I should be stronger than the opponent's member. Adding the fully unleashed combat power of the four of you... the combat power ranking should be okay, not at the bottom."

"We really fought hard," Yang Qingshuo said.

"Yes." Wang Yi also nodded. Hao Qianyun's threat to her at the end was also very strong, and she had to give it her all.

Xu Jingming and the five of them also walked towards the place where their relatives and friends gathered.

"My five teammates, thank you for your hard work." Li Miaomiao greeted them with a smile. "As a substitute member, it feels so good to win like this."

"In this match, you and the captain were the two most relaxed," Heng Fang also teased.

"Being relaxed means having strength!" Li Miaomiao held Xu Jingming's arm, proudly.

"Dad!"

Three girls ran towards Liu Chongyuan.

"Dad, you're awesome!" A boy also ran towards Yang Qingshuo.

"Mom, you're so cool!" A girl hugged Wang Yi.

Heng Fang covered his head when he saw this. "Everyone has kids. I'm so envious."

Xu Jingming and Li Miaomiao looked at each other. At this moment, they also wanted to have a child.

In a relaxed and entertaining atmosphere, Xu Jingming and his relatives and friends watched the next few matches.

At 8 a.m., the first round of the Huozhong Cup National Competition, all sixteen matches were over, and the sixteen winning teams were selected.