Chapter 145 Extreme Outbreak

The third level of the Starry Sky Tower, the tropical rainforest environment.

In the dim and humid rainforest, vines grew wildly. Xu Jingming, wielding dual shields like a phantom, dashed through the forest. Meanwhile, large, ferocious tigers, equally swift and agile, growled as they besieged Xu Jingming, their attacks coordinated naturally.

Bang!

While dodging, Xu Jingming slammed a shield directly onto a tiger's head, staggering it before it tumbled and scrambled back to its feet.

"My body is like fire. When I think, my body explodes."

"The shield techniques taught by my master lean towards control, treating the enemy like chess pieces. That's meant to complement the 'body like water' state." Xu Jingming thought, "I'm different from my master. Although I've reached Tier 3 and broken through with my evolutionary method, my body is like thunder and fire, erupting with a single thought. Therefore, my spearmanship, shield techniques, and even footwork should suit my style."

"My shield techniques shouldn't be about control but also about explosive power! The ultimate explosive power!"

"Explosive power!"

Xu Jingming's eyes faintly reddened as he charged headlong, each shield strike sending a large tiger flying. A jab with the edge of his shield caused another tiger to cough up blood and suffer severe injuries. Clearly, after breaking through with his evolutionary method, his physical fitness was no less than these large tigers, and his skill gave him an advantage.

As long as the tiger king didn't attack, the tiger pack's siege was excellent practice.

"Baji, Tiger Pounce!" Xu Jingming exerted force with both feet, rushing forward in two steps. His entire figure blurred as his dual shields collided head-on with a charging tiger like two giant tiger claws.

Bang!!!

With his dual shields against the large tiger, Xu Jingming stood his ground, his feet sinking to knee-level in the ground, while the large tiger was thrown backward. After landing, blood foam spewed from its mouth and nose as it twitched slightly, no longer moving.

"The explosive force of the Baji Tiger Pounce is relatively smooth. But with other moves, the force feels awkward." Xu Jingming glanced at his personal combat strength panel. His shield techniques and footwork remained at Tier 2, 99%. Clearly, the virtual world system didn't recognize his shield techniques as having reached Tier 3.

"My Tier 3 spearmanship completely erupts at will, the body's explosive power flowing smoothly with every move. But shield techniques… only one move can barely be considered smooth," Xu Jingming muttered. "I need to practice more."

"If my shield techniques can also break through, my control over my body will be even more perfect." Understanding this, Xu Jingming continued to fight with the tiger pack, the large tigers doing their best to besiege the human.

******

Morning, at home in the courtyard.

Xu Jingming practiced the Heavenly Python Evolution method in the courtyard. In reality, practicing three times a day, with at least an hour between each session, was easy enough.

"Whoosh." After finishing one session, Xu Jingming was flushed red, heat rising from his body as the blood and Qi within him boiled, his muscles and bones vibrating deeply. The natural heat radiating from his body surged and impacted the surroundings.

Li Miaomiao, eating a steamed bun, watched the scene and couldn't help but say, "Jingming, when you practice your evolutionary method, you turn completely red, and I can feel the heat even from several meters away. When I practice, there's no reaction at all."

"When you reach a higher-tier evolutionary method, there will be a reaction," Xu Jingming said, feeling as if there was a huge furnace inside his body, the surging heat affecting his entire body at a deep level.

"I'm only at the elementary stage of the evolutionary method; I'm still far from that," Li Miaomiao sighed. "By the way, the Huozhong Cup competition's main event, in the first round, we're facing the No. 22 team, the Qianfan Team. Have you seen their team information? What do you think?"

"The Qianfan Team only has Hao Fan, who used to be a national team member. The other members are all amateur players; they don't even have an archer," Xu Jingming said. "For a team configuration like that to be ranked No. 22 is quite remarkable."

Li Miaomiao nodded.

"They're a good team, and those amateur players are also rare," Xu Jingming said. "But they pose no threat to us."

"That's good," Li Miaomiao replied.

…

A rural courtyard.

"Bro, the main event starts tonight," a burly young man said. "Our opponent is the Limu Team. Can we win?"

"Qianyun."

A middle-aged man, resembling an old farmer, smiled. "A competition isn't just about winning. It's about discovering your shortcomings and becoming stronger! The virtual world has only been open for a little over a month, so professional players like me and Xu Jingming still have an advantage. But in the later stages, those of you with talent will have a broader future."

"Bro, you've reached the top eight in the world; you're also talented," the young man said.

"Haha, your talent is even greater than mine." Hao Fan smiled. "Regardless, we must admit that the Limu Team has Wang Yi, one of the top three archers in the country, and Xu Jingming, Heng Fang, Yang Qingshuo, and Liu Chongyuan protecting her… Overall, that team is stronger than us. Approach the competition with a learning mindset, with the goal of discovering your shortcomings, and enjoy it."

"The next competition will be when you become famous throughout the country, even throughout the world," Hao Fan said, looking at his younger brother with anticipation. After retiring, he returned to his hometown and began taking in students, teaching them. Among his hometown disciples, his younger brother, Hao Qianyun, had the most potential, even more than he had as a former national team member.

"Okay," Hao Qianyun nodded.

******

The Huozhong Cup competition's main event began promptly at midnight on September 2nd.

The official livestream had a host and two guests.

"The opening battle of the Huozhong Cup is between the Liuhai Oldies and the Changnan Team," host Liu Xin said with a smile. "Let's interview the two teams first."

The six members of the Liuhai Oldies Team and the six members of the Changnan Team stood to the side.

"Let's start with Teacher Liu Hai's team." Host Liu Xin walked to the side and asked with a smile, "Teacher Liu Hai, is there anything you'd like to say to your opponents?"

Liu Hai smiled at his five companions.

Dai Tongda, with his little braids and the highest appearance value, smiled and said, "Changnan Team, we won't hold back! If you want to fight Teacher Liu Hai, you'll have to get past the four of us first."

"You must respect the old and cherish the young," the oldest member, Zhou Fan, said with a chuckle.

"The best way to respect you is to eliminate you," said Liu Bo, the bald-headed captain of the Changnan Team.

…

Moments later, the snowy battlefield.

"Don't shoot, don't shoot," Liu Bo said, covered in blood. "Can you give me a one-on-one chance?"

His four teammates had been shot dead, leaving him alone.

"Old Zhou, your archery is extraordinary. You can definitely compete with the top ten archers," Dai Tongda said with a smile. The old man, Zhou Fan, holding a bow and arrow, laughed heartily, "Zhou Yi's rapid-fire archery was taught by me personally!"

"We'll give you a one-on-one chance," said Xu Hong, the burly and fierce member of the Oldies Team.

Xu Hong was much more burly and weighed much more than his son, Xu Jingming.

"Good!"

Liu Bo became somewhat fierce and charged forward, thinking to himself, "No matter what, I must kill at least one! Otherwise, having no kills would be too miserable."

Liu Bo, wielding dual axes, sprinted across the snowy ground, each step causing the snow to tremble.

"Kill!" Liu Bo charged toward Xu Hong.

He was somewhat moved. Finally, he didn't have to worry about that terrifying arrow!

"Roar~~~"

Xu Hong let out a low roar, his eyes like a tiger's. The Savage Tiger Evolution method he practiced allowed him to unleash terrifying power in two steps, his dual shields slamming out! It was a move he had practiced for forty years! His entire life dedicated to this one move!

Compared to Xu Jingming, Xu Hong's moves were purer, more direct, even containing Xu Hong's spiritual will.

No one can stop my pounce!

Even if the sky falls, one pounce will open it!

Baji! Tiger Pounce!

"Bang!!!"

As the shields collided, Liu Bo, furiously hacking with his dual axes, felt a terrifying force transmitted to him, involuntarily lifting his feet off the ground and flying backward.

"咻!" A flying knife passed through Liu Bo's neck as he flew backward.

Dai Tongda, holding the flying knife in his hand, smiled and said, "Kid, let me tell you a principle: in a competition, don't trust your opponents."

The Changnan Team was completely defeated!