Chapter 1 The First Semi-Final

"Lost?"

"Liu Hai lost?"

The official livestream, which had been excitedly spectating, suddenly fell silent. Countless viewers were dumbfounded.

But immediately following was an uproar! More than six billion viewers erupted in a clamor that swept across the entire livestream like the collapse of heaven and earth. Countless viewers couldn't believe that 'Liu Hai,' the world's number one, had lost just like that!

"The first semi-final is over. Tiano Xili has won and successfully advanced to the final," the female host announced immediately, though she was still in shock.

"Too fast, that last move was too fast." Tu Ling couldn't help but say, "Master Liu Hai was clearly on the offensive the whole time, attacking for more than three minutes, and then Tiano suddenly counterattacked! A single flip of his long staff and he struck Master Liu Hai dead?"

"During the final counterattack, Tiano's footwork was much more agile, and his staff techniques were also much faster," Ye Shalova said. As a divine archer, her eyesight was naturally extraordinary.

"Watch the slow-motion replay."

Halu Singh pointed to the slow-motion combat footage.

In slow motion, it was clear that Tiano's body was terrifyingly agile at the last moment, avoiding Liu Hai's attack. In comparison, Liu Hai seemed much clumsier. Immediately following, Tiano thrust out his long staff!

The speed of the staff technique was also much faster! In the slow-motion replay, it was so fast that it left behind a blurry afterimage.

The staff thrust... the shield technique failed to defend against it, and Liu Hai's right-hand blade barely managed to block it.

The long staff flipped!

Liu Hai's shield immediately moved upward, but it was still too slow. The long staff struck the upper edge of the shield, and almost simultaneously, the head of the staff struck the top of Liu Hai's head.

One strike, fatal.

"Fast," Halu Singh sighed. "Too fast! Master Liu Hai's shield and blade coordination in defense was already close to perfect, but at the last moment... the speed of Tiano's staff techniques allowed him no time to react, and he was struck in the vital point of his head."

"When it's fast to a certain degree, you can't even defend in time," Tu Ling lamented.

Even ordinary viewers could understand the slow-motion scene. The speed of the staff techniques that Tiano Xili unleashed at the end was too fast. Two strikes and he killed Liu Hai.

"Tiano is actually this strong! He used a powerful ultimate move, and two strikes killed Liu Hai."

"As expected of the world's number one genius, ten months after the virtual world opened, he has completely surpassed Liu Hai!"

"Once he gets serious, Liu Hai can't even withstand two strikes."

"This is outrageous."

"It's not that outrageous. Liu Hai is over seventy years old, while Tiano just turned twenty last year. He hasn't experienced any professional competitions. A little over a month after the virtual world opened, Tiano's strength was already close to his. Tiano's talent is truly terrifying."

Countless viewers discussed animatedly.

Although people around the world were shocked by Liu Hai's defeat, they could understand losing to Tiano. After all, Tiano had always been considered the world's number one genius!

The people of Xia, however, were in a bad mood.

"Liu Hai lost."

"Even if he lost, how could he lose so miserably? Once Tiano burst forth, two strikes defeated Liu Hai?"

"A new generation replaces the old!"

The people of Xia sighed with emotion.

...

In the stands, Liu Hai sat alone. He didn't join up with any friends, just sat alone, watching the replay on the livestream.

He could accept defeat!

But being killed by those last two strikes made Liu Hai quite upset. He lost too miserably.

"Reviewing this battle," Liu Hai thought, "In the early stages, Tiano was relying on pure speed, strength, and agility to fight me. Even when I used my two ultimate moves to attack with all my might, he was still relying on basic moves to block and dodge."

"He didn't use any special ultimate moves at all."

"With his talent, the Blue Star civilization must have given him a legacy. Moreover, he also earned contribution points in the previous martial arts hall total score ranking, so he must have also received a legacy and learned the powerful ultimate moves within it."

"But..."

"Just by relying on basic moves, he fought with me for more than three minutes. Only at the last moment did he use his killing move. Once he unleashed his killing move, his footwork was obviously more agile, and his staff techniques were faster." Liu Hai shook his head gently. "A legacy generally contains more than one ultimate move, possibly three or five, or even seven or eight."

"He only just used his first ultimate move and he killed me."

Liu Hai realized this point. "His evolutionary potential far exceeds mine. His foundation is much stronger than mine, so when he uses a powerful killing move, I can't withstand it."

This was the difference in evolutionary potential.

"The last time I sparred with Jing Ming, I discovered that my cultivation of mental awareness was inferior to Jing Ming's," Liu Hai thought to himself. "Clearly, in terms of evolutionary potential, I am inferior to Jing Ming, and also inferior to Tiano."

"Even if I create some ultimate moves of my own, without enough strength and speed to support them, powerful ultimate moves... are just castles in the air." Liu Hai knew very well where he lost this battle.

He lost in the foundation.

Tiano's evolutionary potential was clearly stronger. His strength was at least twice his! His speed was also faster, and he was more agile! Liu Hai could only gain an advantage by using his two self-created ultimate moves, but he couldn't completely win.

And Tiano? He just used an ultimate move and won with two strikes.

"If my strength and speed could match Tiano's, then I would have a chance to win," Liu Hai thought to himself. "The difference in foundation is too great, and moves can't make up for it."

"Jing Ming is about to compete with Tiger Fosson for the other spot in the final."

"I won't bother him. I'll talk to him about some information about Tiano after his battle is over," Liu Hai thought.

******

The World Martial Arts Competition, the first semi-final has ended, and the second semi-final is about to begin.

"Liu Hai has also been eliminated. Now it's up to Xu Jingming."

"Xu Jingming must win."

"Anything is possible in a life-and-death battle. Xu Jingming could also fail. Don't overhype Xu Jingming."

"I believe in Xu Jingming."

The people of Xia were somewhat disappointed by Liu Hai's defeat, but also more nervous and expectant for the next match... Now, Xu Jingming was the only one left from Xia who was still fighting, so the people of Xia naturally hoped that their national expert would go all the way to the end.

Now that Liu Hai had lost, would Xu Jingming also lose?

People weren't confident in their hearts.

After all, more than seven months had passed since he cleared the fourth level of the Starry Sky Tower, and anything was possible.

"The next match will be the second semi-final, with Xu Jingming from Xia facing Tiger Fosson from the White Eagle Federation," the female host said excitedly. "This battle will also determine the final spot in the final."

In the stands.

"It's my turn to go on," Xu Jingming said as he stood up.

"Add oil," Li Miaomiao encouraged her husband.

"Captain, it's all up to you," Wang Yi shouted.

"Brother Xu, you must defeat that Tiger Fosson," Yang Qingshuo said. "I believe in you."

"Hahaha... you little scoundrel!" Grandpa Xu was very excited. "There are over 6.2 billion viewers on the scene, this is an unprecedentedly large stage! The heat is much higher than the esports competitions of my youth. Now all the people of Xia are watching you, they are all nervous and looking forward to your victory! You must go all out, burn yourself, charge, charge, charge, first kill Tiger Fosson, then destroy Tiano Xili, and take the world number one!"

"Charge," Xu Hong and Dai Tongda also raised their fists.

"Yes, first kill Tiger Fosson, then destroy Tiano," Xu Jingming smiled, his fighting spirit becoming even more intense.

In fact, after seeing his master Liu Hai defeated by Tiano, he had a strong urge to fight Tiano, but according to the rules, he had to first qualify for the final! Tiger Fosson, judging from the previous matches, was also a deeply hidden expert, and he couldn't be careless in the slightest.

At this moment, Xu Jingming suddenly saw a figure appear in the distance, it was Liu Hai. Liu Hai's entire aura had also subsided a lot, much more peaceful.

"Master," Xu Jingming said. The others also saw Liu Hai.

"Go all out, first kill your way into the final!" Liu Hai looked at Xu Jingming and encouraged him.

"Yes," Xu Jingming nodded, reached out and tapped lightly, and had already entered the preparation space.