Chapter 51 Some Advantages

Xu Jingming was slightly stunned, then smiled. "The lineage I've learned has some advantages in terms of speed."

Liu Hai sighed. "My current top speed is only 385 meters per second, which is quite a bit slower than you and Tiano. However, combat isn't just determined by strength and speed." Xu Jingming nodded in agreement. Strength, speed, and agility represented ‘basic combat strength.’

But actual combat was ultimately different, and his master's combat skills had always surpassed his own.

"If I'm not mistaken," Liu Hai said, watching the slow-motion replay of the broadcast, "Tiano's best weapon should be the long staff! His staff techniques look simple and unadorned, but they have reached the point of simplifying complexity. One must have enough talent and spend enough time and energy to achieve this."

"Proficient with the long staff?" Xu Jingming nodded. "The staff is a flexible and powerful weapon! If mastered, its power is extraordinary!"

"It's alright; if there's a fight, your master will fight him first." Liu Hai smiled. "Sigh, the commentators have been chatting long enough. Why hasn't the second match started yet?"

"There are only four matches today, and each one will have a slow-motion replay with detailed commentary," Xu Jingming said, looking up.

The first match lasted less than three minutes.

The host and three guests provided commentary for a full half-hour before the second match began.

"I'm off."

Liu Hai disappeared from the stands.

…

Ancient battlefield map.

Liu Hai was burly, wearing armor, with a large shield in one hand and a saber in the other.

Madeline Logan wore light black armor, with gloves on both hands. With short black hair, her deep eyes observed Liu Hai as she said, "Liu Hai, you have been the world's number one since the virtual world opened."

"That's right," Liu Hai nodded with a smile.

"The outside world seems to overwhelmingly favor you," Madeline Logan said. "I'm curious to know just how strong you really are."

"You'll find out soon enough, little girl. Are you sure you're just using gloves?" Liu Hai asked with a smile. "Gloves are at a disadvantage against swords, sabers, and staves."

"Hands are the most flexible," Madeline Logan said. "Liu Hai, be careful."

As soon as Madeline Logan finished speaking, she charged toward Liu Hai, who stood his ground, carefully observing the young woman.

At this moment, the outside world was already buzzing with discussion.

"Leaving aside that Liu Hai is a senior in the martial arts world, just in terms of age, Liu Hai is over seventy years old. Madeline Logan is only in her thirties. To address him by name so casually is just impolite."

"This Madeline Logan seems quite arrogant."

"Liu Hai will soon show her the difference in strength."

Although the citizens of the White Eagle Federation supported Madeline Logan, the global consensus was that Madeline Logan was too presumptuous.

Bang!

The two exchanged blows.

Madeline was immediately sent flying backward. She immediately propped herself up with her left hand, half-squatting on the ground, looking at Liu Hai in astonishment.

"Again," Liu Hai said, smiling as he looked at her.

"Just now, when I punched, he used his shield to defend…" Madeline frowned, recalling the exchange just now. She thought it was normal for her punch to hit the shield, and she even wanted to press the shield to strike Liu Hai's body. She envisioned it beautifully, but in reality, the shield carried a strange rhythm. While blocking her punch, it immediately reversed the force, causing Madeline to fly backward.

Whoosh.

Madeline charged again, her hand forming a claw, trying to grab the shield and flip it away.

But at this moment, a saber flash arrived before her eyes. Madeline immediately blocked with one hand, her gloved left hand stopping the saber.

However, at the moment of contact, Madeline staggered again. Unable to control her strength, Madeline, who was charging at high speed, tumbled and somersaulted before flying backward and landing in the distance.

"When I touched his saber, my strength was disrupted?" Madeline sensed something was wrong.

"This is Liu Hai, the world's number one." In the broadcast, the female host and three guests on the commentary stand were not surprised at all. Alan Emelianenko said, "Liu Hai integrates Tai Chi with various schools. Now, he has reached an immeasurable level. Madeline Logan's strength and speed simply cannot be brought into play. When she comes into contact with Liu Hai, her body's strength is disrupted."

"Each of us has a limited number of body indexes," Miyagawa Akari said. "But our basic combat strength can reach dozens or even higher multiples of our body indexes because we can precisely control our bodies. But if the circulation of our body's strength is affected, our strength will naturally be greatly reduced."

"Madeline Logan is being completely dominated by Liu Hai," Leven Gullit laughed. "This is also normal. There's a reason why Liu Hai can consistently be the world's number one."

"Hmm?"

Director Zhou and the other high-level Blue Star officials were somewhat surprised.

"How can this be?"

"Madeline Logan's basic combat strength is much higher than Liu Hai's! Even if her combat skills are not as good as Liu Hai's… her overall combat strength is not inferior! It shouldn't be such a one-sided battle."

Everyone was puzzled.

These high-level officials could see the combat strength panels of these experts and knew that Madeline Logan's basic combat strength was higher, and her overall combat strength was comparable to Liu Hai's.

…

Madeline Logan's two attacks were crushed, causing her expression to change slightly. "I didn't want to bully people with strength and speed, but it seems that I have to go all out." She hadn't expected that this was only the quarterfinals, and she was being forced to give it her all.

"Boom." Madeline Logan tapped her foot, and her speed soared.

"What!" Xu Jingming, Alan, Miyagawa Akari, Leven Gullit, and other experts' expressions changed because the broadcast screen showed Madeline Logan's top speed at that moment—406 meters per second!

"This Madeline's top speed is faster than Tiano's?" Xu Jingming and the others couldn't believe it. After all, Tiano was already at the same level as Xu Jingming and Liu Hai, and his talent was terrifying. It was one thing for him to have such speed, but for this Madeline Logan, who was relatively unknown, to be slightly faster?

Bang!!!

At an ultra-high speed, Madeline Logan still punched Liu Hai's shield.

This time, Liu Hai took three steps back to dissipate the impact, but he couldn't instantly rebound.

"How can her strength and speed be so strong?" Liu Hai felt the pressure.

Madeline Logan followed up with a cold smile, taking advantage of her attacks.

With palm strikes, punches, or claws trying to flip the shield, her hands launched consecutive attacks. Madeline Logan's strength and speed clearly suppressed Liu Hai. Each attack was terrifyingly powerful. After a series of more than ten lightning-fast moves, she suddenly kicked out with a bizarre kick. Liu Hai blocked with his shield but was still sent flying backward with the shield.

After flying far away, Liu Hai landed and steadied himself, with traces of blood at the corner of his mouth.

This scene left countless people around the world in disbelief.

"This is Liu Hai, the world's number one! How can he be suppressed?"

"Liu Hai is injured?"

"Isn't this Madeline Logan outside the top 50 on the fourth level of the Star List?" People around the world couldn't believe it. Even the people of the White Eagle Federation were incredibly delighted. Madeline Logan could actually injure Liu Hai?

Liu Hai smiled as he looked at Madeline Logan. "Impressive. The world is indeed full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. There is always someone stronger. Your strength and speed far surpass mine, but… little girl, actual combat is not just about strength and speed."

"Still talking tough." Madeline Logan's eyes turned cold as she swooshed forward like a teleport, suddenly slapping her left hand, trying to slap the shield away from the side.

Bang!

Liu Hai held the shield in his left hand, and the shield naturally blocked the attack. After receiving this strike, he didn't take a step back! The impact transmitted through his body, and at this moment, his entire body was like flowing water, naturally transferring the force. His right hand saber slashed out.

"Hmph." Madeline Logan confidently blocked the saber, but at the moment of contact, her expression changed. She was sent flying backward by the saber.

"What terrifying force. How can his strength be greater than mine?" Madeline Logan couldn't believe the power of the saber.

Liu Hai took a step, swooshing as he approached.

Madeline Logan immediately struck out with both palms, trying to force Liu Hai back.

"Bang."

While the shield blocked the attack, Liu Hai didn't take a step back. His right hand saber slashed down again, with incredible speed and terrifying power.

"What?" Madeline Logan raised her hand to block, but she was sent flying backward.

Liu Hai pressed his advantage, pursuing her. Madeline Logan couldn't allow Liu Hai to attack at will, so she had to block and counterattack. But the stronger she blocked and the more ferocious she counterattacked, the faster and more terrifying Liu Hai's saber became after borrowing her force! Madeline Logan was in a terrible state!

"How can this be?" Madeline Logan was going crazy. No matter what moves she used, Liu Hai could borrow them and unleash an even more terrifying saber light.

Bang! After more than ten consecutive moves, Madeline Logan was smashed into the ground by a saber strike. The ground was shaken into a large pit, and her entire body below the waist was underground.

Liu Hai took the opportunity to smash the shield down. Madeline Logan could only raise both hands to support it, blocking the shield strike! The force of the collision was naturally borrowed by Liu Hai, and his right hand saber instantly slashed down! With half of her body underground and having just suffered a shield strike, Madeline could no longer block it. She looked at the falling saber light with despair and unwillingness.

Her body was slashed by the saber light.

"How can this be?" Madeline Logan's body gradually became illusory, still unable to understand how the battle could be so bizarre.

"I absorbed the mysteries from my lineage and integrated them into Tai Chi, comprehending two ultimate moves. This move, ‘Reincarnation,’ was originally intended to deal with Tiano, to deal with my disciple, but I didn't expect to be forced to use it against this little girl. There are indeed many experts in the world," Liu Hai thought to himself.