Chapter 158 Arrows and Knives

Old Man Xu, Xu Hong, Dai Tongda, Dai Xiaoqing, Wang Yi, Li Miaomiao, and many others who had been eliminated had returned to the live broadcast stands.

"This preliminary round of the World Martial Arts Tournament is like a festival celebration for those of us who are weaker. Everyone just joins in the fun," Dai Tongda said with emotion. "But for those fourth-order limit experts, it's a truly brutal competition."

"Yeah."

Xu Hong also nodded. "The virtual world has been open for more than ten months, and there are already over a hundred people at the fourth-order limit, but there are only 32 slots in the main competition! The competition is indeed brutal for them."

Li Miaomiao, Dai Xiaoqing, and the others all agreed. The gap was too big for them, so they could happily participate and experience the intensity of the preliminary round.

"I didn't even make it into the top 100," Wang Yi said, shaking her head.

"Sister Yi, archers are at a disadvantage," Dai Xiaoqing comforted.

Wang Yi looked at the live broadcast screen. "No, it just means I'm not strong enough. There are still three archers among the sixty-plus people on the field, aren't there?"

The hosts and guests were also discussing archers.

"It's indeed not easy for archers to hold on when attacked by assassins at such close range," male guest Jin Fan said.

The female guest Annie nodded. "The archers who are still persevering are Andrew from our White Eagle Federation, Zhou Yi from Xia Country, and Y莎洛娃 (Ye Shalova) from Rakshasa Country. Y莎洛娃 (Ye Shalova) is really beautiful, and her archery is also very captivating."

"Ye Sha!"

"Ye Shalova!"

"Ye Sha, I love you!"

Countless comments were scrolling. The number of players on the field was gradually decreasing, but Ye Shalova's popularity was very high.

"She's really beautiful," Wang Yi said, unable to help but admire.

叶莎洛娃 (Ye Shalova) looked like she was eighteen or nineteen years old, with a pretty face and fair, crystal-clear skin that seemed as if it could be broken with a touch. She was like an angel who had descended to the mortal world! Her beauty was radiant. At that moment, she was wearing silver armor, her long silver hair was simply tied up, and she held a bow and arrow. The arrows were like light, and streams of arrows shot and killed all the assassins.

Her smile alone, her scenes of shooting assassins, had conquered countless fans.

This world also values appearances.

Although Xu Jingming, Tiano, and Liu Hai had many fans, they might not have as many 'fanatical loyal fans' as 叶莎洛娃 (Ye Shalova). Although Ye Shalova had only risen to prominence in recent months, she had a lot of hardcore fans.

"Among the three archers, 叶莎洛娃 (Ye Shalova)'s archery is the most dazzling. Any assassin is instantly killed the moment they appear," the female host praised. "Andrew and Zhou Yi are clearly having a harder time."

Andrew moved swiftly, dodging while rapidly shooting arrows.

Zhou Yi, on the other hand, stood in the center, not moving more than a meter. He displayed the ultimate rapid-fire archery! He completely drowned the enemy with a terrifying number of arrows.

Fortunately, under the rules of the preliminary round, the archer's 'quiver' had an infinite supply of arrows.

"Pfft."

No matter how fast Andrew dodged, the range of 20 meters by 20 meters was too small. A slight mistake in his footwork quickly caused him to be overwhelmed by assassins.

Only two archers remained—Zhou Yi and 叶莎洛娃 (Ye Shalova).

叶莎洛娃 (Ye Shalova)'s archery was still dazzling, but Zhou Yi's situation was gradually deteriorating, yet he was still holding on.

Another Xia Country expert was now unable to hold on.

"I can't even make it into the top fifty?" Tie Lanyun tried his best to resist with his shield, but among the many hidden weapons, a flying knife still grazed his neck. Tie Lanyun's body also became illusory. As his body became illusory, Tie Lanyun also glanced around.

Those who were still persevering were all top geniuses from around the world. He, Tie Lanyun, was no longer in the top 50.

He had worked very hard! Practicing martial arts to the point of madness!

He had even practiced to the point where he believed that he was a part of martial arts, and he had self-hypnotized himself in his thinking. The fervor with which he practiced martial arts was evident.

"My master said that I should spend more time thinking and comprehending, rather than just burying myself in practice," Tie Lanyun said silently. "But I've already tried very hard to comprehend and think. Whether it's in the virtual world or the real world, I've never dared to slack off."

"Everyone is stuck at the fourth-order limit, so what's being compared at this time is actual combat ability. But, I can't even compare to others in actual combat ability!"

Tie Lanyun felt a sense of powerlessness.

In the past World Martial Arts Tournaments, there were only so many competitors, and they focused more on physical talent. He was able to stumble and bump his way to being number one in the world.

But now, in the World Martial Arts Tournament where everyone in the world was competing, he couldn't even make it into the top 50!

...

As Xia Country's famous experts were eliminated one by one, the people of Xia Country, although disappointed, could still treat it with a normal attitude. But... when a swordsman wielding dual blades also turned illusory, the people of Xia Country were in an uproar.

"What?"

"Lei Yunfang was also eliminated?"

"That's Lei Yunfang!"

In the earliest days, the strongest in Xia Country were Liu Hai and Lei Yunfang. They were the highest level. During the previous Fire Seed Cup competition, they were the fixed team numbers 1 and 2.

But when they saw Lei Yunfang's body turn illusory, countless people in Xia Country felt empty and complicated.

"Over a hundred people around the world are stuck at the fourth-order limit, so what's being compared at this time is actual combat." When Lei Yunfang's footwork was distorted by the impact and he was pierced through the back by a spear, he understood where his problem lay. "I've spent too much effort on footwork, but for swordsmanship... my heart isn't sincere enough."

Both being at the fourth-order limit, his footwork was even better than Miyagawa Akari's.

However, Miyagawa Akari was sincere in the way of the sword, and her dual-sword skills were much stronger than Lei Yunfang's. In many global confrontations, Miyagawa Akari's reputation had always been greater than Lei Yunfang's.

"I also practice swordsmanship very seriously."

"But what I love is footwork. But my footwork can't break through to the fifth-order." At that moment, Lei Yunfang was dejected. His swordsmanship was powerful, but compared to the many geniuses around the world, his swordsmanship had become his weakness.

...

Xu Jingming held dual shields. A range of twenty meters was too small for him. He could reach any point around him in one step. Whenever an assassin appeared, he would smash them with a shield.

The assassins were all smashed into nothingness! Not one could withstand a single strike!

Xu Jingming could even spare attention to all directions and also saw Lei Yunfang being eliminated.

"Senior Lei Yunfang has a high talent in footwork, but he lacks in other areas." Xu Jingming sighed secretly when he saw this. "Of the Martial Arts World's Three Kings of yesteryear, now Senior Lei Yunfang and Kui Sheng Mills have both been eliminated and can't even enter the main competition."

Yes, among the experts still persisting on the field, only Alan Emelianenko of the Martial Arts World's Three Kings remained.

Alan Emelianenko's combat skills were indeed high enough, and his actual combat was strong enough to barely hold on.

"Including me, there are still eight people from Xia Country who are persevering," Xu Jingming looked. "Japan still has Miyagawa Akari supporting, New Korea has no one left, India still has three people persevering..."

The increase from the fourth-order to the fifth-order was a very significant improvement.

Cell-level control led to an all-around improvement in strength, speed, and agility. The exquisite nature of combat also improved. Not to mention the substantial increase in physical fitness after the completion of 'planetary lifeforms'.

When the combat strength of the fourth-order limit was generally around 100,000, Xu Jingming's combat strength had reached the million level!

Therefore, he could naturally cope with the tests that were extremely difficult for the fourth-order limits.

"No!" When the top expert of Malaysia, Manpa, was also overwhelmed by assassins, the number of players on the field finally changed from 33 to 32. At that moment, hundreds of millions of people in Malaysia wailed, and all the experts from their country were wiped out.

"It's over." Xu Jingming clearly judged the situation on the field, and the assassins who had just appeared also stood still and then dissipated.

All the assassins, including the translucent barrier, disappeared.

Only 32 people were left standing on the vast land. Countless viewers in the virtual world's official live broadcast room were watching these 32 people. They were the 32 strongest people in the world in this era!