Chapter 10 The Afternoon Rain

It was raining on the afternoon of October 21st.

Fang Yu sat on a stone stool in the pavilion in the courtyard, silently watching a battle on the light screen in front of him. It was a match between the number one expert from India, Haru Singh, and the White Eagle Federation's Kyle Saint Mills. After a brutal fight, Haru Singh narrowly won.

"The number one expert in India, Haru Singh, has also broken through," Fang Yu whispered. "His scimitar has definitely reached the fourth level."

The difference in power and speed between a third-tier expert and a fourth-tier expert was too great.

The breakthrough from 99% of the third tier to 1% of the fourth tier, even if the evolution method hadn't broken through, would result in an all-around surge in power and speed. For example, the increase in power would be approximately double!

Coupled with the improvement in skills, the gap would be very large.

"Yu'er." A figure walked over; it was Fang Yu's father.

"Dad." Fang Yu looked at his father.

"Feeling discouraged after losing to Lei Yunfang?" Fang Father asked.

"No," Fang Yu shook his head. "I was originally able to defeat Lei Yunfang only because of my physical advantages. My overall strength is still at the third tier! Lei Yunfang's accumulation is ultimately deeper, and he broke through to the fourth tier before me. I can completely understand that."

"It's just..."

Fang Yu's expression was complicated. "Recently, Xu Jingming has shown almost invincible strength. Lei Yunfang and Kyle Saint Mills, these two of the three kings of the martial arts world, have also broken through to the fourth tier one after another! That's fine, after all, they've been cultivating for longer and have deeper accumulation. But Haru Singh from India has also broken through."

"Latest battle news," Fang Father said. "Zhao Fan has also broken through."

"What?"

Fang Yu looked at his father.

"Zhao Fan has broken through to the fourth tier," Fang Father nodded.

"He..."

Fang Yu couldn't believe it. "He only started practicing martial arts after the virtual world opened. I've been practicing since I was a child. How... how has he become a fourth-tier?"

"Yes," Fang Father nodded. "He reached the second-tier limit one month after the virtual world opened. His actual combat performance even suppressed some martial arts masters. He reached the third tier after the Fire Seed Cup competition! Just today... he broke through in the middle of a battle! He reached the fourth tier! The official Xia Country livestream didn't even broadcast this battle, but the video of the battle has already started circulating."

"Zhao Fan has also broken through?" Fang Yu felt dazed.

"Your evolution method compatibility has reached 103%, which is rare," Fang Father looked at his son. "But in terms of combat skills, you are competing with billions of people around the world. From the looks of it now, you've been practicing since you were a child... but your combat skills don't even rank in the top ten globally! You must calm down, recognize the gap, and practice more earnestly and devoutly."

Fang Yu was silent.

"Let's not talk about foreign countries," Fang Father said. "Just within the country, let alone Liu Hai and Xu Jingming, they are both so strong as to be almost invincible. Lei Yunfang and Zhao Fan have both broken through to the fourth tier. That is to say, within the country, your combat skills might not even rank in the top five!"

"Recognize the gap! Stop being so self-important!" Fang Father looked at his son. "Look down at your feet, and you will be able to go further."

Fang Yu didn't say a word.

Fang Father looked at his son... and sighed inwardly.

It was probably because his lineage had been too protective of Fang Yu over the years, cultivating him in every way possible! Fang Yu had experienced too few setbacks.

"Refining the heart?"

Fang Yu sat alone under the pavilion, looking up at the falling rain.

From the cheers of the whole country some time ago, to the doubts, to the present loneliness.

"Even Zhao Fan has surpassed me. What right do I have to be proud?" Fang Yu thought to himself, but subconsciously he still believed... as long as he broke through to the fourth tier, he would be able to rely on the advantages of his evolution method to become invincible again!

Talent in the evolution method is visible.

But the potential of the heart is invisible.

******

Mingyue City, in the courtyard of Xu Jingming's home, white clouds floated in the sky, and the wind was cool and comfortable.

"Hua."

Xu Jingming was practicing the evolution method, every movement perfectly mobilizing the muscle bundles in his body, allowing countless muscle bundles to work together. This was a super-tier evolution method. The effect was also more than ten times faster than before.

During practice, the terrifying heat caused the temperature in the courtyard to rise.

"Jingming's power when practicing the evolution method in reality is becoming more and more terrifying," Li Miaomiao watched this scene from the French windows of the living room. "Every movement sends a heat wave."

After a while, Xu Jingming stopped the evolution method, the rapidly flowing blood slowed down, the operation of the internal organs also quickly decreased, and the aura of the whole person also became much more restrained.

"Jingming, what level has your physical fitness reached in reality?" Li Miaomiao asked curiously.

"Equivalent to a high-level body, I guess," Xu Jingming thought for a moment and said.

"So fast?" Li Miaomiao was surprised. "Already at a high-level body level in reality?"

Xu Jingming nodded. "You also know that the more powerful the evolution method, the faster the body improves."

The initial-tier evolution method is the slowest to cultivate, requiring three years to reach the limit, and the limit body index is also very low, generally around 60.

The intermediate-tier evolution method is much faster, reaching the limit in two years, and the limit can reach around 120. Depending on the degree of compatibility, each person's limit is different.

The high-tier evolution method is even faster, reaching the limit in just over a year, and the body limit can reach around 220.

With the super-tier evolution method, the limit can be reached in reality in one year! The body limit can even reach around 600.

"According to the scan from the virtual helmet, my physical index in reality this morning was 203," Xu Jingming said. "After all, it's a super-tier evolution method, so progress is very fast in the early stages, but it will become slower and slower later on."

"A body index of over 200 in reality? Plus your fourth-tier combat skills." Li Miaomiao exclaimed, "Jingming, do you have the strength of Alan Emelianenko in reality?"

"Haha, modern society is highly technologically advanced, and even if personal strength is strong, one must abide by the law," Xu Jingming laughed.

Guessing that the Blue Star civilization had come into contact with a cosmic civilization, Xu Jingming understood that the technology of the Blue Star civilization... might be far more than what was publicly revealed.

Even what was publicly revealed far surpassed individual martial power. Even if body movement could reach one hundred meters per second, it was a joke in front of some 'automatically locking' electromagnetic cannons that were more than ten times the speed of sound.

Even some sonic weapons, laser weapons, and even some military robots could easily defeat martial artists like them.

The development of technology allowed the evolution method to be popularized, and global society remained very stable.

"By the way, at 9:15 tonight, Miyagawa Akari from Japan will fight Tiger Furson from the White Eagle Federation. This battle will be livestreamed, will you watch it?" Li Miaomiao asked.

She knew that her boyfriend had very high standards and didn't watch most livestreams.

"This battle is worth watching," Xu Jingming nodded. "Miyagawa Akari is a very powerful genius. His battle last night against Lei Yunfang showed that his evolution method has also reached the super tier."

"A super-tier evolution method, coupled with his double-blade technique, makes him one of the best in the world," Xu Jingming said. "The battle with Tiger Furson will be very exciting."

"Jingming, you've only participated in one global exchange so far. Why haven't you participated in any more?" Li Miaomiao asked. "Now these experts are popularizing duels. You can also challenge others."

It was too unlikely for top experts to be in the queue at the same time.

So now the world's top experts have started scheduling duels.

"I'll schedule a duel when there's a suitable opponent," Xu Jingming said with a smile.