Xu Jingming, Heng Fang, and Yang Qingshuo arrived at the livestream stands. Li Miaomiao, Wang Yi, and Liu Chongyuan were already waiting. Assistant Xiaozeng and Sister Kong welcomed them warmly.

“Captain, I feel immense reverence for you now!” Liu Chongyuan took the initiative to step forward with a pious expression.

“I’m the one who admires Captain the most,” Yang Qingshuo immediately said.

“Make way!” Li Miaomiao shouted, and everyone immediately gave way. The former then walked forward, and Xu Jingming smiled at his girlfriend.

“Well done.” Li Miaomiao smiled happily. “I’m also a member of one of the four strongest teams in China. Captain, as a substitute member, I’ve decided to give you a reward.”

Xu Jingming immediately lowered his head and kissed his girlfriend on the mouth.

Li Miaomiao glared and looked around with a red face. “There are people!”

“Woo!” Heng Fang cheered. Wang Yi, Sister Kong, and the others around him laughed happily.

“Brother Xu is amazing. We’ve entered the top four.” Yang Qingshuo’s eyes lit up. “The prize money for the top four is 100 million. Just from being carried, I’m getting 16%, which is 16 million… Wow, I’ve never earned so much in my life!”

“This is also the most I’ve earned,” Liu Chongyuan said excitedly.

“Moreover, the virtual world will distribute this sum of money to us directly. We just need to pay taxes,” Yang Qingshuo said happily. “The prize money is considered a windfall. As long as we pay 20% income tax, we will ultimately receive more than 10 million. How wonderful.”

“The prize money for being in the top four is guaranteed, but the prize money for being first, second, and third is even higher!” Liu Chongyuan said.

Before Xu Jingming and Heng Fang appeared in the virtual world, they had earned quite a lot. However, Liu Chongyuan and Yang Qingshuo had never earned that much.

The person with the highest income was Wang Yi. She became famous at a young age and won three Olympic championships in a row. She was a force to be reckoned with, and she earned a lot just from the advertisement fees. In the virtual world era, she was also one of the top three streamers, so one could imagine her income.

She watched silently from the side. She could sense Yang Qingshuo and Liu Chongyuan’s happiness.

The later the competition, the more reliant we are on Captain alone, Wang Yi thought to herself. Captain has already given me the necessary environment for training. I’ve been in desperate straits several times and even got assassinated by my opponent. But under the pressure, I still haven’t broken through to Lv. 3.

Wang Yi was very headstrong. She couldn’t tolerate this sense of powerlessness; she yearned to break through.

…

In the stands, Fang Yu walked to his parents.

“Little Fang Yu, how are you feeling?” Liu Jianfeng asked.

Fang Yu looked at the livestream—the host and guests were replaying the exciting battle scene and watching the slow-motion replay… He had completely lost the initiative under Xu Jingming’s spearmanship.

“What a fast strike.” Fang Yu watched the entire replay and saw the final move—Shadowless Thrust. “It was so fast that I didn’t even have the time to react.”

“The secret of Shadowless Thrust is that the time it takes to thrust the spear is shorter than the limits of one’s reaction time!” Liu Jianfeng nodded and said, “As long as he has the chance to strike, one will be struck before they can react! Many people know the reason for this strike’s might, but they can’t learn it.”

Fang Yu nodded. “Any move requires a starting stance to accumulate momentum. The process of accumulating momentum and force delivery is the most time-consuming. Even for extremely fast moves like thrusting and exerting force with Inch Punch… you have to accumulate momentum.”

Mr. Fang said, “Xu Jingming’s Shadowless Thrust also accumulates momentum, but he only does it in a short amount of time. He gave up on combo-ing and did everything to push this move to its maximum speed! I’ve replayed this move of his many times in slow motion and have tried learning it, but I can’t master it.”

“What’s an ultimate move? It’s not so easy to learn an ultimate move,” Liu Jianfeng said with a smile.

“This strike is too fast, and his footwork is impressive.” Fang Yu nodded. “I’m indeed inferior to him now, but I believe that once my footwork breaks through, I can win with my body’s advantage.”

Liu Jianfeng, Mr. Fang, and the other seniors nodded.

As long as Fang Yu’s combat techniques were on par with his opponent, he could rely on his physical advantage to win. He had an innate advantage.

******

On the commentary platform, Liu Xin gazed at the prompter in front of her and then looked up with a smile. “The third round of the Firestarter Cup officially ends here. The virtual world has also deduced the combat strength of the winning teams. Other than Liu Hai’s team and Lei Yunfang’s team fixed at No. 1 and No. 2, the other teams are ranked according to their combat strength.”

With that said, a huge ranking appeared in the livestream.

1st: Liu Hai’s Elderly Team (Captain: Liu Hai)

2nd: Team Lei Yunfang (Captain: Lei Yunfang)

3rd: Team Pearwood (Captain: Xu Jingming), Team Combat Strength: 23,220

4th: Team Fairydance (Captain: Zhang Qing), Team Combat Strength: 21,680

“Tomorrow, we will be holding the Firestarter Cup’s semi-finals,” Liu Xin said in anticipation. “One will be the team led by the world champion—Teacher Liu Hai—and the team led by China’s number one female contestant, Zhang Qing. The other will be the team led by Teacher Lei Yunfang, who has the best movement technique in the world, against the team led by the young Xu Jingming.”

A battle lineup appeared.

September 5, 0:00. First match: Liu Hai’s Elderly Team vs. Team Fairydance.

September 5, 1:00. Second match: Team Lei Yunfang vs. Team Pearwood

…

Xu Jingming and the others from Team Pearwood looked at the battle lineup.

“Our opponent is Team Lei Yunfang.” Li Miaomiao was a little nervous and expectant. “Senior Lei Yunfang is world number one in terms of movement.”

“When he first displayed his strength in the virtual world, his movement technique was at Lv. 3.” Xu Jingming nodded. “It’s been more than a month, but I can’t tell how strong his movement technique is unless I fight him personally.”

“It’s difficult for those who fought him to know how strong he is either,” Wang Yi said. “In China, there are few who can force Senior Lei Yunfang to reveal his true strength.”

All the team members agreed and felt the pressure.

“Anyways, it’s easier than fighting my master, Liu Hai,” Xu Jingming said with a smile. “My master, Liu Hai, is good in every aspect. He has no flaws.”

“We’ll defeat Senior Lei Yunfang’s team first before meeting Master Liu Hai in the finals!” Yang Qingshuo clenched his fists.

“Quite confident,” Heng Fang said with a smile.

Wang Yi said, “Confidence is needed. Compared to Lei Yunfang’s team, Senior Lei Yunfang’s four teammates are at least weaker. Senior Lei Yunfang is our only enemy.”

“Yeah, it’s just him.” Xu Jingming nodded.

“Captain is also the only person on our side who can threaten Senior Lei Yunfang.” Yang Qingshuo felt helpless.

Wang Yi fell silent.

She was a sharpshooter, so she should be of use.

However, Lei Yunfang was too terrifying. Wang Yi didn’t have the confidence to hit Lei Yunfang even when he was ten meters away. As for within ten meters? With Lei Yunfang’s movement technique that was world number one, it was already suicide to dare approach 20 meters.

…

Is my next opponent Xu Jingming? The cold-looking Lei Yunfang in the stands got up. Finally, an interesting battle.

Lei Yunfang hadn’t encountered any threat since the Firestarter Cup started. In this battle with Xu Jingming, he felt that… he needed to showcase some of his true strength.

…

The next match is with that lass, Zhang Qing. Liu Hai got up. Then, who will I meet in the finals?

******

In his personal space, in the martial arts arena.

Xu Jingming stood there and opened his personal combat strength interface—

Genetic Evolutionary Method: Heavenly Python Evolution (Advanced 5%) (602 days of practice. No room for improvement)

Physique: 190

Technique: Spearmanship (Lv. 3 43%), Footwork (Lv. 3%), Shield Technique (Lv. 3 31%)

Basic Combat Strength: 4608

Combat Bonus: 40%

Combat Strength: 6451

The improvement in my footwork has indeed improved my body’s force delivery means. My spearmanship and shield techniques have also improved. Xu Jingming nodded slightly as he stared at the interface—it was almost as he had guessed. But now that I’ve broken through in all three aspects, further improvement will take time.

My strength has increased quite a bit. I can try challenging the Cosmos Tower again, Xu Jingming thought. If I want to defeat Senior Lei Yunfang, I have to clear the Cosmos Tower’s third level first.

Xu Jingming immediately opened the mission space and headed for Cosmos Tower.

Whoosh.

He plummeted like a meteor and landed under the empty tower.

Xu Jingming looked up at the six familiar names on the Cosmos Ranking, his eyes filled with anticipation. Then, he walked into the Cosmos Tower.