Chapter 165 What?

Tiano, Liu Hai, Madeline Logan, Yershalova, and other experts immediately realized how terrifying Xu Jingming's spearmanship was, without needing to watch a slow-motion replay! Even if they had reached the fifth realm, they couldn't allow a 'fourth realm limit' sharpshooter to be twenty meters away, especially with rapid-fire archery akin to firing three arrows at once! And to 'hit' each arrowhead! This was too difficult.

"Such fast spearmanship, three thrusts in an instant?" Madeline Logan's deep eyes held a hint of surprise.

"Jingming is getting more and more impressive," Liu Hai said with a smile.

"Wow!"

Tiano Xire was eating an orange when he saw this scene and his eyes lit up. "An opponent like that is a bit more interesting."

...

"When close-combat experts encounter a barrage of arrows, they generally dodge if they can, and block if they can't," said Jin Fan, the male guest commentator in the live broadcast, pointing to the slow-motion replay. "But Xu Jingming didn't miss a single one, hitting every arrow, and precisely hitting the arrowhead. Such precision and spearing speed are truly astounding."

Even in slow motion, the sixty arrows were quickly exhausted.

As Xu Jingming defended against the last two arrows, he took a step forward! He closed in on Zhou Yi in one step and pierced Zhou Yi's chest with his spear.

"Thank you," Zhou Yi said, his body turning illusory. He was still grateful.

He understood that Xu Jingming wanted to put enough pressure on him to force a breakthrough.

But obviously, breaking through to the fifth realm wasn't that easy! First, one's mind and consciousness had to be able to sense all the cells in their body. Only by reaching this stage was it possible to break through in the midst of battle! Although Zhou Yi was obsessive and crazy, improving his mind and consciousness required more than just that.

Xu Jingming was slightly disappointed to see this.

He had really hoped to force Zhou Yi to break through! But in the dozens of matches held in the competition, only Alan Emilienko had broken through during battle.

"The inheritance is right, the fifth realm is indeed the biggest hurdle in the evolution of planetary lifeforms," Xu Jingming thought to himself.

...

Xu Jingming's second match was against Jon Pierre, a martial arts expert who had experienced far more hardships than Xu Jingming. Before the virtual world opened, Jon Pierre's achievements were much higher.

However, after the virtual world opened, Xu Jingming's progress was among the best in the world.

"Senior Jon Pierre," Xu Jingming said, respecting his opponent.

"I knew about you a long time ago. You reached the World Martial Arts Competition at the age of 20 and broke your leg," Jon Pierre said with a smile. "Although I suffered many injuries in the past, I was in peak condition when I first participated in the competition, and I also won first place. The injuries... came later. Of course, with the arrival of the virtual world, you can truly show your potential."

Xu Jingming looked at him. "My spearmanship will become stronger and stronger. Senior, be careful."

Jon Pierre was almost from the same era as Liu Hai, although he was younger than Liu Hai, and was now just over fifty years old.

"Whoosh." "Whoosh."

In the snowy scene, the two rushed towards each other.

Xu Jingming thrust out more than ten spears in succession, giving Jon Pierre enough pressure, and finally pierced Jon Pierre's chest with one spear.

...

Forest map.

Xu Jingming looked at Akechi Miyamoto in front of him.

"I'm honored to be able to fight you, Xu Jingming." Akechi Miyamoto's eyes were full of fighting spirit.

Xu Jingming had a very good impression of Akechi Miyamoto. During his first martial arts lecture, Akechi Miyamoto gave the most rewards. Afterwards, he repeatedly and publicly said that Xu Jingming's course had given him many gains, and that he could take his kendo a step further. Xu Jingming's final total score was number one, thanks to Akechi Miyamoto and Fang Yu.

"You can make any move you want. After ten moves, I will counterattack," Xu Jingming said.

"Okay." At this moment, Akechi Miyamoto was completely focused.

Sakura Country once touted Akechi Miyamoto as the number one genius in the world. In fact, although Akechi Miyamoto's talent was not the number one in the world, it was among the top few in the world.

Without experiencing any professional competitions, he reached an unbelievable level in kendo during high school.

His strength came not only from talent, but also from a heartfelt love!

He could practice with his sword blindfolded for several hours a day, just to more clearly sense the airflow of the sword cutting through the air...

He could repeatedly chop rubber bullets fired by machines, just to practice accuracy...

After the virtual world opened, he quickly surpassed Kiyosato Toichi and became the strongest sword god in Sakura Country.

"Clang clang clang."

Akechi Miyamoto had already rushed in front of Xu Jingming. His two swords struck swiftly, and Xu Jingming's spear easily blocked them. Those lightning-fast and unpredictable ten consecutive strikes... Xu Jingming completely blocked them with one hand holding the spear.

After blocking, Xu Jingming turned his spear and thrust it out directly.

He thrust out twelve spears in a row, each one more swift and fierce than the last. Akechi Miyamoto could only block them in a sorry state! Once Xu Jingming attacked, he could only try his best to defend, and he felt extremely strenuous and difficult. And the twelfth spear pierced Akechi Miyamoto's chest.

"Thank you." Akechi Miyamoto was very grateful, because under the full force of the fight and the extreme defense, he vaguely felt the sensation of mobilizing all the cells in his body.

...

After that, in the battle between Akechi Miyamoto and Jon Pierre, Akechi Miyamoto broke through in the midst of battle! He finally broke through to the fifth realm, and his sword light slashed past Jon Pierre.

"I broke through." At this moment, tears welled up in Akechi Miyamoto's eyes, tears of excitement.

Akechi Miyamoto was also the second person in the entire group stage to break through in the midst of battle.

******

In Group Seven, Haru Singh and Akilov were both fifth-realm experts, but Haru Singh was obviously much stronger. Akilov should have just broken through not long ago, and his evolutionary method was still not perfect, so he was easily defeated.

In Group Eight, the terrifying Tiger Fussen and Fang Yu advanced! Although Fang Yu was still at the fourth-realm limit, he was generally able to win battles at the fourth-realm limit level.

"Today's matches for the last four groups have determined a total of eight players: Yershalova, Merritt, Xu Jingming, Akechi Miyamoto, Haru Singh, Akilov, Tiger Fussen, and Fang Yu," the female host in the live broadcast said. "The virtual world system has already determined the matchups for the knockout stage."

As she spoke, the detailed matchups were displayed behind her.

The first place in the previous group will be matched with the second place in the next group.

The second place in the previous group will be matched with the first place in the next group.

Arranged in order... forming eight matches.

"Tomorrow's first round of the knockout stage will determine the top eight players," the female host said.

In the stands, Xu Jingming nodded slightly. After the group stage, he had a clear understanding of the strength of the global experts. "Among the current top sixteen, there are eleven fifth-realm experts, including the eliminated Alan Emilienko... Since the virtual world opened, Blue Star has produced twelve fifth realms? And that’s it for the entire civilization?"

Xu Jingming didn't know that the number of fifth realms born after the virtual world opened was actually even less!

Because you have to deduct those experts who had been cultivating for a long time.

On another stand, Pang Ze and his wife and children also finished watching the game.

"A weak cosmic civilization! More than five billion adults, and only so few of the most talented experts," Pang Ze thought to himself. It is said that tall people hold up the sky when it falls, but as the 'tallest' person on Blue Star today, Pang Ze felt a lot of pressure.

"I hope one of them can be more outstanding than me," Pang Ze said silently. It must be nice to have someone to help shield him from the wind and rain.

Sometimes, Pang Ze also felt very tired, but there was no way, he was the 'tall person' who had to hold up the sky when it fell.