He smiled slightly and said, "My lineage has some advantages in terms of speed."

Liu Hai sighed, "My current top speed is only 385 meters per second, 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 power'.

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, "Tiano's best weapon should be the staff! His staff techniques seem simple and unadorned, but they've reached the point of simplifying complexity. One must have sufficient talent and spend enough time and energy to achieve this."

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

"It's alright. If there's a fight, I'll be the one to fight him first," Liu Hai said with a smile. "Sigh, the commentators have been chatting for 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 spent a full half-hour commentating before the second match began.

"Let's go."

Liu Hai disappeared from his seat in the stands.

…

The ancient battlefield map.

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

Madeline Logan, wearing light black armor and gloves, observed Liu Hai with her deep eyes beneath her short black hair, and said, "Liu Hai, you've been number one in the world since the virtual world opened."

"Yes," Liu Hai nodded with a smile.

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

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

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

Madeline Logan charged toward Liu Hai, who stood his ground, carefully observing the young woman.

Meanwhile, the outside world was already buzzing with discussion.

"Leaving aside the fact that Liu Hai is a senior in the martial arts world, just based on age, Liu Hai is over seventy, while Madeline Logan is only in her thirties. Addressing him by his first name so casually is just rude."

"This Madeline Logan seems quite arrogant."

"Liu Hai will soon make her understand the difference in strength."

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

Bang!

The two clashed.

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

"Again," Liu Hai said, smiling at her.

"Just now, my punch was blocked by his shield..." Madeline frowned, recalling the scene just now. She thought it was normal for her punch to hit the shield, and she even wanted to use the shield to slam into Liu Hai's body. She had a beautiful idea, but in reality, the shield had a strange rhythm. While blocking her punch, it immediately exerted a force that sent Madeline flying.

Whoosh.

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

But then a saber light flashed before her eyes. Madeline immediately blocked with one hand, her gloved left hand stopping the saber.

But at the moment of contact, Madeline staggered again. Unable to control her strength, Madeline tumbled during her high-speed charge, then tapped her foot on the ground and flew backward, landing far away.

"My strength gets disrupted when I touch his saber?" Madeline sensed something was wrong.

"This is Liu Hai, the world's number one." In the livestream, the female host and three guests on the commentary panel were not surprised at all. Alan Emelianenko said, "Liu Hai incorporates Taiji into various styles, and has now reached an immeasurable level. Madeline Logan's strength and speed can't be used at all. Her body's strength is disrupted when she touches Liu Hai."

"Our body index is only so high," Miyagawa Akari said. "But basic combat power can reach dozens or even hundreds of times the body index, because we can precisely control our bodies. But if the body's strength operation is affected, the strength will naturally be greatly reduced."

"Madeline Logan is being completely crushed by Liu Hai," Riven Gullit said with a smile. "That's normal. There's a reason why Liu Hai can consistently be number one in the world."

"Hmm?"

Director Zhou and the other high-level Blue Star executives were a little surprised.

"How could this be?"

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

Everyone was puzzled.

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

…

Madeline Logan's two attacks had been crushed, causing her expression to change slightly. "I didn't want to bully people with my strength and speed, but it seems I have to go all out." She didn't expect that this was only the quarter-finals, but she was already being forced to use her full strength.

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

"What!" Xu Jingming, Alan, Miyagawa Akari, Riven Gullit, and the other experts all changed their expressions, because the livestream 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 were a little incredulous. Tiano was already at the same level as Xu Jingming and Liu Hai, and he had a terrifying talent, so it was understandable for him to have this speed. But this relatively unknown Madeline Logan was slightly faster?

Bang!!!

At super high speed, Madeline Logan still collided with Liu Hai's shield with a punch.

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

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

Madeline Logan followed up with a sneer, taking advantage of her attack.

Whether it was a palm strike, a punch, or a claw trying to flip the shield away, Madeline Logan attacked with her hands in succession. Her strength and speed clearly suppressed Liu Hai. Each attack was terrifying, and after a series of more than a dozen lightning-fast moves, she suddenly kicked out in a strange way. Liu Hai blocked with his shield, but he was still kicked back, shield and all.

Liu Hai flew far away before landing, blood on the corner of his mouth.

This scene made countless people around the world incredulous.

"That's Liu Hai, the world's number one. How could he be suppressed?"

"Liu Hai is injured?"

"Isn't this Madeline Logan ranked outside the top 50 on the fourth level of the Starry Sky Rankings?" People from all over the world couldn't believe it. Even the people of the White Eagle Federation were overjoyed. Madeline Logan could actually injure Liu Hai?

Liu Hai looked at Madeline Logan with a smile, "Impressive. There are indeed hidden dragons and crouching tigers in the world. There is always someone stronger. Your strength and speed are far superior to mine, but… young lady, actual combat isn't just about strength and speed."

"Still being stubborn." Madeline Logan's eyes turned cold, and she dashed forward like a teleport, suddenly slapping with 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. He didn't take a step back after being hit! The impact was transmitted throughout his body. At this moment, his whole body was like flowing water, and his strength was naturally transmitted. His right hand slashed out with his saber.

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

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

Liu Hai took a step forward and closed in.

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

"Bang."

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

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

Liu Hai pressed his advantage and continued to pursue. Madeline Logan couldn't let Liu Hai attack, so she had to block and counterattack. But the stronger she blocked, the more ferocious her counterattack, and the faster and more terrifying the saber strike that Liu Hai unleashed after borrowing her strength! Madeline Logan was in a sorry state!

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

Bang! After a series of more than a dozen moves, Madeline Logan was slashed into the ground by a saber, and the earth was shaken, creating a large pit. Her entire body below the waist was in the ground.

Liu Hai took advantage of the situation and slammed the shield down. Madeline Logan could only hold it up with both hands, blocking the shield strike! The force of the collision was naturally borrowed by Liu Hai again, and his right hand slashed down in an instant! Madeline, with half her body in the ground, and having just been hit by the shield, could no longer block it. She watched the saber light fall with despair and unwillingness.

Her body was cut by the saber light.

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

"I drew on the mysteries of the inheritance, integrated it into Taiji, and comprehended two ultimate moves. This move, 'Reincarnation,' was originally meant to deal with Tiano, to deal with my disciple. I didn't expect to be forced to use it by this little girl. The world is indeed full of experts," Liu Hai thought to himself.