Chapter 55

Official Live Stream Room of Xia Country.

"There are so many people." Xu Jingming, Li Miaomiao, Wang Yi, Heng Fang, Yang Qingshuo, and Liu Chongyuan, all members of their team, gathered together, along with their families and friends, who came in twos and threes to the live stream room.

"The number of people in the live stream room has already surpassed eight hundred million and is still rising. It's truly a fever." Xu Jingming sighed.

"The audience in the live stream room, let me introduce you to these two..." As the host Liu Xin began to speak on the commentary stand, a thunderous cheer erupted from the entire audience.

Host Liu Xin also smiled and continued, "I believe these two guests can feel everyone's enthusiasm. The one next to me is Mr. Liu Hai, currently the top-ranked person on the Starry Sky List. This is Mr. Liu Hai's first time participating in a live stream!"

The robust and muscular Liu Hai, sitting on the commentary stand, appeared much more gentle and reserved, smiling warmly at the audience.

"Hello, everyone." Liu Hai waved.

Another thunderous cheer erupted. Liu Hai now had countless fans and was extremely popular. However, he had never participated in a live stream or any other activities. This was his first time.

"Ha ha ha..." On the audience stand, Yang Qingshuo couldn't help but say, "Our Master usually seems like a lion or a tiger in front of us. Today, he looks like a big kitty, even waving obediently."

"I'll record that and show it to Master later," Heng Fang said. "Daring to say Master looks like a big kitty."

"It does look a bit like it," Li Miaomiao said, looking at Liu Hai on the commentary stand. Liu Hai had a strong and rugged face, with thick hair and a fierce gaze that could be intimidating. But at this moment, his warm smile indeed made him look like a big kitty.

"Did you hear that? Even your sister-in-law said it looks like a big kitty," Yang Qingshuo immediately said.

"Alright, I won't tell Master then," Heng Fang said, looking closely. "To be honest, Master waving there looks like a lucky cat."

Xu Jingming said, "For the preliminary rounds, Master and Senior Lei Yunfang don't need to participate, so they will be guests. Later, they will have to participate in the main competition... and won't be able to sit on the commentary stand anymore."

"So this might be the only time they will be on the commentary stand for the entire Seed Cup?" Wang Yi said.

"If they are eliminated early, they might sit on the commentary stand again," Li Miaomiao said.

"Early elimination?" Xu Jingming and the others all looked at Li Miaomiao.

"For example, if Master Liu Hai and Senior Lei Yunfang meet early, one of them will definitely be eliminated," Li Miaomiao said.

"You have a point," Wang Yi said. "But according to the rules, the probability of them meeting before the final is low. We will likely meet one of them earlier."

"Then we will eliminate them!" Li Miaomiao clenched her fist. "As substitute players, I believe in our team's strength."

On the commentary stand, Liu Xin introduced, "And this one is Mr. Lei Yunfang, currently ranked fifth on the global Starry Sky List."

Lei Yunfang had a scar on his face, a stern expression, and a lean build. He usually didn't smile much. But on the commentary stand, facing the audience that had now reached nine hundred million, he managed to force a smile and wave.

"Senior Lei Yunfang's smile looks so fake," Xu Jingming commented.

"Getting him to smile is really hard," Heng Fang nodded. "But at least he's trying."

"Remember to take a screenshot of his smile; it's a memorable moment," Yang Qingshuo said.

On the commentary stand, Liu Xin enthusiastically said, "It's very rare for these two teachers to be here, and it's their first time in our live stream room. Look, there are already nine hundred million viewers, showing how enthusiastic everyone is. Do the two teachers have anything to say to us?"

"I'm looking forward to it..." Liu Hai smiled. "I hope a team can defeat my team in this Seed Cup competition."

Another thunderous cheer erupted.

"I'm also looking forward to it," Lei Yunfang said. "To face off against Brother Liu Hai in the Seed Cup."

Liu Hai also looked at Lei Yunfang, the global champion in speed and sword techniques.

"Then we'll see each other in the competition," Liu Hai said.

"Wow... The Seed Cup hasn't even started, and I'm already getting excited," Host Liu Xin said excitedly. "It's almost 0:00 on September 1st, and all the teams registered for the Seed Cup will soon head to the preparation area."

On the other side, Xu Jingming, Wang Yi, Heng Fang, Yang Qingshuo, and Liu Chongyuan received a notification: "The preliminary rounds are about to start. Please head to the battle space."

"Let's go." Xu Jingming stood up, and the other four followed.

"Son, good luck." Xu's mother cheered.

"Dad, good luck." Yang Qingshuo's son cheered.

"Husband, you're the best!" Heng Fang's wife shouted.

"Dad, good luck!" Three little girls looked at Liu Chongyuan with admiration.

"Mom, you're the best in the world!" A young girl looked at Wang Yi and cheered.

"Liyu Team, invincible!" Li Miaomiao cheered.

Amid the cheers of their family and friends, the five of them headed to the battle space.

******

Whoosh, the battle space, the preparation area for the Seed Cup competition.

"There are so many people." Xu Jingming and the others appeared out of nowhere and saw a dense crowd.

"This time, 821 teams registered, and the vast majority of god-level experts are participating," Heng Fang said. "I heard that on the last day of registration, many god-level experts live-streamed to gather teammates! As long as they were god-level and could form a team, no one was picky."

"It was easy for us to invite teammates because we are strong and know many experts," Liu Chongyuan said. "Many god-level experts from the general public have few friends and might have only broken through to god-level in the last one or two days! They are at the bottom of the god-level tier and know very few other god-level experts... To form a team, they had to publicly recruit. Five strangers barely formed a team, and it's normal for them to just join for the fun of it."

"Indeed, it's tough for the general public in the early stages," Xu Jingming nodded. "But with a population of over a billion, the number of god-level experts will continue to grow."

"Currently, there are nearly five thousand god-level experts, and there was a rough estimate before," Wang Yi said. "Those with professional training, like you and me, are less than two thousand. The rest are all from the general public, meaning... more than half of the god-level experts are from the general public!"

"Professional martial artists were always few in the past," Xu Jingming said. "In the past thirty years, the national martial arts team, combined for both men and women, has only about three hundred members."

"Master, Master!" Suddenly, a voice called out from a distance, and a handsome young man ran over.

"Hmm?" Xu Jingming saw him and looked closely. "Little Fatty, you've lost weight?"

The handsome young man ran over, excitedly saying, "Master, I practiced the Shadow Leopard Evolution Technique, and the weight loss effect is amazing. Look, I'm much handsomer now. Many of the girls from our high school class are now actively pursuing me, ha ha, they can only dream! Now, I, Pang Yun, have the right to choose."

"Let me introduce him." Xu Jingming smiled at his teammates. "This is a disciple I had in Binhai. He was a bit overweight and lazy, unwilling to train his body. He held a very light spear and only learned spear techniques from me. One-on-one private lessons for three years, and he learned about 60-70% of my spear techniques."

"He made the right choice," Wang Yi said. "Now with evolution techniques, the body can naturally evolve to its limit. Only the foundation of spear techniques... it's hard to find Xu Jingming to give you one-on-one lessons nowadays."

"Exactly, I made a big profit! I broke through to god-level yesterday," Pang Yun said happily. "I immediately showed off in our high school class group and tried to gather some god-level experts to form a team. No matter what, this is the first national cup in Xia Country... I, Pang Yun, am also participating."

"Pang Yun, good luck," Xu Jingming said.

"Master, I won't pass the preliminary rounds. But you, Master, must do your best," Pang Yun clenched his fist. "Even if you can't beat Master Liu Hai and Master Lei Yunfang, you must at least get third place."

"Shut up. Wishing me third place, is that a congratulation?" Xu Jingming kicked him in the butt, and Pang Yun laughed and ran off: "Master, when I'm eliminated, I'll definitely watch your live stream and support you."

Pang Yun ran to a distance and joined his teammates.

"One-on-one private lessons for three years?" Heng Fang was surprised. "Your time is very valuable, I remember you rarely spent time teaching disciples in the fighting hall."

"This was personally entrusted by Senior Fang Xinglong," Xu Jingming said. "And the annual private lesson fee was in the millions."

As he finished speaking, the preparation space began to echo with a voice—

"The preliminary rounds are about to start. Countdown: 10, 9, 8..."

All the teams in the preparation space fell silent. At the end of the countdown, all the teams instantly disappeared, being sent to the preliminary round battle area.