Chapter 75: Breakthrough During the Apex Showdown
Translator: CKtalon
Fang Yu—who was wearing heavy black armor—suddenly released his City-Storming Halberd the moment he saw Xu Jingming charge out. The City-Storming Halberd started falling as Fang Yu instantly pulled out the two short halberds on his back and flung them forward!
The two short halberds tore through the air, and each of them broke through the speed of sound, hurling toward Xu Jingming like two cannonballs. After throwing them out, Fang Yu immediately grabbed the City-Storming Halberd and charged at Xu Jingming again.
Weapon toss? Xu Jingming saw this once with his own eyes—Fang Yu had thrown out two short halberds at close range, injuring Zhou Yi and ultimately finishing him off in one fell swoop.
Xu Jingming was mentally prepared after seeing the might of Fang Yu’s strike.
His weapon was also the most suitable shield for defense.
Bang! Bang!
The two shields only blocked slightly in front of him as two terrifying impacts crashed into the two shields. Then, the impact caused the two short halberds to fall to the side, leaving dents on the shields.
After blocking two short halberds, the distance between Xu Jingming and Fang Yu decreased to ten meters.
At this distance, it was too close for experts like them.
“Die!” Fang Yu roared, and his voice was like a clap of thunder. Those who were a little timid would’ve been stunned from fright. With a loud shout, Fang Yu struck out with his City-Storming Halberd!
The formidable City-Storming Halberd was about 3.2 meters long. It smashed down with terrifying might!
Perfect timing. Xu Jingming’s eyes turned slightly red as he unleashed his speed again. He ignored the other party’s weapon and charged straight for the other party’s body.
He held his dual shields and charged forward!
The shield in his left hand blocked the City-Storming Halberd’s mighty strike, and the shield in his right hand smashed at Fang Yu’s body.
The distance was too close!
The City-Storming Halberd in Fang Yu’s hand struck Xu Jingming’s left shield. Although the shield sank from the impact, it also blocked the impact. At the same time, Xu Jingming’s right shield had already arrived in front of him.
A gust of wind blew over as the shield arrived in front of him. Fang Yu could only raise his arms slightly with the City-Storming Halberd and try his best to withstand the impact.
Bam!
The collision of the shield was like a landslide. Thankfully, Fang Yu had his arms to block and deflect the force, so the heavy-armored him only took two steps back from the impact.
As his opponent retreated, Xu Jingming charged forward with his right shield and smashed at Fang Yu’s face!
Eight Extremities, Sky Piercing Cannon!
Fang Yu instinctively raised his arms, and the shield crashed into his arms. Fang Yu felt his arms—which were protected by his vambraces—tingle. He couldn’t feel his arms.
Xu Jingming swung the shield in his right hand down when his attack was blocked by both arms!
Eight Extremities, Mountain Cleave!
Bang!
This time, it wasn’t blocked at all—it struck Fang Yu square in the chest.
Even though he was wearing heavy armor weighing 800 kilograms, Fang Yu’s body sank into the ground from the strike all the way to his knees. The impact of the shield smashing down made Fang Yu’s chest tighten, and he tasted blood, but he swallowed it back.
“Ah!!!” The moment he sunk into the ground from the impact, Fang Yu roared with a ferocious expression. He brandished the City-Storming Halberd with all his might, and his might clearly elevated.
Xu Jingming immediately blocked with his shield.
Bang!
Xu Jingming’s expression changed slightly in this clash, and he was sent three steps back.
What strength. It’s much greater than the strength he unleashed at the beginning. Xu Jingming realized that the other party’s City-Storming Halberd wasn’t that powerful at the beginning. He hid his strength from the beginning? He didn’t unleash his full strength?
This Xu Jingming. Fang Yu’s expression twisted as he stared at his opponent. I can’t let him get close! He has mastered the Eight Extremities so much that it’s ingrained. He nearly killed me with his combo attacks! I have to use my advantage and suppress him with my strength!
My Ferocious Tiger Evolution compatibility reaches 103%, and my strength far exceeds the normal range. I didn’t want to use force to suppress him, but normal force can’t suppress Xu Jingming. I have to give it my all! Fang Yu held his breath.
The earlier skirmish frightened Fang Yu.
Xu Jingming’s shields were like the two giant paws of a tiger! One palm blocked, while the other slapped over. Then, he would grab upward and strike down! He was almost stunned by the consecutive combos.
…
In the stands.
“Tiger Climbing!” Liu Hai exclaimed in surprise when he saw this scene. “What a tremendous Tiger Climbing. When it attacks, it’s like a fierce tiger climbing up a mountain; it strikes one claw after another in a combo!. In fact, most Eight Extremities experts practice one move diligently. This is because they can’t even master one move well, so it’s even more unlikely for them to practice a combo move.”
Liu Hai knew very well that there were only a handful of people in the country who could truly master Tiger Climbing. Every one of them was a true grandmaster expert of the Eight Extremities.
For example, Xu Jingming’s combo of Eight Extremities Crush, Sky Piercing Cannon, and Mountain Cleave actually had a basic concept… It was still the concept of Tiger Climbing. Tiger Climbing didn’t have a designated set of combos, and it was all about adapting to the situation. One changed the corresponding moves according to the enemy’s moves, just like a tiger climbing up a mountain. It didn’t care if it used its left or right paw first or if it pounced with both paws.
His shield technique has completely become the Eight Extremities Shield Technique. Liu Hai sighed. I felt that the Taiji Shield Technique is invincible, but in the hands of my disciple… the Eight Extremities Shield Technique is clearly more suitable.
…
Why can’t I produce such an exquisite Tiger Climbing? Xu Hong’s eyes turned moist as he watched excitedly. I keep having the feeling that Tiger Climbing is too complicated, so I keep practicing Tiger Pounce! But seeing my son use this move, Tiger Climbing is truly powerful in the hands of a true expert. One combo after another… That Fang Yu is quite impressive as well. He actually forced my son back.
…
Even the experts exclaimed in surprise. Even Fang Yu panicked from the impacts, and countless ordinary audience members were stunned.
Xu Jingming’s series of moves were too cool. They were as fast as lightning—he first blocked the two City-Storming Halberd segments before closing in. They didn’t even see it clearly and only felt the consecutive ferocious strikes of the shields that sank Fang Yu into the ground. Fang Yu frantically brandished the City-Storming Halberd to force Xu Jingming back.
“Aren’t shield techniques used for defense? How is Xu Jingming’s shield technique so strong?”
“This is an attack shield, right? It’s too fierce. I felt like a huge tiger was charging out and striking out with its claws.”
“Why is he called Spear Demon Xu Jingming? He should be called Shield Demon!”
“A shield is clearly more suitable for Xu Jingming. A shield is wonderful in his hands; it can both attack and defend! He can easily put up a defense, and his attacks are fierce. What a perfect weapon… Xu Jingming, just use a shield in the future.”
“A combination of offense and defense. A shield is indeed a good weapon; I’ll try practicing it later.”
Countless audience members felt their blood boil from watching this.
Such shield techniques were too pleasing to the eye.
******
Fang Yu—who was wearing heavy armor—clashed with Xu Jingming once again as they exchanged blows.
As his compatibility score had reached 103%, Fang Yu felt that unleashing all his strength was bullying, but he couldn’t be bothered anymore now. He unleashed all his strength, completely revealing it and making Xu Jingming feel the strain.
Bam! Bam!
A shield was a weapon very suitable for defense and deflecting forces. Moreover, Xu Jingming also knew how to deflect forces using Taiji, but he still found it difficult to block and deflect the attacks.
How strong is this Fang Yu? Why is his explosive force so powerful? Xu Jingming was dumbfounded.
In fact, Xu Jingming was shocked by Fang Yu’s strength when he saw the two short halberds he threw reach about 400 meters per second! Even though the halberds were only a few kilograms in weight, it was unimaginable for them to be so fast. Back then, he felt that Fang Yu had to be very strong.
But… this was way too much!
“With 103% compatibility with Ferocious Tiger Evolution, Fang Yu’s body is much stronger.” In the stands, Director Zhou also watched this scene. One force can defeat ten! The advantage of the body allowed him to have too many chances of winning in combat. Fang Yu’s body was strong not only in strength but also in speed and agility.
Fang Yu has unleashed his full strength. Even if his combat techniques are slightly inferior, he can still win with his physical advantage. Senior Liu Jianfeng arrived in the stands as well. He knew how talented Fang Yu was.
…
“I’m very impressed with your strength, but you’re bound to lose!” Fang Yu brandished his 3.2-meter-long City-Storming Halberd.
Every time the City-Storming Halberd sliced through the air, it would deliver an ear-piercing whistle as it attacked Xu Jingming repeatedly.
Xu Jingming also tried to get close, but the City-Storming Halberd was too powerful, forcing him to retreat and dodge. His entire body seemed to have fallen into a huge whirlpool of undercurrents as the City-Storming Halberd attacked him repeatedly like undercurrents.
After suppressing Xu Jingming, Fang Yu could unleash the profundities of the halberd technique to his heart’s content.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
As Xu Jingming blocked with his dual shields, he used his footwork time and time again, trying his best to escape the whirlpool’s undercurrent and charge in front of Fang Yu. As long as he got close, he would have the advantage.
Slash, stab, pull, slice…
The City-Storming Halberd used all kinds of strength on the shield, threatening him time and time again. The restraints only made him feel worse.
“How many times can you defend in such a disadvantageous situation? You will lose if you make a single mistake.” Fang Yu tried his best to use his halberd technique in a bid to break through the turtle-like shield. This also made Fang Yu’s halberd technique even more exquisite.
Human potential was slowly released under extreme pressure.
My footwork is too clumsy.
My explosive speed is very fast, but my agility is lacking. Under the pressure of the whirlpool-like undercurrents, Xu Jingming increasingly discovered the flaw in his footwork. He focused on this battle and focused on mobilizing his body to fight.
Gradually…
His footwork seemed to become more agile.
His entire body became lighter—much lighter! In the past, he felt that his body was heavy when using footwork, but he now felt lighter. He could move easily and change directions much more easily and agilely.
Whoosh.
Xu Jingming’s figure was like a ghost as he held his shield and clashed with the City-Storming Halberd. He used the momentum to dodge and quickly closed in.
“What?” Fang Yu hurriedly brandished his City-Storming Halberd to block in shock.
Bang!
The shield crashed into the City-Storming Halberd, and Fang Yu failed to exert his full strength. He also couldn’t help but take a step back.
Xu Jingming looked at him and smiled. He then laughed happily.
Finally… He had finally broken through!
My footwork has finally broken through to Lv. 3. Xu Jingming was delighted.
…
Jingming’s footwork? In the stands, Liu Hai saw the difference at a glance. In the past, although Xu Jingming’s speed was explosive, he wasn’t clumsy(?) and agile enough. Now, Xu Jingming was extremely agile; he was like a bolt of lightning that could change directions at will.
He had used the momentum to change directions and instantly arrived in front of Fang Yu.
He even broke through with his footwork. Jingming’s control over his body should’ve broken through to Lv. 3 in every aspect, Liu Hai thought.
…
Xu Jingming’s footwork is the weakest, but he broke through to Lv. 3? The cold Lei Yunfang’s eyes lit up when he saw this scene. It looks like his spearmanship, shield techniques, and footwork have all broken through to Lv. 3. His control over his body is becoming more and more perfect. I finally have another opponent in China other than that old man, Liu Hai.
…
Xu Jingming was delighted.
Strength starts from the feet! The breakthrough in footwork increases my strength in all aspects. My shield techniques and spearmanship have also improved greatly. Xu Jingming didn’t need to look at the combat strength interface to understand this.
Spearmanship also required footwork. A powerful footwork could allow one to be much more terrifying with spearmanship.
On the other side, Fang Yu was a little surprised and puzzled. He looked at Xu Jingming. “Did you…”
The more Xu Jingming looked at Fang Yu, the more he liked him. It was this opponent who had allowed him to break through.
“Fang Yu,” Xu Jingming said, “you’re a worthy opponent.”
Fang Yu was slightly taken aback as he continued staring at Xu Jingming seriously.
“To show my respect for you—” Xu Jingming looked at him. “I’ll use the weapon I’m best at to defeat you.”
As he spoke, Xu Jingming threw out the dual shields in his hands.
Bam! Bam!
The two shields crashed to the ground and produced a sound as if they had crashed into Fang Yu’s heart, leaving him stunned.
Xu Jingming pulled out the two spear parts on his back, connected them, and twisted them.
Click!
The spear segments locked in place.
“Spear Demon Xu Jingming”—Xu Jingming smiled at his opponent—”is in need of advice!”
…
“What’s this???”
“What’s Xu Jingming doing?”
Countless viewers in the livestream were agitated.
Liu Xin found it unbelievable on the commentary platform. “He threw away his shields.”
“Yes, Spear Demon Xu Jingming threw away his shields.” Jin Fan’s eyes lit up as he watched the competition.. “This is getting more interesting.”