Chapter 409: Global Genius Exchange Competition! I'm Challenging You!

"This match, Xu Jingming wins!"

Seeing Cao Ren voluntarily concede, Liu Wei hurriedly announced the result of this match.

As the words fell, what followed was a wave of shocked cheers from the audience.

"He won! Xu Jingming actually won!"

"Who would have thought Xu Jingming, a lower fifth-tier, could actually defeat Cao Ren, a middle sixth-tier!"

"That means Xu Jingming has the strength to fight a seventh-tier Grandmaster!"

"Too terrifying — that's a full two major tiers apart!"

"..."

Before the match began, quite a few spectators weren't actually very optimistic about Xu Jingming.

But reality had just given them a brutal slap across the face!

Still, some spectators who were familiar with Cao Ren's fighting style felt puzzled by this.

"That's not right. I remember Commander Cao mastered several extremely powerful S-rank combat skills.

He even had an SS-rank combat skill — why didn't I see a single one just now? Could he be throwing the match on purpose?"

Indeed,

In the match just now, the strongest combat skill Cao Ren displayed was merely the S-rank Wind Spirit Barrier.

And it was a defensive combat skill, with no offensive power whatsoever.

At this remark, an informed ability user immediately stepped forward to retort:

"Heh, you think Cao Ren didn't want to use them? He simply couldn't find the chance!

Did you notice? From start to finish, none of Xu Jingming's spell-type combat skills took more than one second to cast!

After activating that terrifying SSS-rank combat skill, his casting speed skyrocketed even further!

Cao Ren was lucky enough to get off even one S-rank Wind Spirit Barrier.

Swap in any other sixth-tier Elementalist, and they probably could only get off an A-rank combat skill!"

"Holy crap! Seems like that's exactly how it was!"

Hearing others explain it this way, many spectators also caught on.

Indeed, Xu Jingming's casting speed was simply too fast.

And the higher the rank of a combat skill, the longer its startup time!

Under Xu Jingming's relentless spell bombardment, Cao Ren had no chance to unleash any high-damage combat skills.

"Fast in one step, fast in every step — that's how Elementalists fight. Whoever casts faster seizes the initiative."

Someone remarked with feeling.

On the front-line battlefield, Enhancement-type ability users hold the line up front.

Elementalists just need to turtle up in the back and keep casting — they have plenty of prep time.

But in one-on-one duels, it's purely a contest of casting speed!

"Hiss! This guy Xu Jingming is actually this strong?"

Staring at the tall figure on the arena, standing like a god of thunder.

Chen Hai swallowed hard and instinctively turned to Wang Dong to ask:

"Brother Wang, what should we do next? Besides you, it seems like none of us can suppress him at all..."

"After this battle, Xu Jingming's reputation in the training camp is going to surge.

Even I can't make a move against him without cause."

Wang Dong shook his head.

Although he was Vice Hall Master Hu Jinyu's die-hard loyalist, he wasn't a fool.

He wouldn't risk opposing Hall Master Su Qingli to deal with Xu Jingming — unless he truly didn't want to live anymore.

"But the Global Genius Exchange Competition starts in just over three months.

Given the strength Xu Jingming has shown now, there's no way his ranking in the exchange competition will be higher than mine.

That way, without needing to target him on purpose, I can still keep one step ahead of him."

Wang Dong rose thoughtfully and left, and Chen Hai's eyes lit up at his words as he hurriedly followed:

"Right! The exchange competition is about to start. With Brother Wang's strength, you're sure to get a pretty good ranking!"

"Xu Jingming, what's your bank card number? I'll transfer the money to you right now."

Cao Ren wasn't the type to be a sore loser — he was seen flying down from midair.

He directly tapped open the smart wristband on his left wrist and asked.

Xu Jingming also exited Thunder Pole Stance and gave his bank card number.

Just a moment later, a text notification arrived on his phone:

"Ding~ — your Zhongxia Bank account ending in 7043 has received 1 billion, balance 4.423 billion Great Xia coins."

"The money's arrived."

Xu Jingming smiled and nodded. With a flip of his right hand, the Yao Lei Zhang in his grasp vanished into his spatial ring.

"Spending 1 billion to have a match against a genius like you isn't a bad deal."

Cao Ren laughed heartily and walked down from the arena together with Xu Jingming.

As they walked, he scanned the surroundings and said with a hint of regret:

"This arena's still a bit too small — couldn't really spread out, otherwise you wouldn't have won so easily."

"It is a bit small."

Cao Ren's words sounded like he was making excuses for himself, but Xu Jingming knew he was telling the truth.

With the wind-type ability augmenting him, Cao Ren's instantaneous movement speed reached a terrifying 300 m/s.

The entire 800-meter by 800-meter arena, for him, could be crossed in three or four seconds, leaving no room to maneuver at all.

If the venue were any larger, relying on his wind-type ability, he could directly open up a distance of several thousand meters.

Even with the augmentation of Lei Shen Jiang Shi, Xu Jingming wouldn't find it so easy to defeat him.

"A loss is a loss; I don't want to make excuses for myself.

But Xu Jingming, how about we find another chance to have a match next time?"

Cao Ren looked at Xu Jingming and said, eager to give it another try.

To tell the truth, he hadn't even had the chance to unleash his S-rank and SS-rank combat techniques, so in his heart he was still somewhat unconvinced.

"Sure, but where would we find an arena that wide?"

This alloy arena at Lei Ting Martial Hall was already plenty large — even bigger than the national college league's competition grounds!

Xu Jingming really couldn't imagine an alloy arena several thousand meters long and several thousand meters wide.

And ordinary ground, after a few combat techniques, would easily be destroyed — it simply wasn't sturdy enough.

"Hard to find in reality, but in the virtual world it's easy as can be."

Cao Ren replied with a smile, "Isn't the Global Genius Exchange Competition starting in a few months?

When the time comes, everyone can log into the Virtual Blue Star server.

At that time, we can just open a room and spar a few rounds.

By the way, you should be participating in this edition of the Global Genius Exchange Competition, right?"

"Global Genius Exchange Competition?" Xu Jingming's expression froze for a moment.

The Global Genius Exchange Competition is a global event led by the United Nations, held once every five years, with extremely generous rewards.

On the entire Blue Star, ability users under the age of 26 may all participate.

The last time it was held, Xu Jingming was only 15 years old — he hadn't even awakened his ability yet.

Only with Cao Ren's reminder did he realize that, without noticing, five years had already passed.

It was once again the year the Exchange Competition was being held.

Thinking of this, Xu Jingming couldn't help but smile and say:

"Participate? Of course I'll participate."

The Global Genius Exchange Competition adopts an online format, similar to the Magic University virtual trial.

There's no need to go to a designated venue like the college league — you could say it's extremely convenient and efficient.

In addition, the Exchange Competition's rewards are extremely generous — not only SSS-rank items, but even heavenly materials and earthly treasures above SSS-rank.

For an opportunity like this, where he could compete on the same stage as global geniuses and also take home rewards, he naturally wouldn't let it slip by.

"Alright, then once the Exchange Competition's virtual world opens, I'll get in touch with you."

Cao Ren said with a smile.

After exchanging contact information with Xu Jingming, he waved goodbye and left from the other side of the arena.