In that virtual battlefield filled with passion and sweat, Jamie Smith's sword slash was like a meteor cutting through the night sky, only to be blocked at the last moment by his master's shield as steady as Mount Tai. Although he felt a bit regretful, he soon realized with a calm mind: "In one-on-one combat, my master's single saber dance is just the tip of the iceberg. The true strength lies in the shield and saber coordination. Even my prided Shadow Thrust can't threaten my master now."

As the battle came to an end, Jamie Smith's figure gradually disappeared from that battlefield filled with smoke, and he returned to the official live broadcast room of Xia Country, to the stands where his relatives and friends were. Their smiles, their cheers, their hugs, were all the best comfort for him. They knew that Ray Willow, the number one in the world, had a strength as unfathomable as the vast universe.

"Captain!" "Jamie!" "Jamie!" "Son!" Various names echoed, and a group of people greeted him with smiles. No one felt regretful because they all knew that Ray Willow, the number one in the world, was much stronger than Jamie Smith.

Quincy Shawn, always with a smile, said with a hint of pride: "When we formed the team, I didn't dare to think that we could make it to the finals, the Spark Cup National Tournament... Second place in the country! Runner-up, defeating so many formidable teams."

"We were just along for the ride," Finn Brown, always full of passion, said with a hint of a joke, but more importantly, a trust and reliance on his teammates. "Eliminated early so many times, I knew that this time we could win all thanks to Jamie and Emily Johnson."

"It was thanks to the captain," Emily Johnson, always calm and composed, said with a hint of gratitude. "I finally managed to break through to the semifinals, and if it weren't for the Pearwood Team, in a weaker team, I might have been eliminated long ago, and my breakthrough would have been much later."

"We are a team, and only through teamwork can we be stronger," Jamie Smith, always the leader of the team, said with determination. "With Emily Johnson, we made it to the finals."

"Fellow masters, I am the one who contributed the least to the team," May Lee, always with a sense of humor, said with a hint of self-deprecation, but more importantly, gratitude to his teammates. "Thank you all, thank you so much, for letting me shine too. And you know, during the Spark Cup competition, how much did my single 'Pearwood' increase in downloads?"

Emily Johnson and the others looked at each other, unsure of the exact number.

Finn Brown simply went to check the song download data.

"Six million downloads," May Lee said happily, her smile as bright as a blooming flower. "And these are paid downloads! More than the total number of downloads in the past few years. It also boosted my other songs. It's really great."

"Our team's anthem, the cumulative paid download volume is still less than a hundred million times," Finn Brown looked at the song download data and immediately said, his words filled with surprise but more importantly, support for May Lee. "As a member of the Pearwood Team, I think it's necessary to help my sister-in-law promote her work."

"We should promote Cat well," Emily Johnson nodded, her words filled with agreement. "I agree."

"Jamie Smith, our publicity is not enough," Quincy Shawn looked at Jamie Smith, his words filled with expectation. "It still needs to be Jamie Smith to promote, after this competition, your popularity will definitely soar. If you promote more for my sister-in-law, her songs will definitely become more and more popular. Pearwood is our team anthem, and it needs more promotion."

"Promote, I will definitely promote," noticing May Lee's gaze, Jamie Smith immediately said decisively, his words filled with determination but more importantly, support for his teammate.

At this moment, the burly Ray Willow appeared with a smile and walked over. His arrival was like the sunrise, illuminating the entire stand.

"Captain," Hugh Smith and Dane Tony greeted immediately upon seeing him.

"Master," Jamie Smith, Quincy Shawn, and Finn Brown were all surprised and went to greet him.

Ray Willow looked at Jamie Smith with a smile: "The competition was good, and that last thrust was even better. Have you made a breakthrough in your spear skills?"

"A little breakthrough," Jamie Smith nodded, he had checked his personal combat power panel immediately after the match ended and returned to the combat space.

"Making a breakthrough is a good thing," Ray Willow nodded, his words filled with approval. "But the gap between you and me, your master, is still quite large. Keep working hard! I'm waiting for you... to defeat me. As a master, I look forward to the day when you, my disciples, can surpass me."

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Quincy Shawn and Finn Brown looked at each other, surpass? They knew in their hearts that it was a dream far away.

Jamie Smith stepped forward and asked in a low voice: "Master, I want to ask, when you fought with me, how much strength did you use in the end?"

"Hmm..." Ray Willow thought for a moment, then gave a vague answer.

Jamie Smith barely had a vague positioning of his own strength and his master's.

"Keep working hard," Ray Willow said with a smile, looking forward to it. Perhaps it was because of his age, or perhaps it was because he had been a master for too long, he really enjoyed teaching his disciples, watching them grow, which made him happier than his own breakthroughs.

He tried every means to break down the combat skills, teaching them to his disciples as clearly as possible. In the process of teaching, he himself became more and more profound in understanding, and his realm became higher and higher. When the virtual world came, he directly became the number one in the world. But what he looked forward to the most was that his disciples could catch up with him and surpass him.

"Captain, get ready, as the champion team, it's time to go on stage to receive the award," Hugh Smith noticed the prompt and immediately reminded.

"Still have to go on stage to receive the award? What a hassle," Ray Willow still immediately called his Ray Willow's veteran team teammates.

As the champion of the first national competition of Xia Country, the Spark Cup, Ray Willow's veteran team members were all smiling happily as they went on stage to start the award ceremony.

...

Jamie Smith and the others in the audience looked envious.

"The prize money," Chase Ron looked at the prize money being awarded with amazement.

"Our prize money has also arrived," Quincy Shawn had been paying attention to his personal account and immediately reminded everyone when he noticed the change.

"Wow..."

"So much money! Fattened up, fattened up, after so many years, I finally made a big profit!"

Finn Brown and Chase Ron were both overjoyed, with Chase Ron even crying with joy, as he had never made a lot of money before.

"I, a substitute player, got 9.6 million after tax?" May Lee was also very happy, "The competition officials are really straightforward, they directly helped us deduct the tax."

Jamie Smith and Emily Johnson looked on with a smile, both relatively calm. Emily Johnson had been earning a lot, and Jamie Smith had received enough rewards after participating in the Spark Cup competition. From the battle against Lily Steel, his rewards for each match were quite high. The more popular he became, the more fans he had, and the more rewards he received.

After several matches, Jamie Smith had already become known nationwide. After all, the number of viewers for those matches was over a billion.

In terms of the popularity of martial arts players, Jamie Smith could definitely rank in the top few in the country, even surpassing the highly popular Emily Johnson. In the past, the influence of any real-life competition in the country was far less than that of the virtual world's Spark Cup competition.

******

The Blue Star Alliance envoy team, after watching the award ceremony, also began to leave.

"This competition has broadened our horizons," said the leading white-haired old man with a smile, "The masters of Xia Country are indeed extraordinary, whether it's the world's number one Ray Willow, or the younger generation, that gun expert and goddess archer, they are all excellent. I believe that as the Blue Star civilization enters a new era, Xia Country will definitely make greater contributions to the Blue Star civilization."

Charles Bennett said with a smile: "Xia Country is a part of Blue Star, and we will naturally strive for the entire Blue Star civilization."

"The greater the power, the greater the responsibility," said the Roman envoy, "Now that Xia Country has two in the world, it's clear how strong Xia Country is. But on the planet Mars, Xia Country's efforts are not enough."

"In terms of masters, the Star Alliance also has two on the Star List," Charles Bennett said, "And in terms of the contribution of strength on Mars, it was agreed at the beginning that each would bear their share. Our Xia Country has not lacked a bit of strength, but the Indian nation, the funds provided, have only realized one-third of the commitment so far."

The Indian envoy hurriedly said: "We are already working hard, our burden..."

"Discuss it at the next alliance meeting," said the leading white-haired old man, "In short, this final of Xia Country was very pleasing to the eye."

"Welcome everyone to come again, Xia Country has always been a country of etiquette, and welcomes any friend," Charles Bennett said.

The envoy team left quietly.

Charles Bennett and the deputy directors also disappeared, leaving the live broadcast room.

...

Xia Country, Life Evolution Bureau.

Charles Bennett and the three deputy directors gathered in the conference room. Deputy Director Cindy Taylor attended the meeting via projection.

"The Spark Cup competition has ended," Charles Bennett looked at the several people present, "We must determine the second batch of national key cultivation list, according to the rules, I will discuss first. The discussion results will be submitted to the highest authority."

"This cultivation is different from the first batch, the first batch is the same cultivation strength for everyone. Now that we have seen the strength and progress speed of the masters, we will focus and cultivate the top three people, and the following seventeen people will be the same as the cultivation strength of the last batch."

"So the list of the top three people is particularly important, who is the first person on the new list?"

"The first person on the new list must be chosen between Eugene Fong and Jamie Smith," Deputy Director Cindy Taylor said via projection.

"I agree to choose Eugene Fong, he is only twenty years old this year, and he has grown to this point without any professional competition experience in the past. And he is the only master in the country with an evolution law fit degree exceeding 100%, 103% fit degree... Everyone should know that it is normal to be stuck at the limit and unable to break through when cultivating to the later stage." Wesley Brown, the deputy director, said, "When everyone is stuck at the limit and unable to break through, Eugene Fong with 103% fit degree will be the strongest one, because his body surpasses other players in all aspects."

"Such a talent must be cultivated, and must be cultivated vigorously," Wesley Brown said.