Practical Combat Training

The turmoil gradually passed, and Douluo Continent slowly returned to peace.

Ye Han, who had always kept his nose out of worldly affairs, continued cultivating. His Soul Power was rapidly approaching level 30.

Ye Han could feel that he would officially reach level 30 within four or five months.

After all, Ye Han was only ten years old. In the original story, before Tang San started using cheats, he had only reached level 29 at the age of twelve.

However, his rapid progress during this period was also thanks to Honjou Kaede's potions. There were the herbs they had brought back from the palace last time, along with the herbs Ye Han had spent heavily to purchase outside.

They had forcibly raised Honjou Kaede's potion level to level 5. The price was that the eight million Gold Soul Coins had nearly run out, while Honjou Kaede herself was only level 22.

Thankfully, all those sacrifices had been worthwhile. After reaching level 5, she had potions that aided cultivation, and among the level 6 potion categories, antidote potions had finally appeared.

His Soul Power was improving too quickly, so Ye Han planned to rein it in for a while. His practical combat experience had fallen behind, and he had not had time to practice teamwork either.

Originally, Ye Han had planned to ask Yang Chenfu, the admissions director with the most free time, to serve as their sparring partner.

Yang Chenfu had agreed, but the one standing before them now was the shameless Zhao Lei.

"Hehe! Your Teacher Yang is sick, so I'm filling in. Don't worry, your Teacher Yang is a Power Attack Type Soul Emperor, and so am I!" Zhao Lei said with a grin.

Ye Han's mouth twitched slightly. "Can a level 67 and a level 96 really be the same? And why do I feel like you have ulterior motives?"

Zhao Lei immediately put on a serious expression. "How can Student Ye speak of his teacher like that? Do you know how painstaking my intentions are? Am I the kind of person who gets happy just because I can beat you up? Don't tell me you're scared?"

Seeing this, Ye Han understood Zhao Lei's intentions. But if he backed down now, he would definitely be mocked.

"Fine, let's do it. But I'm telling you, you can only use up to your Fifth Soul Skill, got it?"

When Zhao Lei heard Ye Han agree, he smiled. "No problem at all. Let me introduce myself first, so you can't accuse me of bullying you afterward!"

"It would naturally be best if you're willing to reveal your information!" Ye Han realized that he still did not know what Zhao Lei's Martial Soul was. He only knew that Zhao Lei was a Titled Douluo.

"My name is Zhao Lei, level 96 Titled Douluo. My Martial Soul is the Jade Flute, a Power Attack Type tool Martial Soul. My First through Fifth Soul Skills all enhance my own attributes and harass enemies."

Looking at Zhao Lei's smiling face, Ye Han suddenly wanted to punch him. What was the difference between saying that and saying nothing? As expected, this man had no good intentions.

"Everyone, enter the Guild Chat. Let's discuss our tactics."

Ye Han: "Uncle Zhao's Martial Soul is a Jade Flute, so his attacks are most likely related to music. Since he's a Power Attack Type, his offensive power naturally won't be weak, and he also has ranged attacks. Anything to add?"

Esdeath: "Be careful of mental attacks. Since it's music, we can't avoid hearing it. Nothing else."

Hearing Esdeath's suggestion, the others nodded as well. Last time in the palace, they had nearly been wiped out because of a mental-type Soul Skill.

Although they had gained illusion resistance, who knew whether it would work against Zhao Lei, a Titled Douluo?

Ye Han: "Then first, Kurumi and I will harass him. Esdeath will control the field, Yoruichi will look for an opening from the side, Lia and Todo will be the main attackers, and Xiao Feng, you'll take the defensive position and act according to the situation. Any objections?"

Honjou Kaede: "None!"

Esdeath: "None!"

Lia: "None!"

Todo: "None!"

Kurumi: "None!"

Yoruichi: "None!"

After confirming their tactics, Ye Han raised his head to look at Zhao Lei. He sent the signal in the chat and said with a smile, "Then let's begin!"

In an instant, everyone moved at high speed.

"First Soul Skill, Soul Devouring City!"

In an instant, black mist swept through Zhao Lei and covered the entire field. Zhao Lei, caught off guard by the sudden attack, was about to counterattack.

Esdeath raised a hand, trapping Zhao Lei in an ice prison. "Second Soul Skill, Breath of Frost. First Soul Skill, Ice Creation!"

Seeing Zhao Lei under control, Kurumi decisively fired a shot at Todo and Lia. "Second Soul Skill, Zafkiel: First Bullet!"

Todo and Lia, who had coordinated many times before, did not become uncomfortable because of their increased speed.

"First Soul Skill, Physical Enhancement!"

"Second Soul Skill, Wind King's Hammer!"

The two attacks showed no mercy, and all of this had happened the instant Ye Han said they could begin.

Zhao Lei calmly said, "You youngsters really have no martial virtue, ambushing an old comrade like me."

Watching Zhao Lei get increasingly skilled at making memes, Ye Han did not dare let down his guard. Sure enough, Zhao Lei waved his hand, and a Jade Flute appeared in his grasp.

"I believe I mentioned that my Fifth Soul Skill came from a Thornback Turtle. While it's not as powerful as Honjou Kaede's, it's still decent. Fifth Soul Skill, Demonic Sound Barrier!"

As Zhao Lei finished speaking, a burst of noise seemed to turn solid, directly shattering the ice prison before rapidly knocking back Lia and Todo, who had been attacking.

But the battle was far from over. Inside the Guild Chat—

Esdeath: "He used his Fifth Soul Skill. It's Defense Type. Yoruichi, circle around him. Xiao Han, create an opening for Yoruichi."

"First Soul Skill, Control!"

The Gate of Babylon opened, and golden ripples surged toward Zhao Lei one after another. Without the ice prison restricting him, Zhao Lei easily dodged Ye Han's attacks.

"First Soul Skill, Music Rhythm!"

Esdeath: "Interrupt him!"

Upon receiving the signal, Yoruichi instantly vanished from where she stood and appeared behind Zhao Lei just as he was about to attack. It was Yoruichi's First Soul Skill, Flash Step.

As a Titled Douluo, Zhao Lei decisively redirected his original attack toward Yoruichi. Esdeath extended her hand, and the effects of Breath of Frost slowed Zhao Lei by a step.

That brief moment was enough for Yoruichi to knock Zhao Lei back. The latter smiled slightly. "Second Soul Skill, Demonic Sound!"

It was similar to Zhao Lei's Fifth Soul Skill, but this time the Demonic Sound targeted every attack formed from music rhythms, and it also had a tracking effect.

"Second Soul Skill, Cover!" Honjou Kaede raised the Dark Night Greatshield and stood in front of Ye Han and Kurumi, who were closest to her.

The others, who had originally planned to attack, were all forced to defend themselves.

Esdeath: "Change tactics. Begin the breakthrough. Fight at close range!"

As Esdeath arranged the new tactic, everyone quickly adjusted their positions and charged toward Zhao Lei.

"Second Soul Skill, Detonate!" Ye Han extended his right hand, and the Noble Phantasms Zhao Lei had previously dodged suddenly exploded.

Even Zhao Lei was caught off guard by this situation. Dust rose into the air, and Todo was the first to reach Zhao Lei, throwing a punch at him, only for Zhao Lei to evade it.

But Lia's sword, Esdeath's ice spear, Ye Han's Gate of Babylon, and Kurumi's bullets followed immediately after.

"You really don't learn, do you? Fifth Soul Skill, Demonic Sound Barrier!"

This time, just as Zhao Lei prepared to activate it, Yoruichi had already arrived before him and kicked directly at his chin. Zhao Lei was interrupted and raised his hand to defend himself.

That gave Ye Han and the others an opportunity.

"Third Soul Skill, Power Prelude! Fourth Soul Skill, Music Rhythm Burst!"

A sudden burst of Soul Power erupted around Zhao Lei. The Jade Flute that had been held to his lips was now gripped in his hand instead.

The Jade Flute struck Lia's sword, producing a sound. That sound itself carried an attack that shot toward Todo and Yoruichi.

The sudden attack sent Todo flying, while Yoruichi's pupils contracted. She hurriedly used her Second Soul Skill, Utsusemi, to escape, leaving only a piece of clothing behind.

"One eliminated. You're next!" Lia, who had been blocked, instinctively stepped back. But the Jade Flute swung again. Lia instinctively blocked it, and the sound produced by the collision once more unleashed attacks toward everyone around them.

The others, who had planned to provide support, hurriedly dodged. The next instant, Lia was sent flying as well. In only a moment, the battle situation had completely changed.

Zhao Lei did not slow his offensive and charged directly at Esdeath. She condensed an Ice Sword to block him, but remembering what had happened earlier, she immediately dismissed the Ice Sword the moment it came into contact with the Jade Flute.

Bang!

The Jade Flute struck Esdeath, and the sound it produced once again generated a music rhythm attack, interrupting Ye Han and the others as they tried to support her.

With no better solution, everyone could only resign themselves to being knocked away one after another.

The battle had ended too quickly, making it difficult for Ye Han and the others to accept for a while.

"Uncle Zhao, that ability of yours is absurd! As long as a sound is made, it carries an attack? And you're using a Jade Flute for close combat?" Ye Han no longer had the strength to complain.

Having finally gotten his wish of teaching Ye Han a lesson, Zhao Lei said in a good mood, "You're all idiots! The principle behind this attack is that the Jade Flute must come into contact with something and make a sound. If you wrapped the Jade Flute in Soul Power, you would still be injured, but it wouldn't make a sound. I already went easy on you, okay?"

After Zhao Lei explained it, Ye Han and the others instantly seemed to understand. The Jade Flute's attack method had merely changed from Zhao Lei playing it to striking things with it.

The most effective method would have been to wrap the attacking Jade Flute in Soul Power and prevent it from making a sound. Unfortunately, who could have thought of that at the time?

This battle had greatly impacted Ye Han and the others, once again showing the gap between them and true experts.

Although Lia and the others were highly skilled in combat, Zhao Lei's strange Soul Skills had taught everyone a lesson. Honjou Kaede was the most depressed of all, feeling that she had not done anything.

However, Zhao Lei could only say that even when he attacked with the Soul Power of a Soul King, he had nearly been unable to break Honjou Kaede's defense. In the end, he had relied on his speed to circle behind her.