Flexible Combat Strategies Are the Key to Survival

Flexible Combat Strategies Are the Key to Survival

"You brat, you really know how to sweet-talk." Broad Hill shook his head but said nothing else.

Training was training, but he had come to protect Han Li in the first place. If Han Li had stubbornly insisted on keeping watch himself, Broad Hill would have let him, since that was his choice. Now that he had chosen to use Broad Hill's strength, Broad Hill had nothing to say about it. After all, he was his teacher.

"I still have to absorb a soul ring tomorrow and set a new record. I'm not going to compromise my condition just to save face, right, Master?" Han Li ladled another bowl from the other pot and handed it to Broad Hill.

"I'd almost forgotten. You're planning to absorb a soul ring more than three thousand years old."

In the firelight, Broad Hill's gaze seemed slightly unfocused. Ever since taking on this disciple, everything he had known kept being overturned.

For example, just now, he had actually forgotten that this brat was about to absorb a soul ring over three thousand years old. When they entered the mixed zone, knowing Han Li's combat strength, he had instinctively overlooked the fact that Han Li was merely a Soul Grandmaster who had yet to obtain his third soul ring.

"You really are a monster. I'm keeping watch tonight willingly."

Broad Hill laughed soundlessly. A trace of an expression unsuited to his youthful, handsome face appeared on it. No wonder people said taking in a disciple was much like raising a son. So he had reached that age long ago. Fortunately, it was not too late, and the person he had met was not bad either.

Han Li said nothing. Smiling, he handed over more freshly cooked food, and the two chatted idly.

As the night deepened, Han Li finished his cultivation for the day. After greeting Broad Hill, he relaxed onto the blanket and drifted into sleep.

At dawn, the good sleeping habits he had developed over the years woke Han Li right on time.

Throwing off the blanket, Han Li stood up, greeted his master beside him—who remained vigorous despite not sleeping all night—and took care of his personal hygiene.

After a somewhat casual breakfast, Han Li packed everything away, erased the traces of their campsite, and, under Broad Hill's watchful gaze, heightened his vigilance once more before continuing along the route indicated by the map.

Compared to yesterday, Han Li's progress today was far from smooth. Although he used his powerful Spiritual Power to drive away some soul beasts, there were still a few dim-witted ones that took the initiative to attack him, greatly slowing him down.

Whoosh.

Han Li exhaled as a red-and-blue arrow shot into the eye socket of a Gale Wolf not far away. Its head exploded, and a purple soul ring condensed above its corpse.

"It really is fast. And with those wind blades, it's insanely annoying. Didn't they say thousand-year soul beasts had no intelligence? Why does this thing feel smarter than Feng Xiaotian?" Han Li could not help grumbling inwardly.

This was not a soul beast he had encountered directly. It had crept over after sensing the commotion while he was fighting a Rock Armor Pig.

What Han Li had not expected was that this Gale Wolf, which was only a little over two thousand years old, had not attacked outright. Instead, it kept circling the area where Han Li and the Rock Armor Pig were fighting, constantly harassing both of them with wind blades. It seemed to be trying to kill them both, leaving Han Li, who had no defensive skills, constrained and unable to quickly finish off either soul beast.

Fortunately, the Rock Armor Pig fell into a berserk state after being attacked, giving him an opening to send an arrow into its mouth. That freed Han Li up to deal with the crafty Gale Wolf alone.

This wolf truly deserved to be the sort that chose to harass from the outskirts. The instant the Rock Armor Pig died, it seemed to sense the danger and immediately turned to flee, decisively abandoning the food on the ground.

But after being harassed for so long, how could Han Li possibly let it get away so easily? He decisively abandoned his planned route, stuck to it with ice arrows, and forced it to turn around and fight back before killing it.

Ahem, of course, Han Li admitted that he had only dared to chase after it without hesitation because Broad Hill had his back.

After this battle, Han Li gained a clear understanding of his current strength. With his extraordinary Spiritual Power, External Soul Bone, the unconventional Ice Fire Bow Martial Soul produced by the fusion of ice and fire, and his range advantage, he should be able to wear down a soul beast close to three thousand years old as long as he was prepared. Of course, it had to be an ordinary soul beast with an average bloodline.

In close combat, he could at most handle soul beasts around fifteen hundred years old. Though his physical strength exceeded that of an ordinary Beast Martial Soul Soul Elder, the Ice and Fire Elements had not fully fused in the Ice Fire Blade state. The enhancement was not enough to overwhelm his opponent. He still lacked explosive soul skills, and the strength of his projected blade aura could not make up for the gap in rank. After all, most soul beasts possessed stronger physical bodies than human soul masters.

Fortunately, he was about to obtain a new soul ring, and his strength would undergo another leap.

Hopefully, obtaining this soul ring will also spur the External Soul Bone to evolve again, Han Li thought.

The boost to the External Soul Bone from ordinary rank advancement was still too small. He desperately wanted to improve his control over the elements. That way, he could use many of the methods he had envisioned instead of relying entirely on passive enhancements and the innate strength of his Martial Soul.

After briefly confirming that the Gale Wolf had yielded nothing else, Han Li returned to the previous route with the help of his feelers, somewhat regretfully, and continued deeper into the forest.

Near noon, he reached the location marked on the map and found the cliff where the Golden Scale Eagles lived.

Han Li observed cautiously for a long time, then directly abandoned his original plan of hunting alone and chose to call for help. He had spotted two Golden Scale Eagles, and the information in his mind told him that one of them was over five thousand years old—not something he could handle at his current level.

"Master, I'll be relying on you."

Only after retreating some distance did Han Li call toward a tree behind him.

"Not going to give it a try?"

The moment his words fell, Broad Hill stepped out, asking with a teasing note in his voice.

"No. I'm not here to fight. I'm here to obtain a soul ring, so there's no need. Besides, I lack a means of killing in one blow. If we get dragged into a prolonged fight here, who knows what soul beasts it might attract? It's better if you handle it." Han Li shook his head and explained his reasoning.

"Alright. Wait here."

After saying that, Broad Hill appeared at the cliff with astonishing speed. Before the two Golden Scale Eagles could react, the pressure of a Titled Douluo slammed into them, knocking both soul beasts unconscious.

Broad Hill ignored the larger eagle. He picked up the smaller one, returned to Han Li's side, and tossed it onto the ground.

"Three thousand five hundred years. It should be under three thousand six hundred years, which is just right for your requirements."

"Mm. It's even more satisfactory than the intelligence mentioned."

A flash of delight passed through Han Li's eyes. It was more than two hundred years below the limit his body could endure, making it safer.

"As long as you're satisfied. Alright, get to it." Broad Hill glanced at the unconscious Golden Scale Eagle.

"How about... Master, could I trouble you a little more? Let's go to the outskirts? You just released the aura of a Titled Douluo, and absorbing a soul ring beyond my level will probably take quite a while." Han Li hesitated before speaking sheepishly.

Broad Hill was initially taken aback. His disciple did not trust his strength? But then he saw Han Li's apologetic smile and recalled his usual way of doing things.

Forget it. I'll just put his mind at ease. Besides, he may not be wrong, Broad Hill thought silently.

"Then we'll do as you say."

Without waiting for Han Li to respond, Broad Hill grabbed the Golden Scale Eagle in one hand and Han Li in the other, then rapidly sped toward the outskirts.

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