Practical Combat Training

"To become an outstanding Soul Master, simply studying theoretical knowledge was far from enough. Actual combat was also something you had to learn," Wu Zhangkong said to the six before him.

"Unlike our ancestors, we no longer faced the hardship of having to fight and kill Spirit Beasts to obtain Soul Rings and continue cultivating. That was because we lived in a relatively peaceful environment. But precisely because of this, we subconsciously overlooked the importance of actual combat ability."

At this point, Wu Zhangkong paused. His gaze swept across Yun Chen and the others before he continued, "Right now, you severely lack practical combat experience and techniques. This is not because you have not studied or practiced the use of your martial souls and soul skills enough, but because of your fighting ability when you are not using your martial souls."

"In this regard, Yun Chen is the best among you. Even so, it is still far from enough."

Wu Zhangkong's words sent Yun Chen and the others into deep thought. Only Xie Xie asked in confusion, "But Teacher Wu, we are Soul Masters. If Soul Masters do not rely on martial souls and soul skills in battle, what else can we rely on?"

"That's right, Teacher Wu. My ability is elemental control. As long as I am skilled enough at controlling the elements, I can easily settle a fight, whether it is one-on-one or a group battle," Gu Yue added.

"Your questions are easy to answer, but the best answer is something you need to experience yourselves," Wu Zhangkong said.

"Xie Xie, Gu Yue, attack me together. I will not use soul skills, and I will suppress my Soul Power to the same level as yours."

Hearing Wu Zhangkong's words, Gu Yue and Xie Xie exchanged a glance. A moment later, the two stepped out of the line and stood opposite Wu Zhangkong.

"Begin," Wu Zhangkong said in a low voice.

The instant his words fell, Xie Xie charged forward. During their previous training, Xie Xie had long understood how powerful Wu Zhangkong was. But back then, Wu Zhangkong had not suppressed his Soul Power Level, so there had been no possibility of them defeating him.

But now that their Soul Power Levels were equal, Xie Xie felt that he and Gu Yue still had a chance if they coordinated well. Especially when it came to speed, he had a fair amount of confidence in himself.

Unfortunately, his thinking was still a little too naive. Just as he believed he had slipped into Wu Zhangkong's blind spot and was preparing to unleash his second soul skill, Wu Zhangkong used exquisite footwork to effortlessly enter Xie Xie's own blind spot. At the same time, the teaching whip in his hand lashed heavily across Xie Xie's shoulder.

Wu Zhangkong had not held back much on that strike, because Xie Xie's recklessness had genuinely irritated him. He had just pointed out Xie Xie's flaws in battle that morning, yet after such a short time, he had forgotten all of them!

But just as Xie Xie staggered from the blow and nearly fell to the ground, wind blades and ice cones shot toward Wu Zhangkong. Their angles were particularly tricky, seemingly sealing off every route of escape.

Although Gu Yue and Xie Xie did not have exceptional coordination, they had trained under Wu Zhangkong together for so long that they could naturally anticipate some of each other's movements. In Gu Yue's eyes, Xie Xie's earlier attack had been a fine lure.

Facing the incoming wind blades and ice cones, Wu Zhangkong tapped rapidly off the ground. As his body moved swiftly, he evaded most of the attacks. As for those he could not avoid, he easily shattered them with the teaching whip in his hand.

Gu Yue frowned. In the next instant, several fireballs formed above her head. This time, she fired every fireball at once. She wanted to see how Wu Zhangkong would deal with this wave of attacks.

As the fireballs approached Wu Zhangkong, the teaching whip in his hand thrust forward. But instead of directly dispersing the fireball flying toward him, he extended the whip beneath it. Then he twisted his wrist. The whip changed direction in his hand, and the fireball seemed to be drawn along with it, flying straight to the other side.

"Damn it!"

Xie Xie cried out in alarm, because the fireball Wu Zhangkong had redirected was flying toward the direction from which he had launched his surprise attack.

"Gu Yue, are you trying to kill me?!"

Gu Yue paid no attention to Xie Xie's shouting. She was already gathering another round of attacks. But before her elemental attack could take shape, Wu Zhangkong's teaching whip gave the top of her head a light tap.

Looking at Wu Zhangkong, who had already closed in on her, Gu Yue immediately gave up gathering the elements. If this had been an actual battle, and Wu Zhangkong had held a longsword rather than a teaching whip, her head would already have been cut off.

More importantly, the footwork Wu Zhangkong had used as he closed in had even escaped her mental lock for an instant. That was what truly shocked Gu Yue. After all, she was the Silver Dragon King, and elemental control and spiritual power were what she excelled at most.

Wu Zhangkong put away his teaching whip and turned to walk back to the center of the classroom. "Next group, Yun Chen and Xu Xiaoyan."

"Um, Teacher Wu, I'm from the Control System. Do I need to learn practical combat techniques too?" Xu Xiaoyan raised her hand and asked timidly.

"Of course." Wu Zhangkong gave an affirmative answer. "Control System Soul Masters must not only learn how to control the rhythm of the battlefield and create opportunities for their teammates to attack, but also master practical combat techniques to better keep opponents at bay."

Xu Xiaoyan nodded, then summoned her Star Wheel Ice Staff and stepped out of the line with Yun Chen.

After Wu Zhangkong announced the start, Yun Chen likewise rushed forward immediately. However, the instant he charged, Xu Xiaoyan had already raised her Ice Staff. Her first Soul Ring flashed beneath her feet, and an Ice Wheel formed around Wu Zhangkong.

Just as the Ice Wheel was about to lock onto Wu Zhangkong, his body flashed and moved beyond its locking range. But the moment he came to a stop, Yun Chen's whip kick was already sweeping toward his waist.

Wu Zhangkong raised his knee to block Yun Chen's kick, but his brows lifted at the instant they collided, because the force behind Yun Chen's kick exceeded his expectations.

Although Wu Zhangkong was standing on one foot, he did not waver under the force of that kick. His body slid back roughly two meters before stabilizing, but the teaching whip in his hand had already stabbed out, cutting off Yun Chen's route of pursuit.

Facing the teaching whip thrust toward him, Yun Chen did not choose to meet it head-on. Instead, he shifted half a step to the side and avoided Wu Zhangkong's attack, then drove his charged fist toward Wu Zhangkong's chest. His first two soul skills were enhancement-type skills, so what he could rely on in battle was his fists and feet. When he had learned body-tempering methods from that Body Sect Soul Master, he had also sought guidance from him on fighting techniques. Thus, when facing Wu Zhangkong in battle, he actually felt that this suited him very well.