Practical Combat Training: Defeating Yu Tianheng in an Instant Again

"You're too courteous, Sect Master Wang." Lin Chen sat down calmly. "I heard the Azure Wind Sect has three mines in the surrounding area?"

"Yes, yes. They mainly produce refined iron and ordinary spirit stones."

"I can give you a method for refining ore that will increase the iron yield by thirty percent." Lin Chen picked up his teacup. "In exchange, send me a batch of select fine steel and black iron every month, at seventy percent of the market price. Also, keep an ear out for news of rare spirit herbs and antiques."

Deputy Sect Master Wang was both shocked and delighted. A thirty percent increase in iron yield was an enormous boon to the Azure Wind Sect!

He hurriedly thumped his chest and promised, "No problem! Whenever you have orders for us, young friend, the Azure Wind Sect will go through fire and water!"

After discussing a few more details, Lin Chen rose and took his leave.

He said nothing about the sect, merely placing a chess piece on the board first. Connections and foundations alike had to be built up bit by bit.

When he returned to the private room, the auction had just ended. Xiao Wu was obediently waiting for him, holding the box containing the spirit herbs and crystals.

"All done?"

"Mm." Lin Chen took the box and led her out by the hand. "Come on, let's go home."

Monday's practical combat class was held at the large training ground in the center of the academy.

Instructor Qin stood on the raised platform, looking down at the students of Class One. "Today, you'll fight in groups," he said in a deep voice. "Two teams of three. The winners get bonus points on the end-of-month assessment. Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan and Yu Feng, one team; Lin Chen, Xiao Wu and Ye Lingling, the other."

Once the teams were assigned, the students from the other classes immediately began to murmur.

"Yu Tianheng's team has power attack, control and agility attack. That's a complete lineup!"

"Xiao Wu's the only power attacker on Lin Chen's team, and Ye Lingling is pure support. How are they supposed to fight?"

"Not necessarily. Didn't Lin Chen already beat Yu Tianheng last time?"

On the training ground, the two teams faced each other.

Yu Tianheng flexed his wrists, lightning from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon dancing at his fingertips. "Lin Chen, I accepted my loss last time wholeheartedly. But I won't hold back this time."

"Please." Lin Chen stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm.

He still had no intention of using his full strength. This was the perfect chance to see how much Xiao Wu had improved lately.

"Begin!" At Instructor Qin's command, Yu Feng was the first to move.

He released his Wind Chime Bird Martial Soul. Driven by his level twenty-six Soul Power, he moved as swiftly as a breeze, circling around the front and charging straight at Ye Lingling in the rear.

The tactic was clear: take out the support first, then join forces against Lin Chen.

Xiao Wu blurred into motion, instantly blocking his path in front of Ye Lingling.

Three Soul Rings lit up-yellow, purple and purple. Her Second Soul Skill, Charm, activated, and a wave of pink light struck Yu Feng squarely.

Yu Feng's body halted, his gaze going blank for a moment.

In that half-second opening, Xiao Wu had already closed in.

Her Third Soul Skill, Teleportation, activated. Her pink figure vanished into thin air and appeared at Yu Feng's side the next second. Driving the power of her Waist Bow to its limit, she slammed a fist into his shoulder.

Bang! Yu Feng staggered back several meters through the air and crashed heavily to the ground, the bones in his shoulder nearly breaking.

"So fast!" the students below cried out.

Yu Tianheng's face darkened. "Yanzi, use your poison!"

Dugu Yan snorted and released her Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul. Her First Soul Skill-Jade Phosphorous Poison Mist-sent pale green poison mist spreading over the sky and covering the earth, blanketing more than half the training ground.

Although her First Soul Ring was only a hundred years old, the Jade Phosphorous Serpent's poison was extremely potent. A touch was enough to numb its victim.

"Brother Lin Chen!" Xiao Wu hurriedly retreated, shielding Ye Lingling.

Lin Chen finally moved.

He neither released his Martial Soul nor raised his Chaos Shield. He simply shifted his feet, his body becoming a gray afterimage as he passed straight through the poison mist.

Wherever he went, the mist seemed to part before an invisible force, unable to touch him in the slightest.

This was the Chaos Pearl's immunity to all poisons. It could neutralize any poison of the same level or below, dissolving toxins instinctively without the need to activate a Soul Skill.

"What?!" Dugu Yan's eyes widened. Someone had actually passed straight through her poison mist?

Lin Chen was so fast that he reached her in the blink of an eye. At that moment, Yu Feng also charged in from the side, his claw cutting through the wind as it reached for the center of Lin Chen's back.

"Watch out!" Ye Lingling cried, the healing light of her Nine Heart Begonia already shining.

But Lin Chen swung a backhanded punch without even turning his head.

The wind from his fist, carrying Chaos Soul Power, collided with the bird claw. Yu Feng felt a tremendous force surge toward him, and his wrist cracked with a crisp snap. He flew backward again, even farther than before.

Yu Tianheng finally couldn't hold back. With a low roar, he shouted, "Third Soul Skill, Thunderous Fury!"

His third, purple Soul Ring lit up, and the lightning around him surged. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's Third Soul Skill was a self-enhancement skill that sent its user into a berserk state.

"First Soul Skill, Thunder Dragon Claw!"

Yu Tianheng formed a lightning dragon's claw and sent it straight at Lin Chen. Electric light enveloped the entire training ground, so dazzling that no one could keep their eyes open.

Xiao Wu and Ye Lingling were both forced to retreat again and again by the lightning.

Lin Chen stood at the center of the lightning, his gaze sharpening slightly.

Two purple Soul Rings lit up beneath his feet, followed by a third black Soul Ring, deep as ink, slowly emerging.

The students below fell deathly silent.

Everyone's eyes widened as they stared fixedly at the black Soul Ring.

"Black... a black Soul Ring?! A Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring?!"

"My heavens! His Third Soul Ring is already ten thousand years old? How is that possible?!"

"His First Soul Ring was already a thousand years old, and he's a new twelve-year-old student?"

Let alone Heaven Dou Academy, such a thing was unheard of in the history of the entire continent!

Before the crowd's astonished eyes, Lin Chen abruptly vanished.

Third Soul Skill-Void Shift!

There was no warning, no sign of any spatial fluctuation.

Yu Tianheng's vision blurred, and Lin Chen disappeared into the lightning.

The next second, a sharp sensation of space tearing came from behind him.

He hurriedly turned, but it was already too late.

A faint gray spatial blade glimmered at Lin Chen's fingertip. With a light flick, he tore apart all the lightning surrounding Yu Tianheng.

At the same time, he dipped his shoulder slightly and rammed it into Yu Tianheng's chest. Bang!

Yu Tianheng flew backward and crashed heavily at the edge of the training ground, the lightning around him dissipating instantly.

He struggled to stand, but his blood and Qi churned in his chest, and even his Soul Power was in disarray.

That blow had contained not only physical strength, but also a strange force that tore at space, jarring his meridians until they ached.

The training ground was so quiet a falling pin could have been heard.

One move. Yu Tianheng had been defeated in just one move.

And that was when his opponent's Third Soul Ring had only just appeared.

Lin Chen stood in the middle of the field, the Soul Rings beneath his feet quietly receding. He paid no attention to the crowd's shocked expressions, simply turning and walking toward Xiao Wu and Ye Lingling. "Are you all right?" he asked evenly.

"I... I'm fine." Ye Lingling still hadn't recovered from her shock, and her eyes were full of awe as she looked at Lin Chen.

Xiao Wu, however, was used to it. She ran over with a smile and wrapped her arm around his. "Brother Lin Chen, you're the best!"

Yu Tianheng walked over as well. His face was still a little pale, but he stood straight. "I lost. Your Third Soul Skill is getting stronger and stronger."

"Probably the result of daily training." Lin Chen was noncommittal.

Yu Tianheng was silent for a moment, then said solemnly, "I'm not your equal. But I won't give up. Sooner or later, I'll catch up to you." With that, he turned and walked away.

Dugu Yan glared fiercely at Lin Chen and hurried after him.