Reach the Sound trainer alive
Tengai teaches Sound Breathing on the high cliffs of Iceveil Valley. Reach level 25, buy Wall Climb and Double Jump, carry a lantern, and bring 10 Demon Horns for the September 2026 build. Check his dialogue after an update before making the full climb.
The cold makes this route dangerous. Pass through the snow town and climb past Tengai’s boss area, then continue right and scale the next face. The trainer is tucked on the far side. Set your camera before entering the snow, pause only on safe stamina ledges, and place a nearby spawn before training.
Requirements and quest tasks
| Preparation | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Level 25 | Shared breathing-style gate |
| 10 Demon Horns | September 2026 trainer requirement |
| Wall Climb and Double Jump | Needed for the cliff route |
| Lantern | Protects you on the snow journey |
| Skill points | Used for moves after training |
Training includes push-ups, barbell work, squats, boulder splitting, cup tracking, and underwater rock collection before the Sound Trainee fight. Follow the active quest icons. Surface between small groups of rocks, track the starting cup through the shuffle, and block the trainee’s complete opening string before countering.
Sound moveset roles
| Technique | Combat purpose |
|---|---|
| Bursting Bloom | Pressure and explosive contact |
| Roar | Counter that teleports into Crown Splitter |
| Exploding Beads | Ground or air projectile trap |
| Resounding Slashes | Multi-hit pressure with knockback and a cancel option |
| String Performance | Tengai boss-drop ultimate |
Roar works when an opponent attacks during its counter window. It does nothing against someone who has already backed away. Put Exploding Beads on an escape path instead of the place where an enemy used to stand.
Practice the full and cancelled versions of Resounding Slashes separately. The full animation adds damage and knockback, while an early cancel can keep you safe. Raise Sound mastery by using the style in fights and buy later nodes from the Skill Tree.
Farm Tengai’s drops
The Tengai boss drops themed gear, including dual Sound Katanas and Slayer clothing. String Performance is a low-percentage drop. Set a nearby spawn and learn the opening before farming, since cold damage and a long return trip make failed attempts expensive.
Use Sound moves during each clear so unsuccessful item rolls still build mastery. A 5% drop rate does not guarantee success within twenty clears. Plan for repeatable wins instead of a fixed number of attempts.
PvP: force a reaction
Sound rewards pressure with restraint. Approach at close or medium range and watch the first response. Roar punishes an immediate attack. Exploding Beads can cover a backward dodge. Against a block, wait and change your timing rather than repeating the opener.
Use this response plan:
- Hit: add M1s and one extension.
- Block: stop, reposition, and return at a new timing.
- Miss: cancel or disengage while movement is still available.
Test every move at two distances and learn how soon you can defend afterward. A long combo has no value if it requires the other player to stand still.
PvE and team use
Exploding Beads and multi-hit attacks control grouped enemies well. Pull a pack into one area, place the delayed threat, and focus the quickest enemy first. In a party, Sound can hold a boss while teammates add M1 damage. Use control effects in sequence instead of overlapping them.
Use Roar as a read
Give the opponent a reason to attack before using Roar. Step into an aggressive player’s preferred range, pause, and activate the counter as the swing begins. Against someone patient, check with an M1 or Beads first and keep Roar for the response.
Boss wind-ups make the timing easier in PvE, but an armor phase can ignore the expected interruption. Test Roar on a smaller attack before trusting it against the largest animation.
Control Exploding Beads
The projectile works on the ground and in the air. Aim for where the target is going. After knockback, place it on the landing route. During group fights, put it beside a held boss so allies do not have to chase.
| Opponent response | Sound adjustment |
|---|---|
| Rushes immediately | Prepare Roar |
| Retreats after M1 pressure | Cover the escape with Beads |
| Holds block | Delay and reposition |
| Jumps away | Use the air-capable path |
| Punishes full Resounding Slashes | Cancel earlier and reset |
Make the cold route repeatable
Keep the lantern equipped, unlock the nearest spawn, and memorize the right turn after the Tengai boss landmark. Carry enough health to survive one missed climb. If you die before using Sound at all, return to normal enemies and buy another mastery node before resuming the boss farm.
Judge each run by more than its item drop. A good clear adds mastery, improves your timing, and returns you to the next attempt quickly.
Team communication
Tell allies before you hold or launch the boss. Sound’s barrage creates a shared damage window, but the last knockback can push the target out of a teammate’s ultimate. Start the hold, let allies commit, then warn them before the launch.
Sound often works best as the second initiator. Let a safer opener make contact, add Beads or a barrage, and keep Roar ready for the boss’s counterattack.
FAQ
Where is the Sound Breathing trainer?
Tengai is on a high cliff in Iceveil Valley, reached through the snow town and up the right-side mountain route.
What level does Sound Breathing require?
You need level 25 plus the trainer’s current material requirement.
Why do I keep dying on the trainer route?
Bring a lantern, unlock Wall Climb, move between stamina ledges, and avoid stopping in the cold zone.
Is Sound Breathing good for PvP?
Yes. Its counter, delayed projectiles, and combo extensions are strong when you respond correctly to a hit, block, or miss.
How do I get String Performance?
Build the Sound branch and farm the Tengai boss. The ultimate is a low-percentage drop.