Manifestation of Growth

"You seem confident." Wulin said blandly, a ghost of a smile on his face. This wasn't exactly a planned result but this was a good 'audition' for Xie Xie. Depending on the result maybe he shouldn't be allowed in class 0 though considering he had survived two attacks from them that was an unlikely result.

"Of course I'm not! I can't win against you. I'm confident I can run away though!" Xie Xie shouted, his figure once more blurring however this time his figure teleported through space and appeared behind Gu Yuena, jade green scales covering his hand with his claws on her neck.

"I don't need his protection, you know." Gu Yuena said simply, a playful smirk on her face as her figure disappeared and reappeared right beside her other half, her arm leisurely draped across his broad shoulders.

"Well, it was worth a shot." Xie Xie said with a defeated sigh. He thought it was a long shot but it was his only real chance of winning. It was less glamorous than he'd like but he wasn't strong enough to take victory with his own hands.

"It was a good try." Gu Yuena comforted him while ignoring her other half's side eye. "That's why I'll give you a challenge. If you can do it, he'll give up." She continued, her amused smile increasing in size.

"A challenge?" Xie Xie asked warily, a frown on his face. Unless there was a huge disadvantage for Wulin there was no way he would win, that's why he went for Gu Yuena who he hoped wouldn't be as hard to hold back as the physical monster that was Tang Wulin.

"Yeah, it's simple. If you make him drop a single one of the deserts in his hand you win and he'll only defend and not attack. After ten minutes, you'll lose." Gu Yuena offered with a smile that made her seem like a saint despite her being anything but.

"…Sure I'll accept." Xie Xie said hesitantly. Something about it seemed wrong like it would end up worse for him if he did accept. But he didn't understand where that feeling came from and so he foolishly ignored his instincts.

"Then good luck~!" Gu Yuena said playfully, her figure vanishing as though she was a mirage the entire time. Instead, it was the opposite that was true, she hid her body by bending the light around her body instead of letting it bounce off of her and into other's eyes.

As soon as she was gone Xie Xie teleported through space, appearing before Wulin in a literal instant with his scaled hand reaching toward a dessert in his opponent's arms. To win, he needed to make Wulin drop one of the roughly thirty he carried but it never said he could take one instead.

However, his hand grabbed nothing but the air, Wulin leaning to the side and forcing his hand to fly past him. Gritting his teeth Xie Xie sent out his other arm but just like before Wulin dodged him with ease.

Fixing his stance Xie Xie sent out a flurry of grabs that were just a blur to the audience his age and even to some of the senior students. His strong suit was always speed and it had only increased since his martial soul awakening.

Yet Wulin dodged his blow with ease even without moving from his position. It was as though his crimson eyes could see his every moment before it even happened and truthfully, he and any experienced soul master could.

To enhance his speed above what he was normally capable of Xie Xie wrapped his limbs in soul power however because of his inexperience a small amount of soul power would be moved to the limb he was about to use to attack making him easy to predict.

However suddenly Xie Xie changed his approach, he phased through space to appear behind him and then extended his arm forward directly toward his back. It was a confusing move to those unaware however to those with keen eyes it was an obvious tactic.

Moving quickly through the air Xie Xie's arm did not stop by hitting Wulin's powerful back but instead phased through it and appeared on the other side, completely ignoring any and all defenses of his opponent.

However, then his arm paused in place, a sudden force appearing on his limb that locked him in place. A look of worry appeared on his face as his arm was locked in his boss' body until it was finally flung out sending him shooting back.

"Your ring is powerful but your control over space isn't good enough yet." Wulin said simply toward the stunned boy. All he had done was pressure his limb as it phased through his body and lock it in place with his soul power.

When Xie Xie gained more understanding of the space element it wouldn't be possible but currently his limb was partially in the real world rather than in the reverse world where it should be so he could influence it with his energy as it was also partially resided in the reverse world.

"Two minutes left~." Gu Yuena's voice resounded through the venue, her voice echoing using her wind element. Rising to his feet Xie Xie held a look of determination in his eyes, his jade scales covering more of his body.

Teleporting in front of Wulin he once more threw out his arm however this time it was different. The students felt like they were hallucinating as his arm seemed to vibrate as it occasionally doubled in their view.

Hidden in the space behind him Xie Xie's second jade green ring began to glow as he approached, time overlapping upon itself as he cloned himself, both having the same goal. Attacking from two different directions, time appeared to slow down in Xie Xie's view.

He saw the look of faint surprise in his boss' eyes, the small grin on his face, and how his opponent didn't dodge despite being fully able to. In his boss' crimson eyes, a faint degree of acceptance that made him want to jump from joy appeared as his two hands grabbed a single dessert each, ripping it out of Wulin's hands.

"Oh, you did it?" Gu Yuena said in mock surprise, suddenly appearing behind Xie Xie before he could even begin celebrating. "Well, I guess it's my turn then." She continued, finally revealing the cause of Xie Xie's bad premonition.

'Oh no…' Xie Xie thought to himself in fear, a tornado appearing under his feet and throwing him off the arena.