Chapter 513: Challengers

“How about the two-on-two then? What are your thoughts on that?” Tang Wulin asked.

“We’ll settle that with a match too. Yue Zhengyu and I will face you and Gu Yue,” Yuanen Yehui answered.

“Alright. That’s another match to schedule then. All that’s left is the team battle. There are seven slots we need to fill.” 

“We have no problems with you, Gu Yue, and Ye Xinglan participating. But Xu Xiaoyan and Xie Xie? Not so much. I’ll put forth two students from my class and they’ll face Xu Xiaoyan and Xie Xie in a two-on-two battle. Of course, it won’t be Yue Zhengyu and I facing them. Whichever side wins will participate in the team battle. Sound good to you?”

“Yeah. Looks like we’ve come to a conclusion.”

Tang Wulin’s quick agreement unsettled Yuanen Yehui. “What’s got you so confident?” 

He cracked a wry smile. “To be honest, apart from you and Yue Zhengyu, no one else in your class is even a match for Wu Siduo’s team.” 

“Just how arrogant can you be?” She glared at him. 

“You want to see for yourself? We can organize a match between Wu Siduo’s team and five students from your class, excepting you and Yue Zhengyu. Let’s see who wins.” 

“Enough with your nonsense.” Yuanen Yehui stomped off, seething. She wasn’t angry at Tang Wulin’s arrogance, but the sharp truth to his words. Her class was truly eclipsed by the first grade overall. 

Tang Wulin narrowed his eyes as he watched her leave. This selection competition was a good opportunity for Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan. It wasn’t just the second grade students who doubted the two, but their own classmates as well. Since there were extra slots for the team battle, there was no way the rankers would be satisfied with not participating. Through the selection tournament, the two could prove with their strength that they deserved to be there. 

Two days later, they held the selection tournament at the training arena. 

There were to be two matches, both two-on-two. The first was Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan against the second grade’s Duan Hunxiao and Ye Xingmo. The second was Tang Wulin and Gu Yue versus Yuanen Yehui and Yue Zhengyu. 

Everyone held these matches in high expectation.

On one side stood Ye Xingmo and Duan Hun Xiao. In the previous battle between the two grades, Ye Xinglan had suppressed him. But that didn’t mean he was weak. The martial soul suppression was just too potent. He was also a control-type and had been the first to reach four rings in his team. Faster than Yuanen Yehui. 

On the other side stood Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan. Both were commonly deemed as the weakest links of Tang Wulin’s team. Neither seemed to have any particular specialty, perhaps besides Xie Xie’s willingness to go all in. 

These matches would decide who stood with the others in the team battle against the third grade. However, everyone knew the second match was the one to watch out for. 

While Tang Wulin and Gu Yue had weaker cultivations than Yuanen Yehui and Yue Zhengyu, their supreme soul fusion skill more than made up for that. No one was sure who would win, but general sentiment favored Tang Wulin and Gu Yue at the moment. 

To their surprise, Elder Cai had deigned to personally oversee this selection tournament. 

Students of the first and second grades filled the stands, eagerly awaiting the battles to start. 

After approaching his teammate’s side of the arena, Tang Wulin patted Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan on the shoulder. “Feeling confident?” 

“Yeah,” Xie Xie said, determination flashing in his eyes.

Xu Xiaoyan giggled. “I’ll be fine as long as he doesn’t get in my way.”

Xie Xie shot her a glare. “So even you’re looking down on me! I’ll show you! I’ll show you all just how great I am!”

Meanwhile, Luo Guixing sat in the audience, turning to Wu Siduo. “Did you ask Wulin why none of us are in this selection competition?” 

Wu Siduo’s bit her lip with agitation and forced out a smile. “Don’t you know what sort of guy he is? He may look kind and gentle, but he’s two-faced with a black heart. He told me that if Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan lose this match, then we can jump in to challenge the second grade duo. That guy doesn’t play by the rules at all…”

Luo Guixing wrinkled his nose. “Really? Just how shameless can he be?”

“You know, he was super self righteous when he told me all that! Then he went on to say that since we’re younger, the second grade should yield this opportunity to us! And that this isn’t shameless at all!”

Luo Guixing covered his face with his palm. “Then what if Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan win?”

“He said that if they do, he wants us to consider if we can bring out any pair that could defeat those two. For example, you and Xu Yucheng.”

Luo Guixing raised a brow. “What did he mean by that? Is he saying Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan are stronger than me and Xu Yucheng?”

Wu Siduo crossed her arms. “I’m not sure either. What I do know, however, is that Wulin isn’t the type of guy to shoot blindly.”

Luo Guixing frowned. “Did they get a giant boost in strength? You remember our match in the start of the year. Did you get the feeling that they were anything special back then?”

“They didn’t even use their full strength. How am I supposed to judge them? Well, all we can do is wait and see.”

“Yeah.” 

The selection tournament was free of needless formalities. Elder Cai simply walked up and said, “Both teams come up.” 

Duan Hunxiao and Ye Xingmo ascended the stage. They were calmer than they had been during the battle between grades. Ye Xingmo’s gaze in particular carried an edge .

Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan ascended next. 

For some reason, Yuanen Yehui felt queasy in her stomach at the sight of them. Ever since the day Xie Xie ran off in anger, she had been restless. But her pride didn’t allow her to admit her mistake. Didn’t allow her to apologize to him. 

She had thought he wouldn’t reappear before her after that outburst, but just as in the days before, she woke up to evidence of his presence: a clean swept ground outside and a fresh basin of water. It took her over a minute to process what she saw, to realize the extent of Xie Xie’s earnestness. Since then, her grievances against him had faded. She no longer grew angry at the mere sight of him. Instead, she became aware of the great effort he put into pleasing her. To keep up with her, a person destined to enter the inner court. 

After this realization, doubt flooded her heart. She wondered why her thoughts kept revolving around him in such a way. He was handsome, Yuanen Yehui had to admit. He was just outshined by Tang Wulin most of the time. A hint of envy flickered within her as she watched him ascend the stage with Xu Xiaoyan. They looked like a couple out of a fairytale. 

On stage, both sides stared each other down.

Elder Cai stepped forward and said, “The match will proceed as I see fit. My word will be final in all rulings. Begin.” 

Xie Xie acted instantly, a breeze trailing behind him as he flew forth. His Light Dragon Dagger was already in his hand and he was halfway across the arena when everyone finally registered the start of the match. 

He’s fast! The sentiment was shared by everyone in the arena. All of the agility-types compared themselves to Xie Xie, judging whether they could stand a match. It only took a second for them to come to the harsh truth: Xie Xie left them in the dust. 

As the representatives of the second grade, Duan Hunxiao and Ye Xingmo wouldn’t let a bit of speed shake them. Ye Xingmo took a step forward to stand in front of Duan Hunxiao. Brandishing his Starsaint Sword, he thrust out to meet Xie Xie.

Just as the two were about to collide, Xie Xie stopped in place abruptly. No deceleration at all. He raised his dagger high into the air, his aura flaring with power and enlarging his presence. It was only then that everyone got a good look at his soul rings: two yellow and two purple. 

In the stands, Wu Siduo, Luo Guixing, and Xu Yucheng felt their hopes wither slightly. They lost their soul power advantage over Xie Xie. The only reprieve was that only three rings appeared when Xu Xiaoyan summoned her Star Staff.