At that moment, Gu Chen felt a chill run down his spine. Instinctively, he threw out a paper pheasant from his system bag, using it to replace his original position.
In the next instant, Gu Chen's body seemed to vanish into thin air, reappearing several meters away.
The paper pheasant left behind was touched by the black claw, and the metal it was made of corroded, turning into black water that spread across the ground.
Gu Chen, still shaken, looked back at where he had originally stood.
A slender woman was now standing there. She wasn't very tall, wearing a purple-red luxurious robe, and a purple crystal crown adorned her head. Her white skin and nearly perfect features made her stand out in an extraordinary way.
But Gu Chen had no intention of admiring the woman's beauty. She was here to kill him!
Nine soul rings floated around her, the final one a ten-thousand-year soul ring, with the image of a black spider appearing behind her.
Upon seeing the spider image and the ten-thousand-year soul ring, Gu Chen immediately recognized the woman's identity—former Saintess Bibi Dong!
Bibi Dong was currently releasing her first martial soul—the Death Spider Emperor!
Her third soul skill—Death Spider Web Bind!
As Bibi Dong activated her third soul skill, the deadly spider web shot through the air, heading straight for Gu Chen.
"Watch out!" A familiar voice rang out, and an elderly figure appeared, grabbing Gu Chen by the collar. In the blink of an eye, Gu Chen was several dozen meters away.
At the same time, another elderly figure appeared and took Gu Yue Na to join Gu Chen.
Gu Chen looked carefully, and the newcomers were none other than the Titled Douluo, Thousand Iron Douluo and Demon Slayer Douluo!
Gu Chen breathed a sigh of relief. With two Titled Douluo here, it seemed he wouldn't have to reveal his full power.
"Thousand Iron Douluo, Demon Slayer Douluo, how dare you interfere with my plans!" Bibi Dong's fury was palpable when she saw her target slip away.
"Former Saintess, they are the future hope of the Spirit Hall. You no longer have the right to harm them!" Demon Slayer Douluo sneered.
Bibi Dong released her aura, a cold glint in her eyes as she said, "I am a 98th-level Titled Douluo, and you are only 96th-level. I could easily kill both of you and silence you without breaking a sweat!"
"Then how about me?" Before Thousand Iron Douluo and Demon Slayer Douluo could respond, an elderly figure walked out from a nearby dense forest.
The old man was surrounded by nine soul rings, and his body was covered in white scales.
"Third Protector!" Thousand Iron Douluo and Demon Slayer Douluo bowed respectfully.
"White Armor Douluo!" Bibi Dong gritted her teeth, realizing her plan had failed. "I'll remember this. If there's an opportunity in the future, you will both die!"
As soon as her words fell, Bibi Dong used her second martial soul, the Soul-Eating Spider Emperor, activating a spatial fluctuation as she disappeared in an instant.
"Third Protector, what is this about?" Thousand Iron Douluo and Demon Slayer Douluo were puzzled and asked.
"The Pope asked me to take Gu Chen to meet him," White Armor Douluo said.
"Your Majesty, what is this all about?" Gu Chen looked at Thousand Iron Douluo and Demon Slayer Douluo, a little confused.
"With your talents, you two will definitely become great assets to the Spirit Hall. For your safety, we are your protectors," Thousand Iron Douluo explained.
Gu Chen held Gu Yue Na's hand and nodded.
"Alright, Gu Chen, follow me. The Pope wants to see you," White Armor Douluo said.
Gu Chen nodded in agreement.
"Your Majesty, why does the Pope want to see my brother? May I accompany him?" Gu Yue Na couldn't help but ask, concerned about Gu Chen's safety.
"The Pope has a task for Gu Chen, but don't worry, you will have one too in the future," White Armor Douluo said kindly with a smile.
Gu Yue Na was escorted back to the academy by Demon Slayer Douluo, while Hu Liena and the others seemed to have fled back to the academy when the battle started. Demon Slayer Douluo couldn't find them.
Meanwhile, Gu Chen, guided by White Armor Douluo and Thousand Iron Douluo, was on his way to meet the Pope, Qian Xun Ji, at the Pope's Hall.
"Your Majesty the Pope!" Gu Chen knelt on one knee, clasping his hands respectfully.
"Gu Chen, I have a task for you. I also want to test your strength," Qian Xun Ji said coldly.
"Your Majesty, please tell me!" Gu Chen replied.
Qian Xun Ji said ominously, "As Thousand Iron Douluo should have told you, Former Saintess Bibi Dong's faction has become more and more arrogant, openly trying to recruit soul masters from the Spirit Hall. I've decided to suppress their rampant actions."
"Currently, the Spirit Hall's Saintess Hu Liena, her brother Xie Yue, and someone named Yan should be in the same class as you at the Soul Master Academy, right? Your task is to secretly assassinate them!"
"Your sister is named Gu Yue Na, right? After Hu Liena is killed, your sister will have the opportunity to compete for the position of Saintess!"
Gu Chen was surprised that Qian Xun Ji wanted him to assassinate Hu Liena and the others, but even without this order, he would have done it anyway!
After all, those who wanted to kill him should die!
Ding!
"Detected current situation of the host, special plot choice unlocked:
A. Accept the Pope's task and assassinate Hu Liena and the others.Bonus: Night Cloak (system produced, reduces the host's presence by 50% and covers their aura, beings below god-level cannot sense the host's presence).
B. Reject the task and try to recruit Hu Liena and the others.Bonus: Three Low-Level Slavery Talismans."
Gu Chen immediately made his decision.
"I choose A," Gu Chen said without hesitation.
Ding!
"Night Cloak has been issued, please check your system bag."
"Your Majesty, I accept the task!" Gu Chen lifted his head, his lips curling into a sinister smile, his black eyes glowing with a dangerous charm.
Ding!
"Detected current situation of the host, special task options unlocked:
Task A: Assassinate Hu Liena and Xie Yue. Reward: Infinite supply of the original paper pheasant.
Task B: Assassinate Yan.Reward: Infinite supply of the original steel wire.
Task C: Assassinate Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan. Reward: Infinite supply of both paper pheasant and steel wire."
Gu Chen raised an eyebrow—this seemed like a good deal.
"Task C extracted," Gu Chen muttered to himself. Since the rewards were handed to him, why not accept them?
"Hmm?" Hearing that Gu Chen immediately accepted the assassination task, Qian Xun Ji was slightly puzzled. After all, Hu Liena was Gu Chen's classmate. Was he really willing to kill familiar people without hesitation?
"Your Majesty, today, Hu Liena and the others incited Former Saintess Bibi Dong to assassinate Gu Chen and Gu Yue Na. Had it not been for our intervention, both of them would have been in danger. It is precisely because of this that Gu Chen has such a deep grudge against them," Thousand Iron Douluo quickly explained.
"What?" Qian Xun Ji's eyes gleamed with a strange light, "Heh, I haven't even moved against her yet, and she dared to strike at my people first. Third Protector, I have a task for you. Doesn't she have an old lover, a man named Yu Xiao Gang, the Master? Heh, go kill him!"
Gu Chen broke out in a cold sweat when he heard this. He hadn't expected Qian Xun Ji to order the death of Master. After the incident, Tang San would surely storm the Spirit Hall.
However, if Master were dead, it would be beneficial for Spirit Hall to unify the continent.
"Yes, Your Majesty," White Armor Douluo bowed.
"Alright, Gu Chen, you may leave now. You have thirty days to complete your task," Qian Xun Ji said.
Gu Chen stared directly at Qian Xun Ji, a sinister gleam in his eyes as he said, "No need for thirty days. One day will be enough!"
Without waiting for Qian Xun Ji to reply, Gu Chen turned and left.
"One day?" Watching Gu Chen leave, Qian Xun Ji smiled, "If it really happens, I'll reward you well. But if you deceive the Pope, the consequences will be something you can't bear."