Guardian

Gu Chen's scalp prickled. Instinctively, he threw the Paper Crane from his System Backpack, replacing the position where his body had originally stood.

Gu Chen himself seemed to vanish into the void. After disappearing for an instant, he reappeared several meters away.

The Paper Crane left behind was touched by those sharp claws, its metal corroding away and turning into a puddle of black water.

Still shaken, Gu Chen looked toward where he had been standing.

A slender woman stood there. She was not tall, dressed in an elegant purple-red robe and wearing an amethyst crown. Her fair skin and nearly flawless face made her stand out from everyone else.

But Gu Chen had no interest in admiring her beauty. Not only was she not even half as beautiful as Gu Yuena, more importantly, she had come to kill him!

Nine Spirit Rings rose around her, the last of which was even a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Ring. The phantom of a black spider slowly emerged behind her.

The moment he saw the spider phantom and the hundred-thousand-year Spirit Ring, Gu Chen had already identified her—the former Saintess, Bibi Dong!

What Bibi Dong had unleashed was her first Martial Soul—the Death Spider Emperor!

Third Spirit Ability—Death Spider Web Restraint!

As Bibi Dong unleashed her Third Spirit Ability, the spiderweb carrying the aura of death shot through the air toward Gu Chen.

"Watch out!"

A familiar voice rang out. An old man appeared, grabbed Gu Chen by the collar, and Gu Chen's vision blurred. The next moment, he was dozens of meters away.

Gu Yuena was likewise brought to Gu Chen's side by another old man.

Looking closely, the newcomers were actually Thousand Jun Douluo and Demon Subduing Douluo!

Gu Chen let out a long breath. With two Title Douluo present, it seemed he would not need to expose himself.

"Thousand Jun Douluo, Demon Subduing Douluo, how dare you ruin my plans!" Bibi Dong fumed when the prey in her grasp escaped.

"Former Saintess, they are Spirit Hall's hope for the future. You have no right to lay a hand on them!" Demon Subduing Douluo sneered.

Bibi Dong released her aura, her voice cold with a hint of frost. "I am a level 98 Title Douluo, while you are merely level 96. You should know that every rank among Title Douluo is a world apart. For a level 98 like me, killing the two of you to silence you would be effortless!"

"What if you add me?"

Before Thousand Jun Douluo and Demon Subduing Douluo could respond, an old man slowly emerged from the dense forest nearby.

The old man activated Martial Soul Possession. Nine Spirit Rings revolved around him, while white scales covered his body.

"Third Guardian!" Thousand Jun Douluo and Demon Subduing Douluo cupped their fists.

"White Armor Douluo!" Bibi Dong gritted her teeth, knowing her plan had failed. "I will remember this. If the opportunity arises someday, you will all die without a doubt!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Bibi Dong used the ability of her second Martial Soul, the Soul Devouring Spider Emperor. Spatial ripples appeared, and Bibi Dong instantly vanished from the spot.

"Third Guardian, why have you come?" Thousand Jun Douluo and Demon Subduing Douluo did not know why White Armor Douluo had arrived, so they asked.

"The Pope asked me to bring Gu Chen to see him," White Armor Douluo said.

"Your Excellencies, what is this about?" Gu Chen looked at Thousand Jun Douluo and Demon Subduing Douluo in confusion.

"With your talents, you will surely become great pillars of Spirit Hall in the future. Therefore, your safety must be protected. Demon Subduing Douluo and I are your and Gu Yuena's respective guardians," Thousand Jun Douluo explained.

Gu Chen took Gu Yuena's hand and nodded.

"Alright, Gu Chen, come with me. The Pope wishes to see you," White Armor Douluo said.

Gu Chen agreed.

"Your Excellency, why does the Pope want to see Brother Chen? Can I come too?" Gu Yuena could not help asking. She was deeply concerned for Gu Chen's safety.

"The Pope has a mission for Gu Chen. Don't worry, you will have one in the future as well." White Armor Douluo smiled kindly.

Thus, Gu Yuena was escorted back to the academy by Demon Subduing Douluo. As for Hu Liena and the other two, they seemed to have fled back to the academy as soon as the battle began, and Demon Subduing Douluo did not find them.

Meanwhile, Gu Chen headed to the Pope's Palace under the escort of White Armor Douluo and Thousand Jun Douluo to meet Qian Xunji.

"Pope!" Gu Chen knelt on one knee and cupped his fists in respect.

"Gu Chen, I have a mission I intend to give you. It will also test your strength," Qian Xunji said.

"Please speak, Pope!" Gu Chen said.

Qian Xunji said sinisterly, "Thousand Jun Douluo should have told you about the situation within Spirit Hall. The faction of the former Saintess, Bibi Dong, has grown increasingly arrogant. They even dare to openly recruit Spirit Hall's Spirit Masters. I have decided to suppress their arrogance."

"The current Saintess of Spirit Hall, Hu Liena, her brother Xie Yue, and someone named Yan should all be in Spirit Academy, in your class, correct? My mission is for you to assassinate them without revealing your identity!"

"Your younger sister is named Gu Yuena, correct? Once Hu Liena dies, she will be qualified to compete for the position of Spirit Hall's Saintess!"

Gu Chen had not expected Qian Xunji to ask him to assassinate Hu Liena and the others. However, even if Qian Xunji had not ordered it, he would have killed them anyway!

After all, anyone who wanted to kill him deserved to die!

Ding!

"Host's current circumstances detected. Plot choice activated:

A. Accept Qian Xunji's mission and assassinate Hu Liena and the other two.

Assistance: One Night Cloak (produced by the system; reduces the host's presence by 50% and conceals the host's aura. Creatures below god-level cannot sense the host's presence through aura).

B. Refuse the mission and recruit Hu Liena and the other two.

Assistance: Three low-level Enslavement Talismans."

"I choose A," Gu Chen said without hesitation.

Ding!

"The Night Cloak has been issued. Please check your System Backpack."

"Pope, I am willing to accept the mission!" Gu Chen raised his head. His upturned lips, paired with pupils black as ink, gave him an indescribably wicked charm.

Ding!

"Host's current circumstances detected. Mission choice activated:

Mission A. Assassinate Hu Liena and Xie Yue.

Reward: Unlimited supply of Yuan Ge's Original Paper Crane.

Mission B. Assassinate Yan.

Reward: Unlimited supply of Yuan Ge's Original Steel Wire.

Mission C. Assassinate Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan.

Reward: Unlimited supply of Yuan Ge's Original Paper Crane and Steel Wire."

Another mission choice had actually been triggered?

Accept Mission C. Gu Chen thought. Since the rewards were free, there was no reason not to take them.

"Hm?" Qian Xunji was somewhat puzzled to see Gu Chen accept the assassination mission without hesitation. Hu Liena was Gu Chen's classmate, after all. Could Gu Chen really kill someone familiar without even a moment's hesitation?

"Pope, today Hu Liena and the other two incited the former Saintess Bibi Dong to attack and assassinate Gu Chen and Gu Yuena. If we had not stopped her, the two of them would likely have met with disaster. That is why Gu Chen bears such hatred toward them," Thousand Jun Douluo hurriedly explained.

"What?" A strange gleam flashed through Qian Xunji's eyes. "Heh, I have not even touched her people, yet she dares to move against mine first. Third Guardian, I have a mission for you. Doesn't she have an old lover named Yu Xiaogang? The Grandmaster? Heh, go kill him!"

Gu Chen broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing this. He had not expected Qian Xunji to want the Grandmaster dead. Once it happened, Tang San would probably attack Spirit Hall, wouldn't he?

Still, if the Grandmaster died, it would be extremely beneficial for Spirit Hall's unification of the continent.

"Yes, Pope." White Armor Douluo cupped his fists.

"Alright, Gu Chen, you may leave for now. You have thirty days to complete your mission," Qian Xunji said.

Gu Chen looked directly at Qian Xunji, his gaze filled with wickedness. "Why would I need thirty days? One day is enough!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Chen turned and left without waiting for Qian Xunji to respond.

"One day?" Watching Gu Chen leave, Qian Xunji's lips curled upward. "If you truly manage it, I will reward you handsomely. But if you do not, you cannot bear the consequences of deceiving the Pope."