Betrayed by the Golden Class! Red Level Assessment!

The afterglow of the setting sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows into the villa. The moment Lin Fan pushed open the door, he saw Bibi Dong reclining against a leather sofa.

Lin Fan dropped onto the sofa, exhausted as a dog.

Holding a cup of tea, Bibi Dong smiled faintly and said, "Not bad. You fought quite well today."

"A bunch of noobs. Is this really the level of Spirit Hall's future?" Lin Fan glanced at her, casually grabbed an apple from the fruit platter, and took a bite.

Bibi Dong gently blew across the surface of her tea, her tone calm. "What you need to do is subdue these so-called future geniuses. They refuse to accept it? Beat them until they do."

She paused before continuing, "I've decided. From now on, you will be the next Pope I cultivate."

Lin Fan froze, clearly not expecting Bibi Dong to be so direct. Then he raised a brow. "What about Senior Sister?"

"She's a good child." Bibi Dong's tone remained indifferent. "I do regard her as a daughter and have given her all my maternal love... but compared to you, she falls far short. She cannot compete with you for the position of Pope."

Lin Fan paused mid-bite, narrowing his eyes as he studied Bibi Dong.

Bibi Dong looked calm, but her fingertips unconsciously rubbed along the rim of her teacup—one of her little habits whenever she suppressed her emotions.

Qian Renxue was her biological daughter. Although Bibi Dong loved her, Xiao Xue carried traces of Qian Xunji, and so Bibi Dong hated her as well.

Thus, Bibi Dong gave Hu Liena all the maternal love that should have belonged to her.

"So, Teacher, you have a daughter?" Lin Fan asked despite already knowing the answer, his voice carrying a hint of teasing. "What's your daughter's name? What does she look like? What's her Martial Soul? Is she pretty? Introduce us sometime, will you~"

"Don't ask what you shouldn't." Bibi Dong's gaze turned cold, her voice chilling. "Otherwise, I guarantee I'll train you until you regret it."

Lin Fan stuck out his tongue and pretended to be frightened before turning serious. "Fine, fine, I won't ask. But... Teacher, do you really intend to make me Pope?"

"You don't have the qualifications yet." Bibi Dong looked at him with a firm gaze. "Twin Martial Souls, a thousand-year second soul ring, and limitless potential ahead of you. Other than my daughter, no one can compare to you."

Lin Fan's face was full of feigned curiosity, but inwardly, he sneered. As a transmigrator, he naturally understood Bibi Dong's twisted feelings toward her daughter—she loved her but dared not acknowledge her, hated her but could not bear to scold her.

Having read the original novel and watched the anime, he knew very well that Bibi Dong neither beat nor scolded the young Qian Renxue. She merely subjected her to cold indifference. At most, she could be called an unfit mother.

Unlike in some fanfics, where it was always either beatings or scoldings, while Qian Daoliu and Qian Xunji were practically decorations.

"Tomorrow, you'll go to Qian Daoliu's place," Bibi Dong continued. "From now on, you'll attend Spirit Master Academy every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I'm the Pope and have many matters to deal with, unlike those idle people at the Worship Hall. Every month, I'll set aside a few days to guide you. If there's anything you don't understand, save it up and ask me all at once then."

Lin Fan nodded. "Understood."

From that day onward, Lin Fan's life became exceptionally full.

Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, he went to Spirit Master Academy. Qian Daoliu packed his remaining time full of training. Even his former Sunday breaks were gone.

Half a year later.

Lin Fan and the ten members of the Golden Class stood on the training field. The sun shone brightly, but the air was thick with tension.

Lingyuan Douluo, the academy headmaster and their homeroom teacher, stood on the platform alongside Pope Bibi Dong and the Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluos. Lingyuan took out a box from a Soul Tool. There was a hole on top of the box large enough for someone to reach inside.

"It's time for the annual year-end assessment," Lingyuan Douluo said with a smile. "Anyone who fails to complete their task will be eliminated."

"Same as last year." Bibi Dong stepped forward, her voice calm yet unquestionable. "Come draw a task. Whatever you draw is what you must complete. The tasks are ranked white, yellow, purple, black, and red. Of course, since you are the Golden Class, there are no white or yellow tasks."

She paused, sweeping her gaze over the crowd. "Red is the hardest, and there is only one such task. Since Support System Spirit Masters lack combat ability, you may find one person as a partner. Decide who will go up and draw first."

The ten members of the Golden Class looked at each other, then almost simultaneously took three steps back in perfect unspoken agreement, leaving Lin Fan standing alone at the front.

"Holy shit, you guys stabbed me in the back!" Lin Fan's eyes widened in shock.

Yan scratched his head and smiled awkwardly. "Sorry, Brother Lin. Out of the eleven of us, your luck is the 'best,' so you definitely have to go first. Besides, you're so strong. Even if you draw red, you'll definitely finish it easily."

They all knew that Lin Fan had the worst luck, so they had discussed it beforehand and decided to let him draw the hardest one first.

Even if Lin Fan beat them up afterward, it would still be worth it!

"You guys are real pals." Lin Fan rolled his eyes, but still strode forward and reached into the box.

The entire field fell silent, every gaze fixed on that hand.

The next second, a red task card was drawn out.

The entire field erupted.

"Red!"

"He actually drew it!"

"Oh no, oh no! Isn't Lin Fan going to be eliminated?"

Lin Fan lowered his head and looked at the task card. Stamped in gold lettering were the words—[Go to Sunset Forest, independently hunt and kill a Six-thousand-year Soul Beast, and bring back its remains. Time limit: 30 days.]

Lin Fan held up the task card, swept his gaze across the field, and calmly asked, "Any Support System Spirit Masters want to form a team?"

The entire field fell silent.

Even the wind seemed to stop.

The two Support System Spirit Masters of the Golden Class lowered their heads in unison, as though a flower had suddenly bloomed from the ground.

The corner of Lin Fan's mouth twitched. "Fine. You guys are really loyal."

Lingyuan Douluo coughed dryly. "Ahem, Lin Fan, are you sure no one is willing to team up with you?"

"Looks like it." Lin Fan shrugged, casually put away the task card, and straightened up. "Then I'll go alone."

After returning to the villa, Lin Fan was in an excellent mood, relaxing like a wild horse that had finally slipped its reins.

He dropped onto the sofa with an apple in hand, grinning as he ate, as though the red task card was not a death sentence but a pass to freedom.

"Hahahahaha! As long as I finish the assessment within ten days, all the remaining time is mine! I finally won't have to suffer through that devilish training anymore!" He laughed so hard that he rocked back and forth, nearly laughing himself to tears.

Only Lin Fan himself knew just how inhuman Qian Daoliu's training was!

Over the past half year, Lin Fan had endured exhaustion and pain that someone his age should never have had to bear!

It made him incredibly envious of those fanfic protagonists and Tang San. Damn it, they really had it easy!

Bibi Dong glanced at him and said calmly, "Don't celebrate too early. A Six-thousand-year Soul Beast won't be that easy to deal with."

"Teacher, you underestimate me too much." Lin Fan lazily waved a hand. "A mere Six-thousand-year Soul Beast—I can handle it without even using all my soul skills."