"A qualified assassin will never expose themselves to their target; the moment you are exposed, your assassination is over and facing your target directly is the most unwise choice for an assassin!"

Jiang Chen calmly looked at the man, and said softly, "Moreover, an assassin must understand the disparity between themselves and their target, and seek any method to bridge that gap. When you realize that you lack the ability to bridge this gap, the wisest choice is to abandon this assassination."

"That's your second mistake—determining me as your target without understanding my strength, all for a small promise from some scoundrel. It's so unwise!"

Tang Zhenglin's face darkened, he shouted angrily, "Jiang Chen, what do you mean? Are you saying entering my Heavenly Sword Sect is easy?"

"Whether it's easy to enter the Heavenly Sword Sect depends on one's own strength. When someone's strength within their realm reaches top-tier combat power and they have some talent, entering the Heavenly Sword Sect is not difficult."

Jiang Chen seemed to be answering Tang Zhenglin's question, but his gaze did not rest on Tang Zhenglin; instead, he looked at the man on top of the tree opposite him:

"Though your strength is only at the Semi Divine Infant Realm, you are restrained, and your fluctuations of spiritual power are concealed. From the faint aura you emitted when you leaped to the treetop, I can tell you've stayed in the Semi Divine Infant Realm for a considerable amount of time. During this period, you weren't unable to break through; instead, you've been solidifying your foundation, pursuing a perfect control over your power. Am I right?"

"You..."

The man's face changed, surprised, "You deduced all that just from my leap to the treetop?"

"I'm like you. When I haven't mastered complete control over my power within a realm, I won't break through."

Jiang Chen glanced at a tree diagonally below him, and said softly, "With your strength, taking the Token from the other five and maneuvering with them in this forest isn't difficult."

"So, I say, someone's promise really means almost nothing to you. Are you truly willing to forego your chance to enter the Heavenly Sword Sect for such an insignificant promise?"

"What do you mean?" The man's eyes flashed with an unusual color and his brows furrowed slightly.

"Because..."

Jiang Chen's lips curled slightly, a cold gleam flickering in his eyes, "Anyone who strikes at me is my enemy. Against an enemy, I show no mercy. Even if they don't die, they will be rendered powerless!"

The man's heart chilled. As Jiang Chen's words ended, he saw an unmistakable bloodthirst in Jiang Chen's eyes.

As a member of an assassin family, he was very familiar with this aura of Xue Sha.

It's a force that condenses only after witnessing countless deaths and staining one's hands with endless blood.

It is different from killing intent!

Anyone can have killing intent, but this kind of bloodthirsty aura cannot be gathered unless one has repeatedly crawled from piles of corpses and seas of blood.

He had only ever sensed this bloodthirsty aura from his great-grandfather, an elder standing at the top of the Canglan Continent!

The man's eyes showed hesitation, then his figure flashed and quietly descended from the treetop, leaping aside without making a move!

An adept assassin knows that when you can't guarantee a fatal strike, not acting is the wisest choice!

Seeing the man leave, Tang Zhenglin frowned and glanced unhappily at the direction of his departure, signaling to several positions below.

Swish!

Swish!

Suddenly, two cold glints appeared, and from the diagonal below where Jiang Chen had looked, two men dashed out. They held longswords, leaped to the treetop, and swung their longswords down at Jiang Chen's head.

Whoosh!

At the same time, a vague silhouette emerged from beneath the tree. Holding a pitch-black dagger, it dashed toward the treetop using the branches as cover.

"This time, it does resemble an assassination somewhat, but it's still not enough!"

Jiang Chen smiled faintly, raised a hand, and casually outlined with a sword finger toward the two attacking in mid-air.

Swish!

A sword light glimmering white appeared, carrying a stern aura of slaughter, it shot out swiftly.

Shit! Shit!

The sword light split in the air, directly piercing the chests of the two knife-wielding men attacking Jiang Chen.

"Ah!"

"Ah!"

Two cries of agony rang out, their chests instantly dyed red with blood, their bodies softened, and they fell headfirst.

Swish!

With a single guiding hand from Jiang Chen, the sword light in mid-air turned immediately, stabbing directly at his neck.

Clang!

A metallic clash sounded, with sparks bursting at Jiang Chen's neck. A pitch-black dagger appeared suddenly, knocked away by the sword light, and the assassin family man's figure appeared beside Jiang Chen, with a look of surprise on his face.

Bang!

Jiang Chen kicked, and the assassin man's body flew backward.

Puff!

He spat out a mouthful of blood, his body shifted, and he leaped into the forest, disappearing without a trace.

"All of them quite clever, knowing there's three hours of battle, so they started by preserving their strength, not unleashing powerful attacks, but..."

Jiang Chen chuckled lightly, glanced downward. The two knife-wielding men he had knocked down vanished: "After taking my attack, you two probably can't fight anymore, right?"

Raising his head to look at Tang Zhenglin, Jiang Chen smirked evilly, "Only a dozen at the Semi Divine Infant Realm, how many did you buy?"

Tang Zhenglin's face changed, his gaze instantly became dour.

Those two knife-wielding men were indeed bought by him, and he had seen Jiang Chen's blow clearly. That strike had pierced the lungs of the two men, rendering them unable to continue fighting — they were essentially eliminated!

"Boy, don't get cocky; today is your end!"

Tang Zhenglin spoke coldly, his voice quiet enough that only Jiang Chen could vaguely hear.

Jiang Chen smiled faintly, "Alright, I'm curious to see what other tricks you have."

Swish!

Tang Zhenglin's figure suddenly flashed and leaped away from above Jiang Chen's head.

Jiang Chen was slightly taken aback, with doubt just appearing in his eyes, Tang Zhenglin's emotionless voice rose: "Two Semi Divine Infant Realm lost combat strength, eliminated!"

Whoosh whoosh!

Chen Jingxuan pulled Yun Tao to Tang Zhenglin's location.

Beside a large tree, two youths' chests kept oozing blood, their faces pale, their breath weak.

Yun Tao's eyes shifted slightly, speaking in a low tone, "Spiritual power lingers in the wound, preventing it from healing. The attacker left them no chance!"

Chen Jingxuan slightly furrowed his brows and looked up at Tang Zhenglin in the air, "Who did this?"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.