The two were of course Ling Xiao and Li Yuanchong. They had received orders to assassinate Zhang Wuhen.

Zhang Wuhen kept shaking his head. He wanted to shake away that wisp of restlessness in his heart. They were three and two ranks lower than him respectively. Why did he have to be afraid of them? "What are you guys here for?" he asked with a hoarse voice, not loosening the grip on his sword in the slightest.

"To kill you." Contrary to Zhang Wuhen's expectations, these words came from the youngster dressed in gray who looked as though he bemoaned the state of the universe and pitied the fate of mankind.

Zhang Wuhen raised his head and laughed at the sky. He casually swung the sword in his hand around. "And it's left to you two youngsters?"

Assuming an expression of seeking peace, Ling Xiao said, "Fine, fine. Tell us. What will it take for you to consent to your own death?"

A ferociously ruthless glow surfaced in Zhang Wuhen's eyes. His eyes were so red it was as though blood was going to seep out of them. "Kill that old bastard Liu Zongkai and I'll willingly take my own life!"

Ling Xiao's expression went blank. "Who's the old bastard? Why do you bear such a deep grudge against him?"

Zhang Wuhen's chest violently heaved up and down at the mention of Liu Zongkai. It seemed as if his heart was about to explode from his chest at any moment. "That deranged old bastard lost himself in a fit of brutality. He went so far as to kill my wife who was more five months pregnant! He didn't even let her off! I'm no match for that old son of a bitch. My wife My child They're dead They're both dead" As the words flowed out of his mouth, so did the tears from his eyes. Zhang Wuhen dropped his sword and fell to his knees, weeping disconsolately like a small child.

Ling Xiao indicated toward Li Yuanchong with his eyes. "Go!" Believing he had a tacit understanding with Li Yuanchong, he rushed forth with large strides. But to his surprise, he realised Li Yuanchong was firmly rooted in place. "What are you doing?" He turned his head around, fuming, and shouted, "You don't even want to take such a good opportunity when it's handed to you on a golden platter!"

"If I kill him, it's with my own strength. I can only express my disdain for people like you who employ such shameless methods."

Zhang Wuhen suddenly stopped sobbing. He slowly picked his sword up and stood back up. "This Young Master in white, I admire the way you conduct yourself. Seeing as that fellow is your comrade, I won't kill him. Be on your way. You can't kill me with your combined strength alone."

"You can't kill your Master either with your strength alone," Ling Xiao spoke in a straightforward manner, aiming at the depths of Zhang Wuhen's heart. "So you can only come here and kill his clansmen to vent out your anger. You're a coward. If your wife was still alive, she'd look down on you too!"

Zhang Wuhen roared out, "If I can't defeat him, I can't! What else can I do about it? Tell me! You tell me!"

A secretive smile surfaced on Ling Xiao's face. "Give me your head. I'll swear on the name of my soul to help you kill that old bastard."

"Do you take me for an idiot? If you can't even defeat me, how can you possibly kill that old son of a bitch?" Zhang Wuhen coldly countered.

Ling Xiao mischievously chuckled. "You can't kill him because he has his guard up around you. In all that's left of your life, never shall a chance for revenge present itself to you. But for us? He doesn't have his guard up against us. We can take his life at any time."

Li Yuanchong nodded. "If we're talking about the most despicable and shameless person who'll use any trick in the book to assassinate or ambush, there is no second to my good friend here."

Ling Xiao rolled his eyes at Li Yuanchong. Please, Lil' Bro Li Yuanchong. I won't mistake you for a mute if you keep your mouth shut!

Zhang Wuhen shook his head. "There'll come a day. I only have to survive and cultivate diligently. When the time comes, the opportunity is right there for me to kill him."

"That might never come to pass. Who knows. When the time comes, perhaps he'll die of old age!" Ling Xiao added on like a wet blanket.

Zhang Wuhen tightly bit his steel teeth in anger and growled, "Are you here just to piss me off?"

"No, no, no. I'm still sticking to what I said. Let us carry your head and avenge you." Ling Xiao continued lobbying, "Do you know who this person is? You should know, he lives by his word. If you don't believe me, you'll be bound to believe him." He turned to Li Yuanchong and stuck his hand out. "Give it here."

Li Yuanchong frowned. "What do you want?"

Ling Xiao glared at him. "That token you used to enter Heavenly River City, of course."

Li Yuanchong gave it a bit more thought but still handed the token over to Ling Xiao.

When Zhang Wuhen saw the token, his eyes went wide open in two perfectly round circles. To the disciples of all sects under Heavenly River City, the perceived significance of this token would forever be greater than its true significance. Their reverence to Heavenly River City was on equal standing with the belief to never stop cultivating. Becoming a disciple of Heavenly River City was the honour they'd pursue for a lifetime. No one within the borders of influence of Heavenly River City didn't recognise this token.

After a long time, Zhang Wuhen tentatively asked, "This Younger Master is"

"Young Master is Young Master, don't call me Younger Master. I am Li Yuanchong of Heavenly River City," Li Yuanchong snorted.

Zhang Wuhen laughed until tears streamed from his eyes. "So, even the Castellan of Heavenly River City wants my life!"

Li Yuanchong fell silent for a moment before saying, "You killed too many innocent people. To uphold the reputation of Heavenly River City, you must die."

Ling Xiao rolled his eyes. He continued with his effort to convince Zhang Wuhen, "The Castellan sent his grandson over to polish his skills. Even if he fails, you must die. Do you think you still have the chance to seek revenge?"

Zhang Wuhen stood where he was in a daze, silently contemplating his options. He believed Ling Xiao. Since even Heavenly River City sent someone to kill him, did he have any hope of vengeance? Gritting his teeth, he seemed to have made up his mind. "I'll give you my head under one condition. You must swear on your soul that you'll avenge me."

Ling Xiao was pleased with himself. Swearing on my soul? Isn't that like a rabbit eating carrots and cabbages? I can swear on my soul as much as I want! Haha! If he could, Ling Xiao even wanted to set up a wholesale business trading soul oaths.

Li Yuanchong was still hesitating when Ling Xiao assented, "I, Ling Xiao, swear on my soul to help Zhang Wuhen kill Liu Zongkai. If I do not fulfil this promise, my body and soul shall cease to exist and I'd be better off dead!" A red wisp of his soul flew out from his head and seeped into Zhang Wuhan's, entering the depths of his soul.

Zhang Wuhen nodded and the red wisp flew back into Ling Xiao's head.

Li Yuanchong looked at Ling Xiao in shock. No matter how he tried, he couldn't see through him. Why does this guy take soul oaths left and right like they're nothing? Could it be he really doesn't know that the mysterious power of the oath will swallow him whole if he doesn't do as promised?

A soul oath was a malicious oath that was a Chain Soul Master's greatest taboo. It was also known as a curse locked onto a Chain Soul Master's crown.

"Good, very good!" Zhang Wuhen maniacally laughed. "Before I die, I want to test your strength to put my mind at ease when I enter the hereafter. If I die by your hands, I can close my eyes in death and die in contentment."

Li Yuanchong shook his head. "We have a treasure on us that can kill you, but fighting like that doesn't hold any meaning. But if we don't use it, it's only natural we can't kill you."

Ling Xiao snapped his fingers. "How about this? Cut us a deal. If one of us can close the distance and get within a meter of you, it'll be considered our win. How about it?"

Zhang Wuhen swung his sword. "Begin!"

"Let's go!" The duo flanked Zhang Wuhen and rushed up to him.

Li Yuanchong used the Three Phantom Transformations from the start, whereas Ling Xiao used the Ghostly Transformation Step.

Both youngster split up into countless silhouettes that scattered around Zhang Wuhen. All who saw it would be dazzled by this sight.

"Good!" Zhang Wuhen involuntarily cried out. He slashed an arc out with his sword. Countless green light arrays took form within a 10 meter radius around him.

Ling Xiao had seen the might of these light arrays before. If any one amongst them hit him, he'd end up a slag. He looked to his side and saw Li Yuanchong dodging them in a very orderly manner. So, he rushed behind his compatriot and followed in his footsteps.

"You do your name proud. You really are a direct descendant of Heavenly River City!" Zhang Wuhen felt relieved. He never expected Li Yuanchong to see through which arrays were fake and real in but a glance.

Fake arrays served to confuse people, whereas real arrays dealt the intended damage. With Zhang Wuhen's strength as a green ranked Celestial Soul Master, it was practically impossible for him to release so many real arrays in a single breath. Even if these two youngsters saw through his first attack, Zhang Wuhen didn't intend to give up on testing them just like that. "If you can take my next attack, I'll consider it your win! Six Ultimate Arrays of the Heavens!"