Chapter 897: Three Incense Sticks, Golden Bounty

In the Central Domain, within the imperial capital, while the imperial capital’s trials were in full swing, a seldom-visited underground palace in the capital’s largest black market suddenly saw an influx of people dressed in peculiar clothing. Each of them had their heads and faces covered, as if avoiding the light, but without exception, every one carried a strong aura of malevolence.

This malevolent aura only forms when one's hands have been stained with too much blood and too many lives have been taken. Typically, after a period of rest, it dissipates on its own. However, the malevolent aura on these individuals was condensed and did not disperse, almost becoming substantial. There was only one reason for this: constant, uninterrupted killing over many years.

The underground palace was very understated, without any luxurious decorations. The only striking feature was a blood-black emblem above the entrance. It depicted an incense burner with three incense sticks standing upright, burning silently. This was the Assassin's Sanctuary: Three Incense Sticks.

Inside the main hall, numerous bounties hung high on a task board. Bounties displayed at the “Three Incense Sticks” headquarters in the Central Domain were, at minimum, for "Death Disciples." Within "Three Incense Sticks," the three highest-level targets—"Death Disciples," "Villains," and "Fallen Corpses"—corresponded to the assassin ranks of Red Card Hunt Orders, Purple Card Hunt Orders, and Gold Card Hunt Orders, respectively. Generally, only assassins of the appropriate rank could accept bounties of that level and receive substantial rewards upon completion. However, there were exceptions, such as now…

At the highest and most prominent position on the task board in the hall, a new bounty had appeared, glowing with a striking black-gold radiance. The bounty itself contained no specific information. However, all assassins with Red Card Hunt Orders and above understood that this was the highest-level "Assembly Order," rarely seen in years.

"When was that 'Assembly Order' posted? I don't recall seeing it this morning when I came in," someone asked, carrying a wineskin as he entered the hall and looked at the black-gold bounty.

"Tengu, have you had too much to drink? My Red Card Hunt Order received the message, so your Purple Card Hunt Order should have been notified too, shouldn't it?" someone nearby chuckled darkly.

"Purple Card Hunt Order?" The assassin called Tengu laughed and shook his head. "My order beeps all day long; people are always asking for my services but can't afford the appropriate payment, so I blocked it long ago. Corpse, tell me what's going on?"

At "Three Incense Sticks," anyone holding a Red Card Hunt Order had successfully assassinated at least one Throne. Once you obtained a Red Card Hunt Order, further advancement became difficult. To upgrade from Red to Purple, the requirement was to successfully assassinate a hundred Thrones and ten Dao Slayers. To upgrade from Purple to Gold, the requirement was to successfully assassinate a hundred Dao Slayers and one Grand Void. For most assassins, the Gold Card Hunt Order was the highest rank; being able to assassinate a Grand Void proved their strength and capability. However, for a select few, the Gold Card Hunt Order still offered room for further advancement!

Beyond that was the "Three Incense Sticks'" highest rank, the "Three-Color Hunt Order," which required successfully assassinating ten Grand Voids and one Half-Saint. These were absurd upgrade conditions! Yet, throughout the history of "Three Incense Sticks," a total of sixteen assassins had earned a "Three-Color Hunt Order." These individuals were kings among assassins, and theoretically, they should have been renowned in the assassin world. In reality, no one definitively knew the identities of those sixteen assassin kings. There were only vague speculations. Among the Six Divisions of the Sacred Temple, the two leaders who had emerged from "Three Incense Sticks" were believed to have obtained the "Three-Color Hunt Order": Yi and Night Owl.

Everyone knew that even the leaders of the Six Divisions had not reached the Half-Saint realm. However, even Half-Saints had moments of weakness, let alone those of lower cultivation. The path of an assassin emphasized assassination. In assassination, cultivation realm was the least regarded factor; timing, terrain, and the target's condition were paramount. The Throne realm had three stages: Dao Realm, Dao Slayer, and Grand Void. But simply put, all three stages belonged to the Throne realm. Any assassin who obtained a Red Card Hunt Order, as long as they possessed Throne cultivation, theoretically had the ability to assassinate a Grand Void. This was also the fundamental reason why assassins tried their best not to provoke their peers. In any world, schemers were deeply detested. Even assassins with Gold Card Hunt Orders most feared being taken down by a Red Card assassin they had previously scorned or offended, especially when weakened after completing a mission.

Inside the hall, Corpse only held a Red Card Hunt Order, yet he dared to openly tease Tengu, who possessed a Purple Card Hunt Order. Similarly, Tengu didn't seem to mind, engaging in an equal exchange. This was because everyone knew that once you entered the "Three Incense Sticks" headquarters in the Central Domain, the color of your hunt order became less important. Apart from Gold Card Hunt Orders, everyone's abilities were actually quite similar. The only difference was the number of lives they had taken.

Corpse pointed at the task board, gesturing for Tengu to sit beside him, one seat apart. "This Assembly Order, I don't know who issued it, but it has only one directive: gather at Sword God Heaven in the Eastern Domain. Everyone with a Red Card Hunt Order and above received the message; those below are not eligible."

"The Eastern Domain? That far?" Tengu exclaimed in surprise. The Assembly Order aimed to gather the strongest assassins from across the world in a specific location. Once an Assembly Order was issued, it gave assassins time to prepare. While the specific mission details hadn't been revealed yet, with a clear objective, everyone could accept bounties. The first to complete the task would receive the reward. Tengu hadn't expected that the Assembly Order posted by the "Three Incense Sticks" headquarters would direct them to the Eastern Domain. Considering this, the other five regional branches must have also received the Assembly Order. Assassins in the Eastern Domain were probably already sharpening their blades.

"It's certainly far, but the rewards are definitely much richer, aren't they?" Corpse twirled a dagger in his hand, licking his lips. "To make assassins from all five domains rush to the Eastern Domain… something big must have happened there!"

"Who died?" Tengu asked.

"No idea," Corpse replied, shaking his head.

The other people in the hall also shook their heads slightly; no one had any information. Being assassins, they habitually gathered information constantly. Whenever someone spoke, others would fall silent, focusing their attention on the conversation. Thus, everyone was listening to Tengu and Corpse's dialogue, but concerning the final question, no one knew the answer.

"A big figure from the Sacred Temple has died!"

Suddenly, a hoarse voice came from outside the door. Everyone looked up, then stood up in shock.

"Shuangdai?"

"Dai Shen!"

"Holy crap, it's Dai Shen! How many years has it been since we last saw Dai Shen? This must be only his second appearance here since getting his Gold Card Hunt Order, right?"

Even the usually taciturn assassins couldn't help but react upon seeing the newcomer.

Shuangdai was a Gold Card Hunt Order assassin who had risen through the ranks seventeen years ago in the Central Domain. Anyone who thought his assassin code name was "stupid" was, in fact, the real fool! This was because to obtain a Gold Card Hunt Order, one had to have at least a hundred Dao Slayer kills under their belt, in addition to one Grand Void life. Ignoring the Grand Void, just looking at the number of Dao Slayers: how could an ordinary person successfully assassinate a hundred Dao Slayers? Even a Grand Void would find it time-consuming, laborious, and mentally draining to kill a Dao Slayer, and might even let them escape. Yet, Shuangdai had accomplished this feat seventeen years ago, earning his Gold Card Hunt Order. In the seventeen years since, no one believed he had retired; they only thought he might be laying low, or perhaps… cultivating, breaking through, and refining his assassination techniques! And sure enough, with a major bounty, he had reappeared.

"What does Dai Shen mean? A big figure from the Sacred Temple has died?" someone in the hall asked curiously.

Shuangdai walked straight to the task board, his gaze unwavering. After scanning the bounty with his spiritual sense and understanding the Assembly Order's information, he sneered, "Many big events have happened in the Eastern Domain recently, but none bigger than the appearance of the City of Sky, where major powers like the Holy Servants, the Xuyue Gray Palace, and Yama have all shown themselves. That's all I'm saying."

"What does that mean?" Everyone was utterly confused, completely failing to grasp his implication.

Just then, a graceful figure stepped through the doorway, covering her mouth with a delicate laugh. "Oh my, you fools, can't you figure out what Dai Shen means? If major dark forces like the Holy Servants had lost someone, would they dare to post a bounty at Three Incense Sticks? They don't even dare to show their faces; they're nothing but rats. And now the Assembly Order wants people to rush to the Eastern Domain, so who else could have posted it?"

Suddenly, everyone understood.

Dark forces like the Holy Servants wouldn't dare post a bounty. So, it could only have been posted by the Sacred Temple? But that seemed unlikely… The Sacred Temple had its own Dark Division; if they wanted to take covert action, why would they come to Three Incense Sticks for help?

Most people looked bewildered. Only a small group, hearing this, felt a tremendous shock. Few knew that Three Incense Sticks actually had ties to the Sacred Temple. Even if they searched for clues, at most, people could only suspect it, without definitive evidence. But for assassins, suspicion was enough to justify taking action. Since there was a ninety percent chance the Assembly Order was posted by the Sacred Temple, it meant the person who posted it couldn't use the Dark Division. And a significant figure from the Sacred Temple had died, yet they couldn't use their own Dark Division and needed the help of "Three Incense Sticks." What did that imply? Unauthorized action!

Shuangdai turned his gaze to the scantily clad, graceful woman, his emotions unaffected by her seductive figure. He calmly transmitted his voice, "Did Yi die, or Night Owl?"

In his opinion, the only high-ranking figures who would think of using the power of "Three Incense Sticks" were those who had originated from "Three Incense Sticks" themselves. And in the battle at the City of Sky in the Eastern Domain, all six divisional leaders had gone, but only two of them had come from "Three Incense Sticks." The answer was obvious.

"Dai Shen is quite outspoken, isn't he? Why make baseless accusations without proof?" The graceful woman chuckled, covering her red lips. Instead of transmitting her voice, she took a delicate step, swaying her hips as she walked loudly into the main hall.

Not all assassins could suppress their emotions as Shuangdai did. Clearly, the newcomer's figure was exceptionally alluring. Some assassins, having just completed missions, were already high-strung. Resting in the hall, upon hearing her words and seeing her, they couldn't suppress the wicked urges within them, turning to embrace women and head towards private rooms.

But unexpectedly, no one dared to look directly into the woman's eyes, or even utter another word.

"Golden Foot…" Shuangdai's eyes slightly narrowed. This woman was also a Gold Card Hunt Order assassin, codenamed Golden Foot. Intelligent individuals had clearly reached the same conclusion. For a Sacred Temple high-ranking official to issue an Assembly Order, the value of this mission was immeasurable. Gold Card assassins were no longer short on money, but at their level, all aspired to advance to higher realms. However, assassins themselves lacked background resources. Relying solely on "Three Incense Sticks," it was unknown how many years one would have to wait for an assassination mission significant enough to transform their cultivation. The Sacred Temple was different. They controlled vast resources that assassins lacked. In fact, if one could impress them during the operation, it was even possible to transform their identity and join the Yi Division or Dark Division. It was known that Yi and Night Owl had both started at "Three Incense Sticks" before joining the Six Divisions and eventually becoming their leaders.

"Why does Dai Shen look at this humble lady like that? Could it be that you've taken a fancy to me and wish to engage in… unspeakable acts?" Golden Foot, wearing only a black, intricately carved eye mask, felt her pretty face flush under Shuangdai's gaze. In full view of everyone in the hall, she turned her body, her eyes seemingly moist, and demurely said, "If it were anyone else, absolutely not, but for Dai Shen, it's hard for me to say no…"

Even though all the assassins knew Golden Foot was merely putting on an act, the thorough display of shy anticipation still ignited a wicked fire in the hearts of all the assassins. It was like saying, "take your pick," and who could possibly resist?

The hall suddenly became much quieter.

Shuangdai's eyes remained unmoving, as indifferent as ever. Women were difficult for assassins to resist, yet they were also an assassin's biggest taboo. Countless assassins had met their end in a woman's embrace. Shuangdai, having achieved the rank of Gold Card Hunt Order assassin, would not allow himself to perish over such trivial matters.

He said calmly, "What you're interested in should be the same as what I'm interested in. If so, you should also know how dangerous this mission is."

Golden Foot let out a light laugh. "No matter how dangerous, it can't compare to Dai Shen's danger. I've heard that Dai Shen seems to have been attempting to reach the Three-Color Hunt Order these past few years?"

At her words, everyone in the hall was astonished. Three-Color Hunt Order? Dai Shen had already successfully assassinated one Grand Void; with his ability, increasing that number was only a matter of time. Did Golden Foot's words imply that Dai Shen was already attempting to assassinate a Half-Saint? That was insane!

Everyone eagerly awaited Dai Shen's reply. Shuangdai did not deny it. "I failed."

Even Golden Foot was stunned for a moment. She had only a tiny piece of information and had asked as a probe, never expecting that Shuangdai had actually made the attempt. Even a weakened Half-Saint was not someone a Grand Void could contend with. What exactly had this guy done to be able to retreat unharmed after a failed assassination attempt?

"No wonder he hasn't dared to show his face for seventeen years; so, he was being targeted…" Golden Foot shook with delighted laughter, but dared not say another word on the matter, as it concerned a Half-Saint. She pondered for a moment, then, with a suggestive glance, said, "This time, is Dai Shen also planning to take the lead alone?"

"What do you mean?" Shuangdai's expression tightened.

Golden Foot's eyes darted towards the hall entrance. "This mission is too dangerous for me to handle alone, so I've called for help. Dai Shen, will you be a partner, or an enemy?"

In response, three distinct figures emerged from outside the door: a haggard, limping old man, a hunched old woman, and a cute, round-headed, big-eyed little boy.

"Elder Evil, Ghostly Grandma, Little Ninja?"

Everyone in the hall froze, goosebumps rising on their skin.

"Five of the Central Domain's seven Gold Card Hunt Orders are here today?"

"What exactly is this Assembly Order for, to be able to summon five such grand figures?"

"Oh my goodness…"

Everyone realized something very serious was unfolding. If these five individuals combined forces, even a Half-Saint might struggle to resist them, for an open spear is easy to dodge, but a hidden arrow is not. One misstep, and death could be instantaneous!

Shuangdai, too, was startled, feeling a chill. "You've all come together just for the Assembly Order? The bounty hasn't even been posted yet…"

"Cough, cough, cough!"

The limping old man, Elder Evil, looked very frail. After a series of heavy coughs, he seemed like someone on the brink of death, barely holding on to a fading breath as he waved his hand. "Young man, of course we take the Assembly Order seriously, but this time, there's another target."

"Another target?" Shuangdai looked back at the task board, where no golden bounty was displayed.

The cute, round-headed, big-eyed little boy, who had been helping Ghostly Grandma, dropped the old woman and hopped over. "Brother Shuangdai, you're really out of the loop! Along with the Assembly Order in the Eastern Domain, there's another hot commodity, and its bounty has been upgraded. Don't you want to see it?"

"Who?" Shuangdai looked back at him.

Ghostly Grandma pulled a bounty order from her robe and, with a flick, unfurled it. "Young man, take a good look. Doesn't it tempt you?"

Everyone in the hall looked on. Only those with a Gold Card Hunt Order could normally see the contents of a Golden Bounty Order. However, once a bounty was accepted and displayed, everyone could see its details. Shuangdai was no exception; his gaze fell upon it, then slightly adjusted, and his heart surged with a tidal wave of emotion.

**Bounty Order*** **Name:** Xu Xiaoshou.* **Age:** Nineteen.* **Cultivation:** Grandmaster Heavenly Manifestation Realm.* **Background:** Heavenly Sang Spirit Palace, Holy Servants.* **Combat Prowess:** Throne Dao Realm, Dao Slayer (unknown).* **Bounty Level:** Fallen Corpse.* **Bounty Amount:** 50 billion spiritual crystals, five Void Tokens, one Saint-Sealing Essence.

A collective gasp swept through the hall.

This was merely the basic information on the bounty order. Detailed information about the person described would require spiritual sense to unlock. Naturally, most people did not have the right to access more details. But even this basic information was enough to utterly astound everyone present.

"What the hell?"

"Nineteen years old, Grandmaster Heavenly Manifestation Realm, combat prowess of Throne and Dao Slayer?"

"Just a mere Grandmaster… a Gold Bounty? Fifty billion spiritual crystals?"

"Money isn't the point! The key is five Void Tokens! Five is already a lot, but who would offer a 'Saint-Sealing Essence'? Doesn't that just give you the foundation to become a Saint?"

"Kill a nineteen-year-old kid, and you… you can become a Saint?"

Everyone's faces were filled with shock. This bizarre gold bounty order made their eyes light up, and their hearts burn with desire. However, once they calmed down, they noticed a crucial piece of information…

"Holy Servants?"

At once, it felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over everyone in the hall, and their emotions returned to normal.

Three Incense Sticks itself was a dark force, so who didn't know about the Holy Servants, the leaders of the dark forces? Each of the Holy Servants' Nine Seats was comparable to a Grand Void. The top few could even overpower Grand Voids and rival Half-Saints. The Sacred Temple had spent decades, countless human, financial, and material resources, just to capture one of the Holy Servants' second-in-command, Wuxiu, before finally succeeding. A young Holy Servant like Xu Xiaoshou would undoubtedly have powerful protectors by his side. This gold bounty order only offered a reward for Xu Xiaoshou, the Holy Servant, on the surface. Covertly, the assassins might have to deal with one, or even several, of the Holy Servants' Nine Seats!

Who could handle that?

—Shuangdai could handle that!

A true assassin disregarded external factors and focused solely on the primary target. Everyone had moments when they were alone!

Shuangdai had indeed only just re-emerged and had not seen this golden bounty, which had been claimed by the group of old, weak, women, and children almost as soon as it appeared.

At this moment… he was tempted!

"Shall we talk?"