Below the watchtower was a closed tavern.
Two lanterns, swaying precariously in the wind, hung under the eaves, casting a dim yellow light that stretched a slender figure long.
Jiang Chen stopped, confronting the figure from ten zhang away.
It was a woman.
Although her face was covered by a thin black veil, making her features indiscernible, her physique and the eyes exposed to the air suggested she was very young.
Her eyes were peculiar, not like the eyes of a living person.
Calm and profound, like two ancient wells that would never ripple.
Jiang Chen's Eye of Insight felt a slight obstruction for the first time when observing this woman.
A faint, mist-like power enveloped her lifeline, making her appear indistinct.
But Jiang Chen still “saw” the crucial information.
Target: Ghost Hand (Gold-tier Killer of the Shadow Tower assassin organization).
Character Destiny: Her lifeline is deeply intertwined with the Shadow Tower; she will become the leader of the Shadow Tower in the future, but will be counter-killed by her target during an assassination mission targeting an Elder of one of the Seven Great Sects, resulting in the complete destruction of her Divine Soul.
Interesting.
A top-tier killer destined to die at the hands of the Righteous Path.
“Your sword is fast.”
The woman spoke first, her voice cold, like jade striking ice, devoid of any emotional fluctuation.
“Your guts are also very big.”
She added.
“Killing a person from the Qingyun Sect, destroying the Heavenly Secret Disc, and being jointly wanted by the Seven Great Sects, yet you still dare to swagger openly in Sanhe City.”
Jiang Chen remained silent, merely tightening his grip on the broken sword behind him.
He could feel that this woman was very strong.
She was more than a few levels stronger than the three useless individuals he had killed before.
The Killing Intent she exuded, forged from years of treading the line between life and death, was as solid as substance.
“I’m not here to kill you.”
The woman seemed to see through his wariness and said indifferently.
“Although the bounty for the Mandate of Heaven Kill Order is tempting, the Shadow Tower has its rules. We don’t take on such dirty jobs that lack specific target information and rely entirely on luck.”
“Then what are you here for?” Jiang Chen’s voice remained hoarse.
“I’m here to invite you.”
The woman’s words surprised Jiang Chen.
“Invite me?”
“Yes.” The woman nodded, “The Shadow Tower needs talent like you. Clean, ruthless, and skilled at utilizing every available resource. You were born to be a killer.”
She paused, then continued: “You are currently a target of public scorn; every Cultivator in the entire Southern Region wants your head for the bounty. By yourself, you might escape today, but not tomorrow. You need a sanctuary, a place where you can hide your name and be provided with sufficient intelligence and resources.”
“The Shadow Tower is your best choice.”
These words almost perfectly hit upon all of Jiang Chen’s current predicaments.
He indeed needed an identity as a cover, and he urgently needed an intelligence network to help him find his next “prey.”
This woman, named Ghost Hand, seemed to see through all his needs.
“Why should I trust you?” Jiang Chen asked.
“You don’t need to trust me; you only need to trust in benefits.” Ghost Hand’s voice remained cold, “Your value lies in your assassination ability. The Shadow Tower provides you with sanctuary and resources, and you complete missions for the Shadow Tower. This is a transaction, fair and just. Of course, you can also refuse, and then continue to be hunted by everyone in the world like a rat scurrying across the street, until one day, you die from exhaustion.”
Jiang Chen fell silent.
He was rapidly analyzing the pros and cons with his Eye of Insight.
Ghost Hand’s lifeline showed that she indeed had no intention of acting against him immediately; her “invitation” was sincere.
But the “utilization” branch line was equally clear.
Joining the Shadow Tower would be more beneficial than detrimental in the short term.
He could use the Shadow Tower’s intelligence network to locate Su Qingxue and Shi Lei.
He could also use the Shadow Tower’s missions as a cover for his own actions.
As for the potential risk of being used in the future... Jiang Chen’s lips curved into an unnoticed cold sneer beneath the soot.
Once he had devoured enough “Destiny,” who would be using whom would still be uncertain.
The entire Shadow Tower might even become a main course on his menu.
“How do I join?” Jiang Chen made his decision.
A hint of approval flashed in Ghost Hand’s eyes.
Smart people always make the most correct choices.
She took out a black wooden token from her bosom and tossed it over.
“This is your introductory mission. Liu An, the steward of the City Lord’s mansion’s treasury. Within three days, I want to see his head. Once the mission is complete, you will be a ‘Black Iron-tier’ killer of the Shadow Tower.”
“The reward is five hundred Spirit Stones, and access to all intelligence within the Shadow Tower regarding the areas around Sanhe City.”
Jiang Chen took the wooden token.
The token felt cold in his hand, and a faintly discernible pavilion was drawn on it with a special dye.
He remembered that in the teahouse, the Eye of Insight had seen the killer who was supposed to assassinate the City Lord’s concubine; it seemed he had failed the mission and been captured.
This Liu An was probably already a frightened bird.
The City Lord’s mansion’s defenses would undoubtedly be at their absolute strictest now.
This was both a test and a pledge of allegiance.
“Good.”
Jiang Chen didn’t ask further, put away the token, and turned to leave.
“Wait.” Ghost Hand called out to him, “Your name.”
Jiang Chen’s footsteps paused.
The name Jiang Chen had already appeared on the Mandate of Heaven Kill Order along with the identity of “Heavenly Demon.”
He needed a new identity, a new codename.
He lowered his head and glanced at the broken sword wrapped in rags in his hand.
The sword belonged to Ye Liuyun.
The Sword Intent was Rain of Sorrow.
“Just call me...” He thought for a moment, then said in a hoarse voice.
...A Yu.
With that, he no longer lingered, his figure quickly disappearing at the end of the long street.
Ghost Hand stood in place, silently repeating the name.
A Yu... a name that sounded somewhat weak, even a little ridiculous.
But she knew very well what a ferocious hungry wolf the owner of this name was.
She turned, her figure dissipating like a wisp of smoke, leaving only a sentence that slowly faded into the air.
“Welcome to... Hell.”
...Returning to the abandoned sewer, Jiang Chen reviewed his plan.
Joining the Shadow Tower was the first step of the plan.
Next, he had to choose one of the two “main courses,” Su Qingxue and Shi Lei, to start with.
Su Qingxue, a Hundred Herb Valley medicine boy, a Child of Destiny in the growth phase, possessing the Hundred Herb Spirit Body. Her Opportunity was in the Soul Severing Mountain Range east of the city.
Shi Lei, a beggar, a Child of Destiny in the budding phase, possessing the Array Dao Heavenly Heart. His Opportunity was in Luan Shi Zang (Chaotic Stone Burial) south of the city.
One had a Sect backing her, was in the “growth phase” of strength, making her difficult to hunt, but potentially yielding higher returns.
The other was rootless and unattached, in the “budding phase” of strength, making him easier to hunt, allowing for quick harvesting to strengthen himself.
Without any hesitation, Jiang Chen made his choice.
Kill Shi Lei first!
Even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit.
Before having absolute certainty, it was better to start with the easier target, accumulate enough capital, and then challenge stronger opponents.
This was the Law of survival for a hunter.
“Luan Shi Zang (Chaotic Stone Burial)...”
Jiang Chen’s gaze pierced through the darkness, looking towards the south of the city.
But before he could partake in that grand meal, he had to deal with the Shadow Tower’s “appetizer.”
The City Lord’s mansion steward, Liu An.
It was perfect; he could use him to test his new applications of the Rain of Sorrow Sword Intent and the Eye of Insight.
And, incidentally, exchange for the most detailed map of Luan Shi Zang (Chaotic Stone Burial) from the Shadow Tower.