Starting Reward – A Three Thousand Assassin Network - Chapter 16

Chapter 16 – Tianji Pavilion, Tianji Compass

In the northern region of the Great Xia Empire, Cang Prefecture, lies the Beizhu Peak. This towering peak reaches thousands of meters high, its summit shrouded in clouds, surrounded by a cluster of mountains, while white birds soar freely in the sky around it.

At the pinnacle stands a nine-story pavilion, engraved with three large characters in the center — Tianji Tower!

This is one of the ten transcendent forces in the martial world, the Tianji Pavilion.

The Tianji Pavilion is divided into two factions: one is named Tianyan, which calculates the secrets of heaven, deciphering all phenomena in the world. The other faction is Tiangong, skilled in the art of machinery, complementing each other.

It’s precisely due to the existence of Tiangong that the Tianji Pavilion can rank among the top ten transcendent forces.

Although the surface of Beizhu Peak looks like an ordinary mountain, it’s actually littered with hidden mechanisms. If an outsider ventures in carelessly and accidentally triggers a tree, a blade of grass, or even a stone, activating these hidden mechanisms, death awaits instantly.

This forms the fundamental basis for Tianji Pavilion’s foothold.

At this moment, on the ninth floor of Tianji Tower, three elderly men with youthful faces have gathered. The one leading, clad in a gray robe, stands in the center of the tower, with a three-foot-sized bronze compass placed before him.

The compass is engraved with various inscriptions, accompanied by numerous golden runes around it, giving it a mysterious appearance.

This bronze compass is called the Tianji Compass, a genuine heavenly tool, the true foundation of the Tianji Pavilion.

And the elderly man is the master of Tianji Tower, Tianji Zi.

At this moment, Tianji Zi wears a solemn expression, placing his hands within the Tianji Compass before slowly closing his eyes.

Ka-cha, Ka-cha …

As Tianji Zi communicated with the compass using his spiritual awareness, the Tianji Compass started spinning continuously. The characters began rearranging themselves repeatedly.

Hum!

A golden light burst from the Tianji Compass, followed by several ancient mysterious seal characters leaping out of it.

Soon, sixteen golden characters suspend in mid-air.

Tianji Zi opened his eyes, looking up.

“Heavenly net and earthly net, is all pervasive.  The stars and the sea, only I am supreme.”

At this moment, an elder beside Tianji Zi frowned and asked, “Senior Brother, what does this mean?”

This person speaking is Dai Mo, the controller of the Tiangong faction.

“The Heavenly Net(work), could this be the organization that destroyed the Divine Flame Sect last night? And what does stars and sea mean?” Another elder speculated after speaking.

He was Tianji Zi’s junior brother, Xuanji Zi, in charge of the Tianyan faction.

Xuanji Zi was equally proficient in the art of divination, but only the sect leader could use the Tianji Compass.

Tianji Zi gazes at the sixteen golden characters in the void, furrowing his brows and stroking his beard as he speaks.

“Heavenly net and earthly net, is all pervasive. This first phrase should refer to an extremely massive organization. However, the latter phrase is somewhat elusive. Stars represent the sky, and the vast sea has no boundaries. Yet, stars and the sea have no connection, making it difficult to fathom!”

“The last four words, “only I am supreme” are easy to understand. Could it be …”

Suddenly, Tianji Zi thought of a possibility. Stars symbolized the sky, while the seas represents the underground.

“Senior Brother, have you figured something out?” Dai Mo and Xuanji Zi look at Tianji Zi simultaneously, inquiring.

“I’m afraid this era will witness the rise of an unprecedented hegemon, who might likely rule over the entire continent in the future.”

Upon hearing this, Xuanji Zi and Dai Mo are shocked to their cores, their faces displaying incredible horror.

“How is that possible!”

“Tianxuan Continent is vast. Even with our Tianji Pavilion’s extensive intelligence network, the Eastern Territory isn’t fully covered. You’re saying this person can control the entire continent? It’s simply unbelievable! If he can control the Eastern Territory, it would make it somewhat believable.”

“Second Senior Brother’s words make sense. Eldest Senior Brother, could you have misunderstood?”

Hearing Xuanji Zi and Dai Mo’s voices, Tianji Zi also feels somewhat uncertain about his speculations. This indeed sounds unbelievable.

“Let’s not bother about whether he can rule the entire continent in the future. However, this person is undoubtedly closely related to the Heavenly Net(work) organization. Once we uncover this force, he will naturally surface.”

“Reasonable!” Xuanji Zi and Dai Mo nod at each other.

“With our Tianji Pavilion’s intelligence network, it shouldn’t be difficult to probe into the details of this force!” Xuanji Zi says confidently.

“Nothing is absolute. Don’t let your guard down. They were able to annihilate the Divine Flame Sect, which had a late-stage Celestial Realm powerhouse presiding over it in just one night. It’s enough to show their profound foundation. Be cautious, don’t act rashly, and prioritize survival in everything,” Tianji Zi reminds them.

“Senior Brother is right. I will personally remind them of this point.”

…

With the annihilation of the Divine Flame Sect overnight, all 1800 members were killed, turning the entire sect into a purgatory. Deep red blood mixed with rainwater flowed everywhere, staining the surroundings red.

The strong scent of blood attracted countless flies, and some crows were lured by the scent of death, incessantly cawing from the branches.

Upon hearing this news, people in the martial world were shocked. In an unnamed inn, “Ah, it’s so tragic! All 1800 members of the sect were killed, not a single one spared!”

“Indeed, the scene was like hell on earth.”

“These people were like demons, not sparing even three-year-old children!”

“Shh! Are you seeking death? Can we afford to provoke such a force?” At this moment, a friend nearby hurriedly stopped him.

“Nobody knows which force did it. They might be hiding nearby.”

Hearing this, some people in the martial world quickly stopped discussing this topic.

However, the martial world always has so-called righteous individuals, young and daring, who always talked about being unafraid of death.

“Humph, what’s wrong with speaking the truth? Since they dare to act, why shouldn’t we speak? With their actions, they will invite divine punishment in the future.”

This statement immediately drew the attention of the surrounding martial artists.

“May I ask, young hero, which force do you come from?” At this moment, someone spoke up to inquire.

Seeing someone asking about his origin, the young man opened his folding fan with a “swish,” then lightly shook it, causing a breeze to ruffle his hair.

“I come from Tianyang City in Yong Prefecture, from the Ji Family.” The young man raised his head proudly.

“The Ji Family from Tianyang City!”

“Good heavens, never thought this person is from that family!”

“It’s rumored that the Ji Family’s patriarch, Ji Chengyun, is already half-a-step into the Transcendent realm. Once he steps into this realm, he’ll rank among the world’s top-notch martial experts, reigning over a region!”

Listening to the praise of the surrounding martial artists, the young man became even more smug. He quickly smiled and said, “The person you mentioned is my grandfather, and I am Ji Yibo.”

“Are you the Ji family’s fairy Ji Mengyao’s brother, Ji Yibo?”

“Rumor has it that Ji Yibo started practicing martial arts at the age of seven, cultivating the family’s inherited Qikun Divine Technique. In just two and a half years of cultivation, he has reached the Xiantian realm. Since his debut, he has never been defeated, which is truly terrifying!”

Ji Yibo, upon hearing this, adjusted his temple hair and chuckled, “Haha, it’s all thanks to the attention of the heroes of the martial world. It’s all just an empty reputation, not worth mentioning!”

“Thank you all. Let’s keep our distance from this guy, so we don’t get into trouble!” After saying this, the people present hurriedly settled their bills and then dashed away as if avoiding a plague.

“Huh … What’s going on …?” Ji Yibo felt a bit bewildered. The hall was bustling just a moment ago, but now it had become incredibly quiet.

“Caw, caw, caw…” At this moment, he felt a crow flying over his head, incessantly cawing.