Chapter 31: The Bounty

"The Divine Marquis Mansion must be the dwelling place of the gods!"

"Indeed. As soon as the Anguo Temple was burned, the Mansion knew exactly who the culprit was. They are more omniscient than the heavens themselves!"

"Hush, keep your voice down. If you speak so loudly, the Divine Marquis Mansion might hear you."

"Where can one go to worship the Divine Marquis Mansion? Temples are filled with Bodhisattvas; perhaps they are only found in Taoist shrines?"

"I think the temple is best. Look, the burning of Anguo Temple immediately led to a wanted notice from the Mansion. It shows that the gods recognize the status of the Bodhisattvas and Buddhas... bah, bah! The Bodhisattvas and Buddhas *are* the gods! Please forgive your disciple's loose tongue, Guanyin Bodhisattva."

"Perhaps we should just worship the ancestral tablet of the Divine Marquis Mansion. Who knows? They might grant a miracle..."

Inside the Duke of Jin’s residence, two maids whispered as they crossed the corridor, unaware that the eldest daughter, Yaoshi Yuan, was staring at them from not far away, her delicate, arrogant face filled with shock. She had changed into a wide-sleeved gown with a shawl and a high bun, perfectly embodying the image of a well-bred young lady of a noble house, hidden away from the world. Even the monks from Anguo Temple would never recognize her.

Before she could question the maids, the steward arrived to inform her that she was permitted to enter the Changqiu Study. She had to suppress her curiosity and go to report to her father.

Inside the study, Yaoshi Moke sat upright, looking quite weary. Seeing his daughter enter, he merely nodded and silently pointed to a piece of paper on the desk.

Yaoshi Yuan picked it up and found it was a wanted notice.

The notice depicted a person wearing a black wolf mask. Though only the hair and eyes were visible, anyone could discern the ferocity and strength of the figure.

"Suspect Number Two"
"Features: Wears a black wolf mask, wields a collapsible refined steel spear"
"Charge: Participation in the grand robbery of Anguo Temple"
"Threat Level: Approaching Tier 3 combat capability"
"Bounty for Execution: 30,000 Spirit Jades or an Advanced Spear Mastery manual"
"Deadline: Within thirty days of the issuance of this bounty"
"Once the bounty is fulfilled, a messenger will guide the righteous hero to the Divine Marquis Mansion to claim the reward."

"Are there four such wanted notices in total?" Yaoshi Yuan asked. "Where are they posted?"

"Next to every city gate in Chang'an. And they cannot be torn down; the one in my hand is a copy made by an artist."

Yaoshi Moke held up a finger. "You must leave Chang'an tonight. The Wild Goose Pagoda, Weiyang, or Lotus Lake—which one do you want to go to?"

The three places mentioned were secret realms controlled by the Great Zhou imperial family, and their resources were of Tier 2 quality. Going there would not only allow Yaoshi Yuan to lie low but also provide an opportunity for cultivation.

However, Yaoshi Yuan was puzzled. "Is it necessary? Could anyone really connect me to this wanted notice?"

Though she secretly oversaw the Embroidered Uniform Guard and wore the Ming Wang Armor, becoming a Tier 2 messenger at a young age, she was publicly known only as the cherished daughter of the Duke of Jin. She rarely went out, and aside from her father’s trusted confidants, few in the outside world knew or had even seen her. She had intentionally avoided networking with the heirs of the nobility, whom she deemed incompetent, preferring to recruit loyalists from common families.

"They will," Yaoshi Moke said. "There are countless talismans in this world, and many are adept at tracking and tracing. I know of several. Once this bounty is issued, wild recluses, spies from noble houses, and even the extraordinary talents within Chang'an will swarm out to hunt you down. The only way to ensure your safety is to hide in a secret realm guarded by heavy troops."

"Is it that serious?" Yaoshi Yuan looked at the notice. "But the reward for killing me is only 30,000 Spirit Jades or an advanced manual... that amount of money is negligible to the great noble clans."

"The bounty itself is not the point," Yaoshi Moke replied. "The point is that fulfilling the bounty grants one the opportunity to enter the Divine Marquis Mansion."

Yaoshi Yuan was stunned. "Is the Divine Marquis Mansion the name of a secret realm?"

"It is a very, very important secret realm." Yaoshi Moke paused. "If they could trade for a chance to enter the Divine Marquis Mansion, most Tier 3 messengers in this world would pay any price."

Yaoshi Yuan’s expression finally changed. Wherever they were, Tier 3 messengers were absolute titans, the ceiling of human achievement. Fame, wealth, women, status, family—they could obtain these easily. There was only one thing that would make them forsake all else to pursue it.

She did not ask further, preparing to go and pack. Before leaving, she recalled something and asked in a measured tone, "Did you hear... the announcement from the Divine Marquis Mansion earlier?"

"It rang three times."

Yaoshi Moke tapped the table. "I thought it could only be heard near Chang'an, but if you heard it even within the 'Thieves' Home' secret realm, that means..."

"The range of this announcement is the entire world, including inside the secret realms," Yaoshi Yuan murmured.

No wonder the maids were so excited, even regarding the Mansion as gods. They were maids of a Duke's house, with broader horizons than ordinary officials, yet they were instantly captured by the "divine miracle" of the Mansion.

Yes, a miracle.

Though it was only three sentences and a wanted poster, the power displayed by the Divine Marquis Mansion far exceeded any messenger they had ever seen. A messenger's power could only influence a small area, but the Mansion could speak to them directly.

It was as if the Divine Marquis Mansion were watching the entire world, watching every single one of them.

Yaoshi Yuan could imagine that at this moment in Chang'an—no, in the whole world—countless foolish people were praying to the Mansion. The clay statues in their homes never spoke, and the bronze statues in the temples offered no mercy; they had kowtowed and worshipped day and night for nothing. Now that a true god had appeared, how could they not be fanatical?

Watching his silent daughter, Yaoshi Moke felt that perhaps this was a good thing. With such a stir, his ambitious and capable daughter should finally know fear, understand that she shouldn't act on her own, and realize when to seek her father's help. Then he could lecture her on how hard he worked, perhaps tempering her wild spirit and making her future marriage arrangements go more smoothly.

But then, Yaoshi Moke saw his daughter slowly clench her fists, the corners of her mouth curling slightly upward, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

"So that's how it is." Yaoshi Yuan took a deep breath, an involuntary smile appearing on her face. "It can actually be like this!"

"Either go down in history as a laughingstock or become a legend known far and wide? Interesting." She turned to look at Yaoshi Moke, puzzled. "Since you heard the announcement, Father, why didn't you ask me if I obtained the legendary artifact, the 'Bingzi Jiaolin'?"

Seeing her reaction, Yaoshi Moke sighed inwardly and handed her the other wanted notice.

"What?"

The moment Yaoshi Yuan took the notice, she crumpled it, her eyes flashing with fury.

"How dare they offer a higher bounty for him than for me!"