"Yellow Springs Gate?"
"That name alone doesn't sound like a legitimate organization!"
"What normal organization would specialize in assassination?"
"Enough chatter, listen to Fifth Brother!"
Seeing everyone quiet down, Lin Xunsha paused before continuing, "The assassins of the Yellow Springs Gate are divided into ranks, from one-star to nine-star."
Their eyes flickered. "One-star to nine-star assassins? This Yellow Springs Gate sounds like a significant force!"
"To survive in the underworld for so long, the Yellow Springs Gate's influence must be considerable!" Lin Xunsha naturally understood their thoughts. "One-star assassins are the most numerous and are considered the lowest tier."
"Let's keep it brief!" The Lin clan elder interjected. He wasn't particularly keen on listening to Lin Xunsha's lengthy introduction to the Yellow Springs Gate, mainly because he didn't want to be too deeply involved with such a shadowy organization. If it weren't for the current difficulty in assassinating Yang Feilong, he wouldn't have wanted to leverage his fifth brother's connection with the Yellow Springs Gate.
"Based on our assessment and analysis, to kill Yang Feilong, we need to engage a five-star ace assassin!"
"A five-star ace assassin?" Clan Elder Lin frowned.
Others also seemed surprised. "Are five-star ace assassins that formidable?"
Lin Xunsha glanced at his elder brother, the Lin clan elder. *You shouldn't have interrupted me*, he thought, *otherwise, I would have already explained. I still need to explain now.* Without complaint, he continued, "Each star level is further divided into Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Ace assassins. For instance, a five-star ace assassin possesses the combat strength to eliminate a peak fifth-order ability user or a peak Yuanwu Realm warrior."
"A five-star ace assassin is that powerful? What about six-star or even higher-ranked assassins?" The crowd inhaled sharply, their eyes wide with shock.
"What is the fee for a five-star ace assassin?" The clan elder nodded and then asked Lin Xunsha.
"One hundred low-grade spirit stones, or an equivalent value of heavenly treasures!" Lin Xunsha stated solemnly. "Half the payment is required upfront, and the remaining half upon successful completion!"
"Not money?"
"That's understandable. For cultivators in the Yellow Springs Gate, whether they are ability users or ancient martial artists, their need for spirit stones or heavenly treasures to reach higher levels is greater than their need for money. If they receive money, they would still have to purchase spirit stones or heavenly treasures. This way, they bypass intermediate steps!"
"One low-grade spirit stone is equivalent to one million yuan. One hundred pieces is a hundred million!"
"While a hundred million isn't insignificant, it's not crippling for us. Of course, this price is truly not low!"
The Lin family's assets exceeded ten billion, but much of that was fixed assets. Furthermore, the Lin family was a large clan with many dependents and cultivators, requiring substantial cultivation resources. Their monthly expenditure was already close to a hundred million!
The clan elder pondered for a moment and then asked, "What about the price of a six-star assassin?"
Although a five-star ace assassin was very powerful, a six-star assassin would likely be even more so. If the price difference wasn't too large, they could consider hiring a six-star assassin for added certainty.
"The price for a six-star assassin ranges from three hundred to one thousand low-grade spirit stones," Lin Xunsha replied. "Even the most common six-star bronze assassin has a record of eliminating early-stage Earth Martial Realm cultivators or sixth-order ability users!"
Upon hearing this, the crowd gasped.
The price was indeed steep, but a six-star assassin with the ability to eliminate an early-stage Earth Martial Realm cultivator could be considered worth the cost.
"Three hundred low-grade spirit stones means three hundred million!" The clan elder closed his eyes. After a long pause, he opened them and said,
"Ah, and there are also quasi-six-star bronze assassins priced between one hundred million and three hundred million!" Lin Xunsha added.
"Hmm?" Everyone was momentarily stunned.
"These are five-star ace assassins who are about to undergo the Yellow Springs Gate's six-star bronze assassin assessment! These individuals are among the top-tier ace assassins. Their pricing falls between that of a five-star ace assassin and a six-star bronze assassin," Lin Xunsha explained. "These individuals generally possess the combat prowess of a six-star bronze assassin, but their price is more affordable."
"Then we should hire such an individual," the clan elder stated firmly. "After all, they can be considered 'good value for money'."
"I understand," Lin Xunsha nodded.
He knew what his elder brother, the clan elder, meant. They would possess the combat strength of a six-star bronze assassin, but at a price that didn't yet reflect that level.
Most people wouldn't know this, but Lin Xunsha was quite aware of it. This was because he himself was an assassin for the Yellow Springs Gate, albeit an outer member.
The core members of the Yellow Springs Gate were either scouted or groomed from a young age. Outer members could join after passing an assessment, but their access to information was limited. Investigating someone's background often required payment.
Yes, the Yellow Springs Gate was so powerful not only because of its numerous assassins but also its formidable intelligence network.
This ensured the success rate of their assassinations!
He was the fifth Yuanwu Realm cultivator in the Lin family, with his cultivation at the early Yuanwu Realm. However, he had actually assassinated mid-stage Yuanwu Realm cultivators. Within the Yellow Springs Gate, he was a five-star silver assassin, though the term 'outer' had to be added afterward.
It was precisely because of this that he could acquire knowledge about the Yellow Springs Gate that outsiders were unaware of.
"Oh, I forgot to ask. If the mission is successful, we pay the remaining half. What if it fails?" The clan elder asked again.
Everyone also turned to look at Lin Xunsha.
"Before they officially accept a mission, they first investigate the target and provide an approximate assessment of the mission. This requires an intelligence fee, which is assessed based on the difficulty of investigating the target and is paid in cash or bank transfer. Of course, if we can provide some intelligence, the fee will be reduced accordingly," Lin Xunsha explained.
He paused and continued, "If the intelligence is sufficiently detailed, little to no fee is charged! This is why I didn't mention it earlier. They will ultimately provide an assessment and offer us reference opinions. For example, if their assessment suggests a five-star ace assassin and we choose to proceed with that tier of assassin, they will provide a quote. We then need to pay half the deposit. Upon success, the employer must pay the remaining half, or face endless pursuit from the Yellow Springs Gate."
"If that five-star ace assassin fails the mission, there are two options. First, if the assassin dies, the initial deposit is non-refundable. If the assassin survives and retreats safely, they will assess the target's strength and decide whether to proceed with the assassination or abandon it. If they abandon the assassination, the Yellow Springs Gate will contact the employer to increase the bounty and dispatch a higher-ranking individual to complete the task. The previous deposit will be counted towards this, and the remaining half of the bounty for the higher-ranked assassin will need to be paid. If the employer decides not to proceed with the assassination, they will refund eighty percent of the deposit."
"I see!" Everyone was enlightened. "This is quite reasonable!"
"Even so, we must conduct a thorough investigation. We will provide them with the intelligence we have, and they will conduct their own investigation. We'll weigh the comprehensive findings to see the outcome. I still hope for a swift and decisive kill, preferably by engaging a quasi-six-star bronze assassin!" the clan elder stated after some contemplation.
"Alright!" Lin Xunsha nodded.
"Yang Feilong!" Lin Xunsha closed his eyes and silently chanted, "If you can escape the assassination attempt by a quasi-six-star bronze assassin, then I will have my elder brother kill you at all costs!"
If an assassin capable of eliminating an early-stage Earth Martial Realm cultivator couldn't kill Yang Feilong, then Yang Feilong would be far too dangerous!
"You go first to liaise with the Yellow Springs Gate and have them provide their assessment," the clan elder instructed.
"Understood!" Lin Xunsha opened his eyes and nodded.