"No!"

Hattori Sanzo shook his head, "If that person really came himself, we wouldn't be so peacefully camping here..."

"The visitor is that person's grandson... Kitatori Kojirou!"

However, Hattori Sanzo quickly unveiled the mystery.

"As long as that person didn't come personally, the others... are of no concern!"

But when Qin Fang heard this name and identity, any bit of vigilance he had completely vanished immediately. He waved his hand and said nonchalantly.

Anping Shrine is one of the Six Great Holy Lands, stronger than the Hokkaido Shrine, ranking around third or fourth among the Six Great Holy Lands, at a moderate level.

However, the current boss of Anping Shrine is quite formidable, known as Kitatori Shinichi, a true top expert at the Great Grandmaster-level...

At the same time, Kitatori Shinichi is also one of the six most illustrious Deacon Elders under the Great Divine Priest of the Dao Shen Sect.

If it's said that the Great Divine Priest of the Dao Shen Sect holds supreme power, in most cases, he is merely a spiritual symbol, and the specific affairs are actually managed by these six Deacons.

In major affairs, the Divine Priest possesses absolute power, but in some trivial matters, the power of the six Deacons is even more substantial.

As for the distinction between major and minor affairs, that's still up to the interpretation of the six Deacons!

One could say, the purpose of Qin Fang's journey to Japan is less about taking down an aging, almost one-foot-in-the-grave Great Divine Priest, and more about taking down these six Deacons... Even if they manage to take down just one, Qin Fang and his team would have achieved an unprecedented great victory.

The six Deacons have always been chosen from members of the Six Great Holy Lands; each Holy Land selects one. That's the fundamental requirement, and the chosen Deacon must possess formidable strength, enough to suppress other Red-robed Priests...

Otherwise, how could the Red-robed Priests be compelled to obey?

Miyamoto Musashi is also a Red-robed Priest, with cultivation at Master Level Peak, almost with one foot stepped into the Great Grandmaster-level tier.

To subjugate such an expert, without Great Grandmaster-level cultivation, one can't hope to hold a seat among the six Deacons; a slight weakness, and perhaps one day, one might be taken down by subordinates!

This has happened in the history of the Dao Shen Sect... because of such occurrences, not just once, this requirement was established.

There was even a time when a great joke happened, where traditionally the illustrious position of six Deacons saw the emergence of a seventh Deacon... In short, a terrifying genius from another sect not only suppressed one Deacon but the entire six, to the point where even the Great Divine Priest couldn't control it, thus necessitating an additional seat...

Of course, after that ferocious seventh Deacon died, that seat was removed, and even that Deacon's sect was exterminated by the Six Great Holy Lands working together.

Since then, the position of the six Deacons hasn't changed, no matter how terrifying a genius emerges, they no longer aspire to become a seventh Deacon.

Nonetheless, this does not mean such geniuses will submit... Rather, at the right time, they directly eliminate one or two, or even three Deacons, causing extreme loss of face for the Six Great Holy Lands, which is also quite a notable event!

But perhaps such events are too rare, the Six Great Holy Lands are formidable, and those elected as Deacons are none other than extraordinarily outstanding individuals, to take down such experts is truly not an easy feat!

Of course, these are internal matters of the Dao Shen Sect, and have nothing to do with Qin Fang... This is merely to highlight the terror of the six Deacons.

Kitatori Shinichi is one of the six Deacons, terrifyingly powerful. Don't look at how Qin Fang just took down the equivalent of a half-step to Great Grandmaster Miyamoto Musashi, but as for Kitatori Shinichi, just hearing the name, Qin Fang would choose to avoid immediately...

Despite being confident, Qin Fang is no fool; he knows his limits, he isn't about to seek his own demise...

"If Kitatori Shinichi came personally, perhaps I would fear him, but his grandson... hmph!"

Upon hearing this news, Qin Fang felt a bit more at ease, grumbling discontentedly under his breath, and then continued gnawing on his rabbit leg.

The others, who initially had some interest in this matter, now... like Qin Fang, they had no interest at all.

"There's no need to worry about Kitatori Kojirou; he's just an insignificant playboy, not worth considering... But, this guy is Kitatori Shinichi's most beloved grandson, specifically protected by his disciple Asakura Ken!"

Concerning Qin Fang and his companions' reactions, Hattori Sanzo didn't mind; he had already anticipated this, but the latter part of his words was what he really wanted to convey.

"Asakura Ken?"

Upon hearing this name, Qin Fang was momentarily stunned, as he had heard that name before.

"Is it that... Red Devil Asakura Ken?"

Not only Qin Fang, but Ji Xiang also couldn't help but lift his head a little, somewhat uncertainly asking, at the same time exchanging quick glances with Qin Fang, obviously both of them were thinking the same thing.

"Correct, it is him!"

Hattori Sanzo nodded, giving a definite answer.

"Who is Asakura Ken?"

Song Qingshan and Monk Wukong looked puzzled, especially noticing the slight seriousness and... excitement on Qin Fang and Ji Xiang's faces upon hearing the name.

As friends and brothers who have hung out for so long, if they still didn't realize that Asakura Ken had excited the two, then all this time would have been in vain.

"Qing Mountain, you've been in the Underground World a little shorter, maybe you haven't heard of this name, but we... have definitely heard of him."

Qin Fang didn't speak, and Ji Xiang explained on his behalf, as Ji Xiang had been in the Underground World even longer than Qin Fang and naturally knew more.

"Asakura Ken was originally an assassin in the Assassin's Alliance, codenamed Red Devil... A Six-star Assassin! The number of experts who have died at his hands is beyond count... Once considered a man with potential to challenge the King of Assassins' throne!"

For this predecessor of the Assassin's Alliance, putting aside national rivalry, he was quite admired simply because he was an absolute strongman.

"However, for some unknown reason, later he faded out of the Assassin's Alliance, seldom taking up assignments anymore... Even gradually being forgotten!"

The Red Devil, Asakura Ken, faded out seven to eight years ago, and the Assassin's Alliance updates its ranks rapidly; in seven to eight years, several batches have rotated, and many newcomers were unfamiliar with the Red Devil's legend, which isn't surprising.

"Only later did someone reveal that the former Assassin Red Devil was actually the Japanese expert Asakura Ken… Who would have thought he belonged to Anping Shrine, one of the Six Great Holy Lands of the Dao Shen Sect..."

Ji Xiang spoke with some emotion, knowing things that many seasoned assassins knew, but regarding Asakura Ken's true origins, if not for Hattori Sanzo's disclosure, he honestly wouldn't have known...

"Old Qin, any thoughts?"

Upon hearing the name Asakura Ken, a wave of boundless battle intent surged within Ji Xiang, as if eager to battle this legendary senior assassin he had long admired.

"Thoughts? Eat well and sleep well..."

Qin Fang couldn't help rolling his eyes and unapologetically chastised him.

"Seven to eight years ago, Asakura Ken was already a Six-star Assassin; by then, he was almost a master tier expert... Over these years, even if there hasn't been much progression, his cultivation would at least be at early to mid-master level! And you think you can handle it?"

To dissuade Ji Xiang from this idea, Qin Fang harshly scolded him without any politeness, not sparing him an ounce of face. (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations or monthly tickets, your support is my greatest motivation.)