ticking not fixed by valve adjustment

OK, thank you all! I'm clean right now for work, but afterward, I'll get dirty and try the hose-listening technique 67dart273, THX. I'm driving it every day. I'm happy my entire exhaust manifold didn't blow off like yours Sireland67, but the ripped apart muffler was pretty impressive.

No hydraulic lifters Oaklacarcollecto. Rockerarm, rockershaft, i dunno, they all seem good to me, but I'm no expert.

It didn't tick until after the pushrod bent, so I feel like it's not the exhaust leak. And it sounds like a nice sharp lifter tick, not a softer exhaust leak. But--I will get in there and see where the noise gets louder by the hose technique. I tried doing it by feel, but it was really hard to identify anything specific. And it was hot.