I used the yellow paint from a can CAT gave me last time for free, and sprayed the exhaust manifold in the spots where it's bolted to the cylinder block. The engine was cold... I gave the paint half an hour to get dry and started driving. THE TICKING NOISE DISAPPEARED! I didn't paint the gasket area on the cylinder block - only the areas around bolts on the manifold so that's where the leak is. It must be a pretty small hole as regular paint was able to stop it...
I'm still not sure which part/connector on the manifold is the culprit but the leak is basically confirmed
As I was driving enjoying the quiet operation of my Cat, it occurred to me that the noise should reappear when the paint is melted or heated. It's regular paint - so it cannot withstand 5,000 degrees
of the exhaust gases. My guess was correct - in about 55 miles, after roughly an hour of pleasant quiet driving, the noise reappeared. Well, at least now I know what I have to fix.