The Hired Killer Is the True Hero

Meanwhile, at the Golden Family's ancestral land.

The group of powerful cultivators who had just returned to the ancestral land did not disperse. Instead, they respectfully bowed to the young woman, saying, "We were incompetent and caused Your Highness distress!"

The look of shame and indignation that had been on the young woman's face had, at some point, been replaced by indifference. She lacked the usual bright and pure aura of a celestial maiden; instead, her eyes held an arrogant, self-important air. "It's fine. You're not to blame for this."

The powerful cultivators felt as if they had been granted a great pardon. Although their status was exalted, compared to the young woman before them, they were as different as clouds and mud!

She was the Golden Ancient Emperor's most beloved daughter, a true favored daughter of heaven!

In ancient times, even the immortal birds and exotic beasts that pulled her carriage would have been at least Dao Slaying Kings!

And they were merely a branch of the Golden Family's royal lineage that had intermarried with humans, their bloodline continuously diluted!

It was precisely because of this that they had been so sensitive when they "learned" of the trap earlier, and so quick to pay the ransom!

The Golden Celestial Maiden's golden eyes sparkled with an inexplicable majesty. "Although I entered this body with a wisp of my primordial spirit, if I hadn't been suppressed by an Extreme Dao Weapon, they wouldn't have been able to do anything to me!"

The powerful cultivators knew that this was not Your Highness trying to defend herself, but merely stating a fact. As the direct daughter of an ancient emperor, possessing the world's most powerful bloodline, even if her cultivation wasn't high and even if it wasn't her true body, she still possessed countless profound techniques. Even a Great Accomplishment King might not have been able to keep her.

It was just unclear whether to say Your Highness had terrible luck, or if Tu Tian had incredibly good luck, to have actually been captured by Tu Tian, who possessed half an Extreme Dao Emperor Armament!

Seeing the Golden Celestial Maiden's displeased expression, the powerful cultivators loudly cursed, scrambling to express their resolve.

"Those damned Thirteen Great Bandits, we must make them realize the might of our Golden Family!"

"We will immediately ally with the Eastern Barrens Holy Lands to launch the most severe annihilation campaign against the Thirteen Great Bandits and offer Tu Tian's head to Your Highness!"

"And that Demon King! How dare he be disrespectful to Your Highness? Even if he's a Dao Slaying King, he must perish!"

Unexpectedly, when they shifted their anger towards Crow King, the Golden Celestial Maiden uncharacteristically waved her hand.

"Forget it. Since he let me go once, I'll give him some face."

The Golden Family's powerful cultivators paused for a moment, then quickly changed their tune.

"That demon race king has a broad mind, completely different from ordinary demons!"

"To successfully slay the Dao in this era, he must be a person of great destiny. We should try to win him over and befriend him!"

The Golden Celestial Maiden's phoenix eyes narrowed, and she scoffed, "Do you think the person I'm talking about is that crow?"

The powerful cultivators exchanged glances. "We are dull-witted and don't understand Your Highness's profound meaning."

"Your vision is only so-so!" the Golden Celestial Maiden said indifferently. "That crow's ability to slay the Dao in this era indeed makes him an extraordinary talent. However, the young man by his side is the true dragon!"

"That young man?" The powerful cultivators looked utterly bewildered. All their attention had been focused on the Dao Slaying King. As for the young man beside him, their only impression was that he was as handsome as jade and exceptionally refined.

But they had long since moved past the stage of judging by appearance, so they naturally hadn't paid him much attention.

Seeing that they still didn't understand, the Golden Celestial Maiden said in a deep voice, "When you were begging for forgiveness, I noticed that crow was transmitting a divine sense message. He only spoke those words after receiving a reply from the young man beside him. If he wasn't asking for the young man's instruction, there would have been no need for him to go through that extra trouble!"

"What? How is that possible?"

The powerful cultivators were all in an uproar. They naturally didn't disbelieve what the Celestial Maiden said. While discerning divine sense fluctuations was difficult, it wasn't strange for Your Highness, as a direct daughter of an ancient emperor, to possess such an ability.

What truly shocked them was, how could a Dao Slaying King ask for instructions from a young man?

Without hidden powerful forces emerging or heaven and earth changing, Dao Slaying Kings were the rulers of this land. Who could make them bow their heads?

"Is that so strange?" the Celestial Maiden said indifferently. "All of you are powerful cultivators, yet don't you still serve me as your master?"

One powerful cultivator exclaimed, "Could it be that he is also a descendant of some ancient imperial family?"

The Golden Celestial Maiden remained noncommittal and continued, "Even that Demon King didn't detect my special nature, but that young man's gaze fell on me from time to time!"

One powerful cultivator tried to curry favor, "Perhaps that young man was captivated by Your Highness's celestial beauty and couldn't help himself!"

The Golden Celestial Maiden's voice grew slightly cold. "Celestial beauty? Are you referring to my unsightly state when I was held upside down?"

"This subordinate is terrified!" The powerful cultivator who had made an ill-timed flattery retreated in panic.

The Golden Celestial Maiden didn't press the matter. "There was no lust in that gaze, no admiration, not even mockery or sarcasm. It was just a calm gaze, but I could feel the profound sense of superiority, of looking down on all living beings, hidden deep within that gaze!"

"Because... I've seen that kind of gaze before!" The Golden Celestial Maiden frowned slightly, clearly finding this memory unpleasant. "On the people from the Primeval Ancient Mine!"

"Primeval Ancient Mine!" The powerful cultivators exclaimed, their magic power fluctuating.

It wasn't that their will wasn't firm, but rather that this name held too much power. It was one of the seven Life Restricted Zones, having buried countless prodigies and heroes since ancient times, and even among the Life Restricted Zones, it was the most mysterious and ancient!

After calming their inner shock, one powerful cultivator asked curiously, "No matter how arrogant the people from the Life Restricted Zones are, they wouldn't be disrespectful in front of an ancient emperor, would they?"

An ancient emperor suppressed the universe and swept across the eight directions; even the Life Restricted Zones should maintain due respect!

The Golden Celestial Maiden's voice was low. "My father was in his later years then. An envoy from the Primeval Ancient Mine came to visit. They talked for a long time, and I don't know what they discussed... However, the restricted zone offspring who waited outside were quite displeasing!"

The powerful cultivators marveled, feeling as if they were reliving ancient history.

"So, is that young man perhaps the walking will of a Life Restricted Zone in the human world?"

"If that's the case, then the Demon King's attitude towards him makes sense!"

The Golden Celestial Maiden's eyes flickered uncertainly. There was one crucial reason she hadn't mentioned: when she was slumbering in the Golden Cave in the Northern Region, she was awakened by a sudden burst of immortal qi, which caused her to awaken early.

However, her true body was trapped in the Ten Absolutes Emperor Array her father had set up for her. She could only escape with a wisp of her primordial spirit and find the bloodline passed down through the intermarriage of the Golden Royal Family and humans. Only then did the subsequent events unfold.

And that Crow King had the aura she sensed when she revived, but Crow King gave her a very ordinary feeling, far from the immortal path. That was when she noticed the young man beside Crow King.

The Golden Celestial Maiden said sternly, "It's still uncertain whether that young man is a restricted zone offspring, but what's certain is that he is absolutely no ordinary human! After you leave, investigate him for me. Within three days, I want all his information!"

"Understood!"

Northern Region of Eastern Barrens.

The five of them traveled day and night, enduring the elements, finally rushing back to the Northern Region at top speed!

This was also thanks to the 1.9 million catties of source material they extorted from the powerful cultivators of the Golden Family. With this source material as support, they could travel at full speed without worrying about their magic power running out.

Above a desolate desert, Tu Tian conjured several hand seals.

With a flash of light, the group appeared in another world.

"It's actually a small world created by an ancient sage!" Crow King exclaimed in admiration.

"For those of us in this line of work, if we didn't have a secret stronghold, our base would have been taken out by others long ago!" Tu Tian said nonchalantly.

Sensing the disturbance, a group of fierce bandits flew over from a distance, looking menacing, until they saw who had arrived and cheered excitedly.

"Great, the chief is back!"

"Chief, did you capture a saintess?"

Tu Tian's face darkened, "What's all the noise about? Can't you see I'm entertaining guests?"

At this moment, someone who looked like a dog-headed strategist flew forward and whispered, "Boss, someone from the Jiang Family sent a message!"