The High Priest seemed to have been expecting Long Chen’s arrival. He indicated for Long Chen to place Dong Mingyu down and examined her closely.

“This child’s soul has been filled with god energy. For her to be able to retain her own will, her Dao-heart is shockingly firm. However, in order to become stronger, she has absorbed too much god energy. Now that she has betrayed her god, her divine punishment is even stronger.”

The High Priest took out a tiny jade bottle. From it, a single drop of liquid slowly flowed out and landed on Dong Mingyu’s lips.

Seeing that drop, Long Chen was greatly startled. That liquid was emitting extremely dense divine energy, making him feel very miniscule.

“The Wine God left behind ten drops of divine wine for us. Now there are only three drops left. However, this drop of divine wine is unable to undo the curse of a god. What it can do is postpone the eruption of the curse and give you ample time to prepare,” said the High Priest.

“You mean…?”

“The curse of a god cannot be broken by a human. However, that does not include you,” said the High Priest with a smile. “The curse of a god has to pass down through the Heavenly Daos. As for you, you are disconnected from the Heavenly Daos. Do you understand?”

“You mean that I should draw the curse into myself?” asked Long Chen.

The High Priest nodded. “The Wine God’s divine wine can suppress the curse and condense it into a ball. The best time to extract it will be three days from now. However, you should think this through. If you absorb the curse, it doesn’t mean that you will be fine just because you aren’t a disciple of the Killing God and not within the scope of the Heavenly Daos. Karma will always find you one day.”

“There’s nothing for me to think through. She could do this for me, so I won’t hesitate to do the same for her.” Long Chen gently brushed his hand against Dong Mingyu’s tender cheek.

Dong Mingyu was in a deep slumber. Her pale face was finally starting to redden, almost like someone who was flushed from drinking alcohol. It seemed that she was dreaming of something beautiful.

He thought back to when he had first encountered her. A child that was three or four years old had managed to trick the Killing God for him.

Most people were good in this world. A single day of kindness might plant a seed in their hearts that could grow into a towering tree.

Long Chen originally hated this world, but he had slowly come to realize that this world had many beautiful things worth protecting.

“Big brother…”

A tender voice rang out, and a girl in a green dress and two small braids framing her face ran in. She immediately threw herself into Long Chen’s embrace.

“Big brother, you’re back! I really missed you!”

This girl was Long Chen’s little sister, Long Xiaoyu. Long Xiaoyu was already ten years old and was as tall as Long Chen’s waist. Her looks took after her mother, and while on the outside she looked ladylike, her lively eyes sold out her true nature. She was extremely mischievous just like Long Chen, making her parents constantly worry over her.

“Big brother also missed you. Aiyaa, you grew up quickly. You’re very pretty.” Long Chen lifted up Long Xiaoyu, feeling a burst of emotion.

When he had left the Phoenix Cry Empire, Long Xiaoyu had yet to be born. Now she was already ten.

“Eh, who is this big sister?” Long Xiaoyu curiously looked at Dong Mingyu.

“She is…”

Long Chen was about to explain to Long Xiaoyu when Dong Mingyu slowly opened her eyes. Upon seeing the High Priest nearby, her expression changed and she instinctively recoiled, a dagger appearing in her hand.

“Little Yu, don’t be nervous. This is the High Priest, he is one of us,” said Long Chen.

As an assassin, Dong Mingyu's sense of danger was extremely sharp. Only once Long Chen explained did she put away her dagger.

Long Chen held her hand. “Don’t be nervous. From now on, you are no longer an assassin of the Bloodkill Hall but a member of the Dragonblood Legion. Hurry and thank the High Priest. He was the one who helped suppress the curse.”

“No need for thanks. You can chat first. I’ll take my leave.” The High Priest smiled and left.

Long Chen knew the High Priest was doing this to avoid arousing suspicion. Long Xiaoyu curiously looked at Dong Mingyu. “Big sister, you look very powerful. Can you teach me how to fight?”

Upon seeing Dong Mingyu, who was taller than her, Long Xiaoyu sensed something amazing about her. Although Long Xiaoyu was a novice at cultivation, she felt Dong Mingyu to be extraordinary.

“Foolish girl, what’s there to learn about fighting? In the Wine God Palace, who are you planning on fighting? Mom or dad?” demanded Long Chen. This girl was always thinking strange things. “Dong Mingyu, let me introduce you to my little sister, Long Xiaoyu. It’s really coincidental, you both have a Yu in your names.”

In an instant, Long Xiaoyu began to act very familiar with Dong Mingyu, holding her hand and calling her big sister Yu, saying that she wanted to go play with her.

However, Long Chen knew that this girl was definitely up to something. When no one else was around, she would definitely ask Dong Mingyu to teach her a few things.

Dong Mingyu was an assassin. When she made her move, people’s lives would cease to exist. Long Xiaoyu couldn’t just randomly learn her skills.

Long Chen shooed her away, telling her to bring news to their parents to prepare dinner.

Only then did Long Xiaoyu run off. Once she was gone, Dong Mingyu sighed as if relieved of a heavy burden.

“You’re very tense.” Long Chen looked at Dong Mingyu and smiled comfortingly. She was very nervous to be in such close proximity with Long Xiaoyu. That was related to her profession as an assassin. An assassin could not trust anyone, nor could they allow anyone to approach them, not even the weakest existence.

Perhaps in this world, the only one who could lower Dong Mingyu’s guard was Long Chen. Everyone else, including someone as weak as Long Xiaoyu, would make her tense.

“Let’s go for a walk.” Long Chen brought Dong Mingyu out of the High Priest’s residence. The Wine God Palace was still as beautiful as ever. The path wound through the green grass, and birds sang from the trees.

“Big brother Long Chen, have I made things hard on you?” Dong Mingyu was apologetic.

“What are you talking about? This is a habit of your profession. You’ll slowly get used to the change. You’ll find that the people beside you will make you feel safe and warm in the future,” said Long Chen.

“The future…” Dong Mingyu muttered to herself, a sudden trace of sadness appearing in her eyes.

“Are you still worried about the god’s curse? Don’t worry, I’ve found a way to handle it,” said Long Chen.

Dong Mingyu shook her head. “Big brother Long Chen, you don’t need to console me. Ever since I entered the world of the Killing God, I knew this day would come. I’ve killed too many people, and I’m not afraid of death. To be able to truly help you this time, I have no regrets even in death.”

“Do you really have no regrets? Do you not wish to follow your big brother in overcoming the rest of the world and being free?” asked Long Chen.

“It’s a nice wish. I wish I could accompany you forever. You’re the only one in this world who has treated me well. But… I…”

Dong Mingyu held back her tears. She wasn’t afraid of death. She had originally made her determination to kill herself when the curse descended upon her so that she wouldn’t bring any trouble to Long Chen. She was clearer than anyone on just how terrifying the god’s curse was.

However, after she had seen Long Chen’s eyes full of worry over her, after she had laid in his warm embrace, for the first time, she felt that death was not as simple as she had imagined.

Long Chen pulled Dong Mingyu into his embrace. “Trust in your big brother. As long as your big brother Long does not approve of it, no one can wrest someone from my side, not even a god.”

The High Priest had alerted him about the dangers of this curse, but he didn’t fear it.

Holding Dong Mingyu’s hand, Long Chen slowly walked through the forest. He asked Dong Mingyu about the past few years. Dong Mingyu’s only response was killing, killing, and more killing.

This was the profession of an assassin. In the training grounds of the assassins, no one had known she was the future divine daughter. The fighting within the Bloodkill Hall itself was incomparably cruel. Slaughtering each other was common and even necessary.

That was why their assassination missions were always solo. They never worked together with others because they couldn’t trust anyone else. Or perhaps the only ones they could trust were their weapons and dead people.

Although Dong Mingyu had put it simply, Long Chen knew that she had to have experienced an unimaginable life during these past few years.

Dong Mingyu was still young, but her heart was aged with things no child should experience. To become the Martial Heaven Continent’s number one assassin was no simple thing.

When they passed by fatty Tu Qianshang’s little house, Long Chen found that he wasn’t home. When Long Chen asked around, he learned that Tu Qianshang was off wandering.

“The Wine God Palace really is a good place. There’s a roof over your head, food to eat, and freedom to wander about whenever you want.”

Not seeing fatty Tu disappointed Long Chen. After being beaten so badly at drinking games that he almost turned hostile, fatty Tu had still gone to help the Heaven Splitting Battle Sect. Long Chen felt that he needed to properly apologize to him.

“It’s getting late. Let’s go home and eat.” Long Chen smiled and pulled Dong Mingyu to the rear of the Wine God Palace.