Divine Emperor of Death

Chapter 5118 Sold Out To Rise

"Jillian, have you gone mad!?"

Her father's voice was low and urgent as he stood up and dragged her deeper into the corner of the hall.

The murmurs around the family hall had already exploded.

"She actually rejected the Saint?"

"How arrogant…"

"Does she still think she's the same Young Mistress from before?"

"She should be grateful someone of the Saint's stature still accepts her."

"What right does she have to refuse now? I heard not only did she lose a few Exalt Grade Treasures but even lost the family heirloom somewhere."

"Her reputation is already ruined in the gutters, and she still thinks she's above everyone? What a farce."

Although many tried to whisper quietly, every word entered Jillian Hayden's ears clearly.

Some were pitying, but most were condemning.

A few even sounded resentful, as though she had thrown away an opportunity they desperately wished they could seize themselves. The comments from her female peers and their gazes were even more venomous.

Jillian Hayden slowly turned to look at her father, her eyes were trembling as she found it hard to recognize this family.

"Father… are you truly asking me to become someone's maid?"

Her father frowned deeply.

"Do not say it like that."

"Then how should I say it?" Jillian Hayden laughed bitterly, "Personal maid? Proud servant? Aren't they all the same thing in the end, becoming a plaything for their master? Do you want me to live like that, lowering my head so low that all I could think would be how to earn master's favor like a miserable wench?"

"Watch your mouth!" He hissed and whispered, "Do you know who that is!? That is Saint Riyal Mendez himself, the person who has developed a Divine Technique capable of even allowing Primarchs to give birth easily! This technique, along with his new alliance, means that we would have a backer and no one would dare to offend us."

Jillian Hayden clenched her fists tightly, "In that case, why does it have to be me? Isn't my reputation already ruined?"

Her father stared at her in disbelief.

For a moment, he looked like he no longer recognized the daughter standing before him.

When had she ever been this rebellious?

"I- I'm your father. If I don't care about you, then who will!? What if City Lord comes here to find you? The Saint is the only person who can protect you. We are too weak!"

"…"

Jillian Hayden's gaze quivered.

For a second, she almost believed her father.

The next words that fell in her ears were nothing more than background noise as she couldn't digest what she was going through right after all the suffering she went through.

"Seems like the person herself doesn't want to be my maid. It's not a problem. I won't force anyone."

The Saint said with a half-smile as though he felt humiliated and slightly awkward.

"Saint, please don't misunderstand." The Hayden Family's Patriarch hurriedly said as he stood up, "Our Hayden Family is willing. It's just that our Young Mistress went through such a stressful experience and is currently unwell, but she is resilient. Please let us calm her down and convince what's good for her. She is a good child who will take care of you well."

"…" The Saint didn't say anything, merely speaking with his subordinates as though making some arrangements before addressing them.

"Don't worry, senior. We could be said to be of the same kind since we're both of the immortal lineage. I will naturally favor your family over the other families that practice the transcendent cultivation method."

"Right, right, right…!"

The Patriarch laughed, not even bothering to hide his huge smile that came off as a bootlicker.

The Saint nodded, talking politely while his style was graceful and his gaze kind.

"Sigh, your ancient Hayden Family is quite unfortunate to have met with this disaster right after the disaster caused by the Divine Emperor of Death, which brought the Desolate Era. I heard you were made fun of just because you were an immortal family with no Primarchs or even a Sovereign to show for. How can they be like this? Just hearing it makes me angry. It's a pity that both you and I don't have any way to adjust to the new cultivation system, but don't worry, this is the reason I'm looking for an immortal maid- to show that we're still proud of our immortal heritage. I'll also accompany you in getting laughed at."

"Haha, how can one laugh at a Saint, whether they are an immortal or a transcendent? They would be courting death. But yes, some ancient families had already exited a a few hundred thousand years ago or a few million years ago and have already adapted the Transcendent Cultivation System, having many Primarchs in their ranks. They are lucky and weren't constrained or forced like us. They had time to grow instead of being oppressed like us."

"Still, how is it that there are so many Primarchs in their ranks?"

"This- uhm. I heard that at that time, the resources used for entering the Primarch Stage were all just made known and plentifully available, so many Primarchs quickly populated the Upper Realm and Greater Realm. Now, it has also attained an equilibrium similar to the Immortal Cultivation Path's resources. We're advancing at the same pace now, but obviously, the Transcendent Cultivation Path is preferred because it gives just one level of prowess in Autarch Stage, which puts a heaven and earth difference between when compared to an Empyrean."

The Saint looked troubled, "I know this, but we're not going to have any trouble or disadvantages in the higher stages of the immortal path, right, senior?"

"Haha, of course not! The Transcendent Cultivation Method is still in work at the higher stages and cannot be adopted easily, while the Immortal Cultivation Method is thoroughly researched and complete, making it easier to translate the scriptures, which means fewer flaws. We have the advantage in this regard."

"Many thanks for your advice, senior." The Saint cupped his hands, appearing full of respect.

Jillian Hayden had barely managed to recollect herself when she noticed the elders of her family had smiles that said that they couldn't wait to flatter the Saint to death.

She couldn't believe she had such a family.

Suddenly, her father shook her shoulder and made her look his way.

"Look, no matter what you think, I'm doing this both for the sake of your future and, most importantly, the future of the family. By now, you should've noticed the Hayden Family is collapsing. The businesses we created were lost in two weeks, mere two weeks, overtaken by the major powers. Now many powers secretly suppress us every day. Your incident at the City Lord Manor is undoubtedly only going to make it worse.."

His eyes turned bloodshot lightly, "And now a Saint suddenly appeared and casually mentioned that he is looking for an immortal maid. Do you know what that means for us? How could we not take advantage of an opportunity that comes knocking on our doors?"

"I know what it means…"

Jillian Hayden said softly with a wry smile, "It means our survival. It means our family can live and continue cultivating peacefully, and it means my younger brother can still have a future as the head of the family. It means no one will dare to crush us anymore! But… at the expense of my life… my sacrifice…"

"What do you mean by sacrifice? Are you foolish? His status is obviously higher than any one of us. Look, even the Patriarch is cozying up to him. Ah, forget it. You just wouldn't understand; right after going through that incident, any authority will seem like an oppressor to you. But trust me, my daughter. The Saint is a good man. He is not the hypocrite City Lord, posing as a heroic battlefield veteran while harboring vile thoughts inside. The Saint is righteous, talented, and has a bright future ahead of him. As long as you can stay by his side, nobody will dare to bully us anymore."

His voice softened further, "And perhaps… perhaps one day, he may genuinely care for you as long as you completely devote yourself to him."

"Ha…"

Jillian slowly laughed. It was soft-

- yet broken.

Jillian Hayden's father frowned, his gaze turning cold.

"Do you still remember why our ancestors had to go into a mini-realm to seclude ourselves from the world? It's not only because our bloodline started to degrade but also because our enemies wanted to kill us so badly. However, we outlived them. There's no sign of them, but we're still living, reaching out our hands to the skies in hope. Countless Haydens, whether men or women, have given up their lives, given up their dreams to protect the family. If you think of yourself as the Young Mistress, then play the part and lead the family to not even glory- but safety. That's all we're asking of you."

"…"

Jillian Hayden's expression fell as she felt like crying.

Her father's voice was no longer that of a father talking to his daughter but of an elder forcing a female member of the family into a path they didn't want to take.

Looking at her expression, her father opened his mouth, but no words came out.

At this moment, the Saint suddenly looked toward them from afar.

"There is no need to convince Young Mistress Hayden." His calm voice echoed through the hall, "She has suffered greatly. I can understand her emotions. She must be treated with care and affection, not made to be embarrassed like this."

"As expected of the Saint…"

"How broad-minded…"

"What grace…"

Many immediately praised his magnanimity.

Jillian Hayden merely found it exhausting. She no longer even had the strength to be angry.

Her father hurriedly bowed toward the Saint from afar.

"Please forgive her momentary stubbornness, Saint. She is merely confused."

Then he turned back toward Jillian Hayden and lowered his voice once more.

"Please."

That single word sounded far more helpless than before.

It wasn't commanding at all but literally begging her.

Jillian Hayden looked at her father quietly for a few seconds.

Then she slowly closed her eyes as she shed a tear.

Even in the dungeon underneath the City Lord's Manor, she had never felt this lonely and abandoned.

She was then walked to the forefront where she heard more nonsense before she could only absentmindedly bow to the Saint, finding herself saying the words that she never imagined she would say in her life.

"I, Jillian Hayden, am willing to follow the Saint as a maid."