The improved female villains regained their memories.

Among all the female villains, Xu Anlu and Luo Benmo are currently furthest from the truth. However, Xu Anlu may be closer than Luo Benmo, since she also stumbled upon the same cultivation system as Yang Pingsheng.

"Let's chat?" Xu Anlu raised an eyebrow slightly, her tone carrying a hint of invitation.

Luo Benmo was silent for a moment, then finally nodded: "Mm."

The palace gates slammed shut, shutting out everything from the outside world.

The emperor and the villain came together. The flames in the palace were still burning, but no longer raging. Instead, they transformed into a soft halo, illuminating the faces of the two men.

Xu Anlu raised her hand and waved, causing the nine golden dragon pillars to slowly sink and the flames to gradually extinguish. She stood up, stepped down from the throne, and looked calmly at Luo Benmo: "Since you're here, let's have an open and honest talk."

Luo Benmo sneered: "Open and frank? Do you think there's any trust left between us?"

Xu Anlu didn't take it to heart and said calmly, "Whether we trust each other or not is not important. What is important is that we have a common enemy."

She continued, "Isn't it most appropriate for us to talk?"

Luo Benmo's gaze sharpened slightly; her intuition told her that Xu Anlu was indeed the most suitable person at the moment.

She paused for a moment, then finally nodded: "Okay, let's talk then."

The atmosphere inside the hall gradually eased, and the light of the flames softened.

Morning light streamed through the glazed dome, bathing the hall in a golden glow.

Xu Anlu's black hair shimmered slightly in the halo of light, while Luo Benmo's silver hair was as cool as moonlight. The two stood together, seemingly shining like the sun and moon, yet undercurrents were swirling beneath the surface.

Xu Anlu gave Luo Benmo her own conclusion directly: "Ye Buxin is our biggest enemy. Before we deal with her, the villains absolutely cannot fight amongst themselves."

She paused, then said, "I know you also want the other villains to die, but our struggle should begin after this is over, not before it starts."

She said, "I think he thought the same thing throughout his life."

-------------

Yin meridians condense.

The grand formation was in operation, exuding a chilling aura.

Even though the sun has just risen, the place here in Wenshihan is still as cold and dark as night.

"That's about enough." Wen Shihan calmly looked at the center.

The essence is twofold, and this principle runs through the entirety of it.

A girl just like Wen Shihan gradually takes shape within it.

"What's your name?" Wen Shihan asked.

"..."

The child remained silent, his pale face bearing the same somber expression as Wen Shihan's.

"Name... is not important."

“Yes, the name doesn’t matter.” Wen Shihan nodded: “Then, for whom do you live?”

"For... Yang Pingsheng."

As the girl spoke, she mimicked Wen Shihan's gesture by raising her hand.

Yin energy gathered around her, and at that moment, she seemed to become the very essence of Yin energy.

Chapter 732 The Goddess Refuses a Tragic Ending

Having taken the form, Wen Shihan stood in the center of the great formation, his gaze cold and resolute.

She looked at the avatar before her that was exactly like herself, a slight smile playing on her lips, a mixture of satisfaction and determination.

Next, she would send this avatar to the underworld to begin her plan to conquer the netherworld. At this point, she had no way out but to go all the way down this path.

"For Yang Pingsheng..." The girl's voice echoed in the gloomy atmosphere, as if she had spoken the most secret thoughts in Wen Shihan's heart.

In this world, no one ever lives or dies for someone else.

Even the most obsessed female villains couldn't do that.

Luo Benmo couldn't do it, Xu Anlu couldn't do it, Su Murong couldn't do it... but Wen Shihan could!

She gazed at the avatar before her, a complex light flashing in her eyes. Talent, destiny, the world, salvation… these grand concepts were beyond her control, Wen Shihan's concern. In her heart, there was only one obsession—Yang Pingsheng.

"People will always die, but if they cannot satisfy their desires before they die, how can they be considered human?" Wen Shihan murmured to himself, his tone dreamlike and ethereal, as if he were talking nonsense.

Desire always exists. No matter how high one's cultivation level, as long as an immortal is still human, desire cannot be erased. How can someone who dares not admit their desires and tries to distance themselves be considered human? Wen Shihan never hid her desires; she always knew what she wanted.

Warmth? Redemption? No, neither. She only wanted that one person, only that Yang Pingsheng be safe and well.

The rescue happened in the past; she didn't care about the future. As long as he could survive, nothing else mattered.

Even if everyone in the world were to die, as long as he survives, that would be enough.

-------------

Song Panning stood in the center of the cave, gazing at the massive and complex array projection before her.

Silver array patterns intertwined in the air, like the trajectories of stars, each containing profound laws. However, at the core of the array, there was a crimson crack, like an unhealable wound, menacingly coiled there.

“Something’s wrong with time…” she muttered to herself, her brows furrowed. “Is it a problem with the flow of time in the main world, or is it because the approach of the Great Ruins has made time unstable?”

She rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on.

Although this grand array, which transcends time, space, and existence, has overcome most of the difficulties, the issue of time remains unresolved.

Even the slightest imperfection can significantly increase the probability of the entire formation failing, even if it's just missing one element.

Song Panning knew that this ancient formation was the essence of array formations, and even a genius like her had many secrets she hadn't yet mastered. She couldn't help but ask herself, "Do we have to start all over again? What's the situation outside like now?"

She took a deep breath and decided to leave the seclusion temporarily.

She summoned Qingtian and instructed him, "Go and contact Leng Yan; I need to find out what's going on outside."

After tidying up the cave, Song Panning walked out of the cave, where Leng Yan was already waiting at the door.

Upon seeing Song Panning, Leng Yan immediately stepped forward and asked, "Panning, how are you feeling?"

The two had long since developed a mentor-student and friend relationship. Song Panning didn't hide anything and said directly, "There's a problem that can't be solved, and it might require the cooperation of others to complete."

Leng Yan nodded and quickly reported: "Xu Anlu's palace is guarded by Xu Anyin, and I cannot get close. However, Luo Benmo went there today. As for Yang Pingsheng's side, Shi Guijia hasn't been there much since Yang Luoyi was resurrected, except for today."

She paused, her aura revealing that she was no longer an ordinary person.

Song Panning pondered for a moment and said, "Did Luo Benmo go to Xu Anlu for cooperation? That's good. As it stands, the two of them know the least, and Yang Pingsheng probably won't reveal too much to them. Without additional sources of information, they can only follow our arrangements, so cooperation between the two parties is reasonable."

She then asked, "Where is Su Murong?"

He replied coldly, "Su Murong is still in seclusion."

Mentioning Su Murong, Song Panning's expression became complicated. Although that guy was just a mortal, he had been chosen by Yang Pingsheng. Despite the two not having communicated directly, Song Panning was almost certain that Su Murong was secretly cooperating with Yang Pingsheng's plan.

She crushed the token that connected her to Li Chumo and said indifferently, "Then we don't need to worry about Su Murong. Let her do whatever she wants."

Leng Yan nodded and asked, "Pan Ning, do you still need to find other female villains to solve the problem of the great formation? Shouldn't Wen Shihan be able to handle this?"

Song Panning shook her head: "Wen Shihan is ruthless and vicious, and will stop at nothing. Don't be fooled by her current cooperation with me; she is definitely acting according to her own plans behind the scenes."

She was wary of Wen Shihan, so she did not let Leng Yan monitor him.

Firstly, Wen Shihan's strength is unfathomable, and surveillance would be easily discovered; secondly, Wen Shihan has an extreme personality, and Song Panning is worried that she might disregard the rules and directly kill Leng Yan.

The Wen Shihan of today is no longer the little follower who used to trail behind Yang Pingsheng. Her strength has increased by leaps and bounds, and her cunning has become increasingly profound. Her growth rate is so fast that even Song Panning finds it hard to fathom.

After a moment's thought, Leng Yan suggested, "If it's a matter of time, Shi Guijia might be the most suitable candidate. Besides, her magical artifact can also work in conjunction with the grand formation."

Song Panning nodded: "That's what I thought too, but..."

She wasn't confident she could win over Shi Guijia.

Although Shi Guijia is not as shrewd as Wen Shihan, she is unpredictable in her temperament. The grassland war she spearheaded left a deep impression on Song Panning, not to mention that she was the one who orchestrated the gathering of the villains in the main world.

During the previous meeting, Shi Guijia remained silent, but then turned around and handed her daughter to Yang Pingsheng. Her intentions were self-evident.

Ultimately, to influence Shi Guijia, we need to start with Yang Pingsheng. And that lobbyist…

Song Panning smiled slightly, looked up at Li Chumo who had descended from the sky, and nodded in satisfaction.

"Look, the lobbyist has arrived."

-------------

"...I refuse."

Like Song Panning, Li Chumo was extremely resistant.

“I’ve already listened to you and pressured Master once at the meeting. Now that Master has agreed to your and Wen Shihan’s plan, I don’t want to pressure him again and be the bad guy,” Li Chumo said, frowning.

The main reason she would support Song Panning was because she knew a lot about her, especially about Jiang Mochang.

Her feelings toward Jiang Mochang were complicated. On one hand, Jiang Mochang had saved her and helped her reclaim her destiny. Watching her and Ye Buxin perish together would go against her principles. On the other hand, she knew about the feelings between the two of them and how much Yang Pingsheng had valued her in the past.

Song Panning's argument about grudges in the garden didn't actually convince her; it was just that her love for Yang Pingsheng surpassed everything, causing her to abandon her principles.

She won't take action herself, but she will cooperate with Song Panning and stand by and do nothing.

Yang Pingsheng had regained his memory, and Li Chumo dared not imagine what her master's feelings were when she said, "Then it's as you and Panning wish," in order to balance things out at the meeting.

Could it be that my master, though not saying it, already dislikes me?

Li Chumo was afraid of this matter, which is why she cooperated with Su Murong regarding the grilled fish incident. This can be seen as an atonement for her silence at the meeting.

She already felt guilty for pressuring her master, so how could she possibly listen to Song Panning and pressure Yang Pingsheng?

So she resolutely refused.

Song Panning smiled helplessly: "If Shi Guijia doesn't cooperate with me and the formation fails, our plan will be ruined. Do you really want to see your master with the woman he loves most, and then abandon us?"

Li Chumo frowned: "That's your business, Song Panning. Since you dared to make this boast in front of everyone, you should resolve this matter. I've already supported you, but I won't do anything that would offend Master."

Forcing Yang Pingsheng to give in was already a good thing; now Song Panning wants Li Chumo to force Yang Pingsheng to cooperate, which is simply too insulting.

Besides, she's not stupid. She cooperated before because she didn't have to take the lead; she just had to show her attitude. Now that she has to take the lead and be the bad guy, she won't do it.

"What a pity," Song Panning sighed. "I originally wanted to lure Yang Luoyi away so that you would have a few days to slowly persuade Yang Pingsheng."

My steps faltered as I was about to leave.

Li Chumo turned to look at Song Panning, expressionless: "Song Panning, do you think I'm that idiot Su Murong? Besides, my master isn't an object. He can't just be with whomever he wants. It's none of your business to decide."