The improved female villains regained their memories.

Then what is there for me to cry about?

"Woooo..."

Su Murong began to sob.

She remembered that ten years ago, on a snowy day, her mother said to her, "Xiao Rong, remember, your Rong is the Rong of honor."

I remember ten years ago, in the tavern, the old ghost was waving a chicken leg and said to her, "Little Murong, I saw long ago that you have great talent. Come on, recite with me, and I'll give you a chicken leg."

Thinking back to ten years ago, smelling the strong aroma of tobacco, I told Old Man Qian, "I want to refine the most powerful elixir!"

Thinking back to that unforgettable New Year's Eve ten years ago, there was snow, people, fireworks, and hope. I said to Yang Pingsheng:

"I want to build a very, very big house, that can shelter from the wind and rain, and prepare lots and lots of delicious food inside, so that all the poor people in the world can live there, and there will be no more pain or sorrow. Everyone can eat and drink their fill, and sit quietly around the fire."

Then, resting her head on Yang Pingsheng's arm, she continued, "If that's the case, I'll be content."

Those days ten years ago were short, but unforgettable.

Others said a lot to her, and she also said a lot herself.

She wanted to save her mother.

She wants to refine elixirs.

She wanted to build big houses so that all the poor people in the world could live in them.

That's all what she said.

but……

The despair of Liuyun City, a dead city.

The will to survive in the forest.

Disappointment after being forced into the turmoil by seeking refuge with Wang Tiande.

Ten years later, an old friend stood before her again, filled with the joy of realizing his dream.

She should be happy.

But she couldn't be happy.

Because what the old friend said was, "I want to save you."

what……

Yes, I'm a useless person now.

Lacking talent, his alchemy skills remained at the second level. He gained Wang Tiande's favor by researching the Five-Colored Powder. At the same time, because he needed to absorb the powder, he had to betray his master for personal gain, making deals with the demon race and with the Guan family army's inside agents.

All she wanted was money, and with the money she got, she bought large quantities of Five-Colored Powder raw materials and refined them into powder.

The alchemy skills that Old Man Qian was so proud of were transformed into techniques for modifying drugs in her hands. She trafficked drugs, used drugs, and was tainted by money. All she could think about was making money, and then using that money to consume drugs herself in order to reach the pinnacle of ecstasy.

Her eyes were blurry with tears, and before she knew it, Yang Pingsheng's figure appeared again, and she couldn't help but grin.

"That's wonderful, that's wonderful. Pingsheng, you're still alive, and you've truly achieved your ambition. You must have saved so many people. That's wonderful..."

Under the puzzled gaze of the little Vermilion Bird, she shrank back and burrowed into the blankets.

"Then... don't get involved with me."

"No, not for a worthless person like me..."

Su Murong once cried out and wailed countless times, hoping someone could save her.

But now, she has given up hope.

She's a rotten person, a piece of trash, a shameless maggot.

Someone like her doesn't deserve to be saved. Just let her rot here.

It'll just rot... that's all.

The tent, shrouded in the last rays of light, was pitch black. Su Murong's sobs were muffled by the blankets, barely audible.

----

In the spring, the first month of the lunar calendar, the barbarian troops, having just celebrated the New Year, once again marched south and launched a major offensive.

The main force of Guan's army had already marched north, with its back to the Beiluo River, facing off against the barbarian troops.

The two sides fought back and forth, their battle cries shaking the heavens. The barbarians had their sorcerer god, while the Guan family army had a constant stream of alchemists as reinforcements. For a time, neither side could gain the upper hand.

At this moment, a twelve-year-old girl volunteered. She used her newly developed popularity talisman to throw the Guan family army's formation into chaos, causing the barbarian troops to break through. Later, she even caused the Guan family army's main force to turn their guns around and attack the alchemist's team.

In a short time, the Guan family army suffered heavy casualties. When the Guan family generals discovered that the little girl was from the Yan state, they were heartbroken. While denouncing her for betraying her country, they also tried to persuade her not to help the evildoers bully the Yan people. But the little girl just laughed and replied dismissively, "I am a barbarian."

Then, she used the talisman to reverse right and wrong, and then said loudly:

"Shameless old scoundrel! I thought that as a renowned general of Yan, you would surely have profound insights upon arriving before the two armies. I never expected you to utter such vulgar words. Everyone knows that the Yan court is as tyrannical as a tiger, and the people suffer unspeakably. The emperor, though nominally a celestial being, is in reality aloof and indifferent to all matters. You claim to be loyal to the emperor and patriotic, but in reality, you are greedy for merit and tyrannical. You and your Guan family army are nothing but the emperor's lackeys, a bunch of greedy and tyrannical dogs. Now, divine soldiers have descended from the heavens. We have received the call of Heaven and, with the power of the sorcerer god, will extinguish your tyrannical hearts, save the people from suffering, and restore order to this chaotic world. How dare you still appear before me? Bah! Your words of loyalty and righteousness are nothing but a pretense of protecting your own interests in Yan!"

Under the influence of the talisman, the morale of the Guan family army was greatly reduced. Guan Yunpeng was so angry that he fainted on the spot. The barbarians rushed over and won a great victory.

The barbarians crossed the Beiluo River and entered the Central Plains. Su Murong used his power to draw talismans based on human popularity, which made him a formidable figure in the Yan Kingdom.

She was only twelve years old at the time.

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

Wang Tiande's troops were stationed at Shiliqiao.

With no other tasks, most of the soldiers relaxed, and Su Murong also had free time. What he did every day was to brag to the soldiers, then take his medicine, eat, take his medicine, wash up, take his medicine, and sleep.

Alchemist was her public profession, but secretly, she specialized in improving the Five-Colored Powder for Wang Tiande.

After her improvements, Five-Color Powder has gone through five generations. The new generation of Five-Color Powder tastes better and is purer in nature. The raw materials are not expensive, it can be mass-produced, and it is more addictive.

As the first person to come into contact with it, Su Murong herself became completely engrossed in it and couldn't extricate herself.

After her outburst, she lay paralyzed on the bed, her eyes glazed over, seemingly staring blankly into space.

As if she had figured something out, she suddenly murmured to herself:

"Oh right, I'm twenty this year..."

As she read, her gaze lowered again, like a candle flame going out.

In an instant, darkness descended once more.

Chapter 159 Unworthy

The Battle of Beiluo River made Su Murong famous.

Although the barbarians did not change their opinion of the master and apprentice, they would not say anything openly.

The barbarian captain who had publicly humiliated Gui Jianchou came forward to apologize and admit his mistake, and Gui Jianchou generously forgave him.

That evening, the master and apprentice went out of the city and made a fire in the wild. Su Murong looked at the burning fire and was unusually quiet and didn't say anything.

Gui Jianchou looked at her and asked, "Are you holding back some anger?"

"Yes!" Su Murong jumped up suddenly and threw the stone into the fire in a fit of anger. "I feel disgusted just looking at that barbarian's face. What apology? His face clearly said, 'If you've got the guts, kill me!' If you hadn't stopped me, I would have made him taste my newly refined talisman!"

The stone was thrown into the fire, sparks flying. Gui Jianchou watched helplessly and sighed.

Su Murong was only twelve years old when she made such a great contribution on the battlefield. Now that the popularity talisman route has begun to show results, she has such a reputation. Logically speaking, this should be a good thing.

But Guijianchou didn't think so.

Su Murong is from the Yan Kingdom. By doing this, she has already lost the moral high ground. Moreover, she is far too young to have such an honor at such a young age. Who knows what kind of trouble she might suffer later?

Gui Jianchou pondered for a long time before saying, "I told you before, Xiao Rong, you have to learn to be patient."

He sat there, slowly reached out, picked up a stick, and threw it into the fire.

"The popularity talisman is not yet perfected, and your strength is not strong enough. At this time, we still have to rely on the barbarians, so let's be patient for now."

Gui Jianchou's words make sense.

He had been enduring since the time of Yan, enduring the separation from his lover, the departure of his relatives, and the pursuit of the royal family. He endured until he was nearly fifty years old and half-buried in the ground, before finally waiting for Su Murong.

"If a person is idle, then patience is a kind of foolishness. But if a person has lofty ambitions, then patience is a kind of wisdom."

Why does Gui Jianchou keep telling Su Murong about his past?

That's because he wanted her to understand that before you're strong enough, before you accomplish great things, you must learn to be patient.

If you must bow your head, admit defeat, and temporarily avoid confrontation, this is not a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of courage.

Choosing to endure is itself a form of courage.

"Yes, Master, I understand."

Su Murong agreed verbally, but his eyes were fixed on the fire, his mind wandering elsewhere.

After warming themselves by the fire, their day of conversation came to an end, and the master and apprentice returned to the barbarian's main camp within the city. As Su Murong walked towards his tent, he suddenly heard voices coming from a nearby tent.

"That little brat only used some tricks. The real fighting will come from us."

"Exactly, she and that old man are like two dogs from Yan State, all they do is bark."

"Just young and old bastards."

Su Murong initially listened in silence, but after the barbarians finished their criticism, they started telling her dirty jokes, not only hers but also her mother's.

The nonsensical ramblings were accompanied by the loud laughter of the barbarians. Su Murong, who was already very popular, felt a surge of anger rising in his heart after being provoked like this.

She burst in, yelling, "What the hell are you talking about?!"

The barbarians were stunned, but when they saw that it was Su Murong who had barged in, they burst into laughter. The barbarian captain stood up, walked step by step to Su Murong, looked down at her condescendingly, and grinned maliciously: "Little brat, you have a problem with that?"

Su Murong looked up, remaining silent, his fiery eyes conveying his meaning.

"Heh, are you angry? Am I wrong? You motherless child, always hanging around with your old man, your mother probably had you with some random man."

The barbarians behind them burst into laughter, and some jeered, "Captain, stop talking! Can't you see the little guy is about to cry?"

"The twelve-year-old war god is about to cry," someone else chimed in.

One wave of jeering laughter followed another, eventually turning into vulgarities such as, "Let me show you the pleasures of womanhood," "Stop it, or she'll end up like her mother, a slut," and "That's how women in Yan are," and so on.

Su Murong remained silent, simply watching as his gaze swept over everyone in the tent.

Her popularity was waning, and she held a talisman in her hand from her pocket.