The improved female villains regained their memories.

end……

She took a deep breath, recalling what Shi Guiyan had said when she contacted her earlier that day.

"Sacrificial artifacts, catastrophe... Could it be that the apocalypse is related to catastrophe?"

She squinted and muttered to herself unconsciously.

Liu Shaoheng looked at her sharply: "Auntie, you heard that too?"

"Ok?"

"What the beggar said was what he said when he collapsed next to me. Although I didn't hear it very clearly, he definitely said it."

Liu Shaoheng said, word by word, "He said, 'The end of the world.'"

end.

Shi Guijia fell silent.

Under the boy's bewildered gaze, she slowly raised her fist and gave him a sharp rap on the head.

"First, you're not allowed to call me 'Auntie'."

"Secondly, this has nothing to do with you, little friend, you should go home."

After doing all this, Shi Guijia turned and left.

Liu Shaoheng was unconvinced and shouted at Shi Guijia, "Don't you believe me?"

Shi Guijia stopped and turned to look at him: "You believe what a beggar says?"

"What about his death?"

"This has nothing to do with you, kid. Go home now."

After saying this, Shi Guijia strode away from there.

If possible, Shi Guijia didn't want this genius-like young man to get involved in matters between the righteous and the villainous. She didn't completely disbelieve what Gan Jiang said before he died, but after years of being idle, she no longer understood the situation on the royal side. The only thing she could do now was to contact her younger sister.

Thinking this way, she wasn't in a hurry to find Yang Luoyi. After all, the town was only so big. If she really got lost, she could just take out those magical artifacts and activate them. She didn't lack magical artifacts for finding people anyway. But the key now was to figure out what Gan Jiang meant by the apocalypse.

She found a secluded spot, took out her phone, and dialed Shi Guiyan's number.

A pleasant ringtone sounded, but no one answered it after ringing for a while.

She squinted, thinking that by now, Shi Guiyan had probably already entered the palace. Since entering the palace involved a body search, Shi Guiyan most likely wouldn't be carrying a phone, even if it was a magical artifact with no offensive capabilities. Therefore, to be certain, she would have to wait until her business was finished.

But here's the problem: if this incident is urgent, the royal family might require Shi Guiyan to stay there. If that happens, then he won't have a chance to contact his younger sister.

"Doomsday, catastrophe, damn it, why did even the protagonist die?"

Shi Guijia punched the stone wall next to him, his face darkening.

She couldn't ignore this news. Gan Jiang's death was too bizarre; he had clearly been struck by some kind of immortal killing move, which even elixirs couldn't stop.

He threw out this clue before he died, and Shi Guiyan can't be contacted anymore. Now the only breakthrough is with Zhi Zixun.

Since it involves both the protagonist and the antagonist, she might know some inside information.

Shi Guijia straightened up, feeling the sun shining on her face. She recalled how she used to be drunk and never cared about time. Today and tomorrow were the same; the sun would rise and set as usual.

As time passes and years go by, people gradually grow old and eventually die.

But what if the sun doesn't rise the next day?

Shi Guijia pursed her lips, feeling somewhat lost herself.

Sometimes, saving or giving up happens in the blink of an eye.

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

Liu Shaoheng left the clinic and walked back to the main street. On his way back, he passed the old Taoist priest's stall again.

The old Taoist priest glanced up and saw Liu Shaoheng. He suddenly chuckled, "We've only been apart for a short time, why are you so angry?"

Liu Shaoheng glanced at the old Taoist priest. To be honest, he was very agitated. The death prophecy had already tormented his nerves, and the beggar incident made him combine the two and wonder if the so-called doomsday was his own death.

Seeing that Liu Shaoheng ignored him, the old Taoist priest was not angry. He still said loudly, "Although I cannot change your death date, I can show you a way out."

Liu Shaoheng frowned, stopped, walked over, sat down, and asked, "What clear path?"

"Fate is determined by heaven, but things are up to us. We all die, some die lightly, some die spectacularly. Rather than die in despair, it is better to die a worthy death."

"...What kind of 'clear path' is this?"

"Hehe, young friend, you don't understand. Sometimes death can be willing. Besides, as I've already told you, life is the root of death, and death is the root of life. You've died, but you've taken another step closer to life."

The boy suddenly stood up, rubbing his fists together, and said, "I want to hit you."

The old Taoist priest laughed heartily, not minding at all.

"Listen to my advice, make the right choice, and then you will have died a worthy death."

"Bullshit! I don't want to die! I'll change this lousy outcome!"

He stood up angrily and left.

The old Taoist priest stroked his beard, watching the boy's departing figure, his eyes slightly narrowed.

"Fate is determined by heaven, but success depends on human effort. It's true, you accidentally revealed the answer."

He recalled an experience from a long, long time ago when he was telling fortunes for a pair of twins, both of whom were exceptionally unique.

One with a soaring destiny is destined to be a wealthy and savior of the world.

One of them was a wicked and utterly evil person, born with a wicked nature.

“A predetermined fate cannot be changed. Haha, people always clamor to change their fate, but they don’t know that so-called fate can’t determine anything.”

The old Taoist priest muttered to himself, but the voice he was using was gradually changing.

"There are good and bad people in this world, but does that mean that people with good fortune will necessarily live better than those with bad fortune? That doesn't determine anything. What truly determines everything is the way of Heaven."

The old Taoist priest looked up and smiled slightly.

"To observe the way of Heaven and act in accordance with Heaven's will be sufficient."

"The game is won, it's time for me to withdraw."

The crowd surged about, each person living in their own world, and of course, no one noticed the sudden disappearance of an old Taoist priest on both sides of the street.

Chapter 330 Countdown: Twenty-Four Days

Yang Luo returned at night.

The wind in the town stopped, the moonlight came out, and Shi Guijia sat at the table, which was full of food.

She glanced at the sky outside the window, then at Yang Luoyi standing anxiously at the door. She didn't say anything, only told her to come and eat, and then picked up her bowl and chopsticks.

She still hasn't eaten.

The mother and daughter had another falling out over the matter of weapon forging. This time, Yang Luoyi didn't stay there like before. After finishing her meal, she simply said, "I'm full," and left the room to go upstairs.

Shi Guijia had no interest in dealing with Yang Luoyi's matter; she just thought it was a child throwing a tantrum, her mind preoccupied with the doomsday scenario from this afternoon.

Later that evening, she tried to contact Shi Guiyan again, but still couldn't reach her. Perhaps what happened there was the same as Shi Guijia had thought—Shi Guiyan was forced to stay in the palace and had no chance to contact her.

The only clue is Zhi Zixun, and Shi Guijia plans to go see her tomorrow.

She tidied up the dishes, went upstairs, opened the door, and saw Yang Luoyi lying on the bed, seemingly lost in thought. Seeing her mother enter, she sat up abruptly and said, "Mother..."

"...Going to bed so early? Don't worry, I'm not here to scold you. I just want to let you know that I'm going out of town tomorrow and may be back late."

"Is Mother going to run some errands?"

"I guess so. You know where the money is. You can spend as much as you want. Just remember to close the doors and windows when you go in and out."

"Yes, Mother."

After a question-and-answer session, the two of them ran out of things to say.

Shi Guijia's eyes flickered as she looked towards the corner and said casually, "I might have been a little too harsh this morning. I'm sorry."

"I was too willful, I'm sorry, Mother..."

"But weapon crafting is ultimately not suitable for you. You should focus on your studies first. We can talk about cultivation when your aunt comes back. Anyway, you've already mastered spiritual energy."

Yang Luoyi still preferred weapon crafting, and Shi Guijia didn't want to force her, so she planned to let Shi Guiyan take on the villainous role.

Her younger sister was also a weapon refiner, and she knew all too well what it meant to have an excessively large spiritual sea but poor control over spiritual energy.

Get some rest.

"Ah."

For some reason, Shi Guijia felt that her daughter seemed a little different after not seeing her for a day.

Although I can't quite put my finger on what's different, there is definitely something different. If I had to describe the feeling, it would be that I seem to have matured a bit.

She didn't say "goodnight" out loud. In the end, Shi Guijia just silently turned around and closed the door.

The profession of weapon refiner is one that relies heavily on talent. Unlike alchemist, who accumulates experience through repeated failures to achieve success, weapon refinement involves a longer trial-and-error cycle and higher costs. Often, decades of research into magical artifacts may end in nothing.

Shi Guijia has witnessed too many mediocre weapon refiners being eliminated. Compared to true weapon refining geniuses, they are so ordinary, and their works are unremarkable, with nothing to be praised.

Refining weapons is hard work and involves suffering. To be honest, Shi Guijia would be quite happy if Yang Luoyi hadn't chosen this path.

"What's so good about weapon crafting? Weapon crafting..."

In the end, even the power to defy the will of Heaven is lost.

Shi Guijia is not a big shot or a powerful immortal. Compared to others, she is just more skilled at crafting weapons. Because of this, those who are more skilled than her treat her like a treasure, which fuels her arrogance.

Shi Guijia used to be domineering and arrogant. She would curse anyone who didn't do what she wanted, and she didn't care even if the other person was a celestial being. Her tyrannical mentality earned her the title of "tyrant". But now, the tyrant is gone. Standing here now is only a mother who doesn't know how to handle her relationship with her daughter.

"It's better not to refine weapons."

She walked downstairs step by step, and when she reached the end, she added, "Being alive and well is better than anything else."

It's unclear whether she was saying this to herself or to her daughter.

-------

The next morning, the school ended its break, and Yang Luoyi returned to school.

Early in the morning, the teacher arrived there, and the entire school was packed with students who were yawning, still immersed in the afterglow of their rest, and somewhat dazed.