The improved female villains regained their memories.

"The succession of the protagonist has been completed, and I have stepped down from the stage. I believe my disciple can shoulder the great responsibility."

"Demon King, you'll regret this!"

Qiongqi turned and left.

It had already realized that the Demon King was determined to protect his offspring, so it didn't want to stay here any longer.

The three villains followed behind it and left the Righteous Path Hall together.

"If there are no objections, let's leave it at that for now," the Demon King declared.

The divine beasts left the Hall of Righteousness, leaving only the master and disciple in the vast palace.

The Demon King reached out and used his demonic energy to help Ling Tiandu up: "Ling'er, get up."

“Master, I have disappointed you,” Ling Tiandu said, bowing her head.

"No one is perfect, everyone makes mistakes." The Demon King gently shook his head: "But you've made so many errors this past year, how can I, your master, ascend with peace of mind and merge with the Heavenly Dao?"

"It's all my fault, my disciple..."

"Alright, now that you've finished the last task, go back and rest. We'll talk again when you're rested."

"Yes."

Watching Ling Tiandu's departing figure, the Demon King began to ponder again.

He accessed the system and viewed the data from the past year.

no problem.

'Whether it's what I suspect or not, I'll find out after going there. I hope not...'

He muttered to himself, his eyes gazing into the distance.

Although he disliked Qiongqi very much, Qiongqi had just said something that was true.

Supreme power means endless responsibility and commitment.

Before a new protagonist arrives, this responsibility and duty fall to the Demon King.

He absolutely cannot allow any problems to arise in the succession of the protagonist!

"The bell of heaven is jealous, the bell of heaven is heartbroken..."

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

Three months later.

After completing her last mission, Ling Tiandu made some handovers at the Guardian Sect and confirmed the arrangements for the Guardian Sect with the system. Then, she flew home on her sword.

Ling Wuhan had already received news that she was going home and had a banquet prepared in advance.

That's why Ling Tiandu received a warm welcome as soon as she returned home.

Her parents showered her with concern, her relatives fawned over her, and the most talented representatives from various sects and families surrounded her like stars around the moon.

This was something she had never experienced before, and it was the only time she had experienced it in her six reincarnations.

She truly became a genius, the sole protagonist of Nine Heavens City.

But she couldn't feel happy at all.

Night fell, and Ling Tiandu, having finally come to an end, emerged from the banquet, with Xiao Qian following closely behind her.

It had been a year since I last saw Xiaoxi, and she hadn't changed much, except that the light of admiration in her eyes seemed to have grown even stronger.

Without even speaking to her, Ling Tiandu knew what this guy wanted to say—it was definitely going to be that line again: "Young Miss is the most powerful!"

So she didn't ask, and now she has the right to not care about those words.

"You go back first, I want to walk around by myself."

"Okay, Miss."

Tonight, in the Nine Heavens City, there is no moon.

Thick, dark clouds obscured the remaining light, plunging the city into even deeper darkness.

Ling Tiandu, carrying a food box containing pastries from the Guardian Sect, knocked on Ling Tianxin's door.

No response.

Are you asleep?

A scouting attack swept over, and the person inside seemed to have fallen asleep. Since his younger sister was asleep, he could give her the pastries tomorrow.

For some reason, Ling Tiandu felt somewhat agitated and teleported away from the place.

She put down the food box, picked up the gift she had brought for her friend, and hurried to Yi Changcun's residence.

She was still thinking about what happened three months ago.

Do you think I want to kill someone? Do you think I want to be an animal?

Who doesn't want to uphold justice? Who doesn't want to protect the peace of their community? Who doesn't want to be a saint to the world?!

But I can't do it. I have no talent, no background, and I have no other way but the blood sacrifice cultivation method.

【I have no other choice!!】

Ling Tiandu felt a tightness in her chest.

In her mind, it was as if it wasn't the evil cultivator shouting those words, but another version of herself shouting them.

For some reason, she had been having all sorts of wild thoughts for the past three months, sometimes thinking about her master's words, and sometimes about things she had imagined.

No one is perfect; everyone makes mistakes. But you've made so many errors this year. How can I, your master, ascend to heaven and merge with the Heavenly Dao with peace of mind?

You're the one who killed us.

[You're not a true genius, why not let the real protagonist take the stage?]

[Acting for your own selfish desires and causing the death of others, how are you any different from that heretical practitioner?]

Those noisy words and figures were becoming her inner demons, joining those who had died unjustly in demanding her life.

Her mind was in turmoil.

'Let's talk to Yi Changcun; hopefully he'll like the gift I brought him.'

As she walked, she couldn't help but think, 'It's been a year since I last saw him. I wonder how he is doing.'

This is the first time she has come here after six cycles of reincarnation.

Standing at the door of Yi Changcun's house, Ling Tiandu, unusually, did not teleport inside, but instead raised his hand and knocked on the door.

dong dong dong.

On a moonless night, even the slightest sound seems loud.

There was no movement.

"To last forever?"

Thinking the other person hadn't heard her, Ling Tiandu instinctively called out, "It's me, are you asleep?"

There was no response, no light, nothing...

There is no life.

Ling Tiandu slammed the courtyard gate open with a single palm strike.

The courtyard and the rooms were in complete disarray.

A map was nailed to the wall with a knife, circling a certain area, with the following written in blood next to it:

If you want to see him, come find me here.

On a moonless night, everything was quiet.

The girl in blue, holding the gift, stood quietly in front of the map.

Chapter 552 Questioning the Heart

A winding path appeared especially mysterious under the moonlight, with silver light spilling onto the fallen leaves, and each step accompanied by a soft rustling sound.

On a moonless night, a sword shadow slashed through the night sky.

The sword's shadow fell here, revealing the figure of Ling Tiandu.

Ahead of the path lies a lake in the woods outside the city. The lake's water is as calm as a mirror in the night, reflecting the stars in the night sky, which seem almost within reach.

Ling Tiandu stood by the lake, sensing the flow of spiritual energy in the area.

"Formation?"

With her exceptional talent, she casually made a stroke, causing ripples across the entire lake surface, followed by a shattering sound.

She was teleported into a cave.

The shadows engulfed everything, while the light of the deadly attack filled the dark cave. The passage was narrow, and the rock walls on both sides were covered with irregular cracks, as if they could collapse at any moment. The air was filled with a damp and ancient smell, making people feel suffocated.

With his perception-based killing move unleashed, Ling Tiandu quickly sensed the life force inside the cave.

"Eternal!?"

Ling Tiandu transformed into a sword shadow and teleported inside. Deep inside the cave, the boy lay unconscious. Who else could it be but Yi Changcun?

Ling Tiandu picked up Yi Changcun and breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that he was alright.

But the next second, her pores suddenly burst open, a sense of crisis from her naturally gifted immortal body.

Something's not right!

She suddenly unleashed her spiritual energy, attempting to break out of the cave.

However, the changes in the cave had already begun. With a loud rumble, the entire terrain began to change.

"The Mark of the Great Dao!" Seeing that his killing move had not made any progress, Ling Tiandu's face turned pale.

Seeing this scene, she immediately understood that someone was using Yi Changcun as bait to ambush and kill her.

The people who surrounded and killed her knew her very well, and even knew about Yi Changcun.

"hateful!"