The improved female villains regained their memories.

Seeing Zhi Zi eating, he said irritably, "You really have a lot to eat."

Gardenia's answer was simple: "I'm hungry."

“When other people are kidnapped, they might not panic, but at least they wouldn’t brazenly eat the kidnappers’ food,” Shi Yuzun sneered. “You’re quite peculiar.”

Gardenia smiled helplessly: "If it's really that strange, I won't eat."

"You know what I mean."

"........Hmm, I'm not really sure."

"The Crown Prince is looking for you, and your people are looking for you too." Shi Yuzun said, sitting down opposite Zhi Zi. "I'm not surprised the Crown Prince is looking for you, after all, that guy is a fool, but your people..."

He narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "The magical artifacts they use are very strange. Even I can't figure out some of their structures."

"Where did you guys come from? There wasn't a trace of you before."

The boy's words were tinged with suspicion, but more so with hidden interest.

"I'm curious."

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

Gardenia calmly met the boy's gaze.

Those eyes showed no trace of awe, but were filled with curiosity, inquiry, and scrutiny.

It is said that those who refine artifacts must always maintain a sense of curiosity to ensure that they always have inspiration for refining artifacts.

Such people cannot be fooled by ordinary words.

They will keep investigating until they find the answer that satisfies them.

Taking a deep breath, she said, "I don't belong to this world."

This sentence signifies the start of the mission, and means that their fates are now intertwined and inseparable.

In that instant, she saw the astonishment, shock, and disbelief in the boy's eyes.

But she won't give him time to react.

She said calmly:

“I come from another world, the real world protected by the Heavenly Dao.”

She told such a colossal lie without batting an eye.

"I do indeed represent the Way of Heaven."

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

She thought to herself, she was a master imposter.

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

But if we're really talking about this aspect, who's worse than whom?

Shi Yuzun lowered his eyes and suppressed all his emotions in an instant.

Should he choose to say such a thing? He wondered.

The system created by Zhou Buyi, Ye Buxin's alter ego, is becoming increasingly sophisticated. The scripts they create and the characters they establish are indeed causing considerable trouble for the villains who have placed their bets on fate.

Having personally experienced the situation, he truly felt how difficult it was.

So he put on a serious expression and looked at the girl in front of him.

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

“That’s interesting. I thought you would say this or that, but I didn’t expect you to say something that actually interested me.”

"I want to give you a choice."

Chapter 700 My Heart is at Ease

That was in her past life, even further back in time. But now, trapped in her mental prison, thanks to her past self, Zhi Zixun, Shi Guijia could see things more clearly.

"You remember the choices he gave us back then, right?" Zhi Zixun said to her, recalling her memories.

"That was your doing, what does it have to do with me?" Shi Guijia retorted without hesitation.

Zhi Zixun smiled helplessly, her flaxen hair drooping slightly, for a moment overlapping with her blonde hair.

“We are one because we are essentially the same,” she said.

Whether it's the past or the future, whether it's this timeline or that timeline, they are all one, and their essence remains unchanged.

Shi Guijia didn't want to speak. She knew the outcome of the past incident, but her identity had changed from villain to human pawn. Even though she now knew that everyone was just putting on a show, she was unwilling to face it.

She just wanted to accept her current identity—a pitiful mother who had lost everything, a lost soul tormented by love.

But she had already made the choice that Yang Pingsheng gave her the first time. She chose to stand by Shi Yuzun's side in exchange for everything she wanted. If she went against that, she would lose everything. The former Zhi Zixun couldn't do it, so what about the current Shi Guijia?

In this mental prison, she buried herself in her knees, her long, golden hair dull and lifeless.

At that moment, Zhi Zixun spoke up: "Are we doing all this to atone for our sins, or for our own satisfaction?"

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

Zhi Zixun made her choice.

She chose to stand by Shi Yuzun's side and help him win the position of Crown Prince.

This was part of the system's original plan, but things went a little more smoothly than expected.

Shi Yuzun promised that he would not reveal Zhi Zixun's identity as an extraterrestrial visitor and would give them the respect they deserved in this world, but on the condition that the Holy Maiden and the Divine Palace behind her would do their utmost to help him.

The two finalized many details, and at the end of the conversation, Shi Yuzun suddenly smiled and said, "Are you really from outer space?"

Gardenia was startled, but her expression remained calm: "Is there a problem?"

"Hmph, that's true. At least in this world, I've never seen anyone like you."

What am I like?

"you.........."

Shi Yuzun smiled and shook his head: "It's better not to say."

Zhi Zi understood that Shi Yu Zun had, after all, secretly sneaked into the Divine Palace and observed her in secret.

But how could he know that what he saw was also part of her disguise?

She remained silent, pretending not to understand, and blinked.

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

The deal was agreed upon, and Shi Yuzun took Zhizi back to the Divine Palace.

As planned, the people in white robes all pretended to be relieved, quite dissatisfied with Shi Yuzun, but reluctantly had to cooperate with him because of the Holy Maiden.

“The snow-capped mountains are cold and desolate. Since the Holy Maiden is the spokesperson of the Heavenly Dao, there is no reason for her to live here.” Shi Yuzun laughed and said, “Why don’t I fund the relocation of the Divine Palace to the Imperial City? There are just as many people there, which will allow us to spread the Holy Maiden’s good name more widely.”

Zhi Zi said, "But the imperial city is extremely far from the wishing well."

Shi Yuzun smiled and said, "Wishes only come where there are people. As for the wishing well, we can build another one when we get to the capital."

Shi Yuzun was born into the royal family and was also the most powerful weapon refiner in recent years. With his connections and wealth, it was not difficult for him to achieve this.

Zhi Zi understood that he was doing this both to make it easier to keep an eye on them and to force them to give the Crown Prince an answer, so she remained silent, which was considered tacit approval.

With the magical artifacts in hand, the relocation process went smoothly. The Holy Maiden of the Divine Palace arrived in the Imperial City and, with the help of Shi Yu Zun, quickly established her reputation.

On the day of the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven, many high-ranking officials and nobles from the city came. The way they looked at Zhi Zi was not the same as how the believers looked at the Holy Maiden, but rather like the way they looked at Shi Yu Zun's private property.

That gaze made Zhi Zi uncomfortable, making her realize that the high-ranking officials and nobles living in the capital city never believed in wishes.

They only believed in power and resources, and nobody took this event seriously. Everyone was only thinking about using this event to befriend this future master craftsman and member of the royal family.

After the event, Shi Yuzun led her to his room and showed her box after box of gold and silver treasures.

“Following me is better than following the Crown Prince, isn’t it?” He laughed. “Unlike him, I’m always hesitant and only dare to hide behind the scenes. Look, with me taking the lead, your Divine Palace will have enough funds for the next three years of activities.”

Gardenia remained calm: "Yes, we have them all."

You look unhappy?

As planned, Zhi Zi looked at Shi Yu Zun with gentle and pitying eyes, without saying a word.

Now it was Shi Yuzun's turn to feel uncomfortable: "Your gaze makes me very uncomfortable. It makes me feel like I'm an idiot."

The system read her what it was going to say, and she read it aloud word by word: "I'm not unhappy, but I think your thoughts are pathetic."

Shi Yuzun looked at her and chuckled softly.

His smile was obscured by shadows, making it unclear.

In that instant, Zhi Zi seemed to see her future self. It wasn't Shi Yu Zun laughing at her, but her future self crossing the river of time to laugh at her.

She is a human pawn, a shackle that restrains the villains.

But she suddenly had a premonition—that her future self might despise her present self.

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

The gifts sent by high-ranking officials and nobles included not only worldly jewels but also many supplies for cultivating immortality.

Because it was unclear which path this saintess had taken, elixirs, refining materials, secret treasures, and so on were all available.

Unfortunately, none of these things were useful to Zhi Zi. She didn't cultivate; she was just a mortal. If she needed power, she would rely on the system.

Shi Yuzun used this to mock her—a dignified saintess who couldn't even absorb spiritual energy, let alone communicate with the Heavenly Dao.

However, he had also prepared a gift. After the event, they walked out of the room filled with gifts, and Shi Yuzun specially led her to the back garden to see the gift he had prepared.

Gardenias swaying in the wind are especially beautiful in this season.

Gardenia was somewhat moved: "You..."

Shi Yuzun smiled and said, "When I heard your name, I thought of this flower. Look, isn't it beautiful?"

Gardenia kept her lips tightly closed. The gardenia flower represented the softest part of her heart and touched upon her deepest past. At this moment, she didn't know how to answer.

Fortunately, the system answered for her: "I don't like gardenias."

She read it aloud with a slightly stiff tone. Shi Yuzun shook his head and said regretfully, "I thought you would like it, after all, your name is very similar to it."