The improved female villains regained their memories.

"You ruined my family and caused my death, what do you think?"

Hehehehe...

What a failure.

Unbeknownst to her, her red hair had turned black. Xu Anyin's perspective shifted; in the pitch-black space, she walked into the palace, lost and disoriented.

She's a coward; she ran away once during the day, and now that it's night, she's chosen to run away again.

The magnificent palace slowly disappeared, and in front of it, Xu Anlu was still sitting with her eyes closed. Xu Anyin walked over step by step and stopped.

Unlike before, this time, Xu Anlu opened her eyes.

"You've arrived."

She spent five years in the space of consciousness.

She had grown taller, and like her appearance, she looked eighteen years old. Her face had also lost its liveliness and cheerfulness, showing no sadness or joy, and even the tuft of hair on her head had disappeared.

Xu Anyin stared blankly, feeling somewhat powerless.

"……Feel sorry."

Why apologize?

"I...I'm sorry."

Although it may sound hypocritical to say this, the person she most wants to protect is Xu Anlu.

Whether in her past life or this life, the only person she truly cares about is Xu Anlu.

Tears fell.

"I think I've messed things up again."

She wiped away her tears, a helpless smile on her face:

"I originally planned to leave you here until I killed everyone I needed to kill—the royal family, the powerful clans, the treacherous villains, the Immortal Sect—and then return your body to you. That would have fulfilled my wish. But now..."

"I'm sorry, it seems like all I can say is sorry."

Xu Anyin lowered his head and remained silent.

Xu Anlu listened without saying a word, then slowly raised her head.

The traces of the Great Dao flowed in her eyes, but what had originally spread across her body had been subdued by her.

Her deep gaze was like the night sky; in a place unseen even by the gods, she had already understood many things.

"I see."

She spoke, her tone calm and even: "You still mess things up, just like before, Xiao Yin."

Xu Anyin was stunned.

She raised her hand shakily, her voice trembling, "You..."

“Our souls are too close, Xiao Yin.”

Xu Anlu said, "When I looked at the [Tao], I also saw your soul, your—"

"—The soul of two lifetimes."

Everything is breaking down.

In the void, in the darkness, in the space of their consciousness alone, Xu Anlu spoke:

"You messed up again, Xiao Yin."

The familiar tone, the familiar emphasis.

Past and present, everything overlaps.

Xu Anyin could no longer hold back; he knelt down with a thud and cried out:

"sister!!!"

On a bright and sunny afternoon, Xu Anlu, dressed in military uniform, sat on the bed, while Xu Anyin, with his red hair flowing down his shoulders, threw himself into her arms and cried.

She patted her back and said in a helpless tone, "You messed up again, Xiao Yin."

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, sister. I just wanted to make you a handkerchief, and then I tore up the cloth that Father gave you. Waaah, I'm so sorry, sister, please don't blame me."

"Okay, okay, it's alright now."

In the sunlight, that single ahoge (cowlick) stood up high.

Xu Anlu smiled and patted her head: "Although we are twins, I came out earlier than you. I am the older sister, so how could I blame you?"

"Sister, you're the best!"

Xu Anyin burst into laughter through her tears, snuggling into her arms and saying sweetly, "If there is an afterlife, I will definitely be born before you, so that I can be the older sister, and I won't blame you!"

"Okay, but my sister is a bit slow-witted. Xiao Yin is the smartest, so she has to protect her."

"Absolutely!"

In the dark space of consciousness, Xu Anyin threw himself into Xu Anlu's arms and cried loudly, just like he had done back then.

"I'm sorry, sister, I'm so sorry. I really wanted to protect you. I never expected it to turn out like this. I really, really wanted to protect you. I'm so sorry!"

"Xiao Yin..."

She patted her back, but her tone was no longer the helplessness of years ago; instead, it was cold.

"You really—"

"—That's stupid."

Chapter Eighty-Eight: Born King

On an ordinary afternoon in the Great Yan Dynasty, a pair of twins were born.

What's extraordinary is that these two children were born in the palace.

Ling Yan'er had been preparing for this for a long time. She obtained a fake pregnancy pill from the Wenxian Sect, which allowed her to successfully fake a large pregnant belly. On the day of the real delivery, she secretly transported Ling Shui'er into the palace.

The emperor was kept in the dark about all of this. Even on his first night, he was bewitched by the strange fragrance of the Wenxian Sect. When he woke up the next day, he saw a shy girl and bloodstains on the bed sheets.

The nanny conducting the inspection had already been bribed. Ling Yan'er's background as a celestial being gave her more confidence, allowing her to make bold plans.

The emperor had no memory of it, and the inspectors said there was no problem. After several secret investigations, he was relieved.

On the day of the delivery, the emperor originally intended to be with her, but the Immortal Sect happened to send someone down to earth, so he had to go and meet the immortal first. In the delivery room, only the midwife and his so-called confidants remained.

"gave birth!"

As the baby cried its first cry, the midwife exclaimed joyfully. Ling Yan'er lifted the curtain and hurried in.

"They're twins."

She was somewhat surprised, but then felt a pang of regret: "It's just a pity it's a girl."

Ling Shui'er lay on the bed, drenched in sweat, panting, and looked weakly to the side, her eyes filled with loving affection.

The child, her child.

"Wow wow wow!"

The two children were in different states: one was crying loudly, and the other remained motionless.

Why isn't this child crying?

"Yes, but the baby hair of this crying child is red."

A crowd gathered around, looking at the two children, marveling at their abilities.

Ling Yan'er was somewhat worried: "One has red baby hair, and the other doesn't cry or make a fuss. Won't His Majesty be suspicious?"

"The royal offspring are naturally blessed with extraordinary phenomena." The confidant understood Ling Yan'er's worries and offered, "Your Majesty, please do not worry. It's just a matter of words. You can leave it to me when the time comes."

"Thank you for your help."

"It is my duty to relieve Your Majesty's worries."

The birth of the two children immediately brought a flurry of activity to the delivery room. Servants rushed in and out, some carrying towels, others basins of water. Ling Yan'er waved her hand, and the servants below would get busy.

She stepped forward, looked at the two children, and asked, "Who is the older sister, and who is the younger sister?"

“The one who isn’t crying is the older sister, the one who is crying is the younger sister,” the midwife replied. “The older sister came out first, and the younger sister came out a minute later, almost having a difficult labor.”

"Is that so?"

She gestured to the midwife to take the two babies away, then walked inside with a smile on her face.

Ling Shui'er was still reaching out her hand. She stepped forward, sat down, and took Ling Shui'er's hand: "Thank you for your hard work."

"...I have fulfilled your request."

Her husband was dead, and Ling Shui'er originally wanted to follow him to the underworld, but Ling Yan'er stopped her.

She knew she didn't want to have the child, but she needed it.

"I promised you, and I will definitely keep my word. I am also a member of my mother's family." Ling Yan'er smiled and patted Ling Shui'er's hand. "Moreover, I will treat them as my own children. You can rest assured about that."

"...Can I see them?"

"You just gave birth, you need to rest well. Take a rest first. Don't worry about the babies, I will take good care of them."

She smiled one last time, stood up, and led the people out.

The gate closed, leaving Ling Shui'er lying there alone. The crowd had left, and the liveliness was gone.

A pair of twins, and the Great Yan Dynasty gained two more princesses.

When the emperor returned, he saw Ling Yan'er feigning weakness in bed, and he also saw the two children. He was not displeased that they were two girls; on the contrary, he was overjoyed.

"Good good."

He said "good" three times in a row, then smiled and went to hug the two children.

The younger sister has stopped crying and is sleeping peacefully. Apart from her red lanugo, there's nothing unusual about her. The older sister, however, is still staring silently with her two big, round eyes wide open.

When the emperor picked her up, a strange feeling arose within her.

"This child..."