Reincarnated and Regressed Villain - Make heroines beg for forgiveness

Only the Empress possessed the strength to handle such a force, and given Yu Shao Yan's current weakened state, she doubted her ability to contend with even three or four of them, let alone a hundred.

No, given their strength, she was confident that even at her peak, she would probably have been able to deal with only 20 or so of them.

The disparity in power between a middle-level continent and a higher-level one like Ardoros had never been clearer.

"Me? Nothing," Ryuk replied nonchalantly, tilting his head slightly.

Beside him, Regina stood, glancing back over her shoulder at the now-gasping woman, who was clearly in shock at the sight before her.

Looking at Yu Shao Yan, Ryuk was struck by how much she resembled him in his past life.

As he observed Yu Shao Yan's expression—an angry mix of fear and overwhelm—it reminded him of the turmoil he had felt when confronted with the chaos that threatened to turn his Empire into nothingness.

At the time, he thought the whole world was limited to that particular continent, believing that his Selvius Empire was the biggest and strongest.

He understood that, like him, she feared what might happen if this army crossed paths with the entirety of the Celestial Phoenix Order.

Though he had the urge to act, he realized the futility of it.

There was no sign of remorse or a plea for forgiveness from Jenny, nor any indication of guilt.

Thus, it dawned on him that even if he were to obliterate the entire place before her, it would make little difference.

Instead of wasting his energy on vendettas, he concluded that seizing control of the Phoenix Order was the most logical course of action.

After all, if she didn't feel guilt for what she had done, then she had enough time to realize her mistakes over the course of time.

"What? You bring a whole army, and you say you want to do nothing?!" Yu Shao Yan's voice dripped with anger, her frustration evident as the sky above them darkened with the silhouettes of numerous figures, casting looming shadows that threatened her safety.

The sheer terror of the situation made her question whether she could trust this man at all. "Regina, ensure that the Celestial Phoenix Order is isolated, and no one from outside this place is allowed to enter. Additionally, you will stay with Esme to protect her," Ryuk commanded Regina, instructing her to create a barrier around the Celestial Phoenix Order. He needed some time to secure their safety.

Although he was confident in his own strength, he recognized the necessity of rest to recover from exhaustion. He also needed to contemplate ways to boost his strength and internal energy—essentially enhancing his cultivation so that he could later transfer some of that power to Esme.

"As you command," Regina replied with a nod.

The others also bowed before swiftly moving toward the borders of the Phoenix Order's territory. Their combined strength unleashed a wave of internal energy, which sent ripples throughout the surrounding area. The concentration of mana in a single place soon dispersed in all directions.

'At least not all of them are here,' Ryuk thought to himself, noting the absence of the twins. Most likely, they were still on the battleship, along with others who remained there.

He continued forward, while four women stood behind him—Esme, Regina, Yao Lian, and a malnourished woman.

Ryuk approached Yu Shao Yan, whose expression was tense and radiated discomfort.

"What do you want?" Yu Shao Yan demanded, eyeing him with suspicion.

She stood just a hand's distance away, her hand tucked in her pocket, indicating an air of nonchalance, as if she were contemplating an attack despite knowing she was vulnerable now that the others had left.

However, she remembered Ryuk's earlier order; his presence offered a protective shield for the Phoenix Order amidst the Civil War.

Did he truly understand what was happening?

Yu Shao Yan was deeply embroiled in this battle, sustaining injuries all over her body due to the damage to her foundation.

She struggled to pick herself up from her state of seclusion, her determination to rise matching the gravity of her situation.

Swoosh "It's the same offer I made to that woman," Ryuk stated, those words directed towards the woman who was hardly processing the events occurring around her, while his words dissolved before crossing a one-meter distance due to the presence of a barrier, a dome created by the system, while understanding what its host was trying to accomplish.

"What?" Yu Shao Yan narrowed her gaze as she followed his direction, noticing that he was referring to that malnourished woman, prompting her to not understand, even as she hadn't heard anything about what he told her. She clenched her fist, thinking if she would be able to attack him right now. Maybe taking him hostage would have given her an advantage if it weren't for her weakened state.

Additionally, she didn't even know if he was exhausted or held some kind of hidden weapon on him.

So he just heard what he wanted to say.

"Simple, I will protect the Phoenix Order and everyone, even have you meet the Empress," Ryuk stated with a slight tilt of his head as behind the mask his narrowed gaze and the smirk forming gave a genuine look on his face.

'!?'

"...Th-that's?" Yu Shao's eyes widened, and for a fleeting moment, a wave of confusion swept through the crowd as they listened to his unexpected declarations. They were bewildered by his willingness to help her, but Yu Shao quickly narrowed her gaze. Even with her injuries, she realized that if she had been in a better state, they could have easily killed him.

"What do you mean?" Ryuk queried again, prompting her to shoot a glare in response. After a moment's hesitation, she seemed to accept his proposal.

"What is it?" Normally, making such an agreement would clearly save everyone, but she had initially intended to choose only one among her family and this territory. Now she found herself presented with an option that could potentially protect everything. Seeing how her daughter had lost trust in her—especially since Yu Shao hadn't been able to safeguard her even when Jenny was born—compelled her to inquire further. She desperately wanted to prove herself a good mother.

After all, what could he possibly ask of her that she was incapable of giving?

"Nothing much, just engage in dual cultivation with me," Ryuk replied as he closed his eyes. With those words, he stepped back, and a sharp sound sliced through the air, narrowly missing his throat.

SWISH

BOOM!

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The sheer force of the shockwave from the strike reverberated through the surroundings. Although he dodged it by sidestepping, a smile graced his face, and his eyes remained closed, as if he had anticipated this reaction. Suddenly, he heard her voice, loud and filled with indignation, cutting through her usual composure.

"YOU LECHEROUS BASTARD!!!!" Yu Shao Yan shouted, her face flushed and eyes aflame with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. Her sword had missed him as he retreated, prompting her to pivot her body, clearly intent on dispatching this scoundrel with a fierce swing of her weapon.

Clank!

But once again, Regina intervened, positioning herself between them as her sword clashed with Yu Shao Yan's.

"Just exhaust her," Ryuk said, tilting his head as he observed Regina blocking Yu Shao Yan's strike. It was evident that Yu Shao was too provoked—embarrassed and enraged—to back down, so he cast a glance toward Yao Lian, who was standing at a distance.

"Hey, come here! I have a deal for you," Ryuk called, gesturing for Yao Lian to approach him. As he did so, a dome began to form around him.

A system window had been present next to him since the moment he first mentioned dual cultivation to the Empress, indicating that his conversation with both Xiuying (the Empress) and Yu Shao Yan (the Matriarch) was led by this particular recommendation.

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DUAL CULTIVATION RECOMMENDATION FROM NEARBY TARGETS

1. Yao Lian

2. Yu Shao Yan

3. Xiuying Fenghuang

Note: The sequence of Dual Cultivation would give maximum output.

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