The Villain is Soft and Clingy [Transmigration] - Chapter 24

Zhang Kuang snapped her fingers. With a soft “pop,” the barrier immediately dissolved, and the petals scattered into four shimmering points of light, disappearing into the air.

“Be my guest,” Zhang Kuang said cooperatively, stepping a few paces aside and rubbing her forehead, clearly in pain. “Hurry up and take your people away.”

Zheng Luoyi: “?”

The team inside the barrier: “?”

*She’s that agreeable? She let them go so cleanly. So, why did she trap them for half the day in the first place?*

Everyone exchanged glances, and for a moment, no one dared to move.

“Aren’t you going to leave quickly?” Zhang Kuang urged. “Haven’t you heard that I eat human flesh and devour human bones? Do you have to wait for me to light a fire and roast you all to be happy?”

Wang Ze was the first to react. He grabbed his sister’s arm and swiftly left the barrier, standing behind the Yashan master.

Wang Yan, however, seemed a bit distracted. As her brother pulled her away, she turned to look at Zhang Kuang.

Zheng Luoyi held his long sword, vigilantly watching Zhang Kuang. Spiritual power surged around him as he sternly declared, “With me here, you won’t harm them in the slightest.”

Zhang Kuang glanced at him, took a step back, and comfortably crossed her arms, shrugging.

Xia Zhitiao picked up her junior sister in a bridal carry. She hesitated for a moment within the barrier, but was eventually pulled out by the master.

Only Jin Li remained in the barrier. She meticulously put away the half-eaten roasted chicken and slowly rolled up her rug, her leisurely movements making everyone anxious.

Zheng Luoyi couldn’t help himself: “Jin Li!”

Wang Yan also shouted, “Senior Sister, hurry up!”

Jin Li remained unhurried, saying, “Hold on, I’m putting away my things.”

It took her a good five or six minutes. Even Zhang Kuang couldn’t bear it anymore and coldly said, “What, you want to stay and keep me company?”

Jin Li hugged her rug and whispered, in a volume only Zhang Kuang could hear, “I doubt you’d be happy if I stayed. It’d be almost acceptable if Junior Sister Xia stayed.”

Zhang Kuang: “…………”

The others were too far to hear Jin Li’s words. They only saw Zhang Kuang’s expression suddenly freeze. Immediately afterward, several sharp petals were violently flung from her fingertips.

The petals slammed into a tree, causing shadows to dance and leaves to flutter. Zhang Kuang’s shoulders were covered in leaves. She gritted her teeth and snapped, “Get lost!!!”

Jin Li knew when to stop. She grabbed her pile of things and nimbly ran behind the master, standing next to Xia Zhitiao, shouting, “Junior Sister, protect me!!”

Xia Zhitiao looked at her blankly: “?”

*With my insignificant Foundation Establishment cultivation, constantly chased and beaten by demon beasts, how am I supposed to fight the unfathomably powerful Demon Sect Leader Zhang Kuang?*

“Senior Sister Jin, what did you say to the Demon Leader?” Xia Zhitiao asked curiously, still holding her junior sister. “You made her so angry.”

Jin Li smiled mysteriously: “Heaven’s secrets cannot be revealed.”

Seeing that everyone had left the barrier, Zheng Luoyi breathed a sigh of relief. Still, he dared not relax his vigilance in the slightest, focusing intently on Zhang Kuang’s every move.

“Noisy and annoying,” Zhang Kuang said, her expression darkening. “Since I’m too lazy to kill, I advise you to get out of my sight immediately.”

*Whoa, so fierce.*

Her voice was cold and distant, utterly disdainful. It sent shivers down Xia Zhitiao’s spine, making her unconsciously hunch her shoulders.

At just that imperceptible little movement, Zhang Kuang immediately softened, humbly saying, “Alright, alright, if you don’t want to leave, I’ll leave.”

With that, she waved her black robe and turned to depart.

Zheng Luoyi gripped his long sword, abruptly blocking Zhang Kuang’s path. He frowned deeply and sharply declared, “Demon Sect Leader, do you think you can just leave like this? Dream on!”

Zhang Kuang slightly tilted her head, looking at the sharp long sword pointed at her neck, and said nonchalantly, “…What?”

Zheng Luoyi’s sword was originally aimed directly at her vital point, but just inches from her neck, it was forcibly stopped by an oppressive aura.

His expression was stern as he said, word by word, “You caused my Yashan disciples to fall into danger. As a peak master, I will certainly not let you run rampant like this!”

“Ha?”

Zhang Kuang seemed to hear something incredibly amusing. Her eyes curved slightly, but no amusement reached them.

She tidied her black robe, and slowly said, “I never knew when Yashan… became so naive.”

Black mist surged and churned, spreading out. Zhang Kuang turned around, her slender white fingers pressing against the blade, pushing it outwards inch by inch.

“Esteemed… Peak Master,” she took a step forward and softly said, “I’d like to ask, what exactly is going on with your so-called ‘trial’?”

“Ten high-tier demon beasts, and even an eighth-tier Pointed-Beak Rhinoceros Eagle.”

Zhang Kuang’s voice suddenly chilled: “With this group of children of yours, I’m afraid they wouldn’t even know how they died!”

Zheng Luoyi withdrew his long sword. He encircled his ancient zither in his arms and plucked a series of sharp, chilling notes, shouting, “It’s clearly your malicious intent, deliberately luring demon beasts here!”

Zhang Kuang took a step back, easily dodging the zither notes, and said, “Naive. Do I need demon beasts?”

“How many people from the Shura Sect have I already slaughtered?” Zhang Kuang slightly narrowed her eyes, her voice disdainful. “A mere few hundred Yashan disciples are truly nothing in my eyes.”

Zheng Luoyi steadied himself, poured a surge of spiritual power into his ancient zither, and sharply declared, “As long as there is still one person left on my Yashan, I will never let you run rampant!”

Zhang Kuang glanced at him, then suddenly retreated a few steps, withdrawing the terrifying pressure.

“…Forget it.”

Her voice was very low. She stood amidst the swirling black mist, her black robe gently billowing, her expression obscured. “You take them and leave.”

Zhang Kuang gently closed her eyes. Her body instantly disintegrated, collapsing into countless light petals, scattering into the wind.

The black mist, as if washed by water, gradually became transparent, fading its thick color. In the blink of an eye, not a trace of it could be seen.

Silence returned to the forest, cold and desolate, as if no one had ever been there.

The demon beast carcasses had vanished the moment their crystals were harvested. Only the numerous fallen trees showed that everything that had just transpired was not a dream.

Zheng Luoyi’s expression was complex. He put away his long sword, turned to the others, and said, “Are you alright? Follow me, I’ll take you out.”

—

Under Zheng Luoyi’s protection, the group of five quickly returned to the edge of the forest. Many people were already waiting outside, and several Yashan grand-masters and masters were standing guard.

Seeing Zheng Luoyi emerge with Xia Zhitiao and the others, the bearded Grand-master breathed a sigh of relief and quickly came forward: “My heavens, are you all alright?”

Xia Zhitiao shook her head, her expression grim: “Junior Sister’s condition isn’t very good; she’s seriously injured.”

Wang Ze added, “And Mu Si, she’s still unconscious.”

The bearded Grand-master nodded: “Come over here.”

He gestured backward, and immediately, several disciples skilled in healing arts came forward, wanting to take Zhang Lan from Xia Zhitiao’s arms.

“Just after you all combined your strength to block a fifth-tier demon beast’s attack, the spiritual birds suddenly lost contact,” the bearded Grand-master explained. “But we still saw your performance.”

Just then, the junior sister, who had been completely cold, suddenly “came alive.”

She abruptly opened her amber-like eyes, which seemed melted by sunlight, her gaze slightly dazed. Then she began to cough violently.

“Cough, cough, cough,” Zhang Lan’s expression was pained. She unconsciously clutched Xia Zhitiao’s clothes tightly, her body trembling from coughing. “Sen, Senior Sister—”

*Demon Leader! Demon Leader, you’re back!*

Xia Zhitiao knew the other person was likely fine, but hearing Zhang Lan cough brokenly, she still felt a pang of heartache and comforted her, “Don’t talk anymore, rest for a bit.”

Zhang Lan coughed for a long while, finally catching her breath. Her pale face regained some color: “I… I’m fine.”

A healing disciple took Zhang Lan from Xia Zhitiao’s arms, carefully supporting the other, and said, “Junior Sister, where are you injured? Let us take a look.”

Zhang Lan was completely drained of strength and couldn’t even stand steadily, yet she stubbornly waved her hand, saying, “Don’t, don’t touch me… Just leave me aside; I’ll be fine in a moment.”

“Junior Sister, don’t be afraid! We’re here to help you heal!”

The healing disciple said righteously, forcefully holding down the defenseless Zhang Lan and casting a pile of healing spells on her.

Xia Zhitiao watched from the side, terrified, repeatedly saying, “Be gentle, don’t touch her wounds.”

*This is the Demon Sect Leader, okay? And you’re dragging her around and roughly pinning her to the ground? Are you out of your mind?!*

Zhang Lan coughed up a mouthful of bl00d, her face filled with utter resignation. She let the healing disciples torment her, her pale little face set, saying nothing.

Fortunately, after they finished casting their healing spells, they released Zhang Lan and turned to “torment” Mu Si, who had been carried out.

However, the healing spells seemed quite effective. The wounds on Zhang Lan’s body, inflicted by the black python, had healed considerably. They no longer bled and began to gradually close.

Zheng Luoyi’s expression was grim. He first warned the five not to speak of Zhang Kuang’s presence, then called the other peak masters over to discuss.

The group of five stayed together. Xia Zhitiao helped her junior sister sit down and asked with concern, “Do you feel better?”

Zhang Lan wiped the bl00d from her lips with her sleeve, took a breath, shook her head at Xia Zhitiao, her voice obedient and sweet: “Senior Sister, I’m fine now.”

*Ah, my adorable little junior sister.*

Xia Zhitiao couldn’t resist reaching out and ruffling her soft hair, saying, “It’s good that you’re alright. Why were you coughing so violently just now?”

Zhang Lan blinked: “Oh.”

*I can’t very well say it’s a slight side effect of over-expending spiritual power, and that I’ll be fine after a couple of coughs…*

Zhang Lan felt a bit guilty and mumbled, “I felt a little unwell just now, but I’m much better now.”

Wang Yan reached out and patted Zhang Lan’s shoulder, saying earnestly, “Zhang Lan, you should be glad you fainted. What happened afterward could scare you to death if I told you.”

Zhang Lan’s voice was extremely perfunctory: “Oh.”

Jin Li nudged Wang Yan: “It wasn’t as terrifying as you’re making it out to be. Let me summarize.”

She cleared her throat and said, “After you were injured and fell, Junior Sister Xia rushed over to save you. We blocked two attacks together, then the Demon Sect Leader suddenly arrived.”

Zhang Lan slammed the ground, furiously saying, “What?! That beast actually had the nerve to come!”

Xia Zhitiao was drinking water and almost choked on Zhang Lan’s sudden “beast.”

*My dear Demon Leader, please don’t curse yourself.*

Xia Zhitiao inwardly grumbled, *If you hadn’t come, our small team would have likely been wiped out, returning to the heavens on the spot.*

“Yes, Zhang Kuang came,” Jin Li said with a smile. “After we spent a happy and pleasant time with the Demon Leader, Master Zheng Luoyi led us out of the Demon Beast Forest.”

Zhang Lan stiffened, somewhat incredulous: “Happy and pleasant… time?”

“We spread out a rug and had a feast inside the barrier,” Jin Li smacked her lips, then sighed. “Ah, you didn’t see the two demon beasts being suppressed and beaten by Zhang Kuang. It was such a shame.”

*You think this is a performance?*

Xia Zhitiao suppressed her laughter, turning her head to look at Zhang Lan, who was sitting beside her. She was very curious about her reaction.

Author’s Note:

Small Theater:

Zhang Kuang: So what if she’s a koi? Next time, I’ll set up a fire and roast you.