The Villain is Soft and Clingy [Transmigration] - Chapter 25

Zhang Lan forced a laugh, weakly saying, “That’s truly, truly regrettable.”

She said this with considerable gritting of teeth, her small face puffed up, looking as if she wanted to bite someone.

Xia Zhitiao looked at her little expression, feeling amused. Although she still couldn’t be sure, if Zhang Lan and Zhang Kuang really were the same person, then this child had incredible self-control.

The trial was canceled midway, and at the same time, injured disciples were continuously being brought out of the Demon Beast Forest.

Outside the Demon Beast Forest, a pall of gloom hung over the area, the atmosphere somber, and sobbing could be heard from time to time.

Wang Yan looked at the condition of the other disciples, startled. She gasped, “No way, they’re all so seriously injured.”

“Exactly, that’s why we were lucky to run into the Demon Sect Leader,” Jin Li said, sighing as she looked at a few disciples covered by white cloths not far away.

“That was a fifth-tier giant python. Even if we hadn’t gone back to save Zhang Lan, the chances of escaping probably weren’t very high.”

The group of five fell silent. Zhang Lan sat cross-legged on the ground, having barely spoken, her slender white fingertips rubbing the ground, drawing little circles in the dust.

Many disciples’ spiritual birds had lost connection. The peak masters continuously moved in and out of the forest, but many people were still trapped inside, their fates unknown.

According to the peak masters, ten high-tier demon beasts mysteriously appeared in the designated area: five third-tier, two fourth-tier, two fifth-tier, and one eighth-tier.

The lower-tier demon beasts were manageable; many were dealt with by the combined efforts of the disciples. The most deadly was the eighth-tier Pointed-Beak Rhinoceros Eagle.

Any team that encountered the Pointed-Beak Rhinoceros Eagle was almost completely annihilated. The survivors were gravely wounded, and even one of Yashan’s peak masters was injured.

However, that Rhinoceros Eagle’s rampage didn’t last long before it was mercilessly pinned to the ground and beaten by a certain “passing” Demon Sect Leader.

The group waited in place for a long time. Several hours later, Master Qin came over. She led the disciples waiting outside back to Yashan, while the other peak masters were still desperately searching for surviving disciples in the forest.

“Go back and rest first,” Qin Zhi said, stopping the disciples in front of Yashan’s main hall. She sighed, “Although the trial was interrupted, the process remains the same. Tomorrow, the team leaders, with all surviving members, will come to the main hall to hand in the crystals.”

Everyone nodded, then dispersed.

Wang Yan saw Zhang Lan yawning and slowly walking back, so she couldn’t help but chase after her: “Zhang Lan, Zhang Lan!”

Zhang Lan rubbed her reddened eyes, tiredly saying, “What is it?”

“Why are you walking so fast? Let’s go back together,” Wang Yan caught up in a few steps, walking familiarly alongside Zhang Lan. “We’ve been sharing a room for so long and haven’t really talked much.”

Zhang Lan lazily said, “Oh.”

“You talk so little,” Wang Yan mumbled. “You talk quite a lot when you’re with your senior sister.”

Zhang Lan yawned again, looking listless. She reluctantly added one more sentence: “We’re at the dorm.”

Wang Yan pouted. The two walked into the wooden cabin. It was empty inside. Xiao You and Xiao Zuo were eliminated from the illusion trial, leaving only the two of them in the room. The atmosphere was momentarily awkward.

Zhang Lan used a spell to change her clothes, then flopped onto the bed, wrapping herself in her blanket like a small steamed bun, closing her eyes, ready to sleep.

“Hey, hey, don’t sleep,” Wang Yan leaned over persistently, pulling a stool to Zhang Lan’s bedside and sitting down. “You know, today was my first time seeing the Demon Sect Leader!”

Zhang Lan covered her head with the blanket and muffled, “Didn’t you say she was going to sneak attack Yashan? But no one even saw her.”

“You actually remember that?” Wang Yan nudged the stool, laughing several times. “I hadn’t seen her in person back then. I just repeated whatever Yashan rumored.”

Wang Yan, seeing Zhang Lan ignore her, poked the rolled-up blanket and whispered, “Hey, don’t tell anyone else on Yashan about this, and definitely don’t tell my brother.”

“Actually, I think Zhang Kuang is very different from what Yashan says.”

Wang Yan rested her chin in her hand, continuing to talk to herself, “She saved us, and actually, she’s quite easy to talk to.”

Zhang Lan couldn’t lie still anymore. She threw off the blanket, surprised: “Huh? Are you… defending Zhang Kuang?”

Zhang Lan sat up, crossed her arms, and expressionlessly looked at Wang Yan: “Are you alright?”

Wang Yan pouted, “I’m serious! The Demon Leader seems like a pretty good person, not as terrible as Yashan makes her out to be.”

Zhang Lan lowered her head, silent for a long time. Just as Wang Yan thought she had fallen asleep, Zhang Lan suddenly spoke again: “That fellow…”

She clutched the edge of the blanket tightly, paused, then suddenly “tsk-ed” and said, “Forget it, she’s a useless good-for-nothing. What’s there to say!”

Wang Yan asked curiously, “You say that, do you know something?”

“…I don’t know,” Zhang Lan said stiffly. “Anyway, nothing good comes from being involved with her. I’m going to sleep, don’t bother me!”

With that, she threw off the blanket and covered herself completely.

—

The next morning, Xia Zhitiao, dressed in white, arrived much earlier at Yashan’s main hall on Yubai Peak.

Some disciples stood scattered on the White Jade Altar. Their robes varied in color; there were different light shades of inner sect robes, white robes of new disciples, and even outer sect disciples in gray.

Xia Zhitiao walked around twice, and as expected, found Jin Li, dressed in red, casually sitting on the jade steps, gnawing on roasted chicken.

“Oh, Junior Sister Xia!” Jin Li smiled at her, and the little red fish beside her hopped along. “I knew you’d find me sitting here.”

Jin Li generously opened her storage ring and, astonishingly, pulled out another whole roasted chicken, trying to offer it to Xia Zhitiao, who politely declined.

*Your original body was a koi fish, why are you so obsessed with roasted chicken?!*

“Our ranking this time… might not be very good,” Xia Zhitiao said, sitting next to Jin Li, resting her chin in her hand, and sighing softly. “I’m very sorry.”

In this trial competition, they only managed to “hunt” one pathetic first-tier white crystal thanks to Jin Li’s good luck. Afterward, they stayed inside Zhang Kuang’s barrier and had no opportunity to go out.

“Why apologize? This matter has nothing to do with you,” Jin Li winked at Xia Zhitiao, her voice nonchalant. “Relax. There’s always a way.”

Xia Zhitiao also wanted to relax, but they only had that one pitiful first-tier white crystal, which couldn’t compare to other teams at all.

This trial was crucial for her junior sister and the Wang siblings; it directly determined whether they could officially enter the sect. If, because of her, they ended up becoming outer sect disciples, Xia Zhitiao feared she would feel guilty for a long time.

As time passed, more disciples gradually gathered on the White Jade Altar. Just then, the two saw Wang Yan from a distance, clutching something in her arms, running towards them in a panic.

“Senior Sister Jin, Senior Sister Xia!”

Wang Yan shouted as she ran, and not far behind her, a black shadow pursued her closely.

A small stone was thrown directly, whistling as it kicked up fallen leaves, grazing Wang Yan’s clothes, and “thump,” it slammed onto the white jade steps, shattering into several pieces.

“Wang, Yan!!”

Zhang Lan, dressed in black, her long hair scattering in the wind, soft and swirling like dark clouds, emanating a cool, inky hue.

She suddenly stepped onto the white jade railing, moving incredibly fast, her voice rising several pitches, “Put my thing down—!!”

“I asked you, you didn’t react, so I took that as consent,” Wang Yan clutched the item in her arms tightly, her voice a little guilty. “I asked while you were asleep.”

“Enough nonsense!”

Zhang Lan’s murderous aura surged. She held a large handful of small stones, appearing from who knew where. She threw one with every word, roaring, “Give me back my stuff!”

The two sitting on the jade steps were startled by the commotion. Xia Zhitiao hurriedly took a few steps forward: “What’s wrong?”

Wang Yan feigned hiding behind Jin Li, clutching the box in her arms tightly, and cautiously peeked out.

“—You dare to hide?!”

Zhang Lan was furious. She leaped down from the white jade railing, her feet touching the ground, and rolled up her sleeves, intending to charge and hit someone. But Xia Zhitiao blocked her.

Xia Zhitiao looked at the two children, rubbing her forehead in a headache: “What is it this time?”

“Senior Sister,” Zhang Lan pointed at Wang Yan, who was hiding behind Jin Li, and called out pitifully, “She stole my box!”

She stood in place with puffed cheeks, her ink-dark long hair falling over her shoulders, covering her slender white neck. Her black clothes looked slightly oversized, like a child wearing adult clothes.

Xia Zhitiao felt like a kindergarten teacher. She first ruffled Zhang Lan’s head, then turned around, looking sternly at Wang Yan, and asked, “What did you take from her?”

Wang Yan squirmed, then reluctantly handed over the item in her arms: “Here, it’s just a black box. Zhang Lan carries it around mysteriously all day and won’t let anyone see it.”

Zhang Lan’s expression was displeased. She reached up and pushed her long hair back, her sleeve falling away, revealing a small section of her slender wrist, which appeared exceptionally white against the black clothes, shimmering.

“When did I ever agree to you touching it?” she said, her amber-like eyes full of grievance. “Give it back to me!”

Wang Yan stammered for a moment, but finally gave in. She handed back the black box, mumbling, “Alright, I’m sorry. Here.”

Zhang Lan snatched the box, holding it tightly in her embrace, not forgetting to glare fiercely at Wang Yan.

Xia Zhitiao pulled the two apart, standing between them, and gently advised, “Alright, alright, don’t fight.”

She looked down and noticed that this child, Zhang Lan, had actually rushed out barefoot. Her toes were lightly pressed together, her feet stepping lightly on the ground, tinged with a faint pink.

Xia Zhitiao was quite helpless. She quietly sighed, “Zhang Lan, don’t move.”

Zhang Lan tilted her head, a little confused: “?”

Xia Zhitiao slightly bent down, her arm curving over Zhang Lan’s shoulder, and with a gentle lift, easily picked her up.

Zhang Lan’s body suddenly left the ground. She hadn’t expected this, and instinctively hugged Xia Zhitiao’s neck tightly, her ears completely red: “Sen, Senior Sister!”

Her figure was already slender, a small, soft presence nestled gently in her embrace, feeling very light, as if weightless.

“You, you,” Zhang Lan stammered, flustered and helpless, “Put me down first…”

“What’s wrong? I held you like this when you were unconscious before,” Xia Zhitiao chuckled. “You’re too thin. Senior Sister will make sure you eat more from now on.”

Zhang Lan’s long hair fell down, softly wrapping around her shoulders. A few strands happened to brush Xia Zhitiao, making her nose feel as if a petal had landed on it, emitting a faint woody scent.

She leaned halfway into Xia Zhitiao’s embrace, her breathing slightly lighter. She didn’t dare to move, only cautiously encircling the other’s neck.

“That was different before,” Zhang Lan tried hard to explain, swaying, looking like she wanted to be put down. “I, I can walk by myself.”

Xia Zhitiao smiled sweetly, deliberately saying, “Do you really want me to let go now?”