The Villain is Soft and Clingy [Transmigration] - Chapter 3

That “oh” fell lightly, neither hurried nor slow, yet it made the standing woman’s heart tighten, her brow thumping violently, inexplicably filled with a strong sense of unease.

“Impossible, we are all outer disciples who failed the test,” the woman suppressed her intense anxiety and comforted herself, “it’s just a bluff.”

Thinking this, she suddenly felt a bit more confident, took a bold step forward, raised her voice a bit, and said, “Are you deaf?! Hurry up!”

Zhang Lan leaned against the wall panel, lazily raising her hand, with a clear and transparent petal nestled between her delicate white fingers.

She gently rubbed the edge of the petal with her fingertip and said slowly, “How strange, daring to command me like this… you’re the first one.”

The leading woman still wanted to say something, but another woman in gray suddenly stood up, grabbed her sleeve, and said with a slight tremor in her voice, “Yuan Shuang, don’t say anything more, come back quickly.”

Yuan Shuang frowned and said, “What are you doing? Are you afraid of her?”

The woman shook her head, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, “Look at the petals in her palm.”

The petal in Zhang Lan’s hand was indeed peculiar; it lacked the usual plant’s vein patterns and was instead as clear and transparent as gold and jade, as if it had been condensed from spiritual power.

Before Yuan Shuang could turn around, Zhang Lan made her move.

With a flick of her fingertip, petals suddenly shot out. A cold wind rushed towards her, brushing against Yuan Shuang’s neck, and fiercely pierced into the wall.

Yuan Shuang felt a sharp pain in her neck, and she couldn’t help but reach up to cover it, only to find her hands covered in blood.

No, no way, she’s clearly just an outer sect disciple, how could she possibly—

Zhang Lan lazily lifted her eyelids, gave an ambiguous smile, and was about to speak when the wooden door behind her suddenly made a loud “bang.”

Everyone was stunned, including Zhang Lan, who turned her head in a panic and stood there in a daze.

Xia Zhitao leaned against the door, her chest slightly rising and falling. She looked at a woman clutching her neck and several others dressed in gray clothes, and said sternly, “What’s going on?”

She grabbed Zhang Lan’s arm and pulled her behind herself, addressing the women, “I heard everything from outside. What kind of behavior is this, bullying someone so openly?”

A few people were dumbfounded, and Yuan Shuang stood there in a daze for a long time, remembering that she had just shouted, “Are you deaf?” It was likely that Xia Zhitao had heard her.

“Junior Sister has only been on the mountain for one day, and you treat her like this?” Xia Zhitao grew angrier the more she thought about it, her voice turning colder, “You truly bring shame to our Yashan.”

Bullying? That frail little girl made such a huge gash, almost chopping my head off. Who’s bullying whom here?

Yuan Shuang couldn’t express her bitterness; she covered her neck and watched helplessly as the little girl, like a performer in a Peking opera face-changing act, whimpered and clung to Xia Zhitao’s clothes, hiding behind her.

“Senior Sister, they didn’t bully me,” Zhang Lan sniffed and said softly, “They just asked me to fill the water jar outside the door…”

Pouring the water jar outside the door, that’s it?

Xia Zhitao remembered the huge water jar outside the door, which was about the same height as Zhang Lan, and got angry.

Junior Sister is so small; if she fills that water jar, won’t she be up all night?

“How outrageous,” Xia Zhitao directly took Zhang Lan’s right hand, pulling her outside, “We’re leaving, we’re not staying here.”

Zhang Lan obediently followed her, and they walked out together. After a while, Xia Zhitao suddenly slapped her forehead, remembering something important:

Although I took her away in a fit of anger, where should Zhang Lan stay tonight?

The junior sister had been carefully observing Xia Zhitao’s expression. Seeing her hesitate and stop, she also stopped and said softly, “No need to trouble Senior Sister, I’ll go stay with those people.”

Xia Zhitao couldn’t help but turn around and take a look after hearing this.

I saw that the junior sister had a frank gaze and a serious expression, leaving Xia Zhitao momentarily speechless.

She silently sighed, tightened her grip on Zhang Lan’s hand, and turned her gaze back to the road: “My Yashan is so vast, I wouldn’t be without a place to stay.”

She was pondering where to temporarily arrange Zhang Lan, when her little junior sister behind her rolled her eyes and excitedly leaned in.

She looked at Xia Zhitao with bright eyes, blinking expectantly: “So, so can I trouble you, Senior Sister?”

Xia Zhitao didn’t react for a moment and hesitated, saying, “Huh?”

。

A moment later——

“Thank you, Senior Sister!!”

Watching the junior sister hug the bedding and pillow, excitedly spinning around the room, Xia Zhitao raised her hand to rub her brow, sighing helplessly in her heart.

I really am too soft-hearted.

Originally, there was no intention of living with the junior sister, but seeing her with an expectant look, staring at her eagerly, the words of refusal suddenly got stuck in her throat, unable to be spoken.

In the end, Xia Zhitao could only resign herself to fate, nodding helplessly, which could be considered as tacitly agreeing to Zhang Lan’s request.

Fortunately, the junior sister is not considered an outsider. Although she was a bit overly excited, her behavior was still quite measured.

Before Xia Zhitao could say anything, she very consciously took a bamboo mat and laid it on the ground, squatted down, swayed her head, and happily spread out the bedding and pillows with great care.

With this serious expression, Xia Zhitao didn’t even dare to tell her that although the wooden house looked small, there was actually a room next door.

Zhang Lan’s movements were quick and efficient; in the blink of an eye, she had made the bed. Standing up from the floor, she clapped her hands and silently looked over at Xia Zhitao.

Xia Zhitao wasn’t new to guiding junior disciples either. After pondering for a moment, she said, “Let me show you around Yashan.”

Although she didn’t stay long on Yashan, she had already memorized most of the places.

Anyway, there are only a few places around, just looking at the mountains and the water, at most, looking at the cliffs and steep walls, there’s nowhere else to go.

If we’re talking about something interesting, then we should go down the mountain to visit the market. It’s bustling and lively, with plenty of people, much better than this quiet and deserted cliff where you hardly see anyone most of the time.

After showing Zhang Lan around, Xia Zhitao found that this junior sister was quite interesting.

When I was yawning almost to the point of falling asleep while looking at the Wanjian Pavilion, I became more interested in the library that no one visited. However, since I hadn’t been admitted yet, I could only look at it.

Xia Zhitao looked at the sky as it grew darker, the inky color consuming most of the blue expanse, and then led Zhang Lan back.

Coincidentally, when the two returned, they took a different route and happened to arrive at a place where Xia Zhitao hadn’t been much before.

It was a deep lake, seemingly ordinary and unremarkable at first glance, but when Xia Zhitao casually looked at it a bit longer, an inexplicable chill suddenly surged within her.

Upon closer inspection, the ground all around was parched and dry, showing no signs of plant growth. Even the vast lake seemed to be completely still, lifeless, and devoid of any vitality.

“This is Shuijing Lake. Usually, there aren’t many people here, but occasionally disciples come to practice their spells and such.” After a day of being a tour guide, Xia Zhitao casually introduced the “attraction.”

However, Zhang Lan beside her furrowed her brow, looked at the lake, and said very softly, “Weak Water?”

Xia Zhitao was taken aback, turned around, and hesitantly said, “What?”

“There is a weak water in the Heavenly River, a feather does not float, birds fall from the sky, devouring the lives of thousands.”

Zhang Lan explained while crouching down, using her fingertip to stir the water’s surface: “Moreover, Weak Water can also absorb spiritual power and utilize it. Look down here.”

Xia Zhitao followed suit and crouched down, only to see that beneath the colorless lake surface, there were actually hidden mysteries.

Beneath the thick body of water, it seems to store the sunlight of the day, shimmering and clear, reflecting a scene of lushness—

As far as the eye could see, there was actually a vast hidden space. Vines climbed the walls, rocks were scattered everywhere, and one could even see gravel slowly rolling.

“Is it empty underneath?” Xia Zhitao couldn’t believe it and couldn’t help but reach out, wanting to touch the water surface like Zhang Lan.

Water floating in the air is quite contrary to reason; a highly respected British elder would probably be so furious he wouldn’t be able to speak, almost as if he were about to rise from his grave.

“——Don’t touch.”

Xia Zhitao’s hand was halted in mid-air, and Zhang Lan gently grasped her wrist, her expression unusually serious: “Ahem, well… the Grandmaster said that the Weak Water will devour spiritual energy, so it shouldn’t be touched lightly.”

Xia Zhitao looked at the junior sister in surprise, muttering to herself, “Didn’t you just touch it?” while silently retracting her hand.

The junior sister nodded seriously, her small face puffed up round like a little dumpling, which was somewhat cute.

Xia Zhitao reached out and ruffled the other person’s hair, saying, “Alright, let’s go.”

Zhang Lan made a sound of “hmm,” took advantage of Xia Zhitao’s inattention, looked back at the lake a few more times, then ran up with small steps to catch up.

。

For some reason, Xia Zhitao slept particularly soundly that night. The chaotic dreams that usually flooded her mind suddenly stopped, allowing her to have a peaceful and restful sleep.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Xia Zhitao rubbed her eyes and immediately saw the bamboo mat spread beside her.

The junior sister doesn’t seem to have woken up yet; her breathing is steady, her long eyelashes droop, and she curls up like a little glutinous rice dumpling.

Xia Zhitao called out a few times without any response, and just as she was about to take advantage of the other person being asleep and rub that seemingly soft cheek.

Who would have thought that just as she reached out her hand, Zhang Lan’s breath hitched, her eyes suddenly opened wide, and then she abruptly flipped over and sat up, giving Xia Zhitao a huge scare.

Zhang Lan stared at her, dazed for a good ten seconds, then blankly said, “…Senior Sister.”

“Well, I’ve tidied up,” Xia Zhitao stood up, pretending to be mature, coughed lightly, and said, “I’ll take you to the White Jade Platform to test your spiritual power.”

Zhang Lan nodded, and after the two of them packed up, they set off immediately.

Halfway through, Zhang Lan suddenly crept over sneakily, leaned close to Xia Zhitao’s ear, and quietly asked, “Senior Sister, Senior Sister, what level is your cultivation?”

“Me?” Xia Zhitao was slightly surprised, but still answered, “Foundation Establishment Level 3.”

Zhang Lan responded very seriously with an “mm,” and then obediently stepped back behind Xia Zhitao.

After the two arrived at the White Jade Platform, the Grandmaster had just arrived. He led Zhang Lan to the high platform, patted the central Haoran Stone Pillar, and said, “Place your hand on it, let me see your cultivation level.”

Zhang Lan said, “Okay.”

Having said that, she gently placed her hand on the stone pillar. Suddenly, the stone pillar lit up, radiating light in all directions, causing the grandmaster to furrow her brows.

The author has something to say:

Small Theater:

Xia Zhitao (pushing her glasses): I understand now, Shuijing Lake is a rare state of coexistence of gas and liquid.

Zhang Lan: Huh?