The Villainess Always Wants to Cuddle With Me [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 26

After that little incident, Jian Qiongjun had no choice but to take Jian Qigui away to treat her injuries, lest they leave lasting health issues.

Once Jian Qiongjun and Jian Qigui had departed, Ling Jun sauntered over to the rocking chair beneath the shade of a tree and settled in with a sigh of contentment.

Listening to the incessant buzzing of cicadas and the rustling of leaves, the days no longer seemed to stretch on endlessly as they once had.

An itch tickled her nose. Ling Jun scratched it, but the irritation returned moments later. Her brow furrowed as she opened her eyes.

Before her lay a pair of luminous, beautiful eyes and a face as delicate as jade, its complexion like crushed coral.

“Senior Sister Yunyin…” Ling Jun gazed at her with a hint of reproach in her apricot-shaped eyes.

Yunyin chuckled, tossing aside the dogtail grass she had idly picked up. “Junior Sister, slacking off again?”

“Again?” Ling Jun retorted indignantly. “Senior Sister, you misunderstand! I’m merely stealing a moment of leisure from this fleeting life. How can you call that slacking off?”

“The Sect Leader instructed me to supervise your horse stance practice,” Yunyin said calmly.

What?! They wouldn’t let her catch a break for even a moment!

“Horse stance, horse stance, always horse stance! When will I ever get to learn swordsmanship like you, Senior Sister?”

Ling Jun pondered deeply, racking her brain. She couldn’t recall ever seeing her senior brothers and sisters practicing their swordsmanship by simply holding a horse stance day after day.

Yunyin cleared her throat softly. “The Sect Leader undoubtedly has his reasons. However, Junior Sister’s constitution has always been somewhat frail. Forcing her to practice swordsmanship…”

Ling Jun slapped her thigh and stood up indignantly. “Fine, fine! It’s just a horse stance, I’ll do it!”

After half an incense stick’s time, Ling Jun nearly fell asleep standing. Practicing the horse stance alone was utterly tedious. She glanced over at Yunyin, who was braiding a sword tassel, and her eyes lit up. “Senior Sister, how’s your sword practice going?”

Yunyin paused her work, a muffled chuckle escaping her lips. “Is Junior Sister trying to relieve her boredom?”

“Senior Sister’s swordsmanship is unparalleled in the world…” Ling Jun began to gush.

“Stop!” Yunyin cut her off, fearing the younger girl’s loose tongue. “I’m afraid of you.”

With that, Yunyin unsheathed the Azure Cloud Sword and swiftly thrust it backward. Her wrist flicked, the sword dancing in her hand with fluid grace, as gentle as drifting clouds yet as swift as lightning. The shifting movements evoked the murals of Dunhuang. There were no extraneous steps; each strike landed in an unexpected place.

As the swordplay concluded, Ling Jun clapped enthusiastically. “Senior Sister, what sword technique was that? Is it Uncle Fan’s true legacy?”

Yunyin shook her head. “Not at all. This is the Yun Clan’s secret technique: the Flying Cloud Sword Manual.”

“I want to be as skilled as Senior Sister someday!” Ling Jun’s eyes shone with admiration as she glanced at her increasingly steady horse stance, brimming with confidence.

“You will be,” Yunyin replied with a warm smile.

Over the next month, Ling Jun didn’t see Jian Qigui again. When she asked Jian Qiongjun about it, she was told that Jian Qigui was recovering from an injury and would resume training with Ling Jun once she healed.

An injury that requires a whole month to recover? Ling Jun doubted this explanation, wondering what Jian Qiongjun was really up to.

One day, during their usual training session, Jian Qiongjun arrived with Jian Qigui. Ling Jun spotted her from afar.

“Jian Qigui!” Ling Jun ran to her side, examining her from head to toe. Jian Qigui looked thinner. Only after confirming she was truly unharmed did Ling Jun relent. She then peppered her with questions: “Is your injury fully healed? Have you been eating properly? Why are you so thin? You…”

Jian Qigui’s gaze flickered slightly. She replied softly, “I’m fine. What about you?”

“I’m fine too. It’s just… I missed you during training these past few weeks,” Ling Jun said, glancing at Jian Qiongjun, who was growing impatient. She didn’t press the matter further.

“Alright, alright,” Jian Qiongjun said, her usual languid demeanor replaced by a serious expression. “Now that your foundational stances are nearly perfected, it’s time to begin learning qinggong. Watch closely and follow my movements.”

Jian Qiongjun’s footwork shifted, and Ling Jun and Jian Qigui immediately mirrored her steps.

“The body must be agile, the qi flowing freely. Combine the two into one, calm your mind and focus your spirit. Keep your qi pure and unclouded, and your body will become as light as a swallow, allowing you to fly across rooftops and scale walls.” Jian Qiongjun continued, her footwork growing more intricate.

The two disciples practiced with unwavering focus. As Jian Qiongjun channeled her qi, ice lotuses bloomed beneath her feet, the surrounding air solidified, and the temperature plummeted. Before they could even register the change, she had vanished like lightning, reappearing a mile away in an instant. A gust of icy wind swept past as she stopped before them. “This is the Ice Lotus Art and the Ice Lotus Steps,” she explained. “Though they are independent yet inseparable, I will only teach you the Ice Lotus Steps for now.”

“I’ll practice diligently!” Ling Jun vowed, clenching her fist. Seriously, this footwork is so cool!

Under the scorching summer sun, amidst the incessant chirping of cicadas, the pair trained from dawn till dusk. The lush green leaves gradually turned yellow, withered, and fell, leaving only bare branches. Yet new buds soon sprouted, reaching eagerly for the sun.

One night, Ling Jun crept into the small kitchen. As she opened the door, she found Jian Qigui squatting by the hearth, tending the fire.

Ling Jun scratched her head, trying to hide her embarrassment. “What a coincidence! You hungry too?”

Qi Gui shook her head gently. “I came to see you.”

“So you were helping me start the fire?” Ling Jun rubbed her nose.

“You come to the kitchen every three days. I’ve been counting,” Qi Gui nodded.

Ling Jun cleared her throat to hide her embarrassment. She rummaged through the ingredient basket. Fortunately, Aunt Liu had been generous lately and left extra supplies. Gazing at the abundant ingredients, she turned to Qi Gui and asked, “What do you want to eat?”

The corners of Qi Gui’s lips curved upward. “Anything is fine. Mushrooms, perhaps?”

Ling Jun had developed a fondness for mushrooms recently. Hearing Qi Gui’s suggestion, she smiled warmly. “Alright, then we’ll have mushrooms.”

Ling Jun simmered a pot of mushroom soup and stir-fried two dishes of seasonal vegetables. The two sat at a low table nearby, sharing the meal.

“Tomorrow is the fifteenth. As usual, Mother won’t return home that night,” Ling Jun observed, having long since memorized Jian Qiongjun’s fixed departure times.

“That’s good. You can sleep in until noon without anyone bothering you,” Qi Gui nodded.

“What kind of talk is that! Wasting such a beautiful day sleeping? Don’t you think that’s a waste? Besides, am I really the type to do that?” Ling Jun frowned, clearly offended. Of course I’m not that kind of person!

“And who was it who woke up half an hour late the other day, forcing us to practice on the wooden stakes for an extra hour?” Jian Qigui countered with a teasing smile.

Although the incident was indeed Ling Jun’s fault, Jian Qigui had only herself to blame for not calling out to her. Ling Jun feigned a mischievous tone, “Who told you not to call me? If you had, would you have been late? How dare you blame me for this?” She reached out to tickle Jian Qigui’s soft flesh, but Jian Qigui immediately dodged, executing the Ice Lotus Steps with swift agility. Ling Jun pursued relentlessly.

After a spirited chase, the pair found themselves back in the small kitchen. Ling Jun ladled a bowl of mushroom soup and placed it before Jian Qigui, coaxing, “Good Qi Gui, dear sister, consider this meal my apology.”

Jian Qigui huffed softly but picked up the bowl and began to drink.

Ling Jun’s culinary skills had undeniably improved; the mushroom soup warmed her to the core.

After finishing their soup, Ling Jun reached out to poke Jian Qigui, but Jian Qigui swiftly caught her fingertip, raising an eyebrow with a warning glint in her eyes.

Ling Jun chuckled sheepishly. “How about we sneak down the mountain to play tomorrow?”

Jian Qigui’s eyebrow arched. “You’re awfully bold. If Master finds out…”

Ling Jun cut her off. “But she won’t be here tomorrow, will she? Besides, I’ve never been down the mountain before. Dear sister, just think of it as showing me the world!”

Jian Qigui gazed at Ling Jun with eyes like stars, brimming with anticipation. If Ling Jun had a tail, Jian Qigui could almost see it drooping in disappointment at the thought of being refused.

After hesitating for a long moment, Jian Qigui finally nodded in agreement.

Before dawn broke, the two children mustered their courage and used the Ice Lotus Steps to evade the patrolling disciples. As they emerged from the forest, Ling Jun sighed in relief. “Thank goodness Senior Sister Yunyin isn’t on duty tonight. Otherwise, we’d never have made it out.”

Hand in hand, they strolled along the street. Spotting a shop, Ling Jun pulled Jian Qigui inside.

The walls were lined with bolts of fabric and tassels. Remembering that Qi Gui would soon begin practicing swordsmanship and learning the Ice Lotus Art, Ling Jun asked softly, “I remember you like Profound Black.”

“Mm-hmm,” Jian Qigui nodded, wondering why Ling Jun was asking.

Ling Jun pointed to a gradient-colored Profound Pearl hanging on the wall. “Shopkeeper, I’ll take this one, and those matching tassels too.”

The shopkeeper glanced at the pair and waved his hand dismissively. “Go on, get out of here. Whose brats are you? You can’t afford this.”

Jian Qigui frowned. “We have money.”

The shopkeeper’s eyelids lifted, piqued by their interest. He sized them up, his gaze sweeping from head to toe. “This is top-grade merchandise from the South Sea,” he declared. “Don’t let its unassuming appearance fool you. Look closely at the dazzling flashes within and the rare swirling cloud patterns—these are truly exceptional treasures. It’ll fetch at least a thousand taels.”

Just a thousand taels? Ling Jun pulled a silver note from her sleeve, raised an eyebrow, and asked, “Is this enough?”

The shopkeeper’s surprise quickly turned to a frown. “My apologies, young miss, but this is actually the shop’s prized possession. It’s not for sale.”

“Then why display it? This is blatant fraud!” Ling Jun was determined to buy the pearl and tassel today, no matter what.

Jian Qigui frowned and tugged at Ling Jun’s sleeve. “Maybe we should just forget it. If you like it, we can find a cheaper alternative.”

Ling Jun gave Jian Qigui a reassuring smile. “Shopkeeper, sell it to me at an 80% discount. If you ever need anything, just come to Cuiyue Mountain and ask for me.”

The moment the shopkeeper heard “Cuiyue Mountain,” he immediately handed over the pearl and tassel, accepted the silver note, and even gave them two hundred taels in change. His face beamed with obsequious smiles as he fawned, “Young miss, if you’d said so earlier, I wouldn’t have wasted my breath with all that nonsense.”

Ling Jun was momentarily speechless, watching Jian Qigui and Jian Qiongjun exchange a silent, meaningful glance.

Why do I feel like I’m the villain in this world…? Who’s the real villain here?!

“Then we thank you, shopkeeper,” Ling Jun and Jian Qigui said in unison.

That day, Ling Jun took Jian Qigui to buy many trinkets and sample various street foods. They played together until midnight, returning under the cover of darkness using the Ice Lotus Steps.

As soon as they entered the courtyard of their secluded residence, they found Jian Qiongjun sitting in the center, sharpening her sword. Her expression was icy, and her voice echoed like a cavern: “Where have you been?”

Jian Qiongjun’s face was dark, radiating an aura of danger. Ling Jun pressed her lips together, daring not to lie. “We went down the mountain to play…” she admitted truthfully, wondering why Jian Qiongjun had returned early today.

Jian Qiongjun turned her piercing gaze to Jian Qigui. “You didn’t stop her?”

Jian Qigui clenched her fists, lowering her head in silence.

“So, you tacitly approved. Jian Qigui, do you acknowledge your wrongdoing?” Jian Qiongjun now resembled the calm before a storm, ready to erupt at the slightest provocation.

“Disciple… acknowledges her wrongdoing.”

In an instant, the temperature around them plummeted, nearly freezing. Frost formed at Jian Qiongjun’s feet as she struck Jian Qigui’s chest with a barehanded palm strike.

Jian Qigui flew backward with a cry.

“Jian Qigui!” Ling Jun shouted, using the Ice Lotus Steps to brace herself and absorb some of Jian Qiongjun’s remaining force. But the palm strike’s chilling power was overwhelming. Ling Jun, still holding Jian Qigui, slammed her head heavily against the rough tree behind them.

“Ugh…” Ling Jun groaned, and a few withered leaves fell from the tree’s branches.

“Mother, what are you doing?!” Jian Qigui, bl00d trickling from the corner of her mouth, glared at Jian Qiongjun. “I insisted she come with me! I’ll take responsibility for my actions—how can you blame her?!”

Jian Qiongjun’s eyes flashed with malice as she raised her palm for another strike, this time aimed at Ling Jun. Jian Qigui’s eyes widened in alarm as she grabbed Ling Jun and darted backward with lightning speed.

But how could two children possibly match Jian Qiongjun’s power? Though she didn’t pursue them, the palm strike still slammed into Jian Qigui’s back.

Pfft…

Having sustained internal injuries, Jian Qigui naturally couldn’t hold on. Bl00d splattered like ink, dotting the ground before she collapsed from exhaustion.

“Mother!” Ling Jun’s fury surged for the first time. She raised her fists and confronted Jian Qiongjun with physical force.

Jian Qiongjun’s eyes were bloodshot, as if she had lost control. Ling Jun gritted her teeth, her body trembling. Despite her fear, she charged forward.

“Mother, have you gone mad?!” Ling Jun struggled to comprehend Jian Qiongjun’s actions.

Jian Qiongjun seized Ling Jun’s fists, her expression strained with restraint. The air around her grew colder as she struck Ling Jun’s chest with another palm. Though she had tried to hold back, the force still sent Ling Jun crashing to the ground.

Jian Qiongjun then pressed two fingers together, rapidly striking pressure points on her own body. Her eyes gradually cleared as she moved to Ling Jun’s side, feeding her an unknown medicinal pill and pressing pressure points on her body. She repeated the process for Jian Qigui.

Finally, Jian Qiongjun struck a nearby century-old tree with a palm strike, leaving two trails of clear tears as she turned and departed.