The Villainess Always Wants to Cuddle With Me [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 27

When Ling Jun awoke, it was already dusk. She slowly opened her eyes, her gaze falling upon the familiar furnishings of her room—her own chambers.

As she tried to sit up, a sharp pain shot through her abdomen, causing her to collapse weakly back onto the bed.

Creak…

The sound of the door opening made Ling Jun turn her head. Seeing the visitor, she secretly sighed in relief. “Senior Sister Yunyin…”

The sound of her own voice startled her. It was as hoarse and raspy as that of a lifelong smoker.

Yunyin placed the bowl she was carrying aside, propped Ling Jun up with pillows, and gently helped her sit up. Picking up the bowl of medicinal soup again, she said, “Junior Sister, don’t speak yet. You’re badly injured. Come, drink this first.”

Ling Jun had a mountain of questions she wanted to ask, but her hoarse voice prevented her. She obediently accepted the bowl from Yunyin. Staring at the dark, pungent herbal brew, she closed her eyes, pinched her nose, and gulped it down in one breath.

The warm medicine flowed down her throat and into her abdomen. The pain in her abdomen seemed to lessen, and even the chest wound from Jian Qiongjun’s palm strike felt as if it were healing.

What kind of medicine is this? It’s so effective!

The medicine soothed her throat, and Ling Jun asked, “Where’s Jian Qigui?”

Seeing the earnestness in her eyes, Yunyin frowned and shook her head. “The Sect Leader took her away. I don’t know where she is now.”

“What? Jian Qiongjun took her?” Ling Jun grabbed Yunyin’s arm, her expression tense. “What do you mean?”

“Her injuries were quite severe, so the Sect Leader took her to heal. You should worry more about yourself, Junior Sister… You’re confined for a month as punishment. You’re not allowed to leave without permission.” Yunyin sighed. Junior Sister is too soft-hearted, kind to everyone but herself. She never seems to care about her own well-being.

Confined? Ling Jun’s expression faltered slightly. Recalling Jian Qiongjun’s uncharacteristically harsh demeanor last night, she frowned and asked, “Senior Sister, why has my mother… changed so drastically?”

Yunyin didn’t understand it either. But remembering Ling Jun was still a child, she hesitated, wanting to avoid damaging their mother-daughter bond. “Women… well, we all have those days when we’re in a bad mood. Perhaps the Sect Leader encountered something upsetting yesterday, and then you snuck out to play, which only made her angrier…”

Yunyin’s words weren’t entirely without merit. Ling Jun pursed her lips and nodded. She understood that women naturally experienced mood swings during certain times of the month. However, Jian Qiongjun had always been prone to melancholy. Yesterday’s outburst was truly… could it be related to the full moon on the fifteenth?

Speaking of which, Ling Jun knew nothing about Jian Lingjun’s father, whether from her memories or current information. Even when she asked Jian Qiongjun directly, the woman remained tight-lipped.

“By the way, Senior Sister, do you know where my mother goes on the fifteenth of every month?”

Yunyin pondered. “How would disciples like us know the Sect Leader’s whereabouts? But… the full moon on the fifteenth marks the peak of yin energy. The Sect Leader’s cultivation method is rooted in cold energy. Could there be a connection? Junior Sister, you should rest and recover first. Once the Sect Leader’s anger subsides in a few days, you can ask her again.”

That makes sense, Ling Jun nodded. “Thank you, Senior Sister. As for Jian Qigui…” She wouldn’t get any information from her anytime soon.

“If I hear anything, I’ll let you know. Just focus on resting for now,” Yunyin said, teasingly. “Seeing how preoccupied you are, I’m almost envious of Jian Qigui.”

This was just a case of overprotective concern, fearing Jian Qiongjun might bully her little villain. Ling Jun blinked her eyes, her smile radiating a hundred charms. “Senior Sister, you’re heavenly and earthly, with a gentle and affectionate nature, utterly…”

“Enough, you’re getting too glib,” Yunyin interrupted, cutting her off. Whenever Yunyin teased or playfully scolded her, Ling Jun always responded this way, and Yunyin had to admit, she was quite susceptible to Ling Jun’s charms.

In the secluded rear of Cuiyue Mountain lay a Cold Pond, its waters shallow and crystal clear. A layer of frost covered the pond’s surface, and an icy mist permeated the air, deterring any wild beasts from approaching. Dense trees encircled the pond, their branches and leaves obscuring the sky.

The figure submerged in the pond had her robes half-undone. As Jian Qigui slowly opened her eyes, she saw a person sitting on a small rock in the center of the pond, their jade-green and crimson robes too striking to meet her gaze directly.

“Master…” Though she hated to say it, Jian Qigui had no other choice in this situation.

Jian Qiongjun’s eyes flickered open, her crimson lips parting to release a voice as soft and fleeting as the ephemeral beauty of the night-blooming cereus. “Awake?”

Silence hung in the air. Under Jian Qiongjun’s unwavering gaze, Jian Qigui’s body stiffened. The pond’s bone-chilling cold grew increasingly unbearable. She curled up, trembling, biting her lower lip as she confessed, “Yesterday was my fault. I should have stopped Ling Jun…”

“This master is not angry about you two descending the mountain without permission,” Jian Qiongjun said, noticing Jian Qigui’s violent trembling. She stepped out of the Cold Pond and approached her slowly.

“Then…” Jian Qigui hugged herself, shivering. The pond’s frigid water was unbearable, yet she dared not leave without permission. Frowning, she pressed on, “Then why is Master angry?”

Jian Qiongjun took a deep breath. The air around them froze instantly, the temperature plummeting to freezing point as frost rapidly formed on the pond’s surface. She extended her palm toward Jian Qigui’s chest, continuously channeling icy energy into her body.

So cold… Jian Qigui’s consciousness began to fade. She heard Jian Qiongjun’s voice boom, “Breathe deeply! Circulate your qi! Focus your mind and recite silently: The Cold Pond Divine Court arises from within.”

Jian Qigui didn’t understand what Jian Qiongjun was doing, but she knew that if she didn’t follow her instructions, she might not survive. Clenching her teeth and closing her eyes tightly, she desperately clung to her remaining clarity of mind.

The Cold Pond Divine Court arises from within…

Yin is the self, shun the Yang.

Yin is the self, shun the Yang.

A single ice lotus seals a thousand miles, snow-covered mountains bar passage across the Nine Provinces.

A single ice lotus seals a thousand miles, snow-covered mountains bar passage across the Nine Provinces…

After silently reciting the mantra, Jian Qigui felt the bone-chilling waters of the Cold Pond no longer pierce her skin, and the pain in her chest had subsided. She focused her energy, and the water vapor around her gradually coalesced into tiny ice needles that floated in the air.

After circulating her energy for four hours, Jian Qigui opened her eyes, feeling refreshed in both body and mind. Jian Qiongjun explained, “That was the Ice Lotus Art. Remember it well.”

That was the Ice Lotus Art! Jian Qigui’s pupils contracted, her heart pounding with shock. Ling Jun hadn’t learned it yet, yet she had already taken this step ahead. What stunned her even more was that Jian Qiongjun was actually going to teach her the Ice Lotus Art.

“Master,” Jian Qigui said, her voice tinged with unease, “Ling Jun hasn’t learned it yet. How can I…?”

“The residual qi in both your bodies needed to be dispersed. I did so yesterday,” Jian Qiongjun replied. “Her constitution has always been weaker than yours, and her martial arts progress is slower. Unlike you, who grasps techniques instantly, she requires more time to recover. I’ll teach her when she’s ready.”

Jian Qiongjun had indeed intended to disperse their residual qi yesterday. But her emotions had spiraled out of control, causing her to strike harder than intended. Remembering that detestable face, Jian Qiongjun clenched her fist tightly, her expression darkening.

So, yesterday, Master was actually trying to help them? But… Jian Qigui recalled the terrifying scene from the previous night, especially Jian Qiongjun’s overwhelming aura. That demeanor… it didn’t seem like she was trying to dispel their repressed energy at all…

“Thank you, Master…” Jian Qigui bowed respectfully, then frowned as she remembered something from the Ice Lotus Art. “Master, there’s something in the Ice Lotus Art that this disciple doesn’t understand.”

The incident yesterday had a reason behind it; she had simply been a bit too forceful… Jian Qiongjun rubbed her nose, trying to dismiss the mishap. “Is it about the principle of ‘Yin is self-contained; avoid contact with Yang’?”

Jian Qigui nodded. “Exactly.”

The two women stood in the Cold Pond, yet neither felt the slightest chill.

Jian Qiongjun pointed to herself and explained patiently, “The so-called Yin refers to us—women. This cultivation art is specifically suited for women. Yang, on the other hand, refers to men. ‘Avoid contact’ means abstaining from sexual relations. Otherwise, endless consequences will follow. Every full moon, when Yin is at its peak, your body will feel like it’s trapped between ice and fire, and your emotions will become unpredictable. Do you understand?”

So yesterday, Master had endured excruciating pain and lost control of her emotions, causing her to strike with such force… Jian Qigui felt a little better and nodded.

“Does Master suffer such torment every fifteenth of the month?” Jian Qigui was momentarily speechless. If Ling Jun were to learn of this, given her temperament…

“That’s why men are strictly forbidden in the Ice Lotus Art. Those who cultivate it must be capable of facing a hundred enemies alone, making foes from across the Nine Provinces insignificant. This is the trade-off. Do you have any regrets?” Jian Qiongjun stared intently at Jian Qigui, not missing the slightest flicker in her expression.

Having sworn an oath in a sea of bl00d, how could she let personal feelings for a man allow her enemies to go unpunished? Having chosen to follow Jian Qiongjun, she would never regret it.

“This disciple has no regrets. Having made my choice, I will forever hold it in my heart.” Jian Qigui’s gaze was unwavering, her aura solidified, and a frost mist radiated outward from her center.

Jian Qiongjun’s eyes shone with admiration. “Well done, my disciple. If that girl Ling Jun insists on going down the mountain to play, she must cultivate diligently and train her martial skills until she can protect herself. You know, Cuiyue Mountain is a tall tree that catches the wind, and we have many enemies in the martial world.”

“This disciple will remember.”

In the Cuiyue Sect, Ling Jun idly played with the sword tassel she had braided. The black-and-white gradient of the auspicious knot resembled a butterfly, topped with a small white flower. The butterfly’s lower wings were tinged with white, and a rare, explosively sparkling pearl, purchased at great expense, adorned its center, making it exceptionally beautiful.

Creak…

The door opened, and Ling Jun turned with a bright smile. “Senior Sister Yunyin…”

Seeing Jian Qiongjun enter, Ling Jun lowered her voice sheepishly. “Mother…”

Jian Qiongjun stepped forward, took Ling Jun’s wrist to check her pulse, and nodded. “It seems you’ve almost fully recovered. These past few days, I’ve been protecting Jian Qigui while she cultivates the Ice Heart Manual, ensuring no mishaps occur.”

So Jian Qigui really is fine, Ling Jun thought, secretly relieved.

“On the fifteenth…”

Knowing what she wanted to ask, Jian Qiongjun closed her eyes briefly and spoke truthfully. “I know what you want to ask. That day was my fault—I used too much force. The Ice Lotus Art strictly forbids the merging of yin and yang energies. Every fifteenth of the month, my body endures unbearable pain, like being trapped between ice and fire. Only the Cold Pond offers a sliver of relief, and my emotions… become utterly uncontrollable on those days. The stagnant energy in your and Qi Gui’s bodies can only be purged on the fifteenth, allowing you to cultivate the Ice Lotus Art afterward.”

So that’s how it was… Though Jian Qiongjun had been strict with her over the years, she had never mistreated or harshly criticized Ling Jun. Now, Jian Qiongjun didn’t blame her for this incident either. A wave of emotion, which Ling Jun recognized as gratitude, surged within her. Unable to express it verbally, she threw her arms around Jian Qiongjun. “Mother, you’ve worked so hard…”

Jian Qiongjun stroked Ling Jun’s hair, her eyes glistening with tears. “It’s no hardship at all. Having you makes it all worthwhile.”

From that day forward, Jian Qiongjun lifted Ling Jun’s confinement and took her to the Cold Pond behind the mountain. Together with Jian Qigui, they practiced the Ice Lotus Art.

During their practice, Jian Qigui moved a distance away to avoid disturbing Ling Jun’s focus.

Cold Pond Divine Court arises from the heart, Yin within, shun the Yang. A single lotus seals a thousand miles, snow blankets the mountains, uncrossable by the Nine Provinces…

As Ling Jun silently recited the Ice Lotus Art’s mantra, her aura grew increasingly icy. She could hear the chirping of insects and the buzzing of cicadas from all directions, and her sense of smell sharpened.

Three hours passed in this meditative state, the sky darkening with twilight.

Ling Jun’s aura suddenly surged, shattering the ice surface of the Cold Pond. Frosty mist dispersed and then coalesced anew. Sensing her movement, Jian Qigui stepped onto an ice lotus and flashed over.

Before they could offer congratulations, Jian Qigui and Jian Qiongjun’s hearts clenched with renewed anxiety.

Ling Jun opened her eyes and asked, “Is it already so late?”