The Villain Is Soft and Clingy [Transmigration into a Book] - Chapter 2

Wait a moment. Why did that name sound just a tiny bit familiar?

She had been in this world for fifteen years. Because ancient times lacked resources and there were no forms of entertainment like phones or computers, she could only read that little booklet over and over again.

After more than ten years, she already knew the contents of that little booklet like the back of her hand. Because of that, the moment she heard the name “Zhang Lan,” she suddenly remembered the contents of the book.

…Year 264, Zhang Lan changed her name to Zhang Kuang.

And who was Zhang Kuang?

The legendary Demon Sect Leader—violent, unrestrained, and infamous for her crimes!!

This person’s strength was unfathomable, and her temperament was unpredictable. Whenever she appeared, bloodshed and chaos followed. This name was not only terrifying to those of the immortal path. Even among mortals, it was a name that rang like thunder in their ears and made their hearts tremble with fear.

Two years ago, Zhang Kuang had relied on her strength alone to slaughter the entire Shura Path of Qiling Mountain. It was said that on that day, blood flowed all the way down to the foot of the mountain, and not a single part of the entire mountain, nor the dozen or so great halls on it, was spared.

Black ash from countless demonic cultivators’ corpses rose into the air. Billowing smoke swallowed up the vast blue sky, and it took more than an entire month to disperse.

One year ago, she barged into Yashan, broke through the ninefold seals in three moves, twisted apart eighty-one layers of black iron chains, smashed the entire Demon Locking Tower into dust, and brazenly carried off the trapped Demon Lord.

As if a basin of bone-piercing ice water had been poured over her head, Xia Zhitao’s heart went cold.

It was over.

I actually touched the villainous big shot’s head without permission. And because it felt good, I rubbed it at least several times… Is it still not too late to sincerely prostrate myself and admit my mistake?

Although Xia Zhitao’s expression remained calm, her heart was already surging with stormy waves.

Calm down. Calm down!

It was just the same name and surname. “Zhang” itself was a common surname, and the character “Lan” was not that rare either. How could there possibly be only one person named Zhang Lan?

It must be a coincidence.

Xia Zhitao took a deep breath inwardly. She quickly withdrew her hand, put it behind her back, and stiffly finished her sentence with a smile.

“…A good, good name.”

The little girl lowered her head somewhat shyly. Her slender white fingers twisted the corner of her clothes as she asked softly, “What about Senior Sister?”

“Xia Zhitao,” Xia Zhitao answered honestly. Gathering her sleeves, she turned around. “Follow me. I’ll take you to find a place to stay.”

Because her back was turned, she did not see the little girl behind her watching her figure, then lowering her head. Zhang Lan softly murmured the name, letting it circle between her lips and teeth with the utmost gentleness.

“Zhitao… Xia Zhitao.”

.

Xia Zhitao returned to the blue-brick path she had come from, but this time, there was a well-behaved little tail following behind her.

…And not an ordinary little tail either. It was a ferocious little tail that, when fierce, could swallow someone whole without even spitting out the bones.

Because Xia Zhitao felt uneasy, she inevitably walked a little fast and did not pay much attention to the situation behind her.

The little tail kept following behind her. Perhaps because she was unfamiliar with the path, she suddenly kicked a stone.

Xia Zhitao heard a “thud.” She quickly turned back and saw the little tail sprawled on the ground, biting her teeth as she tried to get up with an aggrieved look.

Sect Leader! Sect Leader, how did you fall?!

Xia Zhitao’s heart tightened. No longer caring about the cold moisture on the blue steps, she half-knelt down and lowered her head to check Zhang Lan’s condition.

This fall had been a little harsh. The little tail’s knee had slammed hard against the blue bricks, and beads of blood were already seeping out. It looked rather frightening.

Zhang Lan furrowed her brows. A layer of mist covered her eyes as she half-sat on the ground. Her voice trembled slightly, carrying a faint sob as she apologized repeatedly, “I-I’m sorry. I was too careless…”

“How could you be so careless?” Xia Zhitao had no time to think about anything else. She hurriedly took out a piece of soft cloth from her storage ring and carefully covered the wound on Zhang Lan’s knee.

Her heart ached a little, and she blamed herself. “It’s my fault. Junior Sister, you only just entered the sect. I should have walked more slowly.”

Zhang Lan shook her head. She bit her lip and said nothing.

The soft cloth covered the wound. Xia Zhitao lowered her head, spiritual power gathering between her fingers. Through the thin, soft cloth, it covered the injury with warmth, slowly erasing the traces of blood.

Having spiritual power really was nice. As long as it was not too serious a wound, little bumps and scrapes could recover instantly.

After she removed the soft cloth, the injury on the little junior sister’s knee had already disappeared. In its place was tender, soft, fair skin.

Zhang Lan’s eyes were brimming with tears. “Thank you, Senior Sister.”

Xia Zhitao breathed a sigh of relief. She put the handkerchief back into her storage ring, then looked up at this pitiful little junior sister again.

Thinking about it this way, Zhang Lan was probably really just someone with the same name and surname. After all, for the mighty Demon Sect Leader to actually trip over flat ground in front of everyone, and even fall so hard that tears came out… it was somewhat unrealistic no matter how she thought about it.

Thinking that she had wrongly suspected the other girl just because of her name, Xia Zhitao felt even guiltier toward her little junior sister.

She stretched her hand out in front of Zhang Lan and said gently, “Let me help you up.”

Zhang Lan was stunned. One second, she had still looked pitiful and wronged, but in the next, she suddenly brightened.

She happily reached out and placed her hand in Xia Zhitao’s palm. “Okay!”

The other girl’s palm was soft, pressing warmly against hers. It was as if a cloud had been gathered between their fingers.

Xia Zhitao pulled her up. Seeing that she was standing steadily, she was just about to let go when, unexpectedly, Zhang Lan suddenly moved a little closer and clasped Xia Zhitao’s hand in return, refusing to release her no matter what.

Their ten fingers were interlocked. It was an extremely intimate gesture.

Xia Zhitao was somewhat stunned. She turned her head and saw Zhang Lan staring at her without blinking, her eyes clearly filled with the four big words: I want to hold hands.

Xia Zhitao: “…”

Forget it, forget it. This child had just been forced to leave her family and come to this unfamiliar Shuijing Peak. She must be feeling extremely uneasy. Xia Zhitao had to take better care of her.

Thinking this, Xia Zhitao sighed and let Zhang Lan do as she wished.

The little junior sister’s aggrieved expression from earlier vanished completely. She held Xia Zhitao’s hand tightly and asked with bright, lively eyes, “Senior Sister, where are we going?”

Xia Zhitao raised her head to look at the sky and said, “I’ll take you to the outer disciple residences first and help you settle in. If it’s still early after that, we’ll walk around.”

“Does Senior Sister live there?” Zhang Lan asked.

Xia Zhitao shook her head. “I’m an entry disciple. My residence is separate.”

As soon as her words fell, she saw Zhang Lan’s entire person turn gloomy. Her brows and eyes drooped, like a wilted little flower, and she said weakly, “Is it very far from where Senior Sister lives?”

Xia Zhitao was both exasperated and amused. She lifted her free hand and flicked the space between Zhang Lan’s brows. “You only just arrived today. After the spiritual power test tomorrow, you’ll be able to have your own room.”

Though she said this, Xia Zhitao could not bear it and secretly hid one thing from her.

—Only disciples who were recognized could have rooms.

In other words, as long as this little junior sister passed tomorrow’s spiritual power test, she would temporarily be accepted as an entry disciple, and Xia Zhitao could continue teaching her. After going through a series of trials, Zhang Lan would be able to formally enter Shuijing Peak and become one of the inner disciples.

But if tomorrow’s test revealed that her spiritual power was too low, or that her roots were too inferior, she would be assigned among the outer disciples and would no longer have instructors or elders to guide her.

As an outer disciple, she could only try to cultivate on her own. If she could not figure out the way, and if she also failed to stand out in the trial assembly, then that was more or less the same as being abandoned by Yashan, doomed to remain an ordinary, mediocre outer disciple forever.

Xia Zhitao could not help glancing at her little junior sister. Looking at her bun-like little face, then thinking about how this child could trip even while walking on flat ground, she could not help feeling a little worried for her.

The little junior sister did not know what Xia Zhitao was thinking. After hearing that the residence was only temporary, she instantly returned to her previous cheerful appearance and said with full confidence, “I’ll work hard!”

Xia Zhitao nodded with a smile. The two followed the path downward, and before long, they arrived before several wooden houses near the foot of the mountain.

.

Outer disciples naturally did not receive the same treatment as entry disciples or inner disciples. Their residences were much worse in comparison, but they were not so run-down that they could not be lived in. They were only relatively poor and noisy.

Zhang Lan kept holding Xia Zhitao’s hand. She looked around a few times and asked, “Am I going to live here?”

Xia Zhitao nodded. “Yes. If you pass the spiritual power test, you’ll be able to change rooms tomorrow.”

She led Zhang Lan into one of the small houses and stopped before the table. Then she untied the wooden tablet hanging at her waist and handed it to the gray-robed woman in front of her.

The gray-robed woman took the wooden tablet and looked at it a few times. Her expression suddenly became somewhat excited. “Senior Sister Xia, an inner disciple?”

“This is the newly arrived junior sister. She hasn’t had her spiritual power tested yet,” Xia Zhitao said, glancing at Zhang Lan beside her as she explained to the gray-robed woman. “I’ll have to trouble you to arrange a room for her.”

“Of course, of course.” The gray-robed woman agreed repeatedly. She turned and pulled open a drawer, selected a key from among countless keys, and respectfully handed it to Xia Zhitao. From beginning to end, she never once looked at Zhang Lan.

“The key you requested. Walk to the right, fifth building,” the gray-robed woman said carefully as she handed it over. “There are already four girls living inside.”

Xia Zhitao frowned unhappily. “Is there no empty room?”

The gray-robed woman shook her head. “They’re all full. This one has the fewest people.”

There was nothing to be done about it. Xia Zhitao smiled apologetically at Zhang Lan and said, “I’m sorry you have to put up with this.”

Zhang Lan shook her head at her, her voice soft. “It’s fine.”

Xia Zhitao brought Zhang Lan to that small wooden house. She placed the key in Zhang Lan’s hand and said, “Go inside first and familiarize yourself with the room. I’ll go help you collect some things and come back right away.”

Zhang Lan obediently nodded. She watched Xia Zhitao’s figure walk away, then used the key to open the wooden door and went inside.

The space inside the room was very narrow. The air was stuffy and harsh on the nose. When the few girls inside saw Zhang Lan walk in, their conversation suddenly stopped.

“What’s this? A newcomer actually came?”

One of them stood up, narrowed her eyes lazily, and ordered, “New girl, go fill the water vat by the door for me.”

The others covered their mouths and snickered, pointing at Zhang Lan with faces full of disdain.

Then they saw the delicate little girl at the door smile and slowly lift her head.

Her amber-like eyes abruptly lost their color. The bright light gradually peeled away and dimmed, until in the end, they seemed covered by a heavy layer of black fog, pressing down with such coldness that it left people unable to breathe.

With a smile that was not quite a smile, she said, “Oh?”

Author’s Note: Mini-Theater:

Zhang Kuang: Why can’t the Demon Sect Leader trip over flat ground? I deliberately fell for my wife to see. Got a problem with that?

Xia Zhitao: “………………”