The Curious Awakening and a Troublesome Return

In an instant, a resplendent light erupted from Zhang Xiaocha’s body. Ethereal and distant, waves of mysterious Daoist melodies drifted gently from the far reaches of the void.

She sat cross-legged on the stone bed, her three thousand strands of ink-dark hair casually gathered behind her. The surrounding void subtly vibrated as the power of the Great Dao rippled outwards in expanding layers.

With her eyes gently closed, Zhang Xiaocha’s body naturally ascended, her arms spread wide. Her fair, tender feet, exposed to the air, dangled freely below her.

Instantly, the Great Dao’s power in the void seemed to recognize its master, eagerly flowing into her body.

Moonlight, filtering through a crack in the stone, cascaded like silver threads, bathing her in its glow. Her skin, as fine as mutton-fat jade, exuded a soft, pearlescent luster, with mysterious runes subtly pulsing across every inch of her form.

Suddenly!

Her eyes snapped open, unleashing a startling white light that banished all darkness from the cave.

After a long while, the white light gradually receded. Zhang Xiaocha’s body gently descended, settling steadily onto the stone bed, her breathing even and peaceful.

She slowly opened her bewildered eyes, her small mouth forming a slight pout as she stared blankly at herself. [Strange…]

[How did Chacha suddenly fall asleep? Didn’t I buy the Primordial Dao Physique from the system’s shop? Why isn’t there any change in my body?]

[Ugh…]

[When I used to read storybooks, didn’t they always say that after awakening a physique, one’s strength would skyrocket? How is it that Chacha’s cultivation is still only at Qi Refinement Level Six…]

She tilted her small head, her fingers instinctively slipping into her mouth to chew lightly. Her face was a picture of utter confusion, her soft, sweet voice echoing through the stone cave, lingering long after she spoke.

Suddenly, she leaped from the bed, her bare feet landing on the cold ground. A sharp, piercing pain immediately shot through her body, causing her to gasp sharply.

[Hiss—]

[Chacha is in so much pain… It’s a shame the system’s Disgust Value can only be earned from the Jade Maiden Sect members. Everyone there, except for Senior Sister, has already maxed out their points… I can’t generate any more Disgust Value for myself, otherwise, Chacha could just directly exchange for a pain-relief pill from the system…]

[Ugh… That hateful Senior Sister, to hit me so hard, Chacha is practically dying from the pain…]

She grumbled, limping towards the cave entrance, her small face scrunched up. She muttered, [Oh well, never mind. I’ll just try to get out first and see…]

[The system would never deceive or hit Chacha, hehe~]

Zhang Xiaocha crouched low, cautiously extending her fair hand towards the cave mouth. She averted her gaze, her small face scrunched up, unable to watch directly, terrified that she might trigger a restriction and be injured the next second.

Swish—

Her small hand passed safely through the restriction, feeling the free wind outside. Zhang Xiaocha’s large, dark eyes lit up, and she pouted her small mouth, complaining, [What the heck~]

[Storybooks really are just storybooks. They made Chacha think the system had malfunctioned…]

As she spoke, she walked out of the cave entrance, her face beaming with a happy smile. [Hmph hmph~ Want to trap this adult Chacha? No chance!]

[Tremble, foolish Senior Sister, hohohoho~] Leaning against the stone wall, she tilted her head slightly, a string of clear laughter bubbling from her lips.

Night had fallen, soaking the world in a thick, inky blackness. A gentle breeze rustled the trees outside the cave entrance, breaking the surrounding silence and tousling Zhang Xiaocha’s bangs. Gazing at the unfamiliar surroundings, she felt a wave of confusion. [Chacha… where has Senior Sister kidnapped Chacha to…]

Her black, gem-like pupils widened in distress. She lifted her skirt and defiantly plopped her small bottom onto the ground, stretching out her legs as her fair feet kicked back and forth. [Wuwuwu… That hateful Senior Sister, knowing Chacha is terrible with directions, still kidnapped Chacha so far away! She must be afraid Chacha will go back and tell on her, that’s why she deliberately brought Chacha here…]

Her soft voice was thick with sobs as she reluctantly opened the system shop interface once more. Gazing at her meager 67,000 remaining Disgust Value points, her small face was a picture of utter grievance.

[Ugh…]

[Chacha originally planned to save these Disgust Value points for a rainy day… Now I have to spend them again, and it’s all that hateful Senior Sister’s fault…]

[Magic Blanket: Automatic navigation, adjustable size, capable of withstanding any attack from cultivators below the Soul Transformation Realm; Price: 1000 Disgust Value Points.]

With pearly teeth, she lightly bit her lower lip, her small face scrunching in pain as she reluctantly acquired the item. Instantly, a vast blanket materialized before Zhang Xiaocha. After setting the destination, she defiantly flung herself onto its surface.

Her tiny body sank into the expansive, plush blanket, feeling utterly soft and yielding.

[Mmm~]

[So comfortable~]

Her eyes curved into crescents, the corners of her mouth unconsciously turning upwards. But the moment she remembered the blanket cost a thousand Disgust Value points—points she would likely never earn again—her entire small face instantly fell. She puffed out her cheeks, demanding, “Smaller!”

Instantly, the blanket shrunk.

Her voice continued, “Even smaller!”

“Even, even smaller!”

“Even, even, even smaller!”

“Ah, Chacha told you to be smaller! Did you hear me?” Lying on the blanket, she propped her hands on her hips, her small face flushed crimson, and shouted at the top of her lungs.

Immediately, the blanket’s four corners rapidly retracted, folding in on themselves. It swiftly bundled Zhang Xiaocha’s petite form, wrapping her tightly before soaring rapidly towards the Jade Maiden Sect.

“Mmm mmm mmm…”

“Quickly let Chacha out…”

“Ahhh… Even a blanket is bullying Chacha…”

“Wuwuwu…”

Her calves thrashed wildly within the folded blanket, her voice thick with grievance. Tears streamed down her cheeks, soaking into the fabric.

The Jade Maiden Sect, built against the towering mountains, was perpetually shrouded in swirling clouds and mist.

At the mountain gate, the Eight-Headed Hellhound lay upon the ground, wreathed in flames, its gaze tenderly fixed on the eight little piglets before it. Its pink tongue gently extended, licking their tiny bodies with soft, repetitive strokes.

Feeling their mother’s affection, the eight piglets squirmed restlessly, emitting soft, milky ‘oink-oink’ sounds. Their small heads pressed against the Hellhound’s leg, their tongues constantly extended and retracted, licking their mother in a tender response.

Suddenly!

A blue light flared, indicating the mountain gate’s formation had been triggered.

At the sight, the Eight-Headed Hellhound swiftly kicked the eight piglets away with a single foot. Her expression was now one of haughty disdain.

Not far away, the wooden house slowly opened, and two female disciples in white robes emerged, their expressions tinged with doubt. “It’s so late,” one murmured, “who could be visiting our Jade Maiden Sect?”

They watched as a blanket, wrapped around something, rapidly approached the Jade Maiden Sect from the horizon. Whatever was inside seemed to be struggling repeatedly.

As the blanket, which occasionally sported a pointy protrusion, drew nearer, the disciples’ expressions changed. They were about to raise the alarm when a familiar voice emerged from within the struggling bundle. “Mmm…”

“Quickly let go of Chacha… Ahhh…”

“Stupid blanket! When Chacha lands, I’ll burn you to ashes!”

Her soft voice carried a distinct note of a sob.

The two female disciples exchanged glances. “Is that… Zhang Xiaocha?”

As they slowly descended, they saw the eight piglets of the gate-guarding Hellhound crying not far away. Their mother, the Eight-Headed Hellhound, wore an expression of clear disdain. “Sigh…”

“Little Eight is still like this…” one female disciple sighed.

“Isn’t that the truth?” the other female disciple grumbled, exasperated. “A perfectly good Eight-Headed Hellhound, yet she gives birth to eight utterly ordinary little piglets. It would be stranger if she did acknowledge them…”

Suddenly, a figure tumbled from the airborne blanket, landing with a thud on the ground. “Ugh…”

“Chacha’s bottom…”

The voice was thick with sobs.

Watching Zhang Xiaocha lying sprawled on the ground in the distance, the two female disciples exchanged looks of disdain, murmuring to themselves. “It’s truly perplexing…”

“The Jade Maiden Sect has always had strict rules. If disciples make mistakes, they are either confined to the forbidden grounds or have their cultivation abolished and are expelled from the sect! Yet Zhang Xiaocha, despite causing so much trouble and being detested by everyone, still remains in the Jade Maiden Sect. Even her punishments are always trivial…”

Their gaze flickered between Little Eight and Zhang Xiaocha.