Loli with a Sweet Face, Set on Conquering the World

I had a pretty simple way of fixing my hair,

just reaching both hands behind my head. Years of practice had made it easy for me to tie it into twin tails.

Though...

With pale pink hair, it looked so pretty worn loose. And I had plenty of it, so I didn't need to stick to ordinary twin tails. I could do whatever I wanted.

After all, it was much more convenient when I went out.

After awakening the system overnight, I felt like a whole new person. I hummed a little song, happier than I'd been in ages.

The gloom I'd felt all these years while playing the invisible nobody had faded considerably.

As the ignored little disciple of the Heavenly Sword Venerable, I didn't have a low standing on Heavenly Sword Peak. I had to take full advantage of it.

The system's basic ability let me see everyone's talent ceiling.

Of all the people I'd observed, the Female Protagonist was the only one with three question-mark talents.

So I chose her without the slightest hesitation.

The second rule of the Wannabe Handbook: Being able to bend and stretch is important, but when it's time to strike, you have to act swiftly and decisively.

My plan was to keep watching the other cultivators. Maybe I'd find another unexpected surprise; even if I didn't, I could still find a few backup options.

There were plenty of people in the sect who hated me.

As for the matter of principle—whether secretly having other people's children was immoral—

I was planning to conquer the world, so you could take that up with the Female Protagonist.

Besides, once the children were born, I wouldn't let anyone else get involved.

I'd raise them on my own. What was there to complain about?

"One day, I'll fleece the entire Cultivation World."

Up ahead,

Ye Qingxian happened to be passing by, and her gaze drifted over.

Wasn't that her Junior Sister?

Good. She hadn't gone astray, and she was still so humble and polite.

She must have taken her words to heart.

And since she'd gone out so early in the morning, she was probably planning to take on a mission. She seemed like a promising young cultivator who was willing to work hard.

Ye Qingxian decided to put together her cultivation insights when she got back.

She soon left, not hearing the conversation that followed.

"Senior Sister, why aren't you farming today?"

"Careful, you'll starve to death! Hahaha!"

A young cultivator spoke in a mocking tone. His cultivation was two levels higher than mine.

My cultivation was low, so normally I could only take farming missions.

I'd been farming in the sect from dawn till dusk ever since I was a little girl.

I lifted my eyes and glanced at the person in front of me, saying nothing.

Then I turned away and flipped open the back of the Wannabe Handbook in my mind.

I was so mad. I wanted to say, "What's it to you? Even if I starve, it's none of your business."

But I couldn't beat him.

So I'd endure it.

So your name was Luo Xiao'er, was it?

I, Ye Xiaoyao, would remember you.

Next time, I'd pour water into your spirit stones and leave you with nothing but a soggy mess.

Under a tree,

the annoying fly had finally left. I leisurely yawned, feeling pretty good overall.

I idly fiddled with a little ornament on my skirt. After fussing with it for a while, I finally got it back in place.

My thoughts returned to what I'd just been considering.

Maybe the system's ability could be upgraded.

I didn't expect the first upgrade to be anything revolutionary.

For example, if I could just get pregnant with twins every time, that alone would be a tremendous leap forward.

The Female Protagonist had so many talents; I definitely wouldn't be able to borrow them all at once.

If I could borrow two each time I got pregnant, I'd strip the Female Protagonist bald sooner or later.

The Female Protagonist had lots of talents.

Innate Sword Body, Innate Spirit Body, Innate Dao Body...

Maxed-out mutated Wind Spirit Root, maxed-out mutated Lightning Spirit Root, maxed-out mutated Ice Spirit Root...

Forget it. There were too many to count.

No wonder my eyes always lit up whenever I saw the Female Protagonist. What was the difference between that and a vagrant spotting a treasure trove?

With the Mission Hall as my destination, I stood up from the stone, dusted off my skirt, and set out.

The sect had nine towering peaks that reached into the clouds, each corresponding to one of nine supreme Venerables whose cultivation had reached the pinnacle. Their figures in the heavens had dominated an era, like nine insurmountable mountains, looking down upon the countless living beings as the world changed below them.

Heavenly Sword Peak didn't have many disciples, so its ranking was neither high nor low.

"Senior Sister Ye Xiaoyao."

Behind the respectful words, I could see all kinds of looks from the people I passed.

They were full of contempt from the bottom of their hearts.

Every one of them was a little prodigy. Any cultivator you picked out would be several levels above me.

The resentment in their hearts showed in their lazy, halfhearted greetings.

My eyes quietly curved into a smile.

Why was I so happy when these people who were always making snide remarks about me got angry?

Because I was a Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Character, while you were nothing at all—just passersby whose names wouldn't even be recorded.

That was why I was a Direct Disciple.

Where was this bizarre sense of superiority coming from?

Something was wrong with me.

I opened the Wannabe Handbook to the second page of the back.

No matter what happened, I had to stay cheerful.

The main thing was to never let myself get worked up.

Under the resentful gazes of the people around me, with a hint of spite mixed in,

I felt even happier.

Heh heh heh. You mere passersby, do you think I, Ye Xiaoyao, even care about you?

The Inner Sect Disciples of Heavenly Sword Peak were numerous. Their designated robes were white, though they weren't required to wear them. Their waist tokens were another way to identify their status.

Direct Disciples, meanwhile, wore crimson.

I was a Direct Disciple of Heavenly Sword Peak.

No matter how young or weak I was, my status was still above that of the Inner Sect Disciples.

So they had to address me as Senior Sister.

The Mission Hall of Heavenly Sword Peak.

Missions were posted there from time to time, and it was always crowded with talented disciples from across Heavenly Sword Peak.

"Senior Sister, are you here to take a mission too?" An Inner Sect Disciple who loved sticking her nose into other people's business saw the pretty little girl in front of her, dressed in a pale blue skirt, and immediately started teasing her.

What's it to you? Was I not allowed to take a mission?

I grumbled to myself.

Next time, I'd throw a dead rat into your water.

After all, I had another permanent mission: supplying Spirit Water to the entire sect. You could enjoy it all by yourself for now. The good times were still ahead.

"Planting vegetables again. That does suit a Senior Sister like you." Shuang Shisan narrowed his eyes and chuckled, not bothering to hide his mockery.

I quietly clenched my tiny fists.

Fine, Shuang Shisan. I'd remember your name.

As a little loli who was always swallowing her anger, I naturally had my own way of venting without letting myself get worked up.

Shuang Shisan left, quite pleased with himself. In two days, it would be time for the Spirit Water supply again, and he'd be able to enjoy a few more cups.

Thinking of that, he felt even better.

Go on, laugh it up. Who could laugh harder than you, you absolute menace? You'd never had a single cup of normal Spirit Water in your life. Nobody saw the faint, devious smile that flashed across my lips before I turned back into the soft, adorable little loli everyone could bully.

My talent really was poor, and in a sect where strength reigned supreme, plenty of people had complaints about me.

Many people secretly whispered that I was someone's nepotism hire, and so on. As time went on, the sect's rules kept them from openly targeting me in any truly damaging way, but these harmless jibes still happened from time to time.

Of course, not everyone hated me.

I met the other disciples' curious gazes and secretly watched them for a long time, but I still hadn't spotted a prodigy I liked.

The most talented among them had a talent value of only seventy-five. He was Zhuge Yun, a long-famous prodigy of the Inner Sect.

Zhuge Yun was gentle and refined. The moment he saw me, he clasped his hands and bowed. "Greetings, Little Senior Sister. Are you happy today?"

Just call me Senior Sister. Why add "Little"? Who did he think he was looking down on?

I couldn't find the book by searching its title. Maybe I could try searching for the author instead—perhaps it had just been renamed!

It really was an unlucky day to go out. I'd run into the person I hated most again.

Whenever I bumped into him, I felt awful.

He even made me sick.

Zhuge Yun smiled gently, giving people the feeling of basking in a spring breeze.

I gave a quiet snort and turned my head away.

I'd adulterate the Spirit Nurturing Pills you were given later and see what you'd cultivate with then. Don't think I'd forgotten what happened ten years ago. I'd only been spared a beating, but this guy had sabotaged my Spirit Field and left me hungry for ages.

He was a smiling tiger.

Distributing the Spirit Nurturing Pills was one of my regular duties. After all, I was one of the few Direct Disciples on Heavenly Sword Peak.

The jobs that didn't require much cultivation but were still important were basically all assigned to me.

Seeing that I was ignoring him,

the smile in Zhuge Yun's eyes grew stronger.

Little Senior Sister was still so easy to bully today.

The little loli's retreating back gave off the impression that she was angry but helpless. Her chubby little cheeks even puffed up a little.

Was that it? Was she angry already?

"Hey, Little Senior Sister, you still haven't answered me!" he deliberately called loudly after me. "Are you happy or not?"

The answer was obvious.

Zhuge Yun's smile grew brighter.

So she wasn't very happy after all.

He opened the folding fan he carried with him and elegantly fanned himself. Using a voice-transmission technique, he sent his words straight into my ears. "What a pity. I'm pretty happy today."

This weather was just lovely.

I heard him still chasing after me with those words, and I was furious.

I puffed up my cheeks like a disgruntled little mouse.

So your name was Zhuge Yun, was it?

You'd never get to eat a single normal Spirit Nurturing Pill for the rest of your life.

My signature line, three times over.

I felt like I'd swallowed more than my fair share of humiliation today.

I walked slowly to an empty spot on Heavenly Sword Peak.

My tense nerves finally relaxed a little. I slowly crouched down and hugged my knees tightly.

After thinking for a second, I simply reached behind me and untied my hair ribbon. My pale pink hair cascaded down like a waterfall, falling to my knees and half-hiding my little face.

Things hadn't gone the way I'd hoped, and I felt a little discouraged.

"The disciples on Heavenly Sword Peak are all pretty mediocre."

After secretly observing this batch of Heavenly Sword Peak's disciples, I still hadn't found a single suitable target.

I hadn't had a chance to meet my two Senior Brothers or my Master yet. There probably wasn't anyone else with a talent of eighty or higher.

"Where can I find a prodigy I can actually use?"

Suddenly, my eyes lit up, and I sprang to my feet.

The peak closest to Heavenly Sword Peak was Bright Moon Peak of the Wuya Sect. The other peaks were far away, and with my tortoise-like crawl—I couldn't even fly on a sword—it would take me until the monkeys grew old to reach them.

Don't ask why I didn't use a teleportation array.

The answer was simple: I was broke.

Poverty left me with no choice but to walk, as unimpressive as that was.

A completely ordinary little female cultivator with only Qi Refining Third Layer and no connections was practically the poorest person in the entire Cultivation World.

The other places might not have the prodigies I wanted.

Bright Moon Peak, on the other hand, had a famous Direct Disciple.

She might just be my backup option.

Bright Moon Peak had lots of disciples, and it was bustling all over.

I crouched behind a tree, staring straight ahead, but my target didn't show up for a long time.

In the end, even a Senior Sister who was a Direct Disciple from another peak couldn't stand watching me. She walked over and spoke gently.

"Junior Sister Xiaoyao, did someone bully you again?"

"The ground's cold. You can't keep crouching there."

I looked up and saw someone I knew. I felt a little awkward for no particular reason, so I made a vague, "Mm-hm, uh-huh," in reply.

Crouching beneath a big tree was indeed a little embarrassing in the Cultivation World.

Damn, this person wasn't a bad one. The Wannabe Handbook hadn't said what I should mix into her spirit stones.

I was probably born to be a villain. I just wasn't cut out for talking to kind people,

Later.

I'd already left Bright Moon Peak, and still hadn't remembered what I'd just said. I only remembered that Senior Sister's smile had been as warm as the sun. She always looked at me with a strange, doting smile, and even reached out to ruffle my hair.

"Junior Sister Xiaoyao is so cute. Let your Senior Sister pat your head."

Bastard.

I was going to rule the world.

Who said you could touch my head?

So I simply leapt a whole meter away, which made Senior Sister's smile grow even brighter.

She was a kind person.

But, but how could she feed spirit stones to a great villain?

As I was leaving Bright Moon Peak, Senior Sister Shuangyue took out two spirit stones and tried to force them into my arms.

The spirit stones were cool against my skin, slowly warming from my body heat.

"Take them. Go buy yourself some snacks."

I was a great villain. Feeding me was tantamount to humiliating me.

So I shook my head, refusing over and over.

In the end, Senior Sister Shuangyue flashed away and vanished.

How could a dignified great villain who would one day rule the world accept handouts?

Damn, forcing a sale, huh?

As Shuangyue left, the petite girl's figure gradually curled into a ball in the night, hugging her knees in a lonely posture.

Complex emotions flickered in my eyes. Two spirit stones was already a lot. All my worldly possessions added up to only thirty-two spirit stones.

Fine, I'd accept them like the spineless coward I was.

Over the years, plenty of people had inexplicably fed me spirit stones.

Don't think you can fool my keen, discerning eyes.

What do you mean, feeding me spirit stones? These people must be trying to take advantage of my downfall to humiliate the dignity of a great villain.

I patted my faintly red cheeks and turned my adorable face away with a huff.

Fine, I admit it. You succeeded.

That's right—

I've become even more spineless.

Back in my cave abode,

I put the spirit stones I'd just received together with the ones I already had.

Without enough spirit stones to buy a Storage Bag, I had to make do with a clumsier method.

Darkness was like a feast for the unknown, able to swallow an entire mountain with ease.

Night in the Cultivation World was far blacker than in the mortal world.

I gazed at the night beyond the window, silently recited two lines of my life creed, then solemnly took out a Death Note.

I gripped the pen, my expression utterly serious, and added a few black star symbols after the names of seven or eight people written inside.

Heh heh heh. This was the price you paid for offending the Great Devil King.

I flipped to the last page of the Wannabe Handbook. It was filled with the words "settle the score later."

I gave a couple of quiet snorts. At last, my mood improved a little, and my dangling feet kicked lightly.

Who could blame me for being born a great villain?

So I didn't like kind people.

Just like with Shuangyue, I always wanted to keep my distance.

Their light was too dazzling. Standing beside people like that made me feel terribly out of place.

I'd feel at a loss, not knowing how to get along with them.

With everyone else, by contrast, I could let my true nature run free without a care.

My thoughts returned to the present.

My pale toes curled slightly, and I tucked my whole body onto the chair.

I hugged a pillow and stared blankly into space.

Time slipped by.

Just as I'd decided I could quietly raise my child and be a nobody in my little world, a disciple's message completely disrupted my peaceful life.

Why had the Female Protagonist, whom I'd only met by chance, suddenly invited me to a flower-viewing banquet?