After Xiu Jixin left, Xue Zhao still couldn’t stop thinking about the kiss from earlier.
Ever since experiencing a single increase of twelve Life Points at once, he seemed no longer satisfied with only a small amount of “food.”
But if he wanted another kiss…
There was simply no way he could bring himself to say something like that aloud.
Xue Zhao yawned.
Tilting sideways, he collapsed onto the sofa, rubbing his sleepy eyes while staring blankly into space.
The system asked with concern,
[System]: Are you bored just sitting around? How about finding a book to read?
Today they would finally begin brewing the magic potion.
Since the save point item could be used throughout the process, there was more than enough time.
Besides, Xue Zhao only had to copy today’s scripture twice before finishing.
“It isn’t too bad…”
Xue Zhao replied vaguely.
Even if he weren’t confined here, there really wasn’t much for him to do whenever he didn’t have quests.
Moreover, staying beside Xiu Jixin made obtaining “food” much easier.
Because of that, Xue Zhao didn’t actually resent remaining here.
He absentmindedly stroked the tail that had brushed against his wrist.
After sitting in a daze for a little while longer, he stood up and walked over to the desk to continue copying the scriptures.
Once he had finished writing them twice, Xue Zhao finally began preparing the magic potion under the system’s guidance.
He went out into the courtyard and gathered a large pile of fallen leaves before carrying them back to his little room.
As always, the save point item was indispensable.
The system activated the save point space.
Rolling up his sleeves, Xue Zhao used a pair of scissors to prick a small cut into his hand.
The wound wasn’t large.
Just a tiny amount of blood was enough to draw numerous talismans.
Afterward, Xue Zhao began drawing talismans upon the leaves.
To brew a single bottle of magic potion powerful enough to awaken someone gravely ill on the spot, the number of talismans required far exceeded those he had used when burning down the warehouse.
From time to time, Xue Zhao stopped to rest briefly.
Only when every last leaf had been used up did he finally pause.
[System]: Not enough. Go gather some more.
Xue Zhao couldn’t leave the courtyard.
Since there were no more fallen leaves to collect, he had no choice but to pluck fresh ones directly from the trees.
Aside from leaves, there weren’t any other convenient materials that wouldn’t easily arouse suspicion.
Even so…
He felt rather reluctant about doing it.
After mentally preparing himself for quite some time, he finally stepped out into the courtyard.
He circled around the tree several times, carefully choosing only the leaves that looked as though they were about to fall naturally.
Before plucking each one, he gently reached out and patted it as though comforting it.
The black cat stood watch upon the rooftop.
Seeing the scene below, it paid little attention, simply lying back down and leisurely licking one of its paws.
There were simply too many talismans to draw.
Little by little, Xue Zhao’s Life Points steadily declined.
Only when they had fallen to nine points did he finally complete all of the talisman tools.
[System]: The save point item is still active, so there’s plenty of time. Rest for a while first.
Xue Zhao lay face down on the desk, resting his head on his folded arms.
“Mm.”
Around noon, however, Xiu Jixin still hadn’t returned.
While sitting in the courtyard basking in the warm sunlight and quietly waiting, Xue Zhao suddenly saw the black cat leap down from the rooftop with a cloth wrapped food box clutched gently in its mouth.
It placed the box before him before flicking its tail.
“Meow.”
Xue Zhao opened the lid.
Inside were neatly arranged dishes, still steaming with warmth.
Tucked inside the cloth wrapping was also a small note.
It read:
“Busy. Back tonight.”
Since Xiu Jixin had taken the previous day off, all of the church matters that required his personal attention had piled up together.
Being busy today was only natural.
Only during the few days Xue Zhao had been staying in the courtyard had Xiu Jixin made a point of returning at noon each day.
Previously, he had always spent his lunch break quietly inside the confessional.
[System]: It’s probably better if he doesn’t come back. After making so many talismans, there might still be traces of demonic energy lingering around.
Carrying the lunch back into his room, Xue Zhao responded quietly,
“Mm.”
It had only been one morning…
But including the time spent making the talismans, it somehow felt as though an entire day had already passed since he had last seen Xiu Jixin.
He still had nine Life Points remaining.
That wasn’t considered dangerously low.
But after losing so many all at once, his craving for “food” had become especially strong.
The system asked again,
[System]: Shall we start brewing the magic potion this afternoon?
Xue Zhao lowered his head, eating his meal as he answered,
“Yes.”
Xiu Jixin was busy.
Naturally, they had to seize this opportunity while he was away and finish preparing the item as quickly as possible.
The lunch the black cat had delivered wasn’t particularly large.
It was just enough for Xue Zhao to finish by himself.
Once he had carefully wrapped the empty food box again, the black cat picked it up and carried it away.
Xue Zhao returned to his little room and spread all of the leaf talismans neatly across the floor.
There were several different kinds of talismans, each representing a different “medicine.”
A cup also rested on the floor.
Xue Zhao had secretly taken it from the study.
Following the order given by the system, he first slipped several talisman leaves into the cup.
[System]: Wait… the save point item can’t be used?
At the same moment, another notification appeared on the panel.
[Virtual time cannot be used while an activated item is in effect.]
In other words, the save point item could be used while drawing the talismans.
However, once the talismans actually began activating and taking effect, virtual time could no longer be used.
Thinking back carefully, every previous mission had indeed worked the same way.
Including the time he had poisoned the well.
Only after Xue Zhao had left the well house had the talismans he carved truly begun to activate.
Feeling uneasy, Xue Zhao asked,
“Then… what should we do?”
[System]: It’s alright. Xiu Jixin isn’t here anyway. We just need to be extra careful.
As it spoke, the system expanded its scanning range to the maximum, constantly monitoring every corner of the surroundings.
Meanwhile, a thin wisp of smoke slowly drifted out from the talismans inside the cup.
The smoke quickly dissipated.
The handful of leaves gradually dissolved into clear liquid, bubbling softly inside the cup with a gentle gurgle, gurgle.
Xue Zhao quickly continued stuffing more leaves into the cup.
The amount of liquid inside gradually increased and its color slowly began to change.
Very soon, half of the talismans had been used up.
However, once he started adding the remaining ones, the leaves dissolved into water much more slowly than before.
Feeling uneasy, Xue Zhao asked, “Will this be discovered?”
Without the save point item, he couldn’t accelerate time.
That meant there would be no way to let the lingering demonic aura dissipate before Xiu Jixin returned.
“There should be enough time. The demonic aura isn’t very strong, it might just leave behind a faint scent,” the system replied. “We’ll have to find a way to cover it up.”
The primary material used for the talismans was plant matter.
Once they dissolved into liquid, the smell they produced naturally resembled fresh grass and leaves.
So Xue Zhao went back out into the courtyard and picked a few more leaves, along with two small branches, arranging them neatly in the corner of his room.
Fortunately, he hadn’t been assigned any punishment involving copying the Bible that afternoon.
Without anything else distracting him, he continued brewing the magic potion little by little.
Time slipped away second by second.
Just as the sky was beginning to darken, only a single leaf remained.
Very carefully, Xue Zhao folded the last leaf before placing it into the cup.
The leaf slowly dissolved, breaking apart into tiny bubbles that continued swirling through the water.
At the same time, the potion that had already formed began evaporating rapidly.
In the blink of an eye, nearly half of the liquid had disappeared.
Sitting cross legged on the floor, Xue Zhao unconsciously held his breath.
“…Did it work?”
[System]: I’m not sure yet. Wait a little longer.
Under normal circumstances, brewing a magic potion required many more ingredients.
Animal carcasses.
Rotting tree roots.
And various other materials.
Using nothing but talismans was the simplest possible method.
It was also the one best suited to Xue Zhao.
The system silently hoped that after spending so much time drawing those talismans, nothing would go wrong…
Yet in the very next instant, every last drop of liquid inside the cup completely evaporated.
Not a single drop remained.
Immediately afterward,
Crack!
With a sharp, brittle sound, the cup shattered into several pieces, scattering across the floor.
[System]: It failed…
The sudden noise startled Xue Zhao.
Then he froze.
It…
Had actually failed?
He had completed several similar quests before.
Every single time, Xue Zhao had drawn his talismans with painstaking care.
Even though they took a tremendous amount of time to complete, he had never once failed.
“It’s alright. We still have another chance,” the system comforted him. “Brewing magic potions is more difficult than making talismans. Besides, the cup probably wasn’t very good quality.”
Xue Zhao remained motionless, still stunned by the disappointment of failure.
Before he could even recover from it, another notification came from the system.
[System]: Xiu Jixin is back.
Startled, Xue Zhao hurriedly got to his feet.
He quickly gathered the broken pieces of the cup from the floor and hid them beneath the bed.
Afterward, he grabbed his pillow and repeatedly fanned the air, trying to disperse the lingering scent inside the room.
The moment he finished, the bedroom door opened.
Xiu Jixin stood at the doorway, his gaze calmly sweeping across the room.
The black cat followed behind him.
It vaguely caught an unfamiliar scent and twitched its nose, sniffing curiously as it attempted to step inside.
Before it could do so, it was stopped.
Closing the door behind him, Xiu Jixin called out,
“Xue Zhao?”
Hearing his voice, Xue Zhao immediately emerged from the small room.
Doing his best to conceal both his nervousness and panic, he softly replied,
“You’re back…”
Xiu Jixin hung up the coat he had just taken off before walking over at an unhurried pace.
“What were you doing just now?”
The question only made Xue Zhao even more anxious.
“N… Nothing… I accidentally… broke a cup.”
Judging by both the distance and the timing, Xiu Jixin shouldn’t have been able to hear it.
Seeing him drawing closer and closer, Xue Zhao grew afraid that he might enter the small room.
So instead, he hurried forward on his own initiative and threw himself into Xiu Jixin’s embrace.
Wrapping both arms tightly around him, Xue Zhao buried his face against his chest.
His muffled voice carried a trace of grievance.
“Why did you come back so late…”
He sounded genuinely wronged.
And in truth, he really did feel wronged.
Xiu Jixin hadn’t returned at noon.
Including the extra time inside the save point space, it felt as though they hadn’t seen each other for well over an entire day.
Drawing all those talismans…
Then brewing the potion…
Both had cost Xue Zhao several more Life Points.
Now he was exhausted, hungry and the wound on his arm where he had drawn blood still throbbed painfully.
To make matters worse…
The potion had failed.
Xiu Jixin gently took one of Xue Zhao’s hands into his own.
Lowering his voice, he asked,
“Did you hurt yourself?”
His tone was remarkably gentle.
Xue Zhao suddenly felt a faint sting in the bridge of his nose.
Shaking his head, he remained silent.
Xiu Jixin lifted his gaze, casually glancing toward the entrance of the small room.
Then, without another word, he scooped Xue Zhao into his arms and carried him over to the sofa.
Even after they reached it, Xue Zhao remained in his embrace.
He was sitting sideways upon Xiu Jixin’s lap.
At first, he wasn’t accustomed to the position.
Only after a while did he slowly begin to relax.
Xiu Jixin gently brushed aside the strands of hair resting against Xue Zhao’s cheek before asking,
“The little cat told me you brought back a lot of leaves today.”
The little cat?
Could it be…
The black cat not only obeyed Xiu Jixin but also “reported” things to him…
Feeling guilty, Xue Zhao didn’t dare ask any further questions.
Lowering his thick eyelashes, he quietly replied,
“Mm… There aren’t any windows in my room, so I put some leaves inside.”
Fortunately, the system had already anticipated that the potion would produce a noticeable scent.
As for this explanation…
It wasn’t suggested by the system.
Xue Zhao had come up with it himself.
Because if there hadn’t been any quests at all…
He felt he might truly have done something like this.
“A window?”
Xiu Jixin murmured softly.
“You can come over to my room whenever you want.”
Xue Zhao pondered those words in confusion for a moment.
“Even at night?”
Xiu Jixin’s breathing paused almost imperceptibly.
“…You can.”
Throughout the conversation, his gaze never once left Xue Zhao.
His eyes rested upon the other’s somewhat pale face, which lacked its usual healthy color.
Suddenly, Xiu Jixin asked,
“It seems you’ve never eaten anything. Aren’t you hungry?”
Xue Zhao blinked blankly before finally realizing what he meant.
“I already ate lunch…”
he answered, pretending not to understand.
“I’m not hungry.”
The moment he finished speaking, Xiu Jixin reached out and lightly pinched his cheek.
“You’re a demon.”
“Not a human.”
Realizing he couldn’t fool him any longer, Xue Zhao reluctantly admitted,
“I… I don’t seem to need to eat a demon’s food.”
He was still hiding his true race from Xiu Jixin.
Naturally, he couldn’t casually reveal the true source of his nourishment.
After all…
Knowing a demon’s source of food was one of the most effective ways to control one.
“You don’t need to?”
Xiu Jixin repeated quietly.
Did he truly not know himself…
Or was he simply refusing to tell the truth?
In the end, Xiu Jixin didn’t pursue the matter any further.
A faint shadow passed through his darkened eyes.
Xue Zhao remained completely unaware of it.
Wrapping his arms around Xiu Jixin’s neck, he leaned comfortably against the familiar embrace with complete trust.
His sweet “food” was so close…
Xue Zhao lightly rubbed against Xiu Jixin’s collar before lifting his head to look at him.
He wanted to say something…
Yet hesitated.
As though he already knew exactly what Xue Zhao was thinking, Xiu Jixin leaned a little closer.
His voice carried a gentle coaxing warmth.
“Do you want a kiss?”
“Mm.”
Xue Zhao nodded softly.
Then he heard Xiu Jixin ask again,
“A real kiss?”
The two of them were already sitting close together in an intimate posture.
Warm breaths brushed against one another.
Little by little, Xue Zhao’s cheeks flushed pink.
After hesitating for a brief moment…
He shyly nodded.
This time, Xue Zhao was no longer completely unprepared.
When Xiu Jixin leaned in to kiss him, he even found himself feeling the slightest trace of anticipation.
He had gradually grown more accustomed to it.
Besides…
He was genuinely hungry.
Because of that, he behaved especially obediently.
[Life Points increased by 12.]
When the kiss finally ended, Xue Zhao didn’t flee like he had the previous time.
He still looked timid.
Still looked shy.
He simply stayed where he was, quietly trying to steady his breathing.
Holding him close, Xiu Jixin gently stroked down his back.
His low voice sounded beside Xue Zhao’s ear.
“Were you obedient today?”
“Mm…”
Xue Zhao answered vaguely.
Ever since Xiu Jixin returned, he hadn’t mentioned anything.
Which probably meant…
He hadn’t noticed anything either.
Nestled quietly against Xiu Jixin’s chest for quite some time, Xue Zhao gradually recovered from the lingering dizziness of the kiss.
After a moment, he finally lifted his head again.
Unable to resist, he asked,
“When will Aunt Huai be free? I want to go see her…”
After the potion failed, the system had quickly analyzed the reason.
Before going to see Father Yuan Chu, it would be best for Xue Zhao to leave the courtyard once.
He needed to find more suitable tools and better materials.
An ordinary cup and a pile of leaves were simply too crude.
Trying again with the same materials would most likely fail once more.
“She came back today already,” Xiu Jixin replied slowly.
“Do you want to see her…”
“Or do you simply want to go outside?”
“Can’t it be both…?”
Xue Zhao asked softly.
“I want to see her tomorrow.”
Then he added another reminder,
“You promised me.”
Xiu Jixin looked at him.
They had only kissed moments ago.
A faint blush still lingered across Xue Zhao’s cheeks.
His complexion looked far healthier than before.
Perhaps…
His courage had grown a little as well.
Xiu Jixin gently pinched the tip of Xue Zhao’s chin, his tone carrying the same quiet coaxing as before.
“One more kiss.”
One more kiss…
Would he really agree afterward?
Just like the last time, when he had allowed him to see his tail?
Besides…
Another kiss would increase his Life Points again…
After thinking it over for a moment, Xue Zhao softly answered,
“Mm.”
So…
They kissed once more.
The interval between the two kisses was very short.
Yet Xue Zhao could clearly feel the difference.
This second kiss wasn’t nearly as gentle.
Xiu Jixin’s possessiveness was far more apparent.
The aura of the “food” he fed him was richer and much stronger.
One hand closed gently around the back of Xue Zhao’s neck, preventing him from retreating even the slightest bit.
Only after kissing him until his lips tingled with a faint ache did Xiu Jixin finally release him.
[Life Points increased by 13.]
The two kisses together had increased his Life Points by a total of twenty five.
Receiving such a large amount of “food” in rapid succession left Xue Zhao feeling slightly overwhelmed once again.
His cheeks were flushed crimson.
Moisture clung lightly to his eyelashes.
Breathing in small, uneven gasps, he unconsciously licked his lips.
Seeing that small, absent minded gesture, Xiu Jixin’s gaze darkened.
Just then…
One sleeve of Xue Zhao’s robe shifted slightly.
His tail slowly slipped out from the cuff and quietly curled around Xiu Jixin’s fingertip.
Xue Zhao’s reaction was sluggish.
He stared blankly for a moment before hurriedly reaching out, intending to pull it back.
Unfortunately…
He was a step too late.
With a quick swish, the tail darted forward of its own accord and wrapped itself snugly around Xiu Jixin’s hand.
Xue Zhao froze completely.
Then he watched helplessly as the pointed tip of his tail slid willingly into Xiu Jixin’s palm, moving as nimbly as a little snake.
Lowering his eyes, even Xiu Jixin appeared faintly surprised.
His thumb gently stroked across it.
The instant someone else touched his tail, Xue Zhao felt an indescribably strange sensation spread throughout his body from the demonic mark.
“D… Don’t touch it…”
His face burning bright red, he spoke in a tiny voice while hurriedly trying to pull his tail back.
Before he could, Xiu Jixin stopped him.
Holding Xue Zhao securely against him, Xiu Jixin said,
“Leave your tail with me.”
“Then you can go out.”
✦ ✧ ✦
Cresvynia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
The translator has been bribed with exactly zero coffees so far. Fix this. 😭
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · [Mission Identity]: SuccubusChapter 2 · Let him copy the scriptures fifty more timesChapter 3 · Can I seduce him?Chapter 4 · Can I have a bite?Chapter 5 · I wasn’t full at allChapter 6 · This is its original formChapter 7 · Xue Zhao slowly licked it againChapter 8 · If something is discoveredChapter 9 · Because he is… a succubusChapter 10 · Are you trying to seduce me?Chapter 11 · That’s right, a cage to lock up the devilChapter 12 · Can I keep you company for a while?Chapter 13 · Only one kiss a dayChapter 14 · Uncomfortable?Chapter 15 · Day of RepentanceChapter 16 · It’s the last bit left, silver halideChapter 17 · Current Form: SuccubusChapter 18 · This is your… original form?Chapter 19 · What would you like to eat?Chapter 20 · I’ll show you my tail… okay?Chapter 21 · The premise is that he didn’t lieChapter 22 · It has a light, pleasant fragranceChapter 23 · Demons typically have a limited dietChapter 24 · Don’t touch me…Chapter 25 · MaturityChapter 26 · Touch What?Chapter 27 · I never imaginedChapter 28 · “I’ll feed you until you’re fullChapter 29 · You’d better keep having this kind of luckChapter 30 · Anyway, I’ve already touched it onceChapter 31 · Like a kitten begging for extra food.Chapter 32 · [Skill “Charm” in effect]Chapter 33 · [You have entered the “Mature Stage”]Chapter 34 · He wanted Xiu Jixin to feed him….Chapter 35 · You’re trying to seduce me againChapter 36 · He seems… even more off now.Chapter 37 · Xue Zhao blushedChapter 38 · The fallen Holy SpiritChapter 39 · [Health points have reached maximum]Chapter 40 · [Corruption Value]: 63%Chapter 41 · Besides seducing me, what else can you do?Chapter 42 · Can we take the NPC with us?Chapter 43 · Horror Comics: The Murder DollChapter 44 · [Task Details]: Find a new owner for your itemsChapter 45 · The skill “Entering Dreams”Chapter 46 · The thought of making him cryChapter 47 · With a rather wicked interest.Chapter 48 · I’ll buy you new clothes, little bunnyChapter 49 · I should say, thank you, MasterChapter 50 · Do toy bunnies go into heat?