Xiu Jixin took in Xue Zhao’s reaction, the corners of his lips lifting into a faint smile.
“Don’t be afraid. I’ll keep it hidden.”
After straightening his sleeve, he was the first to leave the courtyard.
Xue Zhao watched him with obvious reluctance, standing by the window for a long while until his figure finally disappeared from sight.
[System]: Alright, alright. Don’t worry anymore.
[System]: It’s time to get down to business.
Yesterday’s potion making had ended in failure, wasting an entire day.
He had to make up for it today.
Not long afterward, Xue Zhao also left the courtyard and followed the small path outside.
He first completed his new assignment.
He fetched a watering can from the water room, watered several flower beds and even took the opportunity to pull out a few weeds.
A couple of assistants who knew Xue Zhao happened to run into him.
They simply assumed that he had left a few days ago and had now returned to officially resume his position as an assistant.
After finishing the flower beds, Xue Zhao temporarily had nothing else to do.
He wandered around for a while but didn’t see the black cat.
Xiu Jixin seemed to be inside the confessional with several townspeople.
Now was the perfect opportunity.
Xue Zhao decided to prepare the talisman items first.
[System]: I’ve made a list.
The first thing he needed was the material for drawing the talismans.
The fallen leaves Xue Zhao had picked yesterday were still too fresh, making them less compatible with demonic spellcraft.
To achieve better results, he needed to add a few extra ingredients.
Anything carrying the scent of blood would have been the best choice.
But there was obviously nothing like that inside the church.
Settling for the next best option, Xue Zhao quietly stole an egg from the kitchen before finding several rotten vegetable leaves.
He also picked up half of a broken ceramic flowerpot from the water room, gathered a small lump of damp soil and found a stone.
Lastly came a large pile of fallen leaves once again.
This time, Xue Zhao deliberately chose leaves that had already turned yellow and had clearly been lying on the ground for quite some time.
Everyone inside the church was busy with their own work.
No one paid any attention to what Xue Zhao was doing.
After gathering all the materials, he carried everything into the water room.
Closing the door behind him, the system immediately activated the save point item.
[Entered Save Point Space. Save Point Time: 1 second.]
Xue Zhao placed every material onto the table.
Using the stone, he crushed the egg together with the rotten vegetable leaves before mixing them with the damp soil.
Finally, he used the scissors from the water room to nick the skin of his arm, allowing several drops of blood to drip into the mixture.
Once everything had completely blended together, it became the “ink” used for drawing the talismans.
After finishing that, Xue Zhao washed the stone clean and used it as a pen.
Dipping it into the dark “ink,” he carefully drew a talisman upon one of the leaves.
The moment the talisman was completed, the “ink” dried instantly.
Slowly gathering demonic energy seeped into the leaf, leaving behind a faint black sheen.
Xue Zhao carefully set the finished leaf aside before beginning the next one.
This time, however, because additional materials had been added, every talisman he drew consumed even more of his own strength.
After finishing ten talismans, he opened his status panel.
His Life Value had already dropped by five points.
[System]: Forty more to go.
A total of fifty talismans would consume twenty five points of Life Value.
Fortunately, Xue Zhao currently had more than enough to spare.
While taking a break midway through, his gaze unconsciously drifted toward his empty wrist.
Without his tail beside him, he found himself thinking about it every so often.
But strangely enough…
Other than constantly worrying about it, he didn’t seem to feel any real discomfort.
Through his clothes, Xue Zhao gently touched the demonic mark on his lower back before lowering his head and continuing to draw the talismans.
What he had forgotten, however, was that time inside the Save Point Space flowed differently from the outside world.
Including the breaks he had taken, two full hours passed before Xue Zhao finally completed every talisman.
He rested for a while longer, allowing the demonic aura lingering inside the water room to gradually disperse.
Only then did he temporarily hide the talismans along with the broken ceramic flowerpot inside a corner.
His current responsibility included watering the flower beds every day and cleaning the water room also fell under his duties.
Normally, the other assistants had no reason to come rummaging through this place.
After hiding everything, Xue Zhao opened his status panel once more.
His Life Value had been forty three the previous night.
Now only eighteen remained.
And even as he watched the panel…
Another point disappeared.
Seventeen…
In the past, Xue Zhao would have considered that a very high amount already.
But perhaps because he had once exceeded forty points, his upper limit had unconsciously risen.
Last night, when his Life Value had suddenly surged, he had struggled to adjust.
Now, inside the Save Point Space, it had plummeted just as suddenly…
And he found himself equally unaccustomed to it.
Xue Zhao returned to the small table beside the window and sat there absent mindedly.
Without realizing it, he gently rubbed his completely empty arm.
[System]: Alright. Most of the demonic aura has dispersed now.
“…Mm.”
Xue Zhao responded sluggishly before getting to his feet, preparing to leave.
The instant he opened the water room door, the system deactivated the Save Point item.
A cool breeze greeted him head on.
Xue Zhao took a deep breath.
He had remained inside the room for two whole hours.
Outside, however, only a single second had passed.
At the same time…
On the opposite side of the church.
Several townspeople had just departed, leaving Xiu Jixin alone inside the confessional.
His eyes lifted slightly as he turned his gaze toward the window.
The sleeve covering his right arm shifted as well.
The tail coiled around his wrist was growing somewhat restless, as though it had sensed a change in its master’s condition.
Xiu Jixin slowly raised his hand.
Just as before, the tail rested its tiny pointed tip gently against his palm, looking as obedient and docile as ever.
Although Xue Zhao had clearly said that he wasn’t allowed to touch his tail…
This posture itself represented intimacy.
It was a silent request to be petted.
Perhaps, sometimes…
The tail was even more honest than its owner.
Xiu Jixin quietly watched the tip of the tail resting in his palm for a long moment before curling one finger and gently stroking it.
The instant it was touched, the tail appeared delighted.
Like a cat stretching forward to nuzzle someone’s hand, it eagerly leaned into his touch.
Standing outside the water room, Xue Zhao immediately sensed something unusual.
He froze where he stood, unable to take another step.
A faint blush slowly spread across his cheeks.
The next moment, Xue Zhao hurriedly turned around and rushed back into the water room, crouching in the corner with his knees hugged tightly against his chest.
The system had no idea what was happening.
“What happened? Are you still tired?”
Keeping his head lowered, Xue Zhao remained silent for a long while before hesitantly answering,
“I think… it’s my tail.”
It was the same feeling…
The same sensation as last night when his tail had been touched.
The skin around the demonic mark grew faintly warm, as though someone had wrapped it within a warm palm before stroking it ever so gently, the feeling spreading throughout the rest of his body.
For a fleeting instant, Xue Zhao almost felt as though his tail had returned to him.
The system still didn’t understand.
“What’s wrong with your tail?”
By then, however, the strange sensation had already disappeared.
Xue Zhao let out a slow breath.
The blush still lingered across his cheeks.
He also felt slightly unhappy.
They had clearly agreed…
He wasn’t supposed to touch it.
The fingers clutching his sleeve tightened before gradually relaxing again.
Suddenly, Xue Zhao stood up.
He simply couldn’t stop worrying.
He had to go see for himself.
Taking several deep breaths, Xue Zhao opened the door once more.
He stood at the crossroads for a while, letting the breeze cool his face before finally continuing forward.
The system also figured it out.
“Hm… your Life Value has dropped just in time. Going to see him now works too.”
At this hour, Xiu Jixin was most likely occupied with work.
Sure enough, when Xue Zhao arrived at the confessional, he found him inside.
He was standing at the entrance, speaking with one of the townspeople.
After that person left, another assistant came over to report something.
Xue Zhao entered quietly through the side door, hiding farther away as he secretly observed.
Xiu Jixin looked exactly as he always did.
His expression remained cool and indifferent.
His collar and cufflinks were fastened neatly without the slightest flaw.
Xue Zhao watched for quite a while.
But his tail was obviously hidden away.
There was nothing for him to see.
He decided to wait a little longer.
Only after the assistant also departed did the confessional fall quiet again.
Xiu Jixin turned his head slightly.
“Xue Zhao.”
Having already been discovered, Xue Zhao had no choice but to stop hiding.
He slowly walked out, lingering awkwardly beside the window.
Xiu Jixin took the initiative to approach him and gently took hold of his hand.
“You came looking for me?”
Xue Zhao nodded lightly.
After hesitating for a long time, he finally murmured something in a tiny voice.
His voice was so soft that Xiu Jixin apparently didn’t hear it.
He bent down, leaning closer.
“What was that?”
The tips of Xue Zhao’s ears turned bright red.
Summoning every bit of courage he had, he asked,
“Y… You… did you touch it?”
His unhappiness was obvious.
There was clear accusation in his tone, along with a trace of questioning.
Xiu Jixin let out a quiet laugh.
“Touch what?”
He knowingly pretended not to understand.
That only made Xue Zhao even more displeased and he glared at him with those beautiful dark eyes.
The smile gradually faded from Xiu Jixin’s face.
He reached out and gently pinched Xue Zhao’s cheek.
“What were you doing just now?”
That single question instantly deflated Xue Zhao like a punctured balloon.
Panic flashed across his face for a brief moment before he forced himself to calm down.
“I wasn’t doing anything… I was over by the water room.”
Hearing that question made Xue Zhao feel as though Xiu Jixin had somehow discovered his little secret.
A guilty conscience quietly surfaced inside him.
The system hurriedly comforted him.
“Don’t worry. We had the Save Point item. We only stayed inside the water room for one second.”
No one understood Xue Zhao’s strength better than Xiu Jixin.
Such a weak little demon…
What trouble could he possibly cause in a single second?
Sure enough, Xiu Jixin didn’t pursue the matter.
He merely responded with a quiet acknowledgment.
Xue Zhao secretly let out a sigh of relief.
He no longer dared to bring up his tail again.
Xiu Jixin asked instead,
“Didn’t you say you wanted to visit Aunt Huai?”
“Mm.”
Since Xiu Jixin had mentioned it first, Xue Zhao answered,
“I… I’ll go this afternoon.”
He truly did want to visit her.
Besides, he could also ask whether Aunt Huai remembered anything related to the holy relic.
“Would you like me to go with you?” Xiu Jixin asked. “I’m not busy this afternoon.”
Standing so close to him, breathing in that familiar scent once more, Xue Zhao unconsciously leaned against Xiu Jixin’s chest.
If it were only a simple visit, Xue Zhao would certainly have been willing to let Xiu Jixin accompany him.
But he still wanted to look for an opportunity to gather clues related to the mission.
It would be best if he could act alone.
“No need,” Xue Zhao shook his head. “I’ll go by myself.”
He wrapped his arms around Xiu Jixin more tightly before speaking in a soft voice.
“Can you… kiss me once?”
His Life Value had only fallen to seventeen points.
Yet somehow, it felt as though it had already dropped into the single digits.
Still, Xiu Jixin was right in front of him.
Thinking about it, Xue Zhao felt that eating just a little more “food” wouldn’t really matter.
Hope shimmered in his eyes.
Compared to when they had parted that morning, he looked noticeably wilted and lacking in energy.
Xiu Jixin watched him quietly for a moment before lowering his head and pressing a kiss against his lips.
The doors to the confessional remained open.
Someone could walk in at any moment.
Xue Zhao was both shy and nervous.
Yet despite that, the kiss lingered for a very long time.
When it finally ended, he tilted his head back, taking small breaths.
Xiu Jixin, however, was still kissing him, gently and patiently brushing away the glistening moisture lingering at the corners of his lips, little by little.
[Life Value increased by 13.]
[Life Value increased by 3.]
…
[Life Value increased by 3.]
His Life Value continued rising bit by bit, increasing by a full twenty eight points.
It was even slightly more than what he had lost earlier.
Only then did Xue Zhao finally come back to his senses.
He turned his head and instinctively avoided him.
As a result, the final kiss landed softly upon his cheek.
[Life Value increased by 3.]
His Life Value had already reached forty eight points.
The system finally lifted its self imposed mute mode.
Looking at the status panel, it seemed as though it wanted to say something yet ultimately held back.
Back then…
Who was it that had insisted they could only kiss once a day?
Xiu Jixin gently cupped Xue Zhao’s cheek.
“Feeling better?”
Xue Zhao rubbed his face lightly against his palm before answering in a dazed voice,
“Mm.”
“You have to behave yourself,” Xiu Jixin said quietly once more. “You’re not allowed to cause trouble. Otherwise… I won’t keep indulging you.”
His words carried the meaning of a warning.
Yet his tone remained unexpectedly gentle, without the slightest trace of harshness.
Xue Zhao was still immersed in the lingering sweetness of his “food.”
He had completely forgotten the reason he had originally come here.
He obediently nodded in response, looking as though he were truly the most well behaved child, as if he had done absolutely nothing wrong.
There was no one nearby.
Xue Zhao continued nestling quietly against Xiu Jixin’s chest until his Life Value rose by another point.
Only after footsteps sounded from outside the hall did he quietly slip away through the side door.
That afternoon, Xue Zhao returned to the water room to make sure everything he had hidden was still there.
After fetching water and watering every flower bed, he decided to visit Aunt Huai first.
If he waited until after returning to prepare the potion, there might not be enough time.
Besides, Xiu Jixin had already asked him about it.
Xue Zhao couldn’t simply choose not to go.
[System]: We’ll just have to make the potion tomorrow.
[System]: If everything goes smoothly, we’ll wake Father Yuanchu tomorrow and complete the mission.
Earlier that morning, while wandering around, Xue Zhao had secretly observed the situation.
The assistant now responsible for preparing Father Yuanchu’s medicine was someone else.
They only entered his room occasionally to check on him and didn’t remain guarding the courtyard at all times.
Satisfied, Xue Zhao locked the water room before leaving the church alone and heading toward Aunt Huai’s home.
Aunt Huai had gone out several days earlier to gather medicinal herbs.
The herbs she had brought back had all been sorted and stored away yesterday.
As a result, she happened to have free time today.
Seeing Xue Zhao come back to visit her made her genuinely happy.
She warmly pulled him over to sit down before placing several plates of pastries and snacks in front of him, then went to pour him a cup of tea.
“How have things been at the church?” Aunt Huai asked with concern. “Now that you’ve officially become an assistant, you should work even harder. Try your best not to make any mistakes.”
Xue Zhao felt too embarrassed to tell her that his current work was actually very simple.
All he had to do every day was water a few flower beds.
Fortunately, Aunt Huai soon changed the topic.
She chatted about how peaceful the town had become recently and how there were far fewer accidents than before.
Holding his teacup in both hands, Xue Zhao seized the opportunity to ask the real reason he had come.
Aunt Huai frowned thoughtfully as she searched her memory.
“Something falling from the heavens? A sign of divine blessing?”
“Mm,” Xue Zhao replied. “I happened to overhear someone mention it.. and got a little curious.”
“Who did you hear it from?”
Aunt Huai shook her head.
“I’ve lived in this town the whole time. I’ve never heard anything like that.”
Now it was Xue Zhao’s turn to look bewildered.
She had lived in the town all along…
Yet she had never heard about it?
But the announcement he had found at the clinic had described it so clearly.
Could it simply have happened too long ago, causing Aunt Huai to forget?
Unfortunately, he couldn’t reveal anything about having gone to the clinic.
Nor could he say that he had read it from an announcement posted many years earlier.
[System]: That doesn’t make sense. It should’ve been a major event. How could she not remember it at all?
[System]: Looks like our only option is to finish the potion and wake Father Yuanchu.
Aunt Huai refilled Xue Zhao’s teacup while continuing,
“I wouldn’t dare say our town has ever truly received any divine blessing. So many things have happened over these past few years… Thankfully, we’ve had Father here…”
Xue Zhao listened attentively.
After finishing another half cup of tea, he saw that it was about time to head back to the church.
Aunt Huai walked him to the door.
The two of them descended the staircase together, with her walking in front.
“I haven’t had much free time these past few days. Once the new batch of dried fruit is finished drying…”
Suddenly…
Her voice stopped abruptly.
Her footsteps froze as well.
The main door downstairs had somehow been tightly shut.
In an instant, vast waves of pitch black shadows engulfed the entire stairwell.
Xue Zhao’s pupils contracted violently.
He immediately took several steps backward.
[System]: Not good.
[System]: She’s been possessed.
Aunt Huai stood motionless in the middle of the staircase.
Slowly…
She turned around.
Her eyes, fixed upon Xue Zhao, glowed with an eerie crimson light.
A smile spread across her face.
When she spoke again, her voice had become strange and unnaturally deep.
“We meet again.”
[System]: It’s that Shadow Demon from last time.
Xue Zhao’s breathing trembled.
His back pressed tightly against the wall.
The person who had felt so familiar only moments ago had now become a vessel for a demon.
For a while, he simply couldn’t accept it.
He even forgot to be afraid.
“You still look just as weak as ever,” the Shadow Demon remarked while slowly sizing Xue Zhao up.
It stepped forward with stiff, unnatural movements.
“Last time, I was careless. I actually let you break through the door.”
After hiding itself for so long, it had secretly gathered its strength.
It had also found a suitable human host to possess.
Only then had it finally dared to return to the town.
Originally, it had intended to wait for the perfect opportunity to capture Xue Zhao.
Instead, Xue Zhao had delivered himself right to its doorstep.
Seeing the Shadow Demon approach, Xue Zhao immediately turned to flee.
At that very moment, a massive black shadow claw rose from the ground beneath his feet, blocking his path.
Just then, movement suddenly came from above.
The black cat leapt over from the neighboring rooftop.
Its body tensed with vigilance as it surveyed the surroundings, twitching its nose while searching for Xue Zhao’s scent.
The Shadow Demon’s expression changed.
“It got here this quickly?”
Then its tone shifted.
“But… I’ve already changed my mind.”
Retracting the shadow claw, it continued,
“I’m no longer planning to turn you into a vessel.”
Before the black cat could break inside, the Shadow Demon spoke to Xue Zhao once more.
“You’re looking for the holy relic, aren’t you? I heard everything just now.”
“I know where the holy relic is.”
“As long as you cooperate with me… I can consider telling you.”
“If you refuse…”
It let out a cold, mocking laugh.
Its voice was filled with naked menace.
“That priest from the church… if he learns that you’re a demon and that you also want the holy relic…”
“What do you think your death will look like?”
Author’s Note:
The little succubus who had kissed the priest that morning and even had his tail secretly petted: …
✦ ✧ ✦
Cresvynia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
The button is right there. You know what to do. ☕
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
← PreviousNext →
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?