Reborn as a succubus - Chapter 2

The shadow obediently jumped down from the wall, landing as a petite young girl with a charming face.

She was the original body’s younger sister, named Xi Luan. Xi Che naturally had no emotional attachment to Xi Luan, but now that he had been summoned by Xi Che and couldn’t even remember what his wish was, he would of course help take care of the original’s family.

So he smiled at her. “Did anyone come looking for trouble today?”

Those little bastards who used to bully the original not only harassed Xi Che at school, but would even come to the Xi family’s home to cause trouble.

All for a mere human—was that really necessary?

Xi Luan shook her head. “No. You don’t have to worry about me. Whoever dares to cause trouble, I’ll beat them to death.”

She even made a mock punching gesture as she spoke.

The Xi parents had both died, leaving only the brother and sister dependent on each other. The two had a very close relationship. These days, their daily expenses were sustained by Xi Che earning academic credits at the academy. But in truth, the one who really called the shots at home was his younger sister.

Perhaps because he had been too weak, Xi Luan had been forced to grow up quickly. When Xi Che was bullied, it was often Xi Luan who had to help him get revenge.

“Brother, why do you look so pale? Did you get bullied at the academy?”

Xi Che shook his head. “I’m fine.”

He certainly didn’t dare tell her about how he had beaten those people today and thrown them out the window—they’d be moving house in fright if she knew.

Xi Che tilted his chin coolly toward her. “From now on, your brother will protect you.”

Xi Luan gave him a sidelong glance and said helplessly, “Forget it. Don’t go looking for trouble.”

…So young yet already acting like an old soul. A normal little sister should be cheering him on at this point—really not cute.

Xi Luan seemed afraid that Xi Che might really get reckless and continued persuading him: “I’m fine at home and rarely run into them. But you at the academy… sigh, brother, if you can endure it, then endure it. Don’t you remember how Brother Bi Yuan disappeared? Don’t provoke them.”

Hearing the name “Bi Yuan,” a spark of clarity flashed in Xi Che’s mind, and at the same time, countless voices and fragments of memory whirled rapidly through his head.

—Disciple Xi Che, willing to offer blood and flesh, to sacrifice his soul. May my king have mercy, partake in my offering, and help me find my dear friend Bi Yuan…

Right—that was it. The original’s wish was to discover the whereabouts of someone named “Bi Yuan.”

Bi Yuan had been the original’s only friend at the academy. Unlike the shy and withdrawn original, Bi Yuan was cheerful and outstanding. While others shunned the bullied original, he had been the only one willing to befriend him.

But one day, Bi Yuan suddenly disappeared. He didn’t show up at the academy for many days, and when the original went to his home, he found the entire family had moved away.

The original suspected that Bi Yuan’s disappearance was connected to those who bullied him, but he didn’t dare investigate deeply. He once tried following them, but was discovered and beaten half to death.

Eventually, in desperation, he had summoned Xi Che.

One could imagine how hopeless he had been at that moment, ready to die.

If Bi Yuan’s disappearance was indeed tied to those people, then this was no mere case of school bullying.

As for Xi Luan telling him not to stir up trouble… Xi Che wasn’t in a hurry to explain himself. If they came looking for trouble again, she’d see his strength for herself.

“Xi Luan, I’m hungry.”

“Then I’ll go cook,” Xi Luan said without suspicion, letting go of his arm and hurrying toward the kitchen.

Watching her walk away, Xi Che began surveying the state of the house. The furnishings were simple, clearly not the home of a wealthy family.

After looking around, he walked into what was now his own room.

It too was simply furnished—a bed, a desk, and a single chair.

On the desk sat a photo of a family of four.

Xi Che picked it up, unable to stop the curve of his lips as he studied it closely.

He had to admit—the whole family was ridiculously good-looking.

Especially the original body—rosy lips, white teeth, heroic brows, youthful vigor… Even among succubi, a race where everyone looked like a movie star, he had been exceptionally handsome.

Shaking his head slightly, he sat down in the room’s only chair. From outside came the clatter of pots and pans.

He sat quietly, a small sense of joy welling inside him—it had been a long time since he’d felt such ordinary, human domestic warmth. It felt… nice.

At that moment, a chill suddenly spread along his spine, and every hair on his body stood on end. Frowning, Xi Che rubbed his arms in puzzlement.

What was… this? Did the original have some kind of illness?

“A succubus’s mating season.”

The White Tiger spoke again.

For a few seconds, Xi Che’s mind was blank. “What?”

“It’s the reaction to a succubus’s mating season. I saw it in his memories. This body’s in heat—you need to find someone to mate with.”

“…”

This… was unexpected.

Xi Che had never considered facing something like this. As a god, he had rarely experienced desire—be it for food or for sex. Occasionally he might get emotionally stirred, but it was always easy to suppress.

The lower the lifeform, the stronger and less controllable its primal urges.

For a succubus—a mid-tier demon race—failing to address those needs during their mating season could even cause symptoms similar to withdrawal.

In the eyes of the gods, this was one of the many sufferings of mortal beings. Animals were bound by uncontrollable mating seasons, forced to reproduce and endure the pain of childbirth.

And now… he had to suffer it himself?

What a joke.

He had no intention of paying it any attention. He’d read about mating season in the original’s memories, but that didn’t mean he had to follow them exactly. It was just a heat cycle—he could endure it.

But he soon realized this wasn’t something he could simply grit his teeth through. The chills didn’t fade—they grew stronger.

His hands began trembling uncontrollably…

“Bang bang bang!”

Someone was pounding on the door—it was Xi Luan.

“Brother! Dinner’s ready, come eat!”

…Of all the times.

Xi Che was an old monster who had lived for countless years. His image meant everything to him, and he refused to show weakness in front of the younger generation.

Forcing down the tremors, he gritted his teeth and said, “You eat first. I want to rest a bit.”

Silence outside the door. But Xi Luan didn’t leave. After a moment, her startled voice called out, “Brother! What’s wrong with your voice—is it your mating season?!”

…F*ck!

Xi Luan was sharp. Even though she wasn’t yet an adult, she could accurately sense the reaction of her own kind.

Xi Che kept his eyes shut, leaning back in the chair—not because he didn’t want to respond, but because the “withdrawal” symptoms were intensifying.

He sat quietly in the dark, trying to resist with silence. But it didn’t work—the trembling wouldn’t stop, and it felt as though his organs were being squeezed together, making it hard to breathe.

He clenched his teeth and undid two buttons at his collar, his breathing now noticeably heavier.

When Xi Luan got no response, she quickly left. Xi Che finally exhaled in relief.

“You need someone to help you relieve the physiological problem.”

The childish voice came again from the darkness. Xi Che, head tilted back in the chair, frowned without opening his eyes. “Shut up.”

“Accept your identity. Or is it that, even in this form, you want to stay chaste for that person?”

That was pure mockery.

Xi Che ignored it. The childish voice grew sharper. “He wouldn’t even know. And even if he did, he wouldn’t care. If it were another god, maybe… but that one—cold and unfeeling, famous even above the Nine Nether Realms. Of all people, you had to like Chu Yan…”

“I said shut up!”

At that name, Xi Che finally snapped, glaring at the corner—where a fist-sized, half-transparent… black kitten sat.

That… was his primordial spirit.

Right now, it had left his body, and when manifested, took on this form.

…

For heaven’s sake.

Xi Che had known his power had diminished, but he hadn’t expected the White Tiger to become this.

Honestly, it was better unseen.

“Don’t come out looking like that—it’s embarrassing. Get back inside.”

“Still clinging to your war god pride, I see.”

“…”

The White Tiger didn’t leave. It circled Xi Che’s feet, tail swishing—if a real tiger did this, it would be majestic and menacing. But as a kitten… it was just funny.

The White Tiger stared deeply at him. “Enter a dream. Succubi can enter dreams, can’t they? Your magic is weak—one dream entry won’t have much impact on a human. Just find someone, enter their dream, and get this over with.”

Cold sweat was beading on Xi Che’s forehead, but he ignored it, slumping into the chair. He wanted to say something, but explanations weren’t his strong suit. After a long pause, he managed just one word: “No.”

The White Tiger was exasperated. “I’m not doing this for you. I’ve got it worse than you.”

…Oh? Xi Che hadn’t thought about that—so the primordial spirit also went into heat?

“Ah—Sa—!!!”

It roared in fury.

Xi Che hated that name, frowning as he muttered, “Call me Xi Che.”

A thousand years of cultivation, all undone in one moment.

The name Asa had probably been nailed to the pillar of shame in the god realm, destined to be a cautionary tale for millennia. He had died bearing the wrath of all beings in the three realms—not exactly glorious. Since he’d gotten a second chance at life, couldn’t he at least live with some dignity?

The White Tiger seemed to sigh. “Enter the dream.”

Its voice was still childlike, but the tone was ancient and weary.

Entering a dream… wasn’t out of the question. And since he’d absorbed all of the original’s memories, he knew how to do it. The real issue was not knowing how long these symptoms would last—and right now, he couldn’t leave this room.

“You won’t last. There’s nothing in his memories about holding out.”

…Xi Che’s frown deepened. He couldn’t stay here too long—his younger sister was outside. This was humiliating.

“You know I’m right.”

The White Tiger’s venom lay not only in its words but in its tone.

After a long silence, Xi Che finally gave in. He gripped the chair for support, slowly stood up, and walked to the bed, lying down.

The black kitten lightly leapt onto his chest, curiosity glinting in its eyes.

Xi Che glared coldly at it. “Get back inside.”

Looking disappointed, the kitten finally vanished.

Feeling its absence, Xi Che closed his eyes. He’d never been trying to stay “pure” for anyone—it was simply… pride.

He had always had exceptional talent for controlling magic. The succubus’s dream-entry skill was nothing complicated. The instant he closed his eyes, he succeeded.

But when he opened them again inside the dream, his heart skipped a beat—something felt very wrong.

The place was all gold and splendor—very familiar.

This… looked exactly like the Palace.

Realizing this, Xi Che instantly tried to withdraw from the dream, reassuring himself: Impossible. No way. There’s no way I could enter the dream of the Bright Mirror God. Gods don’t even dream.

Please, please no. If the one time he gave in, he ended up humiliating himself in front of an old colleague, he’d have no choice but to kill himself to preserve his dignity!

But as fate would have it, his struggles to withdraw failed. The scene before him blurred, and a human figure gradually came into focus.

A long-haired man stood there.

Expressionless.

Glaring at him.

…Help.