Reborn as a succubus - Chapter 29

After Xi Che returned to Jade Capital Palace, he stood outside the gate, took the pill from the small gourd, and was about to swallow it when the White Tiger’s voice sounded in his mind:
“Are you really willing to do this just to save him?”

Xi Che paused for a moment, then shook his head.
“I didn’t want to. I’m not that noble or selfless. But this is a leftover problem from the past, you know? White Tiger, people have to take responsibility for their own actions.”

Although the White Tiger didn’t speak, Xi Che could feel its disapproval. Smiling faintly, he continued:
“You know what kind of people I despise the most? Those monks who give up on the world the moment they face hardship — they abandon their families, their duties, and call it ‘enlightenment.’ Everyone praises them for transcending worldly troubles, but really, they just ran away.

“In my past life, I thought death would end everything, but it turns out there are still so many things left undone. Maybe that’s why I’ve come back — to settle those debts. Once I take care of all of them, I can finally rest easy.”

He paused, then added softly, “White Tiger, I think the one I owe the most is you. If I die this time, find yourself a new master. Don’t die with me again.”

The White Tiger snorted coldly.
“You think you’re the only one who knows loyalty? Don’t talk like that. I know what I’m doing. Go save Chu Yan if that’s what you want — I won’t stop you.”

Xi Che smiled faintly and swallowed the fire spirit pill.

As expected of a medicine made by Shennong, it melted instantly upon touching his tongue. Before he could even taste it, the pill dissolved into water and flowed down his throat. At first, he didn’t feel anything — but within a minute or two, warmth began to spread from his core throughout his body.

He hadn’t expected it to take effect so quickly; it was almost like a surge of pure energy.
Of course, he knew it was no mere stimulant — Shennong’s skill in medicine was truly unmatched, able to create a pill that could grant temporary cultivation power from nothing.

“How do you feel, White Tiger?”

“I feel full of strength!”

“…Don’t say it like that,” Xi Che muttered. “It’s unsettling.”

He entered the palace and arrived at the lighting Pool, only to find the scene completely changed. Chu Yan sat cross-legged in the center of the pool. The hot spring water had receded, leaving only a shallow layer covering his knees. Above his head floated a bright red pill, the Fire Spirit Pill.

The pool was bathed in the red light it gave off, rippling like waves of flame. Even standing outside, Xi Che could feel the immense power radiating from it.

Chu Yan was meditating with his eyes closed. He wore a pale silk robe with a thin dark outer layer, both soaked through by the steam. His face, however, was pale and covered in cold sweat — clearly struggling.

After watching for a while, Xi Che said softly, “Chu Yan?”

Chu Yan opened his eyes in surprise. “Asa? You came back?”

Xi Che looked at him for a long moment, then glanced at the floating Fire Spirit Pill. Even though he no longer possessed his old divine body, he could sense the surrounding spiritual flow — turbulent and unstable. The pill was still the same size, showing no sign of being absorbed.

“This Fire Spirit Pill,” Xi Che asked, “is it really helping? You look terrible.”

Chu Yan forced a small smile. “It’s fine… I just need more time.”

But Xi Che didn’t believe him. Shennong had said that unless the cold poison in Chu Yan’s body was purged, the Fire Spirit Pill would never be properly absorbed. Forcing it would only waste the medicine.

So Xi Che stepped into the pool and sat down across from him.
“Let me help you.”

Chu Yan froze for a moment, a flicker of awkwardness in his eyes.

He understood what Xi Che meant — to accelerate the process by linking their spiritual energies and circulating power between them. It was a dangerous and intimate technique that required absolute trust between both parties. If either side lost control, it could destroy the other’s life force. Because of that, the method was often misunderstood and even given an improper name: “dual cultivation.”

When Chu Yan had once healed Xi Che in another form, it had been a similar process, but incomplete. Now that Xi Che mentioned doing it properly, Chu Yan couldn’t help feeling uneasy.

Still, his composure remained calm.
“Asa, I know you mean well,” he said quietly, “but your cultivation level is far below mine. Even receiving my energy strains you. If you try to give energy to me instead… you might not survive it.”

Xi Che smiled. “Don’t worry — I have my ways.”

Shennong had already anticipated this issue, which was why he had given him the fire spirit pill. It would temporarily strengthen his body enough to sustain the exchange until Chu Yan could absorb the Fire Spirit Pill on his own.

Yet, seeing Chu Yan’s awkwardness, Xi Che knew he might resist if left a choice. After thinking for a while, he said, “Chu Yan, I asked Shennong for a way to raise my power quickly, but I still can’t match yours. Please seal off part of your strength first, or we won’t be able to synchronize.”

Chu Yan hesitated only briefly before agreeing and placed a self-restraining seal on his body. To him, the amount of power didn’t matter — control did. Besides, he had long grown tired of his prolonged and lonely existence. Meeting Asa again was enough to make him feel life had meaning once more.

Xi Che saw that he complied and smiled in relief. To ease the tension, he tore off a strip of silk from Chu Yan’s robe and gently covered his eyes.

“Asa…?”

“Relax,” Xi Che said lightly. “It’s easier to focus if you can’t see. Less awkward this way.”

Though uncertain, Chu Yan allowed it.

Then Xi Che placed his left hand over Chu Yan’s right, guiding their palms to meet. The moment their energies touched, Chu Yan’s body reacted instinctively — his inner breath faltered, almost breaking rhythm.

Xi Che chuckled softly, then closed his eyes and began channeling his energy into Chu Yan’s meridians, carefully locating the ones blocked by cold poison and drawing them out.

Before they could progress far, a voice suddenly shouted from outside:
“Asas! Get out here!”

Xi Che’s heart sank. Of course — Zhu Wu.

The doors to the hall burst open, and the god in deep purple robes stormed in. His face darkened when he saw the two of them in the pool.
“In broad daylight—you dare behave so shamelessly here!”

Xi Che froze. “What are you talking about?! We’re just healing—”

“Healing? While half-dressed in a pool? You call this healing?” Zhu Wu snapped.

Xi Che could only press his temples helplessly. Explaining would only make it worse.

But if Zhu Wu continued, Chu Yan might stop cooperating altogether.

So Xi Che quickly changed the subject. “You came to kill me again?”

Zhu Wu glared. “I always want to kill you.”

Xi Che sighed. “Then could you at least wait until I’m done? If you interrupt now, you’ll harm Chu Yan as well. His injuries are severe, you know that. Do you really want to drag him into this? You pride yourself on justice — don’t ruin that now. Once I finish, I’ll come to you myself.”

Zhu Wu frowned, clearly conflicted. He hated Xi Che, but he couldn’t risk hurting Chu Yan. After a long hesitation, he finally gritted his teeth.
“Fine. I’ll spare you—for now. But when the time comes, Chu Yan must not interfere.”

He turned away sharply, muttering, “Shameless,” and left in a swirl of purple robes.

Once he was gone, Xi Che exhaled in relief. Gods, especially the righteous ones, were incredibly stubborn — but they could be reasoned with, as long as you spoke their logic.

Just then, Chu Yan spoke quietly:
“You lied to him, didn’t you? You don’t plan to go with him.”

Xi Che smiled faintly, eyes narrowing.
“Of course I lied.”

He had already begun to calculate how, within the next six months, he could make full use of his remaining life — to save Chu Yan completely, even if it meant his own end.

Xi Che guided his spiritual energy through Chu Yan’s body and quickly found the meridians frozen by cold poison. The damage was extensive — normal healing methods could not work, and he estimated it would take at least seven days to completely absorb and clear the poison.

Worried someone might intrude again, he waved his hand to let down the silk curtains around them, blocking sight and sound from the outside. Hearing the faint sound of movement, Chu Yan turned his head slightly in confusion.

“Why are you doing that?”

Xi Che replied calmly, “We need to concentrate on healing. No one can interrupt us.”

Then, looking at Chu Yan’s calm and innocent expression, he felt a pang of guilt. “Chu Yan… I know you are pure and upright, but this situation is urgent. Just think of today as me forcing you into this. Don’t take it too hard.”

Chu Yan frowned slightly, uncertain what Xi Che meant, but before he could question further, Xi Che said, “Let’s begin.”

He then prepared to perform a special method of spiritual exchange. Because the process required very close physical contact and perfect synchronization, Xi Che asked Chu Yan to suppress part of his power so that their strengths would be balanced. Chu Yan complied without hesitation, trusting him completely.

With that, Xi Che began channeling his spiritual energy into Chu Yan’s meridians, helping to absorb and draw out the cold poison. The power flowed between them — at first unsteady, then gradually harmonized. The energy exchange was intense and draining for both of them, but neither spoke, focusing only on keeping the rhythm steady.

Time seemed to blur as they continued. The oppressive chill that had filled Chu Yan’s body slowly melted away, replaced by a steady warmth. Both of them were covered in sweat and breathing heavily from the effort, yet the connection between them grew deeper — not just through spiritual energy, but through the emotions that surfaced silently in their hearts.

When the healing was finally complete, Xi Che looked at Chu Yan, who now appeared much calmer and free of pain. Their eyes met, and the tension that had long existed between them broke. Without thinking, Xi Che reached out and held him close.

For a brief moment, the world was still. The water in the pool rippled gently around them. In that closeness, they both realized that what bound them together was no longer just duty or guilt, but something deeper — complex, imperfect, yet undeniably real.