Reborn as a succubus - Chapter 38

“You look at yourself—clearly the God of Light, yet you walk around with that cold face every day. Anyone who didn’t know better would think you were the goddess of ice.”

After leaving the cell, Chu Yan did as he said—he broke the seal restraining the Gou Tu clan and left that small world. But when they landed, they were neither in Jingyu nor on the Heavenly Ladder. Instead, they found themselves at the edge of a forest.

After the cold poison in Xi Che’s body was triggered, he could clearly feel that the White Tiger within him was completely frozen. Yet he still had the energy to tease Chu Yan.

Ever since they left that prison, Chu Yan hadn’t said a word. His expression was cold, his hands and feet numb—as if one could chop off a finger or two and he wouldn’t notice. Xi Che thought that if Chu Yan would just smile at him once, he might even feel warmer.

Half supporting, half carrying him, Chu Yan led Xi Che to rest under a large tree. After helping him sit down, he held him tightly in his arms. Chu Yan didn’t speak—he was tormented by guilt for allowing Asa to be ambushed before his eyes. What words could possibly make up for that?

Xi Che understood his feelings, but didn’t know how to comfort him. He had only a few days left to live anyway; it didn’t matter to him how long. If blame was due, it was his own carelessness.

But he couldn’t say that aloud.

He only felt very cold, and instead of speaking more, he curled up in Chu Yan’s arms until his entire body was hidden under his cloak. Chu Yan’s warmth was the only thing that eased the chill of the cold poison.

Holding Xi Che close, Chu Yan could feel him trembling. He frowned, and immediately tried to channel his spiritual energy into him.

Xi Che grabbed his hand quickly. “Don’t…”

He couldn’t let Chu Yan do that—or he would discover the cold poison within him, identical to the one Chu Yan himself had once suffered from the Broken Origin Hook.

Chu Yan frowned. “Why not?”

Xi Che couldn’t think of a convincing excuse. “It’s useless… that old man said so himself. Don’t waste your strength.”

Chu Yan refused to listen. “We’ll never know unless we try. Asa, stop being stubborn.”

Seeing that he was about to insist, Xi Che suddenly threw himself forward and clung tightly to his neck. “I’m cold… Chu Yan, just hold me.”

Chu Yan froze in surprise. Though they’d been close before, Asa was rarely this forward. He hesitated, then placed his hands on his back and embraced him firmly.

Chu Yan’s heart was pounding, his breathing uneven.

In a low voice, he murmured, “Asa…”

Out of his sight, Xi Che lowered his gaze slightly, a faint blush on his face. He pressed his forehead and cheek against the side of Chu Yan’s neck, whispering, “So cold… Yu, please hold me tighter…”

Hearing him call his personal name in that soft, disoriented tone, Chu Yan’s resolve melted completely.

Xi Che knew he was manipulating him—it was shameless and low—but he had no choice. He had to distract Chu Yan, keep him from trying to heal him.

Chu Yan’s breath grew heavier. His thoughts tangled as he looked at Xi Che in his arms, realizing for the first time how mesmerizing he could be.

He swallowed hard, trying to calm his pulse.

Their closeness deepened; the air between them grew thick and unsteady.

Xi Che blinked, dazed. “Chu Yan?”

Chu Yan looked down at him, voice quiet. “Not here.”

Xi Che frowned. “Why not?”

“This is the wilderness,” Chu Yan said, his tone conflicted. “I don’t want to disrespect you.”

Xi Che’s eyes reddened slightly, hurt flashing across his face. “Excuses… you’re rejecting me, aren’t you? I know, I’m just a fallen spirit now—not good enough for you. The last time, you only wanted me because you weren’t yourself…”

Before he could finish, Chu Yan leaned down and silenced him with a kiss.

When it ended, Xi Che lay face-down among the leaves, breathing unevenly. “Enough… enough. Where are my clothes…”

Chu Yan laughed softly, kissing the back of his neck. “Why are you in such a hurry? Cold again?”

Xi Che turned away, reaching for his clothes, but Chu Yan caught his wrist and drew him back into his arms. “Still cold?”

Xi Che buried his face against his chest, at a loss for words. His body was sore, his expression unreadable. Chu Yan gently stroked his hair and held him close until their breathing steadied.

Even though Xi Che claimed not to care about place or time, Chu Yan still erected a sound barrier around them—he couldn’t bear the idea of anyone seeing or hearing.

After a long silence, footsteps echoed in the distance.

Xi Che turned his head, alarmed, and saw two tall figures approaching—they were demons. Not realizing the barrier existed, he panicked, shoving Chu Yan aside and fumbling for his clothes. Chu Yan, calm as ever, just sat there watching him with a faint smile.

“Come on, put them on!” Xi Che hissed in embarrassment.

Chu Yan chuckled, pulling him back by the waist. “You should’ve thought of that earlier. Afraid of being seen now?”

“You—! When did you become so shameless!”

“When you started seducing me,” Chu Yan said, eyes glinting.

Xi Che glared at him, speechless. Only when he realized the two demons couldn’t see them did he calm down and finish dressing. Chu Yan helped him tie his belt properly.

As they stood, the demons’ voices grew clear:

“So troublesome—we have to go capture more people again. The Golden Bell Lord still isn’t satisfied. Who knows how many he needs before he’ll stop. Many of our men are already hurt.”

“Don’t think about it,” the other replied. “We’re just small soldiers. Orders are orders.”

“Working for him is exhausting.”

“Enough complaining.”

Xi Che’s expression hardened. Golden Bell Lord—that was Jin Lingzi’s title. Could he be nearby?

Chu Yan glanced around. “This seems to be demon territory.”

Xi Che nodded. “Looks like it. But how did breaking that seal lead us here…”

As he spoke, Chu Yan suddenly slipped an arm around his waist, holding him close, his gaze fixed only on Xi Che—as if the outside world no longer existed.

Xi Che’s heart gave a hard thump — oh no, it’s over. Look at Chu Yan’s expression… he’s so attached to this body. This was bad. He had really messed things up for him.

After thinking for a long time, he decided to move his plan ahead — he had to send Chu Yan away as soon as possible.

It was time for him to return to Jingyu.

“I’m really hungry, Chu Yan. I want to find something to eat first.”

Only then did Chu Yan remember that he himself didn’t need food, but Xi Che did. So he said, “Wait here for me. I’ll see if there’s anything nearby you can eat.”

Xi Che responded politely, “Let’s go together.”

Chu Yan pinched his cheek gently. “No need. Stay here and don’t go anywhere.”

Xi Che watched his figure disappear into the distance and sighed inwardly — this was for the best. Only this way could he do what he needed to do next.

As soon as Chu Yan left, Xi Che immediately went after the two demons they had seen earlier. From afar, he called out, “Hey, you two in front — how far is it to Xiaoyao Mountain?”

The two demons turned around and looked at each other. “What luck today — a human’s walked right into our hands.”

Xi Che walked closer. “Take a good look. I’m not human. I’m a demon — an incubus.”

The two demons studied him up and down. Their excitement turned into disappointment.

“Ah, so you’re a demon. Behind you — that’s Xiaoyao Mountain. What, planning to join the Golden Bell Lord’s sect?”

Xi Che frowned — so Xiaoyao Mountain was now under Jin Lingzi’s control? That guy had really climbed high.

He waved his hand. “No, no.”

As he spoke, he approached the two demons and narrowed his eyes with a smile. “Big brothers, you’re looking for humans, right? I know where to find some. Want me to help?”

“You?”

The two demons looked at him with open disdain. Understandable — incubi were weak, the lowest among demons.

But Xi Che wasn’t a real incubus; he didn’t care about pride or rank. Smiling, he said, “I might not be strong, but I’m good at finding humans. I disguise myself as one and live among them. I know lots of humans — classmates even. I can lure them to you.”

The demons, hearing him speak so confidently, became interested. “Really? That could be useful. Humans are getting trickier these days — hard to catch.”

Xi Che thought, If they find it hard to catch humans, their cultivation must be low. I can handle them.

Perfect tools for his plan.

One of the demons then asked, “Little brother, you wouldn’t help us for free, would you?”

Xi Che clasped his hands politely. “You’re right — I do need a favor. Someone annoying keeps following me. I want to fool him into leaving. If you help me put on an act, I’ll help you catch humans later.”

Meanwhile, Chu Yan returned with a wild pheasant he had caught in the woods — and heard indecent sounds nearby. Confused, he rushed toward the noise, only to see Xi Che disheveled and leaning against a tree… with two demons beside him.

For a moment, his mind went blank, then filled with a violent buzz. He charged at one of the demons. “How dare you!”

Xi Che had been watching him closely and quickly pushed the demon aside.

Chu Yan’s attack missed, and he was stunned by Xi Che’s action. Xi Che calmly fixed his clothes, looked at him, and said, “What are you doing? These two are my friends.”

Friends? If he remembered correctly, these were the two demons they’d seen earlier.

Chu Yan was completely bewildered. He stepped closer and asked softly, “Asa… what does this mean?”

Xi Che didn’t dare meet his eyes. He knew Chu Yan must have already guessed, yet still spoke so gently to him. Gritting his teeth, he said, “Exactly what you saw.”

“I don’t believe what I saw. Tell me what it means.”

Xi Che lowered his eyes, silent for a long time. He had prepared his lines, but now, not a single one would come out.

Chu Yan, holding back his anger, grabbed his chin and forced him to look at him. “Am I not enough for you?”

Xi Che looked into his eyes and forgot how to reply. Even the two demons felt awkward; one tried to smooth things over, “Hey, man, isn’t it obvious? He doesn’t like you — stop following him.”

“Get lost!”

Chu Yan’s fury exploded; with a flick of his sleeve, he sent the demon flying. “What are you? You think you can meddle in our affairs?”

Xi Che hurriedly grabbed Chu Yan’s arm, both anxious and angry. “Such divine wrath — truly worthy of the God of light!”

“Asa…”

Xi Che gritted his teeth and forced himself to speak. “That’s right! I was going to tell you — I only played with you for fun. But you kept clinging, and I can’t stand it anymore. Look at yourself — what kind of god are you now? I’m bored, that’s all. Turns out the God of light is no different from any ordinary man. What you saw is the truth. I wanted it. I wasn’t being forced!”

Chu Yan was struck speechless. Hearing those words from Xi Che himself felt unreal. At last, he said hoarsely, “Asa… when did you fall so low?”

Xi Che froze. Though he had planned to make Chu Yan misunderstand, actually hearing that question — hearing that disappointment — pierced him like a hundred needles.

He forced himself to keep his face blank. “I haven’t fallen. This is who I am. Or is it that sleeping with you isn’t ‘fallen,’ but sleeping with demons is? Don’t forget, I’m a demon too — a lowly incubus!. The day I left Jingyu, the War God Asa died. So wake up already. You’ve heard the rumors — that I’m filthy, unrestrained… well, they’re right. In fact, they’re putting it mildly. Did you really think someone like me could mingle so easily with demons if I were pure? I’ve had countless lovers — across all three realms. You’re not the only one I’ve slept with.”

As he spoke, he found it hard to breathe. It wasn’t even a lie — before meeting Chu Yan, he had slept with Chu Qi.

He didn’t dare look at Chu Yan’s face. Turning away, tears began streaming uncontrollably down his cheeks. Still, he forced himself to finish his “lines.”

“Chu Yan, you’ve been deceiving yourself all along. You never saw the real me. But now you have — and it’s not too late. Go back to your Jingyu. We don’t need to meet again. Or if you feel you’ve been made a fool of and can’t stomach it, just kill me. I can’t beat you anyway.”

His words were so cruel that even though Chu Yan found everything abrupt and unbelievable, he had no reason to stay. His heart ached terribly — he had truly believed things between them were going well. He never imagined he’d hear this from Xi Che himself.

“You really want me to leave?”

“…”

Xi Che almost lost control of his voice, nearly breaking into sobs. Taking a deep breath, he said, “Yes.”

Chu Yan looked deeply at his back. “Fine. Since that’s what you want, I’ll go. Take care of yourself.”

Xi Che stood frozen for a long while, unable to turn around to see if he had truly left. Only when the two demons called out to him did he dare look back — Chu Yan was already gone.

The demons, having listened to the whole scene, looked at him with mixed expressions. “Why mess with a god? They’re nothing but trouble.”

Xi Che, feeling confused and hollow, looked at the demon Chu Yan had struck. “Are you all right?”

“I’ll live. But man, meeting you’s bad luck. This was a disaster for no reason. Don’t bother bringing us humans — we’re not getting involved with anyone tied to a god. Consider this us doing you a favor. Now get lost.”

The two demons walked off. Xi Che leaned against a tree and slowly slid down to sit on the ground. He didn’t know when the tears had started again — his face was already wet.

He closed his eyes, hugging his knees to his chest, suddenly drained of all energy, with no will to move. The cold wind cut against him, making him shiver. He couldn’t tell whether it was Chu Yan’s disappointed words — “When did you fall so low” — that chilled him, or the cold poison still inside his body.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry.”

He whispered the words over and over at the base of the tree, not even sure whether they were meant for the demon who had suffered because of him or for Chu Yan.

But it didn’t matter. Either way, neither of them would need his apology.