Reborn as a succubus - Chapter 50

Not many people knew what had happened to Xi Che during the God of light Inheritance Ceremony. A small, insignificant figure like him — even if he disappeared — probably wouldn’t attract anyone’s attention. And even if someone did care, what could they do? The Heavenly Ladder existed precisely to sever the connection between the human world and the underworld. Matters of Heaven were not something mortals could interfere in.

So when Xi Che reappeared in the eyes of his classmates, most were shocked that he was even still alive.

In truth, deaths during the God of light Inheritance Ceremony were hardly news. One or two people dying that day was nothing unusual, and Xi Che wasn’t the only one who hadn’t come back. The school had even held a collective funeral for the missing students. In this era, human lives weren’t worth much — incubi’s lives were worth just as little. Aside from the families, no one really cared.

What’s more, before going, all of them had signed life-and-death waivers, so the school bore no responsibility whatsoever.

Xi Che was the only person in hundreds of years to have vanished during the God of light Inheritance Ceremony and then reappear in public again, which naturally caused quite a stir at Yujing Academy. Faced with his classmates’ and teachers’ questions, he could only say that he had fainted during the ceremony and, upon waking, found himself in a grove near the school. He had immediately returned and was just as shocked as everyone else to learn he’d been missing for three months. The incident was quickly dropped after that.

People might show great curiosity about a strange, sensational story at first, but as time passes, curiosity fades and gossip turns into legend.

In short, the story of Xi Che’s disappearance and return had already grown into a wildly exaggerated tale — something far beyond his concern now.

This time, Xi Che’s mission was to investigate Rong Jiudao’s secrets. The easiest way for him to get close was through his classmate, Rong Shi. However, over the past few days, that young master Rong hadn’t shown up to school for two or three days straight.

What bad luck — it was as if everything was going against him. As Xi Che sat staring blankly at Rong Shi’s empty seat, someone suddenly spoke beside him:

“What are you looking at?”

Turning his head, Xi Che found that it was the same handsome boy who had argued with Rong Shi over him when he first woke up. Strictly speaking, they were now on opposing sides, so it was odd that the boy would take the initiative to talk to him.

Xi Che blinked innocently.

“Ah, it’s nothing. I just noticed Young Master Rong’s seat is empty.”

He deliberately didn’t finish his sentence. His counterintelligence instincts were sharp — some questions were better left unspoken. Otherwise, if something went wrong and anyone started digging, they might trace everything back to him.

Fortunately, the handsome boy in front of him was simple and guileless, and he took the bait easily:

“He hasn’t been here for quite a while. His family got him a long leave — he might not come back this semester. Why? You need something from him?”

“No, no, it’s nothing. We’re not even close.”

Xi Che quickly shook his head. The boy seemed like he wanted to keep chatting, but Xi Che didn’t give him the chance. He stood up abruptly:

“I’m leaving.”

“Hey—”

Xi Che didn’t know whether the boy wanted to mend fences or say something else, but he had no interest in continuing the conversation.

“You really are heartless,” White Tiger sneered inside his consciousness, tone dripping with mockery.
“You just get what you need from someone and toss them aside.”

Xi Che couldn’t help but laugh. Lately, White Tiger seemed to be entertaining itself solely by teasing him.

He thought over his network of contacts. The only person who might have connections to Rong Jiudao was Yuan Ting. Since he couldn’t approach Rong Shi, he’d have to go through Yuan Ting instead. But Yuan Ting’s rank was much higher — getting information from him would require a cleverer approach.

Lost in thought, he walked out of the classroom, only to bump into someone head-on in the corridor. The person was taller than him. He looked up — and froze in shock. Before he could react, White Tiger burst out laughing in his mind.

Xi Che’s face immediately darkened. Damn cat — was laughing at his embarrassment its only source of joy now?

The reason was simple: the person he had just bumped into was Chu Yan (Chu Qi) — the very person he had recently parted from on awkward terms. Their last meeting had felt like a final farewell, and yet here they were, meeting again around the corner. Xi Che felt both speechless and uncomfortable.

Chu Yan felt much the same. The Dream Stone’s side effects had prompted him to leave temporarily to cool his emotions and sort out his thoughts — but before he could even do that properly, he found himself back already.

Xi Che stared at him for a long time, then forced a smile.

“What a coincidence…”

Fortunately, Chu Yan rarely showed emotion on his face, so his inner awkwardness barely showed. Maintaining his usual calm expression, he nodded slightly:

“I’ve finished dealing with my business and came back to continue classes. Starting tomorrow, I’ll be in this class.”

As he spoke, he lifted his chin toward the classroom Xi Che had just left. Xi Che turned and saw that Chu Yan was pointing right at it. So he was transferring into his class. What a coincidence — too much of one, almost as if planned.

But since he had no proof, asking about it would only make him sound foolish.

After struggling for a while, Xi Che finally forced out a line:

“Well, we’ll be classmates then.”

He turned to leave, but Chu Yan, noticing how much colder Xi Che seemed than before, felt a twinge of frustration. Reacting quickly, he asked:

“Class is about to start. Where are you going?”

Xi Che waved a hand dismissively.

“I’ve taken leave.”

Chu Yan frowned inwardly — He’s on leave? Then I came here for nothing. No, I’d better follow him.

After leaving the academic building, Xi Che went straight to the room where Yuan Ting and Zhan Yujin had first contacted him. Since it was nearly class time, the hallways were mostly empty, so he easily found the entrance. Drawing a sigil in the air, he slipped inside.

Chu Yan followed at a distance, frowning slightly — Asa (Xi Che) is doing something dangerous again. He never learns. Doesn’t he realize he’s no longer the war god who once ruled the heavens, but just an incubus now? Doesn’t he know how to protect himself?

Chu Yan examined the doorway — the spell on it was just a basic demonic concealment charm — and grew even more worried. He concealed himself and followed Xi Che inside.

Once inside, Xi Che took a yellow talisman paper from a corner and lit it with a match. As it burned, it turned into bluish smoke, and when the last wisp vanished, the floor beneath him began to glow. A dark hole appeared in the ground, and from it slowly emerged Zhan Yujin.

The instant Zhan Yujin appeared, Chu Yan sensed it — someone had arrived. The aura was weaker than his, merely concealed. It lingered nearby, watching Xi Che from a cautious distance.

Xi Che straightened and approached as Zhan Yujin stepped fully out of the hole.

“General Zhan, I’m back.”

Zhan Yujin, unaware of what had happened to Xi Che recently, was startled to see him.

“You came back alive from the Inheritance Ceremony? Why did it take you so long to contact me?”

Xi Che could only repeat the same story he’d told his classmates. After listening, Zhan Yujin frowned and sighed.

“I see… The God of light Inheritance Ceremony has always been shrouded in mystery. It’s already a miracle you survived.”

Xi Che nodded.

“General, did something happen while I was gone? You look troubled… and I haven’t seen General Yuan.”

He had come mainly to see Yuan Ting, and those two were usually inseparable. Yet now, only Zhan Yujin was here, and the usual warm smile on his face had been replaced by deep worry.

At the mention of Yuan Ting, Zhan Yujin’s expression grew even grimmer.

“He’s… in trouble.”

“In trouble?”

Zhan Yujin sighed heavily.

“He’s been imprisoned by our emperor… and may be executed in a few days.”

Xi Che felt as if he’d stepped into an alternate reality. He’d only been gone a few months — how had Yuan Ting fallen from a powerful general to a condemned prisoner?

“Why?” he asked urgently.

Zhan Yujin closed his eyes briefly.

“The young lord is ignorant… He’s been deceived by that treacherous Rong Jiudao. Yuan Ting has always been too proud and outspoken — it was only a matter of time before that old fox ensnared him.”

The incubus emperor was indeed very young. His father had died early, leaving no strong ruler behind, and his sisters were all vying for power. Rong Jiudao’s faction supported one side; Yuan Ting’s military faction, supported another. Yet after all their fighting, they’d ended up placing a powerless youth, Jin Yue, on the throne.

Xi Che called him “the strongest minimal king.”

But even a minimal king was still a king — and since Rong Jiudao controlled him, whatever Rong said became law. Yuan Ting’s downfall couldn’t really be blamed on Jin Yue; it was just the consequence of losing a power struggle.

Still, Yuan Ting’s defeat didn’t bode well for Xi Che either.

Feigning concern, Xi Che asked,

“Why did this happen? What exactly occurred?”

Zhan Yujin explained:

“That old monster Rong Jiudao made contact with some unsavory outsiders and proposed that we send troops to aid a foreign tribe. Our incubus clan has always been weak — how could we possibly meddle in great clans’ wars? Yuan Ting opposed him fiercely, so Rong Jiudao accused him of bullying the young emperor. And the emperor… actually agreed.”

Xi Che’s heart jolted — that meant Yuan Ting’s faction was completely crushed.

“But General Yuan was always evenly matched with Rong Jiudao — how could he lose so suddenly?”

“Because of a traitor! Damn it all — our party’s strongest force suddenly defected one night. Fifty thousand soldiers, gone in an instant. The leader even surrounded us with his troops. We had no choice but to surrender. All our top commanders were captured. If not for my mother’s family’s influence, I’d be dead too…”

The more Xi Che listened, the stranger it sounded. He probed carefully:

“How could they all defect overnight? Even if a few were bribed, fifty thousand men wouldn’t all switch sides.”

The incubi didn’t have that many fighters to begin with — fifty thousand was a major force.

Zhan Yujin shook his head wearily.

“I don’t know. Everything about it feels wrong. I even met with the man who led them, hoping to get answers, but when he saw me, he acted as if I didn’t exist — like I was invisible.”

Xi Che twitched at the corner of his mouth. It all sounded eerily similar to the mind-corrupting effects of his old divine artifacts. Considering that Rong Shi worshiped a memorial tablet of his former self, and that Rong Jiudao had secret dealings with Xiaoyao Mountain…

“General, who exactly is Rong Jiudao trying to support?”

“The Demon Clan. He wants to ally with them to attack Xiaoyao Mountain. Foolish — Xiaoyao Mountain isn’t someone we can provoke. It’s suicide.”

Xiaoyao Mountain! That tied everything together.

But seriously — was Rong Jiudao insane? Xiaoyao Mountain contained his own former divine body, plus the two great artifacts Da Chi and Zhu You. Sending a few mortal demons to fight them was pure suicide — like a desperate, last-ditch move.

Hidden nearby, Chu Yan was thinking the same. He knew Xi Che too well — now that he had a lead, he would throw himself into danger without hesitation. Sure enough, Xi Che immediately asked to return with Zhan Yujin to the incubus realm and meet Yuan Ting in person.

“General Yuan has done me favors before. No matter what, I must see him.”

Zhan Yujin was hesitant, but Xi Che pressed further:

“You’re being watched by Rong Jiudao’s men — they won’t let you visit Yuan Ting easily. Let me go instead. Even if I can’t save him, I can at least make sure his final days aren’t too miserable.”

“You can manage that?”

Xi Che quickly lit a small flame in his palm.

“I have some skill in spellcraft. Just tell me where he is — I’ll find a way in.”

Zhan Yujin looked at him in surprise. Under normal circumstances, he would have questioned Xi Che’s true identity, but now, with his mind preoccupied by Yuan Ting’s fate, he simply nodded.

“Then let’s go now. Is that convenient for you?”

“Very convenient. I wasn’t keen on attending class anyway. Let’s go.”

After all, if he went back, he’d have to face Chu Yan — his new classmate. Better to strike while the iron was hot and seek answers before Yuan Ting’s execution made that impossible.

Xi Che followed Zhan Yujin into the black hole, which slowly closed behind them. Chu Yan quickly stepped in after them, following as all three sank beneath the ground.