Xue Laohu hadn't slept a wink all night. His eyelids were leaden, his mind foggy with exhaustion, and his dark hair stuck up in unruly tufts from tossing and turning. When the system's notification blared across his vision—bright and obnoxious—he barely registered it.
CONGRATULATIONS, USER!
MISSION: VENGEANCE IS BITTER, BUT LIPS ARE SWEETER
COMPLETE!
REWARD: 1,000 LIFE POINTS | +50 SPICE | +50 SPICE | +50 SPICE | -500 DAMAGE TO SHOU
Groaning, he swiped the message away without reading it and burrowed back into his makeshift bed. Five more minutes, he begged.
Then—wait.
His body jerked upright as his sleep-addled brain finally processed what he'd seen. Scrambling, he yanked the system interface back open, his bloodshot eyes scanning the glowing text. A grin split his face, wild and triumphant—until it froze.
-500 DAMAGE TO SHOU.
The smile vanished. His brow furrowed, fingers tightening around the edge of the translucent screen. "What," he hissed, voice rough with disbelief.
He turned his head, and his breath caught.
Both Xue Tuzi and Shudu were gone.
Li Zhameng, however, remained—still nestled in sleep, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. His long lashes brushed the soft swell of his cheeks, delicate and dark against skin that caught the pale morning light like porcelain. The hair that he usually kept swept up in a high bun now spilled loose across his shoulders, silky black strands cascading like threads of ink over his robe and collarbone.
The sight of him stirred an erection awake. Longing coiling quietly in Xue Laohu's trousers. Yearning for a fleeting moment of closeness—a gentle kiss, stolen intimacy. Just a little warmth. A touch. But Xue Laohu, stubborn and traitorous, remained defiant, weighed down by reason and propriety.
Xue Laohu rose, spotting Li Zhameng still asleep he tensed, then reached for a stick, poking the sleeping disciple with exaggerated caution—keeping his distance as though afraid that his desires might overcome him.
"Ugh—!" Li Zhameng grunted, eyes fluttering open after the second jab to his ribs.
He blinked, bleary and confused, until his gaze locked onto Xue Laohu. For a heartbeat, neither moved. His Shizun's expression faltered—then he cleared his throat with an awkward cough, stood abruptly, and tossed the stick aside as if it had never existed. He clasped his hands behind his back, standing tall in a posture far too stiff to be natural.
"Ahem. We must not delay," he declared sternly, voice pitched a touch too high as he adjusted his robes with great ceremony.
"Xue Tuzi and Shudu are missing."
Li Zhameng jolted upright at that, the fog of sleep evaporating from his features. His eyes darted around camp, quickly confirming their absence. With practiced fingers, he swept up his hair and tied it into a neat bun, the loose strands slipping through his fingers like water. As he did so, Xue Laohu, unable to help himself, stole a glance over the younger man's shoulder.
His gaze lingered.
The disciple's neck was smooth and pale, and the collar of his robe had slipped slightly, revealing a hint of collarbone that sent a jolt straight through Xue Laohu's spine. He snapped open his fan with a sharp flick and fanned himself, hoping the brisk air would extinguish the flush creeping up his face.
"Shizun," Li Zhameng murmured, smoothing his robe and tugging it higher to cover the exposed skin, "where do you think they've gone?"
Xue Laohu stiffened and quickly averted his gaze, trying to rein in the wayward direction of his thoughts. He frowned, pressing a finger against his temple as if to physically knock the improper images out of his mind.
The system had rewarded him earlier for successfully completing a mission—which meant, at least on paper, that Xue Tuzi and Shudu had made peace. Yet, oddly, it had also deducted points. The reason? "Damage to the Shou MC."
Xue Laohu groaned quietly, dragging a hand through his already messy hair. "What does that even mean?" he muttered to himself, frustration simmering beneath his breath. He summoned the translucent system interface with a flick of his wrist.
"Give me the coordinates for Xue Tuzi and Shudu," he said firmly.
The system coughed, sputtered, and—somewhat—hacked a few times like a sickly old woman before finally producing a glowing map marked with two blinking dots.
SHOU AND GONG
LOCATION: CHANCHU MANOR
20 LI WEST OF KEWANG CHENGSHI
"Great," Xue Laohu groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "We have to go back to where we started."
Li Zhameng blinked at him, tilting his head slightly, his brows knitting in mild confusion. He couldn't see the translucent system interface hovering in front of his Shizun, nor could he hear the occasional coughing hacks or mutterings. And yet, he'd grown used to the way Xue Laohu sometimes spoke to seemingly no one, sighed at invisible information, or barked out orders to thin air. It had always puzzled him, but he never asked. He simply trusted.
Like always, he said nothing. Just nodded quietly.
Xue Laohu extended a hand. "Come. It'll be faster on the sword."
With practiced ease, he leapt onto the flying sword hovering beside him, the blade gleaming faintly under the morning light. Once steady, he pulled Li Zhameng up behind him. With a soft hum, the sword lifted, carrying the two of them into the sky. Wind tugged at their sleeves and hair, but the silence between them remained oddly peaceful.
Xue Tuzi lay with his head pressed to the firm, sun-warmed chest of the demon Shudu. His fingers moved slowly, reverently, tracing every defined line of muscle beneath Shudu's skin as if he were mapping sacred ground. His touch was featherlight, almost hesitant, like he feared it might be taken from him at any moment.
But the moment shattered when Shudu caught his hand in a firm grip.
Xue Tuzi tilted his head up, eyes wide, gaze imploring. His round eyes shimmered with confusion and silent pleading—Why are you pushing me away? What did I do?
But Shudu said nothing. He gently moved the hand away and sat up, his expression unreadable. He reached for his discarded clothes, only to be pulled back—caught in a sudden, desperate embrace.
"Don't leave me," Xue Tuzi whispered. His voice cracked like a dry twig, low and fragile, arms coiling around Shudu like vines refusing to let go. His body clung with the stubbornness of someone who knew all too well how cold it felt to wake up alone.
Shudu exhaled a slow, heavy breath. His crimson eye slid to the edge of the bedding, where a dark smear had long since dried—blood, blackened and forgotten, staining the edge of the bed like a warning.
"…Where is Tuanzhu?" he asked, breaking the silence.
At the mention of the Gu worm, Xue Tuzi shot up like a startled cat. His arms flailed through the tangled sheets in a panic, searching for his qiankun pouch.
"Tuanzhu—?!"
Under a mess of half-kicked blankets, something thrashed. A small lump squirmed as if possessed, the entire pouch convulsing like it held a live, furious creature. Xue Tuzi yanked the knot loose, and the moment the pouch opened, Tuanzhu sprung out.
The tiny Gu worm gasped dramatically, inhaling sharp gulps of air. Her translucent, jelly-like body puffed with indignation as she floated upward, cheeks puffed in full protest. She glared daggers at Xue Tuzi with her oversized eyes, then turned her head away with a sassy flick of her tail.
She huffed.
Xue Tuzi winced. "I didn't mean to forget you!"
Tuanzhu flicked her tail again, bobbing in the air like a spoiled princess who had just been gravely insulted. Her stomach let out a pitiful growl, but when Xue Tuzi reached to feed her, she turned her head again—stubborn to the very end.
Shudu, despite himself, let the smallest smile creep onto his lips. But he smothered it quickly.
"We should bathe and depart," he said, already walking towards a bath the water no longer warm and the petals already wilted their fragrance long since faded. His tone was firm, but his eyes lingered for a second too long on Xue Tuzi's blemished skin.
Xue Tuzi was riddled with bites, every inch of his skin marked by demon fangs. He felt the creature's wanton gaze upon him and, in response, slowly trailed his fingers down his own chest in a caress, deliberately drawing attention to the jewels adorning his nipples.
Striding forward, he closed the distance and captured the demon's mouth with his own, the kiss driving them down into the water. Tuanzhu watched from the bed, breath caught in her throat, as the two men coiled together beneath the surface, their forms merging into one.
Her view was limited, but it was enough: Xue Tuzi was pinned against the bath by Shudu, his arms wrapped around the demon's neck. A deep flush stained his cheeks as sweet, loud cries tore from his throat, each sound punctuated by the violent splash of water that sloshed over the sides. Little did she know that Xue Tuzi was taking Shudu eagerly, his legs wrapping around the other mans waist, tightening his grip, his crevice clenching as if afraid to let go.
"I love you. Shushu I love you."
The demon drank in his every sound—each whimper and gasp a note that sang directly to its dark, hungry soul. His movements quickening becoming more vicious ask the beauty captured his mouth in a searing kiss, in a desperate heat, a silent plea to hurry. Eyes glazed and lips bruised from the demon's relentless attentions, he clung on in desperate, helpless pleasure, but it was not enough to make the demon yield.
"Why won't you come inside?"
Xue Tuzi pouted gasping sharply, Shudu answered with a grunt as he continued to pounce the shaft grazing the point of pleasure, the bath was nearly empty, its water sloshed across the floor.
"How much do you want it?"
"Very much."
Xue Tuzi choked on his blissful tears, his hips twitching rapidly as the demons throbbing member pulsated deep within the layers of his hot flesh.
"I want it deep. I want it always. I need it. Shushu I need you. I need your seed."
With a single hand Shudu picked up the siren, the droplets of water sliding down his aroused body before filling him up completely. The hot thick residue slid down from his orifice, his howls startled Tuanzhu who hid under the blankets in fear. After what felt like tea pots time, Shudu had finished knotting into Xue Tuzi extracting his shaft, soaked in his own fluid. Xue Tuzi placed his fingers into the crevice attempting to stop the semen from escaping his entrance.
"What are you doing?"
"Trying to get pregnant."
"Fool. We should hurry before the magistrates arrive," Shudu said, his voice low and even, already turning to leave. They both finally dressed but before Shudu could take a step, he felt a gentle tug on his sleeve stopped him.
He looked down.
Xue Tuzi clutched his robe with both hands, his round eyes wide and imploring, bottom lip trembling just slightly. He looked up with a delicate pout, soft as a dew-touched blossom.
"I can't walk," he murmured, voice barely audible.
Shudu raised a brow, shifting his weight with a hand perched lazily on his hip. "Hm? And why not?"
He leaned down, the faintest smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth as he reached out and lifted Xue Tuzi's chin between two fingers. Their gazes locked—one cold and probing, the other shimmering with false innocence.
"My legs are broken," Xue Tuzi said sweetly.
He tucked Tuanzhu gently into the lapel of his robe, cradling her like a precious ornament, though she squirmed with irritation. Xue Tuzi ignored her completely, raising his arms toward Shudu in a silent plea.
The Gu worm, clearly offended by being shoved into the fold without warning, thrashed in protest. Her tiny needle-like teeth sank into the soft flesh of Xue Tuzi's chest, but he didn't flinch. He bore it without complaint, gaze still fixed on Shudu like a spoiled consort waiting for her carriage.
Shudu exhaled slowly, the sound somewhere between a sigh and a growl. He melted into Xue Tuzi's arms, devouring him with hungry kisses until his lips trailed down to his hips. His hands settled gently on Xue Tuzi's thighs, kneading the firm flesh as Xue Tuzi pressed a pale foot against his chest.
"Is that better?" Shudu murmured, stroking along his leg, stretching it slightly as his mouth grazed Xue Tuzi's thigh in playful nips. Soft moans spilled from Xue Tuzi's lips, his toes curling at the sensation, just before the demon lowered himself to his groin and swallowed him whole.
"I thought… you said we had to go," Xue Tuzi panted, his legs tightening around Shudu's shoulders as the demon continued his indulgence. Overcomed, Xue Tuzi released into Shudu's mouth, the demon refusing to let a single drop escape as he drank it down greedily. A satisfied smile spread across Xue Tuzi's lips, the little mole beneath his mouth standing out more clearly against the curve of his contentment.
As they moved through the bloodstained hall—littered with corpses and the coppery stench of death—Shudu's steps slowed. Xue Tuzi's hand found his, fingers slipping gently to intertwine with Sudu's. They continued to walk, the grim spectacle around them momentarily fading into the background, anchored by the simple, steadfast clasp of their joined hands.
"…Did you kill everyone?" he asked cautiously, voice laced with something between concern and suspicion.
Xue Tuzi didn't even blink. "Only the ones who got in my way," he said matter-of-factly, brushing invisible dust from his sleeve. "I'm not heartless."
Then, without warning, he reached up and lightly touched Shudu's cheek, his fingers brushing the demon's jaw. Before Shudu could react, Xue Tuzi leaned in and stole a soft, fleeting kiss from the corner of his mouth.
It was featherlight. A tease.
Then he relaxed, nestling his head against Shudu's chest like nothing had happened. Shudu's expression didn't change—but his ears were red.
From the corridor ahead, a voice echoed faintly, calling out over the silence of the ruined manor.
"Hello? Is anyone here?"
It was Xue Laohu.
The voice was getting closer.
Shudu's grip on Xue Tuzi's hand tightened instinctively. Nails, sharp and dark, dug slightly into his skin. Xue Tuzi flinched at the pressure, a shiver running down his spine.
Then he smiled.
He leaned in, pressing his lips close to Shudu's ear. His voice dropped into a breathy murmur.
"You have nothing to worry about."
Shudu hesitated.
The words were meant to reassure, but deep down, a quiet worry gnawed at him—that one day, Xue Tuzi might look at him with those same round, innocent eyes… only colder. Hollow. Cruel.
The kind of gaze that didn't plead for affection.
The kind that judged, and destroyed.
For now, though, Shudu loosened his grip, his steps resuming through the blood-slicked hallway. And in his arm, Xue Tuzi rested—like a serpent curled around its tree, warm, beautiful, and dangerous.
The moment Xue Laohu's eyes landed on Shudu and Xue Tuzi, his entire body froze. His fan—always at the ready—snapped open with a sharp fwip!, hiding the way his lips trembled between relief and disbelief. They're alive. They're here. The mission… it's finally—
Then reality crashed down.
The -500 points for damages suffered to the Shou, the system's merciless voice echoed in his mind. His fan lowered just enough for his widening eyes to dart between them—lingering on the way Xue Tuzi leaned against Shudu's chest.
"A-Tuzi!" Xue Laohu's voice cracked, his usual composure shattered. "Are you—are you okay?!"
Xue Tuzi tilted his head on Shudu's shoulders, his hair cascading down. "Mm. Shushu broke my legs."
Shudu's frown was immediate, his grip tightening protectively. "I did no such thing."
Xue Laohu's fan clattered to the ground he gasped audibly. "YOU WHAT?!"
Xue Tuzi sunk his face into the demon's chest snuggling deeper, nuzzling his face with a pleading pout. "…But he couldhave."
"Aiyah—!" Xue Laohu clutched his chest, exhaling hard. "Don't scare me like that!" His fan fluttered back up, shielding the way his shoulders sagged in exhausted relief.
Li Zhameng, who had been silently observing, finally blinked. "A-Tuzi, since when do you and Shudu Gongzi—"
But before he could say anything else, Xue Laohu's hand clamped over Li Zhameng's mouth, his other arm yanking him close. His whisper was a hot, frantic gust against Li Zhameng's ear: "Don't. Ask." Li Zhameng tilted his head, his eyes locking with Xue Laohu's. Then, he brushed his tongue across his hand.