The silk threads of dawn melted into the morning sun, casting warm, golden rays over the room. Xue Tuzi scrunched his brows, burrowing deeper into his bed covers in a futile attempt to escape the relentless glow. Resigned, he carefully cracked open his eyes, catching sight of Jiao Jiao—the little Gu worm—nestled snugly on his chest. The creature had curled itself into a tight ball, exhausted from the painstaking work of extracting the aphrodisiac from Xue Tuzi's body.
With a groggy sigh, Xue Tuzi slowly sat up, his fingers rubbing at his tired eyes. As he turned his head, he was met with the sight of his empty bed. Shudu was gone. A small frown tugged at the corners of his lips as he tossed the covers aside, his bare feet finding the cold, hard floor. But as he shifted his weight, his foot struck something firm and unyielding.
Startled, he looked down, and his eyes widened. There, sprawled on the floor like a loyal dog, was Shudu. No blanket shielded him from the chill, his muscular arms—one entirely adorned with intricate tattoos of insects and lizards—wrapped around his knees, hugging them to his bare chest. Bandages clung loosely to parts of his torso, and his long hair had been braided neatly into a singular plait, cascading down his back. The sun kissed his deep bronze skin, accentuating the wicked ink that painted a snake coiled around a struggling rabbit on his sculpted back.
Shudu's face, serene in sleep, bore a striking charm. Wisps of hair framed his sharp cheekbones, his lashes rested gently against his skin, moving faintly with each soft breath. The spider tattoo on his neck seemed alive, shifting ever so slightly with the rise and fall of his chest. In this moment of stillness, Shudu looked entirely defenseless—almost pitiful.
Xue Tuzi's brows furrowed as a flash of annoyance crossed his face. Lifting his foot, he pressed it firmly against Shudu's cheek. The sleeping man stirred, a soft whine escaping his lips, "Mn…" He blinked groggily, his gaze landing on the foot against his face. Instead of reacting with irritation, Shudu reached up, massaging the foot tenderly before planting a kiss on its arch.
Flustered, Xue Tuzi leaned back on his arms, his face reddening as Shudu continued to kiss and massage his foot, his touch traveling higher up Xue Tuzi's leg. Embarrassed and indignant, Xue Tuzi responded with a soft kick to Shudu's chest, halting his movements. Shudu, however, only looked up at him with a wistful gaze, his voice low and imploring.
"Can this little bunny find it in his heart to forgive me?" Shudu murmured, his tone dripping with false innocence.
Xue Tuzi glared down at him, turning his face away with an irritated "hmph," but not before pressing his foot harder into Shudu's chest. Shudu winced theatrically, clutching at his ribs as though in pain.
Immediately, Xue Tuzi's expression shifted. "Are you still hurt?" he asked, worry creeping into his voice.
Shudu dismissed the concern with a soft scoff, pushing himself to his feet with an effortless grace. Towering over Xue Tuzi, he leaned in close, cupping his face with both hands. His eyes, usually sharp, were pleading now. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
Xue Tuzi rolled his eyes, his brows knitting together as he muttered under his breath, "That old man had his way with me."
Shudu's head snapped up, and before Xue Tuzi could react, Shudu leaned in, sniffing the crook of his neck like a predator catching its prey's scent. Xue Tuzi recoiled slightly, his heart pounding, but Shudu's voice broke the silence, low and accusing.
"Liar," Shudu growled, his nose brushing against the sensitive skin behind Xue Tuzi's ear. "All I smell is my scent."
Xue Tuzi's face flushed scarlet, his lips parting to stammer out a defense. But Shudu pulled back just enough to lock their gazes, his brows furrowed in confusion. "Why haven't you bathed?" he asked bluntly.
The question sent Xue Tuzi spiraling into embarrassment, his words tangling as he tried to form an excuse. Before he could respond, Shudu leaned in again, their foreheads touching. His voice dropped to a whisper, teasing yet earnest.
"Do you like my scent?"
Xue Tuzi froze. He couldn't bring himself to admit the truth—that Shudu's scent drove him wild. The crisp musk of his skin, mingled with a hint of battle-worn sharpness, was intoxicating, a heady pheromone that Xue Tuzi found himself craving despite his best efforts to deny it.
Shudu pressed a lingering kiss against Xue Tuzi's flushed cheek, his lips soft yet deliberate as they trailed downward, claiming the beauty's mouth in a deep, unrestrained kiss. With an effortless movement, Shudu guided them both into the bed, their bodies sinking into the disheveled sheets.
As their passion deepened, Shudu abruptly pulled back, his thick brows knitting together in confusion. His tongue tingled with the distinct taste of something hard and metallic. His sharp gaze fell on Xue Tuzi, whose rosy cheeks were flushed a deeper shade of red. The beauty blinked up at him sensually, his lips parted as he tried to catch his breath.
"What's in your mouth?" Shudu asked, his voice low and laced with curiosity. He placed his thumb beneath Xue Tuzi's lips, gently applying pressure to pry his mouth open. But Xue Tuzi, flustered, turned his face away, allowing strands of hair to curtain his expression.
"It's nothing," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper attempting to shove Shudu away.
But Shudu wasn't so easily deterred. With Xue Tuzi pinned firmly beneath him, he took advantage of the moment, forcing his lips apart. A glint of crimson caught his eye, and Shudu's breath hitched as he spotted the hidden gem embedded in Xue Tuzi's tongue. The small red jewel, polished and glistening, dangled securely in place, blending almost seamlessly with the flesh of his tongue.
"Get off," Xue Tuzi snapped, voice unsteady as he shoved at Shudu's chest. His fingers pressed against the demon's burning skin, the unnatural heat searing through his palms and making his breath catch. But Shudu caught his wrist with ease and forced him back against the bedding, pinning him down with a strength that made resistance feel laughable.
Shudu leaned in, his breath grazing over flushed cheeks as he dragged the bridge of his nose slowly across Xue Tuzi's face, down the curve of his jaw, drinking in every tremble of his skin. Then, with deliberate slowness, he pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth.
"No—" Xue Tuzi twisted beneath him, his body squirming helplessly. His usual pale complexion had gone pink, his chest heaving as sweat gathered at his temples. The infernal warmth pouring off Shudu was unbearable, intoxicating. "Get off," he hissed again, but the desperation in his voice betrayed more than defiance.
"Why not?" Shudu murmured, his lips trailing down the length of Xue Tuzi's throat, brushing over the frantic pulse there. He nuzzled against his collarbone, then lower, to the center of his chest, where his heart pounded like a war drum.
Xue Tuzi shuddered, his skin erupting in goosebumps as the demon's hot breath washed over him. Every hair stood on end. His fingers clenched at the sheets, his eyes fluttering shut against the flood of sensation.
"The heart… does not desire it," he whispered hoarsely, as if clinging to the last thread of self-control.
"But the body does," Shudu countered, his voice velvet and fire. "Look at you—you're melting."
He finally released Xue Tuzi's wrist, but before the beauty could even sit up, Shudu's hand drifted to the delicate jewels adorning his chest. His fingers curled around the beaded gem, tugging gently—possessively.
Xue Tuzi gasped, spine arching as if the touch had lit a fuse inside him. He fell back into the bed with a startled sound, half-moan, half-plea, and Shudu leaned in again, his lips brushing the shell of his ear.
"Surrender," he breathed.
The room seemed to shrink around them. The air grew heavier, hotter, charged with something wild and unspoken. Xue Tuzi's moans spilled out in spite of himself, each one sharper than the last, his skin flushed crimson as the last of his resistance unraveled.
Xue Tuzi was caught in a storm of conflicting desire and revulsion. His body betrayed him—each place Shudu touched felt as if it were set alight, heat curling through him like smoke, dragging unwilling shudders from deep within. His breath came in ragged pulls, his skin damp with sweat, but inside, his mind screamed.
No. Not him. Not a demon.
Beneath the heavy weight of Shudu's body, Xue Tuzi's thoughts twisted and writhed. The memories surged back unbidden—horrors etched behind his eyes like bloodstains on glass. He saw the orphanage again. Heard the screams. Smelled the coppery stench of fresh death. The insect demons had swarmed the place, their grotesque bodies twitching with hunger, jaws distended as they feasted on fragile limbs, tongues lapping at spilled blood with sick delight. Tiny bones cracked between sharp teeth, the sound of it—wet, snapping, final—had never left him.
His stomach turned.
Rage coiled in his gut. His fingers dug into the sheets as if he could anchor himself there, sweat dripping from his brow, trailing down his temples. He wanted to fight—to throw the demon off, to scream, to run.
Monsters, he told himself. They took everything. I won't let him—
But Shudu was already in his chest. Somehow, without warning, without mercy, the demon had wrapped his lips around it—not with cruelty, but something else, something far more dangerous. Seduction. Possession. A slow, deliberate sinking into places no one had ever touched. Shudu didn't ravage—he enveloped, overwhelmed, consumed.
But even as he struggled, his body betrayed him again—arching faintly into Shudu's warmth, seeking it, craving it. He hated that. Hated the war inside himself. Hated how easily Shudu read every flicker of weakness, every breath that came too fast.
Before he could gather the strength to shove the demon off, it was already too late.
Shudu's tongue swirled around the nipple, flicking at the jewels that adorned them before drawing his mouth to consume them. He savored the melting sweetness, letting it linger on his tongue before suckling with a satisfied hum, utterly lost in Xue Tuzi's indulgent skin. Unable to contain himself, Xue Tuzi's legs shifted, parting slightly beneath Shudu, a silent invitation for the demon to continue.
Their heated exchange caused the bed to creak and rock with every movement, waking the little Gu worm nestled nearby. Jiao Jiao blinked his wide, drowsy eyes, his tiny nubs rubbing against his face in confusion. He took in the sight of Shudu devouring Xue Tuzi with fervent kisses, his lips marking every inch of the beauty's delicate skin. Jiao Jiao's gaze narrowed into slits, his tiny body puffing up with indignation.
Xue Tuzi gasped and arched under Shudu's touch, his breath hitching as the demon's lips grazed the jewels adorning his chest. But before Shudu could go any further, Jiao Jiao launched himself into the air with a war cry, tackling Shudu squarely in the face.
Shudu groaned, jerking his head back as the little Gu worm clung to his cheek. "Hey!" he growled, his voice edged with annoyance. With a swift motion, Shudu plucked Jiao Jiao up by the scruff of his tiny body, holding him at arm's length. "We are busy. Scram." Without a second thought, he tossed the indignant creature aside. Jiao Jiao landed with a soft thud under the bed, his muffled squeals of protest barely audible.
With Jiao Jiao's sudden interruption—sharp as a blade through silk—Xue Tuzi snapped free from Shudu's intoxicating hold. He shoved Shudu off him with surprising strength, his movements sharp and unforgiving. Tightening the sash of his robe around his waist as he glared at the demon.
Rising from the bed, Xue Tuzi stalked over to retrieve Jiao Jiao. The little Gu worm crawled into his palm, rubbing his nubs against Xue Tuzi's thumb in comfort. Meanwhile, Shudu lay sprawled on the bed, one arm draped over his face as he let out a long, exasperated sigh.
"He's so difficult," Shudu mused to himself, a lazy smile curling his lips. His fingers brushed against his mouth, savoring the lingering taste of Xue Tuzi's skin. Despite the fiery temper, the beauty's defiance only made him want more.
Xue Tuzi sank into the steaming water, his movements tense and irritated as he scrubbed at the faint marks left behind by Shudu's insistent affection. The love bites littering his neck and shoulders bloomed like ghostly remnants of Shudu's touch, and Xue Tuzi's frustration only deepened with each scrub.
With a deep sigh, Xue Tuzi pushed himself upright, the water cascading off his lithe frame. Droplets clung to his skin, catching the dim light as they trailed down his chest and along the curve of his waist, pooling briefly at his ankles before sliding to the floor. Grabbing a soft cloth, he patted his face dry, his movements slower now, more deliberate.
Li Zhameng paced restlessly back and forth outside the entrance of Xue Laohu's seclusion cave, his brows furrowed in thought as he spun one romantic scenario after another in his mind. He wrung his hands nervously, his heart pounding with anticipation for his Shizun's return.
"Shizun, are you thirsty?" he whispered softly to himself, imagining the scene as if it were unfolding before him. In his mind, he'd pull out his drinking flask with trembling hands, offering it to his Shizun. But then, his emotions would overwhelm him, and he wouldn't be able to stop himself. He'd lunge forward, throwing his arms around Xue Laohu's broad frame, clutching him tightly.
"I-I've missed you, Shizun!" he'd sob, burying his face in Xue Laohu's chest. And in his daydream, his Shizun would return the embrace, his strong arms wrapping around him with warmth.
"I've missed you too," Xue Laohu would murmur, his voice deep and gentle. He'd smile, that rare, heart-melting smile that always made Li Zhameng's knees go weak. In his vivid imagination, Xue Laohu would tilt his chin up, their gazes locking for a heartbeat. Li Zhameng would try to shy away, embarrassed by the intensity of his Shizun's stare, but before he could retreat, Xue Laohu would lean in and press a soft, lingering kiss to his forehead, making his heart flutter.
"Shizun, I—" Li Zhameng imagined himself stammering, his voice faltering as the words caught in his throat. But Xue Laohu wouldn't let him finish. He'd pull him close and ravage his lips, stealing his breath as Li Zhameng surrendered entirely to the moment.
Caught up in his fantasy, Li Zhameng acted out the imagined scene, clasping his own hands dramatically and swaying as though lost in a dream. He didn't notice the shadow looming behind him until a sharp tap on his shoulder startled him.
"And who exactly is it that you're making out with, Meng Meng?" came a deep, disdainful voice from behind him.
"Shizun!" Li Zhameng cried out, spinning around with a burst of joy. His eyes sparkled as he leaped forward without hesitation, throwing himself into Xue Laohu's arms. The force of his enthusiasm knocked his Shizun flat onto the ground.
"Ugh…" Xue Laohu groaned, rubbing the back of his head as he lay sprawled on the dirt. He glanced up at Li Zhameng, whose wide, glistening eyes were fixated on him like an overexcited puppy. If he'd had a tail, it would undoubtedly be wagging furiously.
Before Xue Laohu could sit up, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from within the cave. "Shizun?" Xue Tuzi called out, his voice filled with joy. He rushed to his master's side, kneeling gracefully as he extended a hand to help Xue Laohu to his feet.
"How long have I been gone?" Xue Laohu asked, rolling his neck as a series of audible cracks punctuated the motion. His expression was puzzled, and he glanced between his two disciples.
"Exactly three days," Xue Tuzi answered with a serene smile, his eyes sparkling with quiet affection as he looked at Xue Laohu.
"Three days?!" Xue Laohu repeated, his voice tinged with disbelief. His brow furrowed as he muttered to himself, "The system is inconsistent. An eighteen-hour update lasted this long?" But as he turned back to Li Zhameng, whose teary-eyed expression bordered on melodrama, Xue Laohu felt as though he'd been gone for years.
"It was three long days, Shizun!" Li Zhameng whimpered, clutching onto Xue Laohu's arm as though letting go was not an option.
"Hmph," Xue Laohu grumbled, his sharp gaze flicking between his disciples. "I hope neither of you has been slacking off." He reached for his fan instinctively, only to realize he hadn't brought it with him from seclusion.
Li Zhameng perked up, fumbling nervously before producing a beautifully crafted fan from his sleeve. "Shizun, please," he said, his voice trembling slightly as he placed the fan into Xue Laohu's hand.
Xue Laohu unfolded the fan with deliberate care, his eyes narrowing as he examined its intricate design. The polished wood had been carved into the shape of a peach blossom tree, its branches elegantly curling. The white silk leaf of the fan was painted with soft pink petals drifting in the wind, the detail so fine it almost looked alive.
"Does Shizun like it?" Xue Tuzi asked softly, his hands fidgeting as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear. His heart raced as he awaited his master's response.
Xue Laohu leaned in slightly, his gaze lingering on Xue Tuzi's lips before shifting to the fan once more. "Did you make this?" he asked, his voice calm but filled with curiosity.
Before Xue Tuzi could respond, Li Zhameng nudged his way between them, his wide, shining eyes trembling with anticipation. "I helped too, Shizun!" he exclaimed, his voice brimming with eagerness.
Xue Laohu sighed but allowed a small smile to tug at the corner of his lips. He reached out, patting Li Zhameng's head affectionately. "You did a good job too," he said, his tone carrying a rare note of approval.
Li Zhameng's entire demeanor lit up, and if his imaginary tail had been wagging before, it was now a blur of motion. Xue Laohu glanced back down at the fan, his fingers brushing over the design as a faint warmth flickered in his chest.
"A-Tuzi… did you pierce your tongue?" Xue Laohu asked casually, his tone calm but laced with faint curiosity. He'd caught a glimmer of something shimmering inside Xue Tuzi's mouth earlier when he spoke. At first, he thought it might have been a piece of candy or a trick of the light, but the idea that it could be a jewel piqued his interest enough to inquire.
Xue Tuzi's eyes widened in alarm as his hand shot up to cover his mouth. "How did Shizun know?" he mumbled, his voice muffled behind his palm. His ears burned red as he inwardly cursed himself for the foolish question. Of course, his Shizun would know—Xue Laohu's insight was unmatched. He could see through anyone as if they were made of glass.
To Xue Tuzi's surprise, Xue Laohu gasped dramatically. "I was right?!" he exclaimed, his tone betraying his genuine astonishment. "It was just a wild guess!" He clasped his hands behind his back, adopting an almost innocent posture as they began walking out of the cave. His curiosity, however, refused to relent. "How… why…" Xue Laohu started to ask, his voice trailing off as he glanced at Xue Tuzi, awaiting an explanation.
But Xue Tuzi, desperate to steer the conversation away from his impulsive piercing, quickly interjected. "Shizun must be starving. I made some dumplings before coming here."
Xue Laohu gave him a sidelong glance, sensing the deliberate shift in subject but choosing not to press further—for now. Instead, he raised his hand to shield his eyes, squinting as the bright sunlight greeted him after three days of seclusion. The warmth of the sun on his face was momentarily soothing, but the tranquility of the moment was shattered by the sound of swords unsheathing and a loud voice reverberating through the clearing.
"Hold it right there!" the voice commanded, echoing with authority.
Xue Laohu, Xue Tuzi, and Li Zhameng froze, their gazes snapping to the source of the interruption. A group of Elders stood before them, their weapons drawn and gleaming under the sun, each blade pointed directly at the trio.
"We have reason to suspect that you, Grandmaster Xue, are an imposter!"