Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Xiu Jixin observed Xue Zhao's reaction, a smirk playing on his lips. "Don't be afraid," he said, "I'll hide it well."

He then straightened his sleeves and left the courtyard first.

Xue Zhao watched longingly from the window until Xiu Jixin vanished from sight.

[System]: Alright, alright, calm down.

[System]: Time to get down to business.

Yesterday's failed potion-making had already wasted a day. Today, they needed to make up for lost time.

Soon after, Xue Zhao also emerged from the courtyard and followed the path away.

He first attended to his new duties: fetching a watering can from the utility room, watering several flowerbeds, and pulling out some weeds.

Other assistants who knew Xue Zhao simply assumed he had returned to his post as a formal assistant after a few days away.

With the flowerbeds watered, Xue Zhao found himself with nothing else to do for the moment.

He wandered around, didn't spot the black cat, and Xiu Jixin appeared to be in the confessional with several residents.

This was a good opportunity, so Xue Zhao decided to prepare the talisman items.

[System]: I've made a list.

First, the materials for drawing talismans. The fallen leaves Xue Zhao had collected yesterday were too fresh and not quite suitable for demonic spells.

To achieve better results, additional materials were needed, with blood-scented items being the top choice.

However, such items were certainly not available in the church. Xue Zhao settled for less, sneaking an egg from the kitchen and finding a few rotten vegetable leaves.

He also gathered half a ceramic flowerpot from the utility room, a small lump of moist soil, and a stone.

Finally, he collected many more fallen leaves, but this time Xue Zhao specifically chose those that were yellowish and had been on the ground for a longer time.

The church staff were busy, and no one noticed Xue Zhao's actions.

Once all the materials were collected, Xue Zhao took them to the utility room.

He closed the utility room door, and the system immediately activated the Load Save Item.

[Entered Load Save Item space, Load Save time: 1 second]

Xue Zhao placed all the materials on the table, smashed the egg and rotten vegetable leaves with the stone, then mixed them with the moist soil. Finally, he pricked his arm with the utility room scissors and added a few drops of blood.

Once thoroughly mixed, these items became the "ink" for drawing talismans.

With this done, Xue Zhao cleaned the stone to use as a pen, dipping it in the "ink" to draw talismans on the leaves.

As soon as a talisman was drawn on a leaf, the "ink" dried, and the slowly condensing demonic energy emitted a dark glow.

Xue Zhao set the leaf aside and continued drawing the next one.

This time, new ingredients were added to the materials, and each talisman drawing consumed more of Xue Zhao's own energy.

After drawing ten, he opened his panel and saw that his health had dropped by 5 points.

[System]: Forty more to go.

A total of fifty talismans would consume 25 health points. Fortunately, Xue Zhao's current health was abundant.

During a break, Xue Zhao's gaze unconsciously fell on his empty wrist.

Without his tail by his side, he would occasionally think about it, but it seemed...

Aside from his own concern, there was no other discomfort.

Xue Zhao touched his lower back through his clothes, lowered his head, and continued drawing talismans.

But he forgot that the flow of time in the Load Save Item space was different from the outside world.

Including the time he stopped to rest, two hours later, Xue Zhao finally completed all the talismans.

He rested for a while, allowing the demonic energy in the utility room to dissipate.

Finally, Xue Zhao temporarily hid the talisman items and the ceramic flowerpot in a corner.

His current job was to water the flowerbeds daily, and he was also responsible for cleaning the utility room. Other assistants generally wouldn't come here to rummage through things.

After hiding them, Xue Zhao opened his panel again.

His health was 43 points last night, but now it was only 18 points.

And as he watched, it dropped by another 1 point.

17 points... In the past, Xue Zhao would have thought that was a lot.

But perhaps it was because it had once exceeded 40 points, greatly increasing the upper limit.

When his health suddenly increased last night, Xue Zhao felt a bit unaccustomed. Now, in the Load Save Item space, as his health suddenly decreased, he also felt a bit unaccustomed.

Xue Zhao returned to the low table by the window, sat down, and stared blankly, unconsciously caressing his empty arm.

[System]: Alright, the demonic energy has mostly dissipated.

Xue Zhao sluggishly "hmm"-ed and stood up, ready to leave.

The moment he opened the utility room door, the system deactivated the Load Save Item.

A cool breeze blew in, and Xue Zhao took a deep breath.

He had been inside for two hours, but only one second had passed outside.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the church.

A resident had just left, leaving Xiu Jixin alone in the confessional.

He raised his eyes slightly and looked out the window.

His right sleeve also moved, and the tail wrapped around his hand was restless, as if sensing a change in its owner's state.

Xiu Jixin raised his hand, and the tail again, as before, rested its tip on his palm, appearing docile and obedient.

Although Xue Zhao had said not to touch his tail, still...

This was a gesture of intimacy, a request for a caress.

Perhaps sometimes, the tail was more honest than its owner.

Xiu Jixin stared at the tip of the tail resting on his palm for a moment, then gently caressed it with his fingers.

Touched by him, the tail seemed very happy, arching forward like a cat poking its head out.

At the utility room door, Xue Zhao immediately felt something unusual.

He stood blankly in place, not moving for a long time, a faint blush slowly spreading across his cheeks.

Then, Xue Zhao hurriedly turned and returned to the utility room, hugging his knees and squatting in the corner.

The system was puzzled and quickly asked, "What's wrong? Are you still tired?"

Xue Zhao lowered his head, and after a long time, he stammered, "It seems... it's the tail."

It was the feeling from last night when his tail was touched...

The skin where the demonic mark was located felt faintly warm, as if someone had wrapped it in a warm palm and gently caressed it, spreading throughout his body.

In a trance, Xue Zhao had the illusion that his tail was still on him.

The system didn't react, "What about the tail?"

By then, that feeling had disappeared.

Xue Zhao took a breath, the blush still on his face, and he was a little unhappy.

He had clearly said not to touch it...

Xue Zhao's fingertips, gripping his sleeve, tightened and then loosened, and he suddenly stood up.

He was truly worried and had to go see it.

Xue Zhao took a few deep breaths, reopened the door, stood at the intersection for a while, and then continued walking.

The system also understood: "Hmm... your health just dropped, so it's fine to go find him now."

At this time, Xiu Jixin was probably busy. Xue Zhao went to the confessional and indeed saw him inside.

He stood in front of the hall, talking to a resident. After the resident left, another assistant came looking for him.

Xue Zhao entered through the side door, hiding at a distance to observe secretly.

Xiu Jixin was as usual, with his customary cold demeanor, his collar and cuffs meticulously fastened.

Xue Zhao watched for a long time, but the tail was definitely hidden, and he couldn't see anything.

He thought he would wait a little longer, until the assistant also left, and the confessional became quiet.

Xiu Jixin looked sideways and called, "Xue Zhao."

Discovered by him, Xue Zhao couldn't hide anymore and slowly walked out, lingering by the window.

Xiu Jixin stepped forward and took his hand: "Did you come to find me?"

Xue Zhao nodded gently, hesitated for a long time, and then whispered something.

His voice was so soft that Xiu Jixin didn't seem to hear him. He bent down and leaned closer: "What?"

Xue Zhao's ears turned red, and he bravely said, "Did you... did you touch it?"

He was clearly unhappy, his words carrying a hint of accusation and a touch of questioning.

Xiu Jixin chuckled, "Touched what?"

He knew the answer but asked anyway, making Xue Zhao even more unhappy, his beautiful black eyes glaring.

Xiu Jixin slowly stopped smiling, raised his hand, and pinched Xue Zhao's cheek: "What were you doing just now?"

This question immediately made Xue Zhao deflate like a punctured ball.

He panicked for a moment, then tried to calm down: "Nothing... I was in the utility room."

Xiu Jixin's question seemed to imply he had discovered Xue Zhao's little actions, making Xue Zhao feel a bit guilty.

The system comforted him: "Don't be afraid, we have the Load Save Item. We only stayed in the utility room for one second."

Xiu Jixin knew Xue Zhao's strength best. What kind of mischief could such a weak demon do in one second?

Indeed, Xiu Jixin didn't delve deeper, merely giving a faint acknowledgment.

Xue Zhao breathed a sigh of relief and didn't dare to ask about the tail again.

Xiu Jixin asked again, "Didn't you say you wanted to visit Aunt Huai?"

"Yes," Xue Zhao replied, seeing him bring it up, "I'll... go this afternoon."

Xue Zhao indeed wanted to go, and he could also ask if Aunt Huai remembered any information about the sacred object.

"Do you want me to accompany you?" Xiu Jixin asked, "I'm not busy this afternoon."

They were close, and smelling the familiar scent, Xue Zhao unconsciously leaned into his arms.

If it were just a simple visit, Xue Zhao would definitely want Xiu Jixin to accompany him.

But he also wanted to find an opportunity to gather clues for the task, so it was best to act alone.

"No need," Xue Zhao shook his head, "I'll go by myself."

He hugged Xiu Jixin tightly and whispered, "Will you kiss me?"

His health had only dropped to 17 points, but it felt like it was in single digits.

But Xiu Jixin was right in front of him, and Xue Zhao felt that having a little more "food" wouldn't hurt.

Xue Zhao's eyes were filled with anticipation, looking a bit wilted compared to when they parted this morning.

Xiu Jixin stared at him for a moment, then lowered his head and kissed him.

The confessional door was open, and someone could come in at any time.

Xue Zhao was both shy and nervous, and yet the kiss lasted for a long time.

After it ended, he tilted his face up, breathing in small gasps, and Xiu Jixin continued to kiss him, little by little, kissing away the moisture from his lips.

[Health gained 13 points]

[Health gained 3 points]

...

[Health gained 3 points]

It continuously increased by a total of 28 points, even more than what was lost before. Xue Zhao finally came to his senses, turned his head to dodge, and the last kiss landed on his cheek.

[Health gained 3 points]

His health was already at 48 points.

The system was unblocked and looked at the panel, wanting to speak but hesitating.

Who was it that said they could only kiss once a day?

Xiu Jixin stroked Xue Zhao's cheek: "Better now?"

Xue Zhao rubbed his palm, answering innocently, "Mm."

"Be good, don't mess around," Xiu Jixin whispered again, "Otherwise, I won't indulge you anymore."

His words were a warning, but his tone was somewhat gentle, not at all fierce.

Xue Zhao was still immersed in the sweet scent of "food," even forgetting his original purpose for coming here.

He nodded in agreement, as if he was truly well-behaved and hadn't done anything.

With no one around, Xue Zhao continued to bury himself in Xiu Jixin's arms until his health increased by another 1 point.

When footsteps were heard outside the hall, he quietly left through the side door.

—

In the afternoon, Xue Zhao went to the utility room to confirm that all the hidden items were still there.

He fetched water, watered all the flowerbeds, and decided to visit Aunt Huai first.

Making the potion after returning might not leave enough time, but Xiu Jixin had asked, so Xue Zhao couldn't refuse.

[System]: We can only do it tomorrow.

[System]: If all goes well, we'll find Father Yuan Zhu tomorrow and complete the task.

While wandering around in the morning, Xue Zhao had secretly observed that another assistant was now responsible for preparing medicine for Father Yuan Zhu, occasionally checking the room but not constantly guarding the courtyard.

So, Xue Zhao closed the utility room, left the church alone, and headed to Aunt Huai's residence.

Aunt Huai had been out gathering herbs a few days ago, and the herbs she brought back were all stored yesterday. Today, she was free and not busy.

Seeing Xue Zhao return to visit her, she was very happy. She pulled him to sit down, brought out several plates of pastries and snacks, and then went to pour tea.

"How is it at the church?" Aunt Huai asked with concern, "You're a formal assistant now, so you must work diligently and try not to make mistakes."

Xue Zhao felt embarrassed to tell her that his job was actually very simple, just watering the flowerbeds every day.

Fortunately, Aunt Huai quickly changed the subject, talking about how much more peaceful the town had become recently, with fewer accidents than before.

Xue Zhao held his teacup and took the opportunity to ask about the purpose of his visit.

Aunt Huai frowned, recalling carefully: "A foreign object falling from the sky? A sign of blessing?"

"Yes," Xue Zhao said, "I overheard it by chance and was a bit curious."

"Who told you?" Aunt Huai shook her head, "I've been in the town all along, and I've never heard of such a thing."

This time, it was Xue Zhao's turn to look confused. She had been in the town all along, but hadn't heard of it?

It was clearly written on the announcement found in the medical hall. Could it be that too much time had passed, and Aunt Huai had forgotten?

However, the matter of going to the medical hall could not be known by outsiders, and Xue Zhao certainly couldn't say that he had seen it in an announcement from many years ago.

[System]: That shouldn't be. This should be a big deal. How could there be no impression at all?

[System]: It seems the only way is to make the potion and wake up Father Yuan Zhu.

Aunt Huai refilled Xue Zhao's cup with tea and said, "In our town, we can't really say there's been any blessing. Too many things have happened in recent years, but thankfully we have the Father..."

Xue Zhao listened attentively, drank half a cup of tea, and when the time was right, prepared to return to the church.

Aunt Huai saw him out of the room, and they walked down the stairs together, she leading the way: "I haven't had much time these past few days, but once the new dried fruits are sun-dried..."

Suddenly, Aunt Huai's voice trailed off, and her footsteps halted.

The downstairs door was tightly shut, and in an instant, a large expanse of dark shadow enveloped the entire stairwell.

Xue Zhao's pupils constricted, and he immediately retreated a few steps.

[System]: Not good.

[System]: She's possessed.

Aunt Huai stood in the middle of the stairs, slowly turned around, and her eyes, staring at Xue Zhao, turned dark red.

She revealed a smile, and her voice became strangely low and deep: "We meet again."

[System]: It's that Shadow Demon from last time.

Xue Zhao's breath trembled, his back pressed tightly against the wall.

The person who was so familiar moments ago had now become a vessel for a demon. He found it hard to accept for a moment, even forgetting his fear.

"You still look so weak," the Shadow Demon scrutinized Xue Zhao, taking stiff steps, "Last time I was careless and you managed to break open the door."

And after lurking for so long, it had secretly accumulated power and found a suitable human to possess, finally daring to return to the town.

It had originally thought of finding an opportunity to capture Xue Zhao, but it didn't expect Xue Zhao to deliver himself to its doorstep.

Seeing the Shadow Demon approach, Xue Zhao turned to try and escape, but a black Shadow Demon claw rose from the ground, blocking his path.

At this moment, there was a sudden movement from above.

The black cat jumped from the adjacent rooftop, vigilantly scanning its surroundings, twitching its nose to search for Xue Zhao's scent.

The Shadow Demon's expression changed, and its tone became unfriendly: "You came so quickly?"

"However, I've already changed my mind," it retracted its claw, "I'm not going to turn you into a vessel."

Before the black cat could break in, the Shadow Demon said to Xue Zhao, "You're looking for the sacred object, aren't you? I heard everything just now."

"I know where the sacred object is... If you cooperate with me, I might consider telling you."

"If you don't agree..."

It sneered, its voice full of menace: "That church Father, if he finds out you're a demon and also wants the sacred object... how do you think you'll die?"

Author's note:

The little demon who just kissed the Father this morning and had his tail secretly touched: ...