Hen Zhen’s love value had long been stuck at the peak of 99.
Xin Hexue’s memory was fragmented, but based on his understanding of Hen Zhen’s personality and patterns, the value had likely been stuck at that number for a long time without progress.
As for the heartbreak value, perhaps due to the increase in jealousy, it rose quickly and effortlessly, nearly synchronized with the love value and hitting 99.
Xin Hexue knew that maxing out the final values could be easy or difficult.
Based on his experience from the last world, it usually resolved during the short buffer time after choosing to exchange for a painless world exit procedure.
Hen Zhen’s values were rising too easily, so Xin Hexue didn’t plan to give him any more sweet rewards at this point.
To put it bluntly, whether he did or didn’t, Hen Zhen would still circle around him like a loyal dog.
So, Xin Hexue pressed down Hen Zhen’s brothers fiercely, his expression emotionless. “Don’t dirty my pool water.”
Hen Zhen’s senses were bombarded. Veins bulged violently on his forehead and arms, beads of sweat slid down his jawline, and his face twisted between pain and pleasure.
He held Xin Hexue in a tight embrace and lowered his head to nuzzle the crook of his neck in a posture that carried a hint of submission in the animal world.
The area on the young man’s neck that was rubbed turned faintly pink, and when paired with his cool white skin, the image looked delicate and beautiful, like porcelain enamel.
Xin Hexue pushed his head away. “Not doing it. Let go.”
Hen Zhen gave up regretfully. “Alright.”
……
Hen Zhen failed during the day. At night, Xin Hexue returned to the bedroom to sleep as usual…and Hen Zhen shamelessly followed.
Xin Hexue only soaked in water during the day to nourish his tail during the shedding period.
At night, he had to sleep in bed.
Hen Zhen believed this habit was no different from that of a human and must’ve come from spending too much time with that poor scholar.
Xin Hexue suddenly remembered something and asked, “Did you carve the statue outside in the main hall?”
Hen Zhen raised an eyebrow. “Mm, what do you think? Is it good?”
Xin Hexue: “…It’s alright.”
He just hadn’t expected Hen Zhen to have the patience and skill for such a delicate craft.
After all, the other party seemed constantly entangled in karma and teetering on the edge of mental instability. It was hard to imagine such a bloody great demon actually sitting still to carve a statue.
Xin Hexue looked out the window. There was neither snow nor wind tonight.
He heard the sound of fireworks and firecrackers from faraway in the capital.
It was the beginning of the first month. Throughout the New Year, temples and Daoist altars in and around the capital would hold offerings and ceremonies. The temple fairs would continue until the sixteenth of the month.
Xin Hexue: “Put the statue away.”
Hen Zhen sat down at the edge of the bed. “No.”
Xin Hexue looked at him sideways. “Then what do you plan to do? Leave the statue there in the main hall? Are you going to build me an altar and offer incense?”
Hen Zhen raised his eyebrows slightly. “Why not? Mortals worship their gods and Buddhas. I worship my Bodhisattva.”
He leaned close to Xin Hexue and said earnestly, “I’m hoping the Little Fish Bodhisattva will bless me often, so he won’t have to spend every day saving people, disasters, and poor scholars.”
Xin Hexue was too lazy to continue arguing with him. Hen Zhen did whatever he pleased and spoke just as carelessly.
He replied perfunctorily, “Do as you like.”
People worshipping gods and Buddhas was normal. But worshipping demons?
Even if it had happened, it was only in stories about fox demons disguising themselves as statues to receive incense.
A case like Hen Zhen was probably the first since the beginning of time.
He turned a page of the scroll. Because he was shedding scales, the lower half of his body remained in fishtail form and he hadn’t changed into legs.
Most of the scales on his tail had already shed, revealing tender new scales underneath that were not yet hardened. They were not yet hard, but pinkish, soft, and flexible.
He sprawled on the brocade blanket without moving, the itchiness was really bothering him.
Xin Hexue’s brows furrowed slightly, and his peripheral vision suddenly caught what Hen Zhen was holding.
Under the moonlight and candle glow, it shimmered faintly.
Xin Hexue asked in surprise, “Why are you collecting my scales?”
Hen Zhen replied righteously, “To keep them, of course.”
The curve of Hen Zhen’s lips widened. “Shouldn’t treasures be collected?”
He opened his palm. Snow-white scales were stacked layer by layer like waves, strung together into a chain by a fine silver thread.
The scales had long lost their spiritual power after shedding and had no practical use.
But they were still dazzlingly beautiful.
Hen Zhen: “This was your first time shedding scales, right?”
Xin Hexue couldn’t understand his perverted thinking. To him, the shed scales held no value. Like snake skins, even though he didn’t want to equate himself with the terrifying and evil image of venomous snakes, it was a similar act. So these scales were no different than discarded snake skins and were meant to be thrown away.
He forced out a light “Mm” from his throat.
Seeing Xin Hexue didn’t deny it, Hen Zhen carefully put away the string of snow scales with a surprisingly gentle motion. His gaze was calm. “It’s very meaningful for a collection. Since you didn’t want them, you can’t stop me from picking them up, right?”
He had bent over the mountain spring pool for a long time before gathering all the scales.
Xin Hexue: “…Suit yourself.”
He unconsciously scratched at his tail with a fingertip.
The newly grown scales itched.
Shedding scales had drained much of Xin Hexue’s spiritual power, and the power within his danxin was almost depleted.
For the scales to regrow properly, they had to shed the pink and become as white and strong as before. Without spiritual power to support this, this process could take years.
Even just the itching during growth was enough to be maddening.
Xin Hexue looked at Hen Zhen.
Hen Zhen understood immediately but pretended not to. “Are your scales very itchy?”
Xin Hexue pursed his lips slightly and silently laid his tail fin gently into Hen Zhen’s palm.
His previously half-lowered eyelids lifted, the eyes behind the long eyelashes quietly watching the other party.
He didn’t need to say a word, and Hen Zhen was already dizzy and spellbound.
His Adam’s apple rolled up and down uncontrollably, and he cleared his throat, trying to appear valuable.
Heh, he had to let Xin Hexue know he wasn’t someone to be beckoned or dismissed so casually.
“You don’t want to?” Xin Hexue asked, tilting his head slightly. His soft hair slipped off his shoulder naturally, casting a hazy shadow in the candlelight.
Hen Zhen fell silent for a while before parting his lips and saying, “Snake saliva has anti-itch effects. Can I lick it?”
Xin Hexue pressed down on his head and gave a direct, indifferent command. “Lick.”
……
It had been a long time since they last did this sort of thing.
It was rosy, wet, small, and tight, so Hen Zhen struggled a little to stretch it open.
When it had expanded to about the width of three fingers, Xin Hexue’s newly reformed legs suddenly wrapped around Hen Zhen’s waist.
The world spun, and the scene flipped. Hen Zhen saw the high beams of the ceiling, then refocused…Xin Hexue was straddling his waist.
Water glistened on the tightened muscles.
Hen Zhen’s gaze was glued to that snow-white waist, unable to look away.
He reached out, and his large hands easily encircled it. It was slender and soft, with smooth lines.
Xin Hexue pushed his hands away. His light pink lips finally flushed red. Looking down from above, he said, “I’ll do it myself.”
Hen Zhen’s gaze froze instantly.
Xin Hexue could feel the object behind him pulse twice excitedly.
‘Truly, snakes are really lustful.’
Xin Hexue cursed in his heart.
Exactly because of this, he worried Hen Zhen would go out of control.
One round of spiritual power was already enough.
Xin Hexue raised his hips slightly, his brows knitting into a curve, making his expression look as if he were solving an extremely important problem.
Hen Zhen pushed his luck and asked eagerly, “Ah Xue… can it be two?”
Xin Hexue’s concentration was broken by his sudden question, and his movement went a bit off. In an instant, half of it slipped in, and a muffled groan escaped his chest.
His breath shattered instantly, and his whole body trembled. His waist trembled the most, like a willow branch swaying in the wind.
Xin Hexue pinched the muscles of Hen Zhen’s arm hard and gritted his teeth. “Shut up.”
When he tensed, Hen Zhen suffered too…he felt like his brother was going to die.
Hen Zhen gently stroked the slender back to comfort Xin Hexue.
But when the young man softened slightly, Hen Zhen still couldn’t help himself and chuckled. “Ah Xue, yours and mine… have merged into one.”
Xin Hexue took a deep breath, closed his eyes.
And slapped him.
……
The imperial examinations were scheduled for the thirteenth day of the second month this year.
On the thirteenth, young candidates would arrive at the Ministry of Rites’ southern examination compound at dawn. The exam began before light and lasted until the third stick of incense burned out in the evening, spanning a whole day and half a night.
So they had to bring many things: candles for light, charcoal for warmth, meal containers for breakfast and dinner etc.
On the night of the twelfth, a waning moon hung in the sky, gradually dipping lower. In two and a half hours, it would be time for the candidates to enter the exam hall.
Xin Hexue stepped into the compound.
At the corner of the courtyard stood a sycamore tree, its branches splitting chaotically, giving off an eerie, ghostly feeling.
Xin Hexue caught the scent of karmic residue in the ghostly aura.
It seemed the examination venue wasn’t all that secure. Even the wooden gate of the hall wasn’t sealed. This saved him some trouble, so Xin Hexue directly pushed the door open from the entrance.
A heavy creak rang out.
Dust stirred in the dim air, floating in the gloom.
A pale green-faced examination ghost hung upside down from the beam. “Waaah!”
Xin Hexue leaned back slightly. “…”
The ghost didn’t expect someone to be unafraid. Its greenish face split open in the middle, baring a gaping bloody mouth, growling in a hoarse voice.
Xin Hexue crossed his arms. “…Hen Zhen.”
The ghost inexplicably sensed a “release the hound” kind of energy.
Examination ghost: ?
A man emerged from the half-lit shadows outside. His snake eyes glowed red, wrapped in black karmic residue…looking more like a soul seeking ghost than it.
His gaze was so sharp it seemed tangible, cold and grim as a Yama.
Hen Zhen said with a cold tone, “You scared him?”
Examination ghost: ?
The young man doesn’t look scared at all, can’t you see it with your eyes?
Xin Hexue looked sideways toward the moonlit sky and ordered Hen Zhen, “Do it.”
The ghost immediately dropped from the beam in panic.
When did the examination hall become such a popular place that a koi demon and a snake demon wanted to compete with it for territory?
It just wanted to eat a couple scholars and fill its stomach!
The sky was faintly bright, and only officials going to court and exam takers roamed the streets. Lanterns swayed high and low.
At the third quarter of the fifth watch, the drums of Shuntian Gate beat. Golden rays of spring sunlight spilled from the horizon, and the street echoed with the uneven beat of drums.
