《Why is the Holy Son So Delicate?》


 CH 1

    The sun shine brightly at 7 o''clock on this sunny morning. The door to the Church of the God of Light were opened.


    Countless believers rushed in just to seize the best seat to fully listen to the singing of the Holy Son.


    Today is the annual Advent Day. The Lord Lucifer will personally lead the believers to sing hymns. They look forward to it excitedly. When the bell rings, a person wearing a white robe embroidered with golden silk roses slowly walk towards the high platform.


    This is an extremely beautiful young man, with a long, silky hair as radiant as gold. At the first sight of him, everyone will be shocked by that out-of-this-world appearance of his.


    His brows, eyes, nose and lips. There is no place that is not exquisite and beautiful. His beauty had a pure and holy touch, and is beyond the gender barriers. A pure and straightforward beauty.


    His blue eyes looked at his believers tolerantly. All those who were swept by his eyes were so excited as if they were about to faint. His hands that were as white as jade without a trace of dust were folding in front of his chest, whispering the prayer. Soon after, there is a divine and warm rays of light that scattered.


    Lord Lucifer!


    The believers folded their hands together, full of excitement. But they did not dare to shout loudly, lest they disturb the Holy Son.


    Afterwards, Lucifer began to lead the believers to sing the hymns. The pure and ethereal singing echoed in the church, surrounding the people. Hearing this song, everyone revealed a peaceful look. As if in their closed eyes, they had seen the location of the heaven.


    Except for one person. That is, Lord Pesha, Lucifer''s personal knight!


    Pei Xia Christian, dressed in simple and exquisite silver armor, stood beneath the prayer table, impassively and dutifully scanning every possible anomaly.


    The hymn gradually come to an end. Great, it''s safe today...... Wait, what''s that!


    When the last line of the hymn was finished, Lucifer opened his azure eyes. He gave a perfect smile to the believers, then gently bent down and saluted. Just as he turned to walk off the stage, a foreign object accompanied by a scream came at him,


    ¡°Your Holiness, please accept my love!¡±


    The foreign object flew into a parabolic line, and flew precisely towards Lucifer. Just when it was about to fall on Lucifer, a silver light flashed and split it in half.


    ¡°Your Holiness, are you okay?¡±


    It was Pei Xia, who rushed over with quick eyes and hands. And with one hand around the waist of the Holy Son, he turned half a circle to block him behind. He then backhandedly drew his sword to split the foreign object into two halves.


    He asked the person behind him seriously, and his eyes stare to the ground where there were a few broken roses.


    ¡°Ah¡ª¡±


    ¡°Who is it? Who dares to attack the Holy One?!¡±


    The believers were in disarray and began to spontaneously search for the bastard who were harassing the Holy Son. Pei Xia blushed with shame. He sighed while lamenting that Lucifer really deserved to be the Author Father''s beloved son, while on the other hand escorting him towards the back of the church.


    ¡°Thanks for your hard work, Pei Xia.¡± Lucifer half leaned into his arms, blinking his eyes and smiled, "You''re such a brave knight."


    Pei Xia froze for a moment and immediately reacted that the leader was complimenting himself. Because they already left the chaotic church and was now very safe in the courtyard. He withdraw his hand back and straightened his body, saluted to Lucifer with the most standard gesture and seriously assured him,


    ¡°Your Holiness, please rest assured. I will certainly not forget my original intention and continue to study hard and practice hard to become a qualified Holy Knight.¡±


    While still maintaining a slightly backward and soft posture, Lucifer gazed at him and slowly smiled, "......What a good boy, I really did not misjudge you."


    Pei Xia also smiled, inwardly relieved. Sure enough, leaders like to have the conscientious subordinates.


    Pei Xia, the new Holy Knight who took office only two days ago, was named by Lucifer to be his own personal guard, which immediately made him attract the jealousy and targeting of countless people. But Pei Xia is not afraid, and even more and more determined to stay by Lucifer''s side.


    The story begins a year ago, and even in another world.


    .....


    A year ago, Pei Xia was an Earth nerd, then he woke up and suddenly transmigrate over.


    If Pei Xia knew that he would go into the brainless dog blood novel that he read before going to bed, and become the cannon fodder of the same name as himself, he would have thrown his phone into the refrigerator to calm it down.


    Unfortunately, it was too late. When he realized, he had already transmigrated.


    After waking up in a daze, Pei Xia saw a European classical style bedroom, and he was lying on a neat and soft bed. Not far from the bed stood a carved round mirror, and Pei Xia saw a teenage face inside the mirror that was very similar to his own but more exquisite.


    Suddenly, there was a stabbing pain in the brain, and fragmented pieces of memory poured in......


    When Pei Xia finished digesting those memory fragments, he sadly discovered that the original owner of this body, Pei Xia Christian, was a cannon fodder in the brainless novel he read before going to bed!


    In this dog blood and brainless western fantasy novel, the cannon fodder Pei Xia is a down and out small nobleman. He has a very pure body and was possessed by the evil spirit. Then he look for trouble with the male protagonist and was purified into dust with holy light.


    But wait! If being possessed by an external soul = being possessed by an evil spirit, doesn''t that make him equal to an evil spirit?


    Pei Xia couldn''t help but fall into contemplation.


    But soon, he was sure he didn''t count as an evil spirit¡ª because there was no such demon that is as weak as him!


    The memory fragments that Pei Xia obtained were very obscure, and the only function was to recognize people. So Pei Xia knew there were only three servants: the butler Old Jack, the manservant Frank and the maid Annie; but had no idea how the original owner Pei Xia got along with them.


    Pei Xia who pretends to trembling with fear all day long, woke up in the middle of the night. He squinted to see a hideous shadow at the head of the bed. The horrible odor made his soul trembled with terror. At this moment, he realized that he was powerless in front of the devil.


    The demon shadow said suspiciously, "Strange, how can there be the breath of other demon, did the prey got marked by other demon? Tsk.... Robbing it doesn''t seem like a good idea. But if he''s alive tomorrow night, I will have to enjoy it unceremoniously jie jie jie jie jie*!"


    After laughing, the demonic shadow then left. Pei Xia lay there with his stiff body covered in cold sweat, not daring to move to until the sun rises.


    The moment the sun shone through the window into the house, he jumped up and rushed downstairs with a big dark circle under his eyes.


    ¡°From now on, I will be the most devout believer of the God of Light!¡±


    Because the Master is too young and only know how to play without thinking, the financial situation of the family increasingly severe and eventually had to lay off a large number of staff to maintain life. The last three surviving servants were astonished.


    But no matter how much they tried to persuade their Master to calm down, Pei Xia remained firm in his determination to go to the Church of God.


    Love is precious, freedom is more expensive, but if it''s for life, both can be thrown away! He wants to go to church and hug the protagonist''s thigh!


    Pei Xia knows that this is a world with the existence of magic and gods. Magicians have a high status among ordinary people. Among them, the status of Light Magicians also known as Holy Magicians is the most majestic. Because in this world, humans generally believe in the God of Light.


    This novel''s male protagonist is the Holy Son from the church of the God of Light. The novel describes him as having a beautiful appearance, divine temperament, good heart and great strength, but also coveted by countless people, including women and men. So Pei Xia several times back to the work details page to determine its classification as "no cp1" rather than danmei2.


    The novel once described how the high level Demon dared to invade even the Church of the God of Light, and that the protagonist''s, Lucifer, has the most powerful light magic, and that he alone could eliminate the high level Demon completely.


    Therefore, the best way that Pei Xia can think of to let him live smoothly is to enter the church of God of Light and get closer to Lucifer. He doesn''t expect Lucifer to be close to him, but only hopes that the other person can see him as a colleague and will help if there is any difficulties.


    But the reckless Pei Xia forgot that this was the Advent Day. According to the regulations, the Holy Son had to ride on a float today, tour around the Imperial City for half a day, and then return to the Church to lead the believers to sing hymns and prayers.


    When he rushed to the street, the lively crowd almost squeeze him into a meat pie. Pei Xia blankly follow the flow of people forward. Suddenly there was a burst of commotion ahead, with the crowd surging back and forth like a sea waves.


    A luxurious float surrounded by flowers slowly drove into view. The float is huge, and there were priests on either side of the float, holding silver pots. They kept waving outward the holy water soaked with rose petals. There was a high platform in the middle. Pei Xiao couldn''t help but squint when he saw a flash of golden light.


    When the golden light softened down, he finally could see the person in the center of the float, and is also the highest position - so beautiful!


    The illiterate Pei Xia was then shocked by the beauty who stood at the pinnacle of humanity. If he must use one word to describe him, then he would probably say: Angel!


    Blonde hair, blue eyes, holy and beautiful. How similar to the image of angels in the hearts of fools?


    Pei Xia even suspect that from many believers of the Church of the God of Light, a large part of them only wants to see the beauty of the Holy Son.


    Since the Holy Son appeared in a float, people are approaching him like crazy. Somehow, Pei Xia was squeezed to the side of the float, because Lucifer stood a little higher, his feet is about the height of Pei Xia''s waist.


    ¡°Long live the Holy Son!¡±


    At that time, everyone was shouting praises to Lucifer, only Pei Xia stood there blankly. When Lucifer looked around, Pei Xia subconsciously raised his head and just in time to meet with Lucifer''s line of sight.


    Both of them smiled at the same time. Lucifer smiled lovingly and Pei Xia smiled awkwardly. He saw a flash of confusion in Lucifer''s eyes, but it''s only for a short while so he didn''t delve into it. He saw him continue to face the other believers with a perfect smile.


    ¡°May God bless all living things.¡± He closed his eyes and pray.


    Just then, an angry voice came from the side, "You''re blocking me from seeing the Holy Son!"


    There was a sudden force. Pei Xia''s pupils shrank suddenly, and his body was unbalanced and staggered forward. He subconsciously stretched out his hand to grasp something and stabilized himself, as a result...


    With a whoosh, the world is silent.


    Pei Xia slowly looked up and saw the bare calf of the Holy Son.


    In the next second, the whole world was angry.


    Pei Xia was arrested as a bastard who attacked the Holy Son. People want to punish him, but the kind Lucifer stopped everyone. He not only did not turn him into dust with a light magic, but took Pei Xia back to the Church of God of Light. He then took his hand, tenderly and sincerely asked him what happened in the end.


    At that time, Pei Xia was moved by him. Apologizing with tears on his eyes, explaining that he really did not mean to do it.


    The holy light of Lucifer said, ¡°I know, I understand. Poor lost lamb. You are the one who is hurt by others!¡±


    Pei Xia: The protagonist is worthy to be the protagonist, look at this clear and bright eyes of the beauty. Look how kindhearted he is!


    Afterwards, Lucifer said that it was extremely regrettable that everyone had misunderstood that Pei Xia yet he didn''t have the chance to explained it on the spot. As a compensation, he will fulfill one of Pei Xia''s wish.


    With tears in his eyes, Pei asked, ¡°I can ask for anything?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Lucifer looked at him encouragingly.


    Pei Xia thought for a while and said, ¡°I want to be the most devout believer of the God of Light!¡±


    ¡°.....Okay.¡±


    It is possible, but the specific method of implementation must be based on reality. Lucifer said, the Church of God priests have been overcrowded. If he want to sign up, he probably have to queue until a hundred years later.


    Pei Xia said, I don''t have light magic, so please let me become a knight to stay inside the church and stay by your side!


    Lucifer then smiled: ¡°Okay. As long as the heart is pious, the identity is just a false name. But to become my personal guard, you have to be strong enough to do so.¡±


    So Pei Xia entered the Holy Knight training camp, where he endured a full year of hard training. From the once skinny white chicken, into a white boy with six pack abs!


    Can''t help it. He was born white, can''t get tan.


    After that, living up to his day and night private training efforts with excellent results, he was selected by Lucifer as his own personal knight.


    1. No CP = no couple/no pairing


    2. Danmei is BL

 CH 2

    Returns to the present.


    Pei Xia escorted Lucifer towards the resting side hall. Just like another annual Advent Day, at 10 o''clock when the sun is at its peak, Lucifer will leave the church in a float, touring... Around the Imperial Capital before coming back..


    They hadn''t gone more than a few steps when a young man dressed the same way as Pei Xia, but taller and stronger, with short, eye-catching red hair, rushed over.


    When the red-haired young man shouted the words "Your Holiness!", Pei Xia could not help but frown in pain, because he knew that there were about to be 10,000 ducks quacking in his and Lucifer''s ears at the same time.


    "Oh my God, the God of Light above. Are you okay, Holy Son?! Damn it, Pei Xia, you''re really not doing your duty. If it were me, I would have pulled out that damn bastard before he even threw the concealed weapon out! Pei Xia, you must reflect on yourself!"


    Because the red-haired youth was arranged to guard at the back entrance, he was not able to protect Lucifer immediately. So he came up and excitedly circled around Lucifer.


    The red-haired young man named Andrei, is also one of Lucifer''s personal guards, and also a supporting role in the book. As the Holy Son''s guardian knight, Andrei was lucky to get more opportunities to appear. Unfortunately, the author forcefully dropped his wisdom and made him into a foolish man with only the Holy Son in his brain.


    It is also because of Andrei''s strong admiration for Lucifer that Pei Xia suspected several times that the author was actually hiding in the closet1.


    Pei Xia knew that no matter what he said was useless, because Andrei''s load of words were essentially meant for Lucifer.


    So Pei Xia only muttered in a low voice: "It''s because you''re like this that His Holiness arranged for you to guard the back door."


    The next second, Pei Xia was nearly pierced by his jealous gaze, he touched his nose and stopped talking.


    Andrei said bitterly, "Holy Son, you really shouldn''t let this new rookie accompany you to face the believers. Only I can protect you perfectly."


    Lucifer''s smile remained unchanged as he turned toward the side hall: "Well, Andrei, Pei Xia has done a great job. Can you be quiet for a moment?"


    Andrei hung his head dejectedly: "......yes."


    Pei Xia glanced at Andrei with some sympathy. He still felt that Andrei was gay. Probably because Pei Xia himself is a gay guy, he couldn''t help but feel sad when he saw Andrei like this.


    In modern times, Pei Xia''s parents divorced and each remarried and had a new child. Pei Xia became a drag that both of them did not want. Then he grew up and accidentally exposed his sexual orientation, becoming even more despised by his parents.


    Pei Xia also developed a slightly cold personality. He no longer begs for family affection. As long as he can live a healthy and bland life is already enough.


    As for love...... this circle is somewhat messy. He also does not force it, just thinks about it. Maybe in the future he was lucky enough to meet his true love, and doesn''t have to be single for life is also quite good.


    Now that he came to another world, with his small life was still difficult to protect from the time being, he naturally had no energy to find the so-called true love. Not to mention that there is Lucifer on the side. Pei Xia feels that his aesthetic standards have been forced to skyrocket by him.


    If not for the fact that Lucifer is so beautiful that he believed that he was a shou2, and Pei Xia himself is also a shou, and shou x shou cannot be together. Maybe he will also love Lucifer bitterly like Andrei.


    "Ai!" Pei Xia followed Lucifer and brushed past Andrei. He couldn''t help but pat him on the shoulder, "My condolence."


    This is a no-cp3 novel, your love is destined to be fruitless.


    Andrei, "......" He showed a confused expression, "Condolence for what reason?"


    .....


    At ten o''clock, the Holy Son, Lord Lucifer got on the float and started to parade the street on time. Pei Xia guarded the float on the left side, and the crowd shook him with unstoppable force.


    "Long live the Holy Son!"


    "Your Holiness, I will follow you forever!"


    "May the God of Light bless His Holiness with eternal glory!"


    Pei Xia couldn''t help but wonder whether this group of people believed in the God of Light or Lucifer?


    Suddenly, there was a shout in the front. The crowd rioted. Lucifer frowned slightly, raised his hand lightly and the people unconsciously quietened down obediently.


    "Pei Xia, go and see what happened."


    "Yes!"


    Pei Xia ran to the front and found that there was a young girl who accidentally fell to the ground and was stepped on by the crowd several times. From her appearance, it looks very serious. Pei Xia didn''t think much, directly picked her up and ran back to the edge of the float.


    "Holy Son, she is injured!"


    "Don''t worry, it''s okay." Lucifer comforted him with a sentence, then cast his light magic. The gentle white light also fell on Pei Xia''s body, Pei Xia only felt warm and extra comfortable all over his body.


    Soon, the young girl in his arms woke up. She opened her eyes in a daze, and when she looked up, she was confronted with Lucifer''s gorgeous face: "...... ah!!! Your Holi-"


    Before she finished screaming in excitement, her eyes rolled over and she passed out again.


    Pei Xia, "......" This obsessive girl is terrible!


    He carried the young girl to the side of the road and put her down to shake her awake.


    At this time, the crowd on the street has begun a new round of praise. What pure and holy, great, glorious, kind, angel...... These are just the usual words that he was tired of hearing, Lucifer glanced up inadvertently and caught a glimpse of Pei Xia who is coming back to the side of the float with a faint dissatisfaction on his face.


    Lucifer couldn''t help but tilt his head and reveal a smile.


    ¡ª


    1. A person who hid their true s*xual orientation.


    2. Shou is uke/bottom.


    3. No CP = no couple/no pairing.


    At the end of the parade, it was already afternoon. Lucifer was very busy. He had to endure hunger and went to the church to pray with the believers. Afterwards he has to share the sacred wine and praise God. Then when the night fell, he set off the huge fireworks formed by the light magic......


    Anyway, by the time it was all over, it was already late at night.


    Pei Xia dutifully stood by his side and accompanied him through the hunger. And now, with the church door closed, they can finally have a good meal.


    As the most distinguished Holy Son, Lucifer has the qualification of independent dining. He and two other personal knights dine in a separate room.


    Because he was ordered not to talk during the meal, Andrei could only resist the desire to praise Lucifer.. Trying his best to look elegant and eat quickly.


    As a result, he had just put down his fork, wiped the grease from his mouth with a napkin, and was ready to praise the Holy Son while also praising the God of Light for the delicious meals. He saw Lucifer turn his head to look at himself very unusually and ask:


    "Full?"


    "Yes, Your Holiness!" Andrei answered excitedly.


    "Then you go out."


    "Huh?" Andrei was stupefied.


    Lucifair did not like to repeat himself a second time. He just smiled and looked at Andrei, who could not do anything. His excitement instantly turned into frustration, and he drifted out sulkily.


    At once, only Lucifer and Pei Xia were left at the small dining table.


    The candlelight is slightly dim, adding a touch of romance to the dimly lit room. Lucifer''s face seemed to carry its own holy light, and his long hair and eyes were shining.


    In comparison, Pei Xia''s short black hair looks a little dull, but he couldn''t see it himself. His pair of honey-colored eyes look more thick and sweet under the illumination of the yellow dim candlelight.


    "Pei Xia, are you angry?" Lucifer suddenly asked him. He held up a glass of sacred wine and shook it gently.


    "No." Pei Xia was taken aback. And although he refuted Lucifer''s statement, he still unconsciously stopped his movement of using his fork.


    Lucifer sighed softly, "But I can feel that you are angry inside."


    This is too godly. Is it really that obvious? Pei Xia was not very good at lying, and he explained somewhat awkwardly, "In fact, it''s not a serious matter, Your Holiness."


    "What is it?" Lucifer asked in a gentle voice. It was clearly a gentle tone, but it hides a hint of persecution. Enticing the knight in front of him, who was not good at lying, to speak from his heart.


    And Pei Xia, as he wished, slowly clenched his fist. Seemingly somewhat reluctant to face him, and he hung his head: "Your Holiness, I''ll admit it. Because what happened today also has something to do with you......"


    The corners of Lucifer''s perfect lips slightly raised an inconspicuous arc, "Continue."


    "I became aware......" Pei Xia took a deep breath and said, "That Your Holiness is very popular!"


    The hand shaking the glass glass subconsciously speeded up a bit, and a small whirlpool formed in the red wine. Lucifer said happily, "What else?"


    Pei Xia slapped down his fork, solemnly said, "So I think, Your Holiness obviously knows that he is so popular, and also has the ability to make the believers quiet, yet always let them crowded and chase you. This is not right!"


    Lucifer, "....."


    The hand shaking the cup stopped.


    Talking badly about the leader in front of him is probably an act of asking for trouble. But Pei Xia knows that Lucifer is a kind person who will cry because innocent people are hurt. So instead of having a more serious stampede accident in the future, he should be warned in advance so that he can avoid creating the tragedy himself. So that no one will get hurt and he won''t have to blame himself and feel guilty.


    Pei Xia plucked up enough courage to say the words. Since it has been said, it is too much of a loss if he does not say the whole thing, he spilled all the thoughts on his head.


    "The bigger the event, the more important it is to avoid accidents. I think that Your Holiness should restrain them. Whether it is to tell the believers that they should pray quietly, or to persuade them to stand still and wait and not always try to chase you from the beginning to the end...... Anyway, you are the leader, you can certainly do it!"


    After thinking about it, Pei Xia added: "Your Holiness is pure and kind, everyone must be able to understand."


    Lucifer, "....."


    Patter!


    With a crisp sound, the expensive and exquisite colored glaze fell to the ground and broke into numerous pieces. The dark wine spilled all over the floor. The sweet fragrance of wine filled the whole room.


    "Your Holiness!" Pei Xia was startled, and quickly stood up to come around to help him deal with the mess. But Lucifer bent down to pick up the debris first.


    "Ah."


    As Pei Xia hurried to his side, Lucifer let out a short cry of surprise. Then he straightened up with a slight frown and raised his hand.


    A little bead of bright red blood is emerging on his white and fair fingertips.


    "Pei Xia." Lucifer looked up at the black-haired, honey-eyed knight. His long blond hair hanging down behind him, his pale face like snow, and he said weakly, "I will take your advice, thank you very much."


    "No, no, it''s not important. We can talk about it later." Pei Xia couldn''t think of anything else right now and hurriedly took out a clean handkerchief and bent down to try to wipe his fingertips for him.


    However, the Holy Son''s finger withdrew a second before the white handkerchief touched it. And he placed it in front of his rose-like lips, extending his bright red tongue to lick it lightly and slowly.


    He looked at Pei Xia with pure eyes and didn''t seem to feel that there was anything wrong with his action.


    ¡ª


    Piao Piao:


    For those who were wondering whether the Holy Son is the ML or not and is he the shou/bottom or the gong/top, you can klick on the ''Details''


    Anyway, this is actually mentioned on the original summary.

 CH 3

    Chapter 3: Accidentally fell into the bath of the Holy Son.


    For a moment, Pei Xia felt a strange fluttering in his heart, because the person opposite was too seductive. Fortunately his will was strong enough to not let his eyes waver.


    Pei Xia, still bent over, maintaining a serious look while holding up a clean white handkerchief, "Your Holiness, is your hand okay?"


    Lucifer slightly lowered his eyes, a trace of fragility on his beautiful face, "It''s okay. It''s not serious."


    "Really?" Pei Xia couldn''t help but ask, "But why doesn''t the Holy Son use light magic to heal?"


    Lucifer smiled with difficulty, "......it''s alright already."


    "That''s good!" The handsome dark-haired knight breathed a sigh of relief.


    Although only a small wound, but appeared in the flawless Lucifer''s body, it is particularly dazzling. Judging from Lucifer''s habit of always being clean and tidy and taking a bath with rose petals, it is obvious that he will not make himself appear lousy.


    Him dropping the wine cup today is already a big surprise.


    Pei Xia is a little sorry. Probably no one has ever said words like "You are not right" to Lucifer before, so he is not able to accept it for a while?


    However, Pei Xia still believes that Lucifer will not hold a grudge against him. After all, he is so kind and considerate.


    He found a broom dustpan to clean the floor. The glass fragments and wine stains disappeared, but the smell of wine still permeates the air. Especially from Lucifer, whose robes are almost soaked by the strong smelling wine.


    Lucifer sighed softly and stood up. His white robe draped on the ground, he said, "Pei Xia, I have something to tell you."


    "What is it?" The competent knight asked as he stood by his side.


    "The pope and the elders have unanimously decided to let me make a missionary tour around the continent, starting from the imperial capital the day after tomorrow, while checking the work of the God of Light branch churches."


    Pei Xia tensed his body at once. He did not show any difference and tried his best to make himself look calm, "Yes, Your Holiness."


    "This time, I want you to go with me."


    He just mentions him, does that mean he will not let Andrei follow?


    Pei Xia was a little surprised. He still remembers that the novel began with Lucifer''s missionary tour on the mainland, and that the Knight who stood by him was Andrei.


    In the original plot, Pei Xia has not yet appeared at this time. And when he appears in the future, he will not be his current identity.


    Let''s just say that he, a butterfly from another world, has accidentally fanned out a tornado with his wings.


    Of course, Pei Xia will never refuse Lucifer''s request. Not to mention Lucifer himself takes the initiative to mention it. Even if he does not mention it, Pei Xia still wants to follow him all the time.


    "Yes, Your Holiness. I will protect you and do my duty as the Holy Knight, and will not let anything harm you!"


    Pei Xia saluted and swore to him. But he was still a little puzzled, "Aren''t you going to bring Andrei along this time?"


    If there are two personal knights protecting him, the security will definitely be higher.


    Lucifer held his slender index finger up in front of his lips, "Shhh......" he suddenly showed a playful smile. Compared to his usual smile that never fluctuates like a mask, his smile now is more lively and radiant.


    "Don''t tell Andrei, lest he''ll wake up all the long sleepers in the cemetery."


    Pei Xia laughed, "Yes, Your Holiness!"


    It turns out that Lucifer, too, was distressed by Andrei''s noise.


    On this side, after the two people finished discussing things, Lucifer and Pei Xia walked out of the dining room. On the other side, Andrei was guarding the door, his eyes shining. Not letting go even the birds flying through the night sky.


    Who knows if a peeping tom would magically appear out of nowhere. After all, this was something that had happened before.


    As soon as he saw Lucifer come out, he immediately raised a cheerful smile and said loudly to Lucifer, "Your Holiness, may I ask where you are going next? Your loyal knight Andrei Anima will always follow you."


    Lucifer smiled back and said to Andrei, "Andrei, I have an important task for you."


    "Please instruct me, this subordinate will do his best to complete it!"


    "Can I entrust you to take care of Rudy for me?" Rudy is Lucifer''s horse. With platinum hair, tall and healthy build, very good-looking. Simply the prince of horses.


    It is said that Rudy has half unicorn blood, with a high IQ and can understand human speech.


    "Yes, this subordinate will go right away!" Andrei did not doubt anything. He received the task and went to take care of the horse with his chest held high.


    Pei Xia escorted Lucifer back to the small independent hall where he lives. With all the facilities available, all for the exclusive use of the Holy Son. As Lucifer''s personal knights, Pei Xia and Andrei were allowed to live in the side hall here in order to protect Lucifer from close range.


    Although Pei Xia feels that Lucifer does not need much protection.


    At this time, back home, Lucifer took off the outer robe stained with alcohol, intended to soak in the bath to cleanse his body. Usually when he does this kind of private matter, Lucifer does not let people come near.


    The nuns and Pei Xia were responsible for preparing hot water and flower petals for him to soak in. After that, Lucifer would bathe alone while Pei Xia guarded the door in case someone broke in by mistake. until Lucifer opened the door and came out of his own accord.


    But today, before taking the last step, a slightly weak voice of Lucifer suddenly came from within the bathroom.


    "Pei Xia, can you come in and help me?"


    Pei Xia froze: "Of course. Your Holiness, are you sure I can come in?"


    "En."


    Did something happen inside? Did he fall down?


    Pei Xia didn''t think much about it, pushed open the door and darted in. The bathroom was filled with white water mist, which made everything look hazy.


    Pei Xia looked into the bath full of flower petals. The beautiful blonde young man was sitting in the warm water with his back facing him.


    Pei Xia took off his dirty shoes and walked over to him, asking suspiciously, "Your Holiness, what is wrong with you?"


    "I''m......" Lucifer turned back sulkily and lifted an arm stained with crystal drops of water and put it on his head, as if in great distress, "I am drunk."


    Pei Xia, "??!"


    Lucifer looked at him delicately, as if he was looking at some great hero who could save the world. He said, "Xia, I''m dizzy and can''t stand up. Can you come over and help me?"


    "Of course." Pei Xia was speechless.


    He couldn''t understand why he wasn''t drunk at dinner, but got drunk in the shower instead, and...... wasn''t that glass of wine already dropped by him?!


    Could it be that he was poisoned by someone?!


    Pei Xia''s thoughts went fast. His hands and feet also moved quickly, holding a large bath towel while half kneeling to the side of the bath. He wrapped the towel in Lucifer''s body and then helped him stand up.


    The water trickled down his body, and a few rose petals inevitably got on him. It is as if these thoughtless dead things are also obsessed with this body that is favored by God.


    Actually, Lucifer is a little taller than Pei Xia. He is slender and has thin muscles on his body. He is not as weak as Pei Xia imagined.


    But he is probably really drunk at this moment. His arms and legs were weak. He immediately leaned on Pei Xia after he got up. Pei Xia hurriedly reached out to hold him, but his feet unexpectedly slip from the sudden movement.


    There is water everywhere!


    His eyes widened fiercely, his face full of horror. In the next moment, he fell into the water with a plop while half-hugging the Holy Son.


    "Puff--" Pei Xia stood up from the water, raised his hand to wipe his face, spraying out the water he accidentally choked into his mouth.


    This is bad. Not only did Lucifer fail to make it to shore, but Pei Xia himself was also wet.


    "Your Holiness, are you all right?" Pei Xia immediately went to look at Lucifer.


    He saw Lucifer rise from the water, holding the edge of the bath and coughing a few times. The white bath towel had floated away, revealing the man''s beautiful and powerful body. Rose petals stained on his body. The red color matches his light golden hair. In this slightly dim light, he may be mistaken as a bewitching spirit.


    Pei Xia froze and saw Lucifer fiddling with his wet hair that was stuck to his face. His long, soft blonde hair looked extra messy at the moment. His azure eyes were watery and hazy, inexplicably fragile and beautiful. It makes people feel a sadistic desire for no reason.


    "Cough, I''m fine......" His voice was slightly hoarse, his gaze touched Pei Xia''s body.


    Pei Xia quivered. He quickly picked up the bath towel and raised his hand, covering all the areas below Lucifer''s shoulders tightly.


    "Your Holiness, I probably know why you are drunk!" Pei Xia said seriously.


    Lucifer, who was looking at Pei Xia with confused eyes, "......hm?"


    "Because it''s so stuffy in here! The high carbon dioxide level creates a lack of oxygen and the brain creates an illusion as if you were drunk."


    Yes, it is because of this that Lucifer, who did not drink at dinner will feel "drunk". Pei Xia also felt his body temperature arise after coming in, making him feel a little breathless.


    Undeniably, probably Lucifer''s beauty also played a role in it.


    But Pei Xia will never admit that he is this kind of person. He considers himself very restrained and seeks quality in his relationships, and is never the kind of person who loves whoever he sees good looking.


    Pei Xia did not wait for Lucifer to say anything. He jumped out of the water, went around behind Lucifer. Grabbing his arm and dragged him up, then half dragged half pulled him to the window.


    Pei Xia looked solemn. He reached out to push the window open, and the night wind rushed in.


    He held His Holiness Lord Lucifer, who was wrapped in a bath towel, in his arms against the window, so that he could receive maximum fresh air.


    "Are you feeling better, Your Holiness?"


    Lucifer, whose face is covered by the wind, "....."


    He lifted his hand and pressed his temples with a soft sigh. A few strands of blond hair floating behind him as it was blown dry by the wind. He called out, "Pei Xia."


    "Yes, Your Holiness."


    "You are truly a...... knowledgeable Holy Knight."


    "As it should be."


    Finally, the Holy Son regained consciousness. Pei Xia closed the window and was about to get another bath towel to wipe his hair to avoid a headache, when the Holy Son waved his hand and asked him to go out.


    "I''ll do the rest." Lucifer pushed Pei Xia out, his fingertips gently slid over the back of Pei Xia''s neck as he said gently, "You''re all wet too, go and clean up."


    "Thank you for your thoughtfulness." Without further insistence, Pei Xia obediently left.


    Within the dimly lit bathroom, the Holy Son, Lucifer, pinched a wet rose petal that had been taken from the back of Pei Xia''s neck with his fingertips.


    It is as if he was loved by the world. The Holy Son, no matter where he sits, is always being chased by the light. His holy face contains a smile, but the pure azure eyes quietly become deep, as if there is something indescribable hibernating in the gloom.


    His shadow was reflected on the carved wall, and when the candlelight swayed, the shadow suddenly became hideous.


    He was looking at the rose petal on his fingertips and suddenly moved fingers. He crushed the rose petals. The bright red juice flowed down his fingertips....

 CH 4

    Chapter 4: Expression of Devout.


    ¡ª


    On the third day, the sun was shining brightly. The Holy One, along with Pei Xia and six other knights, set off with two carriages.


    The crowd cheered to bid farewell to the Holy Son, hoping him to travel smoothly and to spread the brilliance of the God of Light to more places. Everyone had a happy expression. Except for one person - Andrei.


    With tears in his eyes, he looked at Lucifer, who was sitting on top of Rudy, and he said, "Your Holiness, you really don''t need me to accompany you? The God of Light above, without me around, how can your safety be guaranteed!"


    Pei Xia, who was sitting next to the Holy Son, silently poked his head out, "He has me, as well as them." He said, pointing to the other six knights.


    Keeping a smile on his face, Lucifer waved goodbye to the crowd who saw them off, "May God bless all living beings."


    "May God bless all living beings!"


    Lucifer is at the forefront, riding his beautiful, tall horse. Pei Xia rode a black horse on his side. As for the six other knights, two driving the carriages and four riding the horse on separate sides.


    The small group then started to move forward.


    Originally, the church had prepared to provide more people to escort Lucifer, but Lucifer refused on the grounds that he should not be extravagant and wasteful. In addition, his own strength is not low, so he only formed this small team.


    Because there were no servants and no other priests, all the corresponding things of taking care of Lucifer were taken over by Pei Xia.


    They slowly moved forward until they left the gates of the imperial capital, and the crowd of enthusiastic crowds became less.


    It''s finally not so crowded. Pei Xia breathed a sigh of relief.


    He opened the map he carried with him and looked at it. They had already discussed it before they left, and the first destination was Fad City. A medium-sized city relatively close to the imperial capital. If they go eastward, they will enter another country, Danadan.


    After that they will march around the continent in the direction of East¡úNorth¡úWest¡úSouth in a circle, spreading the light of the God of Light to more places, and then return to the imperial capital.


    "Cough..." There was a faint sound of coughing from his side, and Pei Xia immediately looked back and saw Lucifer covering his mouth with his hand.


    He immediately pulled the reins of the horse to slow down and came to Lucifer''s side, persuading, "Your Holiness, now that there are no more believers nearby, you can take a rest inside the carriage."


    "It doesn''t matter." Lucifer''s voice was slightly hoarse, "Just a little illness."


    Pei Xia frowned in disapproval.


    This matter about Lucifer''s cold is also related to tha accident last night when Pei Xia fell into his bath. Maybe because he was blown by the wind with his hair still wet. The next morning, he had a sore throat.


    Fortunately, it was not so serious and not so obvious, so that the believers were not worried. Light magic is very effective in healing injuries and traumas caused by evil demons. Although it has a slightly worse effect on healing diseases, it is still effective.


    Pei Xia wondered why Lucifer did not cure himself. After thinking about it, he came to the conclusion that The Holy Son''s disease must be so serious that the magic of light can only help him recover a little.


    Thinking that Lucifer caught a cold has something to do with him, Pei Xia blames himself a little. He insisted, "Please go inside the carriage and rest; the believers will be worried if your condition becomes more serious."


    Lucifer slightly wrinkled his perfectly shaped eyebrows, his eyes hid the slightest trace of distress. He looked sideways at Pei Xia, his clear azure eyes could reflect the other person''s silhouette, "What about you, Pei Xia. Are you worried about me too?"


    "Of course." Pei Xia was surprised by his question, "I am your personal knight, so I will naturally worry about you."


    "Oh." Probably because he was sick, Lucifer became a little unreasonable. He continued to question, "If you weren''t my personal knight, would you still be worried about me?"


    "....." Number one rule for the employee: never be 100% honest with your boss. Pei Xia''s eyes darted down and he said with a somewhat concealed guilty conscience, "Of course, Your Holiness. I am the most devout believer of the God of Light after all."


    Lucifer looked at him quietly, as if he had seen through his lies.


    Pei Xia''s heart was shocked. Afraid that he will bring trouble for himself, he hurriedly began to think about how to make himself appear more sincere. So after a moment of silence, Pei Xia spoke:


    "Oh, Light. You are the beginning of everything. When all living beings just started to grow, the God of Light came to the earth, and He taught wisdom to the ignorant people."


    To enter the Church of Light, one must memorize the ''Bible of Light''!


    Since he has decided to be the most devout believer of the God of Light, regardless of how devout he actually is in his heart, the outer appearance mustn''t be dropped.


    "Well, Pei Xia, I can feel your devotion."


    "In that case, it''s better for Your Holiness to hurry and rest in the carriage."


    This time Lucifer did not refuse anymore, and obediently dismounted into the carriage. There are two carriages. One for Lucifer to use, and the other for several people''s luggage, supplies, and other things.


    Lucifer''s carriage is decorated in an extraordinarily cozy and exquisite manner, with a light fragrance inside, fruit black tea and refreshments. The interior is spacious, enough for two people to lie down and rest without feeling crowded.


    Pei Xia helped Lucifer into the carriage. He was just about to lower the thick velvet curtain and return to his horse when Lucifer tugged on his sleeve.


    "Pei Xia, come in and stay with me." He looked at him tenderly and said. His pale pink lips curving up slightly in a gentle arc.


    Pei Xia was surprised, "Your Holiness, is there something wrong?"


    "Cough, cough....." He coughed lightly twice, pressing the corner of his forehead, and said, "I''m feeling somewhat exhausted from the cold. I would like to hear you recite the Light Bible. Is that okay, Pei Xia?"


    It turned out to be like this. Really worthy of being the Holy Son, the difference between true piety and false piety is really big!


    Pei Xia looked at him with admiration, "Of course."


    Lucifer smiled slightly and said, "Then come on in."


    Pei Xia was very touched, but he refused: "I can''t do that, Your Holiness!"


    "???" Lucifer frowned.


    "If I get too close to you, I will catch your cold." Pei Xia said sincerely, "I need to protect you, so I can''t get sick."


    Lucifer opened his mouth, and didn''t know what to say for a while. After a pause, he seemed to ask softly, "But you just promised me......"


    "Please don''t worry, I can recite it to you by the carriage window." When Pei Xia finished speaking, he lowered the door curtain then mounted his horse to the carriage''s window.


    He cleared his throat with confidence: "Be assured, I can recite it to you without reading the Bible, please listen - Oh, Light. You are the beginning of everything. When all living beings just started to grow, the God of Light came to the earth, and He taught wisdom to the ignorant people......."


    Lucifer, "....."


    The other knights whispered among themselves.


    "As expected of someone who was personally promoted as a personal knight by His Holiness, his faith is really pious!"


    "As expected of the Holy Son, his vision is really good!"


    They looked at each other for a few moments and gave each other a smile of relief.


    .....


    Recently, the weather has been terrible. If it is said it will rain, then it will rain heavily, pitter pattering on the ground.


    Pei Xia is wearing armor, but the rain still penetrates through the cracks on the armor and wet his clothes. Lucifer sat in the carriage, so he didn''t have to worry about being wet.


    By this time Lucifer''s cold had improved, and wished that no one would catch a cold after the rain.


    Pei Xia thought about it and silently prayed to God to bestow him the holy light.


    This is also considered a kind of magic, but in fact, Pei Xia and other Holy Knights are not magic users. However, after they become Holy Knights, they will receive the blessing of the Pope or the Holy Son and they will be able to pray to God to bestow light to their body, which is equivalent to gaining an all-around buff.


    True magicians are very rare after all, not just anyone can be a magician. Knights like Pei Xia actually used a special power called Light Sword.


    Compared to magic, it is less powerful and more dependent on one''s own swordsmanship and strengths. But the threshold is also low, so there are more people who can use a Light Sword than those who use magic.


    In Pei Xia''s case, he is a Holy Knight who can control the Holy Light and use a fire-based Light Sword.


    "Pei Xia."Lucifer suddenly opened the window and the cold rain swept into the carriage, inevitably wetting his face and long hair. "Do you want to continue the journey?"


    "Yes, Your Holiness." Pei Xia wiped his face and explained, "There are only fields and trees nearby, and there is no place to take shelter from the rain. It would also be bad to hide under the trees in case it will attract lightning. Not far ahead is Count Hobson''s fortress, which can be reached in about half an hour. By then, we can borrow the Count''s house to stay."


    The rain now is not yet so heavy that they can not continue the journey, but Pei Xia vaguely remembered that this seems to have reached a plot point in the original novel. He has forgotten the specific plot, only remembered the key character Count Hobson, and that there will be rainstorms for several days.


    Therefore, it is best to hurry to Count Hobson''s fortress while the rain is not yet so heavy. Otherwise, the rain will be even heavier.


    "Okay." Lucifer nodded. He looked at Pei Xia and suddenly said, "The rain is so heavy. Pei Xia, get on the carriage to shelter from the rain for a while."


    "It''s okay, Your Holiness." Pei Xia wiped his face, "We will be there soon."


    Lucifer suddenly lost his smile, looking at Pei Xia with a condescending face different from his usual gentleness, he said: "Pei Xia, this is an order."


    Pei Xia looked at Lucifer, who was still sitting inside the carriage with a light smile, his azure eyes resembling the sea and also a glacier.


    Suddenly, intuition tells Pei Xia that it is best not to refuse again.

 CH 5

    Chapter 5: Peel an apple for the Holy Son.


    ¡ª


    The rain left Pei Xia drenched all over his body. He got off the horse in silence and climbed into the carriage. The wind blowing with the raindrops, pitter pattering, making a slight stinging on his face.


    Pei Xia lifted the curtain of the carriage and whispered, "Your Holiness, I am coming in."


    "En."


    Just as he was about to walk in, Pei Xia half kneeled at the door wondering whether he should go inside or not. The carriage is covered with expensive wool carpets, warm, dry and tidy. Pei Xia, who is in such a mess, will be incompatible in this exquisite carriage.


    Pei Xia held the helmet and lowered his head, the rain dripping down his cheeks. He looked down and saw that the blanket under his knees had been wet by himself.


    "Come in."


    "Yes, Your Holiness."


    In order to prevent the mud under the boots from soiling the blanket, Pei Xia removed his armor at the door.


    He bent over and approached. But before he lifted his head, a white towel was put on his hair.


    "Sit down." Lucifer ordered indifferently. Pei Xia could only sit beside him obediently, he then saw the carefully cared and valuable hands actually held the clean white towel and began to wipe his hair.


    The short black hair was quickly wiped half dry. Lucifer lowered his eyes, his pale gold eyelashes fluttered slightly, he looked at Pei Xia tenderly and carefully, "Are you feeling better?"


    Pei Xia quivered and woke up from his daze. He was slightly embarrassed and put his legs together very tentatively, with his hands on his knees, as nervous as a schoolboy, "Yes, Your Holiness, but you don''t need to do this."


    "It''s okay." Lucifer said with a light smile, his fingers had crossed the edge of the towel at some point and gently touched the flesh on Pei Xia''s neck.


    Perhaps it was an accident, so Pei Xia didn''t think much about it. His heart was still beating frantically, "But......"


    "No buts." Lucifer interrupted him and used a towel to wipe the water droplets on Pei Xia''s neck. Then he came in contact with the wet fabric, he looked at him with a smile and said jokingly, "Wearing wet clothes must be uncomfortable. You can change your clothes here, and I promise not to peek."


    Pei Xia was finally able to speak, so he hurriedly said, "Thank you, Your Holiness, but it doesn''t matter. I can use Light Sword to dry my clothes!"


    Lucifer''s smile stiffened slightly, "Really?"


    "Yes." Pei Xia reached out and snatched the wet towel from Lucifer''s hand, then rested it on his knee and began to release his fire-based Light Sword energy.


    Although the Light Sword is not as outgoing and powerful as magic, when running a fire-based Light Sword, the body temperature will rise, which is very convenient for drying clothes.


    Changing clothes in front of His Holiness?


    No, no, no. That is so rude!


    Pei Xia grinned to Lucifer, "Thank you, Your Holiness, for letting me come in to shelter from the rain."


    Lucifer looked at the towel in his lap and was silent for a moment, "You''re welcome."


    The clothes dried quickly. Pei Xia and Lucifer were sitting very close, he was a little restrained and didn''t dare to look at him. It''s not because of anything else, it''s that His Holiness is too beautiful, and Pei Xia is afraid that he will be shaken after looking at him for a long time.


    And as a cheater who has read the original book, Pei Xia knows that Lucifer does not like people to look at himself with an excessive and peculiar gaze.


    A sudden burst of relaxing and invigorating warmth enveloped the body, and now Pei Xia could not continue to pretend that he didn''t care anymore. He looked at Lucifer who was casting light magic on himself with surprise, "Your Holiness, many thanks, you are......"


    Lucifer, a gifted and outstanding Holy Light magician, the favorite one of the God of Light, is able to use light magic easily even without a staff or spell.


    He nodded with a smile, his long, soft blonde hair swinging playfully around his waist, "This way, you won''t get sick easily."


    Pei Xia suddenly realised, and was very grateful. He then pushed open the window, "Buck, Mallory, come here in order!"


    The cold wind suddenly cluttered in with cold raindrops. Lucifer, "???"


    He hurriedly pulled Pei Xia in, "What do you want them to do?"


    Pei Xia looked at Lucifer with understanding and said enthusiastically, "Your Holiness, I know you are a kind-hearted person, the glory of the God of Light will always be with you. I understand your feelings of caring for your subordinates! You called me over first because you are afraid that others will be embarrassed, right? It''s okay already. Buck and the others are still out in the rain, I''ll ask them to take turns to come and receive the light!"


    Lucifer sighed softly, "No......"


    Pei Xia''s colleagues are burning with passion, "Buck, hurry up!"


    "There''s no need!" Lucifer raised a hand to ruffle the broken hair hanging in front of his forehead, he smiled, "You''re right. Considering their nervousness, just let them stay where they are."


    "Huh?" Pei Xia was a little surprised.


    Lucifer did not say anything more, he clasped his hands together, slightly bowing his head, and murmured something under his breath. Soon after, there is a gentle and faint golden light spreading out in all directions, with him as the center.


    It enveloped Pei Xia, enveloped the carriage, and then enveloped all the surrounding knights.


    The warmth comes and drives away the cold, even in the rain, they will not stop moving forward.


    There is no more confusion, only an eternal faith.


    Pei Xia looked at Lucifer with amazement. He was in the center of the light, pure and holy, as if an embodiment of the God himself. No wonder there was such a rumor saying Lucifer is the legitimate son of the God of Light......


    Pei Xia probed outside the window and said, "No need to come over!"


    The light gradually extinguished, and everyone was full of energy at this moment. Pei Xia sat in the carriage for a while not knowing whether he should go out or not. The colleagues were still outside in the rain, and they still helped him look at his horse.


    It''s embarrassing to sit in the car and enjoy the warmth by himself!


    A steaming cup of black tea was handed to Pei Xia, "Try it?"


    Pei Xia hastily took it, "Thank you, Your Holiness!" He was a little upset. As a subordinate, how could he let his superior serve him, no, he had to find a chance to make up for it!


    Pei Xia quickly scanned everything in the carriage, serving tea is too late now, then......


    "Your Holiness, let me peel an apple for you!"


    Lucifer looked at him flatteringly, "Okay?"


    So Pei Xia seriously picked up the apple and the fruit knife on the table, and began to show his superb apple-peeling skills. That''s right, as the saying goes, small details reveal a lot. Maybe after seeing that he used a knife so well, Lucifer will definitely be even more convinced in his swordsmanship!


    Suddenly, the carriage bumped violently, followed by a few neighs. Immediately afterwards, somehow the wheels skidded, the whole carriage actually tipped over and flew out!


    Pei Xia''s body uncontrollably slid to the left, his hand shook, and the knife instantly slipped from his hands, the sky turned. He glimpsed a sharp arrow flew over. He was horrified and subconsciously raised his hand to throw the apple out.


    With a swoosh, the sharp arrow pierced the apple and fell to the ground from the weight of the apple.


    Next to his side, holding the handle of the fruit knife and looking at the tip of the knife which nearly pierced into his heart, Lucifer could not help but fall into a deep thought, "......"


    Clang--!


    The sound of wheel collisions rang out repeatedly, the Knight driving the carriage was very skilled, and finally controlled the carriage squarely, without making it completely overturned.


    Pei Xia held the armrests in the carriage and breathed a sigh of relief. He hurriedly turned back to see Lucifer, "Your Holiness, how are you, are you injured?!"


    He still remembered that when the car was slanted just now, he slid over and squeezed the opponent.


    Turns out it doesn''t matter, he just looks frightened. Lucifer suddenly coughed twice, slowly raising his right hand, which has a not deep not shallow blood trace, "It''s okay, just a small injury."


    Pei Xia nodded, "Then remember to use light magic to heal it."


    After speaking, he stood up and grabbed his sword and rushed out directly.


    Lucifer: "......" He fell silent and snapped off the fruit knife.


    "Who is it?!"


    The wind and rain hadn''t stopped outside, and all the knights had drawn their swords and confronted the people in front of them.


    What appeared in front was a shivering girl in thin clothes, and three men riding on horses and holding bows and arrows. They wore cloaks and their appearance couldn''t be seen for a while.


    Before they were shooting arrows indiscriminately, disturbing the horses and nearly making the carriage overturned.


    "This is not something you should know." The man at the head of the group had a hoarse and low voice, and he spoke in an unkind tone, saying, "Our prey is only this one, mind your own business!"


    Pei Xia frowned and suddenly remembered something. If he remembered correctly, the man was probably Count Hobson, and the girl was the unlucky little supporting character.


    It''s already entering the original plot. Unfortunately, he has forgotten the specific plot, the only thing he remembers is...... Lucifer''s Holy Light!


    So Pei Xia took a deep breath, turned her head and said loudly, "Your Holiness, someone in front is bullying a young lady! Asking Your Holiness to judge!"


    Come on dear protagonist, your second male love interest and the first female love interest appear at the same time. Please do not be polite and go straight to it!

 CH 6

    Chapter 6: Wants to be held and carried consideringly (part 1)


    ¡ª


    As soon as the words came out, both the weak girl and the man who was riding the horse were startled.


    Count Hobson wiped the rain from his face, and looked closely. He was startled to find that the armor and carriage of these knights really had the emblem of the God of Light on them.


    It seems like the leader of the knights was not wearing armor and is barefoot. He had short black hair under a pair of bright honey-colored eyes. He sat straddling the black horse, holding his sword in one hand and was always maintained in a posture as if he would draw it out at any moment.


    The heavy rain crackled on him, but his expression remained firm and unshakeable.


    Behind them, the curtain of the carriage was lifted by a corner, and a moving magnetic voice asked, "What happened?"


    Pei Xia immediately reported what he had seen to him.


    "Lord Lucifer the Holy One." Earl Hobson took the hat off his head, he was still sitting on his horse and gracefully saluted toward the carriage, "This humble one is the head of the Hobson family, and this humble one thinks your knight has misunderstood. This woman is a servant of my manor, she stole valuable jewelry and fled, this humble one was just trying to catch the thief myself."


    "No!" The girl, who was about seventeen or eighteen, sat on the muddy ground with her clothes dyed black. She said indignantly, "I''m not a thief, I''m just an ordinary servant!"


    The girl cried and told her fears. She said that in Count Hobson¡¯s manor, there were often maids that went missing. Last night she accidentally saw a bloody corpse being carried away, so she ran out in panic.


    "Liar!"


    Count Hobson did not wait for the girl to finish, he suddenly raised his bow and arrow and shot at her. Pei Xia''s eyes darkened. His long legs hooked in the saddle and leaned forward. He took out his sword and split the arrow into two.


    "Please don''t be rude in front of His Holiness." Pei Xia said seriously.


    Hobson gripped the reins of his horse and narrowed his eyes slightly, "Hmph." He looks very dissatisfied.


    Pei Xia in the heart silently sympathizes with him: now you are so cold, don''t change when you meet Lucifer later.


    The man inside the carriage laughed lightly and said, "Since each of you has your own story, let''s wait for the investigation before judging. Just in time, Count Hobson, we would like to stay in your territory for a few days. I wonder if you can give us your permission?"


    "Naturally." Hobson also followed and smiled, "The Holy Son from the Church of the God of Light has come to visit, how could I not welcome. But this woman, I have to bring her back."


    "Your excellency." Lucifer said warmly, "I think it would be more appropriate to leave her under our care. What do you think?"


    "Your Holiness wants to meddle in my family affairs?" Hobson bluntly expressed his displeasure as he said in a grim voice, "This is not the business of the Light God, right?"


    Pei Xia watched in silence as the two argued. Count Hobson is not a believer of the God of Light, and has not seen Lucifer now. How should he put it......


    He quietly looked to the rear of the carriage, and was tempted to say to Lucifer: Just show your face, and everything will be solved!


    Count Hobson was very upset, but Lucifer did not look a slightest angry, he still said unhurriedly, "She is asking us for help, the same as asking the God of Light for help. God will not forget his believers. Your Excellency, if you insist on this, we can only listen to God''s will to save the believers."


    This is a threat, a ¡õ¡õ threat! Hobson gritted his teeth and glared at the carriage in front of him, wishing that his angry gaze could rush in through the curtain of the door and chop Lucifer.


    But he also knew that the other party was a well-known light magician, and he had seven knights with him, and there were more people than he had now. If they really fought, he would definitely be the one who would suffer and lose face.


    After a moment of struggle, Count Hobson backed down and promised to leave the girl in the custody of Lucifer for the time being. But if they hadn''t been able to verify the girl by the time they left, they would have to admit their mistake and hand the girl over to Hobson for disposal.


    "This is natural. Thank you for the Count''s consideration." Lucifer hid inside the carriage and said leisurely.


    Pesha then jumped off the horse, pulled up the drenched girl, and pushed her toward Lucifer''s carriage.


    The girl shivered and got into the carriage, and met the eyes of Lucifer who was leisurely tasting tea. Brushing up, the girl''s face reddened, she clutched the corner of her skirt and hung her head, stammering, "My name is Alice, thank you for your kindness, Your Holiness."


    Lucifer looked quietly at her, and in passing at Pei Xia who was standing behind Alice. He maintained his perfect smile when facing the believers and said, "Please don''t be afraid, God will bless you."


    Afterwards, the gentle white light wrapped the girl and dispelled the cold from her.


    Pei Xia bowed to Lucifer quietly and turned to leave, but Lucifer stopped him, his tone even held some doubts, "Pei Xia, where are you going?"


    "Go outside." Pei Xia froze and answered honestly.


    Their group has begun to follow Count Hobson towards his territory, and the first female love interest appeared. Pei Xia is very conscious and has the intention of giving space to two people and not being a light bulb.


    Lucifer smiled and nodded, saying, "As a gentleman, learn to be considerate of ladies. Pei Xia, take Alice to the back of the carriage to rest, and then come back to report."


    "Yes...... eh?!" Pei Xia answered in one breath, and only after answering did he realize that something was wrong.


    Chapter 6: Wants to be held and carried consideringly (part 2)


    ¡ª


    "Yes...... eh?!" Pei Xia answered in one breath, and only after answering did he realize that something was wrong.


    He clearly remembered that after Lucifer saved the girl in the original story, he kept her company. In the carriage, they would also have an ambiguous plot of "Lend my clothes to you".


    How is it that now, Lucifer wants to let Alice go to the back of the carriage?


    However, Pei Xia couldn''t refuse Lucifer''s request. He had to bring the reluctant Alice with him. He thoughtfully helped her find a dry towel and a thick coat, "This is what I wore, sorry, there are no new clothes here. If you don''t mind, you can use it first to keep out the cold."


    He only has a rough knight''s clothes that is not comparable to the Holy One''s. But it will only be worn for a short time, and the girl shouldn''t mind.


    Alice hung her head in embarrassment, "Thank you."


    "If there is nothing else, you can rest here first." Pei Xia comforted her..


    This carriage is full of miscellaneous things, only a small space to accommodate Alice. Pei Xia couldn''t stay and squeeze with her, he also had to report to Lucifer, so after bringing Alice, Pei Xia rushed back to Lucifer''s carriage.


    "Pei Xia." Lucifer looked over at him with his hands clasped, "Your clothes are wet again."


    "I''m sorry." Pei Xia subconsciously apologized.


    "It''s easy to get sick from repeatedly drenched from the rain. If you get sick, who will protect me?" Lucifer sighed.


    Pei Xia bowed his head to express his guilt, but in his heart, he was wondering if Lucifer really needed someone else''s protection?


    He heard the other side sigh lightly, and then the warmth wrapped himself directly, and Pei Xia saw with surprise that the wet clothes had become dry at a very fast speed!


    He furrowed his brows.


    Lucifer smiled, "Pay attention to your health."


    Pei Xia finally couldn''t hold back, "Your Holiness, since you are able to dry the clothes directly...... Your Holiness!"


    Before he could finish his question, he was surprised to see Lucifer''s complexion pale and he collapsed softly.


    "Your Holiness, what''s wrong with you?" Pei Xia worriedly touched his forehead, praying that nothing would happen. It was time to go to the small BOSS''s territory later, how could the protagonist fight if he was sick?


    "It''s nothing." Lucifer said weakly, "Just consumed too much energy and felt a little tired."


    Is that so? Pei Xia thought back on everything that happened after he met Lucifer, and suddenly discovered a surprising thing ¡ª although he doesn''t know what the reason is, Lucifer and the original protagonist had a lot of differences!


    Just like the original owner Pei Xia''s soul died with the demon, so that Pei Xia from another world occupied his body, other plots and settings are inevitably subject to change.


    So it seems that you can not always take the original story to the current Lucifer.


    Pei Xia pursed his lips, pressed tightly on Lucifer''s shoulder, and sincerely vowed, "Please rest assured, Your Holiness, I will protect you well!"


    Lucifer smiled with relief as he realized that his efforts were finally paying off, "I''m looking forward to it."


    He snuggled up in Pei Xia''s arms and rested with his eyes closed.


    Soon, the group arrived at Count Hobson''s estate, and people outside stopped the carriage in front of the castle. Pei Xia nudged Lucifer''s shoulder: "Your Holiness, it''s time to get off."


    Hearing the words, Lucifer opened his azure eyes, which still had a hazy mist in them, as if he had just woken up.


    He put his hands together in front of him and weakly said, "I''m sorry, Pei Xia, I don''t have the strength right now." He looked at Pei Xia, as if he was hinting at something.


    Pei Xia thought for a moment, squatted down and held him on his back, "Please hold on tightly, Your Holiness."


    Lucifer, who originally intended to let the other party hug him, had to take a step and hug Pei Xia''s neck.


    Pei Xia held Lucifer''s leg, bent his body and walked out of the carriage.


    When he stepped out of the carriage door, suddenly¡ª¡ª


    Dong!


    Pei Xia was stunned.


    He was startled. He hurriedly jumped off the horse and stood up straight. And with another thud, Lucifer fell to the ground and raised his hand to cover his forehead.


    "It''s okay." Lucifer forced a smile, "Pei Xia, I''m fine."


    Pei Xia breathed a sigh of relief, "That''s great." With that, he turned to make way to the castle''s gate.


    Lucifer: "......" He suddenly realized something, blinked gently and put his hand down, exposing a small patch of light pink on his forehead.


    "Pei Xia, I suddenly feel that I have a headache." Lucifer gazed at Pei Xia and said frankly.

 CH 7

    Chapter 7: Apply ice to the forehead of the Holy Son (part 1)


    ¡ª


    Lucifer had a headache because he bumped his head. Why did he bump his head? Because he was not careful.....


    The above content slid through Pei Xia''s mind quickly, and he looked at Lucifer guiltily, "Your Holiness, I''m so sorry. Please take a break in the room. I''ll treat you."


    This is the first time that Pei Xia has truly felt the fragility of Lucifer, a man who is taller than himself. Since he consumes too much energy and cannot heal himself with magic, Pei Xia can only find a way by himself.


    He carefully reached out to support Lucifer. Lucifer did not refuse, taking his hand, walking outside very slowly, as if the injury was on his leg rather than his forehead.


    Pei Xia suspected that he might have a concussion, and wondered if light magic could cure the brain. But he did not say his suspicions out, because there is no "concussion" word here, saying that he might have brain injury is equivalent to cursing him.


    At this time, Earl Hobson ordered the butler to make an arrangement for the group of people from the Church of Light, and he finally glanced back impatiently.


    This glance doomed his miserable future.


    When he saw Lucifer, he almost uncontrollably showed an obsessive look. He stared at Lucifer blankly, until the old butler awakened him with an embarrassing cough.


    Suddenly, Count Hobson''s attitude changed drastically.


    He looked soothingly and seriously at Lucifer, "Your Holiness, it''s been a bumpy journey. Please come with me, I have prepared the most comfortable room for you!"


    Pei Xia silently took a step forward and blocked Hobson''s line of sight, "Thanks for Your Excellency''s kindness, please lead the way."


    What preparing the most comfortable room? Just now he clearly told the butler to arrange a random place far away from him. His words turn too fast!


    Not to mention Pei Xia, even the old butler was stunned.


    He concealed it well, quietly glanced at his master. Seeing that his master was always staring at Lucifer and not caring about himself, he wisely took the Holy Knights to the guest room to stay.


    Lucifera nodded slightly indifferently, "Troubling the Count."


    "No trouble, no trouble." Hobson was all smiles, "It is my honor to serve the Holy One."


    Saying that, he suddenly showed a worried look, and tried to bypass Pei Xia to approach Lucifer, "Your Holiness, are you injured? Is it serious?"


    Pei Xia''s eyes narrowed. He was blocking every way Hobson went, just like a shadow.


    "It''s not serious, not serious." Pei Xia said solemnly, "I will take care of His Holiness!"


    Probably because he didn''t want to lose his temper in front of Lucifer, Hobson finally stopped his rude actions and sullenly grumbled, "What a rude knight. Help His Holiness properly, don''t let Lord Lucifer get hurt again."


    Then Hobson took the two upstairs, thinking very sinisterly to arrange Lucifer''s room next to the master bedroom. He stood at the door, looking at Lucifer with a gentleman''s smile, "Lord Lucifer, just ring the bell above the bed if you need anything, and a servant will come to serve you."


    "You are truly a considerate nobleman." Only Lucifer knew whether it was a compliment or sarcasm.


    Hobson then looked at the obtrusive Pei Xia, "This distinguished knight, your room is downstairs."


    Pei Xia raised his head to look at Lucifer who was being supported by himself. Lucifer was looking at him gently, with a generous and patient expression, and then looked at Hobson whose face was full of malicious intent......


    In the original book, Alice should be taken care of by Lucifer at this time. The two of them live in the same room. Hobson is both jealous of Alice, but also afraid to make trouble because Lucifer is there.


    But now, the plot has changed...... Pei Xia let go of Lucifer, took two steps back and bowed to him respectfully, "Your Holiness, please wait for a moment!"


    "Pesha?" Lucifer looked at him doubtfully.


    Pei Xia strode to the door and said to Hobson, "Your Excellency, His Holiness needs to rest. You should also rest early."


    Hobson looked at him gloomily, "I heard that the Holy One has a very unique understanding of the Light Bible. It just so happens that I recently wanted to learn more about the Light Bible. I believe the Holy One will not refuse to let me feel the light of God as well, right?"


    He said he had the intention to become a believer. As the Holy Son, he naturally would not refuse.


    Lucifer very kindly agreed to explain the Bible for him. Pei Xia frowned when he saw this. He watched as Hobson walked into the room, and then at Lucifer who opened the Bible to explain for him.


    Pei Xia took a deep breath and ran downstairs quickly, entrusting Alice under Buck''s care. Buck, with his gentle personality and good looks, will make the frightened Alice less afraid.


    Pei Xia then ran around inside the huge castle, grabbed a servant casually and asked him for a tray of ice, then hurried back to Lucifer''s room.


    Chapter 7: Apply ice to the forehead of the Holy Son (part 2)


    ¡ª


    Pei Xia then ran around inside the huge castle, grabbed a servant casually and asked him for a tray of ice, then hurried back to Lucifer''s room.


    When he pushed the door open, he saw Hobson still sitting across the table. Just looking at Lucifer with blazing eyes and not directly moving his hand, and frankly - he was relieved.


    Pei Xia took a few steps to Lucifer''s side and gave a less than standard salute to Hobson, saying forcefully while he was outwardly polite, "Your Excellency, it''s already late, and it''s time for His Holiness to rest. I''m sure you don''t want His Holiness to continue to work with his injuries, right?"


    Hobson held the Light Bible with both hands. In fact, he did not read much at all. After listening to Pei Xia saying this, he directly closed it and then looked at Lucifer with worry, "Lucifer, are your injuries serious? Where is the injury?"


    Lucifer smiled and shook his head: "No need to worry, Your Excellency. It''s not a serious injury."


    What? In less than half a day, the title has evolved from Your Holiness all the way to Lucifer?


    Pei Xia took a breath and couldn''t help but worry about Lucifer''s chastity.


    He took a look at Lucifer''s forehead and quickly picked up a towel wrapped in ice and pressed it on his forehead. The already light pink mark has actually disappeared long ago, but Pei Xia believes that although the exterior of the injury heals quickly, the concussion inside will not easily heal.


    "Your Holiness!" Pei Xia sonorously held him down, insisting on applying ice cubes to the wound, "You may have inner injury, you must rest!"


    Hobson looked at Pei Xia suspiciously and saw that his face was serious and did not seem to be faking, so he could not help but begin to doubt his own eyes.


    Obviously it looks like Lucifer''s head is intact.


    "Lucifer, if you are in pain, I can also help you treat the wound." Hobson said affectionately.


    Lucifer waved his hand and stood up, Pei Xia also raised his hand along his height and still pressed the ice on his forehead. Lucifer said, "Your Excellency, you don''t have to be too polite. The Bible of Light will be handed over to you. You can have a good enlightenment in the evening. Now, I want to rest."


    He had said so, and Hobson had to maintain his gentleman style and left reluctantly with the Bible.


    When the door was closed, Pei Xia couldn''t help but sigh with relief.


    Immediately afterward, the breath was lifted again, as Lucifer leaned back into his arms as if unintentionally.


    Pei Xia''s vision was instantly blocked by the back of Lucifer''s head and blond hair, he was a little overwhelmed, "Your Holiness, are you okay?"


    "Nothing." Lucifer covered his heart and spoke pitifully, "I just feel very tired, and the look in Count Hobson''s eyes makes me feel uncomfortable."


    Pei Xia became angry all of a sudden.


    It''s too much. Even if one''s gay, one must still follow the basic law. Hobson deserved to be lowered as a cannon fodder by Lucifer.


    "Please don''t worry, Your Holiness. I will protect you." Pei Xia helped him to sit down on the chair, and then carefully applied ice to his injured forehead, which was completely invisible.


    While applying the ice, Pei Xia was shocked to find that Lucifer''s forehead turned red again!


    He was silent for a moment and asked, "How are you feeling, Your Holiness?"


    "I feel much better. Thank you, Pei Xia." Lucifer looked at him with emotion.


    Pei Xia put down the ice wrapped in a towel, and quietly breathed a sigh of relief. That''s great, otherwise Lucifer''s forehead will be frostbited if he continues to apply it!


    He began to gather up the towels and other things, and then bowed to Lucifer, "Then I will retire for now, Your Holiness. May the God of Light bless you with a beautiful dream."


    "Wait a minute." Lucifer suddenly stopped him. He frowned slightly, and there was a little sadness in his blue eyes, "The look in Lord Hobson''s eyes frightened me a little. Perhaps you could accompany me tonight, Pei Xia?"


    Spend the night with Lucifer?


    Although there shouldn''t be any problems, Lucifer now looks extraordinarily weak, and Alice does not live with him either......


    What if Hobson didn''t follow the original story either and decided to sneak in in the middle of the night?!


    That''s right, this is to protect the Holy One''s chastity! Pei Xia''s eyes were firm and he hammered his chest, "Don''t worry, Your Holiness. I will definitely guard the door for you!"


    With that, he planned to go downstairs to take a quilt and spend the night at Lucifer''s door.


    But Lucifer suddenly stood up and grabbed his wrist as he smiled, "Why bother, you can sleep with me."


    Pei Xia pulled his hand away, "No trouble, Your Holiness. Your injury is the most important!"


    Pei Xia''s sleeping posture was not very honest. It would be bad if he accidentally kicked Lucifer out of bed while sleeping.

 CH 8

    Chapter 8: Pure 0* should love strong men (Part 1)


    ¡ª


    Pei Xia insisted on bringing a bedding, Lucifer insisted not to let him sleep at the door.


    Pei Xia reluctantly decides to sleep on the floor beside Lucifer''s bed. Thinking about the demons hiding in Count Hobson''s manor, sleeping outside was really scary.


    However, after the negotiation, there was still a little problem between the two.


    The servant sent hot water for the bath. There is no doubt that when Lucifer takes a bath, Pei Xia will go guard him outside the door. But when it is Pei Xia''s turn, it is not good to ask the Holy One to guard the door for a little knight.


    Pei Xia thought for a while: "Your Holiness, I''d better go downstairs to wash."


    Lucifer slowly raised his hands to his chest with a weak expression, "What if Count Hobson suddenly comes over..."


    "Huh?" Pei Xia was stunned, "I think the Count is not interested in me."


    Lucifer, "...suddenly comes over to find me."


    Pei Xia, "..."


    He gripped the edge of the tub, not knowing what to do for a while. Why, why does the protagonist become so delicate? Causing him to always worry about the protagonist''s chastity.


    Pei Xia silently hammered the bathtub, "In that case, there is no way."


    Lucifer said understandingly, "You can rest assured, I won''t peek."


    How can he let the leader give way for himself? Pei Xia patted his chest and said with great righteousness, "This is Your Holiness'' room. Your Holiness shouldn''t worry about me!"


    Saying that, he took off his jacket and shoes, and jumped into the water with his shirt and pants.


    Splash...Water splashes everywhere.


    Lucifer silently looked at Pei Xia, his hands still raised weakly on his chest. He saw the young man''s not particularly strong body wrapped in a translucent white shirt after being drenched with water, and it became more and more attractive.


    It''s just that the dark-haired young man in the water didn''t realize this. On the contrary, he thought he had made a very witty choice.


    Pei Xia smiled at Lucifer with relief: In this way, Lord Lucifer would not feel shy and uncomfortable, right?


    Lucifer smiled and looked at Pei Xia: Does this mean that Pei Xia trusts him more?


    Although it is strange to take a bath with clothes on, it''s better to be strange compared to being seen as a hungry wolf by the protagonist and then purified by a holy light.


    Pei Xia, turned his back to Lucifer and took a bath. He made this choice for the comfort of Lucifer, not that he likes to wash like this. Moreover, he is a gay man, and he feels a little embarrassed to shower in front of the same sex.


    En... Turning his back to him, so that Lucifer won''t find him embarrassed ¡ú he won''t feel that he has bad thoughts about him ¡ú life safety is guaranteed again.


    Perfect.


    Pei Xia quickly took a battle bath. After coming out, he wrings the water on the wet clothes, then wipes his hair with a towel, prepared to dry the clothes with Light Sword.


    At this time, Lucifer was sitting on the edge of the bed. His white nightgown covering his arms and legs, revealing only his beautiful white hands and feet and his slender neck. He suddenly beckoned to Pei Xia:


    "Pei Xia, come here."


    "Yes, Your Holiness." Pei Xia was still holding a wet towel in his hand. He came over with some doubts, and the moist water vapor rushed towards his face.


    Lucifer, with his blond hair scattered on his shoulders, raised his hand and touched his face.


    At this time, Pei Xia''s heart was beating violently, and he looked at Lucifer in shock, "Your Holiness, what are you doing?"


    "Hush..."


    The warm and gentle light dissipating fatigue escaped from Lucifer''s palm, and then covered Pei Xia''s head, the wet black hair slowly dried out.


    Pei Xia stood stiffly in front of him, leaning down slightly so that Lucifer could dry his hair.


    Obviously, he looked very tired before. Should he say that he really deserves to be the protagonist? The recovery is very fast. Pei Xia didn''t dare to look around, staring at the ribbon in front of Lucifer''s nightgown and thinking wildly.


    When the black hair became dry again, Lucifer''s hand followed his face down to his shoulders, and he gently released the warmth to expel the cold and dampness for Pei Xia.


    Pei Xia felt a little uncomfortable, but he held back and did not show it. ''Don''t think about it, Pei Xia. He is the protagonist, he will only be polite to girls, and merciless to male nympho...... Think about your little life.''


    However, even though Pei Xia could convince himself that Lucifer just helped him in a simple and kind manner, he still inevitably had some strange reactions.


    Anyone who was gently caressed by those hands from the shoulders down little by little, not light nor heavy, with some itchy and comfortable warmth, will inevitably have some reaction, right? This has nothing to do with whether Pei Xia likes him, it is purely physiological.


    Pei Xia subconsciously clamped his legs, and tensed his face to prevent himself from being exposed.


    "Sorry, I''m a little tired, so I''ll be slower." While saying this, Lucifer was looking at Pei Xia with a frank and unselfish look.


    At this time, his hand was about to break through the dangerous position and had already reached Pei Xia''s waist.


    Pei Xia quivered, and hurriedly shook his hand back. He unconsciously pulled it away with a little force, but quickly reacted and let go of his hand.


    Pei Xia took a step back and bowed awkwardly, "Thank you very much for your help, Your Holiness. But it''s enough."


    ©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥©¥


    0 (zero) = bottom/uke/shou


    Pei Xia took a step back and bowed awkwardly, "Thank you very much for your help, Your Holiness. But it''s enough."


    "Why?" Lucifer smiled and said, "Pei Xia, God wants us to help each other. You don''t have to be polite."


    Pei Xia''s forehead was sweating, he held back for a long time, and said, "Your Holiness, you are already very tired. If there is a sudden demon attack, it will be very dangerous. Please save your energy!"


    Lucifer chuckled, his gaze slid over Pei Xia''s slightly red and stubborn face. He did not continue to push, and spared the poor knight, "Well then, I accept your suggestion."


    Pei Xia breathed a sigh of relief. He hurriedly stood in the corner with his back to Lucifer and dried his pants.


    The poor clothes were soaked and dried three times in just half a day. If the clothes had a soul, it would definitely ask Pei Xia: Do you have any special hobbies?


    ¡­¡­


    As the Holy Son from the church of the God of Light, Lucifer would praise the God before going to bed. Originally, Pei Xia didn''t have this habit, but in front of the Holy One, he had to pretend.


    He put his hands together under his chin, slightly nodded and closed his eyes, pretending to be praying.


    Honestly, he is not a believer of the God of Light. He joined the Church of God of Light only to get close to Lucifer.


    Not good... Why would he feel uncomfortable when thinking about this? He was helpless. Pei Xia, who pretended to be pious, had no choice but to be really pious. He began to recite the Light Bible in his heart. After reciting the small half of the Bible, he finally returned to normal.


    After praying, Lucifer lay down in the quilt. Pei Xia respectfully said goodnight to him, then blew out the oil lamp and got into his own quilt in the dark.


    It was too dangerous today. He almost lost his mind in front of Lucifer. Thinking about the cannon fodder ''Pei Xia'' in the original story who was purified by a holy light because he molested Lucifer, Pei Xia couldn''t help being afraid.


    No, he must be pure-hearted, and never let the protagonist discover that he is a gay!


    ......


    The next morning, after eating breakfast with Lucifer, Pei Xia went downstairs to visit Alice. Alice still looks frightened, she would feel more at ease only when she was around the Holy Knights.


    Because Lucifer decided to investigate Alice and Hobson here, they did not leave. The heavy rain outside still continued, so even if they wanted to go, they couldn''t go.


    Holy Knights have a habit of practicing swords for a while in the morning. But at this moment, it is raining heavily outside and they can''t practice freely. They borrowed the living room on the first floor, put down their swords, and exercised with bare hands and fists.


    Lucifer stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows and watched the clattering rain outside. In order not to make Lucifer seem lonely, Pei Xia did not join the team of the other knights, but stood beside Lucifer and watched them silently.


    Look at those sturdy biceps, look at the sweat flowing down the bronze skin, look at those handsome and manly Knights......


    Pei Xia touched his heart and felt his aesthetics firm up some more.


    Sure enough, as a pure 0, he should love strong men.


    "Pei Xia, what are you looking at?"


    "Strong men...!"


    Lucifer: "..."


    Pei Xia, "...that I should learn from."


    "Is that so?" Lucifer said in a somewhat subtle tone. He raised his hand and patted Pei Xia''s shoulder, squinting his eyes for unknown reasons, and suddenly curled his lips in a smile.


    Lucifer leaned into Pei Xia''s ear very kindly and said, "Pei Xia, it''s time to start the investigation."


    No one knew what Count Hobson was doing last night, but he didn''t get up until almost noon, and his complexion was pale. Pei Xia had already accompanied Lucifer to question the servants in the manor when he went downstairs.


    The servants were unanimous, all saying that Alice stole the Count''s gold, and expressed opposition to Alice''s claim that the servants often disappeared.


    But the more unified they speak, the more serious the problem is. Without Pei Xia''s reminder, Lucifer could guess that the servants had been warned in advance.


    However, it is also impossible to judge a case with "the servants are completely consistent with what they said, but they are strange." At least, some evidence must be found.


    Otherwise Hobson can completely deny it.


    After Hobson went downstairs, he saw Lucifer standing next to Alice, frowning slightly to ask for details. He saw the old butler gave him a hint, and he couldn''t help grinning.


    He strode to Lucifer and bowed exaggeratedly, "My dear Lucifer, you must know enough about my innocence. Please don''t be deceived by this girl full of lies, I Never lie to you. Please trust me."


    Hobson''s arrogance makes him uncomfortable, Lucifer''s expression was dull. He was about to speak when Pei Xia frowned and stepped between the two.


    "Count Hobson, please don''t call His Holiness by name casually. You must be an educated person and you should understand what respect is."


    Call Lucifer''s name directly?


    Of course it is allowed. But Hobson''s call is too exaggerated and greasy, and Pei Xia feels a little sick after hearing it. Lucifer was well educated, and he would surely endure it as long as the opponent was not too much, but as his guardian knight, Pei Xia couldn''t bear it.


    Hobson straightened up and told Pexia gloomily, "I naturally understand the respect for His Excellency Lucifer. But how about you? Daring to confront a noble Count. Is this your upbringing?!"


    "We from the Church of the Light God does not distinguish between high and low based of their worldly status."


    Hobson sneered, "In this case, then I will challenge you. The person who loses must apologize to the other party and admit that they are not worthy to call Lucifer''s name! "


    It''s really an unreasonable and pathetic cannon fodder who was dazzled by Lucifer''s beauty.


    "I accept your challenge, in the name of His Holiness'' Knight."

 CH 9

    Chapter 9: Pei Xia''s injury is quite serious.


    ¡ª


    Heavy rain was still pouring down outside. The carefully decorated living room was in a mess now, just because a group of rude knights came in.


    And now, even the owner of the manor has to join the battle against the group of unwelcome guests (excluding Lucifer).


    The old butler held his heart and stood at the side, looking worriedly at Count Hobson and the dark-haired young knight.


    God, bless the Count a victory...Oh my God! The Count lost!


    When Hobson''s sword fell to the ground and Pei Xia''s sword was placed on his neck, let alone Hobson''s face, the servants in the entire manor were stunned.


    In addition to his identity, Count Hobson''s own strength is very good in the first place. How can the servants think that a little knight will dare to embarrass him like this?


    But the fact is that Pei Xia really dares.


    Pei Xia panted lightly, his arm steady, "Your Excellency, you lose."


    The roar of the Knights sounded all around.


    In fact, Hobson¡¯s strength is comparable to Pei Xia. The reason why he lost so quickly in this fight was entirely because he wanted to show his heroism in front of Lucifer. The downfall of having too much desire to perform was that he was trampled by the opponent.


    The flesh on Hobson''s face twitched twice. He stared at Pei Xia with a gloomy expression, and was silent for a while before saying, "Rematch!"


    "Your Excellency, if you agree to bet, you must accept to lose." Pei Xia did not accompany him to continue the trouble.


    In the end, Hobson maintained the dignity of the Count. He sneered. When he looked at Lucifer, his eyes were strange and unpredictable, "Well then, since I lost, I will continue to honor Lucifer as the Holy Son from now on."


    After speaking, he went upstairs with an excuse that he was uncomfortable.


    Pei Xia breathed a sigh of relief, put away the sword. He was just about to turn around and say flattering words like ''May the Light God bless you'' to Lucifer, his vision blurred for a second, and a dazzling person rushed in front of him.


    It was Lucifer. He was frowning slightly with a sad expression, and he held Pei Xia''s face with both hands.


    Caught off guard by his closeness, Pei Xia became silly. His brain froze for a while, and he didn''t know how to react at all.


    Fortunately, after Lucifer took a closer look at his face with his azure eyes, he spoke to break Pei Xia''s awkward situation: "Pei Xia, how are you, are you injured?"


    "Your Holiness, please rest assured. Only a little injury.¡± As he said, he clenched his fist and couldn''t help but said, ¡°My face is not injured, you can let go.¡±


    The magnified beauty of prosperity is simply a kind of weapon, making Pei Xia unconsciously hold his breath. Pei Xia couldn''t help but quietly heaved a sigh of relief the moment Lucifer finally let go of his hand.


    But then, his arm was caught by Lucifer.


    "Let me take a look." Lucifer stared at the scratch that seep a wisps of blood on it, and said solemnly, "Pei Xia, don''t touch heavy objects again today!"


    Pei Xia was taken aback, "This injury....." Isn''t that bad, right??!


    "No!" Lucifer raised a finger to his mouth with a worried expression, "Pei Xia, this is the injury you suffered for me, I must be responsible for you!"


    Pei Xia: "......" How does he feel weird?


    Before he could figure it out, Lucifer took Pei Xia''s hand and strode upstairs. His soft, white clothes were flying like butterfly wings. Pei Xia couldn''t help but stagger away by him.


    At this time, he suddenly discovered that Lucifer was not weak at all. After all, he was also a man taller than him.....


    "Please prepare bandages, scissors, hot water and wound medicine." When passing by Hobson''s butler, Lucifer decisively left a word on his side, and before the old butler could respond, he took Pei Xia upstairs.


    Downstairs, the old butler hesitated for a moment, and looked at the onlookers Knights, "Did His Holiness say just now that he wants bandages and wound medicine?"


    Buck folded his hands together and looked at Lucifer''s back upstairs religiously, "As expected of the Holy Son, really considerate!"


    Mallory clenched his fists excitedly, tears filled his eyes, "His Holiness loves his subordinates so much, worthy of my allegiance!"


    The old housekeeper: "......" Isn''t the point that your Holy Son can use light magic completely but still asks for medicine?!


    ......


    Upstairs, Pei Xia was dragged by Lucifer into the room all the way. The bumps made his head dizzy, making it hard to think about what was going on.


    Until he was "lightly" thrown on the bed by Lucifer. Lying on the soft big bed, Pei Xia stared at the ceiling with flowers and angels carved on it for a while, and then he was about to get up.


    What''s going on? He just scratched his arm, not broke his leg!


    However, just as he propped himself up, he was pushed by a slender hand.


    Plop, Pei Xia fell into the soft bed again.


    "Your Holiness, please don''t worry, I''m really fine." Pei Xia turned his head helplessly and said to the blond-haired Holy One standing next to the bed.


    However, instead of the anticipated understanding of the Holy One, he saw Lucifer sighed sadly.


    The terrible expression on Lucifer''s face caused Pei Xia''s heart to jump suddenly, and he even couldn''t help but start to doubt whether he was really seriously injured.


    Then, Lucifer sat down beside Pei Xia.


    The bed was not only soft, but also very elastic. When Lucifer sat down, the mattress shook and Pei Xia bounced with him.


    With one hand on his chest, Lucifer looked down at him sadly. His beautiful face was like a flower beaten by frost in late autumn, haggard and pitiful.


    "Peixia, haven''t you noticed? Count Hobson, he has a demonic breath on him!"


    Peixia, "Ah?!" He was dumbfounded, he really didn''t notice.


    Although Hobson behaved a bit strangely today, very impulsive and gloomy, Pei Xia only thought he was dazzled by Lucifer''s beauty. It turned out... Has he begun to merge with the devil?


    Pei Xia vaguely remembers some of the content of the original book: Hobson would feel anxious because of Lucifer''s investigation, and the devil would start to confuse Hobson after many days without sufficient blood supply. Eventually, the two merged and were purified by Lucifer.


    In the morning, Lucifer asked the servants in the castle and got an unfavorable answer. At that time, Pei Xia was not worried that he would not be able to find out the truth. Because Pei Xia knew that even if Lucifer did nothing but stay here, Hobson and the demon would be ruined because of anxiety.


    But... This plot should not start until a few days later. Is it because of the butterfly effect that Hobson''s plot has also undergone a big change?


    Pei Xia was vaguely worried, and looked at Lucifer, "Your Holiness, how is your state?" He must maintain plenty of magic power these days, and shouldn''t get tired lest he will be thrown away by cannon fodder!


    At this time, a servant knocked on the door and brought what Lucifer wanted. Lucifer opened the door with a smile and took it, and then locked the door tightly.


    He sat on the bed next to Pei Xia, who was trying to sit up. This time, he didn''t stop him any more, just pulled up Pei Xia''s arm and gently stroked the wound with his white fingertips.


    "Pei Xia." Lucifer called him softly with a sad expression, and seemed to find something very bad, "Your injury..."


    Because Lucifer was nervous and serious, even Pei Xia became worried and afraid. His heart was pounding, "Your Holiness, please tell me directly."


    "Ai!" Lucifer sighed, "Your wound is contaminated with a devil''s breath, and you need to be treated very carefully. Otherwise, it will fester. And there is also a mark of the devil on it, I am afraid that the devil will come to you."


    Pei Xia: "..."

 CH 10

    Chapter 10: Lucifer''s nightmare.


    ¡ª


    In an instant, Pei Xia''s body was tense and his heart was horrified.


    Being found by the devil is what Pei Xia fears the most. He came to Lucifer to avoid this fate!


    "Then, then what should I do..." Pei Xia subconsciously sought the advice of the person here who was most able to help.


    "Don''t worry." Lucifer glanced at him soothingly, showing a smile full of encouragement, "I will do my best to eliminate the devil''s breath for you, but this mark is a bit difficult to deal with. Pei Xia, next time it''s better not to be too far away from me!"


    What a kind-hearted, upright and great protagonist! Pei Xia was moved to tears by him. He was so excited for a while that he forgot to maintain the etiquette of the subordinates and superiors. He shook Lucifer''s hand and said loudly and vigorously, "Your Holiness, you are very kind. Please rest assured, I will definitely not let you down!"


    Lucifer looked at Pei Xia and smiled with satisfaction, seemingly very pleased with the enlightenment of his subordinate.....


    That''s what Pei Xia thinks. As for Whether Lucifer actually thinks so is unclear.


    Then, Lucifer began to cover the scratch on Pei Xia''s arm with his palms. He frowned and looked very serious. The face that always smiles and makes people feel happy when they look at it now tightens, making people feel nervous and worried.


    A warm light came from Lucifer''s palm, and the light enveloped Pei Xia''s wound. Pei Xia sat on the bed and looked at Lucifer''s hand and his arm seriously.


    Lucifer''s hands are so beautiful..... Bah, don''t think about it!


    He thought that such a shallow wound should soon be healed. He didn''t expect ten minutes to pass before Lucifer slowly retracted his hand. A few drops of sweat oozed from his forehead, and his face full of fatigue.


    "Sorry, Pei Xia..." Lucifer''s voice trembled slightly, arousing pity, he looked at Pei Xia with guilt, "I have not been able to remove the mark of the devil, and I have already lost my strength..... The God of Light above."


    "The God of Light above." Pei Xia earnestly bowed to Lucifer, "Thank the God of Light. Thank you, Your Holiness. You have done a lot for me, please don''t feel so guilty! It''s me that should be grateful to you and Introspect, if this subordinate was more diligent, he wouldn''t have been injured by Count Hobson... Thank you, Your Holiness!"


    "It¡¯s okay, Pei Xia. You have done a good job." Lucifer looked haggard. With a smile on his face, he struggled to sit up slowly, then took the wound medicine and bandages and began to help Pei Xia apply medicine.


    That''s right, the scratch on Pei Xia''s arm still hasn''t healed!


    "Pei Xia, you don''t know how hard it is." Lucifer looked at him with a meaningful smile.


    Pei Xia was moved to tears.


    His Holiness couldn''t heal this wound even after trying his best, which shows that the demonic breath on it is very difficult to deal with, and it also shows that Lucifer is indeed weaker now.


    He did this for his own sake. In the future, he must be vigilant not to allow Hobson to take advantage of him, so as to live up to Lucifer''s kindness to him!


    Pei Xia looked at him seriously, "Your Holiness, this subordinates will definitely protect you!"


    "Thank you, I am looking forward to it." Lucifer responded softly.


    The injury was very shallow and did not affect the movement at all. Pei Xia had planned to bandage it himself, but was stopped by Lucifer. He stretched out his finger and lightly poked Pei Xia¡¯s forehead, and said with a smile, "This is my little love for the Holy Knight. Pei Xia, do you dislike me?"


    "No..." Pei Xia scratched his head embarrassedly, "I didn''t dislike you at all, Your holiness, but I will feel sorry if I troubled you too much."


    "No need to feel sorry." Lucifer''s fingers gently slid over Pei Xia''s arm, his long golden hair swishing gently with his movements as he bowed his head, and every now and then it would hit Pei Xia''s hand.


    Smooth, slightly cool... Feels good to the touch, and it makes him want to rub it.


    Pei Xia was absent-minded for a moment, but soon became sober. Rubbing His Holiness..... Forget it, he didn''t want to be purified by a holy light.


    "This fight started because of me, you are fighting for my dignity. Pei Xia, I am very grateful to you."


    Pei Xia, "No, no, please don''t say that. I am your knight, this is what I should do!"


    He hurriedly sat up straight and expressed his loyalty to Lucifer earnestly.


    Lucifer chuckled lightly and put the remaining bandages and medicine back on the table. He raised his hand and pulled the long hair hanging on his face behind his ear, revealing a small, white and even slightly translucent ear. It''s very white and tender, and you can even see the veins on a closer look.


    "Alright, Pei Xia." Lucifer sat on the bed and said with a smile, "Your wound has been bandaged. Don''t leave my side next, so as not to be attacked by the devil."


    "Yes, Your Holiness!"


    Pei Xia will not leave Lucifer''s side for half a step easily. Not only because of the devilish breath on the wound, but also because of the current exhausted appearance of Lucifer who has run out of magic power. If he is found by the devil alone, maybe this novel will be over because of the Protagonist''s death.


    Lucifer suddenly frowned and pressed his hand to his heart.


    "What''s wrong?" Pei Xia looked at him in surprise.


    "I..." As soon as the word was uttered, Lucifer frowned, his body shook, and fell weakly towards Pei Xia.


    Pei Xia subconsciously stretched out his hand to catch him, "Your Holiness!"


    When he took him into his arms, Pei Xia had a moment of disorientation. A little heavier  was not important. The faint rose fragrance... He was used to it. The key is that.... The cool and elastic body is perfect, and for a moment, Pei Xia''s heart was difficult to control.


    No, this is not good. Pei Xia scolded himself, and immediately withdrew his flying thoughts, then held the clinging Holy Son.


    "Cough, cough." Lucifer lightly coughed. Although he was taller than Pei Xia, he still leaned on Pei Xia''s chest and opened his mouth and sait pitifully, "I consume too much magic power and I''m a little tired now."


    So that''s how it is! Because of his carelessness... Pei Xia feels a little guilty.


    "Your Holiness, please rest for a while."


    "Okay." After saying that, Lucifer closed his eyes and he fell silent, as if he had fallen asleep.


    He didn''t feel any discomfort on his body at all, and the only wound had been bandaged. Pei Xia helped Lucifer lie down on the bed, and then considerately take off his coat, shoes, and socks for him.


    After that, Pei Xia planned to get out of bed and give up this comfortable bed to Lucifer.


    However, Lucifer suddenly reached out and grabbed the hem of his shirt. Pei Xia was surprised for a moment, looked down at Lucifer whose eyes were closed tightly, and tentatively whispered, "Your Holiness?"


    "......"


    Is he sleeping or not?


    Pei Xia gently grabbed Lucifer''s hand and was about to pull his clothes out of his hand. At this moment, he saw a drop of crystal tears slipping from the corners of Lucifer''s closed eyes.


    The man as holy and beautiful as an angel slept. It was supposed to be quiet and peaceful, but he frowned slightly and wept, as if caught into a painful nightmare. He opened his pale pink lips and murmured, "Don''t go... Don''t leave me alone..."


    The Holy Son of the God of Light, the beloved Protagonist, unexpectedly has such a vulnerable time!


    Pei Xia frowned, somewhat scared.


    Because it is not written in the original story, Pei Xia also doesn''t know if the protagonist has a dark past. According to the current trend, it''s embarrassing to be a protagonist without a tragic past.


    Therefore, it is not particularly unbelievable that Lucifer has a tragic past. Seeing that he is so vulnerable, Pei Xia thinks that it must be a very sad dream.


    It''s just... Will Lucifer be willing to be seen crying when having nightmares, even being touched by the hidden past?


    Pei Xia looked at him awkwardly, wishing to shut him, but didn''t dare. So he could only pray in his heart that the kind-hearted protagonist should not be petty enough to silence someone over this.


    Lucifer still grabbed the corner of his clothes, Pei Xia looked down at the big bed that was so soft that it bounced when he moved. He thought about it, and took his shirt off.


    Since the chance is here, grab it!


    Pei Xia gently climbed out of bed, then wiped off the drops of water from the corner of Lucifer''s eyes. He thoughtfully covered him up with a quilt, and then sat in the corner and began to exercise the Light Sword.


    A few moments later, Pei Xia, who was already immersed in the practice, did not hear the sleeping person on the bed let out a soft sigh.


    The beautiful and pure Holy Son raised his hand gently and discarded Pei Xia''s torn shirt to the ground.

 CH 11

    Chapter 11: Aren''t you tired from bending your knees?


    ¡ª


    Lucifer''s sleep time was so awkward that he indirectly caused a serious misunderstanding ¡ª when the servant knocked on the door to deliver a snack for lunch, Pei Xia opened his eyes and stood up and went to open the door.


    Having forgotten that he was shirtless for a moment, it was only when the servant froze and stared at the young man¡¯s lean upper body that Pei Xia reacted, he quickly said, "I''m sorry."


    He stepped back and caught a glimpse of the shirt that fell to the floor beside the bed, Pei Xia picked up the shirt and put it on. While buttoning up the buttons, he took the tray from the servant.


    "Sorry for disturbing you and His Holiness!"


    The surprised servant suddenly returned to her senses, her face flushed with embarrassment. She bowed to Pei Xia, ran off with her hands covering her face.


    Pei Xia stood by the door holding the tray, before suddenly becoming aware of something he didn¡¯t dare to confirm.


    This...is this really a no CP Tom Sue novel? It shouldn¡¯t warrant crooked thoughts, right?


    Pei Xia sighed lightly, and began his duties to take care of Lucifer. After all, Lucifer was weak now, and most of it was because of himself.


    For the next two days, Pei Xia accompanied Lucifer to pray and eat, reciting the Light Bible for him. Life was unexpectedly peaceful, as if Count Hobson had forgotten about Lucifer.


    Just when Pei Xia thought it would stay this peaceful until Lucifer regained his energy, Hobson knocked on Lucifer''s door that evening.


    "Your Holiness, you haven''t come out for the past two days, are you sick?" Hobson''s worried voice sounded from outside the door.


    "Please don''t worry about it, Count, I''m fine." Even separated by a door, Lucifer was still gentle and kind.


    "Since there is nothing wrong, may I invite Your Holiness out for dinner?" A hint of arrogance slipped into Hobson''s tone, "I don''t think your knight can prepare a beautiful rose garden for you."


    "Count, God said that we should not be greedy for worldly things." Lucifer turned his head to look at Pei Xia weakly, but his words were in reply to Hobson, "So please don''t pay too much attention to these things."


    Pei Xia, "..."


    Oh my god, what a plot of an innocent saint being molested by an evil tyrant! Pei Xia couldn''t help clenching his fists, he wanted Count Hobson to leave, but Lucifer was by his side. As the other party''s subordinate, he could not interrupt his superior''s conversations so casually.


    Hobson sneered and said, "Actually, there are some questions about the God of Light and faith I want to ask Your Holiness, I think since the Lord Son is generous and benevolent, he will definitely not refuse my little request."


    "Of course."


    Lucifer is worthy of being the Holy Son of the Light God¡¯s Church, he will agree with just the slightest coax from the other party!


    Pei Xia looked at him and was frustrated that Lucifer was so innocent. He lowered his voice and reminded him impatiently, "Your Holiness, didn''t you find the devil¡¯s presence in Count Hobson? Have you forgotten?"


    "Of course I haven''t forgotten. It''s just Pei Xia, we can''t keep hiding." Lucifer folded his hands together and raised his head towards the distance slightly, as if listening to the voice of God.


    The Holy Son... No, at this moment, he has freed himself from the common world and evolved into a Holy Father! The Holy Father Lucifer said with fearless self-sacrifice, "Besides, perhaps in the baptism of light, Count Hobson will escape the devil''s control and become a devout believer to God."


    Pei Xia, "..."


    There was no use, Pei Xia could only watch helplessly as Lucifer walked out with the Light Bible and a face shining with holy light.


    Pei Xia followed him downstairs, Hobson was very gentlemanly leading the way for Lucifer. They walked to the courtyard behind the castle, even at a distance Pei Xia could see the lush and gorgeous rose garden.


    "Your Honor, please stay." When entering the rose garden, Pei Xia was stopped by someone.


    Pei Xia was taken aback, and said, "I am the Holy Son¡¯s knight, I am responsible for his safety!"


    The old butler said impassionedly, "Oh my God, the God of Light above, are you doubting the Count or the security of Count Hobson''s territory? Or do you think a humble person should disturb the noble masters'' meal time?"


    Pei Xia thought for a while, and said, "To be honest, before becoming a Knight, I was a baron."


    An actual servant, the old butler, "..."


    "Enough, Tom." Hobson turned around a little impatiently, "And this Holy Knight, I came to consult with the Holy Son because of my sincerity. Do you want to prevent the glory of the Light God from spreading to the world?"


    This charge was serious.


    Pei Xia frowned slightly, "That''s not true, I..."


    "Pei Xia," It was Lucifer himself who interrupted him this time. He said gently, "It doesn''t matter, I believe in Lord Hobson''s sincerity, please don''t worry about me, I''ll be fine."


    How can I not worry, you are so...weak. Pei Xia''s heart twitched, fearing for the protagonist''s premature death.


    Lucifer looked at the old butler and Hobson again, with an upright face that spoke of equal integrity of all beings, he said, "Also, please stop attacking Pei Xia''s identity. In the eyes of God, all beings are equal. We should love and tolerate, and we should never attack with vicious words."


    Hobson and the old butler, "..."


    Although the Count has a lustful intentions for Lucifer, he has to admit that listening to him is really a kind of mental torture sometimes.


    In short, Pei Xia was eventually stopped outside the rose garden.


    Although Pei Xia looked calm and pretended to leave, he was actually walking towards the unoccupied periphery of the rose garden.


    What a joke. If they told him not to follow, would he really not follow? Absolutely not!


    This rose garden is very large, however, there were not so many servants in Hobson''s territory that they could guard every dead corner, Pei Xia soon found an inconspicuous place.


    The carved railing blocked the wantonly growing roses inside, and also blocked the opportunity for outsiders to get in close contact with the roses. A tree was planted every few meters against the inside of the railing. Pei Xia thought about it, stepped back a few steps, and started to sprint.


    He grasped the railing tightly, flipped up to hug the tree trunk, and then began to climb up. Pei Xia, hidden in the dense branches and leaves, quickly found the target.


    The pure and beautiful Holy Son, Lucifer, was sitting at an open-air table in the rose garden with the evil and domineering Count Hobson.


    The two sat facing each other, and Pei Xia''s position was just behind Hobson. He saw that the table was covered with a clean white tablecloth, topped with exquisite food and red wine, and there were even candles.


    In broad daylight, what was the point of lighting candles... Pei Xia is silently ridiculed in his heart. However, if he ignoredCount Hobson¡¯s connection with the devil, the current picture of the two people sitting together was really romantic ¡ª the overbearing Count falls in love with the pure Holy Son and escapes love¡­


    Peipeipei, stop thinking nonsense.


    At this time, Lucifer cast a glance his way, Pei Xia''s body tensed up, afraid that he (L) would stand up with a pure smile and raise his hand to greet him.


    Fortunately, Lucifer quickly withdrew his gaze, as if he hadn''t seen Pei Xia.


    The distance between Pei Xia and the two was a little far away, so he couldn''t hear what they were talking about, and could only hear some vague words. To sum it up, Hobson was scrambling to look for a conversation topic.


    Speaking of, Hobson¡¯s interest was peaked because Lucifer''s saintly attributes aroused his sadism. He stuffed the cup filled with red wine into Lucifer''s hand and demanded Lucifer to drink it.


    Lucifer frowned slightly, "Count, I only drink holy wine."


    "This wine is filled with my devotion to the God of Light, how is it different from holy wine? Your Holiness, won''t you give me this face?"


    He stood up as he spoke, holding a wine glass and forcibly poured into Lucifer''s mouth. Lucifer reached out with a weak face to refuse, but he could not resist the arrogant Count Hobson. The wine had spilled out of the cup and dyed Lucifer''s collar red. Seeing a pure and good straight man about to be forced to drink alcohol by a gay guy¡ª¡ª


    Pei Xia started to get angry in his heart, and the anger turned into courage. His legs pressed against the trunk, he circulated his sword energy, and with a stomp, he fell from the sky like a small cannonball, and then¡ª¡ª Pei Xia stepped on Hobson, and Hobson knocked over the table.


    The heroic knight has come to save the Holy One~!


    Pei Xia disdainfully stepped on Hobson''s back, it is because of people like you that Lucifer develops androphobia in the later stage, so that only a maid was left to serve, and refuses to approach another man.


    If it really develops to that point, all of Pei Xia''s efforts will have been in vain!


    "Lord Lucifer, are you okay?" Pei Xia stepped off Hobson''s back and looked at Lucifer worriedly. Lucifer looked at him in surprise, and slowly, tears filled his eyes.


    Lucifer stood up abruptly, staggering, and softly fell into Pei Xia''s arms!


    Pei Xia, "!!!"


    In an instant, Pei Xia''s entire body froze.


    Lucifer slowly raised his head from his arms, and with tears in his eyes, said pitifully, "Xia, you''re just in time, Count Hobson is too fierce, I''m scared."


    Pei Xia, "......" He shivered and felt goosebumps, but facing Lucifer, he revealed eight teeth as he smiled a perfect smile.


    "Please don''t worry, your subordinate will definitely protect you!"


    Pei Xia paused, looked at Lucifer who was shrinking in his arms, and reminded politely,


    "Your Holiness, aren''t you tired from bending your knees?"

 CH 12

    No one knew whether Lucifer tired or not from bending his knees, because in the next second, the noble Count who had been trampled on the ground got up angrily.


    He roared, "Damn barbarian!". His voice was deafening and Pei Xia was so scared that he pushed Lucifer away.


    "Your Holiness, stay behind me and let me take care of him!" Pei Xia drew out his sword backhandedly and brandished it bravely.


    Lucifer stood behind Pei Xia and looked at Hobson, who disturbed their love whispers1. Hobson was entwined with wisps of black smoke, apparently irritated. He had been completely controlled by the devil!


    Pei Xia''s forehead was sweating wildly from a bad premonition. He was very confident in one-to-one combat, but when his opponent got a plug-in, he had to be extra careful.


    Hobson looked up to the sky and let out a long roar, the blue veins on his face and neck were pulsing violently, and his eyes seemed to have turned crimson red. With such a malevolentis face, he rushed towards Pei Xia with stretched out hands that turned into sharp claws!


    Clang!


    It was the sound of Pei Xia''s sword colliding with Hobson''s claws. Pei Xia was surprised to find that Hobson''s skin... seems to have become thicker!


    It was so thick that he couldn''t even cut it!


    After being controlled by the devil, Hobson''s whole person had undergone tremendous change. He lost his mind, his strength increased, his defense also became stronger. He wanted to tear Pei Xia apart with his teeth and claws.


    For a time, Pei Xia fought with him and, to his surprise, couldn''t separate.


    "Your Holiness, please leave quickly, it''s dangerous here!" Although Pei Xia did not look back, he still warned loudly.


    Lucifer, who was standing behind him, froze when he heard these words. From an angle that Pei Xia could not see, Lucifer tilted his head and looked thoughtfully at the knight fighting fiercely against Hobson.


    He was trying very hard to protect him, even though he was anxious and afraid, he didn''t back off. Clearly he had the most vulnerable physique to be injured by the devil¡­


    The devil''s shadow twisted and lurked in the shadow on the ground. It revealed a greedy smile, stretched out its claws, and crawled towards Pei Xia''s shadow bit by bit.


    Just when it was about to touch Pei Xia''s shadow, a white boot stepped on it.


    The devil''s shadow paused, before suddenly beginning to tremble and twist violently as it emitted a soul shaking silent shrill.


    Pei Xia only felt his mind go blank for a moment. When he recovered, he found that Hobson, who was in front of him, was frowning tightly, shaking his body as if he was dazed.


    He shook his head irritatedly. Pei Xia looked at the opening and stabbed his sword towards his neck, but Hobson was stunned in place, and didn''t try to dodge or avoid it!


    Oh no, he actually didn''t dodge. If he stabbed him now, he would immediately be a goner! Pei Xia didn''t have time to think about it, he had subconsciously reversed his sword, and then it slapped Hobson''s face.


    A red mark slowly bloomed.


    Pei Xia, "...you still want to fight?"


    Hobson looked at him in shock. "Did you just slap me in the face?!"


    Pei Xia, "Uh..."


    "How dare you slap a noble gentleman, the highly respected and beloved noble count, in the face?!!"


    Pei Xia, "..."


    "Enough, Your Excellency." Lucifer walked out from behind Pei Xia and interrupted Hobson''s screaming.


    He looked calm, as if he had recovered from the fright just now. He put his hands together in front of him and, uncharacteristically, was not smiling, rather it brought a little seriousness. "Count, I have already found out the truth. What the girl said is true, you are the one who lied."


    Hobson froze. As if he had thought of something, the corners of his mouth twitched and tried to defend himself. "Lucifer, no, you have to believe me, I didn''t mean to be rude to you."


    Pei Xia sneered, holding his sword and standing guard at Lucifer''s side, "Your Excellency, you have been exposed, the demonic energy on you says it all!"


    Although he didn''t know how Hobson suddenly broke away from the demon''s control, now that all pretenses2 had been shed, it was useless to pretend to be peaceful even if he wanted to continue doing so.


    He only hoped that Lucifer could carry a bit more and that the light magic he had accumulated would be enough.


    Hobson still wanted to struggle, but Lucifer had already closed his eyes. He had entered a transcendent state. A soft holy light radiated from him and gradually spread to envelop the entire rose garden.


    The holy youth became the only color in the light. His blond hair was dazzling and beautiful. He was like an angel, spreading the light of God to the earth.


    The evil was purified. Hobson struggled and screamed as wisps of black smoke emerged from him and were promptly wiped out. It was the breath left by the devil. Then, Pei Xia actually saw a bat-wing-like devil''s shadow in the rose bush. The shadow suddenly burned like a fire, turning into smoke, and then disappeared.


    The pure ones were blessed, Pei Xia¡¯s body felt warm and full of strength. All the bruises on his body disappeared and an inexplicable wonderful feeling of happiness arose from within him.


    The light dissipated when everything was finally over, leaving behind a pure rose garden. Hobson was dying on the ground and couldn¡¯t put up any resistance.


    Lucifer opened his eyes and stumbled. His face and lips were pale, as if he was over-consuming his energy and becoming extremely weak.


    Pei Xia shouted, "Your Holiness" and reached his hand over to catch Lucifer into his arms.


    Lucifer was extremely haggard. He lowered his eyes, like a water lily that was about to fall asleep at dusk. He whispered, "Don''t worry, Pei Xia, it''s all right."


    "Your Holiness, please stop talking. Just rest and leave everything to me!"


    "Okay," Lucifer gave him a weak smile full of dependence and trust, and then closed his eyes and fell asleep.


    Pei Xia pursed his lips, both of his hands held Lucifer horizontally as he ran out. He ran and ran...


    Oh, no! He vaguely remembered that there was a cannon fodder who wanted to take advantage of the male protagonist''s weakness and princess-carried him and then was purified by holy light... Pei Xia gritted his teeth and pushed Lucifer upside down to his shoulders.


    He smiled with satisfaction: If he could not princess carry him and he would just slip off from his back, then he could only fireman carry him!


    Lucifer, who was carried on his shoulders with his head hung to the ground and was ¡®unconscious¡¯, closed his eyes and frowned slightly, enduring the pain on his stomach. He couldn''t help but quietly raised his hand and massaged his temples. Alas¡­


    Running out of the rose garden, besides the kneeling servants, the other Holy Knights consciously rushed over when they saw such a dazzling light.


    Pei Xia solemnly said while carrying Lucifer, "His Holiness has investigated clearly, Count Hobson has colluded with the devil! Now that the devil has been wiped out, Hobson has been executed, you all quickly cooperate and surrender! Buck, You brought two people to gather the servants in the castle and watch them. Don¡¯t let them escape. Mallory, you immediately rush to the nearest church and ask for support! The others are on standby at any time!"


    "Yes, Captain!" The knights responded loudly.


    Mallory looked worriedly at Lucifer on Pei Xia''s shoulder, "Captain, how is His Holiness?"


    "Don''t worry, His Holiness just fell asleep, I will take care of him.¡±


    "Understood!"


    After arranging the follow-up matters, Pei Xia carried Lucifer back to the room in the castle, and he carefully put Lucifer down on the bed.


    For some reason, Lucifer''s face became paler, and he frowned slightly, looking very uncomfortable.


    When Pei Xia put him down, he let nature took its course3 and put his right hand between his chest and abdomen. The long golden hair scattered beneath him, resembling the radiance of the sun.


    Pei Xia was stunned with admiration, and then pulled Lucifer''s other hand, and had him put his hands on his chest in a praying posture.


    Pei Xia looked at his masterpiece and nodded in satisfaction: He deserves to be the protagonist, and he is still so pious even in a coma!


    Knock knock knock!


    At this time, there was a knock on the door, Pei Xia walked over in surprise and saw a girl from the crack of the door. It turned out to be Alice!


    Pei Xia opened the door and saw Alice holding a basin of water and towels, and a small bottle of essential oil.


    Alice looked sadly at Lucifer from over Pei Xia, "How is His Holiness? I was worried when I saw him in a coma... After all, His Holiness saved me, please let me take care of him in return!"


    Pei Xia excitedly let her in. "You came, just in time!"


    He was struggling over whether to clean up the filth on the protagonist while he was unconscious. It was a coincidence that Alice was here, after all, Lucifer was a male protagonist with quite the double standard.


    In the face of the same sex, he was as cold as the winter wind, but in the face of the opposite sex, he was as gentle as the warm sun in spring. Oh, he didn''t know how many men who wanted to take advantage of him were purified. Pei Xia did not dare to take the risk of cleaning Lucifer¡¯s body, what if he was taken as a pervert?


    But... Pei Xia frowned slightly. The current Lucifer seemed to be a bit different from the original, and he doesn''t seem to be very interested in girls either.


    Pei Xia thought for a while, pulled the chair and sat down next to the bed, and stared at Alice with a serious and oppressive face. "Please help take care of His Holiness!"


    Alice, "...What about you?"


    Pei Xia, "I will supervise you."


    Alice, "???"


    Pei Xia, "I am wary of accidents."


    Alice, "..."


    Although she admired Lucifer very much, under such fierce and careful eyes. Alice....could only feel that if she overstepped even a little, she would be decapitated by the Knight.


    With subtle disappointment, Alice diligently helped clean Lucifer''s hands, face, neck and chest, before walking out with the things.


    Pei Xia helped her carry the bucket, and the two of them went downstairs side by side. Alice was a little curious. She summoned up the courage and tentatively asked, "His Holiness seems very fond of You, and You are very attentive to His Holiness. What is the relationship between you two?"


    Pei Xia replied in a deep voice, "A superior-subordinate relationship."


    Alice, "Huh? I thought, His Holiness towards You..."


    Pei Xia smiled faintly. "You¡¯re too naive. Let me tell you a secret."


    "What secret?"


    "The more generous and close someone is to the same sex, the more straight they are!"


    Alice was a little confused. Although she couldn''t quite understand what she heard, she still vaguely understood something she shouldn''t.


    Pei Xia sighed in his heart.


    During high school in his previous live, he slowly realized his sexuality, and from then on he began to consciously distance himself from his same-sex friends. Energetic high school boys liked to hug their friends the most. After class they will play Happy Corner4, Monkey Steals the Peach5, and other passionate bromance games.


    Only Pei Xia, because of the improper thoughts in his heart, dared not be too close to them.


    Therefore, Lucifer''s current blatant show of reliance is obviously because he (L) regards him (PX) as a good buddy!


    Pei Xia felt a little regretful. Lucifer is a straight man!

 CH 13

    Chapter 13: Pei Xia¡¯s punishment is..


    ¡ª


    Lucifer soon recovered after sleeping for a day. Pei Xia breathed a sigh of relief. He sat on the bedside and fed Lucifer a drink while telling him what had happened after he had passed out.


    Count Hobson has been arrested. In this world where theocracy competes with imperial power, the Church of the Light God holds great power, and the interrogation of the people in the manor soon proved Hobson¡¯s collusion with the devil. In this case, no one was willing to speak for him.


    Although Hobson broke away from the devil¡¯s control in the critical moment before the final purification, and was lucky to not have been directly reduced to ashes, what awaited him afterwards was still the merciless death penalty.


    After investigation, the priesthood and the military found dozens of skeletons. They would wait for the families of these victims to claim them, and then divide Hobson¡¯s property as compensation.


    Alice also received a part of the property as compensation, but instead of leaving immediately, she insisted on staying to wait for Lucifer to recover.


    What an infatuated girl. It¡¯s just a pity that Lucifer only has the Light in his heart, and the girl¡¯s infatuation was wasted.


    ¡±Your Holiness, the things here have been taken over by the local church, you can rest for a few days and wait until you are well before we continue the journey.¡±


    ¡±Thanks for your hard work, Pei Xia. You have done a good job.¡± Lucifer looked at his knight appreciatively.


    Pei Xia was a little embarrassed, ¡°Your Holiness over praises me.¡±


    His main task is to take care of Lucifer, and most of the other things were done by his colleagues. Pei Xia was embarrassed to take the credit alone and said, ¡°Everyone worked hard. It was Buck who interrogated the truth, it was Mallory who ran to call the people, it was¡­¡±


    He said a lot, recapping everyone¡¯s part until his mouth went dry and he unconsciously stuck out the tip of his tongue to lick his lower lip.


    ¡±Okay, Pei Xia, no need to say more, I understand that this is the result of all of our hard work, everyone is excellent.¡±


    Lucifer calmly passed him a glass of water.


    Pei Xia subconsciously took it, subconsciously said, ¡°Thank you, Your Holiness¡±, subconsciously took a sip, and then¡ª¡ªhis whole person froze.


    Wasn¡¯t this¡­.the water glass Lucifer just used?!


    ¡±What¡¯s wrong, Pei Xia?¡± Lucifer¡¯s pure eyes looked directly at Pei Xia, there was no evasion or ulterior motive inside. Those blue eyes were like the sky, so clear, as if faintly mocking Pei Xia¡¯s impure thoughts.


    ¡±I-it¡¯s nothing, Your Holiness¡­¡± Pei Xia slowly put down the water glass and pushed it away.


    It doesn¡¯t matter, he drank it on the other side. They are good buddies, drinking from the same cup is nothing!


    He convinced himself in this way, then cleared his throat and said, ¡°Your Holiness, would you like to go for a walk?¡±


    Since Lucifer didn¡¯t find anything wrong with drinking from the same cup, then change the subject so that he¡¯ll never find out!


    Pei Xia said honestly, ¡°The kitchen is cooking now and the food will be delivered soon. The weather is good today. Maybe you want to eat in the yard?¡±


    After several days of continuous rainy weather, the sun finally came out. The harbor was caught by rain not long ago. The grass was fresh and exuberant. Dining under the blue sky, white clouds and green trees on the lawn would definitely make people feel happy.


    ¡±I accept your proposal, Holy Knight.¡± Lucifer said with a smile. He stretched out his hand, Pei Xia immediately helped him stand up, and then helped change his clothes.


    When changing clothes¡­ Pei Xia stared at the ceiling, resolutely not giving Lucifer a chance to misunderstand.


    There was a sudden clatter and Pei Xia followed the sound to see what it was. It turned out that the gold comb studded with gems fell to the ground.


    ¡±My hands are a little weak,¡± Lucifer sat in front of the mirror, frowning in distress, and slowly bent down.


    Pei Xia took a step forward and picked up the golden comb. ¡°Your Holiness, please let me help you.¡±


    ¡±Thank you, Pei Xia,¡± Lucifer smiled.


    ¡±No problem,¡± Pei Xia stood behind him, holding the golden comb and combing his long hair. The golden hair was more dazzling and beautiful than the golden comb. He carefully held a handful of Lucifer¡¯s sunshine silk threads to help tidy up his appearance.


    ¡±You haven¡¯t eaten anything for an entire day, you will have strength after eating later,¡± Pei Xia comforted him.


    After combing his long hair, Pei Xia helped Lucifer walk downstairs. Lucifer was indeed very weak, his whole body was leaning on Pei Xia.


    Pei Xia caught a faint rose fragrance.


    Tsk, how should he put it¡­ it¡¯s Alice¡¯s fault! Taking care of a comatose person and still mixing rose essential oil into the water used to wipe his body. Oh Light God above, she¡¯s too thoughtful [1].


    Pei Xia couldn¡¯t understand them Westerners, even Westerners portrayed by Eastern authors.


    At this time, Lucifer¡¯s body temperature seeped through the fabric and transferred to Pei Xia, he wasn¡¯t surprised that Lucifer¡¯s body felt cold.


    He discovered a long time ago that even though Lucifer is the Light God¡¯s darling, known as the Son of the Sun, the embodiment of warmth, etc¡­.very positive and sunny, but his body temperature was low, rarely would he have the warmth of ordinary people.


    Pei Xia couldn¡¯t help but think worriedly, this was a sign of nutritional deficiency!


    He began to recall his previous life¡¯s knowledge. One had to drink red dates and brown sugar water to make up for nutritional deficiencies¡­ Wait, wasn¡¯t that for a woman on her period?


    Pei Xia frowned slightly, but couldn¡¯t complain that Lucifer was as delicate as a frail girl, so he could only ponder alone on how to supplement it for him.


    ¡±Pei Xia, what are you thinking about?¡± Lucifer tilted his head and asked curiously.


    His long hair swept over Pei Xia¡¯s neck with the movement, and it tickled him. Pei Xia couldn¡¯t help but evade. He said sincerely, ¡°I was thinking that Your Holiness should eat more nutritious things to replenish energy.¡±


    He subconsciously squeezed Lucifer¡¯s arm, and it¡¯s elastic¡­ En, it didn¡¯t seem to be as weak as he had thought. Pei Xia squeezed again and felt it carefully.


    ¡±Addicted?¡± Lucifer asked with a smile.


    Pei Xia regained his senses in horror, he was taken aback, reflexively released his hand, and gently pushed away. And so¡­the weak Holy Son fell down the stairs with a thud.


    Pei Xia, ¡°Your Holiness!!!!!¡±


    He screamed and hurriedly rushed after him, as if it was not Lucifer but himself who tumbled down the stairs. Fortunately, they have now reached the bottom few stairs, Lucifer just rolled a bit before coming to a stop.


    Pei Xia flew over and knelt in front of Lucifer with a plop. Panickedly, he stretched out his hand to support Lucifer¡¯s upper body.


    When Lucifer fell, he fell face first. Fortunately, he covered his face with his hands in time to avoid disfigurement.


    He sat up weakly, put his hand down, and there was a red mark on the back of his hand.


    ¡±Please forgive me, Your Holiness, I was wrong. I am extremely sorry, please punish me!¡± Pei Xia prostrated on the ground, feeling guilty.


    His heart was beating erratically. He was worried about Lucifer¡¯s fall, and he blamed himself for such disgraceful behavior. At the same time, he was afraid of being driven away by Lucifer¡­


    His thoughts twisted into a ball like a mess, Pei Xia could only restlessly wait for Lucifer¡¯s punishment.


    At this time, a hand gently stroked his head and Lucifer said, ¡°Alright, Pei Xia, get up. I am also at fault in this matter, I shouldn¡¯t have teased you.¡±


    ¡±No, Your Holiness, it¡¯s my fault, I shouldn¡¯t have defiled you so unthinkingly!¡± Pei Xia apologized guiltily.


    ¡±Okay,¡± Lucifer smiled softly, ¡°Since you insist, then I will punish you¡­¡±


    ¡±¡­¡± Pei Xia inhaled, not daring to breathe.


    ¡±I punish you to take good care of me until I recover.¡±


    Pei Xia burst into tears. Lucifer was too upstanding!


    ¡±Please let me make it up to you, Your Holiness!¡± Pei Xia suddenly got up, looking at Lucifer¡¯s eyes as if looking at the actual Light God.


    At this moment, Pei Xia felt that he was full of energy. He gratefully carried Lucifer on his back, and then ran to the small dining table on the beautiful lawn to place Lucifer there.


    He was like a diligent little bee, wiping Lucifer¡¯s hands and patting his clothes, pouring steamed milk for him, and then running away like the wind.


    Lucifer slightly extended his hand, somewhat at a loss. Wait, you said you will take care of me, why did you run?!

 CH 14

    Chapter 14: Pei Xia¡¯s love tonic soup.


    ¡ª


    Where did Pei Xia go?


    To the kitchen of course!


    Since his punishment was to take care of Lucifer, Pei Xia couldn¡¯t treat this perfunctorily, he must take care of Lucifer seriously!


    At the moment, Pei Xia couldn¡¯t think of any other ways that could better reflect his care. After thinking about it, all he came up with was to make Lucifer some food to show his sincerity.


    In his previous life, Pei Xia lived alone and was used to taking care of himself. He was still pretty good at cooking. While it couldn¡¯t be compared with a chef¡¯s, the taste was still okay. At the very least it wouldn¡¯t give someone diarrhea when they eat it!


    What should I make for him¡­ Pei Xia frowned, he stood in the kitchen and earnestly pondered.


    ¡±Your Honor, the breakfast for His Holiness is ready, do you need to check it?¡± The servants in the kitchen asked both nervously and respectfully.


    This stern-faced Knight was the one who the Holy Son valued the most. And these servants¡¯ master, Hobson, just had to have colluded with the devil¡­Oh God, the Light God above, now whenever they see this Holy Knight, they felt their little hearts beating wildly and a breeze pass over their necks.


    Pei Xia was startled, but then he nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    The servants immediately sent over the prepared meals for him to check. Meat, eggs, milk, vegetables, etc¡­ They were all nutritious and delicious. Pei Xia was a little bit distressed. If this was the case, then he didn¡¯t need to cook anymore.


    He could only cook simple Western recipes. As for Chinese food, he didn¡¯t know if Lucifer would like it, so instead of cooking it himself, it was better to let Lucifer eat the chef¡¯s cooking.


    Pei Xia waved his hand. ¡°Very well, send it over quickly, don¡¯t let it get cold.¡±


    ¡±Yes, Your Honor!¡±


    Several servants left with the breakfast. Of those that were left, they still looked at Pei Xia curiously and uneasily. The food was already sent, yet this knight didn¡¯t leave to guard his master. What else does he need to stay in the kitchen for?


    It couldn¡¯t be that Lucifer mistreats his knight and starves him, so he came here to steal food, right?


    Just when everyone¡¯s curiosity was about to bubble over, Pei Xia rolled up his sleeves and asked, ¡°Ahem, do you have any sugar?¡±


    That¡¯s right, Pei Xia had decided on what he wanted to make. He wanted to prepare a bowl of nutritious soup that drove the cold out of the body! Although he, himself, did not do much research on health maintenance, people in the era of science and technology can always easily acquire a lot of fragmentary knowledge. Although he himself has never suffered from nutritional deficiencies, he knew female classmates with dysmenorrhea [1] and has heard them mention jujube with brown sugar water.


    Pei Xia decided to make a bowl of tonic soup for Lucifer!


    Pei Xia asked the servants to prepare the things for him, ¡°Red dates, longans, roses, brown sugar¡­ Ah, if you don¡¯t know about brown sugar, ordinary sugar is also fine, and some honey. Um¡­ Add some nuts and walnuts for the brain.¡±


    ¡±That¡¯s right, donkey-hide gelatin! Too bad there is none here.¡± Pei Xia stroked his chin and suddenly thought of gelatin raw materials, his eyes shone, ¡°Is there no animal skin?¡±


    Servants, ¡°There is, you are going to¡­?¡±


    ¡±Bring it here first.¡±


    Pei Xia closed his eyes and recalled, ¡°Um¡­ Stir-fried pork liver with chives? Forget it, as long as the pork liver is good¡­ Bring black pepper, ginger, and eggs!¡±


    Pei Xia remembered that he had a much older female cousin [2], they lived together when they were young. When his cousin had dysmenorrhea, she would drink a bowl of brown sugar, ginger and egg water. One thing she always had to add was black pepper, so that the body will feel warm and comfortable after drinking it.


    As for the taste? Pei Xia never had menstruation, he could only look at it with envy, but never drank it personally.


    At that time, the family was poor, and his cousin would only receive special treatment at this time, so it must be very delicious!


    ¡­


    Half an hour later, Lucifer sat gracefully on a beautiful white painted chair. In front of him was a single dining table decorated with a vase containing a fully-bloomed red rose.


    He had finished his breakfast and was sitting there idly, waiting for his lovely knight.


    Why hasn¡¯t Pei Xia come yet?


    In contrast to Pei Xia, the other people kept drawing closer to his side as if unintentionally. They stared at Lucifer with what they thought was a hidden gaze, either with admiration or greed.


    Lucifer had long become accustomed to such gazes, he was leisurely and didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable. He was the guide of believers, and he is destined to stand in the forefront of everyone and guide them to the light.


    However, light¡­ Lucifer seemed to have thought of something, and the smile on his face became more and more obvious.


    Humans, they obviously have never even seen the true appearance of God, but under the guidance of their same kind, they fanatically believe in God. Is this what they call stupidity?


    Lucifer stretched out his fair hand gracefully, pinched a rose with his long and slender fingers and held it in front of him. He looked at the rose with narrowed bright eyes, smiling as if he had seen something else.


    He paid no mind to the spikes on the flower branches that pricked his fingers, the wound on his finger healed as soon as the red blood beads appeared.


    He plucked a petal and threw it on the ground in boredom.


    ¡±Pei Xia.¡±


    Where did he come from?


    Pei Xia, what is he thinking about?


    Pei Xia, what does he know?


    Pei Xia¡­


    He suddenly became impatient, he flicked his fingertips and the rose petals he plucked off burned silently. Then, the rose he held in his hand rapidly withered before finally turning into pieces of flying ash and disappeared into the dust.


    The bright Holy Son, still sitting in front of the table, gracefully extended his hand, ready to destroy another rose when¡ª¡ª the rose¡¯s hero came!


    Pei Xia solemnly and steadily walked over with a silver jar.


    ¡±Your Holiness!¡±


    Steam escaped from the edge of the silver jar¡¯s lid. Pei Xia put the jar in front of Lucifer, then stepped back a little bit and knelt down on one knee.


    He held the sword around his waist with his left hand, put his right hand on his chest, leaned over and lowered his head slightly, he expressed his respect and loyalty to Lucifer, ¡°The great Holy Son, this subordinate feels extremely sorry for hurting you. Your tolerance and kindness makes me grateful, and I will always remember it in my heart.¡±


    Lucifer glanced at the silver jar and then at Pei Xia, feeling satisfied with his sincere and straightforward apology.


    So he smiled and said magnanimously, ¡°Pei Xia, don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Really¡­? Pei Xia was stunned, feeling incredibly grateful. Lucifer is so good and excellent!


    Pei Xia breathed a sigh of relief and said, ¡°Even if you say this, this subordinate will still definitely fulfill the contents of the punishment.¡±


    ¡±So, what is in this jar?¡±


    Pei Xia enthusiastically introduced to him, ¡°It is popular in this subordinate¡¯s hometown to make a great tonic soup for people with weak bodies. This is the tonic soup I personally cooked for you, you will definitely be in good health after drinking it. This soup can cure cold hands and feet, make one¡¯s body warm and energetic, and also cure menstrual pain!¡±


    ¡±Menstrual pain?¡¯


    ¡±A painful experience.¡±


    Lucifer couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°What a magical tonic soup. Pei Xia, I can feel your kindness, I will definitely savor the soup made by your hands.¡±


    With that, he lifted the lid of the silver jar with great interest, and in the next moment, a sweet, fishy, spicy, strange and magical smell floated up along with a white mist.


    The white mist dispersed, revealing a black-red muddy soup with mushy petals floating around.


    Pei Xia took the lid out of Lucifer¡¯s hand expectantly and exchanged it with a spoon. ¡°Please taste it, Your Holiness. In my hometown, this tonic soup is very popular and especially loved by girls!¡±


    The darling of the Light God, the person countless people devoutly believed in, Lord Lucifer the Holy Son, held the spoon and fell silent.

 CH 15

    Chapter 15: The mystery in the tonic soup


    The expensive silver jars with carved flowers were filled with a great tonic soup stewed with all kinds of precious and delicious ingredients.


    Whether it was the beef and eggs commonly eaten by nobles or expensive honey, red dates, cinnamon and rare pepper spices, as well as ingredients that were not recognizable but probably equally valuable.


    Each one of them was excellent and if eaten one by one, they would taste very delicious and they are so precious¡­¡­. but why, after the pot of soup was made by mixing all those precious ingredients, it became something that even the devil dared not eat?


    Lucifer¡¯s hand holding the soon trembled slightly. That pot of black soup was not just soup, it was obviously a more terrifying existence than the black lava lake in hell!


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Your Holiness?¡±Pei Xia did not understand what Lucifer, who had just said he wanted to taste it, was doing. ¡°Are you afraid that the soup will be too hot? It¡¯s better to drink this soup while it¡¯s hot.¡±


    No, it¡¯s not that he¡¯s afraid of being scalded, he¡¯s afraid that his body will die after drinking it!


    Lucifer¡¯s smile was slightly pale, he sluggishly scooped up a piece of unknown substance with a spoon, ¡°Pei Xia, I am very interested in your mysterious recipe, can you tell me, what is this?¡±


    Pei Xia nodded in a daze, so Lucius Phil has such a research spirit!


    ¡°This is donkey skin! You don¡¯t need to eat it, just drink the soup!¡±


    Lucifer, ¡°¡­¡±


    He slowly put the donkey skin on the table and re-scooped another unidentified piece: ¡°This, what is it?¡±


    ¡°This is pig liver, which is very nourishing for qi and blood!¡±


    Lucifer, who never eats animal offals, ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°And this?¡± He finally scooped up a cylindrical and very elastic unidentified object.


    Pei Xia¡¯s face was slightly red, gave a not too good cough, ¡°This is ¡­¡­ donkey whip, works as an aphrodisiac and qi tonic.¡±


    ¡°Donkey whip?¡± Lucifer asked rhetorically in bewilderment.


    The profound Chinese culture allowed an item to have a variety of colourful names, but there was no such thing as ¡°x whip¡± here.


    This donkey whip was asked by Pei Xia when he saw the servants kill the donkey. None of those servants dared to deal with it. Pei Xia had no choice but to put it on himself. When he cut a few sections of the donkey whip with a kitchen knife, the male and female servants in the kitchen silently clamped their legs at the same time.


    He had never made soup with donkey whip before, but washing it and boiling it probably should work, right?


    X whip, a popular aphrodisiac, can definitely make Lucifer full of energy, maybe he will become stronger and more manly!


    Pei Xia whispered and explained, ¡°It¡¯s that part of the donkey.¡±


    Lucifer, ¡°??¡±


    Pei Xia silently glanced at a certain part under his waist.


    All of a sudden, Lucifer¡¯s face turned white, he unconsciously clamped his legs, the corners of his lips were almost unable to maintain a smile, the spoon in his hand dropped with a jangling sound, the aphrodisiac tonic donkey whip also fell to the ground and was covered with dust.


    Pei Xia knew that Westerners generally do not easily accept this type of stuff, he hurriedly said, ¡°Your Holiness, you can just drink the soup!¡±


    ¡°Pei Xia, you are really ¡­¡­¡± Lucifer swallowed his words several times before finally saying, ¡°You have very rich talent in sorcery¡±


    Wizards usually play with various materials such as herbs, some of them are proficient in dark magic, some are proficient in natural magic, and are the spokesmen of mystery and eccentricity.


    However, they are equally revered because of their scarcity and the magical effects of the various tonics they make.


    ¡°You have over-complimented me, Your Holiness.¡± Pei Xia scratched his head in embarrassment, ¡°As long as you can become healthier, I¡¯ll be satisfied!¡±


    ¡°Sorry Pei Xia, I accidentally dropped my spoon.¡± Lucifera looked at the spoon on the ground and allowed himself to show a slightly regretful look, ¡°Perhaps ¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Your Holiness, I¡¯ll go get you a new one!¡±


    After saying that, Pei Xia then pulled his legs and ran to the kitchen.


    Lucifer slightly converged his smile, silently looking at Pei Xia¡¯s back, then a burst of fusion light scattered, blocking the outsiders¡¯ coveted sight.


    Everyone thought it was Lucifer who was praying, thinking he was the source of light that scattered, unaware that inside the beautiful and sacred light, it was nothing like what they thought.


    Lucifer gently hooked his fingers, from the shadow at his feet to grab a huge and fierce shadow of the devil, the devil in his hands was shivering, was as obedient as a puppy.


    Lucifer expressionlessly broke open the mouth of the demon, took the silver pot, poured all the soup in it.


    Shadow devil,  ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    After the five-flavoured tonic soup was poured, the demon¡¯s shadow wilted into something like running water and slowly and weakly shrank back to the master¡¯s feet.


    It¡¯s terrible, is this the criminal law newly developed by the master?!!


    But what did I do wrong?


    The Devil¡¯s Shadow thought so.


    ¡­¡­


    When Pei Xia ran back to Lucifer with a brand new clean spoon, he was surprised to find that the entire silver can of tonic soup had been drunk up!


    Lucifer wiped his mouth with a napkin and smiled at Pei Xia embarrassedly, ¡°I was really looking forward to your soup, and thinking about what you said about drinking it while it¡¯s hot, I couldn¡¯t hold back.¡±


    Pei Xia also smiled along and put down the spoon, ¡°It¡¯s great that you like it, in that case, I will continue to make a great tonic soup for you tomorrow as well!¡±


    Clatter¨C


    It was Lucifer who suddenly stood up and hit the tables and chairs. He stood still and seemed to be shaking unsteadily.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you, Your Holiness?¡± Pei Xia looked at him in confusion, worried, he ran over to support Lucifer.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay Pei Xia.¡± Lucifer smiled implicitly as he said, ¡°I feel very ¡­¡­ good and healthy after drinking your soup, and I think there is no need for you to work extra hard for me anymore.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not hard, it¡¯s not hard¡­¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Lucifer cut to the chase, ¡°It¡¯s hard work.¡±


    Pei Xia: ¡°¡­¡­ eh.¡± In addition to handling the donkey whip that was a little hard, the rest was fine. He can only say that Lucifer is too considerate to his subordinates!


    Pei Xia was very touched.


    Lucifer regained his calm and graceful pace, he was like a normal person, not a bit from the after-effects of rolling down the stairs and excessive weakness was seen.


    ¡°You see, I¡¯m already fine.¡±


    Is the effect of the great tonic soup he made so good? Pei Xia secretly made up his mind to continue making great tonic soup for Lucifer in the future.


    ¡°That¡¯s really great, Lord Saint Son!¡±


    So the holy son who thought he had escaped and the knight who was moved to the point where he wanted to keep trying, looked at each other and smiled affectionately.


    ¡­¡­


    Others have taken over the affairs of the Earl of Hobson, and after a good rest, Lucifer had to continue on his way with his paladins.


    When parting, Alice waved her handkerchief fondly.


    The poor peach blossom girl, for some reason, was unable to have an ambiguous relationship with the male protagonist at all.


    After that, Lucifer went to the local church to inspect the work, everything went smoothly, the weather was clear and sunny and everyone continued to set off to the next destination.


    Pei Xia sat on his horse, quietly opened his small notebook and used a charcoal pencil to put a cross on the name Hobson.


    Ever since he knew he transmigrated into this book, he tried his best to briefly record some of the plots he remembered, using Chinese characters that no one here knew. It¡¯s just that this novel is really not good, the plot was so sloppy, Pei Xia just forgot it after reading it once.


    So much so that the useful information he had on this book was pathetically small.


    The plot of Hobson here is over, the next plot point is ¡­¡­ about a branch of the church that is bright on the surface but is very dark inside.


    The location is the city of Abrulla, which was just ahead, and they will be there by tomorrow. What was the starting point of the plot to ¡­¡­ Oh right, it seems that the male protagonist and his party picked up a poor orc slave, and then found out that there was a problem with the branch church.


    This plot was about to arrive at this place, so why the orc slave had not yet appeared?


    Pei Xia scratched his head and put his notebook away.


    By noon, everyone stopped in place in the field and began to eat and rest, Pei Xia saw a clear river not far away.


    He thought that because of the inconvenience of the road, Lucifer has not bathed all day, and now the weather was gradually warming up, at noon the weather will inevitably become hot.


    So he asked the knights to boil water, he moved the bath bucket and placed it in the second carriage, and then pulled a curtain, ready to create a comfortable bath for Lucifer.


    He was a man who loved cleanliness, but he didn¡¯t have the habit of asking the knights to take care of him.


    Pei Xia felt that he had to take good care of him, then, surely he could not ignore this!


    ¡°Captain, the Lord Saint Son¡¯s essential oil seems to have been left at Earl Hobson¡¯s and forgotten to bring it.¡± Mallory scratched his head and said, ¡°The dried rose petals have also been used up.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Pei Xia rubbed his chin, ¡°It¡¯s okay, go boil the water first, I¡¯ll solve this problem!¡±


    ¡°Good!¡±


    Pei Xia rolled up his sleeves, carried a cloth bag and began to walk to the distance, he walked around and soon found a large blooming bush. This flower looked a bit like a chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemums improve eyesight and beauty. Since they are suitable for making tea, they must also be suitable for bathing!


    Buzz ¡­¡­


    Pei Xia nodded in satisfaction looking at the bush and then began to bend down to pick the flowers. There were not many flowers here. Considering the quality issue, Pei Xia quickly went to grab the best blooming little yellow flowers¡­


    T/N:I am translating another novel. Horror genre. If you are interested you can check it. You can check it here.

 CH 16

    Chapter 16: Pei Xia protects the flower


    In a short time, Pei Xia finished picking flowers, just as the other paladins also boiled the water.


    Pei Xia used the clear stream water to wash the tender yellow lovely petals and then threw the petals into the bath, subconsciously rinsing them down directly with boiling water. It was like he was making tea with boiling water bubbles ¡­¡­ wait, this is a bath!


    But ¡­¡­ It should be about the same, right?


    Never having made a flower petal bath before, seeing the shrinking petals in the hot water bubble, Pei Xia had a moment of doubt in himself, but soon, he regained his confidence by smelling the fragrance of the flowers that overflowed after being washed away by the hot water.


    That¡¯s right, what¡¯s to think about bubbles? The fragrance is enough!


    The tender yellow petals soaked in the tub soon became translucent in colour, the entire bath water inside the tub became a light bright yellow, Pei Xia took the cool water and mixed it with the hot bath water to make it at the suitable temperature.


    At this time, the softly scalded petals turned into mottled colours, a dark shallow colour. Tsk, no, they look a bit ugly. According to Lucifer¡¯s taste, he will probably be disgusted with it.


    Pei Xia thought, simply fish out the petals to throw away, although no petals, the water in the bucket will still be fragrant, well, he will tell Lucifer that he added essential oils inside.


    After Pei Xia was ready, he went to the side of Lucius Phil¡¯s carriage, he raised his hand and knocked on the door frame, ¡°Lord Saint Son, have you rested?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Lucifer¡¯s voice was very gentle.


    ¡°You have been bored in the car all morning, why don¡¯t you come out and take a bath, I have already prepared the bathwater for you.¡±


    Lucifer was a bit flattered, ¡°It¡¯s really hard for you guys.¡±


    He said, then lifted the curtain, the bright sunlight suddenly sprinkled to the interior of the carriage, Lucifer slowly walked out against the light, elegant body posture without a trace can be accused of place.


    Pei Xia stretched out his hand to help him out of the carriage, and then led him out toward the bath surrounded by the curtain.


    ¡°I am sorry, Your Holiness, there was no rose oil and petals, I took the liberty to use other flowers instead.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay Pei Xia.¡± Lucifer was very good at talking about such small things.


    ¡°Lord Saint Son, you can put your clothes on the stool, the towels and soap are inside, I am just around here, please feel free to call me if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°Many thanks.¡± Lucifer folded his hands and stood in front of the white curtain with a touched look, he said, ¡°You can tell me about this kind of thing later.¡±


    ¡°If I tell you in advance, you will surely refuse, right?¡± Pei Xia laughed.


    ¡°It seems that you really know me,¡± Lucifer said meaningfully, then he lifted the curtain and walked in, Pei Xia could only see his shadow reflected In the white cloth.


    He was undressing, slowly and very elegantly ¡­¡­ like a jacket, then lingerie, and finally, the lean figure stepped forward, slowly disappearing into the shadow of the cylindrical bathtub.


    Clatter ¡­¡­ The soft sound of swaying the water was thought-provoking, and Pei Xia couldn¡¯t help but recall the time when he fell into Lucifer¡¯s bath.


    That time, it should have been when he was closest to him, the elastic warm muscles soaked in hot water and the faint aroma of roses, under the dim candlelight, weaved a beautiful yet charming and vivid painting.


    Pei Xia felt a hint of shame ¨C for himself, he actually began to reverie about Lucifer in this type of thing.


    Wake up, not only is Lucifer straight, but he¡¯s also a homophobic straight man!


    Look at Andre, because he was too passionate about Lucifer, he was mercilessly left behind, Pei Xia, do you also want to be left alone to face the devil?


    Pei Xia couldn¡¯t help but hammer his head hard.


    He glanced at the shadow of Lucius Phil on the curtain, he was washing slowly, cupping a handful of water to his shoulders, his long hair resting on the outside of the bucket.


    The heat seemed to spread out and enveloped Pei Xia all the way, making Pei Xia feel a little breathless.


    Pei Xia took a deep breath and silently walked away to the cool stream.


    Calm down Pei Xia, do not think blindly!


    He squatted by the stream, took a handful of cool stream water and washed his face. After calming down, he suddenly saw two wasps buzzing and flying in front of him


    Pei Xia was startled and took two steps backwards, the huge horrifying wasps circled him twice and then slowly flew away.


    Pei Xia breathed a sigh of relief.


    Although Pei Xia was not afraid of bugs, if he was stung, he would definitely feel uncomfortable for half a month.


    After calming down, Pei Xia used his sleeve to wipe his face clean and then proceeded to return to Lucifer¡¯s curtain to stand by.


    A few moments later, he vaguely heard some strange sounds.


    Pei Xia looked out and was shocked, where did so many bees come from?


    ¡°Everyone get up, be careful, there is a swarm of bees!¡± Pei Xia immediately shouted.


    ¡°How did such a large swarm of bees come over?¡± The paladins were startled and hurriedly began to pack up their things to prepare for evasion.


    At this time, a clatter sounded inside the enclosure curtain, and Pei Xia turned around to see that it was Lucifer who had gotten up from the barrel.


    He busily said, ¡°Your Holiness, quickly put on your clothes, there is a swarm coming over. It¡¯s unsafe!¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Lucifer responded quickly and without confusion, he stepped out of the barrel, wiping his body carefully, and asked while dressing, ¡°Pei Xia, I have a question to ask you.¡±


    ¡°Please ask?¡± Pei Xia, who also held a torch in his hand, looked nervously at the swarm of bees in the distance, praying that they were just passing by.


    But unfortunately ¡­¡­ even if they were passing through, they were coming straight towards Pei Xia¡¯s direction.


    ¡°The flower you put in the water, what kind of flower is it?¡± Lucifer asked.


    ¡°Chrysanthemum?¡±


    ¡°Pei Xia, there are no chrysanthemums near the city of Abrulla.¡± Lucy Fell vaguely helpless.


    Pei Xia: ¡°¡­¡­¡± He darted to the corner to pick up a flower that still kept its shape and then darted back to hold it up to Lucifer.


    Lucifer¡¯s smile was slightly forced, ¡°Pei Xia, this is called the queen bee flower, do you know where the name comes from?¡±


    Pei Xia: ¡°¡­¡­I do not know.¡± But I have already guessed.


    Lucifer sighed lightly.


    Buzz buzz buzz ¨C the swarm of bees turned up in an instant, and the target was both Pei Xia and Lucifer.


    ¡°Lord Holy Son, let¡¯s go!¡± Pei Xia took the initiative to wave the torch to drive away from the swarm, but he was stung by his finger and the torch fell to the wetlands and went out.


    His expression changed, he hurriedly pulled up the cloth of the curtain, and when he looked back, Lucifer hadn¡¯t left yet.


    He didn¡¯t have time to think about it, he ran over and waved the cloth to cover Lucifer and himself. Pei Xia¡¯s hands wrapped the cloth and hugged Lucifer¡¯s body tightly from the outside. Lucifer¡¯s body was forced to bury in Pei Xia¡¯s arms.


    Where to hide?


    Pei Xia quickly thought, the stream? No, the water is too shallow and people can not hold their breath for long. In the carriage? No, the bees will come in through the car windows and air holes.


    No way, they could only run!


    Pei Xia gritted his teeth and ran to the distance in a posture that was inconvenient but able to cover Lucifer¡¯s hands and face. Because his head and face were covered with cloth, he could only look at the ground from the gap under his feet. He wasn¡¯t sure where he led them to.


    But tainted with the smell of queen bee flowers only he and Lucifer with, no matter which direction they will run, they will not bother other colleagues.


    He did not know how long they ran, Pei Xia ran to a hillside, with a cramp under his feet, he rolled down with Lucifer in his arms.


    After rolling to a safe place, Pei Xia slowly got up, shaking his dizzy head. He found that the buzzing of the bees had disappeared, Pei Xia carefully lifted a corner of the cloth, and only after realizing that there were no bees nearby did he let go of Lucifer and completely lifted the cloth covering the two of them.


    ¡°Lord Saint Son, are you alright?¡± Pei Xia asked guiltily.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Nestled in his arms, with his hair and clothes damp, Lucifer¡¯s cheeks were flushed, he was gently panting as he steadied his body.


    There was not enough time for him to dry his body to put his grooming in order, so that the current Lucifer looked extraordinarily wretched, looking like a  delicate flower, whose beauty was destroyed.


    Pei Xia was stunned for a moment, and while spurning his own filthy thoughts, he knelt down on one knee and pleaded with him: ¡°Sir, this time, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, Pei Xia.¡± Lucifer slightly smiled and bent down to reach out and hold Pei Xia¡¯s shoulders, ¡°I¡¯m not hurt, you don¡¯t have to be sorry.¡±


    He looked down at his loyal paladin, the dark-haired youth frowned slightly, his handsome face showed a guilty look, he was panting slightly, very tired, his calves and shoes were covered with grass and leaves and dust, his pants were worn through the hole, revealing his scraped leg inside.


    His hands, arms and ankles had four or five red and swollen bags, which were stung by bees, and he looked very emaciated and humble.


    But Lucifer, who was tightly protected by him in his arms, didn¡¯t have a single wound on his body.


    Lucifer didn¡¯t understand what Pei Xia was thinking.


    He grabbed Pei Xia¡¯s shoulders and made him stand up, ¡°Okay Pei Xia, now there are other things to consider.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡± Pei Xia returned to his senses and hurriedly said, ¡°Lord Saint Son, you should take a quick shower, in case the swarm comes over again, it would be bad.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Lucifer nodded, then whispered the incantation of water magic, although he was a light magician, low-level magic of other types could be used as well, just not as skilled and powerful as light magic.


    A clear stream of water emerged from the top of the head, rushing through the two of them until the smell of queen bee flowers disappeared from the body before stopping.


    The water was very cool, even in the warm midday, when it suddenly rushed over like that, it brought down shivers.


    Pei Xia felt cold all over, he looked at Lucifer, Lucifer¡¯s face paled, even more, Lucifer staggered weakly and fell back into Pei Xia¡¯s arms.


    This time Pei Xia did not care to worry about whether his knees were tired or not, half-embracing Lucifer, he went towards a clean ground to the side.


    ¡°Lord Saint Son, how are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, just using magic that I¡¯m not good at and feeling a little tired.¡±


    Pei Xia found that Lucifer¡¯s hands were frighteningly cold, and he subconsciously rubbed them for him, trying to use them to warm him up a little.


    Pei Xia himself was also very tired, looking for a clean stone to sit down, Lucifer leaned on him, Pei Xia put his hand to his back, ¡°Lord Saint Son, please let me dry your clothes.¡±


    ¡°No, Pei Xia.¡± Lucifer made Pei Xia look at him and said, ¡°Before that, there is another thing that must be done.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Lucifer sat up straight and carefully cupped his hand, ¡°The wound that was been stung by a bee insect must be treated as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay Lord Saint Son, a little wound ¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°It matters,¡± Lucifer said in a deep voice, and he lifted it slightly. He glanced up, and at this glance, Pei Xia subconsciously fell silent.


    At this moment, Pei Xia saw an icy expression on Lucifer¡¯s face and he fell into a trance.


    But it was only for a moment, when he returned to his senses, he was sure that Lucifer had a worried and caring look on his face.


    Ah, what a kind and honest male protagonist, except for homophobia, he had no other shortcomings!


    Lucifer pursed his lips slightly, his lips were very pale because of the cold, and he carefully squeezed out the thorns from the wound for Pei Xia.


    Pei Xia did not care about this wound as he said, he was stung by bees before, he felt numb at first, and then he felt pain little by little in the deep bone marrow that was itching.


    Whether it was touching, the swelling was so painful that it was difficult to sleep and eat.


    Now, his wound felt numb, when touching he felt a slight tingling, occasionally a fierce pain along with the nerve brush into the brain.


    Pei Xia tensed his muscles, the corners of his lips twitched slightly, and he tried his best not to show his expression of pain.


    Finally, the wounds on the upper body were all taken care of a bit by Lucifer.


    Then came the back of the calf.


    ¡°Lord Saint Son, I can do this one myself.¡± Seeing Lucifer looking at his leg, Pei Xia hurriedly indicated that he had recovered.


    However, it was of no use. Lucifer smiled imploringly and put up a finger against Pei Xia¡¯s mouth.


    When he reached out, Pei Xia almost thought he was going to smack himself, fortunately, it was just that.


    However, in this action, there was some ¡­¡­ ambiguity in it. Pei Xia frowned slightly and looked at Lucifer, thinking wildly in his heart.


    He certainly did not dare to dodge, and could only allow Lucifer to use his other hand to grab his calf and pull it in front of him.


    ¡°It must be very painful,¡± Lucifer asked with compassion.


    Pei Xia: He¡¯s testing me!


    Pei Xia smiled faintly and tried to highlight the straight man¡¯s true manhood, ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt, it doesn¡¯t hurt at all, please don¡¯t worry Lord Saint Son, even if my leg is broken, I don¡¯t care!¡±

 CH 17

    Chapter 17: Why is the Holy Son unhappy?


    Lucifer, ¡°¡­So, let¡¯s try to avoid breaking your leg.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Holy Son!¡±


    Lucifer¡¯s hand was cold, and it was very obvious when he held Pei Xia¡¯s leg. Pei Xia tensed his muscles unconsciously, feeling a little nervous.


    ¡°Relax, I am going to squeeze out the last one.¡± Lucifer raised his hand and patted his calf belly.


    ¡°¡­¡­ Yes Lord Saint Son!¡±


    Finally, Pei Xia and Lucifer breathed a sigh of relief at the same time when the last thorn of the bee was squeezed out.


    Lucifer revealed a gentle and loving smile, a smile that crashed straight into the bottom of Pei Xia¡¯s eyes, causing his heart to jump around a beat.


    He felt a rare shyness, and looked up embarrassedly, not daring to look directly at Lucifer, ¡°Thank you so much, Lord Son.¡±


    ¡°No need to thank me, God teaches us friendship and encourages us to mutually help each other, this is what we should do,¡± Lucifer said, preparing to use light magic to completely heal Pei Xia¡¯s injuries.


    However, at this moment, Pei Xia¡¯s eyes, which were drifting upward, suddenly saw a black shadow falling from the sky!


    It was the shadow of a man, falling from the dense branches of the trees overhead!


    And Pei Xia¡¯s first reaction was: ¡®danger, there are assassins!¡¯


    At this time, Pei Xia¡¯s leg was still on Lucifer¡¯s knee, Lucifer was closing his eyes, and a soft holy light appeared in his hands.


    Pei Xia didn¡¯t have time to think about it, and he stood up with such a forceful kick, Lucifer flew out.


    He(Lucifer) flew out backwards and looked at Pei Xia in astonishment, his hands were pushing forward due to inertia so that a cloud of holy light lightly enveloped Pei Xia¡¯s whole body.


    When Lucifer fell to the ground, the black shadow falling from the sky also fell into Pei Xia¡¯s arms, Pei Xia subconsciously reached out and caught the person.


    He looked down, but it was a cat-eared woman!


    The cat-eared lady opened her eyes with a blushing face and met Pei Xia¡¯s eyes. At this moment, a hazy and romantic holy light enveloped them, against the blue sky, white clouds and green trees, and the handsome young princess was holding the petite girl in her arms.


    Ah, what a dreamy and romantic first encounter! ¨C If Pei Xia was not gay.


    He gasped, opened his eyes suddenly, looked up at the top of his head in disbelief, and looked down at the girl.


    The girl was looking at him shyly.


    This scene suddenly made the memories buried deep in Pei Xia¡¯s mind rush up, and he suddenly remembered, this, this¡­ shouldn¡¯t this be the first meeting of the male protagonist and the cat-ear girl?!


    In the original book, when Lucifer was resting in the wild, a cute cat-eared girl suddenly fell from the tree above her head. She was an orc slave who escaped from the church of the God of Light in Brula City, Abrulla!


    Because of the romantic embrace when they first met, the cat-ear woman fell in love with Lucifer, at first sight, so peach blossoms bloomed, and the two began to play an ambiguous rivalry. It was clear that both sides were interested, but Lucifer insisted that his true love is the God of Light, and refused to admit that he liked the girl.


    Later, this cat-eared lady became Lucifer¡¯s maid and has been following him to the next destination.


    But now what ¡­¡­


    Cold sweat slid down from the corner of Pei Xia¡¯s forehead, he did not dare to look at what expression Lucifer had!


    The male protagonist was kicked away by him, and the female supporting role was hugged by him.


    Pei Xia slowly lowered his head, pulled the corners of his mouth with difficulty at the cat-eared woman. He was trying to throw her away but suddenly remembered that the male lead hates men who are rough with girls, so Pei Xia gently put her down.


    ¡°Who are you? It was you who saved me.¡± The cat-ear woman had a fever and passed out after staying in a daze.


    Pei Xia slipped and slid to his knees in front of Lucifer with unparalleled skill, ¡°Lord Saint Son, are you all right?!¡±


    Lucifer had already stood up gracefully. He smiled slightly, with a hint of coldness. This time, he didn¡¯t say anything like ¡°It¡¯s okay Pei Xia¡±, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡±, ¡°Get up quickly¡± and so on as before.


    He turned around and the corner of his robe, which was still wet, hit Pei Xia¡¯s knee with the grass and mud. Pei Xia froze, subconsciously grabbed the corner of his robe and began to clean up.


    Lucifer hung his head, looking down at the youth-serving himself on his knees, he smiled and spoke, ¡°Pei Xia, perhaps you can explain it?¡±


    Pei Xia pursed his lips and held them for a long time, not knowing how to explain.


    At first glance, the cat¡¯s ear girl looked very weak and not a threat. Moreover, her romantic encounter with Lucifer was destroyed by Pei Xia, and even Pei Xia committed the taboo of a big male protagonist!


    Look at those big male protagonists whose peach blossoms are blooming. As long as it is a girl who has an ambiguous relationship with the male protagonist, she must not be touched by others. If there is a supporting actor who dares to take action on the girl, hehe¡­ Even if it was a verbal flirtation, his ending will be absolutely tragic!


    As for himself, he grabbed the male lead¡¯s role, hugged the male lead¡¯s sister ¡­¡­


    The more Pei Xia thought the more desperate he became, his face pale, he feebly defended, ¡°Sorry Lord Saint Son, I, I thought that was the assassin ¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Lucifer¡¯s voice was inscrutable, his eyes were smiling but it sent a chill in Pei Xia¡¯s spine, ¡°I thought, you like this lady.¡±


    Pei Xia immediately retorted, ¡°I swear Lord Saint Son, I have not the slightest intention of her, I only like purebred humans!¡±


    Lucifer: ¡°¡­¡­ Oh.¡±


    ¡®Oh.. what does that mean?!!!¡¯


    However, Pei Xia¡¯s explanation was still somewhat useful, he felt the stagnant atmosphere around Lucifer begin to flow again, he intuitively relaxed and finally put his heart down.


    Lucifer bent down, gently patted his shoulder, restored the usual gentle mode, ¡°Get up Pei Xia, your heart, I have felt it.¡±


    ¡®Heart? What heart, does it mean one¡¯s loyalty?¡¯


    Pei Xia stood up a little confused. At this moment, the wound on his body had been healed by Lucifer¡¯s holy light, and even the cat-eared lady was fortunately cured of her high fever.


    ¡°Lord Saint Son, let me dry your clothes for you,¡± Peixia said curtly.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    This time Lucifer did not refuse again, he sat back on the stone, let Pei Xia dry his clothes, and then used his fingers as a comb, one by one, combing his long golden hair.


    After that, Pei Xia carefully dried his clothes for him.


    Then afterwards, Pei Xia carefully dusted off the grass and dust on his clothes. After finishing his clothes, Pei Xia breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Lord Saint Son, let¡¯s go back.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Lucifer stood up and gingerly began to walk back.


    Pei Xia looked at the cat-eared woman curled up on the stone and sleeping, and then at Lucifer¡¯s back, and suddenly felt suffocated: ¡®Why the male protagonist doesn¡¯t even want a sister?!¡¯


    Pei Xia raised his voice and said, ¡°Lord Saint Son, what about this orc girl?¡±


    It was only at this point that Lucifer seemed to finally remember that there was another person, and with a somewhat deliberate surprise, he looked back at Pei Xia and smiled, ¡°Since it was you who caught her, let¡¯s leave her to your disposal.¡±


    There was no doubt that the key figure in the plot could not be left behind, so Pei Xia prepared to carry her back to the garrison camp, but as soon as he made a gesture to carry her, Lucifer was surprised and said, ¡°Pei Xia, what if she is a well-disguised assassin? As a paladin, you should be extremely cautious.¡±


    ¡®Oh no, his professionalism was questioned!¡¯


    Pei Xia immediately put down the cat-eared lady and said seriously, ¡°What you taught me, Lord Holy Son, I will learn the lesson and improve the way!¡±


    Then, he wrapped the cat-eared girl up tightly with the curtain cloth he had thrown aside and carried it over his shoulder.


    Lucifer finally showed a look of satisfaction.


    When they returned to camp, only two people were waiting in place; the others had gone off in all directions to look for Lucifer.


    But all in all, nothing happened to everyone, and it couldn¡¯t have been better. Soon they reunited. The paladins were very curious about the cat-eared girl who was hugged tightly. Pei Xia explained it and drove them away, lest these big men pinched the girl¡¯s ears.


    They cleaned up the mess and set off on their way.


    At night, while stationed once again, the cat-eared girl finally woke up.

 CH 18

    Chapter 18: Pei Xia struggling to pull the strings


    The cat-eared woman, whose name was currently unknown for the moment, lay wrapped in cloth by the campfire, The warm fire made her break free from the cold hell. She woke with a wail, slowly opening her eyes.


    She subconsciously looked up ahead and saw a handsome young man who was crouched half on bent knees fiddling with the flames in front of the campfire. The young man had short black hair that glowed slightly orange in the light of the fire. His skin was fair and his nose was high, and the firelight reflected in the pupils of his honey-coloured eyes as if they were a flower in full bloom.


    The cat-eared woman remembered, ¡®It was him! He was the one who had caught her when she accidentally fell. He was her saviour!¡¯


    Just as she slowly sat up, Pei-Saviour-Xia heard the sound and looked up, his voice gentle as he asked, ¡°You¡¯re awake? Are you feeling better?¡±


    Pei Xia did remember some of the original plots, this orc girl was a poor girl who was trafficked into the underground brothel of the sub-church, escaped with her willpower and indomitable spirit, but her body collapsed with fever from exhaustion in the days of running and straining.


    Such a poor girl, even though Pei Xia was gay, he could not help but be gentle with her.


    The cat-eared girl raised her hand to rub her eyes and stammered, ¡°I¡¯m all right now, you saved me, may I know ¡­¡­ your name?¡±


    ¡°Of course, my name is Pei Xia.¡± Pei Xia grinned. He smiled, and then moved his butt to the side, revealing Lucifer, who was sitting on the side of the carriage and looking up at the stars, ¡°Look, that¡¯s Lord Lucifer, the holy Son of the God of Light! Isn¡¯t he particularly handsome, isn¡¯t he? Especially charming?¡±


    Accidentally causing the hero and the heroine to lose their other halves? Afraid that the hero and the heroine won¡¯t have the right emotions?


    No problem, the knight Pei Xia will help them out!


    The cat-eared lady choked up for a moment and subconsciously looked over along, and indeed saw a man with a false smile on his face.


    The Son of God of Light? She grabbed her arm agitatedly, and couldn¡¯t help but think of those disgusting and sanctimonious clergymen, who, wearing white robes exactly like those of the Son of God, spoke of light, kindness, and integrity¡­


    But when you take off the hypocritical skin, what is revealed underneath is the disgusting darkness!


    Yes, this ¡®Lucifer¡¯ was indeed good-looking, but one look at his false smile and she couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous and disgusted!


    The cat-eared lady withdrew her gaze with difficulty and forced herself to smile, ¡°Pei Xia, thank you for saving me, you¡¯re a good man ¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°No no, I just did what should be done.¡± Pei Xia wondered a bit how she didn¡¯t look too interested in Lucifer.


    No, it¡¯s a big no-no to spoil the male lead¡¯s pickup of a girl! Pei Xia gave himself a pep talk in his heart and continued his efforts, ¡°It was the light of Lord Sage¡¯s mercy that healed your injuries, it¡¯s Lord Sage you should be thanking!¡±


    After hearing these words, the cat-eared woman¡¯s body trembled, and she clenched her lower lip and grabbed her arm as if she was caught in an extremely painful memory.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Pei Xia looked at her worriedly, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, no one will hurt you here, you¡¯re safe!¡±


    ¡°Is that true?¡± The cat-eared lady smiled bitterly, ¡°But why, instead, is it the very people of the Gods of Light who are hurting me?¡±


    Suddenly, a rumbling sound came from the cat-eared woman¡¯s stomach, and she blushed in shame.


    Pei Xia handed her a bowl of warm broth and said encouragingly, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you have met, if you wish, you can tell us, I swear to you, Lord Holy Son is the kindest and most righteous person here, he will do justice to you!¡±


    The cat-eared lady took the broth and looked meaningfully at Pei Xia, ¡°Good, I believe you.¡±


    She first introduced herself by her name as ¡®Tess¡¯.


    What Tess said was not too different from what Pei Xia remembered, except that it was more detailed; she had developed a high fever after escaping, hid in a tree to avoid her pursuers, and fell into Pei Xia¡¯s arms because of her weakness.


    As she said this, she repeated with some embarrassment, ¡°Thank you, Pei Xia.¡±


    Pei Xia¡¯s brow furrowed and stood up, startling Tess.


    ¡°You, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    Pei Xia smiled reassuringly at her, then drew herself up and ran over to Lucifer.


    Lucifer was looking up at the stars, looking melancholy and wondering what he was thinking about.


    ¡°Lord Saint Son!¡± Pei Xia called out loudly.


    Only then did Lucifer withdraw his eyes without haste, lowered his chin, turned around, and slowly straightened the corners of his robe, saying very elegantly, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Pei Xia, finished talking with that lady?¡±


    Pei Xia looked at him in amazement, ¡°I didn¡¯t think that Lord Sage would know that I was talking to Miss Tess just by looking at the stars, you¡¯re so amazing!¡±


    Lucifer took a breath and couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the other party was mocking him or was genuinely complimenting him.


    He decided to skip the subject, ¡°Get down to business, Peixia.¡±


    ¡°Yes Lord Holy Son,¡± Pei Xia quickly retold the story Tess had told, and when he was done, he carefully watched Lucifer¡¯s expression while trying to pull the strings.


    ¡°Lord Holy Son, do you think that Miss Tess is very weak, very pitiful, and very distressing?¡±


    ¡°Is that what you think?¡± Lucifer asked as he narrowed his eyes slightly and stared at Pei Xia.


    Pei Xia blurted out, ¡°Yes.¡± After saying that, it seemed that something didn¡¯t feel right.


    ¡°Ahem, what I mean is that a delicate girl like her deserves a strong gentleman to guard her!¡± Pesha hinted frantically.


    Lucifer stood up without a hint of a smile, ¡°So that¡¯s what you think.¡±


    Pei Xia: ¡°¡­¡­ Huh?¡±


    He hadn¡¯t even figured out what Lucifer meant by that when Lucifer had already walked over to Tess.


    Pei Xia wanted to follow him, but then he remembered that this was a good time for the hero and the heroine to develop their feelings, so wouldn¡¯t he be delaying them again by being a light bulb? No way. Pei Xia stood still and began to look up at the stars like Lucifer.


    Tess looked at Lucifer warily, her animal instincts telling her that the man in front of her was very dangerous!


    ¡°Miss Tess, I have deep sympathy for your plight.¡± He frowned slightly to make his ¡°sympathy¡± seem more sincere, and then said, ¡°It¡¯s just a pity that Pei Xia, as a paladin should be headed by the God of Light. He will dedicate his life to the gods, and he can¡¯t give you the happiness of ordinary girls.¡±


    Tess bit her lower lip and said coldly, ¡°I know, and I have never been infatuated with ¡­¡­¡±


    The girl looked at Pei Xia¡¯s figure looking up at the stars and was not surprised to find that the kind and handsome dark-haired paladin had the same posture as the object of his total devotion and praise.


    He was so enamoured of him, paying lip service to the Holy Son of God, even his hobby of stargazing at night was the same, so what could she not understand?


    Tess closed her eyes in pain, and when she opened them again, said earnestly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t bother you.¡±


    This fateful encounter brought along wrong feelings, let those feelings pass with the wind!


    Lucifer smiled with satisfaction and said, ¡°Please rest assured that as a holy son of the Church of Light, I am obliged to expel the moths within the church, and the demons who harm you will surely be punished.¡±


    Peixia, who was looking up at the stars, quietly glanced at the two of them out of the corner of the eye.


    Strange, how come they haven¡¯t made progress yet?

 CH 19

    Chapter 19: Never have an affair with a female partner.


    Pei Xia, who had tried to get the relationship between the protagonists back on track, undoubtedly failed. And sadly, he couldn¡¯t even find the reason for his failure and ended up having to blame himself for stealing the male lead¡¯s part.


    If he hadn¡¯t, then the relationship plot wouldn¡¯t have changed, and then Lucifer wouldn¡¯t be sitting next to him right now staring at him with an unkind look.


    The upper perimeter of buildings was already faintly visible at the end of the flat road, and it would be less than half an hour before they reached the city of Abrulla.


    The day was sunny and cloudless, and the breeze blew comfortably, so the curtains and windows of Lucifer¡¯s carriage were all open, and Lucifer sat in the doorway, quietly admiring the view of the wilderness and Pei Xia.


    As for the orc girl Tess, she was placed in the back of the carriage, yes, where once Alice had been placed!


    Because this time the romantic plotline went wrong mostly because of Pei Xia, Pei Xia felt guilty and couldn¡¯t help but pay more attention to Tess. Pei Xia then considered whether to make the carriage in the back more comfortable after entering the city, after all, judging from the current situation, it was likely that the future female partners who will have an affair with Lucifer will also have to live there.


    Moreover, the female pairings who appeared in the back were of extremely high status, and the humble carriage was really not worthy of them.


    ¡°Pei Xia.¡±


    Just as Pei Xia was thinking and looking back frequently, Lucifer called out his name. The dark-haired youth sitting on the high-headed horse gave a jolt and immediately turned back, reflexively saying.


    ¡°Yes, Lord Saint Son!¡±


    Lucifer, who hadn¡¯t said anything at all yet, was in a more subtle mood, his two eyes curved and the corners of his lips curled up, making himself smile very affectionately, ¡°Pei Xia, you seem to be concerned about Miss Tess?¡±


    Pei Xia: ¡°¡­¡­¡± All of a sudden, his whole body froze!


    Pei Xia stammered in response, ¡°No, I am not!¡±


    Looking at him with such a weak heart, Lucifer narrowed his eyes and said, ¡°Miss Tess has suffered a lot, and now I am going to get justice for her, but before that, I think she must be very fragile inside, Pei Xia, in this situation, it is better for strong men not to approach her casually.¡±


    Pei Xia: ¡°¡­¡­ Hmm, understood!¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s over, Lucifer is jealous!¡¯


    Pei Xia stiffened his body and stared forward, proving to Lucifer by his actions that he definitely did not have a crush on his girl.


    Judging from Lucifer¡¯s reaction, it might be that Tess was the main reason why the two didn¡¯t meet each other¡¯s eyes¡­


    Lucifer, a man who has always been sulky, never admitted to loving any woman in the original, but always said I love the God of Light and then had an affair with a girl. So, although he liked Tess, he would not show it if Tess did not like it.


    What does it mean when he keeps his distance from Tess but is actually getting jealous? It meant that Pei Xia was in danger!


    No, he had to be steady and connect these two while keeping his distance, lest Lucifer did something irrational out of jealousy of him.


    Look at what he said ¨C strong men. Pei Xia glanced sadly at the quiet, fair Lucifer, how the word ¡®strong¡¯ didn¡¯t apply to him, except when he was purifying demons.


    Pei Xia successfully concluded that Lucifer was jealous of his manhood!


    Pei Xia¡¯s heart was vaguely aggrieved, it¡¯s not his fault that he¡¯s so handsome and can use a sword, who knows how bitter a pure 0¡¯s heart is?


    ¡­¡­


    In the evening, the sun was slanting down and a warm yellow glow enveloped the land. Before the city gates were closed, the Holy Son of the Church of the God of Light and his party entered the city of Abrulla without incident.


    Considering that the incident with Tess was related to the Chapel and that the Sons were obliged to travel to the Chapel to welcome and take care of them and to inspect them for supplies, the group did not stop and went straight to the direction of the Chapel.


    But things did not always go smoothly, for someone with a keen eye recognised the carriage as belonging to the Church of the Light, and those who were well-informed knew that the Son was coming to inspect it and stood in the street calling out to their friends to come and meet them.


    In no time at all, the streets were filled with believers of the Church of the Light.


    Pei Xia¡¯s horses were squeezed so hard that he couldn¡¯t move, not to mention the carriage.


    The only saving grace was that in this age of inconvenient travel, most of the inhabitants within a city had never left the town they lived in their entire lives, so the number of Lucifer¡¯s fanboys and fans here was far lower than in the imperial capital.


    But even so, it was crowded to death.


    Pei Xia was forced to shout at everyone to make way with his hard-working colleagues, but the enthusiastic believers seemed to not hear their voices, and excitedly crowded around Lucifer¡¯s carriage.


    Just as Pei Xia almost lost his voice, the curtain of the carriage behind him was lifted.


    ¡°Lord Saint Son, you are not allowed to go out!¡± The knight driving the carriage worriedly blocked.


    But as a subordinate, one could never stop a capricious superior.


    Lucifer mounted his horse straight away, the crowd cheered and their fiery gaze almost burned the beautiful Holy Son on the white horse.


    ¡°My lord! Why are you out here? It¡¯s dangerous!¡± Hot sweat broke out on Pei Xia¡¯s forehead as his horse was right beside Lucifer¡¯s, the two of them side by side, moving forward as slowly as a snail.


    Pie Xia was forced to hold his sheathed sword to block the believers¡¯ attempts to reach out.


    Lucifer gave him a soft look, ¡°Pei Xia, it was you who suggested this, have you forgotten?¡±


    Pesha, ¡°Huh?¡±


    Before he could react, he saw Lucifer fold his hands in front of his chest and nod slightly, revealing a pious look, ¡°O devotees of the God of Light, please be quiet and listen to me.¡±


    What is meant by the power of an idol? With a single word from Lucifer, everyone in the street mimicked his posture, pretending to listen reverently but secretly peeking at Lucifer.


    Lucifer¡¯s magnetic and clear voice enveloped everyone around him with the warm glow that emanated from his hands.


    Due to this light magic, they forgot their tiredness and pain and felt only warmth and happiness.


    Lucifer said, ¡°God teaches us to restrain ourselves, to pray quietly and not to make a noise. As believers in God, all of us here are like me ¨C I believe that if we all learn to be kind to those around us, then the world, will be full of light.¡±


    He narrated quietly and faintly, and within a few moments, those who heard his voice guiltily began to stand in place and pray, with those in front of them offering to make way so that Lucifer and his party could leave.


    ¡°I have felt everyone¡¯s devotion, and tonight I will pray for you all, so that the grace of light may be shed on everyone.¡± Lucifer closed his eyes.


    Pie Xia reached out, helping to take the reins of his horse and move forward.


    The people behind looked at Lucifer¡¯s back with tears in their eyes, and they shouted in their hearts: Lord Holy Son, he is simply the perfect incarnation!


    Finally, Lucifer, Pei Xia and the others arrived in front of the branch church. The bishops and priests of the branch church came out to greet him enthusiastically. Lucifer naturally dismounted and followed them in to inspect the work.


    And Pei Xia, who was about to arrange for Tess to come down covertly, saw Lucifer look back at him with a vague look.


    The alarm bell in my heart rang immediately!


    Pei Xia looked solemn, turned his head quickly, and found a solution. He called four Paladins to join him and gathered around the carriage.


    And so, the moment the cat-eared lady got out of the carriage, five tall paladins surrounded her tightly.


    Tess: ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Like pieces of armour forming a tank, they covered Tess¡¯s face perfectly and walked towards the back of the Holy Church, guided by Pei Xia, towards her abode.


    Far away, Pei Xia grinned at Lucifer. Lucifer was probably very concerned about Miss Tess. Although he couldn¡¯t see the expression on his face, he had been looking over here.


    Don¡¯t worry, ¡®The male Protagonist¡¯, Pei Xia, will never be ambiguous with your female partner!

 CH 20

    Chapter 20: The Obnoxious Lord Bishop


    How does it feel to be surrounded by five knights who are taller and stronger than you, fully armed?


    Tess could hardly breathe.


    She stiffened and was escorted into the knight¡¯s quarters behind the church.


    The paladins dispersed, Pei Xia sat in front of her and said seriously: ¡°Miss Tess, please be careful not to show your face in the next few days. You must not be discovered by the people here so as not to surprise the snake.¡±


    Tess nodded, ¡°I understand.¡±


    When Tess was being transported to the underground brothel, she had her eyes closed the whole time she was travelling in the carriage before arriving at the underground brothel. So she was unable to determine where it was located.


    In order to wipe out this group of hateful criminals, a proper and careful investigation was required.


    ¡°Tom,¡± Persia ordered, ¡°Go and find a nun¡¯s outfit that can cover her head and face. We need to have Miss Tess pretend to be Lord Saints¡¯ maid of honour so that no one will be suspicious.¡±


    ¡°Yes Captain, I¡¯m on my way!¡± Tom nodded earnestly.


    ¡°Jack, you and Beta are more resourceful, when Beta returns later, you work with him to find a way to get on good terms with the local paladins, and I¡¯ll leave the task of gathering information to you!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Captain, I promise to get the job done!¡±


    Pei Xia looked at Buck and Mallory again, ¡°Buck, Mallory, you two are responsible for Miss Tess¡¯s safety, one of you must stay with Miss Tess at all times, do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    After instructing them, Peixia breathed a sigh of relief and stood up, ready to go to Lucifer, as Lucifer¡¯s personal knight, it was only right that he should always be by his side.


    But as Lucifer had not said what to do with Tess, Pei Xia had to go on his own.


    ¡°Are you leaving?¡± Tess sat on the edge of the bed, her hands resting on her knees a little restlessly.


    ¡°Yes, but don¡¯t worry, Buck and the others are very good gentlemen and will never hurt you,¡± Pei Xia patiently comforted her.


    There was no way for Lucifer to be jealous as he couldn¡¯t see anyway.


    Tess bit her lower lip, her eyes slowly becoming determined as she nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of myself, you be careful too.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will.¡±


    After leaving the place, Pei Xia went to look for Lucifer, and on the way ran into the last remaining paladin, who was in charge of the horses and therefore came over later.


    ¡°Lanta, come here.¡±


    ¡°Captain, what is it?¡±


    Pei Xia came up to his ear and said, ¡°You have been given an important task, investigate who are the people who buy horse feed in large quantities in the city, exclude the normal military, noble families and merchant caravans etc and record anything unusual.¡±


    ¡°Understood Captain, I¡¯m on my way!¡±


    ¡°Right, it would be good if we could investigate where these abnormal feeds go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best!¡± Lanta patted his chest.


    Pesha patted him on the shoulder in relief, ¡°Go for it!¡±


    Tess had identified two clergymen so far, a bishop of a branch church and a regular priest whose names Tess had heard when she was in the underground brothel.


    Tess also said that those who went there were rich and powerful people, those ordinary people could not get in, and how could these people, who had no shortage of money and power, come out for pleasure?


    They must have gone there comfortably in their carriages. For a night¡¯s journey, the number of fodders consumed by dozens of horses gathered together will be a lot, so the scope of the investigation can be greatly reduced if they start investigating with this information.


    ¡­¡­


    By the time Pei Xia arrived at Lucifer¡¯s side, Lucifer had already checked on the daily affairs of the branch church. In any case, knowing in advance that the Holy Son would be coming over, they would certainly present the church beautifully.


    Even after it was late, in the evening, Bishop Andren kept a close eye on Lucifer and invited him to share a meal with the priests.


    His Holiness was becoming more and more beautiful. Andren remembered that the last time he had seen him was five years ago when he was not as attractive as he was now.


    He was so holy and pure, yet he had such mesmerising magic about him that Andren, a lousy old man who liked to play with women, couldn¡¯t help but feel his heart rippling staring at his face.


    Lucifer gave a not-so-subtle, cold look of disgust, and Pei Xia, who had just arrived, swiftly came in front of him.


    ¡°Of course, it just so happens that our Lord Saint Son has had a long day of travel and wishes to rest as soon as possible after dinner.¡±


    ¡°That is natural.¡± Andren¡¯s smile was amiable, ¡°I am Bishop Andren, your Excellency must be a knight of Lord Son¡¯s, please don¡¯t worry, we will take care of Lord Son, you can go and eat your dinner without worry.¡±


    With that, he yelled and called a guard over to prepare to take Pei Xia to the knight¡¯s dining room for dinner.


    ¡°There is no need, I am the knight of Lord Saint Son¡¯s personal guard.¡± Pei Xia said seriously, ¡°I will always be at the side of the Holy Son, please don¡¯t be so polite, I will just eat with everyone.¡±


    Andren¡¯s smile nearly failed to hold, who¡¯s being polite with you, you obtrusive stinking knight!


    He was about to say a few more words when Lucifer spoke up, ¡°When I was in the main church, Pei Xia ate and slept with me, this is my personal knight.¡±


    Pei Xia: ¡°¡­¡­ Uh, yes!¡± Male lord, male lord, you¡¯re exaggerating a bit with that.


    He didn¡¯t think that Lucifer would be so afraid of Andren. But also a person as disgusting as Andren would be hated by anyone who saw him.


    It¡¯s a pity that they were afraid that if they exposed them immediately, there would be fish that would slip through the net.


    When they arrived at the dining room, there was a guard at the entrance, the rest were either priests or nuns who sat at the table.


    Andren pulled out the chair for Lucifer enthusiastically: ¡°Saint¡ª¡±


    With a squeak, Pei Xia sat down and helped open another chair beside him.


    Lucifer smiled and sat down beside him. Andren¡¯s face became a little embarrassed, but he had good patience and didn¡¯t say anything, only his eyes went to the chair on the other side of Lucifer ready to walk over and sit down.


    Just then, Pei Xia grabbed Andren¡¯s shirt and yanked it down with a quick eye, and with a thud, the Bishop was forced to sit in the chair next to Pei Xia.


    Andren smiled hard and didn¡¯t have the heart to get up again.


    He tried to lean forward or back to get past Pei Xia and communicate with Lucifer, but the obtrusive paladin always managed to get in his way just right.


    Andren was a little annoyed.


    He was the boss in this branch of the church, and the old man, who was used to being praised by the crowd, couldn¡¯t bear the resistance and contempt of others, so he stood up with a smile, and poured two glasses of holy wine.


    ¡°Lord Saint Son, as a gesture of welcome to you, I come to toast you! Please do accept my heart!¡±


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll be obliged.¡±


    Lucifer rose without haste and was about to take the wine from Andren¡¯s hand when Pei Xia rose.


    He stood up and made an exaggerated squeak. He crashed into Anderon and fell to the ground,  ¡°¡®m sorry, I thought Lord Bishop gave me the other glass of wine.¡±


    Andren, ¡°That¡¯s mine!¡±


    Pei Xia laughed sarcastically and scratched his head, pulled him up and turned around to meet Lucifer who had been splashed with the holy wine.


    Pei Xia, ¡°¡­¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to do that.¡±


    Lucifer, ¡°¡­¡­ I believe you.¡±


    And so the dinner ended with Pei Xia¡¯s enthusiastic messed up troubles.

 CH 21

    Chapter 21: Lick clean and witty Pei Xia


    Facing Lucifer whose clothes were soiled, Pei Xia felt uneasy and guilty. He always felt that Lucifer had suffered a lot of grievances by his side.


    This dinner certainly could not continue, fortunately, Lucifer does not eat a lot. He elegantly wiped his mouth with a napkin, he still looked noble as a god despite the wine stains on his clothes, ¡°I am full, thank the God of Light.¡±


    ¡°Lord Holy Son, I¡¯ll take you to rest!¡±


    After that, Andren and others took Lucifer and Pei Xia to a comfortable and luxurious guest room, in order not to expose Lucifer¡¯s ¡°eat and live together¡± lie, Pei Xia had to once again go to Lucifer¡¯s room to sleep on the floor.


    This skilled process of doing things looked really heartbreaking.


    Andren warm-heartedly planned to arrange for the nun to come and serve Lucifer to bathe and change clothes but was refused. Lucifer pointed to Pei Xia and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, he will help me.


    Anderon disliked Pei Xia a little and tried to continue to persuade, but had to leave in shame after Lucifer said a few words.


    Because in Lucifer¡¯s mouth, even being served by a nun is also an expression of indulging oneself in dishonouring the gods.


    Pei Xia listened silently on the sidelines, always feeling that Lucifer was a little pretentious. When he was in the Church of God, he never saw Lucifer so self-reliant.


    Of course, Lucifer¡¯s dirty clothes are not very good for others to wash, and Pei Xia is also ready to do the laundry.


    However, after everyone left and the door was closed, Lucifer sat on the crimson velvet chair with his right leg on his left, his elbows against the armrests of the chair, his hands crossed, and looked at Pei Xia with a smile.


    Pei Xia bowed in front of him tremblingly: ¡°Master Holy Son, please dress¡­¡±


    Lucifer interrupted him with a smile, and said, ¡°Lick it clean.¡±


    Pei Xia, ¡°¡­?¡±


    Lucifer¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change in the slightest, with a smile on his mouth he said, ¡°I mean, wash me clean.¡±


    Pei Xia suddenly realized, and he breathed a sigh of relief, inwardly scorning how he made such an exaggerated appearance, Pei Xia, Pei Xia, you are so evil!


    Lucifer was such a gentle and good man! ¡°Yes Lord Saint Son, please give it to this subordinate!¡±


    Pei Xia said embarrassed, ¡°I will wash it clean for you!¡±


    Pei Xia prepared the hot bath water for Lucifer, adding a few drops of essential oil provided by the church, then after serving Lucifer into the water, Pei Xia carried the dirty clothes to the compartment and started rubbing the clothes.


    He was like a conscientious little slave serving the master diligently.


    Before the clothes were washed, Lucifer shouted, ¡°Pei Xia!¡±


    ¡°Come on!¡± Pei Xia washed his hands full of foam and rushed over.


    Lucifer soaked in the hot water, and his skin turned pale pink. Although this was not the first time Pei Xia saw Lucifer taking a bath, he still felt that the other party¡¯s appearance was radiant and beautiful.


    He couldn¡¯t help but take a step back to appease his little heart, ¡°Sir, what is your order?¡±


    ¡°Can you rub my back?¡± Lucifer blinked at him with big innocent eyes.


    ¡°Of course!¡± It¡¯s quite normal for good buddies to rub their backs. Pei Xia suppressed his beating heart, took a deep breath, knelt behind Lucifer, put his hands behind him, closed his eyes, and started rubbing.


    Lucifer, ¡°Left, right, down¡­ ah yes, I don¡¯t know why I always feel a lingering smell of alcohol in front of me.¡±


    Pei Xia opened his eyes with a guilty conscience, ¡°Sir, Holy Son, you What do you mean?¡±


    Lucifer turned around, facing Pei Xia, he looked at him with a very sad look, ¡°This smell makes me uncomfortable, Pei Xia, can you help me solve it?¡±


    Pei Xia nodded, ¡°Of course!¡±


    However, even the essential oil bath can¡¯t suppress this smell? Pei Xia¡¯s eyes lit up, thinking of the laundry soap that was very useful when washing clothes.


    ¡°Please wait a moment!¡±


    Lucifer, who was waiting for the opponent to rub his chest, watched Pei Xia run to get a piece of laundry soap, and gave it to himself with sparkling eyes, ¡°Sir, you can definitely get rid of it with this.¡±


    Lucifer tried to struggle, ¡°I think, maybe it doesn¡¯t have to be like this¡­¡±


    Pei Xia, ¡°There¡¯s no way, although it¡¯s a bit wasteful, for the sake of the Holy Son, this is the only way!¡±


    Xia poured a whole bar of soap into the tub, and in an instant, the whole room was filled with the rich fragrance of roses. 1Here, the translation said a whole bottle of essential oil was poured out but that would not make sense with the previous context of a soap bar, so I modified it a little bit. If it is wrong feel free to write in the comment section.


    Lucifer, ¡°¡­¡±


    Pei Xia looked at him indulgently, ¡°How about the Son of God, do you still smell alcohol?¡±


    Lucifer looked at him and said slowly, ¡°Next time, no need to be so wasteful.¡±


    Pei Xia, ¡°It¡¯s the right thing to do for the sake of Lord Saint Son!¡±


    ¡­¡­


    After bathing, Pei Xia helped Lucifer put on his pyjamas with his legs tucked with a straight face, then opened the window and stood by the window to calm down.


    Mom! I almost choked to death by the smell in the house.


    Lucifer sat by the bed and seemed to be in a good mood after taking a bath. He took the initiative to ask about Miss Tess¡¯s situation, and Pei Xia told Lucifer about the order he issued.


    Lucifer looked at him and nodded with a smile, ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°Sir, do you think I should follow Anderon tonight?¡± Pei Xia asked for instructions.


    In fact, in this branch church, Lucifer was very safe. After all, it wasn¡¯t like Andren could kidnap him in an underground brothel.


    ¡°We¡¯ve just arrived,  Andren will definitely be very vigilant. I think he won¡¯t go to that kind of place in the next two days.¡± Lucifer said. ¡°So, we have to stall for some time so that Andren will surely be unable to resist revealing himself.¡±


    ¡°Lord Saint Son is so wise!¡± Pei Xia clapped in unison, ¡°Then I won¡¯t follow him tonight?


    ¡°Good.¡± Lucifer raised his finger to the ground and flicked a small cloud of holy light, making the cold bed on the floor warm and fluffy, ¡°So get some rest for tonight.¡±


    Pei Xia nodded and turned off the light, got into the bed and covered his head with the quilt.


    What he didn¡¯t see was that Lucifer was standing by the window in the night, instead of him.


    ¡­..


    Three days were enough for Lucifer to charm the priests here, each of them treating him as a guide to the faith and were on extremely good terms.


    But perhaps the bright image of Lucifer was so deeply rooted that none of the men here showed any intention of inviting him to have a good time.


    Pei Xia followed Andren during the night, and the other man was so discreet that he did not go to the underground brothel.


    Inside the room, Lucifer and Pei Xia discussed the matter face to face.


    Pei Xia, ¡°My lord son, did you see how many priests are involved in this matter?¡±


    Not all the priests in this sub-church were bad people, and if they were all bad people, it would be easier to deal with them.


    Lucifer nodded gently, ¡°About a few.¡±


    Pei Xia was surprised because he did not suspect anyone other than the known two, ¡°You are really great, I could not see it at all! How did you determine them?¡±


    ¡°Dirty soul.¡±


    Pei Xia was unsure and cooperated with an expression of dawning realization.


    Lucifer added, ¡°But I can¡¯t be sure that this is the full list.¡±


    ¡°I think, if we can penetrate inside the enemy group, we can capture them all without missing a single one.¡± Pei Xia thoughtfully suggested after seriously considering, ¡°Lord Saint Son, would you mind defiling your image for the trust of the enemy?¡±


    Lucifer looked at him with interest and asked, ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t mind, but how do you want me to do it?¡±


    Pei Xia said, ¡°Perhaps you should act a little more vulgar and lustful, such as flirting with women in word and deed?¡±


    Lucifera couldn¡¯t help but fold his hands and show a worried look, ¡°Pei Xia, shouldn¡¯t innocent women be frightened by this?¡±


    ¡°You are right, then the object of the molestation ¡­¡­¡± Pescia scratched her head, thinking that the only woman who knew the truth and was strong enough to be around at the moment was Tess, ¡°Let Miss Tess play the part?¡±


    Lucifer frowned, saying disapprovingly, ¡°Pei Xia, how can you let Miss Tess again suffer from psychological damage?¡±


    Pei Xia was ashamed, ¡°You are right, I am not careful enough. It¡¯s just that in that case, this method won¡¯t work.¡±


    Lucifer leisurely said, ¡°Since it is an act, there is no need to be bound to gender, Pei Xia, I think you should be able to understand.¡±


    Pei Xia was enlightened and said happily, ¡°Of course, for paladins, justice is the most important!¡±


    Lucifer looked at Pei Xia, his eyes full of smiles and hints, ¡°Then, it is up to you-¡±


    Pei Xia, ¡°Let me inform Buck!¡±


    Lucifer, ¡°?¡±

 CH 22

    Chapter 22: Drills and practice


    Buck, the most gentle and graceful among the knights, was the only one who would not be exposed as a woman.


    Before Pei Xia had asked him to take care of Alice, now, Buck was taking care of Miss Tess, and Buck, who was in close contact with the ladies, would be more comfortable playing the role.


    Pei Xia took Lucifer¡¯s hand and shook it up and down in excitement, ¡°You¡¯re so clever, Lord Holy Son, Buck will be able to do this job perfectly!¡±


    When Lucifer tried to redeem himself, he heard Pei Xia sigh in a general way, ¡°Luckily, Buck isn¡¯t that tall, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t be able to pretend to be a woman.¡±


    Lucifer then silently stopped talking.


    It¡¯s just that Pei Xia, who was 5¡¯8¡å, probably couldn¡¯t have imagined that he was the candidate that he was initially thinking of.


    The next day, Pei Xia quietly found Buck and gave him his orders, they found a woman¡¯s dress, and then put a wig on Buck, Pei Xia stared at Buck¡¯s breasts and legs and said, ¡°No, it¡¯s not quite right.¡±


    Ranta volunteered, ¡°I can go and help buy a girl¡¯s underwear.¡±


    ¡°And a razor.¡± Pesha rubbed her chin, ¡°To shave your legs!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t buy it back until tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay, there¡¯s no rush to rehearse today first.¡±


    Then, Pei Xia went back and mysteriously dragged Lucifer to a hidden nook.


    Buck, who had a flat chest and hairy legs, showed his teeth to Lucifer as he gave a salute and thumped his fist against his chest, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lord Holy Son, this subordinate will complete the task!¡±


    Peixia said enthusiastically, ¡°A kind, gentle and graceful man like Lord Saint Son has never offended a woman. Suddenly acting in front of an old fox like Andren can easily be seen through, Lord Saint son, please come and rehearse it once, so that you can deceive Andren!¡±


    After saying that, Pei Xia could not help but sigh that he was a good and attentive subordinate, patting his superior¡¯s back and making the task go smoother at the same time.


    Lucifer stood still, watching Buck in silence as he could not reach out his hand.


    Knowing he was shy, Pei Xia advised, ¡°My Lord, Buck is a man, this is just acting, I¡¯m sure you can do it!¡±


    Encouraged by the kind-hearted paladin, the introverted and pure Son lifted his hand with difficulty.


    Raising it in mid-air and trembling, Pei Xia couldn¡¯t bear to look at it and stepped forward, grabbing Lucifer¡¯s wrist and sending it forward, ¡°Lord Saint Son, you can¡¯t be shyer than a girl when you¡¯re molesting her!¡±


    Lucifer, ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Pei Xia panted as he tugged Lucifer¡¯s hand towards Buck¡¯s chest and pressed it, but after half a day of tugging, he looked back and saw that Lucifer was closing his eyes and frowning slightly, as if in great pain.


    Pei Xia¡¯s heart was in doubt, ¡®Was Lucifer too civilized and polite, or did Lucifer hate men too much?¡¯


    Pei Xia let go of Lucifer¡¯s wrist.


    LucifeR immediately opened his eyes and smiled with difficulty, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know what to ¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter! Lord Saint Son, it¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    Pei Xia interrupted Lucifer¡¯s words of apology, could a superior be at fault? Maybe there would be, but there was no point in holding on to it when it was irrelevant.


    Pei Xia had a bright idea and happily said to Buck and Lucifer, ¡°Indeed, it is too abrupt to actively molest a girl with the image of Lord Saints. Otherwise this way, Buck, you play a passionate girl who is having an affair with Lord Saints, be more active, and as long as Lord Saint does not show his disgust, those old foxes can surely guess that Saint Son is lustful!¡±


    After hearing this, Buck raised his hand and slapped his thigh, ¡°That¡¯s easy! You¡¯re so witty, Captain.¡±


    There is no shortage of fans of Lord Saint Son? Just learn from them!


    ¡°Let¡¯s rehearse it.¡± With that, Pei Xia looked at Lucifer and Buck with an encouraging gaze.


    Buck showed a pretentious smile, he raised his hand and brushed his hair enchantingly.


    Lucifer subconsciously took a step back.


    Then, he was held up from behind by the warm-hearted paladin.


    Pei Xia held him up and encouraged him to not let him run, ¡°Lord Saint Son, this is what you proposed, I¡¯m sure you can do it!¡±


    At this moment, Lucifer hated himself beyond measure for having promised Peixia. It was just that he had always been pure, honest, trustworthy and gentle ¡­¡­ so all he could do was smile strongly.


    Eventually, the leggy lady knight leaned into the arms of the holy son lord and smiled wickedly as she drew circles on Lucifer¡¯s chest with her fingers.


    At this moment, Lucifer transcended, looking lovingly at Buck with the gaze of a God who loves all beings equally, before gently stepping out and pushing the other man away.


    At the same time, Pei Xia¡¯s hand also left Lucifer¡¯s back.


    He applauded, ¡°Well done my lord saint, it will be absolutely fine to keep this up tomorrow!¡±


    Lucifer¡¯s smile was misty as he drifted back into the room without a word.


    ¡­¡­..


    The next day, wigs, dresses, lipstick, clean-shaven calves and bulging chests ¨C together they created a new Buck.


    Buck shook his fist confidently, ¡°I will definitely complete this task!¡±


    Peixia patted him on the shoulder, ¡°Good, you must have this kind of confidence!¡±


    Pei Xia then quietly went elsewhere, spotted the route that Andren¡¯s inner circle would take, and arranged for Lucifer and Buck to meet at a hidden section of that route.


    ¡°Pei Xia.¡± The kind lord Saint Son  spoke softly, ¡°How long will it stay like this?¡±


    At the moment, he was standing motionless, with Buck playing the role of the passionate lady holding him in a snuggling position around his neck.


    Lucifer¡¯s back was straight and he was staring ahead, where, hidden away, was an eager paladin who was looking over his shoulder.


    Without turning back, Pei Xia kept his eyes on the priest on the road, ¡°He¡¯s coming soon, almost there, eh ¡­¡­ he¡¯s stopped.¡±


    Lucifer breathed a sigh of relief and was about to push Buck away first when he heard Pei Xia say, ¡°Ah, he¡¯s just picking his feet and coming this way again!¡±


    Lucifer dropped his hand.


    Pie Xia: ¡°Huh, he¡¯s stopped again, looks like he¡¯s bumped into someone he knows.¡±


    Lucifer raised his hand slightly.


    Peixia, ¡°Phew ¨C just a quick hello and he¡¯s coming over again!¡±


    Lucifer, ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Finally, the priest came over, and Lucifer gently pushed Buck away from his body, who covered his face shyly and stomped away, and at that moment, looking at the priest¡¯s thoughtful look of surprise, Lucifer just felt the blue sky, the blue water and white clouds, the flowers were so beautiful, the grass was so lovely.


    It was all over, at last.


    ¡°Good afternoon Father.¡± Pei Xia pretended to be embarrassed and gave a hasty salute to the priest, then followed Lucifer back.


    As he passed the priest, Lucifer whispered these words to him.


    ¡°I will remember your tardiness today, and may the God of Light still bless you.¡±

 CH 23

    Chapter 23: To protect Pei Xia¡¯s Holy Son


    A performance that was not particularly good, but in which each actor did his best, came to an end.


    Andren, as old a fox as he is to have stood in the branch church for many years, had the composure not to believe in Lucifer¡¯s performance immediately.


    And now, five days after Lucifer and the others had stayed at the Chapel, the business of the Chapel had been inspected and Lucifer had conducted two prayer services, attracting for himself more fans of the city of Abrulla.


    Now, unless Tess¡¯s presence was directly singled out, there was little reason for them to stay any longer.


    Pei Xia thought hard and hammered his palm, ¡°No, Lord Holy Son, the underground brothel is not open these days and it is difficult to even investigate from the horse feed side, we have to find a way to stay a few more days.¡±


    Lucifer stood next to him and looked out into the sunny, tree-lined courtyard and smiled slightly, ¡°Why to think of anything, as long as we continue to rest here we will be able to convey the message we want to send to Andren.¡±


    It took a few moments for Pei Xia to realise that by saying nothing and stalling here slowly, he would be able to make Andren and the others think that the Holy Son was a man who was outwardly great and upright but was actually greedy for pleasure and afraid of suffering.


    In this way, the drama of the Holy Son¡¯s private meeting with his lover, which Andren¡¯s confidant had bumped into earlier, would also make more sense.


    Pei Xia looked at Lucifer with admiration and said, ¡°Lord Holy Son, your wisdom is as dazzling as the God of Light, it makes us admire you!¡±


    Lucifer looked sideways, his eyes taking on a slightly helpless look, ¡°Pei Xia, there is no need for such praise, you are doing well too.¡±


    Pei Xia bowed to him and took up his service to his superior again, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be boring for His Holiness to stay in the courtyard all the time? Why don¡¯t we take a stroll around the city of Abrulla? I heard that magical exchanges are popular here in the Green Leaf Square, perhaps you would like to go and view them?¡±


    Pei Xia did not propose this to Lucifer for no reason, because he suddenly remembered that in the original novel, Lucifer had also been to the Green Leaf Square, although the exact plot had been forgotten, Pei Xia remembered that there Lucifer met the Great Prince of the Kingdom of Sumi Agada.


    Afterwards, Lucifer was invited by the prince to go to Sumi Agada to preach, where he met his third confidante ¨C Her Royal Highness the Princess!


    Pei Xia, who had already unintentionally broken the red thread between Lucifer and Tess, was not very brave to continue breaking the third one.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m interested in that too.¡± Lucifer readily agreed.


    After that Pei Xia ran off to deliver the order to the restless paladins to remain calm, and when several of them wondered why Pei Xia explained it to them.


    It dawned on Buck and the others, ¡°So that¡¯s what happened!¡±


    And they praised in unison: ¡°As expected of Lord Saint Son! As expected of the captain selected personally by the Lord Saint Son!¡±


    Even Pei Xia felt embarrassed when he heard such sincere praise.


    ¡­¡­


    The Green Leaf Square was very close to the Church of the God of Light, so Lucifer refused Pei Xia¡¯s offer to drive the carriage. He took off his ¡®Holy Priests costume¡¯ embroidered with roses and the God of Light¡¯s emblem, wore only a simple white robe and a gauzy cocked hat, and then walked with Pei Xia on foot.


    Naturally, Pei Xia also took off his knightly attire and did his best to make the two looks low key.


    Looking at the crowded Greenleaf Square, Pei Xia was vaguely worried, ¡°Lord Saint Son, you really shouldn¡¯t be so capricious, with only me accompanying you, in case you are recognised! Sure enough, let¡¯s call Tom and the others to join us.¡±


    Lucifer held up a finger in front of Pei Xia¡¯s mouth, he was in quite a good mood, the people around him had gone to watch the passionate competition of wizards in the Greenleaf Square, and no one noticed him, and naturally, it was not crowded.


    ¡°Hush, Pei Xia, if you don¡¯t want me to be recognised, don¡¯t call me that.¡±


    Pei Xia immediately admitted his mistake, ¡°Sorry, how shall I address you then?¡±


    Lucifer¡¯s beautiful features and azure eyes were hazy under the veil, but his voice told Pei Xia that he was in a good mood, ¡°Just call me Lucy.¡±


    Lucy, that name was a little too close, but if you called him by his full name, it would be easy to be recognised.


    Peixia had to nod, ¡°Yes Lord Lucy!¡±


    He then saw the white veil under the brim of Lucifer¡¯s hat swing and the sound of soft laughter came from within, and Pei Xia was a little embarrassed, wondering what he had said wrong again.


    ¡°Lord Lucy, is it bad to call ¡­¡­ that?¡± Pei Xia asked hesitantly.


    Lucifer shook his head, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s okay just like that.¡±


    ¡°Lucy-sama.¡± Pei Xia immediately regained her confidence, ¡°I¡¯ll go get Tom and the others to come over!¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Lucifer said, ¡°Pei Xia, you are worrying too much about me, believe me, I am not as fragile as you think.¡±


    Pei Xia thought for a moment and said, ¡°¡­¡­ But weren¡¯t you the one who lost your strength after using light magic before?¡±


    The soft and low-profile Lord Saint Son paused in his steps, eventually saying nothing and simply skimming over to continue.


    There were times when a superior could be terrifyingly capricious, and Pei Xia helplessly followed Lucifer forward.


    The young man in front of him was walking briskly and happily, the hem of his broad white coat lifting in the wind.


    Finally the two of them reached the edge of Greenleaf Square and found a spot with a good view through the bustling crowd.


    The middle of the square had been made to look like a ring, with a boundary around the edge to stop the spectators, and at the moment, a light wizard and a fire wizard were fiercely fighting on the ring.


    Their battle was coming to an end, and it was clear that the Light Wizard was the superior one, his opponent was wounded and exhausted, and he was afraid that it would not be long before he lost.


    With a sarcastic look on his face, the Light Wizard pulled away and said, ¡°What incompetence, no wonder Anna abandoned you.¡±


    This sentence angered the fire magician like adding fuel to the fire. The fire magician roared and suddenly broke out. A splendid flame emerged from his heart, and then condensed on the staff in his hand.


    ¡°You are courting death!¡±


    He roared as he delivered a desperate strike, a fiery purple ball of fire blasted out and a gasp of shock went up from those around him, ¡°Oh my god, he¡¯s using a forbidden spell!¡±


    The Light Wizard was horrified and ran away as the fireball struck the boundary uncontrollably and broke it!


    ¡°Run!¡± The crowd scattered in disarray and fled in all directions.


    Pei Xia¡¯s complexion changed as the fireball that broke the boundary was coming toward him!


    He dodged to the side agilely and then saw a man in white suddenly open his arms to stop him in front.


    Pei Xia watched in shock as Lucifer blossomed as a holy father to block the purple fireball, only to end up with the force of the fireball.


    He was exhausted and his veil was burning as the fireball was getting smaller and smaller.


    Fortunately, the ball of fire went out after the veil fully burned, but unfortunately, Lucifer lost his strength again.


    Pei Xia took a big leap forward and reached out to catch him, the hat snapped to the ground and Lucifer leaned into his arms with a pale, relieved smile, ¡°That¡¯s great Pei Xia, you¡¯re alright really ¡­¡­¡±


    Pei Xia looked at him and choked out, ¡°Why bother Lord Lucy, I¡¯ve dodged it!¡±


    Lucifer, ¡°¡­¡­ really.¡±


    Pei Xia was puzzled, ¡°Really what?¡±


    Lucifer closed his eyes with an expressionless face.

 CH 24

    Chapter 24: Soft but strong Holy Son


    Pei Xia worriedly shook his body: ¡°Lord Lucifer, what happened to you!!!¡±


    Oh no, something is not going to happen to the Holy Son!


    Pei Xia was in a turbulent mood, he looked up to the side and saw that the people around him were looking over with surprise and inquisitive eyes. He suddenly remembered that Lucifer¡¯s veil had been burned off and there was a risk of being recognized!


    The frail Lord Saint Son was leaning in Pei Xia¡¯s arms with his eyes closed and motionless, Pei Xia raised his hand to put it under his nose and felt the breath before he breathed a sigh of relief.


    Very good, breathing steadily, it seems that he will not die easily!


    So he put a force on his hands, simply hugged Lucifer horizontally, and positioned Lucifer to bury his face in his arms, to block the eyes of outsiders.


    ¡®He can¡¯t let others discover his true identity, otherwise, it would be too miserable to be killed by the believers without being killed by the forbidden technique.¡¯


    Lucifer, who had tried to deceive him many times, closed his eyes. He never expected that this goal would be achieved in front of thousands of people.


    ¡°Hey, are you guys all right!¡± Several luxuriously dressed guards stood out from the crowd, shouting at them.


    Pei Xia frowned and said, ¡°How could it be okay, who are you? Are you the guards in the city? I want to complain that the magician over there uses magic that can harm civilians!¡±


    ¡°We are not the guards of the city.¡± The other party proudly shook the symbol on his armor, ¡°We are the personal guards of the Grand Prince of Sumi Agada!¡±


    Pei Xia raised an eyebrow, isn¡¯t this a coincidence?


    The other party continued, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ve sent someone to inform the magic association and the escort, hey, are any people here seriously injured? Our prince is kind-hearted and willing to help heal for free!¡±


    Pei Xia pondered for a moment, thinking about Lucifer who was now unconscious, but in the original storyline, he was not injured nor unconscious. He should have gotten acquainted with the Grand Prince, If he takes Lucifer back directly, wouldn¡¯t he miss another plot?


    So Pei Xia stretched his arms and walked over there with Lucifer in his arms.


    The crowd gave way, pointing. Above the ring, the fire magician knelt on the ground and panted like a dead dog, while the light magician opposite him, whose face was originally full of arrogance and disdain, became barely proud but apprehensive after knowing a noble prince was watching the match.


    Harry, the great prince of Sumi Agada stepped forward. He had the same golden hair as Lucifer, but his short hair was lighter in color. Under the bright sunlight, it was easy to mistake it for silver.


    Harry magnanimously ordered his accompanying magical guards to come and heal Lucifer¡¯s wounds. Pei Xia, holding Lucifer, reluctantly bowed to Harry to perform a hasty ritual.


    ¡°Thank you very much for your kindness.¡±


    The magic guard, also a light magician, looked to Pei Xia, ¡°Please put this wounded man down.¡±


    Thinking of the uncovered face of Lucifer, Pei Xia smiled awkwardly and said, ¡°No need, no need, you can treat him.¡±


    The magical guard looked at him oddly, ¡°You are holding him like this, I have no way to check his injury this way.¡±


    Pei Xia hurriedly said, ¡°There are no traumatic injuries on Lord Lucy¡¯s body, just lost his strength.¡±


    ¡°No wonder.¡± The magic guard said gruffly, ¡°I noticed it before when this Your Excellency stepped forward and used light magic to resist the fire forbidden spell, the light magic His Excellency used was very powerful. I didn¡¯t expect him to lose strength in the end, but it¡¯s admirable!¡±


    Pei Xia nodded approvingly, ¡°That¡¯s right, Lord Lucy is such a good man who sacrifices himself for others!¡±


    Although his eyes are not very good, he did not see him(Lucifer) dodge, but does not prevent him from having a kind heart of gold!1


    So, Lucifer was held by Pei Xia and received treatment from another magician.


    The magic guard cast light magic, mouth continuously chanting words, he reached out his hand to Lucifer¡¯s wrist, Pei Xia subconsciously open his hand.


    Magic guard: ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Pei Xia: ¡°¡­¡­ sorry, conditioned reflex.¡±


    The magic guard looked at him strangely, then caught Lucifer¡¯s hand and started using light magic to heal him. After the treatment, he couldn¡¯t help frowning, ¡°Huh, strange, this gentleman¡¯s magic within is very full ¡­¡­¡±


    Pei Xia surprised, subconsciously shook lucifer in his hand: ¡°ah?¡±


    The magic guard suddenly let out a cry of surprise, ¡°Ah, no! Now it¡¯s empty again!¡±


    Pei Xia, ¡°Is it full or empty?¡±


    Magic guard, ¡°Before it was full, now it is empty again, do you believe it?¡±


    Pei Xia could not help but start to worry about the quality of Prince Harry Harry¡¯s side guards.


    But no matter what, the magic guard had begun to heal Lucifer, his arms has begun to sore, Pei Xia simply sat cross-legged on the ground, and let Lucifer lie on his lap with his face facing him for cover.


    He quietly looked at Lucifer¡¯s face, slowly turning red under the treatment of the magical guards.


    He was quite relieved.


    At this time, Prince Harry was handing over the long-arrived Magic Association and the city guards. With him rushing in front, things were much easier.


    The fire magician had to be taken away for punishment, but the light magician was spared.


    Harry looked at the other side unhappily and said, ¡°To provoke the other side with words to provoke during the battle, is this the light magician¡¯s style? You should be ashamed of your identity!¡±


    In this world, the status of a magician was very high, so even in the face of Prince Harry, the light magician did not directly give in, ¡°If you are inferior to others, you should honestly admit defeat!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too much!¡± At this time, the magic guard who had finished healing Lucifer also couldn¡¯t help but stand up in anger and said, ¡°Since you say so, let me compete with you!¡±


    Across the room, the light magician sneered and said, ¡°Come on!¡±


    So a new battle was scheduled, and the light magician sat cross-legged in place and began to rest and meditate, waiting until the boundary enchantment was mended to begin the match.


    Then ¡­¡­ it didn¡¯t take long for Prince Harry¡¯s magical escort to lose.


    He walked back with his head hanging, his face full of shame, ¡°I am extremely sorry, Your Highness, I was not able to achieve victory for you.¡±


    Harry patted his shoulder and said indignantly, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, you did your best! It¡¯s just that this kind of light magician, should not be let arrogant? It¡¯s too much!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure someone can defeat him!¡± Harry looked to the crowd around, ¡°Stand out, the one who can defeat him, I will reward you with a thousand gold coins!¡±


    Pei Xia¡¯s fingers moved slightly, ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡® I am so excited.¡¯


    But, although Prince Harry offered a heavy reward, no one came forward, because the light magician in the ring was already a very powerful magician in the city of Abrulla, and most of the people watching the fun don¡¯t know magic. How could anyone dare to take the risk for a thousand gold coins?


    Prince Harry kept repeating ¡°a thousand gold coins¡±, and Pei Xia clenched his fist silently.


    But he is not a magician and has no way to play. At this moment, the young man lying on Pei Xia¡¯s lap moved, and Pei Xia immediately lowered his head and looked at him in surprise, ¡°Lord Lucy, you are awake?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Lucifer squinted his eyes and said softly, ¡°I¡¯ve heard what happened.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s too noisy here, I should take you to a quiet place to rest.¡±


    ¡°No, Pei Xia.¡± Lucifer held his hand and smiled very gratefully, ¡°Prince Harry is right, someone should stand up.¡±


    Pesha looked at him in shock, unable to speak for a moment.


    Lucifer then with a holy father-like light shining soft smile slowly propped the body up.


    Pei Xia was still shocked, ¡°How do you know the name of His Highness the Prince?!¡±


    With a snap, Lucifer fell back onto his lap.


    ¡°Are you all right, Lord Saint Son!¡± Pei Xia immediately put the doubts he had just had behind him and hurriedly held him up.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Lucifer pulled the corner of his mouth, too lazy to pretend to be a white lotus anymore, he casually replied, ¡°vaguely heard when unconscious.¡±


    Pei Xia breathed a sigh of relief: ¡°So that¡¯s it.¡±


    He almost thought that when he did not know the story plot changed drastically, resulting in Lucifer and Harry meeting in advance.


    Lucifer lowered his eyes, ¡°Well, it¡¯s time for this farce to end.¡±


    With that, he stood up abruptly, his white robe flickered like the wings of a dove, and his tall and straight figure attracted everyone¡¯s attention. eyes, but in the next second, a thin coat was put on the hood.


    A man with his head wrapped in brown cloth and wearing a white robe appeared.


    Pei Xia sneered and covered up Lucifer¡¯s head tightly, reminding in a low voice, ¡°Lord Lucy, you have to be careful!¡±


    Lucifer slowly raised his arm, trembling, and pressed it to Pei Xia¡¯s hand, his voice meaningful, ¡°No need Pei Xia, I think His Highness the Prince of Justice is here, will not stand by and watch the unrest appear.¡±


    Pei Xia still hesitated, ¡°Do you really want to take this risk?¡±


    Prince Harry looked in surprise at the white-robed man whose head was wrapped in a brown jacket, ¡°You are the wounded man just now? Who the hell are you?¡±


    Lucifer smiled slightly as he squeezed Pei Xia¡¯s hand: ¡°Let go, Pei Xia.¡±


    Pei Xia sighed lightly, and then, removed the coat from Lucifer¡¯s head.


    When the jacket completely left Lord Saint Son¡¯s noble head, the wind brought up blew his sun-like radiant and beautiful blonde hair, Lucifer¡¯s face, once again exposed in front of the world!


    After a moment of silence, the crowd boiled over!


    Pei Xia headache to protect his side against the believers who want to lean over to worship, ¡°Quiet, do not crowd!¡±


    He shouted several times at the top of his lungs, and finally, it was Lucifer who raised his hand and calmed everyone down, and only then did Greenleaf Square regain its calm.


    Or rather, calmer than before when Lucifer did not show up, because at this time everyone was looking at him, trying to listen to his voice.


    Harry looked at the blonde beauty in front of him in shock and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°You are the legendary Lord Saint Son of the Light God Cult?!¡±


    Lucifer nodded and responded meekly, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Harry looked at him dumbfounded, his mouth opened unconsciously, a string of praise appeared like clouds, ¡°You are the most beautiful, the most sacred, the most in line with the word light I have ever seen!¡±


    Lucifer said to him, rather helplessly, ¡°You are too kind.¡±


    Then, intentionally or unintentionally he glanced at Pei Xia, Pei Xia immediately self-reflected:  ¡®It¡¯s a failure, Pei Xia, even an outsider can¡¯t match the skill of flattering. Look, sure enough. now Lord Holy Son has an opinion on you!¡¯


    Pei Xia immediately decided to cultivate his flattering skills after returning home.


    T/N :  So sorry for the late update. It was so sudden to be caught up in urgent works.


    I didn¡¯t know what this sentence meant, so I wrote the probable meaning. The raw version is( ËäÈ»ÑÛÉñ²»Ì«ºÃʹ£¬Ã»¿´¼ûËû¶ã¿ª£¬µ«²»·Á°­ËûÓÐÒ»¿Å½ð×Ó°ãÉÆÁ¼µÄÐÄ!).

 CH 25

    Chapter 25: Pei Xia is crazily zealous


    Lucifer looked at the light magician in the ring, the other party was from the magic association and did not belong to the church¡¯s system.


    At this moment, the other party was a little uneasy, because it was known that the Lord Saint Son of the Church of Light is currently the person with the deepest attainment in light magic, he was the messenger of God, the incarnation of light!


    The light magician in the ring said stiffly, ¡°Everything I did was by the rules of the duel, what, does Lord Saint Son want to teach me a lesson too?¡±


    Lucifer looked at him gently, without the slightest hint of annoyance, ¡°No need to be nervous, no need to be afraid, you are right, as long as it is per the rules of the duel, no one can punish you for it.¡±


    The light magician showed a smug smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that.¡± Lucifer continued, ¡°As a magician, accepting the respect of all people, it is right to abide by the unspoken rules of morality, especially the light magicians. Light exists to bring warmth and vitality to all beings, and I think the reason you are stuck in your current realm and can¡¯t breakthrough is that you don¡¯t understand the nature of light.¡±


    He praised and stepped on him, causing the Light Wizard¡¯s heart to go up and down, and his face changed like a palette.


    He shouted, ¡°I think I understand, you just don¡¯t like me!¡±


    Lucifer looked at him sympathetically, ¡°Your opponent broke the rules, he will be punished by the association, and you, therefore, will be despised by others, is it worth it?¡±


    The light magician pounded his staff to the ground, ¡°If you don¡¯t like me, come and fight me!¡±


    Lucifer sighed lightly, ¡°Maybe if you change your temper, more people will support you. A duel is certainly possible, only I want to do it differently.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Lucifer raised his hands in the crowd¡¯s puzzled gaze, folded in front of his chest, he slightly hanging his head as modest as possible, the holy light soft and not harsh, from his body slowly spread.


    ¡°Your duel with your previous opponent had frightened everyone, and I think it is right that the light should soothe the fears of all beings. Let¡¯s compete to see who can make more people feel happy and peaceful.¡±


    At that moment, Pei Xia was in a trance and thought he had met the Bodhisattva Guanyin 1In Chinese mythology, Guanyin (Ó^Òô) is the goddess of mercy and is considered to be the physical embodiment of compassion. She is an all-seeing, all-hearing being who is called upon by worshipers in times of uncertainty, despair, and fear. Guanyin is originally based on the bodhisattva Avalokite?vara. who had universalized the world, but fortunately, the Western fantasy-style human thing pulled his thoughts back.


    Light magician, ¡°¡­¡­ then on then!


    Of course, the final result was that Lucifer won, after all, no one was more skilled than him in this area of warming believers.


    The believers showed a satisfied smile, the prince showed a look of awe and longing, and they could not help but imitate the posture of Lucifer to pray to the gods.


    Even at the end, even the light magician was moved to his knees and choked up, crying out, ¡°I understand, so this is the meaning of light! Lord Holy Son, now I understand! Thank you for your teaching, so that I can advance farther in the path of magic, I will convert to the Illuminati starting tomorrow!¡±


    However, not everyone in the Green Leaf Square submitted to the holy light of Lucifer.


    For example, Pei Xia.


    He stood behind Lucifer with a stony face in contemplation.


    Lucifer slowly turned around to look at him with a smile, ¡°Pei Xia, what are you thinking about?¡±


    Pei Xia a jolt, subconsciously blurted out, ¡°ass-kissing.¡±


    Lucifer, ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    Pei Xia¡¯s face flushed red, he stammered, thought for half a day, finally squeezed out this sentence, ¡°Lord Saint Son, you are the brightest, most beautiful, most in line with the word ¡®sacred¡¯ I have ever seen!¡±


    Lucifer, ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Pei Xia, ¡°The most sacred, brightest, and most in line with the word ¡®beautiful¡¯?¡±


    Lucifer, ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    He restrained his smile, looking at Pei Xia momentarily did not know how to answer, should we let him back with a ¡°you are also falsely praising¡±?


    In the end, he just raised his hand and patted Pei Xia¡¯s shoulder, ¡°If you can¡¯t, you don¡¯t have to force yourself.¡±


    Pei Xia¡¯s face burst into red, ashamed: ¡®Too difficult, Lucifer disliked it, no, I must do it make persistent efforts!¡¯


    ¡­¡­


    When the duel was over and everyone present had obtained a satisfactory ending, Lucifer was ready to go back to the sub-church.


    Prince Harry enthusiastically stepped forward, ¡°Lord Saint Son, I am a devout believer in the God of Light, please let me escort you back.¡±


    Lucifer was self-aware and nodded to him, ¡°Then will be troubling your highness.¡±


    ¡°No trouble, no trouble, I was going to go to church service as well¡±, Prince Harry was like a warm and sunny flower butterfly circling Lucifer.


    He was a handsome young man, coupled with his noble status, relatable nature, and sweet mouth always attracts the ladies¡¯ love.


    And now, he is unabashedly releasing his charm towards the personable, quiet but eye-catching Lucifer.


    The prince¡¯s well-dressed and powerful guards lined up in two lines to escort the master and his guests.


    Pei Xia silently followed a step behind Lucifer, looking at Prince Harry¡¯s glowing appearance, listening to his mouth chattering out words of praise, he felt depressed.


    He even noticed a hint of sourness.


    Of course, he supported having His Royal Highness escort Lucifer back home. After all, although Lucifer kept the believers quiet, he was not sure if there would be excessive fans harassing him, which would be safer.


    But ¡­¡­ Pei Xia still felt sour ah, he was not only sour but also insecure!


    Listening to Prince Harry¡¯s constantly singing praises ¨C you are as beautiful as the sunflower with dew in the morning, your heart is as pure as crystal, after seeing you I seem to understand the true meaning of light ¡­¡­


    The most abominable thing was that Prince Harry said these fleshly words with sincerity and magnanimity, which was very different from the gloomy and greasy look of Earl Hobson.


    Lucifer was a little embarrassed by his(Prince Harry) compliments, turned his head, and smiled at him, very kind and gentle: ¡°You are too modest.¡±


    Looking at the backs of two people walking side by side in front, Pei Xia silently clenched his fist.


    Hard, fist hard!


    ¡®I really want to gag Prince Harry¡¯s mouth with a punch!


    If this goes on like this, he, Pei Xia, will be unable to keep his status as the number one dogleg under lord Lucifer!


    But Prince Harry had a noble status and no malice. Pei Xia could only watch him and Lucifer get closer and closer¡­¡¯


    The black-faced Pei Xia was shocked and subconsciously wanted to hide his darkness, but the result was that his expression was stiff and he only ended up with an awkward smile.


    Lucifer thoughtfully also smiled at him, then turned back and began to take the initiative to chat with Prince Harry!


    They talked freely about magic, landscape, human customs ¡­¡­ all the way to chatting inside the sub-church.


    Pei Xia¡¯s face was expressionless, and he looked like a quail that was stunned. He followed Lucifer honestly, watching them joke and pray, and then pray.


    Finally, Prince Harry left with his subordinates.


    ¡°Pei Xia, Pei Xia.¡± A hand waved in front of Pei Xia, Lucier amusingly slightly bent down to look at Pei Xia, his long golden hair slanted down like a golden waterfall.


    Pei Xia snapped back to her senses and looked at Lucifer: ¡°Lord Saint Son, I¡¯m sorry, I got lost in thought again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡±, The forgiving saint son¡¯s lips were tinged with a smile, ¡°What were you thinking about again?¡±


    Pei Xia: ¡°I was thinking about ¡­¡­¡± This time, Pei Xia did not say the word ¡°ass-kissing¡± again, he cheered himself ¨C -he encouraged himself ¨C you have made progress, listening to Prince Harry blowing so many rainbow farts, yes, you can do it, Pei Xia!


    Pei Xia took a deep breath and said, ¡°You must have had a good time talking to His Royal Highness Prince Harry, right?¡±


    Lucifer narrowed his eyes, stood up straight, smiled, and said, ¡°Of course, what¡¯s wrong Pei Xia, do you have a problem with that?¡±


    ¡°No, no, absolutely not! I was just thinking that His Royal Highness must be very happy too!¡± Pei Xia clenched his fist, impassioned, ¡°Because you are such a saintly son who can make many people fall in love with you, you are like that white lotus flower blooming fragrant, like green tea as fresh intoxicating, you are so beautiful and charming!¡±


    Lucifer, ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±


    Seeing his smile stiffened, Pei Xia¡¯s heart was shocked, ¡®Was his words too exaggerated?¡¯


    By the way, Lucifer actually does not like men to praise his face, Prince Harry¡¯s identity was noble, perhaps he will not care, but in his case, it will inevitably become somewhat offensive, because it will make him(Lucifer) think that he only looks at his face very superficially.


    Pei Xia immediately tried to remedy saying, ¡°Of course, that is only your external appearance your subordinates, and everyone is very clear, you are a very wonderful person!¡±


    Lucifer, ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Seeing the smile on Lucifer¡¯s face gradually disappearing, Pei Xia was so anxious that his head was sweating, the victory or defeat was in one fell swoop, and he must not lose to Harry!


    So he thought of a compliment that no man could possibly refuse ¨C that is, the complement of ¡®Strength¡¯!


    So Pei Xia stood up straight, stomped his foot with a thud, and tapped his fist to his heart as he said with a resounding voice.


    ¡°Especially your strength! You are so powerful, obviously, you had already lost power and fainted before, but you recovered quickly with a simple treatment, and did not lose power again after healing believers on a large scale, your magic power is really fast to recover. You are both pious and strong saint son lord, following you, I am really at ease!¡±


    Lucifer¡¯s face was expressionless, turned around and left, his clothes fluttering.


    Pei Xia stood in the same place, looking at his back in confusion, wondering where in the end he did not say good enough to make him angry.


    Pei Xia was very aggrieved and could not help but be jealous of Prince Harry.


    Why should he be able to get Lucifer¡¯s appreciation for patting rainbow farts, while he was clearly disliked!


    Pei Xia reached out in aggravation and chased after him while shouting Lord Saint Son ¡°Wait for me.¡±


    ¡­¡­


    At night, Pei Xia was guarding the door outside the room, and Lucifer was bathing indoors.


    In the dense white water mist, with a clatter, the flawless youth stood up from the water, the water droplets reluctantly kissed his body and then fell in strings.


    He stepped out of the tub and pulled the bathrobe to put on casually.


    Lucifer set up a boundary, then grabbed the shadow demon at his feet. The long white hand pinched the black shadow¡¯s neck and smiled coldly: ¡°How much did he see, you say, that he was being sarcastic?¡±


    The Shadow demon trembled and said flatteringly, ¡°My Lord, this subordinate thinks that he may not have been able to see your perfection yet.¡±


    ¡°Perfection?¡± Lucifer looked at the Demon of Shadows gloomily and lifted his other hand to stroke his cheek, ¡°Are you trying to say he¡¯s not interested in me?¡±


    Shadow demon, ¡°This subordinate didn¡¯t say that ¡­¡­¡±


    Lucifer let go of his hand, letting it slide away. Dressed in a bathrobe, Lucifer sat in front of the mirror, he used his hand to wipe away the water mist on the mirror, slowly, a determined gaze in his eyes.


    He must make Pei Xia willing to subdue himself at his feet!


    Definitely!


    This was a man¡¯s desire to win.


    T/N: Ahhhhhh I am so excited, what will do to make his wife submit ~~.

 CH 26.1

    Chapter 26.1: Pei Xia tormented by the beautiful Holy Son


    In the next two days, Lucifer and Pei Xia adhered to the principle of going out for a walk when they were free, sleeping late when they were not free, eating well, and using pricey foods, successfully creating a surface of cordial and pious, but actually vain and love the idea of pleasure.


    Pei Xia even proposed that they should let Buck disguise himself as a girl again before coming to them, but Lucifer politely refused.


    Finally, in their tireless efforts, Andren and others changed their minds to relax their vigilance and began to take action.


    Deep in the night, Pei Xia secretly followed and found Andren cloaked in a black robe, he did not go directly to the underground brothel but went to a senior official in the city.


    Sure enough, this kind of dirty business cannot be done without the support of local officials.


    By the evening of the next day, Pei Xia was accompanying Lucifer in the restaurant eating exquisite high-definition cuisine when Bishop Andren walked over with an old smiling face that turned into a chrysanthemum.


    He directly ignored Pei Xia and gave a polite salute to Lucifer, ¡°Lord Holy Son, since you came to the Abrulla City branch church, you have worked hard day and you lead the way for the believers by spreading the light, you really worked too hard!¡±


    Pei Xia, ¡°¡­¡­¡± This man really can talk nonsense with open eyes!


    Pei Xia was a little unhappy because he personally saw that Lucifer was going to blow a wave to compete for a favor, and he despised Andren, this old vegetable¡¯s frowning face that could kill flies but still not resist.


    Che!, If Bishop Andren had the conditions of Prince Harry, maybe Pei Xia would feel a little bit of a crisis, but Pei Xia knew that Lucifer didn¡¯t like Andren, so he quickly calmed down and continued to stand guard honestly pretending to be transparent.


    ¡°You are also working hard.¡± Lucifer responded very calmly, ¡°Lord Bishop Andren, do you have something else to say?¡±


    Andren smiled warmly and brightly, then stretched out his hand to cup Lucifer¡¯s hand.


    The corners of Pei Xia¡¯s eyes twitched and just as he was about to rush up and slap away this lecherous old man when he saw Lucifer wordlessly cast a calm look at himself.


    Lucifer calmly looked at the old bishop in front of him holding his hand and was giving an exaggerated eulogy, then he said his true purpose: ¡°It¡¯s like this, I want to ask you to relax.¡±


    Lucifer then smiled meaningfully, ¡°The God of Light is above, and frankly, I¡¯m always relaxed here.¡±


    ¡°That is the greatest compliment you can give us!¡± Andren said happily, ¡°So, in gratitude for your being here to illuminate our hearts and minds, I have prepared a special feast for you! I think that you will surely enjoy it.¡±


    ¡°I wonder what kind of feast it is, can you reveal a little?¡±


    Andren then insinuated, ¡°As you know, there are many lost girls in this world who need your guidance, so a sumptuous feast has been specially prepared, and I hope you will come to teach them.¡±


    Lucifer slowly nodded, ¡°So, I see, please rest assured that I will be there.¡±


    ¡°Even if it is in the evening?¡±


    ¡°Naturally.¡±


    Andren then patted his hand and laughed, ¡°Please don¡¯t worry, I guarantee that they will prepare with utmost care.¡±


    ¡°Since you say so, I will wait and see.¡±


    The two men looked at each other and smiled, tacitly reaching a friendly agreement, then Andren reluctantly let go of Lucifer¡¯s hand and took a half step back and bowed, ¡°Please wait for a while, I will come to pick you up in an hour.¡±


    After Andren left, Pei Xia looked serious and grabbed Lucifer¡¯s hand.


    Lucifera looked at him sideways, as if he was a bit puzzled, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Pei Xia wiped his hands with a handkerchief dampened with water, and said sadly, ¡°You must be careful, some people can¡¯t be messed up. Their touch is dirty!¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about His Eminence Bishop Andren?¡±


    Pei Xia quickly looked around, seeing that there was no one, he lowered his voice and explained, ¡°A man like this who likes to whore around prostitutes¡­ can transmit many diseases that are contagious and harmful.¡±


    In his last life, after learning about the chaos in the gay circle, he silently stayed away from it staying single all his life because he cherished his life.


    Lucifer looked at him thoughtfully, ¡°Pei Xia, you know so much.¡±


    Pei Xia froze and coughed lightly, ¡°we men, will privately talk about some private topics, you have a noble identity and high character, so no one dares to disturb you with such vulgar topics.¡±


    Lucifer nodded and did not say anything else, suddenly his hand blossomed with holy light, along with Pei Xia together with the light enveloped in.


    He smiled, ¡°This way it¡¯s okay.¡±


    Pei Xia then remembered that this was an unscientific world, he was embarrassed letting go of Lucifer¡¯s hand, scratching his head, and smiling.


    ¡­¡­


    An hour later, Andren set up the carriage to pick up Lucifer.


    Only Pei Xia accompanied Lucifer, originally Pei Xia wanted to call two more people to come, Lucifer said that if there were too many people, the other party would become suspicious.


    Of course, Pei Xia did not forget to instruct the other knights to do what they should do


    When getting into the carriage, Andren looked at Pei Xia who was following Lucifer with a displeased face: ¡°Knight, you should be outside!¡±


    Pei Xia insisted: ¡°I am the personal knight of Lord Saint Son, I should be accompanying Saint Son!¡±


    The corner of Andren¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°Isn¡¯t outside the carriage close enough, my God of Light, you should believe in Lord Sage¡¯s strength, not to mention that I am also here, I will definitely protect Lord Sage, please don¡¯t worry!¡±


    Pei Xia whispered: ¡°It¡¯s because of you that I¡¯m not at ease.¡±


    Andren: ¡°What???¡±


    Pei Xia looked solemn, sat close to Lucifer, and said, ¡°Lord Saint Son once suffered an attack by the person closest to him, therefore, I must guard him at all times!¡±


    Andren looked suspicious, ¡°Really?¡±


    Pei Xia nodded and wisely constructed a color-filled picture: ¡°At that time, I was guarding the door for the holy son outside, who knew that the girl deceived the holy son¡¯s mind and actually sneak attacked him since then I would never let down my guard in any aspect!¡±


    Lucius Phil, ¡°¡­¡­ is it?¡±


    Peixia: ¡°Ahem, yes that¡¯s right.¡±


    Andren: ¡°So it is.¡±


    The carriage traveled quietly through the out-of-the-way streets, the gentle bumps making the people in the city sway with it. Lucifer and Pei Xia sat opposite Andren.


    Suddenly, the wheels hit some obstacle, and the carriage went up and down, and Anderun leaned forward, about to be pressed into Lucifer¡¯s arms.


    Pei Xia¡¯s expression changed, and it was too late for him to speak. He jumped up abruptly, and blocked Lucifer in front of him in a flash of lightning!


    Dang!


    Old Bishop Andren slammed into Pei Xia, and Pei Xia was unsteady and fell backward with a thud.


    Then, he sat on Lucifer¡¯s lap.


    In front is the bishop, behind is the Holy Son, he was just a small paladin, what can he do?


    Pei Xia did not dare to look back at Lucifer¡¯s expression, he trembled and raised his hand to help the black-faced Andren.


    Andren grabbed his hand hard and gritted his teeth: ¡°I really have to thank you, Sir Knight.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, and you should.¡±


    Two people secretly competing for a deadly handshake, trying to kill each other in pain, and finally, the old man could not stand it first, said with a sullen face, ¡°How much longer do you plan to sit on the lap of Lord Sons?!¡±


    Feeling the butt¡­ The loyal paladin, who felt his buttocks burning, laughed dryly and said, ¡°Is this not to help the Lord Bishop up.¡±


    The two tacitly let go of each other¡¯s hands, and finally, Lucifer spoke.


    ¡°Friendship and mutual aid is the tradition of the Church of the Light, and I am happy to see Pei Xia helping His Grace the Bishop in this way.¡±


    Andren had to say reluctantly, ¡°Yes, you are right, Lord Holy Son.¡±


    Pei Xia silently moved his ass away from Lucifer¡¯s thighs, which were a pair of elastic and flexible thighs, which felt good to the touch, but unfortunately, he didn¡¯t dare to sit too much, for fear of crushing the weak Holy Son.


    Pei Xia quietly peeked sideways at Lucifer¡¯s expression, Lucifer was calmly looking out the window, as if he did not feel anything. Pei Xia breathed a sigh of relief, it¡¯s great that he(Lucifer) did not get crushed.


    Finally, after walking a long road, the carriage came to its destination, Pei Xia looked out of the window and found that this was a very quiet and peaceful civilian area.


    Their destination was a large house full of greenery, which belonged to the people rich enough to live in without aristocratic status. The iron gate was wide open, the carriage drove in, and Pei Xia and the three got off one by one.


    There was a large three-story villa in the center of the courtyard, all the way in, the quiet night suddenly turned into a boisterous night.


    Gorgeously dressed gentlemen holding glasses of wine and talking loudly, beside them, almost all were embracing one or two orc girls.


    With such blatant collusion with each other, it was no wonder that this underground brothel dedicated to the orc race could exist in the city for many years.


    ¡°Lord Saint Son!¡±


    When Lucifel walked in, most of the people looked at him, including many who had long known that Lucifel was coming.


    They stared closely at Lucifer, wanting to know what Lucifer¡¯s attitude was towards this.


    Lucifer looked calm as if he had already expected it, which made the people who wanted to pull him into the gang reassured.


    They came up to chat with Lucifer with exaggerated smiles. Lucifer¡¯s expression was indifferent, and it was rare that he did not smile at them. He said to Andren, ¡°It¡¯s too noisy.¡±


    Andren suddenly realized, ¡°Yes, yes, well gentlemen, the Lord of the Son is coming over for the first time, you do not want to scare him!¡±


    The gentlemen then burst into a ball of hilarious laughter, and Pei Xia stiffened his face and did his best to make his face look less ugly.


    Andren smiled and invited Lucifer to walk upstairs, Pei Xia followed behind them, raised his hand and pinched the jeweled button on his collar, and then quietly swept it to the whole hall of people who showed their faces in 360 degrees into the eyes.


    Andren led Lucifer into a luxurious suite, which had been set up in advance with sumptuous food and wine, and then another priest walked in with a few girls.


    ¡°Lord Saint Son, now that we are all acquaintances, there is no need to let go hahaha¡±, Andren sat on the sofa and laughed very well.


    The other priest was named Druna, the very person who had bumped into Lucifer¡¯s private rendezvous with Miss Buck that day.


    He proudly ordered the girls behind him to stand in a row and joked, ¡°Please take a look, these ladies will not disappoint you, Lord Saint Son.¡±


    Lucifer sat across from Andren, with Peixia standing behind him, and together they looked at the orc girls in front of them, some with ears and some with tails, they had different beauties, but the same numbness in their eyes.


    Lucifer folded his hands together, and his face showed an icy smile, ¡°Is this the feast that your Excellency arranged to entertain me?¡±


    Andren sensed that Lucifer was not happy, and he was a little surprised, ¡°What, are you not satisfied with them, Lord Saint Son?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Lucifer paused and said, ¡°Very well, I just don¡¯t like being with so many people.¡±


    Andren laughed at once, apparently, he thought that Lucifer was shy, a public figure with a halo and reputation, it is normal to be unable to wipe his face.


    Then Andren, Druna enthusiastically let the girls serve Lucifer, they themselves also hugged two of them.


    A few girls boldly sat next to Lucifer, but did not know whether to ¡°enthusiastically¡± serve this slightly aloof and distinguished man as usual.


    They heard the name ¡°Son of God¡±, if they had not been caught here, they might have worshipped Lucifer like the people outside, but now, they look at Lucifer¡¯s eyes only with fear, hatred, and despair.


    Fear of the harm he might bring, abhorrence of the man¡¯s compulsion, despair at the fact that even the sons of the Church of the Light are in cahoots with Andren ¨C will they still have hope of being saved?


    Lucifer did not take the initiative to take advantage of the girls and even showed a little indifference in the face of their flattery. The orc girls who had been reprimanded for a long time also did not stick to him, keeping a little distance and only served him wine.


    Andren and Druna did not suspect, after all, Lucifer has always shown a good face, paying attention to the image of identity.

 CH 26.2

    Chapter 26.2: Pei Xia tormented by the beautiful Holy Son


    After chatting for a while, Andren stood up and said,


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late, we won¡¯t disturb you to rest, Lord Son. I believe you will spend a wonderful night with these confused girls.¡±


    Pei Xia stood behind him, watching silently, preparing to wait for Andren and Druna to leave.


    Andren suddenly looked at him: ¡°Knight, I also prepared a place for you to rest, please come with me.¡±


    Pei Xia was stunned, and subconsciously said, ¡°No, I want to protect the Holy Son.¡±


    Andren looked at him strangely: ¡°Are you sure you want to guard here?¡±


    Pei Xia coughed awkwardly, ¡°That¡¯s right! It¡¯s my duty!¡±


    Lucifer also stood up and looked at him with a smile. Andren: ¡°Have you forgotten? Pei Xia has always been by my side since I was attacked by someone close to me. Don¡¯t worry, I will work with Pei Xia to teach these poor girls the teachings to dispel confusion. .¡±


    Andren couldn¡¯t hide his shock. He never expected that this dignified and dignified Son of God could play better than him.


    Pei Xia silently held his forehead, acquiesced to the words of Lucifer, no way, who called this argument was him who first proposed it?


    So then, Andren and Druna gave the room to Lucifer, Pei Xia, and the three orc girls, before leaving, he said meaningfully, ¡°I hope that one day I can work with Lord Saint Son to teach the confused girls.¡±


    ¡°I believe your wish will come true soon,¡± Lucifer said softly.


    After Andron Druna had completely left, Pei Xia looked at Lucifer and the three girls who were sitting on the sofa a little uneasy: ¡°Sir, will we proceed as planned next?¡±


    Lucifer nodded, ¡°Wait a little later, it¡¯s still too early.¡±


    It is not yet late at night, there were many people active, and it is not convenient for two people to start.


    Three orc girls were exchanging ¡®You look at me and I look at you¡¯, and then tentatively leaned towards Pei Xia and Lucifer. After staying here for a long time, they also guessed that these two handsome and serious men wanted to play. big.


    Oh, man.


    Pei Xia hurriedly said to the girl who was trying to get close to her arms, ¡°Please don¡¯t have to do this, just sit down first.¡±


    Lucifer¡¯s side was also the same, he also did not accept their coquetry.


    A rabbit-eared girl cautiously asked, ¡°When are you guys planning to start?¡±


    Lucifer made the three of them sit in a row on the sofa, then looked at them tenderly and lovingly: ¡°Poor children, please don¡¯t worry, Pei Xia and I didn¡¯t come here to hurt you.¡±


    The orc girls: ¡°¡­¡­ Then what did you come over for?¡±


    Lucifer said in a warm voice: ¡°Didn¡¯t I already say that.¡±


    The orc girls: ¡°?¡±


    Lucifer touched his side, and he felt empty, but it doesn¡¯t matter, this doesn¡¯t hinder his image, because he still has Pei Xia!


    Lucifer smiled slightly, ¡°Pei Xia.¡±


    Pei Xia, ¡°Yes!¡±


    The handsome black-haired young man stood behind the beautiful Holy Son, with his hands behind his back, he cleared his throat and began to recite,


    ¡°Ah, Light, you are the beginning of everything. At the beginning of the growth of all things, the God of Light descended on the earth, and he taught the ignorant people¡­¡±


    The devout believers of the Prairie Goddess Orcs: ¡°¡­¡±


    You damn well came to the brothel really to preach!


    ¡­¡­


    Pei Xia recited the ¡°Light Bible¡± in one breath, he was not finished smashing his mouth, the three orc girls across the dull gaze as if the soul has flown.


    And now, the night was already dark, all kinds of sounds have gone down, Lucifer suddenly stood up, and the orc girls woke up with a jolt.


    The handsome black-haired young man stood behind the beautiful saintly son, with his hands behind his shoulders


    ¡°Ah, Light, You are the beginning of everything. At the beginning of all growth, the God of Light came to the earth and taught the foolish people ¡­¡­¡±


    The devotees of the goddess of the prairie, the orcs: ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    You damn well came to the brothel really to preach!


    ¡­¡­


    Pei Xia recited the ¡°Light Bible¡± in one breath, he was not finished smashing his mouth, the three orc girls across the dull gaze as if the soul has flown.


    And now, the night is already late, and all kinds of sounds have gone down, Lucius Phil suddenly stood up, and the orc girls woke up with a jolt.


    They looked fearfully at the two men in front of them, not knowing what they were going to do.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to sleep, God will bless you with good dreams.¡±


    Sure enough, was it finally time to do that kind of thing? The orc girls stood up with their heads hanging, and under the command of Lucifer went into the bedroom, which had a rather luxurious and soft bed.


    The girls bit their lips and began to undress.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Pei Xia hurriedly stopped them, ¡°No need for this, you guys just sleep.¡±


    The orc girls: ¡°¡­¡­ wearing clothes?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm!¡± After all, Pei Xia and Lucifer two big men are still here.


    The orc girls understood, then climbed into bed and assumed an inviting pose: ¡°Two lords, please command.¡±


    Pei Xia: ¡°Command?¡±


    The girls nodded their heads.


    Pei Xia: ¡°You guys can go to sleep, just sleep.¡±


    The orc girls glared at him so badly that Pei Xia¡¯s mind was full of confusion, and then the next moment, they hugged each other and started kissing, kissing, stroking, and touching each other.


    Pei Xia: ¡°¡­Stop!!!¡±


    There was a chuckle behind him, Lucifer passed him, walked to the bed and sat down, and said softly, ¡°Please lie down side by side, then close your eyes and relax. ¡±


    The orc girls had no objection, they just thought it was really strange for these two to ask, and then lay down as instructed.


    The gentle light then blossomed in the hands of Lucifer, enveloping the restless girls, gradually, their slightly furrowed brows flattened, their nervous hands relaxed, they showed a peaceful smile and sunk into a long, long time not brought sound sweet dreams.


    In the dream, was an endless green sea, which was a symbol of freedom of the prairie, and a hometown that they long for and cannot go back to.


    After a few moments, Lucifer closed his hand and nodded to Pei Xia, ¡°It¡¯s okay, they will not wake up before dawn.¡±


    After that, Lucifer raised his hand to take off the cumbersome white robe, revealing the sharp short sleeves inside.


    The two men looked at each other, gently walked out of the room, closed the door behind them, and then nimbly weaved through the dim corridors.


    The two men first found a random waiter and forced him to tell them where Andren¡¯s room was, then they knocked the waiter out and hid him.


    At the moment, Andren was still in the first-floor living room, laughing and joking with the others, and did not notice what was happening upstairs.


    The door of this room was locked, and guards were watching outside. Pei Xia and Lucifer hid behind the corner and looked over there, and Pei Xia whispered, ¡°Lord Saint Son, what should we do next?¡±


    Lucifer thought about it and reached out and pointed to a room beside him, ¡°We can go through the window.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    But the door of the room in front of them was locked from the inside, how to open it? You can¡¯t forcefully kick it open, it will attract attention.


    Pei Xia thought about it, drew a dagger, directly to the door handle that piece to cut into a quadrilateral, and slowly push open the door, Pei Xia and Lucifer flashed in, and then closed the door, as long it was not looked carefully, you could not find this door was opened from outside ¡­¡­


    ¡°Who is it ah? Did I not say to not disturb me?!¡±


    From the inner bedroom came a man¡¯s impatient voice as well as the faint sound of sobbing.


    Pei Xia thought about it and said to Lucifer, ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±


    After all, Lucifer was straight, and he is a pure 0. Although the girl inside doesn¡¯t know, it is better than being seen by Lucifer.


    Pei Xia directly screwed open the door, dropping his eyes to avoid looking where he shouldn¡¯t, lying on the side of the bed a middle-aged man with a mustache looked at him in dismay, ¡°Who are you, how come I haven¡¯t seen you before!¡±


    Pei Xia kept silent, rushed up to knock him out, and looked at the girl on the bed. The girl pulled the quilt and wrapped herself in fear, ¡°You, you are¡­¡±


    Pei Xia smiled at her, and then under the girl¡¯s shocked eyes knocked her out as well.


    After taking care of that, Pei Xia and Lucifer then flipped out of the window and climbed along with the narrow window sill toward Andren¡¯s room.


    After successfully entering the room, Pei Xia couldn¡¯t help but glance at Lucifer several times.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lucifer tilted his head.


    Pei Xia whispered, ¡°I just suddenly found out that your physical strength is so good.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The saint son Lucifer, who was powerful in magic power and excellent in physical strength, suddenly turned pale, he raised his hands trembling slightly, and smiled wryly. : ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve run out of strength.¡±


    ¡°Then leave it to me.¡± Pei Xia blamed herself, ¡°If I knew, I wouldn¡¯t let you come here.¡±


    Lucifer suspected that he was despising him, so he coughed softly and said softly but firmly, ¡°No, I can¡¯t be relieved with only your words.¡±


    Pei Xia sighed and helped Lucifer to sit down on the chair, Then he started rummaging through the boxes.


    If this group of beasts cannot be caught in one go, then the fish that slip through the net will probably never be punished. Moreover, they will shield each other from their crimes, Pei Xia must seize this opportunity!


    Pei Xia rummaged through the drawers and cabinets and found only some letters.


    Suddenly, a familiar voice came faintly from outside the door: ¡°Is there anything unusual tonight?¡±


    The guard responded outside the door, ¡°My lord, there is no abnormality and no outsiders are approaching!¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡± Andren smiled in satisfaction and nodded, then took out the key and prepared to open the room.


    Pei Xia¡¯s heart was startled and looked at Lucius Phil, who jerked up and said quickly, ¡°Let¡¯s hide first!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    But, where to hide?


    Pei Xia looked left and right, there were really not many places to hide from people.


    Click! The sound of the door handle was turned, Pei Xia clenched his teeth and fiercely pulled Lucifer into the closet to hide.


    The two big men hid in the same small dark closet and could only stick to each other. Pei Xia pulled the closet door with his hand, only a gap was exposed. He squinted and looked out, trying to take his attention away from Lucifer.


    There was no way, it was too close, so close that Lucifer¡¯s body temperature and the breath rushed towards his face without concealment, his nose was filled with the faint fragrance of roses, and his hands were flexible and tight.


    Lucifer moved slightly, and the tiny amplitude was magnified countless times by his extremely keen senses in the dark. His hair was messily swept across Pei Xia¡¯s neck, cheeks, and ears.


    It was cool and itchy, so itchy that Pei Xia wanted to sneeze.


    Pei Xia tried to be patient.


    Looking out from the gap in the cabinet door, he saw Andren standing in front of his bookcase, turning a few books. Suddenly, the entire cabinet was opened, revealing the secret room behind him.


    Then he went into the secret room and took something out before leaving.


    Pei Xia breathed a sigh of relief when he found out that he was leaving, and at this time, Lucifer moved slightly again.


    The strands of hair were like small brushes, stimulating Pei Xia¡¯s sensual ears and neck.


    Bad, bad, can¡¯t stand it anymore! But Andren hasn¡¯t left the room yet!


    Pei Xia opened his mouth and was about to sneeze when suddenly a pair of hands came over to cover his mouth and pinched his nose, and the sneeze was forced back.


    Pei Xia: ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡± Lucifera softly shushed, and then playfully blinked in the dark as if they could glow blue eyes.


    Pei Xia¡¯s face slowly became red.


    It couldn¡¯t be helped, because although Lucifer let go of the hand pinching his nose, it was still over his mouth.


    Those hands were slender and perfect, tender and seductive, his slightly cool palm pressed against Pei Xia¡¯s lips, and the person was close to Pei Xia¡¯s body.


    It¡¯s really too close!


    So close that it was almost possible to hear each other¡¯s heartbeat.


    Strange and ambiguous. The ambiguity slowly rose, Pei Xia felt his face hot, his heartbeat slowly accelerated, it was so bad!


    He¡¯s just a good-looking gay man, why should a homophobic straight man torture him so much!


    However, men are too prone to physical reactions, and when Pei Xia¡¯s thoughts diverged to certain situations he shouldn¡¯t think about, he¡­hardened.


    No, can not blame him!


    Pei Xia desperately thought, in the face of such beauty as Lucifer, he was already struggling to hold himself!


    Finally, Andren left the room, the door was heavily closed, Pei Xia almost couldn¡¯t wait to push open the cabinet door to let go of Lucifer and rushed out.


    Those short minutes were extraordinarily long in Pei Xia¡¯s heart, tormenting him to making him painful and embarrassed.


    Pei Xia turned his back on Lucifer and did not dare to look at him, afraid to be found by the other side of his true face, then, the previous efforts will again be in vain.


    However, even if he wanted to rest and forget about this, Lucifer refused to let him go easily.


    Lucifer stood behind Pei Xia, revealing a playful look that the other party could not see. There was a little aggressiveness in his eyes, but his voice was still soft, pure, and gentle, like a little white flower swaying in the wind:


    ¡°Pei Xia Xia, just now I felt like there was something hard and hot against me, is it you?¡±


    Pei Xia¡¯s back froze at once.


    Lucifer took a step and slowly walked towards him, stepping on his heart with every step: ¡°Pei Xia, what is it? Tell me.¡±


    Pei Xia silently clenched his fist.


    Finally, Lucifer¡¯s hand gently rested on his shoulder.


    At that moment, Pei Xia jerked forward a step, then looked serious sideways and slowly drew out the dagger at his waist.


    ¡°To tell you the truth Lord Saint Son, what you are asking about is my dagger!¡±


    Lucifer, ¡°?¡±


    ¡°I have a habit of injecting sword qi into my weapon at all times to develop a tacit understanding between the weapon and myself, as you know, I am a fire-based sword qi, so it is inevitably hot.¡±


    Pei Xia sighed softly, brushed a sword flower, and said righteously: ¡°This is, the mystery of kung fu!¡±


    Lucifer: ¡°¡­¡­¡±

 CH 27

    When the five characters representing the essence of kung fu were spoken, Pei Xia was almost moved to tears by his own wit.


    However, Lucifer seemed somewhat skeptical, his gaze toward him filled with doubt, entangling Pei Xia and his own uncertainty.


    A sense of panic surged within Pei Xia, and then he made a move that he would deeply regret.


    In hindsight, he had no idea how he had a mental lapse. It was as if his nervousness had led him into a peculiar state.


    At that moment, Pei Xia swiftly thrust the dagger back into its scabbard, then calmly walked over to Lucifer¡¯s side. With the hilt of his sword, he playfully poked Lucifer¡¯s posterior.


    Pei Xia asked with an air of casualness, ¡°Is it hot? Is it hard?¡±


    Saying this, he poked again.


    Lucifer stared at him in shock, rendered speechless for a good while.


    The silence was his silent reproach.


    Slowly, an awkward atmosphere spread. Suddenly, Pei Xia jolted as if waking from a dream. He realized what he had done. His face turned ashen as he retracted the dagger, looked at Lucifer, and almost cried out,


    ¡°My lord, do you believe it?¡±


    Lucifer¡¯s expression subtly shifted as he countered, ¡°Do you believe it?¡±


    Pei Xia fell into silence, lowered his head to look at his dagger, and then slowly extended his hand.


    Lucifer hurriedly pressed down on his hand, preventing his posterior from enduring further prodding. He managed a strained smile, resembling a frost-kissed young daisy startled by something: ¡°More important matters await.¡±


    With that, he directly skipped over the topic and turned to walk toward the bookshelf in Andren¡¯s room.


    Pei Xia followed behind, his legs feeling like jelly, supporting himself against the table. He almost knelt down.


    So¡­ so dangerous! I almost got caught by that homophobic straight guy, revealing my true self!


    Pei Xia¡¯s heart raced with a wave of fear, a mix of sourness and bitterness. He wasn¡¯t sure if his clever response had completely smoothed things over.


    A bit of a mess, Pei Xia thought somewhat despondently. He shouldn¡¯t have poked Lucifer¡¯s¡­ well, you know. Even if he hadn¡¯t realized I¡¯m gay, he might still have felt offended, right?


    I need to salvage this, I must!


    Pei Xia made up his mind.


    He took two deep breaths, steadied himself against the table, and, in harmony with Lucifer, pretended as if nothing had happened just now.


    Earlier, when Andren came in to get something, he told them where the secret room was. Not long after, Lucifer opened the secret chamber. After moving aside the door disguised as a bookshelf, Pei Xia was immediately dazzled by the sparkling golden light inside.


    So bright! So many gold coins!


    The not-so-large secret room had three rows of shelves. One row held various valuable gold, silver, and gemstone jewelry and dishes. The next row housed precious magical materials and scrolls, and the last row¡­


    Pei Xia¡¯s face lit up, and he was about to walk over to inspect when Lucifer grabbed his wrist.


    ¡°Be careful.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Pei Xia was startled.


    Lucifer glanced at the runes on the secret room wall and said, ¡°There¡¯s a magic array here that detects whether the person entering the secret room is the owner. If an outsider intrudes, the magic array will be triggered.¡±


    ¡°What can we do?¡± Pei Xia was getting anxious. They were so close to what they were looking for, yet he couldn¡¯t reach out and take it. The frustration was truly maddening.


    Lucifer intertwined his fingers in thought, ¡°Let me think.¡±


    Pei Xia joined him in thinking anxiously, but he was recalling the original story. He only remembered that the male lead, Lucifer, had an easy time and overcame setbacks along the way. He completely forgot how Lucifer had found the list of brothel guests.


    Pei Xia was so anxious that he wished he could immediately return to the modern world and save a file, then flip through a book to see how the original plot unfolded.


    ¡°My lord, how about we just dismantle this secret room?¡± Pei Xia encouraged.


    ¡°If the wall with the magic array is damaged, the magic array won¡¯t work, right?¡±


    Lucifer chuckled lightly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have a solution.¡±


    Saying that, he reached out and touched the edge of the door, causing a faint light to form a line climbing toward the magic array.


    Seeing this, Pei Xia couldn¡¯t help but admire, ¡°I never expected that you, my lord, would understand even magic arrays. You¡¯re truly impressive.¡±


    Before he could finish speaking, Lucifer¡¯s expression suddenly turned serious. He said, ¡°Pei Xia, I want to change the function of the magic array, but I need additional materials to assist me.¡±


    ¡°What materials?¡± Pei Xia asked hastily.


    Lucifer lightly furrowed his brow and sighed, ¡°It¡¯s too late to find additional materials now. There¡¯s no choice but to do it this way.¡±


    Then, he lifted his other hand, extending his delicate and fair index finger to Pei Xia¡¯s lips.


    He smiled gently and softly, his eyes shimmering with a blend of vulnerability and resilience, radiating trust. Lucifer¡¯s complexion paled slightly due to fear. He said, ¡°My blood, Pei Xia, can you help me make a small cut?¡±


    Pei Xia¡¯s body trembled, and he instinctively raised his hand, gripping Lucifer¡¯s hand.


    Lucifer then turned his head slightly away, as if unable to look.


    Pei Xia responded, ¡°Rest assured, leave it to me!¡±


    With a faint smile, Lucifer extended his hand, ready to touch Pei Xia¡¯s mouth.


    Pei Xia furrowed his brows and disagreed, grabbing his hand and saying, ¡°My lord, my teeth are quite dull, and biting would hurt a lot. How about using a knife?¡±


    Saying this, he used the dagger to make a small cut on Lucifer¡¯s finger, and a bright red droplet of blood immediately emerged.


    Lucifer had no response, not understanding why he was still like this when he had explained everything so clearly.


    Pei Xia quickly returned Lucifer¡¯s hand to him and urged, ¡°My lord, quickly, while it¡¯s still warm!¡±


    Lucifer, however:


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not over yet!¡± Lucifer gritted his teeth inwardly. Using his blood as a medium, he modified the magic array on the wall. After a moment, he retracted his hand, his face turning pale. His body swayed, and he suddenly fell into Pei Xia¡¯s embrace.


    Lucifer trembled slightly as he lifted his injured hand, helplessly letting out a soft groan, ¡°Pei Xia, I feel somewhat weak, and my finger¡­ it hurts.¡±


    Pei Xia anxiously held his hand, noticing the pale hue around the wound and the strands of seeping blood. He was consumed by worry, exclaiming, ¡°My lord, use magic to heal quickly!¡±


    What a waste of magical energy!


    Lucifer resolved to make substantial progress with Pei Xia today. He clenched his teeth and disregarded whether he matched his pure image. He lowered his gaze slightly, assuming a shy demeanor, and said directly, ¡°Pei Xia, could you help me with a minor treatment using your saliva?¡±


    Pei Xia was extremely surprised, he looked down at Lucifer, and hesitated, asking, ¡°Are you sure you want to use this kind of folk remedy?¡±


    Lucifer furrowed his brow again and pretended to express his pain with a strained whimper, ¡°It hurts¡­¡±


    As he felt the delicate trembling of the beautiful and vulnerable High Prince in his arms, Pei Xia¡¯s heart involuntarily trembled as well.


    He felt somewhat melancholic. He hadn¡¯t expected that leaders around the world could be such idiots. Even someone like Lucifer, the male lead and High Prince, couldn¡¯t escape the assimilation of subjecting his subordinates to tasks.


    Sigh, even a minor cut requires a subordinate¡¯s help. Of course, this was also a good opportunity for Pei Xia to flatter. Even if Lucifer didn¡¯t show any indication, Pei Xia would still do his best.


    But there¡¯s a distinct difference between volunteering and being ordered by someone. It brought about two entirely different mindsets.


    Pei Xia thought for a moment, grasped Lucifer¡¯s hand, and brought his cold index finger close to his own lips.


    In the depths of Lucifer¡¯s lowered eyes, a faint cold smile passed through. ¡®Let¡¯s see how you handle this.¡¯


    Pei Xia: ¡°Ew.¡±


    Lucifer: ¡°??!¡±


    Pei Xia seriously and solemnly wiped the finger that had been sprayed with his saliva and cautioned, ¡°My lord, while saliva does have a certain effect on minor wounds, its effectiveness is limited and can only be used as a stopgap measure. After your magical energy is restored, you must treat it properly.¡±


    Finishing his instructions, he lowered his head and met Lucifer¡¯s eyes, which were filled with a hint of concealed disdain.


    Pei Xia: ¡°W-What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Trembling, Lucifer withdrew his hand and pushed Pei Xia away, standing up. A small water sphere instantly enveloped his index finger, swirling a few times before vanishing to reveal a flawless fingertip.


    Lucifer mustered a strong smile and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. It was just too painful earlier. Now, my magical energy has recovered.¡±


    Pei Xia: ¡°The speed at which you¡¯re recovering your magical energy is truly unparalleled!¡±


    However, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Lucifer was disgusted by his saliva. But it was Lucifer himself who had suggested using saliva for treatment!


    Pei Xia felt quite aggrieved.


    Lucifer also felt aggrieved and didn¡¯t want to talk to him. He directly skipped the first two rows of valuable shelves and walked to the last row.


    Seeing this, Pei Xia lightly tapped his own head, pulling his thoughts away from complaining. He quickly approached Lucifer and began searching together.


    This row contained various documents. Perhaps the list they were looking for was here.


    Soon, with their joint efforts, they found the list of regular clients of the underground brothel and the list of abducted orc names. Looking at the names of powerful and influential individuals, Pei Xia¡¯s expression turned angry.


    But he didn¡¯t say anything, as now wasn¡¯t the time to vent his anger.


    ¡°My lord, have you found the sponsorship list for the brothel?¡± Pei Xia felt like they were missing something.


    Lucifer shook his head. He looked around the secret room and suddenly started tapping various spots on the walls.


    Pei Xia quickly caught on. There could be hidden compartments within this secret room too. So, he started searching as well. Soon, he noticed a different echo after tapping on a spot near the ground.


    The only problem was that this area seemed seamlessly integrated into the wall. Short of using force, they had no idea how to proceed.


    Lucifer elegantly bent his knee and half-squatted, pondering for a moment. He said, ¡°This is another type of magic array, non-offensive, meant to open directly.¡±


    Perfect.


    Pei Xia wasted no time and used the dagger to create a small opening. Inside, there was an exquisite silver box. Judging by its size and shape, it seemed just right to contain documents.


    Pei Xia was thrilled but also worried that there might be a magic array on the box. He handed it to Lucifer and asked, ¡°Could you take a look and see if it can be opened?¡±


    ¡°It can be deciphered.¡± After saying that, Lucifer was ready to bite his own finger. He no longer relied on Pei Xia.


    But before he could proceed, another bloodied finger extended toward him. Pei Xia bared his teeth and said, ¡°My lord, if possible, please use my blood. You¡¯ve already given enough.¡±


    Lucifer blinked slightly, and his gaze toward Pei Xia softened a bit. ¡°Do you really think that way?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Pei Xia smiled and continued, ¡°We still have a tough battle ahead. I can¡¯t let you keep getting injured.¡±


    Lucifer smiled faintly and didn¡¯t say much. When his magical energy touched Pei Xia, a peculiar sensation arose. Pei Xia distinctly felt his blood flow along the fingertip wound, wrapping around the silver box.


    After a moment, the blood connection was severed, the silver box emitted a bright light, and with a soft click, it opened.


    Rather than immediately inspecting the contents of the box, Lucifer¡¯s eyes showed obvious concern. He was about to take Pei Xia¡¯s hand to give him a lesson on how to correctly treat wounds when he saw that finger retracts with a swoosh and quickly stuffed into Pei Xia¡¯s own mouth.


    Lucifer couldn¡¯t help but be surprised, ¡°You knew how to do it?¡±


    Pei Xia was puzzled, ¡°Know how to do what?¡±


    Lucifer raised his chin slightly and looked at Pei Xia¡¯s mouth, trying to make his questioning tone less obvious, ¡°Why is the way you treat your wounds different from the way you treat mine?¡±


    Ah, so that¡¯s what he¡¯s asking! Pei Xia withdrew the finger moistened with his saliva, casually wiped it on his pants, and chuckled awkwardly, ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t want to offend you.¡±


    What if Lucifer thought he was taking advantage and purified him with a beam of holy light?


    Even so, he would still end up being disapproved of by Lucifer.


    Difficult, it¡¯s really difficult.


    Lucifer twitched at the corner of his eye as he looked at Pei Xia wiping his finger on his pants. He disapprovingly canceled his planned lesson.


    He took out the documents from the silver box, glanced at them, and nodded with certainty, ¡°These are the ones.¡±


    Pei Xia took them and looked through them, his face expressing happiness. ¡°Great! I never expected that we would not only find the sponsorship list but also information about the slave trafficking operation. Now, we can follow the trail and capture them all!¡±


    The only regret was that the presence of brothels in this world wasn¡¯t entirely illegal. To bring those responsible to justice, they would have to rely more on various inter-racial friendly and peace agreement laws.


    Having obtained what they needed, both of them felt a lot lighter. Lucifer extended his hand to Pei Xia, ¡°Give me the crystal orb.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Pei Xia unfastened the gemstone button from his collar. In truth, it was a crystal orb with recording functionality.


    After taking it, Lucifer deleted the irrelevant content inside, preserving only the useful parts. This evidence would be presented in court and serve as a conviction against the wrongdoers.


    Subsequently, they walked to the window, nodded at each other, and Lucifer cast a bright and radiant holy light into the night sky.


    The holy light resembled fireworks, illuminating the sky. This was their signal.


    The moment the signal was sent, Buck, Thais, Tom, and others along with Prince Harry, the Orc envoy to the Human Kingdom, the Enforcement Guild of the Human-Orc Alliance, the city¡¯s law enforcement squad, and the main enforcers of the Radiant Church, all of them surrounded the villa.


    They rushed in immediately and took control of everyone!


    ¡°What are you doing? Don¡¯t you dare offend me! I¡¯m Lord Susan¡¯s nephew!¡±


    ¡°Release me, you bunch of savage butchers!¡±


    People were shouting and protesting, but it eventually settled down.


    Meanwhile, upstairs, Pei Xia and Lucifer broke free from the guards¡¯ encirclement and reached the railing on the second floor. The law enforcement personnel were heading in the opposite direction since they were about to apprehend the individuals on the upper floor.


    In the main hall, Andren, who had been subdued by members of the Radiant Church¡¯s Enforcement Guild, knelt on the ground and glared angrily at Lucifer, ¡°So, it¡¯s you. You traitor!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Pei Xia stepped forward and spoke coldly, ¡°My lord has never had any intention of consorting with the likes of you. How can you call him a traitor? You don¡¯t understand who the Lord is and you¡¯ve lost all sense of conscience!¡±


    Even before encountering Thais, Lucifer had sent a message back to the headquarters of the Radiant Church and contacted the Orc Kingdom.


    Once the main enforcement guild arrived, they remained hidden until tonight when Lucifer was invited to the underground brothel. The silent and lurking holy knights began to take action.


    They knew that the officials here were in collusion with the sects. Punishing them couldn¡¯t rely solely on the city¡¯s law enforcement squad. So, they discreetly contacted various forces and followed Lucifer¡¯s carriage all the way to this location.


    With the culprits caught red-handed and in front of multiple influential parties, the criminals couldn¡¯t escape the clutches of the law anymore!


    Andren¡¯s expression shifted between anger and frustration. Suddenly, he closed his eyes and rapidly chanted a spell, his lips moving swiftly.


    Silence, stillness, no response.


    A look of confusion crossed his face, and he involuntarily turned his gaze toward the upper floor.


    Lucifer smiled and took out the silver box from his embrace, ¡°Were you looking for this?¡±


    Seeing the box, Andren struggled violently and exclaimed angrily, ¡°You despicable lot!¡±


    Pei Xia rolled his eyes at him in silence. Who¡¯s really the despicable one here?


    ¡°What a shame.¡± Lucifer chuckled softly and tossed the empty box in front of him. He taunted, ¡°It was to guard against this very move that Pei Xia and I went to great lengths to stage this performance.¡±


    The magic array on the empty box had two functions: one was teleportation magic, and the other was self-destructive magic, depending on which spell Andren had recited.


    Now, the final ace was also drawn, and Andren slumped on the ground in despair.


    After that, the entire night was far from peaceful. The abducted Orc girls were rescued one by one. Thais accompanied them, and under the protection of the Orc envoy to the Human Kingdom and the Kingdom¡¯s guards, they returned to their homeland.


    The matter had been brought to the attention of the Orc Kingdom. The Orcs were furious and demanded that the Kingdom of Tutt and the Radiant Church punish these wrongdoers severely. Otherwise, they threatened to send a large Orc army to discuss compensation agreements in person.


    As for the malevolent priests like Andren, they were interrogated and revealed the identities of the other accomplices who didn¡¯t show up that night. Afterward, they would face dual punishments from the kingdom and the Radiant Church.


    The lightest punishment would be the stripping of their clerical status, deprivation of magic, and exile to the Northwestern Wastelands.


    As dawn approached, Lucifer stood on the staircase, observing the bustling scene below where justice was being meted out. Suddenly, a faint sense of weariness washed over him for no apparent reason.


    How many of those who wielded justice were just doing what was right on the surface, indifferent in their hearts? And how many of them would become tomorrow¡¯s criminals?


    Pei Xia stood behind him, watching Lucifer¡¯s indifferent expression with a touch of concern. ¡°My lord, you¡¯ve had a long day. It¡¯s better to go back and rest.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Lucifer chuckled, ¡°Since we¡¯ve started, we should see it through to the end.¡±


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll accompany you.¡± Pei Xia thought for a moment, brought over a chair for him, and then attentively cared for Lucifer by offering tea and water.


    Sitting in the comfortable chair, holding the warm cup of red tea, Lucifer tilted his head back to gaze at the young man with black hair who was bustling around him. His eyes, as crystalline and sweet as honey, were filled with concern.


    ¡°Pei Xia, do you like¡­¡±


    Lucifer looked at him, and his heart stirred. He almost blurted out the question in his heart, but luckily he realized that it wasn¡¯t appropriate to ask now. So, he quickly changed his words.


    ¡°Do you have a favorite girl?¡±


    Pei Xia exclaimed internally, ¡®He suspects me!!!¡¯


    Lucifer smiled faintly and explained, ¡°I just find it rather sad how these men hurt women like this. They engage in the most intimate activities while being the farthest from women¡¯s hearts.¡±


    Pei Xia nodded in agreement, ¡°Please don¡¯t feel too sad. Their mistreatment of women isn¡¯t driven by affection for women. Instead, they exploit them to satisfy their desire for control. It has nothing to do with genuine liking. Their hearts are only filled with malice.¡±


    Lucifer looked at Pei Xia with a bit of surprise, ¡°Pei Xia, you¡¯ve said quite a lot.¡±


    Pei Xia scratched his cheek somewhat bashfully.


    ¡°So, what kind of person do you like?¡± Lucifer suddenly asked.


    The previously silenced alarm bells rang again! Was honesty important or was his life important? Undoubtedly, Pei Xia chose the latter. He clenched his fists, going against his conscience, and answered with difficulty:


    ¡°My lord, Lucifer, I like cute, beautiful, delicate, pure girls who I can protect the most!¡±


    This answer left Lucifer in a subtle mood: ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Pei Xia firmly stated, ¡°Sure, very sure!!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± A timid voice came from behind Pei Xia.


    Pei Xia was startled and turned around to see that it was the bunny-eared girl who had been sent to serve Lucifer and had ended up falling asleep in his room.


    Since being awakened, they had learned what had transpired.


    The bunny-eared girl looked at Pei Xia with reddened eyes, a mixture of gratitude and shyness on her face. She tugged at her clothes and whispered, ¡°Sir Knight, I¡¯m very grateful to you, but I have nothing to offer. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯m willing to give myself to you.¡±


    Lucifer slightly narrowed his eyes, observing with the air of a spectator as the somewhat flustered Pei Xia interacted with the bunny-eared girl in front of him.


    Just a moment ago, Pei Xia had spoken about his preferences for a partner, and now, there was a girl right in front of him who fit his criteria perfectly.


    Lucifer was curious about how Pei Xia would treat her compared to how he treated himself.


    As for Pei Xia, he felt a bit embarrassed. What he had said earlier was just nonsense. Even if it were true, he couldn¡¯t just engage in such activities with a girl he had just met.


    He quickly waved his hands and said, ¡°No need, really no need. My lord, Lucifer, and I engaging in such matters is only natural.¡±


    The bunny-eared girl seemed confused. She tilted her head, and her long, springy ears twitched. ¡°Are you finding me dirty?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all!¡±


    Pei Xia grabbed her shoulders and earnestly said, ¡°Dirty are those who harm others. You¡¯re only wounded. Once you heal, everything will be fine.¡±


    But the bunny-eared girl appeared uncertain. ¡°But apart from this, I don¡¯t know how to express my gratitude to you. I have nothing.¡±


    Pei Xia smiled and gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder, three quick pats! The bunny-eared girl couldn¡¯t help but sway.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. You still have a future. Once you return to your hometown, you can have much more. You can start anew, build your own home. Those who have nothing are the ones who were captured. They will pay for their crimes!¡±


    The bunny-eared girl smiled back at him. ¡°Thank you, Sir Knight. I understand. If you ever come to the Orc Kingdom in the future, you¡¯re welcome to visit my tribe. We¡¯ll prepare special food for you and Lord Lucifer.¡±


    ¡°Tribe of bunny people? I heard male and female bunny people are equally adorable,¡± Pei Xia replied with lackluster enthusiasm, but he still managed a smile at the bunny-eared girl.


    ¡°Rest assured!¡± he added.


    Then, Thais, who had been standing in the shadows, walked over and led the bunny-eared girl away. She gave Pei Xia an encouraging look.


    Pei Xia was left bewildered, his head filled with question marks.


    As he turned around, he saw Lucifer looking at him thoughtfully.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, my lord?¡± Pei Xia inquired, feeling a bit perplexed as he cautiously asked.


    Could it be that Lucifer was jealous that even he was approached by a bunny-eared girl, but his own companion, Thais, didn¡¯t show any interest in him?


    Ah, what a petty man.


    Lucifer gently closed the lid of the exquisite ceramic cup. He noticed that Pei Xia¡¯s attitude towards the bunny-eared girl was indeed different¡ªcompassionate yet not offensive. Clearly, Pei Xia could appreciate her beauty, but it didn¡¯t seem to stir romantic feelings within him.


    He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Pei Xia, what do you think of me?¡±


    Pei Xia: The warning bells in his mind were about to explode!!!


    At that moment, Pei Xia¡¯s thoughts raced wildly. He immediately connected the dots and concluded that Lucifer was jealous of his close interactions with Thais, thinking that he was being favored by her!


    And what was the biggest difference between Lucifer and himself?


    Status: He was high; Appearance: He was handsome; Wealth: He was rich; Power: He was the most badass Light Mage ever. If you really had to compare, the only aspect where Lucifer might fall short compared to Pei Xia was probably the manly aura that Pei Xia possessed, which Lucifer had been jealous of in the past.


    In that instant, Pei Xia felt like a rush of energy surged through him. He not only realized where he stood at the moment but also saw an opportunity to make up for his inability to speak!


    Pei Xia abruptly straightened up, his black short hair bouncing. He looked at Lucifer with the sincerest of gazes and smiled as he said, ¡°To be frank, my Lord, you are the epitome of bravery, strength, and the true spirit of heroism¡ªa real man as per my heart¡¯s image!¡±


    Lucifer stared at him, his expression blank. After a moment of silence, he replied, ¡°I see. It appears that I haven¡¯t been diligent enough.¡±


    Pei Xia: Huh?!


    Translator¡¯s Corner:


    Heyaaa~ I¡¯m Moonlit and I¡¯ll be translating this novel starting today. Updates will be 1 chapter a day(weekdays only).


    2 ko-fi = 1 weekend chapter.

 CH 28

    When the sky was faintly bright, the stars and the moon still hung in the sky, but only as faint images. The sun was about to rise, and the world was about to welcome the light.


    All the criminals were apprehended and incarcerated, while the orc girls were arranged in temporary lodgings to receive treatment.


    Lucifer and the priests of the Church of Light tended to them, soothing their fears and aversions, even though they might despise the Church of Light and feel apprehensive around the clergy members.


    After the busy period passed, Pei Xia brought over a cup of tea: ¡°Your Holiness, please rest for a moment.¡±


    Alright.


    However, the rest didn¡¯t last long. As a key figure in this case, Luciferl had to present evidence and testify in the public trial.


    In any case, under various pressures, this matter was quickly resolved.


    The sub-churches within the city of Abrulablu were taken over by members of the central cathedral. Lucifer, Pei Xia, and others repacked their belongings, preparing to set off.


    But this time, the journey wasn¡¯t undertaken only by the Saint and his holy knights. Accompanying them was also a handsome and elegant prince, along with his formidable guards!


    There was no other way; Lucifer¡¯s next destination happened to be the homeland of Prince Harry, Sumi Agada. As a result, he warmly invited Lucifer to visit the royal capital. And so, the two parties set off together.


    And now, Pei Xia sat atop his black horse, positioned to the right front of Lucifer¡¯s carriage. He gazed calmly ahead, holding the reins loosely in his hand. In reality, his grip on the reins was almost crushing them!


    Who let Prince Harry be inside Lucifer¡¯s carriage right now!


    This sunlit and handsome prince had entered Lucifer¡¯s carriage under the pretext of discussing the doctrine of the Church of Light. Yet, unlike Count Hobson, who was completely clueless about the Bright Scripture and just interested in pursuing men, this prince was not like that at all. He and Lucifer were having an extremely enjoyable conversation!


    Their conversation was not only engaging but also sprinkled with the laughter of Prince Harry and his exaggerated praises!


    The soundproofing of the carriage wasn¡¯t particularly good, and Pei Xia could clearly hear how gentle and patient Lucifer¡¯s voice was as he spoke to Prince Harry.


    Stay calm, Pei Xia told himself, taking a deep breath. After all, Harry was a prince of a country. He¡¯s just temporarily befriending Lucifer. He can¡¯t take away your position!


    Then, Pei Xia heard Prince Harry¡¯s hearty laughter: ¡°Hahaha, chatting with Your Holiness is truly delightful! I wish I could keep conversing with you. Although I am the heir to the kingdom, I¡¯d rather be traveling the continent with you than staying in the dull palace.¡±


    Lucifer was also laughing, and he replied with a smile: ¡°I am also glad to become friends with the prince. If you¡¯re willing, I¡¯m ready to accompany you at any time.¡±


    Pei Xia: ¡°¡­¡±


    Squeak, squeak.


    ¡°Captain, be careful!¡±


    Startled, Pei Xia quickly calmed his black horse, feeling a bit embarrassed: ¡°Sorry, I got distracted for a moment and accidentally pulled its reins too hard.¡±


    Pei Xia looked ahead with a touch of sadness, mentally noting down something about Prince Harry.


    But luckily, they had reached the border of the kingdom of Sumi Agada. Pei Xia lowered his gaze, recalling the original storyline while making their way toward Sumi Agada with the others.


    He distinctly remembered that in the original story, Lucifer wasn¡¯t this close to Prince Harry. What could have gone wrong here?!


    Could it be because two consecutive romantic storylines broke, causing Lucifer to transfer the accumulated emotions to Prince Harry?


    It wasn¡¯t entirely impossible. If he couldn¡¯t pursue a romantic interest with a sister figure, maybe he¡¯s developing a bond with a brother figure. Sigh, he hoped that the princess of Sumi Agada would make an appearance soon, so that Prince Harry wouldn¡¯t have a sudden brain malfunction and actually follow through with this.


    After all, this princess was jokingly referred to by readers as the rightful queen consort in the original story, as she was the only woman whom Lucifer explicitly showed interest in.


    But in the midst of Lucifer¡¯s inner conflict, he immediately confessed his unwavering loyalty to the God of Light, believing he had truly fallen for the princess. Yet, despite all his introspection, he never voiced the words ¡°I like you.¡±


    The follow-up to the story was that the princess, who didn¡¯t believe in deities, was left behind by Lucifer because of his lifelong celibacy, as he departed to spread the faith to other parts of the continent.


    Although these aspects weren¡¯t pondered much while reading the novel, looking back now, in a certain sense, Lucifer really was a scoundrel!


    Just as Pei Xia was lost in thought, a knight riding towards them on horseback suddenly appeared on the road ahead, getting closer by the moment. He waved the flag of the kingdom of Sumi Agada and shouted:


    ¡°Is there a noble lord from the kingdom of Sumi Agada ahead? The city of Atna is under attack by monsters, and we¡¯re urgently recruiting mages and warriors. Please volunteer!¡±


    Monsters attacking?


    Pei Xia quickly raised his hand to signal the team to stop and turned to the two leaders inside the carriage for guidance.


    They also heard the shouts, and the two of them stepped out of the carriage, watching the approaching recruiting knights. Prince Harry frowned, turning to Lucifer and saying:


    ¡°Atna is our country¡¯s border defense against the Emerald Forest. It has always borne the heavy responsibility of resisting monster invasions. Now, it has come to the point of recruiting here. As the prince of Sumi Agada, I have a duty and obligation to go help. I¡¯m sorry, Your Holiness, but we might have to part ways temporarily for a few days.¡±


    Lucifer also displayed a serious expression. He gently raised his hand, indicating that Prince Harry didn¡¯t need to apologize: ¡°As a follower of the God of Light, our purpose is to assist people in overcoming difficulties. Let us go together to help Atna defend against the monsters.¡±


    Prince Harry looked gratefully at Lucifer and humbly responded: ¡°I can¡¯t express enough gratitude. Your Holiness, you were planning to go preach in another place.¡±


    ¡°No need to rush. God hasn¡¯t stipulated that preaching can only be done in specific places. In the eyes of God, everyone in the world is the same, and helping them is part of the doctrine.¡±


    As he spoke, Lucifer once again radiated the familiar radiance of a holy father.


    ¡°In that case, let me express gratitude on behalf of my people first.¡± Prince Harry bowed to him. When he lifted his head again, tears were streaming down his face. Overwhelmed with emotion, he opened his arms, ready to embrace Lucifer:


    ¡°And also, please accept my personal gratitude!¡±


    Pei Xia¡¯s eyelids twitched uncontrollably. In a reflexive move, he dismounted and stepped forward to block the enthusiastic Prince Harry from embracing Lucifer.


    Prince Harry ended up hugging Pei Xia instead, tears glistening in his eyes as he patted Pei Xia¡¯s back, showering Lucifer with rainbow praises. After finishing his praise, he released his hold, wiped his tears, and finally realized who he had actually hugged.


    Pei Xia flashed a forced smile.


    Prince Harry was thoroughly embarrassed.


    Lucifer cleared his throat.


    At this moment, the knight in charge of recruitment had reached the group. He froze upon seeing the two leaders.


    He didn¡¯t recognize Lucifer but was taken aback by his beauty. He hadn¡¯t seen Harry before but recognized the emblem of the royal family.


    Harry took a step forward to explain the group¡¯s identity, and immediately, the knight¡¯s expression shifted to one of joy: ¡°This is fantastic! With the prince and the holy figure¡¯s assistance, we¡¯re sure to triumph!¡±


    Time waits for no one, so they didn¡¯t waste words. Lucifer and Harry mounted their horses and, along with the knights, turned towards the direction of Atna city, leaving behind a few knights driving carriages to follow slowly behind.


    As they sped forward, they inquired about the situation of Atna city from the recruiting knight.


    He said, ¡°When I left the city, many people were injured. I don¡¯t know why this wave of monsters is particularly intense. Moreover, there are demons stirring up trouble among them.¡±


    The best way to deal with demons is by using Light magic and fire-based magic. However, unlike the Tut kingdom, Sumi Agada is a multi-religious country, with very few believers in the God of Light. Hence, the Church of Light doesn¡¯t hold a high status here.


    Previously, demons rarely participated in attacks. As a result, there were very few Light mages in Atna city. With the unexpected assault, many people were attacked by demons, and due to the tense situation, they couldn¡¯t receive proper treatment.


    ¡°Oh, Your Highness the Prince! I just remembered something,¡± the recruiting knight suddenly said. ¡°Your sister, the kingdom¡¯s jewel, Princess Eva, is there too!¡±


    ¡°What? How could she be there!¡± Harry was greatly surprised.


    Pei Xia immediately pricked up his ears. Harry¡¯s sister ¨C wasn¡¯t that the only princess of Sumi Agada, Lucifer¡¯s lawful spouse?


    ¡°The princess insisted on fighting the monsters herself, and we simply couldn¡¯t stop her,¡± the recruiting knight explained, a hint of guilt in his voice.


    ¡°Ah, she¡¯s truly too headstrong!¡±


    Afterward, no more words were exchanged. The group hurried toward Atna city. There were many knights sent out to recruit mages and warriors. Along the way, they encountered several waves of additional warriors who had been urgently summoned.


    Gradually, the group grew larger. Under the leadership of Harry and Lucifer, they finally arrived at Atna City at dusk.


    ¡°Your Holiness, how are you?¡±


    Pei Xia leaned against Lucifer¡¯s side. His tall black horse and Lucifer¡¯s platinum-colored horse became the two most distinctive sights.


    Lucifer shook his head and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Pei Xia discreetly glanced at his lower waist. If he remembered correctly, this was likely Lucifer¡¯s first time engaging in such intense and prolonged riding, which could easily cause discomfort on the inner thighs.


    Pei Xia still remembered the first time he rode a horse for an extended period; he could barely walk afterward.


    But since Lucifer is so strong, he pretended to be fine.


    When the crowd arrived at the city of Atna, intense battles were raging on the frontlines. The governor of the city saw Harry hesitating for a moment and quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s wonderful that you¡¯ve come to help. Please follow me!¡±


    ¡°No, I want to go to the frontlines!¡±


    The governor sighed. ¡°You are truly as willful as the princess.¡±


    Without even a moment of rest, the group was arranged to go to their respective places. Warriors and offensive mages went to the frontlines to fend off the onslaught of monsters, while healing mages went to the back to tend to the wounded.


    There was no doubt that Pei Xia would also be on the frontlines.


    Although Pei Xia didn¡¯t want to be separated from Lucifer, seeing the constant stream of injured people being brought back, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to stay safely in the rear.


    ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Lucifer said, placing a hand on Pei Xia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous up ahead!¡± Pei Xia disagreed. ¡°Monsters are different from demons. Your holy magic works against them. But if you get hurt, what will you do? Please don¡¯t be reckless!¡±


    Though both terms have the word ¡®magic¡¯ in them, monsters are just a general term for magical beasts, not representatives of evil.


    Lucifer looked at him earnestly, determination shining in his beautiful eyes. ¡°Pei Xia, just as you worry about me, I also worry about you and everyone else. Alright, this is an order. I believe you will protect me, won¡¯t you?¡±


    Pei Xia nodded.


    And so, the noble figures of the Archpriest of the Church of Light and the Prince Harry marched forward on the frontlines, amid the admiring gazes of the people.


    There stood a tall and long city wall. The group ascended it and headed to the urgent areas of the battle.


    Lucifer was steady, standing at the edge of the wall, displaying a strength that surprised Pei Xia.


    Clearly, it was non-aggressive holy magic, yet Lucifer played with it creatively. The magical beasts enveloped in his holy light started wearing a vague expression, gradually squinting and blinking, until, with serene faces, they collapsed onto the ground and fell asleep.


    Pei Xia was greatly astonished, realizing he might have underestimated Lucifer a bit.


    But it wasn¡¯t entirely his fault¡ªafter all, Lucifer always appeared delicate and weak.


    Pei Xia diligently guarded his side, slashing down the magical beasts that resisted his resolute will.


    The battle continued for a full three hours. The sky had turned completely dark. The monsters retreated like receding floodwaters, leaving behind a scene of blood, corpses, and sporadic crazed beasts.


    The warriors sat exhausted on the city wall, and Pei Xia was no exception. Leaning against the wall, he gasped for air, his entire body covered in blood.


    Meanwhile, Lucifer tended to the wounded warriors, but he too was exhausted after this battle. Thus, his healing pace was slow.


    ¡°Your Holiness,¡± Pei Xia caught his breath and walked over, persuading, ¡°Please take a rest for a moment.¡±


    At this rate, he might collapse again.


    Lucifer shook his head gently, sadness filling his eyes. ¡°Seeing everyone hurt, my heart aches uncontrollably. Pei Xia, please don¡¯t stop me. Let me continue.¡±


    Pei Xia was about to persuade him a little more when a familiar voice echoed.


    ¡°Eva, Eva! When will you stop being so willful?¡±


    Prince Harry¡¯s resigned voice came closer, and before him, a lively girl in silver armor with an injured arm hopped over, covering her ears as she approached.


    ¡°Can¡¯t hear you, can¡¯t hear you. Hey, it seems there¡¯s a light mage here?¡± Princess Eva skipped over and, with a glance, saw Lucifer in his white robe.


    His appearance was too striking, even covered in blood and grime, one couldn¡¯t look away.


    Princess Eva blinked, a blood-stained sword hanging from her waist. ¡°You¡¯re the Archpriest my brother talked about?¡±


    Lucifer turned gently to look at her and nodded. ¡°Correct, I am Lucifer.¡±


    Pei Xia was inwardly surprised, trying hard to recall the original plot. It seemed that after Lucifer and Princess Eva met, it started with a clich¨¦d hero-saving-beauty scene.


    After that, the somewhat stubborn Princess Eva would quarrel and make up with Lucifer, and slowly they would be captivated by each other¡¯s personalities.


    So, that means¡­


    No sooner said than done, a bat-winged creature, like an oversized rat with red eyes, suddenly flew onto the city wall and attacked Lucifer and Princess Eva!


    Squeak, squeak, squeak!


    Pei Xia clenched his fist, encouraging Lucifer silently: ¡®Go for it, male lead. This time, you definitely won¡¯t miss the girl!¡¯


    Lucifer glanced at the thunderous creature, then suddenly twisted his body, not only evading the red-eyed creature but also diving into Pei Xia¡¯s arms!


    Pei Xia: ???


    Lucifer let out a whimper, trembling slightly. ¡°Oh! Such a scary monster!¡±


    Pei Xia was at a loss, awkwardly holding the Archpriest who had forcefully nestled into his embrace. He subconsciously looked at Princess Eva, only to see her swiftly draw her sword with the wind, slicing the red-eyed creature in half with a single swift motion.


    Blood splattered. Princess Eva cast a complex look over, and Pei Xia clearly saw curiosity and amazement in her eyes slowly giving way to mild disdain. It was as if her gaze silently conveyed, ¡®A grown man like this, why is he so fragile?¡¯

 CH 29

    another thread of emotions, broken, shattered!


    pei xia looked around in confusion, not knowing where exactly things had gone wrong. oh, right, it was lucifer.


    pei xia slowly lowered his head, resentfully meeting lucifer¡¯s trembling, snow-white face, like porcelain that had yet to set.


    his face was as white as snow, lips a pale pink, his long and curled eyelashes fluttered softly, and his eyes held a watery gleam, like ripples on the surface of a lake. he let out a melodious sigh and said:


    ¡°pei xia, thank you. once again, you protected me.¡± his voice quivered.


    pei xia looked at lucifer in astonishment. ¡°my lord, have you gone mad? it wasn¡¯t me who protected you, it was princess eva!¡±


    lucifer still leaned against him and continued with determination: ¡°it¡¯s you.¡±


    pei xia began to push him away, trying to forcefully continue the romantic subplot by moving the male lead from his embrace to the female lead¡¯s. however, for some reason, despite lucifer¡¯s fear and apparent weakness, his hand gripping pei xia¡¯s arm was as firm as iron.


    pei xia huffed and puffed, trying to push him away, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t budge him. he couldn¡¯t help but suspect that he might have exhausted himself during the previous battle.


    but regardless, princess eva seemed to have completely lost interest in lucifer.


    pei xia lowered his head in despair, only to find that lucifer was squinting his eyes, lifting a hand to gently cover his own tired forehead.


    his voice was slightly hoarse as he said to pei xia: ¡°ah, it was really dangerous just now. pei xia, don¡¯t be too modest. the princess bravely guarded our safety, and you, you protected my heart!¡±


    pei xia said, puzzled, ¡°am i really that amazing?¡±


    however, whether lucifer¡¯s fragility extended to the point of seeking solace in a knight¡¯s embrace or not, the emotional thread had irreversibly snapped.


    pei xia could only blame himself for not thinking things through, for forgetting to tend to lucifer¡¯s feelings. he sighed and said to lucifer, ¡°my lord, do you know what you missed out on?¡±


    finally releasing the hand covering his forehead, lucifer weakly replied, ¡°i know.¡±


    pei xia looked at him with a heartache-filled gaze: you missed the only woman you¡¯ve ever admitted to liking!


    lucifer looked back at him with a touch of regret: i missed the chance to let pei xia personally protect me.


    both of them thought simultaneously: it¡¯s okay, there will be another chance in the future.


    they looked at each other with a sense of relief, then instinctively supported each other to steady themselves, finally breaking free from the odd embrace they had been in.


    pei xia cleared his throat and somewhat awkwardly glanced at prince harry and princess eva: ¡°your highnesses, did you come over because you¡¯re injured and need treatment? i apologize, my lord, lucifer, seems too weak at the moment and can¡¯t provide treatment for your highnesses.¡±


    although pei xia leaned towards helping lucifer successfully develop the romantic subplot, seeing that it had already failed, he didn¡¯t push further.


    in fact, he felt a bit relieved, as he had a lingering feeling that lucifer¡¯s attitude towards emotions was somewhat questionable.


    even though pei xia hoped that everything would follow the original storyline, allowing him to use his foresight ability to navigate his life better, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing if a slight deviation could save a girl from harm.


    pei xia quickly came to terms with this.


    after coming to terms with it, pei xia still placed lucifer ahead of everyone else. he was his personal guard and holy knight, and no matter when, lucifer was the top priority.


    prince harry quickly said, ¡°of course, please don¡¯t worry about us. lord lucifer has done so much, we¡¯ve all witnessed it. i believe everyone cares about his well-being just like i do!¡±


    princess eva flicked off the blood drops from her sword, reattached it to her side, flexed her arm, and smiled. ¡°just minor injuries, nothing serious.¡±


    pei xia smiled at them and then supported the still-pale and weak lucifer as they walked toward the city wall.


    now that the wave of monsters had temporarily subsided, following the previous patterns, there wouldn¡¯t be too much danger tonight. however, as dusk arrived tomorrow, a new wave of monsters would surge forth once again.


    exhausted warriors began to rotate shifts, those severely wounded were sent to the rear medical station, but those with minor injuries couldn¡¯t squeeze in and had to tend to themselves.


    behind them, the prince and princess had not left. as the children of this nation¡¯s leaders, they had the duty to inspire morale.


    ¡°my lord!¡±


    the holy knights also gradually gathered around. pei xia looked around and noticed that everyone only had minor injuries, which made him sigh with relief.


    malori said, ¡°the consul is really busy. he gave me the key to a small courtyard and told us to move in ourselves.¡±


    at this moment, every corner of the city of atna was in a state of high activity. the warriors were obvious, and even the common people who weren¡¯t seeking refuge were helping out ¨C washing clothes, cooking, taking care of the wounded, repairing weapons, and so on.


    therefore, some negligence was inevitable when receiving guests. fortunately, lucifer¡¯s group wasn¡¯t a picky bunch.


    they arrived at a small courtyard in the rear headquarters. pei xia supported lucifer into the largest room in the courtyard. in reality, while it was the largest room in the courtyard, it wasn¡¯t particularly spacious. the contents inside could only be described as clean, with no touch of luxury or extravagance.


    ¡°my lord, you should rest for a while.¡± pei xia helped lucifer sit on the bed and began to assist him in taking off the soiled coat, about to turn and leave.


    ¡°pei xia, where are you going?¡± lucifer leaned against the headboard, his exquisitely beautiful face remaining captivating even in the dimly lit room.


    ¡°i¡¯m going to wash your clothes and come back.¡±


    after returning, he would continue to stay with lucifer because the rooms here were quite limited, and everyone was squeezed into pairs.


    upon hearing this, lucifer shook his head in disagreement and said, ¡°pei xia, i sense a demon¡¯s presence nearby.¡±


    pei xia was startled. how could there be a demon here?


    ¡°are you sure it¡¯s nearby?!¡±


    my goodness, this is the central headquarters of atna city, where the command center, medical stations, logistics, and more are located.


    due to the special nature of this city, during times of necessity, everyone is a soldier. therefore, it can be said that this place is the heart of the entire city, and there isn¡¯t anyone who wouldn¡¯t pass through here.


    lucifer nodded solemnly, ¡°the clothes aren¡¯t important. we have to continue to the battlefield tomorrow. pei xia, we need to rest now. countless injured are waiting for our treatment, and the demons hiding among the crowd need to be expelled. as followers of the god of light, we need to be enlightened.¡±


    my goodness, listening to what lucifer was saying, so full of positive energy and self-sacrifice, pei xia was moved to tears. he thumped his chest and declared loudly, ¡°you can trust me, i am already enlightened!¡±


    for the battle against demons, he was ready to give it his all!


    so, pei xia casually placed his dirty clothes on a nearby stool, went outside to give some instructions to the other six holy knights, and then returned to take off his own soiled coat.


    lucifer slipped into the bed like water, propping himself up with one hand to look at pei xia in the dimness. his long hair cascaded, and with a smile, he invited, ¡°to rest well, to face tomorrow¡¯s battle with full energy, pei xia, don¡¯t be shy, rest with me.¡±


    pei xia didn¡¯t hesitate to refuse directly, ¡°no way!¡±


    ¡°why?¡± lucifer couldn¡¯t understand why he would refuse again.


    pei xia felt a bit helpless as he looked at lucifer and explained seriously, ¡°we haven¡¯t taken a bath, our bodies are covered in the smell of blood and sweat. we can¡¯t rest properly if we¡¯re all squeezed together.¡±


    he was telling the truth. in fact, because he brought it up, lucifer, who initially didn¡¯t mind much, began to find it somewhat unbearable.


    lucifer bit his lip and smiled, ¡°it¡¯s alright, i don¡¯t mind those things. i don¡¯t sense them when i sleep.¡±


    pei xia hesitated, ¡°but i do sense them.¡±


    snap!


    lucifer lifted his hand and gently tapped the bed. he took a deep breath and said, ¡°alright, since there¡¯s a feeling now, even though i can¡¯t sense it, the air indeed reeks of blood and the scent of men.¡±


    unable to resist, he let go of his original intention of using a seductive posture to entice pei xia. he sat up silently, pinched his brow, and said, ¡°pei xia, perhaps you¡¯re right.¡±


    pei xia chuckled, ¡°see? i told you.¡±


    then lucifer raised his hand, and a small water sphere appeared at his fingertip, rotating gently. he lifted his chin slightly, curved his lips into a confident smile, and said, ¡°perhaps it¡¯s time for a cleansing spell.¡±


    give up? it¡¯s not that simple. since you find the smell bothersome, let¡¯s get rid of it.


    pei xia, how about we clean up first?


    pei xia: ¡°my lord, has your magic power recovered?¡±


    lucifer: ¡°uh, it¡¯s partially recovered.¡±


    pei xia frowned disapprovingly, ¡°you mentioned that there¡¯s a demon¡¯s presence nearby. you should be cautious. what if you become weakened again and a demon attacks?¡±


    lucifer: ¡°i¡¯ve recovered.¡±


    pei xia: your strength is truly remarkable!


    pei xia couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes with a pleasantly surprised expression. his honey-colored pupils shimmered with a gentle, sunlit glow. he took a step forward and grabbed lucifer¡¯s hand, saying joyfully, ¡°this is great, my lord!¡±


    lucifer was startled by his sudden enthusiasm, ¡°huh?¡±


    pei xia happily continued, ¡°if your magic has recovered, you can heal the knights¡¯ injuries. to be honest, tom and the others were all wounded before, but the medical stations here are too busy to provide treatment. if you can heal them, they will surely be very grateful!¡±


    lucifer: ¡°is this what you want?¡±


    pei xia looked at him, not understanding the meaning behind his words, ¡°perhaps tomorrow¡¯s battle will be even more intense. if it¡¯s just me, i might not be able to fully protect you.¡±


    ¡°alright, go call them over.¡±


    the water sphere disappeared silently, and lucifer seemed somewhat resigned. as he watched pei xia disappear through the doorway, outside, the night was still filled with bustling noises. the stars in the sky twinkled, responding to the torches on the ground that flickered in unison.


    lucifer heard pei xia call out the names of the other holy knights with excitement, ¡°tom, buck, lanta! come over quickly!¡±


    ¡°captain, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°the lord, his magic power has recovered, and he wants to treat us.¡±


    ¡°no need, these are just minor injuries, cough cough.¡±


    ¡°what if they get infected? lanta, i know you don¡¯t want to trouble others, including my lord. but please, you and everyone else should believe that my lord always cares about you. if you¡¯re hurt, he¡¯ll worry just the same. besides, only when you¡¯re safe can you better protect my lord!¡±


    ¡°but my lord has been tired all day. will this make his body unable to bear it?¡±


    with that said, pei xia also hesitated. he whispered, ¡°you¡¯re right, my lord¡¯s spirit seems a bit fragile.¡±


    ¡°no need to discuss it further.¡±


    at some point, lucifer had walked over to the door. he took the initiative to speak and interrupted a few of the holy knights.


    at this moment, he was wearing only a light white undershirt, slightly disheveled from the battle, which made him appear somewhat unkempt. yet his face carried a hint of weariness, with a calm and steady gaze. he walked out into the night breeze, his long hair dancing behind him.


    ¡°we are in the same team, we are followers of the divine,¡± he said gently to the group, ¡°since we are comrades, don¡¯t make me worry.¡±


    dots of starlight spread over the people, and the holy knights gratefully found their wounds and weariness dissolving in this warmth.


    pei xia couldn¡¯t help but look at lucifer in a daze.


    for some reason, he found the current lucifer particularly pleasing to the eye, giving a sense of security.


    ¡°my lord, thank you for your hard work!¡± everyone expressed their gratitude.


    lucifer waved his hand and chuckled, ¡°alright, go rest now. we need to rise early tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°yes, my lord.¡±


    after returning to the room, pei xia thought for a moment and tried to compliment him: ¡°you really are considerate of everyone. you¡¯re a perfect boss!¡±


    lucifer looked at him with a mix of amusement and exasperation and suddenly beckoned, ¡°pei xia, come here.¡±


    ¡°yes, my lord.¡± pei xia approached, looking at him with a puzzled expression.


    after today¡¯s successful flattery, not only was lucifer not angry, he even smiled. did this indicate that his skill was steadily improving? pei xia felt confident and decided to seize the opportunity.


    as he reached lucifer, he was enveloped by a cool stream of water, washing away all the dirt from his body.


    pei xia was somewhat surprised, ¡°my lord, aren¡¯t you tired?¡±


    lucifer, now equally clean and refreshed, blinked at him and said, ¡°you know, my magic power has always recovered quickly.¡±


    pei xia agreed, ¡°that¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°but it also gets depleted quickly.¡±


    with that said, lucifer¡¯s body swayed slightly and he started to fall toward pei xia. startled, pei xia instinctively pushed back, causing lucifer to fall onto the bed.


    at that moment when lucifer landed on the bed, both he and pei xia froze.


    the next second, lucifer assumed a deliberately vulnerable posture.


    pei xia¡¯s heart raced. oh no, what if lucifer misunderstands my push as me being upset with him?!


    no, i need to fix this!


    with determination, pei xia bit his lip and climbed onto the bed. lucifer raised an eyebrow at him.


    pei xia quickly sat cross-legged beside lucifer, looking serious and sincere. he extended his hands and placed them on lucifer¡¯s chest.


    pei xia: ¡°my lo-lor-lord, please rest well. leave the task of drying your clothes to me!¡±


    the warm fire elemental energy started to flow, and lucifer watched him silently. when the clothes and hair were dry, pei xia let out a discreet sigh of relief and was about to pretend to withdraw his hands nonchalantly.


    at that moment, lucifer suddenly raised his hand and lightly tugged at his own collar. he wasn¡¯t giving up. with a meaningful gaze, he looked at pei xia, ¡°pei xia, don¡¯t you want to do something?¡±


    pei xia looked at him with bewilderment as lucifer¡¯s eyes kept hinting at something.


    what was he implying? pei xia looked at his own hand, then at lucifer¡¯s hand, and suddenly it clicked.


    ¡°yes, my lord!¡±


    he reached out and fastened the two buttons of lucifer¡¯s open collar.


    lucifer¡¯s eyelid twitched.


    afterward, as pei xia looked at the not-so-large wooden bed, he felt a bit troubled. two grown men squeezing onto it would inevitably mean they would be quite close. but if he got too close, what if he accidentally lost control and lucifer discovered his true feelings?


    and if he didn¡¯t share the same bed with lucifer, did that mean he had to sleep on the floor? but there weren¡¯t any spare beddings here either.


    pei xia had a bright idea, calmly got off the bed, and walked to the side table.


    lucifer frowned slightly, ¡°what are you doing?¡±


    pei xia spoke earnestly, ¡°i¡¯m going to practice sword energy while resting to prepare for tomorrow¡¯s challenges.¡±


    with that, he placed his hands on the table and smoothly sat down cross-legged.


    lucifer was filled with question marks, ¡°are you sure this will help you rest well?¡±


    pei xia grinned sheepishly and said, ¡°last year, in the paladin training camp, i did exactly this to catch up with others¡¯ progress.¡±


    being a newly initiated paladin, he couldn¡¯t compare to those who had trained for years. he had to work tirelessly to keep up.


    after the daily training sessions, while others chatted and bragged, pei xia was busy memorizing the ¡°holy scriptures of light¡± and various other texts. while others played card games, he was alone on the training ground practicing his swordsmanship. while others slept, pei xia squeezed every bit of time to practice his sword energy.


    but it was too tiring. whenever he practiced sword energy, he would easily fall asleep. gradually, pei xia unintentionally achieved the achievement of practicing while dozing off.


    on the night when lucifer chose him as a personal guard knight, it was the first time in a long while that pei xia slept purely.


    such comfort!


    in the deep of night, the son and the knights, weary from a day of hard fighting, faced each other. in the dim night, they couldn¡¯t clearly see each other¡¯s expressions.


    suddenly, lucifer chuckled softly, ¡°since it¡¯s like this, then goodnight.¡±


    ¡°goodnight, my lord. i wish you pleasant dreams.¡±


    pei xia closed his eyes and entered a state of meditation. unknowingly, he felt a warm presence enveloping him. he relaxed his brows and felt comfortable and content.


    early the next morning, lucifer, pei xia, and the others woke up. they got dressed, hastily went to the cafeteria for breakfast, and then rushed to the infirmary.


    the head of the infirmary was a middle-aged man with red hair named rodney. lucifer¡¯s arrival, being the son of the church of light, undoubtedly boosted morale. currently, what troubled rodney the most wasn¡¯t anything else but demons!


    as knights, they naturally had basic medical knowledge. under the guidance of doctors and nurses, they dispersed to take care of the wounded. pei xia still followed behind lucifer.


    rodney led lucifer and pei xia to a large room that was isolated from the others. inside, there were over a dozen patients, their brows furrowed as they lay unconscious.


    pei xia overheard rodney complaining to lucifer about his headaches, ¡°the demonic presence on them is incredibly strong. we suspect they might be possessed by demons. but ordinary light mages can¡¯t exorcise the demons on them. these kids haven¡¯t completely lost their sanity yet, so i can¡¯t use cruel fire magic to kill them. please, my lord, help save them!¡±


    pei xia couldn¡¯t help but wonder, could the demonic presence lucifer sensed be coming from them?


    lucifer nodded, ¡°i understand.¡±


    he then crouched down and began assessing the conditions of the injured. pei xia nervously and curiously stood by his side, observing.


    suddenly, lucifer furrowed his brows, ¡°lord rodney, i must tell you something.¡±


    ¡°what is it?¡±


    ¡°although they have the demonic presence on them, the demons haven¡¯t possessed them. i believe the demons are merely using them as a distraction. currently, the demon should still be active outside.¡±


    ¡°did it possess someone else?!¡± rodney exclaimed in astonishment.


    lucifer stood up and nodded slightly, ¡°i apologize. i can¡¯t give you an answer until i find it. but please rest assured, i have a rough idea. as for these injured individuals, they will naturally wake up once the demon is killed. no need to worry.¡±


    with his words, rodney¡¯s heart was put at ease. he looked at lucifer with admiration, ¡°you are willing to lend a hand. we are truly fortunate.¡±


    ¡°you¡¯re too kind.¡±


    then, lucifer walked outside, and pei xia quickly caught up, ¡°are you going to start looking for the demon now?¡±


    ¡°yes, i can sense it. it¡¯s hidden nearby.¡±


    ¡°my lord, should i call buck and the others?¡±


    ¡°no need, too many people might alert it.¡±


    ¡°understood, my lord!¡±


    finally, as they walked, they reached the vicinity of the logistics department. lucifer¡¯s brows furrowed, and he said, ¡°it¡¯s right here!¡±


    pei xia¡¯s eyes widened in shock, ¡°my lord, i think i¡¯ve found where the demon is.¡±


    ¡°where?¡±


    ¡°there!¡±


    pei xia pointed his hand toward a mustachioed gentleman who was holding a cute round-headed, sharp-beaked little creature in his arms. the gentleman was smiling while calculating in his ledger.


    after looking over, lucifer immediately nodded, ¡°correct, it¡¯s that one! however¡­¡±


    he became curious, ¡°pei xia, why do you recognize this type of demon? it¡¯s a rare and powerful demon, possessing a physical form that contrasts entirely with ordinary demons. it disguises itself as harmless and slowly lures people to become its slaves. few can recognize it at a glance.¡±


    pei xia cleared his throat, unsure of how to explain.


    of course, he recognized this demon not because of the original story¡¯s plot or anything like that; he had almost forgotten the plot entirely.


    he recognized it simply because¡­


    because penguins are antarctic animals. they shouldn¡¯t be here.

 CH 30

    ¡°because penguins are antarctic animals!¡±


    moreover, the penguin the bearded gentleman is holding is not entirely the same as a normal penguin. it¡¯s petite and noticeably adorable, its black skin is exceptionally smooth, it has a pair of eyes that, although big and seemingly cute at first glance, are quite sly, and a flat yellow beak.


    though very cute, it¡¯s still very suspicious!


    lucifer frowned and exchanged glances: ¡°penguins? antarctic?¡±


    wait, does this world have an antarctic? pei xia thought for a moment and firmly said: ¡°yes! penguins are creatures that live in icy landscapes. if they appear here, there must be a conspiracy!¡±


    lucifer looked at him with a subtle expression: ¡°pei xia, you seem to know quite a bit.¡±


    pei xia¡¯s face turned red: ¡°your praise is too kind! your holiness, what should we do now?¡±


    lucifer pondered for a moment and said: ¡°i don¡¯t know if the penguin you¡¯re talking about is the same, but in reality, this demon is called the blackhearted penguin demon. it doesn¡¯t possess strong combat abilities itself, but it can enchant people around it to become its slaves, using them to steal money.¡±


    this demon actually only likes money, quite the oddity. pei xia was greatly surprised.


    no, in reality, those who have been enchanted by it will have their souls consumed and become a part of it after they¡¯ve exhausted all their wealth. so, the blackhearted penguin demon becomes stronger and greedier, to defeat it, you must do so while it¡¯s not yet too powerful.


    pei xia asked solemnly, ¡°so, what do you think, how strong is this blackhearted penguin demon in front of us?¡±


    ¡°i¡¯m afraid it has already ensnared quite a few people, but it¡¯s manageable.¡±


    ¡°do you need me to call more people?¡±


    ¡°no, this demon is quite cunning. if we leave now, it might sense something is amiss and escape.¡±


    lucifer chuckled softly and said, ¡°be prepared, my knight.¡±


    pei xia hesitated for a moment, understanding, and nodded. he absentmindedly placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it at a moment¡¯s notice.


    thus, lucifer and pei xia walked toward the gentleman with the upturned mustache. he was an accountant in the logistics department, and although his work was busy, he was quite content.


    ¡°good day, sir.¡± lucifer stood by his desk and greeted him in a very ordinary tone. ¡°my friend and i are warriors summoned here. could you tell us when the allowances will be distributed?¡±


    the mustache gentleman looked up at him, a slightly distant expression of delight on his face. ¡°i don¡¯t know, probably after the war is over.¡±


    lucifer looked meaningfully at him and said, ¡°i¡¯ve heard that the allowances this time are quite generous. i¡¯m looking forward to it, hoping not a single copper coin will be missing.¡±


    the mustache gentleman shifted uncomfortably and exhibited a hint of unease.


    the blackhearted penguin demon, disguised as an adorable penguin, opened its mouth and let out a soft cry: ¡°money money.¡±


    immediately, the gentleman regained his composure, waved his hand impatiently, and said, ¡°enough, don¡¯t rush. they¡¯ll definitely be distributed when the time comes!¡±


    pei xia stood behind lucifer, dumbfounded. he didn¡¯t know how normal penguins sounded, but he certainly didn¡¯t expect this blackhearted penguin demon to cry out ¡°money money money.¡±


    lucifer wasn¡¯t angered by this. he smiled gently and shifted his gaze to the blackhearted penguin demon in the mustached gentleman¡¯s arms. ¡°the demonic creature in your arms feels quite familiar to me. may i touch it?¡±


    the blackhearted penguin demon¡¯s eyes rolled around. it was a greedy demon, fond of money and equally avaricious souls. the handsome blonde man in front of it immediately triggered a flood of ideas on how to exploit him for money.


    for example, he could make him perform, or even sell his own body! as long as there¡¯s money, the blackhearted penguin demon is confident it can enslave all souls!


    moreover, this man also cares a lot about money. the blackhearted penguin demon seemed very satisfied. it waved its two short and clumsy wings and wriggled out of the mustached slave¡¯s embrace. it stood on the table, tilted its head back, and began to act cute:


    ¡°money money, money money.¡±


    lucifer cooperatively wore a smile, then raised his hand and gently stroked the little demon penguin¡¯s head.


    pei xia watched with a mix of fear and apprehension. despite its cute appearance, this was still a demon!


    suddenly, lucifer¡¯s smile vanished. a powerful light enveloped the blackhearted penguin demon in an instant. simultaneously, pei xia took a step forward and kicked the slave who had been under the control of the blackhearted penguin demon far away.


    the blackhearted penguin demon let out a miserable cry, its wings fluttering like a black shadow as it darted outward.


    lucifer followed closely, using the light magic to form a cage that entrapped the blackhearted penguin demon, preventing it from escaping the courtyard. pei xia, realizing he couldn¡¯t intervene at the moment, guarded lucifer and shouted loudly:


    ¡°everyone, disperse and leave this area!¡±


    this was the logistics department, a place with many people coming and going. their sudden chaos and cries filled the air as they scattered in all directions.


    pei xia had to raise his voice even louder: ¡°the church of light is exorcising a demon. those unrelated, please leave immediately!¡±


    most people obediently left, but there were still a few who didn¡¯t. these were the slaves who had been ensnared by the blackhearted penguin demon while it roamed the city. they came in all ages and genders, the only commonality being their ability to provide money to the blackhearted penguin demon.


    at this point, the blackhearted penguin demon was shrieking within lucifer¡¯s cage of light. plumes of black smoke billowed from its body. however, the blackhearted penguin demon lived up to its status as a powerful entity; it abandoned its cute disguise, and its body began to grow larger and larger.


    in the end, the blackhearted penguin demon revealed its true form!


    in the center of the courtyard stood a colossal creature akin to a three-story small building. its excessively plump body was covered with a layer of dark, almost black, skin. at first glance, it appeared quite smooth, but upon closer inspection, one could notice bulges and protrusions all over its skin.


    these protrusions occasionally moved, and every now and then, a struggling, contorted face of a deformed person emerged, representing the souls devoured by the blackhearted penguin demon!


    ¡°money money, money money!¡±


    the blackhearted penguin demon emitted a deep and grating sound, a voice seemingly infused with dark magic. it caused an involuntary sense of restlessness, pain, and an emerging sense of greed upon hearing it.


    stamping its feet, the earth trembled beneath its motion. flapping its wings while continuously chanting, the blackhearted penguin demon opened its large mouth and spewed out one after another soul that had been consumed due to greed, causing them to plunge into the abyss. these fallen souls surrounded it, and lucifer¡¯s holy light could only harm the demon penguin¡¯s core after first purifying the fallen souls.


    simultaneously, the slaves who had been previously ensnared by its influence rushed to its summons. their eyes were bloodshot as they charged forward, attacking lucifer and pei xia in a frenzied manner.


    pei xia tightly grasped his sword, standing protectively beside lucifer, engaging in combat against the manipulated slaves.


    these people were temporarily under its influence, not yet fully corrupted. as a follower of the church of light, pei xia aimed to save them rather than ruthlessly cut them down.


    pei xia aimed to incapacitate them without letting them harm lucifer, and he ended up gasping for breath. this was much more challenging than simply battling monsters on a field.


    fortunately, they caught the blackhearted penguin demon during its growth stage, preventing it from ensnaring more people.


    ¡°your grace, how are you holding up?¡± pei xia asked, catching his breath and looking toward lucifer and the demon penguin.


    inside the cage of light, the blackhearted penguin demon had shrunk considerably in size. it thrashed about, attempting to break free from the confines. lucifer¡¯s light magic was powerful enough to keep it contained, preventing its escape.


    however, eradicating it was proving to be no easy task either.


    ¡°money money, money money!¡±


    the blackhearted penguin demon¡¯s cries were vexing, disturbing the peace. it demolished buildings and trees. suddenly, it turned its head and charged towards the slaves who had been incapacitated by pei xia earlier!


    lucifer¡¯s expression grew extremely serious; his face was pale. he quickly said, ¡°pei xia, the core of the blackhearted penguin demon is in the center of its body. can you manage to strike it?¡±


    ¡°please leave it to me, your grace! pei xia responded without hesitation.¡±


    he hurriedly threw the unconscious slaves to a distance. however, some slaves were scattered due to the battle and couldn¡¯t be reached in time for rescue. pei xia had no choice but to kill the blackhearted penguin demon to prevent it from devouring them!


    lucifer nodded. suddenly, the cage of light that covered the entire courtyard converged into his palm, leaving only a few strands of holy light to hinder the clumsy body of the demon penguin from running.


    finally, an exceedingly brilliant sword of light, akin to the sun, took form in lucifer¡¯s hand.


    ¡°go, pei xia.¡± lucifer held the sword of light in his hands and looked at pei xia with full trust.


    taking the sword, pei xia felt a tremendous shock at that moment. the power of light in his hand seemed eager to soar into the sky. pei xia had to exert all his strength to grip the hilt and use his entire willpower to tame the sword of light.


    holding the sword, he shouted and charged toward the unwieldy and massive blackhearted penguin demon. sensing the impending danger, the demon hastily turned and flapped its heavy wings, sending a gust of wind towards pei xia.


    pei xia executed a somersault on the ground, slipped through the gap, and then leaped forcefully, using the soft belly of the blackhearted penguin demon as a springboard to propel himself upwards.


    pei xia locked his gaze on the chest of the demon and thrust the sword towards it. suddenly, the blackhearted penguin demon lowered its head and opened its wide mouth, and a deafening sonic wave attack disoriented pei xia, causing him to tumble toward the ground.


    during this time, pei xia¡¯s mind was filled with brainwashing words: ¡°everything is mine, the blackhearted penguin demon¡¯s. you are all just slaves earning money for me. you have no right to resist!!!¡±


    however, pei xia didn¡¯t crash to the ground. a warm light caught him and awakened him from the brainwashing.


    pei xia only had time to express a grateful look to lucifer before using the light to propel himself back up. with lucifer providing support through his light, pei xia could engage in combat around the massive blackhearted penguin demon.


    ¡°you¡¯re dreaming!¡±


    in the end, pei xia leaped high in anger, gazing at the blackhearted penguin demon and shouting with fury, ¡°in this world, not everyone will succumb to your corruption!¡±


    immediately after, he forcefully thrust the sword of light deep into the chest of the blackhearted penguin demon!


    in an instant, the blackhearted penguin demon stood frozen in place, and pei xia weakly released his grip, falling downwards. he was caught by the magic of light and gently returned to lucifer¡¯s side.


    he witnessed the blackhearted penguin demon¡¯s entire body trembling violently, and then one by one, the corrupted souls dispersed and flew in a chaotic dance, revealing the central core. it was a completely pitch-black creature exuding the stench of greed. the sword of light extended through its body, and then the light sword blossomed into light. the blackhearted penguin demon let out a mournful cry and dissipated into smoke, disappearing completely.


    amid the spreading holy light, the tormented cries of the corrupted souls gradually transformed into serene, transparent ethereal beings ascending toward the heavens.


    ¡°great, it¡¯s finally over.¡±


    pei xia looked upon all of this with relief. meanwhile, the people who had been ensnared on the ground also uttered agonized moans. upon awakening, they would return to normal, but no one knew whether the seeds of greed had already been planted deep within their hearts, potentially becoming the breeding ground for the next blackhearted penguin demon.


    the small flying carpet of light vanished with a whoosh, and lucifer¡¯s face turned pale as he swayed unsteadily. pei xia plopped down to the ground.


    his face twitched, and he couldn¡¯t help but tremble as he reached to rub his sore bottom. however, his physical exhaustion was so severe that he couldn¡¯t even manage such a simple action.


    at that moment, a white robe covered pei xia¡¯s hand. it turned out that lucifer had half-squatted beside him.


    lucifer looked at pei xia with a gaze filled with trust and admiration, extending his hand to help him up.


    pei xia leaned weakly against him, his face a bit flushed. ¡°your grace, you need not trouble yourself so much.¡±


    with profound emotion, lucifer said with a fluctuation of tone, ¡°pei xia, please don¡¯t refuse. this is what i should do. you fought for me, and i¡¯m deeply grateful.¡±


    ¡°no, no, no, you¡¯re being too polite. i wasn¡¯t just fighting for you, i was fighting for everyone.¡± pei xia was surprised by the attention and quickly downplayed his role. ¡°it¡¯s what a holy knight should do!¡±


    ¡°no matter what, taking you back is also my responsibility.¡± lucifer¡¯s smile was warm and welcoming.


    pei xia awkwardly leaned against him, feeling somewhat uneasy. lucifer¡¯s arm was around his waist, and he could smell the pleasant scent emanating from him.


    as lucifer turned his face to speak, his flawlessly impeccable features collided with pei xia¡¯s eyes, leaving him feeling nervous and excited.


    damn it, if this continues, i won¡¯t be able to hold on!


    pei xia weakly said, ¡°but your grace, you¡¯ve also been through a lot. earlier, you were so frail and kept fainting. although you¡¯re getting stronger now, i¡¯m still worried that you¡¯ll be burdened.¡±


    a furrow appeared on lucifer¡¯s brow as he suddenly remembered something. ¡°i almost forgot.¡±


    pei xia asked, ¡°huh?¡±


    in the next moment, lucifer turned back and gave him a pale smile. he seemed as if he couldn¡¯t bear the weight any longer. he swayed unsteadily, and his white robe fluttered like angelic wings. then, his body went limp and he collapsed to the ground.


    pei xia, who was being supported by him, couldn¡¯t even manage to exclaim before falling with a thud.


    however, beneath lucifer was the ground, and beneath pei xia was lucifer.


    pei xia weakly lay on top of him, ¡°y-y-your grace!!!¡±


    lucifer¡¯s fragile neck, as delicate as a swan¡¯s, was held tightly under pei xia¡¯s weight. he trembled slightly, his gaze hazy and unfocused. ¡°pei xia, i may not have the strength left either, cough cough.¡±


    a wisp of blood trailed down from the corner of his mouth, contrasting against his snow-white skin, creating an achingly beautiful scene.


    pei xia tried to crawl off him but despairingly realized he couldn¡¯t move. ¡°your grace, please, you must hold on!¡±

 CH 31

    in the courtyard, which was particularly messy due to the battle, on the ground covered with weeds and potholes, there lay a beauty in a snow-white robe with hair as radiant as sunlight.


    his golden eyebrows lightly furrowed, his azure eyes contained a hint of moisture, and beneath his straight nose was a pale pair of lips, with only the bloodstains at the corners of his lips as glaring as red plum blossoms in the snow.


    such a delicate beauty that made one couldn¡¯t help but feel pity upon seeing him, but alas! on this graceful and delicate beauty, there was a black-haired youth lying on top, making others jealous and resentful!


    that man had no manners at all; he was lying on top of the beauty and didn¡¯t intend to get up for quite some time. his hands moved lazily along the ground, clearly trying to linger longer and take advantage of the situation!


    however, in reality, it was the despised black-haired youth who wanted most to get up from on top of the beauty!


    pei xia weakly moved his arm, attempting to shift his body to the side.


    great, their chests were pressed tightly together, and pei xia could feel the other person¡¯s heartbeat. he listened to his own heartbeat in his ears, feeling helpless.


    his nervous heartbeat was getting faster and faster, as if he was afraid he would accidentally crush lucifer beneath him. can you believe this grown man isn¡¯t that fragile? no! he is this fragile!


    look, his face was as white as snow, and due to the influence of gravity, pei xia was pressed tightly against him. very coincidentally, his face was near his chin, and with one wrong move, he would accidentally touch his skin.


    it was cold, and it made one¡¯s heart ache, even making one wonder if the person beneath him was already dead. how could this big man be so delicate? no! he is indeed this delicate!


    just look, his face was as white as snow, and due to the influence of gravity, pei xia was pressed tightly against him. very coincidentally, his face was near his chin, and with one wrong move, he would accidentally touch his skin.


    it was cold, and it made one¡¯s heart ache, even making one wonder if the person beneath him was already dead. how could this big man be so delicate? no! he is indeed this delicate!


    hearing pei xia¡¯s voice, lucifer let out a complex sigh that sent shivers down one¡¯s spine. ¡°ah, pei xia.¡±


    ¡°lord saint, i¡¯m here!¡± pei xia responded nervously.


    really, you¡¯ve worked hard, my beautiful lord saint. when he spoke, his breath was weak, and every word sounded like his last words.


    pei xia choked up and said, ¡°lord saint, please hold on, i¡¯ll get down right away!¡±


    he struggled to turn over, and just as he was about to roll off lucifer¡¯s body, he suddenly found that he couldn¡¯t move anymore. perplexed, he followed his gaze downward and saw lucifer¡¯s arm blocking him behind his waist, preventing him from rolling off.


    what impressed pei xia was that lucifer¡¯s two hands were slightly clasped together in a prayer-like gesture.


    pei xia was filled with question marks: ¡°lord saint?¡±


    lucifer closed his eyes and groaned, ¡°ah, my head is spinning.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°??? please let go!¡±


    lucifer¡¯s head tilted to the side, pale and fragile like a butterfly with broken wings. he whimpered softly, then fell silent as if he had fainted.


    pei xia lay on top of him, dumbfounded for a moment, and continued to struggle to roll down. however, for some reason, his hands were tightly held behind his waist, preventing him from moving no matter how hard he tried.


    pei xia felt desperate. he didn¡¯t know if he was too weak now, or if unconscious people subconsciously exerted all their strength.


    finally, the young black-haired holy knight gave up. he raised his trembling hand and placed it under lucifer¡¯s nose to check. good, there was still breathing.


    he sighed in his heart, and closed his eyes in sorrow, unable to bear looking at this beautiful man being pressed down.


    in the end, they were rescued by several other holy knights who rushed over, prince harry, princess eva, the chancellor, and countless onlookers.


    in front of everyone¡¯s eyes, a stretcher was brought over, and pei xia, still in the strange position on top of lucifer, was carried away on the stretcher. when they were taken to a resting place, they still maintained this bizarre posture.


    on this day, the story of the cooperation between the church of light¡¯s saint, lucifer, and his young and handsome holy knight, pei xia, who fought together to defeat the evil and heartless goose demon, and then collapsed together in exhaustion, spread throughout the city of atna.


    to thank lucifer and pei xia for helping to resolve a great threat, the chancellor of atna wanted to arrange a more luxurious residence for them.


    prince harry stopped them, saying, ¡°accommodations are currently scarce, and there¡¯s no room to spare. why not let them stay with me directly?¡±


    ¡°are you really sure, your highness?¡± after all, the prince and princess lived in the best place here, a separate courtyard with a two-story palace, spacious and luxurious, with all the amenities.


    ¡°of course, it¡¯s the least we can do!¡±


    ¡°well then, we¡¯ll follow your orders.¡±


    so, the soldiers carrying the stretcher heaved and hoed as they brought lucifer and the drooping pei xia into the palace. the prince had specially arranged a comfortable and spacious suite for them, and the two entangled individuals were placed on the bed.


    after a physician¡¯s examination, it was confirmed that both of them were just fatigued and needed some rest.


    pei xia was somewhat skeptical: ¡°but the saint has coughed up blood!¡±


    physician: ¡°he just scraped his lip.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°wait, there¡¯s one more thing!¡±


    ¡°what is it?¡±


    ¡°please help us separate!¡±


    everyone looked at each other, hesitating as they approached.


    even prince harry came over to help, and princess eva watched nearby with a strange expression.


    ¡°oh my light god.¡± harry looked sadly at lucifer¡¯s hands intertwined behind pei xia¡¯s waist. he tentatively reached out to pull them apart, but he couldn¡¯t. ¡°oh my, these are such perfect hands. how can i bear to use force? if i accidentally hurt the holy son, my conscience will be troubled!¡±


    pei xia: ¡°aren¡¯t you afraid i¡¯ll crush him to death?¡±


    ¡°to be honest, given the physical fitness of the holy son, you can rest assured that even if you press down lightly, it won¡¯t kill him.¡± the physician made a judgment.


    ¡°since that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡±


    ¡°exactly, even the holy son is exhausted. let¡¯s not disturb him and let him rest well.¡±


    ¡°pei xia, you too, please rest!¡±


    people sent them in with a lot of commotion, and then thoughtfully closed the door behind them.


    pei xia stared at the closed door, feeling utterly bewildered. even after all this time in this world, he still couldn¡¯t think like the characters in the original story!


    the quiet room was left with only pei xia. he tried to tilt his head back to avoid fully pressing himself onto lucifer.


    but holding his head up was tiring, and pei xia couldn¡¯t hold on any longer. thud! he accidentally lowered his head, and with a soft, cool, and slightly moist sensation, he felt it on his forehead, transmitted through his skin and to his heart.


    pei xia¡¯s heart pounded, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed, as if he had accidentally touched lucifer¡¯s lips.


    pei xia raised his head with a hint of shyness, and when he looked, he saw a fresh red mark slowly dripping from the corner of lucifer¡¯s mouth.


    pei xia: ¡®i don¡¯t know what to say, it¡¯s pretty symmetrical.¡¯


    pei xia obediently and helplessly leaned his head against lucifer¡¯s shoulder, then sniffed the faint and pleasant rose fragrance on him. pei xia¡¯s eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and eventually, he fell into a deep slumber.


    he didn¡¯t know how long he had been asleep when pei xia woke up. it was still daylight, but the light had softened, casting a somewhat yellowish hue. he felt that he had recovered quite a bit.


    his body could move on its own now, although he still felt a bit sore, it was much better than before when he couldn¡¯t move at all. pei xia first reached out to check lucifer¡¯s breathing, and it was still there.


    pei xia felt relieved.


    his stomach growled, making a rumbling sound. pei xia moved gently a couple of times and then tried to get up from lucifer, whom he had pressed down on for quite a while.


    as he moved, he felt the hands behind his waist regain some strength. pei xia struggled but couldn¡¯t break free. he looked back and forth, feeling somewhat perplexed.


    ¡®there¡¯s no other choice; i¡¯ll have to crawl!¡¯


    pei xia gently lifted lucifer¡¯s hands upward a bit, then pushed himself backward from the gap between lucifer¡¯s arms and his body.


    as he backed away, he suddenly heard a melodious and charming voice. the voice had a magnetic quality to it, like a small brush quickly sweeping over pei xia¡¯s heart, causing his body to go limp and fall to the floor with a soft thud.


    at that moment, his expression changed drastically because his current position was extremely awkward!


    pei xia¡¯s head had bumped into lucifer¡¯s soft abdomen, and he was about to get up, but it was already too late. lucifer slowly sat up, displaying a surprised expression.


    lucifer: ¡°pei xia, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    pei xia slowly lifted his head and retreated, creating some distance. he knelt there and looked at lucifer, saying, ¡°i¡¯m terribly sorry, your highness. i didn¡¯t mean to.¡±


    lucifer gave a generous and innocent smile. ¡°are you talking about what just happened? it¡¯s okay, i understand. actually, even if you wanted to¡­¡±


    pei xia interrupted with a mournful tone, thinking of his own father. ¡°actually, i did. your highness, i apologize, but it was unintentional.¡±


    lucifer: ¡°?¡±


    pei xia closed his eyes, unable to look at him. he tried to explain, his nervousness making his words sound sincere. ¡°you see, when i (the original pei xia) was very young, i lost my father. so, i have this deep yearning for his comforting embrace. just now, i felt that the sensation you gave me was remarkably similar to his, and i couldn¡¯t help but want to experience the embrace of a father¡¯s love.¡±


    lucifer: ¡°¡­¡±


    pei xia was afraid he wouldn¡¯t believe him, so he gritted his teeth and continued, ¡°your highness, you are so kind and loving, just like a father to all of us! please believe me; i admire you sincerely from the bottom of my heart!¡±


    lucifer: ¡°¡­¡±


    pei xia: ¡°¡­¡±


    lucifer raised his hand and pressed his forehead, unable to resist defending himself. ¡°do i look that old?¡±


    pei xia was startled and quickly said, ¡°no, you look very strong!¡±


    lucifer sighed, ¡°just forget about it.¡±


    the weary beauty slowly raised his hand and touched his lip, furrowing his brows in confusion. ¡°strange, why do i feel like my lip is a bit swollen?¡±


    pei xia: ¡°that¡¯s just your imagination! if you activate the light magic to restore your energy, these sensations will all disappear!¡±


    lucifer couldn¡¯t help but glance at him. there was a conspicuous red bloodstain on the knight¡¯s fair forehead.


    pei xia hadn¡¯t noticed it yet and continued to smile foolishly at him.


    lucifer shook his head, his eyes filled with a playful look. ¡°never mind.¡±


    pei xia couldn¡¯t help but grin. ¡°your highness, it¡¯s been a day since you were unconscious. are you hungry? i¡¯ll go prepare some food for you.¡±


    lucifer nodded. ¡°go ahead. but don¡¯t forget to take care of yourself.¡±


    pei xia assured him, ¡°please rest assured, i will.¡±


    pei xia eagerly got out of bed and rushed out of the room. as he came out, he remembered that he was in a different place now and asked one of the prince¡¯s guards where the kitchen was.


    the guard was very helpful and led him to the kitchen. afterward, he promptly informed prince harry of lucifer¡¯s awakening.


    when pei xia arrived at lucifer¡¯s bedroom door, carrying a tray of steaming hot food, he peeked through the crack in the door and saw prince harry and lucifer sitting together, chatting happily. there was a sumptuous and exquisite feast laid out on the table between them, much more enticing than what pei xia was holding.


    they looked at each other, both wearing smiles. prince harry was still showering lucifer with compliments, and surprisingly, lucifer was lapping it all up!


    pei xia¡¯s fingers couldn¡¯t help but grip the edge of the tray tightly.


    ¡®did i arrive too late again?¡¯


    his stomach rumbled again, and pei xia quickly retreated a few steps, not wanting to be noticed by the people inside. he hung his head and returned to the kitchen, where he ate the food on the tray by himself.


    it was undeniably delicious.


    after finishing his meal and feeling full, pei xia lifted his head, ran his hand through his hair, and took a deep breath.


    he slapped the table and stood up, his face filled with determination. no, he couldn¡¯t give up like this!

 CH 32

    pei xia¡¯s determination reignited, and he decided he couldn¡¯t let prince harry surpass him like this.


    he couldn¡¯t change his identity, couldn¡¯t get plastic surgery for his face, and couldn¡¯t instantly become a master at flattery.


    although he believed he had made progress in flattery, he needed to keep learning. so, pei xia decided to continue improving his flattery skills while also finding other ways to earn lucifer¡¯s favor.


    so, what could he be better at than prince harry and could use to improve lucifer¡¯s favor?


    pei xia¡¯s gaze shifted to the bowl in front of him.


    got it!


    since lucifer¡¯s body was so delicate, he could help him by making him a nourishing soup!


    pei xia decided to make a bowl of hearty and even more luxurious soup than before, filled with love!


    first, he needed ingredients.


    pei xia looked around the kitchen but only found some common ingredients. although this was the residence of a prince and a princess, both of them strongly rejected extravagance and waste. therefore, there were no overly expensive ingredients in the kitchen.


    ingredients like longans and black pepper were not available. there were some red dates and hazelnuts, but there were no donkey hides. the donkeys were considered strategic resources now and were closely guarded, not easily slaughtered for consumption.


    pei xia had no choice but to go outside to find ingredients. after all, lucifer had prince harry accompanying him, so safety wasn¡¯t a concern.


    it was a sunny afternoon, and it wasn¡¯t yet time for the onslaught of magical beasts. pei xia walked to the base of the city wall and started searching for his prey.


    he didn¡¯t dare to venture deep into the sapphire forest, to avoid attracting dangers he couldn¡¯t handle. however, there was no need to be so cautious near the city wall. many people were here, clearing away the accumulated magical beast corpses.


    the ones suitable for consumption were taken away alive, while the unsuitable ones were killed, and their bodies were discarded far away from the city wall to prevent them from rotting and spreading disease.


    some resilient magical beasts, not seriously injured, woke up and fled in panic.


    pei xia¡¯s target was precisely those edible magical beasts. he was in the midst of choosing when he suddenly encountered someone.


    ¡°huh? pei xia?¡±


    surprisingly, it was princess eva who had come. she looked at him curiously and said, ¡°is your body recovered? how is his holiness? why aren¡¯t you by his side?¡±


    pei xia suppressed the almost complaining words that his holiness was doing well and didn¡¯t need him by his side. he cleared his throat and replied, ¡°please rest assured, your highness. i am completely fine now, and his holiness has awakened. he is currently in conversation with prince harry. i came out to prepare a nourishing soup for his holiness to make him even stronger!¡±


    princess eva paused and asked, ¡°nourishing soup?¡±


    pei xia nodded, ¡°yes, his holiness is a bit weak, so he needs a good nourishing meal.¡±


    ¡°that¡¯s interesting. i also enjoy cooking. i¡¯ll join you!¡± princess eva offered.


    pei xia felt a bit awkward but replied, ¡°your highness, you are too kind.¡±


    princess eva waved her hand and said, ¡°it¡¯s only right. his holiness and you have already helped us tremendously. i am very grateful. consider this my way of thanking you.¡±


    ¡°you¡¯re very kind.¡±


    princess eva insisted, and pei xia had no choice but to work together with her. with her assistance, pei xia eventually brought back five types of magical beasts.


    princess eva was eager to help, but pei xia couldn¡¯t let her get her hands dirty. besides, he had some thoughts of his own.


    as pei xia handled the magical beasts, he struck up a conversation with her, ¡°your highness, i¡¯ve always admired prince harry¡¯s eloquence.¡±


    princess eva chuckled, ¡°you¡¯re quite interesting, admiring that¡­¡±


    pei xia hesitated and then said, ¡°your highness, you are a princess, so you must also possess eloquence like prince harry.¡±


    ¡°you overestimate me.¡±


    pei xia continued, ¡°well, i want to praise someone, but i don¡¯t know how to say it to make them happy.¡±


    princess eva understood and asked, ¡°is it his holiness?¡±


    pei xia nodded with a shy smile.


    pei xia was quite surprised, ¡°you actually guessed it!¡±


    princess eva replied, ¡°well, i¡¯m not dumb.¡±


    pei xia coughed and said, ¡°uh, can you teach me a couple of flattering, i mean, can you teach me a couple of eloquent phrases to praise his holiness?¡±


    princess eva responded, ¡°no, you¡¯re really overestimating me. i have no idea about that.¡±


    pei xia looked at her with anticipation, ¡°could you at least give me some suggestions? you and the prince are siblings, so even if you¡¯re not good at it, your sense of aesthetics must be high.¡±


    princess eva asked, ¡°okay, tell me how you usually compliment him.¡±


    pei xia explained earnestly. after hearing it, princess eva looked at him with a serious expression.


    this man is really difficult to handle! princess eva gripped her sword hilt and said, ¡°perhaps it¡¯s because the items you use as metaphors aren¡¯t to his liking? try using something else next time.¡±


    pei xia¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°you¡¯re truly a princess, your highness!¡±


    princess eva laughed heartily, ¡°hahaha, wait a minute! what are you doing?¡±


    she looked in horror at pei xia¡¯s hand and the items he was holding.


    pei xia glanced down and suddenly remembered that although princess eva was friendly and unconventional, she was still a young lady. he quickly turned to shield the items and said, ¡°please rest assured, your highness. this is a crucial ingredient for the nourishing soup, and many men in my hometown consume it. his holiness also likes it very much!¡±


    princess eva¡¯s expression turned peculiar, ¡°are you sure his holiness likes this stuff?!¡±


    pei xia nodded with a smile, ¡°of course, he drank it all up last time!¡±


    princess eva chuckled, ¡°truly a favored child of the gods, his holiness. i won¡¯t underestimate him again!¡±


    ¡°you¡¯re too kind!¡±


    with that, pei xia took slices from each of the five magical beasts and placed them in a stew pot. he originally wanted to make enough for a full ten-whip soup, but he was afraid that it might not be suitable for nourishing lucifer, so he decided to start with a five-whip soup for now!


    in addition to the sugar from the five magical beasts, pei xia also added honey, beef, eggs, sugar, ginger, and so on.


    as pei xia simmered the five-whip soup, he enthusiastically introduced it to princess eva, ¡°actually, this nourishing soup is also suitable for women. after it¡¯s ready, i¡¯d like to invite your highness to taste it.¡±


    princess eva replied, ¡°no, that¡¯s not necessary! i suddenly remembered that i had urgent matters to attend to. oh dear, i must go now. goodbye!¡±


    princess eva was truly a lively, warm-hearted, and responsible princess! pei xia watched her retreating figure and couldn¡¯t help but smile. when the five-whip soup was ready, he carefully divided it into two bowls.


    one bowl was for nourishing lucifer, and the other was for prince harry. he didn¡¯t want to give it only to his holiness and make the prince feel targeted.


    ahem, although he did have some grievances against the prince, he wasn¡¯t that petty.


    pei xia carried the two bowls of five-whip soup with confidence and arrived at lucifer¡¯s room. through the crack in the door, he saw that prince harry hadn¡¯t left yet. he was holding a classic church of light scripture and discussing it with lucifer.


    knock, knock.


    pei xia knocked on the door, ¡°your holiness, may i come in?¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s pei xia, please come in.¡±


    lucifer gently raised his head to look at the door. however, when pei xia walked in with two bowls of the magical soup, the smile at the corner of his lips froze slightly.


    pei xia walked to the table and placed one bowl in front of each of them.


    then he took a step back and bowed lightly to the two of them, ¡°your holiness, prince, this is the nourishing soup i prepared. please enjoy.¡±


    prince harry looked surprised at the soup in front of him and said, ¡°i didn¡¯t expect pei xia to have such skills. your holiness, even your holy knights are so talented. i truly admire you.¡±


    pei xia: why can he always seize the opportunity to flatter lucifer at times like this!


    pei xia, not one to back down, turned to lucifer. as he recalled princess eva¡¯s suggestion, he earnestly said, ¡°your holiness, you are as warm-hearted as a rose, as comforting as black tea, and as a loyal knight in your service, i have been under your care for a long time. now, please accept my feelings!¡±


    lucifer trembled slightly as he looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar soup in front of him. he fell silent for a moment before saying, ¡°pei xia, you¡¯ve worked hard.¡±


    pei xia lowered his head, feeling embarrassed. ¡°no, it¡¯s you who¡¯ve worked hard. this is all i can do for you.¡±


    the kind and pure-hearted lucifer gazed at his knight. he saw him with his head bowed, his eyes filled with nervousness and unease, as if he cared deeply about lucifer¡¯s reaction.


    it was always like this, making it hard to tell whether he cared about him or not.


    lucifer sighed inwardly, unable to bear to see his poor little knight upset. he lowered his gaze, thought for a moment, then suddenly raised his hand, furrowing his brows slightly, and said in an exaggerated manner, ¡°ouch.¡±


    ¡°what¡¯s wrong, your holiness?!¡± pei xia immediately looked up, concerned.


    lucifer, with a meaningful look, said, ¡°it seems my mouth was accidentally injured before, and it still hurts.¡±


    pei xia felt a twinge of guilt. ¡°i see, you¡¯re still recovering.¡±


    with a tinge of regret, lucifer said, ¡°there¡¯s nothing i can do. the soup is too hot, so i¡¯ll have to wait for it to cool down before drinking.¡±


    ¡°i see. should i fan it to help it cool down faster for you?¡±


    lucifer quickly said, ¡°no need!¡±


    pei xia was slightly disappointed that he missed another opportunity to flatter him.


    at this moment, lucifer turned to prince harry, who was sitting across from him at the table and said warmly, ¡°prince, please taste this soup. pei xia has added many essences to it, and it has great benefits for the body.¡±


    prince harry, pleasantly surprised, said, ¡°well then, i won¡¯t be shy!¡±


    he picked up a spoon, scooped some soup, blew on it, and took a bite. his expression began to change oddly, ¡°uh, why does it taste both sweet and salty, and a bit fishy?¡±


    lucifer smiled and said, ¡°the taste is secondary; the key lies in the essence.¡±


    ¡°essence?¡±


    prince harry tasted a slippery and crunchy texture that was surprisingly delicious, despite the strange flavor. he scooped up another piece and curiously asked, ¡°what kind of meat is this?¡±


    pei xia enthusiastically explained, ¡°this is the essence of the five-whip soup!¡±


    upon hearing the name ¡°five-whip soup,¡± lucifer couldn¡¯t help but feel a slight discomfort.


    prince harry, unaware of the impending horror, asked with curiosity, ¡°what is five-whip soup? what kind of meat is this?¡±


    ¡°well, in fact, five-whip refers to the genitals of five different male animals, which is the meat you just ate!¡±


    prince harry: ¡°¡­¡±


    he froze in place for a moment, then reacted with a horrified expression, and promptly sprayed out the contents of his mouth in shock.


    the filth shot out directly, but lucifer, quick on his feet, managed to dodge it before getting hit. however, the bowl of soup in front of him wasn¡¯t as lucky.


    lucifer exaggeratedly covered his mouth with his hand, appearing regretful but secretly relieved. he said, ¡°oh, what a shame! pei xia¡¯s heartfelt gesture has been wasted.¡±

 CH 33

    faced with this outcome, lucifer appeared deeply saddened. he walked gracefully over to prince harry, who was still coughing and handed him a napkin.


    then, he looked at the bowl of nourishing soup in front of him. with his hands clasped in front of him, he furrowed his brows slightly, his emotions swirling as he said: ¡°ah, why did it turn out like this? pei xia, it¡¯s such a pity. but please believe me, i have already accepted your heartfelt gesture.¡±


    pei xia hurriedly waved his hand and went to help clear the table. ¡°please don¡¯t say that, your holiness. there¡¯s more in the pot, and i¡¯ll bring you a fresh one right away!¡±


    suddenly, lucifer¡¯s body swayed, and he staggered to the sofa, his head hanging slightly.


    ¡°your holiness?!¡±


    ignoring prince harry for the moment, pei xia rushed over and knelt beside lucifer, carefully looking at him.


    through his long, flowing hair that hung softly, pei xia saw tears in lucifer¡¯s eyes. he raised a hand to cover his lips gently, his gaze filled with sorrow and reluctance. ¡°pei xia, actually¡­¡±


    ¡°what¡¯s wrong, your holiness? are you feeling unwell?¡±


    lucifer sighed and said, ¡°actually, i¡¯ve always felt guilty about eating meat.¡±


    he clasped his hands together, as if in prayer, and looked up at the distant sky as if he were praying for unknown souls: ¡°i pray for the cattle and sheep every day because they give their lives for us. but even so, i still feel guilty when i eat meat. especially when it comes to animals of other races, i just can¡¯t bear to consume their lives!¡±


    the kind and gentle-hearted lucifer turned back to pei xia and reached out to hold his hand. his hand was trembling slightly, cold to the touch, and he perfectly conveyed his guilt and pain to pei xia.


    while sighing, lucifer shook his head. his long hair swayed like golden tassels as he looked at the distant sky as if he were praying for unknown souls: ¡°pei xia, my heart aches so much! i¡¯m sorry, but i might not be able to eat the nourishing soup you prepared for me.¡±


    as he spoke, he grew weaker. when the last word fell, a crystal-clear tear rolled down from the corner of his eye, slowly tracing his fair and tender cheek, reaching his chin, and finally landing with a soft sound on pei xia¡¯s hand.


    pei xia was deeply moved and speechless. he held lucifer¡¯s hand in return, touched by the moment.


    pei xia was moved because lucifer had this quirk but had been enduring it in front of him, even finishing all the previous nourishing soups. he was speechless because he didn¡¯t expect lucifer¡¯s inner world to be so fragile. however, it was understandable why he couldn¡¯t bring himself to take lives.


    pei xia sighed, realizing that he needed to continue exploring lucifer¡¯s inner world.


    holding lucifer¡¯s hand tightly, pei xia said, ¡°i understand, your holiness. you¡¯re too kind and compassionate, and it was my oversight not to notice this before. from now on, i will make sure not to make this mistake again!¡±


    lucifer nodded.


    in the warm, dim afternoon sunlight, the priest and his knight clasped each other¡¯s hands. their gaze towards each other was filled with genuine emotion and deep affection.


    he truly was a kind-hearted man. despite his quirks and physical weakness, at least his soul was as beautiful as his face.


    pei xia looked into his deep, ocean-like blue eyes and couldn¡¯t help but think that.


    ¡°ahem, ahem!¡±


    prince harry¡¯s coughing interrupted their gaze. pei xia quickly released lucifer¡¯s hand, and his heart skipped a beat. he took a step back, feeling a bit uncomfortable, and shifted his gaze from lucifer to prince harry.


    ¡°your highness, how are you feeling now?¡± pei xia belatedly remembered to check on the prince.


    prince harry wiped his mouth with a napkin. his face was pale, and he appeared weak as he stood up. he looked at lucifer and pei xia with a complex and almost indescribable expression, filled with fear and complexity.


    ¡°i-i¡¯m fine.¡±


    since lucifer had moved to the sofa on the side, prince harry felt a bit neglected. pei xia thought he might have inadvertently hurt lucifer¡¯s pure and delicate soul, so he stepped forward to attend to prince harry.


    ¡°your highness, please have a glass of water to soothe your throat. are you still hungry? do you want me to bring you a fresh bowl of soup?¡± pei xia asked, looking at him with concern.


    prince harry: ¡°no need!¡±


    he chuckled awkwardly, taking a couple of steps back. ¡°i suddenly remembered that it¡¯s almost dusk, and the monster tide is about to arrive. oh no, i have to rush over to inspect the city walls with everyone. your holiness, knight, we¡¯ll see each other later!¡±


    with that, he turned and hurried out of the room.


    pei xia couldn¡¯t help but sigh. prince harry indeed had a good character, but his constant presence around lucifer could be quite annoying at times.


    now, a solemn-looking priest is sitting on the couch, praying for the souls of the departed little creatures, while a prince, due to urgent matters, had to leave his food behind.


    pei xia started to clean up the table, looking at the two bowls of wasted food. he felt a bit regretful and decided not to make this kind of tonic soup in the future to avoid making lucifer sad.


    ¡°my lord, i¡¯ll be back in a moment.¡±


    pei xia tidied up the table and then poured away the contaminated food. he remembered that there was still some left in the kitchen. however, he had no intention of drinking it himself. after all, if he were to drink the five-whip soup in front of lucifer, he might inadvertently reveal his desire for his beauty.


    but when pei xia reached the kitchen, he was surprised to find that the pot was empty, completely devoid of any soup. he asked the kitchen staff and the servants, but none of them knew what had happened.


    ¡®oh well, if it¡¯s gone, it¡¯s gone,¡¯ he thought to himself.


    on the other side, at the feet of the pure-hearted priest, a shadow blended seamlessly with the couch, and something within it was slowly wriggling. suddenly, the shadow shivered, as if it had hiccupped.


    as dusk arrived, pei xia, lucifer, and several holy knights returned to the city walls to participate in the ongoing battle. perhaps the mischievous blackhearted goose demon had been eliminated in secret, as this time the monster tide was much more normal compared to the previous day.


    after the battle, prince harry looked at the pile of monster corpses on the ground and breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°that¡¯s great; it seems we¡¯ll have a peaceful summer after all.¡±


    lucifer approached slowly, gazing into the dark forest, which seemed even more mysterious in the dim light. he spoke with a serious tone, ¡°no, i think things are not that simple.¡±


    pei xia nodded discreetly. indeed, lucifer was right. the next part of the original story involved the protagonist¡¯s group venturing into the sapphire forest.


    however, he still cooperatively asked, ¡°my lord, have you noticed anything?¡±


    lucifer nodded and replied, ¡°the prime minister informed me that this year, not only did demons participate, but the number and strength of the monster tide have also increased. now that the demons are eliminated, and there are still many monsters left, it¡¯s likely that something has gone awry inside the sapphire forest.¡±


    pei xia immediately applauded in agreement, ¡°my lord, you are absolutely right!¡±


    lucifer responded with a faint smile.


    prince harry looked concerned and suggested, ¡°you make a valid point. so, after the monster tide, let¡¯s go in together. the sapphire forest is the territory of the elves, and we can inquire with them.¡±


    lucifer shook his head and gazed ahead at the night sky with a resolute expression, ¡°although the largest demon has been eliminated, i can still sense an evil presence lingering within the sapphire forest. my powers are limited, and i cannot take care of so many people. prince, please stay here with princess and protect the people. leave the task of exploring the inner part of the sapphire forest to us, the followers of the light god!¡±


    prince harry was still not convinced, ¡°my lord, you are my dearest friend. how can i just stand by when darkness lies ahead?¡±


    his voice abruptly stopped as he saw lucifer¡¯s body swaying weakly, leaning towards a nearby holy knight.


    lucifer quipped, ¡°ah, the performance is over, it¡¯s time for me to faint.¡±


    pei xia instinctively reached out to support the lord, but he remained facing prince harry, and lucifer leaned against his shoulder with his face buried in his neck.


    prince harry suddenly realized something and quickly blinked. he continued, ¡°how can i just care for myself? my lord, allow me to lead the troops and accompany you. if you don¡¯t say anything, i¡¯ll take that as your agreement!¡±


    pei xia was shocked internally, ¡®why is prince harry so cunning? does he use these shameless tactics to get close to the ladies as well?¡¯


    no, he couldn¡¯t let him succeed!


    pei xia thought for a moment and discreetly stepped back, supporting lucifer¡¯s ribs and placing him in front of himself, facing prince harry.


    ¡°let me protect the fragile heart of my lord. to prevent my lord from waking up and realizing that he has unintentionally agreed to accompany prince harry, i have no choice!¡±


    prince harry: ¡°¡­¡±


    pei xia shook his head slightly, signaling lucifer to do the same.


    pei xia appeared regretful, saying, ¡°i¡¯m truly sorry, prince harry. it seems that lord lucifer is quite determined. you should stay in atna city with princess.¡±


    prince harry: ¡°¡­¡±


    pei xia supported lucifer, allowing him to lean against him. then, he crouched down, lifting lucifer onto his back, and they began to descend toward the city wall.


    pei xia had grown accustomed to lucifer occasionally fainting due to excessive magical energy consumption.


    prince harry watched their retreating figures and couldn¡¯t help but comment, ¡°sir knight, the lord has clearly fainted!¡±


    pei xia, carrying lucifer on his back, didn¡¯t look back and responded, ¡°in that case, the lord didn¡¯t agree earlier; he had already fainted!¡±


    prince harry attempted to argue, ¡°no, he was awake just now; he only fainted now.¡±


    pei xia replied, ¡°if that¡¯s the case, i will inquire with the lord after he wakes up!¡±


    finally, prince harry stopped arguing.


    on their way back to the rear resting area, lucifer regained consciousness. he leaned against pei xia¡¯s back and breathed softly into his ear, ¡°pei xia, return to the bak family¡¯s side.¡±


    pei xia felt an itching sensation in his ear and instinctively tilted his head to avoid it.


    ¡°yes, my lord. just now, you fainted, and prince harry still wants to accompany you to the sapphire forest. for the sake of your energy and health, please hold out and don¡¯t agree to him!¡±


    pei xia couldn¡¯t resist being a little petty while also subtly brainwashing lucifer.


    ¡°alright.¡±


    lucifer, leaning on pei xia¡¯s back, smiled and spoke in a low, seductive tone into his ear. with each breath, he tickled pei xia¡¯s ear, causing him to shiver.


    unable to bear it any longer, pei xia involuntarily twitched his shoulder to rub his ear.


    there was a muffled sound.


    pei xia froze.


    a moment later, lucifer covered his chin and said, ¡°pei xia, i think i may have bitten my tongue.¡±

 CH 34

    lucifer is injured?


    even though it was just a bitten tongue, neglecting a small injury could lead to a more significant issue!


    pei xia hurried with two legs and said, ¡°my lord, please hold on!¡±


    lucifer gazed at the anxious knight and softly asked, ¡°pei xia, i have a question for you.¡±


    ¡°please go ahead.¡±


    ¡°why is it always me who gets injured?¡±


    pei xia¡¯s knees weakened, and he stumbled. lucifer¡¯s body swayed, producing another ¡°thud¡± sound as his chin hit pei xia¡¯s shoulder.


    lucifer: ¡°¡­¡±


    pei xia, just as curious, asked, ¡°regarding this question, my lord, perhaps it¡¯s because of your kind heart?¡±


    ¡°your beauty and grace?¡±


    ¡°your heroic willingness to bear the world¡¯s malice in order to save humanity!¡±


    lucifer: ¡°never mind, i won¡¯t ask. *chomp* oops, i bit my own tongue.¡±


    pei xia slammed the brakes, stopping near a resting area. he nervously and weakly said, ¡°my lord, this time it really isn¡¯t my fault, is it?¡±


    lucifer managed a painful smile. ¡°no.¡±


    blaming himself for speaking while the knight was running.


    lucifer couldn¡¯t help but half-cover his face with his hand.


    pei xia, fearing that lucifer might bite his tongue again while speaking to him, slowed down and walked towards their courtyard. on the way, they encountered princess eva, who was returning as well.


    princess eva approached and expressed her concern. however, when she looked at the weakened lucifer, she involuntarily took a step back. realizing it wasn¡¯t appropriate, she quickly stepped forward again, made a fist-pumping gesture to encourage lucifer, and said, ¡°my lord, even though you¡¯re a bit weakened, you¡¯re a true man, a real hero! keep it up!¡±


    lucifer: ???


    before he could ask why, princess eva bid them farewell and left.


    pei xia carried lucifer back to their room, carefully placing him on the bed. then, he poured a glass of water and handed it to him.


    ¡°my lord, please have some water to calm yourself.¡±


    lucifer, with a worried expression, accepted the glass, took a sip, and let out a soft, hoarse sound. he then put the glass down and sighed while looking at pei xia.


    pei xia felt uneasy seeing his lord¡¯s restrained yet painful expression. he half-knelt in front of him, concerned. ¡°my lord, is your injury severe? should i go fetch some medicine for you?¡±


    lucifer shook his head and said, ¡°i¡¯m not sure. pei xia, please check for me.¡±


    ¡°yes, my lord!¡±


    so, the elegant beauty in front of him leaned against the head of the bed, gracefully interlacing his hands in front of him. he opened his pale pink lips to reveal a bright red tongue.


    however, in the deep darkness of the night, it was difficult to distinguish clearly.


    pei xia stared at his tongue earnestly and carefully but couldn¡¯t see any injury. ¡°my lord, i can¡¯t see it.¡±


    lucifer¡¯s mouth seemed to have been open for quite some time, making it a bit dry. he suddenly extended his tongue and circled it around his own pale and thin lips.


    pei xia commented, ¡°this doesn¡¯t make it any clearer.¡±


    the charming and graceful lucifer let out a soft and affectionate sigh, ¡°ah, pei xia, it¡¯s so dark at night, of course, you can¡¯t see.¡±


    ¡°what should we do then?¡± pei xia asked sincerely.


    lucifer gently curved his lips, faintly smiling. as he spoke, his agile tongue occasionally flashed within pei xia¡¯s line of sight. he spoke in a sweet and lingering tone, ¡°you¡¯re really silly.¡±


    pei xia frowned, genuinely concerned. ¡°my lord, if your injury is this severe that it¡¯s affecting your speech, you shouldn¡¯t talk anymore!¡±


    lucifer coughed a few times.


    ¡°my lord?¡±


    ¡°i¡¯m fine.¡±


    he raised his hand to press down on pei xia¡¯s hand, grinding his molars for a moment. he persisted with a smile, ¡°since you can¡¯t see, use your hands to feel it.¡±


    pei xia looked at him in surprise. ¡°do you mean¡­¡±


    lucifer slowly nodded, secretly amused, thinking, ¡°i bet you won¡¯t stay calm now!¡±


    as expected, just as he imagined, pei xia¡¯s expression turned embarrassed. however, despite the severity of the injury, pei xia nodded in agreement.


    lucifer suppressed the discomfort he felt earlier and narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at pei xia. he continued speaking with a seductive tone, ¡°my injury is now in your hands, pei xia.¡±


    pei xia nodded solemnly and said, ¡°i¡¯ll go wash my hands. dirty hands could make your injury worse.¡±


    he quickly washed his hands and returned, then half-knelt in front of lucifer, extending his right hand with great seriousness.


    pei xia was feeling nervous about having to touch lucifer¡¯s lips. he had to stay calm and not show any signs of unease in front of him.


    lucifer¡¯s eyes flashed with a hint of mischief. he slightly opened his mouth, making sure that pei xia had no choice but to touch his lips.


    but when pei xia¡¯s fingers reached lucifer¡¯s lips, he suddenly furrowed his brow.


    his face tilted backward slightly, and he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°what¡¯s that smell?¡±


    ¡°smell?¡±


    pei xia withdrew his hand and sniffed it himself. indeed, there was a lingering odor that even washing couldn¡¯t completely remove. it had a hint of blood, likely from when they fought the monsters. however, lucifer, who was covered in blood, shouldn¡¯t be bothered by it.


    so, it could only be the faint scent of honeysuckle that remained.


    pei xia cleared his throat and explained, ¡°you see, my lord, when i prepared the five-whip soup for you this afternoon, i personally handled the ingredients.¡±


    lucifer was shocked.


    pei xia reached out his hand again and urged, ¡°although there¡¯s a bit of a smell, i¡¯ve already washed my hands thoroughly. they¡¯re very clean now.¡±


    lucifer hesitated and took a step back.


    pei xia said earnestly, ¡°my lord, your injury is important. let me check it!¡±


    lucifer palely shook his head.


    pei xia¡¯s hand, however, had already cradled his face.


    with a snap, lucifer suddenly lifted his hand and grabbed pei xia¡¯s wrists. ¡°pei¡­ pei xia.¡±


    ¡°my lord?¡± pei xia looked at him in confusion.


    lucifer¡¯s smile was tired, and he no longer struggled with speech. ¡°i suddenly feel that my mouth isn¡¯t as painful anymore. it¡¯s probably healed.¡±


    ¡°really?¡±


    lucifer nodded firmly. ¡°pei xia, this is the blessing of the god of light.¡±


    pei xia breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°that¡¯s great!¡±


    lucifer released his hand, and pei xia sat at the edge of his bed. he looked at lucifer and said, ¡°my lord, if you¡¯re feeling fine, please rest.¡±


    ¡°what about you?¡± lucifer asked.


    pei xia earnestly clasped his hands together and replied, ¡°i will recite the holy scriptures of the god of light to give thanks for his blessing and pray for the people here. please don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    lucifer looked at him in silence for a moment and then closed his eyes. ¡°very well.¡±


    and so, another night quietly passed.


    the next day, pei xia woke up early and brought breakfast to lucifer. then, they went to the medical station together to help treat the wounded.


    during this process, pei xia played a significant role. while he didn¡¯t know light magic, he had some modern medical knowledge. in a situation where light magic users were scarce, he could use this knowledge to help treat himself.


    watching pei xia communicating medical knowledge with the other medical staff, lucifer tilted his head and smiled.


    he heard someone ask pei xia, ¡°sir knight, your methods are indeed effective, but where did you learn them? did the church of the god of light teach you?¡±


    pei xia thought for a moment and replied, ¡°no, i learned these things in my hometown, but unfortunately, i didn¡¯t study them seriously. i can only teach you a little.¡±


    everyone reassured him, ¡°being able to share your knowledge is already great. you are a kind-hearted person, and we are grateful for your help.¡±


    pei xia quickly said, ¡°this is also thanks to the guidance of his grace. i¡¯ve been by his grace¡¯s side, receiving the influence of the light, which made me more inclined to help others!¡±


    the crowd cheered, ¡°i see, thank you, your grace!¡±


    pei xia discreetly turned around and found himself locking eyes with lucifer¡¯s smiling face. oh no, he got caught peeking.


    pei xia abruptly turned his head away and joined the others in shouting, ¡°thank you, your grace!¡±


    ah, he hoped that by praising lucifer like this, his favorability would increase even faster!

 CH 35

    the intensity of the monster waves was diminishing, but they couldn¡¯t afford to relax this summer. after helping stabilize the frontlines and tending to the wounded, the members of the church of light planned to venture into the depths of the sapphire forest.


    before departing, prince harry, who was persistent as ever, tried to persuade lucifer to take him along. fortunately, lucifer remained resolute, and in the end, prince harry gave up but asked lucifer to have a more in-depth discussion with him regarding the scriptures before leaving.


    as he watched lucifer and prince harry engage in their discussion indoors, pei xia quietly closed the door for them. he turned away, but his face bore a troubled expression.


    pei xia was troubled to the point that he started losing hair.


    he really wished he could find someone to talk to and seek advice. the last time princess eva¡¯s suggestion worked well, praising lucifer while switching from white lotus green tea to rose red tea, and he didn¡¯t seem to mind it!


    pei xia decided to consult her again regarding his new problem.


    inside the room, lucifer, who was casually chatting with prince harry, suddenly became absent-minded. his gaze shifted to the door, his slender and fair fingers resting on the pages of a book, without turning them for quite some time.


    ¡°your grace? lucifer?¡± prince harry asked a question, but seeing that he was not responding, he raised his voice to wake him up.


    ¡°your grace, what happened just now?¡±


    lucifer nodded slightly, a faint smile on his face almost imperceptible. he seemed to have just noticed prince harry in front of him and responded with a polite yet somewhat distant attitude, ¡°i apologize, i got lost in thought.¡±


    prince harry looked at him with admiration and said, ¡°your concern for your subordinates truly makes me feel ashamed, your grace. you are the guiding light in my life.¡±


    lucifer¡¯s expression remained unchanged, as if he had little reaction to his praise. prince harry felt somewhat uncomfortable under his gaze and coughed lightly, ¡°perhaps, sir knight has gone to the kitchen again. after all, he always cares deeply about you.¡±


    upon hearing this, the curvature of lucifer¡¯s lips became slightly more apparent. his fingers tapped lightly on the book pages, and his tone carried a hint of delight, ¡°you¡¯re right, perhaps he has gone to the kitchen again. let¡¯s wait here for him.¡±


    prince harry chuckled wryly and waved his hand, saying, ¡°if sir knight serves up another ¡®healing¡¯ soup, i might have to run away immediately.¡±


    lucifer smiled and replied, ¡°i will protect you.¡±


    the shadow at their feet followed the contours of the buildings and trees, silently making its way to the kitchen. upon seeing the kind-hearted knight busy in the kitchen, it reported back to its master in an obsequious manner.


    [my great master, your predictions were absolutely correct. lord pei xia is indeed cooking soup!]


    the smile in lucifer¡¯s eyes became even more evident, and he summoned the shadow demon back.


    prince harry didn¡¯t understand why he was so delighted and asked with a silly grin, ¡°what are you thinking about that makes you so happy?¡±


    lucifer was a bit surprised. he slightly parted his lips and looked at prince harry before asking, ¡°do i appear happy?¡±


    ¡°of course, your smile is so charming, just like the bright moon in the night sky.¡±


    lucifer raised his hand gently, silencing prince harry in an amusing manner.


    the saintly figure with a smile in his eyes crossed his legs elegantly and lightly traced his fingers over the book pages. he said, ¡°no, you¡¯re mistaken. in reality, i¡¯m quite distressed.¡±


    prince harry asked, ¡°what are you distressed about?¡±


    lucifer sighed lightly and, in a rather good mood, explained to prince harry, ¡°pei xia is always overly concerned about me, like with this ¡®healing¡¯ soup. even if i make excuses to decline, this young man continues to strive. it¡¯s quite distressing, to be honest.¡±


    prince harry: ¡°¡­¡±


    lucifer raised an eyebrow slightly and asked, ¡°what would you like to say?¡±


    prince harry replied, ¡°i mean, if you don¡¯t say it, it¡¯s really impossible to guess that you¡¯re distressed.¡±


    lucifer smiled without saying a word.


    prince harry rubbed his nose and asked, ¡°can¡¯t you be more firm in your refusal?¡±


    the kind-hearted lord merely shook his head nonchalantly and said, ¡°that doesn¡¯t align with my style.¡±


    prince harry: ¡°ah?¡±


    lucifer added, ¡°besides, i don¡¯t really want to make him sad.¡±


    prince harry: ¡°you seem to care a lot about pei xia.¡±


    ¡°do i?¡± lucifer seemed somewhat surprised.


    ¡°yes.¡±


    ¡°you¡¯re overthinking it. he¡¯s my knight, and my concern for him is simply that of companions.¡±


    although prince harry still felt that something was off, he wisely chose not to pursue the topic further. why bother clarifying everything? let them be confused for a lifetime; it might actually be to his advantage.


    prince harry changed the subject and continued chatting with lucifer, seizing the opportunity to praise and flatter him to raise his favorability. however, for some reason, lucifer¡¯s responses seemed rather indifferent.


    after a while, lucifer became even more distant, looking toward the door as if waiting for something.


    prince harry almost immediately guessed, ¡°are you waiting for pei xia?¡±


    ¡°yes.¡± lucifer furrowed his brows slightly. he¡¯s been away for too long.


    ¡°perhaps he got delayed with something.¡±


    ¡°maybe.¡±


    lucifer absentmindedly read books with prince harry, but in private, he sent the shadow demon out for another round of reconnaissance.


    [reporting to the great master, lord pei xia has left the kitchen!]


    ¡®he¡¯s left? then why hasn¡¯t he come over?¡¯


    [where did he go?]


    the shadow demon stammered and shivered under lucifer¡¯s oppressive gaze, answering, ¡°[he seemed to be carrying something and went elsewhere.]¡±


    lucifer: ¡°¡­¡±


    with his white robe as pure as snow and his shining golden hair, he, the embodiment of the light itself, suddenly stood up and closed the book before him with a snap.


    prince harry looked up at him and sensed the increasingly tense atmosphere.


    ¡°your highness, i believe you¡¯ve absorbed enough of the lessons you¡¯ve been studying recently. perhaps it¡¯s time for you to leave.¡±


    prince harry felt puzzled, ¡°are you not feeling well?¡±


    the once-beautiful but now inexplicably intimidating saint, with a cold expression, gently raised his head and said, ¡°you should leave.¡±


    prince harry couldn¡¯t fathom why lucifer¡¯s attitude had changed so quickly, but he didn¡¯t dare to ask more questions and obediently left.


    afterward, the room was empty, with only lucifer remaining.


    he walked around the empty room for a while, then stood by the window and quietly conversed with something unseen, ¡°tell me the truth, is he not as concerned about me lately?¡±


    [¡°not at all. i see that lord pei xia still cares deeply about you!¡±]


    lucifer smiled inscrutably and lightly tapped his boots, free from any speck of dust, on the shadow beneath him. ¡°is that so? but when i was unconscious, he seemed quite composed.¡±


    the shadow demon continued to crawl to the side discreetly while answering in a hushed tone, ¡°[perhaps it¡¯s because you¡¯ve fainted so many times, lord pei xia has gotten used to it.]¡±


    ¡°is that so?¡±


    lucifer picked up a strand of his own long hair, unconsciously twirling the bright golden strands around his finger. ¡°maybe it¡¯s time for a change. simple fainting spells no longer seem to affect the heart of a holy knight.¡±


    [¡°indeed, my great master, you are truly wise!¡±]


    lucifer: ¡°i haven¡¯t even said anything yet.¡±


    shadow demon: ¡°¡­¡±


    lucifer released his finger, pushing back the disheveled hair behind his ear, then adjusted his attire. he resumed his refined and pure image, saying, ¡°alright, tell me, where did he go?¡±


    [¡°it seems that lord pei xia went to find princess eva.¡±]


    lucifer¡¯s smile stiffened briefly, and then he pushed open the door, determined to give his holy knight a piece of advice, ¡®your tonic seems to be too stimulating for a princess!¡¯


    in princess eva¡¯s reception room, pei xia was seated opposite her.


    between them, there was a ceramic pot filled with steaming sugar water.


    princess eva: ¡°pei xia, i feel like i don¡¯t really need this.¡±


    pei xia smiled at her and said, ¡°i understand. as a woman, you don¡¯t have the same needs as a man, so i¡¯ve prepared a simple sugar water for you. i heard from your maids that you¡¯ve been experiencing abdominal pain, and you¡¯ve been fighting on the battlefield recently. i greatly admire you, so i made this as a small token of my appreciation. in my hometown, many girls drink this kind of beverage during special times to alleviate discomfort.¡±


    princess eva cautiously lifted the lid of the ceramic pot and saw the translucent deep red liquid inside, with no strange pieces of meat, which relieved her. she asked carefully, ¡°may i ask what ingredients are in it?¡±


    pei xia replied, ¡°it contains brown sugar, ginger, roses, and red dates, provided by local merchants.¡±


    it all sounded quite normal, but eva had never drunk a beverage made from these ingredients together before. she curiously took a sip, and the taste was pleasantly sweet with a hint of spiciness. it wasn¡¯t bad at all, and the warmth it brought to her stomach made her feel cozy.


    the persistent pain in her lower abdomen was alleviated, allowing her previously curled-up body to relax a bit.


    ¡°thank you very much,¡± princess eva said, taking a few more sips and then putting down the spoon with a sigh. ¡°i feel much better now.¡±


    pei xia also smiled and said, ¡°actually, i¡¯ve come to disturb you for another reason. i have some questions about relationships that i¡¯d like to seek answers to. i haven¡¯t met many girls here, and i thought of you as someone who is thoughtful, intelligent, and brave, so i hope to get your advice.¡±


    ¡°please go ahead,¡± princess eva said, curious.


    ¡°well, it¡¯s like this. my friend has some doubts about relationships. he¡¯s had several opportunities, but none of them seemed to develop into anything meaningful. even when it seemed like there was a potential connection, he didn¡¯t feel much interest,¡± pei xia explained.


    ¡°are you sure he¡¯s interested in women?¡± eva asked.


    ¡°i believe so,¡± pei xia replied. ¡°he might have some underlying health issues.¡±


    eva slapped the table and said, ¡°that might be it!¡±


    pei xia was shocked and thought about lucifer¡¯s behavior. he remembered how lucifer had flirted with many women in the original story but never crossed any lines. could it be that lucifer was unable to perform?


    he looked at eva in amazement and quickly asked, ¡°but even if he has physical issues, his soul should still be fine. how can i encourage him to interact with women he might have a connection with?¡±


    eva looked at him strangely and asked, ¡°why are you so concerned about him?¡±


    pei xia scratched his head, feeling a bit awkward, unsure of how to explain to eva.


    actually, in the original story, the next person who had an ambiguous relationship with lucifer was an elven girl. after they met, because she had feelings for lucifer, the elven girl believed he was a good person and brought him to the core territory of the forest elves, leading to the development of the plot.


    now, with lucifer in this state, it¡¯s unlikely that anything will develop with the elven girl, and pei xia is very troubled by this.


    furthermore, in the subsequent plot, when they encounter danger, the elven girl fearlessly saves lucifer. if she didn¡¯t like him, she wouldn¡¯t have gone to save him, and lucifer would be in trouble!


    unable to reveal the real reason, pei xia sighed lightly and said, ¡°i just hope that this person can lead a peaceful and stable life. at the very least, he shouldn¡¯t end up in a pitiful situation!¡±


    princess eva looked at him, and for some reason, her eyes became a little moist. she took the initiative to hold pei xia¡¯s hand and said, ¡°pei xia, why do you have to be like this? if you care so much, don¡¯t push him towards someone else; you should go for it yourself! i believe your sincerity will surely touch the people around you, and when that happens, i and everyone else will bless you!¡±


    pei xia was taken aback and asked, ¡°what?¡±


    just then, a maid rushed in hurriedly and said, ¡°your highness, the holy son has come to visit!¡±


    ¡°huh? why did he come over?¡±


    before she could finish her sentence, lucifer followed closely behind the maid and appeared. he brought with him the bright sunshine and a pleasant breeze, entering the room with a commanding presence.


    his face bore a gentle and polite smile, but it froze when he saw pei xia and princess eva holding hands.


    ¡°my lord, why did you come over?¡± pei xia didn¡¯t think too much, stood up in surprise, and went to greet him. ¡°is there something you need? i¡¯m sorry; i forgot the time and didn¡¯t return in time.¡±


    ¡°no, pei xia, i just heard that you brought something for princess eva, so i came to remind you that the soup you made is better not to¡­¡±


    his words came to an abrupt halt as he saw what was in front of princess eva¡ªa jar of clear, ginger-scented sugar water.


    pei xia scratched his head, puzzled, and asked, ¡°not to what?¡±


    lucifer blinked his beautiful large eyes and looked at pei xia seriously, unable to stop himself from asking, ¡°why is there such a big difference between what you gave me and what you gave her?¡±


    pei xia was taken aback and didn¡¯t know what he was concerned about. could it be that he still felt guilty about those five little monsters?


    he quickly explained, ¡°because you are a strong man.¡±


    it¡¯s because of insufficient yang energy, a weak body that needs kidney strengthening¡­


    lucifer clenched his teeth, held pei xia¡¯s hand, and smiled brightly, ¡°i think we should set off now. the secrets within the sapphire forest need us to unravel them.¡±


    ¡°now?¡± pei xia was somewhat surprised.


    ¡°yes, now!¡±


    with that, he bid farewell to princess eva, then took pei xia¡¯s hand and briskly walked out of the room.


    ¡°my lord, isn¡¯t this a bit too rushed?¡± pei xia asked as he stumbled behind him.


    ¡°no.¡± lucifer suddenly stopped, but the holy knight, who was being dragged along, couldn¡¯t brake in time and bumped into him.


    his nose hit painfully, and tears welled up in his eyes. pei xia reached up to cover his nose, his eyes blurred as he looked ahead.


    they were behind an unpopulated wall, and lucifer calmly turned to face his holy knight, elegantly raising his right hand to wipe the tears from pei xia¡¯s face with his thumb. his voice carried a hint of a smile but also a strange sense of displeasure, ¡°i¡¯m sorry for making you cry.¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s not your fault, your grace.¡±


    as lucifer wiped his tears away, pei xia felt uncomfortable and nervous. he instinctively tried to turn his head away, but that slightly cool hand followed and firmly cradled his cheek.


    pei xia held his breath and dared not move.


    lucifer calmly wiped away the teardrops from the corners of his eyes and then withdrew his hand as if everything was back to normal.


    pei xia¡¯s heart beat strangely, and he couldn¡¯t quite describe what he was feeling at this moment. the atmosphere between them was incredibly subtle.


    lucifer looked at him and tilted his head slightly, asking, ¡°pei xia, do you have any objections to me?¡±


    pei xia vigorously shook his head, ¡°no, absolutely not!¡±


    ¡°is that so?¡±


    pei xia: ¡°yes!¡±


    lucifer sighed lightly, ¡°then, about you and princess eva¡­¡±


    ¡°i was just asking her for advice on how to pursue someone else. i swear to you, i absolutely didn¡¯t lie! i just omitted the target,¡± pei xia explained earnestly.


    lucifer said, ¡°is that so.¡±


    ¡°yes! please, you must believe me.¡±


    looking at the pitiful holy knight with his anxious and cautious demeanor, lucifer knew he wasn¡¯t lying. however, knowing the truth only made him feel more downhearted.


    to think that he was seeking advice from a princess on how to pursue someone else. pei xia, pei xia, you really¡­


    lucifer clenched his teeth and decided that tomorrow he would change his approach! he had to make pei xia admit defeat before he successfully pursued someone else!


    but who had caught his eye?


    lucifer couldn¡¯t guess, and this made him even more unhappy.


    the group of light worshipers, led by the holy son, began their journey into the interior of the sapphire forest. because their destination was inside the forest, and they would need to return later, they left their carriage in the city of atna. everyone was riding horses, including lucifer.


    when they departed, the citizens of atna, along with the prince and princess, stood on the city walls to bid them farewell.


    prince harry waved with tears in his eyes, ¡°oh, may the light god bless the holy son and keep him safe!¡±


    princess eva looked at her brother in silence and poked him, ¡°brother, you should give up early.¡±


    prince harry: ????


    under the city walls, the group began to make their way into the forest. they had set out during the day to avoid the monster tide, and at this time, the sapphire forest appeared calm and harmonious.


    even though there were small animals scurrying around, it wasn¡¯t as frenzied as during the monster tide.


    lucifer was protected in the middle of the group, with pei xia on his right, standing very close to him.


    they traveled for a day, and as dusk approached, the monsters within the forest began to stir, so the group decided to find a safe place to stop and rest.


    lucifer stood at a high point, looking down at the monsters surging toward atna city and then at the direction from which they were charging into the forest. he nodded and said: ¡°indeed, there is an evil presence deep within the forest, and it becomes more pronounced in the evening, inciting the monsters to madness and fear.¡±


    ¡°dear holy son, please take a rest, and we can venture deeper tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°wait!¡± lucifer suddenly saw something and jumped down to the edge of the monster tide.


    pei xia was taken aback and quickly reached out to grab him, ¡°it¡¯s dangerous!¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s okay, what¡¯s important is this.¡±


    lucifer rescued an injured little rabbit from under the monsters¡¯ feet.


    he cradled the injured rabbit in his hands, looking at pei xia with a compassionate expression, ¡°such a pitiful little life, suffering from such serious injuries, it must be in pain.¡±


    pei xia said, ¡°your heart is truly kind!¡±


    lucifer carried the rabbit back to the safe high ground, treating its wounds gently, and then let it go. he looked at pei xia with anticipation.


    pei xia didn¡¯t understand why he was being looked at like this. after some thought, he slowly clapped his hands.


    lucifer was exasperated and tried to guide him gently, ¡°what do you think of that rabbit?¡±


    pei xia swallowed and involuntarily said, ¡°it looks very delicious.¡±

 CH 36

    pei xia always wondered why lucifer was so delicate, and he couldn¡¯t figure out why lucifer was angry again.


    the key was that lucifer didn¡¯t admit to being angry.


    the road in the forest was not good, and everyone was riding slowly. it was daytime, peaceful and serene, with fragmented golden sunlight streaming through the dense branches and leaves, and the shadows of leaves and butterflies seemed to dance like spirits in the wind.


    lucifer¡¯s flowing robe hung down from the horse, almost blending with the golden-white horse. with his beautiful and silky golden hair, he looked like an otherworldly angel.


    if it weren¡¯t for his robe inevitably picking up grass and dust, as he watched, it almost felt like he was going to flutter his wings and fly away.


    pei xia tugged on the reins, getting closer to lucifer, and cleared his throat, thinking about how to start a conversation with him.


    since the incident with the delicious rabbit last night, lucifer hadn¡¯t spoken much to him. he must have some grievances, but what exactly was he upset about?


    pei xia thought it over and guessed that lucifer was too kind-hearted and thought it was cruel to eat such a cute rabbit. he must think he¡¯s too ruthless.


    pei xia felt that he should make amends.


    after all, as a holy knight of the church of light, he should be kind and gentle. he needed to find a way to make amends and not let lucifer think he was too cruel.


    ¡°lord saint, it¡¯s been a morning, would you like some water?¡± pei xia handed him a water pouch.


    lucifer glanced at him indifferently and then slowly nodded. he took the water pouch and had a sip, then continued to look ahead with a cold demeanor.


    pei xia was anxious in his heart: it¡¯s still not working!


    at this moment, they were passing through a dense thicket of grass, where the grass grew very tall, almost reaching the horses¡¯ bodies, making a rustling sound as they passed through.


    after they passed through the thicket of grass, almost everyone had grass stuck to their legs, especially lucifer, whose loose clothing had a wide contact area.


    suddenly, pei xia noticed something!


    he pulled on the reins, and the black horse closely followed the white horse. pei xia shifted his body, stretched out his hand, and directly grabbed something on lucifer¡¯s robe.


    his sudden move startled lucifer.


    the saint, whose delicate features resembled something otherworldly, tilted his head slightly in mild surprise. his pale pink lips parted slightly, revealing a glimpse of white teeth.


    pei xia slowly straightened up, placing the object he had in his hand in front of lucifer, trying to appear emotionally charged.


    ¡°look, lord saint, it¡¯s such a pitiful little creature. it has a broken leg; it must be in pain!¡±


    lucifer stared woodenly at the struggling beetle in front of him. after a moment of silence, he said, ¡°pei xia, i can see what you did.¡±


    pei xia, holding the shiny black beetle the size of his thumb, didn¡¯t understand why lucifer didn¡¯t show the same affection as he did for the little rabbit. he weakly replied, ¡°it¡¯s really pitiful.¡±


    ¡°it was you who secretly broke its leg.¡±


    pei xia: !!!


    he suddenly sat up straight on the horse, stared straight ahead, and stammered, trying to explain, ¡°th-that was an accident!¡±


    lucifer glanced at him askew and sighed softly. ¡°pei xia, you don¡¯t have to force yourself.¡±


    pei xia looked at the beetle in his hand and still couldn¡¯t give up. ¡°lord saint, actually, i care about small animals just like you do!¡±


    lucifer remained silent, raised his hand, took the beetle from pei xia, and a brief holy light flashed. he then casually threw it into the grass.


    pei xia looked at him expectantly. ¡°you are truly kind. so, are you still angry?¡±


    lucifer blinked slowly and chuckled, saying, ¡°i¡¯m not angry with you. in fact, i¡¯m just praying for these unfortunate lives.¡±


    ¡°so seriously?¡±


    pei xia felt somewhat embarrassed and clenched his fists. ¡°your kindness will surely help them thrive in this beautiful forest. this adorable little beetle will definitely become stronger.¡±


    however, it seemed that this beetle didn¡¯t help pei xia improve his image. was it because it wasn¡¯t big enough, or the injury wasn¡¯t severe enough?


    suddenly, beta from behind pulled on the reins and exclaimed, ¡°captain, be careful, there¡¯s a snake in the tree!¡±


    pei xia instinctively drew his sword and swiftly cut the green snake hanging from the treetop into two pieces.


    the green snake fell to the ground, wriggling incessantly. pei xia held his sword and hesitated for a moment.


    this target seemed big enough, and the injury was severe enough, right?


    pei xia made up his mind, hooked his legs around the horse¡¯s belly and saddle, and agilely reached down to grab the still-wriggling snake¡¯s body and head.


    he tightly pinched the severed part and turned to face lucifer. ¡°look, lord saint, it¡¯s such a pitiful little life. it¡¯s been severed into two halves, such a severe injury; it must be in pain!¡±


    pei xia said with a heavy heart, ¡°i¡¯m truly heartbroken, just like you.¡±


    lucifer: ¡°i suspect you¡¯re mocking me.¡±


    the kind-hearted saint, who loved small animals so much, remained expressionless, gazing ahead, holding the reins, ignoring the equally kind-hearted holy knight.


    pei xia pinched the severed snake, not understanding what he had done wrong again.


    both were small animals, both were injured, why did he show concern and compassion while lucifer was displeased?


    it¡¯s too difficult.


    being a kind and compassionate holy knight is really difficult.


    in the end, the holy knight threw the severed snake to the ground in frustration, wiped his blood-covered hands on a tree, and hurriedly caught up.


    he decided to temporarily give up on showcasing his compassion.


    as long as they avoided the wave of monsters, the sapphire forest was still very safe. over the next two days, they moved on intermittently and soon reached the depths of the forest.


    during their noon rest, baku exclaimed.


    ¡°what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°we¡¯re running out of the dry rations we brought.¡±


    ¡°there¡¯s no other way; we¡¯ll have to go hunting.¡±


    ¡°yes, captain!¡±


    the knights were divided into three teams. one team went hunting, another gathered firewood, and the third stayed behind to protect lucifer and set up an area for a barbecue.


    soon, a massive rabbit-like monster was brought back. after simple preparation, it was placed over the fire to roast. once it was cooked, baku started distributing it to everyone.


    first in line was lucifer.


    pei xia, who was inspecting their supplies, turned around and was shocked. he quickly rushed over and snatched the skewer of meat from lucifer¡¯s hand.


    ¡°baku, please don¡¯t do this. seeing innocent lives harmed would cause the saint great pain!¡±


    how could the saint, who loved cute creatures like rabbits, bear to witness this??


    baku was taken aback, and looked at lucifer, then at the considerate captain. he said in embarrassment, ¡°i¡¯m sorry; it¡¯s all my fault for not paying attention. i¡¯ll never let the saint eat this meat again!¡±


    ¡°exactly.¡± pei xia said solemnly, ¡°let us bear the burden of consuming this sinful meat!¡±


    since he couldn¡¯t demonstrate his compassion in front of lucifer, he would avoid making him sad!


    as for lucifer?


    the pure, kind, tender-hearted saint, holding the dry piece of bread in his hand, gazing at the crisply roasted monster rabbit meat oozing with oil, remained silent for a long time.


    the holy knights gathered around the campfire, eating the roasted meat, tears streaming down their faces as they ate.


    ¡°lucifer, the saint, seemed to be in a very bad mood.¡±


    pei xia, with a mournful tone, took a bite of meat and said, ¡°he must be feeling pain for this poor rabbit.¡±


    ¡°the saint is truly kind-hearted!¡±


    pei xia sighed, ¡°indeed, so we should try our best to avoid making the saint sad!¡±


    ¡°the captain is right! but how do we help when the saint can¡¯t even eat his bread because of his bad mood?¡±


    pei xia glanced at lucifer, who was quietly exuding a gloomy atmosphere and shared the same concern. ¡°let¡¯s finish eating quickly. maybe if the saint doesn¡¯t see it, he won¡¯t be so sad!¡±


    ¡°that¡¯s absolutely right!¡±


    so, the seven holy knights began eating heartily, their mouths greasy from the delicious food, clearly displaying excellent appetites!


    in the end, when only the rabbit¡¯s skeleton remained, pei xia wiped the oil from his hands, stood up, and said, ¡°tom, you and i will take care of this. the rest of you, protect the saint and clean up here.¡±


    ¡°understood!¡±


    lucifer sat on a clean piece of bluestone, holding a piece of bread that had become warm from being roasted but was now even drier. although the aroma of the roasted meat wafted through the air, he had no appetite.


    it¡¯s too much.


    lucifer tore a piece of bread and ate it slowly, his gaze fixed on the ground, appearing rather unhappy.


    in reality, he didn¡¯t care much about his own appetite; he just felt somewhat annoyed.


    as he slowly nibbled on the small piece of bread, his mood didn¡¯t improve. suddenly, someone approached him.


    he gathered his thoughts, didn¡¯t lift his head, and asked gently, ¡°what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    with a thud, a small calf-like monster was dropped in front of lucifer.


    lucifer raised his head slightly in surprise when he saw pei xia approaching him. pei xia¡¯s clothing, his sword, and the blood stains on his hands made it seem like he had just been through a battle. lucifer noticed that he knelt before him and gave a knightly salute with his hand placed over his chest.


    pei xia spoke earnestly, ¡°my lord saint, i know that you are kind-hearted and reluctant to take life, but eating only bread is not good for your health. please, have some meat. you once told me that you don¡¯t consume other animals but pray for cows and sheep to offset your sins. i believe, since that¡¯s the case, you can accept a creature like this one that resembles a cow.¡±


    pei xia cautiously looked at lucifer¡¯s expression and, seeing no signs of aversion, continued, ¡°if you still find it difficult, you can pray for it first before consuming it.¡±


    this was the closest pei xia could find to a creature that resembled an ordinary cow.


    the saint, who had been silently listening, finally smiled when the holy knight was starting to feel anxious. he extended his hands and helped the somewhat weary holy knight to his feet, saying with a smile, ¡°thank you, pei xia.¡±


    pei xia sighed in relief, feeling the improvement in lucifer¡¯s mood.


    indeed, this creature had lightened lucifer¡¯s mood. although he didn¡¯t express a strong liking for the roasted meat, at least he was treating pei xia as he used to.


    the holy knight, who had expected to be cold-shouldered even more by lucifer for his perceived cruelty, was becoming increasingly puzzled.


    ¡®why? shouldn¡¯t lucifer be even more saddened when he saw this creature?¡¯ pei xia couldn¡¯t figure it out, truly couldn¡¯t.


    as they ventured deeper into the sapphire forest and rested at night in their camp, a strange sound suddenly came from outside the tent.


    in the darkness, pei xia¡¯s eyes shot open.


    here comes the elf maiden!

 CH 37

    to move faster and ease the burden on the horses, they only brought three tents into the forest this time.


    pei xia and lucifer shared one tent, while the other six people split between the other two.


    inside the small tent, lucifer and pei xia each occupied one side. strangely, even though it was the height of summer, lucifer still complained about being cold on the first night they shared a tent.


    he hugged himself, closed his eyes, and pretended to be asleep. he mumbled that it was so cold, and then his body started to shift toward pei xia¡¯s side.


    pei xia was very confused because he didn¡¯t feel cold at all; in fact, he felt a bit warm.


    seeing lucifer getting closer to him, pei xia thought this was a perfect opportunity to show his thoughtfulness! he took off his own coat and draped it over lucifer. he also borrowed coats from buck and the others to make sure lucifer was well-covered.


    satisfied with his handiwork, pei xia smiled. he was afraid lucifer might still feel cold, so he sat cross-legged, sleeping on one side and practicing his swordsmanship on the other, trying to emit the warmth of fire element sword energy.


    although he felt a bit overheated himself, as long as the holy son wasn¡¯t cold, it was worth it!


    in his heart, pei xia gave himself a pat on the back. what boss wouldn¡¯t love such a perfect subordinate?


    unfortunately, after that one night, lucifer never slept again. whenever he felt cold, he would scoot over and say so. pei xia missed out on another chance to show his care.


    tonight, in the darkness, pei xia heard strange rustling noises outside, as if someone was rummaging through things.


    if he remembered correctly, the character coming on stage now should be the elven princess who was stranded and injured outside. he couldn¡¯t recall the exact original plot, but without a doubt, it was the male lead lucifer who would be the first to capture her!


    pei xia quietly sat up, gently pushed lucifer, and opened his eyes. in the darkness, lucifer¡¯s sapphire-blue eyes appeared especially deep due to the low light.


    ¡°what¡¯s wrong?¡± lucifer asked softly, then sat up and brushed his long hair aside.


    pei xia whispered, ¡°your highness, did you hear that?¡±


    lucifer made a soft ¡°hmm¡± in response and leaned toward pei xia.


    pei xia: ???


    lucifer extended one hand and gently, precisely tapped pei xia¡¯s nose. it seemed like he might be having a nightmare because his breathing became rapid and urgent. he said, ¡°i hear it, your breathing.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°¡­¡±


    that hand, as light as a dragonfly touching water, passed over pei xia¡¯s lips and chin, landing on his chest. ¡°and your heartbeat,¡± lucifer added.


    pei xia immediately reached out to cover his own heart. what was happening? had lucifer noticed his nervous heartbeat?!


    with a gentle smile, lucifer asked, ¡°what are you nervous about?¡±


    nervous that you¡¯re going to mess up another romantic subplot!


    pei xia reached out and pressed lucifer¡¯s shoulder, swiftly turning his body half-circle, facing the tent entrance. pei xia said with seriousness, ¡°your highness, did you hear that? it sounds like there¡¯s a thief outside!¡±


    lucifer: ¡°oh, i heard it.¡±


    pei xia encouraged, ¡°please go catch the thief!¡±


    lucifer raised his hand to cover his mouth. even in the dark tent, his eyes remained bright, and his fair face was still visible. he frowned slightly and said, ¡°is it really a thief?¡±


    pei xia: ¡°yes, yes!¡±


    suddenly, lucifer¡¯s body leaned back toward pei xia, and he pressed against pei xia¡¯s shoulder, trembling. he said, ¡°in this dark night, we¡¯ve attracted a ruthless thief. it¡¯s terrifying.¡±


    pei xia: ?????


    this isn¡¯t right. why is the holy son acting like this again?


    pei xia scratched his head in distress. ¡°thieves aren¡¯t necessarily terrifying.¡±


    lucifer readily joined in, ¡°they might also be quite pitiful.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°¡­¡±


    lucifer seemed both scared and apprehensive, as if he had already imagined an exceptionally tragic scene. he turned his head slightly, facing pei xia, and as he spoke, his breath brushed against pei xia¡¯s neck.


    ¡°lost souls may have suffered greatly, forced into becoming thieves. pei xia, let¡¯s pretend we haven¡¯t noticed and allow that poor soul to maintain their dignity.¡±


    pei xia finally understood, ¡°in other words, you just don¡¯t want to go out and catch the thief, right?¡±


    lucifer¡¯s eyes curved, as if basking in a gentle breeze. ¡°on this cruel night, let¡¯s be a little more compassionate.¡±


    ¡°well, in that case, please forgive my offense.¡±


    pei xia took a deep breath and reached out, grabbing lucifer¡¯s collar.


    lucifer showed a slightly surprised expression, looking at his holy knight with some anticipation, wondering what he would do in this situation.


    he cooperated, gazing at him with affection.


    as he watched, pei xia reached out and pulled at his pristine white robe, mainly because pei xia had diligently washed it, allowing lucifer to wear such clean clothes even in the forest.


    lucifer hummed softly, like a delicate white butterfly falling in the wind, gently and smoothly reclining to the side. he propped up his head with a bent elbow, his eyes filled with a captivating smile, as if trying to pull pei xia into his embrace as they both fell.


    pei xia had no reaction and pushed him with his hand, tugging at the robe abruptly.


    ¡°your highness, move a bit, you¡¯re crushing the clothes!¡±


    lucifer, who was posing seductively, immediately rolled to the side, lying down with a thud.


    ¡°i¡¯ll borrow your clothes.¡±


    because it was so dark, pei xia couldn¡¯t see lucifer¡¯s expression. he grabbed the white robe and draped it over himself, covering his head, leaving only a pair of determined eyes visible.


    lucifer, bewildered, watched pei xia, who looked like a thief, and instinctively reached out to stop him. however, pei xia walked straight out of the tent and shouted, ¡°stop, thief! it¡¯s lucifer coming to catch you!¡±


    inside the tent, lucifer, lying on his back, stared at the low space above him, blinked, and suddenly burst into laughter, his body shaking with mirth.


    listening to the chaotic noises outside, lucifer slowly sat up.


    finally, pei xia, who had apprehended the weakened thief, quickly walked in.


    pei xia removed the white robe and draped it over lucifer, then cleared his throat and explained, ¡°your highness, i actually think you¡¯re right. whether this thief is simply a villain or someone in distress, i believe we shouldn¡¯t just stand by. so, i hope to use the name of the holy son of the church of light to capture her. this way, whether we lead her to mend her ways in the light¡¯s radiance or show her warmth, it can be achieved!¡±


    in critical moments, when the superior doesn¡¯t cooperate, you can go ahead, report later, and then flatter them!


    of course, the superior might get angry, but considering the subsequent developments, pei xia decided to take the risk.


    the elf maiden was different from other characters; her stance was related to lucifer¡¯s safety. pei xia might not care about the relationships between other supporting female characters and lucifer, but he couldn¡¯t ignore her.


    pei xia didn¡¯t expect the two of them to spark a love affair anymore. in fact, a dark part of his psyche didn¡¯t want them to fall in love, but at least they should become friends.


    only then would the elf maiden have a chance to step in and save lucifer later on.


    pei xia lowered his head and said somewhat guiltily, ¡°she really is a pitiful thief. i hope you can help her.¡±


    lucifer nodded thoughtfully and suddenly asked, ¡°how do you know she¡¯s pitiful?¡±


    pei xia immediately said, ¡°she¡¯s injured even worse than that rabbit!¡±


    lucifer, not wanting to hear the words ¡°rabbit¡± from the holy knight, raised his hand to signal him to stop. ¡°ah, i understand.¡±


    with the accompaniment of the holy knight, lucifer walked out of the tent and saw a wounded elf kneeling by the campfire in the clearing. the other holy knights had already awakened when pei xia shouted, and they were now guarding her.


    elves were a race known for their high overall beauty, noble character, and pride. they were the masters of the sapphire forest, skilled in tree-climbing, archery, and stealth, among other abilities.


    at this moment, the injured thief raised her head in a daze, revealing a stunning face. when she saw lucifer, her body couldn¡¯t help but shiver. ¡°impossible, how can there be a man more handsome than me in this world!¡±


    she appeared disoriented, mixed with a touch of fear and unwillingness.


    lucifer was also observing her, wearing a confident smile.


    approaching the thief gently and kindly, he asked, ¡°who are you, and what are you doing here?¡±


    the thief let out a soft hum and spoke in a hoarse voice, ¡°you¡¯ve caught me, and you¡¯re still asking? humans, what do you want from me before you¡¯ll let me go?¡±


    lucifer let out a soft sigh and took a step back, accidentally bumping into pei xia¡¯s shoulder. he turned around, appearing weak and helpless, and looked at pei xia, saying, ¡°she¡¯s so fierce!¡±


    pei xia: ¡°???¡± where¡¯s the fierceness? your highness, be a bit more resolute!


    lucifer sighed lightly. ¡°you really don¡¯t think she¡¯s fierce?¡±


    pei xia was quite helpless. ¡°not at all. her current state seems perfectly normal. your highness, perhaps you should tell her that we mean no harm.¡±


    lucifer calmly said, ¡°if that¡¯s the case, then let her go.¡±


    pei xia was taken aback. wait, just like that? shouldn¡¯t the original lucifer, who was compassionate and caring, patiently comfort and heal her?


    the plot was progressing too quickly, and pei xia couldn¡¯t keep up.


    the thief, who was actually the elf maiden, looked at the two of them with some surprise, tentatively stood up, and then stumbled towards the exit.


    pei xia was anxious. ¡°your highness, she¡¯s an elf, and she should have a better understanding of what¡¯s happening in the sapphire forest. with her as a guide, it would be more convenient for us to find the source of the abnormal monster tide, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    lucifer nodded without haste, raised his hand, and had tom pull the elf maiden back.


    the elf maiden, with her long green hair and pointed ears, looked at everyone in panic. ¡°what do you want? i just came here to find some medicinal herbs, and i didn¡¯t have any other intentions.¡±


    pei xia glanced at lucifer, who didn¡¯t react much. helpless, pei xia poked his arm. ¡°your highness, don¡¯t you think she looks pitifully injured?¡±


    lucifer put on a fake smile. ¡°yes, she¡¯s a pitiful child. but it seems she doesn¡¯t want to accept our treatment. to protect her pride, i can only endure it.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°that actually makes sense!¡±


    pei xia, feeling helpless, addressed the elf, ¡°hello, we are from the church of light, and this is the holy son, lucifer, the leader of the church of light. we came here because there¡¯s been an unusual outbreak of high-level demons during the recent monster tide at the forest¡¯s edge. we¡¯re here to resolve this issue. if you have any information to share, we can exchange it for medicinal herbs.¡±


    this way, her self-esteem wouldn¡¯t be hurt, and it would introduce future plot developments. it was a win-win strategy!


    upon hearing this, the elf maiden hesitated, biting her lower lip. her conflicted expression showed she was deep in thought.


    everyone waited for her response.


    by the light of the fire, pei xia could now clearly see her face. she indeed possessed a certain audacity, along with the delicate beauty characteristic of the elf race. she was quite tall, about the same height as pei xia. currently, she was dressed in a cool leather armor and skirt, adorned with decorations made of leaves and flowers, but they were all tattered and messy.


    she had many wounds on her body; her arms and thighs were covered in scars, making her look particularly pitiful.


    ¡°can you prove it to me?¡± the elf maiden asked, still biting her lip. ¡°i need to be sure that you are not our enemies.¡±


    lucifer timely cast a beam of holy light onto her, healing one of the wounds on her arm.


    seeing this, the elf maiden breathed a sigh of relief and then began to narrate her story. ¡°i am sofia, the princess of the forest elves.¡±


    as it turned out, the sapphire forest was not only inhabited by forest elves but also by another evil race known as the dark elves. however, the dark elves typically lived underground and had little interaction with the forest elves.


    about a month ago, the king of the dark elves, fed up with their situation, reached an agreement with the demons and, with their help, started attacking the surface. now, the two elf races were engaged in a fierce battle, and sofia had been pursued by the dark elves, leading her to this location.


    the demons, too, had arrived on the continent with the aid of the dark elves. some demons were not willing to cooperate with the dark elves in their war and had moved to other parts of the forest, causing disturbances that aggravated the monsters, leading to the abnormal monster tide.


    pei xia understood. it seemed that to resolve this issue, they would need to get involved in the conflict between the elves. lucifer contemplated for a moment and concluded, ¡°let¡¯s go and take a look.¡±


    ¡°what do you mean?¡± sofia asked.


    lucifer smiled faintly and said, ¡°we are willing to assist your kind, but our primary concern is humanity.¡±


    ¡°thank you!¡± sofia¡¯s emerald eyes immediately brightened.


    pei xia handed her the medicinal herbs as promised, and sofia retreated to a corner to apply them to her wounds. however, these were just emergency medicinal herbs, and their effectiveness was limited.


    there wasn¡¯t a large supply of medicinal herbs in their group, as lucifer, with his healing abilities, had less need for them during their travels. it was still the middle of the night, and despite sofia¡¯s anxiousness, they decided to wait until morning to take action.


    during the night, the power of the dark elves and demons was at its peak, making it dangerous to search for hidden monsters. thus, they opted to let sofia rest here for the night.


    with three tents filled with grown men, there was no space left for sofia. she bit her lip and mentioned that she could rest in the trees nearby.


    however, before climbing the tree, sofia pulled at the hem of her skirt and said in a hushed voice, ¡°i need to attend to something nearby, but i¡¯m not trying to escape.¡±


    everyone understood her.


    once sofia had hidden behind a tree in the distance, pei xia was about to help lucifer back to their tent for rest when they heard her scream.


    ¡°what happened?¡± pei xia raised a torch and hurried forward, wanting to see if there was any danger.


    just at that moment, sofia ran back, stumbling and falling into pei xia¡¯s arms, trembling pitifully.


    pei xia was startled and raised his hands in a non-threatening gesture. ¡°what happened? did you encounter enemies?¡±


    after a moment, sofia raised her tear-streaked face and softly said, ¡°i¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s nothing. i just saw the corpse of a wild beast.¡±


    pei xia breathed a sigh of relief.


    however, sofia still refused to leave his embrace, her face slightly flushed. ¡°sir knight, could you lend me your coat for a moment?¡±


    ¡°what happened?¡± pei xia asked.


    ¡°i was too hasty earlier and accidentally tore my dress.¡±


    pei xia quickly took off his coat and gave it to her to wrap around her waist. the slender and beautiful elf princess, who was nearly his height, clung to him tightly as she carefully adjusted her clothing.


    ¡°you¡¯re getting too close,¡± pei xia tried to step back.


    but sofia, with tears in her eyes, looked up at him and said, ¡°are you repulsed by me?¡±


    ¡°i didn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°because i¡¯m a man?¡± sofia continued.


    pei xia: ?!


    he was baffled and glanced down, noticing something bulging beneath sofia¡¯s coat.


    what the heck?!


    why is the elf princess actually a man?!


    well, that explains why his heroic rescue couldn¡¯t surpass princess eva¡¯s place in lucifer¡¯s heart.


    ¡°but i have my reasons,¡± the cross-dressing master sofia looked at him with a plea in her eyes. ¡°could you keep this a secret, please?¡±


    pei xia: ¡°¡­¡±


    finally, not far away, lucifer couldn¡¯t bear to watch any longer. he clenched his teeth, put on a perfect smile, and walked over to them. he gently pushed pei xia back by placing his hand on his shoulder.


    pei xia involuntarily took a step back, and the next moment, lucifer¡¯s fragrant presence closed in behind him. lucifer¡¯s body, carrying a faint floral scent, pressed against pei xia¡¯s back. he casually extended a hand, placing it on pei xia¡¯s shoulder, and addressed sofia.


    ¡°it¡¯s such a pity; i¡¯ve already overheard everything,¡± lucifer said with a smile.


    sofia covered her mouth, looking at him with alarm. ¡°i¡¯m sorry; i didn¡¯t mean to hide it.¡±


    as she spoke, her teardrops fell like crystal beads.


    lucifer watched her with a smile, his eyes slowly narrowing. in an instant, a strange and tense atmosphere arose between the holy son and the elf princess.


    he thought to himself, ¡®have i met my match?¡¯


    unfortunately, it¡¯s just about looks; you can¡¯t surpass me there! lucifer lightly curled his lips, confident in his appearance.


    then, he seemed to be in great pain, raising his other hand to cover his mouth corner while turning his face towards pei xia¡¯s shoulder.


    with a splatter, cold tears wet pei xia¡¯s shoulder instantly.


    ¡°poor child, seeing you in such agony, my heart feels as if it¡¯s been wounded too,¡± lucifer choked up, speaking as if in lament. ¡°please, be strong, the light will protect you.¡±


    then, he waved his hand, and holy light enveloped sofia¡¯s entire body, healing her wounds.


    no chance to gain sympathy through injuries!


    lucifer weakly swayed, and pei xia quickly reached out to catch him. he knelt, leaning against the slightly shorter knight. lucifer shivered as if feeling extremely cold, his eyes filled with tears and his expression understanding.


    ¡°i understand, i truly do,¡± lucifer said sincerely, his face pale. ¡°you must have your reasons, and i won¡¯t press you. i¡¯m sorry for taking the liberty of healing you. i just wished for you to feel better.¡±


    lucifer sighed softly, his gaze sincere, and his face turned pale. ¡°if you¡¯re angry, feel free to vent at me!¡±


    sofia clenched her fists, took a deep breath, and gave a tearful smile. ¡°you¡¯re a genuinely kind person. why would i get angry at you? i¡¯m just grateful!¡±


    lucifer: ¡°no, don¡¯t thank me, thank the light!¡±


    sofia: ¡°i still want to thank the knight.¡±


    lucifer raised his pale, smiling face and looked extremely gentle as he gazed at pei xia. ¡°yes, if it weren¡¯t for pei xia, i wouldn¡¯t be here today.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°huh? your holiness, you¡¯re exaggerating.¡±


    ¡°not at all!¡± lucifer held pei xia¡¯s hand and placed it over his heart. he looked at pei xia with soft, downcast eyes. ¡°it¡¯s because of your support that i find this world interesting.¡±


    pei xia didn¡¯t quite catch that and looked somewhat bewildered. ¡°what did you say?¡±


    ¡°nothing. i just meant that having you here is wonderful,¡± lucifer said with an untainted, pure smile. ¡°i¡¯m very happy that everyone can be saved.¡±


    ¡°you¡¯re truly kind, and i deeply admire you,¡± pei xia said, touched by his words.


    lucifer, despite the many differences from the original story, retained his essential kindness, and even now, he is even stronger than in the original.


    to be physically weak yet still willing to save others showed what a pure and innocent heart he had.


    lucifer discreetly passed a disdainful look to sofia, who pursed her lips.


    watching the two of them getting along so well, pei xia felt genuinely pleased.


    he held sofia¡¯s hand and then brought lucifer¡¯s hand over, gently stacking their hands together. pei xia said with joy, ¡°this is great! the holy son is a kind person who will never discriminate against princess sofia. princess sofia is also gentle and approachable. i believe you two will get along well and become friends!¡±


    lucifer and sofia exchanged a glance and simultaneously forced stiff smiles.


    friends?


    bah!

 CH 38

    after a night of preparation and rest, pei xia and the group, led by princess sofia of the elven race, headed in another direction within the sapphire forest.


    the terrain inside the sapphire forest was complex, and without someone familiar with the area, it was easy to get lost.


    sofia lightly bit her lower lip, moving gracefully through the forested mountains. she appeared worried, lost in her thoughts.


    gradually, they began to come across traces of blood and signs of battles ahead. the group dismounted and slowed their pace.


    sofia gazed into the distance with her excellent elven vision and spotted figures ahead. she whispered, ¡°not long ago, the dark elves invaded the surface in force, scattering many of our forest elf people and capturing some. those of us remaining are gathered outside the tree of life, resisting their onslaught.¡±


    lucifer asked, ¡°the dark elves¡¯ target is the tree of life?¡±


    ¡°yes, the dark elves have great difficulty reproducing, and a long time ago, they sought to corrupt the tree of life. this led to a war between our two races, with the dark elves retreating and hiding underground in the sapphire forest.¡±


    lucifer pondered, ¡°if that¡¯s the case, why are they trying to return to the surface now?¡±


    sofia¡¯s gaze shifted momentarily, and she looked away, avoiding the question. ¡°i don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°very well, let¡¯s go take a look.¡±


    lucifer¡¯s group consisted of eight people, and in uncertain circumstances, it wouldn¡¯t be wise to directly intervene in the war between these two races. they decided to first visit the elven court to gather information.


    sofia led them, avoiding the frontlines of the battle. she returned to the rear of the conflict, where an elf stood guard in the trees. upon seeing sofia, the elf¡¯s expression lit up with joy.


    he jumped down and exclaimed, ¡°your highness, you¡¯re back!¡±


    sofia nodded and said, ¡°yes, i¡¯ve brought back some humans skilled in light magic. i believe they can be of great help in dealing with the demons.¡±


    the guard elf looked somewhat skeptical, ¡°can humans really be trusted?¡±


    sofia held his hand and nodded firmly, ¡°they healed my wounds. i believe they are not bad people.¡±


    as she spoke, sofia turned her head, and her long green hair seemed to flutter like a small meadow. she looked at pei xia, lucifer, and the others, offering them a grateful smile. ¡°we are friends, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    lucifer slowly revealed a smile and said, ¡°of course, it is our duty to drive away demons for our friends.¡±


    with sofia¡¯s assurance, the forest elves quickly allowed them to pass. as they walked towards the elven court, pei xia noticed many distinctive buildings.


    elven houses were mostly in the trees, adorned with flowers, vines, and plants, seamlessly blending with nature. it was a sight that filled one with joy, and one might want to close their eyes and quietly savor the serenity and beauty of the forest.


    deeper inside, stone structures were constructed against the slopes of the enormous tree of life. this was the residence of the elven queen.


    the tree of life had a sturdy trunk, towering above and casting a shadow with lush green leaves. beneath it, the elven court was grand and elegant, bearing the marks of time, which only added to its charm.


    passing through the elf guards forming a protective wall, sofia excitedly ran ahead and called out, ¡°mother, i¡¯m back!¡±


    pei xia and the others followed. they saw the elven queen, adorned with a floral wreath and holding a wooden staff. despite her youthful appearance, she was nearly a thousand years old. upon seeing her child return, she briefly showed excitement but quickly composed herself.


    ¡°sofia, what has happened? i heard you brought some humans with you?¡±


    ¡°yes, your majesty.¡±


    sofia stepped back and introduced lucifer¡¯s group while recounting the story of their encounter and what had transpired afterward.


    the elven queen pondered for a moment and then turned her gaze towards lucifer, her expression becoming more serious. she asked, ¡°are you the holy son lucifer of the light church?¡±


    ¡°that¡¯s correct.¡± lucifer gave a slight bow.


    the elven queen suddenly descended, her long gown trailing on the ground. her face was youthful and beautiful, yet her eyes held the calm wisdom of an elder.


    she walked over to lucifer¡¯s side, seemingly examining something with a hint of vigilance in her gaze. this piqued pei xia¡¯s curiosity. while the relationship between the elves and humans wasn¡¯t great, it shouldn¡¯t make them feel threatened, should it?


    finally, the elven queen broke the silence, ¡°holy son of the light church, i¡¯m very grateful for your assistance. despite our different beliefs, i believe that when faced with evil, we should all unite. allow me to express my gratitude on behalf of the forest elves.¡±


    lucifer¡¯s smile remained unchanged, as if the elven queen¡¯s demeanor had no effect on him, ¡°you¡¯re too kind. eliminating demons is the purpose of our journey. i believe cooperation between our sides is entirely normal.¡±


    the elven queen nodded without excessive politeness and proceeded to explain the situation.


    in reality, the forest elves and dark elves had long been in a state of mutual control. they were evenly matched, with one side excelling in wood magic and the other in nighttime combat. they had an unspoken agreement to divide the sapphire forest into two parts, daytime and nighttime, surface and underground. during the night, even if the dark elves ventured to the surface, as long as they didn¡¯t clash with the forest elves, they wouldn¡¯t engage in serious conflict.


    however, the dark elf king had now chosen to ally with demons to seize the tree of life. this increased their strength during the night, causing the forest elves to retreat, resulting in many casualties.


    the key issue was the demons. after some contemplation, lucifer said, ¡°demons are not known for keeping their word. i believe the dark elf king must also understand this. therefore, the sudden alliance with demons cannot be taken lightly.¡±


    the elven queen sighed, ¡°our forest elf tribe specializes in wood magic and is not familiar with the light magic that can counter demons.¡±


    ¡°please do not worry. our purpose in coming here is to address this issue.¡±


    lucifer chuckled, ¡°in truth, we do not have the authority to meddle in the internal conflicts of the elf tribe.¡±


    the elven queen nodded with a hint of helplessness, ¡°indeed, if it were just a conflict between the forest elves and dark elves, i would not involve you.¡±


    ¡°but now, with the involvement of demons, it¡¯s a different matter.¡±


    lucifer continued to explain his plan, ¡°the battles in the sapphire forest are currently scattered, and it¡¯s better to strike at the root by destroying the altar the dark elf king uses to summon demons rather than getting involved in skirmishes with demons that may appear during the fighting. we can then consider our next steps.¡±


    however, in doing so, lucifer would have to venture deep underground, which was undoubtedly dangerous.


    pei xia quietly tightened his grip on his sword. it was true that in the original story, lucifer faced significant danger while underground. but now¡­


    pei xia scratched his head, contemplating whether he should advise lucifer to proceed cautiously. although sofia and lucifer had become friends, their relationship didn¡¯t seem close enough for pei xia to expect sofia to readily intervene and save lucifer in a critical situation.


    ¡°my lord lucifer, perhaps we should gather more information about the dark elves¡¯ strength and characteristics before taking action,¡± pei xia whispered, trying to persuade him to be more cautious.


    ¡°very well, i¡¯ll follow your suggestion,¡± lucifer nodded in agreement.


    dark elves typically emerged at dusk, and their movements were elusive and hard to predict. pei xia couldn¡¯t help but worry about the upcoming challenges they might face. even though sofia was now their friend, her assistance might not be readily available in a dangerous situation.


    ¡°sofia, do you know how to access the dark elves¡¯ world?¡± lucifer suddenly asked.


    sofia, who was in the midst of climbing a tree, was startled and lost her grip, tumbling to the ground.


    pei xia was taken aback and quickly reached out to help lucifer. sofia fell to the ground with a thud.


    lucifer, appearing flustered, leaned on pei xia for support and patted his chest, attempting to make it seem less obvious. ¡°it¡¯s quite dangerous. please be careful, princess sofia.¡±


    pei xia nodded in agreement, ¡°indeed, it¡¯s quite risky to climb trees using only vines without any built-in staircases. princess sofia, please take care.¡±


    sofia slowly stood up, dusting off her clothes and forcing a smile, ¡°no worries, i¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°that¡¯s good to hear. you¡¯re a resilient princess,¡± pei xia praised her.


    lucifer added, ¡°indeed, using only vines to climb trees without any precautions is very dangerous. princess sofia, you should be more cautious.¡±


    sofia, with a strained smile, replied, ¡°thank you for your concern.¡±


    sofia¡¯s mouth twitched, and she pointed to several treehouses above, saying, ¡°please rest here for now. there are living amenities inside. i won¡¯t demonstrate how to use them for you.¡±


    after that, sofia left, and the group entered the treehouses. pei xia curiously explored the interior and found many magical conveniences, such as a water faucet that allowed for easy handwashing even in the trees.


    soon, some elves brought fruits, and pei xia descended to retrieve them, only to be told that sofia wanted to speak with him urgently.


    pei xia was puzzled, ¡°what¡¯s the matter? is it something urgent?¡±


    the elf shrugged, ¡°i don¡¯t know. i¡¯m here to guard lord lucifer. this place is different from the city of atna; it¡¯s not safe.¡±


    ¡°no worries, i¡¯m already here,¡± pei xia replied.


    at some point, sofia had changed into a different outfit¡ªa white and green dress that made her look fresh and natural. in her hands, she held a piece of clothing, the coat that pei xia had lent to her.


    ¡°this is for you,¡± sofia said in a low voice, handing the coat to pei xia.


    ¡°thank you,¡± pei xia accepted it, but he noticed sofia¡¯s sigh.


    he was puzzled, ¡°what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    with a somewhat melancholic tone, sofia replied, ¡°i¡¯m just feeling a bit lost.¡±


    ¡°lost?¡±


    ¡°do you know why i dressed in women¡¯s clothing?¡±


    pei xia asked, ¡°isn¡¯t it because you like it?¡±


    ¡°no!¡± sofia bit her lip and said sadly, ¡°actually, it¡¯s because i like men.¡±


    pei xia blinked in surprise, ¡°oh. that¡¯s quite a coincidence. i do too.¡±


    sofia blinked with hopeful anticipation as he1from this point on, i¡¯ll be using ¡°he¡± for sofia looked at pei xia and said, ¡°last night, after you discovered my true gender and didn¡¯t show disgust, i thought maybe you could understand me.¡±


    pei xia nodded, ¡°actually, it¡¯s quite normal. there are many people who like the same sex.¡±


    sofia then asked, ¡°what about you, pei xia? last night, i noticed that you have a very close relationship with lucifer. are you two¡­¡±


    pei xia was taken aback and blurted out, ¡°no!¡±


    sofia raised an eyebrow, ¡°i didn¡¯t even say what i was thinking.¡±


    pei xia nervously rubbed his hands, feeling his heart in turmoil, ¡°in any case, there¡¯s nothing more between me and lord lucifer.¡±


    sofia¡¯s eyes held a thoughtful expression as he asked, ¡°so, it¡¯s just nothing for now. but do you like him?¡±


    pei xia: ¡°¡­¡±


    at this moment, he found this question incredibly difficult to answer.


    did he like lucifer? undoubtedly, he often felt a flutter in his heart for him, but it was wrong, it shouldn¡¯t happen!


    pei xia had been avoiding thinking about this aspect. as long as he didn¡¯t think about it, he wouldn¡¯t feel this pain.


    but if he said he didn¡¯t like him, it would be a lie to himself, and if he said he liked him, it would be too frivolous.


    and it was very dangerous.


    he stammered, ¡°why would you think that? i¡¯m just his subordinate.¡±


    sofia¡¯s eyes showed a hint of contemplation, ¡°so what about lord lucifer? does he like you?¡±


    ¡°please don¡¯t say such things,¡± pei xia said earnestly, ¡°lord lucifer doesn¡¯t have feelings for men, and he would be unhappy if he heard such talk.¡±


    he is a heterosexual male who is afraid of homosexuality, so he would definitely get angry if someone suspected him of liking the same sex.


    sofia: ¡°oh~¡±


    pei xia: ¡°oh?¡±


    sofia covered his face as if sobbing and said, ¡°actually, it¡¯s because i¡¯ve fallen for someone i shouldn¡¯t have. i thought both of you were like me, so i wanted to seek advice from you.¡±


    ¡°i see,¡± pei xia replied.


    ¡°falling for someone you shouldn¡¯t is indeed very painful,¡± pei xia sympathized, ¡°why can¡¯t you be together? does the other person not like men?¡±


    sofia choked up, ¡°i don¡¯t know. at first, he thought i was a girl, and i didn¡¯t know his true identity either. but later, i didn¡¯t know how to face him, so i left. now, we stand on opposing sides, and it¡¯s really painful!¡±


    pei xia hesitated, ¡°well, you see, i¡¯ve never been in a romantic relationship.¡±


    sofia was shocked, ¡°no wonder.¡±


    ¡°no wonder what?¡±


    ¡°nothing,¡± sofia shook his head and glanced upwards, ¡°i¡¯ve been seeking a way to free myself. perhaps we¡¯re wrong, and i should fall in love with someone else.¡±


    ¡°moving on can indeed be a solution,¡± pei xia advised seriously, ¡°you can find someone you can be together with.¡±


    sofia blushed and smiled shyly, ¡°so, do you think i¡¯m a suitable candidate?¡±


    pei xia replied, ¡°you¡¯re a good person.¡±


    ¡°what i mean is, would you like to be with me?¡±


    pei xia was startled: ¡°your highness, you¡¯re not suggesting that you want to try it with me, are you?¡±


    sofia nodded gently, his eyes wandering, and he smiled mysteriously: ¡°although i may not be as beautiful as the holy son, i do have a heart that loves men.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°you make a valid point, but i can¡¯t agree to try it with you.¡±


    ¡°why?¡± sofia was puzzled. ¡°am i not good enough?¡±


    ¡°of course not, you¡¯re great.¡±


    pei xia sighed softly: ¡°it¡¯s mainly because we¡¯re both attracted to the same gender!¡±


    sofia shook his head with regret: ¡°well, i admire you a lot. if you ever change your mind, please consider me.¡±


    pei xia politely said: ¡°alright, and i hope you find your true prince charming.¡±


    sofia waved goodbye, and pei xia¡¯s heart began to race as he listened to sofia¡¯s lament. he patted his heart, turned around, and was about to climb the tree while holding the fruit. when he looked up, he met the expressionless face of lucifer above the tree.


    seeing pei xia, lucifer slowly revealed a perfunctory smile.

 CH 39

    the moment pei xia saw lucifer, his heart skipped a beat involuntarily. he had a feeling that something was amiss.


    when did lucifer come out? what did he overhear? did he say something he shouldn¡¯t have?


    pei xia felt extremely nervous and greeted lucifer stiffly, ¡°your holiness, are you hungry? i¡¯ll bring something up for you.¡±


    he grasped a vine and climbed up the tree gracefully. by now, lucifer had entered the treehouse and was sitting at the table.


    lucifer rested his chin on his hands, his gaze filled with deep meaning. the smile on his lips was merely perfunctory, and he exuded an air of restraint. he didn¡¯t seem happy, but he also didn¡¯t appear angry. pei xia couldn¡¯t quite figure out what was going on.


    was it because he had discovered sofia¡¯s orientation? could lucifer be so homophobic?


    pei xia placed a platter of fruits in front of him and whispered, ¡°your holiness, please have something to eat.¡±


    ¡°not hungry,¡± lucifer replied calmly.


    pei xia was startled when lucifer suddenly sat up straight, and his narrowed eyes bore into him. there was something inscrutable in his gaze, and the smile on his lips seemed habitual. he appeared somewhat repressed, leaving pei xia puzzled about what was bothering him.


    could it be because he found out about pei xia¡¯s involvement with sofia? was lucifer so intolerant?


    pei xia tried to gauge lucifer¡¯s mood and served him a plate of delicious fruit. he whispered, ¡°your holiness, please have something to eat.¡±


    lucifer remained silent for a moment, then slowly asked, ¡°pei xia, just now, you and princess sofia¡­¡±


    pei xia¡¯s entire body tensed, and he blurted out, ¡°i have no relationship with him whatsoever!¡±


    lucifer pinched a small fruit gracefully and placed it in his mouth. the vivid red fruit disappeared into his pale pink lips. he savored it with closed eyes and then said softly, ¡°is that so? but i couldn¡¯t help but think that according to princess sofia, he has an interest in you.¡±


    pei xia blurted out, ¡°i have nothing to do with him!¡±


    lucifer extended his fingers, interlacing them through his smooth hair. in this naturally charming treehouse, he looked like he belonged in a grand palace.


    ¡°you agreed to consider it,¡± lucifer stated.


    pei xia broke into a cold sweat. he hastily replied, ¡°that was just a polite way to avoid making princess sofia feel uncomfortable. i have absolutely no ulterior motives!¡±


    pei xia made his expression serious to show his sincerity, but lucifer remained unfazed. it was unclear whether he believed pei xia or not.


    pei xia gathered his courage and continued, ¡°since joining the light god¡¯s religion and receiving your teachings, i have considered the divine as my lifelong pursuit. ah, the light, you are the beginning of everything. at the dawn of creation, the light god descended upon the earth and enlightened the ignorant masses.¡±


    ¡°pei xia,¡± lucifer suddenly interrupted him.


    unexpectedly, he stood up, leaned over the table, and came very close to pei xia, so close that he crossed half of the table and was just inches away from pei xia.


    pei xia was taken aback by lucifer¡¯s sudden approach. he slightly parted his lips in surprise, and he felt something cool touch his lips.


    it turned out that lucifer used his slender fingers to pick up a fruit and placed it in pei xia¡¯s mouth.


    pei xia instinctively bit into it, and the fruit¡¯s juice burst into his mouth, sweet and delicious. at the same time, some juice accidentally splashed onto lucifer¡¯s fingertips.


    lucifer slowly wiped his juice-stained fingers on pei xia¡¯s lips as if cleaning them, but it carried an unusual and ambiguous atmosphere.


    it was too close, too close!


    pei xia held the fruit in his mouth, frozen and unable to move. he felt his lips trembling.


    lucifer sat back as if he had suddenly approached just to give pei xia a piece of fruit.


    pei xia awkwardly said, ¡°your holiness, you are indeed very considerate. sharing good food with your subordinates personally is a mark of a perfect superior. it must be like this!¡±


    his heart was pounding like a drum. he had finally convinced himself and was about to naturally swallow the fruit and return to their usual interactions when lucifer suddenly asked, ¡°what¡¯s the underlying issue?¡±


    pei xia choked on the fruit and coughed violently, ¡°cough, cough, cough!! cough, cough!¡±


    how could he answer this question? should he reveal that one of the reasons he rejected princess sofia was because they were rivals for lucifer¡¯s affection? that would expose his true feelings!


    pei xia wiped his mouth, looking somewhat disheveled, and said, ¡°actually, deep down, it¡¯s because i don¡¯t really like princess sofia.¡±


    ¡°i see,¡± lucifer said, leaning in closer and staring straight at pei xia, not allowing him to evade the question.


    at that moment, pei xia thought his occasional impure thoughts had been discovered. his hair stood on end, and his muscles tensed. he stammered, ¡°i¡­ i mean, deep down, i don¡¯t like princess sofia.¡±


    ¡°so you won¡¯t like him in the future either?¡± lucifer asked.


    ¡°that¡¯s right!¡±


    ¡°what about me?¡± lucifer stared directly at pei xia, not allowing him to escape the question.


    at that moment, pei xia almost thought his fleeting impure thoughts had been detected. he was drenched in cold sweat, and his muscles were tense. he replied, ¡°what are you saying? in my heart, you are the perfect holy son. no one could not like you.¡±


    ¡°but that¡¯s not what i wanted to ask,¡± lucifer said with a mischievous smile. ¡°how do you think i compare to sofia?¡±


    pei xia didn¡¯t hesitate and replied, ¡°in every aspect, you are superior.¡±


    he felt that his previous statement might have been a bit exaggerated, so he added, ¡°except for the length of life.¡±


    hearing this, lucifer couldn¡¯t help but chuckle softly, leaving pei xia somewhat embarrassed. he wasn¡¯t sure what he had said that was so amusing. lucifer couldn¡¯t possibly be mocking him with that chuckle, could he?


    ¡°do you really think so?¡± lucifer asked.


    ¡°of course!¡± pei xia responded.


    lucifer seemed a bit skeptical. his gaze drifted into the distance, and he said, ¡°pei xia, you¡¯ve been so considerate of sofia, but i suddenly realized that there may have been some misunderstandings between us.¡±


    pei xia was bewildered. ¡°misunderstandings? what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°do you like men?¡± lucifer asked.


    pei xia immediately exclaimed, ¡°no!! i absolutely don¡¯t like stinky men! i prefer sweet and soft girls!!!¡±


    he shouted loudly, trying to cover up his lie with a bold statement, his voice trembling with desperation.


    lucifer¡¯s lips twitched slightly, as if he were taken aback by pei xia¡¯s intense reaction.


    ¡°you don¡¯t like men?¡± lucifer repeated, biting his lip. he smiled, stood up, and was about to continue when they suddenly heard a commotion from outside.


    ¡°enemy attack! enemy attack!¡±


    both of them turned to look outside.


    unbeknownst to them, night had fallen.


    the forest elves rushed outside to engage in a fierce battle with the dark elves who had suddenly appeared. demons hid in the shadows, controlling monsters to join the fight.


    pei xia suddenly stood up but quietly breathed a sigh of relief. this unexpected war meant he didn¡¯t have to endure lucifer¡¯s probing questions any longer. he wasn¡¯t sure how much more of it he could handle!


    ¡°my lord, do you intend to go down and see what¡¯s happening?¡± pei xia asked eagerly.


    ¡°let¡¯s go,¡± lucifer replied.


    they wasted no time in descending from the tree and following the forest elves toward the battlefield. lucifer didn¡¯t rush to the front; instead, he observed the scene with boredom and casually eliminated a couple of nearby minor demons.


    pei xia stood by his side, attentively scanning their surroundings.


    he noticed that the dark elves, though also slender with pointed ears, had a skin tone that bore a cold, dark purple hue, and they appeared physically stronger.


    suddenly, a tall and handsome dark elf appeared at the forefront. he exuded power and had an imposing presence.


    pei xia overheard someone exclaiming in surprise, ¡°the dark elf king!¡±


    why would the dark elf king come himself?


    pei xia couldn¡¯t help but wonder if they should inform their queen.


    however, the dark elf king didn¡¯t participate in the battle. he remained in the background, calmly observing, and his gaze was fixed on the direction of the elven court.


    as pei xia watched, the dark elf king suddenly turned his attention in their direction.


    pei xia¡¯s immediate thought was that he had noticed lucifer!


    however, the appearance of another person made him question things. it wasn¡¯t as simple as he thought. at some point, sofia had positioned himself beside pei xia and lucifer, holding a bow and arrow.


    his delicate frame trembled slightly as he stared coldly at the dark elf king, his lips tightly pressed together. then, he raised his bow and shot an arrow toward him.


    the dark elf king effortlessly sliced the arrow in half with a backhand motion. across half of the battlefield, he opened his mouth and said something.


    pei xia couldn¡¯t make out what the dark elf king was saying, but it seemed sofia understood. suddenly, his body swayed, and he took a step back, dropping his bow and arrow with a clatter.


    sophia stood unsteadily, on the verge of collapsing into pei xia¡¯s arms. at that moment, lucifer swiftly extended his long leg and reached out, wrapping his arm around sofia¡¯s waist.


    ¡°my lord, are you alright?¡± pei xia asked with concern.


    sofia looked up at lucifer, his eyes filled with helplessness. he smiled at him and said, ¡°my lord, thank you so much. please don¡¯t worry; i¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°that¡¯s good,¡± lucifer replied with a smile. but then his expression suddenly changed, and he staggered back a couple of steps, leaning heavily into pei xia¡¯s arms.


    sofia, unable to support himself, plopped down on the ground.


    pei xia, holding lucifer, was at a loss. ¡°my lord?¡±


    still feeling the effects of their previous conversation, pei xia found it difficult to naturally handle lucifer¡¯s close proximity. he had a nagging feeling that lucifer might have sensed something was amiss and was being extra cautious, not daring to take a step closer.


    lucifer gasped weakly, ¡°i, i think i was accidentally bumped by sofia just now, and now i feel¡­¡±


    ¡°my lord, please hang on!¡± pei xia panicked upon hearing this. he tightened his grip on lucifer¡¯s hand, trying to transfer his own strength.


    the perfect savior, weak but always willing to save others, furrowed his delicate brows and smiled gently. ¡°it¡¯s okay. don¡¯t blame sofia; it was my own carelessness.¡±


    hearing lucifer speak this way made pei xia feel both guilty and upset. he couldn¡¯t help but raise his voice a bit towards sofia, ¡°your highness, i don¡¯t know what history you have with the dark elf king, but if you can¡¯t fight and only end up hindering your companions, it¡¯s better to go back and rest to avoid causing trouble!¡±


    sofia replied, ¡°i¡¯m sorry, my lord. please believe me; it wasn¡¯t intentional.¡±


    pei xia¡¯s expression hardened as he continued, ¡°your highness, regardless of any past history with the dark elf king, if you have any feelings for him, please keep them in check. we¡¯re in the middle of a battle, and we can¡¯t afford any distractions.¡±


    sofia: ¡°i understand. my apologies, my lord.¡±


    pei xia couldn¡¯t help but be suspicious of sofia¡¯s behavior. after all, sofia had expressed an interest in men, and if lucifer, the perfect savior who had captivated countless hearts, was within his range of choices, things could get complicated.


    ¡°no!¡± pei xia exclaimed.


    at that moment, pei xia couldn¡¯t quite grasp his own feelings, but he knew he was unhappy and didn¡¯t want to see sofia getting closer to lucifer. there was an unease within him.


    ¡°your highness, please don¡¯t say anymore,¡± pei xia implored with conviction, ¡°the savior¡¯s heart is dedicated solely to the god of light!¡±


    sofia fell silent, unsure of how to respond.


    pei xia continued, ¡°your highness, please understand that the savior has no room for personal attachments, and it¡¯s best not to complicate things during a battle.¡±


    sofia nodded and apologized, ¡°i understand, my lord. i¡¯m sorry.¡±


    pei xia, though uncertain of his own feelings, felt compelled to protect lucifer¡¯s purity and dedication to his faith.


    lucifer patted pei xia¡¯s hand gently, then straightened his posture. he looked down at sofia with a mixture of kindness and subtle disdain.


    ¡°you are too kind, your highness. there¡¯s no need to apologize. i understand that it was not your intention. my body is simply too weak.¡±


    sofia couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, ¡°you are too kind as well. please rest assured, i will make it up to you.¡±


    lucifer replied, ¡°no need for that. helping a companion in need is my faith.¡±


    as they faced each other, their expressions were filled with genuine warmth and gratitude, as if at that moment, they had reached a telepathic understanding.


    the two of them were polite and considerate towards each other. as they continued talking, they seemed to connect on a deeper level. pei xia looked at sofia, who appeared no different from a beautiful girl in his dress, and couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of jealousy.


    sofia likes men, and it¡¯s likely that lucifer is also a potential target for him. lucifer may be a straight man, but it¡¯s widely known that straight men can be quite unpredictable in certain situations. seeing sofia, who looks just like a girl, maybe¡­


    pei xia¡¯s expression darkened, and he quietly moved closer to stand between the two of them. he reached out to support lucifer and awkwardly said, ¡°your grace, since you¡¯re not feeling well, why don¡¯t you go back and rest for now? we can discuss this further tomorrow.¡±


    lucifer blinked his long eyelashes a couple of times and glanced briefly at sofia, seeming momentarily satisfied. he then turned and said, ¡°alright, i¡¯ll follow your advice.¡±


    pei xia turned to sofia and nodded politely, ¡°your highness, if you¡¯re not feeling well either, please rest for a while.¡±


    sofia forced a smile, ¡°i will follow your advice as well.¡±


    after that, pei xia accompanied lucifer back to the safer treehouse. lucifer rested, and pei xia remained vigilant by the window.


    the battle continued throughout the night, and it wasn¡¯t until dawn that the dark elves, demons, and monsters retreated. although the battle had been long and many were injured, there were hardly any casualties. this was the unspoken understanding among the elves. regardless of which side they belonged to, the elven population was not large, and they didn¡¯t want to annihilate each other.


    after the battle, a tired pei xia finally rested on the ground. when he woke up, the sun was already high in the sky.


    he looked around the room and saw two people sitting by the table, one was lucifer, and the other was sofia.


    wait a minute, when did his highness sofia come here?


    seeing pei xia wake up, lucifer kindly poured him a glass of fruit tea, ¡°pei xia, sofia and i have discussed it, and we think it¡¯s more suitable to go to the dark elf kingdom during the daytime. dark elves are creatures of the night, and after a night of intense battle, they should be resting.¡±


    sofia nodded in agreement and added, ¡°i¡¯ve been to the underground kingdom of the dark elves before, so i¡¯m familiar with the terrain there. i can guide you.¡±


    the covert operation didn¡¯t require a large team, and three people were just right for the task.


    of course, pei xia had no objections to this operational strategy. however, he couldn¡¯t help feeling a sense of unease when he saw the two of them together, as if they had some unspoken understanding. this feeling of unease was different from the one prince harry had caused him; it was a different kind of discomfort, one that made him quite jealous.


    without further ado, the three of them quickly prepared and, under sofia¡¯s guidance, headed out.


    along the way, they avoided the gaze of others. pei xia was silently sulking the entire time. when he saw sofia stumble over a tree root and grab lucifer¡¯s arm for support, he felt even more unhappy.


    ¡°your highness sofia,¡± pei xia spoke up, breaking the strange and tense atmosphere among the three. ¡°i think it¡¯s time you told us the truth. what exactly happened between you and the dark elf king?¡±


    sofia looked slightly surprised. ¡°you¡¯ve actually found out?¡±


    pei xia had some guesses about the situation. ¡°please tell us. it¡¯s better to know now so that we can be mentally prepared for any unexpected situations.¡±


    ¡°alright,¡± sofia admitted. ¡°my forbidden lover is him,¡± he said, looking towards lucifer. there was a hint of jealousy in his eyes as he wondered why they could have each other while he had to keep his love hidden due to his status.


    admitting his jealousy, sofia confessed that he wanted to cause trouble.


    as for pei xia, at that moment, a dark thought briefly crossed his mind. in front of lucifer, he had revealed his true self, and sofia now had no chance!


    however, at that moment, lucifer calmly responded, ¡°i see. in fact, i overheard the conversation between your highness and pei xia yesterday evening. i sympathize with your unfortunate love.¡±


    pei xia was momentarily stunned by lucifer¡¯s calm reaction. lucifer was always polite, and as long as others didn¡¯t approach him with romantic intentions, he didn¡¯t seem to mind people of any sexual orientation.


    lucifer continued, ¡°by the way, i also heard your thoughts about transferring your affections. however, i don¡¯t agree with your choice of pei xia. pei xia has made it clear that his heart belongs only to the god of light.¡±


    pei xia interjected, ¡°ahem, that¡¯s right, exactly.¡±


    sofia chuckled awkwardly, ¡°i was just joking. please don¡¯t take it seriously.¡±


    lucifer whispered with a warm smile, ¡°you have a great sense of humor. in any case, both pei xia and i will support you!¡±


    he suddenly cried out, clutching his chest and stepping back, his long hair flowing in the wind. he looked at sofia with disbelief and sadness, ¡°your highness, i only saw you as a friend. please don¡¯t do this!¡±


    pei xia was taken aback and quickly stepped in front of lucifer. it confirmed his suspicions!


    pei xia couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°if you still have feelings for the dark elf king, you shouldn¡¯t be pursuing others, especially since the holy son would never return your affections! please give up!¡±


    sofia protested, ¡°i haven¡¯t done anything. do you believe me?¡±


    pei xia was furious, ¡°are you implying that the holy son is lying? that¡¯s absurd, it¡¯s impossible!¡±

 CH 40

    facing the loyal and unwavering trust of the holy knight in his superior, the elf ¡®princess¡¯ couldn¡¯t express his bitterness.


    he bit his lip and tried to turn the situation around, shaking his head with tears in his eyes. ¡°no, it¡¯s not like that. i just¡­ i believe in you.¡± lucifer, with eyes as gentle and embracing as the sea, looked at sofia. his clear voice flowed slowly, tinged with a hint of helplessness and patience. ¡°perhaps i misunderstood for a moment. did you just want to capture the fallen leaves in front of me?¡±


    sofia: ¡°¡­¡±


    pei xia was somewhat angry, and he grabbed lucifer¡¯s arm with a bit of force. he said, ¡°your grace, you¡¯re too naive and too soft!¡±


    lucifer innocently looked at pei xia. ¡°pei xia, didn¡¯t you say he¡¯s our friend? i believe a friend wouldn¡¯t do anything out of line.¡±


    pei xia said awkwardly, ¡°you can¡¯t judge a person by their appearance. i¡¯m sorry, your grace; i was too careless. please take care of yourself.¡±


    lucifer couldn¡¯t help but smile. he glanced at the disgruntled sofia from the corner of his eye and said sadly, ¡°could it really be like that? i still can¡¯t believe it.¡±


    pei xia couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated. lucifer had been quite clear when hobson and the archbishop had ulterior motives. but now, in front of sofia, he seemed to have lost his mind. are all straight men so gullible when faced with a beautiful ¡®woman¡¯s¡¯ appearance?


    too much! straight men!


    pei xia said firmly, ¡°in any case, you and princess sofia need to keep your distance!¡±


    he forcefully positioned himself between the two.


    ¡°fine, we¡¯ll listen to you, pei xia.¡± lucifer stood behind pei xia and threw a disdainful and cold smile at sofia from across the space.


    sofia gritted his teeth and swayed his body as if a delicate daisy in the bitter wind and rain. ¡°fine, let¡¯s leave it at that. some things are hard to explain.¡±


    with a hint of sadness, he turned away and continued to lead the way. pei xia watched his somewhat frivolous and staggering figure, and his heart was slightly shaken.


    could it really be just a misunderstanding?


    lucifer timely added behind him, ¡°i think, since princess sofia still has his own beloved in his heart, he won¡¯t fall for someone else. pei xia, let¡¯s sincerely wish them well.¡±


    pei xia was even more exasperated, ¡°you¡¯re too naive.¡±


    the human heart is so complex, it¡¯s not that simple. just earlier, sofia mentioned wanting to try someone else.


    this straight man with homophobia is really something. in a previous life, pei xia used to surf the internet and often came across hilarious and ridiculous news stories, most of which were caused by gullible straight men.


    the typical straight guy was scammed by an online girlfriend who turned out to be a burly man, the naive straight guy couldn¡¯t have children with his wife and only later discovered she was a crossdresser, and the naive straight guy fell in love with a cross-dressing boss, and upon learning the true identity, he said he wanted to try a same-sex relationship.


    no, this is not good at all. pei xia quietly gripped the hilt of his sword.


    as a gay man, let him protect the chastity of the pure young man!


    up ahead, sofia swayed but didn¡¯t say anything in the end.


    after walking for a while, sofia arrived at a hidden cave. he composed himself and said, ¡°i fell into the underground world from here in the beginning.¡±


    ¡°your highness, please lead the way.¡±


    even though his mood hadn¡¯t been great all along the way, pei xia decided to temporarily set aside his biases and focus on the task at hand.


    sofia looked into the cave with a complex expression. the inside of the cave was very dark, and he led the way while lucifer conjured a small ball of light for illumination.


    as they walked, sofia¡¯s expression turned melancholic, and he appeared somewhat distracted. suddenly, he stumbled on a rock, causing him to sit on the ground.


    ¡°your highness, are you okay?¡± pei xia furrowed his brow and squatted beside him, using the light from lucifer¡¯s orb to examine sofia.


    seeing that sofia didn¡¯t have many injuries, he breathed a sigh of relief and couldn¡¯t help but offer a reminder, ¡°your highness, please don¡¯t let your emotions get the best of you at times like this. i don¡¯t know what happened between you and the dark elf king, but we are in the middle of a war.¡±


    ¡°sorry.¡± sofia raised his hand to massage his temple and said, ¡°i¡¯m just feeling a bit unsettled.¡±


    pei xia thought for a moment and said, ¡°you need to remember your responsibilities at all times.¡±


    sofia let out a soft sigh, and a glint of coldness suddenly flashed in the corner of his eye. he said, ¡°or maybe i should try a temporary infatuation?¡±


    pei xia: ¡°???¡±


    can you really do a temporary version of that kind of thing?


    to prevent me from making mistakes and burdening everyone at a critical moment, sofia raised his sharp chin and said resolutely, ¡°i¡¯m willing to make an effort!¡±


    pei xia: ¡°¡­¡±


    with only three people present, who will sofia choose?


    tears welled up in sofia¡¯s eyes, and he smiled faintly, saying, ¡°please don¡¯t trouble yourselves; i¡¯ll try on my own, and it won¡¯t affect anyone.¡±


    his words seemed to make sense, but pei xia suddenly shook his head, feeling that something was off.


    ¡°then, who do you want to try with?¡± lucifer walked to sofia¡¯s side, smiling as he used the holy light to heal the wound on sofia¡¯s foot.


    sofia¡¯s gaze shifted lightly as he looked at pei xia. ¡°i choose¡­¡±


    lucifer: ¡°choose me.¡±


    he gently took sofia¡¯s hand, helping him stand up smoothly. with a soft smile, he said, ¡°it¡¯s okay, your highness. i¡¯m willing to help you through this difficulty.¡±


    sofia¡¯s mouth twitched, giving him a sharp look. ¡°but, i simply can¡¯t have any other thoughts about you.¡±


    ¡°are you saying i¡¯m not good?¡± lucifer looked at him with slight surprise.


    pei xia instinctively interjected, ¡°how could that be? your grace, you¡¯re the most perfect light mage in the world. no one would think you¡¯re not good!¡±


    after he spoke, he paused and suddenly realized what he had just said, feeling like¡­


    sofia could only grit his teeth and say, ¡°of course, i don¡¯t think you¡¯re not good. it¡¯s just¡­¡±


    ¡°in that case, choose me.¡± lucifer held pei xia¡¯s hand and said with righteousness, ¡°pei xia is a simple child. if you choose him, it might trouble him.¡±


    sofia/pei xia: ¡°¡­¡±


    in the end, pei xia silently cursed the straight guy several times in his heart, wondering where his homophobia had gone.


    although lucifer probably wouldn¡¯t be interested in men, it still irked pei xia a bit. he had been diligently disguising himself here every day, while sofia could simply crossdress to earn lucifer¡¯s sympathy.


    it was just too unfair!


    pei xia pretended to innocently stand between the two, attempting to obstruct sofia from looking at lucifer.


    finally, as they delved deeper into the cave, they reached the complex underground world.


    vast caves connected to one another, illuminated by bioluminescent mushrooms and strange plants. hanging from the ceiling were tree roots and other things.


    dark elves dug into the walls to create their homes, occasionally coexisting with goblins and other creatures, as well as summoned minor demons.


    led by sofia, they stealthily made their way to the palace of the dark elf king, avoiding the eyes of the dark elves.


    ¡°it must be said that while living underground, the dark elves still maintained a degree of elegance. the palace was adorned with glowing gemstones, lending the place a dim yet unique beauty.¡±


    ¡°yes, but inside, there was an aura of malevolence,¡± lucifer mumbled.


    sofia nodded solemnly. ¡°the dark elf altar is inside.¡±


    the palace was a structure with open columns on all sides. they avoided the guards and headed toward the direction where lucifer felt the malevolent energy.


    perhaps they didn¡¯t expect outsiders to venture here, as the guards of the dark elves seemed lax.


    gradually, the number of people ahead dwindled, and they spotted a tall, circular altar. a deep trench surrounded the altar, with only a stone bridge connecting it to the outside.


    standing atop the altar was the dark elf king with dark purple skin and blood-red eyes!


    he muttered incantations to the bloodied offerings on the altar, and dark power began to swirl around the runes. lucifer whispered, ¡°this is bad; he seems to be attempting to summon a major demon. we can¡¯t afford to delay any longer!¡±


    in fact, they had arrived at the perfect moment, any later and it would have been too late!


    pei xia immediately drew his sword and looked serious. ¡°your grace, should we go in directly?¡±


    it seems like this is the only way.


    ¡°wait a moment,¡± sofia suddenly interrupted them and said, ¡°please let me try first.¡±


    ¡°how do you plan to try?¡± lucifer raised an eyebrow lightly.


    ¡°i¡¯ll distract him; i have some questions i want to ask him,¡± sofia replied.


    pei xia couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit awkward, it appeared that sofia¡¯s attempts to move on from his feelings hadn¡¯t been very successful.


    sofia gazed ahead and walked out from behind the protective stone columns. his footsteps startled the dark elf king on the altar. the dark elf king immediately turned around, his expression showing surprise.


    ¡°sofia, why have you come?¡± noah asked.


    ¡°i¡¯ve come to stop you, noah! why have you initiated this war? why like this?¡± sofia gazed at him with tears in his eyes.


    noah looked at him coldly and replied, ¡°then what about you? why did you lie to me, and why did you leave after the deception?¡±


    ¡°i didn¡¯t intend for it to go this way.¡± sofia shook his head in sadness. ¡°tell me the truth, noah. is this war because of me?¡±


    ¡°tell me, let me know why all of this is happening!¡± sofia demanded.


    noah had been watching sofia all along. he turned halfway, giving a cold snort. ¡°i admit that part of the reason is indeed because of you, sofia. but you don¡¯t have to think of yourself as so significant. you¡¯re just a catalyst. perhaps i should even thank you. you woke me up from a comfortable slumber and made me realize that dark elves shouldn¡¯t continue to languish underground.¡±


    ¡°noah, this war will harm many people!¡±


    ¡°and what of it? there¡¯s no such thing as a bloodless battle.¡±


    in the end, it was all because of sofia. pei xia couldn¡¯t help but be amazed and exchanged a glance with lucifer.


    lucifer sighed, ¡°love is truly complicated. love, when mixed with other elements, can become especially tormenting.¡±


    pei xia was somewhat surprised by what he said. ¡°you seem to have quite a lot of thoughts on this.¡±


    ¡°of course, how could you expect me to have no interest in love?¡± lucifer leaned against him, chuckling softly.


    pei xia stammered, ¡°i thought your heart and soul were entirely devoted to the god of light.¡±


    ¡°deities are a matter of faith,¡± lucifer replied slowly, ¡°but from birth, humans have desires. i am also interested in¡­desire.¡±


    he spoke earnestly, but it left pei xia inexplicably blushing and flustered. why did he have to be so, well, so explicit?


    ¡°your excellency, what should we do next?¡± pei xia quickly changed the subject.


    ¡°don¡¯t rush, take it slow.¡±


    lucifer then whispered to sofia, hinting for him to move towards the side of the stone bridge with his back to it, attempting to divert the dark elf king¡¯s attention.


    sofia nodded gently to indicate his understanding. then, while engaging in a confusing conversation with noah, the two elves started a tangled exchange that pei xia found headache-inducing.


    at this moment, lucifer discreetly poked his arm and leaned in close to his ear. ¡°get ready to move.¡±


    pei xia nodded, and then crouched down, following lucifer as they sprinted toward the stone bridge.


    meanwhile, the dark elf king, noah, released his tyrannical statement, ¡°regardless of whether it¡¯s you, the tree of life, or the sapphire forest, i want them all!¡±


    sofia trembled, his voice hoarse as he said, ¡°give it up. your alliance with demons won¡¯t end well for you!¡±


    ¡°heh,¡± noah sneered as he turned and looked at lucifer and pei xia. ¡°so, is this the reason you came back? you, this cold-blooded and cunning woman, always up to something. now, you¡¯ve teamed up with outsiders to defeat me?¡±


    sofia said, ¡°noah, please stop this.¡±


    ¡°in your dreams!¡±


    noah not only didn¡¯t stop, but he also intended to continue summoning a great demon. in this critical moment, lucifer rushed forward and promptly purified noah with a beam of holy light.


    noah let out a miserable cry as he tumbled into the ditch he had dug himself.


    so, why exactly did he dig a ditch around the altar? just for aesthetic reasons?


    pei xia ran bewilderedly alongside lucifer. as he watched lucifer intently destroying the altar, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°your grace, if you can easily defeat the dark elf king, why didn¡¯t you directly come out and purify him?¡±


    the holy son furrowed his brows and said, ¡°don¡¯t you find their love story interesting?¡±


    pei xia: ¡°¡­¡±


    lucifer, radiating soft yet potent holy light, painstakingly broke the runes on the altar one by one. he stood upright, facing the somewhat speechless pei xia, and inquired, ¡°what¡¯s the matter? do you think i¡¯m not the kind of person who enjoys same-sex love stories?¡±


    facing the holy son in such a context, pei xia felt things were getting strange. ¡°i thought you might not be fond of same-sex love stories.¡±


    even though he was equally curious and gossipy, this just felt out of place for a straight, non-lgbt-supportive guy like lucifer.


    lucifer looked at him with a hint of sadness and sighed softly. in the dark underground world, white holy light enveloped him, making him appear pure, untainted by any dust.


    as the holy light depleted, lucifer¡¯s complexion became increasingly pale, and he swayed slightly.


    pei xia reflexively raised his hand, ready to support him at any moment. however, at this moment, lucifer took two steps backward as if somewhat apprehensive and said, ¡°this is what i wanted to talk to you about. there seems to have been some misunderstanding between us, pei xia. i heard everything you said to sofia. do you really think i don¡¯t like men?¡±


    pei xia: ¡°ah?¡±


    lucifer smiled tenderly and said, ¡°i don¡¯t reject same-sex emotions, but it seems like you have this image of me in your heart. pei xia, could it be that you¡¯re the one who dislikes same-sex relationships?¡±


    pei xia¡¯s immediate reaction was, ¡®oh no, of course not! i¡¯m gay myself!¡¯


    his second reaction was, ¡®so, you¡¯re secretly homophobic.¡¯


    pei xia¡¯s thoughts were racing: ¡®this doesn¡¯t make sense! isn¡¯t lucifer the double-standard, straight guy who only flirts with girls? what¡¯s going on? did the original story¡¯s character setup change into this?¡¯ pei xia was utterly confused.


    and this moment of confusion, as if it wounded the crystal heart of the holy son, lucifer, his brows furrowed, and he weakly took two steps back before stumbling into the deep trench.


    pei xia instinctively rushed over, witnessing lucifer plummeting into the abyss. he looked up and, with a bitter smile, extended a long and slender white hand, as if seeking someone¡¯s rescue.


    pei xia shouted, ¡°your excellency!¡± and without hesitation, he leaped down.


    he grabbed lucifer¡¯s hand, then embraced lucifer¡¯s body, ready to offer some comforting words and explain that he was gay too.


    but they both landed with a soft thud.


    pei xia didn¡¯t feel much pain from the fall. he looked up at the sky, realizing that the little trench wasn¡¯t so deep. it was just that the surroundings were too dark.


    however, despite the shallow ditch, there was some pain. pei xia finally lowered his gaze and found that he had landed on top of lucifer.


    ¡°your excellency!!!¡±

 CH 41

    the loyal and devoted holy knight pledged that he absolutely had no intention of using lucifer as a cushion. in fact, he wanted to be the cushion for lucifer!


    just imagine, they were embracing each other as they fell from a height. pei xia would cradle lucifer and flip so that he was on the bottom. this way, not only would he protect the physically fragile lucifer, but he could also demonstrate his brave loyalty as a knight. how perfect it would be!


    but why was this seemingly dark crevice so shallow, shallow enough that pei xia didn¡¯t have time to execute the above actions and ended up crushing lucifer to the ground.


    ah, right, in the original story, sofia sacrificed himself here. pei xia sadly understood why sofia¡¯s self-sacrifice couldn¡¯t surpass princess eva¡¯s position in the male protagonist¡¯s heart.


    however, now, lucifer loved no one.


    looking at the poor male protagonist, lucifer, who had his eyes tightly closed and was barely breathing, as if he would stop breathing in the next second, pei xia anxiously moved him away from him and gently pushed him with his hand.


    ¡°your grace, your grace?!¡±


    he called out several times, but lucifer had little reaction. he only furrowed his brow and grimaced, as if he had fallen into a terrible nightmare after losing consciousness.


    pei xia felt at a loss, subconsciously recalling first aid methods. the first thought that came to his mind was artificial respiration.


    just as pei xia¡¯s hand touched lucifer¡¯s chest, he realized and slapped his own head. there were no signs of suffocation or difficulty breathing, so he didn¡¯t need artificial respiration!


    but pei xia should check for other injuries, such as his ribs. he carefully reached out and touched, finding everything normal, with no signs of a fracture.


    under the crevice was all dirt and rubble, and now, his pristine white robe and golden hair were all covered in dirty mud, making him look extremely disheveled.


    pei xia gently raised lucifer¡¯s upper body so that he could lean against him. he then checked the back of his head and neck, ensuring there were no severe injuries, and only then did he relax.


    but he didn¡¯t know how long the holy son would remain unconscious. the commotion they caused at the altar was significant, and it might attract other dark elves.


    staying at the bottom of the crevice was definitely not an option; they had to get out.


    ¡°how are you two doing?¡± sofia arrived just in time, leaning over the edge of the crevice to look down.


    ¡°great, sofia! do you have a rope?¡±


    sofia asked, ¡°can vines work?¡±


    ¡°yes!¡±


    then, sofia dropped down a long, thorny vine.


    pei xia: ¡°do you have any without thorns?¡±


    sofia felt guilty, ¡°i thought we would definitely have to fight this time, so i brought all the poisonous and thorny ones.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°well, never mind.¡±


    ¡°don¡¯t worry, i¡¯ll go out to look for one!¡± sofia eagerly stood up and then swiftly disappeared.


    ¡°oh, wait, we don¡¯t actually need the vine.¡±


    pei xia stared in amazement as sofia vanished, hoping he would manage his mission smoothly and not get captured by the dark elves.


    afterward, just as pei xia was about to remove lucifer¡¯s robe, lucifer let out a soft cough and slowly woke up, leaning in pei xia¡¯s arms.


    pei xia looked down at him with delight. in the dim and gloomy underground world, lucifer¡¯s face was pale, and his blue eyes, now opened, seemed to have transitioned from a clear blue sky to a cloudy gray.


    ¡°your grace, how do you feel?¡±


    ¡°cough, cough.¡± lucifer slowly raised his hand, grasping pei xia¡¯s hand, and gasped three times. ¡°i¡¯m okay, really.¡±


    ¡°sorry.¡± pei xia lowered his head with guilt. ¡°i was trying to protect you.¡±


    it¡¯s all because this crevice is too shallow!


    lucifer: ¡°cough, i know.¡±


    pei xia suddenly grabbed his hand and said with great excitement, ¡°and i wanted to tell you, i have absolutely no problem with same-sex relationships. even if you¡¯re gay, i won¡¯t discriminate against you because¡­¡±


    lucifer: ¡°hm?¡±


    pei xia suddenly stopped.


    wait, while it makes sense to be okay with same-sex relationships, lucifer¡¯s previous disgust for andrei and his aversion to hobson was also genuine.


    pei xia felt conflicted. although the holy son seems accepting of other people¡¯s love stories, it appears he doesn¡¯t like it when someone has improper thoughts about him.


    pei xia: ¡®and he wouldn¡¯t be testing me, would he?¡¯


    lucifer¡¯s heart, like finding a needle in the ocean, pei xia couldn¡¯t figure him out at all.


    to be safe, pei xia cleared his throat and shifted the conversation: ¡°because, because to me, everyone is the same, nothing special.¡±


    pei xia took a deep breath and continued, ¡°anyway, please don¡¯t agonize over this matter. whatever you choose, i¡¯ll always support you.¡±


    although some things are quite different from the original storyline, but since things have already gone off-script, well, let them go off-script! pei xia is just a small knight, he doesn¡¯t have the power to control everything according to a predetermined path.


    lucifer leaned against him and then slowly sat up with pei xia¡¯s help. they positioned themselves so that they were face to face, with the weakened lucifer against the wall, his legs slightly extended forward, and pei xia kneeling in front of him.


    lucifer understood. he murmured, then looked deeply into pei xia¡¯s eyes and smiled. ¡°i¡¯m deeply moved by your thoughts, pei xia. you¡¯re not lying to me, are you?¡±


    pei xia, holding his hands, lowered his head, ¡°no, absolutely not!¡±


    ¡°that¡¯s really good.¡± lucifer reached out to pat his head and then, with a faint smile, said, ¡°i really hate naughty children who lie. if i ever find out that you¡¯re lying to me¡­¡±


    pei xia: ¡°¡­¡±


    lucifer: ¡°by the way, i almost forgot to ask, do you like men, pei xia?¡±


    pei xia nervously said: ¡°i treat everyone equally. my heart only belongs to the god of light.¡±


    ¡°oh~¡±


    lucifer responded in a gentle voice, which made pei xia¡¯s heart race.


    pei xia quickly changed the subject: ¡°your grace, do you still feel dizzy?¡±


    lucifer gently shook his head while supporting it and said, ¡°i¡¯m fine now.¡±


    ¡°that¡¯s good. it¡¯s not safe here. let¡¯s hurry and get back up.¡±


    lucifer spoke slowly, ¡°however, i feel aches all over my body, and i¡¯m afraid i can¡¯t exert much effort.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°cough, please don¡¯t worry. i will carry you on my back. princess sofia went to find a rope, and he should be back soon.¡±


    lucifer weakly said, ¡°what if the dark elves arrive first?¡±


    ¡°you¡¯re right.¡± pei xia bit his lip and said, ¡°how about using your outer robe as a makeshift rope to tie you to my back? i can carry you up that way.¡±


    doing it without a rope, relying solely on handholds, is a bit dangerous. pei xia was afraid his hands might slip again, and poor lucifer would be used as a cushion once more.


    pei xia hesitated, but lucifer gently held his hand and encouraged him with a determined look. ¡°let¡¯s go with that, pei xia. i trust you.¡±


    at that moment, looking at lucifer¡¯s encouraging gaze, pei xia felt a surge of strength throughout his body!


    he nodded firmly and said, ¡°i will definitely get you out of here!¡±


    so, first, pei xia needed to help lucifer out of the robe that had suffered such cruel treatment. lucifer raised his hand slightly and sighed, ¡°i¡¯m sorry, i still have no strength; i¡¯ll have to rely on you.¡±


    pei xia reached out to touch the hem of lucifer¡¯s clothing, his expression particularly serious and nervous.


    in reality, this wasn¡¯t the first time he had helped lucifer undress, but this time was completely different from before. he had thought of himself as a straight guy with double standards in the past. even if he sometimes couldn¡¯t help but be enchanted by lucifer¡¯s beauty, he would quickly chastise himself for it. but now, pei xia knew the truth he had misunderstood for so long, that lucifer could also have feelings for men, and it made all the difference.


    even though lucifer was severe with men who had ill intentions towards him, pei xia couldn¡¯t help but have some amorous thoughts.


    once his thoughts were unleashed, they could lead to entirely different realms.


    once a man¡¯s imagination runs wild, it¡¯s not something you can simply stop by hitting the brakes.


    pei xia, while leaning forward to help lucifer remove his outer garment, was lost in thought. ¡®actually, this novel is on hiatus. the story stops abruptly after lucifer¡¯s journey through half of the continent, and no one knows how the world will turn out in the end.¡¯


    ¡®so, there are no rules stating that the male protagonist in this originally labeled ¡®no cp¡¯ novel can¡¯t fall for someone else, right?¡¯


    ¡®he mentioned that he¡¯s interested in romance and desires, isn¡¯t this a way to experience worldly passions? he also likes men, so could he be interested in me?¡¯


    ¡®if i compete with someone else and successfully win him over, lucifer and i would be in a romantic relationship. if we¡¯re lovers, then we should¡­ wait!¡¯


    pei xia suddenly thought of a problem.


    he and lucifer might not actually be a good match!


    he admitted to being enchanted by lucifer¡¯s beauty and tenderness, but men are practical. look at lucifer; he appears delicate and fragile, more like a zero! two zeros together have no promising future. in a world full of uncertainty, pei xia just wanted a peaceful life. if he had a lover who was compatible in all aspects, even better.


    but lucifer¡­


    pei xia raised his hand and slapped himself hard.


    lucifer, who was watching pei xia nervously helping him with his clothing, was puzzled. ¡®what¡¯s going on? why did pei xia suddenly slap himself?¡¯


    ¡°what¡¯s wrong, pei xia?¡±


    ¡°nothing, your grace,¡± pei xia said, looking dejected as he removed his coat. ¡°i just feel that my thoughts are too impure and lacking in devotion, so i¡¯m feeling guilty.¡±


    pei xia and lucifer were not even in a relationship. there was so much fantasizing going on that made pei xia feel debased. he was torn between guilt and the irresistible pleasure of those thoughts. at the same time, he realized that he could never match lucifer, which made him feel even worse.


    his mind was in turmoil, tangled with conflicting emotions.


    hearing him say this, lucifer couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡®very well. it seems that my efforts have finally paid off.¡¯


    he felt a deep sense of satisfaction that was different from obtaining the most beautiful flower or endless treasures. it was a strange feeling that hadn¡¯t surfaced in a long time.


    it made him happy. he yearned for more because deep down, there were traces of conflicting dissatisfaction and anger. even he couldn¡¯t explain why. subconsciously, lucifer wanted more satisfaction to dispel this unpleasant conflict.


    so, he gently parted his lips and seductively asked, ¡°why do you feel impure? is it because of me?¡±


    pei xia stared at him, his heart pounding. but just then, lucifer suddenly reached out and pulled him into his arms.


    caught off guard, pei xia fell against lucifer¡¯s chest. his nose tingled, and tears threatened to spill.


    lucifer exuded a captivating floral scent, and with his face buried in his embrace, the two of them became intimately close. pei xia was stiff and nervous, his hands trembling.


    pei xia stammered, ¡°your grace, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°shh, it¡¯s nothing,¡± lucifer said, gazing ahead at the king of dark elves emerging from the shadows. he spoke to pei xia, ¡°you need to think carefully about the question i just asked, understood?¡±


    an invisible barrier surrounded pei xia, isolating him from the outside sounds. pei xia didn¡¯t notice it; he was just puzzled. ¡®do i really need to think about it this much?¡¯


    lucifer¡¯s eyes curved as he smiled. ¡°i just felt a bit cold.¡±


    ¡°i see,¡± pei xia understood. it seemed that the holy son had a serious internal injury. pei xia wanted to be considerate and hold lucifer to warm him up. but lucifer¡¯s hand firmly held him in place, rendering him unable to move.


    pei xia could only contemplate lucifer¡¯s question in this position, ¡®why do i feel impure?¡¯


    of course, he couldn¡¯t tell the truth!


    so, how should he respond? pei xia was deep in thought.


    outside the barrier, lucifer looked at the demon who had arrived on the continent through the dark elf king, hauntingly he said, ¡°you¡¯ve infiltrated quite early, impressive.¡±


    because this demon¡¯s power was overwhelming, it could only manifest temporarily through possession. it resembled a constantly shifting dark cloud, shrouding noah and the dark corridor.


    a pair of blood-red, shining eyes were fixed on lucifer, and the demon¡¯s voice rumbled, ¡°who are you?¡±


    lucifer gently patted the back of pei xia¡¯s head with his right hand while the other hand rested on his own temple. ¡°i don¡¯t really want to answer that question.¡±


    ¡°i¡¯ve never seen you before,¡± the powerful demon said with gravity. ¡°your body is human, but your soul carries a dark aura, and something else¡­¡±


    lucifer sighed softly. ¡°keep your voice down; it¡¯s not good if others hear.¡±


    the great demon was infuriated. ¡°strange outsider, is the upheaval in the heavenly realm related to you?¡±


    lucifer only smiled and remained silent.


    the great demon¡¯s anger flared. he controlled noah¡¯s body, step by step, approaching lucifer. then, he raised a curved blade and pointed it at lucifer. ¡°i am the king of the demon world. who are you, and what is your purpose?¡±


    lucifer¡¯s eyes gradually took on a cold edge. ¡°doesn¡¯t the king of the demon world know not to interrupt people when they¡¯re in the midst of romance?¡±


    with a single word, the great demon swung the curved blade, carrying a surge of malevolent power towards lucifer. lucifer effortlessly caught the blade with his hand.


    the great demon instinctively tried to retract the blade but found it immovable in his hand.


    lucifer frowned slightly as he looked at his bleeding palm. he had been careless; this body was still too fragile.


    but that was not a problem.


    lucifer gazed at the great demon and slowly smiled.


    in the shadows, something was crawling and wriggling. then, it bared its teeth and claws, pouncing along the blade held in lucifer¡¯s hand. the great demon stared in shock at the shadow that spread over his hand. he then released the blade and ran away into the distance.


    after a few steps, he fell to the ground, convulsing and uttering intermittent screams, gradually calming down.


    lucifer narrowed his eyes, extended the tip of his crimson tongue to lick his lips, and then looked at his bleeding palm. he couldn¡¯t help but sigh softly.


    there was a grotesque wound with flesh turned outward, quite horrifying. lucifer used the power of light to heal most of it, leaving only a shallow scar.


    he lowered his sleeve to half-cover the barely visible wound in the dim light.


    the barrier was lifted, and lucifer lowered his head to look at pei xia, who had been obediently nestled in his arms the whole time. there was a hint of genuine amusement in his eyes. ¡°pei xia, have you thought of an answer?¡±


    he released his grip, and pei xia, who had been a little slow to extricate himself from lucifer¡¯s embrace, sat up. his cheeks had a faint, barely noticeable blush, and his gaze wandered. he nervously rubbed his nose.


    ¡°cough, yes, i¡¯ve thought of it!¡±


    pei xia tried to appear particularly sincere.


    ¡°sofia, your grace!¡± he declared, just as lucifer, who was squinting his eyes, was preparing to receive an answer.


    pei xia made an effort to make himself seem especially earnest.


    ¡°sofia once mentioned wanting to try a new romantic relationship. she invited her subordinates, and i couldn¡¯t help but think that maybe she and the dark elf king could never reconcile. so, perhaps there is a chance for a real relationship with her. i was momentarily torn, hence the guilt. but my heart belongs only to the light god!¡±


    sofia¡­the light god¡­


    lucifer slowly crushed a stone in his hand that lay on the ground while trying to maintain his standard saintly smile. ¡°so it was because of this.¡±


    pei xia coughed and nodded, ¡°yes, that¡¯s right!¡±


    lucifer fell silent and simply stood up, allowing the crushed stone to trickle through his fingers.


    pei xia was surprised, ¡°your grace, have you recovered?¡±


    lucifer nodded and smiled faintly, ¡°i¡¯ve recovered a bit. pei xia, there seems to be something behind you.¡±


    pei xia turned to look and was startled. when did the dark elf king, noah, get there? how did he arrive without anyone noticing?


    it did indeed appear to be the dark elf king. ¡°your grace, please be careful. i¡¯ll go and take a look.¡±


    pei xia picked up his sword and cautiously approached the dark elf king. when he reached his side, he tentatively nudged him with the tip of his shoe, but there was no response.


    he seemed to be unconscious, but how did he suddenly appear? pei xia couldn¡¯t fathom it.


    pei xia crouched down, checking his breathing and pulse. he was still alive. so, should he kill him?


    pei xia hesitated as he stood up, clutching the sword, uncertain about what to do with noah.


    just then, sofia hurried back, holding a long vine that dangled from above. ¡°are you both okay? i heard some commotion over here. noah!¡±


    worriedly, he looked at noah lying on the ground and asked, ¡°how is noah?¡±


    pei xia looked up at him and said, ¡°he¡¯s still alive.¡±


    sofia breathed a sigh of relief, and then pei xia pointed his sword at noah. sofia exclaimed, ¡°wait! what are you trying to do?¡±


    pei xia scratched his head and said, ¡°isn¡¯t it ¡®capture the ringleader first¡¯? i¡¯m thinking about whether to kill him or not.¡±


    for pei xia, killing someone was still quite difficult. after all, he had lived in a law-abiding society for over twenty years before coming here. he had only killed monsters since arriving in this world.


    at this moment, as lucifer walked towards them and spoke, ¡°no need to kill him. if the dark elf king dies, it will lead to an endless feud between the forest elves and the dark elves.¡±


    ¡°alright,¡± pei xia breathed a sigh of relief and sheathed his sword.


    lucifer continued, ¡°we can take him back and hand him over to the elven queen for judgment.¡±


    ¡°yes, your grace!¡±


    lucifer approached noah, and, with a quick glance at sofia above, he squinted at noah on the ground. he quietly extended his foot and gave him a firm stomp.


    pei xia seemed to catch a glimpse of lucifer doing something and looked at him in confusion. ¡°your gr¡ª¡±


    before he could finish the sentence, lucifer stumbled and lunged towards pei xia.


    pei xia quickly reached out to catch him. ¡°are you alright?¡±


    ¡°cough, i accidentally tripped over him,¡± lucifer patted his chest as if he were frightened, looking at pei xia with a gentle gaze. ¡°i¡¯m fine, no need to worry.¡±


    pei xia assessed him from head to toe and confirmed that he had only tripped. he then let out a sigh of relief.


    then, lucifer and pei xia, together, tied the unconscious dark elf king noah to the vine sofia had let down. after sofia pulled noah up, they then climbed up the vine.


    once they were all up, sofia immediately rushed to noah¡¯s side, tears streaming down his face as he gently touched noah¡¯s face.


    pei xia couldn¡¯t bear to look. ¡°he¡¯s not dead yet.¡±


    sofia said, ¡°i know, i¡¯m just feeling a bit excited.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°ah???¡±


    sofia: ¡°i meant, i¡¯m a bit upset. how could he collaborate with demons, *sniffle*.¡±


    pei xia glanced at him suspiciously, then bent over and slowly lowered lucifer from his back.


    lucifer slid down from his back and coughed lightly as he stood on the ground. he said, ¡°pei xia, check the surroundings.¡±


    ¡°yes!¡±


    ¡°your highness sofia, please bring the dark elf king with you.¡±


    ¡°understood.¡±


    ¡®probably because this altar was also a forbidden place for dark elves, in any case, no one had come here, and it had been quiet before. haha,¡¯ pei xia optimistically thought.


    at the same time, he heard some commotion from outside, as if another group of enemies had intruded into the underground world.


    just as he was about to listen carefully, suddenly, there was a shocked and angry voice from behind him, belonging to lucifer. ¡°your highness sofia, how could you!¡±


    pei xia was startled and quickly turned around. he saw lucifer standing where he had been originally, facing sofia, clutching his own left hand.


    lucifer slowly revealed his left palm, and there was a bloodstain on it.


    he shook his head, looking disappointed as he spoke to sofia, ¡°your highness, even if pei xia had considered killing the dark elf king, it¡¯s because he¡¯s our enemy. how can you want to harm your own comrade for the sake of an enemy!¡±


    pei xia suddenly understood, and then he glared angrily at sofia before looking gratefully at lucifer. ¡°your grace, thank you for saving me once again. also, your highness sofia, please stay calm. we haven¡¯t completely escaped yet!¡±


    sofia: ¡°¡­¡±


    lucifer let out a long sigh and then turned to pei xia. he gently took his hand and comforted him with warmth and sincerity, saying, ¡°pei xia, it seems that his highness sofia¡¯s love for the dark elf king runs deep. his talk of wanting to pursue another love is just self-deception.¡±


    pei xia nodded in agreement, ¡°you¡¯re absolutely right. his highness sofia¡¯s mind has been clouded by love!¡±


    ¡°let¡¯s hurry back, hand over the next steps to her majesty the queen, and then leave this place,¡± lucifer suggested.


    pei xia replied, ¡°you¡¯re right; this place is truly too dangerous!¡±


    sofia: ¡°¡­¡±

 CH 42

    sofia, who was suspected of a sneak attack, had no words left to defend himself. every attempt at explanation was expertly deflected by lucifer.


    in the end, sofia glared at lucifer with resentment, saying, ¡°you¡¯re cunning.¡±


    lucifer put on an innocent smile.


    sofia rolled his eyes in silence, carrying the dark elf king noah on his back, thinking, ¡°what¡¯s the point of this act?¡± he gritted his teeth and said to pei xia in a sinister tone, ¡°knight, you¡¯d better be careful. some people may seem pure and kind on the surface, but inside, who knows how dark their hearts are.¡±


    pei xia furrowed his brow, ¡°since you¡¯ve admitted it, there¡¯s no need for this anymore!¡±


    sofia: ¡°¡­¡±


    pei xia helplessly shook his head and stopped talking to him. he hadn¡¯t expected princess sofia to be such a radical elf. knowing someone¡¯s face doesn¡¯t mean you know their heart!


    after that, the two of them, along with the two elves, cautiously moved forward. as they went on, the noise in front of them grew louder, and lucifer held pei xia¡¯s hand, saying, ¡°something¡¯s not right.¡±


    ¡°what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°there¡¯s a chaotic aura.¡±


    lucifer thought for a moment and said, ¡°it¡¯s demons.¡±


    ¡°but wasn¡¯t the altar destroyed already?¡±


    ¡°yes, it was destroyed, but the demons summoned before that were already present. the altar serves as a kind of contract. when the altar is destroyed, the contract is broken, and the demons here are no longer under the control of the dark elves.¡±


    pei xia¡¯s heart pounded, and he dared not imagine what the situation was like outside. he gripped his sword, walked in the front to protect lucifer, and they left the area around the altar. they saw the dark elves battling the small demons.


    the demons in the underground world weren¡¯t numerous, but their rebellion was too swift, catching most dark elves off guard.


    furthermore, the demons were more interested in fleeing to other places than in killing the dark elves. who would want to fight alongside these unruly dark elves? the world is so vast, and the demons want to explore it!


    some demons even directly took control of the dark elves¡¯ bodies to create confusion. in short, the underground world had descended into chaos.


    pei xia whispered, ¡°your grace, should we wait for things to calm down outside, or should we leave now while it¡¯s chaotic?¡±


    pei xia was extremely nervous about demons, which were his greatest weakness. he unconsciously moved closer to lucifer.


    a slightly cool hand rested on his shoulder, and lucifer reassured him, saying, ¡°don¡¯t be afraid. we can¡¯t just leave like this.¡±


    ¡°huh?¡± pei xia looked at lucifer in confusion.


    ¡°demons that had lost the constraints of their contracts had the freedom to act. if they left like this, they would spread chaos across the entire continent.¡±


    upon hearing the severe consequences, pei xia¡¯s heart tightened. ¡°so, are we going to stay here and eliminate the demons?¡±


    ¡°exactly.¡±


    pei xia couldn¡¯t help but look at lucifer, his eyes filled with a hint of astonishment. ¡°your highness, this will be very dangerous.¡±


    lucifer smiled gently, and he lowered his gaze as if he had already cast life and death aside. he asked, ¡°pei xia, are you willing to face this danger with me?¡±


    at that moment, pei xia was deeply moved.


    yes, pei xia was afraid of death. he wasn¡¯t a great hero who aspired to sacrifice himself for the greater good. but at this moment, he was still willing to stand by lucifer¡¯s side.


    people are sometimes impulsive.


    ¡°yes, your grace. i will do my utmost, even if it means risking my life, to protect you,¡± pei xia solemnly pledged to him.


    pei xia¡¯s sincerity and bravery were so profound that it briefly froze lucifer¡¯s smile, revealing a hint of greed hidden beneath the radiance of light.


    lucifer¡¯s eyes, as deep as the sea, were filled with endless undercurrents as he absorbed his beloved righteous knight into them.


    lucifer nodded slowly, ¡°i will remember that, pei xia.¡±


    pei xia responded, ¡°yes, your grace.¡± he couldn¡¯t help feeling that something was a little odd.


    then, lucifer turned to sofia and said, ¡°your highness, please release the dark elven king and return alone to the forest elf tribe for help.¡±


    sofia furrowed his brow slightly, ¡°but what about you?¡±


    ¡°we will remain here as hostages, using the dark elven king as leverage, to eliminate the demons.¡±


    sofia hesitated a bit, ¡°but¡­¡±


    ¡°there are no ¡®buts¡¯ about it!¡± pei xia stepped forward, forcibly removing the dark elven king from sofia¡¯s back. he spoke earnestly, ¡°your highness, this is not the time for romantic feelings.¡±


    ¡°alright then, be careful.¡± sofia gritted his teeth and cautiously ran down a remote path. before leaving, he couldn¡¯t help but look back and advise, ¡°don¡¯t harm noah!¡±


    pei xia reassured him, ¡°don¡¯t worry, he won¡¯t die.¡±


    sofia responded, ¡°that¡¯s what worries me even more!¡±


    after sofia left, pei xia held the dark elven king in one hand and his sword in the other, guarding lucifer¡¯s side.


    lucifer carried the somewhat burdensome tattered robe and walked forward. at that moment, pei xia felt like he saw a bride in a pure white wedding dress.


    they ventured directly into the heart of the underworld and climbed toward the palace¡¯s heights.


    some dark elves noticed them and attempted to approach, surprised and angry, ready to attack. pei xia grabbed the dark elven king by the hair, allowing the unconscious noah to show his face: ¡°stop, or i¡¯ll kill your king immediately!¡±


    under the threat, the dark elves were forced to stop, helpless, and they could only watch the shameless assassin carry their king to a higher place.


    but there were also dark elves controlled by demons who charged forward madly. pei xia gritted his teeth and used all his strength to take them down, unflinchingly.


    they continued to move and finally arrived at the right spot. lucifer closed his eyes, clasped his hands, and silently prayed.


    pei xia stood by his side with his sword, fulfilling his vow.


    then, the favored child of the light called upon the divine radiance. the pure white light was holier than the sun, an inviolable brilliance above heaven and earth!


    the halo grew larger, illuminating the entire underworld. more and more dark elves and demons noticed this and showed astonishment.


    soon, the light burst forth like a flood, filling the entire underworld. there were screams everywhere, demons slowly vanishing in the divine radiance, and dark elves, accustomed to darkness, covering their eyes in avoidance.


    even pei xia, who was a moment late in closing his eyes, felt the blinding brightness before him. his eyes stung for a moment, and he couldn¡¯t help but shed tears.


    the light not only devoured the darkness but also silenced the sounds. pei xia could only keep his eyes closed and clutch noah, his sword pressed against his neck to maintain the threat.


    finally, it all came to an end.


    pei xia kept his body tense, listening to sounds from all directions with alert ears, in case any dark elves tried to climb up and attack lucifer.


    heavy footsteps echoed behind him, and pei xia quickly said, ¡°your grace, how are you? do you still have strength? please take cover behind me.¡±


    before he could finish his sentence, he felt a heavy body collapse onto his back.


    in an instant, he was surrounded by the cool body temperature and intoxicating floral fragrance. pei xia felt a bit disoriented, and he instinctively opened his eyes. yet all he saw was a blank expanse of white, unable to make out anything.


    this made him hesitant to move, afraid that he might accidentally harm lucifer. so, he turned his head slightly and spoke with stiffness, ¡°your grace, your grace?¡±


    lucifer noticed his peculiar behavior. his dear black-haired holy knight, with red eyes and dilated pupils, appeared devoid of spirit and called him anxiously.


    the delicate lucifer thought for a moment, then lowered his head and whispered softly in pei xia¡¯s ear, ¡°i¡¯m okay.¡±


    he still maintained the posture of half-embracing the holy knight, then extended his hand to snatch the dark elven king from pei xia¡¯s grasp and casually threw him aside.


    pei xia jumped in surprise, thinking an enemy was approaching, and he raised his sword threateningly, ¡°who? don¡¯t come any closer!¡±


    ¡°don¡¯t be afraid. pei xia, it¡¯s me.¡± lucifer used one hand to move down pei xia¡¯s shoulder, tracing along his lean, muscular arm, and finally held his hand.


    pei xia had just breathed a sigh of relief but tensed up again because the highness used his other hand to touch his cheek.


    trembling, pei xia said, ¡°your grace, i can¡¯t see right now. please be extra cautious.¡±


    ¡°i know,¡± lucifer replied.


    that icy hand reached pei xia¡¯s eye corner. he instinctively closed his eyes, feeling lucifer¡¯s fingertip gently caressing his eyelids.


    what a pitiable creature, unable to see, yet gripping the sword tightly in a futile attempt to threaten distant foes, blissfully unaware that the greatest threat came from the one so loyally guarding him in disguise.


    such an innocent, foolish, and adorable being.


    lucifer wore a smile, not consciously or deliberately, and perhaps even unnoticed by himself. he cradled pei xia¡¯s face, urging him to turn his face towards him.


    ¡°let me help you heal,¡± lucifer said softly, using his fingertip to stroke the tightly closed eyes of the holy knight.


    pei xia felt a bit guilty and apologized, ¡°your grace, i¡¯m sorry. i promised to protect you, but i still¡­¡±


    ¡°hush, it¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    lucifer leaned in, his head approaching pei xia¡¯s face, and their breaths intertwined. pei xia nervously held his breath.


    ¡®why are we so close when you¡¯re just treating my eyes?¡¯


    due to the awkward posture of being pressed together, pei xia staggered a bit but quickly regained his balance. ¡°y-your grace, do you still have magic power?¡±


    lucifer cradled pei xia¡¯s face, his own slender neck leaning closer. ¡°you know, i¡¯m a bit drained. help support me. but don¡¯t worry, i recover quickly.¡±


    then, the holy son kissed the tightly closed eyes of the holy knight, as if awakening a sleeping princess. when his soft, cool lips left those eyes, pei xia slowly opened his honeyed, watery gaze.


    faced with lucifer¡¯s enchanting beauty up close, pei xia felt an overwhelming pressure for a moment.


    he asked in a somewhat silly tone, ¡°about the treatment just now¡­¡±


    lucifer, with a slight smile, responded, ¡°yes?¡±


    ¡°what did you use to touch my eyes?¡± pei xia couldn¡¯t help but speculate, ¡°the sensation was so peculiar, so soft, so comfortable, not at all like fingers.¡±


    ¡°can you guess?¡± lucifer embraced pei xia¡¯s neck, smiling with a touch of ambiguity.


    pei xia looked at him seriously. in this underground world filled with wounded individuals, after the holy light dissipated and the dimness returned, he could see lucifer smiling, a pure and beautiful smile.


    pei xia examined every part of his upper body, eventually fixing his gaze on lucifer¡¯s lips.


    in surprise, he asked, ¡°your grace, did you just kiss me? are you attracted to me?¡±


    lucifer furrowed his brow, suddenly feeling that something was amiss.


    he wanted pei xia to kneel beneath his robe, but not through his own initiative. so lucifer immediately interrupted him, saying, ¡°pei xia, please don¡¯t misunderstand. i just had no strength and slipped.¡±


    pei xia breathed a sigh of relief, patting his chest. ¡°you scared me! i almost thought you were secretly in love with me!¡±


    lucifer: ???


    pei xia looked innocent. ¡°i mean, i almost thought you liked me. of course, i don¡¯t mean you like me, even though you¡¯ve said you¡¯re interested in romance. but i trust your devotion. what i mean is, you should, uh, be careful.¡±


    lucifer looked at him and said slowly, ¡°why ¡®scared¡¯ and not ¡®delighted¡¯?¡±


    instead of being ¡®happy¡¯!


    pei xia: ¡°well, you see¡­¡±


    of course, it¡¯s because he, a lifelong single, was taken aback for a moment. but, more importantly, the two of them together would not end well!


    in those deep eyes, pei xia saw his own reflection ¨C a very handsome young knight with a tall and well-built figure, and a gentle temperament. he wasn¡¯t trying to be vain, but if a man as handsome and tall as himself appeared in front of him, he¡¯d be attracted too.


    although it might sound self-absorbed, pei xia couldn¡¯t help but wonder if lucifer secretly had feelings for him!


    but that couldn¡¯t be, could it?


    kissing someone of the same sex is one thing for straight guys, but for lgbtq+ individuals, especially bisexuals or gays, it could be a big deal!


    so, our otherworldly immigrant, pei xia, the ironclad straight-a student, went from fearing homophobes discovering his true orientation to now being afraid of the newly minted bent-straight falling in love with him.


    an incorrect love, a love destined to be discordant in the future. after brief happiness, it would only bring pain. instead of hurting both parties, it was better to nip it in the bud early!


    pei xia took a deep breath and made up his mind that no matter whether lucifer actually had some affection for him, he couldn¡¯t irresponsibly offer him false hope!


    this was not only to prevent a future breakup from lucifer¡¯s side but also to spare him from pain. the agony of unrequited love, let pei xia bear it alone!


    this was something he, an ordinary pure zero, could do for his kind.


    so pei xia said, ¡°because my heart belongs only to the god of light!¡±


    lucifer: ¡°¡­¡±


    suddenly, the nearby dark elf king moved. pei xia quickly grasped his sword and rushed over, pressing his shoulder and threatening him with the sword at his neck.


    noah blinked in confusion, only then realizing that he had unwittingly gone from being a king to a prisoner.


    lucifer sighed lightly, not pushing pei xia further. he simply went to noah¡¯s ear and whispered a few words.


    afterward, the forest elf army arrived. with the dark elves severely weakened, they launched a counterattack, rescued their captured kin, and took the dark elf king and numerous prisoners to the elven king¡¯s court.


    what would happen to the internal affairs of these two elven races was beyond the purview of lucifer and pei xia. they had solved the most significant problem and were invited to be guests among the forest elves.


    they were given beautifully decorated, spacious, and luxurious treehouses. afterward, the two exhausted individuals were allowed to rest.


    pei xia woke up first. he sat at the table and took out his small diary. holding the pen, he hesitated to cross out the entire previous storyline and added a sentence explaining why the male lead couldn¡¯t develop a romantic relationship: he¡¯s asexual.


    at that moment, sofia arrived again and called softly from below the tree, ¡°pei xia, i¡¯ve brought something for you.¡±


    ¡°your highness?¡±


    pei xia went down to see a weary-looking sofia. he had a tough few days because his relationship with the dark elf king had been exposed, and the elven queen had given him a stern scolding.


    later, sofia would have to face further consequences for his actions. however, since they still had guests, the elven women released him temporarily to attend to the visitors. they planned to contemplate his and the dark elf king¡¯s wrongdoings once lucifer and pei xia had left.


    sofia held a delicate silver tray and pushed it toward pei xia. ¡°please accept this; it¡¯s a token of gratitude from her majesty. ordinary treasures can¡¯t express her thanks, so she¡¯s gifting you the fruit of life as a reward.¡±


    the fruit of life was a fruit that the tree of life bore only once every hundred years. it contained highly pure energy, and when consumed, it enhanced magical perception for mages and improved sword control for swordsmen.


    in short, it was like an all-around booster, highly coveted and carefully guarded by the forest elf clan, rarely making its way into the human market.


    ¡°thank you,¡± pei xia accepted the gift without hesitation.


    ¡°by the way, there¡¯s something i need to tell you.¡± sofia quickly glanced upward, ensuring lucifer wasn¡¯t around. ¡®good, he¡¯s not here.¡¯


    that deceitful holy son, lucifer, was known for his cunning and deceit. he disguised himself with an image of purity and wholesomeness, which could even fool demons. so, don¡¯t blame sofia for causing trouble!


    ¡°i want to tell you that when i said i wanted to move on and love someone else, i meant it. the object of my affection is lucifer!¡±


    pei xia: ¡°that¡¯s quite normal. who wouldn¡¯t love lucifer?¡±


    sofia was taken aback, but he continued, ¡°that¡¯s because lucifer actively seduced me!¡±


    pei xia: ¡°???¡±


    sofia lowered his eyes shyly and said, ¡°in a place you couldn¡¯t see, he secretly tickled my palm.¡±


    sofia looked at the holy knight before him with a smug expression. he thought, ¡®wait and see, lucifer. even if he believed in you before, the deeper a man loves his partner, the more he cares about their connections with others. once there¡¯s a thorn in pei xia¡¯s heart, i¡¯ll see how long your love lasts!¡¯


    pei xia: ¡°this is impossible; you must have misunderstood. it¡¯s absolutely not possible.¡±


    sofia: ¡°?? why do you trust him so much? without a shred of doubt!¡±


    pei xia: ¡°uh, it¡¯s because of deeper reasons.¡±


    sofia: ¡°hmph! more of these ¡®deeper reasons.¡¯ it¡¯s absurd!¡±


    pei xia shrugged and carried the fruit of life, making his way up the tree. sofia watched his retreating figure and gritted his teeth.


    afterward, sofia turned and left, returning to the elven queen¡¯s palace to report that he had completed the task.


    the elven queen nodded and asked, ¡°did you convey the instructions to them?¡±


    sofia replied with respect, ¡°yes, your majesty, i¡¯ve told them.¡±


    ¡°good, you may go now.¡±


    sofia revealed a sinister smile as he left. the fruit of life was not that simple, after all.


    later, sofia went to visit his imprisoned lover in the dungeon.


    the dark elf king sat with his back turned, chained. with a hoarse voice, he asked, ¡°what are you here for?¡±


    sofia leaned on the railing and lamented, ¡°i know i lied to you at the beginning. i¡¯m sorry, noah. i didn¡¯t mean to. can you forgive me for that, at least? as for the rest, i will plead with my mother.¡±


    noah said, ¡°get lost! since you¡¯ve thought about falling for someone else, why are you here? i won¡¯t trust you again!¡±


    sofia was taken aback but quickly realized that the cunning and sly holy son had informed noah about this!


    he stomped his foot and hurriedly explained, but noah continued to ignore him.


    frustrated, sofia rushed out to find lucifer and pei xia, only to be told, ¡°oh, your highness, are you asking about the holy son and his companions? they left just a while ago. it¡¯s surprising to find such outstanding individuals among humans. we are truly grateful to them.¡±


    sofia: ¡°¡­¡±

 CH 45

    along with xetis¡¯s scream, pei xia hastily turned around and was pleasantly surprised to find that lucifer had appeared behind him without him noticing.


    the palace doors were pushed open, and lucifer and harry stood at the entrance. seeing pei xia turn around, lucifer offered him a reassuring smile and then lightly patted his shoulder.


    ¡°pei xia, it¡¯s very dangerous.¡±


    pei xia wasn¡¯t entirely sure what lucifer meant by ¡°dangerous.¡± at that moment, prince harry cried out in concern and rushed toward the red-haired beauty who had fallen to the ground.


    ¡°xetis, are you okay?!¡±


    ¡°get away!¡± xetis impatiently pushed him aside, then swiftly got to his feet, eyeing lucifer warily and with hostility. ¡°who are you? a light mage?¡±


    lucifer cast a casual glance at him.


    pei xia was even more infuriated than lucifer. xetis had pushed away prince harry, but instead of getting angry, the prince gazed at xetis with a look of infatuation.


    ¡°insolence! this is lord lucifer, the holy son of the church of light!¡± pei xia stood proudly, holding his sword and using an imposing tone.


    xetis shivered and quickly pulled prince harry in front of himself. the prince looked at lucifer, his face showing a struggle between infatuation and clarity. when he gazed at xetis, he became entirely entranced.


    pei xia was absolutely furious. it was clear that lucifer and prince harry had a deep relationship, and yet the prince was acting this way. he couldn¡¯t believe that lucifer was falling for such a two-timing man!


    such a man was not a suitable match. he was simply not worthy of lucifer!


    of course, leaving aside worthiness for now, the attitude of the red-haired xetis and prince harry toward lucifer was making pei xia very uncomfortable. what was going on? they looked like a legitimate wife and a cheating husband glaring at a mistress.


    were you two even a match?


    pei xia snorted and said, ¡°if you two are fine, we¡¯ll take our leave!¡±


    reluctantly, prince harry reached out a hand, saying, ¡°lucifer.¡±


    however, lucifer didn¡¯t respond to him. instead, he continued to grip pei xia¡¯s shoulder, looking somewhat serious.


    ¡°pei xia, do you know who that person is?¡± lucifer asked.


    pei xia shook his head.


    lucifer continued, ¡°he¡¯s a demon.¡±


    ¡°oh *!¡± pei xia was startled and took a half step back instinctively, bumping into lucifer¡¯s chest. he quickly realized his reaction and stood upright, gripping his sword in a defensive posture.


    no wonder he was wearing fur in the middle of summer. he definitely wasn¡¯t human!


    the demon xetis chuckled and hid behind prince harry, saying, ¡°ridiculous! why do you label me a demon? is there such a beautiful demon as me?¡±


    prince harry nodded in agreement, ¡°that¡¯s right. luci, you must be mistaken. xetis is so beautiful, gentle, and kind. he can¡¯t possibly be a demon.¡±


    pei xia commented, ¡°to have bewitched prince harry like this, it must be a demon.¡±


    lucifer, however, remained calm and said, ¡°in that case, all we need is the light to clear up this misunderstanding.¡±


    with that, he raised his hand, and a white holy light appeared. the radiance resembled a self-propelled meteor, heading straight for sistes.


    xetis¡¯s expression changed, and he hurriedly tried to run to the side. however, he wasn¡¯t fast enough and was quickly struck by the light meteor, letting out a scream.


    prince harry rushed to him with concern and held him in his arms, saying, ¡°don¡¯t hurt xetis! help! someone, help!¡±


    pei xia couldn¡¯t help but mutter quietly, ¡°good thing the holy son isn¡¯t that deeply in love with you.¡±


    lucifer raised an eyebrow, asking, ¡°hmm?¡±


    pei xia quickly explained, ¡°nothing, i mean, prince harry and the demon seem to be deeply in love.¡±


    lucifer nodded gently and remarked, ¡°it appears so, but it¡¯s all superficial.¡±


    with a loud clamor, a group of guards rushed over, forming a protective circle around prince harry and xetis.


    ¡°please be careful, your grace!¡± pei xia furrowed his brow, feeling a bit nervous facing so many opponents. he cleared his throat, preparing to call for beta, tom, and the others.


    lucifer remained calm and said, ¡°don¡¯t worry, pei xia. this demon in front of us is a succubus. they can seduce others and create deep emotional connections, but their combat abilities are not particularly high. it¡¯s fine to eliminate him.¡±


    pei xia discreetly glanced at lucifer, feeling that the holy son seemed somewhat different from before for some reason.


    as he stole that glance, lucifer caught it and subtly turned his head, showing a very evident smile to pei xia. he extended his hand, gently patting pei xia¡¯s clothing:


    ¡°don¡¯t worry.¡±


    the succubus¡¯s aura, tsk.


    a hazy light enveloped pei xia, driving away those annoying auras. then, lucifer was about to kill xetis.


    he was the most powerful light magician. when the guards looked at lucifer, they also showed signs of struggling. this made xetis extremely panicked.


    a man even more beautiful than himself, a man who could shake his mental control ¨C he was terrifying!


    as lucifer was about to kill him from a distance, xetis clung to prince harry, pleading for mercy: ¡°my lord, spare me, please! it¡¯s my first time in the mortal world, and i¡¯ve never harmed anyone! i¡¯m innocent!¡±


    prince harry, shocked by xetis¡¯s true identity, looked momentarily dazed. xetis quickly kissed him, and harry became resolute: ¡°lucifel, please spare him! i don¡¯t care that he¡¯s a demon; we truly love each other!¡±


    the ill-fated lovebirds embraced, one begging for a chance to live, the other swearing he¡¯d rather die if xetis did.


    finally, prince harry held a sword to his own throat, threatening lucifer with his life.


    pei xia inwardly scorned their attachment to beauty over life and couldn¡¯t believe that someone would fall in love with a demon. lucifer, bothered by their noise, sighed softly: ¡°fine, let him go for now.¡±


    xetis and prince harry immediately embraced each other in excitement.


    lucifer shook his head and, with pei xia, walked outside.


    pei xia looked back with concern and asked, ¡°are we just letting him go like that?¡±


    lucifer smiled faintly, saying, ¡°killing him now would also lead to prince harry¡¯s death. don¡¯t worry. as long as he¡¯s not foolish, he won¡¯t dare to harm his highness at the moment. we¡¯ll find another opportunity to discreetly deal with him.¡±


    ¡°yes, your grace!¡±


    lucifer was about to turn back and comfort pei xia, reassuring him not to be afraid, when he saw pei xia looking at him with a concerned and sympathetic expression.


    lucifer: ¡°w-what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    had he been hurt too? lucifer found it somewhat strange, yet pleasantly surprised. it was challenging to evoke such sympathy from pei xia, even more so than pretending to be the holy son.


    pei xia gazed at him and took a deep breath, comforting him: ¡°your grace, they say there are plenty of fish in the sea. why pine for just one flower? prince harry isn¡¯t worth it. you will surely meet someone more exceptional!¡±


    lucifer: ???


    pei xia: sigh!


    today, he could clearly sense that the holy son was unhappy when facing xetis and prince harry. however, he smiled tenderly and considerately in front of him. it seemed that he did have some affection for prince harry, but he didn¡¯t want it to be revealed.


    pei xia offered a few words of consolation, looking at him with sincere eyes: ¡°if you¡¯re not in a good mood, go back and rest for now.¡±


    lucifer: ¡°okay.¡±


    he narrowed his eyes slowly as if he had discovered something significant.


    pei xia believed he had feelings for prince harry. but why couldn¡¯t he relate it back to himself?


    so he furrowed his brow.


    pei xia noticed this and thought, ¡®oh my! lord chosen one is still concerned about prince harry. how sad!¡¯


    they exchanged melancholy glances, then returned to their respective residences.


    in the dead of night, xetis, draped in a black robe, angrily stormed into the underground chamber of a hidden residence. he gathered his underlings, including the dark church cultists led by patrick, in a secret meeting.


    ¡°everyone, our formidable enemy has appeared in the church of light!¡±


    patrick and five others knelt around him respectfully: ¡°dark son, please enlighten us.¡±


    xetis slapped his thigh in anger: ¡°the chosen one has returned; kill him for me!¡±


    patrick exclaimed in shock, ¡°isn¡¯t that a bit too much? are you returning to the darkness?¡±


    xetis furrowed his brow: ¡°nonsense! i¡¯m talking about the holy son of the light church!¡±


    ¡°oh, i see now! kill him, and you can rest assured, dark son. we¡¯ll make sure he¡¯s dead!¡±


    ¡°no time to lose; i want you to act immediately!¡± xetis said with a dark expression.


    ¡°yes, dark son!¡±


    leaving the underground chamber, concealed beneath his black robe, xetis¡¯s beautiful face bore a sinister smile. ¡°heh heh, the holy son of the light church, huh? don¡¯t get cocky. i¡¯ll make these two rival sects tear each other apart!¡±


    in the royal palace, prince harry¡¯s sleeping quarters, he looked at the guards in astonishment: ¡°you mean, lucifer has the fruit of life?¡±


    ¡°there¡¯s no mistake. it was overheard by one of our knights during a casual conversation with their entourage.¡±


    prince harry, deeply infatuated, slammed his hand on the table, his expression changing constantly.


    while xetis was a succubus and didn¡¯t care much about lucifer¡¯s identity, he was afraid xetis might escape. now, it seemed there was a better opportunity to tighten their grip on xetis.


    prince harry sighed, ¡°there¡¯s no other way. tonight, you and a few others will secretly find a chance to slip in and steal the fruit of life for me!¡±


    ¡°yes, your highness!¡±


    on an ordinary day, lucifer was still surrounded by his followers. in recent days, the number of light church followers in atna city has been rapidly increasing. they were even raising money voluntarily to build a light church branch.


    lucifer promised them that he would pass on the information to the main church and request bishops and priests to come and provide support.


    in reality, the followers wished for lucifer to stay here. however, they also understood that lucifer belonged to all living beings, and a small city like atna couldn¡¯t hold him.


    as lucifer preached, pei xia sat in a corner, carefully observing his surroundings.


    sigh, people with looks, wealth, and talent, excelling in every aspect, were so rare. especially when compared to lucifer, pei xia couldn¡¯t help but feel that no one could measure up to him.


    it¡¯s so challenging; someone like lucifer makes dating seem impossible!


    in the evening, as people slowly dispersed and lucifer was having dinner, pei xia couldn¡¯t resist asking in a low voice: ¡°your grace, do you wish to experience love?¡±


    lucifer¡¯s eyes flickered slightly, and he felt he should maintain some reserve: ¡°well, not really.¡±


    pei xia immediately breathed a sigh of relief: ¡°that¡¯s great.¡±


    lucifer: ¡°i think i do.¡±

 CH 46

    lucifer: ¡°i was thinking.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°ah?!¡±


    lucifer raised an eyebrow slightly, seeming to carry a hint of melancholy: ¡°why? are you very surprised?¡±


    pei xia replied softly: ¡°well, i am a bit surprised. i thought you were completely devoted to the cause of the light.¡±


    in the original work, lucifer was the epitome of someone who prioritized career over romance. besides, this novel doesn¡¯t even have a designated couple.


    ah, i don¡¯t even know what has happened. not only has the main character¡¯s orientation changed, but he¡¯s even thinking about dating.


    lucifer smiled kindly: ¡°it¡¯s not contradictory.¡±


    pei xia nodded and took a deep breath: ¡°yes, you¡¯re right. since you have this thought, i will definitely help you with all my heart!¡±


    lucifer brushed his beautifully radiant golden-like hair with his hand. his expression was delicate and timid, yet tinged with a hint of expectation: ¡°oh? how do you plan to help me?¡±


    pei xia was stumped by the question; it seemed not so easy to answer.


    after some thought, with his hands folded neatly on his lap in an attempt to appear serious, pei xia replied, ¡°my mission is to protect lord lucifer. whether it¡¯s your physical well-being or your inner feelings, i¡¯ll do my best to guard them. so, as long as you¡¯re happy, i¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    lucifer seemed a bit distracted, gently repeating, ¡°as long as i¡¯m happy?¡±


    ¡°yes!¡± pei xia looked at his somewhat distant expression, feeling a bit anxious, and hurriedly added, ¡°i¡¯ll do my best to keep scoundrels from hurting you. of course, if you genuinely like someone, i¡¯ll help you pursue them!¡±


    chuckling, lucifer covered his face with one hand and lightly tapped the table with the other, unable to contain his laughter.


    pei xia was perplexed, asking, ¡°what¡¯s so funny?¡±


    he felt a bit embarrassed; did his words sound that ridiculous?!


    lucifer, after laughing a couple of times, took a deep breath and gazed across the table, his eyes curving as he said, ¡°i just feel like it¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    pei xia, still baffled, giggled along, ¡°is that so, hahaha.¡±


    but at that moment, the man across the dining table set down his fork and sighed gently, seeming somewhat melancholic, ¡°but it seems the person i want might not like me.¡±


    at that moment, pei xia¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    ¡°how is that possible? you¡¯re so outstanding!¡±


    what? lucifer already likes someone?


    ¡°but i really can¡¯t figure him out¡±. lucifer cradled his face, squinting as he looked at pei xia and said, ¡°he¡¯s never said that he likes me.¡±


    pei xia, giving him a sympathetic look, asked, ¡°does he know about your feelings?¡±


    lucifer shook his head slowly, ¡°maybe he knows, maybe he doesn¡¯t. i¡¯ve never told him.¡±


    pei xia looked at him with empathy.


    lucifer extended his tongue and nervously licked his lower lip. under the candlelight, his lips appeared even more moist and enticing. ¡°pei xia, why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    pei xia sighed sympathetically and said, ¡°your grace, please give up on him. he¡¯s a scoundrel, not worth it!¡±


    lucifer asked, ¡°how do you know who i¡¯m talking about?¡±


    no confessions were made, and the holy son never said anything, but they seemed to be quite ambiguous towards each other. however, now he felt that the other person didn¡¯t like him at all. wasn¡¯t this prince harry?


    pei xia clenched his fists and stood up abruptly. ¡°your grace, please choose someone else. anyone but prince harry will do. i¡¯ll help you win his heart!¡±


    lucifer began, ¡°no. first, i think there might be a misunderstanding between us. i don¡¯t have any feelings for prince harry, i¡ª¡±


    suddenly, a desperate cry for help rang out from the backyard, and pei xia was startled. he rushed to the window to see what was happening.


    a servant had tripped and dropped a basket of feed. several people were in a panic, and inside the horse pen, someone had untied the horses. the horses were now spooked, whinnying and wildly running about.


    seeing one horse charging towards a person, pei xia quickly jumped out of the window and pulled the person to safety.


    he turned back to lucifer, saying, ¡°your grace, the horses in the yard have been set free.¡±


    lucifer nodded and said seriously, ¡°pei xia, you and the others handle this situation here.¡±


    pei xia was concerned, ¡°it looks suspicious as if someone did this intentionally. please be cautious, your grace.¡±


    ¡°don¡¯t worry, i¡¯ll go back to the room now.¡±


    pei xia replied, ¡°yes, i¡¯ll come to find you right away!¡±


    soon, pei xia, along with several holy knights, managed to control the frightened horses and left the rest of the work to others. he swiftly ran upstairs to meet lucifer.


    the ominous premonition had indeed come true!


    on the second floor, there were strange figures in black robes trying to obstruct them.


    one of the black-robed figures said, ¡°the lord wants to kill you too, die, knight!¡± he raised a long, jagged staff and chanted incantations.


    pei xia responded, ¡°you¡¯re talking nonsense! the lord would never want to kill me. don¡¯t spread false rumors!¡±


    the black-robed man hesitated and asked, ¡°aren¡¯t you pei xia?¡±


    ¡°yes.¡±


    ¡°the lord said he wants to kill you.¡±


    ¡°that¡¯s ridiculous. you must have heard wrong.¡± pei xia was perplexed. he walked up to the black-robed man and asked, ¡°what¡¯s your name? what¡¯s your relationship with the lord? i¡¯ve never seen you before. speak up!¡±


    the black-robed man weakly replied, ¡°i¡¯m kendra.¡±


    ¡°i don¡¯t know you.¡± pei xia raised his hand and punched him.


    kendra writhed on the ground, clutching his nose, shocked, and said, ¡°you, you, you, despicable!¡±


    ¡°you¡¯re the one who¡¯s despicable! daring to impersonate someone from the lord¡¯s side to sow discord. this conspiracy is too foolish!¡± pei xia lifted his foot and unceremoniously knocked kendra unconscious.


    then, pei xia ran up the stairs to the third floor. however, he encountered another black-robed man at the corner of the third floor.


    it was only at this moment that pei xia realized they were dark sorcerers.


    a murky black mist swirled, seemingly toxic and corrosive. without hesitation, pei xia rushed forward and incapacitated the black-robed man before the poisonous fog could affect him.


    finally, he arrived at lucifer¡¯s room and saw him standing calmly in the thin black mist, holding a sword. he wore a nonchalant smile on his face and elegantly swung his sword. the blade, gleaming with a cold light, sliced through an enemy¡¯s throat, causing blood to splatter like molten lava flowing freely in hell.


    the blood splattered onto his cheek, one droplet, then another, starkly contrasting against his snow-white complexion.


    pei xia noticed that the curve of his lips became more pronounced, captivating and intoxicating. he looked so beautiful, even amid the carnage, that it was impossible to look away.


    in the blink of an eye, three enemies met their demise at his hands. finally, lucifer tilted his head, seeming somewhat uninterested, and turned around, his blood-spattered robe billowing like patterns on butterfly wings.


    when he turned to look at pei xia, there was a faint hint of stiffness in the smile at the corner of his lips.


    pei xia stammered, ¡°your¡­ grace¡­¡±


    lucifer suddenly let out a weak sigh, his voice trembling and fragile. the motion that had already slowed down abruptly continued.


    the longsword in his hand made a clang as he threw it away. lucifer continued to spin, and then he collapsed onto the ground.


    ¡°your grace!¡±


    shocked, pei xia slid to his knees and anxiously embraced the upper half of lucifer¡¯s body.


    ¡°your grace, are you okay? are you injured?¡±


    pei xia coughed.


    lucifer gazed at him with unfocused eyes, reaching out to grasp pei xia¡¯s hand. his voice was hoarse, faint as a thread as if he would drift away like a wisp in the wind at any moment.


    he coughed, his face pale, a trickle of fresh blood from the corner of his lips. he was on the verge of losing consciousness.


    pei xia tightly held his hand, filled with despair. ¡°your grace, please hold on!¡±


    cough, cough.


    the dark poisonous fog slowly dissipated, but it still had an effect on pei xia. he felt his breathing becoming labored, his body temperature rising, and his head spinning. these were signs of poisoning.


    his skin and respiratory tract also stung, indicating that he had been affected by the toxic fog.


    but now, pei xia had no mood to care about himself. they say that real men don¡¯t shed tears easily. but facing life and death, pei xia couldn¡¯t help but shed two lines of tears.


    ¡°my lord, they¡¯ll be here soon. you have to hold on! tom, buck, go find the light magic mage!¡± pei xia shouted loudly, hoping they would find a rescue in time.


    however, tom and buck didn¡¯t seem to respond, and pei xia had no choice but to staggeringly pick up lucifer and shout as he moved.


    at this moment, the dying lucifer gently held pei xia¡¯s hand and said, ¡°stop shouting, just talk to me.¡±


    pei xia, with red eyes, looked down at him and said, ¡°my lord, you will be fine, i¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    lucifer smiled lightly, pure and beautiful, ¡°you¡¯re also injured and poisoned, aren¡¯t you, pei xia? don¡¯t be afraid. eat the fruit of life, and you will be okay. don¡¯t worry about me; as long as you are well, it¡¯s enough.¡±


    with these words, lucifer¡¯s eyes slowly closed, and he fell into a coma.


    pei xia shouted, ¡°your grace,¡± and wanted to wipe the blood off his face. but when he raised his hand, he realized there was still breath in him!


    he still had a chance!


    lucifer mentioned the fruit of life, so if he gave it to him, it could save him!


    pei xia quickly carried lucifer back to the bedroom and placed him carefully on the bed. at this point, the other holy knights had arrived, and buck, panting, said, ¡°how is the lord? tom has gone to get the light magic mage.¡±


    ¡°the lord¡¯s condition is very critical, and i don¡¯t know the details. anyway, we¡¯ll know when the mage arrives!¡±


    ¡°good!¡±


    on the bed, lucifer furrowed his brow slightly. to make it more convincing, he didn¡¯t reveal his true intentions in front of the light magic mage and pretended to really faint.


    pei xia, near the cabinet, was frantically searching through everything, ¡°where is it? where is it?¡± but why is there only one fruit of life left? pei xia suddenly looked up, rapidly scanning the room. he noticed the window had been opened at some point, which he had overlooked earlier, and now, upon closer inspection, the room was slightly disarranged.


    ¡°intruders!¡±


    regardless of who the thief was, with only one fruit of life left, pei xia gritted his teeth and decided to give it to lucifer.


    after all, once lucifer recovered, as long as pei xia didn¡¯t die, even the most severe injuries had a chance of being saved.


    pei xia staggered over to the window where lucifer lay, whispering, ¡°your grace, you must get better.¡±


    then he raised the half-fist-sized fruit, ready to feed lucifer, but hesitated. this fruit was quite large, and he couldn¡¯t just shove it in; it might choke him!


    pei xia frowned, stood up, and gave orders, ¡°buck, you must protect the lord at all costs, understood? i need to leave for a moment.¡±


    ¡°yes, captain!¡±


    the weakened holy knight supported himself against the wall and ran downstairs to the kitchen, where the servants were in disarray. they looked at him, concerned, ¡°sir knight, what¡¯s happened?¡±


    ¡°don¡¯t worry; it¡¯s temporarily under control.¡±


    pei xia coughed twice, took a spoon and a bowl, scraped the fruit of life into a mash, and diluted it with some cold water. then he returned to lucifer¡¯s bedroom.


    he gently lifted lucifer¡¯s upper body, feeding him the entire fruit of life spoonful by spoonful.


    after pei xia finished feeding the fruit of life, the light magic mage finally arrived to treat lucifer.


    lucifer slowly woke up, and the first thing he saw was pei xia. he reached out, gripping pei xia¡¯s hand emotionally, and asked, ¡°pei xia, did you eat the fruit of life?¡±


    ¡°yes, i did,¡± pei xia sniffled, pretending to be a bit flustered. what a kind and noble lord he was; he was worth everything pei xia had to give!


    ¡°thank goodness.¡± lucifer smiled with his eyes curved, then he forced himself to sit up, opened his arms, and suddenly embraced pei xia.


    pei xia was taken by surprise when lucifer hugged him. his body stiffened, and he stammered, ¡°your grace, you¡­you¡­¡±


    ¡°you¡¯ve worked hard, pei xia.¡±


    lucifer released him but held pei xia¡¯s face in his hands, frowning slightly as if puzzled. ¡°pei xia, it seems like the poison in your body hasn¡¯t been completely neutralized yet.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°uh, maybe the fruit of life has expired.¡±


    lucifer smiled gently, his hands caressing pei xia¡¯s face, making pei xia blush deeply. ¡°don¡¯t worry. i¡¯ll check it. hmm, it¡¯s not severe. i¡¯ll heal you.¡±


    pei xia softly said, ¡°thank you, your grace.¡±


    the gentle holy light enveloped pei xia, and he felt his condition slowly improving as the poison was expelled. his face, which had been red and hot, gradually returned to normal.


    in the end, everything calmed down. because they had been injured and poisoned, their energy was depleted. lucifer and pei xia stayed in the bedroom to rest, while the others searched for the identity of the assassins and their accomplices.


    in the late night, pei xia, who had been healed by lucifer, tossed and turned and couldn¡¯t sleep.


    ah, why is the lord so kind?


    he even¡­ he touched his face. how could he make such an intimate gesture with someone so easily?


    the holy son without any guard is truly too, too dangerous.


    pei xia sighed and made up his mind. even if he couldn¡¯t be with the holy son, he would still protect him!


    with this determination, pei xia quietly got up, sat by the bed, and watched over lucifer the whole night.


    as the day was about to break, lucifer had a bad dream and furrowed his brow unhappily.


    after a moment of contemplation, pei xia gently pushed him when he saw the first rays of sunlight streaming in. ¡°your grace, did you have a bad dream?¡±


    as lucifer slowly opened his eyes, his voice was filled with confusion. ¡°i¡­¡±


    before he could finish saying ¡®i,¡¯ pei xia was already expressing his shock, ¡°your grace, why has your belly become so big!¡±

 CH 47

    this is a sunny, cloudless, and pleasant summer day.


    in the early morning, the bright sunlight enhanced the beauty of the flowers, and the scorching sun had not yet risen, making it cool and spacious.


    inside a beautiful house covered with ivy, in the largest and best bedroom, a golden-haired beauty was slightly opening her lips, a hint of crimson tongue playing between her pearly white teeth. she appeared confused, shocked, and unbelieving!


    by the side of the golden-haired beauty sat a handsome young man with black hair. the young man widened his eyes, slightly leaned forward, and stared intently at the woman¡¯s belly!


    these two individuals are the revered holy son of the light church, lucifer, and his handpicked personal guard, the holy knight pei xia.


    pei xia extended a finger, trembling, and pointed at lucifer¡¯s belly, fearfully asking, ¡°your grace, how did your stomach become like this? have you been poisoned again?!¡±


    the slightly bulging abdomen hidden under the nightgown resembled that of a woman in her fourth or fifth month of pregnancy, especially noticeable due to lucifer¡¯s slender figure.


    ¡°let me take a look!¡±


    slap!


    lucifer raised his hand and swatted away pei xia¡¯s hand.


    pei xia, puzzled, asked, ¡°are you feeling shy about it, or is it a matter of health? let me have a look!¡±


    ¡°no, i¡¯m not poisoned,¡± lucifer gritted his teeth.


    pei xia was shocked, and if it¡¯s not poison, then could it be¡­


    ¡°a parasitic creature!¡±


    lucifer: ¡°no, it¡¯s not.¡±


    ¡°you¡¯re pregnant?!¡± pei xia stared at him in amazement and asked cautiously, ¡°could it be that you¡¯re really a woman disguised as a man?¡±


    but he clearly helped lucifer take a bath and saw his upper body; he¡¯s definitely a man.


    moreover, even if he¡¯s pregnant, can it happen so quickly?


    lucifer raised one hand to his forehead, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and smiled with a bit of effort while biting his teeth. he grabbed pei xia¡¯s hand with the other hand.


    ¡°stop guessing. i am a man,¡± lucifer said. ¡°pei xia, i have a question to ask you.¡±


    ¡°please, go ahead.¡±


    lucifer held pei xia¡¯s hand a little tighter and forced a smile, ¡°did you really eat the fruit of life?¡±


    pei xia was taken aback, coughed lightly in discomfort, and said somewhat guiltily, ¡°i did, your grace. there¡¯s no need to worry.¡±


    lucifer looked at his flat belly in silence.


    ¡°is there something wrong?¡± pei xia felt a little uneasy.


    after a long while, lucifer¡¯s lips twitched slightly. he discreetly pulled the blanket over his stomach, and his deep blue eyes seemed like a surging deep sea.


    ¡°in that case, what about me? did you give me the fruit of life?¡± lucifer inquired.


    pei xia was a bit conflicted. if they both had one, he couldn¡¯t report the disappearance of the fruit of life, but if he said he only gave it to lucifer, it would be like lying. lucifer had mentioned how much he disliked lying.


    pei xia lowered his head, his lips slightly moving. ¡°what does it matter?¡±


    lucifer lowered his hand from his forehead and sighed heavily, finally calming his emotions. he turned to look at the green trees and garden outside the white-painted window. ¡°i forgot to tell you; the fruit of life has some unique properties.¡±


    ¡°as the name suggests, it possesses special attributes. when a person consumes the fruit of life, they can conceive life through intimacy with someone else within three hours.¡±


    pei xia was shocked. ¡°so you are indeed pregnant!¡±


    ¡°quiet!¡± lucifer raised his hand in a helpless gesture and explained, ¡°if within three hours, you don¡¯t do anything, it won¡¯t lead to conception.¡±


    pei xia¡¯s gaze was fixed on lucifer¡¯s slightly protruding belly hidden under the blanket. he couldn¡¯t help but murmur, ¡°but you haven¡¯t been intimate with anyone else, have you?¡±


    lucifer said softly, ¡°so it was you who gave me the fruit of life.¡±


    pei xia¡¯s face turned bright red, and he suddenly stood up, taking two steps back. ¡°you, please rest assured, if it¡¯s because of me, i¡¯ll take responsibility for both you and the child!¡±


    he knelt down with a thud, feeling a complex mix of joy and anxiety.


    seeing the paladin¡¯s dramatic reaction, lucifer was both annoyed and amused. he said to pei xia in a helpless tone, ¡°get up. i haven¡¯t finished speaking. i¡¯m not actually pregnant.¡±


    ¡°oh, oh, oh.¡± pei xia quickly stood up. even though he should have felt relieved, he somehow felt a bit disappointed.


    lucifer lowered his head slightly, playing with his long hair. maybe it was due to the change in his stomach, but pei xia couldn¡¯t help but see a gentle maternal glow in him.


    lucifer whispered, ¡°if, within three hours of consuming the fruit of life, there hasn¡¯t been any intimate activity, and you¡¯re simply in close contact with someone you care about¡­¡±


    pei xia asked, ¡°yes? why did you stop?¡±


    lucifer unconsciously widened his eyes and turned his head slightly, gazing through the strands of hair at pei xia. his eyes held a hint of disbelief and self-doubt. the emotions were so intense that he could barely maintain his composed expression.


    pei xia felt a little uneasy under his gaze. ¡°what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    after a while, lucifer withdrew his gaze and cleared his throat. he said, ¡°if there hasn¡¯t been any overly intimate activity but contact with someone else¡¯s skin has occurred, the fruit of life can still be stimulated. however, it won¡¯t lead to pregnancy; instead, it simulates a pseudo-pregnancy. this process lasts for one to three days, after which it returns to normal.¡±


    upon hearing this, pei xia let out a long sigh of relief. ¡°that¡¯s great; you won¡¯t actually get pregnant and have a child.¡±


    ¡°i told you. pregnancy doesn¡¯t result in a big belly overnight,¡± lucifer said, shaking his head.


    pei xia couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier? if i had known, you wouldn¡¯t have had to endure the false pregnancy.¡±


    lucifer¡¯s gaze shifted for a moment, and then he faced pei xia, raising a hand to lightly cover his lips, showing a pained expression, ¡°are you suspecting that i intentionally deceived you, pei xia?¡±


    pei xia quickly replied, ¡°no! i swear i absolutely didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°i just accidentally forgot!¡± lucifer said, covering his face in anguish.


    pei xia hesitated, ¡°but now that you mention it, it does seem a bit suspicious.¡±


    lucifer responded, ¡°you didn¡¯t eat the fruit of life.¡±


    pei xia¡¯s hair stood on end, and he shivered, ¡°i¡¯m sorry, your holiness; i indeed didn¡¯t eat it.¡±


    after learning about the unique side effects of the fruit of life, pei xia couldn¡¯t continue the charade. he hung his head in frustration and informed lucifer about the theft of the fruit of life, leaving only one remaining.


    he tried to make lucifer understand his genuine concern, ¡°your holiness, please forgive me; i was just too worried about you!¡±


    lucifer¡¯s lips curled up slightly, and his gaze softened, ¡°but you still lied to me.¡±


    pei xia knelt down on one knee and lowered his head, saying, ¡°please give the order for punishment. it was my failure to protect, and i acted with deceit.¡±


    ¡°very well,¡± lucifer said, raising his hand to massage his temples. ¡°i will punish you, but as for what the punishment will be, we¡¯ll decide later. pei xia, i need some time alone to think.¡±


    he needed to reflect on his own perception of pei xia.


    seeing lucifer in a dejected mood, pei xia decided not to press further. he stood up and respectfully said, ¡°please rest well. i¡¯ll have breakfast brought to you, and i¡¯ll stand guard outside the door. you must recover from the shadow of the false pregnancy as soon as possible.¡±


    lucifer: ¡°¡­¡±


    pei xia gave him an encouraging look and then swiftly left the room.


    during the daytime, the courtyard was calm and relatively safe. pei xia went to find the other knights, instructing one group to request breakfast from the kitchen maids and the others to report the results of their investigation into the assassins from the previous night.


    responsible for the investigation were beta and others. ¡°the group of assassins confessed that they were followers of the dark cult, sent to assassinate the holy son in the name of the dark son. from my separate interrogations, they didn¡¯t seem very clever, so they probably didn¡¯t lie. moreover, they mentioned having an accomplice outside, and we should be able to catch them soon.¡±


    the dark cult? who are these cannon fodder? pei xia had never encountered them in the original work.


    he asked again, ¡°who is the dark son?¡±


    ¡°they absolutely refused to reveal this information. please rest assured, captain; i will intensify the interrogations, and we will make them confess everything!¡±


    pei xia patted his shoulder and encouraged him, ¡°keep up the good work!¡±


    ¡°by the way, captain, how is his holiness? has he gotten up yet? there are already believers waiting outside.¡±


    thinking of lucifer¡¯s despondent appearance, pei xia shook his head with a heavy heart, ¡°his holiness is not in serious condition, but there¡¯s a minor issue, and he¡¯s not ready to see outsiders for the time being. please tell them that his holiness is unwell and ask them not to come for a few days to avoid disturbing him. as for the matter of the assassins, there¡¯s no need to inform them; too many people can complicate things.¡±


    ¡°understood, captain. i¡¯ll go and disperse them.¡±


    after sending away the believers and closing the courtyard gate, the holy knights gathered at lucifer¡¯s door.


    pei xia held a tray with breakfast and knocked on the door, saying, ¡°your holiness, please have some breakfast at least. it¡¯s not good for your stomach to skip meals, and it¡¯s not good for your health.¡±


    lucifer¡¯s voice came softly, ¡°hmm.¡±


    ¡°buck, beta, and the others are also very concerned about you. would you allow them to come in and visit?¡±


    in reality, compared to another matter, the impact of the false pregnancy on lucifer wasn¡¯t as significant. he sighed and said, ¡°let them all come in; it¡¯s a good time to discuss what happened last night.¡±


    ¡°yes, your holiness.¡±


    pei xia was about to enter the room when he suddenly remembered something.


    as the personal guard knight of his holiness, he needed to be even more careful and attentive, especially considering his holiness¡¯s current situation. remembering the despondent look on lucifer¡¯s face before he left, pei xia¡¯s heart ached for him.


    for a man, even if he was gay, suddenly having a large belly overnight was a source of shame and pain. while lucifer¡¯s attitude didn¡¯t appear to be that sensitive, and he didn¡¯t intend to hide the situation, how could pei xia let him bear the inner torment alone?


    he wanted to encourage him!


    so, before entering the room, pei xia furrowed his brow and turned to beta, saying, ¡°go find a few pillows.¡±


    beta: ¡°huh? okay!¡±


    inside the room, lucifer, who was dressed elegantly despite his swollen belly, was sitting on a chair, waiting for the holy knights who hadn¡¯t entered yet.


    finally, the door creaked open.


    lucifer looked up to see several tall and imposing men all sporting big bellies.


    pei xia greeted with a bright smile, ¡°please have breakfast!¡±


    lucifer: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    lucifer had excellent self-control, and he calmly discussed some matters with the knights and instructed them to investigate the succubus around prince harry. although they had met during the day, they encountered assassins at night. while it was somewhat orchestrated, individuals influenced by succubus weren¡¯t thinking clearly.


    under lucifer¡¯s guidance, the holy knights split up to investigate. they not only captured the last dark mage, patrick, but also traced the true identity of the dark son to be a succubus named xetis.


    when they informed the dark cultists that xetis was just an ordinary succubus and not the dark son, the cultists wailed and howled in disbelief.


    regardless of their belief, the dark cultists had no way out. after those who were killed, only three of them remained, and they were about to face endless imprisonment. their pleas for the dark god¡¯s protection would be limited to the confines of the dungeon.


    as for xetis, under the strict protection of prince harry, pei xia¡¯s group hadn¡¯t found an opportunity to capture him.


    however, they could never have anticipated that xetis would voluntarily come to them in the middle of the night!


    wearing a sable coat and showing off his slim waist, the red-haired succubus xetis, chased by prince harry¡¯s guards, frantically rushed into lucifer¡¯s courtyard.


    at that moment, lucifer was having dinner in the backyard while admiring the moon.


    his swollen belly, after undergoing a terrifying transformation, was gradually returning to its normal state. he expected that by tomorrow, everything would be back to normal.


    so, lucifer was in a relatively good mood.


    pei xia stood by his side, serving him. when he saw xetis running towards them crying, he quickly drew his sword and assumed a defensive posture, shouting, ¡°buck, tom, protect his holiness!¡±


    in a flash, the holy knights surrounded lucifer.


    xetis collapsed on the ground, saying, ¡°i surrender! hurry, take me away!¡±


    pei xia asked, ¡°what happened to you?¡±


    at the same time, prince harry and his group also entered the backyard by climbing over the wall. he called out, ¡°xetis, my dear xetis!¡±


    xetis shivered all over, and when he looked up, he saw a group of burly, pregnant men towering over him.

 CH 48

    xetis¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°you humans are terrifying!¡±


    ¡°xetis, come back with me quickly. it¡¯s dangerous here!¡± prince harry said urgently, taking a step forward.


    ¡°no, don¡¯t come closer!¡± xetis screamed and rushed forward, putting his neck against pei xia¡¯s blade.


    lucifer, still composed despite the chaos around, wiped his mouth with a napkin. ¡°take it easy. what exactly happened?¡±


    xetis sobbed, ¡°the human world is too scary. i want to go back to the demon realm!¡±


    he was just a little succubus who wanted an easy life using his charm. suddenly, he found himself in a terrible situation. ¡°oh my god, why didn¡¯t my mother warn me about this when she sent me to the mortal world?¡±


    pei xia inquired, ¡°what happened, exactly?¡±


    xetis was too embarrassed to speak; he felt he had lost face and brought disgrace to the succubus race.


    prince harry, more agitated than xetis, exclaimed, ¡°xetis, how can you be so heartless? are you going to abandon me with our child?!¡±


    xetis, emotionally charged, moved his neck closer to pei xia¡¯s blade, ¡°don¡¯t come any closer, or i¡¯ll kill myself!¡±


    prince harry, nervous and concerned, said, ¡°okay, calm down. i won¡¯t come closer.¡±


    pei xia, who had been strangely manipulated by xetis¡¯s use of the sword as a threat, looked down and asked, ¡°child? what child? aren¡¯t you a succubus?¡±


    xetis raised his head. he glared at pei xia in anger, ¡°harry told me already. the fruit of life was taken from your people! your belly is so big now, and you still dare to play dumb? wait, why did all of you get so big so fast?¡±


    pei xia suddenly realized that harry had stolen the fruit of life. he looked at xetis sympathetically and said, ¡°because the babies in our bellies are fake.¡±


    xetis: ¡°¡­¡±


    pei xia glared at prince harry in anger. ¡°your highness, how could you steal?¡±


    prince harry, feeling guilty, couldn¡¯t meet their eyes. ¡°oh my light god, i just wanted to save our love!¡±


    pei xia: ¡°¡­¡±


    lucifer cleared his throat and asked, ¡°alright, we can talk about the prince¡¯s theft later. xetis, why did you dare to come to me?¡±


    xetis sadly replied, ¡°here, only you can resist harry, and i haven¡¯t killed anyone so far.¡±


    lucifer raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°oh?¡±


    xetis cautiously glanced at him and stammered, ¡°w-well, you¡¯re not dead.¡±


    lucifer smiled but didn¡¯t say anything.


    xetis wiped away tears and said, ¡°please, send me back to the demon realm. i¡¯ll never dare to come to the mortal world again!¡±


    prince harry cried out in agony, ¡°no, xetis, have you forgotten our love?!¡±


    xetis: ¡°get lost!¡±


    lucifer smiled and said, ¡°sending you back is not impossible.¡±


    xetis nodded eagerly, ¡°yes, yes, yes!¡±


    ¡°but there must be a price, right?¡± even when the holy son said this, he seemed particularly caring and gentle.


    ¡°what price?¡± xetis looked at him through teary eyes. at that moment, he saw a holy light within lucifer despite the tears.


    apart from being jealous that this man was better looking than himself, everything else seemed fine, didn¡¯t it?


    lucifer raised a finger and tapped the table, saying, ¡°when i send you back, i¡¯ll retrieve it myself.¡±


    ¡°alright, send me back now! i don¡¯t want to stay here for another moment,¡± xetis couldn¡¯t wait to leave.


    lucifer looked at the agonized prince harry and then smiled as he stood up.


    the first thing he did was to use his powers to put prince harry and the soldiers into a deep sleep.


    ¡°will prince harry be okay like this, your grace?¡±


    lucifer shook his head and said, ¡°whether he¡¯s okay or not has nothing to do with me.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°huh?¡±


    lucifer: ¡°i mean, we¡¯re just doing what we have to do. as for the rest, we should trust them to handle it themselves.¡±


    ¡°your words are very philosophical, your grace!¡±


    pei xia still had some hesitation, ¡°are you sure you want to send him back? after all, he once wanted to harm you.¡±


    lucifer raised a faint smile, looking amused. ¡°he has a unique mixed bloodline. it won¡¯t be easy for him in the demon realm.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°oh, i didn¡¯t expect you to be so¡­¡±


    lucifer immediately looked pained, ¡°ah, thinking about that, i couldn¡¯t help but worry for him. but since he wants it, i can only fulfill his wish.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°you¡¯re still as soft-hearted and kind as ever!¡±


    lucifer¡¯s method for sending xetis back was simple. he extracted the necessary information from the captured dark mages to create a magic circle that would transport xetis back to the demon realm.


    compared to coming from the demon realm to the mortal world, returning to the demon realm was simpler.


    pei xia stood by lucifer¡¯s side, curious. ¡°didn¡¯t you say he would have to pay a price?¡±


    ¡°i already got it,¡± lucifer chuckled. ¡°it¡¯s not anything valuable, just some little trinkets.¡±


    pei xia seemed to understand, nodding, ¡°prince harry and the others have already been sent back. you¡¯ve been busy for a long time; you should rest now.¡±


    ¡°alright.¡±


    ¡ª


    back in the room, pei xia busily helped lucifer clean up. he tried to be as pleasing as possible. lucifer, dressed in his pajamas, leaned against the bed, watching him with a smile. he patted the space beside him.


    ¡°come here, pei xia.¡±


    ¡°oh.¡± pei xia didn¡¯t doubt him and walked to the bedside, sitting down. ¡°do you need me to recite the scripture of light for you?¡±


    ¡°yes.¡± lucifer slid down on the bed, propping his head with a smile. ¡°go ahead.¡±


    pei xia cleared his throat and began to recite the scripture of light. gradually, lucifer¡¯s eyes closed. it was late at night, and pei xia wasn¡¯t sure if lucifer had fallen asleep, so he continued to recite.


    as he recited, pei xia felt drowsy, his eyelids heavy. unconsciously, he slumped over onto the bed and drifted into sleep.


    in his dream, the world was hazy. pei xia found himself in the same room, sitting on the edge of the bed, smiling foolishly. lucifer sat with his hands folded, supporting his chin, and sighed lightly.


    ¡°pei xia, i did say i was going to punish you.¡±


    pei xia chuckled in his dream, his reactions slightly delayed and blurry.


    lucifer sat up, opened his arms, and pulled the drowsy pei xia into an embrace. he extended his long, elegant hand, with cool fingertips, gently caressing pei xia¡¯s cheek. then, he ran his red tongue lightly over the knight¡¯s earlobe.


    lucifer seemed to be both smiling and somewhat distressed as he said, ¡°i seem to be caring about you a bit too much.¡±


    in his dream, pei xia, in his own logic, didn¡¯t realize he was dreaming, nor did he fully follow real-life logic.


    he clenched his fist, not sure what kind of scenario he had created for himself. ¡°your grace, have you finally allowed our child to acknowledge me? it¡¯s okay; i will definitely take responsibility if it¡¯s you!¡±


    lucifer said, ¡°how fixated can one be on taking responsibility?¡±


    pei xia appeared quite sad. ¡°please don¡¯t be sad over that scoundrel anymore. there are plenty of other fish in the sea. strong men and handsome guys are everywhere. if it doesn¡¯t work out, we can pick a few from the knight¡¯s group!¡±


    lucifer raised his hand to pinch pei xia¡¯s cheek and shook it. ¡°nonsense. pei xia, what do you think of me?¡±


    pei xia quietly looked up at him, not feeling anything inappropriate about being in his arms. but he was shy about his inner thoughts. ¡°you are, of course, a very, very good person.¡±


    ¡°since i¡¯m so good.¡± lucifer pinched his cheek and forced him to look into his eyes. ¡°do you like me?¡±


    pei xia: ¡°i¡­¡±


    ¡°hmm?¡±


    pei xia suddenly raised his hand to cover his face. ¡°your servant dare not, your highness!¡±


    lucifer: ¡°¡­¡±


    a bewildered expression crossed his excessively beautiful face. then, lucifer released his hold on pei xia¡¯s face and raised an eyebrow slightly. ¡°in that case, i might have to punish you.¡±


    pei xia was a bit slow to respond. ¡°ah¡­¡±


    lucifer stared at him intently, feeling a strange emotion bubbling up in the depths of his heart. sometimes, this man could really infuriate him, but at other times, he made him want to keep him by his side forever.


    he should give him an unforgettable punishment, just as he would with others. as long as it made him happy, everything else could be disregarded.


    whether it was tearing apart his soul, instilling everlasting fear, applying physical punishment, or making him live a lifetime of bad luck, any of these options would be effortless for lucifer.


    however, as he looked at him, a smile surfaced in his deep, mysterious eyes¡ªa smile that delved into emotions he had never thoroughly explored.


    lucifer snapped his fingers and said with a smile, ¡°let¡¯s make you have an unforgettable nightmare, the most terrifying one, or perhaps a slightly less severe version.¡±


    with a snap, pei xia¡¯s dream world completely transformed.


    the mist dissipated, revealing a bright, sunny landscape with shady green trees. walls began to rise, doors and windows with peeling green paint appeared, followed by graffitied walls and small square tables and chairs.


    finally, there were young boys and girls in matching, oversized blue and white uniforms. they sat at their desks one by one. at the front of the room, a large blackboard hung. two middle-aged men wearing glasses sat infront.


    everyone¡¯s faces were indistinct, not easy to see clearly, and the room was quiet except for the annoying sound of cicadas.


    lucifer looked around curiously and then smiled at pei xia, who was also dressed in a blue and white uniform. this version of pei xia was young and fresh, just like the others, writing on white paper with black text. his furrowed brow revealed a touch of anxiety.


    adapting to the surroundings, lucifer, too, sat behind a desk in the blue and white uniform. he sat close to pei xia and murmured, ¡°let me see what you¡¯re afraid of.¡±


    it was a peculiar world with a different culture, and everything piqued lucifer¡¯s curiosity. but most of all, he was curious about pei xia.


    [answer: the range of values for ¡®a¡¯ is ¡®ºô,¡¯]


    ¡°i¡¯m finally done.¡± pei xia flashed a relaxed smile.


    lucifer played with his long hair with his fingers, looking at pei xia with enthusiasm. in such a calm setting, in such a safe world, what could pei xia possibly fear here?


    suddenly, a voice echoed out of nowhere:


    ¡°you have 15 minutes left until the end of the exam. please manage your time wisely.¡±


    in an instant, the atmosphere in the room changed, filled with anxiety, tension, and unease.


    pei xia, who had just shown a relaxed expression, abruptly turned to look at lucifer.


    lucifer: ¡°hmm?¡±


    pei xia cautiously peeked at lucifer¡¯s exam paper. his expression turned terrified as if he had seen a devil: ¡°lu, uh, are you planning to turn in a blank paper? write quickly, come on!¡±


    lucifer realized, a bit belatedly, that he had become a character in pei xia¡¯s dream. he couldn¡¯t help but point at himself and asked, ¡°lu, what?¡±


    pei xia¡¯s expression had a momentary blank look, but then he said, ¡°lu, uh, i can¡¯t remember your name. you¡¯re the class nerd i secretly had a crush on in high school, right? lu, you can¡¯t turn in a blank paper like you used to back in school!¡±


    pei xia was getting anxious. he even stomped his foot and urged lucifer, ¡°hurry up and write. i can¡¯t help you cheat! at the very least, write down an explanation!¡±


    lucifer lowered his head and looked at the paper in front of him. in this dream world, he could understand the words on the paper through his connection with pei xia.


    ¡°the 201x national college entrance examination for science and mathematics.¡±


    pei xia said, ¡°you can¡¯t be so dumb that you can¡¯t even answer a single question, right?¡±


    lucifer: ¡°¡­¡±


    finally, pei xia, overwhelmed by anxiety and fear, couldn¡¯t take it anymore. he leaned in and forcefully shoved a pen into lucifer¡¯s hand. his voice was firm, serious, and commanding:


    ¡°write! now!¡±

 CH 49

    on a bright morning, pei xia woke from his slumber, momentarily bewildered, and sat up from his warm bed.


    it seemed he had a rather peculiar dream last night, a flashback to his high school entrance examination, and perhaps even a glimpse of lucifer?


    the details were somewhat hazy, but the anxiety and restlessness from the dream still lingered. he had already graduated from college, and he had even crossed into a different world. so why was he dreaming about a high school exam?!


    pei xia suddenly shivered, shaking himself vigorously. as he regained his composure, he realized something was amiss.


    the night before, he vaguely recalled reading the book of light to lucifer before going to sleep. the subsequent events were rather unclear, but no matter what, he shouldn¡¯t be in this soft, luxurious bed!


    pei xia lowered his head and couldn¡¯t resist lifting the white, fluffy blanket to his nose, taking in a faint, almost imperceptible scent of roses.


    it was lucifer¡¯s fragrance!


    after this thought crossed his mind, pei xia suddenly became aware that his actions seemed somewhat bizarre. he felt a bit embarrassed and, turning his head, he met lucifer¡¯s peculiar gaze.


    pei xia: ¡°ah-choo!¡±


    lucifer sat at the elegant table on the balcony with a book in front of him. there was a vase on the side, with a few freshly blooming roses.


    he watched pei xia in silence for a moment and said, ¡°if you need to sneeze, don¡¯t use the blanket.¡±


    pei xia stiffly let go of the blanket and got out of bed. as he put on his clothes, he awkwardly asked, ¡°your grace, how did i end up in your bed?¡±


    although it seemed like nothing had happened, suddenly finding oneself in the boss¡¯s bed was rather awkward!


    lucifer calmly replied, ¡°last night, you were too tired and fell asleep. i didn¡¯t want to wake you, so we slept together.¡±


    ¡°thank you very much,¡± pei xia said, somewhat hesitantly.


    although what lucifer said made perfect sense and aligned with his caring and kind demeanor, for some reason, it still felt a bit peculiar.


    after getting dressed, pei xia felt more at ease. he bowed to lucifer and said, ¡°i am deeply grateful for your care, your grace. i will be more cautious in the future.¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s not a problem,¡± lucifer mumbled quietly.


    just as pei xia was contemplating how to escape this awkward situation, lucifer suddenly asked from behind, ¡°who is lu something?¡±


    pei xia staggered and turned around, looking at him in bewilderment. lu something?


    the two of them stared at each other, one with a look of confusion and the other with an inquisitive expression.


    lucifer raised his hand to cover his mouth, coughed lightly, and asked with composure, ¡°i heard you mumbling in your sleep. you mentioned something about high school and secret admiration, right? pei xia, it seems you used to like someone.¡±


    pei xia replied, ¡°well, maybe i did. but your grace, please rest assured that i no longer care about those things. my heart now belongs entirely to the god of light!¡±


    lucifer looked at him with a slight tilt of his head and a hint of a smile, ¡°is that so? very well.¡±


    pei xia secretly breathed a sigh of relief.


    but speaking of which, who is lu something?


    a brand new day, a brand new appearance, and finally, the pillows of the holy knights could be relieved from hiding in their clothes!


    in the past few days, although everyone had a common bizarre experience, it inevitably piqued the curiosity of the servants.


    lucifer¡¯s image must not be tarnished in any way, so pei xia told them that it was a collective practice within the church of the god of light. whether they believed it or not, at least it was a somewhat acceptable explanation.


    now that the side effects of the fruit of life had disappeared, the peaceful courtyard once again opened its doors to welcome the faithful.


    it was another busy day. in the evening, after everyone had gradually dispersed, prince harry arrived with his attendants.


    prince harry and his attendants all wore the same expression of sadness and despair on their faces. upon seeing lucifer, he promptly knelt on the ground, closed his eyes in anguish, and raised his hands toward the sky.


    ¡°oh, my god of light, oh, my xetis! why, why has everything turned out like this?¡±


    as he spoke, the grown man began to weep bitterly. his tears even moved his guards to tears.


    pei xia watched in shock, guarding lucifer protectively, fearing that prince harry might suddenly lose control and harm lucifer.


    ¡°your grace, has prince harry not yet awakened from the succubus¡¯s enchantment?¡±


    lucifer, leisurely sipping his tea, smiled and replied, ¡°full awakening takes time. the deeper the emotional attachment during the enchantment, the more challenging it is to regain clarity.¡±


    pei xia couldn¡¯t help but be amazed. thankfully, the succubus¡¯s influence was not deep enough to ensnare him and lucifer, or the situation would have been incredibly awkward.


    ¡°your highness, did you come here just to mourn your lost love?¡± pei xia interrupted prince harry¡¯s crying, fearing it would soon be nighttime. they couldn¡¯t let him continue like this.


    lucifer hadn¡¯t even had dinner yet, and they couldn¡¯t afford any delays.


    prince harry choked for a moment, wiped his tears, and then knelt before lucifer with a contrite expression.


    ¡°no, my lord of light, i¡¯ve come to thank and apologize to you. i¡¯m truly grateful for your rescue from the clutches of the demon, and oh, just mentioning it makes me feel so ashamed!¡±


    lucifer remained calm, not showing any signs of disturbance in the face of this collective display of grief. at times, pei xia couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how truly remarkable lucifer was.


    sometimes, his spirit was as fragile as glass, and at other times, as strong as a diamond.


    lucifer asked, ¡°your highness, are you referring to the theft of the fruit of life?¡±


    prince harry nodded while covering his face.


    lucifer smiled gently, ¡°please don¡¯t be too hard on yourself. the magistrate took the initiative to send compensation yesterday, considering that those influenced by succubi are not in their right minds. oh, and one more thing.¡±


    prince harry inquired, ¡°what is it?¡±


    lucifer¡¯s gaze remained polite and calm as he said, ¡°when we discovered the presence of demons around you, i had already sent letters to princess eva, his majesty the king, and the church of the god of light. by now, princess eva should be on her way back.¡±


    prince harry: ¡°¡­¡±


    in the end, the prince, torn between grief, guilt, and embarrassment, departed with his guards. not long after, someone delivered a compensation personally prepared by him.


    pei xia checked the list and found it contained valuable items. however, they were more ornamental than practical, such as elegant but revealing fur coats, beautiful jewelry that served no purpose for the holy son and the holy knights, and heavily scented perfumes that could practically suffocate someone.


    pei xia guessed right away that these were intended to please xetis.


    he felt a mixture of disdain and irritation. his opinion of prince harry dropped a few notches.


    lucifer, on the other hand, remained composed, showing no signs of sadness. ¡°the prince probably purchased these items with whatever money he had left. let¡¯s sell them in a charity auction and use the proceeds to build a branch of the church.¡±


    pei xia couldn¡¯t help but admire, ¡°your grace, you are truly generous, and kind!¡±


    lucifer was a bit exasperated by this persistent flattery from the slightly embarrassed holy knight.


    but pei xia¡¯s mood improved slightly because he noticed that his lordship didn¡¯t seem to care as much about prince harry. perhaps, after the encounter with the succubus xetis, he no longer had feelings for the prince!


    pei xia was highly motivated and worked tirelessly. when princess eva arrived, her first action was to present a royal decree and take prince harry back to the royal city.


    her second action was to visit lucifer in person to express gratitude and apologies. it wasn¡¯t for the fruit of life, as she was unaware of that matter, but rather for prince harry¡¯s failure to protect the people and his susceptibility to succubi¡¯s influence, which could have caused a major disaster.


    lucifer responded with gentleness, not blaming her at all.


    so, for her third action, princess eva was even more dedicated. she decided to assist in establishing a branch of the church of the god of light.


    the turmoil caused by the demon incursion during the onslaught of monsters and prince harry¡¯s succubus influence made the kingdom of sumi agada realize the importance of light magic users. as a result, they were committed to cultivating more light magic users here in the long term.


    however, this was a long-term endeavor. in the short term, they aimed to bring in existing light magic users by establishing a church branch.


    after handing over the matter to princess eva, lucifer and his entourage prepared to leave the city of atna and continue their journey. it was the same lineup as before, with the son of light and seven knights, along with two fully loaded carriages. most of prince harry¡¯s compensation had been sold, and the compensation from the magistrate was more practical. it included delicious, long-lasting food, tea, essential oils, spices, fabrics, paper, clothing, and a large crate of the scriptures of light. for the church of the god of light, this was another form of practical aid.


    their next destination was the northern great plains. pei xia rode on his horse, flipping through a small diary in his hand, feeling a bit melancholic. they were getting closer to the point in the original story where the author stopped updating. the original story only went as far as lucifer and the others entering the great plains and encountering a few small orc tribes. after that, they were supposed to head to the orc capital, but there was no further content.


    in other words, after completing this final bit of the plot, pei xia would be left in the dark. his most significant cheat and reliance, it seemed, would be of no use.


    pei xia scratched his head but then cheered up. regardless of what happened, sticking with the handsome male lead would be fine, right?


    the weather was nice today, and lucifer opened the window to let in some fresh air. leaning against the window frame, he peered at pei xia, whose expressions were always so diverse.


    suddenly, he called out to pei xia, startling him. pei xia quickly stashed the small diary and turned to look at lucifer.


    ¡°my lord of light, do you have any orders?¡± he asked.


    lucifer replied, ¡°no, i just wanted to ask what you were thinking.¡±


    pei xia awkwardly scratched his head and thought about what excuse to give, as he couldn¡¯t reveal the truth. then he came up with one.


    ¡°i was thinking about your wish, and i also thought about how we¡¯re about to enter the great plains and meet countless handsome orc guys. it made me feel very content. my lord of light, please rest assured; i¡¯ve heard that orc males are all strong and full of testosterone. you will surely find a suitable romantic partner!¡±


    this not only lifted lucifer¡¯s spirits but also inspired pei xia.


    thinking about groups of muscular men running and frolicking on the grasslands, pei xia couldn¡¯t help but yearn for it.


    lucifer was momentarily baffled by pei xia¡¯s words, but then he realized what pei xia was talking about. yes, he had said that. pei xia was longing for a group of strong and handsome orc guys, but the perfect romantic partner he wanted was right in front of him!


    lucifer shook his head helplessly and said, ¡°very well, let me see what you can do.¡±


    as the group gradually entered the grassland area, they were only on the outskirts of the orc kingdom. human settlements were sparse in this region, and occasionally, they would come across some humans in the distance, usually merchants and trade caravans.


    but as they ventured deeper into the grassland, the terrain became rougher, and the surroundings were covered in lush greenery.


    on this day, with no one else on the road, lucifer¡¯s group began to relax. however, at that moment, they were suddenly stopped by a group of people emerging from the grass at the roadside.


    the leader of the group, who appeared to be the chief, declared, ¡°this road was made by us. these trees and grass were planted by us! if you want to pass through here, leave a toll!¡±


    more than thirty orcs surrounded lucifer¡¯s group, blocking their way.


    lucifer peered ahead and couldn¡¯t help but give pei xia a sideways glance, asking, ¡°strong physique? bursting with testosterone? handsome?¡±


    pei xia replied, ¡°surprisingly, it¡¯s all unexpected!¡±


    that¡¯s because the ones surrounding them were not the strong and handsome orcs pei xia had hoped for. instead, there were more than thirty short and shifty-looking ratfolk!

 CH 50

    ratfolk was a rather unique and peculiar race within the orc kingdom. it¡¯s important to note that not all beasts had human offshoots, and not all orc races were united.


    for instance, ratfolk were ostracized by other orc races for various reasons. not only were they considered unattractive, but their hygiene and thieving habits were intolerable to others. furthermore, ratfolk had a unique ability not to easily fall ill but could transmit diseases to other races.


    as a result, they were pushed to the outskirts of the grasslands, where they roamed, making a living through robbery, deception, and fraud. due to their small stature, their only advantage was their numbers, so they only dared to prey on smaller groups, as even the larger merchant caravans were too much for them to handle.


    their lives were harsh, living in squalor and filth, and their naturally shifty appearance made them even more marginalized.


    despite their numbers, they were all quite frail. even with over thirty of them, they were no match for a group of knights. without lucifer¡¯s intervention, pei xia and the others quickly defeated the ratfolk.


    initially, they had considered capturing them, but as they approached, the ratfolk unleashed a strong, foul-smelling biological weapon attack, causing a few of them to escape. the remaining ratfolk were left surrounded by the knights, waiting for lucifer¡¯s judgment.


    the ratfolk huddled together, trembling in fear, aware that they had met their match and were unlikely to escape unscathed today.


    they also understood the attitudes of outsiders toward ratfolk. if captured, their fate was either death or brutal torture.


    thinking of this grim outcome, they couldn¡¯t help but burst into tears.


    pei xia was startled and turned to look at lucifer, who was inside the carriage. he asked, ¡°your grace, these ratfolk have ill intentions. how would you like to handle this?¡±


    lucifer stroked his chin and said, ¡°i¡¯ve heard rumors about ratfolk, you know. have you been engaging in these robbery activities?¡±


    seeing that lucifer appeared quite amiable, the leader of the ratfolk found the courage to speak, ¡°noble sir, we have no livestock, and our fields produce too little. this is the only way we can survive. livestock would be stolen, and the crops in the fields wouldn¡¯t feed all of us. we have no way to cultivate more land.¡±


    another ratfolk began to cry and said, ¡°we haven¡¯t had a proper meal in a long time. we¡¯ve been surviving on roots and grass seeds, and my little brother is almost starving to death. please, kind sir, show us some mercy and let us go!¡±


    pei xia was somewhat surprised since his knowledge of ratfolk was limited. he asked, ¡°don¡¯t you have a legitimate way of making a living?¡±


    the ratfolk leader shook his head and replied, ¡°no one from outside is willing to trade with us. they fear we might spread diseases. there are some fields within our tribe, but we have too many mouths to feed.¡±


    pei xia inquired further, ¡°how many of you are there?¡±


    suspicious of the detailed questions, the ratfolk leader began to shake his head frantically, refusing to disclose the tribe¡¯s secrets.


    lucifer didn¡¯t press the issue and instead asked, ¡°have you ever killed anyone?¡±


    the ratfolk leader hurriedly responded, ¡°absolutely not! if there were any deaths here, no one would dare to come this way.¡±


    however, if word got out that there were ratfolk stealing things in the area, travelers would likely find them annoying rather than a true threat. these cunning ratfolk were just here to prey on their victims.


    during this process, many of their own kind had sacrificed themselves. the ratfolk leader couldn¡¯t help but shed tears of bitterness for his tribe.


    seeing that lucifer seemed to be contemplating something, pei xia couldn¡¯t help but ask in a hushed tone, ¡°your grace, have you made a decision?¡±


    lucifer replied, ¡°they haven¡¯t lied.¡±


    pei xia didn¡¯t doubt lucifer¡¯s role as a human lie detector, ¡°yes, your grace.¡±


    lucifer continued, ¡°in that case, their crimes don¡¯t warrant death.¡± he tapped his finger and instructed buck to bring two books from the rear carriage. ¡°pei xia, do you remember our purpose here?¡±


    ¡°of course, your grace. we¡¯re here to spread the glory of the god of light to more people,¡± pei xia replied. ¡°i understand. you want to convert the ratfolk, right?¡±


    lucifer nodded, ¡°while the ratfolk may be physically weaker and less hygienic, they possess more agile minds among the orc races. i believe they can be guided with some instruction.¡±


    once the ratfolk leader understood their intentions and realized there was a chance for them to survive, their eyes began to shine. they eagerly agreed to follow lucifer¡¯s instructions.


    when lucifer began reciting from the ¡°holy book of light,¡± it was evident that the ratfolk who had been kneeling collectively lost their enthusiasm.


    lucifer closed the book and said with a smile, ¡°if you can memorize the teachings, i¡¯ll let you go.¡±


    if they enter the ratfolk tribe, they might be overwhelmed by the stench.


    upon hearing this, the ratfolk¡¯s eyes shone, and they repeatedly expressed their gratitude. the group decided to camp in the vicinity, planning to stay for two days.


    during this time, in addition to teaching them the contents of the holy book of light, lucifer also used a light magic spell to eliminate any pathogens the ratfolk might be carrying.


    while resting, pei xia was curious about the ratfolk¡¯s internal situation. after spending a day together, the ratfolk had developed some trust in these peculiar humans and, unknowingly, began to share details about their tribe.


    not only were there many ratfolk, but they also had limited resources. the high-quality water sources on the grasslands were all claimed by other tribes, and the ratfolk couldn¡¯t find enough clean water. additionally, they rarely fell ill and weren¡¯t concerned about cleanliness, which contributed to their current situation.


    lucifer inquired, ¡°how large is your population?¡±


    the leader of the ratfolk, gamma, who was a more educated individual among them with a quick mind, sighed, ¡°our population is so large that we only allow newlyweds to have one child.¡±


    pei xia was surprised, ¡°you¡¯ve implemented family planning? that¡¯s quite impressive.¡±


    gamma added, ¡°we only allow one child, and they usually give birth to ten.¡±


    pei xia commented, ¡°you can control it quite well with only one child per couple.¡±


    gamma sadly explained, ¡°but we can¡¯t help it. we¡¯re naturally prolific. ratfolk easily enter mating periods, and sometimes we can¡¯t control our reproductive desires. now, our tribe is too poor to feed so many children.¡±


    pei xia offered words of comfort, then approached the carriage and asked, ¡°your grace, the situation among the ratfolk seems dire. even if they memorize the holy book of light, they may not have the energy to spread the teachings when they return.¡±


    lucifer nodded in agreement, ¡°that¡¯s a problem. if we can improve their situation, the new generation won¡¯t have to follow in the footsteps of their elders, and passing travelers can feel more at ease. pei xia, do you have any ideas?¡±


    lucifer looked at him with encouraging eyes, and pei xia scratched his head, smiling.


    ¡°i don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll work, but what if we teach them how to make soap? they can use soap to trade for essential supplies, eliminate the lurking pathogens on their bodies, and establish peaceful relations with other tribes of the various races.¡±


    lucifer raised an eyebrow, surprised. ¡°the various tribes of the races usually aren¡¯t skilled in crafting. they often trade with humans for soap. that sounds like a good idea. but, pei xia, you know how to make soap?¡±


    pei xia coughed and replied, ¡°well, i used to have a maid at home who knew how to make soap.¡±


    this was, of course, a fabrication. in reality, pei xia had participated in a handmade soap competition during his college days. their group had researched the process, and he remembered how to make basic soap. however, in this world, he quickly realized that there was no room for someone to shine and become an admired figure for their technical skills. everything they needed was readily available.


    soap? they had it. glass? they had that too. porcelain? surprisingly, it was here. even though there was no concrete, there were earth magic users and other convenient lifestyle items that filled the void.


    there was no grand stage for pei xia to showcase his skills. frustrated with the author¡¯s lack of consideration for historical context, he couldn¡¯t help but complain internally.


    after a brief discussion, they settled on a policy for dealing with the ratfolk. then, pei xia went over to teach them how to make soap.


    mix fat (any kind of oil will do) with lye water made from wood ash, adjusting the ratio based on the concentration of lye water. boil the mixture until it becomes thick, then let it cool in a cool place for ten to fifteen days, and you¡¯ll have a piece of soap.


    as for how the ratfolk would find the raw materials, well, the followers of the light of god weren¡¯t their mothers. they¡¯d given them a method, and it was up to the ratfolk to figure out the rest.


    if they couldn¡¯t overcome this minor challenge, then they were truly hopeless and not worth further rescue.


    armed with the knowledge of how to make soap, the ratfolk became even more enthusiastic and devout. they were extremely grateful to lucifer and his companions. during the night, while resting around the campfire, they expressed their gratitude.


    the young chieftain, gamma, gathered his people with a wave of his paw. ¡°it¡¯s time to change our image!¡±


    they had already memorized the light of god¡¯s scripture, and listening to the conversation between the knight commander and the holy son, it seemed like they were preparing to leave the next day. gamma felt they needed to act quickly.


    ¡°we need to tell the outsiders that ratfolk are not without any merit. at the very least, we remember the kindness of others!¡±


    ¡°but, boss, i understand your point, you want to thank them, right? but we are so poor, we have nothing. what can we be grateful for?¡±


    gamma gritted his teeth and said, ¡°do you remember the words we heard when we were ambushing them?¡±


    ¡°of course!¡±


    ¡°rats have sharp noses, pointed ears, agile movements, and are highly nimble.¡±


    ¡°since that¡¯s the case, we should¡­¡±


    in the early morning, pei xia and lucifer were having breakfast. they planned to sign a contract and then release the ratfolk. however, they didn¡¯t expect the ratfolk to approach them first.


    leading the group was the chieftain, gamma, with ten ratfolk men standing behind him, all of them short and slim, possibly not even reaching 5¡¯6¡±.


    ¡°hello, holy son, and greetings, knight!¡± gamma mustered the courage to step forward and greet them loudly.


    ¡°hello, gamma. no need to get so close,¡± pei xia gently reminded. ¡°is there something you need?¡±


    taking a deep breath, gamma continued, ¡°over the past few days, we have received much education and are deeply grateful. therefore, we wish to express our gratitude to you!¡±


    ¡°oh, what kind of gratitude?¡± pei xia was curious about what they could offer.


    gamma waved his hand, and the ten ratfolk men behind him stepped forward, then began to take off their shirts.


    pei xia watched in awe, momentarily lost for words. as they removed their simple shirts, the ten ratfolk men, with mischievous eyes and sharp features, some even with traces of incomplete rat-like facial hair, flexed their arms, showing off their muscles and strength with great enthusiasm.


    gamma proudly declared, ¡°that day, i heard you compliment our strength and charisma. to express our gratitude, we are willing to offer the ten most handsome men in our tribe to serve the holy son!¡±


    pei xia: ¡°¡­¡±


    lucifer: ¡°¡­¡±


    wasn¡¯t that a question, not a compliment?


    the shirtless ratfolk men approached, and pei xia quickly turned around, covering lucifer¡¯s eyes with his hand.


    after sternly instructing the ratfolk men to put their shirts back on, pei xia released his hand, which was covering lucifer¡¯s eyes.


    lucifer cast a sly glance at him and then decisively took out a magical contract scroll, allowing gamma and his companions to sign the contract: never to harm innocent people, to strive to spread the faith among their tribe, and to maintain cleanliness and positive living.


    magical contracts had special effects that made it almost impossible for those who signed them to violate the contract¡¯s terms.


    the ratfolk people wanted to continue expressing their gratitude, including, but not limited to, flaunting their pheromones by unbuttoning their collars, but the holy knights kept them at a distance.


    afterward, the group of the church of light couldn¡¯t wait to continue their journey. they looked back at the row of tearful and waving handsome ratfolk men in two lines. the two carriages, one team of knights, gave off a feeling of escaping in a hurry.


    inside lucifer¡¯s carriage, pei xia knelt in front of him, obedient and innocent.


    lucifer raised his hand to rub his forehead and said, ¡°pei xia, please stand up. there¡¯s no need for this.¡±


    ¡°no, i must apologize to you for the misunderstanding with the ratfolk. i promise such misunderstandings won¡¯t happen again,¡± pei xia said with a cough.


    lucifer sighed deeply and touched his own cheek, saying, ¡°the world outside is quite chaotic.¡±


    ¡°outside? you mean you want to resolve things from within?¡± pei xia was alarmed. ¡°that¡¯s not a good idea!¡±


    ¡°oh? why not?¡± lucifer raised an eyebrow.


    pei xia said seriously, ¡°there¡¯s a saying, ¡®not fearing scarcity but fearing inequality.¡¯ if you try to resolve things from within, it¡¯s almost certain that some people will become jealous, leading to various problems.¡±


    lucifer¡¯s face showed a hint of serious interest. ¡°is that so? but what if i really want to resolve it from within?¡±


    pei xia was taken aback by his determination. ¡°are you so sure?¡±


    ¡°have you already set your sights on someone?¡± pei xia looked at lucifer in surprise. despite being around him most of the time, he hadn¡¯t noticed lucifer having any romantic interests. ¡°i can¡¯t help but feel a little jealous if you¡¯re thinking about that. can i ask who it is?¡±


    lucifer teased, ¡°guess.¡±


    ¡°tom?¡±


    ¡°nope.¡±


    ¡°malory?¡±


    lucifer elegantly shook his head and took a sip of his red tea.


    pei xia continued to guess, running through the list of people, but lucifer shook his head each time, leaving pei xia puzzled.


    ¡°none of them are right. could it be¡­ are you in love with a horse?!¡±


    lucifer couldn¡¯t help but cough. he wiped his mouth, slightly embarrassed, and looked at pei xia with a puzzled expression. ¡°how did you come up with that?¡±


    pei xia weakly replied, ¡°well, in our team, there are only people and horses, right? compared to objectophilia, isn¡¯t zoophilia more normal?¡±


    lucifer couldn¡¯t contain his laughter. he put down his teacup, leaned forward slightly, propped his chin with one hand, and placed the other on his knee. he gazed at pei xia, his perfect features forming a furrowed brow.


    ¡°why didn¡¯t you guess yourself?¡± he asked.


    pei xia, looking puzzled, responded, ¡°oh, you never said that you secretly liked your subordinate, right?¡±


    lucifer admitted, ¡°well, that¡¯s true.¡±


    seeing that his boss seemed somewhat unhappy, pei xia tried to be cooperative. ¡°so, is the person you like¡­ pei xia?¡±


    lucifer stared at him for a while, his brow furrowing, his expression complex. he appeared distant, mixed with a hint of confusion and seriousness. he said, ¡°i don¡¯t know.¡±


    at that moment, pei xia¡¯s heart began to race.

 CH 51

    i don¡¯t know if this answer is too intriguing, but pei xia thought that lucifer would directly refute it as before. however, to his surprise, he actually uttered these four words.


    pei xia¡¯s little heart raced, at times feeling ambiguous, at times thinking he was too self-absorbed, at times unable to resist daydreaming, and at times sinking into self-doubt.


    when he saw lucifer¡¯s expression, he suddenly had some insight.


    right, his lordship is a virgin, and he is a serious person. he might not understand feelings as well as i do, having read many novels and watched tv dramas!


    pei xia clenched his fists, a mixture of sorrow and joy. he thought, maybe he should take this opportunity to test lucifer¡¯s attitude and then make a clear decision, sparing himself from turmoil.


    how can i, pei xia, a pure zero, make lucifer happy?


    he only hoped that lucifer hadn¡¯t fallen for him already.


    ¡°your grace,¡± pei xia¡¯s voice trembled slightly, ¡°what do you mean by that? do you really have such intentions towards your subordinate?¡±


    lucifer furrowed his brows, his gaze avoiding pei xia¡¯s, because, like pei xia, his inner world was far from calm.


    some things seemed to have slipped out of his control without him even noticing.


    by now, lucifer could no longer deceive himself with the idea of merely playing around with pei xia.


    he did like him, and not just a little.


    this realization brought a sense of fear to lucifer. he recalled his initial thoughts and found them somewhat ridiculous. but admitting it so directly was still hard for him.


    what about pei xia? lucifer admitted that he was already deeply immersed in this game, but what did pei xia think?


    suddenly, lucifer reached out and cradled pei xia¡¯s cheek.


    pei xia was startled and instinctively wanted to dodge, but he didn¡¯t avoid it. his face was held by that cold hand, and when lucifer applied slight pressure, pei xia had no choice but to look at him directly.


    pei xia¡¯s heart was in turmoil, and he couldn¡¯t help but worry about whether the coldness of lucifer¡¯s hand meant he was freezing.


    or perhaps, is it because he¡¯s not in a good mood?


    ¡°your grace, what¡¯s wrong?¡± pei xia asked stiffly, ¡°did i guess wrong? if i¡¯ve offended you, please forgive me.¡±


    lucifer raised the corner of his mouth, a wry smile on his face. ¡°i¡¯m just thinking, does your heart still belong to the god of light, or can it belong to someone else?¡±


    pei xia felt like he¡¯d been struck by lightning, looking into lucifer¡¯s eyes with profound sadness.


    lucifer felt a bit unsettled under his gaze. clearly, he was the one in the dominant position right now, but there was a hint of pity in pei xia¡¯s eyes.


    pei xia thought to himself, ¡®i¡¯m in trouble! his lordship likes me!¡¯


    gritting his teeth, pei xia said, ¡°please believe me; my heart belongs to the god of light, and i¡¯m not interested in anything else!¡±


    after saying this, he covered his face with his hand, unable to bear looking at lucifer¡¯s expression.


    lucifer, holding pei xia¡¯s cheek, couldn¡¯t help but exert a little pressure, gritting his teeth. he was infuriated by the knight¡¯s resolute and devout declaration, and impulsivity made him lose his composure.


    ¡°i¡¯ll ask you again, pei xia, do you truly have no other thoughts about me?¡±


    pei xia¡¯s body trembled, almost shedding tears like a tough guy. ¡®so, your grace, you¡¯ve already rooted deep feelings for me!¡¯


    ¡®no, i can¡¯t delay him!¡¯ pei xia took a deep breath, put down his hand covering his face, and looked at lucifer with red-rimmed eyes, nodding firmly. ¡°that¡¯s right, i absolutely have no other thoughts!¡±


    lucifer decisively held both of pei xia¡¯s cheeks with his hands, then leaned in slowly. his perfect appearance was a powerful weapon, directly disturbing pei xia¡¯s breathing, and his heart was in chaos.


    ¡®what did he want to do? he was getting too close!¡¯


    pei xia blushed, his gaze shifting, wanting to refuse but unable to resist the temptation.


    this, this, lucifer was taking the initiative.


    fortunately, before the situation slipped into irreparable territory, lucifer stopped. he was extremely close, and his captivating breath made pei xia¡¯s whole body feel hot.


    suddenly, lucifer frowned and said, ¡°this isn¡¯t right.¡±


    pei xia huffed, ¡°what¡¯s not right?¡±


    lucifer, looking at his flushed eyes and cheeks, with a hint of anticipation and inexplicable pain, guilt, and resistance in his eyes, realized that something was amiss.


    pei xia clearly had his own thoughts about lucifer!


    ¡°why didn¡¯t you move away?¡± lucifer¡¯s mood suddenly brightened. as they say, the heart of the holy son changes as easily as may¡¯s weather. he smiled sincerely and asked, ¡°there must be a reason for you to act this way.¡±


    lucifer¡¯s curiosity was instantly piqued, and he looked forward to the day when the truth would be revealed. at that time, come what may, pei xia shouldn¡¯t think of hiding anymore.


    to which pei xia replied, ¡°thanks for the reminder!¡±


    he shifted his body, turned his head, and slid his legs backward, distancing himself from lucifer.


    he managed to evade!


    lucifer maintained the ambiguous posture, not having a chance to change it yet.


    pei xia knelt on the ground and innocently looked at him, asking, ¡°do you have any other questions, your grace?¡±


    lucifer slowly sat up, retracting his hand, and said, ¡°i do.¡±


    ¡°what?¡±


    ¡°why is your face red?¡±


    pei xia suddenly opened his collar and fanned himself with his hand. ¡°it¡¯s summer, and i¡¯m hot!¡±


    ¡°and your eyes are red!¡±


    pei xia immediately raised his hand to rub his eyes and sniffled. ¡°there¡¯s sand in my eyes!¡±


    lucifer took a deep breath, biting back a laugh. ¡°alright, you said it yourself.¡±


    pei xia nodded repeatedly, ¡°i did, i did!¡±


    so lucifer smiled faintly, shifted his body, and gracefully reclined on the couch.


    pei xia: ¡°your grace?!¡±


    he suddenly jumped up, rushing over to support the upper body of lucifer. he felt the man¡¯s body temperature was icy cold, light as a feather as if he were a favored child of heaven, radiating a soft glow that kept the interior of the slightly dim carriage bright.


    combined with his pale complexion and weary expression, it seemed like he might turn into specks of light and ascend to the sky at any moment.


    ¡°what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± pei xia worriedly held his hand.


    ¡°it¡¯s nothing,¡± lucifer weakly replied. ¡°i just feel deeply sad.¡±


    ¡°why?¡± pei xia almost cried. ¡°is it because of me?¡±


    lucifer: ¡°you said it yourself.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°are you feeling better?¡±


    lucifer: ¡°cough, cough!¡±


    as long as he hadn¡¯t explicitly said it, it wasn¡¯t a loss! this could be considered as the fierce desire for victory in lucifer¡¯s struggle for survival.


    pei xia sighed and shook his head, saying, ¡°your grace, i¡¯m not worthy of you. you will surely find someone who deserves you.¡±


    a glistening teardrop slowly slid from the corner of the holy son¡¯s eye.


    the two remained silent, gazing at each other, both with the same question in their hearts: why?


    in the end, pei xia¡¯s arms were getting tired, so he gently placed lucifer back on the couch and covered him with a blanket.


    pei xia lowered his head and said hesitantly, ¡°your grace, i¡¯ll leave for now. please calm down on your own.¡±


    making a difficult decision, pei xia turned and left the carriage.


    but he couldn¡¯t shake off his worries completely, fearing that lucifer¡¯s fragile heart might lead him to make an impulsive decision. so, he sat on a horse and quietly approached the side of the carriage, peeking through the window from time to time to check on lucifer¡¯s condition.


    lucifer lay on the couch, covered with a blanket, motionless, as if his heart were ashes.


    pei xia thought, ¡®so his lordship has such deep feelings for me. it¡¯s ridiculous that i used to think he was jealous of my manly qualities when it¡¯s clearly desire!¡¯


    lucifer muttered, ¡°when did he leave? it¡¯s so hot.¡±


    the two remained silent as they continued on their journey, finally arriving at the first major city at the border of the orc kingdom, smibabaka.


    smibabaka was rugged in appearance, with walls and gates made entirely of stone. the architecture inside was influenced by various races, with a variety of styles, including wooden buildings favored by humans and large tents made from animal hides.


    entering the city was not difficult, as many human merchants camped here to rest due to its proximity to the grassland border. the city had a bustling and friendly atmosphere, as well as a strong commercial presence.


    afterward, they rented a small courtyard to rest, as there was no sub-church of the church of the god of light here.


    after settling in, pei xia couldn¡¯t continue being as distant as he had been before. he decided to break the awkward atmosphere between him and lucifer.


    pei xia took the initiative and asked, ¡°your grace, would you like to go out, explore, and experience the local culture, or would you prefer to dine in the courtyard?¡±


    lucifer got up listlessly, seemingly still not over what pei xia thought was his unrequited love. he said, ¡°since we¡¯re here, we might as well go out. if we don¡¯t understand this place, we won¡¯t be able to spread the radiance of the god of light, right?¡±


    ¡°yes, your grace!¡±


    pei xia and the group accompanied lucifer as they went out. in the orc kingdom, humans were a rarity, so no one should recognize lucifer. there was no need for any disguise.


    however, not being recognized was one thing, and lucifer¡¯s extraordinary beauty was another!


    in the presence of such unparalleled beauty that surpassed the limits of humans, left the elves in the dust, and rivaled even the orcs themselves, even the orcs couldn¡¯t help but be awestruck.


    with a 300% head-turning rate, those astonished orcs unconsciously moved closer to this side, causing a traffic jam.


    pei xia, focused on guarding lucifer¡¯s safety, couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brow and hold onto lucifer¡¯s wrist. otherwise, they might have been pushed apart.


    orcs had relatively straightforward and passionate minds, especially when pursuing a mate, they could be quite impulsive. therefore, an orc couldn¡¯t help but push through the crowd to stand in front of lucifer and say, ¡°beautiful human, i really like you. please tell me your name!¡±


    pei xia: ¡°¡­¡±


    another orc kicked the guy away and patted her ample chest, saying, ¡°human, don¡¯t be afraid. i¡¯m gentler than him. please tell me your name!¡± surprisingly, it was a female orc!


    in no time, irreparable chaos had broken out, and lucifer¡¯s group had no choice but to retrace their steps. the large group of orcs continued to follow them, unwilling to give up.


    after finally returning to the small courtyard, everyone, except lucifer, was sweating. pei xia wiped his forehead and, panting, looked at lucifer.


    ¡°your grace, please rest first. should we have our meal in the courtyard?¡±


    lucifer seemed to be in another world, gave him a faint look, forced a smile, and sighed


    what did that look mean?


    pei xia felt a pang in his heart. could it be that lucifer hadn¡¯t given up?


    ¡°please don¡¯t be sad. you¡¯ll definitely find the right person!¡±


    lucifer smiled slyly, ¡°is that so? do you really think so?¡±


    before pei xia could answer, he turned and entered the house.


    outside the small courtyard, the boisterous noise of the orcs continued, even though they were locked outside and seemed reluctant to give up easily.


    after some thought, pei xia took a deep breath and made a resolute decision.


    there were strong, manly, and hormonally charged guys nearby!


    he strode out of the courtyard, and dozens of excited gazes turned toward him with a rustling sound. they seemed somewhat disappointed not to see the golden-haired beauty.


    pei xia cleared his throat and looked around. ¡°why are you all gathered here?¡±


    a nearly two-meter-tall orc grinned and scratched his head. ¡°i just wanted to wait for your master to come out and pursue him! um, can you tell me, do you know what he likes?¡±


    pei xia nodded solemnly, ¡®of course, he likes me.¡¯


    but he couldn¡¯t say that.


    ¡°please give us a chance!¡± another orc ran from afar, holding a bouquet of flowers. ¡°i just want to give him these flowers!¡±


    pei xia clenched his fist. ¡°a chance can be given, but it must go through a selection process. you cannot harass his lordship!¡±


    ¡°is his lordship his name?¡± the orc seemed confused. ¡°well, then, how should we go through the selection process?¡±


    pei xia said, ¡°first, you need to have a strong body, a handsome face, be clean with no unpleasant odors, have no bad habits, be honest, kind, caring, empathetic, and it¡¯s even better if you believe in the god of light.¡±

 CH 52

    after listing a series of basic requirements, the faces of the orcs present turned dark, and roughly 50% of them silently retreated.


    pei xia added, ¡°oh, and they have to be males.¡±


    the female orcs tearfully left the scene.


    pei xia continued, ¡°and: good at cooking, good at household chores, loyal and unwavering.¡±


    the less skillful orcs left dejectedly.


    finally, pei xia dropped the last requirement, ¡°by the way, our lord currently has someone he¡¯s interested in. if you don¡¯t have the confidence to persist, please leave voluntarily. also, keep in mind that our lord doesn¡¯t owe you anything. if you pursue him and end up harboring resentment because it doesn¡¯t succeed, it¡¯s better to leave now!¡±


    in the end, there were ten self-confident handsome orcs left standing in front of pei xia.


    pei xia squinted his eyes and began to assess them, ¡°this one is too tall, too much pressure, eliminated! this one has a lustful look, eliminated! this one lacks muscles and is too weak, eliminated!¡±


    eliminated, eliminated, eliminated!


    finally, pei xia reluctantly kept four people.


    one was a bird-like handsome man with a pair of white wings, another was a sharp and cool black panther-like handsome man, the third had a sunny and cute smile and belonged to the deer-like race, and the last one was a tall and strong rhinoceros-like handsome man with sharp horns on his head.


    he emphasized, ¡°i can only help you find an opportunity to express your intentions. if his lordship is not satisfied, i will immediately withdraw my assistance. do you understand?¡±


    the four men confidently patted their chests and said, ¡°don¡¯t worry, give us a chance, and we can create the world that his lordship loves the most!¡±


    ¡°in that case, wait here for now,¡± pei xia said. he turned to go back to the small courtyard but suddenly stopped and turned back, asking, ¡°do you have any special local cuisine here?¡±


    the four handsome orcs nodded enthusiastically and started to passionately introduce various dishes. they all spoke at once, and it was so loud that it hurt pei xia¡¯s ears.


    ¡°stop, stop, that¡¯s enough!¡±


    ¡°hey, guard,¡± the bird-like handsome man, named fu shenzhen, called out. ¡°i am from the white dove tribe of the orc race. i can personally offer his lordship our tribe¡¯s special cuisine. please pass this message to him, and remember to mention my name!¡±


    upon hearing fu shenzhen¡¯s offer, the other three orc representatives from different races looked at him with surprise and then with suspicion. he was indeed cunning! they immediately followed suit, offering to bring their specialties to express their sincerity.


    pei xia nodded and said, ¡°sure, but you must ensure cleanliness and hygiene. how about this, stay here for now, and i¡¯ll go ask his lordship if you can use the kitchen inside. i need to supervise personally because i¡¯m not very confident about the food quality.¡±


    ¡°understood!¡±


    ¡°ah!¡±


    his lordship is too popular, and it¡¯s causing a headache for the knight as well!


    pei xia shook his head and closed the door behind him as he headed to lucifer¡¯s room. in the simple yet exotic room, lucifer sat on a chair, looking out at the twilight.


    the western sky was already showing the faint silhouette of the moon, and the stars would soon follow.


    lucifer appeared somewhat melancholic. although his posture seemed relaxed, his hands resting on his lap were tightly clenched.


    seeing him like this, pei xia couldn¡¯t help but feel sorrowful and pained. but he had to maintain his composure. ¡°your grace, are you feeling down? is it because our journey today didn¡¯t go smoothly?¡±


    in response, lucifer slowly turned to him and smiled, saying, ¡°not really.¡±


    pei xia was a bit perplexed.


    in fact, half a minute before pei xia entered the room, a demon lurking in the shadows was whispering to lucifer about what he had seen, all while trying to praise the knight¡¯s empathy and loyalty.


    [the knight is conversing amiably with a bunch of orcs, and it seems he¡¯s really picking a lover for you. oh, what an understanding and loyal knight he is, how thoughtful and devoted! my great master, you¡¯re so charming, ah, ah, ah!]


    at that moment, lucifer¡¯s hand, which appeared pale and feeble, was accurately squeezing the demon¡¯s neck.


    in the next moment, as pei xia knocked on the door, lucifer released his grip, and the shadow demon slowly slipped into the corner.


    what a fearless and heroic knight, ah!


    lucifer decided to skip over this topic and asked, ¡°is there something you wanted to discuss, pei xia?¡±


    pei xia nodded and said, ¡°here¡¯s the thing: the orcs are very passionate and bold, quite different from humans. when we went out earlier, i thought that the seven of us knights alone wouldn¡¯t be able to provide you with perfect protection. so, i¡¯m thinking of hiring some local orcs as temporary guards.¡±


    lucifer nodded and replied, ¡°the decision is yours.¡±


    pei xia cleared his throat and continued, ¡°also, they are skilled in cooking. the unique local cuisine that you haven¡¯t had a chance to taste, you can leave it to them.¡±


    ¡°guards and cooks all in one?¡± lucifer couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°that¡¯s quite a deal. i agree.¡±


    after discussing the serious matters, pei xia shifted to a lighter tone. he quickly glanced out of the window to ensure no one was nearby and then spoke in a hushed tone, ¡°and, well, the people i chose are all very handsome. this time, it¡¯s for real.¡±


    click.


    pei xia looked puzzled and asked, ¡°what was that sound?¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s nothing,¡± lucifer smiled and discreetly dropped the edge of his robe from the chair to the floor.


    pei xia nodded with some skepticism, ¡°smibabaka is a big city with many people, unlike ratfolk. i guarantee the quality is very high this time, my lord. would you be willing to give them a chance to meet and interact with you?¡±


    lucifer¡¯s lips twitched as he looked somewhat peculiar. ¡°pei xia, do you think i¡¯m so desperate for¡­ companionship?¡±


    pei xia was alarmed and quickly shook his head, ¡°certainly not! i only hope to make you happier and fulfill your desires. if you don¡¯t wish for this, i will immediately dismiss them.¡±


    he hung his head in sorrow and couldn¡¯t bear to look directly at lucifer.


    playing matchmaker for someone you like, this operation reminded pei xia of the melodramatic romance novels he had read. little did he expect that one day, he would become the male lead in a melodramatic romance story. if a thunderstorm were to happen at this moment, pei xia might just burst into tears on the grasslands.


    lucifer took a deep breath and nodded gently, ¡°very well, since you¡¯re so persistent, let¡¯s give it a try.¡±


    pei xia brought the four handsome orc men into the small kitchen in the courtyard and watched them cook.


    as he watched, pei xia¡¯s eyes widened in shock. he exclaimed, ¡°what is this mush? wait, why did you just dive right in? you can¡¯t do that!¡±


    after a cacophonous half-hour, pei xia sat on a chair, surrounded by the four handsome orc men holding their best dishes.


    pei xia solemnly extended a spoon and tasted a bite.


    ¡°how is it? is it acceptable?¡± pei xia asked.


    pei xia struggled to find words. he replied, ¡°it¡¯s very unique, but a bit too salty.¡±


    ¡°again!¡±


    a new round of cooking fervor started in the kitchen. outside the kitchen, a serene and pure man in a white robe approached.


    at the moment, pei xia was savoring the new dish. he nodded in satisfaction, stood up, and turned around, meeting lucifer¡¯s contemplative gaze.


    ¡°my lord!¡± pei xia exclaimed.


    ¡°oh, goddess of the grasslands, no, praise the light god. greetings to you,¡± they chorused.


    the four orc men, either enthusiastic or reserved, gazed at lucifer. despite their different reactions, they remembered pei xia¡¯s words about not harassing the holy son and not causing a disturbance. so, they stood in the kitchen without rushing forward.


    lucifer looked at pei xia with a sly smile, ¡°is it delicious?¡±


    pei xia replied quickly, ¡°it¡¯s not what you see.¡±


    lucifer chuckled and said, ¡°oh well.¡±


    pei xia promptly put down the spoon and asked, ¡°your grace, are you hungry? would you like to dine here? let me introduce you to the four individuals i¡¯ve hired as guards, cooks, and, um, well¡­ they are respectively¡­¡±


    fu shezhen of the white dove tribe: ¡°to meet you, beautiful holy son, is truly an honor!¡±


    black of the panther tribe: ¡°rest assured, i will do my utmost to protect you.¡±


    handesam of the deer tribe: ¡°haha, i¡¯m the most familiar with smibabaka. i¡¯ll show you all the local attractions!¡±


    seres of the rhinoceros tribe: ¡°from today onwards, i believe in the light god.¡±


    lucifer smiled warmly and took a seat at the table. he had seen plenty of situations like this, and four men barely even registered. ¡°since the meal is prepared, let¡¯s dine. pei xia, you can accompany me.¡±


    ¡°yes, your grace.¡±


    lucifer ate with a graceful posture as if he was not having a meal but performing an art. he took his first bite of the mixed-grain fried rice prepared by fu shenzhen.


    ¡°how does it taste?¡± fu shenzhen asked cautiously.


    lucifer¡¯s expression suddenly changed, and he said, ¡°there¡¯s an ominous aura.¡±


    in a flash, pei xia was on his feet, sword drawn, and the blade was at fu shenzhen¡¯s neck. ¡°speak, what have you done?!¡±


    fu shenzhen stared in shock, ¡°i-i haven¡¯t done anything!¡±


    lucifer said gravely, ¡°a crow is a bird symbolizing death, and in this fried rice, there¡¯s the aura of a crow.¡±


    as soon as the word ¡°crow¡± was mentioned, fu shenzhen knelt down with a loud thud, his face pale.


    pei xia¡¯s gaze shifted to the snowy-white wings behind fu shenzhen, ¡°a crow? weren¡¯t you a white dove?!¡±


    fu shenzhen, filled with shame, explained, ¡°because only white doves are worthy of our pure and snow-white holy son. our crow tribe has always been despised by others, and i was afraid that the holy son might dislike crows as well, so i dyed my wings white.¡±


    the other orc men were indignant, ¡°this deceiver has gone too far. let¡¯s eliminate him!¡±


    fu shenzhen suddenly stood up and was about to move forward, ¡°please, give me another chance¡­¡±


    his voice abruptly stopped as pei xia swiftly turned his wrist and deftly knocked him unconscious with the hilt of his sword.


    pei xia waved his hand, and tom promptly tossed the unconscious fu shenzhen out.


    the second dish was a strange concoction from seres of the rhinoceros tribe. lucifer held the spoon but didn¡¯t taste it. he asked directly, ¡°do you want to convert to the light god? very well, we always welcome new friends. pei xia, bring a light bible for him.¡±


    ¡°yes, my lord.¡±


    the bible was brought, and seres held it, flipping through the pages, his expression growing more solemn.


    lucifer bent his gaze, ¡°please, read it out. the gods will sense your piety.¡±


    seres, sweating profusely, admitted, ¡°i-i can¡¯t read.¡±


    so, the illiterate seres was also led out.


    next, there was black¡¯s grilled meat and handesam¡¯s vegetable soup. lucifer took a few bites without saying much. pei xia and the remaining two orcs breathed sighs of relief.


    lucifer, not particularly hungry, stood up and said, ¡°the food here is indeed very distinctive. as they say, all living beings are equal. pei xia, as a token of gratitude, could you please make your specialty, a nourishing soup, for them?¡±


    it seemed that the holy son was quite satisfied with these two individuals. pei xia didn¡¯t know whether to be happy or sad, so he just nodded and replied, ¡°yes, your grace!¡±


    lucifer left, leaving only pei xia and the two orc men in the kitchen.


    handesam asked cheerfully, ¡°what¡¯s nourishing soup?¡±


    pei xia replied, ¡°once it¡¯s done, you¡¯ll know.¡±


    ten minutes later, as lucifer sat in his room by the window, he heard panicked screams coming from the kitchen. a smile crept onto his face.


    half an hour later, pei xia came to disturb lucifer once again. he knelt on one knee, full of remorse, and said, ¡°i didn¡¯t expect the orc men to be so strong, all of them are tough on the outside and tender on the inside. your grace, it¡¯s my incompetence.¡±


    lucifer, trying to hold back a smile, helped him up gently and said, ¡°pei xia, don¡¯t blame yourself. you¡¯re doing great.¡±


    pei xia¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. he gripped lucifer¡¯s hand, and he almost blurted out something like ¡°your grace, please be with me,¡± but he managed to stop himself just in time.


    he clenched his teeth and said, ¡°in any case, your grace, i will always wish for your happiness!¡±


    lucifer looked at him meaningfully and said, ¡°this matter isn¡¯t urgent. someday, we will both get what we want.¡±


    the next day, lucifer put on a veil and decided to go out with pei xia discreetly to experience the local culture. he refused to take any other knights, reasoning that they had attracted too much attention yesterday. if six or seven knights surrounded them, people would suspect it was lucifer. so, going out with just the two of them would be more inconspicuous.


    pei xia thought it made sense and agreed.


    they set out at dusk, going to a unique restaurant to enjoy a meal, and their journey went smoothly without drawing any attention.


    they continued their journey until they entered a clean and tidy restaurant and ordered a few dishes that seemed quite normal. suddenly, a commotion erupted inside the restaurant.


    pei xia glanced over and was surprised to see a familiar face ¨C it was none other than the crow man, fu shenzhen, who had dyed his feathers white to impersonate.


    fu shenzhen was drunk and had started a fight with others because he claimed to have seen lucifer¡¯s beauty up close, and others didn¡¯t believe that there could be such a beautiful human in the world. the argument had escalated into a physical fight.


    pei xia sighed, as they were now causing feathers to fly and dishes to shatter. to make matters worse, fu shenzhen had spotted pei xia sitting in the corner.


    his eyes lit up, and he staggered over, saying, ¡°hey, knight, what are you doing here? you, you, you¡¯re here¡­ my lord! you¡¯re here too, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    pei xia quickly stood up and approached fu shenzhen, trying to block his view. ¡°don¡¯t talk nonsense. we¡¯re not acquainted.¡±


    if fu shenzhen got any closer and recognized the holy son, it would cause a scene.


    however, the intoxicated bird-man¡¯s temper was not great, and without any hesitation, he swung his fist toward pei xia. pei xia remained calm, ready to take the hit.


    but before pei xia could react, a strong and powerful hand grabbed his shoulder, gently guiding him to the side. pei xia found himself colliding with a resilient, welcoming embrace.


    another hand, larger and different from pei xia¡¯s, caught fu shenzhen¡¯s fist and made him scream in pain.


    as the owner of the establishment, he couldn¡¯t be hospitable, but he couldn¡¯t stand by as someone bullied a weaker human. how righteous this man was, with his magnetic voice, broad embrace, and powerful hands!


    pei xia shivered and couldn¡¯t help but turn his head to get a good look. he saw a tall and muscular man with a commanding presence, exuding an aura of strength and masculinity.

 CH 53

    it was a man with golden brown, slightly curled, shoulder-length hair. his high and handsome nose bridge gave a sense of security as he leaned against him.


    the man with golden brown hair pushed fu shenzhen with a smile, revealing his snow-white, dazzling teeth. he said, ¡°don¡¯t be afraid, human. with me, ryan flaucht, here, no one will dare harm you!¡±


    at that moment, pei xia was captivated by the stunning beauty of the man, like a roman sculpture. he felt a slight flutter in his heart as if a little deer was dancing within.


    leaning against ryan flaucht¡¯s chest muscles, pei xia couldn¡¯t help but want to tell him his name. ¡°thank you, thank you. i¡¯m called¡ª¡±


    before he could finish, another hand suddenly reached out, gently but irresistibly pulling pei xia out of ryan¡¯s embrace.


    pei xia turned to see lucifer.


    his face was veiled, with only his white forehead and a pair of radiant, expectant eyes visible. ¡°pei xia, are you hurt?¡±


    pei xia quickly shook his head. ¡°no, no, please don¡¯t worry.¡±


    lucifer nodded, still holding onto pei xia¡¯s arm. he calmly locked eyes with ryan and said, ¡°thank you very much for helping out. as newcomers, there¡¯s not much we can do. if you don¡¯t mind, let us cover the cost of your meal here.¡±


    ryan laughed heartily and asked, ¡°what¡¯s your relationship with him?¡±


    pei xia replied, ¡°i am his guard.¡±


    lucifer added with a surprising twist, ¡°friend.¡±


    pei xia turned in surprise, never expecting lucifer to describe their relationship in such a way. become friends with lucifer? that was undoubtedly the best outcome.


    lucifer also turned, slightly tilting his eyes at pei xia, his full face hidden behind the veil, yet his smile was evident. ¡°in fact, i¡¯d prefer to describe our relationship as even more intimate when introducing it to others.¡±


    pei xia¡¯s heart raced, a mixture of sadness and joy. oh my, the holy son is still not giving up!


    indeed, even the four carefully selected candidates from yesterday left much to be desired. the holy son didn¡¯t develop any fondness for them, making it difficult for him to let go of his feelings for pei xia.


    pei xia quietly gripped the hilt of his sword.


    ryan raised his hand to pat his broad chest. with a tall and sturdy build, he was nearly two meters tall, even taller than lucifer, resembling a wall.


    ¡°no need for this. this restaurant is owned by my family, and it¡¯s my responsibility if guests are startled here. so, today i will cover the bill for both of you!¡±


    ¡°you¡¯re too kind.¡±


    ¡°hahaha, it¡¯s the least i can do!¡±


    but pei xia genuinely accepted his help. ¡°i think we should thank you.¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s my duty and obligation. guests need not worry.¡±


    lucifer: ¡°how can that be? or rather¡ª¡±


    ¡°no, no, that¡¯s enough.¡±


    pei xia looked at lucifer and then at ryan, suddenly feeling that if they kept politely declining each other¡¯s offers, they wouldn¡¯t finish even when it got dark.


    he coughed and walked between the two of them. ¡°your grace, mr. ryan, both of you are very kind people. how about listening to my suggestion?¡±


    ¡°please go ahead,¡± ryan smiled and looked at pei xia.


    pei xia said, ¡°let¡¯s be friends! you can cover our bill but also accept the gifts we¡¯ll send afterward. this way, ryan fulfills his duty, and we can express our gratitude. isn¡¯t that a good idea?¡±


    lucifer¡¯s tone was subtle, ¡°friends?¡±


    ¡°yes!¡± pei xia couldn¡¯t help but glance at ryan a couple of times and then turned his gaze away, feeling a bit embarrassed.


    seeing pei xia¡¯s expression, lucifer couldn¡¯t help but squint his eyes.


    of course, they hadn¡¯t been able to effectively communicate their thoughts and feelings with each other yet. ryan happily reached out and patted the shoulders of pei xia and lucifer.


    ¡°all right, in that case, let¡¯s be friends! since we¡¯re friends, follow me to the private room. no need to be polite. i want to treat you to the house¡¯s signature dishes!¡±


    ¡°that¡¯s right. since we¡¯re making friends, we shouldn¡¯t be too distant.¡±


    however, lucifer had no desire to be friends with ryan. but at the same time, he wanted to understand why pei xia looked at ryan with that expression. was it just because ryan had saved him?


    in this consideration, lucifer didn¡¯t refuse. so, under ryan¡¯s lead, they went to the private room on the second floor.


    dishes with a rich grassland flair were brought to them, and ryan poured fermented mare¡¯s milk for the two of them. he raised his glass and asked, ¡°by the way, i don¡¯t know your names yet.¡±


    pei xia smiled sheepishly, ¡°i¡¯m sorry, i forgot to introduce myself. i¡¯m pei xia, a swordsman. and this gentleman beside me is lord lucifer.¡±


    after saying this, he looked at lucifer, who nodded in agreement. then, lucifer raised his hand as if to remove his veil.


    pei xia was somewhat surprised and instinctively wanted to stop him. ¡°my lord, this is the outside!¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s okay, pei xia,¡± lucifer said, a faint smile on his lips, as he removed his own veil.


    in an instant, a flawlessly beautiful face appeared before pei xia and ryan, stunning ryan to the point of being speechless, his eyes showing amazement.


    lucifer nodded to him, ¡°since we¡¯re friends, there¡¯s no need to conceal anything anymore. mr. ryan, i am lucifer, the holy son of the church of light, and this is the holy knight pei xia.¡±


    no wonder that person referred to him as the lord. ryan was initially surprised but then regained his composure and said with a smile, ¡°you must be the one who caused a sensation in the city yesterday. your radiance is truly unforgettable.¡±


    the conversation between these two became friendly, and the atmosphere was harmonious. pei xia secretly breathed a sigh of relief.


    pei xia: ¡®oh, this is great. ryan is much more approachable than the other orcs. he¡¯s polite, a good person!¡¯


    afterward, the three of them enjoyed their meal and drinks, occasionally chatting about various topics. most of the time, ryan introduced the fun places in smibabaka and the scenic features of the grasslands to his two guests.


    after it grew dark, lucifer and pei xia bid their farewells, and ryan warmly accompanied them outside.


    later, pei xia walked alongside lucifer. suddenly, lucifer asked, ¡°what do you think of ryan?¡±


    pei xia replied, ¡°he¡¯s a kind-hearted, good orc.¡±


    lucifer pondered, ¡°is that all?¡±


    of course not. but when there¡¯s a man who praises and compliments so extravagantly in front of lucifer, pei xia feels a bit awkward and asks, ¡°which aspect are you interested in?¡±


    lucifer paused for a moment, didn¡¯t answer that question, and turned to look at pei xia. his azure eyes blinked rhythmically. ¡°so, compared to him, what do you think of me?¡±


    pei xia thought for a moment and said, ¡°you are undoubtedly the kindest!¡±


    lucifer smiled with satisfaction.


    upon returning to the small courtyard, pei xia went to his brother¡¯s room to take a shower. lucifer was left alone in his room, tapping the tabletop with his fingers in a rhythmic manner.


    a flattering voice chimed in, [¡°great master, what¡¯s bothering you? please share your concerns, and your most loyal servant will surely ease your worries!¡±]


    lucifer remained motionless and said calmly, [¡°i can¡¯t help but feel that something is not quite right.¡±]


    [¡°what¡¯s not right?¡±]


    [pei xia and that ryan.]


    the shadow demon flattered, [¡°oh, my lord, the loyal holy knight personally said you are the kindest. hahaha, he is truly foolish, ahem, ahem, ahem!¡±]


    lucifer¡¯s voice remained unshaken, [¡°keep blabbering, and i¡¯ll kill you.¡±]


    the shadow demon continued, [¡°i believe the holy knight admires you the most! ryan is just cannon fodder!¡±]


    lucifer finally glanced at the ground, [¡°is that so?¡±]


    [¡°yes, my great lord. lord pei xia himself said that you are the kindest. this proves that no one can replace your place in his heart!¡±]


    at this point, the slightly troubled holy son finally revealed a hint of a smile, [¡°very well.¡±]


    the shadow demon quietly breathed a sigh of relief.


    when the holy knight returned from his bath, lucifer was already sitting on the bed in his pajamas, serene and composed. when he looked at pei xia, he wore a soft smile.


    ¡°pei xia, we¡¯ve been here for two days now. do you have any suggestions regarding our missionary work?¡±


    however, this question didn¡¯t receive an answer because the one being asked seemed somewhat distracted.


    lucifer¡¯s composure couldn¡¯t be maintained any longer, and he slightly raised his voice. ¡°pei xia!¡±


    startled, pei xia instinctively replied, ¡°yes, your grace!¡±


    lucifer fixed his gaze on him. ¡°what¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    pei xia responded nervously, ¡°n-nothing, your grace.¡±


    ¡°is that so, pei xia? we¡¯ve been here for two days, and i¡¯d like to know if you have any suggestions regarding our missionary work.¡± lucifer repeated the question.


    this time, pei xia finally heard the question and scratched his head, somewhat troubled as he shared some common activities, like teaching, offering free healing, and exorcising, to attract followers.


    in reality, pei xia had been lost in thought earlier because he was thinking about ryan. he felt a genuine attraction towards ryan because ryan embodied the perfect type he had loved in the past.


    however, pei xia didn¡¯t know much about ryan¡¯s situation, and he hesitated to express his feelings since he couldn¡¯t leave lucifer. saying something that might cause problems was not responsible.


    pei xia was torn, and at this moment, he didn¡¯t have an answer. however, he simply wanted to see ryan again.


    so, the next day, pei xia made an effort to appear nonchalant and said to lucifer, ¡°my lord, we mentioned giving a gift to mr. ryan yesterday. i think it¡¯s time to do so.¡±


    lucifer paused for a moment, his hand on a book. ¡°oh, what do you want to give?¡±


    pei xia suggested, ¡°how about some products from the human kingdom and a copy of the holy bible of light?¡±


    ¡°sounds good.¡±


    pei xia was eager to personally deliver the gift to ryan. but lucifer unconsciously furrowed his brow, attempting to dispel his thoughts.


    pei xia insisted, ¡°i believe it would be more sincere if i personally go to deliver it.¡±


    lucifer clenched the book tightly in his hand. unbeknownst to him, the pages of the book were now slightly wrinkled. ¡°no!¡±


    ¡°my lord?¡± pei xia looked at him with surprise because this reaction from lucifer was highly unusual and quite different from his usual gentle and kind demeanor.


    lucifer was, in fact, a very gentle and kind person. why was he acting this way?


    pei xia¡¯s surprise and confusion quickly made lucifer realize what he was doing. he turned his head slightly, his gaze fixed on the words in the book, although he wasn¡¯t actually reading anything.


    ¡°uh, i mean, it¡¯s not a good idea to go alone.¡±


    pei xia understood, ¡°i see. you¡¯re right. in that case, shall we go together?¡±


    lucifer hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°no need, you go.¡±


    pei xia was puzzled by this change in attitude but said, ¡°yes, my lord. by the way, buck, tom, marlow¡­¡±


    the six holy knights stood in a row, ¡°captain, we¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°i¡¯ll be going out for a while later. you must guard the holy son without leaving his side, understand?!¡±


    ¡°understood!¡±


    after pei xia left, lucifer immediately instructed the six holy knights not to stay by his side continuously. he was the highest-ranking leader, and the others naturally had to obey him.


    inside the room, lucifer once again summoned the shadow demon. he squinted his eyes, his tone clearly showing his displeasure.


    [¡°he¡¯s paying too much attention to him.¡±]


    the shadow demon trembled, [¡°great master, perhaps you¡¯re paying too much attention to lord pei xia.¡±]


    after all, he¡¯s only fulfilling a promise to deliver a gift.


    this time, lucifer didn¡¯t lash out at the shadow demon but rather released his grip on him and issued a command, [¡°go and investigate ryan¡¯s background thoroughly for me.¡±]

 CH 54

    in the orc city, beside the restaurant, in a small garden by the swings, a proud-looking lion-like orc stood together with a graceful and handsome human youth. they faced each other, both wearing warm and friendly smiles.


    pei xia handed the gift he had prepared to him, saying, ¡°ryan, we agreed on this yesterday, so you can¡¯t refuse. this is tea from our human kingdom along with matching porcelain. please accept it.¡±


    ryan happily accepted the gift, opened it, and praised, ¡°pei xia, thank you and the holy son for your thoughtfulness. i really love this gift.¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s great that you like it,¡± pei xia smiled.


    on the way here, he had already decided not to let his feelings for ryan trouble him. after all, he only had a slight fondness, and it hadn¡¯t reached the point where he would willingly leave lucifer and stay.


    after handing the gift to ryan, pei xia prepared to take his leave. during their conversation yesterday, ryan learned about the purpose of lucifer¡¯s group, and he enthusiastically introduced the situation in smibabaka. now, pei xia couldn¡¯t find a reason to stay any longer.


    but when he was about to leave, ryan proactively invited him to wait for a moment.


    ¡°i have a small gift prepared.¡± ryan patted his broad chest and said, ¡°please make sure to accept it as well.¡±


    ¡°what is it?¡± pei xia was curious.


    ¡°it¡¯s my tribe¡¯s secret beef jerky,¡± ryan said, ¡°eating more beef can make your body stronger.¡±


    as he spoke, he raised his two arms, and his form-fitting clothing perfectly showcased his muscular physique. his triceps, biceps, forearms, and chest muscles were robust and well-defined, exuding a powerful aura.


    pei xia was left speechless, utterly stunned by the sight.


    ryan flashed a bright smile and said, ¡°pei xia, you and the holy son both look a bit thin. in the orc kingdom, it¡¯s easy for others to look down on and bully you if you appear weak. come, i can teach you how to make yourself look more imposing!¡±


    pei xia replied, ¡°i think this might be due to racial differences.¡±


    ¡°haha! just eat more meat and exercise. you can be as strong as me!¡± ryan exclaimed.


    as he finished speaking, ryan suddenly grabbed pei xia¡¯s hand and pressed it against his chest muscles, making it impossible for pei xia to resist.


    pei xia was taken aback.


    the muscles beneath his hand were soft and elastic, but when ryan exerted some force, they became firm and powerful. pei xia couldn¡¯t help but press a little harder.


    these were truly perfect chest muscles. if only he had such muscles himself¡­


    ¡®no, no, i¡¯m fine as i am now,¡¯ pei xia thought to himself. this kind of strength was more appealing when it was on other men.


    pei xia complimented, ¡°it¡¯s indeed very strong,¡± and then he awkwardly attempted to retract his hand.


    however, ryan applied a slight force, gripping pei xia¡¯s hand and not letting go.


    pei xia looked at him with a hint of confusion. ¡°what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ryan gazed at pei xia with affectionate golden-brown eyes. ¡°what do you think?¡±


    pei xia furrowed his brows and scratched with his fingers.


    ryan: ¡°are you itchy?¡±


    ¡°ahem, no, it¡¯s not that,¡± pei xia replied.


    ryan lowered his head, casting a shadow with his tall figure under the sun. he gazed at pei xia¡¯s face with seriousness, holding pei xia¡¯s hand, and said something surprising: ¡°pei xia, you know we orcs are straightforward and passionate. we¡¯re not as reserved as humans, and we don¡¯t play those games. when we like someone, we pursue them directly.¡±


    pei xia recalled the chaotic scene from a few days ago when lucifer had been nearly crushed during their travels. he nodded in understanding, saying, ¡°yes, the orcs are indeed quite passionate. it can be a bit overwhelming for us humans.¡±


    ryan continued, ¡°yes, pei xia, i mean to say that i like you.¡±


    pei xia was taken aback, and for a moment, he struggled to fully grasp the meaning of ryan¡¯s words.


    ryan smiled, showing his white teeth, and said, ¡°i hope you don¡¯t find my straightforwardness intimidating.¡±


    pei xia quickly responded, ¡°no, no, not at all.¡± finally regaining his composure, he retracted his hand this time, and ryan didn¡¯t stop him.


    pei xia scratched his nose, feeling his face grow warm. ¡°thank you for your liking.¡±


    ¡°pei xia, are you willing to accept my pursuit?¡± ryan asked straightforwardly, ¡°as long as you are willing, i will share all my spoils with you!¡±


    it was an exciting and heart-pounding confession and ryan was an appealing man. however, pei xia couldn¡¯t simply agree.


    ¡°i am the personal guardian of the holy son, and i must always protect him on his travels across the continent. in the future, i will return to the temple and continue to guard him. i¡¯m sorry, i can¡¯t accept your proposal.¡±


    while there was a mutual attraction between them, they weren¡¯t a good match when considering their circumstances.


    ryan looked somewhat surprised, ¡°is that so? well, there¡¯s nothing i can do. but i won¡¯t give up easily, pei xia. trust me, i will find a solution!¡±


    pei xia wondered what solution could there be.


    he felt a sense of regret but shrugged, ¡°you should just give up. we won¡¯t be staying here for long.¡±


    ryan replied determinedly, ¡°i¡¯ll come up with a solution before you leave!¡±


    sigh! pei xia couldn¡¯t bring himself to disappoint ryan further, so he silently celebrated the fact that he hadn¡¯t shown any signs of interest in him before. otherwise, he suspected ryan might have been even more persistent.


    ryan offered a large bag of return gift beef jerky, intended for lucifer and his group. pei xia didn¡¯t refuse and expressed his gratitude before returning to their temporary courtyard.


    lucifer was sitting in a chair beneath the grapevine in the courtyard, showing little interest in the beef jerky.


    pei xia had the feeling that lucifer was unhappy but didn¡¯t understand why.


    after a moment of thought, pei xia prepared a pot of iced black tea and approached lucifer. ¡°your grace, it¡¯s hot. have some iced tea to cool down.¡±


    lucifer almost reflexively thought it might be some kind of new revitalizing soup. fortunately, the cup contained regular tea, and he took a sip.


    pei xia then asked at the right moment, ¡°it seems like you have something on your mind?¡±


    ¡°is it that obvious?¡± lucifer asked in return.


    ¡°not really,¡± pei xia replied hesitantly, ¡°i just had a feeling.¡±


    hearing his words, lucifer couldn¡¯t help but smile, and the tension in the air eased a bit. ¡°it¡¯s nothing, pei xia. i¡¯m just thinking about how to spread our faith smoothly without causing a commotion. by the way, ryan has prepared a return gift. are you planning to give him a gift in return?¡±


    gift after gift after gift¡ªit could go on indefinitely, and after ryan¡¯s confession, pei xia felt a sense of responsibility not to lead him on if he couldn¡¯t be with him. so, he decided to keep some distance.


    of course, lucifer was different from ryan.


    pei xia shook his head, ¡°return gifts are just a form of politeness. if there¡¯s nothing else, it¡¯s not appropriate to disturb him.¡±


    seeing the clear, gem-like beauty of his holy knight¡¯s eyes and realizing that his words were sincere, lucifer couldn¡¯t help but smile genuinely, and his mood improved significantly.


    ¡°you¡¯re right,¡± he said.


    pei xia, not quite sure why lucifer¡¯s mood had been bad and then suddenly improved, was happy that lucifer seemed in better spirits. however, the next words from lucifer nearly gave him a heart attack.


    ¡°i almost thought your taste had changed, and you liked those strong and robust men like ryan.¡±


    pei xia stammered, ¡°of course not! haha, your grace, you really know how to make jokes!¡±


    reminded by lucifer, pei xia realized how he had spoken earlier, feeling guilty and sweating.


    if he were found out for lying, even if the saint still liked him, he would probably be driven away!


    lucifer cast a sly glance at him, stood up, and walked over to pei xia, whispering in his ear with a threatening tone, ¡°you better not.¡±


    pei xia speculated silently that lucifer might be feeling jealous.


    but he wouldn¡¯t say anything. after all, he couldn¡¯t make lucifer happy, but with ryan¡­ well, it wasn¡¯t entirely impossible.


    in the following days, they opened the courtyard gates and prepared to spread the glory of the god of light through free healing and teaching. however, lucifer¡¯s charm was simply overwhelming.


    as soon as they opened the gates, a crowd of orcs was waiting. there was no need for any promotion. in just two or three days, the news that the holy son of the god of light was explaining the ¡°holy bible of light¡± had spread throughout smibabaka. even his beauty and talent were becoming known elsewhere.


    day by day, the courtyard was bustling, and pei xia didn¡¯t dare to leave lucifer¡¯s side for a moment. he was afraid that the orcs, who were more interested in him than the teachings, might take advantage of lucifer when he wasn¡¯t looking.


    this mission could be seen as both a success and a failure.


    but no matter how you looked at it, they had given their best effort.


    at dusk, pei xia and the other holy knights shouted to drive the orcs away, closed the courtyard gate, and were soaked in sweat.


    pei xia gasped for breath and then looked at lucifer. lucifer was as elegant as ever. ¡°your grace, do we continue tomorrow?¡±


    lucifer nodded, ¡°we¡¯ll finish the last part tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, we¡¯ll leave.¡±


    ¡°yes, your grace.¡±


    tom and the others went to prepare dinner, while pei xia wiped off the sweat and prepared to splash some cold water on himself.


    at that moment, someone knocked on the door, and pei xia, feeling impatient, said, ¡°i¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s already late today. if you want to listen to the teachings of the holy son, please come earlier tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°pei xia, it¡¯s me, ryan!¡±


    huh? ryan?


    lucifer¡¯s smile faded for a moment but quickly returned, even more intense.


    he nodded to pei xia, who went to open the door and let ryan in, carrying a gift.


    ¡°why did you come?¡±


    ¡°i said i would find a way, right?¡± ryan walked confidently to lucifer and placed the gift down. ¡°your grace, i heard that you¡¯re about to leave. are you heading back to the human kingdom or somewhere else?¡±


    ¡°we¡¯re planning to go to the capital of the orc kingdom.¡±


    ¡°in that case, please allow me to accompany the holy son as a protector!¡±


    pei xia: huh?


    could this be the solution ryan came up with?


    lucifer looked at ryan, his eyes narrowed with a meaningful question, ¡°why do you think this way?¡±


    ryan gazed lovingly at pei xia, and then at lucifer. ¡°actually, i like pei xia.¡±


    lucifer raised the corner of his mouth, ¡°and?¡±


    lucifer had known about this for several days, including pei xia¡¯s rejection of ryan due to his commitment to protect lucifer.


    lucifer thought, ¡®orc, as long as i, lucifer, exist, you won¡¯t be able to take my place!¡¯


    ¡°and i also want to protect you!¡±


    ryan approached lucifer and suddenly knelt down on one knee, placing his right hand over his heart. he said, ¡°please give me this chance!¡±


    ¡°but pei xia doesn¡¯t seem to like you,¡± lucifer replied calmly, with the air of a true royal.


    ryan: ¡°ah, that¡¯s true.¡±


    he turned to look at pei xia and asked seriously, ¡°pei xia, it¡¯s been several days, are you still unwilling to accept my pursuit?¡±


    pei xia sighed lightly and said, ¡°i¡¯m sorry, i can¡¯t, and i also don¡¯t like you.¡±


    ¡°i see,¡± ryan nodded, not appearing too disheartened. he turned back to look at lucifer, ¡°but my desire to protect you is sincere.¡±


    lucifer gazed at him, slowly stood up, and suddenly stumbled.


    pei xia instinctively reached out to catch him, ¡°your grace?¡±


    lucifer frowned slightly, looking pitiful, ¡°i seem to have accidentally twisted my ankle.¡±


    while saying this, he cast a provoking glance at ryan, ¡®jealous, aren¡¯t you? in pei xia¡¯s heart, there¡¯s only room for me!¡¯


    ryan received this message through the look, feeling startled, then remained silent and stood up.


    pei xia helped lucifer sit back in the chair and was about to check the extent of his injury when ryan suddenly walked over and reached out his hand.


    lucifer quickly retracted his leg.


    ¡°what are you trying to do?¡± pei xia was a bit perplexed.


    ryan said, ¡°i just wanted to help.¡±


    ¡°no need, i¡¯ve got it.¡± seeing ryan¡¯s somewhat reckless behavior, pei xia was not too comfortable with it.


    however, when pei xia couldn¡¯t figure out where lucifer was injured despite a careful examination, ryan asked lucifer, ¡°your grace, what do you think of me?¡±


    in front of his romantic rival, lucifer was in a very good mood, and he didn¡¯t hesitate to praise the other. after all, it was just a subordinate¡¯s defeat. hearing his praise, the rival¡¯s heart would surely feel even more uneasy.


    but considering pei xia¡¯s feelings, he would definitely keep his frustration to himself. ¡®see, the beastman is jealous,¡¯ he thought.


    ¡°mr. ryan is a very warm, hospitable, refined, handsome, and powerful beastman.¡±


    ryan¡¯s body trembled, and pei xia was also surprised.


    the next moment, ryan looked affectionately at lucifer and said, ¡°your grace, i¡¯ve thought it over carefully. i guess i do like you. perhaps my feelings for pei xia were just a misunderstanding influenced by you.¡±


    lucifer: ¡°¡­¡±


    pei xia: ¡°¡­¡±


    ryan said, ¡°oh, by the gods, my beautiful lucifer, if you also like me, let¡¯s be together!¡±


    lucifer raised an eyebrow and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°when did i¡­¡±


    pei xia was even more astonished than lucifer, ¡°how is that possible, ryan? on what basis are you saying this?¡±


    ryan¡¯s determined face showed deep affection, ¡°the way lucifer looks at me and the expressions he makes. can¡¯t that be interpreted as him liking me?¡±


    pei xia: ¡°what expressions?!!¡±


    ryan: ¡°it¡¯s that pitiful and affectionate look.¡±


    pei xia was utterly shocked.


    lucifer furrowed his brow, and the pitiful look quickly vanished, ¡°no, mr. ryan, i think you may have misunderstood.¡±


    was he worried that pei xia would mind? ryan patted pei xia on the shoulder and smiled, ¡°pei xia is a broad-minded person. he won¡¯t mind that i genuinely like you, especially since he doesn¡¯t like me either.¡±


    pei xia¡¯s body trembled, and he slowly looked at lucifer, his gaze complex and tinged with a hint of heartache. ¡°is that so, your grace?¡±


    this look made lucifer hesitate to directly refute ryan.


    clearly, pei xia had his own feelings, but he had been refusing them all along. and now, he was silently telling lucifer through his eyes that he felt jealous and hurt.


    lucifer couldn¡¯t quite understand why pei xia was hesitating. maybe he didn¡¯t fully comprehend his own feelings.


    perhaps a little nudge was in order to help him realize his true feelings.


    lucifer casually ran his fingers through his flowing golden hair and said with a meaningful tone, ¡°what if it is so, pei xia? what would you do?¡±


    pei xia clenched his teeth, glancing at lucifer and then at the happy and joyful ryann. he took a deep breath and reached out his hand.


    he was genuinely jealous, despite any previous favorable feelings he might have had towards ryan. at this moment, all those feelings had vanished. he cared more about lucifer and preferred him.


    but if it was lucifer¡¯s choice¡­


    he grabbed lucifer¡¯s hand, and lucifer¡¯s smile deepened.


    he slowly raised lucifer¡¯s hand and reverently kissed it, saying, ¡°if that¡¯s the case, your grace, i sincerely wish you happiness. as long as you are happy, anything is acceptable!¡±


    the smile faded from lucifer¡¯s face.


    he withdrew his hand and stood up.


    pei xia gazed up at him with a bewildered expression, ¡°your grace, do you still like him?¡±


    lucifer curled the corner of his lips, not quite smiling. ¡°wait a moment.¡±


    ryan was a bit puzzled, ¡°what¡¯s going on? my dear lucifer, since you also like me, isn¡¯t this perfect?¡±


    lucifer chuckled, and after a moment, he clapped his hands.


    the gate creaked open, and four or five tall, strong, and attractive women stormed in with angry expressions.


    ryan¡¯s face changed dramatically.


    ¡°you old lecher! instead of making money, you¡¯ve come to harass other men!¡± the beautiful orc women rushed at ryan, delivering punches and kicks, scolding him loudly. in no time, ryan ended up with a swollen head.


    the content of their argument was explosive, leaving pei xia shocked and angry.


    it turned out that the lion people¡¯s behavior was quite similar to lions in the wild. they had one strong male lion paired with many females to form a larger family.


    ryan was no exception. he earned money in the city and had wives and children back in his hometown. every year during mating season, he returned to provide for his family and hand over the earnings. the rest of the time, he had to fend for himself in the city, as he was considered a hindrance at home.


    with the women gone, ryan had dared to pursue someone else. it was clear that he had a hidden stash of gold.


    the orc women left.


    the women stormed out, and ryan, who was now on his feet, tried to explain.


    ¡°lucifer, let me explain. actually, i don¡¯t have any feelings for them.¡±


    boom!


    pei xia punched ryan angrily, sending him flying three meters away. ¡°scumbag! a disgrace of a man!¡±


    his anger and frustration couldn¡¯t be contained any longer. he turned around and grabbed lucifer¡¯s hand, blurting out, ¡°please, be with me!¡±


    the other men outside were one disappointment after another, so he might as well take the initiative!


    translator¡¯s corner:


    finally! don¡¯t you dare chicken out on us, pei xia!

 CH 55

    the cicadas were singing, and the sky was painted with vibrant colors. the beautiful holy son and the handsome holy knight held each other¡¯s hands, face to face, gazing deeply into each other¡¯s eyes.


    lucifer, still a bit incredulous, spoke with an almost urgent tone, ¡°say it again, what you said just now.¡±


    pei xia, passionate and resolute, declared, ¡°please be with me, your grace. i love you!¡±


    upon hearing this, lucifer¡¯s grip on pei xia¡¯s hand tightened, and he gazed at him with utmost concentration. ¡°not ¡®your grace,¡¯ call me by my name.¡±


    by this point, pei xia, who had finally come to his senses, was feeling a bit embarrassed. he lowered his gaze and stuttered, ¡°lu-lucifer, i love you. if there¡¯s still a place for me in your heart, please choose me over ryan. i¡¯ll do my best to make you happy.¡±


    at that moment, lucifer didn¡¯t hesitate at all and blurted out, ¡°okay.¡±


    pei xia was momentarily stunned. despite being the one who initiated the confession, and even though lucifer had liked him before, it still felt surreal.


    he couldn¡¯t help but look up at lucifer, trying to find a hint of teasing in his expression, but there was none.


    the warm sunlight illuminated lucifer¡¯s clear, beautiful eyes, which were like gazing at the rising sun through a crystal-clear glacier, radiating a breathtaking clarity. his golden, silky hair seemed to reflect the orange hues of the setting sun, creating a brilliant and colorful display.


    lucifer¡¯s face, as if meticulously crafted by a deity, broke into a deeper and more enchanting smile, blossoming like the moon in the night: ¡°pei xia, is this what you asked for?¡±


    ¡°yes,¡± pei xia nodded hesitantly, needing reassurance, ¡°so, you really agreed to be with me, and now we are¡­¡±


    lucifer nodded, cradling pei xia¡¯s cheek and with a smile that made his eyes crescent-shaped: ¡°lovers.¡±


    pei xia¡¯s face turned bright red, and his hand trembled. he quickly withdrew it and began to act like an excited, flustered creature, moving his hands and feet in all directions.


    it¡¯s true!


    he couldn¡¯t help it, but he also felt a bit embarrassed. the courage he had when he confessed had disappeared, leaving only joy, excitement, shyness, and self-criticism.


    it was too informal, far too informal!


    someone like lucifer deserved a confession with a perfect setting, props, and characters. pei xia should have been more composed, selecting a better moment. perhaps in a beautiful garden or by a fountain under the blue sky, holding a bouquet of roses as he confessed.


    but instead, he blurted it out impulsively!


    pei xia covered his face in embarrassment, bowing slightly.


    a cool warmth pressed against his back as lucifer gently embraced him. ¡°why do you look so silly?¡±


    ¡°well, i am being silly, right?¡± pei xia covered his face and whispered, ¡°i feel like i¡¯m in a dream.¡±


    lucifer chuckled, covering pei xia¡¯s hand with his own and resting his chin on his shoulder, his silky hair cascading over pei xia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°it was you who rejected me before, and now, it¡¯s as if you¡¯ve realized your dream.¡±


    pei xia furrowed his brows, straightening his posture and dropping his hand. ¡°right! i almost forgot!¡±


    lucifer burst into laughter.


    pei xia¡¯s ears tingled, and he cautiously raised his hand to rub them. this time, he accidentally elbowed lucifer.


    ¡°i, i was just too excited,¡± pei xia said, defending himself, ¡°i felt like you were laughing at me for being silly. besides, i had my reasons for rejecting you before. it¡¯s just that now, i think you¡¯re more important than those reasons. i love you, and i¡¯m willing to overcome any difficulties for you!¡±


    this, this is love!


    pei xia¡¯s gaze was resolute.


    lucifer felt immensely happy.


    he was used to effortlessly handling everything. and once he achieved success in a game, he quickly lost interest. what he desired was usually within easy reach. pei xia was an unexpected exception, but now he belonged to lucifer.


    however, lucifer wasn¡¯t thinking about these things at all.


    it was as if at this moment, his heart was filled with pure joy.


    overwhelmed with happiness because of pei xia, lucifer couldn¡¯t help but reach out, gently caressing pei xia¡¯s face. no matter what, at this moment, his affection for him was genuine.


    as a new couple who had just confirmed their relationship, they were wrapped up in each other. pei xia thought for a moment and felt that since he had taken the initiative to bridge the gap between them, he should take responsibility.


    so, he broke free from lucifer¡¯s embrace, turned around, and opened his arms, trying to embrace lucifer as best as he could by standing on his tiptoes, assuming a protective stance.


    pei xia spoke earnestly, ¡°from today onwards, i will do my best to fulfill my role as your boyfriend, your grace.¡±


    lucifer sensed something was a bit off, but he was pleasantly surprised by pei xia¡¯s determination. not wanting to discourage the earnest knight, he cooperated, raising his hands, and looking at pei xia with a dependent expression. ¡°xia, i entrust myself to you.¡±


    pei xia nodded seriously but with a playful sway.


    oops, standing on tiptoes was a bit unstable.


    at that moment, ryan, who had been knocked down earlier, staggered to his feet. he covered his swollen eye and couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°lucifer, pei xia, are you doing this because of me?¡±


    pei xia took the opportunity to let go of lucifer, his heels back on the ground. he glared at ryan and said angrily, ¡°ryan, don¡¯t get delusional. a guy like you, irresponsible and unfaithful, isn¡¯t even worthy of polishing his grace¡¯s shoes!¡±


    ryan was shocked, ¡°do you humans take your relationships to this extreme?¡±


    pei xia: ¡°?? well, i can¡¯t explain it to you, but the point is, you¡¯re not worthy. from now on, i am his grace¡¯s partner!¡±


    with that, he gave ryan another matching panda-eye look. pei xia gestured, ¡°men, throw him out!¡±


    ¡°yes, captain!¡± without a second thought, buck and the others rushed out from the corner, swiftly tossing ryan out.


    pei xia, who remained in place, suddenly paused.


    wait a minute, they were so close, didn¡¯t they see and hear everything that just happened?


    the six holy knights, some with smiles, some excited, some teary-eyed, all offered their blessings without exception.


    pei xia was surprised, ¡°you don¡¯t object?¡±


    buck gave him a strange look, ¡°object to what? i thought you and his grace had been together for a long time. turns out you just revealed this relationship today.¡±


    ¡°exactly.¡±


    tom, pretending to cry, said, ¡°so, captain and his grace weren¡¯t together before? oh dear, i wish i had made a move back then.¡±


    ¡°cut it out. stop crying, you¡¯ll find someone to cry more than you when you get back.¡±


    tom immediately wiped away his tears and gloated, ¡°true, haha!¡±


    pei xia felt a mix of embarrassment and warmth, unable to find the right words to say. he simply said, ¡°in that case, tonight, i¡¯ll cook dinner for everyone to celebrate!¡±


    the people present: ¡°¡­¡±


    after a moment of silence, they all chimed in, ¡°no, no, that¡¯s too much trouble.¡±


    ¡°yeah, captain, you¡¯d better spend more time with his holiness.¡±


    ¡°i¡¯ve already prepared tonight¡¯s dinner, really!¡±


    pei xia chuckled and scratched his head, ¡°i see, alright then.¡±


    the group collectively breathed a sigh of relief.


    afterward, the other holy knights continued to prepare dinner and tidy up the courtyard, while pei xia continued to spend time with lucifer.


    with no one else around, lucifer said, ¡°pei xia, now that we¡¯re lovers, you don¡¯t need to address me as your grace, which sounds so formal.¡±


    pei xia chuckled, ¡°yes, your grace, it does feel a bit strange. so, what should i call you then?¡±


    lucifer rested his chin on his hand and playfully pointed at his own lips, ¡°what do you think?¡±


    ¡°lucifer?¡±


    ¡°that¡¯s still quite formal.¡±


    ¡°lord lucifer?¡±


    lucifer sighed, ¡°do you think that¡¯s any different from your grace?¡±


    pei xia looked at him with a hint of desperation.


    lucifer enjoyed teasing his holy knight and seductively asked, ¡°if you want it to be more intimate, just like how i call you xia, what should you call me?¡±


    pei xia blushed and affectionately called out, ¡°fei fei!¡±


    lucifer replied, ¡°no need to be that intimate.¡±


    pei xia looked lost and a little anxious, ¡°i¡¯m sorry, i must be too clumsy. your grace, i¡¯m sorry.¡±


    pei xia lowered his head in disappointment and said, ¡°i can¡¯t even handle such a small thing properly, yet i¡¯ve been speaking so boldly to you.¡±


    at this moment, lucifer had to admit that he had softened. he raised his hand to gently hold pei xia¡¯s shoulder and reluctantly said, ¡°no, that name actually isn¡¯t too bad upon closer thought.¡±


    pei xia¡¯s eyes brightened, and he looked up at lucifer, ¡°so can i keep calling you like this? only in private, though. i¡¯ll use a different title when we¡¯re in public, is that okay?¡±


    ¡°alright, i promise,¡± lucifer said, smiling with a touch of helplessness.


    after dinner, while pei xia had just taken on the role of lucifer¡¯s boyfriend, he felt that he shouldn¡¯t rush things and continued to serve lucifer as he did before. after helping lucifer with his bath, pei xia went to the adjacent room to take his own shower.


    in the meticulously cleaned room, there was a sticky black mass slowly wriggling on the floor.


    [¡°great master, congratulations on your wish coming true! oh, you are the embodiment of perfection. a mere holy knight cannot escape your grasp. who is the next target in your sights?¡±]


    lucifer lowered his head slowly and placed his foot on the black shadow, gently squishing it.


    the shadow demon, crushed mercilessly, was both bewildered and aggrieved, not knowing where it had gone wrong.


    [¡°perfect master, great master, wise master, when do you plan to abandon lord pei xia? haha, he will surely display a shocked and broken-hearted expression, immersed in the foolishness of love! he¡¯s only fit to be your plaything.¡±]


    lucifer, pinching the shadow demon¡¯s neck, raised the corners of his lips, wearing a smile that was neither genuine nor fake, [¡°who said i was going to abandon him, hmm?¡±]


    the shadow demon, weak and helpless, looked at lucifer, ¡®not abandon him? is this still the master with a taste for the macabre i know?¡¯


    but, the shadow demon continued hesitantly, [¡°lord pei xia, though he may differ in some aspects, is just like everyone else, eventually captivated by the image you¡¯ve fabricated. he has shallowly fallen in love with your exterior. do you really want to keep him by your side?¡±]


    lucifer furrowed his brows slightly, [¡°nonsense.¡±]


    the shadow demon¡¯s voice turned into a mosquito-like whisper, [¡°do you intend to keep up the pretense in front of him?¡±]


    lucifer: ¡°¡­¡±


    [¡°if you keep spouting such annoying nonsense, i¡¯ll tear you to shreds and feed you to the dogs. also, don¡¯t speak ill of pei xia in front of me.¡±]


    casually threatening the shadow demon, lucifer let go and lightly kicked the shadow demon out of the room.


    he was in a good mood today and didn¡¯t want to bother with the noisy demon.


    after a while, pei xia walked in, his hair slightly disheveled, looking a bit nervous.


    after the change in their relationship status, some things weren¡¯t as simple anymore, like the current situation ¨C cohabitation!


    pei xia turned his head and saw lucifer on the bed, wearing a thin nightgown, posing seductively, and looking irresistibly charming. he felt a bit flustered.

 CH 56

    pei xia pretended that he hadn¡¯t seen anything at all. he made an effort to maintain a calm demeanor, but in reality, he was so nervous that he could barely coordinate his movements.


    of course, he liked lucifer. but if they were to rush things, it felt like things were progressing a bit too fast.


    moreover, in a moment of impulse, he had confessed without thinking, but in some aspects, he wasn¡¯t quite prepared!


    pei xia walked over to the side of his bed, preparing to lie down. lucifer, who was already lying on the bed, couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°pei xia, come here.¡±


    ¡°yes, saint, uh, fei fei!¡±


    pei xia had no choice but to walk over to him, maintaining a one-step distance. he didn¡¯t dare to get too close, fearing that he might impulsively pounce on lucifer again. he wasn¡¯t ready, and it might turn into a tragic mistake.


    lucifer slowly sat up, leaning against the head of the bed, and patted the space beside him, saying, ¡°come here.¡±


    ¡°isn¡¯t it a bit too soon for this?¡± pei xia hesitated, thinking it might be too hasty.


    ¡°too soon?¡± lucifer touched his chin and his smile took on a deeper meaning. ¡°pei xia, what are you thinking? i just feel that since we¡¯re already lovers, there¡¯s no need to be so reserved. does sleeping on the floor feel more comfortable than on the bed?¡±


    is it really just for sleeping?


    well, this is getting a bit awkward! pei xia couldn¡¯t help but run his fingers through his still-damp hair. suddenly, lucifer leaned in, placing his hand on the back of pei xia¡¯s head.


    a warm, gentle light enveloped pei xia¡¯s head, making him feel like a 170-watt light bulb. he closed his eyes, feeling somewhat lost.


    this whole love thing was his first time, and pei xia approached it with utmost sincerity and dedication. but at the same time, he couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous and flustered.


    as lucifer dried his hair, he smiled and said, ¡°i don¡¯t mind it being fast.¡±


    pei xia shuddered.


    lucifer leaned closer to his ear and lightly kissed the knight¡¯s warm earlobe, saying, ¡°i¡¯m just afraid you won¡¯t be able to handle it.¡±


    pei xia clenched his fist.


    after drying his hair, lucifer gently stroked the face of his seemingly pure-hearted new lover and said meaningfully, ¡°i didn¡¯t expect you to be so restrained; your thoughts run deep.¡±


    although he had lost some courage, his heart was far from pure-hearted.


    pei xia hesitated and said, ¡°fei fei!¡±


    lucifer was taken aback, ¡°what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°give me a bit more time.¡± pei xia stiffened, his voice determined, ¡°i¡¯ll definitely get there!¡±


    lucifer replied, ¡°the way you say it, it really touches me.¡±


    but why did he have to put on this heroic sacrifice expression??


    could it be that he didn¡¯t actually want it? was he truly a pure-hearted man through and through?


    lucifer couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brow, ¡°pei xia, don¡¯t you want this?¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s not that.¡± pei xia shook his head like a rattle drum, hastily explaining, ¡°i like you, genuinely, and, of course, i have those desires as well. it¡¯s just that, well, there¡¯s a small issue i need to overcome.¡±


    pei xia¡¯s voice grew quieter as he spoke, his back hunched, and his head hung lower.


    lucifer couldn¡¯t help but lower his head along with him. suddenly, he noticed something and his body trembled, ¡°you, could it be?¡±


    pei xia¡¯s heart raced with nervousness.


    lucifer muttered, ¡°no, you were clearly¡­ excited.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°???¡± what are you trying to ask!?


    ¡°nothing,¡± lucifer smiled.


    even if it was true that he couldn¡¯t perform, it didn¡¯t matter much in the grand scheme of things.


    pei xia cleverly understood the deeper meaning in lucifer¡¯s words, feeling both embarrassed and indignant. he couldn¡¯t help but explain, ¡°it¡¯s not that issue!¡±


    a man shouldn¡¯t admit to being incapable, especially not in front of someone he likes. besides, he wasn¡¯t truly incapable; he just wasn¡¯t mentally prepared!


    ¡°what is it then?¡± lucifer wanted to tease him further. seeing him blush with embarrassment, he couldn¡¯t bear it and asked, ¡°what do you need to overcome?¡±


    at this point, pei xia felt a bit awkward. he whispered, ¡°it¡¯s the reason i rejected you before.¡±


    he had rejected lucifer before because of this issue, and now he was determined to overcome it. lucifer felt a hint of emotion.


    ¡°what is it?¡±


    ¡°we might be incompatible in that regard, the position for, you know,¡± pei xia didn¡¯t want to dwell too much on this issue. after all, he was a pure ¡°0,¡± although he might be about to change, so he understood the psychology of ¡°0.¡±


    ¡°0¡± would still hope that their lover is a strong ¡°1.¡±


    pei xia was afraid that lucifer might misunderstand and reject him, so he quickly said, ¡°of course, this isn¡¯t that important. i just think we should take things step by step. although i admire your beauty, it¡¯s not just that. i sincerely hope we can harmonize and be together for a long time.¡±


    lucifer looked at him, a look of sudden understanding on his face. he then held pei xia¡¯s hand, smiled, and nodded, saying, ¡°i see now. it¡¯s okay; i¡¯m willing to wait for you. xia, i hope you won¡¯t make me wait too long. you have to believe me; i¡¯ll make sure you enjoy it.¡±


    pei xia hadn¡¯t expected that he would be concerned about this issue. so he was in the dominant position as well? that wasn¡¯t surprising. forcing someone in the dominant role to switch could be a bit excessive, but if pei xia insisted on being on top, it would indeed be quite troublesome.


    fortunately, he was self-aware and had already decided to overcome this issue.


    his decision today was surely influenced by his own vulnerability. he pitied himself, so he was willing to relinquish the dominant position.


    he was such an obedient and endearing knight.


    lucifer narrowed his eyes, deciding that he would occasionally make an effort to help pei xia overcome his psychological barriers. as long as he acted delicate enough, pei xia wouldn¡¯t want to hurt him. without this conflict, pei xia would stay by his side obediently.


    as pei xia heard the word ¡°enjoy,¡± his body couldn¡¯t help but shiver. he felt a sense of sadness, but seeing lucifer¡¯s affectionate and dependent expression, he became more determined and felt a strong resolve.


    if others could be ¡°1,¡± why couldn¡¯t he?


    a man should never admit that he can¡¯t do it!


    be ¡°1¡± ¨C he would embark on this journey from today, starting with the little things around them, one step at a time!


    pei xia suddenly sat up straight, straightened his back, and reached out with his big hand, holding lucifer¡¯s waist.


    lucifer was a bit surprised, ¡°pei xia?¡±


    pei xia thought for a moment, his expression serious, ¡°a real man is playing with fire here!¡±


    lucifer: ?


    pei xia: ¡°goodnight, i¡¯m going to sleep.¡±


    he released lucifer as if he had been shocked, slid to the side, and lay on the bed with his back turned to lucifer. involuntarily, he raised his hand to cover his face.


    no, it¡¯s too embarrassing. being ¡°1¡± is difficult, being a strong ¡°1¡± is even more challenging!


    lucifer slightly parted his lips, watching pei xia¡¯s trembling figure and his reddened ears, unable to hold back a quiet chuckle.


    could this be the fierce beast hidden in his heart?


    lucifer leaned down, supporting pei xia¡¯s shoulder, his long hair cascading onto pei xia¡¯s back. he whispered in his ear, ¡°goodnight, pei xia. i hope you won¡¯t make me wait too long.¡±


    two people in love, a relationship that naturally evolved. whatever they did, it felt like the right thing to do.


    lucifer pulled up the blanket over pei xia and extinguished the lights.


    late at night, in the realm of dreams.


    in pei xia¡¯s modern room, a simple bed was covered with blue checkered sheets. the window had curtains with patterns of leaves and flowers, but they couldn¡¯t entirely block out the bright sunlight.


    in the somewhat dimly lit room, a young man sat on a chair in front of a table, hugging his legs. the young man¡¯s eyes were fixed on the laptop on the table, and on the screen, there were explicit images playing, with an incessant and disturbing noise.


    someone with an indistinct face sat down next to pei xia and asked with a subtle tone and a strange look, ¡°pei xia, what are you looking at?¡±


    pei xia replied unabashedly, ¡°i¡¯m watching gay videos!¡±


    the person couldn¡¯t help but look outside and ask, ¡°during the day?¡±


    pei xia confidently explained, ¡°if i watch them at night, it¡¯s easier to get insomnia.¡±


    that makes sense.


    the person reached out, grabbed a strand of pei xia¡¯s tousled hair, looked around the room, and then back at its owner, asking with a smile, ¡°do you really like watching this?¡±


    pei xia felt a bit embarrassed, ¡°not really. i¡¯m watching to learn. it¡¯s like the saying, ¡®even if you haven¡¯t eaten pork, you¡¯ve seen pigs run.¡¯ so when the time comes, i won¡¯t be clueless.¡±


    what a truly dedicated attitude towards learning.


    the person asked again, ¡°how¡¯s your progress?¡±


    pei xia looked slightly dejected, ¡°what i learned before is no longer applicable, so i have to start over. i¡¯m working hard on it.¡±


    the person held pei xia¡¯s hands and said with gratitude, ¡°i didn¡¯t expect you to be willing to go to this extent. in that case, i¡¯ll study with you.¡±


    pei xia grinned, ¡°sure, i¡¯ve even downloaded some! unfortunately, i haven¡¯t seen many of them, and after the time travel, i can¡¯t find them anymore.¡±


    ¡°don¡¯t worry, there will be a day when you can watch them again.¡±


    the next morning, pei xia woke up slightly weary.


    last night, he had been huddled near the edge of the bed, feeling both embarrassed and nervous, his mind in a chaotic and hazy state. he had no idea how he had fallen asleep.


    but he seemed to have had a colorful dream, although the details were fuzzy. pei xia couldn¡¯t help but think that he might be losing control.


    oh, how he wished that this enthusiasm could be sustained in the bedroom.


    lucifer woke up earlier than he did, so pei xia quickly got dressed and freshened up to join him for breakfast.


    to his surprise, when he arrived at the dining table, lucifer appeared equally unenergetic. he seemed lost in thought, with a mysterious smile playing at the corners of his lips.


    this absent-minded state continued throughout the day, and even when explaining the final parts of the teachings to his followers, he seemed distracted.


    during the lunch break, pei xia couldn¡¯t help but express his concern, ¡°fei fei!¡±


    lucifer responded, ¡°yes?¡±


    lucifer was a bit troubled by the use of this nickname, wondering how he could make pei xia voluntarily give it up.


    pei xia, with the demeanor of a caring boyfriend, reached out to touch lucifer¡¯s forehead and said with concern, ¡°did you not sleep well last night? you¡¯ve been daydreaming all day. if you¡¯re not feeling well, maybe you should take a nap at noon.¡±


    lucifer replied, ¡°it¡¯s not that.¡±


    pei xia was puzzled, ¡°then why? what have you been thinking about all morning?¡±


    lucifer thought for a moment and decided to be honest, ¡°i¡¯ve just been thinking about the various things humans do.¡±


    pei xia: ???


    he couldn¡¯t completely grasp the meaning, but he still raised a mischievous smile, ¡°very well, my man, you have successfully piqued my interest.¡±


    lucifer: ¡°¡­¡±

 CH 57

    in the evening, pei xia crouched beneath the grapevines, hands covering his face, hesitant to move.


    tom, who passed by, curiously reached out a finger and poked his shoulder, ¡°captain, what¡¯s wrong? did you have an argument with his holiness?¡±


    normally, aside from necessary personal time, pei xia would stick by lucifer¡¯s side. they were inseparable, so it was unusual for pei xia not to be with lucifer when there wasn¡¯t anything else to do. and today, pei xia hadn¡¯t seemed to come near lucifer all afternoon.


    seeing pei xia looking sad, with his face covered, and then noticing the bright light in the holy son¡¯s room, tom¡¯s curiosity was piqued.


    as pei xia crouched beneath the grapevines, his body suddenly trembled. he slowly lowered his hands from his face, revealing a pair of blushing eyes.


    tom was taken aback.


    oh my!


    could it be that they really did have an argument?


    fortunately, pei xia¡¯s response quickly dispelled tom¡¯s assumptions. he spoke in a low voice, ¡°no, we didn¡¯t have an argument.¡±


    then what happened?


    pei xia let out a choked, embarrassed sob and hung his head low, appearing very bashful. ¡°it¡¯s nothing; i just felt rejected.¡±


    rejected?


    pei xia took a deep breath and sighed, ¡°sigh!¡±


    tom: ¡°?¡± so even the holy son can reject someone, and the recipient is pei xia? that¡¯s incredible!


    pei xia continued slowly, ¡°he asked me indirectly if i¡¯d been possessed by a demon.¡±


    tom: ¡°¡­¡±


    although he had no idea what had happened, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that captain pei xia seemed particularly pitiable.


    pei xia stood up, leaning against the grapevine frame, massaged his slightly numb legs, and changed the subject, asking, ¡°is all the luggage packed and ready?¡±


    tom replied, ¡°yes, everything is packed, supplies are replenished, and the horses are fed.¡±


    pei xia nodded, ¡°in that case, get some rest, we¡¯ll be departing tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°captain, you should rest well with the holy son too!¡± tom patted his shoulder and encouraged him, ¡°don¡¯t be disheartened; things will get better!¡±


    pei xia looked at tom, who was unaware of the situation, feeling a bit better and regaining some confidence.


    he turned and walked toward his room.


    in reality, lucifer hadn¡¯t shown obvious signs of rejection. he was a gentle person, and he had been tactful. however, pei xia still sensed from his questions and expressions that he might not fully accept his evolution toward a more dominant and aggressive direction.


    pei xia was perplexed and somewhat aggrieved. had everyone suddenly stopped liking dominant ceos? or had his transformation been too rapid and scared the gentle lucifer?


    should he give up the dominant ceo path or slow down the process? pei xia thought for a long time but couldn¡¯t come to a clear decision.


    regardless, he decided to put it aside for now and deal with it later. pei xia casually pushed the door open, and inside, lucifer was sitting by the bed, gently stroking a small bird.


    ¡°where did the bird come from?¡± pei xia decided not to dwell on what had happened at noon and quietly approached lucifer.


    lucifer lifted his hand, and the adorable bird nuzzled his fingers with its head, a sign of appreciation for his care. he smiled and explained, ¡°i found it; it seemed to be injured.¡±


    ¡°it looks like you¡¯ve already treated it. it¡¯s very grateful and close to you.¡±


    lucifer nodded.


    he gently scratched the bird¡¯s neck with his fingertip and then, holding its plump body, released it out of the window. then he turned his head and, with an expression so captivating that it was hard to look away, revealed a touch of sorrow.


    ¡°unfortunately, birds like this one get close to me, but there are others who are not so willing to do so.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°you mischievous little¡ª¡±


    ¡°shh!¡± lucifer was quick to silence him, raising two fingers to his lips. with a slightly helpless smile, he said, ¡°don¡¯t force yourself to say such things.¡±


    though he said that, pei xia felt somewhat aggrieved. was his performance really that bad? he lowered his head and cleared his throat, saying, ¡°alright, i understand.¡±


    seeing pei xia¡¯s sulking expression, lucifer¡¯s brows furrowed briefly, but then he smiled. his fingers glided down and landed on pei xia¡¯s chest, where he lightly tapped and said, ¡°you always do this, and it makes me feel embarrassed.¡±


    pei xia¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°so i¡¯ll be more tactful in the future.¡±


    lucifer blinked, and ripples formed on the surface of his icy eyes. ¡°good.¡±


    with the minor crisis averted, the knight returned to his happily foolish state. until bedtime, lucifer shyly lifted a corner of the blanket and beckoned pei xia to join him.


    pei xia lay down with stiff body movements.


    however, lucifer didn¡¯t react at all.


    pei xia thought it was just an ordinary night, despite sharing the same bed as lovers. they remained pure, both in appearance and within.


    but when the lights went out and pei xia slept in a daze, a slightly cool body pressed against his back.


    pei xia was startled and instinctively tried to push away the attacker who surprised him. he retaliated with an elbow strike.


    after the strike, pei xia froze.


    the figure pressed against his back, lucifer, remained silent like an inscrutable statue.


    pei xia slid forward cautiously and then rolled over to face lucifer. he squinted at him and saw that lucifer¡¯s eyes were closed as if he was still asleep.


    unable to resist, he reached out to touch the ribs where he had just struck lucifer, making sure he was unharmed.


    ¡°fei fei?¡± pei xia called out softly twice. when he saw that lucifer still didn¡¯t respond, he breathed a sigh of relief.


    it was close. lucifer seemed to be in a very deep sleep. pei xia cautiously massaged the area where he had struck lucifer¡¯s ribs.


    suddenly, lucifer¡¯s hand shot out and grabbed pei xia¡¯s hand!


    pei xia was startled and thought that lucifer had been pretending to sleep earlier.


    in fact, lucifer had indeed been pretending to sleep the entire time. he didn¡¯t open his eyes but furrowed his brow, looking pale and thin in the silvery moonlight, with an expression of unease and pain on his face.


    his lips parted slightly, and he murmured intermittently, ¡°pei xia¡­¡±


    pei xia shivered, immediately gently squeezing his hand, and said, ¡°fei fei, i¡¯m here.¡±


    it seemed like lucifer had a nightmare and was deeply trapped in it. tears glistened in the corners of his eyes as he whispered, ¡°don¡¯t leave me, don¡¯t go, xia.¡±


    pei xia was deeply moved. he never expected that lucifer had such deep-seated insecurities and was having nightmares.


    lucifer continued, ¡°not just now.¡±


    the beautiful young man with golden hair appeared as if he were a divine being, humming softly and curling into a slightly fetal position. his voice sounded fragile, evoking sympathy.


    once, when lucifer had nightmares in front of pei xia, he had taken off his own shirt1weakness without disturbing him. now that they were lovers, how could pei xia turn a blind eye to lucifer¡¯s painful struggles in his dreams?


    his heart was filled with a mixture of emotions, and he felt guilty for not being able to adjust his own emotional state sooner. he rubbed his eyes and decided to make an effort.


    but not now.


    now, the most important thing was that lucifer was having a nightmare.


    he had to do something to rescue his beloved, fragile, and incredibly endearing lover from the nightmare!


    pei xia grabbed lucifer¡¯s hand and pressed it against his face, expressing his pain, ¡°just give me a little more time, and i¡¯ll definitely do it!¡±


    in the midst of his nightmare, lucifer might or might not have felt pei xia¡¯s determination. he made a muffled sound and furrowed his brow, ¡°xia, don¡¯t.¡±


    pei xia nodded and firmly held his shoulders, beginning to shake him.


    lucifer, in his intermittent state, managed to say, ¡°xia don¡¯t go.¡±


    the person who had been sinking in the nightmare shivered and slowly opened his misty eyes.


    ¡°fei fei, you¡¯re finally awake!¡± pei xia beamed with a happy smile, patting his chest gently. he said, ¡°you had a nightmare just now. come back to your senses. you can go back to sleep after!¡±


    lucifer¡¯s voice was weak and stuttered, ¡°nightmare, me?¡±


    pei xia grinned, ¡°yes!¡±


    lucifer, who had accidentally bitten his tongue, managed a difficult smile and said, ¡°thank you very much for waking me up from that nightmare.¡±


    pei xia firmly responded, ¡°since we¡¯re already lovers, doing this is simply expected. don¡¯t be polite with me!¡±


    lucifer winced in pain, closing his eyes.


    pei xia thought he was still caught in the recent nightmare and reassured him, ¡°nightmares are all the opposite, fei fei. don¡¯t be afraid; i won¡¯t leave you.¡±


    with his eyes closed, lucifer remained silent for a moment before whispering, ¡°really?¡±


    ¡°absolutely!¡±


    the beauty who had been awakened from the nightmare by pei xia chuckled and said, ¡°goodnight.¡±


    ¡°goodnight.¡±


    pei xia lay beside him, thought for a moment, then suddenly leaned over and planted a quick kiss on lucifer¡¯s cheek. afterward, he swiftly retreated to his original position, pulled the blanket over his head, and burrowed under it.


    under the blanket, pei xia¡¯s face was both red and hot, and his heart seemed to be dancing a lively jig, thumping loudly and refusing to calm down for a while.


    outside the blanket, lucifer lifted his hand and lightly touched his cheek, the place where he had been kissed moments ago. the soft sensation lingered, captivating and heartwarming.


    it was a day of grand farewell when lucifer¡¯s group left smibabaka. they were the most remarkable figures in the city¡¯s farewell procession, whether they were humans or orcs. no one had caused such a strong sensation like lucifer.


    the city¡¯s residents were reluctant to see them go, and some even brought provisions and tried to follow them under the pretext of protecting the holy son.


    this made pei xia nervous, and he tightly guarded lucifer¡¯s carriage. as soon as they left the city gate and had fewer followers, he urged the horses to gallop, running for two or three days to shake off the troublesome fans.


    afterward, they continued their journey to the capital of the orc kingdom, beist. along the way, they suddenly saw a massive shadow pass overhead.


    the shadow came with strong winds and a formidable presence. pei xia looked up and saw a colossal silver dragon soaring in the sky.


    with its wings spread, it moved at an incredible speed, quickly turning into a small dot in the sky. pei xia¡¯s heart raced as he saw the direction the dragon was heading, and it seemed to be towards beist.


    fortunately, after traveling on and off, they arrived in beist after about half a month, and there was no sign of the dragon causing trouble in this area.


    it was widely known that dragons were magical creatures that were domineering, possessive, and unreasonable. coming across one was considered extremely unlucky.


    so, avoiding them was the best outcome.


    beist was larger and more bustling than smibabaka. following the usual protocol, they rented a small courtyard to stay in. considering the higher number of orcs here, lucifer remained out of sight for the time being.


    during the past half month on the journey, pei xia often entered the carriage to spend time with lucifer, strengthening their bond. don¡¯t get the wrong idea; they didn¡¯t do anything untoward. they simply communicated and played cards, nothing more.


    after half a month of mental preparation, pei xia felt ready. so, on the first day in beist, they surveyed the surroundings. on the second day, pei xia sneaked onto the street and bought a bouquet of vibrant red flowers.


    the flower seller explained that these flowers were called aphrodite, and giving them to someone symbolized deep love for that person.


    that night, pei xia stood outside lucifer¡¯s room, taking deep breaths. he raised his hand, hesitated, and repeated the motion several times. after a long moment of uncertainty, he suddenly stumbled over something he couldn¡¯t see, and with the bouquet in his arms, he pushed open the door.

 CH 58

    pei xia, holding the bouquet, stumbled a couple of steps forward. a chilly night breeze blew past, and with a sharp sound, the door closed behind him.


    once he regained his balance, he raised his gaze, only to meet a slightly surprised look from lucifer.


    lucifer was dressed in a nearly translucent white robe, leaning against the bedside, reading a book beside a small table with a fragrant glass of holy wine.


    ¡°pei xia.¡±


    lucifer looked at the nervous and trembling pei xia, who was clutching the bouquet tightly in his arms. his heart was filled with a burning desire, but on the surface, he remained pure, innocent, and harmless.


    pei xia took a deep breath, strode to the edge of the bed, and presented the flowers to him with his eyes closed, his body tensed, and his cheeks turning red. he said with determination, ¡°fei fei, these are for you!¡±


    lucifer sat up, accepted the bouquet, and said, ¡°thank you.¡±


    after a while, pei xia remained in the same position, still silent.


    lucifer couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and gently pulled his lips into a faint smile. he decided to break the silence, ¡°pei xia, thank you for the flowers. i really like them.¡±


    pei xia shivered and finally opened his eyes. he hurriedly responded, ¡°you¡¯re welcome, it¡¯s my pleasure!¡±


    lucifer gazed at him, a mixture of teasing and affection in his eyes, soft as the tendrils of a jellyfish in the deep sea, wrapping around, intoxicating and maddening.


    in the gentle and warm light, the golden-haired beauty held the vibrant red flowers, making him appear even more ethereal and extraordinary. pei xia looked at this captivating scene, and his affection for him bubbled up like boiling water, leaving him feeling weak in the knees. he took a step closer, but his body wobbled unsteadily.


    lucifer lightly tilted his head and asked with a smile, ¡°hmm? what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    pei xia walked over to him, feeling all soft and shaky, ¡°n-nothing.¡±


    lucifer gently commented, ¡°why did you suddenly bring me flowers?¡± it was just a casual question, but for the anxious pei xia, it felt like a thunderclap.


    he startled and his legs went weak, causing him to plop onto the bed, conveniently sitting on lucifer¡¯s long legs.


    the two of them gazed at each other in silence, and lucifer displayed a faint smile.


    ¡°pei xia, you¡¯re so proactive.¡±


    meanwhile, pei xia was inwardly lamenting, ¡®i¡¯m so embarrassing, not assertive at all!¡¯


    in a room with only two men, especially since they were lovers, with pei xia appearing particularly charming that night, it was evident that something was going to happen. even a fool could figure it out.


    lucifer gazed at pei xia with affection in his eyes, and he put the flowers on the bedside table. he wanted to tease him a bit, so he purposely asked, ¡°pei xia, why are you so nervous?¡±


    pei xia¡¯s throat moved as he stammered, ¡°i-it¡¯s nothing!¡±


    lucifer chuckled, thinking that if they continued like this, they would just be staring at each other the whole night without doing anything else.


    he had a deep affection for the person in front of him, and if it were possible, he wanted to make him completely his.


    so, lucifer took the initiative, extending his hand to cup pei xia¡¯s cheek and said, ¡°pei xia, i¡¯m very happy tonight, and i¡ª¡±


    before he could finish his sentence, pei xia suddenly stood up.


    lucifer¡¯s hand dropped to the bed, and he was momentarily bewildered. he looked up at pei xia, his eyes practically turning into two big question marks.


    pei xia clenched his fists tightly, his expression serious, his body trembling with excitement. then, he shouted, ¡°wait a moment!¡±


    without further ado, he swiftly turned around and rushed out as if his pants were on fire. his figure disappeared into the vast night, leaving a bewildered and speechless lucifer on the bed, filled with anticipation.


    he ran¡­ he ran like this at the crucial moment?!


    lucifer¡¯s flawless face, perfect beyond any criticism, twisted slightly for a moment. his gaze instantly darkened, and a terrifying aura enveloped the entire room. outside the door, the shadowy demon who excelled in both power and reputation was trembling in the shadows.


    ¡®may the gods bless me, or rather, great lord, please don¡¯t remember me¡­¡¯


    inside the room, lucifer slowly stood up, barefoot, and walked out. step by step, he walked as if through empty space.


    his figure gradually faded, and his charismatic form, clad in a nightgown, was gradually concealed by darkness. in the end, he was perfectly hidden in the night, completely invisible.


    without hesitation, he headed in the direction of pei xia.


    he wanted to see where pei xia would run off to when faced with such a situation!


    pei xia sprinted through the night, the chilly wind blowing across his face, which helped clear his slightly muddled head. he couldn¡¯t help but clench his fist and lightly hit his own head. what was he doing?


    he really wanted to make progress with lucifer, but he was genuinely nervous and afraid. he was nervous about what would happen next, and he was afraid of performing poorly.


    pei xia shook his head vigorously, his heart, lungs, and courage trembling simultaneously. he finally dashed into a small tavern.


    silent, pei xia approached the bar and ordered the house specialty. his mind was heavily burdened, and he had no interest in hearing the bartender¡¯s description of the drink¡¯s name or how delicious it was.


    after paying, pei xia raised the glass and took several large gulps.


    the ice-cold strong liquor went down his throat. the next moment, it felt like a fire was burning through his throat and into his stomach, making it feel warm and cozy. pei xia drank too quickly and couldn¡¯t help but burp.


    as they say, alcohol bolsters a person¡¯s courage. under the influence of alcohol, pei xia, who was nervous and afraid, felt like he was ready again!


    but it¡¯s not enough.


    usually, virgins are likely to perform not very well. pei xia tightened his grip on the glass, his expression very serious.


    he did have these concerns. after all, he had no prior experience, and he wasn¡¯t particularly interested in the matter to begin with. now, entering the battlefield for the first time, he might embarrass himself right away.


    no, absolutely not!


    pei xia gritted his teeth and swore to leave a good impression on lucifer. pei xia¡¯s pure heart had its own romantic aspirations.


    so, after downing a large glass of liquor, pei xia mustered his courage and discreetly signaled the bartender for assistance.


    ¡°excuse me, sir,¡± the bartender, an orc of an unknown species with a furry tail, approached, wagging his tail playfully.


    pei xia extended his finger and motioned for him to lean closer, exuding an air of mystery, which piqued the bartender¡¯s curiosity. ¡°do you have something to ask?¡±


    pei xia clenched his teeth and asked, ¡°do you have¡­ that kind of medicine?¡±


    the bartender¡¯s tail froze momentarily, showing his puzzlement. ¡°what medicine?¡±


    ¡°that kind of medicine,¡± pei xia replied, growing impatient. ¡°the kind that men take, you know?!¡±


    ¡°oh, i see!¡± the bartender¡¯s expression suddenly became enlightened, and a hint of lecherousness mixed into his previously polite smile.


    ¡°please wait a moment.¡± the bartender hurried away and returned with a small package of dark powder, which he discreetly handed to pei xia.


    ¡°does this stuff really work?¡± pei xia was starting to feel a bit tipsy as he looked at the small packet in his hand.


    the bartender smiled and assured him, ¡°don¡¯t worry. it guarantees that you¡¯ll stand tall all night!¡±


    hearing this, pei xia felt somewhat embarrassed. he instinctively tried to save face. ¡°it¡¯s not for me; it¡¯s for someone else.¡±


    the bartender chuckled and said, ¡°i understand, i understand.¡±


    pei xia looked at the bartender, feeling a bit frustrated with the situation.


    he knows nothing! if it weren¡¯t for love, would he even bother?


    and standing behind pei xia, unnoticed by anyone, lucifer, upon hearing the phrase ¡°for someone else,¡± narrowed his eyes.


    for someone else?


    without a doubt, that ¡°someone else¡± was him, right?!


    lucifer looked at pei xia with complex feelings. he felt amused and somewhat annoyed. was he really that inadequate in pei xia¡¯s eyes? to the point where pei xia sat on the bed and suddenly ran out to buy medicine.


    it seemed that he had overplayed his vulnerability, making pei xia doubt his own abilities in this aspect.


    pei xia: i can¡¯t be inadequate!


    lucifer: i¡¯m more than capable.


    today, the holy son and the knight continued to display their heartfelt misunderstanding of each other.


    after buying the medicine, pei xia stumbled back toward the courtyard. when he was about halfway back to the small courtyard, he remembered what the bartender had said: take the medicine ten minutes before going in.


    pei xia opened the small packet, opened his mouth, closed his eyes, and swallowed the black powder in one gulp.


    cough, it¡¯s a bit bitter and astringent.


    pei xia quickly leaned against the wall and ran back to the courtyard. he went to the kitchen first and drank a couple of mouthfuls of water to clean his mouth before rushing to lucifer¡¯s room.


    lucifer, deep in thought, wasn¡¯t aware that pei xia had already taken the medicine. he sat at the bedside, his expression not particularly cheerful. hearing the door creak, he looked up with a profound gaze.


    pei xia closed the door behind him and, fueled by the impulse brought on by alcohol, rushed over to lucifer.


    lucifer lightly furrowed his brows and had just started to call pei xia¡¯s name when he saw pei xia reach forward and place both of his hands on the bedside table next to lucifer¡¯s head.


    he initiated a ¡°wall slam.¡±


    then, pei xia kicked off his shoes and, still in the wall slam position, climbed onto the bed, half kneeling, half sitting on lucifer¡¯s lap, his expression unusually serious.


    lucifer looked up at him and thought that he seemed even more proactive than before. did he realize that suddenly running off earlier was a mistake, so he wanted to make amends?


    lucifer raised an eyebrow, ¡°pei xia, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    pei xia stared at him intently, solemnly opening his mouth, ¡°hiccup.¡±


    he let out a hiccup.


    lucifer: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°fei fei.¡±


    perhaps it was the effect of the strong liquor tonight, or maybe it was because of the medicine, or perhaps it was simply because he genuinely liked lucifer, but, pei xia felt intoxicated, both in body and soul. emotions surged within him, impossible to contain.


    slowly, pei xia choked up.


    lucifer furrowed his brow and gently cupped pei xia¡¯s flushed face, ¡°you¡¯re drunk. very drunk.¡±


    ¡°is that so?¡± pei xia retorted, ¡°that doesn¡¯t matter! fei fei, listen to me. i like you!¡±


    ¡°i know.¡±


    it was just a simple sentence, but it made all of lucifer¡¯s previous irritation vanish. pei xia¡¯s open and honest analysis of his feelings was so endearing.


    lucifer was gazing at him with a smile when suddenly pei xia shook his head vigorously and pushed away lucifer¡¯s hand. he extended his other hand, gripping lucifer¡¯s chin.


    lucifer: ?


    pei xia earnestly held onto his chin and said, ¡°no laughing. even if i call you a little demon, you¡¯re not allowed to laugh!¡±


    lucifer blinked slowly, very curious about what more a drunken pei xia would say or do. he nodded in agreement, ¡°okay.¡±


    pei xia finally revealed a hint of a smile, only to suppress it immediately. he glared fiercely at lucifer, attempting to dominate him with his own determination.


    then, pei xia began to ramble, ¡°and don¡¯t you dare say i¡¯m possessed by a demon!¡±


    lucifer agreed.


    ¡°i¡¯m your knight, and i want to protect you.¡±


    pei xia acknowledged this.


    ¡°as your lover, i want to become perfect. i want people to know about our relationship and not think i¡¯m unworthy of you!¡±


    lucifer held onto the hand that was gripping his chin and gently caressed it. he was deeply moved and spoke in a tender voice, ¡°good boy, i understand.¡±


    pei xia huffed, and then he said, ¡°i really, really like you!¡±


    lucifer acknowledged that.


    ¡°even if you¡¯re so gentle and delicate, completely not my type, it doesn¡¯t matter. for you, i¡¯m willing to change!¡±


    lucifer: ¡°¡­¡±


    he couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brow.

 CH 59

    pei xia sat on lucifer¡¯s lap, the effect of the strong alcohol making him dizzy, causing waves of lightheadedness. whether it was the alcohol or the medication, he felt a burning sensation throughout his body, coupled with an intense and irresistible desire.


    he knew that his desire was rising, and at this moment, he gazed lovingly at lucifer, pinching his chin and lowering his head as if to kiss him.


    however, suddenly, something happened to lucifer. he raised his hand to block pei xia¡¯s kiss.


    lucifer furrowed his brow, appearing somewhat displeased and agitated. he demanded, ¡°repeat what you just said.¡±


    pei xia, in his drunken state, felt like his mind was no longer his own. after a moment of thought, he dutifully repeated, ¡°fei fei, you¡¯re so soft and delicate, completely not my type, but it¡¯s okay, i¡¯m willing to change for you!¡±


    after saying this, he blushed and shyly added, ¡°i¡¯m prepared for it!¡±


    lucifer was so furious that his hand trembled. ¡°didn¡¯t you say you prefer the pure, innocent, soft, and cute type?¡±


    pei xia couldn¡¯t quite grasp the consequences of lucifer¡¯s reaction due to his inebriated state. he looked at lucifer innocently and replied, ¡°i was lying.¡±


    ¡°i was lying.¡±


    ¡°lying.¡±


    ¡°lie.¡±


    lucifer stared at him in silence, and pei xia grinned back at him. his eyes, reddened by the alcohol, shimmered with a hazy, innocent purity. pei xia couldn¡¯t help but yawn, swaying slightly, and then leaning in to kiss lucifer again.


    lucifer blocked his lips, too infuriated to find words. he raised his hand to press against his temple and took a deep breath.


    pei xia realized that he couldn¡¯t break through lucifer¡¯s defense at the moment, feeling a bit frustrated and impatient. after all, men tend to become very impulsive when the mood strikes.


    as a couple, they were planning to do something naturally, so pei xia didn¡¯t think too much about it. he simply grabbed lucifer¡¯s hand, which was blocking his mouth, and kissed it a couple of times.


    after the kisses, he furrowed his brow for a moment, then grinned and said, ¡°delicious!¡±


    lucifer, fuming with anger: ¡°¡­¡±


    pei xia looked at him innocently, smiled, and then rubbed against his leg.


    lucifer¡¯s lips trembled, and he gritted his teeth, asking, ¡°you actually lied to me. pei xia, you, this seemingly honest little liar, how many lies have you told?¡±


    he couldn¡¯t believe that pei xia would lie, especially about something like this.


    suddenly, he extended his arm, pulled pei xia closer to his chest, and pressed him against his leg. pei xia, who had been squirming and not staying still, was now forced to be very close to him, so close that their faces almost touched.


    pei xia was taken aback for a moment, but after seeing lucifer¡¯s magnified beauty up close, he couldn¡¯t resist. he puckered his lips and planted a kiss on lucifer¡¯s cheek.


    lucifer wrapped an arm around his waist and used the other to gently pinch his cheek. his face showed a mix of anger and subtle helplessness, and his narrowed eyes emitted a dangerous aura.


    ¡°tell me, what type do you really like?¡±


    pei xia, who was quite slow in grasping lucifer¡¯s threat, thought for a moment and enthusiastically shared his preferences, ¡°i like, um, ryan!¡±


    lucifer looked at pei xia, infuriated and amused.


    ryan? he not only didn¡¯t lie as he claimed earlier but also expressed a preference that was quite the opposite of what he initially stated. lucifer couldn¡¯t believe that even under these circumstances, pei xia could still like him!


    thinking about their past experiences, lucifer couldn¡¯t help but cover his face and take a deep breath. otherwise, he feared that this tipsy fool would drive him to madness.


    pei xia continued to chatter, ¡°but in the future, no matter what fei fei is like, i¡¯ll love you. fei fei is great, even if you can¡¯t turn into someone as strong as ryan.¡±


    ¡°who said that?¡± lucifer interrupted him, and his stern gaze peeked through the gaps between his fingers, momentarily distorting his holy and beautiful face.


    he let go of his hand and lightly tapped pei xia¡¯s forehead, causing pei xia to tilt backward.


    lucifer smirked as he raised an eyebrow, ¡°do you think i¡¯m not as good as him?¡±


    pei xia looked bewildered, ¡°i didn¡¯t say that.¡±


    lucifer coldly stared at him, then raised his hand, flexed his bicep, and made a muscle display.


    pei xia gazed at him for five seconds, and then suddenly had an epiphany. he flashed an indulgent smile and raised his hand, interlocking his fingers with lucifer¡¯s raised hand.


    ¡°fei fei wants to dance, right? fei fei is so romantic!¡±


    lucifer: ¡°¡­¡±


    the graceful and beautiful holy son didn¡¯t say anything but silently put down his arm, abandoning his idea of showcasing himself in front of a drunkard.


    it was truly strange.


    in front of pei xia, he had started acting childishly.


    he couldn¡¯t help but grind his molars, then grabbed pei xia¡¯s waist and pulled him closer, causing pei xia to feel a sudden dizziness and shift from sitting on lucifer¡¯s lap to lying on his thigh.


    pei xia blinked slowly, taking a while to react. he found himself lying with his lower abdomen pressed against lucifer¡¯s thigh and curiously tilted his head to look at lucifer, ¡°fei fei?¡±


    lucifer thought for a moment and still felt irritated. he gave pei xia a soft smile, then raised his palm and smacked pei xia¡¯s raised buttocks with a resounding slap.


    pei xia shivered, feeling a bit baffled, ¡°fei fei, did you just spank me?¡±


    ¡°deceiver,¡± lucifer said softly, ¡°i told you that liars should be prepared for punishment.¡±


    pei xia squirmed on his lap, blushing deeply, mainly from embarrassment, ¡°i¡¯m sorry.¡±


    once again, there was a resounding slap, and pei xia covered his face and buried it in the blanket, gasping for air. he slowly realized that this wasn¡¯t working, so he turned his head and whispered, ¡°but, loving fei fei is genuine.¡±


    lucifer, with his raised hand suspended in the air, looked down at the young man lying on his lap. ¡°hmm?¡±


    pei xia gazed at him affectionately and said, ¡°loving you is loving you. i don¡¯t know why, but since i¡¯ve fallen for you, i want to make you happy. so even if there are contradictions, it doesn¡¯t matter. i¡¯ll, hiccup, work hard to overcome them! fei fei, are you still angry? why¡­¡±


    he looked somewhat perplexed, ¡°i lied, but fei fei did the same.¡±


    what could lucifer say? should he admit that he also lied? that he wasn¡¯t really a pure and innocent little white flower?


    so, there was another slap.


    pei xia buried his head in the blanket, feeling dejected, and he continued to squirm on lucifer¡¯s lap, feeling miserable. why, at such a critical moment, were they suddenly fighting? weren¡¯t they supposed to be loving each other?


    lucifer watched the young man squirming on his lap, mumbling softly, and feeling the warmth against his thigh. he was a bit annoyed and amused.


    he really wanted to wake him up now, make him sober, and realize what was going on!


    ¡°pei xia, you¡¯re really¡­¡±


    lucifer¡¯s voice, still beautifully enchanting despite its coldness, reached pei xia¡¯s ears, making his emotions surge. added to that was the tingling sensation from the consecutive spankings due to his drunken state, which dulled the pain.


    pei xia became too excited and couldn¡¯t hold back, and he¡­


    pei xia pressed himself onto lucifer¡¯s thigh, a robust and resilient young man, someone who didn¡¯t cry even after being spanked more than ten times. but now, his eyes turned red.


    lucifer felt the dampness on his thigh, hesitated for a moment, then heard pei xia, with a hint of crying in his voice, say, ¡°fake, it¡¯s all fake!¡±


    he lifted pei xia up and placed him against his chest, but pei xia still covered his face as if he was too embarrassed to show it to anyone.


    in his drunken babble, he said, ¡°how could this happen? i want to be a strong man. i want to give fei fei happiness. a liar, a fake! i¡¯m not a three-second man, i¡¯m not!¡±


    despairingly, he covered his face and nearly fell over, but lucifer hugged him tightly, forcing him to lean against his chest. then, he reached out and pulled down pei xia¡¯s hand covering his face, revealing the tear-stained and embarrassed pei xia underneath.


    initially angry, lucifer was now genuinely amused by pei xia¡¯s behavior. he asked, ¡°did you take that medicine?¡±


    pei xia nodded slowly.


    at this point, lucifer couldn¡¯t help but understand. it seemed that pei xia¡¯s thoughts and his own had always been the opposite.


    he lifted pei xia¡¯s warm face and the slightly cool touch of the young man¡¯s skin, after having been dry for so long, fascinated him. unconsciously, he rubbed his hand against lucifer¡¯s for comfort.


    after a couple of rubs, pei xia suddenly realized something and asked, ¡°the medicine, how did you know?¡±


    lucifer didn¡¯t answer the question. instead, he cradled pei xia¡¯s face and called his name, ¡°pei xia.¡±


    ¡°hmm?¡±


    lucifer gazed deeply into his eyes and bent down slowly, saying, ¡°at this point, even if you lie, it won¡¯t make a difference.¡±


    pei xia looked at him blankly, ¡°huh?¡±


    ¡°you already belong to me,¡± lucifer murmured in a low voice, ¡°forever mine.¡±


    pei xia responded, ¡°oh!¡±


    lucifer added, ¡°even if you wake up and regret later, there won¡¯t be a chance to leave.¡±


    pei xia opened his arms and willingly embraced lucifer, moved to tears. ¡°as long as you don¡¯t mind my lack of experience and poor skills, i¡¯ll do my best to make you happy.¡±


    lucifer coldly remarked, ¡°i wasn¡¯t talking about that.¡±


    pei xia asked in surprise, ¡°huh?¡±


    lucifer continued, ¡°and, call me lucifer.¡±


    pei xia, a bit hesitant, said, ¡°lucifer.¡±


    lucifer chuckled softly, his eyes suddenly becoming more alluring. he had been fooled by this not-so-cunning trickster for so long; could he just let it go with an apology?


    ¡°pei xia, what do you want to do to me? come on.¡±


    pei xia looked at the blonde beauty in front of him, pursed his lips, and took a deep breath. feeling the current situation, he believed he could continue!


    so what if he had been slapped before, or if he had accidentally¡­? what did it matter!


    the saying goes, the more you look at a beauty under the light, the more beautiful they become. especially to pei xia, this drunkard, lucifer seemed to be shrouded in a mysterious aura, making him eager to explore and get closer.


    summoning his courage, he initiated a kiss on lucifer¡¯s lips.


    so soft, so comfortable, with a cool sensation and a hint of elusive fragrance. it was enchanting, and when the other responded willingly, it was intoxicating, and pei xia couldn¡¯t help himself.


    excitedly, pei xia reached out to undo lucifer¡¯s robe, letting the pristine white garment fall from his perfect body. lucifer remained cooperative throughout.


    however, as pei xia tried to continue with his momentum, lucifer firmly pressed him onto the bed.


    ¡°luci¡ªfei?¡±


    lucifer smiled and leaned in, dangerous sparks dancing in his narrowed eyes. his slender, perfect hand traced a path from pei xia¡¯s nape, down his neck, and along his slender back.


    ¡°pei xia, what do you want to do to me?¡±


    pei xia obediently answered, ¡°be on top of you!¡±


    lucifer chuckled and said, ¡°is that so? unfortunately, your wish won¡¯t come true.¡±


    pei xia looked a bit forlorn, ¡°why? are you still rejecting me?¡±


    lucifer lifted his chin and lightly bit his lips, his voice becoming husky, ¡°i told you i would punish the naughty boy who lies, pei xia¡­¡±


    whispering in his ear, each word was pronounced with a refusal impossible to resist, ¡°i.want.to.make.you.cry.¡±


    trapped beneath the golden-haired beauty, pei xia¡¯s body quivered, and he had a moment of hesitation. but soon, his face flushed with excitement, and he seemed eager:


    ¡°is this also possible?¡±


    lucifer: ¡°¡­¡±


    he raised his hand expressionlessly and delivered another smack on the knight¡¯s raised buttocks, then pressed down on him, initiating a forceful kiss.

 CH 60

    in the tranquil late summer afternoon, with occasional sounds of insects, pei xia slowly opened his eyes in a simple and cozy room.


    he had been awakened by hunger.


    last night, the activities had gone on until dawn, and pei xia had finally fallen into a deep sleep. being a holy knight who had expended a lot of energy without replenishing with breakfast or lunch, his stomach was now growling.


    as he recollected the passionate night from yesterday, pei xia could feel his face flushing again. he abruptly sat up, looking around and shaking his head to scan the room, but he couldn¡¯t spot lucifer¡¯s presence.


    this secretly relieved him.


    due to the combination of alcohol and medication, he hadn¡¯t felt entirely like himself last night. he still vividly remembered the scenes that had turned him red with embarrassment.


    pei xia began to get dressed, examining himself and noticing no obvious marks. lucifer had used light magic to heal his fatigue and minor injuries, leaving only one area untouched.


    the sensations in that particular area weren¡¯t due to any injuries but rather an odd and undeniable lingering feeling. as for the exterior, he vaguely remembered lucifer saying it was a punishment before he fell asleep, which was why it hadn¡¯t been healed despite pei xia¡¯s pleas. in a way, it served as a reminder of their passionate night.


    pei xia couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, covering his face with his hand and silently cursing lucifer for being petty.


    just as he thought about the holy son, the door creaked open, and lucifer walked in carrying a tray. he had a rather pleased smile on his face.


    ¡°i guessed you¡¯d wake up soon,¡± lucifer said, placing the tray on the table and gesturing for pei xia to come and have some food.


    meanwhile, lucifer rested his chin on his folded hands, his eyes curved as he gazed at pei xia.


    pei xia stood by the table, feeling a bit awkward. he picked up a bowl and a spoon and started to eat beist¡¯s specialty, a porridge made with sweet cream, roasted rice, tender wheat, and crushed nuts.


    ¡°why don¡¯t you sit down?¡± lucifer asked, teasingly.


    pei xia kept his head low, sipping his porridge and, after finishing, wiping his mouth. he then reached to rub the injured area and replied with a sheepish smile, ¡°i¡¯m fine standing.¡±


    pei xia still remembered the events from last night. he had initially been somewhat skeptical of lucifer¡¯s true nature, but then lucifer had personally confirmed it, leaving pei xia both pleasantly surprised and curious about why lucifer had undergone such a significant transformation.


    in addition to feeling slightly guilty for lying and carelessly confessing to it while drunk, pei xia wasn¡¯t sure how to face lucifer. he stood before lucifer like a misbehaving elementary school student in front of a teacher, head hung low, hands behind his back, giving an appearance of self-reflection. he said, ¡°i¡¯m sorry; i didn¡¯t mean to lie.¡±


    after speaking, pei xia sneakily glanced at lucifer. he appeared to be in a good mood, so pei xia thought he might get away with this.


    however, pei xia had yet to see through lucifer¡¯s true intentions.


    lucifer wouldn¡¯t let him off the hook so easily.


    lucifer suddenly let out a long sigh and looked melancholic, saying, ¡°pei xia.¡±


    ¡°hmm?¡± pei xia felt a bit puzzled by his sudden change of tone.


    lucifer coughed weakly as if he were a frail beauty who was delicate and trembling like a lotus in the rain. he continued, ¡°do you know how hurt i am?¡±


    pei xia was taken aback, and he hurriedly went around the table to embrace lucifer. ¡°fei fei!¡±


    lucifer: ¡°ah.¡±


    pei xia deeply reflected on his actions, full of regret. ¡°you¡¯re hurt? if i had known you were so fragile, i wouldn¡¯t have done it so many times last night. i¡¯m sorry. i¡¯ll be more careful in the future!¡±


    lucifer: ¡°wait, that¡¯s not what i meant.¡±


    pei xia had already begun unbuttoning lucifer¡¯s clothing and spoke with deep affection, ¡°don¡¯t be shy. we¡¯ve done everything already. fei fei, let me check the severity of your injuries.¡±


    lucifer had a feeling that something wasn¡¯t quite right. he gently sat up straight, holding pei xia¡¯s wandering hand on his body and feeling a bit helpless. he guided pei xia to sit in his lap.


    ¡°is there something wrong with my body? don¡¯t you already know?¡± lucifer cleared his throat. ¡°i meant my heart is injured.¡±


    pei xia, with a somewhat swollen butt and feeling a bit awkward in his posture, hesitated but finally responded, ¡°why are you hurt? did someone bully you?¡±


    lucifer: ¡°yes, this person really deceived me.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°you¡¯re not talking about me, are you?¡±


    lucifer gave him a mournful look and pinched his soft flesh. ¡°what do you think?¡±


    pei xia scratched his head awkwardly and began to explain quietly. he initially thought that lucifer was a homophobic straight guy, but later he assumed they both had similar preferences, which led to misunderstandings.


    but clever pei xia didn¡¯t forget to score some points for himself while explaining. he looked at lucifer and said, ¡°even so, your beauty, purity, kindness, and charm have made me irresistibly fall in love with you. in moments like these, i realize that societal norms and labels are meaningless in the face of true love. see, this proves that i genuinely love you, so you mustn¡¯t get angry anymore. you should praise me instead!¡± pei xia looked at lucifer with a hint of expectation.


    lucifer, the beautiful, pure, kind, and charming holy son, had a momentary twitch of his lips.


    he suddenly realized something.


    in this game of love, there was more than one liar, and pei xia¡¯s lies were clearly not enough to threaten their relationship. on the contrary, it could add a touch of excitement to their dynamic.


    but lucifer¡¯s lie was much more serious.


    lucifer¡¯s palm emitted a pure white holy light, healing the wounds on pei xia¡¯s buttocks. pei xia shifted and sat happily on his lap, saying, ¡°fei fei, are you no longer angry?¡±


    lucifer held his hand and lightly kissed it. ¡°when have you seen me stay angry for long?¡±


    pei xia thought about it seriously and then realized, ¡°you were really angry at me earlier!¡±


    lucifer responded, ¡°well, what did you think?¡±


    pei xia chuckled.


    however, this question wasn¡¯t too important. lucifer had something more significant to say to him. he once again pecked a kiss on the knight¡¯s strong and calloused hand and then looked deeply into his eyes.


    ¡°pei xia, if i told you that i¡¯ve also lied, would you forgive me?¡±


    this statement left pei xia somewhat bewildered because he couldn¡¯t fathom what lie lucifer might have told him. lucifer was just the way he was, kind and pure. even if he lied, it must be a well-intentioned one, right?


    pei xia smiled at him and held his hand firmly, saying with sincerity, ¡°fei fei, i believe that if it¡¯s you, there must be a good reason for any lie.¡±


    at that moment, looking at pei xia¡¯s unwavering trust in him, lucifer suddenly felt an impulse. he wanted to strip away the perfect and pure facade he had crafted for himself, to let this knight who had fallen in love with an illusion know the whole truth.


    at that time, would he be frightened to tears or repent and run away?


    his gaze, filled with aggression and sinister intent, remained firmly fixed on pei xia, who inexplicably started to feel nervous. ¡°fei fei, if you¡¯ve told a lie, can you tell me what it is?¡±


    lucifer smiled at him, and his pale pink lips parted and closed as he said, ¡°pei xia, what if i¡¯m not the way you¡¯ve seen me?¡±


    pei xia was momentarily taken aback but quickly understood. sitting on lucifer¡¯s lap and holding his hand, he replied with understanding, ¡°you mean to say that you¡¯re not as pure as i thought? actually, after last night, i¡¯ve already come to understand. i think you¡¯re just fine the way you are! as long as your kindness and gentleness remain, i don¡¯t mind anything else. we¡¯re already lovers, and you can share any concerns with me. i¡¯ll support you!¡±


    lucifer¡¯s hand tightened slightly, and he forced a smile. ¡°is that so?¡±


    pei xia grinned and nodded, ¡°fei fei, you¡¯re the best!¡±


    lucifer lowered his gaze, lifting pei xia¡¯s hand to his forehead, touching his skin, and after a moment of silence, he suddenly smiled and said, ¡°i wanted to tell you that i¡¯m not that fragile. xia, this was an image i created to pursue you.¡±


    in the end, the demon hidden beneath the beautiful facade shrank back.


    pei xia exclaimed, ¡°huh?!¡±


    lucifer suddenly raised his head, and his deep, enigmatic eyes held unreadable undercurrents. with one hand gripping pei xia¡¯s waist, he shed all the previous fragility and innocence, forcefully locking pei xia in his embrace.


    ¡°is this acceptable, then?¡± he asked with a hint of dominance.


    pei xia¡¯s body trembled slightly. ¡°holy, holy son¡­¡±


    lucifer tilted his chin lightly, his long neck arched with a swan-like grace, proud and beautiful. ¡°pei xia, do you like it?¡±


    pei xia¡¯s cheeks blushed, overwhelmed by the majestic beauty of the holy son. he nodded repeatedly.


    so comforting! fei fei, you¡¯re so adorable!


    in fact, pei xia had long felt that lucifer was somewhat peculiar, and now, with his explanation, he had a feeling of sudden enlightenment. as for lucifer¡¯s pursuit under the disguise of his own lie, pei xia was completely taken by his charm. while he hadn¡¯t realized lucifer was pursuing him, now that he had confessed, he was more than willing to accept it.


    pei xia raised his hand to rest on lucifer¡¯s shoulder. ¡°i like it.¡±


    lucifer leaned forward a bit more, cradling the back of pei xia¡¯s head and gently forcing him to lift his chin and face him. then, he kissed him deeply, full of aggression and conquest, leaving pei xia, the physically robust holy knight, breathless.


    ¡°do you like it too?¡±


    as the kiss ended, pei xia¡¯s heart raced, and his legs felt weak. he replied in a dazed tone, ¡°i love it, love it, fei fei. it¡¯s even better now.¡±


    lucifer¡¯s eyes glimmered slightly as he leaned in closer, his cool fingers gliding along the knight¡¯s spine. ¡°i told you last night, didn¡¯t i? don¡¯t call me fei fei. call me lucifer.¡±


    ¡°fei fei.¡± pei xia hesitated for a moment, scratching his nose and blushing with embarrassment. ¡°i¡¯ve gotten used to it, and i really like calling you ¡®fei fei.¡¯ after all, besides me, no one else dares to call you like this.¡±


    the melodious and enchanting voice, akin to the finest musical instrument playing, whispered in pei xia¡¯s ear. lucifer¡¯s voice was calm and composed. ¡°there¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t change. if you can¡¯t do it yourself, then let me help you.¡±


    lucifer playfully bit pei xia¡¯s earlobe and smiled, ¡°call me by my real name.¡±


    pei xia¡¯s eyes lit up, and he was delighted. ¡°really? lucifer!¡±

 CH 61

    ¡°fei fei!¡±


    lucifer silenced pei xia by covering his mouth and not allowing him to speak. this guy, who indulged in pleasure without restraint, had no idea of the consequences of continuing down this path.


    lucifer thought that he had perhaps been too lenient with him, using light magic to alleviate his discomfort and replenish his energy. this had led the holy knight to believe that his body could handle more.


    the outwardly beautiful and pure holy son was actually quite mischievous. after the knight had choked a few times on his cuteness and cheekiness, lucifer decided to teach him a lesson discreetly.


    so he released pei xia¡¯s mouth and let him go about his daily activities as if nothing had happened. only in the late hours of the night did he begin to fulfill his promise of calling him by his real name.


    on this particular night, lucifer refrained from using light magic on pei xia¡¯s body. as a result, the holy knight was left sobbing uncontrollably in the depths of the night.


    the next day, pei xia was curled up under the covers, his eyes red and swollen, unable to get out of bed. another beautiful summer day in beist city was wasted by the two of them.


    lucifer sat at the edge of the bed, smiling as he pointed his finger at pei xia¡¯s nose. ¡°what should you call me?¡±


    pei xia replied with a mix of sadness and anger, ¡°lucifer!¡±


    lucifer pinched his chubby cheek and shook it playfully. ¡°are you angry?¡±


    the holy knight, wrapped tightly in the blanket, glanced at him and then grabbed a pillow to shield his face from lucifer, preventing him from pinching his cheeks. he complained and acted a bit spoiled, ¡°it¡¯s not that serious. it just hurts a little.¡±


    with his body aching all over and marked with red bruises, he didn¡¯t even want to look at himself.


    ¡°is that so?¡± lucifer smiled and said, ¡°i thought you were so excited that you should be fine.¡±


    pei xia replied, ¡°of course i¡¯m fine!¡± his voice perked up for those four words and then quickly lowered as he continued, ¡°but fine doesn¡¯t mean it doesn¡¯t hurt, right, fei cough, lucifer! i¡¯m not feeling too well¡­ lucifer, better than fei fei, at least.¡±


    lucifer took the pillow that pei xia was using to shield his face and then gently lifted pei xia¡¯s shoulders to make him sit up.


    pei xia looked at him hesitantly, a hint of resistance in his eyes. he didn¡¯t seem eager to continue. ¡°can i still call you fei fei?¡±


    ¡°sure,¡± lucifer replied.


    pei xia sighed in relief and was then softly kissed by lucifer. this kiss was incredibly gentle, with their lips meeting softly like marshmallows.


    pei xia felt the warm embrace of his lover¡¯s kiss and breath, with the faint scent of roses seemed to envelop him, gradually melting away all his fatigue, soreness, and swelling.


    in the end, he received his healing.


    after the kiss, lucifer gently lifted pei xia¡¯s chin and playfully stroked it as if teasing a cat. he said, ¡°you better remember this time, or i won¡¯t let you off so easily next time.¡±


    pei xia nodded obediently with his head lowered. he had already forgotten the pain of the scars now and was already contemplating the next time.


    ¡°fei fei! fei fei is too innocent and naive. besides, it will be healed later anyway, so the initiative is in my hands, right?¡± pei xia glanced at lucifer and smiled at him. his eyes were filled with affection and excitement.


    lucifer couldn¡¯t help but feel that the way pei xia looked at him was somewhat strange, but he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on what was amiss.


    while the holy son and his loyal knight were hiding in their room, sharing an intimate moment, in the courtyard outside the room, a few holy knights were taking care of the horses and gossiping.


    it had been several days, and they hadn¡¯t started their mission yet. this was the least efficient they had ever been since arriving in the new city.


    one of the knights whispered, ¡°it¡¯s been days, and the captain hasn¡¯t been very active lately. do you think he¡¯s been with the holy son all this time?¡±


    buck cleared his throat and said quietly, ¡°i saw him leave the room yesterday, in the evening.¡±


    ¡°but other than that, they¡¯ve been in the room the whole time,¡± tom added, stroking his chin with a meaningful look.


    mallory asked, ¡°should we go and remind them to restrain themselves a bit? after all, without the holy son¡¯s orders, we don¡¯t know what we¡¯re supposed to do.¡±


    ¡°no need,¡± lanta replied mysteriously, looking at them. ¡°have you heard any strange sounds?¡±


    the knights shook their heads in unison.


    ¡°have you noticed anything unusual about the captain?¡± lanta inquired.


    once again, the knights shook their heads.


    lanta clapped his hands together and said, ¡°see, that settles it. i think you¡¯re all overthinking it. the holy son and the captain must be finding us too slow, so they¡¯re discussing the mission of spreading the faith in private!¡±


    the knights nodded in agreement, saying, ¡°that makes sense.¡±


    however, they still didn¡¯t believe it!


    while the knights were idle and speculating aimlessly, pei xia appeared as usual and announced what they were going to do next.


    beist was the largest and most bustling city in the orc kingdom, and it was also the most complex in terms of its population. about a few decades ago, there used to be a branch temple of the church of light here, but it didn¡¯t thrive because the orc kingdom was a stronghold of the grassland goddess¡¯s followers. as a result, the branch temple gradually closed down.


    pei xia would be going out with lucifer to inspect the site of the branch temple to see if it could still be used. the other holy knights would prepare a place to accommodate the faithful and go out to promote the church of light on the streets, getting ready to start preaching the next day.


    for other matters, they would follow the actions they had taken in smibabaka.


    one of the knights asked, ¡°captain, don¡¯t you need us to accompany you? it might be dangerous with just you and the holy son.¡±


    pei xia reassured them, ¡°don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re just going to take a look. we don¡¯t plan on revealing our true identities. the rest of the tasks are entrusted to you!¡±


    of course, when they said ¡°take a look,¡± it meant they wanted to have a public expense date.


    the rest of the holy knights had no doubts and saluted in unison, saying, ¡°yes, captain!¡±


    while pei xia was explaining the action plan to the holy knights, inside the room, a barrier of moderate size covered the central area of the house, making it impossible for those outside to hear the conversation within.


    [¡°my great and all-powerful master, you summoned me. what are your orders?¡±] asked the shadow demon with obsequiousness.


    lucifer sat in a chair, looking sideways at pei xia outside the window. pei xia was simply standing there talking to someone, but it brought a smile to lucifer¡¯s face.


    [¡°tell me, what do you think of him?¡±] lucifer inquired.


    the shadow demon recalled its earlier experience of being pinched and promptly responded, [¡°captain pei xia fell in love with you through your deception. this is undoubtedly true love!¡±]


    lucifer¡¯s smile froze, and he slowly turned back, raising his foot to step on the shadow demon, asking, [¡°what¡­did you say?¡±]


    the shadow demon whimpered. where had it gone wrong again? should it have called pei xia shallow and foolish, or should it have claimed it was true love? oh, master, you¡¯re so hard to please!


    unfortunately, subordinates without demon rights, when faced with their leader¡¯s questions, must provide answers that satisfy them. so, it pondered and tentatively said, [¡°i would say that captain pei xia is a very complicated person. regardless of anything, he must deeply admire you!¡±]


    lucifer withdrew his foot, sighed lightly, and furrowed his brows, supporting his chin with his hand. [¡°but he loves the kind-hearted holy son of the church of light, which is only an illusion.¡±]


    the shadow demon tried to appease him, saying, [¡°you can continue deceiving him until he dies. humans have a lifespan of just a hundred years. if you wish, you can fool him the entire time. ignorant humans would never see through your perfect disguise!¡±]


    lucifer¡¯s expression turned cold, and there was a hint of murderous intent in his eyes. [¡°are you suggesting i watch pei xia act affectionately with that impostor indefinitely? ridiculous!¡±]


    the shadow demon responded, trying to please lucifer, [¡°that impostor is you, isn¡¯t it?¡±]


    jealous of yourself, master, you¡¯re truly amazing!


    lucifer closed his eyes and spoke with a calm tone, [¡°moreover, what can you achieve in a hundred years? he should remain by my side all the time.¡±]


    when he opened his eyes again, he saw the shadow demon quivering before him.


    without hesitation, he reached out and grabbed the trembling creature. if it weren¡¯t useful to him, he would have thrown it away long ago. [¡°what¡¯s the matter? what are you afraid of?¡±]


    [¡°n-nothing,¡±] the shadow demon replied with a fawning smile. [¡°i was just thinking, maybe you could try revealing your true identity to captain pei xia. if it¡¯s true love, he surely won¡¯t mind!¡±]


    [¡°is that so?¡±] lucifer mumbled, unconsciously releasing his grip.


    in truth, he had considered revealing his true identity to pei xia, but he was always too afraid. because to him, pei xia was more than just a toy to manipulate at will.


    the thought of pei xia being afraid or disgusted and trying to leave him filled him with resistance.


    but now that the shadow demon had suggested it, maybe it was time to try.


    after all, he couldn¡¯t bear the idea of pei xia only loving his disguise.


    lucifer dispelled the barrier and let the shadow demon scurry away. he stood up, draped in a pure white robe, and elegantly walked towards pei xia.


    in a shadowy corner, the trembling shadow demon retreated, overwhelmed by fear. his cold and powerful master seemed to have fallen for a mere mortal.


    ¡®oh, gods! no, master! i pray for everything to go smoothly!¡¯


    pei xia and the veiled lucifer began their official yet private outing, a date covered by the church¡¯s funds.


    since arriving in beist, lucifer hadn¡¯t left the carriage, and he hadn¡¯t even stepped outside the door when they reached the yard. therefore, the orcs had never seen his true appearance.


    although the rumor of a stunning human holy son had spread in the orc kingdom, it was relatively safe for them to venture out now.


    they leisurely explored the area, with the destination being the old location of the church of light in baster. they were in no hurry, buying some local delicacies and drinks as they strolled.


    as they walked, they unexpectedly encountered someone they knew.


    the author has something to say:


    the great light god, gugu yan, has calculated that this story is almost coming to an end! (don¡¯t worry, there might still be around ten chapters left.) my lovely little angels, please accompany me to the conclusion!

 CH 62

    in the bustling streets, people of various races, including orcs, intermingled, creating a unique and vibrant landscape.


    within the orc kingdom, there were many different races. while they usually lived in separate tribes on the vast grasslands, in the cities, they coexisted in a harmonious and friendly manner. whether they were petite catfolk, rabbitfolk, or towering tigerfolk and lionfolk, they followed the principles of unity, harmony, friendship, and mutual assistance, at least in theory.


    discrimination between different races still existed, but it was somewhat restrained in civilized areas. however, smaller tribes were often subjected to bullying.


    the orc kingdom was ruled by the four major clans: the tiger clan, wolf clan, lion clan, and elephant clan. every ten years, a new leader, the orc king, was selected from these four clans in a rotation that maintained peace on the grasslands.


    this year marked the changing of the guard for the orc king, and it was also the final part of the original story. after leaving the orc capital beist, pei xia no longer had his foresight or ¡°golden finger.¡±


    however, pei xia wasn¡¯t too worried because his greatest reliance, lucifer, had become his lover!


    this was perhaps the most successful thing pei xia had accomplished since arriving in this parallel world. well, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit embarrassed when he thought about it.


    thinking about this, he couldn¡¯t help but sneak a sideways glance at his perfect boyfriend. coincidentally, lucifer also looked in his direction, and his clear eyes, visible through the veil, curved, captivating anyone who saw them.


    pei xia felt a bit embarrassed and turned his gaze away, trying to give a fierce look to the wild orc onlookers who were staring in their direction.


    although lucifer concealed most of his stunning beauty behind the veil, his soft golden hair and radiant eyes that were visible still attracted the attention of many.


    pei xia felt both proud and a little worried. he feared that these overly enthusiastic orcs wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand this level of temptation and would rush over to inquire about lucifer¡¯s name and whereabouts.


    he thought, ¡®oh well, if i have to tell them that lucifer already has a boyfriend, they¡¯ll probably be insanely jealous and might even start a fight. it¡¯s a sweet kind of dilemma.¡¯


    pei xia was lost in his thoughts, and the chaotic scene he had imagined actually unfolded. however, the chaos wasn¡¯t caused by lucifer¡¯s beauty, and the main characters weren¡¯t pei xia and lucifer.


    up ahead on the street, a group of people had gathered to watch something. this street was the only way for pei xia and lucifer to reach the church of light, and they didn¡¯t want to waste time by going around. so, they slowly made their way forward, trying to catch a glimpse of the commotion through the crowd.


    in the middle of the open space, surrounded by the curious crowd, there stood an elegant but not overly extravagant carriage. the horses pulling it were adorned with embroidered blankets, giving the whole scene a subtly luxurious and cultured atmosphere.


    of course, the carriage wasn¡¯t the focus; the real attention was on the guards surrounding the carriage and, more importantly, the handsome young man in front of it. he had a pair of sharp green eyes and fluffy pointed ears. from the whispers of the people around, pei xia learned that he was the second prince of the wolf clan.


    indeed, the current emperor of the orcs was from the wolf clan. according to the rotation, the next emperor should have come from the lion clan. however, the current emperor had been delaying the succession ceremony for some unknown reason.


    in front of the second prince of the wolf clan stood a petite and adorable female orc with long rabbit ears on her head. she was from the rabbit clan, and the two of them were in a heated argument.


    the second prince firmly held the hand of the rabbit-eared girl and wouldn¡¯t let go, his sharp eyes locked onto her as he questioned her, ¡°where have you been? i¡¯ve searched your tribe so many times and couldn¡¯t find you.¡±


    the rabbit-eared girl tried to break free, but the vast difference in their strength made it futile. she replied, ¡°it has nothing to do with you.¡±


    the second prince appeared unhappy, saying, ¡°how can it have nothing to do with me? we agreed to meet in the spring, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°that¡¯s what you said, i didn¡¯t agree.¡±


    pei xia quickly understood the situation. it was a classic tale of a wolf falling in love with a rabbit, a prince infatuated with cinderella. he watched with great interest as the wolf clan¡¯s second prince and the rabbit clan¡¯s girl continued to argue.


    the prince wanted to take the girl away immediately, but she was resistant to the idea. as he listened, pei xia realized that the voice and silhouette of the rabbit girl seemed familiar. he felt like he had seen her somewhere before.


    subconsciously, pei xia turned to lucifer for help, and lucifer replied, ¡°kidnapping case.¡±


    suddenly, it all made sense to pei xia. he remembered that this girl was one of the orc girls who had been kidnapped, and she had even expressed her gratitude to him.


    at this point, the argument between the prince and the rabbit girl intensified. the girl had no intention of being entangled with him and just wanted to leave, but the prince insisted on taking her with him.


    the second prince of the wolf clan exerted a little force, causing the petite rabbit-eared girl to cry out in pain, and he forcefully pulled her toward the direction of the carriage.


    pei xia angrily placed his hand on his sword, ready to intervene. his anger wasn¡¯t just because he knew the rabbit-eared girl; even if she were a complete stranger being harmed, he would still feel infuriated. this was a fundamental quality of a knight and a matter of common human decency.


    he glanced at lucifer, who nodded in agreement. pei xia took a step forward and entered the circle, demanding, ¡°that¡¯s enough, let her go!¡±


    both the prince and the rabbit girl turned their attention to him. the prince looked puzzled and somewhat angry, asking, ¡°who are you?¡±


    the rabbit girl, on the other hand, showed a delighted expression and said, ¡°sir knight!¡±


    pei xia nodded to her and then turned to the prince, stating firmly, ¡°your highness, this young lady is my friend, and she does not wish to go with you. please release her.¡±


    the young wolf clan prince, not much older than pei xia, had a hot temper and furrowed his brows in irritation. he questioned, ¡°how is this any of your business? this is a matter between me and ribe!¡±


    ¡°of course, anyone can intervene in an unjust situation. also, when a lady says ¡®no,¡¯ it means ¡®no.¡¯ if you don¡¯t even understand this, what right do you have to earn a lady¡¯s admiration?¡±


    the young wolf clan prince was growing increasingly frustrated with pei xia¡¯s defiance. he clenched his teeth and said, ¡°you!¡±


    taking advantage of the opportunity, ribe managed to free herself from his grasp and took refuge behind pei xia. she bit her lip and said, ¡°your highness, i don¡¯t want to go to the palace with you. please give up!¡±


    both of them were a handful, and the young wolf clan prince was still somewhat immature. they valued individual combat and despised using their status to oppress others. thus, the prince was infuriated and thought of challenging the young man who might have some connection with ribe.


    just as he was about to issue a challenge to the young man, a voice broke the silence from inside the previously quiet carriage.


    ¡°enough, norsen. this matter was originally your fault. the gentleman is right; if you want to pursue your beloved, you should learn to respect her.¡±


    the curtain of the carriage was lifted, revealing another man who bore a striking resemblance to the young wolf clan prince, but he was taller, more mature, and incredibly handsome. he was none other than the elder brother of norsen, the crown prince of the wolf clan, nord.


    chastised by his elder brother, norsen appeared somewhat defiant, saying, ¡°brother, i just wanted to have a private conversation with ribe.¡±


    ¡°but miss ribe was frightened by you,¡± the crown prince replied.


    norsen¡¯s expression softened as he said, ¡°brother, i just wanted to talk to her.¡±


    the crown prince of the wolf clan, nord, addressed the gathered crowd, saying, ¡°i apologize on behalf of my impulsive younger brother, miss ribe. i am nord, norsen¡¯s older brother, and i apologize for his behavior.¡±


    ribe tugged at her dress and murmured softly, ¡°you¡¯re too kind.¡±


    ¡°it was my mistake for not stopping him in time. please forgive my indulgent behavior as his elder brother,¡± nord said, trying to make amends.


    ribe wasn¡¯t sure how to respond, so she simply nodded in agreement.


    nord then turned to pei xia and said, ¡°i want to thank you for standing up for her. norsen is my only brother, and i tend to spoil him too much. your words have made me realize that i should be stricter with him to prevent him from ending up lonely in his old age.¡±


    pei xia nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°you¡¯re welcome, your highness. i¡¯m glad i could help clarify the situation. i hope everything can be resolved peacefully.¡±


    nord expressed his gratitude once more and, after a brief exchange, turned back to norsen, giving his younger brother a stern look.


    pei xia looked at nord with some surprise. he hadn¡¯t expected the crown prince to be not only reasonable but also humorous and charming. most importantly, he was quite handsome.


    pei xia found himself rather fond of him and said, ¡°you are a well-mannered prince.¡±


    nord smiled and replied, ¡°thank you for your compliment. let¡¯s consider this matter settled. when we return, i¡¯ll be sure to discipline norsen more.¡±


    then he turned to ribe and added, ¡°miss ribe, i hope you can forgive this wayward child. our wolf clan values love and loyalty deeply, and ever since norsen saw you last spring, he has been deeply in love with you. he just hasn¡¯t learned how to interact with young ladies correctly. i apologize if he frightened you, and please believe me that he will learn to be more courteous in the future.¡±


    ribe whispered, ¡°i just hope he won¡¯t disturb my work anymore.¡±


    she had finally found a job in the city to support herself, and norsen¡¯s disruptions could jeopardize her employment.


    nord assured her, ¡°i promise he won¡¯t.¡±


    with that, the commotion came to an end. nord and norsen boarded their carriage, escorted by the guards, and headed toward the palace.


    the onlookers gradually dispersed.


    pei xia walked over to where his silent companion, lucifer, had been standing in the corner.


    ribe also followed, mainly to express her gratitude. upon seeing lucifer, who had his face veiled, she was somewhat surprised. ribe started to speak but was hushed by pei xia, who gestured for her to speak quietly.


    ribe understood and nodded, inviting pei xia and lucifer to her small restaurant where she worked, offering to treat them.


    pei xia declined the offer, explaining that they needed to visit the ruins of the church and might not have enough time for a meal.


    ribe asked when they would be leaving, and pei xia looked at lucifer. lucifer replied in a warm tone, ¡°we won¡¯t be leaving for at least ten days.¡±


    ribe felt relieved, insisting on showing her gratitude before asking for their current address. afterward, she waved goodbye and left.


    pei xia and lucifer continued on their way to the ruins of the church. however, pei xia¡¯s thoughts were on the original storyline. he couldn¡¯t remember if there was a part involving ribe and the second prince in the original plot. he did recall that the current delay in the wolf clan¡¯s leadership succession was related to demons and their extreme loyalty to love.


    it seemed that the wolf clan¡¯s emperor had been bewitched by a demon after his wife¡¯s death due to excessive grief.


    pei xia felt envious of the wolf clan¡¯s view of love. he sympathized with and pitied the wolf clan emperor.


    suddenly, lucifer asked, ¡°what are you thinking about?¡±


    pei xia blurted out, ¡°the wolf clan is so devoted to love.¡±


    lucifer couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°you envy them?¡±


    pei xia sneaked a glance at him and said, ¡°well, usually, people would envy that, but i already have you, so i don¡¯t envy anyone else.¡±


    lucifer seemed quite satisfied with this answer. however, there was a hint of subtle bitterness in his tone as he looked at pei xia and said, ¡°you seem to like that wolf clan crown prince quite a bit?¡±


    pei xia didn¡¯t understand why he was asking that. ¡°i just appreciate the qualities of an upright, gentle, kind, and polite gentleman.¡±


    of course, being tall and handsome is an added bonus.


    but he already had lucifer, and his appreciation for norden was purely platonic.


    lucifer subtly repeated, ¡°upright, gentle, kind, and polite.¡±


    pei xia detected the trace of jealousy in his tone and happily continued to praise him, ¡°of course, you are the most upright, gentle, kind, and polite person in the world. in my heart, no one is more perfect than you. plus, you have the fragrance of fine tea and the beauty of a rose. i adore you the most.¡±


    ¡°is that so?¡±


    lucifer smiled at him, maintaining his calm demeanor, but for some reason, pei xia felt that his mood might not be the best.


    the author has something to say:


    raising a flag means it¡¯s meant to be toppled, haha! just giving you a heads-up; the real conclusion might not come anytime soon.

 CH 63

    pei xia and lucifer found the ruins of the god of light¡¯s branch chapel. the overall damage to the building was not very severe; the outline was still intact, the structure complete, and it could still be used.


    however, here, vines were rampant, and the accumulation of dust, weeds, and organic matter was quite heavy. cleaning, repairing, and rebuilding obviously couldn¡¯t be done in a short time.


    they wouldn¡¯t stay in beist for too long, dispelling the idea of using the ruins. lucifer suggested that after returning, they should preach for two days, assess the situation, and then write to the main church. they would inquire whether to send a priest and whether they could attract believers to sustain the development of the branch chapel. all of that would be dealt with later.


    at this moment, the two stood in the quiet and dilapidated church, looking at the statue of the light god before them.


    the statue was different from those in the human kingdoms, exuding a rough charm reminiscent of the vast grasslands. in this desolate church, covered with vines and devoid of vitality, it emanated a mysterious and eerie atmosphere.


    ¡°fei fei, should we clean the statue first?¡±


    as the most devout follower of the gods, it was appropriate for him to show some reverence when faced with this dusty deity.


    ¡°sure.¡±


    pei xia circled around, intending to find a cloth, but there was none, and there was no water here.


    lucifer stopped his actions, directly using a water spell to clean the floor of the church. the dust was swept away, leaving a warm and lustrous sheen everywhere.


    pei xia looked at the now much cleaner church, feeling a hint of envy: magic was indeed handy.


    water magic could cleanse dirt, fire magic could incinerate weeds and vines, earth magic could assist in the construction, and wind magic, when combined with dust removal magic, could create miracles when magicians gathered together.


    he glanced at lucifer, realizing that lucifer alone could renovate this branch chapel, but it would be too tiring. pei xia didn¡¯t mention it.


    lucifer sensed his envy, turned back, and smiled at him, his gaze gentle, as if it could drown a person: ¡°do you want to learn? i¡¯ll teach you when we get back.¡±


    pei xia really wanted to learn, but unfortunately, his body wasn¡¯t cooperative. he whispered, ¡°i don¡¯t have the talent.¡±


    lucifer looked at him, as if wanting to say something, but then held back. he only revealed the second half of what he intended to say: ¡°everyone has the potential to learn magic; it¡¯s just a matter of the level of talent.¡±


    the excessively handsome man smiled meaningfully, implying something: ¡°i¡¯ll teach you slowly; we have plenty of time.¡±


    pei xia revealed his white teeth, unable to conceal his happiness. he always felt that he was growing fonder of lucifer.


    afterward, the two returned to the small courtyard and briefed buck and others on their mission progress.


    whether it was good or bad luck, there were recent rumors circulating in the city of beist about the demonic legend, with many orc girls mysteriously disappearing, believed to be abducted by demons. the orcs attached great importance to this matter and prayed to the grassland goddess, but the effect was limited, and orc girls continued to vanish sporadically.


    therefore, upon hearing the news that the holy son from the church of light, known for restraining demons, was coming to preach and teach, many orcs were intrigued.


    pei xia was aware of the situation; indeed, there were demons in beist, and they were somehow connected to the orc emperor.


    as time passed, with more victims, he deliberately said to lucifer:


    ¡°your grace, did you sense the presence of demons in the city today?¡±


    lucifer remained calm, neither anxious nor completely dismissive, giving pei xia a reassuring feeling.


    ¡°yes, but it¡¯s not strong. in reality, demons are not uncommon. low-level demons often lurk among the crowds, feeding on human negative emotions. however, they rarely cause serious consequences. so, you could say that the scent of demons is everywhere in beist.¡±


    ¡°demons capable of influencing humans to serious consequences have not been discovered.¡±


    buck suggested, ¡°since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s inquire more carefully when the believers come tomorrow.¡±


    today, they only heard a few orcs mention this matter when promoting tomorrow¡¯s teaching time. these ordinary orc civilians didn¡¯t have more detailed information.


    pei xia proposed, ¡°since it¡¯s a widespread case of orc girls disappearing, it will surely attract official attention. it¡¯s more efficient to directly coordinate with the authorities.¡±


    buck hesitated a bit, ¡°this is the orc kingdom, and we are followers of a different faith. will they really trust us?¡±


    lucifer gave his approval, ¡°let¡¯s assess the situation first.¡±


    ¡°yes, your grace!¡±


    after discussing the plans for tomorrow, the group of holy knights dispersed. according to the usual practice, pei xia would wait for lucifer to finish bathing before taking his turn.


    in the past, pei xia would bathe in a different room. however, now that they were lovers and had already crossed various boundaries, pei xia didn¡¯t need to wait outside the door or go to another room to bathe.


    a few days ago, pei xia had already bathed in front of lucifer. but he didn¡¯t expect that today would bring new developments. while lucifer was bathing, amidst the hazy mist, he revealed his porcelain-like skin, leaning on the edge of the bath, affectionately watching pei xia, inviting him to bathe together.


    pei xia thought, isn¡¯t this like a romantic bath? how embarrassing!


    as he undressed and hesitated, walking toward the tub, lucifer pulled him in with a swift motion.


    the warm water enveloped pei xia.


    the bath was large, scattered with dried flower petals and rose essential oil, filling the air with a fragrant aroma that was entirely different from the rugged feeling of pei xia¡¯s usual baths.


    lucifer, the pure and angelic son of light, in this lazy and enchanting atmosphere, transformed into a captivating fairy. he murmured pei xia¡¯s name, reaching out to cup pei xia¡¯s face.


    pei xia had a premonition that something was about to happen in the tub.


    but he was also a bit puzzled because he felt that lucifer wasn¡¯t very happy.


    this unhappiness had started after encountering the wolf clan prince and ribei and had been subtly present until now.


    however, pei xia didn¡¯t understand why lucifer was unhappy, was it because of someone? because of himself? but lucifer had clearly invited him to bathe together.


    lucifer seemed reluctant to bring up this topic. after thinking for a moment, pei xia reached out and hugged him, attempting to make lucifer happier in his own way.


    considering his current state, what else could he do but give a compliment?


    after all, if it were him, receiving compliments would surely make him happy!


    pei xia lowered his eyes and spoke affectionately, ¡°fei fei, you are the most perfect person i¡¯ve ever seen. your kindness has deeply captivated my heart. you are the angel of my dreams, even cleaner and more beautiful than an angel.¡±


    lucifer, with black hair and honey-colored eyes, listened to pei xia¡¯s endless praise like silver needles piercing his heart. the affectionate son of light, affected in an unexpected way, sighed gently, closing his eyes.


    then he opened his eyes and decisively covered pei xia¡¯s mouth, silencing the persistent mouth of the determined holy knight. he watched him shrink in the water, looking cute and obedient.


    it was too irritating, and lucifer couldn¡¯t figure out how to express his frustration. so, he decided to use his body to convey his feelings.


    as a result, pei xia discovered that the son of light seemed to be in a better mood tonight, at least he was very enthusiastic! what did this mean? it meant that giving compliments worked!


    pei xia was very pleased and continued to flatter whenever he found the opportunity.


    lucifer put even more effort into it, and the result was that pei xia couldn¡¯t continue. his throat became hoarse.


    the next morning, early on, orcs started coming in one by one. as time passed, more and more orcs crowded the entire courtyard.


    pei xia had a premonition that the orcs who would come later would fill up the place. after all, they had seen lucifer¡¯s true appearance, and the infatuated looks on their faces were impossible to ignore.


    he felt a bit jealous but also had a dark sense of pride.


    fortunately, although the orcs who came were infatuated, under lucifer¡¯s soothing, they didn¡¯t do anything too extreme. the teaching process was lively, with people frequently raising their hands to ask questions.


    the questions ranged from trivial to chaotic, and someone even asked what lucifer had for breakfast today.


    whenever faced with such off-topic and overly intrusive questions, pei xia would approach with a stern face and throw the person out. if there was resistance, he would immediately subdue them. after a few rounds of this, the orcs became much more obedient.


    at the right moment, lucifer guided the believers to talk about the disappearance of orc girls. they discussed it animatedly, but besides the known information, no useful details were provided.


    at that moment, two unexpected guests entered the courtyard.


    it turned out to be the wolf clan prince, nord, and norsen!


    as soon as norsen walked in, he looked unhappy, and shouted, ¡°what are you all discussing? stop talking nonsense. they were definitely captured by the human slave traders. there are no demons!¡±


    after yelling, he subconsciously looked to the front and was momentarily stunned by lucifer¡¯s face, which seemed more divine than earthly.


    the hierarchical views within the orcs were not as severe as among humans, and they weren¡¯t afraid of the prince either.


    someone retorted, ¡°if that¡¯s the case, do you have any information about the slave traders?¡±


    the second prince, norsen, snorted, ¡°not long ago, a slave trading group was captured!¡±


    ¡°not long ago? could it be the slave trading group from the ribe incident?¡±


    ¡°if they have already been captured, how could they still be involved?¡±


    norsen thought simplistically: ¡®there must be a second group of slave traders!¡¯


    ¡°i heard that this case started three months ago, with an orc girl disappearing every night,¡± lucifer said calmly. ¡°the long duration and widespread scope make it unfavorable for slave traders to escape and easy to be caught. i don¡¯t think it¡¯s the work of slave traders.¡±


    pei xia nodded in agreement, simultaneously contemplating. seeing norsen¡¯s calm expression, he was sure that norsen had no idea what his father was up to.


    as for nord, the eldest prince, he bowed to lucifer, saying, ¡°i apologize for the sudden interruption. we heard that there were followers of the church of light nearby and came to take a look. we didn¡¯t expect such a coincidence.¡±


    nord glanced at the young man behind lucifer, smiling. he had recognized the two from the encounter on the street yesterday.


    in reality, the demon¡¯s abduction of girls was also a concern for the two princes, but they wouldn¡¯t disclose it to others.


    hearing his brother¡¯s words, norsen followed his gaze. the attention that was firmly captured by lucifer finally gave a little space to pei xia. this glance startled norsen: ¡°why is it you guys!¡±


    pei xia grinned at him.


    he hadn¡¯t expected the two princes to arrive here on their own, but it worked out well. connecting with the two princes would make it easier to find opportunities to get closer to the palace.


    pei xia leaned close to lucifer¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°your grace, the two princes must have access to relevant information about the case. we can cooperate with them.¡±


    lucifer had no objections and directly expressed to nord that he wanted to see all the records of the case so far.


    nord agreed and wanted to invite lucifer directly to the palace. however, norsen was more cautious, saying that they didn¡¯t know these people well and couldn¡¯t just let them into the palace.


    nord was somewhat helpless with his brother¡¯s attitude, realizing that what he said made sense. he apologized to lucifer and suggested waiting for two more days before inviting him to the palace.


    afterward, the two princes left, and nothing unexpected happened until sunset.


    pei xia, lucifer, and the others had dinner. while eating, pei xia suddenly remembered something: ¡°when we parted ways with ribe yesterday, she asked for our address, saying she would come to visit.¡±


    ¡°but it¡¯s already dark, and she hasn¡¯t come yet.¡± although it¡¯s possible that she¡¯s busy with work, pei xia¡¯s heart still feels a subtle unease.


    this unease was quickly validated.


    in the dark night, norsen rushed in like a gust of wind, looking flustered. ¡°if it¡¯s a demon, you must be able to catch it, right?!¡±

 CH 64

    norsen rushed into the courtyard anxiously, disregarding everything. before pei xia could even throw a question at him, seeing him like this, an ominous premonition intensified in his heart.


    he didn¡¯t care about playing any face-slapping games with the second prince, directly asking, ¡°has ribe been captured?¡±


    the second prince, with a hint of panic, replied, ¡°ribe is missing. i asked many people, but no one has seen her!¡±


    ¡°when did she go missing?¡±


    ¡°at noon, i went to the restaurant where she works to find her. the boss said she didn¡¯t come to work.¡± norsen grabbed his hair in distress, looking at lucifer as if seeking help. ¡°i asked the city guards and found no trace of a slave trafficking team. there might still be a chance if the slave traffickers took her. but if demons took her, it¡¯s bad!¡±


    at this thought, he shuddered. ¡°what to do, what to do? ribe is in danger!¡±


    lucifer raised his hand, a faint glow soothing norsen¡¯s excitement, making him calmer. ¡°if it¡¯s the work of demons, there should still be a demonic presence at the scene. we can go there to track it.¡±


    norsen was overjoyed, ¡°really? that¡¯s great! i¡¯ll take you there right away!¡±


    the group didn¡¯t hesitate and went straight to the house where ribe was staying. lucifer stood outside the house, gently shaking his head, ¡°the demonic presence has almost disappeared, we can¡¯t track it.¡±


    however, pei xia knew the demon¡¯s headquarters location. worried about ribe¡¯s safety, he hoped to rescue her quickly and suggested, ¡°your grace, second prince, since demons have taken so many girls, they must have common characteristics. we can check the records to find clues and maybe deduce their whereabouts.¡±


    ¡°good, i¡¯ll go get the records!¡±


    pei xia twitched at the corner of his mouth, hastily stopping, ¡°that¡¯s too time-consuming. let¡¯s go there together.¡±


    he then looked at lucifer beside him, ¡°your grace, what do you think?¡±


    lucifer always maintained a perfect image as the holy son in public. he usually smiled, expressing concern and care appropriately when something went wrong.


    ¡°alright, let¡¯s do as you say.¡±


    they again rode in the second prince¡¯s carriage towards the palace. the archives were in the palace¡¯s council chamber. on the way, they encountered nord, who came out looking for norsen.


    ¡°norsen! i¡¯ve heard about ribe¡¯s situation. stay calm!¡±


    norsen pressed his lips, ¡°brother, right now, i just want to find her!¡±


    nord sighed, not stopping him, ¡°alright then, i¡¯ll join you.¡±


    with two princes leading the way, they encountered no hindrance. pei xia and lucifer smoothly entered the palace. the brothers led the way.


    norsen muttered to himself, ¡°ribe will be fine; she must have just lost her way. even if it¡¯s a slave trafficking team¡­¡±


    pei xia couldn¡¯t bear to tell him that ribe had been captured by a slave trafficking team once before. with her cautious nature, she probably wouldn¡¯t be caught a second time.


    but with demons, it was uncertain.


    nord patted his brother¡¯s shoulder, ¡°miss ribe will be fine. she¡¯s waiting for you to rescue her.¡±


    norsen raised both hands, covering his face, feeling somewhat on the verge of collapse. ¡°actually, in spring this year, when i went to the rabbit tribe to find her, others said that when she and several other girls in the tribe disappeared at the same time, i already guessed what had happened. she finally came back, and i wanted to stay by her side to protect her, but why can¡¯t i do it!¡±


    nord sighed, ¡°miss ribe is a fortunate person. this time, the goddess will protect her as well.¡±


    after saying this, he turned his head to glance at lucifer beside him and added, ¡°the god of light will also protect her.¡±


    pei xia nodded inwardly. regardless of whether the god of light would bless ribe, with lucifer here, the plans of the wolf emperor and the demons would surely be thwarted!


    as they entered the interior of the palace, lucifer suddenly stopped.


    pei xia, knowing what he was going to ask, inquired, ¡°what¡¯s the matter, your grace?¡±


    the palace, illuminated by torches, wasn¡¯t dark. the warm firelight shone on the ground, casting a dancing halo. in the vast and magnificent buildings, the beautiful holy son closed his eyes, tilting his head slightly towards the direction of the moon.


    he seemed lost in thought, and after a moment, he brushed the golden strands falling on his forehead behind his ear and said, ¡°i sense the demonic presence, very strong, being blocked by a barrier just below this land.¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s impossible!¡± norsen exclaimed in shock. this was the palace!


    not only the residents of the wolf royal family but also people from the other three royal families lived here. in such a situation, how could demons hide here without being discovered?


    facing others¡¯ skepticism, lucifer, with his good temper, didn¡¯t argue with them. or perhaps, his temperament had always been good. in his eyes, everyone was the same; he could see through them at a glance. regardless of joy, anger, sorrow, or joy, everything was so uninteresting, except for pei xia. pei xia always managed to successfully irritate him.


    lucifer calmly looked towards the depths of the night and said, ¡°you¡¯ll know when you go and see.¡±


    pei xia had already positioned himself between the two, just in case norsen, in his excitement, accidentally offended lucifer. in pei xia¡¯s eyes, the prince was just a joke. even if he were an emperor, he couldn¡¯t bully lucifer!


    the person who bullied lucifer the most will receive his anger, without any other thoughts!


    nord grabbed his brother¡¯s arm, nodding gently. ¡°norsen, since you chose to seek the holy son¡¯s help, you have to trust him.¡±


    norsen nodded uneasily.


    afterward, lucifer headed towards the place with the strongest demonic presence. the massive palace, now quiet with the onset of night, stood in the vast and sparsely populated grassland, and even this palace was no exception.


    due to the current emperor¡¯s lack of interest in indulgence, the palace was empty, with only guards and patrolling soldiers appearing.


    with the assistance of the two princes, they reached a place deep within the palace without encountering any obstacles.


    this was where their father rested!


    the resting chamber of the orc emperor!


    norsen clenched his fists, the fur on his tail bristling. ¡°how is it possible to be here? could dad also be captured by demons? no, dad is so powerful; it can¡¯t be!¡±


    at this point, even nord had some doubts about lucifer: ¡°your excellency, are you really sure?¡±


    lucifer nodded, ¡°yes, right beneath this palace. your highnesses, if possible, please lead us in.¡±


    pei xia¡¯s hand was already on the hilt of his sword, ready for combat at any moment. ¡°in my homeland, there¡¯s a saying: ¡®since you¡¯ve come, you might as well take a look.¡¯ it means that if you¡¯ve already come all this way, not checking it out would be a loss.¡±


    nord found the statement reasonable. ¡°in that case, we¡¯ll follow your lead.¡±


    in any case, the holy son of light would definitely not collude with demons. fighting alongside him was the safest option.


    the four approached the entrance to the emperor¡¯s resting chamber, where silent guards stood, holding their weapons to block the way.


    ¡°sorry, your highnesses. his majesty has given orders that tonight, no one is allowed to enter,¡± one guard stated firmly.


    this attitude was forcing people to overthink, and norsen¡¯s temper flared up instantly. a whole night of anxiety, fear, and suspicion converged into explosive anger. ¡°move aside! we are the emperor¡¯s sons. what¡¯s not allowed when visiting our own father?¡±


    ¡°sorry, your highness, this is his majesty¡¯s order,¡± the guard insisted, maintaining a resolute attitude.


    ¡°you!¡± norsen angrily reached for his sword.


    in the next moment, the four guards collapsed softly to the ground. pei xia took a step forward, instinctively capturing each one silently and placing them on the ground without making a sound.


    lucifer smiled at the bewildered princes and said, ¡°the demonic presence is getting stronger. i apologize, but i thought continuing to linger here would be a waste of time, so i took the liberty.¡±


    it turned out to be lucifer¡¯s doing.


    norsen nodded awkwardly, ¡°then let¡¯s go in.¡±


    ¡°yes, let¡¯s go in.¡±


    entering, however, didn¡¯t mean they would immediately reach the wolf emperor. inside the palace, only a few moonlight stones emitted a faint cold light. other than that, it was surprisingly empty.


    in the silent environment, their footsteps became increasingly pronounced, as if echoes were emerging.


    ¡°is anyone here?¡± norsen called softly a couple of times, receiving no response.


    lucifer suddenly stopped, looking down at the carpet beneath his feet. ¡°right beneath this land.¡±


    pei xia knew that the demon altar was underground, accessible through a secret passage. however, he didn¡¯t know the location of the passage.


    ¡°is it here? there must be a secret passage to go underground!¡±


    nord and norsen also began to help search. they examined wall hangings, bookshelves, and under the bed, but found nothing.


    after some thought, lucifer took a few steps back, bent down, and lifted the carpet at his feet. right where he had been standing, there was a concealed and flat iron plate.


    everyone: ¡°¡­¡± so it really is underneath!


    ¡°your grace, it will be dangerous from here on. please get behind me,¡± peixia stepped forward, wanting to take the lead in exploring the way.


    nord stopped him, ¡°no, lord pei xia, let norsen and me be at the forefront. anyway, we are the emperor¡¯s sons. if our father is in danger, we have no reason to hide behind others and wait for rescue.¡±


    for father, for ribe. norsen drew his sword with determination, his face resolute. ¡°i will kill all the demons!¡±


    the two princes were determined, and pei xia couldn¡¯t find a reason to refuse, so he nodded and walked behind lucifer.


    ¡°since the two highnesses decided to lead the way, let me cover the rear.¡±


    lucifer turned back and smiled at peixia, ¡°pei xia, stay safe.¡±


    ¡°yes, your grace!¡±


    in front of others, pei xia always liked to address lucifer as your grace. it was a habit and a form of respect.


    the iron plate on the ground was pulled open, revealing a staircase leading deep into the earth. nord took the lead, followed by norsen, lucifer, and pei xia in that order. they descended the stairs.


    the staircase was cramped and dark, creating a psychologically oppressive atmosphere. pei xia could clearly hear nord and norsen¡¯s slightly irregular breathing due to the tense and fearful environment.


    however, lucifer seemed unaffected by these factors; he remained composed.


    after navigating the steep and lengthy stairs, they entered a much more spacious corridor. upon arrival, everyone visibly breathed a sigh of relief because the ceiling here was embedded with dimly shining moonlight stones.


    although the light was still not bright enough, it eased the tension in everyone¡¯s hearts.


    worried about being discovered by demons, lucifer didn¡¯t use light magic to create a light source; they proceeded in this dimly lit environment.


    as they walked, nord stopped at a corner, suddenly tensing his body, and then slowly took two steps back.


    ¡°what¡¯s wrong, brother?¡± norsen asked in a hushed voice.


    nord gestured for everyone to move back a bit and whispered, ¡°there are people ahead, blocking the way. they¡¯re not moving, and from their clothes, it seems like the former attendants of the palace.¡±


    lucifer¡¯s voice remained calm, ¡°they¡¯re being controlled by demons.¡±


    ¡°what should we do?¡±


    ¡°don¡¯t worry. putting them to sleep should suffice.¡±


    with lucifer¡¯s assurance, they gathered their courage and rushed around the corner. indeed, there were many people standing blankly in the corridor. when they saw the four approaching, they all turned their heads, raised the weapons in their hands, and without a word, prepared to attack.


    nord and norsen stood at the forefront, blocking this group of puppets. lucifer, despite the risk of being discovered by demons, emitted a gentle and sacred light from his hand.


    the light flowed like a river, washing over nord and norsen, and then completely engulfing the puppets in front of them. the light continued to flow to the end of the corridor, stopping precisely, and lucifer used earth magic to construct a dam at the end of the river of light, containing the glow and preventing it from spreading to the next corridor.


    under the soothing warmth of the holy light, the grotesque expressions on the puppets disappeared, revealing serene sleeping faces as one by one, they collapsed to the ground.


    however, pei xia didn¡¯t completely let his guard down.


    suddenly, lucifer stepped on a stone, his body swaying a bit, and pei xia instinctively reached out to support him.


    lucifer turned around and smiled enticingly at him, ¡°forgot what i said or do you really want me to rely on you like this?¡±


    pei xia felt a bit embarrassed, ¡°it¡¯s a habit.¡±


    almost forgot, lucifer mentioned that he used to pretend to be fragile, meaning he isn¡¯t actually that delicate.


    ¡°no worries.¡±


    lucifer/pei xia: since you want to hug, come on then. / i¡¯ll remember that!


    as lucifer fell backward, pei xia withdrew his hand.


    with a thud, pei xia was left in a daze.


    even lucifer, lying on the ground, was stunned.

 CH 65

    worried about disturbing the people inside, pei xia dared not shout loudly. he lowered his voice and sadly called out, ¡°your grace,¡±.


    lucifer closed his eyes, his long eyelashes resembling fragile butterfly wings, gently trembling with his breath.


    ¡°your grace, lucifer, fei fei!¡± pei xia anxiously called, supporting lucifer¡¯s upper body.


    the holy son, now successfully nestled in pei xia¡¯s embrace, seemed as if he had already passed away. terrified, pei xia frantically felt his body, trying to determine if there was still a pulse and breath.


    lucifer grabbed pei xia¡¯s hand, finally opening his eyes. expressionless, he said, ¡°pei xia.¡±


    ¡°hmm?¡±


    ¡°say you love me.¡±


    ¡°ah?! at a time like this?¡± pei xia¡¯s voice became smaller and smaller. his face turned red, his gaze shifting as he glanced at the two wolf princes who approached with concern, then looked at the puppets scattered on the ground.


    this could be considered quite public. why was lucifer so bold?


    ¡°hurry up and say it¡±. lucifer¡¯s hand tightened slightly, grabbing pei xia¡¯s wrist and not letting go. his eyes, devoid of expression, faintly revealed a hint of sadness, evoking pity.


    pei xia could only whisper, ¡°i love you, your grace.¡±


    the two wolf princes blushed and silently stepped back.


    explosive, too explosive! even if it was evident that lucifer and the knight beside him were unusually intimate, no one expected their relationship to be like this, and for them to boldly confess in such a place. ah, is this the light god¡¯s teachings?


    lucifer¡¯s tense body slightly relaxed, the haze in his eyes fading away. like soft, melting ice, he weakly said, ¡°say it again.¡±


    ¡°i love you.¡± pei xia looked into his beautiful eyes and repeated the words.


    finally, lucifer took a deep breath and, with pei xia¡¯s support, stood up.


    pei xia bent down to pat the dust off his robe. lucifer shook his head, indicating that there was no need. lucifer himself tidied up the wrinkles in his clothes, very composed, as if the earlier incident had not affected him in the slightest.


    lucifer turned halfway, lifted his leg, elegantly stepped over the scattered puppets, and continued forward.


    nord and norsen quickly realized and hurriedly stepped forward to clear the way.


    however, pei xia was still somewhat worried. he stayed close behind lucifer, attempting to reach out and massage any potentially sore areas.


    lucifer seemed to have eyes on the back of his head, not turning around but directly reaching back to grab pei xia¡¯s wrist, stopping his movements.


    ¡°did you get hurt just now? does it hurt?¡± pei xia asked softly, leaning close to his ear.


    lucifer paused his steps, turned around, and a slight surprise appeared on his delicate face. ¡°just now? nothing happened just now.¡± he then smiled.


    pei xia: ¡°¡­¡±


    after passing through another corridor, the four finally arrived at a partially open stone door. faint blue light emanated from the narrow gap, and a cold white mist spread from inside.


    ¡°this is it,¡± lucifer reminded.


    nord, with a concerned expression, calculated in his mind, ¡°there weren¡¯t many puppets in the corridor just now. there might be more inside. now that we¡¯ve confirmed the location, why don¡¯t we go back and call for reinforcements?¡±


    lucifer shook his head, saying, ¡°it¡¯s too late. i can feel it. if we wait any longer¡­ everything will be too late.¡±


    norsen tightly gripped his sword, impulsive, ¡°father and ribe are still inside. brother, we can¡¯t wait any longer!¡±


    pei xia, confident in lucifer¡¯s protagonist aura, stated, ¡°we have allies nearby; tom and the others are not far. if there¡¯s any commotion here, they¡¯ll rush in to help.¡±


    after all, it was someone else¡¯s palace, and according to protocol, tom and the others stayed outside, waiting. the only one allowed to accompany lucifer inside was pei xia, the personal guard knight.


    nord sighed lightly, ¡°alright.¡±


    the four approached the gap in the stone door and peered inside. to their surprise, they found a massive underground kingdom, magically controlled and covered in solid ice, resembling a large ice cave!


    at the center of the ice cave was a circular altar constructed from black stones. around the altar, numerous people knelt, all of them were the orc girls who had gone missing!


    the gagged girls were held by puppets, knives at their throats as if their lives could end at any moment.


    above the altar, a large, translucent white rectangular object was placed, with something indistinct at its center.


    next to this large white translucent object, a middle-aged man wearing a black cloak sat on his knees. he had sharp wolf ears and a long tail ¨C the beastman emperor of the orc kingdom, nogia!


    seeing this shocking scene, norsen almost blurted out words from his throat, but luckily, his keen eyesight caught sight of ribe in the crowd, prompting him to stifle his own voice.


    pei xia looked at the ground of the ice cave. although covered in a layer of ice, the ground was made of black iron, and magical patterns were still visible on its grooves.


    the entire ice cave was essentially a large magical altar.


    above the ice cave, moonlight stones were embedded, emitting a faint cold light. a mysterious black shadow dangled from above, constantly twisting and writhing like a large blob of slime. it circled around nogia, whispering demonic temptations.


    nogia lowered his head, kissed the ice coffin, and then raised his hand. the controlled puppets lifted their knives, ready to pierce the girls¡¯ necks.


    at this moment, a bright light broke through the cold barrier and surged into the ice cave, unstoppable. the light skyrocketed, causing the dark shadows to tremble incessantly.


    puppets fell one after another.


    the dangling demon shivered, screaming, ¡°who is it?¡±


    ¡°father, what¡¯s happening to you?¡±


    ¡°ribe!¡±


    nord and norsen, accompanied by the light of justice, rushed into the ice cave. lucifer and pei xia followed closely, descending the stone steps.


    the wolf emperor stood beside the ice coffin on the altar, his eyes crimson and fierce. ¡°nord, norsen! who allowed you to enter? who allowed you to destroy all this?¡±


    ¡°father, aren¡¯t you under control?!¡± nord stared at him in astonishment. ¡°what¡¯s going on? mother!¡±


    as they approached, he finally saw who was in the ice coffin.


    it was the body of his mother. ¡°father, what are you doing?¡±


    nogia¡¯s harsh expression softened when he saw the body in the ice coffin. ¡°nord, do you miss her? don¡¯t worry, soon, iliana will be back.¡±


    in that moment, nord understood everything. in deep grief, he said, ¡°mother has passed away. her soul is in heaven. father, please don¡¯t let the demon¡¯s temptation defile her body!¡±


    ¡°silence!¡± nogia coldly looked at his two sons. ¡°no one can stop me, no one!¡±


    the dangling demon let out a sharp scream, and the puppets lying on the ground staggered back to their feet.


    nord and norsen reluctantly started to fight against them, too preoccupied to argue with nogia. in fact, nogia personally joined the battle, engaging in combat with nord.


    lucifer and pei xia arrived below the ice cave. pei xia, surprised by the support of a major demon and the reanimation of the puppets, couldn¡¯t help but worry as he looked at lucifer. ¡°your grace, what should we do? can we find a way to signal above?¡±


    ¡°no need.¡± lucifer confidently winked at him. ¡°i am more capable than you think.¡±


    is this the true strength of the male lead? pei xia felt somewhat excited, kicking away a puppet that approached while waiting for lucifer to unleash his ultimate move.


    however, at that moment, nord tumbled towards them.


    pei xia, quick-witted, caught him in one swift motion.


    lucifer couldn¡¯t help but glance sideways.


    why is this person so accurate in catching people?


    pei xia didn¡¯t notice lucifer looking at him. when he lowered his head to check on nord, he realized nord was spitting blood. ¡°prince nord!¡±


    nord trembled, standing straight, and looked forward. ¡°father, wake up! these girls are your subjects. as the emperor, can you justify it to the kingdom¡¯s people?¡±


    nogia stared at him darkly, his voice hoarse. ¡°nothing is more important than iliana.¡±


    an emperor with a love-struck mind, pei xia couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°compared to you, prince nord seems more suitable to be emperor¡ªjust, brave, kind, rational. you should abdicate and let him take over!¡±


    nogia¡¯s sanity was already muddled. he raised a heavy sword and swung it towards pei xia. pei xia pushed nord away, confronting the wolf emperor head-on.


    as they battled, pei xia turned back. ¡°your grace, the demon is about to harm them!¡±


    the hanging demon, unable to quickly drive away these four intruders, manipulated a large number of puppets to prepare to slaughter the sacrificial girls. then, with increased strength, dealing with them would be easy!


    the hanging demon let out an arrogant and piercing laughter. however, as it laughed, its laughter ceased abruptly.


    a terrifying aura, shaking even demons, emanated from the purest of individuals. at that moment, it seemed to have glimpsed a formidable presence standing at the pinnacle of the demon realm. no, impossible! he was clearly a mage of light magic; how could he have a dark aura?!


    at the same time, pei xia also felt this aura. seizing the opportunity, he agilely struck nogia¡¯s acupuncture points, forcing him to fall to the ground. pei xia then stepped back a few paces, looking back with concern.


    he thought it was the hanging demon erupting, but it seemed not.


    the person he was concerned about, with golden hair shining, clad in a white robe as pure as snow, possessed an exquisite and perfect face. radiating purity as if born with the light, the person smiled with a frozen elegance, like an angel born from simultaneous light.


    but as he smiled, he didn¡¯t seem particularly happy.


    ¡°fei fei?¡±


    for some reason, pei xia felt a sense of panic.


    lucifer was looking at him. he had been looking at him all along. in his ice-blue eyes, there was an invisible storm brewing. ¡°pei xia.¡±


    ¡°fei fei.¡±


    lucifer spoke softly, ¡°i¡¯ve thought about it. perhaps i should have let you know some things earlier.¡±


    an invisible pressure forced the surrounding puppets to kneel, and the hanging demon closed its mouth, attempting to hide among the puppets. the intense melee came to an unexpected halt. nord and norsen looked at lucifer with both astonishment and fear, afraid to speak or approach.


    their animal instincts told them that the current lucifer was more dangerous than the major demon!


    like a man born from the radiant light, carrying a dangerous aura, lucifer became the terrifying focal point. he extended a hand and said, ¡°come, pei xia.¡±

 CH 66

    the person who was always gentle and harmless suddenly took on a different demeanor, making pei xia involuntarily nervous. in this oppressive atmosphere, his heart quietly accelerated.


    pei xia walked in front of lucifer and subconsciously handed his hand to him. he had just uttered the syllables of a name when lucifer grabbed his hand and pulled him into his embrace.


    with a swift pull, he turned half a circle and ended up with his back against lucifer¡¯s chest.


    at that moment, pei xia felt as if he had been washed from the outside by a chilling aura. his body tensed, and instinctively, without any resistance, he obediently let lucifer embrace him from behind.


    ¡°what do you want me to know?¡± pei xia asked weakly.


    at this moment, the black-haired youth was completely enveloped by the man in a pristine white robe. he was held in his arms, surrounded by a faint and refreshing floral fragrance, imprisoned by the icy cold, and his soft and beautiful golden hair turned into gentle strands hanging in front of pei xia.


    lucifer¡¯s pale pink lips were close to his ear as he extended his hand to caress pei xia¡¯s throat like stroking a cat. he whispered, ¡°pei xia, do you like nord?¡±


    pei xia¡¯s body tensed. he didn¡¯t understand why lucifer would ask such a question, but out of a sense of responsibility as a boyfriend, he had to make it clear. ¡°what are you talking about? i just appreciate people with excellent qualities, absolutely no other meaning.¡±


    ¡°is that so?¡± lucifer seemed to nod slightly. his slender chin rested on pei xia¡¯s shoulder, and the cold breath made pei xia shiver involuntarily.


    as if an electric shock, tiny currents surged through his body.


    before pei xia could recover from this soft and confusing state, lucifer asked again, ¡°do you want to save them?¡±


    ¡°yes!¡± pei xia answered without hesitation.


    ¡°in whatever way?¡±


    ¡°yes.¡± pei xia hesitated in answering this question, vaguely sensing that lucifer had a deeper meaning, but he couldn¡¯t guess what lucifer truly meant.


    next, pei xia saw a gentle radiance, like countless threads, flowing into the puppets. twisted black shadows were forced out, and an evil aura instantly shrouded the entire ice cave.


    lucifer pecked a kiss on his earlobe.


    pei xia subconsciously grabbed the arm that lucifer had wrapped around him: ¡°great, they¡¯re safe!¡±


    ¡°and then?¡±


    then, pei xia felt a cold, oppressive, and distorted aura. it was just a brief moment, and pei xia even thought it might be his imagination. after that, lucifer extended his tongue and lightly licked the side of his neck. the cool sensation made pei xia shudder.


    ¡°in public, this is not very appropriate,¡± pei xia protested in a mosquito-like voice.


    ¡°so what?¡±


    pei xia heard lucifer¡¯s voice, tinged with a mocking and disdainful tone, whispering in his ear. it seemed like there was nothing for him to care about.


    something is off, lucifer is not right. pei xia felt uneasy and extremely fearful of lucifer¡¯s strange behavior at this moment.


    he had a premonition that something he didn¡¯t want to face might happen next.


    however, he didn¡¯t dwell on this thought because he was surprised to see the little demons forced out of the puppets suddenly fighting each other.


    the slime-like demon, cowering behind the puppets, had already changed from its hanging position to a crawling one. it arched its back high, lowering its head into the dust as if it had seen a deity it could never resist.


    the small demons fought and devoured each other, transforming into larger demons. the wolf emperor, who had crawled up from the ground, watched all of this with rapid breaths, a bewildered and fearful expression on his face.


    he pounced on the ice coffin, holding his forever-sleeping wife, and shouted desperately at the slime-like demon: ¡°eldora! eldora, why has it become like this? you promised me that you would resurrect iliana, you promised me!¡±


    the slime-like demon eldora shivered and rushed over, starting to beat up nogia, trying to make him shut up.


    as his father was being beaten, nod and norsen also disregarded who caused this situation and quickly joined the attack on the big demon.


    ¡°do you like it?¡± lucifer embraced pei xia and asked him with a smile. ¡°they will be saved, the demons will die. do you like this ending, pei xia?¡±


    pei xia nodded, his eyes filled with suspicion.


    even though he was a bit slow to react, he knew that lucifer was extremely off right now.


    ¡°that¡¯s good; this is the gift i¡¯m giving you.¡±


    ¡°what gift?¡± pei xia looked at the chaos in front of him, vaguely guessing what was happening. ¡°did you orchestrate the demons fighting each other?¡±


    ¡°exactly.¡± lucifer rubbed his jet-black hair, very affectionate, paying no attention to whether his current appearance seemed righteous and pure enough.


    pei xia exclaimed, ¡°wow, i didn¡¯t expect your charm to even subdue demons!¡±


    lucifer: ¡°¡­¡±


    pei xia muttered quietly, ¡°seeing my rivals increase again, it¡¯s really hard to guard against.¡±


    lucifer moved the hand that was caressing his throat upward, gripping his cheek. he squeezed the tender flesh, silencing the incessant mouth.


    pei xia turned his head, looking very innocent at lucifer, not understanding why he was treated this way.


    lucifer smiled at him. ¡°it¡¯s not for that reason.¡±


    ¡°what is it, then?¡± pei xia struggled to produce a few words.


    lucifer¡¯s smile had a hint of cruelty as he intended to make the young man in his arms face the most terrifying fact: ¡°obedience. obedience of the lower to the higher, the weak to the strong. even if it costs their lives, they must obey. pei xia, they obey me. do you understand?¡±


    pei xia shuddered, his head almost turned into a mush by lucifer¡¯s actions. ¡°you control them? is it with the power of light magic?¡±


    ¡°no,¡± lucifer released the hand that pinched his cheek. ¡°it¡¯s because they fear me.¡±


    ¡°i see.¡± finally, pei xia, who had been slow to understand, had subconsciously grasped a truth he didn¡¯t want to face. trembling and smiling, he tried to find an excuse to escape.


    ¡°your strength is very powerful. even without using magic, they fear you. it¡¯s because of the power of light, right?¡± the young man with black hair had pleading eyes, seeking an answer from the man who held him captive.


    however, lucifer disappointed him.


    he used his icy fingertips to caress the dry and tender lips of the young man, turning those faint lips into a vivid shade of red.


    he focused intently on the lips of the person in his arms but spoke in a seemingly casual tone: ¡°no, pei xia. although they fear the power of light, creatures in the darkness understand the terror of darkness even more.¡±


    after saying this, he chuckled and then whispered lightly in pei xia¡¯s ear: ¡°pei xia, didn¡¯t you say that you would love me no matter what? if that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s no harm even if i am a demon, right?¡±


    ¡°a demon?¡±


    pei xia couldn¡¯t react for a moment and said dully, ¡°well, that¡¯s pretty cool.¡±


    lucifer: ¡°oh.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°!!!¡±


    a demon! it¡¯s the demon of this world! the kind of demon that can devour souls, seduce minds, and revel in blood, evil, and terror! he is that kind of demon, not the kind that gets casually beaten up in online games or is written in fanfiction as a cute demon!


    trembling, pei xia urgently asked, ¡°fei fei, are you joking with me? this is not funny at all, don¡¯t tease me!¡±


    lucifer looked at him with pity, not saying a word. he gently lifted his chin and gave this weak and pitiful sacrifice a light kiss, and the dark tendrils flowed into pei xia¡¯s mouth with this kiss.


    cold, silent, evil.


    the trembling pei xia froze in place, like a lifeless corpse.


    it was true, what lucifer said, it was all true.


    despair and confusion permeated pei xia¡¯s heart.


    why is it like this? pei xia couldn¡¯t understand why everything suddenly turned into this. his perfect lover, referred to as the favored child of the god of light, was clearly warm, kind, and just.


    why did he turn into a demon concealed in the light?


    where did things go wrong?


    the scene of pei xia¡¯s soul perishing with the demon when he first arrived in this world flashed before his eyes again. the panic and terror he felt when the horrifying creature lurked by his bedside surfaced once more.


    he hadn¡¯t forgotten why he came to lucifer¡¯s side.


    but now, the most fearsome existence for him was, surprisingly, his lover who had always protected him!


    how ridiculous, how absurd.


    pei xia forcefully bit the tip of his tongue, the stinging pain jolting his stiffened brain back into action. he asked in an ethereal voice, ¡°are you truly lucifer? was it like this from the beginning, or did something go wrong later?¡±


    lucifer was in a good mood. he patiently explained to the ignorant lamb, ¡°the lucifer you¡¯re referring to was the original owner of this body. unfortunately, a long time ago, this body became my possession.¡±


    actually, this wasn¡¯t entirely accurate, but explaining it in detail might be too much for pei xia to handle at the moment.


    pei xia shivered.


    it wasn¡¯t the real lucifer; it was a demon, an intruding demon!


    ¡°do you also want my body?¡± pei xia weakly asked.


    lucifer kissed the corner of his lips and smiled, saying, ¡°more than your body, i want your soul.¡±


    it¡¯s over, pei xia thought in despair. he never expected that even this extremely pure vessel of pei xia christian couldn¡¯t satisfy the appetite of this demon boss. even his own soul was at risk!


    no, absolutely not!


    he didn¡¯t know why this demon played with him using love, and he didn¡¯t understand why he suddenly exposed everything. however, despite the difficulty of erasing his affection for the demon, his desire for survival still didn¡¯t let him give up hope.


    pei xia, weak, helpless, and pitiful, pleaded, ¡°can you please delay devouring my soul?¡±


    lucifer was pleased by his cute and obedient appearance. he looked at him tenderly and said, ¡°okay.¡±


    teasing pei xia was quite interesting. occasionally scaring him and experiencing some rare amusement was also quite enjoyable.


    so lucifer raised a suggestive smile and said, ¡°on second thought, you¡¯ve called me the wrong name quite a few times today. i should punish you properly.¡±


    pei xia replied, ¡°in what world would i think about such things at a time like this, demon? properly a demon!¡±


    pei xia¡¯s gaze conflicted, wanting to run away now but feeling reluctant, mainly because he didn¡¯t dare.


    soon, the number of demons inside the ice cavern drastically decreased. notably, only eldora and a newly formed demon remained. lucifer casually waved his hand, turning the solid ice beneath into a throne-like structure.


    he happily sat on the throne of ice, and pei xia was reluctantly forced to sit on his lap as he watched the fierce battle between the two large demons.


    feeling a bit uncomfortable, pei xia tried to slide down from his lap when he heard lucifer¡¯s teasing voice, ¡°what? don¡¯t like it now that you know my identity? does all the love you claimed to feel for me turn out to be a lie?¡±


    pei xia stammered, ¡°no, no, not at all!¡±


    idiot! the person he loved was clearly false, yet he dared to ask such questions. however, pei xia didn¡¯t dare to anger him right now. besides, his mind was in chaos, and he didn¡¯t know what his feelings for lucifer truly were.


    ¡°you¡¯ll continue to love me, won¡¯t you?¡± lucifer held him tightly around the waist, not allowing him to move away.


    pei xia endured humiliation and said, ¡°yes, your grace.¡±


    this devil hadn¡¯t had enough of playing the game of pretending to be the holy son.


    hearing pei xia¡¯s response, lucifer smiled contentedly.


    originally powerful and terrifying, the large demon that inspired fear and despair was now just a source of amusement in front of lucifer. the two large demons roared as they engaged in fierce combat, their momentum overwhelming.


    nord and norsen, with their knocked out dad, had now stood in a corner, equally astonished at the intense battle between the two large demons.


    they were unaware of lucifer¡¯s true identity, thinking it was just a demon internal conflict.


    meanwhile, pei xia sat on lucifer¡¯s lap, growing more desperate as he realized that even the residual effects of these high-level demons¡¯ battles made his skin ache, rendering him powerless.


    so, what kind of being was lucifer, stronger than these large demons?


    unable to contain his fear, pei xia couldn¡¯t help but speculate on lucifer¡¯s true identity. the more he guessed, the more frightened he became, and his body couldn¡¯t stop trembling.


    lucifer sensed his fear and knowingly asked, ¡°pei xia, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    pei xia hesitated, reluctant to tell the truth. after pondering for a while, he decided on a strategy: endure under the demon¡¯s command, gain his trust, and then find a chance to escape. so, he said, ¡°i¡¯m just worried about you!¡±


    ¡°oh?¡± lucifer raised an eyebrow.


    pei xia continued nervously, ¡°i¡¯m concerned about your¡­ um, your buttocks. sitting on the ice must be quite cold!¡±


    lucifer: ¡°¡­¡±


    pei xia sneakily glanced at him, saying, ¡°your thoughtfulness and care deeply touch me. your warmth feels like a gentle breeze, but, you know, if the ice melts, your pants will get wet.¡±


    would lucifer, having water stains on his butt, be embarrassed and fly into a rage?


    pei xia decided to eliminate this possibility first.


    lucifer fell silent for a moment and gently pinched pei xia¡¯s buttocks, saying, ¡°it won¡¯t melt.¡±


    pei xia¡¯s eyes turned red, and he didn¡¯t say anything more. in his mind, he cursed, ¡®demon, truly a demon. once the identity is exposed, not even pretending anymore. that pinch just now was incredibly painful!¡¯


    no, he must escape; otherwise, he would definitely be devoured, leaving nothing behind but bone fragments!


    but it wasn¡¯t possible right now. at least until the resurrection incident was resolved, he couldn¡¯t irresponsibly run away. he couldn¡¯t take the truth with him, allowing this infuriating yet beautiful demon to continue beguiling the world.

 CH 67

    under the surveillance of lucifer, two large demons fought desperately. in the end, eldora, who lived longer, prevailed. he evolved into a pitch-black entity, almost having a tangible form as a new demon. then, he deeply bowed to lucifer.


    it¡¯s over. pei xia nervously grabbed lucifer¡¯s arm.


    if it were before, pei xia knew without hesitation that lucifer would purify this demon into ashes. however, now, after learning his true identity, pei xia became uncertain.


    pei xia had no idea what he really wanted, what he desired, and which side he stood on.


    fortunately, lucifer seemed to enjoy playing the role of the holy son and had no intention of revealing his true self in front of others.


    a gentle light illuminated the entire ice cave, and the sacred power seemed to disperse everything. eldora screamed and turned into smoke, merging with the darkness in a hidden corner.


    if lucifer hadn¡¯t whispered a sentence in pei xia¡¯s ear with a smile, pei xia would almost have been deceived by this grand scene of light triumphing over darkness, thinking that lucifer was still the holy son he wholeheartedly followed.


    ¡°pei xia, he witnessed our honesty and mutual trust. let him stay and become a memento of our love.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°¡­¡±


    however, at this moment, besides pei xia, there was no one else to bear this hidden and frightening truth together with him.


    nord and norsen walked over, bowing deeply to lucifer, the holy son of the bright church, expressing gratitude. the sincere wolf prince didn¡¯t hesitate to praise lucifer like an angel. the young wolf second prince also showed a submissive expression, expressing his submission to lucifer.


    pei xia was finally released. he slid down from lucifer¡¯s legs and coldly observed lucifer, who wore a dignified and hypocritical smile, interacting with others.


    later, nord and norsen restrained the unconscious nogia, went outside, and called many guards to assist in rescuing the innocent girls trapped in the ice cave.


    the girls had their hands tied behind their backs, and their mouths were gagged with cloth. norsen rushed to ribe first, carefully removing the cloth from her mouth and holding her with a guilty expression.


    ¡°ribe, i¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s all my fault!¡±


    ribe, who had experienced being kidnapped before, was calm: ¡°this is your father¡¯s fault, second prince. can you let me go now?¡±


    norsen: ¡°no, i don¡¯t want to let you go anymore!¡±


    ribe was very puzzled. first, she expressed thanks to pei xia and lucifer through norsen¡¯s shoulder, then asked norsen: ¡°why? i don¡¯t have any relationship with you.¡±


    norsen was very frustrated: ¡°because i like you, you know!¡±


    ¡°of course, but i¡¯ve already rejected you.¡± back in the spring of last year, before ribe was taken away, she had already rejected norsen.


    norsen ran his hand through his hair, painfully saying: ¡°but i still like you, ribe. what can i do for you to give me a chance?¡±


    ribe thought for a moment: ¡°i prefer gentle opposite sexes, like prince nord, lord pei xia, and the holy son.¡±


    norsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    the time the girls were abducted varied, but fortunately, because their lives were to be taken away in the final moments, none of them suffered irreversible harm.


    they would be taken out to receive compensation and assistance from the kingdom. lucifer, pei xia, and others didn¡¯t need to worry about these matters.


    pei xia sat stiffly next to lucifer. they were arranged a carriage and would soon arrive at the previous courtyard.


    because the emperor of the wolves was involved, the palace was chaotic. nord had to ask them to go back and rest for now, saying that after things calmed down, they would formally express gratitude to the church of light.


    pei xia silently complained in his heart, thinking, ¡®bro, do you know that the object of your gratitude is actually a demon? if lucifer hadn¡¯t voluntarily revealed his identity, i would still be in the dark like everyone else.¡¯


    pei xia looked at the starry sky outside the car window, and lucifer was looking at him.


    ¡°why are you suddenly so indifferent?¡± lucifer asked.


    the hand that pei xia had on his leg suddenly tightened on his pants. nervously, he replied, ¡°n-nothing, i just need some fresh air.¡±


    ¡°oh.¡±


    a hand gently covered pei xia¡¯s hand, and he involuntarily took a cold breath, unsure of how to react.


    in the past, he would have shyly smiled and then held lucifer¡¯s hand in return. but now, he felt really uncomfortable, and even his movements became stiff.


    he forced a smile at lucifer, a smile that seemed a bit strained.


    lucifer blinked gently. his eyes, without a trace of gloom, were clearly the purest sapphires in the world. however, the owner of those eyes was a demon skilled in deception.


    ¡°pei xia, you said you love me.¡±


    pei xia: yes, i deeply love you. why repeat this point? is the game of love so amusing?


    pei xia looked at lucifer with a hint of bitterness.


    after reaching the small courtyard, pei xia couldn¡¯t wait to get off the carriage. he took a few deep breaths, stabilized his mindset, and tried to behave as he did before. he even went out of his way to please lucifer, fearing to anger him.


    however, looking at his colleagues who were still unaware of everything, pei xia couldn¡¯t help but fall into deep worry. they knew nothing, and relying solely on words, he couldn¡¯t prove lucifer¡¯s true identity.


    i need to figure out a solution!


    in the evening, pei xia stood at the door of his room, feeling extremely conflicted.


    yes, he had planned to first please and gain trust before making a run for it. but even if pei xia lacked morals and was ruthless, facing the fact that his intimate lover had suddenly become a terrifying liar, he couldn¡¯t continue to be heartless and intimate with him.


    this is really too difficult for a poor knight who has been deeply scarred by demons!


    pei xia stood at the door, tangled to the point of having knots in his hair. suddenly, the door was pushed open from the inside, and lucifer, wearing a thin robe, stood in front of him, gently asking, ¡°why not come in?¡±


    pei xia looked up at him.


    in the thick night, warm orange light spilled from the room, shining on lucifer¡¯s pristine robe, portraying him in a cozy manner.


    at this moment, lucifer seemed like a gentle wife welcoming her incapable husband home. no matter how dejected the husband was from an unsuccessful day, the wife remained considerate and tender.


    pei xia choked back a sob, tears welling up in his eyes.


    summer had reached its tail end, and the daytime heat had cooled into a night breeze. pei xia felt cold in his body and even colder in his heart.


    lucifer reached out and wiped under his eyes, smiling, ¡°what¡¯s wrong, bullied by someone?¡±


    pei xia: who else could it be? isn¡¯t it you?!


    but he couldn¡¯t say that. his legs were trembling quietly, and he said, ¡°it¡¯s just for a moment; i still haven¡¯t fully come to terms with your identity.¡±


    lucifer¡¯s smile deepened a bit. he gently pulled pei xia into the brightly lit room, and pei xia let out a pitiful whimper. at this moment, this warm house seemed no less than a dangerous place in his eyes.


    the door slammed shut, and pei xia lay on the bed, hands neatly placed by his side, his mind in chaos, not knowing if he should say anything.


    to his surprise, lucifer didn¡¯t do anything. he blew out the lamp and covered pei xia with a blanket. in the darkness, his voice was calm and inclusive: ¡°pei xia, i once lied to you, but now i choose to confess.¡±


    a slightly cool hand reached out, and lucifer embraced pei xia.


    lucifer whispered in his ear, ¡°i know this is difficult for you to accept, but i will patiently wait for you to be mine, forever mine. pei xia, remember this.¡±


    after saying that, he gently kissed the young man in his arms. however, the person being embraced continued to tremble, as if very afraid.


    is it so frightening?


    lucifer¡¯s mood was somewhat complicated because he had never regretted anything. for him, there was no such thing as ¡°should have known earlier.¡± he always did things the way he wanted, including being straightforward with pei xia without giving him time to adjust.


    but now, he vaguely felt some regret. perhaps he should have chosen a more subtle way to tell pei xia.


    lucifer gently coaxed, ¡°afraid?¡±


    pei xia, his voice trembling, replied, ¡°no, not really.¡±


    ¡°then why are you trembling?¡±


    pei xia: ¡°need to use the bathroom.¡±


    lucifer: ¡°¡­¡±


    pei xia explained cautiously, ¡°i was a bit nervous just now, and i drank a lot of water.¡±


    lucifer vented his frustration by biting his earlobe: ¡°go quickly!¡±


    pei xia: ¡°ah!¡±


    in the following three days, lucifer continued to flawlessly play the role of the holy son of the church of light, and pei xia continued to deceive and flatter him.


    perhaps impressed by pei xia¡¯s outstanding acting, lucifer treated him well, and he didn¡¯t insist on doing anything intimate at night. with a hint of indulgence, lucifer didn¡¯t mind when pei xia found excuses to go out, and the punishments he mentioned before were never brought up.


    this made pei xia¡¯s mind more agile. perhaps escaping wasn¡¯t particularly difficult, but before that, he wanted to try fighting back.


    killing the current lucifer was a dangerous move, and doing nothing left pei xia uneasy. in any case, pei xia couldn¡¯t bring himself to escape alone while coldly watching the fate of buck and the others.


    lucifer, whether he was pretending or genuinely had some feelings for himself, provided pei xia with an opportunity to fight back.


    at first, pei xia planned to seek external assistance.


    pei xia believed that the only force capable of dealing with lucifer was the light. lucifer was undoubtedly draped in the guise of light, but in reality, he was dark and sinister. as long as he could find a powerful light mage, it would surely be possible to tear through his disguise and expose his true nature!


    with that, buck and the others could distance themselves from him, ensuring their safety.


    as for the rest, pei xia believed that the light church, with its millennia-long heritage, could withstand a demon.


    beist was the capital of the orc kingdom, and it was full of talents. even if orcs weren¡¯t particularly skilled in magic, there were still treasure mages present.


    pei xia asked prince nord for help to introduce him to a secluded old light mage who had been living there for years. prince nord didn¡¯t know what pei xia was planning, but because of their previous friendship, he agreed to help.


    the old light mage was named shaz. when pei xia met him, he told shaz that lucifer was possessed by a demon.


    shaz chuckled, ¡°i¡¯ve heard about the light church¡¯s holy son coming here to teach and preach, but your joke is too absurd. i can¡¯t believe it.¡±


    ¡°this is where i find it most difficult. do you have a way to discern a demon?¡± pei xia sighed.


    ¡°of course! when i was young, i dealt with numerous demons. if a demon appears before me, i can absolutely recognize it at a glance!¡±


    ¡°that¡¯s amazing!¡± pei xia was pleasantly surprised. ¡°then, can you take a look at him with me?¡±


    ¡°alright, i¡¯ll trust you.¡±


    pei xia, accompanied by shaz, hid in a corner to secretly observe lucifer. after watching, shaz¡¯s expression became complicated, and he deeply looked at pei xia, saying, ¡°is he a demon? i understand.¡±


    pei xia was overjoyed. ¡°great! now that you also know his true identity, can you subdue him?¡±


    shaz nodded solemnly. ¡°sir knight, perhaps you should check yourself.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°???¡±


    shaz: ¡°even i have heard of the great reputation of the holy son. he is undoubtedly the purest person in the world, the only one capable of approaching the core of light. how could such a person be a demon? compared to lord lucifer, in fact, you seem to carry a faint demonic aura.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°¡­¡±


    shaz, rubbing his chin in puzzlement, said, ¡°strange, this aura definitely comes from an incredibly powerful demon, long-lasting and profound as if it were a mark. but, why haven¡¯t you been devoured? i understand, it must be this demon that has beguiled you, making you conspire against the holy son!¡±


    pei xia: ¡°so, do you believe that this incredibly powerful demon is lucifer?¡±


    shaz raised his staff: ¡°accept the purification of light, you deluded one led astray by the demon!¡±


    pei xia immediately gave up and turned away, leaving shaz alone behind him, extremely puzzled, ¡°strange, why is this aura so deeply entrenched, and it can¡¯t be purified!¡±


    with no other choice, pei xia had to fight alone. he came up with a plan that wasn¡¯t really a plan because, apart from this, he didn¡¯t know how else to deal with lucifer.


    later, on the day of the plan to expose the demon¡¯s true identity, pei xia called the other paladins and earnestly instructed them, ¡°later, everyone needs to discreetly guard near the holy son¡¯s room.¡±


    the crowd was in an uproar, talking all at once, ¡°is there some danger, captain?¡±


    pei xia thought for a moment but decided not to reveal lucifer¡¯s true identity to them now. after all, if the operation failed, buck and the others would continue to believe in lucifer. however, those who had been informed might bear the brunt of their anger.


    it was better to continue in ignorance, playing the role-playing game with lucifer; it was safer that way.


    pei xia said, ¡°yes, there is some danger, but it¡¯s not from external forces; it¡¯s from within. later, i will be with the holy son cough cough. listen carefully; once there¡¯s anything strange inside the room, be prepared immediately. if the danger is too great, don¡¯t hesitate to run away after confirming. but no matter when, don¡¯t forget your identity as holy knights and your mission!¡±


    tom¡¯s expression changed, greatly surprised, ¡°captain, it wouldn¡¯t be some special preference between you and the holy son, right? there¡¯s no need to be so serious; we¡¯ll cooperate!¡±


    buck silently raised his hand, encircling his chest, ¡°i¡¯m a heterosexual man with a fianc¨¦e.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°it¡¯s not what you think!¡±


    pei xia emphasized, ¡°no eavesdropping on hobbies like listening through the walls, absolutely not! take this seriously. i am going to lure a demon together with the holy son. it may or may not appear, and it might even possess the holy son. act according to the situation, but absolutely no interference. not even the holy son should be informed to avoid embarrassment in case of failure, understood?¡±


    ¡°understood!¡±


    anyway, buck and the others would find out what was going on later.


    as night fell, pei xia clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and calmed his nervous heart.


    then he approached lucifer, his face blushing, and said, ¡°fei fei, i¡¯ve been thinking for a long time. maybe we should overcome this obstacle together.¡±


    lucifer looked down at him, his gaze like water, ¡°hmm?¡±


    pei xia continued reciting his lines, ¡°you said you liked me, and i like you too. so, um, so we should continue looking forward.¡±


    lucifer smiled, ¡°agreed.¡±


    ¡°but!¡± pei xia hurriedly added, ¡°you lied to me before, and i¡¯m still angry about it!¡±


    lucifer held his hand and brought it to his lips, giving it a kiss, ¡°it¡¯s my mistake. how do you want to be compensated?¡±


    pei xia¡¯s eyes lit up. he didn¡¯t expect him to be so cooperative. he then pulled him towards the room while saying, ¡°you said it, i want that kind of compensation, the one¡­¡±


    as he spoke, he sneakily glanced at lucifer, ¡°can it be anything?¡±


    lucifer nodded with tenderness, ¡°of course.¡±


    ¡°then i want something exciting, like bondage play!¡± pei xia courageously said.


    lucifer, not quite understanding the term, but getting the gist of bondage, looked at pei xia meaningfully and then fetched some rope to prepare for tying him up.


    pei xia hastily said, ¡°no, i¡¯ll tie you up!¡±


    lucifer gave a long, meaningful ¡°oh,¡± raised an eyebrow with a slightly teasing smile, and obediently sat on the bed.


    ¡°okay, i¡¯ll follow your lead.¡±


    as peixia straddled his lap, lucifer suddenly leaned in and lightly bit his lip, saying, ¡°my most loyal knight, remember to be gentle.¡±


    then he leaned back, resting his upper body against the headboard, hands raised in front of him, clearly ready to be bound. despite this, he exuded an air of complete control, as if everything was at his fingertips.


    lucifer handed the rope to pei xia, being very cooperative, ¡°go ahead, pei xia.¡±


    he wanted to see just how daring pei xia could be. that¡¯s when pei xia surprised him by discarding the rope, bending down, and pulling out a length of iron chain from under the bed.


    pei xia grinned, ¡°since we¡¯re going for excitement, let¡¯s go all the way!¡±


    author¡¯s note:


    oh my, goodness, gugu yan is so thoughtful and kind. when the little angels said they wanted to see bondage, gugu yan wrote about bondage. gugu yan is truly a considerate and good gugu, deserving of praise and nutrients!


    gugu spreads its wings: come on, i can handle even more!

 CH 68

    lucifer¡¯s mouth twitched, and he let pei xia use the iron chain to bind him.


    after securing the chains, pei xia swiftly changed his demeanor. he drew the sword hanging on the wall, and the chilling blade pointed straight at lucifer¡¯s heart.


    ¡°demon, your time is up!¡±


    lucifer gazed at him with deep meaning, unfazed by the disadvantage. he bent his knee and rubbed against pei xia, ¡°is this your true purpose? aren¡¯t you afraid i¡¯ll kill you?¡±


    pei xia, feeling weak in the legs from lucifer¡¯s actions, almost reacted embarrassingly. he exclaimed, ¡°i am afraid! but do you think i¡¯d choose to live in fear, only to end up being consumed by you, lucifer? even if i fear death and dread darkness, i have my limits!¡±


    must the weak grovel and compromise with the darkness? clearly, reality was already detestable enough; did they have to endure it in the world of books as well?


    pei xia felt an inexplicable sadness, unsure if it was directed at lucifer or himself. he spoke softly, ¡°i can do many things to stay alive, bowing and scraping, fearing death and darkness; everyone wants to survive. but there are things that cannot be done this way. even if there¡¯s danger, some things must be faced.¡±


    his hands, bound by iron chains, moved upward, lightly touching pei xia¡¯s eyelids. suddenly, lucifer leaned forward, startling pei xia, who quickly moved the sword backward.


    ¡°pei xia,¡± he called, looking at him with eyes filled with swirling emotions. ¡°you are not weak; you are brave. i really like you, pei xia.¡±


    what was happening? was he being praised by a demon? pei xia, looking a bit awkward, sniffed and tried to appear stern, ¡°enough, stop talking.¡±


    ¡°no.¡± clearly, lucifer could be quite stubborn. biting his lower lip, a hint of a playful smile in the corner of his eyes, he asked, ¡°do you want to kill me, pei xia? you said you love me.¡±


    holding the sword tightly, pei xia kept the dangerous tip aimed at lucifer to prevent any resistance. however, this infuriating demon was too audacious, continuously rubbing against him with his legs. unable to do anything about it, pei xia angrily said, ¡°be more serious!¡±


    lucifer replied, ¡°hmm.¡±


    the unruly legs ceased their movements, and pei xia breathed a sigh of relief. finally able to articulate his thoughts, he said, ¡°i love you, without a doubt. but love is not everything!¡±


    yes, he still liked him, even though lucifer was a demon. pei xia found it difficult to suppress these emotions, and that was what made him most uncomfortable.


    moreover, it is precisely because he loves him that pei xia cannot accept being just a plaything to him.


    it seems that since they met, the two have never seriously discussed their values. as the holy son and a holy knight, no one would think their positions and values differ. pei xia had never doubted lucifer before.


    but now, things are different. pei xia has learned that lucifer is a demon disguised as the holy son.


    with sadness and determination, he said, ¡°because i love you, i can¡¯t bring myself to kill you. however, after capturing you, i will stay by your side forever. no matter what judgment you face, i will bear it with you. i¡¯m sorry, lucifer, i am too foolish. besides this, i can¡¯t find another path.¡±


    he couldn¡¯t find another morally justifiable path. he wanted this demon, full of lies, to genuinely be unable to harm anyone anymore. only then could pei xia find peace by staying by his side. otherwise, pei xia would be trapped in endless conflicts and anxieties until the day he confirmed either being consumed by him or witnessing others harmed by him.


    and on that day, everything would be beyond redemption.


    ¡°pei xia.¡±


    lucifer stared at him, seemingly surprised by his response. the eyes, like an entire sea, brimmed with almost overflowing emotions. his body trembled slightly, and he wanted to reach out and touch pei xia¡¯s reddened eyes.


    pei xia, in a disheveled state, turned his head to avoid lucifer¡¯s hand.


    ¡°enough, demon! reveal your true form!¡±


    bending down, pei xia pulled out a large box from under the bed. after opening it, he sternly tossed ten blessed crosses onto lucifer.


    ¡°these are crosses blessed by the god of light! ah, light, you are the beginning of all things. at the inception of all life, the god of light descended upon the earth, teaching the ignorant populace¡­¡±


    lucifer remained unresponsive. was it really ineffective? pei xia gritted his teeth and took out a medal, saying, ¡°this is a commendation from the goddess of the prairie. i specifically borrowed it from the goddess of the prairie¡¯s temple!¡±


    still no reaction.


    helpless, pei xia furrowed his brow and opened the vial of pure light essence he had obtained from shaz, a concentrated liquid extracted by a great mage. it was too thick to be directly absorbed by the human body.


    even someone like lucifer surely can¡¯t resist such a concentrated and pure essence of light!


    pei xia confidently sprinkled it on lucifer. the pale, translucent liquid gradually evaporated, filling the entire room with a bright and luminous atmosphere. lucifer sat on the bed, seemingly unperturbed.


    even the last resort, the essence of pure light, was ineffective!


    pei xia looked disheartened, his hand holding the sword trembling incessantly.


    indeed, he couldn¡¯t contend with this terrifying demon. he had tried his best.


    ¡°pei xia, you are serious,¡± lucifer spoke softly, ¡°i am serious too, pei xia. i love you.¡±


    ¡°enough.¡± pei xia frowned, visibly distressed. from the beginning, it had all been lies. how could he believe him?


    he had killed the real lucifer. he didn¡¯t know his true appearance or name. in this situation, how could pei xia trust him? what if he was lying? what if he was just toying with him? if it wasn¡¯t natural, it would be best. but if it was, who could bear the consequences?


    if the operation failed, he would be on his own. even if he caught lucifer now, buck and the others would only think he was being controlled by the demon. they wouldn¡¯t believe him; in fact, they might help lucifer capture him.


    the primary objective was to capture lucifer. if that failed, exposing his true identity would at least make everyone cautious. since both options seemed unattainable, the only choice left was to run.


    while lucifer was chained, it was the perfect time to escape!


    this thought flashed through pei xia¡¯s mind. the knight, not skilled at concealing himself, failed to hide his intentions well. the demon, adept at manipulating hearts, saw through him with just one glance.


    at this moment, the demon finally felt a surge of anger.


    pei xia rolled off his legs and turned to run. lucifer¡¯s deep voice resounded, ¡°pei xia! you can¡¯t leave.¡±


    whether pei xia intended to kill him or whatever, lucifer was willing to accompany him in his madness. but leaving was not an option.


    ¡®if you dare to go,¡¯ a dangerous and sinister aura rose from the beautiful holy son.


    pei xia turned around, involuntarily feeling a chill. how absurd it was, the most perfect person could also be the most frightening.


    ¡°are you going to kill me?¡± pei xia faced him cautiously, stepping back one by one, guarding against this demon¡¯s sudden attack.


    lucifer was equally provoked by his appearance. he narrowed his eyes displeased. the iron chains on him snapped one by one. he decided to first capture this foolish knight and explain the rest later.


    he got off the bed, still wearing the flowing white robe. his long, clean feet trod on the ground, approaching pei xia step by step.


    the oppressive atmosphere, like invisible angular hands, bound pei xia. he thought lucifer was about to make a move. vigilantly, pei xia swung his sword, attempting to stop him from coming forward. however, lucifer didn¡¯t evade; he caught the sword with his hand, lips pursed.


    pei xia froze. the striking red drops fell from lucifer¡¯s fingertips, chilling to the bone.


    at that moment, pei xia didn¡¯t have time to think. instinctively, he pounced forward, angry and frightened. he removed lucifer¡¯s hand from the sword while scolding him: ¡°are you stupid? you actually tried to catch the sword with your hand. aren¡¯t you supposed to be smart and powerful? aren¡¯t you a demon? how did you end up like this?¡±


    pei xia looked at lucifer¡¯s bloody palm, hastily tearing a strip from his sleeve and tying it around his wrist to stop the bleeding. ¡°what¡¯s happening? quickly use light magic, you¡­¡±


    the man in front of him remained silent. pei xia, in his confusion, finally noticed that the dangerous aura had disappeared unnoticed. he instinctively looked up and met lucifer¡¯s face.


    lucifer used his other hand to wipe his cheek, eyes gleaming with a happy smile, lips unable to contain the upward curve. ¡°you were worried about me.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°¡­¡±


    he abruptly released lucifer¡¯s hand, retreated a few steps warily, and gripped the sword, pointing it at him. ¡°did you enchant me?¡±


    lucifer tilted his head innocently. ¡°no.¡±


    pei xia bit his lip. ¡°stop pretending. i¡¯m leaving. play your saint¡¯s game however you want. i won¡¯t accompany you anymore!¡±


    lucifer raised his bloodied hand, looking somewhat melancholic. ¡°pei xia, you misunderstood. i¡¯m not pretending. my body is indeed human-like now, so¡­¡±


    suddenly, he took a step forward, allowing pei xia¡¯s sword to point directly at his heart. he laughed, ¡°you can kill me if you want. it¡¯s possible as long as you wish. come, pei xia, if you want to be free from me, to control me, there¡¯s only one way.¡±


    so, it¡¯s that simple to make this demon disappear?


    pei xia had a moment of confusion. he always thought subduing lucifer was extremely difficult, but now, there seemed to be such a simple method?


    but if he did this, lucifer would truly die.


    pei xia shook his head abruptly. ¡°you¡¯re definitely trying to deceive me again. give it up. i won¡¯t be fooled again!¡±


    pei xia turned and ran. surprisingly, lucifer didn¡¯t chase after him. he stood in the bright room, the door opened, letting the night breeze flow in. his long golden hair swayed in the wind. the holy son of the church of light, the secretive and unknown demon king, silently watched his lover escape into the night.


    the door closed again.


    two dark shadows appeared at lucifer¡¯s feet.


    lucifer raised his hand, and the wound in his palm had completely healed. however, he continued to smile, seemingly looking at something else.


    [¡°he loves me,¡±] lucifer smiled and said, [¡°it¡¯s such a pity to scare him like this.¡±]


    the shadow demon timely complimented, [¡°great and wise master, you are absolutely right!¡±]


    lucifer: [¡°shut up. eldora, do you know why i kept you?¡±]


    eldora humbly said, [¡°you must have your reasons, my ignorant subordinate dares not speculate.¡±]


    lucifer, rubbing his chin, spoke in a subtle tone, [¡°it¡¯s too foolish. i think, since you can enchant nogia, you should have some understanding of love. what do you think i should do with pei xia?¡±]


    eldora: just for this?


    [¡°i¡¯m not sure about this. you have your reasons, and i dare not speculate, foolish as i am,¡±] eldora replied timidly, his body turning into a fist-like shape as he continued, [¡°all-powerful master, perhaps you can evoke lord pei xia¡¯s pity as you did just now, then take the opportunity to dispel his defenses. killing two birds with one stone, and you can also see how much lord pei xia truly loves you!¡±]


    lucifer: [¡°you¡¯re stupid too. get lost.¡±]


    eldora: ¡°¡­¡±


    he left, rolling away with the shadow demon to secretly protect pei xia. as for lucifer, he stood in the light, pondering for a moment, muttering to himself.


    ¡°well, it¡¯s quite foolish, but not entirely without consideration.¡±


    on the other side, after running out of lucifer¡¯s room, pei xia was surrounded by the holy knights.


    the attempt to expose lucifer¡¯s true identity had failed. instead of revealing the unverifiable truth to them, the unknown state seemed safer. unable to explain, pei xia could only say: ¡°i have personal matters to attend to and must leave first. take care of yourselves, be safe, and never compromise your principles no matter when.¡±


    after leaving the small courtyard, pei xia felt lost.


    when he came to this world, he never thought of achieving great things or had something absolutely necessary to do. it seemed like his whole life revolved around lucifer. his simple wish was just to live a straightforward life.


    later, influenced by lucifer and many others, he began to integrate into this world and developed higher aspirations.


    but lucifer turned out to be fake.


    the central figure in his life plan was false.


    unfortunately, he had been deeply influenced by him.


    now that he had left lucifer, he surprisingly didn¡¯t know how to live alone. unconsciously, pei xia found himself at the abandoned temple of the church of light.


    although it had been cleaned, the vegetation was dense, and vines crawled up the walls, making it extremely eerie and frightening at night.


    pei xia arrived in front of the cracked and damaged statue of the light god. he knelt in front of the statue, looking low-spirited, and said, ¡°light god, do you really exist?¡±


    in the past, his devout faith was just a disguise. compared to the elusive deities, he believed more in lucifer. so, every time he prayed, he pretended to be serious but was lost in thought, occasionally praying for the male protagonist to favor him.


    but now, he harbored an incredibly strong desire for the god to truly exist.


    pei xia assumed a prayerful posture. more serious than ever, he said, ¡°great god of light, if you truly exist, please bless that lucifer really falls in love with me. perhaps, i can use love to change him. bless me to become stronger, just a bit stronger than lucifer, so i can stay by his side and prevent him from harming others.¡±


    after saying this, pei xia thought for a moment. feeling that both requests might be too challenging for a god, he changed his tone, ¡®if the first two aren¡¯t possible, then¡­ then let me stop loving him.¡¯


    the words were on the tip of his tongue several times, but pei xia couldn¡¯t bring himself to say them. in the end, he sighed, tapped his head, and left the pitiful statue of the light god.


    he searched behind the abandoned church and found a room where he could sleep. because it was too dark to see anything, pei xia casually tidied up, closed the door of the small dark room, and hugged a small light god statue before falling asleep.


    he was really exhausted, not just physically but also mentally. whether it was due to excessive fatigue or not, as soon as he closed his eyes, he uncontrollably sank into the realm of dreams.


    in the dream, he found himself in a brilliantly clean and grand cathedral, orderly and solemn. it seemed to be the main cathedral of the church of the light god.


    pei xia knelt in front of the statue, muttering prayers. however, as he continued, he lifted his head and was shocked.


    the statue of the light god had transformed into lucifer¡¯s face!


    with an elegant demeanor, lucifer emerged from the statue and stood in front of pei xia. he called pei xia¡¯s name, and the dream¡¯s haze and sense of distance disappeared.


    for a moment, pei xia woke up abruptly, but he was still in the dream. it was like a lucid dream, where he could consciously experience his dreams and even manipulate them.


    ¡°i¡¯m even dreaming about you now,¡± pei xia said, his emotions complex as he reached up to touch lucifer¡¯s face.


    anyway, it was just a dream, so it didn¡¯t matter how things unfolded. perhaps, only in dreams could he temporarily set aside all the chaotic matters and quietly enjoy being with him.


    lucifer reciprocated by holding his hand, his eyelashes trembling slightly, and a sorrowful expression. ¡°pei xia, i love you.¡±


    pei xia looked at him in astonishment. ¡°wow, lucid dreams are so cool. i make you love me, and you love me.¡±


    lucifer: ¡°¡­¡±


    pei xia angrily hammered him: ¡°you scoundrel, you liar! how could you do this? everything has changed. do you know how hurt i am?¡±


    lucifer looked at him pitifully: ¡°hit me if it makes you feel better. as long as you¡¯re not angry anymore, anything is fine.¡±


    ¡°this is what you said.¡± pei xia glanced at him, clenched his fist, took a step forward, and started punching the imaginary figure of his lover.


    lucifer commented, ¡°i thought it would be gentler, like little punches to your chest.¡±


    pei xia looked at him strangely, withdrew his hand awkwardly when he noticed no reaction from lucifer.


    ¡°well, even though it¡¯s just an imaginary person in a dream, venting a bit is enough. if it were real, i¡¯d feel a bit reluctant to hit you hard,¡± pei xia remarked.


    lucifer cupped his face, attempting to kiss him. pei xia closed his eyes and didn¡¯t avoid it.


    ¡°i didn¡¯t expect things to turn out like this,¡± lucifer whispered near his lips. ¡°i¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°sounds nice,¡± pei xia muttered.


    ¡°pei xia, i know you¡¯re still upset right now, but it¡¯s okay. i¡¯ll slowly tell you some things. trust me,¡± lucifer said.


    pei xia wasn¡¯t pleased hearing this. even if this person was fake, how could pei xia confirm the truth of what he was saying?


    ¡°i can¡¯t,¡± pei xia said honestly. ¡°your disguise is too perfect. i don¡¯t know how to confirm if you¡¯re lying again.¡±


    ¡°that¡¯s indeed a problem,¡± lucifer admitted. he thought for a moment, his gaze becoming extremely serious. he held pei xia¡¯s hand and said, ¡°pei xia, come find me. this time, as long as you¡¯re willing to trust me again, i¡¯ll tell you everything, absolutely everything. at that time, i¡¯ll prove to you how much of what i say is true and how much is false.¡±


    touched, pei xia pushed away his hand and wiped away tears. ¡°it¡¯s too real. this dream is too real! yes, i want this, but dreams are always just dreams.¡±


    too¡­sad¡­


    lucifer looked at him helplessly. ¡°a dream, huh? well, since you insist it¡¯s a dream, then¡­¡±


    because the most anticipated wish had been played out, pei xia felt terrible instead. he didn¡¯t know how to face this fake lucifer. he thought of making the other party disappear several times in his mind, but lucifer remained. helpless, pei xia could only turn away.


    but as soon as he turned around, the dream space changed, reverting to their initial bedroom.


    pei xia: ¡°wasn¡¯t this my dream? why does it keep changing!¡±


    lucifer just smiled without saying a word.


    pei xia was startled and instinctively turned back to see that lucifer had already laid down on the bed.


    underneath him was a deep red velvet bedsheet. he wore a pure black silk robe, and his golden long hair cascaded freely. the open neckline revealed a large expanse of fair skin and delicate muscles. below the wide hem of the robe were long, straight legs. he struck a seductive pose and gestured invitingly to pei xia.


    this was completely different from the usual lucifer. he smiled at pei xia with captivating eyes, a tempting appearance mixed with a dominating aura.


    ¡°pei xia, i was wrong,¡± he licked his lips, a plea in his eyes, a deliberate humility that effortlessly controlled the prey¡¯s heart.


    ¡°this is a dream,¡± pei xia said, dumbfounded, looking at this seductive lucifer who seemed like someone to be conquered, yet exuded a compelling dominance.


    lucifer sent a flirtatious glance his way, tugged at the silky waistband, and revealed his fair and slender muscles.


    pei xia raised his hand, covering his nose.


    ¡°it¡¯s all fake!¡±


    lucifer looked at him with a smirk, ¡°that¡¯s right, it¡¯s all fake. so there¡¯s no need to hold back. do whatever you want to me. see, you can¡¯t resist me. you feel ashamed and pained, but this is a dream, isn¡¯t it? anything goes in a dream. you don¡¯t have to worry about anything. tonight, i¡¯ll follow your lead.¡±


    pei xia couldn¡¯t resist. he involuntarily walked to lucifer¡¯s side, trembling, fists clenched.


    ¡°yes, it¡¯s a dream, it¡¯s all fake.¡±


    unable to resist temptation, so what? it¡¯s all fake, all of it is fake!


    he didn¡¯t have to worry about his life disappearing at an unknown moment, nor did he have to worry about the demon causing havoc on earth after getting bored. he didn¡¯t have to bear the guilt hanging on the cliff¡¯s edge. he could choose not to think about anything.


    but he was still angry. taking advantage of the dream, pei xia arrogantly pressed down lucifer¡¯s shoulder and declared boldly, ¡°i¡¯m going to drain you, so you can never harm anyone again and never seduce others!¡±


    lucifer, with a smile, adjusted his long hair, ¡°hmm, since that¡¯s the case, let you be on top.¡±


    as soon as he finished speaking, pei xia immediately looked at him warily, instinctively moving back a bit.


    lucifer clarified, ¡°i mean ride¡­ as in riding a horse, no other meaning.¡±


    pei xia breathed a sigh of relief and, in an exhilarated mood, kissed him.


    author¡¯s note:


    i made some adjustments to the previous chapter, changed shaz¡¯s part a bit, and modified the part about notifying the holy knights.


    this chapter is around six thousand words, equivalent to a double update. i¡¯m taking a break; it¡¯s exhausting. my wings are broken from all this ¡°guling¡±!

 CH 69

    after waking up, pei xia, feeling guilty, kicked the small statue of the god of light that had fallen on the ground under the bed. he had been holding it before falling asleep, but during the night, perhaps due to frequent tossing and turning, the small statue fell to the floor.


    dreaming in front of the god, especially with a demon, made pei xia, despite his thick skin, feel a bit guilty.


    subsequently, pei xia, somewhat troubled, stealthily grabbed his pants and went to find water to wash. unfortunately, when he fled, he didn¡¯t bring many things, and currently, he had no replacement clothes.


    if it were just ordinary dirt, he could endure it, but this, ah, must be washed.


    after washing, pei xia directly put on the wet pants. in this dilapidated abandoned church, he began contemplating life.


    kneeling in front of the tall statue with cracks, hands clasped together in front of it, slightly bowing his head, the expression on his face was very devout: ¡°oh, great god of light, that demon actually invaded my dreams, shaking my beliefs. i, your devout follower, just lost control for a moment, with absolutely no intention to submit. please, you must let the light bless me!¡±


    ah, if i must dream of him, then let me stay awake like last night!


    if not awake, at least let me control the content of the dream.


    otherwise, i¡¯m afraid of kidney deficiency.


    forget it, this morning, waking up, feeling weak in both loins, pei xia almost tripped.


    pei xia contemplated, involuntarily recalling the dream from last night. that dream was very realistic, everything in the dream was clear, and pei xia could still remember all the details.


    including what they said, including what they did.


    too depraved, but fortunately, it was just a dream.


    pei xia thought so, regarding it as just a dream, not to be taken too seriously. however, the words lucifer said in the dream kept him from letting go.


    he said to go find him, said he would tell him everything.


    clearly, it was just a dream, but pei xia still felt an impulse to go back and take a look.


    no, no! pei xia shook his head suddenly, raising his eyes, he met the benevolent eyes of the god of light, and he couldn¡¯t help but recall the scene last night when lucifer walked out of the statue of the god of light.


    in his heart, does he long for him so much, yearning to find a solution and explanation for all the difficulties?


    but now, pei xia also knows clearly that if he goes back, it won¡¯t be so easy to escape again.


    absolutely cannot go back!


    an hour later, pei xia, wearing a headscarf made of tattered cloth, sneaked through the streets and alleys toward the original courtyard.


    it is solemnly declared that he has no intention of going back!


    he is just, very innocent: first, he can¡¯t rest assured about buck and the others, wanting to see if lucifer will vent his anger on them. second, secretly tailing, searching for evidence and weaknesses of lucifer harming others. third, the most dangerous place is the safest place.


    yes, that¡¯s right, absolutely no other meaning!


    pei xia bought some food with the money he had brought out in advance, holding a piece of bread, squatting in a secluded corner, and nibbling while staring at that courtyard.


    because he woke up late today, it was already noon when he came.


    the courtyard was not open, and many believers came eagerly, only to leave disappointed.


    pei xia kept squatting until he saw a holy knight coming out, and then he breathed a sigh of relief. it seems that their expressions were normal, and they were still safe.


    in the following days, pei xia continued to secretly tail. he would come over every day to take a look but didn¡¯t dare to stay here all the time. the previously closed courtyard door was reopened, and believers flocked in, even nord and norsen came for a visit.


    this situation was too chaotic. pei xia was afraid of being discovered by familiar faces passing by, so he moved away a bit, prepared to avoid them and wait until nord and the others left before tailing again.


    as pei xia walked, he encountered a familiar person.


    ¡°are you pei xia?¡± ribe, holding a basket of vegetables, was not very sure.


    afraid of causing trouble, pei xia pretended she had mistaken the person and lowered his head, intending to leave quickly.


    but ribe had already recognized that he was the holy knight she knew: ¡°wait!¡±


    don¡¯t be fooled by ribe¡¯s petite stature; as a member of the rabbit race, her running speed is not slow. she rushed over in a few steps and grabbed pei xia¡¯s sleeve: ¡°wait, pei xia, i have a question.¡±


    however, she didn¡¯t have a chance to finish her sentence. it¡¯s not that pei xia wasn¡¯t cooperating, but suddenly, a large shadow came from the west, and people began to clamor and scream.


    the shadow swiftly descended, a massive and beautiful silver creature rushing with a fierce and chilling wind, its imposing presence overwhelming and frightening.


    pei xia¡¯s pupils contracted sharply. he reached back and pulled ribe, pressing her down to the ground. in the next moment, the beautiful creature swept low, the raging wind causing bamboo poles, stalls, and potted plants around to be scattered and toppled, turning the street into chaos.


    a dragon, a giant dragon!


    it was the silver dragon that pei xia and the others had seen on the road!


    pei xia¡¯s ominous premonition came true!


    after sweeping through the area, the dragon roared low from its throat, then headed in one direction. that direction was¡­


    trembling, pei xia got up and ran forward.


    ¡°pei xia, what are you going to do?¡± ribe asked worriedly. ¡°that¡¯s a dragon, very dangerous!¡±


    ¡°ribe, take care of yourself. i have to go see!¡±


    ¡°hey!¡±


    pei xia ran wildly, but he still couldn¡¯t catch up with the speed of the silver dragon. occasionally, he saw innocent orc beings on the road severely injured by mistake and had to lend a helping hand.


    the orc capital, beist, was in chaos, and people were in panic.


    something big seemed to have happened in the royal palace before, and the royal family kept silent about it. now, with the sudden attack of the dragon, the orcs were even more panicked.


    when the silver dragon appeared, the guards became alert. they rushed to support, but those far away couldn¡¯t run as fast as the dragon. those close by were intimidated by the dragon¡¯s pressure, making their legs weak, and they dared not pursue it.


    ironically, pei xia, in the vicinity, turned out to be the fastest pursuer.


    when pei xia finally arrived near the destination where the silver dragon had stopped, his heart tightened.


    you see, dragons are powerful and terrifying creatures, greedy and lustful, and quite unreasonable.


    the silver dragon unfolded its wings, almost the size of a small building, flying in the sky, exhaling a breath, and looking downward.


    below, there was lucifer¡¯s courtyard.


    the brave, selfless, kind, and pure light god¡¯s son stood at the forefront, raising his slightly pale beautiful face without any retreat, confronting the silver dragon. the wind generated by the dragon¡¯s wings blew his pure white robe like angelic wings.


    behind him, many people hid, protected by the barrier created by his light magic.


    lucifer seemed to glance in this direction.


    pei xia, leaning against a broken wall, involuntarily took a step forward.


    at this moment, the silver dragon emitted a deep yet deafening voice: ¡°you are truly beautiful.¡±


    pei xia: where did this rogue dragon come from?!


    the silver dragon had silver scales and silver eyes. in the sunlight, the entire dragon seemed as if carved from pure silver, exquisitely beautiful and domineering.


    the majestic silver dragon, overlooking from the sky, confronted the strong but fragile son of the light god, facing the fearful people hiding among the ruins. this scene was truly filled with artistic flavor.


    while flapping its wings, the silver dragon howled and roared: ¡°the dragon race is the greatest in the world and should have the most beautiful people in the world! i have finally found you, my beautiful bride!¡±


    after speaking, the silver dragon swooped down, heavily impacting lucifer¡¯s barrier.


    dragons can use dragon language magic, and at the same time, their physical bodies are terrifyingly robust. under the silver dragon¡¯s attack, the fragile barrier quickly shattered.


    the silver dragon extended its claws, instantly grabbing lucifer¡¯s waist and soaring into the sky with him. against the backdrop of the massive dragon body, lucifer appeared exceptionally delicate and slender. the terrifying claws pinched his waist as if they could snap him in the next moment.


    lucifer moved his arm, and the dragon¡¯s claws scratched his skin, the fresh red color soaking through the fabric of his clothes.


    ¡°fei fei!¡± pei xia shouted, his eyes tearing apart.


    lucifer happened to lower his head, his slightly sad gaze meeting pei xia¡¯s.


    at that moment, pei xia felt a deep connection, understanding that lucifer had actually noticed him long ago.


    unable to control himself, pei xia ran a few steps in the direction where the silver dragon and lucifer disappeared, until their figures vanished together. only then did pei xia come back to his senses.


    wait, what am i doing?


    lucifer is a demon; don¡¯t be deceived by him!


    he¡¯s so powerful; how could he be easily captured by a dragon? this must be a show, yes, it must be like that. but, but, his current condition seems fragile, he could be harmed even by pei xia. then the dragon could also harm him.


    maybe the dragon will kill him. in that case, is it a good thing or a bad thing?!


    pei xia painfully hammered his head.


    ¡°captain, where have you been these days!¡± the holy knights noticed pei xia and hurried over.


    buck, with red eyes, said, ¡°during the days you were away, the lord son¡¯s mood was very bad. where did you go?¡±


    pei xia couldn¡¯t find the words: ¡°i¡¯m sorry, about this¡­¡±


    now that lucifer has been taken away, should he tell them about lucifer being a demon?


    before pei xia could figure it out, tom choked a few times and suddenly stuffed a small box into pei xia¡¯s hand.


    ¡°here!¡±


    ¡°what is this?¡± pei xia looked puzzled at the neatly wrapped gift box tied with a ribbon in his hand.


    tom said, ¡°this is a birthday gift the holy son prepared for you!¡±


    pei xia was stunned.


    tom, a big man, choked up and said, ¡°the holy son has been preparing this in secret for a long time. he asked us not to reveal it. when the dragon came just now, the holy son said he had a premonition that he might not be able to personally give you this gift. so, he asked me to pass it on to the captain. what should we do? the holy son has been captured by the dragon!¡±


    a birthday gift, is it my birthday gift?


    pei xia was both bewildered and at a loss. wait, is pei xia christian¡¯s birthday coming up soon? no, his birthday is in winter, and last year he didn¡¯t celebrate it. how could lucifer know about it?


    even if investigated, it should be in winter when preparing a birthday gift.


    ¡°when is my birthday?¡±


    tom looked at him strangely and said, ¡°captain, isn¡¯t your birthday in three days?¡±


    ¡°in three days?¡±


    in three days, it¡¯s september 9th. wait! isn¡¯t this the birthday of pei xia in modern times?


    how could lucifer know?!


    the more pei xia thought about it, the more confused and fearful he became. at this moment, ribe, who arrived late, also rushed over.


    ¡°oh my goodness, i heard that the holy son was captured by a dragon.¡± ribe walked over worriedly, looking at everyone, and getting an affirmative answer.


    she clutched her clothes and looked towards the direction where the dragon flew, both touched and sad. ¡°the holy son, who can go and save the holy son? he is such a good person!¡±


    ribe covered her eyes and sobbed. ¡°just yesterday, he ordered a birthday cake from our restaurant. i wanted to ask him if he liked nut flavor.¡±


    a birthday cake, was it also ordered for me?


    buck encouraged everyone, ¡°the holy son is the one who can defeat great demons. he will be fine!¡±


    tom, disheartened, said, ¡°but dragons are much scarier than great demons. the magic of mature dragons is terrifying. their strength is even more formidable than great demons, and they have a physical form. with just their claws, they can tear down walls!¡±


    pei xia: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°captain, what should we do?¡±


    everyone looked at pei xia.


    taking a deep breath, pei xia gave the order, ¡°handle things here, i will go find lucifer!¡±


    ¡°we¡¯re going with you.¡±


    ¡°yeah, yeah! how can the task of saving the holy son leave me behind?¡±


    ¡°no, it¡¯s too dangerous!¡± pei xia sternly declared. ¡°i am the captain, listen to me. you stay here to clean up the aftermath; i¡¯ll go find the holy son!¡±


    everyone was startled.


    ¡°captain¡­¡±


    ¡°that¡¯s enough!¡±


    pei xia brought a horse and galloped towards the direction where the silver dragon disappeared.


    he couldn¡¯t bring others along. lucifer was a demon deceiving the world, and innocent people shouldn¡¯t be risked or even sacrificed for him.


    lucifer was the person pei xia cared about, even though this relationship was filled with deception. pei xia couldn¡¯t control himself from worrying about him.


    to find him, whether alive or dead, at least take a look.


    no, pei xia shook his head abruptly, telling himself in his heart: stay calm, be rational. you¡¯re only going to confirm whether this demon is truly dead, whether he¡¯s deceiving others again. this is fulfilling the duties of a holy knight!


    personal feelings are secondary. yes, absolutely no letting emotions dictate actions.


    but¡­


    he still wanted to ask him why he knew his real birthday and why he had done all this.

 CH 70

    when pei xia galloped out of the city, a column of orc soldiers caught up, led by prince norsen.


    ¡°hey, pei xia, wait!¡± norsen caught up with him and shouted, ¡°it¡¯s too dangerous for you alone. we¡¯re going with you!¡±


    pei xia felt a bit of a headache. in front of a dragon, unless there¡¯s a super powerful individual, going alone or with a hundred people makes no difference¡ªit¡¯s all a death sentence.


    on the contrary, he¡¯d be more covert alone.


    apart from that, just like refusing buck and others, lucifer¡¯s true identity was another important reason pei xia didn¡¯t want others involved.


    ¡°prince norsen,¡± pei xia helplessly said, ¡°it¡¯s very dangerous.¡±


    norsen shrugged, ¡°if it weren¡¯t dangerous, i wouldn¡¯t have come. lucifer is my father¡¯s benefactor and a friend of our empire. anyway, i can¡¯t just stand by and do nothing. pei xia, i must go with you!¡±


    ¡°there are some hidden reasons in this. i think it¡¯s not appropriate for you to come out. moreover, does prince nord know you¡¯re here?¡± nord is more stable, and pei xia had to use him as an excuse.


    ¡°what hidden reasons could there be? enough, pei xia, stop the nonsense. i don¡¯t want to be an ungrateful person. besides, if my brother didn¡¯t need to stay in the city to manage things, he would have come with me. alright, enough talking. maybe you alone can¡¯t even find the dragon. i am the prince, and what i say goes. let¡¯s go!¡±


    with the conversation reaching this point, unless pei xia tells norsen the truth about lucifer¡¯s identity, he can¡¯t find another reason to refuse and has no choice but to act with them.


    pei xia doesn¡¯t plan to reveal the truth to norsen now. after all, whether the other party will believe it is a question, and whether lucifer will clean up those who know the truth after coming out is also a concern.


    so, a group of people, led by pei xia and norsen, rushed towards the direction where the silver dragon flew.


    late at night, in the shadows behind the team, two shadows squeezed together.


    one said, ¡°all this is indeed within the expectations of my great master!¡±


    the other said, ¡°the master is not here. there¡¯s no need to flatter.¡±


    the shadow demon looked disdainfully at eldora, ¡°you understand nothing!¡±


    eldora sneered, showing no respect for his senior, ¡°a lowly demon without even a name can only stay by the master¡¯s side by flattery. but now that i¡¯m here, the master will soon abandon you.¡±


    the shadow demon emitted a silent roar, shaking souls, ¡°who said i don¡¯t have a name!¡±


    ¡°but the master has never called your name.¡±


    the shadow demon paused and said, ¡°that¡¯s because my name is a bit long.¡±


    ¡°huh???¡±


    the shadow demon continued, ¡°my name is labrador comiaskuloyanizmi.¡±


    eldora: ¡°¡­¡±


    the shadow demon added, ¡°my middle name is clacri.¡±


    eldora: ¡°enough!¡±


    the shadow demon gave a noble and cold glare at his junior, ¡°hehe, i really don¡¯t understand why the master keeps someone like you, rude, fierce, evil, and cunning, by his side.¡±


    eldora sarcastically said, ¡°isn¡¯t a demon called a demon because it¡¯s rude, fierce, evil, and cunning? is there such a thing as a gentle, kind, helpful demon in this world?¡±


    the shadow demon thought for a moment and said, ¡°yes, there is. the master is one.¡±


    eldora was speechless.


    ¡­


    this journey wasn¡¯t very long. pei xia and the others traveled day and night, inquiring along the way. finally, on the third night, they found the silver dragon¡¯s lair¡ªa prominent mountain.


    the mountain was covered with lush green grass and sparse trees. under the moonlight, it appeared exceptionally tranquil and beautiful. at the top of the mountain, there was a conspicuous large cave emitting a suppressed aura, making people involuntarily feel weak even before approaching.


    intuition advised the body: danger, run away quickly!


    just as they reached the foot of the mountain, the horses neighed and refused to move forward. pei xia dismounted and handed his black horse to a soldier, saying, ¡°this is far enough. your highness, please wait down here.¡±


    norsen was somewhat angered, feeling that pei xia didn¡¯t treat him as a brother. ¡°no, i¡¯m coming with you!¡±


    pei xia cleared his throat. ¡°there are too many people, and making too much noise might alert the enemy. i¡¯d like to go up first to quietly assess the situation.¡±


    norsen insisted, ¡°then let¡¯s go together, just the two of us.¡±


    pei xia politely declined, ¡°your highness, even your movements might attract attention.¡±


    norsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    however, before they could even decide on a plan, a silver light shot out from the cave. the dragon spread its wings, emanating a domineering aura, but its posture upon emerging seemed oddly awkward.


    ¡°roar!¡±


    the dragon¡¯s roar was deafening, accompanied by a fierce wind. pei xia covered his ears, crouching on the ground. horses panicked, some kneeling, others running, creating chaos on the scene.


    well, no need to figure out who should go up; the dragon they wanted to subdue came out on its own.


    after the silver dragon¡¯s roar, it flew at a low altitude, uttering a series of dragon language spells. countless water projectiles appeared out of thin air, mercilessly knocking everyone, except pei xia, unconscious.


    as a result, only pei xia remained standing on the scene.


    what does this dragon mean? pei xia pulled out his sword, assuming a defensive posture against the imposing presence that could easily crush him. fear was inevitable, but he couldn¡¯t just run away.


    ¡°human, i admire your bravery!¡± the dragon¡¯s voice was thunderous, resonating like thunderclaps.


    pei xia looked at it skeptically. the moonlight turned the surroundings as bright as daylight, revealing the majestic dragon clearly. pei xia asked, ¡°why do you appreciate others¡¯ bravery?¡±


    the silver dragon replied: ¡°¡­¡±


    pei xia: ¡°why?¡±


    silver dragon: ¡°so, i¡¯ve decided to keep you alone and give you a chance to challenge me!¡±


    pei xia: ¡°why?¡±


    the silver dragon angrily snorted, ¡°no why, no, no, no! i just want to appreciate only you, can¡¯t i?¡±


    pei xia: ¡°i was asking, why is your tail bald?¡±


    silver dragon: ¡°¡­¡±


    the silver moonlight bathed the earth as if draping the world in a shimmering thin veil. this warm and clear radiance sprinkled onto the silver dragon, enhancing its mysterious and majestic beauty.


    however, behind the mighty, perfect, and powerful body of the silver dragon trailed a tail that was bald for more than half of its length, adding a touch of peculiar humor to this otherwise breathtaking masterpiece.


    pei xia found it strange. when he saw the dragon in beist city, its tail was perfectly fine.


    the silver dragon shivered, and the broad wings stirred up a gust of wind. it involuntarily recalled the demon¡¯s whisper: he will come, he won¡¯t come, he will come, he won¡¯t come.


    bending its neck, the silver dragon glared angrily at pei xia. ¡°why didn¡¯t you come earlier?¡±


    pei xia innocently replied, ¡°i did my best. it¡¯s just that you fly too fast.¡±


    the silver dragon roared in frustration, flapping its wings. tears glistened at the corners of its eyes. being enchanted by the demon¡¯s beauty was the biggest mistake of its life, but it had to continue following the demon¡¯s instructions.


    ¡°enough, stop the nonsense.¡± the silver dragon sniffed, and a wave of light distorted around its body. in no time, the silver dragon vanished, and a boy with silver armor, silver hair, and silver eyes appeared on the ground.


    pei xia¡¯s pupils contracted. he hadn¡¯t expected the terrifying dragon to transform into a cute boy.


    this feeling was somewhat subtle.


    the silver dragon boy, hands on hips, said, ¡°human, i give you a chance to challenge me. for fairness, i won¡¯t use the body and magic of a dragon. if you defeat me, you can take the princess back!¡±


    pei xia asked, ¡°princess?¡±


    the silver dragon boy replied, ¡°if you defeat me, you can take the beautiful bride back!¡±


    pei xia erupted in anger, ¡°have you already married him?!¡±


    the silver dragon boy broke down, ¡°stop cursing me!¡±


    pei xia chuckled, ¡°heh heh.¡±


    the silver dragon boy held his forehead, feeling both urgent, annoyed, and exhausted. ¡°enough, i¡¯ve had enough. please, do it quickly!¡±


    although pei xia didn¡¯t understand why this dragon unexpectedly behaved so reasonably, he cautiously approached, holding his sword, ready to challenge this young boss.


    at the moment, it seemed that challenging him was the only option.


    the battle ended surprisingly fast, like a poorly made 3d game. the protagonist casually swung his long sword a few times, and the boss exaggeratedly yelled, flying backward on his own.


    ¡°ah, i lost! brave knight, you won. take the princess away!¡±


    pei xia squinted, feeling angry. at this point, if he couldn¡¯t see that something was wrong, he would truly be a fool.


    after the silver dragon boy happily flew out and then tumbled on the ground, not moving at all, pei xia didn¡¯t bother with him. he needed to find the real culprit.


    sheathing his sword, pei xia bit his lip tightly. his face moved involuntarily due to the anger within, his brows furrowed, and his eyes bright. climbing up the mountain without stopping, he finally reached the cave.


    inside, the cave was brightly lit, not by moonlight but by the treasures inside reflecting the torchlight, making the whole cave glitter with gold and brilliance.


    in this cave filled with gold coins and gemstones, the most captivating sight for pei xia was a golden-haired beauty sitting quietly on a wooden box.


    dressed in a thin robe, simple yet elegant, exuding a lonely aura, as if one person was an entire world, disconnected from everything around.


    the once pristine white robe now had a bit of dust on it, with some tears at the corners, showing signs of disarray. yet, the straight spine still appeared exceptionally noble.


    hearing the footsteps approaching, lucifer slowly raised his head. a faint smile appeared on his pale face. ¡°pei xia.¡±


    pei xia clenched his fists, his body trembling uncontrollably. the irrational fury gradually disappeared, replaced by growing fear.


    damn it, how did he get deceived by this demon again? he did it on purpose; he must have done it on purpose. this demon was adept at toying with people¡¯s hearts, deliberately luring him here. there must be a conspiracy.


    he shouldn¡¯t have come. he definitely shouldn¡¯t have come up here after sensing something was wrong.


    now that this demon had successfully lured him close, what would happen next?


    pei xia couldn¡¯t restrain the fear in his heart. he wanted to escape, and he should escape, but pei xia was just too exhausted. not only was his body tired, but his soul also felt lethargic.


    this lethargy stemmed from a poignant emotion. pei xia¡¯s heart was in turmoil, words failed him, and fear and anger intertwined, leaving him unsure how to face lucifer. in the end, he emitted a painful, hoarse cry from his throat and turned to leave.


    lucifer abruptly stood up, fluttering towards him like a wisp in the wind. his once pristine robe now resembled the ragged wings of a butterfly caught in the rain. he swiftly embraced pei xia from behind.


    ¡°i knew you would come, pei xia. you can¡¯t let go of me. you love me!¡±


    only at times like this would he fall from the pedestal, gaining a touch of humanity.


    pei xia was tightly held by the man behind him. the strong arms enveloped him, leaving him with no escape. the slightly cool body temperature made him both attached and frightened. the faint floral scent made him involuntarily indulge.


    his entire being was under lucifer¡¯s control. his heart beat fervently for him, his body softened and tingled under his touch, and even his soul began a painful tearing, torn between plunging into the sea of lies and remaining in the rational church.


    ¡°of course, i love you.¡± pei xia, angry and aggrieved, with a hint of fear, retorted, ¡°otherwise, why would i be deceived by you again and again, lucifer? it¡¯s not right. perhaps even this name is fake. what do you really want? is playing with me so amusing?¡±


    he attempted to believe him once more, only to be deceived again.


    lucifer nuzzled against his neck, sighing lightly. ¡°i¡¯m sorry, pei xia.¡±


    pei xia¡¯s eyes reddened, uncertain how to respond to this apology.


    ¡°that day, i happened to see you.¡± lucifer recounted, ¡°i didn¡¯t plan it; it just occurred to me that i could make you come to me willingly like this. after all, you don¡¯t trust me at all, you fear me. but i¡¯ve said before, as long as you come to me, i¡¯ll tell you everything. fortunately, you believed me again.¡±


    ¡°what does that mean?¡± pei xia asked, his voice husky.


    lucifer, embracing his hand upward, gently pinched his chin, forcing him to turn his head back to meet his gaze. ¡°forgot already? i promised you. as long as you¡¯re willing to believe me again, i¡¯ll tell you everything. i¡¯ll prove the truth to you, prove my sincerity.¡±


    pei xia was somewhat bewildered. ¡°why?¡±


    ¡°aren¡¯t you a demon? a malicious being playing with human hearts? how could you really bow to a weak human?¡± is this real, or is it another game of emotions?


    lucifer sighed helplessly and looked at him with gentle eyes. ¡°but before that, there¡¯s one more thing.¡±


    ¡°what?¡±


    he stood with his beloved from behind at the entrance of the cave on the top of the high mountain. in the profound night sky, the silver mysterious moon unabashedly displayed its beauty.


    lucifer reached into pei xia¡¯s pocket from behind and took out a small box, the birthday gift he had prepared for him, forgotten by the anxious and worried holy knight.


    ¡°the moon has gone west; it¡¯s past midnight, pei xia, happy birthday.¡±


    with lucifer¡¯s elegant and enchanting voice, the gift box was opened, revealing two silver rings inside.


    they were rings!


    pei xia involuntarily held his breath, his gaze fixed on the two rings, unable to look away.


    lucifer took out one of the silver rings engraved with pei xia¡¯s name and magical pattern and placed it in pei xia¡¯s trembling hand, instructing him to put the ring on his1lucifer ring finger.


    it was not just a ring; it was also a contract. lucifer let pei xia face him, holding onto the second silver ring with a magical pattern engraved with lucifer¡¯s name.


    ¡°wear it, and you will forever have me,¡± lucifer said, enticing anyone with an offer that was impossible to refuse.


    pei xia stared at him for a long time before raising his hand in front of him.


    ¡°i¡¯m not very smart,¡± pei xia said hesitantly, ¡°i don¡¯t know which of your words is true or false, don¡¯t know how to correctly fathom the human heart, and don¡¯t know how to protect myself. this time, i believe you again, not because i¡¯ve judged whether you are trustworthy, but because i want to believe you.¡±


    when he saw these two rings, pei xia unexpectedly had a ludicrous thought¡ªeven if the outcome is being eaten, he still wants that silver ring and the contract.


    ¡°i understand,¡± lucifer held his hand, brought the ring to the base of his ring finger. ¡°no matter how many lies, at least i have never lied to you about this¡ªi love you, pei xia.¡±


    after the ring was put on, a mysterious silver light flashed, and lucifer cupped pei xia¡¯s face, deeply kissing him.

 CH 71

    a lingering and sentimental kiss almost left pei xia breathless. he tried to push lucifer away but trembled all over due to a strange sensation, unable to control himself.


    as if a gentle breeze embraced his entire body from his fingertips, then seeped into his soul, fluid like water, smoke-like, mingling to form an invisible bond, connecting pei xia and lucifer together.


    at this moment, they possessed each other, touching each other¡¯s souls.


    their spirits soared. pei xia felt weightless, his brain relaxed, lazily stretching everything. then, pei xia saw the hidden iceberg beneath the sea surface.


    trying to escape, he was surrounded by gentle waves, gently rippling, moistening every inch.


    pei xia seemed to have turned into a pliable dough, making fragmented whimpering sounds. at this moment, he almost completely lost control, trembling, falling into lucifer¡¯s embrace.


    after an unknown amount of time, pei xia, with a dazed expression, gasped for breath and raised his head. ¡°what just happened?¡±


    lucifer pressed his lips with his fingertips. ¡°our souls embraced.¡±


    pei xia was shocked. ¡°is this even possible?¡±


    he almost thought he was going to die, but it turned out to be a delightful experience.


    but after a long while, pei xia came back to his senses. he was still alive, and a hot sweat covered his back. feeling somewhat uncomfortable, he stepped out of lucifer¡¯s embrace and stood upright.


    after all, they hadn¡¯t completely reconciled yet, and pei xia felt it was necessary to maintain some distance at this time.


    ¡°lucifer,¡± pei xia twirled the ring on his finger, cleared his throat, and shifted the conversation. ¡°you said you would tell me everything.¡±


    as he spoke, pei xia dared not look at him, fearing to see a mocking expression on his face.


    ¡°how do you explain killing the real lucifer?¡± pei xia asked in a muffled voice.


    lucifer thought for a moment, and tapped pei xia¡¯s forehead with his finger, surprising him. smiling, lucifer said, ¡°although there¡¯s nothing wrong with saying i killed him, strictly speaking, the original lucifer wasn¡¯t really a living being.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°huh?!¡±


    ¡°let me start from the beginning,¡± lucifer grinned. ¡°let me take you to a place.¡±


    ¡°what¡ª¡± pei xia hadn¡¯t finished his question when he felt lucifer¡¯s hand pressing on his forehead. immediately, that strange sensation of the soul being pulled away reappeared. but this time, he only felt incredibly comfortable, weightlessly drifting, without the tingling sensation reaching the point of unconsciousness.


    soon, pei xia realized that his soul had truly left his body!


    pei xia¡¯s soul floated in the air, seeing his physical body collapsing softly into lucifer¡¯s arms. the two stood together at the cave entrance, leaning against each other as if they were sculptures.


    am i going to be eaten? is my soul going to be devoured?


    if he knew how to cry with his soul, pei xia would have burst into tears on the spot.


    ¡°pei xia,¡± a voice, or rather a fluctuation, directly entered pei xia¡¯s soul.


    turning around, pei xia saw lucifer¡¯s soul. he still had that incredibly beautiful appearance, but the aura within him was extremely terrifying and awe-inspiring.


    surprisingly, pei xia was not afraid of him; on the contrary, he felt very safe. this feeling came from the contractual connection between them, making pei xia instinctively trust and be close to him.


    pei xia moved slightly, and soon his hand was held by lucifer, the touch soft and comfortable. lucifer didn¡¯t devour him but led him upward.


    at some point, they seemed to have left the mountain, the cave entrance, the vast land¡ªor one could say they had left that world altogether. up, down, left, right, everywhere was a profound night sky adorned with sparkling stars. they had somehow arrived in the midst of the stars!


    lucifer set up a barrier, assuring their safety. pei xia knew this, but he couldn¡¯t shake off the psychological fear ingrained by the creatures of the mainland, mainly the fear of falling.


    of course, he was well aware that such a situation wouldn¡¯t occur. but looking at the deep starry sky beneath his feet, he still felt a slight suffocation, even though souls couldn¡¯t be choked.


    this time, pei xia didn¡¯t ask again. he knew that lucifer intended to confess everything to him.


    lucifer embraced pei xia, and the closeness of their souls almost made pei xia melt again.


    ¡°wait a moment, let¡¯s get to the point. i¡¯m feeling a bit uncomfortable like this.¡±


    lucifer opened his hands and chuckled. ¡°alright, pei xia. do you know where you are now? this is a world of novels.¡±


    pei xia was greatly surprised. ¡°you know too?!¡±


    ¡°of course.¡±


    lucifer proceeded to tell pei xia some things he didn¡¯t know: ¡°in the vast universe, there are countless worlds, perhaps parallel or independent, some complete and some fragmented, without complete life and soul. it¡¯s like an egg, needing time to incubate and the right temperature to hatch into a chick.¡±


    lucifer is a demon in one of the countless worlds. of course, the designation may vary across different worlds; sometimes, he¡¯s called the lord of the abyss, and other times, the god of darkness, but that¡¯s not important.


    he admitted this to pei xia, acknowledging that his power is somewhat overwhelming, potent enough for temporal travel and catalyzing the formation of worlds.


    ¡°i stumbled upon this small world,¡± lucifer smiled, ¡°because the core of this world happens to be named lucifer, just like me. you know, i sometimes feel quite bored and decided to come play.¡±


    although having the same name is common, the formation of a new world from a discontinued novel like this is quite rare. it requires many coincidences to happen at an extremely low probability.


    the world was still in a confused and ignorant state. moreover, because the world relied on the novel that stopped updating, it was in a dangerously precarious state, ready to collapse from its semi-formed state at any moment.


    after entering the world, lucifer catalyzed the formation of a complete world. at that time, the male protagonist lucifer was just a shell without independent consciousness. lucifer unceremoniously occupied his body (although even with independent consciousness, lucifer wouldn¡¯t be polite).


    under lucifer¡¯s catalysis, the world came alive. the hazy mist was dispelled, and everything became clear and vibrant.


    the souls of living beings solidified, gaining self-awareness. plants bloomed and bore fruit, and animals developed distinct characteristics. in pei xia¡¯s understanding, it was like turning a flat comic into a 3d animated film.


    at this point, pei xia had already understood the role lucifer played in this story. he indeed was a demon who occupied the body of the real male protagonist. it could be understood as him stifling the embryo of the male protagonist. however, without lucifer¡¯s involvement, this world would have been just an empty shell.


    pei xia became more and more aware of the intricacies: ¡°so, if it weren¡¯t for you, buck and the others would just be zombies?¡±


    ¡°no, worlds are different from each other. the birth and formation of this kind of world are not straightforward,¡± lucifer explained. ¡°when the accumulated power reaches a critical point, the world will erupt, forming everything in an instant. but before that, the world will be in a peculiar state.¡±


    not everyone¡¯s bodies stand on the ground waiting for the soul to activate. instead, it¡¯s like a murky river water that instantly becomes clear and layered.


    so, the people and things in this world can¡¯t even be considered as zombies; they can only be described as being in a state of waiting to take shape.


    pei xia seemed to grasp the explanation from lucifer, and the most unsettling point for him finally found solace. a wave of relaxation washed over pei xia.


    pei xia couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°great, fei fei!¡±


    strictly speaking, lucifer didn¡¯t kill the male lead; he just prevented him from being born. without lucifer, everything in this world might have vanished.


    pei xia looked at lucifer with admiration, ¡°i¡¯m sorry, fei fei. i misunderstood you. you¡¯re not a villain; you¡¯re a creator, a savior!¡±


    lucifer showed a slight smile and looked at pei xia with a subtle expression. he spoke calmly, ¡°pei xia, i¡¯m not as benevolent as you imagine. i have also extinguished lives. i hope you can understand that, just like ants, cats, dogs, cows, and sheep are to you, to me, many times they can¡¯t be seen as equal existences.¡±


    hearing this, pei xia was momentarily stunned, but he quickly snapped back.


    yes, lucifer was different. he had thought of him as a simple demon before. although demons and humans were not the same, their levels were quite close in the same world.


    but now, lucifer was even more powerful than he had imagined. he had reached the level of a deity. was humanity really that important to gods? perhaps, in the eyes of gods, humans were like ants.


    pei xia felt a bit inferior. how could he, with his limited abilities, attract the attention of someone like lucifer?


    as this feeling of inferiority emerged, he felt a profound and genuine tenderness, all emanating from lucifer. the sensation of being loved made pei xia understand that self-pity was a disservice to lucifer.


    taking the initiative, pei xia held lucifer¡¯s hand and said earnestly, ¡°i will try my best to understand you. however, since you chose me, you must also understand me. i won¡¯t harm ants, cats, or dogs, or take the lives of cows and sheep beyond necessity. at the same time, i have enemies, and i will kill humans to protect myself. this is my principle, fei fei. you¡¯re so smart; you must understand, right?¡±


    lucifer lightly kissed his forehead, ¡°i understand.¡±


    if it weren¡¯t for the soul contract, pei xia might still doubt whether lucifer was lying and deceiving, but the connection between their souls made pei xia unable to doubt him at all.


    they could clearly feel each other¡¯s intentions, their souls intertwined, forever unable to betray each other.


    at this moment, pei xia suddenly remembered some questions, ¡°wait, since you also know this is a novel, then, didn¡¯t you know about me from the beginning?¡±


    lucifer nodded, a perfect smile on his face, ¡°exactly. from the moment i first saw you, i knew you were an unexpected surprise.¡±


    this surprise not only made the dull game he initially perceived with interest but also became the biggest delight in his eternal journey.


    pei xia was speechless, ¡°is that so?¡± he had thought of not revealing his ability to predict the future in front of lucifer.


    ¡°pei xia, your arrival in this world might be related to me,¡± lucifer continued. ¡°probably when i entered this world, i accidentally caused a temporal rift and sucked you in.¡±


    pei xia exclaimed, ¡°how careless!¡±


    before pei xia could get angry or react, lucifer added, ¡°but it¡¯s okay; i can send you back.¡±


    pei xia was astonished, and the surprise came too fast for his heart to handle.


    feeling the excitement of his beloved, lucifer chuckled, ¡°not only your original world, but i will also take you through countless worlds in the cosmic sky, one by one.¡±


    pei xia, overwhelmed with excitement, couldn¡¯t find words to express his feelings.


    in the end, pei xia made a sound, and then tightly hugged lucifer.


    without saying anything more, lucifer covered pei xia¡¯s eyes, letting him quietly absorb this information. when pei xia calmed down from the turbulent emotions, lucifer removed his hands.


    pei xia opened his eyes, only to be startled by the sudden surprise.


    ¡°this¡­ isn¡¯t this my room!¡± it was his room in modern society. he was back?!


    holding pei xia¡¯s hand, lucifer led him to the bedside where a quiet and sleeping shell lay¡ªpei xia¡¯s original body.


    lucifer said leisurely, ¡°the flow of time varies between worlds, and the distortion of the spacetime tunnel is different. pei xia, you can return to this body, and experience modern life for a while.¡±


    ¡°what about over there?¡± pei xia asked, ¡°what about our bodies? and what about norsen and the others down the mountain, as well as buck and the responsible knights? he must be really worried.¡±


    lucifer said, ¡°don¡¯t worry, we can go back anytime, as long as we control the passage of time travel, we can return to the moment we just left.¡±


    pei xia muttered, ¡°things happened too quickly; it feels like i¡¯m dreaming.¡±


    lucifer smiled and pushed him lightly, saying, ¡°whether it¡¯s a dream or not, you¡¯ll know when you wake up.¡±


    pei xia collapsed onto the bed, feeling a pull and exhaustion. unconsciously, he drifted off to sleep. the sleep was deep and sweet. when pei xia woke up in a daze, he hadn¡¯t fully come to his senses.


    he thought he was a holy knight until he opened his eyes and saw his boxers and cell phone, gradually recalling everything before falling asleep.


    pei xia¡¯s first reaction was to grab the phone on the bedside table. the battery was still at forty percent, and the date displayed was the second day of his time-traveling slumber. he leaned down and kissed it.


    ¡°thank you, my dear phone. thanks to you, i met fei fei. don¡¯t worry; i won¡¯t throw you into the refrigerator!¡±


    putting the phone down, pei xia rubbed his eyes and went to look for lucifer, only to find that he wasn¡¯t in the room.


    right, when lucifer came over, he was in soul form, so he couldn¡¯t see him. would he go and occupy someone else¡¯s body?


    at that moment, a familiar voice came from outside the door, ¡°pei xia, get up; it¡¯s time to eat.¡±


    it was fei fei!


    pei xia excitedly pushed open the door and saw lucifer sitting elegantly at the table on the narrow balcony, turning to smile at him.


    ¡°fei fei!¡± pei xia hurriedly walked over and found two simple breakfasts on the table.


    ¡°is this your new body?¡± pei xia was somewhat surprised, reaching out to touch it, confirming that it was indeed a tangible existence.


    lucifer calmly explained, ¡°it¡¯s the soul. when the soul becomes powerful enough, it becomes as substantial as a physical entity. that world is still in its infancy, too fragile to accommodate my entire soul. therefore, i could only enter with a portion. but this world is complete and powerful, allowing me to descend with most of my strength after sealing it.¡±


    seemingly understanding yet not quite, pei xia sat across from lucifer. he looked at the fried eggs, milk, and bread in front of him, hesitating. ¡°did you cook this on the gas stove?¡±


    lucifer did something pei xia couldn¡¯t comprehend, suddenly conjuring a tall red wine glass. then, he opened a just-retrieved coca-cola from the refrigerator, pouring the dark brown liquid into the wine glass with a gurgling sound.


    in pei xia¡¯s refrigerator, there was only cola, milk, and mineral water.


    ¡°it¡¯s magic.¡± although he had been to similar technological civilizations, using magic was simpler, faster, and more stylish.


    just like this drink.


    pei xia silently watched as lucifer elegantly swayed the glass like drinking red wine and then savored the iced cola. he didn¡¯t know whether to remind him to drink a little less; this thing was prone to cause hiccups.


    watching the gracefully poised lucifer, pei xia pondered for a moment but decided not to speak up.


    now, he was curious about something else: ¡°fei fei, what do you really look like?¡± he wondered if souls also had a fixed appearance.


    of course, pei xia wasn¡¯t the kind of lecherous person. even if lucifer looked ugly, he wouldn¡¯t mind.


    lucifer sent him a smiling gaze, ¡°just like i look now.¡±


    pei xia was surprised, ¡°are you identical to the original male lead?¡±


    lucifer shook his head, ¡°no, this is my original appearance.¡±


    as it turned out, although the male lead lucifer was beautiful, he was, after all, a human and within the range of human beauty. however, the novel exaggerated his appearance too much, making it highly unreasonable. this was also a bug that delayed the formation of this world.


    after lucifer took over the male lead¡¯s body, to rationalize the protagonist¡¯s design, he let this body manifest his own appearance.


    pei xia, in a daze, realized that he had always thought lucifer¡¯s beauty was inhuman, and indeed, his face wasn¡¯t human.


    ¡°by the way, aren¡¯t you a demon? how come you¡¯re so skilled in light magic?¡± pei xia asked.


    lucifer took a sip of iced cola and whimsically revealed a truth that could terrify all followers of the light magic church: ¡°i didn¡¯t think the god of light was qualified to accept my worship, so i devoured him.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°¡­¡±


    lucifer innocently smiled at him.


    no wonder he dreamed of lucifer walking out of the statue of the god of light. speaking of dreams, pei xia quickly looked at him, ¡°lucifer, can you, can you enter dreams?¡±


    lucifer raised an eyebrow, ¡°ah, that¡­¡±


    pei xia firmly grasped his chopsticks and protested, ¡°you promised not to lie to me again!¡±


    lucifer pondered for a moment, ¡°did i? well, let¡¯s say that if you claim i did, then i did.¡±


    ¡°yes, you can.¡±


    lucifer flicked his golden hair and revealed a charming side profile. he slowly said, ¡°i learned about your birthday from a dream as well.¡±


    pei xia, holding a half-bitten fried egg, fell into contemplation. gradually, his face turned red and hot again, as if he could fry another egg on it.


    after a brief silence, he made a quiet request, ¡°then you can¡¯t just enter my dreams casually. even if you enter, make it a lucid dream like last time.¡±


    ¡°last time?¡± lucifer raised an eyebrow.


    pei xia awkwardly scratched his face, ¡°yeah, that time.¡±


    ¡°fine, i promise you.¡± lucifer smiled and let him off.


    lucifer sipped his cola, pei xia drank his milk, and as the delicious breakfast went down, pei xia, in the midst of eating, suddenly started shedding tears.


    lucifer stopped swirling the wine glass in his hand and put it down. he reached out his long and elegant fingers, gently touching pei xia¡¯s chin, tilting his face to make him look at him.


    ¡°fei fei,¡± pei xia was overwhelmed with emotions, tears welling up in his eyes. he said, ¡°i never thought i¡¯d see this day.¡±


    before the time-travel, he thought he would grow old alone, and even after the journey through time, he was prepared for a life of singleness and hard work.


    but it was too fortunate, unbelievably fortunate, to the point that it left him sincerely awestruck.


    lucifer looked at him with deep affection and said tenderly, ¡°you¡¯re starting to cry now; you might be exhausted later.¡±


    pei xia made a puzzled snort, ¡°huh?¡±


    lucifer¡¯s smile deepened, ¡°have you forgotten again? i told you that for every wrong name, you have to do it one more time. pei xia, how many times have you called me the wrong name so far?¡±


    pei xia was dumbfounded, ¡°wait, my body isn¡¯t that strong right now!¡±


    lucifer was very considerate, ¡°when the body is tired, we can switch to the soul.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°¡­¡±


    finally, after an unknown amount of time passed, pei xia¡¯s soul seemed to blossom like fireworks. he felt profound joy and happiness, his soul filled with deep emotion.


    pei xia cried and trembled, kissing the contract ring on his ring finger. he was embraced by the most beloved person, sinking into bliss.


    lucifer whispered in his ear, ¡°pei xia, in any world, we will always belong to each other. i will always be with you, love you, and have you.¡±


    pei xia and lucifer¡¯s souls merged, and he gave everything he had: ¡°lucifer, i love you.¡±


    the vast starry sky, the majestic universe, they vowed to walk through countless worlds together. the future, an endless journey, awaited them.


    yet, no matter where they went, pei xia and lucifer would love and accompany each other, forever and ever.


    death and rebirth never ceased, worlds might collapse, and the universe might vanish, but love would remain eternal.


    ¡ª¡ª end of the story ¡ª¡ª


    author¡¯s note:


    oh my, the completion flag surprisingly didn¡¯t fall, how delightful! congratulations, congratulations!


    haha, getting down to business. a big thank you to all the little angels who accompanied me along the way, accompanying xia xia and fei fei to the conclusion. because of you, gugu yan was able to persist. love you all, muah muah muah!


    xia xia and fei fei¡¯s story, as written in the ending, has an endless journey awaiting them in the future. their story will be very long, but gugu yan¡¯s lifespan is limited, so we¡¯ll end it here.


    oh, there will be an extra chapter later, so don¡¯t leave in a hurry~


    after the complete conclusion, i hope to continue the journey with you all in the next story!


    the next one will be about why the demon lord is so delicate, and after that, i¡¯ll write about the mysterious boyfriend.


    big goo spreads its wings: flying away!


    translator¡¯s corner:


    coming up next will be the extras¡­

 CH 72

    extra chapter: about the matter of me supporting you


    thanks to the cheating guy, lucifer, pei xia could freely travel between two worlds, but doing it too frequently would be exhausting. so, the two of them decided to live in modern society for a while before returning.


    now, here comes the problem.


    although pei xia is an otaku, he is also a working office drone. his otaku side mostly manifests in staying at home after work.


    on the first day back, pei xia got lost in sweet moments with lucifer. he wasted the whole day, sleeping like a log in the bed. around four or five in the afternoon, his boss, unable to bear it any longer, called with a life-or-death tone.


    pei xia answered the call in a daze, sat up in shock, and apologized profusely with a smile on his face.


    after barely managing the call, pei xia breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against the bed, motionless.


    lucifer played with his fingers and asked, ¡°work?¡±


    pei xia nodded, ¡°i almost forgot about the whole work thing.¡±


    lucifer kissed his fingers, ¡°quit.¡±


    pei xia hesitated, ¡°without a job, there¡¯s no salary. what do we do without a salary?¡±


    living expenses, without exception, require money. pei xia¡¯s savings were not ample enough to let him live without working for a lifetime.


    although lucifer is a god-like being, do gods receive a salary?


    lucifer, in a leisurely manner, said, ¡°don¡¯t worry, i¡¯ll support you.¡±


    ¡°how?¡± pei xia was curious about what lucifer was planning to do.


    lucifer raised a finger to his lips and made a shushing sound, ¡°it¡¯s a secret.¡±


    pei xia chose to believe in lucifer. in his heart, lucifer was omnipotent, and if he said something, there was nothing he couldn¡¯t do.


    so, pei xia resigned immediately. however, after applying for resignation, he still needed to continue working for a while to facilitate the handover process. pei xia, being a responsible person, didn¡¯t like others to suffer losses because of him, so he had to work for another month.


    the next day, pei xia went to the company. colleagues who had a good relationship with him came to express their concerns. suddenly, someone pointed to his neck and asked, ¡°pei xia, what¡¯s up with your neck? oh, don¡¯t tell me you have a girlfriend now?¡±


    pei xia hadn¡¯t come out in the company, so he scratched his neck and smiled shyly, temporarily avoiding the topic.


    however, towards the end of the day, colleagues suddenly started discussing something. it turned out that just a moment ago, a weibo hot search was rapidly climbing, and the location of this hot search was in city a, where pei xia lived!


    pei xia perked up his ears and heard keywords like fake, special effects, beautiful, foreigner, etc. he was very curious, so he clicked on a hot search called ¡°street angel.¡± the result made him almost drop his phone in disbelief.


    the first headline of the hot search was #streetangel# astonishing scene on the streets of city a ¨C is the mysterious man an angel or a fairy?


    it was a short video, very clear. the protagonist of the video was none other than lucifer, who was cuddling with pei xia just that morning.


    in the video, lucifer stood at the intersection of xingdong road. people around him were captivated by his beauty, staring at him without being able to look away, causing the intersection to become more and more congested. in the end, even the drivers inadvertently lost their focus.


    a small car suddenly went out of control and crashed into the crowd. startled by this car, other cars behind and across from it began to show signs of a chain reaction. just as a tragic accident was about to happen, the golden-haired beauty, who was the center of everyone¡¯s attention, divine and not like an ordinary person, did not dodge or avoid. he suddenly raised his hand.


    the out-of-control vehicle flipped suddenly, soaring into the sky!


    more than a dozen cars at the intersection, about to collide, all rushed into the sky. then, they slowed down smoothly and descended with a slow and gentle posture.


    a commotion erupted among the crowd, and everyone took out their phones to capture the scene.


    lucifer sighed lightly, took two steps in the full view of everyone, and gradually disappeared in the bright sunlight.


    the first comment: [this is true! i was there, and i guarantee with my life that the video is not fake!!!]


    pei xia put down his phone, feeling his blood pressure rising continuously. when he picked up his phone again, he suddenly found that the trending topic had disappeared.


    not only did the trending topic disappear, but all related videos, images, and information also vanished.


    ¡°pei xia, did you see the trending topic just now?¡±


    pei xia chuckled, ¡°yes, i saw it.¡±


    ¡°eh, do you think it¡¯s real or fake? could it be a movie shoot?¡±


    pei xia said slowly, ¡°uh, i don¡¯t know.¡±


    a curious colleague said, ¡°i think it¡¯s a special effect with a fake person! if there was someone that good-looking, they would have become a big star by now.¡±


    pei xia said slowly, ¡°i think it looks pretty real.¡±


    ¡°oh, come on! haha.¡± the colleague obviously didn¡¯t take it seriously, chatted for a few more sentences, and then stopped bothering pei xia.


    pei xia breathed a sigh of relief, but with the trending topic gone and the entry for #streetangel# blocked, people¡¯s curiosity and rebellious spirit only grew stronger. pei xia dared not look at various speculations online.


    as soon as it was time to get off work, he hurriedly walked out. however, as he walked, he noticed that people in the company were running downstairs like crazy.


    pei xia¡¯s expression changed when he caught certain keywords again. he hurriedly rushed downstairs and saw lucifer standing in the company lobby, waiting to pick him up after work.


    a crowd had formed a circle, but they didn¡¯t dare to get too close to him. therefore, a vacuum zone appeared around lucifer. they looked at lucifer with curious, fearful, and vaguely fascinated eyes, discussing quietly with the people around them.


    pei xia rushed over, grabbed lucifer¡¯s hand, and asked, ¡°fei fei, why did you come here?¡±


    ¡°fei fei?¡± unexpectedly, it¡¯s such a cute name. wow, could he be a girl? colleagues whispered to each other.


    ¡°oh my god! pei xia actually knows this person. he pretended to be ignorant with me just now!¡±


    ¡°wait a minute, i think i¡¯ve discovered something.¡±


    ¡°what?¡±


    ¡°ahem, don¡¯t you think there¡¯s something, you know, between pei xia and him?¡±


    however low the voice, lucifer could still hear it. so, he furrowed his eyebrows slightly and raised them, ¡°girl? is there anything wrong with ¡®fei¡¯?¡±


    pei xia: ¡°no, no, they¡¯re just overthinking. let¡¯s go home quickly!¡±


    ¡°hmm.¡± lucifer looked at him thoughtfully and then took pei xia¡¯s hand to head home.


    pei xia didn¡¯t dare to look back. he couldn¡¯t face the gaze of his colleagues in the company and began to worry about how to face them tomorrow.


    still on the way home, pei xia¡¯s wechat was flooded with messages from curious colleagues. he didn¡¯t know how to respond, so he simply ignored them all.


    however, the problem was quickly resolved. just as pei xia and lucifer returned home, they were surrounded by several soldiers dressed in cool outfits, armed with guns and swords.


    inside the house, there were only a few special forces, along with a few people dressed in suits or traditional robes who seemed to be leaders.


    not only was the house packed with people, but there were also quite a few hidden outside.


    pei xia: although i knew there would be such a situation when i saw the trending topic, i was still shocked by the scale and speed.


    the other party was sent by the national authorities. faced with the sudden appearance of lucifer, a bizarre being with formidable power, they had to control the situation to prevent any accidents.


    as for why they didn¡¯t just directly apprehend him, the advice from the experts was unanimous: never antagonize him.


    pei xia could understand their approach. lucifer only cared about him. he cryptically said, ¡°i only care about pei xia,¡± and then allowed pei xia to communicate with them.


    pei xia was very cooperative, and the leaders found him accommodating. finally, through communication, they reached a consensus agreement:


    first, as the only chinese citizen capable of restraining lucifer, pei xia needs to fulfill his civic duty and do everything in his power to prevent any possibility of destructive behavior by lucifer.


    second, as lucifer¡¯s guardian, pei xia must ensure that lucifer acts discreetly and must not engage in activities that would make the headlines, like what happened today.


    third, pei xia is granted the special status of an external civil servant with a monthly salary of 100,000 rmb. special needs can be reported for reimbursement (e.g., buying a car or a house) and can be assisted by the authorities after negotiation with superiors (e.g., international travel).


    fourth, the authorities will monitor pei xia and lucifer to a certain extent (pei xia expressed tactfully that this is not very realistic, but the other party stated that they still have to go through the motions).


    fifth, in special circumstances, pei xia and lucifer must cooperate to the best of their ability with national work.


    these five points are the main components of the agreement. the focus of the authorities is to have pei xia take full-time care of lucifer and make sure he doesn¡¯t cause any trouble.


    pei xia¡¯s key point is: making money while in a relationship, it¡¯s like having a stable job! i¡¯ve hit the jackpot!


    as for his original company, the leaders waved their hands, indicating that pei xia doesn¡¯t need to go there from tomorrow, and that they will handle the communication with the company.


    the leaders reluctantly left. it¡¯s not that they wanted to leave like this, but apart from this, they couldn¡¯t find a better solution. they could only hope for the best with pei xia.


    the bank¡¯s confirmation message arrived very quickly. looking at the numbers on it, pei xia laughed so hard that his eyes disappeared. he stood on the balcony, waving goodbye to them.


    afterward, back at home, pei xia bumped into lucifer¡¯s shoulder, looking at him with admiration and joy, ¡°fei fei, so this is what you meant by wanting to support me. you¡¯re amazing!¡±


    this could also be considered another way of him supporting me.


    lucifer looked at him with a smile that wasn¡¯t really a smile and said, ¡°i didn¡¯t say it like that.¡±


    ¡°well, isn¡¯t it?¡± pei xia held his phone and looked at him in confusion.


    lucifer didn¡¯t know how to tell pei xia that he went out in the afternoon just because he thought pei xia liked working. influenced by pei xia, he wanted to experience the feeling of working here. as a result, the son of god sought employment, but before he could complete it, he met an untimely demise. the subsequent events, well, it wasn¡¯t intentional manipulation on his part.


    but looking at pei xia¡¯s bright eyes, lucifer decided, ¡®forget it, let¡¯s not spoil his wonderful misunderstanding.¡¯


    and it¡¯s a good thing he didn¡¯t, or else pei xia would surely have told him seriously and earnestly: ¡®i don¡¯t like working at all!¡¯


    lucifer¡¯s hand rested on pei xia¡¯s shoulder, and a delicate, beautiful smile graced his night-like face. his voice, like celestial music, echoed in pei xia¡¯s ears, ¡°that doesn¡¯t matter, pei xia. right now, we have another matter to discuss.¡±


    pei xia, captivated by him, asked, ¡°what is it?¡±


    ¡°the culture here seems particularly profound. perhaps we should talk about matters related to homophones1words that have the same pronunciation but different meanings, origins, or spellings. they may or may not have the same spelling. i think what lucifer meant here was when ¡®fei fei¡¯ was mistaken as a girl xd.¡±


    feeling overwhelmed, pei xia protested, ¡°isn¡¯t this too nitpicky? it¡¯s just a nickname, hiss! be gentle, please!¡±


    lucifer chuckled lightly at his neck. of course, he wasn¡¯t so petty as to be bothered by such things. terms of endearment were just an excuse to tease pei xia.

 CH 73

    after living in modern society for a while, lucifer brought pei xia back to the world of the novel.


    before coming back, pei xia seriously memorized things like the extraction process of sugar and the tofu-making process. he was eager to enrich the recipes for his friends and contribute to the culinary culture of the continent.


    lucifer was a bit surprised when he learned about this: ¡°why not let me handle it?¡±


    pei xia scratched his head, chuckled, and said, ¡°i know fei fei is very smart and capable of doing many things. precisely because of this, if fei fei is not interested in doing something, i don¡¯t want you to force yourself for my sake. i can handle it myself.¡±


    as for lucifer, as long as he did what he liked, it was enough.


    lucifer pinched pei xia¡¯s cheek and pulled it, saying, ¡°maybe i should be more proactive to make you rely on me more.¡±


    pei xia grumbled, ¡°i already rely on you enough.¡±


    after pei xia¡¯s soul went to the other side, the body in modern society fell into a dormant state. when they were there, they still leaned against the entrance of the cave, bathing in the moonlight.


    time had passed for just a few minutes.


    after returning to this body, pei xia moved a bit, flexing his arms to feel his muscles. ¡°when we go back later, i need to do some exercise there too.¡±


    speaking of this, he felt a bit melancholic. ¡°will i have to start training from scratch every time i go to a new world?¡±


    lucifer hugged his waist and, with him in tow, jumped directly from the mountaintop. the wind whistled, and his golden hair trailed behind him like the tail of a comet.


    ¡°once the soul is powerful enough, you can influence the body with the soul, or even directly manifest the soul. don¡¯t worry; i¡¯ll teach you slowly.¡±


    after landing on the ground, pei xia was surprised to find that the silver dragon youth hadn¡¯t left yet.


    ¡°why is he still here?¡±


    lucifer glanced at him and said, ¡°dragon races make excellent mounts. do you like it, pei xia? it¡¯s a gift for you.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°oh, so now i¡¯ve become a dragon knight!¡±


    lucifer gestured with his finger, and the silver dragon youth immediately felt a looseness on his body. he hurriedly got up, turned around, and looked at the two with resentment: ¡°ah! you deliberately tricked me. you reconciled so quickly. waaah! i don¡¯t want to be a human mount!¡±


    pei xia scratched his head, facing this shota-like silver dragon, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a strange sensation of adults bullying children.


    ¡°actually, i¡¯m not that interested in being a dragon knight.¡±


    blow my hairstyle in high altitude? no, thank you.


    the silver dragon youth, upon hearing pei xia¡¯s words, was overjoyed and nodded vigorously: ¡°exactly, being a dragon knight is boring. and i just came of age this year. you can¡¯t bully me. i just¡­ waaah!¡±


    he became sadder as he spoke, and couldn¡¯t help but wipe his tears with the back of his hand: ¡°i just followed the ancient customs to snatch a bride. mom, dad, you deceived me!¡±


    (far away on dragon island, dragon dad and dragon mom: oh no, where did our son go? could he have taken bedtime stories seriously and gone out to cause trouble?!)


    pei xia was speechless. however, not considering him as a mount didn¡¯t mean they would let him off easily.


    ¡°because of your wilfulness, beist suffered significant losses, and numerous people were injured. all of this is your fault!¡±


    the final resolution was that the silver dragon youth had to hand over the accumulated wealth in his cave to the orc kingdom as compensation and personally assist in repairing the damaged buildings.


    considering that dragons are rare and have a powerful and special status, nobody made excessive demands. this was an acceptable resolution for both sides.


    norsen and the others were awakened by lucifer, puzzled about how the battle suddenly ended, but as long as the outcome was good, it was enough.


    they transported the silver dragon youth¡¯s wealth and walked towards the capital together. on the way, norsen held a silver disc with a very cautious expression.


    ¡°what¡¯s wrong?¡± pei xia asked.


    norsen said, ¡°do you feel this is familiar?¡±


    pei xia: ¡°where is this from?¡±


    ¡°found it in the cave.¡±


    pei xia couldn¡¯t help but worry as he glanced at the silver dragon youth reluctantly following behind. he leaned over to norsen and whispered, ¡°he might have a skin disease. let everyone stay away from him and be careful not to get infected.¡±


    norsen: ¡°okay!¡±


    don¡¯t know why the suddenly estranged captain and the holy son reconciled, the holy knights were puzzled, but genuinely felt joy.


    ribe brought delicious cakes. in this world, pei xia spent a lively birthday surrounded by the blessings of loved ones and friends.


    this is the liveliest, happiest, and most joyful birthday he has ever had.


    afterward, the group from the church of light continued their journey, crossing grasslands, traversing snow-capped mountains, and circling back to the central cathedral of the church of light.


    at this point, the journey through the northern half of the entire continent was considered complete, and they would head south to explore the remaining half of the continent.


    in the central cathedral of the church of light, andre, the red-haired knight who had been eagerly awaiting the holy son for a long time, received news that was no less shocking than a bolt from the blue.


    pei xia, this audacious and ambitious guy, had actually taken possession of the lord saint!


    andre¡¯s wandering soul drifted into the cathedral, witnessing pei xia and lucifer praying in front of the statue as usual.


    they seemed to be whispering to each other. ah, this pei xia, the falsely pious fellow, has even corrupted the lord saint!


    pei xia quietly asked lucifer beside him, ¡°fei fei, does praying to the god of light count as praying to you?¡±


    the perfectly poised and expressionless lucifer replied, ¡°you can interpret it that way.¡±


    pei xia suddenly felt a belated sense of shame: this is too cunning. all those times i said things like ¡°my heart belongs only to the god of light,¡± isn¡¯t that equivalent to confessing to lucifer?


    after the prayer, the two walked out of the hall and came face to face with the red-haired youth andre. as a loyal knight left at home, he was informed upon the return of faith that the other party already belonged to someone else. andre¡¯s eyes were filled with anger, mixed with sorrow and pain.


    in the midst of this complex gaze, pei xia inexplicably began to feel guilty.


    ¡°lord saint, greetings.¡± after the exchange of pleasantries, andre swiftly turned his gaze to pei xia and declared, ¡°pei xia, i challenge you!¡±


    pei xia: ¡°???¡±


    andre spoke with righteousness, ¡°as a holy knight, we have long sworn to dedicate our entire body and mind to the god of light. how can you, driven by personal desires, lead the lord saint astray? duel with me, and if you lose, leave the lord saint!¡±


    having just discussed related matters with lucifer, pei xia couldn¡¯t help but give him a subtle glance.


    indeed, many religious figures have spoken about dedicating their entire body and mind to the god of light. in that case¡­


    lucifer responded with an innocent smile.


    ¡°i accept your challenge, but i don¡¯t accept your conditions,¡± pei xia fearlessly declared. ¡°the lord saint and i are genuinely in love, and we will not be separated under any circumstances!¡±


    ¡°you!¡±


    ¡°enough, andre,¡± lucifer calmly intervened. ¡°as pei xia said, if he is forced to leave, i will leave with him. andre, this is a love permitted by the gods. even if you inquire with the god of light, the deity would not object.¡±


    andre couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°lord saint, have you really fallen in love with pei xia?¡±


    lucifer, without concealing anything, nodded and said, ¡°yes, for the harmony of everyone, i¡¯m sorry, andre. i will transfer you out of my team.¡±


    heartbroken, andre couldn¡¯t accept it. ¡°even so, i will challenge pei xia.¡±


    the result of the challenge was unquestionable¡ªandre lost. however, he refused to admit defeat, covering his face and leaving unsteadily, saying in grief and anger, ¡°i won¡¯t give up!¡±


    watching his retreating figure, pei xia couldn¡¯t help but sigh. the power of a devoted fan was truly frightening.


    turning around, pei xia held lucifer¡¯s hand and reassured him, ¡°i will handle andre properly, fei fei, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    lucifer blinked gently, smiling at him. he did have some concerns, but they had nothing to do with andre.


    because he noticed that the usually honest pei xia had become increasingly cunning lately, especially in the flexible use of nicknames. ironically, lucifer had to keep his word when speaking to pei xia.


    it always felt like, in a certain aspect, while appearing to have the upper hand on the surface, behind the scenes, pei xia was orchestrating something.


    well, it added a bit of fun.


    in the midst of the strongest noon light of the god of light¡¯s power, andre meticulously set up an altar for divine worship. with an exceptionally strong faith, he prayed fervently before the statue of the god of light.


    finally, the deity responded to him!


    andre was overjoyed and quickly complained to the deity, ¡°your favored one, your messenger lord lucifer, he has been misled by a human! please issue a divine oracle to separate them!¡±


    the vaguely defined god of light smiled slightly and said, ¡°they are truly in love, perfectly matched, destined for each other. no one can destroy their love.¡±


    andre: ¡°¡­¡±


    after this day, andre turned dark. specifically, he decided to betray the god of light and turned to embrace darkness!


    hah, what god of light? it¡¯s just a symbol of ignorance and decay, hypocritical and insincere!


    in the strongest midnight darkness, andre meticulously set up an altar to communicate with the demon. with an exceptionally strong faith, he prayed fervently before the statue of the demon king.


    soon, the demon king responded to him!


    andre was overjoyed and quickly told the demon about his distress: ¡°i want to separate a couple. can you tell me how to do it?¡±


    the misty-eyed demon king laughed arrogantly, ¡°this is easy! tell me, who do you want to break up?¡±


    andre devoutly told the devil: ¡°it¡¯s the lord saint lucifer of the church of the god of light and the holy knight pei xia by his side.¡±


    demon king: ¡°hahaha, who did you say?!¡±


    andre patiently repeated: ¡°it¡¯s the lord saint lucifer of the church of the god of light and the holy knight pei xia by his side.¡±


    the demon king fell silent for a long time and said, ¡°they are truly in love. give up, child. the world is vast; we¡¯ll meet again someday!¡±


    andre: ¡°¡­¡±


    then andre woke up. he packed up and decided to leave on his own initiative. he wanted to return to his distant hometown and contribute to the development of scientific endeavors!


    what light, what darkness, what deity, what devil, all false.


    only science is the sole truth!


    regarding andre¡¯s sudden change in attitude, pei xia felt very curious. as a rival in love, he didn¡¯t have the heart to ask andre directly but quietly added some travel expenses when they saw him off together.


    pei xia had a strange intuition; he felt that this matter seemed to be related to lucifer. given their relationship, pei xia didn¡¯t hesitate to ask directly:


    ¡°fei fei, do you know why andre suddenly decided to leave?¡± despite his strong determination to break them up and his apparent mischief, nothing happened, and andre gave up on his own. it¡¯s just too unscientific!


    after a moment of contemplation, lucifer¡¯s bright eyes formed crescent moons. he extended a finger to lightly tap his rosy lips, and the corners of his lips lifted, appearing extremely pleased: ¡°probably because he was influenced by our love.¡±


    as soon as these words were uttered, pei xia felt goosebumps all over his body. he couldn¡¯t help rubbing his arms, chuckling nervously: ¡°ahaha, that¡¯s too exaggerated, too cheesy! don¡¯t say that to others; it damages our image!¡±


    lucifer even obediently nodded: ¡°okay, i¡¯ll only say it to you.¡±


    turning his head, pei xia was approached by someone else who was equally curious, asking why andre, another devoted knight fascinated by lucifer, suddenly left.


    pei xia grinned and said, ¡°of course, he was influenced by the love between me and the lord lucifer!¡±


    author¡¯s note:


    here, this novel comes to a complete end~


    here, gugu yan wants to pray to the great god of light. please let all the little angels who have subscribed to this work give it a five-star rating on the work details page!


    all the stars will turn into constellations, illuminating the journey of the holy son and xia xia in the universe.


    bling bling~ that¡¯s love!


    this western fantasy novel¡¯s world is like a half-formed and incomplete little universe, where everything is still in the early stages of construction.


    translator¡¯s corner:


    there are still two extra chapters left¡­

 CH 74

    during boring times, there¡¯s always a need to find something to spice up life.


    recently, they returned to modern society, with lucifer shedding his holy identity to live a different life with pei xia.


    from pei xia, lucifer learned something he hadn¡¯t paid attention to before ¨C reading romance novels. this was a leisure activity pei xia enjoyed, and it was through this that he encountered lucifer when crossing over.


    when lucifer asked for recommendations, pei xia directly gave him his green jijiji account. lucifer quickly read the novels, showing no expression while reading. three days later, he said to pei xia: ¡°it¡¯s a website that¡¯s exceptionally pure in some aspects and interesting in others.¡±


    ¡°as long as you like it.¡±


    ¡°but, i suddenly noticed a problem.¡± lucifer sadly rested his chin on his hand, opening a recently read novel, ¡°look.¡±


    he pointed to a section: ¡°although the specific process is deleted, from the context, the protagonist being drugged, sold, blindfolded, and such¡­¡±


    pei xia: ¡°so?¡±


    lucifer looked at him innocently, ¡°don¡¯t you find it interesting? this kind of behavior seems to deepen the emotional communication between the protagonist and others. why don¡¯t we try this game?¡±


    pei xia: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°and there¡¯s this novel.¡± lucifer said enthusiastically, ¡°the protagonist falls in love with their lover who is a teacher, despite being a student. they face opposition from everyone around them, ignore societal judgments, and get into a car accident¡­¡±


    pei xia: ¡°is that the main point?!¡±


    lucifer closed his phone, ¡°of course, they eventually end up together triumphantly.¡±


    pei xia roughly understood what he was trying to do, somewhat helpless, ¡°if it were you, the thing getting thrown around would be the car, right?¡±


    lucifer elegantly took a sip of cola, saying, ¡°not necessarily.¡±


    of course, your acting skills are so superb.


    ¡­


    lucifer is extremely proactive. when he wants to do something, he almost immediately goes ahead and does it. so, pei xia had to ¡°break up¡± with him, even though it was a bit embarrassing. but if that¡¯s what he wants to play, pei xia will obediently go along with it.


    meanwhile, to go along with lucifer¡¯s game, pei xia enrolled in a japanese language class. after all, having graduated from university two years ago, if he wanted to be a proper student, he could only aim for postgraduate studies. but that¡¯s not something that can be accomplished quickly, so for now, he decided to make do with playing along with the ¡°holy son.¡±


    the next day, in a mysterious manner known only to lucifer, he appeared as the teacher in the japanese language class, dressed in a sharp white shirt and black trousers.


    to avoid letting his appearance impact his daily life too much, he altered his image to make his features more ordinary, approaching the likeness of an average person. nevertheless, he remained stunningly beautiful.


    internet users are generally forgetful, and with the passage of time and various efforts, the once-popular #streetangel# has been largely forgotten by most people. yet, there were still those who, upon seeing lucifer, would connect him with that past.


    after becoming the teacher and student on the first day, the two pretended not to know each other. on the second day, lucifer decided to keep pei xia behind for some ¡°extra lessons.¡±


    ¡°teacher, this is too close,¡± pei xia earnestly portrayed the image of a student tempted by the teacher but tormented by ethical considerations.


    lucifer adjusted his tie, enveloping pei xia between his arms and the desk in the narrow space, smiling, ¡°why, feeling hot?¡±


    holding a pen, pei xia said, ¡°i can¡¯t concentrate on studying like this.¡±


    ¡°how about this, then?¡± lucifer¡¯s slender fingers slid from his shoulder down his back, ¡°still hot?¡±


    blushing, pei xia said weakly, ¡°teacher, i want to go home!¡±


    ¡°no, you can only leave after finishing the assignment,¡± lucifer insisted.


    pei xia meekly protested, ¡°i¡¯ve only been studying for two days!¡±


    lucifer feigned surprise, ¡°is it that the teacher didn¡¯t teach seriously, or did pei xia not study diligently?¡±


    pei xia, helpless, hastily completed a paper. unexpectedly, lucifer, playing the role of the teacher, was quite conscientious and actually began grading the papers diligently.


    pei xia¡¯s score was 36 points.


    most of it was guessed correctly.


    as night fell, lucifer¡¯s expression suddenly darkened. in this quiet atmosphere, pei xia was genuinely startled by his change in demeanor. he couldn¡¯t help but reflect on whether he had been too careless.


    ¡°pei xia, you did not pass,¡± lucifer said in a silky and graceful voice, like a violin.


    pei xia lowered his head, admitting his mistake, ¡°i¡¯m sorry, teacher.¡±


    ¡°now that you know you¡¯re wrong, accept the punishment obediently,¡± lucifer said with a cold expression.


    pei xia had question marks in his mind, unsure of what punishment he was referring to. it couldn¡¯t possibly involve a car accident, could it?


    in this situation, he dared not ask directly, so he followed lucifer towards ¡°home¡± as instructed.


    according to the current setting, it was the teacher¡¯s home, not the student¡¯s. the 1.8-meter-tall pei xia obediently followed behind the man, feeling like a primary school student. unable to bear it, he raised his hand to cover his face.


    upon finally returning home, lucifer closed the door behind them with a flick of his hand, his eyes gleaming. he said, ¡°now, to punish your eyes for not paying attention to the blackboard, the teacher will blindfold you.¡±


    as he spoke, he single-handedly loosened his own tie.


    unable to resist, pei xia took a step back, realizing that he might be serious. this involuntarily filled him with a vague thrill, causing his body to tremble.


    he obediently closed his eyes, allowing lucifer to blindfold him. now, in front of him, everything was pitch black.


    lucifer took pei xia¡¯s hand and slowly led him forward. in the darkness, pei xia could only follow closely to avoid stumbling. the feeling of relying on the other person made him unable to resist leaning forward, finding comfort in the faint fragrance emanating from lucifer.


    he was led into a room, and a strange sound echoed.


    pei xia swallowed nervously and asked, ¡°teacher, what are you doing?¡±


    lucifer smiled, ¡°i¡¯m going to tie you up.¡±


    pei xia tightly bit his lower lip.


    lucifer chuckled, ¡°what¡¯s wrong? are you scared?¡±


    pei xia excitedly nodded, ¡°yes!¡±


    lucifer: ¡°¡­if you¡¯re scared, don¡¯t act so spirited.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°¡­yes.¡±


    lucifer pinched his chin and said coldly, ¡°there are still other activities to come.¡±


    in any case, in pei xia¡¯s exaggerated performance, the teacher-student punishment game continued. lucifer played with great enthusiasm, satisfying multiple desires in one go, making him look forward to this game.


    unfortunately, it seemed that pei xia had truly immersed himself in it. his progress in learning increased, and lucifer had fewer opportunities to punish him.


    why was that?


    unable to stay in character, lucifer asked him. pei xia looked puzzled, ¡°i spent money on this, can¡¯t waste it!¡±


    lucifer: ¡°¡­¡±


    it seemed that in some aspects, pei xia was more serious than him.


    ¡­


    another issue with the teacher-student game was that no one was obstructing their relationship. in novels, the role of the obstacle is usually played by the student¡¯s parents, friends, or the teacher¡¯s colleagues and superiors, but¡­


    pei xia innocently said, ¡°i haven¡¯t had much contact with my parents for a long time.¡± his friends were few, and the close ones would only congratulate him on his relationship; they didn¡¯t really care about it. as for the teacher¡¯s superiors and colleagues¡­ in this japanese language learning class, things weren¡¯t that strict!


    lucifer rested his chin in his hands, feeling a bit frustrated.


    why, oh why, was there no one to obstruct them? why was their love so smooth sailing?


    as they say, without difficulties, create difficulties.


    so, on this particular day, lucifer got into a car accident.


    when pei xia visited him in the hospital, the situation was extremely awkward. despite having no visible injuries, lucifer insisted on staying in the hospital. the nurses, captivated by the charm of the holy son, wished he could stay indefinitely. when they saw pei xia visiting, their smiles became even more ambiguous.


    ¡°teacher, are you okay?¡± pei xia asked with concern while peeling an apple for him.


    lucifer, looking pale, weakly said, ¡°the doctor said i have leukemia.¡±


    pei xia replied, ¡°don¡¯t make up stories about yourself!¡±


    lucifer continued, ¡°the doctor said i only have three months to live.¡±


    pei xia sighed, ¡°well, as long as you¡¯re happy.¡±


    compared to worrying about lucifer¡¯s leukemia, pei xia was more concerned about the psychological well-being of the ¡°hero¡± who hit him with the car. however, pei xia received an unexpected phone call that left him both surprised and amused.


    it was from his ¡°boss,¡± expressing gratitude to lucifer for helping catch a long-hidden fugitive who had been posing as a driver and happened to be the one who collided with lucifer.


    however, the joy didn¡¯t last long. pei xia soon realized that the ¡°obstruction¡± experience that lucifer wanted to go through had arrived, albeit in an unbelievably coincidental way.


    pei xia¡¯s father, whom he hadn¡¯t been in contact with for a long time, arrived at the city hospital with pei xia¡¯s grandmother. originally residing in the county, they came to the city hospital for treatment after pei xia¡¯s grandmother suffered a stroke. coincidentally, it was the same hospital where lucifer stayed, though not on the same floor.


    due to the cleaning staff going in and out, the door was left open and forgotten. pei xia¡¯s father happened to pass by as he was getting his meal and saw a young man standing by the bedside, placing a bouquet of lilies into a vase. soon after, the man, whom he found irresistibly attractive, pulled someone down onto the bed, and they shared a passionate kiss.


    pei xia¡¯s father¡¯s expression changed instantly, reminding him of his unreliable son from his previous marriage. his mood took a turn for the worse. but what made it even worse was when the man in the black jacket broke free, revealing a face that overlapped with the memory.


    ¡­this guy was pei xia!


    he never expected to suddenly encounter pei xia, let alone in this situation.


    the lunchbox he was holding fell to the ground.


    sitting on the hospital bed, lucifer made a curious sound and noticed the middle-aged man at the door. he signaled pei xia to take a look, only to see pei xia¡¯s expression suddenly change.


    the father and son awkwardly locked eyes. pei xia quickly regained composure, politely greeted his father, and inquired about his health. his father, with a stiff expression, warned him not to bother his grandmother, trying to prevent her from getting more upset.


    pei xia assured him, ¡°don¡¯t worry; i know you don¡¯t welcome me. i won¡¯t disturb you.


    lucifer slowly squinted his eyes.


    afterward, pei xia¡¯s father left with a cold expression. pei xia sat on the chair in a daze for a moment, only to be gently lifted up by lucifer under the chin to regain his senses.


    ¡°as a teacher, it is my duty to understand the family background of my students,¡± lucifer scrutinized.


    pei xia muttered under his breath, ¡°you¡¯re not a serious teacher at all.¡±


    lucifer continued, ¡°the doctor said i have leukemia¡­¡±


    pei xia interrupted, ¡°alright, alright, i get it.¡±


    there wasn¡¯t much to say, really. pei xia¡¯s father had an affair back then, and the situation was unpleasant with pei xia¡¯s mother. after their divorce, they each remarried and formed new families with new children. pei xia became the ¡°burden¡±, growing up under the alternating care of both sides and his grandmother.


    during high school, he stayed at the school dormitory, and during breaks, only his grandmother took him in. however, even his grandmother didn¡¯t like him, finding pei xia dull and annoying, as he was the child of her former daughter-in-law.


    the so-called home was not even as comfortable as the school dormitory, just a place lent to him for sleeping and eating.


    later, when he came out, it became even worse. his father and mother used the threat of university tuition fees to coerce him. pei xia didn¡¯t succumb to their pressure and pretended to be heterosexual; he endured it on his own.


    in the end, he had severed ties with all his relatives in this tumultuous affair.

 CH 75

    but grandma was the one who had raised him for the longest time, even if her treatment towards him wasn¡¯t particularly good, there was a debt of nurturing.


    so, pei xia said, ¡°i want to see how serious her illness is. i have some money now, and using it for her treatment is a way to repay her.¡±


    from then on, their paths truly diverged.


    after a moment of contemplation, lucifer suddenly lifted the blanket and changed into a formal suit.


    ¡°what are you going to do?¡±


    lucifer didn¡¯t answer him; instead, he directly took pei xia¡¯s wrist, walked through the hospital corridors under the bright lights, inquired about the room, and arrived at grandma pei¡¯s ward.


    ¡°xiao xia¡­¡± lying on the sickbed, grandma pei spoke with a crooked mouth, drooling, struggling to recognize the visitor, calling out his name with unclear words.


    as people age, their bodies weaken day by day. in such a situation, the heart becomes exceptionally soft, as if all previous conflicts can be ignored.


    but just because she wanted to ignore them didn¡¯t mean others felt the same.


    in the hospital room, there were also father pei, uncle pei, aunt pei, and a cousin.


    uncle pei, aunt pei, and the cousin all had surprised expressions, and under the oppressive beauty, they displayed a hesitant reaction.


    pei¡¯s father was full of anger, abruptly stood up, and before he could utter a word, lucifer gave him a faint glance, causing him to subconsciously fall silent.


    the middle-aged man¡¯s abundant social experience allowed him to effortlessly recognize this excessive beauty, and dealing with a man who had an intimate relationship with his son was not an easy task.


    ¡°hello, sir,¡± lucifer greeted with a smile. ¡°i am pei xia¡¯s boyfriend.¡±


    everyone: ¡°¡­¡±


    grandma pei made an indistinct sound in her throat. uncle pei angrily ordered pei xia to leave. aunt pei, with well-maintained hands, patted the bed, signaling everyone to quiet down.


    pei xia subconsciously exclaimed, ¡°teacher, please.¡±


    lucifer looked at him with a subtle smile. ¡°indeed, i am pei xia¡¯s teacher.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    in an instant, the hospital room became more lively.


    lucifer elegantly clapped his hands, maintaining his unchanged smile, but it inexplicably sent shivers down people¡¯s spines. consequently, everyone subconsciously quieted down.


    ¡°i came here just to tell you: pei xia is delighted to have such an outstanding partner. we will live a very happy life. honestly, next month, we plan to travel around the world and, well, get married abroad.¡±


    pei xia looked completely bewildered, having no idea when he and lucifer had made such a plan.


    pei¡¯s father, unable to express his anger, could only direct his fury at pei xia. ¡°you¡¯re so filial to your grandmother; you shameless thing!¡±


    lucifer seemed to recall something and suddenly clapped his hands, saying with a smile, ¡°oh, by the way, i¡¯m here to wish the elderly good health and a long life. of course, after that, we won¡¯t probably see each other again. as for you, pei xia¡¯s father, an unfaithful person has no right to insult others as shameless. instead of insulting others, you should worry about whether your new girlfriend will be discovered by your current wife.¡±


    pei¡¯s father¡¯s complexion changed again, unable to utter a word.


    the usually quiet cousin looked at his cousin and lucifer, feeling a bit dazed. he remembered that he used to bully and mock pei xia a lot. however, now, pei xia, whom they treated as a joke and disgrace, seemed to be living better than all of them.


    he had a boyfriend whom people wouldn¡¯t dare to underestimate, dressed seemingly ordinary but with the confidence of a global traveler.


    no, something must be off. they were definitely just bragging!


    lucifer pulled pei xia along without knowing what others were thinking, leaving the hospital directly.


    on the way, pei xia couldn¡¯t help but laugh. lucifer tilted his head and asked, ¡°aren¡¯t you angry that i took matters into my own hands to provoke them?¡±


    pei xia shook his head and said, ¡°i know you were venting for me.¡±


    lucifer frowned with a hint of sadness, ¡°no, the one who just spoke wasn¡¯t actually me.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°???¡±


    lucifer: ¡°it was my other personality.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°¡­¡± what kind of weird novels have you been reading? he regretted lending his account to lucifer.


    ¡°and.¡± pei xia grasped lucifer¡¯s hand and smiled, ¡°i know you definitely did something. i saw changes in my grandmother¡¯s heart rate monitor.¡±


    lucifer smiled, ¡°sorry, i don¡¯t remember what happened when the other personality appeared.¡±


    after pondering for a moment, pei xia said, ¡°so, the global trip and overseas wedding¡­¡±


    lucifer paused, slowly returning to reality, and smiled at pei xia, ¡°speaking of which, it¡¯s time to tell you my true identity.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°?¡±


    lucifer: ¡°i¡¯m a gang boss disguised as an ordinary teacher. things are getting tricky lately, so i¡¯m planning to go abroad and lay low. as for you, you don¡¯t have the right to refuse.¡±


    pei xia: ¡°¡­i¡¯m really scared now.¡±


    lucifer raised an eyebrow, ¡°what, you don¡¯t want to?¡±


    pei xia suddenly lunged forward, hugging lucifer¡¯s waist, and loudly exclaimed, ¡°i want to!¡±


    ¡­


    in the hospital, chaos erupted unprecedentedly in pei¡¯s grandmother¡¯s ward, starting with the high-profile appearance of pei xia and lucifer and culminating with pei¡¯s grandmother being discharged.


    not knowing what happened, pei¡¯s grandmother suddenly became extremely healthy. her mouth no longer slanted, her speech became articulate, and all the chronic illnesses that had plagued her for years disappeared. conditions like hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and osteoporosis¡­ doctors were shocked to find that pei¡¯s grandmother was healthier than her grandson!


    the pei family vaguely sensed that this might be related to pei xia and lucifer. they couldn¡¯t help but harbor different thoughts, but soon, someone warned them not to create trouble.


    pei xia¡¯s cousin remembered the day when pei xia¡¯s lover appeared arrogantly. he felt uneasy.


    out of a strange psychology, he found pei xia¡¯s current wechat through pei xia¡¯s high school classmate. he would often voyeuristically1describes an action or situation that involves secretively observing others, often in a manner that may be considered intrusive or inappropriate. it implies a level of curiosity or fascination with the private affairs of others, typically for personal gratification. check it, looking at pei xia¡¯s photos on the moments.


    sometimes, pei xia would post pictures of the sea, pictures of himself and his boyfriend fishing on the deck, pictures of various tourist islands abroad, and even cities like london, paris, and berlin¡­ both common and uncommon places with beautiful scenery and unique architecture.


    the more his cousin watched, the more uncomfortable he felt, but he couldn¡¯t help but keep watching.


    until one day, pei xia posted a picture of the two of them in white suits at their wedding. the scene was incredibly romantic and beautiful, and the man in the photo was so matching that it was dazzling.


    pei xia¡¯s caption read: ¡°the wedding was really tiring. lucifer¡¯s energy is too vigorous. he thought one place wasn¡¯t enough, so he wanted to run to other places to sweat more. i can¡¯t take it anymore. i¡¯m leaving first.¡±


    half a month later, pei xia posted another moment: ¡°i was wrong¡­ sobbing.¡±


    his cousin rolled over, and the bed creaked. his girlfriend finally couldn¡¯t stand it and pushed him off.


    ¡°that¡¯s enough. what¡¯s wrong with you lately? you¡¯re absent-minded all the time, not making progress at work, playing games, and using your phone at home. you can¡¯t even sleep peacefully. let¡¯s break up. i¡¯ve wasted so many years of my youth with you, pei jian¡¯an, you¡¯re not a decent person!¡±


    pei jian¡¯an sat dumbfounded on the ground. he lowered his head and looked at the shattered screen of his phone.


    unable to accept that someone who used to be lower in status was now living better than him, he ended up ruining his own life.


    ¡­


    overseas, in a seaside town, pei xia lay on a stone wall, sipping juice and gazing at the sea.


    the sea was so beautiful, especially when the sun was shining, resembling the color of lucifer¡¯s eyes.


    having been teased by lucifer for several days, pei xia felt powerless and lazy, not wanting to move.


    lucifer stood beside him and suddenly asked, ¡°pei xia, have you figured things out?¡±


    pei xia replied, ¡°lord lucifer, if you hold weddings so ostentatiously, you might get caught by the police.¡±


    lucifer smiled faintly and said, ¡°it¡¯s time to tell you my true identity. actually, i¡¯m a fraud pretending to be the leader of a gang. next month, he will come back to hold a real wedding with you.¡±


    pei xia exclaimed, ¡°again?!¡±


    lucifer responded, ¡°no.¡±


    pei xia breathed a sigh of relief.


    lucifer continued, ¡°the key is, i want to elope.¡±


    pei xia stared at him, speechless.


    author¡¯s note:


    la la la


    thanks to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated nutrient solution during the period from 20200705 12:53:22 to 20200706 20:28:47.


    thanks to the angels irrigating nutrient solution: jinse yunqing ¨C 5 bottles; feizhou feiye ¨C 1 bottle.


    thank you all for your support; i will continue to work hard!


    translator¡¯s corner:


    this is it guys! pei xia and lucifer¡¯s story ends here but not their journey~


    thank you for reading! i hope you enjoyed it~


    sorry for the grammar mistakes, spelling, and my forever curse i n c o n s i s t e n c y