Chapter 33: Compromise
After hearing what he said, Mo Xiu was momentarily speechless.
He really couldn’t handle the expression and gaze Mo Qi was giving him. In the past, whenever Mo Qi showed that look, Mo Xiu would already have given in. But this time was a little different.
Before, when Mo Qi wanted to hold hands, hug, sleep together, or occasionally ask for a kiss on the forehead or cheek, Mo Xiu could agree.
Because he could always convince himself that Mo Qi had lived a hard life in the past and had never had anyone close to him, which was why he developed such unusual intimacy and dependence on him.
But licking or nibbling his ear like this was going a bit too far.
Obviously, that kind of ambiguous interaction usually only happened between lovers.
Having already rejected him dryly twice, and seeing that Mo Qi still stared at him with a pitiful expression without promising to stop doing it, Mo Xiu sighed helplessly.
“You really are something… Then tell me—why did you do that to me just now?”
“I just wanted to do it. I felt like it. Mo Xiu’s ear looked like it would feel really good in my mouth, and I just confirmed it—it really tastes good!”
Mo Qi said this matter-of-factly, making Mo Xiu both amused and exasperated.
“What do you mean ‘tastes good’? Are you hungry or something? ‘Good texture’? Do you think my ear is braised pig ear or something?”
Hearing that, Mo Qi frowned in protest.
He wasn’t craving food! And even if he was, the thing he craved was Mo Xiu’s ear. What did pig ears have to do with it? He’d eaten braised pig ear before—it couldn’t compare at all. Mo Xiu’s ear tasted much better!
…Wait. When had he ever wanted to eat ears? He just liked Mo Xiu’s soft earlobe, and the slightly springy feeling of the whole ear in his mouth…
Actually… that didn’t sound quite right either.
Suddenly, Mo Qi realized that the reason he behaved this way was probably because he liked Mo Xiu as a person.
He paused for a moment, wondering why it had taken him so long to realize this. But at the same time, he felt there was nothing wrong with it.
Mo Xiu was so good—what was wrong with liking him?
Cultivators were lonely beings. The stronger a cultivator became and the longer they lived, the more likely they were to end up alone. As a result, most cultivators’ emotions grew distant and indifferent.
Mo Qi was the same. Compared to most cultivators who at least had family and relatives when they began their path, he had been alone from the very beginning.
If he said he had never envied cultivators who experienced familial affection and intimate relationships, that would be a lie.
Although strength ruled in the cultivation world, there had been a time when he was weak and wished someone could stay by his side.
He didn’t need someone to shield him from storms—he only wished for someone who could truly share joy and sorrow with him.
Now he had entered another world and could finally have someone accompany him. Why shouldn’t he?
Wasn’t he worthy of it?
He was a Demon Lord, someone who had climbed through countless hardships to become one of the strongest in the cultivation world.
If he wanted something, he would take it. He didn’t care about the reason, nor about whether it fit the so-called rules.
He just wanted to be the closest to Mo Xiu. He wanted to be the most important person in Mo Xiu’s heart. He wanted their relationship to surpass everyone else.
At this moment, Mo Qi still hadn’t realized what his unusual possessiveness meant. In the thousands of years he spent in the cultivation world, he had never taken a cultivation partner.
Even after arriving in this new world, he hadn’t thought about finding one. All he wanted was to stay close with Mo Xiu as companions.
As for whether Mo Xiu might have a partner in the future—or here, a wife or husband—Mo Qi had never thought about it.
Whether he simply hadn’t considered it or was deliberately avoiding thinking about it was another matter.
“I didn’t kiss you because I wanted pig ears. I really just like the feeling. I like it, so let me do it, okay? Please, Mo Xiu!”
Mo Qi explained slowly, speaking in his usual calm tone while shamelessly acting spoiled. After spending so much time together, he already knew exactly what approach worked best on Mo Xiu.
His cool voice, slow cadence, and the hint of pleading instantly made Mo Xiu unable to resist.
Mo Xiu couldn’t help but smile bitterly. After living two lifetimes, the only person he truly couldn’t deal with was this man.
His gaze drifted to the small cut on Mo Qi’s fingertip left from biting it earlier to draw talismans. Mo Xiu slowly let out a breath.
Mo Qi had already done so much for him and was always so considerate, never hiding his special abilities from him. Could he really refuse such a small request?
But if he agreed… wouldn’t things get a little too messy?
To Mo Xiu, Mo Qi was still in a somewhat naïve stage, like someone who didn’t fully understand everything yet. He should be the one teaching him what was right and wrong.
But then another thought came to him.
This was the apocalypse.
Did he really need to cling to all those rigid rules and waste time worrying about such things?
To put it pessimistically—if something happened tomorrow and Mo Qi died unhappy because he had been busy lecturing him, Mo Xiu knew he would regret it in his final moments.
During his previous life in the apocalypse, Mo Xiu had lived every day as if it might be his last. That way of thinking had long since become a habit.
Looking at the man opposite him, who was staring at him eagerly and focusing all his attention on him, Mo Xiu finally sighed helplessly.
“Fine… but you can only hold it in your mouth. No licking.”
The moment he said it, Mo Xiu almost felt ridiculous for compromising.
But when he saw the immediate joy on the other man’s face, he felt that agreeing didn’t seem so bad after all.
“Sometimes I really wonder if I owed you in my previous life…”
After saying that, Mo Xiu froze.
Because in truth… he had owed him in his previous life.
No wonder he kept giving in to Mo Qi again and again.
But this was what Mo Qi deserved.
Because he was worth it.
Mo Qi was quite obedient. Although still a bit unsatisfied, he knew Mo Xiu had already made a concession.
So he happily hugged him again and gently took his ear into his mouth.
Hearing the suppressed breath that escaped from Mo Xiu, Mo Qi suddenly felt a wave of heat rise in his chest.
Mo Xiu smelled so good. Why did staying close to him and maintaining intimacy always bring a strange sweetness and happiness?
Could this be the legendary furnace effect?
In the cultivation world, special “furnace” partners could attract cultivators simply by existing.
Could Mo Xiu be something like that?
Mo Qi deliberately sensed his cultivation speed. Whether he held Mo Xiu’s hand, hugged him, or nibbled his ear, the speed of cultivation didn’t actually change much.
Even so, he still wanted to be closer.
He secretly placed two kisses on Mo Xiu’s neck. Seeing that the other man only looked at him helplessly instead of stopping him, Mo Qi let out a satisfied sigh.
It had nothing to do with cultivation speed.
Doing this simply made him feel really good.
Looking at Mo Xiu’s flushed cheeks and the powerless glare telling him not to go too far, Mo Qi felt his heart soften.
He released the ear, hugged him tightly, rubbed against his cheek a few times, and then whispered beside his ear:
“Mo Xiu, I really like hugging you like this. I like kissing you. You’re the most important person in the world to me. I like you the most.”
Hearing those words, Mo Xiu’s heart also trembled slightly.
He buried his head into the man’s neck and said seriously,
“You’re the same to me…”
After that, the two of them became even more clingy than before.
Even the slow-to-notice Cheng Cheng began to sense that something was off.
But he only muttered about it occasionally to Xie Wu and Lu Pingwan. When they didn’t really respond to the topic, he quickly forgot about it again.
Privately, Mo Qi also continued studying formations and talismans with great focus. In this entirely new world, their applications had changed somewhat.
Fortunately, the principles were universal. Although spiritual energy in this world was scarce, Mo Qi was a demonic cultivator, so it didn’t trouble him much. Every successful talisman and formation he created was carefully recorded.
Whenever he made progress, he would enthusiastically show it to Mo Xiu.
For example, today he used an illusion talisman to create several golden butterflies.
The butterflies fluttered around the room, dazzling and beautiful.
Seeing this, Mo Xiu immediately praised him generously.
Hearing Mo Xiu’s delight and compliments made Mo Qi feel more satisfied than any cultivation breakthrough he had ever achieved.
Unfortunately, peaceful days didn’t last long.
About half a month later, just as Mo Xiu had expected, various troubles began to appear.
Xu Liang was one of them.
Feeling that the timing was right, he approached Xie Wu and asked how things were going on their side. In his mind, Xie Wu was still his subordinate.
Following Mo Xiu’s instructions, Xie Wu brushed the matter aside for the time being, saying he had only just integrated into the team and couldn’t do much yet.
Xu Liang thought that made sense. Such a short time wouldn’t be enough to persuade Mo Xiu anyway. Still, he needed to keep pressing.
After returning from meeting Xu Liang, Xie Wu immediately reported everything to Mo Xiu.
After weighing the pros and cons, Mo Xiu instructed Xie Wu to hint that he was starting to feel tempted and ask Xu Liang to offer more benefits.
Previously, Mo Xiu had been considering the possibility of fleeing, so even if they obtained more supplies, it would be inconvenient to carry them away.
But now things were different.
With the magical backpack Mo Qi had made for him, he could bring much more with them.
“Find time in the next couple of days and go again,” Mo Xiu told Xie Wu. “Say that I’m beginning to waver and hint that he should show more ‘sincerity.’
“Tell him that if people see him giving me things, they’ll assume I’m already being targeted by his side. And if the benefits he offers are generous enough, anyone else who wants to recruit me will have to think twice.”
Xie Wu immediately went to find Xu Liang again.
Sure enough, after receiving the signal, Xu Liang began visiting every few days, bringing all sorts of gifts and supplies.
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