ARLQLCC chapter 38

After learning that the man was Ma Tuan, all of Su Ji’s anger dissipated completely. Although he was still somewhat dazed, knowing that the kitten was safe was the greatest comfort after all the fear he had just gone through.

The man before him was strikingly handsome, his features almost aggressively sharp. At first glance, he looked nothing like the cat, but upon closer inspection, the emotions in his eyes did indeed match Ma Tuan’s somewhat silly demeanor.

Su Ji had originally thought Ma Tuan was a cub who had not yet reached the transformation stage, but he never imagined that the other party was not only fully grown, but also possessed unfathomable cultivation. He was nothing like the defenseless little kitten Su Ji had imagined.

His cat son had suddenly turned into such a tall man. While shocked, Su Ji also felt a bit at a loss. Looking at the naked man in front of him, he pinched the bridge of his nose and said, “Do… do you have any clothes?”

Normally, demon race members who could transform into human form would carry several sets of clothes in their storage space. Su Ji had wanted to lend him some of his own clothes to make do, but the man was simply too tall. Su Ji’s clothes would probably burst apart if he tried to wear them.

Only after Su Ji reminded him did Chu Zhaoye remember that he needed to get dressed. He hurriedly grabbed at the air, and a black robe appeared on the bed.

Su Ji turned around and waited for him to finish dressing.

The sound of rustling clothes came from behind him. The movements were extremely quick, as if he were afraid of making Su Ji wait even a second longer.

Neither of them spoke during this time. One was deep in thought, while the other felt guilty. After changing clothes, Chu Zhaoye even gave himself some mental preparation before finally speaking.

“Su… Su Ji.”

Su Ji turned around at the sound of his voice. On the bed, Chu Zhaoye had not only put on his clothes, but had even folded the thin blanket neatly and placed it to the side. He himself was sitting in an extremely obedient posture, looking as though he wanted to look at Su Ji but did not quite dare.

The red glow had faded from his eyes, returning them to a their usual deep black. The way they flickered instantly reminded Su Ji of the aggrieved expression Ma Tuan would show when he was scolded for eating too much.

It seemed that even after turning human, he was still not very clever…

Su Ji had intended to ask him what exactly was going on, but when the words reached his lips, he swallowed them back.

There was still a line of blood on the man’s neck. Although Su Ji was upset about the man’s inappropriate behavior, the moment he thought of him as the kitten who would act spoiled and coquettish with him, he could not help but soften.

Walking to the bedside, he raised his hand, preparing to take out a bottle of medicine from his storage artifact. However, when Chu Zhaoye saw him raise his hand, he thought Su Ji was still angry and wanted to punish him. The dignified Demon King at the late Tribulation Transcendence stage immediately withdrew the spiritual protection around his body, afraid that Su Ji’s hand would hurt if he hit him.

The man lowered his head so far that he nearly pressed it against the bamboo mat.

Su Ji was amused.

So he thought Su Ji was angry and wanted to hit him. He did not even think about resisting and simply accepted his punishment.

Only at this moment did Ma Tuan’s image fully overlap with the man before him. Su Ji coughed lightly and said, somewhat exasperated, “Lift your head. I’m not going to hit you.”

Chu Zhaoye cautiously raised his head a little. Seeing that there was no anger on Su Ji’s face apart from a faint blush, he relaxed slightly and slowly lifted his head fully.

The moment he did, the bloodstain on his neck came clearly into view.

Earlier, Su Ji had been on edge and burning with anger, so he had struck rather harshly. If this man had really been some lecherous stranger, Su Ji would only have felt that he had cut too lightly.

But this was Ma Tuan, a little cat so round that one could barely even see his neck. Su Ji could not help feeling somewhat regretful for drawing his sword so quickly.

While Su Ji was lost in thought, Chu Zhaoye watched him nervously. He did not dare to speak, and the more nervous he became, the stiffer his tall body grew, as if he wished he could shrink into the crack of the bed.

In the next second, a slender, fair hand appeared before him. On the pale pink fingertips was some brown ointment, rich with spiritual energy. The medicinal fragrance mixed with the soapberry scent from Su Ji’s body, lingering around Chu Zhaoye.

Seeing that he was still hanging his head, Su Ji said helplessly, “Lift your head.”

Chu Zhaoye reflexively obeyed. He stretched out his neck, exposing his most vulnerable spot completely before Su Ji.

Silly cat.

Su Ji sighed softly, bent closer, and gently applied the ointment to the wound on his neck.

Although Chu Zhaoye kept his head raised, the corner of his eyes remained fixed on Su Ji’s movements.

Viewed from above, the young man’s face looked even smaller. Chu Zhaoye had always known Su Ji was good-looking; otherwise, Yan Shao would not have fallen for him at first sight and remained obsessed ever since.

But when he had still been a cat, Su Ji had liked to carry him in his arms. With a cat’s tiny body, Chu Zhaoye had always had to tilt his head up to look at Su Ji’s face. He had even joked to himself that Su Ji had the most beautiful jawline on the entire continent.

Now, seeing him for the first time in human form, Chu Zhaoye realized how fair Su Ji was. He was so fair that even the slightest embarrassment would send a blush spreading across his entire face.

At such close range, Chu Zhaoye lowered his eyes discreetly, his gaze wandering over every detail of the young man before him—his delicate face, refined nose, even lips tinged pink.

The soapberry fragrance seemed even stronger. Su Ji’s soft fingertips brushed against his neck, and goosebumps rose on Chu Zhaoye’s skin beneath his clothes. His throat went dry, and he swallowed quietly, though his face remained perfectly calm.

While applying the medicine, Su Ji noticed that Chu Zhaoye was watching him. But although the gaze felt somewhat strange, there was no malice in it, so Su Ji did not bother to comment.

Ma Tuan had always liked to stare at him in a daze. It was only natural that he would retain this habit even after turning human.

Once the ointment had been applied evenly, Su Ji put away the medicine bottle. When he looked at Chu Zhaoye again, the other man had lowered his head once more.

Su Ji: “……”

How had he never noticed before that this silly cat was so afraid of him?

After wiping the remaining ointment from his fingers, Su Ji asked, “Why are you lowering your head again? Aren’t you going to explain?”

Su Ji’s words instantly shattered the romantic thoughts in Chu Zhaoye’s heart.

His thoughts were in turmoil. His instincts told him that he could no longer lie to Su Ji. So, maintaining his obedient posture, he began to explain everything from beginning to end.

The first thing Chu Zhaoye did was apologize timidly.

“Su Ji, I didn’t mean to hide it from you.”

If he were still in kitten form, his ears would probably be drooping by now.

Su Ji’s heart softened again. Just as he was about to comfort him, he heard the man continue hesitantly.

“I… I think I should tell you my real identity. Don’t be angry…”

Hearing such words of submission from a tall, powerfully built man with such an imposing face made Su Ji’s heart melt completely.

He heard himself say, “I’m not angry. Go ahead.”

Chu Zhaoye’s eyes brightened slightly. Under Su Ji’s expectant gaze, he said:

“I am Chu Zhaoye.”

Su Ji: “Wow, your name is very ni—”

Su Ji: “………”

Su Ji: “……………………………”

Looking at Chu Zhaoye’s extraordinarily sincere face, Su Ji forced himself to control his expression so that it would not look too twisted.

He fell silent once again, his expression even more complicated than before.

Chu Zhaoye instantly lost the courage to continue. A man over 190 centimeters tall sat there as nervously as a quail.

He was afraid that once Su Ji knew his identity, he would refuse to let him return to Linggu Mountain with him.

Chu Zhaoye thought that if Su Ji really intended to ignore him from now on, he would shamelessly stay anyway. At worst, he would transform back into a kitten and roll around while acting spoiled. Su Ji adored him so much that he would definitely soften.

With that thought, he gathered a bit of courage.

“You said you wouldn’t be angry.”

Su Ji: “……”

Su Ji did not bother caring whether he was the Demon King or not. He directly flicked him on the forehead.

“And you still have the nerve to say that? No wonder Tu Yan kept hanging around me whenever he had nothing to do, and even took every opportunity to praise you. I was wondering why he suddenly started saying all that. So this was the reason!”

No wonder the dignified Demon Venerable had helped him the very first time they met.

No wonder Tu Yan had kept glancing toward the kitten in the dining hall.

No wonder he did not get angry after being chased away by a little cat.

Because that cat was his boss all along!

The flick to his forehead landed with a crisp sound. Without spiritual energy protecting him, Chu Zhaoye’s forehead tingled slightly, but the heart he had been holding tightly finally relaxed.

Since Su Ji could still scold him in such a familiar tone, it seemed he would not cut ties with him on the spot.

Chu Zhaoye’s visible relief was so obvious that Su Ji was afraid he would laugh if he tried to scold him further.

Clearly, he was the king of an entire race, the strongest expert on the continent. Yet because he feared making Su Ji angry, he was willing to sit there and be lectured by a mere Mid-Soul Transformation cultivator who could be crushed with a single finger.

Then again, even when Chu Zhaoye had still been a kitten, Su Ji had often scolded him for eating too much. He was probably already used to it.

Su Ji’s anger came quickly and dissipated just as quickly. Although the kitten he had personally raised and fattened up had suddenly turned into a man, his affection for him had always been genuine. After much effort, he accepted Chu Zhaoye’s identity and chose to take things as they came, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

“I’m not angry. Go on.”

Chu Zhaoye studied him for a moment.

His face was not flushed with anger, his brows were no longer furrowed, and he seemed to have smiled just now.

Safe.

Once his identity had been revealed, everything else became much easier. Chu Zhaoye began from the time he encountered danger during secluded cultivation and explained everything up to the moment he transformed back into human form.

He also told Su Ji that his abilities could heal injuries and suppress inner demons, successfully drawing a surprised expression from him.

After explaining everything in one breath, it was as though a heavy burden had been lifted. Much of the gloom that had lingered between Chu Zhaoye’s brows dissipated, and he sat upright, waiting obediently for Su Ji’s judgment.

Seeing him like this, Su Ji laughed.

“I can’t even beat you. Why are you so scared?”

Chu Zhaoye said seriously, “If you hit me, I won’t fight back.”

Su Ji felt a sudden urge to stroke his fur, but since the other man was not in kitten form, he could only suppress it.

“Why would I hit you?”

This was Chu Zhaoye’s first day speaking to Su Ji in human form. Previously, a few meows had always been enough. For a moment, he did not know how to answer. After holding it in for a long time, he finally managed to squeeze out another apology.

“Sorry.”

Su Ji was completely amused.

Before becoming his cat, Chu Zhaoye had been a figure who could command wind and rain throughout the continent. Only others had ever bowed and scraped before him. How could he possibly have apologized to anyone?

Today alone, he had probably used up all the apologies he would ever make in his lifetime.

Su Ji comforted him.

“You don’t need to apologize anymore, Ma Tuan. I forgive you.”

If he did not forgive him soon, this silly cat would probably get out of bed and kowtow to him.

Author’s note:

Chu Zhaoye: I not only want to be my wife’s cat, I also want to be my wife’s dog. Being afraid of your wife is a traditional virtue of the demon race.

Su Ji: ……… 🙂

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