I, The Substitute, Am With The Main Character Extra 13

At the top of a mountain.

An eight-tailed fox abruptly woke up. After waking, it awkwardly pressed its hind legs together and then cursed under its breath, “Cui Lingjing, you’re a noble-blooded eight-tailed fox. How could you keep dreaming about that filthy, lowly five-tailed fox… six-tailed fox…”

Cursing didn’t stop the dreams. The fox turned over and laid down on a large rock at the mountaintop, its eight tails swishing back and forth in irritation.

“No, I haven’t fallen for that filthy six-tailed fox! Definitely not! Tomorrow… tomorrow, I’ll return to that cave and set things straight with that six-tailed fox. I’ll make it clear that there’s no use in trying to seduce me.”

Meanwhile, after Xueya came to his senses following his chaotic mating season, several days had already passed. When he woke, he immediately noticed the soreness in his body. Soon after, fragmented memories of those chaotic days started to flood his mind.

Did he… mate with a cultivator?

And not just once—he didn’t even know how many times!

Xueya was so shocked by this realization that he didn’t blink for a long while. Then, he heard noises coming from outside the room, and he instinctively curled up at the corner of the bed. The sound of footsteps approached, stopping beside the bed.

A pale, slender hand pulled back the curtain of fine silk, letting in the warm light of the setting sun. The golden rays bathed the snow-white figure on the bed in a soft glow.

When Xueya saw it was He Xulan, he shrank further into the corner of the bed, grabbing several of his tails to hide his face.

“Awake? Still in pain? If so, I can apply more medicine,” came a deep, mature male voice. Xueya hesitated for a moment, then peeked out from between his tails to sneak a glance at He Xulan.

Was the sun rising in the west? This man was asking him if he was in pain?

Wait, after what He Xulan had done to him over the past few days, it was only natural that he would feel guilty and try to comfort him. Since this prestigious head of a major cultivation sect had wronged him, Xueya figured he might as well take advantage and ask for compensation.

He needed some powerful magical artifacts, pills to boost his cultivation, and, of course, more spiritual energy to quickly grow his tails.

Thinking this, Xueya moved his tails slightly aside and put on a pitiful expression. “It hurts so much! Why did you have to do that to me?” His words were direct and crude, and he even showed the other his vulnerable spot.

He Xulan’s eyes darkened briefly, and then his hand pressed gently on Xueya’s lower back. “Shall I apply more medicine?”

Xueya turned his head to look at He Xulan. “Is this something that can be solved with just medicine?”

He Xulan asked, “So, what are you suggesting?”

“You should compensate me! After all, that was my first time!” Xueya sat up, his eyes sweeping over He Xulan’s body, trying to see if there was anything valuable on him.

That jade flute at his waist—was it a magical artifact? It looked nice.

Xueya stretched out his greedy hand, but before he could touch the jade flute, his fox paw was grabbed.

“You begged me for it. If we’re talking compensation, it should be you compensating me.”

Xueya’s eyes widened in shock, just as he was about to curse the other for being shameless, but He Xulan’s next words stopped him.

“Take a look at your tails. Haven’t you gained another one?”

Huh?

Xueya immediately grabbed his tails and started counting.

One, two, three… six, seven?

Seven?

Seven tails?!

Xueya couldn’t believe it. He counted several times, and every time, it was the same—seven tails. He was now a seven-tailed fox!

In such a short time, he’d grown two new tails, going from a five-tailed fox to a seven-tailed fox.

Oh heavens, at this rate, wouldn’t he soon become a nine-tailed fox?

And once he became a nine-tailed fox, he could ascend to immortality!

Xueya blinked, his eyes once again focusing on He Xulan.

“Master,” he let go of his tails, flashed a sweet smile, and tugged at He Xulan’s sleeve, “When are we going to mate again?”

His desire to grow more tails made him quickly forget the discomfort in his body. He wanted nothing more than to have a good romp with He Xulan so he could grow the remaining two tails as quickly as possible.

Since waking up, everything Xueya had said was increasingly crude. The young and handsome sect leader’s brows furrowed slightly in response, but Xueya seemed oblivious, staring up at him with wide, innocent eyes. Seeing He Xulan unmoving, Xueya’s eyes gleamed as he climbed onto the man.

Just as he had when he was still a fox, Xueya started to climb all over He Xulan’s body. But being in human form now was not quite the same. He Xulan had no choice but to catch him, lest Xueya fall off.

Xueya, having been raised without clothes, had no concept of covering himself after transforming into a human. When He Xulan’s hand made contact with his smooth skin, the man’s lips pressed into a thin line.

In the past few days, Xueya had become increasingly comfortable using his human body. He wrapped his arms around He Xulan’s neck, drawing out his words in a coquettish tone, “Master, Master Xulan, when are we going to mate again?”

“You’re not in pain anymore?” He Xulan asked.

There was still some pain, but compared to the importance of growing his tails, it was nothing.

“Master, you could just be a bit more gentle.” Xueya pouted, trying to act cute. But to his surprise, He Xulan responded with:

“And if I can’t be gentle? You’re so sensitive—you cry at the slightest touch. You’ve practically soaked the bed with your tears.”

Xueya wanted to protest, “I… I…”

But after stammering for a while, he couldn’t get a full sentence out. When he saw the amused look in He Xulan’s eyes, he became angry and impulsively kissed the man, pressing his lips to his. The kiss was clumsy and rough, more like a bite, but soon, He Xulan took control, and Xueya once again melted into a puddle, not expecting even the medicine application to be so… fun. Just as he was getting comfortable, though, He Xulan stood up.

“This matter requires restraint.”

He Xulan left.

Xueya was stunned, and it took him a long moment to realize that he had failed in his attempt to seduce the man, utterly losing face as a proud spirit fox. Furious at this cruel reality, he grabbed his own tail and bit it several times out of frustration.

But Xueya did not give up. He began trying to seduce He Xulan at every possible moment.

When He Xulan drank tea, Xueya sat on the tea table. When He Xulan played chess, Xueya lounged lazily on the chessboard. When He Xulan meditated, Xueya nestled in his lap. He even went so far as to slip into the bath while He Xulan was bathing, clinging tightly to him. Despite all his efforts, however, the wild passion of those previous days seemed like nothing more than a fleeting dream. No matter how hard Xueya tried, He Xulan remained completely calm—not just his face but his entire demeanor.

Refusing to accept defeat, Xueya swore in his heart that today, he would succeed.

So, without any formal training, he dove underwater.

***

The young man who had been resting against the edge of the bath with his eyes closed quietly opened them. His light brown eyes darkened gradually, and as he lowered his head, his long hair slid off his shoulders and into the water.

After a long while, Xueya surfaced, his entire body drenched, beads of water clinging to his face. He wiped his lips with his fingers and leaned close to He Xulan, whispering, “You’re in heat.”

He Xulan didn’t respond. He simply stared at Xueya’s rosy lips.

Xueya wanted to say something more, but when he noticed He Xulan’s predatory gaze, he instinctively felt a surge of fear and tried to swim away. But it was already too late.

***

The sound of crying soon filled the bath.

***

The next day, the first thing Xueya did upon waking was to count his tails. When he realized they hadn’t grown, he froze, then burst into tears and ran to find He Xulan.

“Everything was the same as last time! Why didn’t I grow another tail?” he cried pitifully, sniffling between sobs.

He Xulan wiped Xueya’s tears with a handkerchief, consoling him, “Perhaps it wasn’t enough times.”

Xueya thought about it for a moment and found that it made some sense. Last time, they had gone on for several days, but this time it was only one night. Yes, if they did it more often, he’d surely grow a new tail.

“Oh, by the way, I have a gift for you.” He Xulan took out a brocade box and handed it to Xueya.

Seeing a gift, Xueya’s tears stopped instantly, and he eagerly accepted it, opening the box to reveal a deep red collar. It was exquisitely crafted, with a soft golden jade orchid engraved at its center.

The soft golden jade was made of gold, but unlike ordinary gold, it was pliable and wouldn’t harm the skin. More than just beautiful, the soft golden jade was a top-tier defensive artifact in the cultivation world, with a single piece worth a fortune. The orchid on the collar was carved from an entire block of it. Even if someone tried to sell it, very few could afford such a treasure.

“What’s this?” Xueya picked up the collar. “Is this for me to wear? Hey, why does it have my name on it? How do you know my name?”

Xueya was sure he had never told He Xulan his name.

“It’s a defensive artifact that can block heavenly tribulation,” He Xulan answered, addressing only the first question.

As soon as he heard it could block heavenly tribulation, Xueya immediately put the collar on. What He Xulan didn’t tell him, however, was that the collar had another function—it was also a tracking device. From now on, He Xulan would always know where Xueya was. Additionally, once worn, the collar could not be removed.

He also didn’t mention that the reason he knew Xueya’s name was that he possessed the ability to read minds. Naturally, every time Xueya cursed him in his thoughts, He Xulan heard it all.

***

Ever since Xueya had made a brief appearance at the Heroes’ Gathering, the next year, many people came to Baohe Temple to apply for discipleship. Some were even over sixteen years old, expressing a strong desire to become disciples of Baohe Temple. Among them was someone named Yi Yefeng, who, despite being older, had excellent potential.

Wen Fu’s Master was delighted by this and instructed Wen Fu to bring the fox down from the Yunshuang. Wen Fu followed the order, but after a while, he returned with a strange expression and empty hands.

“Where’s the fox? Why didn’t you bring it down? Don’t tell me the sect leader’s cleanliness obsession acted up and he threw the fox away?” Elder Le Yi panicked.

This year, so many people had come specifically for that fox. If their sect no longer had the fox…

“The fox hasn’t been thrown away, Master. The sect leader asked me to pass on a message—he says you should start preparing for the Daoist Partner Ceremony.”

“The Daoist Partner Ceremony? I understand… Wait, what? Whose Daoist Partner Ceremony?”

Wen Fu forced a bitter smile. “The sect leader’s. Specifically, the sect leader and the fox’s. He also said the sooner, the better.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than he rushed forward to catch Elder Le Yi, who had nearly fainted. “Master! Please don’t pass out! You still need to prepare the Daoist Partner Ceremony!”

Elder Le Yi’s face was ashen as he muttered, “If the sect leader forms a Daoist partnership, how will we keep recruiting with his looks? A beauty who’s taken is worthless…”

Seeing his master in distress, Wen Fu quickly made up a story to comfort him. “Master, don’t worry. Even if the sect leader is off the market, once they have a child, things will be fine. The sect leader is good-looking, and the fox’s human form is probably just as handsome. Their child will definitely be stunning.”

“Child?” Elder Le Yi paused. “You’re saying we should wait for their child to grow up and then send them to the Heroes’ Gathering to steal the show?”

“Yes.”

Elder Le Yi pondered for a moment. After a while, he pushed his disciple away and said gravely, “Go and call the other elders, especially the Third Elder. He’s skilled in alchemy. Making a fertility pill shouldn’t be a problem for him.”

Wen Fu had only made up the story to comfort his master, but seeing that Elder Le Yi had taken it seriously, he was afraid the old man would faint again. Left with no choice, he braced himself and went to summon the other elders.

The elders gathered and, after some discussion, unanimously agreed to supervise the Third Elder’s alchemy efforts day and night.

They hurried, working nonstop, and finally managed to produce a fertility pill the day before the Daoist Partner Ceremony. However, due to the rushed timeline, they had no idea whether it would actually work. They decided to present it as a wedding gift and sent it to Yunshuang.

***

Xueya had only agreed to become He Xulan’s Daoist partner for the sake of gaining another tail, but when he discovered that the ceremony also meant receiving lots of gifts, he became very pleased with the marriage.

He sat among the piles of gifts, opening them one by one. When he reached the fertility pill sent by the Third Elder, he opened the bottle and sniffed it. Disliking the smell, he tossed it aside and moved on to the next gift.

The smooth bottle of the fertility pill rolled away, stopping near He Xulan, who was reviewing the details of the next day’s wedding. He glanced at it before shifting his attention away, but soon his gaze returned to the pill.

He Xulan picked up the bottle and was about to open it when Xueya came running over and plopped himself into his lap. “Master, I really like some of these gifts.”

He Xulan understood what he meant. “They’re all yours. No need to ask me.” He handed Xueya a storage ring for him to keep all his belongings.

Delighted, Xueya cupped He Xulan’s face and planted two big kisses on each cheek. Then, wrapping his arms around He Xulan’s neck, he said, “Master, we haven’t mated yet today.”

He Xulan smiled lightly, setting down the pill and picking Xueya up to carry him inside.

“Tomorrow we’ll be Daoist partners, and you still call me ‘Master’?”

“What else should I call you?”

“Think of something yourself.”

Xueya thought for a while, then suddenly leaned close to He Xulan’s ear and whispered, “How about I call you ‘Brother’?”

This caught He Xulan by surprise. “Why ‘Brother’?”

“On Fox Ridge, when male foxes pair up, they call each other ‘Brother,'” Xueya explained. Then he asked, “What do humans call each other?”

“Fu Jun or husband.”

Xueya repeated the two terms in his head a few times, then laid back on the pillow. As a demon with naturally seductive fox eyes, he always looked enticing when he gazed at people. “Do you want me to call you ‘Fu Jun’ or ‘husband’?”

He Xulan brushed a lock of hair behind Xueya’s ear. “Either is fine. You can call me whichever you like.”

Xueya’s eyes glinted mischievously. He wrapped his arms around He Xulan’s neck and pulled him down. “We have plenty of time together, so I’ll switch it up. Today, I’ll start by calling you ‘husband.'” Without hesitation, he coquettishly called out, “‘husband.”

The moment the words left his lips, he was kissed.

The sudden kiss left Xueya breathless. Annoyed, he swatted He Xulan with his tail a few times, but after just a few hits, his tail curled up into a ball.

***

The soft sounds from the inner chamber continued into the peaceful afternoon, while outside, the pill remained untouched on the table.

In a haze, Xueya thought to himself that at this rate, he’d soon become a nine-tailed fox. Once he was a nine-tailed fox and ascended to godhood, he would bring He Xulan with him to the heavens, where He Xulan could keep kissing him like this.

He liked He Xulan kissing him—he liked it everywhere.

Of course, he knew that He Xulan liked him too, liked him very much. So when the time came to go to the heavens, there’d be no need to ask for He Xulan’s opinion.

With that thought, Xueya mustered the energy to plant a kiss on He Xulan, and soon after, He Xulan returned the favor with two kisses.

***

Heh, Xueya thought smugly, he knew He Xulan liked him a lot.

He… he also liked He Xulan.

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