On the wasteland, atop the snowy ground.
Grandmaster Li Ang walked through the soft snow toward the cave, the words of Duke Seretes echoing in his mind.
He understood the reasoning behind them.
After all, Lias would eventually return to the Demon Clan, and as far as he knew, it was often an extremely long process.
In this lifetime… perhaps he truly would not live to see the day Lias became the Demon King.
No wonder the simulation only granted him two chances.
Arriving at the entrance, he found it odd not to see the familiar figure of the little succubus.
He quickened his pace, heading deeper into the cave, and only when he saw the unharmed girl resting on the bed did he breathe a sigh of relief.
“Lias?”
Li Ang called her name softly, yet this time received no reply.
He approached, gazing at the sleeping girl, momentarily distracted.
Her dark red hair spilled across the pillow, a few strands playfully clinging to her pale cheeks.
Her long, thick lashes cast small fan-shaped shadows beneath her eyes, trembling slightly with her even breaths.
Her rosy lips parted slightly, exhaling warm and gentle breaths.
Her slender tail, too, had quieted, curling docilely by her waist, while the collar around her neck stood out more than ever.
The sleeping little cat succubus had lost her usual liveliness and cunning, appearing instead peaceful and serene, as if she had returned to the way she was when they first met—only this time, all her prickly defenses had been withdrawn.
Perhaps it was just his imagination, but Li Ang felt that Lias’s figure seemed a little more voluptuous than before, her skin even more alluring.
Li Ang gently set down the things he’d brought for Lias from his backpack, then sat quietly by the bed to wait.
But even by nightfall, Lias showed no sign of waking.
He returned to the city first, seeking out Duke Seretes to ask about Lias’s current condition.
Only then did he learn that when demons experienced a bloodline elevation, they would fall into a period of slumber to absorb energy and receive their inheritance.
Generally, the stronger a demon was, the longer they would need to sleep, so their body could adapt to the enhanced strength after their evolution.
With Lias’s situation, she shouldn’t remain asleep for long.
After hearing this, Li Ang was finally reassured, but he still couldn’t bring himself to leave Lias alone in the cave.
So, after tidying up his luggage a bit, he decided to stay by Lias’s side, waiting for her to wake.
Li Ang gently tucked the little succubus in with the quilt, then leaned against the bedside and murmured, “Last time, you were waiting for me. This time, it’s my turn to wait for you.”
***
In the days that followed, Li Ang gradually moved his belongings into the cave, studying magic potions while looking after Lias.
Though it seemed she no longer needed his care, Li Ang felt that the girl always seemed more at ease when within his sight.
His sudden disappearance, however, made Duke Seretes rather anxious.
One day, as he went into the city to buy materials, the ever-watchful Duke immediately caught him.
“Grandmaster Li Ang, how much longer are you going to wait for her? The Magic Potion Association is already urging us.”
Duke Seretes gazed at the young man before him, somewhat exasperated.
“Besides, my term at Everfrost City is almost up. You could leave with us, you know.”
Li Ang simply shook his head in silence at those words.
“She’s really that important to you?”
Seretes was baffled.
She was just a succubus, after all.
Once Li Ang rose to prominence in the royal capital, what kind of woman could he not have?
Yet he insisted on wasting his precious time on a demon.
“Just wait a little longer. She waited for me for so long—I can wait a bit longer, too.”
Seretes didn’t understand what Li Ang meant, but he got the message.
The boy was like a stubborn stone—no matter how much wind and rain, his resolve would not be shaken.
The Duke sighed heavily.
After a moment of hesitation, he gritted his teeth and said, “Fine, we’ll wait. I’ll wait with you!”
Then, seeing Li Ang’s astonished expression, he added, “But you’d better find a reason. Hmm, let’s see… Just say you’re guarding your grandfather’s grave—the one who raised you. When the time comes, you’ll naturally leave.”
Duke Seretes immediately applauded his own cleverness.
This way, Li Ang would even appear to be a deeply sentimental, model young man.
Li Ang nodded without refusal.
He understood that Duke Seretes was trying to win him over, and he was happy to accept.
Immediately after, the Duke, looking pained, fished a bracelet out from his coat and handed it to Li Ang.
“This is…?”
Li Ang accepted the bracelet, a puzzled look in his eyes.
“This will block the demonic aura from your little sweetheart.”
Duke Seretes said with a huff, “Otherwise, even if she wakes up, could you rest easy leaving her here alone?”
Li Ang fell silent, then said softly, “Thank you. This will be very useful to me.”
Seretes waved dismissively, “Just think of it as my investment. If I run into trouble, I hope you’ll help me out.”
Judging by his tone, he seemed quite certain that Li Ang would become someone important.
Li Ang nodded, “I will.”
“All right, go back to your little sweetheart.”
Seretes climbed back into his carriage, muttering, “What a loss this time.”
“Oh, right! If you can’t handle that little succubus, there’s always a son-in-law spot open on my side!”
Seretes called back with a note of reluctance.
The corners of Li Ang’s mouth twitched as he watched the carriage disappear into the shadow of the city gate.
Only then did he tighten the pack on his shoulders and once again set out into the vast snowy wilderness, heading for that cave.
***
Frost came and went, the warm winds returned, and the snow on the wasteland melted and accumulated once more.
Li Ang’s mastery of magic potions deepened by the day, with all manner of wild ideas swirling through his mind.
Unfortunately, the scarcity of materials on the Boundary meant many experiments had to be shelved.
The war between the humans and the demons along the Boundary seemed to have calmed somewhat.
Yet, strangely, there were now far more demons appearing on the wasteland, which made Li Ang feel vaguely uneasy.
If his guess was correct, those demons were likely after Lias.
The problem was, the little succubus still hadn’t awakened.
Staring out from the cave at the endless white expanse, Li Ang’s eyes betrayed his worry.
He returned to the cave, glancing at the girl lying on the bed.
During this period, Lias’s body had undergone notable changes—most obvious was the broken horns at the sides of her head.
During this slumber, they appeared to have been restored, her dark demonic horns now more alluring than ever.
The girl’s once-slight frame had also begun to mature.
Her thin clothes could barely conceal her slender waist.
Yet, at that moment, the girl’s lashes suddenly fluttered twice.
Then, she slowly opened her eyes.
Li Ang stared at her in a daze.
The girl looked a bit more mature now, her pair of peach blossom eyes brimming with fluid light, as if filled with the waters of a deep spring, carrying a natural allure that could make the very stars lose their brilliance.
She was like the most bewitching and dangerous night rose in the world.
What was even more astonishing was that her beautiful eyes were heterochromatic—one was a bewitching, charming dark red, the other a deep, profound black.
When her eyes opened, a new, seductive charm appeared in her expression, making one’s heart itch with restlessness.
But when those eyes recognized the man before her, they instantly turned to joy and deep longing.
“Li Ang!”
Her voice was a little hoarse with sleep, and full of excitement.
“Mm, I’m back.”
The man’s gaze was infinitely gentle as he replied softly.
“And… it’s been a long time.”