The Journey

"Crunch, crunch."

Step after step sank into the thick layer of dead branches and rotting leaves. The little Succubus impatiently brushed a fallen fruit from her head, looked up at her brother, who had already gone far ahead, and quickly caught up.

"Mm, Brother, aren't we there yet?" They had already walked through the dense forest for most of the day, and the little one was beginning to feel tired.

"Not yet. We've still got a long way to go. I told you to stay home, but you insisted on coming! See? Tired already, aren't you?" Stopping beside a tree and looking at the familiar scratch marks, Er Dongsheng sighed helplessly.

The little one was good in every way. Usually, she was obedient and sensible, and she knew how to endure hardship. She was just far too attached to him, unable to leave his side even for a moment. Even when she slept, she had to press her little wooden bed tightly against the side of his large bed. According to her, that way, when she woke in the night, the first person she would see would be her brother.

"Mmm, Lulu isn't tired. Brother is the one who's tired, carrying so many things for Lulu." The little one sounded a little embarrassed, her voice tiny.

"Walk a little farther, and we'll set up camp to rest. This is the last stretch. Keep it up!"

"Mmm."

Night.

Actually, it could not really be called night. It was merely darker than at other times. The Abyss was especially dim at this hour, and in the dense forest, it was nearly impossible to see one's own hand before one's face.

At the edge of a relatively open clearing, Er Dongsheng set down their luggage. From the basket on his back, he took out one large piece and two small pieces of animal hide. The large hide was spread over the ground as a mattress, while the two smaller hides served as blankets.

It was not that Er Dongsheng was being overly delicate, fearing heat and cold despite being a demon. Rather, after this Abyssal Rain Season, the weather had become unusually cold. This was especially apparent in the forest. If they simply slept on the bare ground without doing anything, even he, an Abyss Demon, would not be able to stand it, let alone the little Succubus.

After making the bed, Er Dongsheng began patrolling the surroundings. A faint demonic aura was continuously released into the air, spreading through the area. This was the privilege of becoming a First-Level Demon: releasing one's aura and displaying one's existence.

In truth, he felt this was just staking out territory. For instance, his current dwelling and the area within one or two li around it had already become his territory, marked with his aura. Other dangerous Abyssal Species or demons were not allowed to enter without permission.

Of course, they could enter if they wanted—but they had better be ready to die!

Those who trespassed into another demon's territory would fight to the death.

Yet strangely, ordinary animals could not sense that violent aura belonging to an Abyss Demon unless he deliberately directed it at them.

After all, those comparatively docile creatures were his food. The more of them in his territory, the better. Why would he scare them away? It was said that every Abyss Demon's territory housed quite a few herbivorous species or creatures with little aggression!

This was only temporary territory. Releasing a little aura was enough. They would leave tomorrow, so anything more would be useless.

Er Dongsheng scattered some of the dry firewood he had gathered in a bundle around the campsite and lit it. He also lit a pile beside where they would sleep. Letting out a long breath, he picked up the little Succubus.

Though he was now a First-Level Demon, he was still at the bottom when facing the dangerous Abyss.

Demon ranks in the Abyss were divided into Lesser Demons, Greater Demons, Legendary Demons, and Demon Lords. Levels one and two were Lesser Demons, levels three and four were Greater Demons, levels five and six were Legendary Demons, while levels seven and eight were the legendary Demon Lords.

Thus, among demons, he was only a little fellow who had just taken his first steps! Although Greater Demons were rarely seen here, and Lesser Demons were the main presence, a Second-Level Lesser Demon could dominate one area—but only this area.

Perhaps farther away, at the end of the forest, or beyond the mountains spoken of in legend, there were even greater demon kingdoms?

He had to be careful—careful at every moment. Even now, with abilities comparable to a Second-Level Lesser Demon, he was still not invincible in this forest. Many Abyssal Creatures could kill him.

"Crackle, pop."

Blazing flames began burning around the open-air campsite. Some poisonous insects—creatures that looked much like scorpions, centipedes, and spiders—ran out in groups of three or five from beneath the dead branches and leaves. They formed a dense, crawling mass that made Er Dongsheng's scalp prickle!

After waiting a while longer, Er Dongsheng jumped down from the tree with the little girl in his arms once the last poisonous insect had left. It turned out they had been hiding in the tree all along.

"Now we can sleep on the ground without worry. The poisonous insects of the Abyss, especially those in the forest, are very afraid of fire. The moment they sense flames, they scatter in all directions. So we're very safe inside this ring of fire, though we still need to be careful." As Er Dongsheng taught the little Succubus, he pulled a burning stick from the fire and occasionally used it to strike the ground inside the fire ring. Every now and then, a few grotesque poisonous insects really did scurry out!

Er Dongsheng added more firewood around them. Abyssal plants burned for a long time, and these dead branches would be enough to last the night. Still, more was always safer. Fire could ward off more than poisonous insects; some less intelligent Abyssal Creatures also feared flames, especially the animals of the forest.

"Phew."

With a long exhale, Er Dongsheng took out some pre-roasted meat from the little one's basket. This kind of roasted beast meat was nutritious, easy to store, and took up little space. It was an essential supply for home and travel alike.

"It's just a bit too nasty!" Seeing the little girl tackle the roasted meat with a face full of misery, Er Dongsheng helplessly complained as well.

Still, no matter how awful it tasted, Er Dongsheng always brought some whenever he traveled far. After all, one could not always hunt prey.

Why hadn't he found any starchy plants in the Abyss? Potatoes, wheat, anything like that? Flatbread—that was the food you were supposed to bring on a journey! He had heard that ancient scholars traveling to the capital for imperial examinations would hang stack upon stack of pancakes around their necks! Right now, he was worse off than even those impoverished scholars!

How embarrassing.

But why was it in the little one's basket?

It turned out that when they set off, the little one had clamored about helping Er Dongsheng share the burden. So he had put a small amount of food and water into her little basket. There was not much, only enough for one meal for the two of them. Er Dongsheng still carried most of it, including both their blankets and mattresses.

Wishes were always the most beautiful things, but people often had the will without the strength. Before they had gone very far, the little one was already exhausted. Left with no choice, Er Dongsheng had to put her little basket, together with everything inside it, back into his own large basket.

Even so, with this little burden in tow, who knew when they would reach their intended destination!

The little one had it easy, while he suffered. Still, this little weight was truly nothing to him now!

"Come, have some water and get some rest early. We still have to hurry onward tomorrow!" Er Dongsheng removed the stopper from the wooden cup, took two sips of water, swallowed the awful beast meat with difficulty, then handed the cup to the little one.

"Mhm, mm!"

"Brother, this beast meat tastes awful!"

"If it tastes awful, why did you come along?"

"Mmm..."

"Sigh, all right. You've beaten me. Tomorrow, we'll find something tasty. If you don't like it, eat some fruit first to fill your stomach." Er Dongsheng truly had no way to deal with this little sister anymore.

"Mmm, Brother, you're so good, mm!" Her pointed ears twitched as the little Succubus happily stuffed the beast meat into Er Dongsheng's hand, then took a fruit from her clothes and began eating it.

So she had come prepared!

Time slowly passed, and the night grew deeper and deeper...

Her small body pressed hard against her brother's. Covered by the hide, the little one peacefully fell asleep.

"Brother?"

"Mm?"

"Good night."

"Good night."

She learned quickly enough. Then good night, my past life and present life.

And my little sister...