Ascending the Demon Realm

"Yu Tu? Yu Tu? Xiao Fen!" I tugged his large fox ears, but he remained sound asleep.

*Knock knock knock.*

Someone tapped cautiously on the door. Could it be Yu Tu's roommate?

Opening the door revealed the burly, motherly-looking man.

His uneasy eyes darted furtive glances past me. "Is my boss here?"

"Yes." I nodded, suddenly feeling strangely guilty, like being confronted by a spouse catching an affair.

His lips trembled before he collapsed to the floor with a *thud*.

"Waaaaah—I've lost my boss—he's taken—"

I stared dumbfounded as this muscular man wept at my doorstep.

His wails grated on the ears, tears and snot bubbles streaming down his face. The once handsome warrior's image was ruined completely.

As he cried, his spiritual energy leaked out. His true form began emerging—slender ram horns sprouted from ash-blue hair, facial skin merging around disappearing eyes.

Ram horns. Humanoid face. No eyes. Instantly I recognized his species.

He was—Taotie!

Holy hell!

Xiao Fen was legendary!

Taming an ancient evil beast like Taotie as his subordinate!

"Waaaah—I can't live without my boss—"

His deafening sobs grated on my nerves until I snapped. My palm cracked across his face.

*Smack!*

He froze mid-wail.

My hand now dripped with tears and snot. "Eww—" The sticky wetness made me shudder. I hastily wiped it on his shoulder. "Stop bawling! Yu Tu's sleeping. He's still your boss!"

Eyes reappeared on his face. He blinked, wiping snot. "Boss fell asleep here?"

"Yeah. Is Dongda's cultivation program that exhausting? He dozed off while we talked." I crouched before him, arms crossed, radiating protective energy.

He studied me intently. "Boss must trust you deeply to sleep so soundly here."

Suddenly composed, he wiped his face with sleeves and knelt upright, hands properly positioned. "Boss never dares sleep deeply."

"Why?" I frowned.

" Afraid of being stolen!"

"Home invasion?"

"Bed invasion."

Holy cow!

Even as an adult demon, Yu Tu still suffered from this anxiety.

Makes sense—these were adult demons now.

Kindergarteners just wanted cuddles.

Here, cuddling could lead to... well...

"Many demons want to bed Boss, male or female. He must stay vigilant against their... urges."

"..." Only in our realm would this be normal. Still basic biology, I suppose.

I mirrored his formal kneeling posture. "As his subordinate, guard him here!"

"Aye!" He spun around, back to me. "Boss's boss, rest assured! I'll protect your sleep!"

"..." Only in the demon realm would this make sense. Yu Tu's Taotie seemed... simple-minded.

After dinner, Yu Tu still slept. Checking him again—his tongue lolled out!

Hah!

Peeling back his eyelids revealed fully dilated pupils. Scary—looked corpse-like.

Poking his drooping tongue made him retract it reflexively.

Hilarious.

If only that damned sword hadn't stolen my phone—perfect blackmail material.

If the doorman spoke true, Yu Tu hadn't slept properly since we parted.

Now surrounded by my scent, he could rest peacefully.

Some demons develop scent dependency for security. Yu Tu bonded with mine when we met—a three-year-old fox kit in kindergarten.

Heart aching, I hugged his sleeping form. Sleep deeply here now.

Leaning against his undulating back, thick fur became my pillow. Summoning the school badge AI:

"I summoned my school badge AI."

"Your needs?"

"Textbooks."

"Affirmative."

Digital textbooks materialized before me.

Demon universities differ from human ones—we specialize early. Middle/high schoolers choose career paths, studying core subjects. University combines practical training with theory.

My Demon Realm Administration major splits days: mornings at Bureau Headquarters for fieldwork, afternoons reviewing case studies. Graduates transition seamlessly to jobs—top performers even graduate early.

Excitement over tomorrow's Bureau visit kept me awake. Wrapping limbs around Xiao Fen's fuzzy torso, childhood memories resurfaced.

Yes—this familiar comfort.

Sleeping while riding him felt natural.

Comfort swallowed me whole...

In dreams, we returned to kindergarten—me riding pink fox cub through fields, grass caught in his fur and my hair. His tiny tongue groomed me, baby teeth snagging my long strands.

Suddenly, vines wrapped around my arms and neck. Little Xiao Fen desperately gnawed the bindings with milk teeth, too weak to help...

Choking awake, I found myself mummified in six fluffy tails—a silken cocoon.

"Xiao Fen... pfft!" Spitting out fur, I struggled in the downy prison. The deep sleeper had exposed his vulpine hunting instincts!