Ascending the Demon Realm

Ming Jin turned away coughing, shielding his flawless profile with a hand. "Cough... You're... Capybara?"

"Yeah." I numbly accepted the wet wipe from him. "Thanks."

"Careful." He forced out the words through held breath before lifting the wounded deer girl and fleeing like escaping wildfire.

Why warn me?

"Fresh deer blood—" Bestial roars suddenly erupted.

A stampede of beasts knocked me down as they blurred past. Their animalistic forms pressed low, frantically lapping crimson stains with rasping tongues.

Of course—beast clans still craved blood. Though forbidden from harming demon clans, their primal thirst intensified under prohibition. Legal substitutes like imported animal blood couldn't quench this frenzy.

The lions and jackals had clearly reverted to their true forms to avoid recognition. "Hey capybara junior," a jackal drooled hungrily, "there's still some on your cheek. Let me—"

"Silence!" A sharp command froze the chaos. Pink demon light exploded into cherry blossoms that settled on the beasts. Instantly pacified, they flopped down like domesticated pets.

A hulking male with blue-black hair landed, shoulders bearing a perky rabbit-eared girl. The man's expression held soul-crushing bureaucracy while his companion bounced with energy, white ears twitching above her pleated skirt.

"Divine Cultivation Team taking over! Disperse immediately—new students proceed to registration!" The bunny girl's saccharine voice carried steel authority.

Her stone-faced partner produced a transparent vacuum, mechanically cleaning the mess. The rabbit girl teleported around the perimeter, planting glowing demon crystals mid-air. Appearing before me, she snapped her fingers.

*Crack!* 

Luminous walls erupted between crystals, quarantining the area. So cool! My eyes shone with longing for such powers.

Suddenly, a male crouched before me—unmistakable golden fox eyes with slit pupils mirroring my face. My gaze locked onto his shoulder-length sakura hair, strands like pink spider silk dancing in wind. That color... could it be?

"Xiao Yao, remember me?" He extended a hand trembling with hopeful anxiety.

My heart leapt. It was him! But transformed—now a striking man with aquiline nose and dewy lips tinted cherry blossom pink.

"Little Pink!" I blurted.

His face froze. 

"Pfft—Little Pink?!" The rabbit girl materialized snickering, vanishing instantly under his dagger glare.

Turning back, his unease melted into barely contained joy as he pulled me up. My once-tiny tail had grown into a breathtaking fox man! Even the illustrious Ming Jin paled beside him now.

My Little Pink was handsomest—no arguments! Filtered vision be damned!

"You're so tall now," I marveled.

"Mn." He bent closer, breath tickling my ear. "I'm not your clingy Little Pink anymore. In public..." Softly, almost pleading, "Don't use that name."

"Okay!" I squinted happily like my capybara parents.

He straightened, gaze lingering. This towering beauty was once my pastel shadow—Yu Tu, the lone pink fox from Qingqiu and Tushan lineages. My kindergarten soulmate who'd clutch my clothes trembling, even following me to bathrooms.

Born with two tails denoting his prodigy status among nine-tailed clans, his iridescent fur had captivated everyone. That first school day, mobbed by admirers until my pungent aura became his sanctuary. From then, he'd orbit me like pastel satellite, my personal sakura-scented guardian.