Chapter 219: I'm No Longer Pure

After leaving the Eastern Palace, Chen Xuan arrived at a tavern, stepping out after discreetly placing a kunai marker inside a private room.

He didn't use any special abilities, instead walking through street after street, heading towards another district of Tiandou City.

Shrek Academy, formerly known as Blue Tyrant Academy, wasn't located in the city center. It stood on the outskirts, where mountains and rivers painted the landscape.

Chen Xuan had already learned that Tang San was no longer in the Tiandou Empire. He had left nearly a year ago, deviating from the original timeline, and many things were different now.

With a bit of thought, Chen Xuan understood why.

Back then, Tang San had been gravely injured, teetering on the brink of death. He was saved by the Sea God and barely spent a few days at Shrek Academy before hastily leaving with the original Shrek Seven Devils for Seagod Island to obtain an unparalleled inheritance.

As for matters concerning the Tiandou Imperial Palace, Tang San simply had no time to interfere.

"No wonder Qian Renxue's identity hasn't been exposed. Without Tang San's involvement, it's highly likely she'll seize control of the Tiandou Empire," Chen Xuan mused. If Qian Renxue became the Empress of Tiandou, who could resist the Spirit Hall? The Star Luo Empire without a Super Douluo?

Before long, he activated his martial spirit's spatial laws to conceal his aura, slipping unnoticed into Shrek Academy without alerting any of the teachers.

Unlike the heavily guarded imperial palace, this place was filled with laid-back students, most not even wearing uniforms. The sudden appearance of an unfamiliar face didn't draw any attention.

"Jiang Zhu, Jing Ling, Huang Yuan... It's been a long time," Chen Xuan muttered softly. His visit to Shrek Academy wasn't without purpose—he had sensed the familiar presence of three old acquaintances.

Years had passed, and everything had changed, but he still remembered them, especially the beautiful Jiang Zhu, who had always treated him kindly.

In truth, Jiang Zhu had never forgotten him either. Even after all these years, his image lingered vividly in her mind.

She knew, however, that there was no going back.

At that moment, in the rear mountains of Shrek Academy—

On a small hill, the trees rustled gently, flowers and grass thriving, bathing the area in lush greenery. Jiang Zhu stood there, gazing blankly at the vast blue sky, tears shimmering at the corners of her eyes.

She had learned of Chen Xuan's death years ago. Even now, thinking of him filled her heart with sorrow and grief.

But the dead cannot return. Seven or eight years had passed, and she had grown into a young woman in her twenties. She couldn't keep waiting—she needed to move on, to get married.

"Jiang Zhu, long time no see."

A voice, distant yet familiar, pierced through her thoughts, clear as day.

Jiang Zhu's beautiful eyes widened, her heart trembling. She knew that voice—it was his.

She spun around abruptly, and there he was—walking toward her with that familiar carefree smile.

Chen Xuan's appearance had changed after all these years. His hair was cut short, his features more refined and striking, his aura subtly different. But Jiang Zhu recognized him instantly.

"Chen Xuan... it's really you! You're alive!" Her voice trembled with emotion as tears burst forth, streaming uncontrollably down her face.

Joy, surprise, and disbelief filled her expression as she rushed toward him, throwing herself into his arms, clutching his sleeves tightly in a desperate embrace.

Chen Xuan naturally wrapped his arms around her, not rejecting her. He didn't want to cause her any more pain.

"Chen Xuan, I missed you so much. I thought you were gone..." Jiang Zhu sobbed softly, her voice thick with bitterness and grief. She buried her face against his chest, longing to feel his warmth once more.

Chen Xuan sighed gently. If even Jiang Zhu was like this, how heartbroken must Xiao Wu and Zhu Qing have been during the years he was gone?

He gently stroked Jiang Zhu's hair, soothing her tears, whispering that everything would be fine now.

Jiang Zhu had grown into a graceful young woman, tall and slender, her figure curving beautifully. She was now in her twenties, no longer the girl he once knew.

"Alright, don't cry anymore. I'm back now, and I won't leave again," Chen Xuan said softly with a warm smile.

Honestly, when he first saw her again, he barely recognized this stunning young woman.

"Really?" Jiang Zhu clung tightly to him, her face still pressed against his chest.

Chen Xuan chuckled helplessly, reassuring her repeatedly that it was true—after all, he wasn't planning on dying again.

"Okay..." she murmured, her voice muffled as she reluctantly released him, stepping back about a meter. Her hands folded behind her back, her cheeks flushed pink with embarrassment.

She apologized softly, saying she had been overwhelmed with emotion and hadn't meant to overstep.

She knew Chen Xuan must have a wife and maybe even children by now. Being this intimate with another woman—if Xiao Wu knew, she'd probably be furious.

"It's okay. You don't need to apologize," Chen Xuan said with a wave of his hand.

Truthfully, he understood well enough—he had a family, and he shouldn't be doing things like this. But he wasn't exactly a master of relationships. Everyone was important to him, and he didn't know how to handle these emotions.

Especially with Zhu Qing—he'd made promises to her back then, and even now, he hadn't fulfilled them.

Chen Xuan had thought it through. If being devoted to just one person caused pain, then maybe having feelings for many wasn't so bad. So what if that made him a scumbag? It's not like he was trying to be some paragon of virtue.

"Oh right, Chen Xuan—why are you here at Shrek Academy?" Jiang Zhu suddenly asked, her slender fingers absentmindedly twirling her chestnut-brown hair, her expression lively again.

Chen Xuan smiled, taking out a storage soul guide. "Naturally, I came to see you—and to handle a few things."

He planned to give away a defensive spirit bone, one that could offer protection to a support-type spirit master.

Jiang Zhu's round face flushed red, her heart swelling with sweetness. But then she remembered reality, and her smile grew forced, tinged with pain.

"Don't joke like that," she said softly. "If Xiao Wu hears you, she'll be upset."

Then she shifted the topic, talking about herself. She was now twenty-three, her spirit power still at rank forty-nine. Her family had been urging her to marry, and they'd already picked a suitable husband for her.

"I'm getting married soon, to someone from one of Tiandou's vassal states. I only came back to Shrek Academy to visit the place where we grew up. After this... I don't know when I'll return."

Standing tall beneath the blue sky, Jiang Zhu's words carried a faint bitterness. It was clear she wasn't entirely willing.

"Chen Xuan, seeing you again like this—I have no regrets," she whispered.

Hearing those words, Chen Xuan felt an inexplicable ache in his heart, like something precious slipping through his fingers.

He sighed. "If you don't want to get married, I can help you. No one will ever force you again."

Jiang Zhu shook her head lightly, pain flickering in her eyes as she forced a bitter smile.

"Chen Xuan... you're amazing. Girls like Xiao Wu are more suited to you. I'm no longer good enough for you…"

Tears welled in her eyes again, her heart wracked with sorrow.

"What does 'good enough' even mean? I only believe in mutual feelings. Love is all that matters," Chen Xuan replied, never one to believe in such superficial judgments.

But Jiang Zhu merely smiled bitterly, her expression tinged with sadness.

"…But I'm no longer pure, Chen Xuan. I'm really not good enough for you. I don't want to hold you back."

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