Chapter 220: The Violation in Her Eyes

"Chen Xuan, my body is no longer pure. I'm not worthy of you. I really don't want to hold you back," Jiang Zhu said, her face filled with pain.

Her words hit Chen Xuan like a bolt from the blue, leaving him stunned.

His pupils contracted, a storm raging in his heart. He stared at Jiang Zhu, torn between disbelief and shock.

"What exactly… happened?!" Chen Xuan's eyes were bloodshot, his chest tight with a sharp, suffocating pain.

His face darkened, and he gripped Jiang Zhu's shoulders firmly, demanding an answer. If it was the work of some vile man, he'd hunt him down and kill him on the spot.

"I'm sorry, Chen Xuan." Seeing his intense reaction, Jiang Zhu felt both a bittersweet joy and deep sadness.

So, this man had cared about her all along. He liked her too. But it was too late—she believed herself tainted, beyond saving.

"What happened while I was gone? Tell me, please," Chen Xuan urged, his frustration mounting, rage simmering beneath the surface. He was ready to kill whoever had hurt her.

"I…" Jiang Zhu opened her mouth but hesitated, unable to find the words.

Her reluctance gnawed at Chen Xuan's patience, leaving him restless and unable to stay calm. His eyes reddened further, his grip tightening slightly on her shoulders.

"It's okay. Just tell me—who touched you? If it wasn't your choice, I'll make them pay for it right now!"

At that moment, he finally understood his own heart. His feelings for her had long surpassed mere friendship. How could he stay calm in the face of something like this?

"Ah?" Jiang Zhu blinked, utterly confused, her gaze filled with puzzlement.

Her chestnut eyes sparkled with disbelief. "No one touched me."

"What?" Chen Xuan froze, his fury grinding to an awkward halt.

What did she mean by that?

Now he was the one confused. Had he misunderstood everything?

"Jiang Zhu, are you messing with me? What exactly happened? What did you mean by all that just now?" Chen Xuan asked, bewildered.

"I wasn't lying," Jiang Zhu stammered, struggling to get the words out.

Chen Xuan, unwilling to waste more time, reached out, placing his hand on her slender arm, channeling his soul power to examine her body.

After a moment, he sighed with relief, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. Jiang Zhu's body was completely intact—she hadn't been violated in any way.

"You scared the hell out of me! You're perfectly fine, so why did you say you're not pure?!" Chen Xuan was speechless. She had never been harmed, yet she'd made it sound like the worst had happened. His heart had nearly jumped out of his chest.

"But… I'm not clean. Someone saw me… saw everything," Jiang Zhu whispered, her eyes filled with sorrow and shame.

She began to recount what had happened.

A year ago, her family elders had ignored her protests and arranged an engagement with a young man from a prestigious clan in a vassal state of the Tiandou Empire.

But Jiang Zhu's heart belonged to someone else. She refused to accept the engagement, which led to her being harshly punished by her family.

Chen Xuan clicked his tongue. No matter the world, there were always families willing to sell their daughters for status.

"Then, one night…" Jiang Zhu continued, her voice trembling as she relived the painful memory.

That night, while she was bathing in her room, the young man from the clan barged in, seeing her completely exposed. He tried to force himself on her.

She managed to escape, saved at the last moment by her mother, who drove the man away. Later, she learned the horrifying truth—it had all been orchestrated by her own father, who wanted to force the marriage by turning it into an irreversible situation.

After hearing the full story, Chen Xuan rubbed his forehead, torn between relief and frustration.

The real reason for her guilt? She'd run out naked, and in her panic, several clan members had seen her. To her, that was as good as being violated.

In Jiang Zhu's mind, even being seen was a form of violation. She felt dirty, unworthy of him.

"Sigh… You really scared me back there. Don't ever say things like that again," Chen Xuan muttered, massaging his temples. He'd nearly lost control of his emotions over a misunderstanding.

It turned out she'd blown things out of proportion, driving him to the brink of madness for nothing.

"Alright, stop overthinking. Your body is clean—completely clean. You're perfect," Chen Xuan said, pulling her into his arms, determined to prove his words through action.

Jiang Zhu felt the warmth of his embrace. She struggled slightly but soon gave in, burying her face against his chest, gripping his back tightly.

Over the years, she had endured so much—grieving for someone she thought was dead, pressured by her family, with little warmth in her life. She hated the thought of returning to that place.

"Chen Xuan, thank you. But I really am unworthy of you. I don't want to drag you down," she whispered, still feeling inadequate.

Yet, her heart overflowed with sweetness and joy. Despite everything, Chen Xuan didn't despise her. His acceptance moved her deeply.

Chen Xuan flicked her forehead gently. "You're perfectly fine, and I'll never think otherwise. Don't ever say that again, understand?"

Jiang Zhu opened her mouth to argue but fell silent under his serious gaze.

She didn't want to say anything more. Her heart was full of warmth and happiness. This man liked her—truly liked her—and didn't care about her past.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure those who wronged you pay for what they did," Chen Xuan promised. At that moment, he realized he could never abandon Jiang Zhu.

He'd thought his feelings for her were just friendship, maybe a slight affection. But now, he knew he was selfish—despite having Xiao Wu and Zhu Qing, he still wanted her too.

"I came back this time to give you something that might help you," Chen Xuan said, taking out a storage soul guide and placing it in her hands.

Inside was a fifty-thousand-year defensive torso bone. Absorbing it would grant her a soul bone ability and significantly boost her soul power.

"Ah! This is too precious—I can't accept it!" Jiang Zhu's eyes widened in shock. She tried to return it, flustered. She'd never seen such a valuable soul bone before, even more impressive than the ones awarded in the Soul Master Tournament.

"Keep it. You deserve it," Chen Xuan insisted, pushing it back into her hands.

If he still had herbs and elixirs left, he would've given those too, anything to help her grow stronger.

"Alright… Thank you, Chen Xuan. You're so good to me," Jiang Zhu whispered, carefully tucking the soul bone away, her heart brimming with joy. Who wouldn't be thrilled to receive a fifty-thousand-year soul bone?

Then, she reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck, tiptoeing to plant a soft kiss on his lips.

Chen Xuan was caught off guard, but he quickly adjusted. His heart was strong enough now to handle such surprises.

"Ah Xuan, I don't even know how to thank you. Is this enough?" Jiang Zhu's eyes sparkled with affection, her love for him clear. She had always wanted to do this, and now she had the courage.

Chen Xuan gently ruffled her hair. "There's no need to thank me. It's just a soul bone. What matters is that you're happy."

"You always know how to make me smile!" Jiang Zhu blushed, playfully punching his shoulder. Then she hesitated. "Ah Xuan… what about Xiao Wu?"

"Don't worry. I'll explain it to her," Chen Xuan replied, though he felt a headache forming at the thought. He'd deal with it when the time came.

Suddenly, his gaze sharpened.

Two powerful auras were approaching quickly from the base of the mountain, closing in fast.

"Someone's coming. Stay behind me," Chen Xuan said calmly, his confidence unwavering.

He could guess the reason—they'd probably sensed his earlier emotional outburst and tracked him down. It must be the two deans of the academy.

READ 30 CHAPTERS AHEAD OF EVERYONE FOR ONLY $7!

LINK: patr eon.com/SenatusPopulus