Just three seconds after Li Chang'an and Zhu Zhuqing flew away, the branch hall of Spirit Hall in Star Luo City was just wrapping up a routine meeting. Eight Red Robe Archbishops were preparing to adjourn.
Suddenly, a gust of snowflakes swept through the hall, whipping their robes into the air...
"At the end of the Spirit Master's path—throughout Heaven and Earth—I alone am the honored one."
"Had the heavens not birthed me, this continent would have known eternal darkness!"
With snow-white hair and a robe as pure as the first snowfall, Murong Xue appeared at the front of the grand hall. Yet he stood with his back to the crowd, showing only a partial side profile...
Awkward. Truly, embarrassingly awkward. That one word—awkward—was written all over the faces of the eight archbishops.
---
Elsewhere, Zhu Zhuqing was clinging to Li Chang'an's arm as they soared through the sky. For the first time, her expression was completely relaxed.
But it wasn't just surface-level calm—this was a feeling that came from deep within her bones. Zhu Zhuqing had always carried a hint of sorrow in her eyes. Even when Li Chang'an had helped her awaken the Midnight Shadow Cat, that trace of melancholy remained.
Today, however, everything had changed. After Li Chang'an completely freed her from the shackles of her arranged marriage and family obligations, that sorrow vanished entirely. She was still the same cool and reserved girl, but the unhappiness that once lingered around her had disappeared.
"Why are you staring at me?" Zhu Zhuqing turned her head slightly and asked, noticing that Li Chang'an had been watching her the whole way.
"I'm just admiring my wife. Is that not allowed?" Li Chang'an smirked, pulling her arm closer.
"Who's your wife?" Zhu Zhuqing glared at him. But even while glaring, her beauty remained captivating—and she wasn't really angry, either.
"You are. Even your mother acknowledged our relationship. What, planning to deny it now?" Li Chang'an whispered next to her cat-like ears.
He had taken plenty of liberties back at the Zhu residence—calling her "wife," holding her hand, patting her head. And the worst part? Zhu Zhuqing hadn't been able to resist any of it. She just quietly endured.
And now this shameless man was shouting about it in midair? Of course she was annoyed.
"Hmph, we agreed from the beginning it was all just an act. You were only helping me deal with my family. Don't push your luck—you still have Xiao Wu," she said, her tone growing a little sour at the mention of Xiao Wu. Even if she hadn't admitted it out loud, deep down, she knew she'd already fallen for the man beside her.
Their connection had started the moment they entered Shrek Academy. They had been entangled ever since.
From their first duel where Li Chang'an rescued her, to teaching her how to use her martial soul, giving her immortal herbs to raise her soul power, rare pill to evolve her martial soul, taking her out on Valentine's Day, and ultimately helping her break free from her family's control...
Every memory flashed before her eyes. It felt like all these things had happened just yesterday. Somewhere along the line, their lives had become deeply intertwined.
When she mentioned Xiao Wu, Li Chang'an's expression changed slightly. But still—he couldn't give up on either of them.
"Zhuqing, I like you." His voice was full of affection as he looked into her eyes, lost in memory.
It was time to make a move. If he waited any longer, things would only get more complicated back home.
"Sorry, we can't—" Before she could finish, Li Chang'an suddenly pulled her in, wrapping his arms around her waist mid-air and holding her tightly in his embrace.
"Tell me the truth. Do you like me or not?"
Zhu Zhuqing bit her lip. She had wanted to say "no," but for some reason, when the words reached her lips, they came out as—
"...Yes."
The moment Li Chang'an heard that word, he didn't hesitate. He leaned in and kissed her cold, delicate lips—firm yet gentle.
Zhu Zhuqing froze, her mind going blank. By the time she recovered, his tongue had already entered her mouth, leaving her completely unable to resist...
"I like you. So let's be together, okay?" he whispered between kisses.
Her lips weren't soft and tender like others, but rather thin and cool. Yet, with her naturally cold expression and frosty demeanor, the kiss had its own unique charm.
"But… what about Xiao Wu?" Zhu Zhuqing mumbled between breaths, still caught in the overwhelming kiss.
"I'll explain everything to her. I'll share my love equally between all of you." His kisses grew softer, more tender, drawing her further into a daze.
"But… but..." Sharing her man with someone else still felt awkward. Yet Li Chang'an's kiss turned forceful again, leaving her no room to retreat.
"Fine… Ah… mm… I agree. I'll be with you…" Zhu Zhuqing could no longer resist his domineering kiss. She couldn't push him away, nor could she escape. Half unwilling, half surrendering, she gave in.
"Good. I'll treat you both well. I love you, Zhuqing." His kisses grew even more gentle, making Zhu Zhuqing begin to enjoy the moment too.
---
With their relationship now official, the journey became much more relaxed. Even while cooking, Li Chang'an was the first to feed Zhu Zhuqing a few bites, making her face flush bright red. It was the first time anyone had treated her like this.
The two chatted and laughed along the way, avoiding any mention of Xiao Wu. Eventually, they flew all the way to the outskirts of Heaven Dou City before coming to a stop.
"Come on, I know which academy Dean Flender and the others went to." Li Chang'an held Zhu Zhuqing's hand and started walking toward the city.
Although Yu Xiaogang hadn't come with them this time, according to the progression of the divine realm plot, fate was already pushing Shrek Academy toward Liu Erlong's side.
Li Chang'an had glanced at the map during his last trip to Heaven Dou City. Finding the place wouldn't be hard.
Women in love tend to lower their guard. Zhu Zhuqing didn't even ask how he knew—she just obediently followed him, hand in hand.
---
The entrance to Blue Tyrant Academy was surprisingly grand—almost on par with the city gates of Heaven Dou City. Though the structure was more modest in construction, the gate still stood ten meters tall. Carved from white marble, it wasn't particularly luxurious, but it had a commanding presence. Eight golden characters were inscribed on top: Blue Tyrant Advanced Spirit Master Academy.
Getting in wasn't difficult. Li Chang'an simply said he was part of the new group of teachers, and the gatekeeper went inside to report. Moments later, Zhao Wuji came out to greet them.
Li Chang'an had requested leave previously, so Zhao Wuji didn't ask too many questions. He just inquired how things had gone and whether they needed any help, before briefly explaining the situation here.
As Li Chang'an expected, the storyline hadn't deviated much—Qin Ming couldn't provide concrete proof about Shrek Academy's "monster teachers," and since he had offended Xue Beng, they were kicked out.
This time, however, it wasn't Prince Xue Xing who expelled them—he had already been stripped of his title. It was Xue Beng himself, using his status as a royal prince. Fortunately, Flender had already been planning to leave, so they took the opportunity to move out.
Now, Flender had led the group to this place to begin the onboarding process. It was essentially the new Shrek Academy, though they hadn't had time to rename it yet.
Li Chang'an briefly shared his side of the story, confirming everything had been handled. Then he followed Zhao Wuji into the academy.
____
T/N:
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