Heart's Knot Loosened, First Year Class One

Zhang Lexuan's office.

The Shrek square class assignment activity had just concluded, and there was still some time before formal classes began.

Long Yaochen arrived at Zhang Lexuan's office first.

"Senior Sister, your injuries are mostly healed, so why do you still insist on leading the outer courtyard students?"

Long Yaochen sat down in Zhang Lexuan's office chair without the slightest bit of ceremony.

Zhang Lexuan didn't mind, instead pouring a cup of warm water for Long Yaochen.

After spending several months together, the barriers that once existed between them had long since vanished.

She leaned back against the sofa and spoke:

"My external injuries are basically fine, but it is still somewhat difficult to mobilize my soul power.

Besides, there isn't much going on in the inner courtyard for the time being, so teaching you all in the outer courtyard... is actually quite nice."

As she spoke, a flash of sorrow crossed Zhang Lexuan's eyes.

Even though several months had passed, whenever she returned to the inner courtyard, she inevitably thought of what happened that day.

Teaching in the outer courtyard, looking at those young, innocent faces, helped to dilute the trauma in her heart to some extent.

Moreover...

The aura on Long Yaochen's body truly made her feel more at ease.

Seeing that Zhang Lexuan was thinking of that day again, Long Yaochen stood up, walked to her side, and reached out to gently press her shoulder.

"Senior Sister.

The dead are gone; they certainly wouldn't be happy to see you like this.

That soul beast was also killed, and Xuan... Elder was disciplined by Mu En.

Why must you keep trapping yourself in the past?"

Zhang Lexuan closed her eyes, and after a moment of silence, her voice carried a trace of imperceptible trembling: "But... whenever I see that red soul ring on my body, it's as if I see their blood-stained faces one by one..."

"I would rather not have this hundred-thousand-year soul ring!" Her voice grew a few degrees heavier.

The movement of Long Yaochen's hand paused slightly.

He did not speak immediately.

Some wounds cannot be smoothed over with a few pretty words.

After a while, he said softly: "But Senior Sister, have you ever thought that if not for this soul ring, perhaps they would have truly died in vain."

Zhang Lexuan's eyelashes fluttered gently.

Long Yaochen continued: "I know this is hard to hear, but facts are facts. Those who survive should not just carry pain, but also the paths they were unable to finish walking."

That hundred-thousand-year soul ring is not a blood debt, but proof that they risked their lives to ensure you survived.

Zhang Lexuan slowly opened her eyes, her eye sockets slightly reddened.

She did not speak, but her hand, hanging by her side, had clenched the corner of her skirt at some point.

Long Yaochen walked around to the front of the sofa, crouched down before her, and looked up at her.

"Senior Sister, if you truly feel guilty, then become stronger.

Strong enough that if you encounter such things again, you won't be forced to just watch.

Strong enough that even if you are dissatisfied with someone, you won't have to force yourself to swallow your grievances.

Strong enough that one day, you can tell them--you did not let them down."

Zhang Lexuan stared at him in a daze.

Even though the youth before her was still young, at this moment, his gaze was so calm that it didn't seem like someone his age.

That dazzling radiance was no longer as scorching as it had been on the Soul Fighting Platform yesterday.

Instead, it was like a ray of sunlight falling into one's palm in the middle of winter, bright and warm.

After a long while, Zhang Lexuan finally let out a soft breath and said: "Your way of comforting people is really not gentle at all."

Long Yaochen smiled: "As long as it's useful."

Zhang Lexuan laughed along with him.

In that instant, the gloom that had weighed on her heart for months seemed to finally dissipate a little.

"Let's go." She stood up, straightened her sleeves, and her face returned to its usual gentle and composed appearance.

"If we don't go back now, you'll be late for the first class of your new grade."

Long Yaochen raised an eyebrow: "With Senior Sister personally escorting me back, who would dare say I'm late?"

"You have a glib tongue."

Zhang Lexuan gave him a light glare, but she wasn't truly scolding him.

The two left the office one after the other, heading toward the first-grade teaching building.

By the time they arrived at Freshman Class One, the classroom was already filled with many students.

Wang Dong was slumped over her desk, looking listless.

Xiao Xiao sat beside her; her face was still a little pale, but she was no longer in any serious danger.

After all, Long Yaochen hadn't struck with excessive force, or else Yan Shaozhe would have intervened immediately.

Of course, there was also Huo Yuhao, sitting in the class with a calm expression.

Beyond them, there were many familiar faces from the original Freshman Class One in the room.

There were also some new students who hadn't crossed paths with them during the assessments.

For instance, Wu Feng and Dai Huabin, who hadn't originally been in the class.

Dozens of gazes instantly converged on Long Yaochen.

Faced with a heavyweight like Long Yaochen, even someone as arrogant as Dai Huabin simply sat there with a gloomy expression, showing no intention of causing trouble.

Standing at the podium was a middle-aged teacher who looked gentle and scholarly.

Seeing Long Yaochen and Zhang Lexuan enter, he first nodded to acknowledge Senior Sister, then adjusted his glasses and offered a smile.

"You must be Long Yaochen, right?

I am Wang Yan.

Starting today, I will serve as the deputy head teacher of Freshman Class One, assisting Teacher Zhang with daily instruction."

Wang Yan's voice was not loud, yet it easily inspired a sense of goodwill.

Long Yaochen nodded politely.

Compared to most Shrek teachers, this man was quite competent.

He would be perfect for compensating for the gaps in Zhang Lexuan's academic details.

After the greeting, he walked straight toward the empty seat next to Wang Dong.

Seeing him approach, Wang Dong immediately lifted her head, her eyes darting curiously between him and Zhang Lexuan.

The moment he sat down, he heard Wang Dong lower her voice to ask, "What were you doing with Senior Sister just now?"

"What business is it of yours?" Long Yaochen glanced at Wang Dong and said indifferently.

"Of course it's my business!" Wang Dong retorted righteously. "You went out with her, and when Senior Sister walked in just now, she felt like a completely different person."

"Different how?" Long Yaochen raised an eyebrow.

He was somewhat surprised that this big white goose had become so sharp.

Wang Dong frowned and thought for a long time before whispering:

"I can't put my finger on it, but... she seems much more relaxed.

She used to smile before, but it always felt a bit forced.

It was completely different just now; I've never seen Senior Sister smile so radiantly."

At this, she cast a suspicious glance at Long Yaochen. "So, did you do this?"

Long Yaochen leaned back in his chair and said lazily, "Yeah, I told her I have extraordinary talent and am destined to become a God King, and Senior Sister was instantly enlightened."

"What kind of nonsense is that!" Wang Dong rolled her eyes.

She knew it; there wasn't a single serious word in this guy's mouth.

Xiao Xiao, sitting nearby, couldn't help but chuckle, though the moment she did, her face paled slightly—it was clear her injuries from yesterday hadn't fully healed.

Wang Dong quickly steadied her, cautioning, "Don't move around so much."

Xiao Xiao shook her head and whispered, "It's fine, I'm already much better."

Wang Dong breathed a sigh of relief, then glared fiercely at Long Yaochen again.

"It's all your fault."

Long Yaochen looked innocent. "If you don't get hit on the competition field, should I be taking you out to dinner instead?"

"You!"

Just as Wang Dong was about to retort, Zhang Lexuan at the podium tapped the desk lightly.

Her gaze swept over the young faces in the room, her voice gentle yet clear.

"From today on, you are official students of Freshman Class One."