Chen Xinjie's vision instantly blurred. Never did he think that he would be reduced to tears at over 100 years old.
"All of you, piss off!" he abruptly roared as he turned around before waving a hand through the air, and a burst of extremely terrifying force swept forth like the tide, picking up the soldiers and the SUV, and sending them flying toward the legion base.
Everything in the surrounding area then became warped and indistinct. There were no detection devices that could conduct surveillance on a place that a Limit Douluo was determined to hide in.
He turned around again, and their eyes met. Her eyes were slightly murky, but they were just as resolute and determined as ever. Of course, there was no lack of emotion in her gaze, either.
How long had it been since they had last met? 36 years, four months, and eight days. She still remembered, as did he. Thus, two of the most powerful beings in the world looked on at one another, and neither of them said anything, as if it were enough for the two of them just to be seeing the other.
Projections arising from Long Yeyue's mental manifestation began to appear around her again, but she immediately waved a hand through the air to disperse them.
Chen Xinjie's heart jolted upon seeing this. Nothing could stun him more than the sight of those projections. She hadn't said anything, but those projections were worth more than a 1,000 words. Others may be oblivious to what those projections represented, but as someone who was a part of those memories and also had the ability of mental manifestation, how could he possibly fail to see what those images depicted?
They depicted the story between him and her!
Chen Xinjie's heart instantly softened. All of his persistence and stubbornness seemed to have vanished in that instant, and he abruptly stepped forward to take himself right in front of Long Yeyue.
Long Yeyue seemed to have been taken aback by this, and she reflexively took a half step backward, as if she had been frightened.
However, in the next instant, she was bound by a strong and warm embrace.
Tears gushed uncontrollably out of Chen Xinjie's eyes. His voice trembled with sobs as he roared, "You're still alive!"
In the instant that Long Yeyue was caught in his embrace, her heart was filled with anger and embarrassment, and her first thought was to send him flying.
However, when she heard his sobbing voice and felt his strong yet trembling arms, her heartstrings were violently tugged on, and her immense powers as a Limit Douluo seemed to have completely disappeared in that instant. She had already thrust her palms forward to push Chen Xinjie away, but she reflexively grabbed onto his military uniform instead.
"I'm so glad you're alive..." Chen Xinjie was unable to stop his tears no matter how hard he tried. In that instant, he had completely cast aside his dignified and authoritative facade as the Battle God Hall Master, and was weeping like an inconsolable child. The emotions that had been bottled up in his heart for close to 100 years erupted forth all at once, and he no longer wanted to control this outpouring of emotions, nor was he able to.
All he wanted was to hold the woman that he would never be able to forget for as long as he lived.
"Let go of me!" Long Yeyue demanded in an indignant manner.
"No!" Chen Xinjie tightened his embrace around her.
She knew that she could easily exert power to send him flying, as did he, but their embrace continued.
In the next instant, Long Yeyue began to transform. Her hunched over spine quickly straightened, and her snowy white hair returned to a glossy black hue. Her wrinkles gradually reverted back to smooth fair skin, and she seemed to have aged 100 years in reverse in an instant.
Inhaling the familiar scent of the young woman in his arms, Chen Xinjie felt as if his heart had completely melted. His appearance also began to transform as he, too, reverted back to his more youthful days.
As a young man, Chen Xinjie had a pair of clear-cut eyebrows and a set of chiseled facial features. He was only one man, but it seemed as if he were capable of carrying the entire world on his shoulders.
All of a sudden, the youthful Long Yeyue seemed to have suddenly returned to her senses, and she abruptly pushed him away before lashing out with her right hand like lightning.
"Slap!" This was a very powerful slap, and Chen Xinjie stumbled involuntarily as a slender handprint quickly appeared on his face.
Long Yeyue's eyes were spitting daggers. "Who said you could touch me?"
Chen Xinjie stared blankly at her in response. Now that she had pushed him away, he was able to see her in her full glory, and he was slightly slack-jawed as he marveled, "You're so beautiful."
There was no semblance of the almighty Boundless Ocean Douluo in this enraptured young man, and Long Yeyue was momentarily at a loss for how to respond.
Chen Xinjie continued to stare blankly at her, and as they looked at one another, faint projections occasionally emerged around them. These were scenes depicted by their mental manifestation, and they quickly appeared before crumbling away just as quickly.
At this point, Chen Xinjie had already returned to his senses, and his expression was constantly changing, transitioning between pain, excitement, and hesitation. However, whenever he focused his gaze on Long Yeyue, he would involuntarily adopt a gentle and passionate expression.
"Yueyue [Yueyue is his pet name for Long Yeyue, much like Nana, Qiangu Zhangting's nickname for Gu Yuena], when I heard that Shrek Academy had been destroyed by that Godslayer missile, I truly felt like everything was over. Only after losing you did I realize how important you were to me. We've known each other for over 100 years, and during that time, we each had our own pursuits. Our ideologies were conflicting; I always had a domineering personality and wanted to control everything. You were actually the same in your youth. We did as we pleased during our younger days and lived our best lives. However, you hailed from Shrek Academy, after all, and the traditions of Shrek Academy changed you in the end.
"That sharp facet of your personality gradually faded, and you became more placid and peace-loving, just like everyone else in Shrek Academy. I've always been of the opinion that the human race should be the master of its fate, yet you championed protecting what we have over further creation. Our ideals began to clash, and at the time, I had already been chosen as the successor to the position of Battle God Hall Master. I always thought that a man should be able to bear the weight of the world on his shoulders. I loved you so much, but I couldn't bring myself to abandon my career for you.
"At the time, all I wanted to do was recruit you to the Battle God Hall so you could stay by my side. I was so selfish at the time; I only considered things from my own perspective and never thought for your sake. Your personality was just as sharp as mine, so we had a falling out. We worked hard to salvage our relationship, but the fights were becoming too much for us to bear, and we separated in the end, but I know I still have a place in your heart. Otherwise, you wouldn't have refrained from marriage for your entire life. You hold just as important a place in my heart. No one can replace your position in my heart. If I were to marry someone in this lifetime, then it can only be you."
Chen Xinjie clearly became more animated and vehement at this point, and he continued, "But we were both too stubborn, and we both occupied lofty statuses that prevented us from discarding our pride to compromise with one another. I had always thought that there would be no chance for us to reconcile with one another during this lifetime. That was until the day I received that horrible news. Shrek Academy was gone; it had been completely destroyed, and you had disappeared along with it.
"Only then did I realize how laughable and foolish my persistence and stubbornness was. Everything became so pointless when you suddenly disappeared, and only then did I truly realize how important you were to me. You're more important to me than my own life, and everything that I had been working toward was nothing more than a joke. If I hadn't been so stubborn and realized all of this earlier, perhaps we would already be living a happy life together. Unfortunately, I made this realization too late, and you were already gone.
"I locked myself in my room for a very, very long time, and thought about many things. You may not believe this, but it was only during my mourning for you that I truly attained the ability of mental manifestation. It was my yearning for you that took me to that step. Never did I think that you would still be alive; there's no news in this world that could make me happier. Yeyue, I don't know why you came to find me, and you don't have to state your reason. I just want you to know one thing; now that you're back in my life, I'm willing to cast aside my roles as Battle God Hall Master, Sea God Legion Commander, and United Fleet Commander.
"None of that is important to me anymore. I am now nothing more than your man, a man who is willing to give up everything for you. Even if you ask me to take my life now, I'd do so without any hesitation! I've lived my entire life for others and my own pitiful goals. I don't know how much longer I'll have to live, but what I can be sure of is that every minute, every second of the rest of my life will belong to you, and I'll do everything you say."
Long Yeyue was initially quite cold and distant in response to Chen Xinjie's confession. In the instant that she had first seen him, ripples had run through her heart, but she still held onto her pride.
However, as Chen Xinjie laid his heart bare for her to see, her expression gradually began to change. Never did she think such a stubborn and dogmatic man would be capable of uttering such words.