One of my fairy-like friends

Chapter 117 Jade Peony Comes Knocking

During the few days that Mingyan disappeared, he naturally focused on his cultivation.

He is a diligent person, and these past few days he has naturally devoted himself to cultivation.

His cultivation has already reached the Divine Sealing stage. The Divine Sealing stage is a single realm. Now all he needs to do is maximize his strength and then find a suitable opportunity to break through.

For Mingyan now, there are no bottlenecks. As long as he continues to cultivate in this way, Mingyan's strength will continue to increase...

After leaving Aunt Ning's room, Mingyan examined his cultivation level internally...

This training laid a foundation for his perseverance, allowing his strength to reach a new level. If he continues without interruption, in a month or two, he might be able to touch the edge of the Xuanji realm...

Thinking back to the past, he was forced to flee in a sorry state because of the pursuit of Xuanji Realm cultivators. How many years have passed? He is already not far from reaching the Xuanji Realm.

When can I cultivate with my master and Aunt Ning together? With the two of them together, my cultivation level should skyrocket...

However, there's no time to rush things. During the time he's been cultivating with Aunt Ning and Fei Xuan, his master must have seen some of what's going on. Ming Yan couldn't help but wonder what his master's reaction would be if he went to find him now.

Moreover, among Fei Xuan, Fei Yan, and Senior Sister, only Senior Sister is still at the Shen Que level. It's time for Senior Sister to break through to the Tai Yi level.

Mingyan was about to go find his master and begin a new round of cultivation when he saw an unexpected guest outside the courtyard where he, his master, and his senior sister were.

Yu Mudan stood with her hands behind her back in front of the door, her gaze seemingly scanning her surroundings. Upon noticing Ming Yan's figure, the corners of Yu Mudan's mouth turned up slightly, and she quickly walked over, "Young Master Ming."

"Jade Fairy, what brings you here?" Mingyan greeted him with a polite smile.

"Because I wanted to talk to Young Master Ming... I hope Young Master Ming won't refuse?" Yu Mudan stopped in her tracks. Her gradient-colored long dress had a unique beauty. When she stood there, everything around her seemed to lose its color. Peonies are known for their beauty, and among peonies, she was probably the most beautiful one.

"Of course not." Ming Yan still smiled, but his smile was still polite, and he maintained a distance from Yu Mudan.

"Young Master Ming seems to have been quite busy these past few days?" Yu Mudan's cherry lips had a faint sheen, moist and alluring. She smiled slightly, her tone very gentle, without any hint of accusation.

Being with Yu Mudan is comfortable, at least on the surface. Yu Mudan won't make you feel uncomfortable. But Mingyan knows that Yu Mudan is deep in thought. How could what she shows be her true feelings?

Just like Gu Hanshuang's evaluation of Yu Mudan, in Mingyan's eyes, no matter how good Yu Mudan is, it is still hypocritical. Although Gu Hanshuang is a bit straightforward, she rarely plays games with you.

“…” Ming Yan paused deliberately, his gaze unconsciously shifting to the side before finally turning back to look at Yu Mudan, and smiled, “I’ve been cultivating these past few days and haven’t been able to get away. Is there something you need from Fairy Yu? If you really can’t find me, you can directly ask the Huang family for help.”

Yu Mudan observed Ming Yan's behavior closely, noting that he seemed somewhat guilty... This further confirmed Yu Mudan's suspicions. She smiled and said, "Young Master Ming's cultivation is so outstanding, yet you remain so dedicated to it. I am truly ashamed..."

As she spoke, she revealed that slightly admiring expression again, and said with some emotion, "When I learned that Fairy An was following Young Master Mingyan, I felt that Fairy An was being a bit self-deprecating. After all, she was the Empress's personal disciple, yet she went and became someone else's follower..."

Yu Mudan paused for a moment, then looked at Ming Yan with her beautiful eyes, "Now it seems I was overthinking things. Fairy An willingly followed Young Master Ming because he is truly too outstanding. Even I have begun to have the idea of ​​following him..."

"Fairy Jade, please don't joke like that. An Ran isn't really my follower," Ming Yan quickly shook his head. "An Ran and I... are more like Daoist partners..."

"Huh?" Yu Mudan was slightly taken aback. This was indeed somewhat unexpected. When did An Ran become Ming Yan's Daoist partner?

This caused Yu Mudan to stumble over her prepared words, but fortunately, she reacted quickly. She smiled and said, "So... Fairy An has become Young Master Ming's Daoist partner... That's true. Young Master Ming is so outstanding. If I were in Fairy An's shoes, I'm afraid it would be hard for me not to fall in love with him, right?"

Mingyan smiled somewhat embarrassedly, but in his heart he felt that Yu Mudan's behavior was a little unnatural when she talked about this topic. She forced the conversation towards admiration and liking, which seemed too deliberate. Obviously, she probably knew very little about the relationship between men and women. Playing these tricks in front of him was simply showing off her limited skills.

However, Mingyan naturally had to cooperate with Yu Mudan, making her anxious and guiding her to deliver the goods voluntarily. This was Mingyan's strategy. She cared too much about winning and losing, especially about winning against Gu Hanshuang, which revealed a fatal weakness in Yu Mudan...

In fact, Yu Mudan has always been like this. However, Mingyan in the past had no ability to use this weakness to achieve his desired goal. But now it's different. Mingyan has completed a super evolution.

“Young Master Ming…” Yu Mudan looked at Ming Yan, her eyes flickering slightly, “If I said I wanted to follow Young Master Ming, what would you think?”

Mingyan laughed and said, "Fairy Yu, please don't joke like that. Fairy Yu is a genius, and I am not worthy of being pursued by you."

Yu Mudan smiled lightly and didn't continue, seemingly just joking. Mingyan, seeing this, felt a stirring in his heart. It seemed that although she was rather clueless about matters of the heart, Yu Mudan was quite adept at controlling the degree of probing. After all, she was Yu Mudan...

“I quite enjoy chatting with Young Master Ming, because it makes me feel much more relaxed. You know, in the past, the only person qualified to be my opponent was Gu Han Shuang, but she and I are rivals. While the future is uncertain, it's difficult for us to speak now. Only Young Master Ming, whose cultivation far surpasses mine, is someone I trust. Sometimes, keeping things bottled up for too long feels like it's going to kill you.” Yu Mudan gently shook her head. “I hope Young Master Ming doesn't think I'm being too presumptuous…”

This explanation sounds much more normal, but it's so similar to Gu Hanshuang's... She probably doesn't know what she and Gu Hanshuang said to be able to say such similar things. Deep down, they probably both feel very lonely.

Chapter 218 The Master Who Controls Life Force

"It sounds rather sad..." Mingyan sighed softly, "Doesn't Fairy Jade have any other friends?"

"I have a hard time making friends. Even if I want to, they mostly just respect me." Yu Mudan shook her head with a smile, her hands behind her back. There was a hint of helplessness in her smile. Her feelings at this moment didn't seem fake; they were probably a genuine expression of her emotions.

Indeed, Yu Mudan's talent far surpasses that of others. Whether among other demon races or even within the flower demon race itself, Yu Mudan stands out as somewhat eccentric. Some may admire her, some may respect her, some may envy her, and some may even dislike her, but it's unlikely that anyone would consider her a friend...

The disparity in their social status and strength made Yu Mudan inherently difficult to sociable. Had she not met someone early on, she likely would have struggled to make any close friends. And the only person she could interact with throughout her life who was roughly her age and of similar ability was her rival...

These two should have been friends, so how did things turn out like this?

“I’ve also thought about whether or not to make up with Gu Hanshuang.” Yu Mudan pursed her lips and looked ahead, saying, “But some things can’t be forgotten so easily. Besides, I went to see Gu Hanshuang before, and she always said I was hypocritical and told me to get lost. I could take the initiative to make up with her, but her attitude didn’t seem like she was willing to make up with me at all.”

"It's still more comfortable being with Young Master Ming. I don't have to think about so many things, and I can even pour out my troubles... Hehe... Will Young Master Ming not like it? I'm sorry, I seem to have taken it for granted..." As Yu Mudan spoke, she seemed to realize that something was wrong and quickly apologized.

"No need to say that. On the contrary, I'm quite interested in understanding Fairy Yu." Mingyan smiled slightly. "Besides, I think it's perfectly normal for friends to confide in each other and comfort one another. Fairy Yu doesn't need to take it so seriously..."

"...A friend..." Yu Mudan really wanted to ask if Mingyan truly considered her a friend. When he secretly went to see Gu Hanshuang behind her back, did he ever think about her as his "friend"?

However, Yu Mudan did not ask this question, as it would make her seem distrustful of Mingyan. She felt it was completely unnecessary to ask.

"Or is it that in Fairy Jade's heart, we are not friends?" Mingyan asked with a smile.

"Perhaps, in my heart, we are more than just friends?" Yu Mudan smiled gently, her tone light and cheerful.

"Fairy Jade still loves to joke," Mingyan said with a smile. "Actually, I didn't have many friends before. I wonder if Fairy Jade knows about my past?"

"I've heard that Young Master Ming seems to have come from the deep mountains?" Yu Mudan nodded gently.

“Yes… Back then, I was just an ordinary person… My physique was very special, much stronger than my peers, even stronger than those adults, which made me seem too different… So, in the eyes of my peers, I was a ‘monster’.” Mingyan nodded. “I became a hunter at a very young age. Since I couldn’t make friends, I came to like the feeling of being alone, at least it was quiet.”

"...Looking at it this way, I'm much happier than Young Master Ming. At least I have someone to argue with." Yu Mudan tilted her head to look at Ming Yan, and after hearing his words, she sighed softly, "That kind of life must be very difficult, right?"

“It’s not so much torment as it is loneliness.” Mingyan shook his head. “So, I understand how Fairy Yu feels, and I don’t mind relieving her loneliness.”

Yu Mudan covered her mouth and chuckled, "If others heard what Young Master Ming said, they would misunderstand... What do you mean by relieving my loneliness... It sounds a bit strange, doesn't it?"

Mingyan smiled and said, "Fairy Yu should know what I mean. As long as Fairy Yu doesn't overthink it, that's fine."

Yu Mudan's performance became more and more natural. Her ability to adjust on the spot was too strong. From the slightly awkward and stiff emotional expression at the beginning, to now making the topic full of ambiguity so naturally, it was almost like the same person.

Yu Mudan smiled gently, "Alright, after chatting with Young Master Ming for a while, I feel much better. Young Master Ming must have his own things to take care of, right? I won't take up any more of your time. Let's chat again when you have time."

Mingyan nodded, and Yu Mudan smiled and turned to leave.

That's enough... This Jade Peony is indeed not as simple as I imagined.

Although she mentioned Gu Hanshuang, she didn't mention the relationship between Mingyan and Gu Hanshuang, nor did she inquire whether Mingyan had gone to see Gu Hanshuang during his disappearance. She focused on her relationship with him, and with Mingyan's deliberate cooperation, their relationship did indeed warm up considerably.

The naturally ambiguous topics added more possibilities to the relationship between the two. If necessary, she would probably use this ambiguous atmosphere to her advantage next time, bringing them closer together.

Although Gu Hanshuang is straightforward, she is not stupid. Knowing that she can't outsmart Yu Mudan, how could she possibly act so clumsy when she is wary of her?

However, no matter what, the initiative is in our own hands; no matter how powerful Yu Mudan is, she can't turn the tide.

Mingyan shook his head, coming back to his senses. He would look for Gu Hanshuang more often later; now it was time to go find his master and senior sister.

Mingyan took a step and quickly returned to the courtyard where the three of them lived. Without hesitation, he went straight to Yue Wuxia's door, pushed it open, and went inside.

Upon entering, I saw my master lying on her side on the bed, her body curves clearly defined. Her eyes were closed, as if she were resting.

Mingyan didn't believe that his master would close his eyes to rest. He walked to the bedside, stared at his master's magnificent face, and watched quietly without saying a word.

Before long, Yue Wuxia couldn't take it anymore. She opened her eyes, glared at Ming Yan, and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Mingyan said with a grin, "Master knows why I'm here."

“I don’t know…get lost…” Yue Wuxia turned over, her back to Ming Yan, and said coldly.

"Master, you said Aunt Ning couldn't accept it, but now she has. Aren't you going to show any remorse?" Ming Yan sat down on the edge of the bed, took Yue Wuxia's jade hand in his, held it in his palm, and gently squeezed it. He smiled and said, "Master, do you intend to just brush this off like this?"

"If your Aunt Ning is willing to accept it, go find your Aunt Ning. What are you doing here with me?" Yue Wuxia didn't break free, but just snorted twice, clearly dissatisfied.

Chapter 219 Am I a Qualified Master?

Yue Wuxia was clearly very dissatisfied, as for why...

Mingyan held Yue Wuxia's hand and smiled, "If Master doesn't agree, then I'll go find Aunt Ning. Is there a problem?"

“No problem.” Yue Wuxia suddenly pulled out hers, turning her back to Ming Yan. “I told you, if your Aunt Ning is willing to play with you, then go find your Aunt Ning. I’m not willing to do anything, so get lost.”

Mingyan grasped Yue Wuxia's slender hand again. "Is Master angry?"

"Get lost."

The only response Mingyan received was a cold "Get lost," but Mingyan wasn't angry after hearing it. If it were before, he would definitely be very uneasy, worried that his master would be angry and ignore him... But now Mingyan understands his master better, so he knows that although his master looks very angry now, he is actually very easy to coax.

He didn't speak, but gently stroked Yue Wuxia's hand with his thumb to soothe his master's emotions. At this moment, he couldn't be in a hurry and had to wait for his master to speak first. Mingyan knew Yue Wuxia too well.

Sure enough, it didn't take long before Yue Wuxia spoke up, "Why aren't you going to find your Aunt Ning? What are you doing here?"

“Because Master is here, so am I here too,” Mingyan said with a smile.

"You talk as if you care so much about me, your master..." Yue Wuxia snorted coldly. "What? Not going to say anything? You don't need Ning Mengru to force me to accept it?"

"Of course I care about Master..." Mingyan paused for a moment, then continued, "Does Master hate this kind of thing that much?"

Yue Wuxia didn't speak, but she snorted coldly again, as if admitting it in this way.

"If Master truly dislikes it, I won't force you." Mingyan sighed softly. "I'm sorry... Master, I forced you..."

"What? A strategic retreat to advance?"

Mingyan understands Yue Wuxia, but Yue Wuxia understands Mingyan just as well. How could Yue Wuxia not know what Mingyan is thinking?

"Master, you've misunderstood." Mingyan shook his head. How could he do something so easily guessed by his master? He wasn't thinking of using a retreat as a tactic to provoke Yue Wuxia into agreeing. Instead, he thought that if his master disagreed now, he could try to persuade her later.

"Hmph...misunderstood you?" Yue Wuxia didn't believe Ming Yan's nonsense. She knew all too well what Ming Yan was thinking...

He said he wouldn't force her, but in reality, it was just a soft knife used to stab her...

In order to achieve his goal, this traitor openly went to Ning Mengru and used words to coerce her into agreeing, which infuriated Yue Wuxia.

If he had insisted a little longer, he might have softened and agreed. But instead, he went to Ning Mengru... what did he take her for?

This is the main reason why Yue Wuxia is angry, not to mention that Yue Qingying came to her to do her own thing after Mingyan left...

"Master, please calm down." Seeing this, Mingyan felt a little strange. Was his master really getting serious? Then he would need to change his strategy. He quickly admitted his mistake.

Perhaps it was because Mingyan's attitude of admitting his mistake was quite sincere, or perhaps it was because Mingyan had been gently stroking Yue Wuxia's hand with his thumb the whole time, in any case, Yue Wuxia's emotions calmed down a bit. She was silent for a while before saying, "You really want me to cultivate with you and... Qingying?"

"Master, I shouldn't have said that to upset you, but... I really wanted to... I feel that the three of us are like family now, so there's no need to avoid suspicion anymore, right?" Mingyan couldn't help but say, "However... I also know that this is just my personal opinion, and it was wrong of me not to consider Master..."

Hearing Ming Yan say that, Yue Wuxia felt much better. She snorted coldly, "Good to know."