One of my fairy-like friends

Gu Hanshuang calmly looked at Yu Mudan. Could she really have forgiven her? How could she... Even with Ming Yan's intervention, there hadn't been any real life-or-death conflict, but too much time had passed, so much so that it had become a habit...

But... it should end now. Time heals all wounds, and with time, everyone will forget these things...

"...No need to say anything...This is fine..." Gu Hanshuang said softly.

"..." Yu Mudan smiled, pursing her lips. "So much time has passed... it really should end now..."

Gu Hanshuang thought that Yu Mudan might take the initiative to apologize and then shift the blame to her, but she was slightly surprised that Yu Mudan didn't say anything. However, considering that Ming Yan had been working on Yu Mudan's mindset all this time, she understood.

It's not that Yu Mudan doesn't care anymore, it's just because of Mingyan... Then again, Mingyan and Yu Mudan's relationship is developing quite well, right? Otherwise, why would Yu Mudan so easily forgive him?

"...That's enough..." Gu Hanshuang didn't have anything else to say. Since Yu Mudan didn't take the opportunity to mock her, it was time to end it. She turned around and looked at Ming Yan, "Shall we go?"

"Um... um... can I let Mingyan stay for a while? I have something to say to him?" Yu Mudan quickly asked in an inquiring tone.

Gu Hanshuang turned her head to look at Yu Mudan. She felt very uncomfortable hearing Yu Mudan ask her in such a tone. Why would she ask for her opinion? Gu Hanshuang was a little puzzled and couldn't help but look at Ming Yan again.

What kind of bewitching drug did Mingyan give Yu Mudan? This is too strange...

Since Yu Mudan had spoken up, Gu Hanshuang ultimately did not refuse. She left first, leaving Mingyan and Yu Mudan behind.

"...What a surprise, she actually took the initiative to apologize." Yu Mudan sighed softly. "It's...beyond my expectations. I originally thought that at most...she would just say that we should both let bygones be bygones and let bygones be bygones, but I didn't expect her to say 'I'm sorry.' I wonder if she feels humiliated."

“…She genuinely wants to reconcile with you.” Mingyan sighed softly. “Didn’t you also feel tired? You even apologized to her… I should thank you…”

"Thank me? This is clearly a troublesome matter between me and Gu Hanshuang, yet you've had to handle it. I'm the one who should be thanking you..." Yu Mudan paused for a moment. She knew very well how proud Gu Hanshuang was. For someone like her to be willing to humble herself for Ming Yan, she didn't know what Ming Yan had said to her, but his actions left Yu Mudan with an indescribable feeling...

Could he have helped her win the competition? Even though she apologized, the implications were completely different...

Mingyan was ultimately biased towards her... She pursed her lips, knowing that it would be a lie to say she wasn't happy...

"...This matter is now considered closed." Ming Yan sighed and smiled slightly. "I hope you two can get along well from now on..."

"Being friends might be difficult, but at least we won't fight anymore, right...?" Yu Mudan smiled gently, her hands behind her back. She lowered her head, intending to look at her toes, but her view was blocked. She then looked up at Ming Yan and pursed her lips.

She... found that she really had feelings for Mingyan... Originally, Yu Mudan had quite a good impression of Mingyan, but because there were too many women around him, she kept her distance from him. But now... he helped her win this game that might have been a life without winners or losers, which gave Yu Mudan a different feeling.

Has Gu Hanshuang really given in? Not necessarily. She's probably only doing it for Mingyan's sake. Even if there's no open competition now, the infighting might not be any less... Besides, the fighting might even be secondary... The most important thing is her own thoughts, and the fact that Mingyan can still help her with her cultivation...

A man like this, whose womanizing ways can no longer be a reason for me to refuse to look him in the eye...

“…Um…” Yu Mudan felt she should show her affection for Ming Yan, but she suddenly became a little awkward and didn’t know what to do…

Perhaps it was just an added-on before with Mingyan, but now, is it for real?

Her breathing became rapid, but she didn't know what to do, and could only feel anxious...

"Um...I..." Yu Mudan's face gradually flushed. She bit her lip and whispered, "Can I...hug you?"

Chapter 252 The Jade Peony's Unbearable Fate

The moment she said it, Yu Mudan was stunned. Her face flushed even more, and an expression of disbelief appeared on her face.

How could I have behaved so poorly? Even though that's the gist of it, I felt incredibly out of control; it wasn't how I should be behaving.

Even in matters like this, one should remain calm and composed...

Mingyan was slightly surprised. Yu Mudan's direct and shy request for a hug was really...unlike her... But Mingyan certainly didn't mind giving her a hug, so he smiled and opened his arms.

Despite her appalling behavior, the goal remained the same. Yu Mudan took a deep breath, suppressing her shame, and gently bit her cherry lips. She slowly stepped forward and approached Mingyan's embrace, and Mingyan then gently held her in his arms.

Mingyan acted very restrained, only giving Yu Mudan a light and polite hug before letting go of her.

Yu Mudan stared at Ming Yan silently for a moment, then slowly lowered her head. "Although you don't need my thanks, I still must say thank you..."

Mingyan smiled, accepting the thanks. Seeing this, Yu Mudan smiled slightly, "There's no need to be so sentimental... Alright, Gu Hanshuang is probably waiting for you to comfort her, go ahead..."

Mingyan nodded and turned to leave.

Yu Mudan watched Ming Yan walk to the door, then followed him there. Watching his retreating figure as he headed towards Gu Hanshuang's room, she slowly lowered her head.

Am I at a loss because I've really fallen for him? I've always been acting, and I've gotten so used to acting that I've forgotten how to express my true self... It's so pathetic. I wonder if Mingyan was laughing at me in his heart just now.

...That won't do.

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Mingyan arrived at Gu Hanshuang's room. Gu Hanshuang was standing at the window. When she saw Mingyan come in, she said, "I guess Yu Mudan is very happy."

"Of course I'm happy." Mingyan smiled helplessly. "After all, this matter has dragged on for so long. Don't you want it to end sooner?"

"So I took the initiative to apologize," Gu Hanshuang said. "I apologized partly because I didn't want to cause you any more trouble, and partly because I didn't want to continue being troubled by this kind of thing. The conflict between her and me shouldn't spread and affect what I do..."

Mingyan sighed softly, "Thank you."

"Thank me? No need to thank me, but I have a question for you. Do you really want to be friends with Yu Mudan, or are you just trying to smooth things over between me and her?" Gu Hanshuang shook her head and then asked.

"...Why do you ask that?"

“Because if it’s the latter, my conflict with her has already been resolved, and you don’t need to get close to her anymore, right?” Gu Hanshuang was very straightforward, looking directly into Ming Yan’s eyes, very calmly.

“What if it’s the former?” Mingyan paused for a moment, then asked.

“If it’s the former… then let it be the former…” Gu Hanshuang slowly lowered her head. “However, you can go and report to her now.”

The "she" here likely refers to Bai Ze.

Gu Hanshuang's relationship with Bai Ze is rather delicate. Logically speaking, Bai Ze should be considered Gu Hanshuang's master, since he taught her. However, it seems that Gu Hanshuang has never called Bai Ze "master" before. Calling him by his name would seem disrespectful, so Gu Hanshuang has always referred to Bai Ze as "she".

"...Are you a little unhappy because of my relationship with Yu Mudan?" Mingyan didn't answer the question, but instead asked it back.

"...No, you're overthinking it..." Gu Hanshuang stared at Ming Yan with her beautiful eyes for a moment, then shook her head, denying Ming Yan's words.

But Mingyan could tell that Gu Hanshuang was a little unhappy... Could it be that she took the initiative to go to Yu Mudan because she felt that her relationship with Yu Mudan was just a sham, and that after ending the conflict between the two of them, she would stay away from Yu Mudan?

So that's what she was thinking...

Mingyan was silent for a moment, then said, "I'm sorry, I seem to have let you down."

"...Nothing like that." Gu Hanshuang shook her head. She had also realized that Ming Yan had seen through her thoughts, which made her feel somewhat helpless. In front of Ming Yan, it seemed that she had no secrets at all.

Sometimes, it's like a telepathic connection; without saying a word, the other person knows what you're thinking, which is wonderful. But other times, your secret thoughts can be seen right through you, and that's not such a wonderful feeling...

If Yu Mudan is a person with many thoughts, then Ming Yan is even more so. Yu Mudan already gives her a lot of headaches, and the only good thing about Ming Yan is that he's not on her opposite side, so she doesn't need to think too much when she's with him...

"When you're with Yu Mudan, can you easily see through her thoughts?" Gu Hanshuang asked curiously.

"You can't see into someone's heart, how can you easily see through them?" Mingyan laughed, "Don't think of me as too terrifying."

“But I feel you can easily see through me…” Gu Hanshuang shook her head.

"If I could see right through you... that would be fine too..." Mingyan lowered his voice and sighed softly.

Gu Hanshuang raised an eyebrow. Was this a response to her, or simply an exclamation?

If it's an exclamation, why make such an exclamation? If you could easily see through me... see through me, what would you want to do?

Gu Hanshuang was silent for a moment before saying, "Please don't mind what I just said... Since I said I've reconciled with Yu Mudan, it's fine if you're close to her. It might be difficult for us to become friends, but we're no longer enemies, at least that's how I see it..."

Mingyan nodded. "I have never doubted you."

Gu Hanshuang breathed a sigh of relief, then had something to say, "Mingyan..."

The words were on the tip of her tongue, but Gu Hanshuang hesitated and finally fell silent, not saying them aloud.

What was she trying to say? Mingyan didn't know either, so it was indeed incorrect for Gu Hanshuang to say that he could easily see through her thoughts. Mingyan could deduce what Gu Hanshuang was thinking, but he wasn't a mind reader and couldn't possibly know her thoughts. If he could know everything, things wouldn't be like this now.

After leaving Gu Hanshuang, Mingyan found Bai Ze. The mediation was considered a partial victory. Although it was not hard to see from their behavior that neither of them had truly let go of their conflict, it was still progress. After all, at least on the surface, the two had reconciled, hadn't they?

Chapter 253 My Own Future

Bai Ze noticed Ming Yan's arrival early on, so he opened the door to welcome him. When Ming Yan went in, he saw Bai Ze smiling at him with his hands behind his back.

"Senior Bai Ze." Ming Yan clasped his hands in greeting, but Bai Ze waved his hand and said, "Don't shorten my lifespan. I can't accept your greeting."

Mingyan chuckled to himself. Because of his sister and mother, his seniority had been greatly elevated, which must be why Bai Ze said he couldn't accept it.

Bai Ze seemed to know his mother's origins... after all, she seemed to have the ability to see the future.

It is truly strange that a mere saint could possess such great power.

As a member of the demon race, Bai Ze seems to be an extremely special group. They appear to be a single lineage, and Bai Ze has existed since ancient times. Of course, the Bai Ze of the past is not the Bai Ze of today. "Bai Ze" is both a name and a code name, an identity.

Speaking of which, Bai Ze also has a connection with the Empress, who even possesses the most profound and mysterious Dao of Time...

"You don't need to say anything more. I know that Frost and Peony have 'reconciled'. Although we all know that this is only a superficial 'reconciliation,' it can still be considered a 'reconciliation.'" Bai Ze smiled and said, "However, as long as you are there, it is unlikely that the two of them will have any conflicts. In time, the two of them will naturally let go. So, in my eyes, you have already succeeded."

"...So, I've fulfilled what I promised you, senior?" Mingyan blinked. He originally thought Bai Ze would say that he hadn't finished yet, since everyone knew that Gu Hanshuang and Yu Mudan had only superficially reconciled. Unexpectedly, Bai Ze told him that he had already succeeded.

Does this mean that Mingyan doesn't have to continue?

"Yes, so you don't need to maintain your relationship with Gu Hanshuang and Yu Mudan anymore. If they have any conflicts in the future, that's not your problem," Bai Ze said with a smile.

Mingyan remained silent for a while. If he really broke away, the two of them would most likely still have conflicts, because their current superficial reconciliation was based on Mingyan's existence...

If he really leaves them, it will be more troublesome for Mingyan to mediate if the two of them have a conflict again, because it will be much harder for him to gain their trust as easily as he does now the second time.

Although Bai Ze said he didn't need to worry about what happened afterward, things had already progressed to the point where the "mediation" was no longer just something he had agreed to. It was hard for him and Yu Mudan to explain things clearly. Yu Mudan seemed to have some feelings for him as well. As for Gu Hanshuang, she genuinely considered him a friend. And if Ming Yan didn't want to remain neutral in private, he would also genuinely consider Gu Hanshuang a friend.

Mingyan no longer simply wanted to complete the task; he hoped to truly resolve the conflict between the two.

So, Mingyan shook his head, "This matter is not over yet. I haven't been able to truly mediate the relationship between the two of them, so I will continue."

Bai Ze smiled slightly, "I knew you would say that, but don't force yourself."

"It's not a forced move," Mingyan said. "Senior said I could withdraw, which means you're sure I'll continue to mediate between the two of them, right?"

“You should know very well,” Bai Ze said with a smile.

"I'm actually a little curious." Mingyan looked at Bai Ze. She was not only a saint of the demon race, but also one of the most beautiful women in the demon race. She and Yu Mudan should be considered the two most beautiful women in the demon race, right?

"What are you curious about?"

"Can you see your own future, Senior Bai Ze?" Ming Yan asked.

“Unfortunately, no.” Bai Ze shook his head. “If I could see my future, that would be a conflict. The future can be changed, but not arbitrarily. Changing the future is very difficult and comes at a price, even if the future itself has multiple possible paths.”

Mingyan remained silent for a moment, then asked, "Is there no mention of Senior Bai Ze in my future?"

"Unfortunately, no." Bai Ze nodded with a smile.

“But I believe that Senior Bai Ze has already had a significant impact on my fate. If you don’t exist in the future that Senior Bai Ze saw, is the future you saw really accurate?” Ming Yan asked, frowning.

Bai Ze was somewhat surprised. "...I hadn't thought about that...but I didn't interfere too much with your fate. I just told you two paths, one of life and one of death. You can only choose between the two. You can't live and die at the same time. The one who really has a big influence on your fate is Empress Qingzi. She has Feng Shiyi by your side and has been trying to change your luck."