Chapter 140: Just Friends
“It seems she’s adapted to her new life,” Mingyan smiled.
Ning Feixuan nodded. “Miss An’s talent is actually quite good. She was stuck at a bottleneck before, unable to progress, but now that her path is clear, she’s no different from any other cultivator. If anything, she’s quite talented.”
She was quite concerned about An Ran. After all, she was displaced. Yaochi had always been willing to take in such women.
This young lady from the prominent Xiu Hu An family had been labeled a “vase” since she was young, with the most famous saying being, “besides her beauty, she’s useless.”
This also showed that An Ran’s appearance was indeed exceptional.
She was indeed very beautiful, and she also had some connection with Mingyan…
It wasn’t that Ning Feixuan was intentionally thinking of Mingyan as a womanizer, but he was surrounded by too many women, and none of them were ordinary.
Perhaps he didn’t intentionally get involved with them, but this also indirectly showed how dangerous he was. Without even trying, so many women appeared around him. If he intentionally approached someone… That’s why Ning Feixuan wanted to keep her distance from him.
She sighed. But this distance was not something she could maintain if she wanted to. Her master’s attitude towards Mingyan was strange. Although she had never said anything, the relationship between her master and Mingyan’s master wouldn’t allow her to keep a great distance from him, wouldn’t allow her to be cold to him.
Thinking of that tomb, Ning Feixuan’s brow furrowed slightly. She had a feeling that there was a deeper entanglement between Mingyan and Yaochi. If this continued, it would be even more difficult to keep her distance from him, to draw a clear line.
“That’s good.” Mingyan nodded. “I was a bit worried that An Ran might cause some trouble for Yaochi…”
“To the An family, Miss An is already dead, isn’t she?” Ning Feixuan smiled faintly. “Even if the An family finds out that she’s at Yaochi, they won’t say anything.”
The Yaochi Sacred Land was special, completely different from ordinary Sacred Lands. They had good relations with too many Sacred Lands and prominent families, which meant that most people were unwilling to become their enemy.
Causing trouble with Yaochi could easily lead to being attacked by a group.
Mingyan nodded and walked with Ning Feixuan into the courtyard, looking at the magnificent palace in the distance.
Ning Feixuan stood beside him, maintaining a subtle distance, neither too distant nor too intimate. She said softly, “Before I left Yaochi, my master told me to be careful on this trip to the Sheng Yuan Dynasty. She rarely reminds me so seriously.”
Mingyan was slightly taken aback. “Does Celestial Ning have any news?”
“Although my master reminded me, she didn’t specify what to be careful of…” Ning Feixuan shook her head. “But I did some investigation after arriving at the Sheng Yuan Dynasty and heard some things.”
She looked up. “The Sheng Yuan Dynasty has been collecting life-extending medicinal herbs in recent years, presumably for the old emperor. It seems his lifespan is nearing its end.”
“A Human Gateway Realm cultivator can live for over two thousand years, can’t they?” Mingyan was a bit surprised. He remembered that the old emperor was only over fifteen hundred years old. How could his lifespan be nearing its end?
“Under normal circumstances, that’s true. But the rumor is that the old emperor suffered a Dao injury in his youth. Although it was treated, it left a hidden danger.” Ning Feixuan said, “If that’s true, then his lifespan is indeed nearing its end. But I don’t know if this has anything to do with my master’s warning…”
Mingyan frowned. “Did Aunt Ning not say anything else?”
Hearing him call her master “Aunt Ning,” Ning Feixuan’s expression turned strange, but she still nodded slightly.
Mingyan thought for a moment. “Since Aunt Ning has given a warning, we should indeed be more careful…”
Aunt Ning, Aunt Ning, Aunt Ning… Hearing this, Ning Feixuan pursed her lips, feeling extremely strange. On the one hand, he seemed to be very close to her master, which made her a bit uncomfortable, giving her a sense of being approached, of being pressured. On the other hand, she was also surnamed Ning…
But Mingyan’s behavior was very natural. He was less restrained than when he had stood before her before. He didn’t know if he had let go of those thoughts about her… Ning Feixuan sighed softly, hoping he had given up.
She didn’t dislike him. Her feelings for him were complicated. If she were to be strict with herself, she would say she was a little afraid of him.
Afraid of being influenced by him, afraid she might develop some other feelings for him. This man seemed to have a natural attraction to women, an invisible one that he himself didn’t even notice.
Ning Feixuan had said that with her parents’ revenge not yet taken, how could she indulge in love? She didn’t think she would definitely like or even fall in love with Mingyan, but she didn’t want to allow even the slightest possibility. When a spark appeared, it should be extinguished.
Ning Feixuan pursed her lips and turned. “If Fellow Daoist Mingyan has nothing else, then I’ll be going back.”
“Celestial Ning seems to be avoiding being with me. Have I made you feel uncomfortable?” Mingyan turned his head and looked at her, asking softly.
“…I didn’t say that…” Ning Feixuan shook her head, but that was indeed what she was thinking. She didn’t want to be with him, especially not alone like this.
“I know you still have things to accomplish, Celestial Ning, that are more important. But being friends shouldn’t be a problem, right?” Mingyan smiled. This was what his senior sister had taught him, to advance by retreating. Since Ning Feixuan already knew his feelings, if he continued to be so persistent, their relationship would likely remain in this lukewarm state. How could it progress?
So, he put on an act, making her think he had given up, allowing them to be friends first. After they became familiar, after they understood each other, he would make his move.
Ning Feixuan pursed her lips. She didn’t mind being friends with him, but… she had said she would extinguish any spark that ignited. If she became friends with him, it meant she was tolerating his approach, tolerating the possibility that she might fall for him.
“If Celestial Ning really minds, then forget it.” Mingyan took a step back. His senior sister hadn’t taught him this, but he felt he could retreat one more step.
This was a gamble. There was a risk. If Ning Feixuan turned and left, he would lose the chance to be friends with her and would have to find another way to move her. But that would be very difficult. If she turned and left, it would mean she really didn’t like being with him, and might even dislike him.
Mingyan felt that if that was the case… then he should also repay his debt, but he shouldn’t have any other thoughts.
Ning Feixuan opened her mouth and noticed him taking a step back. She looked up, her beautiful eyes looking at him, her gaze slightly complex.
She knew that if she left now, she might be able to sever all ties with him. They wouldn’t even have to be friends. Mingyan wasn’t the type to be shameless and would probably not approach her again.
But could she really do that? Ning Feixuan pursed her lips and sighed inwardly. Turning and leaving was not in her character. She couldn’t be so rude.
And, Ning Feixuan looked at him, at his clear eyes, without any romantic feelings…
Perhaps she should trust him. Perhaps he had given up…
“…Then we’re friends…” Ning Feixuan looked away, her voice soft, filled with a complex mix of emotions, some helplessness, some relief.
She had followed her own nature, not choosing what she knew was the most correct choice.
She should have kept her distance from this kind of man, but in the end, she had chosen to be friends…
Mingyan smiled faintly. “I thought Celestial Ning no longer trusted me.”
Ning Feixuan shook her head gently, her beautiful eyes blinking twice. She said softly, “Just friends.”
“Of course, just friends,” Mingyan smiled.
