Gu He continued teaching Yue Er alchemy as usual. Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin would sometimes bring Ya Fei over to watch curiously, and Gu He did not stop them. To avoid pushing her too hard, Gu He generally taught for only half a day, leaving Yue Er free to decide what to do with the rest of her time, whether consolidating what she had learned or going out to play.
Whenever Gu He had some free time, Teng Shan told him about the recent discussions surrounding the Empire's proposed alliance with the Snake People and the attitudes of the various factions.
Overall, after learning of the Chu Yun Empire's formidable strength, most people agreed to ally with the Snake People. Faced with extinction or survival, most were willing to temporarily set aside their hatred. Of course, there were opponents as well. The fiercest opponent was an old acquaintance of Gu He's, Lion King Yan Shi, one of the Jia Ma Empire's ten strongest experts. They had once been very close, their friendship even more solid than Gu He's relationship with Teng Shan at the time. But after he had taken over the body, fearing that those close to its original owner might notice something amiss, he had contacted Yan Shi less and less, and their friendship had gradually faded.
Hearing Teng Shan's words, Gu He helplessly pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling somewhat guilty toward Yan Shi. Taking over this body had not been his intention. By the time he awoke, the body had already become his. Yet the fact remained that Yan Shi had lost a friend, and now he was being asked to stand on the same side as those who had once been his enemies.
"Forget it. Let him say what he wants. Whenever