The Side Character Who Wins by Doing Nothing

Xie Ningyuan’s words were a blatant jab at the three of them.

Chi Yan retorted indignantly, "A life-saving favor must naturally be repaid. That’s a principle everyone understands. It would be the same for anyone else!"

Xie Ningyuan shot him a sidelong glance. "Even if it was a Demon Cultivator you’d been fighting for ages?"

Chi Yan wanted to say yes, but he opened his mouth and couldn’t get the words out.

He... had to admit that it probably wasn’t something just anyone could do.

Feng Lin was much smarter. She didn’t argue with Xie Ningyuan at all, simply asking, "They didn’t leave. So, what happened then? What happened next?"

Xie Ningyuan was silent for a moment before continuing with a straight face, "Then, Gu Huang, admiring their chivalrous spirit and moved by their unwavering loyalty, let them go. She even returned the Phoenix Cry Sword to Sword Bu Gui."

Lu Sangjiu, who had been listening quietly the whole time: ’???’

’Wait a minute. Everything up to this point was fine, but how did it suddenly go so wrong here?’

She glanced at Xie Ningyuan with suspicion. Seeing his dead-serious expression, which didn’t look like he was joking, she couldn’t help but wonder again... ’He really does see me through some kind of weird filter, doesn’t he?’

’Her? The top-tier Demon Cultivator Gu Huang? How could she possibly be moved by loyalty and just let them go?’

Speechless, she finally confirmed one thing... ’Right. Xie Ningyuan wasn’t hiding in some forgotten corner witnessing the whole thing. He most likely heard about it from the few Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators who were there and managed to escape with their lives.’

’Of course, to know the details so clearly, without any concealment or glorification of their actions, he must have used some violent methods to get it out of them.’

’That was also why Xie Ningyuan didn’t know what happened after those people left, so he could only spout nonsense and guess.’

In reality... Lu Sangjiu hadn’t let the two of them off so easily back then.

After all, Hua Jianzhi was a major figure who was resented and plotted against by Cangming. Lu Sangjiu knew of her, and she knew of the plans Cangming had set in motion against her.

Although she wasn’t involved, since she had run into them, she couldn’t just turn a blind eye.

She saved the two of them because she couldn’t stand the ugly behavior of those other Cultivators. But whether to let them go after saving them was another matter entirely.

Sword Bu Gui was a very smart man. When he saw Lu Sangjiu drive everyone else away and then turn her gaze toward them, he immediately clasped his hands and bowed to her.

"Thank you for saving our lives, Senior!"

"Senior, you disregard factions and judge only by right and wrong. You punish the wicked, promote good, and help the weak against the strong. You are truly a model for our generation!"

’Yup, without a second thought, he slapped a few flattering labels on her first.’

’Put Lu Sangjiu on a high enough pedestal, and she wouldn’t have the nerve to act against them, right?’

Unfortunately, Sword Bu Gui didn’t understand Lu Sangjiu... She had the nerve.

"Don’t think a little flattery will make this all go away."

She aimed the Phoenix Cry Sword in her hand at Hua Jianzhi. "Cangming is my subordinate. You escaped from him, and I just happened to run into you."

"Tell me, what reason do I have to let you go?"

Hua Jianzhi, despite being a Cultivator from the Joyful Union Sect, was different from the debauched and unrestrained majority of its members.

There was no trace of frivolity about her; she even looked like a steady and reliable senior.

Even facing such a desperate situation, she showed no fear, merely looking at Lu Sangjiu and saying, "If Senior truly wanted to kill me, you wouldn’t be standing here asking questions, would you?"

’What she said... fine, it was true.’

While Lu Sangjiu wasn’t so moved that she would just let them go, she had indeed witnessed the noble character she and Sword Bu Gui displayed in their unwavering loyalty to each other.

The Immortal Demon War was not something she desired. She detested Cultivators, but not all Cultivators.

At the very least, for people of such excellent character as these two, she felt no ill will, nor any deep-seated hatred that would compel her to kill them.

So, although her sword was pointed at Hua Jianzhi, she was still willing to give them a chance to speak.

But... if they thought they could rest easy because of that, they were sorely mistaken.

Lu Sangjiu said impassively, "I gave you a chance. Since you can’t give me a reason, then I have no choice but to..."

The Phoenix Cry Sword trembled slightly, but Sword Bu Gui, at her side, shouted, "Wait!"

Lu Sangjiu’s movement paused. She glanced at Sword Bu Gui. "Oh? Little cultivator, do you have any last words?"

The corner of Sword Bu Gui’s mouth twitched. He then took a deep breath and said, "Senior, since you were willing to give us one chance to speak... why not give us another?"

"Just tell us what it will take for you to let us go."

Lu Sangjiu raised an eyebrow, casting a slightly appreciative glance at Sword Bu Gui. "Hmm, you’re pretty sharp. In that case, I’ll give you one more chance."

"My demands are simple. First, you both swear an oath not to participate in the conflict between Immortals and Demons for the next hundred years. Second... both of you, hand over your storage bags."

Hearing the first part, the two of them kept their expressions relatively normal. But upon hearing the last sentence, they were both instantly dumbfounded.

’Wait... you’re a great senior of the Transcendance Tribulation Stage! You were just acting all high and mighty, talking about the Immortal Demon War, so how did the conversation take a sharp turn into blatant robbery???’

Seeing their colorful expressions, Lu Sangjiu grew displeased. "What, you’re not willing?"

At a time like this, who would dare say no?

And to be honest, the conditions Lu Sangjiu proposed weren’t that hard to accept.

Sword Bu Gui and Hua Jianzhi exchanged a glance, gritted their teeth, and nodded in agreement.

’In any case, important items like Lifebound Magical Treasures were kept nurtured in one’s Sea of Consciousness. The things in a storage bag... were just worldly possessions. Money lost can be earned again!’

After listening to them swear the Heart Demon Oath and gleefully taking their storage bags, Lu Sangjiu prepared to leave.

But the Phoenix Cry Sword, which had been relatively obedient until now, began to protest.

The blade HUMMED and vibrated, struggling against Lu Sangjiu’s will, refusing to leave with her.

Lu Sangjiu slapped it in annoyance, her face full of disdain. "You’re just a stupid sword, what’s with the attitude? You really think I want you that badly?"

She paused, glanced at Sword Bu Gui, and without another word, shoved the Phoenix Cry Sword toward him before turning and leaving with a flourish.

’Yup, the truth was just that simple and unadorned.’

’She hadn’t been moved by their loyalty at all; she was moved by their valuables. That was why she let them go.’

Lu Sangjiu knew all this herself, but the others didn’t. They were all stunned into silence by Xie Ningyuan’s answer.

Shaken repeatedly by Xie Ningyuan’s words, they were probably starting to question their entire existence.

’Could it be... that this Demon Cultivator Gu Huang was actually a kind-hearted, good person?’

As they sat in silence, Feng Lin couldn’t resist speaking up, but Gu Jue spoke first.

His eyes were slightly downcast, hiding the complex emotions in his expression, as he spoke with some difficulty.

"...I don’t know if what you said is true or false."

"But, I was just thinking back, and it’s true that I have never heard my master say anything negative about this person, Gu Huang."

Feng Lin: ’!!!’

Chi Yan: ’!!!’

’Could it be... could this be the truth?’

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