The Side Character Who Wins by Doing Nothing

Lu Sangjiu followed these people out of the city. While their carriage was stopped at the city gate, she crept close and smeared a bit of ash from the Demon-Attracting Incense onto the lead carriage.

Once outside the city, she no longer feared losing them. She waited in place for a while for the others.

Only when the carriage was far enough away did the others appear and approach her.

"There’s a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator in the carriage. Those of you who aren’t skilled at concealment will be easily exposed if you come along, so for now, it’s enough for just Second Senior Sister and me to go."

"The rest of you follow from a greater distance. If you lose us, contact me with a Communication Talisman. I’ll light the Demon-Attracting Incense, and with Ah Ming on your end, you won’t lose the trail."

Luo Linlang had a mask-type Magic Treasure given to her by her master. Although it wasn’t as heaven-defying as Lu Sangjiu’s Thousand Faces of Life, it was still quite effective at concealing one’s aura and should be enough to ensure they wouldn’t be discovered.

Another reason was that they had tried it before. At critical moments, Luo Linlang could use her Word Spirit Technique to help Lu Sangjiu use the Six-sided Exquisite Dice, producing an incredibly powerful effect.

They couldn’t just kill people to silence them over this matter, so it wasn’t a good time for Lu Sangjiu to play her trump cards. With the Six-sided Exquisite Dice’s Thunder Skill for protection, they would have more confidence when facing a Nascent Soul Stage expert.

Luo Linlang was, of course, more than happy to go with Lu Sangjiu. She immediately nodded happily in agreement and set off in pursuit of the carriage first.

The carriage traveled all night. Just as the sky began to lighten, Lu Sangjiu finally received a message from Xie Ningyuan.

"I got it out of him. Unfortunately, the new City Lord doesn’t know much."

"He said they came to the City Lord Mansion on the very night he arrived in Yuelin City. The person who sought him out was at the Late-stage of the Nascent Soul, so they easily bypassed the mansion’s guards and entered his study."

"They didn’t say what they did, nor did they mention their origins. They only said they frequently had goods that needed to pass through Yuelin City and required him to facilitate their passage."

"The price for each passage was three hundred Mid-grade Spirit Stones. He was tempted by the profit, and since the other party’s cultivation was higher than his, he couldn’t afford to offend them. So, he simply went along with it and agreed."

Lu Sangjiu wasn’t very satisfied with this result. "So that means we have no useful clues at all? Tsk. He dares to accept Spirit Stones from people of unknown origin? Isn’t he afraid he won’t live long enough to spend them?"

Xie Ningyuan quickly replied, "It’s not that there’s nothing. Although he didn’t get any useful information from them, he recognized the movement technique they used when leaving."

"He said the movement technique is called Swallow Double Fly. It was created by a Loose Cultivator and was sold at an auction about five years ago."

"That Loose Cultivator passed away two years ago, so anyone using this movement technique now is most likely the person who bought the Cultivation Technique at the auction, or someone closely related to them."

Lu Sangjiu was suddenly thrilled. "Who was it?"

But Xie Ningyuan threw cold water on her excitement: "I don’t know."

Lu Sangjiu: "..."

’Couldn’t he just get to the point?’

However, Xie Ningyuan quickly added, "Although I don’t know who they are, he remembers the time and place of the auction. I’ll follow this lead and investigate. There might be some results."

Lu Sangjiu hesitated. "Won’t that be too much trouble? I’ve already caught up to them, so maybe I should just keep following for now?"

She knew the rules of auctions: disclosing client information was forbidden. Moreover, this was a five-year-old matter, so she feared it wouldn’t be easy to investigate.

But Xie Ningyuan said, "It’s better to have a double guarantee. Besides, I’ve recovered my cultivation now. If you run into danger, just notify me, and I can arrive in an instant."

"Don’t worry. If it proves impossible, I’ll come and meet up with you."

Hearing him say that, Lu Sangjiu couldn’t find a reason to refuse, so she had to agree. "Then you be careful."

After cutting off the Communication Talisman, Xie Ningyuan clutched his chest in pain as a trickle of blood slowly escaped the corner of his mouth.

’Tsk, Gu Jue’s Elixir Pills really only lasted for a short while.’

The last time he faced his Heart Demon, he successfully broke free because of Lu Sangjiu, but he also suffered a more severe backlash as a result.

Now, the effects of the Elixir Pills had completely worn off. He had to find new ones; otherwise, by staying near her like this, his condition would be exposed sooner or later.

’Thankfully, this City Lord has given me an excuse. And at an auction, I might just find what I’m looking for.’

Just as he was about to tear open the void and leave Yuelin City, he suddenly sensed a familiar aura approaching.

The next moment, he saw the person who had appeared before him. His gaze sharpened slightly, and he gave the person a Buddhist salute. "...Abbot."

The Abbot’s dharma name was Liao Wu. He was actually the Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect, but he had once been an abbot in the mortal Buddhist Family and continued to use the title after attaining the Great Dao.

He was the only one in the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect who abided by the precepts and rules of the mortal Buddhist Sect. He even upheld the precept against killing, something almost no one in the Cultivation World could manage.

Therefore, no matter how different Xie Ningyuan’s ideals were from those of the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect, he always held a deep, heartfelt respect for the Abbot.

Abbot Liao Wu looked at Xie Ningyuan with a kind expression. "I was on my way to the border. I sensed a familiar aura as I passed through here, so I came to have a look. And it is indeed you."

Unlike Lu Sangjiu and her companions, Abbot Liao Wu, as a fellow practitioner of the Buddhist Law, could see Xie Ningyuan’s condition at a glance.

He was somewhat surprised, yet there was also a hint of understanding in his eyes.

"Your Heart Demon has been resolved, but you’ve suffered a backlash from developing feelings, haven’t you?"

"...Is it for that little girl, the one you were willing to Fall into Demon to save?"

Xie Ningyuan lowered his eyes, a flicker of apology in his gaze.

He was born with a natural Buddha Heart. When he was born, a celestial phenomenon occurred, attracting the passing Abbot Liao Wu.

It could be said that from the moment of his birth, the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect had designated him as the Buddha Son, and from then on, the entire sect poured all its resources into cultivating him.

But later, he found his own path. From that point on, he was no longer the Buddha Son of the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect.

Although he had always used his own methods to repay the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect with Cultivation Resources to settle his debt of gratitude... material things could be repaid, but emotional debts were hard to settle.

All the hopes they had placed in him were ultimately misplaced.

"I’m sorry, Abbot. My Buddha Heart is shattered, and I’ve suffered a backlash from developing feelings. I am no longer worthy of the title of Buddha Son of the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect."

After a pause, he slowly knelt. "I, Jichen, know that I owe the sect a great deal. I should cripple my own cultivation and be expelled from the sect, but right now, I still have important matters to attend to. I hope the Abbot can grant me some time. When it is done, I will personally return to the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect and give the sect an explanation."

Abbot Liao Wu looked at Xie Ningyuan and let out a soft sigh. "Actually, a hundred years ago, I already knew that your fate with the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect would one day come to an end. I just didn’t expect... that when this day truly arrived, I would still find it a pity."

Xie Ningyuan lowered his gaze. "...I have disappointed you, Abbot."

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