The Side Character Who Wins by Doing Nothing

Seeing the look on Cangming’s face, Lu Sangjiu sensed something was wrong. She glanced down at her own drawing, then stood on tiptoe to peek at the one on his table.

The angle wasn’t great, but a quick glance confirmed they had both drawn Ye Zhiyao. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

’Hmm, so the Pseudo Heavenly Dao has likely just clouded Cangming’s judgment, making him think Ye Zhiyao looks just like his long-lost love, even though she clearly doesn’t?’

’If that’s the case, he should have the same reaction when looking at a portrait, right? So why does he look so shocked?’

Lu Sangjiu wasn’t worried that her painting style would be recognized. After all, while she knew how to paint, she rarely ever did, and the number of works she’d left behind in the past was minuscule.

’Besides, they weren’t famous masterpieces. Who would be bored enough to study them so intently?’

Ahem. In fact, someone really was that bored and had studied her painting techniques and habits to the point of complete thoroughness.

Fortunately, she hadn’t picked up a brush in a very long time. While certain habits remained, it was impossible for her technique to be identical to her past work. It was only similar.

Cangming remained stunned for a long moment. He only snapped out of it after Lu Sangjiu couldn’t help but call out to him twice.

"Master, is something wrong?"

Cangming gave Lu Sangjiu a deep look, but ultimately just shook his head slightly. "It’s nothing."

He paused, then couldn’t resist asking, "Who taught you how to paint?"

Lu Sangjiu thought he was criticizing her ugly drawing and rubbed her nose guiltily. "Ahem... I’m self-taught. My technique may not be the most refined, but I believe I’ve captured her essential spirit!"

"If you can’t see it, perhaps you should take a closer look?"

Cangming fell silent for a moment before stating coldly, "There’s no need."

He retracted his gaze and showed his own drawing to Lu Sangjiu. "Are they the same?"

Lu Sangjiu nodded honestly. "They’re the same."

Cangming then realized the nature of the problem. He decided to investigate what kind of Spell could affect a person’s perception this way and see if there was a cure.

’Otherwise... even knowing it’s an illusion, I still can’t bring myself to kill her when I look at that face, so similar to the real one.’

Seeing that Cangming was about to leave, Lu Sangjiu immediately blocked his path. "Master, there’s still one question you haven’t answered for me!"

Cangming glanced at Lu Sangjiu, a flicker of complex emotion in the depths of his eyes. "...Ask."

Relieved that he wasn’t going back on his word, Lu Sangjiu quickly asked the question she had prepared. "What has the Seven Emotions Sect done to try and save me?"

Cangming considered it for a moment. He decided there was no harm in telling her, so he didn’t refuse.

"Simply put, the Seven Emotions Sect has split into two factions. One wants to save Ye Zhiyao, the other wants to save you."

A wry smile touched his lips as he spoke. "You know, the people of your Seven Emotions Sect are really something else."

"Do your two factions have a grudge against each other? They only seem to care about saving their own, with no intention of helping the other one at all."

Lu Sangjiu wasn’t surprised in the least. It was as if they really did have a feud.

The other Supreme Elder was Bai Heng’s master, Xuanming True Monarch, who was naturally here to save Ye Zhiyao. It would have been strange if they wanted to rescue a junior disciple like her, who had always been at odds with Bai Heng’s faction.

Her own master and Yan Lingzhi weren’t exactly magnanimous, either. Besides, saving two people was certainly harder than saving one. No matter how you looked at it, neither side was going to bother with the other’s person.

The remaining person, Sect Leader Master Qian He, probably wanted to save them both, but he clearly had no say in front of the two Supreme Elders and could only remain silent.

She had anticipated all of this, so hearing Cangming confirm it made her anxious. She couldn’t help but press him, "And then? How are my master and Yan Lingzhi planning to save me?"

Cangming’s lips twitched. "You’re not actually expecting them to fight me, are you?"

"It was just verbal warnings and threats, along with some proposals for an exchange. I refused them all."

"They’re now saying if I don’t hand you over, they’ll lead an army to attack the Western Demon Realm... Do you believe that? I sure don’t."

Lu Sangjiu was speechless.

To be honest, she kind of believed them.

Because in the book, the war between Immortals and Demons erupted again right after Cangming captured Ye Zhiyao.

It was just that the timeline didn’t match up with the present. In the book, all of this happened at least two years later. But now, probably because of her involvement, many events had been pushed forward.

Although the book never explicitly stated that the new war between Immortals and Demons was directly related to Ye Zhiyao... who could say for sure?

She felt a persistent sense of unease.

After a moment’s hesitation, she said tentatively, "Master, I don’t think you can be so sure about this. The Western Demon Realm has no desire to go to war with the Cultivation World so soon, right?"

"How about we each take a step back?"

Cangming gave her a baffled look. "Hold on. You really think the Cultivation World would attack the Western Demon Realm for *you*?"

’Don’t be ridiculous. She’s just one minor disciple. Even if she has the Domination Map Blade and they’re worried about the domination map returning to the Western Demon Realm, they wouldn’t start a war over it.’

Lu Sangjiu’s expression was complicated. "I know you think I’m not important enough, but..."

She agonized over it for a moment. She really didn’t want to say what came next, but for the sake of the greater good, she forced herself to.

"But I think Ye Zhiyao might be important enough. If you have no other use for her... why not just let her go?"

In her heart, Lu Sangjiu would have been delighted for Ye Zhiyao to remain here and suffer, but she was genuinely worried that Ye Zhiyao was the linchpin that could trigger the war between Immortals and Demons.

After all, she had a Tribulation Crossing Ancestor backing her. What if that Ancestor, in a fit of rage, actually made a move to save Ye Zhiyao and tried to kill Cangming?

Although that Ancestor was at the Transcendance Tribulation Stage, Cangming’s current power was close to that stage as well, and he had other Integration Stage Cultivators at his side.

With the natural advantage Demon Cultivators held over Immortal Cultivators, plus the home-field advantage in the Western Demon Realm, it was anyone’s guess who would end up killing whom.

’But regardless of who died, the conflict would surely erupt. And then, wouldn’t war be inevitable?’

Cangming’s expression turned odd when he heard her words. "I can’t be hearing this right. Are you asking me to release Ye Zhiyao?"

He’d witnessed their entire exchange just now. ’This... no matter how I look at it, they don’t seem close enough for one to plead on the other’s behalf.’

Lu Sangjiu’s expression was earnest. "I’m not trying to save Ye Zhiyao. I’m just worried a war between Immortals and Demons will break out. She has a Tribulation Crossing Ancestor backing her, one who dotes on her. If you keep her here, that Ancestor might actually come out of seclusion for her."

Cangming’s expression shifted. "...Is everything you’re saying true?"

Lu Sangjiu nodded emphatically. "Every word! You saw yourself that Ye Zhiyao and I are not on good terms. There’s absolutely no other reason I would plead for her!"

"So, Master, I urge you to reconsider!"

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