The Side Character Who Wins by Doing Nothing

The wait always felt endless. Lu Sangjiu didn’t know when Yan Lingzhi and the others would finally cause a "big commotion," so she could only suppress her anxiety and wait.

Cangming hadn’t forbidden her from walking in the courtyard, but for several days straight, Lu Sangjiu never saw him return to his residence.

It was as if he had relinquished the place to her and Ye Zhiyao, turning it into their own private prison.

As for Ye Zhiyao, Lu Sangjiu hadn’t gone to check on her again. After all, with the Demonic Qi invading her body for so long, she had almost certainly lost her mind by now. There was no point in watching a madwoman go insane.

She spent most of her free time cultivating. This was originally Cangming’s residence, and the Demonic Qi here was denser than anywhere else, making it the perfect place to cultivate.

After a few days, the Demonic Qi Lu Sangjiu had accumulated brought her cultivation close to the Late-stage Golden Core Realm.

Then, that evening, as she was preparing for bed, she heard Cangming’s voice from the courtyard. "Come out."

He didn’t call for her by name, but Lu Sangjiu knew he meant her.

After a moment’s hesitation, she got up and went outside.

Cangming stood before the Demon Flowers growing in the courtyard, watering them with a ladle.

The Demon Flowers seemed to love the water, and the moonlight as well. Late at night, they looked even more vibrant than they did during the day.

Lu Sangjiu watched from a distance, showing no intention of approaching. She knew all too well that while these Demon Flowers looked tiny, they were actually incredibly powerful monsters. She wasn’t sure she could handle them.

Her gaze shifted, landing on the wine and dishes set on a nearby stone table. Lu Sangjiu raised an eyebrow in surprise. "It’s so late. Aren’t you resting, Sect Leader?"

Setting down the ladle, Cangming turned to look at Lu Sangjiu.

He didn’t answer her question, only saying flatly, "Come here. Have a few drinks with me."

Lu Sangjiu was utterly baffled.

’He actually called me out for a drink... Could it be he’s suddenly missing his one true love in the middle of the night?’

After a moment’s thought, Lu Sangjiu went over.

’For one thing, it’s not like I have the power to resist,’ she thought. ’For another, drinking is a great opportunity to get information out of someone. I should definitely take advantage of it.’

So, she obediently sat down and took the initiative to fill his cup. "This smells nice, but it’s a pity it’s Demon Wine. I think I’ll stick to my own."

Of course, she could drink Demon Wine too, but she couldn’t let her facade slip in front of Cangming. So, she simply took out the Moon Clear Wine that Xie Ningyuan had given her from her storage space.

Once he learned she liked it, Xie Ningyuan had given her half of his own small supply. She supposed she could spare some of it now.

But just as she poured herself a cup, she saw Cangming’s gaze shift. "...Moon Clear Wine?"

Lu Sangjiu nodded. "You know of it, Sect Leader? A Spiritual Wine like this probably wouldn’t hurt you, but you don’t seem like the type who would enjoy it."

She knew Cangming all too well. The man’s hatred for Immortal Cultivators was so deep-seated that he loathed anything touched by Spiritual Energy.

She used to love Moon Clear Wine, and whenever Cangming caught her drinking it, he would pinch his nose with a look of utter disgust.

Cangming was silent for a moment. Then, he tipped his head back and downed the cup of Demon Wine before setting the empty cup down in front of Lu Sangjiu. "Pour me a cup."

Lu Sangjiu froze, asking uncertainly, "...You really want to try some?"

Cangming didn’t look at her, his eyes fixed on the wine pot. "Someone used to love drinking this. I always found it disgusting. But now... that person is gone, and I suddenly feel like trying it. Pour."

’The person he’s talking about... it couldn’t be me, could it?’ Lu Sangjiu’s expression turned odd.

’Thinking back, it seems that besides me, no one else in the Moon Palace actually liked Moon Clear Wine.’

This was the first time since her return that she’d heard Cangming bring her up of his own accord.

It was just that his current mood seemed tinged with a faint sadness... which wasn’t what she would have expected.

Lu Sangjiu did as he said and poured Cangming a cup of Moon Clear Wine, then watched as he tipped his head back and downed it in one go.

After he finished, he didn’t speak for a long moment, as if he were savoring the wine’s flavor.

Curiosity got the better of her. "How is it?"

Cangming didn’t look up, only muttering, "...It’s as disgusting as I imagined. I really don’t know why she loved to drink this stuff."

Spiritual Energy isn’t exactly a welcome substance for Demon Cultivators. Moon Clear Wine was rich with immense Spiritual Energy, and while it wouldn’t injure an Integration Stage Cultivator, it would at least leave a faint, hot, stinging sensation, like being burned.

The alcohol itself could cause such a feeling, but combined with the burn of Spiritual Energy, the stinging sensation was greatly amplified.

To be honest... that was precisely why Lu Sangjiu used to like Moon Clear Wine. She felt it made the wine stronger, more exhilarating.

To each their own.

Hearing this, Lu Sangjiu just said, "Oh," and lost interest.

But she didn’t expect him to then push the empty cup in front of her again.

Lu Sangjiu blinked, looking up at Cangming in confusion. "...Didn’t you say it was disgusting?"

Cangming’s expression was blank. "Just because it’s disgusting, does that mean I can’t drink it?"

Lu Sangjiu was speechless. "..."

She was at a complete loss for words. After a moment, she couldn’t help but mutter, "This wine is very expensive..."

But Cangming replied impatiently, "It’s just a pot of wine. Are all disciples of the Seven Emotions Sect this stingy?"

He said that, but after Lu Sangjiu poured him another cup, he tossed something to her.

She caught it and took a closer look. It was a key, which only confused her more. "This is..."

This time, Cangming didn’t down it in one go. He took a small sip, letting out a sigh of contentment. "It’s the key to the locked storeroom on the far left of the courtyard."

"Didn’t you say this wine was expensive? I’ll trade you an item from the storeroom for it. Go in later and pick out whatever you want."

Lu Sangjiu was stunned. "Huh? Are you sure? I can pick anything?"

Seemingly pleased by her surprise, Cangming scoffed. "Look at you, being so petty. Did you think I would be as stingy as you?"

It wasn’t that Lu Sangjiu thought he was stingy. ’He gave me the key to his treasure vault directly,’ she thought. ’Whether I take one item or two, isn’t that completely up to me now?’

’Isn’t he afraid I’ll empty out his whole vault?’

’Then again,’ she considered, ’I’m his prisoner. He probably figures I wouldn’t dare.’

’Heh heh... I probably shouldn’t empty the whole thing, but under these circumstances, he probably wouldn’t notice if I took an extra item or two, right?’

At this thought, Lu Sangjiu’s mood brightened considerably, and her voice lifted in cheer. "Then thank you so much, Master! Please, drink as much of my wine as you like!"

Seeing how quickly her tune changed, Cangming scoffed. "So easily bought."

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