The Side Character Who Wins by Doing Nothing

”Young Master, did you get a clear look at that person just now?”

Bai Ye was still curious. After confirming that Bai Heng wouldn’t give chase, their group slowed down. He couldn’t help but ask Ah Ming about what had just happened.

Ah Ming frowned. Hearing the question, he shook his head. ”That person was too fast. All I felt was a gust of wind before my eyes. A dark shadow flashed past, and then he was gone. If I hadn’t been worried about Bai Ye staring at the cave entrance, I might not have even noticed that much.”

At least several of the others hadn’t caught sight of the figure at all.

After speaking, Ah Ming grew puzzled again. ”That person who just went out... what did he do?”

Bai Ye hesitated, unsure whether he should tell him the truth.

But Ah Ming immediately realized what he was thinking. His expression darkened. ”Bai Ye, don’t even think about lying to me.”

Now that he’d said that, Bai Ye had no choice but to drop his scheme and answer honestly. ”After he went out... he kidnapped Lu Sangjiu and her group of five. Later, even Ye Zhiyao was taken away by him.”

Ah Ming was stunned for a moment, then looked astonished. ”He went out just to capture them? Why?”

’It’s no wonder I find this strange,’ he thought. ’For the past few hundred years, the Western Demon Realm and the Cultivation World have had almost no contact. Besides, Lu Sangjiu and her group are just young people, and this is their first time in the Western Demon Realm. How could they have made any enemies here?’

’Besides, that man’s cultivation... It’s not that I look down on Lu Sangjiu and her friends, but the gap in power between them and that man is just too vast.’

’For a man like that to go out specifically to capture them seems like complete overkill.’

Bai Ye didn’t understand either. He just shook his head. ”Young Master, we should stay out of this.”

But Ah Ming frowned. ”...They helped us. They’re my friends.”

”’Friends?’ Bai Ye said, exasperated. ’It’s not exactly wise for us Demon Cultivators to befriend Immortal Cultivators.’”

”’Besides...’”

Bai Ye hesitated for a moment before lowering his voice to share his suspicion with Ah Ming. ”I suspect that person... was Cangming.”

Those words made Ah Ming’s pupils shrink. He paled in shock. ”Him? How could it be!”

Bai Ye’s expression was grave. ”When Bai Heng and I faced him just now, we were completely overpowered. We didn’t even have time to react.”

”And I could feel it—he seemed to have killing intent for me at first. But for some reason, he didn’t kill me. He just snatched Ye Zhiyao from my hands.”

”His cultivation is far beyond the Divinity Transformation Stage, and he isn’t from our Divine Tomb Sect. That means he must be from the Cold Crow Sect.”

”The Cold Crow Sect has four cultivators at the Body Integration Realm, and we’ve been monitoring their movements. Recently... aside from Sect Leader Cangming, the others are either in seclusion or tied up with urgent business. Cangming is the most likely candidate.”

Ah Ming’s expression turned grim. He couldn’t for the life of him figure out why Cangming would capture Lu Sangjiu and her group.

’But since he just captured them instead of killing them on the spot, maybe... there’s still a chance to save them?’

At this thought, Ah Ming said no more. ”Let’s go. We’ll go back and find Master.”

’If Cangming is involved, there’s absolutely nothing I can do on my own. I can only go back and beg Master to save them... I hope he’s willing to help.’

Meanwhile, Lu Sangjiu and the others were imprisoned within a Sleeve Universe. They could only feel constant movement, unable to see what was happening outside.

”Who is this guy? Why did he grab us?”

”It’s over, we’re done for! Have we been dragged into the Western Demon Realm?”

”I’ve heard Demon Cultivators are savages who eat raw flesh and drink blood... Do you think he’s keeping us as emergency rations?”

”Now that we’re in the Western Demon Realm... will anyone come to save us?”

Everyone was starting to panic. Questions were voiced from time to time, but no one had any answers.

After a moment, Lu Sangjiu finally spoke, her voice calming their rising panic.

”Don’t panic. We have, indeed, been taken to the Western Demon Realm. But since he didn’t kill us immediately, it means he captured us for another reason... There’s still a chance.”

’As for a rescue? She didn’t have to think hard to know it was impossible.’

’Who would risk charging into the Western Demon Realm for them?’

’Wait... Actually, there is one person who might!’

Lu Sangjiu immediately took out a Communication Talisman to contact Xie Ningyuan, but to her dismay, she found the message wouldn’t send at all.

’...I’m screwed!’

’Lu Sangjiu couldn’t help but touch the hairpin in her hair. She cursed the thing—it could only sense their relative locations, but it couldn’t send a distress signal!’

’And for him to sense my location, he’d first have to realize something was wrong and then actively try to find me.’

’He’s busy saving his master right now. Who knows how long it’ll be before he realizes something has happened to me? And can we even hold out until then?’

A chill ran through Lu Sangjiu’s heart... ’Looks like we’ll have to save ourselves!’

Taking a deep breath, Lu Sangjiu said calmly, ”Our Spiritual Power will probably be sealed soon. Everyone should take out anything important and hide it on your person now. You might need it.”

Everyone agreed she had a point and immediately started taking things from their storage bags to hide on their bodies.

’Lu Sangjiu herself wasn’t too worried. Even if her Spiritual Power was sealed, she still had a meridian for Demonic Qi. When the time came, she could use that Demonic Qi to easily break through the seals on her other meridians.’

’But that wasn’t something she could easily explain, so Lu Sangjiu just went through the motions, taking a few items to hide on her person.’

Just as they finished hiding their things, they suddenly felt a violent jolt. A bright light flashed before their eyes, and the group was sent tumbling to the ground.

Before them was a magnificent, brightly lit grand hall. So many Luminous Pearls had been placed around that the light was blinding. Lu Sangjiu shielded her eyes with her hand, taking a moment to adjust.

”Where are we?”

She heard Luo Linlang’s anxious question, but she had already taken in her surroundings, and her heart couldn’t help but skip a beat... ’The Moon Palace!’

’But she quickly realized that wasn’t right. The Moon Palace was gone. This place was also subtly different. This place should now be called... the Cold Crow Sect.’

Lu Sangjiu slowly raised her head, her gaze locking onto the person seated on the high throne.

He was dressed all in black. As she looked toward him, he was just in the process of removing his mask.

As the mask came off, Lu Sangjiu saw his face clearly... It wasn’t really any different from how she remembered it, and yet, something had changed.

Cangming.

Soon, the others also fell silent, staring warily at Cangming on his high throne.

He had a handsome face, but his eyes held a cold indifference and an arrogant disdain for all.

Combined with the imposing palace and the power he had displayed when capturing them... even if they hadn’t yet guessed who he was, they knew this man’s status was anything but ordinary!

”You... who are you? Why did you capture me?”

Just then, a voice suddenly broke the silence.

Everyone followed the sound of the voice, only to discover with surprise, ”...Ye Zhiyao? You were captured too?”