The Side Character Who Wins by Doing Nothing

Gu Huang used to love growing flowers and plants in her courtyard. Finding the native flora of the Western Demon Realm too ugly, she went out of her way to bring in plants from the outside world.

The cost in manpower, resources, time, and energy was quite high. Not only did she have to set up a Spirit Stone Array to ensure sufficient Spiritual Energy, but the plants also required meticulous care, or they would wither at the slightest misstep.

Still, in the bleak and gloomy expanse of the Western Demon Realm, having those splashes of vibrant green was a genuine delight.

But now, as he walked through the Cold Crow Sect, those vibrant colors were gone. All that remained were the bizarre plants native to the Western Demon Realm.

Clearly, Cangming had neither the inclination nor the energy to maintain a few ordinary plants. Yet, he incongruously kept these few ugly specimens, which were a true eyesore.

Fa Shan said nothing, simply standing and watching him finish watering the plants.

Setting down the watering ladle, Cangming finally turned. His dark, somber eyes quietly sized Fa Shan up. ”It’s been many years. You haven’t changed much.”

Fa Shan replied coolly, ”Likewise. The same goes for you.”

A corner of Cangming’s mouth twitched. ”No, I *have* changed... My cultivation has.”

Fa Shan: ”...”

’He could tell. Cangming was mocking him for his lack of significant progress in cultivation.’

Back when the Moon Palace fractured, Fa Shan’s cultivation had actually been a bit higher than Cangming’s. Though both were at Early-stage Integration, Fa Shan had reached the Body Integration Realm about twenty years before him.

But once a cultivator reached the Body Integration Realm, increasing one’s cultivation was no simple matter.

At the time, twenty years had seemed like a long while, but in hindsight, it was merely the blink of an eye—utterly insignificant.

Now, several hundred years later, he had entered Late-stage Integration thirty years *after* Cangming.

Fa Shan had always cultivated faster than Cangming, a fact that had greatly bothered him. Now that he had finally surpassed his rival, he naturally wouldn’t miss such a perfect opportunity to gloat.

Fa Shan, however, wasn’t particularly bothered by it. He just chuckled dryly and said with a hint of amusement, ”You really haven’t changed at all.”

Cangming detected the subtle mockery in his tone. His expression turned cold, and he lost all interest in further pleasantries.

He got straight to the point. ”You’ve been holed up in that Divine Tomb Sect of yours for years. Why the sudden visit today? Spit it out. What do you want?”

’Fa Shan knew that since Cangming had captured Lu Sangjiu and her companions just last night, he must have a use for them. It was unlikely he’d have killed them already.’

So he didn’t ask if they were dead, but said, ”My apprentice took a trip through the Cultivation World. A few of his friends were escorting him back when, at the very gates of the Western Demon Realm, you abducted them.”

”My apprentice is worried for his friends’ safety and begged me to come rescue them. Naturally, I had no choice but to make the journey.”

Cangming sneered at his words. ”Friends? Hah. That apprentice of yours is just like you, treating cultivators as friends. Pathetically stupid.”

Fa Shan’s expression darkened. He knew, of course, that this jab was aimed at what had happened with Bai Sheng.

When Gu Huang brought Bai Sheng to the Western Demon Realm, Fa Shan had gotten along well with her and had genuinely considered her a friend.

But Cangming was different. He’d disliked Bai Sheng from the very beginning, had opposed her presence, and had even argued with Gu Huang over it.

His reasoning was that Bai Sheng had once been a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect. Having lived in the Cultivation World for so many years, he feared that even if she had fallen to the demonic path, she would prove to be an ungrateful traitor who couldn’t be tamed.

He argued that keeping her close would only lead to her colluding with outsiders to harm the Moon Palace.

In the end, Bai Sheng never did such a thing. However, events concerning her did indeed lead Gu Huang to slay a Supreme Elder of the Beast Taming Sect in a rage, which in turn indirectly led to the death of their Transcendance Tribulation Stage ancestor.

This, in turn, gave the Cultivation World a just cause for their campaign against the Western Demon Realm.

Objectively, it wasn’t Bai Sheng’s fault—one could only call it a matter of cause and effect. But in Cangming’s eyes, the blame lay squarely with her.

This was why he grew to despise cultivators with such radical fervor and considered Fa Shan, who had befriended Bai Sheng, a complete fool.

For Fa Shan, however, the subject of Bai Sheng was also a source of unspeakable pain.

’...He had been in love with Bai Sheng.’

But he never had the chance to confess those feelings before she was gone, utterly and completely erased from the world.

What he could never forgive himself for was that he had failed to keep an eye on Bai Sheng that day, giving her the opportunity to leave and setting in motion the chain of events that followed.

Even though no one ever blamed him, it remained a hurdle in Fa Shan’s heart that he could never overcome.

How could he not be furious, now that Cangming had so crudely ripped open that old wound?

”Cangming, I didn’t come here today to argue with you, let alone to fight you.”

”But if you insist on speaking this way, don’t blame me for being merciless with my words.”

’After all, they’d known each other for hundreds of years. Who didn’t know where the other’s sore spots were?’

’Bring it on. If worst comes to worst, we can just hurt each other.’

But, to his disappointment, Cangming backed down.

His expression faltered. He then let out a ”Tch,” affecting an air of someone who couldn’t be bothered to argue.

”I have a use for them. I can’t let them go. You should leave.”

Fa Shan, of course, didn’t move. ”Since I came in person, you should know that such a flimsy excuse won’t convince me.”

Cangming’s brow furrowed in irritation. ”Why are you still so damned fussy and annoying?”

No matter what Cangming said, Fa Shan refused to leave. He just stood there, staring intently at him, his expression making it clear he wouldn’t back down without a satisfactory answer.

Cangming was growing impatient, but he didn’t really want to come to blows. After a long standoff, he was the one who finally relented.

”The Domination Map is in her possession. I won’t release anyone until she hands it over.”

The Domination Map!

Fa Shan was stunned, his pupils trembling. He lost some of his composure, striding forward two steps to press the question. ”In whose possession? Lu Sangjiu’s?”

Cangming had expected Fa Shan to be agitated at the mention of the Domination Map, but not *this* agitated.

Giving him a baffled look, Cangming nodded. ”Yes, her.”

’This felt like yet another sign confirming that *she* had returned.’ His emotions churned, but he forced himself to control them, lest Cangming notice something.

Taking a deep breath, his gaze hardened. ”Cangming, the Domination Map has chosen a new master of its own accord. What right do you have to demand it?”

”Besides, neither of us are saber-wielders. It wouldn’t be of much use to you, so why must you have it?”

Cangming seemed taken aback by his words, his brow furrowing. ”Fa Shan, do you have any idea what you’re saying?”

A murderous glint filled his eyes. He enunciated each word, ”The Domination Map belongs to *her*. No one but her is qualified to touch it—and that includes Lu Sangjiu!”

Fa Shan froze for a moment. When he finally realized what Cangming was thinking, he couldn’t help but find it laughable.

And he did laugh. ”Cangming, after everything you did to wrong her, now you’re putting on this sanctimonious act? Who is it for? Your conscience?”

”Hah. Don’t you find yourself ridiculous?”