The Side Character Who Wins by Doing Nothing

”Elder Jingxu!”

Yan Lingzhi was meditating in his room, trying to ease the worry and anxiety in his heart, when he suddenly heard the Sect Leader, Master Qian He. His voice was so frantic he didn’t even bother to knock, bursting straight into the room.

”Elder, this is terrible! A disciple just reported that Bai Heng’s Life Token has suddenly shattered. At the same time, the Life Tokens for Duan Xingyun and his disciples have all cracked. Although they haven’t broken completely, it’s clear they’re facing a life-or-death crisis!”

Yan Lingzhi’s pupils constricted. ”What did you say?”

Master Qian He was so anxious he was nearly in tears. ”Ancestor Xuanming Jian had yet to return, so he just left for the Western Demon Realm. I haven’t had a chance to tell him this news... If he finds out Junior Brother Bai Heng has fallen, what... what are we going to do!”

”Those damned Demon Cultivators! They must have set some kind of trap!”

’He truly hadn’t expected this. To think that rescuing just two Golden Core Stage disciples would lead to such tragic consequences!’

’I can only pray that nothing happens to the Ancestor now. Otherwise, the Seven Emotions Sect’s standing will be in true jeopardy!’

Yan Lingzhi’s expression was also grave. Unlike Master Qian He, however, he didn’t immediately jump to the conclusion that it was a trap set by Demon Cultivators.

Instead, he immediately used a Communication Talisman to contact Duan Xingyun and the others. Of course... no one responded.

Then, he remembered something else and infused the Communication Talisman with a different aura. ”I can’t reach Duan Xingyun and his group. Do you know what happened?”

Meanwhile, at the Divine Tomb Sect, an anxious Feng Lin paced back and forth in a room with an equally anxious He Ming.

They had wanted to go rescue Lu Sangjiu as well, but Fa Shan had said that in case something went wrong on their end, the sect needed someone to manage the overall situation.

They also needed someone who could contact Yan Lingzhi’s group to exchange information if the need arose.

That was why Feng Lin and He Ming had been left behind.

Waiting was an agonizing experience. Both of them were usually calm people, but now, they couldn’t help but grow more agitated as time slowly ticked by.

Feng Lin frowned. ”They should have been back by now. Why haven’t we seen any sign of them?”

Worry was etched across He Ming’s face. ”With Master there, it should have been fine... Unless... did something unexpected happen?”

Just then, Feng Lin’s Communication Talisman vibrated. She took it out and saw it was from the contact for Yan Lingzhi that Duan Xingyun had given her before he left!

Upon hearing Yan Lingzhi’s message, Feng Lin’s blood ran cold. She didn’t rush to reply, instead snapping her head up to look at He Ming. ”Contact your master. Now!”

The look on Feng Lin’s face told He Ming something was terribly wrong. Without asking why, he immediately prepared to contact Fa Shan.

But before he could send the message, he felt a spatial fluctuation. Looking up, he saw that Fa Shan had returned!

However, Fa Shan was alone. There was no sign of Lu Sangjiu or the others!

Feng Lin’s gaze darkened. Forgetting all etiquette, she rushed forward. ”Why are you the only one back? Where are Senior Brother Duan and Ms. Lu and the others?”

Fa Shan froze, then his expression darkened as realization dawned. ”They didn’t come back?”

Hearing this, Feng Lin’s heart plummeted. ”Weren’t you with them?” she asked urgently.

”Master Jingxu just contacted me. He said he can’t reach Senior Brother Duan and the others!”

”How can this be?” Fa Shan’s expression was grim. ”I led them away from the Cold Crow Sect. All of Cold Crow Sect’s real power was focused on ambushing the Seven Emotions Sect’s ancestor. Logically, with Duan there, it should have been impossible for them to be in any danger!”

’I saw it with my own eyes. All of the Cold Crow Sect’s Body Integration Realm and Divinity Transformation Stage experts were gathered for the fight with the Seven Emotions Sect’s ancestor. And there’s no way the people of the Divine Tomb Sect would have attacked them. So what in the world happened?’

At that moment, Fa Shan was suddenly filled with immense regret. ’I shouldn’t have left them!’

Thinking of Lu Sangjiu, he felt like a complete fool. ’I went to such lengths to save her, how could I have abandoned her for that bastard Cangming?’

Clenching his fists, Fa Shan turned to leave. ”I’m going to find them.”

Feng Lin had been a little suspicious, wondering if Fa Shan was the one who had orchestrated this.

But seeing him now, he seemed genuinely clueless about what had happened, and extremely worried.

She temporarily dismissed her suspicions. ”Senior, wait!” she said. ”I’ll ask Elder Jingxu again!”

Feng Lin contacted Yan Lingzhi again, informing him of the situation on her end. From him, she learned that their Life Tokens had cracked and that Bai Heng’s had shattered completely.

Yan Lingzhi may not have fully understood the grudges between everyone involved, so even if he was suspicious, he couldn’t be sure.

But Feng Lin, having been with Lu Sangjiu’s group, had clearly seen Bai Heng’s malice toward her.

She had no doubt that Bai Heng would have killed Lu Sangjiu if given the chance.

So, upon hearing that all their Life Tokens registered trouble at the same time, she immediately realized something. ”...I think, perhaps Bai Heng tried to attack them, but they managed to kill him in retaliation, getting severely injured in the process!”

With that, she paid no more mind to her communication with Yan Lingzhi and turned anxiously to Fa Shan. ”Sect Master Fa Shan! They are in mortal danger right now! Please, I’m begging you, you have to save them!”

All of their Life Tokens were cracked, meaning everyone was in mortal danger. In their current state, and deep within the Western Demon Realm, even a common Demon Cultivator passing by could easily finish them all off.

They were all Immortal Cultivators. Most Demon Cultivators would attack them on sight without a second thought.

Under these circumstances, finding them even a moment too late could mean their deaths!

Fa Shan, of course, understood this. He immediately and unhesitatingly ordered the entire Divine Tomb Sect to mobilize and scour the Western Demon Realm in search of Lu Sangjiu and the others.

Lu Sangjiu didn’t know how long she’d been unconscious. Her consciousness was submerged in darkness. She wanted to wake up, but it felt as if she couldn’t open her eyes no matter how hard she tried.

In a daze, she found herself by a lake.

When she saw a man in white standing with his back to her in a pavilion on the lake, Lu Sangjiu’s consciousness snapped into focus.

’It’s him... the Pseudo Heavenly Dao!’

As if sensing her awareness, the Pseudo Heavenly Dao spoke. ”We meet again. This time... you’re in an even more pathetic state than the last.”

”Are you feeling the consequences of opposing me now?”

Lu Sangjiu’s eyes darkened. A corner of her mouth twitched into a smirk. ”Pathetic, yes. But at least I’m not dead yet, am I?”

”And the fact that you’ve deigned to appear before me again... perhaps that means I’m making you feel an even greater threat?”

The Pseudo Heavenly Dao fell silent for a moment but did not grow angry.

He simply said with a hint of amusement, ”You are indeed not dead, and still have a sharp tongue. But... your master, senior brother, and senior sister are all about to die because of you.”