The Side Character Who Wins by Doing Nothing

Let me analyze this source text to understand the context, style, and characters before translating.

[Step 1: Contextual Analysis]

Literary genre: This appears to be a Chinese cultivation/xianxia web novel, featuring immortal cultivation, sects, and supernatural powers.

Language style: The language is formal with some classical Chinese elements but primarily modern Chinese prose. There’s a mix of action, internal thoughts, and dialogue.

Tone: Dramatic, tense, with elements of intrigue and betrayal. The text conveys a sense of impending conflict between factions.

Plot keywords: Cultivation war, sect conflict, soul possession, tribulation, betrayal, inner struggle

Characters:

- Cangming (苍冥): Male, a powerful leader of the Cold Crow Sect in the Western Demon Realm

- Fa Shan (罚善): Male, Sect Master of Divine Tomb Sect, seems to have feelings for Lu Sangjiu

- Lu Sangjiu (陆桑酒): Appears to be female, someone Fa Shan cares deeply about

- Ye Zhiyao (叶枝瑶): Female, a weaker cultivator whose body is now being inhabited by a powerful elder’s Nascent Soul

- Master Qian He (千鹤真人): Male, Sect Leader of Seven Emotions Sect

- Yan Lingzhi (燕翎之): Male, Supreme Elder of Seven Emotions Sect

- Junior Brother Duan (段师弟)/Duan Xingyun (段行云): Male, appears to be missing

- Master Xuanming (玄冥真人): A high-level cultivator at Body Integration Realm

- Tribulation Crossing Ancestor (渡劫老祖): A powerful elder whose physical body was destroyed and whose Nascent Soul is now trying to take over Ye Zhiyao’s body

[Step 2: Integrated Translation and Polishing]

Now I’ll translate the text while adhering to all the specified rules:

The text describes the aftermath of a conflict between the Western Demon Realm (particularly Cold Crow Sect led by Cangming) and the Cultivation World (particularly Seven Emotions Sect). Cangming attacked Seven Emotions Sect’s elder, but things didn’t go as planned. Now he needs to prepare for counterattacks from the Cultivation World.

Meanwhile, Fa Shan (Divine Tomb Sect Master) tries to find Cangming but can’t. He’s worried about Lu Sangjiu and also realizes his sect might be targeted by the Cultivation World for being part of the Western Demon Realm.

On the Seven Emotions Sect side, their powerful elder (Tribulation Crossing Ancestor) lost his physical body, and his Nascent Soul is now inside Ye Zhiyao’s body, attempting to take it over but encountering mysterious barriers. Yan Lingzhi (Supreme Elder) wants to find people who are missing (including Lu Sangjiu) but must return to the sect due to the crisis.

I’ll now proceed with the translation, following all guidelines meticulously.

Naturally, Cangming was very dissatisfied with this outcome, yet he couldn’t immediately pursue the matter with the Seven Emotions Sect.

He understood clearly that this planned encirclement of the Seven Emotions Sect’s ancestor was essentially another declaration of war against the Cultivation World.

Without a doubt, the other sects wouldn’t remain mere spectators. They would likely gather forces soon to counterattack the Cold Crow Sect while it was still weakened.

So he had little time left. He needed to recuperate properly now to ensure he’d be in optimal condition to face the Cultivation World!

It was precisely because of this sense of urgency that he didn’t even have the mind to pursue Lu Sangjiu’s escape. He simply instructed his subordinates, ”I need to retreat in isolation to heal my wounds. Guard the Cold Crow Sect well. I will return before the Cultivation World makes their move.”

After saying this, he departed without revealing his retreat location, even to his closest followers.

Shortly after his departure, Fa Shan came looking for him.

Earlier, when Cangming had led people to ambush the Seven Emotions Sect ancestor, Fa Shan had gone to provide support out of concern for Cangming’s safety.

Although he hadn’t been of much help, his actions had improved the Cold Crow Sect members’ attitudes toward him.

When he said he was looking for Cangming, they didn’t hide anything and patiently explained how Cangming had left to recuperate in seclusion. They genuinely didn’t know where he had gone, nor did they have any special means to contact him.

Fa Shan had prepared himself to agree even if Cangming demanded that the Divine Tomb Sect merge with the Cold Crow Sect.

But he never expected that he wouldn’t even get to see Cangming at all!

After several attempts at pressuring them, they maintained their original story, making Fa Shan realize they weren’t lying. In his confusion, he tried contacting Cangming with a Communication Talisman, but it was like casting a stone into the sea—no response.

In that moment, the light faded from Fa Shan’s eyes. He felt utterly useless, as if every time she needed him, he couldn’t help in the slightest!

Seeing him looking somewhat dazed, the Cold Crow Sect members hesitated briefly before offering a reminder.

”Sect Master Fa Shan, the Seven Emotions Sect has suffered greatly this time and will certainly not let this go. They will likely unite with other sects of the Cultivation World to launch an attack against the Western Demon Realm.”

”Although your Divine Tomb Sect appears innocent, you were present at the time, and as part of the Western Demon Realm, we rise and fall together. When the time comes, the Divine Tomb Sect may not be able to escape unscathed.”

”Therefore, Sect Master Fa Shan, you should mobilize the Divine Tomb Sect disciples as soon as possible and unite with our Cold Crow Sect to jointly resist the Cultivation World.”

Fa Shan had been so focused on Lu Sangjiu that he had truly forgotten about this aspect.

Now that he’d been reminded, another layer of gloom settled over his heart.

It was as if all problems had converged at once... a storm was brewing, and all the peace of the past was gone forever.

Confusion flashed in Fa Shan’s eyes, but more than anything, there was a sense of helplessness.

It seemed that from beginning to end, he had tried desperately to protect both Lu Sangjiu and all living beings in the Western Demon Realm, yet he couldn’t safeguard either.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, after the great battle had ended, Master Xuanming had escaped the Western Demon Realm with Ye Zhiyao, whose body now hosted the Nascent Soul of the Tribulation Crossing Ancestor.

Fearing pursuit by Cangming and his forces, they didn’t dare linger at the Western Demon Realm’s border and hurriedly returned to the Seven Emotions Sect.

Even Yan Lingzhi and Sect Leader Master Qian He only received the news afterward.

Upon learning that the ancestor’s physical body had been destroyed, the Sect Leader nearly coughed blood. In the face of such a major event, even Bai Heng’s death and Duan Xingyun’s disappearance seemed less significant.

Thus, Master Qian He, who had originally planned to go to the Western Demon Realm to find the missing disciples, had to temporarily abandon Duan Xingyun and the others for the sake of the greater situation, choosing instead to return to the Seven Emotions Sect.

Yan Lingzhi had been waiting for news from Feng Lin’s side, but before anything arrived, he learned of these events.

As he hesitated, wanting to stay, Master Qian He urged anxiously, ”This time the Western Demon Realm came fully prepared. Even our ancestor nearly perished there. Supreme Elder, you cannot risk yourself at a time like this!”

”Our most urgent course of action is to return to our sect, contact the other sects, and jointly plan how to deal with the Western Demon Realm!”

”Junior Brother Duan and the others will be blessed by Heaven’s protection. They’ll be fine!”

”Supreme Elder, please consider the greater situation!”

After a long silence, Yan Lingzhi finally left with Master Qian He.

There was no choice. In his position, he had his duties. As the Supreme Elder of the Seven Emotions Sect, while enjoying the offerings of countless disciples, he also bore the responsibility of protecting them.

From a personal standpoint, he naturally wanted to save Lu Sangjiu, but at the same time, so many disciples needed his protection... It’s not to say that choosing to protect more people is always right, but it is indeed the choice most would make.

As for Ye Zhiyao, who had now returned to the Seven Emotions Sect, she too was filled with fear and confusion.

Inside her body was now an additional Nascent Soul, gleaming with golden light, appearing far more powerful than her own fragile Nascent Soul.

She knew it was the Seven Emotions Sect’s ancestor, a Great Power at the Tribulation Crossing Stage.

Because this ancestor was temporarily residing in her body, her status in the Seven Emotions Sect had become extraordinary.

Everyone looked at her with reverence, including Master Xuanming, who was at the Body Integration Realm.

But... she felt no happiness at all, because no one knew better than her that the reason the ancestor’s Nascent Soul was in her body was because the ancestor wanted to take it over!

When the ancestor’s physical body was destroyed and his Nascent Soul fled, everyone present was a Demon Cultivator, clearly incompatible with his Cultivator Nascent Soul. The only one who could accommodate him was his grand-disciple Ye Zhiyao, whom he had originally intended to save.

His desire to save her had been genuine, but when he discovered that possessing her was his only chance for survival, the ancestor had acted without hesitation.

Unfortunately for him, after entering Ye Zhiyao’s body and intending to devour her weak Nascent Soul, he discovered that invisible restrictions within her were protecting it.

Though Ye Zhiyao was so weak, these restrictions were incredibly powerful, even carrying traces of the Heavenly Dao’s will.

Unable to devour Ye Zhiyao’s Nascent Soul, the ancestor had no choice but to change his initially fierce demeanor, pretending that he was merely temporarily residing in Ye Zhiyao’s body.

Ye Zhiyao trembled with fear. Though she knew his intentions were sinister, she dared not show the slightest sign of it, forced to play along and temporarily follow his instructions.

She thought that if she obediently complied, once they returned to the sect, someone would find a suitable body for the ancestor’s rebirth, and she would no longer be in danger.

But what Ye Zhiyao hadn’t anticipated was that the ancestor’s Nascent Soul had become trapped inside her body and couldn’t get out!

When he discovered this, the ancestor’s Nascent Soul became panic-stricken, crashing against the barriers in every direction. But those invisible restrictions had somehow completely enclosed him within Ye Zhiyao’s Dantian.

No matter how he struggled, he couldn’t find a way out!

He roared ferociously, angrily questioning Ye Zhiyao, his threats and rebukes endlessly echoing in her mind.

She went from confused to terrified, from terrified to angry, and finally... she gradually calmed down.