The Side Character Who Wins by Doing Nothing

Although they weren’t speaking loudly, Cultivators have extraordinary hearing. Ye Zhiyao must have heard their quiet murmurs.

But she pretended not to hear, keeping her head slightly raised as she looked at True Monarch Liu Feng with a pleading expression.

When True Monarch Liu Feng saw her come out, his expression faltered, and the finger he had raised was finally lowered.

He frowned slightly, his words a mixture of helplessness and indulgence. ”Ayao, don’t be difficult. Don’t you have a terrible relationship with these sect members? Why are you protecting them?”

Ye Zhiyao put on a pitiful expression. ”Senior, although I’ve had my share of friction with them, we are sect members in the end. How could I just stand by and watch them die before my very eyes without doing anything to save them?”

”I’m begging you. For my sake, please spare them!”

True Monarch Liu Feng sighed helplessly. ”You... you’ve always had such a kind heart.”

Lu Sangjiu was thoroughly disgusted by their conversation. ’Looks like it’s been too long since I’ve had to put on my own innocent act. This kind of dialogue just makes me want to puke.’

Although she didn’t know what kind of trick Ye Zhiyao was playing, she knew for a fact that True Monarch Liu Feng would never let them go just because of a few pleas from her.

So, rather than keep listening to their nauseating performance, it was better to take the initiative.

Just as Ye Zhiyao was about to say more, Lu Sangjiu cut her off, her voice full of warmth and surprise. ”Senior Sister Ye, it really is you! It’s so great that you’re okay!”

”You have no idea! When we heard you’d been captured by this True Monarch Liu Feng, we were worried sick! We thought you’d be subjected to Yang Yang until you were drained to death!”

Ye Zhiyao: ”...”

Her face stiffened. She forced herself to turn and squeeze out a smile at Lu Sangjiu. ”Junior Sister Lu...”

Unfortunately, Lu Sangjiu didn’t give her a chance to speak, quickly adding, ”But then I heard from Ms. Yan Zui that the Joyful Union Sect’s Dual Cultivation Technique is beneficial for both parties.”

”And now that I see you’ve advanced from the Golden Core to the Nascent Soul realm, it looks like it was a blessing in disguise. That puts my mind at ease!”

Ye Zhiyao’s face turned an even darker shade of green. ”Junior Sister Lu, don’t talk nonsense! My cultivation... my cultivation only advanced because I took a sixth-grade elixir... It’s absolutely not what you’re implying.”

Ye Zhiyao was desperate to clear her name, and Lu Sangjiu was pleased to see True Monarch Liu Feng’s expression darken. In the end, however, he didn’t say anything to contradict Ye Zhiyao.

Lu Sangjiu pressed on, a suspicious look on her face. ”Is that so? I thought... sigh. Well, in that case, it seems True Monarch Liu Feng isn’t all that capable.”

True Monarch Liu Feng: ”...”

A vein throbbed on his forehead. He finally couldn’t take it anymore. ”Enough! I don’t want to listen to this nonsense.”

”Ye Zhiyao, step aside. These people must die today.”

Horror appeared on Ye Zhiyao’s face. She spread her arms to shield the others. ”No! If you’re going to kill them, you’ll have to kill me too! I absolutely will not stand by and watch my sect members die here!”

True Monarch Liu Feng’s face showed his impatience. Just as he was about to say more, Lu Sangjiu moved with lightning speed, grabbing Ye Zhiyao by the neck and yanking her back.

Then, with a pleasant smile on her face, she said, ”True Monarch Liu Feng, if you don’t want her to die, let us go.”

Ye Zhiyao: ”...”

True Monarch Liu Feng: ”...”

Ye Zhiyao hadn’t expected such a dirty move from Lu Sangjiu. ’I was saving them! How could she be so shameless as to take me hostage? Who’s the real villain here?!’

True Monarch Liu Feng had the same thought, his expression utterly foul. ”Ayao is trying to save you! I don’t believe you’d actually kill her!”

Lu Sangjiu beamed. ”You’re welcome to try me, True Monarch Liu Feng.”

”Senior Sister Ye is going to die with us anyway. So whether she dies a little early or with the rest of us, and who kills her, what difference does it make?”

After a pause, she tilted her head slightly toward Ye Zhiyao, her voice full of comfort. ”Senior Sister Ye, you were so sincere about saving your fellow sect members. We’ve all felt your kindness. Don’t worry, even if I kill you, we will always be truly grateful to you.”

Ye Zhiyao: ”...”

’Who the hell wants your sincere gratitude!’

She almost lost her composure, but she knew that given her history with Lu Sangjiu, it was entirely possible Lu Sangjiu would actually kill her. After all, it wasn’t as if she herself hadn’t had murderous intentions in the past.

Hoist by her own petard. Ye Zhiyao practically ground her teeth to dust.

But what was done was done, and regrets were useless. Ye Zhiyao could only suppress her indignation and look pitifully at True Monarch Liu Feng.

”Senior... they’ll really kill me.”

True Monarch Liu Feng’s expression was grim. At the same time, a flicker of dissatisfaction with Ye Zhiyao rose in his heart.

Normally, a bit of kindness could be seen as a fine quality, even a charming quirk. But at a time like this, such unnecessary kindness causing all this trouble was just infuriating.

But despite his dissatisfaction, it wasn’t enough for True Monarch Liu Feng to abandon Ye Zhiyao. After all... the pleasure she brought was truly exquisite.

It was rare to find a body so compatible with his own, and a woman so sensible. It would be a real pity to let her die just like that.

After a moment of silence, True Monarch Liu Feng spoke. ”Release Ayao, and I will let you leave.”

The corners of Lu Sangjiu’s lips curled up slightly. ”Senior Sister Ye, it seems you hold a rather high place in True Monarch Liu Feng’s heart.”

With that, she said to Li Qiancheng and the others behind her, ”Senior Brother, you all go first.”

Li Qiancheng and the others didn’t hesitate for a second. They immediately took the lead and ran for the Fang Family’s main gate.

Lu Sangjiu followed last, dragging Ye Zhiyao with her as she backed away step by step.

When they reached the main gate, they had to stop because the Barrier was still active. Lu Sangjiu looked up at True Monarch Liu Feng. ”The Barrier.”

True Monarch Liu Feng narrowed his eyes, then reluctantly waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to deactivate the Barrier.

But at that moment, a sudden scream came from the room that controlled the Barrier, instantly drawing everyone’s attention.

In that brief moment of distraction for Lu Sangjiu, the weight in her hand suddenly vanished. When she turned her head back, she saw Ye Zhiyao flying toward True Monarch Liu Feng.

She struck at Ye Zhiyao without hesitation, but True Monarch Liu Feng’s reaction was just as fast. With a counter-strike, he dispersed Lu Sangjiu’s attack and still had enough power left to press his own attack toward Lu Sangjiu and the others.

”A bunch of ants. Die!”

This time, True Monarch Liu Feng seemed to have finally understood that delays breed complications. He was no longer in the mood to chat with them and prepared to annihilate them all with a single move!

However, at that very moment, a figure suddenly appeared in front of Lu Sangjiu and the others. A Buddhist script flashed in the dark of night, completely blocking True Monarch Liu Feng’s attack.

Lu Sangjiu let out a breath of relief. ”You’re finally here!”

Xie Ningyuan grunted in acknowledgment. ”Cleaning up those flowers took a bit of time. Are you all right?”

Lu Sangjiu shook her head. ”Looks like I didn’t stall for nothing. Did you take care of everything on your end?”

Xie Ningyuan nodded. ”The only difficult one left... is him.”