When the Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Role Picks Up the Script - Chapter 100

Yun Zhuoran says he will not see them, and he truly means it.

Song Shao has no choice. After learning the purpose of the Tiandao Sect peak masters, Penglai Immortal refuses to meet them, and the two island masters also decline. Song Shao has to imitate Yun Zhuoran’s cold expression and tells the Tiandao Sect peak masters waiting outside the inn that the two island masters and Penglai Immortal are in seclusion and might not have time to meet them now.

But he has only come down from the floating city at noon yesterday—can he really have gone into seclusion within a day?

Anyone present can tell this is just Yun Zhuoran’s excuse for not wanting to meet guests.

Qin Zheng looks over at the Qingyang Peak Master. The Qingyang Peak Master is the one who has offended Yun Zhuoran the most—and now he is the one regretting it the most.

Back then, the Qingyang Peak Master is favored and promoted by Gu Shenshu, so he naturally isn’t narrow-minded. Previously, because Yun Zhuoran is Yun Peiran’s younger brother—and Yun Peiran is the widely recognized murderer of their sect master—the Qingyang Peak Master has always looked at Yun Zhuoran with disfavor. But now that the truth is out, he readily admits his mistake.

“Young Daoist Song, please tell your young island master that I come today to apologize to him, not to cause trouble. This position of sect master is not worthy of Shen Lingshu, so he is the only one left.”

Currently, Shen Lingshu and Yun Zhuoran’s statuses over these past twenty years have essentially reversed. Yun Peiran, who is once slandered as the brother of the one who kills their master, suffers terrible treatment, and now Shen Lingshu receives the same treatment.

Gu Shenshu doesn’t have many disciples, and Shen Lingshu is no longer fit to succeed the sect master position, so the only remaining registered disciple, Yun Zhuoran—suspected of inheriting the emotionless dao—has become their chosen next sect master.

Unfortunately, the Qingyang Peak Master’s attempt to recognize the sect master here is useless.

Song Shao and Song Yun exchange cold looks and stand in front of the inn, saying slowly, “Peak Master, what you say sounds like you think I’m lying. To be honest, my island master is not only the master of Penglai Island but also the master of Floating City. My young island master is already too busy to be disturbed. As for Tiandao Sect, we won’t comment, but our island master is truly very busy.”

This is practically saying their young island master controls the two legendary treasure houses of Penglai and Floating City, so who would care about the Tiandao Sect, whose reputation is damaged and who has been rude to their young island lord?

The Qingyang Peak Master is speechless.

Fearing the Qingyang Peak Master might lose his temper again, Qin Zheng pulls him aside, steps forward, and smiles kindly. “I know the young island lord has some grievances against us, which is understandable. It is our misunderstanding before, so today, we come specifically to apologize. Young Daoist Song, you see, when we are at Floating City, I already make an appointment with your young island master to find an opportunity to talk properly once we leave Floating City.” She then turns to point at Jiang Zhibai, who comes along with Jiang Zhuo. The two father and son stand there like wooden posts—one standing stiffly, the other lowering his head unwillingly at her gaze. Qin Zheng takes a deep breath and forces a gentle smile, saying, “Look, my junior apprentice Jiang is here too. If the young island master doesn’t see us, he would surely see his senior apprentice brother Jiang, right?”

Jiang Zhibai looks bitter, grabs his father’s sleeve, and seeks help.

Jiang Zhuo stares ahead, motionless.

Song Shao knows their young island lord is close with Jiang Zhibai. If it were only Jiang Zhibai coming, he would definitely let him in. But the problem is that these people come together, and their goal is to compete for the island lord position. Penglai Immortal is sulking over this. If Penglai Immortal knew he lets these people in, he might get angry. Song Shao dares not anger Penglai Immortal, nor does he dare offend the young island lord. When he goes to find the young island master earlier, his tone clearly shows he doesn’t want to meet them.

So, facing Jiang Zhibai, he can only patiently say, “Our island master really has matters to attend to.”

Yun Zhuoran doesn’t give these old men face but is kinder to Jiang Zhibai. Qin Zheng understands that. Now that Jiang Zhibai is useless as a bargaining chip, he knows Yun Zhuoran definitely won’t see them today.

Song Shao doesn’t waste words. Since these people come to ask their young island master for help, he no longer needs to be polite as usual. He turns and takes Song Yun back to the inn’s barrier.

The Qingyang Peak Master stares at the inn’s barrier, frowning and looking displeased.

Qin Zheng turns and holds his arm, whispering, “Don’t cause trouble here—Penglai Immortal is here too!”

“I know, I just wonder what he is busy with…” Seeing Qin Zheng’s skeptical look, the Qingyang Peak Master frowns. “I’m not angry. I don’t want to do anything. Yun Zhuoran is not our enemy!”

Qin Zheng is half convinced, half doubtful as she turns to look at the still stiff Jiang Zhuo and his son.

“Going back?”

Jiang Zhuo nods quickly.

If there is something, his spirit will leave the body. If not, he immediately returns. Qin Zheng feels very frustrated seeing Jiang Zhuo.

What kind of people are these Tiandao Sect peak masters? Without him, they would have been finished long ago, right?

But no matter how angry Qin Zheng is, she cannot do anything. Yun Zhuoran is clearly not going to see them today. They don’t have the courage to linger in front of the inn’s door with so many cultivators around, so they can only leave first.

Just as they are about to leave, Ji Chen hurries in.

The Qingyang Peak Master sees him panting and asks unhappily, “What are you doing here?”

He remembers Ji Chen has been unfriendly toward Yun Zhuoran before, even wanting to kill him when cursed. So this time, he deliberately sends Ji Chen elsewhere, fearing Yun Zhuoran would be angry and refuse to return to Tiandao Sect if he sees Ji Chen.

Even though they haven’t seen Yun Zhuoran at all.

Ji Chen knows he shouldn’t appear before Yun Zhuoran, but if it isn’t urgent, he wouldn’t rush here so anxiously. He catches his breath and says, “Master, Senior Brother Shen is missing!”

Hearing this, everyone’s expression changes drastically. Even Jiang Zhuo, who pretends to be wooden, raises his eyebrows.

Today, Qin Zheng and the other peak masters come to find Yun Zhuoran and send disciples to the Shen family to pick up Shen Lingshu, because Shen Lingshu still has the immortal bones of their sect master inside him. Gu Shenshu’s resentful incarnation doesn’t force Shen Lingshu to return the immortal bones but hints he must return what doesn’t belong to him.

Tiandao Sect will not sit idly by if Shen Lingshu leaves Shengjing with their leader’s immortal bone. Moreover, though Shen Lingshu can no longer succeed the sect master position, he still owes them a hundred years of reflection in the Ice Prison. This is the lightest punishment Tiandao Sect gets for Shen Lingshu’s grave mistake in the Ten Thousand Beasts Forest.

No matter what, Shen Lingshu has to be taken back to Tiandao Sect.

But when they go to pick him up yesterday, the Shen family girl cries and says they have to hold a funeral for Shen Fu first, as Shen Lingshu is Shen Fu’s only son and has to stay to complete the entire funeral process.

Tiandao Sect hates Shen Fu deeply now, but since Shen Fu is dead, it is understandable that his children want to hold a funeral for him. Several peak leaders fear that forcibly taking Shen Lingshu away at this time would give others reason to criticize them and damage their already poor reputation, so they delay it by one day.

Shen Fu’s body is never fully recovered, and Shen Lingshu and his siblings leave quickly; no one goes to collect Shen Fu’s ashes. Still, the Shen family insists on holding a one-day funeral, and the Tiandao Sect, no matter how merciful, only gives them that single day.

But now, Shen Lingshu has run away.

In fact, Shen Lingshu escapes from Shengjing as soon as the people from Tiandao Sect leave last night.

The matter of the floating city is over. The truth about Gu Shenshu’s tragic death and Yun Peiran’s years of slander has been made public. No one can help but sigh. The Tianqing Sect and several families in Shengjing involved also lose face.

It’s believed that soon these families will face retaliation from the Tiandao Sect.

That night, Shen Lingshu wears mourning clothes and kneels in front of Shen Fu’s empty pavilion.

After returning to the Shen family, Shen Xi is the first to let go of the grief for her father’s death and Gu Shenshu’s sins. Before the people from the floating city come back, she quickly prepares for the funeral. This is probably the smartest thing she ever does.

Shen Lingshu kneels in the mourning hall, and Shen Xi brings Shen Man to the door to weep bitterly before the people of Tiandao Sect.

That is why Shen Lingshu has this one day.

Shen Lingshu cannot come to his senses. He stares at the empty pavilion, his pale face full of confusion. He knows he has nothing left now. The immortal bone belongs to Gu Shenshu and has to be returned. Tiandao Sect is waiting for him to return it. The Shen family will be implicated by Shen Fu’s legacy and declines from now on. So what should he do?

When he returns to Tiandao Sect with Qin Zheng tomorrow, he will be imprisoned in the Ice Prison for 100 years.

Shen Lingshu does not deny that he is afraid. He does not want to spend 100 years in that cold, empty prison. The spiritual energy there is thin. At his current low cultivation level, he might die inside.

But what choice does he have?

No one will protect him anymore. Even the Tiandao Sect has abandoned him and turns to Yun Zhuoran.

Without Shen Fu’s scheming, Shen Lingshu suddenly realizes he is nothing.

Now, in just half a day, the people of the Shen family have fled, leaving only an empty shell and a few loyal servants of Shen Fu. It is hard to tell whether to be thankful that Shen Fu has swiftly eliminated all those who disobey him early on. Now, the brothers and sisters don’t have to worry about competition for the headship of the Shen family.

However, there is nothing left in the Shen family worth coveting now.

After the Tiandao Sect people leave, the Shen family’s main gate is tightly shut. Outside the mourning hall, Shen Xi’s voice occasionally drifts through as she speaks with the steward. Before long, complete silence falls inside and outside the hall.

Shen Lingshu is still lost in thought when suddenly his arm is grabbed, pulling him to his feet.

Without a word, Shen Xi takes him to the backyard. On the way, they don’t meet a single servant. Only when they reach the ancestral hall does Shen Xi let go and hurries to turn a blue-and-white porcelain bowl on a cabinet by the wall. Behind the wall, a secret passage entrance appears.

Shen Lingshu watches silently, his expression shifting slightly for the first time.

“Xi’er?”

Shen Xi shoves a storage ring into Shen Lingshu’s hand. Her face is pale from crying; her eyes are red and swollen but determined. Her former willfulness has vanished after Shen Fu’s accident. She has matured rapidly in a short time and is capable of handling things on her own.

“Brother, this is the best the Shen family can give you. This secret passage leads directly to the west gate. Leave quickly and be careful not to run into anyone from Tiandao Sect.”

Shen Lingshu feels the ring is like a hot potato in his hand. “You want me to run away?”

Shen Xi’s voice is hoarse as she scolds, “Then think about Yun Zhuoran these past 20 years! Brother, when you go back this time, you may face treatment even worse than what Yun Zhuoran endures. You only have foundation-building cultivation now, and you will be trapped in the Ice Prison for 100 years. Tiandao Sect is waiting for the immortal bone inside you. You don’t have Yun Zhuoran’s qualifications to cultivate to the Integration stage in 20 years, nor a backer like Penglai Island to support you. You have nothing. How do you expect to survive the next 100 years?”

Shen Lingshu’s face goes pale.

“Listen to me. Leave Shengjing.” Shen Xi holds his hand tightly, tears welling in her eyes. “Shen Man and I aren’t skilled and we’re women, so they won’t trouble us much. But the immortal bone in your body will surely attract many covetous eyes. Tiandao Sect is definitely no place for you. The world is vast, brother. Leave, and never come back.”

Shen Lingshu stares at Shen Xi for a long moment without speaking. He doesn’t know what to say. Her words are right, but he hasn’t expected her to think so much and prepare so thoroughly for him.

Shen Xi presses her lips into a forced smile, then pushes Shen Lingshu into the secret passage.

Shen Lingshu staggers, braces himself against the passage wall, then hurriedly looks back at Shen Xi.

She waves at him with red eyes and activates the mechanism on the wall.

As Shen Lingshu starts forward, the stone at the passage entrance slams down behind him, separating Shen Xi from him.

After sending Shen Lingshu away, Shen Xi slowly collapses to the ground, exhausted. She hugs her knees and buries her head, sobbing weakly but resolutely. The soft, enduring cries echo into the passage.

Shen Lingshu’s eyes redden involuntarily. He clenches the storage ring and turns to leave.

The passage is long. Shen Lingshu walks for the time it takes to burn a stick of incense before finally emerging at a deserted house west of the city. The storage ring contains a disguise magic weapon prepared by Shen Xi. Shen Lingshu puts on a black cloak without expression, covering his face, and steps out of the deserted house.

Shen Xi is right. He doesn’t have Yun Zhuoran’s luck.

So as he leaves Shengjing, Shen Lingshu knows he might never return in his lifetime.

But he will definitely leave.

Shen Lingshu hides the tears in his eyes and steps outside—but just as he does, heavy footsteps sound from all directions.

He looks back warily and, in an instant, is surrounded by more than a dozen men dressed in black. Shocked, he suddenly hears a familiar voice outside the door:

“Fellow Daoist Shen, I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”

Shen Lingshu looks up. It is Young Master Yin of Xingxiu Sect. Young Master Yin approaches, waving a folding fan, a smile on his lips but a hint of menace in his demeanor. He stands before Shen Lingshu and says, “Miss Shen really lives up to my expectations. After someone points out the secret passage in the Shen family ancestral hall, I immediately decide to intercept you. I don’t know where you’re headed, Fellow Daoist Shen, but are you willing to come to my Demonic Star Sect?”

“I am a righteous cultivator…” Shen Lingshu begins, but before he can finish, a puff of black smoke blows into his face. He cannot avoid it; his breath is choked, and he falls into endless darkness.

The next day, when Ji Chen and the others come to pick someone up, naturally, they cannot find Shen Lingshu.

Several peak masters arrive at the Shen family immediately after hearing the news.

At that moment, Lu Qi stands motionless in the Shen family mourning hall, holding a sword. Even when Shen Xi cries before him, he remains still and only asks, “Where is Senior Brother Shen?”

When Qin Zheng and the others arrive, they see this scene.

They all glance at Jiang Zhuo simultaneously, thinking silently that Jiang Zhuo’s disciple truly focuses solely on the sword path. If outsiders who don’t know the truth saw this, they might angrily accuse Lu Xi of bullying a good young lady.

However, Shen Xi is even more fierce.

Wiping away her tears, Shen Xi cries angrily, “My father brings this upon himself, but he’s dead. As his children, can’t we at least do our filial duty by holding his funeral? Senior Brother Lu, I’m saying this now. I don’t know where my brother goes or why he leaves us sisters behind. I don’t want to care about those things. But if anyone dares to stop my father from being buried today, I, Shen Xi, will fight to the death!”

Qin Zheng doesn’t want to say anything more.

Lu Qi remains unaffected, repeating, “Where is Senior Brother Shen?”

“I don’t know!” Shen Xi snaps, tired of being asked repeatedly by Lu Qi. Seeing Qin Zheng and the others, she grits her teeth, raises three fingers, and says, “If I knew where my brother was, I, Shen Xi, would die!”

Qin Zheng doesn’t expect Shen Xi to swear such a fierce oath on the spot and is secretly shocked.

Lu Qi frowns, seemingly surprised. He notices his junior brother’s eyes signaling him. Turning around, he sees Qin Zheng and the others, bows, and salutes.

Several peak masters exchange looks, turn away disappointedly, and wave at him, signaling him to follow.

Lu Qi hesitates for a moment, sees Shen Xi still staring at him, and then follows them out, frowning.

All the Tiandao Sect members follow Qin Zheng and the peak masters. Shen Xi slowly lowers her hand, purses her pale lips, and her eyes go empty.

At that moment, a white figure hurries over—it is Shen Man. Her face shows no sadness. She grabs a handful of wildflowers and smiles brightly. “Big sister, I bring you flowers!”

The aftereffects of Shen Man’s soul being devoured by the heart demon are severe. After Qin Zheng seals her spiritual veins and makes her sleep for half a month to prevent further trouble, she wakes up like this, forgetting her past resentment. Her mind is only 5 or 6 years old and will take at least 8 to 10 years to recover.

Shen Xi has asked the housekeeper to watch over her for these two days, but she hasn’t expected Shen Man to run out again.

She has always disliked Shen Man, but faced with her innocent smile, Shen Xi’s heart softens, as if her previous dislike fades away. She pulls the corner of her mouth, slowly raises her hand, and touches the top of Shen Man’s head.

“Being foolish is fine. Sister will take care of you from now on.”

She probably won’t see Shen Lingshu again; only Shen Man remains as her family.

Half a day later, news of Shen Lingshu’s escape spreads throughout Shengjing. Song Shao receives the news. The two island masters finally go out, so he goes to report it—but is stunned when he sees Yun Zhuoran.

Yun Zhuoran sits at the stone table in the courtyard, opposite Penglai Immortal, who is taking his pulse. Both look serious. The Heart Demon guarding nearby is also tense.

The flame mark between Yun Zhuoran’s eyebrows appears suddenly; Yun Zhuoran himself cannot find the reason or detect any harm.

Finally, Penglai Immortal releases his grip.

The Heart Demon hurriedly asks, “What is it?”

Penglai Immortal shakes his head. “I don’t know. I don’t see any problem. Is it related to the floating city?”

Yun Zhuoran says, “It doesn’t seem so, but it looks like the fire that burns the incarnation of resentment.”

Penglai Immortal looks more puzzled. “But right now, it shouldn’t be harmful to you.”

This is only temporary. The few of them are nervous but cannot figure out more.

The heart demon purses his lips, suddenly hugs Yun Zhuoran, and says, “Brother, don’t be afraid.”

Yun Zhuoran smiles immediately. “I’m not.”

The heart demon hugs him tightly, silent.

Yun Zhuoran and Penglai Immortal exchange helpless looks.

At that moment, Penglai Immortal notices Song Shao standing dumbfounded by the courtyard gate. “Song Shao is here.”

Yun Zhuoran’s clear eyes look at Song Shao, cold and familiar.

Song Shao snaps back to reality, surprised, thinking their island master is looking more and more beautiful.

Seeing the little island master’s stern gaze, Song Shao quickly averts his eyes, greets properly, and then reports Shen Lingshu’s escape.

Except for the heart demon who pouts, Penglai Immortal and Yun Zhuoran show no reaction. Penglai Immortal doesn’t care about people he is indifferent to, even if they die.

Yun Zhuoran is silent for a moment. “Are you busy?”

Song Shao straightens up immediately. “Young Island Master, do you have any instructions?”

Yun Zhuoran nods. “Help me deliver a letter.”

Within two days, Shen Lingshu’s escape is overshadowed by another important event—Penglai Immortal returns to Penglai, and the solid barrier outside the inn where they stay is lifted.

People begin discussing whether Yun Zhuoran, the young island master, will follow him back to Penglai. Some even bet on whether Yun Zhuoran will go or stays in Tiandao Sect as leader.

In fact, after sending off Penglai Immortal, Song Shao, and Song Yun, Yun Zhuoran and the heart demon are about to leave the inn when a guest arrives—Tong Ye.

This draws the attention of many nearby.

The last time Tong Ye comes, he doesn’t act because Penglai Immortal isn’t there. This time, Penglai Immortal has just left. No one knows if Tongye will be angry with Yun Zhuoran, Gu Shenshu’s registered disciple, over Jue Fei’s death. It seems that no matter who kills Gu Shenshu—Yun Peiran or not—Tongye and Yun Zhuoran are always opposing each other.

Upon hearing the news, Qin Zheng and others from Tiandao Sect immediately rush to the inn.

But most guess wrong. Tongye has no intention of fighting Yun Zhuoran this time. He looks calmly at Yun Zhuoran and the others preparing to leave and says, “It seems I come just in time.”

The heart demon snorts unhappily.

Yun Zhuoran looks indifferent. “What do you want to talk about?”

Tongye’s face is calm but less indifferent than before. There is a trace of relief in his eyes, and his tone is gentler. “I’m leaving.”

The heart demon sneers, “What does that have to do with us?”

“Before returning to Tianqing Sect, I have something to say to you,” Tongye says to Yun Zhuoran. “It’s about your brother Yun Peiran and my long pursuit of his truth over the years.”

Yun Zhuoran becomes interested. “Go ahead.”

Tongye looks at him and suddenly smiles. “Yun Zhuoran, do you know Yun City?”