When the Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Role Picks Up the Script - Chapter 105

After hearing that Ji Ruo is also kicked out of the City Lord’s Mansion, the heart demon’s mind settles. “So, you two crossed the Shen family too? Don’t tell me you and your cousin are fighting over that Shen guy, and your cousin got jealous?”

Ji Ruo cries out in horror, “Who would want that thing?!”

The heart demon just smiles without replying. In the storybook he reads, don’t Ji Ruo and Yun Shaowei both share the same man? Shen Lingshu, despite ending up in such dire straits, somehow still manages to meet Yun Shaowei early on and even becomes his savior. Maybe Ji Ruo will eventually fall hopelessly in love with Shen Lingshu too, just like in the book.

Just thinking about being associated with Shen Lingshu makes Ji Ruo’s face turn green. He spits in disgust, “I kindly told my cousin about the disgusting things the Shen family did, but not only did he refuse to listen, he started arguing with me—he insisted on believing in his so-called savior. Pah! Shen Lingshu isn’t worth a damn. His cultivation is way lower than my cousin’s. How could he have possibly saved him? I think my cousin’s eighty percent under a spell. Otherwise, why would he offend both Tiandao Sect and Penglai for him? Does he not know how dangerous you two are?”

The heart demon raises an eyebrow. “We’re dangerous?”

Ji Ruo’s eyes dart to Yun Zhuoran instinctively. Seeing Yun Zhuoran as cold and indifferent as always, quietly watching him, Ji Ruo’s heart skips a beat. His anger fades in an instant.

Ji Wuwang gives a light cough and smiles. “The Young City Lord quarrels with the Young Master over Shen Lingshu. He also reminds the Young Master that tensions are rising between Yun City and the Demon Palace due to business disputes. To avoid suspicion, he asks the Young Master to return to the Demon Palace as soon as possible. The Young Master gets upset and leaves the residence. From what I see, the Young City Lord really is going a bit too far in protecting Shen Lingshu.”

“A bit?!” Ji Ruo mutters. “He’s going way too far! I’m starting to wonder if he’s even still my cousin. What if he’s really been bewitched by Shen Lingshu? Or was he possessed by someone else?”

Ji Wuwang shakes his head. “The Young City Lord is still the Young City Lord, no different from last time we met.”

“I’m not asking you.” Ji Ruo looks at Yun Zhuoran with a strong hint. After waiting a moment and seeing that Yun Zhuoran has no intention to speak, he asks, his ears red, “Can you tell?”

The heart demon says, “He’s your cousin. If you can’t tell, how would we know?”

Yun Zhuoran nods in agreement.

He and the heart demon aren’t familiar with Yun Shaowei. Whether it’s Yun Shaowei deliberately waiting for them outside the miasma forest, or Yun Shaowei kicking them out coldly at the welcome banquet to protect his benefactor, or Yun Shaowei secretly slipping a note to Yun Zhuoran—Yun Zhuoran views Yun Shaowei very one-sidedly. But the fact that Ji Ruo is more or less kicked out of Yun City too makes it clear: Yun Shaowei means to drive them away.

“Really?” Ji Ruo stares at Yun Zhuoran without giving up. “Will you pass the news to Tiandao Sect? But Tiandao Sect is so far from Yun City, and Shen Lingshu is just a small figure. If they know Shen Lingshu is in Yun City, will they send someone?”

“Yes.” Yun Zhuoran answers quickly.

If it were just Shen Lingshu, who is thousands of miles away in Yun City, Tiandao Sect could ignore him. But Shen Lingshu still carries Gu Shenshu’s immortal bones.

Out of respect for Gu Shenshu, Tiandao Sect is united from top to bottom. They will never tolerate Shen Lingshu absconding with Gu Shenshu’s immortal bones and will do their best to chase him down no matter how far.

After hearing that, Ji Ruo becomes visibly distressed. “Why couldn’t Cousin fall for someone else? Why him—that walking disaster Shen Lingshu, when there are so many others he could choose?”

Under the heart demon’s guidance, Ji Ruo also believes Yun Shaowei’s excessive protection of Shen Lingshu is not only out of gratitude, but also because of an unspeakable infatuation. This makes Ji Ruo feel both sad and angry.

Is his perfectly fine cousin… just ruined like that?

Ji Wuwang smiles silently and asks Yun Zhuoran and the others, “Why do the two island masters move here?” They don’t need to ask much to know that two very beautiful young people entered the southern wasteland of the city last night. The population in Yun City has never been large, and this news spreads throughout Yun City overnight.

What confuses them is that these two young people not only have excellent looks, but also wear very luxurious and exquisite clothes and accessories. Why don’t they stay in one of Yun City’s many inns, but instead go to the desolate land in the south of the city?

Ji Wuwang looks at the cleaned courtyard and knows they’ve settled here.

Speaking of which, Ji Ruo is also confused. “Why are you living here? No one’s taken care of this place in over twenty years. Did you clean it yourselves? Actually, not far from here is the place where my uncle and my mother lived as children. My uncle sometimes still drops by. It’s relatively clean. Do you want to move there instead?” As he speaks, Ji Ruo points to a locked courtyard diagonally across from them. “That one.”

Yun Zhuoran raises an eyebrow, seemingly surprised. “Yun Tianqing lives here too?”

Ji Ruo doesn’t even get angry at how casually Yun Zhuoran calls his uncle by name. He’s already used to Yun Zhuoran’s cold tone, and reflexively answers honestly, “Yeah. I lived in Yun City as a kid, and came here a few times with my uncle and cousin. Everyone in Yun City knows: just outside the miasma forest in the south is a cold and lifeless place. No one goes near it unless they have to. You stayed here last night—didn’t you notice anything strange about the woods behind this place?”

Ji Wuwang asks, “Cold and lifeless?”

Ji Ruo explains disdainfully, “The yin energy there is very strong. No living thing or dead soul can stay long. Otherwise, the living will be chilled and it’s very difficult to dispel, and the dead souls will be shattered. I went in once as a child. It was dark and cold inside. I only stayed a short time. After I came out, I slept for three days and nights. I felt cold even with burning charcoal. It took half a month for the cold to dissipate before I slowly got better.”

Ji Wuwang touches his chin and looks toward the miasma forest in the distance, seeming very interested.

Ji Ruo doesn’t say more, then tells Yun Zhuoran, “That forest is the site of the old City Lord’s residence. My uncle said the former City Lord, Yun Tianfeng, did all sorts of monstrous things—he even killed his own children. The yin energy there came from the heavenly punishment brought down when he and the high priest tried to curse Yun City. A lot of people died back then. The yin energy has lingered ever since. My uncle had no choice but to abandon that whole area. Anyone who’s stayed in Yun City for a while knows that place is off-limits.”

Yun Zhuoran’s eyes pause. “Heavenly punishment?”

Ji Ruo’s words are completely different from Tong Ye’s. What he says must have come from Yun Tianqing. Yet Tong Ye says that when he asks Yun Tianqing, Yun Tianqing refuses to answer.

This makes Yun Zhuoran suspicious. Is Yun Tianqing just brushing Ji Ruo off casually? Or has he deliberately concealed the truth back then, for the sake of the Yun family’s reputation? But if he goes to such lengths to hide it, what would be the reason?

Ji Ruo says, “That’s what my uncle said.” He raises his chin and points to the courtyard. “My uncle said this is the residence of one of his brothers, but whether that person is dead or missing, no one knows. My uncle only said that the children killed by Yun Tianfeng were the parents of that brother.”

Yun Zhuoran and Weiran look at him together. “What was that brother’s name?”

“Who knows? My uncle rarely talks about old Yun City. Even if Cousin Yun asks, he won’t say much. My mother won’t say a word either. They seem to hate the mayor of old Yun City.” Ji Ruo answers honestly but finds it strange. “Why do you ask?”

“Just curious,” Yun Zhuoran answers calmly. “After all, we’re living in his house.”

Ji Ruo curls his lip. “He might have been dead for over twenty years already. Even if you didn’t move in, the place probably wouldn’t last a few more years before collapsing. Since you cleaned it up and moved in, that counts as doing him a kindness.”

Yun Zhuoran and Weiran exchange silent looks.

Ji Ruo is half a Yun City native. If he has nothing to hide, most of what he says is believable—assuming Yun Tianqing hasn’t lied to him.

Yun Zhuoran believes three things: the former Yun City Lord Yun Tianfeng killed his biological daughter and adopted son; the small courtyard where he and Yun Peiran live is clearly part of the old city lord’s mansion but separated by a wall, showing Yun Peiran hates the people in the old city lord’s mansion but can’t fully cut ties; and that Yun Tianfeng is dead. Whether the mysterious fire is caused by him and the high priest, no one knows except Yun Tianqing and Yun Fushuang, the survivors near the old city lord’s mansion.

So, he has to meet Yun Tianqing.

But something is clearly wrong with the new city lord’s mansion, and Yun Tianqing seems a little off.

Yun Zhuoran falls silent for a long time. Ji Ruo can’t tell what he’s thinking and doesn’t dare to ask. Bored, he glances around and notices Ji Wuwang still staring darkly at the distant miasma forest.

“You’re not seriously thinking about going in there, are you?”

Ji Wuwang smiles. “Sounds fascinating.”

The heart demon looks over. “You’ve never been inside?”

“He’s only been to Yun City twice—once to pick me up and once to send you here.” Ji Ruo answers quickly, staring at Ji Wuwang with a warning. “Don’t go crazy. It’s cold in there.”

Ji Wuwang smiles insincerely. “I heard the old Yun City high priest had some friendship with Ji Yan. This is where he was buried, right? Since we’re related, I’d like to go in and see this dead and living place, pay homage to the old senior, and see if he left any relics.”

Ji Ruo is inexplicably agitated. “If you want to go, go by yourself. I’m not going.”

Ji Wuwang sighs falsely. “Okay, then I’ll go in alone. I’ll trouble the two island masters to take care of my young master. Maybe he won’t return to the city lord’s mansion tonight.”

Yun Zhuoran looks at him coldly.

The heart demon refuses flatly. “No.”

Realizing he’s being rejected, Ji Ruo clenches his teeth in frustration and shame. “Forget it. Better I go with you. If you die in there and no one knows, that would be a mess.”

Ji Wuwang reluctantly says goodbye to Yun Zhuoran and the heart demon and leaves with the cursing Ji Ruo.

Yun Zhuoran and the heart demon do not stop them. They don’t know why Ji Ruo comes here. If it’s to mediate the dispute between Yun Zhuoran and Yun Shaowei, he does a terrible job of it.

But Ji Ruo’s visit this time gives Yun Zhuoran some clues.

The heart demon, attuned to Yun Zhuoran’s thoughts, watches the pair’s retreating figures and whispers quietly, “Brother, are we looking for Yun Tianqing tonight?”

Yun Zhuoran says, “I’m afraid we won’t see him.”

The heart demon is stunned for a moment. “Why not?”

“We’ve been in Yun City for two or three days now. Setting aside the fact that we’re backed by Penglai and closely tied to Tiandao Sect, even just Ji Ruo and Ji Wuwang are people he wouldn’t want to offend. Yet we haven’t seen any sign of Yun Tianqing.” Yun Zhuoran says meaningfully, “And at this exact time, Yun Shaowei suddenly starts acting completely different. Which means Yun Tianqing is either someone no one wants to meet… or someone no one can meet.”

The heart demon seems to understand. “Then what should we do? Go to the Demon Palace to capture Yun Fushuang for interrogation?”

Yun Zhuoran looks at him quietly for a moment and sighs softly. “Someone will come to find us.”

The heart demon’s eyes widen. “Who?”

“Maybe soon, or maybe we have to wait a little longer.” As Yun Zhuoran finishes speaking, footsteps come from outside the courtyard.

The heart demon’s eyes light up. “Is he coming?”

Yun Zhuoran releases his spiritual sense to check.

“Yun Feng?”

It is Yun Feng, chief steward of the new city lord’s mansion. As he enters and sees Yun Zhuoran and the heart demon, he pauses, then quickly bows. “Ninth Lord, Little Island Master, I’m truly sorry. The young city lord drank too much last night and acted foolishly in front of you.”

Yun Zhuoran glances at the heart demon, then turns and sits in the hall.

The heart demon understands and follows, casting a displeased look at Steward Yun.

He is vengeful and still remembers Yun Shaowei’s rude words from the previous night.

Steward Yun wipes his sweat and smiles awkwardly as he follows in, bowing slightly and keeping a low profile. He comes to apologize and spends a long time blaming Shen Lingshu for Yun Shaowei’s rudeness. Finally, he carefully looks at Yun Zhuoran and the heart demon and asks them to return.

The heart demon snorts, full of irony.

Steward Yun smiles bitterly and looks at Yun Zhuoran. “Ninth Master, the young city lord is still immature…”

“No need,” Yun Zhuoran replies calmly. “I won’t stay in Yun City long. No matter how nice the city lord’s mansion is, it can’t compare to living comfortably in my own home. Steward Yun, please go back.”

Steward Yun smiles apologetically. “But it’s inconvenient here. No one lives within ten miles. Ninth Master, you see—the old city lord’s mansion is right behind…”

Yun Zhuoran calmly pours tea and hands it to the heart demon beside him.

Steward Yun watches them for a long moment in silence. After some hesitation, he sighs. “Very well, Ninth Master. If you need anything, just ask. If the city lord’s mansion has it, we’ll send it to you. Ninth Master, don’t worry. The city lord already knows what happened last night and has reprimanded the young city lord. He also asked me to tell you that he will personally host a welcoming banquet for you in three days. This time, the young city lord definitely won’t cause trouble again.”

The heart demon, cradling the warm tea, asks, “But isn’t your city lord supposedly too sick to face the wind? We’ve only been here a few days and he’s already better?”

To the heart demon, who looks young and innocent, Steward Yun offers a kind smile. “It’s rare for Ninth Master to return, and the city lord is eager to see his brothers. We can’t stop him. All we can do is prepare more at the banquet to avoid worsening his condition.”

Yun Zhuoran says mildly, “Don’t bother. We’re leaving tomorrow.”

The heart demon looks at Yun Zhuoran in surprise. When did his brother say they’re leaving tomorrow?

Steward Yun grows anxious on the spot. “So soon? Is there an urgent matter that Ninth Master must attend to?” Realizing he may have overstepped, he quickly adds, “The welcoming banquet has been rearranged. Ninth Master should stay just three more days. My city lord’s condition has worsened in recent years. I’m afraid that next time Ninth Master returns, he will—”

“Won’t see him again?” the heart demon finishes.

Steward Yun looks sorrowful and sighs silently.

Yun Zhuoran looks at him, tilts his head slightly, and gives the heart demon a look.

The heart demon catches on, hugs Yun Zhuoran’s arm, frowns, and says, “Brother, the city lord seems very miserable. Why don’t we stay two more days?”

His acting is unconvincing, but Yun Zhuoran takes it calmly. “Our business is urgent.”

Steward Yun hesitates, clearly wanting to persuade them to stay but not daring to push too hard.

The heart demon seizes the chance and coaxes, “Just three days, brother. We’ll only stay three days. City Lord Yun is too pitiful, and his son is so disobedient. If we don’t help him, no one will.”

Steward Yun sighs heavily.

Yun Zhuoran looks at the two silently, then nods. “Only three days.”

Steward Yun’s expression brightens. “Ninth Master!”

Yun Zhuoran remains indifferent, but Steward Yun has already achieved his goal. He says a few more words, then tactfully takes his leave.

After he’s gone, Weiran still leans on Yun Zhuoran’s shoulder, thinking about Steward Yun’s words and actions. He smacks his lips and mutters, “That guy is definitely hiding something.”

Yun Zhuoran nods.

But they’re going to meet Yun Tianqing in three days anyway. Isn’t that just like someone handing you a pillow when you’re sleepy?

No matter what dangers lie in the new city lord’s estate, they’re going to attend that banquet.

The sky gradually darkens, and the two brothers, Ji Ruo and Ji Wuwang, who entered the miasma forest, do not return. Yun Zhuoran says they’re leaving, but that’s a lie. He wants to meet Yun Tianqing as soon as possible.

Three days isn’t long or short. To avoid disturbances, Yun Zhuoran sets up a barrier in the small courtyard and meditates as usual.

The heart demon isn’t a real child. Even if Yun Zhuoran is busy, he can take care of himself. Besides, Yun Zhuoran gives him ten large characters to copy before bed.

He gnaws on a demon core for a long time, then waits until it’s completely dark before picking up the brush under the light of the night pearl. But he’s distracted. After writing only two characters, he starts playing with dozens of small wooden sculptures on the bookshelf. He eventually finds a half-finished rabbit and pulls out the carving knife from the desk.

Just before he starts carving, he hesitates and puts it down. He rummages through his storage bracelet for the natural treasures given to him by the Penglai Immortal before leaving. After a long search, he finds a piece of black wood with a medicinal fragrance. He frowns in disdain but uses it to practice carving.

Unknowingly, the room’s light seems to brighten and flicker. The heart demon, concentrating on the fragrant wood, senses something’s wrong. He looks up and sees Yun Zhuoran sitting cross-legged on the small couch. Yun Zhuoran’s eyes are closed, but the flame mark on his forehead glows with a silver-white light tinged with gold.

The heart demon freezes, then puts down the wood and knife and tiptoes toward Yun Zhuoran.

Yun Zhuoran, deep in meditation, doesn’t notice. Large drops of cold sweat roll down his pale face.

Suddenly, there’s a faint “puff,” and a small golden flame appears between them.

The flame floats in front of the heart demon, who neither dodges nor flinches, not even surprised. But the flame splits into several parts and slowly floats back to Yun Zhuoran, surrounding him like a barrier. It flickers erratically, extremely unstable.

Yun Zhuoran’s face grows paler. He seems to be in great pain, his brows tightly furrowed, cold sweat dripping from his forehead, and the flame mark flickering constantly.

The heart demon softly calls, “Brother?”

Yun Zhuoran doesn’t respond, his face twisted in pain.

Something’s wrong.

The heart demon stays quiet for a moment, then slowly leans down and presses his brow to the icy flame mark on Yun Zhuoran’s forehead. He closes his eyes, and the red vertical mark between his brows touches the pale golden mark, releasing a faint flash of blood-colored light.

That blood light seeps into Yun Zhuoran’s spiritual sea, letting the heart demon glimpse his current dream. At first, the heart demon can’t believe it—his brother has fallen into his own nightmare.

There’s no doubt: Yun Zhuoran has been affected, likely by something in the old city lord’s mansion.

Everything in the dream is hazy, like it’s veiled in white gauze.

The lighting is bright, but no one’s face is visible. The familiar surroundings tell the heart demon this is the old city lord’s mansion.

The old city lord’s mansion in Yun Zhuoran’s dream isn’t as desolate as it is now. Many people are there, including servants, young masters, and young ladies of the mansion. They all stand outside a room.

There seems to be an argument inside. Slowly, the voices calm down. The black-clothed boy walks out holding a child. His face is extremely cold. Perhaps because of this, no one dares provoke him.

The heart demon does not find Yun Zhuoran there, so he waits in front of the black-clothed boy, watching him walk step by step. As he gets closer, the heart demon sees the pale child with half-closed eyes and weak breath in the black-clothed boy’s arms. The child’s small, soft fingers gently grasp the boy’s collar.

At that moment, the black-clothed boy stops walking, lowers his head, and shows a rather stiff smile to the child in his arms. “I’m fine. Don’t worry, little one. Even without relying on the City Lord’s estate, we’ll survive.”

The pale child in his arms lets out a faint laugh. “I believe in you, Brother.”

The heart demon’s gaze shifts slightly as he stares intently at the child. He senses Yun Zhuoran’s aura from that child.

If no one pulls Yun Zhuoran out now, he might remain trapped in this dream for quite some time. The heart demon trusts Yun Zhuoran will eventually find a way out—once he realizes this is only a dream.

Seeing the black-clothed boy about to take the child away, the heart demon releases a wisp of demonic energy from his hand and gently touches the child’s forehead.

“Brother, wake up.”

This small dream shouldn’t be enough to trap Yun Zhuoran—it’s only his lingering attachments that make it so. And the heart demon doesn’t want to see him suffer.

As his words fall, the demonic energy seeps into the child’s forehead, and the dream slowly begins to collapse.

The heart demon is also ejected by the dream.

When he opens his eyes, he sees the silver-white flames around Yun Zhuoran extinguish one after another, and the spiritual energy flowing through Yun Zhuoran halts, and his body wavers, about to fall. The heart demon catches him and gently cradles him in his arms, then carries him to the inner bed and carefully lays him down, pulling a thin blanket over him.

Yun Zhuoran falls asleep.

The heart demon tucks the corner of the quilt, stares at Yun Zhuoran’s sleeping face for a long time, then gets up and goes out with a cold expression.

The moment the door closes gently, the red-clothed boy transforms into a thick black demonic cloud and disappears.

But in the blink of an eye, the red-clothed boy appears on the altar opposite the old city lord’s mansion where Yun Zhuoran stays during the day. He stays there for quite a long time, then suddenly turns into a demonic cloud again.

Some things are clearer at night than during the day, like the faint blood mist floating on the altar.

These evil things are part of why Yun Zhuoran is entangled in nightmares. The heart demon comes here specifically to vent his anger for Yun Zhuoran.

In the dark night, the quietly floating blood mist seems to sense it and tries to flee with the evening breeze, but it is no match for the demonic cloud sweeping past. When the thick black demonic cloud transforms into human form again and appears before the city lord’s mansion, the moonlight on the opposite altar seems a little brighter.

A blood-red light glows in the heart demon’s pupils as he presses his lips together and swallows something.

Suddenly, a puzzled voice sounds behind him, the tone oddly familiar.

“You’re the Little Island Master? What are you doing here?”

The voice comes from within the old City Lord’s estate.

The heart demon slowly turns around. His eyes, still glowing with blood, contain a cold, bloodthirsty murderous aura, like a sharp blade aimed directly at the two people behind him—Ji Ruo and Ji Wuwang.

Seeing those eyes, Ji Ruo stumbles back in fright, nearly tripping over a loose stone on the ground. Fortunately, Ji Wuwang reacts quickly, pulling him back and shielding him behind, his expression unusually grim.

The red-clad youth is nothing like the obedient child he is before Yun Zhuoran. With scarlet eyes locked onto the two brothers, a dark and sinister smile curls on his lips—one laced with killing intent.

“What a coincidence. You haven’t left yet.”