When the Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Role Picks Up the Script - Chapter 107

Moments later, Ji Ruo runs back in from outside the courtyard. Seeing Yun Zhuoran holding the bamboo scroll, he immediately understands Ji Wuwang’s look. He glances subtly at the heart demon, only to find it leaning on Yun Zhuoran’s shoulder, watching him form hand seals to unlock the scroll’s restriction. The heart demon lifts its eyes and looks at him with a faint, eerie gaze. Ji Ruo shudders inwardly and quickly averts his face.

Ji Wuwang suddenly asks in a low voice, “He left?”

Ji Ruo, still in shock, replies, “My cousin was afraid he’d be gone too long, and Yun Feng might do something to my uncle.”

After Yun Zhuoran breaks the restriction on the bamboo scroll, he immediately detects a trace of spiritual sense on it—different from any of theirs. He doesn’t look at it right away and instead asks Ji Ruo and Ji Wuwang, “Where is the statue?”

The heart demon echoes, “Where is it?”

Ji Wuwang lets out a soft sigh. “I figured the Young Island Master would ask. Want to go see it now?”

Yun Zhuoran nods without hesitation.

Ji Ruo and Ji Wuwang lead the way, and the four of them reenter the old city lord’s mansion under cover of darkness.
After passing through the miasma forest, Ji Ruo, whose cultivation level is lower, shows a noticeable change in expression.

Ji Wuwang silently raises his hand and presses it on Ji Ruo’s shoulder, passing spiritual power to him without a sound. Ji Ruo’s tense body visibly relaxes.

Ji Ruo shivers involuntarily but can’t shake off the chill wrapping his heart.

After a while, the four of them reach the part of the old city lord’s mansion that was specially opened for the high priest to live in. They follow Ji Wuwang into the secret room below. It is perhaps midnight, and the yin energy grows heavier.

Ji Ruo, who has been here most of the day, is so cold he hugs himself tightly, looking at the other three with envy and jealousy.

He simply doesn’t understand. They are all flesh and blood—so why are they completely unaffected?

Especially Yun Zhuoran and that little demon—are they really not uncomfortable at all?

At this moment, Yun Zhuoran and the heart demon are observing the black wooden statue, about half a human height.

The statue is roughly carved, depicting a human figure in a black robe. Its facial features are blurred, with only a pair of slender eyes relatively clear. The eyes are half-closed, as if looking down on all living things. Its face clearly shows compassion but also gives off a deep coldness.

Ji Wuwang says, “This statue looks off, but there’s nothing unusual about it.”

A statue that causes discomfort can’t be a statue of a righteous god. But there truly is no lingering aura on this one.

Yun Zhuoran has no choice but to give up this line of investigation. “How much does Eldest Young Master know about this Fengtian Temple?”

Weiran smiles and looks at Ji Wuwang.

Ji Wuwang spreads his hands. “I don’t know. Although both the young master and I are from the demonic path, I never heard of Fengtian Temple before coming to Yun City. I suppose they only show themselves to people they deem worthy. People like me and the young master aren’t part of that group.”

Ji Ruo nods. “I’ve been in Yun City for more than ten years and have never heard of Fengtian Temple.”

Yun Zhuoran catches the hidden meaning in Ji Wuwang’s words. “Why does the eldest master say that?”

Ji Wuwang and Ji Ruo exchange glances. It seems they both know something.

Under the heart demon’s gaze, which holds subtle warnings and urging, Ji Wuwang smiles helplessly. “You’ll find the answer in the bamboo scroll. Thanks to coming to Yun City—now I suspect Ji Yan’s madness back then may have something to do with this Fengtian Temple.”

Yun Zhuoran raises an eyebrow. “I’d like to hear more.”

Ji Wuwang points to the scroll in Yun Zhuoran’s hand. His smile remains, but his voice turns cold. “This Grand Priest was a follower of the Fengtian Temple. Under the so-called guidance of the true God, he approached those favored by the god and brought them under his command. The former Lord of Yun City, Yun Tianfeng, was one of them. This bamboo slip only records the high priest’s time after arriving in Yun City, but it mentions that those favored by the true God carry such a statue. Coincidentally, when I was a child, I also saw a similar black wooden statue at Ji Yan’s place.”

Since Ji Wuwang and Ji Ruo were the first to find the scroll and have stayed in the manor for half the day, they must have already read it.

Yun Zhuoran hears this and still feels some doubt. “After contacting the people of Fengtian Temple, Ji Yan changed?”

Ji Ruo frowns, looking at Ji Wuwang with obvious displeasure.

“His temperament changed completely.” Ji Wuwang’s smile fades, and for once his expression turns grim. “Ji Yan had always been ruthless—he wanted to unify the demonic path and become the sovereign of the world. But at least he had some reason, which is how he held onto his position as the Palace Lord. After coming into contact with those people, he suddenly goes quiet for a while, then kills his wife, abandons his son, and severs all familial ties. He eliminates all his sworn brothers one by one, which eventually brings Gu Shenshu and Yun Peiran down on him. The current palace lord sells him out without hesitation, and together they throw him into the Demon-Sealing Well. By then, he’s already completely insane. His ambition shifts—from ruling the world to achieving immortality.”

Ji Ruo can’t help but interject, “My father still hasn’t recovered from the injury Ji Yan gave him.”

Ji Wuwang only smiles without replying, seemingly not blaming him for the comment. He turns to Yun Zhuoran and says, “I believe this scroll will be of great use to the Young Island Master. And I hope you’ll keep your promise—if you find Ji Yan, please let me know.”

Yun Zhuoran nods. “Alright.”

The old city lord’s manor is shrouded in overwhelming yin energy and isn’t a place to linger. The group quickly leaves. Perhaps persuaded by Yun Shaowei, Ji Ruo doesn’t mention returning to the city lord’s manor. On the way back, he stays silent and sulky, slipping back into the locked courtyard without a word.

Ji Wuwang says goodbye to Yun Zhuoran, then follows Ji Ruo into the residence where Yun Tianqing and his sister lived as children.

After Yun Zhuoran returns to the courtyard, he eagerly opens the bamboo slip. Before reading, he lets the heart demon press him down to sit on the couch and rest. Seeing the worried look on the heart demon’s face, Yun Zhuoran feels relieved and waves him up to read it together.

This bamboo slip is a refined magic tool designed for long preservation. Many dates are written on it, but the real content isn’t visible at a glance. Yun Zhuoran pinches his fingers, condenses a point of spiritual light on his fingertip, and gently taps the small red characters on the upper left.

Golden spiritual light spreads across the bamboo slip, erasing the red characters. Then, one by one, ink-colored characters appear.

It is the private record of the old Yun City high priest.
From the moment he enters Yun City, he vows to his true god in a pious tone that he will complete the orders given by the god.

The first step: guide the former Yun City City Lord Yun Tianfeng to become a believer of Fengtian Temple.

The Grand Priest’s writings are brief, but his desire to confide in his god is intense. His daily entries, piece by piece, unfold before Yun Zhuoran and the heart demon, reconstructing the Old Yun City from more than thirty years ago.

The Grand Priest reports to his god that he spends several years indoctrinating Yun Tianfeng, making him a devout believer of Fengtian Temple. He exploits Yun Tianfeng’s suspicious nature and desperate ambition to ascend in cultivation and achieve immortality. Using this, he creates a rift between Yun Tianfeng and his adopted son, Yun Wuxiu—who is also the only person engaged to Yun Tianfeng’s biological daughter. Eventually, he seizes an opportunity to incite Yun Tianfeng to kill his adopted son. Afterward, in his bamboo slips, the Grand Priest sneers at Yun Tianfeng’s stupidity, complaining to his god that the man actually allows his daughter to discover the truth. So he persuades Yun Tianfeng to kill his only daughter as well.

Thus, that year, the young Yun Peiran loses both of his parents overnight. With his three-year-old brother in tow, he tries to move out of the city lord’s mansion, but Yun Tianfeng sends people to stop him. Left with no choice, Yun Peiran settles into a small courtyard near the back gate of the mansion, building a high wall around it to express his rejection and disdain for the city lord’s estate.

The Grand Priest writes in the bamboo slip: “That boy named Yun Peiran has exceptional talent. Could he be the reason the god guided me to Yun City? Unfortunately, he refuses to acknowledge me as his master. Even as he struggles to survive alone with his gravely ill brother, he never bows his head to me. I, after all, pity those gifted children favored by the heavens. So, I take his adopted sister under my wing.”

But after only two days, the Grand Priest begins to regret it. He despises the adopted daughter taken in by Yun Peiran’s parents. Though her aptitude is decent, she is extremely dull—not even one-tenth as gifted as Yun Peiran. After nearly half a month of training, the Grand Priest loses all affection for her. He lets her stay only as a maidservant to serve tea and water. The girl’s name is Yun Duo.

After Yun Wuxiu and his wife are killed by Yun Tianfeng, the high priest’s bamboo slips mention Yun Tianfeng less and less, showing his growing dislike. At the same time, like a rat hiding in the gutter, he begins to obsessively spy on Yun Peiran’s life, even knowing what monster he hunts outside the city one day, how many spirit stones he exchanges, and what medicine he buys.

Only in the records involving Yun Peiran does the high priest become talkative.

Seeing this, Yun Zhuoran’s face turns cold. Although the one being spied on is not him, but his brother, he still feels disgusted for Yun Peiran.

Later, one day, the Grand Priest suddenly mentions that he finally understands the god’s purpose in sending him to Yun City. After that entry, he stops writing for three months before penning one final confession to the god:

—All is ready. Tens of thousands of followers in Yun City await the descent of the divine with utmost devotion.

Yun Zhuoran’s eyes fill with confusion.

“Divine descent?” the heart demon asks innocently, confused. “Did the god come?”

Yun Zhuoran puts down the bamboo slip and says thoughtfully, “Maybe he came and released that magical fire, taking the lives of tens of thousands of believers in Yun City.”

The heart demon looks at him with clear eyes. “Brother, do you believe that was really a god?”

“Who knows.”

Yun Zhuoran rubs his brow, still feeling somewhat fatigued. But he understands what Ji Wuwang meant. Yun Tianfeng, like Ji Yan, only begins to believe and desperately seek immortality after coming into contact with people from the Fengtian Temple. It isn’t unreasonable for Ji Wuwang to suspect Ji Yan still has a connection with Fengtian Temple.

“I had a dream just now.” Yun Zhuoran remembers the dream, and the frost in his eyes melts. He looks at the heart demon, his black-and-white eyes bright. “Although I can’t remember everything, I vaguely recall my health being very poor as a child. I also remember Yun Peiran taking me away from the City Lord’s Mansion… Also, he shouldn’t have been around me often. There’s a sister who helped take care of me when he wasn’t around. Could this be my sister Yun Duo?”

The heart demon blinks. “Really? It could also be Ji Ruo’s mother, Yun Fushuang.”

Yun Zhuoran is surprised. “Why do you think so?”

The heart demon scratches his head. “Because Yun Tianqing lived very close to his sister.”

Yun Zhuoran can’t help but laugh.

Such childish logic.

But his smile quickly fades, and he sighs inwardly. His gaze dims. Though he has long since forgotten his parents, the thought that they—and nearly ten thousand others in Old Yun City—were all once manipulated and used by the so-called Fengtian Temple, only to die such tragic deaths, leaves him feeling heavy.

There must be something strange about Fengtian Temple.

But the question is: now that its members have returned to the land of Yun City, what exactly do they intend to do?

Three days later, the new city lord’s mansion sends a steward to deliver an invitation.

After a few days of rest, Yun Zhuoran receives it and attends the banquet with his heart demon.

Ji Ruo and Ji Wuwang return to the city lord’s mansion the morning after living next door to Yun Zhuoran. When Yun Zhuoran and the heart demon walk to the banquet hall under many inquiring eyes, they happen to meet them. Ji Ruo and Ji Wuwang come with Yun Shaowei. Behind Yun Shaowei is another person: Shen Lingshu.

It’s clear Yun Shaowei values Shen Lingshu very much.

The two sides meet at the door.

Manager Xu, who leads the way, seems worried they might quarrel and hurriedly forces a smile, inviting Yun Zhuoran and Weiran to enter first. Yun Shaowei follows quietly, no longer as cold-faced as before. He seems to want to avoid suspicion and avoids eye contact with Yun Zhuoran.

A thick black veil hangs in front of the banquet hall. Manager Xu stops and says that Steward Yun ordered the city lord not see too many people, so guests are asked to enter by themselves.

Hearing this, Yun Shaowei glances coldly at him and leads the way into the black veil.

Manager Xu grows anxious, sweating profusely, and looks helplessly at Yun Zhuoran with a smile. He doesn’t know if the ninth master will be angry over the young city lord’s rudeness.

But Yun Zhuoran calmly walks past him with Weiran.

Except for Manager Xu, the six people enter the hall one by one.

Inside, as with the welcoming banquet a few days earlier, the feast is prepared—but the hall is empty.

Before anyone can comment on the oddity, Yun Shaowei—who walks in front—suddenly exclaims, “Father!”

At that cry, Yun Shaowei rushes toward the host’s seat, hidden behind a veil.

The others turn to look and see a motionless figure seated behind it.

Ji Ruo immediately recognizes his uncle Yun Tianqing, but seeing Yun Shaowei rush forward like this, he worries it might be a trap. “Cousin…”

At that moment, Yun Shaowei climbs the steps and passes through the gauze curtain decorated with pearls.

Suddenly, a black shadow attacks from above with great force.

Ji Ruo shouts, “Cousin, be careful!”

Fortunately, Yun Shaowei dodges in time. When he sees the attacker’s face, he isn’t surprised at all. Silently, he takes out a jade flute and fights back.

Ji Ruo recognizes the attacker too and sighs. “Yun Feng, this bastard…”

Everyone watches the two fight inside the gauze curtain, but no one wants to help. Yun Shaowei still has the upper hand; Yun Feng keeps retreating and seems no match for him.

Ji Ruo says proudly, “My cousin’s already at the peak of the Golden Core stage. That bastard Yun Feng’s only in the early stage. How could he win?”

Yun Zhuoran glances at him.

Ji Ruo is sensitive to his gaze now. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

The heart demon clings to Yun Zhuoran’s arm and says quietly, “Because your cousin is about to lose.”

“Impossible—”

Before Ji Ruo can finish, Yun Feng inside the gauze curtain suddenly grows stronger and begins fighting back fiercely. His movements are so fast people can only see afterimages. Within three moves, he knocks down Yun Shaowei’s magic weapon Yu Xiao and captures him.

Ji Ruo is stunned. Without a word, he summons a magic sword and rushes to help.

Yun Feng notices and laughs loudly, waving his sleeves to remove the gauze curtain blocking his eyes.

“Well, now that everyone’s here.”

The heart demon lifts his chin. “Told you.”

Ji Ruo grips his demonic sword tightly. Despite the risk of it consuming him, he turns and glares at the heart demon.

Still feeling smug, huh? You jinx!