When the Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Role Picks Up the Script - Chapter 11

Fortunately, everyone in Tiandao Sect avoids Yun Zhuoran. He returns to Baiyun Pavilion smoothly, seals the barrier, and begins to assess the benefits he gains from the heart demon this time.

The heart demon lies obediently to the side, watching over him, its small black eyes blinking as it anticipates how much cultivation it can return to Yun Zhuoran.

As dawn approaches, the spiritual power lingering around Yun Zhuoran slowly recedes. He lets out a sigh of relief, opens his black eyes, and frowns.

The heart demon hasn’t eaten enough the night before and has saved up a lot of energy without running out to have fun. Now, it is still in high spirits. Seeing Yun Zhuoran wake up, the heart demon quickly floats in front of him. “Brother!”

The young voice of the little black ball is slightly deeper and a bit hoarse compared to before, but there is no significant change. Yun Zhuoran listens attentively and regards the little black ball thoughtfully.

The heart demon blinks. “Brother?”

Yun Zhuoran asks, “When you devoured the monster last night, did you notice its strength?”

The small black ball floating in the air pauses at this question. “Ah, no…” The heart demon shrinks back and quickly adds, “But the demonic energy tasted really good! It’s just not as filling as the ghost king last time.”

Yun Zhuoran understands, shaking his head. “The gain this time is only slightly more than last night. I’m afraid the monster you devoured wasn’t at theDeity Transformation Stage; at most, it was above the Nascent Soul Stage. However…”

Yesterday, Shen Lingshu mentioned that the monster possessing a human body was above the Deity Transformation Stage. Even if Shen Lingshu wasn’t strong enough to make a mistake, the Qingyang Peak Master in the Integration Stage was present, so he shouldn’t have made a mistake.

Upon hearing that Yun Zhuoran’s cultivation level hasn’t increased much, the whole black ball wilts. “It’s Little Weiran’s fault for being useless and disappointing brother. I’m sorry, brother…”

Yun Zhuoran looks up at Yu Weiran and raises his hand to rub him helplessly. “It has nothing to do with you. The food you ate this time just wasn’t right. If you’re not full next time, just ask.” Yun Zhuoran narrows his eyes and guesses, “I’m afraid there’s more than one monster that sneaked into Tiandao Sect this time. We’ll continue to keep an eye on Ji Chen tonight.”

The heart demon still feels guilty, mumbling in response, then jumps into Yun Zhuoran’s arms, its little paws clutching at his clothing, its head bobbing up and down.

Why does it always act so spoiled? Yun Zhuoran pauses and gently pats the little black ball’s head in reassurance. It seems he was right to let Ji Chen go last night; barring any surprises, Ji Chen won’t have an easy time recently.

However, Yun Zhuoran doesn’t expect to be summoned just after daybreak. It is Shen Lingshu who sends the message through a sound transmission talisman. “Junior Brother Yun, come to Qingyang Peak quickly. The person picking you up is waiting outside the Baiyun Room.”

There is a pause in the message, and Shen Lingshu’s tone becomes considerably heavier.

“I just came to ask questions. Junior Brother Jiang and I are here, so you don’t need to worry.” As the message ends, the sound transmission talisman floats into the air and burns itself, leaving no trace.

From Shen Lingshu’s tone, it seems something important is at stake. Even if he doesn’t want to accept Shen Lingshu’s invitation, Yun Zhuoran has to go.

Yun Zhuoran instructs his heart demon to stay inside, puts on the Mingguang lock, and seals the barrier before heading out. As expected, he finds his junior brothers waiting outside.

They are two disciples of the Qingyang Peak Master, not particularly familiar with Yun Zhuoran. Unlike Ji Chen, they are not as harsh. They salute Yun Zhuoran and lead him to the teleportation array that will take him to Qingyang Peak.

However, they follow him closely, swords at the ready, and both are Jindan cultivators, no less formidable than Ji Chen. This makes Yun Zhuoran suspect that their presence is not a good sign.

After passing through the teleportation array, they quickly arrive at Qingyang Peak and enter the Peak Master’s residence.

When Yun Zhuoran steps into the hall, he notices many people have gathered there. Aside from Elder Miao Zhu of Qingmiao Peak, all four Peak Masters are present, along with several inner disciples of Qingyang Peak, Shen Lingshu, and Jiang Zhibai.

The moment Jiang Zhibai spots Yun Zhuoran, he blinks at him desperately, as if trying to signal something. Realizing that everyone is watching him, Yun Zhuoran can only walk forward and bow.

“Peak Masters, Senior Brothers, I’m here.”

The Qingyang Peak Master, seated at the top, wears a cold expression. Upon seeing Yun Zhuoran, he scolds him harshly, “Yun Zhuoran, where were you last night? You injured my disciple Ji Chen!”

Whether intentional or not, the powerful pressure from the Qingyang Peak Master, a Integration Stage cultivator, leaks into the room, making it difficult for Yun Zhuoran to stand. Noticing that none of his fellow disciples are affected, Yun Zhuoran frowns and decides to kneel on the ground.

In reality, his cultivation level is a full realm lower than that of the Qingyang Peak Master, so the pressure released by the other party doesn’t affect him too much. However, if he were truly a Jindan cultivator, he would undoubtedly struggle to remain upright at this moment.

Yun Zhuoran supports himself against the cold floor with one hand. His beautiful face turns pale, and fine cold sweat trickles down his smooth forehead. His breath becomes rapid and heavy as he looks up at everyone with difficulty and disbelief.

Jiang Zhibai, shocked, rushes over to help Yun Zhuoran. “The matter hasn’t been clarified yet. The Peak Master is going too far!”

Shen Lingshu is a step behind Jiang Zhibai and cannot intervene directly, so he turns back and scolds, “Peak Master!”

Ultimately, the Qingyang Peak Master has to consider the future Peak Master’s reputation. He snorts coldly and waves his sleeves, retracting the pressure. At this moment, Yun Zhuoran pretends to lean on Jiang Zhibai for support, his pale face making him look incredibly weak, evoking pity from those present.

Shen Lingshu frowns. “The Peak Master is going too far.”

Jiang Zhibai adds angrily, “Exactly! The master insists that Junior Brother Yun harmed Ji Chen, but at least some evidence should be presented. Right now, without any proof, the master resorts to force—are you trying to coerce a confession?”

The Qingyang Peak Master needs to maintain respect for Shen Lingshu as he’s the future sect leader, and since Jiang Zhibai’s parents are also prominent figures as peak masters, he can’t outright scold their son.

He can only say, “If it wasn’t Yun Zhuoran, why would Chen’er be calling out his name in a coma? Even if he didn’t act personally, it’s still connected to him!”

Yun Zhuoran feels something is wrong when he hears this, and his body softens as he is about to fall again. Jiang Zhibai exclaims in surprise and quickly supports him, only to see Yun Zhuoran’s pale, flawless face revealing a bitter smile.

“Since I returned yesterday, I have been in Baiyun Pavilion meditating and haven’t gone out…” Yun Zhuoran lowers his gaze, concealing the sarcasm in his eyes, then pretends to be weak. “But what has happened to Junior Brother Ji Chen? The master didn’t ask a single question before directly resorting to punishment. How would someone like me, who rarely goes out, know what went wrong?”

It must be said that Yun Zhuoran’s beautiful face is very deceptive, and with his usual cold pride, when he acts weak, even Shen Lingshu and Jiang Zhibai, not to mention the several junior disciples of Qingyang Peak, can’t help but feel a bit of sympathy.

“Alright, we can’t blame Qingyang for this. Something happened to Ji Chen. As a master, he cares deeply and can become confused. Senior Nephew Yun shouldn’t take offense,” Peak Master Qinghe says, attempting to mediate. He then glances disapprovingly at Peak Master Qingyang. “Speak carefully. If you truly have wronged Master Nephew Yun, Qingyang will have to issue an apology.”

Yun Zhuoran feels that this statement is off and suddenly senses a warm spiritual energy enveloping his shoulder, quickly spreading throughout his body, which eases his discomfort significantly. He looks up to find the master of Qingxu Peak, Lian Yue, turning her face away.

Jiang Zhibai gives his mother a grateful look and helps Yun Zhuoran up. “How are you feeling? Are you better?”

The wooden spiritual energy from Master Lian Yue is gentle as a spring breeze; if he were injured, it would certainly alleviate some of the pain, and naturally, Yun Zhuoran can no longer pretend to be weak.

Shen Lingshu stands silently on the side, looking at Yun Zhuoran, then at the peak masters, and finally sighs: “Junior Brother Yun, the situation is like this: Junior Brother Ji was kidnapped by a monster last night. When we found him, only Junior Brother Ji was there, and he was cursed, remaining in a coma ever since.”

Peak Master Qingyang interrupts impatiently, “Chen’er has been calling your name since he fell unconscious. If you didn’t see him last night, why would he do this?”

Yun Zhuoran realizes that this trouble has come from Ji Chen; had he known, he would have dealt with him first last night…

Furrowing his brow, Yun Zhuoran looks at the Qingyang Peak Master and says, “I don’t know why Junior Ji called my name; all I know is that seeking me after being cursed is of no use. If you don’t look for Master Miao Zhu, it won’t help at all.”

The Qingyang Peak Master angrily retorts, “How dare you deny it!”

Not only Yun Zhuoran, but even Jiang Zhibai can’t hold back, replying angrily, “If he didn’t do it, he didn’t do it. Why should he confess? Just because Ji Chen called out Junior Brother Yun’s name, does that make him the culprit?”

Following this, Jiang Zhuo, the master of Qingjing Peak, who stands with his hands tucked in his sleeves, also speaks up, “The Qingyang Peak Master is being too impulsive.”

Encouraged by this support, Jiang Zhibai continues, “These empty words are nothing but slander! Let Ji Chen and Junior Brother Yun confront each other and see who’s lying!”

For a moment, no one refutes this suggestion, and the various Peak Masters tacitly agree. Jiang Zhuo and Lianyue make no attempt to stop Jiang Zhibai from defending Yun Zhuoran. Meanwhile, veins on Qingyang Peak Master’s forehead twitch as he struggles to contain his anger, glaring at Yun Zhuoran. “If Chen’er wakes up, confronting him in person would be no problem. But right now, he is still in a coma. My suspicion of Yun Zhuoran arises because he is the one who desires Chen’er’s life the most in Tiandao Sect!”

Jiang Zhibai smiles defiantly. “Isn’t it because your apprentice has been targeting my Junior Brother Yun?”

Noticing Elder Lianyue’s frown, Yun Zhuoran presses down on Jiang Zhibai’s arm, signaling him to quiet down. He hadn’t expected the two Peak Masters to support him, and he doesn’t want Jiang Zhibai to go too far.

Just then, someone in the back of the hall exclaims, “Senior Brother Ji!” This causes everyone to turn and see a man in disheveled clothing rushing toward them.

The first to recognize him is the Qingyang Peak Master. “Chen’er!”

The person who comes out is indeed Ji Chen. He is wearing a knee-length white robe, his hair disheveled, and his condition is clearly off. He mumbles something under his breath, and when he looks up, a nearby disciple gasps—

“His eyes!”

Yun Zhuoran happens to meet Ji Chen’s bloodshot eyes and feels a jolt of surprise. However, he sees Ji Chen pause, a strange smile creeping onto his lips, before suddenly charging toward him like a madman.

“Yun Zhuoran, you’re here!”

Before Ji Chen can reach him, Yun Zhuoran feels himself being pulled back. Looking up, he sees the concern etched on Shen Lingshu’s face.

“Junior Brother Yun, be careful,” Shen Lingshu warns, his voice warm yet firm.

Yun Zhuoran gives a casual nod before turning back to Ji Chen.

At that moment, everyone realizes something is seriously wrong with Ji Chen. The Qingyang Peak Master takes the initiative, binding Ji Chen with spiritual power to prevent him from harming anyone. A young disciple, who has been watching from the back hall, limps forward, panic evident on his face, followed closely by the flustered Elder Miao Zhu.

“This curse is difficult to lift; it’s a backlash!”

As the Qingyang Peak Master becomes momentarily distracted, the binding of spiritual energy around Ji Chen loosens slightly. In that instant, Ji Chen, agitated and frantic, begins to struggle violently, letting out a fierce roar as if he has been poisoned.

“Yun Zhuoran… I’m going to kill you!”

Jiang Zhibai trembles at the sight of Ji Chen’s eyes. “Is he insane?”

Yun Zhuoran feels confused. Closing his eyes, he focuses on the death energy radiating from Ji Chen. It is thicker than it had been the previous night, but he also notices something new. On the back of Ji Chen’s neck, the curse mark left by the monster devoured by his heart demon has morphed into a blood-red eye.

The malevolent energy emanating from it is definitely not from the monster from last night. Could it be that Ji Chen is unfortunate enough to be marked by two monsters?

As he ponders this, Yun Zhuoran’s eyes light up.

That red eye might belong to a creature with power exceeding the divine transformation stage and skilled at possession. With this in mind, he discreetly pushes Shen Lingshu aside and secretly adds the owner of the red eye mark to the list for his heart demon.