When the Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Role Picks Up the Script - Chapter 12

After the master of Qinghe Peak restrains Ji Chen, Elder Miao Zhu, who has mistakenly allowed the frenzied Ji Chen to escape, also makes her move, but the curse still cannot be lifted. It already takes Elder Miao Zhu considerable effort just to calm Ji Chen down. Now, seeing that he is no longer struggling and is restrained by two disciples, she lets out a sigh of relief.

“I was careless. I didn’t expect there to be more than one curse on Junior Nephew Ji,” Elder Miao Zhu says. “Once the death curse is lifted, another curse emerges.”

With the life of his most promising disciple at stake, the Peak Master of Qingyang Peak has no time to blame Yun Zhuoran. Instead, he asks, “What curse is this?”

Elder Miao Zhu, the master of Qingmiao Peak, pauses, her usually calm expression now heavy. “It’s a mark left by a demon. The curse has now backfired, and Junior Nephew Ji is likely trapped in a dream. With my current ability, I cannot remove this curse in a short time. The best solution would be to find the source of the demonic energy mark. Once the source is killed, the curse will dissipate, and he will awaken.”

Elder Miao Zhu quickly adds, “There’s no need for Qingyang Peak Master to worry too much. Junior Nephew Ji is merely lost in a nightmare. What he sees in his dream reflects what he usually has on his mind. He may be disoriented for a while, but as long as he wakes within seven days, there will be no lasting harm.

The Peak Master of Qingyang Peak visibly relaxes.

“Huh? So what Ji Chen usually thinks about is killing Junior Brother Yun?” Jiang Zhibai’s startled voice echoes through the quiet hall, drawing everyone’s attention. However, feeling he has hit upon the key point, Jiang Zhibai remains unfazed. “Elder Miao Zhu said so!”

As a disciple of one of the four major righteous sects, constantly thinking about killing a fellow disciple…

The crowd, now understanding, reacts with varied expressions. When they look at Ji Chen again, their gazes turn strange.

Elder Miao Zhu can only shake her head with a sigh, clearly not anticipating this and expressing her disapproval.

The face of the Qingyang Peak Master turns blue, then black.

Seeing this, everyone quickly averts their gaze, not daring to provoke the already irate Peak Master. Yet, in the hall, there is still the straightforward young Jiang Zhibai.

“So, it’s not that my Junior Brother Yun wants to kill him, but that he’s always thinking about killing my Junior Brother Yun,” Jiang Zhibai muses aloud, confused. “Ji Chen, what did my Junior Brother Yun do to offend you that you hate him so much?”

Yun Zhuoran also looks at Ji Chen.

The Qingyang Peak Master’s face darkens further. He is about to have Ji Chen taken away when, unexpectedly, Ji Chen actually reacts. Right after Jiang Zhibai finishes speaking, Ji Chen’s dull eyes flicker, and then he turns his head to look.

His eyes glow with a piercing, evil red light. Yun Zhuoran frowns in disgust and walks over to Jiang Zhibai’s side, advising, “Forget it, he probably—”

Before Yun Zhuoran can finish his sentence—likely to suggest that Ji Chen is still trapped in the dream and unable to respond—Ji Chen suddenly struggles violently. The two junior disciples holding him off guard nearly lose their grip. They barely manage to restrain him before he lunges at Yun Zhuoran. Grabbing one of his arms each, they pin him to the floor, forcing his arms behind his back.

The pain only seems to fuel Ji Chen’s fury. His eyes, bloodshot and wild, stay fixed on Yun Zhuoran as he roars his name in a frenzied rage.

Even the usually ruthless Peak Master of Qingyang Peak can’t bear it any longer. He flicks a burst of spiritual energy, slapping Ji Chen across the face.

“Ji Chen, wake up!”

But if a slap could wake him, Elder Miao Zhu wouldn’t be at a loss in the first place.

Amidst the chaos, the person Ji Chen has fixated on—Yun Zhuoran—remains the calmest in the entire hall. His clear, cold eyes look down at Ji Chen without a trace of anger or any human warmth. His gaze is like an endless icy plain.

Jiang Zhibai, rubbing his goosebumps, hides behind the reliable Yun Zhuoran. “This is too terrifying. We should lock him up quickly…”

The Qingyang Peak Master considers this option, thinking it would save him further embarrassment. “That might be best…”

“Wait.”

A clear voice interrupts the Qingyang Peak Master’s thoughts. Frowning in displeasure, he watches as Yun Zhuoran approaches Ji Chen.

“Junior Brother Yun, don’t get too close…” Jiang Zhibai follows, reminding him that this is the man who wants to kill him. But Yun Zhuoran is already crouching, tilting his head as he meets Ji Chen’s furious glare with a faint smile.

“Why do you want to kill me?”

Although Ji Chen is deeply trapped in his nightmare, Yun Zhuoran’s voice brings a flicker of clarity back to his eyes. Despite the hatred still evident, his speech becomes more coherent.

“You… Yun Zhuoran…”

Yun Zhuoran chuckles. “Yes, I’m Yun Zhuoran.”

Everyone watches, confused, not understanding what Yun Zhuoran is trying to achieve.

In the next moment, Ji Chen grows agitated again. The two disciples restraining him snap back to attention, no longer interested in watching the rare icy smile on Yun Zhuoran’s usually cold face. They press down on Ji Chen with all their might.

“Yun Zhuoran… Yun Zhuoran…” Ji Chen growls, his teeth clenched, his voice hoarse with fury. “As long as I kill you, I’ll be the Sect Leader’s disciple!”

When these words come out, everyone, including Yun Zhuoran, is taken aback.

Jiang Zhibai, who earlier showed mock disdain, now approaches with curiosity. He looks at Yun Zhuoran, scratching his head in confusion. “Is he dreaming that he wants to be the Sect Leader’s disciple?”

Yun Zhuoran shakes his head, equally bewildered.

Ji Chen’s enraged voice cuts through the air again. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have had to join Qingyang Peak! I was supposed to be the disciple of the first under the Heavenly Dao, to inherit the Supreme Ruthless Dao like Senior Brother Shen… It’s all because of you, Yun Zhuoran! You deserve to die! The Sect Master even praised me once…”

The more he speaks, the more aggrieved he sounds. Jiang Zhibai and Yun Zhuoran exchange a speechless glance. Meanwhile, the Qingyang Peak Master, who had just arrived to defend his disciple, hears Ji Chen’s disdain for Qingyang Peak loud and clear. His face turns completely dark, and his fists clench in anger.

The other peak masters, who hadn’t come to laugh at Qingyang Peak, shift awkwardly. Some turn their heads away in embarrassment, while others pretend not to hear. The disciples don’t dare to make a sound.

Shen Lingshu, usually gentle and kind, no longer wears his usual warm smile. His handsome face hardens as he approaches. “Junior Brother Ji has been bewitched.”

This is meant to give the Qingyang Peak Master a way to save face, but the Peak Master, despite the situation being about him, has no coherent thoughts at that moment. Glaring at Ji Chen, he grits his teeth and says, “Let him speak! I want to know what this wretched disciple has been thinking about all day!”

Jiang Zhibai shoots Yun Zhuoran a mischievous, gloating look. Then, he crouches down and playfully pats Ji Chen’s face, pulling his hand back just in time before Ji Chen can bite him, like teasing a dog. With a smirk, he asks, “You’re funny. My Junior Brother Yun joined Tiandao Sect at age seven and established his foundation right after entering the Dao. But you? You arrived years later, without the skill. Do you think you deserve to be the sect master’s disciple?”

Yun Zhuoran nods slightly in agreement.

He recalls that Ji Chen only joined Tiandao Sect years after him, but during the disciples’ entry assessment, Ji Chen ranked first in overall ability.

Still trapped in his dream, Ji Chen has no idea they are taking advantage of the situation to interrogate him. Yet he hears the voices and angrily responds, “Yun Zhuoran only came a few years earlier than me… But Senior Brother Shen said that the first time he went up the mountain, the sect leader had no intention of accepting him as a disciple! If Yun Zhuoran hadn’t repeatedly gone up the mountain to pester the sect leader, how would the leader have made an exception? It was clear that I had the best grades and was most likely to become the sect leader’s disciple…”

Ji Chen’s voice becomes increasingly vague, the last whispers hard to make out. But the initial part of his rant is clear enough: everything he says points to Senior Brother Shen. The disciples are shocked, realizing they have stumbled upon a hidden secret involving the future sect leader, Shen Lingshu, the sole successor of Tiandao Sect.

Why had Shen Lingshu said that?

Shocked, they all avert their eyes, too scared to look directly at Shen Lingshu.

Jiang Zhibai, with his upright temperament, doesn’t catch the deeper meaning of Ji Chen’s words right away. He turns to Shen Lingshu in confusion. “Senior Brother Shen, what is he talking about?”

Shen Lingshu stares intently at Yun Zhuoran, who seems disinterested after hearing the confession. He stands up, his expression unchanged, and doesn’t spare Shen Lingshu a glance. As if realizing something, Shen Lingshu’s face pales, and he explains in a strained voice, “Back then, Junior Brother Ji was set on joining the main peak, but Master had no such intention. Junior Brother Ji came to me several times to inquire, and I, not wanting to upset him, tried to comfort him. I never thought he would interpret it this way… I only told him that Master admired his talent!” Shen Lingshu, seeing that Yun Zhuoran still doesn’t look at him, grows anxious. “As for the rest, Junior Brother Yun, I swear I never said anything else!”

Seeing Shen Lingshu’s nervous explanation, Jiang Zhibai, like the others, feels a surge of confusion. Ji Chen’s resentment toward Yun Zhuoran seems to stem from something Shen Lingshu had said!

But wasn’t Senior Brother Shen always protective of Yun Zhuoran?

Jiang Zhibai, now both surprised and doubtful, exclaims, “No! Senior Brother Shen, what exactly did you say to him? Could just one sentence really have made Ji Chen, a fool, believe that Junior Brother Yun stole his position as the master’s disciple?”