When the Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Role Picks Up the Script - Chapter 120

When Yun Duo and the others appear, a flicker of surprise crosses Yun Tianqing’s face.

“Yun Duo… you’re back.” He quickly regains his usual composure, his expression gentle, as if he holds no resentment at all.

Yun Duo looks at his face and slowly raises a mocking smile. “At this point, why bother pretending, Yun Tianqing? Do you think I can’t tell that you deliberately sent us away? To be honest, Master Yin and I never left Yun City. How could a mere spiritual mine compare to the Taiyin True Fire?” She stares intently at the floating flame, and her fair, soft face takes on a trace of seductive charm, laced with a sinister edge. “The Taiyin True Fire is magnificent—and it belongs to the Fengtian Temple.”

Her sudden change in tone and demeanor completely shatters the image Yun Shaowei has always held of her as a kind and gentle aunt.

Yun Zhuoran frowns, and the heart demon retorts unhappily, “The True Fire belongs to my brother!”

Yun Duo ignores him, her eyes going straight to Yun Zhuoran.

“Your brother? He’s not worthy.”

Yun Zhuoran isn’t sure if he’s imagining things, but in Yun Duo’s gaze, he sees resentment—directed at him.

The heart demon laughs in disbelief. “My brother is not worthy, but your worthless temple is?”

Yun Duo doesn’t get angry. She merely shakes her head and looks at the heart demon with disdain. “You ignorant fool. Fengtian Temple is the true orthodox path of the heavens. I don’t have time to argue with someone like you.”

The heart demon sneers and is about to reply, but Yun Tianqing speaks faster, his voice sharp. “So you really came to steal the Taiyin True Fire. Yun Duo, I always knew you weren’t to be trusted—but I didn’t expect you to join Fengtian Temple.” His tone turns cold. “Do you even remember that the disaster in Yun City was caused by them? Have you thought about how you’ll face the many lives lost in Yun City? How you’ll face your adoptive parents who raised you? Or Yun Peiran?”

“Don’t mention Yun Peiran to me!”

In the past, whenever Yun Duo spoke of Yun Peiran, her expression had been filled with longing and affection. But now, at the mention of his name, her face twists with resentment, like a cat whose tail has been stepped on.

“Yun Tianqing, what right do you have to mention him? You’re a hypocrite, just like your sister. You spoke ill of me behind my back to Yun Peiran… Yes, I became the High Priest’s disciple—but do you think it was by choice? You were the one who convinced Peiran to stay away from me. You think I don’t know?” Yun Duo glares at him with hatred, then suddenly laughs. “But no matter what you say, it’s useless. Peiran and I grew up together. He trusts me more than he trusts you.”

Yun Zhuoran and Weiran glance at Yun Tianqing. It’s clear now—Yun Duo has come for him.

Yun Tianqing looks momentarily stunned, then gives a bitter smile. “There’s no point in dredging up the past. It’s true—I was unfair to you because of the High Priest. But that was just my own opinion. Peiran never turned his back on you, did he?” He glances at Yun Zhuoran. “Zhuoran was just a child back then. He never hurt you. Yun Duo, the Taiyin True Fire belongs to Zhuoran. He’s your brother—and Peiran’s brother. Do you really intend to steal it for Fengtian Temple?”

“If not for him, how could Brother Peiran have cut ties with me?” Yun Duo’s tone grows more twisted, her expression nearly feral. “If not for him, Brother Peiran would’ve been mine. Yun Tianqing, I know exactly what you’re doing—you want to push me into becoming his enemy. Fine then. Rest assured, I never planned to let him live.” She glares at Yun Zhuoran. “From the moment he was born, I wanted to strangle him. It’s because of him that Brother Peiran sees no one else.”

Yun Zhuoran’s brow furrows tightly, a flash of disgust passing through his eyes. He has read the High Priest’s notes and knows Yun Duo had feelings for Yun Peiran—but he hasn’t expected her hatred for him to run this deep.

And all for such a ridiculous reason.

The heart demon is also stunned. Yun Duo is jealous of the love Peiran has for his younger brother—what does that have to do with Zhuoran?

None of them can understand her unfounded hatred. Yun Tianqing also finds it absurd. “You once saved me and my son Shaowei. I truly hoped you could turn back. But I didn’t expect…”

He doesn’t expect Yun Duo to harbor such deep hatred for Yun Zhuoran.

He gives a weary smile and sighs. “I meddled too much.”

“Don’t worry,” Yun Duo says coldly, “once I take back the Taiyin True Fire, I’ll clean up Yun City. I won’t let you, Yun Fushuang, or your children go.”

Yun Tianqing is stunned. “You hate us that much?”

“She’s completely lost it!” A voice calls out from the direction of the Miasma Forest.

Yun Fushuang arrives, accompanied by Ji Ruo, Ji Wuwang, and others. Under everyone’s shocked gaze, she quickly approaches Yun Tianqing.

“Brother, I’m late. Don’t be soft on her. She’s no longer the lonely Yun Duo of the past—she’s the Saintess of Fengtian Temple now.”

Behind Yun Fushuang are the guardians and followers of the Demon Palace. Their presence makes Master Yin and the others instinctively fall back in vigilance.

Seeing her, Yun Duo’s expression changes from suspicion to jealousy.

“Yun Fushuang.”

Yun Fushuang stands in front of Yun Tianqing and looks at the wheelchair beneath him. Then, she turns with a cold expression, waving her sleeve. “So generous, Saintess Yun Duo. You started scheming half a year ago—planted a spy in the Demon Palace just to tie my brother and the Palace Master down, all for the Taiyin True Fire?”

Yun Duo sneers. “And yet, here you are. Without the Palace Master of the Demon Palace, what do you think you can do? You’re here to die.”

Yun Tianqing’s expression changes. “Sister… you mean…”

Yun Fushuang speaks firmly. “When you first fell ill, the Palace Master was secretly injured by someone. His old wounds relapsed. Do you really think that was a coincidence? It’s a pity that he had to retreat and recover, unable to care for Yun City. But recently, his health improved slightly, and he ordered an investigation into Fengtian Temple. Otherwise, I would never have discovered—Yun Duo is the Saintess of the Fengtian Temple.”

Hearing this, Yun Shaowei and Ji Ruo, who are following behind Yun Fushuang, both look shocked and incredulous.

Yun Zhuoran and Weiran, however, exchange a glance, tacit understanding in their eyes—they’ve already expected this.

During the past few days in the Floating City, after learning of the connection between the Demonic Star Sect and the Fengtian Temple, they both suspect that Yun Duo might be the Saintess.

After being exposed by Yun Fushuang, Yun Duo simply smiles and says, “I had planned to deal with Yun City first, then slowly clean up the Demon Palace. But I didn’t expect you all to walk right into the trap yourselves. Well, since you’re here, your son is here, and everyone’s here—If I don’t make my move now, it would be a shame to waste your thoughtful gesture of delivering yourselves to me, Young Master Yin.”

Young Master Yin fans himself leisurely and smiles. “Whatever Aunt Yun Duo needs, just say the word.”

Yun Duo’s face turns cold. “Do it.”

Yun Duo hasn’t brought many people. Besides Young Master Yin and his two guards, there are only Shen Lingshu and Gu Jinping. When everyone’s gaze turns to Master Yin, they naturally notice the two standing quietly behind him.

Yun Tianqing still has some doubts and can’t help saying, “Yun Duo, you don’t have many men. Are you sure you want to fight us? Even if it’s just for the Taiyin True Fire, you may not be able to take it from Zhuoran.”

Yun Zhuoran turns and glances at him coldly.

Yun Tianqing is clearly trying to use him to threaten Yun Duo. But Yun Duo has no intention of letting any of them go, and Yun Zhuoran doesn’t refute it. After all, they’re already on the same boat.

Even so, Yun Tianqing still gives him a nod of reassurance, as if trying to comfort him.

Yun Zhuoran frowns slightly and looks up at the Taiyin True Fire hanging in the air. He can feel its eager pull—it wants him to approach.

It floats there quietly, waiting for Yun Zhuoran to claim it.

But Yun Duo and her people are standing just as close to the True Fire from the opposite side. If he dares to take a step forward, Yun Duo will act instantly.

Yun Tianqing believes Yun Duo still has something up her sleeve. She’s no longer the weak woman of the past—she’s now the Saintess of Fengtian Temple. He says, “My sister came with the Demon Palace’s protector, and we also have Zhuoran, the Penglai Young Island Master, and the Eldest Young Master of the Demon Palace. I’m really curious—are you that confident you can succeed?”

“There’s no need to test me with words. Things have reached this point—I’ll go all in.” Yun Duo tilts her head slightly, her gaze falling toward the corner of the altar.

“Ji Yan, come out.”

At that name, both Yun Zhuoran and Ji Wuwang look startled.

The heart demon quickly remembers as well. “Ji Yan… the former Demon Palace Master Ji Yan?”

The faces of everyone from the Demon Palace change.

A black-clad man slowly emerges from a hidden spot in the distance. His hoarse laughter sends a chill through the air, sinister and unsettling.

“After so many years, the Saintess returns to her hometown, only to lose her usual composure.”

As the man in black approaches, everyone can finally see his face clearly. There’s a collective gasp.

Ji Ruo points at him in disbelief. “Isn’t that Yun Feng?!”

Those who recognize Yun Feng—Yun Tianqing, Yun Shaowei, and the others—all look stunned.

Yun Tianqing is briefly speechless before letting out a sigh. “So that’s how it is. Fengtian Temple has long been after the Taiyin True Fire. You had Ji Yan possess Yun Feng’s body to extract clues from me. Maybe you didn’t get anything, or maybe you decided to wait for Zhuoran to return before making a move. When Ji Yan tried to kill me, Yun Duo appeared and ‘saved’ me—just to make us lower our guard, so I’d willingly provide clues… or to wait for Zhuoran to summon the Taiyin True Fire.”

Yun Duo gives Ji Yan a cold glance, as if blaming him for talking too much. She says, “Your guess isn’t completely wrong. If that idiot Yun Feng hadn’t forced you to seal your sea of consciousness, why would I have had to act personally? After you sealed it, Ji Yan arrived in Yun City. Thanks to your cooperation, we were able to wait for the True Fire to appear.”

At that, Yun Shaowei’s face turns pale. “It’s my fault… for trusting the wrong person…”

Yun Tianqing gently shakes his head. “No. She doesn’t need anyone’s trust. As long as I woke up, I would’ve brought Zhuoran here. The moment the Taiyin True Fire appeared, she would have made her move.”

“In order to wake you up, our Saintess put in quite a bit of effort,” Ji Yan says with a sigh. “It was troublesome, but in the end, the Taiyin True Fire appeared. So it was all worth it.”

Yun Tianqing lowers his head. “So I was the key.”

Yun Shaowei, full of guilt, wants to offer comfort but doesn’t know how.

“It’s too late to say anything now.” Yun Zhuoran’s cold voice cuts through their remorse. He looks at the black-clad man standing beside Yun Duo.

This is the same Yun Feng who had been overly friendly toward him in Yun City, and also the demonic cultivator Yun Duo calls Ji Yan. His gaze then sweeps toward Ji Wuwang. The clenched fists and intense glare confirm—this is Ji Yan.

Yun Zhuoran looks back at Ji Yan. “Ji Yan, you killed Gu Shenshu.”

Ji Yan no longer pretends. He exudes a wild, reckless energy, along with a cold cruelty that makes people uneasy.

Hearing Yun Zhuoran’s accusation, he raises his eyebrows with interest. “So you’re here for revenge, Yun Zhuoran?”

Yun Zhuoran nods without emotion.

Ji Yan laughs softly, as if it doesn’t matter at all. “I heard a bunch of my old friends died recently—Blood Demon Ancestor, Master Jue Fei, the Shen Family’s patriarch. All died horribly. I didn’t expect Gu Shenshu to leave behind a vengeful incarnation either. Looking back, I’m glad I stayed in Yun City. If I’d gone to Floating City, I’d probably be dead too.”

A glint of frost flashes in Yun Zhuoran’s eyes. “You may have escaped the first time, but you won’t escape the tenth.”

“True enough,” Ji Yan nods with a smile. “But I believe the gods will continue to favor me.”

Yun Zhuoran turns to look at Ji Wuwang.

Ji Wuwang clenches and unclenches his fists, then sighs with a smile. “I finally understand why Yun Feng talked to me so much at the welcoming banquet that day. Turns out he was already possessed by my dear father.”

Ji Yan’s cold, snake-like eyes fall on Yun Fushuang and Ji Ruo. Several black and purple magic patterns briefly appear on his neck before fading away. He looks back at Ji Wuwang and says in a low voice, “My good son has grown up, but it’s a pity he’s been raised by his enemies. He has strong cultivation, yet doesn’t know how to avenge his father. He works like a dog for the son of his father’s killer and doesn’t even feel ashamed.”

A sharp magic sword suddenly appears in Ji Wuwang’s hand. He replies mockingly, “My good father didn’t feel ashamed when he killed his wife and son, so why should I care about serving my enemy?”

A cold gleam flashes across the magic sword—it’s a signal.

Yun Duo’s expression turns cold, and she orders, “Stop talking! You hold them off. I’ll go take the True Fire!”

Yun Zhuoran turns around, exchanges a glance with the heart demon, then flies toward the Taiyin True Fire.

Yun Duo is still a step behind. She quickly forms a hand seal, but before Yun Zhuoran can reach the Taiyin True Fire, a massive black-and-purple butterfly bursts into view ahead of her, charging forward with a power that rivals his.

The poisonous miasma from the spirit butterfly is overwhelming, forcing Yun Zhuoran to dodge. In that brief instant, Yun Duo surges forward, just about to touch the Taiyin True Fire.

At the same time, Ji Wuwang raises his sword and charges at Ji Yan.

No one—not even Ji Yan—expects Ji Wuwang to be the first to strike. After all, he’s Ji Yan’s own son.

Back before Ji Yan was imprisoned in the Sealed Demon Well, he had already reached the Ascension stage. Though his physical power is limited after taking over Yun Feng’s body, he’s still far superior to Ji Wuwang. In his eyes, Ji Wuwang’s full-strength strike is just child’s play.

Ji Yan casually raises a hand and waves it. Ji Wuwang is immediately blasted away by demonic energy, landing in a sorry heap. Ji Yan laughs gleefully at the sight.

Yun Fushuang reacts swiftly and shouts to the Demon Palace guardian, “Go help the young master!”

The guardian immediately responds and rushes over.

Meanwhile, Yun Duo advances toward the Taiyin True Fire, braving the intense cold. A layer of golden light covers her hands, easing her approach. The Taiyin True Fire flickers restlessly as the surrounding chill thickens. Gritting her teeth, she presses on—until a shadow suddenly dashes at her. Alarmed, she pulls back.

A red figure appears before her, grinning maliciously.

“So close. I almost bit you,” the heart demon taunts.

Yun Duo snaps, “You’re courting death!”

A deep purple, poisonous spiritual energy suddenly bursts from her body. The faint golden light on her hand rapidly spreads, covering her entire body in a golden sheen. The hatred and unwillingness on her face fade, replaced with an aura of sanctity.

But the red-clothed youth before her suddenly turns into a ball of black mist and lunges at her.

Swallowing Yun Duo, the heart demon cries out, “Brother, now!”

The warning reaches Yun Zhuoran, who scowls and shoots toward the Taiyin True Fire.

Ji Yan, though temporarily stalled by Ji Wuwang and the Demon Palace guardian, notices Yun Zhuoran closing in and rushes to intercept him.

Yun Zhuoran knows that Yun Duo’s power is strange and overwhelming. The heart demon can’t hold her off for long, and Ji Yan is drawing closer—there isn’t much time. He quickly extends his hand, and as his pale fingertips near the fire, a strand of its chilling aura coils around him.

A strange sensation engulfs him, like falling into soft clouds, and for a moment, his mind drifts.

Then, suddenly, his body freezes.

A spiritual sword shoots out from the opposite side of the True Fire. If he hadn’t reacted in time and caught the blade’s tip, it would’ve pierced his waist and abdomen.

Yun Zhuoran recognizes the sword. His shocked gaze turns to the other side.

The one holding it is Shen Lingshu. When their eyes meet, a trace of panic crosses Shen Lingshu’s pale face. His fingers tighten around the hilt. For some reason, his power has surged beyond the Nascent Soul stage he once possessed before his spiritual veins were broken. The sacred aura enveloping his sword is eerily similar to the golden light on Yun Duo.

“Junior Brother Yun…” Shen Lingshu’s voice is hoarse, barely a whisper. He smells the metallic tang of blood in the air, and his eyes redden.

Still, he grips the sword tightly and presses forward.

“Zhuoran, I’m sorry…”