When the Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Role Picks Up the Script - Chapter 133

Kunwu Sword Sect is also one of the four major sects of the righteous path, its prestige always comparable to the once-famous Tiandao Sect. Its leader, Wen Jianxian, wields the spiritual sword Star-Breaking Sword, capable of breaking all laws, and is the head of the righteous sword cultivators.

Wen Jianxian has a young disciple who happened to know Yun Zhuoran from childhood and just arrived at the inn where they stayed tonight. 

As soon as Li Jianming spoke, Yun Zhuoran knew it was him.

Although Li Jianming was as troublesome as Ji Ruo, with these two causing a quarrel and fight right under his nose, Yun Zhuoran couldn’t ignore it and had to bring a few people into the inn’s lobby.

“Ninth Uncle!”

Yun Shaowei was the first to notice their return. Seeing Yun Zhuoran felt like seeing a savior. His eyes lit up as he forcibly pulled Ji Ruo, who was about to fight again, over. 

At Yun Shaowei’s shout, Ji Ruo calmed immediately, quickly putting away his magic sword and pet, then stood straight in front of Yun Zhuoran and the others with hands behind his back.

It was as if he hadn’t just been fighting.

“Ninth Uncle came back just in time. This Taoist friend said he’s your friend but didn’t believe the relationship between Xiao Ruo and me and you. So he chased us here, suspecting our intentions,” Yun Shaowei quickly explained, frowning impatiently. “Ninth Uncle, is this Taoist friend from Kunwu Sword Sect really your friend?”

Yun Zhuoran glanced at Ji Ruo, who hung his head pretending to be good, though fighting others was no big deal for him. Then he looked at Li Jianming behind them and nodded expressionlessly.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

Yun Shaowei was a little surprised, never expecting Ninth Uncle to have such a lively and annoying friend.

As they talked, Li Jianming, overhearing from the lobby, came over and complained loudly, “What do you mean by ‘guess so’?” He looked at Yun Zhuoran with amazement and praised him endlessly. “It’s been a while since we last met. How come you’ve changed again? I almost mistook that boy for you…”

Li Jianming glanced at Yun Shaowei, as if he had mistaken him for Yun Zhuoran, then compared the two faces. Looking at Ji Ruo behind Yun Zhuoran, he touched his chin and said, “I thought they looked like you before, but now they don’t at all.” He pointed at the heart demon beside Yun Zhuoran, “The little island master is more like you. Where have you been lately? What opportunities have you encountered? Why do I feel your cultivation has improved again? I can’t sense your spiritual power’s fluctuation at all now.”

Li Jianming was definitely sensitive in some aspects.

Yun Zhuoran’s appearance had changed noticeably, but he also restrained his aura after his cultivation increased. Li Jianming could see the slight difference at a glance.

Yun Zhuoran didn’t answer his questions but asked, “Why were you fighting?”

Ji Ruo pouted secretly, lowered his head, and refused to answer. 

Li Jianming smiled and waved his hand. “I just saw them on the street and thought it was you, but it turned out to be Young Master Ji. Recently, many demonic cultivators have been causing trouble in Jialan City, so I came to check. We fought because we disagreed. But this fellow Daoist wasn’t bad — neither of us won or lost.”

The “fellow Daoist” he was referring to was obviously Yun Shaowei. Li Jianming’s mouth never stopped running, and with someone as hot-tempered as Ji Ruo — and the two already having old grudges — it was no surprise they’d come to blows. Yun Shaowei, however, was different. He tended to take Li Jianming’s nonsense seriously.

Yun Zhuoran guessed what happened and didn’t ask for details. He pointed at Lu Yu and Yun Shaowei behind him and said, “This is Senior Lu. He will be with us for a while.”

Yun Shaowei quickly pulled Ji Ruo over to greet him.

Lu Yu waved his hand casually, looking up at the slightly chaotic inn lobby with obvious disgust on his face. “The place is fine. I’ve been traveling a long time. I’m going to catch up on my sleep first.”

The inn they booked was one of the best in Jialan City, luxuriously decorated. Lu Yu seemed like a master who lived luxuriously on ordinary days. Knowing Penglai Immortal’s friends were not simple, Yun Zhuoran asked Yun Shaowei to take Lu Yu upstairs and bring Ji Ruo away to avoid further quarrels.

After watching them go upstairs, Li Jianming pointed at Lu Yu’s back and whispered to Yun Zhuoran, “Who is this person? You’re so polite to him.” Then he asked incredulously, “Also, is Ji Ruo really your nephew? The young man who looked like you just now also called you uncle. Yun Zhuoran, it’s only been a few days, and you’ve somehow acquired all these close relatives?”

When it came to Ji Ruo, Yun Zhuoran wasn’t particularly eager to acknowledge the connection — it was a long story. He signaled the tiger demon and fox demon to tidy up the hall and went to sit down.

Seeing the two demons running to wipe tables and move chairs, Li Jianming’s eyes widened in shock.

“What’s wrong with them?” Li Jianming suddenly had an idea and said in surprise, “Floating City!”

Yun Zhuoran pulled the heart demon to sit and briefly explained, “They do have some relation to me. I’m afraid they’ll follow me for a while. You already know Ji Ruo, so no need for an introduction. The other is his cousin, the young master of Yun City, named Yun Shaowei.”

Li Jianming couldn’t believe it. “How could you be related to these demonic cultivators?”

Yun Zhuoran asked back, “Blood relation isn’t up to me. Are you going to cut ties with me over this?”

He was just about to say that would be fine, but Li Jianming’s expression turned serious as he declared, “Absolutely not! I worked hard to latch onto your thigh, and I’m still counting on using your connections to visit Penglai in the future!”

Yun Zhuoran’s mouth twitched slightly.

To speak with such seriousness about such an impure motive, and to lay it bare so openly — Yun Zhuoran truly had to admire Li Jianming for it.

“You’re right. After all, you can’t be blamed for blood relations. They’re not your illegitimate children. I suppose you and they are fated to cross paths.”

Li Jianming quickly accepted the relationship. Just then, the fox demon brought him some freshly brewed tea. He took it and poured the tea without hesitation. “It’s rare to hear you call someone ‘senior’ politely.”

Yun Zhuoran reached out, grabbed the cup of tea on the table, and handed it to the heart demon without changing his expression.

Li Jianming knew he couldn’t win over them, so he shook his head and poured himself another cup of tea.

“Why did you bring so many people to Jialan City? Didn’t you want to find your brother before? Any news?” Li Jianming didn’t wait for an answer and continued talking, “Jialan City has been a bit unstable lately. You all need to be careful when you go out.”

Hearing this, Yun Zhuoran remembered seeing many cultivators wearing the Taoist robes of Kunwu Sword Sect disciples on the street just now. “Did something happen to your Kunwu Sword Sect?”

“Not exactly,” Li Jianming replied. “Some troublemakers have been causing chaos in the city, and we’re tired of chasing them around.” He took a sip of tea, clearly thirsty, then breathed a sigh of relief with a satisfied look. “But since you’re here, if nothing urgent comes up, why don’t you come with me tomorrow? Visit the Sword Sect and stay a few days? You don’t know how much my master admires you.”

Yun Zhuoran said, “I have things to do and can’t stay long, so I won’t bother the Sword Immortal.”

Li Jianming said regretfully, “Okay, my master isn’t in the mountains these days anyway.”

Yun Zhuoran thought for a moment and asked, “You Kunwu Sword Sect has guarded Xizhou for a thousand years and know it well. Have you ever heard of the Fengtian Temple?”

Li Jianming suddenly smiled. “Why do you ask about Fengtian Temple? Have you heard any rumors?”

Yun Zhuoran asked, “What rumors?”

The bored Heart Demon straightened up and looked at Li Jianming, resting his chin on his hand. 

Li Jianming was stunned and asked, “Then why do you ask about Fengtian Temple? Fengtian Temple was hidden deep within the Wu clan in earlier years. Only recently, as their power expanded and they frequently stirred trouble, did our master take notice. Most of their followers are Wu clan members. They have conflicts with several nearby righteous sects. Backed by Fengtian Temple, they often come to provoke trouble. Everyone’s very annoyed. Especially since some time ago, these Wu clan members have been arresting people in several nearby towns.”

The heart demon asked curiously, “Why are they arresting people?”

Li Jianming’s expression turned serious. “I don’t know exactly. Most of those arrested are children. Their blood is drained, but it’s not fatal. If rescued in time, they survive. If not…”

He didn’t finish the sentence, but his rare serious expression showed many children had died.

Yun Zhuoran asked, “When did this start?”

Li Jianming said, “About a month ago.”

That was shortly after Yun Duo left Yun City.

Yun Zhuoran frowned. “Have you tried arresting them or eradicating Fengtian Temple?”

Li Jianming said, “That would be best, but it’s difficult. Do you know how tough those Wu people are? Even if caught, they’d rather die than reveal anything about Fengtian Temple. And even knowing it’s hidden in the Wu clan’s heart, so many Wu people block us from getting close. You don’t know, they came to Jialan City years ago. They infiltrated several nearby towns and incited villagers in marginal areas to sacrifice young boys and girls alive. It only became serious enough for us to pay attention later.”

Li Jianming sighed deeply. “Our master and leaders of surrounding sects have led efforts to clear out many Wu clan believers, but it’s hard to stop them. These Wu clan members believe in Fengtian Temple more than their lives. There are always some sneaking in to cause trouble.”

Unexpectedly, in Xizhou, Fengtian Temple was well known and suppressed by Kunwu Sword Sect, but never fully contained. 

Yun Zhuoran and Weiran exchanged looks. Finding Fengtian Temple to avenge Yun Peiran would be harder than expected.

Yun Zhuoran said, “Actually, we came to Xizhou for Fengtian Temple. But the one we found is very mysterious. The Demonic Path’s Demonic Star Sect supports it. People from Fengtian Temple have even infiltrated the Demonic Palace and Yun City. If not for luck, Yun City would have become a subordinate of Fengtian Temple.”

Li Jianming was surprised and more troubled. “The Demonic Star Sect too? Help! How far do Fengtian Temple’s hands reach? Is it an octopus? No wonder they can’t be cut off no matter how hard you try.”

The heart demon laughed. “Fengtian Temple has been riding your back so long, and you just let them do whatever they want? What does your master say?”

Li Jianming hesitated, raising his brows and keeping silent. 

Yun Zhuoran understood and said helplessly, “I once had an adoptive elder sister who was the Saintess of the Fengtian Temple. We fought once in Yun City and she escaped. She’s bound to want to kill me to vent her anger. In the future, either I’ll die or she will. My brother might be in Fengtian Temple, waiting for me to retrieve his body.”

“No way!” Li Jianming blinked in disbelief. “Your brother really…”

Yun Zhuoran said calmly, “Ninety percent.”

Li Jianming didn’t ask more. He scratched his head in distress. “I don’t know how my master and the others plan to handle Fengtian Temple, but my master will be back soon. You should go with me up the mountain tomorrow. When he returns, you can ask him yourself. Maybe the information you have can help him.”

Li Jianming was just Wen Jianxian’s young disciple. Even if favored, he was still young. Yun Zhuoran thought Wen Jianxian wouldn’t tell him everything. He nodded. “Okay.”

Li Jianming sighed sadly, his eyes falling on Yun Zhuoran’s long white hair, and sighed again.

“Your brother still has a glimmer of hope.”

Yun Zhuoran heard the comfort in Li Jianming’s words, but his heart remained calm. He had already accepted the fact that Yun Peiran most likely fell when he left Yun City, and he no longer felt sadness over it.

They chatted for a little while longer. Yun Zhuoran wanted to persuade Li Jianming to stay at the inn for the night since Jialan City was approaching winter, the weather was growing colder, and the night wind was chilling. But Li Jianming said he still had to patrol outside with his fellow apprentices. 

After drinking several bowls of hot tea in the inn, he quickly grabbed his spirit sword and said goodbye. Before leaving, he arranged to take Yun Zhuoran and the others up the mountain to Kunwu Sword Sect the next day.

After Li Jianming left, Yun Zhuoran and Weiran stayed downstairs in the quiet for a while before returning to the guest room. 

Weiran, exhausted from playing all night, kept yawning. Remembering his brother’s fondness for cleanliness, he forced himself to take a shower despite his heavy eyelids. 

Yun Zhuoran, meanwhile, took the chance to send a message informing the Penglai Immortal that Lu Yu had arrived, privately asking who this person was.

Penglai Immortal replied simply that Xiao Yu was very powerful. If anything happened, the little master could just hide behind him. He was so thick-skinned that he was very resistant to beatings.

Yun Zhuoran vaguely sensed Penglai Immortal’s trust in Lu Yu from the golden characters on the jade slip and couldn’t help but find it amusing. Since Penglai Immortal had confirmed Lu Yu’s identity, he had no worries.

The heart demon was now even cleaner than Yun Zhuoran, probably wanting to show his best side to his sweetheart. Not long after, he returned wearing a red robe. His eyes were bright and clear as they fixed on Yun Zhuoran. 

Yun Zhuoran had no intention of sleeping, and with a casual hand seal, he cast a cleansing spell.

When the door opened and closed again, Yun Zhuoran put down the jade slip and looked up to see the heart demon returning from his bath, full of energy. His hair was still wet at the ends, dripping with water. 

Yun Zhuoran waved to him. “Come here.”

The heart demon blinked and walked over, kneeling before Yun Zhuoran. 

Yun Zhuoran raised his hand and held a strand of hair resting on the heart demon’s shoulder. A faint spiritual light flickered in his palm, drying the wet hair.

Yun Zhuoran rubbed the furry top of the heart demon’s head. “Go to sleep.”

The heart demon opened his watery black eyes and quietly reached out to hook his sleeve. “Brother.”

Yun Zhuoran responded with a confused look. “Yeah?”

The heart demon stared at him openly, desire shining in his eyes. “Brother, they just interrupted me. Can I kiss you again now?”

Yun Zhuoran was momentarily stunned. “You still want to kiss?”

The heart demon said softly, “I didn’t kiss you just now.”

Yun Zhuoran subconsciously glanced toward the door. “Aren’t you afraid of being seen now?”

“There’s a barrier.”

The heart demon said he wanted to kiss but was honest about waiting for Yun Zhuoran’s consent before acting again.

Yun Zhuoran was stared at like this for a long moment, then nodded helplessly. “Then kiss.”

The heart demon’s face lit up happily. He quickly pulled Yun Zhuoran up. 

Yun Zhuoran was curious and almost laughed. “Isn’t it the same no matter where you kiss?”

“It’s different.” The heart demon glanced at Yun Zhuoran, then turned red and looked away. He led Yun Zhuoran to the bed and pressed him to sit on its edge. “Brother, sit down. You won’t get tired.”

Yun Zhuoran was confused. It was just a kiss — why would he get tired?

The heart demon didn’t explain but held Yun Zhuoran’s shoulders and leaned down until their faces were almost touching. 

Yun Zhuoran waited quietly, curious what surprise his heart demon had in store.

But after a while, the heart demon didn’t move. Yun Zhuoran felt strange. “Weiran…?”

Their lips met, warm and soft, and both were momentarily stunned — Yun Zhuoran hadn’t expected the kiss now, and the heart demon hadn’t expected Yun Zhuoran to speak.

The heart demon instinctively held Yun Zhuoran’s lips, deepening the kiss without hesitation.

Yun Zhuoran’s lips went numb from being bitten. He blinked in surprise, tasting a bit of blood as their warm breaths mingled — then they suddenly broke apart.

Yun Zhuoran looked up in a daze to see the heart demon staring blankly, his expression filled with regret.

A drop of blood appeared at the corner of Yun Zhuoran’s mouth, and the heart demon’s expression turned to one of panic.

Yun Zhuoran quickly said, “It doesn’t hurt.”

The heart demon looked at him in disbelief.

Fearing the heart demon might overthink, Yun Zhuoran raised his hand without thinking, clasped the back of the heart demon’s head, pressed him down, and kissed him again in a hoarse voice. “It’s okay. Weiran can kiss me a bit longer.”

The heart demon’s breathing quickened, his eyes lighting up with a scarlet glow like pomegranate seeds, flickering until it fully occupied his pupils. He suddenly clasped Yun Zhuoran’s wrist and pressed him down onto the soft bedding.

Yun Zhuoran was surprised, then saw the heart demon lean over, blocking his lips and tongue with a firm, determined attitude.

The candlelight flickered silently, casting dim shadows.

After a cup of tea, Yun Zhuoran lay on the soft quilt, panting lightly. He stared absently at the apricot-colored bed curtains. His lips were swollen and red, with a little blood at the corner of his mouth.

His collar was slightly messy, partially open, revealing his snow-white collarbone.

“Brother, here’s the water.”

The heart demon returned with the tea, his lips also a bit swollen. He held the cup directly to Yun Zhuoran’s mouth.

Yun Zhuoran suddenly came to his senses, quickly sat up to take the cup, lowered his eyes, and sipped the water.

The tips of his fair ears turned a light red, and the heart demon noticed it—his eyes brightened unusually.

The warm water moistened Yun Zhuoran’s bitten and numb lips. He coughed lightly and returned the cup to the heart demon. Looking up, he saw the other boy’s childish face full of apology, stirring mixed emotions in him.

Why did it feel just now like his Heart Demon had been about to devour him whole, like an eager little puppy?

But now that the kiss was over, the heart demon still trembled. Yun Zhuoran feared that if his voice got any louder, the heart demon might not dare to try again next time.

After all, they were going to be Dao companions. You can’t scare someone off before marriage.

Yun Zhuoran thought this, then looked at Weiran with moist eyes, gently encouraging him. His tone softened, “Don’t worry, it’ll be fine tomorrow. It’s getting late—let’s sleep.”

Weiran asked, “Really?”

For some reason, Yun Zhuoran felt Weiran was a little disappointed by his words. When he looked again, only worry showed on Weiran’s face. Yun Zhuoran felt warmth in his heart and nodded gently.

“Go to sleep. I’ll stay with you.”

Weiran’s eyes lit up again. “Okay!”

Though it was a pity the traces of last night would disappear by morning and be unseen by others, at least he had gained something—and he could sleep with his brother.

Weiran was very happy. He hoped his brother wouldn’t practice too hard so they could sleep together every night. But since his brother had things to do, this one night was enough.

Yun Zhuoran was completely unaware of what his little demon was thinking. When the lights went out  and they lay side by side in bed again, he felt as if something was different from before, and a faint, inexplicable nervousness rose within him. Listening to the Heart Demon’s soft breathing, he couldn’t help recalling the scene from earlier, when the other had pressed him down and kissed him…

Yun Zhuoran closed his eyes, trying to forget those scenes, yet he also felt an inexplicable sense of contentment.

Late into the night, when the heart demon—who had been lying flat on his back—rolled to his side and buried his head in his arms, Yun Zhuoran paused, carefully raised his hand, and rubbed the back of the demon’s head. The inexplicable excitement of the night gradually subsided.

He closed his eyes again as the spiritual power in his body circulated automatically, entering a state of regulating his breathing.

The next morning, when Yun Zhuoran and the demon had returned to their usual selves and went downstairs as if nothing had happened, Lu Yu was already waiting with tea in hand. The fox demon and tiger demon stood nervously beside him, serving tea.

Yun Zhuoran was a little surprised. “Senior Lu.”

Lu Yu nodded, stared at the two of them for a moment, then suddenly raised the corner of his lips in a smile.

“Did you sleep in the same room last night?”

At this, Yun Zhuoran couldn’t help but recall the kiss by candlelight the night before. His eyes paused, and he unconsciously pursed his lips, which had long since returned to normal.

The heart demon’s eyes shone when he heard this. He hugged Yun Zhuoran’s arm excitedly, his whole body filled with satisfaction, and said boastfully, “Yes! Of course my brother and I sleep in the same room.”

Lu Yu looked at them more closely and smiled. “No wonder—you’re both stained with each other’s breath. It seems Penglai Immortal did not lie to me; your relationship is indeed very close.”

Yun Zhuoran was silent for a long time. 

Why did this senior care about such unimportant details?