When the Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Role Picks Up the Script - Chapter 136

Li Jianming looked at Yun Zhuoran with both apology and helplessness. Yun Zhuoran understood that Li Jianming had not told the elders about Ji Ruo and the others’ true identities. However, given that Ji Ruo and the others came from the Demonic Path—something that always drew suspicion in orthodox sects—it was reasonable for Li Jianming to keep silent.

Yun Zhuoran gave a slight nod, signaling that Li Jianming did not need to speak on his behalf before the law enforcement elders.

He said calmly, “It is my fault for not informing the elders of their identities. It is true they belong to the Demonic Path. If the Sword Sect finds them unwelcome, I will send them away immediately. But I am truly surprised that Ji Ruo trespassed into the forbidden grounds on his own. Has the Sword Sect suffered any losses?”

Seeing Yun Zhuoran’s cooperative attitude, the elders’ expressions eased slightly. One said, “At present, there has been no damage to the Sword Sect. But they cannot leave for now. Please forgive us, Young Island Master. Until the Sect Master returns and investigates this matter, they must remain here.”

Ji Ruo flared up in anger. “I already told you, I didn’t mean to! I followed a man in black there! Who knew it was the forbidden area? I didn’t take anything!”

Yun Zhuoran cast him a faint glance, and Ji Ruo instantly puffed up his cheeks and slumped back down in a sulk.

After all, Yun Zhuoran was the Young Island Lord of Penglai. With Li Jianming mediating, and after some back-and-forth, he finally secured Ji Ruo and Yun Shaowei’s release into his custody. They still weren’t allowed to leave Kunwu Sword Sect, but instead of being thrown into the dungeon as the elder first intended, they would be placed under Yun Zhuoran’s supervision—a much better outcome in comparison.

On the way back, Ji Ruo wore a sour expression, sneaking glances at Yun Zhuoran from time to time.

Yun Zhuoran said nothing. After dismissing Li Jianming, he and the others stayed in the hall downstairs instead of returning to their rooms. It was far warmer here than in the law enforcement hall.

Ji Ruo let out a sigh of relief, but the moment the sound escaped, all eyes turned silently toward him.

Ji Ruo squirmed under their stares. It felt as if he really had done something wrong. Feeling aggrieved, he raised his voice at Yun Zhuoran. “I really didn’t trespass on purpose! Last night, a man in black broke in, and I followed him! The wind and snow buried all his footprints, and the bloodstains at the entrance too—now the Sword Sect people don’t believe me!”

Yun Zhuoran ignored his bad temper and instead asked Yun Shaowei, “You were there last night. What happened?”

Being ignored made Ji Ruo even more agitated. He shouted, “Listen! My cousin didn’t see anything! He left with Li Jianming after I was arrested! I really did only follow the man in black. He was injured by a formation Senior Lu set up—we have to find him quickly!”

Lu Yu was startled. “Formation? Ah, that might have been a defensive formation engraved on a magical artifact.”

Yun Zhuoran still ignored Ji Ruo’s protest and looked steadily at Yun Shaowei.

Yun Shaowei answered honestly, “I was cultivating upstairs at the time and didn’t see anything. It was Fellow Daoist Li who came to take me to see Xiao Ruo. I believe Xiao Ruo isn’t lying, but I didn’t see the man in black he mentioned.” At Ji Ruo’s strong prompting, Yun Shaowei added softly, “Xiao Ruo actually listened to Ninth Uncle and didn’t clash with the Sword Sect disciples…”

The Heart Demon said unhappily, “Yes, he didn’t fight them, but he was arrested anyway, and his identity got exposed.”

Yun Shaowei lowered his head in shame.

Ji Ruo hesitated, then muttered quietly, “I’m being framed. Either that man in black set me up, or the Sword Sect already knew who I was and deliberately targeted me.”

The Heart Demon cut him off coldly. “If that were true, do you think you’d still be alive to complain about it now?” Ji Ruo fell silent at once.

Yun Zhuoran ordered, “Shaowei, take Ji Ruo upstairs. Don’t let him out again until this is resolved. Watch him closely.”

Ji Ruo sat stubbornly on the floor, unwilling to return to his room. He still wanted to explain, still wanted to be believed. “I’m not lying! Why would I go to their forbidden grounds without a reason?”

He repeated himself over and over. Yun Zhuoran never outright said he didn’t believe him, but Ji Ruo refused to stop insisting.

Yun Zhuoran pressed at his brow wearily. Ji Ruo was truly difficult to deal with.

Finally, Yun Zhuoran asked, “Did you tell the Sword Sect elders the same story?”

Ji Ruo nodded eagerly, like a chick pecking at rice, and stared at him. He chattered nonstop: “I told them I saw a man in black breaking in, but they wouldn’t believe me!”

Lu Yu watched his complaints and thought he looked like a puppy whining to its master. He glanced a few more times, then smiled and said, “Maybe his guess is correct.”

Yun Zhuoran raised an eyebrow.

The Heart Demon added, “He wouldn’t enter the forbidden area for no reason. Someone must have led him there deliberately.”

Ji Ruo looked at them with grateful eyes.

The Heart Demon continued, “Besides, the moment he goes outside he shivers like a dying dog. No way he’d step out on his own.”

Ji Ruo let out a sharp breath, then stormed upstairs in a huff.

Yun Shaowei hurried after him.

Lu Yu smiles and gives a thumbs up to the Heart Demon. Meanwhile, Yun Zhuoran is speechless.

Suddenly, there is a knock at the door.

“Young Island Master, a disciple of the Sword Sect is here to seek an audience.”

Yun Zhuoran stands and goes out.

Five disciples stand on the snow outside. Two guard the door, and two follow a tall, thin, beautiful female disciple.

When Yun Zhuoran and the others appear, the disciples bow.

The female disciple says, “I’m Su Pengpeng, Ling Xuefeng’s eldest disciple. It’s an honor to meet the Young Island Master.”

Yun Zhuoran nods and looks at the other four.

Su Pengpeng explains gently, “These four junior brothers are personally appointed by the Law Enforcement Elder. They are here to protect Young Master Ji and City Lord Yun’s son, to prevent them from encountering another black-clad intruder. These are the Elder’s words, which I was tasked to deliver. Please forgive us. The four are here only for their protection and will not interfere with the Young Island Master or your other guests.”

Yun Zhuoran nods. “Then, please return word to Elder: I will watch over them myself.”

Su Pengpeng is only here to deliver the message and leaves soon after.

The remaining four disciples position themselves at the four corners of the small building. Those with higher cultivation can tell at a glance that all four are at the Golden Core stage.

The Heart Demon sneers, “Their cultivation isn’t that high, so there’s no way they can really keep an eye on us. Was this elder mocking Ji Ruo?”

Yun Zhuoran raises his eyebrows and silently agrees.

The three of them return to the building, leaving the downstairs door open so the disciples outside can’t see them inside.

After parting with Lu Yu in the corridor, Yun Zhuoran and the Heart Demon go straight back to their room.

The Heart Demon frowns, annoyed. “Ji Ruo causes trouble wherever he goes, but this time he probably isn’t lying. If someone really broke into our camp last night and led Ji Ruo to the forbidden area, what’s their purpose?”

“The Sword Sect has hundreds of disciples, but only a few dozen women. From what Li Jianming said, the sect clearly favors its female disciples. The Law Enforcement Elder does not believe this intruder could be one of them, and so refuses to acknowledge the existence of the woman Ji Ruo described.”

As he speaks, his brows knit together. Suddenly, he feels a cool touch against the center of his forehead—the Heart Demon’s fingertips gently rub the spot. Yun Zhuoran looks down at the hand, then into the demon’s eyes.

“Don’t worry about Ji Ruo. When Wen Jianxian returns, we’ll take Ji Ruo away no matter what,” Weiran says, pulling Yun Zhuoran’s sleeve. “Brother, let’s go back to the room.”

Yun Zhuoran says, “Alright. Let him be.”

Weiran looks at Yun Zhuoran eagerly. “Brother, there’s no one else around.”

Yun Zhuoran is briefly confused. “Huh?”

Weiran asks, “Can I kiss you now, Brother?”

Yun Zhuoran: “…”

In the afternoon, the two go downstairs.

The Sword Sect disciples guarding the door do not stop them but clasp their fists in greeting from a distance.

Yun Zhuoran and Weiran leave the small building smoothly. They encounter many Sword Sect disciples on the way, but unlike the curious glances before, these disciples all avoid them.

Ji Ruo’s exposure and arrest have clearly impacted the sect’s atmosphere.

The Heart Demon doesn’t care at all—no one disturbs him, and he is happy to be alone with his brother. Thinking about the two hours they just spent together, he peeks at Yun Zhuoran’s still slightly red lips and whispers, “Brother, are your lips still numb? Have I improved compared to last time?”

Yun Zhuoran’s calm expression falters, then he slowly replies, “Yes… there’s improvement.”

Not biting his lips again can count as improvement, right?

They agree to one kiss but end up kissing for a long time. It isn’t until Yun Zhuoran says he wants to go for a walk that the Heart Demon reluctantly stops.

The Heart Demon is pleased. “That’s good.”

Suddenly, someone appears in front of them.

Yun Zhuoran instinctively presses the back of the Heart Demon’s hand, signaling him to be quiet. Unexpectedly, the person does not avoid them but walks straight over.

Yun Zhuoran recognizes the female disciple standing before them. “Su Pengpeng?”

Su Pengpeng looks a little surprised. “Young Island Master still remembers me? Junior Brother Li just went to the Law Enforcement Hall. I’m afraid he won’t get there in time. If you don’t mind, why don’t I lead you two island masters around the mountain to enjoy the unique snow scenery of the Sword Sect?”

Yun Zhuoran considers it. “Then I’ll trouble you, Daoist Su.”

The Heart Demon curls his lips, a little unhappy, and lowers his head to tug Yun Zhuoran’s sleeve.

Su Pengpeng smiles and asks, “The snow scenery at the top of Lingxue Peak is beautiful. Would you like to see it?”

No matter how beautiful the snow scenery is, it is almost the same to Yun Zhuoran. But Su Pengpeng’s enthusiasm, so unusual among the Sword Sect disciples, marks her as an outlier.

When things are abnormal, something is usually wrong. Especially after Ji Ruo was framed.

Yun Zhuoran decides to observe carefully. “Okay.”

Along the way, Su Pengpeng gives detailed information about the place, never flattering but genuinely hospitable.

Lingxue Peak might not be the highest peak in Kunwu Sword Sect, but its snow scenery is unique. Below the cliff lies a large, mirror-like ice lake. Though completely frozen, from the high vantage point it looks like a crescent-shaped blue jade. The ice reflects the sky, like a dream.

Su Pengpeng explains, “The ice on this lake only melts for about two months in midsummer. The lake water is sweet and carries a faint scent of the unique snow lotus from deep in the mountains. Many junior sisters collect this water for food. But in less than two months, the lake will freeze again. Right now is deep winter, so Young Island Master and Little Island Master are visiting at an unfortunate time.”

A special freshness hangs in the air near the lake. Even from the cliff, the unique breath of the ice lake is perceptible.

Yun Zhuoran and Weiran look down at the ice lake. Su Pengpeng watches their backs, eyes narrowing slightly, then gently draws her sword.

She says, “Only during those two months is the lake water sweet. Strangely, if you break the ice to get water, the lake turns bitter. Junior brothers and sisters often don’t believe this and break the ice anyway. The water they taste is as bitter as Coptis chinensis decoction, with a strange burning sensation…”

The Heart Demon seems unconvinced. “Really? Brother, let’s break the ice and investigate…” Just as he speaks, a cold light flashes across the ground, and he suddenly changes the subject. “Brother, be careful!”

Su Pengpeng’s sword slashes at their backs but is blocked by a golden light that appears just in time. Shocked by the force, she staggers back a long distance, clutching her numb palm and gasping. She looks up toward the cliff’s edge and sees a white-haired young man holding the hand of a red-clothed boy, turning away slowly.

Yun Zhuoran looks at her calmly, showing no surprise, as if he expects this.

Su Pengpeng’s eyes flicker, and the corners of her lips curl into a bitter smile. “I knew long ago you were much stronger than me, and I can’t hurt you.”

The Heart Demon circles Yun Zhuoran and, after confirming he is unharmed, relaxes his tense expression. But his pupils instantly shift from black to blood-red as he glares coldly at Su Pengpeng.

Yun Zhuoran grabs the Heart Demon’s hand, signaling him to hold back, then asks, “If you know you can’t hurt me, why expose yourself?”

“The Saintess gives orders, and I can’t disobey,” Su Pengpeng says. “Even if I can’t hurt you, if I die at your hands after Master Ji’s secret entry into the forbidden area, the Sword Sect will definitely denounce Penglai for me. Then you won’t have time to care about Fengtian Temple. In this way, I fulfill the Saintess’s order.”

The heart demon sneers. “So insidious.”

Yun Zhuoran asks, “What if I don’t kill you?”

“That’s easy,” Su Pengpeng replies. “Sword Sect disciples patrol here constantly. If you move against me, the Sword Sect will naturally believe me more than you, who are with the young master of the Demon Palace. As long as I prove you intend to harm the Sword Sect, with the reputation and trust I’ve built here for years, who do you think they’ll believe? If necessary, I can even use suicide to frame you.”

Yun Zhuoran looks down the mountain and sees the Sword Sect disciples approaching. Though they have not yet reached the peak, Su Pengpeng’s plan clearly fits together.

“When you first chose to attack Ji Ruo, you already planned for this day.”

Su Pengpeng smiles. “You brought him up the mountain, making him your burden.”

So it seems. Yun Zhuoran asks, “What is your position within the Fengtian Temple?”

“I am from the Wu Clan,” Su Pengpeng answers calmly. She tells Yun Zhuoran, “Island Master, don’t think of trying to sway me. I was born among the Wu Clan, and I know well our suffering. I don’t care about other matters in Fengtian Temple, but the Sword Sect has already begun dealing with the Wu Clan. The Saintess asked me to cause you trouble. If by turning Penglai against the Sword Sect I can both hold you back and delay our destruction, how could I refuse? I am willing to give my life to protect the Wu Clan’s peace. No one can change that resolve.”

The heart demon sneers. “What benefit did Fengtian Temple promise the Wu Clan that’s worth your life?”

“You wouldn’t understand,” Su Pengpeng lowers her eyes. “This is between our Wu Clan and Fengtian Temple.”

She is determined to die, and it seems there is nothing more to ask.

Yun Zhuoran shakes his head with disappointment. “Do you really think your plan is perfect and no one can see through it?”

Su Pengpeng pauses, then smiles. “Here in the Sword Sect, the only one who trusts you completely, Senior Brother Li, has already been sent away by me. Young Island Master, what means do you have left to prove your innocence?”

Yun Zhuoran doesn’t answer her question. Instead, he looks silently behind her.

The tension and surprise on the heart demon’s face vanish, replaced by a sneer.

Noticing their subtle change, Su Pengpeng grows wary and turns her head sharply.

From behind a snow pine not far away, two figures step out—it is Li Jianming and the Law Enforcement Elder.

Li Jianming looks dazed, holding a gleaming sound-transmission jade slip.

Shock and defeat both flicker across Su Pengpeng’s face. Closing her eyes briefly, she reveals a bitter smile. “I had already guessed… the Young Island Master might not fall into my trap and that I might be exposed.”

Li Jianming looks at her in a daze. “But Senior Sister Su still chooses to do this.”

“Yes. I can do little for the Wu Clan. Even if there’s a high chance of failure, I must bet on this.” Su Pengpeng laughs bitterly, tightens her sword’s hilt, and swings it at Yun Zhuoran and the others.

Yun Zhuoran only flicks out his spiritual power and easily knocks Su Pengpeng away.

Both she and her spiritual sword fall to the snow. She clutches her chest, blood flowing from the corners of her mouth.

“Senior Sister Su…” Li Jianming steps forward but stops, looking silently at Yun Zhuoran with a pleading expression.

Yun Zhuoran’s expression remains indifferent, though his voice carries a trace of confusion—or pity. “When you know full well that no matter how hard you try, you will not succeed, why go to such lengths?”