When the Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Role Picks Up the Script - Chapter 158

Although news of their return had reached the mountain early, the journey from Penglai Island took time. By the time Yun Zhuoran and his companions arrived, the Tiandao Sect disciples stationed at the gate had already assembled.

Over a dozen stood in uneasy silence, their expressions shifting between awe and fear. 

When Song Shao and Song Yun approached with the Penglai Immortal’s visiting token, no one dared to speak.

A year ago, the name Yun Zhuoran had carried mixed rumors throughout the sect. Only the older disciples—those who had cultivated for more than ten years—still remembered who he truly was.

Twenty years earlier, Yun Zhuoran had been a registered disciple under the first Sect Master of the Tiandao Sect. A gifted child of destiny, his potential had once stirred envy and admiration alike. But after Gu Shenshu’s death, the sect had branded the Yun brothers as traitors. Yun Zhuoran, isolated and shunned, lived in obscurity for twenty years. When he reappeared, he seemed to have advanced no further than the Golden Core stage, while his peers had already reached Nascent Soul.

Everyone believed Yun Peiran had killed Gu Shenshu—and they had vented that resentment upon Yun Zhuoran. His cultivation, though extraordinary, was dismissed as disappointing. To them, he was a failure who had squandered divine favor.

None had realized his apparent mediocrity was deliberate—that his true cultivation far surpassed what he showed. None had guessed that the “fallen disciple” was already stronger than the sect’s most celebrated prodigy, Shen Lingshu, the man once hailed as the future Sect Master. And none had imagined the secret behind Gu Shenshu’s death.

Now, Yun Zhuoran has become the Young Island Master of Penglai. 

Regret filled the Tiandao Sect. From the Acting Sect Master to the most junior disciple, all remembered their past arrogance with shame. They whispered of how he had borne humiliation for two decades, only to ascend beyond their reach.

After Yun Zhuoran’s departure from the Ten Thousand Beasts Forest, the sect had scoured the cultivation world for him—first in anger, later in guilt. His name became taboo. 

Now, as he stood before the mountain gate, even the wind seemed to hold its breath.

Only when Song Shao turned toward him did one disciple gather the courage to act. He bowed quickly and ushered them in, mumbling that the Acting Sect Leader had been notified.

Yun Zhuoran, expression unreadable, drew out a sound transmission jade. 

The heart demon immediately recognized it—he meant to contact Jiang Zhibai, the only one in the sect who had treated him with true sincerity.

Before he could activate it, a familiar voice rang out from above.

“Junior Brother Yun!” A flash of sword light streaked through the air. A man in white landed gracefully before the gate—Jiang Zhibai, sword sheathed, his face alight with surprise and joy. “I ran into a disciple who told me you were here. You’ve really returned!”

He hardly noticed anyone else. When his gaze fell upon Yun Zhuoran—older, steadier, more formidable—admiration replaced surprise. 

He stepped forward impulsively, but the heart demon caught his sleeve before he could throw himself at Yun Zhuoran.

Recognizing the Penglai Immortal beside them, Jiang Zhibai quickly composed himself and bowed. “Senior Penglai Immortal—an honor.”

Yun Zhuoran smiled faintly, tucking away the jade. “I came to discuss something important with the Tiandao Sect peak masters.”

Jiang Zhibai feigned offense. “Ah, not to see me first?”

The heart demon muttered, “You write to him often enough. It’s only been a few months.”

Jiang Zhibai flushed. “I don’t write that often. But with Junior Brother away, I can’t help worrying.”

Yun Zhuoran merely patted the heart demon’s shoulder, amused. “Thank you, Senior Brother. I also brought the forging materials you mentioned in your letter.”

“Truly?” Jiang Zhibai’s eyes brightened, then he caught himself, coughing. “Well, I’ll pay for them—wait, no, we’re still at the gate.” Noticing the disciples stealing glances, he quickly motioned them inside. “Come. Please, Senior Penglai Immortal.”

Jiang Zhibai’s warmth dispelled the tension. Under his guidance, Yun Zhuoran and his group entered.

When Qin Zheng, the Acting Sect Leader, and the other elders arrived, they found that Yun Zhuoran had already been received by Jiang Zhibai and taken to Qingjing Peak, Jiang Zhibai’s father’s residence—a tranquil mountain favored for its serenity.

Inside, Jiang Zhuo and his Dao companion were quietly playing chess. 

Gu Qiuming, who now bore a striking resemblance to Gu Shenshu, stood behind Qin Zheng with calm composure.

Qin Zheng, impatient, broke the silence. “Where is your son? He brought the Young Island Master and the Penglai Immortal into the mountains.”

“He’s here, they’re inside talking” Jiang Zhuo said placidly. “Please, come in.”

Qin Zheng scowled. “The Young Island Master rarely comes back, and you don’t even think to help smooth relations?”

Jiang Zhuo placed a white piece and replied evenly, “My son will handle it.”

“How is that the same thing?”

Qin Zheng knew perfectly well. The bond between Jiang Zhibai and Yun Zhuoran was forged through many years as fellow disciples; it had nothing to do with the Tiandao Sect itself.

Yun Zhuoran would never overlook the Tiandao Sect’s long years of neglect simply because he was close to Jiang Zhibai, nor would he soften his stance toward them because of it.

Qin Zheng was not ignorant of the fact that Jiang Zhibai could sell the Tiandao Sect to Penglai without blinking. Still, thanks to Jiang Zhibai’s connection, they at least had a chance to approach Yun Zhuoran and attempt to make amends for past wrongs. 

Qin Zheng stopped paying attention to the idle Daoist couple—whom he called beyond saving, though he envied them deeply—and hurried off to Jiang Zhibai’s residence.

By that time, Jiang Zhibai and Yun Zhuoran had already completed their transaction. With Penglai Immortal Island and the Floating City rebuilt through years of Yun Peiran’s efforts, Yun Zhuoran possessed countless rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures unavailable on the market. If Jiang Zhibai had not insisted on paying spirit stones, Yun Zhuoran would not have minded giving the materials away for free.

Afterward, Jiang Zhibai patted his now-flattened storage pouch and carefully hugged the large pile of sword-forging materials Yun Zhuoran had given him. He was well aware he had profited. How could a minor second-generation cultivator like himself compare to Yun Junior Brother, a true magnate? Watching the young island master collecting the spirit stones for Yun Zhuoran, Jiang Zhibai’s eyes were filled with envy.

They had only just begun drinking hot tea when Qin Zheng arrived, speaking politely from outside the door. 

When Qin Zheng’s voice came from outside, Jiang Zhibai nearly spilled his cup.

Seeing Song Shao and Song Yun go out to open the door, he remembered what Yun Zhuoran had said at the mountain gate and quietly asked him “Junior Brother Yun,” he whispered, “why are you here all of a sudden?”

“You’ll know soon enough,” Yun Zhuoran replied.

Since Yun Zhuoran also needed to discuss the matter with the true decision-makers of the Tiandao Sect, the group rose, bade Jiang Zhibai farewell, and went out to meet the elders.

Qin Zheng was somewhat surprised when he saw Yun Zhuoran and the Penglai Immortal come out together. 

Yun Zhuoran had changed greatly. Every time they saw him, it was striking—each meeting, he was stronger than before. This time, Qin Zheng could feel it very clearly. He could not help but regret again that they had once forced such an outstanding genius to leave the Tiandao Sect.

But regret was useless.

Qin Zheng and the Qingyang Peak Master exchanged glances and sighed.

After the Floating City incident, the Tiandao Sect had gradually restrained itself. The panic and confusion following the sudden loss of their sect master years ago had faded, and the long-standing restlessness within the sect had also subsided. The entire sect seemed to have settled, a change evident in both Qin Zheng and the acting sect master, Peak Master Qingyang.

Yun Zhuoran’s gaze passed over them and stopped on Gu Qiuming, who bowed respectfully. 

Yun Zhuoran nodded. “I have a matter to discuss with all peak masters. It’s best done now.”

The Qingyang Peak Master—once superior to him—now spoke with caution. “Is the Young Island Master in such haste?”

Yun Zhuoran’s expression turned solemn. “It concerns your Sect Master.”

The room fell silent. Everyone knew whom he meant.

This “sect master” clearly did not refer to the current acting sect master—at least not in Yun Zhuoran’s eyes. The Tiandao Sect had only ever had one true sect master. 

Realizing this, everyone present grew serious. Given Yun Zhuoran’s status, they would not suspect this was a joke.

Moreover, the Penglai Immortal was also present.

The Tiandao Sect had always been deeply concerned with anything related to Gu Shenshu. 

Fortunately, because they needed to instruct Gu Qiuming, the peak masters had not planned any closed-door cultivation over the past two years. With a single message, they quickly gathered at Peak Master Qingyang’s residence. As this was a major matter for the Tiandao Sect, once everyone arrived, they carefully brought no disciples with them and set up a barrier. Yun Zhuoran got straight to the point and explained the purpose of his visit, successfully shocking everyone present.

They had believed Gu Shenshu was dead, and for that they had harbored resentment toward the Yun Peiran brothers for twenty years. After the truth emerged, they cut ties with Tianqing Sect and several families in Shengjing, and devoted themselves to supporting the sect master’s nephew, Gu Qiuming—even knowing that Gu Qiuming had no interest in the sect master position. Who would have thought that things would take such a turn—that their sect master was not completely dead, and might even be revived?

The peak masters present had all received guidance from Gu Shenshu to reach their current heights. Gu Shenshu conducted himself impeccably; it was difficult for anyone who had met him to dislike him. These peak masters regarded him as both teacher and friend. 

Yet faced with this matter, they hesitated.

Yun Zhuoran, the Heart Demon, and the others waited patiently. 

After some discussion, Qin Zheng finally suppressed the shock on his face and said, “This must be handled carefully. We will certainly spare no effort to revive the sect master. What we fear is that we may not be able to protect him—if that deity of Fengtian Temple intervenes, he may not spare our sect master either.”

The Fengtian Temple could not be separated from Gu Shenshu’s death. Yun Zhuoran naturally told them everything he knew, hoping to obtain some information through the Tiandao Sect.

However, from Qin Zheng and the others’ reactions, it was clear they had never even heard of this temple, much less knew where that so-called deity might be.

The Penglai Immortal had originally wanted to expose the crimes committed by the Fengtian Temple, casting a wide net to find anyone who might know of that god’s existence.

Unfortunately, even Yun City, the Demon Palace, and the Kunwu Sword Sect had all been infiltrated by the Fengtian Temple. Other sects were unlikely to be any different.

Therefore, the revival of Gu Shenshu could only be carried out in secret. Otherwise, another accident might occur.

The Tiandao Sect agreed. They were willing to devote the entire sect’s resources to building a soul-nourishing formation for Gu Shenshu, hoping only that Yun Zhuoran could uncover the whereabouts of that deity as soon as possible. They would also do everything they could to assist. Although they did not know why that individual was targeting their sect master, as long as he remained hidden, unease was unavoidable.

There were practical difficulties as well. The Tiandao Sect had not been established for very long, and their strongest cultivator—the sect master—had abruptly disappeared. The current generation’s cultivation levels were uneven, and they would likely be of little help in direct combat. At most, they could assist in searching for that extremely mysterious god.

The Tiandao Sect had now stabilized, but many people knew that aside from what Gu Shenshu had left behind, their actual combat strength was stretched thin. 

Yun Zhuoran did not expect them to be of real help in battle. Entrusting Gu Shenshu to them was his true purpose in coming this time.

Before the divine statue was completed, Yun Zhuoran and the others would remain as guests at the Tiandao Sect. They still had to wait for the new soul-nourishing site to be completed before they could release Gu Shenshu’s remnant soul from Penglai Immortal Island.

The Tiandao Sect had always kept Baiyun Jian—the place Gu Shenshu once gave Yun Zhuoran—reserved for him. On this return, Yun Zhuoran naturally stayed there again. The Heart Demon had also stayed here for a time in the past, back when he was still a pitch-black furry lump. Returning now, he was quite excited, and even the Penglai Immortal seemed curious about the residence.

Watching the two of them wander around the small house among the flowers, Yun Zhuoran felt rather helpless. He then looked north, toward North Mountain Cloud Pool, Gu Shenshu’s former place of secluded cultivation. The spiritual energy there was the purest in the sect. 

It was said that after Gu Shenshu’s resentment incarnation dissipated, the area had gradually recovered, yet no one knew when Gu Shenshu himself would return.

With at least two hundred years of accumulated foundation since its establishment, the Tiandao Sect did not need even half a day to build a divine statue. Selecting a spiritually rich blessed land and arranging the various formations, however, took much more effort. 

Five days later, a new divine hall stood in the Tiandao Sect’s main square. This location was chosen because both inner and outer disciples passed through it—the place with the heaviest traffic. 

Once the site was set, Yun Zhuoran delivered Gu Shenshu’s remnant soul there.

After the five peak masters perfected the soul-nourishing formation, Yun Zhuoran added an extra layer of defensive magic outside the statue. If anyone attempted to harm the remnant soul hidden within, they would be burned by Taiyin True Fire. Within the Tiandao Sect, under so many watchful eyes, there was likely no one who would dare show disrespect to the sect master’s statue.

That a dignified Tiandao Sect sect master had fallen to the point of being sustained by a statue like those worshipped by ordinary mortals—Yun Zhuoran fell silent for a moment, then lit the first stick of incense before the carefully crafted golden body.

“Wake up soon,” Yun Zhuoran said.

With the statue complete, the remaining matters would be handled by the Tiandao Sect. Yun Zhuoran also needed to prepare to return to Wu City. Xu Zhichun had been willing to allow a soul search, asking only that they find the whereabouts of that deity within his hazy memories. Because of his injuries, Yun Zhuoran had not acted before, but after these days had passed, Xu Zhichun should have recovered.

As Yun Zhuoran stepped out of the divine hall, his pace paused. He suddenly looked toward the crowd outside. 

Just now, he had felt someone watching him. Naturally, he was already well-known within the Tiandao Sect—no one looking at him would be unusual. Yet that unmistakable sensation made him think of one person: Shen Lingshu, Gu Shenshu’s true disciple.

The matter of nourishing a soul through faith was kept secret by the Tiandao Sect. Others did not know, but Shen Lingshu—who had once seen Gu Shenshu’s remnant soul appear upon the statue—would not find it difficult to guess what they were doing.

Yun Zhuoran frowned slightly and grabbed the Heart Demon. “We won’t go back yet. Stay two more days.”

Walking ahead, the Penglai Immortal asked when he heard this, “Why the sudden change? Not going back to Wu City?”

“Shen Lingshu is here,” Yun Zhuoran said with certainty. 

In that instant, he had felt a dense aura of death. It was a sensation, not something he had seen with his eyes as before.

“Then that deity…” The Penglai Immortal grew suspicious. If Shen Lingshu had come, that deity was likely not far away either.