When the Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Role Picks Up the Script - Chapter 19

About half a month later, the Tiandao Sect’s inner gate selects a batch of disciples, led by Shen Lingshu and Qinghe Peak Master Qin Zheng, who set out for the Forest of Ten Thousand Beasts. All the new inner sect disciples go, including Gu Qiuming.

Among all the disciples who obtain quotas, Gu Qiuming is the only one who has not yet become a disciple. 

People speculate privately that the reason Gu Qiuming is brought along is likely because Qin Zheng or Shen Lingshu intends to take him as a disciple and wants to test him.

Jiang Zhibai regretfully cannot join them. He really doesn’t understand why, with such a great opportunity to gain experience at the Ten Thousand Immortals Conference, his father insists he go out to gain life experience and see the world. His talent isn’t exceptional; he has been practicing swordsmanship with his father but has yet to achieve sword intent, so he thinks he should go to the Ten Thousand Immortals Conference to spar with those from the Sword Sect instead, right?

But Jiang Zhuo and Lian Yue say that rather than comprehending the meaning of the sword, he should cultivate his mind first. Thus, neither the Qingjing Peak nor the Qingxu Peak leaves a spot for him, and Jiang Zhibai has been holding in his frustration for a whole half month.

On the day of departure, Yun Zhuoran comes out openly with his heart demon.

Now that his cultivation is at the late stage of the Divine Transformation Realm, in the Tiandao Sect, except for the Qingyang Peak Master who is recuperating in seclusion, several peak masters are slightly weaker than him. As long as he controls it well, no one will notice.

The heart demon carries an overwhelming aura of malice, and since he will encounter many people outside, Yun Zhuoran sifts through the pile of magical tools left by Yun Peiran.

Yun Peiran was not someone easily satisfied; the magical tools in his hands are certainly all good items. The small chain Yun Zhuoran attaches to the heart demon is a top-quality magical tool that can block the spiritual senses of cultivators below the Mahayana stage.

The Yun boat is ready at the mountain gate, over forty zhang long, adorned with vivid dragon patterns. A delicate tall building stands upright on it, truly a sight to behold.

Shen Lingshu sees Yun Zhuoran from a distance, says a few words to Qin Zheng, and then strides over. However, when his gaze falls on the small black mass on Yun Zhuoran’s shoulder, he inexplicably feels a chill. He pauses for a moment, then smiles again. “Junior Brother Yun, you really came.”

Yun Zhuoran cups his hands in salute to Qin Zheng before responding, “Sorry to have kept Senior Brother Shen waiting.”

“Not at all,” Shen Lingshu replies. “Junior Brother Yun arrived just in time.”

The disciples who secured spots have already gathered. Yun Zhuoran notices Gu Qiuming among the crowd; when the youth looks over, his eyes are still full of vitality. Yun Zhuoran can’t help but marvel at how quickly young people recover.

But for some reason, Shen Lingshu keeps staring intently at his face, which makes the heart demon unusually irritable. “Brother! He’s looking at you again!”

Yun Zhuoran turns his face to look, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. “Why is Senior Brother Shen looking at me like that?”

Shen Lingshu lowers his head and smiles, shifting his gaze to Yun Zhuoran. “I just suddenly think that Junior Brother Yun has not left Tiandao Sect for a long time, and I wonder if people from other sects can still recognize you.”

Moreover, while Junior Brother Yun’s cultivation can’t compare to his peers, he remains exceptionally eye-catching; his appearance lives up to its reputation, and even when hidden among the crowd, he shines like the sun and moon, overshadowing everyone else as if they are mere dim stars. 

Shen Lingshu is extremely satisfied with this.

Yun Zhuoran has no idea what Shen Lingshu is happy about. Seeing that most of the group has arrived, he reminds him, “It’s time to set off now.”

A dozen or so young disciples board the Yun boat under Qin Zheng’s leadership. Just as Yun Zhuoran is about to follow, he hears a familiar voice behind him—

“Thank goodness, I made it!”

Both un Zhuoran and Shen Lingshu stop and turn back. Jiang Zhibai, who had said he wouldn’t come to see them off, is panting as he runs over, dragging along a tall young man. Before they get close, a sharp aura of sword intent rushes toward them.

In the Tiandao Sect, Yun Zhuoran has only encountered such domineering sword intent from Jiang Zhuo.

Although the young man is already trying to rein it in, both he and Shen Lingshu guess the young man’s cultivation level.

Nascent Soul stage. 

Another peer who catches up with Shen Lingshu.

Over there, Jiang Zhibai pulls the young man over and can’t help but let out a sigh of relief.

“This is my Senior Brother Lu. He has just come out of seclusion. My father asked him to go to the Ten Thousand Immortals Conference to see the excitement… ah! He’s going to help Senior Brother Shen and Peak Master Qin. Junior Brother Yun, you still remember him, right? Lu Qi!”

“Senior Brother Lu.” Yun Zhuoran hasn’t forgotten a fellow disciple he has known for over a decade; it’s just that they haven’t seen each other for a long time, and his relationship with him is average.

The handsome young man gazes at him for a moment before turning to Shen Lingshu, his voice as cold and steady as his demeanor. “I heard that people from the Kunwu Sword Sect will also be there. I hope to take this opportunity to spar and discuss swordsmanship with them.”

The Tiandao Sect never adheres strictly to one particular Dao. There are countless paths to cultivation, and among them, only the true disciples of the sect master have the opportunity to cultivate the Taishang Wuqing Dao; other disciples have to learn something, right? As for the disciples of Qingjing Peak, they follow Jiang Zhuo himself in practicing swordsmanship. 

But everyone knows that the most exquisite swordsmanship in the cultivation world belongs to the Kunwu Sword Sect.

Shen Lingshu maintains a gentle smile, nodding in understanding. “Since that’s the case, it’s getting late. We should set off. Junior Brother Lu, Junior Brother Yun, let’s go.”

Everyone knows that Lu Qi has been in closed-door cultivation for many years and has just successfully advanced to the Nascent Soul Realm. However, Shen Lingshu doesn’t even offer a word of greeting or congratulations, causing Jiang Zhibai to glance at him curiously.

But Jiang Zhibai doesn’t have much time to think about it; he grabs Yun Zhuoran’s hand and says, “Be careful, Junior Brother Yun. If you encounter any danger, come find my Senior Brother Lu. I have already made an agreement with him!”

Yun Zhuoran suddenly feels as if he has become a child about to go far away, with Jiang Zhibai acting like a nagging parent, leaving him both amused and helpless. To his surprise, Lu Qi actually nods in agreement.

“Indeed.”

Shen Lingshu smiles and says, “Two junior brothers, I will guarantee Junior Brother Yun’s safety on this trip. Don’t you believe in my intentions toward Junior Brother Yun?”

Jiang Zhibai still doesn’t believe it, but can he say it? Lu Qi glances at him and says, “Senior Brother Shen is busy, and there will always be oversights.”

“You two junior brothers, don’t worry. I will definitely bring Junior Brother Yun back safe and sound.” Shen Lingshu says, looking at Yun Zhuoran with a smile, “Junior Brother Yun, you trust Senior Brother, right?”

Yun Zhuoran raises his eyes to the figure standing on the Yun boat. Qin Zheng has been standing there smiling for quite a while, and he reminds them once more, “Senior Brothers, it’s time for us to leave.”

“Junior Brother Yun is right. No more jokes; Peak Master Qin is waiting for us,” Shen Lingshu replies naturally. “Let’s go, Yun Junior Brother.”

Yun Zhuoran steps onto the Yun boat first. Shen Lingshu turns back, nodding with a smile to Jiang Zhibai and Lu Qi before gracefully following. Jiang Zhibai, seemingly oblivious to Shen Lingshu’s subtle displeasure, tightly grips Lu Qi’s arm and whispers, “Remember what I told you!”

Lu Qi simply pushes him away and leaves.

Jiang Zhibai pouts, watching them board the Yun boat. He cups his hands around his mouth and calls out to their retreating figures, “Yun Junior Brother, Senior Brother Lu, take good care of yourselves out there, and come back soon!”

The Yun boat slowly ascends into the sky. Yun Zhuoran glances back and sees Jiang Zhibai waving at them; he raises his hand and waves back.

The arc-shaped barrier gradually expands, enveloping the Yun boat, and Tiandao Sect’s mountain gate shrinks into a tiny black dot, making Jiang Zhibai’s figure impossible to see any longer.

The Forest of Ten Thousand Beasts, located on the edge of the Eastern Continent, is rich in demonic energy due to its terrain. In the vast jungle, where days are short and nights long, many monstrous beasts thrive in this atmosphere of demonic energy, resulting in most of them mutating into demon beasts. This creates an endless expanse known as the Forest of Ten Thousand Beasts.

Like the similarly treacherous and hard-to-exorcise Pojun Mountain, it is fraught with danger. Every few years, a beast tide ravages the Eastern Continent, and the Forest of Ten Thousand Beasts is included in the training grounds for disciples, alternating with Pojun Mountain. This not only strengthens their disciples but also helps find manpower to eliminate evil.

The bright moonlight bathes the clouds.

Yun Zhuoran’s room is arranged next to Shen Lingshu’s, simply because Shen Lingshu is his official supervisor. Whenever he needs to go out, he must stay under Shen Lingshu’s watchful eye. However, since they are traveling on the Yun boat, he doesn’t plan to go outside. During this time, he also takes the opportunity to capture quite a few evil spirits, preparing reserves for the heart demon. The heart demon is particularly careful, savoring each one slowly, afraid of wasting his brother’s efforts by swallowing them all at once.

Someone approaches outside, and the footsteps grow louder.

The heart demon, having just finished devouring half of an evil spirit, cautiously shrinks next to Yun Zhuoran.

Yun Zhuoran quickly clears away the remaining malevolent aura before removing the barrier.

The door creaks open.

Shen Lingshu stands at the entrance, his handsome features illuminated by a gentler light than the moonlight. “Yun Junior Brother, have I disturbed your cultivation? Today, Junior Brother Lu was right; it’s dangerous outside. After thinking it over, I brought you a magical tool. If I’m not around, you can keep it with you for protection.”

He walks in as he speaks, as if he doesn’t expect that his uninvited presence would make others feel uncomfortable. It’s as though he hasn’t noticed the slightly cold expression on Yun Zhuoran’s face as he stands up with the heart demon hiding.

The soft glow of the glass lamp casts a delicate beauty and cold elegance over Yun Zhuoran’s face. Shen Lingshu pauses for a moment, and the figure of a youthful dreamer appears in his mind, merging with the Yun Junior Brother under the lamp.

The person in the dream, the person before him… his destined person.

Looking at Yun Zhuoran, Shen Lingshu suddenly feels a surge of gratitude and joy. His gaze becomes increasingly patient and gentle as he says, “Junior Brother Yun, it’s so late. Did I come at the wrong time?”

Yun Zhuoran lowers his gaze in silent acknowledgment.

But Shen Lingshu offers only polite words. He walks slowly to Yun Zhuoran, raises his hand, and presents a three-inch-long small jade sword. “This is the Su Jian. I wanted to deliver it to you immediately. I remember that Master once mentioned finding a magical weapon for Junior Brother Yun, but unfortunately, there was never a chance. Later, Master also…” Shen Lingshu sighs. “This Lingsu Sword is a high-grade spiritual sword left by Master. It has never found a suitable owner. I see that Junior Brother Yun doesn’t have any weapons at the moment, so why not take it with you?”

Shen Lingshu’s expression turns serious as he adds solemnly, “I know that the Lingsu Sword may not be refined into your natal magical weapon, but if you don’t have any magical weapon to protect you, how can I safely let you go alone?”

Can’t be alone without accepting it? Yun Zhuoran raises his eyebrows. “Thank you very much, Senior Brother Shen.”

“Junior Brother Yun, there’s no need to be so polite with me.”

As he sees Yun Zhuoran take the small jade sword, Shen Lingshu looks at him with a hint of expectation in his eyes. “In recent years, Junior Brother, you’ve been in seclusion year-round, only seeing Junior Brother Jiang. I’ve wondered many times if I did something wrong or made you unhappy. This time, it seems like you’re avoiding me… Junior Brother Yun, I think there must be some misunderstanding between us.”

Yun Zhuoran pauses, a subtle, almost mocking smile forming in his eyes as he looks at Shen Lingshu. “Is Senior Brother Shen talking about Ji Chen’s matter?”

“This is indeed a misunderstanding!” Shen Lingshu says anxiously, reaching out and suddenly grabbing Yun Zhuoran’s hand. 

The warm touch makes Yun Zhuoran’s scalp tingle, even causing the heart demon on his shoulder to stir.

“Ah, ah, ah, Brother!”

Yun Zhuoran frowns at the noise, quickly sealing the heart demon’s mouth to keep it quiet. 

The heart demon falls silent, but Shen Lingshu doesn’t.

“Junior Brother Yun… no, Zhuoran, we have known each other since we were young. We have been under the master’s sect together for many years. Don’t you understand your senior brother’s character by now?”

Shen Lingshu’s tone carries a hint of wounded pride. “I have never dared to disregard Master’s instructions. Tiangqing Sect has repeatedly tried to take you away, but I have always refused. I can’t understand why you’ve grown more distant from me…” He looks at Yun Zhuoran, his expression faintly hurt. “Clearly, we are brothers from the same sect, yet Junior Brother Yun is closer to Junior Brother Jiang than to me.”

Yun Zhuoran stares expressionlessly at his gripped right hand, disappointment sinking deeper. 

He isn’t oblivious to what Jiang Zhibai might guess. Ever since Gu Shenshu’s death, he has suspected that Shen Lingshu has been using some subtle tricks against him. However, since Shen Lingshu is Gu Shenshu’s disciple, it would be understandable if he acts this way because of his master’s death…

So he chooses to distance himself.

But after Ji Chen’s incident…

Everyone knows that Ji Chen hates evil but isn’t foolish. He has always followed Shen Lingshu and would never frame him. However, that day, he falls into a nightmare and can only speak his mind. If Shen Lingshu hadn’t hinted at it, he wouldn’t have said that.

Yun Zhuoran never imagines that Shen Lingshu had been making small moves long before, which leaves him deeply disappointed. These days, he re-examines Shen Lingshu.

Suddenly, two bangs sound at the door, and someone knocks—but the door is already being pushed open. 

Shen Lingshu reluctantly releases his grip. Turning back, he’s surprised to see Junior Brother Lu.

Lu Qi stands in the doorway, sword in hand, the moonlight casting shadows over his black hair, his posture unusually cold.

“Junior Brother Yun, do you have a moment?”