When the Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Role Picks Up the Script - Chapter 25

Even Shen Lingshu and Lu Qi, who live next door, don’t expect Yun Zhuoran to switch rooms, so with Yun Zhuoran still present, it is Li Jianming who ends up being taken. Clearly, Li Jianming is implicated this time. 

If Yun Zhuoran had been abducted, it would only concern Tiandao Sect. But with Li Jianming being taken tonight, if anything happens to him, Tiandao Sect will struggle to explain it to Kunwu Sword Sect and Master Wen Jianxian.

Saving him is urgent. 

Shen Lingshu and Lu Qi head to Huai Tree Ridge, while Yun Zhuoran secretly sends a small paper talisman back to inform the Penglai Immortal and then follows on Lu Qi’s flying sword.

The three of them speculate that Li Jianming has only recently been taken. Since the captors mistake him for Yun Zhuoran and intend to use him as leverage against Shen Lingshu, they won’t harm him before Shen Lingshu arrives.

Fortunately, Huai Tree Ridge isn’t far, and half an hour later, the three of them arrive at the edge of the forest on their flying swords. 

Shen Lingshu wants to go in alone, as the captors have demanded he come by himself. Lu Qi has no objection. “I’ll keep an eye on Junior Brother Yun.”

Yun Zhuoran frowns slightly, as if he doesn’t agree. 

Suddenly, a loud crash echoes from deep within the forest. A flash of lightning briefly illuminates the dim woods before quickly fading back into darkness.

Yun Zhuoran reacts swiftly. “That’s Kunwu Sword Sect’s lightning technique. Li Jianming is fighting back.” 

He rushes toward the sound, and the other two, abandoning their original plan, hurriedly follow.

Just as Yun Zhuoran predicts, Li Jianming has already woken up. At first, he is groggy, wondering why the drumstick he is eating in his dream tastes so metallic and tough, impossible to chew. As he slowly comes to his senses, he overhears the furious young master ordering his men to kill him to vent his anger. 

Li Jianming snaps awake with a jolt, breaks free from the two guards when they are off-guard, and tries to escape. However, the poison he inhaled still affects him, and his strength hasn’t fully returned. While struggling, he realizes something is off about this group.

“You’re demonic cultivators!” he exclaims. 

The young master, who is healing a wound in the distance, glares at Li Jianming and summons a dense, black blade of lethal demonic energy with a wave of his hand.

Sensing how sinister that black blade is, Li Jianming knows he’s in trouble. He unleashes his most powerful lightning technique, injuring two of the young master’s guards, but he is left drained of spiritual energy and is now running for his life.

The demonic sword closes in, inches from striking him. With sweat pouring down his forehead, Li Jianming clutches the jade token at his waist. Before he can activate it, a complex golden-red array suddenly unfolds in front of him, blocking the demonic blade entirely.

The magic sword is stopped by the formation, unable to advance even an inch.

Li Jianming is stunned and turns around to see a figure in white standing in the shadowy woods. As his eyes focus, he realizes it’s Yun Zhuoran! A wave of relief washes over him, and he runs over, still shaken. 

The golden-red array is bizarre and impenetrable. Realizing that the newcomer is formidable, the young master reluctantly calls back his demonic sword and warily observes the figure.

Though it’s dark, his vision is excellent, and he quickly sees the white-robed man’s strikingly handsome features. He can’t help but think to himself that this person looks far more like a beautiful flower vase than that brutish fake one from Tiandao Sect.

Soon, two more figures approach from a distance, and the young master’s arrogance diminishes slightly upon seeing them.

Yun Zhuoran waves his sleeve and dismisses the magical array, shoving the heart demon—enticed by the scent of the delicious demonic energy and beginning to stir eagerly—back into his wide sleeve. 

Li Jianming, terrified, rushes forward and clings to Yun Zhuoran’s arm, panting heavily. “I didn’t expect it to be you who saved me! That was such a close call…”

Yun Zhuoran glances at the sweat covering Li Jianming’s forehead, a hint of disdain flickering across his face. However, remembering that Li Jianming got into this trouble because of him, Yun Zhuoran suppresses his annoyance. 

Seeing that Li Jianming is unharmed, Lu Qi remains vigilant, holding his sword tightly to guard the two of them.

Shen Lingshu exhales a quiet sigh of relief and steps forward to address the masked young master in black robes standing opposite. “I presume you are the one who invited me here.”

Two attendants, charred and battered from being struck by lightning, stagger toward the young man and bow low. It is easy to see that the young man is the one in charge. Li Jianming initially faces them alone, and his cultivation is barely at the mid-stage Golden Core level. Yet, as a disciple trained by a sword immortal, his true strength certainly rivals that level. The fact that he manages to escape from three opponents and that Yun Zhuoran’s intervention leaves the adversaries helpless suggests that the young master’s cultivation is likely around the Golden Core stage.

Shen Lingshu, already at the mid-stage Nascent Soul realm, figures dealing with someone at the Golden Core level will be effortless, so he isn’t in a hurry to take action. 

The young master in black scrutinizes Shen Lingshu, noting his distinguished appearance and demeanor. But the other two men in white also seem remarkable. Unable to discern Shen Lingshu and Lu Qi’s cultivation, he assumes both are stronger than him. As for Yun Zhuoran, he has already concluded during their brief clash that Yun Zhuoran’s strength surpasses his own.

With this in mind, the young master turns his attention to Yun Zhuoran.

“Hey, you must be Shen Lingshu!” Otherwise, why would that “Yun Zhuoran” be clinging to him like that?

With this thought, the young master casts a resentful glare at Li Jianming, who is hiding behind Yun Zhuoran, his calf still aching. He grits his teeth and curses inwardly, blaming the misleading rumors about Tiandao Sect! How does this person look anything like a decorative vase?

Unexpectedly, as soon as he says these words, the group opposite him falls silent, all staring at Yun Zhuoran.

Yun Zhuoran: “…”

Shen Lingshu: “…”

Li Jianming, realizing what has just happened, snorts and bursts into laughter. “Hahaha! Are you stupid? Just look at his face—how could he possibly look like Shen Lingshu?” 

The young master’s expression darkens upon realizing his mistake, and Li Jianming’s merciless laughter only angers him further. He clenches his fists and shouts, “Yun Zhuoran, don’t get cocky! This young master will definitely kill you!”

Yun Zhuoran follows the young master’s furious glare back to Li Jianming, who points at himself in bewilderment before breaking into laughter again. 

Shen Lingshu clears his throat and speaks up, “I am Shen Lingshu of Tiandao Sect. Wouldn’t it be appropriate for you to give me an explanation for what happened tonight?”

The young master’s eyes widen in shock as he glances back and forth between Shen Lingshu and Yun Zhuoran. His face burns even hotter beneath the mask. He glares furiously at the group in front of him, feeling more embarrassed than he can bear.

The cultivators opposite him are equally baffled. These demonic cultivators had intended to capture Yun Zhuoran to threaten Shen Lingshu, but now, even though they have seized the wrong person, it seems the demon cultivator is angrier about the mix-up than they are!

“I don’t care who you are! Since you’re all here, none of you will leave tonight!” the young master declares with bravado. 

Shen Lingshu finds his posturing a bit amusing and responds lightly, “If you won’t tell me, allow me to guess: you’re demonic cultivators, you captured my junior brother, and lured me here alone to kill me. Is that right?”

The young master quickly responds, “So what if it is!”

Shen Lingshu asks, “Might I ask if you’re from the Zhuyin Sect or the Xingxiu Faction?” 

The young master reacts as if his tail has been stepped on, snapping, “Do you people from Tiandao Sect think the demonic path only consists of the Zhuyin Sect and the Xingxiu Faction?!”

From this outburst, everyone can tell the situation is more complex. The demonic world has expanded and now includes sects like Fengcheng, Yuncheng, and the powerful Demon Palace, alongside the Zhuyin and Xingxiu Sects. 

Shen Lingshu keeps his composure, smiling calmly. “I merely heard that both the Zhuyin and Xingxiu Sects have young masters who share some similarities with you.”

Moreover, although this young master’s cultivation isn’t high, he has two Golden Core-level attendants, wears high-grade magical garments, and possesses both a purple crystal ring and the sinister black blade he wielded earlier—items far beyond the reach of ordinary demonic cultivators. 

From these clues, Shen Lingshu deduces that this young master must come from a distinguished background in the demonic world.

Sure enough, the young master sneers, lifting his chin slightly and regarding the group with a disdainful gaze. “Those fools are not worthy of comparison with this young master! Listen closely: I am the young master of the Demon Palace! Don’t you dare compare me to those filthy beings! I brought you here tonight to take your life!”

Shen Lingshu’s probing has unexpectedly hit the mark.

Li Jianming, still aching from laughing so hard, mutters as he gets up, “So he really is the Demon Palace young master? Doesn’t seem too bright; no wonder he’s not famous…”

Yun Zhuoran doesn’t respond. In fact, he is momentarily distracted. Hearing the young master reveal his identity replaces his impatience with shock, and he can’t help but scrutinize the Demon Palace young master opposite him intently. 

The heart demon also pokes its head out, staring wide-eyed at the young master in astonishment. “Big brother… Could this Demon Palace young master be Shen Lingshu’s second consort from that storybook?”

The heart demon has given nicknames to all the characters Shen Lingshu takes into his household in the storybook. The little disciple Gu Qiuming is the first consort, while the Demon Palace young master who comes later is the second consort…

It is Yun Zhuoran’s first time hearing this, and his mouth twitches slightly at the corners. He has no idea where the little thing has learned such things. 

Pressing the small black ball back down, he can’t help but continue glancing at the Demon Palace young master.

Ji Ruo is the young master of the Demon Palace whom the protagonist Shen Lingshu hooks up with in the middle of the novel. 

Yun Zhuoran isn’t completely sure yet. He scrutinizes Shen Lingshu’s left hand, his eyes glowing briefly with a golden-red light. As he stares, two red threads gradually appear, becoming visible in the darkness.

One of the strings, especially vivid, is attached to Yun Zhuoran’s own hand, while the other, though dimmer, is wrapped around the Demon Palace young master’s pinky.

Yun Zhuoran pauses. 

So, Ji Ruo is appearing this early in the story? 

At this moment, when Ji Ruo hears Li Jianming’s mocking words, his resentment flares again. He glares fiercely at Shen Lingshu. “I don’t care who you are! You’re all going to die here tonight!”

“Wow,” the heart demon whispers in amazement. “This isn’t how it goes in the story. Wasn’t Ji Ruo supposed to fall in love with Shen Lingshu at first sight and act all coquettish around him every day?”

Yun Zhuoran hasn’t expected this either. 

In the storybook, the Demon Palace young master is proud and violent but turns soft and sweet in front of Shen Lingshu. Yet here in reality, their first meeting is an attempt to kill Shen Lingshu?

The heart demon sighs dramatically. “This is a full-on domestic violence scene!”

Shen Lingshu has no idea how he has offended Ji Ruo. He thinks the young master seems irritable and immature. 

He laughs and is about to speak when he sees Ji Ruo glare at them and snort coldly, with a sword across his palm. 

Just as he is about to speak, Ji Ruo glares at them, snorts coldly, and draws a sword across his palm. Dark blood mixed with demonic energy drips to the ground from the cut.

Ji Ruo presses his hands together, his eyes icy. “You all will die here today!”

The atmosphere becomes tense, but as the blood hits the ground, nothing happens.

Li Jianming chuckles, feeling emboldened with Shen Lingshu and Yun Zhuoran around. He laughs loudly. “Young Master Ji from the Demon Palace, are you trying to make thunder with no rain? If you’re tired, go get some sleep; we still have to practice. If you’re not attacking, we won’t accompany you anymore!”

Yun Zhuoran is thinking the same thing. He figures they might as well leave Shen Lingshu behind and return home.

However, Ji Ruo’s eyes, which have turned an ominous shade of red, lock onto Li Jianming with a sinister laugh. Between his hands, a swirling mass of red and black demonic energy forms. Ji Ruo drops to one knee, pressing the energy forcefully into the ground. A chilling, putrid wind whips up out of nowhere, and Yun Zhuoran immediately senses danger. The ground, littered with fallen leaves, begins to glow with a massive blood-red demonic formation. A barrier forms from the evil energy, strong and impenetrable. Lu Qi’s sword is the first to be unsheathed, but when he tries to strike, the barrier repels his blade!

In a flash, dense black energy engulfs the formation. The stars, moon, and surrounding forest are swallowed up by an overwhelming darkness. In mere moments, all four of them find themselves trapped in an impenetrable, pitch-black void. 

Ji Ruo’s embarrassed and infuriated laughter echoes from somewhere within, seeping through the barrier. Despite the echo, his still-boyish voice is layered with the malice and bloodlust characteristic of the Demon Palace’s lineage.

“Hee hee hee, Yun Zhuoran! How dare you mock this young master? Go to hell!”

Yun Zhuoran: “…”

He turns his gaze to Li Jianming, who is clinging desperately to his sleeve. Li Jianming has clearly heard Ji Ruo’s words and looks terrified. He tries to smile, but it comes off as a nervous, ingratiating grin under Yun Zhuoran’s icy, emotionless stare.

Yun Zhuoran shakes off Li Jianming’s hand and sneers. “Li Jianming, you’re on your own. Good luck surviving.”