When the Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Role Picks Up the Script - Chapter 29

Pojun Mountain and the Ten Thousand Beasts Forest are also designated as training grounds for low-level disciples of the Immortal Dao Sect Alliance, and both are divided into levels. The situation at Pojun Mountain is well known—it is primarily occupied by a single transformation god who guards a dangerous area. The Little Ghost King and the other ghost generals are mostly not very powerful, so the entry requirements are limited to monks at the Golden Core stage and below. Pojun Mountain, which is of a higher level than the basic training ground in the Ten Thousand Beasts Forest, is tentatively designated as a small secret realm for intermediate training.

The Ten Thousand Beast Forest is vast, having existed for thousands of years, and very few people have managed to explore the entire forest. Most cultivators can only approach the outer perimeter, where the most powerful demon beasts are almost at the sixth rank, comparable to human cultivators in the late Nascent Soul stage. Therefore, only the outer perimeter of the forest is included in the training range, with multiple barriers set up by the Immortal Path Alliance. The conditions for entering the inner regions require cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage to the peak of the Nascent Soul stage.

Indeed, Gu Qiuming, who has not yet reached Foundation Establishment, does not meet the entry requirements. However, Shen Lingshu personally registers him, granting him access.

As for Shen Lingshu, a Nascent Soul cultivator, and Lu Qi, the former is the team leader for this trip, serving not only as a guide but also to protect his disciples, while the latter volunteers to assist, and Shen Lingshu agrees.

Yun Zhuoran is only accompanying Shen Lingshu for a change of scenery. Naturally, his cultivation level qualifies him for entry. However, Shen Lingshu overlooks one small detail: once they enter the Ten Thousand Beast Forest through the barrier, everyone is assigned different locations. Even he can only hope to be assigned to a nearby spot with Yun Zhuoran.

Therefore, before entering the forest, Shen Lingshu repeatedly reminds Yun Zhuoran to keep the Ling Su Sword and the sound-transmitting talisman close to him, and it is best to stay in place and wait for his arrival.

Yun Zhuoran remains silent in response.

In fact, if Yun Zhuoran had listened to him, he would no longer be Yun Zhuoran.

The moment they step into the teleportation array, in the blink of an eye, the blinding spiritual light fades. The pleasant chirp of a yellow sparrow grows louder as it approaches, and the scent of grass and trees fills the air. When Yun Zhuoran opens his eyes, he finds himself in a forest. The sunlight slants down through the thick branches, casting a slightly oppressive heat, unlike the dimness outside the barrier.

A streak of spiritual light appears in his palm. Yun Zhuoran raises his hand to grasp the jade slip that has been assigned to each person before entry. The spiritual energy covering it lifts, revealing a line of faint golden characters—Three Red Twilight Herbs.

The Red Twilight Herb, a mid-level spiritual herb, grows in warmer regions. Its flower has five petals, and its entire body is a bright red.

It is classified as a secret realm item because of the unique nature of the Ten Thousand Beast Forest. With its dense demon qi and abundant spiritual energy, demon beasts grow rapidly, and all kinds of immortal herbs and spiritual plants are easily cultivated. If no one harvests them, they are ravaged by the beasts during the beast tide, and the Immortal Path Alliance can no longer stand by. Therefore, every time they organize a training event, they assign tasks to the disciples, such as collecting spiritual herbs or demon cores.

As long as the required spiritual plants for the task are handed in, any additional rewards obtained from the Ten Thousand Beast Forest do not need to be submitted. Many cultivators take advantage of this opportunity to make some extra gains.

This task is not difficult, and Yun Peiran already has plenty of the required plants in his storage ring. Yun Zhuoran glances at it and casually tosses the task jade slip into his storage ring.

“Let’s go, find something to eat.”

Ahead of them, the heart demon, lost in the sweet scent of demon qi, suddenly jolts and floats back. “Alright!”

Both Yun Zhuoran and his heart demon ignore Shen Lingshu’s advice to wait in place and instead hurry toward the deeper parts of the Ten Thousand Beast Forest, where the demon qi is thickest. If not for the barrier that would alert the cultivators stationed outside, such as the Penglai immortal and Jue Fei, Yun Zhuoran would have no interest in the outer part of the forest and would prefer to enter the center of the Ten Thousand Beast Forest.

Speaking of Penglai Immortal, his cultivation is too high to enter the training grounds. Instead, he and a few others from various sects stand guard outside the forest. However, his personality is quite odd—he only speaks to good-looking cultivators and seems to dislike several prominent families from Shengjing. Currently, only Jue Fei from Tianqing Sect and Qin Zheng from Tiandao Sect can converse with him.

The disciples from the four major sects are the first to enter the Ten Thousand Beast Forest, and soon, the disciples from Shengjing’s prominent families follow. In the distance, Shen Fu, watching the few striking attendants near the Penglai Immortal, grows more convinced that the Penglai Immortal’s gift of the Penglai Jade Branch to Yun Zhuoran is due to his looks rather than anything deeper.

After coming to this realization, Shen Fu quietly sighs in relief. When he turns around, he sees his two daughters arguing again, knowing without looking that the legitimate daughter is bullying the illegitimate one.

“Xi’er, stop causing trouble.”

Shen Xi shows no fear when caught, and she lifts her skirt, rushing over to complain to Shen Fu.

“Father, the third sister got my skirt dirty!”

Shen Fu immediately darkens his face. “Shut up! This is not Shengjing. Don’t cause trouble here!”

In the past, when Shen Xi bullied others, Shen Fu never intervened. She relied on her older brother, who is to become the future sect leader of Tiandao Sect, and the fact that her father favors her, to be arrogant in Shengjing. She had thought that Shen Fu would favor her this time as well. To her surprise, he actually scolds her?

Shen Xi stands frozen in place, looking at her father in disbelief.

Shen Fu has long known his daughter’s temperament, and he doesn’t want to intervene. He turns to Shen Man, the illegitimate daughter, who is always meek and silent, with her head lowered. It is a shame that she has better-than-average twin spiritual roots, better than Shen Xi’s.

However, for the first time, Shen Fu speaks in a gentle voice, “Third daughter, you don’t need to mind Shen Xi. Once we enter the Ten Thousand Beast Forest, remember what your father told you. If you can do it, when we return to Shengjing, I will definitely reward you.”

Shen Man hurriedly nods in response, but dares not raise her head.

Shen Xi freezes for a moment before shouting, “Father! What are you telling her? What are you making her do?”

Shen Xi’s loud voice attracts the attention of other cultivators, making Shen Fu’s temples bulge with veins. He angrily mutters a few words under his breath, then sends Shen Xi and her group to the teleportation array. When he sees Shen Xi turn around to continue scolding Shen Man, Shen Fu becomes even more frustrated, starting to doubt whether his plan will succeed.

Yun Zhuoran is not foolish. He isn’t sure if Shen Man will succeed, but he only hopes that Shen Xi won’t cause trouble…

In the distance, Qin Zheng smiles patiently next to the Penglai Immortal, listening as he complains, “You from Tiandao Sect don’t understand the rules. When a senior invites you, you don’t even come.” Jue Fei, the monk from Tianqing Sect, stands by, grinning and watching.

Qin Zheng breaks out in a cold sweat, thinking, If Yun Zhuoran doesn’t want to go, then he doesn’t have to go. What does that have to do with me?

Yet, the Penglai Immortal pouts in complaint, his expression full of sorrow, almost as if he were whining.

Qin Zheng feels his head throbbing. The legendary second-ranked figure of the Immortal Path, the Penglai Immortal, turns out to be a child throwing a tantrum. But then he realizes, no matter how childish the Immortal seems, he is still a cultivator at the Great Ascension stage.

Can’t afford to offend him!

Meanwhile, as the Penglai Immortal continues to complain about Yun Zhuoran, in a hidden canyon on the outer edge of the Ten Thousand Beast Forest…

Yun Zhuoran pinches his nose, which has started to itch for some unknown reason, then glances back. In the dim cave, the roars gradually weaken until they fade into complete silence. The little black mass floats out, swaying gently.

The demon beast in the cave has just formed a core, so Yun Zhuoran doesn’t gain any cultivation from it. But he isn’t in a hurry. He is still some distance from reaching the perfect stage of the Transformation stage. If the heart demon eats another demon beast at the Transformation stage, he might even be able to break through to the Integration stage.

Seeing the heart demon’s satisfied expression, Yun Zhuoran can’t help but feel curious. “How does it taste?”

The heart demon smacks its lips. “Sweet!”

Yun Zhuoran, surprisingly yearning for it, freezes for a moment before shaking his head inexplicably. “Let’s move on to the next place.”

The heart demon obediently responds, “Mm!”

Three months is enough time for the heart demon to cause some trouble in the Ten Thousand Beast Forest. Even luckier, on the third day, Yun Zhuoran finds the rumored fifth-tier demon beast. After the heart demon devours it, Yun Zhuoran’s spiritual power surges, reaching the peak of the Transformation stage. He is about to attempt breaking through to the Integration stage but hesitates, uncertain whether the lightning tribulation will alert the cultivators outside the barrier.

It is indeed not the right time to attempt the breakthrough to the Integration stage, so Yun Zhuoran decides to temporarily set that aside. As he relaxes, he finally remembers the communication jade slip he had tossed into his storage ring. When he takes it out, it is surprisingly hot to the touch.

Upon closer inspection, the jade slip has accumulated quite a few messages—one from Lu Qi, another from Li Jianming, and also one from Shen Lingshu. Just as Yun Zhuoran wonders how to reply, Shen Lingshu sends another message, asking where he is now.

Seeing the heart demon eyeing the jade slip as though it were an impending threat, Yun Zhuoran thinks for a moment and replies: Ginkgo Forest. I’m fine, don’t worry, senior brother.

Shen Lingshu quickly replies: Junior Brother Yun, wait a moment. I will come find you soon.

Yun Zhuoran puts the jade slip away and doesn’t bother with anyone else. He casually picks up the heart demon.

The heart demon, of course, is very happy and, like a spoiled child, rubs its face against Yun Zhuoran’s hand.

The Ginkgo Forest is actually a grove Yun Zhuoran passed through on his first day here. It is quite unique, and many cultivators have heard about it before entering. It is located in the southeastern corner of the Ten Thousand Beast Forest, but that was many days ago. Now, Yun Zhuoran and the heart demon are deep within the heart of the forest.

Yun Zhuoran rubs the little black mass, sighing, “What a small-minded person.”

The heart demon nuzzles Yun Zhuoran’s palm, humming lightly. “He has bad intentions!”

Yun Zhuoran responds, “He’s always been clean and hasn’t acted out. For Gu Shenshu’s sake, let’s give him a chance.” He pauses, his tone turning serious, “But there’s a limit to my tolerance. If Shen Lingshu dares to cross that line…”

The heart demon seems to understand, or perhaps not, but it can’t help but cling to Yun Zhuoran’s finger, complaining, “He’s not nice to Big Brother.”

Yun Zhuoran smiles but says nothing.

At that moment, there is some noise outside the cave. Yun Zhuoran and the heart demon turn toward the sound and hear an excited voice call out, “Senior Brother Yun!”

From a distance, Gu Qiuming hesitates to confirm it, but once he sees Yun Zhuoran for sure, he rushes over without thinking, his feet carrying him forward in a daze.

Yun Zhuoran looks confused. He is hiding in the cave, and the entrance is clearly protected by an illusion and barrier. During these past few days of closed-door meditation, cultivators have passed by this place, the highest of whom have reached the Nascent Soul stage, yet none of them have noticed. But Gu Qiuming, a mere Qi Refining stage cultivator, has ignored the illusion and found his way here?

The heart demon blinks, equally at a loss.

Fortunately, Gu Qiuming snaps back to his senses in time and stops at the edge of the cave’s barrier. As he gets so close, he notices the thick barrier, and when he sees Yun Zhuoran’s clear and cold eyes staring at him, his displeased expression makes it seem like he has disturbed him. Gu Qiuming immediately regrets his actions and obediently bows while holding his spiritual sword in front of the cave.

“Sorry, Senior Brother Yun. I’ll leave now.”

As Gu Qiuming stands at the cave’s entrance, Yun Zhuoran, still uncertain, observes him. The boy is surrounded by a faint purple aura—something Yun Zhuoran rarely encounters. He still hasn’t figured out what it represents, but now Gu Qiuming has it?

Seeing that Gu Qiuming is carefully about to leave, Yun Zhuoran thinks for a moment, picks up the heart demon, stands up, waves his sleeve to remove the barrier, and steps out of the cave.

“Wait.”

Gu Qiuming, outside the cave, freezes for a moment when he hears the voice. He lowers his head and obediently stands still, nervously gripping the hilt of his sword. He begins to worry that his rash interruption might have disturbed Senior Brother Yun’s cultivation…

Meanwhile, Yun Zhuoran focuses on the purple aura around Gu Qiuming and quickly notices the jade pendant hanging on his chest.

The purple aura originates from the jade pendant in the shape of a coiled spirit snake on Gu Qiuming’s chest. The jade is lustrous, with a faint ethereal aura emanating from it.

Yun Zhuoran has seen many high-level magical tools, and from the moment he lays eyes on this jade pendant, he can tell it is an advanced artifact—possibly even a divine artifact. Is this kid really that lucky?

Looking at the purple aura, Yun Zhuoran finally understands. The purple aura indeed represents a fortuitous opportunity.