When the Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Role Picks Up the Script - Chapter 39

The peak 9th-level Jade Qilin is the undisputed king of the Ten Thousand Beasts Forest. It’s no wonder there are no other monsters in this forest—the king rests here. Who would dare disturb him? So, the legend Li Jianming mentions is true: the Jade Qilin is indeed still alive.

Yun Zhuoran doesn’t think twice. Suppressing his Heart Demon, he quietly retreats. Even though the Jade Qilin hasn’t awakened, its unique pressure—emanating across the pristine hundred-foot pool—feels as heavy as a mountain, pressing down on him.

Gu Shenshu is not here. There’s no need to provoke the Qilin.

“You’ve arrived.”

An ancient voice, heavy with pressure, suddenly echoes across the clear pool, reaching Yun Zhuoran’s ears. He freezes, holding his breath, and cautiously raises his gaze.

The Qilin has awakened.

Its eyes, as clear as amber, calmly regard Yun Zhuoran.

Yet, in Yun Zhuoran’s view, it feels as though he is facing an elderly man nearing the end of his days.

This thought sends a chill down Yun Zhuoran’s spine, and he quickly averts his gaze.

For just a moment, staring into those eyes, Yun Zhuoran forgets that he’s standing before a supreme beast. His body and mind completely relax—a dangerous vulnerability. If the Qilin wants to kill him, it would take only a thought.

The Qilin seems to chuckle, though Yun Zhuoran can’t quite hear it clearly. What he does hear is a long sigh from the other side of the pool:

“Four hundred years… I have finally waited for you.”

Startled, Yun Zhuoran instinctively suppresses the Heart Demon hidden in his sleeve, layering barriers to prevent the black aura from leaking. He hesitates but finally asks, “What do you mean, Senior?”

“Do you know what I am?” The Qilin rises from the pool, its immense and majestic form fully revealed. Yun Zhuoran feels a rush of awe.

Surprisingly, the Qilin’s demeanor is calm—gentle, even. Yun Zhuoran is taken aback. Aren’t legendary beasts supposed to be fierce?

After a moment of deliberation, Yun Zhuoran bows respectfully. “I am Yun Zhuoran of the Tiandao Sect. I greet you, Senior Qilin.”

“Tiandao Sect?”

The Qilin’s eyes cloud with contemplation before a hint of understanding dawns. “Four hundred years… The cultivation world must have changed greatly by now. No matter. Tell me, have you heard of the Floating City?”

Thanks to Li Jianming’s earlier guidance, Yun Zhuoran replies, “It is said that six hundred years ago, the Floating City Lord was the strongest cultivator in the world. The Floating Immortal City was his domain.”

The Qilin nods in satisfaction. “Correct. The master was indeed the first in the immortal way. But alas…” It pauses, and the light in its eyes dims. “The master passed suddenly, and the Floating Immortal City was sealed. Without his protection, I could not escape the heavenly calamity. Clinging to my last breath, I returned to the Ten Thousand Beasts Forest, carrying the City Lord’s decree. For four hundred years, I have awaited a successor. And finally, you are here.”

Yun Zhuoran glances around—he is the only one here. Yet he doubts that the Qilin is speaking to him. He hasn’t done anything; how could he be the one destined to inherit such a legacy?

The Qilin seems to sense his confusion and speaks kindly. “You have made it here, to the place where I reside. That alone proves you are worthy to inherit the Floating Immortal City, the legacy left by my master. Come closer, child.”

In that moment, Yun Zhuoran is struck by a mix of disbelief and hope.

Does this mean that anyone who reaches the Jade Qilin can inherit the Floating Immortal City?

The Qilin offers no further explanation, only gazing at Yun Zhuoran with eyes full of age-old wisdom and tenderness. “I have little time left. Come, child. The Floating Immortal City will be entrusted to you.”

As if afraid Yun Zhuoran wouldn’t believe him, the Qilin closes its eyes.

The sound of dripping water echoes softly, and ripples begin to spread from the center of the pool, widening one circle at a time. At first, the motion is slow, but it grows faster, as though something immense is about to emerge from the pool’s depths. This presence radiates an overwhelming power, its immortal essence overflowing and filling the air, stirring a sense of yearning in Yun Zhuoran’s heart.

With a loud splash, the surface of the pool breaks. The object finally bursts through the surface, revealing itself before Yun Zhuoran.

It is a small jade talisman, adorned with golden runes that pulse with immense power. The faintest hint of energy emanating from it feels as vast and boundless as mountains and seas.

The Qilin’s eyes carry a tinge of sadness as it turns its gaze from the talisman to Yun Zhuoran.

With a voice filled with urgency, it says, “Come here while I still have the strength.”

Yun Zhuoran stares at the jade talisman in awe, almost mesmerized. He subconsciously follows the Qilin’s command and approaches. It isn’t until he steps onto the pool’s surface that he snaps out of his daze. His right foot, now resting on the water, doesn’t sink. It feels as though he is standing on solid ground.

Startled, Yun Zhuoran looks down. The pool has returned to its tranquil state, the water calm yet strangely firm beneath his feet. Tentatively, he walks forward.

With each step, ripples spread out from where his feet touch the surface, carrying radiant spiritual light. The scene feels like something out of a dream.

When Yun Zhuoran reaches the Qilin, he extends his hand and gently takes hold of the jade talisman.

This is the City Lord’s Order, the key to controlling the Floating Immortal City.

Yun Zhuoran doesn’t move. Bowing respectfully toward the Qilin, he asks, “Senior, before I arrived, are you certain no one else has been here?”

The Qilin’s expression flickers. Sensing something in Yun Zhuoran’s tone, it pauses for a moment before replying, “Regardless of anything else, you are the first to meet me. This Floating Immortal City is your destiny, Yun Zhuoran.”

Yun Zhuoran’s lips curve into a faint smile.

Standing this close, he has already confirmed the Qilin’s authenticity. Such a powerful and unique demonic aura is impossible to fake, even by someone far beyond his cultivation level. However, this inheritance feels suspicious. When the Ten Thousand Beasts Forest’s barrier had shifted to replace the one set up by the Immortal Sects, Yun Zhuoran had been thousands of miles away. At the same time, the Qilin’s habitat appeared as the source of spiritual energy. This means someone must have triggered the entrance to the Qilin’s domain.

That person, however, is nowhere to be found.

Yun Zhuoran’s gaze lingers on the Qilin, hesitant yet resolute.

The Qilin nods solemnly, seemingly confirming his unspoken thoughts.

With a deep breath, Yun Zhuoran extends his right hand again.

Taking the City Lord’s Order will officially make him the new City Lord of the Floating Immortal City.

A flicker of anticipation crosses Yun Zhuoran’s cold eyes. The closer he gets to the talisman, the smoother everything seems to go. The Qilin makes no objection, and the immortal energy surrounding the City Lord’s Order almost seems to welcome him.

But just as Yun Zhuoran’s hand is within half a foot of the talisman, the sound of splashing water suddenly erupts behind him. The calm pool churns violently for no apparent reason.

Then, from the depths of the pool, a deathly pale hand emerges.

The hand, slender and graceful with distinct joints, has an unnatural beauty. Yet its ghastly pallor radiates a coldness that makes the air around it seem frozen.

The hand shoots toward the City Lord’s Order, moving faster than Yun Zhuoran’s outstretched fingers. It is mere inches from touching the talisman when it stops abruptly, its wrist suddenly caught.

Yun Zhuoran looks down, locking eyes with the owner of the pale hand.

“Gu Shenshu,” Yun Zhuoran says with a smirk, gripping the wrist tightly. “I’ve caught you.”

Gu Shenshu’s sudden appearance is shocking, yet it feels strangely inevitable.

As the two lock gazes, Yun Zhuoran’s thoughts become clear. The mysteries that have plagued him for so long finally begin to unravel.

Gu Shenshu has come for the City Lord’s Order of the Floating Immortal City. That much is certain. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have attempted to seize it. He must have been hiding nearby, biding his time.

As for why he didn’t enter himself, even Yun Zhuoran had been worried that his Heart Demons might be detected by the Qilin. Since Gu Shenshu has already succumbed to demonic influence, it’s highly likely he couldn’t gain the Qilin’s approval or successfully obtain the city’s legacy. That’s why Gu Shenshu allowed Yun Zhuoran to enter first, only making his move at this critical moment.

Yun Zhuoran deliberately stalls for time, successfully luring the person out—it is the very person he has been wanting to find all this time, and he is pleasantly surprised.

At this moment, the Qilin also notices Gu Shenshu. Its eyes widen, and it lets out a low roar to intimidate him before opening its mouth and swallowing the City Lord’s Order!

Gu Shenshu’s blood-red eyes lock onto Yun Zhuoran with intensity. As the Qilin launches an attack toward him, Yun Zhuoran quickly releases his grip and retreats several feet to avoid being caught in the fray.

The battle between the ninth-level monster and a peak Ascension cultivator is like a clash of titans, shaking heaven and earth. Rivers churn as if reversing their course, mountains tremble, and the once-serene pool boils in chaos. Yun Zhuoran cautiously reinforces himself with multiple layers of defensive spells, shielding himself from the immense pressure radiating from both combatants.

It doesn’t take long for the Qilin to realize Gu Shenshu’s overwhelming strength. Continuing the fight would be futile and might even endanger its chosen successor, Yun Zhuoran. Reluctantly, the Qilin halts its attacks.

Gu Shenshu, standing opposite, also withdraws his hand with calculated precision. His crimson eyes remain fixed on the Qilin as he declares coldly, “The City Lord’s Order should be mine.”

Yun Zhuoran’s expression darkens with displeasure. It is now evident—Gu Shenshu has been using him all along.

What troubles Yun Zhuoran even more is that this Gu Shenshu, who has seemingly returned from the dead and succumbed to demonic possession, is no longer the same person. The stiffness and halting speech from before are gone; instead, he speaks fluidly and with unsettling confidence.

The Qilin’s ancient voice rumbles with anger, heavy and majestic. “Wishful thinking! You’re a demonic cultivator. Even if the Floating Immortal City were to be destroyed, it should never fall into the hands of a demon!”

Yun Zhuoran’s heart sinks—this confirms his suspicions. He nods silently, agreeing with the Qilin’s judgment.

But before he can say anything, Gu Shenshu raises his hand and points directly at Yun Zhuoran. His voice, icy and devoid of its previous gentleness, cuts through the air.

“Why don’t you take a closer look? He may appear clean on the surface, but he’s secretly raising a demonic creature!”

Hearing this, Yun Zhuoran instinctively clutches the black bundle hidden in his sleeve, disbelief flooding his mind. It isn’t hard for Gu Shenshu to deduce that he is harboring a demonic creature—he had seen it in the Yun Pool last time—but to blatantly expose him here?

At first, the Qilin doesn’t believe it. But upon noticing Yun Zhuoran’s attempt to conceal the truth, it extends its spiritual sense to probe deeper. To its fury, Gu Shenshu’s claim proves accurate.

“You’re in league with him!” the Qilin roars, its tone filled with betrayal and disdain.

The Qilin’s hatred for evil burns fiercely, and its attitude makes it clear that Yun Zhuoran has been disqualified in its eyes.

Yun Zhuoran’s eyes snap to Gu Shenshu. “No, it’s not—”

“So what if he is!” Gu Shenshu interrupts with a burst of laughter, his blood-red eyes flashing mischievously as he winks at Yun Zhuoran. “Little Zhuoran, why don’t you tell this Qilin what your master means to you?”

Yun Zhuoran clenches his teeth, anger and disbelief surging within him. He hadn’t expected Gu Shenshu to be this shameless!

In Yun Zhuoran’s memory, Gu Shenshu, no matter how arrogant or aloof in private, was gentle with others. He had once nagged Yun Zhuoran to make friends with fellow Taoist cultivators, and though stern, he had never stooped to framing him. But now, whether this person is truly Gu Shenshu, Yun Zhuoran can no longer tell. All he knows is that the Qilin is livid.

The Qilin lets out a thunderous roar of “Shameless!” before lunging at Gu Shenshu.

Gu Shenshu, however, doesn’t back down. His movements suggest he aims to force the Qilin to open its mouth and retrieve the City Lord’s Order. Yet just as their clash is imminent, the Qilin veers away from Gu Shenshu and charges toward Yun Zhuoran instead.

Caught off guard, Yun Zhuoran realizes too late that the three of them have been positioned in a triangle. No one has expected the Qilin to bypass its closer opponent to target him instead. But in hindsight, its reasoning is clear: the Qilin is injured and old. Knowing it can’t overpower Gu Shenshu, it seeks an easier target—Yun Zhuoran—and intends to use him as leverage.

The Qilin’s strategy is cunning. By capturing Yun Zhuoran, it can force Gu Shenshu to yield.

Yun Zhuoran, however, is unprepared for this sudden turn of events. Watching the Qilin charge at him, he hastily forms seals with both hands to reinforce his defenses.

But it isn’t enough. The Qilin’s claws tear through his layered barriers as if they are paper.

The gap in power between a ninth-level demonic beast and a half-step cultivator in the Integration stage is far too great. Yun Zhuoran breaks out in a cold sweat, his mind racing with curses at Gu Shenshu’s unethical behavior.

As the commotion unfolds, the Heart Demon finally stirs awake. As soon as it peeks out and sees the Qilin’s menacing dragon-like head, it is startled. Just as it prepares to risk everything to devour the Qilin, Yun Zhuoran feels a sharp grip on his wrist, yanking him away and tossing him aside!

Yun Zhuoran quickly steadies himself and turns back, only to see Gu Shenshu locked in fierce combat with the Qilin. His tattered black robe flutters ominously where Yun Zhuoran had just stood.

The Qilin, now clearly at a disadvantage, lets out a roar of frustration and retreats. Its amber eyes, bloodshot with fury, gleam with hatred as it suddenly closes them. It seems to be preparing something drastic. The entire pool begins to tremble violently, and from the forest outside come the collective howls of countless monsters.

Demonic energy fills the skies, pressing down. Yun Zhuoran feels suffocated and quickly hangs a jade-like defensive artifact at his waist, one of immortal-grade quality, to suppress the discomfort. Out of the corner of his eye, he notices the edge of a black robe approaching.

“You…” Yun Zhuoran begins, but his words are cut off.

“It’s planning to die along with us,” comes a low whisper, laced with irritation. Gu Shenshu’s tone carries an undertone of mockery. Yun Zhuoran instinctively doubts him, but when he glances up, Gu Shenshu’s hand is already pressed onto his shoulder.

“You truly live up to being Gu Shenshu’s most beloved little disciple,” Gu Shenshu sneers, his red eyes cold and detached. “Even I can’t help but feel a twinge of fondness when I see you.” His tone is cutting, filled with sarcasm, and it leaves Yun Zhuoran stunned.

He’s talking as if Gu Shenshu is another person.
So he really isn’t Gu Shenshu.

It becomes clear—this is no longer the Gu Shenshu he once knew.

With a grim expression, Gu Shenshu says coldly, “This is no place for you. Don’t seek me out again. And if you get the chance, leave Tiandao Sect as soon as possible.”

Before Yun Zhuoran can respond, Gu Shenshu abruptly strikes his shoulder with a palm. The blow carries a trace of demonic energy—but it is surprisingly gentle. Strangely, it leaves Yun Zhuoran feeling more at ease than harmed. Yet, his body is already being propelled away from the pool, now shrouded in an overwhelming wave of demonic energy.

As Yun Zhuoran is forcefully flung back, he can only watch helplessly as Gu Shenshu’s figure dissolves into the growing black fog.

“Gu Shenshu!” he calls out, but his voice doesn’t reach him. Even with his cultivation at half-step fusion, Yun Zhuoran is powerless to intervene.

The black fog rapidly engulfs the nearby mountains and forests, its demonic and spiritual energies clashing in a chaotic storm.

By the time the dust settles, Yun Zhuoran finds himself in a dark, foreboding demon forest—nearly a hundred miles away from where the Qilin had been.

His face is grim, as dark as the forest around him. Suppressing his fury, Yun Zhuoran reaches into his sleeve and retrieves the heart demon hidden there. After confirming it is unharmed, he lets out a sigh of relief. However, his heart remains unsettled. He resolves to return and demand answers from Gu Shenshu—about what has truly happened to him after his fall. Yet, as he scans the surroundings with his spiritual sense, he realizes he can’t find the direction back.

As he hesitates, a loud shout suddenly breaks through the silence behind him.

“You liar!”

Startled, Yun Zhuoran turns toward the source of the voice. His spiritual sense is interrupted, and his expression darkens further. With icy determination, he opens his eyes, his gaze brimming with murderous intent.

A black-clad figure darts toward him, the boy’s movements filled with anger. It is Ji Ruo.

From a distance, Ji Ruo instantly recognizes Yun Zhuoran—there is no mistaking that striking silhouette. “There isn’t anyone else in the entire cultivation world with a back as annoyingly perfect as yours,” Ji Ruo mutters to himself, his ears reddening with irritation as his anger boils over.

“You actually dared to lie to me!” Ji Ruo yells, his voice trembling with outrage as he comes to a stop before Yun Zhuoran. “Yun Zhuoran, if you don’t give me an explanation today, don’t even think about leaving!”