When the Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Role Picks Up the Script - Chapter 43

Ji Ruo, who is usually skilled at bickering, finds himself utterly defeated by Li Jianming. Losing the upper hand, he shoots a secret glare at Yun Zhuoran before retreating to face the wall with flushed ears. Even Gu Qiuming’s face turns slightly red.

Li Jianming, undeterred, teases all three of them at once. Before Yun Zhuoran reacts, Li Jianming quickly shifts to a serious expression and begins recounting what he has encountered over the past few days. He also takes the opportunity to persuade Yun Zhuoran to stay with their group.

“The Ten Thousand Beast Forest is too dangerous right now,” Li Jianming explains. “It’s not suitable for anyone to travel alone.”

While Li Jianming is aware that Yun Zhuoran’s strength surpasses the early stage of the Golden Core realm, he is surprised to learn that Yun Zhuoran’s cultivation has already reached the half-step Integration stage.

Yun Zhuoran agrees to stay temporarily, waiting for the cultivators in the valley to rest. Once ready, they plan to head northwest to locate other sect disciples who are sending signal flares to rally cultivators. Among them might be Lu Qi and others.

Although Yun Zhuoran anticipates a delay of two or three days, the group sets out by noon the very next day.

During the gathering, Yun Zhuoran sees Luoying, the pride of the Lingshan Sect, for the first time.

The Lingshan Sect is predominantly female, with its disciples excelling in the Rainbow Garment Technique, a technique that combines medicine and alchemy. Another of the sect’s renowned techniques, the Great Derivation Technique, is said to be capable of deducing future events when mastered.

Luoying, the eldest senior sister of the sect, primarily practices the Rainbow Garment Technique. In just a few decades, she achieves the Nascent Soul realm. As a level-6 alchemist—on a ranking scale of nine levels—she becomes famous for producing high-level elixirs, which are constantly in demand.

As Yun Zhuoran and Ji Ruo are newcomers here, many of the cultivators in the valley can’t help but glance in their direction.

Yun Zhuoran remains indifferent to the attention, but Ji Ruo trembles as he hides behind him, afraid someone might recognize him as a demon cultivator. Regret briefly flickers in Ji Ruo’s mind as he wonders if traveling with Yun Zhuoran is a mistake.

Unexpectedly, Luoying begins walking toward them.

Yun Zhuoran, initially unfazed, notices her stopping directly in front of him. The corner of her water-blue robe comes into view as she greets him in a hoarse voice.

“Yun Zhuoran, Fellow Daoist Yun?”

Her words draw the attention of those nearby.

Yun Zhuoran bows politely. “Fellow Daoist Luoying.”

Luoying is not petite or delicate; she is tall and graceful, with a bright and confident demeanor. However, her injuries are evident, and her face is pale.

While Yun Zhuoran silently observes her, Luoying studies him as well.

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” she says. “I thought the rumors were exaggerated, but now I see that they’re true.” She hides her surprise quickly and cups her hands in greeting. “Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Yun.”

Yun Zhuoran frowns slightly. “Congratulations? For what?”

Luoying appears startled by his question but quickly regains her composure, forcing a faint smile. “Ah, I may have spoken out of turn.”

She nods to him and turns to rejoin her fellow Taoists not far away. Among them is a young woman from the Bai family in Shengjing, Bai Youtang, whose talent and cultivation stand out even among her peers.

As Luoying walks away, Ji Ruo peeks out from behind Yun Zhuoran and whispers, “That was weird. Do you think she’s trying to stir up trouble for you?”

Yun Zhuoran glances back at him, and Ji Ruo immediately falls silent, guilt written all over his face.

After packing up, the group leaves the valley. Yun Zhuoran and Ji Ruo, both of whom appear unsociable, quietly take up the rear. Meanwhile, Li Jianming and Gu Qiuming greet their fellow disciples before making their way to the back to find them.

It’s ironic—Li Jianming has no companions because of his knack for causing trouble, while Gu Qiuming sticks with him, not because he lacks friends, but because Li Jianming personally invites him along. Tiandao Sect has several disciples present, but even though they are aware of Yun Zhuoran’s arrival the night before, none of them approach him, maintaining a deliberate distance.

As soon as Li Jianming catches up to them, he eagerly asks, “Did Luoying talk to you just now?”

When Luoying arrived, Li Jianming was busy instructing his fellow disciples of the Kunwu Sword Sect from a distance. By the time he turned around, Luoying had already left. He holds his frustration in for a while but eventually runs over to question Yun Zhuoran the moment he gets the chance.

Yun Zhuoran, well aware of Li Jianming’s nosy tendencies, is unprepared for just how gossipy he can be. His distaste is plain on his face, and Li Jianming catches the look. Ignoring it, Li Jianming says, “I care about you! You know, Luoying used to like Shen Lingshu!”

From behind, Gu Qiuming and Ji Ruo overhear the conversation. Ji Ruo, who has been sulking moments ago, suddenly perks up, his interest piqued, and leans in to eavesdrop.

Li Jianming lowers his voice conspiratorially. “A while back, Shen Lingshu was seen frequenting the Lingshan Sect. There were rumors that Fairy Qingbo wanted to pair him with someone, but it didn’t work out in the end. Don’t dismiss it—female cultivators from Lingshan Sect were talking about it too. It’s 80% true!”

Yun Zhuoran frowns, still unsure how any of this involves him. “So, you’re saying Luoying might be angry at me because she was rejected by Shen Lingshu?”

Li Jianming blinks, startled by the question. After scratching his head for a moment, he says, “But Luoying isn’t the kind of person to hold a grudge over something like that… She’s been looking out for everyone in the valley these past few days. Honestly, I admire her a bit.”

“Then why are you asking?” Yun Zhuoran asks flatly.

“I’m just curious!” Li Jianming exclaims. “If you ask me, Shen Lingshu is a big troublemaker. I don’t like him at all. Luoying, though—she has talent and beauty. Whatever misfortune comes her way must have been balanced out by her good deeds bringing her some luck.”

A faint voice interrupts from behind. “Are you badmouthing his senior brother in front of Yun Zhuoran?”

Both Li Jianming and Yun Zhuoran turn to see Ji Ruo glaring at them, his expression dark.

Gu Qiuming steps in with a serious look. “Don’t start trouble. It’s just a joke. You’re wasting your breath arguing.”

“I wasn’t!” Ji Ruo protests.

Gu Qiuming replies bluntly, “You know you were.”

Yun Zhuoran can’t help but smirk at the unexpected squabble. He doesn’t expect Gu Qiuming to butt heads with Ji Ruo so easily.

Li Jianming shrugs and says, “This kid’s always scheming. You’d better watch out.”

“I’m not!” Ji Ruo snaps angrily, his face red with indignation.

But Yun Zhuoran nods in agreement, further infuriating Ji Ruo, who seems about ready to explode. The heart demon in Yun Zhuoran’s palm can’t stop laughing at Ji Ruo’s misfortune, inwardly thinking, Serves him right.

Meanwhile, a hundred miles away, a group of righteous cultivators stumbles upon a demon forest. Scattered throughout the area are the corpses of high-level demon beasts, each with their demon cores extracted.

Among the carcasses are several particularly ferocious beasts, their presence sending shivers through the group.

Lu Qi observes the scene and remarks, “It must be a senior cultivator with incredible power who passed through recently.”

Even Shen Lingshu, the most skilled among them, would struggle to take on so many demon beasts at once and still extract their cores with such precision.

Gu Qi exclaims in delight, “Could it be a senior who came to pick up Ji Ruo? They must be nearby! If we find them, we’ll be safe!”

A female cultivator beside him coughs lightly and says softly, “If that’s the case, it’d certainly be a blessing.”

Still cautious, Shen Lingshu examines one of the monster corpses in silence for a long moment before nodding to Lu Qi and the others. “This area is safe. Let’s rest here for now.”

If Ji Ruo is present, he would immediately recognize this forest—it is the same one they pass through before finding Li Jianming. The corpses littering the ground are the result of Yun Zhuoran’s handiwork.

Every six hours, a dazzling firework lights up the sky from the northwest. Within hundreds of miles, anyone paying attention can spot the bright signal piercing through the night.

Under Luoying’s leadership, more than thirty people from the valley travel toward the northwest for an entire day. When they see the golden light again, it shifts from the horizon to a lower position in the sky.

This means they are getting closer. Exhausted, the group stops to rest.

With Yun Zhuoran and the heart demon in their group, the faint aura of pressure they exude quietly scares off most of the monsters. However, to avoid suspicion, Yun Zhuoran occasionally allows weaker monsters to approach, which causes some cultivators to grow suspicious.

No one, except Ji Ruo, knows the truth. Ji Ruo, anxious and still wary of Yun Zhuoran, spends most of his time quarreling with Gu Qiuming.

Li Jianming, on the other hand, repeatedly expresses confusion about their journey. While the reduced number of monsters is certainly a blessing for their group—whose cultivation levels range from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core—it still feels unusual.

Yun Zhuoran, of course, has no intention of revealing the truth or exposing himself. Instead, he simply keeps silent.

Li Jianming, long accustomed to Yun Zhuoran ignoring him, doesn’t think much of it. In fact, he remains grateful in his own way, even if he can’t shake the nagging feeling that something isn’t quite right.

Not only do they encounter fewer monsters, but they also come across more spiritual herbs along the way. Just a moment ago, they stumble upon another seven-leaf fruit. Under Luoying’s leadership, everyone picks the spiritual herbs in an organized manner.

Li Jianming, however, doesn’t join in the harvesting. The seven-leaf fruit, being only a medium-grade spiritual herb useful for treating external injuries, doesn’t interest him much. Instead, he stands next to Yun Zhuoran, pats his shoulder seriously, and says, “I think you must be our lucky star.”

Yun Zhuoran raises an eyebrow, looking puzzled.

“Ever since you joined us, we haven’t encountered any danger on this road, and we’ve found so many high-quality spiritual herbs!” Li Jianming exclaims earnestly.

Yun Zhuoran, however, simply glances silently at Gu Qiuming and Ji Ruo, who are squatting nearby, busily digging up spiritual herbs.

It is true that Yun Zhuoran clears the monsters from their path, but the abundance of spiritual herbs is undeniably due to Gu Qiuming’s remarkable luck.

At that very moment, Gu Qiuming is digging up not a medium-grade seven-leaf fruit but a high-grade jade-colored Ganoderma lucidum. The plant, no larger than a baby’s palm, glimmers faintly with a purple hue under Gu Qiuming’s feet—a sign of incredible spiritual energy.

Once Gu Qiuming carefully unearths the Chalcedony Ganoderma, he immediately brings it back and offers it to Yun Zhuoran without a second thought.

Yun Zhuoran declines politely. “It’s of no use to me. You should keep it.”

Reluctantly, Gu Qiuming accepts the Ganoderma, though he can’t help feeling as though Yun Zhuoran deserves it more.

The group tacitly decides not to publicize the discovery, as it is Gu Qiuming’s personal opportunity.

After the cultivators return from collecting the spiritual herbs, they organize patrols, while many choose to rest on the spot. The group still has many wounded, and the journey has been grueling. Those who are sent ahead to scout return shortly after. Whatever they report to Luoying causes the expressions of several high-ranking cultivators around her to change noticeably.

Li Jianming, noticing the commotion, grows curious. Just as he is about to walk over, he sees Yun Zhuoran, who has been meditating nearby, open his eyes and press the black ball he holds in his arms.

“Out of breath?” Li Jianming asks casually.

Yun Zhuoran stays silent for a moment before glancing in Luoying’s direction.

Intrigued, Li Jianming goes to check out the situation and returns shortly after with an unusually serious expression. Picking up the spiritual sword resting against the tree root, he says to Yun Zhuoran, “Fellow Daoist Lin reported something strange in the forest thirty miles ahead. Two fellow cultivators went in to scout but haven’t returned. I’ll go take a look.”

Gu Qiuming and Ji Ruo look at him in surprise.

Yun Zhuoran asks, “You’re going alone?”

Li Jianming replies, “There are injured people here, and the others need to keep watch. Besides, I’ve got the Sword Intent Talisman from my master. I’ll be fine.”

Gu Qiuming says worriedly, “Senior Brother Li, please be careful.”

Li Jianming waves his hand with a reassuring smile.

At that moment, Yun Zhuoran stands up, still holding the black ball.

Li Jianming raises an eyebrow and asks teasingly, “Why? Are you seeing me off?”

Yun Zhuoran shoots him a glance. “Let’s go.”

Li Jianming grins, flashing his small tiger-like teeth, and follows with his sword in hand.

Gu Qiuming and Ji Ruo trail behind them—one worried about their brothers’ safety, the other unwilling to leave Yun Zhuoran’s side. Ji Ruo, especially, is nervous; if he is exposed as a demon among righteous cultivators, the consequences will be dire.

A quarter of an hour later, they reach the forest thirty miles away.

It is a dense jungle, with thick white fog spreading from its depths. Reports claim that the two missing cultivators have vanished here.

Li Jianming, leading the group, cautiously unsheathes his spirit sword. Yun Zhuoran brings up the rear, still cradling his heart demon.

He and the heart demon have sensed traces of demonic energy nearby earlier, but the energy dissipates by the time they enter the foggy forest. The demonic energy within the fog is so dense that Yun Zhuoran’s spiritual sense is restricted to a hundred feet, just enough to detect immediate threats. So far, there is no sign of anyone nearby.

As they venture deeper, the vegetation thins out. The ground beneath their feet shifts from soft soil to dry sand and gravel. The white fog grows denser, and soon, Li Jianming and the others can’t see more than a foot ahead. Instinctively, they move closer together.

Suddenly, Yun Zhuoran halts. “Don’t go any farther.”

Li Jianming turns to him. “What’s wrong?”

“There are people ahead,” Yun Zhuoran says, his brows furrowed.

Li Jianming’s eyes light up. “That’s good! I was starting to feel like we were in a ghost story. Is it the missing cultivators?”

Yun Zhuoran can’t confirm, as the demon fog obscures too much. “There’s more than one person,” he replies.

Ji Ruo, uneasy, instinctively grabs Yun Zhuoran’s sleeve.

In the distance, faint noises grow clearer—like the sound of footsteps crunching on sand and gravel, mixed with low murmurs of conversation.

Li Jianming and the others strain to listen, but just as they do, the noises ahead abruptly stop. Whoever is there has clearly noticed them as well.

After a moment of tense silence, a voice calls out from the fog, “Who’s there?”

The voice sounds… familiar.

Li Jianming frowns on the spot and calls out, “Shen Lingshu?”

There is a brief silence on the other side before a voice responds cautiously, “Li Jianming?”

Li Jianming exchanges a glance with Yun Zhuoran and shouts back, “It’s me! Who’s with you over there?”

The dense fog obscures visibility, making it impossible for either side to see the other clearly. Shen Lingshu whispers a few words to Lu Qi, who is with him, before replying, “Wait there, I’ll come over.”

Li Jianming, still wary, shouts, “I didn’t ask you to come over!”

Hearing Shen Lingshu’s name, Ji Ruo’s expression changes dramatically. Fear flashes across his face—he dreads being caught by Shen Lingshu but doesn’t dare to flee. Clinging to Yun Zhuoran’s sleeve, he whispers timidly, “You promised to help me find Ji Wuwang.”

A group of footsteps slowly approaches through the thick fog. Li Jianming draws his sword and blocks the way, shouting, “I said don’t come over! What are you doing?”

Shen Lingshu finds the situation puzzling. If the Li Jianming on the other side were an imposter trying to lure them closer, they would’ve been eager for him to approach. But instead, they seem just as cautious. This hesitation can only mean that the Li Jianming on the other side is also wary—and likely the real one.

Holding his long sword, Shen Lingshu advances cautiously, brushing the dense white fog aside with his sleeve. As the fog clears, the figures ahead become visible. The man standing at the front is indeed Li Jianming.

Relieved, Shen Lingshu turns his attention to the people behind Li Jianming—and his face darkens.

“Ji Ruo! Let go of my Junior Brother Yun!”

The words have barely left his mouth when his flying sword shoots toward Ji Ruo.

No one expects Shen Lingshu to attack without warning.

Ji Ruo, startled, quickly lets go of Yun Zhuoran’s sleeve and retreats just in time to avoid the blade.

Shen Lingshu closes the distance in a flash. Ji Ruo glances at Yun Zhuoran, eyes filled with resentment, but the latter remains indifferent. Feeling wronged, Ji Ruo summons his magic sword and prepares to fight.

However, the disparity in strength is too great. The clash is over as quickly as it begins—Ji Ruo is defeated almost instantly.

Shen Lingshu attempts to capture Ji Ruo, but the latter reacts quickly, twisting and turning in an attempt to escape. In the struggle, Shen Lingshu manages to grab Ji Ruo’s mask and tear it off.

Ji Ruo’s face is revealed.

For a moment, Shen Lingshu freezes, his attention locked on Ji Ruo’s uncovered face.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Ji Ruo breaks free and slaps Shen Lingshu across the face with all his strength.

“Asshole! I’ll chop off your hand!”

The sharp sound of the slap echoes through the forest. Yet Shen Lingshu doesn’t retaliate. He simply stares at Ji Ruo, completely stunned.

Not far away, Li Jianming, Gu Qiuming, and Yun Zhuoran have also noticed the commotion. When they see Ji Ruo’s face, they too are momentarily struck dumb.

Ji Ruo is very young, barely a teenager. His face still carries a hint of baby fat, but it is undeniably beautiful—almost too beautiful. His smooth, fair forehead bears a vivid red crabapple blossom mark, a magical pattern that adds an exotic, demonic allure to his appearance.

It is a face that seems almost otherworldly, slightly feminine, and delicate enough to resemble a little girl’s at first glance. But what shocks everyone isn’t just Ji Ruo’s striking beauty—it is something else entirely.

Li Jianming stares at Ji Ruo’s face, then turns to look at Yun Zhuoran. His voice is filled with confusion as he asks, “Yun Zhuoran, why does Ji Ruo look so much like you?”

In truth, Ji Ruo only bears a passing resemblance to Yun Zhuoran—perhaps 30% at most. Their temperaments and gazes are completely different.

Yun Zhuoran ignores the heart demon’s faint displeasure at Ji Ruo and responds coolly, “Does he?”