When the Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Role Picks Up the Script - Chapter 44

When Li Jianming gets a clear look at Ji Ruo’s face, he immediately understands why Ji Ruo wears a mask—it’s because he looks too much like a little girl.

Yun Zhuoran finally accepts the possibility of their supposed blood relation. Apart from Yun Peiran, Ji Ruo is the only other person he has seen in recent years who resembles him so closely.

At this moment, Ji Ruo panics.

In a burst of anger, he slaps Shen Lingshu across the face. The instant his hand lands, fear overtakes him, and he quickly snatches back his mask before running toward Yun Zhuoran.

“You said you would help me!” Ji Ruo shouts.

But Yun Zhuoran remains calm. “I never said I’d help you,” he replies evenly.

It has only been a deal—the condition is to lead Ji Ruo to Ji Wuwang, not to assist him.

Ji Ruo glares at Yun Zhuoran, his hatred evident. He wants to accuse Yun Zhuoran of betrayal, but when he opens his mouth to speak, no sound comes out. Startled, he touches his throat, then turns his furious gaze to Yun Zhuoran. “You did this, didn’t you!”

The memory of that day resurfaces—when Yun Zhuoran patted him on the shoulder after retrieving the demon cores…

Ji Ruo grows so furious that the corners of his eyes redden, his beautiful yet eerie face contorted with rage.

Everyone nearby watches as Ji Ruo vents his anger on Yun Zhuoran. The tension brings them all back to their senses.

Shen Lingshu, still somewhat confused, sheaths his sword and approaches cautiously. He sees Ji Ruo hiding behind Yun Zhuoran and seems to piece things together.

“Did Ji Ruo hurt you?” he asks.

Yun Zhuoran answers honestly, “No. I met Ji Ruo earlier in the Ten Thousand Beast Forest. The place was too dangerous, so we traveled together. He said he was looking for a companion named Ji Wuwang, who’s also a demon cultivator.”

Ji Ruo stares at Yun Zhuoran, horrified at how casually he is being sold out. Yet, he is still unable to explain the truth himself.

Shen Lingshu doesn’t press the issue. Instead, he glances at Ji Ruo, then back at Yun Zhuoran, as if hesitant to look at Ji Ruo for too long. In a much gentler voice, he says, “Then let’s keep him with us for now.”

Yun Zhuoran is taken aback. He looks at Shen Lingshu, surprised by the sudden change in attitude, but nods slowly. “Alright.”

Ji Ruo is stunned. Has he just been let off the hook?

Shen Lingshu sighs in relief, then turns to Yun Zhuoran with an apologetic expression. “During the beast tide, everything fell into chaos. It was my fault for failing to protect you properly. Have you been alright these past few days?”

Before Yun Zhuoran can respond, Li Jianming interrupts the oddly gentle exchange. “Hold on a moment! There should be others nearby. Why don’t we bring everyone over to meet up?”

Shen Lingshu seems to remember something. Raising his voice, he calls out, “It’s safe here. Come over!”

As Shen Lingshu busies himself with rounding up the others, Yun Zhuoran exchanges a glance with Li Jianming. Both of them let out a subtle sigh of relief.

Yun Zhuoran finds Shen Lingshu’s uncharacteristic kindness unsettling, while Li Jianming simply can’t stand the overly tender interactions. They’re all men—why act so clingy?

Soon, Lu Qi and the others arrive. In total, there are ten people—a little less than half their original group—but they’re in relatively good condition. Only two are injured, thanks to the protection of three Nascent Soul cultivators.

Li Jianming can’t help but feel envious. “You have three Nascent Soul cultivators and only one injured person. Meanwhile, I’ve got nearly 40 wounded. This distribution is totally unfair!”

Shen Lingshu and Li Jianming aren’t close, but they share a superficial friendship. Taking the opportunity, Shen Lingshu asks about Li Jianming’s situation.

Li Jianming doesn’t hold back, explaining their predicament. They only have one Nascent Soul cultivator, and even he is injured. While they’ve been lucky to avoid monsters in the past two days, their luck might run out. Reuniting with Shen Lingshu’s group is becoming increasingly necessary.

While they talk, Lu Qi, who seems a little out of place, comes over to find Yun Zhuoran. It appears that both he and Shen Lingshu are unaware that the unconscious Yun Zhuoran they encountered earlier was merely a puppet. Instead, they assume that Yun Zhuoran and Ji Ruo disappeared together.

So, when Lu Qi sees Ji Ruo hiding behind Yun Zhuoran, his gaze turns noticeably colder.

Meanwhile, Shen Lingshu and Li Jianming quickly reach an agreement. After consulting with everyone, they decide to follow Li Jianming to join the main group. Shen Lingshu also speaks up to help explain Ji Ruo’s presence: “Let’s keep him with us for now. We’ll wait for a senior to come and pick him up.”

Li Jianming and the others are still unaware of certain details, so Shen Lingshu elaborates: “The last time Master Ji was captured, I had already notified the seniors to come into the Ten Thousand Beasts Forest. When the beast tide broke out, some of them must have entered. Just yesterday, we passed through a forest and found that many high-level monsters had their demon cores removed. I believe one of the seniors is responsible.”

Upon hearing this, Ji Ruo instinctively looks at Yun Zhuoran—the real culprit. Yun Zhuoran feigns mild surprise and lets go of the little black ball, which leaps toward Ji Ruo, startling him.

Ji Ruo pats his chest, trying to calm down, and secretly curses Yun Zhuoran for being such a hypocrite and a miser!

Li Jianming and Gu Qiuming, on the other hand, are visibly relieved.

After days of seeing their comrades injured or killed and being trapped within the barrier of the Ten Thousand Beasts Forest, they have grown despondent. Now, with the knowledge that a senior cultivator has entered the forest, hope is reignited, and they can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

At this moment, a female cultivator in white, standing near Shen Lingshu, asks, “I recognize Fellow Daoist Li, but who are these two?” She’s looking at Yun Zhuoran and Gu Qiuming.

It’s obvious that Shen Lingshu and Lu Qi are more familiar with Yun Zhuoran. Gu Qiuming has also respectfully approached the two brothers earlier, which hints at their connection. Just by their robes, it’s clear that they’re from the same sect.

“He’s the Yun Zhuoran we mentioned earlier!” A loud, cheerful voice interrupts—it’s Shen Xi. She adds with a teasing tone, “He looks amazing, doesn’t he?”

Her tone sounds as though she’s showing off a prized treasure.

Shen Lingshu coughs lightly, and Shen Xi immediately shuts her mouth, retreating to stand beside Shen Man.

When Shen Man sees Yun Zhuoran, she carefully reduces her presence, as if afraid of being noticed.

Shen Lingshu smiles faintly. “This is my Junior Brother Yun,” he says, introducing Yun Zhuoran. Not forgetting Gu Qiuming, he adds with a meaningful glance at the young cultivator behind the female cultivator, “This is Gu Qiuming, an inner disciple of the Tiandao Sect. He has remarkable talent, and several peak masters hold him in high regard.”

The smiles on the female cultivator and Gu Qi’s faces instantly freeze, and Gu Qiuming’s expression turns unusually cold.

Yun Zhuoran, curious about the tension, glances at Shen Lingshu, who continues with introductions.

“This is the eldest miss and young master Gu of the Shengjing Gu family,” Shen Lingshu explains, referring to the female cultivator and another person nearby. “The reason we successfully captured the plague monster from Young Master Ji last time is thanks to the Gu family’s treasure mirror.” Without elaborating much, he shifts the focus to another Nascent Soul cultivator in the group, who is from the Baili family—the fourth-ranked family in Shengjing.

It seems clear that Miss Gu and Young Master Gu hold grudges against Gu Qiuming. Some time ago, Young Master Gu attempts to join the Tiandao Sect but is sent back to the Gu family in disgrace. The accusation? He allegedly tries to kill Gu Qiuming.

The Shengjing Gu family originally has close ties to the Tiandao Sect, as they are relatives of the Sect Master, Gu Shenshu. However, the family’s ruthless behavior leads even the mild-mannered Sect Master to sever ties with them.

Understanding Shen Lingshu’s words, Yun Zhuoran realizes there is little reason to concern himself with the Gu family members.

Most of Shen Lingshu’s traveling companions appear to be from prestigious Shengjing families, with one exception. Before Shen Lingshu can introduce him, a man steps forward eagerly.

“Friend Yun, do you still remember me?” Song Shao asks enthusiastically, rubbing his hands together. “I didn’t expect to meet you again so soon. How have you been these days?”

For some reason, everyone in Shen Lingshu’s team wears strange expressions. They all have the same thought: Is this really the cold and aloof Song Shao who’s been distant and unapproachable all this time?

Even Yun Zhuoran feels that Song Shao’s enthusiasm is over the top. However, when Yun Zhuoran glances down and sees the puppet hanging at his waist, realization dawns. He exchanges a quick look with Song Shao, and the two seem to understand each other instantly.

It turns out that Song Shao secretly takes the puppet earlier, which explains why Shen Lingshu and the others don’t notice its absence.

After everyone introduces themselves, Li Jianming hurriedly reminds the group of their priority: finding the two missing Taoist friends.

The white fog enveloping the forest is dense, making it easy to lose one’s way. Shen Lingshu’s group already wanders aimlessly for two hours before meeting up with Li Jianming’s team. Thankfully, Li Jianming leaves marks along the way to retrace their steps.

As they continue forward, the lush grass and trees gradually give way to barren ground. A thick fog blankets the area ahead. A faint sound carried by the wind makes the group pause, hesitant to move forward.

Song Shao suddenly raises his hand, signaling them to stop.

“Wait. Let me take a look,” he says.

Song Shao is from Penglai, and though his cultivation level is clearly high, it is unclear whether he has reached the Nascent Soul or Golden Core stage. He never reveals this himself, and none of them ever see him in action.

Curious, everyone turns to watch him. Song Shao doesn’t disappoint. He gives Yun Zhuoran a warm smile before pinching his fingers together to condense a glowing red spiritual light. With a flick of his wrist, several small paper figures appear and fall to the ground. Instead of being swept away by the wind, the figures transform into lifelike little girls with buns in their hair.

This display of skill leaves everyone wide-eyed with amazement. The paper figures are so realistic that even their eyes move naturally.

Song Shao lightly scolds, “Go!”

The four paper figures spring into action, darting into the white mist ahead.

“I thought it would be something more impressive. That’s it?” someone whispers behind Yun Zhuoran.

Yun Zhuoran turns around silently, his gaze sharp. Ji Ruo, noticing this, quickly purses his lips and blinks at Yun Zhuoran as if to say, It wasn’t me who said that.

If not you, then who else? Yun Zhuoran thinks, but he is too lazy to pursue the matter.

Meanwhile, Song Shao stands still, waiting for the paper figures to report back. When they don’t return, he lightly touches his fingers to his brow, closing his eyes in concentration. A faint watery red light emanates from his fingertips, casting a soft glow over his jade-like skin.

No one dares disturb him as they wait in silence. Finally, Song Shao opens his eyes, lowers his hand, and announces, “There’s a clearing up ahead. It’s open and flat. I saw two people lying on the grass. They’re still breathing.”

“That must be the people we’re looking for,” Li Jianming says, unsheathing his sword as he leads the way.

The rest of the group doesn’t wait for Song Shao’s confirmation and quickly follows. Song Shao silently trails behind Li Jianming, blending in with the group.

When they reach the clearing, the fog thins significantly, and the two figures lying on the grass become clearly visible.

Li Jianming and Gu Qiuming immediately recognize the two. Carefully, they help the unconscious pair to their feet, confirming their identities. Both are alive but unresponsive.

Yun Zhuoran stays back, waiting at a distance. Ji Ruo, despite his irritation with Yun Zhuoran, doesn’t dare leave his side. He fears being caught alone by overzealous righteous cultivators who might mistake him for a threat and take his life. Adding to his unease, Lu Qi is also nearby, keeping a wary eye on him.

Amid the tension, a faint fragrance wafts through the air, blending with the smell of dry grass. The heart demon at Yun Zhuoran’s waist stirs, sniffing curiously.

Yun Zhuoran glances down and coaxes softly, “You can’t eat right now.”

The heart demon’s voice pipes up, “No, it smells so good here.”

Yun Zhuoran frowns slightly, raising an eyebrow. Whatever fragrance the heart demon is sensing, it definitely isn’t what Yun Zhuoran is imagining.

The heart demon speaks again, “It’s the smell of demonic energy.”

Yun Zhuoran’s spiritual sense can only extend to a radius of 100 meters, but he has never doubted the heart demon’s ability to detect demonic energy. “Can you locate the source?”

“Too faint.”

The heart demon slowly floats out of Yun Zhuoran’s palm, drifting in the direction of the faint fragrance in the air. Yun Zhuoran moves sideways to block it from view, but he doesn’t anticipate the heart demon floating directly behind Ji Ruo.

Ji Ruo, noticing Yun Zhuoran suddenly standing behind him, turns around in confusion—only to see a dark, sinister-looking black orb hovering just a foot away from his heels.

Startled, Ji Ruo frantically waves his hands. “It’s not me! I didn’t do anything!”

Yun Zhuoran remains silent, his gaze steady as he bends down to pick up the heart demon. Ji Ruo, however, can’t shake his unease. He fears Yun Zhuoran will blame him for something—after all, in his eyes, Yun Zhuoran is perfectly capable of framing him.

But Yun Zhuoran pays him no mind. Holding the heart demon in his arms, he turns his attention to the others, who are still busy tending to the injured.

Ji Ruo, after a moment of hesitation, lets out a sigh of relief and decides to sneak behind Yun Zhuoran, using him as a shield. Feeling a sense of safety, he relaxes—until Lu Qi follows him.

Lu Qi trails close by, keeping a suspicious eye on Ji Ruo as if watching a thief.

Grinding his teeth in frustration, Ji Ruo mutters under his breath, “Fine, I’ll endure this.”

Unbeknownst to the others, the heart demon has already pinpointed the source of the demonic energy—it’s directly beneath Yun Zhuoran’s feet.

As the heart demon moves closer, its excitement grows. The energy is incredibly pure, and it whispers eagerly, “Brother, there’s something under here! It smells delicious!”

Yun Zhuoran glances down, seeing through the heart demon’s clumsy ploy. While the others are distracted, he pushes aside the dry grass underfoot and uncovers a black-and-purple magic bead buried in wet mud.

The bead, unused, emits only a faint trace of demonic energy.

The heart demon practically drools. “It smells so fragrant and sweet!”

Without hesitation, Yun Zhuoran crushes the bead under his foot, scattering its energy instantly.

The heart demon freezes in shock.

Yun Zhuoran brushes off the remnants with a hand and says, “It’s too dirty. I’ll find you something better to eat later—when no one’s watching.”

Though disheartened, the heart demon can’t argue. It rubs against Yun Zhuoran’s palm, secretly sneaking two tiny sips of the lingering demonic energy before letting out a wistful sigh.

“Fine,” it murmurs.

Meanwhile, the two unconscious cultivators remain unresponsive, even after most of the demon poison has been removed. With no other options, the group decides to carry them back.

“This isn’t a place to linger. Let’s move,” Shen Lingshu commands. Most of the group nods and prepares to leave—except for Song Shao, who hesitates.

Just then, shadows begin to materialize around the clearing. Before the figures draw near, a hoarse, low laugh echoes ominously through the wasteland.

“Leaving so soon? Are you blaming me for not welcoming you properly?”

The chilling laughter reverberates in the empty space, sending shivers down their spines. The group quickly realizes the shadows are demon cultivators, their auras potent and unmistakable—each at least at the Golden Core stage. The oppressive weight of the leader’s laughter alone confirms the danger.

It’s a trap.

Through the veil of light mist, a black-robed figure stands in the distance, refusing to come closer. He casually tosses a magic bead in his hand, his glare sweeping over the group.

“Don’t move,” the man warns, his voice calm but menacing. “You’re standing within a formation I carefully crafted. If someone carelessly activates it, I can’t promise you’ll leave here intact.”

Hearing his voice, both Yun Zhuoran and Ji Ruo freeze, their expressions darkening. A single name flashes in their minds—

“Ji Wuwang!” Ji Ruo exclaims excitedly, ready to rush forward and greet him. But before he can take a step, Yun Zhuoran firmly presses his shoulder, rendering him completely immobile and speechless.

Ji Ruo glares at Yun Zhuoran indignantly. How shameless!

Yun Zhuoran, unbothered, graciously accepts the accusation with a smirk.

Shen Lingshu keeps his composure and gestures for his companions to calm down. He calls out, “You go to great lengths to set up this trap and lure us here. What is it that you want?”

Ji Wuwang’s voice, slow and laced with malice, carries over the wasteland. “I’m looking for someone named Shen Lingshu. That’s you, isn’t it? I’ve been observing for a while and heard them calling your name. Our young master wishes to meet you. To fulfill his wish, you’ll come with me. In return, I’ll spare your life and let your companions go.”

Ji Ruo’s eyes widen in disbelief. Ji Wuwang is this nice to me? Impossible!

The rest of the group, unaware of who Ji Wuwang is or the identity of his mysterious young master, stands their ground. Gu Jinping immediately steps forward and rebukes, “Impossible! Senior Brother Shen will never go with you!”

Ji Wuwang, however, doesn’t play by the rules. Hearing the Gu family’s eldest lady’s firm rejection, he sighs in disappointment, clenching the magic bead in his hand. “Very well. Activate the formation.”

At his command, the demon cultivators respond in unison. Without hesitation, they begin activating the formation. In several directions, the demon cultivators hold magic beads that glow a dazzling red when infused with true essence. Blood-red light slowly emerges beneath everyone’s feet, forming a massive, intricate formation.

The group stands stunned.

So direct? No negotiations?

Some people turn to glare at Gu Jinping, silently blaming her for her impulsive words.

The formation’s blood-red light illuminates everyone’s faces in eerie crimson. Ji Ruo, still trapped under Yun Zhuoran’s grip, grows red with frustration but can’t break free. Meanwhile, the righteous cultivators are already preparing to make their escape.

But just as the formation’s glow intensifies, the red light abruptly begins to fade. The energy seeps into the ground, and the demonic spirits that had emerged are drawn back into the magic beads held by the demon cultivators. Moments later, the formation flickers out entirely.

Darkness and silence return to the wasteland.

Both the righteous cultivators and the demon cultivators stand in stunned confusion. No matter how much energy the demon cultivators pour into the magic beads, the formation refuses to respond.

Ji Wuwang, seated leisurely on a black stone as he waits for the activation, finally furrows his brow. He, too, is perplexed.

Shen Lingshu breaks the awkward silence. “Is your formation… broken?”

Ji Wuwang’s expression darkens. Determined to resolve the issue himself, he tosses his magic bead into the formation and ignites it with demonic energy. Sure enough, the formation briefly lights up, but after two faint flashes, the spiritual light dims and extinguishes once more.

Ji Wuwang’s face turns grim as he realizes the problem.

“You destroyed the formation eye?”

His voice carries an icy chill, and the righteous cultivators exchange confused glances. Formation eye? What formation eye?

Ji Wuwang, however, knows exactly where it had been buried. Raising a finger, he points in its direction and declares, “It’s you!”

Shen Lingshu, startled by the accusation, instinctively sidesteps. But Ji Wuwang isn’t pointing at him.

As everyone shifts back, the accusing finger finally lands on Yun Zhuoran, standing at the rear.

Yun Zhuoran quickly pieces it together. The inconspicuous magic bead he destroyed earlier is actually the formation’s eye. Either Ji Wuwang underestimated the righteous cultivators or never intended to kill them in the first place.

Otherwise, this formation is far too simple.

Uninterested in further entanglements, Yun Zhuoran calmly cradles the heart demon in his arms and steps aside, revealing Ji Ruo behind him.
“Young Master Ji, isn’t it you?”

As Yun Zhuoran releases him, Ji Ruo regains his mobility—only to immediately face the accusation!

Ji Ruo grits his teeth, exasperated, and bursts out, “Yes! It’s all me! Is that good enough for you?!”

His face turns red with anger as he stomps his foot. So infuriating!