When the Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Role Picks Up the Script - Chapter 52

After the two Tianqing Sect disciples mysteriously disappear, the Gu siblings also go missing. The Gu family members, anxious and desperate, search the entire mountain for them. However, after two hours, none of the cultivators who went out return.

Panic spreads throughout the camp. Even Master Jue Fei can’t identify the true culprit—how can the low-level cultivators possibly protect themselves? Many begin to regret ever coming to the Ten Thousand Beasts Forest.

The tense atmosphere, like a brewing storm, is suddenly shattered by the arrival of a man leading the fierce beast, Chimera. Fear grips everyone as they recognize the man—it is Shen Lingshu!

The first to suffer are the disciples of Tiandao Sect. The moment Shen Lingshu appears, the beast he brings back lunges at them. If Lu Qi doesn’t react in time and draw his sword, his junior brother would be swallowed whole.

Yet, just after saving his comrade, Lu Qi is stabbed in the back—by Shen Lingshu himself!

It is only then that the cultivators realize something is terribly wrong. Shen Lingshu isn’t just acting strangely—he is working with the beast.

The onlookers from other sects are stunned. Even the disciples of Tiandao Sect can’t believe their own eyes.

In the blink of an eye, two cultivators are gone—the Chimera devours them alive.

But a few victims aren’t enough to satisfy its hunger. The Chimera’s greedy eyes sweep over the crowd, searching for its next prey.

Soon, the camp is filled with screams of agony as casualties mount. Several young sect leaders have no time to save Lu Qi; they are too busy protecting the nearly one hundred cultivators scrambling to escape.

No one knows why Shen Lingshu focuses only on attacking Lu Qi. No—he has also targeted Gu Qiuming. But before he can land a decisive blow, Lu Qi engages him in combat.

However, Lu Qi is injured and slightly weaker than Shen Lingshu. Wounds accumulate on his body, and he begins to realize that something is seriously wrong with Shen Lingshu. Holding back, he tries not to harm him, but Shen Lingshu repeatedly tries to kill him.

This kind of fight can’t continue.

Finally, Lu Qi finds an opening to retreat. His once-pristine white robes are now soaked in blood.

Gu Qiuming hasn’t escaped with the others. Seeing Lu Qi break away, he hurries over.

Lu Qi observes Shen Lingshu in the distance, who is now frantically chasing after his natal spirit sword. Shen Lingshu is chasing the sword wildly, completely consumed by madness. Seeing this, Lu Qi feels a growing sense of unease.

Gu Qiuming, noticing the many sword wounds on Lu Qi’s body, clenches his fists in frustration. “What’s wrong with Senior Brother Shen?!”

Lu Qi meets Gu Qiuming’s anxious gaze but says nothing. His eyes, however, are filled with dark foreboding.

Just then, a breeze brushes past them.

“How’s the injury?” A familiar, cold voice reaches Lu Qi’s ears.

Both he and Gu Qiuming turn sharply toward the speaker.

It is Yun Zhuoran.

He has just returned from the back mountain, carefully tucking away the puppet dolls and securing the Mingguang Lock.

Before coming, Weiran had already informed him about what happened at the camp while he was helping Penglai Immortal recover. With a rough understanding of the situation, Yun Zhuoran had instructed Weiran to take advantage of the chaos and hide the puppet substitute in the woods. This way, when he arrived, he could retrieve the puppet without anyone realizing there had been two of him.

From Lu Qi’s and the others’ perspective, Yun Zhuoran had disappeared amid the chaos.

Now that they see him again, Lu Qi is anything but pleased. “Why did you come back?!”

Yun Zhuoran’s gaze lands on Lu Qi’s shoulder, where blood still pours from a gaping wound. His brows furrow. At that moment, Shen Lingshu, as if suddenly realizing the spirit sword is not Lu Qi himself, splits it apart with a single strike.

His attention snaps toward them, and he charges forward with reckless abandon.

Yun Zhuoran steps forward. “Tend to your wounds first.”

The moment Yun Zhuoran finishes speaking, Lu Qi and Gu Qiuming see a flash of white streak past them—Yun Zhuoran has disappeared, now directly confronting the rampaging Shen Lingshu!

“Brother Yun, don’t!” Gu Qiuming shouts, his heart pounding.

Shen Lingshu is the strongest among the younger generation. Even Lu Qi isn’t confident he can defeat him—let alone Yun Zhuoran, who has only just formed his golden core.

Lu Qi recalls his natal spirit sword, preparing to rush in and save Yun Zhuoran. But before he can move, the supposedly weak Yun Zhuoran, whom they thought needed protection, simply waves his hand—sending Shen Lingshu, who is charging at him with a sword, flying like a kite with a broken string!

Lu Qi and Gu Qiuming are dumbfounded.

Before they can even process what has happened, Yun Zhuoran throws out the Immortal Rope, effortlessly binding Shen Lingshu.

The two exchange glances, still reeling in shock.

Yun Zhuoran ignores their stunned expressions. Placing a hand atop the kneeling, struggling Shen Lingshu’s head, he attempts to purge whatever is controlling him. However, as time passes, his expression grows increasingly grave.

Lowering his hand, Yun Zhuoran gazes at Shen Lingshu, who is now writhing on the ground, with a complicated look.

The once bright and composed true disciple of Tiandao Sect’s master is now unrecognizable—his face twisted in rage, his eyes filled with wild, animalistic fury. He lets out a guttural roar, his gaze locking onto them with the hunger of a beast, as if he wants to tear them apart and devour them whole.

At this moment, he looks less like a man and more like a monster.

Lu Qi and Gu Qiuming step closer, both staring at Yun Zhuoran in disbelief.

Lu Qi is the first to regain his composure. He sighs at the sight of Shen Lingshu’s current state. “What’s wrong with him?”

Unconsciously, his tone carries a trace of trust in Yun Zhuoran.

Yun Zhuoran replies, “He’s been controlled by the beast and has lost his mind. He’s on the verge of becoming a demon.”

Gu Qiuming stiffens. His expression darkens with disappointment, though concern still lingers in his eyes. “What should we do?”

Before Yun Zhuoran can answer, a deafening roar erupts from the distance.

The beast besieged by the cultivators lets out a furious howl, and an overwhelming pressure—one comparable to a ninth-level monster—descends upon them like a crushing tide. The earth trembles, the mountain quakes, and the very air seems to fracture under the weight of its power. The barrier on the hill shatters instantly.

The weaker cultivators collapse on the spot, unable to withstand the force. Even those who are stronger struggle to stay upright.

Yun Zhuoran quickly forms a barrier to shield Lu Qi and Gu Qiuming, keeping them from being affected.

At the center of it all, Chimera is enraged by Jue Fei. The great monk, who has been blocking Chimera for some time, staggers back from the force. Though he is a powerful cultivator in the late Integration Stage, the beast’s pressure is immense. Blood trickles from the corners of his mouth, but he remains focused, continuing to cast a Buddhist seal to suppress the Chimera and the other rampaging beasts.

“You must leave! Find Penglai Immortal!” Jue Fei commands.

With the barrier shattered, countless demonic beasts begin swarming toward what was once a safe haven.

In front of them is the Chimera. Behind them, an endless tide of monsters. Where can they possibly escape to?

Yun Zhuoran doesn’t particularly like the people of Tianqing Sect, but seeing Jue Fei willingly sacrifice himself to buy time for everyone to escape stirs something in him.

He hesitates for a brief moment, just about to make a move—

Suddenly, a massive hill comes crashing down from the sky, slamming directly onto the Chimera!

With a thunderous boom, the entire mountaintop trembles violently.

From the fallen hill, abundant spiritual energy surges outward, washing over the battlefield and healing the wounded.

Yun Zhuoran’s eyes narrow as he recognizes the familiar energy. Understanding immediately, he looks toward the mountaintop.

Sure enough, atop the hill, a red figure stands.

Penglai Immortal sits atop the mountain, seemingly unaffected by the hill’s slight tremors as Chimera struggles beneath it. From his elevated position, he gazes down at the people below.

“Why are you still standing there? Take them to a safe place to hide.”

His melodious voice echoes across the mountain, carrying a commanding yet ethereal quality. The foreign monsters shudder in response, momentarily freezing before retreating en masse. Those who have just escaped death snap back to their senses and look up at him in awe and reverence.

Yun Zhuoran, however, is displeased. Penglai Immortal has barely recovered from his injuries, yet he is already forced to expend his spiritual power again…

Sensing his brother’s frustration, the heart demon gently rubs against his neck in silent comfort.

Jue Fei, still shaken by their miraculous salvation, takes a long moment to compose himself. Finally, he clasps his hands together and bows toward Penglai Immortal.

“Thank you—”

“Ah!”

A woman’s scream abruptly cuts him off, drawing everyone’s attention.

At some point, Shen Lingshu has broken free from the Immortal Rope. He now stands amidst the crowd, gripping a bloodstained sword, his dark eyes brimming with malice. Beneath his blade lies a female cultivator from Lingshan Sect, her back marred by a deep, fresh wound. Blood soaks her robes, spreading rapidly.

She hasn’t even realized what has happened—Shen Lingshu has managed to ambush her in an instant.

His first attack successful, he immediately turns on the surrounding cultivators in a frenzy.

This time, however, the others are more prepared. But Shen Lingshu’s strikes are far more vicious than when he chased Lu Qi earlier. Within mere moments, he has injured several people from different sects.

Jue Fei’s expression darkens. There is no way he can stand by and watch as Shen Lingshu runs rampant.

The vast gap in cultivation between them makes it effortless for Jue Fei to trap Shen Lingshu. Golden ropes materialize from light, instantly binding his limbs.

Yet, to Jue Fei’s shock, Shen Lingshu tears through the restraints as if they are nothing. Jue Fei has no choice but to strike again—this time, he aims to knock him unconscious.

But just as his attack lands, a brilliant golden light flares up around Shen Lingshu, reflecting the spell back! Though he staggers briefly, his rigid body quickly resumes its ruthless assault.

“Golden Light Protection!” Penglai Immortal, who has been observing from the mountaintop, suddenly stands up.

Jue Fei, too, is stunned.

The more Shen Lingshu attacks, the thicker the scent of blood grows in the air. The stench of violence and fear—emotions the Chimera thrives upon—seems to stir the beast. The mountain trembles more violently, as if resonating with the growing carnage.

Jue Fei works to restrain Shen Lingshu once again. But soon, he makes a troubling discovery: any attack strong enough to deal real damage to Shen Lingshu is absorbed by the protective golden light, while weaker attacks fail to restrain him at all.

Even now, though bound, he will break free again soon—he has already learned how to escape.

Jue Fei clenches his jaw in frustration. He wants nothing more than to abandon Shen Lingshu, but he can’t. Shen Lingshu isn’t just any cultivator—he is the heir Tiandao Sect has nurtured for years.

A cultivator might perish in battle, but to abandon one of their own? That would be unforgivable.

If they let Shen Lingshu die like this, Tianqing Sect will never survive the backlash from Gu Shenshu’s supporters.

Penglai Immortal and Yun Zhuoran have both noticed the unnatural golden glow protecting Shen Lingshu.

At last, Yun Zhuoran understands what it is.

Penglai Immortal, visibly irritated, snaps, “Stop wasting time. If you can’t kill him, destroy his spiritual veins!”

The golden light might keep Shen Lingshu alive, but it won’t protect his cultivation.

Jue Fei immediately grasps what Penglai Immortal means—but his hands tremble.

Even knowing it is the only solution, he hesitates. He doesn’t dare to make the move.

“Senior, he is Gu Shenshu’s apprentice—the future leader of Tiandao Sect…”

The ground beneath them trembles violently. The more fear and malice Chimera absorbs, the stronger and more ferocious it becomes. Even Penglai Immortal is struggling to suppress it—how can he possibly afford to care about Shen Lingshu’s identity?

“Then are you just going to stand there and watch him turn into a demon?”

Jue Fei hesitates, his gaze shifting to Shen Lingshu. He has already lost himself. As long as the Chimera lives, he will not regain his senses. If Jue Fei takes him away, he can’t guarantee the safety of his own people. If he leaves him behind, others will accuse Tianqing Sect of abandoning him. He is caught in a dire predicament.

But Penglai Immortal is right.

At the rate things are going, Shen Lingshu will fully succumb after just a few more kills. If that happens, he will become even harder to subdue. It is better to act now—while he is still alive.

Besides, if something happens to Shen Lingshu, the heir that Tiandao Sect has painstakingly nurtured, Jue Fei will bear the brunt of the blame simply for being present. No matter what he chooses, he won’t come out unscathed. He might as well listen to Penglai Immortal.

Decision made, Jue Fei lets out a deep sigh before placing his hand atop Shen Lingshu’s head.

“Shen Xiaoyou, don’t hold this against me. I’m acting out of necessity. This is for your own good.”