When the Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Role Picks Up the Script - Chapter 66

Yun Zhuoran and Weiran return in less than half an hour, along with Song Yun, who is outside gathering news. Penglai Immortal and Song Shao, who are talking in the lobby, look back and notice that everyone except Yun Zhuoran, who always maintains a stoic expression, appears unsettled.

Weiran’s face is gloomy, as if someone owes him a demon core, while Song Yun hangs his head listlessly.

Song Shao and Penglai Immortal exchange a look.

Song Shao quickly stands up to invite the two island masters to take a seat. He stands by and attentively pours tea but doesn’t dare to speak. He guesses that the young island master and the little island master likely fail to get what they want.

Penglai Immortal, who is lazily curled up in a wheelchair, sits up straight, carefully pulling at the ends of his snow-white hair. He speaks softly, “It’s fine if you didn’t get the floating order. There’s still another chance.”

Speaking of the floating order, Weiran replies sullenly, “That’s not it. We got it.”

Yun Zhuoran nods slowly and takes a sip of the spiritual tea that Weiran pushes toward him.

Penglai Immortal breathes a sigh of relief, and a gratified smile appears on his face again. “It’s good that you got it. I knew Xiao Zhuoran would succeed. Those demon cultivators are no match for you.”

But just when Penglai Immortal feels relieved, Song Yun, who is standing behind Yun Zhuoran and the others, silently places a jade talisman on the table. The pure white jade talisman, two inches long, bears none other than Song Yun’s name.

Seeing this, a lightbulb goes off in Song Shao’s head, and he exclaims in shock, “It was you who got it!”

Penglai Immortal’s eyes widen in disbelief.

Song Yun dejectedly lowers his head. “It’s me.”

For most cultivators, obtaining the floating order is akin to securing a place to enter the floating city — a reason for celebration. Yet for the Penglai group, Song Yun and Song Shao, who are “favored” by the floating order, find no reason to smile.

Song Shao immediately puts on a sympathetic expression but can’t help laughing to himself.

He knows he wouldn’t be the worst one. Somehow, Song Yun manages to obtain the floating order while gathering news — and he does so right under the noses of the two island masters!

Song Yun notices the gloating in Song Shao’s eyes, glares at him secretly, and then explains everything honestly to Penglai Immortal.

After hearing the story, Penglai Immortal’s initial frustration with Song Yun turns into complete confusion.

“The floating order… runs away on its own? Is that thing intelligent?”

“It’s a monster!” Weiran’s anger flares.

Before returning, Weiran tries to force Song Yun to hand over the floating order. Then, selecting a magic weapon from Yun Zhuoran’s storage ring, Weiran smashes it against the floating order with all his strength. Yet the floating order is protected by spiritual energy, and no matter how hard Weiran strikes, it remains undamaged. Instead, the large hammer Weiran picks out shatters into pieces.

Initially, Weiran even considers eating the floating order. After smashing the hammer, he’s so enraged that he almost devours the floating order on the spot. Yun Zhuoran stops him in time; otherwise, how could the item have escaped from Weiran’s stomach?

Thinking of Weiran’s stunned expression after breaking the hammer, Yun Zhuoran can’t help but laugh. Fortunately, he remembers to save face for Weiran, suppresses his smile in time, and shakes his head slowly. “It’s clear that someone is behind the floating order, and that person doesn’t want me involved.”

Penglai Immortal is surprised. “Gu Shenshu? But isn’t he your nominal master?”

Yun Zhuoran’s eyes flicker slightly. “The resurrected Gu Shenshu is no longer the same Gu Shenshu. I don’t know why he’s avoiding me, but the more he tries to hide, the more I want to go to the floating city. I want to see what he’s planning.”

Weiran clenches his fist angrily. “Brother is right! I want him to compensate me for the hammer!”

Yun Zhuoran turns around and sees Weiran’s eyes are red with anger. He raises his hand, rubs the little one’s head, and gently coaxes, “Go back to the room. Brother will pick out some better magic weapons for you.”

But this time, Yun Zhuoran makes a mental note to explain things clearly to Weiran. A bigger-looking magic weapon doesn’t always mean it’s more powerful. A small body like Weiran’s isn’t suited to wielding a rough weapon like a hammer.

With more than a month left until September 17th, Yun Zhuoran isn’t too concerned about missing the floating order this time. Regret won’t change anything.

This experience serves as a lesson. Since Gu Shenshu doesn’t want him to obtain the floating order, Yun Zhuoran knows he can’t be careless. Next time, he must act faster — before the floating order manages to escape.

Unfortunately, over the following half month, the demonic cultivators who obtain the floating order become increasingly elusive. They frequently change locations, making them difficult to track. Perhaps this is partly due to the righteous sects joining forces to purge Shengjing.

With Song Shao and Song Yun unable to go out, Yun Zhuoran is short on manpower and temporarily fails to locate any other demon cultivators who possess a floating order.

In the blink of an eye, August comes to an end, and a piece of news emerges — the third batch of floating orders, set to appear on the 7th of this month, only has 20 pieces.

This means that the floating order with the serial number 80 in Song Yun’s hand is the last one to have appeared so far. There are even some unverified rumors that reveal the names of the top ten holders. No one knows what the rankings mean yet, but this unclear information leads to repeated attacks on those so-called top ten individuals in the following days.

As a result, the sects of those cultivators are forced to focus on protecting their disciples. This diverts their efforts away from the ongoing purge in Shengjing.

If the ones spreading this news are indeed demon cultivators, it’s clear they are heavily impacted by the purge and deliberately seek to create trouble for the righteous path.

Once this information spreads, people begin to ask: who held the number one token?

However, aside from the first batch of cultivators who obtain floating orders, the individuals involved hide themselves well. It seems no one from the first batch possesses the floating order marked with serial number one.

Yun Zhuoran investigates the matter thoroughly. Song Shao and Song Yun use the Penglai secret method, which ensures they won’t be easily discovered. After nearly two months, Yun Zhuoran finally identifies those who acquire the floating orders in the first batch.

The result surprises him — not only is there no one with the first serial number, but the first seven floating orders are also missing. Out of the 23 floating orders that appear that day, none bear those numbers.

Yun Zhuoran begins to suspect that the serial numbers might not represent the order in which the floating orders appear.

Two days later, the puppet stationed at the Shen family delivers a message.

After a month, Shen Lingshu’s spiritual veins are repaired. With the assistance of several peak masters from Tiandao Sect and Shen Fu, he successfully cultivates back to the Foundation Establishment stage. However, due to lingering damage and hidden injuries, restoring his former Nascent Soul stage will take at least a century.

Yet, Shen Lingshu’s identity is no ordinary one. With so many people supporting him, if he encounters one or two lucky opportunities, that timeline could be drastically shortened. Even after spending a hundred years in the Ice Prison, Shen Lingshu will still emerge as a child of destiny.

After all, Gu Shenshu has only one true disciple.

It’s often said that predecessors plant trees for their descendants to enjoy the shade. Shen Lingshu is that fortunate descendant. The reputation and influence Gu Shenshu built over his lifetime have now fallen upon Shen Lingshu’s shoulders. Many are eager to help him.

Yun Zhuoran is also a disciple of Gu Shenshu, but as a nominal disciple rather than a true one — and on top of that, Yun Peiran’s younger brother.

When it comes to the Tiandao Sect’s inheritance, everyone in the sect agrees: unless Shen Lingshu makes an unforgivable mistake, no matter how flawed he is, they will still support him to inherit Gu Shenshu’s Tiandao Sect over Yun Zhuoran.

Most other sects also respect Gu Shenshu’s legacy, even though he has already passed away.

Tiandao Sect is willing to give Shen Lingshu a century to recover, reflect, and prepare to inherit the sect leadership once he emerges from the Ice Prison and entrust him with the sect’s leadership.

At the same time, they have not forgotten their intention to capture Yun Zhuoran, who previously escaped.

Yun Zhuoran’s wanted poster now occupies a prominent spot on the Heavenly Ranking — clear evidence of their determination.

During this period, Yun Zhuoran and Weiran have been living in Shengjing, occasionally wandering around. Each time they pass a notice board, they spot Yun Zhuoran’s wanted poster filling an entire page. Yun Zhuoran always ignores it, while Weiran rolls his eyes and mutters about how foolish those people are — chasing his brother everywhere, unaware that the very person they are looking for is right under their noses. Each time they meet Yun Zhuoran face-to-face, they still treat him with politeness.

If Tiandao Sect and Tianqing Sect knew about this, they’d likely be so enraged they’d cough up blood.

As September approaches, Yun Zhuoran finally discovers a demonic sect’s stronghold hidden in Shengjing’s western district. It’s an organized group — the demonic Star Sect — led by the sect’s young master.

Meanwhile, the 7th is approaching, marking the release of the final batch of floating orders. The exact number is still unknown. If they are lucky enough to seize one, they will have ten days to prepare before the Floating City opens.

Yun Zhuoran decides to wait.

If they provoke the Demonic Star Sect by stealing their floating order, they will undoubtedly be pursued by a horde of enraged demon cultivators.

This time, however, Yun Zhuoran is confident he can grab a floating order.

Everyone anxiously awaits the 7th, but on the 5th, an unexpected invitation arrives from the Shen family — Shen Fu has invited the leaders of the four major sects and the heads of various Shengjing families to gather at his residence.

This invitation is also sent to Yun Zhuoran, and the banquet is scheduled for the 7th day of the first lunar month. At first, many people laugh at the idea — who would give up the chance to snatch a floating order just to attend a banquet at the Shen family? But after reconsidering, no one declines the invitation.

Yun Zhuoran doesn’t refuse either.

No one knows what Shen Fu is thinking. Shen Lingshu has offended many people not long ago. He has only just repaired his spiritual veins, yet Shen Fu is now inviting various sects to a banquet in Shen Lingshu’s name. Isn’t he afraid others will bring up those past grievances?

Moreover, many people, including Yun Zhuoran, consider another possibility —

If everyone gathers at the Shen family, wouldn’t that make it a likely place for the floating order to appear, similar to Yunshan Academy? With more people gathered in one place, the chances of the floating order appearing could increase.

This idea is backed by past occurrences. The floating order first appears in Yunshan Academy Square, where cultivators are densely gathered at the time. While no clear pattern emerges from the following two appearances, those occur during a period when cultivators are scattered across Shengjing and mostly stay indoors. Yet even then, the floating orders appear in relatively crowded areas.

So, if Shen Fu dares to invite everyone to a banquet, others are equally willing to attend.

Yun Zhuoran suspects that the demon cultivators hiding in Shengjing can also predict this pattern. If most of the righteous path’s cultivators gather at the Shen family banquet, those demon cultivators will likely show up as well.

On the morning of the 7th, before the banquet even starts, the Shen family residence is already bustling with people.

When Yun Zhuoran and his group arrive, Shen Fu is personally welcoming guests at the entrance. The Shen family’s old residence is spacious, with large front and back courtyards and a martial arts training ground that can accommodate nearly a thousand people. This time, each sect brings along several disciples, adding up to over a hundred guests—not crowded at all.

Curious guests have already asked Shen Fu why he’s invited everyone. Shen Fu simply claims it’s to celebrate Shen Lingshu’s recovery and to help mend relations between Tiandao Sect and the other sects.

In any case, Shen Fu has the means to host such a grand event. Most of the guests are more interested in the possibility of a floating order appearing, so whatever excuse Shen Fu provides hardly matters—they are content to wait.

When Yun Zhuoran and Penglai Immortal arrive at the Shen family’s entrance, Shen Fu personally greets them.

In the eyes of many, the Penglai people are mysterious and aloof, rarely involving themselves in worldly affairs. Shen Fu knows how to handle such situations. After a brief exchange of greetings, he personally leads them to the flower hall.

Weiran, the heart demon, despises the Shen family. On the way inside, he clings to Yun Zhuoran’s arm with a scowl.

Since both Yun Zhuoran and Weiran wear masks, no one can see Weiran’s face. To others, it only appears that the little island master is unusually clingy, while Yun Zhuoran, typically cold and distant, seems surprisingly patient and gentle with him.

The flower hall is already nearly full. Shen Fu has arranged the Penglai people’s seats to the lower left of the first seat, following the same arrangement from the last Ten Thousand Immortals Conference. The opposite seat remains empty, likely reserved for the yet-to-arrive Tianqing Sect representatives.

“Father.”

As the group enters the flower hall, a clear voice calls from behind Shen Fu.

Turning around, they see a young man dressed in white entering the hall—Shen Lingshu. He looks well today. Compared to his previous worn-out state, he seems to have regained his former confidence and pride. His slender, upright figure stands tall like a pine tree, and his calm demeanor gives him the air of refined jade.

Before the incident in the Ten Thousand Beasts Forest, Shen Lingshu is always a prominent figure wherever he goes. But after that tragedy, the reputation he builds—and that of Tiandao Sect—dwindles. Now, appearing once more before the public, Shen Lingshu no longer commands the same respect. In the presence of the two distinguished island masters of Penglai and the revered Penglai Immortal, Shen Lingshu’s presence barely registers.

This period of hardship seems to have humbled him. The arrogance he once carries has faded, replaced by a calmer disposition. He bows respectfully to everyone present, then quickly steps to Shen Fu’s side, his eyes bright and clear.

“Young Island Master, you’re here too.”

Shen Lingshu greets Yun Zhuoran with a polite bow. His expression is warm as he addresses the Penglai group, showing newfound courtesy even toward Penglai Immortal, whom he hasn’t liked much before.

Weiran snorts and ignores him. Clinging to Yun Zhuoran’s hand, he whispers in his ear, “Brother, I’m so tired. Can’t I sit down now?”

It’s only when Shen Lingshu is around that Weiran acts this clingy, regardless of the situation.

Upon hearing this, Shen Lingshu isn’t angry at the little island master’s disregard but smiles instead. “The little island master is indeed as childish and cute as the rumors say. In that case, I’ll take you in and show you to your seats.”

The heart demon is stunned by the remark, and once he processes it, he’s furious and disgusted.

You’re cute! Your whole family is cute!

Just then, the Buddha Child from Tianqing Sect arrives. Shen Fu nods and offers a brief apology for any lack of hospitality before stepping away. Since this is the Shen family’s home, and Shen Lingshu is technically half a host, he gestures for the group to follow him. His demeanor is courteous but slightly overenthusiastic.

Still, since he’s hosting people from Penglai, this level of attention doesn’t seem inappropriate.

Yun Zhuoran gives a slight nod. “Thank you.”

Hearing the young island master finally speak, Shen Lingshu’s eyes light up with excitement. He tries his best to suppress his overwhelming joy and maintain what he believes is a calm and graceful demeanor as he leads the Penglai group to their seats.

Shen Lingshu can’t completely contain his emotions, though, and smiles as he walks. “Young Island Master, there’s no need to be so polite. It’s an honor for our Shen family to have you here.” He pauses, and just as Yun Zhuoran is about to help the heart demon sit down, Shen Lingshu looks at Yun Zhuoran with hopeful eyes and says softly, “Although the Shen family isn’t what it once was, we still have our foundations, and the scenery here is unique in Shengjing. If the young island master ever has time, the Shen family would be more than happy to welcome you as a guest.”

Yun Zhuoran instinctively feels that something is off—perhaps because Shen Lingshu seems a little too eager—so he replies calmly, “Young daoist Shen, you’re too kind.”

The heart demon’s mind races when he hears Shen Lingshu’s words. What does he mean by welcoming his brother to stay at the Shen family? Could it be that Shen…

He’s trying to lure my brother into staying here!

Absolutely not!

The heart demon scowls. He can’t let his brother become a guest at the Shen family’s home.

Seeing Shen Lingshu fixated on Yun Zhuoran with a gaze that reminds him of a hungry wolf, the heart demon immediately grows wary.

Is Shen Lingshu planning to deceive his brother with sweet talk, just like in that old storybook where he tricks his brother into marriage, only to later betray him? Could it be that Shen Lingshu recognizes his brother?

No way! The heart demon decides—he won’t let Shen Lingshu fool his brother!

So, as soon as Yun Zhuoran finishes speaking, the heart demon asks from behind him, “I heard your Tiandao Sect has been looking for someone lately.”

Shen Lingshu is delighted to finally speak to the young island master—not once, but twice. Hearing the Little Island Master’s offhand comment, however, makes him pause. Still, he forces a smile and plays along as if coaxing a child. “Indeed. A junior disciple of mine has gone missing.”

The heart demon sneers inwardly. Does Shen Lingshu think he can just gloss over the name Yun Zhuoran like that? Not long ago, he was practically begging for marriage, and now he’s just ‘my junior brother’?

Yun Zhuoran knows the heart demon is deliberately stirring trouble but doesn’t stop him. Instead, he glances helplessly at Penglai Immortal before quietly taking a seat beside him.

The heart demon feels reassured by his brother’s silent approval. Smiling, he presses on. “Really? I heard you care about your junior brother quite a bit.”

Yun Zhuoran glances at the heart demon, puzzled. He isn’t sure what point he’s trying to make.

But the heart demon knows exactly what he’s doing.

Shen Lingshu, sensing Yun Zhuoran’s gaze, suddenly grows anxious. Worried that the young island master might misunderstand, he quickly adds with a sigh, “He’s my junior brother. With Master gone, it’s only natural that I keep an eye on him. But I never expected him to… Perhaps I didn’t care for him enough before. Junior Brother Yun wants to find his brother more than I do.”

Yun Zhuoran raises an eyebrow. That… actually sounds reasonable.

Seeing that Shen Lingshu has fallen for the bait, the heart demon relaxes and leans back in his chair.

“Are you disappointed in your junior brother?” he asks. “Did he do something to wrong you?”

Shen Lingshu has been secretly observing Yun Zhuoran’s expression. Although the mask conceals his face, the young island master’s silence unsettles him. Forcing a bitter smile, Shen Lingshu replies, “He didn’t do anything wrong, but… his brother once killed our master. It’s not his fault, and I don’t know why he left.”

Feigning distress, Shen Lingshu keeps a close watch on Yun Zhuoran’s reaction.

“I’ve said too much,” Shen Lingshu says with a forced smile. “But since Junior Brother Yun made his own choice, I won’t interfere anymore. He left, so he should be responsible for what comes next.”

With just a few words, Shen Lingshu skillfully distances himself from Yun Zhuoran. After going over his words repeatedly in his mind, he feels certain there are no flaws—there’s no way the young island master would know he once sought to marry Yun Zhuoran, and instead would likely think Yun Zhuoran is simply ungrateful.

Yet despite feeling confident in his words, Shen Lingshu remains uneasy.

He truly doesn’t want the young island master to misunderstand. He has no lingering ties to Yun Zhuoran.

It’s Yun Zhuoran’s choice—his own choice!

But Shen Lingshu never expects that the young island master standing before him is Yun Zhuoran.

“Oh? So, you don’t care about him anymore? You have nothing to do with him, right?” the heart demon asks, blinking at Yun Zhuoran, eagerly hoping his brother will finally see that Shen Lingshu is a hypocrite.

“This is his choice.” Shen Lingshu neither nods nor shakes his head, but the bitter smile on his lips seems to suggest that Yun Zhuoran has let him down.

Hearing Shen Lingshu’s response, the heart demon nearly claps in satisfaction. Just as he’s about to hint at Yun Zhuoran, a cold chuckle reaches his ears—

“Heh.”

Heart Demon freezes. Was that… brother? Laughing at who?

The next moment, Heart Demon feels a sudden tightness at his waist as he’s pulled into a somewhat cool embrace. The familiar scent envelops him, making his eyes widen in shock.

When he looks up, sure enough, he sees the white jade mask covering Yun Zhuoran’s face.

Even though both island masters wear masks, their figures and temperaments seem otherworldly. Yet now, with the young island master holding the little island master in his arms, the surrounding crowd can’t help but gasp in surprise.

Aren’t they… a bit too close? Could this be some Penglai custom?

Countless shocked eyes fix on the pair. Shen Lingshu is among them, fortunate enough to have the best view—seated directly across from the two Penglai island masters. He’s so stunned that he forgets to speak.

All he can see is Yun Zhuoran, the very figure that has often appeared in his dreams recently, staring at him with eyes like frozen snow beneath his mask. The chill in his gaze carries a faint trace of a smile, unusually gentle—but not for him.

Yun Zhuoran barely spares Shen Lingshu a glance before lowering his head and speaking to the small figure nestled in his arms. “You ask too many questions. Young daoist Shen is busy. If you have anything to say, ask me.”

The tips of the heart demon’s ears turn red. Finally, he settles down obediently, nestling into Yun Zhuoran’s embrace. He doesn’t know why his heart is beating so fast or why his breathing feels heavier, but he’s undeniably happy!

Shen Lingshu stares at their closeness, his expression frozen. This little island master… is too clingy. No matter how much the young island master dotes on his younger brother, this still seems excessive…

Before his thoughts can wander further down an inappropriate path, Shen Lingshu forces himself to stop. They’re just brothers! Don’t overthink it!

As Shen Lingshu leaves in a daze, Yun Zhuoran watches the heart demon’s changing expressions with mild amusement. Slowly, he withdraws his hand, which has been pinching the soft flesh at the heart demon’s waist. Recalling the sensation just now, he thinks to himself, the little thing’s put on weight… He’s going to need to eat less at night.

Not that it matters, Yun Zhuoran sighs to himself. No amount of food can stop that chatty little mouth from running all day long.