When the Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Role Picks Up the Script - Chapter 72

As soon as the gate of the floating city opens, the Heart Demon tightly grasps Yun Zhuoran’s hand. He is uneasy, afraid of being separated from his brother. However, no matter how much he tries to prevent it, he can’t stop the sudden burst of spiritual light from the gate. His vision darkens, and after a moment of intense dizziness, he quickly regains his senses. When he opens his eyes, he is surrounded by the rich fragrance of flowers.

Stunned, the Heart Demon hurriedly looks around.

In the dark night, countless colorful peonies bloom at his feet, forming a sea of flowers stretching no less than an acre wide. A vermillion corridor slants across the floral expanse, its glass lanterns casting a warm glow that extends to the pavilions and towers in the distance, illuminating the entire scene. Yet, the Heart Demon stands alone in this vast sea of flowers, which can only mean one thing—

“My brother is gone!”

The red hem of his robe brushes against the peony petals. The flowers at his feet are a hindrance, so he carefully steps through the gaps between the blossoms, his brows slowly furrowing. In the next instant, he transforms into black mist and reappears on the corridor. Anxiously, he rushes forward, searching the entire sea of flowers along the corridor. But no matter how thoroughly he looks, he remains alone—his brother is nowhere to be found.

Frustrated, the Heart Demon snaps a branch of water-red blossoms.

The silence around him feels unnatural, as if something lurks in the darkness, watching.

Crouching under the corridor, he plucks petals one by one, venting his grievances. Just then, he hears a noise in the distance. He immediately turns around, dark eyes flashing with cold vigilance. A moment later, he sees the source of the disturbance—a young man in a blue-gray robe running toward him. Behind him, seventy or eighty strong men dressed in similar attire give chase.

A moment ago, the Heart Demon was certain he was the only person in the sea of flowers. Yet, these people appear out of thin air right before his eyes.

His fingers tighten around the flower branch in his hand. As the young man in plain robes stumbles closer, the Heart Demon slowly rises to his feet, his gaze wary. But just as he is about to react, the young man trips and falls hard in a pavilion not far from him. He seems to have landed painfully—his already pale face turns even whiter, and he remains on the ground, unable to get up.

The group of pursuers quickly catches up, grabbing the young man and beating him mercilessly. His pained cries echo through the pavilion, the brutal force of the blows evident.

The Heart Demon is momentarily stunned, then settles in to watch the spectacle with interest.

As the young man gasps for mercy, one of the men kicking him curses, “If not for the master’s generosity, would you even have the chance to step foot in the Peony Garden? He gave you food and shelter, took pity on your weakness, and only asked you to tend to the flowers. And yet, you dared to steal the rare blooms he painstakingly acquired!”

Another man spits, “An ungrateful wretch! Beating you to death wouldn’t be too much!”

With that, he delivers a vicious kick, sending the young man tumbling beneath the corridor. His bruised face is smeared with dirt, his former fairness completely lost. He remains motionless, unconscious.

Fortunately, they haven’t beaten him to death. Seeing that he has passed out, they tie him up and carry him away, dragging him toward the towering buildings in the distance while continuing to curse. Strangely, they seem oblivious to the Heart Demon standing nearby.

Watching their retreating figures, the Heart Demon glances at the brightly lit pavilion in the distance. If there are people there, perhaps his brother is among them. Tossing aside the flower branch, he silently follows.

The manor is vast, overflowing with flowers of every hue. The Peony Garden is not far from the pavilion. The men carrying the unconscious youth move swiftly, clearly not ordinary people. But since they appeared out of nowhere right under his nose, the Heart Demon has no reason to consider them ordinary.

It is a pity, though—these men have neither yin energy nor demonic aura. Not even a trace of human scent. There is nothing for him to consume.

With a sigh, the Heart Demon continues to follow them toward an opulent flower hall, the air thick with floral fragrance.

Above the exquisitely carved rosewood doors, three gilded characters gleam in iron strokes:

Peony Garden.

Beneath the flower building lies a spacious hall, open on all four sides for ventilation. Gold and silver gauze curtains hang at the entrance, and the glass lanterns inside shine as brightly as daylight. Thirty-five people sit at the table, while numerous servants and maids attend to them from either side.

The Heart Demon doesn’t concern himself with the furnishings of Peony Garden. He only finds the overwhelming floral fragrance oppressive, making him miss the cool scent of his brother even more. Nor does he care for the extravagance of those seated at the table, draped in jewels and gems. All that matters is that the person he seeks is nowhere to be found.

Disappointed, the Heart Demon turns to leave. The lively chatter in the hall continues uninterrupted—no one seems to notice him as he wanders through the room and out of Peony Garden.

Just as he is about to step outside, he suddenly turns back. In the corner of the hall, behind a waist-high pear blossom tree, a familiar figure dressed in white stands silently, watching the lively gathering. Sensing the Heart Demon’s gaze, the figure turns toward the door.

It is Shen Lingshu.

The Heart Demon clenches his fists.

But his brother has said that unless Shen Lingshu provokes them, he is not worth paying attention to.

Shen Lingshu is just as startled. The little island master of Penglai is here in Peony Garden as well.

For a brief moment, he is shaken by those strikingly beautiful eyes staring at him. But before he can react, the little island master rolls his eyes at him and walks away.

Shen Lingshu has admired the boy’s resemblance to Yun Zhuoran, but not to the point of obsession. It doesn’t take him long to realize that this version of Yun Zhuoran holds nothing but hostility toward him. At his current cultivation level, Shen Lingshu lacks the confidence to challenge him, even with the magical artifacts he carries. He hesitates for a moment and ultimately chooses not to follow.

Meanwhile, the Heart Demon saunters from the flower hall into the backyard. Behind it stands a smaller building. The first floor is sparsely furnished, save for a few potted plants, likely meant for entertaining guests. The second floor is also filled with peonies, but they are far more exquisite than those in the garden. There are only a few of them, yet they bloom even more beautifully.

In the center of the room, a cluster of pure white peonies is in full bloom. The Heart Demon plucks a few and tucks them into his arms.

Just as he descends the last step of the stairs, a voice calls out.

“Isn’t that the little master of Penglai Island?!”

The Heart Demon’s gaze snaps toward the archway across from him, where two figures stand—Jiang Zhibai of the Tiandao Sect and Li Jianming of the Kunwu Sword Sect.

It is that idiot!

The Heart Demon recognizes Li Jianming immediately but doesn’t move.

In contrast, Li Jianming and Jiang Zhibai react with excitement and hurry toward him.

Even from a distance, they can tell that this isn’t Yun Zhuoran. The difference lies in his very nature. The heart demon carries an air of unrestrained mischief, something ingrained in his bones. The moment they spot the striking figure in red, there is no mistaking him—this is not the cold and reserved Yun Zhuoran.

Even if Yun Zhuoran wears the same brilliant colors, his presence is starkly different.

In fact, this is the first time Li Jianming and Jiang Zhibai have seen the heart demon up close.

Neither bears him any ill will. Their gazes hold only curiosity. Unfortunately for them, the heart demon has no intention of satisfying that curiosity. With a sidestep, he immediately widens the distance between them.

Li Jianming notices this and quickly reassures him. “Don’t be afraid, little island master! I’m Li Jianming of Kunwu Sword Sect. I have nothing to do with the Tiandao Sect. I’m a very good friend of your brother, the Young Island Master!”

The heart demon looks at him with disdain. You think I’m stupid enough to believe that?

Jiang Zhibai, catching on, straightens his posture and gives a polite smile. “Little island master, I am Jiang Zhibai of the Tiandao Sect… While I am indeed a disciple of Tiandao, your brother and I have known each other since childhood. I am certainly no outsider. Believe me, I’m your brother’s closest friend!”

It almost sounds like he is competing with Li Jianming.

Li Jianming sighs and mutters, “Aren’t we all good friends?” Then, putting on a kindly expression, he coaxes, “Don’t be afraid, little island master. Since we’ve met, as your brother’s friends, we’ll be sure to protect you well!”

He says the words, but the heart demon can sense something odd in the way the two of them look at him.

Li Jianming chuckles. “The little island master looks exactly like your brother. I saw you once at the Tiandao Sect’s banquet. If I could hear you scold someone again, my trip to the floating city would be worthwhile.”

“Why not scold you then?”

Jiang Zhibai shoves him aside, disapproving of his bad influence. However, when he turns to the heart demon, he can’t help but recall how Yun Zhuoran looked in his younger years. His heart softens. Gently, he asks, “Little island master, what is your name?”

Yes, gentle—so much so that it is almost fatherly.

That is when the heart demon realizes—they are speaking to him as if he is a child.

“Is the little island master really Yun Zhuoran’s younger brother? You two look identical. You must be twins… Hey!” Li Jianming suddenly points at the heart demon’s waist. “That floating order belongs to your brother, doesn’t it? He’s here in Peony Garden too?”

That day, the heart demon snatched the floating order in front of everyone, but the name on it was Yun Zhuoran. Many people already knew about this and assumed that the heart demon was likely just Yun Zhuoran’s puppet. Li Jianming and Jiang Zhibai think the same, but even so, they still treat the heart demon with extra care.

When they notice the floating order hanging from Weiran’s waist, their first thought is of Yun Zhuoran.

In truth, Weiran himself hasn’t realized he is carrying a floating order until they point it out. Startled, he flips the jade talisman over, but the anticipation and joy in his eyes quickly fade.

At some unknown point, the floating order has changed. The name on it is now Yun Weiran, and the serial number is also 1.

“Yun Weiran?” Jiang Zhibai, with his sharp eyes, immediately notices the name and exclaims, “The little island master’s name is Yun Weiran? No… wait, this serial number is also 1. But I remember Junior Brother Yun’s floating order also had the number 1…”

Since the first batch of floating orders was issued, no two have ever shared the same serial number. Each floating order is supposed to be unique. Yet now, Yun Zhuoran has two.

Not only Li Jianming and Jiang Zhibai, but even Weiran has no idea what is going on. However, this confirms that his brother is not here. He lets the floating order drop back to his waist, his expression darkening.

Li Jianming and Jiang Zhibai both notice the change in his mood. Since he doesn’t offer any explanation, they guess that Yun Zhuoran truly isn’t present and refrain from pressing him further. Then, as if remembering something, Li Jianming reminds him, “Little island master, aside from the three of us, there are six others in this peony garden. They should have gathered outside by now. Let’s go meet them?”

The peony garden is peculiar. After entering, they have realized that the people living in the manor can’t see them, nor can they interact with them. Given their relatively low cultivation levels, Li Jianming and the others have decided to form a group to investigate the situation together.

After listening to their explanation, Weiran reluctantly follows them.

Li Jianming and Jiang Zhibai are exceptionally kind to him. Perhaps it is because he looks so much like Yun Zhuoran, or maybe because his personality is more playful and mischievous. He is also smaller, which makes them instinctively want to take care of him, beyond just satisfying their curiosity.

In fact, they also have a little ulterior motive—they want to see him smile.

Yun Zhuoran has never been as soft or expressive as Weiran, yet they have the same face. If the heart demon smiles, it would be like Yun Zhuoran smiling at them!

Unfortunately, Weiran is in a bad mood, and no matter how they try to coax him along the way, he refuses to give them the reaction they want.

After exiting through the backyard’s side door, the group makes their way to the large open space in front of the peony garden. The manor gate isn’t far away, and a few people are already waiting there. As soon as Weiran approaches, his gaze instantly lands on Shen Lingshu.

This time, he is in such a foul mood that he doesn’t even spare Shen Lingshu a glance.

Shen Lingshu instinctively looks behind him, then averts his gaze in disappointment.

After Li Jianming’s enthusiastic introductions, Weiran becomes acquainted with the six cultivators gathered at the gate.

Aside from Shen Lingshu and Gu Jinping, whom he already knows, there is also a senior sister from Tiandao Sect’s Qingxu Peak, whom Jiang Zhibai addresses as Senior Sister Fei. Among the remaining three, one is Miss Bai from the Bai family’s second branch, while the other two are sword cultivators from Kunwu Sword Sect.

Weiran immediately assesses their cultivation levels. They all hover around the Golden Core stage, with Shen Lingshu being the weakest—only at the early Foundation Establishment stage. The strongest among them are Senior Sister Fei Lingxue and Gu Jinping, who are both in the late Golden Core stage.

Gu Jinping clings to Shen Lingshu with a sorrowful expression, yet unlike his usual gentleness, Shen Lingshu appears distant and cold. She gets no reaction from him and, seeing the heart demon—the one who caused her to attack the wrong person last time—her face sours even more.

However, with so many fellow cultivators present, she doesn’t dare act out. Instead, she lets out a couple of displeased hums.

Senior Sister Fei, who clearly isn’t fond of Gu Jinping, rolls her eyes and addresses the group. “A few of us searched the peony garden and found that while this gate can be pushed open, there’s a barrier on the threshold. With our cultivation levels, I doubt we can leave.”

Li Jianming nods. “We checked behind the peony garden—just an endless sea of flowers, nothing out of the ordinary.”

Senior Sister Fei’s expression turns serious. “Then it seems this is the only way out. We’ll likely have to work together to break the barrier.”

Gu Jinping scoffs. “Easier said than done. Why don’t you give it a try, Fellow Daoist Fei?”

Senior Sister Fei’s face darkens. “Miss Gu, if you have nothing useful to say, perhaps silence would suit you better.”

It is clear there is bad blood between them. The rest of the group has no intention of intervening, including Shen Lingshu, who remains cold and distant. Li Jianming and Jiang Zhibai, on the other hand, look quite entertained by the drama.

Meanwhile, Weiran’s eyes lock onto the vermilion gate, gleaming with curiosity.

“This is the way out!” he declares.

Senior Sister Fei’s expression softens slightly when she sees that it is the young island master speaking. “Most likely.”

“I’m going to find my brother.”

The heart demon immediately makes up his mind, walks up the steps, and reaches out to push open the vermilion door.

Behind him, Gu Jinping spares no effort in ridiculing him. “You really are from a backwater place. You have no idea how high the sky is or how deep the earth goes. Do you even understand how strong this barrier is? Even my mirror can’t penetrate it. And you think you can just walk out?”

“Really?”

The heart demon isn’t in the mood to argue with this annoying woman—he just wants to find his brother. He pushes open the door and says casually, “I don’t believe it.”

As his words fall, the vermilion door swings open, revealing the barrier outside, shimmering with golden light.

Gu Jinping, still in the midst of mocking him, watches as he raises his foot toward the barrier. She sneers, “Everyone already told you—this barrier is unbreakable. You can’t just walk through it because you wa—”

Her words come to an abrupt halt. Her eyes widen in disbelief.

Just moments ago, she had been looking forward to seeing him embarrass himself. But now, she is frozen, her expression stiff and awkward.

Right before her eyes, the red-clothed boy—whom no one had any faith in—actually walks through the barrier!

The little island master of Penglai steps outside!

This barrier, which has been as solid as a rock to them, does nothing to stop him.

Everyone assumes that the little island master won’t be able to break through. Given the grudge he’s earned at the Tiandao Sect banquet, no one bothers to stop him. They figure he’ll learn his lesson after hitting an invisible wall. Yet, against all expectations, he actually walks out!

Li Jianming and the others are just as shocked as Gu Jinping. Hurriedly, they try to follow him—but they are all blocked. The barrier remains indestructible to them.

The little island master of Penglai is the exception.

Outside the door, the moment the heart demon steps past the threshold, he suddenly halts.

The scene before him is unlike anything he has imagined. Beyond the door, the world is shrouded in pitch-black fog. The only source of light is the door behind him.

If he takes another step, he might plunge straight into the darkness. Fortunately, there is a single stone step beneath his feet. But below that—an endless abyss.

There is no road beyond the door.

The heart demon’s heart clenches. He feels like he has been tricked. A deep sense of discomfort settles over him.

Back inside, Li Jianming presses himself against the barrier, his face comically distorted as he struggles to push through. But no matter how hard he tries, he can’t pass through like the heart demon has.

“No way… The little island master just walked right out? Did he use some secret technique? Could it be an exclusive technique from Penglai?”

Li Jianming has barely finished speaking when the red-clothed boy, who has just stepped outside, suddenly comes back through the barrier.

Everyone snaps to attention, their eyes filled with curiosity and anticipation. After all, the heart demon is the only one among them who has successfully walked out!

Standing at the doorway, the heart demon tilts his head, looking at Li Jianming, who is still squashed against the barrier in a desperate attempt to push through. His puzzled gaze is almost childlike.

Realizing this, Li Jianming jolts upright, hurriedly brushing off his embarrassment. He clasps his hands to his chest and coughs. “I-I’m fine.”

In reality, he is far from fine. The little island master tilting his head like that—too adorable!

Jiang Zhibai rushes forward, instinctively reaching for the heart demon’s hand before hesitating and pulling back. This isn’t Junior Brother Yun. He swallows his urge and instead asks urgently, “Why did you come back? Are you hurt?”

The heart demon shakes his head gloomily.

Sensing his distress, Li Jianming quickly asks, “What happened out there? Tell us, and I’ll find a way to get us out and help you get revenge!”

The heart demon doesn’t want to talk to anyone. He simply lowers himself onto the stone step and sits down.

His eyes, tinged slightly red, stare emptily into the distance. When he finally speaks, his voice is quiet and drained of emotion.

“There’s no road outside the door.”

So he can’t find his brother.

The heart demon feels awful.

And he really wants to hit something.

Inside Guanyue Tower.

A small blue-feathered bird demon crouches on the high chandelier, secretly observing the red-clothed man in the lobby below.

Yun Zhuoran has been inside for less than the time it takes to finish a cup of tea. He refuses to do the mission, fights the owner of the building, has an absolutely terrible attitude, and even looks like he wants to beat up the other demons who enter. Points deducted!

Meanwhile, the owner of Guanyue Tower stares miserably at the blue tail feather in Yun Zhuoran’s hand. His sharp eyes are filled with grievance.

That is the most beautiful feather on his tail—plucked clean by that wretched man while he was running away!

Yun Zhuoran is a wicked villain!!

The cultivators who go up to complete the task have already fought several rounds before coming down to rest. Every time they return, they bear fresh wounds, and from time to time, screams echo from upstairs, creating an eerie atmosphere.

Yet Cui Shen never comes down.

The sword cultivators of Kunwu Sword Sect and the magic cultivators of Yin Puppet Sect descend once more, sitting in disarray as they meditate to regulate their breath. The Yin Puppet Sect magic cultivators are drenched from head to toe, their bodies covered in blood, clearly seriously injured. Over time, they realize that Yun Zhuoran bears no hostility toward them, and since the rules of Guanyue Tower prohibit internal conflict, they meditate in the lobby without concern. Only Cui Shen, rather than coming down, chooses to remain among the ghosts.

Yun Zhuoran’s gaze grows colder as he puts away the exquisite tail feathers in his hand.

“Are you really not going upstairs?” A magic cultivator sitting cross-legged beside him suddenly asks.

Hearing the voice, Yun Zhuoran tilts his head. The speaker is a demonic cultivator from Yin Puppet Sect, likely at the Nascent Soul Stage. He is the one who initially tries to open the door. Perhaps because Yun Zhuoran warned him earlier, he is not as fearful of him and even takes the initiative to share his experiences from the task.

“In Guanyue Tower, the higher you go, the stronger the monsters are. I’ve tried every room on the second floor. Logically, the hint we received was five lines, so we should be looking for ghosts with matching attributes. But I’ve killed so many water ghosts, and my floating order still says I need four more!”

Yun Zhuoran glances at the demonic cultivator’s floating order and confirms that there is indeed a countdown displayed.

The demonic cultivator doesn’t seem worried about Yun Zhuoran seeing his progress. He wipes the water off his face and grumbles, “I admit I’m not the smartest, but how is it possible that I’ve killed so many water ghosts and only completed one?”

Yun Zhuoran observes the demonic cultivator, who is soaked through, his body surrounded by a lingering cold that makes his voice tremble. It seems the chill won’t dissipate quickly, and he hasn’t even bothered to dry himself off.

The demonic cultivator mutters, “I just killed a water ghost.”

Yun Zhuoran remains silent, simply looking at him.

Feeling uneasy under his gaze, the demonic cultivator shifts uncomfortably.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” he asks. “You’re looking at me like I’m an idiot.”

Still, Yun Zhuoran says nothing.

The demonic cultivator purses his lips and wipes his face in frustration. “I get it.”

“Pfft.” A sword cultivator across from them suddenly bursts into laughter. Then, under the demonic cultivator’s embarrassed glare and Yun Zhuoran’s calm stare, he stands up, sword in hand. Before leaving, he turns back and remarks, “Cui Shen is on the third floor.”

Yun Zhuoran slowly nods, then rises, picks up the three-foot jade branch, and heads for the stairs. His movement startles the owner of Guanyue Tower, who is perched on a chandelier, causing him to shriek, “No fighting! No fighting!”

Yun Zhuoran merely glances up.

The owner of Guanyue Tower quickly ducks his head.

Without another word, Yun Zhuoran continues up the stairs, with the sword cultivator silently following.

The demonic cultivator isn’t sure if the two have reached some sort of agreement. Seeing the sword cultivator follow, he hesitates before trailing behind them—but then he notices that Yun Zhuoran has stopped on the second floor instead of heading up.

Scratching his head in confusion, the demonic cultivator wonders, Wasn’t the young island master going upstairs to kill Cui Shen?

What is even more surprising is that Yun Zhuoran pushes open a door on the right side of the corridor.

The demonic cultivator has just been in that room. It is filled with water ghosts. If someone fails to meet the task’s requirements, the ghosts will instantly return to peak condition when the next person enters, and the ones killed will resurrect endlessly.

Those water ghosts are nothing more than trash to Yun Zhuoran. But still, they are water ghosts, not the fire-element ghosts he is supposed to be looking for! The demonic cultivator is about to warn him when Yun Zhuoran has already stepped inside.

Meanwhile, the sword cultivator from Kunwu Sword Sect remains in the corridor, arms folded around his sword, silently watching the door, as if waiting for Yun Zhuoran to emerge.

Seeing this, the demonic cultivator, too, decides to wait quietly alongside him.

Just then, the master of Guanyue Tower peeks out again and reminds them in a ghostly tone, “No peeking at others!”

Yun Zhuoran is too terrifying, but the others—the master of Guanyue Tower isn’t afraid of them at all.

When he first appeared, he stated that internal conflicts are forbidden, meaning that everyone in Guanyue Tower belongs to the same faction. However, this is still an individual trial, so they aren’t allowed to spy on each other.

The demonic cultivator, still a little wary, is about to head upstairs when suddenly, the door Yun Zhuoran entered swings open.

Yun Zhuoran strolls out leisurely, holding the Jade Branch Sword. His red robes gleam, and he is completely unscathed.

From inside the room, scorching flames surge forth, a single wisp even trailing after the hem of his robes as he walks.

Yun Zhuoran tilts his head slightly and glances at the two waiting cultivators before casually pushing open the next room. Just like before, he enters, then emerges a moment later—now with flames erupting from that room as well.

The sword cultivator remains silent. When Yun Zhuoran enters the third room, he quietly makes his way up to the third floor.

The owner of Guanyue Tower seems startled by Yun Zhuoran’s efficient work. He crouches on the chandelier for a long time without making a sound, no longer issuing any reminders. The demonic cultivator also remains where he is, hesitant to leave.

He has explored every room on the first floor and knows that although they appear small from the outside, their interiors are vast and seemingly infinite. The owner of Guanyue Tower has claimed that each room contains only one type of ghost, but in reality, there could be tens of thousands of them.

The ghosts on the second floor aren’t particularly strong—cultivators at the Golden Core Stage can handle them with ease.

But the young master of Penglai Island? He can eliminate them with a single flick of his finger. And yet, he chooses the second floor to complete his task. Isn’t this just bullying?

The demonic cultivator can’t make sense of it.

After emerging from the fifth room, Yun Zhuoran walks to the railing on the second floor, looks up, and slowly spreads his palm. The flame-shaped prompt on his floating order has disappeared, replaced by a simple circle.

The owner of Guanyue Tower, still perched on the chandelier, is silent for a long time before grinding his teeth.

“Congratulations… You may leave now.”

Yun Zhuoran smiles faintly, retrieves his floating order, and leisurely makes his way downstairs, passing by the demonic cultivator.

When he reaches the entrance, the doors of Guanyue Tower swing open. The black fog outside has vanished, revealing a street paved with blue bricks.

The demonic cultivator leans against the railing in astonishment. “It’s… over just like that?”

He hasn’t even seen how Yun Zhuoran completes the task.

At that moment, Yun Zhuoran pauses at the threshold and turns his head.

The demonic cultivator instinctively covers his mouth.

But Yun Zhuoran isn’t looking at him—his gaze is fixed on Cui Shen, who stands by the railing on the third floor. The moment their eyes meet, Cui Shen immediately ducks into a room, disappearing from view.

Yun Zhuoran’s expression darkens, but he doesn’t pursue him. Instead, he turns and steps through the door.

There are too many restrictions inside Guanyue Tower—handling things outside will be much simpler.

Besides, Weiran is waiting for him.

The moment Yun Zhuoran exits, the doors of Guanyue Tower shut tightly behind him.

The magic cultivator from Yin Puppet Sect suddenly understands something. When he sees the sword cultivator coming downstairs—likely to rest—he secretly glances at the man’s floating order. The number displayed has changed from four to three, indicating the remaining tasks.

Realization dawns upon him.

He adjusts his water-element magic weapon and enters the room he previously visited.

Now he understands why Yun Zhuoran looked at him that way earlier. Completing the task isn’t about killing ghosts with corresponding elemental attributes—it’s about following the method outlined in the prompt. He really is an idiot for not realizing such a simple truth.

The rules of Guanyue Tower are likely tied to its master, a sparrow-like creature. Yun Zhuoran must have figured out that the challenge wouldn’t be too difficult because the tower’s owner is… not particularly intelligent. He has observed multiple participants’ test results firsthand, and from the tower owner’s smug demeanor, he has drawn his conclusion.

If Yun Zhuoran’s method had failed, he wouldn’t have been concerned—one attempt was enough to confirm his theory. It turns out that Guanyue Tower’s mission rules are a mere text trap, and its master isn’t as clever as he seems.

The moment the doors close behind Yun Zhuoran, his floating order suddenly shines with brilliant golden light. Calmly and with practiced ease, he taps the light with his fingertips. A gray map unfolds in the air, and in the far north corner, a tiny pavilion icon glows—the Guanyue Tower.

It is the only illuminated icon on the map.

Yun Zhuoran narrows his eyes. Before he can analyze further, a line of small golden characters appears on his floating order:

—Congratulations to Penglai Island Master Yun Zhuoran for being the first to complete the primary mission. The Floating City map has been activated, the Guanyue Tower icon has been lit, and a random present package has been awarded. Possible rewards include, but are not limited to, a Universal Pass Key.

Additionally, all cultivators who have entered the Floating City are encouraged to study diligently, strive for progress, and light up all the icons on the map as soon as possible to unlock the mysteries of the Floating City!