The Substitute Female Supporting Character Sees the Bullet Screen

Chapter 31

At the beginning of the morning, the morning market in Approaching Immortals City was already bustling with activity. Adults were busy at their stalls, while children played with sticks as swords in a corner of the street.

The name "Approaching Immortals" of Approaching Immortals City comes from its proximity to the Cloud Scripture Sect. The children in the city grew up listening to stories of sword-wielding immortals slaying demons and monsters, each harboring a dream of becoming a sword immortal.

Soon, the children's noisy chatter stopped, and they crowded around a man selling trinkets, watching him manipulate the wooden dolls in his hands.

The two wooden dolls wore sky-blue garments, their hair tied high like celestial beings. Upon closer inspection, their features were almost indistinguishable from real people. Strings were attached to their limbs, and they held tiny swords in their hands. Under the man's skillful control, the dolls exchanged blows, their sword moves swift and fierce, as if real immortals had descended to the mortal world.

After a round of sparring, the children erupted in cheers, clapping and asking, "Do you have any other dolls? Are there any male immortals?"

"Soon," the man replied vaguely, smiling. He placed the two dolls on a small wooden board. "Would you like them? If anyone wins, I'll give these two dolls to them."

A moment later, the noodle stall vendor nearby heard the children's screams and hurried to the empty lot. The man selling trinkets had already disappeared, and the children were fighting among themselves, their eyes red as if possessed. Several children lay motionless on the ground, their blood mixing with the muddy earth.

Soon, more and more people gathered at the empty lot, wailing and cursing. The conflict escalated, and eventually, they too began to fight like the children.

The wooden dolls that had sparked the dispute were trampled into the blood-soaked mud, their celestial appearance quickly destroyed and buried deeper.

Zhu Yan hid in the large pagoda tree beside the empty lot, his face concealed by the dense foliage. He took a deep breath of the blood-tinged, bustling city air and spat, "How foul."

He ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????sensed that Xiao Ling had awakened and turned to her with a playful tone, like a child urging, "Xiao Ling, you haven't drawn the eyes yet. What kind of eyes do you like?"

As soon as Xiao Ling opened her eyes, she heard the voice in her spiritual core. Memories from the depths of the abyss of death surfaced, along with how Ye Jing had entered her dreams and how she had been ensnared by Zhu Yan.

Xiao Ling lay on the bed, tears soaking the white gauze. She pleaded repeatedly, "Zhu Yan, I beg you, let me go..."

"There you go again," Zhu Yan sighed with annoyance. "What? You want me to erase your memories so you can become the clean, innocent Xiao Ling again? And then you can muster the courage to reject me?"

"Xiao Ling, do you think that by forgetting, by not knowing, everything will disappear as if it never happened? Can you then live without any burden?" Zhu Yan laughed in her spiritual core, mocking her naivety.

Xiao Ling hugged her head, trembling with pain, as the male voice in her mind spoke slowly, each word dripping with chilling gentleness: "Xiao Ling, you can remain pure, but your roots are still in this mud. Sang Wumian, Meng Jin, Jing Chongshan—they are your nourishment, and so am I. Otherwise, how would you survive?"

His voice softened, and footsteps sounded outside. Someone pushed the door open and quickly entered, sitting by the bed and asking with concern, "Xiao Ling, what's wrong?"

Xiao Ling flinched and shrank to the corner of the bed. A small white bird landed on her shoulder, tilting its head to observe the newcomer.

Ye Jing smiled gently and reassured her, "Don't be afraid. Although the matter of Jing Chongshan's treatment hasn't been fully investigated, you truly had no knowledge of it. As for your time trapped in the abyss of death... you were deceived by Zhu Yan, which is understandable. I hope you won't be trapped by these past events and can find your way out of this predicament, regaining your former resolve."

"Elder Ye..." The three grand elders had always been cold toward her, and Xiao Ling was surprised to hear such words. She choked on her tears, unable to speak.

Ye Jing's eyes softened with pity. "Ten years ago, when you fell into the void, the sect canceled your record. Since your return, so much has happened, and you haven't been reinstated. Now that Sang Wumian is dead, I haven't taken any direct disciples. Would you like to join my sect under a new identity, leaving the past behind and starting anew?"

As one of the grand elders, Ye Jing's seniority in the sect was unmatched, not to mention her influence. Although she was not as powerful as Grand Elder Yan Yi, for Xiao Ling, being accepted by her was like a ray of light in her desperate situation.

Seeing that she didn't respond, Ye Jing added thoughtfully, "Take your time to consider it."

Xiao Ling immediately replied, "I'm willing." She got off the bed, poured a cup of tea from the side table, knelt down, and performed the formal master-apprentice ceremony.

"Good," Ye Jing said, taking a sip of the tea. "I'll inform Grand Elder Yan Yi about this and have your record re-established, placing you under Bitan Peak. You may rise."

Xiao Ling was overwhelmed with joy, bowing her head deeply. "Thank you, Master."

Ye Jing helped her up and checked her condition, then patted her head. "The restrictions on Bright Sky Peak have been lifted. You can go out more and clear your mind."

Even after Ye Jing left, Xiao Ling still felt a bit dazed, as if she were still in a dream.

Zhu Yan chuckled in her spiritual core, taking credit. "Now, you should be willing to draw the eyes for me, right?"

Xiao Ling sat in a daze for a moment, then got up and went to the study. The unfinished portrait was still on the desk. She picked up the brush, thought for a moment, and slowly outlined a narrow, elongated eye shape.

In Approaching Immortals City, Zhu Yan had already left the chaotic street and was leisurely strolling through the long avenue, crossing a stone arch bridge over a river. He leaned against the bridge, half-leaning over, and removed his bamboo hat.

The water's surface was like a mirror, reflecting a handsome face—exactly the one Xiao Ling had drawn. The face boasted sharp brows and bright eyes, quite upright, but when he smiled, it carried an unmistakable charm.

Two figures flew by on swords, their silhouettes cutting through the clear water. Zhu Yan looked up, squinting against the blinding sunlight as he watched the two cultivators descend toward the blood-soaked street.

"They're really persistent," Zhu Yan scoffed.

The sky was a pristine blue, cloudless and serene. The world was too peaceful, devoid of any excitement.

He smirked and said, "Xiao Ling, Nie Yinzhi could enter the Blade Mountain and Sword Forest, and so can you. It's time to replace your sword."

Reminded by him, Xiao Ling turned to look at the Ruyi Sword on the sword rack. The blade of the Ruyi Sword had grown increasingly dull, as if it were rusting. It must have been because of something Nie Yinzhi had done.

This sword had been with Nie Yinzhi for five years, constantly tempered by her sword qi. It had inevitably changed, just as it had when it was in her hands.

Since returning here, she had been constantly losing things, and she had grown accustomed to it. A sword that could accept someone else in her place, just like Sang Wumian, was not worth her attachment.

It was time to replace it.

?Wow, Zhu Yan finally has his own face, and he had to make it look like Xiao Ling drew it. I'm shipping it!?

?He's evil, but there's a bit of a thrill to it!?

?Seriously, even the kids aren't safe! Zhu Yan really is a walking disaster, causing bloodshed wherever he goes. He thrives on chaos.?

The female protagonist is also turning dark, with a ferocious beast like a heart demon corrupting her, and the female supporting character is also going dark, trying to break the seal of magic. With internal and external troubles—can the righteous elders hold on?

?Is Yan Yi already compromised??

Can the female lead also enter the mountain of knives and the forest of swords? Is that Sang Wumian's legacy golden finger for her?

Will they fight? I'm so excited! Hurry up and take advantage of the demon lord's weakness to strike. I'm as eager for chaos as Zhu Yan!

Nie Yinzhi saw the bullet comments and pondered. How could the grand elders of the Cloud Scripture Sect be so vulnerable?

Zhu Yan, a ferocious beast that thrives on bloodlust, if he has indeed infiltrated the righteous path's upper echelons, would be a significant problem for them. If he accompanies Xiao Ling into the mountain of knives and forest of swords, it would be the perfect opportunity to trap them both and eliminate the threat.

I wonder who would be stronger, Gu Jiang or Zhu Yan?

"What are you thinking about?" Gu Jiang asked, yawning.

Nie Yinzhi had already taken down the curtains. The crimson glow of the sunset bathed the cliff, creating a breathtaking scene. They planned to leave early the next morning, giving Cuihua and Suancai some time to say their goodbyes to their aunts and uncles in the danger zone.

But now, maybe they could stay a few more days?

The sword light of the swan-like bird darted chaotically through the forest of swords, setting off a symphony of sword chimes. The dazzling sword light intertwined with the evening glow, creating a breathtaking spectacle.

Nie Yinzhi peeled an orange for him, "The evening glow here is very beautiful."

"Mm," Gu Jiang watched her meticulously remove the white filaments from the orange segments and hand it to him. He didn't even lift a finger, simply opening his mouth.

Nie Yinzhi: "..." She broke the orange into small pieces, tossed one to the fiery rabbit for it to gnaw on, and shared the rest with Gu Jiang, taking turns feeding each other.

After the barrage disappeared, Nie Yinzhi waited for a while, certain that the so-called camera was no longer focused on them, before asking, "When you were at the Cloud Scripture Sect, the unpleasant smell you mentioned, was it Zhu Yan?"

"Mm," Gu Jiang turned his head in confusion, "Why do you ask?"

"A vicious beast and a demon lord, do you know each other?"

"We've crossed paths," Gu Jiang said nonchalantly, "I was the one who kicked it into the Abyssal Abyss back then."

"You did something so heroic?" Nie Yinzhi couldn't believe it.

Gu Jiang chuckled, "It was too annoying." Back then, he was being pursued by both the righteous and demonic factions, and Zhu Yan, drawn by the scent of blood, was like a pest, meddling in every situation, driving him to distraction.

The righteous faction wanted to seal it away, so he played along with them, luring it to the Abyssal Abyss and giving it a good kick.

"So you're a bit stronger than him? Can you kill him?" Nie Yinzhi asked tentatively.

Gu Jiang raised an eyebrow, "You want to kill it? Why?"

Nie Yinzhi boldly declared, "As a disciple of the righteous path, eliminating demons and protecting the world from calamity is our duty. What's the reason for that?"

Gu Jiang burst out laughing, choking on the orange juice and covering his face with his hand. The fiery rabbit next to him was even more exaggerated, laughing so hard it nearly rolled off the cliff.

"Shut up!" Nie Yinzhi glared at both of them, "It's annoying, and if it manages to brainwash the elders of the immortal sects, they might band together to attack us."

Feng Hanying raised his rabbit head, disdainfully saying, "Just kill them all. Righteous and demonic paths can never coexist."

Nie Yinzhi encouraged him, "Good, then you better keep your word. Your master won't help you." Gu Jiang's actions would only intensify the heavenly pressure on him, and it would be even more unbearable.

Feng Hanying: "..." You vile woman!

The fiery rabbit was so angry it stomped its feet, but after a glance from Gu Jiang, its ears drooped, and it hopped into the grass, returning to the Ten Thousand Demons Cave to sulk.

"Zhu Yan is very good at hiding," Gu Jiang frowned, not wanting to waste time hunting it down across the entire cultivation world.

Nie Yinzhi was about to speak when she noticed the bullet comments reappearing.

The camera must have switched back to them. She didn't want the bullet comments to know she could see them, in case they became wary or cautious in the future.

Nie Yinzhi wasn't sure how to handle it, so she simply leaned halfway over Gu Jiang, her head lowered, her finger pressed to her lips, and smiled at him, mouthing, "Let's wait for it to come to us."

Gu Jiang lay on the soft couch, and suddenly his vision darkened. Up close, he gazed into Nie Yinzhi's eyes, which sparkled with mischievous delight. His heart skipped a beat, and his lashes trembled slightly as he pretended to be unaffected, merely "mm"-ing in response.

Nie Yinzhi keenly noticed his brow furrow slightly and then quickly relax, and she retreated slightly, her fingertips brushing against his hand, feeling the feverish warmth of his skin.

He was feeling unwell again.

Nie Yinzhi immediately moved away from Gu Jiang, walking to the cliffside, "The scenery here is so beautiful, let's stay a few more days before leaving."

Gu Jiang placed his hand over his forehead, waiting for the boiling blood in his body to calm down. The spiritual mist rising from the stream in the forest quickly dissipated.

Save me, the contrast in the art style is too much. The supporting actress's life is way too leisurely.

?Confirmed: an old couple's retirement life?

What happened to the Demonic Cave talent show? Why is it delayed again? Nie Yinzhi, are you still pursuing your career?

If this keeps up, Nie Yinzhi's fighting spirit will be corroded by the demon lord's bad habits of 'inaction, slow action, and lazy action.'

Feng! The wild and unruly Feng! Have you really started thinking of yourself as a rabbit? The villain's role in this drama is truly concerning.

?Spring nights are short, and the sun rises high; from then on, the ruler no longer attends to the morning court.?

Spring nights are short, and the sun rises high; from then on, the ruler no longer attends to the morning court. ——"The Song of Everlasting Sorrow"