The Substitute Female Supporting Character Sees the Bullet Screen

Chapter 4

A sinister aura permeated the dense bamboo forest at the back of Biyang Peak. The bright moonlight could not penetrate the thick bamboo, leaving the forest in darkness, except for a faint yellow candlelight emanating from a house deep within.

The candlelight was intertwined with wisps of black mist.

In the small clearing in front of the house, a hunched figure sat in a wheelchair, stretching out his bony arms to draw something on the ground.

Xiang Sijue's hands trembled so much that he could no longer hold his sword. Yet, a stubborn breath still lingered in his chest, unwilling to be buried in the earth.

He had been hearing faint, elusive tinkling of bells, which churned the unyielding breath in his chest into a tumultuous sea, pushing it up to his brain like a death sentence, compelling him to use the forbidden array.

Blood dripped from his wrist, merging into the array on the ground. As the array gradually took shape, the red light was enveloped by increasingly dense black mist, which seeped into his body through the wound on his wrist.

Nie Yinzhi hid among the dense bamboo leaves, looking down at his array. Uncle Xiang had indeed not disappointed her.

The demonic energy infiltrated Xiang Sijue's body, rejuvenating him like withered grass and trees receiving rain and dew. His hunched back straightened inch by inch, regaining some of the demeanor of a sword cultivator, as upright as a pine or bamboo.

But this appearance was not long-lasting. Before Xiang Sijue could even show joy on his face, he suddenly let out a painful howl and fell to the ground.

A man's voice, tinged with laughter, came from the demonic energy, "Offering this broken body and a soul riddled with holes to me, do you really think I'm here to collect trash?"

"I can use myself as a bridge to help you break through the seal and return to the world," Xiang Sijue vowed confidently. He believed that nothing would be more tempting to the person in front of him. His eyes were bloodshot, already possessed by demons, "As long as you let me return to my peak, I can give you anything you want!"

"Sword cultivator, heh," the demon yawned lazily, his voice indifferent, "Sword cultivators are only worth looking at for their so-called sword heart, but unfortunately, your sword heart is as dull as a stone in a latrine."

?Wow, this plot development is beyond my imagination?

?Is that the voice of the Demon Lord? He's appearing so early?

?Does the female lead have any connection with the villain??

?Yinzhi, this villain is bad, don't get involved?

?The original fans say this plot is completely different from the book, so many scenes have been moved forward?

?This is my first time watching this AI drama, can someone kindly explain if the future plot will be completely different?

?Probably not, the drama is already a third of the way through, and the beginning was quite similar to the original?

?Although it's self-performed by AI, the world background and character logic are set according to the original, basically not completely different, unless there's some variable?

Nie Yinzhi glanced at the subtitles and didn't understand what they were saying. Amidst this tense atmosphere, the sudden appearance of colorful subtitles was quite out of place.

In the silent night, Xiang Sijue's heavy breathing was like a broken bellows, one breath more urgent than the next. Nie Yinzhi found it painful to listen to, suspecting that Xiang Sijue would be driven to death by the demon's sharp tongue at any moment.

"Isn't that right?" This sentence seemed to be whispered right next to Nie Yinzhi's ear. She was startled, realizing that she was already surrounded by demonic energy.

A cold touch licked her wrist heavily, like a tongue pushing open the wound at her pulse point. Nie Yinzhi's whole body broke out in goosebumps, panicking and tearing away the demonic energy wrapped around her wrist, slashing at it with a palm strike, and fleeing wildly towards the outside of the bamboo forest.

The demonic energy separated from her like a shadow, leaving from her sleeves and hem. The great demon did not stop her.

At this moment, a sudden change occurred.

The sacrificial array on the ground failed to activate, revealing a hidden array underneath.

And that array was now glowing brightly, already in operation.

A man's murmur came from the demonic energy, "A symbiotic array?" Even at this moment, his tone remained calm, as if he was not at all angry because of Xiang Sijue's scheme.

Xiang Sijue screamed madly, "Yes, symbiosis! Feng Hanying, you can't leave today. The array has already taken effect; if I die, you die too!"

Forced sale! Well done, Uncle Xiang!

The bamboo forest echoed with the man's unrestrained laughter, "Is that so?"

While fleeing, Nie Yinzhi couldn't help but look back, seeing the white light from the array outlining a tall and straight silhouette, broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted, with long and straight legs, and the fluttering hair shadow visible in the soft white light.

The silhouette seemed to feel her gaze and slightly turned his head.

?Is the Demon Lord running naked??

?Is this a scene I can watch for free??

?Feng Hanying, put your clothes on, your body can't be seen by others, Mom doesn't allow you to run naked?

?Cameraman, look at the front, look at the front?

?Damn, Cameraman, you're losing your chicken leg?

Nie Yinzhi slowed down slightly, her gaze honestly sliding downwards, but the demon's figure paused slightly, and with a stretch of his fingers, a long robe shadow enveloped his body.

"..."

Nie Yinzhi didn't stop, rushing out of the bamboo forest in one breath, into the bright moonlight. She stopped, looked at the bell and surveillance talisman in her hand, and glanced back at the black mist pervading the bamboo forest.

Such heavy demonic energy would surely alert the elders of Cloud Scripture Sect. Before they arrived, Nie Yinzhi quickly slipped into the night.

The sweet scent of blood disappeared, and Gu Jiang licked the corner of his mouth with lingering satisfaction. The light of the symbiotic array gradually melted into the void, leaving an irreversible contract.

Xiang Sijue's cloudy eyes burst with brilliance, "Feng Hanying, you must never have dreamed that the person you crippled ten years ago would be related to your life and death ten years later, hahaha—"

Gu Jiang looked at him with pity, "Why did you wake me up by calling my disciple?"

Xiang Sijue's laughter abruptly stopped.

-

Nie Yinzhi returned to Pill-Forming Peak, looking far into the distance at the golden light descending towards Biyang Peak, secretly praying:

I hope Uncle Xiang can be more capable, successfully kidnap the demon, and give Sang Wumian something to do, preferably really hammering him to the ground, so he won't have time to dissect her golden core.

The sky above Biyang Peak was filled with subtitles, with the plot focus still there. Too far away, Nie Yinzhi couldn't see clearly.

She climbed to the pavilion on Pill-Forming Peak, leaning by the window, always looking in the direction of Biyang Peak.

Until just before dawn, a sword light tore through the hazy sky of the transition between day and night, accompanied by the golden light of the rising sun, landing on Biyang Peak.

Sang Wumian was back.

The vast sword energy formed a visible air wave in the air, terrifyingly spreading out, instantly cleansing the demonic energy on Biyang Peak, as easy as sweeping away dust.

Nie Yinzhi was very disappointed. It seemed that being hammered to the ground was just a lie to her.

"Really useless, is it because Uncle Xiang is not capable, or is the demon not capable?" Nie Yinzhi muttered unwillingly.

Suddenly, a sharp pain came from her wrist. Nie Yinzhi pulled off the bandage, her pupils contracting sharply. On her fair and smooth wrist, a black mark like a vine circled it.

Nie Yinzhi rubbed it hard, but the wound at her pulse point had already healed. The black mark seemed to be embedded in her skin, branching out into several tendrils connected to her meridians.

Demonic energy?

Nie Yinzhi hurriedly sat down to meditate, trying to expel the demonic energy from her body. However, the black shadow was intertwined with her meridians, inseparable, neither further invading nor leaving. It not only entangled her flesh but also embedded itself into her soul.

She remembered the cold touch that had licked her wrist last night when she left the bamboo forest. When she checked last night, there was clearly no abnormality.

Nie Yinzhi stared at her wrist for a moment, then re-wrapped it with a silk ribbon.

In less than a day, two major events that happened in Cloud Scripture Sect spread throughout the sect. First, Uncle Xiang of Biyang Peak was possessed by demons and was killed on the spot by the Immortal of True Residence. Second, the eldest disciple, Xiao Ling, had returned.

Xiao Ling was seriously injured. After Sang Wumian brought her back, he immediately closed the door to treat her.

Some of the elders of Cloud Scripture Sect dealt with the aftermath of Xiang Sijue's death, while the rest gathered in Cihong Palace to protect the law. Meng Jin was naturally among them.

After a round of cultivation, the spread of the miasma poison in Xiao Ling's body was temporarily suppressed.

After the others had left, Sang Wumian picked up the sleeping Xiao Ling and placed her in a side hall.

Elder Jing Chongshan, the medical cultivator of the Cloud Scripture Sect, looked grave as he said to Sang Wumian, "Xiao Ling's meridians have been severely eroded by miasma poison, and her dantian lacks the foundation to hold spiritual energy. No matter how much spiritual energy we infuse into her, it's merely treating the symptoms, not the root cause. It's very difficult to completely purge the miasma poison from her body."

"Moreover, she has fallen from the Golden Core realm, and her inner sanctum is severely damaged. The spiritual energy we pour into her from the outside is akin to cutting flesh to heal a wound."

Meng Jin was anxious and asked, "Uncle Jing, what should we do?"

Jing Chongshan only looked at Sang Wumian and said, "The best solution would be to have a Golden Core that matches Xiao Ling's attributes and implant it into her inner sanctum. The Golden Core would repair her foundation, nourish her meridians, and expel the miasma poison."

Sang Wumian raised his eyes and met Jing Chongshan's cold gaze. He understood what Jing Chongshan meant.

Jing Chongshan had watched Xiao Ling grow up. She was diligent in her cultivation and often injured, frequently coming to him for treatment. They had a deep bond.

However, he wasn't particularly fond of the person Sang Wumian had brought back to replace Xiao Ling. He was worried that Sang Wumian, having transferred his affections, wouldn't be able to make the tough decision. His words were already quite explicit, "Over these past few years, you've been raising your little disciple as if she were Xiao Ling. It seems that what you didn't intend has come to fruition."

Sang Wumian remained expressionless and didn't respond. He lowered his eyes to look at the bedridden figure, her body covered in wounds. Even his perennially icy eyes revealed a hint of pain and reluctance.

Xiao Ling's eyes were covered with a white veil. Her skin was as smooth as jade, her lips like vermilion dots, and her long hair cascaded around her, exuding a delicate beauty despite her illness. At first glance, she seemed no different from before.

But those present knew that this was merely a temporary facade created by elixirs and miraculous medicines. The eyes beneath the veil had lost their former luster and were completely dead. The miasma poison had left ugly, web-like scars beneath her skin.

Sang Wumian remembered the first time he saw her. If not for the Ruyi Sword recognizing its master, he almost wouldn't have recognized her. Xiao Ling, just hearing his voice, instinctively panicked and avoided him, even afraid to acknowledge him.

In that moment, Sang Wumian once again felt the pain of a broken heart.

He had promised to heal her at all costs and restore her to her former self.

"It was the Cloud Scripture Sect that failed to protect her. You, as her master, have already let her down once. Weigh the pros and cons yourself," Jing Chongshan said, then turned and left.

Meng Jin glanced at Sang Wumian and walked to the bedside. He seemed to want to reach out and touch Xiao Ling but hesitated, afraid that even a heavy breath might hurt her. "Sister..."

"May I ask, Master, what choice will you make?"

"Lingling."

Meng Jin lowered his head and saw Xiao Ling's fingers twitch slightly.