I Have the Aura of a Supporting Character in Yuri Novels - Chapter 73

The cries of crows filled the night, sending shivers down one’s spine.

Zhu Yun waved to Tang Yihuan and the Marquis of Zhongyong behind her, signaling for them to quickly hide so they wouldn’t be discovered by the people outside. She had already sensed a disturbance in the puppet talisman. Zhu Yun knew this meant Granny Gui was summoning her. Anticipating that something would happen tonight, Tang Yihuan and the others had not gone to sleep. Just as Zhu Yun had predicted, Granny Gui made her move.

“Zhu Yun!”

Tang Yihuan ran toward Zhu Yun, her expression filled with worry, the anxiety in her eyes clearly visible in the moonlight. She pursed her lips, unsure of what to say. A thousand words condensed into one sentence: “You must stay safe.”

“Don’t worry, I can handle Granny Gui even without my master,” Zhu Yun said, taking the opportunity to reassure Tang Yihuan. In truth, she was also puzzled as to why her master hadn’t arrived at the Marquis of Zhongyong’s residence yet. Logically, the letter had been delivered, so her master should have shown up by evening at the latest. But it was already late at night, and there was still no sign of her. Zhu Yun couldn’t help but worry.

Tang Yihuan wrapped a cloak around her, repeating her instructions, “Please be very careful.”

She couldn’t accompany Zhu Yun tonight. Tang Yihuan didn’t want to become a burden to her. She had already caused Zhu Yun so much trouble; the most important thing to do now was to be as low-maintenance as possible.

Zhu Yun tapped Tang Yihuan’s tightly furrowed brow and said softly, “I’ll come back to see you.” She raised a hand to caress Tang Yihuan’s hair, then hooked her finger through a strand and took away the long-tailed butterfly. As Zhu Yun performed a hand seal, the butterfly disappeared from sight.

Zhu Yun steeled her heart and turned to leave. The warm cloak dispelled the night’s chill. She was going on this adventure alone, which left Tang Yihuan deeply worried. She watched Zhu Yun’s retreating figure, unable to look away.

“Go back, take care of your body,” the Marquis of Zhongyong said, standing by her side and looking at his daughter with a pained heart.

Tang Yihuan needed her father’s reassurance and asked, “She’ll be okay, right?”

The Marquis of Zhongyong stroked Tang Yihuan’s head. As a loving father, how could he bear to see his daughter so sad? He said gently, “Little Zhu is not a reckless person. You know her better than I do, so Yi’er, you have to believe she’ll come back safely. This is her mission. Xuanmen cultivators are destined for different dangers than us ordinary people.”

A hint of sadness flickered in his eyes, as if it had touched a sore spot. The Marquis, a brave and formidable man, also became a little sentimental.

At this moment, little Yi was just like he was back then. Aside from believing that she would be safe, there was nothing else he could do.

Tang Yihuan lowered her eyes and wiped away her tears, barely able to suppress a sob. She sniffled and said, “Dad, I’m scared. I don’t understand why my birth chart can help the Prince of Yan escape death. This isn’t fair. It’s not fair to me or to Zhu Yun!”

The Marquis of Zhongyong’s brows furrowed with killing intent, but his tone was surprisingly gentle. “My dear daughter, Dad won’t let the Prince of Yan harm you or Little Zhu. I promise.”

Besides, even if he couldn’t do anything, wasn’t she still there?

Xianyi, do you have a heart of stone? After leaving the mountain, you still haven’t come to see us.

The night stretched on, the moonlight slanting.

Zhu Yun feigned a dazed and vacant look as she walked out the back door in the middle of the night. The puppet talisman inside her guided her on where to go. The cool night breeze brushed against her cheeks, adding a touch of cold allure to her beautiful and elegant face. She looked at the distant carriage with a slight curve of her red lips.

“Here they come.”

“This Granny Gui’s puppet talisman actually works quite well.”

Pei Ruxin, accompanied by a pale, beardless man, walked quickly toward Zhu Yun and pushed her into the carriage. Inside the carriage, Pei Ruxin scrutinized Zhu Yun closely. Jealousy seeped into her voice as she said, “This little girl’s face really deserves the title of the number one beauty in Tongzhou. The moles between her eyebrows and at the corners of her eyes are one more enchanting than the last. It’s not a complete insult for master to temporarily inhabit this person’s body, but the female identity is still a bit of a humiliation for him.”

Damn it, I really want to curse this woman!

This Ouyang Jiannan takes advantage and then acts all high and mighty. What a piece of trash! Bah!

The master is no good, and his subordinates are a bunch of degenerates. Birds of a feather really flock together!

Baby, you can go all out this time. I’ll give you a cheat!

“What cheat?”

A talisman clearance sale!

Zhu Yun clenched her fingers hidden in her sleeve, desperately trying to control her inner excitement to avoid revealing her emotions.

Normally, it was so hard to get a freebie from system 857. Has it had a change of heart today?

Baby, any talisman you buy today is buy-one-get-one-free, buy-ten-get-twenty-free! No hundreds of points, all of them are one hundred points per talisman!

857 was so mad about Pei Ruxin belittling Zhu Yun and Tang Yihuan that it burst out to defend them.

Its reaction made Zhu Yun even more certain of a previous suspicion: the prices of the items in the store depended entirely on 857’s mood. The store wasn’t even having a sale right now, but 857 could make such an offer.

Zhu Yun’s mind raced, and she unconsciously tightened her grip on her fingers. This 857 had hidden a lot from her.

Pei Ruxin sat with her legs crossed, her eyes droopy with boredom. She was holding in her anger, wanting Granny Gui to fail, yet at the same time afraid of it. If this whole thing succeeded, Granny Gui would become an invaluable confidante, and where would that leave Pei Ruxin? So she was filled with mixed feelings and held a strong grudge against Granny Gui.

“That old hag better leak more heavenly secrets and die faster. That’s the only way I’ll feel better,” Pei Ruxin muttered, not putting Zhu Yun in her eyes. She thought Zhu Yun was just a useless person with a puppet talisman on her, so she could say whatever she wanted.

Zhu Yun sat upright, displaying the demeanor of a lady of high society. Her emerald cloak wrapped around her body, and the rabbit fur trim on the hood framed her delicate, oval face. Her complexion was rosy and her lips were exquisite. Even with her eyes downcast, her innate elegance could not be hidden.

Pei Ruxin pursed her lips sourly and sat down beside her. She dragged her cold, sharp fingernails across Zhu Yun’s cheek and said, “You little girl are quite blessed. You get to help master avert a death calamity. As long as you survive, you’ll have endless wealth and honor for the rest of your life. You could even become an empress, it just depends on whether your father is willing to serve our master.”

This Pei Ruxin really wants to wring every last drop of value out of Tang Yihuan? Whoever wants this blessing can have it!

The two antennas on 857’s head sizzled with electricity, and its light-orb body instantly grew larger, clearly enraged by Pei Ruxin.

Zhu Yun remained calm, feigning control by the puppet talisman. Pei Ruxin’s incessant talking didn’t cause any emotional fluctuations in Zhu Yun, but in her heart, she had already marked this down.

“I promise I’ll cut out her tongue,” Zhu Yun said with a determined and unwavering voice, full of killing intent, causing 857 to clap its hands, enjoying the show.

The carriage wheels rumbled through the dark streets. The pale, beardless eunuch drove the carriage to a residence. He knocked on the door vigilantly, and the agreed-upon number of knocks made the gatekeeper open the bolt. Pei Ruxin pulled Zhu Yun out of the carriage and took a lantern from a maid, walking toward a side room.

Suddenly, a hoarse, screeching sound created a commotion in the night. The fearless Pei Ruxin was startled out of her wits. She then noticed a few crows perched on the rooftop. Thinking of the trouble Ouyang Jiannan had on the main road, she couldn’t help but curse, “When master’s business is settled, I’ll pluck all the feathers off and kill every crow in Tongzhou!”

Zhu Yun’s rosy lips curled into a smile. In the dim moonlight, she looked a bit enchanting. She moved her fingers hidden in her sleeve and flicked a Xuanmen spiritual power into the sky.

This was a reward for the hardworking birds. They would be needed for a big favor later. You always serve an appetizer before the main course, and this Xuanmen spiritual power was that appetizer. Giving them a benefit would motivate the birds to work for Zhu Yun.

A handsome but pale man leaned against a soft pillow, his brows furrowed as he drank the bitter medicinal soup. When he saw the woman behind Pei Ruxin, a trace of surprise flashed in his somber eyes.

Granny Gui didn’t miss Ouyang Jiannan’s emotions. She triumphantly pulled back her sleeve and said, “Master, Tang Yihuan’s birth chart is very auspicious and full of good fortune. With the luck of a woman favored by heaven like her, she can help you avert that death calamity. Tang Yihuan is now under my puppet talisman’s control and can be manipulated at will. The soul-swapping plan can no longer be delayed.”

A month ago, Granny Gui had peeked into the heavenly secrets and saw that Ouyang Jiannan would die by a sword. Her cultivation was not deep, so she could only vaguely sense this much, but it was enough for her to go and curry favor with Ouyang Jiannan. Ouyang Jiannan, being of high status, naturally valued his life. As soon as he heard he would die a miserable death by a sword, he couldn’t feel at ease. He became wary of long swords and even stopped carrying one himself, fearing that the scene Granny Gui saw would indeed play out.

Ouyang Jiannan wiped the medicinal soup from the corner of his lips and said hoarsely, “I have always believed in trusting those I employ, so I have taken Granny Gui’s words to heart. When I ascend the throne in the future, only Granny Gui is worthy of the title of National Master.”

He spoke with conviction. A hint of meaning flickered in Pei Ruxin’s eyes. The allure of the National Master position was something every person with spiritual abilities dreamed of, and Pei Ruxin was no exception. When she heard Ouyang Jiannan’s words, her resentment grew even stronger. If it weren’t for Ouyang Jiannan’s presence, she would have already started to make sarcastic remarks toward Granny Gui.

Granny Gui’s morale soared. This was exactly what she wanted to hear. With the position of National Master, protected by dragon energy, what did it matter if she peeked into the heavenly secrets? She wasn’t doing it for herself, but for all living beings. Then she would no longer suffer from the backlash.

“Good, good! With your words, Master, I am willing to go through fire and water for you!”

Ouyang Jiannan was speaking courteously because he knew that his life and fortune were about to be placed in Granny Gui’s hands. Saying a few words to comfort her was no hardship for him.

“Then let’s begin.”

Zhu Yun had been lowering her head, acting as an invisible person, until she was pushed into the inner room by Pei Ruxin. Her presence was finally noticed by Ouyang Jiannan.

Ouyang Jiannan’s eyes held a hint of pity. “This is truly a great injustice to Miss Tang,” he said softly.

He looked her up and down, thinking to himself: Oh well, I’ll treat her better in the future. It just so happens that my inner chambers lack a mistress. It’s only right for her to become my wife.

He thought this was the best reward, but little did he know that Tang Yihuan herself wouldn’t even care for the title of a consort. She would run from it like the plague.

A magic array was laid out in the inner room. The runes were drawn on the floor with fresh blood. The empty spaces were where Zhu Yun and Ouyang Jiannan were supposed to lie down.

The place was eerie and terrifying. The flickering candlelight couldn’t provide any warmth, only making the atmosphere more oppressive. Coupled with the occasional cries of crows from outside, Ouyang Jiannan felt a strange sense of unease as he stepped into the inner room.

“Master, the medicinal soup you just drank is excellent for stabilizing your soul. This forbidden art will cause damage to the soul, but don’t worry, I have already planned it. I will make Tang Yihuan bear all the damage.”

Ouyang Jiannan pressed his brows, looking at Zhu Yun with a hint of guilt. He let out a long sigh and said, “I wanted to tell you not to go to such lengths, but I was afraid of wasting your efforts. Since you have made all the arrangements, I will listen to you.”

Bah, bah, bah! He’s clearly itching for Granny Gui to do this, but he has to pretend to be righteous. What a hypocrite!

“Pei Ruxin, cut Tang Yihuan’s wrist. I want a bowl of her blood!” Granny Gui shouted.

What? Not only did she make the person lie on the cold floor for a long time, but now she also wanted to cut her wrist?

Zhu Yun immediately lost her mood for playing games. A chilling glint appeared in her eyes. As Granny Gui watched in horror, Zhu Yun stood up. She slowly raised her head, her bright eyes filled with endless killing intent. But at the same time, they were still so clear. This look made Granny Gui feel that something was terribly wrong. This… this was not the look of someone controlled by a puppet talisman!

Zhu Yun gave a slight smile. She held up a yellow paper talisman with two fingers and said crisply, “Soul-swapping, right? Making puppet talismans, right? Scheming against Tang Yihuan, right?”

She tore the talisman in two and held one in each hand. She broke through Granny Gui’s array, and a gust of wind carried the talismans toward Granny Gui. Instantly, flames ignited and burrowed into Granny Gui’s body.

“And you call yourself a genius of the Xuanmen school? Do you think I’m dead?”

“You sent me a puppet talisman, and now I’m giving you two back!”

As Zhu Yun spoke, the invisible long-tailed butterfly gradually reappeared. In the hazy candlelight, the deep purple butterfly on her black hair was a captivating sight. Her face was enchanting and breathtakingly beautiful.

Granny Gui endured the agonizing pain of the puppet talismans drilling into her body. She resisted with all her might, large beads of sweat rolling down her face. She gritted her teeth, her face twitching, ready to fight back.

But when Granny Gui saw the butterfly in Zhu Yun’s hair, she looked as if she had seen something terrifying. She screamed in horror, “How can it be you?! Why do you have the Xuanmen succession butterfly! This is impossible, this is impossible!”

Zhu Yun ran up and, fueled by her hatred for Granny Gui, kicked the old hag against the wall. She didn’t forget about Ouyang Jiannan and the others. The butterfly flew by Ouyang Jiannan, Pei Ruxin, and the eunuch, sprinkling starlight on them. In an instant, they all collapsed onto the floor, their bodies numb.

Zhu Yun sneered, “Pei Ruxin, I want your tongue.”

“857, give me three Sky Thunder Talismans.”

[Ding ding~ Here are your buy-one-get-one-free Sky Thunder Talismans! They’re your old pals.]

Zhu Yun raised an eyebrow, not asking for details. It was just like this when she had lost some memories; she couldn’t always understand what 857 was saying.

She held the Sky Thunder Talisman, and with Xuanmen power, she ignited it and, with a wicked smile, stuffed it into the mouth of the immobile Pei Ruxin.

“It won’t hurt too much. It’ll be like a firecracker going off. Just a loud bang and your tongue will be gone.”

Could a Gu Master still blow the silver flute to summon Gu worms without a tongue?

That was indeed a very curious question.

Zhu Yun clicked her tongue in pity and said sweetly, “Good luck.”

Oh, I almost forgot about her hands. I’ll destroy them too. Why bother with shaking those wrist bells? Better to just be a cripple.

“Tang Yihuan! When did you join the Xuanmen school?!”

Zhu Yun turned her head and smiled at Granny Gui, who was clutching her chest and lying on the floor. “I’m not Tang Yihuan.”

“No… you are Tang Yihuan! Your birth chart… wait, why can’t I calculate your birth chart anymore?” Granny Gui’s face turned pale, and her fingers trembled. She finally realized the problem lay with the woman in front of her. It was the same face, but after her Xuanmen power calculation, her features vaguely transformed into a different face!

Granny Gui felt a gush of warmth in her throat and spat out a mouthful of blood. This was the punishment for presumptuously calculating someone’s fate.

Zhu Yun smiled gently without explaining. She performed a hand seal and said, “Granny Gui, I command you to kill yourself!”

The command was given, but Granny Gui didn’t react.

She threw her head back and laughed wildly, her bloodstained appearance looking horrifying. She said triumphantly, “You don’t know my name, so what right do you have to command me?!”

Zhu Yun tilted her head in a silly manner. “Huh?” This person isn’t called Granny Gui, so what is she called? Maybe I should ask Ouyang Jiannan.

“Her name is Sang Gui. Sang from ‘sea changes into mulberry fields,’ and Gui from ‘beautiful jade.’”

“Master gave you the name Gui hoping you would be like beautiful jade. Unfortunately, you are a piece of stubborn rock.”

A woman in a green dress with a wooden hairpin appeared before everyone like a gust of wind. She was as serene as a night-blooming cereus, her eyes placid. Only when she looked at Zhu Yun did her lips curve into a cold smile.

Zhu Yun ran over in delight, looking at Lu Xianyi with adoration. “Master, Master! I thought I wouldn’t see you today! So you’ve been here all along.”

Lu Xianyi sighed helplessly. “It’s time to bring the old matters from over ten years ago to a close.”

With Lu Xianyi’s support, Zhu Yun performed another hand seal and smiled mischievously. “Sang Gui, I command you to kill yourself.”

Sang Gui uncontrollably raised her hand. The overwhelming fear made her cry, and she both resented Lu Xianyi and Zhu Yun and pleaded for mercy from them. So Sang Gui cried, “Senior Sister! Senior Sister! Please spare me. For the sake of our past as fellow disciples, please let me go!”

A hint of wistfulness seemed to appear in Lu Xianyi’s eyes, but her smile was cold. This was the first time she had brought up the old events. She said, “Master took you and me in as Xuanmen disciples. You were mischievous and didn’t listen to guidance, so when Master discovered you secretly learning the forbidden art of calculation, she expelled you from the school. And from that day you first glimpsed the heavenly secrets, you began to hate me, thinking that you would one day die at my hands, all because you saw the long-tailed butterfly.”

“But Sang Gui, you always forgot one thing. I wouldn’t be the only one to possess the butterfly.”

Lu Xianyi said with deep emotion, “It is fate.”

Zhu Yun repeated the command once more, like a curse haunting Sang Gui. And the long-tailed butterfly in her hair remained as mysterious and noble as it was in Sang Gui’s memory.

Sang Gui cried and laughed. The scene before her was too ironic. Because of her youthful mischief, she had calculated the heavenly secrets and saw that she would die at the hands of the long-tailed butterfly. She began to hate Lu Xianyi, who was more talented than her. After being expelled from the school, she became disgraced and lived a life of hiding. She watched Lu Xianyi help the emperor establish his reign and stabilize the dragon’s脉, and even become the Marquis of Zhongyong’s lifesaver, which made her hate Lu Xianyi even more.

So she wanted to make Lu Xianyi lose her most precious treasure!

But… but she was terribly wrong.

Sang Gui couldn’t resist Zhu Yun’s talismans at all. The convenience of the puppet talisman meant that Zhu Yun didn’t have to get her hands dirty to take care of this pest that had been targeting Tang Yihuan. In her torment and struggle, Sang Gui used all her Xuanmen power to strike a heavy blow to her own crown.

In an instant, blood flowed from her orifices, and her eyes stared wide in death.

Lu Xianyi was accustomed to death. She calmly looked away and stroked the hair on Zhu Yun’s temples. “Little Zhu,” she said.

“Hmm?”

“I thank you on behalf of Yihuan.”

Zhu Yun furrowed her brow and carefully looked at Lu Xianyi. “Master, why do I feel like you’re a little different?”

Lu Xianyi touched her temple, which had some gray hairs, and said in a low voice, “People get old eventually.”

Zhu Yun’s eyes were clear, and she could see through Lu Xianyi’s evasion. She put her hands behind her back and kicked a table leg with her toe.

“Master, you don’t want to answer that question, but you can’t avoid this next one.”

Lu Xianyi had no choice but to indulge her disciple. She said gently, “What is it?”

It just showed how much Zhu Yun cared about Tang Yihuan, that even at a time like this, she didn’t forget about Tang Yihuan’s past.

She looked at Lu Xianyi eagerly and asked in a low voice, “When you saved the Marquis of Zhongyong, what exactly was his reward?”

“…”

“Nothing much. He just offered himself in marriage.”

Zhu Yun seemed shocked, hopping on the spot.

So her master was Tang Yihuan’s birth mother?!

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