The Failed Female Supporting Character [Transmigration] - Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Does the female lead actually have a weakness? After returning to the city with Ruan Lan, Feng Qi pondered this for a long time and concluded that she truly seemed invincible.

As the heroine of a xianxia romance novel, Ruan Lan was a presence even more powerful than the male lead, possessing a solid Dao heart that never wavered. Of course, this might also be due to her nearly flawless, smooth-sailing life.

…

Hero to the Rescue

Back in the city, Ruan Lan led the way. Because of her stunning looks and otherworldly aura, she drew stares and whispers. Feng Qi, trailing behind, noticed the looks were a strange mix of awe, suspicion, and fear.

She had noticed this earlier while wandering alone. After eavesdropping on some local gossip, she realized why: because of the Spirit Stone bounties, various cultivators occasionally passed through to try their luck. The mortals here could now distinguish between cultivators and ordinary people—and in their eyes, cultivators were definitely not “friendly.”

“Master, have you broken through?” Feng Qi asked, catching up.

Ruan Lan nodded. “I have.”

“Then are we going to start slaying demons now?”

“Yes,” Ruan Lan said as they neared the inn. “It’s time to prepare for our departure.”

Feng Qi blinked. “Departure?” Weren’t they going to hunt demons here? It was a “kill three birds with one stone” situation: help people, get Spirit Stones, and get snacks for her.

“Continuing our previous—” Ruan Lan started, but was cut off by a piercing scream.

The gates of the City Lord’s Mansion were blown open by a violent force. Guards lay in pools of blood, and a man radiating thick demonic energy stood there, clutching a bloody mass of flesh, his expression manic.

“Such strong demonic energy,” Feng Qi whispered, grabbing Ruan Lan’s sleeve. She stared at the demon, her eyes unblinking. What a huge pile of food.

The demon was surrounded by three cultivators, their layers of boundaries trapping him. Nearby mortals fled in panic, leaving only a few brave (or foolish) souls watching from a distance.

The boundary was failing. The demon tossed the scrap of meat aside and lunged at the cultivators with hands wreathed in black mist, his strikes lethal and cunning.

“Master,” Feng Qi turned to Ruan Lan, licking her lips. “Are we stepping in?”

Ruan Lan frowned but remained silent. Feng Qi counted to ten in her head. Just as she reached one, the boundary shattered like glass.

Instantly, a much stronger boundary materialized, trapping the demon once more. Ruan Lan, light sword in hand, had finally decided to act.

Of the three surviving cultivators, the strongest was only at the middle stage of Golden Core, while this demon was at least equivalent to a Nascent Soul cultivator. It was a miracle they had lasted that long.

Ruan Lan, fresh off her breakthrough and at her peak, didn’t give the demon a chance to gloat. With a single, elegant sword sequence, she brought him to his knees.

So cool, Feng Qi thought, her eyes sparkling. Watching Ruan Lan stand there with such calm authority, she felt a surge of admiration that bordered on a “crush.” Being with Master provided such a sense of security.

The light sword pierced the demon’s chest. He gasped, clutching the blade as the life faded from his eyes. Ruan Lan funneled spiritual energy through the sword, destroying his demonic infant and snuffing out his life force entirely.

…

Unpleasant Encounters

The boundary vanished. Feng Qi rushed forward, first checking Ruan Lan for injuries, then crouching over the demon’s corpse under the guise of curiosity to sneakily devour his energy.

As she looked for an opening, the three rescued cultivators showed zero gratitude. Instead, they eyed Ruan Lan warily. “Which sect are you from?” one asked rudely.

Ruan Lan ignored them.

“Tianyi City is the territory of our Wanyao Sect. Cultivators from other sects are not welcome.”

Feng Qi, who had just managed to inhale a bit of demonic mist, turned around with a scowl. “If it weren’t for my Master, you’d all be dead.”

The leader of the trio sneered. “Save us? You just wanted to steal the bounty of Spirit Stones.”

Feng Qi was awestruck by such thick-skinned audacity. She stood up and looked at a dazed guard. “How many Spirit Stones for this demon?”

“T-ten,” the guard stammered.

Feng Qi began dragging the heavy corpse toward the mansion, muttering, “Only ten? That’s barely worth the effort.”

The three cultivators tried to block her path, but a fierce gust of sword qi flashed before their faces. Fine lines of blood appeared on their cheeks. Ruan Lan drove her sword into the ground, watching their backs silently. Terrified by the killing intent, the trio gritted their teeth and fled.

…

Shaking Things Up

The City Lord turned out to be a man terrified of death, which explained the high security and bounties. He tried to hire Ruan Lan and Feng Qi as permanent bodyguards, but Feng Qi refused after seeing his treasury—he wasn’t even as rich as she was.

Holding the ten Spirit Stones, Feng Qi squinted at Ruan Lan with a mischievous grin. “Master, let’s stay in the city a bit longer.”

“Why?”

“To steal their business.”

Ruan Lan picked up a stone. “Is this the only reward?”

Feng Qi shook her head, her smile turning smug. “It also comes with three faces so angry they look like they want to eat someone.”

“You’re happy?”

“Mhm!”

Ruan Lan tossed the stone back to Feng Qi. “Then do as you please.” Though Ruan Lan didn’t care for such petty squabbles, she found herself affected by Feng Qi’s infectious joy.

Over the next few weeks, they systematically poached every demon hunt from the Wanyao Sect trio. The three were livid but didn’t dare challenge Ruan Lan.

Eventually, the “Senior Brother” of the trio had enough. “Our Martial Uncles are training nearby. Let’s call them for help.”

“For that kind of help?” one asked, gesturing a knife across his throat.

The Senior Brother’s eyes gleamed with greed. “That female swordsman must have a fortune in Spirit Stones. We’ll split it with our uncles. With those resources, we might finally reach the Nascent Soul stage.”

…

Shadows in the Forest

Unbeknownst to them, their “Martial Uncles” were already busy with their own “business”—hunting down lone or weak cultivators to rob them.

These men, led by a man named Zhao Xiu at the middle stage of Nascent Soul, were currently surrounding a lone, cold-faced woman: Yu Qi.

“Looks like our luck is in,” Zhao Xiu sneered, eyeing Yu Qi’s Piao Miao Valley robes. “A disciple of the Great Sect. We’re going to be rich.”

Yu Qi swept her gaze over them with utter disdain. “Wanyao Sect… a trashy little sect that only produces garbage.”

“Your tongue is as sharp as ever,” Zhao Xiu growled. “Kill her, but don’t make it quick.”

Yu Qi had reached the Nascent Soul stage under Ruan Lan’s tutelage, but against four opponents of similar rank, she was quickly overwhelmed. Blood soaked her robes as she struggled to stand.

Suddenly, a lazy, melodic voice drifted through the trees. “Did I hear someone mention Piao Miao Valley?”

Zhao Xiu whirled around. “Who’s there?”

“Just passing through.” Ji Manqiu stepped out of the woods, cradling her half-grown fox. Her red dress accentuated her curves as she walked with effortless grace.

Zhao Xiu was momentarily stunned by her beauty but quickly recovered. “Keep walking if you want to live.”

Ji Manqiu chuckled, her phoenix-like eyes landing on the battered Yu Qi. “You’re from Piao Miao Valley?”

Yu Qi nodded, her lips pressed tight in frustration.

“Leave now,” Zhao Xiu warned, sensing other cultivators approaching. “Or join her in the grave.”

“My greatest flaw,” Ji Manqiu said with a blooming smile, “is that I don’t know when to take a hint.” She patted the fox’s head and set it on the ground.

The little fox blurred into motion. It bypassed all spiritual defenses, its claws sinking into a cultivator’s throat. No matter how much they struggled or how Zhao Xiu tried to intervene, spiritual energy had no effect on the creature. The cultivator was torn apart, his Nascent Soul unable to escape.

Terror gripped Zhao Xiu. Sensing the approaching auras of other sects getting closer, he and his remaining men turned and fled into the night.

The fox returned to Ji Manqiu, having devoured the cultivator’s soul. She stroked its head and lifted Yu Qi’s chin with a slender finger. “Can you still stand?”

Yu Qi used her sword to haul herself up, her pride still intact. “Of course.”

“Then let’s go. The flies are coming.” Ji Manqiu grabbed Yu Qi’s wrist, and both vanished.

Moments later, Chen Lintian and his party from the Cangyun Sect arrived, finding only a cooling corpse and the lingering scent of blood.