As soon as the words fell, the person behind her decisively withdrew the sword. The moment the blade scraped through flesh and was pulled from her body, Qin Wanwan finally reacted.

Overwhelming pain crashed over her. She clutched her wound and collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

Jun Shu hadn’t lied to her—the sword wound wasn’t the most painful part. The most painful part was the talisman curse Shen Zhiming had placed on it.

Those curse markings were like countless locusts passing through, gnawing at her cultivation along the way. She could clearly sense the pain of her meridians being devoured by countless insects and ants. The intense pain made her face pale. She struggled to lift her head, wanting to see which lunatic had gone mad!

Before her eyes was a white figure from behind, clothes embroidered with plum blossoms, covered by a layer of thin gauze. Blood-stained hands steadily gripped the long sword. Blood bloomed like flowers across his abdomen, opening into a brilliant peony on his white robes.

Qin Wanwan froze, involuntarily calling out: “Jian Zhiyan?”

He didn’t respond. With his back to her, he clenched the sword tightly, staring fixedly ahead.

Others couldn’t see his abnormality, but only he himself knew what torment he was enduring at this very moment.

Jian Zhiyan, or rather, Jian Xingzhi.

He was originally an immortal from the Immortal Realm who had ascended less than fifty years ago, with the Daoist title Suiheng. He had cultivated in deep mountains since childhood, emerged at eighteen, challenged a hundred sects with his sword, proved the Dao through battle, and achieved the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown in less than a century before ascending to the Immortal Realm. After reaching the Immortal Realm, seeking the ultimate path of the sword, he began challenging others everywhere, cutting down opponents across the four seas and nine provinces. After having no one left to fight, he finally faced the legendary and most mysterious Jishan Nujun, Qin Wanwan.

Qin Wanwan used evil arts to summon heavenly thunder in a sneak attack, bringing him into this world and into this body called “Jian Zhiyan,” while also allowing a system called “666” to invade his divine consciousness.

This system told him this was some “supporting character rebirth counterattack novel,” and this body he occupied was the male companion of the counterattacking supporting female character Qin Wan in this book.

The only way for him to return to the Immortal Realm was to assist this supporting female character in ascending to the Great Dao.

To return to the Immortal Realm and take revenge on Qin Wanwan, he decisively agreed to cooperate with this system and help Qin Wan ascend.

He had already scanned his body with his divine consciousness. Though he had almost no cultivation, his spiritual roots remained, and his divine consciousness was still his own. With his abilities, spending ten years reaching Tribulation Transcendence and using heavenly treasures to send this woman to ascension wouldn’t be a problem.

What he didn’t expect was that this system not only required him to help this woman ascend but also demanded he must do so as “Jian Zhiyan,” unable to deviate from this character’s original plot.

And Jian Zhiyan was completely a tool character in this novel. What he had to do was:

Cause trouble for Qin Wan, let her resolve it, then obtain various opportunities;

Bring men to Qin Wan, let her meet them, then gain various men’s admiration;

Finally, at the critical moment, block the blade for Qin Wan, allowing her to successfully ascend.

As for anything else, it had nothing to do with him. For instance, at this very moment, he only needed to lie flat and wait for that woman to carry him down the mountain.

How could he endure this?

Wasn’t this just being useless?!

Even if his cultivation was completely abolished, he, Jian Xingzhi, would never become this kind of weakling living off a woman’s soft rice!

Moreover, seeing how that Qin Wan trembled like a sieve when trying to stab herself with a sword, how timid she was—if he waited for her to ascend on her own, when would this task ever be completed?

So Jian Xingzhi made a decision, coldly telling 666: “I just need to complete the task. You don’t need to concern yourself with my methods.”

After saying this, he jumped up and helped Qin Wan stab herself.

The lines she didn’t say, he said for her. The plot she didn’t follow, he followed for her. Their goal was to fast-forward the task, ascend in ten years, then he would return to the Immortal Realm, find that Jishan Nujun, grind her bones to dust, cut her corpse into ten thousand pieces, and let her know that he, Jian Xingzhi, was not a man she could toy with!

But defying the system naturally brought punishment.

At this very moment, not only did he have a hole in his stomach, but his body also had to endure the “electric shock” the system inflicted as punishment. At the same time, he had to listen to the system’s nagging: “Boss, stop it! You’re just a green tea soft rice man—you don’t need to do so much! The more severely you violate the character’s personality, the greater the electric shock pain will be. The person has already been stabbed—give up! Let Qin Wan carry you down the mountain!”

System 666’s voice was very sincere, but Jian Xingzhi didn’t take it to heart.

After cultivating the Dao for many years, what was a mere electric shock?

Enduring the pain brought by the electric shock, Jian Xingzhi laughed mockingly in his consciousness sea: “You think your so-called electric shock can stop this sovereign? Shut up and watch—I’ll take Qin Wan down the mountain right now!”

666: “…”

The vengeful conviction of returning to the Immortal Realm to stab Qin Wanwan lingered in Jian Xingzhi’s mind. Jian Xingzhi closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then gripped the sword tightly. He raised his eyes to look at Jun Shu blocking his path and spoke coldly to Qin Wanwan behind him: “Qin Wan, get up.”

As he spoke, one hand drew an array formation inside his sleeve, using the formation to channel spiritual energy into his body.

The sky around them gradually darkened. Spiritual energy formed a vortex, swarming toward him. Everyone’s expressions grew grave. Jun Shu watched Jian Zhiyan with cold eyes, involuntarily tightening his grip on the jade flute.

Qin Wanwan also sensed the abnormality in the spiritual energy. She raised her head to glance at the sky, then turned to look at Jian Zhiyan’s back.

He wore an embroidered long robe with a butterfly hairpin behind his ear. His wide sleeves rose with the wind, the butterfly trembling slightly. The sword in his hand was steady and firm. His entire person stood like a mountain, displayed his edge like a sword.

He spoke, his tone calm yet carrying a strangely familiar arrogance: “Get up. I’ll take you away.”

“Could you pull…”

Qin Wanwan struggled to prop herself up. The words “Could you pull me up” were still between her lips and teeth when a cold laugh came from the side, interrupting Qin Wanwan’s words: “What are you?”

Everyone heard the sound and looked over to see Jun Shu blocking the path down the mountain.

He twirled the jade flute in his hand, mockingly smiling at ‘Jian Zhiyan’: “If I recall correctly, you’re just a slave that Wan’er bought, aren’t you? Openly attacking your master—” Jun Shu’s expression suddenly turned cold as he raised his voice, “Who gave you such audacity!”

Qin Wanwan’s movements paused. She thought about it and lay back down on the ground.

The outcome was still undecided—she didn’t need to be so hasty to stand up.

In case Jian Zhiyan lost the fight, she’d still have to lie back down anyway.

“You want to stop me?”

Jian Xingzhi paid no attention to Qin Wanwan’s actions. He looked at Jun Shu as if asking “Do you want to drink water,” casually speaking: “Will you come alone, or will you all come together?”

The atmosphere grew even colder. Wind blew through carrying tree leaves. Qin Wanwan lay on the ground, curling up even more humbly.

Hearing these words, Jun Shu laughed in anger: “This young master doesn’t kill mortals.”

“Do you have the ability to kill me?”

Jun Shu: “…”

“Draw your sword,” Jian Xingzhi’s tone was calm, his words having little harmful power but extremely strong insulting power, like an absolute master, speaking lightly: “Otherwise, I’m afraid you won’t last one move under my hand.”

At these words, everyone gasped. Both Qin Wanwan and the system held their breath.

After all, Jun Shu was the young master of Lecheng, the number one person below Divine Transformation. As for Jian Zhiyan…

Qin Wanwan couldn’t help but confirm once more: “He’s just a male companion with no cultivation, right?”

“Right…” This time even the system wasn’t certain, stammering: “Right?”

After all, this Jian Zhiyan right now didn’t look like an ordinary person at all!

Something was wrong.

Everyone felt it—this Jian Zhiyan was wrong.

But no matter how wrong it was, for Jun Shu, daring to say such words was humiliating him.

Jun Shu nodded: “Good.”

He was finally thoroughly enraged. The jade flute in his hand turned. “Seeking death—this young master will grant your wish.”

As his words fell, Jun Shu struck at Jian Xingzhi with his flute. Jian Xingzhi’s sword flourished, and he thrust one sword strike at Jun Shu!

This sword carried thunderous sword intent, like a violent storm.

“Holy shit.”

Qin Wanwan saw the difference in skill and sat bolt upright, her eyes blooming with the light of hope.

With this level of ability, there was hope of leaving the mountain today!

Qin Wanwan watched Jian Xingzhi eagerly. However, just as Jian Xingzhi’s sword was about to reach Jun Shu, he seemed to be struck by one hundred thousand volts of electric current. He suddenly spread both arms, his whole body convulsing, meeting Jun Shu’s jade flute head-on without any resistance. He was struck flying by the flute with a thunderous “boom,” his entire body smashing into the center of Shenming Platform, embedding half a zhang deep into the stone.

Then Jun Shu moved like a ghost, grabbing the person from the pit and kicking him heavily toward the sky!

‘Jian Zhiyan’ spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground. Qin Wanwan trembled. Then she watched as Jian Zhiyan, like a ball, was kicked back and forth by Jun Shu, beaten here and there, flying around in the air until finally, with a “clang,” he smashed back to the ground, motionless.

Dust flew everywhere. System 38 cursed loudly in her mind: “I thought he was some impressive figure—what a complete waste of time! Men are as reliable as pigs climbing trees! Host, stand up and continue with the plot. Shen Zhiming and Song Xinian still have feelings for you. Take this opportunity, quickly act pitiful, and get carried down the mountain!”

Qin Wanwan was speechless. She stared blankly at Jian Zhiyan, covered in blood, smashed into the ground and convulsing. She swallowed, thought for a moment, then calmly lay back down on the ground, even pulling her outer robe to cover herself more thoroughly.

“Host, what are you doing? Stand up! If they capture you, they’ll dig out the dragon’s core! Aren’t you afraid?! Aren’t you panicking?!”

Footsteps came from the side. The system was frantic.

Qin Wanwan curled up on the ground, her whole body shaking like a sieve. Trembling, she begged the system: “Don’t… don’t speak… let me think…”

She needed to think of a way to conceal the dragon’s core.

What method?

Among the spells she knew, what spell could hide this dragon’s core so that even Tribulation Transcendence cultivators couldn’t detect it?

Qin Wanwan frantically recalled. She had never been so hardworking, so clever. Her mind was filled with all the spells she had learned in the Immortal Realm.

After all, the Immortal Realm was the upper realm of this world. Any random spell was a heaven-grade technique in this world.

As long as she recalled one suitable spell, she could muddle through!

What was it? What spell was suitable?

The footsteps drew closer and closer. Qin Wanwan prayed frantically.

Meanwhile, Jian Xingzhi was also frantically arguing with his system 666.

“I already said before, the higher the character role violation degree, the stronger the electric shock pain. You violated the rules—how can you still blame me?”

“Is this an electric shock?” Jian Xingzhi angrily cursed. “This is a heavenly tribulation! The lightning when I ascended wasn’t this powerful!”

“None of this matters now. You’ve made such a mess—what is the female lead supposed to do?”

666 was both angry and annoyed: “This must be your butterfly effect. The female lead was stabbed by you and can’t stand up. If people discover the dragon’s core in her body and extract it, the female lead will lose her opportunity. How can she still ascend?!”

“A mere dragon’s core—I have a solution.”

The moment Jian Xingzhi spoke these words, he clearly felt the pain of the electric shock diminish significantly. He recovered slightly, took a deep breath, and lying on the ground, dipped his finger in blood and began drawing talismans on his palm.

Qin Wanwan was still immersed in her own thoughts when she suddenly felt a small stone hit the ground before her.

She opened her eyes to see a hand raised with difficulty from the deep pit.

On that hand’s palm were symbols written in blood, like a flag, like a lighthouse, illuminating Qin Wanwan’s path forward!

The moment she saw the talisman, a strange spiritual force drilled directly from her brow into her body, and Qin Wanwan immediately realized what it was.

It was “Guichen”!

The most commonly used concealment curse in the Immortal Realm, derived from “all things return to dust,” transforming everything into the ordinary, hidden in formlessness.

This kind of spell didn’t require much spiritual energy—it relied on proficiency. Using Guichen in the lower realm to hide a bead inside the body was nothing simpler!

She was saved!

Qin Wanwan was overjoyed. The talisman slowly disappeared from Jian Xingzhi’s palm. The disappearing symbols represented the curse power Qin Wanwan was receiving.

However, when only half had disappeared, a shoe embroidered with silver dragon patterns suddenly appeared, elegantly yet forcefully stepping on that hand representing hope, producing a crisp sound of bones shattering.

Qin Wanwan: “…”

Jian Xingzhi: “…”

Qin Wanwan followed that shoe upward to see Jun Shu holding his jade flute, face bearing a smile, gently asking her: “Wan’er, have you thought clearly about how to save Yueli?”

Qin Wanwan didn’t respond. She clutched her wound, her gaze vacant, her divine consciousness nervously observing how the Guichen curse was wrapping around the dragon’s core.

Jun Shu didn’t notice her abnormality, only thinking she was frightened. The foot stepping on ‘Jian Zhiyan’s’ head twisted lightly, and Jian Zhiyan sank deeper into the earth. Jun Shu’s eyes contained a warning: “If you still can’t think clearly, your male companion can be buried on the spot today…”

Before he finished speaking, the talisman tightly bonded with the dragon’s core. The spiritual energy in her body was instantly absorbed by the talisman. The dragon’s core suddenly brightened, then completely dimmed. At that moment, Qin Wanwan could no longer hold on. Her eyes rolled back, and her breath ceased!

The moment her breath disappeared, everyone present sensed it. Shen Zhiming reacted first, instantly appearing on Shenming Platform, directly picking up Qin Wanwan horizontally and instructing the others: “Xinian, handle the aftermath. I’ll take her to Baicao Hall.”

After speaking, Shen Zhiming disappeared from the spot with Qin Wanwan.

Song Xinian reacted, angrily looking at Jun Shu: “Young Master Jun, you promised you wouldn’t harm junior martial sister’s life!”

“I didn’t harm her.”

Jun Shu withdrew his foot from Jian Xingzhi’s head. A maid quickly came forward to wipe the foot that had stepped on Jian Xingzhi.

“Let’s leave it at this today, Brother Song.” After tidying up, Jun Shu smiled slightly at Song Xinian. “I’ll go see Yueli first. If Wan’er wakes up, please notify me promptly.”

Saying this, Jun Shu bowed to Song Xinian and turned to leave.

Song Xinian clenched his fists, watching Jun Shu’s departing back for a long time before hearing a disciple ask from behind: “Senior Martial Brother, we’ve dug that slave out from the ground. How should we handle him?”

Song Xinian looked back to see ‘Jian Zhiyan’ placed on a stretcher by two disciples. The disciples had carefully covered him with white cloth—he looked as if he was already dead.

“Throw him out!”

Song Xinian found this male companion annoying. He couldn’t be bothered to care about a mortal’s life or death.

Speaking, he couldn’t help but add: “Throw him far away!”

“Yes.”

The disciples respectfully acknowledged and quickly carried the stretcher outside.

Being carried, Jian Xingzhi listened to their conversation. In the intense pain brought by the electric shock, trembling, he raised one finger.

This one finger represented Daoist Suiheng’s unyielding will.

Wenxin Sect…

Just you wait.

Sooner or later, I will level your mountain, smash your Dao palace, and leave no living creature in your Wenxin Sect!

And that damned system that electrocuted him—sooner or later…

Jian Xingzhi was making poisonous vows in his heart. Before he could finish, he heard the voices of two disciples beside his ear: “One, two, three—heave-ho.”

After speaking, the two threw Jian Xingzhi out with combined force.

Jian Xingzhi’s body hit the ground, rolling down the mountain slope.

As he rolled, he thought: And these two disciples—sooner or later…

With a “clang,” before Jian Xingzhi could think any further, his head smashed against a rock. His vision went black, and he finally lost consciousness.

System 666 in his mind breathed a sigh of relief.

This master had finally quieted down.