Transmigrated into a Total Shou Novel as a Cannon Fodder, but Ended Up 1v1-ing the Male Lead | Chapter 175 | Playing the Part | Novela.app

"Young Master Ao Fan, your sobering pill." Ao Fan was dizzily drunk, already beginning to mumble nonsense to the female cultivator in his arms. A cultivator from the Lan family, who had been standing by the wall like a piece of furniture, stepped forward with practiced ease and offered the pre-prepared pill. "Young Master Ao Fan is scheduled to appear tomorrow. We all wish to see you showcase your elegance in your most spirited state," the cultivator flattered. Ao Fan nodded, muttering, "That’s true," as he took the sobering pill. After swallowing it, he tidied his appearance in the mirror. For once, he did not linger with the female cultivators until dawn; instead, he signaled the Lan family cultivators and headed back to his quarters. From the shadows, Nie Shiyun watched as Ao Fan departed, flanked by his Lan family entourage. Once he was gone, the female cultivators had no reason to stay and filed out of the room one after another. Nie Shiyun fell into thought. Although those Lan family cultivators seemed full of grievances toward Ao Fan, if an accident truly occurred, they would undoubtedly prioritize the Lan family's position and protect him with their lives. Nie Shiyun did not want to clash with them directly. He stroked his chin. In what setting could he avoid the Lan family and speak directly to Ao Fan? After weighing his options, Nie Shiyun reached a conclusion—on the competition stage. He took a sharp breath. This move was certainly risky. Regardless of whether he succeeded, he would surely face retaliation from both Ao Fan and the Lan family afterward. If things escalated, his life might become quite difficult. However, the opportunity presented to him was far too tempting to let pass. *I’ll give it a try!* At worst, if he were hunted by Ao Fan and the Lan family, Nie Shiyun was confident he could use the jade pendant to escape. His only concern was the upper echelons of the Dragon Race, but he could only gamble—gamble that Ao Fan was vain enough that even if he suffered a setback, he would be too embarrassed to go back to his elders for help. In the dead of night, after the tavern had closed and the streets were empty, Nie Shiyun finally emerged from the jade pendant space and slipped out through a window undetected. The next day, Nie Shiyun did not arrive at the venue early as he had the previous two days. When he finally appeared before the crowd, he shed the humble aura he had projected previously. When receiving polite praise, he displayed a perfectly timed look of self-satisfaction. Though his words were "It was nothing," his expression was one of immense delight. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the Lan family cultivators at the arena taking note of him, whispering among themselves. Before long, one of them left the square and vanished into the crowd, likely heading off to report to the Lan family and Ao Fan. While cheating was never his intention, since he already knew the Lan family was pulling strings behind the scenes, he was happy to cooperate and play along. He only felt a bit sorry for his opponents in the upcoming matches. Ao Fan soon heard of Nie Shiyun’s "floating" state of mind and was inwardly triumphant. "See? What did I tell you? These country bumpkins get dizzy the moment they achieve a little success. But that’s what will make his eventual defeat so interesting! Arrange the next few matches for me. Build up some momentum for him among the public as well." "Yes. we shall arrange it immediately..." The Lan family cultivators felt a bitterness beyond words. They were cultivators of a Great Family, after all; how had they been reduced to handling such trivial, nonsensical errands every day? By this point, the number of rogue cultivators remaining in the competition was few. The Lan family did not dare tamper with the workstations of smiths from other Great Families, but backroom deals and negotiations were still on the table. Thus, with the secret push from Ao Fan and the Lan family, Nie Shiyun won his match that day with ease. Unbeknownst to him, rumors began to circulate among the crowd: "Perhaps this is the genius who can break Ao Fan’s decades-long winning streak." Nie Shiyun found it hilarious. The Lan family was certainly putting in the effort. Did everyone really want to see this? A Grade 2 smith and a fellow who was technically Grade 3 but essentially Grade 2, eliminating a bunch of high-level smiths from Great Families just to have a final showdown? Nie Shiyun dealt with the insincere flattery of those around him with a smile, just as a commotion broke out. He heard people nearby saying, "Ao Fan’s match is starting," as they flocked toward the other side of the square. This was Ao Fan’s first appearance. Although most passersby were too bored to watch him, the Lan family had arranged for many shills in the audience. Under this manufactured, enthusiastic atmosphere, the area around the stage was packed, looking quite lively. Nie Shiyun squeezed through the crowd to get closer, wanting to see just what level this "lord" actually possessed. Ao Fan was very satisfied with the cheers of the humans, waving to the crowd below with a haughty posture. His opponent happened to be a smith sent by the Shang family. The man’s expression was calm, showing no sign of displeasure or hostility—he looked entirely like someone who wanted to "finish the act and get off work early." Nie Shiyun thought about how, if a disturbance occurred later, Madame Shang would surely be anxious and complain behind his back about him not listening to her advice. At this thought, he sighed, only hoping she could understand that he could never give up on repairing the Ascension Path. At this moment, Nie Shiyun was only thankful that he had no overt connection to the Shang family. Even while working as a temporary hand at their workshop, he hadn't spoken much with others. At the very least, Madame Shang wouldn't be implicated when the time came. On stage, Ao Fan and the other smith had already begun refining. Anyone with a discerning eye could see that the other smith’s heart wasn't in it. As a fellow smith, Nie Shiyun could tell at a glance that the man’s rhythm in hammering the stone was completely haphazard. At this rate, the piece would likely crack during the furnace-firing stage. In Nie Shiyun’s own matches, although his opponents had gone easy on him under the Lan family’s arrangements, at least both sides had produced a finished product in the end. Sure enough, less than half an hour later, the Shang family smith "accidentally" ruined his piece during the firing stage, showing a hint of feigned frustration. Noticing this, Ao Fan let out a smug smile. "Is that all? Fortunately, only half an hour has passed; you still have time." "Forget it, my state of mind isn't right today," the opposing smith explained, then promptly applied to the Lan family cultivators to forfeit. "The winner is decided!" As the announcement of Ao Fan’s victory rang out from the stage, the audience clapped at the appropriate time. Ao Fan huffed and set down his tools. "He ran off quite fast! Well, I suppose my aura is just too strong; it affected his performance." Since his opponent had forfeited, Ao Fan also stopped his refining. He had no interest in performing for a bunch of humans. Ao Fan left, and the onlookers quickly dispersed. Watching all this, Nie Shiyun couldn't help but find it ridiculously farcical. This smithing competition stage had truly been turned into a theater, where the various smiths were mere supporting actors and the audience was there to provide applause. He only wondered if this young master of the Dragon Race realized it was all an act. Or perhaps, having been coddled by the Lan family for so long, Ao Fan truly didn't know his own worth... The day's matches concluded, and the number of cultivators in the square thinned out significantly. Nie Shiyun was preparing to leave with the crowd when a voice called out to him from behind. "Fellow Daoist, please wait a moment." Nie Shiyun turned around to see a cultivator from the Lan family. "A senior from the Lan family. Today's events are over, aren't they? May I ask why you are looking for me?" Nie Shiyun asked curiously. "This is not the place to talk. Please follow me." Though the man's tone was calm, it carried an air of undeniable authority. Nie Shiyun figured it was about time the Lan family came knocking. Previously, they had only been following Ao Fan’s orders to let him advance, but after these two days of observation, they must have realized his smithing level wasn't poor and that he was becoming increasingly high-spirited. Considering this play had to end with Ao Fan successfully defending his title, the Lan family couldn't let him continue unchecked. "Haha, I’ve heard everyone saying the Lan family might recruit me! Could it be true?" Nie Shiyun laughed heartily. His act of feigned overconfidence put the Lan family cultivator at ease. The man thought to himself that this fellow really was a newcomer from the lower layers who understood nothing and seemed easy to manipulate. "That depends on whether you cooperate," the Lan family cultivator said with a smile. Nie Shiyun followed him with a look of confusion to a nearby tea house. This tea house was under the Lan family's name. The manager tactfully led them to a private meeting room in the back. "Daoist Nie, have you noticed that your recent matches have been won with extreme ease?" Once inside, the Lan family cultivator got straight to the point. "Now that you mention it... I thought I was just lucky. Was it actually you helping me in secret?" The Lan family cultivator was amused by Nie Shiyun’s naivety. "Where would such consistent luck come from?" He paused, seeing Nie Shiyun staring at him intently, and teased, "To be honest, we did indeed have a hand in it. However, the reason might be a bit different from what you suspect." The Lan family cultivator assumed Nie Shiyun must have heard rumors and mistakenly thought the Lan family was trying to court him. It was a natural assumption; after all, who could have guessed Young Master Ao Fan would come up with such a scheme? Seeing Nie Shiyun looking dazed and unable to guess, the man felt a brief moment of relief from the years of frustration he had endured under Ao Fan’s thumb. "In short, we need you to cooperate with the Lan family and put on a show for Young Master Ao Fan. If you’re a smart man, you should know what to do, right?" After listening to the Lan family cultivator’s veiled explanation, Nie Shiyun, who already knew everything, acted as if he had just seen the light. "You mean, you want me to act more and more arrogant from now on, and then be soundly defeated by Young Master Ao Fan? Once it’s done, will I be able to join a Great Family?" Hearing Nie Shiyun’s summary, even the Lan family cultivator felt the scheme was incredibly childish. For the sake of the Great Family’s dignity, he cleared his throat to cover his tracks. "Ahem... simply put, that is the idea. As for joining the Lan family, we cannot say for sure. But rest assured, even if Young Master Ao Fan has a grievance against you, we can arrange for you to join another family." "He’s still holding a grudge about me almost bumping into him on the street? How petty..." Nie Shiyun said, intentionally speaking without restraint. The Lan family cultivator shot him a look. "Misfortune comes from the mouth. I suggest you don't say such things lightly in public." "Right, right, I understand. Then it’s a deal. Even if you don't find me a good place, giving me some immortal crystals instead is fine. You’re such a big family; I trust you. Just watch me tomorrow." Nie Shiyun slapped his thigh, and the matter was settled. "You can rest assured on that. There will be no lack of benefits for you. This is a deposit." The Lan family cultivator casually tossed over a thousand immortal crystals. Seeing Nie Shiyun’s eyes light up as he caught them, the man smiled contemptuously. *So easy to buy.* In his mind, it was only possible for a Great Family to trick a low-level cultivator; there was no way a greenhorn like Nie Shiyun would unilaterally break the agreement. Nie Shiyun was glad he hadn't socialized much during his short time in the Middle Layer. The Lan family must have looked into him over the past few days. Judging by this cultivator’s reaction, they had only verified that he had indeed just arrived in the Middle Layer last autumn and hadn't heard anything about his personality from others. Thus, they took all his performances at face value. Before leaving the tea house, the man repeatedly warned him that today's conversation must not be mentioned to outsiders, nor should a single word be revealed to Young Master Ao Fan himself. Nie Shiyun nodded repeatedly, looking like a blind follower. After returning to his cultivation room, Nie Shiyun mentally prepared to face Ao Fan in the finals. He began to study his smithing manuals even more seriously than before. Today, Ao Fan had only refined halfway; Nie Shiyun couldn't be certain of the exact level of magic treasure the other could produce. Judging by his form, although the "Grade 3" title was likely inflated, the boy did possess the skills of a Grade 2 smith. If he was going to win, it had to be a total victory. Nie Shiyun made up his mind. During the finals, he would refine a Mysterious-grade magic treasure in public for the first time—ideally, one of at least mid-rank. In truth, considering Ao Fan’s age and his beast-kin lineage, he could indeed be said to have considerable talent for smithing. It was just a pity his character was so poor, and he didn't seem to have an ounce of genuine love for the craft itself. As a fellow smith, Nie Shiyun felt a trace of regret in his heart. *** Meanwhile, unlike the bustling Middle Layer, the Upper Layer remained as peaceful as it had been for centuries. An immortal ship was about to quietly set sail. "What? Alchemist Zhai really left?" "I clearly said last time that our family’s conditions are excellent, but he just wouldn't come. Ugh, he looks so gentle, but he’s so stubborn!" Although they had heard that Alchemist Zhai would only work at the pill shop for a short time, the female cultivators hadn't expected him to leave so soon. He hadn't even said goodbye, leaving them all twisting their handkerchiefs in regret. "Boss, you must have paid him too much! Otherwise, how could he have earned enough immortal crystals to leave so quickly? You really don't know how to do business!" The boss wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "Oh, my young ladies, wasn't his fame built up by all of you? So many pill shops were trying to poach him from me. If I didn't give him more crystals, he would have gone elsewhere..." "Is the boss blaming us then?" the female cultivators asked dissatisfiedly. "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare..." Inside the pill shop, the cultivators gathered in the corner behind the counter watched the scene and began to complain in low voices. "Zhai Bairong is already gone, why aren't these young ladies finished yet!" "You’re asking me? Who am I supposed to ask? Last time, he directly admitted in front of these women that he has a Dao companion! I thought this money tree was going to fall, but look, they kept coming just the same..." Upon hearing Zhai Bairong say he had a Dao companion, everyone was naturally shocked at first, accompanied by a small sense of loss. But on second thought, it seemed unrealistic for a man with such handsome looks and a gentle personality to remain single forever. Furthermore, after hearing that Zhai Bairong’s partner was also a man, many of the female cultivators who had been feeling a bit dejected suddenly perked up again. According to them, they used to worry that Zhai Bairong might actually be snatched up by some young lady and taken home as a live-in son-in-law. Now they could finally relax! Perhaps out of curiosity toward the man Zhai Bairong was so devoted to, during that period, besides coming to admire his face, the thing the female cultivators did most was ask about his partner. Zhai Bairong himself hadn't noticed that, despite his dislike of talking about his personal affairs to outsiders, whenever he spoke of his partner—even if only a few words—a faint smile would appear on his face. The female cultivators secretly called it a smile "so good it could make you eat three extra bowls of rice." "...I don't understand." "I don't understand either." Thinking of this, several former colleagues all sighed, "I don't understand women." "He said he was very grateful for your constant patronage of the pill shop," the boss helplessly brought out Zhai Bairong’s words and a farewell letter as a lifeline. "But he said he had already received too much extra care. If everyone knew which day he was leaving, he feared he would have to accept even more kindness, so he purposely left quietly ahead of schedule." "How could he..." "Will he come back in the future?" "I even introduced him to a merchant guild under a branch of my family in the Middle Layer. I hope if he has trouble, he can go there and use my name." "I don't think he will. But it’s exactly this sense of distance that is so wonderful..." The crowd chattered away, but they finally let the pill shop owner go. The latter backed away from the circle, finally breathing a sigh of relief. Before leaving, the pill shop owner had told Zhai Bairong that if he ever found his partner and returned to the Upper Layer, he was welcome to come back to work anytime. Zhai Bairong had only politely thanked him, saying he would definitely visit if he had the chance, but he hadn't said a word about returning to work. The boss naturally understood his meaning and didn't press further. He looked at the calendar, estimating that Zhai Bairong should have set off by now. Shaking his head, the pill shop owner thought to himself that he had known from the start that Zhai Bairong wasn't someone a place like this could keep. However, the benefits Zhai Bairong had brought to his shop over the past year were already more than enough; he didn't hope for anything else. Then again, never mind the young ladies—even he was a bit curious. Just what kind of fellow was this Dao companion that Zhai Bairong was so intent on finding... *** Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation --- | --- | --- 玄级法宝 | Mysterious-grade magic treasure | Also known as Xuan-grade; the third tier in the standard Heaven/Earth/Mysterious/Yellow ranking system. 仙晶 | Immortal Crystals | High-level currency used in the upper realms/layers. 道侣 | Dao companion | A partner in cultivation and life, similar to a spouse. 中层 | Middle Layer | The middle tier of the world's geographical/social structure. 上层 | Upper Layer | The highest tier of the world's geographical/social structure. 商家 | Shang family | One of the influential families in the Middle Layer. 蓝家 | Lan family | One of the influential families in the Middle Layer, currently hosting Ao Fan. 敖樊 | Ao Fan | A young member of the Dragon Race. 翟白容 | Zhai Bairong | Nie Shiyun's partner, currently an alchemist. 聂世云 | Nie Shiyun | The protagonist, a smith/artifact refiner.