Reborn As A Villainous Cannon Fodder

Winter hit hard this year.

The cold bit deeper each day at Wuji Sect. High above the main peak, past the clouds, Mu Daosheng sat across from his daughter, sharing wine in one of their rare quiet moments.

About a week back, the Immortal Alliance dropped a critical mission on them; support the Western Region. Yuyan, being Wuji Sect's sword leader, took off without a second thought to defend the front lines against the demonic abyss.

Originally, Yanran wanted to tag along to Western Province City. But her father shut that down fast.

His excuse? Simple enough. Yuyan had broken through to Divine Transformation and had heaven watching her back. Yanran was just some Nascent Soul cultivator. If she wanted to venture into that kind of hellhole, she'd better reach Divine Transformation first before he'd even think about letting her go.

Made sense on paper.

But Yanran knew her father too well. She suspected the real reason came down to blood versus adoption.

Ever since Yuyan's family got wiped out and Mu Daosheng took her in, the girl could do whatever she wanted outside. Meanwhile, Yuna's senior sister Yanran, got locked down every damn time.

Yuyan was like the wild child who could get away with murder. Yanran was daddy's precious little princess who needed protection from everything.

It was starting to eat at her.

Especially now, with rumors floating around that Yuyan nearly died fighting some witch at the Western Region's border...

"Father, I need to say something."

The purple-robed woman finally spoke up.

Mu Daosheng glanced up, eyes saying go ahead, then went back to drowning himself in wine.

"Every time there's an external mission and you forbid me from going, Yuyan ends up in mortal danger. Nine times out of ten..."

Yanran couldn't hold it back anymore.

She paused, anxiety and fear clouding her face as she stared at him. "Father, did you know Yuyan would face danger? Is that why you never let me take those risks?"

Mu Daosheng's drinking hand froze.

"Heh..."

He let out a dry chuckle, then drained his cup in one go.

Bang!

Slammed it down hard. His slightly drunk eyes, heavy with that adult resignation, finally met her gaze.

"Yanran, you've been part of Heaven-Defying Pavilion for years now."

His voice went grave, but he stopped there, like he couldn't say more.

Still, they'd been father and daughter long enough. That opening was all she needed.

Yeah.

Heaven-Defying Pavilion existed. Some extremely secretive organization.

Yanran was just low-level cannon fodder. She barely knew jack about how it worked. Only that they'd orchestrated the Mo family's destruction, and that Jinyue, Yuebai, and tons of cultivators from Wuji Sect and other immortal sects were all members.

Most Heaven-Defying Pavilion members stayed hidden. If her father hadn't brought her in, she'd never have believed that countless coincidences were actually planned from above.

Over the years, she'd personally carried out missions under the Celestial Master's orders.

So from her experience with the Pavilion, her father's answer was crystal clear.

Yes, he'd known about the Western Region crisis. Known Yuyan would face mortal danger. But as her master and adoptive father, he'd still sent her to the front lines without blinking.

"But..."

"Father, how could you do that to Yuyan..."

Childhood memories hit her like a truck.

She couldn't wrap her head around it. When she was little, the Mu and Mo families were tight. Yuyan's father used to visit Mu Daosheng for drinks all the time. Every visit, he'd ruffle Yanran's hair and slip her a matcha-flavored immortal pill, calling her a little beauty in the making.

This confusion had been eating at her for over a decade...

When the Mo family got consumed by heavenly fire, why had her father and the Mu family elders stayed completely cold to their old friends?

"Yanran, seems like you haven't learned anything from your time in the Pavilion."

Mu Daosheng cut through her breakdown.

He waved his hand, clearly not wanting to see those red-rimmed eyes or deal with his daughter's tearful accusations.

This wasn't some personal failing. Anyone sitting in a sect leader's chair would do the same.

He'd explained these principles to Yanran countless times since she was young.

Unfortunately... She'd been too sheltered. Still couldn't see through to how this world really worked.

"I know. You're gonna say this is part of Yuyan's destiny too, right?"

Yanran found it laughable. She wiped her eye and suddenly knocked back the wine in front of her.

She wasn't much of a drinker, rarely touched the stuff. But ever since joining Heaven-Defying Pavilion, her life felt dimmer and more meaningless... Now she got why her father loved to drink.

"That's right. Destiny…."

"Destiny... destiny... destiny... Is there anything in this world that isn't controlled by destiny?!"

The alcohol made her bold. The more she talked, the more defiant she got, finally slamming the table as she shot to her feet.

Mu Daosheng looked up, his pupils dilating slightly in surprise, but kept that calm reserved expression.

Seeing his silence, Yanran gritted her teeth and forced herself back down.

"Father, is sending Yuyan to her death also part of destiny?!"

"Yuyan's the Girl of Destiny. She won't die."

This time, Mu Daosheng's response was surprisingly sincere.

Yanran stared at him In shock.

Taking advantage of the pause, he took a light sip of his wine, then said calmly, "How can suffering and growth not be part of destiny's plan?"

"So... that's Yuyan's destiny, and if I went, I wouldn't survive?"

"That's not wrong."

"But... what if something really goes wrong with Yuyan?!"

"I told you, she's the Girl of Destiny. Nothing will go wrong."

"Chen Jianxin was also a Child of Destiny, how'd he die?!"

Dead silence. Yanran's comeback killed the conversation.

"Chen... Chen Jianxin... he was..."

For once, Mu Daosheng got struck speechless.

On top of the main peak, the father and daughter started drinking in sullen silence.

Just as the atmosphere sank into that deathly quiet, wind carried a white-robed woman on her Frost Chant sword across the distant horizon.

"Master, Yuyan's got something to report!"

Yuyan dropped from the sky, beaming with joy, bursting into their little courtyard gathering.

"Master, for the next few days, I'd like to live in Luo City to help recruit students and promote Wuji Sect!"

Both Yanran and Mu Daosheng froze.

For some reason, a certain young man's face, never mentioned in Yuyan's words seemed to pop up before them both.