I Just Wanted To Live but I Somehow Became Better Than the Protagonist

Ye Qingwu sat upon a precious lamp, weakly shaking her head. “Sometimes, actions do not yield immediate rewards; the key lies in the impact they may bring forth later. The appearance of those people has given Ye Yong the opportunity to trust us. Trust is worth its weight in gold. You ask if it is worth it; my answer is, it is worth it.”

The feather-adorned maid was momentarily speechless. She realized that her way of thinking and her mistress’s were quite different. Though she did not fully agree with Ye Qingwu’s approach, she would follow her decision, as it was her own.

“Song Song, guard the young lady.”

The feathered maid glanced at the wooden hairpin maid, who nodded in response. They sat on either side of the precious lamp, not tending to wounds, but instead extending their senses, alert to the slightest rustle of the wind or grass. At the first sign of danger, they would shield the young lady and help her escape.

— Tianluo Sect;

Just as the feathered maid had said, Ye Yong was unaware that Ye Qingwu had fought with all her might to repel the high-ranking members of the Blood Flame Sect for his sake. He felt no concern for her safety. This was not due to a lack of empathy; rather, Ye Qingwu, as a saintess of the demon clan and one of the protagonists, possessed formidable cultivation and exceptional talent. She was a pillar of strength, unlike Qin Shidong and the others, who were still in their developmental stages and at risk of untimely demise. In any case, Ye Yong was more preoccupied with how his elderly mother was faring in her cultivation.

It had been some time since Lin Wei had received her heart method. While it was common for cultivators to enter seclusion for years or even decades, that usually occurred only when they were stuck at a troublesome bottleneck or had reached their cultivation limit. Lin Wei was still young; her cultivation could not have reached its peak. Even if she faced a bottleneck, with the aid of the saint-level heart method, she should be able to break through smoothly without hindrance.

Now, after months of silence in her seclusion, Ye Yong was genuinely worried. He feared that he might inadvertently cause some kind of bug, especially since his current stone-level cultivation was already quite buggy.

“Master, do you have something on your mind?” Just out of the bath, Wu Xue emerged to find Ye Yong pacing in the living room, his brow furrowed in deep thought.

Could it be that the master had finally shaken off the enchantment of the vixen and was beginning to reclaim himself?

“Not exactly troubled.” Ye Yong’s sudden concern for his mother stemmed from seeing Xia Shijia care for Hua Ningyan so tenderly, her maternal love overflowing, which led him to think of Lin Wei.

During the early days of his transmigration, he often felt Lin Wei’s profound maternal affection.

“It’s alright, Master. If you truly can’t bring yourself to act, you can ask the senior sisters to help.” At this, Wu Xue felt a twinge of guilt. “It’s my fault for not being strong enough; I might make a mistake, and if it escapes, that would be troublesome.”

“??” Ye Yong was baffled. What was this little cutie talking about? Why did it sound so dangerous? “Do you have such a strong opinion about foxes?”

Wu Xue glanced at Ye Yong’s room, where Hua Ningyan was currently cultivating with the Nine Palaces Rebirth Technique. “I have no issue with foxes, but I do have a problem with the vixens that can speak, especially those with a sweet, delicate voice.”

Ye Yong fell silent, initially thinking that as time passed, Wu Xue would gradually discover Hua Ningyan’s charming qualities, and all prejudices would dissolve. Now, he felt it would be better to dispel those biases sooner rather than later.

Wu Xue was deeply influenced by the notion that vixens were evil, so even if she were locked in the same room with Hua Ningyan, she would likely overlook her merits and nitpick her flaws.

If that’s the case, then let’s defeat magic with magic.

As a young man who once lived in the internet age of the twenty-first century, Ye Yong could think of several tragic love stories between foxes and humans with just a wiggle of his toes. Vixens bringing calamity to the world? Fine, let’s show you a brand new version.

A lovesick vixen, giving everything for love.

—

04 Tears of Sorrow

“And so, they loved each other deeply, yet because of the chasm between human and demon, they ultimately journeyed together to the underworld…” Ye Yong concluded a poignant tale of love between a human and a fox spirit, glancing down at Wu Xue in his arms. To his surprise, she wasn’t crying as he had imagined; her eyes were merely a touch red.

It shouldn’t be so. She had wept uncontrollably at the mere mention of a mermaid before. Was it the dosage that fell short? Should he increase the potion?

Without hesitation, Ye Yong pressed on, weaving a few more tales.

At last, when he recounted the adapted story of Madam White Snake, where the fox spirit was trapped beneath the Leifeng Pagoda, and the scholar became a monk, never to meet again, Wu Xue finally let out a sob.

“The old monk is truly inhuman! Why commit such a vile act, tearing apart a couple that loves each other so dearly?”

“Still, the same truth prevails: humans and demons walk different paths. Even if the demon means no harm, others will cast their judgment, fearing for their own safety, and thus, they strike first, inflicting harm upon the demon.” Ye Yong realized that the first story had not struck a chord with Wu Xue; perhaps the notion of mutual death was somewhat acceptable in her understanding. What she could not bear was the idea that everyone lived, yet they could not meet.

Well, Ye Yong noted Wu Xue’s emotional trigger. In the future, if he brought home some stray cat or dog that she didn’t fancy, he could use this method to touch her heart.

“So, little Xue, while the books tell many tales of wicked fox spirits, it doesn’t mean you should view all foxes through that lens. What if the one you encounter is a good fox, misunderstood by you, and you become the true villain… You wouldn’t want to be like that old monk, would you?”

“Young master is right; I have been too biased.” Wu Xue wiped her tears, saying, “I will observe Hua Ningyan’s character with an objective and fair heart. If she truly is a good fox, I will personally apologize to her.”

“Your awareness is commendable. But it’s getting late; time for sleep.” Ye Yong prepared to cradle Wu Xue into slumber when he suddenly noticed a white shadow standing at the doorway. The little fox’s eyes glistened with moisture, clearly having overheard the story Ye Yong had just told.

This was a bit awkward. The same tale, heard by different beings—human or fox—could yield vastly different effects.

Especially since the protagonists were all foxes; hearing such sorrowful stories could easily cast a shadow over Hua Ningyan, making her hesitant to love a human, fearing tragedy would befall her.

Ye Yong certainly did not wish for the little fox he had painstakingly raised to shy away from him.

“Xue, how about you sleep alone tonight? I want to check on Ningyan’s training; after all, she just acquired the heart method and might have some questions.”

“I’ll wait here for you, young master.” Wu Xue’s prejudice against fox spirits had diminished significantly; the story’s impact was evident. Yet, she had not received her “young master energy” for ten days, naturally wishing to see Ye Yong last before sleep and first upon waking.

“Alright, I’ll be back soon.” Ye Yong patted Wu Xue’s head and stepped into the room.

Having noticed Ye Yong’s attention, Hua Ningyan had already scurried back, now lying on the bed, somewhat glum. “Master, does being with a fox only lead to tragedy?”

“Not necessarily.” Ye Yong sat beside her, gently stroking her soft fur. “Ultimately, it comes down to strength. Think about it: if both parties possess the power to disregard the surrounding noise, would they still be torn apart?”

Hua Ningyan reflected on the story she had just heard. Indeed, the male protagonists seemed weak, their wives captured, left only to stare helplessly, while the female spirits, though demons, lacked the strength to resist.

“Also,” Ye Yong said, lifting the little fox and deliberately leaning close to its ear, “you are not a demon; you are a spirit fox. Once you cultivate to a certain level, you will become a celestial fox—how could a mere demon fox compare?”

As Ye Yong leaned in, his breath brushed against Hua Ningyan’s fox ears, sending a ticklish sensation through her. It was not unpleasant, but rather a strange feeling that left her bewildered.

“Really?” The little fox’s voice turned sharp and high-pitched, her gaze darting about, clearly anxious.

“Of course! By then, you won’t know how many powerful humans will be begging for a chance to meet you, willingly becoming your flower protectors,” Ye Yong continued.

“I don’t need anyone to be my flower protector; I want to protect my master!” Hua Ningyan’s voice suddenly grew louder, a declaration of her resolve.