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

“Yong’er, how have you fared in Tianluo Sect? Has anyone dared to cross you?” As soon as Ye Yong boarded the airship, the elders surrounded him.

The air was thick with the aura of Nascent and Transformation stage cultivators. The flower in his arms, Hua Ningyan, was so frightened she dared not breathe, while Wu Xue, as a maid, did not dare to approach, staying back with Xia Shiqi and Xia Shijia.

“No, everyone has been very kind to me.” Ye Yong felt a bit speechless. He wasn’t the protagonist Long Tian; with his current reputation, who would dare to confront him? Even those who might be displeased with his talent in Tianluo Sect, where most were his admirers, wouldn’t openly show hostility—this wasn’t some other sect.

“Do you have enough cultivation resources? I heard from a friend who manages the Contribution Hall that you haven’t even gone to collect your resources.”

Ye Yong had no interest in those ordinary cultivation resources. They were filled with impurities, hard to absorb, and would slow his progress. So rather than waste time at the Contribution Hall, he preferred to spend more time using the system shop’s cheaper yet perfect-quality resources for his cultivation.

“Master Mu Qingyin from the Sound and Painting Hall prepared better resources for me, which is why I didn’t go to collect them.” Ye Yong temporarily shifted the blame to Mu Qingyin.

“Ah, I see. But our Ye family cannot casually owe favors. I’ve heard she is a young Transformation stage cultivator, skilled in painting and music. When we return home, let’s gather some things she might like to repay her.”

“No need; the hall master is not the type to keep score.” Ye Yong quickly urged his elders to drop the idea and changed the subject. “Instead of worrying about me, why not ask how Ye Mao and the others are progressing in their cultivation?”

Indeed, while Ye Yong was a sun, dazzling and bright, it was also important to pay attention to those beside him, whose light might not shine as brightly but could still be considered stars.

“Mao’er, how is your cultivation?” the elder asked casually, hands behind his back.

“Not bad.” Ye Mao felt a bit displeased. You’re my grandfather, yet you’ve completely dropped the warm demeanor you had with Ye Yong just moments ago. What does this indifferent tone mean?

“What do you mean, ‘not bad’?” The elder raised an eyebrow. “I’m asking you a question; how do you respond to that?”

“Not long ago, I just broke through to the tenth layer of foundation…” Ye Mao lowered his head.

Similar events had unfolded for Ye Gou and the others, as if they were not kin, but Ye Yong was the true blood.

—

09 Selfless Dedication, Quietly Unnoticed

“Is it really impossible to determine the identity of the demonic sect that attacked you on Lingyou Mountain?” After inquiring about the younger generation, the elders turned their attention back to Ye Yong.

“Truly, it is impossible to ascertain.” Ye Yong shook his head.

“Hmph! How dare they set their sights on you, they must be tired of living. Take this shadow mirror; next time someone schemes against you, capture their likeness. Let’s see if we don’t dismantle those scoundrels’ bones.”

Ye Yong scrutinized the Ye family members aboard the ship, lined up like soldiers, and he finally understood why the Ye family could overshadow the entire Great Zhou Dynasty, even earning a measure of respect from the royal family, which led to Ye Yong’s reckless disposition.

Perhaps they could not conquer a dynasty, but subduing those great nations was entirely within reach, and one could even say it would be quite effortless. Moreover, it should be noted that the forces here were not the entirety of the Ye family.

Though the Great Zhou Dynasty had a cultivator at the early stage of Dongxu, the Ye family lacked such strength. Yet, the Ye family had many at the Huashen stage; counting the branches and side families, there were over thirty.

In contrast, the Great Zhou Dynasty had barely over ten Huashen cultivators. The Dongxu elder was quite aged, relying on slumber to reduce wear and tear on his lifespan, only emerging when faced with the threat of annihilation. Each time he acted, it was akin to shortening his life.

For a prominent and righteous family, especially one like the Ye family, the Great Zhou Dynasty would be wary, but they would never dare to suppress the Ye family simply because they had a Dongxu. As mentioned earlier, that elder was already advanced in years and unable to break through, but as long as he remained, the Great Zhou Dynasty could ensure its prosperity and deter external threats. Those who ascend to the throne of a dynasty are hardly foolish; they naturally seek to ally with powerful families. In this way, should any crisis arise, they could count on the support of these families, ensuring that the Dongxu elder would not be called upon lightly.

As for the identity of that Dongxu, outsiders believed him to be an ancestor of the human race, but Ye Yong knew well that his true form was that of a turtle, possessing a mere hint of the Xuanwu bloodline. Compared to the Jade Armored Sacred Turtle of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect in the Central Continent, the difference was still vast.

“That spirit fox in your arms is what you brought back from there, right? Though still quite young, with proper nurturing, I believe it can become a fine spirit companion.”

The elders chatted with Ye Yong, when a younger member of the side branch of the Ye family stealthily inquired of Ye Gou, “Aren’t you worried that with so many elders out, someone might take the opportunity to attack our family?”

Ye Gou laughed heartily, “That’s why you should familiarize yourself more with our family. Do you think our defensive formations are mere decorations? Even if a few Huashen came, they wouldn’t breach the defenses in a matter of hours without depleting the formation’s energy. And have you forgotten that we have several old ancestors in seclusion? With them around, who would dare to invade?”

The younger member of the side branch nodded; he indeed did not know much about the family’s affairs.

An elder from the Ye family noticed their conversation and snorted coldly, “Remember, it has always been the Ye family that bullies others; no one dares to bully us. Your concerns are entirely unwarranted.”

The junior quickly lowered her head. “I, too, fear that there are those who lack vision, brazen enough to offend the Ye family.”

“Such a thing does not exist.” The elder’s resolute tone filled the junior with confidence, grateful to be born into the Ye family, even as a distant branch.

Listening silently, Ye Yong couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “Doesn’t exist,” indeed. There were those who lacked vision, brazen enough to single-handedly bring the Ye family to ruin. Those hidden families with their vast powers had also fallen victim to the protagonist’s intelligence-dulling aura and reverse fortune. Was the Ye family any different? If Ye Yong hadn’t exerted every effort to change their course, the Ye family would already be showing signs of fracture.

With this thought, Ye Yong sighed again, considering himself a selfless, unnoticed hero of the night, doing good deeds that went unrecognized.

The juniors of the Ye family had all gathered, but the ship had yet to take off. As the juniors exchanged puzzled glances, Qin Shiming appeared aboard the vessel, accompanied by the pale-faced Xiao Huan.

“Why is Fairy Qin here? To bid farewell to Young Master Ye?” Ye Gou and the others were curious.

Qin Shiming walked directly to the elder of the Ye family, bowing slightly in apology. “I sincerely apologize for delaying everyone’s time.”

Xiao Huan quickly bent at the waist as well, though she seemed unsteady on her feet.

Qin Shiming wanted to say more, but the elders of the Ye family waved her off, their attitude toward her not much different from that toward Ye Yong. As for the reason, Qin Shiming’s talent was not to be underestimated. Although Ye Yong had called off their engagement, rumors suggested that the two had grown closer since.

Being called off was indeed a blow to the family’s pride, but it depended on the family in question. The Qin family, for instance, felt no shame in it; rather, they were vexed and regretful, yearning for Qin Shiming to marry into the Ye family. If it were the Liang family, however, and Liang Xiaorou had been jilted, it would be a different story. Liang Mengchao would be the first to take action—an engagement could be broken, but first, he’d land a couple of punches. Want to remarry? Another two punches would follow.

Qin Shiming was here because she had heard news of Ye Yong’s return and wanted to visit the Qin family. She felt little sense of belonging there; her return was merely to see her mother, Bu Yue, and perhaps bring some gifts to the Ye family as a courtesy.

However, she hadn’t anticipated the Qin family would go to such lengths—not only failing to send a ship for her but also shamelessly asking the Ye family to give her a ride, all while trying to orchestrate a meeting between her and Ye Yong.

Coincidentally, last night, Xiao Huan had reached a critical point in her training, but in her eagerness, her qi had surged backward, injuring her meridians. Fortunately, Qin Shiming had noticed in time and fed her a pill, saving her life. Yet, her cultivation had regressed, dropping from the fourth level of Qi Refinement back to the third.

No elder inquired about Qin Shiming’s tardiness as the Ye family’s ship slowly ascended, flying toward the Ye family under the watchful eyes of the disciples of Tianluo Sect in the distance.

—

“Is she alright?” Ye Yong had noticed Xiao Huan’s poor complexion earlier and guessed that Qin Shiming’s delay was related to her.