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

As for Ye Yong inviting the maid Wu Xue to sit and dine with them, Lin Wei said nothing; after all, as long as Yong’er was happy, that was what mattered.

However, upon closer inspection, Lin Wei noticed the changes in Wu Xue: “Four months ago, you were clearly just a mortal, and now you’ve already entered the warrior’s body-refining stage, and even reached the fourth level…”

“Thanks to the young master,” Wu Xue dared not lift her head before Lin Wei, for she was in the presence of a Nascent Soul powerhouse, and moreover, Ye Yong’s mother.

“Yong’er has given you the opportunity to cultivate; you must cherish it. Never be arrogant, thinking yourself capable. Remember this: without Yong’er, you are nothing.”

“I understand, my lady.” Wu Xue nearly knelt in fear before Lin Wei’s imposing presence. “I swear to the heavens, whether in this life or the next, I will follow the young master forever. If I betray him, may the heavens strike me down, and may I not die a good death.”

Lin Wei nodded in satisfaction, not targeting Wu Xue, but rather ensuring her loyalty. Having lived for hundreds of years, Lin Wei had witnessed many servants gain favor from their masters only to turn against them in the end.

Ye Yong did not speak up for Wu Xue, for he understood Lin Wei’s intentions; the protective mother was intent on eliminating any potential threats to her son.

“You must be the spirit pet Yong’er tamed recently.” Soon, Lin Wei’s gaze shifted to Hua Ningyan.

Hua Ningyan was much like Wu Xue, not particularly bold. At Lin Wei’s glance, it instinctively wanted to burrow into Ye Yong’s embrace, but remembering that this was his mother, it could only suppress that urge, trembling as it responded, “M-Mother, I am Hua Ningyan.”

“Spirit foxes are quite rare; for Yong’er to take a liking to you, you must possess considerable potential.”

“Without my master, I am nothing. Whether in this life or the next, I will follow my master forever. If I betray him, may the heavens strike me down, and may I not die a good death.” Hua Ningyan hastily echoed Wu Xue’s earlier words, for the pressure from Lin Wei’s identity and cultivation was simply overwhelming.

Lin Wei nodded again, then turned her gaze to the quiet Xia Shijia squatting nearby, and to the side, Xia Shiqi, who was gnawing on the arm of a chair.

Feeling the gaze upon her, Xia Shiqi closed her mouth. The wood smelled quite fragrant, and she felt an urge to bite it and take it back to gnaw on. Turning her head, she found the enigmatic human woman staring at her. Instantly, Xia Shiqi squatted beside Ye Yong, mimicking her mother’s demeanor, presenting herself as obedient and well-behaved.

“……” Lin Wei fell silent for a moment. “Earthstorm Wolf, the bloodline is barely acceptable. Here are a few beast pills that can improve their lineage. Yong’er, take them and feed them.”

“Thank you, Mother.” Ye Yong opened the box, revealing six high-grade second-tier beast pills—three for the wolf. He fed them to the creatures.

Xia Shijia quickly chewed and swallowed her share, while Xia Shiqi looked on with a scoff, seemingly unimpressed. Of course, Ye Yong usually fed them top-tier beast pills; now, with these high-grade ones, who did he think he was looking down upon?

Ye Yong didn’t want to disappoint his mother’s intentions, so he forcefully shoved the pill into Xia Shiqi’s mouth, and with great reluctance, she swallowed it.

Before long, a servant brought in steaming dishes, quickly filling the table.

Thus began Ye Yong’s first New Year’s Eve dinner after crossing into this world.

It wasn’t exactly lively, perhaps a bit quiet, but surrounded by familiar faces—both human and beast—Ye Yong felt a warmth in his heart.

—In a certain village near Lingyou Mountain;

A young man clad in a cloak appeared at the village entrance. This village was called Buliu Village, home to a few hundred souls, most of whom made their living by gathering herbs, nothing particularly special about it.

“Woof!” The dog at the entrance had been barking warily just a moment ago, but in the next instant, it wagged its tail and trotted toward the man who had removed his cloak.

“Wangcai, it’s been a while!” The young man bent down, gently stroking the dog’s head.

Due to the New Year’s Eve festivities, the village was bustling, with lanterns hung at every door.

“Eh? Isn’t that Tian’er?” Soon, an old man emerged from a house, immediately recognizing the young man.

“Everyone! Tian’er is back!” With the old man’s shout, the entire village, even those in the midst of their meals, rushed out.

“It’s really Tian’er!” “You must be tired from your journey! Come in and sit.”

Every household wanted to invite the young man inside, but he shook his head and waved his hands. “I’ll visit everyone later; I want to check on Uncle Liu first.”

“Alright, remember to come by later.” The villagers all smiled in response, watching him walk toward the end of the village.

Who is this young man? Of course, he is the protagonist, Long Tian. Speaking of Long Tian, four months ago, like everyone else in the village, he was just a villager gathering herbs on the outskirts of Lingyou Mountain. Little did they know, just days before the Tianluo Sect’s assessment, they discovered he was actually a cultivator. He was the only one among the hundreds of villages nearby, and even some cities, to pass the Tianluo Sect’s assessment and become a disciple, bringing great honor to their village.

That’s the Tianluo Sect! Even ordinary disciples are far superior to these mortals, with boundless prospects ahead.

Even the village chief’s daughter, Cuihua, who had never thought much of Longtian before, now gazed at his retreating figure with the same longing as other young girls.

—

18. The Thread of Fate

Liu Bo, whose full name was Liu Fugui. Though his name meant “wealth and honor,” his life had been one of poverty. In his youth, he was a mid-level martial artist, and life had been tolerable then, but good times are fleeting. During a mission, he was gravely injured by a powerful foundational spirit beast, spending most of his savings just to cling to life, leaving him with a lingering ailment. Even so, the physician had praised his luck, saying that had it been someone else with worse fortune, they would surely have perished.

With this hidden injury, Liu Fugui could no longer live as an active martial artist and had to retire early, returning to the village where he had grown up.

Time passed, and Liu Fugui became Liu Bo, no longer young. Just months ago, had it not been for the child he adopted bringing back the precious Bai Yuzhi and using miraculous medicine to cure his ailment, Liu Bo felt he would not have lived to see this day.

At the far end of the village stood the last modest house, a legacy passed down through generations. At this moment, Liu Bo sat alone, eating the New Year’s Eve dinner. In years past, Longtian would have been there with him, but this year, his absence made the meal feel a bit lonely. Yet, Liu Bo did not feel sad; rather, he was filled with joy, for Longtian had become a disciple of the Tianluo Sect. Just this honor alone had earned him respect in the nearby villages and even in small towns.

Once, Liu Bo had dreamed of fame across the land; now, Longtian had helped him take the first step, and he felt a deep pride for the young man.

Suddenly, a knock echoed at the door. Liu Bo thought it was a neighbor come to visit, so he set down his bowl and chopsticks, opening the door to find a plain yet familiar face, and he was both startled and delighted. “Tian’er, you’re back?”

“Isn’t it the New Year? I thought of how we used to celebrate together, so I…” Longtian smiled sheepishly.

In truth, given his current troubles with Bai Song, he wouldn’t have taken the time to return home. Focusing on his cultivation and achieving a higher level of mastery to deal with Bai Song was his priority. Yet, seeing Ye Yong return home stirred memories of Liu Bo.

At 76 years old, Liu Bo was no longer young. Though this was a world of fantasy, filled with treasures that could save lives and extend years, such things were reserved for powerful cultivators and wealthy merchants. For ordinary folk, living to 70 was already considered a long life.

As a martial artist, Liu Bo could expect to live to a hundred without incident, but twenty years could easily slip away, especially if Longtian closed himself off for extended periods.

Some people, after a time apart, may never meet again; thus, Longtian chose to return.