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

Essence

“Actually, I don’t have anything I particularly like to do.” Ye Yong felt that adding traits to himself was troublesome, shaking his head.

“Not even one?”

Ye Yong shook his head again, then as if he thought of something: “Does spending time with you all count?”

“What nonsense are you talking about!” Liang Xiaorou’s reaction was obviously a bit over the top; after all, she was tsundere: “Who would want to spend time with you?”

“I, I, I! I like being with the master!” However, Hua Ningyan was a straightforward little fox, without much awkwardness, speaking her mind.

“Indeed, when you’re around, my mood always lightens up.” The Empress Qin was bold in love and hate, not beating around the bush, speaking openly.

Wu Xue didn’t say anything, but seeing her little face flush, it was clear what her answer was.

“You all…” Liang Xiaorou almost gasped for breath, her tsundere nature wasn’t her fault; she was used to responding with a contradiction when shy. Moreover, she didn’t think there was anything wrong with saying it this way. Ye Yong was so bad; if he honestly admitted he liked being with her, he would take advantage of it.

“Looks like everyone feels the same way as I do, except for Xiao Rou,” Ye Yong deliberately emphasized.

“Hmph!” Liang Xiaorou turned her face away, looking elsewhere. On the surface, she appeared confident and imposing, but inside, she was regretting her earlier words.

Ye Yong didn’t tease her excessively; he simply stated that no matter what Liang Xiaorou thought, he found being with her quite enjoyable.

When dealing with someone tsundere, simply opposing them doesn’t have much of an effect. A bit of softening up works better; after all, the more you provoke a tsundere, the prouder they become, and it could even lead to extremes.

Sure enough, Liang Xiaorou seemed a bit flustered, her eyes flickering as she twirled her fair fingers through her hair, not daring to look at Ye Yong. Pouting, she murmured, “Thinking it over, I might have gone a bit too far. You’re actually quite nice to be around.”

This textbook tsundere reaction made Ye Yong wish that if they were alone, he would definitely lean in closer to Liang Xiaorou, grab her face, and ask her what exactly was so nice about him.

Unfortunately, they weren’t alone, and some things could only be thought about.

In any case, the topic of discussing preferences came to a close. After dinner, Ye Yong drew Liang Xiaorou and Wu Xuexin’s beloved pet spirit competition. Just as the battle was filled with suspense and about to determine a winner, he put down his pen, leaving the two of them itching for more.

“You might as well not draw at all!” Liang Xiaorou huffed, having seen the continuation. Instead of satisfying her curiosity, it only made her want to see more.

Wu Xue was already used to it, and since Ye Yong stopped drawing because it was getting late and she should go to bed, she naturally didn’t say anything.

Grumbling, Liang Xiaorou was taken back to their place by Qin Shimeng, and they clearly planned to stay another night.

Hua Ningyan learned about the precautions for the Second Palace from Ye Yong and excitedly ran back to her room to practice.

After all, the Second Palace was related to transformation, and Hua Ningyan had long had a goal: to become a perfect woman like Qin Shimeng, flawless in every aspect.

Soon, the once lively living room was left with only Ye Yong.

The female leads inquired about their own preferences, clearly starting to pay attention to their feelings. This was a good thing; after all, a relationship cannot last if it’s only one-sided. However, if possible, Ye Yong preferred them to be a bit more passive like before, as it made it easier to maintain control.

What would happen if the female leads took the initiative? Ye Yong hadn’t seen any corresponding plotlines in the novel. Too many butterfly effects beyond the original storyline made him feel uneasy, yet there was nothing he could do, as the female leads here were living beings, not mere plot devices like in the novel, simply there to provide opportunities or cause trouble for the protagonist.

“I hope it develops in a good direction,” Ye Yong sighed, not thinking too much about it. He took the spiritual liquid, circulated his mind method, and began to cultivate.

——

Early the next morning, Wu Xue got up. As if they were connected by a sixth sense, Liang Xiaorou also arrived early, urging Ye Yong to continue drawing.

Ye Yong had grasped the essence of a certain nine-tailed human pillar’s comic and, instead of drawing battles, began to delve into nostalgic memories.

—

Liang Xiaorou and Wu Xue thought the nostalgia would soon come to an end, but after watching for the entire morning, it finally seemed to be wrapping up. They were about to return to the competition when Ye Yong stopped drawing, saying he was a bit tired after such a long session.

“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?!” Liang Xiaorou’s temper was flaring, and she was struggling to hold back.

“How could I? This is called narrative continuity, making the story more complete!” Ye Yong replied earnestly, spouting nonsense.

Liang Xiaorou was at a loss for words. She told him to continue drawing in the afternoon, but Ye Yong insisted on taking them to Echo Peak instead. Echo Peak had many beautiful sights that served as inspiration for painting and music, and it was perfect for a day out.

“You… forget it.” Liang Xiaorou had no choice but to treat this as a way to cultivate her composure, forcing herself to suppress her impulses.

—Jian Ge Hall;

Long Tian was summoned by the four elders. In the vast hall, the elders sat high above, exuding an imposing aura. One of them had narrow eyes, and a glint of coldness flickered within.

Even though it was their first meeting, Long Tian could tell that this person was definitely Bai Jia’s ancestor, Bai Manghuo.

Before coming, Qiu Lihigh had carefully inquired about Elder Bai’s information and informed Long Tian.

A powerful being at the seventh level of the Transformation Stage, a master swordsman, with a late-stage Nascent Soul spirit pet, a lion-eagle. He was known to be petty, not one to speak or laugh much, and among the elders of Jian Ge Hall, he was one of the most dangerous to offend.

With such a demeanor, it was no wonder the younger generation looked down on others, treating lives as mere trifles, playing with them as they pleased.

Long Tian scoffed at Bai Manghuo inwardly, but he did not show it. He bowed respectfully to the four elders.

“Long Tian, you should know why we called you here, right?”

Long Tian clasped his hands in greeting: “I have a rough idea.”

“You have good talent. Although you grew up in a small place, you haven’t been overlooked; instead, you’ve shone brightly in Tianluo Sect. I admire you, so how about you…”

“Stop, don’t finish your sentence. Let everyone introduce themselves first.” An elder sitting in the middle smiled at Long Tian: “My surname is He, full name He Bini. The one just now is Elder Chen; his strength is quite impressive among the elders, but unfortunately, he falls a bit short compared to me…”

“Say that again!?” Elder Chen’s eyes widened in anger. He had seen shamelessness before, but never this level of it, actually stepping on him to elevate himself.

“Did I say something wrong?” Elder He’s smile remained.

Aside from Bai Manghuo, Long Tian also learned about the other three elders from Qiu Lihigh.

He Bini, a smiling tiger, and he had connections with Bai Manghuo, likely sent by Bai Manghuo to compete with the other two elders.

—

—

Bai Manghuo had lived for over a thousand years, so he certainly knew that Long Tian would not willingly become his disciple. If there were no other elders wanting to take him as a disciple, that would be one thing; Bai Manghuo was confident he could secure Long Tian. But with competition, things were different. Bai Manghuo needed to establish a double insurance, to make Long Tian as controllable as possible.

“If you’re not taking disciples, then get out. No need for all this noise.” The third elder showed little expression, his voice cold. From the moment he entered, Long Tian felt the elder’s gaze scrutinizing him from head to toe.