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

“Competitions are about strength; if I’m defeated, I can only blame my own lack of skill.”

Oh, you little thing, speaking as if it were true. Do I not know you?

Ye Yong almost laughed out loud: “In front of everyone, if someone without a background, who seems weaker than you, happens to defeat you due to a stroke of ‘luck,’ you would definitely feel unwilling, right?”

Ye Mao frowned; what unwillingness? Just thinking about it made him uncomfortable all over. But he couldn’t admit it; admitting it would only prove he was a narrow-minded person, wouldn’t it?

“Just say what you want to say; don’t beat around the bush.”

“Fine, I’ll be straightforward.” Ye Yong addressed all his cousins: “In the Great Zhou Dynasty, no one dares to provoke our Ye family. Even across the entire Eastern Continent, dynasties and noble families will give our Ye family some face; we can live smoothly. However, life can’t always go as one wishes; setbacks will occasionally occur. Take the example I just mentioned; it’s very likely to happen. Do you think it’s better to make things difficult for the other person because they lack background and strength, merely a soft persimmon to be squeezed at your whim? Or is it better to be broad-minded, work hard to improve yourself, and next time, defeat them fairly in public with your own strength?”

For those young masters and young ladies accustomed to life in high society, they wouldn’t ponder such questions. Because those who are beneath them are simply beneath them; if they dislike someone, they can kill or maim them, all depending on their mood.

The younger ones still in the Ye family, who were too young to fully understand, felt a bit awkward when they heard Ye Yong’s words. Those who had reached the right age and entered the sect for training recalled the last sword hall competition, where they had lost to cultivators from families less well-off than the Ye family. They had harbored resentment afterward, constantly seeking trouble with the other party in private, making their lives miserable until the other side finally apologized, which eased their anger somewhat.

Upon reflection, the opponent had won the contest through sheer strength. If they lost, they should accept it with grace; seeking trouble in private, was that not what Ye Yong had called a narrow-mindedness?

—

23 Live Well

Seeing the older ones begin to sink into contemplation, Ye Yong knew it was time to truly delve into the matter at hand.

“There’s a saying: ‘Do not mock the youth in poverty; thirty years in the east, thirty years in the west.’ You rely on your family’s status to bully others, but what if, in the future, that person’s cultivation skyrockets, reaching a point where they no longer fear our Ye family? Don’t tell me it’s impossible; history is rife with tales of esteemed sects belittling a wandering cultivator seeking to join, only to have that cultivator seize an opportunity, rise up, and eventually join a top sect, turning the tables on those who once humiliated them.

Or consider the family that faces calamity, leaving behind a useless young master. The very family that once offered help not only turns a blind eye but also adds insult to injury. Yet that young master, a person of fortune, later acquires supreme techniques, transforming from a waste into a powerhouse, teaching those ungrateful wretches a lesson…”

Ye Yong could not actually cite specific historical events, but he firmly believed such occurrences were not uncommon in the world of cultivation.

Just then, as he finished speaking, the steward in charge of provisions murmured, “Is the wandering cultivator Young Master Ye mentioned, perhaps, Sikong Yu of the Guizhen Sect? And the useless young master from a fallen family, could it be Luo Sheng of the Luo family? These two are arguably the most famous rising stars of the past century; no one expected them to achieve what they have today.”

“Sikong Yu, could he be the sixth-grade formation master? And Luo Sheng, the founder of the Luo Sword Technique?” Soon, a young master from the Ye family caught wind of the steward’s murmurs.

“Exactly.” The steward nodded. “Since their rise to fame occurred over a century ago, people now focus solely on their achievements, rarely recalling their past struggles.”

“Wow, I didn’t know they had such histories.” The young ladies whispered among themselves.

Ye Yong cast another glance at the steward; good, he understood the assignment. A chicken leg would be added to your plate later.

With real historical examples to discuss, the conversation flowed more easily. Ye Yong seized the moment: “So, you never know what the person you once looked down upon might become in the future. Out of a moment’s pettiness, you offend someone who could very well become a genius… It’s one thing for you to suffer, but what if you drag the family down with you? Can you face your family then?”

“Perhaps we could eliminate the threat before they grow stronger.” During the silence, a boy of merely thirteen, yet brimming with arrogance and fearlessness, spoke up.

As expected, a classic case of a self-destructive villain mentality.

Seeing Ye Yong’s gaze shift toward him, the boy quickly averted his eyes; he couldn’t act tough in front of Ye Yong. But at thirteen, in the throes of rebellion, he was still a bit self-centered, so he muttered, “Did I say something wrong?”

“Logically, yes, you could eliminate the potential threat. But the question is, do you enjoy killing?”

“N-no, not at all.” The boy shook his head vigorously; he had never killed anyone, at most he had beaten a servant he found displeasing until they bled. After all, this was a world where strength reigned supreme; with power, one could do as they pleased.

“Let’s not dwell on whether it exists or not. If you truly harbor thoughts of murder, and what if your target escapes instead of dying? What began as a mere grudge could escalate into a deadly feud. Do you think that once they grow stronger, they will let you off the hook?”

The boy fell silent, momentarily at a loss for words.

“If you had never sought trouble in the first place, none of this would have happened. You could walk your own path while others tread theirs, the well water never mingling with the river. You tell me, why would you go out of your way to create trouble that could have been avoided?”

The boy was utterly speechless now, a creeping dread taking hold of him. He began to fear that those he had injured might stumble upon some great fortune and seek revenge in secret. But to kill them? What if, like Ye Yong said, he failed to do so and they escaped…

The more he thought, the more anxious he became, and he burst into tears. “Brother Ye Yong, what should I do? Am I going to die?”

Though Ye Yong had never truly known this cousin, not even his name, he was still a young master of the Ye family, raised in indulgence. Hurting servants was certainly something he had done: “There’s no need to worry so much. If you’ve made a mistake, a sincere apology and some compensation usually resolve the issue.”

“I’ll go deliver healing medicine to them later.”

“Good, recognizing your faults is a great step forward.” Ye Yong tapped his fan against his palm. “What I’m telling you isn’t about enduring blows without retaliation. I want you to understand that our Ye family doesn’t initiate bullying, but if someone dares to ride over us, we will strike back. However, we should aim to minimize the situation, to turn big issues into small ones, and small issues into nothing. We shouldn’t resort to killing entire families at the drop of a hat.”

“I understand the reasoning, but how does this relate to your own strength?” Ye Mao felt as if Ye Yong’s gaze was intentionally lingering on him, as if he were the kind of person who would kill an entire family without a second thought.

“It’s definitely related.” Ye Yong unfurled his fan, revealing the character for humility inscribed upon it. “First, tell me, what kind of person was I before? Answer honestly.”

“Selfish, arrogant, oblivious to others, living by my own rules, centered on myself.”

“And what do I seem like to you now?”

“Awkward, annoying.”

“You answer that way because you’re jealous of my change, aren’t you?”

“Hmph…” Ye Mao looked away, a hint of pride in his demeanor.

“Then you’d best learn from it. A broad-minded person often embraces all rivers, able to humbly accept their own flaws. Everyone knows what my character was like before. But as the saying goes, the one in the thick of it is often blind to the truth, while the observer sees clearly. At that time, I was unaware, wanting everything to unfold according to my desires. If it didn’t, I would fly into a rage, even resorting to murder to vent my frustrations. But months ago, I suddenly awakened, beginning to see myself from others’ perspectives, discovering my many shortcomings, and striving to improve. Since then, my outlook on things has completely changed, and my cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds…” Ye Yong rambled on.

He first spoke of how a narrow mind could bring about great troubles, then elaborated on the benefits of an open heart.

The interplay of pros and cons resonated with the young masters of the Ye family, who were not foolish. At that moment, they all felt Ye Yong’s words held great wisdom and decided to follow his advice. As for the young ladies, they had never questioned him at all. Whatever Ye Yong said at the start, they believed wholeheartedly, loyal followers without a doubt.

In the end, Ye Yong generously distributed some cultivation pills among them. With both rewards and encouragement, the lesson would surely leave a lasting impression.

Once everything was done, Ye Yong secretly wiped the sweat from his brow. The Ye family was vast, and relying solely on his efforts to mend things wouldn’t last long. It was better to address the root of the trouble. Now that he had tried everything he could say and do, it was up to this group to see if they could avoid trouble, live true to themselves, and carry on with their lives.