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

A powerful being in the Transformation stage would never stoop to the shame of poison; if they were to die, it would be in a blaze of glory. Self-detonation at the Transformation stage was no jest; even those of lesser realms had to tread carefully.

“This begins with an incident over ten days ago, when Yong’er was attacked by the Demon Sect while out. Please, have a seat, and let Yong’er tell you.”

Once the emperor and his ministers were seated, Ye Yong began to recount the tale at a leisurely pace.

Everyone had heard of his encounter with the Demon Sect at Lingyou Mountain; indeed, a fierce battle had taken place on the outskirts, leaving a wasteland in its wake. Fortunately, the devastation had been contained within a certain area, and there were signs of powerful artifacts having been used.

“Are you saying that a passing expert single-handedly faced the entire upper echelon of the Blood Flame Sect?” Zhou Suren was taken aback.

The Blood Flame Sect had a Supreme Elder, rumored to be at the pinnacle of the Transformation stage, having cultivated for hundreds of years, with profound skills and immense power. In the Eastern Continent, he was a figure of renown, yet he had been repelled by an unknown expert, leaving his subordinates gravely injured. It was truly unfathomable.

“I’m not clear on the details; that expert urged me to leave quickly. I seized the opportunity and withdrew, so I’m not well-informed about what happened afterward.” Ye Yong had grown accustomed to lying; the truth was that he had orchestrated the conflict, creating misunderstandings that led to the battle. Yet, in his retelling, it transformed into a tale of Ye Qingwu, the benevolent passerby, bravely battling the demon cultivators.

After all, he had no choice. First, he truly did not want to be praised excessively. Secondly, Ye Qingwu was one of the female leads; what harm was there in speaking well of her? If by chance the words reached her ears, it might even enhance her favor towards him.

“What did this expert look like?”

“The other party wore a mask, so I couldn’t see clearly, but I can confirm it was a woman.”

“Then how did you come to know the whereabouts of this Mei Renxing?” Zhou Suren’s inquiry was tinged with curiosity, yet also served as a formality.

Capturing a demon cultivator at the Transformation stage could quell the arrogance of the Demon Sect, intimidate the petty villains, and bolster the confidence of righteous cultivators. However, they had to provide an account of the capture process. Announcing results without context could easily lead to those with ulterior motives stirring up public opinion and questioning the truth.

“Well…” Ye Wen glanced at Ye Yong. “It’s quite the coincidence; Yong’er happened to pass by a place called Tanqing Village near Ninghai City, where he inadvertently discovered a malevolent spirit beneath a pond. In the process of eliminating the spirit, he stumbled upon him. I had been worried about Yong’er and Miss Shiming, so I secretly followed them out, and then…”

At these words, the hall fell silent, Zhou Suren and the ministers squinting their eyes.

“What? You don’t believe me?” Ye Wen raised an eyebrow.

“How could that be?” Zhou Suren and the ministers immediately forced smiles, wearing expressions that suggested they understood everything.

“Wait, did you all even listen to what I said?” Ye Wen was no fool; he could sense the dissonance.

“Listening, listening.” Zhou Suren nodded, echoing Ye Wen’s words, two “unintentional” and one “just happened,” neither more nor less.

“I’m telling the truth!” Ye Wen’s voice rose in urgency.

“I never said it was false!” Zhou Suren waved a hand dismissively. “Calm down. Come to my study later; it’s been a while since we’ve seen each other. Let’s share a few drinks. Coincidentally, I have some personal matters I wish to discuss with you.”

“I won’t talk. If you have something to say, say it here.”

“I’ve said it’s personal; how can I speak of it in front of everyone?”

“Zhou Suren, let me tell you, this has nothing to do with Yong’er. It’s a demon cultivator I caught.” Ye Wen stood, slamming his palm on the table. He had promised Ye Yong to bear the brunt of the situation, and he couldn’t afford to lose face as an elder.

“I know, I know. Everyone is aware of that.”

The ministers nodded in agreement. “Lord Ye, we are indeed quite clear. The credit for this matter primarily belongs to you; it has little to do with Young Master Ye. He merely stumbled upon the demon cultivator by chance.”

Ye Wen felt a surge of frustration; the meaning was the same as what he had just said, yet it felt entirely different.

Ye Yong rolled his eyes inwardly, knowing things wouldn’t go so smoothly.

He hadn’t expected that his own Seventh Master would falter at such a moment. Could it be that the Heavenly Dao had temporarily bestowed a buff to lower intelligence?

What nonsense about “unintentional” and “just happened”? This was the imperial palace, where the emperor and ministers thrived on riddles.

With things developing this way, Ye Yong found himself unable to interject, for the more he explained, the more amused they became. In simple terms, their unspoken sentiment was: Perform, let the grandfather and grandson continue their act.

Silence was the best course here; better not to make matters worse.

“Seventh Master, sit down. Everyone believes in you,” Ye Yong tugged at Ye Wen’s sleeve.

Ye Wen felt he had lost face in front of Ye Yong. He was a man who valued his pride, and now he was far from pleased.

Instead of sitting, Ye Wen strode up to Zhou Suren, gripping his shoulder firmly. “Hey, you better speak properly. After all these years, don’t make me hit you.”

The emperor, threatened in such a manner, remained unfazed; who didn’t know they were friends? Moreover, their emperor had broken through to the seventh layer of the Transformation God realm years ago, deliberately keeping it from Ye Wen, hoping one day to show off in front of him.

“How am I not speaking properly? It’s you who seems anxious about something.”

“Quickly say, how will you announce this matter?”

—

“Just as Elder Ye Wen of the Ye family, wise and formidable, captured the gravely injured Fifth Elder Mei Renxing of the Blood Flame Sect, Young Master Ye Yong happened to lend a small hand, inadvertently discovering the Fifth Elder’s whereabouts.”

“No, no, no.”

“What do you mean no? Wasn’t it you who said so?”

“What I said earlier doesn’t count. Yes, Yong’er didn’t help at all; it was all my doing.”

“That doesn’t seem right, does it? Are you sure you want to take all the credit from the younger generation?”

“What do you mean take? That’s my achievement! All mine!”

“Alright, alright, you call the shots. And by the way, everyone’s here, show me a little respect, or else…” At that moment, Zhou Suren unleashed his aura, a surge of power from the seventh layer of Transformation, forcing Ye Wen back.

“When… when did you break through!?” Ye Wen exclaimed in shock.