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

“Three thousand paths, each with its own power. As the saying goes, there are no weak techniques, only weak users.”

“Alright, alright.” Zhou Feifan was too lazy to bicker further; after all, he would extinguish the battle spirit again soon, leaving Ye Yong with nothing to say.

“Your Highness need not suppress your cultivation to match mine; just perform normally.”

“?” Zhou Feifan’s face instantly filled with confusion upon hearing this. He was at the seventh layer of the Golden Core! Did Ye Yong even understand the weight of the seventh layer? It wasn’t like he was just going to throw caution to the wind, was it?

“I don’t want to take advantage of you; I’ll suppress my cultivation to match yours.”

“Really unnecessary.” Ye Yong shook his head.

“What do you mean? Do you look down on me?”

“Not looking down, just… never mind. I suppose everyone knows that I broke through in the hundred-year secret realm of Tianluo Sect. It’s been a month since then, and I’ve barely managed to reach the third layer of crystallization.” In truth, Ye Yong was only at the first layer of crystallization, but he couldn’t say that.

“The third layer of crystallization, is it?” Zhou Feifan scrutinized Ye Yong from head to toe. Due to the suppressor, he couldn’t sense Ye Yong’s cultivation, but he assumed it couldn’t be too high. Soon, Zhou Feifan suppressed his own realm to the third layer of crystallization.

“Well then, Your Highness should be careful.” A charming smile graced Ye Yong’s lips as he blew into the star-moon ring flute, summoning two battle spirits that were infinitely close to the Golden Core.

—

49 Nutritious

Zhou Feifan’s eyelids twitched at the sight of the two battle spirits, for both their cultivation and aura were vastly different from the one he had casually extinguished before.

With his cultivation suppressed to the third layer of crystallization, the opponent was infinitely close to the Golden Core. With such a disparity in realms, an ordinary cultivator would surely stumble. Yet, sword intent could be unleashed without restriction, and Zhou Feifan felt no fear; this was his confidence.

Two battle spirits soared toward Zhou Feifan, unfurling a dual sword formation.

This sword formation belonged to a special array, with “sword cultivators” as its core, shifting fluidly with the cultivator’s offensive. Zhou Feifan’s gaze sharpened, and his sword lunged at one of the battle spirits. With the might of his late Golden Core sword intent unleashed, he shattered the energy entity into nothingness.

Before he could disperse the other battle spirit, a booming laugh echoed, “Is that all you’ve got?” To his astonishment, the dissipated spirit swiftly reformed.

Confusion flickered in Zhou Feifan’s mind, yet he did not falter. He maneuvered through the sword formation, waiting for the right moment to unleash his sword intent once more, and the result was the same as before.

Zhou Feifan refused to be deterred, convinced that the two spirits were, in fact, one entity. Merely eliminating one would not suffice. With blinding speed, he struck twice, and both spirits vanished simultaneously.

Indeed! He had known it! Yet, the flute’s melody played on, undeterred. In less than a second, the spirits reappeared.

Sword intent was a unique form of mental assault, intertwined with the soul’s power. Zhou Feifan’s soul was formidable, allowing him to wield sword intent multiple times without question. However, without addressing the source, it was all for naught. The most effective solution would be to completely lift the suppression, simultaneously unleashing a powerful strike with Golden Core spiritual energy and sword intent to obliterate the spirits, causing the musician to suffer backlash. Or, more simply, to knock the musician down outright.

Unfortunately, Zhou Feifan was unable to pursue either option. Winning through dishonor would invite scorn, and for now, he could only stalemate with the battle spirits, waiting for Ye Yong’s spiritual energy to deplete. As for how long that would take, who could say?

Those present who understood the situation quickly recognized Zhou Feifan’s predicament.

This was the consequence of speaking too boldly.

Earlier, Ye Yong had advised him not to suppress his realm, which Zhou Feifan had interpreted as disdain. Now, with a realm too weak and spiritual energy insufficient to match his sword intent, he could not maximize the damage of his sword techniques, rendering him powerless against the energy entities.

If their cultivation levels were reversed, Zhou Feifan would be remarkable. The problem was that Ye Yong was the one with the lower cultivation, which made the situation quite awkward.

“With a cultivation of Crystal Level Three, he dares to entangle himself between two Crystal Level Ten battle spirits. The Sixteenth Prince truly is a dragon among men!”

“Indeed! But it feels like this could go on forever. How about we call it a draw?”

“I second that.”

The ministers were astute, seeking to provide Zhou Feifan with a way out. Aside from the young Twenty-Third Princess, who was too naive to comprehend, everyone knew that this sparring match was a loss for Zhou Feifan.

Even if they waited for Ye Yong’s spiritual energy to run out, Zhou Feifan could not claim victory. After all, the disparity in their cultivation levels was significant; suppressing one’s realm was one thing, but the spiritual energy within would not diminish. In short, without a swift resolution, a prolonged battle would mean his defeat.

Yet, Zhou Feifan’s strength and talent were undeniable, making him the most formidable candidate for the throne, to the point where the ministers dared not praise Ye Yong.

Zhou Suren watched his most cherished son struggle, feeling neither shame nor anger, but rather an inexplicable sense of comfort. After all, a life without challenges is imperfect; facing storms and finding ways to endure and emerge stronger—that is true growth. Since his cultivation began, Zhou Feifan had been invincible among his peers, capable of battling several levels above his own. This time, suffering a setback against the less skilled Ye Yong would surely enhance his character, if not his strength.

Moreover, through this exchange, Zhou Suren grew increasingly optimistic about Ye Yong, believing that with such a talent, the Ye family would rise to become the foremost clan of the Eastern Continent, easily gaining entry into the ranks of the Central Continent’s noble families.

Ye Wen, an elder of the Ye family, held the authority to make Ye Yong cease his efforts. He felt a certain satisfaction in this outcome, yet he could not forget that this was the son of a dear friend; he must not let the boy lose too much face. Thus, he waved his hand and said, “Yong’er, continuing will only drain your spiritual energy. It’s best to stop now.”

Ye Yong, wanting to maintain an air of sophistication, not the kind that was common and cheap, nodded and ceased his playing.

Without the flute’s enchanting melody, the two battle spirits, once conjured, were shattered by Zhou Feifan and could not be restored.

In this moment, silence spoke louder than words. Ye Yong refrained from any mockery, and those around them did not mention victory or defeat, which only made Zhou Feifan feel a burning heat on his face.

“Your technique is commendable, sufficient to deal with cultivators below the Golden Core stage,” Zhou Feifan stammered, attempting to salvage some dignity. “However, it has a fatal flaw: your own strength is insufficient, allowing your opponent to defeat you first.”

“Indeed,” Ye Yong did not deny it. He had planned a three-step act of sophistication, and he had only completed the first step. “Shall we have another round? This time, I hope Prince Feifan will not suppress his cultivation and may also attack me, the caster.”

Zhou Feifan, caught off guard by Ye Yong’s boldness, felt a surge of surprise. He thought to himself that Ye Yong, having gained a slight advantage, believed he could challenge him—how naive.

“Are you certain? I think it’s better if I suppress my cultivation a bit, just to the first layer of Golden Core.” Having learned from the previous encounter, Zhou Feifan was no longer confident enough to suppress his cultivation to the crystallization stage. He believed that the first layer of Golden Core, combined with his sword intent, would be sufficient to handle those two battle spirits.

“I believe not suppressing my cultivation would be better.”

“Your belief is irrelevant; it’s my belief that matters. If I were to use my full strength against you, it would be akin to bullying a child. How can we improve each other this way?” Zhou Feifan was unwilling. He had already lost some face; if he were to attack with full force as Ye Yong suggested, any victory would bring him no praise, only more shame. He needed an excuse for mutual improvement, so that when he won, it wouldn’t be seen as bullying a child, but rather as guiding a young one. Today, Zhou Feifan was determined to reclaim his honor.

“Since Prince Feifan is so insistent, very well. This time, I shall not play a battle tune. After all, aside from music, I also practice painting, and I would like Prince Feifan to point out the deficiencies in my art.”