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

“Master Xie!” This fellow, with a somewhat lecherous appearance and an extremely gaunt frame, as if a gust of wind could topple him, was none other than the culprit who had infiltrated the secret prison and drained Mei Renxing of life—Liu Xu.

True to his name, he was once a mere wisp of willow fluff, but by a twist of fate, he awakened his intelligence and became a demon cultivator. The path of demon cultivation was fraught with hardship, especially for one who had started late. After thousands of years of struggle and strife, Liu Xu had finally achieved the status of a fifth-tier demon king.

Yet, no matter how hard he tried, he could never compare to Master Peng, who was born a demon. With innate talent and abundant family resources, he had it all.

Liu Xu had come to terms with this; after all, having lived for millennia, he understood that those who know the times are the true heroes. Since becoming Master Peng’s lackey, he had enjoyed a life of luxury, even if he occasionally had to endure Master Peng’s temper. It was still a hundred times better than fighting alone.

Upon receiving the fifth-grade demon pill, Liu Xu eagerly consumed it, his body trembling with overwhelming delight.

The private room had long been set up with isolation formations, preventing any external prying, and the fluctuations of demon power within would not escape.

The other demons could only watch enviously as Liu Xu refined the pill, their eyes filled with longing.

There was no choice; infiltrating the human imperial dynasty’s secret prison without a sound was exceedingly difficult, and Liu Xu was the most suitable for this task. He merely needed to revert to his original form and cling to the guard’s clothing or equipment, completely undetectable by ordinary cultivators.

As for why they didn’t opt for a direct assault? Setting aside the “Human-Demon Peace Treaty” signed by the older generation, which restricted young demons from families like Master Peng’s from wreaking havoc in human cities, the city defenses of the Great Zhou Dynasty were simply beyond their capability to confront.

Though the spiritual energy had been waning and the cultivation levels of the younger generation were declining, the number of human powerhouses was gradually decreasing. The Great Zhou Dynasty, with its ten-thousand-year history, had once produced Void-Returning and even Ascendant-level experts. It could be said that the three great dynasties of the Eastern Continent had all once possessed Ascendant-level guardians, and it was precisely because of these powerful figures that they could stand firm and develop steadily in the fiercely competitive world of cultivators, leaving other nations far behind and transforming into dynasties.

The imperial city was home to the powerful and wealthy, and the strength of the city’s defenses was naturally formidable enough to handle late-stage Void-Returning cultivators, even capable of fending off early Ascendant-level threats.

Presently, the highest cultivation level in attendance was Master Peng, a tenth-tier demon king, on par with Ye Qingwu. However, he had broken through earlier than her and was nearing the pinnacle of perfection. Even this seemingly invincible Master Peng had to act discreetly in the human capital, wary of revealing his identity.

Should his identity be exposed, especially if it were discovered that he had ordered the execution of prisoners from the dynasty… perhaps the Great Zhou Dynasty could not do anything to him, but upon returning to his family, he would face punishment for violating the peace treaty.

Yet, Liu Xu’s skills gave Master Peng great confidence; he did not believe any human cultivator could trace Liu Xu’s whereabouts, at least not with the current level of human cultivation in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Now, all he had to do was remain quietly here for a while, waiting for the alert to pass, and then he could leave, concealing his achievements and name.

Thinking of the day when he would capture all the high-ranking members of the Blood Flame Sect in one fell swoop, offering their blood as a sacrifice to forge a treasure for Ye Qingwu, thus avenging himself… a satisfied smile crept onto Master Peng’s lips.

—

68 The Traitor?

“Those foolish humans are probably tearing their hair out trying to find the murderer now.”

“Though I hate to admit it, Old Liu, as a being of plant origin, your growth has been arduous, yet once you’ve matured, the ordinary human race can hardly touch you.”

Listening to the other minions praise him, Liu Xu, who was refining a demon core, wore an expression of utmost satisfaction.

“I believe it is Young Master Peng’s discerning eye that discovered him; otherwise, he would merely be a bloodsucker hiding among the humans.”

“Exactly, he can only sneak in for ambushes. In a direct confrontation, his strength is pitifully weak.”

Some demons voiced their sour opinions, unable to bear seeing Liu Xu being lauded.

As for how Liu Xu had grown from a small wood spirit to a demon king level on his own? It was closely tied to his true form. His growth was inseparable from the human race; before encountering Young Master Peng, he relied on reverting to his original form, concealing his aura, and attaching himself to and ambushing those talented young masters and ladies from noble families.

Of course, he dared not engage in the act of killing the goose that lays the golden eggs; taking a life would surely bring the wrath of the noble families down upon him. By absorbing a bit of blood without harming lives, he could nourish himself and go further. Over thousands of years, he lingered among the smaller noble families, and while his cultivation grew, Liu Xu also honed skills that allowed him to blend into the crowd, undetected.

To say he was a bloodsucker hiding among humans was a sharp and piercing truth.

However, Liu Xu merely smiled and said nothing in response. After all, he had survived by being cautious, and patience had long been etched into his very bones.

The banter and mutual insults among the minions were not a new occurrence; Young Master Peng had long since grown accustomed to it, even finding their desperate attempts to amuse him through mockery quite entertaining.

“Enough! Liu Xu is the hero of this operation; do not belittle him.” Young Master Peng turned once more toward the balcony, his gestures exuding a commanding presence as if he could grasp the entire human city in his hands: “Capturing the Blood Flame Sect will be a protracted battle, and each of you will have your chance to contribute. As long as you serve me well, there will be plenty of meat for you.”

“Young Master speaks wisely!” “Young Master is brilliant!”

“This city must remain sealed for a while; you are not to wander or cause trouble. If anyone stirs up trouble and draws the attention of the humans, and you are surrounded and killed, do not blame me for being heartless and offering no assistance.” Though Young Master Peng was arrogant and self-important, he still understood the necessary boundaries; he knew he had to keep his subordinates in check during this time.

After all, aside from Liu Xu, the other demons had all risen from beastly origins, vastly different from a wood spirit who had scraped by. They held humans in contempt, and if they were even slightly displeased, they could easily turn to cannibalism.

“Rest assured, Young Master, we will not step out of this room until the city’s protective array is lifted.”

“Indeed.”

Young Master Peng huffed in acknowledgment. Suddenly, his expression shifted, sensing something was amiss.

At the tenth level of demon king, having endured a minor heavenly tribulation, Young Master Peng was significantly stronger than the average human cultivator at the tenth level of transformation. He could clearly perceive a group of formidable cultivators approaching this way.

What is happening?

Mr. Peng’s mind churned with thoughts.

A demon, with keen sight, noticed the confusion in his eyes and inquired, learning that human cultivators were approaching. All gazes turned toward Liu Xu.

“Old Liu, are you certain you’ve completely erased your presence, leaving no trace behind?” a demon king questioned Liu Xu sharply.

“I am quite certain, just as always. Unless they are at the mid-stage of the Void Realm, they will never find a single clue,” Liu Xu replied, confidence brimming in his abilities.

He could be called a bloodsucker raised among humans, a sneak attacker, a wood spirit weak in direct combat. But his stealth was beyond reproach.

“I’ve heard that the Great Zhou Dynasty has a guardian at the mid-stage of the Void Realm. Could it be him who has come?”

“No, the only cultivators heading this way are a sixth-layer Transformation, a fifth-layer, and the rest are all at the Nascent Soul and Golden Core stages.” Mr. Peng’s cultivation far surpassed theirs, allowing him to easily probe their levels without being detected.