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

Young Master Peng sits in his room, eyes closed in meditation, for idleness breeds idleness. Yet, even in his practice, he remains alert to the movements around him. Just now, a group of soldiers entered the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, claiming they sought clues about the wooden demon, and they cleared the hall of patrons.

Before long, another batch of soldiers arrived, calling away those on the second floor.

As the number of people in the Drunken Immortal Pavilion dwindles, Young Master Peng begins to sense something amiss, for those who left have not returned.

Is it necessary to ask for clues while detaining people?

Regardless, if soldiers come to summon him, he will feign illness to refuse departure, insisting any inquiries be made here.

The once lively Drunken Immortal Pavilion has grown eerily quiet; Young Master Peng ceases his meditation, the feeling of unease intensifying.

A considerable number of soldiers have gathered around the Drunken Immortal Pavilion. Though they are all at the Golden Core stage, their cultivation is insignificant to him; yet, the sheer number of soldiers is rather excessive.

Could those fools have exposed themselves?

Impossible.

Young Master Peng is confident in the shielding artifact he carries, a treasure capable of deceiving even those at the late stage of Void Refinement. The Great Zhou Dynasty relies merely on the formations left by their predecessors, wielding no true power at the late stage of Void Refinement.

“Could those fools have resorted to cannibalism?” Young Master Peng muses, perplexed, yet he senses no demonic aura spilling forth; no great battle has occurred…

Strange, truly strange.

Restless, Young Master Peng steps out onto the balcony, gazing down upon the soldiers below.

—

Having seen the surroundings with his own eyes, Young Master Peng discovered that only soldiers remained nearby; even the passersby had vanished, as if they had encircled this tavern.

“What on earth is happening?”

At that moment, Young Master Peng noticed two formidable beings of the Transformation Realm approaching from opposite directions.

Clad in golden armor, Shen Ao was a figure Young Master Peng recognized well—a general of the human race.

To the north stood Shen Ao, while to the south was the Minister of Punishment. As they neared the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, each waved three Imperial Heaven Formation flags, a powerful array enveloping the entire tavern, drawing the soldiers into its fold.

This was Shen Ao’s strategy: to find a pretext to take away potential hostages, confining the battle to the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, striving to avoid collateral damage elsewhere.

Of course, all of this hinged on Young Master Peng remaining unresponsive, staying put.

Shen Ao acknowledged that there was an element of gamble in his plan, betting on the blind confidence that Young Master Peng’s protective artifact would provide; he dared not act recklessly until he saw his subordinates.

As it turned out, his gamble paid off.

“Submit without resistance; do not make futile struggles!” Shen Ao called out to Young Master Peng, who stood high above.

Young Master Peng’s expression was impassive, his eyes still brimming with unyielding arrogance. “I do not understand; how did you discover this young master?”

Unlike other demon kings, he did not cling to false hopes, pretending to be human despite being clearly targeted.

“Enough with the nonsense! Surrender at once and reveal your intentions!” Shen Ao had sensed something extraordinary about this young man when they first met; he had not expected him to be of the demon race.

“You are not worthy to converse with this young master. Call your emperor here.” With that, Young Master Peng tossed out a remark and retreated into the room, while a small pagoda soared from the balcony, gradually enlarging, hovering above the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

The pagoda radiated an overwhelming aura, undoubtedly a treasure of the Void Realm.

At this moment, Shen Ao could only activate two-thirds of the formation. The other party showed no intention of fighting, leaving Shen Ao uncertain. He then used a communication stone to contact Zhou Suren.

Upon hearing, Zhou Suren assured him he would arrive immediately.

With a Void treasure now revealed, Young Master Peng was undoubtedly from a powerful demon clan, his strength formidable; there must be an even greater presence behind him.

Even if the Great Zhou Dynasty managed to subdue Young Master Peng, they would not dare to act against him; in the end, they would have to let him go. It would be wiser to attempt a dialogue before relations soured.

Those who rise to the throne are not short-sighted, always prioritizing the greater picture. When encountering the protagonist, the intelligence-diminishing halo is an exception.

—

Not long after, Zhou Suren appeared before the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, accompanied by a group of ministers.

These ministers had not come with Shen Ao earlier, for too many strong figures would only stir the grass and alert the snake. If Shen Ao, along with the Imperial Heavenly Array Flag, could not handle the situation, the enemy’s cultivation level was undoubtedly monstrous; their presence would be of no use.

Now that His Majesty had personally stepped forward, they might not serve much purpose, but they could at least lend some weight to the occasion.

Ye Yong had also arrived, primarily to see who had been summoned early by the butterfly effect he had triggered. He stood at the back with Qin Shidream, while Ye Wen stood beside Zhou Suren.

“Come in and talk! Only you, Emperor!” The arrogant voice of Young Master Peng echoed from within the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

Upon hearing this, the ministers shook their heads and waved their hands: “Your Majesty, you must not!” “Who knows what intentions they harbor?” “Your safety is of utmost importance!”

Ye Wen glanced at Zhou Suren, who returned the look, both wearing serious expressions, yet neither spoke. Ignoring the ministers’ warnings, Zhou Suren strode boldly into the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

Ye Yong felt that Zhou Suren possessed quite the spirit; he did not think his actions were foolish—instead, they seemed quite rational.

The other party clearly did not wish to reveal their identity and was unlikely to commit the act of murdering an imperial emperor. Otherwise, when Old Gui intervened, coupled with the city’s protective array, they would undoubtedly be trapped here. Of course, one could not rule out the possibility of a momentary lapse in judgment leading to foolish actions.

In any case, there was now an opportunity for a peaceful resolution, and Zhou Suren chose diplomacy over force. He risked himself to avoid provoking a powerful demon clan, thus preventing future troubles.