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

If they were old friends, then trusting each other wouldn’t be an issue. But they were strangers, and the only way they understood each other was through outside rumors. What if the Liang family solidified their position in the Great Zhou Empire and then kicked the Ye and Qin families aside? Or vice versa, if the Ye and Qin families gained support from other clans in the Daluo Empire and promptly ousted the Liang family? It would be akin to nurturing a partner for a competitor—such risks were far too great; one misstep could lead to self-destruction.

There are no eternal friends, only eternal interests. In the face of immense profit, even old friendships can betray.

“I’m just sharing what I’ve learned. Why are you all staring at me?” The elder felt quite vexed.

“Do you think it’s possible that the Ye boy has obtained some extraordinary inheritance?” A middle-aged man’s expression turned grave. “Think about it carefully. His talent was merely above average for his age, yet suddenly he becomes a prodigy—seven-colored foundation, dual cultivation of sound and painting. What has he done since entering the Tianluo Sect? I shouldn’t need to remind you; you all know, right?”

Indeed. Joining forces with the upper echelons of the Tianluo Sect to eliminate the Demon Sect. Suppressing his cultivation to avoid breakthroughs, entering the century-old secret realm to capture Demon Sect infiltrators, and so on—these tales had become tiresome to hear.

“All of this happened after he broke off his engagement with the Qin family’s daughter. During that time, didn’t rumors spread that he had self-destructed his cultivation? Although later it was said he learned a high-level breathing technique, isn’t there a possibility that he truly did self-destruct? In just a few months, he returned to foundation establishment, or even broke through to crystallization?”

As these words fell, the expressions of everyone present turned grave. The moment when someone should have jumped up to declare it impossible was met with an eerie silence; no one spoke, all were enveloped in contemplation.

—

104 More is a Beautiful Thing

“I met the boy from the Ye family a year ago. He presented himself with a veneer of politeness, yet the flicker of malice in his eyes was impossible to conceal. He had depth, but it was not profound. Recently, I encountered him again outside the Black Water Secret Realm; the malice that once lurked in his gaze had vanished without a trace, replaced by an overwhelming confidence and an inscrutable depth. It was impossible to discern what he was truly thinking. Coupled with the recent events, all of which indicated his remarkable insight and long-term scheming, one cannot help but ponder the magnitude of his transformation at such a young age… I refuse to believe he hasn’t stumbled upon some significant fortune.”

“Indeed, a friend of mine from the Tianluo Sect, who serves as a mentor, told me that despite being at the late stage of the Nascent Soul, he could not see through the details of the boy’s crystallization of cultivation. Just think about it—what level of mastery must his ‘Breath-Holding Technique’ reach?”

“A few nights ago, a thunderous roar echoed from the Ye family, as if someone had gained the recognition of the Heavenly Dao. By daybreak, dark clouds gathered briefly, accompanied by flashes of lightning and peals of thunder. Could it be… related to him?”

A crystallization cultivator not yet twenty years old, invoking phenomena of heaven and earth—ordinarily, the God Transformation experts present would dismiss it as a joke. Yet, in this moment, they could not categorically deny it, for Ye Yong’s recent actions had been nothing short of extraordinary.

“I have a bold hypothesis: this sudden alliance among the three families was orchestrated by Ye Yong behind the scenes. He must have foreseen things we have not. Uniting the three families could either be a means to weather a crisis or a chance to grow stronger.”

“Sounds reasonable.”

“Not impossible.”

“We cannot allow the situation to unfold unchecked; we must take countermeasures.”

Soon, the atmosphere grew tumultuous, as if they were intent on dismantling Ye Yong and the Ye family.

“So, what countermeasures should we take?”

“Um…” The speaker faltered, hesitating, “I can’t think of anything at the moment. Let’s observe the situation for now. Whether it’s the Liang family stepping into the Great Zhou Dynasty or the Ye and Liang families encroaching upon the Great Luo Dynasty, the repercussions will surely extend beyond us. The first to shoot the arrow will be the one who cannot hold back and seeks trouble.”

“Agreed.”

Going against those favored by fate rarely ends well. The crux of the matter lay with the Ye and Liang families, each more ruthless than the last. A moment’s carelessness could ignite disaster; for now, they could only bully the Qin family, who sold cloth.

The prominent members of the various families were not fools. Despite their outward declarations of resisting the Ye and Liang families, their inner calculations had already begun to shift.

“Everyone, you may return for now. The storm that is meant to come will inevitably arrive,” spoke the elder of the Bai family. Soon, he found himself alone in the conference room: “Come in.”

Before long, the higher-ups of the Bai family gathered around the table to discuss the situation. This discussion lasted through the night, dispersing only in the early hours of the morning.

“If Ye Yong were not a Ye, but a Bai instead, how much better it would be,” the elder, still alone in the conference room, sighed deeply. “Now, there are few capable heirs in the Bai family; only Bai Song shows promise…”

—Ye family;

Unbeknownst to Ye Yong, who had been the subject of countless discussions throughout the night, he was currently feeding Qin Shiming breakfast.

The year had turned, and he had indulged in varying degrees of intimacy with several female leads. Ye Yong figured it was time to return to the sect and focus on his cultivation. Although he now had ample reversal points and the system shop offered high-level resources, the toxicity of his cultivation at the twentieth level was daunting. The eighth spiritual vein was a bottomless pit; without a magical artifact akin to the wondrous jade pendant space, his time for cultivation was rather limited.

Of course, it is not to the extent that one must remain in seclusion until the competition begins. During the foundation-building phase, great emphasis is placed on establishing a solid base, which is why many cultivators progress slowly at this stage, advancing steadily and cautiously. However, once crystallization occurs, one finds that many begin to accelerate their growth. This is due to the strong foundation laid during the foundation-building period, making it much easier to stabilize later on, and the resources available for advancement have also increased.

Drinking spirit liquid like water goes without saying; Ye Yong can also consume third-grade pills, which will certainly be faster than during the foundation stage, though it does burn through reversal points.

Reversal points are never too many. Qin Shidream and her companions have become somewhat difficult to please; despite the intimate interactions over the past few days, their favorability has only risen by a point or two. Moreover, such actions cannot be frequent; otherwise, once they adapt to this kind of interaction, it will be even harder to raise their favorability in the future. Employing a strategy of scarcity marketing, a visit now and then can still yield some benefits.

Currently, Ye Yong has only two options to gain reversal points: to pursue the new female lead or to sever Long Tian’s opportunities.

Among the female leads available in the Eastern Continent, there are only seven for the time being, four of whom are already in Ye Yong’s household. The other three are Mu Qingyin, the head of the Sound and Painting Hall; Ye Qingwu, one of the demon race’s holy maidens; and that talented woman from the Holy Academy.

Mu Qingyin, in terms of both age and cultivation, is far beneath Ye Yong, making her difficult to pursue; she is likely to see him not as a man but as a younger brother or some childish brat.

As for Ye Qingwu, Ye Yong cannot ascertain her attitude. After all, he indirectly destroyed her “territory” and potential subordinates. The last time they met, her refraining from immediately drawing her blade was already a small victory for him.

Regarding the talented woman from the Holy Academy, her role in the early plot is temporarily absent, meaning Ye Yong cannot swoop in to save her when she needs help. Attempting to approach her through ordinary means is futile; she is far too clever, and even though she is of similar age to Ye Yong, she is not easily deceived. Ye Yong feels that his little schemes would likely be seen through by her.

In short, pursuing the new female lead is time-consuming; severing opportunities is much easier.

Just before the sect competition, a secret realm will open, where Long Tian has found numerous resources, allowing him to shine in the upcoming competition. If he can seize most of the resources first, he can gain reversal points while also limiting the protagonist’s development—truly a splendid affair.

Ye Yong has made up his mind.

——

After breakfast, Qin Shidream’s reward time officially came to an end, and Ye Yong suggested it was about time to return to the sect.

Neither Liang Xiaorou nor Qin Shidream had any objections, and even Wu Xue was eager to return, for staying at the Ye household was dreadfully boring; she had nothing to do all day.

However, before heading back to the sect, Ye Yong took Liang Xiaorou and Wu Xue for a stroll around Chengying City, as a way to make up for only dating the Empress Qin during the New Year without bringing them along.

On the sixth day of the New Year, the streets and shops had mostly returned to their usual bustle; everyone resumed their activities, with no more lantern riddle guessing or other Spring Festival events, only new red lanterns hanging at every household, signifying that the New Year had just passed.