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

Disturbing one’s cultivation was a grave offense, yet Ye Yong found himself alone in the secluded chamber, each day faced with only spiritual liquid and elixirs. The only respite he found was in dripping the advancement-forging liquid onto his little magic carpet, to the point of frustration that he even began to converse with it. Of course, this wasn’t a sign of Ye Yong’s sanity slipping; it was merely the result of overwhelming boredom and the discomfort of excessive drug use. If one day the little magic carpet were to respond, then perhaps it would be a sign of madness—or maybe… the carpet itself had gone awry.

In any case, emerging from his retreat, Ye Yong was in dire need of an emotional outlet, and petting a fox was the perfect remedy.

Without a second thought, he scooped up the little fox, cradling it in his arms, and showered its small head with a flurry of fervent kisses.

Hua Ningyan was caught off guard; by the time she regained her senses, Ye Yong had already unleashed a storm of affection, as if he intended to pluck the very fur from its body.

Hua Ningyan dared not speak, caught between shock and a strange delight. Yet, amidst her joy, a flicker of reluctance emerged, for it seemed Ye Yong regarded her entirely as a pet.

“Ah… refreshing.” The emptiness of his spirit found solace, and a satisfied Ye Yong settled at the edge of the bed, exhaling deeply.

In the beginning, he had nearly vomited from the elixirs he consumed, and upon emerging from his retreat, he had yearned for something fluffy to indulge in. Yet, all that lay before him were a few ornamental fish in a pond, two wolves with coarse fur, and a sweet little human girl devoid of any fur. Now, with Hua Ningyan, he finally had his wish fulfilled.

“Master, you’ve been in seclusion for so many days; your cultivation must be quite high now, yes?” Hua Ningyan struggled to find a suitable response, knowing she couldn’t simply echo, “It’s wonderful that my body can assist you, Master,” so she settled on a random topic.

“Uh… actually, it’s not that high.” However, this topic left Ye Yong feeling slightly awkward.

“How high, then?” Hua Ningyan, unaware, assumed her master was being modest.

“Crystallization…” Ye Yong began slowly.

“Crystallization!” Hua Ningyan held her breath.

“Four layers.”

“Oh! As expected… hmm?” Confusion filled her eyes as she looked up at Ye Yong. “Ten layers?”

“Four layers.”

“Ten?”

“Four.”

“Four?”

“Yes.”

After a brief silence, Hua Ningyan said, “Master must be quite particular about foundations, just as he tells me to be steady, he is even harsher on himself.”

“Let’s not dwell on that.” Ye Yong shifted the topic: “You can understand it this way: I’m rather special. My cultivation progresses slower than others, but that doesn’t mean I’m weaker. What about you? Are you fully accustomed to your current realm?”

“Almost, but I still can’t unleash that white flame.” Hua Ningyan had never considered that when they first met, she was merely at the Foundation Establishment stage, while Ye Yong had crystallized at the first layer, and now she had reached the seventh layer of crystallization, while he was still at the fourth. Though her rapid growth was tied to that inexplicable surge of energy bolstering her cultivation, she wondered if she might reach the Golden Core stage while her master remained at crystallization.

Of course, Hua Ningyan harbored no disdain; instead, her resolve to protect Ye Yong grew stronger.

“The white flame is not urgent; take your time.” Ye Yong stroked the soft fur of the little white fox, pulling out some delicious snacks to feed it.

— Residence of the outer disciples at Sword Pavilion, Hidden Sword Peak;

Since returning from the celebration of Qiu Lijiao’s birthday, Long Tian had not ventured outside again. He didn’t argue with Pi Yang, who had suggested going to a tavern for drinks, treating it as if nothing had happened. After all, Pi Yang was clearly just a disposable pawn, unaware of the deeper matters at play.

The Bai family, particularly Bai Song, held considerable influence within the Tian Luo Sect, and Pi Yang had no choice but to heed the inner disciples’ commands, so blaming him was futile.

“Long Tian, Long Tian, why have you been in seclusion for so long?” As soon as Long Tian opened the door, Qiu Lijiao, like a precise radar, sensed the movement and immediately stepped out to approach.

“Last time at the tavern, I enjoyed quite a feast, indulging in fine wines and a precious third-grade chicken soup; it was quite enlightening.” Long Tian looked at the pure-hearted Qiu Lijiao and sighed inwardly. If something had truly gone awry back then, this boy’s birthday would have turned into his death day.

“I see.” After the last grand meal, Qiu Lijiao’s cultivation had also seen some growth, though the effects lasted only a few days. In the entire courtyard, Long Tian was the only one who had been in seclusion for so long: “So, what’s your current cultivation level?”

“Foundation Establishment, sixth layer.” In truth, Long Tian had already crystallized at the fifth layer. After spending over sixty days in the jade pendant space, and with some time spent on alchemy, he had broken through from the second to the fifth layer. If not for running out of resources, he would have continued.

“You’re truly impressive! In just half a year since joining the sect, your cultivation has risen by three small realms. At this rate, you’ll surely advance to an ordinary disciple, and then to an inner disciple. Unlike me…” Qiu Lijiao lowered his head, somewhat disheartened, but soon a thought sparked hope in his eyes: “Have you heard? A secret realm has been discovered on Luming Island. According to the external aura probes, it has restrictions on cultivation levels, allowing only those at the crystallization stage and below to enter. The surrounding sects have no intention of forcibly breaking the restrictions. It will fully open in two days, accessible to nearby sects and loose cultivators. I want to go there and try my luck!”

“A secret realm?” Long Tian’s eyes brightened slightly; it was as if someone had sent a pillow just as he felt sleepy. Just when his cultivation resources had run out, he still had some spirit stones on him, but he naturally wanted to seize the opportunity for more: “Tell me more about this secret realm.”

—

111 Luming Island

What is a secret realm? How is it formed?

Most cultivators might not know, but Ye Yong was clear.

The Secret Realm can be seen as a small bubble attached to the side of a larger atmospheric bubble. Generally, it is derived from spatial anomalies or carved out by powerful beings through special abilities and artifacts.

In the lower realm where Ye Yong resides, known as the Kunlun Realm, it was once a time of abundant spiritual energy, a place where sacred bodies were as common as dogs, celestial bodies filled the skies, and divine bodies were not rare. Whether one practiced as a human, a demon, or a ghost, their numbers swelled immensely. With the land and sea limited in size, it was only natural to expand their territories through these small spaces.

Back then, spatial anomalies occurred frequently, and the celestial realm maintained a connection with the lower realm. Many powerful beings on the verge of ascension could easily carve out a small space with just a bit of effort.

It is not without reason that the lower realm could not bear individuals of overwhelming power; if one could carve out small spaces before becoming an immortal, what would happen after? A casual strike could lead to spatial rupture, and ascension could be seen as a means of self-preservation for the lower realm.

However, during the great war a hundred thousand years ago, the Kunlun Realm suffered heavy casualties, the laws of heaven were shattered. Although the crisis was averted, the connection with the celestial realm was severed, preventing powerful individuals from ascending to a stronger world. The remaining world consciousness of the Kunlun Realm imposed restrictions, which is why many beings are stuck at the sacred realm.

As time passed, the period of waning spiritual energy arrived, and the number of strong beings trapped in the sacred realm decreased. The potential for cultivation dwindled, and now there were few who could still carve out spaces. The spaces created were no longer as stable as before, requiring vast resources and effort to solidify.

In simple terms, the secret realms spoken of by the people today are small spaces opened by ancient beings, where they settled, established sects, built city-states, and buried their dead. As the hidden energies of these secret realms are depleted, they will naturally reveal themselves once more to the world.

Some secret realms, once exposed, will exist permanently, while others may only be visible for a time, absorbing the flowing spiritual energy of the Kunlun Realm. Once replenished, they will vanish again into obscurity.

Ye Yong needed to go out and had to report to the deputy sect master, Shi Zhenxiang. If it were any other disciple, they would surely think it was a sign of the deputy sect master’s close concern. But Ye Yong understood his true identity as a spy for the demonic sect and knew he harbored ill intentions. Yet sometimes, one must dance with wolves; given the other’s status, Ye Yong could not defy him.