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

“Please, stay your hand.” The expressionless Coco stood in front of Peng Zhang, blocking his approach to the curtain.

“What? Is this young master worried about Qingwu’s condition?” Were it not for Coco being Ye Qingwu’s close maid, Peng Zhang would have already struck out in irritation.

“During her recovery, the young lady’s garments are either stained with blood or damaged. She is not in a position to be seen.”

Peng Zhang’s pupils constricted, a sharp breath escaping his nostrils: “Could it be…”

“Yes, indeed! The young lady is only in her undergarments, it’s quite inconvenient!” The slow-witted Song Song quickly chimed in, but one could not expect much from a dim-witted wood spirit; Coco shot her a glance.

Couldn’t they say that wearing tattered clothing was unbecoming? Wasn’t it damaging to the young lady’s image to be clad only in undergarments?

Peng Zhang’s breath grew more pronounced: “No wonder Qingwu hasn’t shown herself today. This young master will go to the nearby city and have the humans there make her some fine garments. You two take good care of Qingwu; absolutely no other spirits are to enter here! Do you understand?”

“Of course, we will not allow any spirits in besides Young Master Peng.”

“Indeed, humans are out of the question as well.”

Coco shot another glance at Song Song. Could you not keep your mouth shut for once?

Yet, the usually astute and cautious Peng Zhang remained oblivious to the oddity, turning swiftly to leave the cave.

“Phew! Thankfully I reacted quickly and sent him away just in time.” Song Song patted her chest, exhaling as if she had exerted great effort.

Coco reached out, pinching her cheek and pulling hard: “Do you mind keeping your mouth shut next time? No interruptions.”

“I didn’t say anything wrong, did I? I stopped Young Master Peng and even sent him to buy clothes!”

“The mere fact that her clothes are damaged should have been enough to send him away; everything you said was unnecessary.”

“Sigh…” Inside the curtain, Ye Qingwu rubbed her temples, apologizing to Ye Yong: “I’m sorry for making you witness this.”

“Nothing of the sort; it merely proves that Senior Ye possesses great charm.” Ye Yong did not jest too much; after all, there was a clear disparity in their statuses. In the eyes of the Nightingale family, the Ye clan was nothing but dust. Moreover, Ye Yong needed Night Qingwu’s help to fend off Peng Zhang. He had requests of her, and making light of the situation would only serve to embarrass her further—certainly not a wise course of action.

“Speaking of which, I have an impression of that young master from the demon clan.” Ye Yong shifted to the main topic.

“You’ve met him?”

Ye Yong recounted his experiences in the Great Zhou Dynasty: “Though I only heard his voice and did not see his face at the time, I am certain it is him now that I have laid eyes upon him.”

“I never expected him to do something so reckless.” Night Qingwu, during her recovery with her two maidservants, had been completely unaware of the happenings outside: “If the emperor of the Great Zhou had a bad temper, the human and demon clans would surely clash due to Peng Zhang’s actions.”

“Indeed, it is fortunate that the emperor remains composed; otherwise, if he were to inadvertently harm the other side, it would undoubtedly escalate the tensions and prejudices between our clans.”

“You too. You are now recognized as a prodigy of the Great Zhou. If he were to target you… No, I won’t allow that to happen. Rest assured, I will contact his family immediately to inform them of his misdeeds. After receiving a warning from his family, I believe he will temper his behavior.”

“How could I allow that? If I were to ruin the relationship between you and him…”

“Do not misunderstand; I have no feelings for him. Rather, his entanglement has been quite bothersome. With his interference, I find myself lacking in spirit. Let us leave it at this for today; we can discuss matters more thoroughly another time.”

Ye Yong could sense Night Qingwu’s fatigue; she would surely leave this place quickly to avoid being found by Peng Zhang.

Though it was somewhat regrettable not to have seen Night Qingwu’s appearance, this meeting had gone rather well overall—at least it was not in the hostile state of the secret realm. And without hostility, the path to winning her over would be much easier.

(Ha, I don’t want to ramble on. Over a hundred now. Owe 107. I haven’t even started repaying, yet it keeps piling up.)

—

04 Before the Contest

After Ye Yong departed, Night Qingwu did not linger long, leaving a letter to indicate that she had urgent matters to attend to and needed to leave first.

Two hours passed, and Peng Zhang returned in a flurry, eager to see Night Qingwu don the custom outfit he had hastily ordered. However, he found no trace of his beloved; instead, he discovered a letter. He stared at the elegant, elongated script for a while, lost in thought, before murmuring to himself, “Qingwu, you remain so polite, so easily shy.”

A mysterious smile graced Peng Zhang’s face, but it quickly faded, replaced by an air of solemnity.

“Listen well, all of you!” Peng Zhang shouted into the void, and in the next moment, over a dozen shadowy figures appeared, kneeling on the ground. “Investigate Ye Yong’s identity and background in detail. If you confirm he has contact with other demon clans, capture him alive and interrogate him. If not… I will have my own plans. Do not think to take credit and act on your own, killing him in the process. Do you understand?”

“Yes!” The shadows responded and dispersed.

Peng Zhang took out a slip of paper, admiring the handwriting for a moment before returning to the cave. This was the place where Ye Qingwu had lingered, her scent still lingering in the air. As a fervent admirer—no, a suitor—Peng Zhang wished to stay a while longer, absorbing every trace of Ye Qingwu’s essence before he would leave.

——

By the time Ye Yong returned to the sect, night had fallen. He used a communication talisman to report his safety to the two vice sect leaders, then made his way to the Disassembly Hall.

There was a significant difference between demon beasts and spirit beasts. While demon meat could nourish cultivators, it always contained demonic energy, requiring additional refinement, which would consume some of it. Spirit beasts, on the other hand, absorbed only the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, with no other energy involved, making the absorption process straightforward and efficient, without loss or evaporation.

Ye Yong had slaughtered over ten spirit beasts at the late crystallization stage and early golden core stage in the secret realm. All were quite large, unsuitable for direct delivery. After disassembly, he could share some with Ye Mao and Ye Gou to help them recover.

After all, the sect competition was approaching, and as a descendant of the Ye family, Ye Yong naturally hoped for a favorable ranking for them.

Disassembly took time, and the senior brother at the Disassembly Hall suggested Ye Yong wander around for a while before returning, or they would send the goods to Echo Peak once they were ready.

Since they could deliver to his door, Ye Yong certainly wouldn’t waste time waiting. After giving them a little incentive, he returned to the Sound and Painting Hall.

As per usual, as long as Ye Yong stepped out, regardless of whether it was a big deal or a small matter, the senior and junior sisters would find a reason to host a feast. Ye Yong had long since grown accustomed to it, and it was a perfect opportunity to enjoy some fresh spirit meat.

The next day, the Sound and Painting Hall was bustling with another banquet—delicious food, fine wine, beautiful music, and graceful dances, all present, lasting until deep into the night.

Don’t be fooled by the Sound and Painting Hall’s seemingly ordinary atmosphere; it was granted exemption from the usual competition rules. In fact, the atmosphere in the other halls was quite tense.