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

Among the new disciples, strength dictated seniority, and Wu Shuai’s respectful address of Ye Yong as “Brother Ye” came from genuine admiration.

Ye Yong said nothing, merely nodding slightly before turning to leave the arena.

It was not a whim that drove him to guide Wu Shuai; he simply believed this approach concealed his true strength from outsiders. By countering moves without employing any of his own techniques, it would be difficult for the overseers to assess his capabilities when arranging future matchups.

He preserved his power while potentially creating a butterfly effect that could alter the duel roster, all while allowing his fellow disciples to gain insight. One might call it a threefold gain? In Ye Yong’s eyes, this was far superior to merely defeating an opponent.

The spectators below had not anticipated that Ye Tianjiao’s first battle would conclude in such a manner. They had expected to witness Ye Yong’s prowess, to be struck by some visual spectacle, yet it ended so blandly?

But as reality settled in, and the duel concluded, whispers of praise for Ye Yong began to circulate.

“Master Ye’s strength has reached an impressive level; Wu Shuai hardly warranted his effort.”

“A mere Crystal Level Four like Wu Shuai didn’t even qualify for him to engage. His ease suggests he’s already surpassed Crystal Level Seven!”

“Clearly capable of defeating Wu Shuai in a single move, yet he willingly spent time pointing out his flaws. Brother Ye truly… I’m in tears.”

Elders, hall masters, overseers, and instructors—these prominent figures within the sect could only take on a limited number of disciples. Ordinary disciples rarely received guidance from such luminaries. While Tianluo Sect had senior brothers and sisters to serve as sparring partners, the time of cultivators was precious. Unless a relationship was exceptionally close, sparring required the expenditure of spirit stones, varying in cost depending on one’s level. Moreover, sparring partners seldom revealed all weaknesses, only highlighting a few significant ones. Yet Ye Yong had pointed out nearly all of Wu Shuai’s flaws, and everyone had heard. Targeting Wu Shuai now would be all too easy, but once he corrected those flaws, wouldn’t that signify a leap in his strength? Furthermore, in the future, he could boast of having received guidance from Ye Tianjiao.

No cost, a chance to grow stronger, and the gain of reputation—who wouldn’t desire that?

—

12 Such Matters Should Not Be

—

After Ye Yong, it was Long Tian’s turn to step into the arena. The previous battle had been so lackluster that many were eager for some excitement this time around.

As soon as Long Tian appeared, voices erupted from the audience, some proclaiming their expertise, asserting that Long Tian had indeed earned his place here, but that was all—his opponents in the preliminaries had been mere crystals, a stroke of luck more than skill.

In the lower realms, talent could allow one to leap over ranks, but in the higher realms, it was not so simple, especially when Long Tian’s opponent was a second-tier master from the Battle Axe Hall.

The disciples of the Battle Axe Hall were all towering figures, a blend of offense and defense, while Long Tian stood before them, small and frail, like a mere sprout.

“If this Long Tian wins, I’ll chop off my own head!”

Just as Ye Yong returned to his seat, he heard someone nearby making such a boast, and not just one—there were others betting their spirit stones as well.

Truly, the treatment of a protagonist! First, they are belittled, then they rise, only to be looked down upon again, a cycle of humiliation and vindication.

To be honest, Ye Yong felt a twinge of envy; it was so hard to be looked down upon. Unless he encountered those mid-to-late stage villains, whose auras overshadowed his own, it seemed unlikely he would ever be diminished.

“Ha! You’re as scrawny as a monkey! Against me, you have no chance at all!” The disciple from the Battle Axe Hall, named Huang Feixiang, stood at least two meters tall, with a broad back and a massive war axe slung over his shoulder, exuding an intimidating presence.

Long Tian met his gaze, wielding a mysterious-grade sword, a trophy from his conquest over the Beast Tamer Sect. In such a setting, a shovel would be inappropriate, and as a swordsman, with a good sword in hand, it was time to retire the shovel.

Both sides readied themselves, and Huang Feixiang launched the first attack. The disciples of the Battle Axe Hall were known for their astonishing power, though their speed was somewhat lacking, typically relying on stillness to counter movement. Yet, he acted unusually, attacking first, which puzzled Long Tian, especially as he sensed the malice and hostility in Huang Feixiang’s eyes.

Long Tian questioned himself; he had never encountered Huang Feixiang, let alone held a grudge. The answer came swiftly—this was surely the work of Bai Song behind the scenes.

On the dueling platform, Huang Feixiang would never dare to kill, but he could certainly injure Long Tian severely under the pretense of being unable to control his strength. He might face punishment afterward, but what if Bai Song offered him a reward greater than the penalty?

With clarity, Long Tian’s gaze sharpened. While he could not afford to waste time like Ye Yong on strangers, he had considered learning from him, defeating his opponent while keeping his true strength concealed.

Long Tian could not afford to seriously injure Huang Feixiang; without backing, a penalty would mean a real loss. Moreover, to harm someone could be achieved not just physically, but mentally as well.

With a powerful leap, Long Tian sprang onto Huang Feixiang’s head, nimbly dodging to his rear, evading the sweeping axe.

Such a humiliating maneuver sent Huang Feixiang into a rage, his blood boiling. He brushed the dust from his head and roared, unleashing a torrent of spiritual energy as he spun his massive axe in a full three-hundred-sixty-degree arc, like a devastating tornado, charging toward Long Tian.

Ye Yong shook his head silently, losing interest in the spectacle, closing his eyes to browse the items in the system shop.

Minutes later, gasps erupted from the crowd as the battle concluded with Huang Feixiang tumbling off the platform in a disheveled heap.

Having fallen out of bounds, losing his qualification to compete, Huang Feixiang scrambled to his feet, shouting that it didn’t count, but a single glare from the overseer silenced him, and he retreated in frustration.

“That Huang Feixiang must have nothing but muscle in his head. He had a sure win, yet he chose to strike first, wasting all his effort, and Dragon Tian seized the opportunity.”

“I understand the reasoning, but what about the promised beheading?”

“Uh… I never said whose head would roll. How about yours?”

“Get lost.”

“There’s definitely something shady going on! Return my spirit stones!” Besides that, there were cultivators who had lost their bets, shouting and crying out.

The protagonist’s halo, terrifyingly potent, left no one to analyze his strength; all blame fell squarely on Huang Feixiang.

Ye Yong opened his eyes, gazing at the officials seated on the high platform, assessing the newcomers’ abilities. They were whispering among themselves, clearly trying to gauge Dragon Tian’s level, discussing it earnestly.

This is bad. Ye Yong hadn’t expected the protagonist to play the same card as him, holding back his strength. Thus, the butterfly effect wouldn’t occur; he still faced off against the protagonist in the top eight, and perhaps even earlier. The officials were likely to think Ye Yong could force out all of Dragon Tian’s abilities.

This can’t happen.

Why not bribe those officials, manipulate things behind the scenes, and avoid contact with the protagonist? But doing so would undoubtedly draw the officials’ attention to Dragon Tian, curious about who could make Ye Tianjiao so concerned. Dragon Tian was sensitive; if he felt the scrutiny now, once he grew stronger and gained influence in the sect, he would surely dig up old matters. If he found out Ye Yong had been dodging him before he had even matured, it would be strange if he didn’t feel puzzled… Ye Yong’s greatest fear was being remembered by Dragon Tian.

So annoying.