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

“May I inquire if you seniors have decided on the list for the next round?”

The top eight battles were nearing their conclusion, the final match almost complete. One could guess the outcome just by observing their states. After the top eight came the top four, and with fewer participants, arranging the list was simplicity itself.

“It’s mostly settled. Do you have any suggestions? Feel free to share,” one steward said, showing Ye Yong the draft list.

“Well, I hope to—” Ye Yong’s words faltered as he saw his name paired with Long Tian’s on the same team, leaving him momentarily stunned.

??

What was happening? The heavens had not even considered reuniting the heroine with the protagonist? Was I just engaging in a battle of wits with thin air?

“You don’t wish to face Long Tian, do you? Hmm, he comes from humble beginnings; he truly isn’t worth your effort,” a steward’s words yanked Ye Yong back to reality, sending a chill down his spine.

Old man! I can indulge in secret little hamburgers, but I mustn’t speak carelessly! I do not look down on Long Tian, nor do I think he is unworthy of my effort!

If Long Tian were to hear this, wouldn’t that just seal our enmity?

The Final Four

Ye Yong quickly denied, “No, no, no, you misunderstand. Actually… I intended to challenge Qin Shiming from the Sword Pavilion. But since the list is out, let’s go with what the esteemed seniors have arranged.”

“Qin Shiming, ah, that girl is indeed formidable. Her mastery of ice techniques is profound, a true disciple of Elder An.”

“Such formality! Who doesn’t know your connection?”

“Don’t be too hasty; you two will meet in the finals.”

In the sect’s competitions, there were prizes, and the overseers had no qualms about giving the best rewards to this pair of golden boy and jade girl.

“Yet this Long Tian, though he hails from humble beginnings and appears unremarkable, he hides his depths. An outer disciple, yet he has made it to the top four—it’s as if he slapped us across the face, as if to say we are blind to the true gems among us. Ye Yong, since you don’t mind his background, you ought to investigate his true capabilities for us.”

“Actually, seniors need not keep bringing up his origins. I do not judge by lineage; I value personal potential and strength.” Ye Yong felt a bit helpless. It was normal for a bystander to disparage the main character, but not in front of him! What if he was mistaken for one of the detractors?

And what if a poor background meant he had eaten your family’s rice?

Despite the mental sparring with the air, this visit to the overseers was not entirely fruitless. At least Ye Yong learned that they did not want Long Tian to reach the finals, preparing to halt him at the top four. Knowing this in advance allowed him to brace himself, so he wouldn’t be caught off guard when devising strategies.

Returning to his seat, Ye Yong found that Qin Shiming’s demeanor had improved significantly. The overseers sat high above, shielded by a special formation, invisible from the outside, preventing any disciples from eavesdropping on their discussions through lip-reading. Thus, aside from the overseers and Elder Jin, no one knew where Ye Yong had just been.

Regardless, the gloom that had clouded his brow had lifted considerably, and Qin Shiming’s mood brightened as well, though a hint of curiosity lingered—where had he gone, and what had he done?

It wasn’t that Qin Shiming was particularly nosy; she simply cared too much for Ye Yong. It was this concern that twisted her thoughts, sparking her curiosity. If it were anyone else, even if they begged to share, she wouldn’t want to hear it.

But since Ye Yong didn’t volunteer the information, she had no intention of pressing him. Whatever he could share, he would. She only hoped he would lean on her more, that they could face challenges together, rather than him shouldering everything alone.

The list of the final four was released shortly after, and there was little to discuss. The only topic of conversation was the fact that Long Tian, an outer disciple, had made it to the top four, surpassing even the inner disciples, as if he were delivering a resounding slap to their faces.

Only a few sang praises of Long Tian, while most lurked in shadows, even shifting the blame onto Ye Yong.

“I must admit, Long Tian has some strength, but in the end, luck plays a larger role. The promising Jin Liang and others were dealt with by Ye Yong and Qin Shi Meng first; otherwise, he would never have made it this far. But now, facing Ye Yong, his good fortune has run dry.”

“If he can’t even force out Ye Yong’s Five Tiger Fist, and is even weaker than Jin Liang, then this top four—tch, what a farce.”

“Pfft, who even recognizes the top four? The first and second are what truly matter; Ye Yong will definitely claim the crown.”

Listening to the chatter of the cultivators around him, Ye Yong felt a deep sense of helplessness and sorrow. The protagonist’s arc was one of rising and then falling, but for the antagonist, it was a complete reversal—rising first, only to be crushed later. The discussions around him were akin to raising flags. Those who are overly praised often end up losing to the protagonist.

In the novel, Hou Li Xie was able to defeat Long Tian because he had never claimed to be the young master of the Hou family since joining the sect, keeping a low profile. Otherwise, surrounded by a bunch of toxic supporters, he would surely have faced disaster.

Fortunately, Ye Yong was clear about his own abilities and understood Long Tian’s strength. If it were another antagonist, it would be a sure sign that the higher they stood, the harder they would fall.

Of course, Ye Yong would not be blindly confident; he had to be careful not to injure Long Tian when he made his move, lest he harbor resentment. After all, Long Tian was indeed generous when he claimed to be so, but when he was stingy, he was particularly petty—a contradiction in nature. Ye Yong had to tread carefully around him, as if walking on thin ice.

After each round of combat, there would be a break, and the overseers had prepared pills to help the disciples recover for the next round.

When Long Tian learned he was to face Ye Yong, his heart skipped a beat, excitement and anticipation bubbling within him. He had longed to spar with Ye Yong, eager to uncover the depths of this young prodigy.

To be honest, he was quite afraid of encountering Qin Shi Meng among the top four. He had seen her fight; fire was supposed to overcome ice, but her Frost Sword Qi was so piercing, its intensity far exceeded his flames, which would be countered instead. Even the old immortal had stated that the current Long Tian was no match for Qin Shi Meng, who possessed astonishing talent.

If he were to fight Qin Shi Meng and lose in the top four, missing the chance to face Ye Yong, there would be no doubt that Long Tian would feel a sense of loss, as if he had brushed past a treasure just out of reach. But if he could meet Ye Yong in the top four, that would be different; he didn’t care about winning or losing, he just wanted to have a match with Ye Yong.

Swallowing the pills distributed by the overseers, Long Tian sat in meditation to restore his spiritual and physical strength, pretending not to hear the discussions around him. Qiu Li Gao, however, was quite concerned, and he too believed the others were right; against Ye Yong, Long Tian truly had no hope of victory. It was just frustrating that Long Tian’s formidable strength was dismissed as mere luck.

That said, Qiu Li Gao lacked the courage to refute the crowd; he could only clench his fists, watching Long Tian’s back, silently cheering him on.

——

“Young Master Ye, may I have a word?” During the break, several male cultivators dressed in extravagant attire, clearly wealthy scions, approached Ye Yong with bows and greetings.

Ye Yong recognized them; they were the lackeys of Bai Song, undoubtedly here to urge him to teach Long Tian a harsh lesson during the duel, perhaps even to eliminate him.

“Sorry, I’m currently adjusting my state for the duel, not convenient,” Ye Yong replied, too lazy to engage, and closed his eyes.

He gave them no face at all. The lackeys of Bai Song had no recourse; Ye Yong was nothing like Ye Mao, who they could express dissatisfaction towards. Who would dare show discontent to Ye Yong? They still wanted to continue mingling in Tian Luo Sect.

They came quickly and left just as fast, reporting back to Bai Song with their tails between their legs.

“Forget it.” Bai Song could only let out a cold snort, glancing toward the spot where Long Tian stood. “He’s lucky. After the duel ends, I’ll find a chance to deal with him.”