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

“You’ve actually mastered such a rare technique.” Ye Yong’s expression was perfectly calibrated—slightly shocked, yet not losing his composure.

“Just a stroke of luck.” Long Tian was not smug; he yearned to enhance his own strength through Ye Yong.

The Azure Fire Triumph consists of nine forms, and Long Tian had already perfected the first three, enough to rival the entry-level Earth-grade techniques, their power astonishing.

As Ye Yong continued to parry, his profound-grade sword was unexpectedly shattered. No good deed goes unpunished; though he hadn’t spent a single coin on it.

Ye Yong quickly activated the Dragon’s Dance step, retreating to create distance. Before Long Tian could close in, the shadow of the Five Tiger Fist roared forth.

The shadow of the Five Tiger Fist was formidable, but against the perfected first three forms of the Azure Fire Triumph, it still fell short. However, it bought Ye Yong enough time to retrieve an Earth-grade treasured blade from his storage ring.

Oops, wrong weapon type.

But Long Tian was pressing forward fiercely, and Ye Yong had no time to search for an Earth-grade sword. A blade would have to do; it was a mistake he would embrace. After all, he had already been elevated high enough; a little higher wouldn’t matter.

The masterful Cloud-Dispelling Blade Technique.

The treasured blade in Ye Yong’s hand dazzled the eyes, making it impossible to discern reality from illusion. Against the Azure Fire Triumph, he surprisingly found himself exchanging blows.

“Am I seeing things? Ye Yong is also a blade cultivator??”

—

“I too have practiced the Cloud-Dispersing Blade Technique for five years, and now I have merely reached a great accomplishment. What kind of monster is this Ye Yong?” A senior brother, a late-stage blade cultivator, shouted in despair at the injustice of heaven; comparing people could drive one to madness.

The Cloud-Dispersing Blade Technique is quite common, hardly worth mentioning when compared to the likes of the Azure Fire’s Supreme Mastery. Even the version modified by the Ye family pales in significance.

Yet when Ye Yong unleashed the Cloud-Dispersing Blade Technique, the astonishment of those around him surpassed that of witnessing Long Tian perform the Azure Fire’s Supreme Mastery.

It was not the technique’s finesse that drew their awe, but Ye Yong’s innate talent.

Before the duel, everyone believed Ye Yong was merely skilled in music, painting, and swordplay. But just days ago, he recited an ancient poem, revealing his potential in literary cultivation. Then, during the duel against Elder’s grandson Jin Liang, he showcased his mastery of fist techniques, and now he revealed his blade skills—all at a level of consummate excellence. What else could he be but a prodigy?

Long Tian’s pupils constricted sharply, genuinely caught off guard. Though blades and swords bore a semblance in form, their systems diverged, and thus their techniques differed. Yet Ye Yong had mastered so many systems of cultivation…

The surprise in Long Tian’s eyes was swiftly replaced by a burning fervor as he unleashed the fourth form of the Azure Fire’s Supreme Mastery!

Flames erupted violently, instantly engulfing the figures of both combatants.

—

21 The Fate of Success or Failure Lies Here

The fourth form of the Azure Fire’s Supreme Mastery, the Azure Fire’s Might, though Long Tian could only practice it at the entry level, each form’s power escalated layer by layer. There was no doubt that the power of this fourth form surpassed that of the previous three, and Long Tian possessed a superior fire spiritual root, perfectly attuned to fire-based techniques, granting him further enhancement.

In close proximity, the intense flames detonated, undeniably lethal for cultivators lacking a fire spiritual root or resistance to flames.

Long Tian was not concerned that Ye Yong would suffer severe injuries, for everyone knew Ye Yong was deeply favored by the Ye family, adorned with a plethora of defensive treasures.

Though the duel prohibited the use of treasures, it only restricted offensive treasures that exceeded the user’s capabilities; defensive treasures were permitted.

Within the flames, Long Tian could distinctly sense a powerful current of attraction—it was Ye Yong.

In less than two breaths, all the flames converged around the treasured blade in his hand.

A top-tier wind spiritual root was not merely for show; the consummate wind-pressure blade—no, the wind-pressure sword—was sufficient to draw forth the flames unleashed by Long Tian.

The flames swirled within the airflow, like a ferocious beast repeatedly crashing against a barrier, yearning to break free.

—

Ye Yong gazed at Long Tian, his eyes calm, and suddenly struck.

A fiery dragon whirlwind surged forth, trailing a long, searing blaze straight at Long Tian.

Even if he could block it, the cost would be steep; if he could evade, Long Tian would certainly choose to dodge.

“Bang!” The fire whirlwind collided with the protective array over the audience seats, erupting in an instant, shrouding that section of spectators in a sea of flames.

The crowd was electrified, caught in the thrill of the moment, and immediately pressed to the sides, fearful of missing even a second of the spectacle.

Evading the attack would create a window of vulnerability; Long Tian no longer held the initiative to attack. Ye Yong could have seized the opportunity to counter, but instead, he sheathed his treasured blade and drew forth a terrestrial-grade sword.

There was always a distinction between blade and sword; different systems of martial arts wielded through different weapons would yield varying effects.

Aside from the heavenly-grade sword technique “Wandering Celestial Blade,” Ye Yong had previously exchanged for three terrestrial-grade sword techniques. Through diligent self-cultivation, two had reached minor mastery, while one lingered at the entry level, its experience bar more than half full.

The crystallization of cultivation, mastering terrestrial-grade sword techniques, was enough to signify talent. Like Jin Liang, who brimmed with confidence, believing himself the foremost among the new disciples, it was because he had grasped two terrestrial-grade sword techniques.

Though Ye Yong resembled a heartless boss, doing nothing while exploiting the efforts of his subordinates to enrich his own “wealth,” the fact remained that he had mastered three terrestrial-grade sword techniques, not to mention that those he acquired from the system were of a higher caliber than ordinary terrestrial-grade techniques.

Of course, Ye Yong would never boast about all the martial arts he had mastered; he would only reveal portions as deemed appropriate.

Long Tian was the protagonist, proud and arrogant; he could not be gravely injured, nor could his emotions be disregarded. To ensure he lost gracefully, without resentment, the only option was to unleash powerful techniques that would leave him no choice but to concede.

“The Yin-Yang Duality Sword,” a high-ranking terrestrial-grade technique, was a lower derivative of the heavenly-grade technique “Taiji Duality Sword.” It embodied the essence of Taiji, capable of both defense and offense, and was still in its introductory phase.