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

“It depends on the host’s decisions. This system has never swayed the host’s thoughts. If the host has the ability to change the world, that is the host’s own skill. However, the host is merely a fledgling, wings yet unformed. To speak of changing the world at this stage is nothing but the ramblings of a madman.”

“Uh…” The usual sharp tongue left no room for rebuttal.

Yet that phrase, “it depends on the host’s decisions,” eased Ye Yong’s heart considerably. At least he was not some puppet destined to destroy the world; everything would change due to his own volition, not something preordained.

With his mind relaxed, he suddenly felt a surge of spiritual energy trying to invade his body. Ye Yong quickly tensed his nerves, halting the interaction between his internal energy and the external spiritual aura.

No matter how alluring and seductive the external energy may be, my spiritual power is not so easily tempted!

Fortunately, he was not in a combat state, and he noticed in time. Ye Yong successfully suppressed the urge; otherwise, he would surely have to put on another spectacular display of bloodshed.

Before long, the steward delivered high-grade healing elixirs and potions for restoring spiritual energy. With the finals approaching, participants should be in peak condition.

But Ye Yong had long lost the desire to compete. Of course, after suppressing two breakthroughs in a row, he could not hold back a third. He could distinctly feel his cultivation on the verge of eruption, and he didn’t dare consume the healing elixirs, for they contained the essence of rare treasures, which would similarly trigger fluctuations in his spiritual energy.

Ye Yong secretly conferred with Qin Shidream, hoping she would forfeit.

Why not Ye Yong himself? Primarily, he didn’t want to put pressure on Long Tian. Ye Yong knew he was already seen as the top newcomer disciple in everyone’s eyes. To suddenly forfeit now would surely redirect the pointed gazes back at Long Tian. If Qin Shidream forfeited, people would only think she was self-aware, not wanting to embarrass herself in front of everyone.

Though it was unfair to Qin Shidream, Ye Yong felt he had no other choice. Fortunately, Qin Shidream was reasonable and agreed without a second thought.

After all, if the Empress of Qin were concerned about the opinions of those around her, she wouldn’t be the Empress of Qin. She only cared about the views of those she recognized.

“Are you sure you want to forfeit?”

Qin Shidream stepped up to the high platform where the elder steward stood, announcing her decision to forfeit. This left them all in shock, for no one had ever forfeited in the top hundred, let alone in the finals.

“Sure.”

The steward and the elders offered their gentle counsel, yet Qin Shimeng remained expressionless, showing no sign of changing her mind. Seeing this, they ceased their attempts and announced the outcome to the outside world.

The abstention sparked fierce debate; Qin Shimeng’s strength was undoubtedly above Long Tian’s, and everyone had eagerly anticipated her forcing Ye Yong to reveal more of his power. Yet, was this all there was?

Regrettably, the decision lay in Qin Shimeng’s hands, and others could not intervene. The finals were canceled, and the battle for third place to the top ten commenced.

As for the subsequent matches, the senior brothers and sisters showed little interest, gradually leaving the arena, and the number of spectators dwindled.

This year’s newcomer competition had, in essence, drawn its curtain prematurely.

—

Ye Yong, though eager to return to the Echo Painting Hall and break through to the sixth layer of the Stone, still insisted on waiting until the results for the top ten were announced before departing. Unlike Long Tian, who had no identity or background, his words and actions would carry weight and influence those around him.

As soon as he moved, it was certain that Qin Shimeng and the sisters of the Echo Painting Hall would follow suit, leading to a chain reaction that would significantly reduce the number of remaining spectators. Thus, he lingered a bit longer, both to give face to the participants and to the steward presiding over the event.

The excitement of the battles resembled an arc; it began rather blandly, peaked at the finals, and then waned again during the subsequent ranking matches.

After the top ten rankings concluded, there would still be the competition for the top hundred. After all, this was not merely a contest for the champion; losing once in the top hundred battles only meant missing the chance to advance, not that one could not vie for the highest rank within the same stage. All participants in the top hundred would receive rewards from the Tianluo Sect, and the higher the ranking, the more substantial the rewards.

Yet, there was little to behold now. Ye Yong decided not to waste any more time and stood to leave.

Just as he had anticipated, his movement prompted many to lose interest, and the audience shrank by more than half in an instant.

—

On the way to the Echo Painting Hall, Ye Yong, seated on his small magic carpet, noticed a few old men trailing behind him. He immediately guessed their intentions; they were surely there to persuade him to join the Sword Pavilion or something similar. Fortunately, he was surrounded by the sisters of the Echo Painting Hall, and the elders, mindful of their dignity, would not dare to snatch him away in front of so many disciples.

At that moment, Liang Xiaorou squeezed in on a small, cute flying contraption. Earlier, as a spectator, she had found it difficult to approach Ye Yong during the competition, but now that it had concluded, she had no such reservations.

“Three elders from the Sword Pavilion have come, two from the Blade Exhibition Hall, and one from the Fist Intent Hall. They probably want to persuade you to turn back, to stop wasting your talent in the Echo Painting Hall,” Liang Xiaorou said bluntly, her words straightforward as always. However, the sisters of the Echo Painting Hall, upon hearing this, could not help but feel displeased.

“What do you mean by wasting talent? Ye Shidi’s mastery of music and painting is equally profound, you know?”

“Indeed, dancing with blades is perilous; Senior Brother Ye was injured during a duel. How can we push him into the fire pit?”

“The melodies and brush strokes may seem weak at first, but once one reaches a certain level of cultivation, they can command their enemies without even approaching.”

“It’s as if you think sword cultivators are any different. A single sword qi can cleave mountains and rivers, obliterating the enemy’s very soul, leaving them dead beyond resurrection.” Liang Xiaorou did not look down on the sound and painting cultivators, but in the same realm, it was clear that sword cultivators wielded greater lethality, striking faster. “And it’s not that I want to take him to another hall. What you say is pointless; those old geezers are notorious for their love of talent. If Ye Yong refuses, they might, in their eagerness, directly propose to the sect leader to assign him to another hall.”

“They can’t force Senior Brother Ye to pursue a path he’s not interested in, can they?” a junior sister spoke up.

“What if they persuade Ye’s family elders to join in the urging?” Liang Xiaorou cast a sidelong glance at Ye Yong. “With this guy’s talent, learning anything should be no problem. From the perspective of those old geezers, compared to sound and painting, it’s obviously better to cultivate what they deem the strongest path.”

“In the matter of cultivation, what is there to say about the strongest?”

“No.” Liang Xiaorou shook her head. “Sound and painting are pursued for their elegance and interest, without the need for bloodshed. When inspiration strikes, perhaps one can break through. You certainly wouldn’t claim that sound and painting are the strongest or the best. But sword and blade cultivators belong to the path of battle, cultivating body, mind, and will, naturally believing their path to be the strongest and the best. If one’s conviction in their chosen path is not firm enough—like a fist cultivator thinking the sword path is the mightiest—then I ask, what are the odds for such a fist cultivator against a sword cultivator? They would likely falter even before the battle begins.”

“Even so, we cannot force Senior Brother Ye.”

“It’s still possible.” The previously silent senior sisters spoke up now. “Our sound and painting hall is so small; aside from the talent needed for sound and painting, it’s also influenced by others. Before you joined the sect, there were some disciples who entered the sound and painting hall but eventually left for other halls, simply because their families disapproved. Not to mention, most who left the sound and painting hall to pursue other paths actually progressed faster.”

“How could this be…” The junior sisters looked at Ye Yong with reluctance.

Ye Yong was utterly bewildered. They had been talking amongst themselves the whole time, completely disregarding my own wishes. Are we already assuming I’m leaving?

“Rest assured, everyone. I know clearly the path I wish to cultivate; I won’t be swayed by others.” Ye Yong joined the sound and painting hall to pursue the challenging heroine, Mu Qingyin. The saying goes, “The one closest to the water gets the moon first.” His pursuit had only just begun, and after spending time in the sound and painting hall, he had developed a sense of belonging. How could he leave just because others thought it was “for his own good”?

“I knew you would say that.” Liang Xiaorou huffed. “Those old men are just meddling, overstepping their bounds. I’ve never seen a younger person with more conviction than you. Even some older folks don’t see as far as you do. You chose the sound and painting hall because you discovered something others missed. Just keep at it; don’t mind them. I’m on your side.”

“We all are!” the senior and junior sisters echoed.