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

Smoke Rising

The sect’s treasury was the most important place; it was the foundation of their heritage.

Normally, it would be impossible to open it to someone they had only just met for less than half a day, and whose true appearance they had not even seen. But the aura of a villain was undeniable. The five Nascent Soul treasures Ye Yong had casually taken out at the mountain gate were worth more than all the treasures combined within their sect. Not to mention, the Yilian Sect wanted Ye Yong’s help to navigate through this targeted crisis, so they naturally could not refuse, though they also could not agree too readily.

After a moment of hesitation, the sect leader, Li Hong, clasped his fists and smiled at Ye Yong. “Please allow us some time to discuss. Regardless of the conclusion we reach, we will certainly provide a result that satisfies you and will not waste your time.”

Ye Yong was not in a hurry and nodded in agreement. Soon, Li Hong called in Li Lanshan, instructing her to show Ye Yong around and help him get acquainted with the Yilian Sect.

—

As people grow older, they become more astute; the longer they live, the more they ponder. Ye Yong understood what Li Hong wanted to do—he merely wished for his daughter to get closer to him, to see if they could hit it off. If they did, and she could latch onto a powerful ally, that would be ideal. If not, it was no matter; at least during their time together, she could ask questions and learn about his background.

“Young master, this way please.” Li Lanshan’s pretty face flushed, her eyes sparkling with excitement, her words tinged with an unmistakable thrill.

Seeing this, Li Hong could only smile wryly. To express such obvious admiration without even having a clear view of his appearance—what if the other party turned out to be exceedingly ugly? Masks are meant to conceal unsightly features, and discovering the truth afterward would only lead to discomfort.

Li Hong had no chance to remind Li Lanshan; she had already taken Ye Yong out.

“What do you all think?” After the two left, Li Hong began discussing Ye Yong with the elders.

“His behavior is proper, and he possesses excellent qualities; he doesn’t resemble the typical playboy from a prominent family.”

“No token was found at his waist, and he was dressed in casual clothes, making it impossible to determine which sect he belongs to.”

“You mentioned he interrupted He Shi’s ambush with his sword; could he be a late-stage Golden Core cultivator?”

“That shouldn’t be the case. Shen Luo said the spiritual energy fluctuations from his sword were only at the crystallization stage, though they were exceptionally strong, far surpassing the typical tenth layer of crystallization.”

“His demeanor is humble, crystallization cultivation, yet extraordinarily powerful—hiss…” One elder suddenly voiced a bold conjecture: “Do you think he could possibly be the eldest son of the Ye family, Ye Yong?”

“Impossible.”

As soon as this was said, it was quickly dismissed.

“Ye Yong is the foremost prodigy of this generation; how could he come to our humble Yi Lian Sect?”

“Moreover, there have been rumors recently that he claimed victory in the newcomer competition, gaining some insights, and has been in seclusion for a long time. If he were to emerge, news would surely spread.”

“Exactly.” Li Hong also expressed, “Lanshan was rescued in the secret realm; what resources on Lu Ming Island would warrant the eldest son of the Ye family making a personal trip? You haven’t heard of Ye Yong visiting Lu Ming Island, have you?”

Everyone shook their heads. The elder who first proposed the conjecture looked somewhat pained: “I was just throwing it out there; why do you all seem so intent on shooting it down?”

“Not at all, we just think your imagination is a bit far-fetched. If the Ye family’s young master were to visit Yi Lian Sect, ha ha, if that were the case, our ancestor’s grave would surely be smoking with excitement.”

Such remarks were deemed disrespectful, yet no one found them inappropriate. With no conclusion reached, they ceased the discussion and began arranging for the funeral of Bu Xiang Si.

——

“This is where our disciples usually train.” Li Lanshan was very enthusiastic. Ye Yong’s gaze lingered there, and she led him wherever she went, explaining what things were, making it difficult for Ye Yong to look around freely.

However, he still had a good impression of Li Lanshan, because in the novel, she kept the fact that Long Tian killed He Ma and others to herself, and she didn’t speak of the tortures she endured from the He Shan Sect. Before she was about to be soul-searched, the other two rescued female cultivators couldn’t hold on any longer and revealed the truth.

As for their fate, it could only be described as tragic; having lost their value, their lives and deaths were at the mercy of others. He Ma liked Li Lanshan, so He Shi killed her to accompany his deceased son, while the other two were left to be humiliated by the disciples of the He Shan Sect, their bodies battered and bruised. They finally found an opportunity and took their own lives in despair.

In the protagonist’s world, not only did brothers sacrifice themselves, but boundless magical power also existed. Good passersby who crossed paths with him were sacrificed to the heavens, and they could also transform into his explosive energy. It was all very cliché; the protagonist was captured by He Shi’s subordinates in a secret realm, and after the other party gleefully recounted Li Lanshan’s plight, he could no longer contain his anger, erupting in rage and achieving a counterattack.

In short, Li Lanshan had a good character; she wouldn’t casually betray her benefactor and was grateful for kindness. Ye Yong appreciated this, but unfortunately, upon meeting the protagonist, she could only meet her end at a young age.

If in the past Ye Yong felt a bit guilty about cutting off the protagonist’s opportunities, at this moment, he felt no psychological burden at all, because he had saved quite a few people.

“It’s getting late; why don’t you stay here for the night and plan your next steps?” Li Lanshan’s words suddenly pulled Ye Yong back to reality.

It was now nightfall, and it had been almost two days since leaving Tian Luo Sect. The Yi Lian Sect hadn’t made Ye Yong feel uncomfortable, and he also wanted to see if the mastermind would appear early, so he agreed.

Upon receiving his response, Li Lanshan immediately called the steward to prepare the best guest room. After taking a stroll around the back mountain, the guest room was ready, and she led him inside to rest.

Though it was said to be the best, it couldn’t compare to the courtyard where Ye Yong stayed; it could only be considered decent. Fortunately, Ye Yong was not picky. After sitting down, Li Lanshan brewed a pot of tea, serving him while also eager to see what kind of face lay beneath the mask.

However, Ye Yong did not remove the mask; he simply picked up the teacup and brought it to his mouth.

Just as Li Lanshan was puzzled about how one could drink tea while wearing a mask, suddenly a crack appeared at the bottom of the mask, just wide enough for the cup to fit through.

??

Li Lanshan was stunned; was this mask also a high-level magical artifact?

“Good tea.” Ye Yong remained unfazed; after all, it was a product of the system, so it was certainly fully functional.

“Counting today, this is the second time you’ve saved my life, Young Master.” Li Lanshan lowered her head, her tone sincere: “My father taught me from a young age to repay kindness, so I hope you can give me the chance to repay you.”

“Ye does not seek rewards for his actions; there’s no need for Miss Li to be too concerned.” As soon as the words left his mouth, Ye Yong realized he had misspoken. “Ye” was a humble self-reference he had grown accustomed to; it was fine in front of acquaintances, but in front of strangers, it undoubtedly became a flaw that could expose his identity.

Sure enough, as soon as Li Lanshan heard the surname Ye, she suddenly looked up, her eyes wide and pupils constricted.

“Let me introduce myself.” At this point, Ye Yong could only brace himself and smooth things over. He took out paper and pen, writing down two characters: “Ye Wu.”

It sounded quite impressive, like a cold-blooded assassin, though it did have a similar pronunciation to Ye Qingwu.

“I see, Young Master Ye.” Li Lanshan came back to her senses, nodding repeatedly. As for whether she believed it, only she knew.