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

Do you dare to harm me?

After the exchange of treasures, the Yilian Sect prepared a lavish banquet to host Ye Yong.

Under the astonished gazes of everyone, Ye Yong dined and drank through a mask that could automatically open and close its mouth, showing no signs of hindrance. The mask’s opening adjusted in size according to the shape of the food, making it impossible for onlookers to see Ye Yong’s face, adding to his air of mystery.

During the meal, Sect Master Li Hong and the elders tried to glean information about Ye Yong’s identity through indirect questioning. However, Ye Yong was tight-lipped; he seemed to answer yet also appeared to say nothing, taking the art of speaking in riddles to the extreme.

Everyone was hesitant to ask too many questions, fearing they might upset Ye Yong, so they ended up with no useful clues.

Li Lanshan sat not far from Ye Yong, her thoughts unspoken, occasionally gazing blankly at his figure.

As the banquet neared its end, a sudden loud noise erupted from the mountain gate, causing the entire Yilian Sect to tremble slightly, as if the protective mountain formation was under some terrifying attack.

“Report!! He Shan Sect has sent many people!” Soon, a disciple rushed into the guest hall, breathless as he relayed the situation.

“They’re attacking?” Li Hong and the elders were somewhat alarmed.

They weren’t afraid of He Shan Sect; what they feared was the Song Wo Sect above them. Song Wo Sect was a major sect nearby, boasting three Transformation Stage experts, with formidable strength. He Shan Sect’s rapid rise, surpassing Yilian Sect, was precisely because they had latched onto Song Wo Sect’s coattails.

With the protective mountain formation, Yilian Sect should theoretically not fear He Shan Sect. As long as the other side attacked, they could retaliate, turning the tables on them. But the problem was that once they engaged in battle with He Shan Sect, if Song Wo Sect intervened to tip the scales, Yilian Sect would be left speechless, suffering in silence, with no way to voice their grievances, forced to swallow their bitterness.

Without a powerful ally, what could a small to mid-tier sect do against a major sect? Yilian Sect had endured time and again, still not daring to take action against He Shan Sect, precisely because of this fear.

—

“I don’t know clearly either! Anyway, let the seniors go first!”

“How can this be? He Shan Sect is no different from a gang of thugs, saying it has nothing to do with us and not investigating the cause thoroughly. It’s all relying on us to take the blame!” The Great Elder slammed his hand on the table, stood up first, and apologized to Ye Yong, indicating that they wanted to handle some matters rudely, and then a group of people rushed towards the mountain gate.

“I’m really sorry.” Li Lan Shan came to Ye Yong’s side, bowed deeply: “It seems that things are going in a bad direction.”

That’s right.

Ye Yong, who had read the script, was clearer than anyone about the current situation.

In the novel, the conflict between He Shan Sect and Yi Lian Sect had been accumulating for a long time, finally erupting after a long period, and ending with the destruction of Yi Lian Sect’s mountain gate. The question was that He Shan Sect’s overall strength was not much higher than Yi Lian Sect’s, and it was impossible for them to win in a fight on someone else’s turf, especially with Yi Lian Sect’s protective array. But they won, thanks to the secret help from Song Wo Sect.

In fact, He Shan Sect was just a small pawn being pushed to the forefront, and everything was controlled by the mastermind Song Wo Sect behind the scenes. Including the accumulated conflicts, it was all Song Wo Sect’s doing, and their purpose was to give He Shan Sect a legitimate reason to attack Yi Lian Sect, plunder their treasure, and then find a way to obtain the “Stone Piece” key.

The Stone Piece key was something the Great Elder had discovered unintentionally many years ago and added to his collection. He didn’t take it out to show off. It was only a few years ago that He Ma’s grandfather, He Qi, had visited, and the relationship between the two sects was still good at the time. He Qi didn’t know the value of the Stone Piece key, but later, when he heard Song Wo Sect’s manager mention it casually, he brought it up, and Song Wo Sect attached great importance to it.

The Stone Piece key was crucial to Song Wo Sect, related to their long-cherished wish, a very selfish wish. They couldn’t ask Yi Lian Sect for it openly, nor could they send He Qi to exchange for it, fearing that they would leave a trail. So, they had been planning how to secretly retrieve the key.

Just as they had prepared many undercover agents to infiltrate Yi Lian Sect, news of He Ma’s death spread, and Song Wo Sect sensed an opportunity. Thus, a very ruthless plan was born: to let He Shan Sect destroy Yi Lian Sect, and then, under the pretext of arbitration, take away the treasures obtained by He Shan Sect, unknowingly retrieving the key.

After all, this matter seemed to have nothing to do with the Stone Piece key in the eyes of outsiders, just a grudge match between the two sects, and it was impossible to pay attention to the treasure’s whereabouts after the sect’s destruction.

Now, He Shan Sect suddenly launched a night attack, and Ye Yong felt that it was definitely instigated by Song Wo Sect, because his appearance made Song Wo Sect feel uneasy, fearing unexpected events.

Standing up straight, Ye Yong decided to go to the mountain gate to meet them.

Li Lan Shan didn’t know what Ye Yong was going to do and hurriedly followed behind.

—

Hundreds of crystal formations, dozens of golden elixirs, and several nascent souls gathered in front of Yi Lian Sect’s mountain gate, a lineup that was quite terrifying for a mid-level sect.

Three powerful spirit-splitting cannons were aimed at Yi Lian Sect, and the huge explosion and shockwave earlier were caused by one of the cannons hitting the protective array.

The spirit-splitting cannons, a fourth-grade artifact, could kill a mid-level nascent soul with one hit, severely injure a late-stage nascent soul, and repel a peak nascent soul. Against Yi Lian Sect’s fourth-grade protective array, it might not be possible to break through with one hit, but three cannons attacking in succession would make the protective array impossible to withstand.

When Sect Master Li Hong and the Yi Lian Sect elders arrived, they saw this lineup and knew that the opponent was serious. They couldn’t understand why He Shan Sect would be so crazy, hurting themselves and others, and why they would take such a huge risk.

“Li Hong! Hand over those three little cultivators! Otherwise, don’t blame us for being rude!” He Shi, standing beside the cannon, seemed to feel invincible with the weapon in hand, exuding arrogance to the fullest.

The disciples of He Shanzong were also full of spirit, ready for a fierce battle at any moment.

On the side of Yilian Sect, however, the atmosphere was bleak, as if a great disaster was imminent, shrouded in negative emotions.

“He Shi, we’ve had our share of friendship; you know I wouldn’t lie, right?” Li Hong’s feelings were complex. Handing over his daughter and the two young female cultivators to be soul-searched by the enemy would be futile, even if the results proved their innocence. The righteous path values reputation above all; clearly, they were in the right, yet pushing them out to quell the conflict would ruin Yilian Sect’s standing. A sect that cannot trust its disciples to be innocent, that cannot protect them, and is willing to throw them out as scapegoats—who would want to join?

“Stop trying to get close; what wouldn’t you say to protect your daughter?” He Shi’s imposing presence was overwhelming: “I’ll give you a choice: either hand over those three little cultivators, or we go to war. I’ll personally capture them!”

The higher-ups of Yilian Sect wore grim expressions, and Li Hong clenched his fists tighter: “You’re not leaving me with any options here.”

“Then let’s not waste more words; let’s fight! Oh, and it’s best if that young man from earlier leaves quickly—swords show no mercy…”

Before He Shi could finish, a voice rich and penetrating rang out: “What, do you dare to harm me?”

A mysterious man wearing a fox mask appeared in everyone’s sight.