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

9

Just Want to Live Well but Surpassed the Protagonist – 08 A Very Ordinary Store

‘There has been a change in affection, please check promptly.’ As Ye Yong admired the ancient-style buildings through the carriage window, the system’s voice rang out.

What’s this affection thing?

Since the system interface was directly displayed in his mind, Ye Yong was quite uncomfortable with it, so he had casually browsed through magical weapons in the store and didn’t pay much attention to it. Now, he realized he hadn’t thoroughly examined the system interface.

‘Open affection.’ Ye Yong tried calling out, and a list suddenly appeared in his mind.

At the top was Qin Shimeng.

Goodness, a direct -86 in affection, her attitude towards Ye Yong was [Extreme Dislike].

—

Next is Wu Xue, who needs to be a bit higher, -56, her attitude towards Ye Yong is [intensely fearful].

The list has just two names, Ye Yong guesses that so far, he has only encountered these two female leads.

Is there a significant change in favorability? Was Qin Shimeng’s favorability towards him above -90 before?

Ye Yong feels that by taking the initiative to break off the engagement, he must have increased her favorability slightly.

At this moment, the system says: ‘Qin Shimeng’s favorability towards the host has decreased by 10 points.’

‘???’, Ye Yong can hardly believe it: ‘I took the initiative to break off the engagement, and her favorability still drops? Could it be that Qin Shimeng wants to marry me? But that’s not right, in the novel, Qin Shimeng hates Ye Yong, she would never think of marrying him… System, did you make a mistake? I should have done something to please her, how come the favorability didn’t increase but instead dropped so absurdly?’

‘The system cannot make a mistake. As for the reason, the host may find out later.’

Ye Yong is frustrated, Qin Shimeng could become a female Immortal Emperor in the future, an absolutely powerful being. Being remembered by her, even if not killed, would lead to the protagonist knocking on his door.

From the protagonist’s perspective, it’s like, ‘Dare to bully my woman? Die!’

Wanting to break off the engagement to cut ties, but could it still have planted the seeds of death?

‘My dear system, do you have any way to quickly increase favorability?’

‘The system only knows how to issue tasks and draw lots, not how to win a woman’s heart, please solve it yourself, host.’

‘If I die, you’ll die too, right?’

‘Then it can only be blamed on the system’s bad luck, to be bound with you.’

Ye Yong is utterly speechless: ‘Without a big gift package, you don’t care about my life or death, what use are you!’

‘Then the system will immediately disengage from the host, letting both parties rest in peace sooner.’

‘Stop! I was just joking, can’t you take a joke? Your capabilities are vast, you can provide me with things others can’t get. It was my impulsiveness, speaking without thinking, System Lord, please don’t stoop to my level.’

The system stops talking, and Ye Yong breathes a sigh of relief.

That was close, almost a human-machine separation, exploding on the spot. And to think you, the system, don’t have your own thoughts, you even threaten the host!

But Ye Yong only dares to grumble in his heart.

—

Suddenly, I wonder what’s being pondered in my mind, the system likely knows…

Forget it, it’s not the system’s fault. If the affection drops, so be it. At most, I’ll just have to woo a few more peerless female immortals before the protagonist does, and have them protect me when the time comes.

—

Chengying City is also quite renowned in the Eastern Forest Continent, vast in area and populous. Martial artists and mortals can be seen everywhere, but the number of cultivators is much less than the former two.

This is because the threshold to become a cultivator is high.

A mortal who wishes to cultivate must first temper their body. Only after reaching the peak of body tempering can one become a martial artist. After achieving the great perfection of body tempering, and only then sensing qi, can one enter the Qi Training phase. Entering the Qi Training phase does not yet make one a cultivator; one must cultivate until Qi Training is perfected, establish the foundation, and only then can one become a true cultivator. After becoming a cultivator, one must consider aptitude and spiritual roots, which is yet another lofty mountain to climb.

It’s not easy for mortals to temper their bodies, for martial artists to sense spiritual qi is very difficult, and to establish the foundation is even harder. Therefore, the number of cultivators is a very small part of the total population.

That being said, although cultivators are few, their influence is immense. Both martial artists and mortals greatly fear cultivators. After all, cultivators can manipulate spiritual power, and besides martial skills, they can also cast spells.

If martial artists are seen as warriors, then cultivators are mages, and moreover, mages who excel in close combat. In close combat, they cannot be defeated by cultivators, and from a distance, even less so. Ordinary martial artists, in front of cultivators, are just mortals with a bit more strength.

From this, the hierarchy of Emperor among Emperors is clearly visible.

Cultivators ＞ Martial Artists ＞ Mortals.

—

The coachman found the young master’s behavior today quite strange. First, the way he spoke was not as arrogant as before, and then he mentioned a shop that the coachman had never heard of. As a Crystal Cultivator with an extraordinary memory, the coachman knew all the shops in Chengying City that sold good things, except for this one called “Ring Bamboo Pavilion.”

Asking around and walking down several streets, only barely did a passerby know where “Ring Bamboo Pavilion” was. One could imagine how little known this shop was.

After walking a bit further, the coachman stopped the carriage in front of a shop named “Ring Bamboo Pavilion.” It looked very ordinary, specializing in weapons used by martial artists.

“Young master, we’ve arrived,” said the coachman, puzzled as to why Ye Yong wanted to come here, but not daring to ask more.

Ye Yong, who was planning his future moves and recalling the plotline, immediately stepped down from the carriage upon hearing this.

He held a fan, dressed in white, appearing as if an immortal had descended, very conspicuous.

Many young women couldn’t take their eyes off him, standing there dazed.

Ye Yong didn’t care about the gazes of others. Nonsense, the decrease in Qin Shimeng’s affection made him uneasy, his mind was full of thoughts on how to remedy it, where would he have the mind to feel proud of his own charm?

—

“First, purchase the protagonist’s weapon in advance, then deal with the protagonist in one fell swoop.

Ye Yong entered the Bamboo Ring Pavilion, where the decor was simple and unadorned, with martial arts weapons displayed everywhere.

Weapons are ranked as [Heaven], [Earth], [Mysterious], [Yellow], and [Human]. Those reaching the Earth level possess quite remarkable abilities. Above the Heaven level, there are Saint, Immortal, and Divine levels, all of which are unattainable existences.

In the lower realm of the Emperor among Emperors, which is the plane Ye Yong currently resides in, Divine and Immortal level weapons do not exist. Saint level weapons are few and far between, and Heaven level weapons are pitifully scarce. The discovery of each Heaven level weapon inevitably leads to a bloody storm.

The protagonist’s weapon that Ye Yong intends to purchase is one that can grow. It can ultimately evolve into an Immortal level, but for now, it is nothing more than scrap metal, not even on par with Human level weapons.

Upon Ye Yong’s entrance, the shop owner, the clerks, and the martial artists selecting their gear were all stunned, for Ye Yong’s appearance and attire made it clear at a glance that he was no ordinary person, but a cultivator, and not just any cultivator at that!

The Bamboo Ring Pavilion primarily sells martial arts equipment, with the occasional sale of herbs and martial arts manuals. They never expected a visit from a cultivator.

But the owner is the owner after all, quick to react. He immediately greeted Ye Yong with a radiant smile, humbly and somewhat ingratiatingly bending over to stand beside him: ‘Esteemed sir, may I ask what you require? Whatever you desire, all goods are half-price.’

Hearing the offer of half-price, the martial artists looked on with envy, though without jealousy, for if they were the owners, they would do the same. To form a connection with a cultivator is something money cannot buy.”