Chương 415: Chapter 414: How To Spot A Protagonist 101

The sensation of inhabiting Mo Yuhang's body was smooth. After possessing multiple vessels across different worlds, I'd grown accustomed to the initial disorientation that came with adjusting to new nervous systems, different muscle memory, and unfamiliar spiritual pathways. Mo Yuhang's form felt... adequate. Not particularly strong or gifted, but there was something else there. A stubborn resilience woven into his very bones, the kind of determination that couldn't be cultivated or taught.

It reminded me of steel wire: thin and seemingly fragile, but nearly impossible to break under pressure.

"Interesting choice of vessel," Azure observed from within my consciousness.

"His cultivation base is weak, but there's something about his spiritual signature that feels... significant." I silently agreed. While Sect Master Yuan's Dao of Karma was like a cheat code for identifying Heaven's Chosen, those protagonist-like figures that seemed to bend fate around them, I had my own method for spotting potential main characters. All I had to do was look for the signs of people who fit the classic templates. And Mo Yuhang? He was practically a textbook example.

The speech he'd given before I possessed him had every hallmark of a protagonist's declaration. A nobody with weak cultivation boldly proclaiming his worthiness to divine beings. Someone who acknowledged his limitations while simultaneously refusing to accept them as permanent. The whole "I offer you something they cannot" routine, followed by his passionate monologue about unbreakable will and the refusal to surrender? That was protagonist behavior 101.

And my suspicions were only strengthened as memories of his past began filtering in through our connection. Flashes of his parents dying in a Harmonic Storm when he was seventeen, the desperate struggle to keep himself and his little sister fed, the constant humiliation of being mocked by more talented peers despite his superior theoretical knowledge. All the classic ingredients of a tragic backstory designed to forge an unbreakable will.

The only thing missing was some hidden bloodline or mysterious inheritance, but those could always be revealed later. Or perhaps I was meant to be his fortuitous encounter: the 'divine being' who would unlock his true potential. More importantly, there was something in his spiritual foundation that resonated with the concept of growth through adversity. Most cultivation methods rewarded natural talent or abundant resources.

But occasionally, you'd find techniques that actually grew stronger when faced with impossible odds, that turned desperation into power. I had a feeling Mo Yuhang was exactly that type of person.

"You're betting everything on this being a classic cultivation tale," Azure noted with amusement.

"What if you're wrong?"

"Then I'll adapt," I replied internally.

"But honestly? That speech was so perfectly on-brand for a hidden protagonist that I'd be genuinely shocked if I misread this." And it wasn't like I had better options. The other potential vessels in the realm might have been stronger than Mo Yuhang, but none of them could compare to the naturally gifted girl Guo Xinyi had chosen. Liu Wenqing was Peak Third Scale at only sixteen; the kind of talent that appeared once in a generation.

I could have tried possessing one of the Fourth or Fifth Scale cultivators in the crowd, but that came with its own risks. The spiritual manifestation I was using here was only a fragment of my true power. A vessel equivalent to the Elemental Realm might not submit to possession; they could potentially absorb me instead, turning the tables completely. If that happened and the absorption was successful, they'd benefit enormously from integrating qi energy from a higher realm. If there were complications...

well, the vessel could go completely insane from absorbing my memories and start believing they actually were me. Neither outcome would end well for my tournament prospects. So, the only way I could realistically beat someone like Guo Xinyi, who had every type of advantage imaginable in this environment, was by finding someone who specialized in defying impossible odds. In other words, a protagonist.

My attention shifted to Guo Xinyi, who stood about forty meters away, her vessel radiating greater power than my own, but with a subtle stiffness that suggested she was still adjusting to inhabiting someone else's body. The crowd around us had begun backing away in a mixture of awe and terror. I could hear whispered conversations rippling through the massive gathering.

"The gods have chosen their champions!"

"Look at how they're staring at each other; they're preparing to fight!"

"Should we flee? What if they destroy the plaza?"

"This is what we've been waiting for! A battle between divine beings!" The citizens of this realm had probably grown up on stories of previous Descents, when gods had battled using mortal vessels while entire cities watched in wonder. But those stories probably didn't capture the sheer terror of being caught in the crossfire when beings with that kind of power decided to test themselves against each other. Guo Xinyi and I continued our silent standoff, neither making any aggressive moves.

From the subtle tension in her posture, I could tell she was thinking the same thing I was: rushing into combat without understanding our new vessels would be monumentally stupid. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. We needed time to adapt. That's when Elder Wan's voice echoed across the entire realm, projected through some kind of technique that made the very air vibrate with authority.

"Champions," the voice boomed, causing every person in the plaza to drop to their knees except for Guo Xinyi and myself.

"You have seven days within this realm to determine a victor. The trial begins now." A glowing "7" appeared in the sky above us, its golden radiance visible even in the afternoon sun. The number pulsed with each beat, like a cosmic countdown timer that would be impossible to ignore. Elder Wan didn't explain what would happen if we failed to produce a winner within seven days, but I had no intention of finding out. Neither did Guo Xinyi, judging by the slight frown that crossed her vessel's features.

She stepped forward slightly and performed a small, formal bow.

"Why don't we return here on day seven at dawn and settle this properly?" she suggested. Inside my consciousness, I felt Mo Yuhang's terror spike. The thought of a battle between divine beings taking place in the heart of the city, with hundreds of thousands of innocent people nearby, was apparently his worst nightmare.

"Divine one," Mo Yuhang's voice whispered in my mind, "a battle here would... would destroy everything. The entire city, everyone in it..." His fear was so palpable I could taste it. This young man had spent his whole life in this city, knew every street and district. The idea of our fight reducing it all to rubble was unbearable to him. I considered the problem for a moment. Mo Yuhang was right, a serious battle between two tournament participants would definitely level the surrounding area.

Neither Guo Xinyi nor I would be holding back when our advancement was on the line.

"Is there somewhere else?" I asked internally.

"Somewhere safer for the people?"

"The Resonance Peaks," Mo Yuhang responded immediately.

"Mountains north of the city, maybe forty li away. They're used for high-level cultivation training because the terrain can withstand massive sound techniques. No one lives there, and the formations would contain most of the damage." Perfect. I raised my voice to respond to Guo Xinyi.

"Actually, might I suggest we move our encounter to the Resonance Peaks? I believe the terrain there would be more... suitable for our purposes." Guo Xinyi's expression shifted to what looked unmistakably like surprise, then something that might have been respect. She studied me for a long moment before nodding slowly.

"You concern yourself with collateral damage," she observed. It wasn't quite a question, but I could hear the curiosity in her tone.

"Unnecessary destruction serves no purpose," I replied simply.

"Our battle is with each other, not with innocents."

"Agreed." She inclined her head slightly.

"The Resonance Peaks it is then. I will see you there in seven days." With those final words, she turned and walked away, the crowd parting before her like she was still the goddess they believed her to be. Which, from their perspective, she was. As the immediate tension of the confrontation faded, I became aware of a small hand tugging at my robes. Looking down, I found myself staring into the worried face of a seven-year-old girl with Mo Yuhang's eyes.

"Brother?" Xiaoxiao's voice was barely above a whisper, thick with confusion and fear. The wave of protective instinct that surged through Mo Yuhang's consciousness nearly knocked me off balance. This little girl was his entire world, the reason he endured poverty and humiliation, the driving force behind every decision he made. Her wellbeing mattered more to him than his own life.

I knelt down to her level, trying to project reassurance despite the layer of qi surrounding my form that probably made me seem like a completely different person.

"Don't worry," I said gently.

"Your brother is safe with me." But I could see the fear in her eyes. She was smart enough to understand that the brother she knew might not survive whatever was happening to him. The thought of losing the only family she had left was clearly terrifying her. I turned to address the City Lord, who had been hovering nearby with barely contained nervousness. Despite radiating the spiritual pressure similar to that of an Early Stellar Realm cultivator, he was practically vibrating with the desire to please me.

"City Lord," I said, my voice carrying the authority one would expect from a divine being.

"I want the girl given the finest care while I'm away. The best food, the most comfortable accommodations, everything she needs." The man immediately dropped into a deep bow, his powerful cultivation meaning nothing in the face of what he believed to be divine command.

"Of course, divine one! She will want for nothing, I swear it on my cultivation base! The finest quarters in the city lord's palace, the best tutors, anything she desires!" The sight of a Stellar Realm equivalent desperately trying to curry favor with me was honestly a bit surreal despite the similar treatment I'd received in the Starhaven Realm and Blue Sun Academy. In the Azure Peak Sect, someone of his power would be a Minor Elder, commanding respect from thousands of disciples.

Yet here he was, groveling like a servant. But I understood the dynamic. The Azure Peak Sect had clearly spent years building the mythology that presented outside cultivators as divine beings worthy of worship and obedience. It was an effective method of keeping the inner world's inhabitants subservient and cooperative. One of the city guards, wearing ceremonial armor that gleamed with protective formations, stepped forward to escort Xiaoxiao away. She looked up at me with tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

"Will my brother really be okay?" she asked in a small voice.

"He's not very strong, and the other divine being looked scary..." The innocent question hit me harder than I'd expected. She didn't care about the life of luxary that awaited her. She just wanted to know if the person who'd taken care of her for years would come back safely. I reached out and gently patted her head, the gesture feeling natural through Mo Yuhang's muscle memory.

"I promise you," I said, meaning every word, "your brother will be fine. No matter what happens in the next seven days, he'll come back to you." And I meant it, too. Even if my analysis of Mo Yuhang's protagonist potential was wrong, even if we were facing impossible odds, I wouldn't sacrifice an innocent life just to advance in the tournament. I'd find another way to win, or I'd find a way to lose without getting him killed in the process. Some things were more important than cultivation advancement.

The little girl's face brightened at my promise, and she managed a small smile as she waved goodbye. The guard led her away gently, probably toward whatever luxurious accommodations the City Lord had in mind.

"Thank you," Mo Yuhang whispered.

"For caring about her safety and changing our lives."

"Don't thank me yet," I replied mentally.

"We still have to survive the next seven days." I turned back to the City Lord, adopting a more serious expression.

"I need somewhere private to prepare for the coming battle," I told him.

"Somewhere I won't be disturbed while I familiarize myself with this vessel's capabilities." The man nodded eagerly.

"Of course, divine one! I know exactly the place. The Harmony Sanctum, our most sacred cultivation chamber. It's designed to enhance musical cultivation and is protected by formations that will ensure complete privacy." As I followed him through the crowd, my mind was already racing ahead to the challenges that awaited. Seven days to get the hang of an entirely new cultivation system. Seven days to explore the full potential of Mo Yuhang's theoretical knowledge and my practical experience.

Seven days to prepare for a battle that would determine if I made it to the next round in the tournament. It should be enough time. In theory. But I couldn't shake the nagging worry that Guo Xinyi might prove more adaptable than expected. It only made sense, considering her familiarity with music cultivation. Despite our agreement, this was still a competition, and some cultivators would break any promise if it meant gaining an advantage toward their breakthrough.

If she mastered Liu Wenqing's abilities faster than I mastered Mo Yuhang's, she might decide to strike early and catch me unprepared.

"Master," Azure said quietly, "you're thinking tactically again. That's encouraging."

"I have to," I replied internally.

"The stakes are too high for anything less than perfection. And Mo Yuhang... he deserves better than to become collateral damage in someone else's ambition." The truth was, I genuinely liked my vessel. His combination of fierce determination, protective instincts, and selfless courage reminded me of the better aspects of cultivation protagonists. If this really was his story, his moment to transcend his limitations and become something greater, then I wanted to help him achieve that destiny.