Clan Building System: I'm not the Protagonist?!-Chapter 108- Clan Building [1]

The clan hall settled into a quiet stillness as the elders took their seats.

Present were Fang Mei, Fang Chen, Fang Jingyi, Fang Sun, Fang Ra, Fang Joshua, Fang Long, Fang Yang, Fang Bo, and Fang Ruì.

Two seats remained empty. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Fang Tian was away on a long-term exploration, and Fang Yin, stationed in Tushar Village, couldn’t make it on such short notice.

When Fang Yuan stepped forward, the low murmurs faded quickly. Eyes shifted to him, some curious, some cautious.

Fang Sun and Fang Ra, in particular, looked weary, the long nights leaving their marks beneath their eyes.

Yet, everyone turned to the young Clan Head, the weight of their hopes resting on his shoulders.

Fang Yuan gave a warm, easy smile that reached his eyes, gentle but confident, the kind of smile that made you trust him without question.

"Thank you all for coming today, for the sake of the Fang Clan’s future," he said, spreading his arms in a light, almost playful gesture. "If anyone thinks they deserve a raise, speak up. I’m listening."

A moment of silence hung in the air.

Then, with perfect timing, Fang Chen slowly raised his hand.

The seriousness in his eyes was unmistakable, not just any elder, he was Fang Yuan’s uncle, a man who had stood by him through every trial, a man who would trust his life on every word Fang Yuan said.

Fang Yuan laughed softly, a spark of affection in his gaze. "I said, tell me. Didn’t say I’d actually give it."

His smile deepened, mischievous yet warm. "Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The clan is still broke."

Fang Chen lowered his raised hand with a theatrical sigh.

"Ah, come now, Nephew. You shouldn’t toy with an old man’s heart like this, I have a daughter to care for, you know."

The room chuckled softly, the tension easing as Fang Yuan turned his gaze toward Fang Mei.

"Well, funny you say that," he replied with a smirk, "I was just about to suggest you retire. After all, your daughter’s already one of the elders now."

The words carried the cadence of a joke, but every person in the room knew there was more to it than jest.

In a hall once reserved only for the senior generation, the presence of younger cultivators stood as quiet proof of the clan’s future.

Fang Mei sat composed, but a faint pride flickered behind her cool expression. Alongside her, three other rising stars had claimed their place in this room—Fang Reì, Fang Bo, and Fang Yang.

They weren’t just juniors anymore.

They were the ones the elders had nurtured, guided, and now... quietly admired.

Fang Yuan clapped his hands lightly, drawing the room’s attention back to him. His smile faded, replaced by a more solemn tone.

"Thank you, Elders. Truly... for being a part of the Fang family."

He let the words linger, allowing them to settle in the ears and hearts of everyone present.

Then, his voice took on a firmer edge.

"Today, I wish to implement a new merit-and-reward system within the clan."

There was a brief pause, then a spark of recognition lit up Fang Sun’s eyes.

"We’re doing this again?" he asked, leaning forward slightly.

Fang Yuan blinked. "Something like this was suggested before?"

Fang Sun gave a nostalgic nod and stood slowly.

"Yes. Back when your father was clan head. He proposed a similar system. Every elder supported it at the time."

Fang Yuan frowned, a puzzled look crossing his face. "Then why have I never heard of it?"

Fang Chen chuckled under his breath.

"Because, Clan Head... your father wasn’t married yet back then."

Fang Yuan raised a brow but nodded. "Alright, continue. I’d like to know what happened."

Fang Chen glanced at Fang Sun and quietly sat down. With a sigh, Fang Sun straightened his robe and began.

"Human greed," he said simply. "That’s what happened, Clan Head."

He took a breath, the weight of memory dulling his voice.

"Ex-Elder Fang Guo accused and even had proof of your father of siphoning clan resources... to aid a rogue cultivator."

The air grew heavy. Fang Yuan’s expression darkened. He stared at the papers in his hand, silent.

Fang Sun finished with quiet finality.

"That rogue cultivator... was your mother."

A beat of silence followed. Then Fang Yuan sighed, flipping through the pages before him without really reading them.

"Well..." he muttered, eyes still on the parchment, "Love truly does make a person blind, doesn’t it?"

No one replied. The air in the hall held its breath.

Except for Fang Jingyi, who covered her mouth with a hand, the corners of her lips betraying a small, knowing smile.

Fang Yuan folded the paper and looked up again, his voice steady.

"You can all rest easy. From this moment on, the clan treasury key will be handed to Elder Joshua."

He paused, letting his gaze settle on the elder in question, then added with a sly grin,

"Frankly, he’s the only one here who still looks like he hates me, so I trust him to guard it best."

Elder Joshua, who had been sipping tea with a stoic face, promptly choked, coughing violently as the hall erupted into laughter.

"Clan Head!" he wheezed between coughs, "That’s blasphemy! I hold no such hatred in my heart!"

Fang Yuan chuckled, folding his hands behind his back.

"Well, at least I trust you more to guard the coffers than my aunt, who wouldn’t even blink if I asked her to fund another banquet."

From the side, Fang Jingyi shot up with a mock glare.

"Hey!" she exclaimed, hands on her hips. "Banquets build morale!"

Laughter rippled through the hall again, louder this time. Even the more stoic elders couldn’t help but smile.

Fang Yuan smiled faintly, his gaze drifting toward his aunt with playful exasperation.

"Morale’s important, yes but at the rate we’re going, we’ll be bankrupt by winter. Pretty soon, we’ll have nothing left but grass to eat."

Without missing a beat, Fang Jingyi lifted her chin defiantly.

"Then you’ll eat it and thank me for the seasoning."

That did it. The hall erupted with another wave of laughter, loud and unrestrained.

Even Elder Joshua, still dabbing at the tea he’d nearly choked on, let out a wheezing chuckle.