Clan Building System: I'm not the Protagonist?!-Chapter 351- Updated*
[60 sec... 59 sec... 58 sec... 57 sec... 56 sec...]
The system screen flashed before Fang Yuan’s eyes again.
He watched the number go down and then suddenly a thought flashed past him.
Wait... how am I supposed to explain it to my master when my cultivation suddenly disappears?
His gaze flicked from the translucent countdown to Zhao Lusi, who was still standing there, brows knit in quiet contemplation.
I’ll be fine... right?
"Tsk."
He shook his head sharply and stared back at the screen.
The seconds were bleeding away far too quickly.
[30 sec... 29 sec... 28 sec... 27 sec...]
He had to come up with a convincing lie, right now or this would spiral into something far worse.
If his cultivation base suddenly dissapeared in front of Zhao Lusi, his master, no amount of explanation was going to work, even when he says the damn truth.
There was no way someone like her would buy the story of an almighty system fucking up his life, he looked up and then stared at his master.
"...No, no. I can’t sell that information for wine," Zhao Lusi muttered to herself.
"Sister would scold me."
Fang Yuan sighed and then dropped to his knees.
"Master," he said solemnly, bowing low, "forgive me for spoiling your and the sect leader’s plan. I wish to atone for my mistake."
[20 sec... 19 sec... 18 sec... 17 sec...]
Zhao Lusi paused as she took notice of Fang Yuan kneeling at her feet.
"...What are you doing?" she asked, genuinely confused.
Fang Yuan lifted his head slightly.
"Repeating, Master. I’m repenting."
Zhao Lusi frowned at the word.
"You don’t look the least bit remorseful," she muttered, still baffled by his sudden behavior.
[12 sec... 11 sec... 10 sec...]
Fang Yuan clenched his fists.
"What must I do to convince you, Master?" he asked.
Zhao Lusi didn’t answer and she simply stared at him deciding what to do next.
Just then, Fang Yuan’s shoulders suddenly rose and a violent tremor ran through his body as he forcibly turned his qi inward.
Next, a dull, crushing pain exploded in his abdomen.
Blood spilled from the corner of his lips as his dantian locked shut under his own will.
[0 sec]
The countdown vanished.
Zhao Lusi’s eyes widened as she stared at Fang Yuan, she hadn’t expected that, truly.
He was really... that remorseful? she wondered.
Then her gaze sharpened.
Or does he think I’ll pity him and undo the seal?
"How long do you intend to stay sealed like this?" she asked calmly.
"At least two weeks," Fang Yuan replied firmly, blood dripping onto the stone beneath him.
His knees trembled and he was barely managing to stay upright.
Zhao Lusi studied him for a long moment.
Let’s see how strong your resolve really is, she thought.
"Good," she said aloud.
"But that won’t be enough."
She tossed a small pouch toward him.
"I’ll also have you plant seeds across the entire hill, while you’re in this state. Are you willing?"
Fang Yuan looked up sharply, caught off guard. That’s wasn’t part of his calculation, hell... he had thought she would actually even attempt to release his qi.
Still, he forced a strained smile, caught the pouch, and bowed his head.
"I’ll do my best, Master."
Zhao Lusi nodded once, then turned and left without another word.
The moment her presence faded, Fang Yuan collapsed forward.
"Ugh—" he groaned, his voice muffled as his forehead hit the ground.
"That was... way too close..."
His breathing came out ragged and uneven.
Slowly, he rolled onto his side and stared at the pouch of seeds in his trembling hand.
"...What am I even doing here?" he muttered weakly.
***
Lower realm, at the peak of Mount Skyhowl.
Ever since the disappearance of the Fang Family Head and with Matriarch Lin Xi stepping into the Nascent Soul Realm, the Lin Family elders had begun circling like vultures.
What they circled, however, wasn’t an enemy, instead it was power.
Lin Xi sat at the head of the hall, her gaze sweeping over the gathered elders with thinly veiled disappointment.
If it were solely up to her, she would have already stepped forward and slapped every single elder who dared to raise such ideas.
Instead, she remained seated despite being bored.
She watched as they bickered endlessly, some expressing gratitude for what they had been given, others shamelessly demanding more.
Six days.
For six days, the Fang Family had perfectly concealed the fact that Fang Yuan was no longer present.
They could have kept the secret for years, perhaps indefinitely, if not for one careless factor.
Lin Zhaoyue, the current Fang family had not account for the fact that their Matriarch would be the one to leak the information.
She had went ahead and said that Fang Yuan had left for a higher realm to train and that she would reward anyone with information to reach him.
That single sentence became the catalyst.
It was as if the sheeps had sensed that the shepherd had left.
And now, trapped within the same pen, they were no longer content being sheep,
They were fighting over who would become the dog.
"Matriarch Lin!" one elder exclaimed sharply.
"Didn’t the Fang Family recently take over sixty percent of the cultivation caves? They’re blatantly disrespecting us!"
Another elder immediately chimed in, unable to restrain himself.
"Before, we dared not speak. But now? This is truly unfair. Have you seen the number of spirit stones the Fang youths receive compared to our own?"
Lin Xi finally spoke, her voice calm but firm. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎
"Don’t forget," she said, "Lin Zhaoyue stands on their side. She’s not someone to trifle with."
An elder scoffed.
"What is there to fear? Her cultivation was lost long ago. She’s nothing but a hollowed shell."
Lin Xi made eye contact with the elder, he didn’t believe the rumors but she was far too tired to argue.
"There’s also Du Juan," she said flatly. "She’s very strong."
Silence lasted only a moment but then another elder leaned forward, eyes glinting.
"We can bribe her."
"If that fails," he continued casually, "we steal the egg she’s raising. I heard she treats it with loving care."
The hall fell quiet at that suggestion while Lin Xi’s fingers tightened slightly on the armrest.
