Clan Building System: I'm not the Protagonist?!-Chapter 358- updated*

"Brother Tian... is this really okay?" Qin Yuyan asked softly.

Fang Tian looked toward the charred mountain hill in the distance.

That was their only connection to the world they had come from and now it lay in ruin with no way of repairing the damage.

"Yes," he replied after a short moment.

"From what my master has told me, my brother’s strength comes from the clan itself, by himself, he’s quite weak. I don’t know what kind of sorcery he uses, perhaps it’s something that consumes their life force, so this is the only way."

His fingers curled slightly.

"If I want to take him down," he continued, "then I have to make sure he has no way to connect to the Fang family."

"But we won’t be able to go back home either," Qin Yuyan said softly.

Fang Tian glanced at her. "Do you miss it?"

She turned toward the distant ruins, her gaze lingering there for a long moment.

Then she slowly shook her head. "I have you. You’re my home."

Fang Tian’s expression softened and he stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.

Qin Yuyan didn’t shy away and let herself get pulled closer. The two of them remained in each other’s embrace, standing quietly not a word was exchanged for a moment then.

Fang Tian loosened his hold, his arms falling away as the moment gently came to an end.

Qin Yuyan took a small step back, her hands lingering at his sleeves before she let go completely.

Silence settled between them once more and Fang Tian was the one who broke it.

"How is Gu Xin?" he asked.

Qin Yuyan shook her head slowly.

"After we parted ways, she never made any contact again," she said quietly. "I’m afraid she..."

Her voice faltered.

She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath, steadying herself before the rest of the words could spill out.

Fang Tian lowered his gaze, his expression unreadable as his thoughts drifted elsewhere.

Time passed in silence again and when he finally spoke again, his voice was calm, but firm.

"Then don’t hold back in your cultivation," he said. "From now on, strength will matter more than ever."

Qin Yuyan nodded, then hesitated before lifting her head again.

"Zhu Xian," she said, her voice tightening. "Is it true?"

She looked straight at him.

"Is it true that you’re engaged to her?"

Qin Yuyan had followed Fang Tian into an unknown realm, discarding her identity as a princess without hesitation.

Her gaze trembled as she stared at Fang Tian, her eyes slowly reddening as emotions she had long suppressed finally began to surface.

Fang Tian did not avoid her gaze as he nodded to her words.

’Well, it’s going to be true after I win against her in the coming month.’

"Yes," he said quietly. "The engagement is real."

The words landed heavily between them.

Qin Yuyan’s fingers trembled, her nails biting into her palms.

Her chest tightened, and for a brief moment she felt as if the world itself had tilted beneath her feet.

Then Fang Tian continued.

"But it means nothing," he said, his voice steady but low. "Not to me."

Her eyes snapped back up to his.

Fang Tian turned fully toward her now.

"Qin Yuyan," he said, speaking her name softly. "From the moment you chose to follow me and abandon everything you had, there was only one person I acknowledged."

He paused, waiting for the words to sink in.

"You were the only one for me. That has never changed."

Her breath hitched.

"But then why..." she began, her voice unsteady. "Why agree to it at all?"

Fang Tian’s jaw tightened.

"Because I don’t have the luxury of choosing for myself," he replied. "Zhu Xian is a piece on the board. This engagement is a shield, a pressure point, and a signal all at once. And it gives my master exactly what he wants to show the world."

He lowered his voice.

"But it does not change who stands beside me."

Qin Yuyan stared at him, tears blurring her vision despite her effort to hold them back. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Anger, relief, pain, and longing twisted together in her chest.

"You’re cruel," she whispered. "You say things like that so calmly, as if they don’t hurt."

Fang Tian stepped closer.

"I know," he said softly. "But I would rather you hate me for a moment than watch you be destroyed because of me."

She clenched her teeth, then finally let out a shaky breath.

"...You’re still unfair," she said.

"Then stay," he replied. "And be unfair with me."

Longze Town; nearby Soaring Dragon Sect.

Night fell quietly over the town.

Lantern light flickered along the street as Fang Tian stood across from the inn watching Qin Yuyan stepped inside.

Once she was completely out of sight, Fang Tian finally let out a low, restrained sigh.

"...Looks like the rumors about your engagement with Zhu Xian have gotten out of hand," the soul within the ring said calmly.

"Looks like?" Fang Tian snapped under his breath.

"Is that what it looked like to you? Hah?"

Instead of getting agitated, the soul simply replied, "There isn’t much time left, I suggest you consummate things with that girl as soon as you can. Her trust is beginning to waver."

Fang Tian’s jaw tightened. His fingers curled slowly at his side before he responded.

"I know," he said, voice low. "But she’s also on the verge of entering the Nascent Soul Realm. Once she does, the benefits will be far greater."

He exhaled sharply.

"Don’t rush me, Master."

The soul let out a faint sigh and then it remained silent.

Fang Tian lifted his gaze to the night sky, stars scattered faintly above like cold, distant witnesses.

For a long moment, he said nothing before muttering softly to himself.

"I’ll be fine."

Fang Tian then turned slightly towards his left.

His lips barely moved as he whispered,

"The preparations are complete. Spread the rumours."