CHAPTER 128: 128- CLAN MEETING [3]

The boy who once practiced under their very guidance.

The youth they had continuously scolded for sneaking into restricted baths only meant for females.

The young man who once bowed low and called them "Elder" with bright, eager eyes.

And now he stood there, calm and composed yet impossibly distant, like a mountain that had grown too tall to see the peak of.

Shock gave way to awe.

And awe to something dangerously close to reverence.

What use were worries of life and death, of war and survival when the boy they had watched grow now walked with the weight of legend?

He wasn’t just changing their clan’s future.

He was rewriting the kingdom’s history.

Right before their eyes.

An almost suffocating silence lingered, thick with reverence and distant awe, as if Fang Yuan no longer stood among them but upon some celestial peak, untouchable.

Then, like sunlight cracking through a stormcloud, Fang Jingyi let out a soft chuckle and placed a delicate hand over her chest.

"Dear nephew," she said, trying to maintain a teasing smile, "I’m heartbroken, truly. To think you’d hide something so monumental even from your dear aunt, did you not say I was like a mother to you?"

A few elders blinked, startled from their trance.

Someone exhaled a breath they hadn’t realized they were holding.

Fang Jingyi’s words weren’t just playful, they were deliberate.

She was trying to pull Fang Yuan down from that pedestal in their minds, to remind them all that he was still their clan head, still flesh and blood, still family.

But Fang Yuan didn’t smile.

His gaze sharpened, like the still edge of a sword.

His voice cut through the flickering amusement with cool steel.

"Elder Jingyi," he said as he took another deep breath, then spoke slowly, each word heavy, grounded, true.

"Because destruction waits at every step toward the heavens," Fang Yuan said quietly. His gaze swept across the room, measured, unblinking. "And arrogance... is the quickest way to fall."

The words landed like iron, each syllable tightening the air.

He exhaled, slow and heavy.

"I may stand at the peak of the Nascent Soul realm," he continued, "but I have no illusions. The kingdom undoubtedly possesses weapons capable of slaying even someone like me."

A pause. His voice darkened.

"And I suspect they have more, perhaps even cultivators who’ve stepped into the Hollow Spirit Realm, simply hidden from plain sight."

A ripple of unease passed through the room, as if the walls themselves had gone colder.

Elder Jingyi’s smile twitched... tight, brittle. Her expression was all serene warmth, but her thoughts were shrieking.

Nephew, please!

Her jaw clenched as her inner voice howled: You’re freaking out the elders! Their faces have gone pale! Morale is collapsing—what happened to that cunning little boy with the silver tongue and unshakable charisma?

She forced her smile wider, teeth gleaming like a cracked porcelain mask. Pull it together, Fang Yuan. You’re the clan head. Breathe life back into them before they drown in your shadow.

Just in time, Fang Yuan glanced at her.

Fang Jingyi didn’t say a word, but her eyes screamed loud enough to shake mountains: You messed up.

Fang Yuan blinked.

Then, with practiced ease, pivoted.

"—Which is precisely why," he continued smoothly, "I intend to expend all the resources I’ve gathered over the years. Effective immediately, all elders are to enter seclusion and focus solely on breaking through. I will personally provide Bone Marrow Pills to aid your cultivation."

He added with a charming smile, "Do note, they’re most effective the first time. Diminishing returns apply, so don’t throw a tantrum if the second one feels like a glorified snack."

A few elders blinked, momentarily disoriented by the sudden mood whiplash.

Elder Joshua, squinted. "But... Clan Head, with respect, we don’t have enough resources for—"

Fang Yuan waved a hand dismissively. "All these pills were refined by Xiao Pei."

A beat passed.

"Him again?" Fang Chen muttered.

Fang Yuan caught the faint flicker of life in the old man’s eyes, a spark of recognition, or perhaps irritation.

Has he already regained some clarity? Fang Yuan wondered, though he couldn’t be sure.

Fang Chen locked eyes with Fang Yuan, exhaled like a man who’d accepted fate long ago, and grumbled, "Whatever you say, Clan Head. Your words are miracles to my ears."

Just then, a golden screen shimmered into view before Fang Yuan’s eyes.

[You have 3 unread mails.]

Fang Yuan blinked.

Of course, no one else could see it. With a mental nod, he decided to check it on the spot.

Learn from your mistakes, he reminded himself. Don’t miss out on 10x Hollow spirit pill by ignoring the immediate system message.

He opened the first message:

[Alert! The clan’s collective faith is wavering. Current Faith Level: 56%, Do something before the clan staged a revolt!]

Fang Yuan frowned.

The second message immediately followed:

[Update: You have successfully raised your clan faith to 70%. Well done, Host!]

[Note: A minimum of 60% clan faith is required to lead a clan.]

He gave a subtle nod. Close one.

Then the third message appeared:

[Congratulations! Fang Chen has placed his unshakable faith in you. He believes you can resolve any crisis that comes their way. His Faith Score is an unshakable 100.]

[Reward: Your Spirit-Gathering Formation has been upgraded to Heaven Grade.]

[Claim] [Delete]

"Obviously, I’m gonna claim that," Fang Yuan muttered as he tapped the [Claim] button.

Fang Sun, standing nearby, furrowed his brows.

"What exactly are you claiming?"

Fang Yuan flashed him a calm smile. "Oh, nothing for you to worry about, Elder Sun."

Then he turned to another elder. "Elder Joshua, I want you to allocate every spare resource we have to build cultivation rooms. As many as possible. No need to embed formations."

Elder Joshua blinked. "Without formations? Clan Head... that would make the cost of building cultivation rooms practically without a cost..."

Fang Yuan’s smile widened, the kind that made people nervous.

"Exactly. Even better."

Because in his mind, the plan was already forming.

He wouldn’t hoard faith points just to have it collect dust in the system anymore.

Instead, he would make use of them, purchase minor resource wells and plant one in every single cultivation cave.