Clan Building System: I'm not the Protagonist?! - Chapter 294

294: 294- Updated* 294: 294- Updated* The three figures stepped out beneath the tranquil skies of Mount Skyhowl.

The air was heavy with spiritual qi, so dense it felt alive.

Tall trees swayed in rhythm with the flow of qi, and far below, the Fang clansmen moved like ants across newly formed terraces.

Fang Yuan exhaled, the faintest smile tugging at his lips.

“This,” he said, spreading his arms as the mountain breeze swept past them, “is where those Feng bastards used to live.

Amazing place, right?” Fang Jingyi blinked in awe, her earlier tears forgotten for a moment as she inhaled deeply.

The richness of the qi nearly made her dizzy, it was thick, pure, and alive with spiritual essence.

“Heavens…” she whispered.

“The qi here is…

it’s incredible!” She turned eagerly, clutching Lin Zhaoyue’s hands.

“Isn’t this amazing, Linlin?

With this kind of qi, you can cultivate so much faster!

Maybe you’ll even recover your memories!” Lin Zhaoyue blinked once, her serene smile softening her features.

She squeezed Fang Jingyi’s hands gently and replied in a sweet, lilting tone, “As you say, mother-in-law.” Fang Jingyi froze mid-breath, a visible shiver running through her shoulders.

That voice, soft, warm, affectionate, was something she had never heard from Lin Zhaoyue before.

Before losing her memories, Lin Zhaoyue had been sharp-tongued, calculating, and proud to a fault.

This sudden sweetness felt… unsettling.

She forced an awkward smile, still staring at the girl as if seeing a stranger wearing a familiar face.

Meanwhile, Fang Yuan stood a few paces away, watching the entire exchange unfold with an unreadable expression.

His eyes flicked from Lin Zhaoyue’s gentle demeanor to his aunt’s bewildered one.

“…” He blinked, shrugged lightly, and sighed.

“Alright then,” he said, tone deliberately casual, “how about you two go meet Uncle Chen and settle in?

This is a new start for all of us.

I’d like everyone to get comfortable quickly… maybe even start building a proper life here.” Fang Jingyi nodded absently, still holding Lin Zhaoyue’s hand as she turned to leave.

But halfway across the courtyard, she stopped abruptly.

“Yuan’er,” she called softly.

Fang Yuan turned, his voice gentle.

“What is it, Aunt?” Fang Jingyi hesitated, then took a breath, her gaze shifting toward the horizon.

“Can you… also bring those from the Lin family here?” Fang Yuan’s brows furrowed.

“The Lins?” “Yes,” she said quickly, her tone steadier now, though still tinged with lingering emotion.

“Our Fang family is dwindling in number.

If we could bring the Lin family here as well, they might be able to help… and perhaps,” she paused, turning her eyes toward Lin Zhaoyue, “perhaps being near them could help her recover some of her lost memories.” “Recover her memories…” Fang Yuan thought, his gaze flicking toward Lin Zhaoyue.

The idea lingered in his mind for a heartbeat before he nodded slightly.

“Alright,” he said at last, giving Fang Jingyi a reassuring look.

“I’ll see what I can do.” With a wave of his hand, gentle qi swirled around them, and in the next instant, he sent both women down to where Fang Chen was organizing the rebuilding efforts below.

The moment they appeared, Fang Chen hurried over, his face lighting up in relief.

“Sister!

You’re safe!

Are you hurt anywhere?” Fang Jingyi raised her arms sharply, he flinched, eyes squeezing shut on instinct, expecting a smack.

“Are you freaking kidding me!?” she shouted, voice trembling between anger and exasperation.

“My arm is hurt, that’s what I was trying to show you!” Fang Chen froze mid-flinch, then let out a strangled laugh, scratching the back of his head.

“Ah-r-right, I see… My mistake, sister.” He chuckled awkwardly, his voice lowering as he added, “I’ll get a few disciples to help patch you up, but do know… we’re short on hands.

It may take a little longer than usual.” Fang Jingyi’s expression softened, her anger melting into quiet exhaustion.

“I know, brother,” she murmured.

Then she turned toward Fang Yuan, who was still standing nearby, calm and unreadable.

“Yuan’er, could you take Linlin with you for a while?

Show her around, perhaps she might even see something and recall her memories too.” But before Fang Yuan could respond, Lin Zhaoyue abruptly stepped forward, gripping Fang Jingyi’s arm tightly.

“Ah-mother-in-law!” she exclaimed sweetly, concern flooding her voice.

“Let me help you!

You’re hurt-I can take care of you!” Her sudden affection made Fang Jingyi blink in surprise again, that same confused expression flickering across her face.

Fang Yuan couldn’t help but smile faintly at the sight.

He said nothing only gave a quiet, knowing shake of his head before turning away.

His figure blurred, and a moment later, he vanished from the courtyard.

High above, at the edge of Mount Skyhowl, the world was still.

Fang Yuan stood near the cliff’s rim, gazing out at the endless sea of mountains blanketed in mist.

The air here was colder, thinner, the wind sharp as it whipped through his hair and robes.

He walked slowly along the ridge, deep in thought.

The Lin family… where could they be right now?

He sighed softly, hands clasped behind his back, when suddenly.

“Clan Head!

Clan Head!

Please wait for me!” The voice echoed from behind him, breathless and desperate.

Fang Yuan stopped and turned, brow furrowing slightly.

A figure stumbled up the rocky path toward him.

His eyes widened slightly in recognition.

“…Du Juan?” She came to a halt a few paces away, panting, her eyes wide with a mix of determination and embarrassment.

“Clan Head Fang huff please, don’t walk so fast!” Fang Yuan blinked as the mountain wind carried away her hurried words.

When she reached him, he frowned slightly, his tone calm but edged with quiet concern.

“What is it, Du Juan?

Why are you in such a rush?” The moment she came close enough, Du Juan dropped to her knees with a dull thud that echoed through the cold air.

Then she bent forward and kowtowed hard, once, twice, again until a thin line of blood traced down her forehead and splattered against the stone beneath her.

“Du Juan-” Fang Yuan began, startled, but she cut him off, her trembling voice rising through sobs.

“Please… please save my sister!” she cried, her voice cracking apart under the weight of emotion.

“She-she’s starting to lose her soul.

I don’t know what to do, Clan Head-she’s all I have left!” Her shoulders shook violently as tears spilled freely, soaking into the dirt.

The mountain wind howled faintly around them, carrying the faint metallic scent of her blood.

Fang Yuan’s eyes softened, the light in them dimming from cold detachment to a heavy, silent empathy.

He stepped closer, the ground beneath his feet rippling faintly with restrained qi.

“Raise your head, Du Juan,” he said quietly, his voice low but commanding.

“Tell me everything.” Du Juan trembled as she wiped her tears with the back of her sleeve.

Her voice quivered, raw and uneven from crying, yet she forced herself to speak, each word heavy with emotion.

She told him everything how she had found her younger sister at the brink of death, how her soul had already begun to scatter, and how, in her desperation, she had sealed that fragile remnant inside a necklace.

She spoke of the matriarch who had promised to help restore her sister but now that the matriarch’s memories were gone, that promise was nothing more than a fading echo.

Her breath hitched as she continued, voice growing smaller.

“The artifact… it’s weakening.

The light’s fading faster every day.

I could feel her slipping away.

That’s why I came to you, Clan Head Fang… You’re the only one left who can save her.” Fang Yuan stood silently throughout, arms folded behind his back, his gaze fixed on the ground.

The mountain wind stirred his robes, and though his face remained composed, a faint furrow appeared between his brows.

When she finally fell silent, the only sound left was her uneven breathing and the whisper of the wind between them.

“Show me,” he said finally, his voice low.

“Show me this sister of yours.” Du Juan hesitated only for a moment before pulling a small silver necklace from within her robes.

The pendant glowed faintly with an eerie, pulsating light.

“She’s… inside here,” she whispered, clutching it close as if afraid it would vanish.

Fang Yuan took the necklace gently, his divine sense sweeping through it.

His calm expression darkened almost immediately, the faint hum of qi around him deepening.

“…What have you done?!”