CHAPTER 129: 129- CLAN MEETING [4] (BONUS)

The silence stretched after Fang Chen’s grumbled acceptance, thick but no longer suffocating with dread.

Fang Yuan’s gaze swept the table, meeting each elder’s eyes in turn, Fang Joshua’s dawning hope, Fang Chen’s weary resolve, Fang Sun’s stoic nod, Fang Yin’s bright, trusting stare.

Even Fang Jingyi had smoothed her expression into one of grim support, the earlier panic masterfully buried.

"Does any elder," Fang Yuan asked, his voice calm but carrying the full weight of his position, "have further questions or objections before we proceed?"

He let the question hang.

Fang Chen merely took another sip of tea, his earlier hopping frenzy replaced by a deep, resigned stillness.

Fang Sun shook his head minutely.

Fang Ra mumbled, "None here."

One by one, the others signaled their assent, a shake of the head, a low murmur of agreement, Fang Yin’s vigorous nod.

The unified front, forged from shock, awe, and the desperate promise of power Fang Yuan offered, was complete.

"Good," Fang Yuan said, a single syllable that held the weight of their collective future.

He gave a firm nod, and for the briefest moment, a genuine warmth touched his eyes, a flicker of satisfaction that softened the lines of weariness around them.

To the elders, it looked like the relief of a burden shared, the pleasure of a plan accepted.

But the true source of that fleeting joy was a torrent of knowledge flooding his mind.

As he had mentally claimed the system reward, the intricate, universe spanning blueprint of the Saint Grade Spirit Gathering Formation had seared itself into his consciousness.

It was not just knowledge; it was understanding, down to the vibrational frequency of each energy channel, the unique alignments required, the way it could weave ambient Qi into a torrential river.

And then finally, it was at Peak Grade.

Not even just Saint Grade, but the absolute pinnacle within that classification.

Its efficiency was not merely a double or tenfold of the old Black Grade formation... instead it was over a hundred times greater.

The blueprint promised to pull Qi not just from the surrounding mountains, but from distant ley lines and even the ambient energy of the stars themselves!

This... this can change everything, the thought sang within him, a counterpoint to the grim reality of the Kingdom’s threat.

The smile lingering on his lips was not just for the elders’ agreement; it was the fierce, private blaze of a gambler holding the winning hand he had prayed for.

With this formation powering his seclusion... maybe, just maybe... The hope was a fragile, desperate thing, but it burned bright: he could concentrate Qi dense enough to shatter the barrier between Nascent Soul Peak and the fabled Hollow Spirit Realm.

If he could step into that realm... true safety, true power, true freedom from the crushing weight of the Tharz Kingdom might finally be within reach.

It was the first, crucial step off the knife’s edge they all walked.

But this ambition, this desperate prayer for transcendence, remained locked behind his composed facade.

He would not burden them with its audacity, nor make promises he could not yet guarantee.

The smile faded, replaced by the Clan Head’s stern resolve.

"With that settled," he continued, his voice regaining its steel edge, "let us be clear eyed. The Kingdom will not be pleased by Fang Tian’s actions. They will come knocking.

Not ’might’ will. And they will demand answers, restitution... Or perhaps even blood." He paused, letting the cold certainty sink in.

"Therefore, my command stands: cultivate diligently with the resources I am going to provide. Use all the resources provided without a question. And aim to break through your bottlenecks. Grow stronger. I will not allow the Fang Clan to be pushed around any longer."

His gaze, sharp and demanding, swept over them one final time. "Is. That. Clear?"

A unified response rose, voices blending into a single, respectful affirmation, punctuated by a deep, synchronized bow from every elder present: "As you say, Clan Head!"

★★★

The oppressive sweetness of decay hung thicker here, a day deeper into the Dark Forest.

Sunlight was a forgotten myth, choked out by ancient, gnarled branches woven into a perpetual twilight canopy.

The air itself felt heavy, resistant, like pushing through cold syrup.

Du Juan picked her way forward, every sense screaming, her worn boots sinking slightly into the loamy, root-tangled earth.

Beside her, a whirlwind of restless energy barely contained within silk robes, Lin Zhaoyue drifted like a ghostly will-o’-the-wisp.

"Are we there yet?"

Lin Zhaoyue’s voice cut through the forest’s low hum, a plaintive whine that grated on Du Juan’s frayed nerves.

It was the seventh time in the last hour.

Or maybe the tenth.

Time blurred in this suffocating gloom.

Du Juan clenched her jaw, the muscles in her neck taut.

She forced her voice into a smooth, respectful cadence.

"No, Matriarch Fang," she replied, her eyes scanning the shifting shadows ahead.

"But we are close. Very close." She pointed towards a denser cluster of colossal, moss-draped trees ahead.

"Just beyond that grove."

Silence reigned for a blissful five minutes.

The only sounds were the squelch of their steps, the drip of moisture from unseen leaves, and the unsettling rustle of things moving just out of sight.

Du Juan strained her senses, relying entirely on the thin, protective veil of Lin Zhaoyue’s spiritual qi wrapped around her like a second skin.

Without it, this place would be sensory oblivion, a tomb of darkness and predatory whispers.

Then, like clockwork:

"Are we there now?" Lin Zhaoyue sighed dramatically, plucking at the sleeve of her robe.

She examined a perfectly manicured fingernail with intense boredom. "This forest is dreadfully dull. And it smells. Not like my perfumes at all."

Du Juan took a slow, steadying breath. Patience. Survival. "No, Matriarch Fang," she repeated, the title tasting like ash on her tongue, yet wielding its potent magic.

"But it’s only a few minutes’ walk now. Truly." She quickened her pace slightly, desperate to reach the destination before Lin Zhaoyue’s fragile patience shattered completely.

(7/9 BONUS)