Clan Building System: I'm not the Protagonist?!-Chapter 51: Surprise [2]

Blue. A blue colour root.

Fang Yuan stared at the confused girl, the glow of the spirit stone painting her face in soft celestial hues.

Yellow, that was the most common root known to mankind, and it was the weakest.

Cultivators born with it rarely made it past Qi Condensation.

Maybe Qi Transformation if they were stubborn and lucky enough.

Hard work could beat talent, sure but not when talent started with a broken foundation.

He had never seen a yellow root cross into true power.

Then black, respectable enough.

With black, one could reach Golden Core if they worked hard. Many did. It was the most stable of roots, dependable and balanced.

Brown followed, most commonly called as Earth Grade. It was freakishly rare.

A sign of potential that could even touch the Nascent Soul realm. He’d seen one or two succeed with it. Most didn’t.

As for white... white was heavenly root.

He had that himself too.

White was a root blessed by fate. It shone with purity and balance, aligning seamlessly with nearly all attributes.

He himself had soared to the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm by the prime age of thirty with that root and he knew that wasn’t even his limit.

Given enough resources, he would breach Hollow Spirit. Maybe even beyond.

But this.

Hers wasn’t even white.

The stone’s final hue shimmered into a calm, crystalline blue.

Fang Yuan’s breath caught.

It really was blue...

His mind whirled.

Divine Root?

No. That was too absurd. A divine root girl left behind by Fang Guo?

That scheming rat hadn’t even thought to check her roots?

How... how had no one noticed her talent before?

He stared at her in utter disbelief, still reeling as his thoughts spiraled.

Fang Lian blinked, clearly overwhelmed.

She didn’t know what the colors meant, only that her family head looked at her like she’d just murdered someone.

The silence stretched. A moment became several.

Then her lip trembled.

"...Did I do something wrong...?"

A tear welled in the corner of her eye, threatening to fall.

Fang Yuan blinked hard, mentally kicking himself.

Right—right! Say something, do something!

He straightened abruptly, clearing his throat.

"Ahem."

But even as he opened his mouth, his thoughts spun fast and ruthless.

This girl... she has a divine root. That’s beyond rare. If I don’t tie her to the clan now, someone else will.

The sects, the empires, hell, even immortals might fight over someone like this.

He shook his head slowly, forcing himself to remain composed.

I need to bind her fate with the Fang Clan before it’s too late. She can be our future... no, she is the Fang Clan’s future. My trump card. I feel like a villain, but that’s me alright.

He inhaled deeply, let it out in one slow breath, and fixed his gaze on her.

Fang Lian looked up at him, uncertain, cheeks pink with embarrassment.

Then he spoke.

"All right," he said firmly, voice level but resolute. "I will personally train you."

Fang Lian gasped.

"R-Really?!"

Fang Yuan nodded with weight.

"Yes. From this day forward, you’ll learn under me. Directly."

Her eyes widened, and she nodded with such enthusiasm that her hair bounced.

She looked like a small chick ready to imprint on the first warm figure she could find.

"Then... do I call you Master?" she asked, eyes sparkling.

Fang Yuan raised a brow, then gave a half-smile.

"I am your Master now," he said. "And the bond between a master and disciple... it’s as strong as that between father and child."

He paused, trying to sound sagely and poetic.

"In your case... I am like the blood flowing in your veins."

Fang Lian, starry-eyed, nodded deeply, clearly inspired by the gravity of those words.

...Despite how unbelievably cringeworthy they sounded to Fang Yuan the moment they left his mouth.

Why did I say that? Blood flowing in her veins? Hah. If doctor Mu heard that, he’d prescribe me something for my brain.

But thankfully, she didn’t notice.

She was too excited and too eager.

Too ready to prove herself.

Fang Yuan sighed inwardly in relief.

Well. That’s one thing handled.

Fang Yuan smiled faintly, brushing a hand behind his back.

"Come," he said, turning toward the hallway.

Fang Lian lit up like a lantern.

"Yes!"

She followed without hesitation, no, not just followed. This time, she walked right beside him, her steps almost skipping in excitement.

Fang Yuan noticed the shift. From quiet and timid to bold and trusting. She was already warming up to him.

Good, he thought. The bond is forming faster than expected.

But as they walked, his mind couldn’t help drifting.

She doesn’t know how rare her root is right now.... she doesn’t know what that talent could mean out in the wider world. But what if later she realised it later? Is this... technically scamming?

He winced inwardly.

No, no. I’m not taking anything from her. In fact, I’m giving her everything, guidance, resources, protection. And if she grows into a powerhouse in the future...

He glanced sideways at her, at the bright eyes and unfiltered enthusiasm.

...Then maybe she’ll be the type of person who returns kindness tenfold. Like one of those novel protagonists. The loyal kind.

He looked up, half lost in thought only to realize they were already at the door.

He blinked.

Oh. We’re already here.

Without missing a beat, he opened the door to his office and stepped aside.

"Go ahead," he said.

Fang Lian stepped in with barely restrained glee, like a chick being welcomed into the inner nest.

He gestured to a chair near the center table.

"Have a seat," he said, closing the door behind them.

She sat obediently, hands folded, posture straight, waiting like a disciple before her great master.

Fang Yuan watched her settle in, sitting with a straight back and sparkling eyes, like a student presented before a sage.

The reverence was... a bit much, but also endearing.

Without a word, he walked to one of the tall shelves lining his office wall and pulled out a sealed scroll.

The wax bore the Fang clan’s lightning-wrapped raven sigil.

This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶