Chapter 09 - A year worth of scheming (3/10) (16+)

Fang Yuan maintained his poker face as he weighed up the pros and cons of this situation.

'Well, with her, I'm sure I will not have a problem decoding the

World-Defying Manual fragment, and I could dispose of her after that. But hmm... maybe I will be in contact with other fragments so she could be really useful for me. I need her at my side. Obviously, she'll need to properly cultivate and don't drag me down.'

In a matter of few seconds, he revised his future schemes.

However, in Xiao Lie's eyes, those seconds seemed like years as he started to worry, thinking he was about to refuse. And unbeknownst to him, even his daughter was worried.

'Even if he seems unlikely to achieve anything relative to the Profound Way seeing his cultivation realm, but with his inventions I'm sure he could become a renowned merchant like Xia Hongyi.'

The old man then thought back on the young man's interaction with his daughter.

'And my daughter doesn't seem to have a bad feeling about him... I can't let Xi'er lose such an opportunity.'

"Fang Yuan I just hope you could take good care of her, I'm old, and I don't know how many moons I will see again."

Like that, he has indirectly given his willingness to betroth his daughter even without the status of the first wife.

Hearing her father, Xiao Lingxi didn't know what to say, her face reddened from embarrassment, and she could only gaze back at Fang Yuan as she tried to put her jumbled thoughts in order.

'I-I... What do I have to do if he refuses? Should I feel sorry about it? W-Why did father have to put me in such a situation? Aaaaah!'

Seeing the situation from the sidelines, Xia Hongyi and Ying Yue had contrasting thoughts. The former was sorry for Xiao Lie. He had already warned the old man about Fang Yuan's character. He knew the young man would likely refuse the engagement.

'Ai, I told Xiao Lie that it wouldn't be easy to get Fang Yuan to accept, but he wouldn't listen to me.'

Whereas the latter was jubilant and celebrated inwardly, if it wasn't because he wanted to give face to Elder Lie, Uncle Wu would have already run to get a bottle of the best alcohol from Lord Xia's collection that was in the cabinet behind them.

'Yue'er you always have a chance! This uncle will always support you, hehehe!'

Shortly after, Fang Yuan finally answered Xiao Clan's elder's Offer as he continued to exchange stares with Xiao Lingxi.

"Elder Lie, I would like to think about it, I don't know your daughter and I would like to know her better before accepting..."

The young man stopped talking for a moment, standing up and sitting next to the young lady and boldly taking hold of one of her hands.

Elder Lie nodded approvingly, while Xiao Lingxi's face reddened even more as she started babbling as she averted her gaze from Fang Yuan.

"Is that reasonable for you?"

Hearing his question, the young girl shyly nodded while inwardly feeling shocked.

"U-Un!"

'Does Fang Yuan care about my feelings...?'

In Fang Yuan's current society, which is based on the principles of the Confucian ideology, most if not all women don't have a say in their marriage, and they're under the near-absolute control of their family elders.

Therefore, Xiao Lingxi was touched by his approach and tenderly gazed at him. However, she went back to being embarrassed by feeling the warmth of his hand, which was squeezing hers softly.

'He is holding my hands right before my father's eyes! H-How bold?!'

A teasing smile crossed Fang Yuan's face as he took liberty to continue caressing her hand.

'Oh, I was just about to forget, girls in this universe are really prude. Well, I'll just need to train my future women.'

Witnessing the youngsters' exchange, Xia Hongyi and Ying Yue were stunned while Elder Lie thickened his skin as he started laughing before saying to Fang Yuan.

"What Elder, what Elder! You can already call me Father-In-Law, hahaha!"

After that, he started to praise the future couple, defining them as a match made in Heaven, how many grandchildren he would like to have, and how it was thanks to destiny that they met.

Fang Yuan outwardly maintained a smile while he facepalmed inwardly.

'Well, that's ten out of ten points for shamelessness. Elder Lie is just trying to give me retribution for holding his daughter's hand and let me take responsibility. Well I had to do it, to confirm at one hundred percent that he would do anything for his daughter.'

Fang Yuan then took a filial tone while answering the old man as he cupped his hands.

'Now, I can naturally place the bait.'

"Father-In-Law, there is something I would like to ask you. If Lingxi and I were to be really in harmony, I want her to be part of my clan, is that fine for you?"

Xiao Lie was surprised and dimly gazed at Xia Hongyi and Ying Yue, who both seemed confused as himself.

"Huh? Do you mean the Xia Clan?" The old man assumed that as Fang Yuan and his family were attached to the Xia's, so he asked to let his daughter join them.

However, the young man shook his head.

"No, I wasn't referring to the Xia Clan, but to the one I will soon create..."

An aura started to build up from Fang Yuan. Those present in the room felt their hearts shake.

"The Ancient Moon Clan, deep into the night the moon shines over everything. With my clan, I will govern this lowly realm and reach the higher one."

As he said such bold words, those present in the room heard a majestic hymn like a heavenly orchestra, leaving them stunned into a daze for several minutes.

Xiao Lie was the first to regain his bearing. His instinct sharpened over the years told him that his future son-in-law could truly achieve what he was claiming, which baffled him.

'Ai, I didn't foresee such a monster would appear in this little city, I take back everything I thought about his future achievement.'

As the elder was about to answer Fang Yuan, Xia Hongyi interrupted him.

"W-What do you mean by higher one?"

Xia Hongyi was so out of sorts as he asked the young man that the rest were dumbfounded.

'D-Does he know about the Realm of Gods and how to reach it?!'

Fang Yuan, seeing him so moved, caught the reason immediately, and so he sighed inwardly.

'Good Heavens, if he knew they were her second family and that he cucked one of the strongest cultivators in this universe... I think he should rename himself Chad Hongyi.'

The confirmation of the merchant's hunch was nothing but beneficial to Fang Yuan, so he nodded as he continued.

"The Realm of Gods, many don't know what it is, but I do."

Fang Yuan then looked over the three adults.

"I invite all of you to join my clan."

Ying Wu was the first to answer this time. Even if he would have to leave the position he worked hard in the Xia Clan, he would always support his nephew.

"We're family! Obviously I will join you, my good nephew!"

The young man nodded in his direction. Knowing his uncle's character, he already knew he would join.

'To have time to build my strength, I need loyal followers that will help me gain resources. Being a lone wolf like many MCs will only be detrimental for me in the long run.' During the last few months, Fang Yuan pondered a lot about it.

'In the novels, protagonists; thanks to their strong plot armor, always easily escape powerhouses' threats and find hidden opportunities, which usually make them stronger.

But this is real life, and I can't depend on luck, but neither can I depend entirely on others.'

Therefore, the young man planned to gather many loyal characters around him, but the question is... How can he ensure their loyalty?

With family ties, love, and, needless to say, further precautions, possible thanks to his soul path cultivation.

At the same time, Xiao Lie and Xia Hongyi were pondering about his proposition.

Elder Lie was attached to his clan mainly because of his daughter and nephew. In the last few years, due to the pressure of the other elders, he lost any good feeling about it and started to feel disgusted by his fellow clansmen.

'Xi'er will be his wife and if the Xia Clan join him, I could even make Che'er marry into Xia Qingyue's family, so we will all be together... I don't give a damn about face in such a case.'

Whereas Xia Hongyi seemed already ready to accept the young man's proposition.

'I can't miss this once in a lifetime occasion to see Dongxue again...'

Both of them seemed to be in favour of the young man's proposition.

Following a junior may be unthinkable for many, but they found themselves captivated by his charisma, and they already anticipated his future achievement as his current one speaks volumes for him.

Fang Yuan, seeing their expressions, could easily understand their thoughts which made him gloat in his mind.

'Heheheh, they took the bait. All according to the plan.'

"Father-In-Law, Uncle Xia, you don't have to answer me immediately like Uncle Wu, this matter is too important to be decided Immediately. I'll patiently let you think about it and answer any of your questions."

The duo glanced at each other, and then they overwhelmed the young man with different questions about his plans for this clan, to which he replied to each one calmly and confidently.

He then explained how he would like to start the Ancient Moon Clan as a merchant clan, slowly building a solid foundation, gaining resources and fame before letting cultivators join after detailed scrutiny in one year.

While all of this was happening, Fang Yuan didn't let go of Xiao Lingxi hand. The former could feel from the latter's hand how fast her heartbeat was.

Although the young girl tried to conceal it, Fang Yuan could easily catch it, so he teased her from time to time.

'Wow, if I didn't know she is a cultivator I would have been worried about a possible heart attack.'

After inquiring for about two hours, Xia Hongyi and Xiao Lie were pleased about Fang Yuan's intelligence as he planned every step to the finest details.

Even after they tested him, hypothesizing future unfavourable situations, he rapidly gave them concrete solutions, so they both agreed inwardly with a simple glance.

'He's a natural leader.'

"We will both join your clan Fang Yuan."

Having thoroughly convinced them, the young man smiled, uncle Wu and Xiao Lingxi congratulated him.

"Good, now that you're part of my clan I would like to share with you a truly important information and opportunity, that I'm sure can change the future of many. Near our city there is a Purple Crystal mine, and I think we could fetch more or less fifty kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal from it."

Xiao Lie's mind turned blank after hearing the young man's revelation until he started to pinch himself, wondering if he was dreaming.

Xia Hongyi's eyes were wide open as he tried to form a coherent sentence. The merchant was dumbstruck since he had never heard of such a sum in his life.

At the same time, Ying Wu fainted directly from the shock, whereas Xiao Lingxi froze as she firmly gripped Fang Yuan's hand.

Therefore they all, his fainted uncle excluded, shouted in his direction.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"

Alternative titles: 'Ancient Moon Clan', 'I Shall Loot The Heavens', 'Chad Yuan, the Hand Holding CEO', 'Chad Hongyi, caretaker of mindbreak'd girls'