My Brother's the Protagonist? Good Thing I Awakened My System!

Chapter 152  Lan Clan Survived?

The next day, whispers about the Lan Clan had already spread throughout the capital.

Groups of curious onlookers lingered near the gates of the Lan Clan estate, their faces a mix of disbelief and anticipation.

"I heard someone saw the Lan Clan elders tied up like prisoners."

"No way! The Lan Clan might be arrogant, but they're powerful. Who would dare do something like that?"

"I swear it's true!" another bystander chimed in.

"My cousin was passing through last night and saw it with his own eyes. He said they were being dragged around the courtyard like common criminals."

Gasps rippled through the small crowd.

"I also felt the Qi fluctuations from the Lan Clan compound last night. It wasn't normal—it felt like Nascent Soul Realm cultivators were fighting in there. And I'm not the only one who sensed it."

Another cultivator in the group nodded in agreement. "Exactly! It was far too intense to be training. Something big must have happened in the Lan Clan."

The crowd murmured in agreement, their imaginations running wild.

A group of royal guards also arrived at the gates of the Lan Clan's compound.

Their presence was impossible to miss as they marched in unison, their leader, a man in the Grand Qi Condensation Realm, stepping forward to demand entry.

"On behalf of His Majesty, we are here to investigate the disturbance reported last night," the guard captain announced.

"Rumors are spreading that Lan Clan elders have been captured and publicly humiliated. We require clarification."

The guards looked nervous but immediately went to notify the clan leader.

No sooner did Lan Jing emerge to greet them. "Hello, What seemed to be the issue?"

Lan Jing asked.

His once-arrogant demeanor had softened significantly, though his steps remained steady despite his internal injuries.

The Royal guards looked at him with skepticism. The Lan Clan was known for its haughty behavior, often deflecting royal inquiries with disdain. Today, however, they were greeted with a surprisingly deferential attitude.

"A-Ah, yes, we are here on the order of his majesty to check whether everything with the Lan Clan is okay?"

The captain asked.

Lan Jing bowed slightly, his voice calm but subdued. "I apologize for the commotion that may have disturbed the peace. I assure you, nothing of that sort occurred. Our training just got out of hand yesterday, and it must have caused some commotion. There is no need for concern."

The captain narrowed his eyes, his suspicion growing. "And the rumors about your elders being restrained and humiliated? Surely you must address those as well."

"Those must be just a group of people slandering our clan like they always do. Please pay no mind to those rumors. I assure you that all our elders are safe and cultivating in their respective chambers."

The captain exchanged glances with his men, clearly surprised. This was not the dismissive, arrogant response he had expected from the Lan Clan.

Still, there was no evidence to contradict Lan Jing's words at the moment and there was no need for further investigation since the clan leader himself has shown up.

"Very well," the captain finally said. "We will report your assurances to the royal court. Should anything further arise, you will be summoned for questioning."

"Of course," Lan Jing replied humbly. "Thank you for your understanding!"

The guards departed, leaving behind a perplexed air. Among themselves, they muttered about the strange behavior of the Lan Clan leader.

"It's not like them to bow their heads so easily."

"Did the Lan Clan Head hit his head yesterday? Just when did he become so polite?"

"Nevertheless, it didn't seem like we needed to worry about the Lan Clan," the captain said.

After all, Lan Jing was one of the most powerful people in the capital, and if he was alive, the Royal Guard Captain felt like the Lan Clan wouldn't have any problems.

However, even if they did, he wasn't in a position to help them and could only report back to the royal court.

As soon as the guards were gone, Lan Jing returned to the innermost chambers of the Lan Clan compound, where Feng Chen awaited him.

His knees buckled slightly as he knelt before Feng Chen, his head bowed in submission.

"I have done as you asked," Lan Jing said, his voice laced with bitterness. "The royal guards suspect nothing, and I assured them it was a misunderstanding."

Feng Chen, seated in a chair, looked down at Lan Jing with a calm, calculating expression. "You handled it well." Feng Chen replied, his tone as indifferent as ever. "I don't need unnecessary attention from the royal family—not yet." n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Lan Jing clenched his fists but said nothing. He could still feel the pain of his fractured cultivation, the humiliation of his defeat burning within him. Yet, he dared not retaliate.

After yesterday's confrontation, he knew very well that even if he brought out all the Lan Clan members, they would just die at Feng Chen's hands.

So, rather than doing that, he was much more inclined to please Feng Chen and hoped that he would spare him and leave him alone.

Feng Chen rose, his gaze sweeping the room.

Last night, as Feng Chen stood amidst the wreckage of the Lan Clan's pride, he had made a calculated decision. Though it would have been simple to annihilate the Lan Clan entirely, he saw no reason to do so.

For all their arrogance and defiance, they still had their uses.

By sparing Lan Jing and his clan, Feng Chen ensured he retained a foothold in the capital. The Lan Clan's influence and network could be leveraged to gather intelligence and monitor key players.

In particular, the Mystic Flame Sect and the Spirit Wind Palace—two factions situated near the capital—made them a valuable tool.

There was also the succession to the throne, which would soon ignite a battle among the princes. Feng Chen felt it was essential to keep an eye on that situation.

It was far more efficient to control the Lan Clan than to rely on his own people for this kind of situation.

Moreover, destroying the Lan Clan would attract unwanted attention, especially from the Imperial Family.

Although he wasn't afraid of them, there was no need to invite unnecessary trouble if he could avoid it.

There was also the possibility that knowing the conflict between the Feng Clan and the Lan Clan, the enemies of the Feng Clan might approach the Lan Clan for assistance.

This would give him insight into which clans appeared polite on the surface but were backstabbing them in secret.

In weighing the pros and cons, Feng Chen had decided to temporarily let the Lan Clan live.