154: Chapter 154 Fang Huai'an in Fang Yuanming's Eyes

Compared to the other Elders, Patriarch Fang Hong, as the former head of the Family, immediately thought of the clan members who hadn't come over yet.

Sensing that the Lord did not seem too averse to accepting subordinates, he hesitated slightly before gritting his teeth and making a request.

“Please understand, my Lord, there are still many Elders in my Fang Family who admire your great reputation. It was only because the slots were limited this time that they did not come.

If you do not mind, my Lord, I will go back right away and gather the Elders to come and sign contracts with you. This way, the Fang Family can serve you even better...”

Lin Xiao smiled and nodded at this request. If Magistrate Mei Fang knew of this outcome right now, he would probably be heartbroken to death.

However, this couldn't be helped; Magistrate Mei Fang's identity was simply too sensitive. He was currently their faction's special resource channel, so he had to be cautious.

After receiving the divine power points distributed by the Lord today, the smiles on the faces of the Fang Family Elders grew even wider.

Patriarch Fang Hong and the others didn't mention replacing anyone again, and prepared to rush back with the Elders. He wanted to finalize the Slave God Contracts for the Fang Family's gods as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Fang Yuanming stated that he had some matters to attend to. When Elder Fang Huaian saw Fang Yuanming in Fang Yuan's room, he was momentarily stunned.

Immediately after, a towering rage erupted in his heart.

“Fang Yuanming! Do you really want to drive us to absolute ruin?!”

As a direct descendant who had submitted first, Fang Yuan naturally knew about the Fang Family becoming the Lord's Slave Gods. Otherwise, he wouldn't have facilitated this connection.

When Fang Yuanming heard the other's angry shout, his expression showed no trace of anger. He first took a deep look at him, then let out a sigh.

His voice carried an undisguised complexity.

“Huaian, you've grown old. I still remember how high-spirited you were when you first ascended to godhood. That kind of spirit was so enviable.

I used to be just like you, young and passionate, but in the end, I had to compromise with reality. For the sake of advancement, and to obtain more resources.

I ultimately became the very kind of person I detested in my youth. Over these years, for the sake of resources and to secure my position in the Family.

I did many things. Although I don't consider them to be wrong, they did indeed cause you harm. For that, I apologize to you.

Aside from apologizing, I also came to pass on a message from the Patriarch: you are still an Elder of the Fang Family, and the doors of the Fang Family are still open to you...”

Looking at Fang Yuanming, who had become completely unrecognizable, Elder Fang Huaian's face darkened.

“Do you think these past matters can be wiped clean with a single apology?! Fang Yuanming, did you take the wrong medicine today?

Put away that disgusting face of yours. We've known each other for hundreds of years, do you think I don't know what kind of person you are?!”

Even being cursed at to his face, Fang Yuanming felt no anger at this moment. He was simply too happy today, so much so that his tolerance had increased significantly.

If it were in the past and the other party dared to speak to him like this, he would have walked away long ago. Why would he sit here and take their abuse?

“Huaian, I know you harbor resentment, and I don't deny that I hurt you in the past. But that doesn't mean I think I was wrong; it can only be said that you couldn't see the situation clearly back then.

Did you think you could change the Family with just a burst of hot-blooded passion? Make the Family strong? If you had truly taken control of the Family's decision-making back then, other than making things worse...

You wouldn't have changed a thing! The layout of Anping County has been set for thousands of years. It's not something a newly ascended Elder like you could change.

I know you resent me for striking so ruthlessly in the Family martial arena back then, forcing you to nurse your injuries for over eighty years.

But I didn't deny you opportunities back then. Time and again, both openly and secretly, I extended olive branches to you, but what did you do?

Not only did you show no appreciation, but you also became increasingly aggressive. During Family meetings, you repeatedly refuted and provoked me to my face!

You must realize that you were only a newly ascended Elder at the time, while I had been an Elder holding actual power in the Family for hundreds of years.

If I hadn't taught you a lesson then, the other Elders would have only thought I was weak and easy to bully, that my methods were no longer what they used to be. More and more Elders would have opposed me, encroaching on the interests that originally belonged to me!

I wasn't alone; I had a large Family behind me, and the Elders who followed me would not allow me to lose the power in my hands.

So, that was my only option back then. Even if it happened again, I would still heavily injure you. I only came here this time to clear up the past face-to-face.

As for whether you forgive me or not? That doesn't matter. If you can understand, we can work together well in the future. If you still can't, then we simply won't associate with each other anymore.”

Seeing that everyone was about to have a bright future, Fang Yuanming was naturally willing to resolve past grudges. However, this did not mean he would compromise his dignity for it.

Furthermore, he did not believe his past decisions were wrong. On the contrary, in his heart, he strongly disapproved of Elder Fang Huaian!

Despite having ascended to godhood, he still couldn't see the cruel reality of the Divine Domain. As an Elder, because of his so-called ideals and ambitions, he didn't hesitate to bring his conflict with an Elder holding actual power into the open.

Once he fell, the faction of Elders following him would immediately face attacks and suppression from the other Elders.

Although it wouldn't lead to fratricide, they would certainly suffer a severe blow to their Origin Qi. Their Fang Family wasn't the only great clan in Anping County; if something went wrong...

Would the other families just stand by and watch without doing anything?

Just because he had to nurse his injuries for eighty years, he became completely disheartened and lifeless. Who the hell has a smooth journey to ascension?

In order to secure his position and power as an Elder holding actual power in the Family, he had fought, both openly and secretly, with Elders, consecrated experts of other Family forces, and even some newly ascended gods.

During his worst stroke of luck, he was ambushed by several hostile gods while out. Although he escaped with his life, wasn't he heavily injured just the same?

Yet he still endured his severe injuries, pretending nothing was wrong on the surface and holding on for over a century! Even his own children didn't know.

With that half-dead attitude of his, who in the Family would feel safe putting him in an important position? Even so, he was still given an easy job as a high-tier manager.

And his monthly salary was never reduced by a single bit!

You can't expect the Family to tilt more resources in your direction when you don't do any work yourself, can you? There's no such logic!

As for the matter of pressuring the junior last time, although his methods were a bit excessive, in the end, she was just a third-generation junior, not even a demigod!

He had also promised back then that as long as the little girl married over, he would be willing to raise her treatment even further.

She had graduated from university for over a decade, yet she was still only a Divine Being. It could be said that her potential was basically exhausted, and without any special Opportunity, she could only grow old and die in this lifetime.

Although she would transfer her Believers to his grandson, with her treatment raised, she might still have a chance to try and achieve a Breakthrough after spending a dozen or so years recovering.

Furthermore, if his grandson was fortunate enough to become a god, could she, as his wife, really live a worse life than she did now?

He believed he had already shown extreme benevolence, and that girl wasn't betrothed to anyone else. Yet, her whole Family acted as if it were a matter of life and death.

In the end, Elder Fang Huaian, as an Elder, actually brought outsiders to storm their doors.

Just a descendant who was a Divine Being, yet she ended up angrily rebelling against the Family? And before leaving, she repeatedly claimed she owed the Fang Family nothing in this lifetime?!

Hahaha?! What a fine 'owing nothing'!

This Elder Fang Huaian only had a B-grade talent. Without the Family's support, a demigod would have been the limit of his life!

If not for the Family's provisions, on what basis could he have gone to a university in a second-tier Star Domain with just a decent grade?

During his university years, wasn't it also the Family that provided for him for four whole years? Only because of this was he able to lay a solid foundation without worries to strive for the Opportunity to achieve godhood.

Even when he was searching for Opportunities outside, the Family never cut off his resource supply for hundreds of years.

Yet after becoming a god, just because he had to handle a few years of Family chores according to custom, he felt it dragged down his advancement.

Who didn't go through the same? Could it be that you can only take and never give?

Even when you were heavily injured for eighty years, the Family didn't cut off your allowance, did they? Once you recovered, you acted as if the whole world had wronged you, yet the Family still provided for you for over a century!

With all that, where did you get the face to scream that you don't owe the Family?!

It could be said that in Fang Yuanming's eyes, Elder Fang Huaian was a classic example of someone spoiled rotten by the Family! Not only did the Family's investment go down the drain, but he was also a fucking negative asset!