Strongest Family System

Chapter 90: The Qi Gathering Array



Robert did not rest long. His body sat still on the bed, but his mind kept circling back to one thought: The qi here is thin. Too thin. The Carr clan's arrogance had blinded them to it, but he knew it would strangle any attempt at rapid growth for the Osborns. If they were to stand against the Walkers, the Brooks, the Clarks—against all who looked down on them—this weakness had to be erased first.

"System," he whispered in his mind. "Search for qi-gathering treasures."

The familiar voice responded, crisp and cold.

[Item: Qi Gathering Array (Intermediate Grade). Capable of condensing ambient qi within a one-mile radius, doubling cultivation efficiency for all practitioners inside its range. Requires monthly activation with one High-Grade Spirit Stone.]

Robert's golden eyes sharpened. The description alone stirred a quiet heat in his chest. It was not just for him. It was for the clan—the foundation upon which strength could grow. His family's disciples struggled every day, scraping for scraps of qi in a starved city, and now, in his hands, was a solution.

"Purchase."

[Cost: 50,000 system points deducted. Remaining balance: 250,420.]

A pulse of light shimmered in the quiet room, and when it faded, something cold and heavy rested in his palm. When touched, the ancient runes carved on the small array stone moved like mist. It hummed softly, as though it were alive and awaiting orders.

Robert studied the etched lines as he flipped them over in his hand. This was no common treasure; rather, it was a seed, a root that had the potential to develop into a clan's power. A subtle smile danced on his lips.

He stood. The Osborn compound outside lay in silence, the kind of stillness only deep night carried. Lanterns had burned out, leaving courtyards washed in moonlight. Guards leaned lazily on their spears, half-asleep at their posts, unaware of the treasure their young master carried in his hand.

Robert moved unseen. Shadow Step carried him from one courtyard to the next, his cloak brushing against the cool night air. No one stirred. It was as if the Osborn clan itself was holding its breath.

He reached the central courtyard—a broad expanse of stone and packed earth where disciples usually gathered to train at dawn. Tonight, it was empty, the moon bathing the ground in silver. Robert walked to the center, knelt, and placed the array stone on the cold earth.

The runes flickered faintly.

From his storage, Robert withdrew a High-Grade Spirit Stone, one of the ten he had stripped from the Carr clan's vault. The stone glowed with rich, condensed qi, its light faintly golden, like liquid fire captured in crystal.

Even holding it made the air feel thicker, heavier.

He pressed the stone into the array's core.

Immediately, the runes flared, spreading across the courtyard like veins of light. Lines of silver energy shot outward, weaving into a perfect circle that expanded until it covered the entire compound. The ground trembled softly, and for a moment, the night itself seemed to warp. Then, with a sound like a heartbeat, the array sank into the earth and vanished from sight.

The courtyard returned to silence—but the air had changed.

Robert inhaled slowly. The qi was no longer faint and scattered; it pressed against his skin, dense and vibrant. Even with his Spirit Root cultivation, he could feel the difference. It would flood into the meridians of every disciple who trained in the clan, filling their bodies with the power they had always lacked.

"This…" Robert murmured, rising, "This is the first step."

Above him, clouds shifted. The moonlight seemed brighter now, sharper, as though the heavens themselves acknowledged the birth of something new in the Osborn grounds.

He stood still for a long while, testing the weight of the qi, savoring the sensation. Every breath felt richer, every heartbeat steadier. His clan would wake in the morning and not understand why their meditations flowed more easily, why their qi reservoirs filled faster. They would only know that the Osborn clan was changing.

Robert placed the remaining nine High-Grade Spirit Stones back into storage, his mind already planning. One stone each month. The Carrs' vault will fuel our growth for ten months. By then, we will have earned enough to sustain it ourselves.

He glanced once more at the courtyard, now empty yet alive with unseen power. His cloak stirred in the breeze as he turned away.

The compound still slept, oblivious. None of the elders, none of the disciples, and not even his father would know what he had done tonight. Not yet. But in the weeks to come, they would feel it. Their progress would quicken, their spirits would sharpen, and whispers would spread.

The Osborn clan would no longer be overlooked.

Robert walked back through the sleeping courtyards, his steps light, his expression unreadable. Inside, however, his resolve only hardened. The competition loomed ever closer, and now he carried not just the strength of his Shadow Reaper or his own blade techniques but the rising tide of an entire clan.

He closed his door behind him, setting the night's work to rest. His body sank onto the bed, but his eyes gleamed in the dark.

Tomorrow would mark the first dawn of a stronger Osborn.

And in the silence of his chamber, Robert whispered to himself, calm and certain:

"The path begins now."

Robert slept deeply, his body sinking into silence after the night's work. For the first time in weeks, his mind did not drift with worry or calculation.

The qi-rich air that now filled the compound wrapped around him like a blanket, steady and nourishing.

He got up quickly as dawn broke. Sharper eyes and a more steady aura were visible in his reflection in the polished bronze mirror. He washed and changed into fresh robes, then calmly and precisely tied his sash and stepped out into the morning light.

The Osborn compound was waking. Servants hurried to their tasks; disciples gathered with blades strapped across their backs, preparing for training. One by one, heads turned as Robert passed through the courtyard.

"Young Master…" they whispered, bowing quickly. Some with reverence, some with curiosity.

But beneath their respectful greetings was a hushed murmur:

"He's returned from seclusion."

"And in only ten days…"

"His aura feels… Different."

Robert caught the words easily, though spoken softly. His lips curved faintly. So Father spread the tale of my seclusion to cover my absence.

Good. The fewer who question, the better.

He walked on without explanation, his steps measured, his composure unshaken.

Within minutes, he stood before the tall wooden doors of his father's study. He raised his hand and knocked twice.

From within, a familiar voice called, steady and commanding even in casual tone. "Enter."

Robert pushed open the door. The study smelled of old parchment, sandalwood incense, and faint medicinal herbs. His father, in plain but respectable robes, sat behind a wide desk with a pile of scrolls in front of him.

When Robert stepped inside, his father looked up. For a brief moment, his face froze in surprise.

Then, slowly, a broad grin spread across his face.

"Robert…" His father rose, eyes sweeping over his son with sharp calculation. He sensed the change instantly—the denser qi, the firmer stance, the unmistakable growth. "Your cultivation… it has risen. And your body… Strong, steady."

A deep laugh rumbled from his chest. He crossed the room in three steps and pulled Robert into a firm embrace.

"You rascal! You said two months, yet here you stand in just ten days!"

Robert returned the embrace, his tone calm but respectful. "I obtained the information I needed sooner than expected."

At those words, his father's eyes narrowed. "Information? What do you mean?"

Robert met his gaze and spoke clearly, holding nothing back. He told him about Walker, Brooks, Clark, and Brown clan disciple participation and the Carr clan—their arrogance, their sudden fall, and the massacre that had left not a single survivor. He spoke of the empty vaults, the destroyed courtyards, and the silence that now lay heavy over what had once been a proud clan.

When he finished, his father's expression was grave. He sank into his chair, brows furrowed.

"The Carr clan… destroyed? And they were under Walker protection…" His voice dropped to a whisper of disbelief. "To wipe out a clan favored by the Walkers is no small matter. Such news will shake Celestial Brook to its roots."

Then his gaze sharpened. "Robert. Tell me the truth. Did anyone see you?"

Robert's reply was steady, without hesitation. "No one saw me, Father. Not a soul."

The tension in his father's shoulders eased. His lips pressed into a thin line before curving into a smile. "Good. Then let the Walkers rage. They may suspect, but without proof, suspicion is just wind. You have done well."

Robert inclined his head. "It was not only destruction I brought back. I have placed something at the heart of the Osborn clan. A Qi Gathering Array—one that will enrich our grounds and quicken every disciple's progress.

From this day forward, cultivation within our clan will grow twice as fast."

His father blinked, astonishment flashing across his face. "A Qi Gathering Array? Where did you find such a treasure?"

Robert's smile was faint, measured. "From the Carr clan's vaults."

For a heartbeat, silence filled the study. Then his father burst into laughter—loud, unrestrained, filled with both relief and pride.

"To think! The Carrs guarded such a jewel and used it so poorly, only for my son to seize it for our rise!" He clapped Robert on the shoulder, eyes gleaming with fire. "Good! Very good! The heavens themselves seem to favor you."

Robert accepted the praise with quiet humility, though his resolve only deepened. The path ahead was clear. The Osborn clan was no longer bound to crawl in shadows. With the Carrs gone, with qi thickening their foundation, with wealth and strength flowing into their hands, their rise had begun.

Father and son stood together in that study, one laughing, the other smiling faintly, both feeling the stirrings of change in their blood. Outside, disciples were already noticing the air, whispering of how their breathing exercises felt easier, how their qi flowed faster. The first ripples of the array had begun to spread.

The storm of Celestial Brook City had only just begun to gather. And the Osborn clan, once overlooked, was preparing to step into its heart.


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