Lin Hao stared at the golden screen floating before him.
“How do I unlock these functions?”
The system remained silent for a moment.
Then its cheerful voice sounded.
[Finally, Host!]
[You’ve asked the correct question!]
Lin Hao narrowed his eyes.
“Why do I feel like you’re about to make this complicated?”
[Because greatness cannot be explained in one sentence!]
“…Just answer me.”
[Fine, fine.]
The system cleared its nonexistent throat.
[The Clan-Building System is centered around one thing.]
The golden screen changed.
[Family Points]
Current Family Points: 0
[Family Points are the fundamental currency of the system.]
[They can be used to purchase almost anything from the System Mall, summon powerful characters, and unlock various system functions.]
Lin Hao nodded slowly.
“So I need Family Points.”
[Correct!]
“How do I get them?”
The system became unusually serious.
[By building your clan.]
Lin Hao raised an eyebrow.
“That’s it?”
[That’s not all!]
The system immediately returned to its usual energetic tone.
[You can strengthen your family members, expand your clan, improve your clan’s influence, complete clan-related achievements, solve problems affecting your family, and accomplish many other things that contribute to the development of the Lin Clan.]
[All of these can generate Family Points.]
Lin Hao nodded.
That made sense.
If the system was truly a Clan-Building System, then he couldn’t simply sit around and expect the clan to become powerful.
He had to actually build it.
“What about the System Mall?”
[Locked.]
“And the Summoning Function?”
[Also locked.]
Lin Hao sighed.
“So I have a system, but almost everything useful is locked.”
There was a brief silence.
Then the system replied proudly.
[Host, please don’t misunderstand.]
[You don’t have a useless system.]
[You have an incredibly powerful system that is currently pretending to be useless.]
Lin Hao stared at the screen.
“…That’s somehow worse.”
[I disagree.]
Lin Hao ignored it.
“What do I need to do first?”
The system immediately responded.
[Excellent question!]
A new golden screen appeared.
[Beginner Clan Mission]
Mission: Improve the living conditions of the Lin Clan.
Current Clan Condition: Poor
Mission Progress: 0%
Mission Reward: System activation reward
Lin Hao read the mission carefully.
“Improve the living conditions?”
[Correct!]
“What counts?”
[Food, clothing, shelter, medical care, and other basic necessities.]
Lin Hao nodded.
That wasn’t unreasonable.
He looked toward the door.
“System.”
[Yes, Host?]
“How many people are in my clan?”
The system immediately answered.
[Your current clan has a total of 47 members.]
Lin Hao was surprised.
“Forty-seven?”
[Yes.]
He thought about it.
Forty-seven people.
And they had only three hundred Copper Coins.
No wonder they were worried about grain.
Lin Hao frowned.
“How much food do we have?”
[Approximately twelve days’ worth of grain at the current rate of consumption.]
Lin Hao’s expression changed.
“Twelve days?”
[Correct.]
He slowly stood up.
This wasn’t a small problem.
This family genuinely needed help.
Lin Hao opened the door and walked outside.
The courtyard was simple.
Very simple.
There were several wooden houses surrounding the main courtyard.
Some were old enough that they had clearly been repaired multiple times.
A few children were playing nearby.
Adults were busy with various chores.
Nobody was dressed extravagantly.
Nobody carried weapons.
Nobody radiated the slightest trace of spiritual energy.
They were ordinary people.
Lin Hao looked around quietly.
This was his clan.
Not a powerful cultivation family.
Not a prestigious sect.
Not some hidden ancient force.
Just forty-seven ordinary people trying to live their lives.
He found Lin Wei outside.
“Lin Wei.”
The family head immediately turned around.
“Ancestor?”
“Come with me.”
Lin Wei followed him.
They walked toward a quieter part of the courtyard.
Lin Hao sat beneath an old tree.
“Tell me about the clan.”
Lin Wei was slightly confused.
“The clan?”
“Yes.”
Lin Wei thought for a moment.
“What would you like to know?”
“Everything.”
Lin Wei sat down opposite him.
“The Lin Clan has been here for generations.
Most of us farm or work in nearby towns.
Some hunt, some trade, and some help with crafts.”
Lin Hao listened quietly.
“Do we have any Spirit Stones?”
Lin Wei shook his head.
“Never seen one.”
“Cultivation techniques?”
“No.”
“Any cultivators?”
Lin Wei hesitated.
Then he smiled.
“Only you, Ancestor.”
Lin Hao blinked.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
Lin Wei’s expression became nostalgic.
“When you were young, you were the only person in the clan who successfully cultivated.”
Lin Hao leaned forward.
“How far did I reach?”
Lin Wei looked at him as if the answer should have been obvious.
“Level 1 of the Body Refining Realm.”
Lin Hao’s expression became strange.
“That’s it?”
Lin Wei immediately became serious.
“Ancestor, please don’t say it like that.”
“Why?”
“Because you were considered a genius.”
Lin Hao stared at him.
A Level 1 Body Refining cultivator…
Was the greatest genius the Lin Clan had ever produced?
He suddenly understood just how ordinary this family truly was.
Lin Wei continued.
“Back then, everyone thought you would eventually become a great cultivator.”
“But?”
Lin Wei sighed.
“But nobody else in the clan could cultivate.”
“So everyone gave up?”
“Not exactly.”
Lin Wei smiled faintly.
“People tried for many years.
Eventually, they realized that cultivation simply wasn’t meant for us.”
Lin Hao looked at the people in the courtyard.
Nobody seemed bothered by it.
They were farmers.
Workers.
Parents.
Children.
They weren’t waiting for some great destiny.
They were simply living.
Lin Hao remained silent.
Then he clenched his fist.
“System.”
[Yes, Host?]
“Can I cultivate again?”
[Of course.]
Lin Hao’s eyes brightened.
“Really?”
[Host, please don’t underestimate me.]
[Your current body no longer possesses any cultivation.
However, because your previous body once reached Level 1 Body Refining Realm, the system can help restore the foundation required for you to cultivate again.]
Lin Hao looked at his frail hands.
“So I’ll have to start from Level 1 again?”
[Correct!]
Lin Hao was silent for a moment.
Then he laughed.
“So after living twice and reaching old age twice, I’m starting from Level 1 again.”
[Every great journey has to start somewhere!]
Lin Hao shook his head.
“Fine.”
He looked at the people in the courtyard.
“Then I’ll start again.”
The system immediately responded.
[Excellent decision, Host!]
Lin Hao didn’t explain further.
There was no need.
For now.
He looked at the mission screen again.
[Beginner Clan Mission]
Mission Progress: 0%
Lin Hao stood up.
“First, we’ll solve the food problem.”
He had only been here for a short time.
Yet already, he had made his first decision.
He would not allow his family to go hungry.
The system suddenly spoke.
[Host.]
“What?”
[Mission progress has increased.]
Lin Hao froze.
“What?”
The golden screen appeared.
[Beginner Clan Mission]
Mission: Improve the living conditions of the Lin Clan
Progress: 10%
Lin Hao stared at it.
“I haven’t done anything yet.”
[Incorrect.]
The system sounded extremely pleased with itself.
[You have identified a problem affecting your family and decided to solve it.]
[That counts toward clan development.]
Lin Hao smiled.
“So that’s how it works.”
Then the system suddenly went silent.
Lin Hao noticed immediately.
“What’s wrong?”
No response.
“System?”
Still nothing.
Then—
DING!
A strange notification appeared.
[System Error]
Family Point calculation malfunction detected.
Attempting automatic correction…
1%…
37%…
82%…
100%…
Correction failed.
Lin Hao stared at the screen.
“What?”
Another notification appeared.
[System Recalculation]
Host Family Points: ∞
Silence.
Lin Hao didn’t move.
The system didn’t speak.
For the first time since it had appeared…
The system was completely silent.
Lin Hao slowly raised an eyebrow.
“System?”
Nothing.
“System?”
Still nothing.
Finally, after several seconds, the system’s voice returned.
It sounded unusually uncertain.
[Host…]
“Yes?”
[I believe…]
The system paused.
[Something may have gone terribly wrong.]
Lin Hao stared at the infinite symbol.
Then he slowly smiled.
“How terribly wrong?”
The system was silent again.
Finally—
[Very.]
Lin Hao laughed.
His second life had just become interesting.