Is It Reasonable for Me to Start a Sect at 12?

With his family taken care of, Lin Xiao felt a great burden lifted from his heart. After all, as long as they could successfully draw spiritual energy into their bodies, the energy would help cleanse many of the hidden ailments or illnesses that plague ordinary people. This way, he wouldn't have to worry as much about his grandparents' health. Although he had a cultivation "cheat," he knew that the path of cultivation might not always be smooth sailing. This assurance would allow him to enter seclusion with greater peace of mind.

After chatting with everyone at the Lin family's old residence for a while and seeing them finish their lunch, Lin Xiao took out some items from his private storage. These were things he had bought in Yuanling City for his family, including some low-grade pills that helped to strengthen the body and replenish energy. While they had little effect on cultivators, they could be extremely beneficial to ordinary people.

Lin Xiao then explained that he might have to go into seclusion for a while and repeatedly reminded them to use the teleportation talisman he had given them if anything happened in the village. The Lin family members earnestly agreed.

After teaching them how to take the low-grade pills, he left the Lin family residence and returned to the sect.

By this time, most of the people on the Heart-Testing Path had also regained their senses. They awoke with a mix of realization and slight melancholy, finding themselves still standing on the now-transformed mountain path leading to the sect.

Lin Ying, looking intrigued, seemed to have enjoyed the experience, as if she had just been through something very interesting. Meanwhile, Lin Dayou, Lin Ying, Lin Lei, Baldy, and Ironhead appeared to be reflecting on the vivid experiences they had just gone through. During the process, they had forgotten they were on the sect's mountain path and had ceased to question how they had suddenly found themselves in different environments and scenarios.

Each person's experience was entirely unique, but they all felt that it was something worth pondering. As they admired the transformed, dreamlike beauty of the path, they vaguely understood its purpose.

Turning their heads, they noticed that Lin Yun was still frowning, seemingly unable to free himself from the Heart-Testing Path. Nearby, two chickens were nestled on the ground—Xiao Luan and Da Tao. Xiao Luan seemed to be thoroughly enjoying whatever it was experiencing, smacking its beak contentedly, while Da Tao occasionally twitched its claws.

Recalling his own experience, Lin Dayou saw Lin Yun's state and decided not to wake him or carry him out. Instead, he turned to the others who had already woken up and said, "Let's go. Let them figure it out on their own."

With that, he led the way down the Heart-Testing Path and off the mountain. Seeing that Lin Dayou, Lin Yun's father, had spoken, the others had no objections and followed him down the mountain. Baldy, on the other hand, turned and headed back into the sect.

Lin Xiao hadn't called Baldy out earlier just to experience the Heart-Testing Path—it was purely coincidental.

After leaving the Lin family's old residence, Lin Xiao returned to the sect and found Baldy. He shared his plans to enter seclusion and said, "Baldy, I don't know how long this seclusion will take, but it will be at least six months, possibly a year, or even longer. During this time, I plan to have you, Elder Liao, and Yigao manage the sect. Of course, for everyday matters, you can handle things as usual. If any particularly tricky issues arise, the three of you should discuss them together.

If too many people are involved in decision-making, it can easily lead to confusion and wasted time. For cultivation-related matters, you should consult Elder Liao, and for any moral or ethical issues, seek Yigao's advice. With the three of you working together, I'll feel much more at ease."

Baldy didn't mind Lin Xiao's suggestion to seek advice from others and readily agreed, "Don't worry, Brother Xiao. If I'm ever unsure about something, I often consult my mom. I'm good at listening to advice."

Having been brothers for years, Lin Xiao fully trusted Baldy's character and ability to handle matters, which was why he entrusted him with this responsibility.

Lin Xiao then took out a white key and handed it to Baldy, saying, "Here, take this. It's the key to our sect's treasury.

I've stored a lot of herbs and seeds in there. You can organize and plan their use, planting the seeds and regularly allocating the herbs to the pill refining room.

There's also 10,000 spirit stones in there. You should consult Elder Liao and come up with a proper stipend system for everyone. Since we're all cultivators now, using silver for stipends won't work anymore. You'll need to put some thought into this.

As for the white house inside the treasury, just leave it alone for now—we don't need it yet."

After listening carefully to Lin Xiao's instructions, Baldy nodded, "Got it, Brother Xiao. By the way, is our sect's protective barrier still in place?"

Realizing what Baldy was hinting at, Lin Xiao replied, "Yes, it's still there. So, if anything happens during my seclusion, like someone causing trouble or a disaster, just stay inside the sect and don't go out."

Baldy responded, "Then I'll find some time to stock up on supplies and food from the county."

Lin Xiao nodded in agreement, "Good idea. Thanks for your hard work. Tomorrow morning, I'll gather everyone for a meeting and explain all of this."

After talking with Baldy, Lin Xiao went to the main hall of the sect and sat on the ground to check the reward he had received for completing the Heart-Testing Path mission.

Opening his private storage, he began examining the latest items. He noticed a small fragment quietly lying there. This small fragment was called the Yao Guang Floating Island Fragment.

Lin Xiao immediately used the appraisal function on it.

[Yao Guang Floating Island Fragment: Collect three fragments to obtain a Yao Guang Floating Island.]

However, the appraisal function provided no further details about the floating island itself.

While the appraisal could only provide information about the fragment, Lin Xiao had a good idea of what it might be based on the name. A floating island—it conjured images of a large island suspended in the sky. If their sect could one day possess such an island, wouldn't that be awe-inspiring?

The thought of a floating island hovering above their sect filled Lin Xiao with anticipation. He couldn't wait to collect all three fragments and summon it!