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

Ding—Congratulations, Host, for successfully unlocking the Construction Synthesizer. The Construction Synthesizer offers a high degree of freedom; please explore its features.

This system was indeed quite considerate, Lin Xiao thought with satisfaction. However, what exactly did "high degree of freedom" entail? He felt that the Heart Technique Synthesizer he had used before already offered plenty of flexibility.

No matter—he decided to try out the Construction Synthesizer and see what it could do.

Opening the Construction Synthesizer, Lin Xiao was greeted by two familiar slots, labeled Brick Material and Beam Material. However, there was something different this time: after the two slots, there was a "+" symbol.

Curious, Lin Xiao tapped the "+" sign. Instantly, a new slot appeared after the first two, marked with a "?". The "+" symbol had now moved to the end of this third slot.

Surprised, Lin Xiao wondered if this meant he could add as many slots as he wanted. Glancing at his current inventory, he realized he didn't have much that could be placed into these slots. He certainly wasn't going to throw in his cultivation manuals.

After pondering for a while, Lin Xiao decided that his first priority should be recruiting more people for the sect. Now that he had the Construction Synthesizer, gathering materials would be a matter of time and effort. If he had more disciples, they could help collect materials much faster. Besides, asking new recruits to help build the sect without a proper tool like the synthesizer might make them suspicious, thinking he was just tricking them into free labor.

The weather wasn't particularly good today. Although it was near noon, the sky was overcast and dim. Lin Xiao guessed it might rain in the next couple of days.

It was better to act sooner rather than later—ideally, he could recruit some new members before the rain started.

With that in mind, Lin Xiao informed Jiang Youfu and Lin Yun of his plan, then made his way down the mountain. He returned home, grabbed an old table and a bench, and headed to the village's central threshing ground.

Being the Spring Equinox, the threshing ground was empty. However, as it was the village's central hub, it was a busy thoroughfare, with villagers passing by regularly. Every few minutes, someone would walk past, and many children often played nearby.

Lin Xiao set up his table and bench in the middle of the ground and sat down calmly. Then, clearing his throat, he loudly announced:

"Lingxian Sect is recruiting!—

Do you want to cultivate immortality? Do you want to live forever? Do you want to move mountains and fill the seas? Come join the Lingxian Sect, fellow villagers! Don't miss this opportunity!"

His booming voice quickly attracted the attention of those nearby, including villagers who were eating lunch and chatting, as well as those working in the fields who paused to look in his direction.

The first to gather around were a group of middle-aged women and a few idle men who lived off their parents.

"Well, isn't this Dayou's second son, Lin Xiao? What's he up to now, setting up a stall like those folks in the market?" one of the women called out in a sharp voice.

Lin Xiao responded with a fake smile, choosing not to engage. His initial shout was enough; the villagers' natural curiosity would spread the word for him. All he needed to do now was wait for someone who caught his eye to approach.

Sure enough, the crowd kept up a steady stream of chatter.

"Did you hear what Lin Xiao said? He's recruiting for some immortal sect. Wants to teach folks how to live forever and move mountains—ha! Liu, aren't you tempted to give it a try?"

One of the idle men stepped forward to joke with Lin Xiao, "Hey, Lin Xiao, how about I join your sect as your master?"

Lin Xiao gave him another fake smile but remained silent.

"Has Lin Xiao lost his mind, playing his little sect games until he's forgotten how to talk?"

As more and more people crowded around the table, chatting and gossiping, the threshing ground grew lively. In a small, isolated village like this, any new or unusual event quickly became the talk of the town.

Finally, Lin Xiao saw someone who caught his attention.

Amid the bustling crowd and the noisy chatter, a calm and composed figure emerged—a tall and graceful young man with a warm demeanor and upright posture. He parted the crowd and approached the table. Standing before Lin Xiao, the young man respectfully bowed and said, "Master Lin, I am Sun Yigao. I humbly request to join the Lingxian Sect."

Lin Xiao smiled faintly. "Sun Yigao, your presence truly honors our humble sect."

The onlookers immediately began whispering in surprise.

"Isn't that the young scholar from the Sun family? What's he doing here with Lin Xiao, playing these games? Is he not studying anymore?"

"I thought Madam Sun kept a close eye on him. How did he manage to sneak out and join in on this nonsense?"

"Didn't you hear? Something was off with Madam Sun yesterday—"

"Oh? What happened to her? Tell me more—"

But before the gossip could spread, someone closer to the Sun family quickly interrupted, "Nonsense! Madam Sun is perfectly fine. She just caught a chill last night, that's all. She's already much better after resting for a day."

"Yes, yes, I saw her this morning, looking healthy as ever."

Amidst the endless chatter, Sun Yigao stood tall, unaffected by the murmurs around him. Meanwhile, Lin Xiao discreetly checked Sun Yigao's status panel.

Name: Sun Yigao

Gender: Male

Bone Age: 15 years

Aptitude: Phoenix Among Dragons

Cultivation: Mortal

Sect Status: Outer Disciple (Can be changed)

Sect Position: None (Can be changed)

Aptitude: Phoenix Among Dragons! Lin Xiao pondered the comparison—how did this stack up against his own "Dragon Among Men" aptitude? He wondered if this small village of Xiushui harbored more hidden talents than he had imagined.

Or perhaps, unlike the cultivation novels where one's spiritual roots determined their fate, in this world, everyone might have some potential for cultivation. The system's assessment of "aptitude" could be more about one's ability to comprehend and excel in cultivation techniques.