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

Hmm, let's not dwell on that now. I can always try synthesizing a basic, rough technique later to see what happens.

The problem now is that I don't have five spirit stones.

I had just used one for auto-cultivation, and now I only have four left in my private storage.

Suddenly, Lin Xiao remembered that he hadn't checked the reward he received earlier.

Exiting the shop, he immediately opened his private storage.

To his surprise, he found that his storage now included a sect uniform synthesis diagram x1, Mist Spring Grass seeds x5, and his spirit stone count had increased from four to nine.

Without hesitation, Lin Xiao re-entered the shop and bought the simplifier.

[Would you like to synthesize the simplified version of "Peach Blossom Void Technique"?]

Lin Xiao chose yes.

Then, a familiar row of glowing slots appeared before him.

Unlike when synthesizing the cultivation technique, this time there were only two slots: one labeled [Paper] and the other labeled [Ink].

In the corner of the grass hut's base, there were still some leftover paper mulberry bark strips that Lin Xiao had peeled earlier.

Lin Xiao smiled at Jiang Youfu and said, "Your simplified technique will be ready soon. Just wait a bit."

With that, Lin Xiao stood up and fetched the paper mulberry bark.

Jiang Youfu watched as Lin Xiao placed the bark into the slot, and it disappeared into thin air.

Then he saw Lin Xiao put something else into the air, and moments later, a book materialized in Lin Xiao's hands.

Lin Xiao handed the newly created book to Jiang Youfu and stored the original technique in his private storage.

"Fuzi, even though this version is simplified, you still need to learn to read. Even if it's not for cultivation, being literate is always a good thing."

"Yes, yes, yes." Jiang Youfu nodded eagerly.

Lin Xiao chuckled and said, "For now, focus on the pictures. I'll teach you how to read the characters on the first page. We'll learn a bit every day, and take it slow."

For the next while, Lin Xiao didn't rush to study the newly obtained sect uniform synthesis diagram or Mist Spring Grass seeds.

His priority was to teach Jiang Youfu how to read and understand the simplified technique.

So, the two of them sat in the grass hut, carefully studying the illustrated "Peach Blossom Void Technique." Lin Xiao patiently taught Jiang Youfu character by character, while Jiang Youfu, holding a small twig, diligently traced the characters on the ground, trying his best to remember and understand.

Surprisingly, this process also allowed Lin Xiao to fully immerse himself in the technique.

Even though he had the auto-cultivation function and didn't need to study the technique himself.

As spring arrived and the days grew longer, the two of them became so absorbed in their studies that they didn't notice it was nearing dinnertime.

"Er Lang, Er Lang! Huh, where did this peach tree come from?"

Suddenly, Lin Yun's voice called out from outside, snapping the two of them out of their deep concentration.

They then heard a loud thud, as if something heavy had fallen to the ground.

At the same time, the system's notification sounded in Lin Xiao's mind.

[Ding—Congratulations, Host, on reaching the first level of Qi Refinement.]

Lin Xiao's thoughts raced. The person outside seemed to be his brother—he had forgotten to set his family's permissions to enter the sect base! And was it possible that understanding the technique could accelerate his cultivation?

Outside the grass hut, Lin Yun was sitting on the ground, clutching his head in confusion.

Suddenly, his expression changed, and he called out anxiously, "Er Lang! Er Lang! Are you in there? Er Lang—"

The curtain of the grass hut was suddenly lifted, and Lin Xiao stepped out.

Seeing Lin Yun's reddened forehead, Lin Xiao sheepishly rubbed his nose, "Brother, are you okay?"

Lin Yun, relieved to see his younger brother safe and sound, hurried over to check him over. After confirming that Lin Xiao was unharmed, he asked in confusion, "What's going on here? There was nothing there, but I ran into something hard."

Jiang Youfu glanced at Lin Xiao and, seeing that he didn't intend to explain, wisely kept his mouth shut.

Lin Xiao couldn't think of a good explanation right away, so he slung his arm around his older brother's shoulders—though it was more like half-hanging, since he was much shorter than Lin Yun.

"Brother, why did you come to find me?"

Lin Yun, led down the mountain path by his younger brother, replied, "It's dinnertime, and you still haven't come home. Dad sent me to fetch you."

"Oh, right, I lost track of time. Brother, what's for dinner today?"

"What else? Pickled vegetables and buns. I caught a fish in the river this afternoon and made a soup with wild herbs."

"Wow, you caught a fish! Let's go catch some shrimp together tomorrow…"

Watching Lin Xiao expertly distract Lin Yun, Jiang Youfu picked up the tools left outside the grass hut, slinging the axe and shovel over his shoulder, and followed the Lin brothers down the mountain.

When they reached the village, Lin Xiao took the tools from Jiang Youfu. They said their goodbyes and went their separate ways.

At the Lin family's courtyard, the dinner table was already set.

On the table were a small bowl of pickled vegetables, a large bowl of fish soup, and a small basket of buns—only seven in total.

Lin Dayou had clearly been waiting for a while.

Seeing Lin Yun leading Lin Xiao home, he picked up his bowl.

"You're never home and always off playing. Hurry up and wash your hands; I'm not waiting for you."

Lin Xiao lowered his head and almost laughed out loud.

His father was so cute—always insisting that he wouldn't wait but never starting dinner without him.

Lin Yun scooped a ladle of water from the cistern and washed his hands alongside Lin Xiao, and then they both sat down to eat.

As they ate, Lin Dayou gave Lin Yun a few instructions about the work he needed to do tomorrow but ignored Lin Xiao, focusing on his meal.

Lin Yun, holding a bun, seemed to suddenly remember the strange incident at the grass hut. He glanced at Lin Xiao, then at Lin Dayou, but didn't voice his questions.

Lin Xiao also mulled over the situation in his mind.

After thinking for a while, he couldn't come up with a good excuse.

And since they were his own family—his real father and brother—he didn't feel the need to hide it from them.

So, with a decisive clatter of his bowl and chopsticks, he announced, "Actually, I have a sect now. A cultivation sect, and I'm the sect leader."

Lin Dayou, chewing on pickled vegetables and buns, looked at his suddenly eccentric son, "Cultivation? A sect? What nonsense is this?"

Lin Yun wore the same bewildered expression as Lin Dayou: I was just going to ask if you were possessed, and now you're telling me things I don't understand?

Lin Xiao glanced between the two of them, then picked up his bowl, poured himself some fish soup, and brought it to his lips, blowing on it before taking a slow sip.

Mmm, delicious!

Lin Dayou couldn't hold back any longer, "If you stall any longer, I'll give you a beating!"

So, Lin Xiao repeated the same story he had told Jiang Youfu—about the old immortal, the dream-bestowed opportunity, cultivation, establishing a sect, and pursuing immortality…

After finishing his tale, and ignoring the stunned expressions of father and son, Lin Xiao rewarded himself with another sip of fish soup.

Then he turned to Lin Yun and said, "Brother, earlier when you bumped into that invisible barrier, that was actually the defense formation around my sect base. You can think of it as an invisible but very strong shield that surrounds the area around my grass hut. Without my permission, no one can enter."