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

Although Lin Xiao was not entirely sure if cultivation in this world could extend one's lifespan or by how much, he was convinced that it certainly could.

After all, the system described the process as "Qi Refining." Since the cultivation system's levels matched what he was familiar with, the ability to increase longevity should be retained as well. Otherwise, how could anyone achieve enlightenment within a normal human lifespan?

Hearing Lin Xiao's words, everyone at the table, including the usually quiet Lin Yan and Lin Ying, had their own thoughts.

Lin Da's wife immediately spoke up, "Sanlang, look at your big cousin…"

Lin Lei, the eldest grandson of the Lin family and Lin Yun's peer, involuntarily squeezed the half-eaten steamed bun in his hand, reshaping it, and interrupted his mother, "Mom, I don't want to cultivate. I want to stay at home and work."

Lin Da's wife became anxious, "What's the point of just working at home? Look at Sanlang—after just a few days of cultivation, he learned magic and earned three taels of silver after a single trip to town!"

Seeing this, Lin Xiao quickly intervened to stop the argument, "Hold on, hold on! Auntie, Cousin, look, you both mean well for each other, right? So there's no need to turn these good intentions into a heavy-hearted argument. If you have thoughts or concerns, just talk it out clearly. Don't let anger turn something good into something bad, okay?"

Lin Da's wife and Lin Lei, who were both ready for a heated debate, blushed and reined in their rising tempers after hearing Lin Xiao's words.

Grandpa Lin nodded in approval, "Sanlang is right. You two should discuss this in private and come to an agreement. No need to argue in front of everyone."

Lin Xiao added, "Once you've made up your minds, whoever wants to join me in cultivation is welcome. Don't worry about anything." Then he turned to Grandpa Lin and Grandma Lin, "This includes you two, Grandpa and Grandma. If you want to join, you're always welcome! Don't feel embarrassed."

Hearing this, the Lin family members with cultivation in mind began to think things over.

After dinner, everyone went off to have their discussions, though the results remained to be seen.

Lin Da You and Lin Yun headed back home together. Along the way, Lin Xiao kept asking Lin Da You, "Dad, are you really not going to cultivate with us? Think about extending your lifespan! Don't make me and Big Brother sad! If you don't cultivate with us, it could become our inner demon in the future. That could seriously hinder our progress…"

"Pah, pah, pah!" Lin Da You raised his hand and smacked the back of Lin Xiao's head. "What kind of nonsense are you talking about, cursing your own father like that?"

Lin Xiao clutched his throbbing head, looking aggrieved. "But it's true, Dad… I'm not making this up…"

Lin Da You turned his head away and decisively refused, "I don't want to hear it! You, quiet!"

Lin Xiao sighed. Such a stubborn man. Though his father was only thirty-two years old.

Once they returned home, Lin Xiao immediately asked for the money he had earned that day.

Lin Da You, not impressed by his son's greedy expression, handed over the money pouch with disdain.

Lin Xiao happily took the pouch filled with copper coins, went into his room, grabbed some straw rope, and began stringing the coins—one hundred coins per string. He ended up with seven strings.

He kept one string in his private storage. This was his salary for the month!

Yes, Lin Xiao was distributing wages.

He decided that from now on, each member of the sect would receive a monthly wage of one hundred copper coins, excluding Little Luan, since it didn't need money.

He planned to use a portion of the remaining money to buy food from the wealthier families in the village and store it on the mountain. That way, the sect members wouldn't have to bring their own food every day when they came to cultivate. After all, it wouldn't feel like a real sect if everyone had to bring their own provisions.

Even though the sect wasn't ready for everyone to live on the mountain yet, at least they could start providing meals. It was a step forward!

Lin Xiao was optimistic about the sect's future.

As night fell, scattered lights flickered across Xiushui Village. People who had been busy all day began returning home.

At this hour, Lin Xiao was probably the only one heading out.

With his pouch full of coins, Lin Xiao set out to distribute wages to his sect members. Although they didn't know they were getting paid, who wouldn't love receiving wages?

Putting himself in their shoes, Lin Xiao imagined that if it were him, getting paid even a second earlier would bring him joy a second sooner!

So he decided to distribute the coins tonight rather than waiting until tomorrow. Freshly earned money wasn't as exciting if left overnight.

After stringing the coins, he immediately headed out into the night to deliver wages to everyone.

Lin Xiao's first stop was, of course, his brother Lin Yun's room.

Sneaking like a thief, Lin Xiao quietly slipped into Lin Yun's room, gently pushing the door open.

In their house, they usually didn't latch the doors until bedtime, so it was easy to slip in.

Lin Yun, seeing Lin Xiao sneak in so suspiciously, asked, "Erlang, what are you up to?" At home, Lin Yun called him Erlang, but at the ancestral home, he used the ranking and called him Sanlang.

Lin Xiao approached Lin Yun, who was making his bed, grabbed his hand, and pulled out a string of coins from his pouch, placing it in Lin Yun's palm. "Big Brother, this is your sect salary for the month!"

Seeing the large string of coins, Lin Yun was startled and tried to give them back. "This! Erlang, take this back. Didn't you say today's earnings were for the sect's construction?"

Lin Xiao dodged and replied, "Yes! And paying the sect members is part of building the sect! Big Brother, keep it. Everyone's getting paid. There's no way I'd leave out my own brother. Just keep it. I'm off now!"

Before Lin Yun could protest further, Lin Xiao dashed out of the room and left the house.

Lin Yun wanted to return the money, but with Lin Xiao's superior cultivation, he couldn't catch up!

So Lin Yun had no choice but to return to his cultivation. He was determined to catch up to his younger brother so that next time he wouldn't be left in the dust!

Lin Xiao's next stop on his wage-distributing journey was at Tie Tou's house, located in the middle of the village.

Unfortunately, only he and Lin Yun lived on the east side of the village. Most of the Hu clan, the largest surname in Xiushui Village, lived in the middle.

Tie Tou, or Hu Liang, was a close relative of the Hu clan leader, Hu Deli. By generation, Tie Tou had to call him Granduncle.