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

"Yes."

Watching Qin Jianghe vent his frustration by swinging his large sword in the courtyard, Fang Manliang couldn't help but feel admiration. In such a short time since they had arrived, his cousin had managed to establish a firm foothold in this county. Fang Manliang had observed every negotiation and interaction Qin Jianghe handled with various parties, and he respected him deeply for it. Not to mention his cousin's formidable combat skills—something Fang Manliang envied, hoping that one day he, too, could improve his cultivation to reach the same level.

When they first arrived in Songming County, Qin Jianghe had told Fang Manliang and his brother, Fang Mancang, about the Lingxiao Sect. However, both of them had progressed very slowly in their cultivation. Just a few days ago, they had finally reached the first level of Qi Refining.

At that moment, someone suddenly ran in from outside.

"Boss! I want to go with you!" The newcomer was none other than Gu Yuxiao. Still dressed in her usual male attire, she quickly walked into the courtyard and addressed Qin Jianghe, who had paused his sword practice.

"Brother Dali said that those people are very similar to the ones who killed my father!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Jianghe remained silent for a moment, staring at her before he finally spoke, "Are you sure? If you come along and something happens, I might not be able to protect you."

Gu Yuxiao, worried that he might refuse, nodded repeatedly. "I'll be careful! I won't drag you down. Please let me come along, boss!"

Qin Jianghe hesitated for a brief moment before giving her a slight nod of acknowledgment. "Alright, prepare yourself over the next two days. We leave early the day after tomorrow."

Overjoyed at his approval, Gu Yuxiao quickly returned to her room to make further preparations. She was determined to destroy those bandits and avenge her father.

After she left, Fang Manliang expressed his concerns to Qin Jianghe. "Jianghe, is it really a good idea to bring Gu Yuxiao along? It could be too dangerous."

Qin Jianghe turned to him with a calm gaze and spoke softly, "Quietly prepare some provisions for me. I'm leaving tonight."

Realizing that Qin Jianghe had merely been deceiving Gu Yuxiao, Fang Manliang nodded and whispered back, "Don't worry. She won't find out."

That night, as the moon climbed higher into the sky, Qin Jianghe, dressed in black, silently left the Lingxiao Escort Agency. No one noticed his departure.

The next morning, as Gu Yuxiao came down for breakfast, she realized that Qin Jianghe, who usually ate with her, was nowhere to be found. Confused, she asked Fang Manliang, "Brother Manliang, where's the boss?"

Fang Manliang, who had rehearsed his response all night, smoothly replied, "Jianghe went out early this morning with my brother to visit the families of our fallen brothers."

In reality, only Fang Mancang had gone out, having been dragged from bed at dawn by Fang Manliang.

Gu Yuxiao, seeing that Fang Mancang was indeed absent, didn't suspect anything.

It wasn't until the afternoon when she saw Fang Mancang return alone after visiting the families that Gu Yuxiao realized the truth. She immediately confronted Fang Manliang, "The boss went alone, didn't he?"

Fang Manliang continued to deny it, saying, "No, he went out with my brother this morning."

Knowing he wouldn't tell her the truth, Gu Yuxiao stormed back to her room, grabbed her prepared gear, and was about to rush out to chase after Qin Jianghe.

The Fang brothers quickly blocked her path. "Miss Gu, don't be rash! It's too dangerous to go alone! Besides, with Jianghe's speed, even if you set out now, you won't catch up. You'd be better off staying here and waiting for his return."

"I have to go! I need to see them die!" Gu Yuxiao, trained in martial arts by her father, was incredibly agile. The Fang brothers were struggling to hold her back, and it seemed she would soon break free.

Just then, a guard from the front of the Lingxiao Escort Agency came running to the courtyard, shouting, "Boss, two men are here looking for you. One of them says his name is Lin Xiao."

Upon hearing this, Fang Mancang quickly replied, "Thank you, brother. Please invite them in!"

Though they hadn't met Lin Xiao before, the Fang brothers had heard Qin Jianghe mention him many times. They knew about the Lingxiao Sect, so the name Lin Xiao was well-known to them.

Hearing Lin Xiao's name, Gu Yuxiao also stopped in her tracks.

Relieved that she had halted her actions, the Fang brothers sighed in relief. They silently thanked the heavens for Lin Xiao's timely arrival.

The three of them followed the guard to the main hall of the agency.

Lin Xiao and Jiang Youfu, who had arrived earlier that morning, were curiously examining the escort agency Qin Jianghe had established.

Although they had seen an escort agency in Anqun County, they had only passed by. At the time, they didn't dare to enter and explore since the place was bustling with people and the guards looked intimidating.

But now, things were different.

This escort agency belonged to their brother, and in a way, it was part of their sect's enterprise—the Lingxiao Sect's escort agency.

Seeing the place gave them a strange sense of familiarity and pride. Even the muscular guards in the hall seemed friendly and approachable.

When the Fang brothers arrived, they saw a tall, straight-backed youth and a shorter, plumper young man, both of whom were looking around the agency with great interest.

The guards were beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable under their scrutiny.

Fortunately, being well-traveled men who had seen their share of oddities, the guards remained stoic, unaffected by Lin Xiao and Jiang Youfu's curious gazes.

Lin Xiao couldn't help but admire them. Qin Jianghe had certainly chosen reliable subordinates—these guards seemed honest and composed, with good temperaments.

Seeing that their men were struggling to maintain their composure, the Fang brothers quickly invited Lin Xiao and Jiang Youfu to the courtyard.

Before they could even introduce themselves, Gu Yuxiao, who had been waiting in the courtyard, rushed forward and exclaimed, "Sect Master Lin, Boss Qin went alone to deal with those bandits! Some of them might be cultivators!"

Hearing this, Lin Xiao paused momentarily before turning to her. "Is that true?"

Gu Yuxiao nodded urgently, but before she could continue, Fang Manliang interrupted with a puzzled expression. "Miss Gu, why are you saying this now? Jianghe never mentioned anything like that."

Annoyed by the interruption, Gu Yuxiao frowned and explained, "When my father was young, he was cared for by an old beggar who, before dying, gave him a treasure. The beggar claimed the treasure could protect him from any mortal attack, ensuring he'd only suffer minor injuries at most."