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

At that moment, the crowd watched as Yuan Zhiyun gracefully dismounted from the white peacock in the center of Qixing Street Square and walked toward the gathered people. Dressed in an exquisite goose-yellow dress, her every movement was captivating. Despite being alone in a crowd of cultivators, she appeared as serene as a gentle breeze, unaccompanied by any attendants.

"Today, I, Yuan Zhiyun, have made a wager with my clan brother, Yuan Shangpu. I seek to form a five-person team to venture into the Icefield Secret Realm, which will open in five days, with the goal of capturing the Ice Spirit Essence. Of course, if successful, I will generously reward my companions."

Her words caused an uproar.

The surrounding cultivators were incredulous.

What did she just say?

That was the Ice Spirit Essence! For the past hundred years, no one had ever successfully captured one from the Icefield Secret Realm. Yet here was Yuan Zhiyun, boldly announcing such an outrageous mission.

Many people shook their heads, whispering among themselves.

"Are you going to join?"

"Not me. I've heard that the Ice Spirit Essence is elusive within the secret realm. You'd be lucky to even catch a glimpse of it, let alone capture it! If I waste my time on this, I'd rather gather Icegrass; I'd get much more out of it."

"Exactly! The Icefield Secret Realm is only open for fifteen days. I'd rather spend that time catching Silver-Tailed Fish—each one fetches fifty spirit stones!"

"But aren't you tempted by Yuan Zhiyun's generous reward?"

"Generous reward? Didn't you hear her say 'if successful'? That means if we fail, there's no reward at all!"

...

The crowd buzzed with discussion, but no one stepped forward to join Yuan Zhiyun's team.

Yuan Zhiyun remained calm and unhurried. She stood with her hands behind her back, casually surveying the lively crowd. The white peacock beside her stood tall, head held high, eyes half-closed as if dozing.

Having gathered enough information for now and seeing nothing new, Lin Xiao decided to leave the area, blending into the flow of people as he exited Qixing Street.

No one paid attention to the twelve-year-old boy with no cultivation aura.

After leaving Qixing Street, Lin Xiao headed straight for the Jiang Family Beast Shop.

Spirit pigs, spirit pigs—roast suckling pig, roast suckling pig!

Following Liao Pantu's directions, Lin Xiao quickly arrived at the shop and spotted the stall selling spirit pigs among the various spirit birds and beasts. Several people were already purchasing spirit pigs, so he hurried over.

"Good day, customer! Our shop sells spirit pigs at two hundred fifty spirit stones each, no haggling. Would you like to purchase one?" A shop assistant greeted him.

Glancing at a customer nearby who had just paid for a spirit pig, Lin Xiao watched as another assistant carried out a plump, white piglet. The customer expertly slung the piglet over their shoulder and walked away.

Lin Xiao turned to the assistant and said, "I'll pay an extra five spirit stones. Could your shop deliver one to Xianxiang Restaurant for me?"

It seemed that such requests were common, as the assistant nodded without hesitation. "Certainly, sir. That will be two hundred fifty-five spirit stones in total."

Lin Xiao reluctantly handed over the spirit stones, but the thought of the delicious roast suckling pig that Liao Pantu had described, and how long it had been since he'd last had such a treat, made him swallow his disappointment. He quickly forgot about the cost and eagerly anticipated the upcoming meal.

After leaving the Jiang Family Beast Shop, Lin Xiao hurried to Xianxiang Restaurant.

Due to the Wu Family hosting a banquet there to recruit talent, the restaurant was bustling with activity.

Xianxiang Restaurant was an elegantly designed establishment with six floors. Today, the Wu Family had reserved the top two floors, and several attendants were stationed on the first floor to receive visiting cultivators.

The attendants barely glanced at Lin Xiao as he approached, given his lack of spiritual aura.

Lin Xiao bypassed them and entered the restaurant.

As soon as he stepped into the main hall, a waiter at the first level of Qi Refinement greeted him. Following Liao Pantu's earlier instructions, Lin Xiao calmly informed the waiter about the spirit pig he had ordered, which would be delivered shortly, and asked to be seated in a private room.

The waiter quickly led him upstairs. "This way, sir."

Lin Xiao nodded slightly and followed, casually glancing around the bustling main hall. He then asked, "Where is Master Luo?"

The waiter hesitated briefly before replying, "Master Luo passed away two years ago. Our head chef now is his senior disciple, Master Qian, who has perfectly inherited Master Luo's skills. Even when Master Luo was alive, he used to say that Master Qian had surpassed him. Please rest assured, sir—Xianxiang Restaurant's cuisine remains top-notch!"

As he spoke, the waiter continued to lead the way, giving Lin Xiao a thumbs-up with a smile.

Lin Xiao responded with a light "Oh" and fell silent.

Upon reaching the private room on the second floor, the waiter poured tea for Lin Xiao and asked, "Besides the roast suckling pig, would you like to order any side dishes or drinks? Our Xianxiang Restaurant's famous Pinwei Spirit Wine is renowned throughout the Southern Spirit Region. We also have a variety of side dishes."

The waiter pulled a menu from his storage pouch and handed it to Lin Xiao.

"For example, our signature side dish, the Eight-Flavored Silver-Tailed Fish, is a rare delicacy. The Silver-Tailed Fish is only available during the fifteen days that the Icefield Secret Realm is open each year. It's a treat not to be missed. We have only a limited supply left, so it will sell out in the next few days—until the secret realm opens again in five days."

Recalling that he had heard about the Silver-Tailed Fish earlier, Lin Xiao was intrigued and ordered the dish.

Although he initially didn't plan on ordering the highly recommended Pinwei Spirit Wine, Liao Pantu's voice echoed from the Soul Nourishing Pendant, urging him to try a serving. So, Lin Xiao requested a cup of the spirit wine as well.

The total cost for the wine, side dish, and roasting fee for the suckling pig came to fifty-five spirit stones. While Lin Xiao's heart ached at the expense, he calmly handed over the stones without showing any distress.

The waiter eagerly accepted the payment, smiling as he said, "Very well, sir! Your food and drink will be served shortly!"

After the waiter left, Lin Xiao sent a message to Liao Pantu: "I'm only twelve—why am I drinking wine?"

Instead of answering, Liao Pantu instructed him to take out the isolation formation he had inscribed back in the sect and set it up.

Lin Xiao followed the instructions, taking out the formation and setting it in place.