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

Seeing this, Liao Pantu quickly floated out of Lin Xiao's chest and sat down next to him, grabbing a cup of tea from the table and gulping it down.

"Tsk, Xianxiang Restaurant's complimentary spirit tea is still just tea scraps."

Noticing Lin Xiao staring at him intently, Liao Pantu cleared his throat and explained, "A young lad like you coming to Yuanling City's most expensive restaurant and spending so lavishly would definitely attract attention. If you hadn't ordered that cup of wine, people might have thought you were just a typical twelve-year-old, and they'd trouble you after you left."

While Lin Xiao found some truth in his words, he suspected that wasn't the main reason. "I bet you just wanted to drink, right?"

Caught, Liao Pantu huffed, "So what if I did? I've been trapped for decades—I could practically taste the boredom!"

Looking at the translucent figure of his senior, Lin Xiao suddenly thought, "Senior, can your spirit body actually eat and drink? Can you really taste anything?"

Liao Pantu gave him a look that said, "Are you underestimating me?" as he stroked his beard. "Of course! I practice the Soul Refining Art, so my soul body can do much more than ordinary souls."

Meanwhile, the waiter who had collected the spirit stones from Lin Xiao whispered to the restaurant manager, "Manager, did you see that? The customer I just served looks so young, yet he knew Master Luo, who passed away more than two years ago."

The manager, busy collecting the spirit stones, gave him a sharp look and hushed him, saying, "Be careful what you say! It's not unusual. You're new here, so you don't know. Many senior experts like to disguise themselves. And let me tell you..." He glanced around to ensure no one was listening before continuing in a low voice, "I've heard that the older they are, the more they like to disguise themselves as youngsters..."

"Why is that?" The waiter, still stuck at the first level of Qi Refinement, was confused. If he could live that long and gain such high cultivation, he would be thrilled to show off how old and powerful he was. Why would those experts want others to think they were young and easily bullied?

The manager, who had just managed to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, understood. Patting the waiter's shoulder, he said, "You'll understand one day. That's why I brought you here to work the floor, so you'd stop burying your head in cultivation at home without understanding how to navigate the world."

The delivery service from the Jiang Family Beast Shop was indeed prompt. Not long after Lin Xiao and Liao Pantu arrived at Xianxiang Restaurant, the spirit pig was delivered.

The restaurant's kitchen was also very efficient. Just as Lin Xiao and Liao Pantu were getting comfortable in their private room, they heard a knock on the door, signaling that the food was ready.

Liao Pantu immediately retreated back into the Soul Nourishing Pendant, which then rested on the chair.

Lin Xiao deactivated the isolation formation temporarily and called out, "Come in."

The waiter entered, carrying a large platter with a beautifully roasted suckling pig, its skin a perfect reddish-brown, and another plate with the Eight-Flavored Silver-Tailed Fish. He placed the dishes on the table, then took out a cup of wine from his storage pouch and set it down as well, before quietly excusing himself and closing the door behind him. He hadn't dared to glance around the room, his demeanor entirely different from when he had escorted Lin Xiao upstairs.

But Lin Xiao didn't care about those details anymore. After reactivating the isolation formation to block out any external disturbances, his focus was entirely on the succulent roast suckling pig on the table.

Liao Pantu quickly emerged from the pendant, reappearing in the chair, and grabbed a pair of chopsticks, aiming straight for the pig's belly!

Seeing this, Lin Xiao swiftly grabbed his own chopsticks, snatching the most tender piece of loin meat just before Liao Pantu could get to it.

Smirking at Liao Pantu, Lin Xiao popped the meat into his mouth, savoring every bite.

Although Liao Pantu's current soul fragment was only at the Qi Refinement stage, he still couldn't outpace Lin Xiao. Frustrated, he directed his chopsticks elsewhere on the pig, tearing off a large chunk of meat to feast on.

Once he was fully restored and had taken care of his old enemy, he planned to come back here and eat alone. He'd order ten roast suckling pigs just for himself—after all, he had plenty of spirit stones!

Though Lin Xiao had eaten roast suckling pig many times in his previous life, savoring it again after so many years made it feel like the most delicious thing he had ever tasted.

The roast pig, prepared with a spirit beast from the cultivation world, and cooked by a skilled chef, was so delicious that Lin Xiao hesitated to even swallow it.

The tender meat melted in his mouth, and the sweet honey glaze slowly oozed out, its rich, savory flavor dancing on his tongue. The dish was so exquisite that both Lin Xiao and Liao Pantu found themselves closing their eyes to fully enjoy each bite.

Only after the meat had fully disintegrated on their tongues, releasing its juices, did they open their eyes and reach for the next piece of roast pork.

The Eight-Flavored Silver-Tailed Fish and the prized spirit wine were temporarily forgotten.

As the two indulged in their meal, a commotion suddenly erupted from the main hall on the first floor.

Lin Xiao, after slicing the remaining roast pig in half with a small knife, pulled one half closer to himself and declared, "This half is mine, Senior. Don't touch it!"

With that, he dashed over to the window of their private room and opened it to take a look at the lively scene below.

One side of the room's window faced inward, and this was the one Lin Xiao opened. He stuck his head out to observe the source of the commotion.

In the middle of the hall stood a lean, plainly dressed middle-aged cultivator, glaring furiously at a well-dressed, slightly smug-looking, portly middle-aged man standing opposite him.

The thin cultivator, who seemed to be at the early Foundation Establishment stage, glared at the fat man with hatred, his voice brimming with anger as he shouted, "Back then, your Wu family personally promised me that if I crafted talismans for you for ten years, you'd give me a spot in the Tianxuan Sect. Now, you're going back on your word! This is infuriating!"