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

Not far away, a small tent was set up, with a fire still burning outside. The person who had previously warned Lin Xiao was sitting inside, meditating, completely unaware that Lin Xiao had suddenly appeared nearby.

Lin Xiao thought for a moment and decided not to disturb the man. He quietly picked up the formation plate from the ground and left the area.

Using his Cloud Step technique, he quickly circled the massive snow mountain, occasionally checking the spirit stones in the formation plate. There were still 1,052 left, which meant that teleporting out had consumed 226 stones.

As he recognized the familiar scenery along the way, confirming that this was indeed the place he had entered before the ice cave, Lin Xiao hesitated for a moment, then turned away from the area.

Seeing him turn to leave, Liao Pantu seemed a bit surprised and spoke up, "I thought you might go back."

After checking the remaining spirit stones in the formation plate, Lin Xiao smiled and said, "After so many years, with so many people searching for a way out, only to meet their end, I don't think staying inside will make any difference. I believe that if there's a way to get the people inside out, it's probably not in that ice cave. So, I'm planning to search outside, hoping to find something."

Liao Pantu agreed, "That's a good idea. But what if you still can't find a way to get them out?"

Lin Xiao was silent for a moment before firmly replying, "Then I'll have them each contribute spirit stones, and I'll use the Qiankun Shift Array to send them out one by one."

Liao Pantu seemed unsurprised by his response and added, "But if you do that, you won't be able to hide the fact that you possess an Earth-grade teleportation array. A ten-year-old Foundation Establishment cultivator holding such a rare item... Do you think you'll still have peace in the Southern Spirit Region? If word gets out, it's not just Golden Core cultivators you'll have to worry about; even many Nascent Soul cultivators will come after you."

Lin Xiao nodded decisively, "I believe it! So, to prevent that from happening, you'd better pray that I find a way to get the people out of the ice cave."

"...I'm a person, not a ghost! What do you mean, pray?" Liao Pantu sighed, knowing Lin Xiao was determined to save those people. "Go ahead and search. If you can't find anything, I'll help you come up with a plan."

Though Liao Pantu instinctively disagreed with Lin Xiao's choice, he couldn't help but feel a bit envious. After cultivating for so many years, he had killed many people but had rarely saved anyone. Upon reflection, he realized that he had only helped a few people in the early days of his cultivation.

For cultivators like him, saving lives often required more courage than taking them. Killing was usually for self-preservation, revenge, or eliminating future threats—essentially for personal reasons. There was nothing inherently wrong with that.

But after spending time with Lin Xiao, Liao Pantu realized that when it came to courage, he was far behind. Despite gradually understanding the world's harsh realities, Lin Xiao still chose to save people. Even when there was little reward, he was willing to help.

After some hesitation, Liao Pantu asked, "Why are you so determined to save these people? They have nothing to do with you."

Surprised by the question, Lin Xiao responded as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "Because I can. If I can save them, why shouldn't I?

Sure, if there were only a few truly evil people inside, I might pretend not to see them. But there are also people like Daoist Hu, who are out here with good intentions, and others with their own stories, like the person who wrote that final letter to his son. There are so many lives in there... If I can't find a way, so be it. But if I can, of course, I'll save them. As long as I take precautions to protect myself from being discovered, everything should be fine. And if I'm found out, I'll deal with it. I can't ignore my conscience and let so many people die just because of some unpredictable future risks."

With a grin, Lin Xiao added confidently, "Besides, I trust myself! I'm so skilled—I founded a sect and reached mid-Foundation Establishment in just two months. Why should I be afraid? If anyone comes after me, I'll fight back! And if they're stronger, I'll just improve my cultivation. It's just cultivation, after all! Hahaha!"

Liao Pantu was initially moved by Lin Xiao's words but quickly lost that feeling upon hearing his last remark. Coldly, he replied, "Weren't you the one who nearly got poisoned to death by the Silver Frost Python?"

Lin Xiao laughed cheekily, "But now I have you to watch my back, don't I? With your guidance, I'll be just fine!"

Hearing this, Liao Pantu snorted. Back then, he hadn't fully recognized Lin Xiao or the Lingxian Sect, so he hadn't put in much effort. But after spending more time with Lin Xiao, he had grown to appreciate him more.

As they chatted, they moved further away from the snow mountain. The map showed three unexplored gray areas in total. Lin Xiao visited each one, not only to see if anyone had been transported there or if there were any clues to an exit but also to check for more of the rare Cold Congealing Jade.

Unfortunately, the other two gray areas were similar to the ice cave—inhabited but lacking any obvious escape routes. With no clues, Lin Xiao focused on extracting the Cold Congealing Jade but left the ordinary ones for later. Saving people was his priority.

Over the next two days, Lin Xiao searched the secret realm for clues. After reviewing the map and receiving some advice from Liao Pantu on the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, he identified a few suspicious locations.

During this time, most of the resources in the Icefield Secret Realm had been thoroughly looted. Wherever Lin Xiao went, he often encountered cultivators fighting over the remaining treasures.

It was also at this time that the beasts of the Icefield Secret Realm began to appear.