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

Late at night.

Qin Jianghe sat alone in his room, going over the accounts. He had to log the recent transactions, including the money and provisions they had seized from the bandits' lair, a portion of which was allocated as income for the sect.

Lin Xiao and Jiang Youfu stayed the night at the escort agency instead of heading back.

A soft knock came from outside the door.

Without looking up, Qin Jianghe said, "Come in."

Gu Yuxiao entered, carrying a bowl of chicken soup. "Boss, it's late. You should stop working on this and drink some soup. Get some rest."

"Mhm," Qin Jianghe replied, but he didn't stop writing.

Seeing this, Gu Yuxiao placed the soup on the table and sat down, watching the young man who was slightly over a year younger than her. She remarked, "Boss, you've changed a lot since I first met you."

After a moment of thought, she added, "But when I see you with the Sect Master, it feels like you haven't changed at all."

Hearing this, Qin Jianghe finally paused and looked up at her. "Is that a problem?"

Before she could answer, he handed her the ledger. "Since you're not busy and you know how to read, come over here and learn how to keep accounts."

"Ah?" Gu Yuxiao was taken aback.

"Ah, what? Hurry up. You've avenged your father, so now it's time to learn something useful instead of wandering around aimlessly all day."

With that, Qin Jianghe picked up the bowl of chicken soup and gulped it down in one go.

The soup was part of the large pot Jiang Youfu had made that evening. Since everyone had eaten too much to finish it, Jiang Youfu planned to use the leftovers to cook noodles the next day. Gu Yuxiao had taken a small bowl to reheat and bring to Qin Jianghe.

Qin Jianghe was eager to return to the sect. Not just for the rich spiritual energy, but for Jiang Youfu's cooking. He wanted to train someone to take over his responsibilities here so he could return to the sect without any worries.

Gu Yuxiao, feeling uneasy under Qin Jianghe's gaze, wondered if he had become psychologically unhinged after killing so many people today. Quickly, she grabbed the ledger. "I'll learn, I'll learn right now!"

The next morning, Lin Xiao left Jiang Youfu at the escort agency to spend time with Qin Jianghe and the others, while he headed to Liaoju Prefecture, carrying the majority of the money and provisions they had seized from the bandits' lair.

On the way back the previous day, they had discussed what to do with the spoils. Since the bandits' loot had been stolen from the common people, and in just over two months, the bandits had amassed a considerable fortune, they decided to return most of it to the people.

Though they couldn't trace every victim to return the exact amount, Lin Xiao knew someone who could help: Tong Shuzheng, the governor of Liaoju Prefecture. Although Lin Xiao had never met him directly, his indirect interactions with the man gave him a good impression, and he believed Tong Shuzheng was a good official who genuinely cared for the people.

Thus, by midday, Tong Shuzheng, who had just finished grading the provincial exam papers with the academic overseer and other officials, was massaging his sore neck as he exited the examination hall and climbed into his carriage to return home.

Just then, his advisor, Xue Chengfeng, climbed into the carriage behind him and whispered in his ear, "My lord, the immortal has come."

"Who?" Tong Shuzheng, feeling mentally foggy, didn't catch what he said.

Xue Chengfeng repeated, "The immortal has come, my lord!"

"What?!" Tong Shuzheng's eyes widened in surprise, and he immediately grabbed his advisor's arm, asking anxiously, "The immortal is here? Where? Take me to him!"

Xue Chengfeng quickly calmed him down. "My lord, don't worry. The immortal didn't show himself. He quietly delivered some items and left a letter."

With that, he pulled out the letter Lin Xiao had left from his sleeve.

Tong Shuzheng hastily took the letter and unfolded it.

He noticed that the writing on the paper was a bit unusual, not like the typical ink strokes. But he didn't dwell on it and quickly read through the contents. After a moment of contemplation, he turned to Xue Chengfeng and asked, "Did the immortal send a lot of items?"

Xue Chengfeng nodded and pulled out a small, simple-looking pouch from his sleeve. "My lord, open it and see for yourself."

Puzzled, Tong Shuzheng took the pouch and opened it.

His eyes widened even more.

This was no ordinary pouch—it was a mystical item! Despite its small size, it contained a vast amount of money, grain, and other goods inside!

Recalling what the immortal had written in the letter, Tong Shuzheng immediately instructed Xue Chengfeng, "Once we return, organize a list of those who were harmed along the road from Songyang County to Quhuai Prefecture. We'll use part of the contents of this pouch to compensate them."

"As for the remainder, add it to the funds allocated for the relief of those severely affected by the recent floods. Make sure the accounts are airtight, so no corrupt officials catch wind of it."

"Understood," Xue Chengfeng promptly agreed.

Having given the necessary orders, Tong Shuzheng relaxed back into the carriage, lazily leaning against the wall. He picked up the letter again, intending to read it more carefully.

But then, he noticed something strange: the writing on the paper was disappearing!

The characters on the letter seemed to lift off the page, floating into the air before gradually becoming transparent and fading away.

Before long, the entire letter turned into a blank sheet of paper, save for the creases.

Even though he knew the person they were dealing with was an immortal, and that such feats were normal for them, both Tong Shuzheng and Xue Chengfeng were still amazed by what they had just witnessed.

Tong Shuzheng lifted the curtain and urged the coachman, "Hurry back to the residence!"

He needed to complete the task the immortal had entrusted to him as soon as possible!

Since there were still many matters to attend to at the sect, and if Jiang Youfu stayed any longer, the cook they had hired at Lingxiao Escort Agency would soon be out of work, Lin Xiao decided to leave Songyang County after just two days and return to Shuishui Village.

Before they left, Qin Jianghe prepared some items for Lin Xiao and Jiang Youfu to bring back to his parents.

After returning to the sect, Lin Xiao immersed himself in cultivation.