Gathering

Hearing this, the others, who had originally planned to work day and night to haul back the hundred baskets of soil they needed as quickly as possible, lowered their heads, rubbed their noses, and chuckled sheepishly.

Seeing them like that, Lin Xiao knew they really had been planning to rely on brute force.

Then he added:

"And we can't just get the soil from anywhere. It has to be the red clay from upstream of Mountain Stream."

After a few more instructions, he led everyone back to the thatched shelter and began teaching them one by one, guiding them by hand as they learned to recognize characters and read the cultivation manual.

There was no chance of digging or hauling clay today.

The sun would set before long.

Besides, nothing was more important than having everyone cultivate.

Once their cultivation improved, everything they did would be easier.

Before heading down the mountain, Lin Xiao gathered everyone and said:

"Tell your families whatever you can about our sect, but it's best to make the consequences of letting it slip sound more serious, so they won't go telling outsiders so easily."

The others nodded repeatedly.

Lin Xiao knew the family members of these brothers of his were all people who generally stayed out of disputes and didn't like joining in the commotion or wagging their tongues.

So he wasn't too worried.

After reminding everyone to cultivate diligently whenever they had time at home, they went down the mountain together and each went home.

On his way home, Lin Xiao took a detour to the Sun Household.

Auntie Sun was sweeping the courtyard. The moment she saw Lin Xiao, she hurried over and greeted him warmly:

"Brother Xiao! Are you here to play with Gao'er? Come in, come in!"

Lin Xiao was flattered.

Although he and Auntie Sun lived in the same village, they didn't see each other all that often. Her sudden warmth left him a little puzzled.

Could Uncle Sun have told Auntie Sun that I was the one who saved her?

Lin Xiao followed Auntie Sun into Sun Yigao's room.

Once Auntie Sun had gone out, Lin Xiao asked Sun Yigao:

"Did you tell your mother I saved her?"

Sun Yigao smiled and nodded.

"Yes. My mother also agreed to let me join the Lingxian Sect."

Lin Xiao was a little surprised.

"Didn't Auntie always want you to study, take the imperial examinations, and bring glory to your ancestors?"

Sun Yigao looked a little embarrassed.

"Maybe encountering that evil entity made my mother see things differently. She told me cultivation was pretty good too, since at least I wouldn't have to fear evil entities. As for the imperial examinations, whether I pass or not is up to fate. She won't pressure me anymore. If I'm interested, I can give them a try; if not, I can forget about them."

Hearing this, Lin Xiao raised an eyebrow.

"So you're really interested in cultivating immortality?"

Sun Yigao looked steadily at Lin Xiao and said:

"I'm interested in helping the world and saving its people."

"I think cultivating immortality is a better way to help the world and save its people than becoming an official."

Hearing him say this, Lin Xiao felt respect for the fifteen-year-old boy before him.

As he listened to Sun Yigao's words, he felt as though his own blood was beginning to boil.

Just then, Auntie Sun's voice rang out:

"Brother Xiao, stay and eat with us!"

Lin Xiao hurriedly called back:

"No need, Auntie! My father and the others are waiting for me to eat at home!"

Then he turned to Sun Yigao and said:

"We're gathering at the foot of North Mountain at six tomorrow morning. Is that convenient for you?"

Sun Yigao nodded. "It is."

Lin Xiao said:

"Then it's settled. I'm heading home. See you at the foot of the mountain tomorrow!"

Early the next morning, Lin Dayou hauled Lin Xiao out of bed as usual.

Lin Xiao washed up in the courtyard, his eyes still heavy with sleep.

After all these years without toothpaste, he had long since given up dreaming of having a mouthful of pearly white teeth.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up!

He glanced at Lin Yun and Lin Dayou, who were also washing up beside him.

Silently, he used the Dust Removal Technique on his own teeth.

Then he spat out the water in his mouth, turned around, and patted Lin Dayou and Lin Yun. Baring his neat rows of teeth, he said:

"Dad, big brother, quick, look at my teeth! Do they look different?"

Lin Dayou and Lin Yun didn't know what he meant, but they looked at his teeth.

"Whoa! They're so white!"

Lin Dayou only widened his eyes.

Lin Yun, however, cried out in surprise!

Normally, he hadn't thought his younger brother's teeth were particularly yellow, but they certainly couldn't be called very white.

In the village, practically everyone had teeth that were neither quite yellow nor quite white, unless they were too lazy even to wash up. Lin Xiao was no exception.

But now, Lin Yun and Lin Dayou saw that Lin Xiao's teeth were gleaming white!

Everyone loved beauty.

Before Lin Yun could say anything, Lin Dayou spoke to Lin Xiao first:

"You little rascal! That Law Technique of yours is really something! Quick, do mine too."

With that, he bared his teeth at Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao obediently used a Dust Removal Technique on Lin Dayou's teeth.

He turned and saw Lin Yun gazing at him expectantly.

Lin Xiao was just about to use it on him too.

But Lin Dayou cut him off:

"Let your big brother cultivate and use it himself. Don't help him; let him do it on his own."

Hearing that, Lin Xiao gave Lin Yun a look that said he couldn't help him and had to drop the matter.

Lin Yun looked at his father, then silently lowered his head and continued brushing his teeth with plain water.

He thought, It's just cultivation, isn't it? I have to cultivate until I can use Law Techniques as soon as possible! I want a mouthful of gleaming white teeth too!

Meanwhile, Lin Xiao was wondering whether this might be a way to make money.

The sect was still very rudimentary and weak, but sooner or later, it would have to grow bigger and stronger!

They couldn't keep having everyone bring their own rations up the mountain to cultivate every day and go home to rest at night forever.

Sooner or later, everyone would have to live at the sect permanently.

But what about food, drink, and other daily needs for so many people?

All of that would take money and grain!

The system could only provide some of the things needed to build the sect, such as materials, seeds, Cultivation Methods, and Law Treasures.

But Lin Xiao had no intention of selling those things.

They were the very foundation of their sect!

So the sect would have to have some source of funds.

The sect was weak now, so doing any kind of big business wasn't realistic.

As he saw it, a business cleaning people's teeth would be just the thing!

Having made up his mind, Lin Xiao told Lin Dayou about it.

He asked his father to take him along when he went to the market in town this month.

After hearing Lin Xiao's idea and his reasons for it, Lin Dayou was quite supportive. He thought his son was rather far-sighted, already thinking about growing bigger and stronger.

After washing up and eating a simple breakfast, the family of three all headed out.

Sun Yigao had risen very early that day.

Before dawn, he was already waiting at the foot of North Mountain.

But he hadn't waited long before he saw a figure in the distance racing toward him at incredible speed.

Sun Yigao had never seen anyone run so fast!

In what seemed like only two or three breaths, the person who had just been more than a hundred meters away was suddenly right in front of him!

And his face wasn't even red, nor was he short of breath!

That was right.

The newcomer was none other than Lin Xiao.

From far away, he had seen Sun Yigao already waiting at the foot of the mountain. Feeling a little bad about making him wait, he had run over.

It had to be said that, now he had reached the Third Layer of Qi Refining, sprinting a hundred meters in three seconds was as easy as taking a stroll.

He had, however, left his brother Lin Yun far behind.