Thus, the First Path of the Lingxian Sect was completed.
Jiang Youfu glanced up at the still very empty mountaintop and asked Lin Xiao, "Brother Xiao, when are we going to start building the houses up there?"
However, Lin Xiao shook his head with a smile and replied, "We won't be building anything up there. We've already built enough. That area is reserved for future disciples—they can build it themselves when they join."
Hearing this, everyone nodded in understanding, with no objections. It wasn't that they were too lazy to work, but Lin Xiao's reasoning made sense. After all, some tasks should be left for future generations to complete. Otherwise, they'd have nothing to do. Besides, working together is a great way to bond quickly.
With nothing else to do, everyone decided to take advantage of the early hour and rushed into the cultivation chambers to start their daily practice.
Ever since Lin Xiao came out of seclusion, even the elders who hadn't been too focused on cultivation began to take it more seriously. They all hoped to one day reach the point where they could wave their hands and cultivate hundreds of acres of land at once.
The younger disciples, influenced by the growing atmosphere of hard work, also felt a sense of urgency. If they weren't doing something productive, they felt restless.
However, Lin Xiao reminded them that it was essential to balance work and rest. Staying in a state of high tension for too long could negatively affect their mental and spiritual health.
By noon, after their cultivation session, everyone emerged from the chambers feeling refreshed, ready to enjoy their free time. Some headed to the talisman-making and array formation rooms, while others made their way to the spiritual fields. A few went off to handle other tasks. Everyone had something to keep them busy—except for Lin Xiao and General Mo.
By now, General Mo had seen most of the Lingxian Sect, and his son Mo Yuanjiao no longer felt the need to stick by his side all day, fearing he might get lost. As soon as the cultivation session ended, Mo Yuanjiao disappeared with Mo Que.
General Mo had planned to spend some time with his son, chatting and taking a leisurely walk, but he hadn't even caught a glimpse of him. Soon, only Lin Xiao remained at the entrance to the cultivation chambers.
Seeing General Mo nearby, Lin Xiao greeted him first, "Uncle Mo, are you looking for Yuanjiao?"
Noticing that he had been spotted, General Mo smiled and replied, "Oh, no, no, I was just strolling around."
Lin Xiao walked over and said, "Today is the fifteenth. Jiang Youfu is making yuanxiao (sweet dumplings) later. What filling do you like, Uncle Mo?"
General Mo laughed heartily, "I've traveled north and south for decades—there's no filling I won't eat. No need to worry about me."
Then, he suddenly changed the subject, "By the way, Lin Sect Leader, I received some news yesterday. It seems the other two sects among the Three Great Sects are making moves. Additionally, the elders from Shangyang Sect, who had initially planned to go to the capital, have turned back toward their mountain after hearing about Wei Hai's demise."
Originally, General Mo had intended to tell Mo Yuanjiao this information and let him pass it on.
Lin Xiao nodded thoughtfully and said, "Thank you, Uncle Mo, for letting me know."
It seemed that after the split, the Shangyang Sect was returning to its mountain base. However, this would likely stir up feelings of resentment among the disciples who had stayed behind when the others left. Although things might appear calm on the surface, there would surely be underlying tensions.
As Lin Xiao expected, their neighbor, the Shangyang Sect, wouldn't be a threat for a while. With such internal conflicts, they would be too busy sorting themselves out to pose any danger.
Seeing that Lin Xiao seemed to have a plan, General Mo took his leave.
Lin Xiao, remembering something he had planned to do earlier, made his way to the peach blossom grove and found Yang Jinshu and Lin Yan, who were engaged in an embroidery lesson beneath the trees.
Not long ago, Lin Yan had formally taken Yang Jinshu as her master in the art of embroidery.
"Aunt Yang! Sister Yan!"
"Oh, Xiao'er! Is there something you need?" Yang Jinshu asked kindly as she paused her demonstration for Lin Yan.
Lin Yan greeted Lin Xiao as well.
Lin Xiao smiled and got straight to the point, "Aunt Yang, do you have some time to come up with a design for the sect's new uniforms? I'd like to update our sect's attire. The current uniform will be reserved for new disciples in the future."
With the prospect of more disciples joining in the future, Lin Xiao felt it was important to create distinct uniforms for better organization. It wasn't about establishing hierarchies, but rather for easier management.
Moreover, the sect's uniforms weren't just about appearance—they were defensive garments. Given the varying levels of cultivation, it wouldn't be suitable for Nascent Soul, Golden Core, and Foundation Establishment cultivators to wear the same defense-level uniform meant for Qi Refining stage disciples.
Thus, creating uniforms with different levels of protection was necessary.
Lin Xiao thought about it and decided that while he could use the system's crafting feature to make the uniforms, he wanted the members of the sect to participate in the process. It was important for them to feel involved in more aspects of the sect's development.
Although he could handle everything himself, he believed that giving others the chance to contribute was crucial for the long-term growth of the sect.
Yang Jinshu was a bit surprised by his request. But after thinking about it, the idea that every member of the sect might one day be wearing a uniform she had designed filled her with excitement. Ideas for patterns and designs immediately started swirling in her mind.
Nodding happily, she said, "Now that you mention it, I already have several ideas. Give me a few days, and I'll sketch out some designs for you to review. Don't hesitate to tell me if they're not good—I'll keep working on them until they're perfect."
Lin Xiao flashed a bright smile, revealing his perfectly aligned teeth, and said, "I'll definitely give you my honest feedback! If they're great, I'll be showing them off to everyone! Thanks, Aunt Yang. I'll leave it to you. Keep up the good work, both of you! I'll be off for now, and I look forward to seeing your designs."
That evening, Jiang Youfu prepared several large pots of yuanxiao, offering a variety of flavors.
Everyone in the Lingxian Sect eagerly gathered around the large dining table in Guiyuan Cottage, waiting for the meal to start.
As Jiang Youfu cheerfully announced, "Dinner's ready~!" each person's bowl filled with yuanxiao, perfectly catered to their preferred flavors, flew to them.
Without waiting, everyone picked up their spoons, blowing on the steaming hot dumplings before devouring them, each about the size of a baby's fist.
If Ma Changlong were present, he would have shaken his head and muttered, "You're wasting such delicacies on them."
But the Lingxian Sect disciples didn't care. After downing one bowl, they wiped their mouths and cheerfully called out, "Another bowl, please!"