Although Lin Xiao wished for a peaceful path of cultivation for everyone, he knew that true peace didn't exist in this world. It was indeed time to elevate the combat strength of the sect.
Without a strong martial foundation, it would be difficult for their sect to grow and thrive.
In a world where the strong make the rules and the weak follow, having a powerful fist was the first step to gaining influence. Those with strength decide the rules, and the weak must obey—this is true everywhere. The difference lies only in what kind of environment those in power want to create.
Lin Xiao was well aware that the Lingxian Sect could not hide forever.
As the saying goes, "An innocent man harbors guilt if he possesses a precious treasure." The many advantages that Lingxian Sect had, which set it apart from other sects in the mortal world, would even make many sects in the cultivation world envious. As long as Lingxian Sect had any contact with the outside world, they could not hide for long.
The only way to avoid this would be to completely shut themselves off from the world.
But living like that wasn't truly living; no one could thrive in a cage.
There was no such thing as "hiding until you're the strongest." After all, he wasn't alone in this world.
He had family, friends, and people he cared about.
Could he really lock everyone away in the mountains to cultivate endlessly, hoping that all of them would one day achieve perfection?
What if, along the way, someone fell behind or even passed away? Lin Xiao didn't want them to die with regrets, having never truly experienced life or the world outside.
So, he wouldn't choose that path.
Life's journey is always filled with uncertainty, and that holds true for everyone.
His goal was to do his best to protect them, but he wouldn't imprison them within the sect's walls.
With that in mind, Lin Xiao glanced into his private storage space.
There, neatly stacked, were rows upon rows of cultivation manuals.
He had copied each of these books hundreds of times to ensure there would be enough for everyone.
His own personal belongings now occupied only a small corner of the storage.
When everyone in the sect saw how many techniques there were for them to study, they'd surely be overjoyed, right?
While Lin Xiao couldn't be sure how excited everyone would be when they finally saw all the manuals, Qin Jianghe, at least, was excited right now.
"Xiao'er, when are we going to start the training for these missions?" he asked eagerly.
Seeing how enthusiastic Qin Jianghe was, Lin Xiao felt delighted.
"Don't worry. As soon as everyone finishes learning the techniques, I'll arrange the missions immediately!"
"And when do we start learning? Can I begin right away?"
Lin Xiao reassured him, "No rush. Let's finish with my older brother's wedding first. After a couple of days, I'll get everything arranged."
He paused before adding, "Oh, by the way, Jianghe, did you manage to buy the materials I requested last month? The most important one is that Spirit River Fertile Soil. We absolutely need that."
Qin Jianghe nodded. "I've managed to gather almost all the other materials, and they're stored in the warehouse for now. As for the Spirit River Fertile Soil, I haven't gotten it yet, but the Yuan family has a source. They said they'll be able to deliver a batch to us next month."
"Good. Let me know once you've gathered everything. If I'm in seclusion at the Array Hall, just send me a voice transmission."
Soon after, the spirit boat carrying the bride and her family arrived at Shuishui Village, and what was the grandest wedding the village had seen in over a century officially began. The entire Lingxian Sect had come down the mountain to attend.
Even the sect's newer disciples, many of whom weren't familiar with Lin Lei or his family, joined the festivities.
For many of them, this was their first time coming down from the mountain since joining the sect.
Given the number of people in Shuishui Village today, and the fact that the villagers didn't recognize most of the new disciples, there was no disturbance caused by their presence.
Some of the disciples' families, who had been paying close attention to Shuishui Village due to their children joining the Lingxian Sect, also came to witness the wedding, hoping for the chance to see their loved ones.
As a result, some of the disciples were able to reunite with their families that day.
Though the villagers might not have known the new disciples well, they were certainly familiar with Lin Xiao and the other local members of the sect. To avoid crowding the village's narrow paths, they quickly used transportation spells or techniques like Cloud Ascension to teleport directly into the Lin family's old courtyard, where tables had been prepared for them.
Outside the Lin family's home, long tables were set up for the general guests.
Inside the courtyard, the feast was prepared for the sect members, along with the village chief, a few respected elders, and close family friends.
The Lin family's old courtyard, though not particularly large, was packed to the brim, both inside and out.
At the entrance, Lin's eldest uncle and aunt warmly greeted the steady stream of guests, their faces radiating joy and pride as they received congratulations from the villagers.
Firecrackers exploded noisily outside, and the guests' boisterous congratulations echoed throughout the village.
Amidst the lively atmosphere, Lin Lei and his bride completed the marriage ceremony.
As the sun set, the feast began in earnest.
Dishes materialized onto the tables one after another, seemingly appearing out of thin air.
The guests, though excited and a little flustered, managed to contain themselves, basking in the magic of the moment.
The celebration lasted late into the night.
That night, Lin Lei, his bride, and the rest of the Lin family all stayed at the old family home.
The wedding was held in the family's ancestral home, where Lin Xiao had set up defensive formations around the house just in case.
After everyone had eaten their fill and exchanged fond memories, they saw the guests out, and Lin Xiao and the others returned to the sect.
As for the disciples from Qingyun Peak, they had already been summoned back to the sect by Liu Yunan an hour earlier via the Soul Lock Rings.
This rare festive occasion had given the entire sect an unofficial day off.
No matter how busy they had been, they all set their tasks aside, if only for today.
Most people didn't bother doing anything else that night. For the first time in what seemed like forever, they collapsed onto their beds and enjoyed a long, peaceful sleep.
But Lin Xiao wasn't one of those people.
As the sect master, there was no time for a break just yet.
He had many plans in progress, some of which were already half-finished. He couldn't stand the thought of leaving them incomplete.
And so, while everyone else dreamed peacefully, Lin Xiao spent the night tucked away in a small dark room within the Array Hall, pulling out a series of array disks from his private storage…
If Mo Yuanjiao had seen these arrays, he would have found them somewhat familiar.
Many of these formations shared similarities with the ones used in the rings they had been mass-producing in the Array Hall recently.
But there were plenty of differences too.