Cultivating Disciples to Breakthrough

"Great, I was hoping for you to say that. Now that I think about it, I also think Zu Fei will be quite overjoyed over this news, as she won't have to guard her water lotuses against the blue deer after it gets a proper home." Smiling happily after hearing Xuan Hao's response, Shu Yao could still not help chuckling to herself after mentioning the unfortunate fate of Zu Fei's water lotuses.

"This…" Outside of the one time he had found Zu Fei trying to get the blue deer away from the water lotuses she had been growing inside the Qi Spring Lake, it looked like the blue deer had decided to visit the water lotuses a few more times after he had left for the mystic realm…

"Hehe~ No need to think too much about it, the number of water lotuses eaten by the blue deer over the past few months are negligible compared to how many little Zu Fei has grown. Not to mention, they helped the blue deer rapidly increase its strength in the Nascent Soul Realm and can be considered to have become quite sought after among the beast tamers of the sect because of this.

Now that I think about it, the water lotuses that was eaten by the blue deer are nowhere near the number of water lotuses that have been scheduled to go to the beast tamers when they are fully grown."

"…"

Hearing Shu Yao suddenly start defending the blue deer's action of stealing Zu Fei's water lotuses before he had a chance to say anything, Xuan Hao could only roll his eyes as he saw the expression on Shu Yao's face. Even from a single glance, it was obvious that she had grown attached to the blue deer during the time he had left it in her care.

Considering that he had now officially handed it over to her, he felt like he would be hearing more about the blue deer whenever he met her in the future. Not only that, but he also had a feeling that the blue deer might be able to break through to the Domain Realm faster than he had first expected with someone like Shu Yao taking care of it.

For some odd reason, he had a feeling that most of the water lotuses that Zu Fei seemed to have decided to give the beast tamers to help increase the strength of the sect's demon beasts would end up going to the blue deer. Thinking about it, it wasn't that bad of a thing, as the talent of the blue deer far surpassed any of the demon beasts under the care of the sect's beast tamers.

If it could break through to the Domain Lord Realm faster because of a constant supply of water lotuses, it wouldn't be considered a loss for the sect, the only people losing out would be the demon beasts who would originally have eaten the water lotuses that ended up going to the blue deer, but… All things considered; they should be able to get their hands on them again in the future after the blue deer had managed to reach the Domain Lord Realm…

The only thing that worried him slightly about this possible future arrangement, was the fact that the blue deer might not want to give up on the water lotuses after reaching the Domain Lord Realm. Even if their usefulness for its cultivation would become close to negligible.

But thinking a bit more about it, there was no way Elder Song, who was overseeing where all the resources inside the sect went, would allow something like that to happen.

Helping it reach the Domain Lord Realm faster might be tolerable to him, but gobbling up resources that would normally help increase the sect's strength for no reason was unacceptable!

"Hm? Already at the entrance?" Lost in his own thoughts as he continued moving down towards the Grand Meeting Hall, Xuan Hao suddenly heard a voice call out to him as he realized that he had already reached the entrance of the Grand Meeting Hall.

"Grand Elder Xuan, your seating spot is located close to the center of the Grand Meeting Hall together with the Sect Master, Grand Elder Shu Yao and a few other important elders." Coming up to him at this moment, a slightly older disciple that seemed to have just recently broken through to the Core Formation Realm and was currently standing guard at the entrance together with a few other disciples and elders, politely said this before pointing in the direction of a path heading towards the core section of the Grand Meeting Hall.

A short distance behind him, the other disciples who had been standing guard at the entrance were all looking over towards him enviously, as they obviously missed the chance to come over and talk with.

Am I perhaps more popular among the disciples of the sect than I first thought?

"Thank you." Thanking the Core Formation Realm disciple in front of him as these thoughts ran through his head, Xuan Hao suddenly realized that he was more popular among the sect's disciples than he had thought.

But then again, it was obvious that he would be popular among the disciples of the sect. After all, he was still the strongest person in the Star Shattering Sect… And given that cultivators strived to reach a higher realm, it was obvious that they would have a sense of curiosity and admiration towards the strongest person in the sect.

Looking more closely at the way that these disciples were looking at him, it suddenly became rather obvious that they were secretly hoping that he would take them in as his disciple and tell them about how they had some kind of hidden potential that could help their cultivation soar far above their peers…

Shaking his head as he thought about this, Xuan Hao slowly made his way inside the Grand Meeting Hall together with the rest of the elders.

…

"Both of the Star Shattering Sect's Grand Elders are participating in the meeting!? Wasn't it said that Grand Elder Xuan didn't participate in the sect's internal management and focused all his attention on cultivating and training his disciples!?"

"Yes… That is what we managed to learn about him from asking around among the disciples of the sect. Not only that, but apparently, he also recently stopped holding lectures over the past few months due to him focusing on training his disciples.

To be honest, I don't understand why someone like that would suddenly decide to participate in today's meeting. Even if it's an important meeting that will carve up the future territory of the Star Shattering Sect, there shouldn't be a need for- Ah! Unless…"

"Hm? Did you think of something, old man, you better share with the rest of us!"

Hmph! Calm down you stinking old fossil! The reason for the appearance of Grand Elder Xuan might have to do with the recent movements of the major kingdoms. Even if the Star Shattering Sect is far stronger than them, it is obvious that they have some sort of secret backing. The reason for Grand Elder Xuan's appearance at today's meeting might be because of this…"

"Indeed, but for it to require Grand Elder Xuan's appearance, I fear that the secret backing of these major kingdoms are far more powerful than we first expected…"

"Huh? Secret backing? How come I haven't heard about this before? But then again, if that is really the case, the appearance of Grand Elder Xuan makes sense… And did you just call me stinking old fossil?! Are you trying to pick a fight!?"

At the same time Xuan Hao and the rest of the Star Shattering Sect's elders made their way to the Grand Meeting Hall, the news of the meeting starting together with the news that Xuan Hao was going to participate in the meeting rapidly began to spread among the different representatives gathered together at the Seventh Star Peak.

Among which, the most popular opinion was that the appearance of Xuan Hao at the meeting had something to do with the secret backing of the major kingdoms.

After all, given that some of these sects and other powers had once been part of some of the major kingdoms that had already fallen to the Star Shattering Sect, it made sense that they had heard something about the secret technique and the fact that it had been provided by an outside force.

Even if they had no idea who this outside power was nor how strong they were, they understood that it would be the main force when it came to resisting the Star Shattering Sect's expansion into the remaining major kingdoms… And given that even the strongest elder of the sect had now shown up at today's meeting, these different powers could not help speculating about how strong this hidden power was to cause such a reaction from the Star Shattering Sect.