Cultivating Disciples to Breakthrough

Having essentially left the senior member from the Explorer Union to wander around on his own, Xuan Hao soon enough returned to the Seventh Star Peak to begin helping some of the sect elders close to reaching the Soul Ascension Realm take the final step and officially break through to the Soul Ascension Realm.

Of course, given that the Explorer Union was no longer willing to work together with the sect, he seriously considered just booting it out entirely. Ensuring that it would no longer be around inside the sect’s territory, while the sect itself would then be able to replace the Explorer Union in a way not so different from what the Blue Sea Empire had done when they had booted out the Explorer Union in the past.

The only reason why he hadn’t done so was because he left this entire thing up to Elder Song and didn’t plan to get involved again unless his help was required in getting rid of the Explorer Unions influence inside the sect’s territory.

As for what Elder Song was planning to do… He had no idea, but he guessed he still wanted to reestablish trade with the Explorer Union, as the Star Shattering Sect could indeed not fully supply the cultivation resources currently required to keep the sect operating normally.

Although the entire situation might be a test from the Explorer Union and booting them out directly would be the clearest answer to the little probe, it was uncertain whether they would be able to resume trade any time soon by doing something like that. After all, even though the Blue Sea Empire had begun to reestablish trade with the Explorer Union and had begun to allow the Explorer Union to set up some branches inside its territory again. The process was slow and tedious. Taking a long time even with both parties involved subtly wanting to resume trade again.

Even if it was doubtful that it would take anywhere near as long as it took for the Blue Sea Empire to start re-establishing trade with the Explorer Union, it would at least take a decade or two. Especially considering the current state of the region that the Star Shattering Sect was in, with demonic cultivators having almost entirely cut off the Star Shattering Sect from the core region of the continent.

In a sense, though the entire situation might be a test from the Explorer Union, it could also be them wanting an excuse to retreat from the Star Shattering Sect’s territory that was becoming increasingly difficult to reach with the presence of demonic cultivator who didn’t care the slightest bit about the Explorer Union and were more than happy to loot one of their branches. In fact, because of how rich the Explorer Union was and how many resources were concentrated at the different branches, it had become one of the main targets for demonic cultivators invading the surrounding empires and kingdoms.

Thinking about it in this way, the test from the Explorer Union was understandable, as they were not just testing the strength of the Star Shattering Sect, but also whether they would be able to keep their territory intact in the face of the demonic cultivators from the Frozen Wastelands… And if they were deemed too weak, the Explorer Union would be more than happy to pull back from the outer regions that the Star Shattering Sect was in control of.

After all, though they had lost a lot of branches so far during the invasion of the demonic cultivators. Most of the resources had long since been pulled back to stronger branches located in the core regions of the continent. The only branches that were still operating normally were the ones inside the territory of the Star Shattering Sect.

With all of this in mind, Elder Song didn’t immediately proceed to throw out the Explorer Union from the Star Shattering Sect’s territory and instead began thinking about how to best make use of the current situation to benefit the Star Shattering Sect, as even though throwing the Explorer Union out of the Star Shattering Sect’s territory would demonstrate strength and confidence from the Star Shattering Sect, it wouldn’t materially benefit the sect.

Instead of that, it would be far better to find some way to have the Explorer Union help the Star Shattering Sect with its resources needs, but at the same time, doing that would also be far more difficult to accomplish. The only reason why Elder Song felt somewhat confident about being able to get more out of the Explorer Union being that the senior member that had shown up from the Explorer Union wasn’t the smartest person around.

By just showing him around Bright Stone City and accommodating him there, his irritable nature seemed to calm down significantly, as he spent most of his time exploring Bright Stone City without pestering anyone about entering the Shattered Star Peaks.

Simple minded as this senior member from the Explorer Union seemed to be on the surface, Elder Song still didn’t dare to underestimate him, as he was still someone at the Celestial Immortal Realm. No matter how simple minded he seemed on the surface, to reach the Celestial Immortal Realm and become a senior member of the Explorer Union, how simple could he truly be?

So, to subtly test this senior member from the Explorer Union and find out more about this person, Elder Song set out to find the one person in the sect who even someone in the Celestial Immortal Realm would be able to remain calm in front of… And so, Elder Song found himself standing in front of Mui. Asking the young woman to help… Showing the senior from the Explorer Union around Bright Stone City.

”Huh? Why do you need my help showing someone around…?”

However, even after finding Mui and asking her for help, the person in question was still somewhat skeptical. Not understanding why Elder Song of all people had come to her requesting her help in something so simple.

”That… It’s a senior member of the Explorer Union already at the Celestial Immortal Realm and there isn’t anyone more qualified than you among the disciples who can help show off Bright Stone City. Not to mention, having a Domain Lord Realm disciple show him around will also highlight the strength of the sect to the Explorer Union.” Feeling an unknown sense of nervousness as he said this, Elder Song silently hoped she would buy this excuse of his. After all, going along this train of thought, he could have also asked the other disciples under Xuan Hao or even some of the newer additions among the sect’s Domain Lord Realm disciples.

”Hm? I see… I understand! Seeking me out instead of the others is also because I’m more familiar with Bright Stone City because of how much time I spent visiting the place seeking out different new things that can’t be found inside the sect!” Nodding her head as Elder Song’s worries were for nothing, Mui smiled proudly with a look of understanding on her face that made it clear that she was going to accept this request. ”I will do it!” And indeed, just a few seconds later, she agreed. Making Elder Song breathe a sigh of relief as he slowly began to guide her towards the place where the senior member from the Explorer Union was staying.

Given that the Explorer Union wanted to test the Star Shattering Sect by directly cutting off the sect’s trade, it was only right that the Star Shattering Sect tested out the Explorer Union as well through their own means.

Though the testing from the Star Shattering Sect just involved having the ever-chaotic Mui interact with the senior member of the Explorer Union, Elder Song had a feeling that placing Mui next to someone like that would prove beneficial to getting a better understanding of this senior member from the Explorer Union. After all, he understood full well how difficult it was for someone to keep a straight face in front of Mui.

Even if that senior member was the best inside the Explorer Union when it came to pretending to be a certain way, it would be impossible to keep up this kind of façade in the face of someone like Mui. Especially so if Mui learnt that the other party was someone with access to a near infinite number of resources as someone at the top of the Explorer Union.

The second she realized this, her pestering would become unbearable, as she would undoubtedly want to find some way to get rare resources from the senior member of the Explorer Union.

Of course, the means she used wouldn’t just be pestering normally, but would almost certainly involve her creating something for him to demonstrate her worth and how it would be great for the other party to give her a few resources in exchange for one of her creations.

As for what kind of thing would end up being created or what kind of reaction it would garner, Elder Song was already looking forward to it, as he for one wouldn’t be the one on the other side of it.