Cultivating Disciples to Breakthrough

Mulling over the fact that she had to return to the Iron Sky Kingdom for the next few hours, Yi Min ended up deciding to stay for a little longer as she found out that her subordinate could still keep things stable back in the Iron Sky Kingdom for now.

Even if the different aristocratic families and cultivation clans inside her kingdom had indeed started to cause trouble, it was still within a manageable range for her subordinate. After all, when everything was said and done, he could still be considered the strongest person in the Iron Sky Kingdom after her.

Only when these different powers decided to join forces could the situation be considered to have escalated to a degree where her subordinate wouldn't be able to handle the situation, something she had calculated to at least take a few weeks.

Not knowing that she was just pushing back the time for her to leave after experiencing how beneficial it was for her to cultivate in the Shattered Star Peaks, Yi Min closed both of her eyes as she began meditating.

Oblivious to the fact that Elder Song and some of the other elders she had interacted with over the past two months were already planning on how to make her officially join the Star Shattering Sect and make the Iron Sky Kingdom part of the Star Shattering Sect.

…

"Hm? Where did Elder Song and the rest of the elders go?" Arriving at the spot where she would normally find Elder Song and the rest of the sect's management elders the next morning, Yi Min could not help showing a confused expression on her face.

Although she had only stayed at the Star Shattering Sect for a little over two months, she had long since become aware of Elder Song's reputation in the sect and how hard working he was. Never missing a single meeting and always there to assist the other elders in managing the sect.

For him to be missing together with the management elders… Yi Min had a feeling that something important should have happened. Important enough to not only draw the attention of Elder Song, but also all of the management elders.

"Elder Song!?"

However, just as she was about to turn around and find someone to ask if they knew where Elder Song and the rest of the management elders had gone, the person she had been about to search for appeared in front of her.

"Senior Yi? Is there something I can help with?" Hearing Yi Min calling out to him, Elder Song could not help asking as he made his way over to her. Even without her having said anything, it was rather obvious that she was looking for him from her reaction.

"Ah- It's nothing important, it's just that with the branch of the Explorer Union gone and my cultivation stabilized, I thought it would soon be time for me to return back to my kingdom and came to inform you about it as it seems Xuan Hao left the sect. 

After all, I can't continue staying here for too long or my kingdom might end up collapsing. Especially when considering the current situation of the Sky Empire…" Saying this with great difficulty, Yi Min felt a bit nervous as she looked towards Elder Song.

Although what she said was indeed the truth and she needed to return to her kingdom, she had wanted to drag things out for another two weeks and make full use of the great cultivation environment of the Shattered Star Peaks.

However, when she opened her eyes this morning and went to look for Xuan Hao to talk about this, she discovered that he had left the sect at some point in time without informing her or his disciples about it, causing her to feel like it wasn't a good idea to continue staying at the Star Shattering Sect now that the person who had first invited her had disappeared.

Even if she had managed to become friends with quite a few of the elders in the sect during this period of time, it was far from enough for her to continue living inside the Star Shattering Sect in her eyes. Especially considering that she began feeling like she was taking advantage of the kindness that these elders had shown her.

"Leave? I understand…" Hearing what Yi Min said, Elder Song frowned for a short moment before pausing for a second. "When are you planning to leave? If it's not within the next few days, could I ask you for some help with something?" 

"I'm not in a rush… I can stay for a few weeks longer if you need my help with something, it's the least I can do to repay Xuan Hao for saving me." Whispering the last part to herself as she answered Elder Song, Yi Min was more than happy to get an excuse to continue staying inside the Star Shattering Sect for a few weeks longer.

Not to mention, she would also be able to help out the Star Shattering Sect in the process. Making her feel like she wasn't just leeching off the Star Shattering Sect during this time!

Indeed, compared to a certain someone who spent all of their time lazing around somewhere in the Shattered Star Peaks while being fed a large number of spirit stones by a group of far too enthusiastic disciples and elders, Yi Min's mindset was far better…

 "Great! If you follow me, I can brief you on the situation and what I need your help with." Knowing very well that his chances of having Yi Min join the Star Shattering Sect would be far lower if she left, Elder Song smiled happily after hearing her agree before taking off in the direction of the Ninth Star Peak.

"Okay?"

Leaving behind a confused Yi Min, who soon followed after him, curious about just what Elder Song needed her help with. After all, she was still someone in the Soul Ascension Realm, for him to need her help… It was easy to see that it was not something simple.

…

Finding herself outside the Star Shattering Sect only a short time later together with Elder Song, Yi Min could not help curiously glancing at the group of people who were standing not too far away from the entrance to the city at the base of the Ninth Star Peak.

From what Elder Song had told her, the group of people were the representatives from the different independent sects of the Sky Empire who had come to seek come to seek the protection of the Star Shattering Sect during the current chaotic time that the Sky Empire was going through.

Although she spent most of her time inside her kingdom and didn't interact much with the different powers of the Sky Empire, outside of a few special trade agreements concerning the spiritual metal her kingdom produced, she had still heard about the independent sects before. Even if all she had heard was the fact that they existed and were at odds with the different major kingdoms.

At least from the lineup of at least three people in the Domain Lord Realm in front of her, she could tell that these independent sects weren't weak by any means. Not that she thought they were weak in the first place considering that they had managed to stay alive while being hostile towards the major kingdoms of the Sky Empire.

No matter how tolerant some of the major kingdoms might be, there was no way that they would spare the independent sects if they weren't strong enough.

Hm… But, with these independent sects possibly settling down inside the Star Shattering Sect, doesn't that mean the Star Shattering Sect is going to have to expand their territory to accommodate them?

As she looked at the different representatives, Yi Min suddenly thought about this as a shocked expression appeared on her face.

Indeed, the current territory of the Star Shattering, although big for an ordinary Domain Lord Realm force in the Sky Empire, the current Star Shattering Sect was still far too small to accommodate so many independent sects.

Meaning… The Star Shattering Sect would have to expand if they wanted to accommodate them!

As she realized this, Yi Min could not help looking towards Elder Song with a somewhat shocked expression on her face, could it be that the reason he wanted her help was to facilitate the expansion of the Star Shattering Sect more easily?

But as she thought about this, she also soon came to realize that if the Star Shattering Sect wanted to expand enough to accommodate so many independent sects, it would end up almost directly bordering her Iron Sky Kingdom. 

Is the reason why Elder Song asked for my help because he is worried about accidentally offending me in the future when the Star Shattering Sect ends up bordering my kingdom?

Feeling confused over just what plan Elder Song had in mind, Yi Min decided to just silently wait for him to explain it…