Cultivating Disciples to Breakthrough

Making his way through the bustling city that was now filled with people either happily preparing to sell off the demon beasts they had managed to kill or distraught that they had not been fast enough to kill off one of the demon beasts in time, Xuan Hao soon arrived at the Xue Family Estate located at the center of the city.

Looking from a distance at the massive estate that seemed to cover close to a tenth of the entire city, Xuan Hao could not help glancing over in the direction of the two other major clans and their estates located right next to the Xue Clan’s estate.

Although the three estates seemed similar in size, it was clear for anyone to see that the Xue Clan had occupied the core part of the city. Almost like they were establishing themselves as being above the two other clans, something rather ironic considering their current circumstances of lacking a powerful enough cultivator to take over when the old ancestor who had established the Xue Clan in the past passed away.

In a sense, it could be considered a good thing for Xuan Hao, as the other two clans would almost certainly be unwilling to allow the Xue Clan to keep their current position at the core of the city after their ancestor passed away. Giving him a potential opportunity to take advantage of the current situation to potentially recruit a second Dao Seed realm cultivator to the sect along with a large number of Soul Ascension Realm cultivators.

Of course, before any of this, he first had to make sure about the current state of things so as not to end up making any mistake.

To be this, he first wanted to just use his divine sense to try and understand the overall situation but given that the three clans all had Dao Seed Realm cultivators watching over them, he didn’t dare to carelessly use his divine sense inside of their estates. Fearing that they might end up discovering him and potentially make his path to recruiting any of them significantly harder.

Even if he was confident in being able to keep himself hidden, there was no reason to take any unnecessary risks. Instead, it was far simpler for him to just find a few cultivators from the three clans and probe them for information regarding the relationship between the three clans.

Although the higherups might want to keep any internal struggles or problems hidden from outsiders, it would inevitably leak down through the younger generation and manifest itself in the form of competition between the younger people of the three clans.

Not that competition between the younger generation was unnatural in any way. In fact, it was rather normal.

But…

The intensity of the competition varied, and it could be used to understand the undercurrents and potential struggles between the three clans.

At the same time, it would also give him an insight into whether or not there was any significant gap in resources between the three clans, as lower overall strength among the younger generation from one clan would suggest a lack of resources compared to the other clans. Indicating that the clans might have already fallen out with each other to some extent and begun to split the resources earned through the city unevenly.

With this in mind, he didn’t waste any time, as he quickly investigated the situation of the younger generation of the three clans. Not taking long to find out that there was indeed a clear hostility between the Xue Clan’s younger generation and that of the other two clans.

The only real difference from what he had been expecting to see was the fact that the younger generation of the other two clans didn’t seem to be any stronger than those from the Xue Clan. On the other hand, it seemed like the younger generation of the Xue Clan was stronger. Indicating that the Xue Clan itself should still have access to similar- if not more resources than the other two clans.

Is it perhaps because the ancestor of the Xue Clan is the strongest among the Dao Seed Realm cultivators? The other two don’t dare to do anything even when the other party is close to death. Intending to wait to avoid a possible fight?

Thinking about this to himself as he looked over in the direction of the Xue Clan Estate in the distance, Xuan Hao could not help feeling a bit more interested in the strength of the Xue Clan Ancestor.

After all, from what he had managed to learn so far about the Xue Clan, it was clear that their ancestor was someone far stronger than a normal Dao Seed Realm cultivator. Possibly even someone who had reached the Peak of the Earth Immortal Realm or in other words, the Middle Stage of the Dao Seed Realm.

Unfortunately, he had not tried to discern the strength of the Dao Seed Realm cultivators when their divine sense had swept over him earlier on. Having focused his full attention on keeping his strength hidden in case the people inside of the city had been someone from a major power that could possibly contact someone in the Celestial Immortal Realm.

Though confident in being able to evade someone in the Celestial Immortal Realm with his current comprehension of the Dao of Space, he didn’t plan on revealing himself without any reason. Especially so considering that he was still extremely close to the Northern Central Region and had no idea if there was anyone from the Blue Sea Empire or other major powers from the Northern Central Region hidden inside of the city.

No… Considering how this was essentially the first city one would encounter going from the Northern Central Region to the Eastern Central Region and there was a constant flow of people, it would be impossible for there to not be anyone from any of the major power of the Northern Central Region present inside of the city…

Smiling a bit wryly as he thought about this, Xuan Hao could not help feeling a bit helpless. If he wanted to avoid the possibility of his identity as someone from the Star Shattering Sect being discovered, it would be best for him to at least wait until he left the borders of the Eastern Central Region before he did anything that might attract attention.

The main problem was that if he wanted to convince the Xue Clan, he would have to display some level of strength, but doing so would almost certainly end up attracting the attention of the two other clans, which in turn might cause a situation that could draw even more attention.

Continuing to think about the current situation and how troublesome it might be to recruit the Xue Clan to become part of the Star Shattering Set, Xuan Hao could not help feeling that it might not be worth the effort. After all, he was still not even sure if he wanted to recruit the Xue Clan to join the Star Shattering Sect, as he had not really managed to examine more than the younger generation of the clan.

Speaking of the younger generation of the Xue Clan, Xuan Hao didn’t feel too optimistic about them, as they were acting in the typical arrogant manner one would associate with a clan that had been on the top of the pyramid for a long time.

Thinking about the future of such a clan, Xuan Hao could already imagine what would happen to them when their sole backing disappeared…

The only thing that kept him somewhat optimistic about the Xue Clan was the fact that their older generation at the very least seemed competent considering that they had managed to still keep control of the majority of resources in the city, while also training their younger generation to the point where they stood above the younger generation of the two other clans.

If the older generation had also been lacking, he would have long since given up any hope of any thoughts regarding recruiting the Xue Clan.

For this reason, Xuan Hao soon found himself standing back in front of the entrance leading into the Xue Clan Estate. Planning to enter the estate to find their ancestor and decide after meeting the other party and potentially getting a better understanding of the Xue Clan in the process.

”Get out of the way! How dare you block this young master!”

However, just as he was about to step forward and enter the Xue Clan Estate, an arrogant voice called out from behind him, as a handsome looking young man arrogantly swaggered in his direction with a large number of servants and guards following closely behind him.

The words in question weren’t directed towards him so to speak. Instead, just being directed towards the crowd of people moving around on the street outside the Xue Clan Estate, who all fearfully moved aside upon hearing the young master of the Xue Clan.

But…

Even then…

Xuan Hao instantly decided against visiting the Xue Clan. Instead, he decided that it might be a good idea to check out the other two clans before making any rash decisions on who to visit first, as he had a feeling he would only be able to meet with one of the three Dao Seed Realm cultivators before being noticed by the other two.