Cultivating Disciples to Breakthrough

Over the next few weeks countless smaller powers belonging to the different major kingdoms still fighting the Star Shattering Sect secretly contacted the Star Shattering Sect. All of them were looking to build an alliance with the Star Shattering Sect before the Grand Elder in the Soul Ascension Realm appeared in their kingdom.

Because of this, Elder Song was forced to recruit more elders to contact and negotiate with the large number of powers wanting to join forces with the Star Shattering Sect. Even going as far as to use some of the more talented Core Formation Realm disciples when negotiating with some of the weaker powers. Seeing it as a perfect opportunity for them to learn, while at the same time displaying the talent of the sect to these different powers.

After all, even if these different powers had heard about the Star Shattering Sect and might even have fought them at some point, they had never encountered the disciples of the sect before and had only ever been in contact with the elders of the sect. At most they would have been able to encounter some of the disciples from the branch sects that had begun popping up inside their kingdom, but in the end, these disciples could not be considered as the real disciples of the Star Shattering Sect.

The true foundation and future of the Star Shattering Sect was not in the disciples of these branch sects, but instead the disciples nurtured at the main sect located in the Shattered Star Peaks, a place that was impossible for them to access considering their current hostile relationship with the Star Shattering Sect.

As a result of this, the different powers in the major kingdoms were all taken aback by just how strong the disciples of the Star Shattering Sect were. Not only were there a large number of Core Formation Realm disciples, but there were even a few who had approached the Middle Stages of the Core Formation Realm.

If not part of the Star Shattering Sect, these Core Formation Realm disciples would be equivalent to the true heirs and future leaders of these powers. Maybe even above that!

Because of this, these different powers who had originally been a little hesitant on whether or not to join the Star Shattering Sect were fully convinced that they were making the correct choice.

As a result, it did not take long before Elder Song began to make use of these different powers to rapidly expand the Star Shattering Sect's influence in the different major kingdoms from. 

By the time they realized what was happening, it was already too late for them to fight back... And soon enough, the only major kingdoms still standing were the three oldest and most powerful kingdoms who had given birth to a Domain Lord Realm Expert in the past and still had some ancient artifacts left behind to stabilize the situation.

Among these three, the Flame Sky Kingdom was the most powerful due to the ancient formation guarding their capital and their almost full control over any power inside their borders. 

Of course, there was no way that Elder Song had forgotten about them, it was just that taking them down without having Shu Yao or Feng Chen go personally was a little harder compared to the other major kingdom.

…

Standing alone inside one the large rooms of the Flame Sky Kingdoms royal palace, Sheng Mei could not help narrowing her eyes as she looked over a report one of her subordinates had handed her a few minutes earlier.

In it, it described clearly how almost all of the major kingdoms trying to fight back against the Star Shattering Sect had already fallen due to a sudden internal struggle that allowed the Star Shattering Sect to sweep in and take down the royal families of these kingdoms before they had the time to deal with the internal problems that had appeared seemingly out of nowhere. 

"To think only three are left now… The Star Shattering Sect is far more effective than I first imagined…" Muttering this to herself as she understood just how difficult it was to do something like this without anyone noticing anything off beforehand, Sheng Mei could not help recalling the conversation she had with Elder Song a few days earlier.

Although she had already decided to ally with the Star Shattering Sect in taking down the current royal family of the Flame Sky Kingdom, she had never imagined that the day would come so soon. 

Thinking about it, she had expected to lay low for a few more years as she gathered more support among the different elders of the kingdom before starting a rebellion with the goal of overthrowing the royal family with the support of the Star Shattering Sect.

However, this was not what the Star Shattering Sect had wanted. At least that was made clear by Elder Song during their conversation a few days earlier, where he had outright denied this plan of hers as it would take far too long.

At first, she had not understood what he meant by it taking too long, as bringing down the Flame Sky Kingdom in a few years' time could already be considered extremely fast. Especially when considering just how big the Flame Sky Kingdom was and the fact that they had several different artifacts left behind by a Domain Lord Realm Expert.

Only after she learnt about the fall of the other major kingdoms did she come to understand what Elder Song meant by it being far too slow.

"Haaa… It's obvious that the Star Shattering Sect wants to end things fast so they can begin to integrate the territory over the next few years and begin thinking about expanding their borders even further. After all, now that they have someone in the Soul Ascension Realm, there is no way they will be satisfied with just remaining in the border region…" Letting out a sigh as she said this while turning to look in the direction of the Star Shattering Sect, Sheng Mei picked up a small token that had been laying on the table in front of her before making her way out of the small room.

Considering that the Star Shattering Sect had already taken care of the other major kingdoms, she no longer felt any hesitation in carrying out the plans that Elder Song had proposed to her during their meeting a few days earlier.

Even if it meant that the royal family of the Flame Sky kingdom would no longer exist after today!

…

Not too long after Sheng Mei left her room, she immediately went towards the throne room and requested to speak with the ancestors and the king. Essentially, all of the higher-ups in the Flame Sky Kingdom.

"Hm? Elder Sheng Mei is requesting an audience with the king and the old ancestors? What does she want now? Doesn't she know how bad the current situation is or does she perhaps want to take advantage of the situation to convince some of the old ancestors about surrendering to the Star Shattering Sect!?

Hmph! Whatever it is that she wants, I really want to see if she dares to continue supporting the Star Shattering Sect. From what I know, this might possibly be the last time the ancestors and king will tolerate her attitude towards our enemies!" 

Learning about this, Elder Hong Xuan, who had been adamantly against Elder Sheng Mei and her constant attempts to convince the ancestors and king about joining the Star Shattering Sect was snickering disdainfully to himself as he looked in the direction of the throne room where Sheng Mei was patiently waiting in front of the large pair of doors without moving.

Even if Sheng Mei hadn't been successful in convincing the ancestors that surrendering to the Star Shattering Sect was the best option for the Flame Sky Kingdom, she had already been successful in convincing a large number of the elders in the Flame Sky Kingdom… And in the end, this had resulted in a large number of elders who had originally supported Elder Hong Xuan starting to support Sheng Mei.

In the end, this had caused Elder Hong Xuan's power to shrink continuously over the past few years.

Although he still had the ancestors and the king's support in fighting the Star Shattering Sect, the elders of the Flame Sky Kingdom had increasingly begun to protest the war against the Star Shattering Sect. Not seeing any reason to continue the fight with such a powerful sect. Especially so after the Star Shattering Sect had offered to allow them to retain their positions and continue managing their territory even after they took over with only a few restrictions.

No matter what, to most of the elders, the ancestors had been blinded by Elder Hong Xuan and couldn't see things clearly. Making many of them borderline hostile towards him, as they saw him as someone forcing the Flame Sky Kingdom into a dead end.