"Well then, Senior, I won't take any more of your time and will be taking my leave for now. Hopefully the sect alliance will work out in favour of my sect and the rest of the independent sects!"
After spending a few more minutes chatting with the Great General about what he had been doing during his time outside the Sky Empire and what kind of opportunities he had encountered that allowed him to reach the Peak of the Seventh Stage of the Domain Lord Realm, Xuan Hao got up and began to leave the meeting hall.
"Haha, no worries at all fellow cultivator, I will make sure your Stone Ridge Sect will get treated well!" Smiling happily as he said this while waving goodbye to Xuan Hao, the Great General was clearly satisfied with their short conversation and the possible new friendship he had managed to establish.
The same could not be said for the three people from the major sects who had listened to the conversation about Xuan Hao's adventures outside the Sky Empire from the side.
At this point in time, all three of them were feeling extremely uncomfortable knowing that one of their enemies had actually managed to gain an expert above the Sixth Stage of the Domain Lord Realm. Not only that, but it also looked like he had managed to befriend the Peak Domain Lord Realm Expert from the imperial family!
No matter how they looked at it, they had a feeling that the sect alliance and the resources given to it by the imperial family would not be exclusively controlled by them and their sects. Something that was certain to cause some problems between them and the people who had backed them and helped them reach their current position.
...
Having left the meeting hall, Xuan Hao did not continue to wander around the core of the capital city and instead directly left together with some of the other people from the independent sects that he had come together with. Knowing very well that staying around the core of the capital would bring with it, an increased chance of him encountering one of the Soul Ascension Realm Experts from either the imperial family or the three religions.
Although the chance of this happening was low, he did not want to take the risk. Especially considering that he had no idea how well the necklace he used to disguise his identity and cultivation base would work against someone who had reached the Soul Ascension Realm.
Even if it worked, there was still a chance that the Soul Ascension Realm Expert he encountered would not have any kind intentions towards him. This was especially true if that Soul Ascension Realm Expert happened to be from one of the three religions... If he encountered one of those three, he was almost certain that they would not let him leave easily!
"Senior, are you going to wait for Senior Xu together with us at the inn?" Having made his way out of the core of the capital city where the most dangerous and powerful people of the Sky Empire was located, one of the people from the independent sects that were walking together with him asked this in a somewhat worried tone.
"This... Is there perhaps a reason you are asking about this...?" About to leave them behind and start his journey back towards the Star Shattering Sect now that his primary goal for going to the capital city had been completed, Xuan Hao could not help stopping himself after seeing the worried expression on the face of the people from the independent sects.
Even without knowing what they were worried about, it was obvious that they did not want to see him leave before Xu Bao got back...
"Ehm... S-Senior... It's just that now that Senior Xu is busy with the last part of the sect alliance meeting, there is no one around to stop the major sects or their backers from taking out their anger on us. After all, now that they lost one of the four leader positions, I'm certain that they are going to use this opportunity before Senior Xu returns!"
"This..." As one of the people nervously stepped forward and explained the reason as to why they didn't want him to leave, Xuan Hao could not help frowning as he remembered how enraged the elder from the Sparrow Sect had been after he found out that he had lost the leader position in the sect alliance that he had originally thought was his.
Given how temperamental this person seemed compared to normal Domain Lord Realm Experts, Xuan Hao would not find it shocking if this person took the chance while Xu Bao was not around to take revenge on the independent sects.
Although he would not be able to kill any of them inside the capital city, he would still be able seriously injure them without getting in trouble with the guards of the capital city...
"I understand, I will stay together with you until Xu Bao returns from the meeting." Not feeling that it would be too troublesome to stay together with these people and look after them until Xu Bao returned from the meeting, Xuan Hao let out a soft sigh as he said this.
Troublesome or not, he understood that he would have to make sure that nothing happened to these people. After all, the independent sects were an important part of the plan to make everyone in the Sky Empire pay less attention to the Star Shattering Sect while it was developing.
"Thank you Senior!"
Not wasting any time after hearing what Xuan Hao said, the person who had nervously asked him to stay together with them until Xu Bao returned, happily jumped over and thanked him with a happy smile plastered all over his face.
"Senior, thank you for staying behind and waiting for Senior Xu with us!"
"Thank you for your help, Senior! I'm sure no one will dare target us now!"
"Yes, thanks to Senior, we can rest easy until Senior Xu returns."
The rest of the people who had nervously been waiting for an answer in the background did not lack behind for long, as all of them similarly jumped forward to thank Xuan Hao with relieved and happy expressions on their faces.
"You guys have far too much energy... Let's get going." Feeling a little taken aback by how lively the group of old people from the independent sects got all of a sudden, Xuan Hao could not help smiling a bit wryly as he said this before beginning to make his way towards the inn where the group of people from the independent sects had been staying ever since entering the capital city.
...
At the same time Xuan Hao was making his way back towards the inn with the people from the independent sects, the elder from the Sparrow Sect was standing in front of a shadowy figure in a dark corner of the capital with a fearful expression on his face.
"You are telling me that you actually lost the leader position to that old man Xu from the independent sects!? Do you know how many resources I used to ensure that your Sparrow Sect was chosen to take up that leader position in the sect alliance!? Yet... You are now telling me that you lost that chance I used so many resources to get you, to someone from one of those independent sects!?"
"I-I'm sorry my lord... But the appearance of a Peak Seventh Stage Domain Lord Realm Expert among one of the independent sects was not something we could have accounted for!"
"Hmph! Do you think I don't know about how you lost to them with only twenty votes!? Don't think we don't know what takes place inside the meeting, you self-proclaimed major sects are not the only people among the sects that we are supporting!"
"This- Forgive me for my failure my lord!"
Thump!
Knowing that he could not blame his failure to secure one of the four leader positions on the sudden appearance of a powerful expert among the independent sects, the elder from the Sparrow Sect fell to the ground with a pleading expression on his face.
At this point in time, he understood very well that he would not be able to avoid the blame for losing the leader position that his lord and the backer of the Sparrow Sect had spent an enormous amount of resources to get his hands on.
"Hmph! You only know how to beg now?"
"My lord! Please give me another chance! I will do anything!" Knowing that there was a chance that his lord might abandon him and no longer provide resources to him and his sect, the elder from the Sparrow Sect became even more desperate than before as he said this.
"Hm... Fine... Go out and find out more about this Peak Seventh Stage domain Lord that appeared out of nowhere. Ah! And also make sure to punish those independent sects! Hmph! How dare they take what is mine!?"
"Y-yes my lord!"
Whoosh-!
Not wasting a second after hearing that he had managed to get another chance, the elder from the Sparrow Sect quickly left the area to carry out the order that had been given to him.