Continuing along the path leading down from the Ninth Star Peak and down into the small valley that was located in between the different Star Peaks, it did not take long before the Seventh Star Peak where the sect was located came into view in the distance. Leaving Mui, who had never seen anything outside of the small city in the core region of the Sky Empire where she grew up, open her mouth wide in disbelief.
The beautiful buildings that were everywhere and the serene and peaceful surroundings that created a perfect environment for cultivating. If not for the fact that a large number of both disciples and elders could constantly be seen walking back and forth between the different buildings, she would have thought that they had accidently made their way inside some kind of ancient forbidden land from a long-lost era.
"That is the main sect of the Star Shattering Sect and also the place you will be staying from now."
"..."
Lost in her own thought as she looked up towards the Star Shattering Sect on the Seventh Star Peak filled with both amazement and awe, Mui did not even register what Xuan Hao said to her as she just mindlessly nodded her head before following him along the path leading up the Seventh Star Peak. Not able to stop herself from looking at the sect on top of the mountain growing closer and closer to her with each passing moment.
"Wait... Who is that? I feel like- Isn't that Elder Xuan!?"
"But... Wasn't he doing some sect alliance meeting in the capital city of the Sky Empire...? It can't be... Ah! I-It really is him...!"
"Elder Xuan returned from the sect alliance meeting!? We should inform the sect master and Elder Song about this! Maybe we can get a different assignment that doesn't require us to leave the sect!"
At the same time Mui was making her way up the Seventh Star Peak together with Xuan Hao, a few of the elders making their way down the mountain discovered them and froze in surprise for a short moment before rushing back up the mountain. Disappearing back inside the sect.
Hm? Those elders seemed really surprised just now when they saw my master. Does my master perhaps have a higher position than a normal elder?
Even if Mui had not been able to hear what the elders were talking about due to how far away, they had been, she had still been able to see the shocked expressions on their faces when they saw her master and could not help feeling curious as to just what kind of identity her master had inside the Star Shattering Sect for them to react like this upon seeing her master.
"As I said earlier, I'm a grand elder of the Star Shattering Sect. The position of a grand elder is above that of a normal elder and can even be considered above that of the sect master in some circumstances. Outside of me, there is only one more person that holds the status of a grand elder... But my circumstance can be considered a bit special, as I'm currently the strongest person in the Star Shattering Sect and my position can be considered above that of a grand elder." Feeling the curious and almost questioning gaze from Mui after she had witnessed the surprised group of elders running back up the mountain after seeing him, Xuan Hao did not mind giving some more details on his position inside the Star Shattering Sect.
No matter what, she was going to learn about it sooner or later, so Xuan Hao did not really see any problems with telling her about his current identity inside the Star Shattering Sect.
"Grand Elder... Most powerful in the Star Shattering Sect...?" Muttering this to herself as a look of disbelief made its way onto her face, Mui froze on the spot as she tried to comprehend what her master had just told her.
Not only was her master above the rest of the elders of the sect, but he was the most powerful person in the sect! For a moment, Mui found it hard to believe that she had managed to become the disciple of such a powerful person...
"No need to think about it so much, you are more than qualified to become my disciple. Even if you are only in the Qi Condensation Realm at the moment, I believe that it won't take long before you reach the Nascent Soul Realm and even beyond that!" Seeing the doubt on the face of Mui, Xuan Hao quickly reassured her. Not that anything he said was wrong, as with her talent, it would indeed not take long before she reached the Nascent Soul Realm. Especially with his support!
"Me... Reaching the Nascent Soul Realm...?"
"Yes, I believe it won't be a problem for you to reach Domain Lord Realm, let alone the Nascent Soul Realm!"
"T-thank you master..." Showing a flustered expression on her face due to the clear compliments given by her Xuan Hao, Mui no longer thought about whether she was qualified to become Xuan Hao's disciple. Instead, starting to look forward to meeting her seniors and finding out where she was going to stay.
Seeing that she had started happily smiling to herself after his compliment, Xuan Hao decided not to say anything more as they continued the rest of the way up the Seventh Star Peak. During which, Mui spent most of her time looking at the different disciples and elders that passed by from time to time, who were also curiously looking at the young girl that was walking together with Elder Xuan.
For them, it was surprising to see someone who was not among Xuan Hao's three disciples to be walking together with him. Especially considering that this person was not even wearing the standard uniform of a disciple nor that of a core disciple.
The main thought of these people was that she was possibly a new disciple of Elder Xuan or a talented person that was going to become part of the sect in the future.
As for her being an elder. None of the people passing by thought about this. After all, she was far too young to be an elder... Well, unless she was someone who had managed to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm at such a young age and decided to keep her appearance like that on purpose.
...
Walking the final way to his palace located close to the centre of the sect where the qi spring lake was located, Xuan Hao could not help rolling both of his eyes as he very clearly sensed the divine sense of both Feng Chen and Elder Song sweeping over him several times along the way.
Even if they wanted to find out about the sect alliance meeting and the person, he had brought back with him, Xuan Hao did not plan to leave Mui and thus decided to ignore the two curious old men for now. Explaining what had happened during the sect alliance meeting and telling them about his new disciple could wait a few more days. Especially considering that they had already been waiting for a few months, waiting for another day or two wouldn't hurt them.
If there really was anything serious that they wanted to talk about, they would have already shown up personally. Not just use their divine sense to subtly hint at the fact that they wanted to talk with him.
"Ah! Master, is this the place where I will be living!?"
"Hm? Yes, you will be staying here in the future together with me and your three seniors." Suddenly being interrupted by Mui who called out to him, Xuan Hao looked ahead and realized that they had already reached his palace and had already moved past the front entrance.
"Wow... I will be staying in a palace in the future...!" Muttering this to herself as she seemed to be in a daze after hearing what her master said, Mui had no idea what to say as she still felt like the last few weeks had been a dream.
From risking her life looking for food inside a large forest with demon beast in it and living on the streets to suddenly becoming a cultivator and finally the personal disciple of a powerful elder inside a sect called the Star Shattering Sect.
Although she had never heard about the Star Shattering Sect before, she didn't doubt the words of her master when he had told her that it was the most powerful sect in the Sky Empire. Even more so after she personally saw the sect and felt the different powerful auras from the different elders and disciples walking past her along her way to the sect.
Even if she had not said anything, Mui had been shocked when she had realized that everyone, she had met so far, was far more powerful than the so-called experts she had encountered in the city she had spent her entire life inside.
Of course, there was no way for Mui to understand that the so-called experts she had encountered back then were actually not real cultivators, but merely a bunch of people pretending to be in an attempt to earn the admiration and respect of the different orphans...