Following the group of elders from the Star Shattering Sect starting to make their way towards the location Elder Song had told them to establish a new branch sect, one particular elder who had just recently managed to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm, arrived outside a small town at the edge of the Flame Sky Kingdom territory.
"So, this is the place where Elder Song wants me to establish a new branch sect? Haaa… Even if the spiritual qi on the mountain range a bit further away from this place is decent, it is nowhere near the same level of the Shattered Star Peaks…" Muttering this to himself as he glanced over the small town filled with mortals before turning towards the small mountain range located a few thousand meters away from the town, the elder of the Star Shattering Sect could not help lamenting over how bad the current environment was compared to the Shattered Star Peaks.
"If I just didn't participate in that meeting back then, I would have been able to stay in the main sect and continue enjo- working hard to increase my cultivation." Shaking his head as he said this to himself, the elder slowly began making his way towards the small town.
Even if his job was to establish a branch sect of the Star Shattering Sect, he would of course not be the person building the sect up from scratch all alone. Instead, his main job was to first scout out any potentially strong cultivators that might be lurking around before making sure to take care of any hostile forces around.
After all of this, he would then contact the sect and have them send over people and materials to begin constructing the branch sect under his protection.
Given the fact that his location in specific was one of the places furthest away from the Star Shattering Sect, he would also be one of the people who would be required to stay for longer.
Ahhh, why didn't I get chosen for one of those nearby branch sect locations!? If I did, I would at most have to spent two or three years before I could return to the main sect again…
Lamenting over this fact, the elder from the Star Shattering Sect arrived at the entrance to the small town.
Given the fact that the small town was at the edge of the Flame Sky Kingdom and did not have any real strategic value to the Flame Sky Kingdom, the strongest person present in the town had only barely reached the Foundation Establishment.
Although this might be a powerful existence in the eyes of the mortals without any cultivation. In the eyes of the elder from the Star Shattering Sect who had reached the Nascent Soul Realm, this person was no different from these mortals in terms of strength.
Not to mention, the Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator in the small town was not someone young and talented but was instead an old man who at most had a few years left to live.
"Stop! You can't enter the town unless you are someone from the Flame Sky Kingdom!"
Just as he was about to make his way inside the town to see it firsthand and get more familiar with the town that would most likely end up developing rapidly as a result of the new branch sect he was going to establish in the mountain range a few thousand meters away, a burly guard who had been half asleep in front of the small entrance to the town suddenly jumped up and stopped him from entering the town.
Even from a glance, it was obvious that this guard wanted to get this over with quickly and return to slacking off.
"Hm? What is this about? Aren't the borders of the Flame Sky Kingdom open to anyone passing by?" Not affected by the rude behavior of the guard in front of him, the elder of the Star Shattering Sect was far more curious about why he had been stopped, as he asked this with a curious expression on his face. Wanting to figure out anything important that might have taken place in the area he would be in charge of over the next few years.
After all, although every single elder had been given a description of the current situation in the kingdom they were sent to, the situation could easily change during the weeks- or in his case months, that was used to travel to the location given to them by Elder Song.
"Open borders? Your information is outdated, the Flame Sky Kingdom closed its border one week ago. Only those who can prove their identity as a citizen of the Flame Sky Kingdom are allowed to enter!" Snickering towards the elder as he said this, the guard clearly did not hold any respect for this stranger who had appeared and disturbed his sleep.
"Closed borders to everyone not a citizen of the Flame Sky Kingdom? What is the reason for taking such a drastic measure to stop people from entering the kingdom?" Not at all affected by the behavior of the guard, the elder just continued asking about the situation of the Flame Sky Kingdom.
In a sense, the reason why he was being looked down upon by this guard most likely had to do with the fact that he had disguised himself as an ordinary wanderer instead of using the elder robe of the sect. Knowing that using it would end up catching far too much attention and possibly result in the Flame Sky Kingdom sending a Nascent Soul Realm Expert to prevent him from entering the Flame Sky Kingdom in the first place.
All things considered; he knew that his own strength was far from enough to resist the attack of the Flame Sky Kingdom. In his eyes, it was far better to leave something like this to the more powerful elders who had similarly gone to the Flame Sky Kingdom to establish a branch sect like him. Especially the Grand Elder of the Half Spirit, when he started building a branch sect close to the capital of the Flame Sky Kingdom, there was no way they would have the time to pay attention to someone like him at the border of their territory.
"You- How would I know about something like that!? It's probably something related to that new sect, I think it was called the Star Shattering Sect, starting to expand into the territory of the Flame Sky Kingdom. Now that I answered your questions, scram, I still have some important work to do!" Not bothering to pay any more attention to the elder from the Star Shattering Sect after this, the angry guard returned to his seat at the entrance to the small town before closing his eyes and returning to his half-asleep state. Only barely keeping himself awake enough to pay attention to anyone trying to enter the town.
"So, the other elders have already started moving… If that is the case, there shouldn't be any problem with me beginning the construction of a branch sect here…" Muttering this to himself as a sense of relief washed over him after hearing what the guard said, the elder of the Star Shattering Sect felt much more at ease knowing that the Flame Sky Kingdom would be busy trying to stop the other elders of the Star Shattering Sect.
With this in mind, he did not waste a second and directly changed out of his disguse and into the robe representing his status as an elder of the Star Shattering Sect before confidently making his way inside the town. No longer worried that his appearance would end up attracting a powerful Nascent Soul Realm Expert from the Flame Sky Kingdom.
Realizing that the person he had just stopped was about to enter the town, the guard who had once again been woken up, angrily yelled as he prepared to draw the small sword at his waist to stop him. "Hm? Ah! Hey, I told you that you can't enter unless-"
Of course, his anger soon turned into fear when he realized the new robe and the striking symbol of the Star Shattering Sect beautifully embroidered on it. Even if he was only a random guard from the Flame Sky Kingdom who had barely managed to reach the Qi Condensation Realm, he still recognized the symbol of the Star Shattering Sect.
"T-this- The Star Shattering Sect!" Feeling a profound sense of fear welling up inside him as he remembered how he had treated this elder just a few seconds earlier, the guard collapsed on the ground. Fainting as a result of the overwhelming fear that suddenly overwhelmed him.
"What the… Ehm… Whatever, I will just continue exploring this town…"
Whoosh~
Not knowing what to say after seeing the guard collapsing on the ground before a small puddle of liquid formed around his lower region, the elder of the Star Shattering Sect quickly made his way inside the small town. Making sure to avoid the unconscious guard.