Observing the two elders from the Sparrow Sect as they talked with each other while completely ignoring the knocked out disciples from the Stone Horn Sect and the Tree Flower Sect laying on the ground beside them, Xuan Hao took the opportunity to slowly approach them. Making use of the necklace to hide himself completely from the two talking elders from the Sparrow Sect.
This should be close enough…
Getting within a few meters of where the disciples from the two independent sects were placed on the ground, Xuan Hao narrowed both his eyes before getting ready to dash forward and take the unconscious disciples away with him without having to fight with the two elders from the Sparrow Sect.
Considering the fact that he had disguised himself as someone who had reached the Peak of the Seventh Stage of the Domain Lord Realm, it was not too unrealistic for him to be capable of escaping from the two elders from the Sparrow Sect while carrying the close to thirty disciples from the Stone Horn Sect and Tree Flower Sect with his domain.
Even if they might get a bit suspicious about how he had managed to get so close without them noticing and how he knew what they were up to, they should attribute it to them having underestimated the strength of someone who had reached the Peak of the Seventh stage of the Domain Lord Realm. Maybe they might even think he had used some kind of special concealment talisman to approach them without them noticing!
Whoosh~
Having reached a distance that would allow him to easily grab the unconscious disciples before escaping, Xuan Hao decided to make his move-
"Wha-!?"
"This- You are!?"
Catching both elders from the Sparrow Sect by surprise, as neither of them managed to react in time before Xuan Hao took away the unconscious disciples from the Tree Flower Sect and the Stone Horn Sect.
"We can't let him get away!" Recovering from the sudden turn of events the fastest, the older elder from the Sparrow Sect who had participated in the sect alliance meeting didn't waste a single second before dashing after Xuan Hao. Understanding very well that the chances of them being able to do anything to the independent sects without using the disciples to split them up was close to zero.
Not only that, but he would also have to explain how he hadn't been able to get anything done to his lord once again!
Although the old elder from the Sparrow Sect doubted that his lord would throw away a powerful sect like the Sparrow Sect which had several Domain Lords under it, he also understood that the resources the Sparrow Sect would receive from this lord was almost certainly going to decrease…
As for the Sparrow Sect finding another backer… The old elder didn't even dare to think about this. After all, other than the resources and benefits that they were provided with for serving under a powerful kingdom of the Sky Empire, the kingdom in question also had several ways to ensure that the Sparrow Sect did not just find another backer after they had invested a large amount of resources into them. One of them being that they would be deemed as an independent sect and would end up facing the same level of suppression inside the Sky Empire as the rest of the independent sects that barely hang in there due to the backing of Xu Bao.
The difference between the Sparrow Sect at that point in time and the independent sects, would be the fact that they would be considered the enemies of not only the major sects, but also the independent sects that they were a part of… Not something any of the major sects wanted to happen to them!
Swish-!
As he thought about all of this while chasing after Xuan Hao who was slowly getting further and further away from him, the old elder from the Sparrow Sect that had reached the Sixth Stage of the Domain Lord Realm, suddenly increased his speed even further. Allowing him to catch up with Xuan Hao and launch an attack.
Not towards Xuan Hao, but instead the disciples from the two independent sects that he was carrying with him. Knowing very well that it would be far harder for Xuan Hao to defend these disciples while also escaping at the same time. Hoping that he would be able to buy enough time for the remaining people from the major sects to use this window of time where Xuan Hao was missing to launch an attack on the people from the independent sects that were hiding away inside the rundown inn on the other side of the capital city.
Even if the chances of them being able to do any real damage before Xuan Hao managed to return was low, the old elder from the Sparrow Sect still hoped that they would at the very least be able to archive something as he launched another attack towards the disciples Xuan Hao was carrying before the first had time to land.
Not even a second later, the first attack landed on one of the disciples from the Tree Flower Sect-
BOOOM-!
However, different from what the elder from the Sparrow Sect had expected, Xuan Hao didn't slow down to defend against the attack, but merely used the power of his domain to block the attack.
"This- How is this even possible!? Is the domain of a Seventh Stage Domain Lord really this powerful!?" Not able to understand how his first attack had been blocked so easily without the other party even slowing down for a second, the elder from the Sparrow Sect could not help marveling over just how much stronger someone in the Seventh Stage of the Domain Lord Realm was compared to someone like himself who had reached the Sixth Stage of the Domain Lord Realm. Even without seeing his second attack landing, he already understood that it would not be able to do anything to slow down Xuan Hao!
…
At the same time the two elders from the sparrow sect were chasing after Xuan Hao who was making his way back towards the rundown in where the people from the independent sects were located, one of the elders belonging to one of the smaller major sects could not help showing a doubtful expression on his face while looking down at a communication talisman.
"The Peak Seventh Stage Domain Lord snuck past us and is currently on the other side of the city…? If what that old man from the Sparrow Sect says is this true, then this is a good opportunity to attack the remaining people from the independent sects still inside the rundown inn… But… If the Peak Seventh Stage Domain Lord is still present, the one launching the first attack is sure to face the wrath of this expert…" Muttering this to himself as he went over the information that had been told to him through the communication talisman, the elder understood how great of an opportunity this was to weaken the independent sects.
The only problem was… If the Peak Seventh Stage Domain Lord Realm Expert was still present, the person who launched the first attack would be sure to face the wrath of this expert head on.
Even if he wouldn't die from this due to his cultivation having reached the Fifth Stage of the Domain Lord Realm, he was certain that he would not be able to get out unscratched!
With that in mind, the Sparrow Sect was already considered a troublesome sect among the most powerful of the major sects… And it was not easy for this person, or the rest of the people from the major sects placed around the rundown in, to trust the words of the Sparrow Sect.
For now, all the message sent out by the Sparrow Sect had archived, was to make the major sects lurking around the rundown inn start to test the waters in an attempt to figure out whether or not the Peak Seventh Stage Domain Lord Realm Expert had truly left. As for using the limited time they had to attack the independent sects inside the rundown inn? None of them had dared to truly launch an attack.
…
"These stupid people! How dare they doubt my words!" As a few people from the Sparrow Sect were still stationed around the rundown inn to keep an eye on the situation, the older elder from the Sparrow Sect of course ended up learning that none of the major sects present around the rundown inn had dared to make the first move and attack the independent sects.
For a short moment, the elder from the Sparrow Sect could not help lamenting over his bad reputation within the major sects. If he had just earned the trust of at least one of the major sects present around the rundown inn at this moment, the opportunity to attack the independent sects would not be lost like this…!