Looking for novels like History's number 1 founder where it goes more in depth with mc's sect/ faction aspect, stuff like raising its influence, its specialty etc.
Zhanxian might work for you. He's (technically) not the sect leader, but he does work hard to raise his sect's status and power, and there's a decent chance the leader of the sect will force him to take his position at some point. Does he ever actually start a sect in that series? I think I stopped around chapter 900 and there still wasn't any sign that he was even considering it.