A Mistake

While he heard some screaming due to excitement after leaving the hall, Tian Jing turned his way back to the pavilion. The commotion behind him was the sect members reacting to the cultivation techniques he had left them with. 'Ten Heaven-rank cultivation techniques should be more than enough for that amount of Yin Qi,' he thought to himself, nodding in satisfaction. 'I won't give them a wish like I gave that lord.' The thought of his own generosity crossed his mind again. 'I am really generous, huh?' He didn't know why, but he felt particularly benevolent. It wasn't as if he had lost anything by giving them the cultivation techniques, but still, he felt generous.

As he arrived back at the pavilion and stepped inside, he saw Qing Lian cultivating diligently. The sight brought an inward smile to his usually stern face. She was dedicated, and her focus was unwavering. Sensing his presence, Qing Lian immediately stopped cultivating and attempted to stand up to greet him properly, but Tian Jing stopped her with a gentle gesture. "Continue" he said, his usual emotionless expression in place. She nodded obediently and resumed her cultivation, her determination clear in her every movement.

Tian Jing moved further inside, finding his own space to settle. He crossed his legs, assuming a meditative posture, and began his cultivation.

While Tian Jing and Qing Lian were cultivating, an issue arose in the hall where the Sect Master and elders were having a discussion. One of the elders, filled with excitement, exclaimed, "Sect Master, this is incredible! Is this a blessing from the heavens? In the hundreds of years of our sect's history, we only had ten Heaven-rank cultivation techniques, but now that number has doubled."

"But... what are we going to do now? We didn't asked help from the great families as it was interrupted, but We had previously asked for assistance from one of the Four Great Sects, the Xiao Sect, before he provided us with the scrolls. We informed them that there was an intruder whose combat strength was at least at the peak of the Spirit Lord realm and needed to be eliminated. We begged for their help and offered them valuable treasures. Now, they must have already dispatched their elders or even the Great Elder to our sect." Sect Master nodded at her 

"We can't simply tell them to turn back since we have already accepted their help. So, Even if it will give a bad taste to us, this is the world we live in. We must think for ourselves." she said strictly.

"I think the same, Sect Master; we should just let them kill him. He holds many mysteries, and he even handed us ten Heaven-rank cultivation techniques as if they were nothing. With the help of the Xiao Sect, I am confident we can easily suppress him" the Great Elder spoke with determination. The Elders and Sect master, even though he gave them a lot, thought they should eliminate him in order to avoid any possible future trouble. They didn't believe Tian Jing could be strong enough to defeat them all, even if he were as strong as a King Realm cultivator. The Great Elder of the Xiao Sect was at the peak of the King Realm, and with his help, they could surely overpower Tian Jing.

"When the help from the Xiao Sect arrives. We will attack him, but we need to prepare well first. " the Sect Master ordered firmly. The others nodded in agreement, signaling the end of the meeting. As everyone began to leave, one elder turned and asked, "What should we do with him?"

The Sect Master glanced at the middle-aged man who had been crippled, the former male Sect Master. "What do you think, Just kill him and throw him out of the sect. He is already as good as dead" she said nonchalantly. The man's eyes were full of despair and pain. For a cultivator, being crippled and losing one's entire cultivation base was a fate worse than death.

The elder nodded in acknowledgment, and they left the hall.

Days passed, each one more anxious than the last for everyone except Tian Jing and Qing Lian. The anticipation of the Xiao Sect's arrival weighed heavily on the sect members. Finally, the help they had requested arrived. The Sect Elders and Sect Master greeted them with great respect, noting that the Great Elder of the Xiao Sect himself had come. Alongside him was the prime disciple, a direct disciple of the Sect Master, sent to gain some experience.

As they gathered in the meeting hall, the atmosphere was tense with unspoken questions. The Xiao Sect members wondered why the sect hadn't already attacked the intruder with their help. The Sect Master explained that they had a plan: to catch Tian Jing off guard with a sudden, coordinated attack to ensure victory without any casualties. 

Leaving the Xiao Sect members to wait, the Sect Master made his way to the pavilion where Qing Lian was cultivating diligently, and Tian Jing was deep in thought, trying to comprehend something new. She knocked on the door, and after a few seconds, it was opened by Tian Jing. He gestured for Qing Lian to continue her cultivation before turning to Sect Master.

The Sect Master bowed slightly, masking her inner turmoil. "Esteemed One, there are several individuals from one of the great sects, Xiao Sect, who urgently wish to meet with you."

Tian Jing thought that no one knew about him initially. He suspected that their mentioning of his presence to others, coupled with him giving out ten Heaven-rank cultivation techniques, had sparked curiosity and desire in others. The idea of being disturbed for such a trivial reason annoyed him, and he expanded his spiritual sense, a flash of anger briefly lighting his eyes. However, this anger quickly dissipated as he sensed a strong individual at the 10th level of the Spirit King realm, accompanied by a few Spirit Lords and a young woman in her twenties at the Spirit Master realm. Her cultivation level was impressive for her age, marking her extremely talented among her peers.

Understanding the situation, Tian Jing grinned inwardly and nodded to the Sect Master, saying, 

"Lead the way."

As the two arrived at the building and stepped inside the room, the hall closed with a formation, and a few elders from the Xiao sect closed the door behind them and went in, and now Tian Jing was surrounded completely. He saw that everyone's gaze was locked on him.

The silence was broken by a certain individual, the Great Elder of the Xiao Sect, Xiao Wei. He laughed sarcastically, his eyes sparkling with a hint of anger. "HAHAHA! What is this, Lin Mei?" He looked at the Sect Master, demanding an explanation but continued without waiting for her response. "A Grandmaster realm? Well, I admit he is really young, but who cares? You begged us for help against him. Hahahaha! I knew you guys were weak, but to think you couldn't just kill him yourselves!"

Xiao Wei continued to laugh, his derisive chuckles echoed. The Xiao Sect eldrers who hadn't witnessed Tian Jing's power were smirking and chuckling as well, feeling they got free treasures for just a mere Grandmaster Realm. However, those who had seen Tian Jing's speed and strength before smiled at each other ironically, knowing that he was not someone to be taken lightly, and thinking that some of them would get killed while killing him.

While everyone saw Tian Jing as a dead person, it was different for the prime disciple of the Xiao Sect, Xiao Ling, who found herself mesmerized by Tian Jing's striking handsomeness and felt a strange, unexplainable attraction toward him, which she didn't know.

As the laughter subsided, Tian Jing remained composed, though his mind was a storm of thoughts. 'Hmm... Should I kill them all... but-' he pondered.

Xiao Wei, noticing the silence, glanced again at Lin Mei; seeing her nod, he spoke again, but now with indifference "Just kill him. It will be good training for you." He addressed his elders, and without a moment's hesitation, they launched an attack on Tian Jing. As their strikes closed in on him, Tian Jing vanished in an instant.

"W-What?!" members of the Xiao Sect shouted in surprise. The other sect members, having already witnessed Tian Jing's speed and power, braced for the unknown. Lin Mei, who had anticipated such an outcome and had warned them not to underestimate Tian Jing, had already taken precautions. She and a few other elders had positioned themselves in a corner, ready to defend against potential chaos.

Just as everyone started to search for Tian Jing, trying to understand his next move, a surprised murmur rose from the back of the hall. "Hmm..."

Everyone's eyes widened in shock. Tian Jing stood right in front of Xiao Ling, the prime disciple, who had been positioned at the very back, guarded by two elders. Yet here he was, having moved in front of her without anyone noticing. He muttered.

"Extreme Yin Physique, huh"