Zhao Wuji was on the verge of despair.
How could he have possibly provoked such people?
He had only been following his usual routine, suppressing those from Tianjian Peak. Who could have expected that one Yun Jin would drag him into a calamity of this scale?
Had he known things would turn out like this, he would have shamelessly killed Yun Jin the moment she appeared, no matter the cost.
But now, it was already too late.
Even if he wanted to make a move, he no longer had the chance.
With a bitter expression, Zhao Wuji explained everything that had happened as clearly as he could.
Zhao Ling fell silent.
His seclusion had lasted so long that he had completely forgotten about today's Grand Sect Assembly Not that it mattered. Something so trivial never would have caught his attention.
Back then, the person he arranged had gone in with full force. Lin Ya, even if he survived, had no future left in a place like Tianxing Sect.
It was only a matter of sooner or later before he died.
But now, that Lin Ya—who was all but dead in Zhao Ling's eyes—had taken on a new disciple named Yun Jin. And somehow, that disciple had managed to turn the tables?
Zhao Ling felt a chill down his spine.
Three months into cultivation, and this Yun Jin was already drawing the attention of three top figures in the cultivation world.
Just how much of a genius was she?
"Father, you have to save me," Zhao Wuji pleaded. "If Yun Jin demands my death, I'm afraid those three seniors would agree without hesitation. I even thought about fleeing just now, but the moment I had that idea, an overwhelming sense of dread gripped me. I think all three of them have already locked onto my presence. If I run, I'll die without a doubt."
Zhao Ling's nerves tensed.
He only had this one son. Nothing could be allowed to happen to him.
After a moment of silence, Zhao Ling asked, "You said your Senior Brother Li was slain with a single sword strike from the Kunlun Sword Sect's Sect Master?"
Zhao Wuji recalled the scene and shuddered. "Not just that. Even his Nascent Soul was dissolved by some kind of lethal poison."
Zhao Ling narrowed his eyes. "So, the reason he killed Li Heng was because he believed he had slandered Lin Ya?"
Zhao Wuji nodded. "It seems so."
Zhao Ling asked again, "Any solid proof?"
Zhao Wuji replied, "Senior Uncle Li was controlled by that Liu Li senior. He confessed everything himself."
Zhao Ling gave a cold chuckle. "Words spoken under spiritual control hardly count as credible testimony." He narrowed his eyes further. "I understand. I will report this to the Sect Master at once. Wuji, stay in your cave dwelling. Do not show yourself. Qingxiao Pavilion is very close to Tianxing Sect. If all goes smoothly, I will arrive by tomorrow."
Zhao Wuji felt a weight lift off his chest. He nodded quickly. Then, he began setting up a barrage of defensive formations around the entrance of his cave. He knew full well that if Ji Wusi and the others really decided to act, these formations would be useless.
But he had no other options.
So he hid, trembling, filled with dread.
Qingxiao Pavilion.
After ending the transmission, Zhao Ling immediately requested an audience with the Pavilion Master of Qingxiao. Thanks to his breakthrough to the Mahayana realm, he was granted a meeting without issue.
Lin Xiao sat calmly as he regarded Zhao Ling with a detached expression. There were many Mahayana cultivators in this world, but only a few ever ascended to the immortal realm.
In the past hundred years, not a single one had succeeded.
Cultivators like Zhao Ling, who achieved a breakthrough through pure effort and endurance, typically had no hope of advancing further in their lives. Lin Xiao didn't find him worth much attention.
"It's a good thing you reached Mahayana," Lin Xiao said blandly. "From now on, you are the thirty-ninth elder of Qingxiao Pavilion. Go collect your elder token. If there's nothing else, you may leave."
His disregard was obvious. Zhao Ling was not surprised.
He quickly replied, "Pavilion Master, my advancement to Mahayana is a minor matter. I have something urgent to report. It concerns Ji Wusi of Kunlun Sword Sect."
Ji Wusi?
Lin Xiao's expression darkened at once.
It was well known among the Four Holy Lands that Qingxiao Pavilion and Kunlun Sword Sect did not get along. Much of that animosity stemmed from the personal enmity between Lin Xiao and Ji Wusi.
Ji Wusi was a brute—reckless and muscle-headed, with the brains of a toddler.
Now that the demon race was wreaking havoc, Ji Wusi had organized the Demon-Slaying Alliance to unite the human sects in resisting them. That initiative, on paper, was commendable. The Four Holy Lands and countless other sects had responded to the call.
But Ji Wusi's approach to demons and heretics was extreme.
His stance was simple: kill. No negotiation. No compromise.
Lin Xiao found that attitude lacking in strategy and wisdom.
Take the current Demon Sovereign, for example. He had secretly reached out to the human cultivators on several occasions, offering to lead the demons into submission—if the humans helped him eliminate his rivals.
It was a favorable offer. After all, they would be killing demons either way. And with the Demon Sovereign's help, the humans might even take control of the demon race without spilling any more blood.
But Ji Wusi?
He flatly refused the alliance. Worse, he rallied others to set up a trap, intending to assassinate the Demon Sovereign outright.
Lin Xiao had been furious.
Why rush to kill a Demon Sovereign who was already inclined toward humanity? Wouldn't it be better to let him incite internal conflict within the demon race?
Ji Wusi had insisted that the Demon Sovereign must not be allowed to grow stronger. He claimed the Sovereign would become humanity's greatest threat in the future.
And unfortunately, a lot of people believed him.
Lin Xiao was forced to join the ambush, though during the final battle, he deliberately went easy. The Demon Sovereign escaped with serious injuries.
Ji Wusi must have noticed something. Since then, he had treated Lin Xiao with blatant hostility—even during high-level meetings, where he gave him no respect at all.
Lin Xiao believed everything he had done was for the good of humanity. He simply didn't want Ji Wusi leading them into a misguided war against the demons. After several rounds of humiliation, the personal feud between them had gone public. So, when he heard Ji Wusi's name again, Lin Xiao's expression shifted. His voice turned cold.
"You'd better have something important to say."
Zhao Ling quickly recounted everything—Ji Wusi appearing at Tianxing Sect, and killing Li Heng with a single sword.
Lin Xiao's expression changed several times as he listened.
At last, he chuckled.
"Well done. That fool had it coming."
Zhao Ling immediately understood. He joined in the laughter.
"You handled this matter well," Lin Xiao said casually. "Tianxing Sect, is it? I will accompany you. With me there, justice will be served for Li Heng. And as for your poor son, threatened and frightened by Ji Wusi, that too must be accounted for."
Zhao Ling finally relaxed. He nodded deeply and replied, "Yes, Pavilion Master."
As expected, the Pavilion Master loathed Ji Wusi. With Lin Xiao stepping in, Zhao Wuji's life was no longer in danger.