Seeing the sight before them everyone was filled with shock. For the villagers, they first felt rage towards the shamelessness of the Origin Sword Sect members and pity for the boy about to be killed by them. For Lin Feng and Lin Yun they felt joy, seeing that Xuanyuan Zhen was about to be killed, until the situation turned around.
The moment Xuanyuan Zhen turned to face them, the only thing both brothers could feel was fear and despair. Before they could plead, he leapt towards them throwing a fist attack at them. The intensity of his aura held them in place, such that they couldn't avoid it. The fist attack landed, turning them to crimson paste as blood and viscera splattered on the ground. Those watching felt relieved at the sight. The village Chief who had oppressed them all had been wiped out.
Xuanyuan Zhen looking at all the damage done during the battle was already exhausted, having fought beyond his limits. He simply walked away from the scene, and no one dared stop him.
Hidden within the crowd, was another figure in a black cloak. This wasn't an assassin, but the receptionist at they Myriad Fragrance Pavilion, Yin Mei. She watched the entire event on her employer's order. Just as the he suspected, Xuanyuan Zhen was a peerless genius, of which establishing a good relationship would benefit the progress of the Myriad Fragrance Pavilion.
So she secretly followed him as he walked to a river, just before the forest and hid herself to avoid being spotted. He removed his blue robes then jumped into it. Every single bloodstain on his body were washed off by the flowing water. As he washed of the blood stains he pondered about the breakthrough to 11th stage of Body Tempering realm. He'd never heard of this phenomenon before. And his strength increase was a whole new world compared to his previous ones.
It seemed like the Trinity of Primordial Breath and Myriad Arms Tempering Scripture were more heaven defying than he thought.
'Just what did his parents leave behind for him?'
He'll discover all these secrets when he's strong enough. Until then...
He looked in the direction where Yin Mei was hiding with curiosity. He smiled and said,
"It's good to see you again receptionist. Are you here to finish what they started?"
Yin Mei was shocked at his perception. But Xuanyuan Zhen's soul was tempered by Killing Intent to a terrifying degree. How could she hide?
She came out of her hiding place, then pulled off the hood of her cloak.
"Greetings young master Zhen," she said respectfully."I mean you no ill intent. I was sent by my employer to extend his offer."
"I'm listening," Xuanyuan Zhen answered.
"I suggest you get dressed first and follow me back, it's better than here." she replied with a faint blush on her face.
He looked at his bare body and nodded in understanding and walked out of the river. He pulled out another robes from his storage ring, a white one this time and wore them. His temperament was like that of an Immortal Emperor, and his tanned musculature like a War God.
From there both of them left the Red Mist Village to the Myriad Fragrance Pavilion.
---
Towering from the mist-shrouded Severed Peak, the Origin Sword Sect was a breathtaking masterpiece of sharp lines and imposing grandeur. Its structures seemed less built and more carved, as if a giant blade had sculpted the mountain itself.
Vast pavilions with swooping, knife-edge roofs defied gravity. Gleaming walls of polished obsidian and white jade reflected the clouds, making the entire complex look as if floating. Every pillar was a monolithic straight line, every staircase a cascade of perfect, geometric steps.
It was not a place of warmth, but of sublime, razor-edged magnificence—a testament to the power and perfection of the sword. The name of the sect, written on the gates exuded a very sharp sword intent, as if to cleave everything.
Within the most central hall in the sect, were a board of figures, elders of the sect. The lowest cultivation was the peak of Core Formation Realm, and the higher cultivation of the elders were Nascent Soul realm. Compared to Lin Tian, these were the main powerhouses of the sect. They were ten in number, ranked according to their strength.
The Grand Elder, the highest ranked among them finally stood up to address the rest of them.
"A few hours ago, three deacons of this sect were killed in the Red Mist Village," he began. "They say it was a 15 year old Body Tempering cultivator."
The faces of the elders were filled with shock and disbelief.
"Impossible!," said the Second Elder. A few others nodded in agreement with him.
"Whatever means this child used," the Grand Elder continued,"we cannot let this go. No one kills members of the Origin Sword Sect and gets away with it."
"But don't you think it's beneath us to take action?" Said the Fifth Elder, the only woman in the council,"after all, you said it was a Body Tempering realm cultivator we're talking about here."
"I agree," said the Third Elder, "the younger generation should be able to handle it. The weakest person among the Inner Discples is a peak Qi condensation realm."
"You all talk about killing so much, why not recruit him?" Said the Fourth Elder. The rest looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"How many times have we seen cultivators fighting across realms? A 15 year old Body Tempering cultivator skipped Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, to defeat a Core Formation powerhouse. If this is true, we're dealing with a peerless genius here."
"Or a calamity," said the Grand Elder." If such a genius cannot be used by us, we'll have to kill him. We cannot allow other sects to get a hold of him."