"Elder Wang, this junior did not mean any offense." Shi Jing apologized, bowing his head.
There was depressed look on his face, coupled with his unsteady voice, Elder Wang mood lightened significantly.
"You are still young, it is best to not be too arrogant… I hope fellow daoist Chen can guide you to the right path."
He said with a deep sigh, turning his head toward Chen Lian before looking at the crowd.
His words was not just directed at Shi Jing, but every disciple in the vicinity.
Hearing this, they nodded to acknowledge his words.
Among them, only a few inner disciple actually remained. Some had already seen the outcome of the spar just from a glance and wasn't interested.
At the same time, Shi Jing lifted his head and sheathed his sword before walking toward Elder Wang.
Shi Jing movement made Elder Wang confused, but he didn't stop him.
The thought that Shi Jing would attack him was not in his mind. Actually, it was not in anyone's mind, not Chen Lian or the gate guardian nearby.
"This junior want to gift you this as a token of my inappropriate behavior," He said with a smile while reaching for his leather pouch.
Inwardly, Shi Jing was nervous, his back pouring with cold sweat.
But it was carefully concealed. Clearly, his years of working in the office world wasn't for nothing.
Hearing this, Elder Wang wrinkled face lifted into a big smile.
"Elder Chen, it seems you did taught this young man some manner, I apologize for my needless words."
When Shi Jing was just two feet away, he stopped, his right hand paused inside the leather pouch before pulling out a white slip.
This was the gift from Ming Feng, the jade slip with the Heaven-Grade sword art.
Seeing this, Elder Wang eyes glued onto the white slip, paying Shi Jing no mind.
The light from the white slip shine against the sunlight, reflecting a warm light, yet for an instant, it felt cold.
In that brief instant, his sense was pricked, but he realized it too late!
A cold piece of metal pierced his heart.
Death has came, and it came for him.
"I will see you soon."
Shi Jing softly whisper, his spiritual essence stirred to its limit, to the point that not even the ghostly concealment can hide his cultivation.
With his sudden attack, as well as outburst of cultivation, Elder Wang fate was sealed.
"Y-You! How dare you-" Elder Wang cried out in desperation, however, life continues to flee from his body.
The sword pierced deep into his heart.
Shi Jing didn't stop there, with all his strength, he lifted his sword.
The sword cleanly came through the top, slicing the body into half.
Blood splatter on the marbled stone, some splashed on his face, but he maintained a cold expression.
Only after he examined the corpse with his spiritual essence did he relaxed.
"This is the first time I killed someone… So what? These people are just foreigner of another world, this place is not my home!"
As he says this, he strangely felt nothing.
In fact, he had seen his own body being devoured by beasts in the wilderness.
He had struggle and died inside the stomach of wild animals as well in the forest. All this made Elder Wang's half-corpse looked tamed!
Instantly, the platform erupted into chaos.
For a heartbeat, no one moved, the sight too impossible to process.
Elder Chen, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, stood rooted, but his body quickly moved to away from Shi Jing.
"Elder Wang is a wandering sea expert yet was still killed by this kid. Even though his guard was down, this is still suspicious!"
He murmured in fear as he stare at Shi Jing bloodied figure.
"Impossible..." Someone breathed.
Then the screaming began.
"He killed Elder Wang!"
"How is this possible?!"
Disciples scattered like startled birds, some stumbling over each other in their haste to flee.
The few inner disciples who remained stood frozen, their faces pale with disbelief.
Chen Lian's eyes went wide with horror. "The speed... I couldn't even see it coming."
Zhou Kang, still clutching his useless arm, staggered backward. "Monster... he's a monster! To think I actually wanted to get revenge on him!"
What terrified them most wasn't just the killing, it was the execution itself.
The sword strike had been flawless, delivered with the precision of a skilled swordsman.
In that single moment, Shi Jing had revealed cultivation and sword skills far beyond what any of them had imagined possible.
The gate guardians finally snapped from their stupor, hands reaching for their weapons, but their movements seemed sluggish compared to what they'd just witnessed.
"Who... who are you really?" Chen Lian whispered, his voice trembling.
With Shi Jing cultivation revealed, as well as the display of killing Elder Wang in a swift motion, he didn't dare to believe Shi Jing was just thirteen year old!
Hearing this, Shi Jing smiled mysteriously and shook his head.
"What do you mean, Elder Chen? I am Shi Jing."
This only made Elder Chen more nervous and perturb.
But the curiosity and questions gripped his heart, he can't help but ask.
"Why did you kill Elder Wang?"
"Because the voices in my head told me to, would you believe me?" Shi Jing chuckled lightly while swinging his sword to wipe the blood off his blade.
The voices in his head? What kind of reason is that? Is this person delusional?
Before he could question further, an oppressive presence appear.
"How dare you kill an Elder in the Sword Cloud Manor ground! You deserve to spend your entire life in the Ghost-Refinement prison!"
Shi Jing look up toward the sky, it was a middle aged man.
This aura reminded him of senior Ming Feng.
"Dao Seed Realm expert!"
"I have no plan on staying in prison," Shi Jing said calmly, his indifference made the Dao Seed Realm expert frown.
As the Dao Seed Realm spiritual sense moved, Shi Jing cultivation was revealed.
Peak Qi-Refinement Realm.
What confidence does Shi Jing have to stand carefree facing him?
Regardless, he waved his hand and unleashed his sword art.
Yet, mid motion, his hand stopped.
This is because Shi Jing already raised his sword, not at him, but at himself.
Simultaneously, a smile appear on his pale face.
Shi Jing applied force onto the hilt, thrusting the sword deep in his heart, killing him instantly.
"Elder Chen, I will see you again."
His calm voice echoed on the entrance ground, causing many disciples and Elders to hissed.
The entrance of the Sword Cloud Manor, now riddled with two corpse as well as countless spectator was strange and bizarre.
Nobody speak for a long time. The only sound is the whisper of the wind as well as the rattles of the cold autumn.
Meanwhile. In the endless darkness.
[Ding! You have completed the emergency mission!]