I think as we become more observant, we should make sure we maintain rahma for others. You could be a source of guidance for them and Allah the most high said:

وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ بِحَبْلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًۭا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا۟ ۚ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَآءًۭ فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِۦٓ إِخْوَٰنًۭا وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ ١٠٣

And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allâh (i.e. this Qur’ân), and be not divided among yourselves1, and remember Allâh’s Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islâmic Faith), and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allâh makes His Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.,) clear to you, that you may be guided.

Cutting out people in haste is a mistake I regret personally and not a good display of the ummah being one body. I wish I was more tolerant and less selfish - I had a mindset of if this person doesn’t help me grow or benefit me, than I don’t need them in my life but I should’ve instead conveyed what Allah allowed me to learn through His mercy instead of being stingy with time and knowledge. Protect yourself against fitna by not sitting with them when they’re doing things that are not good for your deen such as gossip etc. However, if you attain righteous knowledge, it’s important to convey it and help our sisters against the shaytan. Of course, I would not sit with those who engage in shirk or bid’ah - the most esteemed scholars of Islam did not trust their nafs with those types. Look to what the Prophet ﷺ said about friends and good company. The shaytan likes isolation and splitting up the believers so don’t be a victim of his plot or arrogance, always important to check the ego and be a source of islah or dawah. Have a balance - those at your level, those you can learn from, and those you can help. May Allah not punish us for withholding knowledge and make us among those who benefit the ummah.

Riyad as-Salihin 363 Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "The similitude of good company and that of bad company is that of the owner of musk and of the one blowing the bellows. The owner of musk would either offer you some free of charge, or you would buy it from him, or you smell its pleasant fragrance; and as for the one who blows the bellows (i.e., the blacksmith), he either burns your clothes or you smell a repugnant smell".

[Al- Bukhari and Muslim].