The speaker appeared to be a middle-aged man.
He hovered above the crater, sword at his back, emanating a sharp aura.
He was clearly an expert of the highest caliber.
Upon seeing him, Shen Fengyao's eyes flickered with surprise, but she quickly regained her composure.
She maintained a detached tone and said, "Sect Leader Ling, I trust you are well."
Hearing this, Wu Tian was also taken aback.
He hadn't expected the man before him to be Ling Jianxiao, the Sect Leader of the Heavenly Sword Divine Sect.
The formidable figure who had ascended from Golden Immortal to Grand Unity Golden Immortal in a mere three hundred years.
It seemed their commotion had finally stirred the Heavenly Sword Divine Sect into action.
Ling Jianxiao turned to Shen Fengyao and asked, "Sect Leader Shen, what is the meaning of this?"
"Why would you cause such a disturbance in our Sword Domain?"
"This is hardly in accordance with the rules, is it?"
Shen Fengyao replied, "It's nothing, just a minor dispute with someone from the Sacred Thunder Sect."
"It's been a while since I've fought, and seeing someone who can match me has brought me some joy."
"Rest assured, Sect Leader Ling, my Fire Cloud Sect will cover all the damages incurred today."
Ling Jianxiao was not concerned about the compensation.
However, Shen Fengyao's words did surprise him.
He looked at Wu Tian, his brow furrowed slightly, and then asked, "My friend, who might you be?"
"I don't believe we've met before?"
Given that the other party was the Sect Leader of the Heavenly Sword Divine Sect, Wu Tian naturally adopted a polite demeanor.
He bowed to Ling Jianxiao and said, "I am Wu Tian, a member of the Sacred Thunder Sect. I was invited by the Heavenly Sword Divine Sect and came to attend the appointment."
"Unfortunately, I have encountered an unnecessary misunderstanding with Sect Leader Shen here. I hope Sect Leader Ling can forgive me."
"Wu Tian?" Upon hearing the name, Ling Jianxiao paused slightly.
Despite his disbelief, he voiced his thoughts, "I seem to have heard this name before."
"Do you know Li Xingyun from our sect?"
Wu Tian smiled faintly and replied, "Of course, Li Xingyun and I are friends. We even fought against demonic creatures together before."
As soon as he finished speaking, a surprised shout erupted from below:
"Holy cow! Wu Tian, is that really you!"
"How did you become so powerful now?"
Wu Tian looked down and saw Li Xingyun among the crowd surrounding the crater.
Wu Tian held a good impression of Li Xingyun and considered him a friend.
Thus, he offered a slight smile but did not rush to reminisce. Instead, he continued to address Ling Jianxiao:
"Sect Leader Ling, do you believe me now?"
Ling Jianxiao's eyes were filled with shock. "Are you truly the Wu Tian that Li Xingyun spoke of?"
"How is this possible? When Li Xingyun mentioned you, you were only a ninth-level Spirit Cultivator!"
"And both you and Li Xingyun were only in your early twenties. How do you possess such strength now?"
As Ling Jianxiao spoke, the entire Sword Domain seemed to fall into a deathly silence.
Not only the disciples but even the sect leaders of the major factions opened their mouths slightly, finding it hard to believe.
A five-turn Golden Immortal in his early twenties?
How could such a thing be possible?
If Ling Jianxiao's words were true, then even legendary figures like Ling Jianxiao
would pale in comparison to Wu Tian!
Even the usually assertive Shen Fengyao was deeply shocked.
She had guessed that Wu Tian might be younger than her, but she never imagined that his age would match his appearance.
She, who had lived for over five hundred years, was now locked in a fierce battle with a young man in his early twenties.
Such a situation struck her as absurd.
Facing the astonishment of the heavens and earth, Wu Tian simply smiled faintly, "Everyone has their own opportunities."
"Sect Leader Ling need not concern himself with it."
Ling Jianxiao finally emerged from his daze, shook his head, and said,
"It's truly unbelievable that such a person exists in this world."
"For others to ascend in their early twenties is already considered a monstrous talent."
"But you, at this age, not only reached the five-turn Golden Immortal stage but can also contend with Sect Leader Shen."
"This is unheard of. It must be said, the Sacred Thunder Sect is truly blessed by heaven."
Hearing this, displeasure flickered in Shen Fengyao's eyes.
What did Ling Jianxiao mean by this? It sounded as if he were praising Wu Tian at her expense.
Wu Tian, however, responded with humility, "Sect Leader Ling is too kind."
"I had no intention of taking action this time, but I was left with no choice."
"The damage caused today should not be borne by the Fire Cloud Sect; let our Sacred Thunder Sect compensate."
Shen Fengyao did not accept Wu Tian's goodwill. Instead, she let out a cold snort,
"The Sacred Thunder Sect truly likes to put on airs, vying with us, the Fire Cloud Sect, for such matters."
"Do you perhaps think that our Fire Cloud Sect cannot afford the compensation?"
Wu Tian blinked, then felt a headache coming on.
What was wrong with Shen Fengyao? Why did she always misinterpret his intentions?
A woman who had lived for hundreds of years acting like a young girl, always wanting to compete, wasn't this going too far?
Ling Jianxiao chuckled and shook his head, "No need. Our Heavenly Sword Divine Sect has always maintained good relations with others."
"Therefore, it's best we handle this small matter ourselves."
"However, this is, after all, within our Sword Domain. If the two of you continue to fight, it will not be a good thing."
"Since this is merely a misunderstanding, why don't you both give me some face and let today's matter rest?"
"Otherwise, outsiders might say that our Heavenly Sword Divine Sect is incompetent and allows the Sacred Thunder Sect and the Fire Cloud Sect to engage in a fierce battle."
"Such rumors would not be favorable to us, would they?"
Wu Tian nodded inwardly, sighing. Look at this demeanor, this eloquence, what does it mean to be a true sect leader!
Shen Fengyao, compared to him, was not just a little bit behind.
Wu Tian had no desire for a major conflict, and since Ling Jianxiao had spoken, he naturally had no objections.
He nodded and said, "Sect Leader Ling, I generally dislike fighting, so please don't ask for my opinion."
"As long as Sect Leader Shen has no objections, then I naturally have no objections."
Ling Jianxiao then turned to Shen Fengyao and asked, "Sect Leader Shen, what are your thoughts?"
Shen Fengyao did not reply. Instead, her delicate brows furrowed slightly, appearing somewhat resistant.
Clearly, she was unwilling to agree to Ling Jianxiao's proposal.