The golden-robed man's steps were steady and powerful, each step reverberating slightly through the ground as if stirring the surrounding spiritual qi. His face was imposing, his eyes bright and piercing, with three strands of long beard hanging from his chin. A faint golden aura surrounded him, an invisible pressure sweeping over the eight people on the platform, making them hold their breath instinctively.
"It's the Sect Master!"
"Sect Master Zhang Qing himself has come! And the elders too!"
"These visitors from another world must be extraordinary!"
As everyone fell into helplessness, the bespectacled young man suddenly stepped forward. Taking a deep breath, he met Zhang Qing's gaze and spoke a string of halting, awkward Xuanyuan Realm common language:
"We come from Earth, another world. Suddenly seized by a brilliant light, we stumbled here inadvertently—we mean no offense."
His words left everyone on the platform stunned, and even the cultivators below looked astonished.
"He... he can understand? And speak it too?" The woman in red widened her eyes, utterly disbelief.
Finn also raised an eyebrow, looking at this young man named Lin Feng—at this moment, his expression was calm, but his eyes betrayed an unmistakable ambition.
Zhang Qing obviously hadn't expected any of the visitors from another world to understand the Xuanyuan Realm's language. A trace of surprise flashed across his face before he nodded:
"Another world? Earth? This ancient teleportation formation has been abandoned for countless years. Why did it suddenly activate to bring you here? What is your name?"
"We do not know the exact reason for our arrival. This disciple is Lin Feng." Lin Feng replied calmly, subtly shifting his stance to stand in front of the other seven.
"We are all ordinary people, stranded here by misfortune. We beg Sect Master for mercy, granting us a chance to live."
His posture was perfect—neither groveling nor arrogant, emphasizing their innocence in being passively teleported while subtly positioning himself as their leader.
An elder with a white beard beside Zhang Qing stepped forward, his eyes scanning Lin Feng closely:
"Since you understand our language, you must not be an ordinary person. Would you be willing to elaborate on your origins and how the teleportation formation was activated?"
"I dare not hide anything from the immortals." Lin Feng bowed slightly, his tone respectful yet composed.
"On our Earth, there is no path to Immortal Cultivation—only primitive technology and martial arts. This disciple can barely speak your language because ancient books passed down in my family recorded it. That day, my sister and I suddenly saw a colorful beam of light descending from the sky, lost consciousness instantly, and woke up here. We truly know nothing about the teleportation formation."
He spoke half-truthfully, concealing the cruelty of the apocalypse and deliberately emphasizing the "lack of Immortal Cultivation" to lower their guard. After speaking, he pulled the black-haired woman beside him forward:
"This is my sister, Lin Yue."
Zhang Qing exchanged glances with the elders, all deep in thought. This ancient teleportation formation had been left by the ascended ancestors of the Sword Control Sect (Jian Kong Zong). Its specific purpose had long been lost to time, and no one had ever heard of it activating. If not for the eight beams of light shooting into the sky today, they would have almost forgotten such a place existed in the sect.
These visitors from another world wore strange clothes and had distinct temperaments, yet one of them understood the Xuanyuan Realm's language—this in itself was extraordinary.
"People from another world..." Zhang Qing mused for a moment, his solemn gaze sweeping over the eight again, his tone calm yet authoritative:
"Since you harbor no malice and were brought here by the teleportation formation, it may be the will of the ancestors. We will not pursue your intrusion for now. Follow us back to the sect's meeting hall for further deliberation."
Lin Feng felt a surge of joy in his heart, but his face remained calm:
"Thank you, Sect Master, for your generosity. We are deeply grateful."
He turned to the seven behind him, speaking quickly in fluent English:
"They agree to take us in. Now follow them back to the sect. I will act as our temporary representative for negotiations. Everyone must obey their arrangements and not act impulsively."
Seeing the office worker looking confused, he repeated it in Japanese.
Everyone, though still disoriented, nodded—with a communication channel established and the other party showing no immediate hostility, it was their only option. The blonde girl breathed a sigh of relief, clinging closely to the adaptable Lin Feng, clearly seeing him as a pillar of strength.
The soldier silently holstered his gun.
Finn watched Lin Feng's back calmly, an inexplicable dislike stirring in his heart—this man's ambition was far too blatant.