This was the opening ceremony for the Twenty-One Provinces, and the whole chaotic scene had an extremely negative impact.

However, the noisy crowd did not immediately cease their uproar, with both sides still vehemently arguing. Apart from not resorting to violence, their behavior completely lacked the dignity expected of Cultivators. They were more like shrews screaming insults in the street.

"What? If you don't have the talent or power, you can't absorb Spiritual Energy? Is Spiritual Energy produced by your Wuhua Palace?"

"Look at yourselves! So what if it's Wuhua Palace? It's full of contemptible scoundrels like you!"

"Are the Ten Great Sects all like this? Is this the kind of temperament they have?"

Upon witnessing this scene, Liu Changqing took a deep breath and shouted authoritatively,

"Quiet down!

"How dare you behave like this in the presence of this elder?"

BOOM—

Overpowering Spiritual Energy instantly spread across the entire sky.

With Elder Liu's roar, the tumultuous scene instantly quieted down considerably, and everyone looked at each other, nonplussed.

Gradually, the noise diminished further, until eventually the entire Sacred Sanctuary fell silent. At this moment, the eyes of tens of thousands of Cultivators in the Sacred Sanctuary were all focused on this area.

Mirrors high in the sky flickered as they broadcast everything happening here in real time.

Liu Changqing felt he had lost face. He swept his cold gaze over the crowd, withdrew the formidable Spiritual Energy around him, and said in a low, grim voice,

"The opening ceremony hasn't even started, and you're already this impatient?

"What? Is the order of Wu City so insignificant in the eyes of the Sects?"

Yumen Du looked expressionless as he glanced at the Disciples of Wuhua Palace and then at the Disciples of Peach Blossom Sect, remaining silent.

After pondering for a moment, Liu Changqing spoke coldly,

"What transpired here is reprehensible and must be strictly punished!

"I believe your Sect Masters and Elders will have no objections!"

The recruitment opening ceremony at the Sacred Land takes place only once every fifty years, and the entire world places great importance on it. This also reflects the absolute authority of the Sacred Land. If even this kind of conflict cannot be appropriately handled, it would likely become a laughingstock for the whole world!

However, with the crowd being overwhelmingly large, responsibility could only be pinned on the two Sects that first incited this dispute.

Liu Changqing's gaze turned towards Wuhua Palace and then at Peach Blossom Sect as he said flatly,

"It was you two Sects that started the dispute first, wasn't it."

The moment Elder Liu's words fell, the Cultivators from Peach Blossom Sect instantly lost their composure. Their faces turned deathly pale as they looked toward Liu Changqing in terror.

For small Sects like theirs, they depended entirely on recruiting some disciples during the opening ceremony at the Sacred Land. If they were to be punished now, it would be difficult for their Sect to recruit new disciples for decades to come.

The Disciples of Wuhua Palace, however, merely smirked. One of them, narrowing his eyes, looked at Liu Changqing and said,

"This Disciple refuses to accept this!

"Why should my Wuhua Palace Disciples be punished like those from Peach Blossom Sect?"

Liu Changqing's face darkened. Is this a public challenge to my decision? Fury surged through him instantly.

Just as he was about to erupt in anger, a figure streaked across the sky like a golden, jade-trimmed ribbon. A middle-aged man arrived with a hearty laugh, shielding the Disciples of Wuhua Palace behind him. He raised an eyebrow and said,

"Elder Liu may punish Peach Blossom Sect, and I, Wang, will support that. But... why should the Disciples of Wuhua Palace be punished as well?"

Yumen Du narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at the man before him, and asked,

"Elder Wang Tong, do you intend to interfere in this matter concerning Wuhua Palace?"

Seeing this scene, the surrounding Cultivators immediately burst into discussion.

Su Bei, watching from a distance, frowned slightly. As he caressed Dan Wulan's cool, jade-like hand, he asked,

"Who is this Wang Tong?"

His movements seemed to be growing more practiced.

Dan Wulan gently swatted away Su Bei's hand, which was about to climb higher, a faint blush of shyness on her cheeks. With so many people present, she still felt a touch of shyness and whispered,

"Apart from being the fifth Honored Elder of the Sacred Land, he is also the third Elder of Wuhua Palace."

She paused, as if worried Su Bei might not understand, and added,

"Just like you."

Su Bei understood. He kept his arm around Dan Wulan's slender waist, watching Wang Tong with narrowed eyes, his thoughts unreadable.

Then, to the astonishment of the women watching, he stood up and walked toward them, smiling faintly as he said,

"Wuhua Palace... I simply find them disagreeable."

"..."

...

Wang Tong faced Yumen Du, his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze lowered. He then glanced at the Disciples of Peach Blossom Sect and said in a low, ominous tone,

"If Peach Blossom Sect hadn't provoked Wuhua Palace, this dispute wouldn't have occurred. Speaking of which, the Disciples of Wuhua Palace haven't actually done anything wrong, have they?

"If you can't even endure this, how can you possibly achieve anything in cultivation? Can't you even handle a small setback like this?

"Otherwise, it's no wonder people call you trash. In the Twenty-One Provinces, respect is earned through strength..."

Yumen Du snorted coldly and took a step forward, fixing his gaze on Wang Tong. His voice was slightly hoarse as he said,

"Elder Wang, what do you imply by this?

"Are you suggesting that disciples with talent and cultivation can go unpunished?

"Since when does the Sacred Land's punishment differentiate between people?"

While speaking, the Spiritual Energy around him faintly spread outward.

Wang Tong narrowed his eyes at Yumen Du. As his own Spiritual Energy instantly flared around him, he said in a low, dangerous tone,

"What are you implying, Elder Yumen?"

Everyone watching held their breath, yet they observed with keen interest the confrontation between the two great Elders of the Sacred Land.