The Donggong Household arrived later than we did, but they were astonishingly quick by comparison. Since they were a family force participating in the competition, this was also meant to avoid suspicion. Of course, that hardly mattered to me.
"Hmph. One sentence about the sect master having left the mountain and not returned, and you've brushed aside and resolved everything? That's far too childish! We didn't come here to wait for your sect master. We came to Cold Immortal Mountain to take someone! Hand Chou over! We aristocratic clans will deal with her ourselves! Once someone enters a wealthy household, she belongs to that household. According to the rules, Chou can return to Cold Immortal Mountain, but she has already pledged herself to the Shaozheng Household. Shaozheng Yiming is dead, but our aristocratic clans still have countless household heads who can make decisions and speak for us! If Chou hides back in Cold Immortal Mountain and you don't dare speak up for the Shaozheng Household because of it, then what do we need our Lineages for?" Donggong Liang was a ruthless character. He had plotted so many schemes, tricked Shaozheng Yiming to death, and yet had become the acting leader of the aristocratic clan alliance. He truly was formidable.
I sneered at Donggong Liang. He seemed to have noticed the killing intent in my eyes, so he deliberately avoided looking at me and instead turned his gaze toward the black-badged elder who had stepped forward.
The elder hurriedly cupped his hands and said, "I'm sorry... Fellow Daoist Donggong. Our sect master really isn't here. Besides, this matter is of great importance, and the Grand Elder is also in seclusion. Chou had only just returned to the mountain when she was ordered to face the wall in the rear mountain and