Yan Li rebuked angrily, "What do you mean, your people and my people? You're openly forming cliques within the sect. Are you still a disciple of Purple Gold Cave?"
Niu Youdao was equally blunt. "Are there few people in the sect forming cliques? Shall I take the sect roster and count whose disciples occupy the key positions in the sect, whose people they all are? Do you take the disciples below for fools?"
There was no need for politeness. If an ordinary person had spoken back like this, it would have been insubordination. But Niu Youdao's status was sufficient; that was not an issue for him.
Yan Li said, "The arrangement of sect disciples is decided by the sect and is fair and reasonable. It is also an internal sect matter. Yet you brought a group of outsiders into the sect to establish yourselves and oppose the sect. Do you still think you have the right?"
Niu Youdao said, "Who agreed to it? Who agreed to let them stay here? Are my people trying to oppose the sect, or is someone deliberately stirring up trouble? Everyone knows perfectly well. They've bullied their way onto my head—did they expect me to swallow my anger? There's no such logic. You picked the wrong target to strike at. I'm not made of clay! Back then, you agreed to everything nicely enough, first tricking my people into Purple Gold Cave, then deliberately having disciples provoke trouble... Is Guan Qingya your disciple or not? Yan Li, you old thief, what are you trying to do? If you want to get rid of me, then go ahead and make your move. I'll accompany you anytime!"
Seeing the two tear off all pretense and quarrel, their words growing more outrageous by the moment, Gong Lince knew that