Oversight (2)

The leisure did not last long. A sudden swell of clamor from not far away shattered the harmonious atmosphere, instantly putting Ning Yantong and the people from Evergreen Valley on alert.

Following the sound, they saw that three groups had already formed a faintly confrontational circle in an area behind them. Though no weapons had been drawn, the taut atmosphere and hostile glares had filled the air with invisible gunpowder—one spark would set it ablaze.

One party was especially conspicuous. The young man at its head wore resplendent garments of exquisite material and impeccable tailoring, with intricate, distinctive wave crests embroidered in gold and silver thread along his robe hems and cuffs—an emblem of the Ye Family, one of the Eight Families that dominated the Nine Domains, famed for its deep foundations and mercantile power.

The cultivators in pale pink robes whom Ning Yantong and the others had just discussed were also among them. They were few in number, but their stances were steady and their gazes sharp; clearly, they were not people to be trifled with.

The third party caught in the conflict consisted of several young people dressed entirely differently.

They all wore plain white, close-fitting outfits. Every one of them was tall and lean, with healthy wheat-colored skin exposed beneath their clothes. Most strikingly, they all had snow-white hair entirely at odds with their youthful faces.

The group stood silently where they were, their auras restrained like several quiet javelins that could erupt with astonishing force at any moment. They possessed a presence that could not be ignored.

All three parties wore undisguised dissatisfaction and rising anger on their faces. Even from a distance, the fierce argument could be vaguely heard. The words were sharp, and the tones unfriendly.

Several young people dressed in the robes of