"Brother Long, it seems we were still a step too late."
The speaker was Yun Tianhe, the Family Head of the Cloud Family.
He glanced at the collapsed gates of the Prince's Mansion and the plaque broken in two, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly.
"No matter."
Long Xiaotian, the Family Head of the Long Family leading the group, remained calm, his voice betraying no emotion.
"Broken gates can be repaired."
"A shattered plaque can be replaced."
"As long as its people remain, the Cao Family will not fall."
His gaze passed through the ruined gates and settled on the spear-straight figure deep within the Prince's Mansion. A complex, unreadable light flashed in his eyes.
"Yue Changlong..."
"Come. Let's go meet him."
With that, Long Xiaotian took the lead and walked into the Prince's Mansion.
The other four Family Heads immediately followed.
Soon, they crossed the courtyard and entered the devastated main hall.
"Brother Cao, are you all right?"
Hua Wuque, the Family Head of the Flower Family, glanced at Cao Zhengchun, who sat slumped on the floor with an ashen face, and asked the question.
"Brother Long! Brother Yun! Brother Hua! You... you're finally here!"
At the sight of the five Family Heads, Cao Zhengchun reacted as though his saviors had arrived, sobbing through tears and a running nose:
"If you'd come even a moment later, my Cao Family... would have been finished! That madman! That madman wants to slaughter my entire family!"
"Enough. Stop wailing."
Long Xiaotian cut him off impatiently, his gaze never leaving the man who had kept his back to them the entire time, not even bothering to turn his head.
"Yue Changlong."
Long Xiaotian spoke slowly, his voice steady and firm.
"It's been five years. I trust you've been well."
Yue Changlong finally turned around