As Elder Duanmu's words and gaze fell upon him, Zhong Peng immediately understood the underlying message.
Even if he were a simpleton, he would have recognized that Duan Jingtao was up to his old tricks once again.
However, Zhong Peng was not perturbed in the slightest. He had no intention of spending the night at the Zheng imperial clan and instead had already made plans to return to his inn.
Duan Jingtao's petty schemes held no sway over him, and he was determined not to let the man's childish behavior get the best of him.
"Please, there is no need for anyone else to depart. I have an urgent matter to attend to and I do not intend to stay at the illustrious Zheng imperial clan for much longer.
Therefore, I must bid you farewell and take my leave now," he said, offering a slight bow to everyone in attendance.
Duan Jingtao uttered, "There is no need for you to depart. I'm confident that the guards can procure a suitable location for you to stay."
Elder Duanmu declared with a righteous grin, "Furthermore, the cloud-gathering competition shall commence promptly tomorrow. If you depart now, there's a possibility you wouldn't arrive in time for the contest. And I'm certain you wouldn't want to let me down by arriving late for the cloud-gathering contest tomorrow."
Zhong Peng, aware that Elder Duanmu's smile was a mere facade, opted to humor him.
"Elder Duanmu, I appreciate your concern for me. However, as I mentioned earlier, I have a crucial matter that demands my attention and I cannot leave it unattended. Nonetheless, I assure you that I shall be present early for the cloud gathering contest."
"Alright, given your assurance of timely arrival to the cloud gathering competition and your pressing engagement, I shall not detain you. Do ensure that you arrive early tomorrow," spoke Elder Duanmu, his countenance beaming with a smile.
"Rest assured, Elder Duanmu, I shall not fail to meet your expectations," Zhong Peng replied with a smile, offering a respectful bow to all present before turning on his heel and departing from the premises of the Zheng imperial clan.
As Zhong Peng made his way out, he glanced back and caught sight of Duan Jingtao's sneering grin, his eyes alight with a mocking glint that seemed to suggest he was the victor.
Zhong Peng was taken aback by the childish behavior exhibited by Duan Jingtao.
Deciding to disregard Duan Jingtao's taunts, Zhong Peng's mind was preoccupied with other worries.
Ever since his arrival at the Zheng imperial clan, a sense of unease had been gnawing at him, and he couldn't quite put his finger on the reason why.
But after his conversation with Xiao Se, and recalling Zhou Shun's words about his tendency towards excessive ambition, Zhong Peng found it difficult to calm his racing thoughts. Despite his attempts to quell his anxiety, his mind was consumed with endless calculations and conjecture.
Zhong Peng couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that emanated from Xiao Se. He had been racking his brain, trying to pinpoint the exact cause of his discomfort.
Various theories had surfaced in his mind, but none of them seemed to be the root of the problem.
Initially, he had suspected that Elder Duanmu might have been the source of the uneasiness, but to his surprise, it was Xiao Se, a mere high true martial cultivator.
This revelation left Zhong Peng astounded.
The only other individual who had instilled in Zhong Peng that same sense of unease was Zhou Shun.
However, he was aware that his apprehension towards Zhou Shun was because the old man told him that his cultivation was at least at the saint level, far surpassing his own. It was understandable for him to feel uneasy around someone of such immense power.
But the fact that he was experiencing similar feelings towards Xiao Se, who was lower than him in cultivation, came as a shock to Zhong Peng.
Instead of heading straight for the inn, Zhong Peng went to a pub where he ordered a drink.
He found a table in the corner of the room and sat down, sipping his drink while his mind raced with thoughts.
The pub was abuzz with chatter, as people discussed the upcoming Cloud Gathering Contest.
The noise was deafening, and Zhong Peng found himself feeling quite uncomfortable amidst the commotion.
Suddenly, the door was flung open with a loud bang, drawing the attention of everyone in the pub.
The noise level subsided somewhat as the attention of the patrons turned to the newcomers. It was quite audacious for them to barge into a pub filled with cultivators in such a manner.
It was either a display of their immense power or a sign of their foolishness.
Zhong Peng paid little mind to the newcomers, his gaze fixed on the space before him.
His mind was still in a state of disarray, as he tried to carefully plan safely a way to navigate his way forward.
Suddenly, Zhong Peng's thoughts were interrupted by a voice that felt strangely familiar.
He lifted his head to see the speaker and was struck by a sense of recognition. The figure before him seemed vaguely familiar, and Zhong Peng was certain that they had crossed paths before. However, he couldn't quite place where or when they had met.