44- The grouping stage

Zhong Peng felt unsettled by Xiao Se's response, as he remembered what Zhou Shun has previously told him about Xiao Se.

Despite pondering the matter, he found himself unable to come up with any satisfactory conclusions and thus redirected his attention to the stage.

"It is now time for you to be grouped for the hunting contest. The clans and sects will remain unchanged, but those who do not belong to any clan or sect will be divided into groups of ten. If anyone has any questions about what I have said, please feel free to ask."

The entire area fell into a hushed and profound silence, with no one daring to break it with a single utterance. Sensing that no one had any objections, the esteemed elder Zheng Wei proceeded to announce, "Very well then, we shall divide you into groups of ten."

The grouping phase proved to be the most tedious segment of the Cloud Gathering Competition.

Zhong Peng found himself consumed by boredom, his gaze wandering about the vicinity.

The group stage lacked any semblance of excitement, with all the real action reserved for the following day, once the grouping phase had concluded.

Zhong Peng, like everyone else present there, was eagerly anticipating the forthcoming excitement.

After what felt like an eternity, the grouping stage eventually drew to a close. Zhong Peng breathed a deep sigh of relief, unsure if he could have endured any further prolongation of the tedious grouping phase.

Following the conclusion of the grouping stage, elder Zheng Wei re-emerged on stage and boomed with a resounding voice, "Now that the grouping stage has concluded, you are all free to return to your designated locations. For those participating in the Cloud Gathering Contest, the Zheng Clan has already made arrangements for your accommodations." He beamed with a smile and continued, "Go and prepare yourselves, for tomorrow morning, the Hunting Contest shall commence."

Zhong Peng was taken aback upon hearing the announcement. "The Zheng Imperial Clan is even grander than I had initially anticipated," he thought to himself.

With at least five thousand participants in the contest, not to mention the accompanying elders of various sects and clans, he was perplexed as to how the Zheng Imperial Clan could accommodate such a vast multitude of people. The sheer number of rooms required to house them all seemed staggering to Zhong Peng.

Having made his announcement, Elder Zheng Wei turned and made his way down from the stage.

He strode purposefully toward Elder Liang and Lin Daiyu and gestured for them to follow him toward the main building of the Zheng Imperial Clan.

As soon as Elder Liang, Elder Zheng Wei, Lin Daiyu, and Zheng Hongyi departed from the stage, the masses began to disperse. Zhong Peng observed as the guards of the Zheng Imperial Clan led various members of the clans and sects toward their designated rooms.

He then noticed three guards approaching their direction, evidently sent to escort them.

It was clear to Zhong Peng that the Zheng Imperial Clan was showing them great respect because they were the second strongest clan after them.

As the guards approached, the one who appeared to be their leader spoke up: "Honorable Elder Duanmu, esteemed Clan Leader Zheng Hongyi has dispatched us to guide you to the lodgings allocated for the Duan clan." The guard's tone was deferential, reflecting the high regard in which they held Elder Duanmu.

"Indeed, Clan Leader Zheng Hongyi's thoughtfulness is much appreciated," Elder Duanmu acknowledged calmly, his face betraying no emotion. "Please do lead the way to our lodgings," he added.

As the guards escorted them toward a huge building, Zhong Peng was taken aback by the sheer scale of the building. The Zheng imperial clan's vast wealth was on full display, and Zhong Peng couldn't help but be amazed by their opulence.

As they approached the structure, its magnitude became even more apparent, and Zhong Peng found himself lost in thought.

"Surely, the Zheng imperial clan is surely the wealthiest family in the Zheng great kingdom," he pondered to himself.

The building was truly massive, with ample space to accommodate at least twelve or thirteen chambers. Zhong Peng couldn't help but feel impressed by the Zheng imperial clan's affluence, and he wondered what other extravagant displays of riches they had in store.

While Zhong Peng was still lost in admiration of the grand structure, Shen Hong arrived and made his way over to Duan Jingtao.

The two of them engaged in a brief conversation before Duan Jingtao approached Elder Duanmu and whispered something into his ear.

Zhong Peng couldn't help but feel curious about what they were discussing.

Once Duan Jingtao had finished whispering into Elder Duanmu's ear, the latter turned his attention toward the crowd and spoke out, "I believe there may be an issue at hand." His words immediately captured the attention of everyone around him. "Lady Lin Daiyu has sent Shen Hong and Wu Zetian to stay with us, and I believe she requires privacy," he continued."This means we are one room short." Elder Duanmu's gaze then shifted towards Zhong Peng, as if to emphasize that he was the one who would have to give up his room.