The best Hu Yong could do was to hinder their cultivation a little by trying to obstruct Nie Li from breaking through to the Heavenly Star Realm. Even still, that Hu Yong was thinking too highly of himself.
Hu Yong and his group arrived looking awe-inspiring, but left with their tails between their legs. Hu Yong himself was extremely disheartened. Long Yuyin had been bullied and when he came to stand up for her, he ended up getting ash smeared on his own nose instead.