Cultivating Immortality :I Obtained The Villain's Ascension Code-Chapter 73: Ominous Winds Over Evil Dragon City

The air in the Shadowclaw Sect’s inner meeting hall was heavy. Four elders sat around a low stone table, a pot of untouched spirit tea growing cold between them.

Mie Lin let out a tired breath. "You should’ve insisted he come with you."

Elder Qian snorted. "Insist? On him? This old man still wants to live a little longer."

Shi Ling offered a small smile. "Senior Sister, there’s no need to worry. I’m sure the Sect Master will show up soon. He wouldn’t miss something this important."

Mie Lin shook her head. "You’re all underestimating how serious this is. The Crimson Lotus and Bone Forging Sects are running out of patience. They’re getting ready to push us out completely."

Xu Long’s eyes narrowed. "Hmph. Arrogant bastards. Who do they think they are?"

She looked at him. "Only Li Fang has the strength to stop them. Without him, they’ll force us to the edge."

Shi Ling frowned. "But are you sure the Sect Master really broke through? Reaching Half-Step Heavenly Tribulation isn’t something we can just assume."

Mie Lin was quiet for a moment, thinking.

"I’m not sure," she said, glancing down at the cooling tea, then back at the others. "Even if I’m wrong, what other choice do we have? We can’t face what’s coming without him."

***

Not far from the outskirts of Evil God Mountain...

Xiao Ning stood calmly at the edge of a ridge, hands folded behind his back, his long robes swaying gently in the mountain wind. His expression was composed, even slightly amused.

On the way here, he hadn’t bothered to hide his identity or suppress his aura. The former Li Fang might have chosen to act cautiously—keeping to the shadows, veiling his presence—but Xiao Ning couldn’t be bothered with such things.

He wasn’t afraid of being recognized. In fact, he welcomed it.

In the Outer Realms, there were few cultivators he feared. Even if outnumbered, he possessed enough secret techniques to escape from any trap. Unless a true monster at the peak of the Divine Transformation Realm appeared, there was no one who could catch him once he decided to leave.

As he approached the outer edge of the mountain range, he clearly sensed four divine senses sweep over him—probing, cautious, but unmistakably hostile.

Ah. They’re not even pretending to be subtle. How bold.

He could have disappeared the moment they touched him. He could have hidden or changed course.

But instead, he remained exactly where he stood.

He wanted to see who was bold—or foolish—enough to intercept him at the gate of Evil God Mountain.

From their spiritual signatures, he had already recognized them.

Three Late-Stage Nascent Soul cultivators and one freshly advanced Mid-Stage, whose spiritual pressure flickered like an untrained candle.

Together, the four were a powerful force. If properly coordinated, they might even be able to take down a Half-Step Heavenly Tribulation expert. In fact, this was a more dangerous formation than the ambush the Azure Dragon Sect had arranged years ago—back when Li Fang had nearly lost his life.

Well, well. Someone’s pulling strings behind the scenes.

Moments later, four figures descended from the sky in streaks of light, landing on a plateau just ahead of him.

The first was Shan He, Sect Master of the Thousand Poisons Hall. He was a gaunt man dressed in gray robes laced with green embroidery. His eyes were sunken and sharp, like a starving crow’s.

Next was Yu Tong, the crimson-robed master of the Blood Sacrifice Palace. His aura was hot and aggressive, and faint traces of dried blood lingered in the folds of his robe.

Beside him stood the corpse-pale Mo Wuyin, Sect Master of the Evil Ghost Sect. His black mourning robes fluttered without wind, and a chilling yin energy spread faintly from his body.

And trailing behind them, half a breath slower, was a nervous man in dark-purple robes—Han Zhi, an ordinary elder of the Soul Refining Sect, newly promoted to Mid-Stage Nascent Soul Realm. He looked like a rabbit caught in a wolf den.

Xiao Ning raised an eyebrow.

Ah. Dragged along for numbers, I see. Poor fellow looks like he regrets every step of this journey.

The three sect masters smiled as they approached, though none of the warmth reached their eyes.

Shan He was the one to break the silence with a thin smile. "Heh... Brother Li Fang. I must say, it warms my heart to see you standing here in one piece."

Yu Tong gave a dramatic sigh. "When I heard you’d been killed by the Righteous Alliance, I fasted for a day in mourning. A pity I broke my fast by accident later that night."

Mo Wuyin scoffed. "Those righteous dogs ambushed you without honor. It’s good to see that the reports of your death were exaggerated."

Han Zhi opened his mouth, then closed it again. He looked like he wanted to speak but couldn’t find the right words—or perhaps wasn’t allowed to.

Xiao Ning glanced between them, then smiled faintly.

"So, the four of you came all this way... just to welcome me back from the dead?"

The three sect masters exchanged glances, briefly caught off guard. Then, as if on cue, they laughed together.

"Haha! Of course. How could we not greet an old friend after all this time?" Shan He nodded smoothly.

Yu Tong added, "It’s not every day the dead come walking out of the underworld."

Xiao Ning gave them a curious look. "Is that so? Then I must ask—are you here with wine and celebration, or with ropes and shovels?"

The laughter paused for just a breath.

"Well," Mo Wuyin said, recovering smoothly, "That depends on whether the corpse wants to behave."

Xiao Ning gave a slow nod. "How thoughtful."

Yu Tong tilted his head slightly. "By the way... is Brother Li perhaps heading toward Evil Dragon City?"

Xiao Ning raised an eyebrow. "I am. Don’t tell me the four of you wish to tag along?"

The four cultivators blinked. Then, again, they laughed—but this time the sound was strained.

Does he not understand the situation?

Did his brain get scrambled during that ambush?

Or is he playing games?

Shan He cleared his throat. "Brother Li, I’ll be direct. You shouldn’t go to Evil Dragon City today."

They didn’t say it aloud, but their thoughts were clear.

Mo Wuyin stepped forward. "Brother Li, you should indeed reconsider entering the city today."

Xiao Ning tilted his head. "Oh? And why is that?"

Shan He nodded gravely. "The city’s atmosphere is strange today. Too quiet. The air feels heavy. Bad signs all around."

Mo Wuyin added, "The wind blew north all morning. Bad luck. Very bad."

Han Zhi stiffened as the three turned toward him. His eyes widened. "Yes—very bad! A storm is coming! That is, uh, the heavens... are angry?"

Xiao Ning looked at him for a long moment, then gave a polite smile. "Ah, so you’re the weather expert among them?"

Han Zhi’s face flushed.

"Forgive him," Shan He said with a light chuckle. "Han Zhi is young and nervous."

Xiao Ning’s smile deepened, eyes narrowing slightly. "So all of you are worried about my safety?"

Yu Tong gestured toward the distance. "Indeed. There were black crows circling above the city walls. It’s an omen—the kind you don’t ignore."

At this, Mo Wuyin gave a sideways glance at Han Zhi.

The younger cultivator straightened slightly and forced a smile. "Yes, Senior Li. It’s... not a good day. Very inauspicious."