Cultivating Immortality :I Obtained The Villain's Ascension Code-Chapter 74: Chaos Loutes Field

Xiao Ning stood silently for a breath longer, his gaze calm as ever, even as the killing intent in the air continued to rise.

Xiao Ning gave a light chuckle. "It’s been a while since I’ve had such a warm welcome. I almost feel touched."

He clasped his hands behind his back, the smile still lingering at the corners of his mouth.

"And since you’ve managed to entertain me for a short while, I’ll return the favor with a small act of generosity."

"I’ll give you a choice."

That sentence caused the three sect masters to narrow their eyes. Mo Wuyin gave a sidelong glance to Shan He, while Yu Tong’s expression grew cold.

A choice?

What was this Li Fang playing at?

Did he truly believe he could kill them all on his own?

A short silence followed before Yu Tong snorted. "Li Fang, don’t overestimate yourself."

Shan He added coldly, "We heard Mie Lin claim you’ve broken through. That you’re Half-Step Heavenly Tribulation."

Mo Wuyin shook his head. "We were concerned... until we saw you. Peak Nascent Soul. Strong body, maybe, but nothing more."

Yu Tong smirked. "Just another brute with tricks."

Xiao Ning remained silent, letting them speak.

There was no anger on his face—only amusement.

"Interesting," he murmured. "So just moments ago, you feared I might be beyond you. And now that your nerves have settled, you’ve convinced yourselves I’m no threat at all."

He raised his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over them with a faint glimmer of amusement.

"I’ve said I’m fair. And I am."

He pointed to the ground between them.

"You have two options. The first—fight among yourselves. The one who survives, I’ll allow to leave. He can return home, battered but alive, and tell the story of what happened here."

He let that hang in the air for a moment before continuing.

"The second option... is simpler."

"I kill all of you."

Before Xiao Ning could speak again, the three sect masters acted without hesitation.

They had long prepared for this moment.

After all, when facing someone like Li Fang, making the first move was not just wise—it was essential.

Both the Crimson Lotus Cult and the Bone Forging Sect had "politely" instructed them to stop Li Fang from reaching the gathering—by any means necessary. If persuasion worked, that would have been ideal. But from the looks of it, this so-called Sect Master of the Shadowclaw Sect had no intention of backing down quietly.

It seemed the easy path was already closed.

Yu Tong moved first.

With a low growl, his blood qi surged violently, pouring from his pores like steam from boiling cauldrons. In the blink of an eye, his skin turned crimson, his robes soaked in a sinister red haze.

Blood Demon Transformation!

It was the core secret art of the Blood Sacrifice Palace—a brutal technique that transformed its user into a living vessel of blood essence. For twenty breaths of time, the cultivator would become nearly impossible to kill. So long as the attacker was of the same realm, no injury would leave a lasting wound.

Xiao Ning’s eyes flickered with interest as he quietly observed from the ridge.

"Oh? This technique... it’s rather refined. Quite rare to see something so visceral sustained for this long."

Yet even so, he did not move. His hands remained clasped behind his back, as if merely watching a passing performance.

Mo Wuyin’s face darkened at the display of indifference.

"Hmph. Arrogant bastard."

Raising a hand, he summoned a chilling Yin aura that turned the nearby grass withered and gray. In the next instant, a colossal ghostly claw appeared in the air above—its five translucent fingers curled menacingly like talons waiting to grasp a soul.

Death-Clutching Ghost Claw!

It was a vicious soul technique, forged by refining the resentment of ten thousand wronged souls. Its very touch could burn away life essence and corrode the soul. Those with weak spiritual defense would find their lifespan reduced with every graze.

On the other hand, Shan He didn’t let himself fall behind.

The gaunt man flicked his sleeve lightly, and from within poured a swarm of writhing black beetles.

Nine Poison Beetles!

A sinister smile played at the corners of his lips.

These creatures were infamous in the Outer Realms. Even a single rank five specimen could fatally poison a Divine Transformation expert within moments.

Fortunately—for the world—the beetles emerging now were of lower grade: mostly second-rank, with only a handful reaching rank three.

Still, against a Nascent Soul cultivator, even that was lethal enough.

The beetles buzzed ominously as they circled in formation, ready to strike at Shan

He’s command.

The moment the three attacks surged forward, Xiao Ning finally moved.

He lifted a single finger and suddenly the earth beneath him rippled.

A massive black-and-white lotus silently bloomed beneath his feet. Each petal radiated alternating strands of Yin and Yang.

The Lotus Chaos Field had been unleashed.

A faint ripple spread outward from the blooming lotus, and in the blink of an eye, the area within a hundred zhang fell under a strange silence.

The buzzing of Shan He’s beetles ceased instantly.

Dozens of them twitched midair, then dropped lifelessly to the ground like rain.

The crimson aura surrounding Yu Tong began to flicker, then violently recoil as if caught in a spiritual maelstrom.

His Blood Demon Transformation was being suppressed to the core.

As for Mo Wuyin’s ghost claw—it froze in midair, twisted unnaturally, and crumbled into ash.

The three sect masters froze.

"My insects... dead?" Shan He’s face went pale, staring in disbelief at the twitching black husks on the ground.

"This isn’t a formation... This is—"

"A Dao Domain!" Yu Tong roared. "Only someone at Half-Step Heavenly Tribulation or higher can manifest such a field!"

They turned sharply to Xiao Ning.

He stood at the lotus’s center, calm and composed, as if admiring a garden in spring.

"You—" Shan He took a deep breath. "You really broke through..."

Xiao Ning turned to face him with a slight smile. "Didn’t I say I’d give you a choice?"

Yu Tong’s expression turned ugly. "Li Fang! If you do this, the Crimson Lotus Cult and Bone Forging Sect will come for you! You’re undermining the entire Evil Alliance!"

Xiao Ning raised an eyebrow slightly, as if he hadn’t quite heard.

"Oh? Then let them try."

Yu Tong’s face contorted in disbelief. "You lunatic! The Evil Alliance has held back the righteous sects for centuries! If we fall now, the balance will collapse!"

He spat out a mouthful of blood, his aura already flickering like a dying flame. "You’ll doom us all!"

Mo Wuyin stumbled backward, his robes soaked with sweat. "Li Fang! Are you trying to dismantle the Evil Alliance? Without our strength combined, the righteous sects will sweep through us like a tide!"

Xiao Ning’s gaze turned thoughtfull.

"I see. Then I suppose I’ll need to kill you all before word gets out."

He raised his hand.

A black-and-white lotus hovered in his palm, its surface flowing with faint yin-yang patterns. With a thought, a single petal loosened itself. It drifted into the air like falling ash... then vanished.

Shk—

Yu Tong’s expression froze. He clutched his chest as if something had pierced directly through his heart.

Then blood erupted from his lips. His eyes went wide with horror. "M-my Nascent Soul...?"

"No...! Wait! It was the lotus—it can injure the nascent soul directly?!"

He coughed violently. "You—cough—you can’t kill me! We were allies! You—"

Before he could finish, the light in his eyes dimmed.

Poor fool. He didn’t understand. The moment that petal entered his body, his fate was sealed.

Across from him, Shan He’s legs gave way. He dropped to his knees with a pale face, trembling.

He understood.

Against Li Fang’s domain, they were nothing more than ants.

Against Li Fang’s domain, they were nothing more than ants beneath the wheel.

"I surrender! I surrender!" Shan He fell to his knees with a loud thump, his forehead slamming against the cold ground. Blood flowed freely, but he didn’t lift his head. "Please! I was forced! I never wanted to fight! I swear on my cultivation—I’ll obey anything! I’ll take a blood oath!"

Xiao Ning regarded him in silence. His expression was calm, almost lazy, but his eyes were sharp as blades.

"You’ll obey anything? what a pitiful thing to say. You think I’m looking for dogs to keep at my feet?"

"I—I can be useful! I know spirit array techniques! Poison arts too! I can serve! I really—"

"I’m sure you can serve." Xiao Ning took a step forward. "Tell me, did they force your hand when you raised your blade against me earlier? Or was it just habit?"

Shan He trembled. "I—I only followed orders!"

"Of course," Xiao Ning nodded. "And now that those orders failed, you’ve grown a conscience. Very convenient."

He raised his hand.

"W-wait! Don’t kill me—!"

A second petal floated down from the lotus hovering behind Xiao Ning. It spun lazily through the air.

Shan He’s mouth opened in panic—but no sound came. The petal landed on his chest like a falling leaf.

And a moment later, a blooming hole opened clean through him.