Reborn as the Novel’s Villain: Cultivation Lost, Female Leads Take Control - Chapter 160

Deep in the Life Forbidden Zone.

Desolate and lonely, a bleak scene.

Gray fog floated in the air, hazy and indistinct. Vaguely, one could see dead bones and limbs scattered across the ground, bloodstains everywhere—all remnants of practitioners of various races who had died long ago. The gray fog that covered this area was the yin energy emanating from these decayed remains.

The deeper one ventured, the more bones there were, densely packed and piled into mountains. The gray mist gradually thickened, turning into a dark black. This black fog was the external manifestation of condensed evil energy, substantial and oppressive.

Whoosh~~

A biting cold wind blew from nowhere, chilling to the core. It seemed as though it could extinguish the very fire of one’s soul, creating an eerie and unsettling atmosphere.

Countless ghosts stood up from the bones, blurry and faceless. While their appearances were unclear, one could feel the sad and mournful emotions rising and falling across the heavens and earth.

After their deaths, the cultivators had been polluted by the evil energy, transforming into malevolent spirits. Unable to reincarnate, they remained trapped here forever, wandering the world as lonely ghosts. Devoid of consciousness, they retained only the instinct to harm. If a cultivator unwittingly stepped into this place, these spirits would transform into bloodthirsty fiends, tearing intruders to shreds with ease.

Even the ancient creatures native to the Life Forbidden Zone avoided this area whenever possible. It was simply too dangerous.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

In the deepest part of the zone, deafening sounds echoed like the roars of a ferocious beast. The Immortal Emperor’s divine pattern, long dormant, was suddenly activated, radiating dazzling brilliance. Dao rhythms flickered through the void, clashing with some terrifying existence.

Massive piles of dry bones disintegrated into powder under the shockwaves, while countless chaotic spirits were crushed into gray mist, merging into the evil energy.

Upon hearing the angry roars, the ancient creatures in the Life Forbidden Zone raised their majestic divine senses, which shot skyward. They observed the events unfolding in the depths, their excitement palpable.

“The seal left by that person is finally breaking. In just a few days, the demon will be reborn. When that happens, even the heavens won’t be able to control us. We can walk freely in the Five Regions, and those weak practitioners will become our slaves!”

“Don’t celebrate too early. That demon is not easy to deal with. If we leave the Forbidden Zone, a conflict with him is inevitable!”

“What does it matter? At worst, we can split the Five Regions. Give him three, and the remaining two will be enough for us to absorb the nutrients we need!” said an ancient creature with wings on its back and a fiery red body.

These ancient creatures were not hostile to the sealed demon; on the contrary, they considered him an ally. Their ancestors, who once sought to sacrifice all living beings to ascend to the supreme realm, were noticed by the heavens and banished to the Life Forbidden Zone, imprisoned for eternity. They were forbidden from stepping into the outside world. Should they try, they would face the Calamity of the Heavens—a trial so fearsome that survival was impossible.

This was why they chose to remain hidden within the Forbidden Zone.

But if the demon broke free, the threat he posed to the Five Regions would far outweigh theirs.

They were confident that once the demon was unleashed, the heavens would be too preoccupied to monitor them. This would provide the perfect opportunity to harvest living beings en masse and potentially break through to the supreme realm.

At that point, even the heavens would no longer restrain them!

The so-called “Golden Age” mentioned by practitioners in the outside world was, in truth, their best opportunity to emerge from the shadows.

“Why don’t we help him now? Though it wouldn’t be considered timely assistance, it could still be seen as icing on the cake. If we aid his escape, he might show his gratitude and avoid fighting us later!” suggested an ancient creature with two horns on its head, its body shrouded in purple mist.

“That makes sense. The divine pattern left by that person is highly restrictive to us, but it’s nearly broken now and has little power left!”

“Let’s work together to help the demon break free!”

“Agreed!”

“…”

The voice fell.

Dozens of ancient creatures immediately unleashed terrifying divine power, bombarding the dark divine pattern in an attempt to destroy the seal that imprisoned the demon in one decisive strike.

However, at that moment—

“Who told you to touch my seal? Get out of here!!!”

An extremely furious voice erupted from the seal, the tone seething with anger. It was immediately followed by a surge of potent evil energy that enveloped the seal, forming a massive vortex. The vortex resembled a giant beast’s bloody maw, devouring all the attacks from the ancient creatures.

The seal remained intact!

Seeing this, the ancient creatures hovering in the sky were bewildered. They had genuinely intended to assist the demon by breaking the divine pattern. Why would the demon respond with such hostility? It was utterly perplexing!

“Demon, did you misunderstand us? We’re here to help you escape!”

An ancient creature furrowed its brow, its voice filled with confusion.

“You think you’re helping? You’re nothing but meddlesome pests!” the demon roared. “I could have broken this seal long ago without your interference!”

“Leave now, or I’ll kill every last one of you and trap your souls here for eternity!”

The voice from beneath the seal was filled with rage and killing intent, shaking the sky and causing the ground to fracture into abyssal cracks. From these chasms surged frigid waves of evil energy, carrying an aura that could shatter worlds.

The demon’s power was terrifying beyond measure, and his fury was undeniable. Faced with his overwhelming wrath, the ancient creatures dared not linger. They swiftly retreated into the void, their minds racing with the same incredulous thought:

Is this demon insane?!

Could he have been imprisoned for so long that he had lost his mind? Had the endless years within the seal caused him to view it as his home? Or perhaps he had become… a reclusive “seal cultivator”?

No matter the reason, none of it made sense.

Demons were creatures born of slaughter and chaos. Why would one reinforce its own imprisonment?

While the ancient creatures grappled with their confusion, a slightly crazed voice echoed from the seal.

“Du’e, you are unworthy of being the Immortal Emperor. The divine pattern you created could only trap me for tens of thousands of years!”

With those words, an immense surge of divine power poured into the seal. The divine pattern flared with supreme brilliance, and the cracks that had spread like spiderwebs were swiftly repaired. The array patterns aligned like the gears of a precise mechanism, radiating blazing golden light. The surrounding evil energy was obliterated on the spot, while the withered bones and wandering spirits dissolved into nothingness.

Within a radius of thousands of miles, the land was purified. Spiritual mist surged from the ground, transforming into streams of glimmering spiritual springs, turning the desolate zone into a tranquil haven.

“It should be fine now,” the voice muttered, its tone tinged with uncertainty. “Though this divine pattern is barely functional, it should look convincing…”

“If it doesn’t work, well, I’m doomed anyway…”

“Damn you, Du’e. Fuck you!”

The voice grumbled faintly, but its words were carried away by the silence of the seal.

Above the void, the ancient creatures watched in stunned silence.

“Is this demon an idiot? Instead of breaking the seal, he actually reinforced it. What kind of nonsense is this?!”

“Is he scared? But scared of what? There are only a few old Mahayana practitioners left in the Five Regions. What could he possibly fear?”

“Don’t ask me—I have no idea!”

“If we miss this opportunity, we may never have the chance to escape again!”

One ancient creature let out a sorrowful sigh, its voice heavy with despair.

Despite their noble bloodlines, they had been cast into this dark purgatory, forced to wither away for eternity.

It was clear to them now.

The heavens are unjust.