Wu Li shook his head. "They only sent their condolences. Nothing more."
Unlike the Righteous Sects Alliance, the evil factions had never been particularly united. Despite being under constant pressure from the righteous sects, they rarely cooperated with one another. Each faction prioritized its own interests, leaving the others to fend for themselves.
Xiao Ning sneered.
"Fools. The Evil Alliance has only three major Nascent Soul Realm sects left, and they still refuse to help one another. Instead, they send a few words of sympathy and pretend they've done their part."
The Righteous Sects Alliance was steadily eliminating the evil factions one by one. If things continued this way, it wouldn't be long before the Shadowclaw Sect became their next target.
Xiao Ning clenched his fist beneath his sleeve. He still needed time to rebuild his Nascent Soul and stabilize his cultivation. He couldn't afford to let the situation deteriorate further.
"Elder Wu, send messages to every sect belonging to the evil factions, including the Bone Forging Sect and the Crimson Lotus Cult. Tell them the Shadowclaw Sect is convening an urgent gathering to discuss the survival of our alliance."
Wu Li hesitated. "Sect Master, are you certain?"
"Yes. Also, keep the news of my return under wraps. If word gets out, make sure it remains nothing more than a rumor. Announce that the Shadowclaw Sect is suspending all ongoing operations until further notice."
Elder Zhou stared at him in surprise.
"All operations? Even the ones already underway?"
"What about the missions we've accepted payment for?" Elder Qian asked.
Xiao Ning answered without hesitation.
"Return the money."
The three elders exchanged astonished glances. Such an order was practically unheard of in the Shadowclaw Sect's history.
Before any of them could object, Mei Lin spoke coldly.
"You heard the Sect Master. Carry out his orders immediately."
Wu Li bowed and left the hall to make the necessary arrangements.
"Elder Qian," Xiao Ning continued, "prepare a list of every Core Formation Realm cultivator in the sect who is nearing the end of their lifespan. I want it by tomorrow."
Although puzzled by the request, Elder Qian didn't question him. He bowed and departed.
Xiao Ning then took a jade slip covered in intricate runes from his robes and tossed it to Elder Zhou.
"Use every resource available to acquire the items recorded inside. I need them as soon as possible."
Elder Zhou caught the jade slip, sensed the seriousness of the matter, and bowed before leaving.
Soon, only Mei Lin remained in the grand hall.
She studied Xiao Ning for a moment before asking, "What exactly are you planning? Suspending our operations and calling an emergency gathering make sense, but the other orders..."
Xiao Ning chuckled.
"You don't need to know everything just yet. You'll understand when the time comes."
Mei Lin frowned but didn't press further. If not for the Dao contract binding her loyalty to him, she might have demanded a clearer explanation. Still, his unusual behavior made her suspect that he was preparing something far more complicated than he had revealed.
"There's another task I need you to handle," Xiao Ning said.
"Me?" Mei Lin asked, slightly surprised.
He nodded.
"Deliver a message to Jiang Chen of the Azure Dragon Sect. Tell him we're willing to reveal the identity of the person who hired us to exterminate his clan."
Mei Lin stared at him.
"You're serious?"
Before Xiao Ning could answer, a ripple spread through the air as someone hurried into the hall.
A middle-aged man appeared, his face pale and his forehead covered in cold sweat. He immediately bowed.
"Sect Master, I have urgent news."
Mei Lin's expression darkened.
"This had better be important."
The man swallowed before speaking.
"Our spies inside the Azure Dragon Sect have confirmed that Jiang Chen has broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm."
Xiao Ning and Mei Lin both looked surprised.
Jiang Chen wasn't even a hundred years old. Compared with most cultivators who reached the Nascent Soul Realm, he was still exceptionally young. Breaking through at such an age was already remarkable.
But the messenger wasn't finished.
"He has formed a Five-Colored Nascent Soul."
Mei Lin's expression changed completely.
"A Five-Colored Nascent Soul? Are you certain?"
"Absolutely, Elder Mei. That's why I came to report this personally."
Even Xiao Ning felt a flicker of surprise.
A Five-Colored Nascent Soul was an extraordinary achievement, one that placed Jiang Chen among the rarest cultivation geniuses. Someone with such talent had the potential to reach realms that ordinary cultivators could scarcely imagine.
If Jiang Chen continued advancing at this rate, he would become a serious threat to every faction that had opposed him.
Nevertheless, Xiao Ning quickly regained his composure.
"Talent doesn't guarantee survival," he said indifferently. "Tell our spies to increase their efforts. I want to know everything Jiang Chen does, including where he goes and who he meets."
The messenger bowed deeply.
"Understood, Sect Master."
He withdrew from the hall.
Mei Lin turned toward Xiao Ning, unable to hide her concern.
"A Five-Colored Nascent Soul... Forget the Righteous Sects Alliance for a moment. If Jiang Chen continues growing at this rate, he could eventually become a threat the Shadowclaw Sect won't be able to handle."
Xiao Ning rose from his seat and walked toward the grand window. Beyond it, the jagged peaks of the Ironspine Mountains stretched into the distance.
"A threat?" he said with a faint smile. "Perhaps. But he could also be an opportunity."
Mei Lin watched him carefully.
"Jiang Chen's rise was inevitable. Whether he formed a Five-Colored Nascent Soul or an ordinary one, he was never going to abandon his revenge. He wants answers, and we're going to give him a reason to come looking for them."
He turned back toward her.
"Carry out my previous instructions. His breakthrough changes nothing."
Mei Lin studied his expression, searching for any sign of uncertainty. To her surprise, Xiao Ning appeared completely unfazed by Jiang Chen's sudden advancement.
"One more thing," he added, turning back toward the window. "Send a letter to that person. Tell them we're planning to kill Jiang Chen again before he becomes even more difficult to deal with. Arrange a meeting at Sound Soul Valley."
Mei Lin paused.
"A meeting? What meeting?"