Systemless Villain

Chapter 157 I've Finally Found You!

Long Tian entered the massive castle, immediately greeted by a grand room emanating negative energy and darkness.

It seemed he had entered one of the hundreds of grand rooms in this castle. Even this single room was enormous, like a giant's dwelling.

His eyes scanned the surroundings; clearly, this was not the main chamber. Many other doors here seemed to lead to different rooms.

"Not bad if I explore and take a few things," he said, a grin forming on his face.

He approached one of the 1.5-meter-long swords displayed on the wall. With the aid of his darkness, he took the sword and examined it.

He was impressed by its sharpness and the handle's perfect fit in his hand. This sword was suitable for battle due to its longer length than regular swords.

"Worth keeping," he declared, swiftly stashing the sword into his spatial ring without a second thought.

With that, he moved toward another door, exploring this magnificent castle.

---

Long Tian's steps were deliberate, each one taken with calculated precision, ensuring he made no sound. He remained alert, fully aware that danger could materialize at any given moment.

At this moment, he ascended a spiral staircase. However, as he was about to reach the room above, he lowered his head and stayed on the stairs.

There, he spotted a figure clad in menacing armor, brandishing a colossal sword, seemingly on patrol.

Long Tian's eyes narrowed; he could distinctly feel that this armored presence was no different from the dark souls he frequently encountered.

In truth, he had no inkling about the castle's contents. Based on the plot he retained, Qin Chen had ventured into the pool only after the 'Dark Souls' incident. That was the extent of his knowledge.

He discreetly unsheathed his Uchigatana, grasping it firmly. In the next moment, darkness enveloped the blade, completely covering it with darkness.

Long Tian's eyes glittered as he observed the armored figure turning around. He advanced with deliberate slowness, every step a silent dance, closing the distance between them.

In a swift, fluid motion, he thrust his sword into the armored figure's body, the blade puncturing the thick armor until its tip emerged on the other side.

Not content with just that, Long Tian continued his assault, cleaving upwards and splitting the armored figure in two. The figure's dark form dissipated instantly into the air.

Long Tian breathed out, realizing the effectiveness of his attack. Despite the vastness of the castle's rooms, he preferred to avoid direct confrontation. Moreover, he aimed to hone his stealth abilities.

His gaze shifted downward, landing on a red crystal lying on the floor. He picked it up and without hesitation, crushed it. He opened his palm again, showing the dark aura entering his body.

Long Tian closed his eyes, feeling some kind of power increase.

After a few seconds, he opened his eyes again. Although it didn't affect his cultivation base, his raw power had increased.

"Not bad. Now, what's inside this room?" he remarked, his gaze sweeping across the entire space.

Suddenly, his attention was captivated by a chest positioned at the far end.

A contented grin spread across Long Tian's face. "It seems like that chest was the reason the armored figure was patrolling," he deduced.

Without hesitation, he promptly opened the chest. However, regardless of his efforts, the chest remained obstinately sealed.

Taking matters into his own hands, he released a shroud of darkness towards the chest, gradually enveloping it.

True to his efforts, the chest yielded, unveiling a collection of radiant golden objects.

Long Tian arched an eyebrow, clearly taken aback. He picked one up—a stone-like object, golden in hue, and emitting Reiki.

It was undoubtedly a spiritual stone, but the quantity of Reiki contained within far surpassed the profound level.

His expression turned serious. "Could this be a level beyond profound? Damn, I've stumbled upon a true treasure trove," he exclaimed, a wide grin stretching across his face.

Without a moment's hesitation, he swiftly stowed all the spiritual stones into his spatial ring. There were at least 50 of them.

After confirming the chest was empty, Long Tian stood up, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.

"Now, let's explore what else this castle has to offer," he declared, his smile transforming into a triumphant grin.

With that, he promptly headed towards the location of another room.

-----------

Meanwhile, in the villa in Tianzhou...

Li Yue'er had awakened and was now sitting on her bed. Her expression was vacant, devoid of any emotions.

She glanced towards the window; it was nighttime now. She felt like she had woken up after sleeping for years.

Without uttering a word, she stepped off the bed and stood right in front of the mirror, her eyes fixed on her reflection.

Gradually, she could sense the darkness within her body involuntarily emanating.

The next moment, a striking woman with long black hair and dark armor materialized beside her. Dark energy emanated from her figure.

Li Yue'er's eyes narrowed into icy slits, her voice cutting through the silence like a dagger, "Now I've uncovered your existence. I even remember what you did today. Can't you just leave me alone?"

The woman smiled, "Because you are very weak. I won't just stand by watching you being defeated by that girl. And you see, our Long Tian might be disappointed if he sees you lose," she said, her smile transforming into a sinister grin.

"You're just making things up; Long Tian never thought like that. And I know you gave me power, but not in this way!" Li Yue'er retorted, her tone growing cold.

"Say whatever you want, but remember, I will never leave you. We are one," the woman said, her grin widening with a sinister appearance.

In the subsequent moment, her figure gradually faded away, evaporating into darkness like smoke.

Li Yue'er stood still, unable to utter a word.

---

Back in the massive castle...

Slash!

A sword strike cleaved through the armored figure of darkness in front of him, causing the figure to evaporate into darkness.

Lei Guang stood with several slash wounds on his body. Facing the armored figure face to face was truly difficult because the figure possessed adept sword techniques.

His gaze then fell on the red crystal on the floor. Without hesitation, he picked it up and shattered it, allowing the red aura to enter his body, granting him another power boost.

A wide grin formed on Lei Guang's face, "I love this place! If I can get as many of these crystals as possible, I will undoubtedly become incredibly strong once I return to Earth. No wonder Qin Chen became one of the great venerables; this place apparently stores a plethora of power," he declared, his voice laced with determination.

He had spent hours navigating the labyrinthine corridors of the castle, clashing with numerous armored adversaries along the way.

His attention was now captivated by an imposing, towering door. Without hesitation, he sprinted towards it.

His hand gripped the door's surface, sending shivers down his spine with its enigmatic aura.

"Beyond this door must lie an unimaginable treasure!" he declared, his heartbeat quickening with anticipation.

With determination, he pushed open the colossal door. The resounding creak echoed through the space, unveiling a mesmerizing spectacle.

Before him, there were no barren trees or withered plants; instead, a lush garden sprawled out, surrounded by vibrant, life-filled flora infused with Reiki.

A triumphant grin spread across his face, eyes glinting with unwavering confidence. "I shall become the mightiest human ever!"

Without a moment's hesitation, he sprinted towards the enchanting garden. Yet, the ominous sound of slicing air reached his ears from behind. Swift as a shadow, he leaped and flattened himself on the ground, narrowly evading the deadly assault.

His eyes narrowed into determined slits. "Another one of those armored fiends? Well, I'll end you first," he snarled with brutal intent.

Rising with deadly grace, he fixed his gaze on the origin of the attack.

However, his eyes widened in sheer disbelief as he beheld a man standing not far from him.

This man, bereft of any taint of darkness, adorned in ordinary attire... He was undeniably human!

"I have finally found you!" the man declared, a deadly grin stretching across his face.