Systemless Villain

Chapter 177 Undead Army!

The five individuals, four men, and one woman, clad in battle-worn armor, continued their relentless assault against the vampire. Their movements were coordinated and disciplined, yet the vampire proved to be exceptionally swift and adept.

It bore no semblance to a human, a silent and monstrous entity concealed beneath human-like garments.

"Grrrrrrr!" The vampire growled, emitting a terrifying aura that seemed to pierce the very souls of the five fighters.

However, one of them, Gung Jo, a man in his thirties with a robust build, wielding a shield and sword, remained unyielding. "Fear not! This will be an astounding discovery, a vampire in the flesh!" he bellowed.

His voice served as an infusion of energy for his companions, fortifying their resolve to overcome the vampire.

"Attack again!" one of them shouted.

Undeterred, they pressed on with their assault, their weapons clashing against the vampire's supernatural agility and strength. The battle unfolded with intensity, each side grappling for dominance in the cavern's vast expanse.

Amidst the fray, Long Tian observed with calm composure. He could sense that the strongest among them was in the Nascent Soul realm, with the others in the Flowing Qi realm.

From their attire and symbol, there was no mistake; they were members of a guild named Scavenger, specialists in exploration and hunting.

As the conflict reached its climax, the vampire's savagery became brutally apparent. With ferocious swiftness, it pounced, tearing through armor and sending one of the fighters sprawling.

The loss of their comrade disrupted the cohesion of the group, leading to panic. The vampire seized the opportunity and unleashed a blind onslaught.

Despite their valiant efforts, the fighters found themselves succumbing to the inhuman prowess of the vampire.

"Overwhelm him!" Gung Jo's shout echoed.

In response, the remaining five warriors converged on the vampire. Five swords pierced its form, yet, to their astonishment, not a drop of blood was shed.

Surprise twisted their expressions further when they witnessed their once gleaming sword blades corroding and rusting.

The vampire chuckled with a malevolent grin. In an instant, it lunged and seized one of them, a man in his thirties.

Panic etched across his face, but it was too late. The vampire ruthlessly sank its fangs into his neck.

"Aaaargh! Let me go!" his desperate cries echoed.

Yet, the vampire's fangs relentlessly pierced his neck, draining his life force until his body, now visibly withering, succumbed to lifelessness.

The remaining four individuals, once spirited and determined, now stood in shocked vigilance, horror etched across their faces.

"Damn it! He slaughtered Jun without breaking a sweat!" cursed Song Hu, a man with a meager mustache and beard.

"C-can we even stand a chance against that abomination?" questioned Yi Fei, a woman with long hair draped in the garb of a cultivator.

In the midst of the panicked voices, Gung Jo stood unwavering.

"Don't you dare give up! We'll drag that vampire home, no matter what it takes. Jun's death marks the beginning of our triumph!" he bellowed, reigniting a ferocious determination.

Song Hu and his companions brandished additional weapons, gearing up for another assault.

The battle thundered on, a cacophony of clashes and clangs reverberating in the air. Four warriors against one vampire, locked in a brutal struggle.

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More than five agonizing minutes crawled by, and as Long Tian coldly observed, the quartet relentlessly battled the vampire.

In a swift moment, an energy sword shot towards the vampire, only to be deftly dodged. The vampire, seizing the opportunity, lunged towards the source, its razor-sharp claws slashing the man's neck, reducing him to a kneeling figure clutching his bleeding throat.

With predatory speed, the vampire ran, sinking its fangs into the man's neck, draining him until his body withered, life extinguished.

Callously tossing the lifeless body aside, the vampire underwent a surge in power, emitting an ominous aura that sent shivers through Song Hu and his comrades.

"GRAAAAAH!" a guttural roar erupted from the vampire, charging straight at Song Hu, a macabre invitation to a deadly duel.

Song Hu grappled visibly with the onslaught, each unpredictable attack, especially the razor claws, proving a relentless challenge.

The echoing sound of "Clank!" resonated, marking the violent clashes between the vampire's claws and Song Hu's blade and armor.

At this moment, the vampire's claws attack staggered him. Yet, before he could regain his balance, the vampire clawed his armor, creating a "Skrach!" sound, penetrating his armor. Blood dripped from the wound.

A grave expression etched on Song Hu's face as he take a few steps back. "Bastard, is this where I meet my end?" he uttered, his reluctance palpable.

In contrast, the vampire smirked sardonically, leisurely advancing towards him.

Yet, an abrupt burst of golden light disrupted its approach, emanating from the side —Gung Jo's ignited sword, assisted by Yi Fei.

"I'll end this, you monster!" Gung Jo declared with unwavering determination.

A flicker of panic crossed the vampire's face as it sensed the divine power within the golden light—a glaring weakness.

"GRAAAAH!" It roared defiantly, hurtling towards Gung Jo, both hands shrouded in dark red energy.

Upon collision, thunderous reverberations and blinding light engulfed the cave. Even Long Tian, an unflinching observer, shielded his eyes from the dazzling onslaught.

The world became an ephemeral blur of blinding golden radiance.

One second, two seconds, three seconds... Ten agonizing seconds passed, the radiant light dissolving into rising smoke, small fires flickering on the cave floor.

Song Hu and Yi Fei stared in disbelief. Gung Jo, once a formidable warrior, lay dismembered and unrecognizable.

Their horror deepened as they beheld the vampire, standing amidst the aftermath, its right arm missing, body marred by burns and wounds—Gung Jo's divine attack preventing regeneration.

Yet, no opportunity for counterattack presented itself; the vampire exuded an intimidating aura, its left hand adorned with razor-sharp claws.

Song Hu, wounded by the vampire's claws, and Yi Fei, drained of energy after aiding Gung Jo, faced the grim reality of impending death.

"Graaaaaarh!" The vampire charged towards them blindly.

Suddenly, a fiery fist descended from above, striking the vampire and sending it flying.

Song Hu and Yi Fei's expressions transformed drastically, overtaken by surprise.

Before them, a man landed—an unexpected arrival—Long Tian.

Shock enveloped them, not anticipating anyone else in their midst.

Long Tian, on the other hand, swiftly moved towards the vampire, seizing its neck in a vice grip.

"Grrrrgh!" The vampire struggled ferociously to break free.

However, Long Tian aimed to conclude this. His hand moved toward the vampire's mouth, extracting darkness essence and injecting it into its mouth.

After a few tense seconds, Long Tian stepped back, observing the reaction of his darkness essence.

The vampire, in a state of unsteadiness, mouth and eyes wide open, collapsed to the ground. Darkness oozed from its mouth like smoke.

A sinister grin etched itself on Long Tian's face. The task proved facile, thanks to Gung Jo's sacrifice paving the way for his final strike.

Long Tian turned around, fixing his gaze on Song Hu and Yi Fei. "Consider this a token of gratitude for your friend's sacrifice. But the vampire is mine now," he declared with a malevolent grin.

Song Hu and Yi Fei remained silent; their expressions defied explanation.

Long Tian said no more, turning back to walk towards the fallen vampire.

Crouching, he examined the vampire. "I think it's a good idea to absorb its abilities. I hope it's not different from a soul beast," he muttered.

Seating himself cross-legged, he touched the vampire's forehead, concentrating.

Long Tian found himself submerged in the sea of his consciousness. Typically, absorbing a soul beast involved encountering a soul ring, yet this vampire presented none.

Persisting, after several suspenseful seconds, he observed no discernible change.

So, it was concluded that the vampire wasn't a soul beast. As Long Tian opened his eyes, they widened.

Glancing backward, he saw Song Hu stabbing him with a dagger in the back. Song Hu, equally wide-eyed, realized his dagger hadn't pierced Long Tian's skin at all.

Anger engulfed Long Tian as he stood. "Are you trying to kill me?" he spat, the rage evident in his tone.

Song Hu's expression turned panicked, but before he could react, Long Tian grabbed his throat, lifting him off the ground.

"Urkh!" Song Hu groaned in pain, horror etched across his face.

He assumed Long Tian was merely an average cultivator, given his youthful appearance. Furthermore, he was unwilling to let Long Tian seize the vampire while he and his friends fought desperately.

Yet, now it appeared that such greediness bore lethal consequences.

"You've made a fatal mistake," Long Tian said coldly.

Releasing his grip, his hands morphed into dragon claws. In a swift motion, he scratched Song Hu's throat, creating a "Claw!" sound as his head detached and his body crumpled to the ground.

Long Tian's expression remained cruel. In contrast, Yi Fei, who covered her mouth in disbelief, dropped her dagger.

"Please, don't kill me. I didn't intend to kill you," she pleaded, fear saturating her tone.

"Then, what's that dagger for?" Long Tian asked, his tone icy.

"That's..." Yi Fei struggled for words.

As Long Tian approached, Yi Fei's heart raced, her fear palpable. She seized his hand, pressing it against her chest.

"This! You can touch me!" she exclaimed.

Long Tian raised an eyebrow. "Well, that's quite smooth," he remarked with a sinister smirk.

Yi Fei sensed an opportunity to live. "I'm even better in bed. Or do you want to do it right here?" she offered, her tone growing seductive with heavy breaths.

Long Tian's smirk persisted. On the other hand, Yi Fei, thinking Long Tian couldn't resist her, saw a greater chance for survival.

Long Tian caressed Yi Fei's chin, "Well, I just..." his words ceased, replaced by action. His fingers morphed into dragon claws, and he swiftly sliced through Yi Fei's throat.

"...want to kill you," he declared with a sinister grin, simultaneous with Yi Fei's head falling to the ground.

Women like her... Yi Fei was the type who would do anything to survive, akin to Long Guan. Both met their demise at his hands.

Long Tian's body exuding true darkness as he commanded, "Arise!"

In the next moment, the six corpses, including the vampire, writhed with darkness.

A few seconds later, they rose as Undead!

A wide, sinister grin spread across Long Tian's face. "Now, you all serve as my army!"