Systemless Villain

215  In the Sea of Consciousness

Long Tian, Ling Han, Li Yue'er, and Mo Yuegang found themselves in the outer area of the dungeon. Bearing Ling Han's fatigue, Mo Yuegang shouldered the responsibility of carrying the massive Tao Tie's corpse. Li Yue'er and Long Tian followed closely behind.

As they traversed, Long Tian maintained a facade of normalcy. However, deep within his inner being...

The visage of a middle-aged man materialized, his long black hair and sturdy physique taking form in a spectral manifestation.

His countenance held an air of astonishment as he beheld the mesmerizing panorama – a sky adorned with billions of stars, an expansive ocean stretching beneath, and golden discs revolving at the heart of it all.

A wide, malevolent grin stretched across the man's face. "It seems I've stumbled upon a great treasure!" he proclaimed, his tone resonating with a palpable malevolence.

From his ethereal appearance, it was unmistakably the previously chained figure, Mo Xie, now existing within the conscious realm of Long Tian.

"Luckily, I managed to manipulate him. And now, let's take control of this!" he exclaimed, a sinister grin spreading across his face.

With that proclamation, he extended his hands, as if seizing the very air, an imperceptible aura infiltrating his soul.

"Ah, I missed this sensation," he murmured, reveling in the moment.

His ritualistic absorption of the surrounding aura persisted, causing stars in the cosmic expanse to wink out one by one. Yet, with billions of them, it became evident that this process required an extensive amount of time.

Meanwhile, back in reality, Long Tian and the others had returned to the Heavenly Demon Sect area. The sky had dimmed, signaling the onset of evening.

Their presence drew the gaze of many disciples, particularly fixating on the colossal Tao Tie's lifeless form. Most hesitated to approach, given that Mo Yuegang carried the massive creature.

After a brief traverse, Long Tian and the companions reached the inner disciples' area – the largest and most well-equipped section.

Several Elders followed suit, trailing them towards a grand pavilion.

"Call Elder Bi Han to the Inner Beast Pavilion," commanded Mo Yuegang.

"Understood, Sect Master," promptly responded an Elder, an older man with a white beard. He departed to locate Bi Han.

Once the Inner Beast Pavilion's door swung open, Mo Yuegang led the way inside, the others following suit.

Inside, they entered a spacious room with white marble floors, housing an array of equipment – from medical tools to weapons, medicines, and serving multiple purposes as an emergency medical facility and a laboratory for alchemical and chemical experiments.

Mo Yuegang simplt laid Tao Tie's massive body on the pristine floor, and fresh blood splattered, leaving a macabre display.

Several Elders, growing increasingly astonished, closely examined the colossal corpse. One among them inquired, "What creature is this, Sect Master?" his tone tinged with curiosity.

"Believe it or not, this is the body of Tao Tie," Mo Yuegang responded with casual assurance.

Hearing this, expressions of surprise and shock etched on everyone's faces. They were well-acquainted with Tao Tie, a mythical creature, and Mo Yuegang's direct confirmation lent undeniable credibility.

Another Elder, stroking his beard, remarked, "Upon close observation, this creature does indeed match the descriptions in ancient scrolls about Tao Tie. I suppose it's true. Where did you discover it, Sect Master?" he inquired with keen interest.

"There's an abandoned dungeon high up on one of our sect's mountain slopes. Elder Su Chen stumbled upon it, and here we are – Tao Tie, the fruit of that exploration," Mo Yuegang disclosed.

The Elders grew even more intrigued, particularly considering the triumphant defeat of Tao Tie.

As the door swung open, an Elder entered the room – a man in his sixties with predominantly black hair peppered with gray, devoid of a beard or mustache. It was none other than Bi Han.

He approached Mo Yuegang and the others, calmly asking, "Sect Master, you called for me?"

Mo Yuegang affirmed with a nod, "Yes, I need your assistance in checking on Young Master Long Tian," he explained.

Bi Han turned his attention to Long Tian, their eyes locking in a brief connection.

"So, you are the young master of the Long family. I knew someone named Long Guan; do you happen to be acquainted with him?" Bi Han inquired.

Long Tian raised an eyebrow before responding, "I remember only one Long Guan in my family, and he went missing during the survival test between the Long and Xia families. Probably dead since he hasn't been found for over a month," his tone remained composed.

Surprise registered on Bi Han's face, "He's dead? That's regrettable; he was one of the best young talents, if I recall correctly," he commented.

"Well, fate is unknown," Long Tian responded simply.

Bi Han nodded, saying, "Makes sense."

Long Tian felt a twinge of unease discussing Long Guan, the person he had personally killed.

"Alright, Young Master Long, let me introduce myself. My name is Bi Han, and I specialize in soul and martial spirit medicine. Since the Sect Master called me here, you must have related complaints. So, follow me," Bi Han said.

Long Tian nodded, following Bi Han's lead. Li Yue'er also joined them, while Ling Han opted to stay with Mo Yuegang to examine Tao Tie, his curiosity piqued about its internal contents.

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Long Tian lay on the medical bed, Li Yue'er by his side.

"So, what happened, Young Master Long?" Bi Han inquired.

"In that dungeon, there was a mysterious man suspended and chained. I accidentally felt like I heard some whispers and approached him. I didn't feel anything and seemed to lose consciousness. When I woke up, the mysterious man had disappeared," Long Tian explained.

Hearing this, Bi Han stroked his chin. "Did you feel any pain or anything?" he asked.

"Nope, I felt normal," Long Tian responded.

Bi Han grew even more puzzled, but in his mind, several possibilities of what might be happening had already formed.

"Try entering your own sea of consciousness," he suggested.

"Right now?" Long Tian asked.

"Yes, that's the crucial part," Bi Han responded.

"Alright," Long Tian nodded. Then, he sat on the medical bed with his legs crossed.

His focus intensified as he closed his eyes. External distractions faded away as he delved deep into his mind.

However, all he saw was darkness, unable to enter his sea of consciousness.

Long Tian persisted, attempting repeatedly. Yet, every time, darkness greeted him, denying access to his sea of consciousness.

In the end, he opened his eyes, his expression one of disbelief. "I can't enter my sea of consciousness," he said earnestly.

Hearing this, Bi Han's expression turned serious. What he feared might be happening.

"This might be more dangerous than I thought, young master. The reason you can't enter your sea of consciousness might be due to the presence of another entity besides your own soul. It's highly likely that it's the mysterious man you described," Bi Han said with utmost seriousness.

Long Tian understood the gravity of Bi Han's words, his expression turning equally serious. If it were a human soul, he should be able to absorb it. Even Shen Yulan couldn't prevent him from entering his sea of consciousness.

But the mysterious man... He could even make him unable to enter his own sea of consciousness.

"Give me your hand," Bi Han responded.

Long Tian nodded, extending his hand promptly for Bi Han's examination.

Bi Han checked the veins, one of them directly connected to the dantian according to medical knowledge. After careful examination, he found the vein, slightly prominent in color but appearing smaller.

"This might be a bit painful, young master Long," he warned.

"Go ahead," affirmed Long Tian.

A colossal dragon, shrouded in darkness, coexisted with a humanoid figure enveloped in lightning.

13:56

Bi Han nodded, and at that moment, he exerted strong pressure on the vein...

Long Tian suddenly felt a shock like an electric current surging from his wrist throughout his body, rendering him paralyzed.

Bi Han continued to press on the vein with increasing force, and Long Tian felt an even stronger shock.

In the end, his eyes closed, and he fell unconscious.

Seeing this, Bi Han stopped. And on the other side, Li Yue'er, unable to contain her curiosity, asked, "Will Long Tian be okay?" her tone filled with worry.

"It depends on him. But since he's highly talented, at least, and perhaps he has a chance to confront that entity," Bi Han responded.

Li Yue'er's worry didn't fade; she gently wiped the sweat from Long Tian's forehead with a tender touch.

Certainly, she hoped Long Tian would wake up soon.

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Inside Long Tian's inner realm, within the vast expanse of his consciousness, Mo Xie persisted in absorbing the ambient energy.

His current size had tripled from his initial state, and the disappearance of numerous stars in the cosmic backdrop indicated the fruitful outcomes of his endeavors.

However, an unexpected occurrence disrupted the tranquil scene—a resounding dragon's roar reverberated. Undeterred, Mo Yuegang kept his eyes shut, steadfast in the energy absorption process.

The dragon's roar echoed once more, amplifying in volume and taking on a more ominous tone.

Persisting in its indifference, Mo Xie perceived the roars as mere side effects of his actions.

Yet, with each dismissal, the vibrations in the surroundings intensified, causing a subtle discomfort.

Frowning in discontent, Mo Xie reluctantly opened his eyes, and shock filled his widened gaze as he beheld an extraordinary spectacle.

A colossal dragon, shrouded in darkness, coexisted with a humanoid figure enveloped in lightning.

"Well, well, what do we have here? A Tiny soul?" mocked the lightning-shrouded man, his tone carrying a hint of derision.