Systemless Villain

221  From Demonic Veins to Celestial Chains

Long Tian found himself shrouded in a tumultuous burst of demonic qi, casting an air of heightened menace.

His once neatly arranged hair now cascaded freely, complementing the wide grin etched on his face, revealing an expression dramatically different from Long Tian's usual demeanor.

With palpable satisfaction, he gazed at his own hands. "It's quite fortunate that this young one absorbed my soul... Separating my body and soul back then wasn't in vain," he declared with a sinister and triumphant grin.

The current state wasn't Long Tian anymore; it was now Mo Xie! Despite meeting his demise at the hands of Zeus, there existed another fragment of his soul that Long Tian absorbed in the depths of the Demon's Abyss.

Through the ancient book he had penned himself, a particular section detailed a mantra for the integration of his soul with the one who absorbed it.

In this moment, Mo Xie's countenance appeared displeased. Despite his efforts to move, his body adamantly resisted, as if in defiance of his volition.

"You're just a human; submit to me!" he declared with icy detachment.

Yet, the defiance of his body persisted, escalating to a point where regaining control became an impossibility.

In a desperate attempt, his eyes widened, revealing an expression of profound disbelief.

In the ensuing moment, a transformation unfolded – both of his pupils transitioned to a vivid blue hue. Simultaneously, his demonic qi vanished entirely, replaced by a white aura that appeared to warp the very air.

His countenance shifted to one of cold determination. "I didn't expect you could still escape, tiny soul!" he declared with icy disdain.

Emanating from his voice and aura, it became unmistakable that Zeus had now seized control of Long Tian's physical vessel.

Placing a hand on his chest, a concentrated expression etched across his face, he summoned lightning. The ensuing surge of electricity coursed through his form, generating an electrical current with repercussions reaching even to the flickering of the lights above.

The potency of the lightning was such that both of his eyes radiated an intense white glow, coinciding with Zeus's disappearance.

After a brief span, the lightning dissipated, and Long Tian's pupils reverted to their usual crimson hue.

His expression held a perplexed quality. "What the hell is happening?" he pondered, his forehead furrowing as he struggled to recollect the recent events.

Clutching his head, he sensed a pulsating throb. From what he could remember, he had regained consciousness at the sacred pool, and as if guided by a hypnotic force, he found himself here with limited memories.

Suddenly, an apparition of a man with long hair, two horns, wings, and clad in battle armor materialized in his thoughts.

"Don't tell me it was that guy? Mo Xie?" he earnestly murmured to himself.

Inexplicably, he acquired peculiar knowledge and memories concerning Mo Xie, the Heavenly Demon.

Without further hesitation, Long Tian promptly assumed a cross-legged position and closed his eyes, immersing himself in his inner realm.

His focus directed toward the obscurity within his body, he wholly disregarded the external world.

In this crucial moment, Long Tian, existing as a spectral entity, delved into the depths of his consciousness, only to be confronted with a startling sight.

Zeus ruthlessly tore apart the spectral manifestation of a man adorned with long hair and battle armor – undoubtedly the soul of Mo Xie.

Mo Xie, now with widened eyes, lay defenseless, surrendering his ethereal form to be rent asunder, and gradually, fragments of him ascended into the sky.

In this poignant moment, Zeus seized Mo Xie's visage and promptly yanked him, causing an immediate detachment, resulting in his spectral form dissipating entirely into wisps of smoke that floated skyward.

Zeus stood tall, surveying the ocean where Mo Xie's soul had left no traces.

Subsequently, his focus shifted to Long Tian. Without uttering a word, Zeus moved swiftly towards him.

Long Tian, witnessing this, remained silent, uncertain of what words to convey.

As he drew near, Zeus extended his hand, revealing a radiant energy sphere resembling a flickering flame.

The energy sphere hovered and seamlessly merged with Long Tian's spectral form. Instantaneously, Long Tian's body radiated with an intense white brilliance, enveloping the entire expanse in a blinding white glow.

For several seconds, the brilliance persisted until, eventually, the radiance dissipated, restoring the scenario to its former state.

Yet, above the ocean, stood an effigy of a man with long hair, two wings, and two horns – an unmistakable representation of Mo Xie.

In the realm of reality, Long Tian slowly opened his eyes, fixating his gaze on his own hands as a surge of demonic qi emanated from his body. This time, the awakening was accompanied by full consciousness; Mo Xie's influence had receded.

A sly grin adorned his face, "Seems like Mo Xie's soul has seamlessly integrated with mine," he declared, a sinister undertone lacing his words. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

With Mo Xie now definitively deceased, Long Tian found himself endowed with a wealth of potent techniques mastered by the Heavenly Demon. His newfound abilities even extended to a complete transformation into a full demon form.

His attention then shifted to the ancient book sprawled on the floor. Rising from his seated position, he approached the book with purpose, retrieving it in his hands. However, as if in a scripted sequence, the book spontaneously combusted, gradually reducing to ashes.

The mysterious connection between the ancient tome and Mo Xie's soul perplexed him. With the departure of the soul, the book shared a similar fate.

Long Tian's countenance assumed a commanding demeanor; this day had yielded a tremendous acquisition – Mo Xie's soul, his formidable techniques, and the ability to assume a full-fledged demon form.

"The exhausting process is finally over; I guess I'll start focusing on killing Lin Fan now," he said with a sinister grin.

With those ominous words hanging in the air, he promptly exited the room, retracing his steps to his private chamber.

---------

Meanwhile, in a different location, Lin Fan had successfully traversed the forested area and found himself in the quaint village of Fusu.

Pausing to survey the surroundings, he rubbed his chin in contemplation. Night had descended, the clock ticking past 9 PM.

"Seems like I'll be lodging here for the night," he mused.

With these thoughts in mind, he proceeded towards the settlement. But suddenly, the sky resonated with a strong rumble, causing him to halt in his steps.

A sudden, uneasy sensation enveloped him. "What's this peculiar feeling?" he muttered uncomfortably.

Casting his gaze skyward, his golden eyes activated abruptly, prompting an immediate step backward.

In the following heartbeat, a bolt of black lightning struck precisely where he had stood moments ago, resulting in a thunderous "BANG!" that reverberated through the air and fractured the ground beneath.

Lin Fan's expression widened in shock, his breath quickening as he comprehended the peril he had narrowly avoided.

"If that lightning had hit me, wouldn't I be dead?" he earnestly pondered.

Without a moment's hesitation, he swiftly ran towards the settlement, leaving behind the hazardous vicinity.

--------

As the night gracefully yielded to morning, evidence of the previous night's rain lingered in the form of puddles scattered throughout the Heavenly Demon Sect. The courtyard, in particular, bore witness to the overnight downpour.

In this moment, in a room within a mansion, Long Tian sat cross-legged on his bed surrounded by a stack of high-grade spiritual stones. His body was enveloped in an invisible aura that seemed to penetrate into him, a result of his current activity—cultivation.

Most of the stones had changed color back to their regular state, becoming ordinary rocks, as it had been over 7 hours of continuous cultivation.

After a while, every stone relinquished its altered color, and Long Tian's heightened sensitivity detected the absence of Reiki.

Opening his eyes, he rose from his seated position, experiencing a subtle surge in strength, the fruits of his diligent cultivation session.

"Quite a satisfactory morning," he murmured, his sinews stretching as he relished the sensation.

He didn't linger on his feet for long and headed straight to the bathroom for a shower.

In a state of undress, he activated the shower, allowing the rhythmic cascade of water to envelop his form. The liquid embrace imparted a profound sense of tranquility, both to his corporeal body and the depths of his soul.

------

After more than 5 minutes, Long Tian emerged from the bathroom, now standing in front of the mirror, gazing at his own reflection.

"My hair has grown long again... Looks like a visit to the barber is in order today," he said.

It had happened several times before, and while he didn't dislike it, the long hair could be somewhat inconvenient, especially during battles.

Long Tian didn't spend much time in front of the mirror and headed back to his room to get dressed. Just like before, he opted for casual attire.

----------

The morning sun had begun to cast its rays, accompanied by the sect members of the Heavenly Demon Sect starting their activities.

At this moment, Long Tian stood in front of the mansion, enjoying the cool morning atmosphere.

However, his attention was drawn to a man walking towards him from the side, none other than Mo Yuegang.

As he approached, Mo Yuegang greeted, "Good morning, young master Long. How was your sleep?" he inquired with a simple smile.

"My night was filled with cultivation, but I gained something great as well," Long Tian responded, a smirk playing on his lips.

"I'm pleased to hear that. By the way, I've discussed our alliance in the meeting, and all the Elders agree. Anyway, you're serious about this alliance, right?" Mo Yuegang asked again.

Long Tian smiled, "Didn't I already say it, sect master? Of course, I'm serious. I will inform my father about this; coincidentally, I'm heading to Beijing today," he responded.

Upon hearing this, a broad smile formed on Mo Yuegang's face, "I'm quite relieved to hear that. Anyway, no morning is complete without breakfast. Let's go to my palace, also invite Long Han and young lady Yue'er," he invited.

"Sure," Long Tian responded.

With that, he walked along with Mo Yuegang, leaving the mansion area and heading towards the sect leader's palace.