Systemless Villain

Silence descended upon the cultivators as all eyes fixated on the scene unfolding before them: a youth, seemingly not even in his twenties, standing amidst the chaos.

"Could he be our reinforcement? He looks so young."

"Who is he? Is he from the imperial forces or perhaps one of the prestigious academies?"

"He's definitely not ordinary."

Speculations buzzed among the nearby cultivators, each unable to resist pondering the identity of the youth who effortlessly killed dozens of soul beasts.

Meanwhile, Long Tian's brow furrowed as he recognized the surroundings. Unlike before, when thick black smoke obscured his vision, he now realized they were near the Tianji district, where Liu Qian resided. Yet, she was nowhere to be found.

"Something must have happened... Where are you, Qian'er..." Long Tian whispered under his breath.

His gaze swept across the area, taking in the raging fires and billowing black smoke that mingled with the cracked earth and shattered buildings of the Tianji district.

In this moment, as he prepared to move, his intent faltered as he spotted six figures approaching.

One of them asked, "If I may ask, are you the reinforcements who have arrived?"

With calm composure, Long Tian responded, "I am from the Long family in Beijing."

Hearing this, surprise flickered across everyone's faces. What they had witnessed, the immense power that decimated countless soul beasts, had come from a member of the Long family.

Their initial incredulity melted away as they realized they stood before a scion of the esteemed lineage known for their legendary Mythical martial spirits.

"So, the Long family has also joined the effort to address this portal crisis?" one of them queried.

"I cannot say for certain; I was brought here suddenly," Long Tian responded nonchalantly.

Hearing this, everyone exchanged glances, clearly not expecting Long Tian to arrive without prior notice.

"Nevertheless, you must comprehend the gravity of the situation here. Chaos has erupted with the emergence of a portal unleashing a horde of soul beasts. The city lies in ruins, countless lives hanging in the balance. We've been battling since the outset, yet no reinforcements have materialized. But now, with your arrival, it seems aid is at hand, correct?" a man in his forties pressed.

"Of course, I am here to lend my assistance," Long Tian affirmed with a nod.

A collective sigh of relief rippled through the group, tension easing from their shoulders.

"Whew, that's a relief. Now, it seems there are not many soul beasts left here. Let me lead you to where more of them are," the man offered.

"Very well, lead the way," Long Tian agreed.

With a nod, the man began guiding Long Tian to another location.

The seven of them moved through the smoky, debris-strewn landscape, the tension palpable amidst the looming clouds overhead.

Meanwhile, the helicopter transporting members of the Long and Xia families had touched down, and most had disembarked to fulfill their designated roles. Some had rallied with Long Gongyu to confront the dragon, while others dispersed to engage the roaming soul beasts.

Among them, Xia Qingyue, Long Gungtao, and two companions traversed the terrain strewn with the lifeless forms of soul beasts, many charred and bearing the telltale claw marks of battle.

Observing the scene, Xia Qingyue couldn't suppress her frustration. "It appears Long Tian claimed the lion's share of the kills; not a single one left for us," she remarked, her tone laced with irritation.

Long Gungtao nodded in agreement, his anticipation for the thrill of battle somewhat dampened by Long Tian's swift dispatching of their adversaries.

"I suspect there are still numerous soul beasts lurking elsewhere. Perhaps we should seek counsel from the cultivators in this vicinity," he suggested.

"Good idea," Xia Qingyue concurred.

With unanimous accord, they set forth to seek out their fellow cultivators.

-------

Meanwhile, in another location, Long Tian stood transfixed, his gaze fixed on the unfolding chaos before him.

Spread out below were the remnants of what had once been a thriving community, now reduced to rubble and ash, a haunting testament to the devastation wrought by the invading soul beasts.

The air reverberated with the discordant symphony of primal roars and desperate cries, creating an atmosphere of dread and despair.

Even the six individuals who had accompanied Long Tian wore expressions of disbelief, their faces etched with a mixture of horror and astonishment.

"I can't believe it... This area looked nothing like this before," one of them muttered, his voice tinged with fear.

"It's beyond comprehension... The imperial forces need to intervene immediately!" another exclaimed, his tone urgent.

"We've been fighting for hours, and yet the situation remains dire," added a third, his voice heavy with exhaustion and frustration.

Fear, disbelief, and exhaustion hung thick in the air, casting a pall over the group as they grappled with the grim reality of the unfolding catastrophe.

For Long Tian, however, the gravity of the situation was compounded by the realization that this area was situated near Liu Qian's residence.

A surge of concern gripped him, propelling him into action as he swiftly made his way towards the ruins of her home.

His movements were purposeful, his focus unwavering as he navigated through the debris-strewn streets, his thoughts consumed by the safety of his girlfriend.

Not far ahead, a blockade of around twenty soul beasts of varying shapes and sizes barred Long Tian's path, their menacing fangs and glinting eyes radiating a palpable aura of danger.

Yet, Long Tian's expression burned with righteous fury rather than trepidation. He came to a determined halt before the advancing creatures, lifting both hands towards the sky.

A deafening roar of thunder reverberated through the air, conjuring a dense, ebony cloud overhead. The soul beasts wasted no time in launching their assault, hurtling towards Long Tian with savage intent.

With a steely gaze, Long Tian unleashed the fury of the elements, his eyes crackling with lightning. As the soul beasts closed in, he brought his hands down, unleashing a barrage of yellow bolts that struck with unrelenting force.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The thunderous explosions resounded as the lightning crashed upon the soul beasts, each strike wreaking havoc upon the earth and obliterating structures in its wake.

In mere moments, the soul beasts found themselves overwhelmed, some reduced to smoldering husks in the blink of an eye.

The formidable onslaught of lightning enveloped an area spanning a hundred meters, leaving destruction in its wake as buildings crumbled and the land lay scorched by its wrath.

Amidst the chaos, the intense impact of the lightning strikes captured the attention of several nearby cultivators. Seven youths, clad in uniforms adorned with a common emblem—a dragon breathing fire—stood transfixed, their gazes fixed upon the distant flashes of lightning. They hailed from the prestigious Emberwing Academy.

Among them stood two familiar figures: a young man in his twenties and a strikingly beautiful woman with long, black hair tinged with shades of purple, her eyes reflecting the same deep hue. They were none other than Zhao Tianming and Gu Yixian.

Their attention remained riveted on the lightning strikes, which illuminated the skyline not far from their current position.

"Could those be from soul beasts?" one of the young men queried.

"I doubt it. Such power suggests a human origin, not a mere soul beast," his companion reasoned.

"It appears there's someone exceptionally strong besides us," another remarked with a chuckle.

As they exchanged speculations, the unnatural phenomenon of the lightning strikes sparked their collective curiosity.

Gu Yixian shared in their intrigue, particularly regarding the lightning's distinct color, which stirred a sense of déjà vu within her.

The phenomenon evoked memories of the chaotic events in Tianhai when soul beasts broke free, preceding the emergence of the colossal sand monster. During that time, she had witnessed similar yellow lightning strikes.

She stroked her chin, recalling that pivotal moment.

However, she ultimately shook her head.

"Let's investigate," she proposed.

"I'm in. Let's move," Zhao Tianming readily agreed.

The rest of the group nodded in unison, and together they set off towards the source of the enigmatic lightning strikes.

---

As the seven students approached, the lingering black clouds overhead remained, though the lightning strikes had subsided.

Surveying the scene, they realized no other cultivators were present who could have wielded such powerful lightning.

"What? Did the person leave already?"

"It seems so. They must have gone to deal with areas with more soul beasts."

"It's been over five hours since the mysterious portal appeared, yet we've heard no updates."

Their conversation resumed, speculation rife about the whereabouts of the individual who had summoned the lightning.

Amidst their discussion, Gu Yixian's attention was drawn northward, where a sprawling residential area lay in ruins. It wasn't the devastation that intrigued her, but a mysterious and familiar aura.

Unconsciously, she began moving away from her group towards the source of the aura.

Her six companions remained oblivious to her departure.

With each step, the mysterious aura grew stronger, urging her onward.

Zhao Tianming, noticing Gu Yixian's absence, glanced at their group, realizing she was missing.

"Hey, where's Yixian?" he inquired.

His question elicited a moment of realization from one of their companions. "Wasn't she just here?" he mused, rubbing his chin.

Zhao Tianming shook his head and promptly began scanning their surroundings for Gu Yixian.

Failing to locate her, he resolved to search for her, breaking away from the group.

---

Meanwhile, in another location, Long Tian stood in disbelief. Before him lay the ruins of a familiar house—the Liu family's residence—now reduced to rubble alongside neighboring homes.

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