Systemless Villain

"Are we supposed to climb each of these stairs? And how exactly does that gift you mentioned work?" Long Tian's eyes sparkled with curiosity as he asked.

The mysterious woman's smile grew even more confident as she explained, "These stairs were crafted by sacrificing the soul of a heavenly venerable. The process is straightforward. Climb, and let the heavens bestow their blessings upon you."

With a nod of understanding, Long Tian and Alexia leapt onto the first step. Instantly, they were bathed in a radiant white light.

Their auras surged, with Long Tian's becoming so potent that it whipped up a strong gust of wind around him.

Glancing at his hands, Long Tian's grin widened. He could feel a newfound power pulsating within him.

"Talk about leveling up for free; I've ascended to level 7 of the Flowing Qi realm!" he declared with evident satisfaction.

Alexia, on the other hand, felt no change despite her aura spiking. She sighed deeply, lamenting her cursed condition.

"That completes the first step, as I said. Revel in the growth of your cultivation, young man. And as for you, mother-in-law, don't be disheartened. There's a surprise waiting for you," the mysterious woman hinted with a playful smile.

Alexia's eyes widened in surprise, while Long Tian's confusion deepened. "What do you mean by that?" he inquired, his curiosity piqued. 𝔣𝔯𝔢𝔢𝔴𝔢𝖇𝖓𝔬𝖛𝔢𝔩.𝖈𝔬𝖒

The woman elaborated, "Your mother-in-law is ensnared by a curse that has rendered her cultivation base stagnant, capped at the pinnacle of body tempering. Even her martial spirit lies dormant."

Long Tian turned to Alexia, his eyes filled with shock, seeking confirmation. Alexia nodded with a melancholic expression, "It's true. I've been under this curse for over 20 years."

A soft smile graced her lips as she continued, "But there's no need for concern. I've come to terms with it and am grateful for what life has offered me."

Long Tian responded with a warm smile, deeply admiring Alexia's resilience. "I've always known you're a strong mother, Mrs. Alexia. But the woman's words have left me curious," he said, casting his gaze back to the mysterious woman. "What surprise do you speak of, related to the curse on Mrs. Alexia?"

With a mischievous glint in her eyes, the woman teased, "Where's the fun in revealing it now? Just keep climbing and relish the blessings bestowed upon you by the heavens," she advised.

Long Tian let out a resigned sigh. Catching his slightly disheartened expression, Alexia gently grasped his hand and reassured, "It's alright. I'm just as curious. Let's ascend to the next step."

With renewed determination, they both nodded in agreement, affirming, "Alright."

Hand in hand, they leapt onto the second step.

Their landing was more challenging this time, given the towering height of the stairs, which exceeded 20 meters.

As before, they were immediately bathed in a golden aura, albeit slightly dimmer than before.

"Both of you, close your eyes and allow the heavens to amplify your innate talents. Even the most ordinary can ascend to genius levels. If you were born exceptional, this blessing will make you a force to reckon with," the woman instructed.

Taking her advice to heart, Long Tian and Alexia shut their eyes. Before long, Long Tian sensed an unfamiliar energy coursing through him.

It felt incredibly soothing, causing waves in his spiritual sea. The once vast ocean expanded even further, giving birth to innumerable stars and thousands of galaxies. The towering black pillars that upheld the sky grew even larger, more majestic, and sturdier.

Even the two black dragons soaring above seemed influenced, growing slightly larger with fiercer fangs and talons.

The transformation within Long Tian's spiritual sea persisted, offering an indescribable yet deeply comforting sensation.

After more than ten minutes, Long Tian reopened his eyes. Although his appearance remained unchanged, his internal state had undergone a significant transformation.

With a wide grin, he clenched his right fist and murmured, "I feel as though I can grasp advanced techniques at a mere glance now!"

The mysterious golden aura had undeniably amplified his talents across the board, from cultivation and comprehension to swordsmanship.

Alexia let out another sigh, feeling nothing despite being bathed in the same golden aura.

Witnessing her disappointment, Long Tian tried to lift her spirits, "The woman mentioned a surprise, remember? Perhaps it's a method to break the curse that's been affecting you, Mrs. Alexia."

Long Tian's comforting words resonated warmly with Alexia, bringing a smile to her face. "I truly hope so," she murmured.

Without hesitation this time, they both leapt onto the third step. As expected, they were immediately shrouded in a mysterious red aura.

For Long Tian, the effects seemed instantaneous. An ethereal sword materialized in his grasp.

His face tightened with anticipation, recognizing this as the awakening of his sword heart! Without delay, he unsheathed his darkblade, gripping it firmly as he delved into understanding his newfound power.

Throughout this experience, he couldn't contain his elation.

The 'Sword Heart' was a pinnacle achievement only accessible to those who wholly devoted themselves to the way of the sword. Few ever attained this status, and there even existed a sect wholly dedicated to mastering the 'Sword Heart'--the Zhuxian Sword Sect.

His smile broadened as the red aura seamlessly merged with his darkblade, unveiling a formidable energy radiating from the blade. A faint heat haze even shimmered across its surface.

He had genuinely unlocked the 'Sword Heart'! The satisfaction he felt was beyond words. He couldn't help but imagine the astonished expressions of the elders and his father upon discovering his newfound mastery.

His attention shifted back to the darkblade in his grasp, and a desire to test its newfound power bubbled up. He swiftly took a stance.

With a swift, lightning-infused swing, his sword arced horizontally, leaving behind a streak of blinding white light and a crisp slicing noise.

CREAK!

The unmistakable sound of shattering echoed as dozens of crystal pillars were cleaved. Marks were etched into the walls, creating gashes as wide as 10 centimeters, stretching across hundreds of meters.

A wide grin broke across Long Tian's face, his satisfaction palpable. Once, he couldn't even scratch those crystal pillars, but now he could slice through them effortlessly, not to mention human flesh.

"Was that slash from you, Long Tian? No wonder! With the Sword Heart, your strength must have surged. I'm genuinely thrilled for you," Alexia remarked, her smile warm.

"Thank you. I believe the Sword Heart worked its magic on you too, Mrs. Alexia," Long Tian replied.

"Well, I've never been adept at swordsmanship, so suddenly awakening the Sword Heart feels a bit strange. But it seems I'll be taking my practice more seriously from now on," Alexia admitted.

Long Tian smiled warmly. Before he could say more, the mysterious woman interjected.

"Alright, alright, enough chit-chat. Let's focus on this sacred stairway. It's quite remarkable, isn't it? Achieving the Sword Heart is rare, even for seasoned swordsmen. I must say, I'm rather proud of myself," she declared with a hint of pride.

"Now, don't dawdle. Climb the fourth step. I assure you, it'll be a surprise for both of you, especially you, mother-in-law," she said, her eyes twinkling mischievously at Alexia.

Alexia looked stunned, her heart racing with hope. Could the mysterious woman's 'surprise' be the breaking of her curse?

For over two decades, she had battled the curse that plagued her, seeking remedies from the best healers of both the Roman and Han empires, all in vain. Eventually, she had distanced herself from her family and retreated to the Han empire, resigned to a life devoid of her dreams.

Lost in her thoughts, she felt a warm energy radiating from Long Tian's hand.

"Let's climb up, Mrs. Alexia," he said, his smile reassuring.

Returning his smile, Alexia nodded. Hand in hand, they ascended to the fourth step.

Their feet touched the otherworldly material of the stairway. Almost instantly, they were bathed in a vivid green aura, which vanished as quickly as it appeared.

Confusion clouded Long Tian's face. He glanced up at the grinning woman above, his curiosity piqued even more.

But before he could utter a word, a powerful explosion of aura from Alexia sent him reeling backward. An invisible barrier halted him fall just in time.

Eyes wide with shock, Long Tian beheld Alexia, now engulfed in an immensely potent green aura, an overwhelming surge of Reiki so vast it was unlike anything he had ever felt.

"Is this the surprise the woman mentioned? This aura is incredibly powerful," Long Tian murmured, his tone grave.

Such an abnormal level of Reiki was baffling, but perhaps it was the stairway's doing.

The aura surrounding Alexia intensified every passing second. Her form seemed to shimmer and vanish beneath the radiant energy, resembling a Super Saiyan but bathed in green.

The mysterious woman floated behind her, cautioning, "Don't interrupt her. It'll be a painful process, but worth it."

Long Tian remained silent, his gaze unwaveringly fixed on Alexia.

A minute dragged on, and suddenly, Alexia's aura surged even higher, catching Long Tian off guard. His eyes widened in astonishment.

"Did she just break through? Could her curse truly be lifted?" he wondered aloud.

The aura around Alexia continued to amplify, experiencing two more surges. But it didn't stop there; it kept climbing, higher and higher.

The aura surged to 10, 14, 17, 19, and finally 21!

Long Tian was left speechless, witnessing the incredible phenomenon. The surges were emanating from Alexia, and she had broken through three realms at once!

Alexia now radiated an aura stronger than Ju Yin and Lu Dan, slightly beneath Hou Dian's. The overwhelming energy began to settle, gradually receding to reveal Alexia, her face a picture of disbelief, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Long Tian rushed to her side, wrapping her in a comforting embrace. "Congratulations," he whispered with a smile, "It seems your curse has truly been lifted. You've officially reclaimed your status as a strong cultivator."

Alexia's heart swelled with gratitude, her smile returning as she hugged Long Tian, burying her face in his shoulder, too overwhelmed for words.

Time and circumstance seemed to blur around them, as if suspended in a bubble of gratitude and relief, where nothing else mattered but this precious moment they shared.

"Hey, you two, enough with the emotional reunion!" The abrupt voice of the mysterious woman snapped Long Tian and Alexia out of their embrace.

With an exasperated sigh, she continued, "First, you're acting like mother and son, and now like a couple."

Long Tian smirked, "Isn't that your doing? Encouraging us to climb this holy stairway?" he teased playfully.

The woman smirked as she replied, "Indeed, and you should be grateful because your mother-in-law agreed to climb this stairway. If not, you would miss out on a great opportunity. You see, on the fourth step, you not only become immune to all kinds of curses but also to black magic and mantras permanently."

Both Long Tian and Alexia stunned upon hearing this, disbelief written across their faces.

Immunity to curses, mantras, and black magic—it was an incomprehensible ability, yet here they were, bestowed with it for free!

The woman was right; missing this opportunity would have been a monumental loss for him and Alexia.

The woman returned her smile warmly, "It seems your curse didn't hinder your cultivation; rather, it stored all your cultivation achievements within your spiritual sea. And now, I see you've ascended to the first level of the Nascent Soul Realm. Congratulations."

"Thank you," Alexia replied, her smile genuine.

The woman maintained her warm smile, which then transformed into a mischievous grin as she declared, "Now, onto the fifth step; embrace the gift of dual cultivation!"

Long Tian and Alexia exchanged glances, a shared smile blossoming between them.

Grasping her hand, Long Tian asked softly, "Are you ready?"

Alexia's eyes met his, her voice steady, "Yes."

With synchronized determination, they leapt onto the fifth step.