chapter 31

Ethan took a few steps and stopped to check the whole area. Like a normal Chinese-style villa with the main building having multiple floors, it gave him a way to enter the Villa…

"Athena? How strong is your concealment skill?" he asked as Ethan jumped over the rooftop from the wall.

'It depends… I am very much restricted from drawing my full power from my body, as of now, your body can't handle it either… let's just say unless it's a 9th stage cultivator or they have a heavenly grade artifact, they can't sense your aura.'

After getting assured, he didn't waste any time and started to look for a way to enter.

"There are some guards here, I should find another way…"

Ethan jumped over the second floor and looked around…

He was getting anxious as time passed, the curse energy was the reason for his uneasy feeling that he couldn't seem to get off.

'Ethan you have to calm down…'

"I think I have felt something like this before too…"

'What do you mean?'

"When I went to the auction house the other day, I remember I felt something like this… and I think these people in black, I have seen them around the Western capital…"

'How is this possible? What about the city lord? did he not notice them before…'

"I… I don't know, the western region doesn't have any ruler right now, maybe these people are connected to the Ruan family… I have a bad feeling about this."

Ethan suddenly remembered Alice and the guy in the bar, he was feeling uneasy and wanted to return home as soon as possible.

"I wonder, from where this curse qi is coming…"

He felt a really strong presence of curse qi.

'I think you should follow the source to find some information…'

He nodded his head in agreement and decided to enter through the window.

Two guards were inside with their whole bodies covered in black.

Ethan entered swiftly without giving them a chance to react; he snapped their necks in an instant.

"Your invisibility skill is just amazing…"

'Of course, it is… now, why don't you reward me later?'

Athena said in a sly tone making Ethan chuckle.

'You know, you seem more mature than your age…' Athena muttered in a low voice.

"Says someone who is millions of years old…"

Ethan said with a smirk.

'Hey! That's very rude…' Athena said while pouting.

Ethan didn't bother arguing with her and slowly made his way into the corridor. Like a sneaky ninja, he took every step with precision.

His feet stopped in front of a room, as he heard some voice from inside, and decided to eavesdrop.

"Leader is here, and it looks like we made a great contribution this time. you will be rewarded handsomely."

"Thank you, boss, I just happened to be around the mountains on the last mission, the legends were true after all…"

Ethan was more curious and confused. He didn't try to take them down there, it would be more troublesome if others noticed his presence.

'Ethan I think we need to hurry, I can't keep this barrier forever…'

Athena said as she felt the barrier getting unstable, and without her original body to back up for the energy, it would be difficult to keep her skills and spells.

"What?! okay then…"

Ethan didn't ask further and walked over the corridor until he reached the stairs leading down. He noticed four guards in black, standing down there.

Ethan didn't try to attack them this time and sneaked among them to the following corridor.

But suddenly he heard a few voices from the rooms on both sides. But he didn't stop and started to move faster.

Again he could see stairs leading down…

Ethan stopped and his eyes widened.

"This… I can feel it, we are close, it gives me chill," Ethan moved slowly.

This time Ethan felt the energy getting stronger as he made his way down the stairs.

But unlike the corridor from above, he found himself in what seemed like a dungeon.

"What is this place?"

Ethan asked curiously.

'This should be their Underground prison… most of these people create a dungeon under their mansion to show their influence, they use this to punish their servants and intruders…'

Ethan curiously looked around the dungeon.

But his feet stopped as his eyes landed on the first cell.

He saw a dozen men tied up on pillars, there were a few lamps to keep it lit.

The men looked like skeletons, with little to no flesh in their bodies. but surprisingly, he didn't feel anything else…

"This is cruel…" These words left his mouth as he gaped at the bars of the cells.

'Hm… there must be thousands of people in these dungeons, you can find more of them around the big cities. these people are tortured in these dungeons and used for testing medicinal pills and potions…'

"I see…" Ethan looked over them carefully and noticed a few of them breathing.

He made his way inside deeper without wandering around and ignoring the painful cries of these peasants…

"This is it?"

He was now in front of a metal door that was shut close, not leaving the slightest gap to reach the light.

'This is it! You must be careful, this is too much energy, there must be something inside…'.

Ethan breathed in and extended his arm to the handle and placed it on the door handle. With his heart beating faster he was hesitant.

"Here goes nothing…"

He pushed open the door.

*creak*

With a slight creak, the door opened revealing an endless dark interior…

He could feel the curse energy getting intensifying.

But even in this pitch-black room, Ethan could see a bit, if he wanted he could also use the System's help…

The first thing he saw made his eyes widen in shock.

"This…"

He saw the room was covered with some green slimy liquids and the ceiling dropping…

He entered the room and slowly took a few steps…

Suddenly the curse energy felt more and more as he spotted something.

"What is this…"

He could see something glowing very faintly. whatever that was covered in the slimy liquids.

'I can feel the presence of very faint life energy, this must be an egg…'

"Umm.."

Ethan was confused, then he heard a system notification.

<< ding >>

<< side quest: condense concentrated curse qi in your dantian and get adapted to the curse energy…

Rewards: breakthrough guide no. 126

Failure penalty: nothing really, enjoy ;)

>>

Ethan smiled looking at the system screen and smiled, "Athena, do you know, how can I absorb this curse qi?"

(A/N - I am back, and sorry for the late updates, thanks for your support, and keep reading my books)