Lord of Bones

Chapter 713 Sneaking into the Villa
"I'll go in and take a look first, and then I'll tell you the layout inside." Yuan Yao's voice sounded in Li Yuan's ears.

She turned around lightly on the spot, with a cunning gleam in her eyes.

Then his figure flashed and turned into a green streak, rushing straight towards the inconspicuous small door under the courtyard wall.

A half-foot-tall figure hit the door panel without making any sound or leaving any trace.

Yuan Yao's figure seemed to merge into the door panel and disappeared without a trace.

This scene made Li Yuan slightly stunned, and then a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: "I forgot that Xiao Yaoyao has this ability."

He stood there quietly, waiting patiently for Yuan Yao's return.

The surroundings were dark, with only the occasional sound of insects chirping and leaves rustling in the distance.

On the door panel, there are a large number of Yuan patterns engraved that block the soul power, but cannot confine the space. Li Yuan can teleport in through this door.

However, he was not clear about the internal layout. If he teleported like he did in the Jinglan Feng family ruins, it would definitely cause a noise. It would be better for him to just break in.

After waiting for a moment, Yuan Yao's figure quietly slid out from the gate.

Like a wisp of smoke in the night, the whispers outlined a detailed internal map for Li Yuan.

Occasionally, the sound of birds chirping breaks the silence, adding a bit of mystery.

Li Yuan took a deep breath, and suddenly, invisible ripples appeared around him, enveloping him.

With a slight distortion of the air, his figure seemed to merge into the void and disappeared without a trace, leaving only a faint spatial fluctuation that slowly dissipated.

.........

The villa is heavily guarded, and the patrolling Yuanzhe move through the shadows like ghosts, their steps light and alert.

Following Yuan Yao's instructions, Li Yuan kept teleporting between the intricate alleys, just enough to avoid the patrol team's sight.

Li Yuan appeared in a particularly remote alley.

On both sides of the alley, the mottled walls of the ancient buildings reveal a sense of vicissitudes, and everything around seems to be in a deep sleep.

Li Yuan closed his eyes and concentrated, and a powerful soul force gushed out from between his eyebrows, transforming into circles of ripples that were invisible to the naked eye, spreading to all directions without any blind spots.

As the soul power spread, a series of detailed and meticulous environmental scenes flashed rapidly through Li Yuan's mind.

The quaint courtyard, the deep alleys, and the vigilant faces of the patrolling Yuanzhe were extremely clear, but there was no trace of Huan Yuzhu.

Li Yuan's expression gradually became solemn, his brows slightly furrowed, as if he could hold back a wisp of cold wind in the air.

After a while, he carefully gathered the soul power that had surged out like a tide before, and began to explore the surrounding environment in a more detailed way.

Li Yuan's soul power now turned into countless filaments, shuttling through every space.

As the scope of his exploration moved, he had to move his steps lightly.

After nearly half an hour of arduous searching, Li Yuan's face turned completely gloomy. He slowly withdrew his soul power, and a hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes when he opened them.

"Didn't find it?" Yuan Yao asked softly.

Although she had already read the answer from Li Yuan's expression, she still couldn't help but ask.

Li Yuan said in a deep voice: "There are many places in Shadow Villa that even my soul power cannot penetrate.

"Wherever my soul power can detect, there is no trace of the Phantom Jade Bamboo."

After hearing this, Yuan Yao hesitated for a moment and then said, "Could it be that... Youying Villa has already collected the mature Magical Jade Bamboo in advance?"

Li Yuan's mouth twitched a few times, he took a deep breath and calmed his inner fluctuations: "It is indeed possible.

"The Magical Jade Bamboo is quite special. Once the mature part is taken away, the remaining part will quickly hide underground and blend into the surrounding environment."

Looking at Li Yuan's increasingly gloomy expression, Yuan Yao suggested: "We don't need to waste any more time, let's just do it.

“Although Youying Villa is powerful, it does not have any experts at the Huawen realm.

"The two of us working together should be enough to handle it."

Li Yuan waved his hand and said, "Let's look for it first.

"Two fists can't beat four hands, so be careful."

Although his cultivation had not improved much, he had made some progress in the several new techniques of Wen Yuan that he had learned in recent years, especially the sword formation arranged with the Earth Demon Blade.

With the addition of the Divine Feather Fan, even if he was not in the Xuanyin Thunder Domain, he had the confidence to compete with the top-level Half-Step Transformation Realm experts.

But this is their territory after all.

Li Yuan moved slightly, tapped the ground with his toes, and suddenly rose up, like a roc spreading its wings to fly, and leaped lightly and swiftly onto the roof of the nearest house.

He stood on the roof, his eyes sharp as an eagle, scanning the surroundings, and finally locked onto a huge and mysterious hall in the distance.

That was one of the places that his soul power could not penetrate.

Li Yuan moved his body, sticking close to the undulating roof, and approached the hall silently.

Each of his steps was extremely light and made almost no sound.

Yuan Yao followed closely behind, her figure agile, like a breeze, silently shuttling between the houses.

The figures of Li Yuan and Yuan Yao were like two blurry streaks of light, rushing past.

The guards below only felt a sudden gust of strange wind blowing past.

They looked up but saw nothing suspicious.

Li Yuan and his companion crossed the distance of several hundred feet in the blink of an eye and approached the hall.

Inside the hall, the light was dim.

Only a few dim candles flickered, illuminating the mottled texture of the ancient walls.

The air is filled with a faint bamboo fragrance, which makes people calm down involuntarily.

Two figures sat on either side of the long table in the center of the hall.

The old man in black robe had an aged face, his gray hair shone silver in the dim candlelight, and his eyes sparkled with brilliance.

Opposite him, there was a middle-aged woman in a tight black dress. She had a cold face and a tenacity between her brows that should not be underestimated.

“Elder Shadow Sect, every section of this harvest of Phantom Jade Bamboo has been carefully cared for to ensure that it matures in the best condition.” said the middle-aged woman.

The old man smiled when he heard this: “Shadow Villa is indeed an indispensable source of wealth for Shadow Blade Building.

“The Magic Jade Bamboo is a rare spiritual creature in the world. The harvest every twenty years is the best reward for our patience.

“The value of the Magic Jade Bamboo collected once is enough to equal a top-grade earth treasure.

“Although the quantity is slightly smaller this year, fortunately not a single section is lost and the quality is excellent.”

The middle-aged woman nodded slightly and asked in a low voice: "Elder Shadow Sect, is the Magic Jade Bamboo really as magical as the legend says?"

Ying Zong said in a deep voice: “Although I have not personally experienced the magical power of Huanyuzhu, the ancient books in the building record that it has an immeasurable effect on the practice of soul arts.

"To subdue a level six earth spirit, you must rely on soul magic."

At this point, the old man's eyes became deep, and he recalled an event from the past: "I once witnessed with my own eyes that a senior successfully subdued a level six earth spirit with the help of Huan Yuzhu.

“Therefore, the existence of Shadow Villa is of great significance to Shadow Blade Building.

“Otherwise, I wouldn’t have spent so much effort on this precious place.

“As an assassination organization, it is a taboo for Shadow Blade Tower to expose its base to the world.

"Fortunately, Shadow Villa is still an independent force on the surface." The owner of Shadow Villa is changed every sixty years, and the Phantom Jade Bamboo will be collected three times during this period.

“As long as nothing unexpected happens within the next sixty years, your position in the building will definitely surpass mine in the future.

“When I was guarding here, thieves broke in and stole some of the Magic Jade Bamboo.

"It directly caused me to lose the chance to increase my chances of sensing the heavenly tribulation that was promised to me in the building."

The middle-aged woman heard this and said, "I will do my duty faithfully to ensure the safety of Shadow Villa and the smooth harvest of Magical Jade Bamboo, and I will live up to the expectations of the building.

“Elder Yingzong, you don’t have to worry too much.

“The elder in the building entrusted you with such an important task, he must have valued your ability and loyalty.

"All of us old friends who have been lingering in the Half-Step Transformation Realm for many years, who doesn't want to step into the Transformation Realm?

"If I can take this opportunity to make further progress, I won't have to hide my identity and be controlled by others anymore."

A complex emotion flashed in the old man's eyes, with both helplessness towards the past and longing for the future, and he nodded slowly and said, "Indeed.

“In order to avoid any more trouble, we need to deliver Huan Yuzhu safely as soon as possible.

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"As for manpower, I hope Master Yingqing Manor will make thorough arrangements."

Ying Qing responded, “Three Half-Step Transformation Realm peak masters and seven Half-Step Transformation Realm elites should be able to handle most emergencies.

"Is there really no news from the Huawen Realm Ancestor?

“After all, the value of this batch of Magical Jade Bamboo is too amazing.

"Once leaked, it will surely attract the covetousness of countless forces."

The elder of the Shadow Sect shook his head slightly, with a bit of helplessness and awe: "The whereabouts of the ancestors of the Huawen Realm have always been mysterious and unpredictable, and they will not easily reveal it to us.

"The allure of the Magic Jade Bamboo is so great that no one below the Transformation Realm can resist its temptation.

"Therefore, we must be fully prepared..."

Suddenly, a deafening roar was heard outside the hall, and the space shook.

The old man stopped talking abruptly, his expression instantly became solemn, and an ominous premonition surged in his heart.

"They are finally here." He looked at the middle-aged woman, "Master Yingqing, the enemy has arrived, let's fight."

The two men looked at each other, and then moved, like two black lightning bolts, rushing out of the hall and heading straight for the source of the deafening sound.

The hall fell into dead silence as the two left.

After a while, a flash of lightning suddenly appeared in the shadows in the corner, revealing a figure and muttering:

"What a pity, we were almost able to find out the exact location of Huan Yuzhu.

“Perhaps, these two experts from Shadow Blade Tower can lead us to the place where the Magic Jade Bamboo is stored.”

Yuan Yao jumped out of the shadows lightly and landed steadily on Li Yuan's shoulder. She asked in confusion, "Huan Yuzhu is not on them?"

"It won't be on them." Li Yuan shook his head and explained, "Phantom Jade Bamboo is rare in the world, and its growth and maturity are accompanied by subtle changes in the energy of heaven and earth.

"The shape of the newly-ripened Polygonatum odoratum is ethereal, somewhere between reality and illusion, like an elusive phantom in a dream.

“Therefore, it cannot be directly stored in a storage space like the Yun Ring.

“It must be dried in the outside world in a special shade to allow it to solidify slowly over time.

“It will eventually transform into a jade-like, warm and solid form, and only then can I collect it with peace of mind.”

He paused and continued, "The process of drying in the shade can take as short as one year or as long as three years, during which time the protection of Huanyuzhu is particularly crucial.

“It is precisely because of this special period that Huan Yuzhu has become the target of many powerful people.

"During the dry period, it is also the best time to snatch."

Yuan Yao thought for a moment and asked, "So what should we do now?"

"Of course, we have to find the place where the Magical Jade Bamboo is stored."

Li Yuan patted Yuan Yao's head gently and motioned her to sit still.

Then he moved, merged into the void, and disappeared into the hall.

.........

The explosion roared, shaking the void.

The flames shot up into the sky, dyeing it a brilliant orange-red.

The flaming clouds formed by pure energy rolled and intertwined in the air, like angry dragons and snakes, trying to devour the villa.

“Shadow Villa, offer the Magical Jade Bamboo.

"Otherwise, today I will let you see what true destruction is!"

The cold shout seemed to come from the depths of the underworld, carrying with it an unquestionable determination and ruthlessness.

The voice contained powerful energy, which tore through the air like a substance and transformed into invisible sharp blades, sweeping towards the villa.

The wind was swift and wild, sweeping up the fallen leaves and dust on the ground, forming whirlpools that raged inside and outside the villa.

As night fell, thick clouds covered the sky.

Ying Qing stood on a high platform in the villa, her tight black dress outlining her slender and strong figure.

On her pretty face, coldness and determination were intertwined, and her phoenix eyes revealed an inviolable light.

Her voice pierced through the clamor, clear and firm: "All the Yuanshen of Shadow Villa, listen up, stick to your posts, stay calm, and let the enemy know how powerful Shadow Villa is."

Following her orders, the Yuan people in the villa quickly took action.

Ying Zong stood beside Ying Qing, nodded slightly, narrowed his eyes, stared at the source of the surge of Yuanli, clenched his fists under his sleeves, and his knuckles turned white due to the force.

This time, it was more difficult than when he was the owner of Shadow Villa.

The villa's defense array was activated, light flickered, and layers of energy shields formed, tightly wrapping the villa.

And those fire clouds made of elemental force seemed to sense the resistance and attacked more violently, trying to break through the defense line.

Amid the solemn atmosphere of the Yuanzhe of Shadow Villa who were on high alert, the gate of the villa was finally breached.

What followed was a uniform and sharp shout, like a thunderous explosion, tearing the villa apart in an instant.

Immediately afterwards, a large number of figures suddenly rushed out from outside the gate.

They were dressed in robes of various colors, and their clothes fluttered as they galloped and jumped.

Because of the mask, the identity is difficult to determine, leaving only blurry and eerie silhouettes.

"hiss……"

When Yingzong saw this scene, he couldn't help but gasp.

The number of Yuanists who attacked the villa this time was as large as a swarm of locusts.

Moreover, these Yuanists are obviously formed by the union of multiple forces, and they intend to divide up the Huanyuzhu of Youying Villa.

They jumped and shuttled between the eaves and walls of the villa with great momentum, and the terrifying energy they emitted caused ripples in the sky.

The entire Shadow Villa seemed to be shrouded in an invisible pressure, becoming heavy and depressing.

(End of this chapter)