Eternal Thief

The Dark Swamp Forest was spread in thousands of miles and it was the largest forest of Regal Kingdom. 

The name dark swamp came from its gloomy and dark environment and the black water swamp that expanded throughout the entire forest and it was very dangerous! 

Many poisonous demonic beasts roamed in this forest, and this place was heaven for lethal beings. The air here alone was very threatening for any cultivators below the Qi foundation building realm not to mention mortals. 

That's why whenever someone came here they bought antitoxins just to breathe normally. 

However, on this day, many youngsters enter this dangerous forest with no antidote and they had to hunt the Phantom Horn Lizard that was sneaky and extremely toxic. 

But these youngsters were full of spirit and enthusiasm because if they complete this task they can win riches and glory. So, the danger was worth it. 

These youngsters were naturally participants of Damien Royal Institute's kingdom level test. 

Almost 120,000 youths enter the Dark Swamp Forest without caring for their life or death. 

As for the reaming ones, they were those who came to their sense and were afraid of death. They all had a weak cultivation base below the fourth Qi gate so forfeiting was very natural. 

No-one stopped them or laugh at them because everyone's focus was on those who enter the forest. 

The time was two weeks, just enough to not get die by toxic in the forest's air. But with each passing day, this toxic will affect the progress and judgment of participants, even reducing their action and reaction capabilities. 

This made this test even deadlier. This was mostly the case for those who came from all over the regal kingdom because they never enter this forest like some nobles' children and other youths who came here for training or to collect materials for a living. 

But this didn't stop those who were determined to win a place in six thousand! 

Ace was one of those who never enter this forest or in a toxic environment such as this. But this didn't affect him much since his cultivation was too high and he had the dark void! 

All this worry was about that hidden Qi river core expert, who was following them here and keep using the martial sense without pausing! 

'Damn it, he defiantly using Qi stones and some powerful treasure!' Ace cussed. 

He entered the dark swamp forest just an hour ago, but he didn't dare to use his actual skills in the presence of this hateful martial sense! 

Ace was now just like the other commoners and moving at a normal speed of the fifth Qi gate cultivator. He could only wait for this mysterious expert Qi to run out since it was very taxing to keep using martial sense. 

But to Ace's dismay, this martial sense didn't show any sign of weakening even after four hours. 

Ace was now completely sure that his fellow was very rich since he was burning a huge amount of Qi stones just to keep the martial sense active. 

Ace was almost right about his conjecture regarding Alvin's wealth and treasure. 

First, Alvin didn't plan on following the participants in the test but when he was in the carriage of the Regal Royal Family, he felt something very peculiar. 

It was as if someone was looking at the carriage he was sitting in! 

Alvin wasn't like others who think it was just a coincidence.

This feeling came straight from the sharp martial sense that never failed him before. But when he probe the crowd with his powerful treasure, he found nothing. 

But he was sure this feeling of being probed came straight from this crowd of youngsters!

This makes him even more curious because to his knowledge only someone in the same realm can fool his martial sense but it was also impossible to find a person like this here. 

So, his suspicion leads his thoughts straight to that mysterious thief! 

He wanted to instantly investigate the crowd of youths because this was the first time he found anything out of order after coming here. 

However, Alvin refrained himself and investigated all of them when no one was around and that place was of course Dark Swamp Forest! 

In this forest, he can do anything he wanted with whomever he found suspicious. No one will ever know about it not even his sister who was too lazy and disdainful to leave the city and come in this forest with him! 

Alvin was using a formation treasure that can be operated with high Qi stones and he just had to use his martial sense to the lowest capacity with it! 

Now, Alvin was observing a thousand square meters area around himself with that treasure and he cover every participant. 

'So far nothing. Let's hope I was not mistaken.' Alvin licked his lips as he patiently waits in the shadows like a snake. 

The moment he felt something is not right with someone he would not hesitate to act. 

Ace was five hundred meters away from Alvin's treasure range and he keep it that way because if he moved any further he won't be able to tell if he was being watched since he didn't know the exact range of his martial sense. 

And if he moves carelessly to through Alvin off, he might stimulate his suspicion. 

Now, this has turned into the game of forbearing, whoever runs out of it first will lose! 

"Phantom Horn Lizards are found in the middle area of forest and I'm still at the outskirts of the forest. It will still take me two or three days to reach that area at this speed." Ace mumbles to himself while looking at the map. 

Although it annoys him to move like this, it didn't mean he will jump straight to the enemy's hand. He just has to wait for that annoying fellow to become careless and before that he just had to act which he was very good at. 

'It is a blessing that no one is attaching anyone for now or I might show some opening by defending myself.' Ace pondered. 

He knew this peace won't last long and the moment everyone reached the hunting ground of those lizards the actual test to skills will start then. 

Eight hours pass, almost everyone was resting because a Qi gate cultivator can't move for long in this kind of environment. When it come to Ace that was whole another story, though. 

But even Ace had to pretend to be resting like everyone else because that martial sense just won't go away. 

'I wish I could just rob that guy's treasures!' Ace thought bitterly. But he didn't even know where he was and afraid of using his heavenly sense. 

Ace now had some doubts seeing the persistence of that mysterious expert because he was using the martial sense like he knew Ace was here and this made Ace think he has slipped somewhere despite being extremely careful.

That is why he wasn't using even soul sense to probe in long-range like he always does. 

Now, Ace can only think of one way to not draw attention to himself and that was to stick together with a group of people. 

By doing this Ace could draw less attention to himself and he don't have to use his skills more often when the real hunt began. 

'Now, which group should I stick with.' Ace carefully used his soul sense to scan a hundred meters radius area!

Ace was a lone wolf and didn't know how to play in a team but he was always ready for new experiences. 

'Oh, a familiar soul signature.' Ace was astonished and go in the north direction sixty meters away from his position. 

There was a party of eight youths resting under a brown tree. There were five girls and three boys on this team. 

When they saw an average-looking youth walking towards them with a smile on his face, all of them become vigilant because his cultivation was at the peak Qi gate realm.

"Halt!" A tall, muscular boy shouted and stop the youth with acuity in his eyes. He was a fifth Qi gate cultivator.

"What business do you have with us?" He coolly asked.

Ace saw the six feet tallboy with muscular built with interest, he had an above-average face with bronze skin. A nine feet tall spear was in his firm hand. He was clenching it as if he would attack him if he finds anything awry. 

Ryan put a friendly smile as he said, "I want to join your party. I wonder if you have any open spot for me?" 

"No! We didn't need anyone. Please leave." The boy said without thinking twice. 

Ace didn't find this rejection strange since he would've done the same to a stranger who wanted to join his party out of the blue.

Ryan said nothing and merely nodded with a faint smile on his face as he turned around to leave. 

But before turning around he glances at a dainty girl sitting around the fire. She was looking at him with curious eyes. 

She was the same girl who killed the owner of this face, Ace was wearing!