Eternal Thief

Dewan was palpitating heavily while struggling to keep his conscious, but the hatred in his eyes didn't dim in the slightest. 

"Are you, all right?" 

  Dewan felt two firm hands giving him support and helping him stand up. He weakly looked to the side and saw Ryan was the one who supported him. 

Dewan felt guilt wash over him, he never trusts Ryan even for a second but in the end, it was the person he trusted most that stabbed him in the back, and now who he trusted the least is helping him. 

Dewan weakly nodded at Ryan in affirmative. 

"Oh, you collide directly with my golden shield and only splutter some blood. I had to say, I'm impressed." The skinny boy said with sarcasm. 

Dewan looked at this boy with naked killing intent but he was helpless to do anything.

"What do you want with us?!" Nola grimly asked. 

"You'll find out soon." The skinny boy said while showing his white teeth, "Brother Frank and Brother Callen, I have to trouble you both with escorting them to the Young Duke. I have to go back since more of my minions are coming with more living bait." 

"Hahaha, don't worry Brother Finn, we'll handle this delivery perfectly." A tall handsome youth with long hair walks forward, with a broad smile on his face. It was Frank.

Following Frank was a muscular young man, he was Callen. 

"I expect nothing less from you, Brother Frank." Finn smile while nodding at them.

Frank turned his attention to Ace's party of eight and his warm smile turned cold.

Ace frowned when he hears Living Bait but he still can do nothing, 'Just what is these nobles planning?' He wanted to see just what is this all about. 

"Now my little friends follow me and don't try to play any tricks or Brother Callen here will cut your arms as punishment." Frank chuckled coldly.

Ace's party expression was pale, but they had no choice since both Frank and Callen were peak fifth Qi gate cultivators and they were not in the condition to fight while they were perfectly fine. 

"Just do as he said and you'll be fine we don't want your life," Callen spoke impassively at this moment. 

"It's not like we have any choice." Nola smiled bitterly and helplessly agreed to follow those two and so does everyone else. 

"Hey, kneeling guy why aren't you moving?" Frank annoyingly looked at Crosby who was amusingly watching his former teammates' ugly faces.

Crosby's face turn bloodlessly pale as he looked at Finn instantly. 

Finn chuckles coldly, "You hear the man, follow them you're also living bait. I didn't save you for nothing consider it me returning the favor." 

"M-my L… Lord, please don't do this. I was always loyal to you!" Crosby instantly begged. 

"Don't shit around or you don't want your hand?!" Frank coldly speaks. 

Crosby tremble and quickly join his former team again with an ugly face after hearing Frank because he knew this guy will do what he said. 

Finn didn't even flinch seeing Crosby's pleading expression and said before leaving while waving his hand, "I'll leave everything to Brother Frank." 

"Go in peace." Frank chuckles. 

Nola and everyone else were looking at Crosby with eyes full of hatred and killing intent. 

"You reap what you sow, huh." Lilith coldly said with killing intent. If not for Nola gripping her hand, she wanted to stab this backstabbing bastard. 

Crosby's face was as if he will cry at any moment, he was simply thrown in the pack of wounded lions now. So, he quickly changes his position and begins to walk closer with Callen. 

Frank led the way and to Nola and the other eight dismay they were moving deep in this poisonous forest again. 

"My Lords, we'll die in two hours if we keep moving in this forest!" Crosby said in a begging tone. 

"Shut up! The more poison your boy accommodates the better." Frank pursed his lips. 

"Can you tell us what this living bait thing is?" Ryan calmly asked at this moment. 

Frank coolly glance at Ryan's dirty face and said, "Ugly you seem quite calm from everyone else why is that?" 

"Panic will make the poisoning process even faster and besides it's not like I can run away from you." Ryan indifferently answered. 

Frank couldn't help but take another glance at Ryan's calm eyes and was little started by them. He didn't find any trace of fear in them. 

Everyone else in the group was also astonished hearing Ryan's words and quickly try to calm themselves. 

"Hahaha, interesting, very interesting. You know what! I like you. How about you pledge your loyalty to me and I'll let you live." Frank said with a smile. 

Callen frowned and said coldly, "Stop your nonsense, or I have to report this to Young Duke!" 

"Tsk, tsk, you're not fun brother Callen." Frank chuckles while darkly looking at Callen.

"Sorry Ugly it seems your luck is not so good," Frank said as he shrugged his shoulder. 

'Tell me about it.' Ace smile bitterly.

"Since I like you let me tell you about living bait," Frank said nonchalantly.

Everyone's ears perked as they all listen very carefully and Callen also didn't stop Frank this time. 

"As you can tell, you all are living bait for Bloodthirsty Earth Mantis because it loved poisonous blood of humans!" Frank said.

"Y-you aren't talking about that insect that feeds on blood and laid its eggs in its target's bloodstream?!" Pearl abruptly asked as her face was ghastly pale. 

"Oh, this little chick knows her stuff. Yes, it is indeed the one and only Bloodthirsty Earth Mantis." Frank coldly chuckles. 

Everyone's faces darken to the extreme. 

"Why Bloodthirsty Earth Mantis?" Ryan asked again calmly.

"Hehe, they are the favorite food for Phantom Horn Lizard. That damn lizard is too difficult to find but it can't resist the temptation of Bloodthirsty Earth Mantis." Frank said.

Ace finally understood these nobles' plan.

"Hah, you figure it out, right?" Frank beamed at Ryan who was naturally looking at him. 

"Yes, you guys know about this test in advance or you couldn't plan this kind of strategy in given moments. Since you know about this beforehand; you all scatter your minions in different groups so they can lure living baits here for you. In the end, you all are brokers who are paid to bring us to those higher nobles." Ryan coolly said. 

Frank deeply looked at Ryan and so does Callen. They had to admit this guy's mind was too sharp for his good. Because he almost guessed the whole truth by little information.

Nola and everyone else were also astonished after hearing Ryan's shocking conjecture. 

"Hahaha, I had to admit it but you're quite something and I want to put a slave item on you. Yes, someone has leaked this information about the test and we turn it to our advantage." Frank laugh out loud. 

"Heh, so much for the fair competition." Ryan pursed his lips and smile bitterly. 

Nola and everyone's expression stiffed hearing this. 

"Hehe, my Ugly friend trust me if you have the right price to pay you can buy anything in this world." Frank nonchalantly said.

Ace couldn't help but agreed with Frank on this one. 

"That's enough or you'll know the consequences." Callen pursed his lips and stiffly warned Frank. 

"Hehe, you're not fun brother Callen. Fine, no more talking everyone." Frank chuckled.

--- 

Deep in the dark swamp forest. 

Alvin was sitting cross-legged on a tall tree while his eyes were closed. 

He was observing the participants for three days now with his martial sense. 

The Martial Sense differed greatly from Soul Sense. 

Where soul sense can sense soul's emotion and soul Qi fluctuation, the martial sense can detect physical activities, martial Qi fluctuation, and it can also form a Qi projection to living. Simply put as long as you're alive and have any kind of Qi in your body you can't hide from Martial Sense.

Although this Qi projection was very vague in the Qi River Core realm, it was enough to find hidden enemies. 

Both senses have their pros and cons, heaven didn't make everyone perfect after all. 

Moreover, one can amplify both senses if they have the right treasure but these treasures were very rare and few crafters know how to forge them and their materials were quite rare in lower lands. 

But these kinds of treasures can only be completed after a rune crafter crafts some special rune symbols on them. That's why they were so rare. 

Alvin also had one of these rare treasures and that's why he can enlarge his martial sense of hundred meters into one thousand meters and even use Qi stones to keep it active. 

However, even he had his limits and he was reaching it quickly since martial sense also took a huge toll on his soul, just like soul sense can affect physique! 

'It's going to be rainfall soon and I need twelve hours to recover before I can use my martial sense again.. I should investigate those five in meantime.' Alvin thought and a grim smile appeared on his face!