Eternal Thief

The Flame City of Damien Kingdom was probably the biggest and magnificent city of the entire middle-lands. No one dares to cause any trouble here even the royal family has to show a humble attitude in this city of Pill Flame Organization.

The city has four flame gates and the citizens of Flame city were all members of the Pill Flame Organization in one way or another. 

None-affiliates may not stay here any longer than a week and every person needed a Flame Token just to enter the city. 

Furthermore, this Flame Token was only available for aristocrats and commoners can't even approach this city much less enter it. 

If you want to enter and you're a commoner, you have to be with an aristocrat!

They can buy each Flame token from the eastern flame gate and its price was sky high, 100 high Qi stones, and middle Qi stones were not allowed in this city! 

Speaking of which, 1 High-level Qi Stone was equal to 1,000 Middle-level Qi Stones and 100,000 Low-level Qi Stones! 

As for Peak-level Qi stones, one was equal to, 1,000 High Qi stones! 

But no one trade Peak Qi Stones because they can increase the cultivation speed of Qi River cultivators by hundred folds while High Qi Stones can increase the cultivation speed of Qi River cultivators by mere ten folds. 

As for middle and low-level Qi stones, they can also increase the cultivation speed but they were only helpful for those in Qi Gates and Qi Foundation building realms. 

At this moment, a 15-meters silver-gray crane landed in front of Northern Flame Gate. This was indeed the Ghost Crane of Old Luke.

The northern flame gate was thirty-meter-high, it was only reserved for VIPs of the three organizations and no other person can enter through this gate. 

"Please state your name and rank." An imposing voice sounded from the deserted gate. 

The gate was deserted not because they didn't monitor it. It was because 6th Mortal Ranked Formations were protecting it and as the matter of fact, every gate of the city was protected by at least 6th mortal rank formations! 

This was just the entrance; the entire city was like a fortress and filled with arrays and formations. If someone dares to cause trouble here, they can forget about escaping or hiding. 

"Open the gate, I'm Flame General Alvin Elias!" Alvin coolly stated as he jumped down from the Ghost Crane with Finn and Sofia. 

Ace was looking at the shining gate with a hint of disbelief in his eyes, his soul sense was tingling in alarm because of the city's gate. It was a grave warning that he only felt when he faces a life-threatening situation. 

'No wonder they're the richest bunch and they know how to spend their wealth.' Ace grimly though, he never imagined this Flame City can be this tightly secure, and the thought he had about escaping wavered. 

"Please show your token!" The person on the other side didn't seem to be moved by just Alvin's words and demanded the proof. 

Alvin didn't retort since he knew this person was only following the rules and even he had to follow them. He flipped his hand and a crimson red token appeared in his palm. There was a General engraved on it in golden letters. 

Alvin nonchalantly flicker and the crimson token turn into a crimson streak and shot toward the closed gate. 

But just when Ace thought this token are going to collapse with the gate something magical happened. The token passed through it like the door was just a mere illusion!

'What?' Ace was shocked. 

"Please enter esteemed Flame General." The voice rang again but there was a hint of respect and reverence in it this time. 

The tightly shut gate began to creek opened thereafter the voice. 

"Thank you for your trouble, Old Luke. You can leave now and tell Grand Beastmaster I'll visit him very soon." Alvin looked at Old Luke and solemnly nodded.

"Oh, it wasn't any trouble, and I enjoyed my time. Farewell, I'll pass your message." Old Luke smile broadly and fly the Ghost Crane towards the Beast City which wasn't far from Flame City. 

Old Luke was quite happy at this moment since he knew Alvin will put some good words for him to Grand Beastmaster after what Luke did for Alvin. 

Ace's focus was completely on the door at this moment, he wanted to use his runic eyes so badly that he almost did it. But his reason stopped him and sneaked here if he got the chance.

After the gate completely open, a tall, muscular man in his late twenties appeared in everyone's view. He wore full-body crimson armor with a flaming symbol of Pill Flame engrave on it.

This crimson full-body armor was the symbol of the Flaming Guard regiment, which means this man was a Flame Guard like Alvin. But his cultivation was much low, only at Empty River. 

"Please, this wavy esteemed Flame General, the carriage is waiting inside." The Flame guard respectfully bow to Alvin and stated. 

"You don't need to stand on ceremony. Inform the Craft Elder I want to meet him immediately, it is a pressing matter." Alvin nonchalantly said while he entered the city. 

"Yes, I'll inform the Elder right away." The flame guard solemnly nodded before presenting the crimson token to Alvin, "Your identity token." 

Alvin coolly took it back and place it inside his storage ring.

"These two black tokens for the guests of esteemed Flame General." The flame guard took two more black tokens engraved with a guest symbol on them and present them to Finn and Sofia. 

"I don't need it. I have my own." Sofia scoffed and conjure her Azure Alchemist token and disdainfully waved at the Flame Guard. 

"Please forgive me, Lady Azure Alchemist!" The Flame Guard quickly apologized even if it wasn't his mistake. Because Azure Alchemist holds a prominent position in Flame City. 

When Ace saw the Azure token in Sofia's hand, he instantly thought about two tokens that he had in his thief's space! 

'So, I can use those tokens like this.' Ace takes a mental note. 

The flame guard looked at Finn with uncertainty. Now he wasn't sure if this brat was an alchemist or not but he didn't dare to hurry him since this brat was traveling with a Flame General and an Azure Alchemist. 

"Thank you, senior." Finn respectfully took the black token for guests and thank the Flame Guard. 

"No problem." The Flame guard solemnly nodded. 

"Let's go, I'm sick of flying now." Sofia stride toward the lavishing carriage waiting for them. 

  Alvin didn't retort Sofia, and he was even agreed with her on this one. He followed with Finn. 

When Ace saw the carriage, he was astonished because this carriage wasn't a horse carriage, since there were no horses. It was attached to a horse-like beast, but it was two-meter-tall and graceful with two goat's horns on its head and four brown eyes on its skull. 

'A third Qi gate, Demonic Horse.' Ace quickly recognized this breed of demonic beasts. 

This bread of demonic horses can be easily tamed and with no technique, that's why they were used in pulling carriages here since they were more resilient and much faster than a normal horse.

Sofia, Alvin, and Finn embark on the three-meter large carriage. 

"Let's go to the Flame Palace," Alvin commanded the coachman who wore a novice Flame Guards light-red armor. 

These Novice Flames Guards do odd jobs like these until they were selected in the regiments. 

The carriage moved toward the Pill Place, which was also the central command of the entire city and also the commanded center of nine other Flame Cities in entire middle-lands.

Ace was scrutinizing the city from the carriage's window as they were moving at great speed. 

It dumbfounded him when he saw so many alchemists on the streets like ants and they weren't a single person who wasn't wearing the Pill Flame Symbol in this many people. 

Moreover, Ace also notice that almost every shop on these streets was sealing the medicinal herbs or concocted Pills! 

'If I can have all those pills, I can reach the peak Heavenly foundation stage in no time.' Ace inhales sharply.

Truth to be told, this place was EXP heaven for him and he was controlling himself from using Pick-pocket by sheer will. 

Ace also located some shops related to Rune Crafting and also some smitheries. 

"Heh, now you understand, we're from completely different worlds!" Sofia's mocking voice enters Ace's ears at this moment. She couldn't help but mock Finn after seeing him curiously looking outside. 

"Yes." However, Finn didn't give her the satisfaction and kept looking like he heard nothing and merely answer her in a mild tone.

  Sofia's beautiful face turn ugly when she saw this brat ignoring her and taking her words for wind. 

"YOU…" 

She was going to spit some more venomous words when she saw Alvin's stiff glare and shut her mouth. 

'Just you wait. After Brother assumed you useless, you're mine!' A murderous glint flash past Sofia's eyes as she glared daggers at Finn!