Eternal Thief

The young man didn't turn around and mildly said, "We're in this trash place for over three weeks now and you lot still didn't find any clues on a petty thief? I'm beginning to wonder if I need you anymore." 

Those five cloaked figures trembled slightly when they hear this and suddenly an icy aura descend on them. 

They knew this young man was furious now even if he seemed calm, and it was not a good thing for anyone present in this place. 

"Where is that guardian who supposed to protect the treasury?" The boy spoke again while retracing his aura. 

Those five have a massive sigh of relief when the aura on them was lifted and one of them quickly answer with no delay. 

"Those slaves bring him back five days ago, and he is now in the dungeon. After we interrogate him, it seemed he knew nothing about it. But there are other parties involved in that early thief hunt and one of them is the famous Green Flame of Pill Flame organization while her protector was a very powerful woman, her cultivation realm was unknown. According to his words, it was unfathomed!" 

A hint of astonishment flash past the young man's eyes, and he said, "Where is Green Flame at this moment? I want to hear her side of the story." 

"Young Master, she's in Flame City." 

"Which one?" The young man finally turned around with a gentle smile on his handsome face. 

"Damien Kingdom!" 

---

Inside Flame Palace, 

The guest area was reserved for only VIP personal at least with high-level land's royal family status. 

At this moment in a courtyard in the guest area. 

Ace was sitting on a mat while healing his previous wounds from Lan's element Qi. Even though Lan only used one percent of his actual prowess it still jumbled Ace's inners quite a lot. 

"I still required six or seven hours to heal completely." Ace mumbles to himself.

He didn't know what he was in for in the morning and what kind of test those two old men would conduct on him. But he was sure that it won't be any worse than Lan's element Qi. 

Yet, he was completely ready for anything. 

'I can't leave this place since Alvin is still monitoring me with martial sense, and he probably won't let me leave until he confirmed my identity as a real Element Physique.' Ace sigh helplessly. He still wasn't free and won't be anytime soon. 

But he was patient and waiting for the right time to do his job. 

Now that, he was in the flame city, which happen to be one of his targets of the system's mission. He won't let this chance slip past him easily. As long as Alvin became relaxed and stop observing, it would be time!

The night was spent in healing and when the first light shone, a knock sounded on Ace courtyard's door.

'You can't waste even a second, can you?' Ace thought in distress because he knew who was outside. 

Ace slide opened the door and standing outside was none other than Alvin in green robes. 

Alvin monitor Finn the entire night, and he come here to fetch Finn the moment the promised time approached. 

"Let's go," Alvin said in a commanding tone and turn around while walking towards the main palace square. 

"Yes." Finn nodded and close the door before following Alvin's footsteps. 

There were servants, but Alvin didn't let them close to Finn since he didn't want anyone to come in contact with him before the element bath. 

After walking for twenty minutes, they reached a grand hall, where a masked flame guard was waiting for them. 

She was the same flame guard who escort them inside the palace yesterday.

Lan also didn't want any impediments, and he sent one of his flame guards to fetch Alvin and Finn.

This time, Ace notice they're going through different pathways and stairways. It was like he's walking in a maze.

He didn't know just how large this entire flame palace was, but he estimated this was as large as a three-star city of low-level lands.

They finally reached a large doorway, and a wide silver door with beautiful patterns was at the end. 

'This…' Ace's eyes narrowed when he entered this doorway because his soul sense was tingling in alarm, and it was far stronger than any warning he received after entering this palace. 

When they reached the silver door, the flame guard stopped and said, "Elder is waiting behind this door. I'll be taking my leave now." The flame guard bow toward Alvin, and she left without stopping. 

Alvin didn't stop her and merely looked at the silver door. 

'Creek…'

The silver door was finally started to open and when it was completely opened, Alvin and Finn spotted Lan standing there with a warm smile on his wrinkled face.

Ace also notice the grand hall behind Lan and was astounded because it was a thousand square meters wide!

"Come." Lan beckoned them with a smile. 

Alvin greeted Lan first before entering the grand hall and Finn did the same. 

The grand hall was completely white as if it was made of white jade and there were many large murals on its walls. There was no door beside the silver one behind them. 

The most eyes catching thing was a thirty-meter-tall, humanoid statue in the very center of the white hall. This statue was extremely vivid as if it wasn't a statue at all and was like a tranquil giant standing there.

But there was a peculiar aura around this statue that gives one a feeling of peacefulness. 

This statue was of a handsome man with long silver hair and fierce eyes. In his one hand was a large golden cauldron while in his other hand was a Rune Crafter's Brush. 

Ace's eyes shimmer when he saw that statue, especially that cauldron and brush because those two were real high-ranked treasures not the part of the statue! 

"Heh, that's the founder of Pill Flame Organization, Nixon Otto!" Lan's casually revealed the extraordinary identity of the imposing statue. 

"Oh, I didn't know." Finn showed an expression of reverence. 

"Don't worry about it, Founder statue is in every branch of Pill Flame Organization. Trust me, you're probably the first middle-land person who saw the founder statue!" Lan stated while he walks toward the opposite side of the silver door. 

"Thank you for giving me this honor, Elder." Ace act like he was extremely thankful for this. 

"Young Friend Finn, if you can pass this last test, then you'll see far more than this statue." Lan chuckles lightly.

"Yes, I'll do my best," Finn stated.

Lan greatly approved of Finn's determined attitude because he knew Finn going to need it very soon. 

Alvin said nothing, but he also likes Finn's spirit, and he was the one who hope for Finn to pass this test the most. Because without solid evidence he can't contact his father nor awake his grandfather. 

He would rather kill Finn than give him to Flame Master William because besides being infamous for his greed, William's clan was also an enemy with Elias Clan!

That's why he was so hellbent on this sort of test and even involved Lan in it.

As for why he didn't take Finn directly to the high-level lands, it was because he can't return right now for a grave reason! 

At this moment, when Ace was observing the paintings on the walls while following Lan, the system's voice rang in his mind abruptly! 

=====

"[Target in range!]" 

[Did the host want to scan the target?] 

{Cost: 500 Thief Points}

=====

Ace's steps abruptly halted when he saw the black panel in front of his incredulity eyes!

"What's the matter?" Alvin finds Finn's blank expression and sudden stopping remarkably unusual. 

"N-nothing." Finn's serious expression instantly returned and leaped again. 

Alvin didn't press the matter anymore and also move.

'So, this is where the treasury of the city is located, and they lead me here by themselves.' Ace thought with rapture, 'It must be within 250 meters of my heavenly sense. But where!' 

"System, begin the scanning!" Ace immediately commanded, he won't miss this heaven-sent opportunity!

=======

"[Scanning Start]"

[Time: 04:59]

=======

[Thief Point(s): 30,500]

=======

Ace frowned when he saw the timer of five minutes because it wasn't enough, but he had no choice since he can't stop here for no reason and this hall was a thousand-meter-wide which means he'll be out of range soon. 

Just as he dreaded, the moment Ace was on the opposite side of the Pill Flame's founder statue, the system's emotionless voice rang in his mind.

=====

"[Target is out of range!]"

[Please go back, and the scanning will resume systematically!]

[Time: 03:21{Stopped}]

=====

Ace instantly looked at the statue and his eyes shimmer with understanding, 'So that statue is the entering point to the treasury vault!'

Ace's lips curl upward, and he wasn't worried about the scanning anymore since he now knows just where to look and even found the entrance point to the treasury!