Eternal Thief

After a few moments, an armor-clad woman wearing a crimson mask enter the hall where Finn was waiting, who could it be beside Flame Captain, Grey.

Although she was covered in the flame guard armor, one could still easily see her fine curves and slim waistline and white hands, with her beautiful intelligent eyes one could only wonder just what kind of beauty was hiding behind that armor and mask. 

But Ace wasn't in the least bit interested in finding out and merely greeted her in 

Finn's impassive voice, "Good Morning, Miss Grey. I didn't disturb your rest, did I?"

"Sir… umm." Grey's clear eyes flicker with an odd glint as she continued, "Don't need to call me 'Miss Grey' just Flame Captain is fine. I… I also didn't know your name…" There was a hint of awkwardness in her voice when she asked about Finn's name. 

She completely forgets about it the other day, it wasn't her fault because she didn't interact with someone for too long, much less appointed as someone's guard.

Now that Finn called her Miss Grey she finally realized that she didn't know this mysterious VIP's name. 

Ace found her embarrassment amusing but didn't show it since it would be equal to provoking her, and he could also surmise her lack of social skills.

Ace took a moment before replying, "Just call me Black Fox." 

He clearly remembered one of Alvin's commands was not to reveal his identity to anyone, not even his real name, and he was happy to oblige since he didn't like 'Finn'. 

So, he simply chose Eva's alias when he thought about how he was also wearing a slave mask right now, just like how Eva wore a fox mask all those years. This name also held a very heartfelt meaning to him, that's why he went with it.

'She  probably  would've quibble with me to no end if she was awake.' Ace thought as he felt a warmth in his heart. 

"Black Fox?" Grey eyes flickered slightly, but she nodded in the end. 

It didn't seem strange to her since many used an alias all the time and Finn's identity was very special, to begin with, 'But why fox, though?' She thought with ambiguity. 

"Why did Sir Black Fox summon me?" asked Grey. 

"Flame Library, I want to go there, if that ok with Flame Captain." Said Finn.

"I have no problem; please wait, I'll have a carriage ready." Grey agreed promptly and leave to arrange. 

Since Finn has received the Golden VIP token, he naturally has access to the Flame Library. 

Moreover, she has secretly viewed the information of Finn's VIP token, and those benefits he was getting despite being enslaved shocked her. Now she was treating him even more discreet.   

Ace didn't have to wait for long. He saw the same kind of carriage pulled by demonic horses which he rid after entering the flame city. He embarked on the spacious carriage with Grey and leave for their destination.

They could simply go on foot since the Flame Library was in the territory of the Flame Palace, but it would be inappropriate since Finn was a VIP, so the carriage was necessary.

Inside the carriage, Ace was looking as the terrain changed and carefully remembered the route they were journeying. He didn't forget about his actual mission, and he needed to remember these routes to escape, so it would only do him good if remembered them correctly. 

"Is there a map of Flame City I can buy?" He asked Grey who had been calmly sitting on the other side. 

"Yes, you can buy it from Pavilions Lane." Nodded Grey. 

"Pavilions Lane?" Ace was perplexed. 

"You must've seen it in your way here, it is just before the Flame Place."

"You mean those private shops of alchemist?" Ace clearly remembered Alvin telling about how one could request those alchemists' assistance.

Grey nodded, "Yes, that the Pavilions Lane and only Blue Alchemist or higher can open a shop there." 

Ace nodded in understanding, "Then what about rune crafters and crafters?" He remembered Alvin didn't mention these two professions. 

"Rune Crafters are very rare and in the entire Flame City of Damien Kingdom there are only 121 and every one of them lived in the Flame Palace inner area where they learned and practiced under 10 fifth-moral rank rune crafting masters. They didn't make a public appearance much, but every one of them is considered geniuses among geniuses." Grey's beautiful eyes shone with reverence as she talks about rune crafters. 

'This means there are 131 soul cultivators here!' Ace's face sank because this wasn't good news. 

Every rune crafter has to be at least an empty soul river cultivator to learn the rune crafting, and he didn't expect this many soul cultivators present in this one city and ten of them were 5th-mortal rank rune crafters which mean they were probably haft way in the soul river core realm! 

However, with this information, he can now watch out for them and they didn't seem to meddle with anything, so it was also a plus. 

Grey didn't know what was going on in Ace's head and continued to answer his question, "As for the crafters they're contrary to rune crafters. Since anyone can learn the art of crafting, their status is just above us, and the outer city area is filled with them. Only a 5 or 6-start Crafter may purchase a shop in the pavilions' lane." There was a hint of contempt in her voice. She didn't put crafter in her eyes. 

Ace wasn't shocked by this since the art of crafting can be learned as long as you had good Qi control, but he would never underestimate them just because they're mere blacksmiths. 

Every runic treasure was first forged by a crafter before a rune crafter engrave the runes on it and without a crafter, there would never be a runic treasure. They were just two different sides of one coin. 

It just that because of soul Qi the rune crafter was extremely rare, while because of martial Qi crafters was common. 

That's why people judge them with rune crafter solely based on the 'Crafter' title that should only belong to 'Rune Crafter' since in some people's eyes they were just 'Blacksmith' who know how to use Qi. 

But real rune crafter knows the substantial importance of a crafter that's why the 'Crafter' title never replaced even now no matter how many people criticize them they didn't dare to try stripping crafters of their title. 

Because if they retaliate then they can all forget about heaven-defying cold weapons and runic weapons!   

After this question, Ace asked some more probing questions that weren't sound much important but for him, they were crucial to forming his master theft plan!

--- 

While Ace was collecting intel piece by piece from Grey.

A red eagle with blue strips on its wing landed gracefully in front of the colossal Flame City's gate.

This eagle was fifteen meters in size, there were two horn-like cavities on its skull while its intelligent beastly eyes were coldly observing the surrounding. This eagle was also giving off the pressure of the empty river realm. 

Swiftly, a handsome young man in lavishing white robes jumped off the demonic beast. Behind the young man, two graceful figures also landed.

These two girls were extremely beautiful.

The one wearing a blue dress with a flowers pattern has an air of a mature woman around her. She had white glossy skin with rosy cheeks, a small mouth, and charming eyes shining with intelligence, with long black hair and slim waist like a snake, she was a seductive beauty who could easily topple cities with her perfect figure. 

The other one wore green loose robes with white strips, but one could still vaguely see her perfect curves, she looked very gentle with her innocent eyes, small nose, and oval face. However, one thing noticeable about her was her enormous chest. Even in those loosen robes, those Twin Peaks were bulging! 

  These two graceful beauties together were like a pair of enchantresses one seductive and one tempting.

The young man looked at the old beast tamer sitting on the eagle with a mild smile on his handsome face, while patting the eagle gently, he said to the old beast tamer, "You may go now."

The old beast tamer respectfully nodded toward the young man and didn't appear to mind his impolite speech. On the contrary, he seemed afraid of offending him. He controlled the eagle and fly away toward the beast city of the royal province. 

The young man watched the eagle fly with a gentle smile and looked away when it was out of sight completely. Those two girls didn't disturb him and waited for him patiently.

"Let's go, it's been years since I saw my fiancé. I wonder if she goes mad with joy after seeing me." 

The young man chuckles with skepticism, but there was a hint of chillness in his dark voice. He took gentle steps toward the tightly shut flame city's gates!