Eternal Thief

After Alvin returned to his courtyard, without stopping, he directly enter his room and isolate it with a powerful formation barrier.

After making sure that everything was arranged, Alvin sat cross-legged and took the Millions-Miles Transmission Plate from his storage ring that Lan gave him to contact his clan.

Alvin use his Qi to activate the formation plate, and it glowed. Suddenly the round silver formation plate divided into two halves! 

Alvin flip his hand and a green runic plate with complex black patterns appeared in his hand. 

This was a Coordinate Array that have only one function, and that was to record a specific location. These coordinate arrays were used with communication formations and without them these formations were useless. 

Alvin's coordinate array naturally has his clan's location recorded in it, and now he was going to use it to send the information about Finn. 

With no further ado, Alvin activated the array plate, and it also hovered like the silver formation plate. 

Suddenly, the two silver formation plates tremble, and they released an attraction force, pulling the green array plated between them. 

The moment the Coordinate Array was between the Millions-Miles Transmission Plate, the upper silver plate rotated. 

Alvin knew the recording has started and solemnly speak, "Father, I have something of utmost important to report, so please listen to this message alone and send your response as quickly as possible…."

Alvin addressed from the start and record everything from how he was searching for the thief, but he found Finn until today's test report.

"Qi Lock!" When Alvin was done he made a particular hand gesture and locked the recording with a unique Qi symbol. 

This Qi symbol was a unique Qi lock that was commonly used to lock these recordings, so no other person could listen to them. 

The Qi Key of this Qi Lock was also very special and if anyone tries to open this Qi lock without Qi Key, it will self-destruct with the recording!

Anyone can develop these Qi Lock and Qi Key with the method and only high-level lands, three giants, and top ten kingdoms have this formula to make Qi Lock or know about this method of communication. 

After Alvin's put the Qi lock on the upper silver formation plate, he poured a large amount of Qi into the runic plates, and they shone brightly. 

Suddenly, the lowest silver runic plate turned white, while the central coordinate array plate turns into dust particles. 

The very next moment thereafter, the top silver runic plate completely vanished with a zap!

Alvin's lips curved upward when he saw the recording has been sent. 

Now all he had to do was to wait for the reply which will come through the remaining white Millions-Miles Transmission Plate!

---

Somewhere in the land of empires, 

An old man seemingly in his late sixties with long snowy hair and a light beard was sitting crossed-legged in a gorgeous chamber. Even though his face was filled with light wrinkles his eyes were full of blazing vigor. 

Surprisingly, this old man's appearance resembled Alvin's, or Alvin resembled this old man, and it was not surprised since this old man was Alvin's father and the current head of Elias Clan, Henrik Elias! 

At this moment, before Henrik was a silver formation plate hovering, and he was carefully listening to something with a small frown on his old face.

"… after the test, I put the slave item on him that was meant for the thief. However, I didn't use its full power and only restricted the knowledge, nothing else. Now, I just need to know; can you awake Grandfather and I don't need to tell you how important this matter is to our clan. Please notify me as soon as possible." 

Henrik mulled over it for a long time as he wore a grave face and finally a deep sigh escape from his mouth as he mumbled with a hint of ambiguity, 

"An element physique, huh? I should go to the forbidden library before taking any action and if that brat is telling the truth then this might change our fate…"

---

All this happened during Ace's cultivation. 

Currently, inside Finn's resting chamber.

Ace was examining himself when he noticed the sticky substance and mutters, "So I still have impurities, and here I thought this process was over. I should take a bath first before anything else." 

He quickly stood up while collecting the formation barrier. He knew Grey has returned eleven hours ago, but she didn't disturb him after seeing the barrier around his chamber. 

She probably thought that he didn't want to be disturbed and leave him alone. This gave Ace the excessive time to cultivate without any worry. 

Ace clean himself with hot water and felt renewed. He could feel the vigorous Qi in meridian channels. He wanted to test himself against an Empty River cultivator so, he could see, whether he can hold his own against one.

But he knew this wish of his was a pipe dream as long as he was in the flame city. 

Ace returned after cleaning himself and nonchalantly opened the locked door.

He saw a dainty teenage girl was standing outside in a server attire.

"AHH!" The dainty girl gives the fright of her life when she saw this masked man suddenly emerging, she couldn't help but scream. 

But she was a 5th gate cultivator and when she felt this mask man cultivation was equal to her own, she quickly calmed herself.

"F-forgive me, my lord." She quickly apologized. 

"Why are you here?" Finn impassively questioned. 

The girl didn't dare to raise her head and timidly answer, "Lord Flame Guard send me here to summon you in the main hall!" 

"Summon me?" Finn mumbles and nods, "Let's go." 

The girl quickly led the way.

Ace knew Grey took his words seriously and recruited servants and guards. He could sense ten fifth Qi gate cultivators inside the building. 

While there were five high-stage Qi foundation cultivators outside, and he assumed that they were probably the flame guards by their powerful aura that can only emit from a six plates foundation!

Speaking of which, every cultivator of Qi foundation building realm had an aura like Dulce and Ace knew this kind of prowess can only be emitted by a six-foundation plate cultivator.

This also means every organization member has access to the cultivation technique that can open six Qi gates and build a flawed foundation1! 

Ace saw Grey was still in her armor and mask, she was standing there waiting for him.

He coolly asked, "You summoned me?" 

"You may go now." Grey didn't answer him immediately and ordered the servant girl to leave. 

The servant girl didn't linger quickly leave them alone. 

"I appointed five guards and ten servants, just like you ask." Grey coldly reports.

"You didn't ask for me, so you could just tell me this, right?" Finn looked at Grey emotionlessly.

Grey replied, "No, I wanted to know why you put that formation barrier?" 

"Am I not allowed to?" Finn nonchalantly questioned back.

Grey said with a hint of irritation in her sweet voice, "If you want to cultivate there is a separate chamber in the basement with a much stronger formation barrier than yours so use it next time no one will disturb you." 

Ace was astonished, he didn't know about this cultivation chamber. 

"I didn't know about it." He said with a hint of awkwardness. 

"This kind of treatment one gets in the VIP area, and you didn't have servants, so I'm not surprised you didn't know about it. Now that you know, please use the cultivation room next time." Grey coolly stated. 

"Thank you for your help," Finn said.

Grey nodded impassively before she conjured a golden token from her storage ring and toss it toward Finn. 

"This is the Golden VIP Token. You can see the information when you pour Qi in it, so I don't need to explain." Grey told. 

Ace looked at the pam-size square golden token that was engraved with the pill flame logo and 

'Esteemed Guest' was engraved on the other side. 

"You have my gratitude." Finn again thank Grey with ecstasy. 

"I'm only doing it what Craft Elder asked me to." Grey coolly stated and said, "I'll take my leave now, and if you need me just send some servant to summon me." 

"Okay. I'll be going to the cultivation room to check it." Finn nodded and excuse himself as well. 

From the start, Ace was planning to reinforce his cultivation since he just entered a new realm. 

Now, that Grey told him about the cultivation room he'll naturally use it with no restrain. 

Ace have that same servant girl escort him to the cultivation room and excused her when he reached the destination. 

The cultivation room was fifty square meters in size and there was a jade table with a chair on one corner while different kinds of weapons were resting on the other. 

"Not bad." Ace nodded in satisfaction, and he likes this room since he can practice his skills freely here. 

Ace activate the formation barrier and isolate the entire room, after carefully examining everything and finding nothing out of the order, he took the Golden VIP token to see the information!