Eternal Thief

In Elliot's guise, Ace hid a mile away while looking at the tall buildings ahead. These buildings were built by the elves around the entrance of every Floor, and these buildings were controlled by Noble Clans.

Killing wasn't allowed around in this area, and those in charge would hunt down anyone who broke this rule.

But not anyone could enter those buildings, they had to pay steep amounts of Qi stones or materials to rest for a signal day, and they sold pills, weapons, tools, and even skills.

However, only nobles of the First-Rate Families were allowed to set up shops and live freely in these buildings. The Second Rate and Third-Rate Families had to keep their heads low unless they wanted to die.

This place was absolutely lawless. It would be game over for you if you offend someone with a terrifying background.

As for the upper floor, the First-Rate Families guarded the entrance, and they only let others enter if you handed over 50% of your storage ring contents.

Ace didn't sense anything threatening ahead, 'The first three floors were overseen by the servants of these Frist-Rate Families since the actual members were busy cultivating on the higher floors. So, they are all weak. It shouldn't be a problem for me to get rid of them.'

If Ace didn't have Alina in his mind, he might've theft the entire place to increase his thieveries count. But now, all he wanted was to leave this place and rescue Alina. He can always come back to wreak havoc in this place and subdue this tower in the future.

So, without hesitation, Ace moved toward the buildings, which were called the 'Life Zone' by the elves.

Many elves were walking around the shop area, and a plaza and no one noticed Ace, who was wearing a concealment cloak.

From Elliot's memories, Ace knew these elves in the first three floors wouldn't have any treasures to detect him if he used high-grade-5 treasures.

Elliot was only able to find him because he was careless and got picked up by the movement detection formation. So, he didn't make that mistake again while coming here and didn't encounter any of those scavengers.

Ace headed to the central area, which was blocked by a 200-hundred-meter-tall wall, and the only way in was a closed gate that was guarded by four elves.

This was the entrance toward the next Floor, and if someone wanted to cross this place, they had to hand over 50% of their total valuables.

Because if someone took the trial, it would either pass or die; in the latter case, their wealth would go completely wasted.

Furthermore, there was also a 100-year living limit of a floor, so many waited while accumulating their prowess before challenging a trial. Some even waited the entire 99 years before going into the trial.

The cultivation environment of the first three floors was far better than the Elven Content inside despite it was still inferior to the Demon Continent's eight provinces.

This was also the difference between continent ranks, the Qi density!

Only on the fourth and fifth floors could the cultivation environment would match the eight provinces of the demon continent.

Ace didn't take the gate since he didn't want to draw attention to himself, and when he reached a remote area of the wall.

He used the soul cord to reach the top of the wall and turn it into a hanger before he started climbing it while only stepping into grade-3 formation flaws, which were clear as day because of Thief's Vision.

This type of formation was no longer enough to stop Ace, and he easily reached the other side of the wall.

There was an open field, and in the center of this field was a glowing white doorway just like the one he took to enter the tower.

There was also a high-grade-3 alarming and trapping formation laid out in the field just in case anyone bypassed the main gate while there was no guard inside.

Ace merely scoffed before start walking toward the glowing doorway. He stepped into the flaws of the formation avoiding the traps or alarms.

Ace stopped a meter away from the entrance before using the fate map to see if the indicator was pointing at this gate.

When he saw the indicator had now become an arrow while it was pointing right where he was standing, his lips curled up as he closed the map. He got the answer he was looking for, and it was in his favor.

Putting Cyrus back into the thief's space, he then walked right into the gate, vanishing from the First Floor.

This time Ace didn't appear afloat in a white space as he walked into a spacious hall that looked like a fighting ring before the white gate behind him vanished.

At this moment, the Tower Spirit's impassive voice rang, "Contender No.10,203, congratulation on finding the entrance toward Second Floor.

"But you only need to prove yourself worthy to enter the Second Floor!

"Defeat 10 Trial Puppets a level higher than your current cultivation realm before you grant the passage toward the second Floor!

"Remember, this is a fight between warriors; a warrior will always fight with their lives at stake and not retreat no matter what!

"Your Current Cultivation is…Bronze Soul River Core Cultivation. Your opponent will be Silver Soul River Core Cultivators Trial Puppets.

"Good Luck. The Trial shall commence!"

Ace couldn't help but smile deviously, 'It appeared it could only see through my disguise, or it is the case because of this tattoo, but it cannot see past my cultivation realm. So, it considered my fake cultivation realm real!'

Because of his Qi Sea, Ace knew his cultivation was quite unique, and others no longer sensed his actual cultivation as long as he won't reveal his true strength. Even then, they would still be confused by his true cultivation realm.

This tower spirit was also the same and even damaged, so it was even more unlikely that it could see through his cultivation realm.

The next moment, ten streaks of crimson light suddenly descend a few meters ahead of him, revealing ten crimson mannequins holding ten different types of weapons, swords, daggers, halberds, spears, whips, shields, gauntlets.

However, Ace was completely unfazed even after those ten weaponized mannequins lunged toward him while brandishing their weapons in different types of soul Qi.

They were too weak, but it didn't mean he would showcase his true prowess. A sheathed long sword appeared in his hand, and he held its hilt tightly, and with emotionless eyes, he drew his sword!

Only a faint voice of wind whistle in the hall before Ace had already sheathed his sword.

The next moment including their weapons, those crimson mannequins were cut in half, landing on the Floor.

Ace had only used a fraction of his soul sword intent, which was more than enough to eliminate anyone below the soul realm.

A moment later, the tower spirit's voice rang again, "Contender No.10,203, congratulation on passing the first Floor valiantly!

"You are granted a Floor Star and passage to the second floor!"

The next moment those ten halve mannequins turned into crimson lights before shooting toward Ace's glabella, which startled him.

Ace quietly observed that the crimson steak directly entered the fake crimson true soul, and he suddenly noticed a black mist emerging on the crimson true soul.

Afterward, Ace felt the back of his hand burning, and he saw a crimson star emerging on the first empty block of the tower tattoo.

Thereafter, another light door manifested in front of him: the gate toward the Second Floor, and he walked right into it, pretending to be excited.

After Ace vanished, the tower spirit's eerie mumbling rang in the dormant trial floor, "How could someone with sword intent be a Bronze Soul River Core? Strange."

---

Ace walked out from the white door and found himself in another maroon grassland, but this time he could feel the Qi was slightly better, so he knew he had appeared on the second Floor.

However, before he could activate his stealth, a cold voice rang, "If it isn't a newcomer!"

Ace frowned and finally spotted a ground eight people heading his way without hiding their presence. They all wore at least grade-4 armor and were holding grade-5 weapons.

One of them, in particular, was wearing low-grade-5 armor and a high-grade-5 long spear. Furthermore, there was a small bronze marking of an Arrow on his glabella.

Ace instantly guessed this guy's identity because of the bronze arrow marking, 'Someone from a 2nd Rate Family? Aren't they supposed to be on the 4th Floor?'

From Elliot's memories, a third-rate family title was given to those with a peak-stage diamond soul realm cultivator overseeing them.

The second-rate family is those who had a peak Platinum Soul Realm Cultivator and over a hundred soul realm cultivators, and they bear the mark of a Bronze Arrow on their glabella!