Eternal Thief

“Mortal Ascension Heaven? Is this the name of second heaven?!” Ace hurriedly questioned with profound curiosity.

“Yes, the Heaven above the Mortal Sky Heaven is called the Mortal Ascension Heaven, and this is my birthplace,” Avos replied with a hint of reminiscence.

Ace took a deep breath as he finally realized where he was and urged Avos, “Tell me more.”

“I don’t know about Mortal Sky Heaven since my master suddenly ended up there while chasing the Abyssal Beings and met his end. Then I was trapped there to keep that thing in check until you arrived.

“Although I don’t know if my knowledge is still accurate since thousands or maybe millions of years have passed, Mortal Ascension Heaven is mostly ruled by Sects. 𝗳r𝐞w

“In this place, cultivators ranked their sects in three different grades, and then there were also sects that were gradeless because they only had Law State Cultivators or 9-Star Ascension Solider overseeing them.

“But any sect that can be called the First Grade Sect should have a 1-Star Ascension Grand General as Sect Leader and 9-Star Ascension Grand General Grand Protector. These sects also have ‘Grand’ in their names. No one can use the title ‘Grand’ without having sufficient power, or they will be destroyed by the Grand Sects. It is a silently acknowledged law among the cultivators of the Mortal Ascension Heaven.

“Then comes the Second Grade Sect in the middle, and they would have at least a 1-Star Ascension Guardian and 9-Star Ascension Guardian Grand Protector. With their sect name, they will use the title ‘Guardian’ just like a First Grade Grand Sect.

“After the Second Grade Sects, or the Guardian Sects, came the Third Grade Sects, which stand at the very pinnacle of the Mortal Ascension Heaven. They are very mysterious and always remain hidden in places that no one dares to venture.

“I don’t know what the requirements are to become a Third Grade Sect, but they are known as the King Sects, and only they can use the title ‘King’ with their names!” Avos solemnly stated with a hint of awe when it mentioned the King Sects.

Ace was astounded when he heard this new and important information, and then suddenly, he thought about how Kai had said the Sect Alliance City was under five ‘Grand Sects’ control.

‘So, they are the third-grade sects…’ Realization dawns on him. But something even more important caught his attention, and he eagerly questioned with great anticipation, “You just mentioned titles like Ascension Solider, Ascension Grand General, and Ascension Guardian. Are they cultivation realm names of the Mortal Ascension Heaven, and 1-Star to 9-Star refer to their stages?” “You are right about your assumption. You see, in the Mortal Ascension Heaven, the paths of martial and Soul became completely different, and they had different names. So, to simplify them, there are titles given to a cultivator of a specific rank.

“The First Soul Path Realm of the Mortal Ascension Heaven is known as the Law Spark while the Martial Path’s is known as the Law Channeling.

“In the former case, a soul cultivator had to use and refine the Spirit Qi to turn their Law Souls into a Spirit Soul, and in the latter case, the Spirit Qi is used to turn Law bodies into Spirit Bodies. The progress is measured from 1~100%.

“This Realm is also titled the Ascension Solider. A newly ascended elemental state cultivator, like a master, would be called the 1-Star Ascension Solider. The more you progress in turning your body or soul with Spirit Qi, the higher you rank. The potency of Spirit Qi of a cultivator can also measure this realm.

“The Second Realm is called the Spirit Soul Integration (Soul) or Spirit Body Integration and is titled the Ascension Warrior. The Third Realm is Spirit Soul Formation or Spirit Body Formation and is titled Ascension Grand General.

“The Fourth Realm is Nascent Spirit Soul World, or Nascent Spirit Body World, and is titled Ascension Master. The Fifth Realm is Spirit Soul World Expansion, or Spirit Body World Expansion, and is titled Ascension Grandmaster.

“The Sixth realm is Spirit Soul Dominion or Spirit Body Dominion and is titled the Ascension Guardian. As for the rest, I don’t know because even my previous master was only a 1-Star Ascension Warrior and came from a second-grade Guardian Sect. I was also forged there!” Avos stopped speaking and let Ace absorb this information.

Ace’s eyes shimmered with realization as he finally understood the basics of Mortal Ascension Heaven and its cultivation system. Although it was a pity that Avos didn’t know the realms above the Ascension Guardian, it was still enough for him not to be ignorant about this place anymore.

Besides, he was still just an Ascension Soldier, so by the time he became an Ascension Guardian, he was sure he would’ve known far more. Then there was the system, which should have given him more knowledge once he got his cultivation technique, just like back in the Mortal Sky Heaven. Avos spoke again, “I had already explained the Ascension Grades and Ascension Spirit Grades and their Lower and Upper Stages to you before. Now, on to the main subject of the Earth Spirit Vein.

“When a Grade-9 Beast Vein took the shape of an auspicious beast, the auspicious beast’s shape or kind also determined its future evolution potential, and that’s how we grade them into Mortal, Earth, Sky, and Heaven Grades. “A Mortal Grade is given to a Beast Vein that produces grade-9 Qi stones or Soul Crystals. Only beast veins in the shape of Serpents and Birds have a very small chance of further evolving into an Earth-grade Spirit Vein. “When a Mortal Grade Beast Vein evolved into an Earth Grade Spirit Vein, it expanded to a large degree, and its shape became closer to the auspicious beast it initially took.

“Furthermore, an earth spirit vein can produce Spirit Stones or Spirit Crystals up to the upper third ascension grade. It all depends on how old and untouched the earth spirit vein is. The raw spirit stones and spirit crystals also need to be refined with Spirit Fire to evaluate the potency of Spirit Qi further and make them gentler and easier for a cultivator to absorb. This is completely different from the Qi Stones and Soul Crystals. Absorbing them raw is akin to wasting them. “As for the Spirit Nectar of Earth Grade, a single drop is akin to 1000 refined Upper Ascension Grade-3 Spirit Stones or Spirit Crystals and far more potent and easier to absorb without any side effects. Only an Earth Spirit Vein in the shape of a Wyrm, Wyvern, Fire Bird, Winged Tiger, Two-Headed Tortoise…, or such auspicious beast veins can produce Spirit Nectar.

“While a Sky Grade Spirit Vein can produce Spirit Stones and Soul Crystals with different Element Law affinities!”