Eternal Thief

Ace entered the sect library. Upon entering, the air inside was thick with the scent of aged wood, mingled with the faint aroma of burning incense that seemed to hang in the air perpetually. The walls were lined with towering shelves, each one filled with jade scrolls containing the accumulated knowledge of countless generations.

Yet, only two sections of these shelves were accessible; the rest were shrouded in translucent barriers, their contents locked away.

Ace’s eyes were drawn to the center of the library, where an ancient door stood. Above it, inscribed in bold characters, were the words: Hall of the Inferno Guardian. A surge of power swept through him at the sight as if the door itself exuded a potent aura.

‘Could this be where the most powerful and forbidden texts of the Artifact Inferno Guardian Sect are kept? Or is this chamber accessible only to the highest-ranking members of the Sect?’ Ace pondered, his curiosity piqued. He longed to see what lay beyond that door but hesitated.

He knew he was being watched, and the restrictions in this place weren’t just for show. Although he was confident that his mastery of the lawless darkness could bypass any barrier, he refrained. If he were to steal or act against the sect, and they discovered his true nature, his journey within the AIG Sect would come to an abrupt end.

Moreover, Ace wasn’t particularly interested in acquiring more knowledge at this moment- he had enough of that already. What he sought were treasures that could help him grow. The AIG Sect still had its uses, especially the Forger Abyss, which was even more affluent than the Sect itself. For now, it was wise to maintain a low profile.

Ace then approached the first section of the library that was open to him. Rows of jade scrolls greeted him, each one containing Sky Ascension Grade Spells (Lower/Upper). There were not only ordinary spells but also Spell Arts and Forbidden Spells. However, there were no Taboo Spells in sight.

Nevertheless, he was particularly interested in the Forbidden Spells, having witnessed one being used by John-a spell of immense destructive power. Moreover, these spells were not limited to forger disciples; spells for flame disciples were also present.

The jade scrolls were neatly arranged, with their names carved into the wood beneath them, making it easy to discern the nature of each spell.

At that moment, his attention was drawn to a jade scroll labeled ‘Spirit Ember Infusion (Spell Art)’. He sent his thief sense to probe the jade scroll, and information related to the spell appeared in his mind.

‘Spirit Ember Infusion: An Upper Sky Ascension Grade Forger Spell Art. Imbues an object with Fire Spirit, granting it the characteristics of Spirit Fire and the ability of Fire Spirit!’

Ace raised an eyebrow when he read this introduction and mused, ‘Imbuing an object with fire spirit and the object will gain all the characteristics and abilities of the Fire Spirit? What a lavish Spell Art to use Fire Spirit with as a material. I still don’t have any Fire Spirit for myself. I was planning to visit the sect treasury to see if there are any and then create a unique Fire Spirit for my own use using the Spirit Fulcrum Lantern (No. 7). I can’t afford to waste any Fire Spirit; maybe in the future…’ Ace instantly gave up on this Spell Art despite its uniqueness and moved on.

Then Ace saw another interesting jade scroll and probed it with his thief sense.

‘Molten Alloy Creation: An Upper Sky Ascension Grade Forger Forbidden Spell. Allows the caster to combine various metals into a unique, more powerful alloy, enhancing the properties of the forged item with their prime law.

‘NOTE: The probability of creating a unique alloy is extremely low, and the more powerful and profound the prime law, the more difficult it is to succeed! Only use this Forbidden Spell if you have an endless amount of resources!’

Ace was astounded. ‘If this spell can really help create a unique alloy with prime law, then it’s beneficial for me if I can comprehend it and create my own version using an epiphany pill. After all, if I want to create dark-element treasures for my cultivation, I need the same elemental-type materials! As for burning resources, I won’t have to worry about them once I score a massive thievery. In fact, I already have a massive amount of useless elemental-state treasures; I might be able to raise their grade to law-state with this spell…’

The moment this thought came to his mind, it took root, and Ace instantly decided. He loudly said without any hesitation, “Lord Elder, I choose the Molten Alloy Creation Spell, and for my second spell, please help me find the Beast Law Channel Spell!”

The next moment, the mysterious voice rang again, “Are you sure you want to choose Molten Alloy Creation? Although this spell is really amazing, you need some superficial understanding of the ‘Creation’ law, which is one of the most profound laws under heaven and earth!

“Even if you can comprehend the superficial Creation law, creating a new alloy would still be very difficult. This spell might’ve been a domain-grade spell, but because of the extreme prerequisites and the resources it needs, it was placed here and acknowledged as a sky-grade spell.

“Don’t waste this precious chance and your time chasing after quick benefits!” The voice sternly advised.

Ace was surprised, and a strange glint flashed in his eyes. ‘Law of Creation?’

He became even more resolute and quickly said, “Lord Elder, I won’t change my mind. If I fail to comprehend it, I won’t waste my time, but this disciple still wants to give it a try!”

“What a stubborn kid. All right, it’s your time and chance; you can use it however you like. But don’t come here crying after you realize your mistake!” The voice was clearly unhappy, but since Ace didn’t want to listen to ‘his’ advice, he couldn’t be bothered.

The next moment, the jade scroll of the Molten Alloy Creation shimmered in golden light before it flew towards Ace. A few moments later, another jade scroll flew towards Ace from another shelf.

Ace grabbed them, and when he saw the second jade scroll, he was instantly happy because it was the Beast Law Channel Spell!

“Alright, you have already used your two free chances to choose spells. Now choose a cultivation technique, and I’ll open a room for you where you can memorize the contents of these jade scrolls,” the voice stated, as if it wanted Ace to leave, showing a hint of irritation. Ace didn’t mind, knowing better than anyone else if the spell was helpful to him or not. At this moment, he thought for a moment and asked, “Lord Elder, I don’t want any cultivation technique; I’ve already got one from the Forger Abyss after I completed the Nominal Disciple Legacy test. Can I exchange it for another Forbidden Spell, the Devouring Inferno Sword?”

“Is that where your confidence comes from?” The voice seemed to already know about this matter as it asked sarcastically but didn’t waste more time and said, “Alright, the Devouring Inferno Sword is yours.”

The next moment, another jade scroll flew towards Ace. After grabbing it, Ace smiled as it was precisely the Devouring Inferno Sword Forbidden Spell.

“Thank you, Lord Elder!”

“Tsk, tsk, you should’ve chosen another Forger spell, yet you decided on an attack-type spell that requires sword intent. Your heart is not steady enough, young man. Well, it has nothing to do with me. From now on, if you want to enter the sect library and choose any spell or technique, you have to pay 500 Sect Merit Points for a single chance!

“Tell me, are you regretting it now?” The voice asked with a hint of gloating and anticipation,

as it wanted to see Ace panicking.

But Ace was more speechless about this guy’s childishness. He smiled wryly and didn’t comment on this. Instead, he asked, “Where should I use these jade scrolls?”

“Tsk…” The voice was extremely perplexed!