Eternal Thief

Zaria took a deep breath as she stood beneath the towering light pole, her cold eyes fixed on the faint, dark, ethereal thread. It pulsed faintly, as if alive, and she could sense some of the transmission pass through it.

But she dared not probe any deeper, fearing she would alert the person behind it and lose her lead.

Her sharp gaze followed the thread as it snaked away into the distance, barely perceptible against the bright glow of the Runic Forge City’s illumination. With a cold smirk, she began to follow it.

As Zaria stealthily moved through the bustling streets in her cat form, her focus on the thread intensified. The closer she got to its source, the more threads appeared, branching out like a macabre spiderweb. They coiled around other poles, slithering along walls and even seeping into the cobblestones beneath her feet.

Her frustration grew with every step. The threads weren’t just isolated—they were spreading through the entire city’s infrastructure and exceptionally well hidden. Or how could this have gone unnoticed?

But she knew whoever was behind this was at least an Ascension Lord or the Runic Guard. She should have detected this a long time ago, and only someone like her who was looking for it could find it. She even suspected this was a high-grade bloodline ability.

At this moment, she stopped near a crowded marketplace. Her eyes darted around, tracing the threads as they wove through the chaos of merchants and customers. A child ran past her, laughing, completely unaware that a dark tendril had brushed against his shoulder.

‘This Ravenhood is really up to no good…’ Zaria thought. ‘They are planning something huge in the Runic Forge City. But what could their target be? I should leave it for the Perverted Leader to figure out…’

Zaria continued to follow the threads; hours passed as she continued her pursuit. The streets grew quieter, the lively chatter of the city fading into the eerie stillness of the less frequented districts. The threads grew thicker and more visible here, their dark Qi practically humming in the air.

The buildings became smaller, their runic engravings less elaborate. This was the domain of the weaker or branch clans, the ones overshadowed by the illustrious clans of the Great Crown Domains. Their shops bore modest signs, their windows dimly lit, offering little to entice the average customer.

Zaria’s gaze locked onto one such shop. Its wooden sign creaked faintly in the breeze, bearing the name White Roost Forge. The dark threads converged here, sinking into the building like roots into the soil.

“Found you, sneaky bastard!” Zaria whispered, her voice tinged with both relief and coldness.

However, Zaria didn’t approach the shop directly. Instead, she circled the area, eyes scanning for any signs of traps or wards. The shop appeared unassuming, its exterior weathered and plain. A single light glowed faintly inside, casting shadows that danced across the walls.

Zaria easily slipped into the shop through a window after confirming there wasn’t any high formation or traps there, her movements silent as a whisper.

Inside, the forge’s heat cast a dull orange glow over the room. Tools and weapons hung neatly on the walls, and a burly figure worked behind the counter.

But Zaria’s eyes were fixed on the other thin man behind this burly man who seemed like an apprentice.

He was a thin man with a nervous demeanor and averted eyes. His hair was unkempt; to any observer, he appeared to be a timid shop attendant and a forging apprentice, unremarkable in every way. But Zaria clearly saw the dark threads were connected to this thin man’s left eye!

‘Is he the Raveneye those bitches mentioned?’ She assumed as she silently observed.

Although Raveneye looked extremely ordinary, Zaria knew this was only a disguise. But she couldn’t figure out why he had chosen such a shabby place to hide.

After she found Ravencrown and Ravenmind, she knew the Nightfall Ravenhood was extremely capable, and Raveneye’s abilities were extremely powerful. Yet, for some reason, he was pretending to be an ordinary apprentice of this burly man who was probably a 2-Star Spirit Forger!

Zaria instantly sensed she was missing something and quickly thought about whom this shop belonged to and their connections. She knew she was on to something, and now that she had found Raveneye, she was determined to unravel his secrets and probably the Ravens’ scheme.

After all, they dared to target her shop, which was Leah’s home; how could she forgive them?

Raveneye, who was acting, suddenly felt a chill for some reason as she tilted his head but then thought it was just his imagination as she continued to observe the burly man while his actual focus was on his left eye, for he could see everything!

But he failed to see Zaria because she was far stronger than him!

—

Nestled in the northernmost section of the Wealth Mountain, the Evil Slaying Division sat atop a jagged black mountain ridge perpetually cloaked in swirling mist.

The structure itself was an imposing fortress of onyx stone, its walls inscribed with golden runes that pulsed faintly as if alive. The air around the division was thick with an oppressive pressure, a mixture of reverence and dread.

This was the only place in the entire Wealth Mountain that everyone avoided because it was the Evil Slaying Division, the most deadly place in the whole PHW King Sect!

The fortress of the Evil Slaying Division consisted of three primary levels—the Outer Bastion for outer sect disciples. The Inner Keep was reserved for inner sect disciples and senior members; this level was heavily fortified and imbued with defensive arrays.

Lastly, the Sanctum of Judgment, which was at the highest peak of the fortress; this sacred chamber was where the Division Head and his disciples were.

At this moment, Ace’s avatar stood among a line of new recruits in the vast courtyard of the Evil Slaying Division, his new robes starkly contrasting the vibrant colors of the PHW King Sect.

These robes were deep obsidian, lined with crimson trim, and carried the sigil of the division: a blazing golden sword piercing through a shadowy figure.

The air was tense, and the other disciples shifted uneasily as they glanced around. Most were seasoned cultivators, their auras sharp and dangerous, but even they seemed apprehensive about what lay ahead.

After all, no one was willing to join the Evil Slaying Division unless they were lunatics and didn’t cherish their lives. These disciples were actually transferred here because they had either offended someone they shouldn’t have or they were at the bottom of their previous divisions.

Ace stood among them with a hint of bewilderment since he still couldn’t believe he ended up directly here despite showing his talent. He even wondered if Steward Jesper had made a mistake or if he was deliberately harming him.

But no matter how much he thought about it, nothing made sense, and he could only comply since he had no choice in this matter anymore, for he was deceived!