Eternal Thief

Ace was startled when he saw that notification, and he almost couldn’t hold back cursing the system for not being transparent or warning him from the start.

Nonetheless, now everything was clear, and he relaxed slightly because the Demonic Black Spirit Fire, after evolution, would become even stronger after devouring this Abyssal-Grade 8 Flame Spirit, and he would have another trump card to rely on.

He couldn’t help but smile faintly, ”So that’s all. But system, you could’ve warned me sooner instead of letting the Demonic Black Spirit Fire throw a tantrum.”

Ace also noticed something peculiar as he asked curiously, ”What is this ’Flame Spirit’? Is this some special race made out of special fire like the Spirit Fire, or are they some kind of variant to make even a Spirit Fire refined by you go berserk?”

Now that he could finally breathe easily, Ace didn’t overlook this peculiarity despite knowing the evolution of the Spirit Fire wasn’t unexpected, especially if the Crimson Netherflame Revenant itself had been an ancient race naturally born from some kind of supreme spirit fire essence.

If that was the case, then its Flame Spirit becoming nourishment for the Demonic Black Spirit Fire perfectly made sense.

However, the system didn’t answer, and the next instant Ace’s expression completely changed!

’BOOOOOOM!!’

A horrifying torrent of Primordial Darkness Spirit Qi suddenly exploded throughout his every meridian, and his cultivation heart violently trembled. The Nascent Primordial World within his cultivation heart began expanding uncontrollably.

Ethereal mountains rose, seas of liquefied Primordial Spirit Qi roared, and the lightning-filled sky split apart. The entire miniature world shook as though countless earthquakes erupted simultaneously.

The terrifying pressure spreading from his body increased exponentially, and Ace’s pupils contracted.

”No...it can’t be!”

His breathing instantly became hurried because he recognized this feeling. He had experienced it before countless times, for this was unmistakably the sign of a realm breakthrough!

Ace had been on the peak of the Ascension Master Realm for a while, and even the system had told him he could break through to the next realm at any time.

But he was suppressing his breakthrough because he had been constantly tangled with the Evernight Council and didn’t have time to look for a secluded place to go under a breakthrough.

Moreover, with Eva’s warning about the Abyss of Wandering Souls having an Abyssal Ordeal instead of Heavenly Tribulation, Ace had no idea if the Heavenly Punishment could descend here.

That’s why he was waiting for a chance to make a breakthrough where no one was present.

But now the breakthrough had been triggered on its own, and this place was the worst to undergo a breakthrough because not only was almost the entire upper echelon of the Evernight Council present, but two Evernight Kings were also here somewhere.

That’s why if Ace ended up drawing Heavenly Punishment, everything would become complicated because of the Uniqueness of the Heavenly Punishment, and his own existence would be found out at that time.

Not to mention the sheer power of the Heavenly Punishment would wipe out many Evernight Council and Corpse Clan members, and not even Abyssal Kings would be spared if they dared to stand between it and Ace.

At that time, he would become the most hated enemy of the Evernight Council, even more than the Corpse Clan itself, and they would probably do anything to hunt him down.

That’s why he wanted to quickly surpass it, or at least open the thief house’s door to enter the thief’s house, where the Heavenly Punishment won’t be able to enter at all.

But before he could suppress the surging cultivation, or even call for the door, another system notification rang out.

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[The evolution of the Demonic Black Spirit Fire has stimulated the Host’s Primordial Cultivation Foundation and Cultivation Heart!]

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[Host has fulfilled all the breakthrough requirements for a long time, and the harmony in Host’s world has been disrupted by the evolution!]

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[Once the evolution of the Demonic Black Spirit Fire is completed, the advancement from the Nascent Primordial World Realm (Ascension Master Realm) to the Primordial World Formation Realm (Ascension Grandmaster Realm) will begin!]

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[Warning: Host can’t use the House Leader Chamber for it is too late!]

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Ace’s face instantly turned rigid as he roared in his mind, ”System, are you joking?!”

This was the absolute worst possible timing. Outside, five Half-Abyssal Kings were fighting a battle that could decide the fate of the entire First Battlefront, while he had secretly stolen the Third Corpse Commander’s ancient corpse vessel.

Now his cultivation had chosen this exact moment to break through; nothing could be worse than this, especially when his last hope of retreating into the Thief’s House had been closed off by the system as well.

Right now, Ace looked at the evolving Demonic Black Spirit Fire, which still seemed to be quite far from reaching completion, but this would only stop it for a little while longer.

Ace sighed in resignation before his eyes turned cold. ’Since this can’t be avoided, then so be it. I’ll just have to make the Sky Stealer so terrified that even the Evernight Council cowered whenever they heard it!’

After making his decision, he looked upward where Eva was waiting and communicated with her, ”Eva, you need to leave as far away from here as possible. I’m about to break through. Since neither of us can vanish together, you need to be out there to keep your identity.

”In fact, this could be a rare chance for you as well. So, prepare well; everything is about to plunge into absolute chaos!”

---

Meanwhile, inside the endless mist, no one cared about the missing corpse vessel anymore, nor did they know that something terrifying was about to befall the Undead Cradle.

The remaining commanders had no luxury to think about such things, as their minds were consumed by something far more terrifying. The Third Commander’s split had truly died and been annihilated. His path toward becoming an Abyssal King had ended as well.

The First Commander clenched his fists and chills ran down his spine as he thought, ’So this...is the Obsidian Huntress...even the legends...had failed to describe her true terror!’

Belfast suddenly decided, his voice echoing directly into the First Commander’s consciousness, ”Leave!”

The First Commander froze, ”...What?”

”You will withdraw.”

”Belfast...”

”No.” His tone became absolute, ”You are the Corpse Governor’s greatest successor. You possess the highest chance of stepping into the Abyssal King Realm. I will not allow your undead soul to suffer irreversible damage here.”

”I...and the Second Commander...will hold her back!”

The Second Commander remained silent, yet he slowly nodded, understanding that someone had to remain and buy time. Even if it meant sacrificing themselves.

The First Commander’s expression became incomparably ugly as his pride rejected retreat, yet reason accepted Belfast’s judgment.

Just as he prepared to withdraw, a voice, soft, elegant, and utterly different from before, echoed throughout the endless gray mist. It carried neither killing intent nor anger, only amusement.

”So...” The Dread Duchess chuckled softly, ”...you’re already planning on running away?”

Silence descended, and then her voice rang out once more, far more chilling than any scream, ”Just when I was finally beginning to enjoy this battle!”