Eternal Thief

The outskirts of the forbidden region of the Lower Grave Strata had already become a wasteland. The once-sacred exchange platform no longer resembled its former self.

Black crystalline fragments were scattered everywhere. The layered corpse-runes carved into the circular dais had been violently shattered, leaving behind only incomplete patterns that still faintly flickered before dying out.

Even the surrounding stone pillars had collapsed, as though someone had vented boundless fury upon the entire place.

Silence filled the cavern, and just then a ripple quietly spread through space. Unlike the violent entrance of the Evernight Fiend King, the distortion resembled nothing more than a reflection upon calm water.

A tiny figure stepped out, and it was none other than the Evernight Demon King. Her white eyes slowly swept across the ruined platform.

”...Hmm?”

There was no surprise in them, only curiosity as she walked forward leisurely, her small footsteps producing soft echoes throughout the empty cavern.

”So...” She crouched before one of the shattered crystalline slabs, and her fingers lightly brushed across the broken rune, ”...recently destroyed.”

She looked around once more. ”There are countless exchange platforms throughout this entire realm. Yet this one feels most ancient.”

Her pupils shimmered. ”It should be the first, or maybe the origin, like a central platform. Yet someone had deliberately destroyed only this one. Interesting.”

Her smile slowly widened. ”Very interesting.”

She slowly raised one delicate hand, and a translucent black sphere appeared above her palm. Inside floated a tiny undead soul, and its appearance was extremely miserable, with dark laws wrapped around every inch of its body.

Its soul continuously twisted in unbearable agony, yet no screams escaped, for even its voice had been sealed.

The Evernight Demon King smiled gently as she called, ”My little friend.”

She lightly tapped the sphere, and the soul trembled violently.

”I can stop the pain.” Her tone remained soft. ”You only need to answer a few questions.”

She tilted her head. ”What are those ancient alters? And why was this place destroyed? What secret were all of you protecting?”

The undead soul clenched his teeth, and he remained silent as not a single word escaped despite the terrifying agony he was in.

The Demon King merely chuckled, ”So stubborn.”

Her fingers slowly closed, and the sphere shrank.

Instantly, the guard’s soul convulsed and every soul thread inside him compressed together. He suffered pain beyond imagination, and it flooded his consciousness. But still, no sound escaped.

The Demon King watched with amusement, ”You wish to die? Hehe...I’m afraid that’s impossible.”

The sphere continued shrinking as she stated dismissively, ”You’ll continue suffering. Forever. Unless you answer me.”

Several moments passed, and finally, the undead soul broke.

”We...we were protecting...the Central Repository...”

The Demon King’s smile froze slightly. ”Oh?”

Over the following time, the guard slowly explained the Merit System, Contribution Points, the inheritance exchange, the countless treasures, the hereditary resources, the cultivation techniques... everything related to the Central Repository.

The Evernight Demon King’s white eyes gradually brightened. ”So, the true treasury...was never outside. But it was hidden in another secret realm like space?”

A genuine smile appeared. ”No wonder. So that’s how the Corpse Clan accumulated its foundation, and it’s even slightly more advanced than the Evernight Sanctuary’s contribution system. Well, no worries; it’ll soon be part of the Evernight Sanctuary, as it was such a waste in your hands.”

Her curiosity deepened. ”So, why is it gone? Are you guys perhaps cut off the connection with it by destroying this exchange platform? But since it’s so important, someone would have the key to reconnect it, right?”

The undead soul answered weakly, ”It... stopped functioning...over two fortnights ago...”

Her smile disappeared. ”Stopped? Why?”

”I...I don’t know...we were investigating...but before we could discover anything...you...the Evernight Council invaded...”

The Demon King’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly as this timeline matched exactly the period when Sky Stealer appeared on the Undead Cradle’s sky, and then the weakening of the Undead Boundary started.

Furthermore, the guard deliberately didn’t mention that no one had ever been able to enter the Central Repository or even control it, as it was fully independent. Even if she knew, she wouldn’t just take his word for it unless she could confirm it with personality.

’Coincidence?’ The Evernight Demon King thought, but she did not believe in coincidences.

”What is this place then?”

The guard answered honestly, ”The Forbidden Region...the residence...of the Corpse Governor...no one...is allowed inside...”

”Oh? I see.” The Demon King nodded, and she casually flicked a finger.

’Pop!’

The sphere collapsed, and the undead soul vanished completely.

”Then you’re no longer useful.”

At that exact moment...

’BOOOOOOM!!’

An entire cavern wall exploded and millions of tons of corpse stone scattered everywhere.

Thereafter, the Evernight Fiend King walked straight through the dust cloud with his halberd resting lazily upon his shoulder.

The Evernight Demon King slowly looked toward him, and her expression became one of helpless reproach instead of being surprised.

”Eldest Senior Brother, there are doors. You should consider using them.”

The Evernight Fiend King also wasn’t surprised by seeing the Evernight Demon King there, and he merely snorted, ”Hmph, I had a feeling you might have arrived first.”

The next moment, his eyes swept across the ruined exchange platform. ”So, this is where they hid their treasures?”

The Evernight Demon King smiled, ”No. But...the key to those treasures should be here.”

Without wasting more time, the two continued to go deeper.

The Evernight Demon King’s gaze continuously peeled apart every hidden formation, broken concealment arrays, collapsed spatial passages, and ancient corpse runes as nothing escaped her eyes.

Eventually, she stopped, her pupils shimmering as she pointed. ”There’s something unusual.”

Far ahead, countless spatial distortions overlapped.

The Evernight Fiend King frowned, ”What happened?”

She slowly observed the endlessly twisting space, ”...Someone. Forced their way through. The formations are broken, and the space has been repeatedly folded.”

She became thoughtful, ”It resembles...a pursuit.”

The Evernight Fiend King scratched his chin, ”Internal conflict?”

She slowly shook her head, ”I don’t think so. The Corpse Clan is loyal almost to fanaticism.”

His eyes narrowed, ”So, an intruder?”

The Evernight Demon King remained silent as her gaze became distant.

”This shouldn’t be possible unless it was another Abyssal King.” She muttered before her eyes turned sharp as she said coldly, ”But if I remember correctly, there truly was another visitor.”

The Evernight Fiend King’s expression darkened.

”Are you suggesting Nomad?” But he immediately dismissed it, ”No. He was only a mere Abyssal Master. He had probably died by those war puppets, much less infiltrate this part of the realm!”

The Evernight Demon King didn’t argue, but she said matter-of-factly, ”Nonetheless, he was the disciple of the Moonless Wandering King!”

The Evernight Fiend King’s brows twitched as he remained silent because he knew if anyone could produce an impossible variable, it would be someone related to that detestable Moonless Wandering King.

Yet, neither of them truly believed Nomad possessed such capability, at least not alone. Moreover, the Undead Boundary still existed then, and no external reinforcement should have been possible.

Nonetheless, this only deepened the mystery!