Eternal Thief

Hence, as long as Ace pick-pocketed a storage ring with Qi Mark, it counted as a thievery score! 

Ace also found out about it when recently when he first raided a hidden place. He first thought that he won’t even get one count because the ring was just laying in a place, not on someone. 

However, when he used pick-pocket, something happened completely out of his expectation and he got all the storage rings with Qi marks counted, and those people even received thief symbol!

This make things easier for him and at once he was collecting more thieveries with no real danger. 

As for why those people did not give one person their storage rings and have him hide them, so no other person would know. It’s very simple actually, they don’t trust each other.

That’s why whenever someone hides storage rings, every person who agrees to hide their storage ring goes to the secret place together, and then all those people stay in one group. They won’t even let anyone leave, afraid that person might take all the rings and escape!

Even though the storage rings were protected by Qi marks, they still do not trust anyone. 

If they just have one of the strongest people hide the storage rings, Ace might’ve had a tough time. Because first, the stronger a person is, the longer his soul probing would take since he randomly got memories. 

Second, he can’t use soul probing on peak stage Qi foundation or higher realm cultivators. This would’ve hindered his progress the most, but these idiots just can’t work together.

After storing the storage in his thief’s space, he moved toward another group of four hundred meters north. 

“Hmm?” A deep frown surfaced on Ace’s calm face when he saw the group of five youths with an ashen complexion. 

‘They’re reaching their limits of tolerance. If they didn’t leave, they’ll be bewitched by emerald mist.’ Ace mused. 

Their clothes were more crude compare with those nobles and no one was protecting their group. It was clear they were commoners or their lives weren’t important.

He spotted many groups like these and in the end; he spared them since he deemed they won’t give him much TP, or he just didn’t want to steal from them.

From memories of other noble brats, he knew the big-wings were coming, and they were deliberately stalling him here, using these people in trails as baits. 

He didn’t mind it in the least bit though, since this makes things easier for him after all. After taking one last glance at that ashen face group, he moved on. 

Ace has already spared them by not stealing their storage rings, and this was the only thing he can do. He won’t be saving anyone since all of them come here of their own free will, and they were ready to die. 

After all, he was just a trainee thief, not a hero.

After stealing from over seven hundred more people, Ace notice something very strange, he got no more low-level thievery count after he reached 2599, and the TP he got become much less than well. 

“System, what’s the meaning of this?” Ace transmitted in an irksome tone.

“[Since host has already become a Trainee Thief. The treasure he stole after 2599 thieveries will also have to be of trainee level.]”

Ace’s face fell, and he knew this black-hearted system has done something behind his back, he pursed his lips and questioned, “Might I ask what the hell are those trainee’s level treasures?” 

“[Expect Runic Treasures, any treasure of Lowest-grade, Low-grade, Mid-low-grade as well as Qi-Stones of Trash-Grade (Low-Level) and Qi-Stones of Lowest-Grade (Middle-Level) will no longer give any TP from now one.]” The system’s icy voice replied. 

“I know you were evil!” Ace gritted his teeth in resentment after hearing this answer. 

‘This evil system just didn’t want to watch me become rich!’ Ace cursed some more with a deep grievance. 

After ‘greeting’ the system’s nine generations, he finally calmed down. However, his mood was still bleak since from now on any kind of treasure with the first three-level will be deemed useless. 

‘White-Grade, Green-Grade, Blue-Grade Pill and herbs. 1-star, 2-star, 3-star weapons, and materials. She didn’t even spare Qi stones, damn it!’ 

The more Ace thought, the more he wanted to cry. His only comfort was the runic treasures will still give him TP. 

Ace looked at the TP he accommodated before the black-hearted system put a restriction on them, and his mood turned better after seeing the number.

===

[Thief Point(s): 2,259,400]

—

[Low-level Thievery: 2,599]

===

‘I should now go after those protected by Qi River cultivators only.’ With a bleak mood, he again started his search for high-level targets.

But even after robbing over 200 rich-looking youths protected by Qi river cultivators he still didn’t score any low-level thievery and the most infuriating thing was he only got 1050 TP!

Ace was so mad and he again ‘greeted’ the system’s all the generations while keep stealing from whoever come in his way. Now, even if he got little TP from those brats, he felt he at least got something.

He intervened on a tree because he picked up a group of over 200 people with his soul sense and the strongest of them were none other than the missing Twenty River Depth, Five River Source, and one Flowing River Cultivator!

They all were guarding these youths. 

Ace’s eyes shimmer as a cold smile appeared on his face, ‘So that’s why I don’t find them, they come together to protect the richest bunch of all the participants. Well, the time is also approaching. I should start the second phase after this raid.’ 

With some expectation, he moved toward the campsite of those rich pigs. They were just sitting there, and waiting for the ‘slaughterer’ to come. 

Inside the camp, most of the youth’s faces were pale, and the toxic mist affected even some Qi foundation cultivators. 

The atmosphere was already gloomy, as a young man’s yelling on a black-clad man make it more. 

“What do you mean we can’t go outside? Do you know who my father is?!” This youth’s face was handsome with a slender tall body, he was the youngest son of Damien King! 

“Damien Prince, this was your father’s order, not mine!” The shadow leader pursed his lips while he answered with annoyance. He wasn’t feeling too good, staying here like some sacrificial goat. 

But what can he do but obey the order? 

All he can do was to collect all the princes and princesses, and some other important youngsters of the top ten kingdoms in one place, so he could protect them from that hateful thief. 

He even collected everyone’s storage rings and put them all in his own. However, he didn’t hide it out in the open because he received multiple reports that it was pointless since that bastard can find them no matter where someone hid it.

That’s why he did something even crazier, he made a deep cut into his stomach and place the storage ring there! 

He wasn’t bothered by this at all because of his high cultivation level, and now he was completely assured about the safety of his storage ring. He even wanted to taunt that thief when he would fail miserably. 

‘Heh, that thief is too immature!’ Shadow Leader sneered, gloatingly in his heart when he thinks about his genius hiding plan. 

“But if we stay here two more days, we’ll be completely at the mercy of this malicious mist!” A beautiful girl beside the Damien Prince retort with a hint of anxiety.

“Damien Princess, my hands are tied and all I can do is to protect you, so please be patient!” Shadow Leader smile wryly. 

He wanted to tell them about the coming to the rulers, but he was afraid that the thief would hear it and escape, so he had no choice but to hide it.

More youths show disgruntled faces, but they can’t beat these guys, so all they can do now was to wait since Shadow Leader also took their storage rings away. 

Ace heard this debate and couldn’t help but sneer with contempt. They were even using their children as bait. 

Just as he expected, they didn’t have their storage rings so, he just soul probe the weakest like before. 

However, he didn’t get information after that brat handed over his storage ring to that Shadow Leader fellow. He probed two more brats and just like before he didn’t find the location. 

Ace narrowed his eyes, this was the first time he encountered this situation. 

‘Should I leave?‘ Ace deeply looked at that Shadow Leader fellow with a stony gaze. He didn’t think there was a capable fellow in these idiots. 

‘Well, I can’t probe his memories. Sigh… forget it.‘ Ace was just about to leave in disappointment when a treacherous plan flash past his mind. 

‘So be it.’ An icy smile creeped out on his face, he’s going to try something unique!