Eternal Thief

Just a few minutes later, after the theft of Crimson Platinum, a tall, wizened human with long crimson hair and donned in long crimson robes appeared; it was none other than the Inner Court Elder of the Artifact Inferno Guardian Sect, Elder Emil.

Elder Emil was one of the few elders who didn’t hail from the four clans; nonetheless, he was still part of a clan that had been under the Oriente Clan’s rule for six generations.

This means that his clan ancestor achieved inner-sect elder status on his own before the Oriente clan took him under its wing. After Emil achieved the Ascension Master Realm, he and his clan got to enjoy the fruits of his ancestor’s labor because of his ancestor’s connection with the Oriente Clan.

There were many such cases in the AIG Sect, like Emil and his clan, especially in the inner sect court of the AIG sect because that was the place where the four clans normally recruited members for their clans, who were actually servants and guards. Only those who could climb their way into the Chief Hall Court could join the four clan branches or even the main clan, depending on their talent and importance.

Emil, because of his Inner Sect Elder status, was also in the Oriente Clan’s good books, and that’s why he was even given a Hall Elder position in the Inner Sect’s Inferno Flame Hall, which was slightly higher than an ordinary Inner Flame Elder.

But Emil was always ambitious. He wanted to join the main clan of the Oriente Clan because he knew it was the only way to truly enter the upper echelon of the AIG Sect and have a truly powerful backing.

However, he knew it was impossible because his talent was only above average. He had exhausted it completely after reaching the 1-Star Ascension Master Realm (4th Realm), and there was no more hope for any breakthrough unless he stumbled upon some heaven-defying opportunity before his lifespan ran out.

In Early Law State Stages (Ascension Soldier, Warrior, and Grand General), one’s lifespan increased by 10,000 years every time one breaks into a new realm until one reaches the Ascension Master Realm.

This also marks the start of the Intermediate Law State (Ascension Master, Grandmaster, Guardian). In the realms of Intermediate Law Stages, each realm provides a lifespan of 20,000 until they enter the Late Law Stages (7th, 8th, and 9th Realms).

However, each stage of the Law State was extremely difficult to cross because, at each stage, one had to undergo a Heavenly Law Tribulation, which was a hundred times worse than the Heavenly Tribulation. One also needed to cross the Elemental State and become a Law State. Like the three stages of the Law State, the Heavenly Law Tribulation was divided into Early, Intermediate, and Late Stages. It was rumored that the late stage of the Heavenly Law Tribulation needed to be crossed at the eighth realm if someone wanted to reach the 9th ascension realm because it was the peak of the Law State. The following state was above it, and the heavenly tribulation would be even more dreadful!

Anyhow, every cultivator fears the Heavenly Tribulation, and they make ample preparations before they undergo any of it. Some sects even have special treasures and formations that can greatly increase their chances of crossing the heavenly tribulation.

But still, there was always a 90% chance of one dying in Heavenly Law Tribulations if they didn’t have the resolve of a true cultivator, and that’s why some people didn’t dare to undergo Heavenly Law Tribulation for their whole lives and waited for their final years before taking their chances.

Now, Emil was one such cultivator who didn’t have the guts to undergo the Heavenly Law Tribulation of Early Law State because he was afraid of death and knew he wouldn’t be able to cross it. He was also not influential enough that the Sect or Oriente Clan would provide him with help to undergo this tribulation.

After all, it wasn’t cheap to go against the law of heaven, and the things that were capable of it were very rare and precious. The AIG Sect had a Law Tribulation Platform for early law state heavenly tribulation that could increase the chances of someone crossing into the

intermediate state by 15%.

But using it comes at a huge cost, and the entire wealth of an Inner Sect Elder wasn’t enough unless they had connections or performed an achievement worthy of the price.

In the end, Emil didn’t have any, so in his final years, he left the sect to try his luck and undergo the tribulation because if he somehow succeeded, he would have 20,000 years of lifespan again, a gamble that he had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

By some miracle, he really succeeded and became an Ascension Master, but suppressing his cultivation and delaying the tribulation for such a long time completely ruined his talent, and he could no longer break through further.

This was an effect of delaying one’s breakthrough, especially a breakthrough related to the Heavenly Tribulation. Every sect knew this, and that’s why a sect would not let its members’ talents delay such breakthroughs and help them cross the heavenly tribulation as soon as possible before it affected their talents.

Still, the person should also have the guts to face the Heavenly Tribulation. Otherwise, no matter how much effort or resources the others put into it, it would be meaningless and wasted because of a crucial factor of the Heavenly Law Tribulation.

Anyhow, at that time, before he undergoes the life and death struggle, he stumbled upon the Beast Calamity Mountain Range and discovered the Crimson Platinum Mountain guarded by Mountain Tyrant.

At that time, the beast was only at the peak of the Ascension Soldier Realm, and with Emil’s prowess as a peak Ascension Grand General, the Mountain Tyrant had no choice but to submit to him.

Furthermore, Emil knew what crimson platinum was, a Spirit Metal that could make Spirit Treasures. From the moment he discovered it, he knew it was an opportunity for him to cultivate further as long as he could exchange it for alchemy treasures that could rejuvenate his cultivation talent to some extent.

But at that time, the Crimson Platinum wasn’t even born yet. It was only in its embryo state, so Emil knew if he wanted to benefit from it, he could only do it if he were able to live long enough, and if he told anyone about it, there was a risk of getting backstabbed.

So, he decided to leave it to fate and undergo the tribulation. If he succeeded, he would have a way to further cultivate once the Crimson Platinum was born, and in the end, he succeeded.

It’s been over three thousand years since he had undergone his first law tribulation, and the Crimson Platinum was almost in his clutches.

Yet, at this moment, what he saw made him bewildered. The crimson platinum mountain was raised to debris without any trace of the Spirit Metal, and at this moment, a colossal silhouette appeared right in front of him, roaring, “Emil! Where is the Crimson Platinum!?” ‘It’s not an illusion?!’ Emil snapped out of his stupor and looked at Mountain Tyrant, who was looking at him with bloodshot eyes as if Emil had murdered his entire race.

Startled at first, he quickly felt rage and anger take over as he instantly released his spiritual pressure, filled with fiery heat, on the Mountain Tyrant and Beast. Despite being so close to reaching the Ascension Grand General, the beast was no match for Emil’s Ascension Master cultivation and plummeted to the ground under Emil’s pressure.

Emil’s emitted terrifying killing intent as he icily questioned, “Where the fuck is MY crimson platinum!?”

The situation instantly reversed, and because of its own anger, Mountain Tyrant lost his reasons and completely forgot that he was no match for Emil. Just like Mountain Tyrant considered the Crimson Platinum his life, Emil was the same!

Mountain Tyrant failed to consider the consequences of Emil discovering the absence of Crimson Platinum. He should’ve escaped while it could, but now, it was all over!