Eternal Thief

Ace’s expression turned grave when he saw the black fate point rushing in his direction, and from the speed it was moving with, it was most likely above the Abyssal Lord Realm.

Moreover, with the importance of his current location, Ace knew there was a high probability that whoever it was, they were extremely powerful, or even could be the Corpse Governor himself!

That’s why, without hesitation, Ace quickly distances himself from the sealing barrier, and in a dark corner, he uses Thief Shelter to vanish into the fold of space while he keeps the Lawless Darkness active.

”Hehe~, and here I thought you would be able to pull this off flawlessly...” Pixy suddenly passed a jeering remark.

Ace’s lip twitched, but he was too worried about the unknown entity approaching, so he couldn’t be bothered with Pixy.

The moment the black fate point closed in, Ace’s gaze sharpened to its absolute peak, and then it finally arrived.

The next moment, the space ahead did not ripple, with no distortion, fluctuation, or warning, yet suddenly a figure was there.

When Ace saw the owner of that black fate point, his pupils contracted because standing before the sealing barrier was a towering corpse vessel.

It was the same humanoid corpse vessel that encountered and used the Tainted Qi Array imbued with the Lawless Darkness to gain access to the hidden passage behind it.

However, at that time, it seemed dormant; now that it was awake, its body was forged from a pitch-black skeletal frame, layered with dense corpse flesh that seemed both withered and indestructible. Thick, corpse-like veins pulsed across its surface like ancient roots, each carrying an oppressive, suffocating aura.

Its hollow eyes burned with dim, abyssal corpse flames, and as it was emitting a powerful pressure without hiding it, Ace felt it instantly

’This presence is on a completely different level than anything I’ve had encountered so far, and for some reason it’s felt extremely similar to that skeletal giant...especially its Spiritual Mark. Could it be?’

Ace’s breath slowed while his mind raced, and the next moment, something clicked as his eyes narrowed sharply, and a realization struck him like lightning.

’So, that’s how it is...this isn’t a refined corpse vessel...and probably none of those corpses were...’ His gaze turned profound as he stared at the figure, ’...It’s a Corpse Vessel Puppet created with the Corpse Puppet Art!’

The conclusion was immediate, clear, and now certain because Ace had already felt a peculiar sensation from the skeletal giant, but in a rush, he didn’t pay it any heed, but it was different.

Ace knew it wasn’t him imagining things in a hurry, because this corpse vessel wasn’t housing an Undead Soul, so there was no independent soul fluctuation or internal consciousness, and even its spiritual mark felt peculiar and distant.

If Ace hadn’t had Dargoth’s memories, he would’ve reached the conclusion that this body was being controlled remotely, like a puppet, and, upon realizing it, his expression turned slightly grave.

The Corpse Puppet Art was one of the most secretive and prized inheritances of the Corpse Clan. It was Heaven Grade Spell Art that allowed an Undead Cultivator to control specially prepared corpse vessels from afar, projecting their consciousness into them while keeping their true body hidden in absolute safety.

Because of this very ability, this spell art wasn’t just rare but was like an extra lifeline for Corpse Cultivators, which meant survival, dominance, and insurance against death.

Especially after the infiltration of the Evernight Council, the Corpse Puppet Art became even more popular among the powerful members of the Corpse Clan.

However, because of its strict requirements, only late-stage Abyssal Lords and above were even qualified to learn it, and even then, only a select few were granted access, mostly those with strong willpower.

From Dargoth’s memories, Ace instantly recalled the obsession, the longing, and the frustration since Dargoth had dreamed of obtaining this art. Because to him, it wasn’t just power, it was protection, and a second existence that could also increase his chances against his enemy.

But before he could qualify, he was caught by Ace, and now, because of those memories, Ace is not only able to identify the corpse vessels but also see them in action.

That’s why his gaze darkened slightly as his thought sharpened, ’A puppet at this level, and it was also left at that place as a guardian with other similar corpse vessels. There is only a single person in the entire Corpse Clan who could’ve gained access to so many Corpse Vessels...The Corpse Governor!’

As this cold realization settled in his mind, Ace suppressed even the faintest trace of movement. Though the Lawless Darkness already erased his existence, he didn’t dare relax in the slightest.

Instead, he became even more careful because he now understood that the reason this puppet appeared was not random.

’It’s either related to earlier when I used the Tainted Qi Disarray on the hidden passage...’ Ace’s eyes flickered faintly, ’...or when I touched the seal. Either one could have triggered suspicion. No matter what, if he’s alerted because of these reasons, then even the smallest anomaly could be dangerous!’

Ace remained completely still within the fold of space, his presence erased beyond perception, and even his thoughts seemed to quiet.

Meanwhile, the corpse puppet stood silently before the sealing barrier, then moved as its head slowly turned, and a wave of terrifying perception exploded outward, and corpse Qi surged.

It swept through the entire passage like a tidal wave, probing every inch of space, every vein, every fragment of existence.

Yet it found nothing while Ace remained untouched, unseen, and untraceable; even so, he didn’t relax, because the puppet didn’t stop and scanned again and again.

Each time more intense and more oppressive until finally he stopped, and silence returned.

At that moment, the puppet slowly turned its gaze toward the sealing barrier, and for the first time, something changed. The corpse flames in its eyes flickered, but not with rage or authority... with something far more unsettling... loathing!

With a deep, visceral hatred, it roared, ”ARE YOU UP TO YOUR OLD TRICKS AGAIN?!”