Eternal Thief

Ace walked around the ornate altar, which now seemed like an ordinary antique. No matter how much he looked at it, there wasn't anything extraordinary about it. The only thing he noticed was that the runes on top of this altar were just like those on the Primordial Ascension Altar of the Mortal Sky Temple, and it seemed to be a mini version of it.

Other than that, the chamber where this altar was located seemed ancient. The walls seemed to be made of some kind of metal, and there were some vague glyphs inscribed on the wall, which seemed to have faded with time.

'Hmmm… it seems there's nothing useful here, and even if someone else discovered this altar, they wouldn't be able to tell its origin. But if they knew about the ascension altars, I can't be too sure. Well, this has nothing to do with me since I'll be long gone before anyone can find this place… probably….' Ace sighed as he stopped observing the altar and looked at his tatter appearance.

'I should change my clothes and keep the deft thief robes in the thief's space until I can repair them once I can use my Qi…' Ace decided. The next moment, his tattered robes were replaced by an ordinary gray robe that looked slightly similar to Kai's.

Although Ace had other grade-9 clothes, he didn't have the Qi to operate them. He also decided to choose this gray robe like Kai because he just wanted to make sure that if someone else found this place, he could pretend to be another miner.

Suddenly, Ace thought, 'Wait a minute. Since I can't use the Heavenly Qi, what about the Twilight Qi and my avatar? Although I can't gain access to my inner spaces, I still feel connected to my avatar, and it has its own unique Qi!'

Ace quickly tried to connect with the Holy Twilight Avatar, but he was frustrated when he found he couldn't summon it out, nor could he share his vision with it, or he would've known about what was going on with his inner spaces.

However, he didn't give up and tried to use the Twilight Soul Qi, and he was instantly excited when dark golden Qi suddenly materialized above his hand!

'That's what I'm talking about!' Ace was thrilled because this meant that he could at least use the abilities of Holy Twilight Avatar and wasn't completely helpless!

'But this Qi is of the elemental state, and I can feel how weak it is compared to my body. Well, I guess it's still better than nothing. Now, I don't have to be so passive, and no one below the law state will be my match anymore. Kai also said that the elemental Qi didn't work against a law state…!'

After finding out about this advantage, Ace felt no longer helpless; he knew now that he could at least roam freely in these mines!

'Now, I should tell the others about my success; they might be worried, especially the house member; they would be relieved to know that the mission has been completed…'

A faint smile appeared on his face as he tried focusing on the thief's house; however, the very next moment, his expression paled!

'What is going on?! Why can't I assess to the thief's house?!' Ace started to freak out a little when a familiar system interface opened in front of him.

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[System Upgrade is underway; please wait plenty!]

[Estimate Time: 39D:11H:09M:43S]

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Ace calmed down a little, but the frown on his face only deepened, 'So, I can't access the space of the thief's house while the system is upgrading? But what about the house members inside? Damn it, they better be fine…'

Ace could only hope for the better, and he could do nothing but trust the system. Then he quickly looked in the living thief's space section and was relieved when he found he could access it just like his non-living thief's space section.

However, his expression changed again when he noticed something peculiar. A powerful undulation was pulsing from the center of the thief's space, and he was shocked to find that the source of this undulation was none other than Alina's house!

A little worried, Ace quickly focused inside, where the Mystic Bloodline Cist was located, and was astounded when he saw Eva with Cyrus on her shoulder there as well.

At this moment, the Mystic Bloodline Cist was pulsing in neon light and trembling slightly as something inside was about to come out!

'Is she about to complete her bloodline change!?' Ace was instantly thrilled when he thought about how long it had been since Alina had entered the Mystic Bloodline Cist.

At first, he thought it would only take a few months, but then years passed, and she was still nowhere near done. He was even worried about her, but he believed in her and waited patiently, and it seemed she was about to come out!

Furthermore, Ace also noticed something else: Cyrus, the little guy, has completely changed!

He has grown considerably since Ace last saw him. Now, Cyrus stands about the size of a small raven, roughly 10 inches tall. His fine black feathers have matured into a sleek, glossy coat with an iridescent sheen and hints of sapphire shimmer along the edges of his wings and tail feathers, reflecting his fiery nature.

Cyrus's previously undeveloped wings were powerful and well-

developed.

The black plumage continues up its head, except for the crown area. The dark blue 'hair' has grown longer and thicker, now forming a distinctive crest that resembles a stylized flame.

His captivating sky-blue eyes remain, but they now hint at newfound awareness and intelligence alongside his earlier curiosity. His aura has also completely changed, and a subtle warmth emanates from him.

This once-tiny black chick has matured into a captivating young bird. He retains his initial cuteness, but his iridescent feathers, vibrant crest, and intelligent gaze exude a regal air, a stark contrast to his power.

'I completely forgot that Cyrus's cultivation could increase with mine, and he was suppressed on the level of Mortal Sky Heaven because of me! Now, he should be a law state cultivator just like me!' Ace's heart raced when he thought about how Cyrus might know about the law state now, and he almost forgot about Eva as well!

She had told him that once she undergoes her tribulation, she will unlock the memories of the law state, so he was even more excited. He might not have to wait for the system to upgrade to find out about the law state realm after all.

Eva was still as captivating as ever, wearing a black dress that fully showcased her seductive figure. Her expression was somewhat solemn, and a hint of anticipation could be seen in her eyes as she looked at the pulsing cist.

"I'm back!" Ace announced at this moment, making both Eva and Cyrus avert their attention from the cist as their eyes shimmered with elation.

Eva sighed in relief when she heard Ace's voice. She couldn't help but feel a huge burden lifted off her heart. Although Ace hid the complete details of his mission from her so as not to make her worry, she knew whatever Ace was about to do was extremely dangerous.

That's why she was always worried that something might happen to him and anxious, but she didn't show it and believed in him. Now, hearing his voice, she was completely at ease, and a breathtaking smile bloomed on her face.

"Welcome Back, Husband~!"