Eternal Thief

Ace looked at the closed door, which was locked from the inside with a low-grade-5 array lock. It would only open if someone first reported their wish to take the fifth-floor entrance test to the City Lord Mansion.

However, locks were the last thing Ace was worried about, and without wasting time, he used the lock eraser king technique to erase the lock.

Ace was already a Lock Eraser Grandmaster who could erase any lock under grade-7 and was a step away from becoming the Lock Eraser King!

The door slowly parted after the lock was removed, and it drew some passerby's attention as they looked at the open door with a hint of befuddlement because no one was standing there.

Furthermore, it was grandeur whenever this door was open as many came here to see who would try entering the 5th floor since it was a massive leap, and mostly those young lords of first-rate families would do it.

But right now, there was no one there, and the gate was opened and unprotected, which should've never happened.

However, despite the open door, no one dared to enter because they knew it would spell certain death if they failed.

Soon, this anomaly reached the City Lord Mansion!

---

After crossing the light gate, Ace appeared in the fighting hall, two times larger than the last three floors.

The tower spirit's impassive voice rang, but this time it didn't immediately start the trial, "Seed Contender No.21,913, why didn't you enjoy the benefits granted to you and strengthen your cultivation base? You have cleared four trials in 3 days which is a record, but you might really die if you act recklessly."

Ace didn't show any emotion as he said respectfully, "Senior, don't worry about me, I know what I'm doing, and besides, the stronger I am, the stronger my enemies will be, right? So, I will cultivate peacefully after I become the inheritor!"

"So, to speak, you want to clear all the ten trials with your current strength and didn't want to cultivate to a higher rank until you complete them?" The Tower Spirit impassively asked.

"Yes," Ace replied.

He was sneering inwardly; he knew this might happen because if the killing was part of the whole scheme, and since he wasn't killing, this meant he was not moving the way the tower spirit wanted him to.

Ace wanted to see its bottom line and just how many floors it let him clear before it spouted some bullshit to make him do what was necessary.

"There were people like you who also had the same resolve and aspiration, but they were all dead in the end. I won't stop you from walking on that path, but you have talent, so consider it a piece of elderly advice.

"Now, Seed Contender No.21,913, defeat 10 Trial Puppets four levels higher than your current cultivation realm before you grant the passage toward the Fifth Floor!

"Remember, this is a fight between warriors; a warrior will always fight with their lives at stake and not retreat no matter what!"

"Thank you for your advice." Ace pretended to be grateful.

Ten puppets with Platinum Soul River Core Cultivation appeared the next moment with weapons and armor.

However, Ace suddenly asked, "Senior, I'm only a Bronze River Core Cultivator. In the previous trial, I couldn't help but notice that my opponent should be a Golden Soul Embryo Realm of 1st Minor Stage according to my cultivation path.

"But why I'm facing Diamond Soul River Core and now Platinum River Core puppets? No, disrespect, but will the next realm cultivator be Platinum Soul Embryo Realm of 1st Minor Stage or Golden Soul Embryo Realm?

"Because we all know that the difference between a golden soul and a platinum soul realm is worlds apart. Please appease my plight, senior!"

Ace knew he was stating the fact, and this was also the chance to see if the tower spirit would go by the rules or bend them.

'If you think I'm a fool who will not notice this, then think again. I didn't point it out in the last trial because I want to see how you react when I point it out later since it will appear you made a mistake twice.

'Since you won't let me leave, then I will push you and see if you can show your face or not. The moment you did…' Coldness surfaced in the depth of Ace's eyes.

He knew what he was doing was risky, but he was willing to take his chances on the base that it won't dare to kill him if he showed talent or because of the soul segment.

There might be some kind of limitation on the tower spirit, and it might not be able to affect the contenders with the soul segment.

Ace hadn't forgotten that it was a mere treasure spirit that was also damaged, so it could only do what its master told it to, and there would be very limited action it could take independently.

If it was really an ownerless treasure, then Ace might've been wary because an independent treasure without a master would be extremely dangerous, just like he first met with Moira.

Without the system, she could've killed him thousands of times before he could even touch the real treasure, much less think of subduing it.

Besides, this treasure was not even in the same league as his Eternal Thief Fate Compass despite its incomplete state.

Just as Ace thought after he stated the fact, the puppets didn't attack him.

The Tower Spirit spoke at this moment, "River Core Realm has six types of river cores, namely, Iron, Bronze, Silver, Golden, Diamond, and Platinum. As long as they appeared in the same realm, then this made them the level of the same realm…."

But before the tower spirit could continue its reason, Ace quickly spoke, "Then this means that in the soul realm, I will also face Iron Soul Realm Cultivators first. Because in accordance with the river core, one broke into the Soul Realm also has six types of states.

"Senior is really an embodiment of fairness. Please continue the trial. I understand that I will face 'every stage' that exists in the realm first, from lower to high. I shouldn't have even asked."

Ace pretended to be in awe, but he laughed deviously inside, 'Heh, although it is impossible to form an iron, bronze, or even silver soul. But since you said yourself, let's see how you refute your own words.'

Another long silence descent in the hall as the tower spirit didn't speak for a long time. It was clear that it couldn't find Ace's words refutable since it said that those levels exist in the same realm.

But it had never thought that Ace would bring up the soul realm state in the mix the very next moment it said those words. Now, if it made Ace face platinum soul realm puppets in the next round, it would be slapping its own face.

However, suppose it made the puppets' cultivation really iron soul realm to continue putting up the sham. In that case, Ace will slaughter them like chickens because even platinum soul realm cultivators weren't his match, much less soul realm cultivators with such a shallow foundation.

If it were any elves, they would've never dared to speak out since they consider Holy Spirit omnipotent and never questioned it. But, alas, it was Ace who knew the true face of this Holy Spirit.

At this moment, a light suddenly descent on the puppets before their cultivation started to change from platinum soul river core to Golden Soul Embryo Realm 2nd Minor Stage!

"The trial shall commence!" The Tower Spirit's impassive voice rang again as if the previous conversation had never happened, and neither it gave any explanation on the topic.

Ace's lips curled up as he also pretended he didn't say or see anything. He knew his limit and when to stop. It was already considered a win when he dissuaded the Tower Spirit into changing the cultivation according to a bronze river core realm cultivator's path.

It also proved his hypothesis that this tower spirit was not so intelligent and could be tricked as long as he gave valid facts. Lastly, the master of the tower spirit didn't interfere.

This could only mean two things: it either didn't care or didn't have the capability, and Ace was more inclined toward the latter. The Tower Spirit was probably taking independent actions!

This was more than enough for Ace to be confident and hope to get out of here in a little over a year before the side mission's time limit was up.

Afterward, Ace easily slaughtered the Golden Soul Embryo Realm 2nd Minor Stage, they were slightly weaker than a platinum river core cultivator, and their soul attacks were even more ineffective on Ace.

Afterward, the tower spirit declared while the gate to the fifth floor manifested,

"Seed Contender No.21,913, congratulation on passing the Fourth Floor valiantly!

"Your rank on the Seed Contender Ranking Board has changed from Rank-121,913 to Rank-49,216

"State your name!"