Eternal Thief

Ace was startled when he heard the Sword's words and narrowed his eyes. He clearly didn't believe it. But for some reason, he didn't think it was lying. Just what could've made a Treasure Spirit so afraid? What was the forbidden boundary, and what was imprisoned there? The chains continued to break one after another as the golden mass of energy was becoming more and more rampant with its thwacking on the formation and symbols on the formation were slowly fading. "YOU FOOL, whoever you are! Quickly retrieve the keys before it's too late!" The sword's appalled voice rang again, "There is a monstrosity that can't be killed! It is sealed in the depths of the sea! Last time, too many lives were lost just to suppress it and then sealing it here far away from its followers where they can't even imagine its location. "Trust me. It has a heaven-shattering origin and too many hidden followers who are still staying in the darkness, waiting for its reemergence! If you let it escape, it will absolutely slaughter your entire heaven just to assuage its murderous urges. "You will be a Sinner of Heaven! I-if you stop this, I'm willing to follow you and even pave your path towards the ascension! Just let this madness go. If you want power, I can grant you, but if you unlock this lock, then there will be nothing left for you besides impending doom once that thing escapes!" The sword desperately tried to persuade whoever was opening this lock, and it was almost begging. Ace's expression was grave as he couldn't help but think more deeply about his matter. What if it was all true? He clearly didn't know what this world lock was about, and all he guessed was it should be locking the world, not some kind of heaven-destroying monster. What if everyone died because of him once this lock was open? Ace's expression was gloomy as it had been quite a while since he had thought about the consequences of his action and this time, it wouldn't end with just some anger and small slaughter. 'But if I don't unlock it, I'll die, and heaven is my enemy…' Ace thought helplessly as his line was on the line and even the lives of others he cared about. The thief house members, and Eva were literally connected with his life, so he can't die no matter what. "System, just what are we releasing in this world?" He had to ask the system with an icy tone. From the start, he didn't know what kind of heaven's secret he was working towards, but the burden of billions of lives was not something he was ready to bear on his shoulders. Although he was a killer as well, he wasn't a murderer who killed innocent mortals. That's why he had long stopped thieving in poor cities where mortals live, and always goes after cities with cultivators. As a cultivator himself, he knew their hands were filled with blood. The world of cultivation was not a peaceful one, and here, power rules. Yet now, he was hearing about a calamity that would bring extinction. This wasn't something he was ready for.

"[System didn't know what is lock or seal through this world lock, nor did it matter because this world lock is the key to get to the heaven's secret.]" System emotionlessly replied. Ace's expression fell, "We are talking about billions of lives, even mortals?" "[Heaven is heartless, man is ambitious, and poor is sacrificial. The host can choose to be any, and no one is stopping you. Death is only for those who cower in the face of fate.]"

Ace's expression grew darker, and he became silent because the system was stating the fact. If he wanted to sacrifice himself for others, no one was stopping him. If he wanted to save billions at the expense of his and his loved ones' lives, he could easily do so…

But was he capable of such a thing, he wondered as he watched chain after chain being destroyed, and the sword beseeches him to stop this… alas he didn't have the courage to move a finger as he remained there like a pale statue. At this moment, a loud explosion occurred when only a few of the chains were left. The golden energy finally broke free from the formation, completely shattering it and creating a humming sound as an extremely overbearing, profound aura released in the air. "NOOOOO…" The sword shrilled in horror. The next moment, the golden energy suddenly started to submerge in the earth before completely vanishing. Suddenly, a big formation condensed under the three shrines, and with this formation, they started to shrink before they turned into a tri-color formation with three tiny shrines on top of it, and there were three small formation keys hovering above them. 'Heaven Imposing Sky Lock?' Ace mused as he gazed at the unique formation plate. This should be the core of the world lock. The system voice rang at this moment,

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[Congratulations, host, for completing the fifth requirement of Heaven's Stealer Mission!]

[Please open the mission panel while encasing in the Dismantle Qi to view your rewards and the next Mysterious Condition of the Heaven's Stealer Mission!]

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A feeble voice rang from the formation plate filled with hate, "What have you done, you degenerate foolish mortal! You lowly ant, you will suffer the wrath of heaven and earth. There will be no place for you, even the abyss!" The sword's voice seemed extremely exhausted at this moment.

Ace sighed as though he didn't know what to feel at this point, and he broke the thief shelter and appeared outside. In the end, he chose himself over everyone. He made a grabbing motion, and the formation plate appeared in his hand. "YOU!" The voice sounded extremely agitated and shocked, "H-heaven's Stealer?! I should've known! I should've known!" It sounded extremely pitiful at this moment, as if it had gone completely mad. Ace's eyes dilated when the sword spoke his true identity and impassively asked, "Why are you so sure that I'm this Heaven's Stealer?" "Who else could it be?! Who else can be selfish enough to destroy everything in his path of riches?! Who else could it be but the Heaven's Stealer who brings doom to wherever his cursed feet fell?! Have you no remorse for anyone? Are you even capable of feeling compassion or anything?!" He roared with fury. Ace's eyes narrowed dangerously, "You seemed to know a lot about this heaven's stealer, huh? How about you tell me a thing or two about him? Also, why do I feel like you also don't care about others at all but only yourselves? "Let me guess, even if there was something that is imprisoned there, it's yours and whoever is behind you, enemy. So, that person behind you decided to lock it in the mortal sky heaven using some gullible idiots who want to live forever. "Or I'm absolutely wrong, and you guys do have good intentions. But now that I think about it, I guess I cherish my own life more than that of some stranger. In the end, I'm just a cowardly thief…"