Eternal Thief

The Flame City was of Leap Kingdom wasn't as magnificent as its counterpart in the Damien Kingdom, nevertheless, it was the biggest city of Leap Kingdom, and it was the den of pill business. 

There was only one Blue Alchemist in this city, and he was also the overseer of this place, a Pill Master. There also wasn't any Flame Palace in this city, but there was a Pill Mansion.

Furthermore, there wasn't any token requirement for entry, but the entry fee was off the charts and alchemists here charge an arm and leg for their services, but no one dare to complain.

However, at this moment, the flame city was under tight security, and entry was only given to merchants who had shops in the city, no one else. 

At this moment, a large caravan filled with different cargoes entered the flame city, after a throughout-search. However, no one seemed to notice or see a person in the hood laying leisurely on top of a carriage roof. 

'Finally, inside.' Ace opened his shut eyes with a faint smile. 

He was using this method for quite a while now because in stealth those inferior treasures were no longer a threat to him after his big breakthrough. 

'I should do it after my breakthrough.' 

Ace decided since it was already dawn, and he was a 'night player', besides, he was on the verge of a breakthrough in tier-1 rune crafter. He was looking forward to it for a long time, and he can't wait to unlock and study the Basic-Talisman Crafting Technique!

With a thought, Ace's trainee hood started to change into a long black trench coat while the hood merged on the back creating a 'V' shape golden necklace on the coat back and the embroidered owl vanished without a trace.   

Ace was quite satisfied with this system reward since he could change it into anything he liked as long as he could imagine it, but it had to be a coat, though.

Furthermore, it can't get dirty and dust seemed to don't even touched its fiber, and don't forget about the self-repair function. 

Although it didn't have any defensive features, just these few qualities made it irreplaceable in Ace's heart. 

After Ace was done with his makeover, he found a random Inn and rent the largest room available. 

He set many formations in the room before taking out many Rune Crafting Equipment like rune crafting brush, a special jade table for crafters, runic plates, and many ingredients such as herbs, and ores. He engrossed himself in rune crafting. 

With a serious expression, Ace picked up a blank runic plate and place it in the center of the Jade Table.

After that he pick up the exquisite foot-long blue brush which was a six-star runic treasure, he 'got' it from the storage ring of that lady rune crafter. 

However, if one looked carefully at the exquisite brush, one could see many small cracks as if it was on the verge of breaking. It was because of Ace's heavenly soul Qi; these treasures can't endure his Heavenly Soul Qi for much longer before breaking.

This gave Ace a headache, and he could only put his hopes on the system shop. He knew eventually the system might sell him a rune crafting brush or who knows he might get it as a reward for reaching tier one, he just had to wait and see. 

Ten orange soul Qi threads were released from the brush's head and with his meticulous control, those soul threads skewer eight different herbs and two ores. 

Ace suddenly released a large amount of soul Qi and his ten soul threads started to engross those skewer ingredients like a glob of orange mass. The very next moment thereafter, strange ashes rose from those orange globs like steam. 

After a few seconds, the ash stem stopped, Ace, controlled those globs and slowly started to combine them one by one in a special order.

Strangely, the orange glob didn't enlarge after mixing, on the contrary, it shrunk! 

After all the globs were mixed, only a thumb-size glob remained. 

With no hesitation, Ace stabbed the brush tip into the small orange glob, and when he retraced it the white brush head was black as if it was dipped into ink! Furthermore, the orange glob was reduced in size!

This was the Heavenly Rune Crafting technique first level which further broke into three steps; Cleansing, Order Combination, and Ink Condensing!

With a solemn expression, Ace moved the runic brush which was completely enveloped in his soul Qi on the runic plate. With each brushstroke, a deep black cut would appear on the blank runic plate as if it was a knife cut, not just a mere brushstroke. 

Ace quickly create a Wind symbol and the ink was completely exhausted. He didn't stop and again dip the brush in the condensed ink glob, and after the second time; it was only left for one last dip. 

He created the fire symbol right below the wind symbol, which exhausted the ink again. With the last dip, the ink glob was completely gone. 

Ace started to create the last and a new type of symbol which wasn't an element symbol because it was an auxiliary rune from Basic Myriad Runic Structural Encyclopedia which was used for combining the two symbols. 

He always failed on this step, but today he was determined to complete it!

As his hand moved like lightning, many small ant-like symbols were formed, creating a small chain-like impression between two element symbols! 

When the auxiliary symbol was complete, the brush in Ace's hand finally couldn't take it anymore and shattered. 

But, Ace didn't even notice it as his entire focus was on the runic plate, which was shining brightly as its color kept changing between red and blue. And only stopped when it turned completely purple. 

Ace's eyes shimmered with elation when he saw the jade-like purple runic plate, "I finally succeed!" 

However, before he could celebrate any further, the runic plate began to wither at a fast pace and the next moment it completely turned to dust! 

"What happened?" Ace frowned with befuddlement.