Eternal Thief

Ace scan through the manual of the Heavenly Rune Crafter calmly. 

The Heavenly Rune Crafting was heavenly because after learning it, Ace can use the Heavenly Soul Qi for rune crafting as well as normal worldly qi. 

If he would've learned any local methods for rune crafting, he simply can't become a rune crafter because his soul qi was heavenly soul qi! 

Ace finally understands just how beneficial soul cultivation truly is and feels quite blessed to begin a soul cultivator. Because without soul qi no one can become a Rune Crafter and only soul cultivators can possess soul qi. 

The heavenly rune crafter foundational manual was divided into five separate parts. Each part was very important and linked to the other and with missing even one, rune crafting was impossible. 

The first part was the Runic Eyes, a foundational eye technique for a Rune Crafter. It was divided into three levels, Runic Manifest Eyes, Runic Analysis Eyes, and Runic Evaluation Eyes. 

After mastering all three levels, one can see, analyze, and appraise the rune symbols. Without this kind of technique, it is impossible because they were made of the soul qi.

It was not like Ace's true and false eyes or the soul-shattering eyes that can find flaws in the rune symbols, arrays, and formations. It was a true rune crafting technique.

Eyes techniques were the essence of rune crafting and without learning one, you are just blind in this field. Every rune crafter has one special eye technique for rune symbols.

One has to know in this entire continent only ancient sects have skills for crafting. Or Pill Flame Organization in lower lands! This is just how rare and important soul qi users were.

The second part was the technique for controlling the soul qi, called the Runic Soul Manipulation Technique,which has twelve levels.

The techniques for controlling soul qi were used to skillfully control the soul qi while crafting the rune symbols. Because rune crafting was a very delicate process, and just by a tiny bit of mistake, the entire array or formation would be ruined!   

The third part was Basic Myriad Rune Symbols Encyclopedia.As the name suggests, it was a complete encyclopedia on every basic or foundational rune symbol and its structures. 

The fourth part was Basic Myriad Runic Structural Encyclopedia. 

In this encyclopedia, there was complete instruction on how to combine different basic rune symbols into arrays or formations, the materials needed, and information on how much qi control one needed to crafter a basic rune symbol perfectly!

The final and fifth part was the Heavenly Rune Crafting technique. When one master the first four basics, this technique is used for crafting and it has twelve levels.

Perception, Control, Comprehension, Structure, and Crafting was the five-foundation principal of Rune Crafting.

Last but not least, there were twelve tiers describe in the foundational manual of Rune Crafter before Grade One. Just like this world nine mortal ranks of rune crafters. 

Tier-1 Rune Crafter is the lowest, while Tire-12 Rune Crafter is the highest. 

As for the grade one rune crafting, the foundational manual didn't have any information about this grade. It was, after all, just fundaments of rune crafting for grooming a grade one rune crafter after the person mastered it completely. 

'Sigh…' 

Ace sighed in amazement as his eyes shine with intense interest. He just wanted to immerse himself into learning this remarkable rune crafting. But control his excitement because this wasn't the time or place for it. 

Besides, he can't learn any five of the basic principles without the element soul qi! 

It truly frustrates him but it did not discourage him and asked, "System, if my cultivation advanced, will I be able to use heavenly soul qi just like soul probing?"

He wanted to hear yes because if he can't then the soul-shattering eyes were his only option. 

"[No, Heavenly Soul Qi of Element is too much for the host body to handle.]" 

Ace smile bitterly as he said after suppressing his disappointment, "How many EXP will I get after converting every pill and herb in my thief's space?"

"[System has a suggestion.]"

Ace narrowed his eyes because this was not the emotionless voice of the system. "What kind of suggestion?" 

"[Save the medicinal herbs they are used in heavenly rune crafting.]" 

Ace was stunned as he swallowed hard because he did not know about this aspect of rune crafting since he can't open any of the encyclopedias.

"System, just use the pill in calculation!" Ace immediately change his command.

=======

"[Starting the calculating…]"

[All the pills in thief's space can be converted into 30 Million EXP]

[Did you want to proceed with the conversion?]

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A smile creeps out on Ace's face, "Proceed." 

He quickly wanted to increase his cultivation because, by doing so, he can use soul-shattering eyes more easily. At least that is what he thought.

======

"[Conversion Complete!]"

[30 Million EXP has been added to Host status]

[Congratulation host on reaching the High Stage of Heavenly Foundation Building]

[Host status has been updated]"

======

Ace quickly closed his eyes because, just like the last time, a huge flood of heavenly qi explode out from the dark void and the heavenly qi circulates his dark meridians.

But this time, the rotation of the heavenly qi wasn't just stopped at nine, but the qi circulates ninety-nine times before entering the dark void again and turns into HD-Qi. 

The HD-Qi enters the nine dark foundation slates surrounding the dark void. Those dark slates begin to rapidly expand again. 

When the HD-Qi was absorbed, they have expanded by nine-hundred percent! Now they were nine-hundred square meters in size. 

Those pitch-black foundation plates now looked like some large, dark lands. This was truly a tremendous leap this time!

Ace opens his eyes, and the dullness in them has lessened after his breakthrough. He smiled ecstatically, 'I feel much better now.'

He looked at his Martial Cultivation Column because he was confused about why this many EXP only help him reached the High Stage of Heavenly Foundation Building, not Peak.   

====

[Martial Cultivation: Heavenly Foundation Building {High-Stage}]

{EXP: 29.95 Million/50 Million}

====

Ace take a deep breath in astonishment because if he remembered correctly from mid to high stage, he only needed one million EXP. But now he needed fifty million to reach the Peak Stage of Heavenly Foundation! 

At this moment, the system's voice sounded again, 

=======

"[Soul Probing 15% Power has been unsealed!]"

[Host can now probe the soul of Middle Stage Qi Foundation Building Cultivators and the time limits of soul probing have also increased to two hours a day]

---

"[Light Element Qi {Martial & Soul} has been unlocked.]"

[Light Element Qi: The ability to freely use worldly light element qi of both martial and soul type!] 

[Limitation: Host can only use any type of Qi {Martial or Soul} for 24 hours and has to stop for 48 hours.] 

=======

"W-what?" Ace shout out loud as he was bewildered after hearing about the light qi. 

This was the same reward he gets about absorbing the light elemental orb. But never get to use it or didn't know how to. 

Yet, now the system has unlocked it on its own and this was an immense advantage for him because he can use element qi of both soul and body at the same time in the heavenly foundation realm!

Even with that limitation of one-day use and two-day intervals, it was enough for him to do many things in twenty-four hours, as he can now learn rune crafting! 

He knew it was not the heavenly element qi but still; it was the element qi, and it was written in the manual's instruction that Ace can use any type of element soul qi as long as he has it while rune crafting.

It will decrease the crafted rune symbols effect by fifty percent and the symbols will be imperfect compare with the rune symbols crafted by the heavenly soul qi that can become perfect rune symbol!   

However, Ace didn't care as long as he can learn only that eye technique first level. It was enough for him to at least see the hidden rune symbol in this barren-looking place.

Ace has to wait before using the light qi because his soul wasn't in optimal condition right now. 

However, Ace didn't notice at this moment, in this silent and dark place, something was observing him with great interest! 

In the depth of low sky border formation, an ancient husky voice mumbled, "How did this child tear a hole in this formation? How many years has it been since I saw someone alive entering this place."

There was a hint of astonishment in this voice and yearning for something. 

"But this child is quite bizarre. He was clearly at the mid-stage just two days ago and his soul was also somewhat weak, but how did he manage to breakthrough in the high stage with a soul injury?"

But alas, Ace didn't even hear or felt this presence and for the first time, he was completely in dark!!