Eternal Thief

Just as Ace’s voice trailed off, Patriarch Empty Dream’s startling voice rang, “What? You know about the Psyche Invasion?”

‘So, that technique’s name was Psyche Invasion, huh? It seemed my blind arrow indeed hit the mark.’ Ace’s eyes shimmered with ecstasy.

From the moment he discovered Patriarch Empty Dream’s presence here, he couldn’t help but remember the first time he met with the Patriarch, and he tried to infiltrate his knowledge sea in the sham of sharing knowledge with him.

If not for the system, his secrets would be revealed without even him knowing it.

But, right now, Ace also has Mind Stealing job mission that has similarities to Patriarch Empty Dream’s Psyche Invasion, and he might get some insight from it.

That’s why he set all this up and revealed his real purpose at the end. So, Patriarch Empty Dream won’t sense anything amiss. Even if he did, with a soul contract in the place he won’t think Ace would try to harm him or dare to play any tricks.

Furthermore, Ace revealed the Psyche Invasion’s key function. That could only be known by others if Patriarch Empty Dream told them himself or if someone had the same inheritance.

This would make it even more convincing for Ace to trick Patriarch Empty Dream into revealing this technique to him.

He respectfully said, “Senior, your third soul piece promised me when I reached this realm, I can learn this technique from any of your soul pieces as long as I reveal this function. Or I would never know such an astonishing technique even exists in this world.

“Furthermore, your last part might be in the devil race’s territory, so I need this technique even more than ever. The devil race is innately a race proficient in the soul. It would be extremely hard to get information from them with a normal soul search.” He sounded determined and righteous!

Patriarch Empty Dream’s soul piece felt silent hearing this. No matter what he thinks, there wasn’t any loophole in Ace’s description. He never even considered Ace could have come in contact with his clan’s inheritance which was in his traitorous disciple’s hand, and he would never let someone like Ace even close to it.

“Child, I don’t know if you’re just lucky or you’ve already known that I only have the complete memories of Psyche Invasion in this soul piece. Furthermore, you stated the fact that the devil race is innately a soul race, and this secret soul cultivation art would be extremely helpful against them.” Patriarch Empty Dream spoke in acknowledgment which made Ace’s heartbeat quicken slightly.

He knew he had succeeded in tricking the Old Ghost Empty Dream!

​ “It seemed my third soul piece had already foreseen this, and that’s why he promised to teach you Psyche Invasion. I’ll be fulfilling this promise now. Don’t resist.”

Just as Patriarch’s voice trailed off, Ace saw a green glob of mist coming his way. He was extremely familiar with this misty glob and let it enter between his eyebrows.

“Oh, it seemed you have received memories from me before. I’m relieved now.” Patriarch’s old voice rang again with relief.

‘Heh, your action told another story, though. Still wanted to see my memories. I guess some things never change with Old Ghost Empty Dream.’ Ace sneered inwardly when he saw the expected notification.

<strong>======</strong>

<strong>[System detects foreign memories and a wisp of foreign Soul Sense invading hoist’s Knowledge Sea!]</strong>

—

<strong>[Countermeasure(s)]  </strong>

<strong>1. Eliminate the Soul Sense and kept the memories?</strong>

<strong>Effect: The Infiltrator’s Soul will suffer damage according to the Soul Sense strength!</strong>

<strong>Price: 10,000 TP</strong>

<strong>2. Eliminate the Soul Sense without any backlash?</strong>

<strong>Effect: The Infiltrator won’t suffer any kind of soul damage!</strong>

<strong>Price: 100,000 TP</strong>

<strong>3. Create an Illusionary Knowledge Sea.</strong>

<strong>Effect: The Infiltrator would see anything they wanted to see in the illusionary knowledge sea according to his perception of the host.</strong>

<strong>Price: 5 Million TP</strong>

<strong>–</strong>

<strong>[NOTE: Select within ten seconds, or the System will automatically choose the first option!]</strong>

<strong>======</strong>

His eyes fell on the third option. ‘This third option is new and didn’t appear last time, and it’s more convenient for tricking powerful sneaky fellows like Old Ghost Empty Dream.’

A coldness crept into Ace’s eyes when he saw the first option, but then he chose the second option after thinking it wasn’t the time to burn all the bridges between him and Empty Dream.

Especially not when he was in the middle of a grade-7 formation which Empty Dream can influence as an energy core. Although he didn’t know to what extent the Empty Dream could influence it, he didn’t want to find out.

As for using the third option, he didn’t want to waste five million TP on appeasing a mere soul piece. If it was the real thing, he might’ve considered it, but not this time.

He clearly remembered last time, Empty Dream didn’t take any action despite failing twice, and this time won’t be any different. He won’t dare to turn hostile just because he can’t read Ace’s memories.

There might be various reasons like he just regained his consciousness and wasn’t strong enough to use the Psyche Invasion on Ace.

He won’t make a fuss, or it was akin to telling Ace that he just tried to read his memories.

Just as Ace selected the second option, a huge torrent of memories entered his mind and the more he processed them, the more he felt it was really worth tricking Old Ghost Empty Dream for this secret soul cultivation art.

After he processed the entire set of memories, his eyes shimmered like stars, ‘With soul probing as the foundation and this secret soul cultivation as a base, my job mission is as good as complete!’

“Why aren’t you accepting the memories?” Patriarch Empty Dream’s confused voice rang.

“Oh, I already did, Senior. Thank you very much for bestowing this priceless secret soul cultivation art on me. I won’t…”

“WAIT!” Patriarch Empty Dream’s startling voice cut Ace’s passionate speech in the midst, “You’re telling me you refine all those memories in less than a minute?!”

Ace pulled an innocent face and nodded, “Yes.”

“Impossible! Tell me the requirement of cultivating the Psyche Invasion and how many levels are in it and their names?”

Patriarch Empty Dream didn’t dare to believe that someone could refine so much information within a few seconds unless they were old monsters like him who had cultivated in soul path.

That’s why he doubted Ace was playing tricks on him.

Ace smiled and replied, “The requirements for cultivating the Psyche Invasion are Platinum Soul Embryo Realm, Platinum Soul Search Skill, the Soul Sense Diffuse & Infuse, and Knowledge Sea Conundrum. These skills you imparted with the Psyche Invasion.

“Then there are three levels of Psyche Invasion, Knowledge Sea Surface Invasion, Knowledge Sea Deep Invasion, and Knowledge Sea Depth Invasion. Is that all, Senior? Please guild me if I miss something?” Ace humbly bowed with a wily glint in his eyes.

“C-correct! How did you do it?!” Patriarch Empty Dream’s voice quavered this time in disbelief.

“I don’t know. I had just this ability from birth.” Ace feigned.

“It seemed you weren’t just chosen on a whim by my first soul piece. You’re indeed full of surprises. Humanity should be proud to give birth to a heavenly genius like you, who is righteous and valiant.” Patriarch Empty Dream praise.

However, Ace suddenly sensed that Patriarch Empty Dream was trying to suppress his excitement for some reason and covering it with these praises.

‘I’ll destroy the soul contract between him and me the moment I leave. Who knows what kind of scheme this old ghost is hatching? He might track me down with this soul contract as well.

‘But this also means the moment I destroy this soul contract. He won’t be able to find me or tell who I am as long as my disguising ability outclass him. As for those two soul wisps, I’ll bury them in my thief’s space. Even his ancestor won’t be able to find them!’

Ace set up his mind and also made a mental note to be wary of those contracts he signed in the future.

“Alright, since we’re done here, I’ll help you leave on the other side. It’s your fortune that I wake up, or you’ll be entering an extremely powerful scanning formation the moment you leave with that ring. It’s part of this formation.

“At that time, your disguise item won’t be able to hide your racial aura, and you’ll be caught. I have to admit this formation is really a piece of work. It seemed it was created by my traitorous disciple!” Patriarch Empty Dream sneered coldly.

Ace’s heart palpitated when he heard this. ‘Well, I could’ve still escaped. But it’s good if I can save my life-saving trump cards.’ He mused.

But Patriarch Empty Dream didn’t know about this, so he blurted, “Thank you, senior, I will definitely find that last soul piece and revive you.”

This time Empty Dream didn’t even hesitate to say, and his voice was filled with boundless confidence, “Heh, I know you will!”