Mirage Shadow stood outside the closed door of Aceâs room, maintaining the sealed barrier. Although she was curious, she didnât dare to peek inside, and was extremely vigilant as if she was protecting the Dread Duchess.
On the other hand, the guards of the Khazarâs castle couldnât detect anything because they werenât at Mirage Shadowâs level, not to mention even a Grand Lord would have difficulty sensing Mirage Shadowâs presence!
At this moment, the closed door suddenly opened, and Ace walked out under Mirage Shadowâs startled look.
As for how Ace walked out of her barrier, its purpose was to seal outsiders from entering, and it wouldnât stop those who wanted to come out. Zaria evaluated the barrierâs nature, having seen a similar one in the past.
Ace, without waiting for Mirage Shadowâs reaction, curtly said, "Thank you for your trouble, senior. Letâs go, we are done here. Oh, and donât put down this barrier for at least five minutes if possible."
Mirage Shadow was bewildered because Aceâs action was too unpredictable. Not only did he come here without any reason, but now he wanted to leave all of a sudden, which was extremely strange and suspicious.
âCould it be his target to come here was this place all this time? But what could an esteemed Abyssal King want from here? Or they were meeting here because itâs much safer and ambiguous?â
Mirage Shadowâs thoughts ran wild for a moment before she quickly suppressed her curiosity since this matter wasnât something she could interfere with.
"As your order, young lord." Mirage Shadow accepted Aceâs command and hid in his shadow again.
Ace was secretly relieved before he smiled faintly and left the hallway to meet Khazar. After all, the reason for his âvisitâ was already achieved, so thereâs no need to stay here any longer, especially for Mirage Shadow.
The hallway fell back to serene silence, and the barrier on Aceâs room stayed activated for five minutes before it vanished without any trace.
After a moment of silence, the roomâs door crept open again, and two dark figures made their way towards the depths of the castle with stealthy movements.
"Iâll be relying on you."
Ace, as his Avatar of Holy Twilight, used spirit transmission.
"Hmph. Although Iâm being suppressed, this level of formation is still not enough to restrain me if I want to escape. However, are you sure itâs a good move to do âitâ? Wonât your cover blow up if something happened here right after you left?
" Zaria coldly inquired with a hint of uncertainty.
Aceâs lips rose as he replied,
"Donât worry too much. By the time someone suspects anything, I would be long gone from the Obsidian Myriad Kingdom. Not to mention, your main plan wonât start for some time.
"So, even if Khazar suspects anything, he wonât have any proof to point his finger at me, not to mention he wonât dare to offend someone close to Dread Duchess after we are done with him. He would be too busy saving his own skin instead of antagonizing the Dread Duchessâs guests.
"Moreover, the Black Hermit City is very close to another Evernight Dukeâs territory, so weâll be going there after the deed is done. No one would be able to find our traces.
"For now, you need exposure and house points to complete the abyss mission series requirements. This will give you both, and you might not even need to make another move in this first abyss mission anymore, giving you more time to re-cultivate.
"For now, weâll use your Ascension Lord realm cultivation to the fullest, and take the entire Black Hermit City as a debut platform for you, the newest family member of the Thief House!"
Zariaâs lip twitched slightly as she felt a peculiar feeling in her heart and warmth when Ace called her âfamilyâ, but she didnât show it and scoffed,
"You better not slow me down, or I wonât care if this is your avatar, Iâll abandon you!"
Ace chuckled,
"You donât need to worry about me. Oh, anyway, do you think of your Thief Name and what kind of thief symbol you want to use? After all, your thief symbol and name are directly connected with your fame."
Zariaâs cat eyes flashed with a hint of excitement as she replied without hesitatio
n, "I have already decided it, and I bet itâll be even more imposing than yours, not to mention famous!"
Ace didnât retort and only smiled mysteriously as he nodded,
"Iâm looking forward to it."
---
On the other hand, when Ace returned to Khazarâs audience hall and asked to see the city lord immediately, the city lordâs smile faltered the instant he heard the news.
However, when he came to the hall, Aceâs words almost made him fall as Ace bluntly said with an apologetic tone, "Lord Khazar, I must apologize. Something urgent has come up. I wonât be able to stay for todayâs banquet."
For the first time since their meeting, the abyssal devilâs face stiffened. His mind immediately spun into overdrive.
âHeâs leaving? Already? Did I offend him somehow? Did he dislike the cultivation room? Was my butler too cold? Or... could it be the Duchess gave him other orders?â
Panic gnawed at Khazarâs pride. To welcome a guest from the Dread Duchessâs teleportation channel, only to see him leave so suddenly. If Nomad left with displeasure, it could spell disaster for his standing in Myriad Hollow.
But before his fears could take root, Aceâs voice cut through them, calm and solemn, "Please rest assured, Lord Khazar. This matter isnât your fault, nor is it related to your hospitality. I truly enjoyed the cultivation room and your arrangements. Itâs simply something unavoidable I must deal with."
He paused deliberately, letting his words weigh in the air before adding with quiet gravity, "I promise, when my affairs are settled, I will definitely return and share a drink with Lord Khazar himself."
The subtle sincerity in Aceâs tone eased the coiled tension in Khazarâs chest. Though reluctant, the city lord finally exhaled, his lips curving into a relieved smile.
"If that is the case, Lord Nomad, then this Khazar wonât press further. But know thisâwhile you are in the Black Hermit City, should you require
anything
, you may contact me directly. My doors will always be open to you."
Ace inclined his head faintly, his hood concealing the faint amusement in his eyes. "Then I will remember your kindness."
With that, he turned and left the castle. The gates groaned shut behind him, and Khazar was left alone in the hall, muttering to himself, "Letâs hope I didnât miss my chance... or worse, invite misfortune!"