If it was any other time, Vance would've ignored these little details and didn't even bother to talk with the people of this barren place much less with a third gate brat. 

However, Vance was quite dispirited for more than a year and keep being defeated by that cunning thieving bastard and this makes him take notice of every detail around him. 

And this fellow in front of him was nothing but suspicious! 

'What is the chancing of me getting to bump into that rat?' Vance thought bitterly and knew it was almost night impossible, but he couldn't help but think this way. 

Vance might give up on the surface, but in his heart, he still wanted to find Ace. Now, he would kill a hundred innocent then letting that scoundrel live! 

Vance saw Javier's frightening face and his eyes turn sharp. 'Let's try our luck, shall we? If I was wrong, I just killed an insignificant ant.'

'Not good.' Ace's heart sank because he could sense Vance is going to attack, and it was also a kind of test. 

The surrounding temperature rose at a tremendous pace as Vance's aura skyrocket!

Ace wanted to stand still but when he saw crimson qi gathering around Vance's hand, his heart jolt because that crimson qi was the fire element qi! 

'This mad old man wanted to use element qi of Qi River realm on a third gate junior???' Ace cursed, but he didn't have time to think anymore because Vance has already sent a blazing palm directly towards his head. 

Ace's eyes also turn cold. This old man was just too vicious! 

Ace didn't know who this guy was and what he wanted. But one thing was clear, he didn't want him to live just because of some mere suspicion. 

He quickly activates lightning steps with full power and hurriedly dodges the upcoming palm with lightning-like movement. 

'wooosshhhh'

Just by a hair, Ace manage to evade that palm, but he knew that old didn't use his full power, or he might've lost an arm! 

Vance was startled first, but the next moment his eyes shone venomously, "Hahaha…, only that mysterious thief can pull something like this in the entire low lands!" 

Ace's face behind the mask fell and finally understand just what this old man was after. 'Is he also with that group??'

He wanted to persevere but heard Vance's voice filled with excitement, "You're him, right?!?"

Ace pretend to be confused and breathed, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Vance's grin becomes wide with joy. "Oh, you didn't know? Then how did you dodge my attack even when you're weak like an ant?" 

Ace take a deep breath and knew this old guy was difficult to fool. It was useless to try talking now, and he thinks of a way out of this situation without revealing too much since Vance still had his doubts about him. 

But the gap in power between him and Vance was just too great. It was almost suicide try fighting with him. His only option was to the lightning steps because it is the only skill that can outrun this old man if he didn't use stealth with it. 

Because whenever he uses two skills simultaneously, ten percent will decree the power of each skill. That's why Vance was able to sense and caught up to him so quickly before because he was using breathless stealth with lightning steps together. 

But first, he had to make this old man a little powerless somehow, and it doesn't matter if he exposes himself by doing so.

"It was a lifesaving skill of my predecessors." Ace calmly said.

Vance sneered as he said hatefully, "Still wanted to pretend? Good, very good, you truly are stubborn, just as my niece describes you to be!"

Javier's face didn't show any expression and speak any further, as if he didn't know what Vance was saying, but real Ace frowned. 

"What? Did you already forget about Dulce? The same girl who destroyed your hometown, and also the same girl who you rob!" Vance's voice was filled with hatred in the end. 

Ace finally knows just why this old man is so hellbent on finding him, 'Golden Hammered Kingdom!' A hint of killing intent flashed past his eyes. 

How could he forget that bitch? He vowed to destroy her entire kingdom one day to avenge river flower city. 

Vance still didn't get any reaction from Javier's, but he didn't give up. "I'm also from the golden hammered kingdom, and you could also say I was the one who sent Dulce here." 

Ace could feel this old man was gathering his qi into his finger, 'Cunning bastard.'

He had some idea what this guy was planning and instantly used lightning steps to sprint at full speed and pull some distance between himself and Vance instantly. Because staying in one place was too risky. 

Vance was shocked, he was going to use a powerful formation barrier similar to Dulce's and lock this place so that guy can't escape. 

Because he wasn't sure how that little fellow pulls a speed almost equal to his, but would not take any chances. 

If his guy was truly the actual thief and not just a random guy who just possessed a real lifesaving skill, then he can't let him escape either after he found him by luck. 

Besides, he didn't use his full strength before just for the sake of not killing him instantly because if this guy was not Ace, then his skill was alone, not bad of a compensation. 

Vance didn't delay and quickly chase after Javier. 

Ace was observing Vance and instantly felt the old guy's speed was equal to his own. His expression was ominous, but he's not going to just sit there and let Vance capture him so easily. 

Besides, Ace held an advantage now!

It stunned Vance because no matter how much he chases, he can't lessen the distance between them, and what makes him truly confused was Ace's speed wasn't decreasing at all. 

Because if he was really at the third gate, then this life-saving would long be exhausted his qi, but he didn't seem too tired at all.

Vance's eyes sharpen because before he has some doubts, but now his conjecture was becoming stronger. This guy was not normal as it seems. 

Since Vance wasn't able to catch up normally, this didn't mean he didn't have any other methods at all. 'I should use Azure Agility Pill.' 

Vance was an azure alchemist, which alone give him an immense advantage over other normal cultivators. He had abandons of pills that he refine himself and all were high-quality ones.

He sends little qi in his finger as he wanted to take this azure agility pill out of the storage ring. But to his surprise, the pill didn't appear.

Vance's expression finally change and quickly looked at his ring finger where a white storage ring was just a couple of moments ago.

Now, on his ring finger was nothing. The storage ring had been stolen, and he didn't even feel it! 

There was a strange dark bird mark has appeared where his ring was, but he didn't have time to ponder over it and completely ignored it.

Vance's face fell, and his eyes turn bloodshot because there is only one person in the entire low lands who can steal the storage ring under his damn nose and that was, "SKY STEALER! I FINALLY FOUND YOU!!!!"   

Ace heard Vance's furious yet excited voice from behind and instantly knew this old man has finally found out about his stolen storage ring. 

Ace decided to steal the ring the moment he found out this old man wanted to kill him. He takes advantage of the moment Vance was busy probing him and uses the soul threads to pickpocket his storage ring.

By doing this, Vance would become a tiger without teeth, and Ace finally overruns Vance. 

And Ace's analysis was right because, without the pills and his treasures, Vance can only use the Qi he had and can't recover with restoration pills. This gave Ace a tremendous advantage over him. 

But at this moment Vance didn't seem to realize it as his mind was filled with resentment and enthusiasm for founding out Ace. 

"You bastard, give everything back you stole, and I might torture you less!" He roared. 

Ace was speechless hearing Vance's merciful' words and sneered disdainfully, "You're just like that bitch, too damn honest!" 

He continued to use the Lightning Steps without even care for Vance, who seem on the verge of exploding in anger.

"I'll make you regret even being born in this world!" Thick blood veins pop out on Vance's forehead as he ground his teeth in hatred.

It was just too damn frustrated; he could finally find that thieving bastard, and he was just in front of him, but he can't catch him now.

Vance's facial expression was hysterical, but he wasn't going to let that thief escape even if it means tiring himself to death!