Ace was resting on a tree. 

He was still in the outer area of this border forest and didn't encounter any demonic beasts or humans. 

But he didn't care, and all of his attention was on rune crafting because he only got a day, so he wasn't planning on wasting even a second of it in traveling. 

The Heavenly Rune Crafter Manual was very well structured because every part was arranged in a strict order. Simply put, Ace can't just learn the runic eyes technique and start rune crafting, he has to understand every part before he could craft anything.

Now that he has already mastered a stage of runic eyes. It was time for the Runic Soul Manipulation Technique, also the second part of the manual. 

The runic soul manipulation technique has twelve levels, just like the Rune Crafter tiers. The higher level he goes, the higher his rune crafter tier will be.

'This technique is for manipulating the soul qi thoroughly while creating rune symbols.' Ace was going through the technique, 'If I messed up even a little bit, the entire symbol would be destroyed.'

Ace take a deep breath as his expression was solemn because this technique was even more difficult than runic eyes! 

He has some experience with eyes skills and that's was also the reason for his successfully mastering the first stage of runic eyes. 

However, this controlling technique was entirely new for him, well, until he saw the requirement for the first level of this technique.

"In the first level, I have to create needle-like threads with my element soul qi." Ace mumbles as an excited expression appeared on his face because this was just like forming soul threads.

"Heh, the first level is simple." Ace quickly uses the method of forming the soul threads and forms a white soul thread from his finger.

He saw the soul thread, and it was not as thin as a needle; it was as thick as a finger and his delightful expression instantly turned ugly. 

"I have to make it thinner!" A resolution flashed past Ace's eyes.   

One month pass since Ace was traveling in this thick forest and was quite close to his destination because of his high speed. 

But Ace was not looking happy at this moment and his complexion was as dark as coal because, even after an entire month, he didn't reduce the soul thread into a needle! 

It didn't mean he didn't make any progress and thinned it to as half a finger. Ace now finally understand just how difficult it was to control the element soul qi and his previous arrogance instantly shattered. 

"How could something from the system is this easy to learn?" Ace smile bitterly and keep practicing the technique wholeheartedly. 

After a week, Ace finally felt the trees were becoming lesser and lesser and knew he was not far away from the closet town to this border forest. 

"I should be able to reach this small town of the Regal Kingdom in a week." Ace murmured with a hint of excitement in his voice while looking at the map. 

He didn't know what this town's name was, but on the map; it was in the territory of this regal kingdom and this kingdom was the closest to the low sky-changing border. 

Ace was looking forward to exploring this town. After all, it was the first town where he would go after entering the middle lands. 

One thing that was worth mentioning is Ace didn't encounter any demonic beast in this large forest except some wild animals. He wanted to farm some EXP and thought since it was a forest of middle lands there were bound to be many powerful demonic beasts but disappointed in the end.

"Eva once said we can always steal from bad guys." But the next moment, a devious smile appeared on Ace's face, "Heh, but who is bad or good in this world of cultivation?"

Ace's mentality has undergone a vast change from when he first starts his journey of cultivation. If it was that little twelve years old Ace, he would never even dream of stealing from someone, even if that was a bad guy. 

But now Ace will steal in darkness from those cultivators. He will not help others like Eva want to because just helping himself was big enough for him.

"This is the world of the cultivation and almost everyone has killed or ruined someone, whether it was for their wealth, an opportunity, or their prospect. Everyone is a thief in one way or another. I'm just a real Thief!" Ace mumbles these words and his eyes shimmer with understanding. 

'This path that I chose is unknown and mysterious.' Ace thought deeply and for the first time, this notion even came to his mind. 

Nevertheless, he didn't regret choosing this path and even looked forward to exploring its mysteries.

In three days, Ace exit the border forest. After traveling for one more day, he saw a clean avenue and knew this avenue leads to the town.

After traveling for two more days, Ace spotted a tall wall and excitement filled his eyes. He has finally reached a town and this entire journey takes almost six months. 

Ace has also turned sixteen and looked more mature. But he would not enter that town with his genuine face because he didn't want anyone to see his real face. 

By doing it, he can always stay in dark and no one will ever know who this thief, sky stealer was. 

Because he was now bound to become famous and would make many enemies because he needed to raise his thief rank and knew every time he steals his thief symbol with imprinted itself on the thievery site. 

Ace already had a qi soul manifestation realm expert as an enemy and other people who know his thief's name here, especially the golden hammered and luminous kingdom. 

His enemies will eventually find out that he was still alive and in the middle-land, and once they did, they will do everything and anything to capture him, either dead or alive!