Recognizing Rylan's signal, no one dares to make a sound anymore.
In this taciturnity, an old man in his sixties walking towards the center of the stage came into everyone's view. He was an elder of the Grant family Ezekiel Grant.
Ezekiel has a mild smile on his old face while greeting everyone in the venue, "Ladies and Gentlemen welcome to my Grant Family Meeting of the Younger Generation. Let's start the evaluation process right away." He didn't dare to spout useless nonsense and directly start the meeting because Rylan didn't like wasting time.
Rylan seldomly shows his face because he was always focusing on cultivation and wanted to reach the Qi Foundation Building Realm as quickly as possible. Most of the time these kinds of matters were handled by Caden. But this time, it was his youngest son, Felix's last meeting therefore he attended this event.
That's also why so many important characters came this time, to show their loyalty and support.
It was all because Rylan was the second strongest man after the City Lord in the River Flower City! Once he breakthrough into the next realm, he would be an existence, at the same level as the City Lord.
Many families who can't curry favor with the Layton Family came here to jump on Grant Family ship while Rylan was still weak.
Ezekiel address loudly, "Let me explain the rules to everyone quickly. First, only the youngsters at the age of 18 and below can participate in the competition. Second, every junior will get only signal chance to evaluate by this 'White Cultivation Measuring Crystal'."
As he said he pointed towards the white crystal beside him. This 'White Cultivation Measuring Crystal' can measure cultivation below Qi Foundation Building Realm.
"Third after the evaluation, the top 3 to 10 rank participants can challenge First and Second Ranked but only single times! If anyone can beat participants in the first or second rank, they can take their places and loser can't challenge the winner." He declared distinctly.
"There is a total of Forty-Two participants in this meeting. We will start from the youngest of these forty-two participants." Ezekiel announced as he shifts his focus towards participants.
A little boy who seems to be 12 years old starts to walk towards the stage nervously under everyone's curious gazes. He was clearly the youngest of them all.
This little boy moved towards the white cultivation measuring crystal tensely. This was his first meeting.
Ezekiel said in a soothing tone, after seeing the Boy's nervousness, "Boy don't worry, just place your hands on The Measuring Crystal and pour your Qi in it. After we'll see what your cultivation level is, Now go!"
That little boy take a deep breath and placed his hands on the crystal, and pour his Qi. The next moment something magical happened, the white transparent crystal suddenly starts to shine brightly and a single little gate begins to form. That gate was light yellow in color.
"1st Gate of the Qi Gates Realm, Low!" Ezekiel announced while nodded in satisfaction.
Ezekiel calls with a smile, "Next!"
This cultivation measuring crystal can change into five different colors gate that symbolizes Qi Gates Realm Five Self-Gates. The Yellow Color for 1st Gate, Orange for 2nd Gate, Green for 3rd Gate, Brown for 4th Gate, and Golden for 5th Gate.
As for Low, Middle, and High that depends on the color depth. The brighter your realm gate is the higher your final evaluation.
Since the measuring crystal just showed a light yellow gate it meant this body just recently open the 1st Gate. If he was close to breakthrough or at the peak of 1st Gate the color that crystal shows would be the brightest yellow.
The little boy smiled with pride, after all, he was only 12 and already a cultivator. He was not here for the prize and only here to show off his talent.
Ace saw all of it and was quite fascinated by that white crystal. He didn't think one can measure cultivation just like that as well. Now, he really wanted to go to the stage and test his own Heavenly Cultivation! He wanted to see if that thing can measure heavenly qi or not.
One has to know after all his efforts, Ace was now at the peak of the 1st Gate of Heavenly Gates. He just needs some experience and insight to open the 2nd Gate.
Ace wasn't amused by that toy anymore and was ready to begin his 'work' after watching the next participant was heading towards the stage.
When everyone's attention was focus on that participant, Ace closed his eyes.
Swiftly, formless fine threads of Soul Qi begin to eject from each finger of his right hand. These threads were dancing around his finger like puppet strings. He manipulates these strings with Soul Qi and like arrows, these five strings shot towards the standing participants besides the stage.
No one can see or sense these threads if they aren't soul cultivators or their martial cultivation base is higher than Ace by two whole realms.
Ace called these fine threads, 'Soul Threads'.
Soul Threads were formed by his formless wind soul core!
Of course, he got this brilliant idea from the pick-pocket skill.
Since the pick-pocket skill can form One Qi Thread and move it with Qi as well. Ace tries to form these threads with soul Qi and he succeeds effortlessly. it was like these threads were just mere random tricks that he can perform with the Heaven Stealer Technique anytime.
Ace was awed by the Heaven Stealer Technique that the system gives him, it was like he can do anything with it as long as he can imagine it.
All the 'Soul Threads' wrapped around five contestants' waists.
Ace instantly activate the mid-level pick-pocket skill that he practiced all this month. Pick-Pocket's instantly active but this time it didn't form any new thread and was directly engaged on those already formed soul threads.
Just like that, the soul threads vanished and Ace felt the bag in his hand become a little bit heavy.
He grins widely, 'It's too damn easy this way!' He was happy since he robbed five people at the same time without any quandary and no one even notices him.
After his first completion, Ace became like some professional thief, and whenever a new participant moves towards the stage, he would take advantage of these disturbances and steal!
After two hours every participant except Gracie, Felix, and Ruben were done with their cultivation measuring test.
Ace was a little listless since soul threads take quite a toll on his soul and mind, although his eyes were shining brightly as he was looking at the system's black panel.
========
"[Pick Pocket Succeed]
[Host Steal: 62 trash grade pills (half white grade), and 12,184 ruby coins.]
{Rewards: 12 Thief Points (TP)}"
[Thief Points (TP): 52]
========
Ace spends 2 hours stealing all these and now only Felix and Ruben were left. He was a little perplexed and didn't use his skill on them. The reason was he was afraid they would notice something since they were closest to him.
"Number three sister now it's your's turn," Ruben speaks for the first time with a tantalizing tone. Since Caden was here he can't tease her too much.
"Humph!" Gracie only grunted vexedly and move towards the stage. She didn't even glance at him.
Ezekiel didn't dare to treat Gracie like all the other juniors and quickly escort her by himself. She has an extremely high status in Grant's family and besides, a very bad reputation of being unruly.
"Young Miss please," Ezekiel gestured respectfully.
All the audience went silent, they also know who this young girl was.
Caden smiles gently after seeing Gracie appearing on the stage. She was his only child and he was very fond of her. That's why he always spoiled her and didn't punish her for her blunders.
Gracie didn't greet Ezekiel like others, she didn't even seem to notice him. She only looked towards her father and smiled sweetly.
She suddenly turns around and smiles coldly towards Ruben.
Ruben was started and a very bad feeling arose in his heart after seeing that stiff smile.
Gracie slowly placed her hands on the crystal and pour her Qi.
The Cultivation Measuring Crystal begins to glow and a Light-Orange Gate was formed. "2nd Gate of Qi Gates Realm, Low! Congratulation miss on reaching the 2nd Gate at such a young age." Ezekiel announced loudly.
"This young miss of Grant's family really is a genius."
The crowd also begins to exclaim in shock.
"Master Caden congratulation on having such a talented daughter!"
Those family heads sitting beside Caden start to congratulate him warmheartedly.
"You All are too the kind, that little girl works hard on her own I didn't do much." Caden smiled ear to ear as he replied. He straightened his chest with a face full of pride.
Opening the 2nd Gate of Muscle was very difficult if you didn't have a solid base. Some people will open the first gate early but will be stuck at this point for years.
If someone can open the second gate in 3 to 4 years after the first gate, that person considers a genius in the lands of cities.
Ace saw all this commotion and reflected disdainfully, 'My little sis has already opened the 1st Gate when she was only 7 years old and I know for sure, she has already breakthrough after her bloodline was awakened. These people here are all narrow-minded.'
Ace was thinking about his little sis when his soul sense that was locked on Roben and Felix tingle. He instantly senses Ruben's emotions became somewhat unsettled and was looking for just this kind of opportunity.
He quickly sent a soul thread towards Ruben's waist and use the pick-pocket.
Ruben didn't notice anything because his mind was messed right now for some reason.
======
"[Pick Pocket Succeed]
[Host Steal: 7 trash grade pills (half white grade), and 4904 ruby coins.]
{Rewards: 2 Thief Points}"
[Thief Points (TP): 54]
======
Ace directly heard the system voice in his head.
He didn't show his delight and stand in his position like a status, he was now only a single step away from completing Gracie's mission.
Only Felix was eft but Ace didn't want to do it because Felix was Rylan Grant's son. Furthermore, this Felix was too calm and very alert of his surroundings. He didn't show any opening.
Ace was confident in stealing Felix's money pouch but, it would definitely alert Rylan and the Grant Family in the future. And this would be quite troublesome for him.
Since he has robbed all the participants, those elders would unquestionably investigate this unnatural event. But if he steals from the Family Head Son, it was possible that Rylan would take action himself.
That's why he determined to wait for Gracie to come back and asked her if he could spare Felix.
Gracie walks back to her spot with her head high like some arrogant peacock. She sits nonchalantly beside Ruben and said meaningfully, "Former number two brother it's your turn. Heh, Heh!"
When Ruben hears, 'former' his face muscle twitch uncontrollably and a tremor runs through his body!