'The way to power is never easy. Huh.' Ace finally calm himself because it was not the time to blame himself for his ignorance.
"System didn't you say before that I was supposed to get Dark Void in heavenly punishment? Didn't that mean I was able to break through into the Foundation Building realm without even opening hidden gates? Then where did these elemental orbs came from?'" Transmitted Ace.
Now he was having doubts about the system as well.
No matter how much ignorant Ace was, he was by no means an idiot. Things were not going on the same way that he has imagined, most of the part was his fault but there were still things that he had no control over like the system.
Ace finally starts to pick up loopholes in the system's previous explanation.
"[System did say that before the host was deemed to get the Dark Void when he faced the heavenly turbulence. But the host has surpassed the system's expectation and get the Dark Void and open the hidden gates of darkness on his own.]
[If the host gets the Dark Void between heavenly punishment like the system has predicted then you were supposed to collect five elemental orbs of {Fire, Wind, Water, Earth, Darkness} after entering the Heavenly River Realm and open the normal or half-hidden part of the heavenly crystal body. With that host would've been able to form a Heavenly Crystal Body.]
[However, the host was able to get the Dark Void before he reached Foundation Building Realm and open the true hidden part of Heavenly Crystal Body. Now, the Host has to collect eight elemental orbs at every realm because of your outstanding performance. With eight elemental orbs host can now form a Perfect Heavenly Crystal Body.]"
System's cold voice buzzed in his mind.
Ace was speechless first and smiled bitterly. He was flattered after hearing the system calling him outstanding, but it didn't lift his sour mood because this sudden achievement was as much of a calamity as a blessing. Before he was supposed to collect five elemental orbs but now he needed eight how can he not be depressed?
'Well with danger comes benefits as well. I wonder what is different in perfect and imperfect Crystal Body.' Ace wonder as his fighting spirit raised after thinking about the benefits he will get.
Ace has a sigh of relief. His doubts towards the system vanished and he finally understands the system has always given him true information it was just that he was not sharp enough to connect the dots on his own. But what can he do system is not something he can understand or predict that easily.
Ace was now, even more, determined to become powerful and complete this 'Perfect Heavenly Crystal Body'.
So, what if he had to found three more elemental orbs, and so what if he has to be stuck in a realm because of this? He will become strong enough to search any place in this world and he will steal these elemental orbs one way or another. This was his new resolved and resolution.
Ace's mental fortitude has raised another level after going through all this ordeal.
All the big revel and talk with the system in mind only take ten seconds in the real world.
Ace was calm and collective like never before.
He saw that guardian was still standing at its spot with its many eyes were still closed as if it was waiting for something.
Suddenly, the floating orb of light that was still just a moment ago starts to spin slowly while emitting a white mist, and that open gape in that grey tree begun to close as if it was healing.
Ace nearly cursed out loud after seeing this, 'I should've expected this much from it or it won't be worthy of being the treasure that was so important to complete heavenly crystal body.'
He reflected in frustration, 'How can a treasure that was so important for heaven stealer technique this easy obtain?'
He can do nothing to watch this helplessly since that guardian was standing there like a statue, if he even moves a bit that Qi River realm guardian would instantly be able to lock on to his position.
This is the true terror of Qi River realm experts they can easily sense the flection of Qi in the atmosphere fifty meters around them. It's like a degraded version of Ace's soul sense. It was not easy to sneak up on an expert of the Qi River realm.
Ace was five hundred meters away from the guardian but he was still in Qi Gates's realm the disturbance he made in Qi by using his skills was like a bell ring in absolute silence. That's why he was helpless and only used his stealth since it was a hiding skill it didn't make any disturbance in Qi around the atmosphere.
The gape of the tree was quite big since the guardian was almost thirty meters tall but it was still filling at fast face it would be completely closed in a single minute. After that, the Elemental Orb will be extremely hard to get.
Ace was racking his brain for a solution to his problem. If he waits here and lets that orb to raised its 'shield' then that guardian would be free to search for him and at that time he would be in big trouble. He simply can't beat that thing even if he tries everything he had.
'Hmm? Wait a moment! This will work!' 'Ace nearly jumped in joy as a thought came to his mind.
The next moment a grey bead appears in his hand.
Yes, this was the invisible bead that can help him become invisible for one minute. After using this bead to escape from Dulce. He has three left. Since Eva didn't use her she gives it back to him because she knew this bead was miraculous and it can save Ace's life in a difficult situation.
Ace knew that this invisible bead can help him escape any expert below royal level lands because it's a 1-Grade Treasure, and if not for its limited number of time he would be invincible in these low-level lands. At least that is what he imagined.
But alas he has already used two to them once and he only has three so he will have to save them in a life and death situation where his enemy was as strong as that guardian.
'I only have one minute. I have to make it quick.' Thought Ace while he crushed the invisible bead in his hand.
All the trace of Ace's existence vanished. Even that powerful guardian can't tell where Ace was even if Ace sneaks on him.
But Ace won't do that because he was not sure if he can kill this thing in one hit so he won't be too greedy and only take what was 'his'.
Ace quickly activates silent steps as he shoots towards the healing grey tree, like an arrow. Now the disturbance in the Qi was neglected to him because of the invisible bead but as he got closed to the guardian the pressure coming from it become stronger.
That guardian's eyes were closed but he was releasing the full pressure of his cultivation base. The moment someone's made a move he would crush them with everything it had.
Ace's movement was becoming slower as he was going closer and closer to the elemental orb.
A hundred meters away from the guardian it has only ten seconds but Ace was gasping. 'To damn strong!' this was the thought that came to his mind after reaching this point.
But he didn't stop since the time was not on his side. If that gap was completely closed he would be doomed.
After thirty seconds Ace was ten meters away from the guardian and twenty meters away from the grey tree that was getting closer to its final phase of healing.
Only half the time left.
However, something unexpected happens, the guardian whose eyes were closed just a moment ago snapped open. They were completely white, they were nothing but white eyeballs.
A white Qi emerges from the guardian the moment he opened his eyes and pressure around him increased tenfold. It was as if the guardian has sense something amiss and his safety instinct kick in.
The guardians only live to protect the elemental orbs and they have many supernatural abilities. It was not easy to fool them even with a treasure like an invisible bead.
Ace was horrified after seeing that thing white eyes and white Qi. The pressure on him increased so much that he felt he was under a mountain it was getting harder to breathe.
'So, this is the 'Element Qi' that was only Qi River cultivation possessed after entering this realm.' Ace thought weakly his body was on verge of collapsing.
Every cultivator possessed a special element attribute and this attribute becomes obvious in the Qi River realm. They called it 'Element Qi'.
Element Qi is a hundred times more powerful than normal Qi.
Ace Qi of Darkness has also a Dark Element in it and it was far, far more powerful than any normal element. However, he was not using it at its full potential.
He was only using its power to one percent and even that was because the dark element was mix in his HD-Qi from the start.
Ace didn't know how to utilize the element Qi at all it was only possible after he reached the Heavenly River Realm.
