Eternal Thief

Ace wasn't surprised by this recruitment at all because he knew once he showed his cultivation talent and accessed the ascension stairway in half a day, this was bound to attract the attention of the upper echelon.

Furthermore, the five Law Awareness realm experts seemed to have quick a status that even those ten quasi-law awareness realm experts were silent and didn't dare to speak when they were talking.

Lastly, he noticed there was only one human among the ten quasi-law awareness realm experts, and his expression was quite ugly as he looked at Ace with hope and apprehension.

'Don't tell me the bigotry is at its peak in here?' Ace made a wild guess.

But he still didn't let his actual thoughts surface and looked confused as he asked, "Recruit me? But according to my badge, I'm already a Union Student and a member of Common Union Grounds in Sun Domain?"

Ace was telling the truth because there was no information about sectors nor the ranks above Union Instructors.

According to the information recorded in his badge, he will live in the common union grounds with other fellow union students. There, he can climb the ranks with cultivation and earn union merits by completing Union Missions for students.

He can also attend the cultivation classes held by different Union Scholars or even Union Instructors as long as he can pay the lecture fee with Union Merits.

The blue hair hunter spoke with a kind smile at this moment, "It's only natural you didn't know about this since it's very rare for a Union Elder to accept a private student right after the entrance test, much less us Union High Elders…"

He then explained the higher ranks and private territories granted to the High Elders, known as sectors, and the benefits of living in a sector.

Ace instantly understood what was going on here as he looked behind those union elders and then those five high elders. He didn't think he would draw attention from High Elders, but it would be a lie to say if he didn't think of this possibility.

"… But only Union Instructors are qualified to live in their race's private sectors or a Union Elder or High Elder private student. There are even more benefits for being a student of a High Elder as you will get the richest environment with Qi in the sector and free access to the first four floors of the Union-Sun Domain Library.

"You can also choose a High Grade-3 treasure from Union Sun Domain Weaponry Tower right off the bat, and these are just the benefits the Union will give you. The benefits you receive from us is another matter entirely."

The hunter grinned as he was quite confident in swaying this new student from the human race.

"Heh, Old 13th, you are right about the last part." The Devil High Elder chuckled before he said to Ace, who was 'dazzled' after hearing about the benefits of becoming their private student, "Now, little guy, are you willing to follow me as my private student?

"I'm ranked 10th in the ranking of High Elders, and if you choose to follow me, I will support your cultivation for one year without holding back. Then you have to pass my test to evaluate your cultivation resources further, and if you perform well, you will get even more rewards.

"I will also give you a small territory in my sector to cultivate, and you will have the devil race's backing to boot."

Everyone looked at Tenth High Elder with astonishment as his offer was really quite enticing. Even those elders behind were shocked since this kind of treatment was normally given to them.

However, all those resources were not free since he clearly said Ace had to undergo a test in one year, which means if Ace didn't pass it, he might not get anything from him at all.

It was like an investment in Ace's potential, which was still unclear because he was only a Soul gates realm junior now, and it was still unclear if he could achieve the same in higher realms that he did with the first realm.

Their actual purpose of drawing him into their ranks was that as long as there was a possibility that he was really a once-in-a-ten-thousand genius, then they couldn't let him enter the human sector or have anything to do with humans.

They wanted to brainwash him and mold him into their own race so he could bring benefits to their race once he grew up.

Lastly, once he chose to be their student, he couldn't leave them as long as they didn't kick him out themselves.

This was the biggest reason for them to act as soon as possible, and they were willing to postpone until he really showed his talent and that eccentric guy became really interested in Ace.

At that time, they would not be able to do anything if he turned out to be the genius they were all things about.

Thereafter, the demon also stated his willingness to take him as a private student, and his conditions were just the Tenth High Elder, and the only difference was he was giving Ace two years before he would test him.

The hunter was the same, and he also increased his test period by three years, while the elf was quite generous as he offered a Grade-4 treasure, and the testing period was five years.

Lastly, the magic beast, which looked like a humanoid vulture, offered a grade-5 treasure as well as a lower-rank earth-grade art and ten years of support without any test.

This shocked all of them as they knew the magic beast race was quite low in population, but they were quite protective of each other and seldom let anyone enter their ranks.

Their population was so low that in the mortal domain, there wasn't even a single magic beast descended present, and all of them were born here. Those demonic beasts were nothing but lowly rats in their eyes.

Still, those four high elders didn't raise any voices or increase their offers because they wanted to see who will Ace chose now. This wasn't about just offers but also about who could protect him better.

The three top races were clearly the optimal choice, especially the devil race and demon race. These guys have ample resources and sectors, so anyone with a sane mind will pick them.

Even those four participants who passed the trial with Ace were looking at him with daze and almost drooling at the offers Ace was given.

White also looked quite in a daze, but inwardly, Ace was unmoved as everything they were offering was nothing but chump change to him.

He even knew those tests were put in those conditions, especially so they could kick him to the curb once he appeared useless. At that time, he will be degraded to their thrall.

However, he wasn't here to stay as even the one-year offer by the devil was too much for him, and he needed to get out of there as soon as possible.

So, he knew how to proceed with this, and he looked at Joseph, who was pale with anxiety. He wanted to say something, but he couldn't, as he knew he couldn't offer anything like those races to Ace.

Because humans only have one sector and it was quite cramped, and the competition was too fierce, and without the High Elder's protection, he knew those greedy guys might even try to suppress Ace if he hoards all their resources.

Not all the human elders were like Joseph as they all put their families first and weren't united as other races because their high elders didn't care at all.

Now almost all of the human sector was annexed by the fifteen families of fifteen Union Elders, and Joseph was also a part of one of these families. Although he wanted to invite Ace into the human sector after seeing his talent, he knew those guys might try to control him.

White 'snapped out of his daze' and looked at those five high elders and said with pained expressions, "Um… High Elders, it's my choice, entirely right?"

"Yes, we won't force you." The Tenth High Elder smiled kindly while the others also nodded as they knew he would choose one of them.

Ace then said something expected that made even Joseph dumbfounded.

White bowed ninety degrees and stated, "Please accept my most sincere bow, Elders, as you guys were the first ones who show such kindness to me. But I won't be accepting any of your offers!"

The entire vicinity dropped into deadly silence.

Ace, at this moment, held his head high and stood straight while looking at the expression of those dumbfounded elders.

With a complicated expression, he explained with voice full conviction, "Please don't be offended by my words as I'm not planning on joining any sector at all because I would like to climb to those heights myself as I made a promise to my dying parents.

"Without hardship, there's no reward, and I have reached this place by following this exact principle. And I will continue to follow it as hardship make me stronger!"