Chapter 218: The Thief King and Thief Zhi (Please Subscribe, Please Support)

"Yue’er, is this the Mo Family’s Mechanism City?" After sitting for a while and growing restless, Tianming asked Yue’er.

"Yes! This is the sacred place in the hearts of the Mo disciples, the Mo Family’s most secret fortress—the Mechanism City!" Yue’er nodded with a smile.

"Everyone, please take your seats! We’re about to enter the city." Before Tianming could say more to Yue’er, Elder Ban interrupted.

As Elder Ban finished speaking, the sound of gears turning echoed in the darkness. Slowly, a stone gate rose in the distance, bright light spilling through the opening. As the Mechanism Bird approached the gate, the light grew stronger until it enveloped both the bird and Xiao Xie’s group.

When their eyes adjusted to the light, the scene before them was nothing short of a paradise on earth—lush forests encircled the area, clear streams babbled nearby, birds sang, and flowers bloomed, all vibrant with life.

The Mechanism Bird gently descended to the ground, retracting its head, legs, and wings. The group disembarked, their hearts filled with joy at the breathtaking scenery.

"Wow! This is amazing! To think such a place exists inside the mountains!" Tianming exclaimed, eyes wide as he took in the view. Under Ying Zheng’s rule, common folk suffered greatly; stumbling upon such a hidden utopia was a source of immense happiness for him.

Elder Ban shook his head with a smile at Tianming’s enthusiasm. "This boy really has no worldly experience. And this is just the beginning. Every time I return here, my heart feels calm—no more chaos from the outside world. It’s truly wonderful."

With a stretch, Elder Ban relaxed his body. Tianming finally understood what Shao Yu had once described as the “last piece of paradise.” If there were any place left untouched by the tyranny of the Qin Kingdom, it was surely here.

"The legendary Mo Family Mechanism City lives up to its reputation! What a marvelous world," said Gai Nie, who rarely spoke but couldn’t help but admire the beauty before him.

"This truly is the Mo Family’s sacred ground! The scenery is wonderful. Xiao Feng, I think our Ascending Tower should have a base like this!" Xiao Xie praised and then turned to Murong Feng.

"Understood, Young Master. When we return, I will issue orders to build a base like this," Murong Feng replied earnestly upon hearing Xiao Xie’s words.

Elder Ban, Duanmu Rong, and Gai Nie all stared at Xiao Xie in shock, especially at Murong Feng’s serious expression—it didn’t look like a joke at all!

This Mechanism City had taken Mo disciples a century and countless resources to build. Yet Xiao Xie merely glanced at it, liked it, and decided to build one himself. Even if everyone knew Ascending Tower was wealthy, could he be this willful?

Elder Ban wanted to say just one thing to Xiao Xie: You’re a tycoon! Let’s be friends!

"Brother Xiao, are you really planning to build a Mechanism City? When it’s done, you have to invite me to visit!" Tianming said excitedly, not thinking twice.

"Of course! Once it’s finished, I’ll definitely invite you," Xiao Xie smiled.

Elder Ban inwardly sighed. Such a casual promise—he wasn’t joking. It was like someone bragging about a new sports car, and their friend saying they owned a whole factory producing sports cars. That was the feeling.

"Sister Rong, is Ascending Tower really that wealthy?" Yue’er asked Duanmu Rong with curiosity.

"It should be," Duanmu Rong replied with a twitch of her mouth. She didn’t know how to explain Xiao Xie. She’d thought Ascending Tower was rich, but after hearing Xiao Xie’s words, ‘rich’ wasn’t enough—it was more like super-rich.

"Yue’er, what’s this place called?" Tianming asked.

"This is our Mo Family’s sacred site—the Mo Standard Pool," Yue’er said proudly, looking at the pool filled with clear spring water.

"The ‘Standard’ means measure, and ‘Mo’ is like the soul. Without measure, the soul distorts, and one loses direction both in conduct and in work. That’s the origin of the Mo Standard Pool’s name," Duanmu Rong explained.

"Uh… that’s a strange name."

"It was named by the Mo Family’s founder. Any objections?" Elder Ban snapped at Tianming.

"Then the founder must have drunk a lot of ink to come up with such a… such a… incomprehensible name," Tianming said, scratching his head.

"That’s because you’re stupid!" Elder Ban retorted mercilessly.

Seeing this, Murong Feng and the others couldn’t help but chuckle. Although Tianming sometimes seemed unreliable, he was certainly the group’s source of laughter.

At that moment, a large gear above their heads on a rock began to turn. A wooden boat-like structure slowly descended, pulled down by four iron chains.

"He’s come to fetch us," Elder Ban said.

"What’s that thing?" Tianming asked.

"You’ve never seen it? This is called the Cloud Boat, designed by yours truly! Without it, even ghosts and demons would find it harder than ascending heaven itself to enter the Mo Standard Pool after reaching the refuge," Elder Ban said proudly, stroking his beard like a scholar lecturing.

"That’s basically an elevator, just without electricity," Xiao Xie chuckled to himself.

Soon, the Cloud Boat reached the ground carrying a man. He looked ordinary: brownish-yellow hair parted in the middle and cut short, tied back in a small braid, with two strands falling over his forehead. His build was slender, and he wore a teal and moon-white split-collar cloth robe.

"Huh? Xiao Zhi, is that you?" Elder Ban asked in surprise.

"Why not me?" the man smiled.

"Wasn’t the leader sending you on a mission to Mount Tai?"

"I heard you returned, Elder Ban, so I rushed back to greet you!" he replied with a sheepish grin.

"I think you heard that Miss Rong came back and ran faster than a rabbit!" Elder Ban saw through his little secret immediately.

"Is that so? Oh, Miss Rong’s back too? What a rare guest, so unexpected! Have you missed me?" The man spoke as he suddenly appeared before Duanmu Rong, flashing his brightest smile.

Xiao Xie already recognized the man—who else could move that fast but one of the Mo Family’s leaders, the infamous thief Dao Zhi? Since Duanmu Rong once saved him, Dao Zhi had become hopelessly infatuated, even resenting Gai Nie, who also liked her. Because Duanmu Rong had feelings for Gai Nie, Dao Zhi saw him as his greatest rival.

"Your wound hasn’t healed yet. I warned you not to use the Divine Walking Technique too much, or the old injury will flare up again," Duanmu Rong said reproachfully.

"With the immortal healer Miss Rong around, I’m not afraid of getting hurt a hundred times," the visitor said proudly, tilting his head back.

"Let me introduce this slick fellow—he’s a thief to the bone, Dao Zhi," Elder Ban said as he approached, pointing him out.

Hearing this, Gai Nie looked at Dao Zhi with surprise. He thought, "So this is the legendary King of Thieves, unmatched across the land—much younger than imagined."

"Even if I’m a thief to the bone, I’m still the best thief in the world," Dao Zhi said with a grin, shifting his gaze from Duanmu Rong.

"This is Xiao Xie, Young Master Xiao, the owner of Ascending Tower! These two are his maids," Elder Ban introduced Xiao Xie and the Murong sisters to Dao Zhi.

"Owner of Ascending Tower? Young Master Xiao, my apologies!" Dao Zhi said quickly. Ascending Tower was rumored to be as rich as a nation; he hadn’t expected its owner to be so young.

"No wonder the King of Thieves, unmatched across the land, has such lightning-fast Divine Walking Steps," Xiao Xie laughed.

"I’m nothing compared to the King of Thieves. I can’t even get into your Ascending Tower!" Dao Zhi waved his hand. When he first heard Ascending Tower was full of treasures, he had felt the urge to steal.

But when he arrived, he found hundreds of postnatal experts guarding it around the clock, and eight prenatal masters, all top-tier among prenatal experts, none weaker than himself. Though confident that he could outrun each one, he still wasn’t sure he could steal anything in front of so many formidable guardians.