As Ace continued to follow the masked man through the corridor, they soon approached a large metal door engraved with intricate runes.
The masked man paused, placing his hand on the door. A faint glow emanated from the markings as the door smoothly opened, revealing a grand chamber.
Inside, a tall figure dressed in a long gray robe with silver patterns awaited them. His face was obscured by a plain mask similar to the first man's, but the aura he exuded was far more profound.
This was the Vault Warden. The air felt heavy, and there was an overwhelming sense of authority and control as the Warden's eyes locked onto Ace.
"Mr. White," The masked man who had led Ace announced, "This is the Vault Warden. He will handle your vault registration and any query you may have related to it."
Thereafter, the masked man bowed towards the Vault Warden and respectfully said, "I'll take my leave now, my lords!"
The Vault Warden nodded as the masked man quickly left without any waiting for Ace's reply and closed the door behind him.
At this moment, the Vault Warden, "Please present your bank identity medallion," said in a deep, measured voice.
Ace was also observing the Vault Warden and was secretly alarmed because this Vault Warden was giving him the same oppressive sense of danger that the Sect Master of The AIG Sect, especially now that his Thief Sense had become Law Thief Sense.
Keeping up his calm facade, he reached into his sleeve and produced a bronze medallion engraved with the Prime Heavenly Bank's emblem. The Vault Warden took it with a practiced hand, holding it up as he infused a sliver of his spiritual Qi into it.
The medallion glowed, and symbols began to appear on its surface, forming a series of runes that etched themselves into the metal.
"This will be your access key to a Bronze Tier Security Vault," the Warden stated. "The vault's information and the unique spatial lock have been embedded into your medallion. Only with this medallion will you be able to access your vault and its contents."
With a flick of his wrist, the Warden summoned a small, key-like rune made of light, which floated in the air. He then pressed it into the medallion, merging it with the runes he had just etched. The light flared briefly before settling into a dim glow.
"Now, follow me," the Warden instructed as he turned and moved deeper into the chamber, stopping before a large teleportation circle engraved with complex and ancient symbols on a platform.
The formation pulsed with restrained power, and its center remained dark as if waiting for something to activate it.
The Warden held up a silver tablet inscribed with even more intricate runes-his special identity tablet. He placed it in the center of the teleportation circle and infused it with his spiritual Qi.
The runes lit up, and the circle hummed with energy, but it didn't fully activate. He then pressed his hand against the edge of the formation, and a faint light emerged from his palm, spreading throughout the circle and forming an intricate spiritual mark.
"This teleportation circle can only be activated with my identity tablet and my spiritual mark. However, it also requires confirmation from the Bank Manager." The Warden pulled out a small, glowing talisman from his sleeve, a communication talisman specifically linked to the Bank Manager.
The talisman floated into the air and burst into a flash of light. An instant later, the circle's runes flared brightly as the Bank Manager's approval signal came through. The Warden nodded and pressed his hand to the tablet once more. "Only now can the teleportation circle be fully activated."
The air grew heavier as the teleportation circle surged with energy, and the formation beneath Ace's feet began to emit soft light.
"The moment you step into the circle, you will be transported directly into your Bronze Tier Security Vault," The Warden explained, his voice strict, "This vault has been constructed using secret means of the bank to make sure yours and everyone else belonging remained absolutely safe, we take many strict measures to achieve maximum protection from any malicious schemes and threats.
"Your bronze tier security vault has dimensions of 100x100 cubic meters, and you may store anything within it. To exit the vault, simply infuse your Qi into your medallion, and you will be teleported back here. Don't try to go pass the set boundary of your vault, it's futile. "There are other measures there that will ensure no foul play, and I can't tell you in detail. All in all, what I'm trying to say here is, please don't try anything that makes both of us regret our choices. We want to serve our members to the best of our abilities and are here to help, but we don't take kind to those who don't show us the respect that we deserve!"
"This guy is openly threatening me? Well, since they had the power to back it up, what can a little cultivator like me do?' Ace thought while he nodded, hiding his surprise and shock, 'Furthermore, the security around their security vaults is extremely high, especially their security vault's opening method,
'I imagined something far less advanced. But these vaults probably aren't just ordinary storage locations; they might be constructed with high-grade space manipulation techniques and powerful runes just like that treasury of the Imperial Family of Mortal Sky Heart Empire. If that turns out to be true, then... well, I still need to confirm it before I reach any conclusion!'
The revelation left Ace intrigued and worried. The bank's methods were far more sophisticated than he had anticipated, confirming just how formidable the Prime Heavenly Bank was.
'If the Bronze Tier vault is this advanced, then the higher tiers must be guarded by even more powerful laws and formations!' He mused.
Stepping into the teleportation circle, he felt the power surge beneath him as the light enveloped his form.
In a blink, the surroundings shifted, and he found himself standing in the middle of his new vault—an expansive, empty space of 100x100 cubic meters, its walls lined with shimmering
At this moment, without even him needing to confirm anything, Malservus's faint voice rang, "Space laws and top-grade runes... this Prime Heavenly Bank is truly living up to its reputation. They had put quite a lot of wealth into creating these vaults within the space tribulation and then locked with a master lock.
"I'm even more amused by how they are using them for others since it's not easy to create even a single one like that in a place like the Mortal Ascension Heaven. Little steward, it seemed you have targeted something exciting!"
Ace was shocked when he heard Malservus' evaluation, but he didn't doubt it since she didn't need to lie to himself about something like that, especially when she seemed so against anything but 'treasure digging' and when he heard 'master lock' a strange glint flashed past his eyes!