Chapter 67: Let’s Attack Together
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
In the hall of the Wu family household.
Zhou Donghuang sat at the chief seat and looked at the five people who walked into the hall with an air of calm. “If I remember correctly… there are five level-six adepts in the Wu family? Why are there only four here? Unless… you think that the four of you are enough to defeat me?” As he spoke, his lips rose into a playful smile.
Among the five who had just walked into the hall, one was Wu Nanxun, but the rest were unfamiliar faces to Zhou Donghuang. Two of them looked similar to Wu Nanxun.
“Sir, I am the governor of Guangling prefecture and head of the Wu family, Wu Wentao.” Wu Wentao introduced himself as he stepped forward and clasped his hands together. He looked at Zhou Donghuang with a heavy gaze.
Before he had met this youngster, he had not thought anything about it. But upon seeing him for himself, he then understood the meaning of “confidence.” It was as if the young man before him would not be bothered even if the sky fell. People with such confidence either had real power or were putting on a front. Wu Wentao had seen countless people in his life and believed that this youngster was more of the latter rather than the former.
“Second Master of the Wu family, Wu Jingtao, level-six adept.” After Wu Wentao had finished his introduction, the second master also stepped forward. His skinny body was as straight as a spear, but his gaze was stone-cold as he stared at Zhou Donghuang.
“The Wu family pays its respects. Liu Yifan, level-six adept.” After the second master, an old man in a green robe stepped forward. The old man had a huge figure, strong like a bull and although his face was aged and his hair white, but his body looked more like that of a young man.
Once Liu Yifan had stepped forward, Wu Nanxun’s eyes flashed with anger as he stared at Zhou Donghuang. He said with a cold smile, “Zhou Donghuang, my grandpa, Liu is the strongest man in Guangling prefecture, and he even trained in the third-grade defensive technique ‘Cold Iron Jacket.’ No one in Guangling prefecture can break through his defense!”
“Third-grade technique?” Hearing Wu Nanxun’s words, Zhou Donghuang looked at the old man with surprise. As far as he knew, in Yunyang country, only two other tycoon families had third-grade techniques apart from the Imperial Court and the king’s households. Those two tycoon families were each gifted a third-grade technique because they had done some great work for the Imperial Court. “As far as I know, the third-grade defensive technique ‘Cold Iron Jacket’ was gifted to the tycoon Liu family by the Imperial Court… are you from the Liu family, governor’s household of the Tianwu prefecture?” asked Zhou Donghuang flatly.
“Not bad,” said the old man as he raised his head as if he were proud of his identity as a member of the tycoon Liu family.
But what Zhou Donghuang said next caused him to freeze. “Not staying in the tycoon Liu family, but in this small grand family… seems like you could no longer stay in the Liu family?”
Zhou Donghuang’s words went straight to the old man’s heart because this was something that had dearly upset him. Tycoon families were higher in status than grand families. For a family to become a tycoon family, they required at least a level-eight adept. For the Liu family, besides being the governor’s household of the superior Tianwu prefecture, they were also a premier tycoon family with many level-nine adepts.
In the Liu family, a level-six adept who could no longer advance had no status, although he was not cast aside to watch the door or run errands. Liu Yifan was one such person.
“This rascal…” Just as Liu Yifan had been dearly offended by Zhou Donghuang and looked ready to kill him, another old man standing at the side stepped forward and introduced himself. “Head elder of the Wu family, Wu Chong, level-six adept.”
“Call the last one over as well,” Zhou Donghuang said calmly.
“Hmph!” Liu Yifan snorted as he said, “What an audacious young man! The four of us are more than enough to defeat you!”
“Sir, if you manage to leave in one piece today, your feud with the Wu family will be nulled!” Wu Wentao stared at Zhou Donghuang as he said. If this young man before him could escape unharmed from all four level-six adepts in the Wu family, he was not one that the Wu family could afford to offend. Even if his only son had been injured by him, he could only swallow this bitter pill.
“Escape unharmed?” Zhou Donghuang responded as he laughed dismissively. “You think too highly of yourselves.” As he spoke, Zhou Donghuang picked up the 600kg heavy iron spear from Fu’s hands. Weighing the spear in his hands, he looked calmly at Wu Wentao and the rest.
“The four of you may come at me together,” Zhou Donghuang said calmly as he crossed his legs on the chief seat.
“You… You plan to sit there and fight against us?” Hearing his words and seeing as Zhou Donghuang had no intention of leaving his seat, Wu Jingtao’s face darkened. This young man who looked just sixteen or seventeen was too cocky. Was he really looking down on them like that?
“The few of you don’t deserve for me to stand up.” Zhou Donghuang glanced at Wu Jingtao as he spoke. The disdain in his eyes made Wu Jingtao furious. In a flash, he flew out as he withdrew the three-foot narrow knife from the sheath at his waist.
Whoosh! The narrow knife that looked like a sword flew out, shining brightly. It seemed to come alive in Wu Jingtao’s hands, heading straight for Zhou Donghuang as it flew out like a snake. Wu Jingtao had not only displayed the Wu family’s lesser-grade swiftness technique, but also the lesser-grade knife technique.
Swoosh! Zhou Donghuang’s spear-holding hand shook, and the heavy black iron spear flew like a black bolt of lightning as it struck the knife just four feet away from Zhou Donghuang’s eyes.
Clang!
“Ah—!”
As the sound of the weapons striking each other rang out in the air, Wu Jingtao shrieked. As he let go of the narrow knife, the purlicue of his hand was ripped and bleeding profusely.
Smash! The narrow knife that had flown out was stuck in a pillar in the corner of the hall. The blade of the knife was fully stuck within, and the power in which it had flown out was clear. This was the result of just a casual flick of Zhou Donghuang’s spear.
“Come together.” Zhou Donghuang glanced at Wu Wentao, Liu Yifan and Wu Chong, his voice as calm as before. His expression was also calm and unflinching.
As the three of them watched Zhou Donghuang injure Wu Jingtao with just a stroke of his hand, even making Wu Jingtao’s knife fly away, their expressions immediately darkened. Now, hearing Zhou Donghuang’s words, they looked at each other and all moved together.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Their three figures flew out together towards Zhou Donghuang.
At the same time, Wu Jingtao rushed to the pillar and used his uninjured left hand to pull the knife out of the pillar, as he prepared to join the attacking army.
Ping! Ping! Ping! However, just as Wu Jingtao pulled his knife out and prepared to join Wu Wentao and the rest, he heard three loud sounds ring beside his ear, accompanied by two painful cries and a loud thud.
As he turned around, the sight before him caused his legs to turn into lead, making him unable to move an inch.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Wu Wentao and Wu Chong flew backward towards a wall in the hall like arrows leaving a bow after being hit by Zhou Donghuang’s spear. With a loud crashing sound, the wall which their bodies hit began to crack, lines appearing like a spider’s web. Now, even the proclaimed strongest man in Guangling prefecture, Liu Yifan, was also pushed backward many steps by Zhou Donghuang’s spear. His eyes widened, and his face was red as blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
“Truly a third-grade defense technique ‘Cold Iron Jacket.’ You were only slightly injured by my spear.” Zhou Donghuang stood up and walked towards Liu Yifan. He reminded, “Just now, I don’t think you were fully defending yourself, but now, let me give you the chance to put on your complete defense… let’s see if your ‘Cold Iron Jacket’ can take another one of my blows!” As he spoke, Zhou Donghuang smiled, revealing a shining set of teeth.
Seeing Zhou Donghuang raise his hand and come towards him with his spear, Liu Yifan knew a clash was unavoidable. His face darkened as he released all the inner qi in his body, displaying the third-grade defense technique ‘Cold Iron Jacket’ of the Liu family. After he had displayed the Cold Iron Jacket, Liu Yifan looked again at Zhou Donghuang with renewed confidence.
“Qi-stacking!” Zhou Donghuang’s eyes flashed, and the qi in his body stacked one upon the other. Grasping the spear, he flew like a meteor and landing heavily on the strong chest of Liu Yifan.
The strongest point of defense of the ‘Cold Iron Jacket’ was on the chest.
Ping! The heavy black iron spear landed heavily as Liu Yifan stepped backward in shock. Seeing this, Wu Wentao and the rest lit up as they believed that Liu Yifan had managed to withstand this blow.
Then in the next moment, they froze.
Whoosh! Liu Yifan’s body flew backward in the same moment as he stepped back as if gravity did not exist. The speed at which he flew backward was many times faster than that of Wu Wentao and Wu Chong just now.
Hong! Liu Yifan’s body flew through the wall and out of the hall as if it was a bullet, not stopping along the way. It was as if the thick wall was not enough to slow him down at all.
Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep
Chapters
- Chapter 327 (END) - Destruction of a Primordial Soul
- Chapter 326 - Enemy Attack
- Chapter 325 - Visitor From Beyond?
- Chapter 324 - Death of the Golden-Crowned Eagles
- Chapter 323 - Su Mo Reaches Dharma
- Chapter 322 - Zhou Donghuang
- Chapter 321 - Fang Danming
- Chapter 320 - Chen Dandan is my old friend
- Chapter 319 - Hong Yunfei?
- Chapter 318 - A Mistaken Encounter with Zhou Donghuang
- Chapter 317 - Grafting
- Chapter 316 - The Valley Head Cant Hold out for Long!
- Chapter 315 - Thats Impossible
- Chapter 314 - Lying in Wait
- Chapter 313 - The Lightning Sword Sects in Trouble!?
- Chapter 312 - Single-Horned Little Black Dog
- Chapter 311 - Demon King
- Chapter 310 - Divine Beast Cub
- Chapter 309 - Qi Fengs Murderous Intent
- Chapter 308 - Late Primordial Soul Stage
- Chapter 307 - Mo Ningsang
- Chapter 306 - Return to the Guiyao planet
- Chapter 305 - He Jin takes action
- Chapter 304 - Ambush
- Chapter 303 - Three Ultimate Primordial Soul Adepts
- Chapter 302 - Three Months
- Chapter 301 - Ancient Primordial Soul Technique?
- Chapter 300 - Divine Dharma
- Chapter 299 - Liu Pingsheng
- Chapter 298 - White-haired youth
- Chapter 297 - Give me 10 years!
- Chapter 296 - You care so much for her!
- Chapter 295 - Luo Qinghans departure
- Chapter 294 - Seventh Prince Qi Feng
- Chapter 293 - Pleasant Surprise
- Chapter 292 - Fourteenth Prince of the Qi Dynasty
- Chapter 291 - Guangling Academy Elder
- Chapter 290 - Huang Chunqius Thoughts
- Chapter 289 - Poaching
- Chapter 288 - 40000 points!
- Chapter 287 - Zhou Donghuangs rewards
- Chapter 286 - Baili Feiyang Has Lost!
- Chapter 285 - Unlucky
- Chapter 284 - Baili Feiyang
- Chapter 283 - What a pity that its not you
- Chapter 282 - Vermilion Bird Dharma Power
- Chapter 281 - He Mengxi’s Goal, The Sky Sun Fruit!
- Chapter 280 - Zhou Donghuang’s Plan
- Chapter 279 - Zhuge Haotian
- Chapter 278 - The Legendary Dharma Adept
- Chapter 277 - Crisis
- Chapter 276 - Twin Beasts
- Chapter 275 - Secret Divine Will Technique
- Chapter 274 - Dharma Power Control
- Chapter 273 - The Secret of the Guiyao Planet
- Chapter 272 - Alliance Hunt Begins!
- Chapter 271 - Luo Qinghans Thoughts
- Chapter 270 - Zhou Donghuang Strikes
- Chapter 269 - Three Tries For You
- Chapter 268 - Are You Worthy?
- Chapter 267 - Shes My Lady
- Chapter 266 - Love at First Sight
- Chapter 265 - Guiyao Planet
- Chapter 264 - Half a Year Later
- Chapter 263 - Divine Will
- Chapter 262 - Nominations for the Alliance Hunt
- Chapter 261 - Sky Sun Fruit
- Chapter 260 - Late Dharma stage
- Chapter 259 - Luo Qinghans Determination
- Chapter 258 - Unhappy Ending
- Chapter 257 - Brother Donghuangs Fiancee?
- Chapter 256 - Luo Qinghans Shock
- Chapter 255 - Qinghan Returns Home
- Chapter 254 - Looking Towards the Future
- Chapter 253 - Are You Convinced Now?
- Chapter 252 - Ignorant
- Chapter 251 - Is There No One Else From the Lightning Sword Sect?
- Chapter 250 - No More Than Three Moves
- Chapter 249 - Core Disciple
- Chapter 248 - Lian Cans Outcome
- Chapter 247 - Punishment On Behalf of the Court
- Chapter 246 - Unfriendly Intentions
- Chapter 245 - Deity Grade Technique
- Chapter 244 - He Jins Confidence
- Chapter 243 - Da Zhuangs Power
- Chapter 242 - Da Zhuang Breaks Through
- Chapter 241 - White Tiger Dharma
- Chapter 240 - Dont Go Overboard
- Chapter 239 - Zhou Donghuang Entered the Dharma Stage
- Chapter 238 - Liquefied Spirit
- Chapter 237 - An Ancient Core Drug
- Chapter 236 - The Summer Valley Head Is At Our Door
- Chapter 235 - The Fourth Golden Essence
- Chapter 234 - Good Intentions
- Chapter 233 - If You Dare
- Chapter 232 - Liu Lang
- Chapter 231 - Lets Sell All Nine Items!
- Chapter 230 - Im Not That Easy to Bully!
- Chapter 229 - No Badmouthing Him
- Chapter 228 - Coincidence?
- Chapter 227 - Lightning Sword Core Elder
- Chapter 226 - Fake Nine-Ringed Bamboo
- Chapter 225 - Da Zhuangs History
- Chapter 224 - A Giant Three Meters Tall
- Chapter 223 - Entering Autumn Valley
- Chapter 222 - Pack of Lies
- Chapter 221 - Third Senior Sister
- Chapter 220 - Good Son-in-Law!
- Chapter 219 - I Approve of this Marriage!
- Chapter 218 - Old Ms. Li
- Chapter 217 - Luo Family
- Chapter 216 - Tianxuan Planets Top Beauty
- Chapter 215 - Divine Soul Shaper
- Chapter 214 - Justice Will Prevail
- Chapter 213 - Disciples of the Sky Sword Sect
- Chapter 212 - Arrival at Honglong Planet
- Chapter 211 - Galaxy Teleporter
- Chapter 210 - Leaving the Powerful Supreme Sect of Ziyun
- Chapter 209 - About to Leave
- Chapter 208 - Donghuang Sect
- Chapter 207 - Destroying Xuanyin Sect
- Chapter 206 - Cause and Effect
- Chapter 205 - Battling Dharma
- Chapter 204 - What a Pity!
- Chapter 203 - Zhong Ya Is Here!
- Chapter 202 - Blood Showers filled the Sky
- Chapter 201 - A Sudden Sound
- Chapter 200 - The Feast of Ziyun
- Chapter 199 - Hope You Are Well
- Chapter 198 - Dharma Spirit Weapon?
- Chapter 197 - Xuanyan City
- Chapter 196 - Traversing the Galaxies
- Chapter 195 - Frightening Silver Essence Adept
- Chapter 194 - Challenging Three Golden Essence Elders
- Chapter 193 - Killed in an Instant
- Chapter 192 - Has He Gone Crazy?
- Chapter 191 - Spirit Weapon Upgrade
- Chapter 190 - Two Years Later
- Chapter 189 - Wont Go Back
- Chapter 188 - The Nineteenth Elder of the Xuanyin Sect
- Chapter 187 - Golden Essence Elder of Divine Light Sect
- Chapter 186 - Su Mo Strikes
- Chapter 185 - Someone from the Xuanyin Sect
- Chapter 184 - Arrival at the Lu Family Household
- Chapter 183 - The Heartbroken Yang Zixi
- Chapter 182 - Isn’t it Great to Be Alive?
- Chapter 181 - A Hair’s Breadth from Death
- Chapter 180 - The Interrogation
- Chapter 179 - His Name Is Zhou Donghuang?
- Chapter 178 - Return to the Valley of Medicine Masters
- Chapter 177 - The Ambush of Flying Daggers
- Chapter 176 - A Battle with Tuo Ku
- Chapter 175 - Zhou Donghuang’s Self-Confidence
- Chapter 174 - A Doppelganger?
- Chapter 173 - The Primal Core Beast
- Chapter 172 - Tuo Ku’s Hypothesis
- Chapter 171 - First Blood of the Spirit Weapon
- Chapter 170 - Zhou Donghuang’s Strength
- Chapter 169 - Tuo Ku
- Chapter 168 - Primal Core Spirit Weapon
- Chapter 167 - The Might of the Primal Core
- Chapter 166 - The Yang Family
- Chapter 165 - Two Primal Cores
- Chapter 164 - Energy-gathering Position
- Chapter 163 - Space Ring
- Chapter 162 - Obtaining Spirit Stones
- Chapter 161 - The Transaction of a Hundred Spirit Stones
- Chapter 160 - The Conflict Above the Capital
- Chapter 159 - Dharma Laws Adepts
- Chapter 158 - The Planet Tianxuan
- Chapter 157 - The Black Market
- Chapter 156 - The Shenguang Empire
- Chapter 155 - You Are Not Eligible!
- Chapter 154 - Golden Essence Adept
- Chapter 153 - Master!?
- Chapter 152 - The Valley Lord Is Here!
- Chapter 151 - Commotion on the Training Grounds
- Chapter 150 - Commotion in the Valley of the Medicine Masters
- Chapter 149 - Like Father Like Daughter
- Chapter 148 - The Second Elder of the Valley of the Medicine Masters
- Chapter 147 - Connate Stage Youth
- Chapter 146 - Lion’s Roar
- Chapter 145 - How Is It That You Are Here?
- Chapter 144 - Do You Know Where Chen Dandan Stays?
- Chapter 143 - Connate Elixir
- Chapter 142 - Acknowledging Master
- Chapter 141 - Returning to Qingshan Town
- Chapter 140 - Secrets Divulged
- Chapter 139 - The 18-Year-Old Connate Warrior
- Chapter 138 - Will the Myth Be Shattered?
- Chapter 137 - Become my dog
- Chapter 136 - Su Mo Makes His Move
- Chapter 135 - Foot-Long Streak of Qi
- Chapter 134 - Connate Demon Silver-Crowned Crane
- Chapter 133 - Chief of the Valley of Medicine Masters
- Chapter 132 - Buddhist Essence of Early Dharma Laws Stage
- Chapter 131 - Appetizer
- Chapter 130 - Late Connate Stage Demon
- Chapter 129 - Buddhist Essence
- Chapter 128 - Treasured Land of the Connate Demon
- Chapter 127 - Death of a Connate Adept
- Chapter 126 - Great Consummation of the Qi-gathering
- Chapter 125 - Two Options
- Chapter 124 - One Person Against a Country
- Chapter 123 - The Sword Sphere Transforms Into a Sword
- Chapter 122 - Great Power Arrives
- Chapter 121 - A Sleepless Night
- Chapter 120 - Arrival of the Imperial Court
- Chapter 119 - Valley of the Medicine Masters
- Chapter 118 - Unnatural
- Chapter 117 - Imperial Court of Yunyang Country
- Chapter 116 - The Decision of the Chu KingT
- Chapter 115 - The Chu Royal Mansion
- Chapter 114 - Uproar in the Chu Royal City
- Chapter 113 - The Sword Sphere
- Chapter 112 - Spare No One!
- Chapter 111 - The Patriarch of the Fan Family
- Chapter 110 - Household of the Fan family
- Chapter 109 - Fan Family of Tianxiu City
- Chapter 108 - Uninvited Guest
- Chapter 107 - The Tang Family’s Attitude
- Chapter 106 - Young Master Donghuang
- Chapter 105 - Provocation
- Chapter 104 - Donghuang Attends the Banquet
- Chapter 103 - A Youth
- Chapter 102 - Coming of Age
- Chapter 101 - Two Silly Birds
- Chapter 100 - Approaching Perfection of the Qi-Gathering
- Chapter 99 - Luo Qinghan
- Chapter 98 - Entering the Shield
- Chapter 97 - Shield?
- Chapter 96 - Lady in the Lost Forest
- Chapter 95 - Considering the Feelings of Others
- Chapter 94 - Wei Hongtao
- Chapter 93 - The Focal Point
- Chapter 92 - Zheng Qiuhe
- Chapter 91 - Level-eight of the Qi-gathering
- Chapter 90 - The Regretful Yang Yunji
- Chapter 89 - You Want to Stop Me?
- Chapter 88 - Teenage Medicine Master
- Chapter 87 - From the Valley of Medicine Masters?
- Chapter 86 - Chuxiu Inn
- Chapter 85 - Are You Finished
- Chapter 84 - Ren Jiapei
- Chapter 83 - An Invisible Hand
- Chapter 82 - Transactions
- Chapter 81 - Changing Attitudes Like Flipping Pages
- Chapter 80 - Conspiracy
- Chapter 79 - Celestial Dipper Detox Needle
- Chapter 78 - The Higher You Rise, the Harder You Fall
- Chapter 77 - Sense of Security
- Chapter 76 - Russell’s Viper
- Chapter 75 - Fanning the Flames
- Chapter 74 - Yang Zixi
- Chapter 73 - Level-Seven of Qi-gathering
- Chapter 72 - Arrival at the Chu Royal City
- Chapter 71 - Disbelief
- Chapter 70 - Call Second Master Here
- Chapter 69 - Back Again
- Chapter 68 - Liuxiang Restaurant
- Chapter 67 - Let’s Attack Together
- Chapter 66 - Governor’s Household of Guangling prefecture
- Chapter 65 - Yun Lu
- Chapter 64 - Five-Year Goal
- Chapter 63 - Meridian Destroying Palm
- Chapter 62 - Like Killing a Dog
- Chapter 61 - Level-Five of Qi-gathering
- Chapter 60 - The Return of Freezing Wind
- Chapter 59 - A Show of Extravagance
- Chapter 58 - The Challenge
- Chapter 57 - The New Magnolia Guild
- Chapter 56 - Chen Dandan
- Chapter 55 - Uproar in the Prefecture Capital
- Chapter 54 - Doing as he Wishes
- Chapter 53 - The Wrath of Donghuang
- Chapter 52 - An Even Better Blood-staunching Elixir
- Chapter 51 - A Thief Accusing a Thief
- Chapter 50 - Dirty Laundry
- Chapter 49 - The Qi-Gathering Elixir that Monopolized the Market
- Chapter 48 - Slander
- Chapter 47 - Back to the Lin Family
- Chapter 46 - Level Three of the Gathered Qi
- Chapter 45 - Reopening for Business
- Chapter 44 - The New Qi-Gathering Elixir
- Chapter 43 - Joy and Sorrow
- Chapter 42 - Lu Qinghu’s Decision
- Chapter 41 - A Clean Sweep
- Chapter 40 - Asking for Forgiveness?
- Chapter 39 - The Zhao Family of the Governor’s Household
- Chapter 38 - The Black Iron Spear
- Chapter 37 - he Second Floor of the Hall of Gods
- Chapter 36 - The Return of Li Rui
- Chapter 35 - Yunfeng Prefecture
- Chapter 34 - Level-Three Adept
- Chapter 33 - Journey to the Prefecture Capital
- Chapter 32 - Excruciating Pain
- Chapter 31 - Surrender
- Chapter 30 - Making Enemies
- Chapter 29 - The Elite Lesser Families
- Chapter 28 - Our Boss Does Not Have a Very Good Temper
- Chapter 27 - Li Pingyun
- Chapter 26 - Modifying a Martial Art
- Chapter 25 - The Qin Family Mansion
- Chapter 24 - Li Rui
- Chapter 23 - Third Grade swiftness technique
- Chapter 22 - Freezing Wind
- Chapter 21 - Bandits
- Chapter 20 - Delivering the Goods
- Chapter 19 - The Technique of Everlasting Youth
- Chapter 18 - Earth
- Chapter 17 - Squaring The Accounts
- Chapter 16 - A Single Killing Blow
- Chapter 15 - Donghuang Intervenes
- Chapter 14 - The Blockade
- Chapter 13 - The Lin Family Sends Word
- Chapter 12 - The New Owner of Yunxuan Restaurant
- Chapter 11 - Chief Steward Li Xian
- Chapter 10 - A Farce of a Meal
- Chapter 9 - Lin Lan Returns
- Chapter 8 - Practicing
- Chapter 7 - The Way of the Four Supremes
- Chapter 6 - The Formidable Zhao San
- Chapter 5 - The Wang Family
- Chapter 4 - Nine Levels of Perfection
- Chapter 3 - The Seal
- Chapter 2 - The Formula for the Blood-Staunching Elixir
- Chapter 1 - A Betrayal of Grace