Chapter 554

Soon after, Huang Tian Shangren followed Qi Yuan to the Fire Core Imperial City.

The Fire Core City Lord also personally came out to receive him, after all this Huang Tian Shangren might be a disciple of a major sect from Zhong Tian Zhi Yu, with an extraordinary background; as merely an imperial city lord, I cannot compare with them.

"I am the Fire Core City Lord; are you Huang Tian Shangren?"

"Not bad, that's me." Huang Tian Shangren said with clasped hands, neither arrogant nor humble.

"Your arrival is timely; that thief recently robbed an imperial city's treasure vault nearby. Do you have any method to find him?"

"First, take me to the place of the theft to have a look."

"No problem."

Huang Tian Shangren followed the Fire Core City Lord to the treasure vault, looked around, and asked: "Has someone tampered with it?"

"..." Qi Yuan's face turned embarrassed: "That thief used some secret method to forcefully break in, damaging the formations and restrictions; we naturally need to repair them."

Huang Tian Shangren furrowed his brows: "In that case, while you repair it, can you observe any peculiarities in the thief's mana and techniques?"

"I'm asking you!!" the Fire Core City Lord glared at Qi Yuan.

Qi Yuan jumped in surprise, then hurriedly thought: "That thief... his mana seems strong, able to directly pierce the formation and destroy its core; moreover... moreover it seems he also uses fire-type techniques."

Huang Tian Shangren stroked his chin: "Since he masters the Instant Movement Technique of the Yu Dao, has strong mana, and understands fire techniques to break formations, he must also have his own unique insight into formations and restrictions. Therefore, to catch him, I suggest the City Lord first prepare a Sixfold Forbidden Sky Immortal Formation."

"A Sixfold Immortal Formation?" the Fire Core City Lord's face changed.

Setting up an immortal formation isn't as simple as just wanting to do it; it involves the cultivator himself needing to understand formations, spending a lot of money to buy spiritual and celestial materials to craft formation plates and flags, and finally ensuring the target falls into the formation—far from a simple task.

Huang Tian Shangren raised his eyebrows: "Never mind other things; since he understands the Instant Movement Technique, ordinary formations cannot hold him. Since the City Lord intends to catch this thief, you surely don't think we can capture him with just our few people, right?"

"What do you mean then?"

"Contact those who were robbed; we'll jointly construct an immortal formation, and besides, I also want to ask the victims some questions."

"No problem."

Afterward, the Fire Core City Lord went to contact the victims.

Huang Tian Shangren stood before the treasure vault door, his eyes shifted, and he suddenly squatted down, picking up a handful of sand from the ground.

"Fellow Daoist Qi Yuan, do your guards drink while on duty?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Qi Yuan's face changed.

What else has this guy discovered?

Qi Yuan smiled; the sand in his palm faintly gave off a wine fragrance, intoxicating to the heart.

"This wine fragrance, I guess only the Drunken Immortal Wine from the treasure land's wine pool and meat forest has such a lasting aroma. But if I'm not mistaken, you all should be unable to obtain that wine, and also unable to drink it while on duty."

"I really don't know about this; at the time someone was knocked unconscious.... You mean they weren't knocked out but drunk?!"

"Well, this person perhaps also knows alchemy, using the wine fragrance as a guide to concoct a soporific drug, scattering it on these guards; the more they activate their mana, the less they can withstand it." Huang Tian Shangren pondered: "I wonder if there has been any news recently of the wine pool and meat forest appearing?"

"You wouldn't believe it, but it's true; recently several Nascent Soul cultivators entered the wine pool and meat forest, then came out and started fighting, causing quite a commotion."

"Do you know the exact location, Fellow Daoist?"

"Naturally I know."

"Then please, Fellow Daoist, follow the direction of the wine pool and meat forest and investigate whether any cultivator possessing the Instant Movement Technique has appeared there."

Qi Yuan thought, his eyes lighting up: "Or perhaps Fellow Daoist, you should observe with Micro Refinement! Following the clues like this, we might just learn the other's identity!"

Huang Tian Shangren shook his head: "We only know the opponent's methods, but not his origin. If I'm not mistaken, he probably also excels in disguise techniques, to the point that even Nascent Soul cultivators cannot tell real from fake. Since we cannot invite a God-transcending expert to assist, all our preparations in the early stage must be carried out secretly."

"Then what do you want me to investigate?"

"Since this person roams and commits crimes, he couldn't just rob one place after another; his preparations are so thorough, showing his purpose is strong. As long as we figure out what he wants, we can anticipate his next move in advance."

"I see, thank you for the lesson; I'll go make arrangements right away!" Qi Yuan clasped his fists and turned to leave.

Huang Tian Shangren stood where he was, threw away the sand in his hand, and sighed: "If it weren't for what I need here, I really wouldn't want to feud with this kind of person—is this my fate?"

Huang Tian Shangren recalled his master saying that his opportunity to reach Nascent Soul and God-transcending lies in the West Sand River Basin, which is why he came all this way; he didn't expect that just a few decades would already yield clues.

But having to seek out such a troublesome fellow upon leaving the mountain, Huang Tian Shangren originally intended to refuse.

However, this too is part of cultivation; even if he doesn't want to, external forces will push him forward.

On the path of cultivation, not advancing means death; he had no other choice.

Not long after.

City Lord Huoxin summoned the theft victims, all renowned city lords from various regions, and even several late-stage Golden Core cultivators.

"Friends, although I hate to say this, but has anyone seen that person's face or witnessed his power?" Huang Tian Shangren cupped his fists and said.

"Who are you?"

"City Lord Huoxin, you're just bringing a Golden Core cultivator to fool us? That thief is as cunning as a fox, his movements elusive; just relying on him, you think you can catch him?"

There were many Nascent Soul cultivators present, naturally looking down on a late-stage Golden Core Huang Tian Shangren.

And several Golden Core cultivators who had been waylaid and robbed were also dissatisfied; they summoned us saying they could catch that thief, yet now we have to air our own dirty laundry?

They could do nothing about that thief; you're also a late-stage Golden Core—what can you do?

City Lord Huoxin stood up and said: "Everyone, this is Huang Tian Shangren. He comes from the Uncounted Sect of Zhong Tian Zhi Yu; perhaps some of you have heard of them. Huang Tian Shangren is a senior disciple of the Uncounted Sect, and having him is better than us being completely clueless."

Huang Tian Shangren nodded: "I indeed come from the Uncounted Sect; I have no other recourse, but I am confident in finding people. If you don't believe me, feel free to leave. But if you want to regain face and catch that thief, wouldn't it be better to work together?"

After that, the people around fell silent.

"We haven't seen that thief; at most we've seen him use the Instant Movement Technique."

"Yes, the laws of Space Dao are hard to comprehend; there aren't many cultivators in the West Sand River Basin who understand Space Dao."

"We are the same."

"Earlier I was walking fine on the road, when that thief suddenly appeared, knocked me unconscious, and stole the spiritual material from my person."

Huang Tian Shangren looked at the counterpart and said: "Friends, could you tell us what was stolen?"

The crowd hesitated, but the City Lord of Huoxin spoke first: "Our Huoxin City had a piece of Fivefold Transformation Yang Fire Essence stolen!"

"We.... sigh, had a piece of Fourfold Transformation Black Meteorite Iron stolen."

Seeing this, the others also felt some herd mentality and spoke up about their own stolen belongings.