Chapter 555: Capture Plan

After Huang Tianshangren finished recording the stolen Spiritual Materials, he suddenly asked a question: "Since this person took the items but didn't harm anyone's life, right?"

The others glanced at each other and nodded: "Indeed, he used some kind of trance drug to daze the guards, but didn't strike to kill."

"Moreover, someone happened to encounter him, but couldn't catch him at the time."

Huang Tianshangren nodded: "Alright, what do you think these stolen Spiritual Materials are meant for?"

"What else could they be for? Either alchemy or forging."

Huang Tianshangren smiled: "It's like this—most of these Spiritual Materials are likely for forging Accumulation Devices. So this person probably still lacks Accumulated Beast Armament; his true strength should be at the Golden Core stage, and he will try to avoid direct conflict to prevent being trapped with no escape."

The others nodded; Huang Tianshangren's reasoning made sense.

"Given that, can we tell what kind of armament the other intends to forge?"

Huang Tianshangren shook his head: "Each cultivator's idea of Accumulated Beast Armament differs, and even if he gathers the materials now, it may take decades to forge. So his power won't rise significantly in the short term. However, he excels at concealment and escape; catching him the moment he's discovered is as hard as scaling a mountain—only a 'invite the lord into the jar' can work."

"Invite the lord into the jar?"

"Exactly. Have you noticed that the Spiritual Materials he needs are all quite tough and suitable for disassembly, meaning they're likely used for connecting armament components. Only a small portion have unique functions, so based on that we can spread rumors about those characteristics to lure him into a net voluntarily!"

"What if he's no longer in this area now?"

"Then we must ask you all to quickly go to nearby regions and contact the local City Lords, ask whether they also possess similar Spiritual Materials, and urge them to be cautious. Moreover, to capture this thief we need to set up a Six-turn Forbidden Sky Immortal Formation!"

The others fell silent, internally acknowledging Huang Tianshangren's view; after all, without a way to seal off a space, they couldn't catch a cultivator wielding the Instant Movement Technique. Only beings above the Transformation Divine Stage could act, but to capture merely a Golden Core cultivator, what would that do for their reputation?

"Given that, we can discuss among our sects to gather the formation materials, but who will set up the formation?"

"I'll." Huang Tianshangren smiled: "I'm unworthy, but I have a modest grasp of array formation."

"You're only in the later Golden Core stage and already know how to set up a formation?" Those present could not believe it; though you're extraordinary, it's hard to be that overpowered.

Setting up a formation involves Dao Marks, which strictly requires the cultivator to be at least at the Nascent Soul stage.

"Everyone need not worry. When I left my sect, my master bestowed a treasure upon me that can aid in setting the formation." As he spoke, Huang Tianshangren produced the treasure from his hand.

Seeing the treasure in Huang Tianshangren's hand, which resembled a greenish apple, the others were stunned:

"Heaven-and-Earth Rare Treasure—Great Profound Apple?!"

"So you indeed possess such a rare treasure; no wonder you can set the formation."

"What does the Great Profound Apple do? We have little experience; we've only heard of this Heaven-and-Earth Rare Treasure but don't know its function—could you enlighten us?"

Someone explained: "The Great Profound Apple is one of the Seven Great Heaven-and-Earth Rare Treasures, a supreme artifact used to sense Dao Marks. Even a Transformation Divine Stage great being would covet it in dreams."

"Sense Dao Marks?"

"Any Dao Mark works?" someone asked, eyes blazing at the Great Profound Apple in Huang Tianshangren's hand.

"Naturally." Huang Tianshangren smiled: "With this rare treasure, I can sense the cosmic Dao Marks and incorporate them into the array to set the formation."

No wonder he comes from a great sect; this Heaven-and-Earth Rare Treasure is said to be unique in the world, with only seven existing across the Nine Heavens Five Regions. Many Nascent Soul cultivators have never seen it, so encountering it here is indeed fortunate.

No one dares covet Huang Tianshangren's Great Profound Apple; after all, his background is evident, and he boldly displays it, clearly unafraid of being coveted.

Yet everyone's eyes still glisten, especially Nascent Soul cultivators who know that sensing more Dao Marks is akin to adding several extra paths to their cultivation journey!

"Given that, let's first coordinate. Does Huang Tianshangren have any other plans?"

"Hmm, I hope the informants can act quickly so we can track his movements."

This operation's root cause is Yan Buji's flamboyance; although he restrained himself from killing and didn't ravage the lands, many still bear a grudge against him.

Ask yourself: if someone sneaks into your home and steals your belongings, even if they leave money, it's still theft without confession. And spreading that story would make people laugh—are all the renowned masters across the lands truly shameless?

Precisely because of that, after Huang Tianshangren displayed his identity and abilities, the others, eager to restore their face, naturally continued to follow his arrangements.

A few days later.

Huang Tianshangren met Qi Yuan again.

Qi Yuan, holding the gathered intelligence, said: "In the vicinity of Great Phoenix City, someone may have seen a cultivator with the Instant Movement Technique! It was reported by a Foundation Establishment cultivator who said a senior suddenly appeared from the Fire Monkey Group and saved his life. Then, heading south, it's said that monks at Fahua Temple were killed by a cultivator who knows the Instant Movement Technique."

"Let me see."

Huang Tianshangren examined the intelligence closely; although many parts were vague, from the peripheral details he still inferred that this person was somewhat odd.

If the one who killed the Fahua Temple monks is the thief they now pursue, why has his temperament become so mild? To dare strike Buddhist monks in the West Sand River Basin, he should be a recklessly bold fellow.

But it's unlikely to be two people; how could two Golden Core cultivators who know the Instant Movement Technique appear simultaneously?

"In other words, this person's purpose is very strong, and under normal circumstances wouldn't kill anyone; only when forced to the brink would he take a lethal step," Huang Tianshangren thought.

If so, that's fortunate—it shows he has reservations and isn't a lawless brute, so they can deal with him by a 'slow‑cooking the frog' method, letting him gradually fall into a trap.

As long as they don't aim to capture him in one stroke, by the time he reacts he'll already be surrounded by a sky‑and‑earth net, with no chance of escape.

"These intel are very useful, thank you."

"You're welcome; it's also to catch that thief as soon as possible."