Several months later, over the smoky and miasma-filled forests of the Southern Border continent, a jade ship sped by.

Aboard the ship, Nascent Soul cultivators Sheng Xia and Zhang Kong stood, one at the front and one at the back, their gazes scanning the surroundings, expressions somewhat grave.

"Brother Sheng, you've been driving this flying boat for more than half a month. How about I take over so you can recover your mana?" Zhang Kong patted his old friend's shoulder and said.

"No need, this bit of consumption is nothing significant. Especially now, with the appearance of that Weird Thief True Monarch, all the Nascent Soul fellow cultivators in the North Domain of the continent are in a state of panic. It's best for us brothers to return to the sect as quickly as possible." Sheng Xia shook his head and said.

"You really don't need to be too nervous, brother. Three days ago, that thief abducted the Fu Family's Great Elder at Cold Extreme Peak in the North Domain. We're tens of thousands of miles away from there, and even changed directions several times in a day and deliberately suppressed our aura. Even with heaven-defying divine skills, that True Monarch couldn't possibly find us. Besides, we are only half a day away from reaching the sect's location, and by then..." Zhang Kong abruptly stopped mid-sentence.

"Junior Brother Shi, your words are almost as ominous as a crow's..." Sheng Xia said with a bitter smile, his face full of dejection.

At this moment, a tall figure suddenly appeared several miles in front of the flying boat, cloaked in black robes and wearing a Kui Niu mask.

Without a doubt, the person blocking the path was the Weird Thief True Monarch who had been causing a great uproar on the Sky Sinking Continent over the past year.

In just under a year, this mysterious and eccentric True Monarch had, for unknown reasons, repeatedly targeted Nascent Soul cultivators from various major factions. To date, as many as thirteen Nascent Soul cultivators had been abducted, becoming unfortunate hostages in his hands.

"Senior, please don't act. The two of us willingly bind our mana and surrender," Sheng Xia loudly proclaimed, seeing there was no escape from their calamity.

However, before he finished speaking, chains of divine thought emerged, weaving into an invisible net that descended upon the two of them.

Sheng Xia's mind trembled, causing him to stagger backward, unable to keep his balance.

On the other side, Zhang Kong also trembled fiercely, spitting out a mouthful of blood, his complexion turning as pale as paper.

With a tremendous roar!

The void before them suddenly shook, and streaks of purple lightning appeared out of thin air, enveloping the two like a spider web, transforming instantly into countless thunder chains that penetrated their bodies.

In an instant, the two Nascent Soul cultivators became captives, collapsing onto the bottom of the ship.

The ship's interior flickered with light and shadow,

and Zhao Sheng, bearing the Kui Niu Treasure, appeared instantly before them, standing with hands behind his back, exuding an aura of dominion over the world.

The next second, the jade ship transformed into a jade arc, speeding towards the Cloud Sea in the Heavenly Vault.

...

Two years later, in the outer skies, the formation's defense barrier of Juque City was fully activated, enveloping the entire floating city in layers of colorful light shields. The city bristled with a tense and oppressive atmosphere, suffused with a strong air of killing intent.

Deep within the City Lord Mansion, in a grand hall, sat several imposing Nascent Soul Ancestors, all true leaders from the top factions of the Black Sand Realm, with eighty percent being late-stage cultivators.

It could be said that apart from the reclusive Divinity Transformation True Monarchs, most of the top combat power of the Black Sand Realm was present in this hall.

A group of Nascent Soul Great Cultivators sat in a circle, each with different expressions; some had slight smiles, others had grim faces, while others were expressionless.

The atmosphere in the hall was tense and oppressive, akin to an imminent clash, clearly indicating a recent fierce quarrel with significant disagreements among them.

This conference, mainly involving the four major cultivation regions of the North Domain, Southern Border, Mo Province, and West Wilderness, aimed to discuss how to "deal with" the unexpectedly emerging Weird Thief True Monarch.

The brazen behavior of this person abducting Nascent Soul cultivators had already incited "public indignation" across the cultivation world of each region, now deemed an enemy of the world!

This Great Demon Subjugation Conference had lasted for two days and nights from its initiation, with various Great Cultivators holding their own views and embroiling in incessant disputes.

One faction's opinion was to encircle and eliminate the thief to eradicate future troubles. Another faction advocated for appeasement, ideally sending enough Spirit Stone resources to activate the Ascension Array, thereby quickly sending away this plague.

"Yin Palace Master, the situation is extremely unfavorable for us; more and more fellow daoists have been convinced by the West Desolate War God Palace. If we truly engage in the hunt, I fear we will suffer great losses!" Wuque Palace's Palace Master Yin Ji sat expressionless at the center of the North Domain's seating. At this moment, an elderly man with white hair beside him leaned slightly over, hastily transmitting a divine thought message.

This person was Si Fangyang, Peak Master of Cold Extreme Peak, long aligned with Wuque Palace Master and one of the most enthusiastic supporters of Wuque Palace ruling the North Domain.

"Peak Master Si, there's no need for concern; those who refuse to see reason will eventually regret it. You and I both understand that the Weird Thief True Monarch's power is unfathomable, unmatched in this realm." Yin Ji smiled faintly, seemingly having everything well in hand.

Seeing Yin Ji's demeanor, Si Fangyang muttered inwardly but said nothing more.

Yin Ji sat upright, a slight smile at the corners of his mouth, perhaps with a hint of sarcasm.

"Communicate this to everyone, let them quietly watch as events unfold!" He silently transmitted to his faction while watching his two old rivals busily exchanging messages across from him.

At this time, within the seats of the Southern Border, a gray-robed elder glanced thoughtfully at Wuque Palace Master Yin Ji.

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