Eternal Thief

At this moment, within the human territory of the mainland, in a secret location of the Azure Wind Mountain Sect, Dream Shatter was cultivating a mysterious soul art, creating a strange phenomenon around him when suddenly he stopped as his astute eyes locked on a remote corner. Shock surfaced in his eyes as he narrowed them dangerously, and he said, "Now, this is surprising. I wasn't expecting a guest." All of a sudden, a cloaked figure appeared out of thin air, "I guess I've entered uninvited, but you can't blame me since I can't help myself when I see this crappy security." A scoffing voice sounded. Dream Shatter smiled wryly, "I don't know whether to cry or laugh. If you're calling a high-grade-7 formation crappy, then what will you call better security?" "Heh, you're not to blame. It's just that my standards are quite high." The figure replied. Dream Shatter nodded, "Arrogant and confident, as expected of the Nightmarish Thief. Mister already surpassed the Sky Stealer." "Oh? Why do you think I'm not the Sky Stealer?" The figure questioned with a hint of surprise. Dream Shatter smiled humbly, "Because Sky Stealer has vanished for a long time now, and I'm pretty sure he didn't need to poke around the lower lands anymore. Besides, we humans aren't rich enough to draw someone like Sky Stealer's attention." "Sigh… and here I thought I was discreet enough, but you've been on to me for quite some time, it seemed. Still, I'm quite curious. Why don't you take action?" He asked curiously. "You must be joking, Mister. You've been extremely careful, and all I can do is find some traces. I'm afraid even the Sky Stealer won't be able to achieve it. Furthermore, you, Mister, have always been active in human territory since your debut, and you are the only one who was able to bring the Dark Nightmare Sect to its knees. It's an achievement not any worse than the Sky Stealer. You even manage to recruit the ruminates of the Sky Stealer Society." Dream Shatter sighed with a hint of coldness flashing past his eyes. The figure of the Nightmarish Thief replied, "I guess I messed up your bait plan then, huh? You let them escape and pretend you are helpless only because you wanted to draw the Sky Stealer and thought he had past ties with them, right?" "Who knows?" Dream Shatter didn't admit it nor rejected this claim, "Maybe I was being merciful and have compassion for my human race that's why I give them another chance. Sigh… what I can't understand why someone of your caliber is walking this path of thievery when you can have a more suitable position and be revered by the humans as a Sage." "Are you trying to recruit me, Mr. Human Ancestor?" The Nightmarish Thief snickered, "And you're talking about being merciful and sage without even batting an eye. Aren't you afraid of heavenly punishment striking you down?"

"It seems there's some kind of misunderstanding between us?" Dream Shatter pretended to be surprised. The Nightmarish Thief snickered darkly, "Really now? Misunderstanding? Stop playing these word games; they won't work on me. I've already investigated the entire region of the lower lands and the massive vile formation you have established there. "If I'm not wrong, that formation was there to nurture the elemental orbs at the expense of refining the human souls. One in the lands of the city, one in the lands of the kingdom, and last in the lands of the empire. "Not only that, I even found that two of them in the lands of city and kingdom were taken by the Sky Stealer before you could. As for the one in the lands of empire it has been taken by you long before the Sky Stealer emergence.

"What I can't comprehend is how you found them and why were you nurturing them. What was your end goal? Furthermore, since two of them were taken by the Sky Stealer, how does it affect you, and why didn't you unseal those lands and free those humans once it was done?" He questioned coldly with a hint of fury. Dream Shatter's expression changed ever so slightly with a hint of surprise since he wasn't expecting that the secret behind the lower lands would be unraveled so easily by this thief. He impassively replied, "So there was such a thing? I have no idea something so vile was there. All I know is those lands were sealed on their own one day, and I can't do anything about it. I was helpless against it. It must be a scheme of some devil." A terrible aura suddenly enveloped the entire space at this moment, but Dream Shatter remained unperturbed. The Nightmarish Thief coldly said, "Hmph, I guess I was expecting too much from a snake like you. But no worries, it doesn't matter if you admit it or not, for your retribution is already here. No one can save you. Even our backing, the Union Lord, is still busy with the sea beasts. He won't even know you have vanished and thought that you've betrayed him just like everyone else." "This is a very harsh indictment, Mister. You're probably suspecting an innocent man." Dream Shatter's eyes narrowed dangerously, "Do you really want to be the enemy of the entire world like the Sky Stealer? And rob your race of their hope?" "Hahahahahaha…" Suddenly, a burst of hysterical laughter boomed in the silent space, filled with derision. Dream Shatter's expression finally changed as he looked behind and saw a pale middle-aged man with long white hair, handsome features, and slim stature standing a few feet away from him! What made him overwhelmed was he didn't detect this man's presence while he was so close. "Who might you be?" He asked as he was on guard and ready to retaliate. The middle-aged man stopped laughing as his eyes were filled with killing intent and hatred as he gawked at Dream Shatter, "Traitorous Disciple, don't tell me you've forgotten about your dearest master?" "Empty Dream!? Impossible!" Dream Shatter blurted as he took a step back, and his expression was like he was seeing a living ghost, which wasn't far from the truth. Empty Dream smiled coldly as he liked Dream Shatter's appalled expression, "Impossible indeed because you made sure I suffer for all eternity. Yet here I am, standing in front of you in the flesh despite you cutting me into pieces. Brother Nightmarish, what did I tell you about this hidden location? This traitor would never give up on my clan's sealed legacy." The Nightmarish Thief coldly replied, "You were indeed correct. We've trapped a mouse in this cage. According to our deal, his head is yours, but I want the key to the formation to free all those humans and the Azure Wind Mountain Sect's treasury." Empty Dream confidently replied, "No worries, I'm a man of my word." He then looked at Dream Shatter with bloodlust as his ethereal, purplish aura oozed from his body, "Are you ready to suffer my traitorous disciple? Let your master give you a taste of the endless suffering that you've inflicted on me!"