With the spirit stones Deva Path had crazily stolen, [Akatsuki] had managed to resolve its urgent needs. At the very least, maintaining Cosmic Light Hall's twentyfold time differential for the next year would not be a problem.
Zero Burial knew when to stop while he was ahead. Although Yomotsu Hirasaka was exceedingly powerful, allowing him to come and go without a trace, he still did not dare act carelessly once all the major factions had begun taking precautions. If they found even the slightest clue, the Akatsuki organization would be inviting disaster upon itself.
However, although Deva Path was no longer active in the world, his legend remained. All kinds of claims regarding the spirit stone thief spread throughout the Ancient Immortal Realm. Some said it was a spirit beast that fed exclusively on spirit stones; others said some ancient immortal had awakened and was secretly absorbing the spiritual energy within spirit stones to recover his strength; still others claimed it was news deliberately released by the major factions to mislead ordinary cultivators...
In any case, there were all sorts of rumors. Zero Burial was left utterly bewildered by them. If the spirit stone thief had not been himself, he might have believed those rumors.
"These people really have wild imaginations..." Deva Path muttered inwardly as he stood wrapped in a black robe, listening to the surrounding cultivators discuss the spirit stone thief.
"Hey? Brother, do you know anything about the spirit stone thief? I've got the latest information here. Want to buy a copy?" A middle-aged Void Refinement cultivator spotted the black-robed Deva Path and took him for someone from a major clan, immediately coming over to strike up a conversation.
Deva Path looked at the rogue cultivator before him. His Rinnegan, concealed in the darkness, blinked. You probably