Shang Tianyan's Arrangements

Sang Shuiyun looked at him, while streams of power slipped deep into the earth, swiftly fleeing far from this cave residence.

"Brother Shang, I never expected you to see me this way." Sang Shuiyun's voice was low. "I do have some secrets, and you have secrets as well! I thought... we understood each other, that neither of us would pry into the other's secrets. Yet you investigated me, even believing I might be Blood Cloud Divine Lord? Do you think a lone cultivator like me could possess such strength?"

Shang Tianyan looked at him. "Still denying it at a time like this?"

"You truly have the wrong person." Sang Shuiyun looked at him.

"If I have the wrong person, why has your true body already fled?" Shang Tianyan looked at him.

Sang Shuiyun fell silent.

"Brother Shang, it seems you are stronger than I expected, to have detected my escape technique." Sang Shuiyun sighed. His escape technique incorporated three Chaos Realm moves and was utterly silent; ordinary Eternal True Gods could not detect it at all.

"I have no particular specialties. I merely know a little about refining artifacts," Shang Tianyan said. "It is only because I have no interest in competing after returning to Huyang City that the outside world calls my refining among the very best in Huyang City."

"Even without competing, you are among the very best?" Sang Shuiyun looked at him. "I knew long ago that you and I were alike."

"You and I are not alike." Shang Tianyan looked at him. "You and I are both lonely in this world, with little to cling to. But I am deeply grateful for all I have experienced in this life. I watch the splendor of this world, watch one cultivator after another. They have their own pursuits, their own beloved ones... just as you and I once did, brimming with fighting spirit and desire."

"This world is so wonderful. Why must you destroy all of it?" Shang Tianyan looked at him. "What are you seeking by destroying everything?"

"As long as I can grow stronger, sacrificing everything is worth it!" Sang Shuiyun's eyes were cold and fierce. "So what if hundreds of millions of living beings perish? I, Sang Shuiyun, will certainly become a Chaos Master, and in the future, I will become a God King!"

"And what then, if you become a God King?" Shang Tianyan looked at him. "Even after becoming a God King, ancient powers like the Yan Feng Ancient Nation and Thunder Ancient Nation will still far surpass you. Across the vast Origin Continent, there will forever be those stronger than you."

Sang Shuiyun said coldly, "I am alone in this world. Now, all I want is to cultivate and become stronger!"

"Growing stronger solely for the sake of growing stronger?" Shang Tianyan shook his head. "You truly are different from me."

"Of course we are different!" Sang Shuiyun said. "You are merely an inconspicuous little wave upon the Origin Continent, while I... will be like the vast heavens and earth, ruling over all things! Countless living beings across the entire Origin Continent will be affected by me. My will shall decide the life and death of countless lives."

Shang Tianyan looked at him. "Then are you happy?"

Sang Shuiyun froze.

"No matter how powerful you become, no matter how many lives you can decide the fate of, ask your own heart. If you remain lonely and miserable, then your path will be a path of suffering." Shang Tianyan looked at Sang Shuiyun. "We have known each other for so long. I only hope that you can walk a path that brings your heart release and joy, a path where you can calmly face those you once loved."

"Let the outside world change as it may. What you feel in your heart is what is real." Shang Tianyan looked at Sang Shuiyun.

"Hahaha, you are actually trying to change me?" Sang Shuiyun looked at Shang Tianyan. "You and I have known each other too long. I can see through your thoughts at a glance."

"Yes, I am trying to change you. I know I cannot stop you. Even Yu Country may not necessarily be able to kill you. A cultivator as steeped in sin as you truly might become a Chaos Master, even a God King. I only hope that a future peerless powerhouse... will face this world with goodwill rather than malice." Shang Tianyan looked at Sang Shuiyun.

"Hahaha..." Madness filled Sang Shuiyun's eyes. "You have your path, and I have mine! What good and evil? My will is the will of heaven and earth, the will of all living beings!"

Shang Tianyan gently shook his head.

"Since you came here, you must have left some contingency in place." Sang Shuiyun looked at him. "What is it? No one in all of Huyang City can kill me now. Even General Yong fears implicating countless living beings. So your contingency rests with some great power?"

"Very clever," Shang Tianyan said.

"What contingency did you arrange?" Sang Shuiyun stared at him. "Tell me, and I can spare your life."

"Guess." Shang Tianyan smiled. "I cannot say my contingency will certainly kill you, but it should have a ninety percent chance."

"What contingency is it?" Sang Shuiyun's eyes were filled with madness.

"Let me test your strength! The strength of Blood Cloud Divine Lord!" Shang Tianyan suddenly threw a punch.

Barehanded, that single punch carried a might that made heaven and earth tremble! Sang Shuiyun remained where he stood and allowed the punch to blast through his chest. His entire body flowed like a tide of blood.

An invisible domain enveloped the entire cave residence. Sang Shuiyun, in his blood-wave body, stared at Shang Tianyan. "You refined your own divine body, making it like a Mechanical Flow Secret Treasure? Brother Shang, your artifact-refining skill truly stands far above all of Huyang City. You should not die so easily. Tell me, what contingency did you leave behind?"

Only by knowing the contingency could he deal with it more effectively.

He understood Shang Tianyan too well! Shang Tianyan appeared warm and sociable, making countless friends and treating the innumerable disciples of his sect kindly. Yet when it came to schemes, he was in no way inferior to Sang Shuiyun.

The two of them understood each other all too well!

"Do you think I would tell you?" Shang Tianyan shook his head.

"Then I can only send you on your way myself!" Sang Shuiyun's body transformed into a blood wave, completely engulfing Shang Tianyan.

Engulfed by the blood wave, Shang Tianyan instead turned to look at this world. "This world is so splendid, yet you wish to slaughter and destroy it without restraint, all for a sliver of hope for a breakthrough..."

Splash!

The blood wave eroded him. Shang Tianyan's body swiftly dissolved, and his True God Heart was annihilated.

Sang Shuiyun stood silently in place. Shang Tianyan was dead. The only friend he had in this world had been personally killed by him.

"All who block my path deserve death." Sang Shuiyun was expressionless as he looked around in every direction. "There was not even an ambush. It seems you did not place your hopes on the powerhouses within Huyang City. Are you planning to use outside forces to kill me?"

This strand of Blood Cloud power silently burrowed into the earth and departed as well.

After this battle, this place was no longer suitable for residence.

In an ordinary dwelling.

Metal Life Uncle Qiu gazed at the night sky, waiting nervously. Suddenly, within his Karma Communication Token, the karma of Sect Master Shang Tianyan dissipated.

"Sect Master." Uncle Qiu's heart trembled. He knew that the Sect Master had ultimately died.

Without daring to delay, Uncle Qiu immediately sent the secret letter to five targets according to the Sect Master's prior arrangements.

In truth, Shang Tianyan had not been absolutely certain that Sang Shuiyun was Blood Cloud, so confirmation was needed! He feared that once he confirmed it, he would die before he could send the information out. Thus, he had Uncle Qiu help transmit the secret letters as well.

And in fact, Shang Tianyan had also used the Karma Communication Token to deliver more explicit information.

At the City Lord's Mansion, Mo Li Meng was handling the aftermath. After all, Blood Cloud Divine Lord's slaughter had affected more than eight billion living beings. The impact on all of Huyang City would be immense; one misstep might trigger widespread panic.

"Hmm?" Mo Li Meng first received Shang Tianyan's message, then received the secret letter sent by Uncle Qiu.

"Blood Cloud Divine Lord's true identity is Sang Shuiyun?" Mo Li Meng revealed a delighted expression. "This Sang Shuiyun has lived in Huyang City for far too long. I have even encountered him many times at Dream Flower House. Wherever he has passed, traces must remain. The more traces there are, the more we can attempt to deduce the secrets of heaven and track him down... hmm?"

Mo Li Meng finished reading Shang Tianyan's complete secret letter.

"What a Shang Tianyan. He actually possesses a Karma Tracking Token, and the Karma Tracking Token contains Sang Shuiyun's karma? With this Karma Tracking Token, Sang Shuiyun can be tracked?" Mo Li Meng was overjoyed. "This makes things easy. Once we can track his location, the Marquis can carefully arrange a plan and eradicate him in one stroke."

Even if his strength rivaled General Yong's!

So long as his location was confirmed and preparations were made in advance, sufficient powerful forces could be mobilized to wipe him out in a single stroke.

"Shang Tianyan has rendered great merit." Just as Mo Li Meng was growing excited, he suddenly discovered that Shang Tianyan's karma within the Karma Communication Token had dissipated.

"He is dead?" Mo Li Meng's heart jolted.

"His Karma Tracking Token is stored at the Yan Feng Pavilion, and only my father, Mo Li Xiao, can retrieve it?" Mo Li Meng did not dare hesitate and immediately went to report this intelligence.

This was intelligence Shang Tianyan had left behind with his life.

Sang Shuiyun had actually been extremely cautious. Even though he and Shang Tianyan were close friends, he had never left behind blood or anything similar. He would never have allowed Shang Tianyan to lock onto his karma.

But Sang Shuiyun did not understand the methods of a Refining Master. Through their long association, their karmas had naturally become entangled! Using their mutual karma, Shang Tianyan had been able to imprint him into the Karma Tracking Token, allowing Sang Shuiyun's location to be tracked.

In Shang Tianyan's view, so long as Blood Cloud Divine Lord continued causing calamity, Yu Country might tolerate it once, but it could not tolerate it a second or third time.

Once Yu Country decided to kill a Blood Cloud Divine Lord, with the Karma Tracking Token confirming his location, success would be highly assured.

But Shang Tianyan also understood that the future held too many uncertainties. He could only do his utmost.

Dream Flower Mistress was alone in her small tower, playing a melody, when she suddenly received a message.

"Hmm?" Dream Flower Mistress checked it.

"The true identity of Blood Cloud Divine Lord, leader of Food Country's forces, is Sang Shuiyun! At this very moment, the several foremost powers in Huyang City all know this news! But do not worry. The City Lord's Mansion owes me a great deal, and I have already asked them to look after you. The city's several foremost powers also have considerable ties with me, so I believe they will not trouble you either. If you truly face grave danger in the future, no other power can be relied upon. Only Luo He God Monarch can help you."

"I know his temperament. For my sake, he will help you once. Do not trouble him too much; he fears trouble! Once you make him dislike you, he will no longer care whether you live or die."

"You need not worry about Sang Shuiyun either. He will not come to Dream Flower House again."

"Dream Flower, your illusion arts are truly quite mediocre. Among Eternal True Gods skilled in illusion arts, you rank at the very bottom. You must cultivate properly from now on. In this world, one must ultimately rely on oneself."

This secret letter left Dream Flower Mistress bewildered.

Among the Eternal True Gods infatuated with her, there had only been two: Shang Tianyan and Sang Shuiyun.

"Tianyan is dead?" Dream Flower Mistress discovered that Shang Tianyan's karma in the Karma Communication Token had dissipated. She stood there blankly, feeling only a thunderous roar in her mind. Too many thoughts made it impossible for her to calm down.

Within the cave residence, atop a mountain peak.

Luo Feng sat cross-legged, cultivating in quiet focus.

He did not use a Karma Communication Token and could not receive karma messages, but he received a message from the Dark Hall of the Yan Feng Pavilion.

"Luo He God Monarch, Shang Tianyan's death has been confirmed. According to his final instructions, the more than three million Universe Sand and all treasures, including a secret letter, which he left in the Dark Hall of our Yan Feng Pavilion, are to be transferred to you. Please personally come to the Dark Hall of the Yan Feng Pavilion to collect them."

This message left Luo Feng stunned.

Shang Tianyan's death had been confirmed?