## Chapter 60: Shang Tianyan’s Arrangement

Sang Shuiyun watched him, yet strands of power were already burrowing deep into the earth, swiftly fleeing the cave.

“Brother Shang,” Sang Shuiyun’s voice was low, “I didn’t expect you to see me this way. Indeed, I possess some secrets, and you are equally guarded! I thought…we understood each other, that we wouldn’t pry into each other’s affairs. Never did I imagine you were investigating me, even suspecting me of being the Blood Cloud God Monarch? Do you truly believe a solitary cultivator like myself could possess such power?”

Shang Tianyan stared at him. “Still denying it?”

“You’ve truly made a mistake,” Sang Shuiyun insisted, his gaze fixed on him.

“If I’m mistaken, then why is your true form already fleeing?” Shang Tianyan questioned.

Sang Shuiyun fell silent.

“Brother Shang, it seems you are stronger than I anticipated, capable of perceiving my escape method.” Sang Shuiyun sighed, his voice tinged with regret. His escape technique incorporated three Chaos Realm moves, silent and imperceptible, undetectable by ordinary Eternal True Gods.

“I have no particular talents, merely a little skill in refining weapons,” Shang Tianyan stated. “It’s just that, back in Hu Yang City, I had no desire to compete, so others said my weapon refinement skills were among the best.”

“Number one even without competing?” Sang Shuiyun remarked, looking at him. “I always knew you and I were alike.”

“You and I are not the same.” Shang Tianyan countered, his eyes unwavering. “We are both lonely in this world, with few attachments. But I am grateful for my life, for witnessing the wonders of the world, observing countless cultivators. They have their own ambitions, their own loves…just like you and I once did, filled with zeal and desire.”

“This world is so vibrant, why must you destroy it all?” Shang Tianyan questioned, his voice tinged with sorrow. “Destroy it all, for what purpose?”

“As long as I can become stronger, any sacrifice is worthwhile!” Sang Shuiyun’s eyes flashed with chilling resolve. “What does it matter if billions of living beings perish? I, Sang Shuiyun, will undoubtedly become a Chaos Dominator, and in the future, even a God King!”

“What then? Become a God King?” Shang Tianyan challenged. “Even as a God King, ancient powers like the Yanfeng Ancient Kingdom and the Thunder Ancient Kingdom will still far surpass you. The boundless Origin Continent will always have beings stronger than yourself.”

Sang Shuiyun replied coldly, “I am alone in this world. Now, I only desire to cultivate and become stronger!”

“To become stronger for the sake of becoming stronger?” Shang Tianyan shook his head. “You and I are truly different.”

“Of course we are different!” Sang Shuiyun declared. “You are but an insignificant ripple on the Origin Continent, while I…I will be like the vast heavens and earth, dominating all things! The countless lives of the Origin Continent will be influenced by me. My will shall determine the life and death of countless beings.”

Shang Tianyan looked at him. “Are you happy?”

Sang Shuiyun paused, taken aback.

“No matter how strong you become, no matter how many lives you can decide the fate of, ask yourself…if you remain lonely and in pain, then this path is a path of suffering.” Shang Tianyan continued, his voice laced with sincerity. “Considering our history, I only hope you can walk a path where your heart can be free, a path where you can face your former loves with peace.

“Regardless of external changes, your inner feelings are the only truth,” Shang Tianyan spoke, his gaze fixed on Sang Shuiyun.

“Haha, you dare to try and change me?” Sang Shuiyun scoffed, his gaze piercing. “We’ve known each other for too long. I see through your thoughts.”

“Yes, I am trying to change you. I know I can’t stop you. Even the Yu Kingdom might not be able to kill you. A cultivator as wicked as you might truly become a Chaos Dominator or even a God King. I only hope that a future powerhouse…will face this world with benevolence, not malice.” Shang Tianyan spoke.

“Hahaha…” A hint of madness flickered in Sang Shuiyun’s eyes. “You have your path, and I have mine! What is good or evil? My will *is* the will of heaven and earth, *is* the will of all living beings!”

Shang Tianyan shook his head gently.

“Since you came, you must have left a backup plan,” Sang Shuiyun stated, his eyes narrowed. “What is your trump card? No one in Hu Yang City can kill me now. Even General Yong worries about affecting countless lives. So, your backup plan…is it reliant on a powerful force?”

“You are truly intelligent,” Shang Tianyan responded.

“What arrangement did you make?” Sang Shuiyun pressed, his voice growing frantic. “Tell me, and I might spare your life.”

“Guess,” Shang Tianyan chuckled. “My plan might not guarantee your death, but it should have a ninety percent chance, perhaps?”

“Just what is your trump card?” Madness blazed in Sang Shuiyun’s eyes.

“Let me test your power! The power of the Blood Cloud God Monarch!” Shang Tianyan abruptly launched a punch.

He was empty-handed, yet with just one strike he brought a power which made Heaven and Earth tremble! Sang Shuiyun didn’t move, letting the punch bore through his chest, his entire body shifting, a swirling sea of blood.

An invisible domain enveloped the entire cave. Sang Shuiyun, his body of blood, glared at Shang Tianyan. “To refine your divine body, turning it into something akin to a mechanical secret treasure? Brother Shang, your weapon refinement skills are indeed far beyond those of Hu Yang City. You shouldn’t die like this. Speak, what trump card have you left?”

Knowing his plans would allow him to better cope.

He understood Shang Tianyan too well! Shang Tianyan seemed to make countless friends and treated countless disciples in his sect kindly, but when it came to schemes and plots, he was no less capable than Sang Shuiyun.

They both understood each other very well!

“Do you think I would tell you?” Shang Tianyan asked, shaking his head.

“Then I can only personally send you on your way!” Sang Shuiyun said and his body transformed into a wave of blood which completely engulfed Shang Tianyan.

Engulfed within the crimson wave, Shang Tianyan turned his gaze to the world. “This world is so vibrant, yet you want to slaughter and destroy it all, simply for a sliver of hope for a breakthrough…”

*Whoosh!*

The blood wave corroded. Shang Tianyan’s body quickly dissolved, his True God heart annihilated.

Sang Shuiyun stood silently, his expressionless. Shang Tianyan was dead, his only friend in this world, killed by his own hand.

“Those who stand in my way, all deserve to die,” Sang Shuiyun said indifferently. He surveyed his surroundings. “There are no ambushes after all, it seems that you didn’t put your hope in any experts from within Hu Yang City, but rather on borrowing strength from outside to kill me?”

A wisp of Blood Cloud power quietly fled, burrowing into the earth.

This place, this scene, was no longer suitable for habitation.

…

In an ordinary residence, the metallic lifeform Qiu Shu stared at the night sky, waiting anxiously. Suddenly, on his Karma Communication Token, the karma of his Sect Master, Shang Tianyan, dissipated.

“Sect Master…” Qiu Shu shuddered. He knew, his Sect Master had finally died.

Without hesitation, following his Sect Master’s instructions, Qiu Shu immediately sent the secret message to five designated targets.

Shang Tianyan wasn’t entirely certain that Sang Shuiyun was the Blood Cloud God Monarch, hence the need for confirmation! He feared that, during his confirmation, he would die before he could transmit the information. Thus, he had Qiu Shu help to spread the message.

In truth, Shang Tianyan had also used the Karma Communication Token to send even more specific information.

…

Over at the City Lord’s estate, Mo Limeng was handling the aftermath. After all, the Blood Cloud God Monarch had wreaked havoc, slaughtering over eight billion lives. It would greatly impact the entirety of Hu Yang City, and if handled poorly, could cause widespread panic.

“Hmm?” Mo Limeng first received a message from Shang Tianyan, then a secret message from Qiu Shu.

“The true identity of the Blood Cloud God Monarch is Sang Shuiyun?” Mo Limeng’s face lit up with delight. “Sang Shuiyun has resided in Hu Yang City for too long. I’ve encountered him several times at Dream Flower Tower. Wherever he goes, he’ll definitely leave trails behind and those can be used to deduce Heaven’s secrets and trace his whereabouts…Hmm?”

Mo Limeng finished reading Shang Tianyan’s complete message.

“What a Shang Tianyan! He actually possessed a Karma Tracking Token, with it even containing Sang Shuiyun’s karma? With this Karma Tracking Token, one can trace Sang Shuiyun?” Mo Limeng was overjoyed. “Now things are easier. Being able to track his location allows Marquis’ side to carefully plan and eliminate him in one fell swoop.”

Even if his strength rivaled General Yong!

As long as his location was confirmed, then it would be possible to mobilize enough power to erase him.

“Shang Tianyan has truly performed a great service,” Mo Limeng praised, but in that moment, he noticed Shang Tianyan’s karma had vanished in the Karma Communication Token.

“He died?” Mo Limeng was shocked.

“His Karma Tracking Token is stored within the Yanfeng Guildhall and my father, Mo Lixiao, must personally retrieve it?” Mo Limeng dared not delay, and immediately went to report the information.

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

Sang Shuiyun was very careful, even with his close friendship with Shang Tianyan, he would never leave any blood samples, or anything like that, never allowing Shang Tianyan to lock onto his karma.

However, Sang Shuiyun did not understand the methods of a Master Refiner, their long periods of interaction allowed them to be intertwined with Karma! With each others Karma, Shang Tianyan could leave his mark onto a ‘Karma Tracking Token’ which can be used to follow him.

In Shang Tianyan’s opinion, as long as the Blood Cloud God Monarch continues to create trouble, the Yu Kingdom would not tolerate it again and again.

The Yu Kingdom, after learning of the Blood Cloud God Monarch’s location via the Karma Tracking Token, would have immense confidence in killing them.

But Shang Tianyan understood there were far too many variables, and could only do his best.

…

The Dream Flower Tower Mistress was playing music alone in her small tower when she suddenly received a message.

“Hmm?” The Dream Flower Tower Mistress examined it.

“The true identity of the Blood Cloud God Monarch, leader of the Shi Kingdom’s forces, is Sang Shuiyun! At this very moment, the top forces in Hu Yang City know this news! However, rest assured, the City Lord’s estate owes me a great debt, and I have instructed them to take care of you. The other top forces in the city also have good relations with me, so I believe they will not trouble you. If you encounter any great danger in the future, know that the other forces cannot be relied upon, except for the Luo River God Monarch.”

“I know his character. For my sake, he will help you once. But do not trouble him too much! He is a man who hates trouble, and should you disgust him, he will not care whether you live or die.”

“There is no need to worry about Sang Shuiyun, he will not come to the Dream Flower Tower again.”

“Dream Flower, your illusions are truly mediocre. Among Eternal True Gods who specialize in illusion, you are at the very bottom. You must cultivate diligently from now on. Ultimately, in this world, one must rely on oneself.”

This message left the Dream Flower Tower Mistress in a daze.

Shang Tianyan and Sang Shuiyun were the two Eternal True Gods who were infatuated with her.

“Tianyan is dead?” The Dream Flower Tower Mistress noticed that Shang Tianyan’s karma had vanished in the Karma Communication Token. She stood there blankly, her mind reeling, overwhelmed by thoughts.

…

Inside a cave, on the peak of a mountain.

Luo Feng sat cross-legged, focusing on his cultivation.

As he did not use the Karma Communication Token, he was unable to receive it’s messages. However, he received a message from the Yanfeng Guildhall’s Dark Division.

“Luo River God Monarch, Shang Tianyan is confirmed dead. As per his prior instructions, the over three million universe sand and treasures, including a secret message, that he left behind in the Yanfeng Guildhall’s Dark Division are to be given to you. Please come to the Yanfeng Guildhall’s Dark Division to collect them.”

This message stunned Luo Feng.

Shang Tianyan, confirmed dead?