Sang Shuiyun watched him, yet a series of powers escaped into the depths of the earth, swiftly leaving the cave mansion.
“Brother Shang, I never expected you to think of me this way.” Sang Shuiyun’s voice was deep, “I do have some secrets, and you have secrets too! I thought… that we understood each other, that neither of us would probe into the other’s secrets. I never imagined you’d be investigating me, even suspecting that I might be Divine Monarch Xue Yun.
Do you really think a lonely cultivator like me could possess such strength?”
Shang Tianyan looked at him, “Are you still denying it at this time?”
“You really have it wrong.” Sang Shuiyun looked at him.
“If I’m wrong, then why has your True Body already fled?” Shang Tianyan looked at him.
Sang Shuiyun was silent.
“Brother Shang, it seems you are stronger than I expected, able to detect my escape technique.” Sang Shuiyun exclaimed with a sigh. His escape technique incorporated three Primal Chaos Realm moves and was silent; an ordinary eternal true god would never detect it.
“I’m not particularly good at anything, I just know a bit about Artifact Refining.” Shang Tianyan said, “But upon returning to Huyang City, I have no inclination to compete. It’s only the outside world that says my Artifact Refining is among the top within Huyang City.”
“Top tier without competing?” Sang Shuiyun looked at him, “I’ve known all along you and I are the same.”
“You and I are not the same.” Shang Tianyan looked at him, “Both of us are very lonely in this world, with few attachments. But I am grateful for the experiences of this life, I watch the wonders of the world, the cultivators each with their own pursuits, their own loves… just like you and I used to be, full of fighting spirit and desire.”
“The world is wonderful, so why must you destroy it all?” Shang Tianyan looked at him, “By destroying everything, what is it for?”
“As long as I can become stronger, it’s worth the sacrifice of anything!” Sang Shuiyun’s eyes were cold and fierce, “Even if countless creatures perish, so what? I, Sang Shuiyun, will surely become the Primal Chaos Overlord, and in the future even ascend to Godly King!”
“What’s the point of becoming a Godly King?” Shang Tianyan looked at him, “Even after becoming a Godly King, there are still ancient forces like Flame Wind Ancient Country, Thunder Ancient Country that are far beyond you. In the vast Land of Origin, there will always be those stronger than you.”
Sang Shuiyun said coldly, “In this world, I am alone; now I only wish to cultivate and grow even stronger!”
“To become stronger for the sake of becoming stronger?” Shang Tianyan shook his head, “You truly are different from me.”
“Of course we’re different!” Sang Shuiyun said, “You are but a tiny, unnoticeable wave in the Land of Origin, while I… will be like the vast heavens and earth, dominating all things! The countless creatures of the Land of Origin will be influenced by me; my will shall determine the life and death of countless beings.”
Shang Tianyan looked at him, “Then are you happy?”
Sang Shuiyun was startled.
“No matter how powerful you are, no matter how many creatures’ lives and deaths you decide, ask yourself, if you’re still lonely and in pain, then this path you’re treading is one of suffering.” Shang Tianyan looked at Sang Shuiyun, “Our paths have crossed in life, and I only hope that you can walk a path that brings relief and joy to your heart, a path where you can face earnestly the one you once cherished.”
“Regardless of the changes in the external world, the true feelings in your heart are what matter.” Shang Tianyan looked at Sang Shuiyun.
“Hahaha, you actually try to change me?” Sang Shuiyun looked at Shang Tianyan, “We’ve known each other for too long, I see through your thoughts at a glance.”
“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 sinful as you is truly likely to become the Primal Chaos Overlord and even ascend to Godly King. I only hope that a peerless strong person in the future… faces this world with benevolence, not malice.” Shang Tianyan looked at Sang Shuiyun.
“Hahaha…” Sang Shuiyun’s eyes were filled with madness, “You have your path, I have mine! What is good and evil? My will is the will of the heavens and the earth, the will of all creatures!”
Shang Tianyan gently shook his head.
“Since you have come, you must have left yourself a way out.” Sang Shuiyun looked at him, “What’s your backup plan? Currently, no one in Huyang City can kill me, not even General Yong, as he’s worried about affecting countless creatures. So your backup plan, did it rely on external powers?”
“Very smart.” Shang Tianyan said.
“What backup plan did you arrange?” Sang Shuiyun stared at him, “Tell me, and I might spare your life.”
“You guess.” Shang Tianyan smiled, “My backup plan, I can’t say for sure that it will kill you, but it should have a ninety percent chance.”
“What exactly is the backup plan?” Sang Shuiyun’s eyes were filled with madness.
“Let’s test your strength! The strength of Divine Monarch Xue Yun!” Shang Tianyan suddenly threw a punch.
He was barehanded, and just one punch carried a might that made the heavens and earth tremble! Sang Shuiyun stood still, letting the punch pierce through his chest; his entire body flowed like the Blood Wave.
An invisible Domain enveloped the entire cave mansion, and Sang Shuiyun, who was transformed into the Blood Wave, stared at Shang Tianyan, “Refining your own godly body as if it’s a Mechanical Stream Secret Treasure? Brother Shang, your Artifact Refining Skills truly far surpass those in the entirety of Huyang City.
You shouldn’t have to die like this, so tell me, what backup plan do you really have?”
Knowing the backup plan would help him deal with it better.
He knew Shang Tianyan very well! Shang Tianyan seemed to make numerous friends with passion, treating countless disciples of his sect kindly, but when it came to scheming, he was certainly not inferior to him, Sang Shuiyun.
The two of them, they understood each other very well!
“Do you think I would tell you?” Shang Tianyan shook his head.
“Then I have no choice but to personally send you on your way!” Sang Shuiyun’s body transformed into the Blood Wave, completely enveloping Shang Tianyan.
Shang Tianyan, enveloped by the Blood Wave, turned his head to look at this world, “The world is so marvelous, yet you want to wreak mindless slaughter and destruction, all for a mere glimmer of hope for breakthrough…”
Whoosh!
The Blood Wave eroded, and Shang Tianyan’s body quickly melted away, the True God’s Heart annihilated.
Sang Shuiyun stood silently in place, Shang Tianyan was dead; the only friend he had in this world was killed by his own hands.
“Those who block my path should die.” Sang Shuiyun was expressionless, he looked all around, “It appears there are no ambushes after all, it seems you didn’t place your hopes on the strong within Huyang City. Was it to borrow outside forces to kill me?”
This force of the Blood Wave also quietly escaped underground.
This place, after such a battle, was no longer suitable for inhabitation.
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…
In an ordinary residence.
Metallic life form Uncle Qiu stared into the night sky, anxiously waiting when suddenly, the cause-and-effect within his Karmic Messenger Order dissipated for Sect Leader ‘Shang Tianyan’.
“Sect Leader,” Uncle Qiu’s heart trembled, knowing that the Sect Leader had ultimately died.
Without hesitation, following the Sect Leader’s previous arrangements, Uncle Qiu immediately dispatched the secret letter to five targets.
Indeed, Shang Tianyan was not absolutely certain that Sang Shuiyun was Xue Yun; confirmation was needed! He worried that he might not have the chance to pass on the message before he died while confirming it. Therefore, he had Uncle Qiu help spread the secret letter too.
In reality, Shang Tianyan had also used the Karmic Messenger Order to pass on a more definitive message.
…
At the city owner’s mansion, Moli Meng was handling the aftermath. After all, Divine Monarch Xue Yun had slaughtered over eighty billion creatures, which would greatly impact the entire Huyang City. One wrong move could potentially cause widespread panic.
“Hmm?” Moli Meng first received Shang Tianyan’s message, followed by the secret letter from Uncle Qiu.
“The true identity of Divine Monarch Xue Yun is ‘Sang Shuiyun’?” Moli Meng’s face lit up with delight, “This Sang Shuiyun has lived in Huyang City for too long. I have encountered him many times at the Dream Flower Tower. Wherever he went, he must have left traces, and the more traces there are, the more we might try to deduce the secrets of heaven and trace his footsteps… Hmm?”
Moli Meng finished reading Shang Tianyan’s complete secret letter.
“What a masterful move by Shang Tianyan; he actually had a Karmic Tracing Order, and within it was contained the cause-and-effect of Sang Shuiyun? With this Karmic Tracing Order, we can trace the whereabouts of Sang Shuiyun?” Moli Meng was overjoyed, “This just got easier. With the ability to track his location, the Marquis can meticulously plan and eradicate him in one fell swoop.”
Even if his power rivaled that of General Yong!
But as long as the location was confirmed, and with adequate preparations, it was entirely possible to mobilize sufficiently powerful forces to annihilate him in one stroke.
“Shang Tianyan, you truly have made a great contribution,” Moli Meng was excited when suddenly, he noticed the cause-and-effect of Shang Tianyan in the Karmic Messenger Order had dissipated.
“He died?” Moli Meng’s heart quivered.
“His Karmic Tracing Order is stored in the Flame Wind Association’s Dark Hall, and only my father Moli Xiao can go and retrieve it?” Moli Meng didn’t dare to hesitate and immediately went to report this intelligence.
This was the intelligence Shang Tianyan left behind with his life.
In fact, Sang Shuiyun was very cautious. Even though he and Shang Tianyan were close friends, he never left behind anything like blood that could allow Shang Tianyan to lock onto his cause-and-effect.
However, Sang Shuiyun didn’t understand the methods of an Artifact Refining Master. Their long-lasting interaction naturally created cause-and-effect entanglement! Utilizing their mutual cause-and-effect, Shang Tianyan was able to imprint it onto the ‘Karmic Tracing Order’ and thus, trace Sang Shuiyun’s location.
In Shang Tianyan’s eyes, as long as Divine Monarch Xue Yun caused disaster, Yu Kingdom might tolerate it once, but not twice or thrice.
Once Yu Kingdom decided to kill a Divine Monarch Xue Yun, and with the Karmic Tracing Order to confirm the location, the chances of success were greatly increased.
But Shang Tianyan also understood there were too many uncertainties in the future; he could only do his utmost.
…
The Dream Flower Tower Master was playing a tune alone in a pavilion when suddenly, she received a message.
“Hmm?” The Dream Flower Tower Master checked the message.
“The true identity of the Shi Kingdom’s Forces leader ‘Divine Monarch Xue Yun’ is Sang Shuiyun! At this moment, the top few powers within Huyang City are all aware of this news! But don’t worry, the city owner’s mansion owes me a lot, and I have asked them to take care of you. Also, the top powers within the city have quite a relationship with me, so I believe they won’t trouble you.
Should you truly face great danger in the future, other powers may be unreliable, but Lord Luo He can help you.”
“I know his temperament, and in my regard, he will help you once. But you must not trouble him too much, as he dislikes being bothered! Once he feels aversion towards you, he will no longer care about your life or death.”
“No need to worry about Sang Shuiyun; he won’t come to Dream Flower Tower again.”
“Dream Flower, your Illusion Technique is really mediocre; among those who are skilled in Illusion Techniques, you are at the bottom tier. You must cultivate diligently in the future. In this world, in the end, you have to rely on yourself.”
This secret letter left the Dream Flower Tower Master dumbfounded.
Shang Tianyan and Sang Shuiyun, the two eternal true gods who were enamored with her.
“Tianyan is dead?” The Dream Flower Tower Master discovered the cause-and-effect of Shang Tianyan had dissipated within the Karmic Messenger Order. She stood there, stupefied, feeling her mind thundering with too many thoughts to remain calm.
…
Inside the cave mansion, at the peak of a high mountain.
Luo Feng sat cross-legged, quietly cultivating.
He didn’t use the Karmic Messenger Order and thus did not receive its messages, but he did receive the news from the Flame Wind Association’s Dark Hall.
“Lord Luo He, Shang Tianyan is confirmed dead. In accordance with his last wishes, the over three million Cosmic Sand and all treasures including a secret letter he left in our Flame Wind Association’s Dark Hall, are to be handed over to you. Please come personally to retrieve them from the Flame Wind Association’s Dark Hall.”
This message left Luo Feng stunned.
Shang Tianyan, confirmed dead?
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