Chapter 78: Enemy

The soul contract binds souls; as long as I do not dissolve it, no matter how powerful the other party, they cannot break it.

Just like the Little Yellow Chicken, the Immortal Emperor—he was once a Divine King, yet even as an Emperor, he could not resolve such a pact.

To prevent this fool from reneging and causing backlash, the Masters Continent once specifically decreed that even if one escapes the Heavenly Scroll, they cannot break the soul contract!

“The soul contract indeed cannot be split from the mind sea, but I have fused a special gas capable of dissolving even Heavenly Dao—dissolving this contract is not difficult… as long as I have enough power to strike the contract’s location, I can do it!”

The Cruel Dao.

The soul contract is built upon the foundation of Heavenly Dao; a special force that can dissolve even the Heavenly Dao of the Divine Realm can easily dissolve a soul contract—if handled properly, what’s hard about it?

“So that’s how it is…” Zhang Xuan’s eyes flashed.

“Explaining all this to you is my thanks for bringing me to the Divine Realm!”

After explaining, the Cruel One said no more; his aura grew even more ancient and distant, and the black hole behind him expanded further—clearly, in the time he spoke, he had swallowed countless more energies as nourishment.

“Zhang Xuan, the more the black hole swallows, the stronger he becomes…”

Luo Ruoxi also sensed something was wrong and quickly sent a mental message.

“Get ready to strike!” All doubts vanished from his mind; Zhang Xuan took a deep breath and raised his longsword: “If that’s the case, let strength decide!”

BOOM!

The strongest sword intent manifested once more.

If I live, I shall return; if I die, I shall forever yearn.

If life and death mean nothing, what can possibly stop me?

This sword technique, though not yet reaching the Emperor’s level of comprehension, contained all his inner obsessions and pushed the Heavenly If-Feeling Art within him to its absolute limit.

WHOOSH!

One slash split the Cruel One’s attack in two.

At the same moment, Luo Ruoxi struck—her jade hand spun, sword light like snow.

Her sword art resembled that of the young man from Sword God Heaven—bearing an unstoppable momentum and the effortless grace of the Great Dao.

“Your techniques are powerful, but still inferior to mine…”

With a light laugh, the Cruel One reached down again.

In an instant, his palm obscured heaven and earth, shattering space, as if forcing sun, moon, and stars to crash from the sky.

PUFF! PUFF!

Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi were both flung backward, blood spurting midair.

Even with their strength, they could not resist!

What realm has this fool reached?

“Insolent!” The clone strode forward, each step causing a lotus to bloom, the void echoing with the sound of flowing water.

From afar, he looked utterly majestic.

After assimilating the Nine Heavens’ Chaos Golden Lotus, his cultivation was no weaker than Zhang Xuan’s.

He raised a fist, power surging to the nine heavens.

He clashed with the Cruel One—and was flung back just the same, unable to block a single strike.

Zhang Xuan pressed his forehead.

Even as an Emperor, the clone still hasn’t changed his habit of showing off…

Such flashy showmanship is worse than concentrating power—it would be far more devastating!

“Strike together! Otherwise, if they die, we all die…”

The Little Yellow Chicken roared, crimson flames igniting, as if setting the sky ablaze.

The remaining six Emperors each unleashed their own techniques.

Seven Emperors united, their combined power could destroy heaven and earth—yet before them, even a realm could not stand. But the Cruel One, having absorbed special power, merely widened his black hole at the approach of their attack, swallowing it clean in an instant before striking back.

BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!

The seven Emperors, like Zhang Xuan and the others, were flung backward.

Ten Emperors united—and still could not block a single strike!

How could this fool be so strong?

“You may die now…”

After shattering them all, the Cruel One stepped forward, flipped his wrist, and slammed down again.

“Dare you, coward!”

With a thunderous shout, the old man from Sword God Heaven suddenly appeared, blocking the blow—his longsword transformed into a silver river.

“An Emperor? He’s also an Emperor?”

Zhang Xuan’s pupils contracted.

This old man had followed the young man, and Zhang Xuan had assumed he was merely a servant—perhaps a titled Divine King. Only now, seeing his power, did he realize: he was also an Emperor!

If he is an Emperor, then what is that young man?

“He is the Emperor of Sword God Heaven…” Luo Ruoxi struggled to her feet, gritting her teeth.

“Then… the young man who taught me the sword art?” Zhang Xuan could no longer hold back.

“He is…” Luo Ruoxi was about to answer when space twisted violently—suddenly, the Emperor of Sword God Heaven was flung backward, crashing into a distant crater.

Zhang Xuan’s current strength and understanding of sword Dao far surpassed his; if Zhang Xuan could not resist, then even with his high cultivation and superior sword art, he was no match.

“HAHA! Emperors? Just a pack of chickens and dogs! Today, I’ll destroy the Nine Heavens, obliterate this Divine Realm, and crush every rule!”

After defeating the Emperor of Sword God Heaven, the Cruel One laughed wildly; the surrounding space collapsed continuously, making him appear demonic, monstrous.

“What do we do?” Zhang Xuan clenched his fists.

He and his clone had both unleashed their ultimate combat power; even Luo Ruoxi before him had used her strongest technique—and still, none could block a single strike…

Is there truly no one in the Divine Realm who can stop this man?

Let him destroy the world?

“The only way… is to return your flawed Heavenly Dao to its original state, allowing the Heavenly Dao to suppress him…” Luo Ruoxi clenched her delicate fist, eyes reddening.

“Return to the original Heavenly Dao?” Zhang Xuan understood her meaning.

The library in his mind was part of the Heavenly Dao itself; once returned, the Heavenly Dao would be fully complete—perhaps it could repair its flaws and expel the Cruel One on its own.

Like the human immune system.

When the immune system is whole, viruses are easily expelled; when broken, even the strongest man will die from invasion.

But…

“He’s too powerful—even if the Heavenly Dao is restored, it cannot suppress him!” Zhang Xuan shook his head.

The immune system can kill viruses—but what about a tiger?

What good is even the strongest immune system against a tiger?

This man is no ordinary Divine King—even a titled one, the Heavenly Dao could easily kill. Yet he is stronger than any Emperor… he has surpassed what the Heavenly Dao can oppose.

“This…” Luo Ruoxi paused, a look of despair crossing her fair face: “Yes… it cannot suppress him. But if the Heavenly Dao is whole, he will awaken—and killing this one won’t be hard!”

“He?” Zhang Xuan frowned.

“I’ll take you to him—in Zizai Heaven…” Taking a deep breath, Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth and turned, flying forward.

“Think you can escape?” The Cruel One sneered, pressing down.

BAM!

Luo Ruoxi fell from the sky.

“You—” Zhang Xuan unleashed his sword art again, brilliant sword intent blazing forth.

TING! TING! TING!

Again blocked by the Cruel One.

“You go! I’ll hold him off…”

Knowing they sought a way to save the Divine Realm, not flee, the clone and the Immortal Emperor roared, stepping forward to block the path; Lu QiQi also transformed, returning to her original form—the Jingkong Pearl.

The surrounding space solidified.

“Go!”

Seeing everyone fearlessly stand behind them, Zhang Xuan’s eyes burned red—but he knew this was no time for words. He grabbed Luo Ruoxi’s hand, his body flickered, tore through space, and the next instant appeared within the realm of Zizai Heaven.

Zizai Heaven was no longer serene; the Divine Realm had collapsed, chaos everywhere.

“Where is the man you spoke of?”

With no time to observe ordinary life, Zhang Xuan looked at the girl in his arms.

If the person she mentioned could truly save the Divine Realm, he would sacrifice himself without hesitation!

“He is my father. The blood in your pendant is his. The Immortal Emperor was once his beast companion…” Luo Ruoxi adjusted her breath and explained.

“Father?”

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

No wonder the blood in the pendant felt similar to Luo Ruoxi’s, yet different—it was her father’s.

That explained why the lingering will left by the Immortal Emperor immediately recognized him as master upon seeing the pendant.

“Is your father also an Emperor? Or does he possess power beyond an Emperor?”

He couldn’t help asking.

The library’s chaos was resolved by the blood in the pendant restoring his clarity—could it be that not only was she an Emperor, but her father was too? Even stronger?

If so, why was he unconscious?

And why did the Heavenly Dao need to be flawed for him to awaken?

“He is not the Emperor, but… the Dao of Heaven!”

Luo Ruoxi clenched her delicate fists.

“The Dao of Heaven? Your father… is the Dao of Heaven?” Zhang Xuan was stunned, unable to believe it.

“Yes! Fifty years ago, my father could not withstand that giant hand and fell into a coma. The Dao of Heaven shattered into three parts: the Ordered Dao and the Deficient Dao drifted into the spatial chaos. I took over the Natural Dao to maintain balance in the Divine Realm. To restore him, I must gather the scattered fragments… That’s why I was so ruthless—I cannot fail! That’s why I specifically came to the Master Continent to study the Spring and Autumn Canon, seeking a way to defeat Master Kong. When I fought Master Kong, the favor I asked of him was this.”

Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

Not long after arriving on the Master Continent, this girl had told him her story—about saving a beloved relative. Back then, he hadn’t understood; now, it all made sense.

It was her father—and he was the Dao of Heaven of the Divine Realm!

Could the Dao of Heaven truly take human form and bear children?

“You merely oversee the Natural Dao… then why don’t you have any fragments of the Dao of Heaven?” Zhang Xuan suddenly noticed the inconsistency in her words and turned to look at her.

Overseeing the Dao and fusing it within oneself are two entirely different concepts.

“I only oversee it—I am not part of the Dao itself,” Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan exhaled in relief.

That meant he only needed to extract the Deficient Dao from himself; she wouldn’t have to die.

Though he despised this fate, he refused to let this girl suffer.

“If I extract the Deficient Dao from my body, your father will awaken—and perhaps even kill the Cruel One, right?” Zhang Xuan looked at her.

“I… I’m not certain…”

Luo Ruoxi looked up at the collapsed Divine Realm, hesitating.

The Divine Realm was her father’s foundation. Now that the foundation was shattered, even if he awoke, could he truly defeat that powerful Cruel One?

It was hard to say!

“So you can’t be sure. If that’s the case, better to rely on yourself than others… We—myself, you, and my avatar—combined with the Nine Heavenly Emperors, and if we can ally with Master Kong, we might still win!” Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth: “You, me, and my avatar, joined with the Nine Heavenly Emperors—and if we can enlist Master Kong, we might still prevail!”

“Master Kong? He…” Luo Ruoxi frowned.

“Master Kong is dead, isn’t he? But he hasn’t truly died. If I’m right, your killing him was merely a method to escape the Dao of Heaven… Without doubt, he’s a [Primordial Embryonic Soul Body], just like Wei Changfeng!”

Zhang Xuan said.

Seeing Wei Changfeng, he now understood: Master Kong’s claim of preserving his consciousness must have been the same as Wei Changfeng’s—[Primordial Embryonic Soul Body].

Capable of remaining unconfused even in the womb.

Combined with the preparations he made in advance, resurrection was merely a matter of time.

Luo Ruoxi froze, as if she had never imagined this possibility.

“We’ll find out by going to see. If I’m right, he’s already recovered—otherwise, his students would never have stayed away from the Tidal Sea…” Zhang Xuan said.

Master Kong’s students—Zi Yuan the Ancient Sage and others—were all immensely powerful. Even without the aid of an Emperor, they would have found a way to enter the Tidal Sea. Yet none had appeared.

They must be occupied with something far more important—something they intended to do while all the Emperors were distracted by the Tidal Sea!

And that important task was clearly to restore Master Kong.

“This…” Luo Ruoxi’s heart trembled; she suddenly understood.

“Let’s go!”

Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan slashed his hand—and reappeared at Master Kong’s residence. There, he saw an old man meditating, floating in midair. Seeing them arrive, the old man smiled faintly: “You’ve come.”

Who else could it be but Master Kong?

This teacher of ten thousand generations had not disappointed him.

Just as he’d guessed: while everyone’s attention was fixed on the Tidal Sea, he had resurrected.

“You…” Luo Ruoxi’s body trembled.

She knew Emperors could be reborn—the Immortal Emperor had returned—but she hadn’t expected it to happen so fast!

“I concealed the Dao of Heaven and prepared a backup long ago. That nameless giant in the Soul Pool was my creation. When you killed me, I used the opportunity to break free from the Dao of Heaven’s chains, reconstituted my body, and have only just now recovered.”

Master Kong smiled faintly.

He mastered temporal abilities. Though only one or two days had passed in the Divine Realm, he had spent decades restoring his strength.

Decades, at least.

“Our individual strengths are formidable, but defeating the Cruel One won’t be easy…”

Seeing Master Kong truly restored, Luo Ruoxi still shook her head.

It wasn’t about boosting the enemy’s prestige or dimming her own resolve—it was the truth.

Just moments ago, even the combined forces of many had failed to stop him. What difference would adding Master Kong make?

It wouldn’t change the outcome.

“Individually, or even combined, we are no match for him. But… what if we fused all our power into a single person?”

Master Kong looked at them with a smile.

“Fuse all our power into one person?”

This time, not only Luo Ruoxi frowned—Zhang Xuan was equally puzzled.

“That hand tore apart the Divine Realm and shattered the Dao of Heaven. Its strength is undeniable. The Cruel One absorbed that power and devoured fifty years of the Divine Realm’s spiritual energy. In raw power, each of our sixteen Emperors, alone, is no match for him…”

Master Kong said: “But if we concentrate all our strength into one person… would that still be true?”

“How do we concentrate it?”

Luo Ruoxi looked at him.

Easy to say, hard to do.

Emperors already stood at the pinnacle of the Divine Realm. If absorbing others’ power were so simple, she wouldn’t have remained stagnant for so many years.

“It’s simple,” Master Kong said: “We channel our power into Zhang Xuan. Once he breaks through the Emperor’s barrier, he can save the Divine Realm!”

Master Kong said.

“Me?” Zhang Xuan blinked: “Why me?”

“Spiritual Insight Emperor cultivated freedom, transcending nature! But with your father and the Dao of Heaven constraining you, and with attachments to others, you can never truly transcend. If I’m not mistaken, when you fought me, you once considered giving up—planning to let me kill you.”

Master Kong said.

Luo Ruoxi fell silent.

During the battle, she had indeed entertained that thought. That’s why their exchange had begun like a sparring match—each holding back, never truly fighting to kill.

“Without transcendence, you cannot unleash your full power. Even if you’re given more spiritual energy, you still cannot reach the highest realm! As for me…”

Master Kong nodded: “I carry compassion for all beings, seeking to save the world—but I refuse to let others sacrifice for me. Too much mercy is a flaw. If I’d been crueler, exterminated the Alien Spirits, this situation would never have arisen…”

Had he slaughtered every Alien Spirit back then, the Cruel One could never have revived, and none of this would have happened.

“So I’m unsuitable too. But Zhang Xuan—his cultivation is in harmony with his heart, without flaw. He lives for himself; even if he dies, as long as he lives without regret, his heart remains unburdened. Such a person possesses greater tolerance, greater potential. Only he can ascend higher, go farther!”

Master Kong continued.

If alive, return; if dead, forever remember!

If one does not fear death, what else can bind them?

“This…” Zhang Xuan frowned, about to speak, when Master Kong’s gaze locked onto him, sharp and unwavering: “Don’t refuse. Time is too short to train someone else. Even if we had time, I doubt anyone could do better than you. Though Spiritual Insight Emperor carries no fragment of the Dao of Heaven, he has long overseen it and possesses his own understanding of it. I oversee the Ordered Dao. If we channel our power into you, your body will hold the complete power of the Dao of Heaven. Combined with your avatar’s Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, you can perfectly stabilize the Nine Heavens, command the cosmos, wage war against the heavens, and annihilate all things!”

“Alright.”

Seeing the decision was final, Zhang Xuan nodded—further protest would be useless.

BOOM!

He sat cross-legged—and in an instant, two torrents of immense power surged in from either side.

Zhang Xuan’s body stiffened; in an instant, he felt as if he had become the Dao of Heaven itself, soaring above the Nine Heavens.

His soul, body, and spiritual energy were all purified in an instant, growing stronger, more potent.

…

“You too want to stop me? Fine. Kill you first, then kill Zhang Xuan…”

After flinging Luo Qiqi and the avatar aside, the Cruel One sneered coldly.

The combined power of the avatar and the many Emperors was indeed formidable—but still weaker than his own.

The Tidal Sea had devoured nearly all spiritual energy beyond the cities of the Divine Realm. Now, that energy fed him. Every gesture carried the power to destroy heaven and earth. Though these Emperors and Divine Kings represented the pinnacle of the Divine Realm, they were still powerless against him.

At this moment, the Cruel One seemed to embody the entire Divine Realm—no one could stand against him.

“If the Divine Realm falls, our lives mean nothing. I, Yun Chi, will perish with you!”

Yun Chi Emperor transformed into his true form—a colossal five-clawed golden dragon—and lunged through the air at him.

“You? Not worthy!”

The Cruel One clenched his palm—the golden dragon was trapped in his grip, struggling uselessly.

“Old friend, wait for me!”

Fu Meng Emperor roared, transforming into his white tiger true form and charging forward.

The Immortal Emperor revealed his true form—a phoenix of undying flame, illuminating the sky.

Xuan Ming Emperor’s true form was a colossal tortoise, seemingly bearing up the heavens.

The Four Divine Beasts, guardians of the four poles of the Divine Realm, all assumed their true forms—and the collapsing Divine Realm slowed its decay.

The cosmos itself seemed to freeze.

THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD!

Four swift blows—the Cruel One crushed all four beasts, his eyes blazing with murderous intent: “If you seek death, I shall grant it…”

As he roared, raising his hand to obliterate them all, his arm suddenly tightened—frozen mid-air.

“You want to kill them? Did you ask me?”

Then, amid the stunned gazes of all, a figure stepped slowly down from the sky.

It was Zhang Xuan!

The young man’s entire body surged with power, stronger than before by more than tenfold, descending from heaven as if he himself were an entire world.

“You’ve improved…”

The ruthless one halted, his gaze heavy.

He clearly did not understand how, in just a few minutes, the other’s strength had changed so drastically.

“But what does it matter if you’ve grown stronger? Even the full might of the Divine Realm couldn’t resist me—I don’t believe you can block me…”

With a cold snort, the ruthless one struck down again.

Zhang Xuan raised his longsword and met the blow.

The two clashed, tearing the space into jagged rifts, with chaotic air currents surging everywhere.

“Can Zhang Xuan win?”

At the Zitian Kongshi base, Luo Ruoxi watched with deep concern.

She and Kongshi had transferred their power to Zhang Xuan; their own cultivation had dropped to the level of a Divine King, no longer as brilliant as before.

But rank was rank—so long as power remained sufficient, they could one day restore themselves.

“With his current strength, defeating him is nearly impossible… unless… he awakens a power beyond the Emperor!”

After a moment of silence, Kongshi spoke.

Even a dozen Emperors united could not overcome the ruthless one; even if they poured all their power into him, victory would not come easily.

They did this because… only by concentrating power into a single being could one possibly touch the peak, transcend the limit, and break through oneself!

“A power beyond the Emperor?”

Luo Ruoxi’s gaze grew distant.

When her father was still conscious, he had told her the same words—but… she could not achieve it. Could the man she loved?

“He will… he has an unyielding heart! And a proud spirit toward this world.”

Seeing her doubt, Kongshi smiled.

…

Boom! Boom! Boom!

After several exchanges, Zhang Xuan’s palms split open, and a massive, grotesque wound tore across his chest.

As Kongshi had said, even with their combined power fused into a complete Dao, he was still no match.

“Hah! Thought you were something great—turns out you’re nothing!” The ruthless one sneered coldly.

“Since I can’t beat you anyway, and I’ll die sooner or later, I might as well die under your strongest attack…” Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, stopped attacking, and fixed his gaze on the ruthless one before him.

“Fine. I’ll grant you your wish—your strongest strike.”

Hearing this, the ruthless one paused, then let out a cold snort and raised his palm.

Whoosh!

A streak of blue light appeared in his palm and slammed down.

It was indeed his strongest attack—the entire Divine Realm groaned as if about to collapse, another colossal crater forming beneath the impact.

Eyes tightly shut, Zhang Xuan did not dodge.

Boom!

His head exploded, his soul scattering in fragments.

“Zhang Xuan…” At this sight, everyone turned pale.

Luo Qiqi went wild.

Yun Chi Emperor and the others stared wide-eyed, trembling uncontrollably.

Kongshi and Luo Ruoxi, witnessing it, froze in shock.

They meant for him to shatter his shackles, to strike for a power beyond the Emperor—why didn’t he resist? Why accept death?

Wouldn’t this betray their efforts?

“No—it’s the Immortal Emperor’s method of immortality…”

As they wondered, Kongshi suddenly spoke.

Everyone saw: Zhang Xuan’s head had shattered, his soul broken—yet his pendant burst open, a single drop of blood hovering upward, igniting into a blazing flame. From within the fire, a flawless figure stepped forward.

“He… used the ruthless one’s power and the blood in the pendant to separate the Dao Library from his soul?”

Luo Ruoxi’s pupils contracted.

Reborn in flame, Zhang Xuan’s body no longer held the Dao Library—no interference from the Dao—he had broken free of the Dao!

“How did he do it?”

Kongshi could hardly believe it.

The Dao and soul were fused, inseparable. To escape, he had to scatter his soul, using the Soulless Pool to reassemble it.

This man, struck down once, broke free completely—how?

“I understand… he used the ruthless one’s method to break the soul contract…” Luo Ruoxi realized.

A soul contract binds master and servant; unless the master releases it, the servant remains enslaved… the Dao Library was the same—a strengthened version of such a contract.

Once bound to the soul, it could not be shed until death.

But… the ruthless one had used a special power to break his own soul contract. Zhang Xuan had asked him in detail about the method—likely then, he had already planned this.

That was why he deliberately fought to the death, forcing the ruthless one to unleash his strongest attack.

Using that power, he was reborn in flame—and it had succeeded beyond all expectation!

“So this… is how one breaks past the Emperor…”

Emerging from the flames, Zhang Xuan smiled faintly, as if understanding something. He raised his hand—his clone instantly transformed back into a lotus and flew toward him.

In an instant, it fused perfectly with his body.

In the blink of an eye, those watching felt Zhang Xuan had become the Nine Heavens—and the Nine Heavens had become him.

He lightly stepped on the ground.

The chaotic Nine Heavens instantly stabilized.

The Nine Heavens’ Primordial Golden Lotus, born with the Nine Heavens, could stabilize them. Now that his clone and self were perfectly fused, indistinguishable, he controlled this power.

Moreover, with the Nine Heavens’ Primordial Golden Lotus fused into his cultivation, his already peak realm trembled—on the verge of breaking through.

“Master-servant bonds, brotherhood, teacher-student ties, parent-child love, romance… fused together, this is all existence—this is what it means to be human!”

Smiling, Zhang Xuan murmured to himself.

The moment the Dao Library detached from his soul, he understood.

Did humanity perceive the world, thus creating it—or did the world exist first, then gave rise to humanity?

Was it the wind moving—or the mind?

This question had haunted countless beings since ancient times.

But now… none of it mattered!

Without life, without emotion, what meaning could existence hold?

Thus, after transcending romantic love, came the emotion of all beings—the web of feelings binding the world.

All things in the world possess emotion; with emotion, there is a world; with emotion, life endures.

Love is emotion.

Hatred is emotion.

Joy is emotion.

Suffering is emotion.

Separation is emotion.

Reunion is emotion too!

“All these feelings—I command them…”

With a low cry, the barriers locking his realm shattered instantly.

The Emperor’s shackles were broken!

In an instant, he touched a new world, a new door—his soul was swiftly nourished.

Countless primordial qi surged toward him, his body rapidly strengthening.

Previously, he could advance only by absorbing spiritual energy; now, even chaotic space currents, primordial qi, or the ruthless one’s blue light—all became his own, indistinguishable from him.

“You…” The ruthless one never imagined his full-power strike would not kill him—but empower him. Furious, he roared, “Wah!” and attacked again.

“You resent the Emperor who abandoned you in the space currents—that’s emotion. You feel shame and rage at having once been my servant—that’s emotion. You wish to destroy the Divine Realm to vent your anger—that’s emotion. You crave greater strength—that’s emotion too… Emotions control you. How can you defeat me when I control them?”

Zhang Xuan smiled faintly, his voice growing faster, louder. He reached out gently.

The once invincible ruthless one was bound by countless threads of emotion, immobilized, unable to move.

As long as there was emotion, it would be used by him, controlled by him!

“You…”

The ruthless one’s eyes filled with terror: “Master Zhang, I am your servant—don’t kill me! I’ll offer my soul as sacrifice!”

“It’s too late to say that now…” Zhang Xuan smiled slightly and shook his head.

Having mastered the emotions of all under heaven, servant bonds meant nothing to him.

He had slain countless Divine Realm beings, wounded his girlfriend, Luo Qiqi, and so many friends—how could he possibly forgive him today?

“No…”

Feeling his decisiveness, the Brutal Man’s pupils contracted; before he could finish speaking, he felt intense pain surge through his body.

Boom!

In an instant, he exploded into countless Qi, flooding outward to every corner of the Divine Realm.

All the power previously consumed by the Tidal Sea now flowed back, reviving the once-dead wasteland.

“This…?”

“Did he just kill him that easily?”

Yun Chi Emperor, Immortal Emperor, Linglong Immortal, and others all widened their eyes in disbelief.

They had just fought the Brutal Man—they knew how terrifying he was. Yet such a powerful being was casually obliterated. Just how far had this Zhang Xuan advanced?

Is there truly another realm beyond the Emperor level?

“He succeeded…”

Master Kong and Luo Ruoxi loosened their clenched fists.

“This is part of the Heavenly Dao. Then I shall return it to the Heavenly Dao…”

Seeing the “Heavenly Dao Is Incomplete” that had been separated from his body still hovering in the air, Zhang Xuan smiled faintly and flicked his finger.

Hum!

The library that had accompanied him since his rebirth slammed into the sky of the Divine Realm.

A bell-like resonance rang out; the crumbling Divine Realm visibly began to heal, and the chaotic air currents reassembled.

The collapse of the Divine Realm finally halted. The withered Qi slowly revived along with the Brutal Man’s death.

“It seems the Divine Realm will soon enter a new era of Qi revival…” Zhang Xuan smiled.

The tear in the Tidal Sea had healed with the restoration of the Heavenly Dao. The Divine Realm’s former glory was merely a matter of time.

“Zhang Xuan, come over here…”

Just after completing this, a voice echoed in his mind. Zhang Xuan paused, then took a single step forward.

That step carried him immeasurable distances, and before him stood a young man.

It was the one who had taught him the sword art earlier.

“Senior, you…”

Seeing him, Zhang Xuan froze.

He had always sensed this man was unfathomable, but now he realized the young man was only a hair’s breadth behind him—he had reached the absolute peak of Emperor cultivation, far surpassing Luo Ruoxi as she once was.

“Call me by my name. I am… Nie Tong!” The young man radiated an unwavering sword intent, speaking calmly.

“Nie Tong?” Zhang Xuan frowned.

He had never heard that name before.

“Come with me. I’ll take you to meet my brother!” Nie Tong smiled faintly and stepped forward.

Zhang Xuan followed closely behind, flying an unknown distance before stopping before a mountain peak.

There he saw another young man.

His appearance was scarcely older, his eyebrows arched upward, giving an impression of profound, impenetrable depth.

“This power…” Zhang Xuan trembled.

The young man before him was even stronger than he was—he too had shattered the Emperor’s barrier, and his cultivation was deeper, heavier!

“I am Nie Yun,” the young man smiled faintly, glancing over: “Also known as… Nie Lingxi, Luo Ruoxi’s father!”

“Ruoxi’s father?”

Zhang Xuan reeled: “You… are the Divine Realm’s Heavenly Dao?”

Luo Ruoxi had once said her father was the Heavenly Dao—he never imagined it would be a youth like this.

“I transformed one Qi into three pure forms. One part of my soul became the Heavenly Dao. Besides, this world was created by me—so calling me the Heavenly Dao isn’t wrong!” Nie Yun smiled faintly.

Zhang Xuan couldn’t believe it.

The Divine Realm was created by this man?

Then how powerful was he?

“But if the Divine Realm was created by you, and you are the Heavenly Dao, why did you let the Brutal Man run rampant without intervening…?” Zhang Xuan looked at him.

If not for his own breakthrough, the Divine Realm would have collapsed entirely. Why did this man do nothing?

Even his daughter’s life didn’t concern him?

Without answering, Nie Yun gazed at him calmly: “Do you believe there are beings stronger than the Divine Realm?”

“This…” Zhang Xuan paused. “There should be…”

He hadn’t seen them, but if this man could reach such a realm, others might too—perhaps even stronger.

Like the one before him.

“I once suspected stronger beings existed beyond the Divine Realm, so I strained to peer beyond—and drew the backlash of a higher world. A hand shattered through the void!”

Nie Yun looked at him: “If I had dodged, the entire Divine Realm would have been erased, not a single life remaining. So I blocked it—and in doing so, my incarnated Heavenly Dao was split apart.”

“I could restore it with a mere thought. But I realized: to truly transcend the Divine Realm’s limits, to explore where that hand came from, what lies beyond… I cannot do it alone. So I sought out whether any being could break the Emperor’s barrier and reach my level.”

“So I scattered fragments of the Heavenly Dao’s intent into the lowest worlds, granting them to souls native to this world—and one soul not native to it. And you… did not disappoint me!”

Nie Yun smiled.

“A soul not native to this world… so my transmigration was your doing?” Zhang Xuan’s heart jolted.

No wonder he could cross over—it was all this man’s doing.

“Heh!” Nie Yun chuckled softly. “Those born of this world carry reverence for it—breaking its limits is far harder. I merely had a passing thought. I never expected you’d actually succeed.”

“I…” Zhang Xuan flushed. “Without Master Kong, I could never have reached this level…”

Without Master Kong’s selfless sacrifice, achieving this realm would have been impossible.

“I gave him the chance. He just didn’t seize it. His battle with Lingxi was his best opportunity to break through. But he chose retreat, thinking he had a backup plan to escape unharmed—when in truth, he lost the courage to advance. When facing those beyond us, if you lack even this spirit, how can you ever stand against them?”

Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan fell silent.

He had watched their battle—he saw Master Kong lacked decisiveness.

Perhaps he simply didn’t want to kill Luo Ruoxi.

But that single hesitation cost him his chance to ascend.

“If Master Kong had won, Ruoxi would have died…” After a moment, Zhang Xuan looked up, frowning.

Could this man truly not care about his daughter’s life?

“With me here, she won’t die,” Nie Yun smiled faintly. “Your power is nearly equal to mine. Do you think, in a life-or-death situation, two such cultivators could save someone?”

“This…” Zhang Xuan grimaced.

Breaking through to Emperor and being an Emperor are two different things. If he truly wished to intervene, he could have saved her at the last moment—without a single scratch.

“Lingxi is the daughter of my other wife, Luo Qingcheng. That’s why she used the surname Luo. To make her believe and not act on emotion, I’ve let her think I’m still comatose…”

Nie Yun sighed. “I’ve been a cruel father. Fine—explain it to her yourself. Her heart has already turned to you. I, as her father, might as well be forgotten… Ha! I’ll stay hidden for now. Otherwise, she’ll turn the world upside down.”

Seeing this utterly unreliable father, Zhang Xuan’s face twitched, but he had no choice: “Alright…”

What else could he do? He’d stolen the man’s daughter.

“The Heavenly Dao Library was formed from one of my thoughts—it is both foundation and barrier. You broke through it by your own strength, proving your ability and potential. Your future is limitless. As a father, I’m glad my daughter is with you.”

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