Chapter 1082

Soul contract, matching souls; as long as I don't dissolve it, even if the other party's means are heaven-defying, it cannot be resolved.

Just like the Undying Emperor Xiao Huang Ji, who was merely a Divine King before, he is an Emperor, and likewise cannot resolve this agreement.

In order to prevent this guy from having a change of heart and causing a backlash, the Ming Shi Continent once specially stipulated that even if the other party could detach from the Heavenly Dao's Register, they could not break free from the soul contract between them!

"Soul contract, indeed cannot be split out from the sea of consciousness, but I have fused a special gas that even the Heavenly Dao can dissolve, dissolving this contract is not difficult…… as long as there is sufficient power, bombarding the location of the contract will achieve it!"

Ruthless Dao.

Soul contract, established upon the foundation of the Heavenly Dao; special power capable of dissolving even the Heavenly Dao of the Divine Realm, dissolving a soul contract—if handled properly, what difficulty is there?

"I see……" Zhang Xuan's eyes flashed.

"Saying all this to you also counts as thanks for bringing me to the Divine Realm!"

After finishing the explanation, the Ruthless Person said no more; his aura became ever more ancient and distant, the black hole behind him grew even larger—evidently, while speaking, he had swallowed an unknown amount of power, nourishing himself.

"Zhang Xuan, the more the black hole devours, the stronger his power becomes……"

Luo Ruoxi also sensed something amiss, hurriedly sending a mental transmission.

"Get ready to move!" With all doubts dispelled in his heart, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, the long sword in his hand suddenly raised: "Since that's the case, let's see the real skill!"

Boom—

The strongest sword intent was unleashed once again.

In life, I shall return; in death, I shall long for you!

Life and death are of no concern; what could possibly obstruct us?

This sword move, although not having reached the Emperor's level of comprehension, yet contains all the obsessions in my heart, pushing the Heavenly If Has Feeling technique within my body to its limit.

Whoosh!

With one sword, I cut the Ruthless Person's attack in half.

At the same moment, Luo Ruoxi also struck, her jade hands rolling, sword light like snow.

Her sword technique bears some resemblance to that youth of Sword God Heaven, carrying an unstoppable momentum and the natural ease of the Great Dao.

"Your moves are indeed formidable, but compared to me, they still fall short……"

With a light smile, the Ruthless Person reached down again.

In an instant, his hand covered the sky and blotted out the sun, enveloping heaven and earth; space shattered, and the sun, moon, and stars seemed as if they would be forcibly struck down.

Pfft! Pfft!

Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi were simultaneously blown backward, blood spurting wildly in midair.

With their combined strength, they actually couldn't withstand it!

Just what realm has this guy reached?

"Impudent!" The clone strode forward, each step causing lotus blossoms to bloom, the void echoing with the sound of flowing water.

From afar, it looked incredibly imposing.

Having refined the Nine Heavens Chaotic Golden Lotus, his cultivation is not the slightest bit weaker than Zhang Xuan's.

He raised a fist, and his power surged up to the Nine Heavens.

Clashing with the Ruthless Person, he too was blown backward, unable to block a single move.

Zhang Xuan covered his forehead.

Having attained Emperor status, the clone still hasn't changed its pretentious nature……

Such flamboyant pretentiousness would be better replaced by concentrating power for greater might!

"Let's attack together; otherwise, if they die, we will all die……"

Xiao Huang Ji let out a loud shout, crimson flames blazing, the sky seeming to be ignited.

The remaining six Emperors also each employed their methods.

Seven Emperors united, capable of destroying heaven and extinguishing earth; yet any heaven and earth before them could not withstand it, but the opponent was the Ruthless Person who had absorbed special power—when the attack came near, his black hole suddenly expanded, in the blink of an eye swallowing all the power cleanly, then immediately counterattacking.

Bang bang bang bang!

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

Ten Emperors united together, yet they couldn't even block a single move of the opponent!

How could this guy be so powerful?

"You may die……"

With one move he defeated the crowd; the Ruthless Person stepped forward, flipped his wrist, and struck down again.

"How dare you, rats!"

Accompanied by a loud shout, the old man from Sword God Heaven previously appeared abruptly before them, blocking the front, his long sword transforming into a galaxy.

"An Emperor? Does he also possess Emperor-level strength?"

Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

This old man originally followed behind the youth; I had thought he was merely a retainer, at most ennobled as a Divine King, but upon displaying his power I discovered he is actually a powerful Emperor as well!

If he is an Emperor, then what is that youth?

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

"Then…… the youth who taught me swordsmanship?" Zhang Xuan could no longer hold back.

"He is……" Luo Ruoxi was about to answer when space twisted, and immediately they saw this Emperor of Sword God Heaven likewise blown backward, landing not far away, blasting out a large pit.

Zhang Xuan's current strength and comprehension of the Sword Dao far surpass his; even if his cultivation is not weak and his swordsmanship superb, he is still no match.

"Hahaha, Emperors, you're just a bunch of mud chickens and tile dogs! Today I will destroy the Nine Heavens, destroy this Divine Realm, and trample all rules flat!"

Having defeated the Emperor of Sword God Heaven, the Ruthless Person laughed maniacally; the surrounding space continually collapsed, setting him off as if a demon or devil.

"What do we do?" Zhang Xuan clenched his fists.

Just now he and his clone had both exerted their utmost combat power; even Luo Ruoxi before him had employed her strongest technique, yet they could not block a single move of the opponent……

Could it be that the Divine Realm truly has no one who can stop this person before us?

Just let him destroy the world?

"The only way…… is to return your deficient Heavenly Dao to the Heavenly Dao itself, letting the Heavenly Dao suppress him……" Luo Ruoxi clenched her fists, her eye sockets reddening.

"Return to the Heavenly Dao itself?" Zhang Xuan understood her meaning.

The library in his mind is itself part of the Heavenly Dao; once returned, the Heavenly Dao would be completely whole, perhaps able to repair the loophole and expel Henren.

Just like the human immune system.

When the immune system is complete, viruses come and are easily driven off; when it fails, one cannot resist viral invasion, and even the strongest person will die from it.

Just……

"He is too strong; even if the Heavenly Dao recovers completely, it cannot suppress him!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Viruses, the immune system can kill them, but…… what about a fierce tiger?

Even with the strongest immune system, what can be done?

This person before us is merely an ordinary God King; even with a title, the Heavenly Dao could easily kill him, yet he is stronger than an Emperor Lord…… the Heavenly Dao can no longer contend with him.

"This……" Luo Ruoxi paused, a look of loss appearing on her pure jade-like face: "Yeah…… there's no way to suppress him, but if the Heavenly Dao is whole, he can awaken and slay this person—it's not difficult!"

"Him?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"I'll take you to see him, in the Free and Easy Heaven……" Taking a deep breath, Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth, turned, and flew forward.

"Want to escape?" Henren snorted coldly and pressed downward.

Boom!

Luo Ruoxi fell from the sky.

"You……" Zhang Xuan's sword technique unfolded again, sword intent shining forth.

Ding ding ding!

Once again blocked by Henren.

"You guys hurry, I'll block him……"

Knowing they wanted to find another way to save the Divine Realm rather than flee, the clone and the Immortal Emperor shouted a great cry and blocked the front; Luo Qiqi also transformed, returning to the Still Void Pearl's true form.

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone recklessly blocking the rear without fear of death, Zhang Xuan's eye sockets reddened, but he also knew now was not the time to talk; he grabbed Luo Ruoxi, his body flickered, he tore through space, and in the next moment appeared within the range of the Free and Easy Heaven.

The Free and Easy Heaven now lacks its former ease; the Divine Realm has collapsed, everywhere in chaos.

"Where is the person you spoke of?"

No time to observe ordinary people's lives; Zhang Xuan looked at the girl in his arms.

If the person she spoke of can truly save the Divine Realm, what harm is there in my sacrificing myself!

"He is my father; the blood in your pendant is his; the Undying Emperor was once his beast pet……" Luo Ruoxi adjusted her breath and explained.

"Father?"

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

No wonder I always felt the blood in the pendant resembled Luo Ruoxi yet was different—it turns out it's her father's.

This also explains why the thought left by the Undying Emperor, upon seeing the pendant, immediately acknowledged me as its master.

"Is your father also an Emperor Lord, or does he possess strength surpassing an Emperor Lord?"

He couldn't help but say.

The library is in chaos; it's the blood in the pendant that let me regain consciousness—could it be that not only is she an Emperor Lord, but her father is as well, and even stronger?

If that's the case, why would he fall into a coma?

Also, does it need a deficiency in the Heavenly Dao to awaken him?

"He is not an Emperor Lord, but…… the Heavenly Dao!"

Luo Ruoxi clenched her fists.

"Heavenly Dao? Your father…… is the Heavenly Dao?" Zhang Xuan shuddered, unable to believe.

"Yes! Fifty years ago, my father couldn't withstand that big hand, fell into a coma, the Heavenly Dao shattered into three parts—the orderly Heavenly Dao and the deficient Heavenly Dao entered the spatial turbulence; I act as steward of the Heavenly Dao's natural order, maintaining the Divine Realm's balance. To revive him, we must gather the scattered parts…… that's why I am so resolute, cannot fail! I therefore went specially to the Master Teacher Continent, studied the Spring and Autumn Canon, seeking a way to defeat Master Kong! When fighting Master Kong, entrusting him with this matter was also the case." Luo Ruoxi said.

Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

Not long after meeting the Master Teacher Continent, the girl before me had already told me her story—to save a close relative; I didn't understand then, but now I suddenly comprehend.

It turns out to be her father, and moreover the Heavenly Dao of the Divine Realm!

Can the Heavenly Dao truly take human form and bear children?

"Acting as steward of the Heavenly Dao's natural order…… you don't have any Heavenly Dao fragments in your body?" Suddenly realizing something off in her speech, Zhang Xuan looked over.

Acting as steward and this kind of fusion within the body are two different concepts.

"I merely steward it; I am not part of the Heavenly Dao……" Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan relaxed his breath.

That being the case, I only need to sever the deficient Heavenly Dao from myself; I don't need her to die as well.

Although I am unwilling to accept this fate, I also do not wish for the girl before me to suffer harm.

"If I sever the deficient Heavenly Dao within me, your father can come back to life, and even slay Henren, right?" Zhang Xuan looked over.

"This…… I'm not sure either……"

Looking up at the already collapsed Divine Realm, Luo Ruoxi hesitated.

The Divine Realm is my father's foundation; now that it's like this, even if he awakens, can he truly defeat that powerful Henren?

Really hard to say!

Looks like you can't be sure either. In that case, relying on others is worse than relying on ourselves—we have to figure it out ourselves! Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth: "You, me, and my avatar, united with the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, if we also coordinate with Kong Shi, we might still win!"

"Kong Shi? He……" Luo Ruoxi frowned.

"Kong Shi is already dead, right? He didn't truly die; if my guess is correct, he was slain by you, merely a method to escape the Heavenly Dao… No surprise, he should be like Wei Changfeng, an Innate Fetal Soul Body!"

Zhang Xuan said.

Seeing Wei Changfeng made it clear: Kong Shi's so-called maintaining spiritual awareness should be the same as him, an Innate Fetal Soul Body.

One can remain unconfused even in the womb.

Adding the contingency prepared in advance, resurrection is merely a matter of time.

Luo Ruoxi froze, seemingly not expecting this.

"Just go see and you'll know; my guess is right—he should have already recovered. Otherwise, his disciples couldn't possibly have not gone to the Tide Sea…" Zhang Xuan said.

Kong Shi's disciples, like Ziyuan Gu Sheng and others, are all strong; even without the Emperors' help, they would certainly have a way into the Tide Sea, yet not a single one was seen.

There must be something more important waiting, something they intend to do while all the Emperors are preoccupied with the Tide Sea and have no time to attend to it!

And that important matter is obviously to let Kong Shi recover.

"This……" Luo Ruoxi's heart jolted, and she suddenly understood.

"Let's go!"

Without further explanation, he flicked his sleeve, and Zhang Xuan returned to where Kong Shi lived; indeed he saw an old man sitting cross-legged, floating in midair. Seeing them arrive, he smiled faintly: "You've come!"

Not Kong Shi, then who is it!

This teacher of ten thousand generations truly did not disappoint!

Just as guessed, taking advantage of everyone focusing their attention on the Tide Sea, he revived again.

"You……" Luo Ruoxi's delicate body trembled.

She knew Emperors could revive, even the Undying Emperor had come back to life, but…… she didn't expect it to happen so fast!

"I concealed myself from the Heavenly Dao, prepared a contingency in advance—the nameless giant in the Nether Spirit Pool was mine; when you slew him that day, I seized the chance to break free of the Heavenly Dao's bonds, recondense my flesh, and have only just now recovered!"

Kong Shi smiled faintly.

He is versed in time abilities; though it seemed only a day or two had passed in the Divine Realm, in truth he had undergone an unknown span of time to regain his strength.

He had even amassed several decades of time.

"Our three strengths are considerable, but defeating the Ruthless One is not that easy…"

Seeing Kong Shi truly recovered, Luo Ruoxi still shook her head.

It's not to boost others' prestige or dampen our own morale; it's simply the fact.

Just now, so many of us joined forces and still couldn't block him; even adding one Kong Shi, what could it change?

It would likewise fail to change the situation!

"Our individual strength, even when combined, is indeed no match for him—but… what if we pooled everyone's power into a single person?"

Kong Shi smiled and looked over.

"Merge into one person?"

This time not only Luo Ruoxi frowned, but Zhang Xuan was also full of doubt.

"That palm can tear apart the Divine Realm and scatter the Heavenly Dao; its strength is undeniable. The Ruthless One has absorbed that power entirely and also devoured fifty years of spiritual energy from the Divine Realm. Going by strength alone, even if we each took out our power from the dozen-odd Emperors, we would certainly not be a match…"

Kong Shi said: "But if we join together and concentrate the power in one person… perhaps it could work!"

"How to concentrate?"

Luo Ruoxi looked over.

Easy to say, hard to do.

The Emperors already stand at the pinnacle of the Divine Realm; if absorbing others' strength were that easy, she wouldn't have stagnated for so many years.

"Quite simple… we will gather our strength onto Zhang Xuan; once he can break through the Emperor's shackles, he can save the Divine Realm!"

Kong Shi said.

"Me?" Zhang Xuan startled: "Why me?"

"The Lingxi Emperor cultivates freedom and transcendence of nature! But with the constraints of father and Heavenly Dao, and with beloved ones, one can never truly transcend! If I'm not mistaken, when we fought before, you also once gave up, intending to let me slay you!"

Kong Shi said.

Luo Ruoxi could not speak.

During the battle, that intention indeed existed; thus their exchanges at the start each held back, like sparring, not a life‑or‑death fight.

"Unable to transcend, one cannot unleash their utmost strength; even with abundant true qi, they cannot strike that supreme realm! As for me…"

Kong Shi nodded and said: "Holding the world in one's heart, wishing to save all beings, yet unwilling to let others sacrifice for oneself—excessive compassion is also a flaw! If one were a bit more ruthless, exterminating the alien spirit race, the present situation would not have arisen…"

"Had we been able to exterminate the alien spirit race entirely back then, the Ruthless One could not have revived, and we would not be in this predicament."

"So I am also unsuitable! Zhang Xuan, however, cultivates a harmonious method, free of flaws. He seeks to live true to himself; even if he dies, as long as he lives without guilt, his mind is at ease. Such a person possesses greater inclusiveness and broader room for growth—only thus can one reach higher and farther!"

Kong Shi continued.

"In life, return to the origin; in death, cherish longing!"

"If even death is of no concern, how could anything else bind one?"

"This……" Zhang Xuan frowned, about to speak, when Kong Shi's piercing gaze fell on him: "No need to decline—first say there's no time, go train others; even if there were, I doubt anyone could do better than you! Though the Lingxi Emperor's body lacks Heavenly Dao fragments, he has long commanded the Heavenly Dao and has his own understanding of it; I govern the orderly Heavenly Dao. If we pour our power into you, you will possess complete Heavenly Dao strength! Combined with your avatar's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, we can indeed stabilize the Nine Heavens, grasp the universe, battle the Nine Firmaments, annihilate myriad things!"

"Alright!"

Seeing the other party had already decided, further explanation would be useless; Zhang Xuan nodded.

Boom—

Seated cross-legged, in the blink of an eye two mighty surges of power poured in from both sides.

Zhang Xuan's body stiffened; his whole being seemed to instantaneously embody the Heavenly Dao, soaring above the Nine Heavens.

Soul, flesh, and true qi were instantly baptized, growing stronger and mightier by the moment.

……

"You also want to stop me? Fine, I'll kill you, then go slay Zhang Xuan..."

He sent Luo Qiqi and the clones flying, and Hengren gave a cold smile.

The power unleashed by the clones and the many emperors combined was indeed strong, but compared to him, it was still somewhat weaker.

The Tide Sea drew in the spiritual energy outside the city of the Divine Realm, almost completely devouring it; now this power has become his sustenance, every move carrying the ability to destroy heaven and earth. These emperors and god-kings, though they represent the pinnacle of the Divine Realm, are still no match.

At this moment, Hengren seemed to represent the entire Divine Realm, and no one could withstand him.

"If the Divine Realm falls, our lives have no meaning; I, Yunchi, will perish with you."

Yunchi Great Emperor transformed into his true form, a gigantic five-clawed golden dragon, and lunged at him from the air.

"Just you? You're not worthy!"

Hengren clenched his palm, and the golden dragon hung in his grasp, unable to escape no matter how it struggled.

"Old friend, wait for me!"

Fumeng Emperor also let out a great roar, transforming into his true form, a white tiger, and appeared before him.

The Undying Emperor revealed his true form, the Undying Fire Phoenix, its flames illuminating the sky.

Xuánmíng Great Emperor's true form was a great turtle, as if holding up the heavens.

The Four Divine Beasts, guardians of the four extremes of the Divine Realm, simultaneously transformed into their true forms, causing the collapsing Divine Realm to slow down.

Heaven and Earth seemed to freeze in an instant.

Bang bang bang bang!

With four consecutive palms, Hengren subdued the four beasts, a fierce killing intent flashing in his eyes: "Since you seek death, I will grant it."

In the midst of the roar, as he was about to strike down and annihilate everyone, he felt his raised arm tighten and stop in midair.

"You want to kill them, but have you asked me?"

Immediately, amidst everyone's shocked gazes, a figure slowly walked out from the air.

It was Zhang Xuan!

At this moment, the youth's power surged throughout his body, more than ten times stronger than before, descending from the heavens as if his very being were a world.

"You've improved quite a bit..."

Hengren halted, his gaze solemn.

He obviously didn't understand how, in just a few short minutes, the opponent's strength had undergone such a tremendous change.

"But what does it matter if you've increased? Even at its peak, the Divine Realm couldn't withstand me; I don't believe you can block me."

With a cold snort, Hengren struck down again.

Zhang Xuan raised his longsword and went to meet him.

The two clashed, space tearing in streaks, air currents running wild in all directions.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?"

At the dwelling of the Free Heaven Master, Luo Ruoxi looked over, full of worry.

She and the Master transferred their power to Zhang Xuan; their own cultivation had dropped to only the God King level, not as glorious as before.

However, rank is just a label; as long as the power is sufficient, one day it can be fully restored.

"With your current strength, wanting to surpass... is very difficult! Unless... he can comprehend power beyond the emperors!"

After a moment of silence, the Master said.

Even a dozen emperors united could not overcome Hengren, and even if they transferred all their power to him, it would still not be easy to prevail.

The reason we do this is because... only by concentrating power in a single person can one possibly touch the pinnacle, truly surpass limits, and break through oneself!

"Power beyond the emperors?"

Luo Ruoxi's gaze was distant.

When her father was still lucid, he had told her the same thing, but... she could not do it; could her beloved man do it?

"He definitely can... he has an unyielding heart! And an arrogance toward this world."

Seeing her doubt, the Master smiled and said.

……

Bang bang bang!

After several consecutive blows, Zhang Xuan's tiger mouth split open, and a huge wound appeared on his chest, gruesome and terrifying.

Just as the Master said, even after fusing their two powers and forming a complete heavenly way within, he was still no match.

"Hah, I thought you were formidable, but this is all!" Hengren gave a cold smile.

"Anyway, I'm no match for you; I'll be killed sooner or later. Since that's the case, I want to die under your strongest attack..." Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan stopped advancing, ceased his offense, and instead gazed at Hengren before him.

"Fine, I'll grant you that; I'll give you my strongest attack..."

Hearing that, Hengren froze for a moment, then let out a cold snort and raised his palm.

Clatter!

A cyan light appeared in his palm, then came crashing down.

Surely the strongest attack, the entire Divine Realm rumbled, as if it could barely endure, and was struck again with a huge crater.

His eyes tightly shut, Zhang Xuan did not dodge.

Boom!

His skull exploded, his soul scattering in all directions.

"Zhang Xuan..." Seeing this, everyone's faces turned pale.

Luo Qiqi seemed to have gone mad.

Yunchi Great Emperor and the others also widened their eyes, trembling incessantly.

Seeing this scene, Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi were both stunned.

The original intention was for him to break through his shackles and impact surpassing the Emperor realm; why didn't he resist, but willingly go to his death?

This would surely waste their good intentions.

"No, it is the immortality method of the Undying Emperor..."

While they were puzzled, Kong Shi suddenly spoke.

Everyone immediately saw Zhang Xuan, whose head had exploded and even his soul shattered, the pendant on his chest suddenly explode; a drop of blood suspended and ignited, forming a ball of scorching flame, within which an unharmed figure slowly stepped out.

"He... using the opponent's power and the blood in the pendant, separated the flaw in the Heavenly Dao from the soul?"

Luo Ruoxi's pupils contracted.

After being reborn from the fire, Zhang Xuan actually had no Heavenly Dao Library inside him, no interference from the Heavenly Dao, and had broken free from the Heavenly Dao!

How did he do that?

Kong Shi was also full of disbelief.

The Heavenly Dao and the soul were fused together, indistinguishable; to break free, he had to have his soul scatter and, with the help of the Netherworld Pool, recondense his soul.

This person before them, after being slashed just once, completely broke free; what method did he use?

"I understand... he used the method of the Ruthless Person to break the soul contract..." Luo Ruoxi realized.

The soul contract binds master and servant; if the master does not lift it, the servant remains forever bound... the Heavenly Dao Library is the same; it can be said to be an enhanced version of the contract.

Bound to the soul, even immortality will not free it.

But... the Ruthless Person used that special power to break the soul contract; the specific method, Zhang Xuan had inquired about in detail before, likely he had already been thinking about it then.

That is why he deliberately fought to the death, letting the opponent unleash their strongest power against him.

With this power, he was reborn from the fire; unexpectedly, it indeed succeeded greatly!

So that's it, this is the method to break through the Emperor...

Zhang Xuan, walking out of the flames, showed a faint smile, as if he understood something; he suddenly waved his hand, and a clone on the side instantly turned back into a lotus flower, flying over.

In an instant, it perfectly merged with himself.

In the blink of an eye, everyone felt that Zhang Xuan before them seemed to have become the Nine Heavens; the Nine Heavens were him.

He lightly tapped the ground with his foot.

The chaotic Nine Heavens immediately stabilized.

The Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, which appears when the Nine Heavens are born, can stabilize the Nine Heavens; at this moment, the clone and self perfectly merged, indistinguishable, which is equivalent to him mastering this power.

Moreover, with the cultivation fused with the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, he had already reached the peak realm; now it showed signs of loosening, as if he could break through at any moment.

"Master-servant affection, brotherly affection, teacher-student affection, parent-child affection, love... when fused together, they are actually all things in the world; this is what it means to be human!"

With a smile, Zhang Xuan muttered to himself.

At the moment the Heavenly Dao Library detached from the soul, he understood.

Is it that people see the world and then the world exists, or is it that the world existed first and then people came?

Is it the wind moving, or the heart moving!

This question has troubled countless people since ancient times.

Of course, now... these are no longer important!

Without life, without emotion, even if the world exists, what meaning does it have?

Therefore, after breaking through love, it is the affection of all beings! It is the emotions intertwining the world.

All things in the world have emotion; with emotion there is a world; with emotion, life can continue.

Love, is emotion.

Hatred, is emotion.

Joy, is emotion.

Pain, is emotion.

Separation, is emotion.

Gathering, is also emotion!

"Myriad emotions, for my use..."

With a low cry, the sealed realm within Zhang Xuan's body instantly broke open.

The Emperor's shackles, broken through!

In an instant, it felt as if touching a brand-new world and Da Men; the soul received rapid nourishment.

Countless chaotic qi surged in, and the physical body also rapidly increased.

Previously, only by absorbing spiritual power could one progress; but now, spatial turbulence and chaotic qi, even the opponent's azure light, can be made mine, without distinction.

"You..." the Ruthless Person didn't expect that his full-force attack not only failed to slay him, but instead fulfilled him; angry, he shouted "wawa!" in disorder, then gave an angry roar and attacked again.

You resent the lofty Emperor, not saving yourself in the spatial turbulence, that is emotion; feeling that you were once my servant, containing humility and anger, that is emotion; wanting to destroy the Divine Realm to vent anger, that is emotion; wanting to become stronger, likewise emotion... emotion controls you, how can you overcome me and not be controlled by me?

With a faint smile, Zhang Xuan's voice grew faster and louder, his palm lightly grasping.

The originally invincible Ruthless Person was bound by countless threads of emotion, hands and feet tied, unable to move.

As long as there is emotion, it will be used by him, controlled by him!

"You..."

The Ruthless Person's eyes were full of panic: "Teacher Zhang, I am your servant, don't kill me... I am willing to offer my soul as a sacrifice."

"It's too late to say these now..." Zhang Xuan gave a slight smile and shook his head.

Controlling the emotions of the world, things like servants are already meaningless to him.

Having killed so many god-level people, hurt his girlfriend Luo Qiqi and so many friends, today, how could he possibly forgive!

"No..."

Feeling his decisiveness, the Ruthless Person's pupils contracted; before his words even ended, he immediately felt a sharp pain surge through his body.

Bang!

In an instant, the explosion erupted, turning into countless streams of spiritual energy that surged toward every corner of the Divine Realm.

Previously, all the power swallowed by the Tide Sea now flowed back, reviving the once‑barren wilderness.

"This……"

"You just killed him like that?"

Cloud Chi Great Emperor, Immortal Emperor, Exquisite Fairy and the others all widened their eyes, unable to believe it.

Just moments ago they had crossed blows with the Ruthless Person, knowing how terrifying he was; yet such a powerful figure was wiped out with a casual gesture—how far has this Zhang Xuan… actually reached?

Could there truly be a realm above the Emperor?

"He succeeded……"

Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi loosened their tightly clenched fists.

"This is part of the Heavenly Dao, so I will now return it to the Heavenly Dao……"

Seeing the "flawed Heavenly Dao" that had just been separated from his own body still hovering in the air, Zhang Xuan gave a light smile and flicked his finger.

Hum!

The library that had accompanied him since his rebirth boomed into place, embedded in the sky of the Divine Realm.

The deep bell‑like resonance echoed, the continually collapsing Divine Realm slowly healed to the naked eye, and the chaotic currents also gathered together again.

The collapsing Divine Realm finally halted, and the withered spiritual energy, along with the Ruthless Person's death, slowly revived.

"It seems the Divine Realm is about to welcome an era of renewed spiritual energy……" Zhang Xuan smiled.

The rift in the Tide Sea, accompanied by the completion of the Heavenly Dao, has already been restored; the Divine Realm will return to its former prosperity—it's only a matter of time.

"Zhang Xuan, come here……"

Having just finished these, a voice sounded in his mind; Zhang Xuan staggered slightly, then stepped forward.

That step carried him an unknown distance, and immediately he saw a youth standing before him.

This was precisely the one who had previously taught him swordsmanship.

"Senior, you……"

Seeing it was him, Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

Earlier I had sensed this person was unfathomable; now I realize he is only a hair's breadth above me, having already reached the very peak of the Emperor realm, far surpassing even Luo Ruoxi before.

"Just call me by my name; I am…… Nie Tong!" The youth, emanating an unstoppable sword intent, said lightly.

"Nie Tong?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

This was the first time he had heard that name.

"Come with me, I'll take you to see my brother!" The youth called Nie Tong chuckled and stepped forward.

Zhang Xuan followed closely behind, not knowing how far they had flown, until they stopped before a mountain peak.

Immediately he saw another youth.

His appearance was not much older, with raised brows that gave an inscrutable, profound impression.

"This strength……" Zhang Xuan trembled.

The youth before him proved even stronger than he, likewise having broken through the Emperor's shackles, and his cultivation was far deeper and more substantial!

"I am Nie Yun!" The youth gave a faint smile and looked over: "That is…… Nie Lingxi, the father of Luo Ruoxi you spoke of!"

"Luo Ruoxi's father?"

Zhang Xuan startled: "You…… are the Heavenly Dao of the Divine Realm?"

Luo Ruoxi had said before that her father was the Heavenly Dao; who would have thought it would be such a young person.

"I transformed one breath into the Three Pure Ones; a part of my soul became the Heavenly Dao! Moreover, this world is my creation—calling me the Heavenly Dao is perfectly justified!" Nie Yun said with a light smile.

Zhang Xuan dared not believe it.

The Divine Realm was actually created by this person before him?

Then just how strong must his power be?

"Wrong—if the Divine Realm is your creation and you are the Heavenly Dao, why let the Ruthless Person run rampant without intervening?" Zhang Xuan looked over.

"If it weren't for my own breakthrough, the Divine Realm would likely have collapsed utterly; why does this person before me remain indifferent?"

"Even the life and death of his daughter—does he care?"

Without answering his question, Nie Yun glanced over lightly: "Do you think…… there exists an even more powerful life above the Divine Realm?"

"This……" Zhang Xuan paused: "There should be……"

Although I've never seen it, since he could cultivate to this level, perhaps others could as well—and perhaps even stronger.

Just like the one before me.

"I once suspected that a mightier life existed above the Divine Realm, so I strained my utmost to peer into it, ultimately drawing a backlash from a higher world…… a palm shattered the void and descended!"

Nie Yun looked over: "At that time, if I had dodged, the entire Divine Realm would likely have been erased, leaving not a single life…… so I blocked the strike, but consequently, my incarnate Heavenly Dao was split apart."

"Such a situation, I wish to restore, is merely a thought; but…… I understand that to truly transcend the Divine Realm's shackles, to explore where that palm came from and what lies beyond the Divine Realm…… is difficult for me alone. So I want to see whether any life can break through the Emperor's shackles and reach a level equal to mine!"

"So I sent the scattered thoughts of the Heavenly Dao down to the lowest world…… granting them respectively to the souls originally belonging to this world and to a soul not of this world. And you, in the end, did not disappoint me!"

Nie Yun smiled.

"A soul not of this world—so my transmigration was also because of you?" Zhang Xuan's heart shook.

No wonder I could transmigrate over; I never imagined it was all due to this person before me.

"Hehe!" Nie Yun gave a light chuckle and said: "Being native to this world, one naturally feels reverence for it; wanting to break the world's shackles is far harder. I, too, merely had a thought stir, never expecting you to truly succeed……"

"I……" Zhang Xuan's face flushed: "If not for Master Kong, I could never have reached this point……"

Without Master Kong's selfless dedication, attaining the present realm would be utterly impossible.

"I gave him the opportunity, he just didn't seize it. The duel with Lingxi was actually his best chance to break through; unfortunately, he chose to retreat, thinking he had a backup plan and could escape unscathed, but in fact he lost his brave and diligent spirit. When facing someone surpassing us, if he lacks even this spirit, how could he possibly stand against them?"

Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan remained silent.

At that time, he had watched their battle; Master Kong indeed lacked some decisiveness.

It's also possible he was unwilling to kill Luo Ruoxi.

Unfortunately, in that moment, he missed the chance to advance.

"If Master Kong wins, Ruoxi will die……" After a moment, Zhang Xuan looked over, his brows furrowing.

Could it be that he doesn't care about his daughter's life or death?

"With me here, she won't die……" Nie Yun gave a faint smile: "Your current strength is not much different from mine; do you think, with our combined strength, at a life-or-death moment, wanting to save someone, could you pull it off?"

"This……" Zhang Xuan gave a bitter smile.

Breaking through to Emperor and being an Emperor are two concepts; if he truly wished to intervene, he could indeed save the person at the critical moment, and guarantee that not a single injury would be sustained.

"Lingxi is the daughter of my other wife, Luo Qingcheng, so her assumed name bears the surname Luo…… In order to make her believe, to keep her unemotional, she has continued to think I am still in a coma……"

Nie Yun gave a wry laugh: "This father of mine has also been pretty ruthless…… Well then, you should explain this to her; after all, her thoughts have now turned to you, this old dad of mine probably can't even remember…… Haha, I'll stay out of sight for a while, otherwise I truly fear she'd cause an uproar……"

Seeing this unreliable old man before him, Zhang Xuan's face twitched, and he could only agree: "Alright……"

There's no choice but to agree; who let him abduct someone's daughter……

"The Heavenly Dao Library is a manifestation of my thought; it is both foundation and shackle. If you can rely on your own ability to break through the shackle, it demonstrates your ability and potential, your future is limitless; my daughter being with you, as a father, I would also feel relieved."

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