Chapter 1019: Unintentional or Intentional?

Soul Contract, binding souls; as long as one does not dissolve it, even if the opponent's methods reach the heavens, it cannot be undone.

Just like the Undying Emperor Xiao Huang Ji, who was only a God King before, he is an Emperor, and likewise cannot solve this agreement.

To prevent this guy from having a change of heart and causing a backlash, the Master Teacher Continent once specifically stipulated that even if the opponent could escape the Heavenly Dao Record, they could not break free from the soul contract between souls!

「Soul Contract, indeed cannot be separated from the sea of consciousness, but I have fused a special gas that even the Heavenly Dao can dissolve, making this contract easy to dissolve……as long as there is sufficient power, bombarding the location of the contract will achieve it! 」

Ruthless Person's Dao.

Soul Contract, it is based on the Heavenly Dao; special power that can even dissolve the Heavenly Dao of the God Realm can dissolve a soul contract—if handled properly, what difficulty is there?

「Now I understand……」Zhang Xuan's eyes flashed.

「Saying all this to you also counts as thanks for bringing me to the God Realm! 」

After finishing his explanation, Hen Ren 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 was wrong, hurriedly sending a mental transmission.

「Get ready to fight! 」With all doubts dispelled in his heart, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, his long sword suddenly rising: 「In that case, let's see the real skill beneath our hands! 」

Boom—

The strongest sword intent was unleashed again.

If alive, return home; if dead, long for forever!

Life and death are of no concern—what could possibly stop us?

This sword move, though not reaching the Emperor's level of comprehension, contains all the obsessions in my heart, pushing the Heaven Has Feelings Technique within my body to its limit.

Whoosh!

One sword cut Hen Ren's attack in half.

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

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

「Your moves are impressive, but compared to me, they still fall short……」

With a light smile, Hen Ren reached down again to grab.

In an instant, covering the sky and blocking the sun, his palm enveloped heaven and earth, space shattered, and the sun, moon, and stars seemed to be forcibly struck down.

Pfft! Pfft!

Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi were both blown backward, blood spraying 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 lotuses to bloom, the void echoing with the sound of flowing water.

From afar, it looked extremely imposing.

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

Raising a fist, his power surged up to the Nine Heavens.

Clashing with Hen Ren, he too was blown backward, unable to block a single move.

Zhang Xuan covered his forehead.

Having become an Emperor, the clone still hasn't changed its nature of showing off……

Such ostentatious showing off 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 set ablaze.

The remaining Six Great Emperors also each displayed their methods.

The Seven Great Emperors united, capable of destroying heaven and erasing earth; yet a single world before them could not withstand it, but the opponent was Hen Ren, who had absorbed special power—when his attack arrived, the black hole suddenly expanded, in the blink of an eye devouring all that power, then immediately counterattacking.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

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

The Ten Great Emperors, united together, actually couldn't block a single move of the opponent!

This guy, how can he be so powerful?

「You can die……」

One move crushed the crowd; Hen Ren stepped forward, turned his wrist, and struck down again.

「How dare you, rats! 」

Accompanied by a loud shout, the old man from Sword God Heaven suddenly appeared, blocking in front, his long sword transforming into a galaxy.

「An Emperor? He also has Emperor-level strength? 」

Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

This old man originally followed behind the youth, thought he was merely a follower, at most entitled God King, but upon displaying his power, discovered he was actually a powerful Emperor!

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

「He himself is the Emperor of Sword God Heaven……」Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth as she struggled to stand.

「Then……the youth who transmitted my sword technique? 」Zhang Xuan could no longer hold back.

「He is……」Luo Ruoxi was about to answer when space twisted, and suddenly she saw that Emperor of Sword God Heaven also blown backward, landing not far away, blasting out a large pit.

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

「Hahaha, Emperor, just a bunch of chickens and dogs! Today I will destroy the Nine Heavens, destroy this God Realm, and trample all rules flat! 」

Having defeated the Emperor of Sword God Heaven, Hen Ren laughed maniacally, the surrounding space continually collapsing, making him appear like a demon or a fiend.

「What to do? 」Zhang Xuan clenched his fists.

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

Could it be that in the Divine Realm, truly no one can stop the one before us?

Let him destroy the world?

"The only way… is to return your flawed Dao to the Dao itself, letting the Dao suppress him…" Luo Ruoxi clenched her fist, her eyes reddening.

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

The library in his mind is itself part of the Dao; once returned, the Dao becomes completely whole, perhaps the flaw can be repaired and the ruthless one expelled.

It's like the human immune system.

When the immune system is intact, a virus arrives and is easily driven away; when broken, it cannot resist viral invasion, and even the strongest person will die because of it.

Only…

"He's too powerful; even if the Dao is restored, it can't suppress him!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

A virus, the immune system can be slain, but… what about a tiger?

Even the strongest immune system, what recourse does it have?

The one before us is merely an ordinary Divine King; even with a title, the Dao can easily kill him, and he is stronger than an Emperor Lord… already beyond what the Dao can contend with.

"This…" Luo Ruoxi paused, her pure jade face showing loss: "Yes… we can't suppress him, but if the Dao is whole, he can awaken, and slaying this one wouldn't be hard!"

"Him?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"I'll take you to meet him; he's in Zizai Heaven…" She inhaled deeply, gritted her teeth, turned and flew forward.

"Trying to escape?" the Ruthless One snorted coldly, pressing down.

Boom!

Luo Ruoxi fell from the sky.

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

Ding—ding—ding!

Blocked again by the Ruthless One.

"You all hurry away, I'll block him…"

Knowing they still intended to save the Divine Realm rather than flee, the clone and the Undying Emperor Lord let out a roar, standing in front; Luo Qiqi also transformed, returning to the Silent Void Pearl's core.

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing the others throw themselves to block behind, fearless of death, Zhang Xuan's eyes reddened, but he knew it wasn't time for words; he pulled Luo Ruoxi, his body swayed, tearing through space, and the next moment they appeared within Zizai Heaven's bounds.

Zizai Heaven has lost its former freedom; the Divine Realm has collapsed, chaos everywhere.

"The 'him' you mentioned, where is he?"

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

If that person she speaks of can truly save the Divine Realm, sacrificing himself is no problem!

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

"Father?"

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

No wonder the blood in the pendant always seemed similar to Luo Ruoxi yet different; it was her father's.

That explains why the thought left by the Undying Emperor Lord, upon seeing the pendant, immediately recognized it as its master.

"Your father is also an Emperor Lord? Or possesses power beyond an Emperor Lord?"

He couldn't help but say.

The library's chaos, caused by the blood in the pendant, restored his clarity; could it be that not only she is an Emperor Lord, but her father too, perhaps even stronger?

If so, why did he fall into a coma?

Does it require a flawed Dao to awaken him?

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

Luo Ruoxi clenched her fist.

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

"Yes! Fifty years ago, my father couldn't resist that massive hand, fell into a coma, and the Dao shattered into three parts—the ordered Dao and the flawed Dao—entering spatial turbulence. I took charge of the natural Dao to maintain the Divine Realm's balance. To restore him, we must gather the scattered pieces… That's why I'm so resolute, cannot fail! I specifically entered the Master Teacher Continent, studied the Spring and Autumn Classics, seeking a way to defeat Master Kong! When fighting Master Kong, pleading his matter was also this."

Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan was enlightened.

He had only recently become acquainted with the Master Teacher Continent; the girl before him had told him her story, to save a close relative. He hadn't understood then, but now he finally realized.

It turned out to be her father, and also the Divine Realm's Dao!

Can the Dao truly take human form and bear children?

"Taking charge of the natural Dao… you have no Dao fragments in your body?" Suddenly noticing something off in her words, Zhang Xuan looked over.

Taking charge, and my kind of fusion within the body, are two different concepts.

"I only control, I'm not part of the Dao…" Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan exhaled.

In that case, we only need to separate the flawed Dao ourselves, no need for her to die.

Although he does not wish to accept such a fate, he also does not want the girl before him to be harmed.

"If I strip the flawed Dao from my body, your father can revive, and perhaps even slay the Ruthless One, right?" Zhang Xuan thought.

"This… I'm not sure either…"

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

The Divine Realm is her father's foundation; now that foundation is like this, even if he awakens, can he truly defeat that powerful Ruthless One?

It's hard to say!

Looks like you can't be sure either. Since that's the case, seeking help from others is worse than relying on oneself… We have only ourselves to think of a way! 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 not be unable to 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 break free from the Heavenly Dao… Unexpectedly, he should be like Wei Changfeng, an Innate Fetal Soul Body!"

Zhang Xuan said.

Seeing Wei Changfeng, it became clear that Kong Shi's so-called preserving consciousness should be the same as him, an Innate Fetal Soul Body.

One can remain clear-minded 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 check and you'll know; my guess is correct, he should have already recovered. Otherwise, his disciples couldn't possibly not have gone to the Tidal Sea…" Zhang Xuan said.

Kong Shi's disciples, such as Ziyuan Gu Sheng and others, are all strong; even without the Emperor's help, they would certainly have a way to enter the Tidal Sea, yet not a single one was seen.

There must be something more important waiting, intending to act while all the Emperors are preoccupied with the Tidal Sea and have no time to attend to it!

And this 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, a single hand gesture, Zhang Xuan returned to where Kong Shi resided, and indeed saw an old man sitting cross-legged, floating in midair; upon seeing them arrive, he smiled faintly: "You've come!"

Not Kong Shi, then who is it!

This teacher of all ages certainly did not disappoint!

As guessed, taking advantage of everyone focusing their attention on the Tidal Sea, he revived again.

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

She knew the Emperor could be revived, the Undying Emperor had also come back to life, but… she didn't expect the speed to be this fast!

"I concealed the Heavenly Dao, prepared a contingency in advance; that nameless giant in the Soul Pool is what I left behind. When you slew me that day, I seized the chance to break free from the Heavenly Dao's bonds, recondense my flesh, and have only just now recovered!"

Kong Shi smiled faintly.

He is proficient in time abilities; though it seems only a day or two have passed in the Divine Realm, in fact, to regain his strength he has undergone an unknown amount of time.

Decades of time have passed.

"Our three strengths are strong, but wanting to surpass 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 people united couldn't block the opponent; even adding Kong Shi, what difference would it make?

It likewise cannot change the situation!

"Our individual strength, even when combined, is indeed not a match for the opponent, but… what if we merge 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, scatter the Heavenly Dao; its strength is undeniable. The Ruthless One has absorbed all that power and also devoured the Divine Realm's spiritual energy for fifty years. Based solely on strength, even if we each take out our power from the dozen-odd Emperors, we are indeed no match…"

Kong Shi said: "But if we unite and concentrate the power into one person… it might not be so!"

"How to concentrate?"

Luo Ruoxi looked over.

Easy to say, hard to do.

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

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

Kong Shi said.

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

"The Lingxi Emperor cultivates freedom and ease, transcending nature! But with the constraints of father and Heavenly Dao, and with beloved people, 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 was speechless.

During the battle, there was indeed such an intention; thus their initial exchanges, each keeping backhanded moves, were like sparring, not a life-and-death fight.

"Being unable to transcend, one cannot exert their greatest strength; even with abundant true qi, they cannot strike that supreme realm! As for me…"

Kong Shi nodded and said: "Holding the world in heart, wanting to save all beings, yet unwilling to let others sacrifice for me—excessive mercy is also a flaw! If I were a bit more ruthless, exterminating the alien spirit clan, we wouldn't have the present situation…"

"If back then we could have exterminated all alien spirit folk, the Ruthless One could not have revived, nor would we be in this situation."

"So I'm also unsuitable! Zhang Xuan, his cultivation method is smooth and flawless. He emphasizes living 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 greater room for growth; only thus can one go 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 one be bound by other matters?"

"This…" Zhang Xuan frowned, about to say something, when he saw Kong Shi's piercing gaze: "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, possessing his own understanding of it; I command the orderly Heavenly Dao. If we pour our power into you, your body will hold complete Heavenly Dao power! Combined with your avatar's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, we can fully achieve ruling the Nine Heavens, grasping the cosmos, battling the Nine Firmaments, annihilating all things!"

"Alright!"

Seeing the other party had made a decision, further explanation useless, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Boom—

Sitting 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 person seemed to instantly embody the Heavenly Dao, soaring above the Nine Heavens.

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

……

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

He sent Luo Qiqi and the clone flying, and Henren gave a cold smile.

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

The Tide Sea devoured almost all the spiritual energy outside the city in the Divine Realm; these powers have become his nourishment, every move he makes carries the ability to destroy heaven and earth, and though these emperors and god-kings represent the pinnacle of the Divine Realm, they are still no match for a single strike.

At this moment, Henren seemed to embody the entire Divine Realm; no one could withstand him.

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

Yun Chi 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!"

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

"Old friend, wait for me!"

Fu Meng Emperor let out a great roar, transforming into his true form, a white tiger, and appeared before him in the air.

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

The Profound Dark Emperor's true form is a giant tortoise, 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, Henren 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 a killing blow to wipe out everyone, he felt his raised arm tighten and stop in midair.

"You want to kill them? 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..."

Henren halted, his gaze solemn.

He clearly 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 my attack."

With a cold snort, Henren struck down again.

Zhang Xuan raised his long sword and went to meet him.

The two clashed, space tearing apart in streaks, air currents scattering wildly.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?"

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

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

However, as long as the power is sufficient, one day they can regain their former rank.

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

After a moment of silence, Master Kong spoke.

Even a dozen emperors united could not defeat Henren, and even if they transferred all their power to him, overcoming him would still not be easy.

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 drifted far away.

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

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

Seeing her doubt, Master Kong laughed 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.

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

"Haha, I thought you were formidable, but that's all!" Henren gave a cold smile.

"Anyway, you're not my match; 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, instead of attacking, he looked at Henren before him.

"Fine, I'll grant you that—your strongest attack."

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

Whoosh!

A cyan light appeared in his palm and came down violently.

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

With his eyes tightly shut, Zhang Xuan did not dodge.

Boom!

His head exploded, his soul scattering in all directions.

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

Luo Qiqi seemed to have gone mad.

Yun Chi 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 free of his shackles and surge past the Emperor realm—so why didn't he resist, but instead willingly face death?

Wouldn't that be wasting their good intentions?

"No, it's the immortality method of the Undying Emperor..."

While they were puzzled, Kong Shi suddenly spoke.

Everyone then saw Zhang Xuan's head explode, even his soul shatter, as the pendant on his chest suddenly burst open; a drop of blood floated up, igniting into a scorching flame, within which an unharmed figure slowly stepped out.

"He... used the opponent's power and the blood in the pendant to separate the flaw in the Heavenly Dao from his 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 of the Heavenly Dao!

"How did he do that?"

Kong Shi was also full of disbelief.

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

This person before them was only slashed once, yet completely broke free—what method did he use?

"I understand... he used the ruthless person's method of breaking 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 called an enhanced version of the contract.

Once the soul is bound, even immortality won't free it.

"But... the ruthless person used that special power to break free of the soul contract; the exact method, Zhang Xuan had inquired about in detail before—perhaps he had already been thinking about it then."

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

Relying on this power, he was reborn from the fire—unexpectedly, it turned out to be a great success!

"So that's it—this is the way to break through the Emperor..."

Walking out of the flames, Zhang Xuan wore a faint smile, as if he had 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 the Zhang Xuan before them had become the Nine Heavens, and 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 appeared when the Nine Heavens were born, can stabilize the Nine Heavens; at this moment, his clone and self perfectly merged, indistinguishable, which meant he had mastered this power.

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

"Master-servant affection, brotherly affection, teacher-student affection, parental affection, love... when combined, they are actually all things in the world—this is what it means to be human!"

Smiling, Zhang Xuan murmured to himself.

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

Is it that people see the world and thus the world exists, or did the world come first and then people?

Is it the wind moving, or the heart moving!

This question has troubled countless people since time immemorial.

Of course, now... none of that matters anymore!

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

Therefore, after breaking through love, it becomes the affection of all beings—the intertwined emotions of the world.

All things in the world possess emotion; only with emotion does the world exist, and only with emotion can life continue.

Love, is emotion.

Hatred, is emotion.

Joy, is emotion.

Pain, is emotion.

Separation, is emotion.

Reunion, is also emotion!

"Myriad feelings, for my use..."

A soft cry, and the sealed realm within Zhang Xuan's body instantly shattered.

The Emperor's shackles, broken through!

In an instant, it felt as if he had touched a brand-new world and the Da Men, his soul receiving rapid nourishment.

Countless chaotic qi surged in, and his fleshly body also rapidly rose.

Before, only by absorbing spiritual power could he progress; now, spatial turbulence and chaotic qi—even the opponent's azure light—can become his, without distinction.

"You..." The ruthless person hadn't expected that his full-force attack would not only fail to slay him but instead fulfill him; he shouted "Wa-wa!" in anger, let out a furious roar, and attacked again.

"You resent the lofty Emperor for not saving you in the spatial turbulence—that's emotion; you feel that having once been my servant carries humility and anger—that's emotion; you wish to destroy the divine realm to vent anger—that's emotion; you want to become stronger—that's also emotion... Emotion controls you, so how could you possibly overcome me and not be controlled by me?"

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

The originally invincible ruthless person was bound by countless threads of emotion, his 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 filled with panic: "Master Zhang, I am your servant, don't kill me... I am willing to offer my soul as a sacrifice..."

"Saying these now is too late..." Zhang Xuan gave a slight smile and shook his head.

Having mastered the emotions of the world, things like servants are now meaningless to him.

Having killed so many god-level beings, 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 finished, he immediately felt a sharp pain throughout his body.

Boom!

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

Previously, all the power swallowed by the Tide Sea now returned, revitalizing the once‑exhausted wilderness.

"This..."

"You killed him just like that?"

The Cloud Chilong Great Emperor, the Immortal Emperor, the Exquisite Fairy, and the others all widened their eyes in disbelief.

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 it be that there truly exists a realm above the Emperor?

"He succeeded..."

Master Kong and Luo Ruoxi loosened their clenched fists.

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

Seeing the "flaw in the Heavenly Dao" that had just been separated from his own body still hovering in the air, Zhang Xuan smiled lightly and flicked his finger.

Hum!

The library that had accompanied him since his rebirth thunderously embedded itself in the sky of the Divine Realm.

The resonant toll of a great bell, the continually collapsing Divine Realm, the visibly slow recovery, and the chaotic currents also gathered together again.

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

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

The breach 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 startled, then took a step forward.

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

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

"Senior, you..."

Seeing it was him, Zhang Xuan blinked in surprise.

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

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

"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, his eyebrows raised, giving an inscrutable, profound impression.

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled.

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

"I am Nie Yun!" the youth said with a light smile, looking over: "That is… Nie Lingxi, the father of Luo Ruoxi you mentioned!"

"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 qi into the Three Purities; 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 could not believe it.

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

Just how strong must his power be?

"No, if the Divine Realm is your creation and you are the Heavenly Dao, why would you let the Ruthless Person run rampant without intervening?" Zhang Xuan looked over.

If it weren't for my own breakthrough, the Divine Realm would very likely have collapsed completely; 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 exerted all my power to peer into it, ultimately drawing a backlash from a higher world… a palm broke through the void and descended!"

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

"I wish to restore this situation; it 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… doing so alone is extremely difficult. Therefore, I want to see if there exists any life capable of breaking through the Emperor's shackles and reaching my level."

"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, you have not disappointed me!"

Nie Yun laughed.

"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 expected it was all due to this person before me.

"Hehe!" Nie Yun chuckled lightly, saying: "Being native to this world, one naturally holds reverence for it; wanting to break its shackles is far harder. I, too, merely had a thought, never imagining you could actually 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, reaching the present realm would be utterly impossible.

I gave him the opportunity; he just failed to seize it. The duel with Lingxi was actually his best chance to break through, but he chose to retreat, thinking he had a fallback and could withdraw unscathed, when in fact he lost his brave, diligent spirit. Facing someone surpassing us, if he lacks even this spirit, how could he possibly stand against them?

Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan remained silent.

He had watched their battle back then, and Master Kong indeed lacked decisiveness.

It's also possible he simply didn't want to kill Luo Ruoxi.

Unfortunately, in that instant, 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 strength is now not much different from mine. Do you think, with their 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 "Emperor" are two different concepts; if he truly wished to intervene, he could indeed save the person at the critical moment, and guarantee they wouldn't suffer a single injury.

"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 always thought I was still unconscious..."

Nie Yun let out a bitter laugh: "My dad really went all out... Well then, you should explain this to her; after all, her thoughts have now turned to you, and this old man 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 cheek twitched, and he could only agree: "Alright..."

He had no choice but to agree, after all, he was the one who had eloped with someone's daughter.

"The Heavenly Path Library is a manifestation of my will, a foundation and also a shackle; if you can rely on your own ability to break through the shackle, it shows your ability and potential, your future is limitless, my daughter being with you would also bring me comfort as a father."

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