Chapter 1022: Justifiable Reason

A soul contract binds souls; as long as one does not dissolve it, even if the other party possesses heavenly means, it cannot be undone.

Just like the Undying Emperor Little Yellow Chicken, who was merely a God King before, he is an Emperor, yet he likewise cannot resolve this kind of agreement.

To prevent this fellow from going back on his word and causing a backlash, the Master Teacher Continent once specially stipulated that even if the other party could break free from the Heavenly Dao Record, they could not escape the soul‑bound agreement!

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

Ruthless Person's Dao.

A soul contract is founded upon the Heavenly Dao's foundation; a special power capable of dissolving even the Heavenly Dao of the God Realm can dissolve 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 God Realm!"

After finishing his explanation, the Ruthless Person said no more; his aura grew ever more ancient and distant, the black hole behind him swelling larger—evidently, in the time spent speaking, he had devoured 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 message.

"Let's get ready to fight!" With all doubts dispelled in his heart, Zhang Xuan drew a deep breath, his long sword suddenly rising: "In that case, let's see the true skill beneath our hands!"

Boom—

The greatest sword intent was unleashed once again.

In life I will return; in death I will forever miss you.

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

This sword move, though not yet reaching the Emperor's level of comprehension, embodies all the obsessions in my heart, pushing the Heaven‑If‑Has‑Feeling technique within my body to its limit.

Whoosh!

A single sword cut the Ruthless Person's attack in half.

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

Her swordsmanship somewhat resembles that of the 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, the Ruthless Person reached down once more.

In an instant, his hand blotted out the sky and covered the earth, shattering space as if the sun, moon, and stars were about to be slammed down by force.

Pfft! Pfft!

Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi were blown backward simultaneously, blood spraying wildly in the air.

Even with their combined strength, they could not withstand it!

Just what realm has this fellow reached?

"Impudent!" The avatar strode forward, each step causing lotuses to bloom and the void to echo with the sound of flowing water.

From afar, he exuded immense prestige.

Having refined the Nine Heavens Chaos 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 clutched his forehead.

Having attained Emperor status, his avatar still hasn't changed its pretentious nature……

Such ostentatious pretense would be better replaced by concentrating power for greater might!

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

The Little Yellow Chicken let out a great shout; crimson flames blazed, as if the sky itself were ignited.

The remaining Six Great Emperors each employed their own methods.

The Seven Emperors united, their combined power capable of destroying heaven and earth—yet any force arrayed before them could not withstand it; but the opponent was the Ruthless Person who had absorbed special power, his attack arriving, the black hole suddenly expanding, in the blink of an eye swallowing all that power, then launching a counter‑attack.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

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

The Ten Great Emperors, united together, actually could not block a single move of the opponent!

Just how could this fellow be so powerful?

"You may die……"

With a single move he crushed the crowd; the Ruthless Person stepped forward, turned his wrist, and struck down again.

"How dare you, vermin!"

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

"An Emperor? He also possesses Emperor‑level strength?"

Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

That old man had once followed behind the youth, merely thought to be a follower at most holding the title of God King, but upon displaying his power he proved to be a mighty Emperor as well!

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 her feet.

"And… 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 instantly she saw the Emperor of Sword God Heaven likewise blown backward, landing not far away and blasting out a huge crater.

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

"Hahaha, Emperor, you're nothing but a bunch of chickens and dogs! Today I will destroy the Nine Heavens, destroy this God Realm, and trample all regulations flat!"

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

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

Just now he and his avatar had exerted their utmost combat power, even Luo Ruoxi before him had deployed her strongest technique, yet none could block a single strike 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 Tian Dao to the Tian Dao itself, letting the Tian Dao suppress him…" Luo Ruoxi clenched her elegant fist, her eyes reddening.

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

The library in his mind is itself a part of the Tian Dao; once it returns, the Tian Dao becomes completely whole, perhaps able to repair the flaw and expel the ruthless one.

It's like the human immune system.

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

Only…

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

A virus, the immune system can slay, but… what about a ferocious tiger?

No matter how strong the immune system is, what recourse does it have?

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

"… " Luo Ruoxi paused, her pure jade face showing a look of loss: "Yes… we can't suppress him, but if the Tian Dao is whole, he can awaken, and slaying this one isn't difficult!"

"Him?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

"Trying to escape?" the ruthless one snorted coldly, pressed down.

Boom!

Luo Ruoxi fell from the sky.

"You…" Zhang Xuan's sword technique manifested again, the sword aura shining brilliantly.

Ding—ding—ding!

Again blocked by the ruthless one.

"You all hurry away, I'll block him…"

Realizing they still aim to save the Divine Realm rather than flee, the clone and the Undying Emperor Lord let out a roar and blocked the way, and Luo Qiqi also shifted, returning to the core of the Silent Void Pearl.

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing the others throw themselves fearlessly to block behind, unafraid of death, Zhang Xuan's eyes reddened, but he also knew now was not the time for words; he grabbed Luo Ruoxi, their bodies jolted, tearing through space, and the next moment they were already within the bounds of Zizai Tian.

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

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

Having no time to observe ordinary people's 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 also 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, awakened her; 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 Tian Dao for him to awaken?

"He's not an Emperor Lord, but… the Tian Dao!"

Luo Ruoxi clenched her elegant fist.

"Tian Dao? Your father… is the Tian 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 Tian Dao shattered into three parts—the orderly Tian Dao and the flawed Tian Dao—entering spatial turbulence. I took over the natural control of the Tian Dao, maintaining the Divine Realm's balance. To restore him, we must gather the scattered fragments… That's why I'm so resolute, cannot afford failure! I specifically entered the Master Teacher Continent to study the Spring and Autumn Canon, seeking a way to defeat Master Kong! When battling Master Kong, the request I made to him was also this."

Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan was enlightened.

Having 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 grasped it.

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

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

"You take over the natural control of the Tian Dao… you have no Tian Dao fragments within you?" Suddenly noticing something off in her words, Zhang Xuan looked over.

Taking over control, and the kind of fusion within me, are two different concepts.

"I only control it; I'm not a part of the Tian Dao…" Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

In that case, all that's needed is for me to separate the flawed Tian Dao; she doesn't need to die.

Although he is unwilling to accept such a fate, he also refuses to see the girl before him harmed.

"If I strip the flawed Tian 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 already collapsed Divine Realm, hesitating.

The Divine Realm is her father's foundation; now that the 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 only have ourselves to figure it out!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth: "You, me, and my avatar, united with the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, if we also cooperate with Master Kong, we might still be able to win!"

"Master Kong? He..." Luo Ruoxi frowned.

"Master Kong 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, he understood: Master Kong's so-called retaining sentience 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 she hadn't expected it to be this way.

"Just go check the past and you'll know; my guess is correct, he should have already recovered, otherwise his disciples couldn't have not even gone to the Tide Sea..." Zhang Xuan said.

Master Kong's disciples, like Ziyuan Ancient Sage and others, are all strong; even without the Emperor's help, they would certainly have a way to enter the Tide Sea, yet not a single one was seen.

There must be something more important waiting, wanting to take advantage of the time when all the Emperors are preoccupied with the Tide Sea to act!

And this important matter is obviously to let Master Kong recover.

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

"Let's go!"

Without further explanation, with a single hand gesture, Zhang Xuan returned to where Master Kong resided, and indeed saw an old man sitting cross-legged, floating in midair; upon seeing them arrive, he smiled faintly: "You've come!"

Not Master Kong, then who is it!

This teacher of myriad ages, indeed did not disappoint!

Just as guessed, taking advantage of everyone's attention being focused on the Tide Sea, he revived again.

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

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

"I concealed the Heavenly Dao, prepared a contingency in advance; that nameless giant in the Soul‑Ghost Pool is what I left behind, slain by you that day, I seized the chance to break free of the Heavenly Dao's bonds, recondensed my flesh, and have only just now recovered!"

Master Kong 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 length of time.

He has even had several decades of time.

"Our three strengths are strong, but wanting to surpass the Ruthless One is not that easy..."

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

Not to boost others' prestige or dampen our own morale, but simply a fact.

Just now, so many people united couldn't block the opponent; even adding one Master Kong, what could it change?

Likewise, it cannot change the situation!

"Our individual strength, even when combined, is indeed no match for the opponent, but... what if we merge everyone's power into a single person?"

Master Kong 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 fifty years of spiritual energy from the Divine Realm; relying solely on strength, even if we each take out our power from the dozen or so Emperors, we are certainly no match..."

Master Kong said: "But if we unite and concentrate the power into one person... perhaps it might 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' 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!"

Master Kong 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!"

Master Kong said.

Luo Ruoxi couldn't speak.

During the battle, indeed there had been such an intention; thus their exchanges at the start each kept backhand, like sparring, not a life‑or‑death fight.

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

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

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

"So I'm also unsuitable! Zhang Xuan, however, cultivates a harmonious method, 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 he go higher and farther!"

Master Kong continued.

"In life, return to the beginning; 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 Master Kong'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! The Lingxi Emperor's body may lack Heavenly Dao fragments, but he has long commanded the Heavenly Dao, possessing his own understanding of it; I govern the orderly Heavenly Dao. If we pour our power into you, you will possess complete Heavenly Dao power! Combined with your avatar's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, we can fully stabilize the Nine Heavens, grasp Qian and Kun, battle the Nine Firmaments, annihilate all things!"

"Alright!"

Seeing the other party already decided, further explanation 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 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 clones flying, Henren 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 sucked up almost all the spiritual energy outside the city in the Divine Realm; now this energy has become his nourishment. Every move he makes carries the power to destroy heaven and earth. These emperors and divine kings, though they represent the pinnacle of the Divine Realm, are still no match.

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

"The Divine Realm is doomed; living is meaningless. I, Yun Chi, will perish with you."

Yun Chi Great Emperor transformed into his true form, a huge 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!"

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

The Immortal Emperor revealed his true form, the immortal fire phoenix, and flames illuminated the sky.

Great Emperor Xuan Ming's true form is 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, and the collapsing Divine Realm slowed down.

Heaven and earth seemed to freeze in an instant.

Bang bang bang bang!

After 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, just as he was about to strike down and wipe everyone out, he felt his raised arm tighten and stop in midair.

"Did you ask me if you wanted to kill them?"

Immediately, amidst everyone's shocked gazes, a figure slowly walked down 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 was a world.

"He's improved quite a bit..."

Henren halted, his gaze solemn.

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

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

With a cold snort, Henren struck down again.

Zhang Xuan raised his sword and went to meet him.

The two clashed, space tearing apart in streaks, air currents running wild everywhere.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?"

At the garrison of Master Kong in Carefree Heaven, Luo Ruoxi looked over anxiously.

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

But rank is rank; as long as the power is sufficient, one day it can be restored.

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

After a moment of silence, Master Kong said.

Even a dozen emperors united could not defeat Henren, even if they transferred all their power to him; wanting to overcome him is still not easy.

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

"Power beyond the emperor?"

Luo Ruoxi's gaze was distant.

When her father was still lucid, he had once told her the same thing, but... she could not do it; can 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 strikes, Zhang Xuan's tiger's mouth split open, and a huge wound appeared on his chest, gruesome and terrifying.

Just as Master Kong said, even after fusing their two powers and forming a complete Heavenly Dao within, he was still no match.

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

"Anyway, you're not my opponent; you'll be killed sooner or later. If so, I want to die under your strongest attack." Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan stopped advancing, instead gazing at Henren before him.

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

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

Splash!

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

Sure enough, it was the strongest attack; the entire Divine Realm rumbled, as if it could barely endure, and another huge pit was blasted out.

His eyes tightly closed, Zhang Xuan did not dodge.

Bang!

His head exploded, his soul scattering in all directions.

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

Luo Qiqi went mad.

Yun Chi Great Emperor and the others also stared wide-eyed, trembling nonstop.

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

The original intention was to let him break through his shackles and assault the realm beyond the Emperor; why didn't he resist, instead willingly facing death?

Wouldn't this be wasting their good intentions?

"No, it is the Undying Emperor's undying method……"

While they were puzzled, Teacher Kong suddenly spoke.

Everyone then saw Zhang Xuan's head exploding, even his soul shattering, 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 the soul?"

Luo Ruoxi's pupils contracted.

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

"How did he do that?"

Teacher Kong 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 then, with the aid of the Netherworld Soul Pool, recondense his soul.

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

"I understand……he used Henren's method 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 called an enhanced version of the contract.

Once the soul is bound, even immortality cannot free it.

But……Henren used that special power to break the soul contract; the exact method, Zhang Xuan had inquired about in detail before, and likely had already been scheming then.

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

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

"So that's it; this is the way 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 an avatar 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, the avatar and his self perfectly merged, indistinguishable, which means he now controls this power.

Moreover, with the cultivation fused from 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 detached from his soul, he understood.

Is it that man sees the world and thus the world exists, or does the world come first and then man?

Is it the wind that moves, or the heart that moves!

This question has troubled countless people since time immemorial.

Of course, now……none of this 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! It is the emotions intertwining the world.

All things in the world have emotion; with emotion comes the world, and with emotion life can continue.

Love, is emotion.

Hatred, is emotion.

Joy, is emotion.

Pain, is emotion.

Parting, is emotion.

Reunion, is emotion too!

"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 seemed as if he touched a brand-new world and Da Men, and his soul received swift nourishment.

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

Before, 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, with no distinction.

"You……" Henren never expected that his all-out attack would not only fail to slay him, but instead fulfill him; angrily shouting "wah-wah!", he let out a furious roar and launched another attack.

"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—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 Henren was bound together by countless threads of emotion, his hands and feet tied, unable to move.

As long as there is emotion, he will use it, he will control it!

"You……"

Henren'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……"

"Saying this now is already too late……" Zhang Xuan smiled faintly and shook his head.

Having mastered the world's emotions, servants and such are already meaningless to him.

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

"No……"

Feeling his decisiveness, the ruthless one's pupils contracted; before his words ended, he immediately felt a sharp pain throughout 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, the Tide Sea had swallowed all that power; now it all flowed back, and the once‑barren wilderness sprang back to life.

"This..."

"You just killed him like that?"

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

Just moments ago they had crossed blows with the ruthless one, knowing how terrifying he was; yet such a powerful figure was wiped out with a casual gesture—this Zhang Xuan... just what level has he reached?

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

"He succeeded..."

Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi loosened their clenched fists.

"This is part of the Heavenly Dao; then I will now return it to the Heavenly Dao..."

Seeing the "flaw in the Heavenly Dao" that had been split 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 continued as the 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 death of the ruthless one, slowly revived.

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

The rift in the Tide Sea, together with the completion of the Heavenly Dao, has already healed; the Divine Realm will return to its former glory—it's only a matter of time.

"Zhang Xuan, come over here..."

Having just finished these, a voice sounded in his mind; Zhang Xuan startled, then took a step forward.

That step carried him 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 his unfathomable depth; now I realized he was only a hair's breadth above me, having already reached the pinnacle of the Emperor realm—far stronger than Luo Ruoxi had been.

"Just call me by name; I am Nie Tong!" the youth said, his body emanating an unstoppable sword intent.

"Nie Tong?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

It was the first time he had heard that name.

"Come with me; I'll take you to see my brother!" said Nie Tong, smiling faintly as he 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 air.

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled.

The youth before him proved even stronger, having likewise broken through the Emperor's shackles, and his cultivation was 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 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 hardly unreasonable!" 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 let the ruthless one run rampant without intervening?" Zhang Xuan looked at him.

"If I hadn't broken through, 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 might be even greater beings above the Divine Realm?"

"This…" Zhang Xuan paused: "I suppose there must be."

"Although I've never seen such a being, since he can cultivate to this level, perhaps others can as well—and perhaps even stronger."

"Just like the one before me."

"I once suspected that greater beings existed above the Divine Realm, so I strained my senses to the utmost, ultimately drawing a backlash from a higher world… a palm smashed down from the void!"

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."

"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… I cannot do it alone. So I want to see whether any life can break through the Emperor's shackles and reach a level equal to mine."

"Thus I sent the scattered thoughts of the Heavenly Dao down to the lowest world… granting them respectively to the souls native to this world and to a soul foreign to it. And you, you have not disappointed me!"

Nie Yun said with a smile.

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

"No wonder I could transmigrate here; 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 feels reverence for it; breaking its shackles is far harder. I merely had a passing 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 devotion, attaining my present cultivation 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 breakthrough, but he chose to retreat, thinking he had a backup plan and could escape unharmed, when in fact he lost his brave and 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.

At that time, he witnessed their battle, and Master Kong indeed lacked 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 furrowed.

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

"With me here, she won't die..." Nie Yun smiled faintly: "Your strength is not much different from mine now; you think, at the critical moment of life and death, wanting to save someone, can you do it?"

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

Breaking through to Emperor and being an Emperor are two concepts; if he truly wished to act, he could indeed save someone 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 is Luo… In order for her to believe me, without emotional bias, she has continued to think I am still in a coma…"

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

Seeing this unreliable father before him, Zhang Xuan's cheek twitched, and he could only agree: 'Alright…'

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

"The Heaven's Way Library is a manifestation of my will; it is both foundation and shackle. If you can rely on your own ability to break through the shackle, it shows your ability and potential, and your future is limitless. That my daughter can be with you brings me, as a father, some comfort."

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