Chapter 1028: Extremely Difficult

Soul Contract, it matches the soul; as long as one does not dissolve it, even if the other party's methods reach the heavens, it cannot be undone.

Just like the Undying Emperor Xiǎohuángjī, who was merely a God King before, he is an Emperor, and likewise cannot resolve this agreement.

In order to prevent this guy from going back on his word and causing a backlash, the Master Teacher Continent had specially stipulated that even if the other party could break free from the Heavenly Dao Ledger, they could not escape the soul's agreement!

"Soul Contract, indeed it cannot be separated from the sea of consciousness, but I have merged 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 Person Dao.

Soul Contract, it is founded on the basis of the Heavenly Dao; special power capable of dissolving even the Heavenly Dao of the Divine 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 Divine Realm!"

After explaining, Hěn rén 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 strength becomes……"

Luò Ruòxī also sensed something wrong, hurriedly sending a voice transmission.

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

Boom—

The greatest sword intent was unleashed once again.

Life calls for return, death brings longing!

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

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

Huh!

One sword cut Hěn rén's attack in half.

At the same moment, Luò Ruòxī also struck, her jade hand rolling, sword light like snow.

Her swordsmanship somewhat resembles that of the youth from Sword God Heaven, bearing an unstoppable momentum and the carefree ease of the natural Great Dao.

"Your moves are very impressive, but compared to me, they still fall short……"

With a light smile, Hěn rén reached down again.

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

Pfft! Pfft!

Zhang Xuan and Luò Ruòxī were blown backward simultaneously, blood spraying wildly in midair.

With their combined strength, they actually could not 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.

He raised a fist, his power surging to the Nine Heavens.

Clashing with Hěn rén, he too was blown backward, unable to withstand a single move.

Zhang Xuan covered his forehead.

Having become an Emperor, the clone still does not change its pretentious nature……

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

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

Xiǎohuángjī let out a loud shout, crimson flames blazing, the sky seeming to be set ablaze.

The remaining six Emperors also each employed their methods.

Seven Emperors united, destroying heaven and extinguishing earth; a realm of heaven and earth before them could not be resisted, but the opponent was the Ruthless Person who had absorbed special power—when his attack approached, the Black Hole suddenly expanded, in the blink of an eye devouring all power, then immediately counterattacking.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

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

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

Just how could this guy be so powerful?

"You can die……"

One move crushed the crowd; Hěn rén 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 the front, his long sword transforming into the Milky Way.

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

Zhang Xuan's pupils constricted.

This old man originally followed behind the youth; I thought he was merely a follower, at most ennobled as a God King, but upon displaying his power I 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……" Luò Ruòxī gritted her teeth as she struggled to her feet.

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

"He is……" Luò Ruòxī was about to answer when space twisted; instantly 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 his 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 Divine Realm, and trample all rules flat!"

Having defeated the Emperor of Sword God Heaven, Hěn rén 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 clone had exerted their utmost combat power, even Luò Ruòxī before him had used her strongest technique, yet they could not withstand a single move of the opponent……

Could it be that truly no one in the Divine Realm can block this person before us?

Let him destroy the world?

"The only way…… is to return your Heavenly Dao's deficiency 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 breach and expel the Ruthless One himself.

Just like the body's immune system.

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

But……

"He's too strong; even if the Heavenly Dao recovers completely, it might not be able to suppress him!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Viruses can be killed by the immune system, but…… what about a tiger?

Even the strongest immune system, what can it do?

This person before us is merely an ordinary Divine King; even with a title, the Heavenly Dao could easily kill him, yet he is stronger than an Emperor…… he is now beyond what the Heavenly Dao can contend with.

"This……" Luo Ruoxi paused, a look of loss appearing on her pure jade-like face: "Yeah…… we can't suppress him, but if the Heavenly Dao is whole, he can awaken and slay this person—it wouldn't be difficult!"

"Him?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

"Trying to escape?" the Ruthless One snorted coldly and pressed down.

Boom!

Luo Ruoxi fell from the air.

"You……" Zhang Xuan unleashed his sword technique again, sword intent shining forth.

Ding ding ding!

Again blocked by the Ruthless One.

"You guys hurry and leave; I'll block him……"

Knowing they wanted to find another way to save the Divine Realm rather than flee, the clone and the Undying Emperor Sovereign, with a loud shout, blocked the front, while Luo Qiqi also transformed, returning to the Still Void Pearl's true form.

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone fearlessly throw themselves in behind, unafraid of death, Zhang Xuan's eye sockets reddened, but he also knew now wasn't the time for words; he grabbed Luo Ruoxi, his body flickered, he tore through space, and in the next moment they appeared within the range of Free Heaven.

Free 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's the harm 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 realized.

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 Undying Emperor's residual will, upon seeing the pendant, immediately acknowledged him as its master.

"Is your father also an Emperor? Or does he possess strength surpassing an Emperor?"

He couldn't help but ask.

The library's chaos is due to the blood in the pendant letting me regain consciousness; could it be that not only is she an Emperor, her father is too, and even stronger?

If that's the case, why would he be comatose?

And does it require a deficiency in the Heavenly Dao to awaken him?

"He is not an Emperor, 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 ordered Heavenly Dao and the deficient Heavenly Dao entered the spatial turbulence; I acted 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'm so resolute, cannot fail! I therefore went specially to the Master Scholar Continent, studying the Spring and Autumn Great Canon, seeking a way to defeat Master Kong! When fighting Master Kong, the favor I asked of him was also this."

Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

Having only just met the Master Scholar Continent, the girl before me had already told me her story of wanting to save a close relative; I didn't understand then, but now I suddenly realize.

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

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

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

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

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

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

In that case, I only need to separate the deficient Heavenly Dao from myself; she doesn't need to die as well.

Although I'm unwilling to accept this fate, I also don't want the girl before me to suffer harm.

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

"This…… I'm not sure either……"

Raising her head to look at the already collapsed Divine Realm, Luo Ruoxi hesitated.

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?

Really hard to say!

Looks like you can't be sure either. In that case, it's better to rely on oneself than to ask others… We have only 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 coordinate with Master Kong, we might not be unable 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 break free from the Heavenly Dao… No surprise, he should be like Wei Changfeng, an Innate Fetal Soul Body!"

Zhang Xuan said.

Seeing Wei Changfeng, it became clear that Master Kong's so-called retaining spiritual awareness should be the same as him, an Innate Fetal Soul Body.

One can remain unconfused in the womb.

Plus 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 have not gone to the Tide Sea…" Zhang Xuan said.

Master Kong's disciples, such as the Ancient Sage Ziyuan and others, are all formidable; even without the Emperors' 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 awaiting them, intending to act while all the Emperors are preoccupied with the Tide Sea and have no time to attend to other matters!

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, he flicked his sleeve with one hand, and Zhang Xuan returned to where Master Kong resided; indeed he saw an old man sitting cross-legged, floating in midair. Upon seeing them arrive, he gave a slight smile: "You've come!"

Not Master Kong, then who is it!

This teacher of myriad ages certainly 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 be revived, and the Undying Emperor had also come back to life, but… she didn't expect it to happen so quickly!

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

Master Kong gave a faint smile.

He is proficient in temporal abilities; while it seemed only a day or two had passed in the Divine Realm, in fact, to regain his strength he had undergone an unknown length of time.

He had even accumulated tens of years.

"Our three strengths are considerable, but wanting to surpass the Ruthless One is not so easy…"

Seeing Master Kong 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 Master Kong, what difference would it make?

It would likewise not change the situation!

"Our individual strength, even when combined, is indeed no match for the opponent, but… what if we merged 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 and 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 took out our power from the dozen or so Emperors, we would certainly not be a 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.

"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 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 earlier, you also once gave up, intending to let me slay you!"

Master Kong said.

Luo Ruoxi was speechless.

During the battle, such an intention indeed existed, so their initial exchanges were each holding back, akin to sparring rather than a life-and-death fight.

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

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

"Had we been able to exterminate the alien spirit clan entirely back then, the Ruthless One could not have revived, nor would we be in this predicament."

"So I'm also unsuitable! Zhang Xuan, however, cultivates a method that follows his heart, without flaw. He focuses on 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 inclusivity and broader development space—only thus can one reach higher and farther!"

Master Kong 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 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! 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 power within! Combined with your avatar's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, we can fully achieve fixing the Nine Heavens, grasping the universe, battling the Nine Firmaments, and annihilating all things!"

"Alright!"

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

Boom—

Seated cross-legged, in the blink of an eye, two mighty torrents of power surged 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.

……

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

He sent Luo Qiqi and the clones flying, and 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 drained the spiritual energy outside the city of the Divine Realm, almost completely devouring it; now these powers have become his nourishment, every move bringing the power 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, Henren seemed to represent the entire Divine Realm, and no one could stop him.

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

Yunchi 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 palm, unable to escape no matter how it struggled.

"Old friend, wait for me!"

Fumeng Emperor also let out a loud roar, transforming into his true form, a White Tiger, and appeared before him in the air.

The Undying Emperor, the Undying Fire Phoenix true form manifested, flames illuminating the sky.

Xuanming Great Emperor, whose 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, and the collapsing Divine Realm slowed 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 down and wipe out everyone, he felt his raised arm tighten and stop in midair.

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

Immediately, amid the shocked gazes of everyone, 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 was a world.

"You've improved a lot……"

Henren stopped, his gaze solemn.

He obviously also didn't understand why, in just a few 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 me; I don't believe you can block me……"

With a cold snort, Henren struck down again.

Zhang Xuan raised his longsword and went to meet him.

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

"Can Zhang Xuan win?"

At the Free Heaven Master's station, Luo Ruoxi looked over, full of worry.

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

However, the level is set; as long as the power is sufficient, one day it can be 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.

More than ten Emperors united still could not defeat Henren; even if they transferred all their power to him, wanting to overcome him would still not be 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 Emperors?"

Luo Ruoxi's gaze was distant.

"When her father was still lucid, he had told her the same words, 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 strikes, Zhang Xuan's tiger's mouth split open, and a huge wound appeared on his chest, hideous 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.

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

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

"Good, I'll grant you that, give you my 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 fiercely.

Sure enough, it was the strongest attack; the entire Divine Realm rumbled, as if it could barely withstand it, and was struck again with a huge pit.

With 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 seemed to have gone mad.

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

Seeing this scene, Master Kong and Luo Ruoxi were also stunned.

The original intention was to let him break through his shackles and charge beyond the Emperor realm—so why didn't he resist, but willingly go to his death?

Wouldn't this be letting down their good intentions?

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

While they were puzzled, Master Kong 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 levitated, ignited, forming a ball of scorching flame; within the flame, 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 from the Heavenly Dao!

"How did he do that?"

Master Kong was also full of disbelief.

The Heavenly Dao and his soul were fused together, indistinguishable; to break free, he had to have his soul and spirit scatter, then, 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, and can be said to be an enhanced version of the contract.

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

But... the Ruthless Person 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 thinking about it then.

That's why he deliberately risked his life, letting the opponent unleash their strongest power against him.

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

"Ah, I see—this is the way to break through the Emperor..."

Walking out of the flames, Zhang Xuan 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 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 appears when the Nine Heavens are born, can stabilize the Nine Heavens; at this moment, his clone and himself perfectly merged, indistinguishable, which means he now controls this power.

Moreover, with his 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, parent-child affection, love... when combined, they are actually all things in the world—this is what it means to be human!"

Smiling, Zhang Xuan muttered to himself.

In the instant the Heavenly Dao Library detached from his soul, he understood.

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

Is it the wind moving, or the heart moving!

This question has troubled countless people since ancient times.

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.

Separation, is emotion.

Reunion, is also emotion!

"Myriad feelings, for my use..."

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

The Emperor's shackles, broken!

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

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

Before, only by absorbing spiritual power could one progress; but now, spatial turbulence and chaotic qi—even the opponent's azure light—can become mine, with no distinction between self and other.

"You..." the Ruthless Person hadn't expected that his all-out attack not only failed to slay him, but actually fulfilled him; enraged, he yelled "Wah-wah!" and, with an angry shout, attacked again.

"You resent the lofty Emperor above, who didn't save you in the spatial turbulence—that's emotion; you feel that having once been my servant, containing humility and anger, that's emotion; you want to destroy the divine realm, venting 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?"

Smiling faintly, Zhang Xuan's voice grew faster and louder, his palm lightly grasping.

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 already too late..." 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 beings, hurt his girlfriend Luo Qiqi and so many friends—how could he possibly forgive today!

"No..."

Feeling his decisiveness, the Ruthless Person's pupils contracted; before his words ended, he suddenly felt a sharp pain throughout his body.

Bang!

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

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

"This..."

"You killed him just like that?"

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

Just now they had fought the Ruthless Person, knowing how terrifying he was; such a powerful person was actually wiped out with a casual swipe—this Zhang Xuan... just what level has he reached?

Could there really be a higher 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 "Heavenly Dao's defect" that had been separated from his own body still floating in the air, Zhang Xuan smiled lightly and flicked his finger.

Hum!

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

With a deep bell-like toll, the continually collapsing Divine Realm slowly recovered visible to the eye, and the chaotic currents also gathered again.

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

"Looks like 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 prosperity—it's only a matter of time.

"Zhang Xuan, 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 suddenly he saw a youth standing before him.

He was exactly the one who had previously taught him swordsmanship.

"Senior, you..."

Seeing that it was him, Zhang Xuan blinked in surprise.

He had always felt this person was unfathomable; now he realized that, aside from a hair's breadth, he had already reached the very peak of the Emperor realm, far surpassing Luo Ruoxi from before.

"Just call me by my name—I'm Nie Tong!" the youth said, his body emanating an unstoppable sword intent.

"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 older 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.

He then saw another youth.

His appearance was not much older, his eyebrows slightly raised, giving an inscrutable, profound impression.

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled.

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

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

"Ruoxi's father?"

Zhang Xuan shuddered: "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 smiled faintly.

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 Person run rampant without intervening?" Zhang Xuan looked over.

If it weren't for his own breakthrough, the Divine Realm would likely have collapsed completely; why does this person before him remain indifferent?

Does he even care about his daughter's life or death?

Without answering his question, Nie Yun glanced over lightly: "Do you think… there might be an even greater existence above the Divine Realm?"

"This..." Zhang Xuan paused: "I suppose there should be."

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

Just like this person before me.

"I once suspected there might be a greater existence 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 the time, if I had dodged, the entire Divine Realm would likely have been obliterated, leaving no life at all… so I blocked the strike, but consequently, my incarnate Heavenly Dao was split apart."

"In this situation, I merely wish to restore it with a single 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… it's hard for me alone. So I want to see if there is 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 said with a smile.

"A soul not of this world, then—does that mean I transmigrated because of you?" Zhang Xuan's heart jolted.

No wonder I could transmigrate here—I never imagined 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; breaking its shackles is far harder, and I merely had a passing thought—I never expected you to actually succeed…"

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

Without Master Kong's selfless dedication, reaching this state would be utterly impossible.

Opportunity I gave him, 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 withdraw unscathed, but in fact he lost the vigor to press forward. 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 witnessed their battle, and Master Kong indeed lacked decisiveness.

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

Unfortunately, in that moment of hesitation, 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 at all 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 their strength at a life-or-death juncture, wanting to save someone, can you actually do it?"

"This..." Zhang Xuan gave a wry smile.

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

"Lingxi is the daughter born 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 that I am still in a coma..."

Nie Yun gave a bitter laugh: "My father has been harsh enough... Well, let you explain this to her; after all, her thoughts have now turned to you, 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 reply: "Alright..."

He had no choice but to agree; who made him abduct someone's daughter...

"The Heavenly Dao Library is a manifestation of my single 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; that my daughter can be with you, as a father, I would also find it comforting."

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