Chapter 1029: with translation of chapter title

Person names:

Zhang Xuan

Luo Ruoxi

Xiao Huangji

Henren

Places:

Master Teacher Continent

Sword God Heaven

Nine Heavens

Divine Realm

Sects/factions: maybe same as places; but we can list Sword God Heaven as a sect.

Titles/ranks:

Undying Emperor

God King

Emperor

Six Emperors

Seven Emperors

Ten Emperors

Emperor

Ruthless Person's Dao

Techniques:

Soul Contract

Ruthless Person's Dao

Heaven's Feelings Technique

Refining Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus

Special Gas

Treasures/pills/arrays:

Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus

Named beasts/items: none.

Saying this much to you also counts as thanks for bringing me to the divine realm!

After finishing his explanation, Henren said no more; the aura on his body became even more ancient and distant, and the black hole behind him grew even larger. Obviously, while speaking, he had swallowed an unknown amount of power, nourishing himself.

Zhang Xuan, the more the black hole swallows, the stronger his strength becomes...

Luo Ruoxi also sensed something was wrong and hurriedly sent a voice transmission.

"Get ready to attack!" With all doubts dispelled in his heart, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, the long sword in his hand suddenly rose: "In that case, let's see the true skill beneath our hands!"

Boom—

The strongest sword intent was unleashed once again.

While alive, I will return; if dead, I will long for you!

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

This sword move, although not reaching the Emperor's level of comprehension, yet contains all the obsessions in my heart, pushing the inner Heaven If Has Feeling technique to its limit.

Whoosh!

One sword sliced Henren's attack in half.

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

Her swordsmanship is somewhat similar to that youth of Sword God Heaven, bearing an unstoppable momentum and the natural ease of the Great Dao.

"Your moves are very powerful, but compared to me, they're still lacking..."

With a light smile, Henren reached down again.

In an instant, covering sky and earth, 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 both flew backward, blood spurting wildly in midair.

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

Just what realm has this guy reached?

"Impudent!" The avatar strode forward, each step causing a lotus to bloom, the void filled with the sound of flowing water.

From afar, it looked extremely imposing.

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

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

Clashing with Henren, he too was flung backward, unable to block a single move.

Zhang Xuan covered his forehead.

Having become an Emperor, the avatar still hasn't changed its pretentious nature...

Such flamboyant pretentiousness; better to concentrate power for greater might!

"Attack together, otherwise they'll die and we'll die too...

The Little Yellow Chicken let out a loud shout, crimson flames blazed, and the sky seemed to be set ablaze.

The remaining six Emperors also each displayed their abilities.

The seven Emperors united, capable of destroying heaven and earth; yet any heaven and earth before them could not withstand it. But the opponent was Henren, who had absorbed special power. As the attack approached, Henren's black hole suddenly expanded, and in the blink of an eye it devoured all the power, then immediately counterattacked.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

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

The ten Emperors, united together, actually couldn't block a single move from the opponent!

This guy, how can he be so strong?

"You can die...

One move crushed the crowd; Henren 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 previously appeared abruptly, blocking in front, his long sword turning into a galaxy.

"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 a titled 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..." Luo Ruoxi said, gritting her teeth as she struggled to stand.

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

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

Zhang Xuan's current strength and his understanding of the sword far surpass him; they cannot be matched. Even if his cultivation is not weak and his swordsmanship superb, he is still no match.

"Hahaha, Emperors, just a bunch of chickens and dogs! Today I will destroy the Nine Heavens, destroy this divine realm, and trample all rules underfoot!

Having defeated the Emperor of Sword God Heaven, Henren laughed maniacally, the surrounding space continually collapsing, making him seem like a demon or devil.

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

Just now he and his avatar both exerted their utmost combat power; even Luo Ruoxi before him used her strongest technique, yet they couldn't block the opponent's single move...

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

Just let him destroy the world?

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

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

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

Just like the human immune system.

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

But……

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

Viruses, the immune system can kill them, but…… what about a 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…… there's no way to suppress him, but if the Heavenly Dao is whole, he can awaken and slay this person—that's not difficult!"

"Him?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

"Trying to escape?" Hen Ren snorted coldly, pressing down.

Boom!

Luo Ruoxi fell from the air.

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

Ding ding ding!

Once again blocked by Hen Ren.

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

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

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone fearlessly throwing themselves behind to block, unafraid of death, Zhang Xuan's eye sockets reddened, but he also knew now was not 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 the Heaven of Ease.

The Heaven of Ease now lacks its former ease; the Divine Realm has collapsed, everywhere in chaos.

"Where is the person you spoke of?"

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

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

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

"Father?"

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

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

This also explains why the thought left behind by the Undying Emperor, 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 say.

The library's chaos is due to the blood in the pendant, which has restored my clarity; could it be that not only is she an Emperor, but her father is as well, and even stronger?

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

And does it require a flawed 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 could not withstand that great hand, fell into a coma, the Heavenly Dao shattered into three parts—the Orderly Heavenly Dao and the Flawed Heavenly Dao entered the spacetime turbulence, while I act as steward of the Natural Heavenly Dao, maintaining the Divine Realm's balance. To restore him, we must gather the scattered parts…… that is why I am so resolute, cannot fail! I therefore went specially to the Master Teacher Continent to study the Spring and Autumn Grand Canon, seeking a way to defeat Master Kong! When battling Master Kong, the favor I asked of him was also this."

Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Zhang Xuan relaxed his breath.

Putting it that way, I only need to separate the Flawed Heavenly Dao from myself; there's no need for her to die as well.

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

"If I separate the Flawed Heavenly Dao from within me, your father can come back to life, and even slay Hen Ren, right?" Zhang Xuan looked at her.

"This…… I'm not sure either……"

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

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 Hen Ren?

Really hard to say!

It seems you can't be sure either; since that's the case, seeking help from others is worse than relying on ourselves—we have only ourselves to figure it out! Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth: "You, me, and my incarnation, united with the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, if we also coordinate 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 made it clear; what Master Kong called preserving consciousness should be the same as him—an Innate Fetal Soul Body.

One can remain unconfused even in the womb.

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

Luo Ruoxi froze, apparently she hadn't expected it to be this way.

"Just go check and you'll know; my guess is correct—he should have already recovered, otherwise his disciples couldn't possibly have avoided the Tidal Sea altogether…" Zhang Xuan said.

Master Kong's disciples, Ziyuan Ancient Saints and the like, are all formidable; even without the Emperors' help, they would certainly have a way into the Tidal 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 Tidal Sea and have no time to attend to it!

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 swept his hand once, and Zhang Xuan returned to where Master Kong lived; indeed he saw an old man sitting cross-legged, floating in midair. Seeing them arrive, he gave a slight smile: "You've come!"

Not Master Kong, then who is it!

This teacher of myriad ages certainly didn't disappoint me!

Just 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 Emperors 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 myself from the Heavenly Dao, prepared a contingency in advance—the nameless giant in the Nether Soul Pool was mine; on that day you slew it, I seized the chance to break free of the Heavenly Dao's bonds, recondensed my flesh, and have only just now recovered!"

Master Kong gave a faint smile.

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

Decades of time have passed.

"Our three strengths are considerable, but overcoming the Ruthless One is not that 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 of us united couldn't block the opponent; even adding Master Kong, what difference would it make?

It would likewise fail to 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 rend the Divine Realm, scatter the Heavenly Dao—its strength is undeniable. The Ruthless One has absorbed that power entirely and also devoured fifty years of spiritual energy from the Divine Realm; relying solely on strength, even a dozen Emperors taken individually are certainly no match…"

Master Kong said: "But if we unite and concentrate the power into one person… perhaps it wouldn't be so."

"How to concentrate?"

Luo Ruoxi looked over.

Easy to say, hard to do.

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

"Quite simple… we will gather our strength onto Zhang Xuan; once he breaks through the Emperor's shackles, he 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 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, such an intention indeed existed; thus their exchanges at the start each held back, resembling a sparring match rather than a life‑and‑death fight.

"Being unable to transcend, one naturally cannot unleash one's 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 one's heart, wishing to save all beings, yet unwilling to let others sacrifice for oneself—excessive compassion is also a flaw! If one were a bit more ruthless, exterminating the Foreign Spirit Clan, the present situation would not have arisen…"

"Had we been able to exterminate the Foreign 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 harmonious method, free of flaws. 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 tolerance and broader room for growth—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 strength! Combined with your incarnation's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, we can indeed stabilize the Nine Heavens, command the universe, battle the Nine Firmaments, and annihilate all things!"

"Alright!"

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

Boom—

Seated cross-legged, in the blink of an eye two mighty 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 ever stronger and more mighty.

……

「You also want to stop me? Fine, kill you, then go kill Zhang Xuan…」

He sent Luo Qiqi and the clone and others flying; the ruthless one coldly smiled.

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 of the Divine Realm; these energies have become his nourishment, and every move he makes carries the power to destroy heaven and earth. These emperors and god-kings, though they represent the pinnacle of the Divine Realm, are still unable to withstand a single blow.

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

「If the Divine Realm is destroyed, our living is meaningless; I, Yun Chi, will die together with you…」

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

「Just you? You're not worthy! 」

The ruthless one clenched his palm, and the golden dragon hung in his palm, unable to escape no matter how it struggled.

「Old friend, wait for me! 」

Emperor Fu Meng let out a loud roar, transformed into his true form, a white tiger, and came before him in the air.

The Undying Emperor revealed his true form, the Undying Fire Phoenix, and flames illuminated the sky.

Great Emperor Xuan Ming's true form is a huge 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, the ruthless one 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 kill 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 was a world.

「You've improved a lot…」

The ruthless one stopped, his gaze solemn.

He obviously also didn't understand why, 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 me; I don't believe you can withstand me…」

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

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

The two sides clashed, space tore in streaks, and air currents ran wild everywhere.

「Can Zhang Xuan win? 」

At the dwelling of Kong Shi in the Free Heaven, Luo Ruoxi looked over, full of worry.

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

However, the level is just a 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 surpassing the emperors! 」

After a moment of silence, Kong Shi said.

Even a dozen emperors united could not defeat the ruthless one, even if they transferred all their power to him, wanting to overcome him was still not easy.

The reason they 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 surpassing the emperors? 」

Luo Ruoxi's gaze was distant.

When her father was still lucid, he had once 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 arrogance toward this world! 」

Seeing her doubt, Kong Shi laughed and said.

……

Bang bang bang!

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

As Kong Shi said, even if their combined power formed a complete heavenly way within, he was still no match.

「Haha, thought you were so formidable, but that's all! 」 the ruthless one gave a cold smile.

「Anyway, I'm not your 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 the ruthless one before him.

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

Hearing him say that, the ruthless one was stunned 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.

Indeed 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.

Boom!

His head exploded, his soul scattering everywhere.

「Zhang Xuan…」 Seeing this, everyone's faces turned pale.

Luo Qiqi seemed to go mad.

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

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

The original intention was to have him break through his shackles and impact a realm beyond the Emperor; why didn't he resist, but willingly face death?

Wouldn't that be wasting their good intentions?

"No, it is 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; 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 it!

"How did he do that?"

Kong Shi was also full of disbelief.

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

This person before us, 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, essentially 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 specific method, Zhang Xuan had inquired about in detail before, likely already forming an idea 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..."

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 one side instantly turned back into a lotus flower, flying over.

In an instant, it perfectly merged with himself.

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

He lightly tapped the ground with his foot.

The chaotic Nine Heavens immediately stabilized.

The Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, which appeared when the Nine Heavens were born, can stabilize them; at this moment, his clone and self perfectly merged, indistinguishable, meaning he now controlled this power.

Moreover, with the cultivation fused from the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, he had already reached the peak realm, now showing 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.

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 ancient times.

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

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

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

All things in the world have emotion; with emotion comes the world; 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 through!

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

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

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

"You..." the Ruthless Person never expected his full-force attack not only failed to slay him but actually fulfilled him; enraged, he shouted "wah-wah!" and, with a furious roar, attacked again.

"You resent the lofty Emperor, not saving yourself in the spatial turbulence—that's emotion; feeling that you were once my servant, containing humility and anger—that's emotion; wanting to destroy the divine realm, venting anger—that's emotion; wanting to become stronger—also emotion... emotion controls you; how could you possibly overcome me, 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, 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 sacrifice..."

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

Controlling the emotions of the world, servants and such hold no meaning for him anymore.

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 man's pupils contracted; before his words even 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, all the power swallowed by the Tidal Sea now flowed back, revitalizing the once‑barren wilderness.

"This..."

"You just killed him like that?"

The Cloud‑Chi Great Emperor, the Immortal Emperor Sovereign, the Lovely Maiden Immortal, and the others all widened their eyes in disbelief.

Just moments ago they had clashed with the ruthless man and knew how terrifying he was; yet such a powerful figure was wiped out with a casual gesture—just how far has this Zhang Xuan... reached?

Could there truly be a realm above the Emperor Sovereign?

"He succeeded..."

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

Hum!

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

The deep, bell‑like resonance caused the continually collapsing Divine Realm to slowly recover visibly, and the chaotic currents also gathered together again.

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

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

The rift in the Tidal Sea, accompanied by 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 his sword technique.

"Senior, you..."

Seeing that it was him, Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

Earlier I had sensed that he was unfathomable; now I realized he was only a hair's breadth above me, having already reached the pinnacle of Emperor Sovereign—far stronger than Luo Ruoxi 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.

It was the first time he had heard that name.

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

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

Immediately he saw another youth.

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

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled.

The youth before him was actually stronger than he, having likewise broken the Emperor Sovereign'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 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; he never imagined it would be such a young person.

"I transformed one part of my soul into the Heavenly Dao through the One Qi becoming Three Purities; besides, this world is my creation, so calling me the Heavenly Dao is perfectly fine!" 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?

"That's not right—if the Divine Realm is your creation and you are the Heavenly Dao, why would you let the ruthless man run rampant without intervening?" Zhang Xuan looked over.

"If it weren't for my breakthrough, the Divine Realm would 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 might be even more powerful beings above the Divine Realm?"

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

"Although I've never seen such a being, 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 there might be even more powerful beings above the Divine Realm, so I exerted all my power to peer into it, ultimately drawing a backlash from a higher world... a palm that shattered the void and descended!"

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

"Such a situation, I merely wish to restore 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, is difficult for me alone. So I want to see if there exists any life capable of breaking the Emperor Sovereign'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, in the end, did not disappoint me!"

Nie Yun said with a smile.

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

"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; wanting to break its shackles is far harder. I, too, merely had a thought stir, never imagining you could actually succeed..."

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

"Without Kong Shi's selfless dedication, reaching my current state would be utterly impossible."

I gave him the opportunity, but he failed to seize it. The match against 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 his vigor and diligence. When facing someone surpassing us, if he doesn't even have this spirit, how could he possibly stand against them?

Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan remained silent.

He had watched their battle back then; Kong Shi indeed lacked decisiveness.

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

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

"If Kong Shi 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 now is not much different from mine; do you think, with both of our strengths, at a life-or-death moment, wanting to save someone, could you pull it off?"

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

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

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

Nie Yun gave a wry laugh: "My father sure is ruthless... Well, let you explain this to her; after all, her thoughts have already turned to you, 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; he had no choice but to agree: "Alright..."

There's no way to refuse; who let him abduct someone's daughter...

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

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