Chapter 1033: Under the Clothes Lies a Skeleton

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

Just like the Undying Emperor Little Yellow Chicken, who was merely a God King before but is now an Emperor, 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 decreed that even if one could escape the Heavenly Dao Record, they could not break free from the soul‑bound agreement!

"A soul contract indeed cannot be split from the sea of consciousness, but I have merged a special gas that even the Heavenly Dao can dissolve, making it easy to undo this contract… As long as one has enough power, bombarding the location of the contract will do it!"

Ruthless Dao.

A soul contract is founded on the Heavenly Dao; even a special power capable of dissolving the Divine Realm's Heavenly Dao can undo it—so what difficulty is there if handled properly?

"I see…" Zhang Xuan's eyes flashed.

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

After finishing 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 he becomes……"

Luo Ruoxi also sensed something amiss and hurriedly sent a mental message.

"Let's get ready to fight!" With his doubts dispelled, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, raised his sword, and declared, "If that's the case, then let's see whose skill is superior!"

Boom—

He unleashed his greatest sword intent once again.

In life, I return; in death, I long!

Unmoved by life or death, what could possibly stand in my way?

Although this sword move had not reached the Emperor's level of insight, it embodied all the obsessions in my heart, pushing the Heaven‑If‑Has‑Feeling technique within me to its limit.

Whoosh!

With a single sword strike, he split the Ruthless Person's attack in half.

At the same moment, Luo Ruoxi acted as well, her jade hands rolling, her sword light like snow.

Her swordsmanship somewhat resembled that of the youth from Sword God Heaven, bearing an unstoppable momentum and the effortless grace of the natural Dao.

"Your techniques are formidable, but compared to me, you still fall short……"

He gave a light smile, and the Ruthless Person reached down once more.

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

Pfft! Pfft!

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

Despite their combined strength, they could not withstand it!

Just what realm has this fellow attained?

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

From afar, he looked incredibly imposing.

Having refined the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, his cultivation was 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 withstand a single move.

Zhang Xuan clutched his forehead.

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

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

"We must attack together, or else they'll die and we'll all perish……"

Little Yellow Chicken let out a loud shout, crimson flames blazing as if the sky itself were set ablaze.

The remaining six Emperors each employed their own methods.

Seven Emperors united, 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 a special power; as his attack approached, the black hole suddenly expanded, in the blink of an eye devouring all that power and then lashing back.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

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

Even ten Emperors united could not block a single move from the opponent!

How could this fellow be so powerful?

"You may die……"

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

"How dare you, vermin!"

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

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

Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

That old man had once followed the youth behind him; I had thought he was merely a follower, at most entitled God King, but when he displayed his power I discovered he was actually a mighty Emperor!

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

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

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

"He is……" Luo Ruoxi was about to answer when space twisted; 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 grasp of the Sword Dao far surpassed that man's; even if his cultivation was not weak and his swordsmanship superb, he was still no match.

"Hahaha, Emperor, you're nothing but a bunch of chickens and dogs! Today I will destroy the Nine Heavens, raze this Divine Realm, and trample all rules underfoot!"

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

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

Just now he and his avatar had exerted their utmost combat power, and even Luo Ruoxi before him had unleashed her strongest technique—yet none could withstand a single blow from the opponent……

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

Just let him destroy the world?

"The only way…… is to return your defective 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 the mind is itself part of the Heavenly Dao; once returned, the Heavenly Dao becomes completely whole, perhaps able to repair the loophole and expel the Ruthless Person on its own.

Just like the body's immune system.

When the immune system is complete, 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, the immune system can kill them, but…… what about a fierce tiger?

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

This person before us is merely an ordinary 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 wake up and slay this person—it's not difficult!"

"Him?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

"Want to escape?" the Ruthless Person 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!

Once again blocked by the Ruthless Person.

"You guys hurry and go, I'll hold him off……"

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

The surrounding space solidified.

Go!

Seeing everyone fearlessly blocking the rear, unafraid of death, Zhang Xuan's eye sockets reddened, but he also knew now was not the time to talk; he grabbed Luo Ruoxi, his body flickered, tore through space, and in the next moment they appeared within the range of the Free and Easy Heaven.

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

Where is the person you spoke of?

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

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

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

"Father?"

Zhang Xuan suddenly 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 lingering will, upon seeing the pendant, immediately acknowledged me as its master.

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

He couldn't help but say.

The library in chaos is due to the blood in the pendant letting me regain consciousness; 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?

Also, it requires a defective Heavenly Dao for him to wake up?

"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 Orderly Heavenly Dao and the Defective Heavenly Dao entered the spatial turbulence, while I temporarily oversaw the Natural Heavenly Dao, maintaining the Divine Realm's balance. To let him recover, we must gather the scattered parts…… that's why I am so resolute, cannot fail! I specially entered the Master Teacher Continent, studied 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 just met the Master Teacher Continent not long ago, 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.

Turns out it's her father, and moreover the Heavenly Dao of the Divine Realm!

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

"Temporarily overseeing the Natural Heavenly Dao…… you don't have any Heavenly Dao fragments inside you?" Suddenly realizing something off in her speech, Zhang Xuan looked over.

Temporarily overseeing and my 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 Defective Heavenly Dao from within myself; there's no need for her to die as well.

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

"If I separate the Defective Heavenly Dao from within me, your father can come back to life, and even kill the Ruthless Person, right? \" Zhang Xuan asked.

This…… I'm not sure either……

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

The Divine Realm is my father's foundation; now the foundation is like this—even if he awakens, can we truly defeat that powerful Ruthless Person?

Really hard to say!

"It seems you can't be sure either. In that case, relying on others is worse than relying on oneself... We have only ourselves to figure it out!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth: "You, me, and the avatar, joining forces 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 hasn't truly died; if my guess is correct, he was slain by you, merely a method to escape the Dao... Without surprise, he should be like Wei Changfeng, possessing an Innate Fetal Soul Body!"

Zhang Xuan said.

Seeing Wei Changfeng, it became clear; what Master Kong called retaining sentience should be the same as him, an Innate Fetal Soul Body.

One can remain undeluded in the womb.

Moreover, with the contingency prepared in advance, revival is merely a matter of time.

Luo Ruoxi froze; it seemed she hadn't expected this to be the case.

"Just go and see, 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 Ziyuan Ancient Sage and the others, are all immensely strong; even without the Emperor's help, they would certainly have a way to enter the Tide Sea, yet not a single one has been seen.

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

And this important matter is clearly 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 has indeed not disappointed me!

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

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

She knew the Emperor could be revived, and the Undying Emperor had also come back to life, but... she hadn't expected the speed to be this fast!

"I concealed the Dao, prepared a contingency in advance—the nameless giant in the Yin Soul Pool is what I left behind. The day you slew it, I seized the opportunity to free myself from the Dao's bonds, recondensed my physical body, and have only just now recovered!"

Master Kong smiled faintly.

He is proficient 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.

He had even accumulated several decades of time.

"Our threefold strength is considerable, but overcoming the Ruthless is not so easy..."

Seeing that Master Kong had indeed recovered, Luo Ruoxi still shook her head.

It's not about boosting others' prestige or dampening our own morale; it's simply the fact.

Just now, so many of us united, yet we couldn't block the opponent; even adding one Master Kong, what could that change?

Likewise, it cannot 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 a single person?"

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

"That palm can tear apart the Divine Realm and scatter the Dao; its strength is undeniable. The Ruthless has absorbed this power entirely and also devoured the Divine Realm's spiritual energy of fifty years. Based 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 wouldn't be so certain!"

"How to concentrate?"

Luo Ruoxi looked over.

Easy to say, hard to do.

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

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

Master Kong said.

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

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

Master Kong said.

Luo Ruoxi was speechless.

During the battle, such an intention indeed existed; thus, their exchange at the start each held back a contingency, resembling a sparring match rather than a life-and-death fight.

"Unable to transcend, one naturally cannot exert their utmost strength; even given more Qi, they cannot strike that supreme realm! As for me..."

Master Kong nodded and said: "Holding the world in heart, wishing to save all beings, yet unwilling to let others sacrifice for me—excessive compassion is also a flaw! If one were a bit more ruthless, exterminating the Alien Spirit Clan, the present situation would not have arisen..."

"Had we been able to exterminate the Alien Spirit Clan entirely back then, the Ruthless could not have revived, nor would we be in this predicament."

"So I am also unsuitable! As for Zhang Xuan, his cultivation method is smooth and flawless. He pursues living true to himself; even if he dies, as long as he lives without guilt, his mind is at ease. Such a person possesses greater inclusiveness and greater room for growth—only thus can one reach 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 gaze sharp as he looked over: "No need to decline—first say there's no time, go cultivate others; even if there were time, I still doubt anyone could do better than you! Though the Lingxi Emperor Venerable lacks Dao fragments within, he has long commanded the Dao, possessing his own understanding of it; I govern the Dao's order. If we pour our power into you, your body will then hold complete Dao power! Combined with your avatar's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, we can indeed stabilize the Nine Heavens, control Qiankun, fight the Nine Firmaments, and destroy myriad things!"

"Alright!"

Seeing that the other party had already made a decision, further explanation would be useless; Zhang Xuan nodded.

Boom—

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

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

Soul, flesh, and Qi were instantly baptized, growing stronger and mightier.

……

"You also want to block me? Fine, kill you, then go and slay Zhang Xuan……"

Henren sent Luo Qiqi and the clones flying, and 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 devoured the spiritual energy outside the city of the divine realm, almost completely consuming it; now these powers have become his nourishment, every gesture wielding 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, Henren seemed to represent the entire divine realm, and no one could stop him.

"If the divine realm falls, our lives are meaningless; I, Yun Chi, will perish with you……"

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

"Just you? You're not worthy!"

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

"Old friend, wait for me!"

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

The Immortal Emperor, the true form of the Immortal Fire Phoenix appeared, flames illuminating the sky.

Xuan Ming Great Emperor, his 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, just as he was about to unleash a deadly strike to wipe everyone out, he felt his raised arm tighten and stop in midair.

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

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

It was Zhang Xuan!

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

"You've improved quite a bit……"

Henren halted, his gaze solemn.

He obviously also didn't understand 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 me; I don't believe you can block 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 churning wildly.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?"

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

She and Master Kong transferred their power to Zhang Xuan; their own cultivation had fallen to only the god-king level, not as glorious as before.

However, rank is just rank; 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 surpassing the emperors!"

After a moment of silence, Master Kong said.

More than ten emperors united, yet they could not overcome Henren; even if they transferred all their power to him, wanting to prevail 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 surpassing the emperors?"

Luo Ruoxi's gaze was distant.

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

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

Seeing her doubt, Master Kong laughed and said.

……

Bang bang bang!

After several consecutive blows, Zhang Xuan's tiger mouth split open, his chest bore a huge, ferocious wound.

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

"Haha, 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. Since that's the case, I want to die under your strongest attack……" Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan halted his advance and instead gazed at Henren before him.

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

Upon hearing him say 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 crater.

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.

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

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

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

How could this not disappoint their good intentions?

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

Just as they were wondering, Kong Shi suddenly spoke.

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

"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 his rebirth in 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?"

Kong Shi also couldn't believe it.

The Heavenly Dao and the soul were fused together, indistinguishable; to break free, he had no choice but to have his soul scatter and then, with the aid of the Soul Pool, recondense his soul.

This person before them, after being slashed just once, had completely broken free—what method did he use?

"I get it... he used the method of Hengren to break the soul contract..." Luo Ruoxi realized.

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

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

But... Hengren, using that special power, had broken the soul contract; the exact method, Zhang Xuan had inquired about in detail before—perhaps he had already been thinking about it then.

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

With this power, he underwent rebirth in fire—unexpectedly, it was a great success!

"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 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, 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 meant he had mastered 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.

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

Does the world exist because people see it, or did the world come first and then people?

Is it the wind moving, or the heart moving!

This question has troubled countless people since time immemorial.

Of course, now... none of 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, too, is 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, and his soul received swift nourishment.

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

Before, only by absorbing spiritual power could one progress; but now, spatial turbulence and chaotic energy—even the opponent's azure light—can be made mine, with no distinction.

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

"You resent the lofty Emperor, 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, so how could you possibly overcome me and not be controlled by me?"

Zhang Xuan gave a faint smile, his voice growing faster and louder, and he lightly grasped with his palm.

The originally invincible Hengren 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 and controlled by him!

"You..."

Hengren's eyes were full of panic: "Master Zhang, I am your servant, don't kill me... I am willing to offer my soul as sacrifice..."

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

Having mastered the emotions of the world, things like servants meant nothing to him anymore.

Having slain so many divine-level beings, hurt his girlfriend Luo Qiqi and so many friends—how could he possibly forgive today!

"No..."

Feeling his decisiveness, Hen Ren's pupils contracted; before his words ended, he suddenly felt a sharp pain all over his body.

Bang!

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

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

"This..."

"You killed him just like that?"

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

Just moments ago they had crossed blows with Hen Ren, knew how terrifying he was, yet this incredibly strong person was wiped out with a casual swipe—just how far has this Zhang Xuan gone?

Could there truly be a realm above the Emperor?

"He succeeded..."

Master Kong and Luo Ruoxi loosened their clenched fists.

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

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

Hum!

The library that had accompanied him since his rebirth slammed into the sky of the Divine Realm.

With the deep toll of a great bell, the continually collapsing Divine Realm slowly healed, visible to the eye, and the chaotic currents gathered once more.

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

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

The hole in the Tide Sea, accompanied by 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 all that, a voice sounded in his mind; Zhang Xuan froze for a moment and stepped forward.

That step carried him an unknown distance, whereupon he saw a young man standing before him.

He was the one who had previously taught him swordsmanship.

"Senior, you..."

Seeing it was him, Zhang Xuan froze.

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

"Just call me by my name; I am Nie Tong!" the young man 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 brother!" said the young man named 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.

He then saw another young man.

His appearance was not much older, his eyebrows raised, giving an impression of profound inscrutability.

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled.

This young man's strength actually surpassed his own, having likewise broken through the Emperor's shackles, and his cultivation was even deeper and more substantial!

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

"Luo 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 man.

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

Zhang Xuan could not believe it.

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

Then just how strong must his power be?

"No, if the Divine Realm is your creation and you are the Heavenly Dao, why do you let Hen Ren rampage without lifting a finger?" 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 life above the Divine Realm?"

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

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

Just like this person before him.

"I once suspected there might be a greater life above the Divine Realm, so I strained my senses to the limit, ultimately drawing a backlash from a higher world… a palm broke through the void and came down!"

Nie Yun looked over: "Back then, 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 embodied Heavenly Dao was split apart."

"I merely wish to restore this with a single thought, but I understand that to truly transcend the Divine Realm's shackles and explore where that palm came from, and what lies beyond the Divine Realm… it's hard for me alone to achieve. 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 native to this world and to a soul foreign to it. And you, you have not disappointed me!"

Nie Yun smiled.

"A soul not belonging to this world, then—does that mean my transmigration is also because of you?" Zhang Xuan's heart shuddered.

No wonder I could transmigrate over—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; wanting to break 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.

I gave him the chance; he just didn't seize it. The bout with Lingxi was actually his best opportunity to breakthrough, but he chose to retreat, thinking he had a backup and could withdraw unharmed. In fact, he lost his brave, diligent spirit. When facing someone superior to us, if he lacks even this spirit, how could he possibly stand against them?

Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan remained silent.

He had watched their battle closely; Master Kong was indeed somewhat lacking in decisiveness.

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

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

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

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

"With me here, she won't die..." Nie Yun smiled faintly: "Your strength is not much different from mine now. Do you think, given their strength, at a life-or-death moment, wanting to save someone, you could actually manage it?"

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

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

"Lingxi is the daughter of my other wife, Luo Qingcheng, so her assumed name bears the Luo surname... To make her believe, without letting emotions interfere, I have led her to think I am still unconscious all this time."

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

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

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

"The Heavenly Dao 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 demonstrates your ability and potential, promising a limitless future. That my daughter can be with you also brings me, as a father, some comfort."

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