Chapter 1036: Snow Auntie at Dawn

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

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

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

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

Ruthless Person's Dao.

Soul Contracts are founded on the basis of Heavenly Dao; a special power that can even dissolve the Divine Realm's Heavenly Dao 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, the Ruthless Person said no more; his aura grew ever more ancient and distant, the black hole behind him became vastly larger—evidently, while speaking, he had swallowed an unknown amount of power, nourishing himself.

"Zhang Xuan, the more the black hole devours, the stronger his power becomes…"

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

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

Boom—

The strongest sword intent was unleashed once again.

In life, I hope to return; in death, I long for you endlessly!

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

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

Whoosh!

One sword cut the Ruthless Person's attack in half.

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

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

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

With a light smile, the Ruthless Person reached down again to grab.

In an instant, his hand blotted out the sky and sun, covering heaven and earth; space shattered, and the sun, moon, and stars seemed about to be slammed down by force.

Pfft! Pfft!

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

With their combined strength, they actually could not withstand it!

Just what realm has this fellow 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 immensely 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, and his power surged up to the Nine Heavens.

Clashing with the Ruthless Person, he too was blown backward, unable to block a single move.

Zhang Xuan clutched his forehead.

Having become an Emperor, the clone still hasn't changed its pretentious nature…

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

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

The Little Yellow Chicken let out a loud shout; crimson flames blazed, the sky seeming to be set alight.

The remaining six Emperors also each employed their methods.

Seven Emperors united, capable of destroying heaven and erasing earth—yet a single world before them could not withstand it; but the opponent, the Ruthless Person who had absorbed special power, saw the black hole suddenly swell as his attack approached, instantly devouring the force and then lashing back.

Bang bang bang bang!

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

Ten Emperors joined forces, yet they could not even block a single move of the opponent!

How could this fellow be so powerful?

"You may die…"

With one move he crushed the crowd; 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 who had previously appeared suddenly materialized, blocking the front, his long sword transforming into a galaxy.

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

Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

This old man originally followed behind the youth; I thought he was merely a follower, at most entitled God King, but upon displaying his power I discovered he is 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 struggled to her feet, gritting her teeth.

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

"He is…" Luo Ruoxi was about to answer when space twisted; instantly she saw the Emperor of Sword God Heaven likewise blown backward, landing not far away and blasting out a large pit.

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

"Hahaha, Emperor, you're nothing but a bunch of mud chickens and tile 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, the Ruthless Person laughed maniacally; the surrounding space continually collapsed, 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 Luo Ruoxi before him had unleashed her strongest technique—yet none could block a single strike of the opponent…

Could it be that the Divine Realm truly has no one who can stop 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 reddened.

"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 would be completely whole, perhaps able to repair the breach and expel the Ruthless Person.

Just like the body's immune system.

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

But……

"He's too strong; even if the Heavenly Dao recovers fully, 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 God King; even with a title, the Heavenly Dao could easily kill him, yet he is stronger than an Emperor…… already 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 wake up and slay this person—it wouldn't be hard!"

"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 Person snorted coldly and pressed down.

Boom!

Luo Ruoxi fell from the sky.

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

Ding ding ding!

Again blocked by the Ruthless Person.

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

Knowing they wanted to find another way to save the Divine Realm rather than flee, the avatar and the Undying Emperor Sovereign shouted loudly, blocking the front; Luo Qiqi also transformed, returning to her Tranquil Void Pearl form.

The surrounding space solidified.

Go!

Seeing everyone recklessly throwing themselves behind him, fearless of death, Zhang Xuan's eye sockets reddened; but he also knew now wasn't 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 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 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 turned out to be her father's.

This also explains why the thought left by the Undying Emperor, upon seeing the pendant, immediately recognized itself as master.

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

Couldn't help but say.

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

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

Also requires a flaw in the 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 coma, the Heavenly Dao shattered into three parts—the ordered Heavenly Dao and the flawed Heavenly Dao entered the spatial turbulence; I act as steward of the Heavenly Dao's nature, 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 specially went to the Eminent Teacher Continent, studied the Spring and Autumn Grand Canon, seeking a way to defeat Master Kong! When fighting Master Kong, entrusting him with this matter is also the case.

Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan realized.

Not long after getting to know the Eminent Teacher Continent, the girl before me had already told me her story, 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?

Acting as steward of the Heavenly Dao's nature…… 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 merging within the body are two different concepts.

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

Zhang Xuan relaxed his breath.

Putting it that way, I just need to separate the flawed Heavenly Dao from myself; I don't need her 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 flawed Heavenly Dao within me, your father can come back to life, and even kill the Ruthless Person, right? Zhang Xuan looked.

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!

Looks like you can't be sure either. Since that's the case, it's better to rely on ourselves than ask others—we have to figure it out ourselves! Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth: "You, me, my avatar, united with the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, if we also coordinate with Master Kong, we might still 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… Unexpectedly, 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.

Adding the preparations made earlier, resurrection is just a matter of time.

Luo Ruoxi froze, seemingly she hadn't expected it to be like this.

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

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

There must be something more important waiting, intending to act while all the Emperors are preoccupied with the Tide 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, Zhang Xuan swept his hand and returned to where Master Kong lived; indeed he saw an old man sitting cross-legged, floating in midair, who smiled slightly upon seeing them arrive: "You've come!"

Not Master Kong, then who is it!

This teacher of all ages certainly didn't 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 revive, the Undying Emperor had also come back to life, but…… she didn't expect the speed to be this fast!

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

Master Kong smiled slightly.

He is versed in temporal abilities; though it seems only a day or two have passed in the Divine Realm, in fact he underwent an unknown length of time to regain his strength.

He has even accumulated several decades of time.

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

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

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 could it change?

Likewise, it cannot change the situation!

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

Master Kong smiled and looked over.

"Merge into one person?"

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

"That palm can tear apart the Divine Realm, scatter the Heavenly Dao—its strength is undeniable; the Ruthless One has absorbed all that power and also devoured fifty years of spiritual energy from the Divine Realm; relying solely on strength, even if we each take out our power from the dozen or so Emperors, we are certainly no match……"

Master Kong said: "But if we unite and concentrate the power into one person…… perhaps it won'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' power were that easy, she wouldn't have stagnated for so many years.

"It's quite simple…… we 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 before, you also once gave up, planning to be slain by me!"

Master Kong said.

Luo Ruoxi couldn't speak.

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

"Unable to transcend, one naturally cannot exert utmost strength; even with abundant true qi, one cannot strike that supreme realm! As for me……"

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

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

"So I'm also unsuitable! Zhang Xuan, however, cultivates a method that follows his heart, flawless. He stresses 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 to grow—only thus can he go higher and farther!"

Master Kong continued.

"In life, return to the beginning; in death, cherish longing!"

"If even death is of no concern, how could anything else bind one?"

"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 time, 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 stabilizing the Nine Heavens, holding the universe, battling the Nine Firmaments, annihilating 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 surges of power poured 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 ever more mighty.

……

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

He sent Luo Qiqi and his clones flying, the ruthless person gave a cold smile.

The power unleashed by the clones and the many emperors joining forces 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 sustenance, 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 no match.

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

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

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

"Just you? Not worthy!"

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

"Old friend, wait for me!"

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

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

Xuan Ming the Great Emperor's true form is a great turtle, as if holding up the heavens.

The Four Divine Beasts, guardians of the four extremes of the Divine Realm, simultaneously revealed their true forms, causing the collapsing Divine Realm to slow down.

Heaven and earth seemed to freeze in an instant.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

With four consecutive palms, the ruthless person subdued the four beasts, a fierce killing intent flashing in his eyes: 'Since you seek death, I will grant it……'

Amidst the roars, just as he was about to strike a deadly blow to wipe everyone out, he felt his raised arm tighten, stopping 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 quite a bit……"

The ruthless person halted, 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 person struck down again.

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

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

"Can Zhang Xuan win?"

At the dwelling of the Free Heaven Kong Shi, 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 your current strength, wanting to surpass…… is very difficult! Unless…… he can comprehend power beyond the emperors!"

After a moment of silence, Kong Shi said.

More than ten emperors united still could not defeat the ruthless person; even if they transferred all their power to him, wanting to overcome him was not that 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 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's mouth split open, 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 him, he was still no match.

"'Haha, thought you were so formidable, but that's all!' the ruthless person 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 stopped, ceasing his offense and instead gazing at the ruthless person before him."

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

Hearing him say that, the ruthless person stared for a moment, then let out a cold snort and raised his palm.

Whoosh!

A cyan light appeared in his palm, then came crashing down.

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 everywhere.

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

Luo Qiqi seemed to have gone mad.

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

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

The original intention was for him to break through his shackles and impact to surpass the Emperor realm; why didn't he resist, but willingly go to his death?

In that case, wouldn't that be letting down their good intentions?

"Wrong, it's the immortality method of the Undying Emperor..."

Just as they were wondering, Kong Shi suddenly spoke.

Everyone immediately saw that Zhang Xuan, whose head had exploded and even his soul shattered, had the pendant on his chest suddenly burst open; a drop of blood floated up, igniting into a ball of 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 in 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?"

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 Nether Soul Pool, recondense his soul.

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

"I understand... he used the ruthless person's method to break the soul contract..." Luo Ruoxi realized.

The soul contract binds Master and servant; if the Master does not lift it, the servant remains forever bound—the Heavenly Dao Library is the same, 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 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.

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

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

Zhang Xuan, walking out of the flames, showed a faint smile, as if he understood something; he suddenly waved his hand, and 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 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, the clone and his self perfectly merged, indistinguishable, which means he has mastered this power.

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

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

With a smile on his face, Zhang Xuan muttered to himself.

At the moment the Heavenly Dao Library detached 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... these are no longer important!

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 intertwining the world.

All things in the world have emotion; with emotion there is a 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..."

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

The Emperor's shackles, broken through!

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 in, and his fleshly body also rapidly increased.

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

"You..." the ruthless person never expected that his full-force attack would not only fail to slay him but actually fulfill him; he shouted "wah-wah!" in anger, let out an angry roar, and 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 to vent anger, that's emotion; you want to become stronger, likewise emotion... emotion controls you, so how could you overcome me and not be controlled by me?"

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

The once 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 were full of 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, servants and such 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 man's pupils contracted; before his words ended, he immediately felt a sharp pain throughout 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 returned, revitalizing the once‑exhausted wilderness.

"This..."

"You killed him just like that?"

Yunchi Dadi, Bu Si Dijun, Linglong Xianzi and the others all widened their eyes, unable to believe it.

Just now they had crossed blows with the ruthless man, knowing how terrifying he was; such a powerful person was wiped out with a casual gesture—how far has this Zhang Xuan... actually 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 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.

The deep bell‑like resonance, the visibly slow recovery of the continually collapsing Divine Realm, and the chaotic airflow also gathered anew.

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

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

The rift in the Tide Sea, accompanied by the completion of the Heavenly Dao, has already been restored; the Divine Realm will return to its former prosperity—it's only a matter of time.

"Zhang Xuan, come here..."

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

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

He was the one who had previously taught him swordsmanship.

"Senior, you..."

Seeing it was him, Zhang Xuan blinked in surprise.

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 Sovereign, far surpassing Luo Ruoxi from before.

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

"Nie Tong?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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 eyebrows that gave an inscrutable, profound impression.

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled.

The youth before him was actually stronger than him, having likewise broken through 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! Moreover, this world is my creation—calling me the Heavenly Dao is perfectly fine!" Nie Yun said with a light smile.

Zhang Xuan dared 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 man run rampant without intervening?" Zhang Xuan looked over.

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

Even the life and death of his daughter—does he care?

Without answering his question, Nie Yun glanced over lightly: "Do you think... there exists an even more powerful life above the Divine Realm?"

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

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

Just like this youth before him.

"I once suspected there might be a more powerful life 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 came down!"

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

"I merely wish to restore this 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... I cannot do it alone. So I want to see if there is any life capable of breaking the Emperor Sovereign's shackles and reaching my level."

"Thus 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 smiled.

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

No wonder he could transmigrate here; he never expected it to be entirely due to this person before him.

"Hehe!" Nie Yun chuckled lightly: "Being native to this world, one naturally holds reverence for it; wanting to break its shackles is far harder. I, too, merely had a passing thought, never imagining you could truly succeed..."

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

Without Master Kong's selfless dedication, reaching the present realm would be utterly impossible.

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

Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan remained silent.

He had watched their battle back then, and Kong Shi was indeed somewhat lacking in decisiveness.

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

What a pity; in that moment, 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 our combined strength, at a life-or-death moment, you could save someone?"

"This..." Zhang Xuan gave a wry 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 they wouldn't suffer a single injury.

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

Nie Yun let out a bitter laugh: "My father sure is harsh... Well, you should explain this to her; after all, her thoughts have now turned to you, and this old father of mine probably can't even remember... Haha, I'll stay out of sight for a while; otherwise, I truly fear she'll cause an uproar."

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

He had no choice but to agree, for he had eloped with someone else'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, and your future is limitless. That my daughter can be with you brings me, as a father, some comfort."

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