Chapter 1043

line: "A soul contract binds the souls; as long as it is not dissolved, even if the other party possesses heavenly means, it cannot be undone."

Translate: "Soul Contract, it binds souls; as long as one does not dissolve it oneself, even if the other party has heavenly means, it cannot be undone."

We need to keep meaning. Let's produce: "Soul Contract, it binds souls; as long as one does not dissolve it oneself, even if the other party has heavenly means, it cannot be undone."

it binds souls

we already have translation; ensure no Chinese characters. Our translation: "Just like the Undying Emperor Xiao Huangji, who was merely a Divine King before and is now an Emperor, he likewise cannot resolve this agreement." No Chinese.

Translate: "Just like the Undying Emperor Xiao Huangji, who was merely a Divine King before, he is an Emperor, yet he likewise cannot resolve this agreement."

Undying Emperor Xiao Huangji was merely a Divine King before; he is an Emperor, and likewise cannot resolve this agreement.

Thus: "Just like the Undying Emperor Xiao Huangji, who was merely a Divine King before, he is an Emperor, yet he likewise cannot resolve this agreement."

line: we have translation: "To prevent this guy from having second thoughts and suffering backlash, the Master Teacher Continent once decreed that even if the other party could break free from the Book of Heavenly Dao, they could not escape the soul's agreement!" Ensure no Chinese. Good.

Translate: "In order to prevent this guy from changing his mind and suffering backlash, the Master Teacher Continent once specially stipulated that even if the other party could break free from the Book of Heavenly Dao, they could not escape the soul's agreement!"

In order to prevent this guy from changing his mind and suffering backlash, the Master Teacher Continent once specially stipulated that even if the other party could break free from the Book of Heavenly Dao, they could not escape the soul's agreement, ah!

changing his mind and suffering backlash

line: we have translation with quotes, fine.

Translate: "\"Soul Contract, it indeed cannot be separated from the sea of consciousness, but I have merged a special gas that even the Heavenly Dao can dissolve, dissolving this contract is not difficult……as long as there is sufficient power, bombarding the location of the contract will achieve it! \"" Need to keep quotes.

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

line: fine.

Translate: "Ruthless Person's Dao."

line: fine.

Translate: "Soul Contract, it is founded upon the Heavenly Dao's basis; special power can even dissolve the Heavenly Dao of the Divine Realm, dissolving a soul contract—if handled properly, what difficulty is there?"

We need to keep meaning. Let's produce: "Soul Contract, it is founded upon the Heavenly Dao's basis; special power can even dissolve the Heavenly Dao of the Divine Realm, dissolving a soul contract—if handled properly, what difficulty is there?"

line: fine.

Translate: "\"I see……\" Zhang Xuan's eyes flashed."

line: fine.

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

line: fine.

Translate: "After finishing the explanation, the Ruthless Person said no more; his aura became ever more ancient and distant, the black hole behind him grew larger—evidently, while speaking, he had swallowed an unknown amount of power, nourishing himself."

After finishing the explanation, the Ruthless Person said no more; his aura became ever more ancient and distant, the black hole behind him grew larger—evidently, while speaking, he had swallowed an unknown amount of power, nourishing himself.

line: fine.

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

line: fine.

Translate: "Luo Ruoxi also sensed something amiss, hurriedly sending a mental transmission."

line: fine.

Translate: "\"Get ready to attack! \" With all doubts dispelled in his heart, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, the sword in his hand suddenly rising: \"Since that's the case, let's see the true skill beneath our hands! \"" Need to keep quotes.

Let's produce: "\"Get ready to attack! \" With all doubts dispelled in his heart, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, the sword in his hand suddenly rising: \"Since that's the case, let's see the true skill beneath our hands! \"" Good.

line: fine.

Translate: "Boom—"

We need to represent sound effect. Use "Boom—" maybe with em dash. We'll output "Boom—".

line: fine.

Translate: "The strongest sword intent was unleashed once again."

line: fine.

Translate: "If alive, return home; if dead, cherish longing!"

If alive, return home; if dead, cherish longing!

line: fine.

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

line: fine.

Translate: "This sword move, though not reaching the Emperor's level of comprehension, yet contains all the obsessions in my heart, pushing the Heaven's Feelings Technique within my body to its limit."

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

line: fine.

Translate: "Whoosh!"

line: fine.

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

line: fine.

Translate: "At the same moment, Luo Ruoxi also struck, her jade hand rolling, sword light like snow."

line: fine.

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

line: fine.

Translate: "\"Your moves are formidable, but compared to me, they still fall short……\""

line: fine.

Translate: "With a light smile, the Ruthless Person reached down again."

line: fine.

Translate: "In an instant, his palm covered the sky and earth, shattering space, as if the sun, moon, and stars were about to be slammed down."

line: fine.

Translate: "Pfft! Pfft!"

line: fine.

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

line: fine.

Translate: "With their combined strength, they actually couldn't withstand it!"

line: fine.

Translate: "Just what realm has this guy reached?"

line: fine.

Translate: "\"Impudent! \" The avatar strode forward, each step causing lotus blossoms to bloom, the void echoing with the sound of flowing water."

line: fine.

Translate: "From afar, it looked extremely imposing."

line: fine.

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

line: fine.

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

line: fine.

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

line: fine.

Translate: "Zhang Xuan covered his forehead."

line: fine.

Translate: "Having become an Emperor, the avatar still hasn't changed its pretentious nature……"

line: fine.

Translate: "Such ostentatious pretentiousness—better to concentrate power for greater might!"

line: fine.

Translate: "\"Attack together, otherwise if they die, we will all die……\""

line: fine.

Translate: "Xiao Huangji let out a loud shout, crimson red flames blazing, the sky seeming to be set ablaze."

line: fine.

Translate: "The remaining six Emperors also each employed their methods."

line: fine.

Translate: "Seven Emperors united, capable of destroying heaven and earth; yet any heaven and earth before them could not withstand it, but the opponent was the Ruthless Person who had absorbed special power—when his attack approached, the black hole suddenly expanded, in the blink of an eye swallowing all the power, then immediately counterattacking."

then immediately counterattacking

line: fine.

Translate: "Bang bang bang bang!"

line: fine.

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

line: fine.

Translate: "The Ten Emperors, united together, actually couldn't block a single move of the opponent!"

line: fine.

Translate: "How could this guy be so powerful?"

line: fine.

Translate: "\"You may die……\""

line: fine.

Translate: "With a single move he defeated everyone; the Ruthless Person stepped forward, turned his wrist, and struck down again."

line: fine.

Translate: "\"How dare you, rats! \""

line: fine.

Translate: "Accompanied by a loud shout, the old man from Sword God Heaven suddenly appeared, blocking in front, his long sword transforming into a galaxy."

line: fine.

Translate: "\"An Emperor? He also has Emperor-level strength? \""

line: fine.

Translate: "Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted."

line: fine.

Translate: "That old man originally followed behind the youth; I had thought he was merely a retainer, at most ennobled as a Divine King, but upon displaying his power I discovered he was actually a powerful Emperor!"

line: fine.

Translate: "If he is an Emperor, then what is that youth?"

line: fine.

Translate: "\"He himself is the Emperor of Sword God Heaven……\" Luo Ruoxi struggled to her feet, gritting her teeth."

line: fine.

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

line: fine.

Translate: "\"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, blasting out a large pit."

line: fine.

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

line: fine.

Hahaha, Emperor, you're just a bunch of chickens and dogs! Today I will destroy the Nine Heavens, destroy this Divine Realm, and trample all rules flat!

line: fine.

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

line: fine.

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

Just now, he and his clone both exerted their strongest combat power; even Luo Ruoxi in front of him used her strongest move, yet they couldn't block the opponent's single strike…

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

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 the mind is itself part of the Heavenly Dao; once returned, the Heavenly Dao would be completely whole, perhaps able to repair the loophole and expel the Ruthless.

Just like the human 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.

Just……

"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 God King; even with a title, the Heavenly Dao could easily kill him, yet he is stronger than an Emperor…… the Heavenly Dao can no longer contend with him.

"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 wouldn't be hard!"

"Him?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

"Want to escape?" Henren snorted coldly and pressed down.

Boom!

Luo Ruoxi fell from the air.

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

Ding ding ding!

Once again blocked by Henren.

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

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

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone fearlessly blocking the rear without regard for death, Zhang Xuan's eyes reddened, but he also knew now wasn't the time to talk; he grabbed Luo Ruoxi, his body flickered, he tore through space, and in the next moment they appeared within the range of Free and Easy Heaven.

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 sacrificing oneself!

"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 recognized itself as master.

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

He couldn't help but say.

The library is in chaos; it's the blood in the pendant that lets me regain clarity—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, does it need a flaw in the Heavenly Dao to become clear?

"He is not an Emperor, but…… the Heavenly Dao!"

Luo Ruoxi clenched her fists.

"Heavenly Dao? Your father…… is the Heavenly Dao?" Zhang Xuan shuddered, unable to believe.

"Yes! Fifty years ago, my father couldn't withstand that big hand, fell into a coma, the Heavenly Dao shattered into three parts—the ordered Heavenly Dao and the flawed Heavenly Dao entered the spatial turbulence; I acted 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 am so resolute, cannot fail! I therefore went specially to the Master Teacher Continent, studying the Spring and Autumn Grand Canon, seeking a way to defeat Master Kong! When battling Master Kong, asking him to do things was also this."

Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly realized.

Not long after becoming acquainted with the Master Teacher Continent, the girl before me had already told me her story, wanting to save a close relative; I didn't understand then, but now I suddenly realize.

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

Can the Heavenly Dao 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 fusion within oneself are two different concepts.

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

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

Putting it that way, all I need to do is separate the flawed Heavenly Dao from within myself; I don't need her to die as well.

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

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

"This…… I'm not sure either……"

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

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

Really hard to say!

Looks like you can't be sure either. In that case, it's better to rely on oneself than on others… We have only ourselves to figure it out! Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth: "You, me, and my avatar, united with the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, if we also coordinate with Master Kong, we might 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 break free from the Heavenly Dao… No surprise, he should be like Wei Changfeng, an 【Innate Fetal Soul Body】!

Zhang Xuan said.

Seeing Wei Changfeng made it clear; what Master Kong called preserving one's spirit must be the same as him—an Innate Fetal Soul Body.

One can remain clear-minded even in the womb.

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

Luo Ruoxi froze, seemingly not expecting 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 not gone to the Tide Sea…" Zhang Xuan said.

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

There must be something more important waiting, something they intend to do while all the Emperors are preoccupied with the Tide Sea and have no time to attend to it!

And that 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 all ages certainly didn't disappoint me!

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

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

She knew the Emperors could be resurrected, the Undying Emperor had even come back to life, but… she didn't expect it to happen so fast!

"I concealed it from the Heavenly Dao, prepared a backup in advance—the nameless giant in the Nether Soul 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 fully recovered!"

Master Kong gave a faint smile.

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

He had even accumulated tens of years of time.

"Our three strengths are considerable, 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 of us joined forces and still couldn't block the opponent; even adding one 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 tear apart 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 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 hopeless!"

"How to concentrate?"

Luo Ruoxi looked over.

Easy to say, hard to do.

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

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

Master Kong said.

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

"The Lingxi Emperor cultivates freedom and transcendence beyond nature! But with the constraints of father and the Heavenly Dao, and with people one cares for, 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 find words.

During the battle, such an intention indeed existed; thus their early exchanges saw each holding back, like sparring, not 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 mercy 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 One could not have revived, nor would we be in this predicament."

"So I'm also unsuitable! Zhang Xuan, however, cultivates a method that flows with his heart, without flaw. He focuses on living true to himself; even if he dies, as long as he lives without guilt, his mind is at ease. Such a person possesses greater inclusiveness and greater 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 power within! Combined with your avatar's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, we can fully achieve ruling the Nine Heavens, grasping the cosmos, battling the Nine Firmaments, and annihilating all things!"

"Alright!"

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

Boom—

Seated cross-legged, in the blink of an eye, two mighty 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 mightier by the moment.

……

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

He sent Luo Qiqi and the clones flying, and Henren gave a cold smile.

The power unleashed by the clones and the many Emperors combined was indeed strong, but compared to him, it was still somewhat weaker.

The Tide Sea drained the spiritual energy outside the city in the Divine Realm, almost completely devouring it; now this power has become his nourishment, every move bringing the power to destroy heaven and earth. These Emperors and God Kings, though they represent the pinnacle of the Divine Realm, are still no match.

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

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

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

"Old friend, wait for me!"

Emperor Fu Meng let out a great roar, transformed into his true form, a White Tiger, and arrived before him in the air.

The Immortal Emperor and the Immortal Fire Phoenix's true form appeared, flames illuminating the sky.

Great Emperor Xuanming's true form is a giant turtle, as if holding up the heavens.

The Four Divine Beasts, guardians of the four extremes of the Divine Realm, simultaneously transformed into their true forms, and the collapsing Divine Realm slowed down.

Heaven and earth seemed to freeze in an instant.

Bang bang bang bang!

After four consecutive palms, Henren subdued the four beasts, a fierce killing intent flashing in his eyes: "Since you seek death, I will grant it."

In the midst of the roar, just as he was about to strike down and wipe everyone out, he felt his raised arm tighten, 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, more than ten times stronger than before, coming from the heavens, as if his very being was a world.

"You've improved a lot..."

Henren stopped, his gaze solemn.

He obviously didn't understand either, how in just a few minutes the opponent's strength had changed so dramatically.

"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 rending in streaks, air currents churning everywhere.

"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; her own cultivation had dropped to only God King level, not as glorious as before.

But rank is just a standing; 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, Master Kong said.

More than ten Emperors united still couldn't defeat Henren, even if they transferred all their power to him; wanting to win was still not easy.

The reason we do this is because... only by concentrating power in one person can one possibly touch the peak, 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 thing, but... she couldn't do it; could her beloved man do it?

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

Seeing her doubt, Master Kong laughed and said.

……

Bang bang bang!

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

As Master Kong said, even if their powers fused and formed a complete Heavenly Way within, he was still no match.

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

"'Anyway, I'm no match for you; sooner or later I'll be killed. If so, I want to die under your strongest attack...' Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan stopped, ceasing his offense and instead gazing at Henren before him."

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

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

Clatter!

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

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

His eyes tightly closed, Zhang Xuan did not dodge.

Bang!

His brain burst open, his soul scattering in all directions.

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

Luo Qiqi went mad.

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

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

The intention was to let him break through his shackles and strike to surpass the Emperor Realm; why didn't he resist and willingly go to his death?

Wouldn't this be letting down their good intentions?

"No, it's the undead method of the Immortal Emperor Lord."

"While they were wondering, 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 ball of scorching flame; within the flame, an unharmed figure slowly stepped out."

"He…… used the opponent's power and the blood in the pendant to separate the flaw in the Heavenly Dao from 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 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 me, 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 undo 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 cannot free it.

But…… the Ruthless Person used that special power to break the soul contract; the specific method, Zhang Xuan had previously inquired about in detail, so he likely had the idea back then.

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

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

"Now I see; this is the method to break through the Emperor Lord……"

Zhang Xuan walked out of the flames, a faint smile on his face as if he understood something; he suddenly gestured, and a clone on one side instantly turned into a lotus flower and flew over.

In an instant, it perfectly merged with himself.

In the blink of an eye, everyone felt that Zhang Xuan before them seemed to have 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 the Nine Heavens; at this moment, the clone and self perfectly merged, indistinguishable, which means he now controls this power.

Moreover, with the cultivation fused from the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, he had already reached the peak realm; signs of loosening appeared, 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!"

Zhang Xuan muttered with a smile.

At the moment the Heavenly Dao Library separated from the soul, he came to understand.

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

Is it the wind moving, or the heart moving!

This problem 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 interwoven throughout the world.

All things in the world have emotion; with emotion there is a 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 Lord's shackles, broken through!"

"In an instant, it felt as if touching a brand-new world and the Great Door; the soul received rapid nourishment."

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

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

"You……" the Ruthless Person didn't expect that his full-force attack would not only fail to slay him, but actually fulfill him; angry, he shouted 'wah-wah!' and, with a furious roar, attacked again.

"You resent the high and mighty Emperor Lord, 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 to vent anger—that's emotion; wanting to become even stronger—also emotion…… emotion controls you; how could you possibly overcome me and not be controlled by me?"

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

The originally invincible Ruthless Person was bound together 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……"

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 own girlfriend, Luo Qiqi, and so many friends—how could he possibly forgive today!

"No……"

Sensing his decisiveness, the Ruthless Person's pupils contracted; before his words even finished, he felt a sudden sharp pain throughout his body.

Bang!

In an instant, the eruption turned into countless streams of spiritual energy that surged toward every corner of the Divine Realm.

All the power previously devoured by the Tide Sea now flowed back, reviving the once‑barren wasteland.

"This..."

"You killed him just like that?"

The Cloud Chilong Great Emperor, the Immortal Emperor, the Linglong Fairy and the others all widened their eyes, unable to believe it.

Just moments ago they had crossed blows with the Ruthless Person and knew how terrifying he was; yet such a mighty figure was wiped out with a casual swipe—just how far has this Zhang Xuan... reached?

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 "Heavenly Dao's flaw" that had been split from his own body still hovering in the air, Zhang Xuan gave a light smile and flicked his finger.

Hum!

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

With a deep bell‑like toll, the continually collapsing Divine Realm slowly healed before the eyes, and the chaotic currents reconvened.

The collapsing Divine Realm finally halted, and the withered spiritual energy, too, gradually revived along with the Ruthless Person's death.

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

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

"Zhang Xuan, over here..."

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

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

It was the very person who had previously taught him swordsmanship.

"Senior, you..."

Seeing that it was him, Zhang Xuan startled.

He had always felt this person was unfathomable; now he realized the youth was only a hair's breadth beneath himself, having already reached the very peak of the Emperor level—far stronger than Luo Ruoxi had been.

"Just call me by my name—I'm Nie Tong." The youth radiated an unstoppable sword intent as he spoke lightly.

"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, his eyebrows arched, giving an inscrutable, profound impression.

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled.

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

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

"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; he never imagined it would be such a young person.

"I transformed one breath into the Three Pure Ones; a fragment of my soul became the Heavenly Dao! Moreover, this world is my creation—calling me the Heavenly Dao is hardly wrong!" Nie Yun smiled faintly.

Zhang Xuan could not believe it.

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

Just how powerful must his strength be?

"No, if the Divine Realm is your creation and you are the Heavenly Dao, why let the Ruthless Person run rampant without intervening?" Zhang Xuan looked at him.

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

Does he not even care about his daughter's life or death?

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

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

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

Just like the youth before him.

"I once suspected that a mightier being lay above the Divine Realm, so I strained my senses to the utmost—ultimately drawing a backlash from a higher world… a hand broke through the void and came crashing down!"

Nie Yun looked over: "If I had dodged then, the entire Divine Realm would likely have been erased, leaving not a single life… so I blocked the strike, but in doing so, 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 and investigate where that hand came from, and what lies beyond the Divine Realm… I cannot do it alone. So I want to see whether any life can break through the Emperor's limits and reach a level equal to mine."

"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 laughed.

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

No wonder—he never expected that his arrival here was entirely due to this person before him.

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

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

Without Master Kong's selfless dedication, achieving his present cultivation would be utterly impossible.

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

Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan remained silent.

At that time I watched their battle; Kong Shi indeed lacked decisiveness.

Perhaps he is unwilling to slay Luo Ruoxi.

Unfortunately, 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 furrowed.

Could it be that this person before us doesn't care about his daughter's life or death?

"With me here, she won't die..." Nie Yun smiled faintly: "Your current strength is not much different from mine; do you think you can save someone at a life-and-death moment?"

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

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

"Lingxi is the child of my other wife Luo Qingcheng, so her assumed surname is Luo... In order to make her believe, not letting emotions get involved, up to now she has still thought I am still in a coma."

Nie Yun gave a bitter laugh: 'This father of mine has done enough harm... Let's leave this matter for you to explain to her; after all, her thoughts have now turned to you; this old father of mine probably can't even remember... Haha, I'll temporarily not appear, let's avoid for a period of time, otherwise I truly fear she will cause an uproar.'

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

There's no choice if I don't agree; who let me elope with 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 able to be with you, as a father, I also feel relieved."

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