Chapter 1044

A soul contract binds the souls; as long as you don't dissolve it yourself, even if the other party wields heavenly powers, it cannot be undone.

Terms: Soul Contract – is this a named term? It's a concept, maybe technique? It's a named concept; but is it considered a technique? It's a "soul contract". Might be considered a technique or a concept. The instruction: "techniques, cultivation realms/pills/treasures, named beasts/items". So "Soul Contract" could be considered a technique or a special ability. We'll include as a term: Soul Contract.

Just like the Undying Emperor Little Yellow Chicken, who was formerly only a God King but is now an Emperor, he too cannot resolve this agreement.

Terms: Undying Emperor – a title; Little Yellow Chicken – a character nickname; God King – a rank/title; Emperor – a title.

To prevent this person from having a change of heart and suffering a backlash, the Master Teacher Continent had specially decreed that even if the other party could break free from the Heavenly Dao Tome, they could not escape the soul's contract.

Terms: Master Teacher Continent – a place name; Heavenly Dao Tome – a named item; Soul Contract between souls – same as before.

"A soul contract truly cannot be split from the Sea of Consciousness, but I have merged a special gas capable of dissolving even the Heavenly Dao, making it easy to undo this contract… All it takes is enough power to strike where the contract lies."

Terms: Sea of Consciousness – a cultivation term (maybe a concept). Might be considered a named concept? It's a common term in cultivation; but it's a specific term: "Sea of Consciousness". Should we include? It's a cultivation term, but not a technique or realm; it's a concept. The instruction says "cultivation realms/pills/treasures". Sea of Consciousness is not a realm; it's a part of the body. Might be considered a common term; but it's specific. However, we might exclude as generic. Safer to exclude unless it's a named technique. I'd exclude.

Special gas – generic.

Ruthless Person's Dao.

Terms: Ruthless Person's Dao – could be a sect or a path: "Ruthless Dao". Might be a named technique or path. We'll include as "Ruthless Dao". Could be a sect name? Not sure. We'll treat as a named term: Ruthless Dao.

A soul contract is founded on the Heavenly Dao, and a special power can dissolve even the Heavenly Dao of the Divine Realm; dissolving a soul contract, if done correctly, poses no difficulty.

Terms: Divine Realm Heavenly Dao – maybe a named concept. Could be "Divine Realm Heavenly Dao". Might be considered a term. We'll include as "Divine Realm Heavenly Dao". Also Soul Contract again.

"I see…" Zhang Xuan's eyes flashed.

Terms: Zhang Xuan – protagonist name. Already given in the gender guide: Lin Feng? Wait the gender guide lists the protagonist? Actually they gave a list: Lin Feng, Liu Na, etc. But the protagonist in this text is Zhang Xuan, which is not in the guide. So we need to add Zhang Xuan as a character name.

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

Terms: Divine Realm – a place.

After explaining, the Ruthless Person fell silent; his aura grew ever more ancient and distant, the black hole behind him swelling larger, clearly having devoured an unknown amount of power while speaking, thus nourishing himself.

Terms: Ruthless Person – possibly a title or epithet for a character, perhaps a nickname; we'll treat it as a character name: Ruthless Person. Also Black Hole – possibly a named ability or phenomenon, perhaps a technique; we'll include it as Black Hole.

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

Terms: Zhang Xuan, Black Hole again.

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

Terms: Luo Ruoxi – character name.

"Get ready to fight!" With his doubts gone, Zhang Xuan drew a deep breath, raised his long sword, and declared: "Since that's the case, let's see the true essence beneath our hands!"

Terms: long sword – generic weapon; not needed. true essence – maybe a phrase; not needed.

Boom!

Sound effect: we need to render as English sound word: "Boom—". Keep as sound effect.

The strongest sword intent was unleashed again.

Terms: Sword Intent – a technique/concept; could be considered a technique. We'll include it as Sword Intent.

In life I shall return; in death I shall long for!

This is a poetic line; no named entities.

Life and death are of no concern; what could possibly stand in our way?

No named.

This sword move, though not yet attaining the Emperor's insight, embodies all the obsessions in my heart, pushing the Heaven If Has Feeling technique within my body to its limit.

Terms: Sword Technique – generic; Emperor – title; Heaven If Has Feeling Technique – possibly a cultivation technique; we'll include it as Heaven If Has Feeling Technique. Also limit – generic.

Whoosh!

Sound effect: "Whoosh!" maybe.

A single sword strike sliced the Ruthless Person's attack in half.

Terms: sword – generic; Ruthless Person again.

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

Terms: Luo Ruoxi; jade hand – maybe not needed; sword light – generic.

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

Terms: Sword God Heaven – possibly a place or sect; we'll include it as Sword God Heaven. Also Great Dao Natural – generic.

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

No named.

Smiling lightly, the Ruthless Person reached down again to grab.

Terms: Ruthless Person.

In an instant, his hand blotted out the sky and sun, covering heaven and earth; space shattered, and the sun, moon, and stars seemed as if they would be forcibly struck down.

Terms: Heaven and Earth – generic; space – generic; sun, moon, stars – generic.

Pfft! Pfft!

Sound effect: "Pfft! Pfft!" maybe.

Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi were both blown backward, blood spurting wildly in the air.

Terms: Zhang Xuan, Luo Ruoxi.

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

No named.

Just what realm has this guy reached?

Terms: realm – generic.

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

Terms: Avatar – possibly a technique; we'll include it as Avatar. Also lotus – generic.

From afar, it looks extremely imposing.

No named.

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

Terms: Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus – a named treasure/item; we'll include it as Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus. Also cultivation level – generic.

He raised a fist, and his power surged up to the Nine Heavens.

Terms: Nine Heavens – possibly a place or realm; we'll include it as Nine Heavens.

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

Terms: Ruthless Person.

Zhang Xuan covered his forehead.

Terms: Zhang Xuan.

Having become an Emperor, the avatar still hasn't changed its nature of showing off…

Terms: Emperor – title; Avatar – again; showing off – slang; maybe not needed.

Such flamboyant showing off is inferior to concentrating one's power for greater effect!

No named.

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

No named.

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

Terms: Little Yellow Chicken – character name. Also fire – generic.

The remaining six great emperors also each employed their methods.

Terms: Six Great Emperors – a group title; we'll include it as Six Great Emperors.

The seven emperors united, destroying heaven and earth; a side of heaven and earth before them could not withstand it, but the opponent was the Ruthless Person who had absorbed special power; as the attack approached, the black hole suddenly expanded, in the blink of an eye devouring all the power, then immediately counterattacking.

Terms: Seven Emperors – a group; special power – generic; Black Hole – again; Ruthless Person – again.

Bang bang bang bang!

Sound effect: "Bang bang bang bang!" maybe.

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

Terms: Seven Emperors, Zhang Xuan.

The ten great emperors, united together, actually couldn't block even a single move of the opponent!

Terms: Ten Great Emperors – a group.

How could this guy be so powerful?

No named.

"You may die."

No named.

With a single move he defeated the crowd; the Ruthless Person stepped forward, flipped his wrist, and struck down again.

Terms: Ruthless Person.

"How dare you, rats!"

No named.

Accompanied by a loud shout, the old man from Sword God Heaven appeared abruptly, blocking the front, his long sword transforming into a galaxy.

Terms: Sword God Heaven – again; long sword – generic; Milky Way – possibly a named phenomenon; we'll include it as Milky Way.

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

Terms: Emperor.

Zhang Xuan's pupils constricted.

Terms: Zhang Xuan.

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 was actually a powerful Emperor.

Terms: God King – title; Emperor – title; youth – generic.

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

Terms: Emperor, youth.

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

Terms: Sword God Heaven, Emperor, Luo Ruoxi.

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

Terms: Sword Technique – generic; youth; Zhang Xuan.

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

Terms: space – generic; Sword God Heaven; Emperor; big pit – generic.

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

Terms: Zhang Xuan; Sword Dao – possibly a technique/path; we'll include it as Sword Dao. Cultivation – generic; sword skill – generic.

"Hahaha, Emperor, just a bunch of mud chickens and tile dogs! Today I will destroy the Nine Heavens,

Terms: Emperor, Nine Heavens, Divine Realm, rules (generic).

After defeating the Emperor of Sword God Heaven, the ruthless man laughed wildly, the surrounding space continually collapsed, making him seem like a demon or a monster.

Terms: Sword God Heaven, Emperor, Ruthless Person, space (generic).

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

Terms: Zhang Xuan

Just now he and his clone both displayed their strongest combat power; even Luo Ruoxi before him used her strongest move, yet they couldn't block a single move from the opponent...

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

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

Just like the human body's immune system.

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

Just……

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

Viruses, the immune system can slay them…… but what about a fierce tiger?

No matter how strong the 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 Sovereign…… 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…… we can't suppress him, but if the Heavenly Dao is whole, he can awaken and slay this person—that 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, turned, and flew forward.

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

Bang!

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 One.

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

Knowing they still wanted to find a way to save the Divine Realm rather than flee, the clone and the Undying Emperor Sovereign stepped forward with a loud shout, while Luo Qiqi also transformed, returning to her Tranquil Void Pearl form.

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone fearlessly blocking the rear, unafraid of death, Zhang Xuan's eyes reddened, but he also knew this was no time for words; he grabbed Luo Ruoxi, his body flickered, he tore through space, and in the next moment they appeared within 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?"

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

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

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

"Father?"

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

No wonder I always felt the blood in the pendant resembled Luo Ruoxi yet was different—it turned out to be her father's.

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

"Is your father also an Emperor Sovereign, or does he possess power surpassing that of an Emperor Sovereign?"

He couldn't help but say.

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

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

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

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

Luo Ruoxi clenched her fists.

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

"Yes! Fifty years ago, my father couldn't withstand that great 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 acted as steward of the Heavenly Dao's natural order, maintaining the Divine Realm's balance. To restore him, we must gather the scattered parts…… that's why I am so resolute, cannot fail! I therefore entered the Master Teacher Continent specifically, studying the Spring and Autumn Classic, seeking a way to defeat Master Kong! When fighting Master Kong, entrusting him with this matter was also the purpose."

Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan understood.

Not long after meeting the Master 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 finally comprehend.

It turns out to be her father, and even 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 natural order…… you don't have any fragments of the Heavenly Dao inside you?" Suddenly realizing something off in her speech, Zhang Xuan looked over.

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

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

Zhang Xuan relaxed.

That being the case, I only need to sever the defective Heavenly Dao from within myself; I don't need her to die as well.

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

"If I sever the defective Heavenly Dao within me, your father could come back to life and even slay the Ruthless One, 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 his foundation; now that it's like this, even if he awakens, can he truly defeat that powerful Ruthless One?

Really hard to say!

"Looks like you can't be sure either. In that case, it's better to rely on oneself than to ask others… We have only ourselves to figure it out!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth: "You, me, and my avatar, united with the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, if we also coordinate with Kong Shi, we might not be unable to win!"

"Kong Shi? He…" Luo Ruoxi frowned.

"Kong Shi is already dead, right! He didn't truly die; if my guess is correct, he was slain by you, merely a method to break free from the Heavenly Dao… No surprise, he should be like Wei Changfeng, an Innate Fetal Soul Body!"

Zhang Xuan said.

Seeing Wei Changfeng, it became clear that what Kong Shi 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, resurrection is merely a matter of time.

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

"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 even gone to the Tide Sea…" Zhang Xuan said.

Kong Shi's disciples, such as Ziyuan Gu Sheng and the others, are all formidable; even without the Sovereign's help, they would certainly have a way to enter the Tide Sea, yet not a single one of them was seen.

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

And this important matter is obviously to let Kong Shi recover.

"This…" Luo Ruoxi's heart jolted, and she suddenly understood.

"Let's go!"

Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan flicked his hand and returned to where Kong Shi resided; indeed he saw an old man sitting cross-legged, floating in midair. Upon seeing them arrive, he gave a faint smile: "You've come!"

Not Kong Shi, then who is it!

This teacher of myriad ages certainly did not disappoint!

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

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

She knew Sovereigns could be revived, and even the Undying Sovereign had come back to life, but… she hadn't expected the speed to be this fast!

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

Kong Shi gave a faint smile.

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

Decades of time have passed.

"Our three strengths are considerable, but overcoming the Ruthless One is not that easy…"

Seeing that Kong Shi had indeed 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, yet we couldn't block the opponent; even adding Kong Shi, 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?"

Kong Shi smiled and looked over.

"Merge into one person?"

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

"That palm can tear apart the Divine Realm and scatter the Heavenly Dao; its strength is beyond doubt. The Ruthless One has absorbed that power entirely and also devoured fifty years of spiritual energy from the Divine Realm. Based purely on strength, even if we each of the dozen or so Sovereigns took out our power individually, we would certainly not be a match…"

Kong Shi said: "But if we unite and concentrate the power into one person… perhaps it might not be so!"

"How to concentrate?"

Luo Ruoxi looked over.

Easy to say, hard to do.

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

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

Kong Shi said.

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

"The Lingxi Sovereign cultivates freedom and transcendence of nature! But with the constraints of father and Heavenly Dao, and with beloved ones, one can never truly transcend! If I'm not mistaken, when we fought before, you also once gave up, intending to let me slay you!"

Kong Shi said.

Luo Ruoxi was speechless.

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

"Being unable to transcend, one naturally cannot unleash one's utmost strength; even with abundant true qi, one cannot strike that supreme realm! As for me…"

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

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

"So I am also unsuitable! Zhang Xuan, however, cultivates a harmonious method, free of flaws. He emphasizes living true to himself; even if he dies, as long as he lives without guilt, his mind is at ease. Such a person possesses greater inclusiveness and greater room for growth—only thus can one reach higher and farther!"

Kong Shi continued.

"In life, one should return to the origin; in death, one should 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 Kong Shi'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 Sovereign lacks Heavenly Dao fragments within, he has long mastered 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, grasping Qian and Kun, battling the Nine Firmaments, and annihilating myriad things!"

"Alright!"

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

Boom—

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

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

Soul, flesh, and true qi were instantly baptized, growing ever stronger, ever more mighty.

……

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

"Luo Qiqi and the clone, etc., were slapped away; Henren coldly smiled."

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

"The Tide Sea swallowed almost all the spiritual energy outside the city in the Divine Realm; now this power has become his nourishment. A raise of his hand, a step, carries the ability 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; no one could stop him."

"The Divine Realm's destruction means our lives are meaningless; I, Yun Chi, will perish with you."

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

"Just you? You're not worthy!"

"Henren clenched his palm, and the golden dragon hung in his grasp, 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, the White Tiger, and appeared before him in the air."

"The Immortal Emperor, the Immortal Fire Phoenix's true form manifested, flames illuminating the sky."

"Xuan Ming, the Great Emperor, whose 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!"

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

"In the roar, as he was about to strike down and wipe out everyone, he felt his raised arm tighten and stop in midair."

"You want to kill them—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, coming from the heavens, as if his very being was a world."

"He's made considerable progress..."

"Henren stopped, his gaze solemn."

"He obviously didn't understand why, in just a few minutes, the opponent's strength had undergone such a huge change."

"So what if it increased? Even at its peak, the Divine Realm couldn't withstand it; 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 running wild everywhere."

"Can Zhang Xuan win?"

"At the residence of the Kong Master in Zi Tian, Luo Ruoxi looked over, full of worry."

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

"However, rank is just a standing; as long as the power is sufficient, one day it can be restored."

"With 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 Henren; even if they transferred all their power to him, wanting to overcome would not be easy."

"The reason for doing 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 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, Kong Shi laughed and said."

"……"

"Bang bang bang!"

"After several consecutive strikes, Zhang Xuan's tiger mouth split, his chest bore a huge, hideous wound."

"As Kong Shi said, even if their combined power formed a complete Heavenly Dao within, they were still no match."

"Hah, thought you were so formidable, but that's it! Henren gave a cold smile."

"Anyway, you're not my opponent; sooner or later I'll be killed. Since that's the case, I want to die under your strongest attack. Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan stopped advancing, instead looking at Henren before him."

"Fine, I'll grant you, 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 and 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 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, the Great Emperor, and others also widened their eyes, trembling nonstop."

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

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

Wouldn't this be wasting their good intentions?

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

While they were wondering, Kong Shi suddenly spoke.

Everyone immediately saw Zhang Xuan, whose head had exploded and even his soul shattered, 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 intact 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 his fiery rebirth, Zhang Xuan actually had no Heavenly Dao Library within 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.

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

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

"I know... 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 undo it, the servant remains forever restrained... the Heavenly Dao Library is the same, essentially an enhanced version of the contract.

Once the soul is bound, not even immortality can free it.

But... the Ruthless Person used that special power to break free of the soul contract; the specific method, Zhang Xuan had previously inquired about in detail—he must have already been thinking about it then.

Therefore he deliberately risked death, letting it unleash its strongest power to attack him.

Using this power, he was reborn from fire; unexpectedly, it was a great success!

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

Zhang Xuan walking out of the flames, a faint smile appeared on his face, as if he understood something; suddenly he gestured, 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 the 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 appears when the Nine Heavens are born; it can stabilize the Nine Heavens. At this moment, his avatar and self perfectly merge, indistinguishable, which is equivalent to him mastering this power.

Moreover, having cultivated with the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, he had already reached the peak realm; now signs of loosening appeared, as if he could break through at any moment.

"Master-servant affection, brotherly affection, teacher-student affection, parental affection, love…… when fused together, they are actually all things in the world; this is what it means to be human!"

With a faint smile, Zhang Xuan muttered to himself.

At the instant the Heavenly Dao Library separated from his soul, he understood.

Is it that man sees the world and thus the world exists, or did the world come first and then man?

Is it the wind moving, or the heart moving!

This problem has troubled countless people since time immemorial.

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 emotion that intertwines the world.

All things in the world possess emotion; only with emotion does the world exist, and only with emotion can life continue.

Love, is emotion.

Hatred, is emotion.

Joy, is emotion.

Pain, is emotion.

Separation, is emotion.

Reunion, too, is emotion!

"Myriad feelings, to be used by me……"

With a soft cry, the sealed realm within Zhang Xuan's body shattered instantly.

The Emperor's bonds, 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 qi surged in, and his fleshly body also rose rapidly.

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, with no distinction between self and other.

"You..." The ruthless man never expected that his full-force attack would not only fail to slay him, but instead perfect him; he shouted "wah-wah!" in anger, let out a furious roar, and attacked again.

"You resent the lofty Emperor who didn't save you in the spatial turbulence—that's emotion; you feel that you were once my servant, containing humility and anger—that's emotion; you wish to destroy the divine realm, venting anger—that's emotion; you desire to become stronger—likewise emotion…… Emotion controls you, so how could you possibly overcome me, not be controlled by me?"

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

The once invincible ruthless man 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, controlled by him!

"You..."

The ruthless man's eyes filled with panic: "Master Zhang, I am your servant, don't kill me…… I am willing to offer my soul as a sacrifice……"

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

Having mastered the emotions of the world, things like servants are now 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, Hen Ren's pupils contracted; before his words finished, he immediately felt a sharp pain throughout his body.

Bang!

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

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

"This..."

"You killed him just like that?"

Great Emperor Yunchi, the Undying Emperor, Fairy Linglong, and the others all widened their eyes in disbelief.

Just moments ago they had crossed blows with Hen Ren, knowing how terrifying he was; yet such a powerful figure was wiped out with a casual gesture—how far has this Zhang Xuan... actually progressed?

Could there truly be a realm above the Emperor level?

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

Hum!

The library that had accompanied him since his rebirth boomed into place, embedded in the sky of the Divine Realm.

The deep bell‑like resonance continued as the collapsing Divine Realm slowly healed before the eyes, and the chaotic currents gathered once more.

The collapsing Divine Realm finally halted, and the withered spiritual energy, along with Hen Ren'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, along 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 these, a voice sounded in his mind; Zhang Xuan startled, then stepped forward.

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

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

"Senior, you..."

Seeing it was him, Zhang Xuan froze.

Earlier I had sensed his unfathomable depth; now I realized he was only a hair's breadth above me, having already reached the peak of the Emperor level, far surpassing even Luo Ruoxi as she once was.

"Just call me by my name—I'm Nie Tong!" the youth said lightly, a fearless sword intent emanating from him.

"Nie Tong?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

It was the first time he had heard that name.

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

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

Immediately he saw another youth.

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

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled.

The youth before him proved even stronger, having likewise broken through the Emperor's shackles, and his cultivation was far 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; who would have thought it would be such a young man.

"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 unreasonable!" Nie Yun said with a light smile.

Zhang Xuan could not believe it.

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

Just how powerful must his strength be?

"No, if the Divine Realm is your creation and you are the Heavenly Dao, why would you let Hen Ren rampage unchecked without lifting a finger?" Zhang Xuan looked over.

Had I not broken through, the Divine Realm would likely have collapsed utterly; why does this person before me remain indifferent?

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

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

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

Although I've never seen such a level, if he can cultivate to this height, perhaps others can as well—and perhaps even surpass him.

Just like the one before me.

"I once suspected that greater beings lay 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 crashing 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 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, to explore where that palm came from and what lies beyond… it is nearly impossible for me alone. So I wanted to see if any life could break through the Emperor's limits and reach a level equal to mine!"

"Thus 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 of this world—so my transmigration was also because of you?" Zhang Xuan's heart jolted.

No wonder I could transmigrate here; I never imagined it was all due to this person before me.

"Heh!" Nie Yun chuckled lightly: "Being native to this world, one naturally feels reverence for it; breaking its shackles is far harder. Even I, with a mere thought, never imagined you could truly 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 devotion, attaining my present state 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 to escape unscathed, but in reality he lost his brave and diligent spirit. When facing someone surpassing us, if he lacks even this spirit, how can he possibly stand against them?"

Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan remained silent.

He had witnessed their battle back then, and Kong Shi indeed lacked decisiveness.

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

Unfortunately, in that instant, 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 at all about his daughter's life or death?

"With me here, she won't die……" Nie Yun gave a faint smile: "Your strength is not much different from mine now; do you think, with our combined strength, at a life-or-death moment, you could actually save someone?"

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

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

"Lingxi is the daughter of my other wife, Luo Qingcheng, so her assumed name bears the surname Luo…… In order to make her believe, to keep things unemotional, I have led her to think all this time that I am still in a coma……"

Nie Yun gave a wry laugh: "This father of mine has been pretty ruthless…… Well then, you should explain this to her; after all, her thoughts have already turned toward 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 that turns heaven and earth upside down……"

Seeing this unreliable father before him, Zhang Xuan's cheek twitched, and he could only agree: "All right……"

There's no choice but to agree; who let me elope 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, and your future is limitless. That my daughter can be with you brings me, as a father, some comfort."

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