Chapter 1048: Heaven Exchange

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

Just like the Undying Emperor Xiao Huang Ji, 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 decreed that even if one could escape the Heavenly Dao Record, they could not break free from the soul‑bound agreement.

"A soul contract indeed cannot be separated from the sea of consciousness, but I have merged a special gas that even the Heavenly Dao can dissolve, making it easy to undo this contract…… As long as there is sufficient power, bombarding the location of the contract will achieve it."

Ruthless Person's Dao.

A soul contract is founded upon the Heavenly Dao; even special powers capable of dissolving the Heavenly Dao of the Divine Realm can undo 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 finishing his explanation, the Ruthless Person said no more; his aura grew ever more ancient and distant, the black hole behind him swelling larger—evidently, in the time spent speaking, he had devoured an unknown amount of power, nourishing himself.

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

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

"Get ready to attack!" With his doubts dispelled, Zhang Xuan drew a deep breath, raised his long sword, and declared: "If that's the case, then let's see whose skill is superior!"

Boom—

He unleashed his greatest sword intent once more.

While alive, I shall return; in death, I shall yearn forever!

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

Although this sword technique has not reached the level of an Emperor's insight, it embodies all the obsessions in my heart, pushing the Heaven's Feelings Technique within my body to its utmost.

Whoosh—

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pfft! Pfft!

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

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

Just what realm has this fellow attained?

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

From afar, he looked incredibly imposing.

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

Zhang Xuan clutched his forehead.

Having attained Emperor status, his avatar still hasn't changed its show‑off nature……

Such flamboyant showing off would be better replaced by concentrating power for greater might!

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

Xiao Huang Ji let out a loud shout; crimson flames blazed, making the sky seem as if it were set ablaze.

The remaining Six Great Emperors also each employed their means.

The Seven Emperors joined forces, capable of destroying heaven and earth, yet a single side of heaven and earth could not withstand it before them—but the opponent was the Ruthless Person who had absorbed special power; as his attack approached, the black hole suddenly expanded, in the blink of an eye devouring all that power and immediately counter‑attacking.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

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

Even the Ten Great Emperors united could not block a single move of the opponent!

How could this fellow be so powerful?

"You may die……"

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

"How dare you, vermin!"

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

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

Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

This old man had once followed the youth behind him; I had thought he was merely a follower, at most entitled God King, but upon displaying his power I discovered he was actually a formidable Emperor!

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

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

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

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

Zhang Xuan's present strength and his understanding of the Sword Way far surpass his; even if his cultivation is not weak and his swordsmanship superb, he remains no match.

"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 underfoot!"

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

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

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

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

Just let him destroy the world?

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

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

The library in his mind is itself part of the Heavenly Dao; once returned, the Heavenly Dao becomes completely whole, perhaps able to repair the loophole and expel the Ruthless Person.

Just like the human immune system.

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

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 kill them, but…… what about a fierce tiger?

Even the strongest immune system, what can it do?

This person before us is merely an ordinary Divine King; even with a title, the Heavenly Dao could easily kill him, yet he is stronger than an Emperor…… he is now beyond what the Heavenly Dao can contend with.

"This……" Luo Ruoxi paused, a look of loss appearing on her pure jade-like face: "Yeah…… there's no way to suppress him, but if the Heavenly Dao is whole, he can wake up and slay this person—it's not difficult!"

"Him?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

"Want to escape?" The Ruthless Person snorted coldly and pressed down.

Boom!

Luo Ruoxi fell from the air.

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

Ding ding ding!

Once again blocked by the Ruthless Person.

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

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

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

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

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

"Where is the person you spoke of?"

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

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

"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 thought left by the Undying Emperor, upon seeing the pendant, immediately acknowledged me as its master.

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

He couldn't help but say.

The library's chaos is due to the blood in the pendant letting 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 still be unconscious?

Also, does it need a defective Heavenly Dao to make him conscious?

"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 defective Heavenly Dao entered the spatial turbulence; I acted as the steward of the Heavenly Dao's natural order, 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 specially entered the Master Teacher Continent, studied the Spring and Autumn Grand Canon, seeking a way to defeat Master Confucius! When fighting Master Confucius, the favor I asked of him was also this."

Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

Not long after meeting 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.

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 the steward of the Heavenly Dao's natural order…… 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 oversee it; I am not part of the Heavenly Dao……" Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

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

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

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

"This…… I'm not sure either……"

Luo Ruoxi raised her head, gazing at the already collapsed Divine Realm, and hesitated.

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

Really hard to say!

"Looks like you can't be sure either. In that case, relying on others is worse than relying on oneself… We have only ourselves to figure it out!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth: "You, me, and my avatar, united with the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, if we also coordinate with Master Kong, we might not be unable 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, it became clear that Master Kong's so-called preserving consciousness should be the same as him—an Innate Fetal Soul Body.

One can remain clear-minded even in the womb.

Adding the preparations made in advance, resurrection is merely a matter of time.

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

"Just go check and you'll know; my guess is correct—he should have already recovered. Otherwise, his disciples couldn't possibly have 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 an 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 awaiting them, 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 waved a hand and returned to where Master Kong lived; indeed he saw an old man sitting cross-legged, floating in midair. Seeing them arrive, the old man gave a slight smile: "You've come!"

Who else could it be if not Master Kong!

This teacher of all 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 body trembled.

She knew Emperors could be revived, and the Undying Emperor had come back to life, but… she hadn't expected it to happen so quickly!

"I concealed my actions from the Heavenly Dao, prepared a backup in advance—the nameless giant in the Nether Soul Pool was mine; when you slew him 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 gave a faint smile.

He is versed in time 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.

"Our three strengths are considerable, but defeating 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, even with so many of us united, we couldn't block the opponent; even adding Master Kong, what difference would it make?

It would likewise fail to change the situation!

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

Master Kong smiled and looked over.

"Merge into one person?"

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

"That palm can rend the Divine Realm and 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. Going by strength alone, even if we each took out our power from the dozen or so Emperors, we would certainly not be a match…"

Master Kong said: "But if we join together, concentrating the power in one person… it might not be so!"

"How to concentrate?"

Luo Ruoxi looked over.

Easy to say, hard to do.

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

"It's quite simple… we will gather our strength 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 Sovereign cultivates freedom and ease, transcending nature! But with the constraints of father and Heavenly Dao, and with beloved ones, one can never truly transcend! If I'm not mistaken, when we fought before, you also once gave up, intending to let me slay you!"

Master Kong said.

Luo Ruoxi was speechless.

During the fight, there had indeed been such an intention, so their exchanges at the start each held back, akin to sparring rather than a life‑and‑death battle.

"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 all beings in mind, wishing to save the world, yet unwilling to let others sacrifice for me—excessive compassion is also a flaw! If I were a bit more ruthless, exterminating the alien spirits, we wouldn't be in this situation…"

"Had we been able to exterminate the alien spirits back then, the Ruthless One could not have revived, and we would not be in this predicament."

"So I am also unsuitable! Zhang Xuan, however, cultivates a harmonious method, free of flaws. He seeks to live true to himself; even if he dies, as long as he lives without guilt, his heart is at ease. Such a person possesses greater tolerance 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! The Lingxi Emperor Sovereign may lack Heavenly Dao fragments within, but has long mastered the Heavenly Dao, possessing his own understanding of it; I govern the orderly Heavenly Dao. If we pour our power into you, you will wield complete Heavenly Dao strength! Combined with your avatar's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, we can fully stabilize the Nine Heavens, command the universe, battle the Nine Firmaments, and annihilate all things!"

"Alright!"

Seeing the other party had already decided, further explanation would be useless, 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 and ever more mighty.

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

He sent Luo Qiqi and the clones flying, and Hen Ren 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 of the Divine Realm, almost completely devouring it; now this power has become his nourishment, his every move carrying 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, Hen Ren seemed to represent the entire Divine Realm, and no one could stop him.

"The Divine Realm is doomed; 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, and lunged at him from above.

"Just you? You're not worthy!"

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

"Old friend, wait for me!"

Fumeng the Emperor also let out a great roar, transforming into his true form, a white tiger, and appeared before him.

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

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

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

Heaven and earth seemed to freeze in an instant.

Boom boom boom boom!

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

In the roar, just as he was about to strike down and wipe everyone out, 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 down 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 were a world.

"You've improved quite a bit..."

Hen Ren stopped, his gaze solemn.

He clearly didn't understand how, in just a few short minutes, the opponent's strength had undergone such a tremendous change.

"But what does it matter if you've increased? Even at its peak, the Divine Realm couldn't withstand me; I don't believe you can block me..."

With a cold snort, Hen Ren 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 Master Kong in Zi Tian, Luo Ruoxi looked over, full of worry.

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

But rank is just rank; as long as the power is sufficient, one day it can be fully restored.

"With your current strength, wanting to surpass him... is very difficult! Unless... he can comprehend power beyond the Emperors!"

After a moment of silence, Master Kong said.

Even a dozen Emperors united could not defeat Hen Ren, even if they transferred all their power to him; wanting to overcome him is still no easy feat.

The reason we do this is because... only by concentrating power in a single 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 an arrogance toward this world!"

Seeing her doubt, Master Kong laughed and said.

Boom boom boom!

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

Just as Master Kong said, even after fusing their two powers and forming a complete Heavenly Dao within, he was still no match.

"Hah, I thought you were formidable, but this is all!" Hen Ren 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 advancing, instead gazing at Hen Ren before him.

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

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

Clatter!

A cyan light appeared in his palm and came crashing down.

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.

Boom!

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

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

Luo Qiqi went mad.

Yun Chi the Great Emperor and the others also stared wide-eyed, trembling nonstop.

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

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

Wouldn't that be wasting their good intentions?

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

While they were puzzled, Master Kong suddenly spoke.

Everyone then 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 undergoing Phoenix Rebirth, 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?"

Master Kong also couldn't believe it.

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

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

"I understand... he used the method of the Ruthless Person to break the soul contract..." Luo Ruoxi realized.

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

Once the soul is bound, the undying will not break free.

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

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

With this power, he underwent Phoenix Rebirth; unexpectedly, it was a great success!

"Ah, so this is the method to break through the Emperor..."

Walking out of the flames, Zhang Xuan showed a faint smile, as if he understood something; he suddenly waved a hand, and his avatar 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 had become the Nine Heavens; the Nine Heavens were him.

He lightly tapped the ground with his foot.

The chaotic Nine Heavens immediately stabilized.

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

Moreover, with the cultivation level fused with 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, parental affection, love—when combined, they are actually all things in the world; this is what it means to be human!"

Smiling, Zhang Xuan muttered to himself.

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

Is it that people see the world and thus the world exists, or that the world existed first and then people came?

Is it the wind moving, or the heart moving?

This problem has troubled countless people since ancient times.

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

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

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

All things in the world have emotion; with emotion comes the world; with emotion, life can continue.

Love, is emotion.

Hatred, is emotion.

Joy, is emotion.

Pain, is emotion.

Separation, is emotion.

Reunion, is also emotion!

"Myriad feelings, for my use..."

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

The Emperor's shackles, broken through!

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

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

Before, only absorbing spiritual power allowed 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 not only failed to slay him, but actually completed him; enraged, he shouted "wah-wah!" and, with a furious roar, attacked again.

"You resent the lofty Emperor, not being saved by me 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 stronger—also emotion... Emotion controls you; how could you possibly overcome me, not be controlled by me?"

Smiling faintly, Zhang Xuan's voice grew faster and louder, his hand lightly grasping.

The originally 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 this now is already too late..." Zhang Xuan smiled slightly and shook his head.

Controlling the emotions of the world, things like servants are already meaningless to him.

Killing so many Divine-Level beings, hurting his girlfriend, Luo Qiqi, and so many friends—how could he possibly be forgiven today!

"No..."

Feeling his decisiveness, Hengren's pupils contracted; before his words finished, 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 flowed back, reviving the once‑barren wasteland.

"This..."

"You killed him just like that?"

Great Emperor Yunchi, Undying Emperor, Fairy Linglong and the others stared wide‑eyed, unable to believe it.

Just now they had crossed blows with Hengren, knowing how terrifying he was; such a powerful person was actually wiped out with a casual swipe—this Zhang Xuan… just what level has he reached?

Could there really be another 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 Lack" that had been separated from his own body still hovering in the air, Zhang Xuan smiled faintly and flicked his finger.

Hum!

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

With the tolling of a great bell, the continually collapsing Divine Realm slowly recovered, visible to the naked eye, and the chaotic currents also gathered again.

The collapsing Divine Realm finally halted, and the withered spiritual energy, together with Hengren's death, slowly revived.

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

The rift in the Tide Sea, along with 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 over here…"

After finishing all that, a voice sounded in his mind; Zhang Xuan startled, then took a step forward.

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

It was the very person who had previously taught him his sword technique.

"Senior…"

Seeing it was him, Zhang Xuan blinked in surprise.

He had always seemed unfathomable, but only now did he realize that the man was merely a hair's breadth above himself, having already reached the peak of the Emperor realm, far surpassing Luo Ruoxi's previous strength by an unknown degree.

"Just call me by my name—I'm Nie Tong!" the youth declared, a forward‑pressing 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 smiled lightly and stepped forward.

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

He then saw another young man.

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

"This strength…" Zhang Xuan trembled.

This young man's strength was actually greater than his, 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 your Luo Ruoxi."

"Luo Ruoxi's father?"

Zhang Xuan shuddered: "You… are the Heavenly Dao of the Divine Realm?"

Luo Ruoxi had said before that her father was the Heavenly Dao—who would have thought it would be such a young man?

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

Zhang Xuan could not believe it.

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

Then just how strong must his power be?

"No, if the Divine Realm is your creation and you are the Heavenly Dao, why do you let Hengren run rampant without intervening?" Zhang Xuan looked over.

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

Not even caring about his daughter's life or death?

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

"This…" Zhang Xuan paused: "There should be, right?"

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

Just like the one before him.

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

Nie Yun looked over: "If I had dodged back then, the entire Divine Realm would likely have been erased, leaving no life at all… so I blocked the strike, but consequently, my embodied Heavenly Dao was split apart."

"I merely wish to restore this with a single thought, but I understand that to truly transcend the Divine Realm's shackles and investigate where that palm came from, and what lies beyond the Divine Realm… doing it alone is nearly impossible. So I want to see whether any life can break through the Emperor's shackles and reach my level."

"So I sent the scattered thoughts of the Heavenly Dao down to the lowest world, granting them respectively to the souls native to this world and to a soul foreign to it. And you, you have not disappointed me."

Nie Yun smiled.

"A soul not belonging to this world, then—does that mean I crossed over because of you?" Zhang Xuan's heart shook.

No wonder—it turns out that my crossing over was entirely due to this person before me.

"Hehe," Nie Yun chuckled lightly, saying, "Being native to this world, one naturally feels reverence for it; breaking its shackles is far harder. I merely had a 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 sacrifice, attaining the present cultivation would be utterly impossible.

"I gave him the opportunity; he just failed to 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 escape 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 contend with them?"

Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan remained silent.

At that time, he witnessed their battle; Kong Shi indeed lacked decisiveness.

Perhaps he simply didn't want to kill Luo Ruoxi.

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

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

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

"With me here, she won't die..." Nie Yun gave a faint smile: "Your strength is now not much different from mine. Do you think, with both of our abilities, 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 her unemotional, she has continued to think that I am still in a coma..."

Nie Yun gave a wry laugh: "This father of mine has been pretty ruthless... Well, let you 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 father before him, Zhang Xuan's cheek twitched, and he could only agree: "Alright..."

There's no choice but to agree; who let him abduct someone's daughter...

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

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