Chapter 1050

A soul contract, once it matches the soul, cannot be undone as long as one does not dissolve it; even if the other party's methods are heavenly, it cannot be resolved.

Just like the Undying Emperor Xiao Huang Ji, who was merely a Divine King before, he is now an Emperor, yet he likewise cannot resolve this kind of agreement.

To prevent this fellow from changing his mind and suffering backlash, the Famous Master Continent once specially stipulated that even if the other party could break free from the Heavenly Dao's Record, they could not escape the soul's agreement!

"A soul contract indeed cannot be separated from the sea of consciousness, but I have fused 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 Dao.

A soul contract is founded upon the Heavenly Dao; even special powers capable of dissolving the Divine Realm's Heavenly Dao can dissolve a soul contract—if handled properly, what difficulty is there?

"I see……" Zhang Xuan's eyes flashed.

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

After finishing his explanation, the Ruthless One 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.

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

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

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

Boom—

The strongest sword intent was unleashed once again.

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

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

This sword move, though not yet reaching the Emperor's level of comprehension, contains all the obsessions in my heart, pushing the internal "Heaven, If It Has Feelings" technique to its limit.

Whoosh!

A single sword cut the Ruthless One's attack in half.

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

Her swordsmanship somewhat resembles that of the youth from Jian Shen Tian, bearing an unstoppable momentum and the natural ease of the Great Dao.

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

With a light smile, the Ruthless One reached down again.

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

Pfft! Pfft!

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

With their combined strength, they could not even resist!

Just what realm has this fellow reached?

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

From afar, it looked incredibly imposing.

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

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

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

Zhang Xuan covered his forehead.

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

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

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

Xiao Huang Ji let out a loud shout, crimson flames blazing, the sky seeming to be set ablaze.

The remaining six Emperors also each displayed their abilities.

The seven Emperors united, capable of destroying heaven and earth; yet any force before them could not be resisted—but the opponent was the Ruthless One who had absorbed special power. As his attack approached, the black hole suddenly expanded, in the blink of an eye devouring all power, then launched a counterattack.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

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

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

How could this fellow be so powerful?

"You may die……"

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

"How dare you, rats!"

Accompanied by a loud shout, the old man from Jian Shen Tian who had appeared earlier suddenly emerged, blocking before him, his long sword transforming into a galaxy.

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

Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

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

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

"He himself is the Emperor of Jian Shen Tian……" Luo Ruoxi struggled to her feet, gritting her teeth.

"Then… 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 Jian Shen Tian likewise blown backward, landing not far away and blasting out a large crater.

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

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

Having defeated the Emperor of Jian Shen Tian, the Ruthless One laughed maniacally as the surrounding space continually collapsed, casting him as a demonic fiend.

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

Just now he and his avatar had exerted their utmost combat power, even Luo Ruoxi before him had used her strongest technique, yet none could block a single strike of the opponent……

Could it be that truly 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 becomes completely whole, perhaps able to repair the loophole and expel Henren.

Just like the human immune system.

When the immune system is complete, 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.

But……

"He is too strong; even if the Heavenly Dao recovers completely, it cannot suppress him, right?" 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…… he is already beyond what the Heavenly Dao can contend with.

"This……" Luo Ruoxi paused, a look of loss appearing on her pure jade-like face: "Yeah…… there is no way to suppress him, but if the Heavenly Dao is whole, he can awaken 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, turned, and flew forward.

"Want to escape?" Henren 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 Henren.

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

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

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

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

The Free and Easy Heaven no longer has 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 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 recognized 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 in chaos is due to the blood in the pendant, which let me regain clarity; could it be that not only she is an Emperor, 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 awaken him?

"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, father could not withstand that big hand, fell into coma, the Heavenly Dao shattered into three parts; the orderly Heavenly Dao and the flawed Heavenly Dao entered the spatial turbulence, I acted as steward of the natural Heavenly Dao, maintaining the Divine Realm's balance. To let him recover, only by gathering 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 Classic, seeking a way to defeat Master Kong! When fighting Master Kong, 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 back then, but now I suddenly realize.

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

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

"Acting as steward of the natural Heavenly Dao…… you don't have any Heavenly Dao fragments inside you?" Suddenly realizing something off in her words, Zhang Xuan looked over.

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

"I merely steward it, and 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 flawed Heavenly Dao from within myself; there's no need for her to die as well.

Although unwilling to accept this fate, I also do not want the girl before me to be harmed.

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

"This…… I'm not sure either……"

He looked up at the already collapsed Divine Realm; Luo Ruoxi hesitated.

The Divine Realm is the foundation of his father; now the foundation is like this, even if awakened, can we truly defeat that powerful Henren?

Really hard to say!

"Looks like you can't be sure either. In that case, seeking help from others is worse than relying on oneself… We only have ourselves to figure it out!" Zhang Xuan clenched 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 using that as a method to break free from the Heavenly Dao… Barring any 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 preservation of consciousness should be the same as his—an Innate Fetal Soul Body.

One can remain undeluded even in the womb.

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

Luo Ruoxi froze, apparently not expecting 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 missed the Tide Sea…" Zhang Xuan said.

Master Kong's disciples—Ziyuan the Ancient Sage and others—are all formidable; even without an Emperor's aid, 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, 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, Zhang Xuan swept his hand once and returned to where Master Kong dwelled; sure enough, he saw an old man sitting cross‑legged, floating in mid‑air. 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 myriad ages certainly did not disappoint!

Just as guessed, taking advantage of everyone's focus on the Tide Sea, he revived again.

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

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

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

Master Kong 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 he had undergone an unknown span of time to regain his strength.

He had even accumulated several decades' worth of time.

"Our three forces are strong, but overcoming the Ruthless One is not that easy…"

Seeing that Master Kong 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, even with so many of us united, we couldn't block the opponent; adding Master Kong wouldn't change anything.

It would likewise fail to alter the situation!

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

Master Kong smiled and looked over.

"Fuse it into one person?"

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

"That palm can rend 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; judging by strength alone, even if we each took out our power from the dozen‑odd Emperors, we would certainly not be a match…"

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

"How to concentrate it?"

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 all these years.

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

Master Kong said.

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

"The Lingxi Emperor cultivates freedom and spontaneity, transcending nature! Yet with the constraints of father and Heavenly Dao, and with beloved ones to worry about, 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 unable to speak.

During the battle, that intention indeed existed, so at the outset of their clash each held back a reserve, making it more like a sparring match 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…"

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 and exterminated the Alien Spirit clan, we wouldn't be in this predicament…"

"Had we been able to wipe out the Alien Spirit folk back then, the Ruthless One could not have revived, and we would not be in this situation."

"So I'm not suitable either! Zhang Xuan, however, cultivates a method that flows naturally, without flaw. 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 inclusiveness and broader 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 anything else bind one?"

"This…" Zhang Xuan frowned, about to speak, when Master Kong's piercing gaze fell on him: "No need to decline—first say there's no time, go train others; even if there were time, I doubt anyone could do better than you! Though the Lingxi Emperor's body lacks shards of the Heavenly Dao, he has long commanded it and thus has his own understanding of it; I govern the orderly Heavenly Dao. If we pour our power into you, you will possess the complete Heavenly Dao within! Combined with your avatar's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, we can indeed stabilize the Nine Heavens, command the cosmos, battle the Nine Firmaments, and annihilate all 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 either side.

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, kill you all, then go slay Zhang Xuan..."

He sent Luo Qiqi and the clones flying, and Hengren 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 swallowed almost all the spiritual energy outside the city in the divine realm; now this energy 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 for a single blow.

At this moment, Hengren seemed to represent the entire divine realm, and no one could withstand him.

"The divine realm is doomed; our lives are meaningless. I, Yun Chi, will perish with you..."

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

"Just you? You're not worthy!"

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

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

Great Emperor Profound Darkness'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, causing the collapsing divine realm to slow down.

Heaven and earth seemed to freeze in an instant.

Bang bang bang bang!

With four consecutive palms, Hengren 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, 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, descending from the heavens as if his very being were a world.

"You've improved a lot..."

Hengren halted, his gaze solemn.

He obviously 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, Hengren struck down again.

Zhang Xuan raised his longsword and went to meet him.

The two clashed, space tearing apart 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 the Master transferred their power to Zhang Xuan, but their own cultivation had dropped to only the God King level, not as glorious as before.

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

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

After a moment of silence, the Master said.

Even a dozen emperors united could not defeat Hengren; even if they transferred all their power to the opponent, wanting to overcome Hengren was still not easy.

The reason they do this is because... only by concentrating power in one person can one possibly touch the pinnacle, truly surpass limits, and break through oneself!

"Power beyond the emperors?"

Luo Ruoxi's gaze was distant.

When her father was still lucid, he had 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, the Master laughed and said.

Bang bang bang!

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

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

"Hah, I thought you were formidable, but that's all!" Hengren gave a cold smile.

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

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

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

Whoosh!

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

Sure enough, it was the strongest attack; the entire divine realm rumbled, as if it could barely withstand it, and was struck again with a huge crater.

With his eyes tightly closed, Zhang Xuan did not dodge.

Boom!

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.

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

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

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

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

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

While they were puzzled, Kong Shi 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 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 and the soul?

Luo Ruoxi's pupils contracted.

After being reborn from the fire, Zhang Xuan actually had no Heavenly Dao Library inside him, no interference from the Heavenly Dao, and had broken free from the Heavenly Dao!

How did he do that?

Kong Shi was also full of disbelief.

The Heavenly Dao and the soul were fused together, indistinguishable; to break free, he had to have his soul scatter and, with the help of the Nether Soul Pool, recondense his soul.

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

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

The soul contract binds master and servant; if the master does not undo it, the servant remains forever controlled... 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; Zhang Xuan had previously inquired about the exact method in detail, so he likely had the idea back then.

That's why he deliberately fought to the death, letting it unleash its strongest power to attack him.

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

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

Zhang Xuan, walking out of the flames, showed a faint smile, as if he understood something; he suddenly waved his hand, and a clone on one side instantly turned back into a lotus flower, flying over.

In an instant, it perfectly merged with himself.

In the blink of an eye, everyone felt that Zhang Xuan before them had become the Nine Heavens; the Nine Heavens were him.

He lightly tapped the ground with his foot.

The chaotic Nine Heavens immediately stabilized.

The Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, which appears when the Nine Heavens are born, can stabilize the Nine Heavens; at this moment, the clone and self perfectly merged, indistinguishable, which means he has mastered this power.

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

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

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

At the moment the Heavenly Dao Library separated from his soul, he realized.

Is it that people see the world and thus the world exists, or did the world come first and then people?

Is it the wind moving, or the heart moving!

This question has troubled countless people since ancient times.

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

Without life, without emotions, 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 emotions; 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 emotions, for my use...

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

The Emperor's shackles, broken!

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

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

Before, only absorbing spiritual power could bring progress; now, spatial turbulence, chaotic qi, even the opponent's azure light, can all be mine, with no distinction.

You... the ruthless person hadn't expected that his full-force attack would not only fail to slay him, but instead fulfill him; enraged, he shouted 'wah-wah!' and, with a furious roar, attacked again.

You resent the lofty Emperor for not rescuing yourself in the spatial turbulence—that's emotion; you think that having once been my servant, containing humility and anger, is emotion; you want to destroy the divine realm and vent your anger—that's emotion; you want to become stronger—also emotion… Emotion controls you; how can you possibly defeat me and not be controlled by me?

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, controlled by him!

As long as there is emotion, you will be used by him and controlled by him!

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

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

Controlling the emotions of the world, servants and such are already meaningless to him.

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

Having killed so many god‑level beings, injured my own girlfriend, Luo Qiqi, and so many other friends, today how could I possibly forgive!

No...

Feeling his decisiveness, the Ruthless's pupils contracted; before his words ended, he immediately felt a sharp pain throughout his body.

Bang!

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

Previously, the Tide Sea had devoured all that power; now it all flowed back, and the once‑barren wilderness sprang back to life.

"This..."

"You killed him just like that?"

Emperor Yunchi, the Immortal Emperor Sovereign, the exquisite fairy, and the others all widened their eyes, unable to believe it.

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

Could there truly be a realm above the Emperor Sovereign?

"He succeeded..."

Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi loosened their clenched fists.

"This is part of the Heavenly Dao, so now I will 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 smiled lightly and flicked his finger.

Hum!

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

The bell-like toll rang out; the continually collapsing Divine Realm visibly healed slowly, and the chaotic currents also gathered together again.

The collapsing Divine Realm finally halted, and the withered spiritual energy, along with the Ruthless'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 prosperity—it's only a matter of time.

"Zhang Xuan, come here..."

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

That step carried him an unknown distance, and 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 startled.

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

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

"Nie Tong?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

It was the first time he had heard that name.

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

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

Immediately he saw another youth.

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

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled.

The youth before him proved even stronger, having likewise broken through the Emperor Sovereign'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 spoke of!"

"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 strong must his power be?

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

"If it weren't for my breakthrough, 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?"

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

"Although I've never seen such a being, since he could cultivate to this level, perhaps others could as well—and perhaps even stronger."

"Just like the one before me."

"I once suspected that greater beings existed above the Divine Realm, so I strained my utmost to peer upward, ultimately drawing a backlash from a higher world... a palm that shattered the void and descended!"

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

"Such a situation, I wish to restore—it is merely a thought—but I understand that to truly transcend the Divine Realm's shackles, to explore where that palm came from and what lies beyond the Divine Realm, I cannot do it alone. So I want to see whether any life can break through the Emperor Sovereign's shackles and reach a level equal to mine!"

"Therefore, I sent the scattered thoughts of the Heavenly Dao down to the lowest world... granting them respectively to the souls originally belonging to this world and to a soul not of this world. And you, you have not disappointed me!"

Nie Yun smiled.

"A soul not of this world—so my transmigration was also because of you?" Zhang Xuan's heart shuddered.

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

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

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

"Without Kong Shi's selfless sacrifice, reaching my present state would be utterly impossible."

"Opportunity I gave him, 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 the spirit of brave advancement. 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, 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 he 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, with their strength, at a life-or-death moment, wanting to save someone, can you do it?"

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

Breaking through to Emperor Sovereign and Emperor Sovereign are two concepts; if he truly wishes to act, he can indeed save the person at the critical moment, and guarantee that he won't suffer any injury.

"Lingxi is the child of my other wife, Luo Qingcheng, so her assumed surname is Luo... In order to make her believe, to keep her unemotional, she has always thought I was 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 already turned to you, this old man 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 face 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, a foundation and also a shackle; if you can rely on your own ability to break through the shackle, it demonstrates your ability and potential, your future is limitless; my daughter being with you, as a father, I can also feel relieved."

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