Chapter 1051

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

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

To prevent this guy from changing his mind and causing a backlash, the Master Teacher Continent once specifically stipulated that even if the other party could detach from the Heavenly Dao's Ledger, they could not break free from the soul contract between them!

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

Ruthless Dao.

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

"I see……" Zhang Xuan's eyes flashed.

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

After explaining, the Ruthless Person said no more; his aura 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 wrong, hurriedly sending a mental transmission.

"Let's get ready to fight!" With all doubts dispelled in his heart, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, the long sword in his hand suddenly raised: "If that's the case, then let's see the real 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 reaching the Emperor's level of comprehension, contains all the obsessions in my heart, pushing the Heavenly If It Has Feeling technique within my body to its limit.

Whoosh!

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

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

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.

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

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

In an instant, his hand blotted out the sky and covered the earth, space shattered, the sun, moon, and stars seeming to be forcibly struck down.

Pfft! Pfft!

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

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

Just what realm has this guy reached?

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

From afar, it looked extremely 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, power surging up to the nine heavens.

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

Zhang Xuan covered his forehead.

Having attained Emperor status, the clone still hasn't changed its pretentious nature……

Such flamboyant showing off 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 ignited.

The remaining six Emperors also each employed their methods.

The seven Emperors united, capable of destroying heaven and earth; yet any world before them could not withstand it, but the opponent was the Ruthless Person who had absorbed special power—when his attack arrived, the black hole suddenly expanded, in the blink of an eye devouring all the power, then launching a counterattack.

Bang bang bang bang!

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

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

How could this guy be so powerful?

"You may die……"

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

"How dare you, rats!"

Accompanied by a loud shout, the old man from Sword God Heaven who had appeared earlier suddenly emerged, blocking in front of him, his long sword transforming into a galaxy.

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

Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

This old man originally 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 as well!

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

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

"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 that Emperor of Sword God Heaven likewise blown backward, landing not far away, blasting out a large crater.

Zhang Xuan's current strength and comprehension of the Sword Dao far surpass his; even if his cultivation is not weak and his swordsmanship exquisite, he is still 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 flat!"

Having defeated the Emperor of Sword God Heaven, the Ruthless Person laughed maniacally; the surrounding space continually collapsed, setting him off as demonic and monstrous.

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

Just now he and his clone had both exerted their utmost combat power; even Luo Ruoxi before him had used her strongest technique, yet they could not block even a single move of the opponent……

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

Are we just going to let him destroy the world?

The only way…… is to return your defect in the Heavenly Dao to the Heavenly Dao itself, letting the Heavenly Dao suppress him…… Luo Ruoxi clenched her fists, her eyes 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 breach and expel Henren on its own.

Just like the body's immune system.

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

But……

He is too strong; even if the Heavenly Dao recovers completely, it may not be able to suppress him! Zhang Xuan shook his head.

The virus, the immune system can kill it, but…… what about a fierce tiger?

What can even the strongest immune system do?

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…… we can't suppress him, but if the Heavenly Dao is whole, he can awaken and slay this person—that wouldn't be 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, flying forward.

"Trying 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 all hurry and leave; I'll hold him off……"

Knowing they were trying to find another way to save the Divine Realm rather than flee, the clone and the Undying Emperor let out a great shout and stepped forward, while Luo Qiqi also transformed, returning to the Silent Pearl's true form.

The surrounding space solidified.

Go!

Seeing everyone recklessly throwing themselves behind them, fearless 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 they appeared within the Free and Easy Heaven.

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

Where is the person you spoke of?

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

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

"He is my father; the blood in your pendant is his; the Undying Emperor was once his beast companion……" 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 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 power surpassing that of an Emperor?"

He couldn't help but say.

The library's chaos is due to the blood in the pendant awakening me; could it be that not only she is an Emperor, but her father is as well, and even stronger?

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

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

"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 could not withstand that great 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, while I acted as the steward of the natural Heavenly Dao, maintaining the Divine Realm's balance. To restore him, we must gather the scattered parts…… That is why I am so resolute, cannot fail! I therefore entered the Master Teacher Continent specifically, studying the Spring and Autumn Grand Classic, seeking a way to defeat Master Kong! When battling Master Kong, the favor I asked of him was also this."

Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly realized.

Having only just become acquainted with the Master Teacher Continent, the girl before me had already told me her story of wanting to save a close relative; I didn't understand then, but now I finally comprehend.

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 natural Heavenly Dao…… 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 my kind of fusion within the body are two different concepts.

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

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

In that case, I only need to separate the defective Heavenly Dao from myself; her death is not required.

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

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

"This…… I'm not sure either."

Luo Ruoxi lifted her gaze to the already-collapsed Divine Realm and hesitated.

The Divine Realm is my father's foundation; now that foundation is like this—even if he awakens, can he truly defeat that powerful Henren?

It's hard to say!

Looks like you can't be sure either; since that's the case, seeking help from 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 spiritual awareness should be the same as him, an Innate Fetal Soul Body.

One can remain undeluded in the womb.

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

Luo Ruoxi froze, seemingly not expecting this.

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

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

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

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

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

"Let's go!"

Without further explanation, he flicked his sleeve with one hand, Zhang Xuan returned to where Master Kong resided, and indeed saw an old man sitting cross-legged, floating in midair; seeing them arrive, he smiled faintly: "You've come!"

Not Master Kong, then who is it!

This teacher of myriad ages, indeed did not disappoint!

As guessed, taking advantage of everyone's attention being on the Tide Sea, he revived again.

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

She knew the Emperors could revive, the Undying Emperor had also come back to life, but… she didn't expect the speed to be this fast!

"I concealed myself from the Heavenly Dao, prepared a backup in advance; that nameless giant in the Nether Soul Pool is what I left behind, slain by you that day, I seized the chance to break free from the Heavenly Dao's bonds, recondensed my flesh, and have only just now recovered!"

Master Kong smiled faintly.

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

He has even had tens of years.

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

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

Not to boost others' prestige or dampen our own morale, but it's a fact.

Just now, so many people united couldn't block the opponent; even adding Master Kong, what could it change?

It likewise cannot change the situation!

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

Master Kong smiled and looked over.

"Merge into one person?"

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

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

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

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

Master Kong said.

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

"The Lingxi Emperor cultivates freedom and ease, transcending nature! But with the constraints of father and Heavenly Dao, and with beloved 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 couldn't speak.

During the battle, there was indeed such an intention; thus their exchanges at the start each held back, like sparring, not a life-and-death fight.

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

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

If back then we could have exterminated all the alien spirits, the Ruthless One could not have revived, nor would we be in this situation.

"So I'm also unsuitable! Zhang Xuan, however, cultivates a method that follows his heart, without flaw. He stresses living true to himself; even if he dies, as long as he lives without guilt, his mind is at ease. Such a person possesses greater inclusiveness and greater room for development; only thus can he go 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 say something, when he saw Master Kong's piercing gaze: "No need to decline; first say there's no time, go train others—even if there were, I doubt anyone could do better than you! Though the Lingxi Emperor's body lacks Heavenly Dao fragments, he has long mastered the Heavenly Dao, possessing his own understanding of it; I command the orderly Heavenly Dao. If we pour our power into you, your body will hold complete Heavenly Dao power! Combined with your avatar's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, we can fully achieve fixing the Nine Heavens, holding the universe, battling the Nine Firmaments, destroying myriad things!"

"Alright!"

Seeing the other party already decided, further explanation useless, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Boom—

Sitting cross-legged, in the blink of an eye, two mighty surges of power poured in from both sides.

Zhang Xuan's body stiffened, his whole person seemingly instantaneously embodying the Heavenly Dao, soaring above the Nine Heavens.

Soul, flesh, and true qi were instantly baptized, growing stronger and mightier.

……

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

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

The power unleashed by the clones and the many Emperors united 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, every move bringing the power to destroy heaven and earth. These Emperors and God Kings, though they represent the pinnacle of the Divine Realm, are still no match.

At this moment, Henren seemed to represent the entire Divine Realm, unstoppable by anyone.

The Divine Realm is doomed; living is meaningless. 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!

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 from above.

The Immortal Emperor revealed his true form, the Immortal Fire Phoenix, flames blazing across 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 revealed their true forms, causing the collapsing Divine Realm to slow down.

Heaven and earth seemed to freeze in an instant.

Bang bang bang bang!

Four consecutive palms, Henren crushed 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, stopping 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, more than ten times stronger than before, descending from the heavens, as if his very being was a world.

You've improved quite a bit……

Henren halted, his gaze solemn.

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

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

With a cold snort, Henren struck down again.

Zhang Xuan raised his sword and went to meet him.

The two clashed, space ripping apart, currents scattering everywhere.

Can Zhang Xuan win?

At the Free Heaven residence of Master Kong, Luo Ruoxi looked over, full of worry.

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

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

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

After a moment of silence, Master Kong said.

Even a dozen Emperors united could not defeat Henren, even if they transferred all their power to him, wanting to overcome him was still not easy.

The reason we do this is because…… only by concentrating power in one person can one possibly touch the peak, possibly truly transcend limits, 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; can her beloved man do it?

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

Seeing her doubt, Master Kong laughed and said.

……

Bang bang bang bang!

After several blows, Zhang Xuan's tiger's mouth split, his chest bearing a huge, hideous wound.

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

'Hah, I thought you were something, but that's all!' Henren gave a cold smile.

'Anyway, you're not my match; sooner or later I'll be killed. If so, I want to die under your strongest attack……' Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan stopped advancing, instead gazing at Henren before him.

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

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

Clatter!

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

Surely the strongest attack, the entire Divine Realm rumbled, as if it could barely endure, once again blasted with a huge crater.

Eyes tightly shut, Zhang Xuan did not dodge.

Bang!

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 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 to surpass the Emperor realm, so why didn't he resist and willingly go to his death?

Wouldn't that be wasting their good intentions?

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

While they were puzzled, Kong Shi suddenly spoke.

Everyone then saw Zhang Xuan's head exploding, even his soul shattering, as 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 stepped out slowly.

"He... used the opponent's power and the blood in the pendant to separate the flaw in the Heavenly Dao from his soul?"

Luo Ruoxi's pupils contracted.

After being reborn from the flames, Zhang Xuan actually had no Heavenly Dao Library inside him, no interference from the Heavenly Dao, and had severed ties with it!

"How did he do that?"

Kong Shi was also full of disbelief.

The Heavenly Dao and his soul were fused together, indistinguishable; to break free, he had to have his soul scatter and, with the aid 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 dissolve it, the servant remains forever bound… the Heavenly Dao Library is the same—it can be called an enhanced version of the contract.

Once the soul is bound, even immortality won't free it.

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

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

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

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

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

In an instant, it perfectly merged with himself.

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

He lightly tapped the ground with his foot.

The chaotic Nine Heavens immediately stabilized.

The Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, which appears when the Nine Heavens are born, can stabilize the Nine Heavens; at this moment, his clone and self perfectly fused, indistinguishable, which means he now controls 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, 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.

At the moment the Heavenly Dao Library detached 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 question 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 there is a world, and with emotion life can continue.

Love, is emotion.

Hatred, is emotion.

Joy, is emotion.

Pain, is emotion.

Separation, is emotion.

Reunion, is also emotion!

"Myriad feelings, for my use……"

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

The Emperor's shackles, broken!

In an instant, it seemed 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 rapidly increased.

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

"You..." The Ruthless Person hadn't expected that his full-force attack would not only fail to slay him but actually fulfill him; he shouted "wah-wah!" in anger, gave a furious roar, and attacked again.

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

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

The 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: "Zhang Shi, I am your servant, don't kill me… I am willing to offer my soul as a sacrifice…"

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

Having mastered the emotions of the world, servants and such hold no meaning for him anymore.

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

"No..."

Feeling his decisiveness, Henren'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, revitalizing the once‑barren wilderness.

"This..."

"You killed him just like that?"

Cloud Chilong Great Emperor, Undying Emperor, Exquisite Fairy, and the others all widened their eyes in disbelief.

Just moments ago they had crossed blows with Henren, 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 "flawed Heavenly Dao" 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 thunderously embedded itself in the sky of the Divine Realm.

With a deep bell-like toll, the continually collapsing Divine Realm visibly began to recover slowly, and the chaotic currents also reconverged.

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

"It seems the Divine Realm is about to usher in an era of spiritual renewal..." 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, come over here..."

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

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

It was none other than the one 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 pinnacle of Emperor level, far surpassing even Luo Ruoxi as before.

"Just call me by my name; I am 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 named Nie Tong chuckled and stepped forward.

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

Immediately he saw another youth.

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

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled.

The youth before him 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 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?

Just how powerful must his strength be?

"That's not right—if the Divine Realm is your creation and you are the Heavenly Dao, why did you let Henren run rampant without intervening?" Zhang Xuan looked over.

"If I hadn't 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 at all?"

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 being, since he could cultivate to this level, perhaps others could as well—and perhaps even stronger."

"Just like the one before us."

"I once suspected that greater beings existed above the Divine Realm, so I exerted all my power to peer upward, ultimately drawing a backlash from a higher world... a palm 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."

"I merely wish to restore this situation with a single thought, but... I understand that to truly transcend the Divine Realm's shackles, to explore where that palm came from and what lies beyond the Divine Realm, is difficult for me alone. Therefore, I want to see if any life can break through the Emperor's shackles 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 originally belonging to this world and to a soul not of this world. And you, in the end, did not disappoint me!"

Nie Yun said with a smile.

"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."

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

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

"Without Master Kong's selfless dedication, achieving my current 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 and could withdraw unscathed, but in fact he lost his brave and diligent spirit. When facing someone surpassing us, if he lacks even this spirit, how could he possibly stand against them?" Nie Yun said.

Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan remained silent.

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

It's also possible that he was unwilling 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 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 and being an Emperor are two different concepts; if he truly wished to intervene, 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 always thought I was still in a coma..."

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

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

He had no choice but to agree; who let him elope with someone else's daughter...

"The Heavenly Dao Library is a manifestation of my will; it is both foundation and shackle. If you can rely on your own ability to break through the shackle, it demonstrates your ability and potential, your future is limitless; my daughter being with you would also bring me comfort as a father."

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