Chapter 1052

A soul contract binds the souls; as long as one does not dissolve it oneself, no matter how powerful the other party's methods, it cannot be undone.

Just like the Undying Emperor Sovereign Xiao Huangji, who was merely a God King before but is now an Emperor Sovereign, he too cannot resolve this agreement.

To prevent this fellow from reneging and suffering a backlash, the Ming Shi Continent once expressly decreed that even if one could escape the Heavenly Dao's Record, they could not break the soul‑contract.

"A soul contract indeed cannot be split 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!"

The Ruthless Dao.

A soul contract is founded upon the Heavenly Dao; even a special power 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 One said no more; his aura became ever more ancient and distant, and the black hole behind him grew larger—evidently, while speaking, it had swallowed an unknown amount of power, nourishing itself.

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

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

"Get ready to attack!" With all doubts gone in his heart, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, his long sword suddenly rising: "If that's the case, then let's see the true skill beneath our hands!"

Boom—

The mightiest sword intent was unleashed once again.

In life I shall return; in death I shall yearn!

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

This sword move, though not yet reaching the Emperor Sovereign's level of comprehension, embodies all the obsessions in my heart, pushing the Heavenly If Has Feeling technique within my body to its limit.

Whoosh!

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

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

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

"Your techniques are formidable, but compared to me, they still fall short……"

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

In an instant, his palm blotted out the sky and sun, covering heaven and earth; space shattered, and the sun, moon, and stars seemed about to be slammed down by force.

Pfft! Pfft!

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

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

Just what realm has this fellow reached?

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

From afar, it looked immensely 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 to the Nine Heavens.

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

Zhang Xuan clutched his forehead.

Having become an Emperor Sovereign, the clone 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 Huangji let out a loud shout; crimson flames ignited, as if the sky itself were set ablaze.

The remaining six Emperor Sovereigns also each displayed their abilities.

Seven Emperor Sovereigns joined forces, capable of destroying heaven and eradicating earth; yet any world before them could not withstand it. But the opponent was the Ruthless One who had absorbed a special power; as his attack approached, the black hole suddenly expanded, in the blink of an eye devouring all that power, then immediately counterattacking.

Bang bang bang bang!

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

Even the ten Emperor Sovereigns united could not block a single strike from the opponent!

How could this fellow be so powerful?

"You may die……"

With one move he crushed the crowd; 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 Sword God Heaven who had appeared earlier suddenly emerged, blocking before him, his long sword transforming into a galaxy.

"An Emperor Sovereign? Does he also possess Emperor Sovereign strength?"

Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

This old man had followed behind the youth; I originally thought he was merely an attendant, at most holding the title of God King, but when he displayed his power I discovered he was actually a formidable Emperor Sovereign!

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

"He himself is the Emperor Sovereign of Sword God Heaven……" Luo Ruoxi struggled to her feet and gritted 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 Sovereign of Sword God Heaven likewise blown backward, landing not far away and blasting out a large pit.

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 exquisite, he is still no match.

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

Having defeated the Emperor Sovereign of Sword God Heaven, 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 clone had unleashed their utmost combat power, and even Luo Ruoxi before him had employed 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?

Are we just going to 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 Ruo Xi clenched her fists, her eye sockets reddening.

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

The library in one's 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 Henren.

Just like the body's immune system.

When the immune system is whole, viruses come and are easily driven away; when it fails, one cannot resist viral invasion, and even the strongest person will die from it.

Just……

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

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

No matter how strong the immune system, what else 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 now beyond what the Heavenly Dao can contend with.

"This……" Luo Ruo Xi 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, and it's not difficult!"

"Him?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

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

Boom!

Luo Ruo Xi fell from the sky.

"You……" Zhang Xuan's Sword Technique was unleashed again, his Sword Intent shining forth.

Ding ding ding!

Once again blocked by the Henren.

"You guys hurry and go, 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 shouted loudly, blocking the front, while Luo Qiqi also transformed, returning to her Tranquil Void Pearl true form.

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 Ruo Xi, his body flickered, tearing through space, and in the next moment they appeared within the range of the Free Heaven.

The Free Heaven now lacks its former ease, the Divine Realm has collapsed, and everywhere is 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 sacrificing myself!

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

"Father?"

Zhang Xuan suddenly realized.

No wonder I always felt the blood in the pendant resembled Luo Ruo Xi yet was different; it turns out it's her father's.

This also explains why the Undying Emperor's lingering will, upon seeing the pendant, immediately recognized itself as master.

"Is your father also an Emperor? Or does he possess power surpassing that of an Emperor?"

He couldn't help but say.

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

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

Also, does it need a flawed Heavenly Dao to awaken him?

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

Luo Ruo Xi 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 Orderly Heavenly Dao and the Flawed Heavenly Dao entered the Space Turbulence; I act as steward of the Heavenly Dao's natural order, maintaining the Divine Realm's balance. To restore him, we must gather the scattered parts…… that's why I am so resolute, cannot fail! I specially went to the Master Teacher Continent to study the Spring and Autumn Grand Canon, seeking a way to defeat Kong Shi! And during the battle with Kong Shi, entrusting him with this task was also part of it."

Luo Ruo Xi said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

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

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

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

"Acting as steward of the Heavenly Dao's 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, and am not part of the Heavenly Dao……" Luo Ruo Xi said.

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

In that case, all I need to do is separate the Flawed Heavenly Dao from within myself; it doesn't require her death as well.

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

"If I separate the Flawed Heavenly Dao from within me, your father will be able to come back to life, and even slay the Henren, right?" Zhang Xuan looked.

"This…… I'm not sure either……"

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

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

Really hard to say!

"It seems 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 cooperate with Master Kong, we might still 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, he understood that Master Kong's so-called preserving spiritual awareness 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, seemingly she hadn't expected it to be this way.

"Just go and see, 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, Ziyuan Ancient Saints and others, each are strong; even without the Emperor's help, they would certainly have a way to enter the Tide Sea, yet not a single one was seen.

There must be something more important waiting, wanting to take advantage of the time when all the Emperors are preoccupied with the Tide Sea to act!

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, Zhang Xuan returned to where Master Kong resided, and indeed saw an old man sitting cross-legged, floating in midair; upon seeing them arrive, he gave a slight smile: "You've come!"

Not Master Kong, then who is it!

This teacher of all ages certainly didn't disappoint!

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, the Undying Emperor had also come back to life, but... she didn't expect the speed to be this fast!

"I concealed 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 physical form, and have only just now recovered!"

Master Kong gave a slight smile.

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

He had even accumulated several decades of time.

"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.

It's not to boost others' prestige or dampen our own morale; it's simply the fact.

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

It likewise cannot change the situation!

"Our individual strength, even when combined, is indeed not a 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 undoubted. The Ruthless One absorbed all that power and also devoured fifty years of spiritual energy from the Divine Realm; relying solely on strength, even a dozen Emperors, each taken individually, are certainly no match..."

Master Kong said: "But if we unite and concentrate the power into one person... perhaps it wouldn't be so!"

"How to concentrate?"

Luo Ruoxi looked over.

Easy to say, hard to do.

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

"It's quite simple... we will gather our power onto Zhang Xuan; once he can break through the Emperor's shackles, 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 earlier, you also once gave up, intending to let me slay you!"

Master Kong said.

Luo Ruoxi was speechless.

During the battle, there indeed was 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 exert the strongest power; 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 Spirit clan, we wouldn't have the current situation..."

"If back then we could have exterminated all Alien Spirit beings, the Ruthless One couldn't have revived, nor would we be in this situation."

"So I'm also unsuitable! Zhang Xuan, his cultivation method is smooth, without flaws. He emphasizes living true to himself; even if he dies, as long as he lives without guilt, his mind is at ease. Such a person possesses greater tolerance and greater room for growth; only thus can he go higher and farther!"

Master Kong continued.

"In life, return to the origin; in death, long for affection!"

"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 time, I doubt anyone could do better than you! The Lingxi Emperor's body may lack Heavenly Dao fragments, but he has long mastered the Heavenly Dao, possessing his own understanding; I command the orderly Heavenly Dao; if we pour our power into you, you will wield complete Heavenly Dao power! Combined with your avatar's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, we can fully stabilize the Nine Heavens, command the universe, battle the Nine Firmaments, annihilate myriad things!"

"Alright!"

Seeing the other party had made a decision, 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 transformed into 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 combined was indeed strong, but compared to him, it was still somewhat weaker.

The Tide Sea devoured almost all the spiritual energy outside the city in the Divine Realm; these powers now became his nourishment. With every move, they carried 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; no one could withstand him.

"If the Divine Realm perishes, our lives have no meaning. I, Yunchi, will perish with you..."

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

"Just you? You're not worthy!"

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

"Old friend, wait for me!"

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

The Undying Emperor revealed his true form, the Undying Fire Phoenix, and flames blazed across the sky.

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

The Four Great 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.

Boom boom boom boom!

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

In the midst of the roar, 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, but 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 was a world.

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

Henren stopped, his gaze solemn.

He obviously didn't understand either, how in just a few minutes the opponent's strength had undergone such a huge 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, Henren struck down again.

Zhang Xuan raised his sword and went to meet him.

The two clashed, space rending in streaks, air currents churning everywhere.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?"

At the station of the Free Heaven Master, 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 the rank is what it is; 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 the power that surpasses 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 no easy task.

The reason we 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 that surpasses emperors?"

Luo Ruoxi's gaze was distant.

When her father was still lucid, he had once told her the same thing, but... she couldn't do it; could her beloved man do it?

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

Seeing her doubt, Master Kong laughed and said.

……

Boom boom boom!

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

As Master Kong said, even if their combined power formed a complete Heavenly Dao within, he was still no match.

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

"Anyway, I'm no match for you; I'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 his advance and instead gazed at Henren before him.

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

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

Whoosh!

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

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 exploded, his soul scattering in all directions.

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

Luo Qiqi seemed to have gone mad.

Yunchi 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 have him break through his shackles and assault a realm beyond the Emperor level—so why didn't he resist, instead willingly facing death?

Wouldn't that be wasting their good intentions?

"No, it's the immortality method of the Undying Emperor..."

While they were puzzled, Kong Shi suddenly spoke.

Everyone then saw Zhang Xuan's head explode, even his soul shatter, as the pendant on his chest suddenly burst open, a drop of blood levitated, ignited, and formed 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 from his 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 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 scattered and then recondense it using the Netherworld Pool.

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

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

A 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 such a 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 earlier, and he likely 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.

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

"Ah, I see—this is how to break through the Emperor's realm..."

Walking out of the flames, Zhang Xuan wore a faint smile, as if he had understood something; he suddenly gestured, and a clone on one side instantly turned back into a lotus flower, flying over.

In an instant, it perfectly merged with himself.

In the blink of an eye, everyone felt that the Zhang Xuan before them 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 appeared when the Nine Heavens were born, can stabilize the Nine Heavens; at this moment, his clone and self perfectly merged, indistinguishable, meaning he now controlled this power.

Moreover, with his cultivation fused with the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, he had already reached the peak realm, and now 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 separated from his soul, he understood.

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 emotion, even if the world exists, what meaning does it have?

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

All things in the world possess emotion; with emotion comes the 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 through!

In an instant, it felt as if he had touched a brand-new world and Da Men, and his soul received rapid nourishment.

Countless chaotic qi surged in, and his physical body also swiftly rose.

Before, only absorbing spiritual power allowed progress, but now spatial turbulence and chaotic qi—even the opponent's azure light—can become mine, with no distinction.

"You..." Henren hadn't expected that his all-out attack would not only fail to slay him, but actually fulfill him; he yelled "wah-wah!" in anger, gave a furious shout, and attacked again.

"You resent the lofty Emperor for not saving you in the spatial turbulence—that's emotion; you feel that having once been my servant contains humility and anger—that's emotion; you want to destroy the divine realm to vent anger—that's emotion; you want to become stronger—also emotion... Emotion controls you, so how could you possibly overcome me and not be controlled by me?"

Smiling faintly, Zhang Xuan's voice grew faster and louder, and he lightly grasped with his palm.

The originally invincible Henren 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..."

Henren'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 too late..." Zhang Xuan gave a slight smile and shook his head.

Having mastered the emotions of the world, things like servants are meaningless to him.

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

"No..."

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

Bang!

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

All the power the Tidal Sea had devoured now flowed back, reviving the already exhausted wilderness.

"This..."

"You killed him just like that?"

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

Just now they had crossed blows with Hen Ren, knowing how terrifying he was; yet such a powerful person was wiped out with a casual swipe—how far has this Zhang Xuan... actually reached?

Could there truly be a realm above the Emperor?

"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 "Heavenly Dao's Lack" that had just 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 boomed into place, embedding itself in the sky of the Divine Realm.

The deep bell-like resonance continued as the continually collapsing Divine Realm slowly healed, visible to the naked eye, and the chaotic currents also gathered together again.

The collapsing Divine Realm finally came to a halt, and the withered spiritual energy, along with Hen Ren's death, slowly revived.

"Looks like the Divine Realm is about to usher in an era of spiritual energy renewal..." Zhang Xuan smiled.

The rift in the Tidal 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 here..."

Having just finished these, a voice sounded in his mind; Zhang Xuan froze for a moment, then stepped forward.

He didn't know how far that step carried him, when he suddenly saw a youth standing before him.

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

"Senior, you..."

Seeing that it was him, Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

He had always sensed this person was unfathomable; now he realized that, compared to himself, the difference was only a hair's breadth—this person had already reached the very peak of the Emperor realm, far surpassing even Luo Ruoxi from before.

"Just call me by my name; I am... Nie Tong!" the youth said lightly, an indomitable 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, his eyebrows slightly raised, giving an impression of profound inscrutability.

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled.

The youth before him was actually stronger than him, 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 Luo Ruoxi you spoke of!"

"Luo Ruoxi's father?"

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

Luo Ruoxi had said before that her father was the Heavenly Dao; he never imagined it would be such a young person.

"I transformed one part of my soul into the Heavenly Dao through the One Qi becoming Three Purities! Moreover, this world is my creation, so 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 strong must his power be?

"That's not right—if the Divine Realm is your creation and you are the Heavenly Dao, why do you let Hen Ren run rampant without lifting a hand?" 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?

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

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

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

Although he had 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 him.

"I once suspected that a more powerful being existed above the Divine Realm, so I exerted all my power to peer into it, ultimately drawing a backlash from a higher world... a palm broke through the void and descended!"

Nie Yun looked over: "At the time, if I had dodged, the entire Divine Realm would likely have been wiped out, leaving not a single life... so I blocked the attack, but as a result, the 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 and explore where that palm came from, and what lies beyond the Divine Realm, I cannot do it alone. So I want to see if there is any life capable of breaking through the Emperor's shackles and reaching a level equal to mine."

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

Nie Yun said with a smile.

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

No wonder he could transmigrate over; he never expected it all to be the doing of this person before him.

"Hehe!" Nie Yun chuckled lightly, saying: "Being a native of this world, one naturally feels reverence for it; breaking the world's shackles is far more difficult. Even I, with just a thought, never imagined you could actually succeed."

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

Without Master Kong's selfless dedication, reaching the present realm 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, but he chose to retreat, thinking he had a backup plan and could withdraw unscathed. In reality, he lost his brave and diligent spirit. When facing someone surpassing us, if he lacks even this spirit, how can he hope to stand against them?

Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan remained silent.

At that time, he watched their battle; Kong Shi indeed was somewhat lacking in decisiveness.

It's also possible he is unwilling to slay Luo Ruoxi.

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

"If Kong Shi wins, Ruoxi will die..." After a moment, Zhang Xuan looked over, his brows 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 now is not much different from mine; do you think, with both of our strengths, at a life-or-death moment, wanting to save someone, can you do it?"

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

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

"Lingxi is the daughter born 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 gave a wry laugh: "My father has been pretty ruthless... Well then, you should explain this to her; after all, her thoughts have now turned to you, 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; he could only agree: "Alright..."

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

"The Heavenly Path 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 shows your ability and potential, your future is limitless. My daughter being with you, as a father, I would also feel relieved."

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