Chapter 1063: The Civilization Terminator

A Soul Contract binds souls; as long as one does not break it, even if the other's methods are god‑like, it cannot be undone.

It's like the undying Emperor Xiao Huangji, who was once only a God King; now he is an Emperor, yet he still cannot resolve such an agreement.

To prevent that guy from reneging and causing backlash, Mingshi Dalu specifically decreed that even if the opponent can detach from the Heavenly Dao Book, he still cannot escape the soul‑to‑soul pact!

"A Soul Contract truly cannot be split from the Sea of Consciousness, but I have merged a special gas that even the Heavenly Dao can dissolve; unraveling such a contract is not hard… as long as one has enough power to bombard the contract's location, it can be done!"

Hen Ren's Dao.

A Soul Contract is founded on the Heavenly Dao; a special power that can even dissolve the Divine Realm's Heavenly Dao can dissolve a Soul Contract—if handled properly, what difficulty remains?

"I see…" Zhang Xuan's eyes flashed.

"Having told you all this is also my way of thanking you for bringing me to the Divine Realm!"

After the explanation, Hen Ren said no more; his aura grew ever more ancient and distant, the black hole behind him swelled further, evidently the act of speaking had again devoured an unknown amount of power as nourishment.

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

Luo Ruoxi also sensed something amiss and hurriedly sent a voice transmission.

"Prepare to act!" With all doubt gone, Zhang Xuan inhaled deeply, raised his long sword abruptly: "Since it comes to this, let's see the true merit beneath our hands!"

Boom!

The most powerful sword intent surged forth again.

Life returns to its source, death longs eternally!

If life and death matter not, what can possibly impede us?

This sword technique, though not yet at Emperor‑level comprehension, contains all his lingering obsessions and pushes the Heavenly Sentiment Technique within his body to its limit.

Whoosh!

One sword cleaved Hen Ren's attack in two.

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

Her sword style resembled that of the youth of Jian Shen Tian, bearing an unstoppable momentum and the natural elegance of the Great Dao.

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

With a light smile, Hen Ren reached down again.

In an instant, sky and sun were obscured; his palm enveloped heaven and earth, space shattered, and the sun, moon, and stars seemed about to be violently struck down.

Puff! Puff!

Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi were flung backward simultaneously, blood spraying wildly in the air.

Even with their combined strength, they could not hold it!

What realm has this guy actually attained?

"How audacious!" The clone strode forward, and with each step a lotus blossomed, the void echoing with the sound of flowing water.

From afar, it exuded undeniable grandeur.

Having refined the Nine Heavens Chaotic Golden Lotus, his cultivation is by no means weaker than Zhang Xuan's.

A single punch rose, its force soaring to the Nine Heavens.

Clashing with Hen Ren, they were likewise flung backward, unable to block a single move.

Zhang Xuan covered his forehead.

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

Such flamboyant showoff is better than concentrating power for greater might!

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

Xiao Huangji let out a mighty shout, crimson flames blazing, the sky seemed set alight.

The remaining six great Emperors each employed their own tactics.

The seven Emperors combined, laying waste to heaven and earth; a realm before them could not resist, yet the opponent—Hen Ren, who had absorbed the special power—advanced his attack, the black hole suddenly expanded, and in the blink of an eye it devoured all the power, then launched a counterattack.

Bang bang bang bang!

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

All ten Emperors united, yet none could block a single move from the opponent!

How can this guy be so powerful?

"You may die…"

With one strike he shattered the crowd; Hen Ren stepped forward, flicked his wrist, and struck down again.

"You vermin dare this!"

Accompanied by a roar, the elder of Jian Shen Tian who had appeared earlier suddenly emerged, blocking the way; his long sword transformed into a galaxy.

"Emperor? Does he also possess Emperor‑level power?"

Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

That elder had originally followed the youth, thought to be merely an attendant, perhaps only a titled God King; when he unleashed his power, it turned out he too was an Emperor‑strength strongman!

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

"He himself is the Emperor of Jian Shen Tian…" Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth, standing while struggling.

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

"He is…" Luo Ruoxi began to answer, when space twisted; immediately they saw the Emperor of Jian Shen Tian also flung backward, landing nearby and creating a huge crater.

Zhang Xuan's current strength and his comprehension of the sword path far surpass him; even if his cultivation is not weak and his swordsmanship is superb, he still cannot match him.

"Haha, Emperor, just a bunch of country chickens and mud dogs! Today I'll annihilate the Nine Heavens, destroy this Divine Realm, and trample all rules!"

Having defeated the Emperor of Jian Shen Tian, Hen Ren laughed wildly, the surrounding space continuously collapsing, making him appear like a demon.

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

Just now he and his clone had both unleashed their utmost combat power, and even the Luo Ruoxi before them also…

Could it be that 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 defective Heavenly Dao to the Heavenly Dao itself, letting the Heavenly Dao suppress him……" Luo Ruoxi clenched her fists, her eye sockets reddening.

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

The library in his mind is itself part of the Heavenly Dao; once it returns, 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.

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

But……

"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 tiger?

Even the strongest immune system, what can it do?

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

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

"Him?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

"Trying to escape?" Henren snorted coldly and pressed down.

Bang!

Luo Ruoxi fell from the sky.

"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 still wanted to find a way to save the Divine Realm rather than flee, the avatar and Bushi Dizun let out a great shout, blocking the front, while Luo Qiqi also transformed, returning to the Tranquil Void Pearl's true form.

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone fearlessly blocking the rear without regard for 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, he tore through space, and in the next moment they appeared within the range of Free and Easy Heaven.

Free and Easy Heaven now lacked its former ease; the Divine Realm had collapsed, everywhere in chaos.

"Where is the person you spoke of?"

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

If the person she spoke of could truly save the Divine Realm, what harm would there be in sacrificing myself!

"He is my father; the blood in your locket is his; the Bushi Dijun was once his pet……" Luo Ruoxi adjusted her breath and explained.

"Father?"

Zhang Xuan suddenly realized.

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

This also explains why the thought left behind by the Bushi Dijun, upon seeing the locket, immediately recognized me as its master.

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

He couldn't help but say.

The library's chaos is due to the blood in the locket, which 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?

And does it also need a defective 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, 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 Defective Heavenly Dao entered the spatial turbulence; I oversaw the Heavenly Dao's natural order, maintaining the Divine Realm's balance. To revive him, the only way is to gather the scattered parts…… that's why I'm so resolute, cannot fail! I specially went to the Renowned Master Continent to study the Spring and Autumn Great Canon, seeking a way to defeat Kongshi! When fighting Kongshi, entrusting him with this matter was also the case."

Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

Not long after meeting the Renowned Master Continent, the girl before him had already told him her story of wanting to save a close relative; he hadn't understood back then, but now he suddenly realized.

It turned 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?

"Overseeing 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.

Overseeing and this kind of fusion within the body are two different concepts.

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

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

In that case, all I need to do is separate the defective Heavenly Dao from myself; there's no need for her to die as well.

Although unwilling to accept such a fate, he also didn't want the girl before him to come to harm.

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

"This…… I'm not sure either……"

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

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

Really hard to say!

"It seems you can't be certain either. In that case, seeking others is less effective than seeking oneself… We have only ourselves to devise a plan!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth: "You, I, and the clone, united with the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, if we cooperate with Master Kong, we might actually win!"

"Master Kong? He…" Luo Ruoxi frowned.

"Master Kong is already dead, right? He hasn't truly died; if my guess is correct, you slew him, but it was a means to break free from the Dao… As expected, he should be, like Wei Changfeng, an Innate Fetal Soul Body!"

Zhang Xuan said.

Seeing Wei Changfeng, he understood; the so‑called "maintaining spiritual intelligence" of Master Kong should be the same as his, an Innate Fetal Soul Body.

It enables one to remain unconfused in the fetal stage.

Adding the pre‑set contingency, resurrection is merely a matter of time.

Luo Ruoxi was stunned; she apparently hadn't expected it to be like this.

"A look into the past would reveal it; your guess is correct—he should have already recovered, otherwise his students wouldn't have even avoided the Tide Sea…" Zhang Xuan said.

Master Kong's students—Zi Yuan, the Ancient Sage, and others—are all powerful; even without an Imperial Lord's aid they would surely find a way into the Tide Sea, yet none have been seen.

There must be something more important awaiting, intending to act while all Imperial Lords are occupied with the Tide Sea!

And that important matter is clearly to restore Master Kong.

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

"Let's go!"

Without further explanation, with a single hand sweep, Zhang Xuan returned to Master Kong's dwelling and indeed saw an elderly man seated cross‑legged, hovering in the air; upon their arrival he gave a faint smile: "You're here!"

"If you're not Master Kong, then who are you?"

This "Teacher of Ten Thousand Generations" truly did not disappoint!

As predicted, he revived while everyone's attention was focused on the Tide Sea.

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

She knew an Imperial Lord could be resurrected, and the Undying Imperial Lord had also returned, but… she hadn't expected it to be so swift!

"I concealed the Dao and prepared a contingency in advance; the nameless giant in the Ghost Pool was my leaving. When you slew it that day, I seized the chance to break free from the Dao's shackles, re‑condense my flesh, and have just now recovered!"

Master Kong gave a faint smile.

He is adept at temporal abilities; it seemed only one or two days had passed in the Divine Realm, but in reality, to restore his power, an unknown length of time had elapsed.

Tens of years had indeed passed.

"The three of us are strong, but defeating the Ruthless One isn't that easy…"

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

It isn't about inflating others' prestige or crushing one's own spirit; it's simply the fact.

Even with so many united just now, they couldn't stop the opponent; adding Master Kong would change nothing.

It still wouldn't alter the situation!

"Our individual strength, even combined, truly isn't a match for them, but… what if we fuse everyone's power into a single person?"

Master Kong smiled and looked over.

"Fuse into one person?"

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

"That palm can tear the Divine Realm, shatter the Dao, its strength undeniable; the Ruthless One absorbed all that power and also devoured fifty years of the Divine Realm's spiritual energy. Relying solely on strength, our ten‑plus Imperial Lords, each alone, truly aren't opponents…"

Master Kong said: "But if united, concentrating the power in one person… that might be different!"

"How to concentrate?"

Luo Ruoxi looked over.

It's easy to say, hard to do.

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

"It's simple… we channel all our power into Zhang Xuan; once he can break the Imperial Lord's shackles, the Divine Realm will be saved!"

Master Kong said.

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

"The Lingxi Imperial Venerable cultivates freedom and natural transcendence! Yet with a father and the Dao's constraints, and with loved ones, true transcendence is impossible! If I'm not mistaken, when you first fought me, you also gave up, intending to be slain by me, right?"

Master Kong said.

Luo Ruoxi was speechless.

During the battle, that intention did exist, so at the start of their duel each kept a contingency, like a sparring match rather than a life‑or‑death fight.

"Unable to transcend, one naturally cannot unleash the utmost power; even if given endless true Qi, it still cannot breach that supreme realm! As for me…"

Master Kong nodded: "With compassion for all beings, wishing to save the world, yet unwilling to let others sacrifice for me—excessive kindness is also a flaw! If one were harsher, eradicating the Yiling tribe, the current situation wouldn't exist…"

Had the Yiling tribe been completely exterminated back then, the Ruthless One could never have revived, and this situation wouldn't have arisen.

"Therefore, I'm also unsuitable! As for Zhang Xuan, his cultivation aligns perfectly, without flaw. He values living true to himself; even if he dies, as long as he lives without regret, his heart remains open. Such a person possesses greater tolerance and broader development space; only then can he ascend higher and farther!"

Master Kong continued.

"When alive, return; when dead, long for longing!"

Not even fearing death, how could one be bound by other matters?

"This…" Zhang Xuan frowned, about to speak, when Master Kong's eyes flashed at him: "No need to decline; time is already short to train others. Even if we had time, I doubt anyone could do it better than you! Though the Lingxi Imperial Venerable lacks Dao fragments in his body, he has long controlled the Dao and holds his own understanding; I orderly command the Dao. If we infuse you with this power, your body will possess the complete Dao's strength! Coupled with the clone's Nine Heavens Mixed Chaos Golden Lotus, we can truly set the Nine Heavens, command Heaven and Earth, battle the Nine Heavens, and annihilate all things!"

"Alright!"

Seeing the other had already decided, further explanation was useless; Zhang Xuan nodded.

Boom!

Sitting cross‑legged, in the blink of an eye, two massive streams of power surged in from both sides.

Zhang Xuan's body stiffened; in an instant he seemed to become the Dao itself, soaring above the Nine Heavens.

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

……

"You also want to stop me? Fine, kill you all, then go slay Zhang Xuan…"

He sent Luo Qiqi and the avatar flying, Hengren gave a cold smile.

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

The Tide Sea swallowed nearly all the spiritual energy outside the city in the Divine Realm; now these powers have become his nourishment, every move carrying 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 in a single strike.

At this moment, Hengren seemed to embody the entire Divine Realm, and no one could stop him.

"If the Divine Realm perishes, our lives have no meaning; I, Yun Chi, will perish with you…"

Yun Chi Great Emperor transformed into his true form, a colossal five-clawed golden dragon, lunging 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!"

Fu Meng Emperor also let out a great roar, transforming into his White Tiger true form, arriving before him in the air.

The Immortal Emperor, the Immortal Fire Phoenix true form manifested, flames blazing across the sky.

Profound Dark Great Emperor, his true form is a great tortoise, as if holding up the heavens.

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

Heaven and earth seemed to freeze in an instant.

Bang bang bang bang!

Four consecutive palms, Hengren suppressed 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 deal a lethal blow to wipe everyone out, he felt his raised arm tighten, stopping in midair.

"Want to kill them, have you asked me…"

Immediately, amid everyone's shocked gazes, a figure slowly walked out from the air.

It was Zhang Xuan!

At this moment, the youth's power surged throughout his body, more than ten times stronger than before, coming from the heavens, as if his very being was a world.

"You've improved quite a bit…"

Hengren halted, his gaze solemn.

He clearly didn't understand why, in just a few short 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, Hengren struck down again.

Zhang Xuan raised his sword and went to meet him.

They clashed, space tearing in streaks, airflow scattering everywhere.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?"

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

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

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

"With his current strength, wanting to surpass… is very difficult! Unless… he can comprehend power surpassing the Emperor!"

After a moment of silence, Master Kong said.

Even a dozen Emperors united cannot defeat Hengren, even if they transferred all their power to him, wanting to overcome is still not easy.

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

"Power surpassing the Emperor?"

Luo Ruoxi's gaze was distant.

When her father was still lucid, he once told her the same words, but… she cannot do it; can her beloved man do it?

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

Seeing her doubt, Master Kong laughed and said.

……

Bang bang bang!

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

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

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

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

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

Hearing that, Hengren paused, then let out a cold snort, raising his palm.

Whoosh!

A cyan light appeared in his palm, then he slammed it down fiercely.

Sure enough, it was the strongest attack; the entire Divine Realm rumbled, as if it could barely endure, and was struck again with a huge crater.

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

Bang!

His head exploded, his soul scattering in all directions.

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

Luo Qiqi seemed to have gone mad.

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

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

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

Wouldn't this be letting down their good intentions?

"No, it's the Undying Emperor's Undying Method..."

While they were puzzled, Kong Shi suddenly spoke.

Everyone then saw Zhang Xuan, whose head exploded and even his soul shattered; the pendant on his chest suddenly burst open, a drop of blood floated up, ignited, forming a ball of 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 defect in the Heavenly Path from the soul?"

Luo Ruoxi's pupils contracted.

After undergoing Phoenix Rebirth, Zhang Xuan actually had no Heavenly Path Library inside him, no interference from the Heavenly Path, and had broken free from the Heavenly Path!

"How did he do that?"

Kong Shi also couldn't believe it.

The Heavenly Path and the 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 and spirit.

This person before them, 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 lift it, the servant remains forever bound... the Heavenly Path Library is the same; it can be said to be 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 specific method, Zhang Xuan had inquired about in detail before, so he likely had the idea back then.

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

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

"So that's it; this is the way to break through the Emperor..."

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

In an instant, it perfectly merged with himself.

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

He lightly tapped the ground with his foot.

The chaotic Nine Heavens immediately stabilized.

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

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

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

Smiling, Zhang Xuan muttered to himself.

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

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

Is it the wind moving, or the heart moving!

This problem has troubled countless people since ancient times.

Of course, now... none of this 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 interwoven throughout the world.

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

Love, is emotion.

Hatred, is emotion.

Joy, is emotion.

Pain, is emotion.

Separation, is emotion.

Reunion, is also emotion!

"Myriad affections, for my use..."

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

The Emperor's shackles, broken through!

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

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

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

"You..." The Ruthless Person didn't expect that his all-out attack would not only fail to kill him, but actually fulfill him; enraged, he shouted "Wah-wah!" and, with a furious roar, attacked again.

"You resent the lofty Emperor, not being saved by him in the spatial turbulence—that's emotion; feeling that you were once my servant, containing humility and anger—that's emotion; wanting to destroy the Divine Realm to vent anger—that's emotion; wanting to become stronger—also emotion... Emotion controls you; how could you possibly overcome me, not be controlled by me?"

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

The originally invincible Ruthless Person was bound by countless emotion threads, 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 filled with panic: "Master Zhang, I am your servant, don't kill me... I am willing to offer my soul as a sacrifice..."

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

Controlling the emotions of the world, servants and such already hold no meaning for him.

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

Boom!

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

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

"This..."

"Is he dead just like that?"

Cloud Chilong Great Emperor, Undying Emperor, Ling Long Fairy and the others all widened their eyes, unable to believe it.

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

Could there truly be a higher realm above the Emperor?

"He succeeded..."

Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi loosened their clenched fists.

"This is part of the Heavenly Dao; 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 lightly and flicked his finger.

Hum!

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

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

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

"It seems the Divine Realm is about to welcome an era of renewed spiritual energy," Zhang Xuan smiled.

The rift in the Tide Sea, accompanied by the completion of the Heavenly Dao, has already healed; the Divine Realm's return to its former prosperity is merely a matter of time.

"Zhang Xuan, come here..."

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

This step carried him an unknown distance, whereupon he saw a youth standing before him.

He was precisely the one who had previously taught him swordsmanship.

"Senior, you..."

Seeing it was him, Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

He had always felt this person was unfathomable; now he realized that, compared to himself, the difference was only a hair's breadth—he had already reached the pinnacle of Emperor, far surpassing Luo Ruoxi's previous strength.

"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.

This was the first time he had heard that name.

"Come with me; I'll take you to see my brother!" said the youth named Nie Tong, smiling faintly as he 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 raised, giving an impression of profound inscrutability.

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled.

The youth's strength before him was actually greater than his own, 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 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; 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 Three Purifications! Moreover, this world is my creation—calling me the Heavenly Dao is perfectly justified!" Nie Yun said with a light smile.

Zhang Xuan could not believe it.

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

Then just how strong must his power be?

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

"If it weren't for my own breakthrough, the Divine Realm would likely have collapsed completely; 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 exists an even more powerful life above the Divine Realm?"

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

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

Just like the one before him.

"I once suspected that a more powerful life existed above the Divine Realm, so I exerted all my power to observe it, ultimately drawing a backlash from a higher world… a hand broke through space and descended!"

Nie Yun looked over: "At that time, if I had dodged, the entire Divine Realm would likely have been obliterated, leaving no life at all… so I blocked the strike, but consequently, my incarnate Heavenly Dao was split apart."

"I merely wish to restore this with a single thought, but… I understand that to truly transcend the Divine Realm's shackles, to explore where that hand came from and what lies beyond the Divine Realm… it is difficult for me alone to achieve. So I want to see if there is any life capable of breaking through the Emperor's shackles and reaching my level."

"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, then… my transmigration is also because of you?" Zhang Xuan's heart shook.

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

"Hehe!" Nie Yun chuckled lightly, saying: "Being native to this world, one naturally holds reverence for it; wanting to break its shackles is far more difficult—I too merely had a thought, never imagining you could 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, reaching my present state would be utterly impossible.

"I gave him the opportunity, he just didn't seize it. The duel with Lingxi was actually his best chance to break through; unfortunately, he chose to retreat, thinking he had a backup plan 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.

Zhang Xuan remained silent.

He had watched their battle back then; Master Kong indeed lacked decisiveness.

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

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

"If Master Kong 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 gave a faint smile: "Your strength now is not much different from mine; do you think, with our combined strength, at a life-or-death moment, wanting to save someone, could you pull it off?"

"……" Zhang Xuan gave a bitter smile.

Breaking through to Emperor and being an Emperor are two different concepts; if he truly wishes to intervene, 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 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: "My dad's also pretty ruthless…… Like this, let you explain this to her; after all, her thoughts have now turned to you, this old dad of mine probably can't even remember…… Haha, I'll stay out of sight for a while, otherwise I really fear she'll cause an uproar……"

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

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

"The Heavenly Dao Library is a manifestation of my thought; it is both foundation and shackle. If you can rely on your own ability to break through the shackle, it 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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