Chapter 1078: Don't Cause a Big Commotion

Soul Contract, it matches souls; as long as one does not dissolve it oneself, even if the other party's means reach heaven, it cannot be undone.

Just like the Undying Emperor Little Yellow Chicken, who was merely a God King before, he is an Emperor, and likewise cannot resolve this kind of agreement.

In order to prevent this fellow from changing his mind and causing a backlash, the Master Teacher Continent once specifically stipulated that even if the other party could break free from the Heavenly Dao's Book, they could not escape the soul-bound agreement!

"Soul Contract, it 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 dissolve this contract...... As long as there is enough power, bombarding the location of the contract will achieve it!"

Ruthless Person Dao.

Soul Contract, it is founded on the basis of the Heavenly Dao; special power that can dissolve even the Divine Realm's Heavenly Dao can dissolve a soul contract—if handled properly, what difficulty is there?

"I see......" Zhang Xuan's eyes flashed.

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

After finishing the explanation, the Ruthless Person said no more; his aura became ever more ancient and distant, the black hole behind him grew even 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 was wrong and hurriedly sent a mental message.

"Get ready to fight!" With doubts dispelled in his heart, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, raised his long sword, and declared: "Since that's the case, let's see the true skill beneath our hands!"

Boom—

The greatest sword intent was unleashed once again.

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

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 of my heart, pushing the Heaven If Has Feeling Technique within my body to its limit.

Whoosh!

One sword cut the Ruthless Person's attack in half.

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

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

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

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

In an instant, it blotted out the sky and covered the earth, the palm enveloping heaven and earth, space shattering, the sun, moon, and stars seeming to be struck down forcibly.

Pfft! Pfft!

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

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

Just what realm has this fellow reached?

"Impudent!" The clone strode forward, each step causing a lotus to blossom, the void echoing 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 up to the Nine Heavens.

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

Zhang Xuan covered his forehead.

Having become an Emperor, the clone still did not change its pretentious nature……

Such ostentatious pretense is nothing compared to concentrating power for greater might!

"Attack together, otherwise if they die, we will all die……"

The Little Yellow Chicken let out a loud shout, crimson flames blazing, the sky seeming to be set ablaze.

The remaining Six Great Emperors also each displayed their methods.

The Seven Emperors united, capable of destroying heaven and erasing earth; yet a single heaven and earth 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 that power, then immediately counterattacking.

Bang bang bang bang!

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

The Ten Great Emperors, united together, actually could not block a single move of the opponent!

How could this fellow be so powerful?

"You may die……"

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

"How dare you, rats!"

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

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

Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

This old man originally followed behind the youth, merely thought to be a follower, at most ennobled as a God King; upon displaying his power, he turned out to be a mighty 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.

"And…… 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 this Emperor of Sword God Heaven also blown backward, landing not far away, blasting out a large pit.

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

"Hahaha, Emperor, just a bunch of mud chickens and tile 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 collapsing, making him appear like a demon or a fiend.

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

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

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

Let him destroy the world?

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

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

The library in his mind is itself part of the Heavenly Dao; once returned, the Heavenly Dao would be completely whole, perhaps able to repair the breach and expel the Ruthless One.

Just like the human immune system.

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

Just……

"He is too strong; even if the Heavenly Dao recovers completely, it cannot suppress him!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

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

Even with the strongest immune system, what can be done?

This person before us is merely an ordinary God King; even with a title, the Heavenly Dao could easily kill him, yet he is stronger than an Emperor…… the Heavenly Dao can no longer contend with him.

"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—it 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, turned, and flew forward.

"Want to escape?" The Ruthless One 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!

Again blocked by the Ruthless One.

"You hurry and go; I'll block him……"

Knowing they wanted to find another way to save the Divine Realm rather than flee, a clone and the Undying Emperor Sovereign shouted loudly, blocking the front; Luo Qiqi also transformed, returning to her true form as the Still Void Pearl.

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone risk their lives to block from behind, fearless of death, Zhang Xuan's eye sockets reddened, but he also knew now was not the time to talk; he grabbed Luo Ruoxi, his body flickered, 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 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 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 turned out to be her father's.

This also explains why the thought left by the Undying Emperor, upon seeing the pendant, immediately recognized me as its master.

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

He couldn't help but say.

The library is in chaos; it's the blood in the pendant that let me regain consciousness—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 unconscious?

Also, it requires a flaw in the Heavenly Dao for him to wake up?

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

Luo Ruoxi clenched her fists.

"Heavenly Dao? Your father…… is the Heavenly Dao?" Zhang Xuan shuddered, unable to believe.

"Yes! Fifty years ago, my father couldn't withstand that big hand, fell into a coma, the Heavenly Dao shattered into three parts—the ordered Heavenly Dao and the flawed Heavenly Dao entered the space turbulence; I acted as steward of the Heavenly Dao's nature, maintaining the Divine Realm's balance. To revive him, we must gather the scattered parts…… that's why I am so resolute, cannot fail! I specially entered the Master Teacher Continent, studied the Spring and Autumn Grand Classic, seeking a way to defeat Master Kong! When fighting Master Kong, entrusting him with matters was also this."

Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

Having just met the Master Teacher Continent, the girl before me immediately recounted her story—she wanted to save a close relative; I didn't understand then, but now I suddenly comprehend.

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 nature…… you don't have any Heavenly Dao fragments in your body?" Suddenly realizing something off in her speech, Zhang Xuan looked over.

Acting as steward and this kind of merging within the body are two different concepts.

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

Zhang Xuan relaxed.

In that case, I only need to separate the flawed Heavenly Dao from myself; it doesn't require her to die as well.

Although unwilling to accept this fate, I also don't want the girl before me to be harmed.

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

"This…… I'm not sure either……"

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

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

Really hard to say!

Looks like you can't be sure either. In that case, it's better to rely on oneself than to ask others… We have no choice but to figure it out ourselves! Zhang Xuan clenched his teeth: "You, me, and my avatar, united with the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, if we also coordinate with Master Kong, we might still be able 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 just like Wei Changfeng, an 【Innate Fetal Soul Body】!

Zhang Xuan said.

Seeing Wei Changfeng, it became clear that what Master Kong meant by preserving his spirit was the same as him—an Innate Fetal Soul Body.

One can remain undeluded in the womb.

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

Luo Ruoxi froze, seemingly she hadn't expected it to be like this.

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

Master Kong's disciples, such as Ziyuan Gu Sheng and the others, are all formidable; even without the Emperor's aid, they would certainly have a way to enter the Tide Sea, yet not a single one has been 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, and Zhang Xuan returned to the place where Master Kong resided. Indeed, he saw an old man sitting cross-legged, floating in midair. Upon seeing them arrive, he gave a faint smile: "You've come!"

Not Master Kong, then who is it!

This teacher of all ages certainly didn't disappoint!

Just as guessed, taking advantage of everyone focusing their attention on the Tide Sea, he revived again.

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

She knew the Emperor could be revived, and 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 contingency in advance—the nameless giant in the Phantom Soul Pool was my doing. The day you slew it, I seized the chance to break free from the Heavenly Dao's shackles, recondensed my flesh, and have only just now recovered!"

Master Kong gave a faint smile.

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

He had even accumulated several decades of time.

"Our three strengths are considerable, 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 of us joined forces, yet we couldn't block the opponent; even adding one Master Kong, what difference would it make?

It would likewise fail to change the situation!

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

Master Kong smiled and looked over.

"Merge into one person?"

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

"That palm can tear apart the Divine Realm and scatter the Heavenly Dao; its strength is undeniable. The Ruthless One has absorbed all that power and also devoured the Divine Realm's spiritual energy for fifty years. Based solely on strength, even a dozen or so Emperors 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 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.

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

Master Kong said.

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

"The Lingxi Emperor cultivates freedom and ease, transcending nature! But with the constraints of father and Heavenly Dao, and with beloved ones, one can never truly transcend! If I'm not mistaken, when we fought before, you also once gave up, intending to let me slay you!"

Master Kong said.

Luo Ruoxi was speechless.

During the battle, indeed there had been such an intention, so their exchanges at the start each kept a reserve, akin to sparring, not a life‑and‑death fight.

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

Master Kong nodded and said: "Holding the world in one's heart, wishing to save all beings, yet unwilling to let others sacrifice for oneself—excessive compassion is also a flaw! If one were a bit more ruthless, exterminating the Foreign Spirit Clan, the present situation would not have arisen…"

"Had we been able to exterminate the Foreign Spirit Clan entirely back then, the Ruthless One could not have revived, nor would we be in this predicament."

"So I'm also unsuitable! As for Zhang Xuan, his technique flows naturally, without flaw. He pursues living true to himself; even if he dies, as long as he lives without guilt, his heart is at ease. Such a person possesses greater inclusiveness and greater room for growth—only thus can one reach higher and farther!"

Master Kong continued.

"In life, return to the beginning; in death, cherish longing!"

"If even death is of no concern, how could one be bound by other matters?"

"This…" Zhang Xuan frowned, about to say something, when he saw Master Kong's piercing gaze: "No need to decline—first say there's no time, go train others; even if there were time, I doubt anyone could do better than you! Though the Lingxi Emperor's body lacks Heavenly Dao fragments, he has long commanded the Heavenly Dao and has his own understanding of it; I govern the orderly Heavenly Dao. If we pour our power into you, you will possess complete Heavenly Dao strength! Combined with your avatar's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, we can indeed fix the Nine Heavens, grasp Heaven and Earth, battle the Nine Skies, and annihilate all things!"

"Alright!"

Seeing the other party had already decided, further explanation would be useless, so Zhang Xuan nodded.

Boom—

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

Zhang Xuan's body stiffened; his whole person seemed to instantly embody the Heavenly Dao, soaring above the Nine Heavens.

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

……

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

He sent Luo Qiqi and the avatar, among others, flying; the Ruthless Person 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 drew out the spiritual energy from outside the city of the Divine Realm, almost completely devouring it; now these powers have become his nourishment, every move carrying the ability to destroy heaven and earth. These Emperors and God Kings, although they represent the pinnacle of the Divine Realm, are still no match for a single blow.

At this moment, the Ruthless Person seemed to embody the entire Divine Realm; no one could stop him.

"The Divine Realm is doomed; living is meaningless. I, Yun Chi, will perish with you……"

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

"Just you? Not worthy!"

The Ruthless Person 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 the White Tiger true form and appearing before him in the air.

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

Xuan Ming Great Emperor's 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 transformed into their true forms; the collapsing Divine Realm became slow.

Heaven and Earth seemed to freeze in an instant.

Bang bang bang bang!

With four consecutive palms, the Ruthless Person suppressed the four beasts; a fierce killing intent flashed in his eyes: "Since you seek death, I will grant it……"

In the roar, just as he was about to strike a killing blow to wipe out everyone, he felt his raised arm tighten, stopping in midair.

"You want to kill them, have you asked me……"

Immediately, in everyone's shocked gaze, a figure slowly walked out from the air.

It was Zhang Xuan!

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

"You've improved quite a bit……"

The Ruthless Person halted, his gaze solemn.

He obviously didn't understand why, in just a few short 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 withstand me……"

With a cold snort, the Ruthless Person struck down again.

Zhang Xuan raised his long sword and went to meet him.

The two battled, space rending in streaks, air currents scattering everywhere.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?"

At the residence of the Free Heaven Master Kong, 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 restored.

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

After a moment of silence, Master Kong said.

Even a dozen Emperors united could not defeat the Ruthless Person; even if they transferred all their power to him, wanting to surpass would not be easy.

The reason they 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 Emperors?"

Luo Ruoxi's gaze was distant.

When her father was still lucid, he had 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 an 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 fusing their two powers and forming a complete heavenly way within, he was still no match.

"Hah, thought you were formidable, but that's all!" the Ruthless Person coldly laughed.

"Anyway, you're not my match; 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 halted, not attacking, but instead gazing at the Ruthless Person before him.

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

Hearing him say that, the Ruthless Person stared for a moment, then let out a cold snort and raised 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.

His eyes tightly closed, 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 go mad.

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

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

The original intention was to let him break through his shackles and charge beyond the Emperor realm; why didn't he resist, but willingly go to his 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, whose head had exploded and even his soul shattered, the pendant on his chest suddenly burst open, a drop of blood floated up, igniting into a ball of scorching flame; within the flame, an 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 the soul?"

Luo Ruoxi's pupils contracted.

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

"How did he do that?"

Kong Shi was also full of disbelief.

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

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

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

The soul contract binds master and servant; if the master does not 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 specific method, Zhang Xuan had inquired about in detail before, and perhaps he had already conceived the idea then.

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

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

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

Zhang Xuan, walking out of the flames, wore a faint smile as if he had understood something; he suddenly gestured, 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 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, the clone and self perfectly merged, indistinguishable, which means he now controls this power.

Moreover, with his cultivation fused with the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, he had already reached the peak realm, and 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 people see the world and thus the world exists, or did the world exist first and then people came?

Is it the wind moving, or the heart moving!

This question has troubled countless people throughout the ages.

Of course, now... these things are no longer important!

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

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

All things in the world have emotion; with emotion comes the world, 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 the Great Door, his soul receiving rapid 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, without distinction.

"You..." The ruthless person hadn't expected that his full-force attack would not only fail to slay him but actually fulfill him; angry, he yelled "wah-wah!" and, with a furious shout, attacked again.

"You resent the lofty Emperor for not saving you 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, likewise emotion... emotions control you, so 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 then bound by countless threads of emotion, 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 these now is already too late..." Zhang Xuan gave a slight smile and shook his head.

Having mastered the emotions of the world, things like servants are now meaningless to 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, and before his words finished, a sharp pain surged through his body.

Bang!

In an instant it exploded, turning into countless wisps of spiritual energy that surged into every corner of the Divine Realm.

All the power that the Tide Sea had devoured earlier now fed back at once, reviving the once‑withered wasteland and restoring its vitality.

"This…"

"Is this… a kill?"

Cloud Dragon Emperor, Undying Emperor, Linglong Fairy and the others all widened their eyes, unable to believe it.

They had just clashed with Hen Ren and knew his terror; such a powerful figure being wiped out so casually—what level had Zhang Xuan truly reached?

Could there really be a realm beyond the Emperor?

"He succeeded…"

Master Kong and Luo Ruoxi relaxed their clenched fists.

"This is part of the Heavenly Dao, so I will now return the Heavenly Dao…"

Seeing the "Heavenly Dao with a flaw" that had been separated from his own body still hovering in the air, Zhang Xuan smiled lightly and snapped his fingers.

Buzz!

The Library that had accompanied him since rebirth thundered into place above the sky of the Divine Realm.

Like a great bell tolling, the constantly collapsing Divine Realm began a slow, visible recovery, and the chaotic currents of Qi reconvened.

The crumbling Divine Realm finally halted, and the dried‑up spiritual energy, together with Hen Ren's death, slowly revived.

"It seems the Divine Realm is about to usher in an era of spiritual resurgence…" Zhang Xuan smiled.

The hole of the Tide Sea, now restored by the completion of the Heavenly Dao, has healed; the Divine Realm will soon return to its former splendor—just a matter of time.

"Zhang Xuan, this way…"

Having just finished, a voice rang in his mind; Zhang Xuan froze for a moment, then took a step forward.

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

It was the very one who had previously taught him the sword method.

"Senior, you…"

Seeing him, Zhang Xuan was startled.

He had always sensed this person to be unfathomable; now he realized that compared to himself, the gap was only a sliver—he had already reached the Emperor's pinnacle, far surpassing Luo Ruoxi of before.

"Just call me by my name. I am… Nie Tong!" The youth exuded an unstoppable sword intent and said calmly.

"Nie Tong?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

It was the first time he had heard that name.

"Come with me, I'll introduce you to my brother!" Nie Tong smiled faintly and stepped forward.

Zhang Xuan followed close behind, flying an unknown distance, and stopped before a mountain peak.

He then saw another young man.

His appearance was not much older; his eyebrows rose, giving an impression of deep, inscrutable depth.

"This power…" Zhang Xuan trembled.

The youth before him was even stronger than himself, having also broken the Emperor's shackles, and his cultivation was far more profound and weighty.

"I am Nie Yun!" the youth said with a light smile, looking over: "In other words… Nie Lingxi, the father of the Luo Ruoxi you mentioned!"

"Luo Ruoxi's father?"

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

Luo Ruoxi had once said her father was the Heavenly Dao; she never imagined it would be a young man like this.

"I merged the Three Purities into one, a part of my soul became the Heavenly Dao! Moreover, this world was created by me, so calling me the Heavenly Dao is not wrong!" Nie Yun said with a faint smile.

Zhang Xuan could not believe it.

The Divine Realm was created by the man before him?

Then how strong must his power be?

"If the Divine Realm was created by you and you are the Heavenly Dao, why did you let Hen Ren run rampant without intervening…?" Zhang Xuan asked.

If he had not broken through himself, the Divine Realm might have collapsed completely—why does this man stand by idly?

He even cares about his daughter's life and death?

Nie Yun looked over calmly and said, "Do you think there exists a life above the Divine Realm that is even stronger?"

"This…" Zhang Xuan paused: "There should be, I guess…"

Though he had never seen one, if he could cultivate to this level, perhaps others could, even stronger.

Just like the one before him.

"I once doubted that a stronger life existed above the Divine Realm, so I used all my power to peer beyond, which ultimately attracted a backlash from a higher world… a palm struck down through the void!"

Nie Yun continued, "If I had dodged then, the entire Divine Realm would likely have been erased, leaving no life at all… So I blocked that strike, but the Heavenly Dao I had manifested was split apart."

"In this situation, I think restoration is just a matter of intention, but… I understand that to truly transcend the Divine Realm's shackles and explore the origin of that palm, and what lies beyond the Divine Realm, one person alone can hardly achieve it. Hence, I wanted to see if any life could break the Emperor's shackles and reach parity with me!"

"Thus, I sent the scattered Heavenly Dao intent to the lowest world… granting the souls originally belonging to this world and a soul that does not belong to this world. And you, in the end, did not disappoint me!"

Nie Yun laughed.

"A soul that does not belong to this world… does that mean I crossed over because of you?" Zhang Xuan felt a shock in his heart.

No wonder he could traverse here; it was all because of this man.

"Hehe!" Nie Yun chuckled lightly, "A being that belongs to this world naturally respects it; to break the world's shackles is far harder. I merely had a fleeting thought, never expecting you could truly succeed…"

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

Without Master Kong's selfless dedication, attaining his current realm would have been impossible.

I gave him the chance; he simply didn't seize it. The duel with Lingxi was actually his best opportunity to breakthrough, but he chose to retreat, thinking he could keep a fallback and walk away unscathed, when in fact he lost his bold progress; facing someone who surpasses us, if he lacks even that spirit, how can he contend with them?

Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan remained silent.

He watched their battle then, and Master Kong was indeed somewhat indecisive.

Perhaps he was unwilling to slay Luo Ruoxi.

Unfortunately, in that very thought, the chance to advance was missed.

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

Could it be that this man before me doesn't even care about his daughter's life or death?

"As long as I'm here, she won't die…" Nie Yun gave a faint smile: "Your current strength is not far from mine; do you think, given both of your powers at the brink of life and death, you could rescue her?"

"This…" Zhang Xuan forced a bitter smile.

Breaking through the Emperor Lord and the Emperor Lord are two different concepts; if he truly is willing to act, he could indeed save the person at the final moment, and guarantee that no injury would be sustained.

"Lingxi is the child of my other wife, Luo Qingcheng, so she uses a disguised name, surname Luo… to make her believe I am not acting emotionally; she still thinks I am in a coma…"

Nie Yun let out a bitter laugh: "I, as a father, have indeed been ruthless enough… Fine, you should explain this to her yourself; after all, her thoughts have already shifted to you. I, this old father, probably can't even recall… Haha, I will stay out of sight for now, hide for a while; otherwise I'm truly afraid she'll cause chaos beyond measure…"

Seeing this utterly unreliable old father, Mian Pi flinched, and Zhang Xuan could only agree: "Alright…"

I can't refuse anyway, after all I abducted someone else's daughter…

"The Heaven Dao Library is a manifestation of my will, both foundation and shackles; if you can, by your own ability, break those shackles, it proves your power and potential, and your future will be limitless. If my daughter can be with you, as a father I would be content."

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