Chapter 1079: I

A Soul Contract, binding souls; as long as one does not dissolve 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 Divine King; now he is an Emperor, yet he also cannot break such an agreement.

To prevent that guy from reneging and causing backlash, Mingshi Dalu once specifically decreed that even if the other party can detach from the Heavenly Dao Tome, the soul‑bound pact cannot be escaped!

"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!"

Ruthless Dao.

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

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

"Having told you all this, I suppose I should thank you for bringing me to the Divine Realm!"

After the explanation, the ruthless one said no more; his aura grew ever more ancient and distant, the black hole behind him expanded further, evidently the act of speaking had once 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.

"Prepare to act!" With all doubts cleared, Zhang Xuan inhaled deeply, raised his long sword abruptly: "Since that's so, let's see the true skill beneath my hand!"

Boom—!

The most powerful sword intent surged forth again.

Life returns to its source, death lingers as endless longing!

Life and death matter not; what then can stand in the way?

This sword technique, though not yet reaching Emperor‑level comprehension, contains all the practitioner's obsessions, pushing the Heaven‑If‑Has‑Sentiment Technique within his body to its limit.

Whoosh!

One sword cleaved the ruthless one's attack in two.

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

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

"Your moves are impressive, but compared to me, they're still lacking..."

With a light smile, the ruthless one lunged downward again.

In an instant, sky and sun were eclipsed; 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.

With their combined strength, they still couldn't hold it back!

What realm has this guy actually reached?

"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 style.

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

A single punch rose, power surging up to the Nine Heavens.

Clashing with the ruthless one, he was likewise flung backward, unable to block a single move.

Zhang Xuan covered his forehead.

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

Such flamboyant showoff, yet it would be better to concentrate the power; the force would be greater!

"Strike together, otherwise if they die, we'll all die..."

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

The remaining six great Emperors each employed their own tactics.

The seven Emperors united, destroying heaven and earth; any realm before them could not withstand, yet the opponent was the ruthless one who had absorbed the special power. As the attack approached, his black hole suddenly expanded, swallowing the force in the blink of an eye, then launching a counterattack.

Bang bang bang bang!

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

The ten Emperors, united, still failed to block a single move from the opponent!

How can this guy be so powerful?

"You may die..."

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

"You rat‑brat dare this!"

Accompanied by a thunderous shout, the elder previously under Jian Shen Tian suddenly appeared, blocking the way, his long sword turning into a galaxy.

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

Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

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

If he is an Emperor, then what is the young man?

"He himself is Jian Shen Tian's Emperor..." Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth, struggling to stand.

"Then... what about the young man who taught me the sword art?" Zhang Xuan could no longer hold back.

"He is..." Luo Ruoxi began to answer when space warped; immediately they saw Jian Shen Tian's Emperor also flung backward, landing nearby and gouging a huge crater.

Zhang Xuan's current strength and his comprehension of the Sword Dao far surpass him; even though his cultivation isn't weak and his swordsmanship is superb, he still isn't a match.

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

Having defeated Jian Shen Tian's Emperor, the ruthless one laughed wildly, the surrounding space continuously collapsing, framing him like a demon and a monster.

"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 move from the opponent...

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

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 reddened.

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

The library in his mind was 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 on its own.

Just like the human 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 as a result.

But……

"He's too strong; even if the Heavenly Dao recovers fully, 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?

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 awaken and slay this person—it's not difficult!"

"Him?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

"Trying to escape?" the Ruthless snorted coldly and pressed down.

Boom!

Luo Ruoxi fell from the air.

"You……" Zhang Xuan unleashed his sword technique again, and his sword intent shone forth.

Ding ding ding!

Again blocked by the Ruthless.

"You guys hurry up and leave, I'll hold him off……"

Knowing they were trying to find a way to save the Divine Realm rather than flee, the clone and the Undying Emperor Sovereign shouted loudly and blocked the front, while 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 the rear, unafraid of death, Zhang Xuan's eye sockets reddened, but he also knew now was not the time to talk; he grabbed Luo Ruoxi, his body flickered, he tore through space, and in the next moment they appeared within the range of Freedom Heaven.

Freedom Heaven no longer had its former ease; the Divine Realm had collapsed, and everywhere was 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 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 behind 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 that of an Emperor?"

He couldn't help but ask.

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?

And why does it 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 great hand, fell into a coma, and the Heavenly Dao shattered into three parts—the Ordered Heavenly Dao and the Defective Heavenly Dao entered the spatial turbulence, while I acted as the steward of the Natural Heavenly Dao, maintaining the Divine Realm's balance. To restore him, we must gather the scattered parts…… That's why I am so resolute, cannot fail! I therefore entered the Master Teacher Continent specifically, studying the Spring and Autumn Great Canon, seeking a way to defeat Kong Shi! When fighting Kong Shi, the favor I asked of him was also this."

Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly realized.

Having just met the Master Teacher 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?

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

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

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

Zhang Xuan relaxed his breath.

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 this fate, he also did not want the girl before him to come to harm.

"If I separate the Defective Heavenly Dao from within me, your father can come back to life, and even kill the Ruthless, right?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"This…… I'm not sure either……"

He lifted his gaze to the already-collapsed Divine Realm, and Luo Ruoxi hesitated.

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

Really hard to say!

"Looks like you can't be sure either. In that case, it's better to rely on oneself than others… We have only ourselves to figure it out!" Zhang Xuan clenched his teeth: "You, me, and my avatar, united with the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, if we also coordinate with Master Kong, we might still be able to win!"

"Master Kong? He…" Luo Ruoxi furrowed her brows.

"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: Master Kong's so-called retaining spiritual awareness should be the same as him, an Innate Fetal Soul Body.

One can remain clear-minded even in the womb.

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

Luo Ruoxi froze, seemingly not expecting this to be the case.

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

Master Kong's disciples, such as the Ancient Sage Ziyuan and others, are all formidable; even without the Emperors' help, they would certainly have a way into the Tide Sea, yet not a single one was seen.

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

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, and Zhang Xuan returned to where Master Kong dwelled; indeed he saw an old man sitting cross-legged, floating in midair. Upon seeing them arrive, he smiled faintly: "You've come!"

Not Master Kong, then who is it!

This teacher of myriad ages certainly did not disappoint!

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

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

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

"I concealed myself from the Heavenly Dao, prepared a contingency in advance—the nameless giant in the Soul‑Ghost Pool is what I left behind; the day you slew it, I seized the chance to break free from the Heavenly Dao's bonds, recondense my flesh, and have only just now fully recovered!"

Master Kong smiled faintly.

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

He had even accumulated several decades of time.

"Our three strengths are considerable, but overcoming 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 united couldn't block the opponent; even adding Master Kong, what difference would it make?

It would likewise fail to change the situation!

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

Master Kong smiled and looked over.

"Fuse into one person?"

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

"That palm can tear apart the Divine Realm, scatter the Heavenly Dao—its strength is undeniable. The Ruthless One has absorbed that power entirely and also devoured fifty years of spiritual energy from the Divine Realm; relying solely on strength, even if each of us dozen Emperors took out our power individually, we would certainly not be a match…"

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

"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, we can save the Divine Realm!"

Master Kong said.

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

"The Lingxi Emperor cultivates freedom and transcendence of nature! Yet 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, such an intention indeed existed; thus their exchanges at the start each held back, akin to sparring, not a life‑or‑death fight.

"Being unable to transcend, one cannot unleash their utmost strength; even with abundant true qi, they 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 benevolence is also a flaw! If one were a bit more ruthless, exterminating the Alien Spirit clan, the present situation would not have arisen…"

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

"So I am also unsuitable! Zhang Xuan, however, cultivates a harmonious method, free of 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 inclusiveness and broader room for growth—only thus can one reach higher and farther!"

Master Kong continued.

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

"If even death is of no concern, how could anything else bind one?"

"This…" Zhang Xuan frowned, about to speak, when he saw Master Kong's piercing gaze: "No need to decline—first say there's no time, go train others; even if there were, I doubt anyone could do better than you! Though the Lingxi Emperor's body lacks Heavenly Dao fragments, he has long 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 power within! Combined with your avatar's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, we can fully achieve ruling the Nine Heavens, grasping the cosmos, battling the Nine Firmaments, and annihilating all things!"

"Alright!"

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

Boom—

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

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

Soul, flesh, and true qi were instantly baptized, growing stronger and more mighty by the moment.

……

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

He Ren flung Luo Qiqi, his duplicate and others into the air, and gave a cold smile.

The power unleashed by the duplicate together with numerous emperors was indeed great, but compared with him it was still somewhat weaker.

The Tidal Sea has devoured almost all the spiritual energy outside the divine city's outskirts, and now those forces have become his fostered power; with every move he wields the ability to destroy heaven and earth. Though these emperors and divine kings represent the pinnacle of the divine realm, they are still no match.

At this moment He Ren seemed to embody the entire divine realm; no one could stand against him.

"With the divine realm gone, our existence is meaningless. I, Yun Chi, will perish together with you…"

The Great Emperor Yun Chi transformed into his true form, a massive five‑clawed golden dragon, and swooped at him from the sky.

"You? Unworthy!"

He Ren pinched his palm, and the golden dragon hung in his hand, unable to break free no matter how it struggled.

"Old friend, wait for me!"

Fu Meng let out a roar, transforming into the true form of a white tiger, and flew down to his side.

The immortal emperor and his immortal fire phoenix manifested, their flames lighting the sky.

The Great Emperor Xuan Ming revealed his true form: a gigantic turtle, as if supporting the heavens.

The Four Divine Beasts, guardians of the four poles of the divine realm, also shifted into their true forms, slowing the collapse of the divine realm.

The universe seemed to freeze in an instant.

Boom boom boom boom!

With four consecutive palm strikes, He Ren suppressed the four beasts, a fierce murderous glint flashing in his eyes: "Since you seek death, I will grant it…"

Amid the roar, just as he prepared to deliver the killing blow to everyone, his raised arm tightened and halted in midair.

"Want to kill them? You didn't ask me…"

Immediately, amid the shocked gazes, a figure slowly stepped out from the sky.

It was Zhang Xuan!

The young man now surged with power, more than ten times stronger than before, descending from the heavens as if his whole being were a world.

"You've improved a lot…"

He Ren halted, his gaze heavy.

He clearly did not understand why, in just a few minutes, the opponent's strength had changed so dramatically.

"But what's the point of the increase? Even the divine realm at its peak couldn't resist. I doubt you can block me…"

With a cold snort, He Ren struck down again.

Zhang Xuan raised his long sword and met him.

Both fought together, space tearing in strips, currents swirling everywhere.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?"

From the Zizai Tian Kong Shi base, Luo Ruoxi watched with deep worry.

She and Kong passed their power to Zhang Xuan; her own cultivation had dropped to merely divine king level, far less splendid than before.

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

"With the current strength, surpassing… is hard! Unless… he can comprehend power beyond the emperors!"

After a moment of silence, Kong said.

Even a coalition of a dozen emperors couldn't defeat He Ren; even if they transferred all their power to the opponent, overcoming him wouldn't be easy.

The reason for this is… only by concentrating power in a single person can one reach the pinnacle, truly surpass limits, and break through oneself!

"Power beyond the emperors?"

Luo Ruoxi's gaze was distant.

When her father was still lucid, he once said the same to her, but… she couldn't achieve it. Could the man she loves achieve it?

"He will… he has an unyielding heart! And pride toward this world."

Seeing her doubt, Kong smiled.

……

Boom boom boom!

After several consecutive moves, Zhang Xuan's throat split open, a massive scar appearing on his chest, fierce and terrifying.

Just as Kong said, even after merging their two powers, a complete Heavenly Dao formed within, yet it was still no match.

"Ha ha, you thought it was impressive, but that's all!" He Ren gave a cold smile.

"Anyway you're not my opponent; you'll be killed sooner or later. Since that's the case, I wish to die under your strongest attack…" Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, halted his assault, and instead looked at He Ren before him.

"Fine, I'll grant you the strongest attack…"

Hearing that, He Ren was momentarily stunned, then let out a cold snort and raised his palm.

Whoosh!

A streak of azure light appeared in his palm and slammed down fiercely.

Sure enough, it was the strongest attack; the entire divine realm roared, as if about to collapse, and a massive crater was gouged out again.

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

Boom!

His head exploded, his soul scattering in all directions.

"Zhang Xuan…" At the sight, everyone turned pale.

Luo Qiqi seemed to go mad.

Yun Chi and the others widened their eyes, trembling continuously.

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

The intention was to have him break through his shackles and assault the realm beyond the Emperor Realm; why didn't he resist and instead willingly face death?

Wouldn't this waste 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 had exploded and even his soul shattered, his chest pendant 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 flaw in the Heavenly Dao from the soul?"

Luo Ruoxi's pupils contracted.

After undergoing Fire Rebirth, Zhang Xuan actually had no Heavenly Dao Library within 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 soul were fused together, indistinguishable; to break free, he had to have his soul scatter and, with the aid of the Netherworld Pool, recondense his soul.

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

"I understand... he used the Ruthless Person's method to break the Soul Contract..." Luo Ruoxi realized.

The Soul Contract binds master and servant; if the master does not undo it, the servant remains forever 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 cannot free it.

But... the Ruthless Person used that special power to break the Soul Contract; the specific method, Zhang Xuan had previously inquired about in detail, so 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.

With this power, he underwent Fire Rebirth; unexpectedly, it turned out to be a great success!

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

Walking out of the flames, Zhang Xuan wore 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 appears when the Nine Heavens are born, can stabilize the Nine Heavens; at this moment, his avatar 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; now it showed signs of loosening, as if he could break through at any moment.

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

Smiling, Zhang Xuan muttered to himself.

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 does the world come first and then people?

Is it the wind moving, or the heart moving?

This question has troubled countless people since time immemorial.

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 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 feelings, for my use..."

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

The Emperor's shackles, broken through!

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

Countless chaotic qi surged in, and his fleshly body also swiftly increased.

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

"You..." the Ruthless Person hadn't expected that his full-force attack would not only fail to slay him but actually fulfill him; enraged, he shouted "wah-wah!" and, with a furious roar, 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, containing humility and anger, is emotion; you want to destroy the Divine Realm to vent anger, that's emotion; you want to become stronger, likewise emotion—emotion controls you, so how could you overcome me and not be controlled by me?"

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

The originally invincible Ruthless Person was bound by countless threads of emotion, his hands and feet tied, unable to move.

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

"You..."

The Ruthless Person's eyes were full of panic: "Teacher 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, things like servants are already meaningless to him.

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

"No..."

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

Bang!

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

Previously, all the power swallowed by the Tidal Sea now returned in full, revitalizing the already barren wilderness.

"This..."

"You killed him just like that?"

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

Just now they had crossed blows with the ruthless person, knowing how terrifying he was; yet such a powerful figure was wiped out with a casual gesture—this Zhang Xuan... just what level has he reached?

Could it be that above the Sovereign there truly exists another realm?

"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 Defect" that had been separated from his own body still hovering in the air, Zhang Xuan gave a light smile and flicked his finger.

Hum!

The library that had accompanied him since his rebirth resounded as it was embedded into the sky of the Divine Realm.

The deep bell-like toll rang out; the continually collapsing Divine Realm slowly recovered visibly to the naked eye, and the chaotic currents also gathered again.

The collapsing Divine Realm finally halted, and the withered spiritual energy, along with the ruthless person'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 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 over here..."

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

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

He was precisely the one who had previously imparted his sword technique to him.

"Senior, you..."

Seeing it was him, Zhang Xuan startled.

Earlier I had sensed he was unfathomable; now I realize he is only a hair's breadth above me, having already reached the peak of the Sovereign realm, far surpassing even Luo Ruoxi before.

"Just call me by my name; I am Nie Tong!" The youth radiated an unstoppable sword intent as he spoke lightly.

"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!" 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 arched, giving an impression of profound inscrutability.

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled.

The youth before him proved even stronger, having likewise broken through the Sovereign's shackles, and his cultivation was deeper and more substantial!

"I am Nie Yun!" The youth gave a faint smile and looked over: "That is... Nie Lingxi, the father of Luo Ruoxi you mentioned!"

"Luo Ruoxi's father?"

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

Luo Ruoxi had said before that her father was the Heavenly Dao; who would have thought it would be such a young person.

"I transformed one breath into the Three Pure Ones; a portion of my soul became the Heavenly Dao! Moreover, this world is my creation—calling me the Heavenly Dao is perfectly justified!" Nie Yun said with a light smile.

Zhang Xuan couldn't believe it.

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

Just how strong must his power be?

"No, if the Divine Realm is your creation and you are the Heavenly Dao, why allow the ruthless person to run rampant without intervening?" Zhang Xuan looked over.

"If it weren't for my 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 I've never seen it, since he can cultivate to this level, perhaps others can as well, even stronger."

"Just like this person before us."

"I once suspected that a more powerful life existed above the Divine Realm, so I exerted all my power to observe, ultimately drawing a backlash from a higher world... a palm shattered the void and descended!"

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

"Such a situation, I merely wish to restore with a single thought, but... I understand that to truly transcend the Divine Realm's shackles, to explore where that palm came from and what lies beyond the Divine Realm... it's hard for me alone. So I want to see if there is any life capable of breaking the Sovereign's shackles and reaching a level equal to mine!"

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

Nie Yun said with a smile.

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

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

"Hehe!" Nie Yun chuckled lightly: "Being native to this world, one naturally holds reverence for it; wanting to break the world's shackles is far more difficult. I, too, merely had a thought stir, never imagining you could truly succeed..."

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

"Without Kong Shi's selfless dedication, reaching the present cultivation would be utterly impossible."

"Opportunity I gave him, he just didn't seize it. The duel with Lingxi was actually his best opportunity to break through; unfortunately, he chose to retreat, thinking he had kept a trump card and could withdraw unharmed, but in fact he lost the spirit of brave advancement. When facing someone surpassing us, if he doesn't even have this spirit, how could he possibly contend with them?"

Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan remained silent.

At that time, their battle, he saw it all; Master Kong indeed lacked decisiveness.

It's also possible that 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 eyebrows furrowed.

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

"With me here, she won't die..." Nie Yun smiled faintly: "Your current strength is not much different from mine; do you think the two of us, at a life-or-death moment, wanting to save someone, can you do it?"

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

Breaking through to Emperor and being an Emperor are two 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 of my other wife Luo Qingcheng, so her false surname is Luo... In order to make her believe, not letting emotions interfere, up to now she has always thought I am still in a coma..."

Nie Yun gave a wry smile: "This father of mine has also been quite harsh... Well then, let you 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 temporarily not appear, avoid for a period of time before speaking again; otherwise, I truly fear she will cause an uproar..."

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

If he didn't agree, there was no way; who let him abduct someone's daughter...

"The Heaven 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 able to be with you, as a father, I would also feel relieved."

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