Chapter 1088: I Want to Visit That Mysterious Place

A soul contract binds souls; as long as one does not break it, even if the other employs god‑like methods, it cannot be undone.

It's like the immortal emperor Xiao Huangji, who was once only a divine king; now he is an emperor, yet he also cannot resolve such an agreement.

To prevent that guy from reneging and causing backlash, Mingshi Continent once decreed that even if the opponent can detach from the Heavenly Dao Tome, he still cannot escape the soul pact!

"A soul contract indeed cannot be split from the Sea of Consciousness, but I have merged a special gas that even the Heavenly Dao can dissolve; 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 said.

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 is there?

"I see…" Zhang Xuan's eyes flickered.

"Having told you all this, I also thank 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 expanded 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 it 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, and said, "Since that's so, let's reveal the true skill beneath my hand!"

Boom!

The most powerful sword intent surged forth again.

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

If life and death matter not, what can stand in the way?

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

Whoosh!

A single slash split Hen Ren's attack in two.

At the same moment, Luo Ruoxi struck, her jade hand swirling, sword light as 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 techniques are impressive, but compared to me, they're still lacking…"

With a light smile, Hen Ren lunged downward again.

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

Puff! Puff!

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

Even with their combined strength, they could not resist!

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.

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, he was likewise flung backward, unable to block a single move.

Zhang Xuan covered his forehead.

Having become an emperor, the clone still refuses to abandon its pretentious nature…

Such flamboyant showmanship is still less effective than concentrating power for greater force!

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

Xiao Huangji let out a 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 Hen Ren who had absorbed a special power. As his attack approached, the black hole suddenly expanded, and in the blink of an eye it devoured the incoming force completely, then launched a counterattack.

Bang bang bang bang!

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

The ten emperors combined, yet none could block a single move from the opponent!

How could 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 rat‑type dare this!"

Accompanied by a roar, the elder who had previously been 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, presumed merely a retainer, perhaps only titled a divine king, but when he unleashed his power it turned out he too was an emperor‑strength strongman!

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

"He himself is the emperor of Jian Shen Tian…" Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth, struggling to stand.

"Then… the master who taught me the sword technique…" Zhang Xuan could no longer hold back.

"He is…" Luo Ruoxi began to answer, when space twisted, and the emperor of Jian Shen Tian was also flung outward, landing nearby and creating a huge crater.

Zhang Xuan's current strength and his comprehension of the sword path far surpass him; he cannot contend. Even though his cultivation is not weak and his swordsmanship is superb, he still is no match.

"Ha ha, emperor, you're just a bunch of earth‑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, framing him like a demon.

"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 used her strongest move, yet none could block a single strike from the opponent…

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

Let him destroy the world?

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

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

The library in the mind is itself part of the Heavenly Dao; once returned, the Heavenly Dao equals complete completeness, perhaps can repair the loophole, and the self will expel Henren.

Just like the body's immune system.

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

Just……

"He's too strong; even if the Heavenly Dao recovers completely, it cannot suppress him, right?" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Viruses can be killed by the immune system, but… what about a fierce tiger?

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

This person before us is merely an ordinary Divine King; even with a title, the Heavenly Dao can easily kill them, yet they are stronger than an Emperor—no longer something the Heavenly Dao can contend with.

"This…" Luo Ruoxi paused, her jade-white face showing a lost expression: "Yeah… there's no way to suppress him, but if the Heavenly Dao is complete, he can wake up and slay this person—it's not difficult!" Luo Ruoxi said.

"Him?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

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

Bang!

Luo Ruoxi fell from the sky.

"You…" Zhang Xuan unleashed the sword technique again, sword intent shining forth.

Ding ding ding!

Again blocked by Henren.

"You all hurry up and leave, I'll block him…"

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

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone fearlessly blocking the rear, unafraid of death, Zhang Xuan's eye sockets reddened, but also knew now was not the time to talk; grabbed Luo Ruoxi, body flickered, tore through space, and in the next moment appeared within the range of the Heaven of Freedom and Ease.

The Heaven of Freedom and Ease now lacks its former freedom; the Divine Realm has collapsed, everywhere in chaos.

"The him you spoke of, where is he?"

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

If the person she spoke of can truly save the Divine Realm, what harm is there in self-sacrifice?

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

"Father?"

Zhang Xuan suddenly realized.

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

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

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

Could not help but say.

The library is in chaos, due to the blood in the pendant, which lets the self regain clarity; could it be that not only is she an Emperor, but her father is too, and even stronger?

If that's the case, why would they fall into a coma?

Also need the Heavenly Dao Deficiency to let it become awake?

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

Luo Ruoxi clenched fists.

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

"Yes! Fifty years ago, father couldn't withstand that big hand, fell into a coma; the Heavenly Dao shattered into three parts—Heavenly Dao Order and Heavenly Dao Deficiency entered spacetime turbulence; I, acting as steward, oversaw the Heavenly Dao's nature to maintain the Divine Realm's balance. To let him recover, we must gather the scattered parts…… So I am so resolute, cannot fail! I specially went to the Famous Teacher Continent, researched the Spring and Autumn Classic, seeking a way to defeat Master Kong! When fighting Master Kong, the thing I asked him to do was also this."

Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly realized.

Not long after meeting the Famous Teacher Continent, the girl before us had already told her story to self, wanting to save a close relative; self at that time didn't understand, only now suddenly realized.

Actually it's her father, and moreover the Heavenly Dao of the Divine Realm!

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

"Acting as steward of the Heavenly Dao's nature… you inside, no Heavenly Dao fragments?" Suddenly, realizing something off in her language, Zhang Xuan looked over.

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

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

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

Speaking of this, only need self to separate the Heavenly Dao Deficiency; it's not necessary for her to die as well.

Although unwilling to accept this fate, also unwilling for the girl before us to suffer harm.

"I will separate the Heavenly Dao Deficiency within my body, then your father can come back to life, even kill Henren, right?" Zhang Xuan looked over.

"This… I also am not sure…"

Raising head to look at the already collapsed Divine Realm, Luo Ruoxi hesitated.

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

Really hard to say!

Looks like you can't be sure either. In that case, it's better to rely on oneself than ask others… We have 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 cooperate 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 escape the Heavenly Dao… No surprise, he should be like Wei Changfeng, an Innate Fetal Soul Body!

Zhang Xuan said.

Seeing Wei Changfeng, I realized; what Master Kong called maintaining spiritual awareness should be the same as him, an Innate Fetal Soul Body.

One can remain clear-minded even in the womb.

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

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

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

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

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

And this important matter is clearly 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 lived; indeed he saw an old man sitting cross-legged, floating in midair. Seeing them arrive, he smiled slightly: "You've come!"

Not Master Kong, then who is it!

This Teacher of Ten Thousand Generations 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, the Undying Emperor had also come back to life, but… she didn't expect the speed to be this fast!

"I concealed the Heavenly Dao, prepared a backup in advance; that nameless giant in the Nether Spirit Pool is what I left behind. The day you slew me, I seized the chance to break free of the Heavenly Dao's bonds, recondensed my flesh, and have only just now recovered!"

Master Kong smiled slightly.

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

He has even had decades of time.

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

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

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

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

It likewise cannot change the situation!

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

Master Kong looked over, smiling.

"Merge into one person?"

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

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

Master Kong said: "But if we unite and concentrate the power into one person… it might not be so!"

"How to concentrate?"

Luo Ruoxi looked over.

Easy to say, hard to do.

The Emperor already stands 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.

Master Kong said.

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

"The Lingxi Emperor Sovereign cultivates freedom and ease, transcending nature! But with the constraints of father and Heavenly Dao, and with people one cares for, 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.

Master Kong said.

Luo Ruoxi couldn't speak.

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

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

Master Kong nodded and said: "Holding all beings in heart, wanting to save the world, yet unwilling for others to sacrifice for me—too much benevolence is also a flaw! If I were a bit more ruthless, exterminating the Foreign Spirit Clan, we wouldn't have the present situation…"

Had we initially been able to exterminate all the Foreign Spirit Clan, the Ruthless One could not have revived, nor would we be in this situation.

"So I'm also unsuitable! As for Zhang Xuan, his cultivation method flows smoothly, 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, greater room for growth; only thus can one reach higher and farther!" Master Kong continued.

Master Kong continued.

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

"Not even caring about death, how could one be bound by other matters?"

"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 time, I also think no one could do better than you! The Lingxi Emperor Sovereign's body, though lacking Heavenly Dao fragments, has long mastered the Heavenly Dao, possessing his own understanding of it; I govern the Heavenly Dao in order; if we pour our power into you, your body will then hold complete Heavenly Dao power! Combined with your avatar's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, we can completely achieve ruling the Nine Heavens, holding the Yin and Yang, battling the Nine Firmaments, annihilating all things!"

"Alright!"

Seeing the other party had made a decision, further explanation would be useless; Zhang Xuan nodded.

Boom—

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

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

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

……

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

He sent Luo Qiqi and the clone, among others, flying, and Henren gave a cold smile.

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

The Tide Sea devoured nearly all the spiritual energy outside the city of the Divine Realm; now this energy has become his sustenance, every gesture wielding the power to destroy heaven and earth. These emperors and god-kings, though they represent the pinnacle of the Divine Realm, are still utterly helpless.

At this moment, Henren seemed to embody the entire Divine Realm, and none could stand against him.

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

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

"Just you? You're not worthy!"

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

"Old friend, wait for me!"

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

The Undying Emperor revealed his true form, the Undying Fire Phoenix, its flames lighting the sky.

The Profound Darkness Great Emperor's true form is a giant tortoise, as if holding up the heavens.

The Four Divine Beasts, guardians of the four extremes of the Divine Realm, simultaneously revealed their true forms, causing the collapsing Divine Realm to slow down.

Heaven and Earth seemed to freeze in an instant.

Bang bang bang bang!

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

In the midst of the roar, as he was about to strike down and annihilate everyone, he felt his raised arm tighten and halt in midair.

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

Immediately, amidst everyone's shocked gazes, a figure slowly stepped out from the air.

It was Zhang Xuan!

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

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

Henren halted, his gaze solemn.

He clearly didn't understand how, in just a few short minutes, the opponent's strength had undergone such a tremendous change.

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

With a cold snort, Henren struck down again.

Zhang Xuan raised his longsword and went to meet him.

The two clashed, space tearing in streaks, currents scattering everywhere.

Can Zhang Xuan win?

At the Free Heaven Master's garrison, 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 just a label; as long as the power is sufficient, one day it can be restored.

"With your current strength, wanting to surpass... is very difficult! Unless... he can comprehend power beyond that of emperors!"

After a moment of silence, Master Kong said.

Even a dozen emperors united could not defeat Henren, and even if they transferred all their power to him, overcoming him would still not be easy.

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

"Power beyond emperors?"

Luo Ruoxi's gaze drifted far away.

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

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

Seeing her doubt, Master Kong smiled and said.

……

Bang bang bang!

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

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

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

"Anyway, I'm no match for you; I'll be killed sooner or later. Since that's the case, I want to die under your strongest attack..." Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan stopped advancing, instead of attacking, he looked at Henren before him.

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

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

Whoosh!

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

Surely 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 shut, Zhang Xuan did not dodge.

Boom!

His skull exploded, his soul scattering in all directions.

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

Luo Qiqi seemed to have gone mad.

Yunchi the Great Emperor and the others also widened their eyes, trembling uncontrollably.

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

The original intention was to let him break through his shackles and assault the realm beyond the Emperor level—why didn't he resist, instead willingly seeking death?

In that case, wouldn't that be wasting their good intentions?

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

Just as they were puzzled, Kong Shi suddenly spoke.

Everyone immediately saw that Zhang Xuan, whose head had exploded and even his soul shattered, had the pendant on his chest suddenly burst open; a drop of blood floated up, ignited, forming a ball of scorching flame, within which an unharmed figure slowly stepped out.

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

Luo Ruoxi's pupils contracted.

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

"How did he do that?"

Kong Shi was also full of disbelief.

The Heavenly Dao and his soul were fused together, indistinguishable; to break free, he had to have his soul scatter and then, with the help of the Nether Soul 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 of breaking the soul contract…" Luo Ruoxi realized.

The soul contract binds Master and servant; if the Master does not lift it, the servant remains forever restrained… the Heavenly Dao Library is the same—it can be called an enhanced version of the contract.

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

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

That's why he deliberately fought to the death, letting 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!

"So that's it—this is the way to break through the Emperor…"

Zhang Xuan, walking out of the flames, showed 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 the Zhang Xuan before them had become the Nine Heavens, and the Nine Heavens were him.

He lightly tapped the ground with his foot.

The chaotic Nine Heavens immediately stabilized.

The Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, which appears when the Nine Heavens are born, can stabilize the Nine Heavens; at this moment, his clone and himself 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!"

With a smile on his face, Zhang Xuan muttered to himself.

At the moment the Heavenly Dao Library detached from his soul, he understood.

Is it that man sees the world and thus the world exists, or does the world come first and then man?

Is it the wind that moves, or the heart that moves!

This question has troubled countless people throughout the ages.

Of course, now… none of that matters anymore!

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

Therefore, after breaking through love, it becomes the affection of all beings—the emotions intertwining the world.

All things in the world have emotion; with emotion there is a world, and with emotion life can continue.

"Love, is emotion."

"Hatred, is emotion."

"Joy, is emotion."

"Pain, is emotion."

"Separation, is emotion."

"Reunion, is also emotion!"

"Myriad feelings, for my use…"

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

"The Emperor's shackles, broken through!"

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

Countless chaotic qi surged in, and his fleshly body also rapidly rose.

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

"You…" The ruthless person hadn't expected that his all-out attack would not only fail to slay him, but actually fulfill him; he shouted "wah-wah!" in anger, let out a furious roar, and attacked again.

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

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

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

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

"You…"

The ruthless person's eyes were full of panic: "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 meant nothing to him anymore.

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

"No…"

Feeling his decisiveness, the ruthless person's pupils contracted; before his words finished, he immediately felt a sudden intense pain.

Boom!

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

Previously, all the power swallowed by the Tidal Sea now flowed back, restoring vitality to the already exhausted wilderness.

"This..."

"You killed him just like that?"

The Cloud Chi Great Emperor, the Immortal Emperor, the Linglong Fairy and the others all widened their eyes, unable to believe it.

Just moments ago 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—how far has this Zhang Xuan actually progressed?

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, so I will now return it to the Heavenly Dao..."

Seeing the "Heavenly Dao's Flaw" that had been split from his own body still hovering in the air, Zhang Xuan smiled faintly and flicked his finger.

Hum!

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

The deep toll of a great bell rang out as the continually collapsing Divine Realm slowly healed, visible to the naked eye, and the chaotic currents also gathered again.

The collapsing Divine Realm finally halted, and the withered spiritual energy, too, gradually revived along with the ruthless person's death.

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

The breach 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, over here..."

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

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

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

"Senior, you..."

Seeing that it was him, Zhang Xuan startled.

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

"Just call me by my name—I am Nie Tong!" the youth said, his body emanating an unstoppable sword intent.

"Nie Tong?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

It was the first time he had heard that name.

"Come with me, I'll take you to see my brother!" the youth called Nie Tong chuckled and stepped forward.

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

Immediately, he saw another youth.

His appearance was not much older, his eyebrows 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 bottleneck, and his cultivation was far deeper and more substantial!

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

"Luo Ruoxi's father?"

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

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

"I transformed one 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 entirely 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 powerful must his strength be?

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

If it weren't for his own breakthrough, the Divine Realm would likely have collapsed completely; why does this person before him remain indifferent?

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

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

"This…" Zhang Xuan paused: "There should be, right?"

Although he had never seen such a level, but since he could cultivate to this level, perhaps others could also reach it, or even surpass it.

Just like the youth before him.

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

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

"I want to restore this situation—it's merely a thought—but I understand that to truly transcend the Divine Realm's bottleneck, to explore where that palm came from and what lies beyond the Divine Realm… relying on me alone is very difficult. So I wish to see whether any life can break through the Emperor's bottleneck and reach a level equal to mine."

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

Nie Yun smiled.

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

No wonder he could transmigrate over—I never expected it was all due to this person before him.

"Hehe!" Nie Yun chuckled lightly, saying: "One who belongs to this world naturally feels reverence for it; wanting to break the world's bottleneck is far harder. I, too, merely had a thought—I never imagined you could actually succeed…"

"I…" Zhang Xuan's face flushed: "Without Master Kong, I could never have reached this level."

Without Master Kong's selfless dedication, reaching the present realm would be utterly impossible.

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

Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan remained silent.

He had seen their battle; Master Kong indeed lacked decisiveness.

Perhaps he simply didn't want to kill Luo Ruoxi.

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

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

Could it be that he doesn't care about his daughter's life or death?

"With me here, she won't die..." Nie Yun gave a faint smile: "Your strength is not much different from mine now; do you think, with their strength at a life-or-death juncture, you could actually save them?"

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

Breaking through to Emperor and being an Emperor are two different concepts; if he truly wished to intervene, he could indeed save the person at the critical moment, and guarantee that they wouldn't suffer a single injury.

"Lingxi is the daughter of my other wife, Luo Qingcheng, so her assumed name bears the Luo surname... In order to make her believe, to keep her unemotional, she has continued to think I am still in a coma..."

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

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

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

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

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