Chapter 1094

Soul contract, binding souls; as long as I do not dissolve it, even if the other party's methods reach the heavens, they cannot dissolve it.

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

To prevent this guy from having a change of heart and suffering backlash, the Ming Shi Continent once specially decreed that even if the other party could escape the Heavenly Dao's Register, they could not break free from the soul contract between them!

"Soul contract indeed cannot be split from the sea of consciousness, but I have fused a special gas that even the Heavenly Dao can dissolve, making dissolving this contract not difficult... as long as there is sufficient power, bombarding the place where the contract resides will achieve it!"

Master Teacher Continent

Soul contract is founded upon the basis of the Heavenly Dao; a special power capable of dissolving even the Heavenly Dao of the Divine Realm can dissolve a soul contract—if handled properly, what difficulty could there be?

God Realm

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

After finishing the explanation, the ruthless person said no more; his aura grew ever more ancient and distant, the black hole behind him became larger—evidently, while speaking, he had devoured an unknown amount of power, nourishing himself.

Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus

Luo Ruoxi also noticed something was off, hurriedly sending a sound transmission over.

"Get ready to attack!" Doubts in his heart vanished completely; Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, the long sword in his hand suddenly raised: "If so, then let's see the true skill beneath our hands!"

Sword Dao

Sword Intent

Heaven's Feeling Technique

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

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

Six Great Emperors

Seven Emperors

Ten Great Emperors

Her sword technique somewhat resembled that of the youth from Sword God Heaven, carrying an unstoppable momentum and the natural elegance of the Great Dao.

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

He gave a light smile, and Hen Ren reached down to grab again.

In an instant, it blotted out the sky and covered the sun, its 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.

Despite their strength, they couldn't block it!

Just what realm has this guy reached?

"Impudent!" The avatar strode forward, with each step a lotus blossomed, and the sound of flowing water echoed in the void.

From afar, it exuded full swagger.

Having refined the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, his cultivation was not the slightest bit weaker than Zhang Xuan's.

He raised a fist, and his power surged up to the Nine Heavens.

Clashing with Hen Ren, he too was blown backward, unable to withstand a single move.

Zhang Xuan covered his forehead.

Having become an Emperor, the avatar still hadn't changed its pretentious nature...

Such ostentatious pretentiousness would be better replaced by concentrating power for greater effect!

"Let's attack together, otherwise they'll die and we'll die too..."

Little Yellow Chicken let out a loud shout, crimson flames blazed, and the sky seemed to be ignited.

The remaining six Emperors each employed their own methods.

The seven Emperors united, capable of destroying heaven and earth; even a side of heaven and earth before them could not withstand it, but the opposing side was Hen Ren who had absorbed a special power; as the attack approached, the black hole suddenly expanded, in the blink of an eye it swallowed all the power cleanly, and then immediately launched a counterattack.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

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

The ten Emperors, united together, couldn't even block a single move from the opponent!

How could this guy be so powerful?

"You can die..."

With a single move he shattered the crowd; Hen Ren stepped forward, flipped his wrist, and struck down again.

"How dare you, rats!"

Accompanied by a loud shout, the old man from Sword God Heaven who had appeared earlier suddenly appeared, blocking the front, his long sword transforming into a galaxy.

"An Emperor? He also has Emperor-level strength?"

Zhang Xuan's pupils constricted.

That old man had initially followed behind the youth; I had thought he was merely an attendant, at most ennobled as a God King, but upon displaying his power I discovered he was actually a powerful Emperor as well!

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

"He himself is the Emperor of Sword God Heaven..." Luo Ruoxi said, struggling to stand, gritting her teeth.

"Then... the youth who taught me swordsmanship?" Zhang Xuan could no longer hold back.

"He is..." Luo Ruoxi was about to answer when space twisted, and suddenly she saw that Emperor of Sword God Heaven also blown backward, landing not far away and blasting out a large crater.

Zhang Xuan's current strength and his understanding of the Sword Dao far surpassed his; even so, he could not withstand it, for although his cultivation was not weak and his swordsmanship superb, he was still no match.

"Hahaha, Emperors, you're nothing but a bunch of chickens and 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, Hen Ren laughed maniacally, the surrounding space continually collapsing, making him appear like a demon or a fiend.

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

Just now he and his avatar had exerted their utmost combat power, and even Luo Ruoxi before him had used her strongest technique, yet they still couldn't block the opponent's single move...

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

Let him destroy the world?

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

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

The library in his mind is itself part of the Heavenly Dao; once it returns, the Heavenly Dao becomes completely whole, perhaps able to repair the breach and expel the Ruthless One on its own.

Just like the body's immune system.

When the immune system is intact, a virus comes and is easily driven away; when it fails, even the strongest person cannot resist viral invasion and will die.

But...

"He's too strong; even if the Heavenly Dao is restored whole, it may not be able to suppress him!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

A virus, the immune system can slay, but... what about a fierce tiger?

No matter how strong the immune system, what can it do?

The 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—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... we can't suppress him, but if the Heavenly Dao is whole, he can awaken and slay this person—it wouldn't be hard!"

"Him?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

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

Bang!

Luo Ruoxi fell from the sky.

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

Ding ding ding!

Blocked again by the Ruthless One.

"You go quickly, I'll hold him off..."

Knowing they intended to find another way to save the Divine Realm rather than flee, the clone and the Immortal Emperor roared loudly, blocking the front, while Luo Qiqi also transformed, returning to the true form of the Still Void Pearl.

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone fearlessly throw themselves behind to block, unafraid of death, Zhang Xuan's eye sockets reddened, but he also knew now was not the time for words; he grabbed Luo Ruoxi, his body flickered, he tore through space, and in the next moment they appeared within the realm of Carefree Heaven.

Carefree 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's the harm in my sacrificing myself!

"He is my father; the blood in your pendant is his. The Immortal 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 turns out it's her father's.

This also explains why the thought left by the Immortal 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 say.

The library's chaos is due to the blood in the pendant awakening me; 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 fall into a coma?

And does it also require a deficient Heavenly Dao to make him awake?

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

Luo Ruoxi clenched her delicate fist.

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

"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 deficient Heavenly Dao entered the spatial turbulence, while I acted as its steward, overseeing the natural Heavenly Dao to maintain 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's Continent, studied the Spring and Autumn Canon, seeking a way to defeat Master Kong! When I fought Master Kong, the favor I asked of him was also this."

Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly realized.

Having just met the Master Continent not long ago, the girl before me had already told me her story of wanting to save a close relative; I didn't understand then, but now I finally comprehend.

Turns out it's 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 natural Heavenly Dao... you don't have any Heavenly Dao fragments inside you?" Suddenly sensing something off in her words, Zhang Xuan looked over.

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

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

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

In that case, I only need to separate the deficient Heavenly Dao from myself; she doesn't need to die as well.

Although I am unwilling to accept such a fate, I also don't want the girl before me to suffer harm.

"If I separate the deficient Heavenly Dao within me, your father could come back to life and even slay the Ruthless One, right?" Zhang Xuan looked at her.

"This... I'm not sure either..."

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

The Divine Realm is her father's foundation; now that 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; since that's the case, seeking help from others is worse than relying on oneself… we have only ourselves to figure it out!" Zhang Xuan clenched his teeth: "You, me, and my avatar, united with the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, if we also coordinate with Master Kong, we might not be unable 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… unsurprisingly, he should be like Wei Changfeng, an 【Innate Fetal Soul Body】!"

Zhang Xuan said.

Seeing Wei Changfeng, it became clear that Master Kong's so-called retaining sentience should be the same as him, an Innate Fetal Soul Body.

One can remain unconfused in the womb.

Adding the preparations made in advance, resurrection is merely a matter of time.

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

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

Master Kong's disciples, like Ziyuan Ancient Sage and others, are all strong; even without the Emperor's help, they would certainly have a way into the Tide Sea, yet not a single one was 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, with a single hand gesture, Zhang Xuan returned to Master Kong's residence, and indeed saw an old man sitting cross-legged, floating in midair; upon seeing them arrive, he gave a slight smile: "You've come!"

Not Master Kong, then who is it!

This teacher of ten thousand generations truly 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 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 it from the Heavenly Dao, prepared a backup in advance; that nameless giant in the Soul Ghost Pool is what I left behind, slain by you that day, I seized the chance to break free from the Heavenly Dao's bonds, recondensed my flesh, and have only just now recovered!"

Master Kong gave a slight smile.

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

He has even had tens of years.

"Our three's strength is 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 and dampen our own morale, but simply the fact.

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

Likewise, it cannot change the situation!

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

Master Kong smiled and looked over.

"Fused 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; relying solely on strength, our 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 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.

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

Master Kong said.

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

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

Master Kong said.

Luo Ruoxi couldn't speak.

During the battle, there indeed was such an intention, so their exchanges at the start each kept backups, akin to sparring, not a life-and-death fight.

"Being unable to transcend, one naturally cannot exert their greatest strength; even with abundant true qi, one cannot assault that supreme realm! As for me…"

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

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

"So I'm also unsuitable! Zhang Xuan, however, cultivates a method that follows his heart, without flaw. He focuses on 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 greater room for growth; only thus can one reach higher and farther!"

Master Kong continued.

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

"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 cultivate 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, possessing his own understanding of it; I govern the orderly Heavenly Dao. If we pour our power into you, your body will hold complete Heavenly Dao power! Combined with your avatar's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, we can fully achieve stabilizing the Nine Heavens, grasping the Qian and Kun, battling the Nine Firmaments, annihilating all things!"

"Alright!"

Seeing the other party already decided, further explanation useless, 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 seemingly instantaneously embodying the Heavenly Dao, soaring above the Nine Heavens.

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

……

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

He sent Luo Qiqi and his clone, among others, flying, and the ruthless one 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 drained the spiritual energy outside the city of the Divine Realm, almost completely devouring it; now this power has become his nourishment, every move carrying the ability to destroy heaven and earth. These emperors and god-kings, though they represent the pinnacle of the Divine Realm, are still no match.

At this moment, the ruthless one seemed to represent the entire Divine Realm, and none could withstand him.

"If the Divine Realm falls, our lives have no meaning; 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? You're not worthy!"

The ruthless one clenched his palm, and the golden dragon hung in his palm, unable to escape no matter how it struggled.

"Old friend, wait for me!"

Fu Meng Emperor also let out a loud 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, and flames blazed across the sky.

Xuan Ming Great Emperor's true form was 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, and the collapsing Divine Realm slowed down.

The heavens and the earth seemed to freeze in an instant.

Bang bang bang bang!

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

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

"You want to kill them, but have you asked me?"

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

It was Zhang Xuan!

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

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

The ruthless one halted, his gaze solemn.

He obviously 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, the ruthless one struck down again.

Zhang Xuan raised his sword and went to meet him.

The two clashed, space tearing apart in streaks, and currents ran wild everywhere.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?"

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

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

However, the level is set; 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 the emperors!"

After a moment of silence, the Master spoke.

Even a dozen emperors united could not defeat the ruthless one, and even if they transferred all their power to him, wanting to overcome 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 the emperors?"

Luo Ruoxi's gaze was distant.

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

Seeing her doubt, the Master smiled and said.

……

Bang bang bang!

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

Just as the Master 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!" the ruthless one gave a cold smile.

"Anyway, you're not my opponent; sooner or later I'll be killed. If so, I want to die under your strongest attack..." Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan stopped advancing, instead of attacking, he looked at the ruthless one before him.

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

Hearing that, the ruthless one staggered for a moment, then let out a cold snort and raised his palm.

Clatter!

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

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

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

Boom!

His head exploded, and his soul scattered in all directions.

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

Luo Qiqi seemed to have gone mad.

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

Seeing this, Master Kong and Luo Ruoxi were also stunned.

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

Wouldn't that be ungrateful for their kindness?

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

While they were puzzled, Master Kong 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, ignited, forming a ball of scorching flame; within the flame, an intact figure stepped out slowly.

"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 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?"

Master Kong was also full of disbelief.

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

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

"I see... he used the method the Ruthless One used to break the soul contract..." Luo Ruoxi realized.

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

Once the soul is bound, even immortality cannot sever it.

But... the Ruthless One used that special power to break the soul contract; the specific method, Zhang Xuan had previously inquired about in detail—perhaps he had already been tempted back then.

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

With this power, he was reborn from fire; unexpectedly, it was a great success!

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

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

In an instant, it perfectly merged with himself.

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

He lightly tapped the ground with his foot.

The chaotic Nine Heavens immediately stabilized.

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

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

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

Zhang Xuan murmured with a faint smile.

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

Did people see the world and thus create it, or did the world exist 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 affection, what meaning would the world have even if it existed?

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

All things in the world have affection; only with affection does the world exist, and only with affection can life continue.

Love is affection.

Hatred is affection.

Joy is affection.

Pain is affection.

Separation is affection.

Reunion is also affection!

"Myriad affections, for my use..."

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

The Emperor Sovereign's shackles, broken through!

In an instant, it felt as if he had touched a new world and the Great Door; his soul received rapid nourishment.

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

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

"You..." the Ruthless One didn't expect that his full-force attack would not only fail to slay him but actually fulfill him; he shouted "wah-wah!" in anger, then roared and attacked again.

"You resent the lofty Emperor Sovereign for not saving you in the spatial turbulence—that's affection; you feel that having once been my servant, containing humility and anger, that's affection; you want to destroy the Divine Realm to vent anger, that's affection; you want to become stronger, that's also affection... affection controls you—how could you possibly defeat me without being controlled by me?"

Zhang Xuan gave a faint smile, his voice growing faster and louder, and he lightly grasped with his palm.

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

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

"You..."

The Ruthless One's eyes filled with panic: "Teacher Zhang, I am your servant, don't kill me... I am willing to offer my soul as sacrifice..."

"Speaking of this now is already too late..." Zhang Xuan gave a slight smile and shook his head.

Master of the world's affections, to him servants and such already hold no meaning.

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

"No..."

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

Bang!

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

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

"This..."

"You killed him just like that?"

Yun Chi Great Emperor, the Undying Emperor, Linglong Fairy and the others all widened their eyes, unable to believe it.

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

Could there truly be a realm above the Emperor?

"He succeeded..."

Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi loosened their clenched fists.

"This is part of the Heavenly Dao, so I will now return it to the Heavenly Dao..."

Seeing the "flaw in the Heavenly Dao" 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 boomed and embedded itself in the sky of the Divine Realm.

With a bell‑like resonance, the continually collapsing Divine Realm slowly recovered to the naked eye, and the chaotic currents also gathered together again.

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

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

The rift in the Tide Sea, along with the completion of the Heavenly Dao, has already healed; 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 staggered slightly and stepped forward.

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

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

"Senior, you..."

Seeing it was him, Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

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

"Just call me by my name; I am Nie Tong!" the youth said lightly, a fearless sword intent emanating from him.

"Nie Tong?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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, with raised brows that gave an inscrutable, profound impression.

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled.

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

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

"Luo Ruoxi's father?"

Zhang Xuan 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 part 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 could not 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 would you let Hen Ran rampage without lifting a finger?" Zhang Xuan looked over.

"If I hadn't broken through, 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 at him lightly: "Do you think... there might be even greater beings above the Divine Realm?"

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

"Although I've never seen such a being, since he could cultivate to this level, perhaps others could as well—and perhaps even stronger."

"Just like the one before me."

"I once suspected that greater beings existed above the Divine Realm, so I strained my senses to the utmost, ultimately drawing a backlash from a higher world... a palm that shattered the void and descended!"

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

"Such a situation, I wish to restore—it is merely a 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, I cannot do it alone. Therefore, I want to see if there exists any life capable of breaking through the Emperor's shackles and reaching my level."

"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—so my transmigration is also because of you?" Zhang Xuan's heart shuddered.

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

"Heh!" Nie Yun chuckled lightly: "Being native to this world, one naturally feels reverence for it; wanting to break its shackles is far harder. I merely had a thought stir, never imagining you could truly succeed..."

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

"Without Master Kong's selfless devotion, achieving my present state would be utterly impossible."

I gave him the opportunity; he just didn't seize it. The duel with Lingxi was actually his best chance to break through, but he chose to retreat, thinking he had a backup plan and could escape unscathed. In reality, he lost his brave and diligent spirit. When facing someone superior to us, if he lacks even this spirit, how could he possibly stand against them?

Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan remained silent.

He had watched their battle back then, and Kong Shi indeed lacked decisiveness.

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

What a pity; in that moment he missed the chance to advance.

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

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

"With me here, she won't die..." Nie Yun gave a faint smile: "Your strength is about the same as mine now. Do you think, with their strength, at a life-or-death moment, you could actually save someone?"

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

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

"Lingxi is the child of my other wife, Luo Qingcheng, so her false surname is Luo... In order for her to believe it, I kept my emotions out of it, and to this day she has still thought I was trapped in a coma..."

Nie Yun gave a wry laugh: "My father has certainly been harsh enough... Let's do this: you explain things to her. After all, her thoughts have now turned to you; this old father of mine probably can't even remember anymore... Haha, I'll stay out of sight for a while; otherwise I truly fear she'd cause an uproar."

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

He had no choice but to agree, after all, he was the one who had eloped with someone'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 shows your ability and potential, and your future is limitless. That my daughter can be with you brings me, as a father, some comfort."

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