Chapter 1095

A soul contract, binding the souls; as long as one does not dissolve it oneself, no matter how powerful the other party's methods, it cannot be undone.

Just like the Undying Emperor Xiao Huang Ji, who was merely a God King before, now an Emperor, he likewise cannot resolve this kind of agreement.

To prevent this guy from going back on his word and suffering a backlash, the Ming Shi Continent once specially stipulated that even if the other party could break free from the Heavenly Dao's records, they could not escape the soul‑bound contract!

"A 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 it easy to undo this contract… as long as there is enough power, bombarding the location of the contract will achieve it!"

Ruthless Dao.

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

"I see…" Zhang Xuan's eyes flashed.

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

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

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

Luo Ruoxi also sensed something amiss and hurriedly sent a mental message.

"Let's get ready to act!" With his doubts dispelled, Zhang Xuan drew a deep breath, his long sword suddenly rising: "If that's the case, then let's see whose skill is superior!"

Boom—!

The greatest sword intent was unleashed once again.

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

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

This sword move, though not yet reaching the Emperor's level of comprehension, embodies all the obsessions in my heart, pushing the Heaven's Feelings Technique within my body to its utmost limit.

Whoosh!

A single sword sliced the Ruthless One's attack in half.

At the same moment, Luo Ruoxi struck as well, her jade hand rolling, her sword gleam like snow.

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

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

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

In an instant, his palm blotted out the sky and sun, covering heaven and earth; space shattered, and the sun, moon, and stars seemed as if they would be forcibly struck down.

Pfft! Pfft!

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

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

Just what realm has this guy reached?

"Impudent!" The avatar strode forward, each step causing lotuses to bloom, the void echoing with the sound of flowing water.

From afar, it looked incredibly imposing.

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

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

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

Zhang Xuan clutched his forehead.

Having become an Emperor, the avatar still hasn't changed its nature of showing off…

Such flamboyant showing off would be better replaced by concentrating power for greater might!

"Let's attack together; otherwise, if they die, we will all die…"

Xiao Huang Ji let out a loud shout, crimson flames blazing, the sky seeming to be set ablaze.

The remaining six Emperors also each employed their methods.

Seven Emperors united, capable of destroying heaven and earth—yet even a single world before them could not withstand it; but the opponent, the Ruthless One who had absorbed special power, saw his black hole suddenly expand as the attack approached, swallowing the force in an instant before launching a counterstrike.

Bang bang bang bang!

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

Ten Emperors united, yet they could not even block a single move from the opponent!

How could this guy be so powerful?

"You may die…"

With one move he shattered the crowd; the Ruthless One 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 previously appeared suddenly emerged, blocking the front, his long sword transforming into a galaxy.

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

Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

This old man had followed behind the youth; I had thought he was merely a retainer, at most a God King in title, but upon displaying his power I discovered he was actually a powerful Emperor!

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

"He himself is the Emperor of Sword God Heaven…" Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth as she struggled to stand.

"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; instantly she saw the Emperor of Sword God Heaven likewise blown backward, landing not far away and blasting out a large crater.

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

"Hahaha, Emperors, you're nothing but a bunch of worthless trash! Today I will destroy the Nine Heavens, destroy this Divine Realm, and trample all rules flat!"

Having defeated the Emperor of Sword God Heaven, the Ruthless One laughed maniacally as the surrounding space continually collapsed, casting him as a demonic fiend.

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

Just now he and his avatar had both unleashed their utmost combat power, and even Luo Ruoxi before him had used her strongest technique—yet none could block a single strike from the opponent…

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

Just 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 fists, her eye sockets reddening.

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

The library in one's mind is itself part of the Heavenly Dao; once returned, the Heavenly Dao becomes completely whole, perhaps able to repair the loophole and expel the Ruthless One.

Just like the human immune system.

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

Just……

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

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

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

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

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

"Him?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

"Want to escape?" The Ruthless One snorted coldly and pressed down.

Boom!

Luo Ruoxi fell from the air.

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

Ding ding ding!

Once again blocked by the Ruthless One.

"You guys hurry 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, with a loud shout, blocked the front, while Luo Qiqi also transformed, returning to the Still Void Pearl's true form.

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone fearlessly throwing themselves behind to block, Zhang Xuan's eye sockets reddened, but he also knew it was no time for words; he grabbed Luo Ruoxi, his body flickered, tore through space, and in the next moment they appeared within the range of the Free and Easy Heaven.

The Free and Easy Heaven now lacks its former ease; the Divine Realm has collapsed, everywhere in chaos.

"Where is the person you're talking about?"

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

If the person she speaks of can truly save the Divine Realm, what harm is there in my sacrificing myself!

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

"Father?"

Zhang Xuan suddenly 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 behind by the Undying Emperor, upon seeing the pendant, immediately acknowledged me as its master.

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

He couldn't help but say.

The library'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?

Also, does it need a deficient 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, the Heavenly Dao shattered into three parts—the ordered Heavenly Dao and the deficient Heavenly Dao entered the spatial turbulence; I act as steward of the Heavenly Dao's natural order, 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, studied the Spring and Autumn Canon, seeking a way to defeat Master Kong! When fighting Master Kong, entrusting him with this matter was also the case."

Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

Not long after becoming acquainted with the Master Teacher Continent, the girl before me had already recounted her story of wanting to save a close relative; I didn't understand then, but now I suddenly realize.

It turns out to be her father, and moreover the Heavenly Dao of the Divine Realm!

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

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

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

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

Zhang Xuan exhaled in relief.

Putting it that way, one only needs to sever the deficient Heavenly Dao from within oneself; there's no need for her to die as well.

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

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

"This…… I'm not sure either……"

He looked up at the already collapsed Divine Realm; Luo Ruoxi hesitated.

The Divine Realm is his 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 ourselves... We have to figure it out ourselves! Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth: "You, me, and my clone, united with the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, if we also coordinate with Master Kong, we might still be able to win!"

Master Kong? He... Luo Ruoxi frowned.

Master Kong is already dead, right! He didn't truly die; if my guess is correct, you beheaded him, but that was just a method to escape the Heavenly Dao... Without surprise, he should be like Wei Changfeng, an Innate Fetal Soul Body!

Zhang Xuan said.

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

One can remain clear-minded even in the womb.

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

Luo Ruoxi froze; 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 have not gone to the Tide Sea... Zhang Xuan said.

Master Kong's disciples, like Ziyuan Gu Sheng and others, are all strong; 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 waiting; they intend 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; she suddenly understood.

Let's go!

Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan waved his hand and instantly arrived at Master Kong's dwelling; indeed he saw an old man sitting cross-legged, floating in midair. Seeing them arrive, he smiled faintly: "You've come!"

Who else could it be if not Master Kong!

This teacher of all ages certainly didn't disappoint!

As guessed, taking advantage of everyone's focus on the Tide Sea, he revived again.

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

She knew Emperors could revive, even the Undying Emperor had come back to life, but... she didn't expect it to be this fast!

I concealed my plans from the Heavenly Dao, prepared a contingency in advance—the nameless giant in the Nether Soul Pool was mine; when you beheaded me that day, 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 time abilities; while it seemed only a day or two had passed in the Divine Realm, in fact 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 defeating 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, even with so many of us united, we couldn't block the opponent; adding Master Kong wouldn't change anything.

It would likewise fail to alter 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 and 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. Based purely on strength, even if we each took out our power from the dozen or so Emperors, we would certainly not be a match...

Master Kong said: "But if we join together and concentrate the power in one person... perhaps it would be possible!"

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' strength 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 beyond 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 earlier, you also once gave up, intending to let me slay you!

Master Kong said.

Luo Ruoxi was speechless.

During the battle, that intention indeed existed; thus their exchanges at the start each held back, like sparring, not a life-and-death fight.

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

Master Kong nodded: "Caring for all beings, wanting to save the world, yet unwilling to let others sacrifice for me—excessive compassion is also a flaw! If I were a bit more ruthless, exterminating the alien spirit clan, we wouldn't be in this situation..."

Had we been able to exterminate the alien spirit clan back then, the Ruthless One could not have revived, and we wouldn't be in this predicament.

So I'm also unsuitable! Zhang Xuan, however, cultivates a harmonious method, flawless. 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 broader development space—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, but 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 strength! Combined with your clone's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, we can fully achieve stabilizing the Nine Heavens, holding the universe, battling the Nine Firmaments, annihilating all things!"

Alright!

Seeing the other party had 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 seemed to instantaneously 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 block me? Fine, I'll kill you, then go and slay Zhang Xuan..."

He swatted Luo Qiqi and his clone, among others, away, 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 devoured nearly all the spiritual energy outside the city in the Divine Realm; now this energy has become his sustenance, every gesture wielding the power to destroy heaven and earth. These Emperors and Divine Kings, though they represent the Divine Realm's apex, are still unable to withstand a single strike.

At this moment, the Ruthless One seemed to embody the entire Divine Realm; none could stand against him.

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

Yun Chi Great Emperor transformed into his true form, a 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 grasp, unable to escape no matter how it struggled.

"Old friend, wait for me!"

Fu Meng Emperor also let out a great roar, transforming into his 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 illuminating the sky.

Xuan Ming Great Emperor's true form is a great turtle, as if holding up the heavens.

The Four Divine Beasts, guardians of the four extremes of the Divine Realm, simultaneously transformed into their true forms, 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, the Ruthless One 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, stopping 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..."

The Ruthless One halted, his gaze solemn.

He evidently also failed to 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 long sword and went to meet him.

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

"Can Zhang Xuan win?"

At the dwelling of Kong Shi in the Free Heaven, Luo Ruoxi looked over, full of worry.

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

However, cultivation levels are just rankings; if one's power is sufficient, one can eventually recover.

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

After a moment of silence, Kong Shi 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 they do this is because... only by concentrating power in a single individual 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 words, but... she could not do it; could her beloved man achieve it?

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

Seeing her doubt, Kong Shi smiled and said.

……

Bang bang bang!

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

As Kong Shi 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, 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 halted, ceasing his offense and instead gazing at the Ruthless One before him.

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

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

Clatter!

A cyan light appeared in his palm, then came down with a fierce strike.

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

His eyes tightly closed, Zhang Xuan did not dodge.

Boom!

His head exploded, his soul scattering in all directions.

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

Luo Qiqi seemed to have gone mad.

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

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

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

Wouldn't this be letting down their good intentions?

"No, it's the Undying Emperor's undying method..."

While they were puzzled, Kong Shi suddenly spoke.

Everyone then saw Zhang Xuan's head explode, even his soul shatter, and 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 the soul?"

Luo Ruoxi's pupils contracted.

After being reborn through 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 the soul were fused together, indistinguishable; to break free, he had to have his soul scatter and, with the aid 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 method of Hen Ren 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 said to be an enhanced version of the contract.

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

But... Hen Ren, using that special power, broke the soul contract; the specific method, Zhang Xuan had inquired about in detail before, likely he had already been thinking about it then.

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

With this power, he underwent rebirth through fire; unexpectedly, it turned out to be a great success!

"I see, this is the method to break through the Emperor..."

Walking out of the flames, Zhang Xuan showed a faint smile, as if he understood something; he suddenly gestured, and the 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 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 avatar and self perfectly merged, indistinguishable, which means he mastered this power.

Moreover, with the 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.

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

Is it that man sees the world and thus the world exists, or that the world existed first and then man came into being?

Is it the wind moving, or the heart moving!

This question has troubled countless people since time immemorial.

Of course, now... none of this 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 there is a 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 broke open.

"The Emperor's shackles, broken through!"

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

Countless chaotic qi surged over, and the fleshly body also rapidly increased.

Before, only by absorbing spiritual power could one progress; but now, spatial turbulence, chaotic qi, even the opponent's azure light, can all be made mine, without distinction.

"You..." Hen Ren didn't expect that his all-out attack not only failed to slay him, but instead perfected 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, not be 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 Hen Ren 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..."

Hen Ren's eyes were full of panic: "Zhang Shi, I am your servant, don't kill me... I am willing to offer my soul as sacrifice..."

"It's too late to say these now..." Zhang Xuan gave a slight smile and shook his head.

Controlling the emotions of the world, things like servants are already meaningless to him.

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

"No..."

Sensing his decisiveness, the ruthless man's pupils contracted; before his words ended, he immediately felt a sharp pain all over his body.

Boom!

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

All the power previously devoured by the Tide Sea now flowed back, reviving the once‑barren wilderness.

"This..."

"You killed him just like that?"

Yunchi the Great Emperor, the Undying Emperor, and the Exquisite Fairy all stared wide‑eyed, unable to believe it.

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

Could there really be a higher realm above the Emperor?

"He succeeded..."

Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi loosened their clenched fists.

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

Seeing the "Heavenly Dao's defect" 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 crashed into the sky of the Divine Realm.

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

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

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

The breach 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, over here..."

Having just finished that, a voice sounded in his mind; Zhang Xuan startled, then stepped forward.

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

He was the one who had previously taught him his sword technique.

"Senior..."

Seeing that it was him, Zhang Xuan froze.

He had always felt this person was unfathomable; now he realized that, though only a hair's breadth behind himself, the person had already reached the peak of the Emperor realm, far surpassing Luo Ruoxi's former strength.

"Just call me by my name—I'm Nie Tong." The youth radiated an unstoppable sword intent and spoke calmly.

"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 older brother!" The youth called Nie Tong smiled lightly and stepped forward.

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

He then saw another youth.

His appearance was not much older, his eyebrows raised, giving an inscrutable, profound impression.

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled.

This youth's strength was actually greater than his own; he too had broken through the Emperor's shackles, and his cultivation was even deeper and more substantial!

"I am Nie Yun." The youth smiled faintly and continued: "That is… Nie Lingxi, the father of the Luo Ruoxi you mentioned."

"Luo Ruoxi's father?"

Zhang Xuan shuddered: "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 qi 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 entirely justified!" Nie Yun smiled lightly.

Zhang Xuan could not believe it.

Could the Divine Realm really have been created by this person before him?

Then just how strong must his power be?

"No, if the Divine Realm is your creation and you are the Heavenly Dao, why let the ruthless man 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?

Does he even care about his daughter's life or death?

Without answering his question, Nie Yun glanced at him lightly and said: "Do you think… there might be an even more powerful life above the Divine Realm?"

"This..." Zhang Xuan paused: "I suppose there should be."

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

Just like the one before him.

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

Nie Yun looked over: "Back then, if I had dodged, the entire Divine Realm would likely have been obliterated, leaving no life at all… so I blocked the attack, but as a result, the embodied Heavenly Dao was split apart."

"In this situation, I merely wish to restore it with a single thought—but I understand that to truly transcend the Divine Realm's shackles, to explore where that hand came from and what lies beyond the Divine Realm… I cannot do it alone. So I want to see whether any life can break through the Emperor's shackles 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 native to this world and to a soul foreign to it. And you, you have not disappointed me!"

Nie Yun smiled.

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

No wonder he could transmigrate here—I never expected it was all because of this person before him.

"Hehe!" Nie Yun chuckled lightly and said: "Being native to this world, one naturally feels reverence for it; wanting to break its shackles is far harder. I, too, merely had a thought—I never imagined you would actually succeed."

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

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

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

Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan remained silent.

At that time, he watched their battle; Master Kong indeed lacked decisiveness.

It's also possible he 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 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 now not much different from mine; do you think, at a life-and-death moment, wanting to save someone, can you actually do it?"

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

Breaking through to Emperor and being an Emperor are two different 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 child of my other wife, Luo Qingcheng, so her assumed name bears the surname Luo... In order to make her believe, not letting emotions interfere, she has continued to think I am still in a coma..."

Nie Yun gave a wry laugh: "My father sure is ruthless... Let's do this: you explain this to her, after all, her thoughts have now turned to you; this old man of mine probably can't even remember... Haha, I'll stay out of sight for a while, otherwise I truly fear she'll 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 eloped with someone's daughter...

"The Heavenly Way 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 also brings me, as a father, some comfort."

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