Chapter 1196: The Wealthy Merchant and the Prince

A soul contract binds the soul itself; as long as one does not dissolve it oneself, no method the other party possesses—no matter how heaven-defying—can undo it.

Just like Undying Emperor Little Yellow Chick—before, he was only a Divine King, while the other was an Emperor; even so, he had no way to break such a pact.

To prevent this fellow from going back on his word and causing a backlash, the Master Teacher Continent once specifically decreed that even if the other party could break free from the Tome of Heaven's Way, he still could not break free from the contract between souls!

"A soul contract truly cannot be split out from the sea of consciousness, but I have fused with a special gas that can dissolve even Heaven's Way itself. Dissolving such a contract is not difficult… as long as I have enough power to bombard the place where the contract resides, I can do it!"

The Ruthless One said.

A soul contract is built upon the foundation of Heaven's Way; a special power that can dissolve even the Heaven's Way of the God Realm—dissolving a mere soul contract, as long as it is handled properly, what difficulty could there be?

"So that's how it is…" Zhang Xuan's eyes flashed.

"Telling you this much can be considered thanks for bringing me to the God Realm!"

After explaining, the Ruthless One said no more. The aura about him grew ever more ancient and eternal, and the black hole behind him swelled larger—clearly, even while speaking, he had devoured yet unknown quantities of power as nourishment.

"Zhang Xuan, the more the black hole swallows, the stronger he becomes…"

Luo Ruo Xi also noticed something was wrong and hurriedly sent a voice transmission.

"Prepare to make your move!" With all doubts cleared from his heart, Zhang Xuan drew a deep breath, and the longsword in his hand suddenly rose: "Since that's the case, then let's see the truth of it beneath our hands!"

Boom!

The most powerful sword intent was unleashed once more.

In life I shall return; in death, longing endures forever!

When life and death alike are of no concern, what matter under heaven can stand in the way?

Though this sword technique had not reached the level of insight an Emperor attains, it contained every obsession in his heart, driving the Heaven's Emotion technique within him to its absolute limit.

Whoosh!

A single sword slash cleaved the Ruthless One's attack clean in two.

At the same instant, Luo Ruo Xi also struck—her jade hands flipped, sword light like snow.

Her sword art bore some resemblance to that youth from Sword God Heaven, carrying a momentum of pressing forward without retreat, and an effortless grace in tune with the Great Dao.

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

With a light laugh, the Ruthless One reached down once more.

In an instant, sky and sun were blotted out; his palm enveloped heaven and earth, space shattered, and the sun, moon, and stars all seemed as if they would be smashed down by force.

Puh! Puh!

Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruo Xi were sent flying backward at the same time, blood spraying wildly as they hung in the air.

With the strength of the two of them, they actually could not withstand it!

What realm had this fellow actually reached?

"How dare you!" The clone strode forward in great steps; with each step, lotuses bloomed, and the sound of flowing water rang through the void.

Seen from afar, the presence was off the charts.

Having refined the Nine Heavens Chaotic Golden Lotus, his cultivation was in no way weaker than Zhang Xuan's.

A fist rose, its force surging to the Nine Heavens.

Clashing with the Ruthless One, he too was sent flying back, unable to withstand a single move.

Zhang Xuan pressed a hand to his forehead.

Having become an Emperor, the clone still couldn't change his show-off nature…

Such a flashy display of swagger would be better spent concentrating the power—its might would be far greater!

"Strike together, or else—if they die, we all die…"

Little Yellow Chick let out a great shout; crimson flames blazed, and even the sky seemed set alight. …. The remaining six Emperors each unleashed their own techniques.

Seven Emperors joined forces—power enough to destroy heaven and earth; even an entire realm could not withstand them before them. But their opponent was the Ruthless One, who had absorbed that special power. As the attack reached him, the black hole suddenly swelled, and in the blink of an eye devoured the force clean, then immediately counterattacked.

Bang bang bang bang!

The seven Emperors, just like Zhang Xuan and the others, were sent flying back.

Ten Emperors, united together, had actually failed to block a single move from their opponent!

How could this fellow possibly be so powerful?

"You may die now…"

Having routed everyone in a single strike, the Ruthless One stepped forward, flipped his wrist, and slapped down once more.

"How dare you, wretch!"

Accompanying a great shout, the elder from Sword God Heaven from before suddenly appeared, blocking the way ahead, the longsword in his hand transforming into a river of stars.

"An Emperor? He's also at the Emperor level?"

Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

This elder had followed behind the youth back then; he had assumed he was merely an attendant, at most a titled Divine King. Only when the elder unleashed his power did he realize he was actually an Emperor-level expert as well!

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

"He is himself the Emperor of Sword God Heaven…" Luo Ruo Xi struggled to her feet and said through gritted teeth.

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

"He is…" Luo Ruo Xi had just begun to answer when space twisted. They then saw this Emperor of Sword God Heaven likewise sent flying backward, landing not far off and cratering a huge pit into the ground.

Zhang Xuan's current strength, and his comprehension of the Sword Dao, far surpassed this elder's, yet he could not withstand it—so even though the elder's cultivation was not weak and his swordsmanship superb, he was still no match.

"Hahaha, Emperors? A flock of chickens and dogs, nothing more! Today I shall destroy the Nine Heavens, destroy this God Realm, and trample every rule beneath my feet!"

Having defeated the Emperor of Sword God Heaven, the Ruthless One laughed wildly; the space around him collapsed without cease, lending him the aspect of demon and devil alike.

"What do we do?" Zhang Xuan clenched his fist tight.

Just now, both he and his clone had unleashed their full combat strength; even Luo Ruo Xi before him had used her strongest move—and none of them had blocked a single strike from their opponent…

Could it be that in the God Realm, there truly was no one who could withstand the one before them?

Let him destroy the world?

"The only way... is to return your flawed Heavenly Dao to the Heavenly Dao itself, allowing the Heavenly Dao to suppress him..." Luo Ruoxi clenched her delicate fist, her eyes turning red.

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

The library in his mind was itself a part of the Heavenly Dao; once returned, the Heavenly Dao would be completely whole, perhaps able to repair the flaw and expel the Ruthless One on its own.

Just like the human immune system.

If the immune system is complete, when a virus comes, it is easily driven away; if broken, it cannot resist viral invasion, and even the strongest person will die because of it.

But...

"He is too powerful; even if the Heavenly Dao is restored to completeness, it cannot suppress him!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

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

What can even the strongest immune system do?

The one before them was merely an ordinary God King; even with a title, the Heavenly Dao could easily kill him, yet he was stronger than a Emperor Lord... already beyond what the Heavenly Dao could withstand.

"This..." Luo Ruoxi paused, a look of disappointment appearing on her pure white jade face: "Yes... he cannot be suppressed, but if the Heavenly Dao is complete, he can wake up; slaying this one will not be difficult!"... "He?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"I will take you to see him, right in the Realm of Ease..." Taking a deep breath, Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth, turned, and flew forward.

"Trying to escape?" The Ruthless One snorted coldly and pressed downward.

Boom!

Luo Ruoxi fell from the sky.

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

Cling, cling, cling!

Blocked by the Ruthless One once more.

"You two go quickly, I will hold him off..."

Knowing they intended to find a way to save the Divine Realm rather than flee, the Clone and the Undying Emperor Lord roared loudly to block the front, while Luo Qiqi also transformed, returning to her original form as the Silent Void Pearl.

The space around them solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone throw themselves in front without fear of death, Zhang Xuan's eyes turned red, but he also knew this was not the time for many words; he grabbed Luo Ruoxi, his body swayed, tore through space, and in the next moment appeared within the bounds of the Realm of Ease.

The Realm of Ease no longer possessed its former ease; the Divine Realm had collapsed, chaos everywhere.

"Where is the 'he' you spoke of?"

No time to observe the lives of ordinary people, Zhang Xuan looked at the girl in his arms.

If the person she spoke of could truly save the Divine Realm, what harm was there in his own sacrifice!

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

"Father?"

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

No wonder he had always felt the blood in the pendant was similar to Luo Ruoxi, yet different; it turned out to be her father's.

This also explained why the trace of will left by the Undying Emperor Lord, upon seeing the pendant, immediately recognized him as its master.

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

He could not help but ask.

The library was in chaos; it was the blood in the pendant that allowed him to regain clarity. Could it be that not only was she an Emperor Lord, but her father was too, perhaps even more powerful?

If so, why was he in a coma?

And why did he need a flawed Heavenly Dao to wake up?

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

Luo Ruoxi clenched her delicate fist.

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

"Yes! Fifty years ago, father could not withstand that giant hand and fell into a coma; the Heavenly Dao scattered into three parts: the Ordered Heavenly Dao and the Flawed Heavenly Dao entered the spatial turbulence; I took over control of the Natural Heavenly Dao to maintain the balance of the Divine Realm. To restore him, we must only collect the scattered parts... that is why I was so resolute, unable to fail! That is why I specifically entered the Master Continent to study the Spring and Autumn Canon, seeking a way to defeat Master Kong! The matter I entrusted to him when fighting Master Kong was also this."

Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan understood.

Having just met on the Master Continent, the girl before him had told him her story, wanting to save a beloved relative; he had not understood then, but now he suddenly realized.

It was her father, and moreover, the Heavenly Dao of the Divine Realm!

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

"To take over control of the Natural Heavenly Dao... your body does not contain a Heavenly Dao fragment?" Suddenly realizing the oddity in her words, Zhang Xuan looked over.

"To take over control is different from being fused within the body..." Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

In that case, he only needed to extract the Flawed Heavenly Dao from within himself; there was no need for her to die as well.

Though he was unwilling to accept such a fate, he was also unwilling for the girl before him to be harmed.

"If I extract the Flawed Heavenly Dao from my body, your father will come back to life, even slay the Ruthless One, correct?" Zhang Xuan looked at her.

"This... I am not certain either..."

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

The Divine Realm was father's foundation; now that the foundation was like this, even if he woke up, could he truly defeat that powerful Ruthless One?

Truly hard to say!

"It seems you cannot be certain either; in that case, relying on others is not as good as relying on oneself... we must find a way ourselves!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth: "You, I, the Clone, united with the Nine Heavens and Nine Emperors, and if combined with Master Kong, victory is not impossible!"

"Master Kong? He..." Luo Ruoxi frowned.

"Master Kong is dead, right? He did not truly die; if my guess is correct, when you slew him, it was merely a method to detach from the Heavenly Dao... barring unexpected events, he should be like Wei Changfeng, a 【Primordial Fetal Soul Body】!"

Zhang Xuan said.

Seeing Wei Changfeng, he understood at once—Teacher Kong's so-called "preserving spiritual consciousness" should be the same as his: a Congenital Fetal Soul Body.

Able to remain lucid within the womb.

Combined with the contingency he had left in advance, resurrection was only a matter of time.

Luo Ruoxi froze, seemingly not having expected this.

"Go over and take a look and you'll know. If my guess is right, he should have already recovered; otherwise, his students couldn't possibly have not even gone to the Tidal Sea…" Zhang Xuan said.

Teacher Kong's students—Ancient Sage Ziyuan and the others—were all extremely powerful. Even without the Emperor's help, they would surely have found a way into the Tidal Sea, yet not a single one had been seen.

They must have had something more important waiting, something they wanted to do while all the Emperors were occupied in the Tidal Sea and had no time to attend to it!

And this important matter was clearly to restore Teacher Kong.

"This…" Luo Ruoxi's heart jolted, and she suddenly understood.

"Let's go!"

Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan sliced open the air with one hand and returned to Teacher Kong's dwelling. Sure enough, he saw an old man seated cross-legged, floating in the air. Seeing them arrive, the old man smiled faintly: "You've come!"

If it wasn't Teacher Kong, who else could it be!

This Teacher of Ten Thousand Generations had truly not disappointed him!

Just as he had guessed, while everyone's attention was focused on the Tidal Sea, he had revived himself.

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

She knew Emperors could revive; even the Undying Emperor had come back to life, but… she hadn't expected it to be this fast!

"I concealed it from the Heavenly Dao and prepared a contingency in advance. That nameless giant in the Ghost Soul Pool was what I left behind. When you slew him that day, I seized the chance to break free of the Heavenly Dao's shackles and recondense a physical body. I've only just recovered now!"

Teacher Kong smiled faintly.

He was adept in the power of time. Though it seemed only a day or two had passed in the God Realm, in reality, to restore his strength, he had endured who knows how long.

Decades of time had passed.

"The strength of the three of us is indeed formidable, but wanting to surpass the Ruthless One isn't that easy either…" Seeing that Teacher Kong had truly recovered, Luo Ruoxi still shook her head.

It wasn't boosting the enemy's morale and crushing her own; it was simply fact.

So many people had joined forces just now and still couldn't stop the opponent. What difference would adding one Teacher Kong make?

It wouldn't change the situation!

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

Teacher Kong said with a smile, looking over.

"Fused into a single person?"

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

"That palm could tear apart the God Realm and scatter even the Heavenly Dao—its strength is beyond doubt. The Ruthless One absorbed all of this power and also devoured fifty years' worth of spiritual energy from the God Realm. By strength alone, the dozen-plus of us Emperors, taken individually, are indeed no match…"

Teacher Kong said: "But if we join forces and concentrate our power into one person… it might not be so certain!"

"How do we concentrate it?"

Luo Ruoxi looked over.

Easy to say, hard to do.

An Emperor already stood at the absolute peak of the God Realm. If absorbing others' power were this easy, she wouldn't have been stuck in place all these years.

"It's simple… we concentrate the power in our bodies onto Zhang Xuan. Once he can break through the Emperor's shackles, he can save the God Realm!"

Teacher Kong said.

"Me?" Zhang Xuan was stunned: "Why me?"

"Spirit Connection Emperor cultivates freedom and ease, transcending nature! But with the constraints of a father and the Heavenly Dao, with people to care about, one can never truly transcend! If I'm not mistaken, when you fought me back then, you also once gave up, intending to be slain by me!"

Teacher Kong said.

Luo Ruoxi could not speak.

During the fight, she had indeed had such an intention, so when the two clashed, at the start each held back their contingencies, like a sparring match rather than a life-and-death struggle.

"Unable to transcend, one naturally cannot unleash their full strength. Even if given more true Qi, one still cannot break through to that supreme realm! As for me…"

Teacher Kong nodded: "I harbor the common folk in my heart, wanting to save all under heaven, yet am unwilling for others to sacrifice for me. Too much benevolence is also a flaw! If I had been more ruthless and exterminated the Spirit Race, the current situation wouldn't exist…"

If back then he had been able to wipe out all the Spirit Race, the Ruthless One could not have revived, and the current situation would not exist.

"Therefore, I am also not suited! But Zhang Xuan—his cultivation art follows his heart, without flaw. He values living as himself; even if he dies, as long as he lives without regret, his heart is at peace. Such a person possesses greater tolerance and greater room for development. Only this way can one walk higher, walk farther!"

Teacher Kong continued.

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

If one doesn't even care about death, how could one be bound by other matters?

"This…" Zhang Xuan frowned, about to say something, when he saw Teacher Kong's gaze fixed intently on him: "No need to decline. First, there's no time to cultivate someone else; even if there were, I don't think anyone could necessarily do better than you! Though the Spirit Connection Emperor has no Heavenly Dao shard within him, he has long controlled the Heavenly Dao and possesses his own understanding of it; I control the Heavenly Dao's order. If we channel our power into you, you will possess the power of a complete Heavenly Dao within you! Combined with the clone's Nine Heavens Chaotic Golden Lotus, you can fully stabilize the Nine Heavens, grasp the universe, battle the Nine Skies, and destroy all things!"…"Alright!"

Seeing that the other had already made the decision and further explanation from him would be useless, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Boom!

He sat cross-legged, and in the blink of an eye, two surging streams of power poured in from both sides.

Zhang Xuan's whole body stiffened, and in an instant he seemed to become the Heavenly Dao itself, soaring above the Nine Heavens.

Soul, flesh, true Qi—all were instantly baptized, growing stronger and more powerful.

……

"You want to stop me too? Fine. After killing you, I'll go slay Zhang Xuan…"

After slapping Luo Qiqi and the clone's group away, the Ruthless One gave a cold laugh.

The power unleashed jointly by the clone and the many Emperors was indeed formidable, but compared to him, it was still a bit weaker.

The Tidal Sea had devoured nearly all the spiritual energy of the God Realm outside the cities. Now all this power had become his nurture; every gesture carried the ability to destroy heaven and earth. These Emperors and Divine Kings, despite representing the absolute peak of the God Realm, were still no match.

At this moment, the Ruthless Man seemed to embody the entire God Realm itself—none could stand in his way.

"If the God Realm perishes, living on has no meaning. I, Yun Chi, will perish with you…"

Great Emperor Yun Chi revealed his true form—a colossal five-clawed golden dragon—and dove through the air toward him.

"Just you? Not worthy!"

The Ruthless Man clenched his palm, and the golden dragon hung trapped within it, struggling however it might, unable to break free.

"Old friend, wait for me!"

Emperor Fu Meng also let out a great roar, revealing his true form as a White Tiger, and came soaring into the fray.

Emperor Bu Shi revealed his true form—an Undying Fire Phoenix—its flames illuminating the heavens.

Great Emperor Xuan Ming's true form was a massive tortoise, as if bearing up all the heavens themselves.

The four divine beasts, guardians of the four poles of the God Realm, revealed their true forms at the same instant, and even the collapsing God Realm seemed to slow.

Heaven and earth seemed to freeze in that single moment.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Four consecutive palms—the Ruthless Man suppressed the four beasts, a fierce killing intent flashing through his eyes: "Since you seek death, I'll grant it to you…"

Mid-roar, just as he was about to strike them all down for good, he felt the arm he had raised seize up and halt in midair.

"If you want to kill them, ask me first…"

Then, under the shocked gazes of everyone present, a figure slowly walked out from the air.

It was Zhang Xuan!

The young man now radiated surging power from head to toe—more than ten times stronger than before—descending from the heavens as if his very being were an entire world.

"You've improved quite a bit…"

The Ruthless Man halted, his gaze solemn.

Clearly, he too could not understand how, in the span of mere minutes, the other's strength had undergone such a tremendous change.

"But so what if you've grown? Even the God Realm at its peak couldn't withstand me—I don't believe you can block me…"

With a cold snort, the Ruthless Man struck down once more.

Zhang Xuan raised his long sword and met the blow head-on.

The two clashed, space tearing apart in streaks as chaotic currents of air surged in every direction.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?"

From the Carefree Heaven Elder Kong's station, Luo Ruoxi watched anxiously.

She and Elder Kong had channeled their power to Zhang Xuan, and their own cultivation had dropped to only God King level—no longer as glorious as before.

Still, with the realm itself still there, as long as enough power remained, one day they could fully recover…. "With his current strength, winning will be… very difficult! Unless… he can comprehend a power that surpasses Emperor Lord!"

After a moment of silence, Elder Kong said.

Over a dozen Emperor Lords combined couldn't defeat the Ruthless Man; even if they channeled all their power into a single person, winning wouldn't be so easy.

The reason for doing so was that… only by concentrating power in one person could one possibly touch that threshold, possibly truly surpass the limit and break through oneself!

"A power that surpasses Emperor Lord?"

Luo Ruoxi's gaze drifted into the distance.

When her father was still lucid, he had once said the same words to her, but… she had been unable to do it. Could the man she loved do it?

"He definitely can… He has an unyielding heart! And a proud defiance toward this world."

Seeing the doubt in her heart, Elder Kong said with a smile.

……

Boom! Boom! Boom!

After several consecutive exchanges, Zhang Xuan's tiger-mouth split open and a massive, hideous wound appeared across his chest.

Just as Elder Kong had said—even after fusing their two powers and forming a complete Heavenly Dao within him, he still wasn't a match.

"Hah, thought you were something—nothing more than this!" the Ruthless Man laughed coldly.

"Since I'm no match for you anyway and will be killed sooner or later, if it's all the same, I'd like to die beneath your strongest attack…" Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan stopped, no longer attacking, and instead looked at the Ruthless Man before him.

"Fine, I'll grant your wish and give you my strongest attack…"

Hearing him say this, the Ruthless Man paused for a moment, then snorted coldly and raised his palm.

Whoosh!

A streak of azure light appeared in his palm and slammed down with tremendous force.

Truly the strongest attack—the entire God Realm thundered, as if unable to bear it any longer, and another enormous crater was blasted into existence.

Eyes tightly shut, Zhang Xuan did not dodge.

Boom!

His skull exploded, his soul scattering in all directions.

"Zhang Xuan…" At the sight of this, everyone's face went pale.

Luo Qiqi seemed to go mad.

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

Elder Kong and Luo Ruoxi, seeing this scene, were both stunned as well.

The intention had been for him to break through his shackles and charge toward the realm beyond Emperor Lord—why wasn't he resisting, willingly walking to his death?

Wouldn't this betray all their good intentions?

"No, that's Emperor Bu Shi's Undying Art…"

Just as they were puzzling over it, Elder Kong suddenly spoke.

Everyone then saw that, from the Zhang Xuan whose skull had burst open and even whose soul had shattered, the pendant on his chest suddenly exploded. A drop of blood rose into the air and ignited, forming a blazing ball of flame. From within that flame, an unscathed figure slowly stepped forth.

"He... used the opponent's power, and the blood within the pendant, to separate the flawed Heavenly Dao from his soul?"

Luo Ruoxi's pupils contracted.

After being reborn from the flames, Zhang Xuan had actually lost the Heavenly Dao Library, lost the Heavenly Dao's interference, and broken free from the Heavenly Dao!

"How did he do it?"

Kong Shi was also full of disbelief.

The Heavenly Dao and soul were fused together, indistinguishable from each other; to break free, he had no choice but to have his soul scattered, then use the Ghost Pool to recondense his soul.

The man before them had only been struck down once, yet completely broke free—what method did he use?

"I understand... he used the method the Ruthless One used to break free from the soul contract..." Luo Ruoxi realized.... A soul contract binds master and servant; unless the master dissolves it, the servant remains forever bound... The Heavenly Dao Library was the same—a kind of enhanced contract.

Bound to the soul, it would not part unless one died.

But... the Ruthless One used that special power to break free of the soul contract. Zhang Xuan had asked about the specific method in detail before—likely he'd already been scheming then.

So he deliberately fought to the death, making the opponent unleash its strongest attack against him.

Borrowing that power, he was reborn from the flames—and sure enough, it was a tremendous success!

"So that's how it is. This is the method to break through to Emperor Lord..."

Zhang Xuan, walking out from the flames, wore a faint smile on his face, as if he had understood something. With a sudden beckoning gesture, his clone on one side immediately transformed back into a lotus blossom and flew over.

In an instant, it merged perfectly with his true self.

In the blink of an eye, everyone felt that the Zhang Xuan before them seemed to have become the Nine Heavens, and the Nine Heavens were him.

His foot tapped lightly against the ground.

The chaotic Nine Heavens immediately stabilized.

The Nine Heavens Chaotic Golden Lotus, which appeared when the Nine Heavens were born, could stabilize the Nine Heavens. Now that clone and self had merged perfectly, indistinguishable from each other, it was as if he had gained control of this power.

Not only that, having merged with the cultivation of the Nine Heavens Chaotic Golden Lotus, his realm—already at its peak—showed signs of loosening, as if breakthrough could come at any moment.

"Master-servant affection, brotherly affection, teacher-student affection, parental affection, love... fused together, this is actually all things under heaven—this is what it means to be human!"

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

At the instant the Heavenly Dao Library parted from his soul, he understood.

Was it that humans looked upon the world, and thus the world came to be, or that the world existed first, and humans came after?

Was it the wind that moved, or the heart!

This question had plagued countless people through the ages, undying.

Of course, now... none of this matters anymore!

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

Therefore, after transcending love, comes the emotion of all living beings! The interwoven emotions of the world.

All things under heaven possess emotion; only with emotion does the world exist, only with emotion can life continue.

Love is emotion.

Hatred is emotion.

Joy is emotion.

Pain is emotion.

Parting is emotion.

Reunion is also emotion!

"Ten thousand emotions, all for my use..."

With a low cry, the realm bound within Zhang Xuan shattered in an instant.

The Emperor Lord shackles were broken through!

In a flash, it was as if he had touched a brand-new world and gateway, and his soul was rapidly nourished.

Countless streams of chaotic energy surged over, and his physical body improved at flying speed.

Before, he could only progress by absorbing spiritual energy; but now, spatial turbulence, chaotic energy—even the opponent's azure light—could all be his, indistinguishable from his own.

"You..." The Ruthless One hadn't expected that his full-power attack had not only failed to slay him, but instead completed him. Furious, he screeched "Waaah!" and with a furious roar, attacked again.

"You resent the lofty Emperor Lord for not saving you within the spatial turbulence—that is emotion; you feel you were once my servant, harboring humility and rage—that is emotion; you wish to destroy the God Realm to vent your anger—that is emotion; you wish to become even stronger—that too is emotion... Emotion controls you, so how can you overcome me, and not be controlled by me?"... With a faint smile, Zhang Xuan's voice grew faster and louder, and his hand gently grasped.

The once invincible Ruthless One was bound by countless fine threads of emotion, shackled together, unable to move.

So long as there was emotion, it would be used by him, controlled by him!

"You..."

Terror filled the Ruthless One's eyes: "Master Zhang, I am your servant, don't kill me... I am willing to offer my soul in sacrifice..."

"It's already too late to say these things now..." With a slight smile, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Having mastered the emotions of the world, things like servants held no meaning for him anymore.

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

"No..."

Sensing his resolve, the Ruthless One's pupils contracted. Before his words could finish, he immediately felt a violent pain throughout his body.

Boom!

In an instant, he exploded, transforming into countless streams of spiritual energy that poured toward every corner of the God Realm.

All the power the Tide Sea had previously devoured now flowed back in return; the withered wilderness regained its vitality.

"This..."

"He killed him just like that?"

Emperor Yun Chi, Emperor Lord Undying, Fairy Linglong, and others all widened their eyes in disbelief.

They had just crossed hands with the Ruthless One and knew how terrifying he was. Such a powerful being, casually annihilated—just what level had this Zhang Xuan reached?

Could there truly be another realm above the Emperor Lord?

"He succeeded..."

Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi loosened their clenched fists.

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

Seeing the "Flawed Heavenly Dao" that had just been separated from his own body still hovering in the air, Zhang Xuan smiled faintly and flicked his finger.

Voom!

The library that had accompanied him since his rebirth slammed into the sky of the Divine Realm.

A bell-like resonance rang out; the collapsing Divine Realm visibly slowed its recovery, and the chaotic flows of energy gathered together once more.

The collapsing Divine Realm finally stopped, and the withered spiritual energy, along with the death of the Ruthless One, slowly revived.

"It seems the Divine Realm is about to welcome the era of spiritual energy revival once more..." Zhang Xuan smiled.

With the Heavenly Dao completed, the hole in the Tidal Sea has already healed; it is only a matter of time before the Divine Realm returns to its former glory.

"Zhang Xuan, come this way..."

Having just finished these things, a voice sounded in his mind. Zhang Xuan paused for a moment and took a step forward.

With this step, he flew an unknown distance, then saw a youth standing before him.

It was precisely the one who had taught him sword techniques earlier.

"Senior, you..."

Seeing him, Zhang Xuan was stunned.

He had previously felt this person was unfathomable, but only now did he realize that compared to himself, the difference was merely a hair's breadth; he had already reached the absolute peak of the Emperor Lord, far stronger than the Luo Ruoxi of before.

"You may address me by my name. I am... Nie Tong!" The youth, radiating a sword intent that pressed forward without retreat, said lightly.

"Nie Tong?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

It was the first time he had heard this name.

"Follow me, I will take you to meet my brother!" The youth named Nie Tong smiled gently and stepped forward. Zhang Xuan followed closely behind, flying an unknown distance before stopping before a Shanfeng.

He then saw another youth.

His appearance was not much older than his own; his eyebrows arched upward, giving an impression of profound depth that could not be penetrated.

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled.

The strength of the youth before him was actually even greater than his own; he had likewise broken through the shackles of the Emperor Lord, and his cultivation was even deeper and more profound!

"I am Nie Yun!" The youth smiled faintly and looked over: "That is... Nie Lingxi's father, the one you speak of!"

"Ruoxi's father?"

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

Luo Ruoxi had previously said her father was the Heavenly Dao, but he never imagined it would be such a young man.

"I transformed one Qi into three manifestations; one part of my soul became the Heavenly Dao! Furthermore, this world was created by me; to say I am the Heavenly Dao is not incorrect!" Nie Yun smiled faintly.

Zhang Xuan could not believe it.

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

Then how incredibly strong must his power be?

"That doesn't make sense. If the Divine Realm was created by you, and you are the Heavenly Dao, why did you allow the Ruthless One to run rampant without intervening..." Zhang Xuan looked over.

If he himself had not broken through, the Divine Realm would very likely have collapsed completely; why did this person before him do nothing?

He didn't even care about his daughter's life or death?

Nie Yun did not answer his question but looked over lightly: "Do you believe... there are even more powerful lives above the Divine Realm?"

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

Although he had never seen them, since he could cultivate to such a realm, perhaps others could as well, or even stronger.

Just like the person before him.

"I once suspected there might be more powerful lives above the Divine Realm, so I used all my strength to peer into it, ultimately attracting a backlash from a higher world... a palm broke through the void and descended!"

Nie Yun looked over: "At that time, if I had dodged, it is highly likely the entire Divine Realm would have been wiped out, leaving not a single life... so I blocked this move, but because of this, the manifestation of the Heavenly Dao was split away."

"In this situation, I thought restoring it would require only a thought, but... I understand that to truly transcend the shackles of the Divine Realm, to explore where the palm came from, and what lies beyond the Divine Realm... relying on me alone is very difficult. Therefore, I wanted to see if there was any life capable of breaking through the Emperor Lord's shackles and reaching a level equal to mine!"

"So, I sent the scattered intentions of the Heavenly Dao to the lowest world... bestowing them upon a soul originally belonging to this world, and a soul not belonging to this world. And you, in the end, did not disappoint me!"

Nie Yun smiled.

"A soul not belonging to this world? So, my transmigration was also because of you?" Zhang Xuan was shaken in his heart.

No wonder he was able to transmigrate; he never expected it was all the doing of the person before him.

"Hehe!" Nie Yun smiled lightly and said: "Those who inherently belong to this world possess reverence for the world; breaking through the world's shackles is far more difficult. I merely acted on a whim, never expecting you would truly succeed..."

"I..." Zhang Xuan's face flushed: "If not for Kong Shi, I could never have reached this level..." Without Kong Shi's selfless dedication, reaching the current realm would have been utterly impossible.

"I gave him the chance; he simply failed to seize it. The duel with Lingxi was actually his best opportunity to break through; unfortunately, he chose to retreat, thinking he had a backup plan and could withdraw unscathed, but in reality, he lost the spirit of bold advancement. Facing someone who surpasses us, if one lacks even this spirit, how can one hope to contend?"

Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan remained silent.

He had witnessed the battle between the two at that time; Kong Shi was indeed somewhat lacking in decisiveness.

It is also possible he was unwilling to kill Luo Ruoxi.

Unfortunately, in that single thought, he missed the opportunity to advance.

"If Kong Shi had won, Ruoxi would have died..." After a moment, Zhang Xuan looked over, his eyebrows furrowed.

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

"With me here, she will not die..." Nie Yun smiled faintly: "Your current strength is not much different from mine. Do you think, in a life-or-death situation, the two of you possess the strength to save someone?"

"This..." Zhang Xuan smiled bitterly.

Breaking through to Emperor Lord and being an Emperor Lord are two different concepts; if he truly were willing to intervene, he could indeed save the person at the critical moment and guarantee they would not suffer a single scratch.

"Lingxi was born of my other wife, Luo Qingcheng, so the name she used in disguise carries the surname Luo... To ensure she believes me and does not act on emotion, she has thought all along that I remain in a coma..."

Nie Yun gave a bitter smile: "I suppose I've been a ruthless enough father... Here's the deal: you explain this matter to her. After all, her thoughts have now shifted to you; I, this old father, have probably been forgotten... Haha, I won't appear for now and will hide for a while. Otherwise, I'm truly afraid she'll turn the world upside down..."

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

He had no choice but to agree; who else was it but himself who had carried off her daughter...

"The Heavenly Dao Library is a manifestation of my own thought; it is both the foundation and the shackle. That you could break through the shackle by your own ability proves your capability and potential, and your future is boundless. That my daughter can be with you brings this father some comfort."

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