Chapter 727: Spirit Stone Sky City

Soul contracts, entwined with the soul, cannot be broken by the other party, no matter how powerful their methods, unless one voluntarily dissolves them. For example, the Undying Emperor Little Yellow Chicken, though only a Divine King before, was still unable to break such a contract even after becoming an Emperor. To prevent this guy from reneging and causing a backlash, the Master Teacher Continent had specifically decreed that even if the other party could escape the Records of Heavenly Dao, they still couldn't break the soul contract!

"It's true that a soul contract cannot be separated from the sea of consciousness, but I've integrated a special gas that can even dissolve the Heavenly Dao. Dissolving this contract isn't difficult... As long as there's enough power to strike where the contract resides, it can be done!" the Ruthless One said. A soul contract is based on the Heavenly Dao. If this special power can dissolve even the Heavenly Dao of the Divine Realm, then dissolving a soul contract, if handled correctly, poses no difficulty.

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

"Telling you all this is also my way of thanking you for bringing me to the Divine Realm!" After explaining, the Ruthless One said no more. The ancient and distant aura around him intensified, and the black hole behind him grew even larger. Clearly, as he spoke, he had absorbed an unknown amount of power as sustenance.

"Zhang Xuan, the more the black hole devours, the stronger he becomes..." Luo Ruoxi hurriedly transmitted her voice, having also noticed something was amiss.

"Prepare to act!" With his doubts dispelled, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, his long sword suddenly rising. "In that case, let's settle this with our strength!"

Boom! The most powerful sword intent was unleashed once more. Live to return, die to be longed for eternally! Caring nothing for life or death, what could possibly stand in the way? Although this sword technique had not yet reached the comprehension of an Emperor, it contained all the obsessions in his heart, pushing the Heavenly Path Art of Sentient Beings within him to its limit. With one sword stroke, he sliced the Ruthless One's attack in half. At the same moment, Luo Ruoxi also made her move, her jade hands swirling, sword gleam like snow. Her swordplay bore some resemblance to that of the young man from Sword God Heaven, possessing an unstoppable momentum and the unconstrained elegance of the Great Dao.

"Your moves are powerful, but compared to me, they're still lacking..." With a faint smile, the Ruthless One clawed downwards again. In an instant, it blotted out the sky and earth, the palm enveloping the entire world. Space shattered, and the sun, moon, and stars seemed as if they would be forcibly knocked down.

Puff! Puff! Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi were simultaneously sent flying backward, spitting blood in mid-air. With their combined strength, they couldn't even resist! What realm had this guy truly reached?

"Presumptuous!" The clone strode forward, lotus flowers blooming with each step, the void resonating with the sound of flowing water. From a distance, it looked incredibly imposing. Having refined the Nine Heavens Chaotic Golden Lotus, his cultivation was in no way inferior to Zhang Xuan's. He raised a fist, power surging into the heavens. When he clashed with the Ruthless One, he was also sent flying back, unable to withstand a single blow.

Zhang Xuan clutched his forehead. Even after becoming an Emperor, the clone still hadn't changed his pretentious nature... Such a dazzling display of pretentiousness would be better if the power was concentrated for greater effect!

"Let's attack together, otherwise, if they die, we'll all die..." Little Yellow Chicken roared, scarlet flames burning as if the sky itself had been ignited. The remaining six Great Emperors also unleashed their respective techniques. The combined power of seven Emperors was enough to destroy the world, and even a realm wouldn't be able to withstand it. However, facing the Ruthless One, who had absorbed special power, the black hole suddenly expanded, instantly devouring their attacks before counter-attacking.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! The seven Emperors, like Zhang Xuan and the others, were sent flying back. Ten Emperors, united, couldn't even block a single one of his moves! How could this guy be so powerful?

"You can die now..." Having crushed everyone with one move, the Ruthless One took a step forward, flipped his wrist, and struck down again.

"How dare you, rat!" Along with a roar, the old man from Sword God Heaven suddenly appeared, blocking their path, his long sword transforming into a galaxy.

"An Emperor? He's also an Emperor-level expert?" Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted. This old man had followed the young man previously; Zhang Xuan had thought he was just a subordinate, at most a Titled Divine King. Only now, seeing him unleash his power, did he realize he was also an Emperor-level expert! If he was an Emperor, then what was that young man?

"He himself is the Emperor of Sword God Heaven..." Struggling to stand, Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth.

"Then... what about the young man who taught me the sword art?" Zhang Xuan couldn't help but ask.

"He is..." Just as Luo Ruoxi was about to answer, space twisted, and then they saw the Sword God Heaven Emperor also flying backward, landing in a nearby spot, creating a large crater. Zhang Xuan's current strength and comprehension of the Sword Dao far surpassed his, yet Zhang Xuan couldn't resist. Even if this Emperor's cultivation wasn't weak and his swordsmanship was profound, he was still no match.

"Haha, Emperors, just a bunch of weaklings! Today, I will destroy the Nine Heavens, annihilate this Divine Realm, and flatten all its rules!" Having defeated the Sword God Heaven Emperor, the Ruthless One laughed madly, the surrounding space continuously collapsing, making him appear demonic.

"What do we do?" Zhang Xuan clenched his fists. A moment ago, both he and his clone had unleashed their strongest combat power, and even Luo Ruoxi had used her most powerful techniques, yet they couldn't block a single move from their opponent... Could it be that no one in the Divine Realm could truly stop this individual? Would they just let him destroy the world?

"The only way... is for your Deficient Heavenly Dao to return to the Heavenly Dao itself, allowing the Heavenly Dao to suppress him..." Luo Ruoxi clenched her delicate fists, her eyes reddening.

"Return to the Heavenly Dao itself?" Zhang Xuan understood what she meant. The Library of Heaven's Path in his mind was itself a part of the Heavenly Dao. Once it returned, the Heavenly Dao would be completely whole, perhaps able to repair its flaws and naturally expel the Ruthless One. It was like the human immune system. If the immune system is complete, it can easily expel viruses; if it's damaged and can't resist viral invasion, even the strongest person will die. It's just...

"He's too powerful; even if the Heavenly Dao is fully restored, it might not be able to suppress him!" Zhang Xuan shook his head. The immune system can kill viruses, but... what about a fierce tiger? What could even the strongest immune system do against that? This individual, if he were merely an ordinary Divine King, or even a Titled one, the Heavenly Dao could easily kill him. But he was even more powerful than an Emperor... already beyond what the Heavenly Dao could contend with.

Luo Ruoxi paused, a look of disappointment appearing on her fair jade-like face. "Yes... it can't suppress him. However, once the Heavenly Dao is complete, *he* will awaken, and killing this one won't be difficult!"

"He?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"I'll take you to him, he's in the Sovereign Heaven..." Taking a deep breath, Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth and turned to fly forward.

"Trying to escape?" The Ruthless One snorted coldly, pressing downwards. Luo Ruoxi plummeted from the sky. Zhang Xuan unleashed his sword art again, magnificent sword intent erupting.

Ding ding ding! It was once again blocked by the Ruthless One.

"You two hurry and go, I'll hold him off..." Knowing they were trying to find a way to save the Divine Realm, not escape, the clone and Undying Emperor roared and blocked the front. Luo Qiqi also transformed, returning to her true form as the Quiet Space Orb. The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!" Seeing everyone fearlessly blocking behind them, unafraid of death, Zhang Xuan's eyes reddened. However, knowing this wasn't the time for more words, he pulled Luo Ruoxi, his body blurring as he tore through space, appearing in the vicinity of Sovereign Heaven in the next instant. Sovereign Heaven had lost its former tranquility; the Divine Realm was collapsing, and chaos reigned everywhere.

"Where is this 'he' you spoke of?" Having 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 did his own sacrifice matter!

"He is my father. The blood in your pendant is his. The Undying Emperor was once his beast pet..." Luo Ruoxi adjusted her breathing and explained.

"Father?" Zhang Xuan suddenly understood. No wonder he had always felt that the blood in the pendant was similar to Luo Ruoxi's, yet different; it turned out to be her father's. This also explained why the remnant consciousness left by the Undying Emperor immediately recognized him as master after seeing the pendant.

"Your father is also an Emperor? Or possesses strength beyond an Emperor?" He couldn't help but ask. The Library of Heaven's Path was in chaos, and the blood in the pendant had allowed him to regain clarity. Could it be that not only was she an Emperor, but her father was too, and even more powerful? If that were the case, why would he be in a coma? And why would he need the Deficient Heavenly Dao to awaken?

"He's not an Emperor, but... the Heavenly Dao!" Luo Ruoxi clenched her delicate fists.

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

"Yes! Fifty years ago, Father couldn't resist that giant hand and fell into a coma. The Heavenly Dao fractured into three parts: the Orderly Heavenly Dao and the Deficient Heavenly Dao entered the spatial turbulence, and I temporarily controlled the Natural Heavenly Dao to maintain the balance of the Divine Realm. To restore him, we must gather the scattered parts... That's why I was so resolute and couldn't fail! That's why I specifically entered the Master Teacher Continent, studied the Spring and Autumn Codex, and tried to find a way to defeat Master Kong! The request I made to him during our battle was also this." Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood. Not long after they first met on the Master Teacher Continent, the girl in front of him had told him her story, about wanting to save a beloved relative. He hadn't understood then, but now he suddenly comprehended. It was her father, and he was even the Heavenly Dao of the Divine Realm! Could the Heavenly Dao really transform into human form and have children?

"Temporarily controlling the Natural Heavenly Dao... You don't have a Heavenly Dao fragment within you?" Suddenly, realizing something off in her words, Zhang Xuan looked at her. "Temporarily controlling" and "merging within one's body" were two different concepts.

"I just control it; I'm not a part of the Heavenly Dao itself..." Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. This meant he only needed to separate the Deficient Heavenly Dao from himself; she wouldn't have to die. Although he was unwilling to accept such a fate, he also didn't want the girl in front of him to be harmed.

"If I separate the Deficient Heavenly Dao from my body, your father can recover, and even kill the Ruthless One, right?" Zhang Xuan looked at her.

"This... I'm not sure either..." Looking up at the already collapsing Divine Realm, Luo Ruoxi hesitated. The Divine Realm was her father's foundation. Now that the foundation was in such a state, even if he woke up, could he truly defeat that powerful Ruthless One? It was hard to say!

"It seems you're also not certain. In that case, relying on others is not as good as relying on ourselves... We can only find a solution on our own!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth. "You, me, the clone, united with the Nine Heavens' Nine Emperors, and if Master Kong also cooperates, we might not necessarily fail to win!"

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

"Master Kong is dead, right? He isn't truly dead. If I'm not mistaken, your killing him was just a method for him to escape the Heavenly Dao... Unless something unexpected happened, he should be a Congenital Embryonic Soul Body, just like Wei Changfeng!" Zhang Xuan said. Upon seeing Wei Changfeng, he understood. Master Kong's so-called maintenance of his consciousness should be due to him also being a Congenital Embryonic Soul Body, just like Wei Changfeng. He could avoid confusion even in the womb. Coupled with the preparations he had made beforehand, resurrection was only a matter of time.

Luo Ruoxi was stunned, apparently not expecting this.

"We'll know if we go and see. If my guess is correct, he should have already recovered. Otherwise, his students wouldn't have simply ignored the Tidal Sea..." Zhang Xuan said. They must have had more important matters awaiting them, which they intended to address while all the Emperors were occupied at the Tidal Sea. And this important matter was clearly Master Kong's recovery.

Luo Ruoxi's heart trembled, and she suddenly understood.

"Let's go!" Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan swiped his hand and reappeared at Master Kong's residence. Indeed, he saw an old man floating cross-legged in the air. Seeing their arrival, the old man smiled faintly, "You've come!" Who else could it be but Master Kong! This Master of Ten Thousand Generations truly hadn't disappointed him! Just as he had guessed, he had revived while everyone's attention was focused on the Tidal Sea.

Luo Ruoxi's delicate body trembled. She knew Emperors could revive; the Undying Emperor had also come back to life, but... she hadn't expected it to be so fast!

"I concealed myself from the Heavenly Dao and prepared a contingency in advance. The nameless giant in the Soul Pool was left by me. When you killed me that day, I took the opportunity to break free from the Heavenly Dao's restraints and re-congeal my physical body. I've only just recovered now!" Master Kong smiled faintly. He was proficient in temporal abilities. Though it seemed only a day or two had passed in the Divine Realm, in reality, he had experienced an unknown amount of time to recover his strength. Decades might have passed for him.

"The three of us are strong, but defeating the Ruthless One won't be easy..." Seeing that Master Kong had indeed recovered, Luo Ruoxi still shook her head. It wasn't about boosting someone else's prestige and diminishing their own will, but simply the truth. A moment ago, so many people combined their efforts yet couldn't block the opponent. Even adding Master Kong, what difference would it make? It still wouldn't change the situation!

"Individually, and even united, we are indeed no match for him. But... what if we merge everyone's power into one person?" Master Kong smiled and looked over.

"Merge into one person?" This time, not only Luo Ruoxi frowned, but Zhang Xuan was also full of doubt.

"That palm could tear apart the Divine Realm and scatter the Heavenly Dao; its strength is beyond doubt. The Ruthless One absorbed all that power and also consumed fifty years of the Divine Realm's spiritual energy. In terms of individual strength, none of us, a dozen or so Emperors, are a match for him..." Master Kong said, "But if we unite and concentrate all our power on one person... that might be different!"

"How to concentrate?" Luo Ruoxi looked at him. Easier said than done. Emperors were already at the peak of the Divine Realm. If absorbing others' power were so easy, she wouldn't have stagnated for so many years.

"It's simple... We will concentrate our power on Zhang Xuan. Once he breaks through the Emperor's shackles, he can save the Divine Realm!" Master Kong said.

"Me?" Zhang Xuan was startled. "Why me?"

"Emperor Lingxi cultivates freedom and transcendence! But with the constraints of her father and the Heavenly Dao, and people she cares about, she can never truly transcend! If I'm not mistaken, during our battle, you also gave up and intended to be killed by me, didn't you?" Master Kong said. Luo Ruoxi was speechless. During the battle, she indeed had such intentions, which was why their initial exchange felt more like a sparring match with each holding back, rather than a life-or-death struggle.

"Unable to transcend, naturally, she can't unleash her strongest power. Even if given more true qi, she still can't break through to that supreme realm! As for me..." Master Kong nodded and said, "I care for all living beings and wish to enlighten the world, but I'm unwilling for others to sacrifice for me. Too much benevolence is also a flaw! If I had been a bit more ruthless and exterminated the Qingtian lineage, we wouldn't be in this situation now..." If he had been able to kill all the Qingtian people back then, the Ruthless One couldn't have revived, and the current situation wouldn't exist.

"Therefore, I am also not suitable! But Zhang Xuan's cultivation method is unhindered and without flaws. He lives authentically, and even if he dies, as long as he lives without regrets, his heart is clear. Such a person possesses greater inclusiveness and broader potential for development. Only then can one reach higher and go further!" Master Kong continued. Live to return, die to be longed for eternally! If one cares not even for death, how could they be constrained by other matters?

Zhang Xuan frowned, just about to say something, when Master Kong looked at him with piercing eyes. "No need to decline. Firstly, there's not enough time to cultivate someone else, and even if there were, I don't believe anyone could do better than you! Although Emperor Lingxi doesn't have a Heavenly Dao fragment within her, she has controlled the Heavenly Dao for many years and possesses her own understanding of it. I control the Orderly Heavenly Dao. If we imbue our power into you, you will possess the power of the complete Heavenly Dao! Coupled with the Nine Heavens Chaotic Golden Lotus of your clone, you can completely stabilize the Nine Heavens, control the universe, fight through the Nine Heavens, and extinguish all things!"

"Alright!" Seeing that the other party had already made a decision, further explanations would be useless. Zhang Xuan nodded.

Boom! Sitting cross-legged, in the blink of an eye, two surging forces poured in from both sides. Zhang Xuan's body stiffened; in an instant, he felt as if he had transformed into the Heavenly Dao, soaring above the Nine Heavens. His soul, physical body, and true qi were all instantly baptized, becoming stronger and more profound.

"You want to stop me too? Fine, I'll kill you all, then go kill Zhang Xuan..." Having sent Luo Qiqi and the clone flying, the Ruthless One sneered. The combined power unleashed by the clone and numerous Emperors was indeed formidable, but compared to him, it was still somewhat weaker. The Tidal Sea had consumed almost all the spiritual energy of the Divine Realm outside the cities. Now, all that power had become his nourishment. Every movement he made carried the power to destroy the world. These Emperors and Divine Kings, though representing the pinnacle of the Divine Realm, were still no match. At this moment, the Ruthless One seemed to embody the entire Divine Realm, unstoppable by anyone.

"If the Divine Realm perishes, our lives are meaningless. I, Emperor Yun Chi, will perish with you..." Emperor Yun Chi transformed into his true form, a colossal five-clawed golden dragon, and soared towards him.

"Just you? You're not worthy!" The Ruthless One squeezed his palm, and the golden dragon was caught in his grasp, unable to escape no matter how much it struggled.

"Old friend, wait for me!" Emperor Fu Meng also roared, transforming into his White Tiger true form and soaring forward. The Undying Emperor's true form, the Undying Fire Phoenix, appeared, its flames illuminating the sky. Emperor Xuan Ming's true form was a massive tortoise, seemingly holding up the heavens. The Four Divine Beasts, guardians of the Divine Realm's four poles, simultaneously transformed into their true forms. The collapsing Divine Realm even seemed to slow down. The universe seemed to freeze in that instant.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! With four consecutive palms, the Ruthless One suppressed the four beasts, a strong murderous intent flashing in his eyes. "Since you seek death, I shall grant it to you..." Amidst his roars, just as he was about to unleash a killing blow to obliterate everyone, he felt his raised arm tighten and stop in mid-air.

"You want to kill them? Have you asked me first..." Then, to everyone's shocked gazes, a figure slowly walked out of the air. It was Zhang Xuan! At this moment, the young man's entire body surged with power, more than ten times stronger than before. He came from the heavens, as if his entire being was a world unto itself.

"You've improved quite a bit..." The Ruthless One stopped, his gaze solemn. He clearly didn't understand why the opponent's strength had undergone such a tremendous change in just a few minutes.

"But what if you've grown stronger? Even the Divine Realm in its heyday couldn't resist me. I don't believe you can stop me..." With a cold snort, the Ruthless One struck down again. Zhang Xuan raised his long sword and met the attack. The two fought, space tearing apart in streaks, and currents of energy wildly scattering.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?" At Master Kong's residence in Sovereign Heaven, Luo Ruoxi looked on, full of worry. She and Master Kong had transmitted their power to Zhang Xuan, and their own cultivation had fallen to merely the Divine King level, no longer as splendid as before. However, their inherent foundation remained; as long as they had enough power, they could one day recover.

"With his current strength, wanting to win... is very difficult! Unless... he can comprehend power beyond an Emperor!" After a moment of silence, Master Kong said. A dozen or so Emperors combined their efforts yet couldn't defeat the Ruthless One. Even if they had transferred all their power to him, winning wouldn't be easy. The reason for doing so was that... only by concentrating power into one person could it possibly reach its apex, truly surpass limits, and break through self-imposed boundaries!

"Power beyond an Emperor?" Luo Ruoxi's eyes grew distant. When her father was still conscious, he had said the same thing to her, but... she couldn't do it. Could the man she loved achieve it?

"He definitely can... He possesses an unyielding heart! And a lofty pride towards this world." Seeing the doubt in her heart, Master Kong smiled.

Boom! Boom! Boom! After several consecutive moves, Zhang Xuan's tiger mouth split open, and a huge, ghastly wound appeared on his chest. Just as Master Kong had said, even after integrating their combined power and forming a complete Heavenly Dao within him, he was still no match.

"Haha, I thought you were so formidable, but you're nothing special!" The Ruthless One sneered.

"Anyway, I'm no match for you, and I'll be killed sooner or later. In that case, I want to die by your strongest attack..." Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan stopped his assault and instead looked at the Ruthless One before him.

"Alright, I'll grant your wish and give you my strongest attack..." Hearing him say this, the Ruthless One was startled for a moment, then let out a cold snort and raised his palm.

Whoosh! A beam of green light appeared in his palm and slammed down fiercely. It was indeed his strongest attack. The entire Divine Realm roared, as if on the verge of collapse, and another massive crater was formed. With his eyes tightly shut, Zhang Xuan did not dodge. His head burst open, and his soul scattered in all directions.

"Zhang Xuan..." Seeing this scene, everyone's faces turned pale. Luo Qiqi seemed to go mad. Emperor Yun Chi and the others also widened their eyes, trembling uncontrollably. Master Kong and Luo Ruoxi, witnessing this, were also stunned. The original intention was for him to break through his shackles and strive for a realm beyond Emperor-level. Why did he not resist, but willingly embrace death? Wouldn't this betray their good intentions?

"No, that's the Undying Emperor's method of immortality..." Just as they wondered, Master Kong suddenly spoke. Everyone then saw that from Zhang Xuan, whose head had burst open and even whose soul had shattered, the pendant on his chest suddenly exploded. A drop of blood floated up, ignited, forming a scorching flame. From within the flame, a perfectly intact figure slowly emerged.

"He... used the opponent's power and the blood in the pendant to separate the Deficient Heavenly Dao from his soul?" Luo Ruoxi's pupils constricted. Zhang Xuan, reborn from the flames, surprisingly no longer had the Library of Heaven's Path within him. Free from the interference of the Heavenly Dao, he had detached from it!

"How did he do it?" Master Kong was also full of disbelief. The Heavenly Dao and the soul were intertwined, inseparable. To break free, he had to scatter his soul and re-congeal it with the help of the Soul Pool. This person, after only being struck once, had completely broken free. What method did he use?

"I know... He used the Ruthless One's method to break free from the soul contract..." Luo Ruoxi realized. A soul contract binds master and servant; if the master doesn't dissolve it, the servant is forever bound... The Library of Heaven's Path was like this, an enhanced version of a contract. Once bound to the soul, it couldn't be detached without death. But... the Ruthless One had used that special power to break free from the soul contract. Zhang Xuan had specifically asked about the method before, likely already having an idea then. That's why he deliberately fought to the death, allowing the Ruthless One to unleash his strongest attack on him. Using this power, he was reborn from the flames. Unexpectedly, it was a complete success!

"So that's it, this is the way to break through the Emperor realm..." From the flames, Zhang Xuan emerged with a faint smile on his face, as if he had understood something. He suddenly waved his hand, and the clone at his side immediately transformed back into a lotus flower and flew over. In an instant, it perfectly merged with him. In the blink of an eye, everyone felt that Zhang Xuan, standing before them, had seemingly become the Nine Heavens, and the Nine Heavens was him. He lightly stomped his foot on the ground. The chaotic Nine Heavens immediately stabilized. The Nine Heavens Chaotic Golden Lotus, which appeared when the Nine Heavens were born, could stabilize them. Now that his clone and his true self had perfectly merged, indistinguishable from each other, it meant he had controlled this power. Not only that, with the cultivation of the Nine Heavens Chaotic Golden Lotus merged, his already peak realm loosened, seeming ready to break through at any moment.

"Master-servant affection, brotherhood, teacher-student bond, parental love, romantic love... all merged together, that is the essence of all things in the world, that is what it means to be human!" With a faint smile, Zhang Xuan murmured to himself. The moment the Library of Heaven's Path detached from his soul, he understood. Did humans perceive the world, and thus the world came into being, or did the world exist first, followed by humans? Was it the wind moving, or the heart moving! This question had troubled countless people since time immemorial. Of course, now... none of that mattered! Without life, without emotions, what meaning would the world have even if it existed? Therefore, after breaking through romantic love, came the love for all beings! It was the interwoven emotions of the entire world. All things in the world possess emotions; only with emotion can there be a world, and only with emotion can life continue. Love is emotion. Hatred is emotion. Joy is emotion. Pain is emotion. Separation is emotion. Reunion is also emotion!

"Thousands of emotions, for my use..." With a low cry, the confined realm within Zhang Xuan instantly shattered. The Emperor's shackles were broken! In an instant, he seemed to touch a brand new world and a grand gate; his soul was rapidly nourished. Countless chaotic qi surged towards him, and his physical body rapidly improved. Previously, he could only advance by absorbing spiritual energy, but now spatial turbulence, chaotic qi, even the opponent's green light, could all be his, indistinguishably.

The Ruthless One hadn't expected his full-force attack, instead of killing him, would complete him. He roared in frustration, then angrily attacked again. "Your resentment towards the high and mighty Emperors for not saving you in the spatial turbulence is an emotion; feeling that you were once my servant, filled with humility and anger, is an emotion; wanting to destroy the Divine Realm to vent your rage is an emotion; wanting to become stronger is also an emotion... Emotions control you, so how can you defeat me, how can you avoid being controlled by me?"

With a faint smile, Zhang Xuan's voice grew faster and louder. He lightly gripped his hand. The once invincible Ruthless One was bound by countless threads of emotion, his limbs restricted, unable to move. As long as one had emotions, they would be used and controlled by him!

The Ruthless One's eyes were filled with terror. "Master Zhang, I am your servant, don't kill me... I am willing to sacrifice my soul..."

"It's too late to say that now..." With a faint smile, Zhang Xuan shook his head. Having mastered all emotions in the world, concepts like servants held no meaning for him anymore. Having killed so many Divine-level beings, harmed his girlfriend, Luo Qiqi, and so many friends, how could he possibly forgive today!

"No..." Feeling his decisiveness, the Ruthless One's pupils contracted. Before he could finish speaking, he immediately felt an intense pain throughout his body. In an instant, he exploded, transforming into countless streams of spiritual energy that poured into every part of the Divine Realm. All the power that the Tidal Sea had previously devoured was now returned, and the depleted wildernesses were once again vibrant with life.

"He was just killed like that?" Emperor Yun Chi, the Undying Emperor, Fairy Linglong, and the others all widened their eyes in disbelief. Just now, they had fought the Ruthless One and knew how terrifying he was. Such a powerful person was casually annihilated. To what extent had this Zhang Xuan reached? Could it be that there truly was another realm above the Emperor realm?

"He succeeded..." Master Kong and Luo Ruoxi released their clenched fists.

"This is a part of the Heavenly Dao, so I shall now return it to the Heavenly Dao..." Seeing the "Deficient Heavenly Dao" that had just been separated from his body still floating in the air, Zhang Xuan smiled faintly and flicked his finger. The Library of Heaven's Path, which had accompanied him since his rebirth, loudly embedded itself in the sky of the Divine Realm. A bell-like resonance sounded, and the continuously collapsing Divine Realm visibly began to slowly recover. The chaotic currents of energy also regrouped. The collapsing Divine Realm finally ceased, and the depleted spiritual energy slowly revived with the Ruthless One's death.

"It seems the Divine Realm is about to welcome an era of spiritual energy resurgence again..." Zhang Xuan smiled. The hole in the Tidal Sea had been restored with the completion of the Heavenly Dao. It was only a matter of time before the Divine Realm returned to its former glory.

"Zhang Xuan, come here..." Just as he finished these tasks, a voice echoed in his mind. Zhang Xuan paused, then took a step. This step carried him an unknown distance. He then saw a young man standing before him. It was precisely the one who had previously taught him sword arts.

"Senior, you..." Seeing it was him, Zhang Xuan was startled. He had always found this person unfathomable, but now he realized that he was only slightly less powerful than himself, having already reached the peak of the Emperor realm, immeasurably stronger than Luo Ruoxi had been before.

"You can just call me by my name. I am... Nie Tong!" The young man, emitting an unstoppable sword intent, said faintly.

"Nie Tong?" Zhang Xuan frowned. He heard this name for the first time.

"Follow me, I'll take you to see my brother!" The young man named Nie Tong smiled faintly and stepped forward. Zhang Xuan followed closely behind. After flying an unknown distance, they stopped before a mountain peak. He then saw another young man. His appearance wasn't much older than his own. With upward-swept eyebrows, he exuded a profound and unfathomable aura.

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled. The strength of the young man before him was actually even greater than his own. He had also broken through the Emperor's shackles, and his cultivation was even more profound and weighty!

"I am Nie Yun!" The young man smiled faintly and looked over. "That is to say... Nie Lingxi, the father of Luo Ruoxi whom you speak of!"

"Ruoxi's father?" Zhang Xuan was startled. "You... are the Heavenly Dao of the Divine Realm?" Luo Ruoxi had said earlier that her father was the Heavenly Dao, but he never would have imagined it would be such a young man.

"I divided myself into Three Pure Ones; a part of my soul became the Heavenly Dao! Moreover, this world was created by me, so saying I am the Heavenly Dao is not incorrect!" Nie Yun smiled faintly.

Zhang Xuan couldn't believe it. The Divine Realm was actually created by this person? How strong must he be then?

"Wait, if the Divine Realm was created by you, and you are the Heavenly Dao, why did you let the Ruthless One rampage without intervening...?" Zhang Xuan looked at him. If he hadn't broken through, the Divine Realm might have completely collapsed. Why did this person in front of him do nothing? Did he even care about his daughter's life or death?

Without answering his question, Nie Yun looked at him faintly. "Do you think... there are even more powerful beings above the Divine Realm?"

Zhang Xuan paused. "There should be..." Although he hadn't seen them, since he could cultivate to this realm, perhaps others could too, or even be stronger. Just like the one before him.

"I once suspected there might be more powerful beings above the Divine Realm, so I used all my strength to peer, which ultimately provoked a backlash from a higher world... A single palm tore through space and descended!" Nie Yun looked at him. "At that time, if I had dodged, it's highly likely that the entire Divine Realm would have been wiped clean, with not a single life remaining... So, I blocked that attack, but as a result, the Heavenly Dao, which was my incarnation, was fragmented."

"In that situation, if I wanted to recover, it would have just been a matter of a single thought. But... I understood that to truly transcend the Divine Realm's shackles, to explore where that palm came from, and what lay beyond the Divine Realm... it would be very difficult for me to achieve it alone. Therefore, I wanted to see if there was any life that could break through the Emperor's shackles and reach a level comparable to mine!"

"So, I sent the fragmented Heavenly Dao consciousness to the lowest realm... bestowing it upon a soul originally belonging to that world, and a soul that did not belong to this world. And you, ultimately, did not disappoint me!" Nie Yun smiled.

"A soul that didn't belong to this world. So, my transmigration was also because of you?" Zhang Xuan's heart trembled. No wonder he was able to transmigrate; he hadn't expected it was all this person's doing.

"Heh heh!" Nie Yun chuckled softly and said, "A soul originally belonging to this world inherently holds reverence for it, making it much harder to break through its shackles. It was just a thought of mine, and I didn't truly expect you to succeed..."

"I..." Zhang Xuan's face flushed. "If it weren't for Master Kong, I wouldn't have been able to reach this level at all..." Without Master Kong's selfless dedication, reaching his current realm would have been utterly impossible.

"I gave him the opportunity, but he didn't seize it. His battle with Lingxi was actually his best chance to break through. Unfortunately, he chose to retreat, thinking he had a backup plan to get out unscathed, but in reality, he lost his courageous advancement. Facing someone beyond us, if one doesn't even have that spirit, how can they contend?" Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan remained silent. He had witnessed their battle at the time and indeed, Master Kong had been somewhat lacking in decisiveness. It was also possible that he was unwilling to kill Luo Ruoxi. Unfortunately, that single thought cost him the chance to advance.

"If Master Kong had won, Ruoxi would have died..." After a moment, Zhang Xuan looked over, his eyebrows furrowed. Could it be that this person in front of him didn't even care about his daughter's life or death?

"With me here, she wouldn't have died..." Nie Yun smiled faintly. "Your current strength is not far from mine. Do you think that with the strength of the two of them, in a life-or-death situation, saving someone would be impossible?"

Zhang Xuan gave a bitter smile. Breaking through the Emperor realm and being an Emperor were two different concepts. If Nie Yun had truly been willing to act, he could indeed have saved them at the last moment, ensuring they wouldn't suffer even a minor injury.

"Lingxi was born to my other wife, Luo Qingcheng, which is why her disguised name is Luo... To make her believe me and not act on emotion, she has thought I was still in a coma until now..." Nie Yun let out a wry smile. "I suppose I've been quite ruthless as a father... How about this, you explain this to her. After all, her thoughts are already focused on you now; she probably won't even remember her old dad... Haha, I won't show myself for now; I'll hide for a while. Otherwise, I'm genuinely afraid she'll turn the world upside down..."

Seeing such an unreliable father before him, Zhang Xuan's face twitched, and he could only agree, "Alright..." There was no other choice but to agree; after all, he had taken the man's daughter...

"The Library of Heaven's Path was formed from a part of my consciousness; it was both a foundation and a limitation. The fact that you were able to break through this limitation by your own ability demonstrates your capability and potential. Your future is boundless, and as a father, I am content that my daughter can be with you."