Chapter 729: Soul-Blood Tempered Sword Body

Soul contracts are binding; unless one releases it themselves, no amount of external power can dissolve them.

Just like the Undying Emperor, Little Yellow Chick. Even as an Emperor, he couldn't break such an agreement, despite only being a Divine King previously. To prevent him from reneging and causing a backlash, the Master Teacher Continent specifically decreed that even if one could detach from the Scroll of Heavenly Dao, they would still be bound by the soul agreement.

“Indeed, a soul contract cannot be directly separated from the Sea of Consciousness, but I've merged with a special gas that can even dissolve the Heavenly Dao. Disintegrating this contract won't be difficult… I just need enough power to strike its location!” said the Ruthless One.

Soul contracts are founded on the Heavenly Dao. Given that this unique power can even dissolve the Heavenly Dao of the God Realm, dissolving a mere soul contract, if handled correctly, presents no significant challenge.

“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 God Realm!”

After explaining, the Ruthless One fell silent. His aura grew increasingly ancient and profound, and the black hole behind him expanded further. Evidently, while he spoke, he had been absorbing immense power to replenish himself.

“Zhang Xuan, the more the black hole devours, the stronger he becomes…” Luo Ruoxi also noticed something was wrong and quickly sent a telepathic message.

“Prepare to attack!” With his doubts gone, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, raising his long sword abruptly. “Since that’s the case, let’s settle this with our skills!”

Boom!

The most powerful sword intent was unleashed once more.

To live is to return; to die is to be remembered eternally! With no regard for life or death, what could possibly stand in the way? Although this sword technique hadn't reached the level of an Emperor's comprehension, it embodied all the resolve within his heart, pushing the Heavenly Emotions cultivation art within him to its absolute limit.

With one sword strike, he cut the Ruthless One's attack in half. At the same moment, Luo Ruoxi also made her move, her jade-like hands twirling, sword light shining like snow. Her sword technique was somewhat similar to that of the young man from Sword God Heaven, possessing a relentless momentum and the natural grace of the Great Dao.

“Your moves are powerful, but compared to me, they still fall short…” With a faint smile, the Ruthless One reached down again.

In an instant, his hand overshadowed the sky and covered the earth, enveloping everything. Space shattered, and it seemed as if the sun, moon, and stars would be violently knocked from the heavens.

Puff! Puff!

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

“Presumptuous!” The clone strode forward, lotus flowers blooming with every step, and the sound of flowing water echoing in the void. 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, and power surged up to the Nine Heavens. Clashing with the Ruthless One, he too was sent flying backward, unable to withstand a single blow.

Zhang Xuan clutched his forehead. Even as an Emperor, the clone still hadn't shed its ostentatious nature... Such a flamboyant display was far less effective than simply concentrating his power for a stronger impact!

“Attack together, otherwise, if they die, we'll all die…” Little Yellow Chick let out a roar, crimson flames burned, and the sky seemed to ignite. The remaining six Great Emperors also unleashed their respective techniques. The seven Emperors combined their might, capable of shattering heaven and earth; a mere world could not withstand them. Yet, facing the Ruthless One, who had absorbed a special power, his black hole abruptly expanded, instantly devouring their attacks before counterattacking.

Bang bang bang bang!

The seven Emperors, like Zhang Xuan and the others, were sent flying backward. The 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 defeated everyone with one move, the Ruthless One took a step forward, flipped his wrist, and struck down again.

“You rat, how dare you!” With a loud shout, 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, who had previously accompanied the young man, was initially thought to be a mere attendant, perhaps a titled Divine King at most. Yet, when he unleashed his power, it became clear he was an Emperor-level expert! If he was an Emperor, what then was that young man?

“He is, in fact, the Emperor of Sword God Heaven himself…” Struggling to stand, Luo Ruoxi clenched her jaw and said.

“Then… what about the young man who taught me swordsmanship?” Zhang Xuan couldn't help but ask.

“He is…” Just as Luo Ruoxi was about to answer, space distorted, and then the Emperor of Sword God Heaven was also sent flying backward, landing a short distance away, creating a large crater. Even with Zhang Xuan's current strength and mastery of the sword dao, which far surpassed the Emperor's, he couldn't withstand the attack. Despite his formidable cultivation and superior sword skills, the Emperor was still no match.

“Haha, Emperors are nothing but pathetic chickens and dogs! Today, I shall annihilate the Nine Heavens, destroy this God Realm, and trample all its rules underfoot!” Having defeated the Emperor of Sword God Heaven, the Ruthless One laughed maniacally. The surrounding space continuously collapsed, making him appear like a demon or devil.

“What do we do?” Zhang Xuan clenched his fists. Just now, he and his clone had unleashed their strongest combat power, and even Luo Ruoxi had used her most powerful moves, yet none of them could block a single attack from the opponent... Was there truly no one in the Divine Realm who could stop this person? Should they just 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 fists, her eyes reddening.

“Return to the Heavenly Dao itself?” Zhang Xuan knew what she meant. The Library of Heaven’s Path in his mind was inherently a part of the Heavenly Dao. Once it returned, the Heavenly Dao would become complete, potentially enabling it to repair its flaws and expel the Ruthless One independently. Just like the human immune system. If the immune system is complete, viruses are easily repelled; if it's damaged, it can't resist viral invasion, and even the strongest person will die.

However…

“He's too powerful; even if the Heavenly Dao is fully restored, it probably can't suppress him!” Zhang Xuan shook his head. Viruses can be eliminated by the immune system, but… what about a fierce tiger? What could even the strongest immune system do against that? This individual, even if merely an ordinary Divine King or a titled one, the Heavenly Dao could easily eliminate. However, he was more powerful than an Emperor… already beyond the Heavenly Dao's capacity to contend with.

Luo Ruoxi paused, a look of disappointment appearing on her fair, jade-like face. “That's right… there's no way to suppress him. But, once the Heavenly Dao is complete, *he* will wake up, and killing this one won't be difficult!”

“He?” Zhang Xuan frowned.

“I'll take you to him, he's in Soaring Cloud Heaven…” Taking a deep breath, Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth and flew forward.

“Trying to escape?” The Ruthless One snorted coldly and pressed downwards. Luo Ruoxi fell from the sky. Zhang Xuan unleashed his sword technique again, and a brilliant sword intent erupted.

Clang clang clang!

It was blocked by the Ruthless One again.

“You two, hurry and go, I'll block him…” Realizing they were seeking a way to save the God Realm, not flee, the clone and the Undying Emperor roared, stepping forward to block. Luo Qiqi also transformed, reverting to her true form as the Serene Void Orb. The surrounding space solidified.

“Go!”

Seeing everyone selflessly block their path, unafraid of death, Zhang Xuan's eyes reddened. However, he knew it wasn't the time for words. He pulled Luo Ruoxi, and with a flicker, they tore through space, appearing moments later within the borders of Soaring Cloud Heaven.

Soaring Cloud Heaven had lost its former tranquility. The Divine Realm was collapsing, and chaos reigned everywhere.

“Where is he, the one you spoke of?” With 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 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 residual will left by the Undying Emperor immediately acknowledged him as master after seeing the pendant.

“Is your father also an Emperor? Or does he possess strength beyond an Emperor?” He couldn't help but ask. The Library's chaos was quelled by the blood in the pendant, which restored his 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 the Flawed Heavenly Dao be needed to awaken him?

“He is 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 succumbed to that immense hand and fell into a coma. The Heavenly Dao shattered into three parts: the Heavenly Dao of Order and the Flawed Heavenly Dao entered the spatial turbulence. I then took control of the Heavenly Dao of Nature to maintain the balance of the God Realm. To restore him, I had to gather all the dispersed fragments… This is why I was so resolute; I couldn't fail! It’s also why I specifically traveled to the Master Teacher Continent, researched the Spring and Autumn Annals, and sought a way to defeat Master Teacher Kong! The favor I asked of him during our battle was precisely this,” Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly realized. Not long after they first met in the Master Teacher Continent, the girl before him had told him her story, about wanting to save a beloved family member. He hadn't understood then, but now it all clicked. It was her father, and he was the Heavenly Dao of the Divine Realm! Could the Heavenly Dao truly take human form and have children?

“Temporarily controlling the Heavenly Dao of Nature… you don't have a Heavenly Dao fragment in your body?” Suddenly realizing something odd in her words, Zhang Xuan looked over. “Temporarily controlling” and “fusing within one's body” were two different concepts.

“I merely control it; I am not a part of the Heavenly Dao…” Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. This meant he only needed to extract the Flawed Heavenly Dao, and she wouldn't have to die. Although he didn't want to accept such a fate, he also didn't want the girl before him to be harmed.

“If I extract the Flawed Heavenly Dao from my body, your father will live again, and even kill the Ruthless One, right?” Zhang Xuan looked at her.

“This… I'm not sure…” 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 not certain either. In that case, it's better to rely on ourselves than on others… We'll just have to find a way!” Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth. “You, me, my clone, united with the Nine Heavens' Nine Emperors, and if Master Teacher Kong cooperates, we might not be unable to win!”

“Master Teacher Kong? He…” Luo Ruoxi frowned.

“Master Teacher Kong is dead, right? He didn't truly die. If I'm not mistaken, your slaying him was merely a method for him to escape the Heavenly Dao… Unless something unexpected happened, he should be a Congenital Fetus Soul Body, just like Wei Changfeng!” Zhang Xuan said.

Upon seeing Wei Changfeng, he understood that Master Teacher Kong's claim of maintaining his consciousness meant he was a Congenital Fetus Soul Body, just like Wei Changfeng. This allowed him to remain clear-headed even in a fetal state. Coupled with the contingencies he had prepared in advance, his revival was only a matter of time. Luo Ruoxi was stunned, apparently not having expected this.

“We'll know if we go check. My guess is right, he should have recovered. Otherwise, his students wouldn't have even gone to the Tidal Sea…” Zhang Xuan said. Master Teacher Kong's students, such as Ancient Sage Ziyuan and others, were all very powerful. Even without the help of an Emperor, they would surely have found a way to enter the Tidal Sea, yet none were seen. There must have been something more important awaiting them, which they intended to do while all the Emperors were preoccupied with the Tidal Sea! And this important matter was clearly the restoration of Master Teacher Kong.

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

“Let's go!”

Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan swiped a hand and reappeared at Master Teacher Kong’s residence. True enough, he saw an old man floating cross-legged in the air. Upon seeing their arrival, the old man smiled faintly, “You’ve arrived!”

Who else could it be but Master Teacher Kong! This teacher of ten thousand generations indeed did not disappoint 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, and the Undying Emperor had also revived, but… she hadn't expected it to be so fast!

“I concealed myself from the Heavenly Dao and prepared contingencies in advance. The nameless giant in the Nether Soul Pool was left by me. On that day, when you slew me, I took the opportunity to break free from the Heavenly Dao's restraints and re-form my physical body. I've only just recovered now!” Master Teacher Kong smiled faintly. He was proficient in temporal abilities. It might have seemed like only a day or two had passed in the Divine Realm, but in reality, he had experienced an unknown amount of time to recover his power. Decades of time had passed.

“The three of us are strong, but defeating the Ruthless One won't be easy…” Seeing that Master Teacher Kong had indeed recovered, Luo Ruoxi still shook her head. This wasn't about boosting someone else's prestige and diminishing her own morale, but simply the truth. So many people had united just now and couldn't block the opponent. What difference would adding Master Teacher Kong make? It still wouldn't change the situation!

“Our individual strengths, or even combined, are indeed no match for the opponent. But… what if we merge everyone's power into one person?” Master Teacher Kong looked over, smiling.

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

“That hand was capable of tearing apart the God Realm and even fragmenting the Heavenly Dao; its power is beyond doubt. The Ruthless One absorbed all of that energy and then devoured fifty years' worth of spiritual energy from the God Realm. Individually, none of us, the dozen or so Emperors, are truly a match…” Master Teacher Kong said, “But if we unite and concentrate our power on one person… then it might be a different story!”

“How do we concentrate it?” Luo Ruoxi looked over. 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 all our power on Zhang Xuan. Once he breaks through the Emperor's shackles, he can save the Divine Realm!” Master Teacher 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, you once gave up during our battle, intending to be slain by me!” Master Teacher Kong said.

Luo Ruoxi was speechless. During the battle, she indeed had such intentions. That's why, at the beginning of their engagement, both held back, making it seem more like a spar than a fight to the death.

“Unable to transcend, one naturally cannot exert their strongest power. Even if given more true qi, they still cannot break through to that supreme realm! As for me…” Master Teacher Kong nodded. “My heart is for the common people, wishing to save all under heaven, yet I am unwilling for others to sacrifice for me. Too much benevolence is also a flaw! If I had been more ruthless and exterminated the Foreign Tribes, this situation would never have arisen…”

If he had been able to completely annihilate the Foreign Tribes back then, the Ruthless One wouldn't have been able to revive, and they wouldn't be in this situation now.

“Therefore, I am also not suitable! But Zhang Xuan's cultivation method flows with his heart and has no flaws. He strives to live truly to himself; even if he dies, as long as he lives without regret, his heart is clear. Such a person possesses greater inclusiveness and greater room for development. Only in this way can he go higher and further!” Master Teacher Kong continued.

To live is to return; to die is to be remembered eternally! If one doesn't even care about death, how could they be constrained by other matters?

Zhang Xuan frowned, about to say something, when Master Teacher Kong looked at him with shining eyes: “No need to decline. Firstly, there isn't enough time to cultivate others. Even if there were, I don't believe anyone could do better than you! Although Emperor Lingxi doesn't have Heavenly Dao fragments in her body, she has controlled the Heavenly Dao for years and has her own understanding of it. I control the Heavenly Dao of Order. If we infuse our power into you, you will possess the complete power of the Heavenly Dao! Coupled with the clone's Nine Heavens Chaotic Golden Lotus, you can absolutely stabilize the Nine Heavens, control the universe, battle the firmament, and destroy all things!”

“Alright then!” Seeing that the other party had already made a decision, and knowing further explanation would be useless, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Boom!

He sat cross-legged, and in the blink of an eye, two powerful forces surged in from both sides. Zhang Xuan's entire body stiffened, and he felt as if he had instantly transformed into the Heavenly Dao, soaring above the Nine Heavens. His soul, 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…” After sending Luo Qiqi and the clone flying, the Ruthless One gave a cold smile. The combined power unleashed by the clone and the numerous Emperors was indeed formidable, but compared to him, it was still somewhat weaker.

The Tidal Sea had almost entirely consumed the spiritual energy of the God Realm beyond its cities, and all that power now served as his nourishment. Every motion of his hand carried the power to shatter heaven and earth; these Emperors and Divine Kings, though representing the pinnacle of the God Realm, were utterly defenseless. At this moment, the Ruthless One seemed to embody the entire Divine Realm; none could stop him.

“If the Divine Realm perishes, our lives will be meaningless. I, Emperor Yun Chi, will perish with you…” Emperor Yun Chi transformed into his true form, a massive 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 it struggled.

“Old friend, wait for me!” Emperor Fu Meng also roared, transforming into his True Form as a White Tiger, and appeared in the air. The Undying Emperor displayed his True Form as the Undying Fire Phoenix, its flames illuminating the sky. Emperor Xuan Ming, whose True Form was a giant tortoise, appeared as if supporting all the heavens.

The four Divine Beasts, guardians of the Divine Realm's four poles, simultaneously transformed into their true forms, and the collapsing Divine Realm visibly slowed down. The universe seemed to freeze in an instant.

Bang bang bang bang!

With four consecutive palms, the Ruthless One suppressed the four beasts. A strong killing intent flashed in his eyes: “Since you seek death, I shall grant it to you…”

Amidst his roar, just as he was about to unleash a deadly blow to annihilate everyone, he felt his raised arm tighten and stop in mid-air.

“You want to kill them? Have you asked me first…” Immediately, to the shock of everyone, 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 descended from the sky, as if he himself were an entire world.

“You've made significant progress…” 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 it increased? The Divine Realm at its peak couldn't withstand 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. As the two fought, space tore open in streaks, and air currents scattered wildly.

“Can Zhang Xuan win?” At Master Teacher Kong's residence in Soaring Cloud Heaven, Luo Ruoxi looked on with deep worry. She and Master Teacher Kong had transferred their power to Zhang Xuan, and their own cultivation had fallen to only the Divine King level, no longer as formidable as before. However, their foundation was still there. As long as they had enough power, they could eventually recover.

“With his current strength, winning… will be very difficult! Unless… he can comprehend power beyond that of an Emperor!” After a moment of silence, Master Teacher Kong said. Over a dozen Emperors combined couldn't defeat the Ruthless One. Even if they transferred all their power to him, winning wouldn't be easy. The reason for doing this was that… only by concentrating power on one person could they possibly reach the peak, truly surpass limits, and break through themselves!

“Power beyond an Emperor?” Luo Ruoxi's gaze was distant. Her father had told her the same thing when he was still conscious, but… she couldn't do it. Could the man she loved achieve it?

“He definitely can… He has an indomitable spirit! And a pride for this world,” Master Teacher Kong said, seeing the doubt in her heart.

Bang bang bang!

After several consecutive moves, Zhang Xuan's hand webbed, and a massive, gruesome wound appeared on his chest. Just as Master Teacher Kong had said, even after integrating their two powers and forming a complete Heavenly Dao within him, he was still no match.

“Haha, I thought you were something great, but you're nothing special!” The Ruthless One sneered.

“I'm no match for you anyway; 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 attacking and instead looked at the Ruthless One before him.

“Alright, I'll grant your wish. Here's my strongest attack…” Hearing him say this, the Ruthless One paused for a moment, then coldly snorted 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 boomed, seemingly unable to bear it, and another massive crater was formed.

With his eyes tightly closed, Zhang Xuan did not dodge. His head exploded, and his soul scattered in all directions.

“Zhang Xuan…” Seeing this, everyone's faces turned pale. Luo Qiqi seemed to go mad. Emperor Yun Chi and the others also widened their eyes, trembling continuously. Master Teacher Kong and Luo Ruoxi, who also witnessed this scene, were both stunned. Their original intention was for him to break through his shackles and strive for a realm beyond Emperor. Why didn't he resist, willingly accepting death? Wouldn't that betray their good intentions?

“No, that's the Undying Emperor's method of immortality…” While everyone was wondering, Master Teacher Kong suddenly spoke.

Everyone then saw that Zhang Xuan, whose head had exploded and even his soul shattered, had the pendant on his chest suddenly burst open. A drop of blood floated up, ignited, forming a scorching flame. From within the flame, an intact figure slowly emerged.

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

“How did he do it?” Master Teacher Kong was also full of disbelief. The Heavenly Dao and his soul were merged, indistinguishable. To break free, he had to scatter his soul and then re-condense it using the Nether Soul Pool. But this person before them, after being merely struck down once, completely freed himself. What method did he use?

“I know… He used the Ruthless One's method for breaking a soul contract…” Luo Ruoxi realized. A soul contract binds master and servant; if the master doesn't release it, the servant is forever controlled… The Library of Heaven's Path was similar; it could be called an enhanced version of such a contract. Bound to the soul, it wouldn't detach unless one died. But… the Ruthless One had used that special power to break free from a soul contract. Zhang Xuan had asked about the specific method in detail before, and he probably had this in mind even then. That's why he deliberately fought to the death, allowing the Ruthless One to unleash his strongest attack on him. Relying on 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 to Emperor…” Zhang Xuan, walking out of the flames, displayed a faint smile on his face, as if he understood something. He suddenly gestured, 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 before them seemed to have become the Nine Heavens, and the Nine Heavens was him. He gently stepped his foot on the ground. The chaotic Nine Heavens immediately stabilized. The Nine Heavens Chaotic Golden Lotus appeared at the birth of the Nine Heavens and could stabilize it. Now, with his clone perfectly merged with himself, indistinguishable from him, it meant he had controlled this power. Furthermore, having merged with the Nine Heavens Chaotic Golden Lotus's cultivation, his already peak realm loosened, seeming ready to break through at any moment.

“Master-servant affection, brotherly affection, teacher-student affection, parental affection, romantic love… when merged, these are all things of the world; this 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 the world exist because humans perceived it, or did the world exist first, and then humans? Was it the wind moving, or his heart moving? This question had troubled countless people throughout eternity.

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 living beings! It was the emotion that intertwined the entire world. All things in the world have emotions. There is a world because there are emotions, and only with emotions can life continue.

Love is emotion. Hatred is emotion. Joy is emotion. Pain is emotion. Parting is emotion. Reunion is also emotion!

“A myriad of emotions, for my use…” With a soft exclamation, the realm that had bound Zhang Xuan instantly broke open. The Emperor's shackles were broken! In an instant, he seemed to have touched a brand new world and a grand gate. His soul rapidly nourished itself. Countless streams of chaotic energy surged over, and his physical body rapidly improved. Before, he could only progress by absorbing spiritual energy, but now spatial turbulence, chaotic energy, and even the opponent's green light could all be used by him, indistinguishably.

The Ruthless One hadn't expected his full-force attack not only to fail in killing him but to complete him instead. He screamed in frustration and, with an angry roar, attacked again.

“Your resentment towards the high and mighty Emperors for not saving you in the spatial turbulence is emotion; your feeling of being my former servant, harboring humility and rage, is emotion; your desire to destroy the Divine Realm to vent your anger is emotion; your desire to become even stronger is also emotion… Emotions control you, so how can you defeat me, or not be controlled by me?” With a faint smile, Zhang Xuan's voice grew faster and louder, and he gently grasped with his palm.

The once invincible Ruthless One was bound by countless threads of emotion, restrained and 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, please 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. Controlling the emotions of the world, things 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 him today!

“No…” Sensing his resolve, 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 surged throughout the Divine Realm. All the power that the Tidal Sea had previously devoured was now fed back, and the withered wilderness revitalized.

“Just like that?” Emperor Yun Chi, the Undying Emperor, Fairy Linglong, and the others all widened their eyes in disbelief. They had just fought the Ruthless One and knew how terrifying he was. To casually annihilate such a powerful being… what level had Zhang Xuan reached? Was there truly another realm above that of an Emperor?

“He succeeded…” Master Teacher Kong and Luo Ruoxi released their clenched fists.

“This is a part of the Heavenly Dao, so I shall return it to the Heavenly Dao now…” Seeing the "Flawed Heavenly Dao" that had just been separated from his body still hovering in the air, Zhang Xuan smiled faintly and flicked his finger. The Library, which had accompanied him since his rebirth, slammed into the sky of the Divine Realm. Like the resounding of a great bell, the continuously collapsing Divine Realm visibly recovered slowly, and the chaotic air currents gathered once more.

The collapsing Divine Realm finally halted, and the withered spiritual energy slowly recovered with the death of the Ruthless One.

“It seems the Divine Realm is about to welcome an era of spiritual energy recovery again…” Zhang Xuan smiled. The hole in the Tidal Sea had healed 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…” As soon as he finished these tasks, a voice sounded in his mind. Zhang Xuan paused, then took a step. This step covered an unknown distance, and then he saw a young man standing before him. It was the one who had taught him swordsmanship earlier.

“Senior, you…” Seeing it was him, Zhang Xuan was startled. He had always felt this person was unfathomable, but only now did he realize that he was only slightly weaker than himself, already at the absolute peak of the Emperor realm, infinitely more powerful than the previous Luo Ruoxi.

“You can just call me by my name. I am… Nie Tong!” The young man said faintly, an indomitable sword intent emanating from him.

“Nie Tong?” Zhang Xuan frowned slightly. He had never heard this name before.

“Come with 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 him, flying for an unknown distance, before stopping in front of a mountain peak. He then saw another young man. His appearance wasn't much older than Zhang Xuan's, with raised eyebrows that gave him a profound, 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, as you call her!”

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

“I used 'One Qi Transforms Three Pure Ones', and a part of my soul became the Heavenly Dao! Moreover, this world was created by me, so it's not wrong to say I am the Heavenly Dao!” Nie Yun smiled faintly.

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

“Wait, if you created the Divine Realm and you are the Heavenly Dao, why did you let the Ruthless One rampage without interfering…” Zhang Xuan looked at him. If he hadn't broken through, the Divine Realm could very well have completely collapsed. Why had this person before him done nothing? Did he not even care about his daughter’s life or death?

Without answering his question, Nie Yun looked at him calmly: “Do you think… there are even more powerful beings above the Divine Realm?”

Zhang Xuan paused: “Presumably…” Although he hadn't seen them, since he could cultivate to this realm, perhaps others could too, or even be stronger. Just like the person before him.

“I once suspected there were more powerful beings above the Divine Realm, so I used all my strength to peek, which ultimately drew a backlash from a higher world… A hand tore through space and descended!” Nie Yun looked over: “At that time, if I had dodged, it's highly likely the entire Divine Realm would have been wiped clean, with not a single life remaining… So, I blocked the attack, but as a result, the Heavenly Dao, which was my incarnation, was split apart.”

“In that state, I could have recovered with just a thought, but… I realized that to truly transcend the Divine Realm's shackles and explore where that hand came from, and what lies beyond the Divine Realm… it would be very difficult for me alone. So, I wanted to see if any life could break through the Emperor's shackles and reach a level equal to mine!”

“So, I sent the dispersed Heavenly Dao essence to the lowest world… granting it separately to a soul originally from that world and a soul not from this world. And you, ultimately, did not disappoint me!” Nie Yun smiled.

“A soul not from this