Chapter 732: Divine Sword Can Fall Among Stars

A soul contract, intrinsically tied to the soul, cannot be dissolved by the other party, no matter how powerful they are, unless the one who initiated it chooses to release it. It was similar for the Undying Emperor, Little Yellow Chicken. He was only a God-King at the time, and though I was an Emperor, I likewise had no way to resolve that kind of agreement for him. To prevent this fellow from going back on his word and causing a backlash, the Master Teacher Continent had specifically decreed that even if a party could escape the Registry of Heavenly Dao, they still couldn't break free from soul pacts!

"A soul contract truly cannot be split from the sea of consciousness," the ruthless one said. "However, I have integrated a unique substance capable of dissolving even the Heavenly Dao itself. Breaking this contract is not difficult... as long as I have sufficient power to strike where the contract is located, it can be achieved!" Soul contracts are founded upon the Heavenly Dao. If this unique power can dissolve even the Heavenly Dao of the God Realm, then dissolving a mere soul contract, if handled correctly, presents no difficulty at all.

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

"I've told you all this as a token of gratitude for bringing me to the God Realm!"

After explaining, the ruthless one said no more. His aura became increasingly ancient and profound, and the black hole behind him grew even larger. Clearly, while speaking, he had devoured an unknown amount of power for sustenance.

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

Luo Ruoxi also noticed something was wrong and quickly sent a voice transmission.

"Prepare to fight!" With all doubts erased from his mind, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath and raised his long sword abruptly. "Since that’s the case, let’s settle this by force!"

Boom!

The most powerful sword intent was unleashed once more.

Live to return; die to yearn eternally!

If life and death don’t matter, what can stop me?

Although this sword technique hadn't yet reached the level of comprehension of an Emperor, it contained all the resolve in his heart, pushing the Heavenly Dao of Sentient Beings cultivation method within him to its absolute limit. With a single strike, he cut the ruthless one’s attack in half.

At the same moment, Luo Ruoxi also made her move. Her jade hands rolled, and sword glints sparkled like snow. Her sword technique bore some resemblance to that of the young man from Sword God Heaven, carrying an unyielding momentum and the grace of the Great Dao of Nature.

"Your moves are powerful, but compared to mine, they still fall short…"

With a slight smile, the ruthless one reached down again.

In an instant, he blotted out the sky and covered the earth; his palm enveloped the entire world. Space shattered, and the sun, moon, and stars seemed as if they would be violently knocked down.

Pfft! Pfft!

Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi were simultaneously sent flying backward, spewing blood in mid-air. With their combined strength, they actually couldn't withstand it! What realm had this fellow truly reached?

"Presumptuous!" The clone strode forward, lotus flowers blooming with each step, accompanied by the sound of flowing water in the void. From a distance, he exuded an overwhelming aura of prestige. Having refined the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, his cultivation was in no way inferior to Zhang Xuan's. He raised a fist, and power surged into the Nine Heavens. When he clashed with the ruthless one, he too was sent flying backward, unable to withstand a single move.

Zhang Xuan covered his forehead. Even after becoming an Emperor, the clone still hadn't changed his pretentious nature... Such a flashy display of pretense would be better if the power were concentrated for greater force!

"Let’s attack together, otherwise, if they die, we all die…"

Little Yellow Chicken let out a loud cry; crimson flames blazed, and the sky seemed to ignite. The remaining six Emperors also unleashed their respective techniques. The seven Emperors united, their power capable of destroying heaven and earth. Even an entire world could not withstand them. But facing the ruthless one, who had absorbed a unique power, their attacks were met by the black hole suddenly expanding, devouring their power in the blink of an eye, then launching a counterattack.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The seven Emperors, like Zhang Xuan and the others, were sent flying backward. All ten Emperors, united, couldn't even block a single move from the opponent! How could this fellow be so powerful?

"You can all die now…"

After defeating everyone with a single move, the ruthless one took a step forward, flipped his wrist, and struck down again.

"How dare you, you rat!"

Accompanying a loud shout, the old man from Sword God Heaven, who had appeared earlier, suddenly materialized, 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 before, and Zhang Xuan had assumed he was merely an attendant, at most a Titled God-King. Only after he unleashed his power did Zhang Xuan realize he was also an Emperor-level powerhouse! If he was an Emperor, then what was that young man?

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

"Then… what about the young man who taught me sword techniques?" Zhang Xuan could no longer contain himself.

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

"Haha, Emperors? You’re just a bunch of chickens and dogs!" the ruthless one laughed wildly. "Today, I shall destroy the Nine Heavens, obliterate this God Realm, and trample all rules underfoot!"

Having defeated the Emperor of Sword God Heaven, the ruthless one cackled maniacally. The surrounding space continuously collapsed, making him appear like a demon or a fiend.

"What do we do?" Zhang Xuan clenched his fists. Just now, both he and his clone had unleashed their strongest combat power. Even Luo Ruoxi, standing before him, had used her most powerful techniques, yet none of them could block a single move from the opponent… Could it be that no one in the God Realm could truly stand against this individual before them? Would 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 understood her meaning. 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 allowing it to fix its flaws and naturally expel the ruthless one. It would be like the human body’s immune system. If the immune system is complete, it can easily expel viruses. If it’s damaged, it cannot resist viral invasion, and even the strongest person will die from it.

Only…

"He’s too powerful. Even if the Heavenly Dao recovers completely, it still won't be able to suppress him, right?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. An immune system can kill a virus, but… what about a fierce tiger? What good is even the strongest immune system against that? The individual before them, while originally just an ordinary God-King or even a Titled God-King whom the Heavenly Dao could easily kill, was now more powerful than an Emperor… He was already beyond what the Heavenly Dao could contend with.

Luo Ruoxi paused, a look of dismay appearing on her fair, jade-like face. "That’s right… it can’t suppress him. However, if the Heavenly Dao is complete, *he* will awaken, and killing this one won’t be difficult at all!"

"He?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"I’ll take you to him, he’s in the Sky of Freedom…" Taking a deep breath, Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth and turned to fly forward.

"Trying to escape?" The ruthless one scoffed coldly, pressing downward.

Luo Ruoxi plummeted from the sky. Zhang Xuan’s sword technique was unleashed once more, sword intent radiating magnificently.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

He was once again blocked by the ruthless one.

"You two, go quickly! I’ll hold him off…"

Knowing that they were seeking a way to save the God Realm rather than escape, the clone and the Undying Emperor roared and stood in front to block. Luo Qiqi also transformed, returning to her true form as the Tranquil Sky Pearl. The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone bravely block the enemy, fearless of death, Zhang Xuan’s eyes reddened. However, he knew it wasn’t the time for more words. He pulled Luo Ruoxi, his body flickered, tearing through space, and the next moment, they appeared within the Sky of Freedom. The Sky of Freedom had lost its former tranquility; the God 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 God 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 took a moment to compose herself, then 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 was her father’s. This also explained why the wisp of consciousness left by the Undying Emperor immediately acknowledged him as its master after seeing the pendant.

"Your father is also an Emperor? Or does he possess power beyond an Emperor?" He couldn’t help but ask. The Library of Heaven’s Path had been chaotic, and it was the blood in the pendant that 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, then why would he have fallen into a coma? And why would he need the Flawed Heavenly Dao to awaken?

"He isn’t an Emperor, but… the Heavenly Dao itself!"

Luo Ruoxi clenched her delicate fists.

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

"Yes! Fifty years ago, Father couldn’t resist that massive hand and fell into a coma. The Heavenly Dao scattered into three parts: the Ordered Heavenly Dao and the Flawed Heavenly Dao, which entered the spatial turbulence. I took control of the Natural Heavenly Dao to maintain the balance of the God Realm. To restore him, I had to gather the scattered parts… That’s why I was so resolute; I couldn’t fail! That’s why I specifically entered the Master Teacher Continent, studied the Spring and Autumn Canon, and sought a way to defeat Kong Shi! And the favor I asked of him during our battle was precisely this." Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood. Shortly after they first met on the Master Teacher Continent, the girl before him had told him her story about saving a beloved family member. He hadn't understood it at the time, but now it all clicked. It turned out to be her father, and none other than the Heavenly Dao of the God Realm! Could the Heavenly Dao truly take human form and have children?

"Temporarily controlling the Natural Heavenly Dao… You don’t have Heavenly Dao fragments within you?" Suddenly realizing the anomaly in her words, Zhang Xuan looked at her. Temporarily controlling something and integrating it within oneself were two different concepts.

"I merely control it; I’m not a part of the Heavenly Dao…" Luo Ruoxi said.

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

"If I separate the Flawed Heavenly Dao from my body, your father will revive, and perhaps even kill the ruthless one, right?" Zhang Xuan looked at her.

"This… I’m not sure either…"

Luo Ruoxi hesitated, looking up at the already collapsing God Realm. The God Realm was her father’s foundation. With his foundation in such a state, even if he awakened, could he truly defeat that immensely powerful ruthless one? It was truly hard to say!

"It seems you can’t be certain either. In that case, relying on others is not as good as relying on ourselves… We must find a way ourselves!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth. "You, I, my clone, united with the Nine Heavens’ Nine Emperors, and if Kong Shi joins us, we might just win!"

"Kong Shi? He…" Luo Ruoxi frowned.

"Kong Shi is dead, right? He didn’t truly die. If my guess is correct, your killing him was merely a method for him to escape the Heavenly Dao… Unless something went wrong, he should be a Congenital Embryonic Soul Body, just like Wei Changfeng!" Zhang Xuan said. Upon seeing Wei Changfeng, he understood that Kong Shi’s so-called preservation of his consciousness must have been due to him being a Congenital Embryonic Soul Body, just like Wei Changfeng. This allowed him to remain lucid even from conception. Coupled with the preparations he had made beforehand, resurrection was merely a matter of time.

Luo Ruoxi was stunned, apparently not having expected this.

"We’ll know if we go check. If my guess is correct, he should have recovered already. Otherwise, his students wouldn’t have avoided even the Tide Sea…" Zhang Xuan said. Kong Shi’s students, such as Ancient Sage Ziyuan and others, were all immensely powerful. Even without the help of an Emperor, they would certainly have found a way to enter the Tide Sea, yet none of them were seen there. There must have been more important matters awaiting them, which they intended to address while all the Emperors were preoccupied with the Tide Sea! And this important matter was clearly the restoration of Kong Shi.

Luo Ruoxi’s heart trembled, and she suddenly realized.

"Let’s go!"

Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan swiped a hand and reappeared at Kong Shi’s residence. Sure enough, he saw an old man floating cross-legged in the air. Upon seeing them arrive, the old man smiled slightly. "You’ve come!" Who else could it be but Kong Shi! This Master of Myriad Generations had indeed not disappointed him! Just as he had guessed, he had resurrected while everyone’s attention was focused on the Tide Sea.

Luo Ruoxi’s delicate body trembled. She knew Emperors could resurrect, and the Undying Emperor had revived, but… she hadn’t expected it to be so quick!

"I concealed myself from the Heavenly Dao and had prepared a contingency long ago. The nameless giant in the Nether Soul Pool was my creation. On that day, when you slew him, I seized the opportunity to break free from the Heavenly Dao’s shackles and reform my physical body. I’ve only just recovered now!" Kong Shi smiled faintly. He was proficient in time abilities. While it seemed only a day or two had passed in the God Realm, he had actually undergone an unknown period of time to recover his strength. It could have been decades.

"The three of us possess considerable strength, but defeating the ruthless one won’t be easy…"

Seeing that Kong Shi had indeed recovered, Luo Ruoxi still shook her head. It wasn’t about boosting the opponent’s prestige or diminishing their own morale; it was simply the truth. Just now, so many people combined couldn’t block the opponent. Even adding Kong Shi, what difference would it make? It still wouldn’t change the situation!

"Individually, and even united, we are indeed no match for the opponent. But… what if we concentrate everyone’s power onto a single person?" Kong Shi looked over with a smile.

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

"That palm could tear apart the God Realm and even shatter the Heavenly Dao; its power is beyond doubt. The ruthless one has absorbed all of that power and also devoured fifty years of the God Realm’s spiritual energy. In terms of individual strength, none of us, the dozen or so Emperors, are truly a match…" Kong Shi said, "But if we unite and concentrate our power onto one person… it might be a different story!"

"How do we concentrate it?" Luo Ruoxi looked over. It sounded simple, but doing it was difficult. Emperors already stood at the pinnacle of the God 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 onto Zhang Xuan. Once he breaks through the Emperor’s shackles, he can save the God Realm!" Kong Shi said.

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

"Emperor Lingxi cultivates freedom and transcendence of nature! 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 at one point, intending to be slain by me, didn’t you?" Kong Shi said.

Luo Ruoxi was speechless. During the battle, she indeed had such intentions. That’s why, in the beginning, both of them held back, making their exchange more like a sparring match than a life-or-death struggle.

"Unable to transcend, one naturally cannot unleash their strongest power. Even with an abundance of True Qi, it’s impossible to assault that supreme realm! As for me…" Kong Shi nodded. "My heart holds all living beings, wishing to enlighten the world, yet I am unwilling for others to sacrifice for me. Too much benevolence is also a flaw! If I had been a little more ruthless and annihilated the Foreign Tribe, this current situation wouldn’t have arisen…" If he had been able to eradicate all the Foreign Tribesmen back then, the ruthless one couldn't have revived, and the current situation wouldn't exist.

"Therefore, I am also unsuitable! But Zhang Xuan’s cultivation technique is aligned with his heart and has no flaws. He strives to live authentically; even if he dies, as long as he lives without regrets, his heart is clear. Such a person possesses greater capacity and wider room for development. Only this way can he reach greater heights and go further!" Kong Shi continued.

Live to return; die to yearn eternally!

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

Zhang Xuan frowned, about to say something, when Kong Shi’s piercing gaze fell upon him. "There’s no need to decline. Firstly, there isn’t enough time to train someone else. Even if there were, I don’t believe anyone could do better than you! Although Emperor Lingxi doesn’t have Heavenly Dao fragments within her, she has controlled the Heavenly Dao for many years and possesses her own understanding of it. I control the Ordered Heavenly Dao. If we imbue our power into you, you will possess the power of the complete Heavenly Dao! Coupled with your clone’s Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, you can absolutely stabilize the Nine Heavens, control the universe, battle the Nine Vaults, and destroy all things!"

"Alright!"

Seeing that the other party had already made their decision, and knowing that further explanations were useless, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Boom!

He sat cross-legged, and in the blink of an eye, two surging forces poured in from both sides. Zhang Xuan’s entire body stiffened; it was as if he had instantly transformed into the Heavenly Dao itself, 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 slay 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 various Emperors was indeed formidable, but compared to him, it was still somewhat weaker. The Tide Sea had almost completely devoured the spiritual energy of the God Realm outside the cities. Now, all that power had become his sustenance. With every move, he wielded the ability to destroy heaven and earth. These Emperors and God-Kings, despite representing the pinnacle of the God Realm, were still no match. At this moment, the ruthless one seemed to embody the entire God Realm; he was unstoppable.

"If the God Realm perishes, our lives will be meaningless. I, Emperor Yunchi, shall perish with you…"

Emperor Yunchi transformed into his true form, a colossal five-clawed golden dragon, and soared through the air, lunging towards him.

"You? Unworthy!"

The ruthless one clenched his palm, and the golden dragon was trapped within it, unable to escape no matter how much it struggled.

"Old friend, wait for me!"

Emperor Fumen also let out a roar, transforming into his true form as a White Tiger, and appeared in mid-air before him. The Undying Emperor revealed his true form as an Undying Fire Phoenix, its flames illuminating the sky. Emperor Xuanming, whose true form was a massive turtle, appeared as if it were holding up the heavens. The Four Divine Beasts, guardians of the four cardinal points of the God Realm, simultaneously transformed into their true forms. The collapsing God Realm even seemed to slow down.

Heaven and Earth seemed to freeze in that instant.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

With four consecutive palm strikes, the ruthless one suppressed the four beasts, a fierce killing intent flashing in his eyes. "Since you’re seeking death, I shall grant it to you…" Amidst his roars, just as he was about to unleash a deadly strike to obliterate everyone, he felt his raised arm tighten and stop in mid-air.

"You want to kill them? Have you asked me first…?"

Immediately after, to the astonished gazes of everyone, a figure slowly walked out from mid-air. It was none other than 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 heavens, as if his entire being was a world unto itself.

"Quite a lot of improvement…"

The ruthless one paused, his gaze solemn. He clearly didn’t understand why the opponent’s strength had undergone such a tremendous change in just a few minutes.

"However, what if it increased? The God 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. The two fought, tearing space apart with each move, and chaotic currents surged everywhere.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?"

At Kong Shi’s abode in the Sky of Freedom, Luo Ruoxi watched, filled with worry. She and Kong Shi had transmitted their power to Zhang Xuan; their own cultivation had fallen to only the God-King level, no longer as formidable as before. However, their inherent levels remained; 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, Kong Shi said. A dozen or so Emperors combined couldn’t defeat the ruthless one. Even if they had transmitted all their power to him, winning wouldn’t be easy. The reason they did this was because… only by concentrating power onto one person was it possible to reach the pinnacle, to truly surpass limits, and break through oneself!

"Power beyond an Emperor?"

Luo Ruoxi’s gaze was distant. When her father was still conscious, he had told her the same thing, but… she couldn't achieve it. Could the man she loved achieve it?

"He certainly can… He possesses an unyielding heart! And a proud defiance toward this world." Seeing the doubt in her heart, Kong Shi smiled.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

After several consecutive moves, the web between Zhang Xuan’s thumb and forefinger split, and a hideous, massive wound appeared on his chest. Just as Kong Shi had said, even after fusing their combined power and forming a complete Heavenly Dao within him, he was still no match.

"Haha, I thought you were more impressive, but you’re just this much!" The ruthless one scoffed coldly.

"I’m no match for you anyway, and I’ll be killed sooner or later. Since that’s the case, I wish to die by your strongest attack…" Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan stopped, no longer attacking, but instead looked at the ruthless one before him.

"Very well, I shall grant your wish and give you my strongest attack…"

Hearing him say this, the ruthless one was momentarily stunned, 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 God Realm roared, as if on the verge of collapse, and another massive crater was formed. With his eyes tightly shut, Zhang Xuan did not evade. His head exploded, and his soul scattered in all directions.

"Zhang Xuan…" Seeing this scene, everyone’s faces turned pale.

Luo Qiqi seemed to go mad. Emperor Yunchi and the others also widened their eyes, trembling uncontrollably. Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi, who witnessed this scene, were both stunned. Their original intention was for him to break through his shackles and strive for a realm beyond Emperorhood. Why did he not resist, and instead willingly face death? Wouldn’t that negate their good intentions?

"No, it’s the Undying Emperor’s Undying Art…"

Just as they wondered, Kong Shi suddenly spoke. Everyone then saw that from Zhang Xuan, whose head had exploded and even his soul shattered, the pendant on his chest suddenly burst open. A drop of blood floated up and 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 Flawed Heavenly Dao from his soul?"

Luo Ruoxi’s pupils constricted. After his rebirth from the flames, Zhang Xuan’s body no longer contained the Library of Heaven’s Path. Without the interference of the Heavenly Dao, he had broken free from it!

"How did he do it?"

Kong Shi was also full of disbelief. The Heavenly Dao and soul were fused, inseparable. To break free, he had to scatter his soul and rely on the Nether Soul Pool to reform it. This individual, however, had been merely struck once and completely broke free. What method did he use?

"I know…" Luo Ruoxi suddenly realized. "He used the ruthless one’s method for breaking free from a soul contract…" A soul contract binds master and servant; if the master doesn’t release it, the servant remains perpetually bound… The Library of Heaven’s Path was similar, arguably an enhanced version of such a contract. Once bound to the soul, it couldn’t be separated unless one died. However… the ruthless one had used that unique power to break free from his soul contract. Zhang Xuan had specifically asked about the method earlier, and it was likely at that moment he had conceived this plan. That’s why he had deliberately fought to the death, allowing the ruthless one to use 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 Emperorhood…"

Zhang Xuan, who emerged from the flames, had a faint smile on his face, as if he had understood something. Suddenly, he waved a hand, and his clone, currently at his side, immediately transformed back into a lotus flower and flew towards him. In an instant, it perfectly merged with his body. In the blink of an eye, everyone felt that Zhang Xuan before them seemed to have become the Nine Heavens; the Nine Heavens was him.

He gently stomped his foot on the ground. The chaotic Nine Heavens immediately stabilized. The Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, which appeared when the Nine Heavens were born, was capable of stabilizing them. Now that his clone and his true self were perfectly fused, indistinguishable from each other, it meant he had gained control of this power. Not only that, with the cultivation of the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus fused, his realm, which had already reached its peak, now showed signs of loosening, as if he could break through at any moment.

"Master-servant affection, brotherhood, teacher-student bond, parental love, romantic love… When all these merge, they become everything in the world; this is what it means to be human!" With a smile, Zhang Xuan murmured to himself. The moment the Library of Heaven’s Path separated from his soul, he understood. Did humanity create the world by perceiving it, or did the world exist first, and then humanity? Was it the wind moving, or the heart moving? This question had troubled countless individuals throughout eternity. Of course, now… none of that mattered! Without life, without emotion, even if the world existed, what meaning would it hold? Therefore, after surpassing romantic love, came the affection for all living beings! It was the interwoven emotions of the entire world. All things in the world possess emotions. Only with emotion can a world exist, and only with emotion can life continue. Love, is emotion. Hate, is emotion. Joy, is emotion. Pain, is emotion. Separation, is emotion. Reunion, is also emotion!

"Myriad emotions, at my command…"

With a low cry, the restricted realm within Zhang Xuan’s body instantly shattered. The Emperor’s shackles were broken! In an instant, it was as if he had touched a brand new world and a grand gate; his soul received rapid nourishment. Countless streams of chaotic energy surged toward him, and his physical body rapidly improved. Before, he could only advance by absorbing spiritual energy. But now, spatial turbulence, chaotic energy, and even the opponent’s green light could all be assimilated by him, without distinction.

The ruthless one hadn’t expected that his full-power attack, instead of slaying him, had actually completed him. He shrieked in rage and, with an angry roar, attacked again.

"Your resentment towards the high and mighty Emperors for not saving you in the spatial turbulence, that is emotion; your feeling of once being my servant, containing humility and rage, that is emotion; your desire to destroy the God Realm to vent your anger, that is emotion; your desire to become even stronger, that is also 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 became faster and louder, and he gently clutched his hand. The ruthless one, who had originally been invincible, was restrained by countless threads of emotion, bound hand and foot, unable to move. As long as one possessed emotion, they would be used and controlled by him!

Terror filled the ruthless one’s eyes. "Teacher 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 no longer held any meaning for him. Having killed so many cultivators, and 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 constricted. 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 all parts of the God Realm. All the power previously devoured by the Tide Sea now flowed back, and the depleted wildernesses were revitalized.

"He just killed him like that?"

Emperor Yunchi, the Undying Emperor, Exquisite Fairy, and others all widened their eyes in disbelief. They had fought the ruthless one just moments ago and knew how terrifying he was. For such a powerful individual to be annihilated with such ease, just what level had this Zhang Xuan reached? Could there truly be another realm above Emperorhood?

"He succeeded…"

Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi released their clenched fists.

"This is part of the Heavenly Dao, so I shall now return it to the Heavenly Dao…"

Seeing the 'Flawed Heavenly Dao' that had been separated from his body still suspended in the air, Zhang Xuan smiled faintly and flicked his finger. The Library of Heaven’s Path, which had accompanied him since his rebirth, thundered as it embedded itself into the sky of the God Realm. With a clang like a great bell, the continuously collapsing God Realm visibly and slowly recovered, and the chaotic air currents also gathered once more. The collapsing God Realm finally ceased, and the depleted spiritual energy gradually revived with the ruthless one’s death.

"It seems the God Realm is about to welcome an era of spiritual energy recovery once more…" Zhang Xuan smiled. The hole in the Tide Sea had recovered with the completion of the Heavenly Dao, and it was only a matter of time before the God Realm returned to its former glory.

"Zhang Xuan, come here…"

As soon as he finished, a voice echoed in his mind. Zhang Xuan was startled, then took a step forward. That single step carried him an unknown distance. Immediately, he saw a young man standing before him. It was precisely the one who had taught him sword techniques before.

"Senior, you…"

Seeing it was him, Zhang Xuan was stunned. He had always found this individual unfathomable, but only now did he realize that he was only slightly weaker than himself, having already reached the pinnacle of Emperorhood, far stronger than Luo Ruoxi had been before.

"You may call me by my name," the young man said indifferently, an indomitable sword intent emanating from him. "I am… Nie Tong!"

"Nie Tong?" Zhang Xuan frowned slightly. He was hearing that name for the first time.

"Come with me, I’ll take you to see my elder brother!" The young man named Nie Tong smiled faintly and strode forward. Zhang Xuan followed closely behind, flying 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. His raised eyebrows gave him a profound, unfathomable aura.

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

"My name is Nie Yun!" The young man smiled faintly and looked over. "Which is to say… Nie Lingxi, the father of Luo Ruoxi, as you know her!"

"Ruoxi’s father?"

Zhang Xuan was shaken. "You… are the Heavenly Dao of the God Realm?" Luo Ruoxi had said earlier that her father was the Heavenly Dao, but he never imagined he would be such a young man.

"I used One Qi Transforms Three Purities; a part of my soul became the Heavenly Dao! Furthermore, this world was created by me, so there’s no harm in saying I am the Heavenly Dao!" Nie Yun smiled faintly.

Zhang Xuan was incredulous. The God Realm was actually created by this person before him? Just how strong was he, then?

"Wait, if the God Realm was created by you, and you are the Heavenly Dao, why did you allow the ruthless one to wreak havoc without intervening…?" Zhang Xuan looked at him. If he hadn’t broken through, the God Realm could have completely collapsed. Why had this person,