Chapter 738: Everyone Is a Nascent Soul

A soul contract, which binds souls, cannot be dissolved by any means unless the person who made it chooses to break it. For instance, even the Undying Emperor, Little Yellow Chicken, who was merely a God King before becoming an Emperor, couldn't resolve this kind of pact. To prevent betrayal and backlash, the Master Teacher Continent specifically decreed that even if one could escape the Heavenly Dao's registry, they could not break free from a soul-bound agreement.

"A soul contract cannot truly be separated from one's spiritual consciousness," the Ruthless One said. "However, I've integrated a special gas that can dissolve even the Heavenly Dao itself. Dissolving this contract isn't difficult... I just need enough power to strike the precise location of the contract, and it will break!" Soul contracts are built upon the foundation of the Heavenly Dao. If this special power can dissolve even the Heavenly Dao of the God Realm, then dissolving a soul contract, when handled correctly, is no challenge at all.

"I see..." Zhang Xuan's eyes flashed with understanding.

"I've told you all this as a thank you for bringing me to the God Realm!" After explaining, the Ruthless One said no more. His aura grew increasingly ancient and profound, and the black hole behind him expanded further. Clearly, while he spoke, he had devoured an immense amount of power to nourish himself.

"Zhang Xuan, the more the black hole devours, the stronger he becomes..." Luo Ruoxi also noticed something amiss and hastily sent a telepathic message.

"Prepare to attack!" With his doubts dispelled, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, raising his long sword abruptly. "In that case, let's see who's truly stronger!"

*Boom!* His most powerful sword intent was unleashed once more. Live to return, die to be longed for! If one cares not for life or death, what could possibly stand in their way? Though this sword technique had not yet reached the comprehension of an Emperor, it contained all the resolve in his heart, pushing his Heavenly Heart Art cultivation to its limits. With a single stroke, he cleaved the Ruthless One's attack in two.

At the same moment, Luo Ruoxi also made her move, her delicate hands swirling, her sword light like snow. Her swordsmanship bore some resemblance to that of the young man from Sword God Heaven, carrying an indomitable momentum and the natural grace of the Grand Dao.

"Your techniques are impressive, but compared to me, they still fall short..." With a soft laugh, the Ruthless One reached down again. In an instant, his palm blotted out the sky, enveloping the entire world. Space shattered, and the sun, moon, and stars seemed on the verge of being forcefully pulled down.

*Puff! Puff!* Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi were simultaneously sent flying backward, spitting blood in mid-air. Despite their combined strength, they couldn't withstand the attack! Just what level had this fellow reached?

"How dare you!" Zhang Xuan's clone strode forward, lotus flowers blooming with each step, and the sound of flowing water echoing in the void. From a distance, he exuded an imposing presence. Having refined the Nine Heavens Primordial Golden Lotus, his cultivation was in no way inferior to Zhang Xuan's. He raised a fist, and his power surged towards the Nine Heavens. Yet, upon clashing with the Ruthless One, he too was sent flying backward, unable to withstand a single blow.

Zhang Xuan covered his forehead. Even after becoming an Emperor, his clone still hadn't shed its flamboyant nature... Such a flashy display was less effective than simply focusing his power for a greater impact!

"Attack together, or if they die, we all will..." Little Yellow Chicken roared, scarlet flames burning so fiercely that the sky itself seemed ignited. The remaining six Emperors also unleashed their techniques. The combined might of the seven Emperors was earth-shattering; not even a realm could withstand them. However, facing the Ruthless One, who had absorbed special power, their attacks were met by his black hole suddenly expanding, devouring their energies in a blink, and then retaliating.

*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 fellow be so incredibly powerful?

"You may all die now..." Having routed everyone with one move, the Ruthless One stepped forward, flipped his wrist, and struck down again.

"How dare you, scoundrel!" Following a loud shout, the old man from Sword God Heaven suddenly appeared, blocking the attack, his long sword transforming into a river of stars.

"An Emperor? He's also an Emperor-level expert?" Zhang Xuan's pupils constricted. This elder had been following the young man before, and Zhang Xuan had assumed he was merely a retainer, at most a Conferred God King. Only now, upon seeing him unleash his power, did he realize the old man was also a mighty Emperor! If he was an Emperor, then what about that young man?

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

"Then... what about the young man who taught me swordsmanship?" Zhang Xuan couldn't hold back his question.

"He is..." Just as Luo Ruoxi was about to answer, space twisted violently. Immediately afterward, the Emperor from Sword God Heaven was also sent flying, landing some distance away and creating a large crater. Even with Zhang Xuan's current strength and profound comprehension of the Sword Dao, he couldn't resist. So, despite the old man's formidable cultivation and exquisite swordsmanship, he was still no match.

"Haha, Emperors! You're nothing but a bunch of chickens and dogs! Today, I shall destroy the Nine Heavens, obliterate this God Realm, and flatten all its rules!" Having defeated the Emperor of Sword God Heaven, the Ruthless One burst into maniacal laughter. The surrounding space continuously collapsed, making him appear demonic and monstrous.

"What do we do?" Zhang Xuan clenched his fists. Earlier, he and his clone had unleashed their strongest combat power, and even Luo Ruoxi had used her most powerful techniques, yet none could block a single attack from their opponent... Was there truly no one in the God Realm capable of stopping this being? Would they 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's delicate fists clenched, her eyes reddening.

"Return to the Heavenly Dao itself?" Zhang Xuan understood her meaning. The Library of Heaven's Path in his mind was inherently a part of the Heavenly Dao. Once it returned, the Heavenly Dao would be complete, 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 intact, viruses are easily repelled; if it's compromised, it can't resist viral invasion, and even the strongest person could die.

But... "He's too powerful. Even if the Heavenly Dao becomes complete, it might not be able to suppress him!" Zhang Xuan shook his head. The immune system can eliminate viruses, but... what about a tiger? What could even the strongest immune system do against that? This being before them was far stronger than an Emperor; the Heavenly Dao could easily kill an ordinary God King, or even a Conferred one, but this was beyond its capacity to contend with.

Luo Ruoxi paused, a look of disappointment on her fair face. "Yes... it might not be able to suppress him, but if the Heavenly Dao becomes complete, he will wake up. And then, killing him 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 and pressed downwards. Luo Ruoxi plummeted from the sky. Zhang Xuan unleashed his sword technique again, his sword intent radiating brilliantly.

*Clang clang clang!* It was once again blocked by the Ruthless One.

"You two go quickly, I'll hold him off..." Knowing they sought a way to save the God Realm rather than escape, the clone and the Undying Emperor roared, stepping forward to block. Luo Qiqi also transformed, reverting to her original form as the Serene Space Pearl. The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!" Seeing everyone selflessly blocking the enemy, fearless of death, Zhang Xuan's eyes reddened. However, knowing this was no time for words, he pulled Luo Ruoxi, and with a flicker of his body, tore through space, appearing within the Sovereign Heaven's domain the next instant.

The Sovereign Heaven had lost its former serenity; the God Realm was collapsing, chaos rampant everywhere. "Where is 'he' you spoke of?" Without 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 regulated her breathing and explained.

"Father?" Zhang Xuan suddenly understood. No wonder he had always felt the blood in the pendant was similar yet different from Luo Ruoxi's; it was her father's. This also explained why the remnant will of the Undying Emperor had immediately acknowledged him as master after seeing the pendant.

"Your father is also an Emperor? Or does he possess strength beyond an Emperor?" He couldn't help but ask. The chaos in the Library of Heaven's Path was resolved 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 so, why would he be in a coma? And why would he require the Flawed Heavenly Dao to awaken?

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

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

"Yes! Fifty years ago, Father couldn't resist that colossal hand and fell into a coma. The Heavenly Dao shattered into three parts: the Ordered Heavenly Dao and the Flawed Heavenly Dao entered the spatial turbulence, while I took control of the Natural Heavenly Dao to maintain balance in the God Realm. To restore him, we must gather the scattered parts... That's why I've been so resolute, unable to fail! That's why I specifically entered the Master Teacher Continent, studied the Spring and Autumn Annals, and sought a way to defeat Master Kong! And what I entrusted him with during our battle was precisely this."

Zhang Xuan's understanding dawned. Shortly after they first met on 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 God Realm! Could the Heavenly Dao truly take human form and have children?

"Controlling the Natural Heavenly Dao on his behalf... you don't have a Heavenly Dao fragment within you?" Suddenly realizing the oddity in her words, Zhang Xuan looked at her. Controlling something on another's behalf and having it integrated 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 implied that 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 was even more unwilling for the girl before him to be harmed.

"If I separate the Flawed Heavenly Dao from my body, your father will revive, and even kill the Ruthless One, right?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"This... I'm not certain..." Luo Ruoxi hesitated, looking up at the collapsing God Realm. The God Realm was her father's foundation. With his foundation in such a state, even if he woke up, could he truly defeat that immensely powerful Ruthless One? It was hard to say!

"It seems even you aren't certain. In that case, relying on others is not as good as relying on ourselves... We must find a way on our own!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth. "You, me, the clone, united with the Nine Heavens' Nine Emperors, and if Master Kong joins us, we might not necessarily fail to win!"

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

"Master Kong is dead, right? He didn't truly die. If I'm not mistaken, his defeat by your hand was merely a method to break free from the Heavenly Dao... Barring any unforeseen circumstances, he should be like Wei Changfeng, a Congenital Fetal Soul Body!" Zhang Xuan said. Seeing Wei Changfeng, he had understood. Master Kong's claim of retaining his consciousness must have meant he, too, was a Congenital Fetal Soul Body. This allowed one to remain conscious even in the womb. Coupled with preparations made beforehand, his resurrection was only a matter of time.

Luo Ruoxi was stunned, apparently not expecting this.

"We'll know if we go check. If my guess is correct, he should have recovered. Otherwise, his students wouldn't have even gone to the Sea of Tides..." Zhang Xuan said. Master Kong's students, like Ancient Sage Zi Yuan, were all powerful. Even without the help of Emperors, they surely had a way to enter the Sea of Tides, yet none of them were seen. They must have had more important matters awaiting them, which they intended to handle while all the Emperors were preoccupied at the Sea of Tides! And this important matter was clearly Master Kong's recovery.

Luo Ruoxi's heart trembled, and she came to a sudden realization.

"Let's go!" Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan swiped his hand and reappeared where Master Kong resided. Indeed, he saw an old man floating cross-legged in the air. Upon seeing them arrive, the old man smiled slightly. "You've arrived!" Who else could it be but Master Kong! This Teacher of Myriad Generations had truly not disappointed him! Just as he had guessed, Master Kong had resurrected while everyone's attention was focused on the Sea of Tides.

Luo Ruoxi's delicate body trembled. She knew Emperors could resurrect; 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 beforehand. The nameless giant in the Nether Soul Pool was left by me. When you slew it that day, I took the opportunity to break free from the Heavenly Dao's restraints and re-coalesce my physical body. I've only just recovered now!" Master Kong smiled faintly. He was skilled in temporal abilities. Though it seemed only a day or two had passed in the God Realm, he had actually experienced an unknown amount of time to restore his power. Decades had passed for him.

"The three of us are strong, but it won't be easy to defeat the Ruthless One..." Seeing that Master Kong had indeed recovered, Luo Ruoxi still shook her head. She wasn't exaggerating the enemy's might or dampening their spirits; it was simply the truth. So many people had united just now and still couldn't stop him. What difference would one more Master Kong make? It wouldn't change the situation!

"Individually, and even united, we are indeed no match for him. But... what if we merged everyone's power into a single person?" Master Kong looked over with a smile.

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

"That palm could tear apart the God Realm and scatter the Heavenly Dao; its power is beyond doubt. The Ruthless One absorbed all of that power and then consumed fifty years of the God Realm's spiritual energy. In terms of raw strength, none of us dozens of Emperors, taken individually, are his match..." Master Kong continued, "But if we unite and concentrate our power into one person... it might be a different story!"

"How do we concentrate it?" Luo Ruoxi looked at him. It sounded simple, but was difficult to achieve. 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 quite simple... We will concentrate our power into Zhang Xuan. Once he breaks through the Emperor's shackles, he can save the God Realm!"

"Me?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback. "Why me?"

"Emperor Lingxi cultivates freedom and transcendence from 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, you also gave up and intended to be slain by me during our battle, didn't you?" Master Kong said.

Luo Ruoxi was speechless. During their battle, she indeed had such an intention, which was why their initial exchange felt more like a sparring match with each holding back, rather than a fight to the death.

"If you can't transcend, you naturally can't exert your greatest power. Even with immense true qi, you won't be able to reach that supreme realm! As for me..." Master Kong nodded. "My heart is filled with concern for the common people, wishing to bring salvation to 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 exterminated the Lingxiao Tribe, we wouldn't be in this situation now..." If he had eliminated all the Lingxiao Tribe members back then, the Ruthless One would not have been able to resurrect, and the current situation wouldn't have arisen. "Therefore, I am also unsuitable! But Zhang Xuan's cultivation method flows naturally, without flaws. He lives true to himself; even if he dies, as long as he lives without regrets, his heart is clear. Such a person possesses greater capacity for inclusion and greater room for development. Only in this way can one go higher and further!" Master Kong continued.

Live to return, die to be longed for! If one cares not even for death, how could they be bound by other matters?

Zhang Xuan frowned, about to say something, when Master Kong looked at him with gleaming eyes. "There's no need to decline. First, we don't have enough time to cultivate someone else. Even if we did, I doubt 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 many years and possesses her own understanding of it. I control the Ordered Heavenly Dao. If we infuse our power into you, you will possess the complete power of the Heavenly Dao! Coupled with your clone's Nine Heavens Primordial Golden Lotus, you can perfectly stabilize the Nine Heavens, control the universe, battle through the Nine Firmaments, and destroy all things!"

"Alright!" Seeing that the other party had already made their decision and further explanation was useless, Zhang Xuan nodded.

*Boom!* He sat down cross-legged, and in the blink of an eye, two vast streams of power surged into him from either side. Zhang Xuan's body stiffened. In that instant, he felt as if he had transformed into the Heavenly Dao itself, soaring above the Nine Heavens. His soul, physical body, and true qi were all instantly baptized, growing stronger and more profound with each passing moment.

"You wish to stop me too? Very well, I'll kill you all, then go eliminate Zhang Xuan..." Having sent Luo Qiqi and the clone flying, the Ruthless One sneered. The combined power unleashed by the clone and the numerous Emperors was indeed formidable, but compared to him, it was still a little weaker. The Sea of Tides had devoured almost all the spiritual energy of the God Realm outside the cities. Now, all that power had become his sustenance. Every move he made carried the might to destroy heaven and earth. These Emperors and God Kings, despite representing the peak 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 caught within it, unable to escape no matter how it struggled.

"Old friend, wait for me!" Emperor Fumu also roared, transforming into his true form, a White Tiger, and soared forward. The Undying Emperor manifested his true form, an undying Fire Phoenix, its flames illuminating the sky. Emperor Xuanming, whose true form was a massive turtle, appeared as if supporting the myriad heavens. The Four Divine Beasts, guardians of the God Realm's four cardinal directions, simultaneously transformed into their true forms, and the collapsing God Realm began to slow down. The universe seemed to freeze in that instant.

*Bang bang bang bang!* With four consecutive palms, the Ruthless One suppressed the four beasts. A fierce 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 deliver a killing blow and 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 stunned gaze, 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 heavens, as if he himself were a complete world.

"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 it has increased? Even the God Realm at its peak 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. As the two fought, space was torn apart in streaks, and currents of energy surged wildly.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?" At Master Kong's residence in Sovereign Heaven, Luo Ruoxi watched, filled with worry. She and Master Kong had transferred their power to Zhang Xuan, and their own cultivation had diminished to only the God King level, no longer as formidable as before. However, their fundamental level remained; with enough power, they could eventually recover their strength.

"With his current strength, defeating him... will be very difficult! Unless... he can comprehend power beyond the Emperor realm!" After a moment of silence, Master Kong said. Over a dozen Emperors combined couldn't defeat the Ruthless One. Even if they transferred all their power to Zhang Xuan, winning wouldn't be easy. The reason they did this was because... only by concentrating power into a single individual was it possible to reach the pinnacle, to truly transcend limits and break through oneself!

"Power beyond the Emperor realm?" Luo Ruoxi's eyes held a distant look. Her father had told her the same thing when he was still conscious, but... she hadn't been able to achieve it. Could the man she loved accomplish it?

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

*Bang bang bang!* After several consecutive blows, Zhang Xuan's hand web split open, and a huge, ghastly wound appeared on his chest. Just as Master Kong had said, even with their combined power, and having formed a complete Heavenly Dao within him, he was still no match.

"Haha, I thought you'd be more formidable, but this is all you are!" The Ruthless One sneered.

"I'm no match for you anyway, and I'll be killed sooner or later. In that case, I wish 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 you that. Here's my strongest attack..." Hearing him say this, the Ruthless One paused for a moment, then snorted coldly and raised his palm.

*Whoosh!* A green light appeared in his palm and then violently struck downwards. It was indeed his strongest attack. The entire God Realm rumbled as if it could no longer bear the strain, and another massive crater was blasted open. With his eyes tightly closed, 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 stared with wide eyes, trembling uncontrollably. Master Kong and Luo Ruoxi, who witnessed this, were also stunned. Their original intention was for him to break through his shackles and assault the realm beyond Emperor, so why did he not resist and instead willingly face death? Wouldn't that betray their good intentions?

"No, wait, that's the Undying Emperor's immortal technique..." Just as they wondered, Master Kong suddenly spoke. Everyone then saw Zhang Xuan, whose head had exploded and soul shattered, as the pendant on his chest suddenly burst open. A drop of blood floated up and ignited, forming a scorching flame. From within the flames, 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. Zhang Xuan, reborn from the ashes, no longer had the Library of Heaven's Path within him. Free from the Heavenly Dao's interference, he had broken away from it entirely!

"How did he do that?" Master Kong was also filled with disbelief. The Heavenly Dao and his soul had been fused, indistinguishable from each other. To break free, he had been forced to scatter his soul and then re-coalesce it using the Nether Soul Pool. This person before them had only been struck once, yet he had completely broken free. What method had he used?

"I understand now... He used the Ruthless One's method for breaking free from a soul contract..." Luo Ruoxi realized. A soul contract binds master and servant; if the master doesn't release it, the servant remains forever constrained... The Library of Heaven's Path was similar, an enhanced version of such a contract. Bound to the soul, it wouldn't separate even in death. But... the Ruthless One had broken free from his soul contract using that special power. Zhang Xuan had inquired about the specific method in detail earlier; he likely conceived this plan at that very moment. That's why he deliberately risked his life, allowing the Ruthless One to unleash his strongest attack on him. Using this power, he was reborn from the ashes, and unexpectedly, it was a great success!

"So that's it. This is the way to break through the Emperor realm..." Zhang Xuan, who emerged from the flames, wore a faint smile, as if he had understood something. He suddenly beckoned, and his clone on the side immediately reverted 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 had become the Nine Heavens, and the Nine Heavens was him. He lightly tapped his foot on the ground. The chaotic Nine Heavens immediately stabilized. The Nine Heavens Primordial Golden Lotus, which appeared at the birth of the Nine Heavens, could stabilize them. Now, with his clone perfectly fused with his true self, indistinguishable from one another, it meant he had mastered this power. Not only that, but with the cultivation of the Nine Heavens Primordial Golden Lotus integrated, his already peak realm loosened further, seeming ready to break through at any moment.

"The affection between master and servant, the bond of brotherhood, the connection between teacher and student, the love of parents, romantic love... when all these merge, they form all things 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 the world exist because humans perceived it, or did humans come after the world already existed? Was it the wind moving, or his heart moving? This question had eternally troubled countless individuals. Of course, now... none of that mattered anymore! Without life, without emotion, what meaning would the world have even if it existed? Therefore, after transcending romantic love, came the love for all beings! It was the interwoven emotions of the entire world. All things in the world possess emotions. A world exists only with emotion, and only with emotion can life be perpetuated. Love is emotion. Hatred is emotion. Joy is emotion. Pain is emotion. Farewell is emotion. Reunion is also emotion!

"Myriad emotions, for my use..." With a soft cry, the sealed realm within Zhang Xuan's body instantly shattered. The Emperor's shackles were broken! In an instant, he seemed to touch a brand new world and its gateway, and his soul was rapidly nourished. Countless streams of primordial chaos surged towards him, and his physical body rapidly ascended. Previously, he could only advance by absorbing spiritual energy, but now, spatial turbulence, primordial chaos, and even the opponent's green light could all be assimilated by him, without distinction.

The Ruthless One hadn't expected his full-force attack to not only fail to kill Zhang Xuan but instead aid his advancement. He roared furiously in frustration and attacked again.

"Your resentment towards the high and mighty Emperors for not saving you from the spatial turbulence is emotion; your feeling that you were once my servant, filled with humility and anger, is emotion; your desire to destroy the God Realm to vent your fury is emotion; your wish to become even stronger is also emotion... Emotions control you. How then can you defeat me, or avoid being controlled by me?" With a faint smile, Zhang Xuan's voice grew faster and louder. He lightly clutched his hand. The previously invincible Ruthless One was bound by countless delicate threads of emotion, restrained and unable to move. As long as there was emotion, he would be used by Zhang Xuan, 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 for that now..." With a slight smile, Zhang Xuan shook his head. Having mastered the emotions of the world, concepts like servants held no meaning for him anymore. He had killed so many Divine-ranked experts, harmed his girlfriend, Luo Qiqi, and so many friends. How could he possibly forgive him today?

"No..." Sensing Zhang Xuan's decisiveness, the Ruthless One's pupils constricted. Before he could finish his sentence, he instantly felt a violent pain throughout his body. In a flash, he exploded, transforming into countless streams of spiritual energy that surged throughout the God Realm. All the power previously devoured by the Sea of Tides was now returned, and the depleted wildernesses burst forth with renewed vitality.

"He just killed him like that?" Emperor Yunchi, the Undying Emperor, Fairy Linglong, and the others all widened their eyes, unable to believe what they had just witnessed. They had just fought the Ruthless One and knew how terrifying he was. To think such a powerful being was effortlessly annihilated—just what level had Zhang Xuan reached? Was there truly another realm above the Emperor realm?

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

"This is a part of the Heavenly Dao. I shall now return it to the Heavenly Dao..." Seeing the "Flawed Heavenly Dao" that had just 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 reincarnation, loudly embedded itself in the sky of the God Realm. With a resonating sound like a grand bell, the continuously collapsing God Realm visibly began to slowly recover. The chaotic currents of energy also gathered anew. The collapsing God Realm finally ceased its destruction, and the depleted spiritual energy gradually revived with the Ruthless One's demise.

"It seems the God Realm is about to welcome an era of spiritual energy resurgence..." Zhang Xuan smiled. The void in the Sea of Tides 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..." Just as he finished these tasks, a voice echoed in his mind. Zhang Xuan paused, then took a step forward. This single step covered an unknown distance, and then he saw a young man standing before him. It was the very person who had previously taught him swordsmanship.

"Senior, you..." Seeing that it was him, Zhang Xuan was momentarily stunned. He had previously thought this person unfathomable, but now he realized that he was only slightly inferior to himself, having already reached the pinnacle of the Emperor realm, and was immeasurably stronger than Luo Ruoxi had been.

"You may just call me by my name. I am... Nie Tong!" The young man said faintly, an indomitable sword intent radiating from him.

"Nie Tong?" Zhang Xuan frowned slightly. He had never heard that name before.

"Follow me, I'll take you to meet my brother!" The young man named Nie Tong smiled slightly and stepped forward. Zhang Xuan followed closely. After flying for an unknown distance, they stopped before a mountain peak. Immediately, he saw another young man. His appearance was not much older than Nie Tong's, with upward-slanting brows that gave him a profound and unfathomable aura.

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

"I am Nie Yun!" The young man smiled faintly, looking over. "Which means... I am Nie Lingxi, the father of Luo Ruoxi, whom you mentioned!"

"Ruoxi's father?" Zhang Xuan was stunned. "You... are the Heavenly Dao of the God Realm?" Luo Ruoxi had previously said her father was the Heavenly Dao, but he never imagined him to be such a young man.

"I manifested into three pure ones, and a part of my soul became the Heavenly Dao! Moreover, this world was created by me, so there's nothing wrong with calling me the Heavenly Dao!" Nie Yun smiled faintly.

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

"Wait, if the God Realm was created by you, and you are the Heavenly Dao, why did you let the Ruthless One 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 before him remained indifferent, even regarding his daughter's life and death?

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

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

"I once suspected that there were more powerful beings above the God Realm, so I used all my might to peer into it. This ultimately provoked a backlash from a higher world... A colossal palm broke through space and descended!" Nie Yun looked at him. "If I had dodged then, it's highly likely that the entire God Realm would have been wiped clean, leaving not a single living being... So, I blocked the attack. But as a result, the Heavenly Dao that was my manifestation was split apart."

"In such a situation, I could have recovered with just a thought, but... I understood that to truly transcend the God Realm's shackles, to explore where that palm came from, and what lay beyond the God Realm... it would be very difficult for me alone. So, I wanted to see if there was any being capable of breaking through the Emperor's shackles and reaching a level comparable to mine!"

"Therefore, I sent the scattered fragments of the Heavenly Dao's will to the lowest realm... granting them to a soul originally belonging to that world and a soul not from that world. And you, ultimately, did not disappoint me!"

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

"Hehe!" Nie Yun chuckled softly. "A soul originally from this world harbors reverence for it, making it much harder to break through its shackles. I merely had a thought, never truly expecting that you would succeed..."

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

"I gave him the chance; he just didn't seize it. His battle with Lingxi was actually his best opportunity to break through. Unfortunately, he chose to retreat, thinking he had a contingency to escape unscathed, but in reality, he lost his courageous advancement. When facing someone beyond us, if one lacks even that spirit, how can they contend?" Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan fell silent. He had witnessed their battle then, and Master Kong had indeed been somewhat lacking in decisiveness. It was also possible that he was unwilling to kill Luo Ruoxi. Unfortunately, in that single moment of hesitation, he missed the opportunity to advance.

"If Master Kong had won, Ruoxi would have died..." A moment later, Zhang Xuan looked over, his brows furrowed. Could it be that this person before him didn't even care about his daughter's life or death?

"With me here, she wouldn't die..." Nie Yun smiled faintly. "Your current strength is not far from mine. Do you think that, with the combined strength of two people at a life-or-death moment, one could save someone?"

Zhang Xuan gave a wry smile. Breaking through to the Emperor realm and simply being an Emperor were two different concepts. If Nie Yun had truly wished to intervene, he could indeed have saved her at the last moment, ensuring she wouldn't suffer even a scratch.

"Lingxi was born to my other wife, Luo Qingcheng, which is why she adopted the surname Luo as her disguised name... To make her believe and not act on emotion, she has thought I was still in a coma until now..." Nie Yun gave a wry laugh. "I suppose I've been a ruthless enough father... How about this, you explain it to her. After all, her thoughts have already shifted to you; she probably won't even remember her old father anymore... Haha, I'll disappear for a while for now. Otherwise, I'm really afraid she'll turn heaven and earth upside down..."

Seeing this incredibly unreliable father, Zhang Xuan's face twitched. He could only agree, "Alright..." There was no other choice; after all, he had taken his daughter away...

"The Library of Heaven's Path was a manifestation of a thought of mine. It was both a foundation and a limitation. Your ability to break through that limitation with your own power demonstrates your immense capability and potential. Your future is boundless, and as a