Chapter 739: Thousand-Year Return Empire

Soul contracts are bound to the soul. As long as one doesn't break it themselves, even if the other party possesses immense power, they cannot dissolve it.

It's like Emperor Undying, the little yellow chicken. Even though he was just a God King before, and the other party was an Emperor, there was no way to break such a bond.

To prevent this guy from reneging and causing a backlash, the Master Teacher Continent specifically decreed that even if one could escape the Heavenly Dao records, they still couldn't break a soul contract!

"A soul contract indeed cannot be separated from the Sea of Consciousness, but I have fused with a special gas that can even dissolve the Heavenly Dao. Dissolving this contract isn't difficult... as long as there's enough power to strike where the contract resides, it can be done!" the Ruthless Man explained.

Soul contracts are based on the Heavenly Dao. If this special power can dissolve the Heavenly Dao of the God Realm, then dissolving a mere soul contract, if handled properly, poses no difficulty.

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

"Speaking so much to you is also a thanks for bringing me to the God Realm!" After explaining, the Ruthless Man said no more. His aura grew more ancient and profound, and the black hole behind him expanded further. Clearly, while speaking, he had consumed an immeasurable 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 fight!" With his doubts dispelled, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, his long sword suddenly rising. "In that case, let's see who's truly stronger!"

Boom! The most powerful sword intent was unleashed once more. "Alive, I shall return; dead, I shall linger in memory!" If life and death held no concern, what could possibly obstruct him? Although this sword art had not reached the comprehension of an Emperor, it contained all his inner obsessions, pushing the Heavenly Dao of Love cultivation technique within him to its limit. With a single swing, he cleaved the Ruthless Man's attack in two.

At the same moment, Luo Ruoxi also made her move, her jade hands swirling, sword light like snow. Her sword art bore some resemblance to that of the young man from Sword God Heaven, carrying an unstoppable momentum and the unconstrained grace of the Great Dao.

"Your techniques are formidable, but compared to me, they still fall short..." With a slight smile, the Ruthless Man clawed downwards again. In an instant, his hand covered the sky and obscured the sun, enveloping the heavens and earth. Space shattered, and it seemed as if the sun, moon, and stars themselves were about to be forcefully torn down. Pfft! Pfft! Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi were simultaneously sent flying backward, spewing blood in mid-air. With their combined strength, they were actually unable to resist! What realm had this guy truly reached?

"How dare you!" the clone strode forward. With each step, lotuses bloomed, and the sound of flowing water filled the void. From a distance, he exuded an imposing aura. Having refined the Nine Heavens Primordial Golden Lotus, his cultivation was in no way inferior to Zhang Xuan's. He raised a fist, his power surging through the nine heavens. Yet, upon colliding with the Ruthless Man, he too was sent flying backward, unable to withstand a single move. Zhang Xuan clutched his forehead. Even after becoming an Emperor, the clone still hadn't changed his showboating nature... Such flashy display was less effective than concentrating his power for greater might!

"Let's attack together, otherwise, if they die, we'll all die..." The little yellow chicken roared, scarlet flames burning, as if igniting the sky. The remaining six Emperors also unleashed their techniques. The seven Emperors united, capable of destroying heaven and earth, a whole dimension unable to withstand them. But the opponent was the Ruthless Man, who had absorbed special power. As their attacks approached, the black hole suddenly expanded, devouring their power in the blink of an eye, then counterattacking. Bang, bang, bang, bang! The seven Emperors, like Zhang Xuan and the others, were sent flying backward. Ten Emperors, united, couldn't even withstand a single move from him! How could this guy be so powerful?

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

"How dare you, you scoundrel!" Along with a loud shout, the elder from Sword God Heaven suddenly appeared, blocking their path, his long sword transforming into a galaxy. "An Emperor? He's also an Emperor?" Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted. This elder, who had followed the young man previously, was thought to be merely an attendant, at most a titled God King. Only after he unleashed his power did Zhang Xuan realize he was also a powerful Emperor! If he was an Emperor, then what was that young man?

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

"Then... what about the young man who taught me sword arts?" Zhang Xuan couldn't hold back anymore.

"He is..." Just as Luo Ruoxi was about to answer, space distorted. Immediately, they saw the Emperor from Sword God Heaven also sent flying backward, landing in a nearby spot and creating a large crater. Zhang Xuan's current strength and comprehension of the sword dao far surpassed his, yet even Zhang Xuan couldn't withstand the Ruthless Man. So, despite the elder's strong cultivation and superb swordsmanship, he was still no match.

"Haha, Emperors, you're nothing but a bunch of pathetic chickens and dogs! Today, I'll destroy the Nine Heavens, obliterate this God Realm, and flatten all its rules!" After defeating the Emperor of Sword God Heaven, the Ruthless Man laughed maniacally. The surrounding space continuously collapsed, making him appear like a demon or a fiend.

"What should we do?" Zhang Xuan clenched his fists. Just now, both he and his clone had unleashed their strongest combat power, and even Luo Ruoxi had used her most powerful techniques, yet they couldn't withstand a single move from the opponent... Was there truly no one in the God Realm who could stop this individual? 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 inherently a part of the Heavenly Dao. Once it returned, the Heavenly Dao would be completely whole, perhaps able to mend its flaws and expel the Ruthless Man on its own. It would be like the human body's immune system. If the immune system is complete, viruses can be 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 is fully restored, it won't be able to suppress him, right?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. An immune system can eliminate viruses, but what about a tiger? What could even the strongest immune system do against that? This person, who was merely a common God King, even a titled one, could easily be killed by the Heavenly Dao. But this Ruthless Man was even stronger than an Emperor... already beyond what the Heavenly Dao could contend with.

Luo Ruoxi paused, a look of despair appearing on her fair, jade-like face. "Yes... it won't be able to suppress him, but if the Heavenly Dao is complete, *he* can wake up. Killing this one won't be difficult then!"

"He?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

"Trying to escape?" The Ruthless Man coldly snorted and pressed down. Luo Ruoxi fell from the sky. Zhang Xuan unleashed his sword art once more, glorious sword intent bursting forth. Ding, ding, ding! He was blocked by the Ruthless Man again.

"You two go quickly, I'll hold him off..." Knowing they were looking for a way to save the God Realm, not escape, the clone and Emperor Undying roared and stood in front. Luo Qiqi also transformed, returning to her true form as the Tranquil Sky Pearl. The surrounding space solidified. "Go!" Seeing everyone fearlessly block the enemy, disregarding death, Zhang Xuan's eyes reddened. However, knowing it wasn't the time for words, he pulled Luo Ruoxi, his body flickered, tearing through space. The next moment, they appeared within the Azure Heaven's boundaries.

The Azure Heaven no longer held its former tranquility. The God Realm was collapsing, chaos everywhere. "Where is the person 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 mentioned could truly save the God Realm, what did his own sacrifice matter?

"He is my father. The blood in your pendant is his, and Emperor Undying 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 yet different from Luo Ruoxi's; it was her father's. This also explained why the remnant will of Emperor Undying immediately recognized him as its master after seeing the pendant.

"Your father is also an Emperor? Or possesses power beyond an Emperor?" He couldn't help but ask. The chaos in the Library of Heaven's Path was calmed by the blood in the pendant, allowing him to regain clarity. Could it be that not only was she an Emperor, but her father was too, or 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's not an Emperor, but... the Heavenly Dao!" Luo Ruoxi clenched her delicate fists.

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

"Yes! Fifty years ago, my father couldn't withstand that enormous hand and fell into a coma. The Heavenly Dao fragmented into three parts: the Orderly Heavenly Dao and the Flawed Heavenly Dao entered the spatial turbulence, while I took control of the Natural Heavenly Dao to maintain the God Realm's balance. To restore him, the scattered parts must be collected... That's why I was so resolute and couldn't fail! That's why I specifically entered the Master Teacher Continent, studied the Spring and Autumn Great Codex, and sought a way to defeat Master Teacher Kong! What I asked him to do during our battle was also this." Luo Ruoxi explained.

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood. Not long after meeting her on the Master Teacher Continent, the girl in front of him had told him her story about saving a close relative. He hadn't fully understood it then, but now it all made sense. It was her father, and he was even the Heavenly Dao of the God Realm! Could the Heavenly Dao truly manifest as a human form and have children?

"Took control of the Natural Heavenly Dao... You don't have a Heavenly Dao fragment within you?" Suddenly realizing something was off in her words, Zhang Xuan looked over. "Taking control" was a different concept from having it fused within oneself.

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

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

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

"This... I'm not sure..." Luo Ruoxi hesitated, looking up at the already collapsing God Realm. The God Realm was her father's foundation. With the foundation in such a state, even if he awoke, could he truly defeat that powerful Ruthless Man? 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 figure something out!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth. "You, me, the clone, united with the Nine Emperors of the Nine Heavens, and if Master Teacher Kong joins us, 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 act of killing him was merely a method for him to escape the Heavenly Dao... Unless something unexpected happened, he should be a Congenital Fetal Soul like Wei Changfeng!" Zhang Xuan stated. Seeing Wei Changfeng, he understood. Master Teacher Kong's claim of retaining his consciousness should mean he was also a Congenital Fetal Soul, like Wei Changfeng. This allowed him to remain clear-headed even from birth. Coupled with his pre-arranged contingencies, resurrection was merely a matter of time.

Luo Ruoxi was stunned, apparently not expecting this.

"We'll know if we go see. If my guess is correct, he should have recovered by now. Otherwise, his students wouldn't have even gone to the Tidal Sea..." Zhang Xuan said. Master Teacher Kong's students, like Ancient Sage Zi Yuan, were all powerful. Even without the help of an Emperor, they would surely have found a way to enter the Tidal Sea, yet none of them were seen. There must have been something more important awaiting them, something they intended to do while all the Emperors were preoccupied with the Tidal Sea! And this important matter was clearly Master Teacher Kong's recovery.

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

"Let's go!" Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan made a gesture with one hand and reappeared at Master Teacher Kong's residence. Indeed, he saw an elder floating cross-legged in the air. Upon seeing them arrive, the elder smiled faintly and said, "You've come!" Who else could it be but Master Teacher Kong! This Teacher of Ten Thousand Generations had indeed not disappointed him! As expected, 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 Emperor Undying had revived, but... she hadn't expected it to be so fast!

"I concealed myself from the Heavenly Dao and prepared a contingency in advance. The nameless giant in the Nether Soul Pond was left by me. When you killed 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 Teacher Kong smiled faintly. He was skilled in temporal abilities. Though it seemed only a day or two had passed in the God Realm, in reality, he had experienced an unknown span of time to recover his strength. Decades had passed for him.

"The three of us are strong, but defeating the Ruthless Man won't be easy..." Seeing that Master Teacher Kong had indeed recovered, Luo Ruoxi still shook her head. This wasn't about boosting the enemy's morale and diminishing their own, but simply stating a fact. So many people united just now couldn't stop the opponent; what difference would adding Master Teacher Kong make? It still wouldn't change the situation!

"Our individual strengths, and even our combined strength, are indeed no match for him. But... what if we fused everyone's power into one person?" Master Teacher Kong looked over with a smile.

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

"That hand could tear apart the God Realm and scatter the Heavenly Dao; its power is beyond doubt. The Ruthless Man absorbed all of that power and then devoured fifty years of the God Realm's spiritual energy. In terms of individual strength, not one of our dozen or so Emperors is a match..." Master Teacher Kong continued, "But united, concentrating all that power into one person... that might be a different story!"

"How do we concentrate it?" Luo Ruoxi looked over. It sounded simple, but it was difficult to achieve. Emperors were already at the pinnacle of the God Realm. If absorbing others' power were so easy, she wouldn't have remained stagnant for so many years.

"It's simple... We will concentrate our power on Zhang Xuan. Once he breaks through the Emperor's shackles, he can save the God Realm!" Master Teacher Kong 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, when we fought back then, you once gave up, intending to be killed by me, didn't you?" Master Teacher Kong said. Luo Ruoxi was speechless. During their battle, she indeed had such intentions, which was why their initial exchanges felt more like sparring, with each holding back, rather than a fight to the death.

"Unable to transcend, she naturally cannot unleash her strongest power. Even with more genuine qi, she cannot break through to that supreme realm! As for me..." Master Teacher Kong nodded. "My heart is for the common people; I wish to save all under heaven, but I am unwilling for others to sacrifice for me. Too much benevolence is also a weakness! If I had been a bit more ruthless and exterminated the Qingtian Clan, we wouldn't be in this current situation..." If he had eradicated all the Qingtian Clan members back then, the Ruthless Man could not have revived, and this current situation would not exist.

"Therefore, I am also unsuitable! But Zhang Xuan's cultivation technique follows his will and has no flaws. He believes in living authentically; even if he dies, as long as he lives without regret, his heart is clear. Such a person possesses greater capacity and greater room for development. Only this way can he go higher and further!" Master Teacher Kong continued. "Alive, I shall return; dead, I shall linger in memory!" If he doesn't even care about death, how could he be hindered by other matters?

Zhang Xuan frowned, about to say something, when Master Teacher Kong looked at him with bright eyes. "No need to refuse. Firstly, there isn't enough time to cultivate someone else. Even if there were, I doubt anyone could do better than you! Although Emperor Lingxi doesn't have a Heavenly Dao fragment within her, she has controlled the Heavenly Dao for many years and possesses her own understanding of it. I control the Orderly Heavenly Dao. If we infuse our power into you, you will possess the power of a complete Heavenly Dao! Coupled with the clone's Nine Heavens Primordial Golden Lotus, you could truly 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 that further explanations from him would be useless, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Boom! He sat cross-legged. In the blink of an eye, two powerful streams of energy surged from either side. Zhang Xuan's whole body stiffened; he felt as though he had instantly transformed into the Heavenly Dao, soaring above the nine heavens. His soul, physical body, and genuine 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..." The Ruthless Man coldly chuckled after sending Luo Qiqi, the clone, and the others flying. The combined power unleashed by the clone and numerous Emperors was indeed formidable, but compared to him, it was still somewhat weaker. The Tidal Sea had almost completely devoured the spiritual energy of the God Realm outside the cities, and now all that power served as his nourishment. Every move he made carried the power 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 Man seemed to embody the entire God Realm, unstoppable.

"If the God Realm perishes, our lives are meaningless. I, Emperor Yunchi, will die with you..." Emperor Yunchi transformed into his true form, a massive five-clawed golden dragon, and lunged at him from mid-air. "You? Unworthy!" The Ruthless Man squeezed his hand, and the golden dragon was trapped in his palm, unable to escape no matter how it struggled.

"Old friend, wait for me!" Emperor Fuming also roared, transforming into his true form, a white tiger, and appeared in the air. Emperor Undying revealed his true form, an undying fire phoenix, its flames illuminating the sky. Emperor Xuanming, whose true form was a colossal tortoise, appeared as if supporting the heavens. The Four Divine Beasts, who guarded the four cardinal points of the God Realm, simultaneously revealed their true forms. The collapsing God Realm seemed to slow down. The universe seemed to freeze in an instant.

Bang, bang, bang, bang! With four consecutive palms, the Ruthless Man suppressed the four beasts, a fierce killing intent flashing in his eyes. "Since you're seeking death, I'll grant it to you..." As he roared, just as he was about to unleash a deadly strike to obliterate everyone, he felt his raised arm tighten and stop in mid-air.

"Do you really think you can kill them without asking me first...?" Then, to everyone's shocked gazes, a figure slowly walked out of the air. It was Zhang Xuan! At this moment, the young man's entire body surged with power, more than ten times stronger than before. He descended from the heavens, as if he himself were a world.

"Quite a lot of improvement..." The Ruthless Man stopped, his gaze solemn. He clearly didn't understand why the other party's strength had undergone such a tremendous change in just a few minutes.

"But what if you've grown stronger? The God Realm at its peak couldn't withstand me; I don't believe you can..." With a cold snort, the Ruthless Man struck down again. Zhang Xuan raised his long sword and met the attack. The two fought, tearing space apart with each blow, chaotic currents swirling everywhere.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?" At Master Teacher Kong's residence in Azure Heaven, Luo Ruoxi watched, filled with worry. She and Master Teacher Kong had transferred their power to Zhang Xuan, and their own cultivation had been reduced to only the God King level, no longer as glorious as before. However, their foundational level was still there, so as long as they had enough power, they could one day recover.

"With his current strength, winning... is very difficult! Unless... he can comprehend power beyond that of an Emperor!" Master Teacher Kong said after a moment of silence. A dozen Emperors united couldn't defeat the Ruthless Man. 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 one person could they potentially reach the peak, truly transcend limits, and break through themselves!

"Power beyond an Emperor?" Luo Ruoxi's gaze became 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?

"He definitely can... He has an unyielding heart! And a proud disdain for this world." Seeing the doubt in her heart, Master Teacher Kong smiled.

Bang, bang, bang! After several consecutive moves, the web of Zhang Xuan's hand cracked, and a large, ghastly wound appeared on his chest. As Master Teacher Kong had said, even after fusing their powers and forming a complete Heavenly Dao within him, he was still no match.

"Haha, I thought you were something, but you're nothing special!" the Ruthless Man sneered.

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

"Alright, I'll grant your wish and give you my strongest attack..." Hearing him say this, the Ruthless Man was momentarily stunned, then scoffed coldly and raised his palm. Whoosh! A green light appeared in his palm and slammed down fiercely. It was indeed his strongest attack; the entire God Realm rumbled as if it could no longer bear the force, and another massive crater was created. With his eyes tightly closed, Zhang Xuan did not dodge. His head exploded, and his soul scattered everywhere.

"Zhang Xuan..." Seeing this scene, everyone's faces turned pale. Luo Qiqi looked as if she had gone mad. Emperor Yunchi and the others' eyes widened, trembling uncontrollably. Master Teacher Kong and Luo Ruoxi, who also witnessed this, were both stunned. Their original intention was for him to break through his shackles and strive for a realm beyond Emperors, so why did he not resist and instead willingly embrace death? Wouldn't that betray their good intentions?

"No, it's Emperor Undying's method of immortality..." Just as they wondered, Master Teacher Kong suddenly spoke. Everyone then saw that from Zhang Xuan, whose head had exploded and even whose soul had shattered, the pendant on his chest suddenly burst open. A drop of blood floated up and ignited, forming a scorching ball of fire. 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 contracted. After being reborn from the flames, Zhang Xuan's body no longer contained the Library of Heaven's Path; he was free from the Heavenly Dao's interference, having broken away from it!

"How did he do it?" Master Teacher Kong was also filled with disbelief. The Heavenly Dao and the soul were fused as one; to break free, he had to scatter his soul and then re-coalesce it using the Nether Soul Pond. Yet, this person, after being killed just once, completely broke free. What method did he use?

"I understand... He used the Ruthless Man'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 bound... The Library of Heaven's Path was similar, an enhanced version of such a contract, binding the soul so that it wouldn't separate even in death. But... the Ruthless Man had used that special power to break free from his soul contract. Zhang Xuan had inquired about the specific method in detail before, likely having conceived this plan then. That's why he deliberately fought to the death, allowing the Ruthless Man to attack him with his strongest power. Using this power to be reborn from the ashes, he had, unexpectedly, achieved great success!

"So that's it, this is the way to break through to Emperor..." Zhang Xuan, emerging from the flames, revealed a faint smile on his face, as if he had understood something. He suddenly beckoned, and the clone on one side immediately transformed back into a lotus flower and flew over. In an instant, it perfectly fused with his body. In the blink of an eye, everyone felt that Zhang Xuan before them had become the Nine Heavens; the Nine Heavens *was* him. He lightly stepped 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 the clone and his true self perfectly fused and indistinguishable, it meant he had mastered this power. Not only that, with the cultivation of the Nine Heavens Primordial Golden Lotus fused within him, 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 fused together, that's everything in the world, that's what it means to be human!" Zhang Xuan murmured with a smile. The moment the Library of Heaven's Path separated from his soul, he understood. Did the world exist because humans perceived it, or did the world exist first, then humans? Was it the wind moving, or the heart moving? This question had eternally troubled countless people. Of course, now... none of that mattered! Without life, without emotion, what meaning would the world have even if it existed? Therefore, after transcending romantic love, there was the love for all living beings! The interwoven emotions of the entire world. All things in the world possess emotions; only with emotion can there be a world, and only with emotion can life continue. Love is emotion. Hatred is emotion. Joy is emotion. Suffering is emotion. Separation is emotion. Reunion is also emotion!

"Thousands of emotions, for my use..." With a low cry, the confined realm within Zhang Xuan instantly shattered. The Emperor's shackles were broken! In an instant, it felt as though he had touched a brand new world and a great door, and his soul was rapidly nourished. Countless streams of primordial chaos surged toward him, and his physical body rapidly improved. Before, he could only progress by absorbing spiritual energy, but now spatial turbulence, primordial chaos, and even the opponent's green light could all be used by him, indistinguishable from his own.

The Ruthless Man hadn't expected that his full-powered attack, instead of killing Zhang Xuan, had actually completed him. He shrieked in rage, then roared and attacked again.

"Your resentment towards the high-and-mighty Emperors for not saving you in the spatial turbulence is emotion; your feeling of once being my servant, containing humility and anger, is emotion; your desire to destroy the God Realm and vent your fury is emotion; your wish to become even stronger is also emotion... Emotions control you, so how can you defeat me, how can you not be controlled by me?" With a faint smile, Zhang Xuan's voice grew faster and louder. He lightly grabbed with his hand. The previously invincible Ruthless Man was instantly bound by countless delicate emotional threads, restrained and unable to move. As long as he possessed emotion, he would be used and controlled by Zhang Xuan!

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

"It's too late to say such things now..." With a slight smile, Zhang Xuan shook his head. Controlling the emotions of all under heaven, servants held no meaning for him anymore. Having killed so many people in the God Realm, harming his girlfriend, Luo Qiqi, and so many friends, how could he possibly forgive today!

"No..." Feeling his resolve, the Ruthless Man's pupils contracted. Before he could finish speaking, he felt an intense pain throughout his body. In an instant, he exploded, transforming into countless streams of spiritual energy that surged throughout the God Realm. All the power previously devoured by the Tidal Sea was now returned, and the depleted wildernesses revitalized.

"He just killed him like that?" Emperor Yunchi, Emperor Undying, Fairy Linglong, and the others all widened their eyes in disbelief. They had just fought the Ruthless Man and knew how terrifying he was. For such a powerful being to be casually annihilated, just what level had this Zhang Xuan reached? Was there truly another realm above Emperors?

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

"This is a part of the Heavenly Dao, so I shall return it now to the Heavenly Dao..." Seeing the "Flawed Heavenly Dao" that had been separated from his body still floating in the air, Zhang Xuan smiled faintly and flicked his finger. The Library, which had accompanied him since his rebirth, thundered as it embedded itself in the sky of the God Realm. With a bell-like resonance, the continuously collapsing God Realm visibly began to recover slowly, and the chaotic currents re-converged. The collapsing God Realm finally stopped, and the withered spiritual energy, along with the Ruthless Man's death, slowly revived. "It seems the God Realm is about to welcome an era of spiritual energy recovery once more..." Zhang Xuan smiled. The void left by the Tidal Sea had been restored 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 this way..." Just as he finished, a voice echoed in his mind. Zhang Xuan paused, then took a step. This single step carried him an unknown distance. Immediately, he saw a young man standing before him. It was precisely the one who had previously taught him sword arts.

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

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

"Nie Tong?" Zhang Xuan frowned slightly. This was the first time he had heard this name.

"Come with me, I'll take you to meet my brother!" The young man named Nie Tong smiled faintly and stepped forward. Zhang Xuan followed closely behind, flying an unknown distance until they stopped before a mountain peak. There, he saw another young man. His appearance wasn't much older than Nie Tong's, and his eyebrows were raised, giving him an air of profound inscrutability.

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled. The young man before him was actually even stronger than he was, 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 and looked over. "Which means... I am Nie Lingxi, the father of Luo Ruoxi, as you know her!"

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

"I transformed one qi into 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 God Realm was actually created by this person in front of him? Then how powerful must he be?

"Wait, if the God Realm was created by you, and you are the Heavenly Dao, why did you allow the Ruthless Man to rampage without intervening...?" Zhang Xuan looked over. If he hadn't broken through, the God Realm could have completely collapsed. Why had this person in front of him remained indifferent? Did he not even care about his daughter's life and death?

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

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

"I once suspected there might be more powerful beings above the God Realm, so I used all my strength to peer into it, which ultimately drew a backlash from a higher world... A hand broke through the void and descended!" Nie Yun looked over. "If I had dodged then, it's highly probable the entire God Realm would have been flattened, leaving not a single life... So, I blocked that attack, but as a result, the Heavenly Dao that I embodied was split apart."

"In that situation, if I wanted to recover, it would have just been a thought. But... I realized that to truly transcend the God Realm's limitations, to explore where that hand came from, and what lies beyond the God Realm... it would be difficult to do 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 Heavenly Dao consciousness to the lowest realm... bestowing it upon a soul originally from that world, and a soul not from that world. And you, ultimately, did not disappoint me!" Nie Yun smiled.

"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 was all due to the person before him.

"Hehe!" Nie Yun chuckled softly. "A soul originally from this world has a reverence for it, and breaking through the world's shackles is much more difficult. I simply had a thought and didn't expect you would actually succeed..."

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

"I gave him the chance, but he didn't seize it. His fight with Lingxi was actually his best opportunity to break through. Unfortunately, he chose to retreat, thinking he had a backup plan to escape unscathed. In reality, he lost the spirit of courageous advancement. When facing someone beyond us, if one doesn't even possess that spirit, how can they contend?" Nie Yun said. Zhang Xuan remained silent. He had witnessed their battle; Master Teacher Kong had indeed been somewhat indecisive. It was also possible that he was unwilling to kill Luo Ruoxi. Unfortunately, in that single moment of hesitation, he missed the opportunity for advancement.

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

"With me here, she wouldn't have died..." Nie Yun smiled faintly. "Your current strength isn't much different from mine. Do you think, with both our strengths, at a critical moment of life and death, we could save someone?" Zhang Xuan gave a wry smile. Breaking through to Emperor and being an Emperor were two different concepts. If Nie Yun had truly been willing to act, he could indeed have saved her at the last moment, ensuring she suffered not the slightest injury.

"Lingxi was born to my other wife, Luo Qingcheng, which is why she used the surname Luo as a disguise... To make her believe and not act on emotion, she still thinks I'm in a coma to this day..." Nie Yun gave a wry laugh. "I suppose I've been a pretty harsh father... How about this, you explain it to her. After all, her heart has already shifted to you. Her old dad probably won't even be remembered... Haha, I won't appear for now. I'll hide for a while; otherwise, I'm genuinely afraid she'll turn heaven and earth upside down..." Seeing this unreliable father before him, Zhang Xuan's face twitched, and 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 formed from a single thought of mine; it was both a foundation and a restraint. Your ability to break through that restraint on your own demonstrates your capacity and potential. Your future is limitless, and as her father, I am truly comforted that my daughter can be with you."