Chapter 754: 天地再立序

A soul contract is inherently bound to the soul; unless voluntarily released by the signatory, it cannot be dissolved, even by someone with immense power. For example, the Undying Emperor (Little Yellow Chicken), who was once merely a God King and is now an Emperor, found himself powerless to break this kind of agreement. To prevent any breach of contract or backlash, the Master Teacher Continent specifically stipulated that even if one could escape the Heavenly Dao Scroll, they could not break free from a soul agreement.

"A soul contract truly cannot be separated from the sea of consciousness. However, I have absorbed a unique energy that can even dissolve the Heavenly Dao. Dissolving this contract is not difficult—I just need enough power to strike at its core," the Ruthless One stated. Since soul contracts are based on the Heavenly Dao, and this unique power can even dissolve the Heavenly Dao of the God Realm, dissolving a mere soul contract, if handled correctly, presents no challenge.

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

"My explanation serves as a thanks for bringing me to the God Realm!" After explaining, the Ruthless One fell silent. His aura grew increasingly ancient and profound, and the black hole behind him expanded further. It was clear that while he spoke, he had consumed an immense amount of power to replenish himself.

"Zhang Xuan, the more the black hole consumes, the stronger he gets..." Luo Ruoxi also sensed the anomaly and quickly sent a voice transmission.

"Prepare to fight!" With his doubts dispelled, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, raising his longsword abruptly. "If that's the case, let's see who truly prevails!"

Boom! His most potent sword intent erupted once more. "Live to return, die to be longed for eternally!" With no regard for life or death, what could possibly stop him? This sword technique, though not yet reaching the full comprehension of an Emperor, channeled all the unwavering resolve in his heart, pushing the Heavenly Love cultivation art within him to its absolute limit. A single sword strike cleaved the Ruthless One's attack in two.

Simultaneously, Luo Ruoxi also made her move, her elegant hands swirling, her sword light a flurry of white. Her sword art bore a resemblance to that of the young man from Sword God Heaven, imbued with an unyielding momentum and the effortless grace of the Grand Dao.

"Your techniques are impressive, but they still fall short compared to mine..." With a soft chuckle, the Ruthless One clawed downwards once more. In an instant, his palm blotted out the sky and covered the earth, engulfing everything. Space fractured, and the sun, moon, and stars seemed on the verge of being violently torn from the heavens.

Pfft! Pfft! Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi were simultaneously sent flying backward, spitting blood in mid-air. Despite their combined strength, they were unable to withstand it! Just what realm had this individual attained?

"Presumptuous!" The clone strode forth, lotus flowers blossoming with each step, and the ethereal sound of flowing water echoing in the void. From afar, the sight was incredibly imposing. Having refined the Nine Heavens Chaotic Golden Lotus, his cultivation was in no way inferior to Zhang Xuan's. He raised a fist, and its power surged towards the nine heavens. Upon clashing with the Ruthless One, he too was sent flying back, unable to withstand a single blow.

Zhang Xuan pressed a hand to his forehead. Even after achieving Emperor status, the clone still retained his flamboyant nature... Such a dazzling display would be far more effective if the power were concentrated!

"We must attack together, or if they fall, we all perish..." The Little Yellow Chicken let out a mighty roar, and crimson flames blazed, as if the sky itself had caught fire. The remaining six Emperors each unleashed their respective techniques. The seven Emperors united, their combined might capable of obliterating heaven and earth; a mere realm would crumble before them. However, their opponent was the Ruthless One, who had absorbed extraordinary power. As their attacks approached, the black hole behind him suddenly expanded, instantly devouring all the energy before retaliating.

Bang bang bang bang! The seven Emperors, alongside Zhang Xuan and the others, were all sent hurtling backward. Ten Emperors, united, yet they couldn't even withstand a single one of his moves! How could this individual be so formidable?

"You can all die now..." After defeating everyone with a single move, the Ruthless One stepped forward, flipped his wrist, and struck down once more.

"How dare a mere rat!" Accompanied by a thunderous roar, the old man from Sword God Heaven abruptly appeared, blocking their path, his longsword transforming into a shimmering river of silver.

"An Emperor? He's also an Emperor-level expert?" Zhang Xuan's pupils constricted. This old man, who had been trailing the young man earlier, was initially presumed to be merely an attendant, at most a Conferred God King. Only when he unleashed his power did they realize he too was an Emperor! If he was an Emperor, then what about that young man?

"He is, in fact, the Emperor of Sword God Heaven..." Luo Ruoxi struggled to her feet, gritting her teeth.

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

"He is..." Luo Ruoxi was about to reply when space twisted, and they watched as the Emperor of Sword God Heaven was 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 he couldn't withstand the Ruthless One. So, despite the Emperor's formidable cultivation and exquisite swordsmanship, he was still no match.

"Hahaha, Emperors, you're all just a bunch of insignificant ants! Today, I will obliterate the Nine Heavens, destroy this God Realm, and trample all its rules!" After defeating the Emperor of Sword God Heaven, the Ruthless One cackled maniacally. The surrounding space continuously collapsed, making him appear utterly demonic.

"What do we do?" Zhang Xuan clenched his fists. Just moments ago, he and his clone had unleashed their peak combat power, and even Luo Ruoxi had employed her strongest techniques, yet none could withstand a single strike from the opponent... Could it be that no one in the God Realm was truly capable of stopping this individual? Were they to simply let him destroy the world?

"The only way... is for your Flaw in Heavenly Dao to merge back with the Heavenly Dao itself, allowing it to suppress him..." Luo Ruoxi clenched her delicate fists, her eyes reddening.

"Merge back with the Heavenly Dao?" Zhang Xuan understood her meaning. The Library of Heaven's Path in his mind was inherently a part of the Heavenly Dao. Once it reintegrated, the Heavenly Dao would become complete, potentially allowing it to mend its flaws and autonomously repel the Ruthless One. Just like the human immune system. A robust immune system easily repels viruses; a compromised one, however, succumbs to viral invasion, leading to death even for the strongest individuals.

But... "He's too powerful. Even if the Heavenly Dao fully recovers, it likely won't be able to suppress him!" 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? The person before them, the Ruthless One, was far stronger than even an Emperor, well beyond what the Heavenly Dao could contend with, even if it could easily eliminate a mere God King or Conferred God King.

Luo Ruoxi paused, a flicker of disappointment crossing her fair face. "You're right... it can't suppress him. But if the Heavenly Dao becomes complete, *he* will awaken, and then defeating this person won't be difficult!"

"He?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"I'll take you to him. He's in Free Heaven..." Taking a deep breath, Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth and turned, flying forward.

"Attempting to flee?" The Ruthless One sneered, pressing his palm downwards. Luo Ruoxi plummeted from the sky. Zhang Xuan unleashed his sword art once more, a magnificent sword intent erupting.

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

"You two, go quickly! I'll hold him off..." Knowing they intended to find 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 true form as the Serene Void Orb. The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!" Seeing everyone bravely hold the line, fearless of death, Zhang Xuan's eyes reddened. Yet, he knew this was not the time for words. He pulled Luo Ruoxi, his body blurring as he tore through space, appearing within the Free Heavens in the next instant.

Free Heaven was no longer living up to its name; the God Realm was collapsing, and chaos reigned everywhere.

"Where is this 'him' you speak of?" With no time to observe the lives of ordinary people, Zhang Xuan looked at the girl in his arms. If the person she spoke of could truly save the God Realm, then his own sacrifice would be insignificant!

"He is my father. The blood in your pendant is his, and the Undying Emperor was once his beast companion..." Luo Ruoxi took a moment to compose herself before explaining.

"Father?" Zhang Xuan realized with a jolt. No wonder he had always felt that the blood in the pendant was similar yet distinct from Luo Ruoxi's—it was her father's. This also explained why the Undying Emperor's remnant will, upon seeing the pendant, immediately recognized Zhang Xuan as its master.

"Is your father also an Emperor? Or does he possess strength beyond an Emperor?" He couldn't help but inquire. The library's chaotic state had been calmed by the pendant's blood, which had restored his clarity. Could it be that not only was she an Emperor, but her father was as well, perhaps even more powerful? If so, then why had he fallen into a coma? And why would he need the Flaw in Heavenly Dao to regain consciousness?

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

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

"Yes! Fifty years ago, Father couldn't withstand that enormous hand and fell into a coma. The Heavenly Dao fractured into three parts: the Heavenly Dao of Order and the Flaw in Heavenly Dao scattered into the spatial turbulence, while I took control of the Heavenly Dao of Nature to maintain the God Realm's balance. To restore him, I needed to gather all these fragmented parts... That's why I was so resolute; I couldn't afford to fail! It's why I specifically entered the Master Teacher Continent, studied the Spring and Autumn Annals, and sought to defeat Master Kong! What I asked of him during our battle was precisely this," Luo Ruoxi clarified.

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

"Controlling the Heavenly Dao of Nature on his behalf... you don't possess a Heavenly Dao fragment within you?" Suddenly, noticing an inconsistency in her words, Zhang Xuan looked at her. "Controlling on behalf of" and "integrating into one's body" were two distinct concepts.

"I merely control it; I am not a part of the Heavenly Dao itself..." Luo Ruoxi clarified.

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. In that case, he only needed to separate the Flaw in Heavenly Dao, and she wouldn't have to die as well. 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 Flaw in Heavenly Dao from my body, your father will awaken and even kill the Ruthless One, correct?" Zhang Xuan asked, looking at her.

"This... I'm not sure either..." Luo Ruoxi looked up at the already collapsing God Realm, hesitating. The God Realm was her father's very foundation. With its current state, even if he awoke, could he truly defeat that immensely powerful Ruthless One? It was truly hard to say!

"It seems you can't be sure either. In that case, it's better to rely on ourselves... We must find a way on our own!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth. "You, I, my clone, united with the Nine Heavens and Nine Emperors, and if Master Kong joins us, we might just win!"

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

"Master Kong is dead, right? No, he didn't truly die. If I'm not mistaken, your act of 'slaying' him was merely a method for him to escape the Heavenly Dao... Unless something unexpected happened, he should be a Congenital Fetal Soul Body, just like Wei Changfeng!" Zhang Xuan stated. Upon seeing Wei Changfeng, he understood: Master Kong's purported preservation of his intellect must have been due to his being a Congenital Fetal Soul Body, just like Wei Changfeng. This allowed him to retain his consciousness even in a nascent state. Coupled with the preparations he made in advance, his resurrection was merely a matter of time.

Luo Ruoxi was taken aback, seemingly not having anticipated this possibility.

"We'll know if we go. If my guess is correct, he should have recovered. Otherwise, his students wouldn't have stayed away from the Tidal Sea..." Zhang Xuan stated. Master Kong's students, like Ancient Sage Ziyuan, were all exceptionally powerful. Even without the assistance of an Emperor, they would surely have found a way to enter the Tidal Sea, yet none of them were present. They must have had something more crucial to attend to, something they intended to accomplish while all the Emperors were preoccupied with the Tidal Sea. And this crucial matter was clearly the restoration of Master Kong.

Luo Ruoxi's heart stirred, and she finally understood.

"Let's go!" Without further explanation, with a wave of his hand, Zhang Xuan reappeared at Master Kong's residence. True to his prediction, an old man sat cross-legged, suspended in the air. Upon seeing their arrival, he smiled faintly and said, "You've arrived!" Who else could it be but Master Kong! The Teacher of Ten Thousand Generations had indeed not disappointed him! As anticipated, he had revived while everyone's attention was fixed on the Tidal Sea.