Chapter 757: Human Hearts and the Immortal's Unpredictability

A soul contract, bound to the soul, cannot be dissolved by any means, no matter how powerful the other party is, unless one willingly breaks it oneself.

It was just like the Unbeaten Emperor Little Yellow Chicken. Even when he was just a God King, and even now as an Emperor, he had no way to resolve such an agreement. To prevent anyone from reneging on a contract and causing a backlash, the Master Teacher Continent had specifically stipulated that even if one could be removed from the Heavenly Dao Register, the soul agreement could not be broken!

"A soul contract indeed cannot be separated from the sea of consciousness, but I have fused with a special gas that can dissolve even the Heavenly Dao. Dissolving this contract is not difficult… as long as there is enough power to strike where the contract resides, it can be done!" the Ruthless One stated.

A soul contract is built upon the foundation of the Heavenly Dao. If this special power can even dissolve the Heavenly Dao of the God Realm, then what difficulty is there in dissolving a mere soul contract, as long as it's handled properly?

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

"Speaking so much to you is also a way of thanking you for bringing me to the God Realm!"

After explaining, the Ruthless One said no more. His aura became increasingly ancient and profound, and the black hole behind him grew even larger. Clearly, while he was speaking, he had devoured an unknown 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 quickly sent a telepathic message.

"Prepare to fight!" With his doubts dispelled, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath. His longsword suddenly rose. "Since that's the case, let's see who's truly stronger!"

*Rumble!*

The most powerful sword intent was unleashed once more.

"If I live, I shall return; if I die, I shall forever yearn!"

With no regard for life or death, what could possibly stop him? Although this sword technique had not reached the level of an Emperor's comprehension, it contained all his inner obsessions, pushing the Heavenly Dao of Emotion cultivation technique within him to its limit. With one sword strike, he cut the Ruthless One's attack in half.

At the same moment, Luo Ruoxi also made her move, her jade hands swirling, sword gleam like snow. Her sword art was somewhat similar to that of the young man from Sword God Heaven, possessing an unstoppable momentum and the unconstrained elegance of the Great Dao of Nature.

"Your moves are powerful, but compared to mine, they're still lacking..."

With a light chuckle, the Ruthless One clawed downwards again. In an instant, his hand blotted out the sky and sun, engulfing heaven and earth. Space shattered, and it seemed as if the sun, moon, and stars were about to be forcefully knocked down.

*Pfft! Pfft!*

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

"Presumptuous!" The clone strode forward. With each step, lotuses bloomed, and the void echoed with the sound of flowing water. From a distance, it looked incredibly impressive. Having refined the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, his cultivation was in no way weaker than Zhang Xuan's. He raised a fist, and power surged into the Nine Heavens. When he clashed with the Ruthless One, he also flew backward, unable to withstand a single move.

Zhang Xuan covered his forehead. Even after becoming an Emperor, his clone still couldn't change its show-off nature... Such flashy showmanship was less effective than simply concentrating its power for greater impact!

"Attack together, or if they die, we'll all die..." Little Yellow Chicken roared, scarlet flames blazing, as if the sky itself had ignited.

The remaining six Emperors also unleashed their techniques. The combined might of the seven Emperors was earth-shattering; even a whole world would be unable to resist them. However, their opponent was the Ruthless One, who had absorbed special power. When their attacks reached him, the black hole suddenly expanded, devouring the power in the blink of an eye, and then counterattacked.

*Boom boom boom boom!*

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 die now..."

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

"How dare you, rat!" Along with a roar, the old man from Sword God Heaven suddenly appeared, blocking their path, his longsword transforming into a galaxy.

"An Emperor? He's also an Emperor-level expert?" Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted. When this old man had followed the young man previously, Zhang Xuan had thought he was just a subordinate, at most a Conferred God King. Only upon seeing him unleash his power did he realize he was also an Emperor! If he was an Emperor, then what was that young man?

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

"Then... what about the young man who taught me sword art?" Zhang Xuan could no longer hold back.

"He is..." Just as Luo Ruoxi was about to answer, space distorted, and then the Emperor of Sword God Heaven was also sent flying backward, landing a short distance away, creating a large crater.

Zhang Xuan's current strength and comprehension of the Way of the Sword far surpassed his, yet even Zhang Xuan couldn't resist. So even if the old man's cultivation was not weak and his sword art was superb, he was still no match.

"Haha, Emperors are just a bunch of weaklings! Today, I shall destroy the Nine Heavens, destroy the God Realm, and flatten all its rules!" Having defeated the Emperor of Sword God Heaven, the Ruthless One laughed maniacally. The surrounding space continuously collapsed, making him appear like a demon or a devil.

"What do we do?" Zhang Xuan clenched his fists. Just now, both he and his clone had unleashed their strongest combat power, and even Luo Ruoxi in front of him had used her most powerful moves, yet none could block a single attack from the opponent... Could it be that no one in the God Realm could truly stop this person before them? Would they just let him destroy the world?

"The only way... is to return your incomplete Heavenly Dao to the Heavenly Dao itself, allowing the Heavenly Dao to suppress him..." Luo Ruoxi clenched her delicate fists, her eyes reddening.

"Return to the Heavenly Dao itself?" Zhang Xuan knew what she meant. The Library of Heaven's Path in his mind was originally a part of the Heavenly Dao. Once it returned, the Heavenly Dao would be completely whole, perhaps allowing it to fix its loopholes and expel the Ruthless One on its own. Just like the human body's immune system. If the immune system is complete, it can easily expel viruses; if it's broken, it can't resist viral invasion, and even the strongest person will die.

Only...

"He's too powerful. Even if the Heavenly Dao is fully restored, it might not be able to suppress him!" Zhang Xuan shook his head. Viruses can be killed by the immune system, but what about a tiger? What could even the strongest immune system do against that? This person before them, if he were just an ordinary God King, or even a Conferred God King, the Heavenly Dao could easily kill him. But he was stronger than an Emperor... already beyond what the Heavenly Dao could contend with.

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

"He?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"I'll take you to see him, he's in Free and Easy 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 down. Luo Ruoxi plummeted from the sky. Zhang Xuan's sword art was unleashed again, sword intent radiating magnificently.

*Clang clang clang!*

He was blocked by the Ruthless One again.

"You two hurry and go, I'll hold him back..." Knowing they were trying to find a way to save the God Realm, not escape, the clone and the Unbeaten Emperor roared and stood in front. Luo Qiqi also transformed, reverting to her Jingkong Pearl true form. The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone fearlessly block the enemy, disregarding their own lives, Zhang Xuan's eyes reddened. However, he knew this wasn't the time for words. He pulled Luo Ruoxi, his body flickered, tearing through space, and in the next moment, they appeared within the vicinity of Free and Easy Heaven.

Free and Easy Heaven had lost its former peace. The God Realm was collapsing, and chaos reigned everywhere.

"Where is this 'he' 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, what did his own sacrifice matter!

"He is my father. The blood in your pendant is his. The Unbeaten Emperor was once his beast pet..." Luo Ruoxi adjusted her breathing and explained.

"Father?" Zhang Xuan suddenly understood. No wonder he had always felt the blood in the pendant was similar to Luo Ruoxi's, yet different; it turned out to be her father's. This also explained why the remnant will left by the Unbeaten Emperor immediately recognized him as its master after seeing the pendant.

"Your father is also an Emperor? Or possesses strength beyond an Emperor?" He couldn't help but ask. The Library's chaos was quelled by the blood in the pendant, which allowed him to regain clarity. Could it be that not only was she an Emperor, but her father was too, or even stronger? If that were the case, why would he be in a coma? And why would he need the incomplete Heavenly Dao to wake up?

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

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

"Yes! Fifty years ago, Father couldn't resist that giant hand and fell into a coma. The Heavenly Dao scattered into three parts: the ordered Heavenly Dao and the incomplete Heavenly Dao, which entered the spatial turbulence. I took control of the natural Heavenly Dao to maintain the balance of the God Realm. To restore him, all the scattered parts must be collected... That's why I was so resolute, unable to fail! That's why I specifically entered the Master Teacher Continent, studied the Spring and Autumn Annals, and tried to find a way to defeat Kong Shi! The favor I asked of Kong Shi during our battle was also for this." Luo Ruoxi explained.

Zhang Xuan understood completely. Not long after they met in the Master Teacher Continent, the girl in front of him had told him her story about wanting to save a loved one. He hadn't understood then, but now it all clicked. It turned out to be her father, and he was the Heavenly Dao of the God Realm! Could the Heavenly Dao really take human form and have children?

"Took control of the Heavenly Dao of Nature... You don't have a Heavenly Dao fragment in your body?" Suddenly realizing something odd in her words, Zhang Xuan looked at her. "Taking control" and "fusing within one's body" were two different concepts.

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

Zhang Xuan let out a breath of relief. This meant he only needed to separate the incomplete Heavenly Dao from himself; she wouldn't need to die. Although he was unwilling 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 incomplete Heavenly Dao from my body, your father can come back to life, and even kill the Ruthless One, right?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"This... I'm not sure..." Luo Ruoxi looked up at the already collapsing God Realm, hesitating. The God Realm was her father's foundation. Now that the foundation was in such a state, even if he woke up, could he truly defeat that powerful Ruthless One? It was hard to say!

"It seems you're not entirely sure either. In that case, it's better to rely on ourselves than on others... We'll just have to figure out a way ourselves!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth. "You, me, the clone, united with the Nine Heavens' Nine Emperors, and if we add Kong Shi, we might not necessarily lose!"

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

"Kong Shi is dead, right? He didn't truly die. If I'm not mistaken, your slaying him was merely a method for him to escape the Heavenly Dao... Barring any accidents, he should be like Wei Changfeng, an Innate Fetal Soul Body!" Zhang Xuan said. Upon seeing Wei Changfeng, he understood. Kong Shi's claim of preserving his consciousness should mean he was also an Innate Fetal Soul Body, like Wei Changfeng, able to retain consciousness through rebirth. Coupled with the preparations he had made beforehand, resurrection was only a matter of time.

Luo Ruoxi was stunned; it seemed she hadn't expected this.

"We'll know if we go and see. If my guess is right, he should have already recovered. Otherwise, his students wouldn't have stayed away from the Sea of Tides..." Zhang Xuan said. Kong Shi's students, like Ancient Sage Ziyuan and others, were all very powerful. Even without the help of an Emperor, they would surely have found a way to enter the Sea of Tides, yet none of them were seen there. There must have been something more important awaiting them, something they wanted to do while all the Emperors were preoccupied with the Sea of Tides! And this important matter was clearly to help Kong Shi recover.

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

"Let's go!" Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan swiped his hand and reappeared where Kong Shi resided. Sure enough, he saw an old man suspended in mid-air in a cross-legged position. Seeing them arrive, he smiled faintly. "You've come!"

Who else could it be but Kong Shi! This Master of Ten Thousand Generations truly hadn't disappointed him! Just as he had guessed, he had resurrected while everyone's attention was focused on the Sea of Tides.

Luo Ruoxi's delicate body trembled. She knew Emperors could resurrect, and the Unbeaten 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 used the opportunity to break free from the Heavenly Dao's restraints and re-coagulate my physical body. I've only just recovered now!" Kong Shi smiled faintly. He was proficient in temporal abilities. It seemed only a day or two had passed in the God Realm, but in reality, to recover his strength, he had experienced an unknown span of time. It had been decades.

"Our three strengths combined are very powerful, but defeating the Ruthless One won't be easy..." Seeing that Kong Shi had indeed recovered, Luo Ruoxi still shook her head. She wasn't boosting the enemy's prestige or dampening their own morale; it was simply the truth. So many people had united just now and couldn't stop the opponent. What difference would adding Kong Shi make? It still wouldn't change the situation!

"Individually, and even united, we are indeed no match for him. But... what if all our powers were merged into one person?" Kong Shi looked over with a smile.

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

"That hand could tear apart the God Realm and scatter the Heavenly Dao; its strength is beyond doubt. The Ruthless One absorbed all that power and then devoured fifty years of the God Realm's spiritual energy. In terms of individual strength, none of us, a dozen or so Emperors, are truly his match..." Kong Shi continued, "But if we unite and concentrate our power into one person... that might be different!"

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

"It's very simple... We will concentrate our powers on Zhang Xuan. Once he breaks through the Emperor's shackles, he can save the God Realm!" Kong Shi stated.

"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 you fought me back then, you even gave up, intending to be slain by me!" Kong Shi said.

Luo Ruoxi was speechless. During their battle, she indeed had such intentions, which was why their initial exchanges were like sparring, with each holding back, unlike a life-or-death struggle.

"Unable to transcend, she naturally cannot unleash her strongest power. Even with more True Qi, she wouldn't be able to assault that supreme realm! As for me..." Kong Shi nodded. "I carry the common people in my heart and wish to save all under heaven, but I am unwilling for others to sacrifice for me. Too much benevolence is also a flaw! If I had been a little more ruthless and annihilated the Foreign Spirit race, we wouldn't be in this current situation..." If he had been able to completely eliminate the Foreign Spirit race back then, the Ruthless One would not have been able to revive, and the current situation wouldn't exist.

"Therefore, I am also unsuitable! But Zhang Xuan's cultivation method follows his heart and has no flaws. He emphasizes living truly to himself; even if he dies, as long as he lives without regrets, his heart is clear. Such a person possesses greater inclusiveness and greater room for development. Only in this way can he go higher and further!" Kong Shi continued.

"If I live, I shall return; if I die, I shall forever yearn!" If he didn't even care about death, how could he be constrained by other matters?

Zhang Xuan frowned, about to say something, when he saw Kong Shi look at him with piercing eyes. "No need to refuse. First, there's no time to cultivate someone else, and even if there were, I don't think anyone could do better than you! Although Emperor Lingxi doesn't have a Heavenly Dao fragment in her body, she has controlled the Heavenly Dao for many years and has her own understanding of it. I control the ordered Heavenly Dao. If we infuse our power into you, you will possess the power of a complete Heavenly Dao! Coupled with your clone's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, you can absolutely stabilize the Nine Heavens, control the universe, battle through the nine layers of sky, and destroy all things!"

"Alright!" Seeing that the other party had already made a decision and that further explanation from him would be useless, Zhang Xuan nodded.

*Rumble!*

He sat cross-legged. In the blink of an eye, two streams of immense power surged in from both sides. Zhang Xuan's body stiffened, and in an instant, he seemed to transform into the Heavenly Dao itself, soaring above the Nine Heavens. His soul, physical body, and True Qi were all instantly baptized, becoming stronger and more profound.

"You want to stop me too? Fine, I'll kill you, then go slay Zhang Xuan..." After sending Luo Qiqi and the clone flying, the Ruthless One smiled coldly. The combined power unleashed by the clone and the numerous Emperors was indeed very strong, but compared to him, it was still a bit 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 power to destroy heaven and earth. These Emperors and God Kings, though representing the peak of the God Realm, were still no match. At this moment, the Ruthless One seemed to represent the entire God Realm, unstoppable by anyone.

"If the God Realm perishes, our lives are meaningless. I, Emperor Yun Chi, will perish with you..." Emperor Yun Chi transformed into his true form, a massive five-clawed golden dragon, and pounced towards him from mid-air.

"Just you? Unworthy!" The Ruthless One squeezed his palm, and the golden dragon was caught in his grasp, unable to escape no matter how much it struggled.

"Old friend, wait for me!" Emperor Fu Meng also roared, transforming into his White Tiger true form, and appeared in mid-air. The Unbeaten Emperor's undying fire phoenix true form appeared, flames illuminating the sky. Emperor Xuan Ming, whose true form was a massive turtle, seemed to be holding up the heavens. The Four Divine Beasts, guardians of the God Realm's four poles, simultaneously transformed into their true forms. The collapsing God Realm even seemed to slow down. Heaven and earth seemed to freeze in an instant.

*Bang bang bang bang!*

With four continuous strikes, the Ruthless One suppressed the four beasts, a strong killing intent flashing in his eyes. "Since you seek death, I shall grant it to you..." Amidst his roar, just as he was about to unleash a deadly blow to annihilate everyone, he felt his raised arm tighten and stop in mid-air.

"You want to kill them? Did you ask me first?" Immediately, to everyone's shocked gazes, a figure slowly walked out from mid-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 was an entire world.

"Quite a lot of progress..." The Ruthless One stopped, his gaze solemn. He clearly didn't understand why the opponent's strength had changed so dramatically in just a few minutes. "However, what if you've become stronger? The God Realm in its prime 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 longsword and met the attack. The two fought, space tearing open in streaks, energy currents swirling wildly.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?" At Kong Shi's residence in Free and Easy Heaven, Luo Ruoxi looked on with deep worry. She and Kong Shi had transferred their power to Zhang Xuan, and their own cultivation had dropped to only the God King level, no longer as glorious as before. However, their cultivation foundation remained; as long as they had enough power, they could one day recover.

"With his current strength, wanting to win... is very difficult! Unless... he can comprehend power beyond an Emperor!" After a moment of silence, Kong Shi said. A dozen Emperors combined couldn't defeat the Ruthless One. Even if they transferred all their power to him, winning wouldn't be easy. The reason they did this was because... only by concentrating power in one person was it possible to touch the peak, to truly surpass limits, and break through oneself!

"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 do it. Could the man she loved achieve it?

"He definitely can... He possesses an unyielding heart! And a pride toward this world." Seeing the doubt in her heart, Kong Shi smiled.

*Bang bang bang!*

After several consecutive moves, the web between Zhang Xuan's thumb and forefinger split, and a huge, grotesque wound appeared on his chest. As Kong Shi had said, even after merging their two powers and forming a complete Heavenly Dao within him, he was still no match.

"Haha, I thought you were so powerful, but you're nothing special!" The Ruthless One smiled coldly.

"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 attacking and instead looked at the Ruthless One before him.

"Fine, I'll grant your wish and give you my strongest attack..." Hearing him say this, the Ruthless One was startled for a moment, then snorted coldly and raised his palm.

*Whoosh!*

A streak of green light appeared in his palm and slammed down fiercely. It was indeed his strongest attack. The entire God Realm roared, as if on the verge of collapse, and another massive crater was created. With eyes tightly shut, 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 seemed to go mad. Emperor Yun Chi and the others also widened their eyes, trembling continuously. Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi, witnessing this, were both stunned. Their original intention was for him to break through his shackles and assault a realm beyond the Emperor. Why did he not resist and willingly accept death? Wouldn't that disappoint their good intentions?

"No, that's the Unbeaten Emperor's immortality art..." Just as they were wondering, Kong Shi suddenly spoke. Everyone then saw 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, ignited, forming a scorching flame. From within the flame, a perfectly intact figure slowly walked out.

"He... used the opponent's power and the blood in the pendant to separate the incomplete Heavenly Dao from his soul?" Luo Ruoxi's pupils contracted. After being reborn from the flames, Zhang Xuan no longer had the Library of Heaven's Path within him. Free from the Heavenly Dao's interference, he had escaped the Heavenly Dao!

"How did he do it?" Kong Shi was also full of disbelief. The Heavenly Dao and soul were integrated, inseparable. To break free, he had to scatter his soul and rely on the Nether Soul Pool to re-coagulate it. This person before them, just by being struck down once, completely broke free. What method did he use?

"I know... He used the Ruthless One's method for breaking free from a soul contract..." Luo Ruoxi realized. A soul contract bound master and servant; if the master didn't release it, the servant would be eternally bound... The Library of Heaven's Path was similar, arguably an enhanced version of such a contract. Bound to the soul, it wouldn't be separated unless one died. But... the Ruthless One had used that special power to break free from the soul contract. Zhang Xuan had inquired about the specific method in detail before, and he probably had this in mind at that time. 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 flames. Unexpectedly, it was a great success!

"So that's it, this is the way to break through the Emperor realm..." Zhang Xuan, emerging from the flames, wore a faint smile, as if he understood something. He suddenly beckoned, and the clone on the side immediately transformed back into a lotus flower and flew over. In an instant, it perfectly merged with his body. In the blink of an eye, everyone felt that Zhang Xuan before them had transformed into the Nine Heavens, and the Nine Heavens was him.

He lightly stepped his foot on the ground. The chaotic Nine Heavens immediately stabilized. The Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, which appeared when the Nine Heavens were born, could stabilize them. Now, with his clone perfectly fused with himself, indistinguishable from him, it meant he had gained control over this power. Not only that, with the cultivation of the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus fused, his already peak realm loosened, seeming ready to break through at any moment.

"Master-servant affection, brotherhood, teacher-student affection, parental love, romantic love... fused together, this is all there is 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 detached from his soul, he understood. Did humanity create the world by perceiving it, or did the world exist first, and then humanity? Was it the wind moving, or his heart moving! This question had troubled countless people since ancient times. Of course, now... none of that mattered! Without life, without emotion, what meaning would the world have even if it existed? Therefore, after breaking through romantic love, comes the love for all sentient beings! It is the interwoven emotions of the world. All things in the world possess emotions. Only with emotion can there be a world; only with emotion can life continue. Love, is emotion. Hate, is emotion. Joy, is emotion. Pain, is emotion. Farewell, is emotion. Reunion, is also emotion!

"Ten thousand emotions, for my use..." With a low cry, the confined realm within Zhang Xuan's body instantly shattered. The Emperor's shackles were broken through! In an instant, it was as if he had touched a new world and a grand gate, his soul rapidly nourished. Countless streams of chaotic energy surged toward him, and his physical body rapidly improved. Previously, he could only progress by absorbing spiritual energy. But now, spatial turbulence, chaotic energy, even the opponent's green light, could all be his, indistinguishable from his own power.

The Ruthless One hadn't expected his full-force attack to not only fail to slay Zhang Xuan but instead complete him. He shrieked in rage, roaring, and attacked again.

"Your resentment towards the high and mighty Emperors for not saving you in the spatial turbulence is emotion; feeling that you were once my servant, filled with humility and anger, is emotion; wanting to destroy the God Realm to vent your fury is emotion; wanting to become 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 grasped with his palm. The originally invincible Ruthless One was bound by countless fine threads of emotion, his limbs restricted, unable to move. As long as there was emotion, he would use it, he would control it!

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

"It's too late to say that now..." Zhang Xuan smiled faintly and shook his head. Controlling all emotions in the world, things like servants no longer held any meaning for him. He had killed so many in the God Realm, injured his girlfriend, Luo Qiqi, and so many friends. How could he possibly forgive him today!

"No..." Feeling his decisiveness, the Ruthless One's pupils contracted. Before he finished speaking, he immediately felt a sharp 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 Sea of Tides now returned, rejuvenating the previously barren wilderness.

"Just like that, he's dead?" Emperor Yun Chi, the Unbeaten Emperor, Immortal Fairy Linglong, and others all widened their eyes, unable to believe it. They had just fought the Ruthless One and knew how terrifying he was. Such a powerful being was actually annihilated with a mere casual move. What level had this Zhang Xuan reached? Could there truly be another realm above that of an Emperor?

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

"This is a part of the Heavenly Dao, so now I shall return it to the Heavenly Dao..." Seeing the "incomplete Heavenly Dao" that had just 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. Like the tolling of a great bell, the continuously collapsing God Realm visibly began to recover slowly, and the chaotic air currents also reconverged. The collapsing God Realm finally halted, and the depleted spiritual energy gradually revived with the Ruthless One's demise.

"It seems the God Realm is about to usher in an era of spiritual energy resurgence..." Zhang Xuan smiled. The hole in the Sea of Tides had recovered with the completion of the Heavenly Dao. 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 things, a voice echoed in his mind. Zhang Xuan was startled for a moment, then took a step. This single step took him an unknown distance. He then saw a young man standing before him. It was precisely the one who had taught him sword art before.

"Senior, you..." Seeing it was him, Zhang Xuan was taken aback. He had always felt this person was unfathomable, but only now did he realize that he was only slightly inferior to himself, already at the peak of the Emperor realm, immeasurably stronger than Luo Ruoxi had been before.

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

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

"Follow me, I'll take you to see my elder brother!" The young man named Nie Tong smiled faintly and stepped forward.

Zhang Xuan followed closely behind. After flying for an unknown distance, they stopped before a mountain peak. He then saw another young man. His appearance was not much older than Nie Tong's, with raised eyebrows that gave him a profound, unfathomable aura.

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

"I am Nie Yun!" The young man smiled faintly and looked over. "Which means... Nie Lingxi, the father of Luo Ruoxi, as you know her!"

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

"I used the One Qi Transforms Three Purities technique, 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 before him? How strong must he be then?

"No, wait. If you created the God Realm 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 might have completely collapsed. Why did this person before him not care? Did he even care about his daughter's life or death?

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

Zhang Xuan paused. "There should be..." 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 were stronger beings above the God Realm, so I used all my might to peek, which ultimately drew a backlash from a higher world... a hand tore through space and descended!" Nie Yun looked over. "At that time, if I had dodged, it's highly likely the entire God Realm would have been wiped clean, with no life remaining... So, I blocked that attack, but because of it, the Heavenly Dao, into which I had transformed, was split apart. In that 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 hand came from, and what lies 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 Heavenly Dao consciousness to the lowest realm... granting them respectively to 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 could transmigrate; he never expected it was all done by this person before him.

"Haha!" Nie Yun chuckled softly and said, "A soul originally from this world naturally holds reverence for it. Breaking through the world's shackles is much more difficult. I also just had a thought and didn't expect you would actually succeed..."

"I..." Zhang Xuan's face flushed. "If it weren't for Kong Shi, I couldn't have reached this level at all..." Without Kong Shi's selfless dedication, reaching his current realm would have been impossible.

"I gave him the chance, but he didn't seize it. His duel 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 doesn't even have that spirit, how can they contend?" Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan remained silent. He had witnessed their battle at the time; Kong Shi was indeed somewhat lacking in decisiveness. It was also possible that he was unwilling to slay Luo Ruoxi. Unfortunately, in that single thought, he missed his chance to advance.

"If Kong Shi had won, Ruoxi would have died..." A moment later, Zhang Xuan looked over, his eyebrows 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, at a life-or-death moment, if two people of our strength wanted to save someone, could it be done?"

Zhang Xuan gave a bitter smile. Breaking through the Emperor realm and being an Emperor were two different concepts. If Nie Yun had truly been willing to act, he could indeed have saved them at the last moment, and ensured they wouldn't suffer any injury.

"Lingxi was born to my other wife, Luo Qingcheng, which is why her disguised name is Luo... To make her believe and not act on emotion, she has always thought I was still in a coma until now..." Nie Yun gave a wry smile. "I've certainly been quite ruthless as a father... How about this, you explain this matter to her. After all, her thoughts are now on you. Her old dad probably won't even be remembered... Haha, I won't appear for a while, I'll hide for some time, otherwise, I'm really afraid she'll turn the world upside down..."

Seeing this unreliable father before him, Zhang Xuan's face twitched, and he could only agree. "Alright..." There was no other way but to agree. After all, he had "abducted" someone's daughter...

"The Library of Heaven's Path was formed from a thought of mine; it was both a foundation and a constraint. Your ability to break through the constraint on your own demonstrates your capability and potential. Your future is boundless. As her father, I am truly pleased that my daughter can be with you."