Chapter 758: Mirror Enlightenment

Soul contracts bind to the soul; as long as one does not voluntarily break them, they cannot be dissolved, even by beings of immense power. Even Emperor Undying, the Little Yellow Chicken, previously a God King and now an Emperor, could not dissolve such an agreement. To prevent him from reneging and causing a backlash, the Master Teacher Continent had specifically decreed that even if one could escape the Heavenly Dao Register, they could not break free from a soul agreement!

“A soul contract indeed cannot be split from one’s 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 I have enough power to strike the contract’s location, it can be done!” the Ruthless One said.

Soul contracts are based on the Heavenly Dao. If this special power can even dissolve the Heavenly Dao of the God Realm, what difficulty is there in dissolving a soul contract, provided it’s handled properly?

“So that’s how it is…” Zhang Xuan’s eyes glinted.

“I’ve told you all this as thanks for bringing me to the God Realm!”

After explaining, the Ruthless One said no more. His aura grew increasingly ancient and profound, and the black hole behind him expanded further. Clearly, while speaking, he had absorbed an immeasurable amount of energy as sustenance.

“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 make your move!” With his doubts fully dispelled, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, and his longsword suddenly rose. “In that case, let’s see who is truly stronger!”

Boom!

The most powerful sword intent was unleashed once more:*Live to return home, die to be longed for eternally!*

With no regard for life or death, what could possibly stop him? Though this sword technique had not reached the comprehension level of an Emperor, it contained all his inner obsessions, pushing the Heavenly Dao of Emotion cultivation art 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-like hand swirling, her sword light like snow. Her sword technique was somewhat similar to that of the young man from Sword God Heaven, possessing an indomitable aura and the unconstrained elegance of the Great Dao.

“Your techniques are formidable, but compared to me, they still fall short…” With a light laugh, the Ruthless One lunged downwards again.

In an instant, he blotted out the sky and covered the earth, his palm enveloping everything. Space shattered, and the sun, moon, and stars seemed as though they would be forcibly knocked down.

Pfft! Pfft!

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

“Impudent!” The clone strode forward, lotus flowers blooming with every step, and the sound of flowing water echoing in the void. From a distance, he looked incredibly impressive. Having refined the Nine Heavens Chaotic Golden Lotus, his cultivation was in no way inferior to Zhang Xuan’s. He raised a fist, and power surged into the nine heavens. Colliding with the Ruthless One, he was also sent flying backward, unable to withstand a single move.

Zhang Xuan covered his forehead. Even after achieving the rank of Emperor, the clone still hadn't changed his ostentatious nature… Such dazzling showmanship was less effective than simply concentrating his power for greater might!

“Attack together, or if they die, we will all die…” The Little Yellow Chicken let out a fierce cry, and crimson flames burned, making the sky seem ignited.

The remaining six Emperors also unleashed their respective techniques. The seven Emperors combined their might, capable of destroying heaven and earth; a single world could not withstand them. However, their opponent was the Ruthless One, who had absorbed special power. As their attacks approached, the black hole suddenly grew, instantly devouring their energy, then immediately counter-attacked.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The seven Emperors, like Zhang Xuan and the others, were sent flying backward. The ten Emperors, united, couldn’t even block a single one of his moves! How could this guy be so powerful?

“You can all die now…” After defeating everyone with one move, the Ruthless One took a step forward, flipped his wrist, and struck down again.

“You scoundrel, how dare you!” With a loud roar, the elder 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 elder had previously followed behind the young man, Zhang Xuan had thought he was merely an attendant, at most a Conferred God King. Only after he unleashed his power did Zhang Xuan realize he was also an Emperor! If he was an Emperor, what about that young man?

“He himself is the Emperor of Sword God Heaven…” Struggling to stand, Luo Ruoxi grit her teeth.

“Then… what about the young man who taught me sword techniques?” Zhang Xuan could no longer hold back.

“He is…” Luo Ruoxi was about to answer when space distorted. Immediately, the Emperor from Sword God Heaven was also sent flying backward, landing some distance away and creating a large crater. Even Zhang Xuan’s current strength and comprehension of the sword path, which far surpassed the elder's, couldn't withstand the Ruthless One. So despite the elder’s formidable cultivation and exquisite sword skills, he was still no match.

“Haha, Emperors are just a bunch of worthless chickens and dogs! Today, I shall destroy the Nine Heavens, obliterate this God Realm, and trample all its rules!” Having defeated the Emperor of Sword God Heaven, the Ruthless One laughed maniacally. The surrounding space continuously collapsed, making him appear demonic.

“What do we do?” Zhang Xuan clenched his fists. Just now, he and his clone had unleashed their strongest combat power, and even Luo Ruoxi had used her most powerful techniques, yet they couldn’t block a single one of his moves… Could it be that no one in the God Realm could truly stop this person? Would they just let him destroy the world?

“The only way… is to return your Flaw in 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 originally a part of the Heavenly Dao. Once it returned, the Heavenly Dao would be completely whole, perhaps allowing it to fix its vulnerabilities and expel the Ruthless One on its own. It was like the human body’s immune system. If the immune system is intact, it can easily drive away viruses; if it’s broken, it can’t resist viral invasion, and even the strongest person would die as a result.

However…

“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. The immune system can kill viruses, but… what about a fierce tiger? What could even the strongest immune system do against that? Normally, the Heavenly Dao could easily kill an ordinary God King, or even a Conferred God King. But this person was stronger than an Emperor… He was already beyond what the Heavenly Dao could contend with.

Luo Ruoxi paused, a look of disappointment on her fair, jade-like face. “Yes… it can’t suppress him. But if the Heavenly Dao is complete, he will awaken, and killing this one won’t be difficult!”

“He?” Zhang Xuan frowned.

“I’ll take you to see him, he’s in the Heavens of Ease…” Taking a deep breath, Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth and flew forward.

“Trying to escape?” The Ruthless One coldly snorted and pressed downwards.

Luo Ruoxi plummeted from the sky. Zhang Xuan unleashed his sword technique again, and a brilliant sword intent burst forth.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

He was once again blocked by the Ruthless One.

“You two go quickly, I’ll hold him off…” Knowing that they were seeking a way to save the God Realm, not flee, the clone and Emperor Undying roared and stood in front. Luo Qiqi also transformed, returning to her true form as the Tranquil Void Orb. The surrounding space solidified.

“Go!” Seeing everyone bravely block the enemy without fear of death, Zhang Xuan’s eyes reddened. However, knowing it wasn’t the time for words, he pulled Luo Ruoxi, and with a flicker of his body, tore through space, appearing within the Heavens of Ease the next moment.

The Heavens of Ease had lost their previous tranquility; the God Realm was collapsing, and chaos reigned everywhere.

“Where is this person you spoke 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, and Emperor Undying was once his beast companion…” Luo Ruoxi adjusted her breathing and explained.

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

“Your father is also an Emperor? Or does he possess strength beyond an Emperor’s?” He couldn’t help but ask. When the Library of Heaven’s Path was in chaos, the blood in the pendant had brought him back to his senses. Could it be that not only was she an Emperor, but her father was too, and even more powerful? If that was the case, then why would he have fallen into a coma? And why would he need the Flaw in Heavenly Dao to awaken?

“He isn’t an Emperor, but… the Heavenly Dao itself!” Luo Ruoxi clenched her delicate fists.

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

“Yes! Fifty years ago, Father couldn’t resist that massive hand and fell into a coma. The Heavenly Dao fragmented into three parts: the Ordered Heavenly Dao and the Flawed Heavenly Dao entered the spatial turbulence, while I took control of the Natural Heavenly Dao to maintain balance in the God Realm. To restore him, all the scattered parts needed to be collected… That’s why I was so resolute; I couldn’t fail! That’s why I specifically entered the Master Teacher Continent, studied the Spring and Autumn Annals, and found a way to defeat Master Kong! The favor I asked of Master Kong during our battle was also for this,” Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan was enlightened. When they had first met on the Master Teacher Continent, the girl before him had told him her story about wanting to save a beloved family member. He hadn’t understood then, but now it all made sense. It was her father, and he was the Heavenly Dao of the God Realm! Could the Heavenly Dao truly take human form and have children?

“Acting as proxy for the Natural Heavenly Dao… You don’t have any Heavenly Dao fragments within you?” Suddenly realizing something odd in her words, Zhang Xuan looked at her. Acting as proxy and having it fused 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 breathed a sigh of relief. This meant he only needed to extract the Flaw in Heavenly Dao from himself; she wouldn’t have to die. Although he didn’t wish to accept such a fate, he also didn’t want the girl before him to be harmed.

“If I extract the Flaw in Heavenly Dao from my body, your father will awaken and even kill the Ruthless One, right?” Zhang Xuan asked.

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

“It seems you aren’t sure either. In that case, it’s better to rely on ourselves than on others… We must find a way ourselves!” Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth. “You, I, the clone, united with the Nine Emperors of the Nine Heavens, and if Master Kong cooperates with us, we might still win!”

“Master Kong? He…” Luo Ruoxi frowned.

“Master Kong isn’t truly dead. If I’m not mistaken, your killing him was just a method for him to escape the Heavenly Dao… If nothing unexpected happened, he should be a Congenital Embryonic Soul Body, just like Wei Changfeng!” Zhang Xuan said. Upon seeing Wei Changfeng, he understood. Master Kong’s so-called preservation of his consciousness must have been due to being a Congenital Embryonic Soul Body, just like him. Such a body allowed one to retain lucidity from birth. Coupled with the preparations he had made beforehand, his revival was only a matter of time.

Luo Ruoxi was stunned, apparently not having expected this to be the case.

“We’ll know if we go take a look. If my guess is right, he should have already recovered. Otherwise, his students wouldn’t have even gone to the Sea of Tides…” Zhang Xuan said. Master Kong’s students, such as Ancient Sage Ziyuan and the others, were all very strong. 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 must have been more important matters awaiting them, which they intended to attend to while all the Emperors were preoccupied with the Sea of Tides! And this important matter was clearly to help Master Kong recover.

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

“Let’s go!” Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan made a single motion and reappeared at Master Kong’s residence. Indeed, he saw an elder sitting cross-legged, suspended in the air. Seeing them arrive, the elder smiled slightly. “You’ve come!”

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

Luo Ruoxi’s delicate body trembled. She knew Emperors could revive, and Emperor Undying had 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 in advance. The nameless giant in the Nether Soul Pool was left by me. When you killed it that day, I seized the opportunity to break free from the Heavenly Dao’s constraints and rematerialize my body. I’ve only just recovered now!” Master Kong smiled faintly. He was proficient in the ability of time. While it seemed only a day or two had passed in the God Realm, in reality, he had experienced an unknown amount of time to recover his strength. Decades of time had passed.

“The three of us are strong, but it won’t be easy to defeat the Ruthless One…” Seeing that Master Kong had indeed recovered, Luo Ruoxi still shook her head. It wasn’t that she was boosting the enemy’s prestige and dampening their own morale; it was simply the truth. Just now, so many people combined couldn’t stop him. What difference would adding Master Kong make? It still wouldn’t change the situation!

“Individually, and even united, we are indeed no match for him. But… what if all our strength is concentrated into one person?” Master Kong looked over with a smile.

“Concentrated into one person?” This time, not only did Luo Ruoxi frown, but Zhang Xuan was also full of doubts.

“That hand could tear apart the God Realm and even shatter the Heavenly Dao; its strength is beyond doubt. The Ruthless One absorbed all of that power and also consumed fifty years of the God Realm’s spiritual energy. Individually, none of us dozen-plus Emperors are truly a match for him…” Master Kong said, “But if we unite and concentrate our power into one person… that might be different!”

“How do we concentrate it?” Luo Ruoxi looked over. It sounded simple, but it was hard to do. Emperors were already at the peak of the God Realm. If it were that easy to absorb others’ power, she wouldn’t have stagnated for so many years.

“It’s very simple… We will concentrate all our power on Zhang Xuan. Once he breaks through the Emperor’s shackles, he can save the God Realm!” Master Kong said.

“Me?” Zhang Xuan was stunned. “Why me?”

“Emperor Lingxi cultivates freedom and transcendence from nature! But with the constraints of her father and the Heavenly Dao, and people she cares for, she can never truly transcend! If I’m not mistaken, when we fought back then, you also once gave up, intending to be slain by me, didn’t you?” Master Kong said.

Luo Ruoxi was speechless. Indeed, during their battle, she had had such an intention. That’s why their initial exchanges were more like sparring, with each holding back, rather than a fight to the death.

“If one cannot transcend, one naturally cannot unleash their strongest power. Even with immense true qi, one cannot assault that supreme realm! As for me…” Master Kong nodded. “My heart is filled with concern for the common people, wishing to bring salvation to the world, yet I am unwilling for others to sacrifice for me. Too much benevolence is also a flaw! If I had been more ruthless and exterminated the Spirit Race, we wouldn’t be in this situation now…” If all members of the Spirit Race had been exterminated back then, the Ruthless One would not have been able to revive, and the current situation would not have arisen.

“Therefore, I am also not suitable! As for Zhang Xuan, his cultivation method is to his liking, without flaws. He lives for himself; even if he dies, as long as he lives without regrets, his heart is clear. Such a person possesses greater capacity and greater room for growth. Only in this way can one go higher and further!” Master Kong continued.

*Live to return home, die to be longed for eternally!*

If one doesn’t even care about death, how could they be shackled by other things?

Zhang Xuan frowned, about to say something, when he saw Master Kong look over with piercing eyes. “There’s no need to decline. Firstly, there’s no time to cultivate anyone else. Even if there were, I don’t believe anyone could do better than you! Although Emperor Lingxi doesn’t have Heavenly Dao fragments within her, she has controlled the Heavenly Dao for many years and possesses her own understanding of it. I control the Ordered Heavenly Dao. If we infuse our power into you, you will possess the power of the complete Heavenly Dao! Coupled with your clone’s Nine Heavens Chaotic Golden Lotus, you can absolutely stabilize the Nine Heavens, control the universe, battle the Nine Firmaments, and destroy all things!”

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

Boom!

He sat cross-legged. In the blink of an eye, two powerful currents of energy surged in from both sides. Zhang Xuan’s entire body stiffened. In that 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, growing stronger and more profound.

“You want to stop me too? Fine, I’ll kill you first, then go slay Zhang Xuan…” After sending Luo Qiqi and the clone flying, the Ruthless One sneered coldly. The combined power unleashed by the clone and the various Emperors was indeed formidable, but compared to him, it was still somewhat weaker. The Sea of Tides had almost entirely consumed the spiritual energy outside the cities of the God Realm. Now, all that power had become his nourishment, and every move he made carried the ability to destroy heaven and earth. These Emperors and God Kings, despite representing the peak of the God Realm, were still no match. At this moment, the Ruthless One seemed to embody the entire God Realm; no one could stop him.

“If the God Realm perishes, there’s no meaning in us living. I, Emperor Yunli, shall perish with you…” Emperor Yunli transformed into his true form, a massive five-clawed golden dragon, and soared through the air towards him.

“You? Unworthy!” The Ruthless One squeezed his palm, and the golden dragon was caught within it, unable to escape no matter how it struggled.

“Old friend, wait for me!” Emperor Fumen also roared, transforming into his true form, a White Tiger, and appeared in the air before him. Emperor Undying’s true form, the Undying Fire Phoenix, appeared, its flames illuminating the sky. Emperor Xuanming, 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 cardinal points, simultaneously transformed into their true forms. The collapsing God Realm even seemed to slow down. Heaven and Earth seemed to freeze in that instant.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

With four consecutive palm strikes, the Ruthless One suppressed the four beasts, a strong killing intent flashing in his eyes. “Since you seek death, I shall grant it to you…” Amidst his roars, just as he was about to unleash a fatal blow to obliterate everyone, he felt his raised arm tighten, stopping in mid-air.

“Want to kill them? Did you ask for my permission first?” Immediately afterward, 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 was an entire world.

“You’ve made significant progress…” The Ruthless One stopped, his gaze solemn. He clearly didn’t understand why, in just a few minutes, the opponent’s strength had undergone such a tremendous change.

“But what if it has increased? The God Realm at its peak couldn’t withstand me; I don’t believe you can stop me…” With a cold snort, the Ruthless One struck down again.

Zhang Xuan raised his longsword and met the attack. The two fought, tearing space apart as chaotic currents of air surged everywhere.

“Can Zhang Xuan win?” At Master Kong’s residence in the Heavens of Ease, Luo Ruoxi looked on, filled with worry. She and Master Kong had transferred their power to Zhang Xuan, and their own cultivations had consequently fallen to the God King level, no longer as glorious as before. However, their core foundation remained. With enough power, they would eventually recover.

“With his current strength, winning… will be difficult! Unless… he can comprehend a power beyond that of an Emperor!” After a moment of silence, Master Kong said. Even over a dozen Emperors united couldn’t defeat the Ruthless One. Even if they transferred all their power to Zhang Xuan, winning wouldn’t be easy. The reason for doing this was that… only by concentrating power into one person could they possibly reach the pinnacle, truly surpass their limits, and break through themselves!

“Power beyond an Emperor?” Luo Ruoxi’s gaze grew 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 certainly can… He possesses an unyielding heart! And a profound pride in this world.” Seeing the doubt in her heart, Master Kong smiled.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

After several consecutive moves, the web of skin between Zhang Xuan’s thumb and forefinger tore open, and a huge, grotesque wound appeared on his chest. Just as Master Kong had said, even after integrating their combined power and forming a complete Heavenly Dao within him, he was still no match.

“Haha, I thought you were more impressive. You’re nothing special!” The Ruthless One sneered 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 looked at the Ruthless One before him instead.

“Very well, I shall grant your wish and give you my strongest attack…” Hearing him say this, the Ruthless One was momentarily stunned, then let out a cold snort and raised his palm.

Whoosh!

A streak of blue light appeared in his palm and slammed downwards. It was indeed his strongest attack. The entire God Realm rumbled as if it could no longer bear the strain, and another massive crater was created.

With his eyes closed, Zhang Xuan did not dodge. His head exploded, and his soul scattered in all directions.

“Zhang Xuan…” Seeing this scene, everyone’s faces turned pale. Luo Qiqi seemed to go mad. Emperor Yunli and the others also widened their eyes, trembling continuously. Master Kong and Luo Ruoxi, who witnessed this scene, were both stunned. Their original intention was for him to break through his shackles and strive for a realm beyond Emperor-level. Why did he not resist and instead willingly accept death? Wouldn’t this betray their good intentions?

“No, that’s Emperor Undying’s method of immortality…” Just as they were wondering, Master Kong suddenly spoke.

Everyone then saw Zhang Xuan, whose head had exploded and soul had shattered, his pendant suddenly bursting open on his chest. A drop of blood floated up and ignited, forming a scorching flame. From within the flame, an unharmed figure slowly emerged.

“He… used the opponent’s power and the blood in the pendant to separate the Flaw in 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 detached himself from the Heavenly Dao!

“How did he do it?” Master Kong was also filled with disbelief. The Heavenly Dao and soul were fused, inseparable. To