Chapter 759: Transforming the Dao to Resolve Its Crisis

Soul contracts are deeply tied to the soul. As long as one does not dissolve it themselves, even someone with extraordinary abilities cannot break it.

It's like Emperor Undying Little Yellow Chicken; he was only a God King before, and even as an Emperor, he couldn't resolve such an agreement.

To prevent this guy from changing his mind and causing a backlash, the Master Teacher Continent specifically stipulated that even if someone could escape the Dao of Heaven's registry, they could not break free from a soul agreement!

"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 Dao of Heaven. Dissolving this contract is not difficult… as long as I have enough power to strike where the contract resides, I can do it!" the Ruthless Man said.

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

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

"I've told you all this as a thank you for bringing me to the God Realm!"

After explaining, the Ruthless Man said no more. His aura grew increasingly ancient and profound, and the black hole behind him expanded further. Clearly, while he was speaking, he had devoured countless more powers, nourishing himself.

"Zhang Xuan, the more the black hole devours, the stronger he becomes…"

Luo Ruoxi also noticed something was amiss and quickly sent a telepathic message.

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

Boom!

The most powerful sword intent was unleashed once more.

Live to return, die to yearn forever!

If life and death are disregarded, what can stand in the way?

Although this sword technique had not reached the comprehension of an Emperor, it contained all of his inner obsessions, pushing the Emotion-Infused Heaven Art within him to its limit. With one sword strike, he cut the Ruthless Man's attack in half.

At the same moment, Luo Ruoxi also made her move, her jade hands swirling, sword light gleaming like snow. Her swordplay 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.

"Your techniques are formidable, but compared to me, they still fall short…"

With a faint smile, the Ruthless Man reached down again. In an instant, his palm covered the sky and obscured the sun, enveloping heaven and earth. Space shattered, and the sun, moon, and stars seemed as if they would be forcibly knocked down.

*Pfft! Pfft!*

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

"How dare you!" The clone strode forward, lotuses blooming with each step, and the sound of flowing water echoed in the void. From afar, he exuded an imposing aura. Having refined the Nine Heavens Chaotic Golden Lotus, his cultivation was in no way weaker than Zhang Xuan's.

He raised his fist, and power surged into the Nine Heavens. Clashing with the Ruthless Man, he was also sent flying back, unable to withstand a single move.

Zhang Xuan covered his forehead. Even after becoming an Emperor, the clone still hadn't changed his pretentious nature… Such flashy posturing; it would be more powerful to focus his strength!

"Attack together, otherwise, if they die, we'll all die…"

Little Yellow Chicken roared, and crimson flames burned, as if setting the sky ablaze. The remaining six Emperors also unleashed their techniques. Seven Emperors united could destroy heaven and earth, with even a realm unable to withstand them. But the opponent was the Ruthless Man, who had absorbed special power. As their attacks approached, the black hole suddenly grew, devouring all their strength in the blink of an eye, then counterattacking.

*Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!*

The seven Emperors, like Zhang Xuan and the others, were sent flying back. 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 routed everyone with one move, the Ruthless Man took a step forward, flipped his wrist, and struck down again.

"How dare you, scoundrel!"

With a loud shout, the old man from Sword God Heaven suddenly appeared, blocking the way, his long sword transforming into a galaxy.

"An Emperor? He's also at the Emperor realm?" Zhang Xuan's pupils constricted. This old man had been following behind the young man. Zhang Xuan had thought he was merely a retainer, at most a Titled God King, but upon seeing him unleash his power, he discovered that he was also a powerful Emperor!

If he was an Emperor, what was that young man then?

"He is already an Emperor of Sword God Heaven…" Struggling to his feet, Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth.

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

"He is…" Just as Luo Ruoxi was about to answer, space twisted, and she saw the Emperor from Sword God Heaven also being sent flying, landing a short distance away, creating a large crater.

Zhang Xuan's current strength and comprehension of the Sword Dao far surpassed his, yet Zhang Xuan couldn't resist. Even if this Emperor's cultivation wasn't weak and his swordsmanship was superb, he was still no match.

"Haha, Emperors are nothing but a bunch of pathetic chickens and dogs! Today, I will destroy the Nine Heavens, obliterate this God Realm, and flatten all its rules!"

Having defeated the Emperor of Sword God Heaven, the Ruthless Man laughed maniacally. The surrounding space continuously collapsed, making him appear like a demon or devil.

"What should we do?" Zhang Xuan clenched his fists. Just now, both he and his clone had unleashed their strongest combat power. Even Luo Ruoxi, standing before him, had used her most powerful techniques, yet they couldn't block a single move from the opponent… Was there truly no one in the God Realm who could stop this person before them? Would they just let him destroy the world?

"The only way… is to let your Flawed Dao of Heaven return to the Dao of Heaven itself, allowing the Dao of Heaven to suppress him…" Luo Ruoxi clenched her delicate fists, her eyes reddening.

"Return to the Dao of Heaven itself?" Zhang Xuan understood her meaning. The Library of Heaven's Path in his mind was originally a part of the Dao of Heaven. Once it returned, the Dao of Heaven would be completely whole, perhaps allowing it to fix vulnerabilities and automatically expel the Ruthless Man.

It was 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 can die.

But…

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

Luo Ruoxi paused, a look of disappointment on her fair, jade-like face. "You're right… it can't suppress him. However, if the Dao of Heaven is complete, *he* will awaken, and defeating this one won't be difficult!"

"He?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

"Trying to escape?" The Ruthless Man snorted coldly and pressed downwards. Luo Ruoxi fell from the sky. Zhang Xuan's sword technique was unleashed again, and glorious sword intent burst forth.

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*

He was blocked by the Ruthless Man once more.

"You two go quickly, I'll hold him off…"

Knowing they were trying to find a way to save the God Realm, not just escape, the clone and Emperor Undying roared and stood in front. Luo Qiqi also transformed, returning to her true form as the Serene Space Pearl. The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone selflessly blocking behind them, fearless of death, Zhang Xuan's eyes reddened. However, he knew this was no time for words. He pulled Luo Ruoxi, his body flickered, tearing through space, and the next moment, they appeared within the bounds of Heaven of Freedom.

Heaven of Freedom had lost its former tranquility. The God Realm was collapsing, and chaos reigned everywhere.

"Where is 'he' that 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. 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 that the blood in the pendant was similar yet different from Luo Ruoxi's; it turned out to be her father's. This also explained why the remnant will of Emperor Undying immediately recognized him as its master after seeing the pendant.

"Is your father also an Emperor? Or does he possess strength beyond an Emperor?" He couldn't help but ask. The Library of Heaven's Path had been in chaos, and the blood in the pendant had restored his clarity. Could it be that not only was she an Emperor, but her father was too, and even more powerful? If so, why would he be in a coma? And why would the Flawed Dao of Heaven be needed for him to awaken?

"He is not an Emperor; he is… the Dao of Heaven!" Luo Ruoxi clenched her delicate fists.

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

"Yes! Fifty years ago, Father couldn't resist that giant hand and fell into a coma. The Dao of Heaven shattered into three parts: the Orderly Dao of Heaven and the Flawed Dao of Heaven entered the spatial turbulent flow, while I took control of the Natural Dao of Heaven to maintain the balance of the God Realm. To restore him, we must collect the scattered parts… That's why I was so resolute and couldn't afford to fail! That's why I specifically entered the Master Teacher Continent, studied the Spring and Autumn Codex, and sought a way to defeat Master Kong! What I asked of him during our battle was also this," Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood. Shortly after they first met on the Master Teacher Continent, the girl before him had told him her story about saving a loved one. He hadn't understood it then, but now it all became clear. It turned out to be her father, and furthermore, the Dao of Heaven of the God Realm! Could the Dao of Heaven truly take human form and have children?

"Took control of the Natural Dao of Heaven… You don't have fragments of the Dao of Heaven within you?" Suddenly, realizing something amiss in her words, Zhang Xuan looked at her. Taking control and integrating it within oneself were two different concepts.

"I only control it; I am not a part of the Dao of Heaven itself…" Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. This meant he only needed to separate the Flawed Dao of Heaven from himself; she wouldn't need to die. Although he was unwilling to accept such a fate, he also didn't want the girl before him to be harmed.

"If I separate the Flawed Dao of Heaven from my body, your father will come back to life, and even kill the Ruthless Man, 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. With its foundation in such a state, even if he woke up, could he truly defeat that powerful Ruthless Man? It was really 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 Kong cooperates, we might not necessarily fail to win!"

"Master Kong? He…" Luo Ruoxi frowned.

"Master Kong is dead, right? He didn't truly die. If I'm not mistaken, your killing him was merely a method for him to escape the Dao of Heaven… Most likely, he's like Wei Changfeng, an Innate Fetal Soul Body!" Zhang Xuan said. Seeing Wei Changfeng, he understood that Master Kong's claim of maintaining his consciousness meant he was an Innate Fetal Soul Body, just like Wei Changfeng. This allowed for clarity even within the womb. Coupled with the preparations he made in advance, resurrection was only a matter of time.

Luo Ruoxi froze, as if she hadn't expected it to be like this.

"We'll know if we go check. If my guess is correct, he should have recovered by now. Otherwise, his students wouldn't have avoided even the Tidal Sea…" Zhang Xuan said. Master Kong's students, like Ancient Sage Ziyuan and the others, were all powerful. Even without the help of an Emperor, they would surely have a way to enter the Tidal Sea, yet none of them were seen. There must have been something more important awaiting them, something they wanted to do while all the Emperors were preoccupied with the Tidal Sea. 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 swiped his hand and reappeared at Master Kong's residence. Indeed, he saw an old man floating cross-legged in the air. Seeing them arrive, the old man smiled faintly, "You're here!" Who else could it be but Master Kong! This Master of Ten Thousand Generations truly did not disappoint him! As expected, he had resurrected while everyone's attention was focused on the Tidal Sea.

Luo Ruoxi's delicate body trembled. She knew Emperors could resurrect, and Emperor Undying had come back to life, but… she hadn't expected it to be so quick!

"I concealed myself from the Dao of Heaven 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 escape the constraints of the Dao of Heaven and re-condense my physical body. I've only just recovered now!" Master Kong smiled faintly. He was skilled in temporal abilities. 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 had passed.

"The three of us are strong, but defeating the Ruthless Man won't be easy…" Seeing that Master Kong had indeed recovered, Luo Ruoxi still shook her head. She wasn't praising the enemy to dampen their own spirits; it was simply the truth. Just now, so many people had united and still couldn't block the opponent. Even adding Master Kong, what difference would it make? It still wouldn't change the situation!

"Our individual strengths, and even our combined strength, are indeed no match for the opponent. But… what if we concentrate everyone's power into one person?" Master Kong smiled and looked at them.

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

"That palm could tear through the God Realm and scatter the Dao of Heaven; its power is undeniable. The Ruthless Man absorbed all of that power and then devoured fifty years' worth of spiritual energy from the God Realm. In terms of individual strength, none of us, a dozen or so Emperors, are a match for him…" Master Kong said, "But if we unite and concentrate our 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 do. Emperors were already at the pinnacle of the God Realm. If it were so easy to absorb others' power, she wouldn't have stagnated for so many years.

"It's simple… We'll concentrate all our power onto Zhang Xuan. Once he breaks through the Emperor's shackles, he can save the God Realm!" Master Kong said.

"Me?" Zhang Xuan was startled. "Why me?"

"Emperor Lingxi cultivates freedom and transcendence! But with the restrictions of her father and the Dao of Heaven, and with people she cares about, she can never truly transcend! If I'm not mistaken, when you fought me, you once gave up, intending to be slain by me, didn't you?" Master Kong said.

Luo Ruoxi was speechless. During their battle, she indeed had such an intention. That's why, at the beginning of their confrontation, both held back, making it seem like a sparring match rather than a fight to the death.

"Unable to transcend, one naturally cannot unleash their strongest power. Even with an abundance of true qi, it's impossible to impact that supreme realm! As for me…" Master Kong nodded. "I care for all living beings and wish to enlighten 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 Qingtian race, we wouldn't be in this situation now…" If he had exterminated all the Qingtian people back then, the Ruthless Man could not have resurrected, and the current situation would not exist.

"Therefore, I am also not suitable! But Zhang Xuan's cultivation technique aligns with his heart and has no flaws. He strives to live as himself; even if he dies, as long as he lives without regrets, his heart is unburdened. Such a person possesses greater capacity and greater room for development. Only this way can one go higher and further!" Master Kong continued.

Live to return, die to yearn forever! If even death is disregarded, how could he be constrained by other matters?

Zhang Xuan frowned, about to say something, when Master Kong looked at him with bright eyes. "No need to decline. Firstly, there isn't enough time to train someone else. Even if there were, I don't believe anyone could do better than you! Although Emperor Lingxi doesn't have fragments of the Dao of Heaven within her, she has controlled the Dao of Heaven for many years and has her own understanding of it. I control the Orderly Dao of Heaven. If we infuse our power into you, you will possess the power of the complete Dao of Heaven! Combined with your clone's Nine Heavens Chaotic Golden Lotus, you can fully 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 their decision, and knowing that further explanations would be useless, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Boom!

He sat cross-legged, and in the blink of an eye, two vast streams of power surged into him from both sides. Zhang Xuan's entire body stiffened. In an instant, he felt as if he had transformed into the Dao of Heaven 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 all, then go slay Zhang Xuan…" After swatting Luo Qiqi and the clone away, the Ruthless Man gave a cold smile. The combined power unleashed by the clone and the various Emperors was indeed formidable, but compared to him, it was still a bit weaker. The Tidal Sea had almost completely devoured the spiritual energy of the God Realm outside the cities. Now, all that power had become his nourishment. 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 for him. At this moment, the Ruthless Man seemed to embody the entire God Realm, unstoppable by anyone.

"If the God Realm perishes, our lives will be meaningless. I, Emperor Yunchi, will perish with you…" Emperor Yunchi transformed into his true form, a massive five-clawed golden dragon, and soared through the air, pouncing towards him.

"Just you? You're not worthy!" The Ruthless Man clenched his palm, and the golden dragon was trapped within it, unable to escape no matter how it struggled.

"Old friend, wait for me!" Emperor Fumei also roared, transforming into his true form, a White Tiger, and flew forward. Emperor Undying's true form, the Undying Fire Phoenix, appeared, its flames illuminating the sky. Emperor Xuanming's true form was a massive tortoise, seemingly supporting all 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 an instant.

*Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!*

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…" Amidst his roar, just as he was about to unleash a deadly strike and obliterate everyone, he felt his raised arm tighten, stopping in mid-air.

"You want to kill them? Have you asked me first…"

Then, to everyone's shocked gazes, a figure slowly walked out of the air. It was none other than 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 an entire world.

"You've improved quite a bit…" The Ruthless Man stopped, his gaze serious. He clearly didn't understand why the opponent's strength had undergone such a tremendous change in just a few minutes.

"But what if you've grown 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 Man struck down again. Zhang Xuan raised his long sword and met the attack. The two engaged in battle, tearing space apart as chaotic currents surged everywhere.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?" At Master Kong's residence in Heaven of Freedom, Luo Ruoxi looked on with deep worry. She and Master Kong had transferred their power to Zhang Xuan, and their own cultivation had fallen to only the God King level, no longer as glorious as before. However, their fundamental level remained; as long as they had enough power, they could eventually recover.

"With his current strength, it will be very difficult to win… unless… he can comprehend a power beyond an Emperor!" After a moment of silence, Master Kong said. A dozen or so Emperors united couldn't defeat the Ruthless Man. Even if they transferred all their power to Zhang Xuan, victory wouldn't be easy. The reason for doing this was that… only by concentrating power into one person was it possible to reach the pinnacle, to truly surpass limits, and to break through oneself!

"Power beyond an Emperor?" Luo Ruoxi's gaze drifted into the distance. When her father was still awake, 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." Sensing the doubt in her heart, Master Kong smiled.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

After several consecutive moves, Zhang Xuan's tiger's mouth (the web between thumb and forefinger) split open, and a huge, ghastly wound appeared on his chest. Just as Master Kong had said, even after integrating their combined power and forming a complete Dao of Heaven within himself, he was still no match.

"Haha, I thought you were more impressive. Just mediocre!" The Ruthless Man gave a cold laugh.

"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 Man before him.

"Very well, I'll grant your wish. I'll give you my strongest attack…" Hearing him say this, the Ruthless Man paused for a moment, then snorted coldly and raised his palm.

*Whoosh!*

A blue light appeared in his palm and slammed downwards fiercely. It was indeed his strongest attack. The entire God Realm roared, as if on the verge of collapse, and another massive crater was struck into it. With his 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 Yunchi and the others also widened their eyes, trembling continuously. Master Kong and Luo Ruoxi, who witnessed this, were also stunned. Their original intention was for him to break through his shackles and strive for a realm beyond the Emperor. Why didn't he resist? Why did he willingly embrace death? Wouldn't this betray their good intentions?

"No, this is Emperor Undying's method of immortality…" As they wondered, Master Kong suddenly spoke.

Everyone then saw Zhang Xuan, whose head had exploded and soul shattered. The pendant on his chest suddenly burst open, and a drop of blood floated up, igniting into a scorching flame. From within the flames, a perfectly intact figure slowly emerged.

"He… used the opponent's power and the blood in the pendant to separate the Flawed Dao of Heaven from his soul?" Luo Ruoxi's pupils contracted. Zhang Xuan, reborn from the ashes, no longer had the Library of Heaven's Path within him. Free from the interference of the Dao of Heaven, he had detached from it!

"How did he do it?" Master Kong was also filled with disbelief. The Dao of Heaven and the soul were intertwined, inseparable. To break free, he had to scatter his soul and re-condense it using the Nether Soul Pool. But this person, with just one strike, had completely broken free. What method did he use?

"I know… He used the Ruthless Man's method of escaping soul contracts…" Luo Ruoxi realized. A soul contract binds master and servant; if the master doesn't release it, the servant remains forever constrained… The Library of Heaven's Path was also like this, an enhanced version of such a contract. Once bound to the soul, it wouldn't detach even in death. However… the Ruthless Man had used that special power to escape the soul contract. Zhang Xuan had specifically inquired about the method before, likely having conceived this idea back then. That's why he deliberately risked his life, allowing the Ruthless Man to attack him with his strongest power. By using this power, he was reborn from the ashes. 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, showed 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 merged with his body. In the blink of an eye, everyone felt as if Zhang Xuan, standing before them, had become the Nine Heavens, and the Nine Heavens were him.

He lightly stepped on the ground. The chaotic Nine Heavens immediately stabilized. The Nine Heavens Chaotic Golden Lotus appeared at the birth of the Nine Heavens and could stabilize them. Now, with the clone perfectly merged with himself, indistinguishable, it meant he had gained control over this power. Not only that, with the cultivation of the Nine Heavens Chaotic Golden Lotus integrated, his already peak realm loosened, seeming ready to break through at any moment.

"Master-servant affection, brotherhood, teacher-student bond, parental love, romantic love… When merged, these are all things in the world. This is what it means to be human!" With a smile, Zhang Xuan murmured to himself. The moment the Library of Heaven's Path separated from his soul, he understood.

Did humans perceive the world, thereby creating it, or did the world exist first, and then humans? Was it the wind moving, or the heart moving! This question had eternally perplexed countless individuals. Of course, now… none of that mattered! Without life, without emotion, even if the world existed, what meaning would it have? Therefore, after transcending romantic love, came the love for all beings! It was the emotion that intertwined with all under heaven. All things in the world have emotions. Only with emotions can there be a world, and only with emotions can life continue.

Love is emotion. Hatred is emotion. Joy is emotion. Pain is emotion. Parting is emotion. Reunion is also emotion!

"A myriad of emotions, at my command…"

With a low cry, the confined realm within Zhang Xuan's body instantly shattered. The Emperor's shackles were broken! In an instant, he seemed to touch a brand new world and a grand gate, and his soul was rapidly nourished. Countless streams of chaotic qi surged toward him, and his physical body rapidly improved. Previously, he could only progress by absorbing spiritual energy, but now, spatial turbulence, chaotic qi, and even the opponent's blue light could all be used by him, indistinguishably.

The Ruthless Man hadn't expected his full-powered attack to not only fail to kill Zhang Xuan but instead aid his breakthrough. He roared furiously, "Waaah!" and attacked again with a furious shout.

"Your resentment toward the high and mighty Emperors for not saving you in the spatial turbulence is emotion; your feeling of being my former servant, carrying humility and rage, 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. How then can you defeat me, or avoid being controlled by me?"

With a faint smile, Zhang Xuan's voice grew faster and louder, and he lightly grabbed with his palm. The once invincible Ruthless Man was instantly bound by countless delicate threads of emotion, restrained and unable to move. As long as there was emotion, it would be used and controlled by him!

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

"It's too late to say that now…" With a faint smile, Zhang Xuan shook his head. Having control over all emotions in the world, things like servants no longer held any meaning for him. Having killed so many God-level beings, and harmed his girlfriend, Luo Qiqi, and so many friends, how could he possibly forgive him today!

"No…"

Sensing his decisiveness, the Ruthless Man's pupils constricted. Before he could finish his words, he immediately felt an intense pain throughout his body. In an instant, he exploded, transforming into countless streams of spiritual energy that poured into every corner of the God Realm. All the power previously devoured by the Tidal Sea was now fully returned, and the withered wilderness regained its vitality.

"He was killed just like that?" Emperor Yunchi, Emperor Undying, Fairy Linglong, and the others all widened their eyes in disbelief. They had just exchanged blows with the Ruthless Man and knew how terrifying he was. Such a powerful being was casually obliterated. Just what level had Zhang Xuan reached? Was there truly another realm above that of an Emperor?

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

"This is a part of the Dao of Heaven, so I will now return it to the Dao of Heaven…" Seeing the "Flawed Dao of Heaven" that had just been separated from his body still floating in the air, Zhang Xuan smiled faintly and flicked his finger. The Library of Heaven's Path, which had accompanied him since his rebirth, loudly embedded itself in the sky of the God Realm. A bell-like resonance echoed, and the continuously collapsing God Realm visibly began to slowly recover. The chaotic currents also regathered. 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 usher in an era of spiritual energy recovery…" Zhang Xuan smiled. The void in the Tidal Sea had recovered with the completion of the Dao of Heaven. The God Realm returning to its former glory was only a matter of time.

"Zhang Xuan, come over here…" 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, and then he saw a young man standing before him. It was precisely the one who had previously taught him swordplay.

"Senior, you…" Seeing him, Zhang Xuan was startled. He had previously found this person unfathomable, but now he realized that compared to himself, he was only slightly inferior. He had already reached the absolute pinnacle of the Emperor realm, far stronger than Luo Ruoxi had been.

"Just call me by my name. I am… Nie Tong!" The young man said faintly, exuding an indomitable sword intent.

"Nie Tong?" Zhang Xuan frowned. It 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 him. After flying an unknown distance, they stopped before a mountain peak. He then saw another young man. His appearance wasn't much older, 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. He had 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. "That is… Nie Lingxi, the father of Luo Ruoxi, as you call her!"

"Ruoxi's father?" Zhang Xuan was startled. "You… are the Dao of Heaven of the God Realm?" Luo Ruoxi had said earlier that her father was the Dao of Heaven. He never would have imagined it was such a young man.

"I transformed one qi into three pure ones, and a part of my soul became the Dao of Heaven! Furthermore, this world was created by me, so it's not wrong to say I am the Dao of Heaven!" Nie Yun smiled faintly.

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

"Wait, if the God Realm was created by you, and you are the Dao of Heaven, why did you let the Ruthless Man wreak havoc without intervening?" Zhang Xuan looked at him. If he hadn't broken through, the God Realm might have completely collapsed. Why had this person before him remained indifferent? Did he even care about his daughter's life and death?

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

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

"I once suspected that there might be even more powerful beings above the God Realm, so I used all my strength to spy, which ultimately triggered a backlash from a higher world… a palm tore through the void and struck down!" Nie Yun looked at him. "If I had dodged then, it was highly likely that the entire God Realm would have been wiped clean, leaving no life behind… So, I blocked that attack, but as a result, the Dao of Heaven, which I embodied, was split apart."

"In that situation, I could have recovered with just a thought. But… I understood that truly transcending the God Realm's shackles, to explore where that palm came from, and what lay beyond the God Realm… it would be 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 Dao of Heaven's consciousness to the lowest realm… granting it to a soul originally belonging to that world, and to a soul not from this 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 hadn't expected it was all due to this person before him.

"Heh heh!" Nie Yun chuckled softly and said, "A soul inherently belonging to this world possesses a reverence for it, making it much more difficult to break through the world's shackles. I just had a thought, and I never expected you would actually succeed…"

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

"I gave him the opportunity, but he didn't seize it. His battle with Lingxi was actually his best chance for a breakthrough. Unfortunately, he chose to retreat, thinking he had a contingency to escape unscathed, but in reality, he lost his courageous advancement. When facing someone who surpasses 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, and Master Kong indeed seemed to lack decisiveness. It was also possible that he was unwilling to slay Luo Ruoxi. Unfortunately, in that single thought, he missed the opportunity to advance.

"If Master Kong 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 much different from mine. Do you think, at a critical moment of life and death, with the strength of two people, one could save someone?"

Zhang Xuan gave a bitter smile. Breaking through to Emperor and merely 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 surname is Luo… To make her believe me and not act on emotion, she has always thought until now that I was still in a coma…" Nie Yun gave a wry smile. "I suppose I've been quite ruthless as a father… How about this, you explain this matter to her. After all, her attention has now shifted to you; she probably won't even remember me, her old father… Haha, I won't appear for now. I'll hide for a while longer, otherwise, I'm truly afraid she'll turn heaven and earth upside down…"

Seeing such an unreliable father figure before him, Zhang Xuan's face twitched, and he could only agree, "Alright…" There was no way not to agree; after all, he had taken their daughter away…

"The Library of Heaven's Path was formed from a thought of mine; it's both a foundation and a constraint. Your ability to break through its shackles on your own demonstrates your capacity and potential. Your future is limitless, and as a father, I am content that my daughter can be with you."