Chapter 2264: The Finale (Part 2)

A soul contract binds the soul; as long as one does not dissolve it, even if the other party has heaven-defying means, it cannot be undone.

For instance, the Undying Emperor, Little Yellow Chicken, was only a Divine King before, while he was an Emperor; even so, he couldn't resolve such an agreement.

To prevent this fellow from changing his mind and causing backlash, the Master Continent had specifically decreed that even if the other party could break free from the Heavenly Book, they could not break the soul contract!

"A soul contract indeed cannot be split from the sea of consciousness, but I have fused a special gas that can dissolve even the Heavenly Dao. Dissolving such a contract is not difficult... As long as there is enough power to strike the location of the contract, it can be done!"

said the Cruel One.

A soul contract is established on the foundation of the Heavenly Dao. Since the special power can dissolve even the Heavenly Dao of the Divine Realm, dissolving a soul contract, if handled properly, is not difficult at all.

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

"Telling you all this is also a way of thanking you for bringing me to the Divine Realm!"

Having explained, the Cruel One said no more. His aura grew increasingly ancient and distant, and the black hole behind him became even larger. Clearly, during the conversation, he had devoured an unknown amount of power as nourishment.

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

Luo Ruoxin also sensed something was wrong and quickly transmitted her voice.

"Let's prepare to fight!" With all doubts dispelled, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath and raised his long sword. "Since that's the case, let's settle this with strength!"

Boom!

The most powerful sword intent was unleashed once again.

In life, I shall return; in death, I shall forever remember!

Caring neither for life nor death, what could possibly stand in the way?

Although this sword technique had not reached the level of the Emperor's comprehension, it contained all the obsessions in his heart, pushing the 'Heaven Has Affection' technique to its limit.

Whoosh!

With one sword stroke, he cut the Cruel One's attack in half.

At the same time, Luo Ruoxin also made her move. Her jade hands turned, and her sword light was like snow.

Her swordsmanship was somewhat similar to that of the young man from the Sword God Heaven, carrying an indomitable momentum and the natural ease of the Great Dao.

"Your techniques are indeed powerful, but compared to me, they still fall short..."

With a light laugh, the Cruel One reached down again.

In an instant, it blotted out the sky and covered the sun. His palm enveloped heaven and earth, shattering space, as if even the sun, moon, and stars would be forcibly struck down.

Pfft! Pfft!

Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxin were both sent flying backward, spouting blood in midair.

With their strength, they couldn't even withstand it!

What level had this fellow actually reached?

"How dare you!" The clone strode forward. With each step, lotus flowers bloomed, and the void echoed with the sound of flowing water.

From a distance, it looked extremely imposing.

Having refined the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, his cultivation was in no way inferior to Zhang Xuan's.

He raised his fist, and his power surged into the nine heavens.

Clashing with the Cruel One, he too was sent flying backward, unable to block a single move.

Zhang Xuan covered his forehead.

Even after becoming an Emperor, the clone still couldn't change his nature of showing off...

Such flashy showing off would be better spent concentrating power for greater effect!

"Let's attack together; otherwise, if they die, we'll all die..."

Little Yellow Chicken let out a loud cry, and crimson flames burned, as if the sky itself had been ignited.

The remaining six Emperors also unleashed their respective techniques.

The combined force of seven Emperors could destroy heaven and earth; even a realm could not withstand them. But their opponent was the Cruel One, who had absorbed special power. The black hole suddenly expanded, devouring all the power in an instant, and then counterattacked.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The seven Emperors, like Zhang Xuan and the others, were sent flying backward.

Ten Emperors united could not even block a single move from him!

How could this fellow be so powerful?

"You can all die now..."

Having defeated everyone with one move, the Cruel One stepped forward, turned his wrist, and struck down again.

"How dare you, you vermin!"

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

"An Emperor? He's also at the Emperor level?"

Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

This old man had been following the young man before; he had thought he was just a follower, at most a titled Divine King. But when he unleashed his power, it turned out he was also an Emperor-level expert!

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

"He himself is the Emperor of the Sword God Heaven..." Struggling to stand, Luo Ruoxin said through gritted teeth.

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

"He is..." Just as Luo Ruoxin was about to answer, space twisted, and then they saw the Emperor of the Sword God Heaven also sent flying backward, landing not far away, creating a large pit.

Zhang Xuan's current strength and understanding of the sword far surpassed his; even if his cultivation was not weak and his swordsmanship was superb, he was still no match.

"Haha, Emperors? Just a bunch of chickens and dogs! Today, I will destroy the Nine Heavens, destroy this Divine Realm, and trample all rules!"

Having defeated the Emperor of the Sword God Heaven, the Cruel One laughed wildly. Space around him collapsed continuously, making him appear demonic.

"What should we do?" Zhang Xuan clenched his fists.

He and his clone had just unleashed their strongest combat power, and even Luo Ruoxin had used her ultimate technique, yet none could block a single move from him...

Could it be that no one in the Divine Realm could stop this man?

And let him destroy the world?

"The only way... is to return your 'Heavenly Dao Deficiency' to the Heavenly Dao itself, so that the Heavenly Dao can suppress him..." Luo Ruoxin clenched her delicate fists, her eyes reddening.

"Return to the Heavenly Dao itself?" Zhang Xuan understood her meaning.

The library in his mind was originally part of the Heavenly Dao. Once returned, the Heavenly Dao would be completely whole, perhaps able to repair its flaws and expel the Cruel One on its own.

It was like the human immune system.

When the immune system is intact, viruses can be easily driven away; when it's damaged, it cannot resist viral invasion, and even a strong person will die.

But...

"He is too powerful. Even if the Heavenly Dao is restored, it may not be able to suppress him!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

The immune system can kill viruses, but... what about a fierce tiger?

No matter how strong the immune system, what can it do?

This man before them was just an ordinary Divine King; even a titled one could be easily killed by the Heavenly Dao. But he was stronger than an Emperor... The Heavenly Dao could no longer contend with him.

"This..." Luo Ruoxin paused, a look of disappointment appearing on her fair face. "Yes... it can't suppress him. But if the Heavenly Dao is complete, he can awaken, and killing this man won't be difficult!"

"He?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

"Trying to escape?" The Cruel One snorted and pressed down.

Bang!

Luo Ruoxin fell from the sky.

"You..." Zhang Xuan once again unleashed his sword technique, his sword intent blazing.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

He was blocked again by the Cruel One.

"You go quickly! I'll hold him off..."

Knowing that they were trying to find a way to save the Divine Realm, not escape, the clone and the Undying Emperor shouted loudly and blocked the front. Luo Qiqi also transformed, returning to her original form as the Still Void Pearl.

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone risking their lives to block behind him, unafraid of death, Zhang Xuan's eyes reddened. But he knew this was not the time for words. Pulling Luo Ruoxin, he flickered, tore through space, and in the next moment appeared in the Free Heaven.

The Free Heaven had lost its former freedom. The Divine Realm was collapsing, chaos everywhere.

"Where is the 'he' you mentioned?"

Having 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 Divine Realm, what would it matter if he sacrificed himself?

"He is my father. The blood in your pendant is his. The Undying Emperor was once his beast pet..." Luo Ruoxin 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 Ruoxin's yet different; it was her father's.

This also explained why the remnant will left by the Undying Emperor immediately recognized him as master upon seeing the pendant.

"Is your father also an Emperor? Or does he possess strength beyond that of an Emperor?"

He couldn't help asking.

When the library was in chaos, it was the blood in the pendant that restored his clarity. Could it be that not only was she an Emperor, but her father was as well, and even stronger?

If so, why had he fallen into a coma?

And why did he need the Heavenly Dao Deficiency to awaken?

"He is not an Emperor, but... the Heavenly Dao!"

Luo Ruoxin clenched her fists.

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

"Yes! Fifty years ago, my father could not withstand that great hand and fell into a coma. The Heavenly Dao collapsed into three parts: Heavenly Dao Order and Heavenly Dao Deficiency entered the spatial turbulence, and I took over the Heavenly Dao Nature to maintain the balance of the Divine Realm. To restore him, I had to gather the scattered parts... That's why I was so determined and could not fail! That's why I specifically entered the Master Continent, studied the Spring and Autumn Canon, and sought ways to defeat Master Teacher Kong! When I fought with Master Teacher Kong, what I asked of him was also this."

Luo Ruoxin said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly realized.

Not long after they met in the Master Continent, the girl before him had told him her story about saving a loved one. He hadn't understood then, but now it all became clear.

It was her father, and he was the Heavenly Dao of the Divine Realm!

Could the Heavenly Dao truly take human form and have children?

"You took over the Heavenly Dao Nature... Do you not have any Heavenly Dao fragments in your body?" Suddenly realizing the inconsistency in her words, Zhang Xuan looked at her.

Taking over was a different concept from fusing with it in the body.

"I only control it; I am not part of the Heavenly Dao..." Luo Ruoxin said.

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

That meant he only needed to extract the Heavenly Dao Deficiency from himself; she didn't have to die.

Although he was unwilling to accept such a fate, he was even more unwilling to see the girl before him harmed.

"If I extract the Heavenly Dao Deficiency from my body, your father can come back to life and even kill the Cruel One, right?" Zhang Xuan looked at her.

"This... I'm not sure either..."

Looking up at the already collapsing Divine Realm, Luo Ruoxin hesitated.

The Divine Realm was her father's foundation. Now that the foundation was like this, even if he awakened, could he truly defeat that powerful Cruel One?

It was hard to say!

"It seems you can't be sure either. In that case, it's better to rely on ourselves... We have to find our own way!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth. "You, me, my clone, along with the Nine Heavens and Nine Emperors, and if we also cooperate with Master Teacher Kong, we might not lose!"

"Master Teacher Kong? He..." Luo Ruoxin frowned.

"Master Teacher Kong is dead, right? He didn't truly die. If I'm not mistaken, being killed by you was just a way for him to break free from the Heavenly Dao... If my guess is correct, he, like Wei Changfeng, is an 'Innate Fetal Soul Body'!"

Zhang Xuan said.

Seeing Wei Changfeng, he understood. Master Teacher Kong's so-called preservation of spiritual intelligence was probably the same as his; he was an Innate Fetal Soul Body.

He could remain unconfused in the womb.

Coupled with the contingencies he had prepared in advance, resurrection was only a matter of time.

Luo Ruoxin was stunned, as if she hadn't expected this.

"Let's go and see. If I'm not mistaken, he should have already recovered. Otherwise, his students wouldn't have failed to go to the Tide Sea..." Zhang Xuan said.

Master Teacher Kong's students, Ziyuan Gusheng and others, were all powerful. Even without the help of Emperors, they would have found a way into the Tide Sea, yet none of them appeared.

There must be something more important waiting for them, something they wanted to do while all the Emperors were preoccupied at the Tide Sea!

And that important thing was clearly to restore Master Teacher Kong.

"This..." Luo Ruoxin's heart trembled, and she suddenly understood.

"Let's go!"

Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan made a single-handed gesture and arrived at the place where Master Teacher Kong resided. Sure enough, they saw an old man sitting cross-legged in midair. Seeing them arrive, he smiled slightly. "You're here!"

Who else could it be but Master Teacher Kong!

This teacher of ten thousand generations had indeed not let him down!

As guessed, while everyone's attention was focused on the Tide Sea, he had been resurrected.

"You..." Luo Ruoxin's delicate body trembled.

She knew that Emperors could be resurrected, and the Undying Emperor had also come back to life, but... she hadn't expected it to be so fast!

"I concealed it from the Heavenly Dao and prepared contingencies in advance. The nameless giant in the Nether Soul Pool was left by me. When you killed him that day, I took the opportunity to break free from the Heavenly Dao's束缚 and recondense my physical body. I have only just recovered now!"

Master Teacher Kong smiled slightly.

He was proficient in time abilities. Although it seemed only a day or two had passed in the Divine Realm, he had experienced an unknown amount of time to restore his power.

Even decades had passed.

"The three of us are indeed strong, but defeating the Cruel One won't be that easy..."

Seeing that Master Teacher Kong had indeed recovered, Luo Ruoxin still shook her head.

This was not to boost the enemy's morale and diminish their own, but the truth.

So many had united just now and couldn't stop him. Even with the addition of Master Teacher Kong, what difference would it make?

It wouldn't change the situation!

"Our individual strength, or even combined, is indeed no match for him. But... what if we merge everyone's power into one person?"

Master Teacher Kong looked at them with a smile.

"Merge into one person?"

This time, not only Luo Ruoxin frowned, but Zhang Xuan was also full of doubt.

"That palm could tear apart the Divine Realm and scatter the Heavenly Dao. Its strength is unquestionable. The Cruel One absorbed all that power and also devoured the spiritual energy of the Divine Realm for fifty years. In terms of pure strength, any one of our dozen Emperors is indeed no match..."

Master Teacher Kong said. "But if we unite and concentrate our power into one person... it might not be impossible!"

"How do we concentrate it?"

Luo Ruoxin looked at him.

Easier said than done.

Emperors already stood at the peak of the Divine Realm. If it were so easy to absorb others' power, she wouldn't have stagnated for so many years.

"Very simple... We concentrate our power onto Zhang Xuan. Once he can break through the Emperor's shackles, he can save the Divine Realm!"

Master Teacher Kong said.

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

"The Spirit Rhino Emperor cultivates freedom and transcendence beyond nature. But with the constraints of a father and the Heavenly Dao, and with people to care for, one can never truly transcend! If I'm not mistaken, when you fought me back then, you also considered giving up and letting me kill you, right?"

Master Teacher Kong said.

Luo Ruoxin was speechless.

During the battle, she had indeed considered that. That was why their fight had started with each holding back, like a spar rather than a life-or-death struggle.

"Unable to transcend, naturally one cannot unleash their strongest power. Even if given more true qi, they still cannot冲击 the supreme realm! As for me..."

Master Teacher Kong nodded. "I care for all living beings and wish to save the world, but I am unwilling to let others sacrifice for me. Too much benevolence is also a flaw! If I had been more ruthless and exterminated the Alien Spirit Clan, the current situation would not have arisen..."

If he had killed all the Alien Spirit Clan back then, the Cruel One could not have been resurrected, and the current situation would not exist.

"So, I am also not suitable! As for Zhang Xuan, his cultivation method follows his heart without flaws. He emphasizes living as himself. Even if he dies, as long as he lives without regret, his heart is at ease. Such a person has greater包容 and more room for development. Only in this way can one go higher and farther!"

Master Teacher Kong continued.

In life, I shall return; in death, I shall forever remember!

If one does not even care about death, how can they be fettered by other things?

"This..." Zhang Xuan frowned, about to say something, when he saw Master Teacher Kong looking at him with bright eyes. "Don't refuse. First, time is short for cultivating others. Even if there were time, I don't think anyone could do better than you! Although the Spirit Rhino Emperor does not have Heavenly Dao fragments in her body, she has long controlled the Heavenly Dao and has her own understanding of it; I control the Heavenly Dao Order. If we infuse our power into you, your body will possess the power of the complete Heavenly Dao! Combined with your clone's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, you can fully stabilize the Nine Heavens, control the universe, battle the nine skies, and annihilate all things!"

"Alright!"

Seeing that the other had already made up his mind, and that further explanation was useless, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Boom!

He sat cross-legged, and in an instant, two torrents of majestic power surged in from both sides.

Zhang Xuan's whole body stiffened, and he felt as if he had instantly transformed into the Heavenly Dao, soaring through the nine heavens.

His soul, physical body, and true qi were all baptized in an instant, growing stronger and more vigorous.

...

"You want to stop me too? Fine, I'll kill you all, then go kill Zhang Xuan..."

Sending Luo Qiqi and the clone flying, the Cruel One sneered coldly.

The power unleashed by the doppelganger and the many sovereigns was indeed formidable, but compared to him, it was still somewhat lacking.

The Tide Sea had devoured almost all the spiritual energy outside the cities of the divine realm, and now that power had become his nourishment. With every move, he wielded the ability to destroy heaven and earth. These sovereigns and divine kings, though representing the pinnacle of the divine realm, were still powerless against him.

At this moment, the Ruthless One seemed to embody the entire divine realm, unstoppable.

“If the divine realm perishes, living holds no meaning for us. I, Yun Chi, will perish together with you…”

The Yun Chi Sovereign transformed into his true form—a massive five-clawed golden dragon—and lunged at him through the air.

“You? Not worthy!”

The Ruthless One clenched his hand, and the golden dragon hung in his palm, struggling in vain to escape.

“Old friend, wait for me!”

The Fu Meng Sovereign also roared, transforming into his true form as a White Tiger, and appeared before him in the air.

The Bu Si Sovereign revealed his true form as the Undying Fire Phoenix, its flames illuminating the sky.

The Xuan Ming Sovereign, whose true form was a giant turtle, seemed to hold up the heavens.

The four divine beasts, guardians of the four poles of the divine realm, simultaneously transformed into their true forms, causing the collapsing divine realm to slow down.

It was as if the universe had frozen in an instant.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

With four consecutive strikes, the Ruthless One suppressed the four beasts, a fierce murderous intent flashing in his eyes: “Since you seek death, I will grant your wish…”

As he roared, just as he was about to deliver the killing blow and annihilate them all, he felt his raised arm tighten and stop in midair.

“Want to kill them? Have you asked me…”

Then, to the shock of everyone, a figure slowly walked out of the air.

It was Zhang Xuan!

The young man now radiated surging power, more than ten times stronger than before, descending from the heavens as if he himself were an entire world.

“You’ve improved quite a bit…”

The Ruthless One halted, his gaze solemn.

He clearly did not understand how the other’s strength had undergone such a tremendous change in just a few minutes.

“But so what if you’ve improved? Even the divine 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 clashed in battle, tearing rifts in space and sending chaotic currents scattering everywhere.

“Can Zhang Xuan win?”

At the Zi Zai Heaven Kong Shi’s stronghold, Luo Ruoxi watched with deep concern.

She and Kong Shi had transferred their power to Zhang Xuan, reducing their own cultivation to only the Divine King level, far from their former glory.

However, their foundation remained; given enough power, they could eventually recover.

“With his current strength, winning… is very difficult! Unless… he can comprehend a power beyond that of a sovereign!”

After a moment of silence, Kong Shi spoke.

Even a dozen sovereigns united could not overcome the Ruthless One. Even if they transferred all their power to him, victory would not come easily.

The reason they did this was… only by concentrating power in one person could they possibly touch the peak, truly transcend limits, and break through the self!

“Power beyond a sovereign?”

Luo Ruoxi’s gaze grew distant.

When her father was still conscious, he had said the same thing to her, but… she could not achieve it. Could the man she loved do it?

“He definitely can… He has an unyielding heart! And a pride in this world.”

Seeing the doubt in her eyes, Kong Shi smiled.

…

Boom! Boom! Boom!

After several exchanges, Zhang Xuan’s tiger’s mouth split open, and a huge, gruesome wound appeared on his chest.

As Kong Shi had said, even after merging their power and forming a complete Heavenly Dao within himself, he was still no match.

“Haha, I thought you were formidable, but you’re nothing special!” The Ruthless One sneered coldly.

“Since I’m no match for you and will be killed sooner or later, I want to die under your strongest attack…” Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan stopped attacking and looked at the Ruthless One before him.

“Fine, I’ll grant your wish and give you my strongest attack…”

Hearing this, the Ruthless One paused, then snorted coldly and raised his hand.

Whoosh!

A cyan light appeared in his palm and slammed down fiercely.

It was indeed his strongest attack; the entire divine realm rumbled as if it could not bear it, and another massive crater was blasted open.

Eyes shut tight, Zhang Xuan did not dodge.

Bang!

His head exploded, and his soul scattered in all directions.

“Zhang Xuan…” Seeing this, everyone’s face turned pale.

Luo Qiqi went nearly mad.

Yun Chi Sovereign and the others stared wide-eyed, trembling uncontrollably.

Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi, witnessing this, were also stunned.

Their intention was to help him break through his shackles and surpass the sovereign realm, so why did he not resist and willingly accept death?

Had he thus betrayed their good intentions?

“No, it’s the Undying Sovereign’s method of immortality…”

Just as they were puzzled, Kong Shi suddenly spoke.

Then everyone saw that from Zhang Xuan’s shattered head and fragmented soul, the pendant on his chest suddenly burst open. A drop of blood floated up, ignited, and formed a blazing flame. From the flame, a perfectly intact figure slowly walked out.

“He… used the opponent’s power and the blood in the pendant to separate the flawed Heavenly Dao from his soul?”

Luo Ruoxi’s pupils contracted.

After being reborn from the flames, Zhang Xuan no longer had the Heavenly Dao Library inside him, nor the interference of the Heavenly Dao—he had broken free from the Heavenly Dao!

“How did he do it?”

Kong Shi was also full of disbelief.

The Heavenly Dao and the soul had fused together, inseparable. To break free, he had to scatter his soul and use the Nether Soul Pool to reconstitute it.

But this man, after being struck down just once, had completely broken free. What method did he use?

“I understand… He used the Ruthless One’s method of breaking a soul contract…” Luo Ruoxi realized.

A soul contract binds master and servant; unless the master dissolves it, the servant is forever bound… The Heavenly Dao Library was similar, an enhanced version of a contract.

Bound to the soul, it would not separate unless death occurred.

But… the Ruthless One had used a special power to break the soul contract. Zhang Xuan had asked about the specific method in detail before, probably already having an idea then.

That was why he deliberately fought to the death, making the Ruthless One unleash his strongest attack on him.

Using that power, he was reborn from the flames. Unexpectedly, it succeeded!

“So that’s it. This is the method to break through the sovereign realm…”

Zhang Xuan, emerging from the flames, revealed a faint smile as if he had understood something. He suddenly waved his hand, and the doppelganger beside him immediately turned back into a lotus flower and flew over.

In an instant, it perfectly merged with him.

In the blink of an eye, everyone felt that the Zhang Xuan before them had become the Nine Heavens, and the Nine Heavens were him.

He lightly stamped his foot on the ground.

The chaotic Nine Heavens immediately stabilized.

The Nine Heavens Chaotic Golden Lotus, which appeared at the birth of the Nine Heavens and could stabilize them, had now perfectly merged with his doppelganger and himself, making them one. Thus, he had mastered this power.

Moreover, having merged with the cultivation of the Nine Heavens Chaotic Golden Lotus, his already peak-level realm began to loosen, as if on the verge of breaking through at any moment.

“Master-servant love, brotherly love, teacher-student love, parental love, romantic love… fused together, this is the myriad things of the world. This is what it means to be human!”

Smiling, Zhang Xuan murmured to himself.

The moment the Heavenly Dao Library left his soul, he understood.

Is it that humans see the world, and thus the world exists, or does the world exist first, and then humans come?

Is it the wind that moves, or the heart that moves!

This question has troubled countless people throughout the ages.

Of course, now… none of that matters!

Without life, without emotion, what meaning does the world have, even if it exists?

Thus, after breaking through romantic love, it is the love of all beings! It is the emotions that interweave the world.

All things in the world have emotions. With emotion, there is a world; with emotion, life can continue.

Love is emotion.

Hatred is emotion.

Joy is emotion.

Pain is emotion.

Parting is emotion.

Reunion is also emotion!

“Let the myriad emotions serve my will…”

With a low cry, the shackles within Zhang Xuan’s body shattered instantly.

The sovereign’s shackles—broken!

In an instant, it was as if he had touched a brand-new world and gate, and his soul was rapidly nourished.

Countless chaotic energies surged over, and his physical body also soared in improvement.

Previously, he could only advance by absorbing spiritual energy, but now, spatial turbulence, chaotic energies, even the opponent’s cyan light—all could be used by him, indistinguishable.

“You…” The Ruthless One never expected that his full-force attack would not kill him but instead benefit him. Enraged, he howled “Waah! Waah!” and attacked again with a furious roar.

“Your resentment toward the lofty sovereigns for not saving you in the spatial turbulence is emotion; feeling that you were once my servant, harboring humility and anger, is emotion; wanting to destroy the divine realm to vent your fury is emotion; wanting to become stronger is also emotion… Emotions control you. How can you overcome me and not be controlled by me?”

With a faint smile, Zhang Xuan’s voice grew faster and louder. He gently grasped with his hand.

The once invincible Ruthless One was instantly bound by countless threads of emotion, restrained and unable to move.

As long as there is emotion, he must be used by him, controlled by him!

“You…”

Terror filled the Ruthless One’s eyes: “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…” Smiling slightly, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Controlling the emotions of the world, servants and the like meant nothing to him anymore.

Having killed so many divine beings, hurt his girlfriend, Luo Qiqi, and so many friends, how could he forgive him today!

“No…”

Feeling his resolve, the Ruthless One’s pupils contracted. Before he could finish his words, he felt a sharp pain throughout his body.

Bang!

In an instant, he exploded, turning into countless spiritual energies that surged back to all parts of the divine realm.

All the power that the Tide Sea had devoured was now returned, and the barren wilderness was revitalized.

“This…”

“Killed just like that?”

Yun Chi Sovereign, Bu Si Sovereign, Linglong Xianzi, and the others all stared wide-eyed, unable to believe it.

They had fought the Ruthless One and knew how terrifying he was. Such a powerful being was destroyed with a wave of the hand. What level had this Zhang Xuan reached?

Could there really be another realm beyond the sovereign?

“He succeeded…”

Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi unclenched their fists.

“This is part of the Heavenly Dao. Now I return it to the Heavenly Dao…”

Seeing the “flawed Heavenly Dao” that had been separated from his body still floating in the air, Zhang Xuan smiled lightly and flicked his finger.

Hum!

The library that had accompanied him since his rebirth slammed into the sky of the divine realm.

With a bell-like resonance, the collapsing divine realm visibly began to recover slowly, and the chaotic currents also gathered again.

The crumbling divine realm finally stopped, and the withered spiritual energy, with the Ruthless One’s death, slowly revived.

“It seems the divine realm is about to usher in a new era of spiritual energy revival…” Zhang Xuan smiled.

The hole of the Tide Sea, with the completion of the Heavenly Dao, had already healed. It was only a matter of time before the divine realm returned to its former glory.

“Zhang Xuan, come here…”

Just as he finished, a voice sounded in his mind. Zhang Xuan paused and stepped forward.

With that step, he flew an unknown distance and saw a young man standing before him.

It was the one who had taught him swordsmanship earlier.

“Senior, you…”

Seeing him, Zhang Xuan was startled.

He had always felt this man was unfathomable, but now he realized that he was only a hair’s breadth behind him, having already reached the peak of the sovereign realm, far stronger than even Luo Ruoxi had been.

“Just call me by my name. I am… Nie Tong!” The young man radiated an unwavering sword intent and spoke calmly.

“Nie Tong?” Zhang Xuan frowned.

It was the first time he had heard that name.

“Follow me. I’ll take you to meet my brother!” The young man named Nie Tong smiled faintly and stepped forward.

Zhang Xuan followed closely. After flying an unknown distance, they stopped before a mountain peak.

There, he saw another young man.

He appeared not much older, with brows that slanted upward, giving an impression of depth and inscrutability.

“This strength…” Zhang Xuan trembled.

The strength of this young man before him was even greater than his own. He too had broken the sovereign’s shackles, and his cultivation was even more profound and solid!

“I am, Nie Yun!” The young man smiled faintly and looked over: “Also known as… Nie Lingxi, the father of the Luo Ruoxi you speak of!”

“Ruoxi’s father?”

Zhang Xuan was shaken: “You… are the Heavenly Dao of the divine realm?”

Luo Ruoxi had said before that her father was the Heavenly Dao. He never imagined it would be such a young man.

“I transformed into three pure ones, and part of my soul became the Heavenly Dao. Besides, this world was created by me. It’s not wrong to call me the Heavenly Dao!” Nie Yun smiled faintly.

Zhang Xuan could not believe it.

The divine realm was created by this man?

Then how powerful must he be?

“No, if you created the divine realm and you are the Heavenly Dao, why did you let the Ruthless One run rampant without intervening…” Zhang Xuan looked at him.

If he had not broken through, the divine realm would have likely collapsed completely. Why did this man not care?

He did not even care about his daughter’s life?

Without answering his question, Nie Yun looked at him calmly: “Do you think… there are even more powerful beings above the divine realm?”

“This…” Zhang Xuan paused: “There probably are…”

Though he had never seen them, since he could cultivate to this level, perhaps others could too, or even stronger.

Like the man before him.

“I once suspected there were more powerful beings above the divine realm, so I used all my strength to peer into it, and in the end, I provoked a backlash from a higher world… A palm struck down from the sky!”

Nie Yun looked over: “If I had dodged then, the entire divine realm would likely have been wiped flat, leaving no life… So I blocked that strike, but as a result, my incarnation as the Heavenly Dao was split apart.”

“In that situation, I could have recovered with just a thought, but… I understood that to truly transcend the shackles of the divine realm and explore where the palm came from, and what lies beyond the divine realm… I could not do it alone. So I wanted to see if any life could break the sovereign’s shackles and reach a level equal to mine!”

“So I sent the scattered Heavenly Dao consciousness to the lowest worlds… bestowing it upon a soul originally belonging to this world and a soul not belonging to this world. And you, in the end, did not disappoint me!”

Nie Yun smiled.

“A soul not belonging to 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 the doing of this man.

“Heh!” Nie Yun chuckled lightly and said, “One who belongs to this world has reverence for it, making it much harder to break through its shackles. It was just a whim of mine, and I never thought you would actually succeed…”

“I…” Zhang Xuan’s face reddened: “Without Kong Shi, I could never have reached this level…”

Without Kong Shi’s selfless dedication, reaching his current realm would have been impossible.

“I gave him the opportunity; he just didn’t seize it. His duel with Lingxi was actually his best chance to break through. Unfortunately, he chose to retreat, thinking he had a backup plan to escape unscathed, but in reality, he lost his courage and determination. Facing those stronger than us, if he lacks even this spirit, how can he contend with them?”

Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan remained silent.

He had witnessed their battle; Kong Shi indeed lacked decisiveness.

Perhaps he was unwilling to kill Luo Ruoxi.

Alas, in that moment of hesitation, he missed the chance to advance.

“If Kong Shi had won, Ruoxi would have died…” After a moment, Zhang Xuan looked over, his brows furrowed.

Could it be that this man did not care even about his daughter’s life?

“With me here, she would not die…” Nie Yun smiled faintly: “Your strength is now not far from mine. Do you think, in a life-or-death moment, if two people of our level wanted to save someone, could we do it?”

“This…” Zhang Xuan smiled bitterly.

Breaking through to sovereign and being a sovereign are two different concepts. If he had truly been willing to act, he could indeed have saved her at the last moment, and ensured she suffered not a single scratch.

“Lingxi was born to my other wife, Luo Qingcheng, so her alias is Luo… To make her believe and not act on emotion, she still thinks I am in a coma…”

Nie Yun gave a wry smile. "As a father, I've been ruthless enough... Well, you should explain this to her. After all, her thoughts are now on you, and I, her old dad, am probably forgotten... Haha, I'll stay out of sight for now and hide for a while. Otherwise, I'm afraid she'll raise hell..."

Seeing such an unreliable father before him, Zhang Xuan's face twitched as he had no choice but to agree. "Alright..."

He had no other option—after all, he was the one who had taken away the man's daughter...

"The Heavenly Dao Library is a manifestation of my will, both a foundation and a shackle. That you could break through it on your own shows your ability and potential. Your future is boundless. As a father, I am gratified that my daughter can be with you."

Nie Yun laughed.

Zhang Xuan nodded. After a moment, he suddenly thought of something and turned to look at Nie Tong beside him. "Senior, was that person in the Upper Firmament who comprehended the Sword Intent of the Gods you?"

The founding patriarch of the Lingyun Sword Pavilion in the Upper Firmament, like Master Kong, had long since arrived in the Divine Realm, yet Zhang Xuan had never heard his name.

To comprehend the Sword Intent of the Gods on his own—with such talent, how could he remain unknown?

"It was a legacy left by a thought of mine, meant to help you avoid detours and progress better. It was also my hope that you could quickly catch up to your brother's footsteps. He has been lonely... for a long time."

Nie Tong said calmly.

His eyes were fixed on the young man not far away, as if in his eyes, there was no one else but his brother.

Indeed, a place like the Upper Firmament was to him merely a casual thought, utterly insignificant, but to Zhang Xuan, it had been of great help.

It was precisely because he had comprehended this sword technique that he had been able to go further and further, reaching his current level of strength.

"So that's how it is. Thank you..."

With his doubts resolved, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

It seemed that every move he made was under their observation. Fortunately, he had not failed their expectations!

"Go back. Cultivate well. When your cultivation is fully stabilized, I will take you to a farther place, to see just how vast the real world is..."

Nie Yun smiled faintly and waved his hand. Zhang Xuan felt the space around him shift, and he was back in the Realm of Freedom.

Luo Ruoxi was standing not far away.

"Zhang Xuan..."

The girl smiled softly and rushed over, like a blooming flower.

(The End)

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