Chapter 447: Ruin the Army

The soul contract, which binds the soul, cannot be dissolved unless the one who initiated it chooses to do so. Even if the other party possesses unparalleled abilities, they cannot break it.

This is similar to the case of the Undying Emperor Jun, Jun Xiao Huangji. Back when he was only a Shen Wang, despite being an Emperor Jun himself, he couldn't resolve such a binding.

To prevent this individual from reneging and causing backlash, the Master Teacher Continent had specifically decreed that even if one could escape the Heavenly Dao's registry, they still couldn't break free from the soul contract.

"While the soul contract indeed cannot be separated from the sea of consciousness, I have fused with a special gas that can even dissolve the Heavenly Dao. Resolving this contract is not difficult... As long as I have enough power to bombard the location of the contract, it can be done!" Ren Ren said.

The soul contract is built on the foundation of the Heavenly Dao. Since this special power can dissolve even the God Realm's Heavenly Dao, what's so hard about dissolving a soul contract, as long as it's handled properly?

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

"I've told you all this as a way to thank you for bringing me to the God Realm!" After explaining, Ren Ren said no more. His aura grew even more ancient and profound, and the black hole behind him expanded further, clearly having absorbed an immense amount of power during their conversation to nourish himself.

"Zhang Xuan, the more the black hole absorbs, the stronger his power becomes..." Luo Ruoxi noticed something was wrong and quickly sent a message through divine sense.

"Let's prepare to fight!" With his doubts cleared, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, raised the long sword in his hand, and said, "In that case, let's settle this with our skills!"

Boom!

His most powerful sword intent erupted once more.

To live is to return, to die is to long for each other!

What can stand in the way when life and death are of no concern?

Though this sword technique hadn't reached the level comprehended by an Emperor Jun, it contained all his obsessions, pushing his Tian Ruo You Qing cultivation to its limits.

Whoosh!

With one sword strike, he cleaved Ren Ren's attack in two.

At the same time, Luo Ruoxi made her move, her jade hand swirling as sword light shimmered like snow.

Her swordsmanship bore some resemblance to that of the young man from Jian Shen Tian, carrying an unstoppable momentum and the effortless grace of the Great Dao.

"Your moves are impressive, but compared to me, they're still lacking..." With a light smile, Ren Ren reached down again.

In an instant, his hand covered the sky, enveloping the heavens and earth. Space shattered, and it seemed as though the sun, moon, and stars were about to be forcibly pulled down.

Pfft! Pfft!

Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi were both sent flying backward, spitting blood into the air as they tumbled.

With their strength, they couldn't withstand him!

Just what realm had this guy reached?

"Outrageous!" His avatar strode forward, each step blooming with lotus flowers and echoing with the sound of flowing water in the void.

From afar, it looked incredibly imposing.

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

He raised a fist, sending power surging into the nine heavens.

But when it clashed with Ren Ren, he too was sent flying, unable to block even one move.

Zhang Xuan clutched his forehead.

He had become an Emperor Jun, yet his avatar still couldn't resist its habit of showing off...

Such flashy displays would be better if the power were concentrated for greater impact!

"Let's all attack together, or we'll all die if they fall..." Xiao Huangji roared, his crimson flames igniting the sky as if it were on fire.

The other six great Emperor Juns also unleashed their techniques.

The seven Emperor Juns united, capable of destroying heavens and earth, making even a realm unable to withstand them. But Ren Ren, having absorbed the special power, simply let his black hole expand. In the blink of an eye, it devoured their attacks completely, then countered swiftly.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The seven Emperor Juns, along with Zhang Xuan and the others, were all sent flying.

Even the ten great Emperor Juns together couldn't block a single move from him!

How could this guy be so powerful?

"You can all die now..." After defeating them with one strike, Ren Ren stepped forward and swung his hand down again.

"How dare you, vermin!"

Accompanied by a loud shout, the elder from Jian Shen Tian suddenly appeared, blocking the way with his long sword transforming into a river of stars.

"Emperor Jun? He's also at the Emperor Jun level?" Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

He had thought this elder was just a follower, at most a Feng Hao Shen Wang, but now he realized he was also an Emperor Jun powerhouse!

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

"He's the Emperor Jun of Jian Shen Tian..." Luo Ruoxi struggled to her feet, gritting her teeth.

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

"He's..." Luo Ruoxi was about to answer when the space twisted, and they saw the Jian Shen Tian Emperor Jun being sent flying, crashing into the ground and creating a huge crater.

With Zhang Xuan's current strength and comprehension of the sword dao, even he couldn't contend, so despite this elder's formidable cultivation and sword skills, he was no match.

"Ha! Emperor Juns are nothing but a bunch of weaklings! Today, I'll destroy the Nine Heavens, annihilate the God Realm, and trample all rules!" After defeating the Jian Shen Tian Emperor Jun, Ren Ren laughed maniacally. The space around him collapsed continuously, making him appear like a demon.

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

He and his avatar had already used their full power, and even Luo Ruoxi had unleashed her strongest moves, yet none could block even one of his attacks...

Was there truly no one in the God Realm who could stop this man? Would he be allowed to destroy the world?

"The only way... is to return your Heavenly Dao fragment to the Heavenly Dao itself, letting it suppress him..." Luo Ruoxi's delicate fist tightened, her eyes reddening.

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

The library in his mind was part of the Heavenly Dao. Once returned, the Heavenly Dao would be complete, potentially fixing its flaws and expelling Ren Ren, like a body's immune system.

But...

"He's too powerful. Even if the Heavenly Dao is restored, could it suppress him?" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

An immune system can kill viruses, but what about a fierce tiger? Ren Ren was just an ordinary Shen Wang before, and even as a Feng Hao, the Heavenly Dao could kill him easily. But now, stronger than Emperor Juns... he was beyond what the Heavenly Dao could handle.

"This..." Luo Ruoxi paused, a look of disappointment on her fair face. "You're right... it might not suppress him, but if the Heavenly Dao is complete, he can awaken and slay this one easily!"

"He?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"I'll take you to see him. He's in Zi Zai Tian..." Taking a deep breath, Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth and flew forward.

"Thinking of escaping?" Ren Ren snorted coldly and pressed down.

Bang!

Luo Ruoxi plummeted from the air.

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

Ding! Ding! Ding!

It was blocked by Ren Ren once more.

"You all go quickly. I'll hold him off..." Knowing they were trying to save the God Realm, not flee, his avatar and the Undying Emperor Jun shouted, blocking the way, while Luo Qiqi transformed back into her Jing Kong Pearl form.

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone risk their lives to block behind them without fear of death, Zhang Xuan's eyes reddened. But he knew now wasn't the time for words. He pulled Luo Ruoxi along, tore through space, and in the next moment, they arrived in the Zi Zai Tian area.

Zi Zai Tian was no longer as peaceful as before. The God Realm was collapsing, and chaos reigned everywhere.

"Where is the person you mentioned?" Zhang Xuan asked the girl in his arms, ignoring the ordinary lives around them.

If this person could truly save the God Realm, he was willing to sacrifice himself.

"He's my father. The blood in your pendant is his. The Undying Emperor Jun was once his beast pet..." Luo Ruoxi regulated her breath and explained.

"Father?" Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

No wonder the blood in the pendant felt similar to Luo Ruoxi's yet different—it was her father's.

"Is your father also an Emperor Jun? Or does he possess strength beyond that?" Zhang Xuan couldn't help asking.

The library's chaos was calmed by the blood in the pendant. Could it be that not only she, but her father was also an Emperor Jun, or even stronger? If so, why was he in a coma? And why did it require a flawed Heavenly Dao to awaken him?

"He's not an Emperor Jun, but... the Heavenly Dao!" Luo Ruoxi clenched her fist.

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

"Yes! Fifty years ago, my father couldn't withstand that massive hand and fell into a coma. The Heavenly Dao shattered into three parts: Heavenly Dao You Xu and Heavenly Dao You Que entered the spatial chaos, while I took control of Heavenly Dao Zi Ran to maintain the God Realm's balance. The only way to restore him is to gather the scattered parts... That's why I was so determined, unable to fail! That's why I entered the Master Teacher Continent to study the Chun Qiu Da Dian and find a way to defeat Kong Shi! And when I fought Kong Shi, the favor I asked of him was for this." Luo Ruoxi explained.

Zhang Xuan finally understood.

Not long after they met on the Master Teacher Continent, this girl had told him her story—she needed to save a dear one. He hadn't grasped it then, but now he did.

It was her father, and he was the God Realm's Heavenly Dao!

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

"Acting as Heavenly Dao Zi Ran... you don't have a Heavenly Dao fragment in your body?" Zhang Xuan suddenly realized the inconsistency in her words.

Acting as versus fusing with—it was a different concept.

"I only control it; I'm not part of the Heavenly Dao..." Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

That meant he only needed to separate his own Heavenly Dao You Que; she didn't have to die.

Even if he didn't want to accept this fate, he couldn't bear to see the girl before him harmed.

"If I separate the Heavenly Dao You Que from my body, your father can awaken and even slay Ren Ren, right?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"This... I'm not sure..." Luo Ruoxi hesitated, glancing at the collapsing God Realm.

The God Realm was her father's foundation. With it in this state, could he truly defeat that powerful Ren Ren even if he awoke? It was hard to say!

"It seems you can't be certain. In that case, better to rely on ourselves... We only have ourselves to figure this out!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth. "You, me, my avatar, plus the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, and even Kong Shi—if we coordinate, we might not lose!"

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

"He's dead, right? But he hasn't truly died. If I'm guessing correctly, you killing him was just a way for him to escape the Heavenly Dao... Unexpectedly, he's like Wei Changfeng—a Xian Tian Tai Hun Ti!" Zhang Xuan said.

Seeing Wei Changfeng had made him realize that Kong Shi's way of preserving his spirit was likely the same, as a Xian Tian Tai Hun Ti, allowing him to remain undeluded in the womb. With his prior preparations, revival was only a matter of time.

Luo Ruoxi was stunned, apparently not expecting this.

"We'll know once we check. If I'm right, he should have recovered by now. Otherwise, his students like Zi Yuan Gu Sheng wouldn't have stayed away from Chao Xi Hai..." Zhang Xuan said.

Kong Shi's students, such as Zi Yuan Gu Sheng, were all incredibly strong. Even without an Emperor Jun's help, they could enter Chao Xi Hai, yet none had appeared. They must have something more important—reviving Kong Shi.

"This..." Luo Ruoxi was shaken, suddenly understanding.

"Let's go!"

Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan waved his hand, tearing space open and returning to where Kong Shi resided. Sure enough, an elder was floating in the air in a meditative pose. Seeing them arrive, he smiled faintly. "You've come!"

It was Kong Shi!

This teacher of ten thousand ages hadn't disappointed him!

As guessed, he had revived while everyone's attention was on Chao Xi Hai.

"You..." Luo Ruoxi trembled.

She knew Emperor Juns could revive, as the Undying Emperor Jun had, but she hadn't expected it to happen so quickly.

"I hid from the Heavenly Dao and prepared in advance. The nameless giant in the You Hun Pool was left by me. When you killed me that day, I used it to escape the Heavenly Dao's bindings and reform my body. I've only just recovered now!" Kong Shi smiled slightly.

He was a master of time abilities, so while only one or two days had passed in the God Realm, he had experienced much longer to restore his power—perhaps decades.

"Our combined strength is strong, but defeating Ren Ren won't be easy..." Seeing that Kong Shi had indeed recovered, Luo Ruoxi still shook her head.

It wasn't about boosting his morale or diminishing her own; it was the truth. So many had united earlier and still couldn't block him. What difference would adding Kong Shi make? The situation wouldn't change!

"If we fight individually, or even united, we're no match for him. But... what if we fuse all our power into one person?" Kong Shi looked at them with a smile.

"Fuse into one person?" This time, both Luo Ruoxi and Zhang Xuan frowned in confusion.

"That hand could tear apart the God Realm and scatter the Heavenly Dao—its power is undeniable. Ren Ren absorbed that power and devoured the God Realm's spiritual energy for fifty years. Any of us, or even all ten-plus Emperor Juns together, can't compare... " Kong Shi explained, "But if we concentrate everyone's power into one person... then maybe not!"

"How do we concentrate it?" Luo Ruoxi asked.

It sounded simple, but doing it was hard.

Emperor Juns stood at the God Realm's peak. If it were that easy to absorb others' power, she wouldn't have stagnated for so many years.

"It's simple... We'll channel our power into Zhang Xuan. Once he breaks through the Emperor Jun shackles, he can save the God Realm!" Kong Shi said.

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

"Ling Xi Di Zun cultivates freedom and transcendence, but with his father's and the Heavenly Dao's constraints, and his attachments, he can never truly transcend! If I didn't see wrong, when he fought me, he once gave up, intending to let me kill him!" Kong Shi said.

Luo Ruoxi fell silent.

During the fight, she had indeed considered that, so at the beginning, they had both held back, like sparring rather than a life-or-death battle.

"Unable to transcend, he can't unleash his full power. Even with more true qi, he couldn't impact that supreme realm! As for me..." Kong Shi nodded. "I bear the burdens of all beings and wish to save the world, but I hesitate to let others sacrifice for me. Too much mercy is a flaw! If I'd been more ruthless and wiped out the Yi Ling Clan, we wouldn't be in this mess..."

If he had exterminated the Yi Ling Clan back then, Ren Ren couldn't have revived, and none of this would have happened.

"So, I'm not suitable either! But Zhang Xuan's techniques follow his heart, without flaws. He values living true to himself—even in death, as long as he's lived without regret, his heart is clear. Such a person has greater tolerance and potential, allowing him to go further!" Kong Shi continued.

To live is to return, to die is to long for each other!

If even death means nothing, what else could bind him?

"This..." Zhang Xuan frowned, about to say something, but Kong Shi looked at him intently. "No need to decline. Time is short. Even if we tried to cultivate someone else, it might not work, and I doubt anyone could do better than you! Ling Xi Di Zun has no Heavenly Dao fragment, but she's long controlled the Heavenly Dao and has her own understanding of it. I control Heavenly Dao You Xu. If we channel our power to you, you'll have the complete Heavenly Dao force! Combined with your avatar's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, you can stabilize the Nine Heavens, control the universe, battle the nine skies, and destroy all things!"

"Alright!" Seeing the decision was made, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Boom!

He sat cross-legged, and in an instant, two vast powers surged into him from both sides.

Zhang Xuan's body stiffened, as if he had instantly become the Heavenly Dao, soaring above the nine heavens.

His soul, body, and true qi were all undergoing rapid purification, growing stronger and more abundant.

...

"You all want to stop me? Fine, I'll kill you first, then go after Zhang Xuan..." After slapping Luo Qiqi and the others away, Ren Ren sneered coldly.

The combined power of the avatar and the other Emperor Juns was indeed formidable, but compared to him, it was still weak.

The Chao Xi Hai had devoured nearly all the spiritual energy outside the cities in the God Realm, and now that energy had become his nourishment. Every move he made carried the ability to destroy worlds. These Emperor Juns and Shen Wangs, representing the God Realm's peak, were still no match.

At this moment, Ren Ren seemed to embody the entire God Realm, unstoppable.

"The God Realm is doomed; living means nothing. I'll go down with you..." Yun Chi Di Jun transformed into his true form, a massive five-clawed golden dragon, lunging at him.

"You? You're not worthy!"

Ren Ren clenched his hand, and the golden dragon was trapped in his palm, struggling futilely to escape.

"My old friend, wait for me!" Fu Meng Di Jun roared, transforming into his white tiger form and charging forward.

The Undying Emperor Jun revealed his undead fire phoenix form, flames lighting up the sky.

Xuan Ming Di Jun's true form was a massive turtle, as if supporting the heavens.

The four divine beasts, guardians of the God Realm's four poles, transformed simultaneously, slowing the collapsing realm.

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

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

With four consecutive strikes, Ren Ren suppressed the four beasts, his eyes flashing with intense killing intent. "Since you seek death, I'll grant it..."

As he roared, about to deliver the fatal blow, he felt his raised arm tighten, frozen in mid-air.

"Want to kill them? Did you ask me first?"

In the shocked gazes of the crowd, a figure stepped out from the air.

It was Zhang Xuan!

Now, the young man exuded surging power, at least ten times stronger than before, descending like a world unto itself.

"You've improved a lot..." Ren Ren halted, his gaze turning serious.

He couldn't understand how the young man's strength had changed so dramatically in just a few minutes.

"But so what? Even at its peak, the God Realm couldn't withstand me. I don't believe you can..." With a cold snort, Ren Ren struck down again.

Zhang Xuan raised his long sword and met the attack.

The two clashed, space tearing apart and energy currents scattering everywhere.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?" In the Kong Shi residence in Zi Zai Tian, Luo Ruoxi watched worriedly.

She and Kong Shi had transferred their power to Zhang Xuan, reducing their own cultivation to only Shen Wang level, no longer as glorious as before.

However, their foundations remained, and with enough power, they could recover eventually.

"With his current strength, winning... is difficult! Unless he comprehends a power that transcends Emperor Jun!" After a moment of silence, Kong Shi said.

Even with the power of over ten Emperor Juns transferred to him, defeating Ren Ren wouldn't be easy.

The reason for this was to concentrate the power into one person, potentially touching the pinnacle and truly breaking limits.

"A power that transcends Emperor Jun?" Luo Ruoxi's eyes grew distant.

Her father had said the same when he was awake, but... could the man she loved achieve it?

"He can... He has an unyielding heart and an arrogant defiance toward the world." Sensing her doubt, Kong Shi smiled.

...

Bang! Bang! Bang!

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

As Kong Shi had said, even with the fused power forming a complete Heavenly Dao in his body, he still wasn't a match.

"Ha, I thought you'd be more impressive. Turns out you're just this!" Ren Ren sneered coldly.

"Anyway, I'm no match for you and will be killed eventually. Since that's the case, I want to die under your strongest attack..." Zhang Xuan took a deep breath and stopped attacking, instead looking at Ren Ren.

"Very well, I'll oblige you with my strongest attack..." Hearing this, Ren Ren paused, then snorted and raised his hand.

Whoosh!

A green light appeared in his palm and slammed down.

It was indeed his strongest attack. The entire God Realm rumbled, as if it couldn't bear the weight, creating a massive crater.

Zhang Xuan closed his eyes and didn't dodge.

Bang!

His head exploded, and his soul scattered.

"Zhang Xuan..."

Everyone's faces turned pale at the sight.

Luo Qiqi seemed to go mad.

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

Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi, who saw this, were also stunned.

The intention was for him to break through the shackles and reach a realm beyond Emperor Jun, so why did he choose to face death?

Wasn't this wasting their efforts?

wait, it's the Undying Emperor Jun's immortality technique..." Just as they were puzzled, Kong Shi spoke up.

Everyone then saw that Zhang Xuan, with his head blown apart and soul shattered, had the pendant on his chest suddenly burst open. A drop of blood floated up, ignited into a blazing flame, and from within, an unharmed figure slowly emerged.

"He... used the opponent's power and the blood in the pendant to separate the Heavenly Dao You Que from his soul?" Luo Ruoxi's pupils shrank.

The reborn Zhang Xuan no longer had the Heavenly Dao library in his body, free from its interference and the Heavenly Dao's bindings.

"How did he do that?" Kong Shi was full of disbelief.

To escape, he had to scatter his soul and reform it in the You Hun Pool.

Yet this young man had achieved it with just one death—what method did he use?

"I get it... He used Ren Ren's method to escape the soul contract..." Luo Ruoxi realized.

The soul contract bound master and servant, unbreakable unless the master dissolved it... The Heavenly Dao library was like an enhanced version, binding the soul indefinitely.

But Ren Ren had used that special power to escape, and Zhang Xuan had asked about the details earlier—probably planning it then.

That's why he deliberately let himself be killed, forcing Ren Ren to use his strongest attack.

With that power, he was reborn in the flames, and it succeeded spectacularly!

"So that's the key to breaking through Emperor Jun..." The Zhang Xuan emerging from the flames smiled faintly, as if understanding something. He waved his hand, and his avatar immediately turned back into a lotus flower and flew over.

In an instant, it fused perfectly with him.

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

He lightly stamped his foot on the ground.

The chaotic Nine Heavens stabilized immediately.

The Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, born with the Nine Heavens, could stabilize them. Now, with his avatar fused perfectly, he controlled that power.

Not only that, with the fusion of the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus's cultivation, his already peak realm began to loosen, as if ready to break through at any moment.

"Master-servant bonds, brotherhood, teacher-student ties, parent-child affection, romantic love... Fused together, they become all things in the world. This is what it means to be human!" Zhang Xuan murmured with a smile.

The moment the Heavenly Dao library separated from his soul, he understood.

Did the world exist first, with people viewing it, or did people come first?

Was it the wind moving, or the heart?

This eternal question had troubled countless people.

But now... it didn't matter!

Without life, without emotions, what meaning would the world have?

So, after breaking through romantic love came the bonds of all beings—the interwoven emotions of the world.

All things have emotions. With emotions, there is the world; with emotions, life endures.

Love is emotion.

Hate is emotion.

Joy is emotion.

Sorrow is emotion.

Parting is emotion.

Reunion is emotion!

"Ten thousand emotions, all for my use..." With a low cry, the shackles in Zhang Xuan's body shattered instantly.

He had broken through the Emperor Jun barriers!

In that moment, it was as if he had touched a new world and gate. His soul was rapidly nourished, and vast chaotic energy surged toward him, rapidly enhancing his body.

He could now absorb spatial chaos, chaotic energy—even the opponent's green light—as his own, without distinction.

"You..." Ren Ren hadn't expected his full attack not only to fail in killing him but to empower him, and he raged, "Wah wah!" roaring as he struck again.

"You resent the lofty Emperor Juns for not saving you from the spatial chaos—that's emotion; you feel humiliated as my servant, harboring feelings of inferiority and anger—that's emotion; you want to destroy the God Realm to vent your fury—that's emotion; you seek to grow stronger—that's emotion... Emotions control you, so how can you defeat me, or escape my control?" With a faint smile, Zhang Xuan's voice grew faster and louder. He gently reached out and grasped.

The once-unstoppable Ren Ren was bound by countless emotional threads, immobilized.

As long as there are emotions, they can be used by him, controlled by him!

"You..." Ren Ren's eyes filled with panic. "Zhang Shi, I'm your servant. Don't kill me... I'm willing to offer my soul..."

"It's too late for that now..." Zhang Xuan smiled and shook his head.

Controlling the emotions of the world, such servant bonds meant nothing to him.

He had killed so many at the god level, hurt his girlfriend Luo Qiqi, and so many friends. Today, how could he forgive?

"No..." Sensing his resolve, Ren Ren's pupils contracted. Before he could finish, intense pain wracked his body.

Bang!

In an instant, he exploded, turning into vast spiritual energy that surged across the God Realm.

All the power that Chao Xi Hai had devoured was now returned, revitalizing the barren lands.

"This..."

"Is that it? He's dead?"

Yun Chi Di Jun, the Undying Emperor Jun, Ling Long Xian Zi, and the others stared in disbelief.

They had fought him and knew his terror. For such a powerful being to be vanquished so easily, what realm had Zhang Xuan reached?

Could there truly be a level beyond Emperor Jun?

"He succeeded..." Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi unclenched their fists.

"This is part of the Heavenly Dao, so I'll return it now..." Seeing the "Heavenly Dao You Que" that had just separated from his body still floating in the air, Zhang Xuan smiled lightly and flicked his finger.

Buzz!

The library that had accompanied him since rebirth embedded itself into the God Realm's sky with a thunderous ring.

The crumbling God Realm visibly stabilized, and the chaotic energy regathered.

The collapse halted, and the depleted spiritual energy slowly revived with Ren Ren's death.

"It seems the God Realm is about to enter an era of spiritual energy revival..." Zhang Xuan smiled.

The hole in Chao Xi Hai had closed with the Heavenly Dao's completion, and the God Realm returning to its former glory was only a matter of time.

"Zhang Xuan, come here..." As he finished, a voice echoed in his mind. Zhang Xuan paused and stepped forward.

In that step, he didn't know how far he traveled, and soon saw a young man standing before him.

It was the one who had taught him the sword technique.

"Senior, you..." Seeing it was him, Zhang Xuan was surprised.

He had sensed this person's unfathomable depth before, and now realized he was only a hair's breadth away, having reached the absolute peak of Emperor Jun, far surpassing the previous Luo Ruoxi.

"Just call me by my name. I'm Nie Tong!" The young man exuded an unstoppable sword intent and said lightly.

"Nie Tong?" Zhang Xuan furrowed his brow.

He had never heard this name.

"Come with me. I'll take you to see my brother!" Nie Tong smiled and stepped forward.

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

There, another young man stood.

He looked only slightly older than Nie Tong, with raised eyebrows giving a profound, inscrutable air.

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled.

This young man's power surpassed even his own. He had also broken through Emperor Jun's barriers, and his cultivation was deeper and more profound!

"I'm Nie Yun!" The young man smiled faintly and looked over. "Or... Nie Ling Xi, the one you know as Luo Ruoxi's father!"

"Ruoxi's father?" Zhang Xuan was shocked. "You're... the God Realm's Heavenly Dao?"

Luo Ruoxi had said her father was the Heavenly Dao, but he never imagined it would be this young man.

"I used One Qi Transforms Three Purities; one part of my soul became the Heavenly Dao! Besides, I created this world, so calling me the Heavenly Dao isn't wrong!" Nie Yun smiled faintly.

Zhang Xuan couldn't believe it.

The God Realm was created by this man?

Then how strong was he?

"That's not right. If the God Realm is your creation and you're the Heavenly Dao, why did you let Ren Ren rampage without intervening... even regarding your daughter's life?" Zhang Xuan asked.

Nie Yun didn't answer his question but looked at him. "Do you think... beyond the God Realm, there are even stronger beings?"

"This..." Zhang Xuan paused. "There should be, right?"

Though he hadn't seen any, since this man could reach this level, others might too, or even exceed him.

"I once suspected that beyond the God Realm, there might be stronger life forms, so I tried to peer further. In the end, I drew the backlash from a higher world... a massive hand descended!" Nie Yun continued, "If I'd dodged, the entire God Realm might have been wiped out, leaving no life. So, I blocked it, but my Heavenly Dao form shattered as a result."

"In that state, restoring myself would take just a thought. But... I realized that to truly transcend the God Realm's limits, explore the hand's origin, and see what's beyond... I can't do it alone. So, I wanted to see if any being could break through the Emperor Jun barriers and reach my level!"

"That's why I sent the scattered Heavenly Dao intent to the lowest worlds... granting it to souls native to this world and one not belonging to it. And you didn't disappoint me in the end!" Nie Yun laughed.

"A soul not belonging to this world—so, my crossing over was because of you?" Zhang Xuan's heart shook.

No wonder he could traverse; it was all this man's doing.

"Heh!" Nie Yun chuckled. "Those native to this world have reverence for it, making it harder to break its shackles. I just had a whim and didn't expect you to succeed..."

"I..." Zhang Xuan's face reddened. "Without Kong Shi, I couldn't have reached this level..."

Without Kong Shi's selflessness, achieving his current state would have been impossible.

"The opportunity was given to him, but he didn't seize it. His duel with Ling Xi was his best chance to break through, but he chose to back down, thinking he had a way out. In reality, he lost his fearless drive. Facing someone beyond us, without that spirit, how can one contend?" Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan fell silent.

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

Perhaps he didn't want to kill Luo Ruoxi.

" If Kong Shi had won, Ruoxi would have died..." After a moment, Zhang Xuan looked over, his brows furrowing.

Did this man not care about his daughter's life?

"With me there, she wouldn't have died..." Nie Yun smiled faintly. "At your current level, in a life-or-death situation, could you save someone? That's how it is."

"This..." Zhang Xuan smiled bitterly.

Breaking through Emperor Jun was a different concept. If he truly wanted to, he could save someone at the last moment without a scratch.

"Ling Xi is the child of my other wife, Luo Qing Cheng, so she took the surname Luo... To make her believe and not act on emotion, I've let her think I'm still in a coma until now." Nie Yun sighed. "I'm quite the heartless father... Anyway, you explain this to her. Her feelings have shifted to you now; she probably doesn't even think of me anymore. Ha ha, I'll stay hidden for a while. Otherwise, she might turn the world upside down... "

Seeing this unreliable father, Zhang Xuan's face twitched, and he had no choice but to agree. "Alright..."

"The Heavenly Dao library was my intent, both a foundation and a shackle. You broke through it with your own ability, showing your potential. My daughter being with you brings me comfort as a father." Nie Yun said.