Chapter 453: Benevolence and Righteousness

A soul contract binds souls together, and as long as the initiator doesn't revoke it, even if the other party has unparalleled means, it cannot be broken. For instance, take the Undying Emperor Jun, Jun Xiao Huang Ji; he was once only a Shen Wang, and even as an Emperor Jun, he couldn't resolve such an agreement. To prevent this individual from going back on their word and causing backlash, the Master Teacher Continent specifically decreed that even if one could escape the Heavenly Dao's registry, they still couldn't break free from the soul contract.

"Indeed, a soul contract can't be split from the sea of consciousness, but I've fused with a special gas that can even resolve the Heavenly Dao. Dissolving this contract isn't difficult... As long as I have enough power to strike at the contract's location, it can be done!" Hen Ren said.

This soul contract is based on the foundation of the Heavenly Dao, and since this special power can resolve even the Shenjie Heavenly Dao, what's so hard about dissolving a soul contract if handled properly?

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

"Telling you all this is my way of thanking you for bringing me to Shenjie!" After explaining, Hen Ren said no more. His aura grew even more ancient and profound, and the black hole behind him expanded further, clearly having absorbed an unknown 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 telepathic message.

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

Boom!

His most powerful sword intent erupted once more.

To live is to return anew, to die is to hold eternal longing!

What could stand in the way when life and death mean nothing?

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

Whoosh!

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

At the same time, Luo Ruoxi struck out, her jade-like hand swirling as her sword light gleamed like snow.

Her swordsmanship resembled 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 faint smile, Hen Ren reached down again.

In an instant, his hand covered the sky, enveloping the heavens and earth, shattering space, and making it seem as though the sun, moon, and stars would 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 clone 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.

Having refined the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, his cultivation was no weaker than Zhang Xuan's.

He raised a fist, its power surging toward the nine heavens.

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

Zhang Xuan clutched his forehead.

Even after becoming an Emperor Jun, his clone hadn't lost 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 Huang Ji roared, his crimson flames burning as if igniting the sky.

The other six Emperor Jun also unleashed their techniques.

The seven Emperor Jun joined forces, capable of destroying heavens and earth, making even a realm unable to withstand them. But Hen Ren, having absorbed that special power, simply let his black hole expand as their attacks approached, swallowing everything in an instant before countering.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

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

Even ten Emperor Jun 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, Hen Ren stepped forward and swung his hand down again.

"How dare you!" 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 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..." Struggling to stand, Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth and said.

"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 the Jian Shen Tian Emperor Jun was sent flying, crashing into the ground and creating a huge crater.

With Zhang Xuan's current strength and understanding of the sword dao, even he couldn't hold out, so despite this elder's high cultivation and masterful sword skills, he was no match.

"Ha! Emperor Jun are nothing but a bunch of weaklings! Today, I'll destroy the Nine Heavens, destroy Shenjie, and trample all rules!" Defeating the Jian Shen Tian Emperor Jun, Hen Ren laughed maniacally, the surrounding space collapsing as he appeared like a demon.

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

He and his clone had already used their strongest attacks, and even Luo Ruoxi had unleashed her most powerful moves, yet none could block even one of his strikes...

Could no one in Shenjie stop this man?

Would he be allowed to destroy the world?

"The only way is to return your flawed Heavenly Dao to its original state, letting the Heavenly Dao suppress him..." Luo Ruoxi's delicate fist clenched, her eyes reddening.

"Return it to its original state?" 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 Hen Ren.

It was like the human immune system.

A complete immune system could easily drive out viruses, but if damaged, even a strong body couldn't resist invasion.

But...

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

Viruses could be killed by the immune system, but what about a fierce tiger?

This man was beyond an ordinary Shen Wang; even surpassing Emperor Jun, he was no longer something 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 man easily!"

"He?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

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

Bang!

Luo Ruoxi plummeted from the air.

"You..." Zhang Xuan unleashed his sword technique again, his sword intent shining brightly.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

It was blocked by Hen Ren once more.

"You all go! I'll hold him off..." Knowing they were trying to save Shenjie, not flee, his clone and the Undying Emperor Jun shouted, blocking the way, while Luo Qiqi transformed back into the core of the Jing Kong Pearl.

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone fearlessly holding the line, unafraid 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 Zizai Tian's domain.

Zizai Tian was no longer as peaceful as before; Shenjie was collapsing, and chaos reigned everywhere.

"Where is he?" Zhang Xuan asked, not wasting time on the ordinary surroundings, looking at the girl in his arms.

If this person could truly save Shenjie, he was willing to sacrifice himself.

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

"Father?" Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

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

That also explained why the Undying Emperor Jun's remnant will had immediately recognized him as master upon seeing the pendant.

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

The library's chaos had been calmed by the blood in the pendant, so was her father not only an Emperor Jun but even more powerful?

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; he's... the Heavenly Dao!" Luo Ruoxi clenched her fist.

"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 Orderly and Heavenly Dao Flawed entered the spatial chaos, while I took control of Heavenly Dao Natural to maintain Shenjie's balance. The only way to restore him is to gather those scattered parts... That's why I was so determined, why I couldn't fail! That's why I entered the Master Teacher Continent to study the Chun Qiu Canon 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 said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly realized.

Not long after they met on the Master Teacher Continent, this girl had told him her story—she needed to save a close relative. He hadn't understood then, but now it all made sense.

It was her father, and he was the Shenjie Heavenly Dao!

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

"Acting as Heavenly Dao Natural... You don't have a Heavenly Dao fragment in you?" Suddenly noticing the oddity in her words, Zhang Xuan looked over.

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

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

In that case, he only needed to separate his own Heavenly Dao Flawed; she didn't have to die.

Though he was reluctant to accept this fate, he didn't want this girl to be harmed.

"If I separate the Heavenly Dao Flawed from me, your father can awaken and even slay Hen Ren, right?" Zhang Xuan asked.

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

Shenjie was her father's foundation, and now it was in ruins. Even if he awakened, could he truly defeat that powerful Hen Ren?

It was hard to say!

"Since you can't be certain, it's better to rely on ourselves... We have to find a way!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth. "You, me, my clone, plus the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, and even Kong Shi—if we team up, we might still win!"

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

"He's dead, right? But he hasn't truly died. If I'm correct, you killing him was just a way for him to escape the Heavenly Dao... He's probably like Wei Changfeng, with 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, able 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 the Tidal Sea..." Zhang Xuan said.

Kong Shi's students, such as Zi Yuan Gu Sheng, were all powerful. Even without an Emperor Jun's help, they could enter the Tidal Sea, yet none had appeared. They must have something more important—likely helping Kong Shi recover.

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

"Let's go!" Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan waved his hand, and they arrived at Kong Shi's residence. Sure enough, an elder was floating in mid-air, cross-legged in meditation. Seeing them, he smiled slightly. "You've come!"

Who else could it be but Kong Shi?

This teacher of ages hadn't disappointed him!

As expected, while everyone's attention was on the Tidal Sea, he had revived.

"You..." Luo Ruoxi's body trembled.

She knew Emperor Jun 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 break free from the Heavenly Dao's constraints and reform my body. I've only just recovered now!" Kong Shi smiled faintly.

He mastered time abilities, so while only one or two days had passed in Shenjie, he had experienced much longer to restore his power—perhaps decades.

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

It wasn't about boosting the enemy or undermining morale; it was the truth.

So many had joined forces earlier and still couldn't block him. Adding Kong Shi wouldn't change the outcome.

"Individually, or even together, 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 it into one person?" This time, not just Luo Ruoxi, but Zhang Xuan was also full of doubt.

"That hand could tear Shenjie apart and scatter the Heavenly Dao—its power is undeniable. Hen Ren absorbed it and devoured Shenjie's spiritual energy for fifty years. Any of us, or even all ten-plus Emperor Jun, can't match him alone..." Kong Shi said. "But if we unite and concentrate our power into one person... maybe then."

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

It sounded simple, but doing it was hard.

Emperor Jun stood at Shenjie's peak; if it were that easy to absorb others' power, she wouldn't have stagnated for so long.

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

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

"Ling Xi Emperor Jun cultivates freedom and transcendence, but with his father's and the Heavenly Dao's restrictions, and his attachments, he can never truly transcend! If I saw correctly, during our fight, you once gave up and intended to let me kill you." Kong Shi said.

Luo Ruoxi fell silent.

In their battle, that had indeed been his plan, so at the start, they had both held back, like sparring rather than a fight to the death.

"Unable to transcend, he can't unleash his full power. Even with more true qi, he couldn't break through to the highest realm! As for me..." Kong Shi nodded. "I seek to embrace all beings and save the world, but I'm unwilling 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, Hen Ren couldn't have revived, and none of this would have happened.

"So, I'm not suitable either! But Zhang Xuan's cultivation flows naturally, 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 anew, to die is to hold eternal longing!

If even death doesn't bother him, 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 Emperor Jun has no Heavenly Dao fragment, but she's long controlled the Heavenly Dao, giving her her own understanding. I control Heavenly Dao Orderly. If we channel our power to you, you'll have the complete Heavenly Dao force! Combined with your clone's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, you can stabilize the Nine Heavens, command the universe, battle the nine realms, 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, feeling as though he had transformed into the Heavenly Dao itself, soaring above the nine heavens.

His soul, body, and true qi were all instantly purified, 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, Hen Ren sneered coldly.

The combined power of the clone and the various Emperor Jun was indeed formidable, but compared to him, it was still weak.

The Tidal Sea had devoured nearly all of Shenjie's spiritual energy outside the cities, and now that energy had become his nourishment. Every move he made carried the power to destroy worlds. These Emperor Jun and Shen Wang, representing Shenjie's peak, were still no match.

At this moment, Hen Ren seemed to embody all of Shenjie, unstoppable.

"Even if Shenjie falls, living means nothing. I'll go down with you..." Yun Chi Emperor Jun transformed into his true form, a massive five-clawed golden dragon, lunging at him.

"You? Not worthy!" Hen Ren clenched his hand, and the golden dragon was trapped in his palm, struggling futilely.

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

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

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

The four divine beasts, guarding Shenjie's four corners, transformed simultaneously, slowing the collapsing world.

The universe seemed to freeze in that instant.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

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

As he roared and prepared to finish them off, he felt his raised arm suddenly tighten, frozen in mid-air.

"Want to kill them? Did you ask me first?" In the shocked gazes of everyone, a figure stepped out from the air.

It was Zhang Xuan!

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

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

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

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

Zhang Xuan raised his long sword and met the attack.

The two clashed, space tearing apart and energy raging everywhere.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?" In Kong Shi's residence in Zizai 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 foundation remained; with enough power, they could recover eventually.

"With his current strength, winning will be tough! Unless... he can comprehend a power beyond Emperor Jun!" After a moment of silence, Kong Shi said.

Even with the power of over a dozen Emperor Jun fused into him, defeating Hen Ren wouldn't be easy.

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

"A power beyond 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 spirit 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 complete Heavenly Dao force in him, he wasn't a match.

"Ha! I thought you'd be something special, but you're not!" Hen Ren sneered.

"Since I'm no match anyway and will be killed eventually, I might as well die under your strongest attack..." Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan stopped attacking and looked at Hen Ren.

"Very well, I'll give you my strongest attack..." Hearing this, Hen Ren paused, then snorted coldly, raising his hand.

Whoosh!

A green light appeared in his palm and slammed down.

It was indeed his strongest attack; the entire Shenjie 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, his soul scattering.

"Zhang Xuan..." Everyone's faces turned pale at the sight.

Luo Qiqi seemed to go mad.

Yun Chi Emperor Jun and the others widened their eyes, trembling.

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

The plan was for him to break through the constraints and reach beyond the Emperor Jun realm, so why had he given up and walked to his death?

Wasn't that wasting their efforts?

"No... wait, it's the Undying Emperor Jun's immortality technique..." Just as they wondered, Kong Shi spoke up.

Everyone 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, and formed a blazing flame. From the flame, an unharmed figure slowly emerged.

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

The reborn Zhang Xuan no longer had the Heavenly Dao library in him; he was free from the Heavenly Dao's interference and unbound.

"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.

This young man had achieved it with just one strike—what method had he used?

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

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

But Hen 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 Hen Ren to use his strongest attack.

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

"So, that's the way to break through Emperor Jun..." The Zhang Xuan emerging from the flames smiled faintly, as if enlightened. He waved his hand, and his clone instantly turned back into a lotus flower and flew over.

In an instant, it fused perfectly with him.

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 stabilized immediately.

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

Moreover, 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. That's what it means to be human!" With a smile, Zhang Xuan murmured to himself.

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

Is it people who give meaning to the world, or does the world exist first?

Is it the wind moving, or the heart?

This ancient question had puzzled countless people.

But now... it didn't matter.

Without life, without emotion, what meaning does the world have?

So, after breaking through romantic love, it was the affection of all beings—the interwoven emotions of the world.

All things have emotion; with emotion, there is the world; with emotion, 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 soft cry, Zhang Xuan's suppressed realm shattered in an instant.

He broke through the Emperor Jun constraints!

In that moment, it was as if he touched a new world and gate. His soul was rapidly nourished.

Countless chaotic energies surged toward him, and his body rapidly strengthened.

He could now absorb not just spiritual energy but spatial chaos, chaotic qi, and even the opponent's green light—all becoming his own.

"You..." Hen Ren hadn't expected his full attack not only to fail but to empower him, and he roared in fury, striking down again.

"You resent the lofty Emperor Jun for not saving you from the spatial chaos—that's emotion; you feel humble and angry as my servant—that's emotion; you want to destroy Shenjie to vent your anger—that's emotion; you seek to grow stronger—that's emotion... Emotion controls 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 grasped his hand.

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

As long as there was emotion, he could be used and controlled!

"You..." Hen Ren's eyes filled with panic. "Zhang Shi, I'm your servant; don't kill me... I'll offer my soul..."

"Now it's too late to say that..." 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 in Shenjie, hurt his girlfriend Luo Qiqi, and so many friends. How could he forgive that today?

"No..." Sensing his resolve, Hen 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 Shenjie.

All the power the Tidal Sea had devoured was now returned, revitalizing the withered wastelands.

"This..."

"Is that it? He's gone?" Yun Chi Emperor Jun, Undying Emperor Jun, Ling Long Xian Zi, and the others stared in disbelief.

They had fought Hen Ren and knew his terror. For this young man to defeat him so easily, what realm had he 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; I'll return it now..." Seeing the "Heavenly Dao Flawed" that had just separated from him 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 Shenjie's sky with a thunderous ring.

The crumbling Shenjie visibly stabilized, and the chaotic energies gathered once more.

The collapsing world finally stopped, and the depleted spiritual energy slowly revived with Hen Ren's death.

"It seems Shenjie is entering a new era of spiritual revival..." Zhang Xuan smiled.

The Tidal Sea's void had been filled with the Heavenly Dao's completion, and Shenjie's return to its former glory was only a matter of time.

"Zhang Xuan, come here..." Just 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 step away, having reached the peak of Emperor Jun, far surpassing the previous Luo Ruoxi.

"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, with upward-swept brows, giving a profound and inscrutable aura.

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled.

This young man's power surpassed even his, also beyond Emperor Jun, but 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 Shenjie 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.

Shenjie was created by this man?

Then how powerful was he?

"But if Shenjie is your creation and you're the Heavenly Dao, why didn't you act against Hen Ren...?" Zhang Xuan asked.

If not for his breakthrough, Shenjie might have been utterly destroyed. Why had this man done nothing, even regarding his daughter's life?

Nie Yun didn't answer directly but looked at him. "Do you think there's life beyond Shenjie, even stronger?"

"This..." Zhang Xuan paused. "Probably, right?"

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

"I once suspected there was life beyond Shenjie, so I tried to peer further, ultimately drawing the backlash from a higher world... That hand came crashing down!" Nie Yun said. "If I'd dodged, Shenjie might have been wiped out completely. So, I blocked it, but my incarnated Heavenly Dao was scattered."

"In that state, restoring it would take just a thought, but... I realized that to truly transcend Shenjie's limits, explore the hand's origin, and see what's beyond... I couldn't do it alone. So, I wanted to see if any life could break through the Emperor Jun constraints and reach my level!"

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

"A soul not of this world—so, my crossing over was because of you?" Zhang Xuan was shocked.

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

"Heh!" Nie Yun chuckled. "Souls native to this world have reverence for it, making it harder to break free. 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 point..."

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

"The opportunity was his, but he didn't seize it. His duel with Ling Xi was his best chance to break through, but he chose to retreat, thinking he had a way out. In reality, he lost his drive. Without that spirit, how can one face those who surpass us?" Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan fell silent.

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

Perhaps he hadn't wanted to kill Luo Ruoxi.

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

Was this man indifferent even to his daughter's life?

"With me here, she wouldn't die..." Nie Yun smiled faintly. "At your current level, in a life-and-death situation, could you save someone?"

"This..." Zhang Xuan smiled bitterly.

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

"Ling Xi is from 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... You should explain this to her. After all, her feelings have shifted to you; she probably doesn't even think of me anymore. Ha ha, I'll stay hidden for now; I don't want her causing chaos... Otherwise, she might turn the world upside down."

Seeing how unreliable this father was, Zhang Xuan's face twitched, but he had no choice. "Alright..."

"The Heavenly Dao library was my intent, both a foundation and a constraint. You've broken through it with your own ability, showing your potential. My daughter with you brings me comfort as a father." As Nie Yun spoke, the text cuts off.