Chapter 469: Doesn't Feel Pain

A Soul Contract is a bond that merges souls, and as long as the one who initiated it does not dissolve it, even if the other party has unparalleled abilities, it cannot be broken. It's like the Undying Emperor Xiǎo Huángjī; back when he was just a God King, he had become an Emperor Monarch and still couldn't resolve such an agreement. To prevent this individual from going back on their word and causing backlash, the Master Teacher Continent had specifically decreed that even if the other party could escape the Heavenly Dao Ledger, they could not break free from the soul-level agreement!

"Indeed, a Soul Contract cannot be split from the sea of consciousness, but 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 strike at the location of the contract, it can be done!" Rěn Rén said.

The Soul Contract is built on the foundation of the Heavenly Dao. Since this special power can dissolve even the Heavenly Dao of the God Realm, what's so hard about dissolving a Soul Contract if handled properly?

"I see..." Zhāng Xuán's eyes flashed.

"Telling you all this is my way of thanking you for bringing me to the God Realm!"

After explaining, Rěn Rén 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, using it to nourish himself.

"Zhāng Xuán, the more the black hole absorbs, the stronger he becomes..." Luò Ruòxī also sensed something was wrong and quickly sent a telepathic message.

"Let's prepare to fight!" With his doubts cleared, Zhāng Xuán 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 mean nothing?

Though this sword technique had not reached the level comprehended by an Emperor Monarch, it contained all of his inner obsessions, pushing his Tiān Ruò Yǒu Qíng cultivation to its limit.

Whoosh!

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

At the same time, Luò Ruòxī made her move, her jade hand swirling as sword light danced like snow.

Her sword style was somewhat similar to that of the youth from Jiàn Shén Tiān, carrying an unstoppable momentum and the effortless grace of the Great Dao.

"Your moves are impressive, but compared to me, they're still lacking..." Rěn Rén chuckled lightly and 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 would be forcibly pulled down.

Pfft! Pfft!

Zhāng Xuán and Luò Ruòxī were both sent flying backward, spitting blood into the air as they went.

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.

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

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

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

Zhāng Xuán clutched his forehead.

He had become an Emperor Monarch, yet his clone still couldn't resist its urge to show off...

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

"Let's all attack together, or we'll all die if they fall..." Xiǎo Huángjī roared, his crimson flames burning as if igniting the sky.

The other six Emperor Monarchs also unleashed their techniques.

The seven Emperor Monarchs united, capable of destroying heavens and earth, making even a realm unable to withstand them. But Rěn Rén, who had absorbed the special power, simply let the black hole expand as the attacks approached, swallowing them clean in an instant before countering.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The seven Emperor Monarchs, like Zhāng Xuán and the others, were sent flying.

Even the ten great Emperor Monarchs 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, Rěn Rén stepped forward and swung his hand down again.

"How dare you, vermin!" Accompanied by a loud shout, the elder from Jiàn Shén Tiān suddenly appeared, blocking the way with his long sword transforming into a river of stars.

"Another Emperor Monarch? He's also at the Emperor Monarch level?" Zhāng Xuán's pupils contracted.

This elder had followed the youth before, and he had assumed he was just an attendant, at most a Titled God King. Only now did he realize the elder was also an Emperor Monarch powerhouse!

If he was an Emperor Monarch, then what about that youth?

"He's the Emperor Monarch of Jiàn Shén Tiān..." Struggling to stand, Luò Ruòxī gritted her teeth and said.

"Then... what about the youth who taught me the sword technique?" Zhāng Xuán couldn't hold back.

"He's..." Luò Ruòxī was about to answer when the space twisted, and they saw the Jiàn Shén Tiān Emperor Monarch sent flying, crashing into the ground and creating a massive crater.

With Zhāng Xuán's current strength and comprehension of the sword dao, even he couldn't hold his own, so despite the elder's formidable cultivation and sword skills, he was no match.

"Ha! Emperor Monarchs are nothing but chickens and dogs! Today, I'll destroy the Nine Heavens, destroy this God Realm, and trample all rules!" After defeating the Jiàn Shén Tiān Emperor Monarch, Rěn Rén laughed maniacally. The space around him collapsed continuously, making him appear demonic and otherworldly.

"What do we do?" Zhāng Xuán clenched his fists.

He and his clone had already used their strongest combat power, and even Luò Ruòxī had unleashed her most powerful moves, yet none could block even one of his strikes...

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 incomplete Heavenly Dao to its original form, letting the Heavenly Dao suppress him..." Luò Ruòxī clenched her fists, her eyes reddening.

"Return it to its original form?" Zhāng Xuán 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 Rěn Rén.

It was like the immune system of the body.

A complete immune system could easily drive out viruses, but if damaged, even a strong person could succumb to invasion.

But...

"He's too powerful. Even if the Heavenly Dao is restored, it might not suppress him!" Zhāng Xuán shook his head.

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

This man was just an ordinary God King, yet even a Titled one like him surpassed Emperor Monarchs... He was beyond what the Heavenly Dao could handle.

"This..." Luò Ruòxī 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 with ease!"

"He?" Zhāng Xuán frowned.

"I'll take you to see him. He's in Zìzì Tiān..." Taking a deep breath, Luò Ruòxī gritted her teeth and flew forward.

"Thinking of escaping?" Rěn Rén snorted coldly and pressed down.

Bang!

Luò Ruòxī plummeted from the air.

"You..." Zhāng Xuán unleashed his sword technique again, the sword intent shining brilliantly.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

It was blocked by Rěn Rén once more.

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

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone blocking fearlessly, even facing death, Zhāng Xuán's eyes reddened. But he knew now wasn't the time for words. He pulled Luò Ruòxī along, his body flickering as he tore through space and appeared in the Zìzì Tiān area.

Zìzì Tiān was no longer as peaceful as before; the God Realm was collapsing, and chaos reigned everywhere.

"Where is the person you mentioned?" With no time to observe the ordinary lives around them, Zhāng Xuán looked at the girl in his arms.

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 was once his beast pet..." After regulating her breath, Luò Ruòxī explained.

"Father?" Zhāng Xuán suddenly understood.

No wonder he had always felt the blood in the pendant was similar to Luò Ruòxī's yet different—it was her father's.

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

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

The library's chaos had been calmed by the blood in the pendant. Could it be that not only was she an Emperor Monarch, but her father was too, or even stronger?

If so, why was he in a coma?

And why did he need an incomplete Heavenly Dao to awaken?

"He's not an Emperor Monarch. He's... the Heavenly Dao!" Luò Ruòxī clenched her fists.

"The Heavenly Dao? Your father... is the Heavenly Dao?" Zhāng Xuán 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 Incomplete entered the spatial chaos, while I took control of Heavenly Dao Natural to maintain the God Realm's balance. The only way to restore him is to gather those scattered parts... That's why I've been so determined, why I couldn't fail! That's why I entered the Master Teacher Continent to study the Spring and Autumn Compendium and find a way to defeat Kǒng Shī! And when I fought Kǒng Shī, the favor I asked of him was for this." Luò Ruòxī said.

Zhāng Xuán suddenly understood.

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 grasped it then, but now he did.

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

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

"Acting as Heavenly Dao Natural... You don't have a fragment of the Heavenly Dao in you?" Suddenly realizing the inconsistency in her words, Zhāng Xuán looked over.

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

Zhāng Xuán breathed a sigh of relief.

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

Though he was reluctant to accept this fate, he didn't want the girl in front of him to be harmed.

"If I separate the Heavenly Dao Incomplete from my body, your father can awaken and even slay Rěn Rén, right?" Zhāng Xuán asked.

"This... I'm not sure..." Luò Ruòxī glanced at the collapsing God Realm, hesitating.

The God Realm was her father's foundation, and now it was in ruins. Even if he awakened, could he truly defeat such a powerful Rěn Rén?

It was hard to say!

"It seems you can't be certain. In that case, better to rely on ourselves... We have no choice but to find a way ourselves!" Zhāng Xuán gritted his teeth. "You, me, my clone, plus the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, and even Kǒng Shī—we might not lose!"

"Kǒng Shī? He..." Luò Ruòxī 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 probably like Wèi Chángfēng, with an Innate Fetal Soul Body!" Zhāng Xuán said.

Seeing Wèi Chángfēng had made him realize that Kǒng Shī's way of preserving his spirit was likely the same—an Innate Fetal Soul Body that could remain undeluded in the womb.

Coupled with the precautions he had set in advance, revival was only a matter of time.

Luò Ruòxī 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 wouldn't have stayed away from the Tidal Sea..." Zhāng Xuán said.

Kǒng Shī's students, like Zǐ Yuān Ancient Saint and the others, were incredibly strong. Even without an Emperor Monarch's help, they could enter the Tidal Sea, yet none had appeared.

They must have something more important—clearly, helping Kǒng Shī recover.

"This..." Luò Ruòxī's heart shook, suddenly understanding.

"Let's go!" Without further explanation, Zhāng Xuán waved his hand, and they arrived at the place where Kǒng Shī resided. Sure enough, they saw an elder sitting cross-legged in the air. Seeing them arrive, he smiled slightly. "You've come!"

Who else could it be but Kǒng Shī?

This teacher of ages had not disappointed him!

As guessed, he had taken advantage of everyone's focus on the Tidal Sea to revive.

"You..." Luò Ruòxī trembled.

She knew Emperor Monarchs could revive, and the Undying Emperor had done so, but she hadn't expected it to happen so quickly!

"I hid from the Heavenly Dao and prepared a backup in advance. That nameless giant in the Yōu Hún 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!" Kǒng Shī smiled faintly.

He was proficient in 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 Rěn Rén won't be easy..." Even seeing Kǒng Shī had recovered, Luò Ruòxī still shook her head.

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

So many had united earlier and still couldn't block him. What difference would adding Kǒng Shī make?

It wouldn't change the situation!

"Our individual strengths, or even united, aren't a match for him, but... what if we fuse all our powers into one person?" Kǒng Shī looked at them with a smile.

"Fuse into one person?" This time, not just Luò Ruòxī, but Zhāng Xuán was also full of confusion.

"That hand could tear apart the God Realm and scatter the Heavenly Dao—its power is undeniable. Rěn Rén absorbed that power and devoured the God Realm's spiritual energy for fifty years. Any of us, or even all ten-plus Emperor Monarchs, aren't his match alone..." Kǒng Shī said, "But if we unite and concentrate our power into one person... maybe then!"

"How do we concentrate it?" Luò Ruòxī looked over.

It sounded simple, but doing it was hard.

Emperor Monarchs stood at the peak of the God Realm. If it were that easy to absorb others' power, she wouldn't have been stuck for so long.

"It's simple... We'll channel our power into Zhāng Xuán. Once he breaks through the Emperor Monarch constraints, he can save the God Realm!" Kǒng Shī said.

"Me?" Zhāng Xuán was stunned. "Why me?"

"Língxī Emperor Monarch cultivates freedom and transcendence, but with her father's and the Heavenly Dao's restraints, and her attachments, she can never truly transcend! If I guessed right, when you fought me, you once considered giving up and letting me kill you!" Kǒng Shī said.

Luò Ruòxī fell silent.

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

"Unable to transcend, she can't unleash her full power. Even with more true energy, she couldn't impact that supreme realm! As for me..." Kǒng Shī nodded. "I care for all living beings and want to save the world, but I'm unwilling to let others sacrifice for me. Too much mercy is a flaw! If I had been more ruthless and wiped out the Hetero-Spirits, we wouldn't be in this mess..."

If he had exterminated the Hetero-Spirits back then, Rěn Rén couldn't have revived, and none of this would have happened.

"So, I'm not suitable! But Zhāng Xuán's techniques are seamless, 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 higher and farther!" Kǒng Shī continued.

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

If even death means nothing, how can other things bind him?

"This..." Zhāng Xuán frowned, about to say something, when Kǒng Shī looked at him intently. "No need to refuse—time is short. Even if we tried to cultivate someone else, it might not work, and I doubt anyone could do better than you! Língxī Emperor Monarch doesn't have a Heavenly Dao fragment in her, but she's long controlled the Heavenly Dao and has her own understanding of it; I control Heavenly Dao Orderly. If we channel our power to you, you'll have the complete Heavenly Dao force in your body! Combined with your clone's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, you can stabilize the Nine Heavens, control the universe, battle the nine realms, and destroy all things!"

"Alright!" Seeing the decision was made, Zhāng Xuán nodded.

Boom!

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

Zhāng Xuán's entire body stiffened, as if he had instantly become the Heavenly Dao, soaring above the nine heavens.

His soul, body, and true energy were all undergoing rapid refinement, growing stronger and more abundant.

...

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

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

The Tidal Sea had nearly devoured 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 Monarchs and God Kings, despite representing the God Realm's peak, were no match.

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

"The God Realm is doomed—we have no reason to live. I'll go down with you..." Yún Chí Great Emperor transformed into his true form, a massive five-clawed golden dragon, lunging at him.

"You? You're not worthy!" Rěn Rén clenched his hand, and the golden dragon was trapped in his palm, struggling futilely to escape.

"My old friend, wait for me!" Fú Měng Emperor Monarch roared, transforming into his white tiger true form and charging forward.

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

Xuán Míng Great Emperor'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, Rěn Rén suppressed the four beasts, his eyes flashing with intense killing intent. "Since you're seeking death, I'll grant it..."

As he roared, about to deliver the fatal blow, he felt his raised arm tighten, freezing 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 Zhāng Xuán!

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

"You've improved a lot..." Rěn Rén stopped, his gaze serious.

He clearly didn't understand how the other'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..." He snorted coldly and struck down again.

Zhāng Xuán raised his long sword and met the attack.

The two clashed, space tearing apart and energy surging wildly.

"Can Zhāng Xuán win?" In the Zìzì Tiān residence of Kǒng Shī, Luò Ruòxī watched with worry.

She and Kǒng Shī had transferred their power to Zhāng Xuán, reducing their own cultivation to merely God King level, no longer as glorious as before.

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

"With his current strength, winning... is tough! Unless he comprehends a power that transcends Emperor Monarch!" After a moment of silence, Kǒng Shī said.

Even with the power of over a dozen Emperor Monarchs transferred to him, victory wasn't guaranteed.

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 Monarch?" Luò Ruòxī'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, Kǒng Shī smiled.

...

Bang! Bang! Bang!

After several exchanges, Zhāng Xuán's tiger's mouth split open, and a massive wound appeared on his chest, ghastly and terrifying.

As Kǒng Shī had said, even with the complete Heavenly Dao force in his body, he wasn't a match.

"Ha, I thought you'd be something special. Turns out you're nothing!" Rěn Rén sneered.

"Since I'm not your match anyway, and I'll be killed eventually, I might as well die under your strongest attack..." Taking a deep breath, Zhāng Xuán stopped attacking and looked at Rěn Rén.

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

Whoosh!

A green light appeared in his palm and smashed down.

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

Zhāng Xuán closed his eyes and didn't dodge.

Bang!

His head exploded, and his soul scattered.

"Zhāng Xuán..." Everyone's faces turned pale at the sight.

Luo Qiqi seemed to go mad.

Yún Chí Great Emperor and the others widened their eyes, trembling uncontrollably.

Kǒng Shī and Luò Ruòxī, who had seen it, were both stunned.

The intention was for him to break through his limits and reach a realm beyond Emperor Monarch, so why didn't he resist and walk to his death?

Wasn't that wasting their efforts?

"Something's wrong—it's the Undying Emperor's immortality technique..." Just as they wondered, Kǒng Shī spoke.

Everyone then saw that Zhāng Xuán, whose head had exploded and soul shattered, had the pendant on his chest burst open. A drop of blood floated up, ignited, and formed a blazing flame. From the flame, an intact figure slowly emerged.

"He... used the opponent's power and the blood in the pendant to separate the Heavenly Dao Incomplete from his soul?" Luò Ruòxī's pupils contracted.

The reborn Zhāng Xuán no longer had the Heavenly Dao Library in his body, free from its interference and detached from the Heavenly Dao!

"How did he do that?" Kǒng Shī was full of disbelief.

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

This one had only been struck once and completely freed—what method had he used?

"I get it... He used Rěn Rén's method to escape the Soul Contract..." Luò Ruòxī realized.

The Soul Contract bound master and servant; without the master's release, the servant was forever bound... The Heavenly Dao Library was similar, like an enhanced contract tied to the soul and unbreakable in death.

But Rěn Rén had used that special power to escape, and Zhāng Xuán had asked about the details earlier, probably planning it then.

That's why he deliberately let himself be killed, forcing the strongest attack.

And it had succeeded brilliantly!

"So that's the way to break through Emperor Monarch..." The Zhāng Xuán emerging from the flames smiled faintly, as if he had understood something. With a wave of his hand, his clone on the side 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 the Zhāng Xuán 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 the clone fused perfectly, it meant he controlled that power.

Not only that, with the fusion of the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus's cultivation, his already peak realm showed signs of loosening, as if it could break through at any moment.

"Master-servant bonds, brotherhood, teacher-student bonds, parent-child bonds, romantic love... Fused together, they are the essence of all things in the world. This is what it means to be human!" Smiling, Zhāng Xuán murmured to himself.

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

Was it people who created the world, or the world that birthed people?

Was it the wind moving, or the heart?

This ancient question had puzzled countless people.

But now... none of that mattered!

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

So, after breaking through romantic love, it was the bonds of all living things! The intertwined emotions of the world.

All things in the world have emotions. 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 low cry, the restraints in Zhāng Xuán's body shattered instantly.

The Emperor Monarch barrier was broken!

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

Countless chaotic energies surged over, and his physical body advanced swiftly.

Before, he could only progress by absorbing spiritual energy, but now, spatial chaos, chaotic energy—even the opponent's green light—could all be his, indistinguishable.

"You..." Rěn Rén hadn't expected his full attack not only to fail in killing him but to empower him, and he roared in fury, lurching again.

"You resent the lofty Emperor Monarchs for not saving you from the spatial chaos—that's emotion; feeling humble and angry as my servant—that's emotion; wanting to destroy the God Realm to vent your anger—that's emotion; desiring to grow stronger—that's emotion too... Emotion controls you, so how can you defeat me, or escape my control?" Zhāng Xuán smiled faintly, his voice growing faster and louder. With a light grasp of his hand,

The once invincible Rěn Rén was bound by countless emotional threads, rendered immobile.

As long as there was emotion, it would be used by him, controlled by him!

"You..." Rěn Rén's eyes filled with panic. "Zhāng Shī, I'm your servant. Don't kill me... I'll offer my soul..."

"It's too late to say that now..." Zhāng Xuán smiled and shook his head.

With control over the world's emotions, things like servants meant nothing to him.

He had killed so many in the God Realm, hurt his girlfriend Luo Qiqi, and so many friends. How could he forgive that today?

"No..." Sensing his resolve, Rěn Rén's pupils contracted. Before he could finish, he felt intense pain throughout his body.

Bang!

In an instant, he exploded, turning into vast spiritual energy that surged back to every corner of the God Realm.

All the power previously devoured by the Tidal Sea was returned, and the barren lands regained their vitality.

"This..."

"It's over just like that?"

Yún Chí Great Emperor, the Undying Emperor, Línglóng Immortal, and the others all widened their eyes in disbelief.

They had fought Rěn Rén and knew his terror. For such a powerful being to be vanquished so easily, what realm had Zhāng Xuán reached?

Could there truly be a level beyond Emperor Monarch?

"He succeeded..." Kǒng Shī and Luò Ruòxī unclenched their fists.

"This is part of the Heavenly Dao, so I'll return it now..." Seeing the "Heavenly Dao Incomplete" that had just separated from his body still floating in the air, Zhāng Xuán 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 slowed its collapse, and the chaotic energies regathered.

The collapsing God Realm finally stabilized, and the depleted spiritual energy slowly revived with Rěn Rén's death.

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

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

"Zhāng Xuán, come here..." Just as he finished, a voice echoed in his mind. Zhāng Xuán paused and stepped forward.

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

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

"Senior, you..." Seeing it was him, Zhāng Xuán was surprised.

He had felt this person was unfathomable before, and now realized he was only a step away, having reached the absolute peak of Emperor Monarch, far surpassing the previous Luò Ruòxī.

"Just call me by my name. I'm Niè Tóng!" The youth exuded an unstoppable sword intent and said lightly.

"Niè Tóng?" Zhāng Xuán furrowed his brow.

He had never heard this name.

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

Zhāng Xuán followed closely. After an unknown distance, they stopped at a mountain peak.

There, another youth stood.

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

"This strength..." Zhāng Xuán trembled.

This youth's power surpassed even his, having broken through the Emperor Monarch barrier with even deeper, more profound cultivation!

"I am Niè Yún!" The youth smiled faintly and looked over. "Also known as... Niè Língxī, the father of Luò Ruòxī in your words!"

"Luò Ruòxī's father?" Zhāng Xuán was shocked. "You're... the Heavenly Dao of the God Realm?"

Luò Ruòxī had said her father was the Heavenly Dao, but he never imagined it would be such a young man.

"I used One Qi Transforms Three Purities, turning part of my soul into the Heavenly Dao! Besides, I created this world, so calling me the Heavenly Dao isn't wrong!" Niè Yún smiled faintly.

Zhāng Xuán couldn't believe it.

The God Realm was created by this person?

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 Rěn Rén rampage without intervening... Even your daughter's life..." Zhāng Xuán looked over.

If it weren't for his breakthrough, the God Realm might have completely collapsed. Why had this person done nothing? Not even caring for his daughter?

Without answering, Niè Yún looked over. "Do you think... beyond the God Realm, there are even stronger beings?"

"This..." Zhāng Xuán paused. "There should be..."

Though he hadn't seen any, since this person could reach this level, others might too, or even exceed it—like the one before him.

"I once suspected that beyond the God Realm, there might be stronger life forms, so I tried my hardest to peer out, ultimately drawing backlash from a higher world... A massive hand descended!" Niè Yún looked over. "If I had dodged, the entire God Realm might have been wiped out, leaving no life. So, I blocked it, but my incarnated Heavenly Dao was scattered."

"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 couldn't do it alone. So, I wanted to see if any life could break through the Emperor Monarch barrier and reach my level!"

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

"A soul not of this world—so, my crossing over was because of you?" Zhāng Xuán's heart shook.

No wonder he could cross over—it was all this person's doing.

"Heh!" Niè Yún chuckled lightly. "Souls native to this world have reverence for it, making it harder to break through. I just had a thought and didn't expect you to succeed..."

"I..." Zhāng Xuán's face reddened. "Without Kǒng Shī, I couldn't have reached this level..."

Without Kǒng Shī's selfless contribution, it would have been impossible.

"The opportunity was his, but he didn't seize it. His duel with Língxī 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 those who transcend us, without that spirit, how can he contend?" Niè Yún said.

Zhāng Xuán fell silent.

He had watched their fight, and Kǒng Shī had indeed lacked decisiveness.

Perhaps he hadn't wanted to kill Luò Ruòxī.

But that single thought had cost him the chance.

"If Kǒng Shī had won, Luò Ruòxī would have died..." After a moment, Zhāng Xuán looked over, his brows furrowing.

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

"With me here, she wouldn't die..." Niè Yún smiled faintly. "You, now at this level, could you save someone in a life-or-death situation?"

"This..." Zhāng Xuán smiled bitterly.

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

"Língxī was born to my other wife, Luò Qīngchéng, so she used the surname Luò as a disguise... To make her believe and not act on emotion, I've let her think I'm still in a coma until now." Niè Yún sighed bitterly. "I'm quite the heartless father... You explain this to her. After all, her feelings have shifted to you, and as her father, I'm probably forgotten... Ha ha, I'll stay hidden for now. I fear she'd turn the world upside down if I showed up."

Seeing how unreliable this father was, Zhāng Xuán's face twitched, and he had no choice but to agree. "Alright..."

He had no choice—who made him the one who had "taken" his daughter?

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

With that, the text ends.