Chapter 471: Our Leader

A soul contract binds the souls; as long as the initiator does not dissolve it, even if the other party has heaven-piercing abilities, it cannot be broken. It's like with the Undying Emperor Jun Xiao Huang Ji, who was once only a Shen Wang; even as an Emperor Jun, he couldn't resolve such an agreement. To prevent this individual from reneging and causing backlash, the Master Teacher Continent had specifically decreed that even if one could escape the Heavenly Way's registry, they still couldn't break free from the soul contract.

"Indeed, a soul contract cannot be split from the sea of consciousness, but I've fused with a special gas that can even resolve the Heavenly Way, so 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.

A soul contract is built on the foundation of the Heavenly Way; since this special power can resolve even the Shen Jie Heavenly Way, what's so hard about resolving a soul contract, as long as it's handled properly?

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

"Telling you all this is my way of thanking you for bringing me to Shen Jie!" 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, using it for nourishment.

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

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

Boom!

His most powerful sword intent was unleashed once more. To live is to return in glory, to die is to long for reunion! 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 comprehension, it contained all his inner obsessions, pushing his Tian Ruo You Qing cultivation to its limit.

Whoosh!

With one sword strike, he cleaved Hen Ren's attack in two. At the same time, Luo Ruoxi struck out, her jade hand swirling as sword light fell 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 light 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 went. With their strength, they couldn't withstand it! 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 clone's cultivation was in no way inferior to 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 changed its habit of showing off... Such flashy displays would be better if the power was concentrated for greater impact!

"Join forces, or we'll all die if they fall..." Xiao Huang Ji roared, his crimson flames burning as if igniting the sky. The other six great Emperor Juns also unleashed their techniques. The seven Emperor Juns united, capable of destroying heaven and earth, making even a realm unable to withstand them. But Hen Ren, having absorbed the special power, simply let his black hole expand as their attacks approached, swallowing the forces clean in the blink of an eye before counterattacking.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The seven Emperor Juns, like Zhang Xuan and the others, were 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, Hen Ren stepped forward and swung his hand down again.

"How dare you, you vermin!"

Accompanying 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 techniques?" 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 sent flying, crashing into the ground and creating a huge crater.

With Zhang Xuan's current strength and sword comprehension, even he couldn't hold out, so despite this elder's high cultivation and masterful swordsmanship, he was no match.

"Ha! Emperor Juns are nothing but a bunch of insignificant creatures! Today, I'll destroy the Nine Heavens, destroy Shen Jie, and trample all rules!" After defeating the Jian Shen Tian Emperor Jun, Hen Ren laughed wildly, the surrounding space collapsing continuously, making him appear demonic and otherworldly.

"What do we do?" Zhang Xuan clenched his fists. He and his clone had already used their strongest combat power, and even Luo Ruoxi had unleashed her ultimate move, yet none could block even one of his strikes... Could it be that no one in Shen Jie could stop this man and let him destroy the world?

"The only way is to return your incomplete Heavenly Way to its original state, letting the Heavenly Way suppress him..." Luo Ruoxi's delicate fists 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 Way; once returned, the Heavenly Way would be complete, perhaps fixing the flaws and expelling Hen Ren. It was like the human body's immune system. A complete immune system could easily drive out viruses; if damaged, even a strong person could succumb to invasion.

But...

"He's too powerful; even if the Heavenly Way is complete, it might not suppress him!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Viruses could be killed by the immune system, but what about a fierce tiger? This man was just an ordinary Shen Wang, yet even beyond Emperor Jun... he was no longer something the Heavenly Way 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 Way is complete, he can awaken and slay this one with ease!"

"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?" Hen Ren snorted coldly and pressed down.

Bang!

Luo Ruoxi plummeted from the air.

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

Ding! Ding! Ding!

Once more, it was blocked by Hen Ren.

"You all go; I'll hold him off..." Knowing they were trying to save Shen Jie, not flee, his clone and the Undying Emperor Jun shouted, blocking the way, while Luo Qi Qi transformed back into her Jing Kong Pearl form.

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone blocking fearlessly, even facing death, Zhang Xuan's eyes reddened, but he knew now wasn't the time for words. He pulled Luo Ruoxi along, his body flickering as he tore through space, appearing in Zi Zai Tian the next moment.

Zi Zai Tian was no longer as peaceful as before; Shen Jie was collapsing, and chaos reigned everywhere.

"Where is he, the one you mentioned?" With no time to observe the ordinary lives, Zhang Xuan looked at the girl in his arms. If this person could truly save Shen Jie, 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..." After regulating her breath, Luo Ruoxi 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. That also explained why the Undying Emperor Jun's remnant will had immediately acknowledged him as master upon seeing the pendant.

"Is your father also an Emperor Jun? Or does he have power beyond that?" He couldn't help asking. The library's chaos had been calmed by the blood in the pendant; could it be that not only was she an Emperor Jun, but her father was too, perhaps even stronger? If so, why was he in a coma? And why did it require an incomplete Heavenly Way to awaken him?

"He's not an Emperor Jun; he's... the Heavenly Way!" Luo Ruoxi clenched her fists.

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

"Yes! Fifty years ago, my father couldn't withstand that giant hand and fell into a coma. The Heavenly Way shattered into three parts: Heavenly Way You Xu and Heavenly Way You Que entered the spatial chaos, while I took control of Heavenly Way Zi Ran to maintain Shen Jie's balance. The only way to restore him is to collect the scattered parts... That's why I've been so determined, unable to fail! That's why I specifically 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 said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood. Not long after they met on the Master Teacher Continent, this girl had told him her story about saving a close relative, but he hadn't realized it then. Now he did—it was her father, and he was Shen Jie's Heavenly Way! Could the Heavenly Way really take human form and have children?

"Acting as Heavenly Way Zi Ran... you don't have a Heavenly Way fragment in your body?" Suddenly realizing the oddity in her words, Zhang Xuan looked over.

Acting as controller and fusing it into one's body were two different concepts.

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

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. In that case, he only needed to separate his own Heavenly Way You Que; she wouldn't have to die. Though he was unwilling to accept this fate, he didn't want the girl in front of him to be harmed.

"If I separate the Heavenly Way You Que from my body, 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 Shen Jie.

Shen Jie 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!

"It seems you can't be certain either. In that case, better to rely on ourselves... We have you, me, my clone, plus the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, and if we add Kong Shi, we might not lose!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth.

"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 Way... 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 the same—as a Xian Tian Tai Hun Ti. It allowed one to remain undeluded even in the womb. Coupled with the preparations he'd made in advance, 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, like 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—clearly, 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 where Kong Shi had resided. Sure enough, an elder was floating in the air in a meditative pose. Seeing them, he smiled slightly. "You've come!"

It was Kong Shi! This teacher of ages hadn't disappointed him! As guessed, he'd taken advantage of everyone's focus on Chao Xi Hai to revive.

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

He was proficient in time abilities, so while only one or two days had passed in Shen Jie, he'd experienced much longer to restore his power—potentially decades.

"Our individual strengths are strong, and even together, but defeating Hen Ren won't be easy..." Seeing Kong Shi had indeed recovered, Luo Ruoxi still shook her head.

It wasn't about boosting the enemy or undermining themselves; it was the truth. So many had joined forces earlier and still couldn't block him; adding one Kong Shi wouldn't change the outcome.

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

"Fuse into one person?" This time, not just Luo Ruoxi, but Zhang Xuan was also full of confusion.

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

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

It sounded simple, but doing it was hard. Emperor Juns stood at Shen Jie's peak; if absorbing others' power was that easy, she wouldn't have stagnated for so long.

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

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

"Ling Xi Emperor Jun cultivates freedom and transcendence, but with her father's and the Heavenly Way's restrictions, and her attachments, she can never truly transcend! If I guessed right, when you fought me, you once gave up, intending to be killed by me!" Kong Shi said.

Luo Ruoxi fell silent. During their fight, she had indeed considered that, so at the beginning, both had 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, it won't help her break through to the ultimate realm! As for me..." Kong Shi nodded. "I bear the burdens of all beings and wish to save the world, but I'm too compassionate, which is also a flaw! If I'd been ruthless and wiped out the Yi Ling Clan, we wouldn't be in this mess..."

If he'd exterminated the Yi Ling Clan back then, Hen Ren couldn't have revived, and this situation wouldn't have arisen.

"So, I'm not suitable! 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 in glory, to die is to long for reunion! 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! Though Ling Xi Emperor Jun has no Heavenly Way fragment, she's long controlled the Heavenly Way and has her own understanding of it; I control Heavenly Way You Xu. If we channel our powers to you, you'll have the complete Heavenly Way 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, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Boom!

He sat cross-legged, and in an instant, two vast powers surged into him from both sides. Zhang Xuan's entire body stiffened, as if he had instantly become the Heavenly Way, soaring above the nine heavens. His soul, body, and true energy all underwent a rapid baptism, 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 Qi Qi and the others away, Hen Ren sneered coldly.

The combined power of the clone and the Emperor Juns was indeed formidable, but compared to him, it was still weak. Chao Xi Hai had devoured nearly all of Shen Jie's spiritual energy outside the cities, and now that energy had become his nourishment. Every move he made carried the ability to destroy the world; these Emperor Juns and Shen Wangs, despite representing Shen Jie's peak, were no match. At this moment, Hen Ren seemed to embody all of Shen Jie, unstoppable.

"Shen Jie is doomed; 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? You're not worthy!" Hen 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 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 great turtle, as if upholding the heavens.

The four divine beasts, guardians of Shen Jie's four poles, transformed simultaneously, slowing the collapsing Shen Jie. 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 seek death, I'll grant it..."

As he roared, about to deliver the fatal blow to wipe them out, 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..." Hen Ren stopped, 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, Shen Jie 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 air currents raging everywhere.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?" In Zi Zai Tian, at Kong Shi's residence, Luo Ruoxi watched worriedly.

She and Kong Shi had transferred their powers to Zhang Xuan, reducing their own cultivations to only Shen Wang level, no longer as glorious as before. But their foundations remained; with enough power, they could recover eventually.

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

Even with all their powers transferred, defeating Hen Ren wouldn't be easy for one person. The reason for this was to concentrate the power so it might touch the pinnacle and truly transcend 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 pride toward this 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 their fused powers forming a complete Heavenly Way in his body, he still wasn't a match.

"Ha, I thought you were something special; turns out you're not!" Hen Ren sneered coldly.

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

"Fine, I'll oblige and give you my strongest strike..." Hearing this, Hen 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 Shen Jie 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 Qi Qi seemed to go mad. Yun Chi Emperor Jun and the others widened their eyes, trembling uncontrollably.

Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi, seeing this, were also stunned. The intention was for him to break through the constraints and reach beyond Emperor Jun, so why didn't he resist and chose death? Wasn't that wasting their efforts?

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

Everyone then saw that Zhang Xuan, whose head had exploded 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 intact figure slowly emerged.

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

The reborn Zhang Xuan no longer had the Heavenly Way library in his body; without the Heavenly Way's interference, he was free from it!

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

To escape the Heavenly Way, he had to scatter his soul and use You Hun Pool to reform it. This young man had achieved it with just one strike—what method did he use?

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

A soul contract bound master and servant; without the master's release, the servant was forever bound... The Heavenly Way library was similar, like an enhanced contract tied to the soul. But Hen Ren had used that special power to escape, and Zhang Xuan had asked about the details before, probably planning it then. That's why he deliberately let himself be struck with the strongest attack. Using that power for rebirth—it had succeeded brilliantly!

"So, that's the way to break through Emperor Jun..." The Zhang Xuan emerging from the flames smiled faintly, as if he'd understood something. He waved his hand, and his clone 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 clone fused perfectly, he controlled that power.

Not only that, with the fusion and his cultivation at its peak, a loosening occurred, as if he could break through at any moment.

"Master-servant bonds, brotherhood, teacher-student ties, parent-child affection, romantic love... Fused together, they are the essence of all things; that's what makes us human!" With a smile, Zhang Xuan murmured to himself.

The moment the Heavenly Way library left his soul, he understood. Was it the world that created people, or people that perceived the world? Was it the wind moving, or the heart? These eternal questions had puzzled countless people. But now... none of that mattered! Without life, without emotion, what meaning did the world had?

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

All things in the world have emotions; with emotion comes the world, and 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, Zhang Xuan's sealed realm shattered instantly.

The Emperor Jun constraints were broken!

In that moment, it was as if he'd touched a new world and gate; his soul was rapidly nourished. Countless chaos energy surged toward him, and his body advanced swiftly. Before, he could only progress by absorbing spiritual energy, but now, spatial chaos, chaos energy, even the opponent's green light—everything could be his, indistinguishable.

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

"You resent the lofty Emperor Juns for not saving you from spatial chaos—that's emotion; you feel humiliated as my servant—that's emotion; you want to destroy Shen Jie to vent your anger—that's emotion; you crave more power—that's emotion... Emotion controls you; how can you defeat me, who controls emotion?" 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'm willing to offer my soul..."

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

Controlling the world's emotions, such servant bonds meant nothing to him. He'd killed so many at the god level, hurt his girlfriend Luo Qi Qi, 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 back to Shen Jie's various places. All the power Chao Xi Hai had devoured was returned, and the barren wilderness regained its vitality.

"This..."

"He's really dead just like that?" Yun Chi Emperor Jun, Undying Emperor Jun, Ling Long Xian Zi, and the others all widened their eyes in disbelief.

They'd fought Hen Ren and knew his terror; for this young man to extinguish him so casually, what level had he reached? Could there truly be a realm beyond Emperor Jun?

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

"This is part of the Heavenly Way; I'll return it now..." Seeing the "Heavenly Way 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 Shen Jie's sky with a thunderous boom. The collapsing Shen Jie visibly stabilized, and the chaotic air currents gathered once more. The ruined Shen Jie finally stopped, and the depleted spiritual energy slowly revived with Hen Ren's death.

"It seems Shen Jie is about to enter an era of spiritual energy revival..." Zhang Xuan smiled.

The hole in Chao Xi Hai had closed with the Heavenly Way's completion; Shen Jie'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 sword techniques.

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

He'd felt this person was unfathomable before, and now realized he was only a step 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'd never heard that name.

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

Zhang Xuan followed closely, not knowing how far they flew before stopping at a mountain peak. There, another young man stood. He looked only slightly older, with raised eyebrows giving a profound, inscrutable air.

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled. This young man's power surpassed even his, having broken through Emperor Jun's constraints and reaching even greater depths!

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

"If Xi's father?" Zhang Xuan was shocked. "You're... Shen Jie's Heavenly Way?"

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

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

Zhang Xuan couldn't believe it. Shen Jie was created by this man? Then how powerful was he?

"That's not right—if Shen Jie is your creation and you're the Heavenly Way, why didn't you act against Hen Ren...?" Zhang Xuan asked.

If not for his breakthrough, Shen Jie might have been completely destroyed. Why had this man done nothing? Not even caring about his daughter's life?

Nie Yun didn't answer; instead, he looked over. "Do you think there's life more powerful than Shen Jie?"

"This..." Zhang Xuan paused. "There should be..."

Though he hadn't seen it, since this man could reach such a level, others might too, or even exceed him—like Nie Yun himself.

"I once suspected there was life beyond Shen Jie, so I tried my hardest to peer out, ultimately drawing backlash from a higher world... A giant hand descended!" Nie Yun said. "If I'd dodged, Shen Jie might have been wiped out entirely, leaving no life. So, I blocked it, but my Heavenly Way form shattered as a result."

"In that state, restoring myself is just a thought, but... I realized that to truly transcend Shen Jie's constraints, explore where that hand came from, and see what's beyond... I can't do it alone. So, I wanted to see if any life could break through Emperor Jun's limits and reach my level!"

"That's why I sent the scattered Heavenly Way intents to the lowest worlds... one to a soul belonging to this world, and one to a soul not from here. And you didn't disappoint me in the end!" Nie Yun laughed.

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

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

"Heh!" Nie Yun chuckled lightly. "A soul native to this world has reverence for it, making it harder to break free. I just had a whim; I 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 his, but he didn't seize it. His duel with Ling Xi was his best chance to break through, but he chose to hold back, thinking he could retreat safely. In reality, he lost his momentum. When facing someone beyond us, without that spirit, how can you contend?" Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan fell silent. He'd watched their fight; Kong Shi had indeed lacked decisiveness. Or perhaps, he hadn't wanted to kill Luo Ruoxi.

"But if Kong Shi had won, If Xi 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 die..." Nie Yun smiled faintly. "At your current level, in a life-or-death situation, could you save someone? Easily."

"This..." Zhang Xuan smiled bitterly.

Breaking through Emperor Jun was a different concept; if Nie Yun had acted, he could indeed save her at the last moment without a scratch.

"Ling Xi is from my other wife, Luo Qing Cheng, so she used the surname Luo 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..."

Nie Yun sighed bitterly. "I'm quite the heartless father... Anyway, you explain this to her. After all, her feelings have shifted to you; as her old man, I'm probably forgotten. Ha ha, I'll stay hidden for a while; otherwise, she might turn the world upside down..."

Seeing how unreliable this father was, Zhang Xuan's face twitched, and he had to agree. "Alright..."

He had no choice; who asked him to win over the daughter?

"The Heavenly Way library was my intent, both a foundation and a constraint. You broke through it with your own ability, showing your potential. With my daughter by your side, as a father, I'm content."