Chapter 481: Closing Disciple

The soul contract binds souls together. As long as the initiator does not dissolve it, even if the other party possesses unparalleled abilities, the contract cannot be broken. This was the case with Undying Emperor Jun, Jun Xiao Huang Ji. Back when he was just a Shen Wang, even as an Emperor Jun himself, he couldn't break such a pact. To prevent individuals from breaking their word and causing trouble, the Ming Shi Da Lu had specifically decreed that even if someone could escape the Heavenly Dao's registry, they still couldn't break the soul contract.

"Indeed, a soul contract cannot be severed from the sea of consciousness, but I have fused with a special gas that can even dissolve the Heavenly Dao. Dissolving this contract is not difficult… As long as I have enough power to bombard the contract's location, it can be done!" Hen Ren explained.

The soul contract is built upon the foundation of the Heavenly Dao. Since this special power can dissolve even the Shen Jie Heavenly Dao, dissolving a soul contract, if handled properly, is not a difficult task.

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

"My telling you all this is my way of thanking you for bringing me to Shen Jie!" After explaining, Hen Ren fell silent. His aura grew even more ancient and profound, and the black hole behind him expanded further. Clearly, during their conversation, it had absorbed an immense amount of power to nourish him.

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

"Let's make our move!" With his doubts clarified, 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 in rebirth, to die is to yearn for each other!

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

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

Whoosh!

One strike cleaved Hen Ren's attack in two.

At the same time, Luo Ruoxi struck out. Her jade hand swirled, and her sword light gleamed like snow.

Her swordsmanship bore some resemblance to that of the youth 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 are still lacking..." With a light smile, Hen Ren reached down again.

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

Pfft! Pfft!

Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi were both sent flying backward, blood spraying wildly in the air.

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 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 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!

"Let's all attack together, or we're all doomed if they die..." Xiao Huang Ji roared, his crimson flames blazing and setting the sky ablaze.

The other six great Emperor Juns also unleashed their techniques. The seven Emperor Juns united, their power enough to destroy the heavens 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 everything in an instant before counterattacking.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The seven Emperor Juns, like Zhang Xuan and the others, were sent flying. Even 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, scum!" 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 an attendant, at most a Feng Hao Shen Wang, but now he realized he was also an Emperor Jun expert! If he was an Emperor Jun, then what about that youth?

"He's the Emperor Jun of Jian Shen Tian..." Struggling to stand, Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth and said.

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

"He's..." Luo Ruoxi was about to answer when the space twisted, and they saw the Jian Shen Tian Emperor Jun sent flying, crashing into the ground and creating a massive crater. With Zhang Xuan's current strength and sword dao comprehension, even he couldn't hold his own, so this elder, despite his formidable cultivation and sword skills, was no match.

"Ha ha, Emperor Juns are nothing but a bunch of weaklings! 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 maniacally. The space around him collapsed continuously, making him seem like a demon.

"What do we do?" Zhang Xuan clenched his fists. He and his clone had already used their full power, and even Luo Ruoxi had unleashed her strongest moves, yet none could block even one of his strikes... Was there truly no one in Shen Jie who could stop this man? Would he be allowed to destroy the world?

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

"Return to the Heavenly Dao itself?" Zhang Xuan understood her meaning. The library in his mind was part of the Heavenly Dao. Once returned, the Heavenly Dao would be complete, potentially fixing its flaws and expelling Hen Ren. It was like the human immune system. A complete immune system could easily drive out viruses; if damaged, even a strong body could succumb to 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 just an ordinary Shen Wang, yet even beyond 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 one easily!"

"He?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

"Thinking of escaping?" 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 blazing forth.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

It was blocked by Hen Ren once more.

"You all go quickly. I'll hold him off..." Knowing they were trying to save Shen Jie, not flee, Zhang Xuan's clone and 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 fearlessly holding the line, Zhang Xuan's eyes reddened, but he knew now wasn't the time for words. He pulled Luo Ruoxi along, tearing through space, and in the next moment, they arrived in Zi Zai Tian's domain.

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

"Where is he?" Zhang Xuan asked the girl in his arms, ignoring the ordinary lives around them. 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. Undying Emperor Jun was once his beast pet..." Luo Ruoxi regulated her breath and explained.

"Father?" Zhang Xuan suddenly understood. No wonder the blood in the pendant felt similar to Luo Ruoxi's yet different—it was her father's. That also explained why Undying Emperor Jun's remnant will had recognized him as master upon seeing the pendant.

"Is your father also an Emperor Jun? Or does he possess strength beyond Emperor Jun?" Zhang Xuan couldn't help asking. The library's chaos had been calmed by the pendant's blood. Was it possible that not only she was an Emperor Jun, but her father was too, or even stronger? If so, why was he in a coma? And why did it require a flawed Heavenly Dao for him to awaken?

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

"The Heavenly Dao? Your father... is the Heavenly Dao?" Zhang Xuan was shocked.

"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 Shen Jie's balance. The only way to restore him is to gather the scattered parts... That's why I was so determined, why I couldn't fail! That's why I entered Ming Shi Da Lu 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 finally understood. Not long after they met on Ming Shi Da Lu, this girl had told him her story about saving a close relative. He hadn't grasped it then, but now it all made sense. It was her father—the Shen Jie Heavenly Dao!

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

"Acting as Heavenly Dao Natural... You don't have a Heavenly Dao fragment in your body?" Zhang Xuan suddenly realized the inconsistency in her words. Acting as and fusing with were two different concepts.

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

Zhang Xuan sighed in relief. In that case, he only needed to separate his own Heavenly Dao Flawed; she didn't have to die. Though he was unwilling to accept this fate, he didn't want the girl before him to be harmed.

"If I separate the Heavenly Dao Flawed 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. In that case, better to rely on ourselves... We have to find a way ourselves!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth. "You, me, my clone, plus the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, and even Kong Shi—if we work together, we might not lose!"

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

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

Seeing Wei Chang Feng had made him realize that Kong Shi's way of preserving his spirit was likely the same—Xian Tian Tai Hun Ti, allowing one to remain clear even in the womb. Coupled 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 wouldn't have stayed away from Chao Xi Hai..." Zhang Xuan said.

Kong Shi's students, like Zi Yuan Gu Sheng and the others, were 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—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 suspended in the air, meditating. Seeing them, he smiled slightly. "You've come!"

It was Kong Shi! This teacher of ages hadn't disappointed him! As guessed, he had revived while everyone's attention was on Chao Xi Hai.

"You..." Luo Ruoxi trembled. She knew Emperor Juns could revive, like Undying Emperor Jun, but she hadn't expected it to happen so quickly.

"I hid from the Heavenly Dao and prepared in advance. That nameless giant in the You Hun Pool was left by me. When you killed me that day, I used it to escape the Heavenly Dao's bindings and reform my body. I've only just recovered now!" Kong Shi smiled faintly. He mastered time abilities, so while only one or two days had passed in Shen Jie, 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 Kong Shi had indeed recovered, Luo Ruoxi still shook her head. It wasn't about boosting the enemy or undermining themselves; it was the reality. 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 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 into one person?" Luo Ruoxi frowned, and Zhang Xuan was equally puzzled.

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

"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 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 shackles, 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 his father and the Heavenly Dao's constraints, and his attachments, he can never truly transcend! If I guessed right, when he fought me, he even considered giving up and letting me kill him!" Kong Shi said.

Luo Ruoxi 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, he can't unleash his full power. Even with more true qi, he couldn't impact that supreme realm! As for me..." Kong Shi nodded. "I seek to embrace all beings and save the world, but I'm too unwilling to let others sacrifice for me. Too much benevolence 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! But Zhang Xuan's cultivation is 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 further!" Kong Shi continued.

To live is to return in rebirth, to die is to long for each other! If even death doesn't matter, what 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. Training someone else isn't feasible, and even if it were, I doubt anyone could do it 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, control the universe, battle the nine realms, and destroy all things!"

"Alright!" Zhang Xuan nodded, seeing that further explanation was useless.

Boom!

He sat cross-legged, and in the blink of an eye, two vast powers surged into him from both sides. Zhang Xuan's body stiffened, as if he had instantly become the Heavenly Dao, soaring above the nine heavens. His soul, body, and true qi were all rapidly 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 Qi Qi and the others away, Hen Ren sneered coldly.

The combined power of Zhang Xuan's clone and the various Emperor Juns was formidable, but compared to him, it was still weak. The 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 power to destroy the world. These Emperor Juns and Shen Wangs, despite representing Shen Jie's pinnacle, were no match. At that 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? 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.

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, guardians of Shen Jie's four corners, transformed simultaneously, slowing the collapsing world. The universe seemed to freeze in that instant.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Hen Ren struck four times, suppressing the four beasts, his eyes flashing with intense killing intent. "Since you seek death, I'll grant it..."

As he roared and prepared to finish them, 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 of the air.

It was Zhang Xuan! Now, his power surged, ten times stronger than before, descending like a world unto itself.

"He's made significant progress..." Hen Ren halted, his gaze turning serious. He couldn't fathom how the other's strength had changed so dramatically in just minutes.

"But so what? Even at its peak, Shen Jie couldn't withstand me. I don't believe you can..." Hen Ren snorted coldly and 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 Zi Zai Tian, at Kong Shi's residence, Luo Ruoxi watched worriedly. She and Kong Shi had transferred their power to Zhang Xuan, reducing their own cultivation to 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 is tough! Unless... he comprehends a power beyond Emperor Jun!" After a moment of silence, Kong Shi said. Even with all their power transferred, defeating Hen Ren wouldn't be easy for one person. The reason for this was to concentrate the power, potentially touching the peak and truly transcending 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 a proud defiance of 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, ghastly and terrifying. As Kong Shi 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!" Hen Ren sneered.

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

"Very well, I'll give you my strongest attack..." 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 strain, 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 stared wide-eyed, trembling. Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi, seeing this, were also stunned. The plan was for him to break through the shackles and reach beyond Emperor Jun, so why did he give up and walk to his death? Wasn't this wasting their efforts?

"Wait, it's Undying Emperor Jun's immortality technique..." As they wondered, Kong Shi spoke up. Everyone then saw that Zhang Xuan, with his head shattered and soul dispersed, had the pendant on his chest burst open. A drop of blood floated up, igniting into a blazing flame, from which an intact figure slowly emerged.

"He... used the opponent's power and the pendant's blood to separate the Heavenly Dao Flawed from his soul?" Luo Ruoxi's pupils shrank. The reborn Zhang Xuan no longer had the Heavenly Dao library in his body; he was free from the Heavenly Dao's interference.

"How did he do that?" Kong Shi was equally incredulous. To escape, he had to scatter his soul and reform it in the You Hun Pool. Yet Zhang Xuan had achieved it with just one strike—what method had he used?

"I get it... He used Hen Ren's method to escape the soul contract..." Luo Ruoxi realized. The soul contract bound master and servant; without release, the servant was trapped... The Heavenly Dao library was like an enhanced version of that. But Hen Ren had used that special power to escape, and Zhang Xuan had asked about the details earlier—probably then he had formed the idea. So, he deliberately let Hen Ren use his strongest attack on him. Leveraging that power, he was reborn in the flames, and it succeeded brilliantly!

"So, this is 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. To everyone's eyes, Zhang Xuan now seemed to embody 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 of the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus and his peak realm, a breakthrough seemed imminent.

"Master-servant bonds, brotherhood, teacher-student ties, parent-child affection, romantic love... Fused together, they are the essence of all things, the essence of humanity!" With a smile, Zhang Xuan murmured to himself.

The moment the Heavenly Dao library separated from his soul, he understood. Did the world exist because people observed it, or did people come after the world? Was it the wind moving or the heart? This eternal question had puzzled countless people.

But now... it didn't matter! Without life, without emotion, what meaning did the world have? So, after breaking through romantic love came the bonds of all beings—the interwoven emotions of the world.

All things in the world have emotion; 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 soft cry, the shackles in Zhang Xuan's body shattered instantly.

He had broken through the Emperor Jun barrier! 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 advanced swiftly. He could now absorb spatial chaos, chaotic energy—even the opponent's green light—as his own, without distinction.

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

"Your resentment toward the lofty Emperor Juns for not saving you in the spatial chaos is emotion; feeling humble and angry as my servant is emotion; wanting to destroy Shen Jie to vent your anger is emotion; desiring to grow stronger is also emotion... Emotion controls you, so 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, rendered immobile.

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..."

"It's too late for that now..." Zhang Xuan smiled and shook his head. Controlling the emotions of the world, such servant bonds meant nothing to him. After killing so many in Shen Jie, hurting his girlfriend Luo Qi Qi and so many friends, how could he forgive 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 poured back into Shen Jie. All the power that Chao Xi Hai had devoured was returned, revitalizing the withered wilderness.

"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 such a powerful being to be erased so easily, what level had Zhang Xuan reached? Was there truly a realm 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 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 ring. The crumbling Shen Jie visibly stabilized, and the chaotic energies gathered once more. The collapsing world finally halted, and the depleted spiritual energy slowly revived with Hen Ren's death.

"It seems Shen Jie is about to enter an era of spiritual revival..." Zhang Xuan smiled. The gap in Chao Xi Hai had closed with the Heavenly Dao's completion, and Shen Jie's return to its former glory was only a matter of time.

"Zhang Xuan, come here..." As he finished, a voice echoed in his mind. Zhang Xuan paused and stepped forward. In that step, he traveled an unknown distance and saw a youth standing before him. It was the one who had taught him the sword technique.

"Senior, you..." Seeing him, Zhang Xuan was surprised. He had felt this person was unfathomable before, and now he realized the difference was minimal; he had reached the absolute peak of Emperor Jun, far surpassing the previous Luo Ruoxi.

"Just call me by my name. I'm Nie Tong!" The youth's body radiated an unstoppable sword intent as he 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 youth stood. He looked only slightly older, with raised eyebrows giving a profound, inscrutable air.

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled. This youth's power surpassed even his own. He had also broken through Emperor Jun's limits, and his cultivation was deeper and more profound!

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

"Luo Ruoxi's father?" Zhang Xuan was shocked. "You're... the Shen Jie Heavenly Dao?" Luo Ruoxi had mentioned it, but he never imagined it would be such a 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 lightly.

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

"That's not right. If Shen Jie is your creation and you're the Heavenly Dao, why didn't you act against Hen Ren...?" Zhang Xuan looked at him. If not for his breakthrough, Shen Jie might have been utterly destroyed. Why had this man done nothing? Not even caring about his daughter's life?

Nie Yun didn't answer directly but looked at him. "Do you think... beyond Shen Jie, there are even stronger beings?"

"This..." Zhang Xuan paused. "There should be..." Though he hadn't seen them, since this man could reach such heights, others might too, or even exceed him.

"I once suspected that beyond Shen Jie lay greater powers, so I tried to peer further, ultimately drawing the backlash from a higher world... A massive hand descended!" Nie Yun said. "If I'd dodged, Shen Jie might have been wiped out completely, leaving no life. So, I blocked it, but my Heavenly Dao form shattered as a result."

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

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

"A soul not belonging to this world... So, my crossing over was because of you?" Zhang Xuan's heart shook. No wonder he could traverse; it was all this man's doing.

"Heh!" Nie Yun chuckled. "Natives have reverence for the world, making it harder to break its shackles. I just had a fleeting thought and didn't expect you to succeed..."

"I..." Zhang Xuan's face reddened. "Without Kong Shi, I couldn't have reached this level..." Without Kong Shi's selflessness, achieving his current state would have been impossible.

"The opportunity was 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. Facing someone beyond us, without that spirit, how can one contend?" Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan fell silent. He had watched their fight; Kong Shi had indeed lacked resolve. He might not have wanted to kill Luo Ruoxi. But that single hesitation cost him the chance.

"If Kong Shi had won, Luo 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 have died..." Nie Yun smiled faintly. "At your current level, in a life-or-death situation, could you save someone? That's the difference between you and Emperor Jun."

"This..." Zhang Xuan smiled bitterly. Breaking through Emperor Jun was a different realm. If he wanted to, he could save someone at the last moment without a scratch.

"Ling Xi is from my other wife, Luo Qing Cheng, so she uses 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 explain this to her. 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, who knows what she'd do."

Seeing this unreliable father, Zhang Xuan's face twitched, and he had no choice but to agree. "Alright..." What else could he say? He had essentially taken the man's daughter.

"The Heavenly Dao library was my intent, both a foundation and a shackle. You broke through it with your own ability, showing your potential. My daughter with you... as a father, I'm content."