Chapter 486: Testing

A soul contract binds souls together. As long as the initiator doesn't dissolve it, even if the other party possesses unparalleled power, it cannot be broken.

For instance, the Undying Emperor Jun, Xiao Huangji, back when he was merely a Shen Wang, even as an Emperor Jun himself, couldn't break such an agreement.

To prevent this individual from going back on their word and causing harm, the Master Teacher Continent had specifically decreed that even if the other party could escape the Heavenly Dao registry, they still couldn't break free from the soul contract.

"A soul contract is indeed inseparable from the sea of consciousness, but I've fused with a special gas that can even resolve the Heavenly Dao, 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.

The soul contract is built on the foundation of the Heavenly Dao, and since this special power can resolve even the Shenjie Heavenly Dao, resolving a soul contract with proper handling wouldn't be difficult.

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

"Telling you all this is my way of thanking you for bringing me to Shenjie!"

After explaining, Hen Ren said no more. His aura grew even more ancient and profound, and the black hole behind him expanded further, clearly having devoured an unknown amount of power during their conversation, using it for nourishment.

"Zhang Xuan, the more the black hole swallows, the stronger his power becomes..." Luo Ruoxi also noticed something was off 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 erupted once more. To live is to return, to die is to long for each other! What can stand in the way when life and death are of no concern?

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

Whoosh!

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

At the same time, Luo Ruoxi made her move, her jade hand swirling as sword light fell like snow. Her swordsmanship was somewhat similar to that of the young man from Jian Shen Tian, carrying an unstoppable momentum and the effortless grace of the Great Dao.

"Your moves are impressive, but compared to me, they're still lacking..." Hen Ren chuckled lightly and 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. Having refined the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, his cultivation was in no way inferior to Zhang Xuan's. He raised a fist, sending power surging into the nine heavens.

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

Zhang Xuan clutched his forehead. He had become an Emperor Jun, yet his clone still couldn't resist its habit of showing off... Such flashy displays would be better if the power were concentrated for greater impact!

"Join forces, or we'll all die if they fall..." Xiao Huangji 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 the black hole expand as their attacks approached, devouring 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 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, vermin!"

Accompanying a loud shout, the elder from Jian Shen Tian suddenly appeared, blocking the way, his long sword transforming into a galaxy.

"Emperor Jun? He's also an Emperor Jun level expert?" 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 powerhouse! If he was an Emperor Jun, then what about that young man?

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

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

"He's..."

Luo Ruoxi was about to answer when the space twisted, and they saw the Jian Shen Tian Emperor Jun sent flying, crashing into the ground and creating a huge crater not far away.

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

"Ha ha, Emperor Juns are nothing but a bunch of insignificant creatures! Today, I'll destroy the Nine Heavens, destroy Shenjie, and trample all rules!"

Defeating the Jian Shen Tian Emperor Jun, Hen Ren laughed wildly, the surrounding space collapsing, making him appear demonic.

"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 most powerful moves, yet none could block even one of his strikes... Could it be that no one in Shenjie could stop this man and let him 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 it to the Heavenly Dao itself?" Zhang Xuan understood her meaning.

The library in his mind was part of the Heavenly Dao; once returned, the Heavenly Dao would be complete, potentially fixing the flaws and expelling Hen Ren. It was like the immune system of the body. A complete immune system could easily drive out viruses; if damaged, even a strong person couldn't resist invasion.

But...

"He's too powerful; even if the Heavenly Dao is restored, 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 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 without difficulty!"

"He?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

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

Bang!

Luo Ruoxi plummeted from the air.

"You..."

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

Ding! Ding! Ding!

It was blocked by Hen Ren once more.

"You all go; I'll hold him off..." Knowing they were trying to save Shenjie, not escape, his clone and the Undying Emperor Zun shouted, blocking the way, while Luo Qiqi 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 it wasn't the time for words. He pulled Luo Ruoxi and blurred through space, appearing in Zizai Tian the next moment.

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

"Where is the person 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 Shenjie, he was willing to sacrifice himself!

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

"Father?"

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood. No wonder he had always felt the blood in the pendant was similar to Luo Ruoxi's yet different—it was her father's. That also explained why the 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?" He couldn't help asking.

The library's chaos had been calmed by the blood in the pendant, so 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, unable to believe it.

"Yes! Fifty years ago, my father couldn't withstand that giant hand and fell into a coma. The Heavenly Dao shattered into three parts: Heavenly Dao Orderly and Heavenly Dao Flawed entered the spatial chaos, while I took control of Heavenly Dao Natural to maintain Shenjie's balance. The only way to restore him is to gather the scattered parts... That's why I was so determined, couldn't afford to fail! That's why I specifically entered the Master Teacher Continent to study the Spring and Autumn Compendium and find a way to defeat Kong Shi! And when I fought Kong Shi, the favor I asked of him was for this." Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly realized. Not long after they met on the Master Teacher Continent, this girl had told him her story—she needed to save a close relative. He hadn't understood then, but now it made sense. It was her father, and he was the Shenjie Heavenly Dao! Could the Heavenly Dao really take human form and have children?

"Acting as Heavenly Dao Natural... you don't have a Heavenly Dao fragment in your body?" Suddenly realizing the inconsistency in her words, Zhang Xuan looked over. Acting as versus fusing were two different concepts.

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

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. In that case, he only needed to separate his own Heavenly Dao Flawed; she didn't have to die. Though he was unwilling to accept this fate, he didn't want the girl in front of 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 Shenjie. Shenjie was her father's foundation, and now it was in ruins. Even if he awakened, could he truly defeat that powerful Hen Ren? It was hard to say!

"It seems you can't be certain. In that case, better to rely on ourselves... We only have ourselves to figure this out! You, me, my clone, plus the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, and even Kong Shi—if we coordinate, 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 Dao... Unexpectedly, he's like Wei Changfeng, a Xian Tian Tai Hun Ti!" Zhang Xuan said.

Seeing Wei Changfeng had made him realize that Kong Shi's way of preserving his spirit was likely the same—as a Xian Tian Tai Hun Ti. It allowed one to remain clear even in the womb. With prior arrangements, revival was just 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 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, tearing space and returning to where Kong Shi resided. Sure enough, an elder was floating in mid-air, cross-legged. Seeing them arrive, he smiled faintly. "You're here!"

Who else could it be but Kong Shi? This teacher of all ages hadn't disappointed him! As guessed, while everyone's attention was on Chao Xi Hai, he had revived.

"You..."

Luo Ruoxi trembled. She knew Emperor Juns could revive, and the Undying Emperor Jun had done so, 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 was proficient in time abilities, so while only one or two days had passed in Shenjie, he had experienced an unknown length of time to restore his power—potentially decades.

"Our individual strengths are strong, and even together, we might not easily defeat Hen Ren..." Seeing Kong Shi had indeed recovered, Luo Ruoxi still shook her head.

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

"If our strengths alone, or even united, aren't enough to match him, 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 frowned—Zhang Xuan was full of confusion too.

"That hand could tear Shenjie apart and scatter the Heavenly Dao; its power is undeniable. Hen Ren absorbed that power and devoured Shenjie's spiritual energy for fifty years. Any of us, or even a dozen Emperor Juns, aren't his match alone..." Kong Shi said, "But if we unite and concentrate all our power 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 Shenjie's peak; if it were that easy to absorb others' power, she wouldn't have stagnated for so many years.

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

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

"Ling Xi Di Zun cultivates freedom and transcendence, but with his father's and the Heavenly Dao's restrictions, and his attachments, he can never truly transcend! If I didn't misjudge, when you fought me, you once considered giving up and letting me kill you, right?" Kong Shi said.

Luo Ruoxi fell silent. During the 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 energy, he couldn't impact that supreme realm! As for me..." Kong Shi nodded. "I bear the burdens of all beings and wish to save the world, but I'm 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..."

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

"So, I'm not suitable either! But Zhang Xuan's cultivation is seamless, without flaws. He values living true to himself; even in death, as long as he has no regrets, his heart is clear. Such a person has greater tolerance and potential, allowing him to go further!" Kong Shi continued.

To live is to return, to die is to long for each other! If even death means nothing, what else can bind him?

"This..."

Zhang Xuan frowned, about to say something, when he saw Kong Shi's determined gaze. "No need to decline; time is short. Even if we tried to cultivate someone else, it might not work, and I doubt anyone could do better than you! Ling Xi Di Zun has no Heavenly Dao fragment, but she's long controlled the Heavenly Dao and has her own understanding of it; I control Heavenly Dao 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, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Boom!

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

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

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

"If Shenjie is destroyed, living on 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 immortal 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 Shenjie's four poles, transformed simultaneously, slowing the collapsing Shenjie. It was as if the universe had frozen in that instant.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

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

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

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

In the shocked gazes of everyone, a figure stepped out from the air. It was Zhang Xuan!

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

"He's made significant progress..." Hen Ren halted, his gaze turning serious. He clearly didn't understand how the young man's strength had changed so drastically in just a few minutes.

"But so what? Even at its peak, Shenjie 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, energy raging everywhere.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?"

In Zizai 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 merely 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 a dozen Emperor Juns couldn't defeat Hen Ren; transferring their power to one person made victory unlikely. The reason for this was to concentrate the power on one individual, 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 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 power forming a complete Heavenly Dao in his body, he wasn't a match.

"Ha ha, I thought you'd be more impressive, but you're just so-so!" Hen Ren sneered.

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

"Very well, I'll grant you that—your strongest attack!"

Hearing this, Hen Ren paused, then snorted and raised his hand.

Whoosh!

A green light appeared in his palm and smashed down. It was indeed his strongest attack; the entire Shenjie rumbled, as if it couldn't bear the weight, creating a massive crater.

Zhang Xuan closed his eyes and didn't dodge.

Bang!

His head exploded, his soul scattering.

"Zhang Xuan..."

Everyone's faces turned pale at the sight.

Luo Qiqi seemed to go mad.

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

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

"Wait, it's the Undying Emperor Jun's immortality technique..." As they wondered, Kong Shi spoke up.

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

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

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

"How did he do that?" Kong Shi was full of disbelief. To escape, he had to scatter his soul and reform it using the You Hun Pool. Yet this young man had achieved it with just one strike—what method had he used?

"I get it... He used Hen Ren's method to escape the soul contract..." Luo Ruoxi realized. The soul contract bound master and servant; without the master's release, the servant was trapped... The Heavenly Dao library was similar, like an enhanced contract, binding the soul indissolubly. But Hen Ren had used that special power to escape, and Zhang Xuan had asked about the details earlier—probably then he had the idea.

So, he deliberately fought to the death, forcing the strongest attack. Using that power, he was reborn in the flames, and it succeeded brilliantly!

"So that's the way to break through Emperor Jun..." The Zhang Xuan emerging from the flames smiled faintly, as if understanding 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 of the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus cultivation, his already peak realm showed signs of loosening, as if breakthrough was imminent.

"Master-servant bonds, brotherhood, teacher-student bonds, parent-child bonds, romantic love... Fused together, they are the essence of all things; that's what it means to be human!" Zhang Xuan murmured with a smile.

The moment the Heavenly Dao library left his soul, he understood. Did the world exist first, and people view it, or vice versa? 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 intertwined emotions of the world.

All things in the world have emotion; with emotion comes the world, and life endures. Love is emotion. Hate is emotion. Joy is emotion. Sorrow is emotion. Parting is emotion. Reunion is emotion!

"Countless emotions, all for my use..."

With a low cry, Zhang Xuan's suppressed realm shattered in an instant. He broke through the Emperor Jun constraints!

In that moment, it was as if he touched a new world and gate; his soul was rapidly nourished. Countless chaotic energies surged toward him, and his body advanced swiftly. He could now absorb not just spiritual energy but spatial chaos, chaotic energy, even the opponent's green light—all became 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, "Waah!" shouting as he attacked again.

"You resent the lofty Emperor Juns for not saving you from spatial chaos— that's emotion; feeling humble and angry as my servant is emotion; wanting to destroy Shenjie to vent is emotion; desiring to grow stronger is also emotion... Emotion controls you, so how can you defeat me or escape my control?" Zhang Xuan smiled faintly, his voice growing faster and louder. He gently grasped his hand.

The once invincible 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'm willing to offer my soul..."

"It's too late for that now..." Zhang Xuan smiled and shook his head. Controlling the emotions of the world, something like a servant held no meaning for him. He had killed so many at the god level, hurt his girlfriend Luo Qiqi, and so many friends; how could he forgive that today?

"No..."

Sensing his resolve, Hen Ren's pupils contracted. Before he could finish, intense pain wracked his body.

Bang!

In an instant, he exploded, turning into vast spiritual energy that poured into Shenjie's various places. All the power Chao Xi Hai had devoured was now returned, revitalizing the barren wilderness.

"This..."

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

They had fought Hen Ren and knew his terror; for such a powerful being to be vanquished so easily, what level had Zhang Xuan 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 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 Shenjie's sky with a thunderous sound. The crumbling Shenjie visibly stabilized, and the chaotic energies gathered once more. The collapsing world finally stopped, and the depleted spiritual energy slowly revived with Hen Ren's death.

"It seems Shenjie is about to enter an era of spiritual energy revival..." Zhang Xuan smiled. The hole in Chao Xi Hai had closed with the Heavenly Dao's completion; Shenjie'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 didn't know how far he traveled, then saw a young man standing before him. It was the one who had taught him the sword technique.

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

"You can 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 this name.

"Come with me; I'll take you to see my brother!" Nie Tong smiled 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 his cultivation was deeper and more profound!

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

"If Xi's father?" Zhang Xuan was shocked. "You're the Shenjie Heavenly Dao?"

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

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

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

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

Nie Yun didn't answer his question but looked over. "Do you think... beyond Shenjie, there are even more powerful beings?"

"This..."

Zhang Xuan paused. "There should be, right?" Though he hadn't seen any, since this man could reach this level, others might too, or even exceed it—like the one before him.

"I once suspected that beyond Shenjie lay greater powers, so I tried to peer into it with all my might, ultimately drawing backlash from a higher world... a hand descended from the void!" Nie Yun said. "If I'd dodged, Shenjie might have been wiped out, leaving no life. So, I blocked it, but my incarnated Heavenly Dao was scattered as a result."

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

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

"A soul not belonging to this world—so, my crossing over was because of you?" Zhang Xuan 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 and didn't expect you to truly succeed..."

"I..."

Zhang Xuan's face reddened. "If not for Kong Shi, I couldn't have reached this level..."

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

"The opportunity was given to him, but he didn't seize it. His duel with Ling Xi was his best chance to break through, but he chose to retreat, thinking he had a way out. In reality, he lost his momentum. 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 decisiveness. Perhaps he didn't want 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. Was this man indifferent even to his daughter's life?

"With me there, she wouldn't have died..." Nie Yun smiled faintly. "You and I are on similar levels now; in a life-or-death situation, could you save someone?"

"This..."

Zhang Xuan smiled bitterly. Breaking through Emperor Jun was a different concept; if he were willing, he could indeed save someone at the last moment without a scratch.

"Ling Xi was born to my other wife, Luo Qingcheng, 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. "I'm quite the heartless father... Anyway, you explain this to her. After all, her affections have shifted to you; as her old man, I'm probably forgotten... Ha ha, I'll stay hidden for now; I fear she'd turn the world upside down. Otherwise, things might get messy..."

Seeing this unreliable father, Zhang Xuan's face twitched, and he had no choice but to agree. "Alright..." He had no option; who asked him to win over the man's daughter?

"The Heavenly Dao 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 her father, I'm content."