Chapter 487: Fair and Square?

A soul contract, once it binds two souls, cannot be broken unless the initiator releases it—even if the other party possesses unparalleled abilities.

This was just like Undying Emperor Zun, Xiao Huangji. Back when he was only a Shen Wang, even as an Emperor Zun himself, he couldn't resolve such a binding. To prevent betrayal and backlash, the Master Teacher Continent had specifically decreed that even those who escaped the Heavenly Dao's registry still couldn't break free from a soul contract.

"While the soul contract is indeed inseparable from the sea of consciousness, I have fused with a special gas that can even dissolve the Heavenly Dao. Resolving this contract isn't difficult... As long as I have enough power to strike at the point where the contract resides, it can be done!" Ruthless One said.

The soul contract is built on the foundation of the Heavenly Dao. Since this special power can dissolve even the Shenjie Heavenly Dao, what's so hard about dissolving 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 Shenjie!"

After explaining, Ruthless One said no more. His aura grew even more ancient and profound, and the black hole behind him expanded further, clearly having absorbed an immense 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 noticed something was wrong and quickly sent a message through divine sense.

"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 in glory, to die is to hold enduring thoughts!

What could possibly hinder one who cares not for life or death?

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

Whoosh!

With one sword strike, he cleaved Ruthless One's attack in two.

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

Her swordsmanship bore some resemblance to that of the young man from Jian Shen Tian, carrying an unstoppable momentum and the effortless grace of the Great Dao.

"Your techniques are impressive, but compared to me, they're still lacking..."

With a faint smile, Ruthless One reached down again.

In an instant, his hand covered the sky, enveloping the heavens and earth, shattering space and seemingly pulling down the sun, moon, and stars.

Thud! Thud!

Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi were both sent flying backward, spitting blood into the air as they tumbled.

With their strength, they couldn't withstand him!

Just what realm had this guy reached?

"Outrageous!" His clone strode forward, each step blooming with lotus flowers and echoing with the sound of flowing water in the void.

From afar, it looked incredibly imposing.

Having refined the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, his 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 Ruthless One, he too was sent flying, unable to block even one strike.

Zhang Xuan clutched his forehead.

Now that he'd become an Emperor Zun, his clone still hadn't given up its habit of showing off...

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

"Let's all attack together, or we'll all die if they fall..."

Xiao Huangji roared, his crimson flames igniting and setting the sky ablaze.

The other six Emperor Zuns also unleashed their techniques.

The seven Emperor Zuns united, their power enough to destroy heavens and earth, making even a realm unable to withstand them. But Ruthless One, having absorbed the special power, simply let his black hole expand as their attacks approached, swallowing them clean in an instant before countering.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The seven Emperor Zuns, like Zhang Xuan and the others, were sent flying.

Even the ten great Emperor Zuns together couldn't block a single strike from him!

How could this guy be so powerful?

"You can all die now..."

After defeating them with one move, Ruthless One stepped forward and swung his hand down again.

"You dare, you vermin!"

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.

"Another Emperor Zun? He's also at the Emperor Zun level?"

Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

He had thought this elder, following the young man, was just an attendant, at most a Feng Hao Shen Wang. But now, seeing the power unleashed, he realized it was another Emperor Zun expert!

If he was an Emperor Zun, then what about that young man?

"He's the Emperor Zun of Jian Shen Tian..."

Luo Ruoxi struggled to her feet, gritting her teeth.

"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 Zun also sent flying, crashing into the ground and creating a massive crater.

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

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

Defeating the Jian Shen Tian Emperor Zun, Ruthless One laughed wildly, the space around him collapsing, making him seem like a demon incarnate.

"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 techniques, yet none could block even one of his strikes...

Was there truly no one in Shenjie who could stop this man?

Would he be allowed to destroy the world?

"The only way is to return your Heavenly Dao with flaws to its original state, letting the Heavenly Dao 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 Dao. Once returned, the Heavenly Dao would be complete, potentially fixing its vulnerabilities and expelling Ruthless One.

It was like the human immune system.

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

But...

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

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

This man was just an ordinary Shen Wang, yet even beyond Emperor Zun... 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 defeat this one easily!"

"He?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"I'll take you to see him. He's in Zizhitian..."

Taking a deep breath, Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth and flew forward.

"Thinking of escaping?"

Ruthless One 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.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Once more, it was blocked by Ruthless One.

"You all go! I'll hold him off..."

Knowing they were trying to save Shenjie, not flee, 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 risking their lives to hold the line without fear of death, 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 Zizhitian's domain.

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

"Where is the person you mentioned?"

With no time to observe the ordinary lives around them, 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 Zun was once his beast pet..."

After regulating her breath, Luo Ruoxi explained.

"Father?" Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

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

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

"Is your father also an Emperor Zun? Or does he possess strength 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 Zun, but her father was too, and 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 Zun; 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 with Order and Heavenly Dao with Flaws entered the spatial chaos, while I took control of Heavenly Dao Natural to maintain Shenjie's balance. The only way to restore him is to gather those scattered parts... That's why I was so determined, why I couldn't fail! That's why I 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 all made sense.

It was her father, and he was Shenjie's Heavenly Dao!

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

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

Acting as versus fusing with—it was a different concept.

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

Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

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

Though he was unwilling to accept this fate, he didn't want the girl before him to suffer.

"If I separate the Heavenly Dao with Flaws from my body, your father can awaken and even defeat Ruthless One, 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 Ruthless One?

It was hard to say!

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

"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 Changfeng, with an innate fetal soul body!"

Zhang Xuan said.

Seeing Wei Changfeng had made him realize that Kong Shi's way of preserving his spirit was likely the same—as an innate fetal soul body, able to remain undeluded even in the womb.

Coupled with the precautions he had set 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 wouldn't have stayed away from the Tidal Sea..."

Zhang Xuan said.

Kong Shi's students, like Zi Yuan Ancient Saint and the others, were all incredibly strong. Even without an Emperor Zun's help, they could have entered the Tidal Sea, yet none had appeared.

They must have something more important—helping Kong Shi recover.

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

"Let's go!"

Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan waved his hand, tearing space open and returning to where Kong Shi resided. Sure enough, an elder was floating in the air in a meditative pose. Seeing them arrive, he smiled slightly. "You've come!"

It was Kong Shi!

This teacher of ten thousand ages hadn't disappointed him!

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

"You..." Luo Ruoxi trembled.

She knew Emperor Zuns could revive, as the Undying Emperor Zun had, but she hadn't expected it to happen so quickly.

"I hid from the Heavenly Dao and prepared a backup in advance. That nameless giant in the 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 a master of time abilities, so while only one or two days had passed in Shenjie, he had experienced much longer to restore his power—years, even decades.

"Our combined strength is formidable, but defeating Ruthless One won't be easy..."

Seeing that Kong Shi had indeed recovered, Luo Ruoxi still shook her head.

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

So many had joined forces earlier and still couldn't block him. Adding one more 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?"

This time, not just Luo Ruoxi, but Zhang Xuan was also full of doubt.

"That hand could tear apart Shenjie and scatter the Heavenly Dao—its power is undeniable. Ruthless One has absorbed that power and devoured Shenjie's spiritual energy for fifty years. Any of us, or even all ten-plus Emperor Zuns, would be outmatched individually..."

Kong Shi said. "But if we unite and concentrate our power into one person... then maybe not!"

"How do we concentrate it?"

Luo Ruoxi asked.

It sounded simple, but doing it was hard.

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

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

Kong Shi said.

"Me? Why me?"

Zhang Xuan was stunned.

"Ling Xi Emperor 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 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 battle, that thought had crossed her mind, which was why they had held back at first, more like sparring than a life-or-death fight.

"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 living beings and wish to save the world, but I'm too compassionate, which is also a flaw! If I'd been more ruthless and wiped out the Hetero Spirits, we wouldn't be in this mess..."

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

"So, I'm not suitable either! But Zhang Xuan's techniques are seamless, without flaws. He values living true to himself; even in death, as long as he's lived without regret, his heart is clear. Such a person has greater tolerance and potential, allowing him to go further!"

Kong Shi continued.

To live is to return in glory, to die is to hold enduring thoughts!

If even death means nothing, 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. Training someone else isn't feasible, and even if it were, I doubt anyone could do it better than you! Ling Xi Emperor 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 with Order. If we channel our power to you, you'll have the complete Heavenly Dao strength 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 that the decision was made and further objections were useless, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Boom!

He sat cross-legged, and in the blink of an eye, two vast streams of power 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 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, Ruthless One sneered coldly.

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

The Tidal Sea had devoured nearly all of Shenjie's spiritual energy outside the cities, and now that energy had become his sustenance. Every move he made carried the power to destroy worlds; these Emperor Zuns and Shen Wangs, despite representing Shenjie's pinnacle, were no match.

At that moment, Ruthless One seemed to embody all of Shenjie, unstoppable.

"Even if Shenjie falls, living on means nothing. I'll go down with you..."

Yun Chi Emperor Zun transformed into his true form, a massive five-clawed golden dragon, lunging at him through the air.

"You? You're not worthy!"

Ruthless One 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 Zun roared, transforming into his white tiger form and charging forward.

The Undying Emperor Zun revealed his undead fire phoenix form, its flames lighting up the sky.

Xuan Ming Emperor Zun'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 world.

The universe seemed to freeze in that instant.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

With four consecutive strikes, Ruthless One 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, he felt his raised arm seize up 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!

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

"You've improved a lot..."

Ruthless One halted, his gaze turning serious.

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

"But so what? Even at its peak, Shenjie couldn't withstand me. I don't believe you can!"

With a cold snort, Ruthless One struck down again.

Zhang Xuan raised his long sword and met the attack.

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

"Can Zhang Xuan win?"

In Zizhitian, 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, far from their former glory.

But their foundations remained; with enough power, they could recover someday.

"With his current strength, winning is tough! Unless... he comprehends a power that transcends Emperor Zun!"

After a moment of silence, Kong Shi said.

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

The reason for this approach was that only by concentrating the power in one person could there be a chance to touch the pinnacle and truly surpass limits.

"A power that transcends Emperor Zun?"

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 toward the world."

Sensing her doubt, Kong Shi smiled.

...

Bang! Bang! Bang!

After several exchanges, Zhang Xuan's tiger's mouth split open, and a massive wound appeared on his chest, ghastly and horrific.

As Kong Shi had said, even with the complete Heavenly Dao power in his body, he wasn't a match.

"Ha! I thought you'd be something special, but you're just mediocre!"

Ruthless One 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 Ruthless One.

"Very well, I'll give you my strongest attack..."

Hearing this, Ruthless One paused, then snorted coldly, raising his hand.

Whoosh!

A beam of green light appeared in his palm and slammed down.

It was indeed his strongest attack; the entire Shenjie rumbled as if it couldn't bear the weight, creating a massive crater.

Zhang Xuan closed his eyes and didn't dodge.

Bang!

His head exploded, his soul scattering everywhere.

"Zhang Xuan..."

Everyone's faces turned pale at the sight.

Luo Qiqi seemed to go mad.

Yun Chi Emperor Zun and the others stared wide-eyed, trembling.

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

The plan was for him to break through his limits and reach beyond the Emperor Zun realm. Why had he given up and walked to his death?

Wasn't that wasting their efforts?

"No... wait, no—it's the Undying Emperor Zun's immortality technique..."

Just as they were puzzled, 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 with Flaws 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 its interference and the Heavenly Dao's bindings.

"How did he do that?"

Kong Shi was equally incredulous.

To escape, he had to let his soul scatter and reform using the You Hun Pool.

Yet this young man had achieved it with just one death—what method had he used?

"I get it... He used the same method Ruthless One used to escape the soul contract..."

Luo Ruoxi realized.

The soul contract bound master and servant; without release, the servant was forever constrained... The Heavenly Dao library was similar, like an enhanced contract binding the soul.

But Ruthless One had used that special power to escape, and Zhang Xuan had asked about it in detail before. He must have been planning this.

That's why he deliberately let himself be struck by the strongest attack.

And it had succeeded brilliantly!

"So that's the way to break through Emperor Zun..."

The Zhang Xuan emerging from the flames smiled faintly, as if he had understood something. With a wave of his hand, his clone on the side instantly 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, it meant he controlled that power.

Not only that, with the fusion of the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus cultivation, his already peak realm began to loosen, as if breakthrough was imminent.

"Master-servant bonds, brotherhood, teacher-student ties, parent-child affection, romantic love... Fused together, they become all things in the world. This is what it means to be human!"

With a smile, Zhang Xuan murmured to himself.

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

Did the world exist because people observed it, or did people come after 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 have?

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

All things in the world have emotions; with emotion, there is the world; with emotion, life endures.

Love is emotion.

Hate is emotion.

Joy is emotion.

Sorrow is emotion.

Parting is emotion.

Reunion is emotion!

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

With a soft cry, the restraints in Zhang Xuan's body shattered in an instant.

He had broken through the Emperor Zun constraints!

In that moment, it was as if he had touched a new world and gate. His soul was rapidly nourished, and vast chaotic energy surged toward him, rapidly enhancing his body.

He could now absorb not just spiritual energy, but spatial chaos, chaotic energy—even the opponent's green light—turning it all into his own, indistinguishable from before.

"You..."

Ruthless One hadn't expected his full attack not only to fail in killing him but to empower him instead, and he raged, "Wah!" howling as he struck down again.

"You resent the lofty Emperor Zuns for not saving you from the spatial chaos—that's emotion; you feel humiliated as my servant, filled with beihui and anger—that's emotion; you want to destroy Shenjie to vent your fury—that's emotion; you crave greater power—that's emotion too... Emotion controls you, so how can you defeat me, or escape my control?"

With a faint smile, Zhang Xuan's voice grew faster and louder. He gently grasped his hand.

The once-unstoppable Ruthless One was immediately bound by countless emotional threads, immobilized.

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

"You..."

Ruthless One'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.

With control over the world's emotions, such master-servant ties meant nothing to him.

After killing so many at the god level and harming his girlfriend Luo Qiqi and so many friends, how could he forgive today?

"No..."

Sensing his resolve, Ruthless One's pupils contracted, but before he could finish, intense pain wracked his body.

Bang!

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

All the power the Tidal Sea had devoured was now returning, revitalizing the barren wilderness.

"This..."

"Is that it? He's gone?"

Yun Chi Emperor Zun, the Undying Emperor Zun, Ling Long Immortal Zi, and the others stared in disbelief.

They had fought Ruthless One and knew his terror. For such a powerful being to be vanquished so easily, what realm had Zhang Xuan reached?

Could there truly be a level beyond Emperor Zun?

"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 with Flaws" 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 boom.

The collapsing Shenjie visibly stabilized, and the chaotic energy regathered.

The crumbling world finally halted, and the depleted spiritual energy slowly revived with Ruthless One's death.

"It seems Shenjie is about to enter an era of spiritual energy revival..."

Zhang Xuan smiled.

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

"Zhang Xuan, come here..."

As soon 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 had always felt this person was unfathomable, and now he realized the man was only a hair's breadth from his own level, at the absolute peak of Emperor Zun, 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 had never heard this 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 off a profound, inscrutable aura.

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled.

This young man's power surpassed even his own; he had also broken through Emperor Zun's constraints, and his cultivation was deeper and more profound!

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

"Luo Xi's father?" Zhang Xuan was shocked. "You're... Shenjie's 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 faintly.

Zhang Xuan was incredulous.

Shenjie was created by this man?

Then how powerful must he be?

"But if Shenjie is your creation and you're the Heavenly Dao, why did you let Ruthless One rampage without intervening... even regarding your daughter's life?"

Zhang Xuan asked.

Nie Yun didn't answer his question directly but looked over. "Do you think there's life more powerful than Shenjie?"

"This..." Zhang Xuan paused. "There should be, right?"

Though he hadn't seen it, since this man could reach such heights, others might too, or even exceed him—like the one before him now.

"I once suspected there was something beyond Shenjie, so I tried to peer into it with all my might, ultimately drawing the backlash from a higher world... a massive hand descended!"

Nie Yun said. "If I'd dodged, Shenjie might have been wiped out completely, leaving no life behind... So, I blocked it, but my Heavenly Dao form shattered as a result."

"In that state, restoring myself would be 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 life could break through Emperor Zun's limits and reach my level!"

"That's why I sent the scattered Heavenly Dao intents to the lowest worlds... granting them to souls that originally belonged here and one that didn't. And you didn't disappoint me in the end!"

Nie Yun laughed.

"A soul that doesn't belong here—so my crossing over was because of you?"

Zhang Xuan was shaken.

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

"Heh!" Nie Yun chuckled lightly. "Souls native to this world have reverence for it, making it harder to break free. I just had a whim and didn't expect you to succeed..."

"I..." Zhang Xuan's face reddened. "Without Kong Shi, I couldn't have reached this level..."

Without Kong Shi's selfless contribution, 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 back down, thinking he had a way out. In reality, he lost his momentum. When facing someone who transcends us, without that spirit, how can you contend?"

Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan fell silent.

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

Perhaps he hadn't wanted to kill Luo Ruoxi.

"But if Kong Shi had won, Luo Xi would have died..."

After a moment, Zhang Xuan looked over, his brows furrowed.

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

"With me there, she wouldn't have died..."

Nie Yun smiled faintly. "At your current level, in a life-or-death situation, could you save someone? Think about it."

"This..." Zhang Xuan smiled bitterly.

Breaking through to beyond Emperor Zun was a different concept. If this man had wanted to act, he could have saved her at the last moment without a scratch.

"Ling Xi is the child of my other wife, Luo Qingcheng, so she took the surname Luo... To make her believe and not act on emotion, I've let her think I'm still in a coma until now..."

Nie Yun sighed. "I'm quite the heartless father... Anyway, you explain this to her. Her feelings have shifted to you now; she probably doesn't even think of me anymore. Ha ha, I'll stay hidden for a while; otherwise, she might turn everything upside down... "

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

What else could he do? He had essentially taken the man's daughter.

"The Heavenly Dao library was a manifestation of my intent—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."