Chapter 495: The Strongest Spear

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

It's like with Bu Si Di Jun, the little yellow chicken; he was only a Shen Wang before, and even as a Di Jun, he couldn't resolve such an agreement.

To prevent someone from reneging and causing backlash, Ming Shi Continent had specifically decreed that even if the other party could escape the Heavenly Dao's registry, they still couldn't break free from the soul contract.

"Soul contracts indeed cannot be split from the sea of consciousness, but I've 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 bombard the contract's location, it can be done!" Hen Ren said.

A soul contract is established on the foundation of the Heavenly Dao. Since this special power can dissolve even the Shen Jie 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 Shen Jie!"

After explaining, Hen Ren said no more. His aura grew even more ancient and profound, and the black hole behind him expanded further, clearly having absorbed an unknown amount of power during their conversation to nourish himself.

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

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

Boom!

His most powerful sword intent erupted once more.

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

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

Though this sword technique hadn't reached the level Di Jun had comprehended, it contained all his inner obsessions, pushing his Tian Ruo You Qing cultivation to its limit.

Whoosh!

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

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

Her swordsmanship 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. Space shattered, and it seemed as if 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 tumbled.

With their strength, they couldn't withstand him!

What realm had this guy reached?

"Outrageous!" The avatar 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 Jiu Tian Hun Dun Jin Lian, 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.

Even after becoming a Di Jun, his avatar hadn't changed its habit of showboating...

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

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

The remaining six Di Juns also unleashed their techniques.

The seven Di Juns united, capable of destroying heavens 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, swallowing everything in an instant before counterattacking.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The seven Di Juns, like Zhang Xuan and the others, were sent flying.

Even the ten Di 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.

"You insolent rat!" Accompanying a loud shout, the elder from Jian Shen Tian suddenly appeared, blocking the way with his long sword transforming into a river of stars.

"Di Jun? He's also at Di Jun level?" Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

He had thought this elder was just a follower, at most a Feng Hao Shen Wang, but now he realized he was also a Di Jun powerhouse!

If he was a Di Jun, then what about that young man?

"He's the Di Jun of Jian Shen Tian..." Luo Ruoxi struggled to her feet and gritted 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 Di Jun sent flying, crashing into the ground and forming a huge 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! Di Juns are nothing but a bunch of weaklings! Today, I'll destroy the nine heavens, wipe out Shen Jie, and trample all rules!" After defeating the Jian Shen Tian Di Jun, Hen Ren laughed wildly, the surrounding space collapsing as he appeared like a demon.

"What do we do?" Zhang Xuan clenched his fists.

He and his avatar had already used their strongest attacks, and even Luo Ruoxi had unleashed her most powerful moves, yet none could block even one of his strikes...

Was there 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 Tian Dao You Que 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 immune system of the body.

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

But...

"He's too powerful; even if the Heavenly 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 Di 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 with ease!"

"He?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

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

Bang!

Luo Ruoxi plummeted from the air.

"You..." Zhang Xuan unleashed his sword 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 Shen Jie, not flee, the avatar and Bu Si Di Zun shouted, blocking the way, while Luo Qi Qi transformed back into her Jing Kong Zhu form.

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone selflessly blocking without fear of death, Zhang Xuan's eyes reddened, but he knew now wasn't the time for words. He pulled Luo Ruoxi along, tore 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 the person you mentioned?" Zhang Xuan asked the girl in his arms.

If this person could truly save Shen Jie, he was willing to sacrifice himself.

"He's my father; the blood in your pendant is his. Bu Si Di Jun was once his beast pet..." Luo Ruoxi steadied 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 but different—it was her father's.

"So, your father is also a Di Jun? Or has strength beyond Di Jun?" He couldn't help asking.

The library's chaos was calmed by the blood in the pendant, so was her father not only a Di Jun but even more powerful?

If so, why was he in a coma?

And why did it require the Heavenly Dao's flaw to awaken him?

"He's not a Di 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: Tian Dao You Xu and Tian Dao You Que entered the spatial chaos, while I took control of Tian Dao Zi Ran to maintain Shen Jie's balance. The only way to restore him is to collect the scattered parts... That's why I was so determined, why I couldn't fail! I even went to Ming Shi Continent to study the Chun Qiu Da Dian and find a way to defeat Kong Shi! And when I fought Kong Shi, the favor I asked of him was for this." Luo Ruoxi explained.

Zhang Xuan suddenly realized.

Not long after they met on Ming Shi Continent, this girl had told him her story about saving a close relative, but he hadn't understood then. Now it made sense.

It was her father, and he was the Shen Jie Heavenly Dao!

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

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

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

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

That meant he only needed to separate his own Tian Dao You Que; 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 Tian Dao You Que from my body, your father can awaken and even slay Hen Ren, right?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"This... I'm not sure..." Luo Ruoxi hesitated, glancing at the collapsing Shen Jie.

Shen Jie was her father's foundation, and now it was in ruins. Even if he awakened, could he really defeat that powerful Hen Ren?

It was hard to say!

"Since you can't be certain, it's better to rely on ourselves... We only have ourselves to count on!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth. "You, me, my avatar, plus the Jiu Tian Jiu Di—if we team up with Kong Shi, we might still win!"

"Kong Shi? He's..." 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—as a Xian Tian Tai Hun Ti.

It allowed one to remain clear even in the womb.

With his prior arrangements, 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 all powerful. Even without a Di 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's heart shook as she suddenly understood.

"Let's go!" Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan waved his hand, and they returned to where Kong Shi had resided. Sure enough, an elder was floating in the air in a meditative pose. Seeing them arrive, he smiled slightly. "You're here!"

It was Kong Shi!

This teacher of ages hadn't disappointed him!

As guessed, he had taken advantage of everyone's focus on Chao Xi Hai to revive.

"You..." Luo Ruoxi trembled.

She knew Di Juns could revive, as Bu Si Di Jun had, but she hadn't expected it to happen so quickly.

"I hid from the Heavenly Dao and prepared in advance. The nameless giant in You Hun Pool was left by me. When you killed me that day, I used it to break free from the Heavenly Dao's constraints 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 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 truth.

So many had united 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?"

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

"That hand could tear Shen Jie apart and scatter the Heavenly Dao; its power is undeniable. Hen Ren absorbed that power and devoured Shen Jie's spiritual energy for fifty years. Any of us ten-plus Di Juns alone isn't his equal..." 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.

Di 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 Di Jun shackles, he can save Shen Jie!" Kong Shi said.

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

"Ling Xi Di Zun cultivates freedom and transcendence, but with his father's and the Heavenly Dao's constraints, and his attachments, he can never truly transcend! If I didn't see wrong, when he fought me, he once gave up, intending to let me kill him!" Kong Shi said.

Luo Ruoxi fell silent.

During their fight, he had indeed considered that, so at the beginning, they had both held back, like sparring rather 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 have the heart to save all beings and enlighten the world, but I'm too compassionate, which is also 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 this situation wouldn't have arisen.

"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, to die is to long for each other!

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

"This..." Zhang Xuan frowned, about to say something, but Kong Shi looked at him intently. "No need to decline; time is short. Even if we tried to cultivate someone else, it might not work, and I doubt anyone could do better than you! Ling Xi Di Zun has no Heavenly Dao fragment, but she's long controlled the Heavenly Dao, giving her her own understanding of it; I control Tian Dao You Xu. If we channel our power to you, you'll have the complete Heavenly Dao force! Combined with your avatar's Jiu Tian Hun Dun Jin Lian, you can stabilize the nine heavens, control the universe, battle the nine realms, and destroy all things!"

"Alright!" Seeing his decision was firm, 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, 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 Qi Qi and the others away, Hen Ren sneered coldly.

The combined power of the avatar and the Di Juns was indeed formidable, but compared to him, it was still weak.

Chao Xi Hai had devoured nearly all of Shen Jie's spiritual energy outside the cities, and now that energy had become his nourishment. Every move he made carried the power to destroy the world; these Di Juns and Shen Wangs, despite representing Shen Jie's pinnacle, were no match.

At this moment, Hen Ren seemed to embody Shen Jie itself, unbeatable.

"Shen Jie is doomed; living means nothing. I'll go down with you..." Yun Chi Di 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.

"My old friend, wait for me!" Fu Meng Di Jun roared, transforming into his white tiger form and charging forward.

Bu Si Di Jun revealed his undead fire phoenix form, flames lighting up the sky.

Xuan Ming Di 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're seeking death, I'll grant it..."

As he roared and prepared to finish them, he felt his raised arm lock in place.

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

In the shocked gazes of the crowd, a figure stepped out from the air.

It was Zhang Xuan!

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

"You've improved a lot..." Hen Ren stopped, his gaze turning serious.

He couldn't understand how the young man's strength had changed so drastically 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 as energy scattered wildly.

"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 only 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 Di Jun!" After a moment of silence, Kong Shi said.

Even with the power of over ten Di Juns transferred to him, defeating Hen Ren wouldn't be easy.

The reason for this was to concentrate the power into one person, potentially touching the pinnacle and truly transcending limits.

"A power beyond Di 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 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, gruesome and terrifying.

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

"Ha, I thought you'd be more impressive, but you're just so-so!" 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 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 Qi Qi seemed to go mad.

Yun Chi Di Jun and the others stared wide-eyed, trembling.

Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi, who had seen it, were also stunned.

The plan was for him to break through the shackles and reach beyond Di Jun, so why did he give up and walk to his death?

Wasn't this wasting their efforts?

"Something's wrong; it's Bu Si Di 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, ignited into a blazing flame, and from within, an unharmed figure slowly emerged.

"He... used the opponent's power and the blood in the pendant to separate the Tian Dao You Que 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 use You Hun Pool to reform it.

This young man had done it with just one death—what method had he used?

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

A soul contract bound master and servant; without the master's release, the servant was trapped... The Heavenly Dao library was similar, like an enhanced contract.

Bound to the soul, it wouldn't separate even in death.

But Hen Ren had used that special power to escape, and Zhang Xuan had asked about the details earlier, probably planning it then.

So, he deliberately let Hen Ren use his strongest attack on him.

With that power, he was reborn in the flames, and it worked perfectly!

"So, that's the way to break through Di Jun..." The Zhang Xuan emerging from the flames smiled faintly, as if he had understood something. He waved his hand, and his avatar 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 Jiu Tian Hun Dun Jin Lian, born with the nine heavens, could stabilize them. Now, with his avatar fused perfectly, he controlled that power.

Not only that, with the fusion of the Jiu Tian Hun Dun Jin Lian's cultivation, his already peak realm began to loosen, as if it could break through at any moment.

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

With a smile, Zhang Xuan murmured to himself.

The moment the Heavenly Dao library left his soul, he understood.

Is it people who create the world, or does the world exist first?

Is 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 does the world have?

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

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

Love is emotion.

Hate is emotion.

Joy is emotion.

Sorrow is emotion.

Parting is emotion.

Reunion is emotion!

"Ten thousand emotions, all for my use..."

With a low cry, the shackles in Zhang Xuan's body shattered instantly.

He had broken through the Di Jun barrier!

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

Countless chaotic energies surged toward him, and his body advanced rapidly.

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, and he raged, "Wah!" shouting as he attacked again.

"You resent the lofty Di Juns for not saving you from spatial chaos—that's emotion; feeling humble and angry as my servant—that's emotion; wanting to destroy Shen Jie to vent your anger—that's emotion; desiring to grow stronger—that's 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-unstoppable Hen Ren was bound by countless emotional threads, immobilized.

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

"You..." Hen Ren's eyes filled with panic. "Zhang Shi, I'm your servant; don't kill me... I'm willing to offer my soul..."

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

Controlling the emotions of the world, something like a servant held no meaning for him.

He had killed so many in Shen Jie, hurt his girlfriend Luo Qi Qi, and so many friends; how could he forgive that today?

"No..."

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

Bang!

In an instant, he exploded, turning into vast spiritual energy that surged across Shen Jie.

All the power Chao Xi Hai had devoured was now returned, revitalizing the withered wastelands.

"This..."

"Is that it? He's dead?"

Yun Chi Di Jun, Bu Si Di Jun, Ling Long Xian Zi, and the others stared in disbelief.

They had fought Hen Ren and knew his terror; for this young man to extinguish him so easily, what level had he reached?

Was there truly a realm beyond Di 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 "Tian Dao You Que" that had just separated from his body still floating in the air, Zhang Xuan smiled lightly and flicked his finger.

Buzz!

The library that had accompanied him since rebirth embedded itself into Shen Jie's sky with a thunderous ring.

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

The hole in Chao Xi Hai had closed with the Heavenly Dao's completion; 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 didn't know how far he traveled, and soon 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 hair's breadth from himself, having reached the peak of Di Jun, far surpassing the previous Luo Ruoxi.

"Just call me by my name; I'm Nie Tong!" The young man exuded an unstoppable sword intent and said lightly.

"Nie Tong?" Zhang Xuan furrowed his brow; it was a name he'd never heard.

"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 went before stopping at a mountain peak.

There, another young man stood.

He looked only slightly older than Nie Tong, with upward-sweeping brows giving a profound, inscrutable air.

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled.

This young man's power surpassed even his, having broken through the Di Jun barrier with even deeper, more profound cultivation!

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

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

Luo Ruoxi had said her father was the Heavenly Dao, but he never imagined it was 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.

Shen Jie was created by this man?

Then how powerful was he?

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

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

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

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

Though he hadn't seen any, since this man could reach such a level, others might too, perhaps even stronger.

"I once suspected that beyond Shen Jie 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, Shen Jie might have been wiped out entirely, leaving no life. So, I blocked it, but my manifested Heavenly Dao was scattered."

"In that state, restoring it would take 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 couldn't do it alone. So, I wanted to see if any being could break through the Di Jun barrier and reach my level!"

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

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

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

"Heh!" Nie Yun chuckled. "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. "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 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 backup to escape unscathed. In reality, he lost his drive. Facing someone beyond us, without that spirit, how could he contend?" Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan fell silent.

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

Perhaps he hadn't wanted to kill Luo Ruoxi.

"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. "At your current level, in a life-or-death situation, could you save someone? That's how it is."

"This..." Zhang Xuan smiled bitterly.

Breaking through Di Jun was a different concept; if he wanted to, he could save someone at the last moment without a scratch.

"Ling Xi is the child of my other wife, Luo Qing Cheng, 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; as her father, I'm probably forgotten... Ha ha, I'll stay hidden for a while; otherwise, she might turn everything upside down."

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

He had no choice; who asked him to win over 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. With my daughter by your side, as her father, I'm content."

As Nie Yun spoke, the text cuts off here, but the story concludes with his words.