Chapter 496: Exploding Song Qi

The Linghun Qiyue, which binds souls together, can only be undone if the one who initiated it chooses to do so. Even if the other party has unparalleled abilities, they cannot break it.

It's like the case of Busi Dijun and Xiao Huang Ji. Back then, Xiao Huang Ji was only a Shenwang, while Busi Dijun was a Dijun, and even he couldn't resolve such an agreement.

To prevent this individual from going back on their word and causing backlash, the Ming Shi Dalu had specifically decreed that even if someone could escape the Tian Dao Zhi Ce, they still couldn't break the agreement between souls.

"Linghun Qiyue indeed cannot be separated from the sea of consciousness, but I have fused with a special gas that can even resolve the Tian Dao. Dissolving this contract is not difficult... As long as I have enough power to strike at the location of the contract, it can be done!"

Hen Ren said.

The Linghun Qiyue is based on the foundation of the Tian Dao. Since this special power can resolve even the Shen Jie Tian Dao, what's so hard about dealing with a Linghun Qiyue, 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 immense amount of power in that short time to nourish himself.

"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 voice transmission.

"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 mean nothing?

Though this sword technique hadn't reached the level comprehended by a Dijun, it contained all of his inner obsessions, pushing his Tian Ruo You Qing cultivation to its limits.

Whoosh!

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

At the same moment, Luo Ruoxi also struck. Her jade-like hand swirled, and her sword light gleamed like snow.

Her swordsmanship bore some resemblance to that of the youth from Jian Shen Tian, carrying a relentless 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 though the sun, moon, and stars were about to 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!

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 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 Dijun, his clone hadn't changed 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 Huang Ji roared, igniting crimson flames that set the sky ablaze.

The other six Dijun also unleashed their techniques.

The seven Dijun joined forces, capable of destroying heaven and earth, making even a realm unable to withstand them. But Hen Ren, having absorbed the special power, simply let his black hole expand as their attacks approached, swallowing everything in an instant before counterattacking.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The seven Dijun, along with Zhang Xuan and the others, were all sent flying.

Even the ten Dijun combined 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!"

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.

"A Dijun? He's also at the Dijun level?"

Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

He had thought this elder was just a follower, at most a Feng Hao Shenwang, but now he realized he was also a Dijun powerhouse!

If he was a Dijun, then what about that youth?

"He's the Dijun of Jian Shen Tian..."

Struggling to stand, Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth and said.

"Then... what about the youth who taught me the sword technique?"

Zhang Xuan couldn't hold back.

"He's..."

Luo Ruoxi was about to answer when the space twisted, and they saw the Jian Shen Tian's Dijun being sent flying, crashing into the ground and forming a huge crater.

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

"Ha! Dijun? Just a bunch of insignificant creatures! Today, I'll destroy the Jiu Tian, destroy Shen Jie, and trample all rules!"

After defeating the Jian Shen Tian's Dijun, Hen Ren laughed maniacally, the surrounding space collapsing as he appeared like a demon.

"What do we do?"

Zhang Xuan clenched his fists.

He and his clone had already used their full power, and even Luo Ruoxi had unleashed her strongest moves, yet none could block even one of his strikes...

Could it be that no one in Shen Jie could stop this man?

And allow him to destroy the world?

"The only way... is to return your Tian Dao You Que to the Tian Dao itself, letting it suppress him..."

Luo Ruoxi's delicate fists clenched, her eyes reddening.

"Return to the Tian Dao itself?"

Zhang Xuan understood her meaning.

The library in his mind was part of the Tian Dao. Once returned, the Tian 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, but if damaged, even a strong person could succumb to invasion.

But...

"He's too powerful. Even if the Tian 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 Shenwang, yet even beyond a Dijun... He was no longer something the Tian 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 Tian Dao is complete, he can awaken and slay this man 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, his sword intent blazing forth.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

It was blocked by Hen Ren once more.

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

Knowing they were trying to save Shen Jie, not flee, the clone and Busi Dijun shouted as they blocked the way, while Luo Qiqi transformed back into her Jing Kong Zhu 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 Zizai Tian's domain.

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

"Where is he, the one you mentioned?"

With no time to observe the ordinary lives around them, Zhang Xuan looked at the girl in his arms.

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

"He's my father. The blood in your pendant is his. Busi Dijun was once his beast pet..."

After regulating her breath, Luo Ruoxi explained.

"Father?"

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

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

"So, your father is also a Dijun? Or someone with power beyond a Dijun?"

He couldn't help asking.

The library's chaos was calmed by the blood in the pendant. Could it be that not only was she a Dijun, but her father was as well, or even stronger?

If so, why was he in a coma?

And why did it require a flawed Tian Dao for him to awaken?

"He's not a Dijun. He's... the Tian Dao!"

Luo Ruoxi's fists clenched.

"The Tian Dao? Your father... is the Tian Dao?"

Zhang Xuan was shocked, unable to believe it.

"Yes! Fifty years ago, my father couldn't withstand that massive hand and fell into a coma. The Tian 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 Ziran to maintain Shen Jie's balance. The only way to restore him is to gather the scattered parts... That's why I was so determined, why I couldn't fail! That's why I entered Ming Shi Dalu to study the Chun Qiu Da Dian and find a way to defeat Kong Shi! And when I fought Kong Shi, the favor I asked of him was for this."

Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan finally understood.

When they first met on Ming Shi Dalu, this girl had told him her story about saving a close relative, but he hadn't grasped it then. Now, he realized—it was her father, and he was the Shen Jie Tian Dao!

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

"Acting as Tian Dao Ziran... You don't have a Tian Dao fragment in your body?"

Suddenly realizing the implication 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 Tian 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 wouldn't have to die.

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

"I'll separate the Tian Dao You Que from my body. Then your father can awaken and even slay Hen Ren, right?"

Zhang Xuan asked.

"This... I'm not sure..."

Luo Ruoxi hesitated, glancing at the collapsing Shen Jie.

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

It was hard to say!

"It seems you can't be certain. In that case, better to rely on ourselves... We only have ourselves to count on!"

Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth. "You, me, my clone, 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 Tian Dao... He's probably like Wei Changfeng, with 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.

Add to that the preparations he made in advance, and his 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 incredibly strong. Even without a Dijun's help, they could enter Chao Xi Hai, yet none had appeared.

They must have something more important—reviving Kong Shi.

"This..."

Luo Ruoxi was shaken, suddenly understanding.

"Let's go!"

Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan waved his hand, and they arrived at Kong Shi's residence. Sure enough, an elder was floating in the air in a meditative pose. Seeing them, he smiled slightly. "You've come!"

It was Kong Shi!

This teacher of ages hadn't disappointed him!

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

"You..."

Luo Ruoxi trembled.

She knew Dijun could revive, as Busi Dijun had, but she hadn't expected it to happen so quickly.

"I hid from the Tian Dao and prepared in advance. That nameless giant in the You Hun Chi was left by me. When you killed me that day, I used it to escape the Tian 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 Shen Jie, he had experienced much longer to restore his power—perhaps decades.

"Our individual strengths are strong, and together we're even more so, but defeating Hen Ren won't be easy..."

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

It wasn't about boasting of the enemy or belittling themselves; it was the truth.

So many had joined forces earlier and still couldn't block him. Adding Kong Shi wouldn't change the outcome!

"If we fight alone or even together, we're no match for him, but... what if we fuse all our powers 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 Shen Jie and scatter the Tian Dao—its power is undeniable. Hen Ren absorbed that power and devoured Shen Jie's spiritual energy for fifty years. Any of us, or even all the Dijun together, can't match him alone..."

Kong Shi said. "But if we concentrate all our power into one person... maybe then we could!"

"How do we concentrate it?"

Luo Ruoxi asked.

It sounded simple, but doing it was hard.

Dijun were at the peak of Shen Jie. 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 Dijun constraints, he can save Shen Jie!"

Kong Shi said.

"Me? Why me?"

Zhang Xuan was stunned.

"Ling Xi Dijun cultivates freedom and transcendence, but with his father's and Tian Dao's restrictions, and his attachments, he can never truly transcend! If I didn't see wrong, during our fight, you once gave up and intended to let me kill you!"

Kong Shi said.

Luo Ruoxi fell silent.

During the battle, she had indeed considered that, so at the beginning, they had both held back, more like sparring than a life-or-death fight.

"Unable to transcend, he can't unleash his full power. Even with more true qi, he couldn't impact that supreme realm! As for me..."

Kong Shi nodded. "I bear the burdens of all living beings and wish to save the world, but I'm too compassionate, which is a flaw! If I had been ruthless and wiped out the Yi Ling Clan, we wouldn't be in this mess..."

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

"So, I'm not suitable either! But Zhang Xuan's cultivation follows his heart, 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 doesn't bother him, what else could?

"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 Dijun has no Tian Dao fragment, but she's long controlled the Tian Dao and has her own understanding of it. I control Tian Dao You Xu. If we channel our power to you, you'll have the complete Tian Dao force in your body! Combined with your clone's Jiu Tian Hun Dun Jin Lian, you can stabilize the Jiu Tian, control the universe, battle the nine heavens, and destroy all things!"

"Alright!"

Seeing that the decision was made and further explanation was useless, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Boom!

He sat cross-legged, and in the blink of an eye, two vast powers surged into him from both sides.

Zhang Xuan's body stiffened, as if he had instantly become the Tian Dao, soaring through the nine heavens.

His soul, body, and true qi were all undergoing rapid purification, 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 other Dijun was indeed formidable, but compared to him, it was still weak.

Chao Xi Hai had devoured nearly all of Shen Jie's spiritual energy outside the cities, and now that energy had become his nourishment. Every move he made carried the ability to destroy the world. These Dijun and Shenwang, despite representing Shen Jie's peak, were no match.

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

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

Yun Chi Dijun transformed into his true form, a massive five-clawed golden dragon, lunging at him.

"You? Not worthy!"

Hen Ren clenched his hand, and the golden dragon was trapped in his palm, struggling futilely to escape.

"My old friend, wait for me!"

Fu Meng Dijun roared, transforming into his white tiger form and charging forward.

Busi Dijun revealed his undead fire phoenix form, flames lighting up the sky.

Xuan Ming Dijun'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!

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 and prepared to finish them off, he felt his raised arm seize up in mid-air.

"Want to kill them? Have you asked me?"

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.

"He's made quite a leap..."

Hen Ren halted, his gaze turning serious.

He clearly didn't understand how the young man's strength had changed so dramatically in just a few minutes.

"But so what? Even at full strength, Shen Jie couldn't withstand me. I don't believe you can..."

Hen Ren snorted coldly and struck down again.

Zhang Xuan raised his long sword and met the attack.

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

"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 Shenwang level, no longer as glorious as before.

However, their foundation remained, and with enough power, they could recover eventually.

"With his current strength, winning... is tough! Unless he comprehends a power beyond Dijun!"

After a moment of silence, Kong Shi said.

Even with the power of over a dozen Dijun fused into 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 Dijun?"

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 huge, gruesome wound appeared on his chest.

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

"Ha! I thought you'd be something special. Turns out you're nothing!"

Hen Ren sneered.

"Anyway, I'm no match for you and will be killed eventually. 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.

"Fine, 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, making all of Shen Jie rumble as if it couldn't bear the weight, creating a massive crater.

Zhang Xuan closed his eyes and didn't dodge.

Bang!

His head exploded, and his soul scattered.

"Zhang Xuan..."

Everyone's faces turned pale at the sight.

Luo Qiqi seemed to go mad.

Yun Chi Dijun and the others stared in wide-eyed shock, trembling.

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

The plan was for him to break through the constraints and reach beyond the Dijun realm. Why didn't he resist and just accept death?

Wasn't that wasting their efforts?

"Wait, it's Busi Dijun's immortality technique..."

As they puzzled over it, Kong Shi spoke up.

Everyone then saw that as Zhang Xuan's head exploded and his soul shattered, the pendant on his chest 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 Tian Dao You Que from his soul?"

Luo Ruoxi's pupils contracted.

The reborn Zhang Xuan no longer had the Tian Dao library in his body or the Tian Dao's interference—he had escaped 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 Chi.

Yet Zhang Xuan had achieved it with just one strike—what method had he used?

"I get it... He used the method Hen Ren used to escape the Linghun Qiyue..."

Luo Ruoxi realized.

The Linghun Qiyue bound master and servant, unbreakable unless the master released it... The Tian Dao library was like an enhanced version, binding the soul indissolubly.

But Hen Ren 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 Hen Ren strike with his full power.

Using that force for rebirth, and it had succeeded brilliantly!

"So, this is the way to break through Dijun..."

The reborn Zhang Xuan smiled faintly, as if he had understood something. With a wave of his hand, his clone on the side 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 Jiu Tian, and the Jiu Tian was him.

He lightly stamped his foot on the ground.

The chaotic Jiu Tian stabilized immediately.

The Jiu Tian Hun Dun Jin Lian, born with the Jiu Tian, could stabilize them. Now, with the clone 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 bonds, parent-child bonds, romantic love... Fused together, they become all things in the world. This is what it means to be human!"

Zhang Xuan murmured with a smile.

The moment the Tian Dao library left his soul, he had realized.

Is it people who give meaning to the world, or does the world exist first and then people?

Is it the wind that moves, or the heart?

This eternal question had troubled countless people.

But now... it didn't matter.

Without life, without emotion, what meaning does the world have?

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

All things 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 restraints in Zhang Xuan's body shattered instantly.

He had broken through the Dijun constraints!

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

Countless strands of Hun Dun Qi surged toward him, and his body advanced swiftly.

He used to need spiritual energy to progress, but now spatial chaos, Hun Dun Qi, even the opponent's green light—anything could be his, indistinguishable.

"You..."

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

"You resent the lofty Dijun for not saving you from the 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 also emotion... Emotion controls you, so how can you defeat me, who controls emotion?"

Zhang Xuan smiled faintly, his voice growing faster and louder. With a light grasp of 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, a servant 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 him 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 Shen Jie.

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

"This..."

"Is that it? He's dead?"

Yun Chi Dijun, Busi Dijun, Ling Long Xianzi, and the others stared in disbelief.

They had fought Hen Ren 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 Dijun?

"He succeeded..."

Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi unclenched their fists.

"This is part of the Tian Dao, so I'll return it now..."

Seeing the "Tian Dao You Que" that had been separated from his body still floating in the air, Zhang Xuan smiled lightly and flicked his finger.

Buzz!

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

The collapsing Shen Jie visibly stabilized, and the chaotic energy regathered.

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

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

Zhang Xuan smiled.

The hole in Chao Xi Hai had closed with the Tian Dao's completion, and Shen Jie's return to its former glory was just 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 he saw a youth 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 he realized he was only a step away, having reached the absolute peak of Dijun, far surpassing the previous Luo Ruoxi.

"Just call me by my name. I'm Nie Tong!"

The youth 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. After an unknown distance, they stopped at a mountain peak.

There, another youth stood.

He looked only slightly older, with raised eyebrows giving a profound, inscrutable air.

"This strength..."

Zhang Xuan trembled.

This youth's power surpassed his own, also beyond Dijun, and even deeper and more profound!

"I'm Nie Yun!"

The youth 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 Tian Dao?"

Luo Ruoxi had said her father was the Tian 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 Tian Dao! Besides, I created this world, so calling me the Tian Dao isn't wrong!"

Nie Yun smiled lightly.

Zhang Xuan couldn't believe it.

Shen Jie was created by this man?

Then how strong was he?

"That's not right. If Shen Jie is your creation and you're the Tian Dao, why didn't you act against Hen Ren...?"

Zhang Xuan asked.

If not for his breakthrough, Shen Jie might have completely fallen. Why had this man done nothing?

Not even caring about his daughter's life?

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

"This..."

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

Though he hadn't seen any, since this man could reach this level, others might too, or even exceed him.

"I once suspected that beyond Shen Jie lay greater powers, 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 continued. "If I had dodged, Shen Jie might have been wiped out entirely, leaving no life. So, I blocked it, but that caused the Tian Dao I embodied to shatter."

"In that state, restoring myself would be just a thought, but... I realized that to truly transcend Shen Jie'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 the Dijun constraints and reach my level!"

"That's why I sent the scattered Tian Dao intent to the lowest worlds... granting it to souls native to this world and one not belonging to it. 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 shaken.

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

"Heh!"

Nie Yun chuckled lightly. "Those 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 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 this was impossible.

"The opportunity was his, but he didn't seize it. His duel with Ling Xi was his best chance to break through, but he chose to hold back, thinking he could retreat safely. In reality, he lost his fearless drive. Facing someone beyond us, without that spirit, how could he contend?"

Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan fell silent.

He had witnessed their battle; 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. "At your current level, in a life-or-death situation, could you save someone? Of course."

Zhang Xuan smiled bitterly.

Beyond Dijun was a different concept. If he truly wanted to, he could save someone at the last moment without a scratch.

"Ling Xi is the son 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... How about you explain this to her? After all, her feelings have shifted to you. As her father, I'm probably forgotten... Ha ha, I'll stay hidden for now. I don't want her causing chaos... Otherwise, it might turn the world upside down."

Seeing how unreliable this father was, 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 Tian Dao library was my intent, both a foundation and a constraint. You broke through it with your own ability, showing your potential. The future is limitless. With my daughter by your side, as her father, I'm content."

With that, the story continued, but as the text ends here, so does the translation.