Chapter 500: Enlightenment

The soul contract binds souls together, and as long as the initiator doesn't dissolve it, even if the other party has unparalleled means, it cannot be broken. It's like with Di Jun Xiao Huangji; before, he was just a Shen Wang, and even as an Emperor Monarch, he couldn't resolve such an agreement. To prevent this individual from reneging and causing backlash, the Ming Shi Dalu 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!

"Indeed, the soul contract cannot be split from the sea of consciousness, but I've fused with a special gas that can even resolve the Heavenly Dao. Dissolving this contract isn't difficult... As long as I have enough power to bombard the location where it's held, I can do it!" Hen Ren said.

The soul contract is based on the foundation of the Heavenly Dao, and since this special power can resolve 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, Hen Ren said no more. His aura grew even more ancient and profound, and the black hole behind him expanded further, clearly having devoured an unknown amount of power during their conversation, using it for nourishment.

"Zhang Xuan, the more the black hole swallows, the stronger his power becomes..." Luo Ruoxi noticed something was off 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, "Since that's the case, let's settle this with our skills!"

Boom!

His most powerful sword intent erupted once more. To live is to return anew, to die is to long for reunion! What could stand in the way when life and death mean nothing?

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

Whoosh!

With one strike, 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 resembled that of the young man from Jian Shen Tian, carrying an unstoppable momentum and the effortless grace of aligning with 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 went. With their strength, they couldn't withstand it! Just what realm had this guy reached?

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

From afar, it looked incredibly imposing. After refining the Jiu Tian Hun Dun Jin Lian, his clone's 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 an Emperor Monarch, his clone hadn't lost its habit of showing off... Such flashy displays would be better if the power was concentrated for greater impact!

"Let's all attack together, or we'll all die if they fall..." Xiao Huangji roared, his crimson flames igniting and setting the sky ablaze.

The other six Emperor Monarchs also unleashed their techniques. The seven Emperor Monarchs united, their power enough to destroy the heavens and earth, making even a realm unable to withstand them. But Hen Ren, having absorbed the special power, simply let the black hole expand as their attacks approached, swallowing everything in an instant before counterattacking.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The seven Emperor Monarchs, along with Zhang Xuan and the others, were all sent flying. Even ten Emperor Monarchs joining forces 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.

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

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

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

"He's..." Luo Ruoxi was about to answer when the space twisted, and they saw the Jian Shen Tian Emperor Monarch being 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 with Hen Ren, so despite this elder's formidable cultivation and sword skills, he was no match.

"Ha! Emperor Monarchs are nothing but a bunch of weaklings! Today, I'll destroy the nine heavens, wipe out Shenjie, and trample all rules!" After defeating the Jian Shen Tian Emperor Monarch, Hen Ren laughed maniacally. The space around him collapsed continuously, making him seem like a demon.

"What do we do?" Zhang Xuan clenched his fists. He and his clone had already used their strongest attacks, and even Luo Ruoxi had unleashed her most powerful moves, yet none could block even one of Hen Ren's strikes... Could it be that no one in Shenjie could stop this man and let him destroy the world?

"The only way is to return your Heavenly Dao with defects to its original state, letting the Heavenly Dao suppress him..." Luo Ruoxi's delicate fist clenched, her eyes turning red.

"Return 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 flaws and expelling Hen Ren. It was like the human immune system—if intact, it could easily fend off viruses; if damaged, even a strong body could succumb to invasion.

But...

"He's too powerful. Even if the Heavenly Dao is fully restored, could it suppress him?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. The immune system might handle viruses, but what about a fierce tiger? Hen Ren was just an ordinary Shen Wang, yet even beyond Emperor Monarch level... he was no longer something the Heavenly Dao could contend with.

"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, it can awaken, and dealing with him wouldn't be hard!"

"He?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

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

Bang!

Luo Ruoxi plummeted from the air.

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

Ding! Ding! Ding!

It was blocked by Hen Ren once more.

"You all go quickly. I'll hold him off..." Knowing they were trying to save Shenjie, not flee, Zhang Xuan's clone and the Undying Emperor Monarch shouted, blocking the way, while Luo Qiqi transformed back into her Jing Kong Pearl form. The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!" Seeing everyone blocking fearlessly, even facing death, Zhang Xuan's eyes reddened, but he knew now wasn't the time for words. He pulled Luo Ruoxi along, his body flickering as he tore through space, reappearing in the Zi Zai Tian area.

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

"Where is the person you mentioned?" Zhang Xuan asked the girl in his arms, ignoring the ordinary lives around them. 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 Monarch was once his beast pet..." Luo Ruoxi regulated her breathing and explained.

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

"Is your father also an Emperor Monarch? Or does he possess strength beyond that?" Zhang Xuan 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 Monarch, 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 to awaken him?

"He's not an Emperor Monarch. He's... the Heavenly Dao!" Luo Ruoxi clenched her fist.

"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 massive hand and fell into a coma. The Heavenly Dao shattered into three parts: Heavenly Dao with Order and Heavenly Dao with Defects 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've been so determined, unable to fail! That's why I specifically 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 explained.

Zhang Xuan suddenly realized. Not long after they met on Ming Shi Dalu, this girl had shared her story with him—she needed to save a dear one. 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 truly take human form and have children?

"I've been acting on behalf of Heavenly Dao Natural... but I don't have a fragment of the Heavenly Dao in me?" Suddenly noticing the oddity in her words, Zhang Xuan looked over.

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

Zhang Xuan sighed in relief. That meant he only needed to separate his own Heavenly Dao with Defects; she wouldn't have to die. Though he was reluctant to accept this fate, he didn't want the girl before him to suffer.

"If I separate the Heavenly Dao with Defects from my body, your father can awaken and even defeat Hen Ren, right?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"This... I'm not sure..." Luo Ruoxi hesitated, glancing at the collapsing Shenjie. Shenjie was her father's foundation, and now it was in ruins. Even if he awoke, could he truly defeat such a 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 clone, plus the Jiu Tian Jiu Di—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 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, able to remain undeluded even in the womb. With his prior arrangements, revival was just a matter of time.

Luo Ruoxi was stunned, apparently not expecting this.

"We'll know once we check. If I'm right, he should have recovered by now. Otherwise, his students wouldn't have stayed away from Chao Xi Hai..." Zhang Xuan said.

Kong Shi's students, like Zi Yuan Gu Sheng and the others, were incredibly strong. Even without an Emperor Monarch's help, they could enter Chao Xi Hai, yet none had shown up. They must have something more important—clearly, 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 had resided. Sure enough, an elder was floating in the air in a meditative pose. Seeing them arrive, he smiled slightly. "You're here!"

Who else could it be but Kong Shi? This teacher of ages hadn't disappointed him! As Zhang Xuan had guessed, Kong Shi had taken advantage of everyone's focus on Chao Xi Hai to revive.

"You..." Luo Ruoxi trembled. She knew Emperor Monarchs could revive, like the Undying Emperor Monarch, 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—potentially decades.

"Our combined strength is strong, 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 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 united, 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 confusion.

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

"How do we concentrate it?" Luo Ruoxi asked. It sounded simple, but doing it was hard. Emperor Monarchs stood at Shenjie's peak; if absorbing others' power was that easy, 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 Monarch shackles, he can save Shenjie!" Kong Shi said.

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

"Ling Xi Di Zun cultivates freedom and transcendence, but with his father's and the Heavenly Dao's constraints, and his attachments, he can never truly transcend! If I saw correctly, 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, fighting more like a spar than a life-or-death struggle.

"Without transcendence, he can't unleash his full power. Even with more true energy, he couldn't impact that supreme realm! As for me..." Kong Shi nodded. "I bear the burdens of all beings and wish to save the world, but I'm too unwilling to let others sacrifice for me. Too much mercy is a flaw! If I'd been more ruthless and wiped out the Yi Ling clan, we wouldn't be in this mess..."

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

"So, I'm not suitable either! But Zhang Xuan's cultivation follows his heart, without flaws. He values living true to himself—even if it means 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 anew, to die is to long for reunion! If even death doesn't bother him, 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 Di Zun has no Heavenly Dao fragment, but she's long controlled the Heavenly Dao and has her own understanding of it; I control Heavenly Dao with Order. If we infuse our power into you, you'll have the complete Heavenly Dao strength in your body! Combined with your clone's Jiu Tian Hun Dun Jin Lian, you can stabilize the nine heavens, control the universe, battle the nine skies, and destroy all things!"

"Alright!" Seeing the decision was made, Zhang Xuan nodded, knowing further explanation was useless.

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 itself, soaring above the nine heavens. His soul, body, and true energy were all rapidly purified, growing stronger and more abundant.

...

"You think you can stop me? Fine, I'll kill you all first, then go after Zhang Xuan..." After slapping Luo Qiqi, the clone, and the others away, Hen Ren sneered coldly. The combined power of the clone and the other Emperor Monarchs was indeed formidable, but compared to him, it was still weak.

The Chao Xi Hai 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 ability to destroy the world. These Emperor Monarchs and Shen Wangs, despite representing Shenjie's peak, were no match.

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

"Even if Shenjie falls, living means nothing. I'll go down with you..." Yun Chi Da Di transformed into his true form, a massive five-clawed golden dragon, lunging at him.

"You? You're not worthy!" Hen Ren clenched his hand, and the golden dragon was trapped in his palm, struggling futilely to escape.

"My old friend, wait for me!" Fu Meng Di Jun roared, transforming into his white tiger form and charging forward. The Undying Emperor Monarch revealed his Undying Fire Phoenix form, flames lighting up the sky. Xuan Ming Da Di's true form was a massive turtle, as if supporting the heavens. The four divine beasts, guardians of Shenjie's four corners, transformed simultaneously, slowing the collapsing world.

It was as if the universe had frozen in that instant.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

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

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

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

In the shocked gazes of the crowd, a figure stepped out of the air—it was Zhang Xuan! The young man now exuded surging power, at least ten times stronger than before, descending like a world unto itself.

"You've improved a lot..." Hen Ren halted, his gaze turning serious. He couldn't understand 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..." 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 currents rampaging everywhere.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?" In Zi Zai Tian, at Kong Shi's residence, Luo Ruoxi watched worriedly. She and Kong Shi had transferred their power to Zhang Xuan, reducing their own cultivation to merely Shen Wang level, no longer as glorious as before. However, their foundation remained; with enough power, they could recover eventually.

"With his current strength, winning will be tough! Unless... he can comprehend a power that transcends Emperor Monarch!" After a moment of silence, Kong Shi said. Even with over ten Emperor Monarchs' power infused into 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 Monarch?" 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 an arrogant spirit 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 complete Heavenly Dao power in his body, he wasn't a match.

"Ha! I thought you'd be something special, but you're just average!" 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, stopped attacking, and looked at Hen Ren.

"Very well, I'll give you my strongest attack..." Hearing this, Hen Ren paused, then snorted coldly, raising his hand.

Whoosh!

A 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 strain, creating a massive crater.

Zhang Xuan closed his eyes and didn't dodge.

Bang!

His head exploded, and his soul scattered.

"Zhang Xuan..." Everyone's faces turned pale at the sight. Luo Qiqi seemed to go mad. Yun Chi Da Di and the others stared wide-eyed, trembling. Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi, who had seen it happen, were also stunned. The plan was for him to break through his limits, not surrender to death! Hadn't that made their efforts pointless?

"Wait, it's the Undying Emperor Monarch's immortality technique..." Just as they were puzzled, 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, ignited into a blazing flame, and from within, an intact figure slowly emerged.

"He... used the opponent's power and the blood in the pendant to separate the Heavenly Dao with Defects from his soul?" Luo Ruoxi's pupils shrank. The reborn Zhang Xuan no longer had the Heavenly Dao library in his body, free from its interference and the Heavenly Dao's bindings!

"How did he do that?" Kong Shi was full of disbelief. To escape, he had to scatter his soul and use the You Hun Pool to reform it. Yet Zhang Xuan had achieved it with just one fatal blow—what method had he used?

"I get it... He used Hen Ren's method to escape the soul contract..." Luo Ruoxi realized. The soul contract bound master and servant, unbreakable unless the master dissolved it... The Heavenly Dao library was like an enhanced version of that, binding the soul indissolubly. But Hen Ren had used that special power to escape, and Zhang Xuan had asked about the details earlier—probably planning it then. That's why he deliberately let Hen Ren strike with full force. Using that power, he was reborn in the flames, and it had succeeded spectacularly!

"So that's the way to break through Emperor Monarch..." The Zhang Xuan emerging from the flames smiled faintly, as if enlightened. He waved a hand, and his clone immediately turned back into a lotus flower and flew over. In an instant, it fused perfectly with him.

In the blink of an eye, everyone felt that Zhang Xuan had become the nine heavens, and the nine heavens were him. He lightly stamped his foot on the ground. The chaotic nine heavens stabilized immediately. The Jiu Tian Hun Dun Jin Lian, born with the nine heavens, could stabilize them. Now, with his clone fused perfectly, he controlled that power. Not only that, with the fusion of the Jiu Tian Hun Dun Jin Lian's cultivation, his already peak realm showed signs of loosening, as if breakthrough was imminent.

"Master-servant bonds, brotherhood, teacher-student ties, parental love, romance... Fused together, they become all things in the world. That's what it means to be human!" Zhang Xuan murmured with a smile. The moment the Heavenly Dao library left his soul, he understood.

Was it that people observed the world and created it, or that the world existed first and then people? Was it the wind moving, or the heart? This eternal question had puzzled countless people. But now... it didn't matter. Without life, without emotions, what meaning did the world had?

So, after breaking through romance, it was the bonds of all beings—the intertwined emotions of the world. All things have emotions; with emotions, there's a world; with emotions, 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, Zhang Xuan's suppressed realm shattered in an instant. The Emperor Monarch shackles were broken!

In that moment, it was as if he had touched a new world and gate. His soul was rapidly nourished, and countless chaotic energies surged toward him, enhancing his body swiftly. He could now absorb not just spiritual energy, but spatial chaos, chaotic energy—even the opponent's green light—making it all his own.

"You..." Hen Ren hadn't expected his full-force attack to not only fail to kill him but also empower him, and he raged, "Wah!" screaming as he attacked again.

"You resent the lofty Emperor Monarchs for not saving you from the spatial chaos—that's emotion; you feel humiliated as my former servant—that's emotion; you want to destroy Shenjie to vent your anger—that's emotion; you crave more power—that's emotion... Emotions control 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 are emotions, they can be used and controlled by him!

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

"It's too late for that now..." Zhang Xuan smiled and shook his head. Controlling the emotions of the world, something like a servant held no meaning for 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, 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 surged across Shenjie. All the power that Chao Xi Hai had devoured was now returned, revitalizing the barren lands.

"This..."

"Is that it? He's dead?"

Yun Chi Da Di, the Undying Emperor Monarch, Ling Long Xian Zi, and the others stared in disbelief. They had fought Hen Ren and knew his terror. For such a powerful being to be vanquished so easily, what realm had Zhang Xuan reached? Could there truly be a level beyond Emperor Monarch?

"He succeeded..." Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi unclenched their fists.

"This is part of the Heavenly Dao, so I'll return it now..." Seeing the "Heavenly Dao with Defects" 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 Shenjie's sky with a thunderous boom. The collapsing Shenjie visibly stabilized, and the chaotic energies regrouped. The crumbling world finally halted, and the depleted spiritual energy slowly revived with Hen Ren's death.

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

"Zhang Xuan, come here..." As he finished, a voice echoed in his mind. Zhang Xuan paused and stepped forward.

In that step, he traveled an unknown distance, arriving before a young man. It was the one who had taught him the sword technique.

"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 step away from his own level, at the absolute peak of Emperor Monarch—far surpassing the previous Luo Ruoxi.

"Just call me by my name. I'm Nie Tong!" The young man exuded an unstoppable sword intent as he spoke 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 flying an unknown distance, they stopped at a mountain peak. There, another young man stood. He looked only slightly older than Nie Tong, with raised eyebrows giving an aura of depth and mystery.

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled. This young man's power surpassed even his own. He had also broken through Emperor Monarch's limits, and his cultivation was even more profound.

"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 Heavenly Dao of Shenjie?"

Luo Ruoxi had mentioned it, but he never imagined it would be such a young man.

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

Zhang Xuan 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 Hen Ren rampage without intervening... even regarding your daughter's life?" Zhang Xuan asked.

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

"This..." Zhang Xuan paused. "There probably is..." Though he hadn't seen it, since this man could reach such a level, others might too, or even exceed him.

"I once suspected there was life beyond Shenjie, so I used all my effort to peer into it, ultimately drawing the backlash from a higher world... That massive hand broke through!" Nie Yun continued, "If I'd dodged, Shenjie might have been completely wiped out, leaving no life. So, I blocked it, but my Heavenly Dao form shattered as a result."

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

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

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

"Heh!" Nie Yun chuckled. "Natives have reverence for the world, making it harder to break its shackles. I just had a 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, it would have been impossible.

"The opportunity was his, but he didn't seize it. His duel with Ling Xi was his best chance to break through, but he chose to retreat, thinking he had a way out. In reality, he lost his fearless drive. Facing someone who transcends us, without that spirit, how can you contend?" Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan fell silent. He had watched 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 Emperor Monarch was a different concept; if Nie Yun had wanted to intervene, he could have saved her without a scratch.

"Ling Xi is from 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; 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..."

"The Heavenly Dao library was my intent, both a foundation and a shackle. You broke through it with your own ability, showing your potential. My daughter being with you brings me comfort as a father." Nie Yun said.