Chapter 507: Preparing for Battle

A soul contract integrates with the soul and can only be broken by the initiator. Even if the other party possesses extraordinary abilities, they cannot resolve it.

Consider the case of Undying Emperor Jun, Xiao Huang Ji. Back when he was just a Shen Wang, even as an Emperor Jun himself, he couldn't undo such an agreement.

To prevent anyone from reneging on their word and causing harm, the Master Teacher Continent specifically mandated that even if the other party could evade the Heavenly Dao’s records, they still couldn’t escape the soul's pact!

"The soul contract is indeed inseparable from the sea of consciousness, but I have merged with a special gas that can even dissolve the Heavenly Dao. Breaking this contract isn’t difficult… As long as I have enough power to strike at the contract’s location, I can do it!"

Hen Ren said.

The soul contract is based on the foundation of the Heavenly Dao. Since this particular power can dissolve even the God Realm's Heavenly Dao, what's so hard about dissolving a soul contract, provided it’s handled correctly?

"I see..."

Zhang Xuan’s eyes glinted.

"I’m telling you all this to thank you for bringing me to the God Realm!"

After explaining, Hen Ren fell silent. His aura became even more ancient and profound, and the black hole behind him expanded further. Clearly, during their conversation, it had devoured an unknown amount of power, using it as nourishment.

"Zhang Xuan, the more that black hole swallows, the stronger his power becomes..."

Luo Ruoxi also sensed something was amiss and quickly sent a message via sound 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 declared, "In that case, let’s settle this with our skills!"

Boom!

His most powerful sword intent erupted once more.

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

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

Although this sword technique hadn't reached the level comprehended by an Emperor Jun, it contained all his inner obsessions, pushing his Tian Ruo You Qing cultivation to its absolute limit.

Whoosh!

With a single sword strike, he cleaved Hen Ren’s attack in half.

At the same time, Luo Ruoxi sprang into action, her jade hand swirling as sword light danced like snow.

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

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

Hen Ren chuckled softly and reached down again.

Instantly, his hand covered the sky, engulfing the heavens and earth. Space shattered, and it felt 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 wildly in mid-air.

With their current strength, they couldn’t withstand it!

What realm had this guy reached?

"Outrageous!"

His avatar strode forward, each step causing lotus flowers to bloom and the sound of flowing water to echo in the void.

From afar, it looked incredibly imposing.

After refining the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, his cultivation was no weaker than Zhang Xuan's.

He raised a fist, sending power surging into the nine heavens.

But upon clashing with Hen Ren, he was also sent flying, unable to block even a single move.

Zhang Xuan clutched his forehead.

He had become an Emperor Jun, yet his avatar still couldn't resist its habit of showing off…

Such flashy displays would be more effective if the power was 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 other six great Emperor Juns also unleashed their techniques.

The seven Emperor Juns united, capable of destroying heaven and earth, making even a realm unable to withstand them. But Hen Ren, having absorbed the special power, simply allowed his black hole to expand as their attacks approached, swallowing the forces completely in the blink of an eye before counterattacking.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

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

Even the ten great Emperor Juns 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 a single strike, Hen Ren stepped forward and swung his hand down again.

"How dare you, a mere rat!"

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

"Emperor Jun? He's also at Emperor 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 an Emperor Jun powerhouse!

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

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

Luo Ruoxi struggled to her feet and gritted her teeth.

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

Zhang Xuan couldn't help but ask.

"He's..."

Luo Ruoxi was about to answer when space twisted, and they saw the Jian Shen Tian's Emperor Jun being sent flying, crashing into the ground and creating a massive pit.

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

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

After defeating the Jian Shen Tian's Emperor Jun, Hen Ren laughed wildly. The space around him continuously collapsed, making him appear demonic and otherworldly.

"What do we do?"

Zhang Xuan clenched his fists.

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

Could no one in the God Realm stop the person in front of them?

Allow him to destroy the world?

"The only way is to return your Heavenly Dao fragment to the Heavenly Dao itself, letting it suppress him..."

Luo Ruoxi’s delicate fists clenched, her eyes turning red.

"Return it to the Heavenly Dao itself?"

Zhang Xuan understood her meaning.

The library in his mind was part of the Heavenly Dao. Once returned, the Heavenly Dao would be complete, perhaps fixing its flaws and expelling Hen Ren.

It was like the human immune system.

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

But...

"He's too powerful. Even if the Heavenly Dao is restored, it might not suppress him!"

Zhang Xuan shook his head.

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

This person was just an ordinary Shen Wang, yet even a Feng Hao could be easily killed by the Heavenly Dao. But he was stronger than Emperor Juns... far beyond what the Heavenly Dao could handle.

"This..."

Luo Ruoxi paused, a look of disappointment on her fair face. "You're right... It might not suppress him, but if the Heavenly Dao is complete, he can awaken and slay this one without difficulty!"

"He?"

Zhang Xuan frowned.

"I'll take you to see him. He's in Zi You Tian..."

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

"Want to escape?"

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 the God Realm, not flee, the avatar and the Undying Emperor Zun shouted, blocking the way, while Luo Qiqi transformed back into her Jing Kong Pearl form.

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone blocking fearlessly, even facing death, Zhang Xuan’s eyes reddened, but he knew now wasn't the time for words. He pulled Luo Ruoxi and blurred through space, appearing within Zi You Tian's range the next moment.

Zi You Tian was no longer as free as before. The God Realm was collapsing, and chaos reigned everywhere.

"Where is the person you mentioned?"

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

If this person could truly save the God Realm, he was willing to sacrifice himself!

"He's my father. The blood in your pendant is his. The Undying Emperor Jun was once his beast pet..."

Luo Ruoxi regulated her breath and explained.

"Father?"

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

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

That also explained why the Undying Emperor Jun's remnant will had recognized him as master upon seeing the pendant.

"Is your father also an Emperor Jun? Or does he possess strength beyond that?"

He couldn't help asking.

The library's chaos had been calmed by the blood in the pendant. Could it be that not only was she an Emperor Jun, but her father was too, or even stronger?

If so, why was he in a coma?

And why did he need the Heavenly Dao's flaw to awaken?

"He's not an Emperor Jun, but... the Heavenly Dao!"

Luo Ruoxi clenched her fists.

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

Zhang Xuan was shocked, unable to believe it.

"Yes! Fifty years ago, my father couldn't withstand that giant hand and fell into a coma. The Heavenly Dao shattered into three parts: Heavenly Dao Orderly and Heavenly Dao Flawed entered the spatial chaos, while I took control of Heavenly Dao Natural to maintain the God Realm's balance. The only way to restore him is to collect the scattered parts... That's why I've been so determined, unable to fail! That's why I specifically entered the Master Teacher Continent to study the Chun Qiu Canon 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 the Master Teacher Continent, this girl had told him her story—she needed to save a close relative. He hadn't understood then, but now it all made sense.

It was her father, and he was the God Realm's Heavenly Dao!

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

"I've been acting as Heavenly Dao Natural... but I don't have a Heavenly Dao fragment in me?"

Suddenly realizing the oddity in her words, Zhang Xuan looked over.

Acting as versus fusing within, like his own, were two different concepts.

"I'm just in control, not part of the Heavenly Dao..."

Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

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

Though he was unwilling to accept this fate, he didn't want the girl in front of him to be harmed.

"If I separate the Heavenly Dao Flawed from my body, your father can awaken and even slay Hen Ren, right?"

Zhang Xuan asked.

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

Luo Ruoxi hesitated, glancing at the collapsing God Realm.

The God Realm was her father's foundation, and now it was in ruins. Even if he awoke, could he truly defeat that powerful Hen Ren?

It was hard to say!

"It seems you can't be certain. In that case, better to rely on ourselves... We only have ourselves to figure this out! You, me, my avatar, plus the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, and even Kong Shi—if we coordinate, we might not lose!"

Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth.

"Kong Shi? He..."

Luo Ruoxi frowned.

"He's dead, right? But he hasn't truly died. If I'm guessing correctly, you killing him was just a way for him to escape the Heavenly Dao... Unexpectedly, he's like Wei Changfeng, a Xian Tian Tai Hun Ti!"

Zhang Xuan said.

Seeing Wei Changfeng had made him realize that Kong Shi's method of preserving his spirit was the same—as a Xian Tian Tai Hun Ti.

He could remain undeluded in the womb.

With 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 incredibly strong. Even without an Emperor Jun'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’s heart shook as she suddenly understood.

"Let's go!"

Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan waved his hand, tearing through space and arriving at where Kong Shi resided. Sure enough, an elder was floating in mid-air, cross-legged. Seeing them arrive, he smiled slightly. "You've come!"

Who else could it be but Kong Shi?

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

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

"You..."

Luo Ruoxi's body trembled.

She knew Emperor Juns could revive, like the Undying Emperor Jun, 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 escape the Heavenly Dao's bindings and reform my body. I've only just recovered now!"

Kong Shi smiled faintly.

He was proficient in time abilities, so while only one or two days had passed in the God Realm, 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 morale—it was the truth.

So many had united earlier and still couldn't block him. Adding one Kong Shi, would it change anything?

"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 over with a smile.

"Fuse it into one person?"

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

"That hand could tear apart the God Realm and scatter the Heavenly Dao—its power is undeniable. Hen Ren absorbed that power and devoured the God Realm's spiritual energy for fifty years. In terms of strength, we ten-plus Emperor Juns can't match him individually..."

Kong Shi said, "But if we unite and concentrate all our power into one person... maybe then?"

"How do we concentrate it?"

Luo Ruoxi asked.

It sounded simple, but doing it was hard.

Emperor Juns stood at the God Realm's peak. If it were that easy to absorb others' power, she wouldn't have been stuck for so many years.

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

Kong Shi said.

"Me? Why me?"

Zhang Xuan was stunned.

"Ling Xi Emperor Zun cultivates freedom and transcendence, but with his father's and the Heavenly Dao's restrictions, and his attachments, he can never truly transcend! If I didn't miss it, when you fought me, you once gave up, intending to let me kill you, right?"

Kong Shi said.

Luo Ruoxi fell silent.

During the fight, she 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 means he can't unleash his full power. Even with more true qi, he still can't impact that supreme realm! As for me..."

Kong Shi nodded. "I bear the burdens of all beings and wish to save the world, but I'm unwilling to let others sacrifice for me. Too much benevolence is also a flaw! If I'd been more ruthless and wiped out the Yi Ling Clan, we wouldn't be in this situation now..."

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

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

Kong Shi continued.

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

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

"This..."

Zhang Xuan frowned, about to say something, when he saw Kong Shi's gaze fixed on him. "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 Emperor Zun doesn't have a Heavenly Dao fragment, but she's long controlled the Heavenly Dao and has her own understanding of it. I control Heavenly Dao Orderly. If we channel our power to you, you'll have the complete Heavenly Dao force in your body! Combined with your avatar's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, 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 more words were useless.

Boom!

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

Zhang Xuan's whole body stiffened, as if he had instantly become the Heavenly Dao, soaring above the nine heavens.

His soul, body, and true qi were all rapidly purified, growing stronger and more abundant.

...

"You all want to stop me? Fine, I'll kill you first, then go after Zhang Xuan..."

After slapping Luo Qiqi and the others away, Hen Ren sneered coldly.

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

The Chao Xi Hai had nearly devoured all the spiritual energy outside the cities in the God Realm, and now that energy had become his nourishment. Every move he made carried the ability to destroy the world. These Emperor Juns and Shen Wangs, despite representing the God Realm's peak, were no match.

At this moment, Hen Ren seemed to embody the entire God Realm, unstoppable.

"The God Realm is doomed, so living means nothing. I'll go down with you..."

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

"You? You're not worthy!"

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

"My old friend, wait for me!"

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

The Undying Emperor Jun revealed his Undying Fire Phoenix form, flames lighting up the sky.

Xuan Ming Emperor Jun's true form was a massive turtle, as if upholding the heavens.

The four divine beasts, guarding the God Realm's four poles, transformed simultaneously, slowing the collapsing God Realm.

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

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Hen Ren struck four times in succession, suppressing 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 everyone, a figure stepped out slowly from the air.

It was Zhang Xuan!

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

"He's made significant progress..."

Hen Ren halted, his gaze turning serious.

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

"But so what? Even at its peak, the God Realm 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, tearing space apart and sending air currents flying everywhere.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?"

In Zi You 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, and with enough power, they could recover eventually.

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

After a moment of silence, Kong Shi said.

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

The reason for this approach was that only by concentrating the power in one person could they touch the pinnacle and potentially break through limits.

"A power that transcends Emperor Jun?"

Luo Ruoxi's eyes grew distant.

Her father had said the same when he was awake, but... could the man she loved achieve it?

"He can... He has an unyielding heart and pride toward this world."

Sensing her doubt, Kong Shi smiled.

...

Bang! Bang! Bang!

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

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

"Ha, I thought you'd be something special. Turns out, you're just this!"

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.

"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, making the entire God Realm roar as if it couldn't bear the weight, creating a massive pit.

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 Emperor Jun and the others widened their eyes, trembling nonstop.

Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi, who saw this, were also stunned.

The intention was for him to break through the constraints and reach a realm beyond Emperor Jun, so why didn't he resist and chose death?

Wasn't this wasting their efforts?

"... Wait, it's the Undying Emperor Jun's immortality technique..."

As they wondered, Kong Shi spoke up.

Everyone then saw that Zhang Xuan, whose head had exploded and soul shattered, had the pendant on his chest burst open. A drop of blood floated up, ignited, and formed a blazing flame. From the flame, an intact figure slowly emerged.

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

Luo Ruoxi's pupils contracted.

The reborn Zhang Xuan no longer had the Heavenly Dao library in his body, free from its interference and detached from the Heavenly Dao!

"How did he do that?"

Kong Shi was also full of disbelief.

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

Yet this one had completely freed himself with just one strike—what method did he use?

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

Luo Ruoxi reacted.

The soul contract bound master and servant, unbreakable unless the master released 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 himself be struck with the strongest attack.

Using that power for rebirth, and it succeeded spectacularly!

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

The reborn Zhang Xuan smiled faintly, as if understanding 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 Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, born with the Nine Heavens, could stabilize them. Now, with the avatar fused perfectly, he controlled that power.

Not only that, with the fusion of the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus's cultivation, his already peak realm showed signs of loosening, as if he could break through at any time.

"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 Heavenly Dao library left his soul, he understood.

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

Was it the wind moving or the heart?

This eternal question had troubled countless people.

But now... it didn't matter.

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

So, after breaking through romantic love came the bonds of all beings—the intertwined emotions of the world.

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

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 soft cry, the constraints in Zhang Xuan's body shattered instantly.

He had broken through the Emperor Jun barrier!

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

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

He could now absorb not just spiritual energy, but spatial chaos, chaotic qi, even the opponent's green light—all became his, indistinguishable.

"You..."

Hen Ren hadn't expected his full attack not only to fail in killing him but to empower him, and he raged, "Wah!" shouting as he attacked again.

"You resent the lofty Emperor Juns for not saving you from the spatial chaos—that's emotion; you feel humble and angry as my former servant—that's emotion; you want to destroy the God Realm to vent your anger—that's emotion; you seek 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 invincible Hen Ren was bound by countless emotional threads, rendered immobile.

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

"You..."

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

"It's too late for that now..."

Zhang Xuan smiled and shook his head.

Controlling the emotions of the world, a servant meant nothing to him.

He had killed so many at the god level and harmed his girlfriend Luo Qiqi and so many friends. Today, how could he forgive?

"No..."

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

Bang!

In an instant, he exploded, turning into vast spiritual energy that surged back to every part of the God Realm.

All the power that Chao Xi Hai had devoured was now returned, revitalizing the barren wilderness.

"This..."

"Is that it? He's dead?"

Yun Chi Emperor Jun, the Undying Emperor Jun, Ling Long Xian Zi, and the others all widened their eyes in disbelief.

They had fought Hen Ren and knew how terrifying he was. For such a powerful being to be vanquished so easily, what level had Zhang Xuan reached?

Could there truly be a realm beyond Emperor Jun?

"He succeeded..."

Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi unclenched their fists.

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

Seeing the "Heavenly Dao Flawed" that had just separated from his body still floating in the air, Zhang Xuan smiled lightly and flicked his finger.

Buzz!

The library that had accompanied him since rebirth embedded itself into the God Realm's sky with a thunderous ring.

The crumbling God Realm visibly stabilized, and the chaotic airflows regathered.

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

"It seems the God Realm 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 the God Realm returning 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 step away, having reached the absolute peak of Emperor 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.

He had never heard this name.

"Come with me. I'll take you to see my brother!"

Nie Tong smiled faintly and stepped forward.

Zhang Xuan followed closely, not knowing how far they flew before stopping at a mountain peak.

There, another young man stood.

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

"This strength..."

Zhang Xuan trembled.

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

"I'm Nie Yun!"

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

"If Xi's father?"

Zhang Xuan was shocked. "You're... the God Realm's Heavenly Dao?"

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

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

Nie Yun smiled faintly.

Zhang Xuan was incredulous.

The God Realm was created by this person?

Then how strong was he?

"But if the God Realm is your creation and you're the Heavenly Dao, why did you let Hen Ren rampage without intervening...?"

Zhang Xuan asked.

If not for his breakthrough, the God Realm might have completely collapsed. Why had this person done nothing?

Not even caring about his daughter's life?

Nie Yun didn't answer the question directly but looked over. "Do you think... beyond the God Realm, there are even stronger beings?"

"This..."

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

Though he hadn't seen any, since this person could reach this level, others might too, or even exceed it—like the one before him.

"I once suspected that beyond the God Realm, there might be stronger life forms, so I tried my hardest to peer out, ultimately drawing the backlash from a higher world... A giant hand descended!"

Nie Yun said. "If I'd dodged then, the entire God Realm might have been wiped out, leaving no life. So, I blocked it, but my incarnated Heavenly Dao was shattered."

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

"That's why I sent the scattered Heavenly Dao intent to the lowest world... granting it to a soul 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's heart shook.

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

"Heh!"

Nie Yun chuckled lightly. "A native soul has reverence for the world, making it harder to break its constraints. 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 this was impossible.

"The opportunity was given to him, but he didn't seize it. His duel with Ling Xi was his best chance to break through, but he chose to back down, thinking he had a way out. In reality, he lost his fearless drive. Facing someone beyond us, without that spirit, how can he contend?"

Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan fell silent.

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

Perhaps he didn't want to kill Luo Ruoxi.

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

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

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

"With me there, she wouldn't die..."

Nie Yun smiled faintly. "You're now almost at my level. In a life-or-death situation, do you think I could save someone?"

"This..."

Zhang Xuan smiled bitterly.

Breaking through Emperor Jun was a different concept. If he wanted to, he could indeed save someone at the last moment without a scratch.

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

Nie Yun sighed. "I'm quite the heartless father... Anyway, you explain this to her. After all, her feelings have shifted to you now. As her old man, I'm probably forgotten... Ha ha, I won't show up for now. I'll hide for a while, or 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..."

He had no option; who asked him to win over the man's daughter?

"The Heavenly Dao library was a thought of mine, both foundation and constraint. You broke through it with your own ability, showing your potential. The future is limitless. With my daughter by your side, as a father, I'm content."

As Nie Yun spoke, the text cuts off here, but the story continues in the narrative.