Chapter 508: The So-Called Opportunity

A soul contract, once binding, is unbreakable unless the initiator releases it, regardless of the other party's strength.

For example, even the Undying Emperor Monarch, Xiao Huangji, who was a God King at the time and later became an Emperor Monarch, couldn't dissolve such an agreement.

To prevent backtracking and repercussions, the Master Teacher Continent specifically decreed that even if one escaped the Heavenly Dao's registry, they still couldn't break a soul agreement!

"While a soul contract is indeed tied to the sea of consciousness, I have merged with a special gas that can dissolve even the Heavenly Dao, so dissolving this contract isn't difficult... As long as I have enough power to strike at the contract's location, it can be done!" Ruthless Person explained.

The soul contract is built on the foundation of the Heavenly Dao. If this special power can resolve the God Realm's Heavenly Dao, then dissolving a soul contract with proper handling isn't hard at all.

"I see..." Zhang Xuan's eyes flashed.

"I'm telling you all this as my thanks for bringing me to the God Realm!" After explaining, Ruthless Person said no more. His aura grew even more ancient and profound, and the black hole behind him expanded further, clearly having absorbed a vast amount of power in that short time to nourish himself.

"The more the black hole absorbs, the stronger his power becomes..." Luo Ruoxi also sensed the abnormality and quickly sent a message via divine sense.

"Let's attack!" With his doubts cleared, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, raised the long sword in his hand, and declared, "If that's the case, then let's settle this with our skills!"

Boom!

His most powerful sword intent erupted once more.

In life, I return; in death, I long for you!

When life and death hold no meaning, what can stand in the way?

Though this sword technique hadn't reached the level comprehended by an Emperor Monarch, it contained all his inner obsessions, pushing his Heavenly Path Emotionless Technique to its limits.

Whoosh!

With one sword strike, he split Ruthless Person's attack in half.

Simultaneously, Luo Ruoxi made her move, her jade-like hand swirling as sword light fell like snow.

Her swordsmanship was somewhat similar to that of the youth from Sword God Heaven, 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..." With a light smile, Ruthless Person reached down again.

In an instant, his hand covered the sky, enveloping the heavens and earth, shattering space, and making it seem as though the sun, moon, and stars would be forcibly pulled down.

Thud! Thud!

Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi were both sent flying backward, spitting blood wildly in mid-air.

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 Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, 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 Ruthless Person, 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 changed his 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 burning as if igniting the sky.

The other six great Emperor Monarchs also unleashed their techniques.

The seven Emperor Monarchs united, capable of destroying heaven and earth, making even a realm unable to withstand them. But Ruthless Person, having absorbed the special power, simply let the black hole expand as the attacks approached, swallowing everything in an instant before counterattacking.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

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

Even the ten great Emperor Monarchs together couldn't block a single move from him!

How could this guy be so powerful?

"You can all die now..." After defeating them with one strike, Ruthless Person stepped forward and swung his hand down again.

"How dare you!"

Accompanied by a loud shout, the elder from Sword God Heaven suddenly appeared, blocking the way, his long sword transforming into a galaxy.

"Emperor Monarch? He's also an Emperor Monarch level expert?" Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

He had thought this elder was just an attendant, at most a Titled God King, but now he realized he was also an Emperor Monarch powerhouse!

If he was an Emperor Monarch, then what about that youth?

"He's the Emperor Monarch of Sword God Heaven..." 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 Sword God Heaven's Emperor Monarch being sent flying, crashing into the ground and creating a huge crater.

With Zhang Xuan's current strength and comprehension of the sword dao, even he couldn't contend. Despite this elder's high cultivation and sword skills, he was no match.

"Ha! Emperor Monarchs 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 Sword God Heaven's Emperor Monarch, Ruthless Person laughed maniacally, the surrounding space collapsing continuously, making him appear like a demon.

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

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

Could it be that no one in the God Realm could stop this person?

And let him destroy the world?

"The only way... is to return your incomplete Heavenly Dao 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 the flaws and expelling Ruthless Person.

It was like the immune system of the body.

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

But...

"He's too powerful; even if the Heavenly Dao is restored, it might not suppress him!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

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

This person was just an ordinary God King, yet even a Titled one like him surpassed Emperor Monarchs... He was 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 person easily!"

"He?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

"Thinking of escaping?" Ruthless Person 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.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

But it was blocked by Ruthless Person once more.

"You all go; I'll hold him off..." Knowing they were trying to save the God Realm, not escape, his clone and the Undying Emperor Monarch shouted, blocking the way, while Luo Qiqi transformed back into her original form as the Jingkong Pearl.

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, appearing in Zizhitian's range the next moment.

Zizhitian was no longer as carefree 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, and the Undying Emperor Monarch 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.

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

"Is your father also an Emperor Monarch? Or does he have strength beyond that?" He couldn't help but ask.

The library's chaos was calmed by the blood in the pendant, so was her father not only an Emperor Monarch but even more powerful?

If so, why was he in a coma?

And why did it require an incomplete Heavenly Dao for him to awaken?

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

"The Heavenly Dao? Your father... is the Heavenly Dao?" Zhang Xuan was shocked, in disbelief.

"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 Incomplete 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 gather the scattered parts... That's why I was so determined, why I couldn't fail! That's why I specifically entered the Master Teacher Continent to study the Spring and Autumn Compendium and find a way to defeat Master Kong! And when I fought Master Kong, the favor I asked of him was for this." Luo Ruoxi explained.

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

Not long after they met on the Master Teacher Continent, this girl had told him her story about saving a close relative, but he hadn't realized then that it was her father—the God Realm's Heavenly Dao!

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

"Acting as Heavenly Dao Natural... You don't have a fragment of the Heavenly Dao in 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 Heavenly Dao..." Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

That meant he only needed to separate his own Heavenly Dao Incomplete; 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 Incomplete from my body, your father can awaken and even slay Ruthless Person, 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 awakened, could he really defeat that powerful Ruthless Person?

It was hard to say!

"It seems you can't be certain either. In that case, better to rely on ourselves... We only have ourselves to figure this out!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth. "You, me, my clone, united with the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, and even coordinating with Master Kong—we might not lose!"

"Master Kong? 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 Master Kong's way of preserving his spirit was the same—as a congenital soul body.

It allowed one to remain clear even in the womb.

Coupled with the preparations he made in advance, revival was only a matter of time.

Luo Ruoxi was stunned, as if she hadn't thought of that.

"We'll know once we check. If I'm right, he should have recovered by now; otherwise, his students wouldn't have stayed away from the Tidal Sea..." Zhang Xuan said.

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

They must have something more important—likely helping Master Kong recover.

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

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

Who else could it be but Master Kong?

This teacher of all ages hadn't disappointed him!

As guessed, he had taken advantage of everyone's focus on the Tidal Sea 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 in advance. The nameless giant in the Nether Soul 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!" Master Kong 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 individual strengths are strong, and even together we're formidable, but defeating Ruthless Person won't be easy..." Seeing that Master Kong 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 Master Kong wouldn't change the situation!

"If we fight individually, or even united, we're no match for him. But... what if we fuse all our powers into one person?" Master Kong 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 apart the God Realm and scatter the Heavenly Dao; its power is undeniable. Ruthless Person absorbed that power and devoured the God Realm's spiritual energy for fifty years. In terms of strength, we ten-plus Emperor Monarchs aren't his equals if we face him alone..." Master Kong said, "But if we unite and concentrate all our power into one person... then maybe not!"

"How do we concentrate it?" Luo Ruoxi looked over.

It sounded simple, but doing it was hard.

Emperor Monarchs stood at the peak of the God Realm; 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 Monarch shackles, he can save the God Realm!" Master Kong said.

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

"Lingxi Emperor Monarch cultivates freedom and transcendence, but with the constraints of your father and the Heavenly Dao, and people he cares about, he can never truly transcend! If I saw correctly, during our fight, you also considered giving up and letting me kill you!" Master Kong said.

Luo Ruoxi fell silent.

During the battle, that thought had crossed her mind, so at the beginning, they had both held back, fighting like it was a spar rather than a life-or-death struggle.

"Unable to transcend, he can't unleash his full power. Even with more true energy, he still can't impact that supreme realm! As for me..." Master Kong nodded. "I have the heart to embrace all living beings and save the world, but I'm unwilling to let others sacrifice for me. Too much compassion is a flaw! If I had been more ruthless and wiped out the Otherworldly Spirits, we wouldn't be in this mess..."

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

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

In life, I return; in death, I long for you!

If even death doesn't matter, how can other things bind him?

"This..." Zhang Xuan frowned, about to say something, but Master Kong looked at him intently. "No need to decline; time is short. Even if we tried to cultivate someone else, it might not work, and I doubt anyone could do better than you! Lingxi Emperor Monarch has no 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 clone's Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, you can stabilize the Nine Heavens, control the universe, battle the nine realms, and destroy all things!"

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

Boom!

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

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

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

...

"You all want to stop me? Fine, I'll kill you first, then go after Zhang Xuan..." After slapping Luo Qiqi and the others away, Ruthless Person sneered coldly.

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

The Tidal Sea had devoured nearly 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 Monarchs and God Kings, despite representing the God Realm's peak, were no match.

At that moment, Ruthless Person seemed to embody the entire God Realm, unbeatable.

"The God Realm's destruction means we'd have no reason to live. I'll go down with you..." Yun Chi Great Emperor transformed into his true form, a massive five-clawed golden dragon, lunging at him.

"You? Not worthy!"

Ruthless Person 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 Monarch roared, transforming into his white tiger true form and charging forward.

The Undying Emperor Monarch revealed his undead fire phoenix form, flames illuminating the sky.

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

The four divine beasts, guardians of 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!

With four consecutive strikes, Ruthless Person 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 himself.

"You've improved quite a bit..."

Ruthless Person stopped, 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 its peak, the God Realm couldn't withstand me. I don't believe you can..."

With a cold snort, Ruthless Person struck down again.

Zhang Xuan raised his long sword and met the attack.

The two clashed, space tearing apart and air currents raging everywhere.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?"

In Zizhitian's Master Kong residence, Luo Ruoxi watched worriedly.

She and Master Kong had transferred their power to Zhang Xuan, reducing their own cultivation to merely God King level, no longer as glorious as before.

However, their foundation remained; as long as they had enough power, they could recover eventually.

"With his current strength, winning... is tough! Unless... he can comprehend a power that transcends Emperor Monarch!" After a moment of silence, Master Kong said.

Even with over ten Emperor Monarchs channeling their power, defeating Ruthless Person 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 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, Master Kong 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 Master Kong had said, even with their power fused and forming a complete Heavenly Dao in his body, he still wasn't a match.

"Ha, I thought you'd be something special, but you're just so-so!" Ruthless Person sneered coldly.

"Since I'm no match anyway and will be killed eventually, I might as well die under your strongest attack..."

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan stopped attacking and looked at Ruthless Person.

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

Hearing this, Ruthless Person 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 God Realm rumbled, as if it couldn't bear the weight, creating a massive crater.

Zhang Xuan closed his eyes and didn't dodge.

Bang!

His head exploded, and his soul scattered.

"Zhang Xuan..."

Everyone's faces turned pale at the sight.

Luo Qiqi seemed to go mad.

Yun Chi Great Emperor and the others widened their eyes, trembling uncontrollably.

Master Kong and Luo Ruoxi, seeing this, were also stunned.

The plan was for him to break through the shackles and reach a realm beyond Emperor Monarch, so why did he choose to face death?

Wasn't this wasting their efforts?

"Wait, it's the Undying Emperor Monarch's immortality technique..." As they wondered, Master Kong spoke up.

Everyone then saw that Zhang Xuan, with his head blown apart and soul shattered, had the pendant on his chest suddenly explode. A drop of blood floated up, igniting into a blazing flame, from which an unharmed figure slowly emerged.

"He... used the opponent's power and the blood in the pendant to separate the Heavenly Dao Incomplete from his soul?" Luo Ruoxi's pupils contracted.

The reborn Zhang Xuan no longer had the Heavenly Dao library in his body; he was free from the Heavenly Dao's interference and unbound from it!

"How did he do that?"

Master Kong was full of disbelief.

To escape, he had to scatter his soul and use the Nether Soul Pool to reform it.

Yet this young man had freed himself with just one strike—what method had he used?

"I get it... He used the method Ruthless Person used to escape the soul contract..." Luo Ruoxi realized.

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

But Ruthless Person had used that special power to escape, and Zhang Xuan had asked about it in detail before, probably planning it then.

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

Using that power for rebirth, 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 he had understood something. With a wave of his hand, his clone on the side instantly turned back into a lotus flower and flew over.

In an instant, it fused perfectly with him.

In the blink of an eye, everyone felt that Zhang Xuan had become the Nine Heavens, and the Nine Heavens were him.

He lightly stamped his foot on the ground.

The chaotic Nine Heavens stabilized immediately.

The Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, born with the Nine Heavens, could stabilize them. Now, with his clone fused perfectly, it meant he controlled that power.

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

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

With a smile, Zhang Xuan murmured to himself.

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

Is it the world that creates people, or people that perceive the world?

Is it the wind moving, or the heart?

These eternal questions had puzzled countless people.

But now... none of that mattered!

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

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

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

Love is emotion.

Hate is emotion.

Joy is emotion.

Sorrow is emotion.

Parting is emotion.

Reunion is emotion!

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

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

He had broken through the Emperor Monarch barrier!

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

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

Previously, he could only progress by absorbing spiritual energy, but now, spatial chaos, chaotic energy, even the opponent's green light—everything could be his, indistinguishable.

"You..."

Ruthless Person hadn't expected his full attack not only to fail in killing him but to empower him, and he roared in fury, striking down again.

"You resent the lofty Emperor Monarchs for not saving you from the spatial chaos—that's emotion; feeling humble and angry as my servant—that's emotion; wanting to destroy the God Realm 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?"

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

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

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

"You..."

Ruthless Person's eyes filled with panic. "Master Zhang, 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 world's emotions, something like a servant held no meaning for him.

He had killed so many in the God Realm, hurt his girlfriend Luo Qiqi, and so many friends; how could he forgive that today?

"No..."

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

Bang!

In an instant, he exploded, turning into vast spiritual energy that surged across the God Realm.

All the power the Tidal Sea had devoured was now returned, revitalizing the withered wilderness.

"This..."

"Is that it? He's dead?"

Yun Chi Great Emperor, Undying Emperor Monarch, Linglong Immortal, and the others all widened their eyes in disbelief.

They had fought Ruthless Person and knew his terror; for such a powerful being to be erased so easily, what realm had Zhang Xuan reached?

Could there truly be a level beyond Emperor Monarch?

"He succeeded..."

Master Kong and Luo Ruoxi unclenched their fists.

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

Seeing the "Heavenly Dao Incomplete" 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 sound.

The collapsing God Realm visibly stabilized, and the chaotic air currents gathered once more.

The ruined God Realm finally stopped, and the depleted spiritual energy slowly revived with Ruthless Person's death.

"It seems the God Realm is about to enter an era of spiritual energy revival..."

Zhang Xuan smiled.

The Tidal Sea's void had been restored with the Heavenly Dao's completion; the God Realm returning to its former glory was only a matter of time.

"Zhang Xuan, come here..."

As soon as he finished, a voice echoed in his mind. Zhang Xuan paused and stepped forward.

In that step, he didn't know how far he traveled, and soon saw a youth standing before him.

It was the one who had taught him the sword technique earlier.

"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 Monarch, 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.

He had never heard this name.

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

Nie Tong smiled and stepped forward.

Zhang Xuan followed closely, not knowing how far they flew before stopping 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 even his, having also broken through the Emperor Monarch barrier, and his cultivation was deeper and more profound!

"I'm Nie Yun!" The youth smiled faintly and looked over. "Also known as... Nie Lingxi, the father of Luo Ruoxi in your mouth!"

"Luo Ruoxi'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 in disbelief.

The God Realm was created by this person?

Then how strong was he?

"That's not right; if the God Realm is your creation and you're the Heavenly Dao, why did you let Ruthless Person rampage without intervening... Even your daughter's life was at risk?"

Zhang Xuan looked over.

If it weren't for his breakthrough, the God Realm might have been completely destroyed. Why had this person done nothing? Not even caring about his daughter?

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

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

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

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

Nie Yun said, "If I had dodged, the entire God Realm might have been wiped out, leaving no life. So, I blocked it, but my incarnated Heavenly Dao was scattered as a result."

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

"That's why I sent the scattered Heavenly Dao intent to the lowest worlds... granting it to souls that originally belonged to this world and one that didn't. 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 shocked.

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

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

"I..." Zhang Xuan's face reddened. "If not for Master Kong, I couldn't have reached this level..."

Without Master Kong's selflessness, achieving his current realm would have been impossible.

"The opportunity was given to him, but he didn't seize it. His duel with Lingxi 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 watched their battle; Master Kong had indeed lacked decisiveness.

Perhaps he didn't want to kill Luo Ruoxi.

"If Master Kong had won, Luo Ruoxi 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 here, 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 to beyond Emperor Monarch was a different concept; if he wanted to, he could indeed save someone at the last moment without a scratch.

"Lingxi is the child of my other wife, Luo Qingcheng, 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. Her feelings have shifted to you now; she probably doesn't even think of me anymore... Ha, I'll stay hidden for a while; otherwise, she might turn everything upside down. I'll show up later."

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

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

"The Heavenly Dao library was a manifestation of my intent; it's both a foundation and a shackle. You broke through it with your own ability, showing your potential. With my daughter by your side, as her father, I'm content."

As Nie Yun spoke, the text ends, but the story continues.