Chapter 513: Reunion

Soul contracts bind souls together, and unless the initiator revokes them, no method, no matter how powerful, can break them free.

It's like with the Undying Di Jun, Xiao Huang Ji; back when he was just a Shen Wang, even as a Di Jun himself, he couldn't resolve such a pact.

To prevent this individual from reneging and causing backlash, the Ming Shi Dalu had specifically decreed that even if one could escape the Tian Dao's registry, they still couldn't break free from soul agreements!

"Soul contracts indeed can't be split from the sea of consciousness, but I've fused with a special gas that can even dissolve the Tian Dao. Resolving this contract isn't difficult... As long as I have enough power to strike at the contract's location, it can be done!" Hen Ren said.

Soul contracts are built on the foundation of the Tian Dao. If a special force can dissolve even the Shen Jie Tian Dao, then dissolving a soul contract is straightforward with proper handling.

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

"Telling you all this is my way of thanking you for bringing me to Shen Jie!" After explaining, Hen Ren said no more. His aura grew even more ancient and profound, and the black hole behind him expanded further, clearly having absorbed an immense amount of power during their conversation, using it for nourishment.

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

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

Boom!

His most powerful sword intent erupted once more.

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

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

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

Whoosh!

One sword strike cleaved Hen Ren's attack in two.

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

Her swordsmanship resembled that of the youth from Jian Shen Tian, carrying an unstoppable momentum and the effortless grace of the great dao.

"Your moves are impressive, but compared to me, they're still lacking..." With a faint smile, Hen Ren reached down again.

In an instant, his hand covered the sky, enveloping the heavens and earth, shattering space as if 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.

With their strength, they couldn't withstand it!

Just what realm had this guy reached?

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

From afar, it looked incredibly imposing.

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

He raised a fist, its power surging toward the nine heavens.

Clashing with Hen Ren, he too was sent flying, unable to block even one move.

Zhang Xuan clutched his forehead.

He had become a Di Jun, yet his avatar still couldn't resist its urge to show off...

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

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

The remaining six Di Jun also unleashed their techniques.

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

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

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

Even ten Di Jun 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.

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

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

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

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

"He's the Di Jun of Jian Shen Tian..." Struggling to stand, Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth and said.

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

"He's..." Luo Ruoxi was about to answer when the space twisted, and the Jian Shen Tian elder was sent flying, crashing into the ground and creating a massive crater.

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

"Ha! Di Jun are nothing but a flock of weaklings! Today, I'll destroy the Nine Heavens, destroy Shen Jie, and trample all rules!" Defeating the Jian Shen Tian elder, Hen Ren laughed maniacally, the surrounding space collapsing as he appeared demonic and otherworldly.

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

He and his avatar had already used their strongest combat power, and even Luo Ruoxi had unleashed her ultimate move, yet none could block a single strike from him...

Was there truly no one in Shen Jie who could stop this man?

Would he be allowed to destroy the world?

"The only way... is to return your Tian Dao You Que to the Tian Dao itself, letting it suppress him..." Luo Ruoxi's delicate fists clenched, her eyes reddening.

"Return to the Tian Dao itself?" Zhang Xuan understood her meaning.

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

Like a body's immune system.

A complete immune system can easily drive out viruses; if damaged, even the strongest person can succumb to invasion.

But...

"He's too powerful. Even if the Tian Dao is fully restored, could it suppress him?" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

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

This man was just an ordinary Shen Wang, yet even beyond Di Jun... far beyond what the Tian Dao could handle.

"This..." Luo Ruoxi paused, her fair face showing disappointment. "You're right... It might not suppress him, but if the Tian Dao is complete, he can awaken and slay this one easily!"

"He?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

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

Bang!

Luo Ruoxi plummeted from the air.

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

Ding! Ding! Ding!

It was blocked by Hen Ren once more.

"You all go quickly. I'll hold him off..." Knowing they were trying to save Shen Jie, not flee, the avatar and the Undying Di Zun shouted, blocking the way as Luo Qi Qi transformed back into the Jing Kong Pearl's core.

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone fearlessly holding the line, unafraid of death, Zhang Xuan's eyes reddened. But he knew now wasn't the time for words. He grabbed Luo Ruoxi and tore through space, reappearing in Zi Zai Tian's domain.

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

"Where is the person you mentioned?" With no time to observe the ordinary lives around them, Zhang Xuan looked at the girl in his arms.

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

"He's my father. The blood in your pendant is his. The Undying Di Zun 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 Di Zun's remnant will submitted to him upon seeing the pendant.

"Is your father also a Di Jun? Or does he possess strength beyond Di Jun?" He couldn't help but ask.

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

If so, why was he in a coma?

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

"He's not a Di Jun, but... the Tian Dao!" Luo Ruoxi clenched her fists.

"The Tian Dao? Your father... is the Tian Dao?" Zhang Xuan was shocked, unable to believe it.

"Yes! Fifty years ago, my father couldn't withstand that massive hand and fell into a coma. The Tian Dao shattered into three parts: Tian Dao You Xu and Tian Dao You Que entered the spatial chaos, while I took control of Tian Dao Zi Ran to maintain Shen Jie's balance. The only way to restore him is to gather the scattered parts... That's why I've been so determined, unable to fail! That's why I entered the Ming Shi Dalu to study the Chun Qiu Da Dian and find a way to defeat Kong Shi! And when I fought Kong Shi, the favor I asked of him was for this." Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan suddenly realized.

Not long after they met on the Ming Shi Dalu, 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 Shen Jie Tian Dao!

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

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

Acting as custodian and fusing it into one's body were two different concepts.

"I only control it; I'm not part of the Tian Dao..." Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan sighed in relief.

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

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

"If I separate the Tian Dao You Que from my body, your father can awaken and even slay Hen Ren, right?" Zhang Xuan asked.

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

Shen Jie was her father's foundation, and now it was in ruins. Even if he awakened, could he 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!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth. "You, me, my avatar, the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, and even Kong Shi—if we combine forces, we might not lose!"

"Kong Shi? He's..." Luo Ruoxi frowned.

"He's dead, right? But he hasn't truly died. If I'm guessing correctly, you killing him was just a way for him to escape the Tian Dao... 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 way of preserving his spirit was likely the same, as a Xian Tian Tai Hun Ti.

He could avoid confusion in the womb.

With his prior preparations, 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 incredibly strong. Even without a Di Jun's help, they could enter Chao Xi Hai, yet none had appeared.

They must have something more important—reviving Kong Shi.

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

"Let's go!" Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan waved his hand, tearing space to return to where Kong Shi resided. Sure enough, an elder was floating in mid-air, meditating. Seeing them arrive, he smiled faintly. "You've come!"

Who else could it be but Kong Shi?

This teacher of ages hadn't disappointed him!

As guessed, he had revived while everyone's attention was on Chao Xi Hai.

"You..." Luo Ruoxi trembled.

She knew Di Jun could revive, as the Undying Di Zun had, but she hadn't expected it to happen so quickly!

"I hid from the Tian Dao and prepared in advance. The nameless giant in the You Hun Pool was left by me. When you killed me that day, I used it to escape the Tian Dao's bindings and reform my body. I've only just recovered now!" Kong Shi smiled faintly.

He mastered time abilities, so while only one or two days had passed in Shen Jie, he had experienced much longer to restore his power—perhaps decades.

"Our combined strength is formidable, but defeating Hen Ren won't be easy..." Seeing Kong Shi had indeed recovered, Luo Ruoxi still shook her head.

This 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 wouldn't change the outcome!

"If we fight individually or even together, we're no match for him. But... what if we fuse all our power into one person?" Kong Shi looked over with a smile.

"Fuse into one person?" This time, not just Luo Ruoxi frowned—Zhang Xuan was full of confusion too.

"That hand could tear Shen Jie apart and scatter the Tian Dao—its power is undeniable. Hen Ren absorbed that force and devoured Shen Jie's spiritual energy for fifty years. Individually, or even as a group of over a dozen Di Jun, we're no match..." Kong Shi said. "But if we unite and concentrate all our power into one person... then maybe!"

"How do we concentrate it?" Luo Ruoxi asked.

It sounded simple, but doing it was hard.

Di Jun stood at Shen Jie's peak. If absorbing others' power were 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 Di Jun constraints, he can save Shen Jie!" Kong Shi said.

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

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

Luo Ruoxi fell silent.

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

"Unable to transcend, he can't unleash his full power. Even with more true qi, he couldn't impact that supreme realm! As for me..." Kong Shi nodded. "I care for all beings and want to save the world, but I'm unwilling to let others sacrifice for me. Too much mercy is a flaw! If I'd been harsher 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! But Zhang Xuan's cultivation is seamless, without flaws. He values living true to himself; even in death, as long as he's lived without regret, his heart is clear. Such a person has greater tolerance and potential, allowing him to go further!" Kong Shi continued.

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

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

"This..." Zhang Xuan frowned, about to say something, but Kong Shi looked at him intently. "No need to refuse. 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 Tian Dao fragment, but she's long controlled the Tian Dao, giving her her own understanding of it; I control Tian Dao You Xu. If we channel our power to you, you'll have the complete Tian 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 realms, and destroy all things!"

"Alright!" Seeing his decision was final, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Boom!

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

Zhang Xuan's body stiffened as if he had instantly become the Tian 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 Qi Qi and the others away, Hen Ren sneered coldly.

The combined power of the avatar and the other Di Jun was indeed strong, but compared to him, it was still weak.

Chao Xi Hai had devoured nearly all of Shen Jie's spiritual energy outside the cities, and now that energy nourished him. Every move he made carried world-ending might. These Di Jun and Shen Wang, representing Shen Jie's peak, were still no match.

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

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

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

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

The Undying Di Zun revealed his undead fire phoenix form, flames lighting up the sky.

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

The four divine beasts, guarding Shen Jie's four poles, transformed simultaneously, slowing the collapsing world.

The universe seemed to freeze in that instant.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

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

As he roared, about to deliver the fatal blow, he felt his raised arm lock in place.

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

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

It was Zhang Xuan!

Now, his power surged, at least ten times stronger than before, descending like a world unto itself.

"He's improved a lot..." Hen Ren halted, his gaze turning serious.

He couldn't understand how the other's strength had changed so dramatically in just minutes.

"But so what? Even at full strength, Shen Jie couldn't withstand me. I don't believe you can..." With a cold snort, Hen Ren struck down again.

Zhang Xuan raised his long sword and met the attack.

The two clashed, space tearing apart as energy raged 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 Shen Wang level, no longer as glorious as before.

But their foundation remained; with enough power, they could recover eventually.

"With his current strength, winning... is tough! Unless he comprehends a power beyond Di Jun!" After a moment of silence, Kong Shi said.

Even with over a dozen Di Jun channeling their power to him, victory wasn't guaranteed.

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

"A power beyond Di Jun?" Luo Ruoxi's eyes grew distant.

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

"He can... He has an unyielding heart and pride toward this 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, ghastly and terrifying.

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

"Ha, I thought you'd be something special. Turns out you're not!" 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..." Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan 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 smashed down.

It was indeed his strongest attack; the entire Shen Jie rumbled as if it couldn't bear the weight, creating a massive crater.

Zhang Xuan closed his eyes and didn't dodge.

Bang!

His head exploded, his soul scattering everywhere.

"Zhang Xuan..." Everyone's faces turned pale at the sight.

Luo Qi Qi seemed to go mad.

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

Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi, seeing this, were both stunned.

The plan was for him to break through the constraints and reach beyond the Di Jun realm. Why had he given up and walked to his death?

Wasn't this wasting their efforts?

"No... wait, no—it's the Undying Di Zun's immortality technique..." As they wondered, Kong Shi spoke up.

Everyone then saw Zhang Xuan, whose head had exploded and soul shattered, have the pendant on his chest burst open. A drop of blood floated up, igniting into a blazing flame from which an intact figure slowly emerged.

"He... used the opponent's power and the pendant's blood to separate the Tian Dao You Que from his soul?" Luo Ruoxi's pupils shrank.

The reborn Zhang Xuan no longer had the Tian Dao library in his body, free from its interference and the Tian Dao's bindings!

"How did he do that?" Kong Shi was full of disbelief.

To escape, he had to scatter his soul and reform it in the You Hun Pool.

This one had freed himself with just one strike—what method had he used?

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

A soul contract bound master and servant, unbreakable unless the master revoked it... The Tian Dao library was like an enhanced version, binding the soul indissolubly.

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

That's why he deliberately let himself be struck with the full force.

And it had succeeded spectacularly!

"So, that's the way to break through Di Jun..." The Zhang Xuan emerging from the flames smiled faintly, as if enlightened. 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.

Suddenly, everyone felt that Zhang Xuan before them 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 avatar fused perfectly, he controlled that power.

Not only that, with the fusion and his peak realm loosening, it seemed he 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. That's what it means to be human!" Smiling, Zhang Xuan murmured to himself.

The moment the Tian 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 puzzled 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 affection for all beings—the intertwined emotions of the world.

All things in the world have emotions. With emotion comes the world; with emotion, life endures.

Love is emotion.

Hate is emotion.

Joy is emotion.

Suffering is emotion.

Parting is emotion.

Reunion is emotion!

"Ten thousand emotions, all for my use..." With a low cry, the restraints in Zhang Xuan's body shattered instantly.

He had broken through the Di Jun constraints!

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

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

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 roared in fury. With a shout, he attacked again.

"You resent the lofty Di Jun for not saving you in the spatial chaos—that's emotion; you feel humble and angry as my former servant—that's emotion; you want to destroy Shen Jie to vent your rage—that's emotion; you crave more power—that's emotion too... 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 grasped his hand.

The once-unstoppable Hen Ren was bound by countless emotional threads, immobilized.

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

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

"It's too late for that now..." Smiling, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Controlling the world's emotions, such master-servant ties meant nothing to him.

He had killed so many at the god level, hurt his girlfriend Luo Qi Qi, and so many friends. How could he forgive that 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 into countless spiritual energies, surging back to every part of Shen Jie.

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

"This..."

"Is that it? He's dead?"

Yun Chi Di Jun, the Undying Di Zun, 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 level had Zhang Xuan reached?

Was there truly a realm beyond Di Jun?

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

"This is part of the Tian Dao, so I'll return it now..." Seeing the "Tian Dao You Que" that had just separated from his body still floating in the air, Zhang Xuan smiled lightly and flicked his finger.

Buzz!

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

The crumbling Shen Jie visibly stabilized, and the chaotic energies gathered once more.

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

"It seems Shen Jie is entering a new era of spiritual revival..." Zhang Xuan smiled.

The hole in Chao Xi Hai had closed with the Tian Dao's completion, and Shen Jie's return to its former glory was 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, then saw a youth standing before him.

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

"Senior, you..." Seeing it was him, Zhang Xuan was surprised.

He had felt this person was unfathomable before, and now realized he was only a step away, having reached the absolute peak of Di Jun, far surpassing the previous Luo Ruoxi.

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

There, another youth stood.

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

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled.

This youth's power surpassed even his, having broken through Di Jun's constraints with even deeper, more profound cultivation!

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

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

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

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

Zhang Xuan couldn't believe it.

Shen Jie was created by this man?

Then how strong was he?

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

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

Nie Yun didn't answer. Instead, he looked over lightly. "Do you think... beyond Shen Jie, there are even stronger beings?"

"This..." Zhang Xuan paused. "Probably, right?"

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

"I once suspected that beyond Shen Jie lay greater powers, so I tried to peer further, ultimately drawing backlash from a higher world... a hand descended from the void!" Nie Yun looked over. "If I'd dodged, Shen Jie might have been wiped out entirely, leaving no life. So, I blocked it, but my Tian Dao form shattered as a result."

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

"That's why I sent the scattered Tian 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 in the end!" Nie Yun laughed.

"A soul not belonging to this world—so, my crossing over was because of you?" Zhang Xuan was shocked.

He had wondered how he crossed over, and it turned out it was all this man's doing.

"Heh!" Nie Yun chuckled. "Natives have 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. "Without Kong Shi, I couldn't have reached this level..."

Without Kong Shi's selfless contribution, achieving this was impossible.

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

Zhang Xuan fell silent.

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

Perhaps he hadn't wanted to kill Luo Ruoxi.

"But if Kong Shi had won, If Xi would have died..." After a moment, Zhang Xuan looked over, his brows furrowing.

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

"With me there, she wouldn't have died..." Nie Yun smiled faintly. "You're now almost at my level. In a life-or-death situation, could you save someone?"

"This..." Zhang Xuan smiled bitterly.

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

"Ling Xi is from my other wife, Luo Qing Cheng, so she uses 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 bitterly. "I'm quite the heartless father... You explain this to her. Her feelings have shifted to you now; as her father, I'm probably forgotten... Ha ha, I'll stay hidden for a while. Otherwise, she might turn the world upside down..."

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

"This Tian Dao library is my intent made manifest—it's both foundation and constraint. You broke through it with your own ability, showing your potential. My daughter with you brings me comfort as a father." As Nie Yun spoke, the text cuts off here, but the story concludes with his well-wishes.