Chapter 515: Li the Policeman's Determination

The soul contract binds the souls together; as long as the initiator doesn't dissolve it, even if the other party has unparalleled means, it cannot be broken. It's like the Undying Emperor, Xiao Huang Ji, who was only a God King at the time, yet even as an Emperor, he couldn't resolve such an agreement. To prevent this individual from reneging and causing backlash, the Master Teacher Continent had specifically decreed that even if one could escape the Heavenly Dao's registry, they still couldn't break free from the soul contract.

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

The soul contract is built on the foundation of the Heavenly Dao. Since this special power can resolve even the God Realm's Heavenly Dao, what's so hard about resolving a soul contract, as long as it's handled properly?

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

"Telling you all this is my way of thanking you for bringing me to the God Realm!"

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 noticed something was wrong and quickly sent a message through divine sense.

"Let's make our move!" With his doubts cleared, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, raised the long sword in his hand abruptly, and said, "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 rebirth, to die is to long for each other! What could possibly hinder one who cares not for life or death? Though this sword technique hadn't reached the level comprehended by Emperors, it contained all his inner obsessions, pushing his Heavenly Path Emotionless Art to its limits.

Whoosh!

With one sword strike, he cleaved Hen Ren's attack in two. At the same time, Luo Ruoxi struck out. Her jade hand flipped, and her sword light gleamed like snow. Her swordsmanship resembled that of the young man from Jian Shen Tian, carrying an unstoppable momentum and the effortless grace of aligning with the Great Dao.

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

Hen Ren chuckled lightly and reached down again. In an instant, his hand covered the sky, enveloping the heavens and earth. Space shattered, and it seemed as though the sun, moon, and stars would be forcibly pulled down.

Pfft! Pfft!

Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi were both sent flying backward, spitting blood into the air as they went. With their strength, they couldn't withstand him! Just what realm had this guy reached?

"Outrageous!" His clone strode forward, each step blooming with lotus flowers and echoing with the sound of flowing water in the void. From afar, it looked incredibly imposing. After refining the Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, his clone's cultivation was no weaker than Zhang Xuan's. He raised a fist, its power surging toward the nine heavens.

But when it clashed with Hen Ren, he too was sent flying, unable to block even one move.

Zhang Xuan clutched his forehead. He had become an Emperor, yet his clone still couldn't resist its habit of showing off... Such flashy displays would be better if the power were concentrated for greater effect!

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

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The seven Emperors, along with Zhang Xuan and the others, were all sent flying. Even ten Emperors joining forces couldn't block a single move from him! How could this guy be so powerful?

"You can all die now..."

After defeating them with one strike, Hen Ren stepped forward and swung his hand down again.

"How dare you!"

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

"An Emperor? He's also at the Emperor level?"

Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted. He had thought this elder was just a attendant, at most a Titled God King, but now he realized he was also an Emperor-level expert! If he was an Emperor, then what about that young man?

"He's the Emperor 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 hold back.

"He's..." Luo Ruoxi was about to answer when the space twisted, and they saw the Jian Shen Tian Emperor 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, so this elder, despite his high cultivation and masterful swordsmanship, was no match.

"Ha! Emperors are nothing but a bunch of insignificant pests! Today, I'll destroy the Nine Heavens, obliterate the God Realm, and trample all rules!"

After defeating the Jian Shen Tian Emperor, Hen Ren laughed maniacally. The space around him collapsed 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 no one in the God Realm stop this man in front of them? Would he be allowed to destroy the world?

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

"Return 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, potentially fixing its flaws and expelling Hen Ren. It was like the immune system of the body. A complete immune system could easily drive out viruses; if damaged, even a strong person could succumb to invasion.

But...

"He's too powerful. Even if the Heavenly Dao is fully 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 man was just an ordinary God King, yet even Titled ones paled in comparison... 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 one without difficulty!"

"He?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

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

Bang!

Luo Ruoxi plummeted from the air.

"You..." Zhang Xuan unleashed his sword technique again, his sword intent shining brilliantly.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

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, his clone and the Undying Emperor Sovereign shouted, blocking the way, while Luo Qi Qi transformed back into her Jing Kong Pearl form. 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 pulled Luo Ruoxi along, tore through space, and in the next moment, they arrived in Zi Zai Tian's domain.

Zi Zai Tian was no longer as peaceful 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 around them, 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 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. So that explained why the Undying Emperor's remnant will had recognized him as master upon seeing the pendant.

"Is your father also an Emperor? Or does he possess strength beyond an Emperor?" 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, but her father was too, perhaps even stronger? If so, why was he in a coma? And why did it require the Heavenly Dao with Flaws to awaken him?

"He's not an Emperor; he's... 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 with Order and Heavenly Dao with Flaws 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've been so determined, unable to fail! That's why I specifically entered the Master Teacher Continent to study the Spring and Autumn Compendium 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 was acting as guardian of Heavenly Dao Natural... I don't have a fragment of the Heavenly Dao in me?" Suddenly noticing the oddity in her words, Zhang Xuan looked over.

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

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. In that case, he only needed to separate his own Heavenly Dao with Flaws; she didn't have to die. Though he was reluctant to accept this fate, he didn't want the girl in front of him to be harmed.

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

"This... I'm not sure..." Luo Ruoxi glanced at the collapsing God Realm, hesitating. The God Realm 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 clone, plus the Nine Heavens and Nine Emperors, and even coordinating with Kong Shi—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 Heavenly Dao... He's probably 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 soul was likely the same—as a Congenital Fetal Soul Body. It allowed one to remain undeluded in the womb. With his 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 the Tidal Sea..." Zhang Xuan said. Kong Shi's students, like Zi Yuan Ancient Saint and others, were all incredibly strong. Even without an Emperor's help, they could enter the Tidal Sea, yet none had appeared. They must have something more important—helping Kong Shi recover.

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

"Let's go!"

Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan waved his hand, and they returned to where Kong Shi had resided. Sure enough, an elder was floating in the air in a meditative pose. Seeing them arrive, he smiled slightly. "You've come!"

Who else could it be but Kong Shi? This master of all ages hadn't disappointed him! As guessed, while everyone's attention was on the Tidal Sea, he had revived.

"You..." Luo Ruoxi trembled. She knew Emperors could revive—the Undying Emperor had done so—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 You Hun Pool was left by me. When you killed me that day, I used it to break free from 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 individual strengths are strong, and together we're even more so, but defeating Hen Ren won't be easy..."

Seeing that Kong Shi had indeed recovered, Luo Ruoxi still shook her head. This wasn't about boosting the enemy or undermining morale; it was the truth. So many had joined forces earlier and still couldn't block him. Adding one more Kong Shi wouldn't change the situation!

"If we fight alone or even united, we're no match for him, but... what if we fuse all our powers into one person?" Kong Shi looked at them with a smile.

"Fuse into one person?" This time, not just Luo Ruoxi, but Zhang Xuan was also full of doubt.

"That hand could tear apart 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. Any of us, or even all ten-plus Emperors together, can't compare..." Kong Shi said. "But if we concentrate all our powers into one person... maybe then we could!"

"How do we concentrate it?" Luo Ruoxi asked. It sounded simple, but doing it was hard. Emperors stood at the pinnacle of the God Realm. If it were that easy to absorb others' power, she wouldn't have been stagnant for so many years.

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

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

"Ling Xi Emperor cultivates freedom and transcendence, but with his father and the Heavenly Dao's constraints, and his attachments, he can never truly transcend! If I guessed right, when he fought me, he once considered giving up and letting me kill him!" Kong Shi said.

Luo Ruoxi fell silent. During their battle, that thought had indeed 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.

"Without transcendence, he can't unleash his full power. Even with more true energy, he couldn't impact that supreme realm! As for me..." Kong Shi nodded. "I bear the burdens of all beings and wish to save the world, but I'm unwilling to let others sacrifice for me. Too much mercy is a flaw! If I'd been more ruthless and wiped out the Hetero Spirits, we wouldn't be in this mess..." If he had exterminated the Hetero Spirits back then, Hen Ren couldn't have revived, and none of this would have happened.

"So, I'm not suitable! But Zhang Xuan's techniques follow his heart, without flaws. He values living true to himself; even in death, as long as he's lived without regret, his heart is at peace. Such a person has greater tolerance and potential, allowing him to go further!" Kong Shi continued. To live is to return in rebirth, 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. "Don't refuse. There's no time to train someone else, and even if there were, I don't think anyone could do it better than you! Ling Xi Emperor has no Heavenly Dao fragment, but she's long controlled the Heavenly Dao and has her own understanding of it; I control Heavenly Dao with Order. If we 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 his decision was final, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Boom!

He sat cross-legged, and in the blink of an eye, two vast powers surged into him from both sides. Zhang Xuan's body stiffened, feeling as if he had instantly become the Heavenly Dao, soaring above the nine heavens. His soul, body, and true energy were all cleansed in that moment, 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 clone and the Emperors was formidable, but compared to him, it was still weak. The Tidal Sea had nearly devoured all the spiritual energy outside the cities in the God Realm, and now that energy had become his sustenance. Every move he made carried the ability to destroy the world. These Emperors and God Kings, representing the God Realm's peak, were still no match. At that moment, Hen Ren seemed to embody the entire God Realm, unstoppable.

"The God Realm's destruction means we'd have no reason to live. I'll go down with you, Yun Chi..."

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

"You? You're not worthy!"

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

"My old friend, wait for me!"

Fu Meng Emperor roared, transforming into his white tiger form and charging forward. The Undying Emperor turned into his undead fire phoenix form, flames lighting up the sky. Xuan Ming Emperor became 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 realm.

It was as if the universe had frozen in that 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 and prepared to finish them off, 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 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.

"You've improved a lot..."

Hen Ren halted, his gaze turning serious. He clearly didn't understand how the other's strength had changed so drastically in just a few minutes.

"But so what? Even the God Realm at its peak couldn't withstand me. I don't believe you can..." Hen Ren snorted coldly and struck down again.

Zhang Xuan raised his long sword and met the attack. The two clashed, space tearing apart and energy currents raging everywhere.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?"

In Zi Zai Tian, at Kong Shi's residence, Luo Ruoxi watched worriedly. She and Kong Shi had transferred their power to Zhang Xuan, reducing their own cultivation to merely God King level, no longer as glorious as before. However, their foundations remained. As long as they had enough power, they could recover eventually.

"With his current strength, winning will be tough! Unless... he can comprehend a power that transcends the Emperor level!"

After a moment of silence, Kong Shi said. Even with over ten Emperors' power fused into him, victory wasn't guaranteed. The reason for this was to concentrate the power into one person, potentially touching the peak and truly surpassing limits.

"A power that transcends the Emperor level?" Luo Ruoxi's eyes grew distant. Her father had said the same when he was awake, but... could the man she loved achieve it?

"He can... He has an unyielding heart and pride toward the world." Sensing her doubt, Kong Shi smiled.

...

Bang! Bang! Bang!

After several exchanges, Zhang Xuan's tiger's mouth split open, and a massive wound appeared on his chest, gruesome and terrifying. As Kong Shi had said, even with their fused power forming a complete Heavenly Dao in his body, he still 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.

"Fine, I'll oblige you with my strongest attack..."

Hearing this, Hen Ren paused, then snorted and raised his hand.

Whoosh!

A green light appeared in his palm and slammed down. It was indeed his strongest attack; 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 Qi Qi seemed to go mad. Yun Chi Emperor and the others stared wide-eyed, trembling. Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi, who had seen this, were also stunned. The intention was for him to break through the shackles and reach beyond the Emperor realm. Why hadn't he resisted and chosen to face death? Wasn't this wasting their efforts?

Wait, it's the Undying Emperor's undying method..."

Just as they wondered, Kong Shi spoke up. Everyone then saw that Zhang Xuan, with his head blown apart and soul shattered, had the pendant on his chest suddenly burst open. A drop of blood floated up, ignited, and formed a blazing flame. From the flame, an unharmed figure slowly emerged.

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

"How did he do that?"

Kong Shi was also in disbelief. To escape, he had to scatter his soul and reform it using the You Hun Pool. Yet this one had freed himself with just one death—what method had he used?

"I get it... He used Hen Ren's method to escape the soul contract..." Luo Ruoxi realized. The soul contract bound master and servant; without release, the servant was forever bound... The Heavenly Dao library was similar, like an enhanced contract tied to the soul, unbreakable in death. 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 killed, forcing Hen Ren to use his strongest attack. With that power, he was reborn in flames, and it had succeeded spectacularly!

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

The Zhang Xuan emerging from the flames smiled faintly, as if he had understood something. He waved his hand, and his clone immediately turned back into a lotus flower and flew over. In an instant, it fused perfectly with him. In the blink of an eye, everyone felt that Zhang Xuan had become the Nine Heavens, and the Nine Heavens were him. He lightly stamped his foot on the ground. The chaotic Nine Heavens stabilized immediately. The 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 and his peak realm showing signs of loosening, it seemed he could break through at any moment.

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

With a smile, Zhang Xuan murmured to himself. The moment the Heavenly Dao library left his soul, he had realized. 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... none of that mattered! Without life, without emotions, what meaning would 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 emotions, there is the world; with emotions, life endures.

Love is emotion.

Hate is emotion.

Joy is emotion.

Sorrow is emotion.

Parting is emotion.

Reunion is emotion!

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

With a soft cry, the shackles in Zhang Xuan's body shattered instantly. He had broken through the Emperor's barriers! 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 body rapidly strengthened. He could now absorb not just spiritual energy but spatial chaos, chaotic energy, and even the opponent's green light—all becoming his own, 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!" screaming as he attacked again.

"You resent the lofty Emperors for not saving you from the spatial chaos—that's emotion; you feel humiliated as my former servant, filled with anger—that's emotion; you want to destroy the God Realm to vent your fury—that's emotion; you seek to grow stronger—that's emotion too... Emotions control you, so how can you defeat me or escape my control?"

Zhang Xuan smiled faintly, his voice growing faster and louder. He gently grasped his hand. The once-unstoppable Hen Ren was bound by countless emotional threads, rendered immobile. As long as there were emotions, 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 mere servant held no meaning for 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, turning into vast spiritual energy that surged back to every corner of the God Realm. All the power the Tidal Sea had devoured was now returned, reviving the withered wastelands.

"This..."

"Is that it? He's dead?"

Yun Chi Emperor, the Undying Emperor, Ling Long Immortal, and 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? Could there truly be a realm beyond Emperor?

"He succeeded..."

Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi unclenched their fists.

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

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

Buzz!

The library that had accompanied him since rebirth embedded itself into the God Realm's sky with a thunderous ring. The crumbling God Realm visibly stabilized, and the chaotic energies gathered once more. The collapsing realm 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 Tidal Sea's void had been mended 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 he 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 always felt this person was unfathomable, and now he realized the man was only a hair's breadth from his own level, having reached the Emperor's absolute peak, far surpassing the previous Luo Ruoxi.

"You can 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 before.

"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 young man stood. He looked only slightly older, with upward-swept brows giving a profound, inscrutable air.

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

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

"Ruoxi's father?" Zhang Xuan was shocked. "You're... the God Realm's Heavenly Dao?" Luo Ruoxi had mentioned 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 couldn't believe it. The God Realm was created by this man? 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 Hen Ren rampage without intervening... even regarding your daughter's life?" Zhang Xuan looked over. If it weren't for his breakthrough, the God Realm might have completely collapsed. Why had this man done nothing? Not even caring about his daughter's fate?

Nie Yun didn't answer. Instead, he looked at Zhang Xuan. "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 man could reach such heights, others might too, perhaps even stronger.

"I once suspected that beyond the God Realm, there might be greater life forms, so I tried to peer further. In the end, I drew the backlash from a higher world... a hand descended from the void!" Nie Yun continued, "If I'd dodged, the entire God Realm might have been wiped out, leaving no life. So, I blocked it, but my incarnated Heavenly Dao was shattered."

"Under those circumstances, restoring it would be just a thought for me, but... I realized that to truly transcend the God Realm's shackles, 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's barriers and reach my level!"

"That's why I sent the scattered Heavenly Dao intents to the lowest worlds... granting them to souls that originally belonged here and one that didn't. And you didn't disappoint me!" Nie Yun laughed.

"A soul that doesn't belong to this world? So, my crossing over was because of you?" Zhang Xuan's heart shook. No wonder he could traverse; it was all this man's doing.

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

"I..." Zhang Xuan's face reddened. "If not for Kong Shi, I couldn't have reached this level..." Without Kong Shi's selflessness, achieving his current state would have been impossible.

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

Zhang Xuan fell silent. He had witnessed their battle; Kong Shi had indeed lacked decisiveness. Perhaps he hadn't wanted to kill Luo Ruoxi.

"If Kong Shi had won, Ruoxi 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 here, she wouldn't die..." Nie Yun smiled faintly. "At your current level, in a life-or-death situation, could you save someone? Think about it."

"This..." Zhang Xuan smiled bitterly. Breaking through to beyond Emperor was a different concept. If this man had wanted to act, he could have saved her at the last moment without a scratch.

"Ling Xi is the child of my other wife, Luo Qing Cheng, so she took the surname Luo... To make her believe and not act on emotion, I've let her think I'm still in a coma until now." Nie Yun sighed. "I'm quite the heartless father... Anyway, you explain this to her. Her feelings have shifted to you now; she probably doesn't even think of me anymore. Ha ha, I'll stay hidden for a while. Otherwise, she might turn the world upside down... "

Seeing how unreliable this father was, Zhang Xuan's face twitched, and he had no choice but to agree. "Alright..." He had no option; who asked him to win over the man's daughter?

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

With that, Nie Yun vanished, leaving Zhang Xuan standing there, the story concluding in the vast expanse.