Chapter 516: Important Figure

The soul contract, a bond between souls, could only be severed by the person who initiated it, no matter how powerful the other party was.

Even Emperor Jun Jun Xiao Huang Ji, who was once just a Shen Wang, couldn't dissolve such an agreement.

To prevent anyone from going back on their word and causing problems, the Master Teacher Continent had specifically decreed that even if someone could evade the Heavenly Dao's registry, they still couldn't break free from the soul contract.

"The soul contract indeed can't be separated from the sea of consciousness, but I've fused with a special gas that can even dissolve the Heavenly Dao. Dissolving 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.

The soul contract was based on the foundation of the Heavenly Dao, and since this special power could even dissolve the Shen Jie Heavenly Dao, what difficulty was there in dealing with a soul contract if it was handled properly?

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

"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 became even more ancient and profound, and the black hole behind him expanded further. It was clear that during their conversation, he had absorbed an unknown amount of power, using it for nourishment.

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

Luo Ruoxi also sensed that something was wrong and quickly sent a message through divine sense.

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

Boom!

His most powerful sword intent erupted once more.

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

What could possibly hinder one who cared nothing for life or death?

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

Whoosh!

With one sword strike, he cleaved Hen Ren's attack in two.

At the same time, Luo Ruoxi made her move, her jade-like hand swirling as sword light fell like snow.

Her sword style was somewhat similar to that of the young man 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 light smile, Hen Ren 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.

Despite 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.

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

Zhang Xuan clutched his forehead.

Having achieved Emperor Jun status, his clone still hadn't given up its habit of showing off...

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

"Let's all attack together, otherwise, if they die, we'll all die..."

Xiao Huang Ji roared, his crimson flames burning as the sky itself seemed to ignite.

The remaining six great Emperor Juns also unleashed their techniques.

The seven Emperor Juns united, their power enough to destroy heaven and earth, making even a realm unable to withstand them. But Hen Ren, having absorbed the special power, simply let the black hole expand as the attacks approached, swallowing them clean in an instant before countering.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The seven Emperor Juns, along with Zhang Xuan and the others, were all sent flying.

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

"How dare you, vermin!"

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

"Emperor Jun? He's also at Emperor Jun level?"

Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

He had thought this elder was just a follower, at most a Feng Hao Shen Wang, but now he realized the man was also an Emperor Jun expert!

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

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

Struggling to stand, Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth and said.

"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 Jun being sent flying, crashing into the ground and creating a massive crater.

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

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

Defeating the Jian Shen Tian Emperor Jun, Hen Ren laughed wildly, the surrounding space collapsing as he appeared demonic and otherworldly.

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

He and his clone had already used their full strength, 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 Shen Jie could stop this man?

And allow him to destroy the world?

"The only way... is to return your Tian Dao You Que to the Heavenly Dao itself, letting it suppress him..." Luo Ruoxi clenched her fists, 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 human immune system.

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

But...

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

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

This man was just an ordinary Shen Wang, yet even beyond Emperor Jun... he was no longer something 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, it can awaken, and suppressing him wouldn't be hard!"

"He?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

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

"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, the sword intent glorious and radiant.

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, his clone and the Undying Emperor Jun shouted, blocking the way, while Luo Qi Qi transformed back into the Jing Kong Pearl's true form.

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone selflessly holding the line without fear of 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 Zi You Tian's range the next moment.

Zi You 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 Emperor Jun was once his beast pet..."

Luo Ruoxi regulated her breath and explained.

"Father?"

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

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

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

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

He couldn't help asking.

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

If so, why was he in a coma?

And why did it require the Heavenly Dao's flaw to awaken him?

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

Luo Ruoxi clenched her fists.

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

"Yes! Fifty years ago, my father couldn't withstand that giant hand and fell into a coma. The Heavenly Dao shattered into three parts: 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 specifically entered the Master Teacher Continent to study the Chun Qiu Da Dian and find a way to defeat Kong Shi! And when I fought Kong Shi, the favor I asked of him was for this."

Luo Ruoxi explained.

Zhang Xuan suddenly realized.

Not long after they met on 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 Shen Jie Heavenly Dao!

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

"Acting as Tian Dao Zi Ran... you don't have a fragment of the Heavenly Dao in your body?" 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 Tian Dao You Que; 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 Tian Dao You Que from my body, your father can awaken and even kill Hen Ren, right?" Zhang Xuan asked.

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

Luo Ruoxi glanced at the collapsing Shen Jie, hesitating.

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

It was hard to say!

"It seems you can't be certain. In that case, better to rely on ourselves... We only have ourselves to count on!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth. "You, me, my clone, plus the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, and if we add Kong Shi, we might not lose!"

"Kong Shi? He..."

Luo Ruoxi frowned.

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

Zhang Xuan said.

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

It allowed one to remain undeluded even in the womb.

Combined with the precautions he had taken in advance, revival was only a matter of time.

Luo Ruoxi was stunned, apparently not expecting this.

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

Zhang Xuan said.

Kong Shi's students, like Zi Yuan Gu Sheng and the others, were all incredibly strong. Even without an Emperor Jun's help, they could enter Chao Xi Hai, yet none had appeared.

They must have something more important—clearly, helping Kong Shi recover.

"This..." Luo Ruoxi's heart shook as realization dawned.

"Let's go!"

Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan waved his hand, and they arrived at the place where Kong Shi 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 teacher of ten thousand ages hadn't disappointed him!

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

"You..." Luo Ruoxi trembled.

She knew Emperor Juns could revive, and the Undying Emperor Jun had done so, but she hadn't expected it to happen so quickly!

"I hid from the Heavenly Dao and prepared a backup in advance. That nameless giant in the You Hun Pool was left by me. When you killed me that day, I used it to break free from the Heavenly Dao's constraints and reform my body. I've only just recovered now!"

Kong Shi smiled faintly.

He was a master of time abilities, so while only one or two days had passed in Shen Jie, he had experienced an unknown length of time to restore his power—potentially decades.

"Our combined strength is strong, but defeating Hen Ren won't be easy..."

Seeing that Kong Shi had indeed recovered, Luo Ruoxi still shook her head.

It wasn't about boosting the enemy's morale or diminishing her own; it was the truth.

So many had joined forces earlier and still couldn't block him. Adding one more Kong Shi wouldn't change the outcome!

"If we fight individually, or even united, we're no match for him, but... what if we fuse all our power into one person?"

Kong Shi looked 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 apart Shen Jie and scatter the Heavenly Dao, its power undeniable. Hen Ren absorbed that power and has been devouring Shen Jie's spiritual energy for fifty years. Any of us ten-plus Emperor Juns alone isn't his equal..."

Kong Shi said, "But if we unite and concentrate our power into one person... maybe not!"

"How do we concentrate it?"

Luo Ruoxi looked over.

It sounded simple, but doing it was hard.

Emperor Juns stood at Shen Jie's peak; if absorbing others' power were that easy, she wouldn't have stagnated for so many years.

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

Kong Shi said.

"Me? Why me?"

Zhang Xuan was stunned.

"Ling Xi Emperor Jun cultivates freedom and transcendence, but with his father's and Heavenly Dao's restrictions, and his attachments, he can never truly transcend! If I didn't miss it, 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, both had held back, making it seem more like sparring 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 bear the burdens of all living beings and wish to save the world, but I'm unwilling to let others sacrifice for me. Too much benevolence is a flaw! If I'd been more ruthless and wiped out the Yi Ling Clan, we wouldn't be in this situation..."

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 techniques are 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, when he saw Kong Shi's gaze fixed on him. "No need to decline. Time is short; training someone else isn't feasible, and even if it were, I doubt anyone could do better than you! Ling Xi Emperor Jun has no Heavenly Dao fragment in his body, but he's long controlled Tian Dao Zi Ran, giving him his own understanding of the Heavenly Dao. I control Tian Dao You Xu; if we channel our power to you, you'll have the complete Heavenly Dao force! 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 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 powers surged from both sides into him.

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

His soul, body, and true qi were all undergoing rapid refinement, 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 various Emperor Juns was indeed formidable, but compared to him, it was still weak.

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

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

"If Shen Jie falls, living on has no meaning. I'll go down with you..." Yun Chi Emperor Jun transformed into his true form, a massive five-clawed golden dragon, lunging at him from the air.

"You? You're not worthy!"

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

"My old friend, wait for me!"

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

The Undying Emperor Jun revealed his undead fire phoenix true form, flames lighting up the sky.

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

The four divine beasts, guardians of Shen Jie's four corners, transformed simultaneously, slowing the collapsing Shen Jie.

It was as if the universe froze in that instant.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

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

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

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

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

It was Zhang Xuan!

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

"He's made significant progress..."

Hen Ren halted, his gaze turning serious.

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

"But so what? Even at its peak, 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 and energy raging everywhere.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?"

In Zi You Tian, at Kong Shi's residence, Luo Ruoxi watched worriedly.

She and Kong Shi had transferred their power to Zhang Xuan, reducing their own cultivation to only Shen Wang level, no longer as glorious as before.

However, their foundations remained; with enough power, they could recover eventually.

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

After a moment of silence, Kong Shi said.

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

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

"A power beyond Emperor Jun?"

Luo Ruoxi's eyes grew distant.

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

"He can... He has an unyielding heart and an arrogant defiance toward the world."

Sensing her doubt, Kong Shi smiled.

...

Bang! Bang! Bang!

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

As Kong Shi had said, even with the 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 nothing!"

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 oblige you with my strongest strike..."

Hearing this, Hen Ren paused, then snorted coldly, raising his hand.

Whoosh!

A green light appeared in his palm and slammed down.

It was indeed his strongest attack; the entire 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 Emperor Jun and the others widened their eyes, trembling uncontrollably.

Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi, who had seen it, were also stunned.

The plan was for him to break through his limits and reach beyond the Emperor Jun realm. Why had he stopped resisting and chosen death?

Wasn't this wasting their efforts?

wait, no—it's the Undying Emperor Jun's immortality technique..."

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 explode. 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 Heavenly Dao library in his body; without the Heavenly Dao's interference, he was free from it!

"How did he do that?"

Kong Shi was also full of disbelief.

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

This young man had achieved it with just one death—what method had he used?

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

Luo Ruoxi realized.

The soul contract bound master and servant; without the master's release, the servant was trapped... The Heavenly Dao library was similar, like an enhanced contract binding 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 the flames, and it had succeeded spectacularly!

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

The Zhang Xuan emerging from the flames smiled faintly, as if enlightened. He waved his hand, and his clone on the side immediately turned back into a lotus flower and flew over.

In an instant, it fused perfectly with him.

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

He lightly stamped his foot on the ground.

The chaotic Nine Heavens stabilized immediately.

The Nine Heavens Chaos Golden Lotus, born with the Nine Heavens, could stabilize them. Now, with the 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 began to loosen, as if ready to 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!"

With a smile, Zhang Xuan murmured to himself.

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

Did the world exist first, with people observing it, or did people come first?

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 the bonds of all living beings—the intertwined emotions of the world.

All things in the world have emotions; with emotion comes the world, and with emotion comes the continuation of life.

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 Emperor Jun constraints!

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 advanced swiftly.

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

"You..."

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

"You resent the lofty Emperor Juns for not saving you in the spatial chaos—that's emotion; you feel humiliation as my servant, filled with卑微 and anger—that's emotion; you want to destroy Shen Jie to vent your anger—that's emotion; you crave greater power—that's emotion... Emotion controls you, so how can you defeat me, or escape my control?"

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..."

Zhang Xuan smiled and shook his head.

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

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

"No..."

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

Bang!

In an instant, he exploded, turning into vast spiritual energy that surged across Shen Jie.

All the power previously devoured by Chao Xi Hai was returned, revitalizing the withered wilderness.

"This..."

"Is that it? He's dead?"

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

They had fought Hen Ren and knew his terror. For such a powerful being to be vanquished so easily, what realm had Zhang Xuan reached?

Could there truly be a level beyond Emperor Jun?

"He succeeded..."

Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi unclenched their fists.

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

Seeing the "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 about to enter an era of spiritual energy revival..."

Zhang Xuan smiled.

The hole in Chao Xi Hai had closed with the Heavenly Dao's completion, and Shen Jie's return 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 young man standing before him.

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

"Senior, you..."

Seeing it was him, Zhang Xuan was surprised.

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

"Just call me by my name. I'm Nie Tong!"

The young man exuded an unstoppable sword intent and said lightly.

"Nie Tong?" Zhang Xuan furrowed his brow.

He had never heard this name.

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

Nie Tong smiled slightly and stepped forward.

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

There, another young man stood.

He looked only slightly older, with upward-sweeping brows giving a profound, inscrutable air.

"This strength..." Zhang Xuan trembled.

This young man's power surpassed even his, having broken through Emperor Jun's constraints, and his cultivation was deeper and more profound!

"I'm Nie Yun!" The young man smiled faintly and looked over. "Also known as... Nie Ling Xi, the father of Luo Ruoxi in your words!"

"Luo Ruoxi's father?"

Zhang Xuan was shocked. "You're... the Shen Jie 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 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 Heavenly Dao, why did you 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 about his daughter's fate?

Nie Yun didn't answer the question directly but looked over. "Do you think... beyond Shen Jie, there are even more powerful beings?"

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

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

"I once suspected that beyond Shen Jie lay greater powers, so I tried to peer further, ultimately drawing the backlash from a higher world... a hand descended from the void!"

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

"In that state, restoring it would take just a thought, but... I realized that to truly transcend Shen Jie's constraints, 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 Emperor Jun's limits and reach my level!"

"That's why I sent the scattered Heavenly Dao intents to the lowest worlds... granting them to souls belonging to this world and one not from here. And you didn't disappoint me in the end!"

Nie Yun laughed.

"A soul not from this world—so, my crossing over was because of you?"

Zhang Xuan's heart shook.

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

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

"I..." Zhang Xuan's face reddened. "Without Kong Shi, I couldn't have reached this level..."

Without Kong Shi's selfless contribution, 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 backup to escape unscathed. In reality, he lost his momentum. Facing someone beyond us, without that spirit, how could he contend?"

Nie Yun said.

Zhang Xuan fell silent.

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

Perhaps he hadn't wanted to kill Luo Ruoxi.

"But if Kong Shi had won, Luo 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 have died..."

Nie Yun smiled faintly. "At your current level, in a life-or-death situation, could you save someone? That's the difference between you and an Emperor Jun."

"This..." Zhang Xuan smiled bitterly.

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

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

Nie Yun sighed. "I'm quite the heartless father... Anyway, you explain this to her. Her feelings have shifted to you now; as her father, I'm probably forgotten... 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 choice; who asked him to win over the man's daughter?

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