Chapter 529: A Bitter Life

A soul contract binds souls together, and as long as the person who initiated it doesn't revoke it, even if the other party possesses unparalleled abilities, the contract cannot be broken.

It's like Undying Emperor Jun Jun Xiao Huangji, who was once merely a Shen Wang; even as an Emperor Jun, he couldn't resolve such an agreement. To prevent this individual from going back on their word and causing backlash, the Master Teacher Continent specifically decreed that even if the other party could escape the Heavenly Dao's registry, they still couldn't break free from the soul contract!

"Soul contracts indeed cannot be separated from the sea of consciousness, but I have fused with a special energy that can even resolve the Heavenly Dao. Dissolving this contract isn't difficult... as long as I have enough power to strike at the location of the contract, it can be done!"

Hen Ren said.

A soul contract is based on the foundation of the Heavenly Dao. Since this special power can resolve even the Shen Jie Heavenly Dao, what's so hard about dissolving 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 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 in that short time to nourish himself.

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

Luo Ruoxi also sensed something was wrong and hurriedly sent a message.

"Let's make our move!" With his doubts cleared, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, abruptly raised the long sword in his hand, 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 can stand in the way when life and death are of no concern?

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

Whoosh!

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

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

Her swordsmanship bore some resemblance to 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 still fall short..."

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, blood spraying wildly into the air.

With their strength, they couldn't withstand it!

Just what realm had this guy reached?

"Outrageous!" The 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 in no way inferior to 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 strike.

Zhang Xuan clutched his forehead.

Having achieved Emperor Jun status, the avatar still hadn't changed its habit of showing off...

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

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

Xiao Huangji roared, his crimson flames burning as if the sky itself were ignited.

The remaining six great Emperor Juns also unleashed their techniques.

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

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

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

Even the ten great Emperor Juns together couldn't block a single strike from him!

How could this guy be so powerful?

"You can all die now..."

After defeating them with one move, Hen Ren stepped forward and flipped his wrist to strike down again.

"You insolent wretch!" Accompanying a loud shout, the elder from Jian Shen Tian suddenly appeared, blocking the way, his long sword transforming into a galaxy.

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

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

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

"He's the Emperor 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 they saw the Jian Shen Tian Emperor Jun 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 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, obliterate Shen Jie, and trample all rules!"

After defeating the Jian Shen Tian Emperor Jun, Hen Ren laughed wildly, the surrounding space collapsing continuously, making him appear like a demon.

"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 most powerful moves, yet none could block even one of his strikes...

Could it be that no one in Shen Jie could stop this person? Would he be allowed to destroy the world?

"The only way... is to return your Heavenly Dao fragment to the Heavenly Dao itself, letting it suppress him..." Luo Ruoxi 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 the 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 person could succumb to 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? No matter how strong the system, what could it do?

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

"This..." Luo Ruoxi paused, a look of disappointment on her fair face. "You're right... It might not suppress him, but if the Heavenly Dao is complete, he can awaken and slay this one with ease!"

"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; I'll hold him off..." Knowing they were trying to save Shen Jie, not flee, the avatar and the Undying Emperor Zun shouted, blocking the way, while Luo Qiqi transformed back into her Jing Kong Pearl form.

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone blocking fearlessly, even facing death, Zhang Xuan's eyes reddened, but he knew now wasn't the time for words. He pulled Luo Ruoxi along, his body flickering as he tore through space, appearing in Zi Zai Tian the next moment.

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

"Where is the person you mentioned?" Zhang Xuan asked the girl in his arms, ignoring the ordinary lives around them.

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

"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 recognized him as master upon seeing the pendant.

"Is your father also an Emperor Jun? Or does he possess strength beyond that?" Zhang Xuan couldn't help asking.

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

If so, why was he in a coma? And why did it require a flawed Heavenly Dao for him to awaken?

"He's not an Emperor Jun; 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 You Xu and Heavenly Dao You Que entered the spatial chaos, while I took control of Heavenly 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 was so determined, why I couldn't 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 understood.

Not long after they met on the Master Teacher Continent, this girl had told him her story about saving a close relative. Now he realized—it was her father, and he was the Shen Jie Heavenly Dao!

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

"Acting on behalf of Heavenly Dao Zi Ran... You don't have a Heavenly Dao fragment in your body?" Suddenly realizing the inconsistency in her words, Zhang Xuan looked over.

Acting on behalf was different from what he had, which was fused within.

"I only control it; 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 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 Heavenly 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 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 have to find a way ourselves!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth. "You, me, my avatar, plus the Nine Heavens and Nine Emperors—if we team up with Kong Shi, we might still win!"

"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... 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, able to avoid confusion 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 Chao Xi Hai..." Zhang Xuan said.

Kong Shi's students, like Zi Yuan Gu Sheng and the others, were 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 was shaken, suddenly understanding.

"Let's go!"

Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan waved his hand, and they arrived at Kong Shi's residence. Sure enough, an elder was floating in mid-air in a meditative pose. Seeing them, 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—the Undying Emperor Jun had done so—but she hadn't expected it to happen so quickly!

"I concealed myself from the Heavenly Dao and prepared countermeasures in advance. The nameless giant in You Hun Pond 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 proficient in 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—perhaps decades.

"Our individual strengths are strong, and even together we're formidable, but defeating Hen Ren won't be easy..." Luo Ruoxi shook her head upon seeing Kong Shi had truly recovered.

It wasn't about boosting the enemy or undermining morale; it was the truth. So many had joined forces earlier and still couldn't block him; adding Kong Shi wouldn't change the outcome!

"If we each fight alone, or even unite, 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, both Luo Ruoxi and Zhang Xuan frowned in confusion.

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

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

It sounded simple, but doing it was hard.

Emperor Juns stood at Shen Jie's peak; if it were that easy to absorb others' power, she wouldn't have stagnated for so long.

"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 Zun cultivates freedom and transcendence, but with his father's and the Heavenly Dao's restrictions, and his attachments, he can never truly transcend! If I saw correctly, during our fight, you once gave up and intended to let me kill you!"

Kong Shi said.

Luo Ruoxi fell silent.

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

"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 now..."

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 either! But Zhang Xuan's cultivation follows his heart, 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 can other things bind him?

"This..." Zhang Xuan frowned, about to say something, but Kong Shi looked at him intently. "No need to decline; time is short. Even if we tried to cultivate someone else, it might not work, and I doubt anyone could do better than you! Although Ling Xi Emperor Zun has no Heavenly Dao fragment, she's long controlled the Heavenly Dao and has her own understanding of it; I control Heavenly Dao You Xu. If we infuse our power into you, you'll have the complete Heavenly Dao strength! 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 the decision was made, Zhang Xuan nodded, knowing further explanation was useless.

Boom!

He sat cross-legged, and in an instant, two vast powers surged into him from both sides.

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

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

...

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

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

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

Chao Xi Hai had nearly devoured 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 pinnacle, were no match.

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

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

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

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

The Undying Emperor Jun revealed his undying fire phoenix form, flames illuminating the sky.

Xuan Ming Emperor Jun's true form was a massive turtle, as if upholding 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 had frozen 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 and prepared to deliver the fatal blow, he felt his raised arm tighten, frozen in mid-air.

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

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

It was Zhang Xuan!

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

"He's made significant progress..."

Hen Ren halted, his gaze turning serious.

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

"But so what? Even at its peak, 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, energy currents scattering 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 only Shen Wang level, far from their former glory.

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

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

After a moment of silence, Kong Shi said.

Even with over a dozen Emperor Juns' power infused into him, victory wasn't guaranteed.

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

"A power that transcends Emperor Jun?" Luo Ruoxi's eyes grew distant.

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

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

As Kong Shi had said, even with the complete Heavenly Dao power fused within, he was still no match.

"Ha, I thought you'd be more impressive, but you're not!"

Hen Ren sneered coldly.

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

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan stopped attacking and looked at Hen Ren.

"Very well, I'll give you 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 Shen Jie trembled 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.

"Zhang Xuan..."

Everyone's faces turned pale at the sight.

Luo Qiqi seemed to go mad.

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

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

The plan was for him to break through the constraints and reach a realm beyond Emperor Jun, so why had he chosen to face death without resistance?

Wasn't that a waste of their efforts?

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

As they wondered, Kong Shi spoke up.

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

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

Luo Ruoxi's pupils contracted.

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

"How did he do that?"

Kong Shi was also incredulous.

To escape, he had to scatter his soul and reform it using You Hun Pond.

Yet Zhang Xuan had achieved it with just one strike—what method had he used?

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

Luo Ruoxi realized.

A soul contract bound master and servant, unbreakable unless the master revoked it... The Heavenly Dao library was like an enhanced version of that.

But Hen Ren had used that special power to escape, and Zhang Xuan had asked about it in detail before, likely planning this then.

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

Using that power for rebirth, it had succeeded spectacularly!

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

The reborn Zhang Xuan smiled faintly, as if understanding something. With a wave, 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 had become the Nine Heavens, and the Nine Heavens were him.

He lightly stamped his foot on the ground.

The chaotic Nine Heavens stabilized immediately.

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

Not only that, with the fusion and his cultivation at its peak, the realm showed signs of loosening, as if breakthrough was imminent.

"Master-servant bonds, brotherhood, teacher-student ties, parental love, romance... 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 left his soul, he had understood.

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

Was it the wind moving or the heart?

These eternal questions had troubled countless people.

But now... none of that mattered!

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

So, after breaking through romance, it was the bonds of all living 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, Zhang Xuan's suppressed realm shattered in an instant.

The Emperor Jun constraints were broken!

In that moment, it was as if he had touched a new world and gate. His soul was rapidly nourished, and vast chaotic energy surged in, rapidly enhancing his body.

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

"You..."

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

"You resent the lofty Emperor Juns for not saving you from spatial chaos—that's emotion; you feel humiliated as my servant, filled with anger—that's emotion; you want to destroy Shen Jie to vent your rage—that's emotion; you crave more power—that's emotion... Emotions control you, so how can you defeat me, who controls them?"

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

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

As long as there are emotions, they can be used and controlled by him!

"You..."

Hen Ren's eyes filled with panic. "Zhang Shi, I'm your servant; don't kill me... I'll 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 Qiqi, and so many friends; today, there was no forgiveness!

"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 Shen Jie.

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

"This..."

"He's really dead just like that?"

Yun Chi Emperor Jun, Undying Emperor Jun, Ling Long Xian Zi, and the others stared in disbelief.

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

Could there truly be a realm beyond Emperor Jun?

"He succeeded..."

Kong Shi and Luo Ruoxi unclenched their fists.

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

Seeing the "Heavenly Dao You Que" 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 Shen Jie's sky with a thunderous sound.

The collapsing Shen Jie visibly stabilized, the chaotic energy gathering once more.

The ruined Shen Jie finally halted its collapse, 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; 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 traveled an unknown distance and 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 always felt this person was unfathomable, and now he realized the difference between them was minimal; he had reached the absolute peak of Emperor Jun, far surpassing the previous Luo Ruoxi.

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

The youth exuded an unstoppable sword intent and said lightly.

"Nie Tong?" Zhang Xuan furrowed his brow; it was a name he'd never heard.

"Come with me; I'll take you to see my brother!" Nie Tong smiled and stepped forward.

Zhang Xuan followed closely. After flying 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 own; he had also broken through Emperor Jun's constraints, and his cultivation was deeper and more profound!

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

"Xi'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 this 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 person?

Then how powerful 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 it weren't for his breakthrough, Shen Jie might have been completely destroyed. Why had this person done nothing? Not even caring about his daughter?

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

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

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

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

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

"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 intent to the lowest worlds... granting it 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's heart shook.

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

"Heh!" Nie Yun chuckled lightly. "Those native to this world have reverence for it, making it harder to break 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 selflessness, achieving his current state would have been impossible.

"The opportunity was given to him, but he didn't seize it. His duel with Ling Xi was his best chance for breakthrough, but he chose to retreat, thinking he had a way out. 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.

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

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

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

"With me there, she wouldn't die..." Nie Yun smiled faintly. "Your current strength is almost on par with mine. In a life-or-death situation, do you think I could save someone?"

"This..." Zhang Xuan smiled bitterly.

Breaking through Emperor Jun was a different concept; if he truly wanted to act, he could save 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 bitterly. "I'm quite the heartless father... Anyway, you should 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 everything upside down."

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

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

"The Heavenly Dao library was a manifestation of my intent; it was both your foundation and your shackle. You've broken through it with your own ability, proving your talent and potential. Your future is boundless, and as a father, I'm content to have my daughter with you."