Chapter 2260: Nine Heavens Sealing the King (Part 1)

Holding the mist she had obtained from Confucius's body, Luo Ruoxi seemed unable to believe it.

This Heaven-Defying Great Emperor, ever since his arrival in the God Realm, had astonished countless people and amazed even the God Monarchs. She had thought that even if she exhausted all her strength, she wouldn't be able to harm him in the slightest. She never expected him to be killed just like that.

It was clearly his most powerful technique, yet why... was it so easy to slay him?

It gave her the illusion that he was waiting to be killed.

It was as if, when she thrust her sword, he knew he couldn't resist, and instead, as if fulfilling a long-held wish, he simply relaxed.

She remained silent. With a flick of her finger, the mist was put away. Only then did Luo Ruoxi let out a breath and look into the distance.

The young man she deeply loved was now rushing towards her, a look of madness on his face. He watched the primordial energy dissipate throughout the sky, wanting to hold onto it, but he couldn't.

Knowing the sorrow and grief in his heart, she hesitated for a moment, then approached him. "This is fate; it cannot be changed..."

When controlling a part of the Heavenly Dao and contending for destiny, who could possibly escape?

"I know..." Zhang Xuan's voice choked.

He didn't want to admit it, but he had to.

Confucius... was truly dead!

Throughout his journey on the Master Teacher Continent, Confucius had been his guide, his beacon, always illuminating the path ahead. He had thought that he could continue to be illuminated by him, never dreaming that after their very first meeting, he would depart forever.

Remembering their previous conversations, every word, every action, every frown and smile, it was as if he was still right there, not having gone far at all.

"Will we... walk this path in the future too? Contending for destiny, does it... truly have to be a battle to the death?" Zhang Xuan looked at the girl before him and asked.

"I don't know..." Luo Ruoxi evaded his direct gaze.

"You do know, you just don't want to say it. You don't want to see me, you don't want to continue this entanglement with me, are you afraid that in the end... you won't be able to bring yourself to harm me?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"I..." Luo Ruoxi fell silent.

"Little Yellow Chick, let's go..."

He had always wanted to see her, but now that he finally did, witnessing this scene, he found there was nothing left to say.

If it was destined that one of them must die, and they were meant to kill each other, then perhaps it was better not to love at all.

"Zhang Xuan..."

Seeing him leave, Luo Ruoxi's eyes filled with sorrow. "I'm sorry..."

"You have nothing to be sorry for! This is your fate, and mine too..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

His journey had been driven by the desire to see her again, to find her... Yet, having finally met her and understood everything, he felt it might be better to simply leave like this.

Meeting brought more pain than not meeting; a heart filled with love was no match for an unfeeling one!

Zhang Xuan coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood, and his vision blurred.

His "Heaven Has Emotions" cultivation technique, now confronted with heartlessness, almost couldn't withstand it, and his power began to collapse.

The pendant on his chest grew warm, and a surge of power flowed into his body, suppressing his injuries and chaotic cultivation.

Zhang Xuan considered throwing the pendant back to her, but after gripping it in his palm, he finally lowered his hand.

Confucius's death genuinely wasn't her fault; being angry with her would be useless.

If Confucius hadn't died and she had, perhaps he would have been even more heartbroken...

He had known the outcome of this duel from the very beginning, but deep down, he had simply refused to acknowledge it.

He looked at the girl and saw that her eyes were red-rimmed.

In an instant, Zhang Xuan's heart was filled with apology.

In truth... she had known this outcome even earlier, yet she had always restrained herself, cherishing the warmth and affection deep in her heart, unable to refuse.

She was suffering more than he was.

He gently reached out and pulled her into his embrace, his voice filled with resolve. "I don't believe that the struggle for destiny must end in death... I will find a way! Wait for me..."

If he had previously firmly believed that the struggle for the Heavenly Dao had to end with one death, he suddenly no longer thought so.

When he had previously spoken with Confucius, he had specifically asked if it truly had to end with one death.

Confucius had said that he had been contemplating and pondering for years, and that there was a method, but... whether it would succeed, he didn't know!

The existence of a method meant that...

...a solution could be found.

Whatever the method, and however it needed to be resolved, he was certain he could achieve it as long as he put his heart into it.

Not to mention...

...the fake Confucius in the Firmament seemed to possess a method for stripping away the Library of Heaven's Path.

Although that method would also lead to his own death upon implementation, what if he could find a compromise, a way to strip away the Library without dying?

If he could achieve that...

...would they not have to sacrifice?

"Find a way?" Luo Ruoxi looked at him.

"Yes, we can definitely find a way! Believe me, we can certainly do it..." Zhang Xuan said.

"What if we can't?" Luo Ruoxi's voice trembled.

Zhang Xuan smiled faintly, his gaze filled with composure. "If there's no other way, then we'll just die together! If we both die, the shattered Heavenly Dao will surely merge on its own. Whether the God Realm recovers or collapses, what concern would it be of ours then?"

"This..."

Seeing his smile, Luo Ruoxi was momentarily stunned, and then her gaze gradually firmed. "Yes, if we both die, what else matters? We couldn't share a bed in life, but we'll share a grave in death!"

"Even at worst, it will be like this. Neither the heavens nor destiny can separate us..."

"Yes, never apart!"

With reddened eyes, Luo Ruoxi embraced the young man tightly.

Before, she had always hesitated, always worried, knowing full well that this love was unobtainable, yet she had embraced it sweetly.

Now, having confirmed his feelings and her own,

even if it meant death, as long as they were together, what did it matter?

Holding his hand, she felt no more fear.

Even if the heavens collapsed and the earth shattered, as long as she was with him... it was enough!

"In the heavens, we wish to be as birds flying wing to wing; on earth, we wish to be as branches entwined. Though heaven and earth may long endure, there comes a time when they end; this sorrow, however, is boundless and never-ending!"

Feeling the warmth radiating from the girl's body, a poem instantly appeared in his mind. The Library of Heaven's Path vibrated violently, and a cultivation technique suddenly emerged.

What joy is there in life, what sorrow in death!

Though seas may dry and rocks may crumble, and even if heaven and earth perish, love will not fade!

Boom!

Above the moon, countless forces poured down, and a brilliant, pristine light enveloped Zhang Xuan, making him appear ethereal and dreamlike.

Not only that, but a colossal power also spread from the curtain-like God Realm before them, where crimson clouds filled the sky. The entire world paled in alarm, dark clouds gathered, and the ground trembled, as if announcing the birth of something profound.

Originally, Zhang Xuan's soul power had reached the peak of God King, unable to break through without being formally enfeoffed as a God Monarch. Yet, in the blink of an eye, it shattered that barrier.

Without an imperial title, he had broken through the shackles of a God King!

"This is..."

All the God Monarchs' expressions changed simultaneously. Not far away, Fairy Linglong's delicate body trembled slightly, and she couldn't help but exclaim, "The God Monarchs don't acknowledge it, but heaven and earth do... Is this Heaven and Earth... Enfeoffment? Could it be that a new... Heaven-Defying Great Emperor is about to appear?"

The nine great God Monarchs all turned to look, falling silent, each rendered speechless.