Chapter 2290: The Grand Finale (Part 2)

Soul contracts bind souls and cannot be dissolved unless the originator chooses to release them, regardless of the other party's immense power. This was true even for Emperor Undying, also known as Little Yellow Chicken. Although he was only a Divine King then, and the other party was an Emperor, this kind of agreement was still beyond his ability to break. To prevent him from reneging and causing a backlash, it was specifically stipulated on the Master Teacher Continent that even if the other party could escape the Celestial Dao Ledger, they would still be unable to break free from the soul agreement!

"A soul contract indeed cannot be separated from one's sea of consciousness," said the Ruthless One, "but I've fused with a special gas that can dissolve even the Celestial Dao. Dissolving this contract won't be difficult... as long as I have enough power to strike the contract's location, I can do it!"

The Ruthless One stated.

Soul contracts are based on the Celestial Dao. If a special power can dissolve even the Celestial Dao of the God Realm, then dissolving a soul contract, when handled properly, is no challenge at all.

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

"I've told you all this as thanks for bringing me to the God Realm!"

After explaining, the Ruthless One said no more. His aura became increasingly ancient and profound, and the black hole behind him grew even larger. Clearly, while speaking, he had absorbed an immeasurable amount of power to nourish himself.

"Zhang Xuan, the more the black hole consumes, the stronger he becomes..."

Luo Ruoxi also noticed something amiss and hastily sent a telepathic message.

"Get ready to act!" With his doubts dispelled, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, and his long sword suddenly lifted. "Since it has come to this, let's see who truly prevails!"

Boom!

The most powerful sword intent was unleashed once more.

If I live, I shall return; if I die, I shall be yearned for forever!

If life and death hold no concern, what obstacle can possibly stand in the way?

Although this sword technique hadn't reached the level of an Emperor's comprehension, it contained all the deep-seated obsessions in his heart, pushing the Celestial Empathy Art within him to its limits.

With a single strike, he cleaved the Ruthless One's attack in two.

At the same moment, Luo Ruoxi also made her move, her jade-like hands twirling, sending sword gleams like swirling snow.

Her swordsmanship was somewhat similar to that of the young man from Sword God Heaven, possessing an unstoppable momentum and the unconstrained elegance of the Great Dao of Nature.

"Your techniques are impressive, but compared to me, they still fall short..."

With a faint smile, the Ruthless One reached down again.

In an instant, his hand covered the sky and obscured the sun, enveloping the heavens and earth. Space shattered, and it seemed as if the sun, moon, and stars themselves were about to be forcefully torn down.

Both Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi simultaneously flew backward, coughing up mouthfuls of blood in mid-air.

Despite their combined strength, they couldn't withstand the attack!

What level had this individual truly reached?

"How dare you!" Zhang Xuan's clone strode forward, lotus flowers blooming with every step, and the sound of flowing water echoing in the void.

From a distance, he exuded an overwhelming aura of grandeur.

Having refined the Nine Heavens Primordial Golden Lotus, his cultivation was in no way inferior to Zhang Xuan's.

He raised a fist, and his power surged into the Nine Heavens.

He clashed with the Ruthless One but also flew backward, unable to block a single move.

Zhang Xuan clutched his forehead.

Even after becoming an Emperor, the clone still hadn't changed his pretentious nature...

Such flamboyant showboating was less effective than simply concentrating his power for greater impact!

"Attack together, otherwise, if they die, we'll all perish..."

The Little Yellow Chicken roared, and crimson flames erupted, as if igniting the very sky.

The remaining six Emperors also unleashed their respective techniques.

The combined might of the seven Emperors was earth-shattering; even a dimension would struggle to withstand it. However, their opponent was the Ruthless One, who had absorbed special power. When their attacks reached him, the black hole behind him suddenly expanded, instantly devouring their energy before counterattacking.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The seven Emperors, like Zhang Xuan and the others, were sent flying backward.

Ten Emperors, united, failed to withstand a single blow from him!

How could this individual be so incredibly powerful?

"You may all die now..."

Having routed everyone with one move, the Ruthless One stepped forward, flipped his wrist, and struck down again.

"How dare you, you rat!"

With a loud shout, the elder from Sword God Heaven suddenly appeared, blocking their path, his long sword transforming into a river of stars.

"An Emperor? He's also an Emperor-level expert?"

Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

This elder had originally followed the young man, and Zhang Xuan had assumed he was just a retainer, at most a Titled Divine King. Only when the elder unleashed his power did Zhang Xuan realize he was also an Emperor-level expert!

If he was an Emperor, then who was that young man?

"He is the Emperor of Sword God Heaven himself..." Struggling to stand, Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth.

"Then... what about the young man who taught me swordsmanship?" Zhang Xuan couldn't help but ask.

"He is..." Just as Luo Ruoxi was about to answer, space twisted, and then they saw the Emperor of Sword God Heaven also flying backward, landing some distance away and creating a large crater.

Zhang Xuan's current strength and comprehension of the Sword Dao far surpassed the elder's, yet he couldn't resist. Even if the elder's cultivation wasn't weak and his swordsmanship was superb, he was still no match.

"Hahaha, Emperors are nothing but a bunch of pathetic chickens and dogs!" The Ruthless One laughed maniacally. "Today, I will destroy the Nine Heavens, obliterate this God Realm, and flatten all its rules!"

Having defeated the Emperor of Sword God Heaven, the Ruthless One roared with maniacal laughter, and the surrounding space continuously collapsed, making him appear like a demon or fiend.

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

Earlier, both he and his clone had unleashed their strongest combat power, and even Luo Ruoxi had used her most potent techniques, yet none had managed to block a single one of the opponent's moves...

Could it be that no one in the God Realm could truly stop this individual?

Would they simply allow him to destroy the world?

"The only way... is for your Flawed Celestial Dao to return to the Celestial Dao itself, allowing the Celestial Dao to suppress him..." Luo Ruoxi clenched her delicate fists, her eyes reddening.

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

The Library of Heaven's Path in his mind was inherently a part of the Celestial Dao. Once it returned, the Celestial Dao would be fully complete, perhaps allowing it to mend its flaws and instinctively repel the Ruthless One.

It would be like the human body's immune system.

If the immune system is intact, it can easily drive away viruses; if it's damaged, it cannot resist viral invasion, and even the strongest person will die.

Only...

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

An immune system can eliminate a virus, but... what about a fierce tiger?

What could even the strongest immune system do against that?

The individual before them, who was merely an ordinary Divine King, or even a Titled one, could be easily killed by the Celestial Dao. But this Ruthless One was even stronger than an Emperor... he was already beyond what the Celestial Dao could contend with.

Luo Ruoxi paused, a look of despair appearing on her fair, jade-like face. "You're right... it might not be able to suppress him. However, if the Celestial Dao becomes complete, *he* will awaken, and then defeating this person won't be difficult at all!"

"*He*?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"I'll take you to him. He's in the Sovereign Heaven..." Taking a deep breath, Luo Ruoxi gritted her teeth and turned, flying forward.

"Trying to escape?" The Ruthless One sneered and pressed down.

Luo Ruoxi fell from the sky.

Zhang Xuan's swordsmanship was unleashed again, his sword intent shining brilliantly.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

It was blocked by the Ruthless One once more.

"You two, go quickly! I'll hold him off..."

Knowing they were looking for a way to save the God Realm rather than escape, the clone and Emperor Undying roared and stood in front to block the Ruthless One. Luo Qiqi also transformed, returning to her true form as the Tranquil Void Orb.

The surrounding space solidified.

"Go!"

Seeing everyone selflessly blocking the path, unafraid of death, Zhang Xuan's eyes reddened. However, he knew this was not the time for words. He pulled Luo Ruoxi, his body blurred, tearing through space, and the next moment they were already within the bounds of Sovereign Heaven.

Sovereign Heaven had lost its previous tranquility; the God Realm was collapsing, and chaos reigned everywhere.

"Where is 'he' you spoke of?"

With no time to observe the lives of ordinary people, Zhang Xuan looked at the girl in his arms.

If the person she spoke of could truly save the God Realm, what did his own sacrifice matter?

"He is my father. The blood in your pendant is his, and Emperor Undying was once his beast companion..." Luo Ruoxi adjusted her breathing and explained.

"Father?"

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

No wonder he had always felt that the blood in the pendant was similar to Luo Ruoxi's, yet distinct; it turned out to be her father's.

This also explained why the remnant will of Emperor Undying immediately acknowledged him as its master upon seeing the pendant.

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

He couldn't help but ask.

The chaos in the Library was quelled by the blood in the pendant, which restored his clarity. Could it be that not only was she an Emperor, but her father was too, or even more powerful?

If so, why was he in a coma?

And why did he need the Flawed Celestial Dao to awaken?

"He is not an Emperor, but... the Celestial Dao itself!"

Luo Ruoxi clenched her delicate fists.

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

"Yes! Fifty years ago, Father couldn't withstand that massive hand and fell into a coma. The Celestial Dao shattered into three parts: the Orderly Celestial Dao and the Flawed Celestial Dao entered the spatial turbulence, while I took charge of the Natural Celestial Dao to maintain the God Realm's balance. To restore him, we must gather the scattered parts... That's why I was so resolute and couldn't afford to fail! That's why I specifically went to the Master Teacher Continent, studied the Spring and Autumn Codex, and sought a way to defeat Master Kong! The request I made of him during our battle was also for this."

Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan understood.

Shortly after they met on the Master Teacher Continent, the girl before him had told him her story about wanting to save a beloved family member. He hadn't understood then, but now it all became clear.

It was her father, and he was the Celestial Dao of the God Realm!

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

"Took charge of the Natural Celestial Dao... Do you not have a Celestial Dao fragment within you?" Suddenly realizing something amiss in her words, Zhang Xuan looked at her.

Taking charge was different from his own situation of having it integrated within his body; they were two distinct concepts.

"I merely control it; I am not a part of the Celestial Dao itself..." Luo Ruoxi said.

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

This meant he only needed to separate the Flawed Celestial Dao from himself; she wouldn't have to die as well.

Although he was unwilling to accept such a fate for himself, he also didn't want the girl before him to be harmed.

"If I separate the Flawed Celestial Dao from my body, your father will come back to life, and even kill the Ruthless One, right?" Zhang Xuan asked.

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

Looking up at the already collapsing God Realm, Luo Ruoxi hesitated.

The God Realm was her father's foundation. With the foundation in such a state, even if he awakened, could he truly defeat that powerful Ruthless One?

It was truly hard to say!

"It seems you're not sure either. In that case, it's better to rely on ourselves than on others... We'll have to find a way!" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth. "You, me, my clone, and the Nine Heavens' Nine Emperors, if we also include Master Kong, we might not necessarily fail to win!"

"Master Kong? He..." Luo Ruoxi frowned.

"Master Kong is dead, isn't he? He isn't truly dead. If I'm not mistaken, his being slain by you was merely a method to escape the Celestial Dao... Unless there's an unforeseen circumstance, he should be like Wei Changfeng, a Congenital Embryonic Soul Body!"

Zhang Xuan stated.

Upon seeing Wei Changfeng, he understood. Master Kong's ability to retain his consciousness should be due to him also being a Congenital Embryonic Soul Body, just like Wei Changfeng.

Allowing one to remain clear-headed even from within the womb.

Coupled with preparations made beforehand, his revival was only a matter of time.

Luo Ruoxi was stunned; it seemed she hadn't anticipated this.

"We'll know if we go check. If my guess is correct, he should have already recovered. Otherwise, his students wouldn't have failed to even go to the Tidal Sea..." Zhang Xuan said.

Master Kong's students, such as Ancient Sage Ziyuan and others, were all very powerful. Even without the help of an Emperor, they would surely have found a way to enter the Tidal Sea, yet none of them were seen there.

They must have had more important matters awaiting them, which they intended to handle while all the Emperors were preoccupied with the Tidal Sea!

And this important matter was clearly about Master Kong's recovery.

Luo Ruoxi's heart trembled, and she came to a sudden realization.

"Let's go!"

Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan made a sweeping gesture with one hand and reappeared at Master Kong's residence. Indeed, he saw an elder sitting cross-legged, floating in mid-air. Seeing their arrival, the elder smiled faintly and said, "You've arrived!"

Who else could it be but Master Kong himself!

This Teacher of Ten Thousand Generations had indeed not disappointed him!

As he had guessed, Master Kong had revived while everyone's attention was focused on the Tidal Sea.

Luo Ruoxi's delicate body trembled.

She knew Emperors could revive, and Emperor Undying had also come back to life, but... she hadn't expected it to be so fast!

"I concealed myself from the Celestial Dao and prepared a contingency beforehand. The nameless giant in the Nether Soul Pool was left by me. The day you slew it, I took the opportunity to break free from the Celestial Dao's shackles and reform my physical body. I've only just recovered now!"

Master Kong smiled faintly.

He was proficient in temporal abilities. Though it seemed only a day or two had passed in the God Realm, he had actually endured an unknown amount of time to recover his strength.

It could have been decades.

"Our three strengths combined are indeed formidable, but defeating the Ruthless One won't be easy either..."

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

She wasn't exaggerating the enemy's might or dampening their own morale; it was simply the truth.

So many people had united just now and failed to block the opponent. What difference would adding one more Master Kong make?

It still wouldn't change the situation!

"Individually, and even united, we are indeed no match for him. But... what if we merged everyone's power into a single person?"

Master Kong looked at them, smiling.

"Merged into a single person?"

This time, not only Luo Ruoxi frowned, but Zhang Xuan was also full of doubt.

"That hand could tear through the God Realm and shatter the Celestial Dao; its power is beyond doubt. The Ruthless One absorbed all that power and then consumed fifty years' worth of spiritual energy from the God Realm. In terms of individual strength, none of us more than ten Emperors are truly his match..."

Master Kong continued, "But if we unite and concentrate all our power into one person... it might be a different story!"

"How would we concentrate it?"

Luo Ruoxi looked at him.

It was easier said than done.

Emperors were already at the pinnacle of the God Realm. If it were so easy to absorb others' power, she wouldn't have stagnated for so many years.

"It's quite simple... We will concentrate all our power into Zhang Xuan. Once he breaks through the Emperor's shackles, he'll be able to save the God Realm!"

Master Kong said.

"Me?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback. "Why me?"

"Emperor Lingxi cultivates freedom and transcendence from nature! But with the restrictions of her father and the Celestial Dao, and with people she cares for, she can never truly transcend! If I'm not mistaken, you once gave up during our battle, intending to be slain by me!"

Master Kong said.

Luo Ruoxi was speechless.

During their battle, she had indeed considered such a move. That's why, at the beginning of their confrontation, both had held back, making it seem more like a spar than a fight to the death.

"If one cannot transcend, they naturally cannot unleash their strongest power. Even with an abundance of true energy, they still cannot break through to that supreme realm! As for me..."

Master Kong nodded. "My heart is filled with concern for the common people, wishing to bring salvation to the world, yet I am unwilling for others to sacrifice for me. Too much benevolence is also a flaw! If I had been a little more ruthless and annihilated the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, this current situation wouldn't exist..."

If he had been able to eradicate all members of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe back then, the Ruthless One would not have been able to revive, and the current situation would not have arisen.

"Therefore, I am also unsuitable! Zhang Xuan, on the other hand, cultivates a technique that aligns with his will and has no flaws. He believes in living authentically; even if he dies, as long as he lives without regret, his heart remains clear. Such a person possesses greater capacity for inclusion and greater potential for development. Only in this way can one ascend higher and go further!"

Master Kong continued.

Live to return, die to yearn forever!

If he doesn't even care about death, how could he be hindered by anything else?

Zhang Xuan frowned, about to say something, when Master Kong looked at him with gleaming eyes. "There's no need to decline. Firstly, there isn't enough time to train anyone else. Even if there were, I don't believe anyone could do better than you! Although Emperor Lingxi doesn't have a Celestial Dao fragment within her, she has controlled the Celestial Dao for years and possesses her own understanding of it. I control the Orderly Celestial Dao. If we infuse our power into you, you will possess the complete power of the Celestial Dao! Combined with your clone's Nine Heavens Primordial Golden Lotus, you can absolutely stabilize the Nine Heavens, control the universe, battle the Nine Firmaments, and destroy all things!"

"Alright!"

Seeing that the other party had already made his decision, and further explanations would be useless, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Boom!

He sat down cross-legged, and in the blink of an eye, two vast streams of power surged in from both sides.

Zhang Xuan's body stiffened, and in that instant, he seemed to transform into the Celestial Dao itself, soaring above the Nine Heavens.

His soul, physical body, and true energy were all instantly baptized, growing stronger and more profound.

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

Having sent Luo Qiqi and the clone flying, the Ruthless One sneered.

The combined power unleashed by the clone and the numerous Emperors was indeed formidable, but compared to him, it was still somewhat weaker.

The Tidal Sea had almost completely devoured the spiritual energy of the God Realm outside the cities. Now, all that power had become nourishment for him. Every gesture he made carried the power to destroy heavens and earth. These Emperors and Divine Kings, though representing the pinnacle of the God Realm, were still no match for him.

At this moment, the Ruthless One seemed to embody the entire God Realm; no one could stop him.

"If the God Realm perishes, our lives will be meaningless. I, Emperor Yun Chi, will die with you..."

Emperor Yun Chi transformed into his true form, a colossal five-clawed golden dragon, and soared through the air, pouncing toward him.

"You? Unworthy!"

The Ruthless One clenched his hand, and the golden dragon was trapped in his palm, unable to escape no matter how much it struggled.

"Old friend, wait for me!"

Emperor Fumei also roared, transforming into his true form, a white tiger, and appeared in mid-air before them.

Emperor Undying, in his true form as the Undying Fire Phoenix, revealed himself, his flames illuminating the sky.

Emperor Xuan Ming, whose true form was a massive tortoise, appeared as if supporting all the heavens.

The Four Divine Beasts, guardians of the God Realm's four cardinal points, simultaneously transformed into their true forms. Even the collapsing God Realm seemed to slow down.

The very universe seemed to halt in that instant.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

With four consecutive palm strikes, the Ruthless One suppressed the four beasts. A strong murderous intent flashed in his eyes. "Since you seek death, I shall grant it to you..."

Amidst his roar, as he was about to deliver a killing blow and obliterate everyone, he felt his raised arm tighten and stop in mid-air.

"Did you ask me before trying to kill them...?"

Then, to everyone's stunned gaze, a figure slowly walked out from the air.

It was Zhang Xuan!

At this moment, the young man's entire body surged with power, more than ten times stronger than before. He descended from the heavens, as if he himself were an entire world.

"You've made significant progress..."

The Ruthless One stopped, his gaze solemn.

He clearly didn't understand why the other party's strength had undergone such a tremendous change in just a few minutes.

"However, what if it has increased? The God Realm at its peak couldn't withstand me. I don't believe you can stop me..."

With a cold snort, the Ruthless One struck down again.

Zhang Xuan raised his long sword and met the attack.

The two engaged in battle, tearing through space and sending currents of energy scattering everywhere.

"Can Zhang Xuan win?"

At Master Kong's residence in Sovereign Heaven, Luo Ruoxi watched, filled with worry.

After she and Master Kong had transferred their power to Zhang Xuan, their own cultivation had fallen to the Divine King level, no longer as formidable as before.

However, their fundamental level remained. As long as they accumulated enough power, they could eventually recover.

"With his current strength, it will be very difficult to win... unless... he can comprehend power beyond that of an Emperor!"

After a moment of silence, Master Kong said.

Over a dozen Emperors combined couldn't defeat the Ruthless One. Even if they transferred all their power to Zhang Xuan, victory wouldn't be easy.

The reason they did this was that only by concentrating power into a single person was it possible to reach the pinnacle, to truly transcend limits, and to break through oneself!

"Power beyond an Emperor?"

Luo Ruoxi's gaze became distant.

Her father had told her the same thing when he was still conscious, but... she couldn't achieve it. Could the man she loved succeed?

"He certainly can... He possesses an indomitable spirit! And a proud defiance toward this world."

Seeing the doubt in her heart, Master Kong smiled.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

After several consecutive moves, the web between Zhang Xuan's thumb and forefinger split open, and a huge, ghastly wound appeared on his chest.

Just as Master Kong had said, even after integrating their combined power and forming a complete Celestial Dao within him, he was still no match.

"Haha, I thought you were more impressive. You're nothing special!" The Ruthless One sneered.

"I'm not your match anyway, and I'll be killed sooner or later. Since that's the case, I wish to die by your strongest attack..." Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan stopped attacking and instead looked at the Ruthless One before him.

"Very well, I shall grant your wish and give you my strongest attack..."

Hearing him say this, the Ruthless One was momentarily stunned, then scoffed coldly and raised his palm.

Whoosh!

A blue light appeared in his palm and was violently slapped down.

It was indeed his strongest attack. The entire God Realm roared as if on the verge of collapse, and another massive crater was formed.

With his eyes tightly closed, Zhang Xuan did not dodge.

His head exploded, and his soul scattered everywhere.

"Zhang Xuan..." Seeing this scene, everyone's faces turned pale.

Luo Qiqi seemed to go mad.

Emperor Yun Chi and the others also widened their eyes, trembling continuously.

Master Kong and Luo Ruoxi, witnessing this, were also stunned.

Their original intention was for him to break through his shackles and attempt to reach a realm beyond that of an Emperor. Why would he not resist and instead willingly face death?

Wouldn't that be a betrayal of their good intentions?

"No, wait, it's Emperor Undying's Immortal Technique..."

As they pondered, Master Kong suddenly spoke.

Everyone then saw