Chapter 2044 : The Heaven-Defying Sword's Edge

"Such formidable power," Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, a flicker of astonishment crossing his features. "The White Tiger Emperor Sword [a legendary sword of supreme offensive might] can actually pierce through the physical resilience of the Primordial Unity Dao Body [a supreme cultivation art that forges an indestructible physique], inflicting terrifyingly deep penetrating wounds."

Eldrin Chen whispered to himself, a look of profound shock settling upon his face.

To his amazement, he realized the White Tiger Emperor Sword's penetrating force was extraordinarily dreadful, seemingly born for the sole purpose of sundering armor and defense.

Even top-tier True Spirit Divine Runes [mystical patterns that grant divine abilities], such as Mana Immunity [an ability granting near-total resistance to magical energy] and Indestructible Golden Body [a divine ability that renders the body nigh-unbreakable], could muster no more than thirty percent of their usual efficacy against the White Tiger Emperor Sword's assault.

The Black Tortoise Shield [a defensive divine ability manifesting as an impervious shield], conjured from Eldrin's own True Spirit Divine Runes, had been pierced more than halfway through by the sword's murderous intent, resulting in catastrophic damage.

Had it not been for Eldrin Chen's mastery of the Abyssal Divine Rune [a divine rune of profound resilience and regeneration], he likely would have been dismembered by the White Tiger Emperor Sword's relentless onslaught.

"It can bore through defensive divine runes and directly puncture the defenses of the Primordial Unity Dao Body," he mused, awe and wariness warring within him.

"This White Tiger Emperor Sword truly deserves to be called heaven-defying. It lives up to its reputation as the ultimate offensive Innate Supreme Treasure [a treasure born of heaven and earth, possessing supreme innate power]," he conceded.

His thoughts churning, Eldrin Chen acted. With one part of his consciousness, he channeled the Ancient Pearl of Life [a primordial artifact brimming with life-restoring energies] to Restoration [mend and regenerate] his ravaged flesh. Simultaneously, he poured his remaining power into pushing the Black Tortoise Shield to its absolute limit.

Time lost meaning in that struggle. Yet, after an immeasurable duration, Eldrin Chen's profound and unshakable foundation ultimately prevailed. Through sheer will and immense cultivation, he finally subdued, refined, and wholly assimilated the formidable essence of the White Tiger Emperor Sword.

"It is done."

Watching as the White Tiger Emperor Sword [a legendary sword embodying the power of the White Tiger] was successfully refined, Eldrin Chen slowly let out a breath he had been holding.

In that moment, he felt grateful that he had first refined the Ancient Azure Dragon Pearl [a mystical pearl containing the essence of the ancient Azure Dragon] and the Black Tortoise Armor [a divine armor forged from the shell of the Black Tortoise]. Had he attempted to refine this White Tiger Emperor Sword first, success would have been impossible, and he might have even suffered severe injuries.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen turned his gaze to the ever-shifting Blended Gold Divine Form [a divine ability that manifests the essence of blended metals], and a faint ripple of emotion stirred in the depths of his eyes.

He watched as the Blended Gold Divine Form continuously transformed—one moment into Chaos Divine Gold [a primordial ore born from chaos], the next into the Western Pole White Tiger [the divine beast sovereign of the West], then into the Golden-Winged Roc [a mythical bird of immense speed and power], and again into the Golden-Back Bison [a mighty beast with a hide of shimmering gold].

Finally, this Blended Gold Divine Form slowly coalesced, merging into a single, dazzlingly bright ancient white sword.

"It is complete."

"True Spirit Divine Form—White Tiger Sword."

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, drawing the small white sword into the palm of his hand.

In that instant, an indescribable power surged through Eldrin Chen, causing his physical strength to skyrocket by a tremendous margin.

Afterward, sensing the changes in his power, a flicker of pleasant surprise colored his expression.

"My physical strength has doubled. Moreover, once I activate this True Spirit Divine Form to empower myself, it grants me a formidable force of piercing sharpness."

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly. After some estimation, he found this force of sharpness to be astonishingly potent.

If he channeled this sharpness in combat, he could slice through eighty percent of the defenses of a Great Emperor-level opponent. Even abilities like True Spirit Divine Form or Mana Immunity could be completely pierced through.

This incredible piercing power would diminish as the opponent's physical fortitude increased.

In theory, even against a powerhouse among Sage Ascendant-level beings, Eldrin Chen could directly penetrate thirty percent of their defenses.

"This sharpness can even pierce a True Spirit Divine Form. Truly worthy of being called a Half-Step Ultimate Divine Form."

Eldrin Chen mused silently. He then recalled the White Tiger Emperor Sword and vaguely understood that this piercing effect was likely deeply connected to that weapon.

The White Tiger Emperor Sword resonated perfectly with the divine patterns of Chaos Metal. It was only natural that the True Spirit Divine Form 'White Tiger Sword', cultivated through it, would inherit the effects of the White Tiger Emperor Sword.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen once more assessed his combat prowess and gave a slight, satisfied nod.

After this breakthrough, Eldrin Chen's defensive capabilities saw no significant improvement, yet his physical strength had doubled.

Coupled with the previous enhancements from the Ancient Pearl of Life and the Black Tortoise Shield, which together provided a ninety percent increase, Eldrin Chen's combat prowess in his physical form now approached a threefold amplification of his base strength.

This tripling of strength propelled Eldrin Chen's offensive power in his physical body firmly into the realm of a Great Emperor.

If one factored in the sharp, penetrating quality granted by the True Spirit Divine Form, his Slaughter techniques could now be considered top-tier even within the Great Emperor domain.

"Defenses rivaling a Sage Ascendant, offensive power matching a peak Great Emperor,"

"My former weaknesses are gradually being mended. My combat power is no longer so lopsided. I can now rightfully claim the title of a true Invincible Great Emperor."

Eldrin Chen murmured these words to himself, a faint, satisfied smile touching his lips.

In truth, judging by defensive power alone, his physical form had likely reached a level comparable to a Sage Ascendant many years prior.

Yet, with his offensive capabilities lagging so far behind, he had never allowed himself such pride, considering his overall combat strength to reside merely within the upper echelons of the Great Emperor realm.

Now, with that critical shortcoming partially remedied, Eldrin Chen dared to proclaim himself an Invincible Great Emperor.

"With my foundation and accumulated depth, once I break through to the Seventh Layer Primordial Unity Emperor Lord, I should be able to rival a Sage Ascendant [a supreme cultivator who has glimpsed the ultimate truths of the Dao], shouldn't I?"

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, slowly gathering his scattered thoughts.

He retracted his third True Spirit Divine Form [a powerful spiritual avatar projection], then began refining the Chaotic Divine Liquid [a primordial liquid brimming with chaotic divine energy] to prepare for his breakthrough to the Seventh Layer Primordial Unity Emperor Lord.

In the time that followed, the Great Wilderness Emperor Sovereign did not attack as anticipated.

For this, Eldrin Chen was content with the peace. He devoted himself wholeheartedly to arduous cultivation, only delving into the arts of artifact forging and pill concoction during his rare moments of leisure.

The reason for studying artifact forging was that Eldrin Chen planned to use treasures like the Rebellious Scale [a legendary scale from a dragon], Dragon Bone, Dragon Scale, and Dragon Horn from the Sage Ascendant Azure Dragon to assist his subordinates, the Three Talents and Four Symbols Emperor Lord, in Ascension [the process of elevating one's cultivation realm] their Innate Supreme Treasure [a supreme magical artifact born from one's own cultivation].

According to Eldrin Chen's estimation, with these several treasures, they could elevate their Life-Bound Supreme Treasure [a supreme magical treasure intrinsically linked to a cultivator's life force] to at least the level of a Seven-Pattern Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo [an embryonic supreme treasure bearing seven innate Dao patterns].

At that point, after refining one or two strands of Primordial Chaos Source Qi [the primordial source energy from which all chaos emanates], they would be able to cultivate a true Innate Treasure [a treasure born from innate principles], which would undoubtedly lead to a tremendous increase in their strength.

As for studying the art of pill concoction, it was because Eldrin Chen intended to use two rare treasures, the Sage Ascendant Dragon Pearl and Chaos Origin [the primordial essence of chaos], as the main ingredients to refine a furnace of supreme Treasure Pill [an exceptionally rare and powerful cultivation pill] for breaking through to the Great Emperor Realm.

Originally, the Sage Ascendant Dragon Pearl and Chaos Origin could each, if consumed alone, increase the odds of a breakthrough to the Great Emperor Realm by fifty percent, but they could only aid two individuals at most.

However, if refined into elixirs [spiritual pills used to aid cultivation], the efficacy might diminish slightly, yet it would be possible to refine nine or even ten immortal pills capable of assisting in the breakthrough to the Great Emperor realm.

Eldrin Chen's comprehension and talent were beyond doubt. As he immersed himself in research, his skills in artifact forging and alchemy began to soar.

Not long after, he had already reached the level of Primordial Chaos High Grade, and soon after, he stepped into the domain of Great Emperor.

After several billion more years, as Eldrin Chen continuously opened his cauldron to refine pills and artifacts, aided by the profound blessings of the Creation Elixir, his mastery in alchemy and artifact forging broke through once more, completely surpassing the limits of Great Emperor and faintly touching the realm of Sage Ascendant.

At this point, Eldrin Chen's alchemical arts could advance no further.

This was not due to any lack of talent on his part, but because his cultivation base had reached its limit; it was impossible for him to forge treasures that surpassed the Sage Ascendant level.

In truth, even for treasures at the Sage Ascendant level, Eldrin Chen had never truly attempted their creation. He had only continuously simulated the process within the illusion, elevating his alchemical and forging skills to this tier.

When the time came for actual forging, it was uncertain whether he could truly succeed in crafting treasures of such a level.

Not long after pushing his alchemical arts to this theoretical peak, Eldrin Chen's cultivation base achieved another breakthrough.

This breakthrough was not in his Chaos Indestructible Body, but in his Great Dao and his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator].

During this secluded cultivation session, Eldrin Chen's Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] and Great Dao [the cultivation of one's fundamental path or principle] attainments both fully stepped into the realm of the Sixth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord.

Thus, all three foundational pillars of Eldrin Chen had now stepped into the Sixth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord.

"A pity, the cultivation resources are insufficient."

After completing the breakthroughs in his physical body and Primordial Spirit, Eldrin Chen could not help but feel a sense of helplessness, a wry smile touching his lips.

With all three foundational pillars breaking through to the Sixth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord, the one thousand drops of Chaotic Divine Liquid [a primordial liquid of immense spiritual potency] that Eldrin Chen possessed were utterly exhausted.

Cultivating the physical body was still manageable; with Sage Ascendant Dragon Meat [the flesh of a dragon that has ascended to sagehood] serving as cultivation sustenance, Eldrin Chen would not lack for resources, at least until attempting a breakthrough into the Late Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord Realm.

For Primordial Spirit Dao Attainment, one could rely on the Earth Soul Sacred Fruit [a sacred fruit that nourishes the earth-attuned soul] for cultivation. However, the resources required for Great Dao cultivation were now insufficient.

Although Great Dao cultivation primarily relies on enlightenment and is not excessively dependent on external resources, the Great Dao is intrinsically linked to one's magical power [the cultivated energy used to perform techniques].

If magical power is insufficient, it would be exceedingly difficult for one's Great Dao cultivation to break through into the Late Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord Realm.

After much deliberation, Eldrin Chen finally steeled his resolve. He prepared to Ascension [to elevate or evolve to a higher state] a third Innate Supreme Treasure Spiritual Root [a spiritual root of supreme innate quality].

For this single Innate Supreme Treasure Spiritual Root [a spiritual root of the highest innate grade, capable of evolving into a supreme treasure], Eldrin Chen hesitated for a long while, yet in the end, he did not choose the Enlightenment Tea Tree [a mystical tea tree whose leaves can aid in achieving enlightenment and profound insights].

Although the Enlightenment Tea Tree is profoundly mystical, it offers little direct utility for breaking through cultivation bottlenecks.

By comparison, a spiritual tree capable of aiding one in advancing their cultivation realm was perhaps the optimal choice. Therefore, Eldrin Chen chose to Ascension [to elevate or evolve a spiritual object to a higher grade] the Great Dao Fruit Tree [a miraculous fruit tree bearing fruits imbued with the power of the Great Dao].

The Great Dao Fruit Tree is an exceedingly profound and wondrous fruit tree. The Great Dao Sacred Fruit [a sacred fruit containing traces of the Great Dao's power] borne upon its branches contain the power of the Great Dao [the supreme, fundamental principle underlying all existence and cultivation]. When an Immortal [a cultivator who has ascended to the Immortal Realm] consumes one, their cultivation base advances significantly.

After Eldrin Chen Ascension it into an Innate Supreme Treasure Spiritual Root, the Great Dao Sacred Fruit it produced could even increase one's chances of breaking through to the Great Emperor [a supreme cultivation realm, a sovereign among Immortals] by a full ten percent.

Of course, comparatively speaking, the primary wondrous effect of the Great Dao Fruit Tree lies in aiding one's comprehension of the Dao, consuming relatively little of one's Dao Origin [the foundational source of one's connection to and power within the Dao].

Consequently, the Great Dao Fruit Tree can produce more fruit. A single tree, over its entire lifespan, can bear a total of eighty-one Great Dao Sacred Fruit.

After Ascension the Great Dao Fruit Tree, Eldrin Chen immediately harvested the Great Dao Sacred Fruit and consumed one to contemplate the mysteries of the Great Dao.

Unfortunately, after Eldrin Chen fully refined and absorbed the Great Dao Sacred Fruit, he discovered, to his regret, that the increase in his cultivation base was not substantial.

It turned out that whether it was the Great Dao Sacred Fruit or the Great Wilderness Sacred Fruit [a sacred fruit from the primordial wilderness, rich in primal energy], their primary efficacy lay in overcoming bottlenecks. Their effect on directly increasing cultivation power was far inferior to an equivalent measure of Chaotic Divine Liquid [a primordial liquid brimming with chaotic divine energy, extremely potent for cultivation].

"It is a waste of a divine object."

Eldrin Chen murmured to himself, then began refining the 'Dragon Blood Elixir' [a potent pill refined from dragon's blood, used to enhance physical cultivation] to elevate his physical cultivation.

He had refined the Dragon Flesh [the flesh of a dragon, a material of immense spiritual potency] into Dragon Blood Elixir, increasing its efficacy by thirty percent. Furthermore, the absorption rate was greatly enhanced, significantly accelerating his cultivation speed.

By now, the Origin [a profound cultivation art focused on nurturing one's primordial life force] foundation within Eldrin Chen's physical body had accumulated past the halfway point. The threshold to break through into the Late Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord Realm [the advanced stage of the Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord cultivation realm] seemed to draw ever nearer.

Eldrin Chen understood clearly that once he set foot into the Seventh Layer Primordial Unity Emperor Lord [the seventh layer of the Primordial Unity Emperor Lord realm], his power would undergo a transformation so profound it could be called heaven-defying.

Thus, regarding the breakthrough to the Late Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord Realm, a sense of urgency grew ever stronger within Eldrin Chen.

Time flowed on in this manner, and before he knew it, the day of Eldrin Chen's two hundredth Kalpa Tribulation [a grand cosmic cycle marking a significant lifespan milestone] birthday celebration had arrived.

Not long after Eldrin Chen had passed this milestone, a group of uninvited guests tore through the void towards the Depths of Chaos [a primordial and turbulent region of the cosmos].

"They are here."

On that day, Eldrin Chen spoke slowly, a trace of solemnity flickering deep within his brow.

In that moment, heroes from across the Great Desolate Ancient Realm soared into the sky, flying en masse beyond its borders.

They gazed towards the Depths of Chaos, witnessing within the Vast Chaotic Void two colossal Chaos Ancient Ships, bearing tens of thousands of Immortal [powerful beings who have transcended mortality through cultivation], cleaving through the void as they arrived.

"Over one hundred Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [rulers of chaos realms], six experts at the Great Emperor [a supreme sovereign level] tier, and one aura of utterly terrifying power."

"It seems the Great Wilderness Emperor Sovereign has called for reinforcements."

Immortal Great Emperor spoke, a slight frown creasing his brow.

At that very moment, the two Chaos Ancient Ships tore through the void, arriving with startling swiftness just outside the Great Desolate Ancient Realm.

Eldrin Chen looked out and saw the two Chaos Ancient Ships were of a scale to blot out the heavens, seemingly forged from the very bones and essence of Great Emperor-level beings from the Chaos Desolate Tribe [a primordial race of desolate chaos demons].

These ancient vessels were vaster than an entire Primordial Unity Immortal Domain [a realm of unified primordial energy]. Their hulls were inscribed with supreme Slaughter [a divine art of absolute annihilation] formation patterns, radiating a sense of danger that even Eldrin Chen could not ignore.

It was then that Sword Abyss Great Emperor spoke, his expression turning grave. "Be wary. These two are Great Emperor Ancient Ship [ancient warships of emperor-level power]."

"In the past, the Great Wilderness Emperor Sovereign scoured the entire Great Wilderness Primordial Domain to amass the resources to build merely two of them. The combat power of a single such ship is nearly equivalent to ten Great Emperor joining forces."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen [the protagonist, a powerful cultivator] could not help but frown slightly, a crease forming between his brows.

The Great Emperor Ancient Ship [an immense, fortress-like vessel used by supreme powers] lacked agility and posed little threat to a powerhouse at the Great Emperor [a supreme cultivation realm] level, yet it was perfectly suited for assaulting the Great Wilderness Primordial Domain [a vast, ancient, and strategically vital territory].

If the enemy were to use the Great Emperor Ancient Ship to attack the Great Desolate Ancient Realm [the specific stronghold within the Great Wilderness Primordial Domain], it would likely become a significant problem.

At that very moment, eight figures emerged in succession from the decks of those two ancient vessels.

At their forefront were two Sage Ascendant [cultivators who have ascended to a realm just below the legendary Sages]. One was naturally the Great Wilderness Emperor Sovereign [the ruler of the Great Wilderness territory], whom Eldrin Chen recognized. The other possessed an aura slightly more formidable, seemingly a Sage Ascendant who had cultivated all six of the True Spirit Divine Form [a supreme set of divine transformations].

As these thoughts flickered through Eldrin Chen's mind, the Great Wilderness Emperor Sovereign began to stride forward.

Striding to a halt before the Great Desolate Ancient Realm, the Great Wilderness Emperor Sovereign fixed his gaze on Eldrin Chen and declared, "Young friends, you have occupied another's nest for far too long. It is time you returned the Great Desolate Ancient Realm to this old man."

"Return it?"

Sword Abyss Great Emperor [a mighty sword emperor allied with Eldrin Chen], his expression icy, could no longer restrain himself. "To think Your Majesty could be so shameless," he uttered, his voice cold.

Immortal Great Emperor [another powerful emperor allied with Eldrin Chen] sneered with open derision. "A stray dog, bereft of its home, dares speak of others occupying its nest?"

"Hah!"

Great Wilderness Emperor Sovereign's gaze turned icy, yet he still sneered coldly, "This is your final chance. Hand over the Great Desolate Ancient Realm now, and I shall let bygones be bygones."

"Is that so?" Eldrin Chen spoke slowly, his eyes radiating with a fierce, murderous aura. "If you wish for battle, then let us have a full-scale war."

"No need for further words. Let battle commence!"

The Vorgath Di [the Demon Emperor Di], who had remained silent until now, finally spoke. With calm steps, he advanced and launched his attack directly to suppress his foes.

Eldrin Chen acted decisively, fully channeling the Primordial Chaos Heaven Halberd and manifesting his three True Spirit Divine Form [divine forms embodying his true spiritual essence]. He engaged in a fierce battle against the two Sage Ascendant [beings who have ascended to the peak of sagehood]—Vorgath Di and the Great Wilderness Emperor Sovereign.

Bolstered by the Authority of the Heavenly Dao [the supreme authority derived from the Heavenly Dao, the fundamental order of the cosmos], Eldrin Chen held his ground against the two Sage Ascendant, not falling into a disadvantageous position.

Unfortunately, his opponents did not recklessly venture deep into the Great Desolate Ancient Realm. Had they done so, Eldrin Chen, empowered by the Power of Heavenly Dao Authority [the formidable power granted by the authority of the Heavenly Dao], would have had a strong chance of severely wounding, if not outright suppressing, these two Sage Ascendant.

However, the Heavenly Dao [the fundamental, impersonal force governing the cosmos and fate] empowerment that Eldrin Chen received from the outside world diminished with distance. Consequently, he could not stray too far from the Great Desolate Ancient Realm.

Thus, the great battle raged on without end. Eldrin Chen engaged in a desperate, life-and-death struggle against the two ancient Sage Ascendant—a confrontation of a rarity seldom seen throughout the ages.

After tens of thousands of exchanges, seeing that he could not subdue Eldrin Chen in a short time, Great Wilderness Emperor Sovereign spoke directly, "We shall breach this realm directly and sever this person's Heavenly Dao [the supreme natural order and source of cosmic power] empowerment."

"As you command."

In that instant, six Great Emperor [the supreme sovereigns of the cultivation world] and nearly one hundred Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [monarchs who rule over the primordial chaos] all took action, even consecutively activating their Great Emperor Ancient Ship [ancient, colossal vessels of immense power used by Great Emperors] to bombard the Great Desolate Ancient Realm.

Fortunately, the current Great Desolate Ancient Realm was protected by three Innate Supreme Treasure Spiritual Root [primordial spiritual roots of the highest innate grade]. Not only was their Origin [the foundational life force and spiritual essence] exceptionally profound, but their speed of Restoration [the divine ability to heal and regenerate] was also astonishingly swift, allowing them to hold the line for the time being.

However, if the bombardment continued unabated, it would inevitably become a major problem.

"We must seize those two Great Emperor Ancient Ship."

As this thought flashed through his mind, Eldrin Chen summoned five Soul Slave [a cultivator whose soul and will have been completely enslaved by another].

Instantly, these five Great Emperor-realm Soul Slave, empowered by the Abyssal Pearl, tore through the Void [the empty space between dimensions] and materialized directly atop the Great Emperor Ancient Ship.

Great Wilderness Emperor Sovereign and his allies had never imagined that Eldrin Chen possessed a spatial-attribute Innate Supreme Treasure [a treasure of the highest innate grade, born from the cosmos itself], let alone that he commanded five Great Emperor-realm Soul Slave.

Caught completely off guard, the Great Emperor Ancient Ship were breached at a pace visible to the naked eye.

Great Wilderness Emperor Sovereign [the supreme ruler of the vast and untamed lands] instantly paled, his expression shifting dramatically as he sought to intervene and offer aid. Yet, how could Eldrin Chen possibly allow him to have his way?

"Your opponent is me."

Eldrin Chen acted decisively, commanding the Primordial Chaos Heaven Halberd [a divine halberd embodying the power of primordial chaos] to sweep across in a devastating horizontal strike. He further fused the razor-sharp, severing power of the White Tiger Sword [a divine sword technique channeling the essence of the White Tiger] directly into the halberd's formidable edge.

In that fleeting instant, Great Wilderness Emperor Sovereign felt the hairs on his nape stand on end, a primal warning screaming through his senses. He could no longer spare even a thought for interfering elsewhere.

Simultaneously, Eldrin Chen invoked the Power of Heavenly Dao Authority [the supreme authority to command the principles of the Heavenly Dao], using its binding might to temporarily anchor the other foe in place.

With two Sage Ascendant [cultivators who have ascended to the penultimate sage realm] thus prevented from acting, and the remaining several Great Emperor [cultivators at the pinnacle Emperor realm] entangled by Sword Abyss Great Emperor and his allies, none could extricate themselves in the short span of time.

And in that brief, crucial moment of delay, the five Great Emperor from Chaos [the primordial realm of undifferentiated existence] had already swept clean the opposition upon the deck of the Great Emperor Ancient Ship [an ancient, colossal vessel used by Great Emperors]. They then piloted the mighty ship into the protective embrace of the Immortal Domain Grand Formation [the supreme defensive array protecting the immortal domain].

"Damnation!"

Witnessing the Great Emperor Ancient Ship being seized, Great Wilderness Emperor Sovereign was driven nearly to the brink of madness with fury. Yet, he no longer dared to press the offensive with such brazen arrogance.

He dispatched two of his Great Emperor to stand guard over the Great Emperor Ancient Ship, a precaution against Eldrin Chen attempting to repeat the same cunning stratagem.

However, this meant that their frontline forces were now short two Great Emperor [the supreme sovereigns of the cultivation world], leaving them at a disadvantage against Sword Abyss Great Emperor and his allies.

Furthermore, with one fewer Great Emperor Ancient Ship [a colossal vessel of war wielded by Great Emperors], their offensive power was drastically diminished, and the threat they posed to the Immortal Domain Grand Formation [the ultimate defensive array protecting the immortal realm] was significantly reduced.

With their strength waning and their foes' waxing, the difficulty of breaching the Great Desolate Ancient Realm had increased not merely severalfold, but by an order of magnitude.

"Damnation," he cursed.

The loss of a single Great Emperor Ancient Ship had severely disrupted his grand strategy. A frigid resolve settled in the heart of Great Wilderness Emperor Sovereign as he began to unleash attacks upon Eldrin Chen with utter disregard for cost.

Emperor Vorgath Di joined the assault with his full might, the two Sage Ascendants seeking to combine their strength against Eldrin Chen.

Yet Eldrin Chen was a master of defense, now further bolstered by the Authority of the Heavenly Dao [the mandate to wield the fundamental laws of the cosmos]. How could he possibly fear the combined assault of two mere Sage Ascendant [beings who have ascended to the threshold of sagehood]?

The colossal battle raged on for several Kalpa Tribulation [cosmic cycles of destruction and rebirth]. Yet, despite their utmost efforts, the two Sage Ascendant found they could not deliver a decisive blow against Eldrin Chen.

They had presumed that, however potent the Authority of the Heavenly Dao might be, Eldrin Chen's own spiritual reserves would eventually be exhausted, like a lamp burning its last drop of oil.

They believed that by waiting until Eldrin Chen was drained dry, they would find their opportunity for victory.

Yet as they witnessed Eldrin Chen remain fiercely energetic and undiminished, they realized it would be difficult to achieve victory by simply depleting his magical power [the mystical energy cultivated and wielded by practitioners of the esoteric arts].

Thus, Vorgath Di [the Demon Emperor of Annihilation] could no longer restrain himself and blurted out, "Pull the battlefield into the midst of his Immortal Domains [realms created and governed by an immortal, reflecting their inner world and power]. We must destroy these one hundred and eight Immortal Domains."

"Once these Immortal Domains are shattered, the effective range of the Authority of the Heavenly Dao [the supreme authority to command and utilize the fundamental laws of the cosmos] will retreat back within the boundaries of the Great Desolate Ancient Realm [the primordial and desolate world where the story primarily takes place]. At that time, we shall launch a direct and overwhelming assault upon the Great Desolate Ancient Realm itself."