Chapter 2045 : Clash of Celestial Titans

As his words fell, Emperor Vorgath Di immediately surged into the Immortal Domain Grand Formation and directly struck out, intending to shatter the grand formation.

Watching Emperor Vorgath Di charge into the formation, a chill shot through the brow of Eldrin Chen.

He immediately took command of the Immortal Domain Grand Formation. In that instant, one hundred and eight Immortal Domain erupted with overwhelming Celestial Immortal light, their combined power akin to one hundred and eight peerless Emperor Lord joining forces. They manifested a colossal Immortal Domain Grand Formation that descended with crushing force to suppress the intruder.

"Hah, overestimating your strength."

Facing the unleashed might of the Formation, Emperor Vorgath Di sneered coldly. Above his head, six Grand Dao Divine Form merged and transformed into a swirling lotus of Great Dao [the supreme, fundamental principle of the cosmos], which withstood the immense pressure of the Immortal Domain Grand Formation.

Forcing the grand formation back, he simultaneously brought the Great Cauldron crashing down in a flash, aiming to obliterate one of the Immortal Domain.

Eldrin Chen's expression shifted slightly. The power of the Great Dao wielded by a Sage Ascendant was terrifyingly potent. Even while contesting the Immortal Domain Grand Formation, he was on the verge of utterly destroying one Immortal Domain.

"He must not succeed."

Eldrin Chen understood clearly. A single Top-Grade Immortal Domain, even under the protection of the Immortal Domain Grand Formation, would struggle to withstand the full-force Slaughter of a Sage Ascendant.

Thus, Eldrin Chen acted decisively. He mobilized the Power of Heavenly Dao Authority [the authority to command the will of Heaven itself] to counter the assault, while simultaneously commanding the Abyssal Seal to press down upon the firmament, intercepting Great Wilderness Emperor Sovereign who sought to unleash his full power.

Fortunately, within the Immortal Domain Grand Formation [a supreme defensive array that protects an immortal's territory], the power of the Authority of the Heavenly Dao [the divine authority to command the fundamental laws of the world] grew even more formidable, capable of unleashing force comparable to a top-tier Sage Ascendant [a supreme cultivator who has ascended to the threshold of sagehood].

Augmented by the Immortal Domain Grand Formation, this power allowed Eldrin Chen to barely suppress two Sage Ascendants.

However, the Top-Grade Immortal Domain [a peak-tier realm created and governed by an immortal] ultimately proved insufficient in potency. Faced with the relentless assault from three combatants of Sage Ascendant-level strength, it suffered repeated devastating blows.

With no other choice, Eldrin Chen contracted these Immortal Domains [realms created by immortals, often as their personal dominions] to the perimeter of the Great Desolate Ancient Realm [an ancient and primordial world]. By compressing their spatial expanse, he amplified the Formation's [a structured arrangement of energy for defense, attack, or other purposes] power, thereby bolstering the defensive capabilities of these domains.

Yet, even so, under the residual shockwaves of the Sage Ascendants's Slaughter [a divine ability focused on absolute destruction and killing], the Origin [the foundational spiritual essence or source power] of these Immortal Domains was being depleted at an alarming rate.

After approximately thirty million years, the Origin of the first Immortal Domain was utterly exhausted. It subsequently shattered with a cataclysmic roar, its very Immortal Domain Grand Formation crumbling into oblivion.

This was but the beginning. In the epochs that followed, one Immortal Domain after another met its demise, fracturing into nothingness.

By the time the great war had raged for ten Kalpa Tribulations [cosmic cycles of immense duration, often associated with cataclysmic change], the one hundred and eight Immortal Domains had shattered one by one, ultimately transforming into a desolate expanse of ruined world-fragments.

Deprived of the augmentation from the Immortal Domain Grand Formation, the power of the Authority of the Heavenly Dao beyond the borders of the Great Desolate Ancient Realm diminished drastically. Eldrin Chen had no choice but to retreat and defend the Great Desolate Ancient Realm itself, ceasing direct confrontation with the two Sage Ascendants.

"Finally, we have broken through these Immortal Domains."

Witnessing Eldrin Chen retreat into the Great Desolate Ancient Realm, the Six Foreign Race Great Emperors finally allowed a trace of a smile to surface.

However, the Great Wilderness Emperor Sovereign wore a grave expression, pondering before speaking, "These Immortal Domain [a realm of immortals] have been swept clean, but the Authority of the Heavenly Dao [the supreme governing power of the cosmic order] within the Great Desolate Ancient Realm is not weak."

"If we rashly charge inside, even the two of us may not gain the upper hand."

The Vorgath Di also nodded in agreement. As a peerless Sage Ascendant [a supreme cultivator one step below the Earth Immortal realm], he understood the immense power of the Authority of the Heavenly Dao wielded by an Origin Domain [a primordial world, the source of all realms].

The reason they had dared to invade the Immortal Domain Grand Formation earlier was their confidence that a mere Top-Grade Immortal Domain [the highest tier of immortal realms] was fragile before them, allowing them to fight their way out.

But an Origin Domain was entirely different. The full Power of Heavenly Dao Authority [the manifested force of the cosmic order's mandate] of such a domain possessed the terrifying potential to suppress even a Chaos Celestial Emperor [an emperor born from primordial chaos].

In essence, should they recklessly step into an Origin Domain, they would face the oppressive weight of that entire world's Heavenly Dao [the Way of Heaven, the fundamental law and destiny of the cosmos].

Even though the Great Desolate Ancient Realm had fallen from its peak rank, it remained a quasi-Origin Domain, carrying the risk of severely injuring—or even destroying—their Sage Ascendant forms.

Of course, if that were the only concern, they would still possess the confidence to battle their way free.

The most critical factor was that Eldrin Chen wielded a Slaughter [a divine ability focused on absolute annihilation] technique capable of piercing the protection of their Great Dao [the supreme cultivation path], posing a genuine threat to them.

Contemplating this, Emperor Vorgath Di spoke, "Within the Great Desolate Ancient Realm [a primordial and desolate expanse from the dawn of creation], the Origin [the foundational, world-sustaining energy] is abundant. Furthermore, that individual wields an exceptionally unique True Spirit Divine Form [a manifestation of one's spiritual essence into a powerful, tangible avatar] capable of injuring our Sage Ascendant [a realm of cultivation approaching the apex of mortal power] true bodies."

"Moreover, his power would be greatly amplified within the Great Desolate Ancient Realm. If our true bodies were to step into that domain, the risks would be far from insignificant."

"It would be wiser to first assault the World's Placental Membrane [the protective, life-giving barrier surrounding a nascent world], depleting this realm's Primordial Source Power [the primordial energy that is the source of a world's vitality and laws]. Once the world's Origin is exhausted and his combat prowess is drastically reduced, we two can then charge in and reclaim this domain."

"Agreed."

The Lord of the Great Wilderness Realm concurred with his assessment, then added with a faint smile, "It so happens that after the prolonged battle, our own reserves have been significantly drained. We shall first Restoration [replenish and restore] our spiritual power, then deploy a grand formation to consume this world's Origin."

"Though this approach may be somewhat slower, it offers far greater security."

With these words, the Lord of the Great Wilderness Realm commanded his powerful subordinates to scour the surrounding Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea [a boundless, turbulent sea of chaotic energy at the edge of creation]. They gathered and transported hundreds of Great Luo Nest [massive, stable formations of condensed chaotic energy, akin to islands] and even several dozen Primordial Unity Nest [even rarer and more potent energy formations, representing a state of unified chaos].

This time, they intended to utilize the power of these Chaos Nest to erect a Sage Ascendant-level Primordial Grand Formation [an ancient and immensely powerful array formation], designed specifically to drain the Primordial Source Power of the Great Wilderness Primordial Domain.

However, the search for and transportation of the Chaos Nest consumed a vast amount of time; merely preparing the formation wasted several Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles, each spanning billions of years].

While those outside were busy gathering the Chaos Nest, Eldrin Chen and the others had already returned to the Great Wilderness Sacred Hall [the central sanctuary and seat of power within the Great Wilderness Realm].

Within the Great Wilderness Sacred Hall at this moment, the gathered Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch all wore expressions of profound gravity.

Sword Profound Emperor Lord looked towards Eldrin Chen seated at the head of the hall and inquired, "Your Excellency, what is to be done now?"

"Do not worry. With the World's Placental Membrane [the primordial barrier that separates and protects a world] and the Authority of the Heavenly Dao [the power to command the fundamental laws of the cosmos] sustaining our defenses, they cannot breach our sanctum."

Eldrin Chen pondered briefly, yet his countenance remained utterly composed, instantly dispelling the unease and uncertainty that had gripped the hearts of those present.

Dragon Turtle Emperor Lord grinned broadly and declared, "His Excellency is peerless under the heavens. Even beyond the borders of the Great Desolate Ancient Realm, he could hold his own against two foes at once."

"Now that we stand within the Great Desolate Ancient Realm itself, the potency of the Authority of the Heavenly Dao is magnified manifold. How would those two decrepit fools dare to charge into this ancient realm and seek their own demise?"

Upon hearing this, the others nodded in agreement. Although the Dragon Turtle Emperor Lord's tone was somewhat brash, his words were not without merit.

After all, Eldrin Chen's recent feat of single-handedly confronting two Sage Ascendant [cultivators who have ascended to the penultimate stage before true sagehood] had greatly fortified everyone's resolve for the coming conflict.

"Do not celebrate prematurely. It is unlikely those two will simply concede defeat."

So saying, Eldrin Chen turned his gaze to Liora and Sword Profound Emperor Lord and asked, "When do you plan to attempt your breakthrough to the Eighth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord?"

Liora, the Emperor Lord [the sovereign ruler of a vast domain] pondered for a moment before speaking, "I should be able to achieve a breakthrough in the near future."

"I can enter seclusion immediately to attempt the breakthrough."

Sword Profound Emperor Lord [a sovereign lord renowned for his mastery of the sword] spoke, a sharp, piercing gleam flashing in his eyes.

It turned out that more than a dozen Kalpa Tribulation [a cosmic cycle of immense duration] ago, both Sword Profound Emperor Lord and Liora, the Emperor Lord had successively forged their own Root Origin Treasure [a supreme treasure born from and intrinsically linked to a cultivator's very foundation].

Once one forges a Root Origin Treasure, they are considered a quasi-Eighth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord [the eighth tier of the Primordial Unity Emperor Lord realm]. All that remains is to fuse with a Great Dao Divine Chain [a divine chain embodying a fragment of the Great Dao, the fundamental law of existence] to truly step into the Eighth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord realm.

The reason they had not broken through was that their spiritual energy reserves were slightly insufficient, leading them to suppress their cultivation for over a dozen Kalpa Tribulation.

Now, with their energy accumulation nearly complete and under the watchful gaze of two Sage Ascendant [beings who have ascended to the Sage realm], it was time for them to break through to the Eighth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord realm.

Seeing their imminent breakthrough, Eldrin Chen spoke, "In that case, you should proceed with your cultivation breakthrough as soon as possible."

"If, one day, you manage to reach the Great Emperor Realm [the supreme realm of an Emperor], I will grant you the Opportunity [the chance or catalyst for a significant advancement] to forge a Lifebound Innate Supreme Treasure [an ultimate treasure innate to one's life and soul, the pinnacle of personal armaments]."

With those words, Eldrin Chen waved his hand dismissively and said, "You may withdraw for now. I myself intend to enter seclusion to see if I can continue advancing my own cultivation."

"Yes."

Upon hearing this, the various Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [a supreme ruler who has mastered a Primordial Great Dao] departed one after another from the Great Desolate Ancient Realm.

After everyone had left, the smile on Eldrin Chen's face slowly faded, replaced by an expression of profound gravity in his eyes.

He had to admit, the two foreign Sage Ascendant [a cultivator who has grasped a complete Primordial Great Dao] had placed immense pressure on Eldrin Chen, making him truly understand the formidable power of that realm.

Currently, Eldrin Chen had cultivated three True Spirit Divine Form [a supreme manifestation of one's spiritual essence and cultivation], his combat prowess already stepping into the domain of an Invincible Great Emperor [a Great Emperor whose power is unmatched within their realm]. Furthermore, he was bolstered by the Authority of the Heavenly Dao [the right to command and utilize the fundamental laws of the world] and the Immortal Domain Grand Formation [a grand defensive and empowering array formation].

It could be said that, with the support of the Great Desolate Ancient Realm, Eldrin Chen's ultimate combat strength had reached a level almost beyond description. Suppressing a single Great Emperor [a supreme ruler who has reached the pinnacle of the Emperor realm] with one hand was well within his capability.

Yet, such awe-inspiring, world-shaking power had not posed a significant threat to the two Sage Ascendant, revealing just how terrifyingly powerful the Sage Ascendant realm truly was.

"The Dao-Grasping Sage Ascendant Realm... the complete authority and power of a Primordial Great Dao [one of the fundamental, primordial laws that govern existence] is actually this fearsome?"

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, the furrow between his brows deepening with concern.

In his heart, he understood that his current ability to contend with a Sage Ascendant was primarily due to him having obtained the Power of Heavenly Dao Authority [the power derived from the Mandate of Heaven, representing supreme cosmic authority].

The power granted by the Authority of the Heavenly Dao [the supreme right to wield the laws of heaven and earth] originates from the Great Desolate Ancient Realm [a primordial and desolate world]. Once the Origin [the foundational life-force and essence of a world] of the Great Desolate Ancient Realm is depleted, the empowerment Eldrin Chen receives will be drastically diminished.

If Eldrin Chen were the Great Wilderness Emperor Sovereign, he would undoubtedly seek to deplete the Origin of the Great Desolate Ancient Realm.

Then, once the Origin was mostly exhausted, he would plunge deep into the Great Desolate Ancient Realm to deliver a fatal blow to his opponent.

"This is somewhat troublesome,"

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly. He glanced towards the Immortal Herb Garden [a garden cultivating plants of immense spiritual potency], and his heart settled slightly.

Within the Immortal Herb Garden, the Great Wilderness Ancient Tree [a primordial tree of colossal size and power] blotted out the sky, its trunk as massive as a World Tree, towering even higher than the sun and moon. Its majesty was visible even from beyond the borders of the Great Desolate Ancient Realm.

In contrast, the Earth Soul Ancient Tree [an ancient tree rooted in the essence of the earth] was rooted within the Netherworld Realm [a realm of death and shadows] and appeared far more diminutive. The Great Dao Fruit Tree [a tree bearing fruit imbued with profound Dao principles] stood a mere three Zhang-length tall, its roots anchored in the Sea of Dao [a conceptual ocean representing the totality of the Dao].

Because they were so small and concealed by the Great Desolate Ancient Realm, the two Sage Ascendant [a supreme cultivation realm just below that of a true Sage] outside the realm could not possibly detect these two Innate Supreme Treasure Spiritual Root [primordial spiritual plants of the highest grade].

These two Sage Ascendant were unaware that the Great Desolate Ancient Realm housed three such Innate Supreme Treasure Spiritual Root. Consequently, their judgment of the realm's Origin would certainly be flawed.

"If they attempt to drain the world's Origin, I can gradually weaken the World's Placental Membrane [the protective barrier surrounding a world], feigning the gradual exhaustion of its Origin. Then, I will find an opportunity to deal them a crippling blow."

Eldrin Chen's thoughts flickered, yet after a moment, he still shook his head.

Judging by the capabilities of the two Sage Ascendant [a supreme realm just below the Progenitor level], even with the aid of his World Authority [the authority to command the laws and essence of a world], Eldrin Chen would likely find it exceedingly difficult to subdue them. At best, he could only manage a mutually destructive stalemate.

Unless Eldrin Chen's strength underwent another monumental leap, only then would he have a chance to truly defeat them.

"How can my strength make such a monumental leap?"

Eldrin Chen pondered inwardly, silently taking stock of his own capabilities. He realized only two paths could lead to a significant advancement in his power.

Among the foundations of Eldrin Chen's current cultivation, his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] and his Great Dao [the profound cultivation path aligned with a fundamental cosmic principle] were insufficiently deep. Even if he broke through to the Seventh Layer Primordial Unity Emperor Lord realm, his combat prowess would at most rival that of a top-tier Eighth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord.

Only his Chaos Indestructible Body [a physique forged in primordial chaos, granting near-absolute resilience] and the authority granted by the Path of Self-Sacrifice [a cultivation art that empowers the user through the sacrifices of its practitioners] could induce an ultimate metamorphosis in his battle strength.

"The authority of the Path of Self-Sacrifice, I'm afraid, cannot be advanced in a short time."

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, unable to suppress a helpless shake of his head.

The Path of Self-Sacrifice had been disseminated for many years now. Within the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss alone, there were already over seventy Grand Luo Golden Immortal [the pinnacle immortal realm before the Sage Ascendant] who practiced it.

However, ever since Eldrin Chen was defeated and retreated from the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea, there had been no Immortal practitioner of the Path of Self-Sacrifice [a cultivation art that sacrifices the self to empower others] who managed to break through to the Grand Luo [the Grand Luo Golden Immortal realm, a pinnacle of cultivation] within the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss.

After arriving in the Great Desolate Ancient Realm, Eldrin Chen perfected the method for reaching the Primordial Unity [a profound state of oneness with the primordial Dao] through the Path of Self-Sacrifice and began spreading this art throughout the land.

Nevertheless, the Great Desolate Ancient Realm was, after all, merely a small Origin Domain [a foundational world or plane of existence], and its environment was not as stable as that of the Three Thousand Immortal Domains. Consequently, the rate at which Immortal practitioners were born from the Path of Self-Sacrifice was not particularly fast.

Even so, leveraging the inherent advantages of the Path of Self-Sacrifice, over the course of more than one hundred and eighty Kalpa Tribulation [cosmic cycles of immense duration, often involving great calamities], the Great Desolate Ancient Realm had still given birth to nearly three hundred Grand Luo Golden Immortal.

It could be said that the number of Grand Luo Golden Immortal required for the Path of Self-Sacrifice to step onto the Perfect Innate Great Dao [the ultimate, flawless path of one's innate nature] was already sufficient.

However, for the Path of Self-Sacrifice to truly ascend to the Perfect Innate Great Dao, it required not just over three hundred Grand Luo Golden Immortal, but also thirty-six practitioners who had reached the Great Luo Golden Immortal Great Perfection [the pinnacle of the Grand Luo Golden Immortal realm].

Nurturing cultivators to the Great Luo Golden Immortal Great Perfection was no easy feat, for it demanded exceptional talent and potential, as well as an exceedingly long span of time.

Among the practitioners of the Path of Self-Sacrifice, those who had reached the Great Luo Golden Immortal Great Perfection or higher currently numbered only eighteen in total.

Seventeen of these were in the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss—comprising Eldrin Chen's various personal disciples and peerless prodigies such as Jiang the Sovereign Emperor.

The remaining one was a heaven-favored genius from the side of the Great Wilderness Primordial Domain—the young woman Amani, who had converted to cultivating the Path of Self-Sacrifice.

As for the others, they still fall far short.

On the side of the Great Wilderness Primordial Domain, although there are quite a few who have broken through to Grand Luo Golden Immortal via the Path of Self-Sacrifice, the vast majority have their potential capped at the early or middle stages of Grand Luo Golden Immortal.

Due to the nature of the Inner Immortal Domain [a divine ability that creates an internal world within the cultivator's body], the difficulty of cultivating the Path of Self-Sacrifice to Great Luo Golden Immortal Great Perfection is even greater; one must at least achieve the True Spirit Sacrificial Self Body and cultivate multiple Indestructible Immortal Treasury [a foundational cultivation art that creates an unbreakable internal energy reservoir].

The Fortune [a cultivator's inherent destiny and potential] of these Grand Luo from the Great Desolate Ancient Realm cannot compare to the direct disciples of Eldrin Chen. Among the nearly three hundred Grand Luo who practice the Path of Self-Sacrifice, fewer than ten have successfully cultivated the True Spirit Physique [a supreme physical constitution born from the Path of Self-Sacrifice].

Without cultivating the True Spirit Physique, one is unqualified to set foot upon Great Luo Golden Immortal Great Perfection. Thus, it is clear that the vast majority of Grand Luo Golden Immortal on the Path of Self-Sacrifice can only reach the Great Luo Realm and stop there.

This, however, was within expectations. After all, the difficulty of cultivating the True Spirit Physique via the Path of Self-Sacrifice is not immense; it is roughly equivalent to achieving the Indestructible Foundation [the most perfect and unshakable foundation in the orthodox immortal cultivation path] in the orthodox immortal path.

In contrast, among those on the orthodox immortal path, those who can step into Late Great Luo Golden Immortal have almost all cultivated the Indestructible Foundation.

The difficulty of cultivating the True Spirit Physique is equivalent to cultivating the Indestructible Foundation in the immortal path. If one cannot even achieve the True Spirit Physique of the Path of Self-Sacrifice, how could their body possibly bear the weight of an entire Inner Immortal Domain?

"Even if I nurture them with all my might and bestow sufficient cultivation resources, the number of practitioners on the Path of Self-Sacrifice who reach Grand Luo with the True Spirit Physique remains insufficient. The Path of Self-Sacrifice will still be unable to reach completion."

"It seems that to gather thirty-six Great Luo Golden Immortal Great Perfection, it will take at least another hundred Kalpa Tribulation [a cosmic cycle of immense duration, often billions of years] of time."

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, a soft sigh escaping his lips as he temporarily suppressed the urge to swiftly bring the Path of Self-Sacrifice to its perfect completion.

Having quelled that thought, Eldrin Chen then turned his senses inward to examine the state of his Chaos Indestructible Body.

After years of dedicated cultivation, the accumulation of Origin [the foundational life-force and spiritual essence] for the Chaos Indestructible Body had surpassed the halfway mark. It seemed a breakthrough could be achieved within fifty Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles, often billions of years].

"If I were to simultaneously refine the Nirvana Sacred Fruit and the Great Wilderness Sacred Fruit, perhaps I could shorten that time to within twenty Kalpa Tribulations," he mused.

As these thoughts flickered through his mind, Eldrin Chen's gaze fell upon the communication talisman in his hand. Yet, after a long moment of contemplation, he once again suppressed the impulse to send a message.

At present, the Indestructible Elder was still in secluded meditation to heal his wounds, and was most likely in the midst of refining a supreme treasure. Sending a message now would undoubtedly disturb him.

If the Indestructible Elder were to come, it would likely cause him to waste rare and precious resources, as well as his valuable time.

If the Indestructible Elder chose not to come, it would certainly plunge their relationship to a freezing point. Even though that possibility seemed small, it was not worth the risk.

Furthermore, there was another possibility: the Indestructible Elder might be in a life-or-death seclusion, unable to receive any messages immediately.

Eldrin Chen estimated that, regardless of which scenario played out, requesting the elder's aid while he was healing would inevitably diminish the goodwill the Indestructible Elder held for him.

Therefore, sending a message at this moment was not an opportune time.

Being a wise man, Eldrin Chen was unwilling to disturb Indestructible Elder at this juncture and waste that hard-earned favor.

He understood clearly that once Indestructible Elder's injuries were Restoration [restored/healed], the favor of an existence capable of rivaling a Celestial Emperor would be immeasurably precious.

"Senior Imperishable is not adept at offensive techniques, and his injuries have not yet fully Restoration [recovered/healed]."

"Even if summoned, he might not be able to completely suppress two Sage Ascendant. It is better to preserve this favor for future use."

As these thoughts flickered through his mind, Eldrin Chen retrieved the 'Nirvana Phoenix Fruit' and began refining the power contained within, starting to enhance the accumulated Origin [Primordial Source/Foundation] within himself.

After completely refining it, Eldrin Chen perceived that the Origin [Primordial Source/Foundation] of his physical body had increased by thirty percent. He was now only twenty percent away from the Origin [Primordial Source/Foundation] needed to step into the realm of Seventh Layer Primordial Unity Emperor Lord.

With this realization, Eldrin Chen wasted no time. He immediately began refining the Dragon Blood Elixir and various other rare treasures, continuously amassing his own Primordial Source Power [the fundamental power of one's origin].

Not long after Eldrin Chen entered seclusion, Sword Profound Emperor Lord and Liora, the Emperor Lord successively broke through in their cultivation, stepping into the realm of Eighth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord.

After their breakthroughs, both experienced significant increases in strength. Among them, Liora, the Emperor Lord could be considered a standard example of the Three True Spirit Foundations [a cultivation foundation built upon three perfected spiritual cores].

Such aptitude could be called the Bearing of a Great Emperor [a destiny marked by the potential to become a supreme ruler], and his combat prowess was considered formidable among those at the Eighth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord [the eighth stage of the Primordial Unity Emperor Lord realm].

Sword Profound Emperor Lord had cultivated four major True Spirit Foundation [a foundational cultivation stage focused on refining one's true spiritual essence], making his combat strength several degrees greater than Liora, the Emperor Lord's, placing him at the pinnacle level of the Eighth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord.

In terms of ultimate combat capability, Sword Profound Emperor Lord could even be deemed peerless among Eighth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord, nearly on par with Immortal Desolation Emperor when he had first broken through.

However, having consecutively broken through realms within a mere few hundred Kalpa Tribulation [cosmic cycles of immense duration, often involving great calamities], both had developed certain shortcomings.

For instance, although Sword Profound Emperor Lord's cultivation had reached the Eighth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord, the Lifebound Treasure [a magical artifact bound to a cultivator's life and soul] he was refining was still only a Five-Pattern Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo [an embryonic form of a supreme innate treasure marked with five primal patterns].

While Liora, the Emperor Lord's cultivation had stepped into the Eighth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord, her Lifebound Treasure, the Star River Silk, was merely a Four Mark Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo.

In contrast, the vast majority of Eighth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord wielded Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo [the embryonic form of a supreme innate treasure] marked with six or more patterns, with no shortage of Seven-Pattern Supreme Treasure among them.

By comparison, their Lifebound Immortal Treasure [an immortal-grade treasure bound to a cultivator's life] fell somewhat short, dragging down their potential combat power; otherwise, they could have been even stronger.